Rewind Effect

Far from common.

2011-12-05T23:54:00.000-08:00

I have been a hip hop fan for long enough that I should be able to freely express my opinions without concern about going against the grain of popular sentiment. So let me unload a few boulders off my ever-weary chest. 2Pac's two Death Row albums were weighed down by subpar production and get by on Pac's unbridled passion in his delivery. Dilla may have been a genius in his own right but as far as music I personally enjoy on a purely aural level, I do not dig a large majority of his musical catalog. Biggie made fantastic music and had an impeccable flow but as a lyricist, I just cannot see how he can be compared to 90's era Jay and Nas. And finally (for now)...

I am not a fan of the Okayplayer movement. Let's not get carried away with any judgment that goes beyond that single word "movement". I have been a fan of the Roots since I first heard "Proceed", "Illadelph Halflife" may very well fall in my top 25 list of classic albums, and Black Thought is one of my favorite rappers of all time. But that movement the Roots spawned... eh. I am long past the point of defending music I like on any moral grounds (I think Chris Rock granted me the audacity to simply enjoy music I like and let ethical criticism from the naysayers fall where it may). So ever since Bushwick Bill scrawled "Helter Skelter" on an unfortunate victim's walls, since Chuck D dismissed a letter from the government with Muhammed Ali-like disdain, since Cube tore his way through that map and kept on stompin'... I have liked my hip hop violent, nihilistic and grimy as Chinese restaurant grease traps. Thief's themes you play at night and don't act right. Suffice it to say that Okayplayer had an air of bohemian independence that did not comfortably squeeze into this category.

So there was a dude named Lonnie Lynn from the Southside of Chicago who made his name (to a more significant slice of the general populace) with a song bemoaning this very state of hip hop... or at least the unholy industry who took advantage of such artists in order to peddle profane music to starry-eyed suburban kids (*raises my own hand*). But when the beast within was unleashed, he could still tear a gangsta rap legend to shreds over a scathing diss track and go toe-to-toe lyrically with a Canibus who still reigned supreme on Lost Boyz guest spots and the Clue mixtape circuit. Even as he made his initial foray into Okayplayer territory with "Like Water for Chocolate", he still sounded rugged as ever... to the extent that hip hop nerds speculated what unfortunate rapper he was taking to task on "Doonit" while straining their convulsing neck muscles to the sounds of a premier lyricist finally gracing a DJ Premier masterpiece.

Then there was the debacle of "Electric Circus". Common could still bring it lyrically, make no mistake ("Soul Power" alone was evidence of that)... but something had inherently changed. I have a distinct memory of seeing Common in concert during the Electric Circus tour... and when he started waving his hands, chanting "Can you feel the love, y'all?" while multi-colored spotlights swirled behind him, I thought, pun fully intended... all common sense was truly lost. What was it exactly? Was Erykah Badu truly the emasculating force of nature that we had feared she was since Andre started donning blonde wigs and dressing like a Parliament reject? Many hip hop heads would start interjecting that Com reclaimed his hip hop pass with "Be"... but I've spewed enough venom in the way of unpopular viewpoints on already-deemed-classics so I'll save that for another rant.

Let's skip over the "Universal Mind Control" nonsense and fast forward to "Ghetto Dreams". I held my breath when I first heard it. It could've been a simple aberration... like when he showed up on Jadakiss' "Why" remix or wreaked havoc on the "Be" intro (one of the parts I did like on the album). Or could he be truly rejuvenated by reuniting with his former partner-in-crime, the suddenly-hot producer of the moment, No I.D.? And with each subsequent leak... "Blue Sky", "So Sweet", "Celebrate" and now "The Believer"... it seems Common Sense may have been restored to the world.

There is no such thing as a perfect album. And usually my sky-high expectations can never be met when they've been driven to such ridiculous proportions as they have currently been. But here's to hoping the rest of the album lives up to it. December 20th can't get here fast enough.

Tha West is back.

2011-07-07T00:17:00.000-07:00

As mentioned in my previous post, my homey Bounce Roc just signed to Snoop's label, Doggtown Entertainment. This man has been on his grind for real, he's about to make big things happen, trust. For now, check out the new track he just cooked up with fellow signee Poppa Heat, "What's Up Haterz". The West about to be back in a big way.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8iBrLGleEk

It's official.

2011-06-09T01:08:00.001-07:00

It's on, my boy done signed to Snoop's label. Be on the lookout for him. For now, check out his music at www.reverbnation.com/bounceroc

Break up to make up.

2011-04-28T20:07:00.001-07:00

I guess reconciling is the new beef.

This one was a long time coming though. Ever since we saw the promise of Bad Meets Evil on "Scary Movies" and…well, "Bad Meets Evil", hip hop heads eagerly anticipated a full length release from lyrically dexterous duo from the D. Alas, it was not to be as legend has it that Royce's manager ran off at the mouth about his client collecting checks penning verses for Dre. Though the good Doctor's employment of ghost writers has been well documented, apparently it is one of those truths that should not be publicly spoken about. So Royce was relegated to the independent circuit (with mixed results) while Eminem turned into one of the biggest pop stars of the last decade.

I personally maintained for many years that I felt Royce had the skills and persona to become the next Jay-Z. Of course this was back when Jay was just a huge rap star and not the all world magnate he has turned into… and Royce had, even after the Dre debacle, still some semblance of a relationship with his melanin challenged counterpart. Delusions of grandeur hoping for the next hip hop savior maybe (and in retrospect, likely at this point)… but even the staunchest Royce skeptical cannot argue he squandered a lifetime's worth of potential (as can be said of many that were blessed and cursed enough to be connected to Dre's extended family).

But… this very fickle industry very rarely offers second chances. So Royce should embrace it with all aplomb (because let's face it, Em doesn't really need it). Both Bad and Evil may no longer be in their primes… but that's not to say they are incapable of delivering an album's worth of material that hip hop so desperately needs.

And right on cue... here is the first official single...
"Fast Lane"

Source: http://rapradar.com/2011/04/25/eminem-royce-da-59-announce-ep/

Return of the Mac

2011-04-20T01:04:00.001-07:00

So no one can't fault Prodigy for getting right back on his grind. Fresh off hitting the bricks, P lets us know his time in the bing was not for naught and presents with an EP of fresh material.

I haven't yet listened to it (I plan on doing that while at the gym tomorrow)… but any true hip hop head would not fault a fellow boom bap aficionado for being skeptical. Let's face it, no one has taken a sixteen from the post-HNIC Prodigy seriously in some time. I don't condone the use if any illicit substances but if I ever missed a dust head, it was definitely that Queensboro teen who threatened to stab your brain with your nosebone.

So let's hold our collective breaths and take a listen to the Ellsworth…
http://hulkshare.com/nw7zeyf69wqo
(props to the good posters at SOHH for providing us with the rip.)

"Welcome home P... let's get this bread..."

2011-04-04T00:51:00.001-07:00

There's been many a collabo hip hop fans have wished for that seemed like they would never come to fruition. So it's nice when rappers actually reconcile and come together to produce the art we know they are capable of. And I love hearing Alchemist and Mobb Deep bring the best out of Nas. And he couldn't have put it any better. "Welcome home P."

Download.

Duel of the ironic mic.

2011-03-10T21:44:00.000-08:00

Even if we had not been privy to every last detail of "Lasergate" - from the organized rally to be held outside the Atlantic offices all the way to Lupe recently admitting that he hates the album - one could gather upon first listen of "Lasers" that this may have not been the version of this album Lupe had originally envisioned. At least those who have been even casual fans of Lupe since he first came on the scene.

Right from the first track, Lupe sounds exhausted: "Tired of all the wardrobe changing/Playing all these extra roles/Filled with all these different spirits/Living off these separate souls/Point of life is getting hollow/Can't wait for the exit hole..." Lupe resigns himself to the fate that is "Lasers". It's as if Biggie had started off "Ready to Die" with "Suicidal Thoughts". Set to Euro-pop emo production.

Then consider the irony of his second single "Words I Never Said". Where Lupe lyrically assaults America for its political, social, and cultural hypocrisy and concludes by declaring he will not be the one afraid to expose said hypocrisy. Yet the production is courtesy of producer-of-the-moment Alex Da Kid and his songstress-in-crime Skylar Grey. The track is actually not bad. But coming from Lupe, who had so loyally clung to his 1st-and-15th in-house production team for two albums, it feels slightly... conformist. (Yeah, I know he tapped the Neptunes for "Food & Liquor" but "I Gotcha" was never one of my favorites either.)

We could go right onto the next track where the chorus pleads, "Yeah I got flaws/I know I'm not perfect/But all the ups and downs will soon be worth it/When I get there..." A cry for help? Is it coincidental that the second verse is him metaphorically talking to his therapist about how to cope with fame... and the therapist prescribing more of it?

And so on and so forth.

Yes, this is most likely, yet again, just the paranoid ramblings of a hip hop elitist snob. But after toning down and filtering out all the hyperbole, it doesn't seem completely far fetched. Not to mention that every time I hear the hook to "State Run Radio", I have to restrain my own right hand from stabbing myself in the chest just so I can get to "All Black Everything", the near-lone saving grace of the album (at least as one song in its entirety).

And what Lupe has admitted to the press thus far only confirms these suspicions. I am sure it has not been lost at all on him, who proclaimed his favorite album was Nas' "It Was Written"... which at its time was also heavily criticized as Nas' own attempt for broader commercial appeal and success. Which, as it happens, turned out to be his best selling album of all time. And guess what? "LASERS" HAS ALREADY DONE LUPE'S BEST FIRST-WEEK NUMBERS YET.

I know, it's not that serious. It is just music after all. And, in all honesty, I am not one to criticize someone for their own personal taste in music. But if there is any grain of truth to anything I've just written, what I will take away from "Lasers" is that is, in fact, a plea. An impassioned one asking his fans to stick around for what will hopefully be the more traditionally-hip hop flavored "Food & Liquor 2".

Please?

Rap is an art, you don't own no loops...

2011-01-26T22:57:00.000-08:00

... that is, unless you actually DO own the loops that a rapper is trying to sample from.

I guess Saigon and Just Blaze are just the latest in a long line of hip hop artists that have fallen victim to sample clearance issues. In a post from the SOHH forums, Just Blaze dropped in to explain why a couple of the snippets from "Greatest Story Never Told" sound different from the original leaks. Here is his post in full...

"I found out in the 11th hour that Atlantic had not paid for sample clearances. paperwork was done, but checks were not cut. Being that those deals were arranged 3 years prior, many of them would take a ton of follow up to finalize, which we did not have time for. We had 3 days and no budget to take care of this, so certain songs had to be changed. that being said, these are probably the best sample replays you will EVER hear, in terms of realism and feel. unfortunately "invitation" was the last one to get done and I was not able to fine tune it the way I would have liked to without the album being pushed back at least a month. Turning in an album even a day late when you have certain retail programs in place through an independent distributor can push your product back extremely because the indie has to basically get in line with what retailers offer them. Example, Joe Blow records has a program in place with FYE for placement for 4 of their products for the month of February @ 1 per week being at the front of the store, which JBR is paying for. Album 1 doesnt ship to manufacturing in time, and is ready the following week. However JBR is only allotted 1 "front of store" placement per week. They have to go with the album that was originally scheduled for release that week, and so on and so forth with the albums that were already slotted for their respective week. which means that album that was delivered only a day late now has to wait another month or possibly even more for a free slot to open up or another artist has to lose their release date when they had their material ready in time. It's not like a major who can have 10 products come out at the same time and have proper financial support across the board for all of them. This leeway is one of the few advantages of being on a major.

Anyway, i know that's a lot but I say all that to say, yes certain samples were changed but to be honest most arent even noticeable with the exception of "invitation". that being said I will eventually release the original one, but not until after the album been commercially available.

Oh yeah, what you guys know as the OG version of "preacher" was a demo that sai recorded when i first met him. might have been the first thing we ever did. the actual album version has been different since day one.

And "war" is not on the album. Not the song that's on youtube anyway. "

So I guess as it stands, we may hear the originals but not on the album itself. Slightly disappointing (especially in the case of "The Invitation" which was sounding like a certified early-2000's Just Blaze banger). But hey... that's the politics of the business. Charge it to the game and be happy the album will finally see the light of day.

You can listen to the original clips and the new snippets and compare for yourselves...

And as a bonus... Just even explains why the album cover got changed. Gotta love the internet.

Unfortunately all we ever had were small prints of the original cover shoot, which are in atlantics posession, not the full print quality materials. that's one area me and sai disagree on. he prefers the new cover, i much prefer the old. but it's his album end of the day. i think he's heard the opinions loud and clear tho. i was trying to get the OG cover to at least be the digital art. might still be a possibility.

I let me tape rock 'til my tape popped...

2011-01-18T22:50:00.000-08:00

Just to be honest, Rolling Stone isn't good for much if you're a dedicated hip hop fan. It's interesting to read from time to time to get a more universal perspective on music. But when it comes to hip hop, it doesn't seem to get a lot right. I remember being shocked reading certain reviews for "The Blueprint" and Black Star when they dropped (I think they only got 3 out of 5 stars each if my memory serves me correctly).

Here is something they have shared which is worth your attention. They interviewed Nas on his love for hip hop... and more specifically, how cassette tapes played a large role in that regard. Cassettes are a bygone era which is so intertwined with hip hop's history precisely because hip hop, as a culture, thrived and matured during the time cassette tapes where the primary format for retail music. Whether you're talking about Raekwon's iconic Purple Tape or bonus songs (like 2Pac's Pain) which were only available at the time on the cassette versions of albums... you'd have to have lived through this time period to really know what people are referring to. Nas does exactly that in this interview... as he talks about stuffing paper inside tapes to record over them... or frantically trying to catch certain songs on the radio to record them... or hearing the tape speed up before it was about to pop... or the one that had me laughing, freezing batteries to try to extend their lifespan.

As we slowly transition into an almost exclusively digital-format age (R.I.P. Fat Beats) and a time you can instantaneously download nearly any album three weeks before its release, I find my attention span withering and my appreciation for music growing more shallow. And I think it's because back then, we had to work so much harder to attain the music we loved that we have become so jaded and take it so much more for granted now. No, I don't feel sorry for the record industry that has been robbing us for our hard-earned dollars for years... not to the mention the artists they have prostituted and abused. But I do miss that time when my love for hip hop was a lot purer. And wouldn't a label called "Rewind Effect" be remiss if we didn't share this with you as well?

My tea's gone cold, I'm wonderin' why...

2011-01-16T15:24:00.000-08:00

Let me say right off the top: I am not a stan. If I were pressed, I'd probably say Nas is my overall favorite rapper of all time (although I think singling out one artist as your "all time favorite" is a little ridiculous). But that doesn't detract from my appreciation of Jay-Z's music. I'd even readily admit he has the superior catalog and career. And being from the West Coast, I grew up on 'Pac since he first went solo. However, I prefer listening to Biggie's albums from a straight hip hop standpoint. It's all a matter of mood or opinion, right? I've never understood religiously defending or idolizing one artist at the expense of another... especially since 99% of us do not have personal relationships with them. They do not pay our bills, have not mentored us in our upbringing, and do not know us from Adam. So why can't we just let the music be music?

So with that said, I am not a Saigon stan. I am a big fan however. And as I have mentioned multiple times on this blog, I was sorely disappointed by the possibility that his debut album would not see the light of day. Now that it is less than a month away from its release date, I am, without resorting to too much hyperbole, dying with anticipation.

Though I am not a stan (and with every mention, I realize I am starting to sound like exactly that), I will admit I can get carried away with my expectations for certain rappers and projects. I, at one time, believed Royce Da 5'9 could turn out to be the next Jay-Z. I thought he had the lyrical ability, the potential crossover appeal, and song making prowess to do so. Okay so I was wrong on that one. I also thought Lupe Fiasco and/or Jay Electronica could turn out to be the next Nas. Call me delusional but I think the jury is still out on those two counts.

So needless to say, my expectations for Saigon were (and still are) fairly high. I believe Saigon, on some levels, has the potential to be the next 2Pac. Now before you laugh, let me say I don't believe Saigon will actually achieve the cult-level status that 'Pac possesses. As great as 'Pac's music was, it is the way his legend has grown posthumously that makes him damn near a religion for a lot of people. I do think though that Saigon has some of those same qualities strictly from an artistic perspective that made 'Pac great as an ARTIST. And surpasses him in one or two respects. He rhymes with conviction about a large variety of subjects. His lyrics are largely about empowerment and moving beyond the negative portrayals and stereotypes about hip hop that make it the septic tank it is today. He believes in the power of music and what he can contribute to it. And on top of all that he can rhyme his @$$ off... from a technical standpoint, superior to 'Pac. And all of the above mentioned characteristics not only come through in his music but his interviews as well. He is one rapper I actually feel captivated listening to outside of his music. Yes, sometimes he can be self-contradicting... but it's always interesting. Especially compared to these mush-mouthed rappers that are mostly a mess of "knowhatumsayin"s and a lot of blab about what their label is or isn't doing for them. Saigon is often criticized for talking too much and not releasing enough music. But I am content being in the minority that likes to hear what he has to say. (Of course that's much easier to say now that his album is actually being released).

Saigon catches a lot of flack for the run-in with Prodigy, the whole "retirement" fiasco, dissing Joe Budden for being Amalgam then joining the label himself, and so on. I think that's exactly what qualifies all these types of detractors as the actual stans. When you care too much about things other than the music itself. The same reason people read all the US-Weekly-People-Magazine-National-Enquirer types of trashy rags. Why do you care Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt had for breakfast or what helpless Asian kid they're adopting this week? Just give me a good movie that entertains me and who gives a f**k about the rest.

"The Greatest Story Never Told" has nearly already been told in full due to leaks by Just Blaze and Saigon themselves. So though most of the surprise is gone, unless the second half of the album is a total disaster, it looks like the debut will be very good. And hopefully a great launching pad for the rest of his career. Before I shun any more material until the actual release date... let's take a look at what this potential classic is shaping up to be so far...

Who stole the boom bap??!!

2011-01-11T15:42:00.000-08:00

At the risk of sounding like a whiny, spoiled child on Christmas morning… this is not what I was promised.

Let me preface this particular rant with a short disclaimer. This is not a knock against Lex Luger's production. Yeah, some of his beats can get repetitive at times. I'm not all that familiar with the Waka Flocka catalog so outside of his more well-known Rick Ross creations ("B.M.F", "M.C Hammer"), I'm probably not the most qualified critic anyways. But I do like his beats. That whole trap style sound, when done right, would make Gandhi want to start mushing random strangers in the face. And you have to admire a young kid that makes beats on his computer and eventually hustles his way to collaborating with the two biggest names in hip hop on their lead single.

But I digress back to my original point… this is not what I was promised.

Far be it from me to hold a rapper to what they say in public about an upcoming project. "Subject to Change" is always the implied fine print. I guess we should consider ourselves lucky to see "Watch the Throne" coming into fruition at all. But… nah, f$@# that, didn't 'Ye promise us a boom bap album??! Didn't he mention the likes of Madlib and Q-Tip?! Did "The Joy" and "Chain Heavy" generate such little buzz that Jay and 'Ye felt the need to go scoop up the hot producer of the moment to build some momentum?

And once again, nothing against trap music. In essence, it IS the boom bap of the South (like G-Funk is to the West)… a sound that unmistakably defines an entire region. But in the same way Bun B sounded over Premo's production… sure, any good MC over a good beat will more often than not yield good results… yet wouldn't Nas have sounded even better??

Yeah, of course rappers are allowed to experiment with different sounds and step outside their comfort zones to artistically stretch themselves blah blah blah… but this smells a little too much like commercial desperation. I find it ironic that Jay, who took a for-most-intents-and-purposes nameless Kanye and claimed his signature sound for his own classic album, is now running off with that same producer to the go-to guy for hot beats.

And hey, I could be wrong. Maybe this is just the song to appease the industry heads or the sheep or whoever… and the other seven songs are chock full of grimy snares and dirty kicks and scratchy hi hats that sound like they rolled fresh off an SP-12.

But in this day and age, who's willing to take a chance like that?

P.S. In an attempt to expound on my frustration, Kanye pulled the same sleight-of-hand with "My Blah Blah Blah Fantasy". Another album which I thought was great… but initially envisioned as something entirely different. Namely said boom bap influenced album. This beat is supposedly the DJ Premier submission which ended up on the cutting room floor…

Premier indeed.

2010-12-18T00:55:00.001-08:00

I will always associate DJ Premier with the blissful era when I truly became a dedicated hip hop head. Before that, hip hop was still just a mix of sounds and rhythms in a way I abstractly and subconciously appreciated. The only names I associated with those sounds were the ones emblazoned on the album cover (namely, the MC). Premo's name was the first one I actually started to recognize in the album's liner notes, the one who laid the foundations of all those songs I loved. The architect of my addiction. The PRODUCER. Yeah, yeah... I knew other producers like Dr. Dre and all them... but mostly because they had their name on the front covers too. Preem's name was only on the inside cover of those Gangstarr albums. And after I wrapped my feeble mind around the concept of the "producer", I started digging further into what the concept of a hip hop producer entailed... how they actually took older records and chopped them up to create that entirely new sound that I was now a fan of. In a way, Premo largely shaped my appreciation for music outside of the boundaries of hip hop itself.

So XXL has done all of us Premier fans a huge service in presenting us with the definitive Premier interview. This is a must read for any true hip hop head. Preem gives us the back stories on a few events from the past that he had only hinted at before. Like what really happened in the beef between Jeru the Damaja and Bad Boy. And how that affected his work with Big. And how Big even tried to get some beats from Dre for "Life After Death". And how he made up with Chuck D after the "Crack Commandments" drama. And his thoughts on how things ended with Guru. And why he hasn't worked with Jay lately. And if we'll ever get that collab album with him and Nas. And how you might have even heard his work in some Wal-Mart commercials. Do yourself a favor and read this.

DJ Premier: The XXL Icon Interview.

St. Valentine's Day Massacre.

2010-12-15T00:20:00.001-08:00

We as hip hop fans have been promised many albums over the years. "Helter Skelter". "Oh My God". "The Nacirema Dream". A Nas/Primo collab. Yet with every announcement, we hold out hope that these dream projects might actually come to fruition. Very rarely do we wait years on end and actually get the album delivered to us.

It seems like next February, two of the albums on my personal wishlist may finally see the light of day. Saigon's "Greatest Story Never Told" has been promised to us multiple times. And it seems I've written about it multiple times also. We've seen photos of an album cover and even the final mastered copy sitting on Just Blaze's mastering board. So this newly redesigned album cover could very well be another tease. Perhaps I'm just making myself the idiot who keep running back to that little bastard who won't stop yelling "Wolf" at the top of his lungs. But I am choosing to believe it's real this time. Saigon never delivered that 8-song appetizer he promised a couple months ago. But he has dropped about half that amount of songs during that time to prove he's back on he's grind. Let's take a moment to imagine how great the album could be if it sounds anything like this on track number one...

Beats, rhymes, and life.

2010-12-13T23:41:00.001-08:00

It's amazing how much hip hop has evolved since its inception. Obviously, everything will change, for better or for worse throughout the years... but it's mind blowing when you sit back and really think about it. Growing up as a teenager in the suburbs of the Pacific Northwest, the music I heard was created by such luminaries as Dr. Dre and DJ Premier in the far off distant lands of Los Angeles and New York. D&D Studios might as well have been Never Never Land for all I knew. An MPC could have been a contraption created in Willy Wonka's factory that required three brains and a Mensa certification to operate. All I had to go on was the final product that I knew and loved blasting out of my cheap ass Sony headphones and my imagination. Hip hop, in effect, was bigger than life.

These days, you no longer need thousands of dollars of equipment to build the sonic landscape of your dreams. Just get yourself a laptop from Best Buy, a bootleg copy of Fruity Loops if you don't want to buy the real thing, and you're good to go.

Witness Lex Luger, the 19-year old producer extraordinaire... now with such street classics as Rick Ross' "BMF" and "MC Hammer" to his name. Love his music or hate it, you can't deny that at this moment, his bounce-heavy trap-style production is in full demand. And thanks to World Star Hip Hop, we can all get a glimpse of his creativity at work with the click of a mouse.

Monster of the double entendre...

2010-10-23T15:29:00.001-07:00

So after all these years of being promised a tome from the almighty Jay-Z, some sort of glimpse into his mind... we are getting "Decoded" on November 16th. I guess that truly revealing biography written by Toure was axed... so this will have to do. I'd rather read about his own personal insight into his lyrics than tales of hustlin' OT in Virginia or struggling to get a deal on a major anyways.

Here we get the first sneak peek into the book... a breakdown of "American Dreamin'" from "American Gangster"...

http://online.wsj.com/media/JayZDecoded2.pdf

Some of it is obvious to any listener that actually bothers to listen to the lyrics instead of "skim through it". But it is obviously written to appeal to the broadest audience possible. The average rap fan, even the most suburban of them (which I'll admit includes myself), would know what the term "pitching" meant after hearing countless rapper's stories about hustling on the block. However, Jay-Z, by explaining the lyrics, also makes the descriptions semi-autobiographical in turn. An excerpt:

"And it's not like we're professionals movin' the decimals/Know where to cop? Nah! Gtt a connect? No!"

Initially the decision to hustle is freestyled. These kids in the cipher, the ones with their feet up and the dreams of foreign cars, have absolutely no idea how to go into business, even one that surrounds them like the drug game. Do they know where to go to cop the work? No. Do they have a drug connect? No. They're like anyone starting out in business; they need someone to give them the plan.

Greatest Story Finally Told??

2010-10-18T22:17:00.000-07:00

Could it be? Could Saigon's long awaited debut finally see the light of day? According to his Facebook, it's finally coming in early 2011 via Suburban Noize Records (???)...

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1586936227300

Hmmm... what kind of label is Suburban Noize exactly? According to their web site, their acts include such industry heavyweights as Hed P.E., Slaine, and um... The Dirtball? At least hip hop heads will recognize La Coka Nostra and Swollen Members... but...

Doesn't it seem like eons ago when Sai was guest starring on "Entourage", the hottest cable show at the time? And such mainstream publications as Time and Rolling Stone were calling him the next one to look out for? And he was being co-signed by everyone from Nas to Jay to Q-Tip??

At this point though, what label puts the album out is the least of my concerns. Maybe Sai can push a few units and regain a little traction in his career so the next album won't be far behind. And the rest of us can finally hear the album. Because a real hip hop head doesn't care about sales anyways, right?

Then again, we've been promised release dates before. Maybe I shouldn't hold my breath on this one.

Daaamn homie... you used be the maaaan homie...

2010-09-26T21:53:00.000-07:00

I was one of those die hard Canibus fans who thought he would be hip hop's savior from the shiny suit era. I was wrong. The trajectory of Canibus' career stands as one of my most disappointing memories in hip hop. So much potential wasted. You can blame Wyclef, you can blame LL, you can blame the industry, the label, whomever you want... but as it stands, let's just face it, the music never lived up to the hype he built for himself. I've expounded upon this in a previous post before so I'll end it at that.

So now he is about to release his 10th album (!) on October 5th. Ever since "2000 BC", I've kind of half-heartedly been keeping my ears open to what he's been doing since. The harder-dying fans will swear that albums like "Mic Club" and "Rip the Jacker" are classics... but nothing has really sparked my interest since his second album. But then I stumbled upon this album sampler for the upcoming "C of Tranquility" and my interest has once again been renewed. Bis spitting over beats by Primo, DR Period, Scram Jones, Jake One, Domingo, and more?? These are the producers he should've linked up with years ago. Check it out... maybe there is life in Rip the Jacker's career yet.

Canibus Snippets (v2) from Interdependent Media on Vimeo.

Strap your Combat boots on.

2010-09-25T15:21:00.000-07:00

As I've expressed multiple times before, I love these behind-the-scenes stories about the hip hop industry. Combat Jack, entertainment lawyer by day, hip hop blogger by night, has shared his stories with Complex behind some of hip hop's biggest classics. Check out the stories here:

COMBAT JACK PRESENTS: True Stories Behind 25 Rap Classics.

And here's an excerpt to spark your interest:

"Jay-Z, In My Lifetime"

"Clark might have convinced Dame that Jay-Z was the best rapper alive, but no labels were signing dude. Along with Dame and Clark, we must have shopped Jay to every label under the sun. I remember specifically sitting in Def Jam begging Lyor Cohen for a shot. He passed. I also remember how some exec at Polygram asked us why they should sign a Jay-Z when they had the platinum-selling group Black Sheep on their roster. Eventually, the only label that showed interest was this small indie called Payday Records which was run by record exec Patrick Moxey (who later managed Gangstarr). Moxey signed Jay for like 25-30K, had Jay locked in for a couple of singles and several albums. Jay dropped the single 'In My Lifetime' with minimal marketing support. You already know, the one with the yacht that Jay, Dame, and Biggs chartered with their own money. For the record, 'In My Lifetime' was Jay's second official solo single. His first was 'I Can't Go For That,' which Dame and 'em dropped from out the back of their trunks a year prior. 'In My Lifetime' was dope, but because Jay was totally unknown, the record flopped. Shortly after the single dropped, Moxey and Payday dropped Jay-Z. Yes, dropped Jay-Z. Two years later, Jay dropped Reasonable Doubt. To this day, whenever I run into Moxey, I get the feeling he can't look me in the eye because of how I know how he dropped Hov. Not a good look to say the least. No shots, though."

To all my LA people...

2010-09-15T00:57:00.000-07:00

Go check out my homeboy... just signed to Snoop Dogg's Doggtown Entertainment... POPPA HEAT... settin' fire to the West Coast! Live at the Burgundy House, 6202 Santa Monica Blvd, LA CA... Saturday September 18th!!! Doors open at 9PM.

Your favorite rapper's favorite rapper.

2010-08-15T15:14:00.000-07:00

I'm not just saying this because it's en vogue these days to say Scarface is one of the greatest... but since I initially started becoming the pathologically obsessed hip hop fan that I am (1990 or so), Scarface was one of the first genuine hip hop artists I liked (along with Public Enemy and NWA). I admit his grimy slow flow and introspective, macabre tales are not for everyone. But I think that's what drew me to his music. He is one artist you can truly say, regardless of what you think about his music, there is nothing sell-out about him.

I also love reading these "making of", "behind the scenes" type articles. So this was a great read for me... and hopefully will be for you too. The original poster on SOHH does not list a source but it seems legit. So here is the link directly from their forums.

Scarface breaks down his solo and Geto Boys catalog...

Taking you back... way back... back into time...

2010-07-31T15:43:00.000-07:00

These days it is damn near impossible to be first to share any new track with anyone. Anyone with internet access can hear a song the second it's available. We even hear the tracks that aren't meant to be available for public consumption just yet. So once in awhile, I go back and see what tracks people might have missed...

To me, this is Kanye West's most underrated beat ever. I think most people in the general public, anyone other than dedicated hip hop fans, likely have not heard this song. I don't even remember when Smitty's album dropped... even though he had a Swizz Beats track as the lead single and everything. Anyways, I always thought this was the era Kanye was at his purest. Before he got too experimental and big headed. This is when he was just straight digging in the crates and finding the sickest soul samples to speed up. Anyways, if you've never heard it before... enjoy...

Judged by 12 or carried by 6?

2010-03-10T01:22:00.000-08:00

Either way, hip hop is still not doing well. Well, maybe I just wanted to an excuse to use that Cube line because I always loved it. And it was the first hip hop lyric off the top of my head that used the number "six" in it. But it is also appropriate because, as the perpetual pessemist in me (well, when it comes to the hip hop industry, at least) will always insist, hip hop music is still slowly dying. But as it stands, here are a few of the lone reeds standing tall amidst the vile cesspool of cliches and consumerism flooding the airwaves per usual. (And now as I finish typing this post, I just realized I only have five tracks, not six. Oh well...)

Royce Da 5'9, "Over" Freestyle

T.I. "I'm Back"

Reflection Eternal, "In This World"

Nas & Damian Marley, "Strong Will Continue"

Young Chris & J. Cole, "Still the Hottest"

Slaughterhouse indeed.

2010-03-06T21:59:00.000-08:00

Royce kills the new Drake beat "Over". I've only heard the Drake version once and I'm kind of glad. Because the beat was the best part. And Royce goes homicidal on the Boi-1da beat. How come Royce can't cop more beats like this for his own albums?? I have to say Street Hop did not live up to my expectations. And ever since Royce first came on the scene, I always thought he had the potential to be a classic MC. So far, only "Death Is Certain" has come close to his potential, recording wise.

The new Snoop? Or the next Bishop Lamont??

2010-01-19T00:54:00.000-08:00

We all know Dr. Dre's track record when it comes to his "proteges". The long and distinguished includes genre-defining legends such Snoop and Eminem (and to a lesser extent, Game)... but includes even more fallen-by-the-wayside outcasts such as Hittman, Last Emperor, Joell Ortiz, Joe Beast, Brooklyn, Rakim... and most recently Bishop Lamont. So this new cat, Hayes, apparently also has Timbaland's co-sign, who will be joint-producing the debut with Dre. Check him out... what do you think fate has in store for him? Multi platinum plaques? Or just more tax write offs for Iovine?

Also, you can catch up by reading a recent interview with Hayes here.

Bounce Roc, "Rookie Veteran" Release Party in Hollywood!

2009-11-02T00:12:00.000-08:00

If you're in the Los Angeles area this weekend (Saturday, November 7th to be exact)... come stop by Cinespace in Hollywood to celebrate the debut release from my homie Bounce Roc... "ROOKIE VETERAN"! Some of the beats on the album were done by yours truly... not to mention all the graphic design done by Rewind Effect!

Also check out the promo video for "Rookie Veteran". The two tracks Bounce spits here are both my beats.

Battle of the Sequels.

2009-09-06T18:31:00.000-07:00

And the return of the Purple Tape smashed BP3. A few months ago, I honestly didn't think I'd be saying that. But OB4CL2 made me feel like it's 1996 again. Do yourself a favor and support true hip hop by buying it on September 8th.

But for those American consumers who were unexplainably denied the bonus tracks... here they are in a convenient zip file. "Walk Wit Me" and "The Badlands"...

http://www.zshare.net/download/6518057595addb74/

(I still think "State of Grace" should've made the cut. But who's complaining.)

Return of the Purple Tape!!!!!!!!!!

2009-08-23T16:13:00.000-07:00

Nothing more to say. Preview it here.

[UPDATED AGAIN!!!!]

Okay, all the extended 2 minute snippets are out there. Check them out here.

[UPDATED!!!]

"Catalina", "Surgical Gloves", and "10 Bricks" are all over the web by now. Here's a new snippet... "Ason Jones" produced by J. Dilla. This album is only a week from being released. Where is the damn leak already??

You can download this here.

Download the snippets here.

I can feel it coming in the air tonight.

2009-08-08T17:29:00.001-07:00

Yeah, hip hop is still in critical condition. Some say damn near terminal. And of course others say, to borrow a phrase that became worn out all too quickly... hip hop is already dead. Being the elitist hip hop snob I am, I will be the first to take advantage of any opportunity to bemoan the pathetic state hip hop has tragically devolved into. But I have to admit, every so often, there's a breeze that blows through the industry, seemingly coming from nowhere, that is refreshing to even a bitter ol' curmudgeon like myself. So with that, I present to you on this Super Sabado, the Five Tracks I Can't Stop Bumpin'...

Jay-Z ft. Rihanna & Kanye, "Run This Town".
Most will listen to this track and complain that Jay still can't rhyme no mo'. And that even Kanye (who once rhymed "Michael Jackson" with "Michael Jackson") is murdering him on his own sh*t. I've been complaining about the same thing since "Kingdom Come" (actually, since the first "Blueprint" if you want to know the truth). That Jay is gone. I've accepted that. Now I'll just be happy if he can make a solid hip hop album. With No ID and Kanye handling the bulk of the production, all signs seem to indicate "Blueprint 3" will deliver.

Eminem, "The Warniing".
Okay, Em going after pop stars is now (or maybe has always been) officially corny. But if it brings out this side of Eminem, I'm all for it. How come he couldn't have went in like this on "Relapse"??? This is Em without the gimmicks or stupid accent... it's just an MC focusing all his lyrical rage on one unlucky victim... and hasn't that what hip hop, in its purest form, been all about? Incorporating the vocal samples of Mariah from his voicemail was just the poisonous frosting on top. It almost makes me disappointed that Nick Cannon took the higher road in choosing not to respond negatively but rather with Bible verses. I was looking forward to the next chapter Em promises in this cut. Well, regardless, it goes without saying, I am looking forward to "Relapse 2".

Raekwon ft. Ghostface, Inspectah Deck, & Method Man, "House of Flying Daggers".
Ah man, after one song, I'm all the sudden ready to declare the Wu is back. I had given up on Wu after the underwhelming "8 Diagrams". I thought there was no way "Cuban Linx 2" could live up to the hype. But after hearing this lead off single, I am back on board the Wu bandwagon. Deck's flow, without explanation, is razor sharp again... Ghost & Rae are back like they never left... and when Meth said, "Let's push this music past the point of no return, 'til they crash and burn, down the ashes then placed inside Ol' Dirty Bastard's urn..." I lost it. September 8th, we get OBFCL2, the 11th Blueprint 3... that's gonna be a good month.

Rakim, "Holy Are You".
The God is back. This is the first time since the news was announced that I feel okay about Rakim's deal on Aftermath not working out. I don't care if you think Ra spits the exact same way he did 15 years ago. I could listen to it for the rest of my life. To me, there is a reason he has been held the standard for so many years. His flow, lyricism, voice, and presence on the mic, for my money, is the make up of the quintissential MC. Add that to a borderline-blasphemous sample on a sinister beat... and I'm hooked. I can only hope this is actually the single. Meaning the album is soon to follow.

Lupe Fiasco, "Shining Down".
My three favorite MC's that have emerged in the last five years would undoubtedly be Saigon, Jay Electronica, and Lupe Fiasco. Since the former two do not seem to be dropping their overdue debuts any time soon, I guess I should be grateful that Lupe has had a prolific career as he has in such a short period of time. I loved his first album for being such a great representation of pure, unadulterated hip hop... and I was feeling the direction he was evolving in on his second (which I cannot say for a lot of other rappers... see: Mos Def). "Shining Down" is a great genre-bending, but still truly hip hop, song and it seems the evolution will continue. I wish Lupe could have been the next Jay, dropping an album consistently every year and giving hip hop heads a holiday to look forward to on a yearly basis... but I will patiently wait for his third. And pray he is not serious about retiring.

Ask Game... do he want it with Hov?

2009-07-09T02:35:00.001-07:00

Here is a battle in which, upon first glance, it seems the average hip hop fan might side with Jay-Z. He's the legend, right? The Game is no rookie... but is relatively a young'n by comparison. Jay is the calm, cool, collected veteran who chooses his battles carefully and can brush off the naysayers who he considers beneath him (aside from that whole Deshawn Stevenson debacle). Essentially, isn't that what Jay said in his recently revealed "Blueprint 3" intro... "I ain't talkin' 'bout Game..."

The Game, on the other hand, has the reputation as the hot-head with the itchy trigger finger who has just been waiting to get into beef with Jay-Z. Honestly, didn't everyone already think he was going at him on "Westside Story" talking about not wearing button ups or driving Maybachs? Even with his attempt to diffuse it by claiming he was talking about Ja Rule (as heard on the title track to his debut album), who really believed him? And even in subsequent interviews, The Game still tried to play it as cool as possible.

It almost seemed like Jay was waiting to spring the trap. Like he did with Nas in the infamous Summer Jam freestyle which was the prequel to "Takeover".

But would this battle be as one-sided as Jay would make it out to be?

The Game has proven himself as battle-tested. Even though we got sick of hearing the umpteenth, 500 bar G-Unit diss, the first couple disses were solid. I don't think The Game was single-handedly responsible for G-Unit's fall from grace like he wants you to believe... but you have to admit that most thought that a guy who holds as much weight in the industry as 50 could crush Game like a cockroach. And, as such, that was not the case. As a matter of fact, Game, even without the aid of Dre and the Aftermath machine, has carved out a pretty solid career for himself.

And if you haven't heard the possible preview yet, check out the diss track that leaked awhile back by Game where he goes at 50, Jay-Z, and *gasp* Suge Knight one verse at a time. The thing about diss tracks is the most lyrical ones are not necessarily the most effective (compare the tracks in the Joe Buddens/Saigon saga). Sometimes simplicity sells. And when I first heard this track, it definitely got solid rotation in my ITunes. Definitely more than Jay-Z's recent diss tracks including his response to Jim Jones.

These days, diss tracks are a dime a dozen and let's face it, we're all sick of it. Back in the day, a diss track had everyone listening... now they'd hardly make the average rap listener flinch. But I will say, this one has piqued my interest. I'm ready to hear more. And from the sound of it, seems like Game is too.

UPDATE: Seems like Game has already responded with a freestyle on tour.

Damn this DJ made my day.

2009-06-25T11:08:00.000-07:00

DJ Steve Porter? I never heard of him either... until today.

Doesn't this video prove how stupid autotune is? That any untalented idiot could use it?

Not that I'm calling the "Sham Wow" guy untaleneted.

And another one for sports fans that was equally entertaining.

2009-06-09T02:37:00.000-07:00

There have already been a thousand posts written complaining about the absence about Saigon's long overdue debut, "The Greatest Story Never Told". There are thousands more would-be journalists and critics who have made much ado about the ironic title of said debut as they not-so-cleverly comment on the nature of self-fulfilling prophecy. They say he deserves it for daring to compare his album to "Illmatic" before it even sees the light of day.

I'm guilty too. And in my two decades of being a hip hop fan, I can't recall any album I have anticipated for going on 5 years. I just want the damn thing. And as is my nature to wax nostalgic about things that haven't even happened yet, I find myself piecing together whatever fragments of this album I have at my disposal and compulsively listening to them ad nauseum. Call me neurotic. Call me obsessive. Call me pathological. Call me any combination of these adjectives and whatever else you can come up with. But if you can relate in any way, or are merely curious as to what can lead to such a condition, I present to you my half-assed rendition of "The Greatest Story Never Told"...

"T.G.S.N.T (The Rewind Effect Edition)". (Click to download)

Tracklist:

1) JBTV Snippets.

I'm told Just Blaze has removed JBTV from Youtube. But at the time, he had put together a video and dropped teaser samples of TGSNT throughout. From what I can tell , these snippets are of "The Invitation", "Friends", the title track, a track I can't identify, and "The War".

2) "Come On Baby" Remix.

I personally like Saigon's verses on the original version better. But I can see why this made the tracklist. I mean come on, it's Jay-Z.

3) "The War".

Or at least I think that's what it is. Judging by the hook at the end. I think this is one of the tracks Just Blaze post on his blog but I can't remember.

4) "Preacher".

I had heard an early version of this song had dropped on a mixtape. But I had a hell of a time tracking it down. I finally did about a year and a half ago. Supposedly they have updated this song for the final version. And who the hell is DJ Neptune?

5) "Believe It".

The song I bitched about before. The perfect single for Saigon that Atlantic did not get behind. The song that should've been Saigon's "Live Your Life" or "All of the Above". Oh well. At least we got to hear it.

6) "Chilly Boom".

This song no longer seems to be listed on the final track list. It was originally. And it's a good song. So I included it here.

7) "Just Blaze Meets Saigon".

Another song that doesn't seem to be on the final track list. Unless it has been renamed. This song dropped on the TGSNT prequel, "Moral of the Story". It's Saigon on a hot Just Blaze track so it had be included here.

8) "Pain in my Life".

Saigon's ill-fated first single. I guess that's what he gets for trying to go against the grain and be positive. It is not my favorite Sai joint... but still a solid, positive song and still listed as a bonus track.

So there you have it. How much longer do I have to wait? No word from Sai or Just in awhile. I guess I'll go back to just bumping this for awhile. Dammit.

My 10 favorite rhyme spitters ever: Kool G. Rap edition.

2009-06-02T12:42:00.000-07:00

In no particular order, I present to you my ten favorite rhyme spitters of all time. No, they may not necessarily have created the best songs or albums (some have but that is irrelevant to this discussion). These are just the MC's who, verse-for-verse, I have enjoyed listening to most from a purely lyrical/flow-wise/delivery-wise perspective. Think the Vince Carters of MC'ing. And with all that considered, next up is...

Kool G. Rap (circa '92).

Let's take it back to "The Symphony" for a second. Amongst old hip hop heads, maybe the debate will forever linger: who stole the show, Kane or G. Rap? Kane with his slick lyrics and delivery, or G. Rap the gritty multisyllabic monster? (I like Masta Ace and Craig G. as much as anyone but if you said either of those, sorry, you're wrong).

It seems that Big Daddy Kane gets slightly more acclaim as the "star" of Marley's Juice Crew. But I was always a bigger Kool G. Rap fan. For the younger heads, Jay-Z was to Kane as Nas was to G. Rap. Kane may have had more of the limelight but G. Rap was just pure hip hop for hip hop's sake. The King Asiatic kind of lost me when he went the whole "Taste of Chocolate" route. Kool G. Rap, on the other hand, morphed into a Mafia Don. And being that I liked my hip hop strictly grimy back then, I was instantly hooked. Yeah, he might've made occasional Al Capone references here and there prior to that... but on his third and final album with DJ Polo, he fully embraced it.

From the sinister style of beats to the gritty story telling to his awe-inspiring gymnastics of syllables and wordplay, Kool G. Rap truly was the pioneer of Mafia rap. For those that don't know Escobar, Lex Diamonds, Tony Starks, and a million other mafioso aliases owe a huge debt to this man. And as ignorant as the music might have seemed at the time, to me (and many others), it was simply mesmerizing. Not to mention his distinctive lisp only added to the character he played in this cinematic whirlwind of drugs, guns, and money.

The thing was these future stars of hip hop not only borrowed G. Rap's taste in movies. They all looked up to him as an MC to be emulated also. As much as Rakim is credited with developing the modern style of multisyllabic rhyming, Kool G. Rap should be given just as much due. He proved as much on his previous albums. With "Live or Let Die", he just put a new stylized twist on things.

Why did I only mention one year? Truth be told, once Rae, Nas, and the rest decided they wanted to play Goodfellas too, they simply did it better. They took it to another level. G. Rap, meanwhile, started to sound dated by the very style he birthed. Don't get me wrong, he could still spit with the best of them. But frankly, the production that backed him just didn't pack the same punch as his progeny. Let's face it... Rae had RZA, Nas had Premo, Trackmasters, etc., G. Rap had (let's double check the credits)... T Ray and Naughty Shorts? Okay, wait, he did have one bonafide classic... "Fast Life". But maybe that ended up being a passing of the torch to a in-his-prime Nas featured on the song.

Anyways, "Live and Let Die" will always go down as one of the Mafia hip hop classics to me. In the same way you would mention "Goodfellas" when talking about "Godfather", I will hold his album in the same class as "Cuban Linx" and "It Was Written". As a matter of fact, G. Rap's album may actually be the one closest to Coppola's masterpiece as it was the one that really set the precedent for the rest. So for that, I kneel and kiss the ring.

The Evidence.

"On the Run". "I got a job with the Mob making G's/Doing some pick ups, deliveries, and transporting ki's..."

"Edge of Sanity". "See I'm irrelevant to 'Help Wanted' signs/And they wonder why n***as commit crimes..."

"Ill Street Blues". "Ready to put some work in/We're not a lazy crew/We'll do a job or tow/But yo the man can't even stick me with some Crazy Glue..."

"Two to the Head". "See where I come from the crime rate only rises/The murderers disguise in all ages shapes and sizes/B****es picked up and d**ked up/N****s they getting stuck up/Give up what you got or get your a** shot the f**k up..."

My 10 favorite rhyme spitters ever: Mos Def edition.

2009-05-27T17:58:00.000-07:00

Mos Def (circa '99-2000).

I truly believe had Mos followed up his Black Star album and first solo joint with another classic, he would be in my top five, dead or alive. Legend even has it that the one and only Mr. Iovine told Mos that if he could deliver another album of the caliber of "Black on Both Sides", he would "take him to the moon".

Mos had a way of flowing that sounded so effortless, even non-hip hop heads liked it (check this entry of the always brilliant blog Stuff White People Like for further proof). In fact, he eventually evolved (or devolved, depending on your perspective) into a badge of cool for the hipster crowd... before the phrase "hipster" was even coined.

But where hipsters embraced Mos for his aura of bohemian-hip-hop-chic, rap fans appreciated the purity of his Native-Tongues-esque style combined with his damn near unparalleled ability to put words together in a way few could do. Call him conscious or backpacker if you must... but if he was spitting, we were listening. Talib, his Black Star counterpart, may have had the impressive metaphors or vocabulary. But Mos' style painted pictures.

Then, alas, he decided he wanted to be a singer. Or a rock star. And go back to acting. Yes, I liked "Umi Says". And "The Italian Job" was entertaining. But let's face it. When he was straight spitting on a hip hop beat, he was a god.

It seems like with his new material, he is going back to his roots and give hip hop fans what they really need. Which is not another movie with Bruce Willis. Let's just hope not so much time has passed that it's too late.

The Evidence.

"Definition". "From the first to the last of it/Delivery is passionate/The whole and not the half of it/Vocab and not the math of it..."

"Respiration". THE WHOLE DAMN FIRST VERSE. Brilliant.

"B-Boy Document '99". "It's the high powered original/B-boy traditional/Raw base material/Crooklyn individual..."

"Travellin' Man". "'Cause this thing called rhymin' no different from coal mining/We all on assignment to unearth the diamond..."

"Hip Hop". "Hip hop will simply amaze/Praise you/Pay you/Do whatever you say do/But black it can't save you..."

"Brooklyn". "Thugs mobbin' it/Form partnership/Increase armorment/Street pharmacist/Deep consequence when you seek sleek ornaments..."

I miss Slim Shady.

2009-05-21T15:24:00.001-07:00

Okay, so the new album is out. And everywhere all over the world, thousands of writers (and hundreds of thousands of bloggers) are already, ad nauseam, proclaiming the brilliant return of or deriding the ungraceful fall of the one and only Marshall Mathers. So in case you're one review away from slitting your own wrists, I'll just focus my attention on one point.

I definitely don't hate the album... but I was, at the very least, underwhelmed. Throughout "Relapse", we seem to get Marshall-Mathers-era content, Eminem-Show-era flow, and bits of the reviled Encore-era delivery. Save for one track. On the final song, "Underground", we get a glimpse of what I had personally been anticipating for the last half decade, the return of Slim Shady.

It is all the more frustrating because, strictly off the strength of that one track, Eminem proves he still has it. The skills that made him the respected MC to begin with... and set him apart from the Vanilla Ices, the Kains, the Asher Roths, and every other white MC who was thrown at us by the industry. And in some ways, it seems as if Eminem did it intentionally. Maybe just to lift a middle finger to all the naysayers and hip hop snobs such as myself... who claim he fell off, that he had become the very gimmick he had been mocking since the beginning of his career. But the whole song still screams old school, classic Slim Shady. Apart from the song itself, it is preceded by a Steve Berman skit, opened by his traditional "A lot of people ask me..." intro (a la "Still Don't Give a F**k and "Criminal"), and followed by the triumphant return of Ken Kaniff. Coincidence? I think not.

With "Relapse 2" supposedly to follow, what I would like to believe is that this is an intro to the second disc. Wasn't there supposed to be a collab with Premo in there somewhere? Anyways, call me Stan, but I'm crossing my fingers and still hoping Slim Shady is back.

My favorite rhyme spitters ever: Ice Cube edition.

2009-05-18T17:46:00.000-07:00

ICE CUBE (circa '88-'92).

Back when people used to believe rappers really did what they said on wax, this former architectural student personified America's definition of the "scary ass rapper". He had the sneer, the curse words, and FBI threats to back it up. Not to mention lyrically fronted a crew who dared incorporate a vilified ethnic slur as a part of their group name.

But beyond all that, Cube just delivered his lyrics in a way that made you believe what he said. Throughout his first group album and subsequent solo efforts (well, at least the first few and the EP), he convinced you he was the true gangsta's gangsta, the hood's political commentator, the prophet of the L.A. riots, and the most overzealous Muslim you had ever seen.

These days, you're more likely to see a suburban family of four in a minivan on their way to see Cube at their local multiplex than you are to hear a '64 Impala on 'lo 'lo's cruising Crenshaw Boulevard bumping his latest album. But at least for those four years (I'm personally not the biggest fan of "Lethal Injection" but I guess you can make it five years by throwing that in there), Cube had an unprecedented run as an MC that is nearly unmatched in hip hop history. Not only did he make compelling music. He set trends and constantly grew as an artist from album to album. He never settled for the status quo. He tore right through that map of Compton on his first video and kept on stompin'.

I miss the old Ice Cube but I can't front on his recent success as an actor. My only regrets I blame on the shady practices of the business. Could you imagine what NWA's second album would have been like with Cube around? While Cube's falling out with his former group produced entertaining material ("No Vaseline" is still one of the greatest diss records of all time), I would've traded it all in to hear Amerikkka's Most Wanted Cube on Efil4Zaggin Dre beats for just a few songs. And it seemed like we came oh-so-close when Cube made his cameo in the "Let Me Ride" video and we were promised "Helter Skelter" on the "Doggystyle" insert. Well, I guess we had "Natural Born Killaz". Then we were teased once again with the proposed reunion of NWA. But after the lukewarm response to "Chin Check" and "Hello", the plans were quickly axed. (I've also heard "D**k Tease" from the "Laugh Now Cry Later" sessions was produced by Dre but I've never had that confirmed). Since Cube is strictly on the independent tip now when it comes to music, I guess we'll never get to hear a Dre/Cube album.

As it stands, Cube could never release a song again and his place in hip-hop history (not to mention music history in general) would be more than cemented. So get that money movie, Cube, and thanks for the memories. A lot of suburban kids owe their entire knowledge of the Compton hood to you.

The Evidence.

"Dope Man". "To be a dopeman/you must qualify/don't get high off your own supply..."

"The Grand Finale". "Muthaf**kas I'll slaughter/Blow 'em out the water/Word to me/F**k the father..."

"The N***a Ya Love To Hate". "Kickin' s**t called street knowledge/Why more n***as in the pen than in college?"

"Jackin' For Beats". "Gimme that beat fool/It's a full time jack move..."

"A Bird in the Hand". "I'll never get love again/But blacks are too f**king broke to be Republicans..."

"Steady Mobbin'". "Rather be judged by twelve than carried by six..."

"When Will They Shoot?". "They killed JFK in '63/So what the f**k you think they'll do to me?"

"We Had To Tear This Muthaf**ka Up". "I told you it would happen and you heard it/Read it/And all you could call me was anti-Semetic..."

Not from Houston, but I rap a lot...

2009-05-16T16:19:00.000-07:00

Taking a momentary break from my "favorite rhymes spitters" posts, I found this interesting thread on SOHH. I understand people can hide under the anonymity of the internet and claim to be whoever they want... but this sounds legit. Regardless, this is an entertaining thread...

"Ask a former Rap-A-Lot employee anything..."

When I first started getting into hip-hip (late 80's/early 90's), I liked my hip hop violent, nihilistic, and controversial as possible. So it goes without saying I immediately took a liking to the Geto Boys and Rap-A-Lot artists. And while hip hop always feuded on a bi-coastal level, this independent powerhouse in Houston were making their own brand of raw music on its own terms. In the process, they pioneered styles that both coasts would liberally borrow from in years to come.

Production-wise alone, I always felt the East Coast owed a huge debt to RAL. A few a examples...

Geto Boys, "City Under Siege".

Lil Kim, "No Time".

Geto Boys, "No Nuts No Glory".

State Property, "No Glory".

Geto Boys, "Six Feet Deep".

Cam'Ron, "Hey Ma".

Anyways, I understand producers use the same samples all the time. But I always felt RAL were ahead of their time in the way they used soul samples. And from a lyrical standpoint, Scarface had suicidal tendencies on record before Biggie ever dropped. Ganksta Nip had horrorcore on lock before the Gravediggaz were around. J. Prince was the original independent label don before Master P., Baby, or Suge Knight has even conceived their labels. Countless artists have named Scarface as one of their favorite rappers and biggest influences ever. I could go on and on.

My point being, it's always been a favorite pastime of hip hop to sh*t on the South... so it's about high time we paid our respects.

My favorite rhyme spitters ever: Canibus edtion.

2009-05-13T13:01:00.000-07:00

CANIBUS (circa '98-2000)

Once upon a time, an intern for the Lost Boyz (or office manager or something or other, who knows) was asked to spit a verse on one of their songs. And within those 30 seconds of unadulterated lyrical wizardry, a monster was born.

From then on, Canibus was being heralded as hip hop's savior from the Shiny Suit era. He would return hip hop to its essence, where lyrics mattered more than the size of your diamonds or the price tag on your champagne. Every time I heard 'Bis spit on a Clue mixtape or drop a guest verse on a track, I ate it up and was feenin' for the next one. It's not even that his metaphors were that amazing. It's that he spit them with such unabashed ferocity that he made you believe words could kill. And oh, the number of MC's he left in his wake. There was even a story circulating that on some legendary night, he battled each of the Wu-Tang MC's and took them out one by one.

Unfortunately, fate did not (or has it ever) looked too kindly upon the Battle MC. After harmlessly (and rather creatively) mentioning LL's tattoo on a posse track, Mr. Mama Said Knock You Out was on a mission of vengeance (Eminem was right, that is possibly the dumbest reason to start a battle ever). But let's be honest. LL didn't knock Canibus out. And despite the bold proclamation of knocking out a legendaryr rapper (still one of the best diss tracks ever), Canibus knocked himself the f**k out. By letting Wyclef produce his debut.

After the debacle that was his first album (which I still think is overcriticized), he was banished to the abyss of the underground, where only backpackers dare to tread. The scientific metaphors and vocabulary came line after line until he had scared off almost every hip hop fan, leaving only the cultists standing in the aftermath (and no, they don't understand a damn thing he's saying either).

The demise of Canibus' once promising career stands as one of my personal, biggest, hip-hop-related disappoinments ever. Back then, when someone was proclaimed to be the next one, it meant something. And as materialistic hip hop began to run rampant at the time, I just wanted someone to bring that true school hip hop back. Canibus was supposed to be it. Who would've thought that from the Class of '98, Canibus truly would be "the difference Harvard and DeVry"? Just not on the side of his own metaphor that he expected.

The Evidence.

"Beasts From the East". "F**k y'all/You don't impress me/And no one can test me/An MC so ill I got AIDS scared to catch me..."

"4,3,2,1". "Who's the God of rap you saying is nice/I beat a n***a to death and a dead n***a to life..."

"Music Makes Me High" Remix. "Rhymes ricochet off the inner walls of my lungs/And go past the tongue faster than bullets come out of guns..."

"Desperados". "At a thousand degrees celsius/I make MC's melt/F**k a record label/I appear courtesy of myself..."

Funkmaster Flex Freestyle. "For all you n***as saying my s**t is sick/Just imagine the 90 percent of my brain that I ain't even used yet..."

Tony Touch Freestyle. "I'm the greatest scientifically inclined mind since Einstein..."

My 10 favorite rhyme spitters ever.

2009-05-11T12:11:00.000-07:00

In no particular order, I present to you my ten favorite rhyme spitters of all time. No, they may not necessarily have created the best songs or albums (some have but that is irrelevant to this discussion). These are just the MC's who, verse-for-verse, I have enjoyed listening to most from a purely lyrical/flow-wise/delivery-wise perspective. Think Vince Carter. And with all that considered, here is...

INSPECTAH DECK.

When Wu-mania invaded America with a fury in the mid-90's, some Wu members definitely reaped the ensuing benefits better than others. Meth had the mainstream fame, Rza instantly became a legendary producer, ODB had the notoriety, Rae and GZA had the backpackers (before the phrase devolved into an insult) going wild.

And then there was Deck. The Rebel INS. He was the straight spitter of the group. The MC's MC. No overt kung fu references. No overblown coked-out alter ego. And especially after his opening verse on "Triumph", hip hop head thoughts they had another true lyricist to be reckoned with on their hands. Which they did. But something happened along the way. What was it?

His solo joint (rumored to be called "Assassination Day") was long delayed. Urban legend has it that it was to be entirely produced by the RZA (in his hey day, no less) but all the beats originally slated for the album got lost in a basement flood (when will these producers learn that when the flood comes, gravity will lead it to the lowest floor first? Q-Tip anyone?). And when the album finally dropped, it dropped with a thud. Not that the album was terrible, mind you. Deck was still as lyrically sharp as ever. And unlike your average super-freestyler, he even seemed to be able to diversify his content rather than drop track after track of 100-bar marathons. He just seemed to have caught the Canibus-itis... The beats (no longer exclusively RZA's) just didn't seem to pack the same punch as Deck's lyrical prowess and ability.

With Wu-Tang's popularity starting to wane by then, Deck seemed to fade further into obscurity. If Meth, Rae, and GZA's follow ups had trouble finding the same audience as before, what chance did Deck have? Regardless, to this day, I still enjoy putting on those 90's Wu albums as much as any hip hop head. And Deck's verses will always remain highlights... not to mention reminders of what could have been.

The Evidence.

"C.R.E.A.M." "But as the world turned I learned life is hell/Living in the world no different from a cell..."

"Guillotine (Swordz)" "Poisonous paragraphs/smash ya phonograph in half/It be the Inspectah Deck on the warpath..."

"Triumph" "I bomb atomically/Socrates' philosophies and hypotheses/Can't define how I be droppin' these..."

"Cold World" "Extortions for portions of streets/Causes beef/Having followers of Indians tryin' to play chief..."

"It's Yourz" "It's only natural/Actual facts are throwin' at you/The impact'll blow tress back and crack statues..."

"Above the Clouds" "The maker/owner/plus soul controller/The Ayatollah rest in the sky/The clouds' my sofa..."

"Tru Master" "I bang with the big boys/Those who hold game/Amateurs get hung with their own gold chains..."

What's the difference between me and you?

2009-05-08T15:53:00.000-07:00

The s**t is just frustrating.

As you've probably heard by now, Maino has a mainstream hit out, "All of the Above". It is produced by Just Blaze and features T-Pain autotuning the chorus to his heart's content. Now I don't begrudge the man any success. God bless him. It seems like so few mixtape rappers make it out of the starting gates these days, any of them that get a chance to release a hit single (much less, an album) should be lauded.

The song itself though sounds vaguely familiar to a song that was a hit sometime last year and continues to get radio spins on the regular... T.I.'s "Live Your Life". That joint was also produced by (surprise, surprise) Just Blaze and features Rihanna in full autotune mode on the chorus (T-Pain must've been booked).

Now I have nothing against T.I. either. And this post is definitely not a rant against Just Blaze (whom I have immense respect for as a producer, even though he seems to be going to the well one too many times with his new found formula for mainstream success).

No, this post is about the now-proven-to-be-gutless Atlantic Records. Both of these artists are on Atlantic. And yet there was only one artist on this label who I've been dying to hear from. That would be SAIGON. And guess what? Before either of the above-mentioned songs had even been conceived, Saigon ALSO had a potential hit single on his hands called, "Believe It". It was ALSO produced by Just Blaze. It ALSO incorporates a catchy synth melody as its foundation. It ALSO featured an autotune chorus (sung by Just Blaze but he later revealed they were originally reference vocals for T-Pain). Yet two of the artists pictured above have hit singles and one got booted from the label.

Saigon tried to do what Atlantic asked him by delivering a hit single. Which he would've had. And we would've had "The Greatest Story Never Told" finally in record stores.

I can understand backing a proven hit maker like T.I. I can even understand giving Maino another single and video since "Hi Hater" was a modest hit. What I can't understand is if we are to believe that music companies actually LISTEN to the music they try to put out, could not ONE person have seen that "Believe It" was just as commercially viable as the other two songs and given it at a chance? Do they truly believe that the listeners will blindly flock to names they may have heard on the radio before without actually listening to the music?

The more frustrating part may be I can't definitely answer that last question.

Countdown to "Relapse": 12 days left.

2009-05-07T02:11:00.000-07:00

I guess someone out there has "Relapse". It's just a matter of when they want to leak it.

It's amazing what the internet has done to the music industry these days, for better or for worse. It's seriously got people running around like fiends. It's only appropriate that the new album is called "Relapse". So for those who find themselves scratching themselves like Tyrone Biggums, here's another couple quick fixes. New snippets floating around the net...

"Underground" snippet.

"Stay Wide Awake" snippet.

Once again, the beats sound pretty good, flow's on point, lyrics are solid... but THAT ANNOYING ACCENT is still around. I just hope it doesn't ruin an otherwise good album.

"If I don't like it, I don't like it, that don't mean that I'm hatin'."

Countdown to "Relapse": 2 weeks left.

2009-05-05T13:06:00.000-07:00

Now the Interscope machine is going full steam ahead with the promotion of Eminem's "Relapse". This week we have...

Eminem's new music video for "3 AM". This song is a solid one. And despite the slightly obnoxious delivery (still can't stand that accent), the song itself is reminiscent of the "Slim Shady" Eminem. The accompanying video is really good though. I love the old school horror flick feel it has. Given all the copious amount of blood present in the video and violent theme, I doubt this plays on MTV (I don't watch MTV so I can't confirm that). No wonder it debuted on Cinemax.

Eminem, "3 AM".

Then next up, we have the new song "Old Times Sake", featuring Dr. Dre. The song itself is also solid... not amazing, but good. It's a "Business"-type album cut backed by Dre production (also not amazing, but good). I've always felt Dr. Dre gave better beats to other artists. A lot of Dre's beats on Eminem's album have always seemed a little below Dre standards to me. Maybe it's just the way Eminem sounds on Dre's beats. Or maybe he doesn't want to overwhelm Eminem's already-over-the-top style.

In any case, I still don't feel blown away by anything Eminem has released from "Relapse" thus far. Yet I still am highly anticipating it. Have my expectations for good hip hop just fallen this far? Or do I just believe Eminem is saving his best stuff for the album to make us believe cohesive albums (as opposed to random collections of hit-or-miss singles) still exist? I am hoping for the latter.

The come up.

2009-04-29T11:41:00.000-07:00

I don't get hyped too often about new artists these days. Part of it is the sheer oversaturation of the market these days (who doesn't have a mixtape out?) and part of it is, well, the music just sucks.

But I've been listening to this cat J. Cole lately who is supposedly Jay-z first signee to his new label, Roc Nation. I have to admit I'm catching on a little late... but this guy does have skills. Drake seems to be getting all the love (not undeserved but probably also) from his association with Lil' Wayne. J. Cole also has that seemingly effortless flow... sounding smooth but street-rugged at the same time. And maybe that's what I like about him versus the rest of these up-and-comers. I don't care about the Kid Cudi's, the Wale's, the Charles Hamilton's. Maybe I'm guilty of just lumping them all in together with that hipster-hop scene (and to think of it, I am because I can't recite one single Charles Hamilton lyric... but he reps Sonic the Hedgehog for god's sake). I just want that to-the-point, lyrics-no-chaser hip hop back.

RapRadar just dropped this new joint by him today:

But if you want some more help catching up like I did, check out his mixtape, "The Come Up".

Thank me later.

It's mostly the voice.

2009-04-24T15:13:00.000-07:00

Maybe the Eminem that was introduced to us in the late nineties is gone for good. And maybe it's time I (along with a plethora of other elitist hip hop snobs) should learn to accept that.

This past week, we heard the third Eminem joint that may or may not be on his long overdue comeback album, "Relapse". First, the Relapse Freestyle. Then the first single, We Made You. And now, 3 A.M. So I'll just ask the same question that's been on everyone's minds...

WHERE THE HELL DID THAT ACCENT COME FROM AND WHAT IS HIS OBSESSION WITH IT?

When I heard it on "Encore", I thought perhaps Marshall was so bored of being light years ahead of the average MC (not to mention the overabundance of garbage that was being peddled as hip hop) that he was merely trying to amuse himself. And rub it in our collective faces. And STILL sell millions of records at the same time (I remember hip hop nerds trying to convince themselves Canibus was doing the same with with "C True Hollywood Stories"... except that album sold only a few albums, not a few million). An elaborate social experiment that could only be concocted by the mind of Marshall Mathers (not to mention one of the few who would have the ability to conduct said experiment with his access to Interscope money).

But now... after all this time away from the limelight... away from the distractions and unwanted attention that comes with the superstar lifestyle... after being able to retreat from it all and just focus on the MUSIC again... he decided to bring that damn accent back along with him.

Don't get me wrong. Eminem's flow is still on point. He still has ridiculous amounts of ability. And 3 A.M. is a solid hip hop joint.

But something about just hearing that accent just reminds me that I have to let go of the music I loved and try to compromise with what's out now. There is no more Get You Mad. No more Just Don't Give A F***. Or Kill You. Or Locked Up Tonight. Except on my IPod. So for now, I'll add 3 A.M. to them and just be grateful that at least Em hasn't resorted to autotune yet. For now.

FINALLY...

2009-03-17T15:48:00.000-07:00

Okay, so it's not "The Greatest Story Never Told". And it's not over Just Blaze production. But Saigon has finally dropped an album. "All In A Day's Work".

Like a lot of people, I first heard Saigon on the "Yardfather" mixtapes (in 2004? When was that? I don't even remember) and was instantly hooked. He had the lyrics, flow, delivery, content... plus had a knack for picking the right beats to compliment his style. Honestly, the last time I heard a rapper with that kind of potential was 50 Cent in his pre-Shady mixtape days. Then the buzz grew. He linked with Just Blaze. Signed with Atlantic. Appeared on "Entourage". The table had been set. He was being groomed to be the next rap superstar.

Then everything began to crumble. One album delay after another. Then the Prodigy fiasco. Then he claims retirement. Then he claims it was a ploy to get out of his deal with Atlantic. Then he's left label-less. Then we don't hear anything for awhile. Just Blaze is off making hits with T.I. and the like while the rest of wonder, "What the hell happened to Saigon?"

Then the Joe Budden beef pops off, et cetera et cetera, fast forward to now... we finally have a Saigon album. And of course I (as many others) am still waiting on his much-vaunted (mostly by himself) proper debut album. But until then, we have this maybe-not-classic-but-still-very-good "street album" to tide us over. Statik Selektah's stock has been on the rise as a producer lately... and his gritty beats are an excellent compliment to Saigon's rugged-but-intricate flow. For all those who constantly bitch and moan about the death of hip hop (myself not excluded), do yourself a favor, visit Itunes or Amalgam Digital's website, and go cop a real hip hop album.

(Here's one freebie to entice you. Listen to how good just the intro is.)

Rewind Effect, Spring '09

2009-02-26T01:34:00.000-08:00

WHERE MY KILLER TAPE AT?

"Yo, Meth... where my Killer tape at??!" This shirt was inspired by the infamous skit featured on the Wu-Tang Clan's seminal debut album, "Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)" (which was, in turn, inspired by John Woo's cinematic masterpiece, "The Killer" starring Chow Yun-Fat.) This original design depicts a famous scene from "The Killer" on top of Raekwon's classic quote.

COP ONE BY CLICKING HERE.

TROUBLESOME

"Let it be known, I'm troublesome..." Love him or hate him, you can't dispute the legendary status of 2Pac's legacy. In his later years, his off-wax persona almost garnered him as much notoriety as his passionate lyrics. This shirt features a famous image of Pac spitting on reporters just as he emerged from court, set against a backdrop of his lyrics from one of his greatest unreleased songs.

COP ONE BY CLICKING HERE.

I BELIEVE

"I believe the children are the future..." The superstars leading the way in the rap game were once just kids with dreams too. This collage incorporates well-known youthful images of now-legendary hip hop icons emblazoned with an inspirational quote from a classic 80's R&B tune. (If you can't recognize 'em, you just ain't hip hop.)

COP ONE BY CLICKING HERE.