Where's Miss Cleo when you need her?

Where Do We Go From Here?
written by Four Bars

I thought about my favorite rappers right now (Hov, Ye, Killer Mike, Face, Kast, UGK, LB, among others) and how I often answer the question of “yo, do you like ___” with “I haven’t really heard him, I kind of just listen to a handful of people I know will make good music and pick up the other stuff if I hear it and like it.” This seems unfair and close-minded, I know, but I honestly don’t have time to listen to EVERY new “hot” rapper that comes along. Lately, however, there have been some cats that are catching and keeping my attention and it just makes me think: “Where is hip-hop headed?”

Honestly, in 10 years, 3-6 of my favorite rappers probably won’t rap anymore cause they’ll be in their 40s and while that hasn’t stopped some hip-hop legends from rapping today, seeing Hov and Face rap at 48, might be like watching Roy Jones Jr. well after he should’ve hung them up: painful and sad.

Excluding the current superstars in their prime (Ye, Wayne, T.I., Luda, etc.) there are two who really stand out to me as young and up and coming. I downloaded two mixtapes by Drake and Kid Cudi and was honestly blown away by both, especially considering I hadn’t heard one of their songs on the radio previous to hearing their mixtapes. I’m impressed by their originality and charisma and I see great things for them both. My only fear is that there won’t be enough torch bearers to come along with them. I hope I’m wrong and acts like The Cool Kids can tow their line as well but I come back to my original question: where is hip-hop headed? I honestly don’t know, but with the current group of talent and the young bucks coming into the game, I’m optimistic.

Yea...

I Called That?
written by Just K

JusHH took you through that feeling of joy - the undeniable feeling of triumph when you endorse an artist before anybody else does. The risk of believing in an artist in the earliest stages of his or her career and the reward of that belief blossoming into an accurate prediction is a wonderful thing. But ladies and gentlemen, it’s not all hi-fives, daps, and hugs. Oh no! I’m here to show you the dark side of believing. I’m here to show you that sometimes that MC you vouch for in front of everyone – and yes, it is even more painful when you vouch by yourself – can have a mainstream career that disappears quicker than crab legs at a buffet. As painful as it may be to take this trip, I am willing to display my numerous erroneous “calls” so that you, the faithful readers of PTM, understand that as impeccable as my taste in music is, even I have made mistakes. Ah, the perils and pitfalls of “calling” it. This is what happens when you “call it” and no one answers.

Remember Lil’ Zane? Yeah, I called it. After his verse on one of 112’s hits, I started looking at dude to see if he’d pop. Then he had a few decent singles on his own. I thought it was a bonus that the female fans found him attractive. I just knew dude had a shot at blowing up. I guess it was more like Blowing Up Fatty Koo. Mind you, I didn’t think he’d be a lyrical titan in the game. I just thought he would achieve mainstream success. After his singles dropped, there was a decent delay in the CD dropping. Then after the delay, there was little promo for the album. Then there was no more Lil’ Zane.

Da Band. Now before you start laughing, I’d like to say I didn’t vouch for the whole group. Dylan the Grenadian Gangsta was enough to stop me from doing that. I figured that once they broke up, Babs and Ness were going to be alright. Babs had a solid joint in “Left, Right” and Ness had the “My Hood” track that got popping. Ness even had a bunch of different plays on his name. It’s Nessessary, the Loch Ness monster, Nesstalgia, Nessquito bite, Bird’s Ness (ok, I’m wilding). I thought they’d drop their album and it’d be a wrap. It’s not supposed to be a wrap before the album, son. And while we’re at it, I’ll toss Aasim into the Bad Boy pit of gloom that I “called.” Man, I heard dude on some mixtape tracks and I just knew he was the future of NY hip-hop. Not so much, huh? He had enough style and charisma to not just be another mixtape dude. Now I’m not even sure if he’s a mixtape dude. And before we leave Bad Boy, I’m going to go ahead and shoutout another dude I endorsed that I wouldn’t have known if it weren’t for Da Band. Yup, shoutout to Jae Millz. After the “No, No, No” joint, I knew he was on the way. If only I knew where he was on the way to…

Since we’re in NY, I’m going to make a quick run over to 106 & Park. When “Jurassic Harlem” hit I was sure that Postaboy could do a little more than retire the Freestyle Friday crown. Again, I was wrong. When Jin tried to get me to “Speak Chinese” I knew it was curtains, Chinese curtains, for him, too. Never again have I checked for a 106 graduate.

By the way, if they’re signed to Aftermath, forget about it. You can scrap somewhere between 2 and 4 “calls” right there.

I can do this all day, but I’m going to pick the be-all and end-all of “I Called It” gone wrong. Your favorite battle rapper and mine, Can-I-Bus. First I thought the world would realize he could rap circles around everyone’s favorite MCs. The ladies that wanted to booty-shake in the clubs didn’t get that memo. Then I figured everyone would realize he smashed on LL in that battle. That didn’t happen either. Then I decided to sit back and wait for the classic album he was going to drop. Ummmm…he dropped an album. To call it classic would be like calling this year’s Knicks the best team in basketball. You get the picture. But what can you do except acknowledge you called it (or pretend you didn’t) and invest your belief again.

Slim Shady...

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.


Pretty Fly for a White Guy


1. “Role Model”


2. “Any Man”


3. “Marshall Mathers”


4. “Run Rabbit Run”


5. “Rain Man”



Come back every week for a new mixtape!

Who Is...

Aubrey Drake Graham is a Canadian actor, rapper and singer. He is known for playing Jimmy Brooks, the physically disabled character on Degrassi: The Next Generation. As a rapper, Graham uses the stage name Drake, and is often billed as the new version of The Fresh Prince. He is currently signed to Interscope Records and managed by Hip Hop Since 1978. (via wiki)




Drake - So Far Gone Mixtape

When everyone was sleeping... I peeped it.

Tuesday: Hi, My Name Is...
written by JusHH

You ever called someone? Nah, not on the phone, I mean to be the first person to recognize the greatness in someone and say something like, “yo, dude is sick, he’s gonna be one of the best.” That feeling is the best – especially when no one agrees with you when you first call him. That gives you bragging rights forever. I can’t say that I’ve called that many people but this one in particular will hold me down for the rest of my life.

I remember when I first saw him. I was watching MTV and I caught the song in the middle of the second verse. Although the flow was slow, the way he put his rhymes together, I knew that this was no accident. It was weird because it was difficult not to judge this book by its cover but something about the rhymes seemed authentic. Another thing that threw me for a loop was his co-signer.

Wait, was that Dre?

If there was one thing for certain, when Dre put his name behind a new artist, you better pay attention. And pay attention I did. So when that video came on again, I was ready and peeped it from start to finish. The way he mixed comedy with complex raps was something that I really hadn’t seen before. At that moment, I knew dude was nice and I officially called… Eminem.

Of course I took s**t for it. “Who the white boy that Dre signed? Please. You trippin’ Jus.” None of my boys had my back. They thought I was going crazy. They also laughed at my affinity for Korn and Aerosmith as well. No one I knew saw the skills that Em had.

So the day the album dropped, my boy Ill, who always went and bought albums with me, and I headed to this spot on Long Island called CD Warehouse. It was the only place I knew at the time that bought and sold used CD’s. We get there and we go through all of the used albums looking for some hidden classics. I get to the counter and I ask the clerk, for that new “Slim Shady” album (I’m not even sure that I knew that his official rap name was Eminem). Ill immediately gives me that look that I’m about to throw away $15 and he’s gonna laugh his ass off if the album turns out to be wack. The funniest part was that the clerk, who was white, literally laughed at me like I was from another planet or something. I shrugged it off and took my Slim Shady LP to the crib.

I of course, was not disappointed. The cartoonish, over-the-top content obviously jumped off the page, but it was the raw skills that drew me. Hearing Em open up on “Role Model” with, “I’m cancerous/ so when I diss, you wouldn’t wanna answer this/ if you responded back, with a battle rap you wrote for Canibus”, gave me a straight up Fanatic moment! The sheer brilliance behind the “98 Bonnie and Clyde” where he talks about killing Kim (for the first time) in “baby gibberish” to his young Hallie, is impossible to ignore. Hearing stories about poppin’ pills, getting beat up by bullies and horrible parenting was refreshing during a time where everyone was blinged up and thugged down. The back and forth with then unknown Royce the 5’9 was off the hook. The album just blew me away and its still in rotation today.

So yeah we all know where the story went. Eminem burst onto the scene sold 3 million records with his debut. Then he dropped the Marshall Mathers LP and changed the game forever. This led to Grammy’s and ultimately people giving him the title of one of the best to ever do it. Well, guess what, I saw it a long time ago when everyone was still laughing at the white boy trying to rap. I called Eminem and I’m damn proud of it because he is still in my Top 5 and produced one of my favorite albums of all time (The Eminem Show). You gotta love what Dre and Em did back in ’99. They knew what they were up against: Vanilla Ice set white rappers back 15 years with his display of “talent”. They both knew Eminem could rap circles regardless of his lack of melanin. So they introduced Em to the world in the most straightforward way…

Hi, my name is…

And the skills did the rest.

Am I Wrong?

My Dilemma
4bars

So shout out to Just K for opening up the Curtis – OFFICER RICKKYYYY beef to PTM. Recently I was thinking about it and while most beefs are ridiculous (TIP and any rapper you can think of, etc) I find myself torn in this one.

I’ve had several different conversations with high school aged minority males in which they have expressed that they believe the likes of Lil Wayne and Rick Ross when they claim to be the kingpins of unnamed drug syndicates. This frightens me.

My dilemma is this: Normally I would be COMPLETELY anti-Curtis for his ignorant ass rant and promotional driven beef with another rapper but in this case, the cat he’s going after, I dislike even more than he. So is it ok for ignorance to exist and succeed if it is eliminating an even higher form of itself and ultimately doing good?

50 has the ability to end a rapper’s career and RAWSS seems to be next in line. I would love to never see Rick Ross’ face or hear his voice as a rapper again not because I dislike him as a person but because I disagree with everything he stands for as an artist. But am I a hypocrite for condoning the dirty deeds of Mr. Jackson simply because they bring about a favorable result?

Crossing...

The Line
written by Just K

You ever seen violent acts stem from dudes playing the dozens?

It’s an interesting thing. I’ve seen it happen before, but I think I might be watching it take place right now, actually. This guy named Curtis walks into the room and clearly this other guy - let’s call him Ricky – kinda knows him, but doesn’t like him for whatever reason (probably something stupid like, “he looked at me wrong one day” or something like that). So anyway, as soon as Curtis walks in, Ricky starts talking sh*t about him. It started simple enough. Something stupid like…

Ricky: “Ahhhhhhh! Look at dude with his fake butters. With yo bootleg, margarine-ass Thinberlands.

Simple, right? Unwarranted, but nothing too crazy. I mean, it did receive a response from the people sitting around him, but if it’s a response he wanted, he got it from Curtis.

Curtis: “N***a, my margarines cost more than that small-ass shoebox you live in. My margarines came out of a bigger box than your whole apartment. As for fake, you the last person that needs to call someone fake. You fake like you rich, but your baby mama say you not.

Crowd: Ooooooooooooh!

Ok. Initially Ricky started going on Curtis for absolutely no reason whatsoever. The fact that he tried to blindside him was dirty, but Curtis decided to turn the heat up a few degrees. Considering these dudes have no real history, but still don’t like each other, I can’t see why things would go in an uglier direction; I’m still pretty sure it will. The crowd is loving it, though. Everyone moves in a little closer to hear who’s going to say what next. Apparently this is what we call entertainment.

Ricky: Shoebox? My shoebox of an apartment is worth more than your f****t son’s life.

Crowd: Oh sh*t! Did he just say that?

You know that imaginary line that exists when people are talking trash about other people? You know the line. If not, here’s a quick definition. I got it straight out of Webster’s, swear to goodness.

THE LINE – an imaginary boundary separating allowable topics of conversation from those that should remain off limits.

Well, Ricky officially crossed that line. The whole crowd is itching to see how Curtis will retaliate.

Curtis: You talking about my son, though? Aight, I got something for you. Matter of fact, I got something for you and your thick little Arab buddy.

(The crowd slowly shifts its collective gaze from Ricky and Curtis to Ricky’s chubby buddy. As Curtis begins to reach in his pocket, the crowd’s attention shifts back to the main event).

Would you believe that Curtis reaches in his coat pocket and pulls out a video camera with footage of chubby buddy’s momma at her job!? The audience that has now inexplicably grown in size is huddled around the camera in stunned silence. That imaginary line has been completely eradicated. Now there’s no telling where things will go from this point. Curtis sits back and smiles. Ricky matches Curtis’s cool demeanor with a nonchalant attitude of his own.

Ricky: Whateva, playa. That ain’t fazing nobody. If you was gonna do something for real you would’ve been did it, right homey?

Ricky looks at his chubby buddy for fearless companionship. Chubby Buddy meets his friend’s stare with a solemn gaze. Chubby Buddy is clearly not happy with the turn of events, but he’s fully aware that Ricky will do something in retaliation. What Ricky has planned, Chubby Buddy doesn’t know. Neither does the rest of the crowd, which is visibly uncomfortable at this point. Memories of line-steppers gone are just as present as the footage of Chubby Buddy’s moms. A very real fear that a simple game of the dozens could lead to violence is floating around the room. Some audience members turn away, refusing to relive a situation they lived through in the mid-90s. Others are screaming for more. Some continue to watch, knowing that only Ricky and Curtis can prevent things from going any further. It doesn’t look like Curtis will stop, especially since he just brought his boy Lloyd in to talk sh*t about Ricky. No one is sure if Ricky will either. I’m hoping that this stops before it goes too far, but you never know. I’ve seen it go too far before.

Step into the ring...

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.


Who Won?



1. "6 Minutes" – Cassidy ft. Lil' Wayne & Fabolous


2. "Made You Look (Remix)" – Nas ft. Jadakiss & Ludacris


3. "Super Lyrical" – Big Pun ft. Black Thought


4. "I Shot Ya (Remix)" - LL Cool J ft. Prodigy, Keith Murray, Fat Joe & Foxy Brown


5. "Brooklyn's Finest" – Jay-Z ft. Notorious B.I.G.



Come back every week for a new mixtape!

Who Is...

Q Da Kid

Q Da Kid MySpace

Don't get on a song with me, I'm a problem...

Collabo’s: The “Other” Battle
written by JusHH

“But you ain’t fin to murder me like everybody else/ I’ma rap like I have some type of respect for myself.”

On the Lolipop Remix, Kanye made it a point that he was going to hold his own on a song with Lil’ Wayne and not get embarrassed. At the time, Wanye was hopping on songs with everyone and simply outshining them. Ye didn’t want to be another victim. Busta Rhymes recently mentioned the fact that he never got on a song with someone else and got “eaten”. And frankly, isn’t that what happens on every collabo – you trying not to get embarrassed by the other people on the song. Who wants to have the worst verse? With Hip-Hop being so competitive, every collabo almost takes on an unwritten battle feel where emcees compete to see who’s the best on a particular beat.

“Yo son, you think Em got Hov on that ‘Renegade’ joint?”

“Canibus killed everyone on that song. Nobody seeing him for real.”

Every featured verse on a collabo instantly becomes topic of discussion to see who won and who got beat. Sometimes the “cold war” type battle can turn real. The entire LL Cool J/ Canibus beef started over the “4,3,2,1” track that they did together. LL used his verse to throw shots at the younger emcee and it led to one of the more popular battles in history.

In an interview with XXL, Fat Joe talked about rapping with the late Big L and how he had to “fight for his life” on that song. Big L told him that he better bring it because he was going to take all of Joe’s fans. Every rapper, whether they admit it or not, wants to beat every other rapper that they do a song with. Fabolous and Jadakiss have made careers winning these kinds of battles. So even if they never get a classic album under their belt, they will still be two of the most feared rappers and go down on a few people’s all time lists.

“… and Eminem murdered you on your own s**t.”

This line blended the two together as Nas, during an actual battle, proclaimed that Jay-Z lost to Eminem when the two featured on the 2001 classic. Whether or not you felt that Nas beat Jay-Z, most people agree that “Ether” was without question the hardest punch thrown during the fight and showed that the great Hov wasn’t untouchable. So when it was announced that the two ended their feud and would do a song together, I asked myself, “who’s gonna win this battle?” And with the way that Jay-Z destroyed “Black Republican”, you had the feeling that Jay wanted to prove a point. He further proved that point on “Success” where he spanked Nas for a second time. Maybe its why Nas put a little extra on his verse when he got on that Ludacris song with Jay. Now I’m not saying that the two of them aren’t cool… but they are both aware that the jury is still out on who is the best emcee and each collabo performance can tilt the scale.

To the naked eye, a good collaboration is the harmony of rappers trying to make a dope record. But to those that know, it’s a secret competition to one-up the guy next to you. It’s that desire to be #1 that brings the best out of everyone. Because when you first heard “Swagger Like Us”, what did you immediately ask yourself…

“Yo, I think T.I. killed all of ‘em.”

"For The Lover In You" (The Official Valentines Day Mixtape)

Gifts are cool, Chocolates are cool, Roses are cool, but this is what your missing..."For The Lover In You" (The Official Valentines Day Mixtape) courtsey of gWIz. It is available now to download here, ZSHARE or MEGAUPLOAD

The night aint right, without the right music!

Harmony...

Bone Bone Bone Boooone
written by 4bars

I’m riding through Jersey the other day and “Moments in Love” comes on the radio. I probably should’ve been thinking about, well, moments in love, but my mind IMMEDIATELY jumped to one of the most heralded rap music groups of our time: Bone Thugs-n-Harmony.

From “Thuggish Ruggish Bone” to the commercial smash “Tha Crossroads”, BTNH revolutionized the game. BTNH was the hottest thing in rap for a while delivering soundtrack classics “Everyday Thang” (The Show) and the ridiculous “Days of our Lives” (Set it Off). Even the Mo Thugs album was pretty good. BTNH is arguably one of the greatest rap groups ever. While clearly I wouldn’t put them with the pioneers of the game I certainly think their name should be mentioned with the Wu-Tangs.

Their flow was infectious and influenced a lot of the singing/rapping/harmonizing we hear from today’s hip-hop artists. While their lyrics weren’t always decipherable, their flow and song composition was undeniably incredible.

One of the highlights of my hip-hop experience was a trip to Los Angeles when I was 14. I was exposed to not one, but two of the most historic songs BTNH ever recorded: Notorious Thugs and Thug Love. I remember riding with my cousin and he popped in Life After Death. Of course the first track he went to was “Going Back to Cali”, but right after, he went back to track 1 and that opening “its Bone and Biggie Biggie…” along with the piano still gives me goose bumps just thinking about it. Needless to say we zoned out for the majority of that car ride. Later on in my trip, I remember listening to the radio and hearing a DJ talk about the song that Bone recorded with Pac and they actually played it, gunshots and all on the radio. My mind was blown, completely, and that was probably the most gangster or “thug” I had ever felt at that point in my life.

I could go on and on about BTNH but their track record speaks for itself. They remind me of Terrell Davis or Hakeem Olajuwon. Both had great careers but for about 2 years they were the best and Bone can lay stake to that same claim. The protégés of Eazy-E stuck through unstable group members (“UH HUUHHHH, aint nuttin like money in a zip lock bag…”) to remain a one of a kind group who pushed the rapid fire flow like no crew before them had. Combined with the melodious harmonies they perfected and pioneered, they remain one of my all time favorite rap groups.

Nite & Day...

24 Hour Access Kills the Rap Star
written by Just K

You bought the CD. You read the interviews. You saw them on Rap City. You went to the concert. You saw them in the news if they screwed up. The end.

That was before 24 hour access.

Now we have constant access to rappers and it’s definitely not for the better. In a world where street cred is everything, a few concentrated internet searches can turn up surprising information. We find out that a boat that pulled into the Port of Miami was probably property of the coast guard and not some heavy drug trafficker. We find out that a con is really only kind of a con after serving only a few days in jail as opposed to a few 365s. And that may just be the beginning. It’ll be interesting when you find out your favorite rapper didn’t go to jail for murder, but for unpaid traffic tickets. Also, I’m not really sure if Uncle Murda having a website strictly about murders is doing a lot for his marketability.

Then there’s the magic of youtube. It’s one thing to hear about Gucci Mane hitting a woman, but seeing the actual footage of how and why it happened made me lose respect for a guy I didn’t have a lot of respect for in the first place. Hearing about a guy getting punched or jacked for a chain is rough, but seeing the guy that raps about AKs and 9 millis get dropped, then get his chain snatched is just heartbreaking. If an artist slips off the stage in LA, everybody in Maine is laughing about it the next day. When Jay-Z can talk Beyoncé into hitting the stage with him in North Carolina, people in Iowa feel cheated when “all they get” is Jay.

Let us not forget the leakage. Everybody knows Dr. Dre has ghostwriters, but hearing Eminem actually rapping the lines he wrote for the good doc so that he knows how to rap them properly was actually painful for me. And sure nowadays artists put out a million songs, but there was a reason they never released some of them; they’re bad. So for someone to dig up unreleased tracks and leak them to the public – the songs might be bad enough to taint a fan’s view of an artist’s talent and ability. An unreleased track that leaks might even spark a beef that shouldn’t exist.

Mistakes that would never have surfaced are suddenly accompanied by footage. Information we never wanted to know about artists is spread worldwide in instants. Rappers we never wanted to hear are everywhere. We grow so weary of the horrible rappers that we don’t take the time out to search for the new jacks that might be incredible. Sensory overload if you will. The more we get the less we need. Never has the cliché been more appropriate: less is more.

M-E-T-H-O-D MAN!!!

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. "The What" - Notorious B.I.G feat. Method Man


2. "Got My Mind Made Up" - 2Pac ft Method Man, Redman, Daz & Kurupt


3. "Anything" - SWV feat. Wu-Tang Clan


4. "Se Acabo" - The Beatnuts feat. Method Man


5. "Grand Finale" - Dmx feat. Nas & Method Man

Q Da Kid - Letter To Shakir

Who is...

Theophilus London

Download "This Charming Mixtape" Here


Theophilus London - Always Love You


Theophilus London - Cold Pillow (feat. Jesse Boykins III)

I can help you with that

The Specialist
Written by JusHH

The collabo is such a delicate tool, it can really make or break an album. The thing is, not every rapper is a good collabo rapper. Jay-Z is arguably the best ever but he just isn’t as great when he’s featured on other people’s stuff. So what makes a great collabo artist? For one, you have to know how to make an instant impact. You don’t have 3 verses and a hook to draw us in so you have to get busy with the 8 – 16 bars that you’re given. You also have to be versatile. Every song is different and has different topics and you have to be able to change it up when needed. And finally, you have to be memorable. You can’t be forgotten the minute you spit your last bar. Usually people with all 3 of these qualities are excellent collabo artists.

But when you need that one great featured verse, who should you call?

There’s a lot of great collabo artists who can get the title. I have 3 honorable mentions. Lil’ Wayne is on just about everyone’s song – I mean everyone’s. Perhaps one day he can get the crown but his body of work really only stretches over the past couple of years. Perhaps the most versatile emcee, Ludacris, can and has gotten on tracks with all different kinds of artists and knows how to rap about any topic but he doesn’t have enough classics under his belt. Last but not least… Busta Rhymes. He has the classics, he knows how to take over a song and has done it forever. But pound for pound, song for song he’s not the best. Because the guy that I would call, the guy that has been the best collabo artist so far is none other than the M-E-T-H-O-D Man.

First off I won’t even bring up the work that he’s done featuring on other Wu-Tang member’s songs because it just won’t be fair. Taking that whole section of his catalogue out, he’s still #1. If anyone knows how to make an impact with one verse its Meth. Remember, “KABOOM guess who stepped in the room? Ticaaallll, hailing from the Shaolin Isle” off SWV’s “Anything (Remix)”? He has so many memorable lines.

He’s one of the few rappers to ever rap along side both Tupac (“Got My Mind Made Up”) and Biggie (“The What”) both are incredible songs on historic albums. You think Lil’ Wayne has rapped with a mix of different artists? Check this list out: Shaquille O’Neal, Missy Elliot, Limp Bizkit, Run-DMC, Usher, EPMD and Cypress Hill.

Method can switch it up with the best of them. He was on the comical but dope song, “Hit em High” off the Space Jam soundtrack. He spit with Eminem and Royce the 5’9 on the DJ Clue Professional 2 album. And if you want to take it underground, he featured on songs with Pharoahe Monch and Heltah Skeltah. When it came to the ladies, he was ready too. The classic “Break Ups to Make Ups” with D’Angelo is still in rotation today and don’t forget the hook he provided Foxy on the “Ill Na Na” track. You need it, he got it.

And if you want a timeless hit, again look no further. Not even mentioning the previous songs, who can forget his performance on “Grand Finale” the lead track on the Belly soundtrack? He and Sticky Fingers went back and forth as Onyx and Wu-Tang clashed on the song “The Worst”. (If you haven’t heard it, do it asap) And you can’t say the words posse cut without mentioning “4,3,2,1” with LL Cool J, Canibus and Redman. Speaking of Red, “How High” is still one of the greatest songs of all time and that song led to the formation of a legendary rap duo.

Please remember that I haven’t even mentioned his Wu-Tang features. His chorus on “Ice Cream” alone can put him in the top spot.

But if you’re still doubting just know that he’s the reason why your favorite rapper looks to get a R&B chick on his song…

“All I Need” featuring Mary J.

Let me hold that beat...

Photo by Ron Thompson

When Sampling Goes Wrong
written by 4Bars

I’m listening to the radio today (as I am a lot during the week, sadly) and I hear the piano riff and drums from the T.L.C. classic “Baby, Baby, Baby”. Naturally I’m hyped to hear an oldie but goodie, but all of a sudden something strange happens: F’n BOW WOW starts rapping about some chick, WTF!?! Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time a great song has been sampled and not only is it done poorly but does the original a complete disservice. Below are a few more that come to mind, I’ve included R&B songs that butcher hip hop classics as well and a couple of other travesties, feel free to add:

1. Jay-Z and Beyonce- “03 Bonnie and Clyde”: I love Hov and B, but this was just wrong, on so many levels, it honestly disgraced two hip hop legends: Pac and Ice Cube, honorable mention to Yo-Yo.
VS.

2. P Diddy ft R Kelly “Satisfy You”- I know some of ya’ll liked this joint, but it ruined another classic, shout out to the Luniz.
VS.

3. J-Lo “I’m Real”- How you gon sample a damn song for your song “I’m Real”, the very definition of a hypocrite, R.I.P. Rick James.
VS.

4. Chingy- “One Call Away”: I don’t think Chingy has ever done anything right in hip hop, certainly not his blasphemous use of a good SWV song.
VS.

5. Ashanti- “Baby”- now you KNOW I was heated about this one, I almost liked the song on the strength of it being a Face sample and she actually used him in the song a little, but at the end of the day, this was just wrong.
VS.


Honorable Mention: Beyonce - “I’ma Diva”, whoever produced this joint literally just took the “A Milli” beat and added a different voice sample. I was SO disappointed when I realized it, shiftlessness at it’s finest.

Supercr3ws...

Up, Up, and Away
written by Just K

Hip-hop needs a major event. Lil’ Wayne selling a million records was cool, but between mixtapes, leaks, and several potent doses of the sizzurp, C3 didn’t exactly deliver like it could’ve. Before that, the last major event was probably the Kanye vs. 50 showdown (yes, I’m aware that I omitted the whole Nas/Untitled thing, but the hype died down once the name changed). Before that, hip-hop is dead was the talk of the town. Then there was Jay coming out of retirement with a great idea, but average/rushed execution. True story.

So hip-hop is in need of another event. It’s about that time. We’re due. And I’m not talking about the whole Curtis vs. Officer Ross thing; that’s more of a debacle than an event. I’m talking about something to break the monotony of the typical rap radio single the way “A Millie” did. Sure Lil’ Wayne is Mr. Radio Single, but he really did risk a lot by giving us that many bars without the luxury of a true chorus to fall back on. I propose that hip-hop should find a way to produce a Supercrew. Picture it.

You get a group of lyrically respectable, commercially successful artists that are currently relevant calling a press conference to announce that they’re doing a CD together. That right there is an event. Producers would be dying to deliver their best beats. The competition within the group would push the MCs to come up with the sickest material they possibly could. Because the artists are already guaranteed to get radio spins they wouldn’t be forced to come up with some piss poor attempt at making a hit song. Instead, they would just make quality music that turns into hits. The prerelease party would be like a major movie premiere. Sweet.

Yes, I’m aware of the improbability. I mean, the record shows that a Supercrew more than likely won’t happen. Hell, the closest thing we had to a Supercrew in recent years is Omarion and Bow Wow. Damn. Before that, Kellz got maced by one of Jay’s boys. Shame. And in both cases, it was an MC and an RnB crooner. For two or more established, credible MCs to drop an album you’d have to get through the egos first and foremost. Then you’d have to get through all the red tape of the artists being on separate labels and having different management, breaking down percentages in profits, etc. On top of that, the chances of two superstars being able to agree on enough concepts, themes, hooks, and beats to produce an album that would live up to the hype are anorexically slim. Tough.

Let us take a minute to reflect on the Supercrews that never were. The Commission could’ve been a thing of beauty. It surely would’ve been Charli Baltimore’s ticket to real stardom if she could hold her own with Jay-Z and Biggie (both of which would’ve probably did some level of ghostwriting for her). Murda Inc. with Ja Rule, DMX, and Jay would’ve gone diamond. If Memph Man would’ve managed to match Sigel bar for bar on the Beans and Bleek project, it would’ve been the thing that got Bleek from under Jay’s shadow. The Firm – I got two real songs from the original Firm and they were both crazy. Then I don’t know where Cormega went. As for CRS, we’ll see. The last real Supercrew we had was Meth and Red (and that album didn’t age well). Sigh.

For the sake of hip-hop, whoever you superstars are…whichever labels have to move things around…whatever has to be done, we need a Supercrew. Active your WonderTwin powers, design a Justice League tower, throw on some capes, and build a dam to protect leaks in your system. Give us a Supercrew.

We do it for Hip-Hop,,,

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. "Aquemini" – Outkast
Favorite Outkast song.


2. "Westside Story" – The Game
Eventhough I can't listen to this Game album anymore, I still love this song. Its one of the best "rep yo hood" songs that came out of the West.


3. "Good Clothes" – Little Brother
Soul music to the core. This song makes you feel good.


4. "Put ya hands up" – Jadakiss
Best punchline ever?

5. "Pop S**t" – the Neptunes ft. O.D.B
Funky.


Come back every week for a new mixtape!

Who Is...

Pacific Division

As Hip Hop attempts to regain its definition, fans are likely to soon be checking the standings within the Pacific Division. Palmdale, California’s trio consisting of brothers Like and Mibbs, along with BeYoung have been together dating back to 2001, shortly after their high school days. Joining the workforce lacked appeal compared to the glossy dreams that the guys had vicariously lived through as Hip Hop fanatics – so they went for broke and chased destiny with microphones and exclusive sneaks.

Within its half decade, Pacific Division has caught on fast. While many new talents strayed towards microwave music that trades quantity for quality, the troop from just north of Los Angeles emulated their idols, such as Native Tongues, Hieroglyphics and even Thug Life in slow-crafted, conceptual music. In mid 2006, Pacific Division’s Blend Tape premiered, as a thematic mixtape combining mid-‘90s classic-inspired covers with newer works with producer Swiff-D (The Diplomats, Snoop Dogg, Nas). Songs chronicled day-jobs, trying to appeal to the fairer sex without fat pockets, restoring a Black presence in Hip Hop, and carefully coifed wardrobes amidst the pursuit of glory. The results were jarring, landing the unsigned group in Vapors, Skope and Urb along with a thorough Internet presence. Without any major backing, the Southern California trio earned themselves major looks. Besides simply making nostalgic rap music with a contemporary edge – and donning clothes to match, Pacific Division had plenty to talk about.

In the course of the group’s development, Hip Hop superstars had begun to take notice even before the media. Through Myspace love alone, Pharrell Williams of The Neptunes had reached out to affirm Pacific Division in making innovative, fun music. Soon after, a chance meeting with The Roots’ Questlove in a Los Angeles record store led to a passed demo – which shockingly led to the “Proceed” drummer personally calling the group to also extend support. Snoop Dogg even shouted out the Pacific party on his “My Peoples. Rather than crutch these endorsements on album covers and Myspace banners, the trio matter-of-factly reminded fans that this trio was no overnight success.

Like the golden era icons, Pacific Division, while quietly crafting their debut album, has focused on making sure their live show is well…live. Having performed in Seattle and San Francisco as well as consistent show openings in Los Angeles for (TK), this is a group that’s focusing on chemistry above the popular rap fanfare. In the meantime, the F.A.T. LP is sizing up to be a Chubb Rock-sized selection of tracks, assisted by producers such as Exile and DJ Khalil and the group’s longtime producer Swiff-D. The album delightfully forgets the tangents rap music has taken in the mainstream, and simply affirms that good music is timeless. Masses are ready with open arms, as new features with The Source and Scheme magazines prove.

California Hip Hop is restructuring in the second half of the ’00 decade. As styles, faces and crews may change, three brothers from Palmdale remind you that it is, was and forever will be the Pacific Division. (via pacdiv.com)


PAC DIV - F.A.T. Boys '08 (Pacific Division)


PAC DIV - Taste

If I had one wish...

Dream Teams
written by JusHH

There aren’t too many things more exciting than a good collabo. Reading the song title and seeing who’s featured on a song can develop anticipation like no other. Sometimes these collabo’s don’t live up to expectations and sometimes they just surprise the hell outta you. So with Just K giving PTM’s first props to the collabo, I’m going to dedicate the next 3 weeks to it.

This week, we’re going to talk about my favorite collabo’s that never happened. Those times when you asked the rap god’s, “please, please let these two guys rap on a song together.” (for the longest, my wish was Nas and Jay… thank you rap gods). So I’m going to drift away to JusHH land where all collabo’s are possible and give you a few of my favorites…

“Riot Act” – Xzibit ft. DMX and Ice Cube (prod. by Dr. Dre) (1999)
Before the pimped out rides, the countless arrests and the “Are We There Yet?” movie series, these three emcees were some of the most aggressive rappers on the planet. With Xzibit and DMX trading verses with their deep rugged voices and Ice Cube attacking the hook, they all take the hard knock Dre bass lines to another planet. Mother****king right!

“Lunch Meat” – DJ Drama feat. Big L, Cassidy, Jadakiss, Lil’ Wayne & Joe Budden (prod. by the Neptunes)
Its very, very simple. Drama asked Pharell to give him a “Grindin’” style beat. Pharell asked who would be on the song. Once Pharell was told, he had a beat back to him in 48 hours. Drama put the group together in a room and these 5 emcees proceeded to give us the most incredible punchlines ever. Medical reports state that this song resulted in disfigured faces, crossed eyes and shortened breath from constant “oooh weee’s”.

“Armed Robbery” – Onyx ft. M.O.P. (1995)
This song was only heard once because too many fights began breaking out all over the country. It is currently being held at a secret location in a vault. Rumors had it that it would have been released once more if Obama didn’t win the election in November.

“The Meanest” – DJ Premier feat. Eminem & Canibus (prod. by DJ Premiere) (2000)
Premo was putting together his highly anticipated album and he wanted to make history. He had this one particular beat that he made two years prior that he didn’t release because he felt he needed the perfect song. When two of the hungriest rappers alive came onto the scene, Premo made the phone call and asked if they would hop on the song. After hearing the beat, they were all in. They didn’t disappoint, the song was so ridiculous that it forced every other rapper to step their game up. The argument to this day is who had the better verse but this is just going to be one of those debates that will last forever.

“My Lady” – Fabolous ft. Ludacris, LL Cool J and Faith Evans (prod. by Jermaine Dupri) (2003)
Who was rapping to the ladies better than Fab and Luda at this time? The two got together to make the ladies dance one more. With Faith on board it was a perfect union. The surprise was when LL found out about the song, he wanted to be apart of it too. With Faith providing the vocals these three each told a story about the woman they love.

“Men At Work” – Mary J. Blige ft. Lauryn Hill & MC Lyte (1997)
This song was actually Mary’s idea. After being on so many songs with male rappers, she wanted to put two of her favorite female emcees on a song and go to work. Lauryn was down from the start because Lyte was one of her idols and Lyte couldn’t wait for another opportunity to show her skills. When the collabo was announced people thought that it would be a slower, ode to the strength of the black female type song. But we were all wrong. Over the Kool G. Rap sample, Mary told Lyte and Lauryn to spit as if they were battling the guys. Add in that classic Mary J. Blige hook and what you had was one of the greatest Hip-Hop songs of all time.

“Notorious P.U.N.” – Big Pun & Notorious B.I.G.
Being two of the greatest emcees of all time (and the largest for that matter), Fat Joe decided that this collabo needed to happen. So he hit up Puffy and made it work. It was announced on Funkmaster Flex’s Hot 97 radio show as the Heavyweight match of the century. Every one stood still as the song was finally released. We weren’t ready for B.I.G. flipping a punchline in Spanish or Pun claiming his pockets were fatter than “ two ‘BIG’s’, 3 Fat Boys and one Joe”. Flex played the song 5 straight times and dropped a record 85 bombs on it.

“Extraordinary” – Kanye West ft. Andre 3000, Lupe Fiasco, Chester of Linkin Park & Jimi Hendrix (prod. by Kanye West) (2007)
In an interview, Kanye said that he was working on and I quote, “the greatest song in the history of humanity and aliens.” Somehow, he manage to get a hold of Hendrix’s catalogue and put together an incredible rock/ rap hybrid beat. With Chester’s voice driving home the chorus, these three emcees got an opportunity to explain to the world why they are truly extraordinary. Reaching #1 on the billboard charts, “Extraordinary” was heard everywhere. As usual, this song inspired a few copy cats but nothing even came close.


How great would it have been if these songs could have been made? What are some of your dream teams?

Next week, a tribute to the greatest collabo artist ever.