Love him or hate him, you still have an opinion...

Pray IV Reign (Official PTM Review)
written by D.O.T.

Joseph "Jimmy" Jones released his fourth Solo LP "Pray for Reign" last Tuesday. I'm not going to go into the details of Pray for Reign. I'll let you listen to it for your self and make your own judgement. Jimmy has been in the media throughout his entire career. Going back to 2005 Jimmy, Cam, and Juelz were all over youtube being chased around Harlem (Rucker Park) by MOP and some other Brooklyn goons. Jimmy held his own...but got knocked out clean with one punch. Cam can be seen on the video clearly walking away as Jimmy was getting beaten up. Juelz was no where to be found of course. Other youtube video's have surfaced with Cam jumping into a crowd during a performance in order to to fight a disrespectful concert goer while Juelz stood on stage holding all of the Dips jewlery. I wonder if Jimmy started to feel like he was always doing all of the "tough talk" and dirty work for Cam to the point where he eventually got fed up and decided to branch out on his own.

Even after all of these minor disputes the DIPS remained together while they began working on a new artist...Stack Bundles. As we all know, Stack was killed in 2007. After Stack died the DIPS basically split. Cam went off into never never land and Jimmy and Juelz stayed home. Jimmy has continued to transcend the music and has done remixes for hit records by MIA, Asher Roth, and Ron Brownz.

Jimmy has found a way to stay relevant even after splitting from Cam. In some recently released footage of Cam'Ron being interviewed, Cam replied "Who's that? when asked about Jim Jones" I find that funny seeing how obviously Cam knows who Jim is. Was he acting as if he didn't know Jim to be funny or to prove a point that him and Jimmy don't work together anymore. Jimmy was later interviewed by Ms. Jones (former Hot 97 morning show). She asked him if he had heard that Cam wanted to squash their recent beef and make a record with him. Jimmy replied that he had never heard about Cam wanting to record with him. The fact is that Jimmy has proven that he can stand on his own two without Cam'ron. Does Jimmy owe Cam for putting him on? Are they really beefing or is this just a publicity stunt to sell more records and keep it in the family?

Some people are saying that Jimmy is done. I personally think he's just getting started. Even 50 said that Ballin' was a good record. 50 isn't the end all be all but the way he end's peoples career's it may be a good thing when 50 likes your recond. It most likely means that your record will actually get released and heard in the mainstream. Keep working and good luck Jimmy...

Not quite a Maybach but Music for your whips...

East Coast, West Coast and Worldwide…
written by JusHH

It’s been a while since we had a nice workout so I’m gonna bring to you a new exercise to start off your week. (Shouts to K. Billy)

One of the best feelings in the world is hearing a new song that you love and immediately scrambling to find out who this new artist is and how you can find out more about them. It was so fun having those “yo, have you heard this joint before?” type of conversations with your friends. It was like you were let in on this great treasure. Well back in 1995, a small group from Queens burst onto the rap scene and set it on fire. Although it wasn’t their first single, “Jeeps, Lex Coups, Bimaz & Benz” was the song that put them on the map and got all of us talking. They embodied the 90’s, New York and represented everything good about Hip-Hop music. And for just a moment, were one of the hottest acts in the country.

“MCA, this is how we do everyday/ Me and Freaky Tah (hah)/ Pretty Lou, my man, Spigg Nice…”

See this was back when getting signed actually meant something. If you got a deal, you were probably going to get a chance to shine and for that rappers LOVED to shout out their record labels. This was also before Myspace and YouTube allowed new artists to introduce themselves to the world before putting out music. Back then you had to make your introductions on your singles. So Mr. Cheeks had to let all of us know just who they were. And who doesn’t love a shout-out? People do it all the time – on the radio, at awards shows, everywhere. (Hell, I did one at the beginning of this post) It’s great to hear rappers who are so happy to have a single that they shout-out everyone that helped them get there.

“I'm representin' puttin' Queens on the map (you wear)/ double springs, wit some baggy jeans when I rap…”

Sidenote: Freaky Tah is one of my top 3 hype men of all time next to Flav and Spliff Star. With the simplest ad libs, Tah always stole the show (R.I.P.)

You’re seeing it a lot with people in the South because that region is finally getting their shine on a national level. There is a certain pride when you can see people that look like you and live in the same neighborhood, on television. Seeing those dudes from Linden Blvd in Jamaica, Queens made me so happy. Back then we all felt like we were on the same side. The idea of hating and all of that stuff never really took form. You got behind your rappers and your rappers represented the whole city.

“N***as frontin' like they ill (like they ill)/ now bustin' caps and got a muthaf***in'
thing to do to with showin’ skill…”

That was another thing about Hip-Hop in the 90’s, every one always dropped a little “science” in their rhymes from time to time. You go back to a lot of those songs and many of them had a few lines that threw in a little extra. Truthfully, Cheeks was an underrated lyricist. Because so many of their songs had commercial appeal, the depth of some of his lyrics often went unnoticed. But even though this rhyme is 14 years old, it could have been written yesterday and it would still be just as relevant.

“Is you down to go pound for pound/ toe to toe, blow for blow, round for round (hah)…”

Sometimes a rhyme gives you a lot more than just the words in it. Every time I hear this part of the song I think to the video and the LB dance that EVERYONE did. People would get so hyped of this one part. The bass would drop off in this section and you could just feel the energy.

“To the Jeeps, It's the Lex Coups, Bimaz and the Benz/ to all my ladies and my mens/ to all my peoples in the pen/ keep your head up…”


This hook summed up the entire feel of Lost Boyz. We loved this song and this group because they were so fun to listen to. On their songs they brought that rasta vibe that just added a little spice to their attitude. Seeing them run around with their dreads is an image you’ll never forget. It felt authentic and their music was so relatable. Most of their singles made you feel like you were apart of them, whether you can sing along with their hooks or can feel the pain in a song like “Renee”. Hearing the Lost Boyz always puts a smile on my face and reminds me why I love this music so much.

Blue Magic....

Your Favorite Trappers Favorite Trapper
written by 4 Bars

I say: T.I., Young Jeezy, The Clipse, Rick Ross, you say? Southern? Popular? How bout “Dope Boy”? They are either “you’re favorite rappers’ favorite rapper” or “your favorite trappers’ favorite trapper”. And in the spirit of Just K’s first annual awards show I wanna know who’s the best trap rapper?

I’m not necessarily asking who the best rapper is, but who was the best at talking about them “birds” them “thangs” or “slangin that weight”? I definitely think credit has to go to T.I. for the publicizing of the term and idea of a “Dope Boy”, mainly because he put out a song called, well, “Dope Boyz”. But Young Jeezy definitely took it to the next level with his Snowman antics. As much as I totally disagree with everything Rick Ross raps/says/does/is about, I’d have to say that actually donning the name of one of the most notable ACTUAL drug dealers on the west coast and maintaining this as his image puts him in the running. The Clipse have forever been the “kings of the coke flow” and continue to come straight out the kitchen wit it.

Before I announce my winner for “Trap Rapper of the Game” Honorable mention must go to the Yayo man himself Killa Cam “Yayo” was one of my favorite joints and Cam continues to bless songs like “Make Da Trap Say Ay” with “dope” verses. Speaking of which, honorable mention also goes to Gucci Mane who went from the Trap House to the Big House and is now back in the rap game. He will certainly add significant “weight”.

And the winner is:….Young Jeezy!!! YEEEEAAAAAHHHHHHH, the fact is T.I. opened up the door but Jeezy broke that mofo down. There has never been a trap rapper who built as successful of a career as Jeezy, especially since OFFICER RICKKEEYYYYY will be irrelevant pretty soon.

In all seriousness though, this is the only way I can write about these rappers without stepping up on my soapbox. Truth be told, I hate rappers rapping about selling drugs. I REALLY hate the ones who don’t do it anymore but have their fans believing that they’re holding they’ve got their city on lock because all the fiends know they got “that work”. Sorry to put a damper on your Friday and/or this fairly comical/sarcastic post, but in the words of Mr. Andre Benjamin, “this shit here must STOP!”

Please take your seats...

Welcome to The Just K Awards. Tonight we’re gathered together to honor some rappers for no particular reason what so ever. Lyricist of the year? Best rap album of the year? Best new artist? Nah. We don’ have any of those categories. If we did, I wouldn’t be Just K and this wouldn’t be PTM. This year’s Just K Awards will include performances by no one (we’re in a recession; what’d you expect?). Presenters include – let’s not worry about presenters, or performers for that matter. Let’s just get these awards out. And now I present without further ado…

The Just K Awards
(created, directed, and hosted by Just K
produced by DJ GWIZ and the good
people of www.pastthemargin.com)
(highlight to see winners)

Least Likely to Earn Street Cred:
Lil’ Fizz
Bow Wow
Young Berg

And the “winner” is: YOUNG BERG Obviously this was a tough decision. Lil’ Fizz and Bow Wow have both collaborated with Omarion, which is fine. Collaborating with RnB dudes is nothing new. Fizz hasn’t dropped anything in a while, so he might be in the streets earning cred right now. Bow Wow, no one really takes seriously despite his abundance of tattoos. It’s not a question of whether or not he has street cred. It’s more like no one really cares. Now Young Berg…wow. Just take a look at his ’08. Getting beat down and relieved of his Transformers chain in Detroit and get whooped in a fair one by Master P’s nephew. What really hurts him are his attempts to get a reputation by putting himself in rather perilous situations. And the results have earned him this award. Congrats, I guess.

Most Likely to Succeed:
Mickey Factz
Drake
B.O.B.
Asher Roth
Wale
Kid Cudi

And the winner is: ASHER ROTH Yes, my “I called it” on Drake is well documented, but Asher Roth is the guy I think will be most likely to succeed. He found a very special lane with the college crowd. On top of that, when he grows as an artist, the college kids will probably be growing with him. He’s got a unique style and flow, even though his voice is a bit similar to Mr. Shady. Regardless, the kid can rap and his audience is tuning in. Success is imminent. Drake is a strong runner up.

Most Likely to Never Drop a Debut Album:
Status Quo
True Life
Saigon
Papoose
Curren$y
Spliff Star
Jae Millz

And the “winner” is: SPLIFF STAR Does anybody else have the “When Disaster Strikes” album from Busta Rhymes? Do you remember the song in which Spliff Star was spazzing out over a beat, then Busta said something to the effect of “Yo, chill god. Don’t kill ‘em on my album. N****z know your joint is coming soon.” That was back in ’97. A decade and change later…nada. Some of these artists will go independent. Maybe even go the digital label route (see: Saigon), but Lieutenant Spliff is going to stick by General Busta. Tough.

Most Likely to Make a Fan Overdose:
Lil’ Wayne
The Clipse

And the winner is: THE CLIPSE Again, a tough call. Lil’ Wayne sounds so high that fans can practically catch contact through the speakers. But those boys from VA talk about that pure white like none other. Even more impressive, they rarely take time off to address different subject matter. A smooth 90% or more if their material is focused on drugs, drug dealing, drug paraphernalia, drug fiends, forgiveness for selling drugs, drug money, things drug money can buy - you get the picture. Forget contact. Listening to their CDs and mixtapes is equivalent to snorting a line.

Most Likely to be Overlooked as a Legend:
Scarface
AZ
E-40
Busta Rhymes
Cee-lo

And the “winner” is: AZ This was an easy call. The others have had more mainstream success. Anthony Cruz has some of the most impressive flows, word play, concepts, breath control and pure lyricism in the rap game. People just seem to forget him. Shame. If you don’t know, check out Serious by Nas & AZ (still one of the best tag teams to ever do it). That’s just a glimpse of the guy’s talent. With almost 10 quality albums under his belt, it’s a crime that he’s so slept on.

Least Likely to Put Down the Mic:
Snoop Doggy Dogg
Jay-Z
Fat Joe
KRS-One
Busta Rhymes

And the winner is: KRS-ONE The original Mr. I am Hip-Hop. Dude’s 44 and can still smash shows and MCs. He’s going nowhere. In about 20 years, I can put money on who will be wrecking the talent shows at the retirement home.

Best Female Rapper On the Billboard 100: ??????????

And the winner is: BEYONCE? Damn. The closest thing we got is Beyonce for “Diva.” It’s a cold world for female rappers.

Most Likely to Create Their Own Language:
Lil’ Wayne
E-40
Snoop Dogg
Cam’ron
Jim Jones

And the winner is: E-40 http://www.vh1.com/news/articles/500244/19980811/e_forty.jhtml It didn’t quite happen, but dude had big dreams.

Most Likely to Take the Biggest L in Ross vs. 50:
Rick Ross
DJ Khaled
50 Cent
Rick Ross’s baby mama

And the “winner” is: Rick Ross’s kid In a surprise turn of events, it turns out Rick Ross’s kid is going to take the biggest L on this one. Whoever the poor kid is, video of his moms getting piped down (featuring an accompanying narration by 50 Cent) got streamed all over the world. Damn. Uncool.

That’s the end of our show ladies and gentlemen. We do hope you’ve enjoyed the Just K Awards Show. Feel free to invent your own awards show or add on to Just K’s. This is Just K signing off. Thanks for coming out. God Bless. Good night. All proceeds from this evening’s event will go directly to AIG bonuses.

My Lip Gloss is poppin'

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. “Show Me What You Got (Freestyle)”



2. “Girlfriend” (Avril Lavinge feature)



3. “A Mille (Freestyle)”




4. “L.I.F.E.”



5. “Shawty Get Loose”



6. “Lip Gloss”



7. On Stage, Getting Busy



Come back every week for a new mixtape!

The Struggle Up North...

Industry 101
written by J.DOT

People don’t dance no’ mo’…all they do is this! All they do is this!...That was a great song by Goodie Mob that obviously never matriculated into the mainstream rap world. Those prophetic lyrics have come true for East Coast hip hop during a time in music where people don’t dance on the East Coast/up North anymore. They just bop their heads to a beat that the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles should be cruising the sewers to. In the South they make songs like “the stanky leg”, “its goin’ down”, all Soulja Boy’s songs, and many more that keep people dancing down at the bottom of the map. Even T.I. and Jeezy’s music, which leans on the more street side, has some bounce to it. This key element to the music (dancing) is missing from East Coast and up North rappers right now.

When we refer to East Coast rap we might as well say New York City. Jersey and Philly had they’re heavy weights but just like New York we can count on our hands how many East Coast rappers there are/have been that are still relevant in today’s music industry. Let’s face it. Hip hop has gone main stream, there isn’t anything wrong with that either. Jay-z made the matriculation from the street to the fame and so did Diddy. 50 cent is probably the last New York rapper to achieve high levels of fame, money, success, and popularity off of rap culture and music without eventually becoming irrelevant. Cam’ Ron and the Diplomats are the one group that did a good job connecting with the South rather than going against them. The Dips (or what’s left of them) have been good at making “feel good” music. They incorporate Harlem's lifestyle and the many dances that the natives of Harlem come up with in their music as much as possible. The world would not have known about the Harlem Shake had it not been for the music and videos that portrayed it during the late 90’s and early 2000’s. No matter what was going on in their personal lives, their music is always positive and up beat. Joe Budden, who happens to be a great lyricist can’t get over the hump because he has been rapping “AT” his fans and not for them since 50 came at him.

How many rappers from the East Coast are still out there trying to find that one “hit”? It seems like even when they do get that one hit (ie: Maino with “Hi hater.”) They still become one hit wonders. M.I.M.S. has a new song called “Move.” This record has a nice beat but Mims actually did a decent job with what I like to call “The new dumb version of rap” that provides a nice beat with okay lyrics. I don’t mind this new version of rap because hip hop and rap were founded upon dope beats that made you want to dance. The lyrics weren’t always complex although they still provided your body and soul with something deep.

Over the years we have been blessed with lyrical genius’ such as the Notorious B.I.G, 2pac, Big Pun, KRS 1, Busta Rhymes, Public Enemy, Rakim, NAS, just to name a few. Those were not the only rappers that gave us something significant. Grand Master Flash wasn’t super lyrical but he gave us some legendary, classic, music to hold on to and dance to. Run DMC definitely was not a lyrical bunch but they are arguably one of the best hip hop acts of all time. I’m not sure what the East Coast can do to keep up with the Southern artists right now but I do think it will need to involve some music that involves less complaining, street talk (because everyone aint street), and more bounce. People don’t like being rapped at. They like being rapped to or about.

Sole Survivor...

Last of a Dying Breed
written by JusHH

The Bet Hip-Hop Awards do not have a category for Best Female Rapper.

Missy Elliot won the last Grammy Award for Best Female Rap Solo Performance…

…in 2004. It was discontinued in 2005.


Last time I talked about the moment in time where the female emcee started its decline. Lil’ Kim’s success and undeniable influence on the music industry marginalized the female rapper right into extinction. And it doesn’t appear that things are going to change anytime soon. Today’s female rapper’s are so desperate that they either hyper-sexed vixens trying to capture the same lightning that Kim had (think Trina) or they are going the other direction and trying to be super gangsters (think Remy Martin). The rest are either too old or don’t have the personality to capture and hold people’s attention (think Jean Grae – for both, unfortunately).

See in order for the female rapper to return, she needs to overcome a lot – and that’s before she even picks up the mic. 1) She has to be young; preferably under 25 because her fan base has to be young enough not to have any long standing prejudices. 2) She must have a strong personality – strong enough where she doesn’t have to be “put on” by a male rapper. The lone female in a male crew just doesn’t get the necessary respect to make it as a solo artist. 3) Her image must transcend the music so that she is mentioned in conversations regardless if her song is playing. An example of this is a woman who has an incredible sense of fashion and sets trends for others. This will allow her name to grow so that if she drops an album, she will have an audience large enough to make an impact. 4) And lastly, she has to be able to rap – and I mean go in and burn up the booth. Female rappers who have limited talent are forced to rely on a gimmick like sex to sell and gimmicks have no long term future. In my opinion, only one woman has all of these traits and has the best chance of saving the female emcee...

Lil’ Mama.

4) Let’s start from the bottom, Lil’ Mama is nice. Say what you want but give her 16 and she is going to do some damage. I was first convinced of her ability when I heard her tear up the “Show Me What You Got” beat. This had me spending a good portion of my afternoon looking at all of her stuff on YouTube. She had the one of the best performances on the “A Millie” beat. Her song “L.I.F.E” is a gripping song that shows that she is well beyond her years in terms of maturity and talent. Yeah I know what you are thinking. Isn’t that the same girl who said her “Lip Gloss is poppin’”? Yes, but “Lip Gloss” and its popularity not only speak to her ability but why she is the only one that can save the day. First off, she was 17 and in High School when she did that song and it showed that she was strong enough to make a song about what she knows and kids rallied behind it. Plus I’d rather a 17 year old girl rap about her lip gloss than what she can do with her lips – real talk.

3) As of today, most people don’t even know that Lil’ Mama is a rapper. If you ask 100 people who Lil’ Mama is, 95 of them will probably reference America’s Best Dance Crew. Lil’ Mama has gotten national attention as one of the expert judges on Randy Jackson’s popular dance competition. With that show having millions and millions of fans and strong Hip-Hop roots, how hard do you think it would be to promote her album? She has a much greater chance at achieving commercial success and creating a strong, loyal audience for her music.

2) Lil’ Mama is not apart of anyone’s group and did not have to be cosigned by any existing male rapper. Therefore her relevance is more credible and people will respect her as a solo artist. (Seriously, who ever thought that Amil or Mia X would do anything?)

1) Her age, 19, makes her the perfect age to lead the female comeback because her core audience won’t remember the heartache of losing Lauryn or despising the Trina’s of the world. They would see her as a girl in their age bracket with the same swag and grind and give her an honest chance to win them over.

Miss Niatia Kirkland has the ability to “undo” what Miss Kimberly Jones did and reignite the torch that Miss Lana Moorer and Miss Dana Owens carried for so long. She is the only one that can make sure that the sacrifices that Miss Rashia Fisher and Miss Tsidi Ibrahim made wasn’t in vain. Maybe she can provide redemption for the Miss Reminisce Smith’s and Miss Katrina Taylor’s of the world. Maybe she can even inspire Miss Lauryn Hill and Miss Eve Jeffers to get back in the booth. And maybe, just maybe…

… she can join Missy and win the next Grammy Award for Best Female Rap Solo Performance.

The new R. Kelly?

The American Dreeaammm
written by Four Bars

Recently I was reading one of the worst interviews I’ve ever seen in a magazine and they were interviewing T-Pain and he made reference to him becoming a famous “sanger” by accident. He said that he was a rapper first and wanted to be known for that so he kept his singing to himself until it leaked and the rest is history. There is often a debate on what is or isn’t “hip-hop”. This usually stems from a rapper stepping out of his lane and doing music that should probably be categorized in a genre other than “hip hop” and the debate ensues. I doubt anyone would deny that R. Kelly is one of the greatest R&B singers of our time yet I also doubt that anyone would consider him “not hip hop”. To me, T-Pain and The Dream fall into the same category.

My list last week referenced The Dream’s first and second albums (both worth purchasing, I did) and there were a couple of people who weren’t up on this dude like they should be probably because The Dream falls into the R&B category of “not quite hip hop” and he can’t f with these R&B cats (ahem, JusHH, cough cough). So I figured I’d shed a little light on it.

To me, The Dream is an interesting mix of the outlandish writing ability of R. Kelly and the sometimes gimmicky but always fun and entertaining style of T-Pain yet he still has his own lane he successfully navigates. He can’t really be categorized as a “singer”, per say, because while he does sing, his own voice is often a light falsetto (“OOH OOH BAYBEH…”) and his lyrics are often a collection of notes spoken one syllable or phrase at a time (“ella” or “ooh ooh ooh ooohh”). The kicker is that he also will break into a rap at any moment a la Kels and T-Pain just to show you that he’s got that in him too. Simply put, The Dream is as hip-hop as any of the other “rapper turnt sangers” and he’s managed to pen, produce, and perform countless great songs along with two really good albums. If you get a chance, download the ITunes bonus track “Hater” from somewhere, it’s a perfect example of The Dream using all his tools to make a really catchy, honest, and quality song in which he opens the song with “if I was your maaannnn I, would hit that shit like A-Rod…” hilarious. The Dream is as hip-hop as they come and continues to breathe some fresh air into the hip-hop scene. There are even rumors that he and Kanye will be teaming up for an album a la T-Wayne. After hearing his second single, “Walking on the Moon” featuring Ye, I’m very interested to see what they come up with, at the very least, there will be no Vocoder involved, I hope.

FA-BO...LO-US

Fabolous: The Walking Dilemma
written by Just K

Aside from Joey Jumpoff, I’d have to say that Fabolous is my favorite mixtape artist. Though you won’t hear a world of emotion in Fab’s voice, please believe (it, believe it please) the guy’s got a way with words and a way with flows. His ability to put together multi-syllable rhymes is just absurd; ain’t too many dudes that can rhyme whole lines. And don’t even talk to me about punchlines - “You won’t even raise the heat if your chilly motherf***er.” Furthermore, I dare you to name a posse joint that Fabolous got smashed on. Probably not going to happen. Hell, he probably smashed one of your favorite artists at some point in his career. Lose the gun/drug/braggadocio talk specialist is arguably one of the sickest rhymes sayers.

So it’s kind of crazy to me that every time I hear Fabolous on the radio it’s for songs like “Into You,” “Baby,” “Trade it All” or something else that’s the equivalent of a Color Me Badd song. What gives?

You. Yeah, you. The one reading this post right now. You’ve got a job, right? If you were doing things at your job one way, and someone told you you’d make much more money doing things another way, would you change methods? Would you adjust your strategy? What if you could make more money by putting in less effort? Uh-huh. Yep.

Make no mistake about it folks. Rapping is an MC’s J-O-B. This is how they make money. Sure, doing it for the love of the art form is all fine and dandy, but when that paycheck comes up slim it probably makes an MC reevaluate his approach to the art. I personally loved “Breathe” by Fabolous. I thought it was the best single he ever released. Moreover, I thought it was the best representation of the real Fabolous that we’ve heard on countless mixtapes. Imagine my shock when I heard Fabolous himself in an interview say that “Breathe,” in terms of radio spins, was one of his worst performing singles. Sure it played on “urban” stations, but it never became a crossover hit that reached different demographics. You couldn’t dance to it. Actually, if the song came on in the club, that’s when you’d see the dudes in the back of the club that still had their winter coats on maneuver to the middle of the dance floor and rap along word-for-word while everyone else just sat around. The album with “Breathe” did worse than all of his previous releases. In the end, at least for Fabolous’s pockets, “Breathe” was nothing more than a good rap song.

And there we have it. Fabolous becomes a walking representation of an artist’s dilemma. Do you put the work in to come up with the most creative and witty rhymes possible? Or should you come up with rhymes that are easy to rap along to that will guarantee money? Based on his last big single (you know, the one featuring Ne-Yo) I think he’s made a decision, but can you really blame him?

I talk jewels and spit diamonds...

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. “Cashmere Thoughts” – Jay-Z
Just Listen. The wordplay is so crazy.


2. “Operation Lockdown” – Heltah Skeltah
I loved when BCC was in full swing. Timberlands never fit better.


3. “Love Hangover” – Kidz in the Hall ft. Estelle
The extended metaphor is so dope in this song. Naledge did his thing.


4. “Say What’s Real” – Drake
He completely murders this Kanye beat. I’m officially put on.


5. “Mafia Music” – Rick Ross
Yeah this song is the definition of this mixtape cuz I was sleeping for real!!!



Come back every week for a new mixtape!

So Icy Ent...

Welcome home Gucci Mane!
written by J.DOT

You may not know who Gucci Mane is. Or you may just not listen to his music but he’s that guy who came out with the song: “She’s a VERY freaky gurrl! Don’t bring her to momma!...etc. Yyyy-eh!...or should I say yeeeeaaaaahh! That would be more appropriate in “Gucci language” lol.

Anyways, Gucci Mane’s past finally caught up with him back in August when his legal troubles landed him a year sentence (9 months mandatory) in the county jail. Gucci didn’t stop putting out mix tapes while locked up. Mix tapes such as the “Wilt Chamberlain” series, “King”, and “So Ice Boy” are just to name a few.

Before being sentenced Gucci attempted to plea with the judge so that he would not have to serve any actual time but the judge decided he needed to learn a lesson. In the clip below you can see that Gucci is truly happy to be back out in the world doing what he does best which is entertain. Gucci is by no means the most talented rapper but he is entertaining. He is not pulling a “C.O.” Ross move and trying to fool the public. He’s just being Gucci. With a name like Gucci Mane how could you ever really get tired of this guy? Unless the actual Gucci brand goes out of style or something, but I have a feeling Gucci will have passed on to the next life before that happens…

At any rate welcome home Gucci. Now all you have to do is figure out how your going to beat that T.I. guy when he gets out of jail. Now’s your chance!...

Sincerely Yours...

Dear Rick,


Okay let me get a few things out the way first. I don’t think you’re talented. In fact, I think you represent just about everything that is wrong with Hip-Hop today. Having said that, I want to see you win and have a successful career. It’s not your fault that the landscape of the Hip-Hop music business has deteriorated to the point that you can capitalize off of the most negative aspects of our people and community. (Although you don’t have to further perpetuate the problem, I can’t hate on you for trying to get yours). And although I probably will never support your music in stores or openly sing your praises, I want to use this letter to at least explain why so many people who hold Hip-Hop culture near and dear, dislike you.

You see, it’s not what you are rapping about that is the problem. I listened to Mafia Music and it is without question one of my favorite songs out right now. It was the first time that I ever saw any legitimate lyrical ability. We understand that the music is for entertainment so the gun toting, drug smuggling rhymes have its place. My problem is that you insult my intelligence whenever you do an interview. Al Pacino has played the most G’d up characters in the history of film, but he never ever tried to convince the world that any of that stuff takes place in his real life. We still love him anyway and support his work to the fullest. But to talk about how you make $10 million plus a year is just ridiculous for so many reasons. Furthermore, trying to make the claim that you are still one of the most dangerous gangsters in Miami is as stupid as it is an exaggeration. (Seriously, if it were true you would be placed under the jail with all of that self-incriminating evidence.)

When the information came out that you used to work as a correctional officer, your first reaction was to deny the story to protect your “image”. As if we don’t live in an age where information can be found and shared worldwide in a matter of hours. Did you think that no one could prove that you were once a CO? See normally it shouldn’t even matter and if you hadn’t bothered to create this false character, you wouldn’t have even needed to lie in the first place. We don’t actually care what you did or didn’t do so long as the music you make is good and you keep it real with your fans. Jay-Z and Fabolous has never killed anyone in real life but we don’t hold that against them when they rap about it because we understand and accept the game.

The truth is you’re a dude from Miami who is trying to live the dream – trying to use this rap thing to create a better life for you and your family. We all know why you would rather be an artist than a CO. Who would choose a normal career when you have the chance at greatness? We all love to hear a story about someone make it. We’re willing to support the guy in the picture, William Roberts but just don’t treat us like children and lie about who you really are. A little humility will go a long way towards developing that audience that can keep you in the game for a decade but if you continue to try and live your life “like a movie”, then you’ll find your career out of theaters and only available on bootleg.

Peace,

JusHH

Don't Start no s**t, Won't be no...

YEEEYAAAYYUUHH!!
written by 4 Bars

Hip hop can evoke a lot of different emotions: Pain, joy, anger, even arousal; But there’s a feeling I get when I hear certain songs that I’m sure ya’ll can relate to. It cannot be described in words, only a facial expression. I call it the “boo boo face” but some would refer to it as the “screw face”. But there are songs that AS SOON as you hear the opening piano, drums, synth, or chord, that face comes alive. My list is below and I included audio for the southern flavored ones. Feel free to add your own.

Youngbloodz - Damn



Lil Scrappy feat Lil Wayne- Stand Up


Nore - Blood Money Pt. 3


Jay-Z - U Don't Know


Three 6 Mafia - Who Run It?


DMX - Ruff Ryders Anthem


TI - What U Know

Is This The End...

Career Enders?
written by Just K

I wonder if Rick Ross knows what he’s up against by going toe-to-toe with Pimpin’ Curly. Everybody knows that 50 Cent ended Ja Rule’s career. Didn’t even take him that long to be honest. I can’t even remember the last time a Ja Rule album release was even worth mentioning. In some people’s minds, 50 Cent wrapped up Fat Joe’s career as well. This is what happens when you come out the public loser of a beef: you go away. Jay-Z took Mobb Deep out when he put Prodigy on the screen. LL took Canibus out. If Rick Ross knows what’s good for him…umm…

If Rick Ross knows what’s good for him he’ll make a good CD regardless of what happens with the rap beef. A battle doesn’t end careers. Bad music after a battle does.

We’ll start with Ja Rule. This’ll be rather quick. His lead singles from “The Last Temptation” (the album that was out during the 50 – Ja feud) were Thug Lovin’ featuring Bobby Brown and Mesmerize featuring Ashanti. And as bad as the song was, the video to Mesmerize was actually worse. Those songs alone were enough for people to turn away from Jeffrey Atkins. 50 was nothing more than something else to look at once people had already started turning their heads.

As for Fat Joe – Fat Joe usually doesn’t do big numbers. During the commercial peak of his career (and back when albums were selling) his best selling CD went platinum after like five months. No knock on his music at all, but he’s never really been a big unit pusher. He’s not going selling a billion records post-50 and he wasn’t selling a billion pre-50.

The Jay and Nas beef didn’t end anyone’s careers. If you throw Mobb Deep into the mix, they still went gold after the ballerina pic, which was ok considering they had just started moving toward commercial territory (never thought I would’ve seen a Mobb Deep song featuring 112, but it was there). And, again, Mobb Deep wasn’t a group that went platinum regularly. A gold album was kind of their norm. After that, record label and stylistic changes really held them back (recall the random song with Lil’ Jon). Toss in the fact they signed to 50 Cent after the infamous “do your lil’ ass like Jay did Mobb Deep” line and there you have it. Reduced sales.

I refuse to discuss Canibus any further. It takes me to an emotional place that I rather not revisit at this time.

Long story short, the best way to survive a beef is to do exactly what you were doing before the beef: making good music. The end.

Im not a kid anymore...

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. “Back in the Day” – Ahmad
This was one of those songs that I look back and can’t believe how much I loved it.


2. “A plus Z” – A+ ft. AZ
A+ was always slept on.


3. “Crewz Pop” – Da Youngstas
I had the cassette tape for this joint.


4. “Fades em All” – Jamal
I just loved it when dudes got signed because they just had a hunger to spit better than the next man. You can feel his hunger on this song.


5. “Pass it Off” – Shyheim
Just because.


Come back every week for a new mixtape!

DJ Drama & Cookin Soul Present: The Notorious BIG Tribute (Mixtape)

Monday, March 9th 2009, exactly twelve years after his death.
In “The NOTORIOUS BIG Tribute” superproducers and remixers Cookin’ Soul flip the original samples used in Biggie’s classic albums “Ready to Die” and “Life After Death” into new beats and feature original appearances from a whole range of well known artists paying their respects doing what they do best, in a celebration of the late great rapper musical legacy.

Download Here

Hip-Hop = Life

Poppin’ Tags
written by JusHH

I laughed to myself the other day. In 3 weeks I will turn 27 years old and I realized that I still don’t lace my white-on-white Uptowns through every hole, I still wear my hats with a tilt and Tim boots are still worn year round. There is no question that Hip-Hop has dictated my fashion sense for as long as I can remember. In fact Hip-Hop, humble beginnings and all have had a significant and permanent impact on fashion as a whole.

Like most things with Hip-Hop, the fashion started off by putting a spin on whatever we had…

Adidas sneakers? Cool. I’ll wear them with no laces and rock the tongue out.

Kangol hats from your dad’s closet? Cool but I won’t wear them with a suit; I’ll put it with my track suit.

Once Hip-Hop became the hottest music/ culture and started to influence the rest of the country, clothing companies went from thinking that we were just some extra cash to specifically designing clothes for us. Timberland went from wondering if they wanted this “demographic” wearing their boots to making 10 different colors and like 100 different styles to wear anywhere.

Something funny also happened. People in Hip-Hop wanted to make clothes too. Karl Kani was one of the first designers from the “Hip-Hop generation” to start a clothing line. People definitely wore it but it did not have the longevity that he would have hoped. Inspired by Kani, Russell Simmons decided to jump into the mix. With Phat Farm, he felt that rather than spend money on clothes from designers who may or may not want your business, it would be better to buy from your own. He was going to use his name and influence with the Hip-Hop community to pull it off. Phat Farm did very well and it was proof that you can build a successful company

Then the flood gates opened. Every rapper and their mother felt that they needed to start a clothing line. Let’s see if you know the rappers who are responsible for these wonderful projects…

FJ560
ErvingGeoffery
Vokal
8732
Bushi

Now don’t get it twisted, I support anyone’s entrepreneurial endeavors but it became comical when a rapper’s debut album wasn’t out long enough to collect dust and they were already pushing their new jeans. It got so bad that the rack at the mall started to look like the rap section at Best Buy. Failed businesses and lost investments taught people that selling records and selling clothes isn’t the same thing.

A few people got it right though. They focused on the fashion first and not necessiarily the strength of their rap names (Rocawear (Jay-Z)). They picked a demographic in need and gave them clothing they desperately needed (i.e. Apple Bottoms (Nelly) and “curvy” women). It was very clear that they took this business seriously and hired professionals in the industry to make the right decisions. The most successful has to go to Diddy who’s Sean John line has broken out of the “Hip-Hop” box and has worldwide acclaim and has won prestigious fashion awards.

The relationship between Hip-Hop and fashion has come along way from unlaced shoes and unstrapped overalls. When Hov stopped wearing jerseys, Mitchell & Ness lost a lot of business and when Kanye’s jeans got tighter, a lot of 36-42’s were left on the shelf. Now you have clothing companies creating hats, shirts, jeans and shoes just for us. Your favorite rapper is either trying to start his own line or is getting a major endorsement to wear someone else’s stuff. Either way, you can be sure that where Hip-Hop goes, fashion is sure to follow…

… and vice versa (cuz who saw this rockstar/ skateboard thing coming? lol)

Still looking for answers...

10 More ?s
written by 4bars

Aight so I was trying to narrow down what I was gonna write about this Friday and I realized that I had a lot on my mind. What better way to get it all out than to ask what somebody else thinks about it and here we go:

1. Will Rick Ross’ career be officially done after 50 is done with him?
2. Will Chris Brown’s career be done after the LAPD is done with him?
3. What will Kanye’s next album be like? More spittin or singin?
4. Is Kanye the new Wayne when it comes to guest verses? (see The Dream- “Walking on the Moon” and Jaime Foxx- “Digital Girl”
5. How will The Dream’s Love/Money compare to Love/Hate?
6. How much of a f&%k do you give about either of the Making tha Band groups?
7. Why will Kid Cudi’s debut album be a classic?
8. Why will Wale’s debut album probably never see the light of day?
9. How will T.I.’s prison sentence affect his music, career, fan base, and future?
10. WILL SOMEBODY WITH A SUIT ON EVER GIVE LITTLE BROTHA THEIR DUE!!??!!

Fall Into The...

The Gap
written by Just K

Every few years an MC or two will come along and alter the lyrical landscape. Whether it’s the quality of lyrics or the way in which they’re delivered. The spotlight is pointed directly at them because they’re “nice” or “ill” or “sick” or “dope” or whatever other synonym you can find for an MC that delivers amazing lyrics in an amazing way. For example, we had Rakim and Big Daddy Kane in the late 80s. Then we had Big and Pac in the early to mid-90s.

Then we have the gap. Then I’m not 100% sure what happened after that.

First we’ll start with young Canibus. The kid had a buzz like none other. He had people talking with his radio spots and a few well-placed features. He approached the microphone with a big-@$ dictionary and the precision of an architect. With punchlines that made you tap your homey to left and yell, “oooooooh, did he just say that?” and stop the cassette to rewind it, Canibus was on the way. Then “4, 3, 2, 1” happened.

For the record, I had no idea LL was talking about Canibus until Canibus pointed out that LL was talking about Canibus, but I imagine it can be hard for a real MC to back down from an invitation to battle, whether subliminal or not. This is where it gets tricky. Canibus released “2nd Round K.O.” and LL released a response. Supposedly, LL won the battle. Funny thing is, everyone can remember Canibus’s song, but no can really remember uncle L’s. How does that work you may ask? It’s amazing how far legendary status can carry someone (seriously, ask Jay-Z how many rappers he got the privilege of ignoring because he’s a legend). If only that was the end of Canibus’s issues.

Then Canibus released a second single called “I Honor U.” The song served as a dedication to his mother while also explaining in great scientific detail how the egg and sperm that produced him were united. If it sounds pretty bad, that’s because it is. And to seal the deal, Canibus put together some of the illest verses with some of the saddest beats and horrible choruses and called it an album. After that, the “Human Rubik’s Cube” never really got a second chance.

The other guy whose career wrapped upped too early was Big Punisher. Just when I thought a playa couldn’t get any bigger than Biggie, I remember seeing this gigantic Latino cat rapping fast as hell over an O’Jays sample. It wasn’t so fast that I couldn’t understand him, but fast enough that there was a delayed understanding of how great dude was. I didn’t start getting hyped over his first verse until the hook. He had rhymes, rhymes, and more rhymes. Rhymed half bars, whole bars, stringed rhymes together, alliterations, his famous tongue twister (Dead in the middle of Little Italy little did we know that we riddled some middleman who didn't do diddily), multis, whatever. And if you want to talk about a vast vocabulary, dude rapped like he and Canibus were reading from similar dictionaries. Dude was that nice. He dropped an arguably classic debut that had way too many rewind moments. Pun was really rapping and he was really marketable. He was the first Latin to go platinum.

We already know how this story ends.

Every time I hear a fan with the radio on saying, “this never would’ve happened if Big and Pac were here,” I always wonder what would’ve happened if we didn’t have the gap.

Joey...

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. “Pump It Up (Freestyle)”


2. “Dear Diary”


3. “Who Pt. 1”


4. “3 Sides to a Story”


5. “If I Die Tomorrow”


6. “Stained”


7. “10 Minutes”

8. “Talk 2 Em”



Come back every week for a new mixtape!

New Music Tuesday: Singles Edition

Some new music for your iPod

Camron - I Used To Get It In Ohio

Raekwon ft Ghostface Killah and Method Man - Wu Ooh

Raekwon Ft Busta Rhymes & Uncle Murda - Stick Up Muzic

Busta Rhymes ft T.I. and Akon - One

Are you in that mood yet?

Unreasonable Doubt
written by JusHH

“If skills sold truth be told…”

Truth be told, if Jay-Z began his career in this current state of Hip-Hop, his name would be Joe Budden. The New Jersey representative currently resides somewhere in the back half of my all-time Top 10 favorite rapper’s list. His Mood Muzik 2 mixtape is one of the greatest pieces of work that I’ve ever heard and he continues to leave people’s jaws on the ground every time he touches the mic (Don’t believe me? Listen to his “Who?” series.). Truth be told, if Joe Budden came out in 1995, he would have been Jay-Z.

Now I’m not going to sit here and say that Joe Budden is a better rapper than Jay-Z or even say that they are equal but the talent gap is the distance between Kobe Bryant and Lebron James – clearly there but relatively irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. Jay-Z wasn’t always the international superstar with the “it” factor; he started off as a n***a from Brooklyn who had a way with words. He was just able to build on his career and develop into what he is today. When Joe Budden debuted in 2003, he too had a way with punchlines and knew how to handle a bass line. He had the wit and charisma and the backstory to hang with anyone in the game. His lead single “Pump it Up” was a certified smash record. It was played at every party, club and BBQ that summer. Even Jay-Z “jacked” the beat and delivered a memorable verse. Most thought that verse effectively nullified any impact Joe Budden would have until he responded a week later with his own retort, “Pardon the future, sing the track now, it’s been a good week Hova, you can give it back now.” Trading lines with Hov, the rookie more than held his own and in some people’s minds, had a better verse than Jay. There definitely seemed to be a mutual respect there. Jay-Z the veteran superstar who had done it all in the game and preparing for retirement and perhaps the one dude with the gift of gab good enough to pass the torch to.

Unfortunately, Def Jam f**ked it up. With “Pump it Up” tearing up the charts, the album sat… and sat… and sat. Months passed as the song and its unofficial remix ran its course and died out, killing Budden’s momentum. This is especially not good when the attention span of Hip-Hop had dwindled down to the length a Lil’ Jon ad-lib. Def Jam finally released the album minus the fanfare and yes it flopped. A debut album not selling in 1996 wasn’t a deal breaker if you had talent and could develop a core fan base. But as ringtones and iTunes started to dominate the scene, labels were only looking at the bottom line and were no longer willing to wait for an artist to develop. Joe Budden’s career sat… and sat… and sat.

But Hov and Budden’s paths would cross again. When Jay-Z, took the job as President of Def Jam my first thoughts were, “yes, Joe Budden is gonna get a chance to shine.” Who else would understand Joe Budden’s situation better than Hov? He saw how his own debut, Reasonable Doubt, failed to generate any first week sales worth mentioning and how he was still able to build a successful career around his skills. Who else would know how to market a young, charismatic, NY/NJ dude with the ability to rap circles around anyone? Even Joe Budden was excited about the opportunity to have Jay-Z spearhead his career, hell he looked up to him and wanted to model his career off his. But before you could say the word “protégé”, the Brooklyn legend was knee deep in developing Young Jeezy and Rick Ross. Nothing against those two but they can’t see Joe Budden lyrically with NASA’s telescope. I knew that, Joe knew that and Jay knew that but still, Joe Budden’s sophomore effort never saw the light of day. He remained a footnote on the Def Jam roster.

Feeling betrayed by his idol, Joe set off on his own campaign through an enormous amount of freestyles and the Mood Muzik mixtape series. Verse after verse created all kinds of buzz on the internet while Jay-Z held the reigns to Def Jam and his career. It was like the kid at the playground trying to get his big brother to look at him while he did a backflip on the monkey bars. He’d keep flipping and flipping and then run over and ask, “did you see me?” Well whether Jay “saw” it or not, only he knows but he sure didn’t show it. But then in 2006, the great Jay-Z decided to make his return to the booth stating that one of his reasons was to “save Hip-Hop” from wack music. You could imagine how Joe Budden must have felt. Feeling that he was the life saver that Hip-Hop needed only to be ignored again as Hov made his own project a top priority.

So as Jay-Z once again became raps #1 superstar, Joe still remained unknown by most. But like he said himself, he’s “the only thing that gets better the longer you leave it on the shelf.” His metaphors improved, his stories more fascinating, is delivery more powerful… Joe Budden was a beast. As he was preparing for the 3rd installment of the Mood Muzik mixtapes, it created a massive buzz. In certain circles, it was the most anticipated project in the game from someone not named Weezy. Websites had trailers and snippets for the release. The mixtape was released to minimal fanfare by Billboard’s standards but the streets were on fire. And on the song “Talk 2 Em”, it was clear that he had a bone to pick with President Carter:

“…F**k ya bunch of money, put ya ego to the side/ and maybe its time to study ya understudy/ I mean, are we hustling or are we grown up?/ everytime I hear you, you changing ya tone up/ when the new generation think about Jordan/ all they remember is when Iverson crossed him/ take off the blazer, loosen up the tie/ nigga fell in love and superman died…”

Now there’s been speculation as to whether Jay-Z intentionally delayed Joe Budden’s album while he was running Def Jam. (I’m sure somewhere in Joe’s mind he thinks that too) Who knows what really happened over there but my point is this. Imagine what rap would have been like if today’s standards applied 12 years ago? Imagine never hearing The Blueprint or never seeing the Diamond get thrown up at the Garden. Imagine how many fewer songs you’d have on your iPod or how many “fanatic” moments you would be giving up? Imagine a Hip-Hop world without Hova. Now just substitute Joe Budden and you might be able to see what the world has been missing this whole time. He is Jay-Z back in 1996. He is the red pill in Hip-Hop’s Matrix . Listen to him, you won’t be disappointed. Even if his skills haven’t been sold, he’s truly one of the best.

Truth be told.