808's and Heartbreaks...

CAC’s
4bars

Let me start off saying that I’m excited for the Kanye album. I was schoolin one of my white homeboys today (yes it matters he’s white, he said “Go Go Gadget Flow” sucked and I think only a white dude could say that, haha) about how great of an artist Ye is and I started looking back at his albums. College Dropout was a CLASSIC album, but Late Registration was better. And Graduation, unless I’m completely wrong (which I doubt) is clearly his best work and should be considered as one of the best Hip Hop albums of all time. While I could take this post to talk about the people who only think some shit is good music if the rest of society isn’t hip to it yet, and once they do, that artist sucks (shout out to Getback track 2), I’ll leave you with this article on the Ye listening party.

http://newsroom.mtv.com/2008/10/15/kanye-west-and-50-naked-women-preview-808s-and-heartbreak-in-la/

So on with the post, I’ll try and keep it brief with the lengthy intro. In the past few years, Hip Hop artists have been involved with COUNTLESS products, commercials, events, and television shows and it has turned Hip Hop into the most popular musical genre on the planet. Naturally, with it being so popular, it has turned into just that, pop music. But what happens when the sponsors decide that gangster rapper #1 shouldn’t endorse their product? Is this blatant racism or is it simple economics?

The first case that comes to mind is the famous Ludacris-Pepsi fiasco which was spearheaded by the ever-informed and always on point Bill O’Reilly. And then there was Hov vs Cristal and before that it was Tommy Hilfiger vs Black People in general (that one was probably racism like a mf though, haha). Recently T.I. has fallen victim to the disassociation with “thugs”. “Swing Ya Rag”, a hot song on Clifford’s latest album, has a video but its been shelved because the Louis Vuitton and Gucci “rags” that are rapped about and portrayed in the video (haven’t seen the clip) are apparently not fit for the likes of T.I. and Swizz (SWIZZY!!) Beatz. Hmm, now is this a case of them not wanting a convicted felon to be associated with their product or because of the perceived audience that this will target, attract, and associate these high-end European clothing companies with? They claim that “infringement” issues were what provoked the stoppage but why would a clothing line be upset about free marketing and promotion? Not to mention brand recognition and an expansion of their consumer base. Now if they just don’t want these “rap guys” to wear and big-up their shit in a video, that’s cool, totally their prerogative; but I wanna know why.

http://www.xxlmag.com/online/?p=27147

Front row...

Live
written by Doesnt' Matt R

So check it, I went to see Jay-Z last night. It’s probably the tenth time I’ve seen him live in the last twelve years. Also at the show, D-Block, Neyo, and Lil Wayne. Normally I would give a song-by-song recount of the night’s events. But for most of the night, I was kind of bored. And that bothered me.

I go to a lot of concerts. Within the last year, I’ve seen Jigga twice, Kanye and Summer Jam. That’s actually a slow year. There was a time in my life when the thought of going to a show was an exciting event. I wondered if any special guests were going to come out. I pre-planned set lists in my head. Well, if Busta Rhymes is gonna be there, and Diddy, maybe they’ll do Victory. The idea of showing up late was maddening. How could I risk not seeing Cam’ron run a sound check and bust out 357? These were major concerns of mine.

All of that has changed in recent years. I’ve found that Jay-Z more or less puts on the same show. Always entertaining. All the hits I want to hear. I leave with no voice and a headache from screaming, But I was there the night he brought Nas out. No show is going to live up to that, short of him bringing Biggie out for Brooklyn’s Finest. But at least HOV realizes people pay good money to see him. I’ve never left disappointed, even if most of the shows have blurred together into one big memory.

It’s funny that one of the best concerts I ever attended was Cash Money / Ruff Ryders back in the day. That was the last time I enjoyed Weezy live. It was also the last time The Lox put on a solid show for me. Back then, Jada, Sheek, and Louch were so happy to finally get off Bad Boy, that they rocked the house. I’ll never forget the feeling of the stadium shaking as 30,000 Tims all stomped at the same time for Wild Out. It was the loudest noise I’ve ever heard at a show. Cash Money had the hottest songs of the summer at the time and were living it up on stage, bringing girls up and having them Drop it Like it’s Hot and Backing that Azz Up.

Now, Weezy is lucky to be able to get through a set and have people comprehend him. He pulls out his guitar, bangs on one chord, and humps the ground with no shirt on. I’ve seen Youtube of him storming off stage, getting things thrown at him, and generally underperforming. I’ve yet to see D-Block get through an entire song in the last ten years. They bring out their entire entourage and do one verse from a couple of recognizable tracks. In all fairness, I’m a huge fan of these acts. But they just don’t rock the mic live. Is it that I’ve seen too many shows? That I’m jaded to these experiences? Or has the art of live performances become a lost art? I know Weezy is grateful for his fans, he thanks us enough in his live show, but I’d much rather him actually entertain me like I was out in the park, circa ’83, Bronx.

Phonte, at his best...

Hip-Hop Honors

Nyquil Mixtape of the Week – (noun) A group of five (5) songs that you are currently sleeping on. Either you've never heard them or forgot how much you really love them. Regardless, you need to brush the dust off your CD rack and play them or add them to your collection.

1. "Insane in the Brain" – Cypress Hill


2. "Me, Myself & I" – De La Soul


3. "The Ghetto" – Too Short


4. "Teenage Love" – Slick Rick


5. "It's On" – Naughty By Nature


Come back every week for a new mixtape!

Switch...

Changeling
written by Just K

A decade ago I was 15 years old. I was a sophomore in high school. A gallon of gas was a little over a dollar a gallon (except in NY, where it was probably the same price it is now). Usher had just released his first adult CD (he dropped his last name) and had that slick video where he walked out of his shoes at the end. I used to watch Snick – Saturday Night Nickelodeon – even though I was blown that they dropped Are You Afraid of the Dark and Clarissa Explains it All. TGIF was the bomb, too. I’d like to go ahead and drop a preliminary no homo for this next statement. I started watching Dawson’s Creek. There was this girl that had me stuck in the friendship box at high school like Joey had Dawson. So I figured since Joey and Dawson were destined to be together, me and homegirl…

Broke my heart when I found out Joey ended up with Pacey in the end.

As for music, I was cranking that first Ma$e CD. I was singing “Uptown Baby” with Lord Tariq and Peter Gunz like I wasn’t from DC or something. I’d like to go ahead and drop a preliminary no constipation for this next statement. I was yelling “Make ‘Em Say Ugh!” with Master P and them.

Anyways, I’d like to think that I’ve changed as a person and as a hip-hop fan over the years. So why is it that many of us want MCs to stay in the same place? I mean, I’m sure they watch different shows, listen to different music, read different books, experience different things, and deal with different people than they did when they debuted. So why is there such outrage when an MC changes? I don’t mind when an MC changes; change is good.

On second thought, let me retract that statement. I hate when an MC changes. I can’t stand when an MC changes. Hell, I didn’t change. I evolved. Yeah, that’s it. Evolved. I appreciate the evolution of an MC. But when an MC changes, that’s some bull$#!*.

I couldn’t expect Jay-Z to be a hardcore dope boy forever. Eventually he had to put away the throwback jerseys, doo rags, pots and pans. I couldn’t expect Nas to be the teenager telling stories from his apartment window forever. I couldn’t expect Eminem to be the same dude from “My Name Is” and never have anything of substance to speak on. These MCs didn’t change. They evolved. In essence they were pretty much the same MCs we loved and grew up with; they just took different paths to get to the same wonderful music that we love.

Now that bamma Ja Rule, he ditched me. His first CD was damn near classic in my book. He established himself as a raw, street MC with a big voice. Sweet. Then, before you know it, homeboy became an RnB diva. His first CD featured Jay-Z, DMX, Erick Sermon, Memph Bleek, Ronald Isley, Case, and three rappers from his label. By the third CD, the features were Missy, Tweet, J.Lo, Ashanti, and anyone that could bring more estrogen to his album. I’m not against estrogen at all (see the no homo from paragraph 1), but don’t sell me on the gutter MC from the hood and then practically provide a hip-hop soundtrack for the gals on Wisteria Lane. Once he pulled out the glee club sweater for the “Mesmerize” video, it was curtains for his fan base.

So what’s the moral of the story here? We all evolve at some point. Expect the same from MCs. They’re people too. Our favorite MCs don’t change – they evolve. As for the MCs that actually change, see below for the result.

Stop being greedy...

Tuesday: The Hunger
written by JusHH

A little while back I broke down “Tuesday”. I talked about the excitement about buying that highly anticipated album and the experience of buying it in the store and bringing it home for the 1st time. Well you guys liked it so I’m gonna make it a regular thing. Whenever you see “Tuesday” in the title, know that I’m gonna bring back to the time when fifteen bucks meant a life or death decision…

You remember 1997. The year of the Puffy. How he sampled every 70’s and 80’s beat and melody and made crazy hit records. This frenzy had the whole industry boppin’ in their videos and wearing suits with a little bit of shine. So in the shadow of the deaths of two legends, Hip-Hop was happy again. But it wasn’t hungry. You know the hunger, right? That raw, aggressive passion that all rappers have when they are trying to get a deal. That hunger that drives emcees to create the dopest verses that you’ll ever hear. When you feel that your entire career is riding on each 16 you pen, that’s the hunger. But in 1997, that urgency to take over the game or be the best was missing. Even the best rappers at the time got “comfortable”. (yeah Hov, I’m talking about you and that “Sunshine” video) It’s like every rapper lost their damn mind for 12 months.

Well, except for one.

Apparently, the shiny suit memo didn’t get to Yonkers, NY. Because a certain rapper with a certain canine appetite didn’t exactly follow suit. I remember when I first heard DMX. He had the grittiest, rawest voice. His energy behind his rhymes was just insane. There was no way that you could hear him rhyme and sit still. And oh my god, did he just bark? Yes, he just barked on a song. The video for “Get at me dog” was shot at The Tunnel a.k.a. the “tuck your chain in” nightclub and it resembled a 3 minute riot. X wasn’t about making friends, or following anyone’s lead. He basically told every rapper in the game, “f**k you, I’m coming for all of your lunches.”

It was the perfect movement. You had a hungry rapper who took no prisoners and a hungry producer who put everything he had into every beat he made. Swizz Beats was no one in 1997 and he knew that. So he too was coming for people’s lunches and made beats that gave dudes whiplash. And then you had the Ruff Ryders; a very deep motorcycle club and extended crew that wanted to show the world who they were. You couldn’t avoid them and for those who chose to ignore them got bit – literally.

DMX tore up the clubs, the radio and any mixtape (yes, actual tapes) that he was featured on. So when his debut album, It’s Dark and Hell is Hot was slated for release, all eyes were on him. I was so excited for this album. I just couldn’t predict what I was going to get. X was a walking, talking atom bomb and exploded on every beat that he took on. So yeah, I was in the store that Tuesday and put up the fifteen. I was never the same again.

From the opening bass line, I knew it was over. It sounded like the calm before the storm. Just building the anticipation, you knew it was about to go down. And X didn’t disappoint. “One two, one two, come through, run through, Gun who, oh you don’t know what the gun do?” It was officially a wrap at that point. Songs like “Ruff Ryders Anthem”, “Stop Being Greedy” and “ATF” put every rapper on notice and explicitly informed them to step their games up pronto. It was one of the best Hip-Hop albums you could ever want to hear. I still bark and howl when I listen to that album 10 years later. It brings me back to a time when a rapper made music that he wanted to make, not music that he thought I wanted to hear. The best music ever created was always created with that mentality. It was so impactful that Jay-Z now refers to any impactful moment as “DMX’ing the game”.

It should be no surprise that after DMX came onto the scene, other people’s music suddenly sounded different. Rapper’s no longer tried to fit in or meet status quo. They got hungry again. They went back into the lab and brought that competitive fire. No rapper was safe from criticism so every rapper brought their A game on verses again. The shiny s**t got thrown out and people went back for their champion hoodies. There is no better evidence of X’s impact than with The Lox. They were riding side by side with Puff, singing songs like “If you think I’m Jiggy” but as soon as the barking began, the rap trio wanted off their label and wanted to ride with the Double R. So yeah, DMX changed the game back in ’98 and made the collective stomachs of the game growl. But just as the game tried to keep pace with the Dark Man…

He dropped another album a few months later. Yep, the same calendar year. I guess X wasn’t finished eating.

instruMENTAL...

Same Song
4bars

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a HUGE fan of Timbaland as a producer. As I got older and started to be exposed to more hip hop, I realized that the music itself is what I loved about it the most. It didn’t really matter to me (kind of) who was rapping or what about, if the beat was hot, I was at least letting the track ride. Of course when a hot MC got on and ripped a ridiculous beat, I was in Heaven.

It’s still like that with me today, you can catch me air guitar/keyboard/drumming to any of the various tracks that I can literally feeeelll. I was driving and thinking about how the game has been flooded with producers trying to make a name and I thought about 10 years ago, there were giants in the game and the up and coming dudes were named West and Blaze. Now there are half a zillion “beat makers” out there and a lot of em are getting put on. I’m not hatin but GWIZ CANT GET NO LOVE!!??!! Haha, I joke, but for real, is producing gonna turn into the next “fad” or has it already?

I love hip hop “music” a whole lot. I used to get teased about listening to instrumentals all the time, but there was a point where all I heard out of the lyrics was bs but I couldn’t shake my addiction to the music. The beat making game has devolved as the rap game has, sadly, but what’s the next step? Do they hold the same fate?

Stay tuned next week btw, more on the production game.

New directions..

My Kanye Conundrum
written by Doesn't Matt R

As Kanye’s singles start to leak out for his new album, I’m stuck with a dilemma. Do I want to hear him sing? In full disclosure, I’m a huge fan. After I listened to College Dropout for the 400th time, I swore that I’d get down with whatever Mr. West put out there. So far he has not disappointed me. It’s all been hot.

It took me a few listens to get down with Love Lockdown. I wasn’t feeling The Coldest Winter, but I feel like this was never guaranteed to be on the album. Artists make a lot of songs, and sometimes the ones that are sub-par and wouldn’t make the final cut can leak too. I’m really feeling Heartless, but he only really sings the chorus of that. The verses are more hip-hop than R&B. So it’s not even that I don’t like the new stuff he’s playing around with.

I guess my major questions would be: Is this what we need from Kanye right now? is this a vanity project, like Eddie Murphy or Bruce Willis doing an album because they got so big in one entertainment genre, they feel like they could cross over to another. Rappers start to act. See Will Smith, Ice Cube, Ludacris for major successes. Actors sing and can make it. John Belushi and J Lo. Singers act (Elvis), actors rap (Brian Austin Green…yuck), and sometimes singers do stand up comedy (John Mayer). So it’s not like jumping between genres is rare.


It’s proven that you don’t need a great voice to have a hit record. With Britney’s production team, you could probably make a hit record with the tracheotomy guy from the TRUTH about smoking commercials. As a matter of fact, I think that’s where T-Pain got his early influences. But Kanye is arguably the hottest all-around act in hip-hop (because his verses and beats are so high in demand). Weezy may be a hotter rapper at the moment, Polo da Don may be a hotter producer. But nobody does the full package, puts on a show, sells albums, and sells his image like Kanye. So yeah he’s maybe talented enough to pull of an R & B album.

Michael Jordan is probably one of the most talented all around athletes of all time. And maybe if every swing he took, every ball hit his way, every base he ran wasn’t being watched by every media outlet, he may have turned out to be an alright baseball player. But at that time, he was the BEST basketball player in the world (not counting that kid, in that park, who never got a break). Yes, I understand why Jordan had to do it. Yes, I understand why Kanye would want to try this. Yes, I’ll probably listen to it, and yes, it may be as hot as Kanye claims it to be. But that doesn’t mean I won’t be wishing for the rest of my life that this was Valedictorian coming out instead. So that’s just the truth of the matter.

Best Of Both Offices Presents Freestyle Session I (Feat. Mickey Factz)

get familar with him

The Bucket List...

Old Geezers
written by Just K

Props to the Rolling Stones for touring when they could get senior citizen discounts on their own tickets.

Shout out to Madonna for doing that sexy yoga thing at her age, looking like a 50-year-old slinky.

Much respect to Jay-Z for being an almost 40-year-old American Gangster that runs the 40/40s. Sweet.

Each of these three is a huge name in their respective genres of music. True. However, only one of these celebrities is ever considered too old to release music…and he’s the youngest one.

Maybe it has something to do with the art form’s emphasis on street credibility; I would hope you’re not still slinging rocks at 40 years old. Maybe because it’s such a competitive genre we get tired of seeing the same faces sitting in the hip-hop royal court. Eh, maybe it’s just a strong dose of hate. Whatever the case, hip-hop seems to be the only category of music that wants older artists to step down.

Never mind the fact that Jay is the equivalent to the rap Brett Favre with all of the false retirements (at least Jay isn’t on the cover of Madden, which we all know can really make a career take a turn for the worse). I can’t think of one young’n that can bring what Hov brings to the game. The same can be said for Outkast, Scarface, Talib, Black Thought, definitely Snoop Dogg , E-40, or Ghostface, and countless other members of the 30+ club. These guys aren’t even old enough to have a midlife crisis yet. So let us not retire our not-so-young bucks before their time. Let the old geezers do their thing. I’m pretty sure I’ll still be working in my 30s. Why shouldn’t they?

Ahem. And I hope none of them had 401K plans, ‘cause that’s in the toilet.

Ay Yo...

Trapped in the Closet
written by JusHH

Just so we’re clear, in Hip-Hop it is okay to be a murder, a drug dealer, a pimp (and a hoe), a liar, a gambler, a cheater and a greedy money-before-anything type of individual. We’ve established this, correct? And we all stand by it, no? I mean, I’ve seen individuals on many media outlets criticize Hip-Hop for supporting the aforementioned individuals and we get up on our soap boxes and defend it. If so, then can someone please help me understand why we are cool with a person being all of those things but the one thing we absolutely won’t ever tolerate is homosexuality. That’s right folks. If you are gay, then you can’t be apart of Hip-Hop.

I just have trouble understanding how we could find some moral justification for a person taking someone else’s life or selling poison in the community but a same-sex relationship is out of bounds. And this phenomenon goes pretty far. In his platinum selling Tha Carter 3 intro, Lil’ Wayne says that he will run up in your crib and kill your grandmother. No response. The possibility that he kissed (kisses) Baby, who happens to be a loving father figure on the mouth – well that just caused all kinds of ruckus. I can’t begin to figure out how that works. With all the bitching and complaining that we do as a culture about not getting a fair shake in this country and being unfairly treated, we openly and in many cases, proudly discriminate against an entire group of people. To this day, of all the rappers and verses ever spit, the only rapper that ever came under fire for anti-gay lyrics is Eminem.

But I know, I know – God said that its wrong and it’s a sin so that’s why you can’t rock with the whole gay thing. Fine. But last time I checked, being a homosexual wasn’t in the Ten Commandments. However, not killing, stealing, sleeping with your neighbor’s wife(y) or worshiping another deity (that means you Hov) is definitely a no-no in the lord’s big book, yet that’s cool. And it’s not even that people in Hip-Hop are indiscriminately against homosexuality – just when men do it. Young Dro’s girl has a girlfriend, and Jadakiss is on his waverunner and tanning with dykes. (For the record, hanging out with a “dyke” does not add to your status as a pimp and a player. A dyke is a lesbian, so not only is she not into you but her fade is probably tighter and her jeans are probably baggier than yours. I know dyke rhymes with a lot of words, but come on guys, step your rap game up.) It’s perfectly okay for two supermodel women to rub up on each other but two men are just yucky. So wait, what does God think about the two chicks thing?

The phobia for the homo is so prevalent in Hip-Hop that it’s frankly embarrassing. The myth of the “Gay Rapper” put more fear into people than the freggin’ Blair Witch. If society has taught us anything, its that there are more homosexuals in our society than anyone is willing to admit. So yes, that means one if not more of your favorite rappers, DJ’s, breakers and graf artists are in fact – gay. Men in Hip-Hop will go out of their way to prove that they are not gay. They will even put these trendy disclaimers at the end of sentences that might have the slightest chances, of being considered to have a tiny insinuation to homosexuality. We need to just grow the hell up already. Hip-Hop has far more problems than if a small percentage of the people who contribute or support it are gay.

It’s so bad that even if you defend homosexuality, people will think that you are gay. As if it’s so hard to believe that a person can actually have sympathy and defend someone else on the sole basis of sharing a common sense of humanity. Kanye West (say what you want about his ego but he has the guts to say things that the most gangster rappers will not) openly condemned homophobia in Hip-Hop in an interview and what did he get in return? He got called a fag by people from NY to LA.

Hell, I’m sure someone reading this might think that I’m gay too. So before there’s any confusion, allow me to use the now international disclaimer to end this post…

No homo.

Some info from Jay...

Yo...

STOP IT! written by 4bars

Somehow, every week, somebody on this ridiculously talented and creative PTM staff, in some form or fashion, writes a similar post that I thought about writing. I guess that’s the penalty for going last. I still have a list of things that hip hop cats need to stop doing:

10. Stop T-Paining your voice just because everybody else is doing it.

I know we harp on this but it ruins it for cats that do it artistically.

9. Stop Lying

In all forms and facets, I really can’t take anymore of dudes being inauthentic.

8. Stop Biting

Originality is at SUCH a high premium, it makes me happy when cats do off the wall shit (ie “Love Lockdown”) good or bad sometimes (Love Lockdown is “good” btw).

7. Stop Cheating the Fans

I’m tired of the cookie cutter cats making random ass, simple ass songs, cause they know pop audiences will eat it up, I need more, even from you T-Pain/Akon.

6. Stop Stuntin

Seriously, we get it, you’re a famous rapper and you went from nothing to something, but all you mf’s don’t have it like that, and neither do all your homies, so unless you tryna get jacked, tone it down.

5. Stop Talkin Wreckless

Everybody is not a thug. Did you come from the hood? Sure. Did you dabble in and maybe hang out with some dopeboys? Prolly. Did you choose rapping over a life of crime? Yes, so shut the f up and be a rapper, if not, spare me the tough talk.

4. Stop Not Writing

Seriously, I know it sounded cool when Hov said it but he’s actually awesome. Technically he “doesn’t write” but he’s not just flowin off the top, so neither should you.

3. Stop Telling Me “The Game Needs Me”

There are like 3 rappers the game “needs” right now: Hov, Kanye, and Wayne, T.I. and T-Pain get honorable mention, “but that about it.”

2. Stop Claiming to be “The Best”

Music is subjective, make great music and we’ll determine who the best is, til then, leave your ego out of it and show and prove.

1. Stop Worrying about the Money

Please, just make good music, that’s all we want, your kids will get fed, I promise.

I gotta ask...

SENSELESS CENSUS
written by Doesn't Matt R

doesn’t Matt R.’s turn to ask questions:

Why is there a 15:1 ratio of Tupac to Biggie posters available for purchase?

Where did LL Cool J’s eyebrows go?

If so many of the hottest M.C.’s give props and name drop Kool G. Rap in their rhymes, how come they never get a verse from him on the album?

Why has every artist that is supposed to be the next Biggie turned out to be the Harold Minor to Michael Jordan?

Is Jay-Z Kobe?

How many young fans will be confused that Biggie died in ’97, but refers to 9/11?

How many future 2Pac fans will believe that BIG died first because Pac shouts out his death so many times on wax.

If you choose the name C-Murder and then actually get convicted for a homicide, do you wish you went with C-Rainbows instead?

Is the flattop really making a comeback? Does that mean Horror-core rap is next?

Who is going to be the next hip-hop duo to make a buddy-comedy like Kid N’ Play and Meth & Red?

Which crew of a famous artist would win in a Royal Rumble: Junior Mafia, The Outlawz, D-12, St. Lunatics, Flipmode Squad, or USDA?

If I pray hard enough, will Eminem make a lot more albums, but never have another one sound like Encore?

How did Eve go from looking like she did when she first came out, to what she looks like now?

Nowadays when artists only have a handful of hot songs on their album, if they’re lucky, why aren’t more people talking about how amazing Capital Punishment and Yeahhhh Baby are?

Has anyone had a worse career collapse, other than ending up dead, than DMX?

Will Jadakiss somehow be a part of every major label near its peak popularity until hip-hop is really dead?

Does anybody aside from me remember Dana Dane? Nightmares?

Chew on that for a while.

You know how we do...

*bonus at the end*

Nyquil Mixtape of the Week – (noun) A group of five (5) songs that you are currently sleeping on. Either you've never heard them or forgot how much you really love them. Regardless, you need to brush the dust off your CD rack and play them or add them to your collection.

1. "Politics As Usual" – Jay-Z
Just Because.


2. "My Life" – Styles P ft. Pharohe Monch
I've always loved this beat and Monch kills the hook


3. "I Gotcha Opin (remix)" – Black Moon
"I woke up in the morning hoppin' the train I saw my man he had an L in his hand"


4. "How Many Mics" – The Fugees
This album was like 5.5 mics… lol


5. "Clones" – The Roots
The baddest band in the land.


*Bonus - Big Daddy Kane - Show & Prove (ft. ODB, Jay-Z, Sauce Money, Shyheim, Scoob)


Come back every week for a new mixtape!

Your Highness...

King Me
written by Just K

Who’s the King of NY? My personal vote goes to Jay-Z, but that’s just me. In fact, Jay-Z’s personal vote goes to Jay-Z. He’s claimed the title often enough throughout his career. Nas is also a viable candidate. Despite being a bit less prolific than Jay, Nas has actually been in the game longer. And if we’re going to make longevity a factor, Uncle L also has the right to consider himself king, which he has done before. Then there’s the only guy that has had beef with more rappers than LL Cool J: 50 Cent. He came in the game going at rappers with the classic “How to Rob.” Since then he’s been at war with Fat Joe, The Lox, Lil’ Wayne, Ja Rule, fomer G-Unit affiliates Game and Buck, and probably too many other rappers to remember. Of course we can’t speak on the title of K.O.N.Y without mentioning the notorious one himself. The only dude from NY to drop a thorough double album (see: The Challenge by JusHH), many hip-hop heads feel there will never be another MC that does it the way Biggie did it. It’s definitely a debate among fans, but in battles and in claims made in songs and interviews, it’s clearly a debate among the MCs of NY. Because NY pretty much represents hip-hop for the east coast and for the north (Red, Budden, Beans, I’m sorry) the King of NY, by default, is the King of the East and the King of the North. Yeah, I guess I can see why so many people are fighting for that spot.

So how come no one’s fighting to be King of the South?

With representation in the commercial hip-hop scene from Texas, Georgia, Florida and Alabama (shout out to Rich Boy), one would think that the fight for the southern crown would be just as fierce, if not more so, than the fight for the NY top spot. However, that is not the case. T.I. picks up the phone and calls Scarface to pretty much ask if it’s ok to start calling himself the King of the South. Scarface says it’s cool and there you have it. The King of the South is born.

What’s interesting is that nobody else is really vying for that spot. Lil’ Wayne, Bun B, either member of Outkast, and Luda would all make a decent case to be called king. None of them do. I’ve heard them call themselves chaperon of the south, godfather of the south, prince of the south, mouth of the south and anything else but King. Why is that? Should there be more competition for that spot in the south or is the fierce competition for that spot in NY partly to blame for the divisive nature of some of the music that comes out of that area? Really, it might just be indicative of the lifestyles and how things are done in those respective regions. Whatever the case, I know who the south considers its king, but as long as NY has run rap, the hip-hop capital has never been able to award someone its crown.

So that leads me to ask, what does it really take to be king? And even more importantly, does it matter what you call yourself as long as the music is on point?

Vacay...

Chillin...

"After 43 Consecutive weeks of that uncut-Frank Lucas-less steps than Brittney-ish, JusHH had to rest. He'll be back next week with a full re-up."

Thank you,

Management

Cookin Soul...

For anyone who says hip-hop isn't global, I present to you the trio of Cookin' Soul. If you are misinformed of who these men are, it's my pleasure to school you. WHO they are is an eclectic trio of producers from, ready for this?, VALENCIA, SPAIN. Yes, yes, that's right. I know my man Wiz has heard of these cats and you should have, too. They are responsible for several mash up mixtapes, including the much discussed "OJAYZIS" and Jay-Z/Elvis "Billboard Gangsters" joints. More detailed bio and case studies after the jump.


Courtesy of Cookin Soul's Website
COOKIN' SOUL is the name of a trio of producers/dee-jays straight out of Valencia, Spain. BIG SIZE, MILTON and ZOCK.

They ve produced songs for the likes of THE GAME, GRAFH, MAX B, JR WRITER (Dipset), SHEEK LOUCH (The Lox), Nu Jersey Devil (BWS), 40 Cal (Dipset), Joell Ortiz, Currency, CL Smooth, Shiest Bubz (Purple City) , J Bezel (Skull Gang), Dj Doo Wop, Dipset Eurogang or Ali Vegas and have been featured in over 100 albums and mixtapes worldwide.

Currently working on various projects including big names in the industry, underground cats, a new volume of their infamous remixes and an instrumental mixtape.

Stay tuned B%@ss!


Jay-Z v. Oasis - "OJAYZIS"

"Jay-Z v. The Game - Best of Both Coasts

We Got That New New...

Dunno how many of you know about M.I.A., but thanks to the success of Pineapple Express, her joint "Paper Planes" has been twisted every which way, even lending a sample to T.I.'s "Swagger Like Us." Jay and Wale chose to get on an actual track with homegirl. "Boyz" is from her '07 album "Kala." Love me some M.I.A. Do yourself a favor and find some other music by her. It'll change your world... Links and backstory of the Wale remix after the jump.


Courtesy of elitaste:
So back in June of 2007 Wale met with Jay while he was still at Def Jam. On the way out of the meeting, MIA’s “Boyz” video came on TV and Jay jokingly said to Wale, “Man I should test you with that beat” as they were walking onto the elevator. Wale had been touring Europe with Ronson for about 2 months at this point and had hung out with MIA so he was already savvy. He went and recorded to it the next day. That song ended up becoming The Bmore Club Slam which Scottie B produced (featured on Mixtape About Nothing). Well, with the recent success of MIA’s “Paper Planes” thanks to the Pineapple Express trailer, Interscope is re-releasing her album with “Boyz” as a single…again. Interscope asked Wale to do a remix and I guess Jay-Z and Akon did ones too. Well now that Jay’s is out we thought, hey, let’s put this out with the verse Wale recorded 3 weeks ago and a brand new verse he recorded today.


Boyz (rmx) - M.I.A. Featuring Wale

Boyz (rmx) - M.I.A. Featuring Jay-Z

GLC - "I Ain't Even On Yet"

Not the biggest fan of Mr. Gangsta L. Crisis (GLC), but this video is kinda dope. Mr. West makes the obligatory cameo. Shouts to 2 Dope Boyz for the link.

Robot Voices...

T-Painin pt 2 (sort of)
written by 4bars

A quick google search states that the newest musical craze is either called Auto-Tune or Vocoder. There is also something called Talk box and this is the one you see with the tube in the mouth of the artist (quadruple pause, double no homo). After digging a little bit more, we’re gonna go ahead and refer to it as Vocoder, the following video also did the trick.



Everybody has used this device: Snoop, Hov (kind of), Yeezy, Weezy, Baby, Ciara, Chris Breezy, R. Kelly, Peter Frampton, and yes Roger Troutman. Like my man Just K said, there is a line that has to be distinguished between cats using this simply for the gimmick those who are being assisted artistically. Clearly this is terribly subjective but I think comparing what Baby did with it on the “Foolish” remix to what T-Pain has done with it is silly. Speaking of which the following link should quiet a lot of haters who always talk about T-Pain “can’t sang…” It’s a montage of Teddy P. performing live sans-Vocoder.



Now I pose the question of the weekend: Kanye West, arguably the best rapper in the game right now, used Vocoder on his newest single “Love Lockdown” on which he is not rapping at all but singing. Now I’ve had this debate with several people who feel like the Vocoder has been overused and are tired of Kanye in particular using it. My personal feeling is that his use of it in this song and others (“Put On” remix in particular) fall into the “artistic assistance” category because Kanye is trying to sing and it has been documented that he cannot. So otherwise he’d have to have somebody else perform lyrics to a song that is clearly heartfelt and personal. Whatchu think: Tired of the gimmick or artistic genius?

The Roots + Lil Wayne - A MIlli (Live )

Dope.

Gimmee what he got...

Fads & Trends
written by gWiz

It’s funny how things come and go, I still remember when Cross Colours dropped and my sister got some jeans. I was tight! Why? Because since she was older she had more access to stuff and that was the “trend” for all of those 30 minutes that it lasted. Looking back I am not mad at all that was denied that trend, but they continue on. From Kriss Kross rockin’ jumpers backwards to everybody rockin’ starter caps to the episode of New York Undercover when they all had Bear coats on.

How about when Puff had all the different color Yankee fitteds in the “Mo’ Money Mo’ Problems” video. I don’t know about your state but that summer I must have seen every color Yankee fitted imaginable with the matching jerseys in the streets of NY. (I had red, blue, and green haha) Speaking of jersey we fast forward to the throwback epidemic, I guess I would put Fabolous at the forefront of this one. Now I know this one was a trend that was universal because no matter where I went I saw walking sports figures everywhere. You still got old dudes rocking jersey now because they still think “That’s Cool” haha it is what it is though.

Then Jay-Z said “Change Clothes and go…” and so everybody did. Button ups and jeans flooded the scene, which wasn’t a bad thing at all. What happened next? Everybody was a “rock star”, wallet chains hanging size 28 jeans but their real size is a 36. So we went from the baggy joints to borderline spandex? Ok

Then the Kanye’s of the world stepped in and kind of mixed the rock and Hov look together. It’s just funny to me how I can see somebody on the street and I can match his or her exact outfit exactly with what ______(insert a rapper/entertainer name here) is wearing. There so many to talk about this is just a few. I know you’ve seen it. That box on top your TV stand is powerful huh?!?!

One and then the two Two and then the three...

Nyquil Mixtape of the Week – (noun) A group of five (5) songs that you are currently sleeping on. Either you've never heard them or forgot how much you really love them. Regardless, you need to brush the dust off your CD rack and play them or add them to your collection.

1. "Breathe" – Fabolous
Fab produced a truly classic Hip-Hop record with this one


2. "Shoot Outs" – Jadakiss ft. Styles P
I will never get tired of the back and forth flow… so dope


3. "125 Pt 2." – Joell Ortiz
Sick.


4. "The Jam" – Mad Skillz
Skillz is so underrated. His creativity on this joint is ridiculous.


5. "The Kramer" – Wale
I'm feelin' this dude. Peep this song.



Come back every week for a new mixtape!

Kanye West - Love Lockdown [ Official Music Video ]

Tallahassee Hero...

Rappa Ternt Supastaw
written by Just K

So, this week I was supposed to debut the Just K awards, but I wanted to take the time to discuss a phenomenon that I can no longer deny. If you’re on this site, chances are you tried to deny him as well. It’s ok. To quote Whitley Gilbert of the prestigious Hillman College, “relax, relate, release.” Go ahead and accept it, just like I had to: T-Pain is that dude.

I remember when I first heard “I’m Sprung” by an odd-looking fellow by the name of T-Pain. That song definitely fell into the guilty pleasure category. It was a light, fun song with a catchy chorus and the old school “Computer Love” sound effect. However, I thought that T-Pain would soon be forgotten, only to be mentioned a decade or so later in one of the VH1 greatest one-hit wonders countdowns. His voice wasn’t particularly memorable aside from the autotune, he didn’t really dance in the video, and according to the ladies he wasn’t exactly the second coming of Al B. Sure in the looks department. I figured one and done.

Surprise, surprise. T-Pain had another big single after that with “I’m N Luv (Wit a Stripper).” Well, obviously he escaped being a one-hit wonder; I just thought he’d end up being a two-hit wonder. Again he made use of the vocoder and again I was completely wrong about the success of a T-Pain song.

Before I could say “Roger Troutman’s illegitimate child,” T-Pain started popping up everywhere. He was on remixes and hooks for songs with established artists and artists I probably would have never heard of had it not been his presence. Seriously, raise a hand if you heard of 2 Pistols before T-Pain sang the hook on “She Got It.” Notice how your hand is still on your computer mouse. Name a song T-Pain’s been on and you’re probably naming a hit. And just to prove that he could do for himself what he had done for so many other artists, he released an album that opened at #1 on the charts and outsold his debut. Dude can’t miss.

Young Penderazzdown is a bona fide superstar. Tell me you didn’t get hyped with his hook on “I’m So Hood.” Try to deny wanting to live the “Good Life” with him and Kanye. Admit that you eyed a dime piece and checked your funds when “Buy You a Drink” came on in the club. And like it or not, you probably like the “Can’t Believe It” joint that’s on the radio right now (give or take Lil’ Wayne’s inaudible rumblings and chuckles). At this point, it’s no longer taboo for a hip-hop fan to rock out to a T-Pain track. He’s had more influence on the rap game in the past few years than any rapper you can name. Everybody’s putting that T-Pain on their voice, (only because it sounds better than “getting your Trout on”) or putting T-Pain himself on their song. Love him or hate him, T-Pain is a dominant force in – not pop, not rnb, and definitely not a spelling bee with a CD called Thr33 Ringz dropping soon – hip-hop. The Rappa Ternt Sanga is a rappa ternt hip-hip honcho. Yeah, I know. I “Can’t Believe It” either.

PTI with PTM

Pardon The Interruption
written by JusHH

[Clapping]

Terrence J: Welcome back to 106 & Park, BET’s Top 10 countdown. You just saw T-Pain’s video for “Can’t Believe it”. This dude is everywhere, doing real big things.

Rosci: No doubt, no doubt. South is doing it real big. You got Jeezy and TI releasing new albums.

TJ: Yeah, TI doing it big.

R: Rick Ross is also doing it major big.

TJ: And you know Lil’ Wayne is always doing doing big thi- wait, pardon the interruption folks but with efforts to bring more “substance” to the show, we were told to cover more news and other intelligent events. We’re told that JusHH is giving a press conference. We’re going live to Queens, NYC.

Thank you for coming out today. First I want to show some love to my PTM crew: K, Bars, Billz, Wiz and Matt – let’s keep bringing them that real s**t. I called this press conference to address a few issues that I am having with rappers today. As the Chairman of the C.A.W. (Coalition Against Wackness), it is important that I speak out against this current crisis. Many of you rappers are in danger of ending up on our Most Wanted list which can lead to a permanent removal of all props and a lifetime of being ridiculed. Some of you I understand don’t even know that you are in danger, so allow me to inform you of the current behavior that is frowned upon by the C.A.W.

First off, rhyming the same word twice does not count as good rapping. Unless it’s a homonym or for witty emphasis, it’s just lazy and unappreciated.

Outdated punchlines will no longer be accepted. This means no more references to The Wire or any of its characters. There’s enough going on today that can be talked about so stick to the current events.

No more “I’m the Obama of [blank]” metaphors. They never make any sense and frankly, with him actually having a chance to be the first black president, most of you knuckleheads don’t deserve to be in the same sentence. And while we’re at it, no more MLK or Malcolm X metaphors either.

Stop with the freggin’ “voice changing box” or whatever you call it. Unless you’re doing a duet with Roger Troutman, stick to your own damn voice. It might have worked the first time, but now it just sounds dumb.

While I support poetic license, when you mispronounce a word so bad that I can’t recognize it, it ceases to be creative. It defeats the purpose of using the English language. This goes especially for you Kanye. (Writers should never, ever be prounced “Wri-teers”) and you too Weezy (just pick a verse).

You are not allowed to claim that there’s no competition or that you don’t listen to anyone’s music then start your opening line with someone else’s rap. Not only is it a glaring contradiction, but it’s biting so stop it.

These are just a few things that I’ve noticed over the last few months that will land a lot more of you on the list. The C.A.W. is always available to anyone who wants more information on how they can avoid becoming wack. We have a 24-hour hotline and support on our website. We can stop this problem if we all work together. Thank you for coming out today. I’m going back to the office; we have an emergency intervention with 50 Cent. We’re gonna make sure his next album is solid.

Peace… oh yeah, f**k BET.

[silence]

Rosci: … Uhh…

Terrence J: Was that done big? I can’t tell.

Endorsing...

Politics as Unusual
written by 4bars

With politics being relevant in pop culture more than ever I thought it interesting to look at its effect on hip hop. I’ve always wondered how we got away from the socially conscious days of Public Enemy and Queen Latifah & Co.’s “Ladies First” immediately to Two Live Crew and N.W.A. Social commentary is something that has always been present in hip hop and still is, but as we’ve stated, it’s not what gets spins or makes money.

Rappers have always talked about how rough their upbringing and neighborhoods were and how something wasn’t right but as conditions worsen and we face financial crisis and war, social commentary has even started to seep into the mainstream. There have always been rappers talking about the foul nature of our government, but it was never the Young Jeezys who, in his own way, filled his album with relevant undertones of the need for political change and his support of Barack Obama. Ludacris went so far as to actually make a diss record (!?!) against the current establishment and John McCain. And Daddy Yankee REALLY went against the grain when he endorsed McCain.

I always wondered why when celebrities would encourage the “young people” to vote (Diddy’s “Vote or Die” campaign) they never expressed who they felt should get said vote or who they were voting for. It was as if there was a rule against entertainers stating who they were voting for. But this year, few in hip hop have been shy about expressing just who they are voting for come November 4th, even Diddy has dropped his non-partisan approach and blatantly endorsed Obama. I’m happy to see that people are changing, or at least trying to, I just wish things didn’t have to hit rock bottom for the wake-up call to come. What’s next, Lil Wayne running for Mayor of New Orleans? I mean, athletes do it all the time, why not artists? Haha, maybe I’m getting ahead of myself, or maybe not?

Hip Hop Canidate...D Matt R'

Master Debater
written by Doesn't Matt R'

I just finished watching the Vice Presidential debate and it put me in the mindset to call out some general (and specific) ideas that I don’t agree with. So as they all start off, let me say first that I respect everyone’s right to have, hold, and speak their opinions. I just can’t help it if mine happen to be more right than everyone else’s.

The idea of the rich, white kid that listens to hip-hop is a very bad and overused cliché. Rich, white kids didn’t ruin hip-hop. Their father’s did. I say blame the corporations that bought and sold the culture as a commodity. The listeners are there because the music is good. And it used to be authentic. It is just as ridiculous to be a rich, black kid, or a millionaire Eskimo and claim the hood. And where did so much of the original hip-hop swagger actually come from? The obsession with Ralph Lauren’s Polo, Nautica, Burberry, Cadillacs, and fancy champagne. People who didn’t have this stuff saw these old rich white men and emulated their taste for fancy and expensive goods and services. So instead of hating on your wealthy, white friend for his attempted inclusion into the culture, you should give him a break, because the father he’s trying to rebel against, actually influenced the influencers he cherishes so much. Irony has its own beauty. Although I agree, no white guys should ever wear a doo-rag (and that includes you Marshall Mathers).

Plus, I heartily reject the idea of blaming your fans. The culture of hip-hop today (and for a while has been) putting sales numbers as the biggest priority. But you can’t go platinum and choose which million people are buying the album.

I have to disagree with a statement my boy JusHH (sorry to single you out, but I’ve been thinking about this all week since you said it) made on here last week. He said, “Hip-Hop is one of those rare musical genres that are tied to a specific cultural, socioeconomic background. Because you have the music but you also have the culture behind it.” I disagree with this not because hip-hop isn’t tied to a specific cultural, socioeconomic background, but because this isn’t a rare occurrence. I submit to you that every musical genre is tied to a culture and class of people in the beginning. Punk Rock—take your pick, British or American, came from a poor, disassociated youth as a countercultural movement against a specific economic and political force. Reggae, Jazz, Country, the Blues, the list goes on and on. And it’s not all poor economic backgrounds either. Look at Opera, which was deemed the epicenter of so-called culture for a couple of centuries. The problem is that within each one of these music genres, there occurs a certain amount of cultural elitism. It is unfortunate that one of the many things these art forms have in common is a feeling of superiority. That the issues that face us are new and original, when in fact musicians have been selling out or accused of doing so since the first drum was ever drummed. People are searching for authenticity, which isn’t bound by the man made diversions of race, sex, or wealth. Everybody wants to be a part of something and those who don’t want to be a part of that with other people.

Finally, let’s not be so harsh to judge those that don’t fit the mold that we have created. Twenty years ago, 50 Cent would have been M.C. Hammer. A rapper with a gimmick and several endorsement deals, who seemed to spend way too much of his money on material possessions and put all of his boys on, while seemingly starting off with unprecedented popularity, they slowly dropped off with each new album. Hammer was deemed a sell out and his career quickly evaporated. 50 has trademarked himself into a multi-billion dollar brand. It’s a strange time to be a hip-hop fan. So let’s not falsely glorify back in the day as “ the glory days.” We need to keep a realistic view that things don’t change as much as we think they do. And while we can’t tell where were going from looking back, we can always know where we have just come from.

The Replacements...

Collabo Upgrades
written by Just K

Hollywood Divorce was the song where Lil’ Wayne detractors finally had to stop arguing that he couldn’t focus on a topic. Andre ripped it as usual. Big Boi did his thing. Ummm…Snoop Dogg, not so much. The Doggfather definitely phoned it in on that one. And you know how it goes with Weezy; for every classic verse he gives us, he gives us a complete dud. I don’t even think he phoned it in on Barry Bonds. I think that was a text performance.

When I listen to hip-hop collaborations, quite often I find myself thinking wow, that was perfect (a la Flava in Your Ear Remix or Triumph). Other times, I find myself mentally replacing an artist. “Don’t you ever get to thinking you’re irreplaceable.” Here is the Just K collabo upgrade list.

Hollywood Divorce

Lil’ Wayne, Andre 3000, Big Boi, Snoop Dogg Lupe Fiasco

“You played me like a game of football.” Yup, that line alone gets you yanked.

Fried Chicken

Nas, Busta Rhymes Common

I mean, Busta didn’t do a bad job. I just see Common doing a better job of maintaining the metaphor.

Ghetto Supastar

Pras Ghostface, Mya, Ol’ Dirty Bastard

Ghostface rapping about being a ghetto superstar, combined w/ ODB would’ve been an instant classic.

Run

Ghostface, Jadakiss Busta Rhymes

Jada just didn’t bring the proper energy to match Ghost. When has energy ever been a problem from Busta? Right.

Still Tippin’

Slim Thug, Mike Jones Bun B, Paul Wall Pimp C

Again, not bad. I just think UGK would’ve been nicer on it. Besides, without this song giving him a hit, we don’t have to hear Mike Jones’s name and phone number a million times.

Barry Bonds

Kanye West, Lil’ Wayne Ludacris

Southern king of metaphors vs. “I’m so cole like Keyshia’s family. Easy decision.

Bia Bia

Lil’ Jon, Ludacris, Too Short, Chyna White Rah Digga

I know a lot of southerners are going to disagree with this one, but homegirl added absolutely nothing to the track. She was just there. Digga’s got the voice for the track and she can actually spit. Can you really say the same about Chyna White?

Fantastic Four

Cam’ron, Big Pun, Noreaga Sticky Fingaz, Canibus

The East Coast almost at its finest. Why Sticky? I don’t know. Just a feeling I get. A grimy rapper over that grimy beat just seems right. The better question is why Nore? He was out of his league here, similar to the cipher with Canibus and DMX. (yeah, I took it there)

Fatty Girl

Ludacris, LL Cool J, Keith Murray Missy

Man, who the hell is Kathy Lee Curtis? Nobody could’ve stopped Keith before he named this non-existent celebrity? 187 Fools, I swear. Eh, get him outta there. I like Missy on this track in place of Keith. She does a decent job on party tracks and adding a female voice to male-dominated tracks.

I Shot Ya (Remix)

Keith Murray Method Man, Prodigy, Fat Joe, Foxy Brown, LL Cool J

Yup, the Keith Murray double play. He didn’t do a bad job; he just didn’t do a good job. Tical would’ve definitely handled the opening to this track. LL almost got snatched for mistaking cursing and yelling for dropping a hard verse. I mean, it’s his track so I let him live. Next time Uncle L…

By the way, how ill was Foxy on that joint? Damn.

So the next time you hear a collabo that needs work, don’t settle for whatever you hear. Just add a song to the list of Just K collabo upgrades. You too can jam with the right MC on the right song.

Wu-Tang is for the kids...

Nyquil Mixtape of the Week – (noun) A group of five (5) songs that you are currently sleeping on. Either you've never heard them or forgot how much you really love them. Regardless, you need to brush the dust off your CD rack and play them or add them to your collection.

1. "Winter Warz" – Ghostface Killah


2. "Liquid Swords" – GZA


3. "Incarcerated Scarfaces" – Raekwon


4. "Brooklyn Zoo" – O.D.B.


5. "Release Yo' Delf" – Method Man


6. "Protect Your Neck" – Wu-Tang


Come back every week for a new mixtape!