The "Notorious" casting...

Cheese...

Nyquil Mixtape of the Week Cashmere Edition – (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. Freeway - Free
"They say the best things in life are free, but I can't tell
I gotta pay for all the food that I take in
And gotta pay for all the chronic that I inhale
That's why I stick with my team, nigga, stick with my men
Y'all dudes freelance, play for any team
Don't stand for nothin then you fall for anything"




2. Jay-Z, Freeway, Geda K, Young Chris Memphis - Good Times (Jaz-O Diss)
This is what I thought loyalty was all about - back in 2002, on a
beach in Cape Verde.



3. Andre 3000 - A Life in the Day of Benjamin Andre

"Yes we were selling it and no it wasn't blow."



4. Mathematics - Strawberries & Cream
The best pick up song, by far!



5. Big L - How Will I Make It
"It's real rough out here, man."



Come back every week for a new mixtape!

Young Jeezy ft. Jay-Z - Put On (remix)

Young Jeezy ft. Jay-Z - Put On (Remix)

You're not still suppose to be this good, btw I had a fanatic moment last night when I heard this haha

Man on The Moon...

Cleveland is the Reason…
written by K. Billy

I love hip-hop. I think anyone who knows me or has read any of my posts knows that my appreciation for it is far-reaching and there are aspects of it that consistently appeal to me, far beyond just the lyrics and the beats. What I have come to appreciate more and more about it is the diversity of the sound that has been injected into the genre. This is because of a variety of different reasons, but I find that region plays an instrumental role in the cultivation of a hip-hop sound. I’ve been on a little bit of a hiatus for a minute, due to some other responsibilities in my life, but I had to throw something together to big up Kid Cudi, a Cleveland-based artist that I was just put on to (big ups to my homegirl Jane!).

He just threw an album release party over at LOVE to celebrate the dropping of his new mixtape “A Kid Called Cudi.” Like many of the Midwestern artists that are permeating the scene nowadays, his flow is calculated and often, pretty cerebral with a heavy dependency on complex, yet simplistically-sounding tracks hearkening back to the sounds of the late-80’s. What’s interesting about him is his heavy incorporation of the techno-synth sound that’s been making a more pronounced appearance in hip-hop in the Midwest (think Kid Sister’s “Beeper” or Kanye’s “Flashing Lights”). In fact, his sound is very reminiscent of Outkast’s progressive musical tastes. To be sure it’s not for everyone, but I think everyone can appreciate what he’s trying to do with his music and with the genre on the whole.

The lead single from his forthcoming LP “Man on the Moon” (titled “Day N Nite”) is burning up underground spots from N.Y. to Chicago and he’s already been cosigned by artists the likes of Mr. Kanye West himself. This is the type of thing I love, PTM-ers. Big ups to new artists who are doing what they can to not only advance the genre, but advance the sound. Download his mixtape “A Kid Called Cudi” below and check out his bio and the “Day N Nite”remix here.

Download the mixtape here.

Fanatic...

THAT’S MY S**T!!!
written by JusHH

I can’t lie, I had nothing for this week. At 8pm on Sunday, I didn’t know what I was going to write for tomorrow. So I decided to do some non-related work hoping that not thinking about it will some how lead to inspiration. I decided to put in 2Pac’s All Eyez on Me to rock out to and what I did next gave me more than enough to write about…

“I won’t deny it, I’m a straight rider. You don’t wanna f**k with me, got the pol-…”

Stop. Repeat.

“I won’t deny it, I’m a straight rider. You don’t wanna f**k with me, got the pol-…”

Stop again. Repeat.

“I won’t deny it, I’m a straight rider. You don’t wanna f**k with me, got the pol-…”

See when the bass line drops when Pac says “police”, that’s my s**t!!! I did that stop and repeat thing at least 5 times. Keep in mind the album came out 12 years ago and I couldn’t tell you how many times I’ve heard it but it still makes me do it, every single time.

When you are a fan, and I mean a real fan of Hip-Hop, it makes you do some ridiculous things. For example how many times have you been listening to that joint and you grab the remote control, a brush or fork and act like it’s a microphone. And if there’s nothing around, you ball your fist up and act like you’re rocking a crowd at MSG.

Or what about when you are in the car with your people and that DMX song comes on and you smack your boy in the arm and spit the lyrics in his face like you wrote them yourself. Hell you might even throw the “Arrff, arrff” in there as well.

How your head drops and bobs when the beat for “One More Chance (Remix)” comes on.

How you and your girls made a dance to every song that was played on Hot 97 and did a part of it every time you heard that song.

Or when your G-Dep’s “Special Delivery” came on in the club and you laughed at the kid who ran to the middle and couldn’t really do the Harlem Shake but really acted like he did. But while you were laughing at him, your shoulders started speeding up on the low (haha)

The times you are alone in your crib and Meth & Mary’s “All I Need” came on and you put on a one-person video shoot.

How you close your eyes and stop moving when “Dear Mama” comes on and you just vibe.

Or one of my favorites, you are listening to a Hov joint, catch a line and you have to get up, walk to the other side of the room, and pause it just to say, “Son, did you just hear what the f**k he said?” Then rewind it and analyze that punchline for the next 2 minutes.

What about the times when you’ll listen to 2 minutes and 30 seconds of a song just to get to that Canibus verse on “Beasts from the East”.

When you are rocking Bone Thugs’ “Crossroads” on your headphones and you don’t know any of the damn words except for a few but you scream those joints out! “…sumthin’… sumthin’… I MISS MY UNCLE CHARLES Y’ALL… sumthin’… sumthin’ … SEE YOU AT THE CROSSROADS, CROSSROADS, WHERE YOU WON’T BE LONELAAAYYY.”

I love this s**t. I will always act like I have a mic in my hand. I will always screw up my face when Pun says “flawless victory, you n***as can’t do s**t to me. Physically, lyrically, hypothetically, realistically.” I will always act like I’m in the “Doggy Dogg World” video. And I will always, always rewind the beginning of Disc 1 of 2Pac’s All Eyez on Me album because….


That’s my s**t!

Who are you?

I'll admit I had this dudes music and just didn't get around to listening to it. Im glad I finally got the chance to cause I rock with his style. His name is Mickey Factz, heres a little excerpt from his BIO :

"As hip-hop has culturally evolved from it's original days, of the b-boys to that of the d-boys and so forth. Mickey Factz has been steadily crafting what he's coined as "Uber" music. When asked what "Uber" music is, he gestures at the sky and says, "undeniable global music...I don't care where in the world you are, you're rockin' to this shit." To Factz hip-hop music in it's truest essence is about being able to rock out on any track like the forefathers did and currently that lack there of in the genre is what's stagnating its growth. "The music my generation and younger are listening to has expanded beyond funk and soul, we're listening to rock, electronic, house and so forth. I'm always going to be clever with the wordplay and lyrics, but very few rappers can do that on a Royskopp record. That's the lane I ride in. I'm going to do me, and trust, you'll love me for it."

Mickey Factz - Good Money produced by 9th Wonder


check out more of his music here

Nas at FoxNews protest...

sidenote: He took the #1 one spot from wayne on the charts this week but the numbers are still low from what I think is a really good album. Especially with all the talk that was around this project.

The Rappin' Duke...

Lyrics, lyrics, lyrics
written by Doesn't Matt R

Here at PTM, we love to preach the importance of lyrics. Smart rhymes can make or break a track, an album, and an MC. But as a fan, do we always know what it is we are bouncing our heads along to? Raekwon and Ghostface seem to speak to each other in a language only twins understand. The mainstream had a field day when they found out what “Skeet, skeet, skeet” meant. And everybody’s favorite hip-hop scapegoat added a new term to America’s catchphrase dictionary with the concept of trying to “Superman” a lady.

Jigga asked, “Do you fools listen to music or do you just skim through it?” Now I’m not claiming to be the fastest car on the track. I usually get the more obvious punch lines before the song ends. But today I just found out something that blew my mind. I heard “Juicy” by Biggie in 1994. I know all the words. I’ve sung along with it in the Club, in the shower, and on the subway. And yet, it is only today, fourteen years later, that I finally understand the line “Remember Rappin’ Duke, duh-ha, duh-ha.” Maybe I’m slow. Maybe I’m the only one left on the planet who didn’t know that this came from an old school novelty song where a John Wayne impersonator is rapping. Maybe it’s all a joke being played on me by the World Wide Web of lies? I don’t know anymore. But I heard this track today and it blew my mind. Listen:



Here are some of the things I thought this line could have meant previously.

First- That Rappin’ Duke was actually the name of an old school hip-hop artist. He was probably down with the Funky Four +1 or Newcleus.

Second- Biggie was asking someone (a family member, like pop-duke or mom dukes) if they remembered him rapping in the kitchen as a kid. They never believed that he would take it this far. HA HA.

So the mystery has been solved. And this piece of ridiculousness is indelible in the history of hip-hop through one classic line. If I was that wrong about what this meant, what am I getting wrong when I listen to a Cam’ron track? “I know it’s white but here comes the hot sauce.” Okay, I think I get that one.

And finally let’s all be thankful that Biggie knew what he was doing and didn’t spit “Aretha Franklyn, Aretha Franklyn, Aretha Franklyn, let me rock ya, let me rock ya, Aretha Franklyn.”

"Still Not a player, I just...."

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. "Super Lyrical" – Big Pun ft. Black Thought
The title says it all. Stop playing games.


2. "Wild Out" – The Lox
The results of the 1st time they complained about their record company.


3. "Nann" – Trick Daddy
The day FLA got its stripes back.


4. "Damn" – Youngbloodz
Same exact beat as Snap Ya Fingas, just a different dance.


5. "Devil's Night" – D12
Great song on an underrated album. RIP Proof




Come back every week for a new mixtape!

Check the ingredients pt. 2

So you might just be wondering who that is...It's the biggest boss that you seen thus far. The Smoking gun (TSG), as they like to do, came out with this story showing that Rick Ross was a correctional officer. He was asked before this information came out and denied it to the fullest. Why? to keep his image? Was he worried about his credibility being taken away. Even if he was a correctional officer, then decided to move weight what is the big deal. Why does he feel the need to deny it the way he did? check out the full story here The Smoking Gun - Screw Rick Ross....once again man, check the ingrediants first.

gWiz

Gettin' jiggy wit it...

Don’t Get Gassed: Will Smith is a G
written by JusHH

With Hancock tearing up the movie screen, I figure its time to break this one out…

In an interview, Bow Wow said that Will Smith wasn’t a “real” rapper. Now I have never taken Bow Wow’s opinions as gospel but what he says rings true with a lot of people in Hip-Hop. Somehow Will Smith is too “pop” and doesn’t deserve the same level of respect. But Don’t Get Gassed… Will Smith is not only the essence of Hip-Hop, he’s one of the realest dudes in the game.

Let’s see… people talk about Will Smith like he’s soft. Will Smith was born and raised in the Overbrook section of West Philadelphia. Anyone who’s ever been to West Philly will tell you that it’s as hood as Brooklyn or Compton. You don’t come up out of a place like that being “soft”. However, Will was lucky enough to have a stable household so he didn’t have to sell drugs or join a gang. When he began rapping, he used to talk about the streets and curse just like everyone else but he thought about his grandmother and didn’t want to disrespect her. So he flipped the script and cleaned up his rhymes. He stood on a principle and bucked the system. How many rappers today have the balls to “be themselves” on a record (go head, I’ll wait). Will made Hip-Hop music that his family could be proud of… now that’s gangsta.

Let’s see… people talk about Will Smith like he’s safe. You hear rappers like DMX or Bun-B say things like “F**k the Grammy’s” and people give them all kinds of props for it. You see Will Smith in all the videos and movies and think that he’s safe for white America and he just conforms. However back in 1989, Will Smith received the first ever Grammy given to a Hip-Hop artist. Let me repeat that, he was the FIRST RAPPER TO EVER RECEIVE A GRAMMY. This was the biggest music award that an artist could receive and what did Will Smith do? He publicly boycotted the Grammy Awards. He felt that the awards show didn’t give proper respect to the culture (by not televising the award) and he refused to attend. He didn’t just “say” “f**k the Grammy’s”, he actually did something about it. So when you see Jay-Z, Outkast or any other rapper on stage of the Grammy’s, you should all thank Will. Then again in 1999, after receiving a MTV award he stood in the face of everyone and proclaimed that you could be successful without cursing or killing someone on your record. The nerve of him to actually suggest that Hip-Hop music could be more positive. How many rappers have the balls to get on national television and say something you know is going to piss people off but it’s the right thing to do? Will challenged rappers and the greater Hip-Hop community to do better… now that’s gangsta.

Let’s see… people talk about Will Smith like his music is wack. Rather than talk about drugs and guns, Will used humor to talk about issues that affect everyday people. People of all ages, races and backgrounds can relate to Will’s music because he talks about our experiences. Sounds familiar? Sounds like a rapper who’s album you just bought last year? Yep. Will Smith was Kanye West, before Kanye West decided to drop out of college. “Parents Just Don’t Understand” and “Girls Ain’t Nothing But Trouble” are timeless classics. “Summertime” is still the greatest summer anthem ever created. You can laugh at “Getting Jiggy with It” but I believe the Lox have a song called “If you think I’m Jiggy”, and they’re what, the hardest rap group in the game? He spit fire on “Just Cruisin’” and “Freakin’ It” and dedicated a song to his son on “Just The Two of Us”. Now I’m not saying that he needs to be in your Top 5 but to say that his music wasn’t hot because your friends might laugh at you is stupid. Will Smith has given us hits and whether you loved or hated (on) him, he never changed who he was. He made the music he wanted to make and sold over 20 million albums doing it. He’s been in the game longer than your favorite rapper, has a better woman then your favorite rapper and could buy your favorite rapper’s house as a vacation spot… now that’s gangsta.

Face Mob...

Last Real Ni**a Alive
written by 4bars

Since I could form a decent argument about the best rappers alive, Scarface has ALWAYS been in my top 5. My argument has always been that he is the one successful rapper to NEVER sell out or crossover just to sell a record, not even once. The closest Face has ever come to a “crossover” record would be these three records: “My Block” (nothing pop about it, an even more hood “Hard Knock Life”), “F**k Faces” (any song with Tela and Too Short with Devin the Dude on the hook can’t ever be ‘pop’), or the Geto Boys hip-hop classic “My Mind Is Playing Tricks On Me”. The phrase “keeping it real” has always applied to Uncle Face. I know what you’re thinking, “what about ‘Girl U Know’ with Trey Songs? Hmmm?” Honestly, while it looks pop from the title and feature, go and listen to the lyrics, it’s an ode to the single life but more importantly, a cautionary tale about falling too quickly into marriage or a commitment. For that added mmph, watch the video, Bun-B’s face at the alter is PRICELESS!!

I can remember listening to “Look Me in My Eyes” on an airplane flight and mean mugging the stewardess when she asked me if I wanted peanuts or pretzels. I remember watching the video for “Never Seen a Man Cry” and damn near shittin myself when the dude got snatched up. “F**k Faces” was my anthem for a summer in which I saw none (cruel irony). The Fix is one of my favorite hip-hop albums of all time. I still enjoy hearing Scarface’s rendition of the Itsy Bitsy Spider come on my Ipod: “Mr Mr Scaaaarface come walkin down the block, out jump some fiends and steeeeaaallls all his rocks, pullllsss out a guuunnn and shoots down all the fiends, and Mr Mr Scaaaarface went up the block again....” I listen to “Now I Feel Ya” ALLLL the way through cause its such an honest song. I could go on and on about how Face’s albums, singles, concepts, persona, and overall influence shows through and through in all facets of hip-hop but the legacy he’s left speaks for itself.

Face has never had a smash single since his Geto Boys days yet is one of the most revered rappers from any coast. The amount of respect that Scarface garners from all has always surprised me, in a good way. He’s a southern pioneer and has worked with everybody from Jay-Z to J-Prince. UGK, Outkast, and Scarface are three parts of hip-hop that I simply cannot live without, but without Face and the Geto Boys, the other two don’t come about. The original southern “gangsta” rapper, his authenticity and refusal of conformity make him unique on so many levels. His lyrics are always honest, most times revealing sadistic and dark parts many artists never dare even discuss. I realize I’ve typed waayyy more than I had planned, but I want you to listen to The Fix and Last of a Dying Breed and tell me that Face isn’t the “Last Real Ni**a Alive”.

The Fist Pump...

Written by Doesn't Matt R

I’m listening to the Nas album for about the tenth time in a week in order to write my review. I got the lyrics in front of me to make sure I don’t miss a punch line, metaphor, or allusion. And on the first track he slips in there “Bring back Arsenio.” I didn’t think much of it at the time. But a couple of days later it hits me. What do I really know about Arsenio Hall? He’s classic in Coming to America as Eddie Murphy’s sidekick, especially in the club scene (“I want to tear you apart, and your friend too.”). Most people know about his talk show, but the only memory I have of it is the fist pump that the old white lady hits Wesley Snipes with in Passenger 57 and Bill Clinton coming out and playing the sax before he moved into the White House. I don’t even think I saw that last one live, it’s just been replayed so many times that I picked it up over the years. Most recently I flipped on a Harlem Globetrotters game and Arsenio was the “funny” announcer. So now I’m wondering why Nas is calling for this guy to come back 14 years after his show went off the air.

Now I know Arsenio broke ground but he had to be good to stick around for five years. Chevy Chase got a late night show and it didn’t make it to five episodes. So I checked around on that fantastic source for everything forgotten and found some magic for ya that relates directly to hip hop history.

Arsenio & Vanilla Ice

Did Arsenio just call him a “vanilla face?” And he accused him of pulling the George Costanza-one black friend move. If I had a time machine, the first thing I’m doing is going back in time and getting tickets to the show where Ice opens for Hammer. That’s the early 90’s version of Rocky 3.

Arsenio & 2Pac

The first talk show to put rappers on. This is real stuff here. We got this recorded forever, kids. Who wouldn’t have wanted to eavesdrop on a Mike Tyson-Tupac phone conversation? Pac talking his case the night before the arraignment. Clips from the courtroom? Arsenio is raw. Tupac is one in a billion.

Arsenio & N.W.A

I’ve never seen an interview on a talk show with these guys and never imagined I would. Damn, man, he’s giving “F--- the Police” a plug on national television. Nas was right. Bring Arsenio back now!

Seriously though, there are too many clips to watch. Actors, musicians, and politicians. I don’t know who’s in charge but we gotta get a best of Arsenio Hip-Hop Acts out on DVD, like they gave Johnny Carson. For real.

"No matter what the CD is called, Im unbeatable yall...LET'S GO!"

Nas - Untitled
written by doesn't Matt R

The last time we heard from Nasir Jones on wax, he proclaimed Hip-Hop to be dead. This sparked countless debates as to the status of the art form we all love. With a claim like that, how could he possibly cause a bigger dispute…? The answer is to title his next album with possibly the most controversial word in America’s history. But Nas is not the type to simply spark a conversation and walk away. He sticks around to give a solution. Destroy and rebuild. Nas ends Hip Hop is Dead with Hope and chants of, “Live Hip Hop live.”

If you don’t know by now that this album is untitled, you’ve probably been on your couch watching reruns of House Party on STARZ! In Black for the last six months. No press in bad press, and who knows how much is true surrounding the rumors of the title change. Calls from the White House? Pressure on the record label? But as Nas himself spits, the title doesn’t change a thing. And this is one hot album.

Starting off with the track Queens Get the Money, Nas channels Rakim over a simple beat and allegedly goes at 50 Cent. From there on what we are treated to is a snapshot of America. Equal rights for all races and sexes, police brutality, and media propaganda are all chewed up and spit out for your listening pleasure. The shock comes when you realize that despite these topics, despite the world we find ourselves in today—this is a work of art filled with optimism. Tracks like You Can’t Stop Us, Breathe, and the hot as Megan Fox on the Vegas strip in August, Hero are all steeped in optimism. Yes, there are problems, but there are solutions. Educate yourself. Refuse to be passive. Just keep breathing.

As the album continues it becomes clear that Nas isn’t just trying to rebuild Hip-Hop with a hot album. He’s holding a mirror up to society. We may not like what we see (or hear) but the good news is that somebody is speaking out against the true oppressive forces like Fox Corp, on the track Sly Fox. He goes on to call out his own listeners on Testify. “Don’t buy my songs, Y’all don’t roll with it.”

As we’ve come to expect with a Nas joint, the lyrical content is mind blowing. While both Fried Chicken and Project Roach come off as a funny look as some staples of the hood, listen closely to the metaphor that he’s handing you. The consumption of something you know will kill you. Learning to live in harmony with the roaches, because roaches never die.

With We’re Not Alone, Nas explores what it’s like to be a leader in today’s society. Do all the bling and riches cancel you out if you still live like a revolutionary? That’s a deep idea. This track builds to Black President, another high IQ banger. Has anyone watched Obama and not had some of the fears Nas elaborates on this track?

This is a perfect example of an artist finally having something to say and spitting it so ferociously that you can’t help listen again. The beats are simple and soulful. The message is clear by the end. There’s somebody pulling the strings in the world and it isn’t any of us. Nas killed Hip-Hop and brought it back. Untitled takes shots at the world. Will he be able to bring that back as fast? Probably not. But we can sit back and enjoy the revolution one hot track at a time.

"You ever wonder if you'll find your dreams..."

I Wonder
written by JusHH

Last time I gave you a few things that I Believe in. Now I let you in on some of the things that I wonder about.

I Wonder what B.I.G would have done with the “Grindin’” beat

I Wonder what his next album would have sounded like

I Wonder what would have happened if Big L signed to Roc-a-fella

I Wonder when did we start caring so much about 1st week sales

I Wonder why Dame and Hov really broke up the dynasty

I Wonder when it became “uncool” to actually write your rhymes

I Wonder what Papoose and Remy’s baby is going to look like

I Wonder why athletes feel like they can be rappers

I Wonder when being “gangsta” became so freggin’ important for an artist to get a deal.

I Wonder how Mims is dealing with being a one hit wonder.

I Wonder what would have happened if 50 didn’t get shot and Columbia kept him

I Wonder how Eminem would be rated if he were black

I Wonder if he would have even gotten signed by Dre

I Wonder if he would have just been another dope emcee no one has heard of

I Wonder if people realize just how talented of a lyricist Ludacris is.

I Wonder if people realize the same for Busta Rhymes.

I Wonder if Juvenille is ever jealous of Lil’ Wayne

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

I Wonder if Wyclef was ever jealous of Lauryn

I Wonder why artists refuse to do creative videos

I Wonder how great “Lean Back” would have sounded if Pun was alive

I Wonder why The Game feels the need to do and say stupid things all of the time.

I Wonder what MC Lyte and Queen Latifah really think about Lil’ Kim and Foxy

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

I Wonder why Lupe and Common haven’t done a song yet.

I Wonder if Chuck D wants to slap Flav for all of those coon TV shows

I Wonder why PTM isn’t read by more people.

“And I wonder, if you know what it means… what it means.”

Gordon Gartrell Radio...

www.gordongartrellradio.com
wanted to bless u with something that always brightens my day, my main man tiggalo. Scarface: last real ni**a alive, next week...

4bars

The Game breaks down for Sean Bell...

“We’re Still Bangin’, We Never Lost Power”

Solidarity
written by K Billy

New York has been missing that in it’s hip-hop for quite some time. It’s there in spurts now, nothing consistent. You get a few artists on the same track, yeah, but nothing like how it was back in the 90’s. In thinking about that, I was led to think about a track that, in many ways, symbolized the apex of New York hip-hop solidarity.

Right at the doorway of the new millennium, a mediocre movie called “The Corruptor” came out. But it wasn’t the movie that compelled me to write this. Rather it was the soundtrack, more specifically a track called “5 Boroughs. ” I remember this particular track because of the sheer number of artists featured on it. If I recall correctly (wikipedia helps a great deal here), you had KRS-One, Vigilante, Killah Priest, Redman, Cam’ Ron, Prodigy of Mob Deep, Keith Murray, Buck Shot of Black Moon, Run of Run-DMC and Bounty Killer. 9 emcees on one track back then was a bit of a big deal and it was not as prevalent as it seems to be now.

KRS provides a strong beginning to the track as he reps the Bronx in his verse in classic KRS form, bobbing and weaving through the beat:

“Much quicker than them lyrically trickin' ‘em/my Tribe be on a Quest like Tip and them/On every avenue puttin' the full clip in em/Splittin' and strippin' em down while spittin' a round…”

Sometimes, I forget how prolific a lyricist KRS-One really is. You hear his verse and the way he’s just throwing words out and stringing them together so easily and it’s easy to remember why BDP was one of the hottest to ever do it.

I love Keith Murray’s verse from this joint. The Long Island born rapper gives us a reminder of why he may be one of the most underrated rappers to ever spit.

“I'm dead serious/even though you see me smiling’/Rough enough to break New York from Long Island”

His Def Squad compatriot Redman gives an equally strong performance on this one and, truth be told, it’s probably one of the better verses he’s ever put together in my opinion (“My paragraph alone is worth five mics (uh-huh)/A twelve song LP, that's thirty-six mics (uh-huh)/And while you win Un [signed] Hype (uh-huh)/I spit on your mic/and tell you {fuck you} and that {bitch} on your bike.”) The highlights of this track are almost too much to mention, but the point is, to have so many NY emcees just spitting; nothing pretentious, nothing ridiculously heady, was such a dope feeling. It’s like they all just hit the studio and had the mean cipher going. I didn’t even mention Rev Run’s verse on this one. His flow is mean.

It’s not exactly rare that I get worked up for a song featuring many artists or even artists from NY, but this is one that I remember feeling extreme pride in. I bought the soundtrack just for it (it was supposed to be featured on KRS-One’s yet unreleased LP Maximum Strength) and while the album wasn’t exactly a great one, this one song actually made the $13.99 worth it for me.

“The five boroughs of death, we rep to death.” I love New York…

"Do you fools listen to music or do you just skim through it?"

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. "I'm Back" – AZ
Beat. Sick.


2. "Fatty Girl" – LL Cool J, Ludacris, Keith Murray
The birthplace of "badunkadunk" (sp?)


3. "Liquid Swords" – GZA
When the Wu was on top of their game they had it on lock like no one else.


4. "Love, Peace & Nappiness" – Lost Boyz
Summertime anthem. These dudes have some classics under their belt


5. "Phone Tap" – The Firm
You listening Buck?


Come back every week for a new mixtape!

confession...

Aight so I download...
written by gWiz

After reading JusHH post it was easy to write this. I remember my first real CD I was able to buy by myself (I bought a couple bootleg tapes first), it was DMX, "It's Dark And Hell Is Hot". I was hype not only because I got the CD but it came with a bonus disc. It had some EPMD tracks on there, some ONYX and other artist. Now to my point, in 2008 to get an album off the Internet takes no effort, but to me its like everything else. I wouldn't buy sneakers without trying them on first then walking over to the mirror and see how my jeans fall on them. Then I try to picture them with some other clothes to see if they are worth copping. When I go buy some clothes same thing, I try them on and see if this is something I want to drop my money on. Why is music different?

We all know we can't judge an album off the single they put out. There has been plenty of strong singles followed by weak albums. Now I actually get my music from legal source but I am still downloading it. To me it is like trying on those sneakers, if they fit right I'm getting them. If I like the music and the music is worth paying for I go to the store on the release date to pick it up. When some Jordan's come out (some retros) I know what I am gettng, I know the quality, so I don't even try those on I just bring them to the counter. Why? because years of consistency I know the product I'm getting. Artist consistent with the quality of their music? It is a no brainer I'm going to the store to get the album.

One more question. I can download and also buy bootleg movies just as easy as I can get the music, but why do I continue to pay to see certain movies? I know the quality of a Denzel movie, a Spike Lee movie etc etc you get the point. I feel if the artist is consistent with the quality of their music then people don't feel robbed when they buy their CD. Be consistent with the quality people who know me know I will go buy the cd till then So What I Download!!!!....

The Rush...

Tuesday
written by JusHH

Nas’ new album is set to drop July 15th and I am really excited to get in the store that Tuesday and cop it. Here’s the problem, as I’m writing this, I’m listening to it and by the time you are reading this post, I would have heard it at least two times. I am still excited to hit the store because I’m a collector and I still appreciate album artwork. But the urgency is no longer there. If I can’t make it on Tuesday, its fine, I can just go Wednesday or Thursday. I’m not saying that having leaked albums are all bad… it did save me from wasting my $10.89 on Curtis last fall. However it does it take the purity out of “Tuesday”. So follow me down memory lane as I take you back eleven years ago and one of my most memorable “Tuesdays”.

I was almost 15 years old and in the 9th grade. I don’t even think I heard of the internet let alone been online downloading music. We only knew an album was coming out if we read it in the Source, saw a commercial on Rap City or saw a sign wrapped around a light pole. The only songs we heard “early” were the official singles and videos. No leaks just anticipation and tons of questions. How many songs were gonna be on the album? I wonder who’s gonna be on the album with him? Yo, you think its gonna be better than his last joint or better than “such and such’s” new album? It was so exciting because it was like Christmas coming early – you couldn’t wait to unwrap it, look inside and see what you got.

Well this Tuesday, was a bit different than all of the others because a few weeks prior, something happened that we thought might jeopardize the album’s release. When we found out the album was finished and was still coming out, the album took on so much of a higher meaning. That Tuesday became more than just a release date, it was an event, a rap holiday if you will. Everyone on my block was talking about it. I had that date marked on my calendar and the money saved up. So when that Tuesday came I couldn’t even pay attention in class, all I could think about was 2:45pm when homeroom ended. As soon as it did, me and my boy hopped on the Q30, got off and walked up Jamaica Ave to Music Factory. I got to the store, went to the desk and said, “yeah, lemme get that new Biggie.”

As soon as I got home, just before ripping off the plastic, I stared at the cover for a few seconds. Thinking how cool Big looked with the all black suit and hat next to the hearse, only to then realize how ominous that photo shoot must have been. I tore off the plastic and that annoying sticky tape (I just hate that stuff) and I held that double CD in my hand. I read over the track listing of both CD’s and I put the first CD into my stereo and zoned out. I loved how the intro literally took over when the first album ended. My neck hurt from head noddin’ to the beat for “Last Days” and “Kick in the Door” I got lost in the amazing stories that “N***as Bleed” and “I Got a Story to Tell” told and couldn’t think that it could get any better.

Then it happened.

I remember reading on the back of the CD that the first song on disc 2 was called “Notorious Thugs” and it was featuring Bone Thugs N Harmony. I was skeptical because I was a fan of Bone and I was going to be mad if they got on the song at hyper speed only to have Big slow the whole song down with his flow. My curiosity made me want to hear that song first but I have to hear the album from start to finish the first time – no skipping or fast forwarding. So I get to the second disk and the beat comes on and I’m sitting on the edge of my bed just waiting. Bone started off the chorus and then Big came on… “Armed and dangerous, ain’t too many that can bang with us, straight up weed no angel dust, label us, notorious…”

OH MY F**KING GOD!!!!!!!! ARE YOU SERIOUS?!?!?!

After catching my breath from screaming and running around my house for 5 minutes, I grabbed my house phone (no celly yet) and called my boy. We just took turns expressing how ridiculous that was and how Big is so “nice” (damn, remember when dudes were “nice”). I made a few more phone calls and then sat back down to finish the album. I rocked out to “Going Back to Cali”, lauged at “Player Hater” and screwed up my face for “Long Kiss Goodnight” as I asked myself, “was that at Pac?” (for the record, I think he was talking about him, you can’t tell me nothing.) Then I heard “You’re Nobody (till Somebody Kills You)” and thought how crazy this song is considering the circumstances. The next day at school all we talked about was how dope that album was and that conversation has continued right up until today as I’m putting the finishing touches on this post.

So as I sit in front of my Dell listening to Nas’ album on my Winamp, I realize that I could have tried to avoid listening to it and waiting for July 15th but it wouldn’t have made a difference. Plus you can’t avoid hearing songs nowadays anyway. It’ll be playing in someone’s car, myspace page, radio and is able to be streamed on just about every Hip-Hop website. Like many things in Hip-Hop, Tuesday won’t ever mean the same that it used to when I was younger. And that’s okay because it makes me appreciate Tuesday March 25, 2007 even more.

Thanks BIG.

?

4 Bars 22 Qs Pt 2

1. Is there any question that Wayne is the hottest at this point?
2. Does this have any effect on Jay’s claim to the top all time spot?
3. Does anyone take G-Unit seriously anymore?
4. Does Young Buck have any street-cred left?
5. Will Shawty Lo and T.I. kiss and make up?
6. How much respect did Ice T lose for telling a minor to “eat a dick” and coaxing his teenage son to do the same?
7. How much do you miss Pimp C?
8. What is Nas’ legacy on the game?
9. How will his new album affect it?
10. Do you think artists actually get mad at Polo Da Don for leaking the songs they do with him?
11. Compared to the “freestyles” of other artists, how did Shaq’s compare?
12. Does Justin Timberlake hosting the Espy’s count as another victory for hip hop?
13. Who had the best “A Millie” freestyle? (Wayne’s remix can count)
14. You tired of rappers “freestyling” over the beat yet?
15. Will you pay to see the movie about Biggie in theatres?
16. Did you see David Banner act an ass on “Hip Hop vs America Pt 2”?
17. Not considering his disruptiveness, were his points valid: black people are scared of white people?
18. Do you f with Cool Kids and Kidz in the Hall even though they’re “kids”? haha
19. With t-pain having 10 #1 hits this year (tying the beatles) does he have an argument as the “hottest” in hip hop?
20. Are you tired of the voice coder thing yet?
21. What’s your favorite PTM Post to date?
22. Was this list better than the last one?

Lil Wayne - A Milli (video)

haha did he really do a kick jump at the end of the video?...

West, West, Y'all...

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. "Dre Day" – Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg
One of the hardest records ever.


2. "Paparazzi" – Xzibit
Before he pimped Honda Civics, he was one of the hungriest young rappers in the game.


3. "Ear Drums Pop" – Dilated Peoples
Sounds like the east but these dudes are from LA.


4. "Understandable Smooth" – Rass Kass
One of the most underrated lyrists ever.


5. "Sprinkle Me" – E-40
Just because… however he did create a lot of the slang that we rock to.



Come back every week for a new mixtape!

How To Write Rap Lyrics...

Grab A Pen

I thought this was comical, taken from Wikihow.com...

"So, you wanna be a rapper? Before you can write a rap song, you need to know how to do the lyrics. You can't just rhyme one word with another. Here are some tips to help you get started.

Steps
1. Think of a subject to help start off your rap, for example your nice flow ,pulling up in a hot car, etc. Example: "I got my sick flow, with my sick beat, Im a hustla man you cant touch me, when i pull up in the spot, im makin it hot, cuz i got my sick flow with my sick beat."

2. Make sure the intro to your verse is strong. Set yourself up for a good rhyme scheme. Man! its strong palm down,punch'em get em strong man.Girls you too but you never heard a girl put it down like this, kill for.

3. Create a good rhyme scheme; you don't always need one,but it helps man!.It helps the flow sound more enjoyable,example: 50 cent has a bounce flow, up and down, Jay-Z Flow goes side to side. This is important if you're making hits.

4. Notice that most rappers use multi-rhymes(example: Kill For, Still Roll).Put these at the end line after each bar and see how hot your raps turn out. Count the syllables.

5. Let some of your friends read it and get their opinions, and if they have any suggestions write em down (get at least three friends opinions). When you get back to your writing area, redo the song with the suggestions from your friends and then go over it and make sure that the changes keep the flow.

Tips
* Write the hook or chorus in a way that makes the listener really want to hear more of the song, but make sure the hook goes with the verses.

* Just like you can be a good songwriter, but a poor singer, there is no shame if you can't rap the greatest lyrics you wrote. Get someone who can rap to test it out.

* Deciding the title isn't really that big of a deal, but try to make it something out of the chorus.

* If you want you can even have your friends in your song to have more variety of lyrics.

* Get a good book on writing lyrics, get some ideas from those."

Aight Aight I can't take it anymore haha I'm pretty sure you can't either. Rap, writing, singing whatever you want to say isn't for everybody. Yea if you practice you can become a better rapper, but there is no outline on how to write the next hit song. It just doesn't work like that, but hey I guess this gives somebody hope of being that next "big" thing. right?