trenton takes

On Cyberpunk Spider-Man.

2011-01-24T21:44:00.000-08:00

Anytime I find myself with an extended period of time without responsibility, such during my recent move a few months back or this past holiday season, I find it incredibly difficult to motivate myself to do much besides read and revisit/discover TV shows or movies that have caught my interest. Over the past couple of years, each time I have loads of time, I've revisited various chapters of the DC Animated Universe, which I am sure I have talked about some here and elsewhere. I won't talk about what makes it such a compelling story to me, but something I watched this weekend while doing laundry made me appreciate the storytelling and world-building of the DCAU crew. It's a show that is actually very similar to their own Batman Beyond:Spider-Man Unlimited.

For four years, Fox ran an original Spider-Man animated series that was rather ambitious for children's television in the 90s. It used long story arcs, a huge cast of characters from the Spider-Man world, and tried to incorporate the other Marvel characters (many of whom had their own shows) to tell one giant story. I never watched it religiously, but I tuned in more often than not, though they lost me as a 10-year-old when Madame Webb and interdimensional travel made an appearance. In short, it was faithful to the source, but uneven due to mediocre animation and lots of laser guns/giant robots, and through it all was successful during its run. A year later, for some reason, the guys at Marvel thought it'd be a good idea to give the character a new set of adventures in a sequel series and the result was this:

I won't say there aren't interesting ideas in even the first five minutes... it's just so jam-packed and terribly paced. First of all, how did MJ return from being lost in some other dimension/time/world? That Spider-Man is disliked by much of New York (the country? the world?) is something that the old show would have taken a few weeks to process, and show how Peter was dealing with being seen as a pariah. Instead, we jump ahead six months where everything has been worked out, and Parker even has a new suit thanks to Reed Richards (no cameo, he stole it at some point we never see). And then there's the space travel and Counter-Earth. For perspective, this is the first of a two-part episode, and already it's moving so fast that it's not worth paying attention. And the icing on the cake: they completely changed the animation style to make it more reminiscent of a comic book and recast the voice of Peter Parker. Yet, they reused his heroic theme. In a sequel series. The mind boggles.

Compare the first few minutes of Spider-Man Unlimited to the pre-credit sequence of Batman Beyond and, like me, you'll be surprised by its emotional power:

Whether you've watched the previous shows that are in the continuity is irrelevant; the show's creator's were focused on good storytelling, period. It doesn't hurt that the animation style and voice acting remained consistent, but the writing/animation came first. I remember vividly my anticipation for this show. It seemed like a naked cash grab to get kids to buy new Batman toys (a teenage Batman!), and somehow it worked better than anyone would have expected. As a quick aside, it's funny to note that in both of these shows, besides the post-apocalyptic future setting both kind of share, each hero's suit includes a cloaking device. Whereas Spider-Man Unlimited used lavender waves to show you that he's invisible, the DCAU just made Batman clear with some shadows. It's the little details that make all the difference.

To be clear, this is really not a "DC vs. Marvel" rant, though I am a bit skeptical about all of the movies Marvel is making and trying to tie them together. It just seems like it will be so easy to make a giant mess, especially considering there all being written, directed, and produced by different people. I hope for the sake of those character's fans that I'm wrong.

Let 'em fight.

2010-12-08T23:48:00.000-08:00

Thanks to the greatest reality tv show ever and Power 99, I will never forget this song. The summer after I graduated from high school, this was all they played.

Gordon Smith.

2010-11-24T11:30:00.000-08:00

And yet, his acting is still better in Belly. Given that he was in Hawaii to shoot this scene, is it safe to assume he also ended up on the MBDTF cutting room floor, and we'll hear that tune in the coming weeks?

Trying my best to find my way

2010-11-14T10:43:00.000-08:00

As someone who hasn't truly liked an album by Kanye in about five years, I must say this new one is quite a force. When I was listening to it yesterday, I got to "All of the Lights" and I realized that this album reminds me a lot of Marvin Gaye's Hear, My Dear. I think the reason I couldn't get into Graduation or 808s was I didn't feel a sense of urgency from Kanye; he didn't give off the feeling that his moment was fleeting. Instead, it was always meant to be, and he was basking in it. But with MBDTF, from the lyrics to the production, it feels clear to me that his mother's death impacted a whole lot more than any breakup or MTV incident. One of the things that appealed to me about Kanye the summer he released his first single was that he had so many directions his thoughts could take him, and as he got more famous/isolated, his perspective didn't really match my own. So to hear him, however briefly, mention his bags getting searched on "Gorgeous" or talk about how he relates to what is happening in the world, I remember why I was such an ardent fan in the first place. He's not just angrily venting about his ex, he's trying to work through his own problems, which is much more relatable. To get back to to the Hear, My Dear comparison, the song above is easily my favorite from that album, and comes halfway through a 70-minute kiss-off to Anna Gordy. The trauma of losing a significant other or loved one can force you to reassess your values and trajectory in life, and it's pretty obvious Gaye is concerned with all that as his marriage is crumbling. I haven't watched or listened to any of the interviews Kanye has given, since Matt Lauer is hard to deal with, but does anyone know if he's been asked about his mother's passing and how that influenced his goals with his album? I'd be curious to know if he brought it up on his own, too. Anyway, the way this new album plays reminds me of my own thoughts when I lost my grandmother and my roommate lost a close friend. In sum, it's good to hear Kanye thinking broadly again. Also, Bink!

As good as this thing is, I still don't think Kid CuDi needs to be on here at all. And does Alicia Keys only moan and yell now? Plus, the posse cut combination of "Monster" and "So Appalled" feel rather random in terms of flow, but I like both.

2010-11-06T16:48:00.000-07:00

It should be clear by now that I am a pretty big basketball fan. I don't have a TV, nor do I follow the league at all times, but I care a great deal about the players and certain teams/styles of play/uniforms. Basically, I am a sucker for the details. If I learned anything over this past summer, it's that when you feel like mainstream outlets for sports news are failing you in terms of depth or breadth of coverage, go looking for what you want. If I might recommend one source to a few of you, it would be Voice on the Floor. It's a series of podcasts from a bunch of different basketball writers, of various length and tone. I would encourage you all to listen to the first episode, looking at how the Gilbert Arenas episode effected the Wizards. I'm of the opinion that great, long-form reporting on sports and science are lacking in terms of the quantity of resources, so anything like this I can get my hands on, I will cherish. Enjoy.

Also, has anyone listened to the 11-minute Kanye song yet? I haven't heard it, is it worth checking out?

At first glance, I see the merit in this article, but it is also so incredibly frustrating. I need to think more clearly about why it bothers me. Though a quote like this:

FK: When you were reading all these lyrics, did you ever imagine what they would sound like spoken?

SA: It's funny: I mostly imagined them in my internal "textual" voice — the voice I tend to use for all reading. Which is probably a ghost version of my own.

FK: So all the same tempo I'm guessing.

SA: Yeah, basically the same. And then I'd read some of my favorite passages aloud to my wife, and she would laugh at me because it sounded ridiculous.

makes it easy to see why I'm irritated. My emphasis, by the way.

An announcement.

2010-11-02T22:07:00.000-07:00

I suppose it's been a while, for which I apologize. I was busy moving across the country and trying to get my act together for graduate school. I suppose the break was good to acquire new music and just marinate over my opinions, but I feel guilty neglecting the site. I'll resume opinions soon, and I may try podcasting provided i make the time to do so. I also started a tumblr about a week ago. I imagine that the podcasts will go both there and here. Some of you may know that I did a radio show in college, and I kind of miss that structured playtime. So why not relive that experience thanks to modern technology? I'll try and get my act together, for all our benefits. Since I don't have much of a social life, I took all of five minutes to come up with a name and "artwork" for this radio show, as you can see. I'm trying to convince my roommate to join me on the show, so look out for that. But it will happen, and there will be music.

blow the whistle.

2010-05-15T15:02:00.000-07:00

We had this conversation last year. Mike Brown, above all, is the problem. He has no actual gameplans, which isn't useful if Bron Bron gets in foul trouble, gets hurt, or has an off night. Having said that, if I were Mr. James, I'd leave Cleveland... who really wants to live there for the rest of your 20s?

and for good measure:

Switch my girls around like 3L-dub

2010-04-06T20:17:00.000-07:00

from this:

to this:

I've been listening to Grit & Grind all week, so I can't really focus. I honestly need an E 40 Fonzariggadale dictionary.

Mind Control

2010-03-10T15:21:00.001-08:00

We need more of Monch rapping, stat.

Swallow my own nut rap

2010-03-04T18:08:00.000-08:00

These guys did a song together? For that, I am grateful.

Story of my life.

2010-01-30T20:49:00.000-08:00

Devon smiled at me while radiating that familiar school-style vibe that she was very, very unimpressed with me. I was standing out in the sun, the seagulls pecking a few feet away. but I could've been back in the city, stumbling like a clod through the highways of my high school. Picture the great factory churning out the women who would never smile my way except in condescension, the busy assembly lines, the intricate distribution plan that ensured that my vicinity was well stocked. Erica, at least, would chuckle at some oddball comment of mine. Devon didn't understand a singe word out of my mouth, but she was raised right and didn't express her revulsion overtly. I think she was simply puzzled by me.

I used to go to Martha's Vineyard instead of Sag Harbor, but I think the point remains/

Radioactive Spider-man

2010-01-17T09:37:00.000-08:00

As I've mentioned before, I've never been one to read or collect comic books. But, as a kid, I watched loads of cartoons based on comics. A couple months ago, I found out about The Spectacular Spider-Man tv show. I know I'm late on this, but I rarely watch tv as it stands, let alone get up for Saturday morning cartoons. Anyway, I'd read comparisons to the great Batman show from elementary school, and figured I would check it out. It is quite good, though I wish each episode were a bit more patient in its storytelling. One thing that shows like Justice League Unlimited, Spectacular Spider-Man, etc. have as an advantage over comic movies is that I always believe that when Vulture is flying around, it's the original character and not a computer generated stand-in. Animation lowers the amount I have to suspend my disbelief, so I can follow the story and not worry about production costs (though I remember that being an issue for the Iron and Hulk shows as a kid, because they were awful). There's also the whole "13 episodes a season" and "hope for 65 episodes total to get to syndication," which if played right, can make for some epic storytelling if planned well. Anyway, after finishing the new animatedweb-slinger show, I just revisited an episode of the old one. Any preferences?

I think I'm next onto the old X-Men show. I'm a couple episodes in, and as I remember, the story itself is quite mature and very patiently told. The animation however? Yikes. Does anyone recall if it gets better? As a kid, I stopped watching around the Phoenix Saga since it required seeing every episode in order, which is hard to do when by 11 a.m. you're out of the house. I also think I lost patience that it wasn't just focused on one character, which I can now appreciate. We'll see how it goes.

2010-01-14T04:44:00.000-08:00

2010-01-09T19:59:00.000-08:00

For reasons I don't have time to get into right now, I find pieces like this fascinating for a number of reasons. To begin with, Steve Harvey, thrice married, is giving relationship advice to women. As soon as I finish up traveling tomorrow, I'll try to expand some on how I feel about this issue, because it seems like it has been coming up more and more recently.

2010-01-01T11:57:00.000-08:00

Big Boi Ft. Gucci Mane - Shine Blockas (Official Video) from SNORT THIS TV on Vimeo.

Can someone explain to me why 1/2 of one of the most popular/successful rap groups of all time can't get a damn marketing budget? Those crackers clearly ain't playin' fair Jive.

Catcher Freeman was a sexy man

2009-12-18T17:14:00.000-08:00

Find more videos like this on The Spill.com Movie Community

I've been re-watching the second season online all week. This episode reminds of when my dad told me my own family history, or at least his side. And then in high school, I learned my mom's family was owned by Martha Washington's, and my mind was blown. In addition:

Poor life decisions, no. 77

2009-11-30T16:30:00.000-08:00

No words.

Loud sounds when the wind blow

2009-11-19T08:42:00.000-08:00

Field Mob - Project Dreamz
Uploaded by UniversalMusicGroup. - See the latest featured music videos.

I've always loved this song, and I may have played it on one of our old podcasts. I'll have to check. Anyway, I finally got the full album a couple days ago, I'll share my thoughts soon.

We can't even kick it

2009-11-09T18:35:00.000-08:00

A couple weeks ago, Noz reminded just how much I used to love the singles by Faith Evans. To my mind, one of the great crimes committed against during her career is Diddy putting Loon on the album version of "Burnin' Up," leaving kids like me to watch the video to listen to the superior Missy version and the great (re-?) remix with Free. But this also got me thinking about Faith's first single from this album:

"You can't even be my friend." It is such a cold line, exactly the kind of thing you never want to hear. Anyway, this got me thinking on another tangent about what may be one of my favorite songs from the beginning of high school:

I had no business liking this song, but everytime I saw the video, I'd love every second of it. One of my main problems with R&B in the 90s was that I felt like the guys were either hypermasculine, trying to show they were just as tough as rappers, or soft as doctor's cotton. In hindsight, this was a perfect mix of what rap was concerned with 9 years ago with R&B. I'm pretty sure I never heard this on the radio in Jersey, but it was all over MTV2. Seeing as these guys were from Baltimore, could any current/former B-More residents tell me how well received Ruff Endz were? Or did they end up like B-Rich?

When I moved down to Chapel Hill, the moving company lost (or stole...) a box of mine that had all my coats and jackets. So recently, I have found myself in a shopping mood, looking to upgrade my little whatever whatevers. Those of you who've followed this site for a little while know that I like my sneakers. So last week, I ordered myself a new pair of Claes:

Just how I like them, simple and clean. It's rather odd to live in a college town that, even compared to where I went to school, is sort of in a vacuum in terms of places to go shopping and such without the use of a car. But I'm a lazy person.

I swear I've been trying to find new music, I just got caught listening to Here, My Dear for about a month and got pretty disconnected from the rest of the world. The past two weeks have just been me, hunched over, vibing to Dro's first album and Playa, the group Static Major was in while also helping Tim and Missy craft the beginnings of their musical legacy. At some point soon, I'll share my thoughts on at least one of them.

I breeze through Africa just to see the safari

2009-10-21T19:48:00.000-07:00

A couple things struck me while watching this video earlier this afternoon:

-It's not hard to snoop around a site like NahRight and see all these posts of Nicki Minaj. I mostly avoided them because I figured those guys were posting her songs just so they had an excuse to put a picture of her on the site. After seeing her in comparison to the miniscule OJ, all I have to say is she's a big bitch, man. Maybe by saying that, I'm no longer a black heterosexual guy, but I like having the option of hugging someone. Let's just skip her rapping for now, it made my head hurt. Take a lesson from Diddy, and pretend to take ownership of the verse.

-I'm not familiar with OJ's catalogue (or Gucci's for that matter), so I have no opinion on his verse. But, golly, is he tiny.

-Waka Flocka Flames is up there with Shorty Shit Stain as one of the best rap names ever. Partly for reminding me of Fozzie Bear. And his "you're washed up like Shaq" line reminded me of something: why don't rappers make references to sports players anymore? I'm not talking about Kobe or LeBron or Jordan, I mean people like Rod Strickland, Bernard King or Zab Judah? Are rappers now such big nerds that they can only follow the blogs and don't even have a passing interest in any sport? Or maybe the best participants in sports that rappers tend to follow lack personality. Seriously, how long can we go without someone making fun of JaMarcus Russell, or someone saying they've been overlooked like LT. I could be way off base here, and I would truly appreciate anyone pointing me to a good sports punchline/reference/whatever.

Baby Girl.

2009-10-11T19:58:00.000-07:00

My blogging hiatus of late has very little to do with my being in a new place or finding music right now boring. I have been out of touch recently, but that had more to do with my previous situation working in a more traditional office environment. It killed my listening habits, as did working Tuesday to Saturday. Now that I am a member of the 9-5 work crowd (kind of... for now), I can spend a lot more time with music. So here's something I've been thinking about writing for a while, I just couldn't work up the motivation to sit down and flesh it out:

If you'll recall a little while back, I wrote something about how a Jay/Timbaland album back in '98 or '99 would have been terrific. Now, it is true that Tim brings (brought? I can't get with "Off That" or "Reminder") out the best in Jay, but the reverse, I'm sad to say, just isn't true. For all their highlights, Jay and Tim have only really recorded a handful of tracks together. So where to go for the bulk of Tim's genius? It's tempting to say Missy, just because they as a duo were so successful for so long. But, I've come to conclusion that after Da Real World, Tim started to rein himself in more and more to fit Missy's "I love the old school" vision. I guess the production is still quite good, but it stands out less. Bubba Sparxxx? I love Deliverance, don't get me wrong, but I don't feel comfortable bestowing that honor upon Bubba K. So Petey Pablo and Miss Jade are shit out of luck.

That leaves me with two viable choices: Ginuwine and Aaliyah. There's more to choose from with Ginuwine, since Tim handled most of the production of his first two albums. Yet, I get the feeling many of you don't really appreciate something like "Final Warning" or "None of Ur Friends Business." Thus, we are left with "Baby Girl," Aaliyah.

First, let's get one thing out of the way: "Are You That Somebody?" is flipping fantastic in every respect. But, when I was a kid occasionally checking out MTV since I couldn't handle the poor production value of BET, I was drawn to her single "One In a Million." You'll have to excuse me if I wasn't checking for her back when she was singing with the Remix Killer on "Summer Bunnies", I was only seven. But I distinctly remember one summer afternoon watching television and seeing this shy, beautiful girl talking about her upcoming album and video. So I stuck with MTV and watched her video for "One In a Million." From that point on, I was hooked.

I remember back when LL Cool J made "Headsprung" he mentioned that Timbo was a true producer; working with the artist to make the best music possible. That is so true of his work with Aaliyah. Let's be honest: her singing range is rather limited and it's not as though she's writing her songs. In many ways, then, it was left to Tim and Missy to bring her personality out, or at least something people would find believable. Clearly, they knocked it out of the park. Whenever I listen to Aaliyah/Timbo songs, I always feel like there is some sense of mystery around her. Many of her songs are about her apprehension about entering a relationship, her constantly thinking through what she is doing. Yet, I never get the feeling I know her any better at the end of a song. An obvious contrast is Beyonce, who totally puts herself out to be seen. Maybe it's my own personal taste in women that biases me, but I find the former more appealing (not to mention "Halo," or "Daddy" or some other crap are terrible to me). Anyway, as much as I like the Jay/Tim connection, it's rather sparse compared to the almost two albums of music Tim did with Aaliyah. Surprise surprise, they're all great.

This was just something I thought about a few weeks ago after getting into an L-I-Y-A-H phase one morning. Just some quick thoughts. As I find more stuff and continue to get settled, there should be more.

Don't Know What to Tell Ya

If Your Girl Only Knew (Remix)

...And I'm being honest

2009-10-11T05:10:00.000-07:00

After a month, I'm finally settled in NC. As for the above songs... it's been that kind of week. I'll slowly work my way to writing stuff again, but I enjoy eating biscuits and, uh, meeting people. Also, why does JD insist on saying "Get Out!"? What does that have to do with anything?

Yay-er.

2009-09-01T13:19:00.000-07:00

"Nigga, PING! PEWN! PEWN!"

I won't be spending my time or hard drive space listening to this album. I was never a big Jay fan in the first place, but he has his moments. Now, though, it's quite satisfying to watch old fans struggle with what a lame their hero has become. Also, Kanye's pewn pewn/room room/vroom vroom line isn't that bad in principle (think "Get 'Em Girls"), he's just not much of a rapper. The same is true (but less so) for "Stretch work, yoga." All that needs is a Cam ad-lib of "like what?" in the middle, and it's much more tolerable. Sadly, Jay-Z is/was not that kind of rapper.

I may start posting old podcasts of my radio show from last year with my buddy Patrick, as well as any stories that listening to them conjure. If anyone is interested, let me know. In the meantime, I am preparing to move, so I'll give you a hint as to where I am headed with this video.

Oh my God, I hate Usher!

2009-08-24T16:12:00.000-07:00

"Long-legged half-breed." Wow. Anyway, Watching the video abover reminded me of this moment:

Hey, praise White Jesus.

Very good, detective.

2009-08-15T10:16:00.000-07:00

It's better than this commercial shows, believe me.

I am moving in a couple weeks, so my use of the public library system to fetch interesting books here in Boston is coming to a close. In times like this, I start to watch a lot more movies and favorite TV shows. I don't really watch shows that are currently broadcast; for the most part, they bore me. Instead, I stick with my old favorite "Curb Your Enthusiasm." But, about two and a half weeks ago, I saw this post and was inspired to revisit an old favorite of mine as a kid, Batman: The Animated Series. It should be obvious at this stage of my blogging that I am a nerd, and as many of you know, being a nerd starts at a young age. This show, from its design to its storytelling and characters, captured my imagination (as well as my brother's) as a six or seven-year-old. Amazingly, it still does now. I never got into collecting comics, it was so tedious a habit and I always felt that I had to start at the very beginning to catch up and gain some perspective on what was going on in the issue I was reading. Luckily, this show created a world of its own, still rooted in the original comic's mythology, that I could follow along with every Saturday morning. For whatever reason, even though I watched much too much television as a child and there were all sorts of hero shows on the air, Batman has been the only character whose stories I find interesting. Of course, a lot of that has to do with the writing (the shows with Marvel characters were atrocious, as I recall), but I also think treating Batman as a detective made for a more interesting character than a Whiz! Bang! approach. Watching these old cartoons, I can't help but think of Christopher Nolan's recent take on the Caped Crusader. For all the legitimate problems those movies have, at the end of the day, they captured how I envisioned a live-action Batman, in part because the movies are somewhat similar to B:TAS in their treatment of his relationships with Gordon and Alfred, as well as using his detective skills. I doubt many people cared about the scene where Bruce and Alfred reconstructed a bullet using forensic testing, but that scene, more than the costume or his fighting style or anything else, captured what I like about the character. End of nerd rant, I just needed to get that out there.

For reference, you should watch this with the volume off ("Who Are You" plays in the background):

Uh...

2009-08-07T07:10:00.001-07:00

Among others, where was this man on this list? Yet somehow, Little Brother made it? Look, I have their first album, and it is good. But come on, people.

The 2009 Elders.

2009-07-24T19:11:00.000-07:00

I had planned to write this before I left for my vacation, but then MJ died and I got discombobulated and before I knew it, I was off. Then returning, I was still somewhat stuck in MJ mode, it was my birthday, and I just got lazy overall. Now, most of you know already that I am a big fan of the former comic strip/current (?) tv show "The Boondocks." As some of you know, the strip and show are not too popular with some people, especially some older African Americans. Conservative Larry Elder apparently created an award on his radio talk show called "The McGruder for the Most Outrageous Statement by a Black Public Figure." This was started either in response to one of my favorite ideas from "The Boondocks," the "Most Embarrassing Black People" awards. It was nicknamed the Elder. I forget what the actual stipulations were for nomination, but I think they were pretty self-evident: any black person who acts, says, or does something so ridiculous it reflects poorly on the entire community can be nominated. Seeing as how we are a little more than halfway through the year, and it's been an interesting and somewhat angering year for race relations, I thought I might continue this tradition. So I now present my candidates for the 2009 "Most Embarrassing Black People" awards:

Henry Louis Gates, Jr.

Call Tree!

I am not going to go through the case again. It's all over the internet and tv. My dad really only holds two black scholars in high regard: Gates and Cornel West. They're both around my dad's age, and they books can be found in my parents' home back in Jersey. Growing up, I saw these two, and especially Gates, as basically the men my dad wanted to be if he had the same access to resources. I remember reading Gates' memoir, Colored People, in high school. I don't remember much about the book now, but I do recall how much it resonated with me, which is amazing since we were born 35 years apart and he's from West VA and you know where I hail from. All that said, I'm not too big a fan of his Genealogy Project, I just don't see the goal. Regardless, from an academic standpoint, the man handles his business and you have to respect that.

Given how I viewed him growing up, his arrest stuck me as completely absurd. Not in the sense that the cop is a racist or a moron, but Henry Louis Gates, Jr. is the absolute last person I would imagine getting arrested anywhere (nevermind his own home). Honestly, when I found out, all I could do is laugh out loud. I also found his question to the officer, "Why, because I'm a black man in America?" very ridiculous. Just say it out loud. There's something about pointing out that he is a black man in particular that stuck me as odd phrasing. I can also imagine him saying it, and putting an extra emphasis on "man." It's a statement straight out of 1990, which is strange for a man at the forefront of his field.

You may be asking how this embarrasses black people, and I am not quite sure. I think the way he has handled this situation, talking about doing a documentary on the relationship between people of color and police, but at the same time ignoring the recent cases of Shem Walker or Omar Edwards, strikes me as opportunistic and creepy. At the very least, it discomfits me given how my dad has looked to him as a shining light. Of course, I have heard that he is called the "academic capitalist" so his behavior should not shock me too much.

If you want a sense of my thoughts on this debacle, watch this clip. Harold Ford, Jr. and Carlos Watson get at what I am thinking. To sum up my thoughts really insufficiently, this was a case of "When Keeping it Real Goes Wrong" on both sides. It just so happens that one of the people involved has the ability to arrest the other. I maintain that the president's comments at his press conference were fine. The media just lack the ability to deal with full sentences. More generally, you really should be reading TNC, period.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Juan Williams

Back in college, I wrote an opinions column for my school newspaper my second semester of sophomore year. It was mostly hit or miss, in my view, but somehow signaled my arrival on campus in terms of larger, "more important" discussions. I'll have to write about my experience sometime, I guess. Anyway, that next Christmas, my dad bought me a copy of Juan Williams' Enough. At the time, I was a little familiar with Williams and some things he had written, disagreed with him a lot, and to this day, I have not even so much as opened that book. Considering the above clip, I think I made the right decision. When I watched this, my mind was blown. He cannot honestly believe what he is saying, he has to only do it because it pays well, right? I don't know, things like this kill me.

Shelby Steele

As I mentioned above, I read the blog of Ta-Nehisi Coates. A lot. I enjoy and sympathize with his perspective, and unlike a lot of bloggers for prominent publications, the comments section is actually worth reading and can help deepen your understanding of a topic. I mention all this because TNC has a strong dislike of Shelby Steele. He did claim, after all, that white guilt was responsible for our failures in Iraq. RIghtly or wrongly, I tend to be wary of black conservatives. In the case of someone like Steele, his take on Obama strikes me as incredibly dishonest. How is President Obama a "bargainer?" I can see how other successful black liberals fall under that category, but it's not a very useful generalization at all. The same is true of conservatives. There are/were people like John McWhorter, who I disagreed with all the time, but at least his arguments were well reasoned (mostly). With Steele, he is falling into his own trap of bargaining for the dominant group of his party. He lacks the ability to just admit he was wrong and adjust his views to fit the current circumstances. Instead, he makes the circumstances fit his views. As a scientist, that sort of behavior is endlessly frustrating. Also, after watching this clip, I get the feeling the choices he describes for prospective black politicians fits in with his own life experience, especially at a place like the Hoover Institution.

Michael Steele

Like I said, I am wary of black conservatives. In my experience, some are like Shelby Steele in that when you talk to them, you get this sense that they are responding more to how they have been treated by people of all types than their claim that they have come to their views through some rigorous test of logic. I am also have issue with black conservatives complaining about identity politics, Affirmative Action, and the like while failing to self-reflect and realize that the only time they are called upon by the media in any fashion is to talk about issues of racial or ethnic identity. I very rarely see black conservative (or to some extent, liberal) commentators talk about health care, the economy, the wars or any topic without it being related in some way to race. One of the reasons I stopped writing my column was I that I tired of being the go-to person for all things related to people of color. I have very broad interests, though this blog may not reflect them all. That black conservative commentators lack the clout to talk about issues that concern all Americans shows me that their claim to be above identity politics is crap.

Anyway, there are black conservatives who have ideas that I find stupid, like Williams. There are others whose ideas I find disingenuous, like Shelby Steele. Then there is Michael Steele. For about a month or so, he was laying low and doing a good job of it. Then came this shit:

Personally, the "fried chicken and potato salad" comment is not what offended me the most. It is bizarre in his choice of potato salad as a quintessentially African American food, but I digress. For me, saying "Y'all come" is what was more bothersome. It's so incredibly lazy and shows that he simply has no idea how to make Republicans more appealing to minorities. It's also much, much too forced in terms of the way the sentence in constructed.

Of course, this is not the only embarrassing remark made by Mr. Steele. I don't have the time or the energy to go through them all. Between showing some "slum love" for Bobby Jindal, to claiming that government jobs "aren't jobs," if I think about all the things he's said, my head might explode. He'll probably win the award in a landslide, he bombarded us with nonsense at the beginning of the year. But I'm saving hope for an appearance from Stanley Crouch slapping another person. Or Jermaine Jackson, who might be one of the greasiest people on Earth.

I'll also happily take any suggestions, in the good chance I have overlooked anyone.

Dish pan hands.

2009-07-19T17:15:00.000-07:00

camron 6 minutes freestyles hot 97 (fuck you beat) - camron

I'm back. There will be more soon.

Another part of me.

2009-06-29T20:43:00.000-07:00

I'll be on hiatus/vacation for the next two weeks. In regards to recent events, at this point I really have nothing to say. The more I read about his life, the more this hurts me. I'm sure I'll write more later, but I'm still processing about what he meant to me. Also, that move at 2:25> Usher's career.

The would-be "Best of Both Worlds"

2009-06-17T18:57:00.000-07:00

After hearing Jay's boring new song about how he hates Autotune, but somehow, not the most famous artists who use it (because they're creative?), I got to thinking again about what is the best Jay-Z album. Now, if someone like Noz or Trey Stone are to be believed, then it's Vol. 3... Life and Times of S. Carter. A couple years ago, back when I was living in Seattle, I had a lot of free time and mostly thought about rap and went to my local used record store. After reading Noz's defense of Vol. 3 in the comments section of these posts, I figured I would actually cave and buy a record that is really only known for "So Ghetto" and "Big Pimpin'." Just in case I wasn't feeling up to buying the album that day (or ever), I could listen to it at some handy listening stations. Now, those of you who read Posse on Blogway way back when may remember some post he did about a fantasty Timbaland/Hov album and embedded some songs in that post. One of those songs is Vol. 3's "Come and Get Me." For whatever reason, I wasn't really able to get into while reading his post, but I figured that If was was going to buy a hard copy of the album, I better know what this song sounds like, so it was the first track I listened to. It started off decent enough, with talk of "remov[ing] your roof" over some beat that did not sound like Timbo at all... then it changed to this slow, sort of futuristic album cut. As though it should be the title track, with Jay defending his rise to stardom following Vol. 2. With this song at least, I was convinced.

I went looking through the album credits to see who was responsible for the rest of the production, since Jay fans love to celebrate Jay-Z's beat selection meanwhile shitting on Nas. "So Ghetto?" Check. The other four Tim tracks? Check. Everything else, though, was just not grabbing me. To be honest, all the other beats sound horribly dated from the DJ Clue?/Dame Grease/Swizz Beats era of New York rap... except these sound like their throwaway beats. Remember the first single, "Do It Again?" It's not a bad beat or song, per se, but it isn't engaging at all, and certainly shouldn't deserve Jay's supposed seal of excellence or approval. And do not get me started on "S. Carter." As soon as it started, with Amil's shrill whine, I stopped the CD player. Why he dumped Foxy for her I will never understand. Overall, the songs I heard from the album just didn't convince me that it was an album worth owning.

As I mentioned before, Noz had this rap nerd fantasy post about a Tim/Hov collaboration album. Personally, I don't think that would have worked in 2007, or anytime since Jay-Z has retired. He simply cannot rap as well as he could back in '98-01 and Timbaland, except for a few cases (like Jeezy's 3 A.M.), has simply outgrown rap. I'm not sure he could bring it anymore. But, there is a wealth of material from the past that could have been compiled to make probably Jay's best album. Think of this as a missed opportunity. Now, I would say Timbaland's best beats were from about '97-'02 or '03, and if certain people are to be believed, Jay was at his best around the time of Vol. 3. Now, what would an album look like if Jay had waited two years between Vol. 1 and Vol. 2? Here's my idea of the tracklist, in no particular order:

Intro: Hand It Down
So Ghetto
Paper Chase
N*gga What, N*gga Who
It's Hot (Some Like It Hot)
Snoopy Track
Hey Papi
Lobster and Scrimp
Big Pimpin'
Come and Get Me

Look at that, what album in 1999 could touch a lineup like that? Even with Bleek on the first track? It's amazing what a little quality control could have done for his place in 90's rap. Maybe then DMX wouldn't have been the megastar at that point in time. Oh well, I can dream.

Do you see what I see?

2009-06-01T19:44:00.000-07:00

A while back, I wrote a post about the Backwudz's first album Wood Work. Again, if you haven't heard it, check it out. A couple months ago, on MGG's site, I saw a youtube video from Big Marc of the group doing this song he entitled "Concrete Complications." What struck me at first was how he had changed his whole look and rapping style. From throwbacks and fitted caps to a Freeway-esque beard and a fledgling mohawk as well as an over-enunciated cadence (a change from his thick Southern drawl) that OutKast has always been so fond of. I would say that he got this from Wayne, but it's clear from his style to the topics he chose to write about in that short song that 'Kast was a more direct influence. Anyway, I thought it was pretty serviceable, nice to see someone who'd been out of the spotlight for so long back giving us something to consume for a little while, but I figured that would be about it. I also knew he'd released a mixtape over old (?) Dilla beats and renamed himself "A. Leon Craft," which I passed on since it felt a bit weird to hear the combination of those two for whatever reason. But maybe a month or so ago, I heard his appearance on "Caddys" and started to take notice. For one, he's putting out music rather consistently, so clearly there is something in the works. But also, the thing that made me hesitant about "Concrete Complications" was gone from his verse. Before, it felt like he was trying much too hard to be Andre from the way he presented himself physically, to his style and writing subject. On "Caddys," he sounds more comfortable with his new flow and he's just rapping well, not overly concerned with getting a message across to the streets. Then, a little more recently, I heard his song "Spaced Out." It's pretty nice. I am sure some of you are skeptical of someone who calls himself A. Leon Craft and hails from Atlanta, but don't worry, he's not treading old ground. Instead, he's taking Andre's verse on "Xplosion" to it's logical extreme and taking the space meme as far as he can. Given that on the songs I've heard he's used it for cars and women, he seems pretty comfortable with it. I'm looking forward to what he has in store next.

Also, I have no idea what's gotten into me recently, but enjoy this posting streak while it lasts.

Kingdom Come.

2009-05-31T07:56:00.000-07:00

Yea, apparently LeBron even witnessed this. Like I told my brother, he may be on his way to becoming the Donovan McNabb of the NBA.

Slapstick.

2009-05-29T06:04:00.000-07:00

Just to jog your memories, we've seen this before.

I hope Seattle wins, I watch Seattle lose.

2009-05-27T18:24:00.000-07:00

As you all know by now, I'm Jersey born and bred. But back in college, I spent a couple summers in the Puget Sound area, one in Seattle. I didn't live in Central District, where I get the sense most of these guys are from (I lived near UW), but I'll be damned if this doesn't remind me of my memories of living with a bunch of middle-aged townies, sitting on a dock at night staring at Lake Union, getting lost on my runs and just generally enjoying life. The only one of these guys who is at all familiar to me is Vitamin D. Unfortunately, I never saw him in concert (I also missed Devin that summer... what a fool I was), so it's nice to be introduced to him knowing what the city is like on my own. Spotted at Noz's place.

On a related note, I know some of you have been watching the Lakers-Nuggets series. You should know that J.R. Smith and Dahntay Jones are from my area. One of my friends from high school was buddies with Jones in some form or fashion, as I recall. Given all that, I should be glad that two hometown guys are in the Western Conference Finals. Except Dahntay Jones just isn't very good, and has resorted to bush-league tactics to stop Kobe and J.R. just talks too much for me. If you look at Jones' face after he was taken out post-tripping Kobe, you could see him cover his face in shame. So sad. But too much talk from overeager role players, hard fouls, as well as atrocious and inconsistent refereeing, seem to be a theme this year in the playoffs. Or does this always happen? I forget.

No, no, no.

2009-05-21T16:35:00.000-07:00

There isn't much more I can add to the criticisms of this video that the dudes over at SMS haven't already covered. When will this supposedly new phenomenon stop capturing young black mens' minds? Seriously, it's been at least six years. "White Girls," however, is a comedic gem.

The franchise of Star Trak sales.

2009-04-26T12:49:00.001-07:00

I have a couple things on my mind, so I don't want to spend too much time on each topic, so let's begin. I imagine that many of you have heard the new Clipse/Kanye song by this point. I suspect even more that a few of you are none too enthused with the Thornton brothers at this stage in the game. As I am someone who likes "Kind of Like a Big Deal," I must say I'm a bit puzzled by people who don't like it for a few reasons. First of all, since they really came onto the rap scene in 2002 (we'll ignore "The Funeral" for now), Clipse have made a lane for themselves and others beating to death cocaine double entendres/similes/metaphors/etc. Think about "Wamp Wamp," Pusha's whole second verse was about pampers, Santa's snow, and Jo Jo Dancer. What we have here now are a couple references to the "flame and the flask." They're more concerned with what the lifestyle has afforded them than with describing how they got to where they are. I see why this could frustrate some, but consider UGK's Dirty Money. Bun B lays it flat out here that each UGK record was a part of a bigger story. Knowing that Clipse are guys who know their rap music, I wouldn't be surprised if Till the Casket Drops follows the same bigger scheme. Also, does anyone remember the couple songs they put out back when HHNF was supposed to come out at the end of 2004? Those sounded nothing like what was on Lord Willin' (they lacked the "metaphysics," if you will), and were essentially big celebrations. Of course, their train got derailed and, realizing they needed to develop more of a narrative in their greater body of work, Clipse retooled the album to go into (what some would call excessive) detail and the lyrically lyrical phase. Another, less important point: this song has a chorus. These two love to talk about how their first single is a "disruption to radio." While this is certainly different from what I think the radio plays (I haven't listened to the radio in months, to be honest), it's a fairly straightforward song. So, while I am sure there are those of you who are telling your friends, "I told you these guys had nothing to say," consider that this is only one song and that there is a bigger narrative they aim for. Some of you might say at this point, "What good is an album in this era? These guys need to adjust." That is a point I don't know if I can argue with. But, that UGK 4 Life exists and is good, I can still hope. It's not like I am the one concerned with sales.

The other topic on my mind is Keith Sweat, of all people. After being exposed to rapper XVII by Noz a while back, I decided to check out the dude's first album. I couldn't actually find a readily available copy, but I heard a fair amount of it on Rhapsody. Pimp C is all over that thing and has some amazing skits where he extemporizes about haters, women, Don "Magic" Juan and anything else on his mind. Towards the end of the album he makes reference to a chorus on an earlier song (and also the truth?) where he says he "just bought a house next to that bitch Keith Sweat!" He later says, "Yea I be in Atlanta... taste the banana." Inspired by that, I have been revisiting Keith Sweat's work. Upon further review: Pimp was right. What makes Keith Sweat interesting is Teddy Riley's new jack swing. To wit:

I Want Her - Keith Sweat

Been a while.

2009-04-16T19:11:00.000-07:00

Sorry I've been gone so long, I had to handle business, meaning I had to study for and take the GRE. What can I say? THe purse comes first. Now, with that monkey off my back, we can get back to business around here. There's a lot of music and news I have to catch up on (like this), but I'll get to it and hit y'all with a post real soon.

Real quickly, though: Jay-Z signed Mickey Factz??!!! Good Lord.

Cuz...

2009-03-22T13:13:00.000-07:00

I'm very sorry I missed this when it came out.

20 degrees with no jacket.

2009-03-21T14:45:00.000-07:00

It's really tiring to hear fellow bloggers complain about how bad rap is, how rap (beef) is boring, etc. To me, this sounds like empty talk. For one, there are people with excellent taste sharing that new new for you you. If you don't know where to look, that's one thing, but to complain that nothing good exists is tiresome. To be clear, I am not thinking of the (thankfully) dead argument about "real" rap or whatever, just good music regardless of its source. Secondly, there is so much music of all kinds out there, including rap, that it is nearly impossible to be up on everything as it happens. So, while I haven't been following the latest in Rick Ross leaks, though I have heard something about Weezy saying he's "in the all black Maybach, sittin' in the asshole," I do have plenty of time and energy to look for somewhat old or overlooked records that I didn't check for when they came out because I was busy or doubted the quality of the full album.

About three years ago, I remember being home for spring break and doing what I do normally when I was back at my parents' house: watching TV and eating food out of boredom. I didn't have a car, and being on the internet all day didn't appeal to me, so those were my last two options. It was abysmal. Anyway, I remembered seeing, in the fall I believe, the video for Da Backwudz single, "You're Gonna Luv Me," and during spring break, I saw the video for their second single, "I Don't Like the Look of It." I was pretty sold on them as a group.

Keep in mind, at this time, crunk was king and at this point in time I was decidedly against Southern rap in that manifestation. It was nice to hear a song like "You're Gonna Luv Me" that let the beat breathe as opposed to trying to start a riot, and if you watch the video, the duo felt very entrenched in the culture of Atlanta. They weren't trying to imitate anybody else from their city and still felt authentic, which I think is hard to do when such a strong movement exists. The simultaneously bizarre and brilliant choice of sampling the Oompa Loompa song for their second single was too creative to to hate on, and they really did the beat justice. Reading this, you may think I picked up Wood Work, their first (and at this point, only) album, excited to hear what else they had to offer the rap world. But, I figured that it would be like many other rap albums released since 2006: an uneven affair with the singles as the best songs, a lot of trend chasing, and one "reflective song." Sometime a couple weeks ago, I was reminded of their existence, though I forget how, and decided to finally give the album a listen three years later.

Now, if you were to listen to only the two singles mentioned above, you might think of Da Backwudz as extensions or updates of OutKast's stylings. Personally, I tend to think of Field Mob as more fitting of that description. A better example of a group of Southern rappers similar to Da Backwudz is more likely Trenton Takes favorite Jim Crow. Both work with similar A-Town heavyweights Organized Noize and Mr. DJ for a track, are more playful in tone than OutKast or other DF members, and Crow's Nest and Wood Work are both mainly backed by one producer. In the case of the former: Jazze Pha. The latter: Milwaukee Black. I think many of us agree that having a primary producer for at least a debut album is good for all rappers, and it is certainly the case here.

Something that is really striking to me about Wood Work is that it really plays like it was meant for vinyl or cassette. That is, it's tone switches halfway through the album as though there are two separate sides. The first half is where the heavy hitters can be found: both singles, a good intro (what?), a great Killer Mike feature. Side A sort of falls off when the snoozer "Fantastic" comes in (read SMS's take here). The second half is really the impressive part to me. These guys show a lot of depth in their subject matter, are introspective, and with help from Sleepy Brown, Gipp, and George Clinton, how can you really go wrong? With those names, I guess I can see the OutKast tribute thing, but none of those songs remind me of DF at all, except maybe the album closer "Smoke N Ride."

As rappers, Big Marc and Sho 'Nuff are competent enough. The second half of the album is really interesting to listen to, since they show great range that was sort of missing from their singles. This is certainly worth a listen, in my mind.

I Don't Like The Look Of It (Oompa) (Feat. Caz Clay)
Whatcha Know 'Bout My Life (Feat. Big Gipp)

Always bop, bop hard.

2009-03-05T17:02:00.001-08:00

For anyone like Michael Steele who has stuggled with how to relate and communicate effectively with young black people, here's this handy video on just that.

Honestly, every time I read about what come out this guy's mouth one of two things happen. First, I laugh hysterically. Second, I just want to shake my head. Never have I seen someone struggle so much to try and relate to people to get their attention. OK, maybe Saigon is worse in that respect. But really, between "We are all good," "Some slum love out to Gov. Bobby Jindal," and "off the hook," I don't know how much of this I can take. It's going to be a long two years.

That's W-I-G-O-U-T.

2009-03-01T07:21:00.000-08:00

Due to my work week, I can't really afford to have a typical Friday night, and since I was alone in my apartment, I decided to watch She's Gotta Have It. If you've ever seen any Spike Lee movie from before this decade, you probably already know what kind of man Spike tries to triumph, which made watching this movie, for me, really frustrating. Briefly, you've got pretty boy Greer Childs, unemployed fool Mars Blackmon and the "well-meaning" Jamie Overstreet. In a movie that is about a black woman in the 80s trying to find her own identity, that has female characters that don't feel like they only serve a purpose as background, the dudes in this movie feel really kind of flat. As soon as you meet Greer, you know Spike is going to make it seem like he's the absolute worst choice for Nola. Watch School Daze, his hate of pretty boys beats you over the head. He felt like a kind of cinema straw man, though him calling Jamie and Mars "ghetto negroes" was pretty awesome.

Mars... really had no business dating Nola in the first place, so I couldn't see him as any sort of real option from the start. Unlike Greer, he's one of those "real" black people Spike Lee loves, which seems to be the only reason his character didn't get any real sort of comeuppance or judgement in the end. He's supposed to "grow up" and that's it. As though Spike couldn't bring himself to judge someone who's kind of an idiot. Let me be clear: I love Mars in every way, but in the context of this movie, and the serious turn it takes towards the end, the Hood Rat archetype has to be put in its place, not simply tossed off as immature. As a side note, living in Boston and watching Mars come down hard/truthfully (you be the judge) on Larry Bird was such a sweet moment. "Nobody can cover him," my ass.

Then there's Jamie... who rapes Nola (or to use her words, "near-rapes"). But somehow I should not really feel like he's a bad person, because Nola can't make up her mind anyway, so it goes both ways? This is where he lost me. The inability to come to a conclusion is the definition of a Spike Lee Joint, and while it's great in Do the Right Thing, here... I'm not sure.

ANyway, does anyone remember Doggy Fizzle Televizzle, Snoop Dogg's first foray into TV? I imagine Dogg After Dark can't hold a candle to this:

At some point I'll write about actual rap music again. I've been listening to The W after the release of Raekwon's new singles. I'll get my thoughts together in a little while.

Ghost Deini: Style Visionary

2009-02-19T20:22:00.000-08:00

Patrick recently had a snow day, and reminded of a great song. More importantly, he reminded me of how ahead of the curve Starkey Love's sense of style is. Observe:

The video for "Run." I just love that hat. Keep in mind this video is now five years old. Now, take a look at something from Michael Kors at this year's fashion week in New York:

But somehow, it looks lamer when not worn by the Wu.

Buy your own damn fries.

2009-02-09T16:56:00.000-08:00

Unlike Brandon Soderberg, I am not a serious comic book reader. I suspect those of you who skim my blog from time to time aren't either. That said, I have always loved the daily comic strips that came in the newspaper. Back when I was younger, instead of reading the news to see what was happening with the Thunder or news of actual importance, I'd read the entire comics page. This did lead to a small (and in hindsight, bizarre) obsession with "Dilbert" and "Robotman," now known as "Monty." Now that I think about it, I haven't the slightest clue what drew me to those two. But I digress. I don't think I have to tell you that there weren't many daily comic strips about non-white/animal/Prince Valiant people, and there still are not. Sure, there is "Curtis" and "Jump Start" and possibly a few others that I wasn't exposed to. But "Curtis" wasn't in my local paper, and the concerns of "Jump Start" were too beyond me; I didn't have kids, and I was too old to relate to the younger characters in that strip. Luckily for me, "The Boondocks" made it to the Trenton Times when I was thirteen.

In order to explain why I loved this strip/show so much, I have to share a bit of my own background. As the name of the blog suggests, I was born and raised for a time in Trenton, New Jersey. Due to circumstances out of my control, my family moved to a nearby suburb where my brother and I (or my brother and me) spent the remainder of my childhood. If you know anything about the premise of "The Boondocks," then you can imagine why this strip was right up my alley. I am nowhere near as angry with white people or frustrated with black people as Aaron McGruder, but when you're one of two black people in your neighborhood over the age of ten, it's refreshing to know that there is someone out there who struggled with some of the same issues as you. Like the imcomparable Riley, my younger brother was also a bit of a fool, used to be obsessed with rap to the point that it distorted his worldview, and thought that I take everything way too seriously. To be honest, the character I have the most in common with, and miss now that the strip is a TV show, is Michael Ceasar. Part nerd, part rap lover, and optimistic most of the time seems more like me than a revolutionary 10 year-old. Besides, he is the character responsible for the greatest story arc in the comic's run.

I don't want Ceasar's exclusion to be any sort of main critical point about what is missing from the show now. I am so happy Uncle Ruckus exists in this cast of characters, he's provided so many great jokes. I would like to see more of Jazmine, if only to laugh at her. Whenever the third season starts airing, I hope there's an episode with her talking about her bi-racial new hero, the President... or Halle Berry or Alicia Keys. Taking the strip to TV also lets McGruder indulge a bit to our benefit (like Charlie Murphy, Samuel L. Jackson and any number of rappers helping with voices) and fleshes out the world he created just a little bit more.

There are a host of issues I could bring up with this show, from its sometimes disagreeable politics, its treatment of rappers as insecure homo thugs, and R. Kelly. But I thought I would just share why I love this show so much. I thought about having some songs you could download at the end of the post, but McGruder's a pretty straight ahead rap purist, so it'd be a wasted effort. You can really check most episodes for some reference to the kind of music he likes, whether through the soundtrack or in the script (the "Dwyck" reference in the lemonade stand episode). You may also want to check out Boondocks Bootleg. It has short clips on the typical haircuts of black men, an "Ask John Witherspoon" segment and the "Negro News Brief." It's kind of hit or miss, but worth checking out nonetheless.

In somewhat related news, these audio clips are kind of great.

Negro please.

2009-01-28T14:24:00.000-08:00

As Joey pointed out for the former leader of the Carter Administration, Taz, take off that silly ass hat. There's more of Mr. Arnold's fashion nonsense at the Complex blog.

Is this hip hop?

2009-01-18T09:44:00.000-08:00

Gong Gong

I don't know about some of you, but for me, winter signals a shift in the kind of rap I want to hear. In the spring and summer, I'm a bit more inclined to listen to tales of workin' the slab, bendin' corners, chasin' hoes and all that fun stuff. The music feels warm and appropriate for the time of year. But as soon as winter rolls around, all I want to hear are crime tales from abandoned urban youth. A couple years ago, right before finals, I distinctly remember only listening to Hell on Earth, The Infamous, and Hell Hath No Fury for a couple weeks straight. Obviously the weather alters my mood. After reading about Tray revisiting The College Dropout five years later, he inspired me to go back to a time when I thought Kanye was a rapper that I could connect to. That's not to say I ever thought he was the best, but let's be honest; I'm not from, nor have I ever had to run the streets. So listening to some guy who comes from a fairly well-educated family rap about topics that matter to him was pretty affecting to me. But now that I'm older, those skits fall way, way flatter than i remember. Maybe it's because I am also a college graduate without a drug habit or a job at the Gap.

Anyway, along with the change in weather, there's a big event (in my mind) coming to Cambridge in a couple weeks: M.O.P. at the Middle East. In anticipation of that, as well as my hunger for riot music in the winter, I've been listening a lot to First Family 4 Life. It's not as clean in execution as Firing Squad, which has Premier as executive producer, but this thing is pretty tight. I've written about "4 Alarm Blaze" before, but thinking back, I have a hard time figuring out what is really the standout track on this album. Firing Squad, for me, has a couple clear standout tracks: "New Jack City," "Anticipation," "Brownsville" and "Downtown Swinga '96." FF4L lacks the standalone "signature" track of the album (maybe "Handle Ur Bizness"), but they're all so good it doesn't matter. Premo gives Fizzy Womack and Berkowitz five great beats, and the ones by Laze-E-Laze and Fame are great too. In terms of rapping, these two break no new ground, and you know that is true with any M.O.P. song. But these two have more passion in their voices than most; I can always feel their hunger and borderline desperation. The guest list is pretty on point, too: Tef, Jay-Z, O.C., Heather B, Guru, Freddie Foxx, and Treach. Besides Guru, all have great, energetic performances. Thinking about Guru being sleepy reminds me, why isn't "1/2 & 1/2" on this album, or a Gang Starr album for that matter? I know it's on Full Clip, but there is no excuse for either party to omit such a gem.

Getting back to business, whereas Firing Squad is a really well constructed album that builds up to its best songs then allows you some time to soak it all in (an hour of Fame and Danze yelling at you/threatening fake-ass gangstas can get a bit too intense at times), FF4L feels like a collection of the best songs that the Mash Out Posse had made over the course of a year. If you have a chance, totally pick this up.

M.O.P. (prod. by Premier)- Breakin' the Rules
M.O.P.- Facing Off

What in the world?

2009-01-15T19:23:00.000-08:00

Best R. Kelly impersonation ever? I think so.

Click, click, click.

2009-01-03T16:15:00.000-08:00

Since my roommates have been gone this past week, I have had a lot of time to myself recently. So, besides doing the usual running, reading, etc., I've also been watching TV. Actually, I broke out the second season of Chappelle's Show that my dad got me for Christmas two years ago. This week was the first time I had watched any of those episodes since they aired 5 (!) years ago. I don't think I can describe how committed I was to this show. When it came out my junior year of high school, for whatever reason, I was incredibly amped. To give you some perspective, I had really only seen Dave Chappelle in Robin Hood: Men in Tights, The Nutty Professor, and heard all my friends quote Half Baked without actually seeing the movie. So given how unfamiliar I was with his work, there was no reason for me to care so much. But every week, I was hooked and would talk about, quote and reenact skits with my friends Thursday mornings. This may seem odd, but this week I've spent some time thinking what about this show appealed to me so much. It wasn't the humor, because like I just said, I didn't really know that guy's sense of humor like I think I do now. Then I realized something about the television shows I had watched as a kid with my family. Save for a few (like In Living Color or The Chris Rock Show), many were about black families and how they dealt with life. That's great and all, but kind of distancing for someone high school or college age. Also, given that Dave Chappelle is one of the few black comics who grew up in a pretty diverse environment (between Yellow Springs, Ohio and DC), his point of view made a lot of sense to me as someone who was and has been essentially one of the only black people in his classroom/office space. Also, the inclusion of musical guests who appealed to my sensibilities at the time made the show feel like even more of a personal connection between me and this random 30-something guy. So with that little introduction, I thought I'd share some songs I thought of while watching the show that aren't by Prince or Rick James. Besides, my favorite sketch is the World Series of Dice.

Youngbloodz feat. Lil' Jon- Damn!

It was very obvious the opening line "They callin' me, to come back to the street" spoke to him since he quoted it a few times before going into those Lil' Jon impersonations. I cannot tell you how annoyed I got from people at my school asking me to impersonate Dave Chappelle impersonating Lil' Jon. As a wise man (who deserves his own post) once said, white people. In defense of that picture, I go running in the cold of Boston... but with tights on. Also, what happened to these guys?

Black Star- Thieves in the Night

Just based on how many times these two were featured on his show, it's obvious Chappelle loved their music. Hell, he does the intro for Kweli's "Quality." He used to have an iTunes celebrity playlist, but they took that shit down. I remember this one being on there and he quoted the line about the yacht and a slave ship. You know it, I do too, so there's no real need to be precise with it.

DMX- Get At Me Dog

Like any rap fan with a smidgen of goddamn sense, Dave Chappelle loved DMX in some way. I own Belly. There's no reason not to like this song; besides, it includes a reference to Optimus Prime.

Happy new year, by the way. I'll try and get back to posting regularly and writing about topics of consequence soon. Which means I need to get back to a record store or search my hard drive. I'm on it.

Bet your bottom dollar you'll be spittin' over rhymes.

2008-12-17T16:14:00.000-08:00

It's hard to do something like this without repeating myself, and I also realized I don't have some of these songs, though I think that may be a good thing. These songs disturb me, but it's all love like tennis. Anyway, let's get this started:

Diddy- The Future

Two years ago, when the rap blog world found out Pharoahe Monch had written 2(!) songs for Diddy, we were all in shock. After "The Future" leaked, the response was even worse. Personally, I think this thing is great. It just proves Diddy could never command respect using the power of speech. He stumbles over his words, making a potentially great line like, "this is the man who provided more jobs for Blacks than Armed Services" into some silly goose shit. It doesn't hurt that Pharoahe didn't even attempt to write a real song for this guy. "Early, I skip breakfast/ A nigga be on his grind like he needs new brake pads?" He's had better days. But hearing Diddy sound so convinced the Monch gave him the gospel, it's hard to to enjoy. Especially when he yells towards the end, "Fuck with me now!" "Hold Up" is another Monch/Diddy gem.

Download "The Future"

Cedric Ceballos- Flow On

This may not seem like a collaboration, but the song was produced by Warren G (you can hear him in the second and third verses). This thing is too great. If you ever get a chance, check out B Ball's Best Kept Secret, Patrick introduced it to me last year and it has some gems. What the hell is the "Ba, ba, bababa?" When is LeBron going to release an album, I'm sure he has a bunch of bad king similes and metaphors in a notebook somewhere. Though he probably saw what happens when you say, "step to me with faggot tendencies, you'll be sleepin' where the maggots be."

Maxwell- Fortunate

This is the only decent song out the bunch, and for whatever reason, I was reminded of it recently. R. Kelly's lyrics are serviceable, but it's really sold by Maxwell, remember, that guy who covered that Kate Bush song? This came out for the soundtrack to Life, which also had that K-Ci and JoJo song where they sang the word "life" for about four minutes. Yea, this was much better. Also, where has the R-ah been recently? I heard him singing about his lemonade on the remix to "Customer," but since then he's been AWOL. These two should get together again, it worked the first time. Or Maxwell could do what Bilal does now, and become the budget Anthony Hamilton on rap hooks, and he was the budget Nate Dogg. Well, Maxwell did do some song with Nas on Street's Disciple (do they hang out?), so I guess that would make him like D'Angelo.

I really wish I had zshares of all these suckers, so if anyone can help, I'd really appreciate it.

Wazupwitme.

2008-12-17T14:43:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since I posted anything, and I really have no excuse. It is not as though I am in school getting ready for finals or packing up my stuff to go home for the winter (yet), I was just at a loss for things to discuss. But that is normally how the end of the year goes, so I don't feel so bad. With the end of 2008 come "best of the year" lists, and those can be found (so far) if you go to the websites of Noz, Weiss, Doc Zeus, and Tray. My list falls somewhere between all of them, but I will wait a while until I come up with anything. Real quickly, I never knew there was a West Coast Remix to "Drivin' Down the Block," who are those other guys?

After being reminded of "Party All the Time" by Tray, I think this is appropriate

Talk about a weird collaboration, which sounds like a good idea for a post. A taste of what is to come: The Future. Stay tuned.

What?

2008-12-02T20:11:00.000-08:00

Since I don't want to get a letter from Google, I will just direct you to this, the uncut video of Jadakiss' "Knock Yourself Out." I didn't know they made an uncut version, and I am completely dumbfounded by what I just saw. Wow, that was wrong on many levels. I am completely speechless. The years 1997-2002 were very good/forgiving to rappers.

All you hear is tick and pow.

2008-12-01T14:34:00.000-08:00

First of all, I didn't know you could chop and screw videos. I also think it's a bit of a bad idea. Anyway, last week, on my way to work, I realized that my Air Force 2s, having had them for close to three years, were just too old to cut it anymore. The rain will help you realize something like that. So, taking Monique's advice from a couple weeks ago, I went looking for the shoe store Bodega. Man, what a place. A coworker of mine has also shopped there and recommended it, but what no one told me was that the owners of the store liked to make shopping a huge experience. To get to the actual shoes, you had to pass through an automatic door that looks like it is covered with grocery items. I felt like I was entering the batcave or something. Once you pass the door, though, it's a real upscale place in the vein of Ubiq in Philly. I got some nice shoes, Clae Mcqueens if you are curious. Anyway, it was an interesting experience to see all those hipsters, and I even found Underground Hip Hop, though I didn't look around it at all. Let's get down to business, shall we?

G-Side- Speed of Sound

Regardless of what Tray has to say about the lyrics not really matching the beat, with a song like this, it works just fine for me. I should really check out their new album, since it seems like all rap blog trolls have been waiting a while for it. Also, B.o.B. should really try and hook up with the Block Beataz if he wants to keep up his space rap persona. At this point, they're certain to be cheaper than whoever Grand Hustle employs.

B.o.B. feat. T.I.- I'm Dat Nigga

Speak of the devil, he came off pretty well with this one. When does T.I. plan to serve his sentence? If it were to simply loom over him and he started making great songs with up and coming artists, I would not be upset at all. Of course, it is a shame that it took the fear of prison to light a fire under his ass. I also checked my Google search: T.I. does not pop up. Work on that, Clifford.

Pharoahe Monch & Shabaam Sahdeeq- WWIII

Yea, Shabaam got destroyed. There's really nothing more to say, it was a federal crime for sure.

Busta Rhymes- So Hardcore

All this recent talk of post-lyricism and "Arab Money" takes me back to a time when Busta was my favorite rapper, which was about eleven or twelve years ago. He just seemed to be having more fun than anyone, regardless of whether he was making sense. And most of the time, he wasn't. This is the lone Jay Dee contribution from When Disaster Strikes and in my mind, it's a doozie. I apologize about the skit at the end.

Bent nickels down your way, don't trip

2008-11-16T09:49:00.000-08:00

Back when I was in high school, I took the bus every morning and the bus driver would always have the radio tuned to Power 99. Sometime in my junior year, I heard Freeway's "What We Do" and was really grabbed by him. I knew him from that one verse on "1-900-Hustler" but this was his first single and considering he has guest spots from Jay and Beanie Sigel, he ripped it. Lines like, "when the sneaks start leanin' and the heat stop workin', then my heat start workin'" or "if my kids hungry, snatch the dishes out your kitchen" made what he was going through sound much more urgent than the usual sell crack/grind/paper chase talk. It sounded like that album was Free's only shot at a way to make a decent living, and if it didn't work out, he would go to any length to provide for his family. I think his dynamic tempo and barrage of words and details can be too much for some people, but luckily for me Free was in town to do a show. Since he's not homegrown or huge, the turnout wasn't great and that was disappointing. I know if this show had been scheduled at, say, the Trocadero in Philly it would have been pretty nuts. But Boston isn't the most rap-friendly city; I've never seen people more enthralled by UFC fighting than by an act on stage. Regardless of the patrons there, I was kind of surprised at how business-like the show was. When I hear Free's songs, I imagine concerts that are really emotional for him and he does all (and only) the gripping stuff. For example, I could have done without "Take You To the Top" and for most of his set, he only did his opening verse, then a quick snippet a cappella. I would have loved to hear "Baby Don't Do It" or all of "Free." So in honor of Freeway's perpetual grind in his songs, and my lack of hot water, here's what I'm rocking to this week:

Freeway feat. Faith Evans- Don't Cross the Line

The thing that has always stood out to me about Philadelphia Freeway is how Free is completely unapologetic about showing his love for Biggie and Snoop. The album is littered with Big quotes ("red boxers so my dick can breathe") or comparisons to DPG as well as doing songs with Snoop or Nate Dogg, whether or not they fit the album's tone. This song is no exception, but it finds Free at his best rapping like he needs to get something off his chest over a nice Just Blaze beats. As a quick sidenote, why would JB not work with free to devote his time to Saigon? Freeway's a great rapper with a unique style, while I can't recall a line by Saigon. Not to mention Free has actually been able to get his music out to his fans and develop a following, while Saigon complains on myspace. But what do I know?

Bohagon- Sing the Blues

If you never check out BLVD ST, you need to do so right now. Apparently, Bo's appeared on a gang of Lil Jon and Trillville songs, but I neglected to check those out, and I am quite fine with that. The only songs I know that feature Bohagon are "If It's Bumpin'" from Bubba Sparxxx's first album and an unreleased Jim Crow song. Noz, ever the champion of mistreated rap acts, caught up with Bohagon for the Fader a couple months ago, and hopefully we'll get to here more joints like this. This was produced by OutKast affiliate Mr. DJ, and BLVD ST has a great running series of unreleased songs produced by him. It's not some crazy, outer-space beat that might work for 'Kast, it feels like something in the vein of "Big Dreams".

UGK- Belts to Match

If you've ever heard "Tough Guy," you know that a UGK/Organized Noize collaboration makes for a great song. You also know that it means the song end up on the soundtrack of a terrible movie, in this case The Wood. While some wonder why Jive can't get their act together, I wonder why Bun and Pimp never added these songs to Dirty Money since they were both recorded before the album came out. In some ways, I see how Organized Noize and OutKast sound out of place compared to the beats of UGK, but it's a risk that should have been taken. Bonus track status at the very least would have been OK with me. This beat sort of reminds me of an upbeat version of "Spaghetti Junction" while Bun, Pimp and Smitty sound like they're doing a sequel of sorts to "Pinky Ring."

Cam'Ron- Killa Cam

Come on, he's the realest since "Kum Ba Ya."

Fun at the thrift store

2008-11-10T14:10:00.000-08:00

Since I am finally getting adjusted to my new home in Boston, I figured this weekend I'd try and find a used record store that I could frequent whenever I felt the need. Last summer, when I was in Seattle, this worked out pretty well. I lived right around the corner from one and got Deliverance, Still Standing, Ain't A Damn Thing Changed and at least one non-rap album, I just forget off the top of my head right now. I've heard so much about how Boston is a great music town, so it seemed obvious to me that there would be plenty of used record stores all over the place, especially since I live pretty close to BC.

Not so. On my first outing to find records, I came up with basically nothing. Imagine that, there are no used record stores in the hipster section (however small) of this city. All I was able to find were two cassette singles: 3rd Bass' "Pop Goes the Weasel" and Kriss Kross' "Jump." They really helped with my Halloween costume at the very least, but I rarely want to hear much from either of those groups. Anyway, I was at a party on Friday night with a friend of mine, and instead of mingling (like any good young, single person) with the other guests, I read the recent city guide put out by the Weekly Dig and saw an entry about the thrift store Diskovery. What a great find that was. I got some great stuff for only $4. Here's the stuff I could upload really easily:

Jim Crow- Holla At a Playa (Single)

What. A. Find. And it was free. There's really nothing more to say that I haven't mentioned before. I will say I'm disappointed that the Trackmasters remix only comes edited. Luckily, the Polow remix has the same verses but keeps most of the elements of the original beat. The switch when Too $hort comes in is pretty slick, too. It's no "Throw Some D's," but it's a cool early look at Polow's skills.

Holla At a Playa (Polow Remix feat. Too $hort)

Rahzel- Make the Music 2000

I cannot tell you how many afternoons I wasted as a kid with my brother playing NBA Live 2000 and hearing "All I Know" and Naughty By Nature's two biggest songs (if you have the game, you know). I also remember seeing him on MTV's "Direct Effect" with Sway and thinking he was the coolest guy around. Probably because he was a former member of the Roots. And he could do a beat like "If Your Girl Only Knew" while doing the vocals at the same time. Gimmicky? Yes. But a great gimmick nonetheless. In hindsight, was he even a part of the Roots after their first album? All the skits on the later albums I have say "vs. Scratch," even though Rahzel has tons more personality and talent. Why he left is something I'd be curious to know, as well as how he got beats from Pete Rock, Scott Storch and Marley Marl. I'll give it a better listen and then offer my thoughts soon. The nostalgia value alone of remembering my great seasons playing as the '98-'99 Kings made this find way worth it. Free .99 as well.

All I Know

Like my name was Stone Cold Austin

2008-10-27T16:09:00.000-07:00

Wow, does anyone remember this? Apparently, Informal Introduction is getting the anniversary addition treatment. Record labels were just giving anyone a deal six years ago, damn.

From '88 to right now, I was never broke.

2008-10-21T16:11:00.000-07:00

Let me start by saying this is not a post like last week. I didn't scour the internet looking for an album that, while it had a sizable impact at the time of its release, faded into obscurity quickly afterwards. No, Mr. Man and Boo Bonic do not deserve that sort of dedication. Let's be real: these guys sucked. Lame voices, lyrics and just an overall unoriginal aesthetic makes it hard for me to tolerate these guys much. The main reason I'm paying them any attention is because they're from the Delaware Valley, and Power 99 will support any artist that comes out of there, even Ness from Da Band with his (terrible) single "My Hood." I remember being on the bus in high school and hearing "Cross the Border" at least once on the way to Princeton. The beat wasn't great, and the lyrics certainly didn't bring much to the table, but over and over again it'd get burn. I like the song mostly because of nostalgia, so imagine my surprise when a) I learned there was a remix and b) it was really, really good.

Both songs are produced by the Neptunes, and the "Cross the Border" remix has a completely different feel than the original. Gone are the cheesy fake Mexican guitars and offbeat horns on the chorus. Instead, we have a keyboard sound similar to "Superthug" paired with some great, vintage 'Tunes drum programming. This is easily one of their best beats.

One would think all this effort would get wasted by two lame and thankfully forgotten MCs (how they got so much support from the Neptunes near their peak, I will never understand), but there are all new verses and guest spots that steal the show. The first is Pusha T on the second verse. It's obvious he'd come a long way since "The Funeral," slowing down is flow while keeping the writing crisp. It serves as a good preview of what was to come on Lord Willin'. The second one is Fabolous. Someone should have told him early on to stick with this if he wanted any sort of status in the rap world, as songs like "Baby" and "Tit 4 Tat" just aren't doing it. It's not as good as "Breathe," but it's only one verse. Besides, any halfway competent rapper sounds golden next to these two clowns.

Here is the "Cross the Border" remix.

Here is a 2002 Clipse freestyle from Rap City over the same beat, and I think the origin of "Eghck"

Wrecking ball nuts.

2008-10-13T10:01:00.000-07:00

If I told you there was an album released in 2000 that featured production from the Neptunes on four songs and Earthtone III (which is just OutKast and Mr. DJ) on another three songs, you probably would not believe me if I said it had been pretty unfairly overlooked over the course of time. Especially considering it went 3x platinum and spawned one of the biggest hits of the year, and one of the other singles featured OutKast. Yet, such is the case for Mystikal's Let's Get Ready, even though everyone knows the song "Shake Ya Ass."

During the time of this album's release, my understanding of Mystikal's previous musical output was mostly limited to songs like "It Ain't My Fault," which besides Silkk the Shocker, was pretty awesome. Imagine my surprise when, before starting high school, I heard and saw the video for "Shake Ya Ass." It was a totally different sound compared to what I had heard from him previously, and the video didn't hurt either. Ultimately, I figured that the album would find Mystikal back to his old No Limit ways with features from amazingly awful rappers. I was very wrong.

Obviously, anytime you get production from late 90's - early 2000s Neptunes for almost a third of an album, your bound to be interested by the beats at least. Thankfully, it is more than the beats that are engaging. Kind of like Backbone, Mystikal has a very dynamic tone of rapping, it's just that, unlike Mr. Fat Face, The Braids knows when to accentuate his phrasing at the right point. This works really well with the Neptunes' off the wall production, so that even when Mystikal spends an entire verse naming family members on "Family," it's hard to stop listening. I wanted to know who came next.

What really surprised me about this album was how weird and insular it is. Though "Shake Ya Ass" and "Danger" work alone and in the context of the album, they don't really represent the tone that Mystikal seemed to be going for. It's not so much that it is a personal album as it is a definitive portrait of Michael Tyler as an artist. While someone like Brandon Soderberg is talking about post-lyricism and its roots in the verses on Andre 3000, Mystikal is forgotten in all this talk. He will change is tone of voice at will, rap about seemingly weird and random topics with a bunch of tossed off punchlines, and then come back with some emotional punch, like "Murderer III" where he finds and deals with his sister's killer.

Though the songs with the Neptunes are all really good, Mystikal really shines on production from collaborator KLC and Earthtone III. Just listen to "Neck Uv Da Woods," which would have sounded right at home on Stankonia or "Mystikal Fever," which sounds like a precursor to the great "Pussy Crook." It's a shame he got locked up, because after hearing this album, he sounded like he had enough energy and support from the right camps to make even more great music.

Click here for The Braids
Click here for Mystikal Fever

Raps.

2008-10-09T14:41:00.000-07:00

There are a few songs I've mentioned that are pretty great, though I realize not everyone has the time for "___ zshare" searches on Google like I do. So let's try this out. Do enjoy.

Backbone feat. Cee-Lo & Joi- Lord Have Mercy

Jim Crow- Big Dreams

O.C. feat Organized Konfusion- You Won't Go Far

Big Gipp- History Mystery

Diamond D, Sadat X & Lord Finesse- You Can't Front

Do Your Time (RMX)

2008-10-05T13:09:00.000-07:00

Dirty South mind blowin Dirty South bread
Catfish fried up, Dirty South fed
Sleep in a cot'-pickin Dirty South bed
Dirty South guls gimme Dirty South head
Hand me down flip-flops, hand me down socks
Hand me down drug dealers hand me down rocks
Hand me down a 50 pack Swisher Sweets box
And goodfella rich niggaz hand me down stocks

Indeed, Mr. Bridges.

Trying to ball like Liberace

2008-10-03T18:08:00.000-07:00

You guys already know I enjoy the lost rap trio Jim Crow. So of course, I am happy to be led to Jim Crow's unreleased third album, Bandits. I think what I enjoy most is the idea that a rap group named Jim Crow did a song with a white, Southern rapper (Bubba Sparxxx). And the file has the original version of the Off the Yelzebub classic, "Holla at a Playa." I'm sure I will have something to say about the album soon, as well as Bubba's first joint, depending on time.

Also, if you've never heard "You Won't Go Far," a soundtrack cut by Organized Konfusion and O.C., please do so now. It's from the New Jersey Drive soundtrack (Vol. 2), a movie which is probably more famous for "Benz or Beamer" by OutKast. In true OK form, these guys create a vivid picture of car jacking, it's thrilling and kind of scary at the same time. They're committed to their roles on wax, so it's worth checking out. It's also a really interesting contrast in tone to "Benz or Beamer," since 'Kast use a smooth, relaxed beat compared to the hard-hitting snares and piano in "You Won't Go Far," which I assume is produced by OK. It is sort of reminiscent on O.C.'s "Constables," also done by Prince Po and the Mighty Pharoahe Monchichi. Both are great songs, focused on the process of stealing a car, but the tone the two groups take makes for all the difference in the world. In someways, they highlight the differences between the aesthetics of the two regions at the time. I'm rambling, just listen to the songs. Here's the OutKast joint. Also, take a blue pill while I'm here.

I come through swervin'

2008-09-24T15:47:00.000-07:00

Rap music is just as much about the image as the substance. Everyone likes to talk about the shirtless thugs that have supposedly ruined hip hop, but collectives like the Native Tongues are just as guilty of using their image and public persona to get their message across. Think about a group like Slum Village: if it were not for beats that sounded like the next phase Tribe and their matching hobo dress, would anyone on Okayplayer seriously defend an album that has the chorus, "Fellatio interference, promiscuous Homo sapiens?" The granola gang was tricked by the way the group marketed itself. The Dungeon Family took advantage of each member's unique/foolish sense of style to craft albums that could range from misogynist or violent to highly spiritual. And the listener would never really be made uncomfortable by the change. Of course, the production of Organized Noize (like Slum's Dilla) had a lot to do with this. And this brings us to Mr. Fat Face 100, Backbone.

It is hard to say why I felt Concrete Law was a bit underwhelming. I am hesitant to say that it was the production. I know if a lot of these beats had been for Goodie Mob or OutKast, I'd say that this was at least a really great listen end to end. It's not that Backbone is particularly bad at rapping, either. Quite contrary, he is rather competent. Instead, his image and the approach he takes to his songs simply do not match. Watch something like the "5 Deuce 4 Tre" video, and he seems like someone who is focused on his grind and "on the come up," as they say. And if you were to simply read his lyrics, you would get that same impression. Like fellow DF member Cool Breeze (who Noz did an XXL post on a long time ago), Backbone's lyrical focus is the trap and it's effects on how he views the world. If the album had quite a few songs like "Slump" or "I Refuse Limitation," this would be absolutely wonderful news. Sadly, there is only one song like that here, "Lord Have Mercy," with Cee-Lo. It is truly a great song. Elsewhere, the emotional weight of the verses gets lost amongst inappropriate beats, meaning they convey a sense that the trap is a refuge, or Backbone's very annoying habit of emphasizing the wrong syllable and raising the pitch on that syllable. It can make for an awkward listen, especially if he is trying to be serious. A party song? Sure, go ahead. Why none of DF told him this, I will never understand.

Besides the single and the aforementioned song with Cee-Lo, there are some other highlights. "Believe That," which features the beat from the opening skit on Aquemini, is pretty great. I guess it doesn't hurt that Gipp and Slimm Calhoun are there to help him out. It's also odd that neither Daddy Fatsacks nor Chamelio Salamander make any sort of appearance. A damn shame, really. The Youngbloodz make an appearance, though they are the only Attic Crew members to do so. It would have been really interesting to hear Backbone and Jim Crow go back and forth, as I think they have a lot in common in terms of how they approach their songs and their personal styles. I can dream I guess.

Here's Noz's DF retrospective/overview, though his Cool Breeze piece is lost (forever?).

It goes oak, leather, rims and tires.

2008-09-14T10:11:00.000-07:00

You'll never hear or read me claim that Backbone is actually a good rapper. His voice is weird and off-putting in large chunks, to call him a writer would be a cruel joke to many rappers and other musicians, and his sense of rhythm when he's rapping is just bizarre, what with all the odd pauses and non sequitur lines that come in the middle and end of his verses. For this reason, it's not hard to imagine why I have never really checked for Concrete Law, his 2001 solo debut. He also has an inane obsession with the phrase "5 deuce, 4 tre" (good song though, check it out). Given all my problems with Mr. Fat Face 100, he seems like an odd choice for a blog post. But like I mentioned on No Trivia, Backbone is like the Superb of the Dungeon Family. It's easy to confuse his voice with other, better rappers, but his verses can such great fantastic moments, but I would never be able to tolerate a full length from him. That said, Backbone is twice the rapper Superb wishes he could be, even if Yayo thinks he wrote Supreme Clientele. With all that said, here are my favorite songs that feature Backbone:

Big Boi feat. Backbone- Dubbz

This recent link from Sir Lucious Left Foot is the first we've heard from Backbone since... what, Even in Darkness? Lines like, "the whip super stupid, it ain't got no brains" are the very reason I both love and loathe him at the same time. When I first heard the song, I couldn't believe Backbone was on the track, as he sounds even more nasal than normal. I've never really expected him to blow me away with his rapping skills, and this is a car song, so he just has fun with it, making his style so easy to soak in.

Goodie Mob feat. Backbone & Big Boi- Get Rich to This

I am sure some people think I am a moron for liking anything on World Party, but this one came out right after those great videos for Aquemini and Cool Breeze's "Watch for the Hook," so any Dungeon Family was all right with me. Again, Backbone doesn't really have a point to get across, and neither does the song, so you can enjoy your champagne campaign with it. And his mention of E-40 got me tangenially thinking of the reason why he never really blew up, besides the obvious characteristic of his pretty mediocre rapping. Everyone in DF had some weird personal style that came across in their videos, but Mr. Fat Face was always pretty conservative in his dress (40 Water, on the other hand, always stands out). Maybe he just seemed like some random Southern rapper, rather than a member of the A's premier rap collective.

OutKast feat. Backbone & Big Gipp- We Luv Deez Hoes

Don't lie you love it, and if you don't, you like this song a whole lot. Honestly, his style would have worked very well with Jim Crow on their first album. He and Cutty Cartel both have thick accents and exude style, as that's all they've got. Again with the awkward pauses in the middle of his verses, but the laziness works here. Hoes don't deserve great verses, do they?

OutKast feat. Backbone & Cool Breeze- Slump

Easily one of his best verses, and one of the first where he mentions "5 deuce, 4 tre." His accent and slow pace makes him sound world weary here, and it works great within the context of this song. It's like his verse is sort of a prologue for the other two verses: Backbone explains what he's doing and going through and the reasons for that choice (if it was one), Big Boi offering a note of caution about the lifestyle (sort of like that "next to the hood" concept Brandon Soderberg talked about), and then in the final verse, Cool Breeze takes us back to the trap to the mind of someone looking to get out. Great way to structure a song, and Backbone really delivers in the first song that's not a sort of rowdy party starter.

Goodie Mob feat. Backbone- I Refuse Limitation (Sadly, there's no link for this song. Your loss, sorry.)

His best verse by far. It's like "Slump," but he sounds even more tired from selling drugs and living a dangerous life. It's really short, now that I think about it, so there may be a tie, but something got into him back in '98 that seems to give these verses a sense of urgency and claustrophobia, even though he raps so slowly. Good to have him back after almost ten years. Here's hoping he gets back into the mix, though I may be the only person who decides to pay attention.

NOTE: I found Concrete Law, there will be more Backone to speak of shortly.

My Boston.

2008-09-13T20:38:00.000-07:00

Sorry I've been gone so long. I've been moving (to Boston), and in the stress of moving with the help of my parents and starting a new (and my first!) job, it seems I've come down with shingles. Which, as you might imagine, is very pleasant. Getting a condition that normally affects people over 60 when you're 22 is a great way to start post-college life. This time, I absolutely promise a post very soon on music. But nothing really current, as it just goes back to the old stuff eventually. And I'm out.

I-I-I-I ain't tryin' to leave my old lady

2008-08-12T17:04:00.000-07:00

Contrary to what some may have thought, I am not done blogging at all. Like I wrote earlier, being at home takes away any inspiration I may have to write. Luckily that should all change in a couple weeks when I get to Boston. In the meantime, why is no one talking about this song? I will concede that Fonzworth has no business in front of a microphone, but he's damn sure better than Diddy. More importantly, a member of Outkast is on the song, qualifying it for any year-end lists. Sadly, it only exists as a video, as I have yet to hear it compete with "Out Here Grindin'" or "Bust It Baby Pt. 2" on the radio. It's a shame, because if people like dancing, in my mind this kind of beat is perfect. I'm also surprised Mr. West didn't try to get a verse on this beat. Seeing that kind of restraint from him is rare nowadays, though much appreciated. I'm sure once there's a remix, I'll regret that statement.

Robin Thicke's "Magic" is great. Sadly, the video is f-ing atrocious. Please, Robin, don't ever dance.

Nene, Daddy's back.

2008-06-10T09:40:00.000-07:00

Yea, I saw it.

It always feels weird to write posts in my old living room. I'm in a completely different state of mind when I am in NJ, and it is hard to get motivated to write anything while I am here. But, since I don't start working/move for another month and a half, blogging will be a good project to keep me busy in my ample downtime. Yesterday, I officially moved out of college, and on the way back home, besides listening to one the CDs I made for Off the Yelzebub, I caught some of the local radio station for the first time in months. There are a few things that stuck out to me that I figured I'd make quick notes about:

Noz has his own thoughts on the matter, but I actually kind of like the beat to "A Milli." The first version I listened to had Corey Gunz, who made Mr. F. Baby look lazy and boring. There was some other version with the line "it's nap time/ I'll holla back at you at snack time" which was cute, though I can say I do like the version now with the "what's a goon to a goblin" talk. But, while I was driving past Lincoln Financial Field, I heard "A Billie," Hovie Hov's take on the beat. It's horrendous, simply terrible in my mind. He needs to stop with the "rrrrah, rrrah" thing that he started on that Lupe song from Food and Liquor, "The Pressure," which was so disappointingly underwhelming. The Jadakiss version is worth it simply for the lines "tight shirt, tight pants, all these Homo sapiens" and "Closed casket, leave nothing but legs for them." But somehow, Wayne still sounds the best over the beat, probably because they're both annoying as hell after the first 30 seconds and then I start to zone out.

Bun B's on the remix to "Get Silly." So is the 40 Water. One of these guys fits in my mind, though I may be wrong. Oh, and Polow easily had my favorite verse, given that I've heard the song twice now. Jermaine Dupri should never be allowed near a microphone for reasons that should be obvious.

Busta + Linkin Park = f-ing terrible.

I promise that a write-up of Dirty Money is coming soon. I just need to actually think about what I want to say. Should be easy with nothing else to do.

Call me Purdue

2008-05-27T12:47:00.000-07:00

Some quick notes on the great personal narrative, "Killa Season," Cam'Ron's movie from a couple years ago that was released on DVD (I think). I saw it almost exactly two years ago with the actual founder of this blog, Jason, and another friend. Of course, I was very drunk as it was senior week so I only remember a few pieces of it. But, Patrick and I watched it again yesterday. First off: this has to be the longest movie (about 2 and a 1/2 hours) about a rapper's life ever... no homo. Any casual readers know I don't use that dumbass phrase, but as this is a movie about DipSet, it's only appropriate. Anyway, on to the highlights:

I never need to see the process of how mules transport drugs into and around the world. Maria Full of Grace was enough.
I can't figure which situation offends me more: a little girl being shot or a little girl's face being spit on. Somewhere, R. Kelly was smiling when that scene was filmed.
Let's take over the block.
Don't have sex with crackheads. They'll only take your money... and go to community college and clean their lives up and thank you in a very special way.
Michael K. Williams (Omar of the Wire) has the greatest cameo ever. It's a beautiful performance, no homo.
Though he hasn't put out a (relevant) compilation album in years, Funkmaster Flex still has paternal-like control over all rappers, especially a guy who says he gets the computers 'putin'.
Let's take over the block.
Don't claim to be hard or tough, no homo.

As you may be able to tell, TT is back. I have nothing but time on my hands, so in between laser tag and sleeping I'll try and get back to writing some more stuff. I've been out of the loop for the past three weeks or so, please excuse me if I am late on a few things (like Noz losing his job). There's a new muxtape up, since the site crashed a little while ago. There are a few songs I want to post, but the site can't accept them, so check them out here and here. I have a few thoughts on albums I've been giving a lot of burn recently, but I need to get back into the flow of writing, so please be patient. As soon as I'm ready, I'll give it to you raw. No homo.

Man of the year.

2008-05-16T15:23:00.000-07:00

I want to do hoodrat things, too.

More or less Lindros

2008-05-05T14:40:00.000-07:00

Sorry if posting is infrequent over the next 2 weeks or so; finals beckon, and the idea of graduating is rather enticing. Patrick sent me the newest installation of Prodigy's sage-like musings. Check it out here. He also recently started a muxtape, though I still hate that name.

The above pic is from a recent Off the Yelzebub field trip from Saturday night. Wale came to Haverford last weekend, and while I tend to avoid those kids (like Mr. block-off-access-to-girls-with-a-toll-booth-arm), the show was pretty tight. Big shout to the little singing guy with the shades, they were lovely. Apparently, the Philadelphyinz played afterward, but we missed them. Wah, wah. There are more photos here (kind of).

In the club with dirty foot bitches

2008-04-28T08:51:00.000-07:00

Finally, there's a video for this masterpiece. There's a new muxtape up as well. The end of the semester is here, and I was drained, so it was hard to choose a broad selection. Sue me. Also, I couldn't upload the "Drivin' Down the Block (Remix)," which really upset me. Our last show is on Wednesday, and we'll be reading the greatest interview ever along with playing some classic joints. Be sure to tune in.

Just when you thought it was safe

2008-04-20T09:43:00.000-07:00

The beginning of 1994, Rudolph Giuliani took office as the mayor of New York City. Running of the position that incumbent mayor Dave Dinkins was soft on crime in a city that was increasingly lawless (which was actually untrue), Giuliani was elected mayor with 49.25 percent of the vote. After taking office, Rudy worked with NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton to decrease crime. They focused on a Broken Windows approach to eliminate crime, cracking down on what I'd call "quality of life issues:" graffiti, those guys asking to squeegee your windshield, etc. The two also instituted CompStat, which watchers of The Wire may know and have their own opinions on. Giuliani also was responsible for getting the reducing the number of homeless people in NYC... by simply moving them somewhere else. As you might imagine, some of these people would end up in jail due to breaking these "quality of life" laws. He also displaced a lot of people because of his approach to urban reconstruction to reshape Times Square and even boycotted the opening of Arthur Ashe Stadium, and more generally the U.S. Open. To be succinct, Rudy Giuliani was a bit of a douchebag.

You may be reading this and think, "what the hell does this have to do with anything?" Giuliani's presidential run was a joke, and he's been out of office for almost six and a half years. Well, I just downloaded M.O.P.'s First Family 4 Life and it struck me that the guy was pretty hated by rappers, for good reason. And rappers tried to communicate why the guy sucked so much to their listeners, proving once again that these guys are smarter than Bill O'Reilly or whoever would have you believe. So I want to thank the former mayor for making rap music just a bit more insightful during his two terms.

One of these songs is on the muxtape I posted a couple days ago, the Extra P remix of Organized Konfusion's "Stress." Pharoahe and Prince Po were pretty aware guys on their first album, and Stress kept that theme going, but the things they said can sometimes feel like general complaints. Well, pair those complaints with an explicit reference to the new mayor of NYC and things start to make some sense. Pharoahe's pretty quick with the reference: " Yo it's the verbal assult weapon with words uncanny/ You can fool me but I cannot fuck with Rudy Giuliani." That may not mean much on its own, but paired with Large Professor's image of old high school friends homeless or Prince Po questioning NYPD's harassing him because he's young and black, that line sums up inner-city life in New York under Giuliani. The poor and minorities were of no use/dangerous, especially young people, and they needed to be kept in check any way possible. Of course, the easy solution is strong police force, breeding resentment amongst some pretty smart rappers.

Another good example came out, like the "Stress (Extra P Remix)," the same year Giuliani took office, Nas' "The World is Yours (Q-Tip Remix)." I've always wondered how much OK and Esco hung out during the early days before writing for Diddy or "Oochie Wally," because it seems like they do similar topics in different ways. OK does "Stray Bullet," Nas does "I Gave You Power." Organized does "Invetro," Nas has "Fetus" on The Lost Tapes. It's tempting to say Nas is a biter, but he's doing a different take on the same concept (rapping as a gun, not a bullet) and telling a different, though no less interesting tale. Anyway, I'm digressing a lot. Nas is pretty clear how he feels about the new mayor in the second verse of the remix: "Change the flow speed, I'm getting vexed, Giuliani is six six six." What amazes me when I hear the song is how the "six six six" line is offbeat, which is rare for Nas, especially around the time Illmatic came out. It's tempting to say he felt the message was important enough to say regardless of rhythm, but I won't make that leap. What is awesome, is how brash both he and Pharoahe are in their vocal disapproval of a mayor who has been in office no more than five to six months, when these singles were released.

The most surprising reference to me is by the Firing Squad (cla-clack! salute) on "4 Alarm Blaze," posted above. Songs like this make me so happy because they complicate the "hardcore gangsta rap/soft serve ice cream rap" dichotomy. Talking softly does not make you a smart rapper, you need some flash of insight. And bust-your-shit-open energy. This song came out during the start of Giuliani's second term, March of '98, and Fizzy Womack gives it to you as only M.O.P. could: "In the history of crime and rap we some the baddest/ Word to the mommy, any fool try me/ Get hit wit the lami, FUCK Giuliani!!!!" Can I get a witness?!!!

Hooray for the internet

2008-04-16T08:50:00.001-07:00

Since I will soon be away from a radio booth, I need to figure out a way to share music with people semi-regularly, because it is just so much fun. Seeing as we here at Trenton Takes always try to stay ahead of the curve, I present to you a muxtape. I have no idea how often I'll update it. I'll do the best I can, but don't expect anything like our show. Although, there will be one song that's a bit... unnecessary.

Put up your bootsees man and pull out your buckets

2008-04-11T15:23:00.000-07:00

E-40's always been a bit strange to me, though I am nowhere near being familiar with all his work. It's not like he takes himself so seriously that it's easy to dismiss him for being terrible, and it's not as though he's some lyrical genius either. There's also his voice, which depending on my mood is terrible or an incredible device. Though never let it be said that the man does not have a sense of style. From "my fedi's on the injure list" to "Mustard & Mayonnaise," the man can sell the stupidest phrase and make you want to say, "Hey, where's my yay-per?" That's partially what was initially so surprising about "Ham Sammiches:" why are Gipp and Daddy Fatsacks hanging out with this dude? But he oozes charisma... and he used to have a Lord Jesus Perm. For further proof, here are some of his aliases: TKA (Tycoon Known As) Charlie Hustle, E-Bonics, 40 Fonzarelli, The Ambassador of the Bay, The Ballatician, 40 Belafonte, E-Pheezy, Fortywata (40water), E-4-0, Mr. Flamboyant and Earl Poppin’ His Collar Stevens, and I am sure there are others. Of course, for all that mustard and mayo, there's at least one "Gimme Head." If Noz is to be believed, Charlie Hustlini has an album coming out this year called The Ball Street Journal. While I don't know if I would listen to one of his albums in full, as his style is a lot to handle at times, I imagine there will be something to blast in your scraper, you smell me?

You also have to appreciate his homage to a Seattle classic.

I was lurking aroung Metal Lungies, and apparently Masta Killa is a vegetarian. Let that sit for a little bit.

I never slip, I never fall

2008-04-04T16:27:00.000-07:00

So last year, in the wake of Polow Da Don's takeover of pop radio last year, Noz did a quick post on Polow's previous group... Jim Crow. Just let that sit for a while. I remember in high school seeing one video by them, "Holla at a Playa," and I must admit that I kind of liked it. In some ways, I thought the name choice was clever. Just to be clear with anyone who is not familiar with rap, these guys are very clever and want to make an impression so that you continue to follow their musical output. Why else use a "K" in "OutKast," add an "e" to "Pharoahe" or name yourself after Mussolini or Manuel Noriega? These guys are marketing themselves all the time. While you may say, "the music should speak for them," when people have similar styles or are biting your style, you have to stand out in some way. That said, you could make the argument that a Southern rap group called Jim Crow, made of three young black men, is just trying to get by on the provocative nature of their name. That's a fair point, but then why did that one song get stuck in my head? If they're cruising on history, I should just recall every so often that a few dudes from Atlanta had the nerve to name themselves after legalized segregation and oppression. Instead, I have a much more complicated situation: I actually enjoy some of these songs.

There's another issue going on with their name. As we all know, rappers (and really all musical performers) love to perform in character. With a name like Jim Crow, these guys allow themselves to say what could easily be the most offensive, stereotypical, ignorant comments and lyrics that have ever been released for public consumption. Or they could remake songs from "Dumbo." But, as these guys are loosely affiliated with one of the great rap crews ever, the Dungeon Family, what you get instead are just some guys rapping about life in Atlanta. Let me just be clear and say they are nowhere near the level of the Dungeon Family, though they have their moments. Sure, they've made songs with Too $hort about baby mama drama and the nonsense they get into last night, but think about more serious rap groups and their attempts to be lighthearted. Flavor Flav, "Mind Sex," or "Sunshine." All three of these artists are revered by critics for the depth they show on albums while ignoring the aforementioned examples of crap. I think there is something to be said for remaining consistently ignorant for an entire hour. At least when they try to get "DEEP," you find this closer look at the artist engaging as opposed to a cash-in attempt to score women in headwraps.

So what is a rap fan to do? I'm not inclined to reject these guys outright as I don't support censorship and I genuinely find some songs enjoyable (though "Hot Wheels" is a reach). However, simply being a black person who isn't ignorant of the past, oh, (at least, I'm shaky sometimes) 400 years of history, it's really hard to openly admit that I own an album by a group called Jim Crow. Of course, Dick Gregory wrote a book called "Nigger," though I have yet to read. I still get the feeling he tried to get some point across, while Mr. Mo, Polow and Cutty Cartel sound like a Southern Souls of Mischief/Goodie Mob mashup but without the lyrical finesse of each. Basically, I have to keep my enjoyment of their songs to myself... which I just failed to do. At least I'm not in the position Patrick could find himself in if he said to me in public, "Did you hear that new Jim Crow?!!"

Anyway, I somehow found their first album, Crow's Nest from 1999 online and like I said, if you can get past their name (a big "if," I know) it's a pretty good album. The production is pretty tight, though the lone Organized Noize contribution, "Crow 5," is the weakest cut on here in my mind. Odd, since this was a year after Aquemini and right before Stankonia. Obviously, Antwan and Andre get first dibs. Thankfully, they don't try to justify their name choice, as they would have failed miserably at that. Instead, they put together pretty competent raps. They're all jokesters, and Polow's verse on "Throw Some D's" actually borrows from the song "Can We Do This." It's a pretty smooth album, all truth be told, though when thinking about what was coming out of ATL at the time, they sound just ahead of the 2000-2003 DTP/Youngbloodz sound. Had they come out after "Southern Hospitality," maybe they would have blown up. Of course, they also have the name Jim Crow, with a logo to boot.

I know I've managed to offend someone with this post, probably someone I'm related to/knew growing up/Patrick. I also really hope I don't read this later and say "I defended Jim Crow." Well, Noz did it and he's white, so what could be worse?

WHAT KIND OF FEMALE SHIT IS THAT?

2008-03-28T15:07:00.000-07:00

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...

2008-03-21T15:43:00.000-07:00

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

2008-03-15T19:03:00.000-07:00

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?

2008-03-10T12:04:00.000-07:00

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

Spring break

2008-03-07T08:30:00.000-08:00

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.

TREND #407: MADE THE PHRASE "LIKE ASS" THAT NEW NEW

2008-02-29T15:07:00.000-08:00

I'll be honest, I had never really heard of Pharoahe Monch until about the year 1999 or 2000. I had heard "Simon Says," but it didn't really get enough play on the music video stations I was watching to learn it. Then came "Oh No!" with Mos Def and Nate Dogg. I loved the video, there was nothing to it, which let me focus on the rapping. And it was so awesome. But I had no real sense of how good all of it was, especially this Pharoahe/Pharoah Munch or whatever. And for a long time, that was the extent of my collection of songs by Monch. Once I got to college, a good friend of mine who was way more knowledgable about rap (and sort of got me started in listening to it more intensely) once played for me "Drop Bombs" off Stress: the Extinction Agenda. It was only an interlude, but the vague reference to the Vietnam War sort of caught me. Then he played "Official" and "Rape." After "Rape," my mind was blown. Besides Nas's "I Gave You Power" and a handful of other songs, I had never heard a concept so well fleshed out. That's not to say I wasn't creeped out a bit, because I certainly was, but I had to hand it to Pharoahe, he had gall. Later that year, doing my first radio show by myself, I ran out of songs to play on my playlist and looked in the library for something. I found the first Organized Konfusion album (but didn't realize Pharoahe was in the group, somehow) and popped in "Fudge Pudge." I took the CD back with me and listened to it a bit, but I still didn't really pay much attention.

Then, this past summer while I was in Seattle, Pharoahe's second album, Desire, was released. I read a review by Noz, and had downloaded "What It Is" and was loving it even though it was painfully short. I went back to that first OK album and just listened to it over and over. I found more to like from both Prince Po and Monch the more I listened. Then I was able to download Internal Affairs. I just could not stop listening to the way the man not only put words together that looked cool when read, but said things in a way totally sold the image or thought he wanted to convey. Early in the school year, I finally got Stress, and I simply could not stop. Every verse is different, yet somehow a unique style manages to to creep through. Because he never assumed one personality, unlike other MCs, listening to Pharoahe I saw him change from someone threatening to kidnap and decapitate you to a guy simply concerned with how things sound together to being reflective. There's just too much to the man. HOW DARE YOU QUESTION HIS TRENDSETTING, LOOK AT WHAT HE BRINGS TO THE TABLE.

But seriously, this guy is extra nice. Sometimes it's scary to realize he was 19 when he did "Prisoners of War." And while some rappers got tired of bitches and switches and hos and wanted to talk about time traveling, Pharoahe (and Prince Po) simply did it. It's really a shame he only has two solo albums, and more of a shame that the rap climate is such that there is constant turnover to the point that now even OutKast seem outdated on Gangsta Grillz: The Album.

In other news, Lil Boosie is apparently a rising star. And Weezy had a "positively historic" concert in Newark last week. No comment.

Michael Jordan's my cousin

2008-02-22T14:59:00.000-08:00

This takes me back to a couple years ago when I was at the Duke lacrosse camp and my brother was at UNC's b-ball camp. Such a stupid, stupid song, but so funny.

The Phoenix has a column about hip hop's relation to the rest of mainstream America. It makes some good points, but I sometimes wonder how much hip hop has become apart of most people's idea of music that is representative of this time. Yes, a lot of people like OutKast (and by that I mean "Hey Ya!" for the most part), but even the biggest rappers like Jay-Z don't have that same hold over an entire generation that acts in other genres have. Even a American Idol album is more of an event than any rapper that has been around for any sizable amount of time. I can't wrap my head around why this is, though if you read Hip Hop Matters you'd have reason to believe Soundscan is responsible for the bastardization of rap. Here's something to consider:

All three of these albums are out of print, and these are the obvious examples. I think you'd be hard pressed to find well-recieved albums from different genres that are out of print. I haven't checked that, so I don't know how strongly I want to stand by it, but I doubt Bobby Byrd's singles can't be found anywhere. No respect, I swear.

The Phoenix column is also notable for referencing a sequel to Bring It On.

"Best line on the album? 'L'chaim,' of course!"

2008-02-16T16:23:00.000-08:00

I would like to make it clear that I am not necessarily endorsing this man. After seeing Angela Davis speak, you'd be skeptical of anyone with power, too. I just find it amazing/bizarre that he enjoyed (and publicly admitted to enjoying) "American Gangster." Could this be due to its "concept album" status? The real test would be to ask Mr. Oprah, Obama, and Eric B. how he feels about "I Gotta Dollar." However, I've also read somewhere that he might be a fan of Public Enemy and "Success" is his favorite song on AG. Who knows.

Happy belated Valentine's Day. I hope you celebrated like Raekwon, who told the NY Daily News:

It's a special day. It's a day to understand the person who means the most to you. I'm the type of dude who may be in a helicopter over the city having sex.

Hopefully, WSRN's computer will be working this week, so we can have podcasts and webcast to our adoring fanbase. If not, I may just record the shows in the studio and put them on DC++ for Patrick and myself.

And in honor of Black History Month, I'll leave you with Sister Souljah's riveting words. We're at war, that's what she told you.

Tomorrow 9-11...

2008-02-12T13:22:00.000-08:00

We are back. It's Valentine's Day on Thursday, so it will be fun to say the least. The webcast is down right now, so you'll have to literally tune in to listen. The podcast may not go up for this one, which is a shame. Blame the management.

Honest to blog.

2008-02-08T10:21:00.000-08:00

This picture is a little over a year old, but I just found it last night and find it hilarious. I think Luda's shirt speaks for itself, but when paired with Young Baracka Obama Taking Office, I can't help but be tickled. This also seems like a giant slap in the face to Oprah, who loves BHO but ridiculed Luva Luva on her show after "Crash" came out. I think it's pretty obvious from his expression that Ludacris is thinking the exact same thing.

I've been sick this week (103.3 degrees, to be exact), so I haven't been in the mood to write anything, so hopefully this will spark me to get some work done. After reading a lot of reviews about the "Juno" soundtrack, which range from favorable to not so kind, I started to realize that in the small world of independent film, there are very few movies that feature hip hop (or really anything that is not "indie rock") as the bulk of the soundtrack. This isn't so surprising, since a lot of rap acts aren't held in universal esteem throughout our generation and the music is still relatively young compared to other genres. There's also the problem that a lot of rappers today use the first-person in their lyrics, as well as mention their names, so it's a bit hard to set some sort of mood when you hear "First Family!!!" in the background. But, I guess "Entourage" has been able to accomplish this to some extent, but a) they only use the most recent songs and b) those songs are really only used for a party setting. If Marky Mark is the executive producer, I don't understand why he can't bring a bit more versatility to the show's soundtrack when it comes to hip hop. He did feature Saigon, I know... but he's lame, and he's a publicity hound. Sorry. There have been good hip hop soundtracks (though for bad movies), but there has yet to be the day when a compilation of all types of rap is the defining characteristic of an independent film that's a critical hit. Honestly, I am not even sure that is possible, given a probable cultural disconnect between someone like Richard Roeper and, well, me. It just strikes me as odd that this hasn't happened yet.

Supposedly, Kanye is performing Sunday. But who gives a fuck about a goddamn Grammy?

It go down like Frazier/ I ain't talkin' Kelsey Grammar

2008-01-25T15:09:00.000-08:00

There's been a lot of talk about remixes/posse cuts of late (here, here, here, and here). Brandon Soderberg and I threw around the idea of making TS, Baby, Weezy, Jeezy and Rick Ross some giant group since they all can only last about one good verse anyway. It would be like Hell Hath No Fury on steroids; nothing but gun/crack/money talk that is so incredibly hollow and cliche that it would be hard to actively dislike it because of its outlandish nature. On No Trivia, I compared this idea of an album to a lame version of "Heat," but I think some combination of "Casino"and "Scarface" is more appropriate since these guys have such an affinity for Miami, bright colors and pretending that they are these wild outlaws who will do whatever it takes to live out their version of the "American Dream." Of course, given their egos, something like this would never work, and all the songs would use the same Vangelis/Michael Mann synthesizers to make lines like "What you talkin is irrelevent (relevent)/Shit'll leave a hole in a elephant (boom)" sound like grandiloquent boasts meant to send chills up your spine anytime you see Ross in something like the "Speedin'" video. In short, it'd be fun for a few songs, but kind of a disaster for rap music as a whole. It would also have a lot of DJ Khaled, which would only serve to remind the listener every 3 1/2 minutes how epic the album is.

Moving on, I am going to have to disagree with Noz about these guys not making posse cuts. I struggle to understand how Khaled may be calling up is famous (hardly talented) friends and getting verses in exchange from airtime is different from Marley Marl, an actual radio DJ/producer, calling up is famous (quite talented) friends and getting verses from them while they, by the simple fact of how good their songs are, get airtime. Maybe it's that these songs, by and large, are pretty terrible. While I'm inclined to agree, the fact remains that these dudes got together and made a song, and have done it enough times to look like their loosely affiliated. In my mind, that's a posse. They just mostly suck at all the basics of MCing.

There are some other points Noz has I would nitpick, like the 3 MC rule, but I don't want to sound like his entire post is baseless, plus he has a tape deck-only Scarface playlist up over at Cocaine Blunts. As soon as I figure out how to record from computer to tape, I am so on it. Anyway, I'm glad Breihan resisted the urge to enjoy any song from that camp, I know it can be difficult for him. Quick note, for those who weren't paying attention, Patrick and Breihan have many of the same speech patterns and a similar voice. Except, listening to the podcast, the Village Voice associate editor is hard to tolerate, though I guess that shouldn't be a surprise by now.

TT is back.

2008-01-17T16:59:00.000-08:00

This is a new one: Scarface has the "Song of the Day" on NPR's website. I could see them using one of the Okayplayer usual suspects talking about positivity/"black power"/etc., but instead they chose a song against monogamy. This has caught me off guard to say the least, but I'm happy that the non-hip hop media is writing about rap as music criticism, as opposed to the recent talk of the decline of sales and its effect on the rap business. That song gets stuck in my head all the time, I should check out that album soon.

I was on vacation traveling to Texas and Chicago, and now I am back, finally. This is a bit old, but I remember reading this in my friend's room a couple years ago. Here's a choice quote about Bun's approach to rapping:

BB: Well, the first thing I do is I try to listen to whatever rapping is already on the track. I listen for cadence and melody to see how the track’s already been written, and to make sure that whatever flow or flows I decide to run with, or patterns or melodies that I decide to put into the song, that they’re not already in there. Then I try to see if there’s a different part of the subject matter that I can talk about. If there isn’t, I try to see if I can analogize it, break it down, flip it another way. If that can’t be done, the best thing I can do is pretty much out-rap the guy. And when I say out-rap the guy—say, if he uses ten syllables in a line, I’m going to use fifteen. If he uses fifteen, I’m going to use twenty, twenty-five. If he’s rhyming two or three words within two bars, I’m going to rhyme four or five words in two bars. I’m going to out-skill you.

Here's another one with ?uesto, and if you search the site, there's a lot of other great interviews. Why so few hip hop magazines don't try to get these great interviews is beyond me. Especially since the people writing the interviews in The Believer write for all of the hip hop publications.

No songs about bitches?

2008-01-02T14:56:00.000-08:00

"Sony turned out to be phony."

He sounds focused. Or nuts.

Finally... Best of 2007

2007-12-28T09:18:00.000-08:00

So, the majestic left-right-left Patrick beat me to the punch with his own year-end list, with categories to boot. My list has changed since I made it back at the end of November, but not much. I'll see what I can do to complement Patrick's list.

JS's songs of the year:
Peedi Peedi (pka Peedi Crakk)- Brand New Funk 2K7
Pharoahe Monch- Let's Go
Wu-Tang Clan- Take It Back
Jay-Z feat. Nas- Success
Rich Boy- Let's Get This Paper
OutKast- Da Art of Storytellin' (Pt. 4)
Ghostface Killah feat. Method Man & Raekwon- Yolanda's House
UGK feat. OutKast- International Players Anthem
Devin the Dude feat. Snoop Dogg & Andre 3000- What a Job

Blackest records of the year:
Kanye West- Can't Tell me Nothing
Jason Fox- Aunt Jackie

Tank on "E" but all drinks on me:
Foxx, Webbie & Lil Boosie- Wipe Me Down

Mazel Tov, you little yentas:
Jay-Z- Roc Boys (And the Winner Is...)
Camp Lo- Posse from the Bronx

Best Video:
Snoop Dogg- Sexual Eruption

Best Dance (because I am certain I can do it):
Shawty Lo- Dey Know

Bitch, I wish you would:
Plies feat. Pretty Ricky- Get You Wet
Riskay feat. Aviance & Real- Smell Yo Dick
R. Kelly- Real Talk

Passin' out gifts, blazin' up spliffs

2007-12-24T21:24:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas. One more day until my favorite part of the year.

The Top 5 Moments in Rap- 2007

2007-12-21T15:23:00.001-08:00

So I came back home last night, but left my laptop at school and had to get it today. Just the way to start a break. Now that I have more time on my hands, I can actually write substantial posts. Whether they're worth reading is your decision. As promised, I will do my top 10 songs for the year, but first let's take a look at what happened in 2007...

5.Superb wrote Supreme Clientele/ "Yayo can eat a fat dick"
Yayo, as always ruffled some feathers, and Starkey Love said nothing. Then, last month, he ended all speculation.

4. T.I. (or Tip?) has Army Gunz
I am sorry, this was hysterical and sad at the same time. I hope with that arsenal, the thing he knows best is where the gun is kept. He knows all about that. He had 11 Mac-11s, 38 .38s, nine 9s, twin Calicos with pearl handles, and a Howitzer. Congratulations, you squandered all that you worked for in one fell swoop. At least you have Wyclef by your side.

3. Fiasco-gate
This guy might be one of the most frustrating rappers in a long time. He's stubborn to the point that it hurts. You messed up the words to "Electric Relaxtion," oh well, just move along. There's no need to say anything. No, Lupe had to show what a real head he is by essentially saying "fuck Tribe, viva 8Ball & MJG y Spice 1!!!" News flash, a)your music sounds just like Tribe, b) if you don't like ATCQ, don't do a tribute to them. Where's your logic? A quick side note: I got into an argument last night with my brother about this fool and his metaphors, and the cheeseburger song came up. My brother made the point (like many Lupe loves have) that it's really about selling drugs. After thinking about it, I've realized that isn't a very sophisticated metaphor at all, in fact, it's painfully obvious. Clipse et al. have been using the "so many O's, Krispy Kreme" lines for years. Cheeseburgers? That isn't any more clever, and actually a bit worse. If he did another song about robots, intergalactic wars and drugs, on the other hand, I may give him some credit.

2. Dick-in-the-booty Russell Simmons
Sadly, Pimp C died a couple weeks ago. But man, what a summer. First, and great album, then he had the gall to say Atlanta is not the South, Russell Simmons is a "sugar sausage," and Lil' Troy is a bitch. The last one multiple times. The only way to experience this is to read the column and hear the interview on some ATL radio station. Truly amazing. He will be missed.

1. Andre comes back to Earth
What a relief this was. After giving us The Love Below, which proved how selfish a rapper can be when he's in a group and only records three songs with his partner, and Idlewild, where he released his inner Gene Kelly, I was all but sure that I did not need to care about this man anymore. The word "chronometrophobia" only sounds cool when rapped, in most other musical contexts you sounds like a whiny, over-sensitive smarty-pants (like person #3 on this list). Thankfully, I was not alone in feeling betrayed by the man who has helped deliver some of the best rap albums ever, and Dre got the message. Back in the days of "Elevators," when people didn't get the headwrap/no drinks or drugs/no bitches attitude, Chamelio Salamander got angry and just rapped his ass off. Now that no one liked the guy who played a studio gangster in "Be Cool," he was forced to do one of the only two things he knows how to do: rap. Personally, I am glad he didn't go into porn, but that's me. Anyway, after the "Walk it Out (Remix)," 3 Stacks is back and still in top form, from helping Rich Boy throw the moster wheelies on to his pledge to never cause a tsunami in the club. Now, if we could just get another album from Daddy Fatsacks and Benjamin Andre.

There's my list. I know I missed something, so please let me know what else happened this year. I would care about Kanye/50, then I realized that has had no effect on the year, quite honestly. And I also have yet to hear one of those albums at all. Next time, I will finally do my top songs of the year.

Song of the year contender.

2007-12-18T13:58:00.000-08:00

Along with Riskay and "Sensual Seduction," we have quite a few contenders. Check it out here. Thoughts?

At some point, I'll post my best of 2007 list that I made for WSRN, that somehow has not been posted (none of them have, I imagine).

You lookin' at a candy boy

2007-12-04T14:08:00.000-08:00

Good Lord.

2007-11-30T14:43:00.000-08:00

This little boy is crazy. At some level, I respect his idea that he uses his music as his promotion and he doesn't need a street team, but the fact remains that some of his lines (My drink's still pink like the Easter rabbit) are garbage. Regardless of his hustle, you have to show and prove in your work, and Lil Weezyana has only shown me flashes. Think I'm kidding?

C: Where's the pain coming from these days?
LIL WAYNE: Me. If you blame something else for your pain then you're an asshole. You are your pain, nigga. You can cut yourself right now. That don't hurt because you are your pain. If it hurts you, then you done that, it's a mind thing. You ever notice when you have a very stuffy nose or you have a cold and you eat something, you don't taste nothing, you be like, "I can't eat nothing, I can't taste it, I'm hungry," that's because you don't actually taste nothing, you know what I mean? You are you, you make everything around you. You make water, you make the sky, because it's you, if you don't want that to be water then it ain't water, fuck. It's you, so...ya dig?

I just hope all this meandering in interviews translates to the sort of meandering Noz loves so much.

Also, apparently 8 Diagrams isn't very good for some of the same reasons people didn't like some of the Roots past albums. What's puzzles me is that this album is seen more as RZA doing his thing and not a group effort, from a fan perspective and also from the viewpoint of members like Rae and Ghost. Based on albums like Tical 0: The Prequel and Immobilarity, I can see why. But that does not mean RZA is infallible. Observe:

That came out in 1998. Since then, he's done Ghost Dog, Kill Bill Vols. 1 & 2, Afro Samurai, Blade: Trinity, Soul Plane, a couple more solo albums and a book or two. Some of his most critically popular work has been with movie scores, and rightfully so, but that does not change the fact that since the "5-Year Plan," RZA has for the most part only sparingly worked with the core of the Wu, and it has been 10 years since that plan ended. Some of these guys have gotten better, some haven't switched their styles since '97, and some have gotten worse. Just because RZA likes a certain sound right now (as Doc Zeus has pointed out), one size does not fit all. I want an album that Wu-Tang wanted to give the public, not just Robert Diggs. If they can't come to a collective decision about their album, either hold off or stop. Please, no half-stepping. For example, one of the reasons Idlewild flopped in general is because it felt like something Big Boi just tagged onto so that the OutKast brand could continue while in all likelihood it was really 3 Stacks' vanity project as opposed to a project by the two of them. Conversely, that is why "Hollywood Divorce" was such a good song; you got the sense that both had an idea what form the song would take. I imagine 8 Diagrams has some of those same moments, and a flop for the Wu could be helpful for the group in particular and rap as a whole showing that if there are going to be a lot of cooks in the kitchen, you better have the recipe set from the start. Of course, all of this means nothing since Breihan liked it. The title of the post proves my point. I want a cohesion, dammit.

Anyway, enjoy this video of our show's namesake preparing for his birthday. He likes the nasty drinks, like club soda.

Light up a cigarette.

2007-11-28T13:48:00.000-08:00

Jesus gets on TV

2007-11-25T08:04:00.000-08:00

Why did I not know about this earlier?

Tony with the goalie mask.

2007-11-18T20:07:00.000-08:00

Oh. Yes. Get yours now. It talks.

There's still no separating...

2007-11-16T14:54:00.000-08:00

"I sold water last summer, holla!"

2007-11-14T08:56:00.000-08:00

It must be your ass.

This is about a week too late, but I have a smidgen of free time, so I'll indulge myself. Last weekend, ABLLE, the black/Latino men's group on campus hosted the CHAS conference for men of the same background from other liberal arts colleges. I didn't register (whoops!), but I did attend their showing of "Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes" by Byron Hurt. You can watch a preview of the movie if you click on the link, but here are some quick things to note:

Chuck D thinks every rapper out is a punk.
There's a guy who says something to the effect of "money's my bitch, and I'm trying to get my rape on"
Another dude, when talking about what kinds of characters record companies want artists to portay, says the title of this post.
Mos Def's intelligence shtick is just that, while at least Busta is honest in his homophobia.

Chuck D' presence in the movie is a bit confusing. He does make some good points about who is controlling images and corporate responsibilty, but when he shifts equal blame to rappers is where I have a problem. It's not that rappers should not be held responsible for their lyrics, but if you're going to chastise Clipse for how they portray themselves on record, why do a spoken word into for a guy who made a song called "Rape?" Sure it is a metaphor, but does that make it OK? Most people would say no. Besides, the Clipse aren't really famous, so it's hard to make a case that they in particular are using stereotypes to cash in. Besides, they've been making songs like this since "The Funeral." Also, Chuck D is rumored to be doing a song with Nelly on the Derrty One's new album. Just sit on that for a while.

I saw the movie last semester and liked it, and Black Thought, James Peterson and Marc Lamont Hill were on the panel, so I figured it would be productive. It was, to an extent, though I got the feeling that for some people watching that movie was the first time they had seen those issues discussed in regards to rap. I asked to questions, which Patrick and I talked a little bit about on Sunday:

How trusting should someone like me be of a person like AL Sharpton, who seems like he wants total control of the images of black people that are displayed to the masses? How can I be sure he's going to ensure a diversity of images?

Would rappers get so much heat if they marketed each album as a "concept album?"

According to some, there are plenty concept albums in rap, and the idea of a concept album is really an excercise in self-importance. Discuss.

Pinstripes across your windpipe.

2007-11-09T17:00:00.000-08:00

The styles of these two are so ill-suited for any sort of battle. I would also like to say I sorely miss the days of throwbacks and doo rags.

I just found my favorite rap video ever. It was missing for a while, but it's back up (for now). I just need to find part two. Hail Mary.

Pull your pants down real quick.

2007-11-07T14:20:00.000-08:00

If it weren't for the most epic collaboration in the history of modern R&B, I would say this is the song of the year.

The Roots play Swarthmore

2007-11-04T12:11:00.000-08:00

He is a very large man, trust me.

So for better or for worse, as I predicted, the Legendary Roots crew played a show that catered to the on the fence crowd that is the Swarthmore rap scene. It was an awesome show from the standpoint of musicianship, but the songs they played were not what I was hoping for. This is definitely the case for their medley, which showed flashes of being tremendous. They did little snippets of "M.E.T.H.O.D. Man," "Award Tour," "Da Goodness," which were all awesome, but they confused me (and from my looking around, a couple other rap nerds) with "Throw Some D's," "This is Why I'm Hot" and "SexyBack". Then they did "Masters of War." My issue with the show is not that they only did little pieces of their own songs (though a full version of "The Next Movement" would have satisfied me), it's that they knew the audience didn't know much about rap and would not seek it out and played to please the crowd instead of playing that hot shit and inspiring people to seek those songs out. In the words of the Green Eyed Bandit, "And if you don't like me, and you yellin boo/ There's nothin wrong wit me, it's somethin wrong with you." Just let the funk flow. Before the show started, someone asked Patrick what his favorite Roots album was, to which he responded Things Fall Apart. This person then asked where Phrenology stood on that list ("Number 2?!") and Patrick admitted it isn't too high. How could Patrick not like "The Seed 2.0?" It's rap done right, live instruments, a singer, not misogynistic/materialistic/violent, it's perfect!! Well, read Noz the prophet's issues with that sort of stance. I feel like I am rambling, so I'll stop soon. We'll be talking about the show and some of our problems tonight with a special guest from The Moment I Feared, Matt Thurm (I think). I guarantee an interesting show.

I guess I didn't say this explicitly, but I did enjoy the show. I just wish it had been more rap focused than trying to hit the crowd with random songs that the Roots knew we would move to. I'll stop now, I'm going in circles. Listen tonight.

P.S. There were a lot of women dressed in their freshest gear. Think about this: they are 32-35 years old with a family and a career. You are a little college punk. Stop trying to hit on these men. Please, I beg of you. They are also a bit ugly.

Sippin on booze in the House of Blues

2007-11-03T10:20:00.000-07:00

I just got back from the Yay Area 2 1/2 hours ago. I barely slept. I was walking around a monstrous school all day. Now I am at work in the library. So is the life. Luckily, in only 6 1/2 hours, I am going to go nuts. Then, I am going to sleep like the dead. Seriously, I was only gone for 45 hours. Get focused.