New Music: DJ gWiz - The Red Light Special

DJ gWiz - The Red Light Special

New Music: DJ gWiz - Rhythm & Blues Vol. 1 (Mixtape)

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DJ gWiz - Rhythm & Blues Vol. 1

Slum Village’s Rock The Bells Tribute To Baatin

RIP Baatin.

4 Bars- F&%k Thaaaaaatt

So with all the sad goodbyes and all that other mushy ish on the PTM calendar this week, I’m officially sayin I ain’t down wit it and ya’ll gon get more 4 Bars (shit, I hope ya’ll want it though, haha). I’ve had a lot on my mind in regards to hip-hop, sans my usual soapbox antics, almost, haha. Enjoy.

1) 50 Cent, I’ve listened to both his mixtapes and I’m not gonna lie, a couple of the tracks make me wanna pick my gat back up and rob, blast, and murk niggas, but is he becoming a gimmick?

2) Trey Songz or Drake? Singer/Rapper, Rapper/Singer, do we throw T-Pain in there? The more I listen to Songz, the less I have been hatin. He’s really stepped up his game by doing a plethora of works over all kinds of stuff and he even went at Kellz, hard (pause). He put out a really hot mixtape himself, but I personally like it when he spits/sings over other people’s tracks. But my questions were first…

3) Eminem vs Mariah, wow, did anybody else completely miss that she was talking about Em in “Obsessed” before they saw the video? I just watched the video and the remix video (GUCCI!!) about 5 mins ago, after I heard Em go in on she and her “husband” (chuckle) and it all makes sense now, haha. Where will this go? Will he air her out past this “warning”? Is he bluffing about having tapes/pics?

4) Speaking of Gucci, this cat is in jail currently (so I heard) yet the more I hear from him, the more I wish he wasn’t a hood nigga (I’m using the N-word blatantly btw from now on, it’s applicable) because I think he’s talented and his flow is “Ridiculous”, even with the speech impediment and likely learning disability. That wasn’t so much a question as a prompt for comment…

5) Wale, OMG, yo, I REALLLYYYY want this cat to succeed. The more I listen to him, and not just his music, but his commentary, I feel like a) he could be in Slaughterhouse and b) he’s a really charismatic cat and COMPLETELY embodies the unique yet ignored nature of everything that is DC. Now don’t take that comment as a diss, I got this whole notion on the neglect of DC style, music, etc, by everyone outside of DC from a native of the area so this is how they feel about themselves. And I’m sorry for doing it, but does it not exactly replicate the neglect of DC politically as they still don’t get recognition as a state, it’s as if it doesn’t exist…

6) Oh almost forgot about this one. I posed this question to Wiz a few days ago (he didn’t respond) Rank these in order of best “rapper”: J. Cole, Wale, Drake.


PTM4L…

Just K...

Signing Off
written by Just K

The first hip-hop single I ever bought was Elevators by Outkast.

“True I got more fans than the average man but not enough loot to last me
to the end of the week, I live by the beat like you live check to check
If you don't move yo' feet then I don't eat, so we like neck to neck”

I was hooked. I loved hip-hop. What I loved so much about hip-hop - what made me write about this art form, this culture week after week was the ability to hop into another person’s psyche, for better or worse. And sometimes you realize that your situations and thoughts weren’t so far from you favorite rapper’s. To hear Dre and Big Boi rap about progress, but not achieving financial success was deep to me. It was the first time I realized that fame and cash don’t necessarily go hand-in-hand. Coincidentally, this song dropped around the same time Hammer filed for bankruptcy.

I live for the stories. I live for the perspectives. C.R.E.A.M. resonated with every possible demographic, more so the demographic that didn’t have any, which was my family at the time. Now, I listen to Little Brother and feel like half the time they’re rapping the soundtrack to my life.

Listening to Pac was like listening to that dude who constantly had that internal struggle to do better, but kept falling back to his old ways. You could hear the intelligence. You could hear the brilliance. You could hear the rebellious nature and the rage inside of him. He reminded me of so many classmates. The ones that could answer a question that no one else in the class could, but he felt so targeted by the teachers that he refused to participate.

And Biggie’s stories were so vivid you would swear you were on the corner with him.

Even braggadocio battle raps put me into the mindset of someone who felt that they were absolutely unbeatable.

“I grab mics and push n****s to the left, so fast their hearts end up on the right side of their chests”

~ Canibus

Unreal.

Then the voices. The hunger in Freeway’s voice on What We Do, the recklessness you could hear from DMX in Stop Being Greedy, or the pain and hatred you could hear from Jay and Beans on Where Have You Been. How about the raw, unguided energy a young Busta Rhymes gave you? The voice of a weary storyteller that’s seen too much is delivered consistently by Scarface. The emotion in a voice just pulls me in.

The beats alone could never do it, but damn does it set the backdrop for magic. Do I still go bonkers for All About the Benjamins? Hell yeah! Remember the first time you heard that beat on Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See? Damn. Electric Relaxation and Bonita Applebum makes me want to get a massage while watching a romantic comedy. I swear I thought about stomping a dude out when Lil’ Jon came on one time, but I was rocking some fresh whites – no blood on the snow whites, son. I dare you to tell me you don’t get hyped when Just Blaze brings that heat with U Don’t Know. I double dare you to tell me a part of you doesn’t feel more aggressive when Thug Luv comes on.

The feelings, man. The feelings I hear in the music, the feelings I get from the music. It’s the feeling. The feelings I see hip-hop invoke. I rapped along to Triumph when I had nothing to cheer about. I spit the words to Victory after winning a track meet. Either way, somehow it felt like I won. Kids with nothing rapped about going from ashy to classy. Girls really think they’re the best when Drake raps. Folks had college flashbacks when Asher Roth dropped his single. I promise I wanted a boo thanks to Mary J. and Meth.

When it’s done right, hip-hop speaks to you. This was just my way of speaking back. Thanks for listening for a while. I guess I had a little something to say.

Thanks.

Let that tape rock till it pop... one last time

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.

The 5 Joints that Made Me

1. "I Used to Love H.E.R." - Common



2. "Survival of the Fittest" - Mobb Deep




3. "Around the Way Girl" - LL Cool J



4. "Keep Ya Head Up" - 2Pac



5. "It Ain't Hard to Tell" - Nas

Hope you enjoyed your fix this last time... Keep Hip-Hop bumpin!!!!

New Music: DJ gWiz - Pledge Your Allegiance (Mixtape)

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DJ gWiz - Pledge Your Allegiance (Mixtape)

Farewell...

Dear Hip-Hop,


It’s me, JusHH again. I really wanted to thank you for everything that you’ve given me over the past 27 years. I am part of the first generation of people that were born not knowing a world before Hip-Hop music and culture so in a way I feel like you're apart of my DNA.

You have given me a sense of pride that nothing else has seemed to match. You gave credibility to the way that I walked, the way that I talked and even what I wore out the house everyday. You may not even know it but you helped turn what many saw as “street” and “thug” into “cool” and “trendy”. Now people all over the world are following our lead when it comes to what we wear and how we act.

For as long as I can remember I’ve always tried my very best to give back to you as well. Standing up for you whenever someone tried to sully your name or impact on this world. People try to hold you to a different set of standards and I just won’t let that happen around me. I consider you the only culture that I identify with so I protect you with the same passion that a Parisian or Rasta would his or her own cultures.

In November of 2007, gWiz and I had a conversation about starting a blog because we felt that no sites that we looked at gave you your just due when it came to journalism and intellectual writing. Now we didn’t want to report the news but we wanted to take what was out there and create thought provoking pieces that would give people something to discuss. We also wanted to give some light to artists and arguments that are ignored in the mainstream. Lastly, we wanted to remind those that there is a rich history to your music and artistry. You would think based on some people’s attitudes that you started with Young Jeezy and ringtones.

People loved Past the Margin. For many it was a nicely kept secret – a place to escape to when the buffoonery and ignorance just pissed you off (lol). And we’ve had some great writers come through. K.T. aka K. Billy was one of the originals and he would blow people away with his lyrical exercises. Hell, I remember waiting anxiously Thursday mornings to see what he would come up with next. He kept me on top of my game. D.O.T and Doesn’t Matt R contributed some great pieces coming from completely different places. The PTM team got even stronger when Just K hopped on board. He replaced K. Billy as the “damn is he gonna beat me this week?” His combination of depth and humor made each week so entertaining. And how can I forget my main man Four Bars. There since day one, he was the “x” factor. Our only southern representative, you never knew what he was going to write about but you knew you was going to have something to say about it. Whether it was IAN’s, BET Uncut or how Outkast is the greatest ever, it was always a great way to start the weekend. Last but not least the RZA, Black Lion or whatever you want to call him, Wiz had the vision. He knew just how to put everything together each day from the logo to the “video of the week”.

PTM was a great place for your fans to voice their opinion and we’ve had some great people write awesome comments. They brought a flavor to the site that made it really easy to write each week. Of course it would have been great to have a million hits each day and 400 comments like others but I guess its kinda poetic this way. You have always kept your best away from the most attention. When Hammer was taking over the world, ATCQ was putting out timeless music and while everyone is doing the Stanky Leg, people like J. Cole keep me in awe. So in a way I’m happy with our place and role – its like a badge of honor that I will wear proudly.

So thank you Hip-Hop for everything and I hope that for the past 18 months or so I made you proud as JusHH. (not sure how well I did during my rap career though lol) I don’t know what I’m going to do next but you can be sure that you won’t be far away from my playlist, closet or anything else that I’m apart of.

And thanks to everyone reading this who supported PTM. I hope you enjoyed yourselves, I know I loved every moment.

Peace

Justin a.k.a JusHH

Can't wait for this "one"

Hey you...

Congrats
written by Just K

You made it, kid. Congratulations. It’s crazy, ‘cause I can remember when your favorite joints used to come on TV. You’d memorize the rhymes in no time and spit them like you wrote them yourself. And when the videos you loved didn’t come on often enough, you’d call The Box (music television you control – damn that was a long time ago) and request them yourself. Man, your mama whooped your ass for running up that phone bill, but it was worth it to you.

Then you saved up your little money from your gig at Wendy’s and bought yourself a decent microphone. You hopped on Kazaa and downloaded one of those recording programs and you had yourself a lil’ mixtape by senior year. People were bumping it a little bit, too. That joint was horrible in retrospect. Ha ha ha. You had bars all day, but that monotone talking damn near put me to sleep. The potential was there, though, and you had the high school on lock. This hip-hop thing has always been your dream, huh?

You kept working at it, man. You kept recording. You kept putting out material. You picked up a young one along the way. You definitely did the good father thing, but it didn’t slow you down. The mixtapes started getting hotter. You started slaying beats better than the pros. I mean, I guess you considered yourself a pro even though you weren’t signed. In your opinion, you were just doing what you’re supposed to do. Got a little buzz on local radio, even got booked to open gigs when the big dogs came to town. It was a matter of time before the labels got word, dude.

And of course you got picked up. A seven-album deal, but what’s seven albums when you’ve loved this your whole life? You got your advance money, hooked moms up a little something. Got little man some fresh digs and blessed the baby moms with a little bit. Yeah, you upped your wardrobe and threw on a little jewelry, but nothing too frivolous or extravagant. You’ve got some sense after all. More importantly, you’re living in the studio, cranking out the music of a lifetime. You linked up with some local producers who make monster music and you’re making gems. Then you turn in the album to your label heads.

They ask you who produced on the beats. You kick them some names and they look around at each other, whisper a bit, and keep it moving. They don’t really react much to the tracks and you’re a bit confused. Then they get to track six, this joint you did with 8-bar verses and 12-bar hooks. One of your boys made the beat, a club joint that’s heavy on the bass, and a girl is singing about waiting for you to take her shopping or some bull$h!t. You just did the joint to put on for your peoples. Besides, every album needs one club track, right? Of course you weren’t really feeling it like that - but they are. That’s their joint. That’s the one. As far as they’re concerned, that’s the best song so far and you’re wondering if they’re listening to the same album you made.

So they listen to the rest of it and outline a plan. They like three tracks on it. You’ve got about four introspective joints. They let you keep one. The joint with you rapping in double-time flow, that’s crazy. They want that one. The keeper to them is the track with shorty singing on the hook. They consider that the demo version. They want to get a big name on the hook to add hype to it and they want the beat redone by a big name producer. Furthermore, they want you to try to duplicate that song a few times. Not necessarily the young’n on the hook, but that “happy, I want to dance” sort of vibe. WTF.

So what’s it going to be kid? They want you to make the music that you used to turn from when it came on the radio or TV. I mean, there’s nothing wrong with dancing, but a bunch of tracks of the same thing? And why they gotta scrap your people from the track? How are you supposed to tell your peoples that you knew since high school that they’re off a guaranteed hit song? Or maybe you won’t tell them. And maybe you’ll stand your ground and fight for your songs. You’re a damn artist, yo. You don’t make music. You make art. You put your heart and soul into this. You made the best damn music you possibly could. Who are these suits to tell you what will sell and what won’t? Then again, if you fight, there’s a good chance whatever album you make will never see the light of day. Not to mention that advance money’s running low. Damn. Plus you’re already known locally and your songs have been on youtube, allhiphop, and you’ve been mentioned as an up and coming artist on pastthemargin. You’re an MC now, bruh. A nine to five just isn’t in the cards. Not with people being able to recognize you wherever you work. I mean, yeah, it’s art, but this is your livelihood. This is how you feed junior. This is how you live and they already told you what you have to do to live. Decisions, decisions. Hey, at least you made it though. Congratulations.

LMAO

Affion Crocket has been one of the funniest guys in Hip-Hop for a little while now. From his work on Wildn' Out with Nick Cannon, and his classic Jay-Z impersonations, Affion is building quite the reputation.

See in order to do Hip-Hop humorously, you have to be a fan first. There's no doubt that Crocket is not only a student of Hip-Hop but that it truly is a part of who he is. His jokes and spoofs are as accurate as they are silly. Who can forget him rocking the dreads for his Lil' Wayne video.

This Drake video is just the latest of some classic humor.

Through all the thugs and G'z its great to see that Hip-Hop can still smile and laugh.

New gWiz Musik Show

The gWiz Musik Show 7.21.09

I heart you.

Truly, Madly, Deeply
Written by JusHH

With the release of Eminem’s latest album, it got me in the mood where I want to listen to all of the classic albums that I own just to get that feeling that I get when I hear great music. It’s hard to know exactly when to determine that an album is classic. There are so many false alarms – you pop it in the CD changer and you instantly fall in love… only to realize that its been months since you listened to it and almost forgot you had it. But it’s important to know when that album in your collection is truly a classic. The best way that I can explain it is in the terms of a relationship. Trust me your relationship with your album is very similar to the one you have with your girl or guy. Let’s take a trip to “Makeout Lane” or “Hookup Hill” or any of those Saved by the Bell type names and fall in love with your Hip-Hop record.


The Honeymoon Phase

Most good to great albums get here. You know the feeling well. Everything is so fresh and new. All of the verses and punchlines knock your socks off and you feel like it’s the best stuff that you’ve ever heard in your life. Oh yeah, in the beginning you forget about everyone you’ve had in the past and you listen to it on repeat. You call everyone you know to talk about this new joint you picked up and you brag about all the good qualities. Those first few months feel like heaven.

Duration: Four months

Reasons for the fall off: You realized that you now skip 3 or 4 songs; you say things like, “too many features” or “not enough songs with meaning”

The Appreciation Phase

But the few that make it past the Honeymoon phase enter a new stage. It usually comes about when you start to hear other albums and realize that they aren’t as good as the one you are in love with. You may have slowed down the amount of times you listened but hearing the others makes you appreciate that album even more. You also start to pick up new stuff when you listen. “Oh snap, I never noticed he put those two rhymes together like that”, and “… wait, that was a metaphor” are things that you find yourself saying. That same old spark is still there but there’s some real substance behind it that keeps you honest and loyal.

Duration: One year

Reasons for the fall off: beats get stale; rhymes sound too dated or contrived; other albums put yours to shame very quickly.

The Commitment Phase

After some time passes, things start to slow down. You just don’t do it like you used to. You may go a few months, maybe more without having it in the rotation. But the love is still there and strong. It could have been a conversation, something you read or just a random search through the collection has you stumble upon your favorite joint. You place it in the system and boom - takes you back to day one. Your head starts rockin, your fist starts pumpin’ and everything just feels so good. It’s like falling in love all over again. You realize that this feeling will never change and you want to spend the rest of your life listening to it. Others will come and go but this joint will never ever truly leave your rotation.

Duration: 5 years

Reasons for the fall off: You slowly begin to skip on or two tracks; Album starts to feel too long; you forget some of the intros or songs on the album; you randomly come across it and forgot that you owned it.

The Golden Anniversary

Once you’ve reached this point, there’s really no more words that can express your feelings. That album becomes a part of your history – a part of who you are. You find yourself referencing it when you talk to friends. You compare every new album that comes out to your joint. You may go sometime without playing it but you repeat it in your head and sing it to yourself in the car. If the radio should play a song from it or you hear it in the club, you act like its Christmas morning and you spazz out. Hearing each song takes you to different times in the past and reminds you of great memories. There’s really nothing else like it. The music literally changed your life.

Duration: 10 years

Reasons for the fall off: None. Once you get to this level, that’s it.


Above Picture: 15 years and counting…

4 Bars- 50 Cent: Philanthropist?

50 Cent just put out a new mixtape, 2 actually, but the one of topic is “War Angel”. 50 goes back to this original GRODT style and kills approximately 348 people in his 11 songs. This does not surprise me but his outro has me torn.

He is sponsoring an event called “Family Day” where there will be a huge cook out and concert put on for free in the 40 projects of his native Queens. There will be several Queens celebrities like Lamar Odom, Ron Artest, etc, and he’s even “taking the hood to Great Adventures” the day before. WTF!!! I’m not sayin dude can’t do right by his hood but I find it ironic that he raps about constantly killing and selling drugs to people like the ones that he will feed and take to Six Flags.

Does this philanthropic act on August 31 make up for the damage that has surely been done, not solely because 50 promotes/supports it, but because he helped perpetuate it on a grand scale? This whole thing just reminds me of Nino Brown in New Jack City giving out turkeys on Thanksgiving, sponsoring AAU teams, and handing out dollars to the little kids running around as he took over buildings driving residents out of their homes and directly causing and committing violence and turning the community into an impoverished slum.

Ya’ll know my self righteous ass had to comment on this. I was truly caught off guard when I was listening to it the other day and for a second there I was like “yo, thanks Fif, finally doing something for the hood”. And he certainly is, it’s just that I remembered that for the previous hour or so I had listened to him blast, kill, and pop these same “niggas in the hood” so like I said, I’m torn. Queens Nino Brown or story teller extraordinaire?

Q & A session...

K's Q's
written by Just K

Is Drake really that good or are we just that starved for new talent?

When did hip-hop stop being the voice of the people?

When did the people stop wanting hip-hop to be their voice?

Is Drake really that good or are we just that starved for new talent?

Girls LOVE that Best I Ever had joint from Drake. Were they really supposed to love the video?

Is Wayne cooling off or making room for his protégé?

Will we ever get that Lupe – Common collabo?

Will Joe Budden’s personality be the demise of Slaughterhouse?

Will Budden eventually be the motivation for Wu-Tang to form Voltron once more?

Will this extra time to make an album be beneficial or detrimental to Jay-Z’s Blueprint 3?

Game vs. Jay? Really?

Will Jay stop acting like he’s above dudes and really go in somebody?

50 already took an L on September 11th to Kanye. Is he really going to move his album to compete with Blueprint 3 now?

Does anybody else feel awkward when a major artist is dropping on September 11th and interviewers say stuff like, “It’s the day we’ve been waiting for”?

By the way, what the hell happened to the folks on Roc-a-fella if Jay is signed to a new label and owns a new one himself?

I guess Saigon’s Greatest Story Never Told is really living up to the title, huh?

Remember when we used to joke as young’ns on anyone that had on tight jeans? So, like, has the joke switched to “Aha, yo jeans too loose”?

Will Scarface still do features?

Will Wale get the right push behind him before his CD drops?

What does July 31st really mean?

Shades of gray...

When you think of Hip-Hop, you think of black... maybe even a little Latino but definitely black.

You think New York, Bronx, Blacks, Puerto Ricans. But in 2009 that definition is blurred at the very least...

I typed "Hip-Hop" into YouTube and not even halfway down the page, i see this video. Asians have taken to Hip-Hop like no other. They have an incredible respect and appreciation for the music and culture. Trust me its no where near Malibu's Most Wanted. They know the music, artists, history and can dance their a**es off!!!

Americas Best Dance Crew is dominated by Asians.

Although I can't speak for all of Hip-Hop but if you weren't properly welcomed, consider this your home now.

Welcome.

... All the way to the bank?

Flo Rida Feat. Nelly Furtado - Jump (Official Video)
by Flo-Rida-Official

Yes, it's this bad.

So bad that yes, this really is a Flo Rida video on PTM.

See this has nothing to do with Mr. Low, Low, Low, Low or the skinny girl I always confuse with the Cruz girl that dated Tom.

This has everything to do with those gerbils or hamsters or whatever Disney decided to make those creatures.

It's really this bad.

I'm sure when Flo Rida started his journey, he didn't think he'd be dancing around in a G-Force promo video. But then again, Disney checks don't bounce and from what I can infer, they aren't small either. But it speaks to a point...

There's no more money in Hip-Hop music.

Not that you can't make money making Hip-Hop music but the days of creating a song for the Hip-Hop audience that likes you and eating off that are long, long gone. We don't buy singles, we don't buy albums and we barely wait around for a sophmore album before we're on to the next guy that kind of sounds like you. (Mike Jones, who?)

It's why The Roots are the house band for Jimmy Fallon, its why Eve dropped only one verse in the past 3 years, why Diddy only makes music when its associated with MTV and why Flo Rida is dancing with Alvin and the Chipmunks (or whatever they are).

Now this isn't a criticism of Flo Rida or any other artist for that matter. You have to do what you have to do to eat. Because even your most die hard fans aren't supporting you. (And i'm sooooo guilty of this i'm ashamed to admit it from time to time)

But yeah, its this bad.

Damn

4 Bars- Scurred

So I was around a lot of inner city young black males the past three days at a basketball camp and I observed what I perceive as our “future” and had a few issues. Now I know you’re asking “Bars, the f does this have to do with Hip-Hop” and my response, as usual is: everything.

Hoops and Hip-Hop are intertwined forever; there is no way around it. This is mostly because the audience/creators/artists are interested/dominated/deeply invested in both of them. I constantly would hear the kids with heavy Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York accents loudly and publicly rap lyrics of everybody from Wayne to Gucci Mane to Nas and I couldn’t help but think, what are they getting/learning from all this?

I know this is the same ish I’m always on, but a recent chat with my man D made me think about our “future” and what it will be made up of. Hip-Hop is commercially and monetarily driven and besides feeding the inner circles and families (distant and immediate) of the artists, what is the music actually building within the culture?

The emphasis on money and getting paid or whatever variation of this mantra is engrained in each popular rapper’s lyrics are disturbing not just because of their shallow nature, but because the kids aren’t being taught anything different. I’ve touched on this before but after seeing it reflected daily in the youth that will represent our culture in the future, I cringe. It parallels a site like PTM with sayyy Bossip. Now I’m not trying to compare these two because they are in COMPLETELY different lanes, but what I do notice is that the masses are much more concerned with a tabloid site about the latest dirt on black celebrities, mostly Hip-Hop entities, yet a site like PTM, where thought provoking questions are asked, there is minimal love. Now, I know there are a lot of other factors involved but this dynamic is similar to what the kids are getting from Hip-Hop.

It’s not what they are listening “to” it’s what they’re listening “for”. Hip-Hop once “taught” its listeners. Whether it be simple social commentary or the addressing of major issues in the hood (Brenda’s Got a Baby, 9-1-1 is a Joke, etc) Hip-Hop was more than just music, it was a positive representation of culture. And don’t get me wrong it’s still a representation, but now it represents a culture that says “I don’t give a f#$k, I’m trying to get paid” (more cringing).

With all that said, there is a still a persevering spirit that remains and is shown daily from the “nothing to something” stories we continue to get. This is why I will continue to listen to, be critical of, and hope for the best from Hip-Hop; I just hope it’s not in vain.

Video: Dame Dash Speaks on Jay-Z Shutting Down Chris Brown Performance

Thoughts?

What's beef?

Game dissed Jay-Z again the other day in France. Again this leads me to a few thoughts...

First of all, why does Game only diss Jay-Z on international tours? A few years back he told Hov to suck his "member" in Amsterdam.

Second, why won't he just make a diss record already and get it over with? I'm tired of this new kind of dissing, complete with youtube videos and interviews about how "x rapper don't really want it or isnt built for it". Say what you want about 50 but at least you gonna get a song.

Third (from my boy D), is calling Hov old a diss when he's still better and more popular than you are? I'm sorry, did Game perform at the BET awards last week?

Fourth, i think he's scared of Jay because when he beefed with 50, he made like 3 mixtapes worth of diss records.

I guess the Game changed.

They spinnin' n***a, they spinnin'!!!!

Whip Appeal
Written by JusHH

I think we can all agree that Hip-Hop is the most materialistic music genre since, well, music was created. You can’t turn on any song without hearing about some item that said rapper is either flaunting or chasing. It’s so bad that, MTV cribs is practically a 30 minute Hip-Hop video. Aside from Ice, the most coveted thing to floss has to be the car. I promise you, Henry Ford never foresaw 20” rims, TV’s in the headrest and “removing the roof” when he created his Ford. But I’m not here to bash my rappers. I’m here to celebrate their love for the automobile and determine which is the greatest Whip, Wheels, Ride, V, Car in Hip-Hop history.

From worst to best…

Toyota

Keep in mind that the Toyota Camry is the most used car in the country. I am sure that most if not all rappers have either owned or have been in a Toyota Camry. Yet I can’t even think of a rhyme that has either word in it. Now that I think of it, I’d probably call dude a cornball if he talked about picking up girls in his “Toyota C”. Haha.

Porche

The Porche was always a fly car to have. But it wasn’t that rare and luxurious compared to others and frankly rappers didn’t really flaunt them.

Lamborghini, Ferrari (tie)

This is a tricky one to call. If either of these cars are brought out, they beat just about everything else on the list. But they are kind of like Unicorns, people would mention them from time to time but you never saw them. Very few have even been seen riding in either one of these two cars. They were part of some dope lines but they definitely aren’t Hip-Hop.

Infinity

For a period in time, the Infinity Q45 was the car to have. Everyone seemed to rap about their Q-4-5. It fit well with punchlines and if you saw one on the street, they definitely caught your eye.

Bentley, Phantom (tie)

Very similar to the Ferrari, Lambo argument. These cars quickly became the “flavor of the month” vehicle. While both blew up for a short period of time, neither dominated long enough to really have any kind of long term impact.

Acura

The best thing about this car was how it was used in raps. Shortened to “Ack”, it rhymed with everything. Who will ever forget Pun’s “packing a Mac in the back of the Ack”? And all Raekwon needed on the purple tape was, “house my gat, my Ack. Bank Account fat, its going down like that.” In the early 90’s you could see the low sitting Acura’s (with the kit – although I never knew what that meant) on streets all over the hood.

Lexus

Its hard not to be near the top of this list when you are most closely connected to the greatest rapper (Jay-Z) during the creation of his greatest album (Reasonable Doubt). In the 90’s there was no better flossing than behind the wheel of a Lexus. Appropriately shortened, to come through in a “Lex” meant you were somebody. The problem is that by 2000, no one really cared about that car. It was like the Wu-Tang Clan of cars.

BMW

When Mr. Cheeks gave props to the Beemer back in the day, he was just stating the obvious – BMW’s are dope. Also called the “BM”, the car fit well in many raps and were driven by many artists and people in the hood. It would be higher but it kind of has the little brother syndrome going for it as it never reached the level of its big brother (fyi… it’s the #1 car on the list).

Cadillac

It is hard to top when one car can represent an entire region. While everyone pretty much had it, no one rode in a Caddy like people from the south. The rims, the candy paint, the booming system in the trunk – nothing screamed Houston or Atlanta more. The longevity speaks volumes too. Back in ’94, Outkast named their debut album after the Caddy and you can still hear Bun-B rep it in his verses. And with the South pretty much dictating what’s hot in Hip-Hop, its only fitting that their signature ride is celebrated.

SUV/ Trucks (all models)

If pimping your car out was the flame, than SUV’s were no doubt the gasoline that turned them into forrest fires. The rims which were great at 18 suddenly ballooned to 24 and 26 inches! TV’s, Xboxes and just about anything else you can look at on a screen were inserted any and every where there was room. Speakers the size of Honda Civics were placed in the trunks. And this was all before someone decided to put Lamborghini style doors on them. The race to try to one up the next man got so outrageous and it went right in line with rappers outlandish tales in their verses. But as Hip-Hop as these behemoths were, they were the only runner up.

Mercedes Benz

The grand daddy of all Hip-Hop whips, rides and cars were made in Germany. The Mercedes Benz was the perfect combination of luxury and practicality. While you did see them on the street, you never saw them in the wrong hands. (those who couldn’t get a Benz, got a BM) They stand the test of time. They were as hot in the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s as they are today. Roll through in a Benz, and you are somebody – period. In terms of the music, they were the car to rap about. They were called “Benzes”, “Big Body” and they got so cool at one point that only a single number was sufficient. Jay-Z, “had more 6’s than first grade” and Fab had a “6 ever since the 5 retired.” You even had the option to pimp them out or not – it didn’t make a difference. A Benz was a Benz and it was always dope and is Hip-Hop’s #1 vehicle of choice.

I know what some of you are thinking, “Jus, you forgot about the Maybach.”

No I didn’t, Mercedes makes those too.

What Happens When...

With the bursting success of Drizzy Drake’s career, I am constantly reminded of a line he used on “Ignant Shit” where he says “me doin a show is getting everybody nervous cause them hipsters gon have to get along with them hood niggas…” This line really made me think, “you know what, he’s right…” What does a Drake concert look like and how exactly do the hipsters with their tight ass jeans, loud colors, and vintage Nikes get along with the baggy jeaned, white tee & Jordan wearin hood cats?

I feel like black people (like pretty much everybody else) have long since been infected with this self-segregating gene that is inherited genetically where human beings just have to differentiate and group accordingly. But isn’t music a uniting force? A Lil’ Wayne concert (or any other mega-star rapper) has to have an even greater spectrum and they seem to go off without a hitch, but you know how nigg#*$ get: “Say bruh, you just gon step on my shoe?”

If you’ve been to a concert like this, where several demographics are represented and have to coexist inside a space smaller than the arenas and stadiums that the likes of Jay-Z or Kanye play, holla with some of your best stories. I think my best story is when I went to the Glow in the Dark concert in Philly (technically Jersey) and there was a white dad with his three sons that were ages (approximately) 10, 13, and 14 clearly there to see Kanye and they had NO clue who N.E.R.D. was (naturally) but proceeded to stare at me like a f’n unicorn as I spazzed during, well “Spazz”. I almost wanted to scare the hell out of em by making some loud and threatening gesture so that they would stop staring and try to take in the genius that was occurring on stage, but of course I kept it peaceful and peeped with my peripherals, but I’m sure there are better stories out there, please share.

Not right now...

Time & Place
written by Just K

I’m bumping Drake in the whip. The “Unstoppable” joint was banging in the speakers. Santagold just finished doing her thing on the hook when Weezy came on for his verse.

“she say that I beat that p*$$y better than her gynecologist//

text me any time you want so mo d**k, mo d**k”

This was playing as I pulled into a middle school parking lot. Please believe the volume went way down when I was sliding into that parking spot. It just didn’t feel appropriate to have the volume on high with Wayne speaking that craziness. As much as I love hip-hop and that song, I had to acknowledge that a middle school parking lot wasn’t necessarily the best place to crank that profanity. I had the ability to turn Lil’ Wayne down. I just wish Lil’ Wayne had used that ability on himself during the BET Awards.

Typically I’m not a fan of the BET Awards. This year, however, considering the limited time that BET had to prepare, I think a decent tribute to Michael Jackson was put together. Furthermore, it’s commendable that BET did not fold to the pressure to add Chris Brown to the line-up given his recent guilty plea (I’m not really sure if Don Cornelius should’ve been there either, but that’s another story). Obviously the dark cloud hanging over Chris Breezy would’ve tainted the evening. Why couldn’t BET executives or Lil’ Wayne himself see that a performance of “Every Girl” had that same disastrous potential?

Souljah Boy performing was a bit out of place for the evening, but the song choice was innocent enough. Jay-Z has transcended hip-hop, making his stage show the equivalent of a pop performance. Drake’s brief solo performance started nearing the point of distasteful, but “other hoes ain’t never on it,” so it’s ok. Seriously though, with lyrics like “you can have my heart or we can share it like the last slice” and “sweat pants, hair tied, chilling with no makeup on// that’s when you’re the prettiest I hope that you don’t take it wrong” things hadn’t gone completely wrong yet. Sadly, when Weezy and crew hit the stage singing “I wish I could f*** every girl in the world” followed by “I always stayed strapped,” a night dedicated to the King of Pop took a horribly wrong turn. Imploring fans to “put your hands up for Michael Jackson in this b!t(#” didn’t help matters at all. The onslaught of curse words, the objectionable song topics, the unkempt appearances of the Young Money crew, and the girls on stage who hadn’t yet hit puberty singing along to “Every Girl” had no place in a night meant to celebrate the life and music of MJ. They could’ve cut the act. They could’ve performed a different song. They could’ve created and performed a dedication song; 50 Cent recorded and put out 2 songs in a day dedicated to Mr. Moonwalker, and 50 still uses pen and pad. They could’ve done anything except what they actually did.

Would I play a techno song at a funeral? Probably not. Would I play a country song at Howard’s homecoming? Sure wouldn’t. Would I play a blues song on a Friday night at your favorite club? Hell naw. All music isn’t meant for every occasion. Maybe Michael Jackson’s is, but clearly “Every Girl” is not.

Is there even a 37th Chamber? Who cares the 1st 36 rock!!

People tend to forget the impact that the Wu had when they came out back in 1993. (Note: I even underestimated them. I originally wrote 1995. Didn't even know they held it down for that damn long).

There's so many reasons why they are legends...


1) They were a group where everyone can rap. (Well U-God tried but they were smart enough to only give him like 4 bars at a time.

2) Their style caught on like the plague. Everyone after them started with all the crazy nicknames.

3) C.R.E.A.M - changed our language - nuff said

4) Managed to get seperate solo deals for each artist so that they can put extra food on the plate. A genius of an idea at the time. As significant as ringtone deals are today.

Love em!!!!!

The gWiz Musik Show (SPECIAL MJ TRIBUTE EDITION WORLDCASTRADIO.COM)

DJ GWIZ - THE GWIZ MUSIK SHOW (SPECIAL MJ TRIBUTE EDITION WORLDCASTRADIO.COM)

One last trip to the store...

Tuesday: I had my Doubts
Written by JusHH

September 13, 1996, Tupac Amaru Shakur died after being shot several times in Las Vegas. This isn’t news to anyone but it set the stage for one of my most memorable album purchases ever. Shortly after he was pronounced dead, rumors began to circulate that 2Pac was alive and in hiding. Stories turned into urban legends. So when it was announced that Death Row was releasing 2Pac’s final album under the alias Makaveli, everyone was brimming with curiosity and anticipation. With so much controversy at the time of his death, you just had no idea what to expect. That hype and Pac being one of my favorite rappers at the time, made me rush to the stores and cop that joint.

But this post is about the album I didn’t buy that day…

After I bought the 2Pac album, I called my boy on my mom’s cell. (This was 1996 so that cell phone was the size of a PSP lol) I was walking back to the dollar van to go home and I told him that I bought the Makaveli album. The rest of our conversation went as follows (Obviously paraphrasing. My memory isn’t that good):

“Yo, I saw that Jay-Z dude’s album there too. Did you hear anything about it?”
“Son, you crazy.”
“Huh?”
“There’s no way you should have left the store without it.”

After that strong recommendation, the following week I went back to the store and purchased the album with the fly gangster cover. Without question, Reasonable Doubt has one of the best covers I’ve ever seen. I grabbed that cassette tape and headed home.

At the time, I only heard “Ain’t no N***a” and parts of “Dead Presidents” so I didn’t really know too much about him. That all changed over the next 60-65 minutes. Hearing him go to work on “Can’t Knock the Hustle” set the tone for the rest of the album. I knew I was in for something classic. (“high stakes, I got more in ‘steak’ than Philly”). Then I thought I was going to pass out when I first heard “Brooklyn’s Finest”. I remember thinking, “yo did this dude just out rap Biggie?”

“Too much west coast d**k lickin’, and too many n***as on a mission. Doin’ they best Jay-Z rendition.”

When I read the title, 22 Two’s on the end of Side A on the tape, I had an idea what I was about to listen to and it still exceed expectations. I would rewind it over and over trying to count if he actually fit 22 two’s in that song. (Note: It actually took nearly ten years and dozens of conversations for me to finally confirm it)

If that wasn’t enough, when he began talking on “Friend or Foe”, I thought it was an intro. Boy was I wrong. Slowly I started picking up on the flow and by the time he said, “chances slimmer than that chick in Calvin Klein pants”, I felt like I just stumbled upon a Pacino movie.

Listening to that album that day was more than music, it was an experience. When the beat to “Regrets” faded out, I became a lifelong fan. He went from virtually unknown to one of my favorite rappers in on single evening. Now I wait like a kid on Christmas everytime I hear he’s about to release a new album.

And to think…

I had my doubts.

4 Bars- Underrated Flow

I’m riding in the car, recently, listening to two rappers whose verses I never thought I’d look forward to: Jay? Nope Em? No again. Ye? (sigh) no… Bow Wow and GUCCI!!

Below are the two verses I speak of where their flow is undeniable. But before you completely discredit me as a Hip-Hop head, I wanna say that if Gucci wasn’t a “trap star” and Bow Wow didn’t already think he was the “best looking, best singin muthaf#$a in the world, hol my drink bi#$h” (RIP Rick James and Mike Jackson).

If either of these guys decided to place some depth in their verses and talk about something other than birds, Benzes, and bitches, I think they would garner acclaim from people other than 16 yr old girls and 12-40 yr old southern hood cats (they like Gucci a lot in Maryland as well, weird).

Now don’t get me wrong, these two verses are not examples of them expanding their lyrical subject matter. Bow Wow is talking about stuntin and swag and Gucci is talking about getting to da money via the bird but I use these as examples of the potential that they, like a lot of other rappers, possess to be much better than they are. What can I say, I’m a hopeful optimist. Are you?



Bow Wow's verse is at 1:35

Find more videos like this on www.truveo.com.

Gucci's verse is at 1:18

Peace

Hip-Hop owes you alot...

The Ski Mask Way...

Why Not Rob?
Written by Just K

If I go to the club and hear “Get Money” one more time while my pockets are on E, I might have to rob me a rapper.

I don’t actually advocate robbing, stick-ups, or violence at all (though I do have a friend who responds to “violence is not the answer” with “you’re just asking the wrong question”). But I also don’t encourage flaunting your revenue and bragging on your material possessions during a damn recession. Why do I want to hear about the gold seats and IMAX screen in your 2011 Bentley when I’m struggling to put gas in my Corolla? Should I be excited when you flick open your futuristic thought-activated cell phone in your music video when I had to cut the internet service from my cell phone package? You’ve got Jacob Bernstein-designed Louis Vuitton glasses and my kid has to sit so close to the front of the classroom he’s actually sitting behind the teacher. Damn.

Is the recession depressing? Hell yeah it is. But it’s real. Money is low, funds are tight, and jobs are scarce. Rap advertises itself as the voice box of the people. There aren’t enough songs on the radio (I can’t currently think of any) that accurately depict the hard times that people are currently going through. I’m seeing the broke people everyday. I’m just not hearing about it. The people ain’t popping champagne. The people are popping cans of sardines. The clothes, the jewelry, the cars, the frivolous spending of money on “jumpoffs” – it’s still all over the music. The representation of what’s going on in the real world, not so much. I guess the recession only affects us normal folks.

Actually, that’s not true. The gigantic chains that we’re so used to seeing aren’t what they used to be. It’s been widely reported that your favorite rappers have can’t afford those iced out pieces any more. They’re still coldish, but not iced out. The diamonds have been blended and mixed with cubic-zirconia for all of the look at less of the price. Cubic-zirconia. Yeah, the same stuff your girlfriend made you swear not to get her if you ever proposed. That’s what it’s come to? I mean, what happened to old school perpetrating? You know, when rappers lived in a shoebox of an apartment but had a big ole chain. You’re telling me the chain’s fake too? Damn, homey.

They brag and boast while we struggle and strain. It almost makes you want to snatch a chain off a rapper, but don’t do it. It’s probably not worth the trouble.

Video: Pac Div - The Mayor

Show some more respect!

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.

"Turn My Swag On" - Soulja Boy
You don't have to like his music but he is not killing Hip-Hop so cut the crap.



"You Can Get it All" - Bow Wow
Yeah, yeah i know he used to be 13. But now he's grown and knows how to make a good record. Plus your sister probably wants to do him.



"Can't Believe it" - T-Pain
Even Mr. D.O.A. himself couldn't deny T-Pain's impact. He's an incredibly talented dude and right now, you need him to sell a record.



"Ego Remix" - Beyonce ft. Kanye West
Yes, i went with a feature because this dude is an incredible rapper. He's not just a good rapper for a guy who produces, he's one of the best. Period.



"Dancing on Me" - DJ Webstar ft. Jim Jones and Julez Santana
New York City is not dead. Never was and never will be. Thank you very much. This isn't a best or worst argument. Just don't act like NY turned into Kentucky.



Come back every week for a new mixtape!

You thinking what I'm thinking?

Still Wondering…
Written by JusHH

I wonder where the f**k Lupe Fiasco is. I haven’t heard anything from him in months

I wonder if 50 really thinks he’s ending Rick Ross’ career

I wonder if Drake will be a commercial success

I STILL wonder what a Jay-Z/Nas album would sound like.

I wonder the same for the Slaughterhouse project. I still won’t believe it until I see it.

I wonder why Mr. Cheeks never got made fun of more for his name. Seriously, Mr. Cheeks?

I wonder how Turk feels. It must suck being the forgotten one of a group.

I STILL wonder why rappers can’t make creative videos. Except for you Kanye.

I wonder the same about Vinny, Pras, U-God, Wish Bone and the other members of Leaders of the New School

I wonder why Fabolous can’t make a classic album.

I wonder if I will ever understand a sentence that has the words Gucci Mane and “hot”.

I wonder when people will stop dealing with major labels and realize that they can do better on their own.

I wonder how Hip-Hop would be if Napster was never created.

I STILL wonder when Lil’ Wayne became a Blood… and a drug addict.

I wonder when he became Berry f’n Gordy! First Kevin Rudolph, then Drake, then Nicki – this guy has an eye for talent.

I wonder if rappers will ever really battle again.

I STILL wonder why PTM isn’t read by more people…

4 Bars- G.O.A.T.?

Jay-Z has claimed on several occasions that he is the Mike Jordan of rap and honestly, he probably is. But the great thing about Hip-Hop that I wish we could do with hoops is that you can actually compare rappers of different generations. I was listening to Lil’ Wayne's new joint with Gucci Mane where he claims he’s the best to ever do it and I thought, “damn, is he right?”


After a week of Hov bashing, I figured I’d continue the theme. LSCFoot brought up two REALLY great points of criticism of Hov that I think apply to more than just his latest offering: “no development of his style” and “nothing pushing any preconceived notions of what a superior lyricist should sound like”. In the past 5 years, if you could name a rapper that has done both of these things, who would it be? If you answered Kanye or Wayne, I would have to agree.

Now I’m not saying that you have to do an alternative record (808s and Wayne’s upcoming rock joint count, the joint Hov did with Linkin Park does not) that’s not hip hop, but watching Wayne develop from “wobbledy wobbledy” to “I’m richer than Nicole and I’m a lion like her daddy” has been mind blowing. Kanye has emerged as one of the most creative artists in any genre and like he said “now he look at me like, Damn dog you where I am…” I’m just thinking, can’t I compare Jay with these young cats? They’re all still rapping and making music. No injuries or conditioning issues prevent it so in Hip-Hop, if you still rapping, you better be doing it well.

Hov continues to put out great music, but lately, Ye and Weezy have elevated the game to places we didn’t think possible. Who thought a legit rapper could make an album where all he does is sing (Jus says 3 Stacks did it first but that’s sans autotune and he was spittin a little) and what other rapper has done a legit rock album? As long as everybody is still rapping, there are standards that are applied across the board. The Jiggaman is probably the closest to “the greatest” but there are cats hot on his heels and if he sticks around long enough for one of these cats to catch/surpass him, what will it look like?

This is what I live for!

Is there really anything that I need to say about this video?

Mix it up...

Older Onus
written by Just K

I celebrated when I heard Death of Autone.

Show Me What You Got, not so much.

We Made You from Eminem almost made me depressed.

No Matter What and Dead and Gone were both triumphant moments. Thanks T.I.

You can throw What You Know About That in there too.

Can’t Tell Me Nothing from Kanye was a beautiful thing.

What Them Girls Like and Moneymaker were painful from Ludacris.

Throw It In the Bag? Ewwww.

A Millie made my day, month, and maybe half-year.

Nas – Hero. Yes!

Where am I going with this? Give me a second.

I expect a group by the name of FLY to drop a record called Swag Surfin.

I expect Rich Boy to put out a club banger called Throw Some D’s.

Am I surprised at all that B Hamp put out Do the Ricky Bobby? Hell naw.

Nor am I surprised by the Stanky Leg.

I am also not shocked that no one from XXL’s New Class has really blown yet.

They can actually rap.

We really do live in an ADHD ringtone world. In many cases, new artists that have substance but can’t deliver a ringtone-worthy first single fall off before they even get the chance to show the public what they can do. That being said, I blame the proven vets for some of the craziness on the radio. The dudes who have been doing this forever are guaranteed to go at least gold, usually platinum whenever they release an album. Why not give us something a little different? I’m sure they have earned more creative freedom than rookies in the game. On top of that, they’ve been around since a time when being able to really rap was a good thing.

When I hear an artist that’s been successful in rap over the span of many years and many albums deliver a piss poor, contrived radio single it confuses me. It’s your job to set the standard. You’re hot. It’s your job – no, your responsibility to tell us what’ll be the next hot trend. Don’t hop on a whack or corny trend that already exists. And even if you give us a “surefire” hit, do something different and creative with it a la Lollipop from Weezy. As catchy as that song was, there was nothing on the radio like it at the time. He stayed in the box while stepping out of one. Sweet.

The cats that have been around for a while have leeway. Please use it. Push the envelope. Worst case scenario, we’ll send it back and allow you to ship out a new package. More than likely, it’ll change what a lot of people deliver to the radio.

Pimp This!

Xzibit has had a unique career in Hip-Hop. He's such a popular figure yet you can't really categorize him easily.

Make no mistake about it. He is a rapper first. But rap isn't what has been paying the bills. But by most definitions, he's been a successful rapper.(6 albums with one going platinum) But when you think about Xzibit, you don't even think about the lyrics. You think about the chevy novas or his passing roles in movies like Training Day or Grid Iron Gang.

But he is definitely a rapper. When he first came out, he made his mark by being an LA dude with a NY lyrical flavor. But as soon as he started popping up on MTV, it was hard to take that menacing look and the crip walking in videos seriously. But he definitely made the best of a situation and his unique image and it has turned itself into some nice sized checks.

X to the Z has been one of the most successful people in Hip-Hop history but no one even really remembers how or why. Its probably because he's done it in so many different ways.

But he's definitely still a rapper.

I think.

New Music: J. Cole - The Warm Up (Mixtape)

Here's the long awaiting second release from J. Cole, check it out

1. Intro (The Warm Up)
2. Welcome
3. Can I Live*
4. Grown Simba
5. Just To Get By
6. Lights Please
7. Dead Presidents II
8. I Get Up
9. World Is Empty
10. Dreams ft. Brandon Hines
11. Royal Flush
12. Dollar and Dream II
13. Water Break (Interlude)
14. Heartache**
15. Get Away
16. Knock Knock
17. Ladies ft. Lee Fields and The Expressions
18. Til’ Infinity
19. The Badness ft. Omen
20. Hold It Down
21. Last Call

Bonus-
22. Losing My Balance

All Songs Written and Produced by J. Cole
* - Produced by Syience
** - Produced by Elite

Download: J. Cole - The Warm Up

It's Tha Reeaaallll

Excuse the shameless Beyonce pic, I had an interesting “discussion” with my sister the other day. She says that Beyonce is “fake” because “her fans don’t know who she really is” and it made me think about all the times I’ve written about “keeping it real” who is real, realness, the realest, etc. My question to ya’ll is what do these artists owe us, if anything, when it comes to the “real”?

Personally, I feel like artists don’t owe us anything except quality entertainment. So if Beyonce wants to keep her private life private, more power to her (and Hov). But I guess the difference with Hip-Hop is that artists constantly remind us how real they are and how they live what they rap, write, etc. But even this has come into question as a recent video from Pusha T shows us his modest yet nice house and his rimless BMW X5. Busta Rhymes had a similar sentiment when he described what happens when he gets in the booth, “you become whatever you want to be”.

The fact is I’m still just looking for honesty; whether it be a rapper telling me what the truth is or him truthfully telling me that what he’s saying is not the truth. But does he even owe me that?

DTW

Death To Whom?
written by Just K

Jay-Z made a song that pretty much echoes the sentiments of the streets. “This autotune bulls#!t is getting out of hand.” Like, remember when we heard rappers’ real voices? Remember when rappers were making hard songs instead of sounding all extra Microsoft? Apparently Jay-Z remembers this time and decided to take it back. Lyrics like “Holdup, this ain’t a number 1 record” and “this ain’t for sing-a-long” are the equivalent of Jay-Z telling MCs to stop trying to make hit records and just make quality music.

Hmmmm…a bit hypocritical much?

As Jus stated earlier this week, this is the same guy that gave us “Can I Get A…” (my raps don’t have melodies, huh?) which is clearly an attempt at making a hit song. “Give it to Me,” “Show Me What You Got,” “Big Pimpin’,” that seizure-inducing video for “Sunshine” and “H to the Izzo” are all definitely strategically planned hit records.



So here’s where things get a bit interesting to me. When Jay debuts the song, he takes time out to let it be known that T-Pain, Lil’ Wayne, and Kanye all have talent. According to the law of Jay-Z, they are allowed to use autotune. Aside from them, it’s just being used to way too much apparently. Again, hmmmmm. Did he just give a pass to the only people that use autotune and then tell us that autotune is being used too much? Aside from Ron Browz (the epitome of horrible autotuning), name another hip-hop artist that had major success off an autotuned single.



It’s cool. I’ll wait.


Now, here’s where Jus and I differ: I think the song is dope. I love it. It’s a declaration that is so bold, so strong, and so loud that the public is duped into thinking it’s completely relevant since the public has been saying for quite some time what Jay is saying now. He’s playing voice box (no pun intended) for the people, albeit a bit after we stopped talking. Regardless, it’s not like we weren’t saying it just yesterday. The beat is on some hard $#!t (no constipation). It’s got a soulful feel to it. The chorus is minimal and irresistibly catchy. Again, way to dupe the people by saying it’s not a hit song and giving it a hit song’s chorus. And recycling a part of Kanye’s “Big Brother” further ensuring that the song will be a hit – genius! The sheer hypocrisy and boldness is wonderful to me. The fact that he’s chosen a concept song for his lead single is even better. Yep. Rap’s Brett Favre is at it again. I think he may have tossed a two-point conversion and tricked the world into thinking it was a touchdown. Either way, dude still scored.