Farewell...

Dear Hip-Hop,


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Peace

Justin a.k.a JusHH

I heart you.

Truly, Madly, Deeply
Written by JusHH

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


The Honeymoon Phase

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

Duration: Four months

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

The Appreciation Phase

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

Duration: One year

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

The Commitment Phase

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

Duration: 5 years

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

The Golden Anniversary

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

Duration: 10 years

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


Above Picture: 15 years and counting…

... All the way to the bank?

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

Yes, it's this bad.

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

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

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

It's really this bad.

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

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

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

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

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

But yeah, its this bad.

Damn

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

Whip Appeal
Written by JusHH

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

From worst to best…

Toyota

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

Porche

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

Lamborghini, Ferrari (tie)

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

Infinity

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

Bentley, Phantom (tie)

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

Acura

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

Lexus

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

BMW

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

Cadillac

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

SUV/ Trucks (all models)

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

Mercedes Benz

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

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

No I didn’t, Mercedes makes those too.

One last trip to the store...

Tuesday: I had my Doubts
Written by JusHH

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And to think…

I had my doubts.

You thinking what I'm thinking?

Still Wondering…
Written by JusHH

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

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

I wonder if Drake will be a commercial success

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I wonder if rappers will ever really battle again.

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

I want to, but I just can't...

Rage against a Machine
written by JusHH

This past Thursday, Jay-Z once again made headlines. Props to Hov for still being able to do more with one song than most are able to do with a whole album. He made an event out of the release of his new song and turned the Hip-Hop community upside down. (Note: its 2009 so I can't say how many people outside of the tri-state area actually cared, but NY is still NY and it was a big moment.) Now I was as excited as the next man until I realized that he was making this huge event to battle...

Autotune?

I just have a few thoughts on the subject...

I know in the eyes of many Hov can do no wrong but after the opening line, he lost me. First of all, is autotune even a used anymore? Save for T-Pain and Ron Browz, you don't hear it like you did at the end of last year. People were already getting tired of it and were moving forward. Why pick now, to make such a "bold" statement? If he did it 8 months ago, now we're talking.

Second he says that his songs don't have melodies? Umm, really Jay? Hard Knock Life, Show me what you Got or the litany of hit singles for the club that you have in your catalogue. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the call for everyone to step their rap game up but its kinda easy for you when you are already rich. If you tried to come out today, you'd have T-Pain on your song too. You also hated on ringtones and itunes as if your music isn't for sale on both and you haven't pocketed some change as a result.

Then the jist of the rest of the song was that this song was more street and gangster than what everyone else is putting out right now. If that is true, couldn't you have picked a harder beat? I'm sorry but the jazz, saxophone thing didn't scream out hardcore.

And of course the biggest irony is that Kanye produced this song? Umm, so Hov were you just s**ting on Kanye's entire career in 2008 and his last album. Keep in mind that album was released under your umbrella.

I'm just asking that the next time you stop NY in its tracks to listen to your next record, you gotta come with something better Hov. And if you want to battle something, go at something that talks back.

Secret Ingredients to a classic album...

INTROductions
Written by JusHH

Stop. What’s the first thing you thing about when you hear the following?

“Son where my Killa tape at?... How you ain’t got my s**t when I let you hold it?”

Or this…

“you V8 juice drinkin’, slim fast, black greasy motherf**ker!!”

It probably reminds you of two of the most memorable intros in the history of Hip-Hop music. An intro is like cheese – tastes good by itself, but when blended with the right ingredients can take any food to the next level. A well placed intro can take an album to a classic, unforgettable level where you stay tuned for the intro just as much as you do for the song. On the other hand, a poorly placed or performed intro can take away from the whole listening experience because you are forced to hit the skip button (note: the skip button is the natural enemy of the classic album).

So here’s a list of some Do’s and Don’ts when it comes to making that perfect intro:

DO add humor – Funny skits are the best. Anytime you can make your audience laugh it is a win for the team. (c.) the opening intro on Kayne’s College Dropout album.

DON’T make your intro too long. You can’t forget that it’s a music album first and foremost and the last thing you want people to do is think that they are listening to an audio book recording. (c.) Any Busta intro on the E.L.E. album

DO link your intro to the next song or previous song. That kind of symmetry makes you look like you are a professional and you actually made an attempt to make a cohesive album. (c.) the ending of Warning on the Ready to Die album. The entire Little Brother The Minstrel Show album.

DON’T do too much acting in your skit. That isn’t your skill and it will be very evident to the listener. You don’t want to attempt a dramatic intro only to have us laugh at how badly you are trying to display pain. (c.) The RZA’s mindblowing performance on the intro prior to the song Tearz.

DO have recurring intro themes on successive albums. This is always great and probably one of my favorite things especially if you have an intro that can be remixed. It’s a way to thank your core fans for sticking with you for all of your projects. (c.) Eminem’s “Paul” skits, Redman robbing people on a different mode of transportation each album, or The Roots beat box intros.

DON’T do any more intros with women having sex or giving head. Biggie did it already and shut it down. There’s nothing new about it and it will always sound like you’re biting of someone else. (c.) too many other intros after 1995.

DO kick a dope rhyme. These “freestyles” or “raw verses” are always welcomed on the album because it gives us a chance to hear something different from the artist. It’s a break from the traditional “3 verses and some hooks” format and can really get you hyped. (c.) Mobb Deep’s intro on The Infamous album.

DO get an awesome narrator to say some fly s**t on your album. A great guest spot will never, ever be a bad decision. (c.) Idris Elba’s intro on the American Gangster album or Pain in the Ass on Reasonable Doubt.

DON’T forget to put an intro or skit on your album. It’s a lost art but when done correctly, they are always appreciated.

They shootin!!!! .... Aaahhh, Made you look

Innocent Bystanders
Written by JusHH

Imagine you’re a young athlete in the early 90’s and you’re good enough to get drafted into the NBA. In fact, you’re good enough to win the slam dunk contest during All-Star weekend. You’re around 21 or 22 years old and chances are you are into Hip-Hop music. You probably heard Reasonable Doubt in 1996 and became a Jay-Z fan. During practice, before games or just in the house you probably had some Hov blasting. You may not have bought all of his albums but you were more than likely throwing up the Roc sign. Now picture that you’re listening to a song back in 2003 and you are in the middle of a classic Jay-Z verse and you hear…

It’s Hovie baby, Kobe maybe
Tracy McGrady
Matter fact, you’re a Harold Minor, JR Rider
Washed up on marijuana

What do you do? What do you say if you are either Harold or JR? Even if you didn’t discover it yourself, you know one of your friends would have told you about the rhyme. Can you still like Hov’s music? Seriously, how do you react when you’re the innocent bystander in a rapper’s lyrics? If there’s a beef that’s one thing, you expect it and you are probably not a fan either way. But if you are either one of those guys, could you still be as excited about any new Jay-Z album when you know he doesn’t really respect you?

Obviously when Kobe heard (of) the rhyme he got hyped because who doesn’t want to get bigged up in a song? But Kobe is from the east coast and was probably a Nas fan. Well, that was until he heard him say this…

From OJ to Kobe, let’s call him Toby…
You can’t do better than that?
The hotel clerk who adjusts the bathroom mat?

Nas pretty much dedicated his entire verse to bashing Kobe Bryant and dragging his name in the mud. Nas didn’t have a personal beef; he was just making a point about who our role models should be.

But damn, what if Kobe loved Illmatic? It can’t possibly sound the same any more. Was he excited to hear Hip-Hop is Dead album? I don’t know the rules and regulations on what you should do if you get caught with a stray, but I know something has to change. Can you separate the art from your personal situation and just appreciate the song? Or do you cut the artist off and never support or listen to him again?

Most recently, Nick Cannon got caught with a few strays on Eminem’s new album. If you recall, Eminem first started dissing Mariah Carey a few projects back and said some not so nice things about her. But now Nick Cannon is married to the aforementioned Carey and that didn’t make a bit of difference to Slim Shady. He blasted Eminem on his personal blog and is doing what every husband would do in defending the reputation of his main lady. But I’m sure Nick had a few of Eminem’s previous albums or at least a few songs in the iPod. So what should Nick do? Can he ever give Em a compliment about his lyrics? Does he have to start hating on songs that he knows are dope just because of what he said about Mariah?

Catching a stray must be tough to deal with; especially if it is from an artist that you are a fan of. It can really mess up your CD collection. I don’t know if there is a clear answer to this problem but the immortal words of Prodigy are looking quite appropriate right now…

Take these words home and think it through
Or the next rhyme I write, might be about you.

Mr. Mathers... I've missed you.

Sometimes you don't realize how much you've missed something until you get a taste of it again. Its a weird play on the cliche but until i heard Em's Relapse album, i forgot how long its been since I got to hear classic ish from one of my favorite artists. Em does things for me as a fan that no other rapper can do and it got me in that "fall in love with hip-hop" mood again. Hell its inspired about a month worth of posts... lol.

Young who? Oh he an opening act.

Not Another One…
written by JusHH

57.

According to one of my favorite sites, OHHLA.com, 57 rappers have used or currently use the prefix Lil’, Little or Young (including all of the ridiculous spellings of this word) in their rap names. Keep in mind this only counts rappers who have actually released a real album. So the seemingly endless amount of mixtape and myspace rappers aren’t even part of this tally.

So to you, the rapper who is thinking of what to call himself, why would you want to give yourself a name that at least 57 other people have?


I thought we passed this stage back in day during the plague of the “Word + Initial” (You know Easy-E, Busy-B… Smooth J lol) and the “group name + number of members in the group” (Treacherous Three, Furious Five, Funky Four Plus One More) combinations. We went a long time without having to deal with an assembly line of copycats until the last few years. But the Lil’s and Young’s are taking over and I don’t know why or how we got here.

If you are under 16 years of age or shorter than 5’ 7” when you begin your rap career then I can understand why you would go with one of those particular prefixes. It’s very relevant to who you are and its probably one of the first things that people notice about you.

But think about it; is either of these names conducive to an emcee that plans on having a long-term career in the game? If you are “young” you will eventually get older and if you are “lil’”, you will grow and your name will become an unnecessary oxymoron. Your name will become an ironic indicator of your downfall. Think I’m joking? Of the 57 names guess how many have had a relevant career that lasted 5 years or more…

6.

So for all you stat nerds out there, if you decide to call yourself Lil’ or Young, you have a 10.5% chance of seeing your career last longer than 5 years. (probably much, much worse if you factor in the nobodies who will never see the light of day) So I guess if you’re 15 years old when you drop, you won’t be around long enough for your name to be a contradiction. (Put that conundrum in your pipe and smoke it)

In a time where established artists have difficulty selling records, it is more important than ever to do what you can to separate yourself from the back. Record companies are looking for sure shots and if you seem just like everyone else, you don’t have a chance in hell. You have to be more original than to throw a Lil’ or Young in front of your name. No one will take you seriously and you will have a difficult time convincing people to buy your music.

So be as creative with your name as you plan to be with your rhymes. You never get a second chance to make a first impression. For an example of what not to do, let me direct you to the gentleman in the picture accompanying this post. He really should have read this post before choosing his name.

His name you ask?

Lil Young (I can’t make this stuff up)

Take a good look though… You’ll never see him again.

What? What? What?

I Really Can’t Help It
written by JusHH

Countless times on PTM I’ve made the claim that lyrics come first. I am from the old school where I put a premium on dope rhymes and rate my rappers based on their skills on the mic.

But I love Nore.

Correction, I’ve spent money on 4 different albums that Nore is apart of.

But I know without a shadow of a doubt that Nore can’t rap. He has no conception of flow and his lyrical dexterity can be compared to well, a 3 year old’s coloring book. Just K did a few joints about guilty pleasures and dag nabbit, Nore is definitely one of mine!

When CNN first dropped, my excuse was easy: Hey Capone is the rapper that I really paid attention to and Nore was the dude that brought the energy. Hell, PE made a Hall of Fame career off of that formula. Due to Capone’s incarceration, his appearance on the War Report was a bit scarce (he didn’t make his first appearance until track 4) which left Nore all by himself on a lot of tracks. With stunning rhymes like, “put the bogey out in your face/ now your face, laced like ash tray face”, what isn’t to love? But I still rocked heavy with him and that album.

Then Nore went solo; mainly because, well, Capone can’t seem to stay free. Nonetheless, Nore had to still eat on the run so he had to do what he had to do. So there went my only legitimate excuse to tolerate other classic lines like,

Ayo we light a candle
Run laps around the English Channel
Neptunes, we got a Cocker Spaniel

And…

All our whips got navigation
While your whips are just garbation

Yes, that last “word” was “garbation” and both of these lines are from the same song. You can’t make this stuff up.

Nore breaks every rule that I usually follow. There is no reason why I should like Nore or support his music but I do. I bought his second solo album and the next CNN project. He was by far the short bus verse on the classic DJ Clue joint, “Fantastic Four” but I can’t imagine that song without him.

He has an “it” factor that draws me. Perhaps it’s the honesty – Nore is who he is and has never tried to be anything more. He has never called himself a GOAT or talked about how his rhymes are better than the next man. Nore is just a dude who loves what he does and puts 100% into it. I am always entertained when he’s on the mic and in turn…

Nore turned me into a walking contradiction.

Thanks.

Social Networkin'

What are you doing now?
written by JusHH

By now, everyone is on Facebook (and if you’re not your Tweeting, Twitting or whatever that thing is called). And if you are on Facebook than you know what status updates are. We all have friends who update their status way too many times a day. So PTM did another investigation to let you guys know what your favorite rappers are doing on Facebook.

Lil Wayne is…

April 14, 9:59pm: Who is Yung Berg
April 20, 7:38am: At the lab working on cloning myself. I’ve done so many collaborations but I want to make a song featuring myself. That would be crazy!
April 22, 1:25am: Getting a tattoo on the bottom of my foot. I’m really running out of room here

Rick Ross is…

March 12, 10:03pm: Finishing up meeting with my speech coach. He says I need to sound more “street”
March 28, 8:50am: Just ate strawberry pancakes on my way to see my stylist. I’m going to try on something called a “doo-rag”. She says it will help my thug image.
April 1, 2:30pm: At Barnes and Nobles looking for any more biographies of real life gangsters. I need more material for my next album.

Kanye West is…

January 14, 12:41am: Autotuning
February 23, 1:00pm: Writing a royalty check to Michael J. Fox. Just about everything I’ve done style-wise over the past couple of months can be traced back to Back to the Future.
April 15, 10:14am: At my accountant’s office trying to get a tax write off for my ego. I think it’s big enough to be a dependent

TI is…

February 2, 11:00pm: Self-defense class. You all know why!
February 4, 10:00am: Reading a letter that I just got from Michael Vick. He keeps talking about soap…

Jay-Z is…

December 12, 7:50am: Attempting to write a rhyme in the 4th person. How crazy would that be. Chea!!!
February 28, 1:21am: Finally throwing out that Dame Dash voodoo doll that I bought last year…

Jadakiss is...

April 21, 11:04am: Calling everyone who was in the Ruff Ryders video and ask them to buy at least one album for your boy.
April 21, 4:17pm: Still trying to find DMX on Facebook

Maino is…

February 15, 7:55pm: Has enough haters, really wants some more fans right now

Lil’ Kim is…

April 12, 9:05am: wondered how Joan Rivers got such a dark tan but then realized I was looking at a picture of myself. Note to self: no more surgery
April 25, 6:34pm: Is really hoping that Dancing with the Stars can make people forget about how I was portrayed in Notorious.
April 25, 7:01pm: Don’t buy that stupid movie. They just mad cuz he loved me the most…

Yung Berg is…

January 2, 1:00am: Ouch
April 14, 9:45pm: Trying to get this comeback off to a good start. Just friended Lil’ Wayne… What up Weezy?

What would you do?

Stuck on the Shelf
written by JusHH

Imagine you are just getting out of school and after years of working hard, you are finally ready to get out into the workforce. You prepare your resume for hours – reviewing it with friends, checking online for different formats and making sure that you make that retail job look as professional as possible. Next is the search. You hit up website after website, newspaper after newspaper looking for a job opening in your field. You ask your colleagues if they know of anything and tap whatever contacts that you have. After several weeks of emailing your resume and making inquiries, you get some call backs. All excited you head to the mall to buy a brand new suit and get prepared for your interviews. The next few days are spent rehearsing your answers in front of the mirror. You want to make sure your body language is just right. The day of the interview comes and you are on point: had the right amount of sleep the night before, the right amount of coffee that day and you felt like a million bucks. The questions that were asked, matched the perfect answers that you had prepared. It couldn’t have gone any better, plus this was your dream job. All of those countless hours of hard work and commitment led to this point, to these words…

You’re hired.

Sitting on cloud nine, you call, text, tweet and facebook everyone that you know letting them know that you finally got put on. You finally made it. The feeling cannot be matched. All you can think about is your first day of work and being able to show your skills and get your career started. You already imagine how your new lifestyle will look like, what you will buy and how happy you will be knowing that you are finally comfortable. To handle any relocation or settling expenses, your job gives you a signing bonus to get you started. You’re not exactly rich but it’s more money than you’ve ever seen at one time in your life.

So you spend some. Not all of it, but just enough where you feel a little bit “flossy”. And now you’ve spent it, you know its just a matter of time before that check rolls in and you can buy that car or that house for your mom that you’ve been dying to buy. You can travel to all of those exotic locations that you’ve only seen on TV. Your supervisor gives you your first project and you get to work. With resources that you never even had before, you have even more passion and more drive than before. “All nighters” cannot even begin to describe your work ethic. Feeling like you will not only impress your boss and the company but the entire world, you put your final stamp on your first project. You run it over to your boss’ office and he says:

Hey this is great, we’ll put it out in 6 months and it will hit the ground running. In the meantime, here’s about 1/10 of your salary to hold you over until we launch your project. We can’t pay you your full amount until its out.

6 months turns into 8 months. 8 months turns into one year. During this time your boss keeps telling you that the company has other priorities and that the market isn’t as strong as it used to be so we can’t take the risk on a new project right now. One year turns into 18 months. Now your bills are piling up because you bought too much stuff thinking that you would start to get paid by now. You are so frustrated because you don’t know why things aren’t working out. The people around you keep asking when your project is coming out but you have no answers. You want to quit and find a new job but you don’t want to risk it. 18 months turns into whenever…

How would you feel if your job did that to you? What would you do?

No imagine you were a rapper.

To think that Papoose, Saigon, Crooked I, Joell Ortiz and so many others could sign major deals with top of the line companies and have their projects never see the light of day. Can you imagine the despair, anger and fear that goes into your mind not knowing if you will ever make it – after thinking that you’ve made it! We often joke or briefly brush over the idea of an artist’s album being pushed back, but there is a more human side to being on the shelf.

Just a thought.

Stylin' on you...

By now I’m sure you’ve seen the snuff heard round the world. But this video is as significant as it is hilarious. Because at the exact same time, this video represents everything good and bad about the current landscape that Hip-Hop is in.


First off, let’s rewind. Who outside of their inner circles knew who ENJ or Nycks were before their (in)famous battle took place. No one had a clue and in an instant, they were both mini-celebrities. YouTube allowed this video to be sent to hundreds and hundreds of thousands of people in a matter of days and it was discussed everywhere. Without the internet, only those in attendance and the few people who would have thought to cop that one specific hood DVD would have seen it. Word of mouth would have taken it a short distance then it would have disappeared into obscurity. See that is the best part about the current landscape of Hip-Hop – accessibility. If you want to get your music out to the world, it has never been easier. If you wanted to be famous and get your 15 minutes, it can be accomplished in seconds.

Then… you have the fact that a Hip-Hop battle was known more for a guy getting punched than his punchlines. Once again rappers are being rewarded not for their skill but whether or not they are tough or live out their gangster lyrics. You have Nycks, who brought a gun to a rap battle (seriously though this is ridiculous). Then you have ENJ who punched a guy with a gun. Not sure who wins the “ super gangster” challenge here, but both were mediocre rappers at best so in many ways I should have never known about them. The truth is, somewhere at the same time, another battle with two guys probably put together a greater lyrical battle, but that’s not what got almost a million hits on the web. We get so caught up in all of the crap surrounding the music that we lose sight of the music itself.

Since that moment, neither ENJ nor Nycks has done anything worth noting but they had a chance to build on their relative fame.

Worst-case scenario, they will always be remembered for stylin’ too hard and then getting punched for it.

I guess its better to be remembered for something than to be never known at all…

I'm your #1 Fan

Hard(Core) Fans
written by JusHH

When you think about what happened to Ja Rule’s career, who do you give the credit to? 50 Cent, right? The truth is, 50 didn’t end Ja’s career. It wasn’t even the Federal case against Murder Inc. Nope, the downfall can be attributed to Ja losing his core fans when he switched up his music. What you have to understand that the most important asset that any rapper can have isn’t a major record deal, endorsement or even a hit record, it’s having a core fan base.

Before we continue, we have to differentiate between fans and core fans…

Fans will buy your singles and even your albums when you are hot. Core fans will buy your music just because you’re releasing it. Fans will go see you on your national tour at sold out arenas. Core fans will drive 120 miles to see you at a local club in a small town. Fans will download your music. Core fans will download your music – but only because they can’t physically wait to hear it and will still go to the store and cop it. Fans love you because everyone else does. Core fans love you, period. Fans are fickle. Core fans are loyal.

With “This is Why I’m Hot”, Mims sold more singles than any one single in Common’s career. However 5 years from now, if they both dropped albums, Common will without question sell more albums. Because all those people will have deleted that ringtone and would have forgotten all about Mims, but there are people who still replay that Resurrection album and recite lyrics to “The Corner”.

You see the reason why so many of these artists fail, even after having a hit record is that they haven’t established a core fan base. Today’s music industry is no longer concerned with artist development as they were 10-15 years ago. If you aren’t affecting the bottom line, then you are going on the shelf. The one thing you absolutely need to establish core fans is time. People need time to know you, to love you. One song simply won’t get it done.

Snoop Dogg is a wonderful example of how having core fans can keep you on top. When Dre left Death Row and 2Pac was murdered, it seemed like the end of the road for the S-N-Double O-P. To escape the cesspool that Death Row had become, Snoop signed with Master P’s No Limit Records. Now name one of the dope songs that came out during that time. Don’t worry, I’ll wait. The truth is, he made awful music during that time and completely fell out of any G.O.A.T. discussions. But every one of those albums, went platinum because the group of people who would never give up on Snoop still went to the store hoping to recapture that magic and if nothing else, to support the guy that gave them so many memories. Now that Snoop is back with Dre, on a better label and making great music again, it’s like he never lost a step.

Nas just went gold without a radio hit, The Roots can still sell out shows, Fat Joe can stay relevant, Scarface can always get on a feature all because of their hard(core) fans.

Your core fans won’t guarantee platinum sales or world tours but it will guarantee that you can still get a check from someone somewhere. You will be asked for an autograph and you will always, always receive that love.

When 50 kicked Game out of G-Unit, he wasn’t half the success story that Ja Rule was. A lot of people thought it was the end of the road for him. But it wasn’t. Game’s career actually got stronger once he left because in a short period of time, he established a strong foundation of core fans. I don’t even think 50 realized it at the time – some people became core fans of Game because they hated 50 so much. See your core can even protect you against the biggest bully in rap music.

… sorry I can’t say the same thing for Buck.

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.

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.

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

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)