The Best Of...

PTM '08 Flashback Written By Just K

In reflecting on the good ’08 I’ve decided to take a look back at my favorite posts on PTM. The ’08 was a decent year for hip-hop and a wonderful year for PTM. Week after week our bloggers went in on various topics, songs, and occasionally rappers. Nothing was off limits. So before we get too deep into 2009, let’s take a look back at the work of our favorite bloggers.

4Bars

As we all know, 4Bars is the PTM King O’ Controversy - from the creation of IANs to the classic Video Hoes post. And who can forget the discussion on who does or doesn’t have the right to say the N-word (sure ain’t J.Lo)? Quality stuff, but it’s his “The Confederacy” post that really found 4Bars in his element. My man was stirring up sh*t while repping his peoples from the lower region. It doesn’t get any more 4Bars than that. Just in case you have no idea what “The Confederacy” is about, the opening line says it all: “Over the past 10 years, the hottest rappers, by far, have been from the south.”

Talk about blunt. And the conversation that followed…yeah. Not only did the post give props to the south, but it proved that NY can unite to fight the forces of, ummm…something. I know I’m looking forward to seeing who else’s feathers 4Bars can ruffle in the ’09.

JusHH

This one was a no-brainer. Don’t get me wrong. Jus churns out that magic on a consistent basis. There was “The Challenge” that highlighted the feat that arguably only two MCs have ever been able to pull off. Dude even tackled the subject of rappers that claim to “write” but “not write” their rhymes a la Jay-Z with “Writer’s Block.” “The Whisper Post” was also topnotch material, despite pointing out how sad the romantic/sexual side of hip-hop has become. However, “Crucial Conflict” was unreal. It so accurately captured the inner turmoil of the intelligent hip-hop fan while detailing the environments that inspire the very same rhymes that cause the battle with hypocrisy within. If you haven’t read it, go read it. If you have read it, go back and read it again.

gWiz

For the Power Ranger fans, he’s our Zordon. For Trekkies, he’s Captain Kirk. Jus calls him the Black Lion in Voltron. He’s the Lion-o of our Thundercats crew. What does this all mean? It means we’re absolute dorks. It also means that Wiz is the brain behind the operation. Every once in a while the brain takes off the coordinator’s hat and picks up the keyboard to bless us with his thoughts. I was a big fan of “Wack Inspiration” because it’s so true. It’s pretty funny how something wack can inspire someone to do something great. “Blame it on hip-hop” was on point as well, but “Aight So I Download” was real talk on a different level. Wiz somehow found a way to compare downloading music to checking the way his jeans fall on a fresh pair of Jordans. Weird, but oddly accurate. This was the first post in which we got to see an uncharacteristically confrontational side of Wiz when he exclaimed “So What I Download!!!” The triple exclamation mark was pretty gangsta. Nobody’s judging you Wiz. Nobody. Hopefully you’ll e-yell at some more folks this year.

Doesn’t Matt R

Picking Doesn’t Matt R’s piece was cake work as well. “Master Debater” and “Am I That Guy?” did manage to talk me (and possibly quite a few others) out of the concept of hip-hop’s glory days. Clearly the glory days all depend on how old you are and how you remember music. Speaking of glory days, thanks for reintroducing me to Arsenio Hall with the “Fist Pump.” It’s been a while, but at least Nas realized how important Arsenio was to promoting hip-hop. What I didn’t realize was that the Caucasian community (I love ya’ll, man!) didn’t have a hip-hop version of Barack Obama in Marshall Mathers. Again, PTM is in the business of making some really special comparisons, but when my dude Matt compared Eminem to Colin Powell I had to take a moment to close my mouth. Topic, writing style, and passion – yeah, it’s all there. “The Great White Hope.” Sick.

K.Billy aka KT aka Kyle Turner

The struggle was real on this one. KT has held down the Lyrical Exercise category of PTM like a champion. To pick one piece was borderline impossible, but I did it ‘cause that’s what we do here at Past The Margin; we make the tough decisions. The analysis of the first Flashing Lights video in “Ummmm…for Real Kanye?” opened a dialogue that appeared to be missing from the hip-hop community. And the fact that he made any sense of “that mindf**k of a video” is impressive in itself. The “Nothing of Age” post took a tough look at Memphis Bleek’s career while examining Memph’s debut to the world on track 11 on the Reasonable Doubt CD. Both ill posts, but for my money I’m going to go with “Ghost in the Lyrics.” Again, the fact that he made sense out of – it’s Ghostface, man! Seriously, Ghostface. KT manages to explain why fans are so drawn to him and what makes him such a legendary MC. The storytelling, the poignancy, the charisma, the hypocrisy, and the complete nonsense. KT wrapped Ghost up, added a bow, and handed him to all his fans. Lyrical Exercise at its best.

Just K

How conceited would it be for me to pick my best post, especially when all of them are absolutely phenomenal? To pick one of my own posts from an extensive catalog of incredible work would be just a bit much. To heap that much self-praise on myself, regardless of how warranted it may be just isn’t cool. And I’m cool. So I won’t choose one of my unbelievably well written and informative posts. Nope. Not me. Sure won’t. Nuh-uh. I’m cool.


So goodbye ’08. It’s been a good year. If the past is any indication of the future, hello ’09. Looking good, baby. Looking real good.