WE DA BEST (KHALED VOICE)....

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. "Streets on Fire" – Lupe Fiasco
Flow is on fire.


2. "Gangstas Make the World Go Round" – Westside Connection
Was in Cali last week and this came on the radio. Shouts to KMEL


3. "Back Seat" – LL Cool J
Only L can make boning in your back seat a romantic gesture


4. "Spell Check" – Lil' Kim
One of the best songs off her 5 Mic album (still can't say that with a straight face. Shouts to Benzino!)


5. "T.O.N.Y." – CNN
Just Because


Come back every week for a new mixtape!

Who Is...

Wale

In an era when critics and rappers themselves jump to declare the death of hip hop, 23 year-old Wale Folarin has been breathing new life into the genre through dazzling wordplay, a fresh sound steeped in DC's legendary go-go scene, and boundless on-stage energy. 2006 saw Wale conquer DC, Maryland and Virginia with a slew of original radio hits and electrifying shows that solidified his buzz in the Mid-Atlantic. 2007 has been even brighter, with Wale garnering press in The Fader, The New York Times, The Boston Globe, Entertainment Weekly, The Washington Post, The Source, Vibe, Complex, HipHopGame.com, AllHipHop.com, a news piece on MTV and even the cover of URB, all without a major label deal. With heavy radio rotation in DC, Maryland and Virginia, along with mixshow spins on both costs, Wale has sold out shows in LA, New York, San Francisco, Philly and Atlanta. Wale took the European music festival circuit by storm, touring with world-famous DJ and superproducer Mark Ronson (Amy Winehouse, Lily Allen) in 2007.

The response was so great, Wale ended up signing a production deal with Ronson's Allido Records. With well over 2 million plays on MySpace, Wale is an organic hip hop and lifestyle phenomenon, and the release of his third and most widely-distributed mixtape, 100 MILES AND RUNNING (30,000+ downloads since July), has taken his global buzz to new heights. Top streetwear label 10Deep has come on as a sponsor of 100 MILES mixtape as well as future apparel collaborations. Starr African Rum, The Hundreds, LRG, Stussy, Jordan Brand and Nike have all co-signed Wale, and he was recently tapped to participate in a free Nike Boot concert along with Lil Wayne in DC sponsored by Nike and Footaction. Wale was also contributed to the album commemorating the 40th anniversary of BBC's Radio 1. Every once in a while an artist comes along and completely changes the game: Jay-Z, Nelly, Pharrell, Kanye West. Wale's got next. P.S. we dont wear GR's we give'm to baby mammas!!! (Via Wale MySpace)

Wale - Nike Boots

Epiphany

Go Hard
written JusHH

I’ve written a lot of posts in 2008, talked about a lot of topics and incited a lot of good conversations. So for my last post of this calendar year, it seems fitting to end it by talking about one of the biggest artists on the planet. He’s given me some Fanatic moments and I’m even seen this guy with Fresh Eyes.

There’s something about success… it always happens to be successful. Successful artists never seem to go away. They put out music that you just can’t deny. The most successful artists put out music that forces you to put your hater-ation on low. I used to despise this dude but I’ve come around. So I’ll stand on my soap box today and proclaim that I’m officially a fan of…

T-f**king-Pain

Whew… that’ felt good getting off my chest. (I kinda feel like one of those guys at an AA meeting) There’s a reason that T-Pain is the hottest artist not named Lil’ Wayne over the last two years. He’s relentless and he knows how to make hit records. His own singles are infectious and the songs that he features on are oftentimes the highlights of that person’s album. And I’m not talking about just catchy songs, I’m talking about Grammy winning, millions of downloads and ringtones kind of catchy. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve caught myself singing the words to his songs in my car or dancing hard at the club only to realize that I probably talked s**t about him an hour before hearing the song. It was like I was in a perpetual state of Fresh Eyes where I’d have to catch myself and then force myself to hate on him.

I recently started to change course surprisingly for one of the main reasons that I hated (on) him. When everyone started with this autotune nonsense and was using the funny voices instead of their own, I was losing my mind. It all culminated when I heard that Kanye was making an entire album with the funny voice. (we all know how that story ended for me so I won’t go back to that) But my hatred for Kanye, Lil’ Wayne, Baby, Ron Browz, Snoop and so many others somehow made me appreciate what T-Pain was doing. For one, it was his style from day one and not some fad that he decided to pick up three albums into his career. And second, he was the best one to use it. You can actually tell a difference in quality when T-Pain “sang” versus everyone else. So much so that I had to put it in my “I Believe Too” post.

When I first heard the song “Go Hard”, I had a fanatic moment. Something about how T-Pain came exploded on to that record… damn! Every time that song comes on I can’t wait for Pain to get on so I can sing along. It then made me listen to more of his songs and I realized that he’s not a bad lyricist. You can tell when he wants to be silly and funny but he says some s**t behind that autotune. Just last night I heard this Ciara song in my homegirl’s car and T-Pain got on it and absolutely killed the track. In a time when it is so difficult to get anyone to listen to your music, T-Pain has managed to get hit after hit without breaking a sweat. He is a true artist and he officially deserves your respect.

The last thing people said was that he’s not Hip-Hop. The way to answer that is to think about R. Kelly in the mid-90’s. Whatever you called him, call T-Pain the same.

But the real answer to that question is, who cares? T-Pain is that dude.

See you in 2009!

Christmas rap...

Aight, so I'm watching tv the other night and I see consecutive "Christmas" videos by none other than Jim Jones and the Skullgang and Juelz Santana with some average looking chick singing the hook as Juelz spits rapid fire.

Now, I"m not hatin on either of the Dipsetters but I am a little perturbed that the quality of Hip Hop Christmas songs has been reduced to singing in fake snow about buyin a whole bunch of stuff as you sit on a really expensive

car with a little eye candy in the shot as well. So I thought I'd give props to 3 Hip Hop Holiday joints that really capture the essence of both the holiday and the music.

Run DMC's Christmas in Hollis is the first one that comes to mind.

The beat, the original idea, it's priceless, gotta give props to the pioneers

Death Row's Santa Clause is Comin to the Ghetto.

The title itself is great and the video and lyrics with Nate Dogg soulfully belting "SANTA CLAAUUSEE OOOOOHH OOOH OOOHHHH..." cannot be duplicated, truly a classic.

Quad City DJ's Whatchu Want for Christmas

This one packs serious southern flavor and from the first time I heard this when I was about 12-13ish, I was hooked, my man opens the songs with

"AY PLAYA WHATCHU GONNA GET FOE, FOE CHRISTMAS, WHATCHU GONNA GET THAT BOOOYY....", needless to say, once it had gotten to the 12 days of christmas hood style "FIIIIIVE MMOONTHS FREE REEENNNTTT!!" There

wasn't much left to be said.

These are 3 of my faves, which ones did I miss? Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to errbody.

4bars

My List, Checked It Twice...

Dear Santa Claus,

How are you doing, you fat lazy bastard? Well fed, I bet. Why the hostility? Aside from the craptacular presents I’ve gotten in the past, I have a gripe with the fact that I’ve never really seen you do sh*t. The elves make all the damn presents, Mrs. Claus does all the cooking and hot chocolate-making (how stereotypical) and you work one friggin’ day a year. You probably whine about having to work on a holiday. Granted you supposedly travel around the world in a night, but it’s not like you have to come off any gas money; PETA should be on that ass for the way you treat those reindeer.

You would probably guess I don’t believe in you given the tone of this letter, but that isn’t the case. I do believe, but not necessarily by choice. If you’re not real, that would mean I sat on random dudes’ laps at the various malls every Christmas for four or five years straight. It makes me feel kind of dirty actually, so I’ll just go with the assumption that you’re the real deal.

This year I have a list of requests ‘cause you’ve really screwed me over in the past. Every damn year I get lumps of coal and I’m sick of it. I’ve been nice as sh*t this year. NO EXCUSES, St. Prick. This is my list for what I need to see happen in the 09 as far as hip-hop. If you can deliver on this, I will forgive you for the crap I got in my youth. I’ll forgive you for giving me my cousin’s bike (you couldn’t at least get a bike from one of my guy cousins?), the knock-off Air Jordans that have Jordan sliding to home plate, the hand-me-down sweaters that were long enough for me to trip over, the remote control car that need a jump-start (WTF, Santa), and puzzles that had missing pieces (you have any idea how incomplete the journey feels when there’s a hole in the picture after fitting 499 pieces together?). I’ll forgive it all if you just make the following things happen for me:

I hear Lupe is dropping his last CD in 2009. Talk to him. Make sure it’s not his last album. We need that guy in hip-hop. And if it indeed is his last album, let it be the unforgettable, phenomenal album that he has proven he can make.

Why is it that I have to turn to pop stations to hear rap songs that ain’t about money, hoes, or spending money on hoes? Go ahead and take care of that for me. A little variety on “urban” stations ain’t never hurt nobody.

Can somebody besides G-Unit drop an album from Aftermath? At this rate I’m willing to take anything. Joell, Busta, and Stat are already gone. I don’t know when Dr. Dre is dropping his joint. If real addicts had to wait this long for a Detox – you get the point. In fact, double it. Two non-Unit releases from Aftermath. I need that for the 09.

I need Lil’ Wayne to rap in English like he used to do. Remember the first two Carters and Dedications? Now, I swear it sounds like he’s grumbling a bunch of words that have no vowels. Restore coherence to the Weezy raps.

Kill the autotune. Gracias.

I’ve been waiting on a Joe Budden CD since rolling up one pant leg was cool. Yes, I’m exaggerating, but only slightly. Santa, you know what you have to do.

Soujahboy. I don’t want anything bad to happen to him, just his career. So, here’s what we’ll do. First, I’d like to ask that he acquire enough wealth to be financially set for life by the beginning of February. Then I want the kid take a hiatus from music to go to college (I wouldn’t be mad at a associate’s degree) and educate himself on just how dumbass his muzik is. Once he gets that memo, may he retire from rap forever. Educated or not, there’s just no way for him to make amends for the damage he has already done.

Yo, this slim jeans sh*t has gotta stop. It’s like these dudes are trying to get a yeast infection. Man up, son. Let the balls breathe. Ain’t even no kind of room to bend your knees. Then your knees will get all stiff and you’ll never be able to bend them again. Stop the slim jeans – prevent a whole generation from getting arthritis. Deep.

And last but not least, may good albums sell and bad albums do the opposite.

Simple requests, my dude. Simple requests. So, go ahead and take care of those for me. I’d appreciate it greatly. If not, screw a yule and shove a can of egg nog where the sun don’t shine. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good hip-hop album.

Sincerely,
Just K

My Band...

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.

Group Edition

1. "Rider pt.2" - G-Unit


2. "Batter Up" – St. Lunatics

3. "My Band" – D12



4. "Oochie Wally" – QB's Finest ft. Bravehearts

Come back every week for a new mixtape!

Who Is...

Charles Hamilton

Musician. Producer. Songwriter. Lyricist. Psycho. Hippie. Genius. These words all connect through one name: Charles Hamilton.

Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Charles Hamilton was exposed to music at an early age. "My mother was an entertainment journalist for the Cleveland Call and Post, so she would take me with her to events when I was just a baby."

His mother always made sure he had an instrument around him. She put different kinds of instruments in the basement of their Cleveland home, but he naturally gravitated to the keyboard. "At first, I was just playing the rhythm of the songs I would hear," says Hamilton. "The older I got, the more proficient I got at hearing the notes." For most of his life, he was self taught, picking up the lead and bass guitar in his teenage years, as well as the drums and harmonica. He says listening to other genres of music, being exposed to different cultures and experiencing life helped mold his musical sound.

Most of his music is sample-driven. Though he catches quite a bit of heat for his sampling, he insists it is for the good of music:

"When I sample, I'm not just doing it to sound good. I'm trying to tell a story. To convey an emotion. If I sampled it, there is a reason I sampled it. I believe that music is based on moments, and that there are some moments that people may have missed back in the day. They may have even missed it a year ago. When I sample, I'm giving the artist their respect, while simultaneously creating something new." Read more here

Brooklyn Girls


Charles Hamilton, The Game & Kanye West Cipher Battle


Charles Hamilton MySpace

Yeah, this group thing was nice but...

Deuces
written by JusHH

Last week Just K paid tribute to Memphis Bleek, Tony Yayo and all of the rest of the dudes who got “put on” by their superstar rap friends. There’s no question that crew members never see the same fame and fortune no matter how hard they try our how successful their meal ticket gets. But in true PTM fashion, I’m gonna flip Just K’s post. Sometimes a crew starts out together and one member just shines a bit brighter than the rest and becomes a solo star. What happens when one member of the crew has to say peace in order to live his own dreams?

The first example that comes to mind is Busta Rhymes. A lot of people don’t know it but Busta started out as a member of the group Leaders of the New School along with Charlie Brown, Dinco D and Cut Monitor Milo (thanks Wiki!). They didn’t have much success as a group but when they were featured on A Tribe Called Quest’s famous posse cut, “Scenario”, it was clear to me that Busta was not made to be a group member. I wasn’t the only one who felt that way. After he roared like a dungeon dragon, Hip-Hop heads wanted more of Busta… but not the rest of the New School. The rest is history. Busta gets signed to a solo deal and becomes a legend and the three remaining members fell into Hip-Hop obscurity. Needless to say the relationship between Busta and the rest of the group soured and they currently aren’t on speaking terms.

I’m sure it was hard for Charlie Brown and the rest of the Leaders to watch their boy blow up and leave them in the dust. To realize that you were the weak link has to be a tough pill to swallow. But what if you were the guy in the group that was originally supposed to blow up? How do you deal with that? Knowing you were the main man only to see another guy take the shine. Ali and Proof have that in common. The St. Lunatics and D-12 were both groups that tried to get signed as one unit. But when each group was evaluated it was a surprise when the leaders didn’t get noticed. It was Nelly’s style and flow and Eminem’s ridiculous skill and well, lack of melanin that got the most attention. Nelly and Em would both tell you that they personally didn’t think they were the most talented but when labels are beating down your door what choice do you have? The group thing wasn’t going to work so the Lunatics and D-12 made a decision. Get behind our new leaders as solo artists and when they blow up, put the rest of the crew on. And that’s exactly what happened. Both Nelly and Eminem went on to have successful careers and they got record deals for their entire crew.

The situation ended up working out well for Ali and Proof. They were able to put their own egos aside and still ended up being able to put out music and experience relative fame. But what happens when you are the main guy, get your career started and then a guy in your crew who you put on, skyrockets past you. I’m sure when Jaz-O put his homeboy Shawn on a couple tracks, he figured he was just doing him a favor – sharing the wealth. But when Shawn from Marcy became Jay-Z lord of everything, Jaz-O couldn’t handle being obsolete. I mean Jay-Z tried to return the favor by putting Jaz on “N***a What, N***a Who” off Vol. 2 but it wasn’t enough to re-start his career. No one wanted Jaz-O they just wanted the Jigga Man. Resentment soon followed as Jaz-O publicically accused Hov of everything from being ungrateful to being a traitor.

There’s no telling what money and fame can do to someone’s relationship. It’s easy to be cool and a tight-knit crew when everyone is in the same boat, but when you’re suddenly [insert rapper’s name]’s boy, it’s suddenly a bit more difficult to be best buddies. It’s one of those weird situations where you don’t always know where to place blame when the relationship goes bad. Do you blame the successful one who left the crew behind? Or do you have to blame the rest of the crew for not being supportive of one of their own? I guess at the end of the day these situations will truly show you who your true friends are. The St. Lunatics and D-12 put family first and they are all eating very well while the Leaders of the New School and Jaz-O are relinquished to salty interviews and bad YouTube diss videos.

“It’s funny how money change a situation.”

Emeritus...

Scarface
written by 4Bars

To this date I have purchased 3 Scarface albums: Last of a Dying Breed, The Fix, and recently Emeritus. LODB was the soundtrack for a plane ride in which I unknowingly mean mugged countless passengers and stewardesses, The Fix was simply a phenomenal album, and Emeritus is yet another great offering from Uncle Face.

The album opens as most Rap-A-Lot projects do, with J Prince’s trademark “AWWWW YEAH…” and the most laid back diatribe about some real gangsta ish you will ever hear. This time he’s speaking about his recent lawsuit and the apparent conspiracy against all black entrepreneurs in hip hop by the Federal and local governments. While some may find it far fetched, a lot of us know better.

The first track is “High Powered” which I’ve been jamming for a while but it was good to hear again. Face continues J Prince’s theme with his own lyrical diatribe expounding on unnamed “bitch ass niggas”. The Lil Wayne and Bun B assisted “Forgot About Me” speaks for itself with all three on their game enhancing a well made track. The next 3 tracks are characteristic Scarface tracks, hard hitting beats with him spilling out his introspective thoughts about his life, the one he used to lead, and the lives that he’s been in touch with.

There is a feature song with Slim Thug where they address the sad sight that is the gold digger; and in the theme of the Scarface classic “F#@k Faces” there is “High Note” where Face eloquently speaks on his sexual endeavors. When I first read the track listings, I saw two tracks with Wacko of UTP and I’m not gonna lie, I was worried. Luckily, he only sang the hook on the two songs and Face did his thing.

The one problem I’ve always had with Scarface albums is the ending. On Last of a Dying Breed, I felt like the last song with WC was a terrible way to end a great album. The Fix ended with a brief instrumental Outro and Emeritus ends the same way, albeit a slightly longer Outro, it’s still just an instrumental. Maybe there is significance to this but it has always escaped me.

I love Scarface as an artist and will continue to support him. Emeritus is a great album and totally worth the purchase. I do wish he would alter the endings, however, so that I wouldn’t eject the CD with the “wha?” look on my face. I’m not sure how long Face will continue to make albums but if Emeritus is any indication of what he is still capable of, I can’t wait til the next one.

The other guys...

I Put On…
written by Just K

Record deal? Check

Album in stores? Check

Iced out Chain? Check

Rims that cost more than the average blogger’s car? Check

So, what’s stopping this guy from being a rap superstar?

The fact that he was put on by a rap superstar. You know the put ons I’m talking about. The USDAs, St. Lunatics, Bravehearts, and Byrd Gangs of the hip-hop community. Ah, the gift and curse of being a crewmember that got put on by a star.

Well, let’s look at the positives. First, and most importantly, you’ve got the groupies. Nothing’s better for a crewmember than a groupie that can’t quite get to the superstar, but is willing to settle for one of his homeboys. I mean, when you read Confessions of a Video Vixen and saw all the names of all the stars homegirl slept with, just think of how many crewmembers got taken care of along the way.

Then there’s the random record deal and album release regardless of skill level. When you think top 10, top 100 – hell, even top 1,000 MCs that ever touched a microphone, does the name Blood Raw pop into your head? Not so much, huh? Doesn’t matter. Guess who dropped an album in June ’08 on Def Jam Records? You guessed it. MC 1,001 on the greatest MC list, Blood Raw. Never mind that his flow is about as smooth as a wooden roller coaster ride. And don’t even trip off him sounding a lot like the guy that put him on, minus the charisma. Forget about the fact that his buzz was weaker than a retarded bee’s. Homeboy is a crewmember. Go cop the album.

And, of course, there’s opportunity to do and see things you never would have. You can pop bottles of overpriced champagne that you’re overcharged for in random locations throughout the world. You can go to places like Amsterdam and smoke the best weed legally. Every time you hop on stage with your put on, you’re probably getting a check. And every check you get is one check you wouldn’t have had without getting put on. You got an album, you got fans, you got money…you got put on.

And now for the drawbacks.

Don’t have dreams of getting out of pocket. It doesn’t matter how many videos you drop, how many tours you’re on, and how many records you sell. You’ll always be viewed as (Insert star’s name here) homeboy. You can be the best rapper ever. You’re still (Insert star’s name here) homeboy. And usually you don’t get to rise any higher than “star” if you even make it that far. The term “superstar” is reserved for the ones that do the putting on.

And speaking of record sales, especially in this climate, going platinum ain’t too likely. Going gold ain’t looking so good either. Matter of fact, I’ll just go ahead and predict your CD will go double linoleum. Hope they make a plaque for that. See, as a crewmember, you’re definitely not getting top promotion. They might even drop your CD the same day as the guy that put you on (see: Big Kuntry and T.I.). I’ll let you speculate as to who will have more posters in the street, more money spent on their video, and more publicity in general.

A huge danger surfaces when you come out as a member of a big crew. When it’s just one or two of you, that’s cool. But as soon as you start talking four members or more, it’s easy to become a what’s-his-name. When what’s-his-name’s song hits the radio, a lot of times the masses are just waiting for the guest appearance from (Insert…you know).

Now this is the doozy. When Superstar’s career fades, crewmembers’ careers take the same turn. No more random releases and no more world tours. You still get groupies, but the dimes start looking like rusty copper coins. Nelly’s last CD didn’t sell so well even though it was an alright disc. When do you think the St. Lunatics will drop again? February 30th is right around the corner.

Crew Love. It is the best of times. It is the worst of times. If you manage to flip a put on and establish your own identity a la Juelz Santana – sweet. If not, there’s nothing wrong with staying down with the crew. Just be careful that you don’t go down with it, too.

Bumpin' my music...

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.


What I'm F'n with right now

1. "BK Anthem" – Jay-Z ft. MC Lyte
This Notorious soundtrack is looking like a beast


2. "Pop Champagne" – Ron Browz
Best club song right now.


3. "Go Hard" – DJ Khaled ft. Kanye & T-Pain
Anyone with any kind of ambition needs this in their deck


4. "By My Side" – Jadakiss ft. Ne-Yo
Can Kiss put together a great album? We'll see. This is a great start though.


5. "Put it on Ya" – Plies ft. Chris J
I know, I know but heroin addicts know its bad for them but they still can't let it go.


Come back every week for a new mixtape!

Who is...

MY NAME IS B.o.B

Shakespeare once asked, “what is in a name?” B.o.B’s name has so many definitions, but his music can best be defined by one term…exceptional.

B.o.B means different things for different situations. If you enjoy being on Cloud 9, B.o.B can stand for Bring One Blunt or Bring One Beer. About your money, then Business Over Bullsh!t is for you. Perhaps your skill is education, then B.o.B means Books Over Bullets, or if you enjoy B.o.B’s self-created production it means you have his Beats On Blast. The important thing to B.o.B is that when it comes to entertaining you, “I got everything you need when you need it. I know how to make you sing.”

check out more from B.o.B here

B.o.B - Ill Be In The Sky

Don't Stop, Believin'

I Believe Too
written by JusHH

My first entry on Past The Margin, I introduced myself by sharing by beliefs. So one year later, I’ll go back to where it all started. As usual, shouts to Scoop Jackson.

I Believe Hip-Hop music is better now than it’s been at any point since 1998.

I Still Believe that lyrics come FIRST.

I Believe that Ludacris will rap circles around Lil’ Wayne

I Still Believe Joe Budden is the best rapper no one wants to pay attention to.

I Believe that UGK never got the shine that they deserved.

I Believe that Pimp C lack of skill held Bun B back from superstardom.

I Still Believe that most female rappers don’t sell because they are female; they don’t sell because they aren’t that good.

I Believe that Lil’ Mama is the only one that can save the female rapper.

I Believe that it is still okay to like Snoop’s music.

I Believe that he forfeited any GOAT points when he let someone else write his rhymes.

I Believe that if Eminem were black he would have sold half but would have been considered the GOAT.

I Believe that the major labels will not control Hip-Hop ten years from now.

I Believe that Dame Dash should be an example of what not to do when you make money.

I Believe that Busta Rhymes is an underrated icon.

I Believe that he handled the Ramirez situation like a punk.

I Believe rappers should put more effort into their videos.

I No Longer Believe mixtapes have helped artists get discovered but also hurt the quality of their albums BECAUSE too many artists never get to put out albums and we’re only left with their mixtapes.

I Believe, sadly, that Mickey Factz will be one of these artists.

I Believe that all of this autotune use has actually made me appreciate T-Pain’s artistic ability.

I Believe that we need to reclaim the definition of “Freestyle” and come up with a different name to describe what these rappers are doing.

I Still Believe that if you like that album then its your responsibility to go to the store and buy it

I Believe that Barack Obama will change Hip-Hop.

I Still Believe that Hip-Hop can change the world (if only we can get out of our own way)

Kanye West - Heartless / Pinocchio Story (Live On SNL)

YOOOUUUUUUUU!!!!!!

4 Bars- I F’s wit Soulja Boy
written by 4Bars

Ok, so in the past few weeks I’ve seemingly gone against everything that I’ve ever stood for as far as hip hop, endorsing the likes of Jeezy and T-Pain and this week will be no different because lately I’ve been really impressed by the one, the only YOUUUUUUUUUUU know who I’m talking about: Soulja Boy Tell Em.

Most thought he was a one hit wonder with his debut “Crank That” which is still a hit nationwide among drunken college coeds. But over the past few months I’ve noticed that this 18 year old is REALLY smart. Now I know what you’re saying, “didn’t you hear what that stupid mf said about the slavemasters, tattoos, and ice?” and my answer is yes, of course I heard that ignorant ass ish, I was appalled. But everybody makes mistakes and he’s a teenager thrust into success and a spotlight well beyond his years and so far he has handled it well.

He survived the initial haters who compared him to acts like “Dem Heisman Boys” or “Dem Franchize Boyz”. And recently he has handled beef with rap legend Ice-T and a former manager who apparently stole $40k. SB could’ve easily crumbled or pulled some classless stunt to sully his name but what does he do? He utilizes his brain and the internet to further propel his success while simultaneously squashing these apparent “beefs”. No bloodshed, no dis records, just truthful words.

With no formal training or experience in an industry that has countless pitfalls SB’s success as a musician is commendable; he wrote and produced his own successful debut album while marketing himself and utilizing the greatest tool musicians have today: the internet.

I recently saw the video for his new song “Bird Walk” and was literally drawn out of my seat trying to do the dance. Soulja Boy continues to produce an extremely attractive product to his target audience and while his message is questionable at times, it’s coming from an 18 year old kid living a dream. SB is a guilty pleasure for most over the age of 21 who have found themselves “Supermanning” or “Super Soaking” a hoe or two in the club but it is honestly fun, dance music by a young cat doing his thing.

The Ingrediants...

So Can You
written by Just K

I just wanna fly – fly//

It’s hard to stay grounded when you dream to the sky//

And I ain’t scared of falling from up high//

I’m scared that I’ll never get to try, so I…//

Push it to the limit//

Go until my threshold folds, give it all that I can give it//

Take off like a work day when I skip it//

Like a weak R&B singer stripping as the gimmick//

Haters livid – whatever//

They bitter, I switch one letter I’m already doing better//

They try to make it rain but it drizzles, no umbrella…//

Necessary effortlessly fly above the weather//

As if my back been strapped with fat propellers//

Me, myself, and I – birds of a feather flock together//

Elevator up like it’s headed to the penthouse room//

Still going, we’ll be on the moon soon//

Play among the stars, Neptune, Jupiter and Mars//

Light years ahead of peers so far//

I’m feeling so hot so-lar so far//

I’m talking spaceships, they still bragging ‘bout cars?//

Dog, I’m tryna self-Beyonce, upgrade me//

Beyond reasonable doubt like a young Jay-Z//

But I find my own lane, never HOV//

Shine a light, bright enough that the blind gon’ see// ~ Just K

Can anyone be an MC? Naw, but anyone can put words that rhyme on a piece of paper. The problem is that people confuse the two. Rhyming isn’t enough to qualify you to hold the same title as people like Rakim, Ludacris, Tupac, Kanye, and MC Lyte. What does it take to be an MC? Glad you asked.

Flow

You have to be able to flow over a beat. Find a way to express your thoughts, feelings, and opinions while being confined to a certain amount of beats per minute. Do your lyrics fit the speed of the beat? Did you find an interesting enough cadence (in R&B it would be the melody the singer uses) to recite your rhymes? Do your lyrics fit into the confines of the flow you’re using? Fast, slow, medium speed flow? Do you want to rhyme on the bass part, the snares, or even follow another instrument? You find a flow, you’re a step closer to being an MC.

Delivery

Don’t think that just because you wrote something passionately means you’ll be able to recite it passionately. How do you evoke emotion with just the sound of your voice? Are you going for angry, sad, inspired, fun, cocky, humorous? Whatever it is, you have to sound the part. What words will you place extra emphasis on by saying them louder? Which syllables will you hold a little longer than most so that people will pay attention to them? And those random sounds on a track a la Weezy, you have to know where to use them, and whether they’ll sound dope or just plain crazy. When it’s all said and done, when we hear you on a track, do we believe you? If so, you’ve just taken another step.

Lyrics

Rhyming is the easy part, unless you’re talking multi-syllable rhymes (see: Fabolous, Kool G Rap) where you rhyme words like common sense, continents, compliments, often tense, confidence, fallen since (see: poetic license). The most important part is what goes in between the rhymes. You have to have a meaning and a point. Anyone can rhyme car and bar. What did you do in the car? What kind of car is it? How did people react when you pulled up in it? Who’s at the bar? What did you get to drink? How much did you spend there? That’s the stuff that goes in between the rhymes. Punch lines, similes, thought-provoking words, stories, concepts, topics...lyrics!

Grind

How do you get on in the first place? You have to grind. Be at the top of your shameless self-promotion game (see: CDs, myspace, youtube, flyers with your own picture on them). Make connections with club owners, DJs, managers, other rappers, and people in the industry. Expect to get screwed over, jerked around, and ignored. Keep fighting. Eventually, if you’ve got the flow, lyrics, and delivery, things should work. But even then, these aren’t the good old days when artists dropped CDs every two years and stayed dormant until the next release. Not at all. Now you’ve got to be featured on other artists’ tracks, do mixtapes, EPs, make appearances on whack DVDs, land a movie role, etc. And I sure do hope all of your stuff is quality because you will get criticized for every average song, whack verse, questionable line, scene of dialogue, whatever. By the way, did you hire the right people to protect all that money you’re making? You’re almost there. You just need one more thing.

X Factor

I can’t explain it. You just have to be…special.



I won’t bother with label politics, image, the actual work of recording at a studio, dealing with crazy fans, avoiding haters, staying out of trouble, and trying to ignore harsh criticisms from bloggers, magazines, and newspapers. Nope. I won’t even get into that.

Any average rapper – anyone can be that.

A good MC – someone who truly hones their skills can be that.

A great MC – you have to have a gift.

"Bamboo earrings, At least two pair..."

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. "Around the Way Girl" – LL Cool J
Perm in your hair or even a curly weave, with the New Edition, Bobby Brown button on your sleve.


2. "Incredible" – Mickey Factz
Song title says it all. Try not to break your neck to the beat.


3. "Alphabetical Slaughter" – Papoose
A display in Lyricism.


4. "All My Life" – Freeway ft. Nate Dogg
Very underrated album and well, Nate Dogg is everywhere.


5. "Eye for an Eye" – Mobb Deep ft. Raekwon and Nas
Just Because.


Come back every week for a new mixtape!

Who is...

Asher Roth

Asher Roth is a 22-year-old American rapper from Morrisville, Pennsylvania currently signed to a joint venture between Scooter Braun's Schoolboy Music and Steve Rifkind’s SRC Records. His first professional release was on June 13, 2008 when the DJ Drama and Don Cannon-helmed The Greenhouse Effect mixtape was released for free via Roth’s website Thedailykush.com. Roth was featured on the cover of XXL magazine’s annual Top 10 Freshmen: Hip-Hop’s Class ’09 issue. Roth is expected to release his untitled debut album on March 17, 2009. (Wikipedia)

Asher Roth - I Love College


Asher Roth - CANNON


Asher Roth - ROTH BOYS


Asher Roth Website
MySpace

It's Murdaaaaaa

The Passion of the Rule
written by JusHH

Quick, what’s the key components for a hit record… I’ll wait. Okay, soft melody over a hard bass line? Check. Catchy, harmonizing hook? Check. Rapping about swagger, your bank account and how you are simply irresistible to the opposite sex? Check. If that’s the case then all you guys selling records owe a percentage of your royalties to Ja Rule.

I liked Ja Rule before I even knew who he was. As a kid, my TV stayed on The Box and I fell in love with this one particular black and white video. This dude who rapped first just blew the song out the water. A few years later, I was following Ja Rule’s career as Def Jam’s best kept secret. He popped up on the Streets is Watching soundtrack, and the B-Side to all of Def Jam’s releases in ’98. I remember reading this article with Lyor Cohen and he was discussing what made him sign Ja. He talked about a group called Cash Money Click and how Ja caught his attention on the song “Get the Fortune”. My jaw dropped because I had no idea that it was Ja Rule rapping in that black and white video this whole time. No wonder I took to him so quickly. I got even more excited for his debut album and it didn’t disappoint. Venni Vetti Vicci is still one of my favorite albums in the collection and Ja was once one of my favorite rappers. But something went wrong. Rule 3:36, his sophomore effort, went 3x platinum.

Ja made way too much money. We all know where this story is going.

Rule and Irv found a nice little formula that would help them sell a whole bunch of records. Enter Ashanti and the 6 million songs that they did together. Enter JLo, with her “Riding the 6 Train Hip-Hop/R&B” records and enter all of the scratchy voiced sing song flow that Ja rode for the next 6 years. At first, it was well received. Most understood it as an attempt to crossover and make money to put food on the table. But then it was clear that these records were no longer the anomaly but the new norm, his core audience began to buckle.

Enter 50. 50 Cent represented not only a breath of fresh “gangter-ism” in the face of fluffy rap music, but he represented everything we all wanted Ja Rule to be. He saw the glaring contradiction between Rule’s new music and how he still referred to himself as a murderer. He saw an opportunity and with the backing of Dr. Dre and Eminem, brought his personal beef in front of the whole world. It worked; the masses jumped ship and left Ja Rule’s new albums on the shelf.

But then a funny thing happened.

The G-Unit general’s lead singles began to have more singing in the hooks and the verses had slightly more harmony than before. Soon it seemed that 50 was selling all of his records by being more gentleman than gangster. No matter how many guns came out, it was “Candy Shop” that was keeping the lights on. And somewhere after The Massacre, 50’s honeymoon ended as fans once again rebelled against the formula. Not too long after that, a young upstart with a personal axe to grind with 50, criticized 50 for singing on songs to help him win. The battle between Game and 50 was the height of irony as Game even drew direct comparisons between 50 and Ja Rule’s careers. Shakespeare couldn’t have written it any better. 50 literally became the one man that he publicly despised the most, and was taken down by a future version of himself.

But then something even funnier happened.

Somewhere between Napster and iTunes downloads, record companies decided to narrow the pipeline and only allow music that they could guarantee would crossover, play in clubs and sell ringtones. Yep, this meant only soft melodies over hard bass lines, catchy, harmonizing hooks and rapping about swagger, your bank account and how you are simply irresistible to the opposite sex. In other words, doing exactly what Ja Rule was doing in 2001.

So 8 years after Rule 3:36 dropped, every artist uses Ja’s formula to get a hit record and make money. And fans no longer rebel. In fact we accept it. Chalk it up to being a necessary evil in the face of declining sales and ruthless record companies. Lil’ Wayne sold 1 million albums in one week off “Lollipop” and Kanye is doing an entire album without really rapping. But does Ja Rule get any of the credit? Any vindication for being a head of his time? No and no. Ja is still reduced to being a punchline. In fact, most people still make fun of his singing and how 50 ended his career.

It’s funny how times change.

So if you are a new rapper or an established artist looking to do better numbers and you’re worried about how you will be received if you start singing on your songs, you have nothing to worry about…

Ja did that, so hopefully, you wouldn’t have to go through that.

Bass Drop!

Look What Hip Hop Did
written by 4bars

I was entertained watching television last night. I never, EVER, (“eeeevahevaevaeva…”) thought I’d be writing a post about Fat Man Scoop but after watching his show “Man and Wife” the thought I was left with was, “wow, hip hop is the shit”.

I know Hov has been able to Mike Jordan the business world and make himself a brand and other rappers to a lesser extent have done the same but Fat Man Scoop? Wow, I was seriously taken aback at the fact that a “personality” who, outside of New York, just isn’t very well known has his own show and podcast. I know what you’re saying: “there are PLENTY of people who have shows that shouldn’t have them” and I’m not saying that FMS is undeserving of a show. My point, though, is most people who have shows have money from avenues other than that show, the exceptions (to me) are former rappers and hip hop personalities and Fat Man Scoop clearly falls into that category.

With all the shit I talk about the state of hip hop and how certain stuff sucks and shouldn’t be played, blah blah blah, Hip Hop has done a lot of good and continues to. The show itself is pretty entertaining, authentic interaction always intrigues me when the people are interesting and FMS and his wife certainly fit that mold. Check the show out if you get a chance, I didn’t see much but what little I saw made me chuckle.

Hip Hip is awesome, will never die, and continues to show me something that makes me smile new each day. Nas was kinda right, but not really, haha.

Couple bars...

Today I do a simple post, full of simple quotes

‘Cause too many times, hot rhymes are defined by similes and punchlines

I mean, don’t get me wrong, those are fine

But what about the kind that speaks to the soul instead of the mind?

Might not make you say oooooh or press rewind

Instead, you simply say, I was just there

Or he’s speaking what I’m living ‘tween the bass and the snare

Or this is my life that I’m hearing on these tracks

Or he’s feeling what I’m feeling I can hear it in his raps

Funny when you realize you’re not alone

You find a friend in the person on the microphone

Something you can relate to in something they wrote

And it wasn’t complicated, it was just a simple quote - Just K

My prayers seem too long
I fall asleep before the ending, don't even get to say Amen - Andre 3000

They say a white man’s yes is a black maybe - Common

And they say it's the white man I should fear
But it's my own kind doing all the killing here - 2pac

Niggas fear what they don't understand, hate what they can't conquer - Nas

Do you really want to win or just look good losing? - Phonte

Sometimes you’ve gotta stand by your failures to recognize your success -Joe Budden

See Martin See Malcolm

See Biggie see Pac see success and its outcome
See Jesus see Judas see Caesar see Brutus
See success is like suicide
Suicide is a suicide
If you succeed, prepare to be crucified - Jay-Z

Picture me inside the misery of poverty,
no man alive has ever witnessed struggles I survived - 2pac

Standing on stage in front of thousands
Don't amount to me not havin my father
That's real talk, I know a lot of y'all got 'em
But you need him way more when you gotta go without him
And I'm without him, but that's life y'all
Sometimes you gotta learn to swim with no lifeguard - Lil’ Wayne


I remember being kicked out the house
'cause I looked just like you
Said I'd be nothing but a crook
just like you…

But dog I can't see it at all, sh*t
We never kicked it at all
We never pitched or kicked at a ball
dog, you never taught me sh*t
how to fight, ride a bike, fix a flat
none of that sorts of sh*t - Beanie Sigel

All my life I been considered as the worst
Lyin' to my mother, even stealin' out her purse
Crime after crime, from drugs to extortion
I know my mother wished she got a f*ckin' abortion - Notorious BIG

I turn my TV off, cause I don't wanna look at the news
Hard times seeing people crying, Arabs and Jews
Fighting for they religion, niggas living like niggas
Mexicans on the border, white boys saying kill em
Politicians playing puppet, gotta answer me this
Do you believe you really God? My answer is this… - Scarface

rapSinger...

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.

Outside the Box

1. "She Lives in my Lap" – Andre 3000
People still haven't recovered when they found out Dre wasn't rapping.


2. "Hallie's Song" – Eminem
For his daughter. Love will make you express yourself in strange ways.


3. "Player Hater" – Notorious B.I.G.
It was a joke but one of the greatest of all time was singing


4. "Sexual Erruption" – Snoop Dogg
If T-Pain had a baby with the 1970's, this would be the result


5. "Street Lights" – Kanye West
Just Because



Come back every week for a new mixtape!

Jay-Z - Brooklyn We Go Hard (Video)

Dope. Creative Video by Evan Roth

Who is...

God Sent

G.S (God Sent) .. Was born in Harlem, NYC and raised in the Lower Southside of Money Earnin Mount Vernon, NY. Through all of the crime and violence that was very popular in Mt. Vernon during the late 80s and the 90s, GodSent managed to avoid being caught up in the street life and choose music as his escape. It was easy to get caught up out here. A lot of dudes was hustling get serious money and a lot of dudes didnt have money, so it was either be broke or get down with the money makers. I choose to do otherwise. Growing up GodSent was treated like the black sheep or the rebel because of his urge to express his point of view on topics people his age werent vocal about. I wasnt considered a normal dude when I was younger. I had a crazy perception of life for my age and a lot of people couldnt really understand that. Due to that, they labeled me a rebel because my actions and views differed from everybody else. I was punished for going against the grain. Through all lifes frustrations and stresses, music was the only thing that helped GodSent maintain his sanity.

Since the age of 15, GodSent has been pursuing his love for music by molding and enhancing his lyrical talent. With no rap mentor, GodSent was forced to learn how to count bars, form verses and design hooks all on his own. Also with the lack of money for studio time and the lack of funds for original music, he was forced to make his early recording with a boom-box, beat CDs and a tape recorder. Now at 25, all of GodSents struggling and hard work is displayed through his unique and versatile style of rap. Being surrounded by the sounds of such hometown artists as Heavy D, Pete Rock & CL Smooth, it was only natural that GodSents music would reflect a similar and nostalgic style of rhyming through objective and subjective thought.


GodSents musical inspiration is drawn from the streets and the lives of the people who surround him. He paints a vivid picture of life as seen from his eyes and perspective which touches the listeners heart and provokes their thoughts. GodSent, and his partners in music, have established an independent music company known as Tephlon Entertainment. Tephlon Entertainment was created to help the unsigned artists in and around their neighborhood make music and give them hope for a future in music. Tephlon works closely together with others, like themselves, who share the dream of changing music and the hip-hop culture while also bringing fame and respect back to the Money Earnin.

God Sent Myspace

Wait For Me


Loss For Words

The realest s**t I ever wrote

Heartbroken
written by JusHH

Before PTM, I used to write album reviews for another website. I realized that the easiest reviews to write are for albums that you either loved or hated. The thoughts are clearer and its simpler to articulate your points to the audience. It’s reviewing those albums in the bell curve that’s the real challenge. It’s harder to describe that an album is good but not great or mediocre but not terrible with out sounding confused.

Without question the most controversial album to be released since PTM was launched is Mr. West’s latest effort, 808’s and Heartbreak. There have been 7 posts written that mention this album since “Love Lockdown” was leaked. I have found myself in the unenviable position of being in the minority – not really supporting Kanye’s new “look”. This has led to a few shots from my colleagues whizzing past my ear. So of course, it should be me to write the review for this album. So without further ado, I bring to you JusHH’s review of 808’s and Heartbreak.


First off, let’s be clear on what this album isn’t.

This album is not a musical journey of originality and creativity. I don’t care what you want to call it, Hip-Hop, R&B, Neo-Soul, Electro-Pop, European-Techo-Rock, there’s nothing on that album that hasn’t been heard before. Kanye making the decision to use autotune for an entire album isn’t new either. The guy from Tallahassee has been doing this, very successfully I might add, for years. Making an album about love and heartache? Nope. Been done, just look at any R&B artist’s catalogue. A big deal has been made about Kanye stepping outside of his comfort zone as if it’s never happened before. Lauryn did it ten years ago, Andre 3000’s effort was much more shocking and Ye’s labelmate, Common, created an album much farther from the “box” in 2002. So let’s bring this album back to earth for a few minutes. We all together? Great.

Now let’s get to what this album is.

Kanye West’s 4th studio release is one of the purest albums in terms of artistic expression that you will ever hear. One thing that has been missing from music in general has been raw, honest passion to the point where each song is a glimpse into the thoughts and feelings of the artist. It’s been no secret that life has been incredibly tumultuous for Kanye. Losing his mother and then going through a major breakup with his fiancé has taken a toll on him emotionally. Rather than repress these feelings, he let it all out in his music and allowed us to take the trip with him. This album is also extremely courageous. Considering how fickle fans are today and in the current age of downloads, no artist seems to be guaranteed his next album. So to make an album not giving a f**k about album sales is as remarkable as it is rare. Every song he made, he made for himself and not for us. The music was truly his therapy.

There’s no questioning that Kanye is one of the greatest producers alive, so it’s ironic that it was his lyrics on this album that was the most impressive. Oftentimes, it was his words that helped carry songs with lackluster production (“Welcome to Heartbreak”, “Robocop”, “Bad News”). To help compensate for a lack of a true singer’s voice, Kanye leaned on the “Ghost of Roger Troutman’s past” for support. His inconsistent use of the autotune was the weakest aspect of this album but the depth of his lyrical content that more than made up for this shortcoming. The hooks are nothing short of infectious as you will find yourself reciting them at random times during your day.

“Heartless” and “Street Lights” are the two best songs on this album. They both combine the unbridled passion and pinpoint song structure that we’re used to from Ye. (As opposed to the rambling at the end of “Robocop” or the painfully long instrumental piece at the end of “Say You Will”) Lil’ Wayne and Jeezy also provide quality performances on “See You in my Knightmares” and “Amazing” respectively. If you could take Kanye’s pain, bundle it up and download it on an MP3, you’d get this album. Like most people’s pain, its not clean and packaged perfectly – it’s messy and dark. But the musical flaws are given a human quality that can be appreciated because we are all aware of our own imperfections.

The truth of the matter is…

Kanye is one of my favorite rappers of all time and he’s on his way to being on of the G.O.A.T’s. His first three albums are certified Hip-Hop classics. So when I heard that he was going to switch it up, it reminded me of another legend from Chicago who quit what he did best to hit homeruns. Ye set the bar so high that when I heard his music and it didn’t reach that standard, I had a strong negative reaction. But after listening to the album on my computer, in my car and through the headphones, I was able to see the value, the purpose of this album. 808’s and Heartbreak isn’t like MJ playing baseball, it’s more like Will Smith taking a break from his summer blockbusters to do a more indy-style movie that allows him to showcase his acting skills. You have to view it as apples and oranges and just appreciate it for what it is. This album is undoubtedly his worst but it is a must have because to fully understand Kanye West the artist, you need this album. So until Kanye works on his next I Am Legend, I’ll follow him while he fights his demons in his Pursuit of Happyness.

I just hope he gets back on the court soon.

Wait, what analogy was I using again?