WHAT KIND OF FEMALE SHIT IS THAT?

I want to give a quick shout-out to AaronM of Metal Lungies. I got an email from him a few days ago asking about "Ham Sammiches and Coup Devilles" and he said he read the sight, which is something I always appreciate. Enjoy the song.

One of the people I get my ideas from, Doc Zeus, has a post up about "hipster rap." He names acts like the Cool Kids, the Knux, Mickey Factz and Kidz in the Hall. Like I said in the comments, the only one that makes me a bit suspicious of that classification is Kidz in the Hall. I feel like the idea of a hipster, while very abstract, when it comes to music is based more on the media outlets/venues/etc. an artist is associated with. For example, the Cool Kids were offered to release their Totally Flossed Out EP on the label of M.I.A.'s ex-boyfriend, Diplo. They also went on tour with her last year, and are labelmates of Lady Sovereign. Check their video for "Black Mags" for more proof of their hipsterdom. All that said, I like their music.

Kidz in the Hall is a bit trickier in my mind. I'm not trying to destroy Doc Zeus' argument, becuase I agree with him for the most part. These guys do have a throwback aesthetic, but where some of the other groups I mentioned are self-referential and seem to isolate themselves from the "common" rap world, K.i.t.H. are immersed in it. They're signed to Duck Down Records, first of all. They openly acknowledge and embrace music of the past and its context, which I think is a clear distinction between them, Wale, etc. and more obvious "hipster groups." Also, redoing "'93 Til Infinity" and releasing it as a single shows to me that these guys are trying to reach out to a certain section of the rap world. The Cool Kids' appeal, in the eyes of their common fan, seems more like, "Ha, remember when that look was cool? Totally ironic." While I said on "Not a Blogger" that being a hipster is related to the media outlets groups associate with, I also think a sense of immediacy, that the things that informed the current state of the music don't matter and can be recontextualized in any way is a defining characteristic.

Ultimately, none of this really matters as rap fans are fickle enough to put an end to wack shit on their own (for the most part). Since trying to define a hipster is so difficult in the first place, I won't waste too much energy trying to stereotype a group of people who try to reject any type of categorization. All I know is sometimes, I really can't stand them and I definitely know one when I see one.

In related news, I look forward to seeing a video for this, though "Get Busy" should be the single.

Prodigy has a blog on Vibe.com... there is no need for ALL CAPS ALL THE TIME. Here's a little snippet for you:

AND IF A RAPPER CATCHES P.M.S CAUSE HE GOT A MILLION INTERNET FOLLOWERS, BUT ONLY SOLD 30,000 UNITS TELL EM’ TO FUCK OFF AND START MAKIN’ SOME SHIT THAT PEOPLE WANT…PEACE....PRODIGY…HNIC 2…

P.S. ANYBODY THAT GOT SOMETHING AGAINST KEEPING A BLOG, YOU SHOULD STAY FARRRRRR AWAY FROM THE FOOL AND NEVER TRUST EM’. A BLOG IS NOT FOR EVERYBODY, JUST LIKE RAP MUSIC ISN’T FOR EVERYBODY. A BLOG IS INTERNET SLANG FOR A LOG AND IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT A LOG IS—IT’S WHAT BOAT CAPTAINS WRITE AND KEEP IN ORDER TO DOCUMENT THE DAYS OF LONG VOYAGES AND TRAVELS...IT’S LIKE A DIARY.

That said, anyone who has a problem with the captain on this ship will get thrown off the deck on some Capt. Morgan, "Muppets Treasure Island" stuff with the quickness....PEACE....BDING...

Take a voyage to Atlantis...

Thankfully, we are broadcasting any and everywhere thanks to the internet. That means, good folks, we are podcasting. Do yourself a favor, pick up a copy and keep yourself updated. I found "Ham Sammiches and Coup Devilles," the greatest rap title ever, and it's a good song, too. I shouldn't have to tell people about "Royal Flush", but if you don't know, pick it up here. Patrick sent me an email with this subject line:

i just listened to royal flush 4 times in a row

That's basically how I feel, and hopefully you will, too. 2008's shaping up to be a pretty good year for rap just based on this. But combined with We Got It 4 Cheap Vol. 3, Rising Down minus "Birthday Girl", Wale's chances of blowing up, and the prospect of a new Devin the Dude tape, this could be lovely. Of course, "Lollipop" ruins any sort of momentum the year had. As long as Lil Boosie's talking about how his dog exploded, though, I think we'll be fine. Which reminds me, and I know people have been saying this for a little while, but I've come around on B.o.B. Any new rapper with lots of hype is something I tend to be skeptical of, but his writing is unique enough that he sounds like he's a mix of older Southern acts, just up to date with his generation. Especially "Left Field." I look forward to more of his stuff.

Owe me back like 40 acres to blacks

The ever-reliable Doc Zeus has a great post about the three videos the Roots have released in anticipation of their new album. Speaking of which, the album art hit the internet on Friday. A quick Google image search tells me the image came from the Raleigh News and Observer in 1900 in response to fears about "Negro rule," what seems like a a sensationalized version of black populism. I will say it's a daring move, and sort of reminds me of KMD's Bl_ck B_st_rds and if Nas's album sees album shelves anytime soon, it could be an interesting year for rap in terms of intended statements by artists. What's odd is that the KMD album was originally shelved as the cover art was deemed too controversial, and I can't say that's something I can argue with. But how is it that now the Roots and Nas are going to be able to get away with images/words that are just as inflammatory? Well, an easy answer is that no one buys albums anymore, especially rap, so the little advance money some artists are given now they are able to use with free reign. That's not to say that there is not the occasional From Nothin' to Somethin', but it seems like rappers that don't really have the ability to score a pop hit are getting a bit more freedom to do as they please with major label money. The examples I'm thinking of are Freeway, Ghost, Prodigy, the LOX, etc. Kind of interesting that a lot of these guys are older rappers, but I'm sure there are exceptions that I'm just not thinking of. The other could be that we're in what a friend of mine so dryly calls a "post-racial society," so those images don't mean as much anymore... But Al Sharpton wanted Esco's head on a platter late last year.

So why aren't the Roots getting any flack? Because they're smart rappers, they would never say anything ignorant, and ?uestlove is probably trying to make some general point anyway. I might've believed that back when "The Next Movement" and "You Owe Me" came out, but now, I am not so sure. The Roots have always been heralded as a rap group thinking outside of their little corner of Philly, though you'd never know it from Thought's raps. Until the last album, Black Thought always sounded most concerned about the happenings of his corner and wanted the listener to understand his world, a place that gets neglected too much. Sure, the cover art of TFA had broader concerns, but the album is pretty straightforward rap. No New World Order, just the 5th dynasty. The Tipping Point did have a young Malcolm X on the cover, but it also was a giant concession to the market. Rising Down sounds like a pretty claustrophobic piece of work so far, but judging from "Get Busy" and "75 Bars (Thought's Reconstruction)," I am not too sure the cover art is some metaphor ?uesto wants us to soak in. I've heard the title track, and it does have this greater focus, but I am not so convinced that the album art and music go hand in hand. That said, I like the cover... a lot. If this album shapes up to be cohesive and focused (and without "Birthday Girl"), that sense of impending doom of the Negroes right around the corner will be a perfect addition to my CD collection. Also, how can you hate artists teaching history through their advertising? Just get rid of Patrick Stump.

Now, if the Roots can do something like this, why can't the N, the a, to the s-i-r? Well, there's his legendary beat selection, his supreme arrogance, and his general knack at pissing people off. Yet I really want to hear this sucker. Hip Hop is Dead was actually pretty good, save a few indulgences, and while most hated the 30's detective accent, I found it pretty novel and definitely something that stuck with me. If Nas can find someone to keep his album on track and focused, then I think we should keep our ears open; Nasty can still put together some tight lines. If his appearance on Ice Cube's "Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It (Remix)" with Scarface is any indication, if you give the man a topic, he can easily riff on it effectively. It really just comes down to the beats. That's anyone's guess, as this asshole will literally buy any crap out of a Casio. I know he's going to let me down, but I feel like he knows how much of his respect rides on this album. And not from the mainstream media, but from someone like Premier, whose opinion matters to him (I'd hope). A while back, Brandon Soderberg called Nas out for trying, and failing, to make an intellectual point with the title of this album. Fair criticism, but why not hold the Roots to the same standards? They've been "the next (blank)" for a long time now; you either break through or not. Time to show up or shove off, for the both of the, I say.

Pimp C and Eliot Spitzer= blood brothers?

Quick shout out to Gov. Spitzer, who has admitted to steady pimpin' bitches on his website.

Spring break

I am exhausted, but a couple things first. Erykah Badu is crazy. "A mythical creature," huh? And here's a bit of an event for you.