Welcome to Past the Margin where we go beyond the beats, beyond the rhymes, beyond the cars, girls and diamonds. At Past The Margin we dig a little deeper into the topics that deal with this thing we call "Hip-Hop".
We plan to bring to you those serious, comical and controversial ideas and opinions that you've had with your "peoples" whether it was on the block or in your crib. There's hundreds of conversations going on right now about Hip-Hop and everyone has something to say about it. So don't think outside the box... take it Past the Margin.
Music, where would I be without you? From my young days when I played the "drums" on my little blue plastic chair to DJing at universities in front of a thousand plus people. From the times when I did not want to hear anybodies voice, but there was always a song that knew exactly what I felt and made it all better. I can go on and on about what music has done for me but the funny thing is I guarantee we all got similar stories. Music has always been that escape for me, I couldn't imagine life without it. Think about it for a second... No music what do we have...That ride to work (dead), that ride on the train (dead), clubs (no music), TV shows and Movies with just talk, no iPod, no Zune...Where does it stop? Somehow or another Music is essential. Music has given me and has create jobs for millions. I have even gone as far to have conversation with my girl through music. How deep is that? Im sure we can all relate and for that...
MUSIC I AM THANKFUL.
Enjoy Your Thanksgiving from the entire PTM Staff!
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. "Go Ill" – Kids In The Hall Naledge is ill.
2. "Dream Shatterer" – Big Pun One of the best to ever do it brings on of his best ever performances
3. "Ryder Music" – 50 Cent Its in the title. This song was made to drive to
4. "Sugar Hill" – AZ Wiz you played AZ on your radio show. Thanks for the inspiration
I remember when I first heard Enter the Wu-Tang 36 Chambers. That right there was a hard album. I had never heard anything like it. The energy was brand new and the slang was outta here. I still don’t understand everything they’re talking about, but it was still sweet. That many MCs, each with his own distinct and unique style, rapping over RZA’s off the wall production. It was a beautiful thing. You had C.R.E.A.M., Protect Ya Neck, Method Man, and just a whole gang of classic tracks on that classic album.
Then Wu-Tang Forever dropped a few years after that. Definitely a solid album, but not quite the magic of the debut.
Remember Reasonable Doubt? How about Illmatic? Only Built 4 Cuban Linx? Doggystyle? Indeed. Now do you remember their follow-up albums? Vol. 1, It Was Written, Immobilarity, and The Doggfather? None of the follow-ups were necessarily bad albums. They just weren’t classics like the jumpoff joints. So why the decline in excellence? Well, there are a few possible explanations. 1. When everything is young, fresh, and new (Shout out to Little Brother)
It’s like going on a blind date. You have absolutely no idea what to expect, but when it turns out that she’s a gem, it’s the best thing ever. You’re nervous and anxious. You don’t know how she’s going to look, if you’ll be able to relate to each other, or if the conversation is going to flow smoothly. But when she turns out to be a complete stunner, she says things you’ve never heard in a way you’ve never heard it, and you can still understand it all – ah, the brilliance. And to seal the deal, she does it consistently throughout the date. Who can ask for more?
By the second date, you’re not as surprised anymore. It’s still cool, but you have an idea of what to expect. That initial anxiety has calmed. The shock at how beautiful she is has subsided a bit. You expect those special sayings and quotables now, but they’re slightly less special because you expect them. And it’s still a solid date, but the element of mystery and the unknown aren’t there the second time around.
After a few months you even feel comfortable farting around her, but that’s a whole ‘nother story.
2. You only get one shot. Do not miss your chance to blow (Shout out to Eminem)
As an MC all you want is that chance. You just need an opportunity to prove that your flow, your delivery, the way you put words on paper will speak to the people in a way they’ve never been spoken to before. All the hard work, all the grinding, and you finally get a record deal. As an artist in his early 20s, you put all 20something years of skill, charisma, knowledge, and life experience into that debut album. Then what?
Then I guess you’re supposed to make another CD after that, huh?
3. I mean, it’s what you expected, ain’t it? (Shout out to Jay-Z)
You’re a hip-hop fan that just listened to, what you believe to be, one of the greatest hip-hop albums ever. What are your expectations now? Do you want more of the same from the artist? If so, you’ll say there’s no growth – no real difference between the first and second album, except it’s not as raw as the debut. Do you want something different from the artist? Then you’ll probably say he strayed too far from the formula that made you love his music. You just want him to top his debut? But you just said it was one of the greatest things hip-hop will ever produce. You want him to outdo that? Really, what do you expect?
The curse of the classic debut is a funny thing. When you start right at the top, the only thing left to do is fall. And maybe, just maybe, you’ll be able to climb to the top again some day.
Gun violence is ugly. There’s nothing poetic, glamorous or redeeming about it. Living in a city that is plagued by murder it breaks your heart to see how little life is valued. After reading about another young child being brutally murdered, I find it hard for me to justify putting on or even reciting lyrics in my head about someone “peeling your cap back with the fifth.” There’s really nothing witty about someone being shot in the head. I find it weird that I don’t face similar guilt when I decide to watch The Matrix. I guess watching Neo shoot up a bunch of computer programs doesn’t resonate as much as a rapper from a neighborhood not too far from where I grew up taking the life of someone who doesn’t look much different than I do. Yet I always come back to the music and I still recite lines that describe aspects of life that makes my eyes well up with tears. This is my conflict.
The one thing that people must always remember is that Hip-Hop lyrics are never the causes of social ills, they are the effects. Do not let the commercialization of Hip-Hop fool you, the harsh words in their rhymes are the realities that millions face everyday. I never considered the neighborhood that I lived in to be a bad neighborhood. I define a bad neighborhood as a place where you can’t escape trouble, even if you tried. While there was trouble around me, I was always able to steer clear of it. Too many aren’t that lucky. Imagine trying to walk home from school scared to death that someone might try and rob you. Then it happens, what do you do? You have to fight. You either get friends (read click, crew, gang) to support you or get a weapon. Because this isn’t like the movies where you punch the bully in the eye and he goes away. No, he comes back with three homies and a bat. This fear manifests itself into anger and aggression. Yeah peace is nice but there’s no room for error when you could be someone’s target at any time. So the attitude is “fuck you” and “anybody that wants it can get it.” The police? Why bother. Half of them think you’re part of the problem and the other half doesn’t care what happens to you. “So fuck them too.” You don’t have to have ten bodies on your gun to understand the mentality that you might have to make that “it’s either him or me” decision on your way back from a house party. You don’t want to think this way but you feel that you don’t have a choice. This is the hood’s conflict.
Some who are born and raised in this environment, found away to express it through words. They weave their own observations, first hand experiences and emotions into vivid street tales of drugs, violence and poverty. These words were their outlet and later, their way out of the hood. Is it their fault that America has this weird fascination with “the hood”? And is it their fault that they can get paid handsomely for it? They’ve been failed by their parent(s), schools and government. Who are we to tell these young rappers to turn down possibly their only way to get real financial success? Ask any rapper if they like or enjoy the realities of their lyrics and they’ll all say no without hesitation. T.I. will still write a rhyme about putting you in a box if you test him because he can’t shake that part of him that feels like his life is at risk. Even at the height of his career, he witnessed one of his close friends being shot to death in a drive-by while on the road. These rappers may not be living the lives of those in which they recite over beats but many if not all of their friends still do. They can’t turn their backs on what they’ve known their entire lives. Plus it’s not like the crowd in their new tax bracket is that welcoming either. A bunch of people who can’t relate and probably doesn’t respect the route that they took to make their money (read “don’t like rap music”). So these rappers stay around what makes them comfortable. The doo-rags, the Tim boots, the slang. Unfortunately, the haters and the thugs aren’t too far behind. So as these young men delicately tow the line between the life they want and the world that they are from, it all gets reflected in their art. It’s how they craft rhymes about the paper that they chase while keeping a steady finger on the trigger. This is the rapper’s conflict.
I guess it is Hip-Hop’s gift and curse – these talented people were able to lift themselves up through their art but their art is rooted in the very thing that is trying to kill them. It is unrealistic and unfair to expect these kids, who are college aged at best, to spearhead the movement toward change, especially when they themselves can so easily be brought down by the same problems that they would try and fix. Hip-Hop culture was created to represent the lives of those in the inner-cities and give them a way to express that to the world. Like it or not, Hip-Hop has always been a mirror that indiscriminately and unapologetically reflects the good, bad and the ugly. If you want Hip-Hop to change, then first you have to fix the social problems that plague the people in it. Because guns and drugs are bigger than any one rhyme, scratch, breakdance or graffiti tag. The problem is, the only thing that might be able to fix these problems is Hip-Hop. But for that to happen, the culture has to change fundamentally from a mirror to a window that sets its sights on a more positive future. People must work together to use the art to help elevate. But its hard to write a rhyme about changing the community when you are worried if you might not make it through the day. This is Hip-Hop’s conflict.
I love Hip-Hop. I love my neighborhood. I love my people. So yes, I will continue to bump it loud and proud in my speakers for those artists who were able to take the ugliest aspects of life and make them beautiful. I will continue to support these rhymes that depict the lives of kids who the greater part of this country would rather ignore. I will also continue to try and think of a way that we can turn this mirror into a window and make a difference so that one day, I can finish reading the local paper and then put on my favorite rap record and not feel so conflicted.
I’ve always said that Ludacris is one of the most underrated rappers in the game. As the Rakim sample says: “MC means move the crowd” and for nearly a decade Luda has done just that. But as I was listening to his new album Theatre of the Mind I figured out via conversation with my boy just why he’s always been underrated all these years.
The most obvious reason for Luda not receiving props is his tendency to make pop music. Many probably think if Luda as a bubble gum rapper for the outlandish videos and the constant guest appearances with R&B cats. But Busta Rhymes makes outlandish videos and T.I. was on the Justin Timberlake CD and neither of them gets overlooked. Maybe it’s the fact that he never sold dope and never claimed to (except for that one time in Bia Bia)? Well you can pick a rapper from Chicago (Ye, Lupe, Common) and they don’t get written off or slept on because of their lack of weight pushing. The reason Luda is slept on is because his albums lack totality. If you look back at every one of his albums, he’s got about 3 or 4 hard ass tracks where he boasts about how much of a beast he is and puffs out his chest a bit. He has about 2 or 3 funny tracks where he uses his humor and creativity. And he makes sure to have 2 to 5 songs dedicated to the ladies; whether about strippers, big booty “Hoes”, or hoes in different “Area Codes”. The interesting thing about the “Hoe Songs” is that they often double as singles off the album. So as to not totally disappoint, Luda makes sure to put at least one song with some sort of social commentary on his albums so I can’t completely be critical, but it hardly balances out.
As I talked with my boy I realized that Luda is the ultimate cookie cutter rapper when it comes to comprising an album. He’s never had a classic album, which has hampered him greatly, but the reason for this is because all of his albums look the same. His singles usually look the same, his videos, while outlandish and hilarious, are usually expected to be such. Don’t get it twisted, I think he is one of the best lyricists of our generation but his strength also hurts him because in today’s hip hop, you need to have an “edge” to you and Luda is about as feared as Nick Cannon.
This Tuesday, Luda puts out his sixth album and sadly, it fits the mold of his previous 5. But luckily for him, his mass appeal and his lyrical ability manage to salvage this album too. So while I won’t buy it on Tuesday (all my money is going to Mr. West) I will save the 2 or 3 hot tracks on my iPod.
Born in Long Island, New York to West African parents, 88' first took an interest in hip-hop after hearing Prince Paul's production on De La Soul’s 1989 critically acclaimed album 3 Feet High and Rising. In the early '90's, 88' met A Tribe Called Quest’s front man Q-Tip, Pete Rock and producer Large Professor working as an intern at West Hempstead’s The Music Palace recording studio. It was Large Professor who gave Charles his 88-Keys moniker after witnessing his skills on the Ensoniq ASR-10 keyboard However, 88-Keys's parents were strict on education and less enthusiastic about his interest in then-newly emerging cultural phenomenon of hip-hop. Both of 88's parents are registered nurses, his brother is a doctor, one of his older sisters is a nurse and another sister is on her way to becoming a doctor. Upon considering a serious career in music, 88's parents and older brother began trying to point him into the field of medicine because it was a more "professional field" and the music industry didn’t seem like a lucrative move. After briefly attending Hofstra University and Queens College, 88' dropped out to pursue his dreams of being a record producer. His decision was fueled by an opportunity to record some tracks with The Pharcyde who were recording in California. 88' currently resides in New York with his wife and two daughters. In addition to his passion for music, 88' has expressed his love for fashion, most notably Ralph Lauren. During an interview with Metro 88' revealed that for 16 years he has worn Polo Ralph Lauren every day.
“I try to stay true to Ralph’s vision. I don’t want to bastardize his vision — no offense to the urban community — because we all know what happened to Tommy Hilfiger once the hip hop community embraced it. I’ll walk out of the door dressed in loafers when everyone else is wearing Timberland boots. I definitely stand out. I’ll tag along with Kanye on shopping trips and look at clothing by designers whose names I’d need to take French lessons to pronounce. He’ll ask me what I think and I’ll be like, whatever. I’ve turned down paying gigs because they’ve tried to dress me in clothing by other designers. Besides record shopping, the only other place I need is a Polo store. I’ll go to Paris and they’ll be like, ‘here’s the Eiffel tower’ and I’m like, ‘whatever, where’s the record store and the Polo store.”
According to the article, 88-Keys began wearing Polo Ralph Lauren as a Long Island, N.Y. high school student in 1992 when he developed a liking for its classic, preppy style. Since then, he’s worn a complete look from the brand every day, without fail. His wardrobe includes over 700 Polo pieces.
Since his days as an assistant engineer, 88’ has produced records for numerous artists including Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Macy Gray, Musiq Soulchild and Consequence. Recently, 88' extended beyond his production credits to highlight his skills on the mic as MC, singer and collaborator, most notably on his solo debut album The Death of Adam released on November 11, 2008. Executively produced by 88's close friend Kanye West, the concept album tells the story of a man named Adam who has been murdered in a loft apartment in Harlem. In August 2008 a fifteen-track mixtape titled, Adam's Case Files, was released as a prequel to The Death of Adam. The album's first single titled "Stay Up! (Viagra)" was officially released through iTunes on September 9, 2008.
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. "Move Somethin" – Talib Kweli Talib and Hi-Tek know what they are doing
2. "You Gots to Chill" – EPMD The most sampled group in the history of Hip-Hop
3. "Murda 4 Life" – Ja Rule & Memphis Bleek The king of falling off and the king of disappointment come together for a classic
4. "Cell Therapy" – Goodie Mob Tough.
5. "The Emperor's Soundtrack" – Lupe Fiasco Such a great song, such a classic album
Any frequent visitor of PTM knows that I’m pretty much the only blogger on this site that refuses to cop the new Kanye joint whenever it drops (yeah, I’m not even checking for the release date). My colleagues, however, are willing to take a trip with Kanye as he ventures way outside the box. When an artist like Yeezee can go that far away from what we’re accustomed to and you guys can stick by him, hell, you deserve boarding passes on whatever spaceship he hopped on.
But then that got me to thinking. Am I the problem? Am I what’s wrong with hip-hop?
Really, Just K, where is your loyalty? Are you the fickle hip-hop fan? You know the type. The “fan” that doesn’t really invest in an artist – just the songs you like. Are you the guy that only picks and chooses a few songs from a disc, but doesn’t really look at or appreciate the whole project and what it represents as a whole? And you call yourself a hip-hop fan.
Look what you did to Jay-Z. Sure it was a rushed project, but he tried to do something different with the Kingdom Come album. Jay really tried to make a mature project for the button-up crowd. And what happened when his “fans” completely ripped apart his attempt at a creative departure from his modus operandi? Jay went right on back to his comfort zone with American Gangster. Can you imagine what would’ve happened if we didn’t allow Outkast to leave their box? The Speakerboxxx/Love Below project would’ve never happened. Or what if we made Snoop stick to his thug persona and nothing else? We wouldn’t have gotten the Rhythm & Gangsta album, the gem of a song that was Sexual Seduction, or even the pimp that brought us those lovely Girls Gone Wild featuring Snoop Dogg videos (thanks Uncle Snoop, for the joy that $9.99 plus shipping and handling can bring).
So back to you Just K. You know how the system works. True MCs don’t want to be pigeonholed and confined. They need room to grow and experiment. If an experiment doesn’t succeed financially, labels are quick to pull in the reins and force an artist into trying to produce an imitation of his earlier work on the next go ‘round. With all of the quality Kanye has brought you in the past, he takes one step to the left with 808s and Heartbreak and you’re just going to turn your back on him, huh? Damn, homey. I guess if the title of a Kanye CD ain’t got nothing to do with college you don’t want any part of it. That’s cool. One attempt at something different and you’re out. That’s cool. YOU AIN’T EVEN HEAR ALL THE SONGS YET!! Again, that’s cool. Don’t trip.
Just remember, the next time you hear an artist doing the same thing over and over and over again, don’t you dare ask him to try something new. Don’t even think about asking him to step out the box. After all, “fans” love boxes.
Any and everyone who knows me know that 2Pac was, is and will probably always be my favorite rapper. Considering that, I thought it was amazing that after almost a year and 50 posts, Pac was only the main subject of two of them (“Fanatic” & “Anatomy of a G.O.A.T.”). Keep in mind Soulja Boy has been the subject of two of my posts and I’ve probably mentioned Young Jeezy more times. I watched Tupac: Ressurection the other night (excellent documentary, if you haven’t you really should) and I recently rocked the Makaveli album and realized that I need to give my dude some PTM face time. So here’s some random but poignant Pac thoughts…
He did way too many songs with the Outlawz. They weren’t wack but classics like “Hail Mary” or “Hit Em Up” would have been so much better if he just did the song by himself.
Tupac was shot in Las Vegas on September 7, 2006 and passed 6 days later. On September 6, 2006… well let’s just say that Pac had a few people who didn’t like him. And let’s face it, Pac deserved a lot of the dislike that came his way. His most recent music was more angry than uplifting. He cursed out countless rappers and public personalities on songs and interviews. He said things about people that can only be settled with a fist fight in the school yard and rode thick with the most despised man in Hip-Hop history. Right or wrong, 2Pac probably had more enemies than friends before Vegas. So when he was killed, everyone started speaking about Pac like he was Mother Teresa. Rappers who Pac literally cursed out, made tribute songs. I always wondered, what do Dr. Dre, Jay-Z, Puffy and Nas really feel about 2Pac? In their home and away from their cameras, do they not really give a f**k that he’s dead and only speaks about him to appease the fans? Or is it honest maturity and they really forgave him and respect him as an artist?
50 Cent, Ja Rule, DMX, The Game, and countless others have made or enhanced their fame based on the idea that people thought they were the next “Pac” or they themselves bragged that they were as real or as gangster or as great as 2Pac was. I just wonder what these guys would have been saying if Pac didn’t die?
Pac made being shot and surviving cool and a great career boost. How ridiculous is that?
Could you imagine someone taking a Shakespeare play and changing all of the words or the climax before it’s presented to the public? It’s one thing to take an existing work and creatively re-do it (c. the countless versions of Romeo & Juliet) but to alter it from jump is silly. But that’s exactly what happened with 2Pac’s music. Before his death, 2Pac recorded an estimated 180-200 unreleased songs. If you take 12 tracks, you can release at minimum 15 albums of original music. What Hip-Hop fan wouldn’t want to hear Pac’s music the way he actually made it? Who the f**k wants to hear Young Buck, Eminem, T.I. and Trick Daddy on a song with him? I’m more mad at Em for what he did to the Resurrection soundrack (except for “Runnin’”) than for the Encore album. Who’s freggin’ idea was it to change the music? Someone in the Amaru camp needs to re-release some of these songs over the beats in ’95 and not over Timbaland’s… please.
I’m not sure what age is too old to have a 2Pac poster hanging on your wall. Is he in the Bob Marley category where he transcends age and is just a cultural icon? Someone please advise.
I loved how when Pac became Makaveli, every dude in the hood instantly became an expert in the Italian philosopher’s views. I read The Prince, and people were soooo wrong. FYI – Makaveli is actually spelled (Niccolo) Machiavelli.
Yes. I made the decision to read the book because of Pac but at least I read it. Lol.
After watching Resurrection, I wondered if Jada’s real true love was Pac. Sorry Willie.
I would like to remind rappers why Pac was so great. It wasn’t because of witty metaphors or being able to make a club banger with an R&B hook, it was because he made passionate music from heart that touched people’s souls. It’s why music is such a powerful force and why after 12 years he’s still the most famous rapper in the world.
One of my first experiences with Hip-Hop was from the older brother of my elementary school friend who would play Too Short albums while cutting my hair and proclaimed that he loved Eazy-E so much that “even if he put out a country album, I’d buy it”. Needless to say, my early exposure to partisanship was heavy.
Fast forward to today, I will love ANYTHING that either member of Outkast puts out and will assume prior to first listen that what I’m gonna hear will be great (I don’t like “Dubbz” btw). Their long standing reputation and track record for putting out phenomenal records is the sole basis for this stand (I actually like ‘Southernplayalistic’ the least and it’s the one album I don’t own, fyi to level out my bias a lil bit). I mention this because with each new Kanye track that is released and his track record of 3 phenomenal albums, he is creeping into (if not already in) Outkast territory with me these days. I’ve literally been singing Robocop and Streetlights for the past 5 days as part of a soundtrack to my life. Kanye continues to impress me as the premier artist of the 21st century. My boy had been trying not to listen to any of the leaked tracks before the album but broke down today and promptly sent me a text that “this shit is gonna be our generation’s Thriller, I’m callin' it now”. While I don’t share his sentiment wholly, I do share K Billy’s take on Ye taking hip hop in a direction that it’s never really gone before. West said “I’m making this album cause I don’t give a f$*k” and I’m honestly glad to hear it. Outkast paved the way, along with others, for those who have refused to conform to any sort of “box” as Billy said and Kanye is carrying the torch forward. I know ya’ll are being inundated with Kanyemania from PTM the last couple of days but like I was telling my boy, “I can’t wait to purchase this album”. I imagine part of my excitement will be dampened once the album leaks, but I think Kanye is gonna enter elite company by batting 1.000, something Hov can’t even claim thanks to BP2 (I liked Vol. 2 personally, it was my introduction to Hov). Nov 24th: can’t wait.
Why? Well, they represent a sense of confinement, a kind of encapsulation. Boxes are meant to contain. So, that being said, I abhor boxes whether they be of the cardboard variety or on the U.S. census. This is especially true when it comes to music, even more so when it comes to hip-hop. I’ll never be one to admit that I was always a hip-hop fan. I didn’t really start following it until the 6th grade; the year that “Crossroads” came out. That alone should tell you where I come from as it pertains to this genre. Bone Thugs at their core could be called hip-hop, but they could also be called a rather neat fusion of gospel and R&B with some old school scat influences. Having that as my benchmark, I find it easy to see why I am so psyched about Kanye West’s latest project “808’s and Heartbreak.”
I’ve heard quite few people talk about the tracks he’s released (officially and unofficially) so far and the reception is quite mixed with very little middle ground. It’ll either be his worst album or his best, depending on your point of view. Personally, if one is going to put hip-hop in it’s own box of lyrics + bass heavy beat = dope hip-hop, then one will probably be disappointed, at least from the tracks I’ve heard (“Paranoid” and “Street Lights” come to mind). However, if one is willing to accept that, at this point in his career, Mr. West is attempting to build something bigger than hip-hop in it’s traditional sense, then “808’s” is a much easier pill to swallow, especially if you look at his progression from “College Dropout” to “Graduation.”
In a time when formulas are so rampant and artists tend to be afraid to just try something new, what I’ve been hearing from ‘Ye, while not always “dope” is always refreshing to my senses. Yet, you are reading the opinion of someone who has on his play list The Doors, Fall Out Boy, OutKast, Jay-Z, M.I.A. and Johnny Cash in that order. I’ve always preferred it when artists went away from the norm and tended to like it when no one else was really digging what said artist was releasing. Kanye, from what I have heard, is beginning to make a sort of “world-hop,” incorporating styles from the electronica heavy songs of UK pop, tribal drums and lilting rhythms from the streets of South Africa and Madonna-esque dance pop into his “brand” of hip-hop, which is what his has become.
I’ll reiterate, if you’ve been paying attention, you could kind of see this album coming, especially considering the terribly daunting circumstances that led up to his performance of “Love Lockdown” at the 2008 MTV VMA’s. There are some who would stand pat in their affirmation that “his music is not hip-hop anymore.” But, then didn’t hip-hop start as a raw expression of emotional struggle and mental despair? Listening to the lyrics of “Heartless” and “Street Lights,” it sounds to me like that’s exactly what Kanye West is doing.
I’ll never fault anyone for disliking any music. Hell, the first Jay-Z album I bought was In My Lifetime, Vol. 2. My musical tastes really run all across the spectrum. However, it certainly becomes rather tiring to opine for “classics” and ignore the dope new stuff that’s being put out. I love The Cool Kids for their bare-bones, snare-heavy beats and smooth 80’s flow, but I also dig Kid Cudi hard (pause) for his desire to move in and around the musical spectrum. His is the type of music that truly blends genres.
So, on November 24th, I will be purchasing “808’s and Heartbreak” and I can’t wait. It’s a musical journey that I am eager to embark on.
Besides, I’m almost positive there will be no box to check off in an attempt to categorize it.
“For ’96, the only MC with a flu…” written by Just K
Classic line delivered on a classic album in a year full of classics. Jay-Z wasn’t the only one with the flu, though. If it dropped in ‘96, it was probably sick. It’s like you weren’t allowed to release a CD that year unless it had the potential to be timeless. ’96 was actually the year that I really started listening to hip-hop. It was the year the influenced me enough to end up writing about this music every week. And in my humble opinion, musically, 1996 was easily the best year in hip-hop.
First up you had the most prolific one, Tupac Shakur, dropping All Eyez on Me and his first posthumous release, The Don Killuminati: The Seven Day Theory, in the same year. Then we got the classic debut from Jay-Z before he gave himself 22 aliases. Nas ruled the world with his follow up to Illmatic while Busta Rhymes and Ghostface both released their first solo projects with The Coming and Ironman, respectively. The most rugged member of the Def Squad produced arguably his best work with Muddy Waters and a young dude from the west coast gave us At the Speed of Life way before he had any notions of pimpin’ rides. Another west coast debut that was criminally slept-on came from Ras Kass with Soul on Ice. Seriously, name another year that saw that many gems.
And I didn’t even get to the group albums yet. Two guys and a soulful female realized their potential with the release of The Score; it was the first legitimate rap cassette I ever owned that I can proudly claim to this day. I just can’t find it in me to claim MC Hammer and Kris Kross with much pride. De la Soul’s Stakes is High album was brilliant, with the title track having one of the illest hip-hop beats of all time. The Roots came through with Illadelph Halflife (I’ll never forget the What They Do video) while a little group from Atlanta had the whole world riding Elevators with ATLiens; this was the first hip-hop single I ever bought – ahem, not counting Jump from Kris Kross. Jeeps, Lex Coups, Bimaz, and Benz, Renee, and Lifestyles of the Rich and Shameless (some die with a name, some die nameless) - yup, it was all on the Lost Boyz debut. Beats, Rhymes, and Life from a Tribe Called Quest and Hell on Earth from Mobb Deep. Oh, and in case you were looking for a west coast group joint, Cube, WC, and Mac 10 linked up in ’96. I could do this all day with all of the heat that came out of 1996. There was so much creativity, originality, and diversity in the music. You couldn’t ask for anything more from the music.
I didn’t even get to the Geto Boys reunion album or Hall of Game from E-40 or Ridin’ Dirty from UGK (no, not the song from Chamillionaire) and countless other brilliant albums. 1996 = best year in hip-hop…period.
Change Goin’ Come (A lil’ Stream of Consciousness) written by JusHH
Now you know Jus Double couldn’t let this week go by without writing about our new President, Barack Hussein Obama. I’m not going to bore you with anecdotes about how important it is to me. Instead, I’ll talk about this historic event from the eyes of Hip-Hop. Change has become the primary theme of Obama’s election and now his Presidency and change can accurately define Hip-Hop’s new role in this country. First off, Obama getting elected is the single greatest achievement of any black man in the history of this country. He is living proof that there is no obstacle too great. Hip-Hop was created in the depths of social inequality and throughout its history, rappers have unapologetically accused America (read: white people) of holding them back. However, its going to be hard to justify what the white man isn’t doing for you when the most powerful man in this country is black. This means that you, Dead Prez will have to find something else to bitch about. Did everything get magically equal on November 5th? No, but the solution is more in our hands than it is theirs.
This leads me to my next point. Politically, Hip-Hop mobilized more during this election than it has for the past 20 years. I have never seen more artists and executives get engaged and encourage others to do the same. Jay-Z not only donated money, he donated “Obama Themed” merchandise to be sold for the campaign, recorded songs, made announcements at concerts and even went to swing states to encourage people to vote. T.I. and 50 Cent both fought for their legal right to vote on November 4th. I saw rappers who never talked about anything but money, guns and drugs, get evangelical when it came to talking about Obama. The result was thousands and thousands of people who identify with Hip-Hop registered to vote for the first time and was proud to make history. Make no mistake about it; Hip-Hop was one of the main reasons why Obama is now our President. The two major groups that historically never voted, was young people and minorities and they came out and voted overwhelmingly for Obama. It’s no coincidence that those are the two main demographics that make up the Hip-Hop community. This proves that Hip-Hop has the power to make real change in this country.
This is no small feat. We all must see this as an opportunity to change the role that Hip-Hop plays in this country. Hip-Hop has to be more than just the voice for the voiceless – it needs to be the remedy, the way out. If Hip-Hop can help elect the first black President, then there is nothing that we can’t do.
First off, this shit troubles/angers/disappoints me:
And this is a lil coonish but puts a smile on my face:
This election has been the topic of discussion for months and everybody has weighed in including Hip-Hop artists from Young Jeezy to Nas. It is ironic, however, that while Nas clearly has had the more insightful lyrical career, it was Young Jeezy whose simplistic yet poignant song “My President” was no doubt the theme song of Tuesday night. Juxtaposing the nation’s first black president (the first non-white leader of a majority white country in history apparently) with the color of his rims will forever go down as one of the shake your head moments that you just gotta live with. It’s akin to a basketball player taking a HORRIFIC shot, yet it goes in. While I’m as excited as everybody else, I expected Obama to win. A lot of people were overwhelmed with the incredible reality that a black man was voted into the highest office in the land, I was more relieved. I think you could even see it in Barack during his speech. He was calm yet strong, recognizing that the hard work has only just begun. Now I’ve talked politics for the past few lines but my question is this: what now? I’m interested to hear the songs that artists will put out but what about all the hard work that lies ahead? What is the new “goal”? What is the new “topic”? I know this is more of a social question, but as we see each day, Hip-Hop plays a pivotal role in our society. What effect will all this have on the music and in turn the culture?
Everybody have a good day today? Good. Me too. Last night—I won’t even try to put it into words. Plenty of things are going to be written about the events of 11/4/08. I don’t need to add my two cents in. So back to hip-hop.
This holiday season looks like it will be a historical month for hip-hop releases. I pray to Jam Master Jay that Dr. Dre drops alread-ay (I didn’t plan how that sentence was going but by the time I got to the end of it, I couldn’t help myself). And Eminem is coming around again. Okay, so I lied. I’m going to tie this in to the presidential election. Our first black President. I’m down. I don’t care that Obama is black. He would have had my vote anyway. But it’s clear enough that it is this man’s time and it’s about time that we got over all this racism and sexism and let the right person lead, at the right time, regardless of physical appearance.
But as a white diehard fan of hip-hop, will I ever get my Obama moment? If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, well then you just haven’t been paying attention. A white rapper will some day be the hottest M.C. in the game. And I don’t mean like underground, backpack, illest flow but no deal. I mean Jigga man, music mogul, King of the game. Now I know what you are saying. It’s obvious. Marshall Mathers. This is my election inspiration speaking, Gordo. The kid could obviously not forget about Eminem. Notice one paragraph earlier, Julius. The boy wonder calls himself a diehard fan. And a white one at that. What kind of a white fan would forget about the great white hope? I’ll tell you who. The kind of Johnson Rod, Johnny, who rocks Roc-A-Wear to the next Limp Bizkit reunion tour. But that’s not your faithful narrator, Newman. Slim Shady, my friends, is Colin Powell. Ya dig?
Here’s my P.O.V. on the sitch (point of view on the situation, Howard). Colin Powell was the most respected African American in politics after Gulf War I (from here on in GW I). That is until George Bush Jr. (GB 2, keep it moving, Kim) brought him into that whole yellow cake uranium ordeal back around Iraq 2, Electric Bugaloo. But for a short amount of time, Colin Pow was considering a run at the highest office in the land. He might not have won, but who knows. And what happens instead? CP3 goes AWOL. Gives the game back. Disappears to his mansion in Detroit, puts on a few lbs., and only comes out to give the occasional verse for Trick Trick. Oh, wait, Walter, that’s that other fellow that I’m confusing him with. Catch the connection?
Now Em is dropping again. Well his last effort left something to be desired. I mean it was hot, for a Weird Al Yankovic LP. So who will it be? A new day for America, is a new afternoon for the world, and a new evening for all of us to go out to the club and bounce to MC Alex P. Keaton, the hottest rapper in the game—white boy.
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. Nas - Black President
2. Young Jeezy ft. Nas - My President Is Black
3. We Are The Ones (Produced by Will I Am)
4. Malik Yusef KanyeWest and Adam Levine - Promised Land
5. Jay-Z - Lick A Shot For Obama (DJ GREEN LANTERN Mixtape)
So a homeboy of mine recently got his car jacked. Not that it should matter, but he’s a college-educated family man pushing 30. When the cops pull up to his place of residence, he’s standing outside and waves the cops over to where the car used to be. Sure enough, he ends up handcuffed and kissing the pavement with a pistol at the back of his dome. This makes me that much more reluctant to give popo a ring next time something happens. Then I see this video:
Wow! Clearly Tip, a former no snitching advocate, made this video as part of his community service sentence. The Tips phone number just adds insult to injury. So, Mysonne went in on Tip in this video:
Shoutout to Mysonne for spending eight minutes talking about another rapper’s 30 second commercial. Double shoutout for dropping more “niggas” in his video than a klan member at a rap concert. Honestly, I’m not mad at T.I. Technically it looks like the ad is meant for the average citizen and not criminals pointing out other criminals. Technicalities aside, in my opinion, dude is mature enough to understand that he’d be losing millions and, more importantly, time with his children by not doing a stupid commercial. Was the commercial lame? Yeah. Is it totally hypocritical when you look at some of his past work? Hells yeah. But I can appreciate a man that puts his family in front of “the code.” Maybe if we had more people willing to make such sacrifices we wouldn’t have so many fatherless kids getting ready to father soon-to-be fatherless kids. Now, as far as the code goes, I’ve always been conflicted. So, as an upstanding citizen I’m supposed to call something in if I’m aware of a crime that has been committed, right? First of all, where’s the guarantee that I don’t get viewed as the criminal? Secondly, people tend to forget that police have their own “code.” (If you haven’t seen Serpico, you’re missing Al Pacino at his finest.) When other cops participate in unsavory acts, they’ve got a badge code that works the same way the street code works – don’t talk. In fact, the code goes higher up with the boys in blue. Hell, sometimes it’s the police chief or even the judge that let’s a shady cop off the hook. Hypocrisy, I tell you. Regardless of the crime, it’s just hard to be responsible for watching one of your own go to jail. We even rooted for O.J. like we didn’t see him try to peace out in the white bronco (ride ‘em cowboy). But the point is, it’s hard to listen to the cops tell us to call in when they don’t do the same.
But there’s always a flip side. God forbid something happens to a friend or family member, I don’t know how I’d handle it if half a community saw what happened and nobody said anything. So, shouldn’t that same thought process apply if I see a crime? Shouldn’t I think about whose friend or family member something just happened to and put a call in?
So, yeah, I don’t know what to do. But if I decide to drop a tip, the good news is I know what number to call.
The term “fresh eyes” refers to the idea of seeing the same thing with a clearer perspective that allows you to notice something different. Whether you got a good night’s sleep, changed your scenery or adjusted your attitude, seeing something with “fresh eyes” can change your entire opinion on a particular subject.
I hated “Love Lockdown” when I first heard it. Every time it came on, I’d suck my teeth and express my continued disdain for Kanye’s latest effort. People would mention how they liked the song and I’d look at them like they were crazy for even suggesting that this was somehow acceptable. But one day, I was listening to gWiz’s radio show and I heard this dope bass line and Jin was killing it. I knew it wasn’t his song per se but I was just rocking to it. I was all in my zone until I asked myself, “wait, is that Kanye?.” That’s right, Jin finished rapping and Kanye took over and I didn’t notice it but I was still enjoying it. I had heard “Love Lockdown” with fresh eyes. So now what do I think? I kinda like the song save for the sped up hook (still can’t get into that) and I dig Ye’s emotions on the record. Maybe it was my distaste for the use of the voice box (still don’t know its real name) or my not wanting to hear another rapper sing but the first times listening to the song, I didn’t like it. But with fresh eyes, I was able to appreciate it and my views changed.
It got me thinking. What else changed because of “fresh eyes”?
A Million Changes
Before: What the F is “A Millie”?
Fresh Eye Moment: Back in 2007, I had probably gone through 2,345 different Lil’ Wayne songs. It seemed like every day Wiz was sending us a new song that he was on. And I’d throw it on my playlist and it would blend in with all the other songs that I had. Then this year, the Carter 3 leaked and somehow I ended up with it on my computer (lol). I was so excited because of all the hype. I put it in the headphones and just rocked out. When track 3 hit, my eyes popped out of my head. Hearing Wayne just go crazy on it had me on the phone with all of my boys… only to hear them tell me, “son, that song came out last year, you late.” Yes, yes it did. And I even had it on my computer (the version with Cory Gunz, who killed it by the way). I probably heard it or at least sampled it during one of my music ciphers, but its greatness went right over my head. Hearing it as a part of that album instead of one of a thousand songs on my “C” drive freshened up my eyes just enough to appreciate the ridiculousness that Wayne song is.
After: Still get chills when that song comes on.
Joe Budden’s debut album
Before: This album was a near classic; a must have in anyone’s collection
Fresh Eye Moment: So by now, everyone knows how I feel about Joe Budden. He’s definitely one of my favorite rappers and I look out for his new music like Pookie for his next fix. When I read about him, I loved his back story and heard him on a few songs and just loved his lyrical prowess. So when his album dropped, I ran to the store and became an instant evangelist. When people wouldn’t drink the Kool-Aid, I quickly reminded them that they were buggin’. But then some time passed and I was going through the collection and noticed that I hadn’t heard the album in a while and threw it on the mp3 player. I started to notice that this “amazing” album had some suspect songs and some that I completely skipped. Time, gave me fresh eyes.
After: Umm, not so much. I’m glad he brought it back with Mood Muzik 2.
Nas – “Ether”
Before: Song was aiight, but not enough to compete with “Takeover”
Fresh Eye Moment: When I first heard Hov tell Nas that he fell from top 10 to not mentioned at all, I said to myself, “there’s no way Nas is coming back from that, period.” So when I first heard “Ether” my first reaction was to say that it wasn’t enough. But one day I had a conversation with one of my boys and I was making the argument that Jay was still winning and he kept hitting me with lines that Nas said. As he was reciting the rhymes, it was like I never heard them before. I guess when I was listening to the song, I wasn’t really paying attention because of the opinion that I had about the “Takeover” verse. I remember when I got back, I put the song on with fresh eyes and lost my f**king mind.
After: “Ether” is one of the 3 best diss records of all time and it helped Nas win the battle.
2 comments:
Post a Comment