Wrecking ball nuts.

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

I come through swervin'

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?).

Just when you thought it was safe

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?!!!

I never slip, I never fall

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?

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...

Owe me back like 40 acres to blacks

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

Good Lord.

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.

"I sold water last summer, holla!"

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.

The Roots play Swarthmore

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.

Uh-oh.

It is a problem when CNN is faster on rap news than the people who cover rap. I have no idea what Cliff (or any person, for that matter) needs with an "arsenal" of weapons, but I know this is going to be ascribed to all of the hip hop community. Should T.I. take responsibility? Well, yeah, that's a lot of damn guns. But that is just T.I. No one else is responsible. Be very clear about that. Also:

Harris has dubbed himself the "King of the South." His music is built around the drug culture and is known as "trap music," or music to listen to while using drugs.

There are a couple things wrong with that piece of information. First of all, the title he has dubbed himself is not relevant to the discussion. It might be more relevant if the person writing the article had noted that some in the hip hop consider T.I. the "King of the South." As it stands, it is like any other nickname a rapper comes up with, something else a listener can remember him by. They could have also mentioned how many records he's sold (especially with King), the Grammy he won with Justin Timberlake, or the record company he is affiliated with. But, my first point is "outdated" by today's news standards, associating him with JT would put white people (overprotective parents especially) in a tizzy, and the last point is bad business. Heaven forbid a label be accountable for what an employee does. He won't get dropped, he brings in too much money, and Universal knows that. CNN doesn't care about real responsibility in terms of rap's relationship with the outside world (see previously), they only want to appeal to mainstream America's fears.

That brings me to the second part of what is wrong with the above quote: trap music is not primarily made to be listened to while using drugs. Trap music (or muzik), as I understand it anyway, is about detailing the life of a drug dealer and (hopefully) all the things that go along with that. Is it the most wholesome? No. Can it be offensive on many levels? Certainly. But that does not change the fact that for some people (T.I. included) this is or was a way of life. And it can be interesting. See The Wire, Clockers, The Corner, or Traffic for previous examples of the drug world captivating some audience. It's not music that you listen to only after lighting up an 8-ball or playing with heroin. But like I said, CNN and the general public won't be interested in getting their facts right. They want to scare parents so that no one buys rap anymore. It is poor journalism, nothing more. I was reading tonight one of Noz's best posts over at XXL, and I can't help but think how this instance will only fuel Stanley Crouch, John McWhorter, and others who are not interested in having productive discussions about images in the media of rappers/black men. They only seek to demonize so their world view is validated. It has to stop.

Between Twinkletoes and Tip, the hip hop police are really on their job.

In other news, the Rubberband Man's street cred is heavy like the 7 series Beamer right now. That topic will hopefully get addressed sometime soon now that I have a little bit of free time. Here's an idea of what I'll be saying in that authenticity post, if I ever get around to it.

Nonevent of the year

I've been reading a lot on the web about how my fellow hip hop/internet nerds feel about this flub/fallout. Honestly, he didn't mess up in any significant way. I saw Pharoahe a couple weeks and he did the same thing with his verse from "Oh No." Of course, there's a vast between their skill levels, but that's not pertinent to this discussion. That Lupe messed up is , as I said, a nonevent. His reaction, however, was really unnecessary. If he does not like Tribe because their music did not grab him when he tried to listen to them, that's fine. But to say he has no interest in hearing Midnight Marauders because Hammerman outsold them and he was grooving to Too $hort and Spice-1 is an arrogant move. It's fine if he does not like to focus on the rap "canon" in favor of his own personal taste, but to say that what he chose to listen to (or rather, his father) is superior to music other people have a connection with is ridiculous and not a credible argument. I really don't care if he's never heard a Tribe album, trying to deny their influence is like saying the Beatles don't matter now because they've been broken up for close to 40 years (whoa.). It also does not help that Lupe's musical message of upliftment is (besides a bit lame) indebted to ATCQ in some way. Sorry, we don't believe you, you need more people. All he had to do was ignore what happened and apologize if it ever came up again, which would be doubtful. Instead, he looks like a tempermental child jealous that no one will pay him attention even though he feels he has the hottest product out. Kanye does the same thing. But Tudda's got beats and guests (a lot of the time, anyway). Lupe has "Daydreamin'" and lines like "I think I like her, like a metaphor." I've said enough, I am done with this topic. I hope.

It don't feel right

So earlier this week, Tuesday I think, the Daily Gazette announced that the Roots would be the main event of the large scale event this November. Being the rap nerd I am, and considering that rap at Swarthmore gets no love, of course I was geeked. But then, my skepticism set in. This school has close to no rap scene, and when Blackalicious performed two years ago, nobody moved. Yea, lots of kids here are introverted and are too self-conscious about moving and enjoying the music, but you don't go to a concert to just sit there like a comatose. The appeal is interacting with the performer, witnessing firsthand they enjoy the music they make appreciate your love of their work. It is also the case that a few members of the basketball team got fake platinum chains, stood front and center, and essentially mocked all the acts the whole concert. Besides being a dick move, it's offensive since it gives the connotation that unless they're big-time (and by that I mean LaSS plays their songs at their party that week. It's really sad how disposable current black music is to some of my peers), they don't actually care about what you have to say. My question to those players (ha) is why go to the concert in the first place? If you don't want to see the headliners, just hang out in your room and play the songs you want to hear. Get on your Curtis and follow my lead. It also didn't help to see some girls way overdressed with the hope of meeting the rappers. They're fat and mid-30s music nerds, i.e. not your type (or anyone's, really).

But the skepticism goes deeper than the lame rap fans at Swarthmore. The Roots are known for a great live show (I saw them over a fence once), but recently their music panders to the coffee shop chicks and white dudes. By that I mean they're "conscious" rap and "progessive" beats of late are getting on my nerves. That caters to a school that knows nothing about rap but has plenty of people ready to complain about it, to the activist crowd, and people who only like music that sounds like rock/country all the time. Lucky for them, the Roots do a cover of Bob Dylan's "Master of War!!!" And they're jazzy!!! They're different from all those other rappers. Honestly, I just want a good rap show to come through, and for the people in attendance to appreciate it for what it is. If the Roots do come, here's a random list of the songs I'd want to hear:

Pete Rock & CL Smooth- It's Like That
Goodie Mob-Black Ice
Their own Proceed II
Noreaga- SuperThug

If I hear "Mind Sex" or "P.S. *69" or anything that's supposed to "push the music" but fails horribly I will be disappointed because it would mean they are more concerned with their reputation of pleasing the audience than simply rocking the stage. I would be especially hurt if they wasted their time with us, because I'll be in focus mode from the first opener. They are on the VH-1 Hip Hop Honors Tour so hopefully once they get here they'll keep playing songs that move the crowd. And not "The Seed 2.0" In short, if they come (there will be hell to pay if not), they need to do what they do and proceed as if we don't matter. Because given Swarthmore's past "hospitality" towards rap (The Perceptionists, Emanon), trying to please us will only frustrate the artists. If anyone from the LSE committee is reading, take notes. Please. I want the best rap show possible. Even if it starts three hours late.

In other news, podcasts are up. Support that shit. We're just having fun, killing it with the dope beats and lyrics.

lobster and scrimp: a reply to Josh Cohen

To the editor:

First! Nullus.

As a former writer for Phoenix as well as an incredibly amateur blogger, I was very confused by Josh Cohen's article last week. Based on the title, I was hoping to read about the supposedly potential threat many journalists feel from blogging, where people who report on news firsthand are no longer as valued as those who tag articles they feel their readership will enjoy. Instead, what I read was something that felt like the very thing Mr. Cohen was raving against in the first place: blogging to Be Heard. Many of the ideas/problems that he claims blogging to stand upon could also be argued to be prevalent in normal opinion writing for a newspaper. There are many things I have read in the Phoenix in my time here that could be considered intentionally contrary, and I imagine to some I have been the writer of some of those columns. The whole point of opinion writing, in my estimation, is that you want to be heard in some way; that is why you are making your thoughts available to public criticism. The idea that writing for a newspaper is somehow nobler than my cute little blog assumes that the Phoenix is some pillar of excellence in journalism and that people who keep blogs do so because they cannot hang with the big boys who work with paper. Frankly, this is a pretty elitist view.

One of the joys of blogging for me, besides the piles of ducats, is that there is no pressure to always come up with something groundbreaking or profound every two or three weeks. I can post links to articles I have read or old rap videos I used to love. I am not confined to a box of constant "serious" or "mature" commentary that involves politics or social issues. It allows my admittedly small readership to see the full scope of who I am and to have a conversation with me about things I enjoy. Also, Mr. Cohen's complaint of constant commentary struck me as odd because when I wrote for the Phoenix, there were days that were filled with constant, short opinions shared by people after reading my column as well as emails. The difference with blogging is only that these conversations, held in person when I wrote for paper, are now just words underneath a post. I will say my one complaint about blogging is that comments seem very impersonal and stripped of context on the internet(s). However, to say all Swatties left my column thinking, "I agree here... I am skeptical of this point..." is a bit of a stretch. I am surprised Mr. Cohen did not take advantage of the ability to delete offensive or unproductive comments, though this could be seen as a bit of a dick move. I also find it interesting that while Mr. Cohen rails against the form, he seemed to enjoy using footnotes a great deal, though it makes following a column quite difficult. Of course, he could be doing this as a satire, and I am just a dense fruit fly. It just seemed very self-serving.

Kudos to the editor for completely contradicting Mr. Cohen right beneath his column by encouraging people to write for the sake of being heard. And for those interested, peep the manuscript every so often right here.

Keep schemin' and dreamin', snappin' and trappin'.

I got millions of thugs on salary, bitch

So Kid Wave (or Nazz to some) performed at VA Tech yesterday, much to Bill O'Reilly's disapproval, I am sure. And Noz wrote a very well thought out piece on the whole "Read a Book" controversy, which is the biggest backfire I think BET has suffered in a long time. Oh wait, there was that whole "Hot Ghetto Mess"/"We Got to Do Better" fiasco. But I want to get back to Noz's piece. He makes a very valid point that a lot of this debate centers around destroying something a group of people like by intentionally stripping it of context. I agree with his thoughts on the flexibility of language being restricted, but I can easily see how some people will get uppity about how flexible rappers can be. To add to his point, a lot of these TV hosts (Tony Harris was not being a journalist in the clips below) try to make the story matter to viewers by bringing up the tired idea that the lyrics are so strongly affecting the kids. Now, in some cases, they are right, the lyrics do have an effect on the kids. Except that isn't the kind of news they want to hear. They want to tell adults that kids/grown ass men in Philadelphia kill each other because of something Lil' Wayne said. Doubtful. Maybe it's because Philly is economically assed out and there are no jobs for people. And I can think of a few songs where rappers who are normally called out for degrading their people say uplifting or challenging things, no matter how unorthodox. But that's not really the point. If you don't like what a rapper, or any musician has to say, that's is perfectly fine. But don't just say they should be banned. And don't just complain to the artist. Complain to those you know, those who will care about what you have to say. If you make a legit argument against the artist's choice of topics, then your friend may be inclined not to follow them as closely, and that rapper just lost a fan. And that's bad business, especially in a landscape of "reality-flavored cheeseburgers." Also, one song does not and should not define an artist. So if you hate "Bia Bia," that's one thing. But it's a stretch to say anything he's ever done is terrible and offensive without knowing an artist's catalog, or even a fair amount of songs. If someone who liked the Beatles introduced me to them by playing "I Am the Walrus" (which I hate), it'd be a dick move to write them off as some two-bit English douches people called "artists" because they were hard to understand. It's the same with rap. Things need to be looked at holistically, and in the case of music, this is best done by, get ready, listening to albums. Get a full picture and then reach a decision, and then communicate why you don't like the music being made, don't just yell that things need to stop and expect all bad things that happen to women/minorities/the poor in rap music to stop. Crap isn't that simple. Deal with it. All right, I'm out.

Wear some damn deodorant.

vote of confidence

Say Bradley, what do you say we try to resurrect this thing?

Brad likes to post about things he reads, listens to, or sees on youtube/tv. Well, he's a good man, because I'm too lazy to hyperlink. I would like to try and post more, simply because I'm going through this whole med school junk, and there's a lot on my mind otherwise.

It's 1:46 AM, and I'll be dead tired tomorrow at work. It's been so long since I've last studied/worked on writing a formal piece of work, I think my natural nerd instinct has kicked in. That means taking naps at really awkward times of the day (8:30 PM).

I've somehow inadvertently started reading all these books that try to describe the state of man, or some form of brotherhood that's intrinsic to our sex. I don't know how I feel about that.

That being said, Lebron, please beat San Antonio.