Punk Gospel

I was a guest lecturing at York College today and in between classes I took a walk around the Queens neighborhood where York resides. I marveled at all the Kanye/Pharell/Lupe looking Black kids. Skinny jeans, DC shoes and the occasional actual skateboard. Bugged me out a bit. See when I was growing up skateboarding was something all kids did. It was fun exercise. Then I saw it get real uncool in the Black community and it became something only white kids I went to boarding school with did. So to see skateboard fashion come full circle and became not only Black again is interesting. Totally organic but noteworthy nonetheless.

The other side of this revelation is, I was down in North Carolina over Easter weekend for a christening. I am by no means a church guy these days but like many Black people the church was a significant part of our lives growing up so I definitely have an appreciation for it. Particularly how the church provided the glue for a far too often fractured household. What I liked most about my trip to the house of G-O-D was the 1) the words from the pastor and 2) the choir. Soul music, blues, and encouraging inspirational words.

The juxtaposition of skateboard culture in Jamaica, Queens and the significance of the church in Charlotte, NC lead me to this revelation. Hip-Hop is both punk music and gospel music. These two undertones merge and diverge like strands of DNA.

For some Hip-Hop is rebel music. The sound of defiant, arrogant revolution. From the politics of Public Enemy and dead prez to the ignorant swagger of Lil Wayne. Just look at Wayne. Put a white face on that dude holding the lean cup and you have Sid Vicious. Unabashed male sexuality, flaunting of drug use and the overall American nightmare. For the most part the participants are young. Don’t see too many 40 and 50 year old punkers. And by the time Chuck D hit his mid 40’s he had transformed into a liberal pundit complete with a show on Air America.

On the other side of the spectrum you have Hip-Hop as gospel music. The music of positivity and the audacity of hope. Gone is the middle finger of Punk Hop. It is replaced with the gender inclusive, racially inclusive, politically correct talk of A Tribe Called Quest or Common.

On one of my road trips which provide me with the few opportunities I have to zone out to my iPod I became re-mesmerized by Nas’s “New York State Of Mind.”

Thinking of cash flow, buddah and shelter
Whenever frustrated I'm a hijack Delta
In the P.J.'s, my blend tape plays, bullets are strays
Young bitches is grazed
Each block is like a maze
full of black rats trapped, plus the Island is packed
From what I hear in all the stories when my peoples come back, black
I'm living where the nights is jet black


That is gospel music. And the pure blues. A vivid portrait of the life facing Black people in the dungeons of America. And although that song is dark and there are numerous references to drugs and guns I always leave that song feeling inspired. Nas like other blues and gospel griots brings us face to face to the bitter nastiness of it all. By facing and conquering it we come out the other side bereft of fear. That’s gospel music.

These two genres are very similar. Similar in tone, voice and they even share an audience. This leads to cross pollination that creates magnificent hybrids. Jeezy on the Lupe remix (which is super dope, btw). Busta and Jay Z on the Get By Remix. Andre 3000 and Big Boi. Q-Tip and Ice Cube in the Cypress video for ‘How I could Just Kill A Man’ – remember that? And so on.

It also leads to confusion. Sean Price or better yet Fat Joe performing at the Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival. Makes sense to the informed, but also poses a severe contradiction that is the elephant in the room. No one better manifests that contradiction than our headliner last year. The great Tony Starks. I can only think of Jay, Nas, and Outkast as able to toe this line between punk and gospel as well as P Tone. That’s why we love him.
Why we love these Chicago MC’s like Kanye, Common, and Lupe despite the embarrassing comments they may make.

But we have to be careful not to let the contradiction bite us. Just because Punk and Gospel can live together doesn’t mean the marriage always works out.

As for me, I cast my vote with the gospel sect with a fierce affinity for those who can toe the line as stated above. I am too old to be a pure punk Hop fan, and even when I was young enough it all seemed silly. To quote Common from “Afrodesiac”:

I rhyme far, away away away
From what you accustomed to hearing everyday,
You know the dope-chopping, gun-popping, homies dying
I'm amongst it,
Save the war stories for Private Ryan

The GOAT series Part 1

So I am going to start this quasi series where I shout out the various GOAT’S (Greatest Of All Time’s) in Hip-Hop.

Not just MC’s but producers, dancers, studios, restaurants, sneakers, hats, jewelry styles, haircuts – the whole 10 yards.

And this will be not some pretentious list written by a crew of pretty boy journalists. 

 

It will be a list written by one super cool, ruggedly handsome, loud mouth blogger.  Six on one hand, half a dozen on the other as they say, I guess

 

So to start our series we will start with the best MC name of all time.  And the winner is…Kool Rock Ski.  That’s right, Kool Rock Ski from the Fat Boys. 

Things were much better when everyone’s name just had a ‘Ski’ at the end.  You young’uns may not recall. But it is very similar to the Young or Lil’ phase we are in now.  What’s your name? Wayne? I pronounce you Lil Wayne.  And you over there. Joc, and your friends Dro and Jeezy. You shall now be henceforth known as Young Joc, Dro, and Jeezy.  Go forth and do the Queen proud.

 

Well back in the day all you needed to add was a Ski and you were in business.  Wes Ski, Rob Ski, and the ever dominant Kool Rock Ski.  Not everyone could put a Kool in front of it. Actually only Red Alert could pull that off.

 

So endeth today’s lesson. If you are feeling down don’t call yourself Young or Lil, just throw a Ski at the end and turn that frown upside down.

And take this time to familiarize yourself with three fat brothers from Krush Groove

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back at it again

Happy New Year to all!

While I prepare a real post check this out from the Times and this from Wired

Peace

The GOAT list grows

As you should know one of my favorite MC’s Tony Starks is about to drop his 7th dolo album, The Big Doe Rehab. For the next month the Bodega will be featuring all types of fly content revolving around Dennis Coles, Clyde Smith, Theodore Deini, The Ironman, Starkey Love, Pretty Toney and everyone else.

In my mind Ghost will go down as one of the greatest MC’s. He will likely never be in the discussion with the likes Tupac, Big, Rakim, Nas, or Jay Z and I do not have the time to start that debate. But when you talk of longevity (more albums than Big and Rakim), sales (no records broken but Starks has plaques), and creativity Starks separates himself from the pack.

There is another MC that also fits into this category that I have not written about much this year. That is none other than Lonnie Lynn aka Common. Common has seven solo albums. The last 3 out of 4 have gone Gold. He is winning awards (BET). Broadening his human brand (‘Smokin Aces’, ‘American Gangster’, Lincoln deal, HIV awareness campaign). And at the end of the day still dropping joints and remaining relevant.

Remaining relevant is something that some of the greats simply cannot say. KRS ONE, who gets my vote as the GOAT, hasn’t been relevant in years. He hasn’t had significant sales in almost 10 years. Thankfully he has been honored by his peers recently.
Where is Kool G Rap these days?
Rakim can’t seem to release another album after two failed comeback projects.
As great as Big was we have to be honest he only released two albums. There is no telling where he would by #7. If he could have made it that far.
EPMD couldn’t maintain their dominance for this long.
Neither could NWA or The Geto Boys.
Kanye has earned more in much shorter amount of time but we still have to see if Kanye can remain in the game for 14 years.

Using these criteria Common is in elite company.
A small fraternity that includes Jay, LL, (maybe Scarface?), and Outkast.

Personally, Common is in my Top 10 (maybe Top 5).
I think more than any MC he speaks to me. We are around the same age and because of that fact we have gone through many of the same life lesson ‘together.’

During ‘Resurrection’ we were both living with your Moms after college while struggling to find a career. He as a rapper, me as a businessman.
We both drank a little too much and swear off the hooch
I tried being a vegetarian but it didn’t take all that well. Maybe because he was doing the ooch coochy dance with Badu and I had a straight girl from Corona
When he spoke about losing his godmother on Electric Circus, I had just lost my mom.
We are both young parents
I remember a line that went something like: “my city ain’t all good or all bad. You could live in the ‘burbs and still get had.” That was how I felt growing up in the Bronx. The shit was all around you but thanks to my parents I knew better and was not left to wallow in the negativity. At times you could have a somewhat suburban happy existence in the midst of the crack epidemic.

That dichotomy Common often speaks of is as real as it gets.
He is a conscious rapper (if you still want to use that hollow label) that is not holier than though. No criminal but far from a Saint. Respectful of women but still trying to get his. This is the duality that exists in all of us.
There is something about these Chicago MC’s like Common, Lupe, Rhymefest, and Kanye who can pluck that chord better than most. I think it is a real strength because their flaws next to their talent make them real people.

Anyway, as we continue to move forward with this Hip-Hop shit let’s give some recognition to those who can survive this dysfunctional industry and still speak from their soul.

We on a run like Logan

So here is another chapter in my attempt to understand the cosmic anomaly known as Lil Wayne aka Weezy F Baby (I like that name much better).
Your favorite rapper’s favorite rapper’s daddy came out and said Weezy was gonna be bigger than not only Hot Hov, but also Frank White, and Tupac. Even you 30 something supporters (you know who you are) must agree they need to pump the brakes now. I am convinced they don’t even believe this sh*t. It’s whatever is in those Styrofoam cups, but it makes us loser bloggers write about him even when we think he is trash. Effective marketing, I must admit.

Here are my latest thoughts on your boy:

-The claim of greatest rapper alive will never stick with me. However, after listening to ‘Duffle Bag Boy’ and ‘Brooklyn 2.0’ I think Weezy does a better job as the 2007 Ja Rule. Off key rapper singing catchy hooks. That ‘Brooklyn 2.0’ joint off of ‘American Gangster’ is hot. Besides the Beasties sample, Weezy on the hook was a great choice. And his verse is tolerable. As a side note, I love how Hov can look past all beef to make a hot song. This, the ‘Get Money’ remix. Is a Dip Set collabo soon come?

-Speaking of that ‘Duffle Bag Boy’ song. Let me get this straight Weezy has been rhyming since he was what? 14? At one point did he become familiar with this crack hustle that is so erroneously lauded? You realize that with Baby as his daddy Wayne is the equivalent of a Hip-Hop trust fund baby. Just like Romeo. He has spent most of his young life far from poverty and certainly far from the corner or duffle bags. It’s fiction folks. Just want to make sure you all remember that.

If any of these dudes are still hustling they are 1) stupid and locked up (Spigg Nice, Steady B) , 2) will be the victim of a Federal probe (Irv Gotti), or 3) desperately trying to beat the charge by claiming they are not that stupid (T.I.)

-he’s still wack, lol

-this is not related but I saw Sway interviewing Cassidy who is going after my fellow old fart, the S Dot. He made a statement that ‘Hov was like 40!’ My question is does that mean you have to stop rhyming at a certain age. Is Hip-Hop like Logan’s Run? (Google it. Wiki it. IMDB it). I am now closer to 40 than not. You, Cassidy and Weez, are closer to 30. Just as it is unwise to think 16 year olds will bang Slick Rick or the JB’s, it equally foolish to think I want to hear about duffle bags and Patron all day. Just as I need to stop forcing you young’uns to tighten up on the classics stop expecting me to recognize these teenagers at the GOAT.

You do you and live out your suburban fantasies of romantic drug dealing and AK 47’s.
I will sit on my ass after the kids are sleep and listen to ’30 is the new 20’, ‘The Moment I feared’, and Common vs. Lily Allen.

And I will see you at the Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival.

No, but I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night

-At MoMa you have to have a Phd or be working towards one to give tours. In Hip-Hop if you read nahright every day you are an expert

-Is it me or is 'Bed' gonna be J Holiday's kiss of death. Does he have joints on that album? Hope so. seems like a cool cat

-'American Gangster' reviews are overwhelmingly positive

-Cuba bounces back with a real role

-'Blue Magic' video is boring. I like the stacks of 500 Euro bills though

-The Bush asministration should be smacked for comparing the SD wildfires to Katrina. As ray Nagin's press sec said. A paper cut to an amputation.

-Massages and accupuncture at the Charger coliseum. Rape and larceny at the Superdome

-I thought the Chargers would be distracted. Bad bet

-couldn't care too much less about the World Series. sorry

Hip-Hop cops and baggy clothes

On SOHH Prodigy was talking about his gun charge and upcoming 3 1/2 year bid. Always loved the HNIC and the Mobb since I heard Shook Ones in college. Part 2, wasn't up on Part 1 or Juvenille Hell.

P was talking about the Hip Hop police targeting him and made a commet about how they are not targeting someone like Kanye. The poignant comment was a thinly veiled attack on Ye's wardrobe that remain a serious point of contention.

P said something to the effect that with Kanye's tight clothes you could see if he had a joint on him from the outside. Ha ha ha. But it got me thinking...

I'm 34. I have boys who sat right next to me pounding E&J in Charlottesville and 880 Boynton because P said it. Some of these dudes are Feds, lawyers, asst DA's, and NYPD now. These are robably the folks who make up the Hip Hop police. Rappers should know this. These cops are not Barney Miller dudes who think we are all the same. These are dudes who have heard you talk about 'stabbing your brain with your nose bone' since the 90's. Shit, they probably have people who did dirt with you. (I have one boy who was a real hustler growing up who is now a CO in charge of several dudes from his old crew.)

If they want to make an arrest they know who to follow. Shit, if they didn't follow you they would be idiots. B, you've talking about catching bodies and holding heat since 1993!
Of course they don't follow the Louis Viton Don. All he talks about is clothes and his mom. They're not following Will.i.am or Kweli or KRS or Little Brother. Why? LISTEN TO THEIR DAMN RECORDS AND LISTEN TO YOURS.
They follow TI and J Prince and C-Murder.
You should know this and not carry around an unlicensed burner. Now P is not asking for sympathy and that makes me like him even more. He made a mistake and is ready to do his time. But I don't want to hear one more 'gangsta' rapper complain about the Hip-Hop police.

Don't want trouble? Hire a licensed bodyguard. Rap about Christian Dior and reperations. Stop wearing 8x t's. Wear tight red pants to award shows and you'll be good.

BET Awards thoughts

-The BET awards were better than I expected
-Kat Williams is funnier than his silly pimp persona. Should have been more of him
-Who was the guy who gave a man hug to David Banner and was rocking with Busta?
-Kanye West is David Bowie
-Hip-Hop is OFFICIALLY in the Hair metal stage
-In fact I have a new term for today’s climate “Hair Hop” or “Hair Rap” take your pick
-That is the best way to describe the extreme emphasis on materialism, strip clubs, choreography, and it also is a great explanation of why so many rappers walk around with no shirt (Lil Weez)
-And I say this without being condescending. It is just where we are now. So for this era I guess Wayne is your king.
-Although I still do not get it. Especially after that bizarre performance where he spent half of it staring out into space.
-At least he said he wouldn’t let Hip-Hop die. Now I can sleep at night without a bottle of Merlot and 7 percocets
-I think Kanye has a more legit claim to the crown. No?
-Not sure where that leaves Common but at least he got his shine.
-And was it me or did Common look semi diesel
-And thanks to Cornell West for showing us how you properly show respect to a legend in the game
-And there is no way Kris was that brief. They had to have edited his speech down
-David Banner sounded like a clown on the Congressional panel. Evidently he thought he sounded presidential. Riiiiight
-Love the shout to Mike Vick though
-Souljah Boy you have about 6 minutes left. You have done well with your other 9. Be proud
-nice beer belly Baby. And that comes from a cat who was affectionately known as having a ‘pot belly of love’
-Nelly and LL, be careful. I don’t know if these kids still give a sh*t
-Love those ciphers. Even the one with our friend Joell Ortiz.
-Nice shout out from KRS One though Joell


Have a good weekend

Notes From the C Train

- do college girls look better now than when I was in college or is just me

-took the train back home last night after a few drinks. Sucked. I can't do that anymore. I done gone soft.

-Kids I know you love Kanye but it is too hot for the polo sweater. Even if the sleeves are rolled up.

-Why the hell is David Banner on the cover of The Source

-and he (Banner) was terrible at those hearings

-so the home run ball is headed to Cooperstown with an asterisk. You proud of yourself Senor Ecko?

-Now Vick is saying he took one for the team. Is he the new poster boy for Stop Snitching?

-Joe Torre almost in tears was dope

-Parent/Teacher Day today. I love being a dad

-This just in: Lil Wayne still sucks

-Late Registration is better than Graduation

-75 and 79 percent drop for Ye and Fif. Not good

The good, the bad, the ugly

Some thoughts on...Hip-Hop

1. The good - Funkmaster Flex 90's at 9 om Hot 97. I know we are all supposed to hate Flex but have you listened to this show? It's frikkin awesome, dude.
You see Flex is more like us (whatever that means) than you think. He was raised by Chuck Chillout back when a mix show on Kiss was more like Stretch and Bob. He has broken records from Cash Money to J-A-Y to Jeru. He has been on the front lines for better or worse for a dozen years. So when he trashes Lil Wayne like he did last week, pay attention.

2. The Bad. the problem with Hip-Hop is the lack of rhyme books. If rapppers actually took the time to write well conceived songs the world would be a better place. Most rappers are like the dude in Anchorman who just looked around the room and said 'I love Lamp'. They go to the studio and just spit out whatever they see. Every rapper must have gold leafed rhyme books like my man J-Live. Or else you don't get an MC card.

3. The ugly. Rappers who think they can build a career off of a dance song. I see the Souljah Boy revolution and it reminds me of the Chicken Noodle Soup revolution and the Lean With It Rock With It revolution and the Pee Wee Dance revolution. As Flex so eloquently put it last week. You can be hot, you can make a ton of $ but when the history book is written you will be a footnote. Ask Joeski Love, Cassonava Rud and the dude who wrote 'The Wop'.
During the Kanye 50 hype someone said they were lucky Souljah Boy didn't drop that day b/c he would beat them both. mmmmm, yeah.

Fort Greene Fest quick recap

If you didn't make it out to the Fort Greene Fest on Saturday you missed out. It was great to see more programming for our demo.
Free and in the neighbourhood too.
You didn't have to troop to DUMBO like at our joint. You could walk there (with two kids, a stroller and a baby bjorn like your boy did). Hot, sweaty b@#%&h
Props to the organizers. I know how hard it was to pull off and y'all did your thing.
Miles Boogie was a dancing fool when Kweli got on.

-I still like our park (smile).
-The dirt in the middle was not that fresh but no biggie.
-Their lineup was much more acoustic and soul-like.
-They did give a lot of local guys a chance to shine which was great.
-Food was dope. And those vendors made a killing. Shout to my peoples at Jakada Juice and Smooch.

Chip Fu was a little gassed on the Fu Shnick legacy. He was pissed because he thought no one wanted to hear his new shit so he begrudgingly rocked 'La Schmoove', 'Ring The Alarm', and 'True Fushnick' which all those young bucks didn't really know. So he was stuck. I don't think he rocked one complete song. I guess his new shit is half reggae/half hip-hop. Hope it does well for him.

Kweli closed and it was the best Kweli show I have seen in a loooong time. Honestly.
I think the short time he had forced him to concentrate the content which worked well for me.
Jean Grae had her time and she did well.
Kweli has mad songs. I didn't really appreciate it. He had enough joints to truly rock his 30 minutes.
Good shit cousin.

and oh yeah I know why he beat Swizz. Swizz's joint is boring.

Kweli beats Swizz!?!

this producer will move units


As reported by SOHH who provides Soundscan for us cella dwellas with no account - Talib Kweli trumped Swizzy by 20,000 copies.

I don't know what's crazier:

1. the fact that with all those marketing dollars spent on One Man Band Man that he lost to Kweli. BET commercials. SOHH and alliphop tags

2. That Kweli beat him with no radio play (that I know of in my ignorance) compared to 'Money In The Bank'

3. and no video play

4. That Swizz only did 40k. Blacksmith and Warner have to be happy with Kweli's 60K

5, The complete inability to parlay Swizz's monster year of outside production into personal success. Wait a minute. Didn't that happen to Skateboad P and Timalam (Timbaland). Maybe these producers are latent human brands with way less visibility outside of industry circles. Maybe those producer advances and publishing checks are so sick they don't care. (Swizz uses a chopper to get back and forth to the city so we know he ain't broke.)

I really thought Swizz was gonna be a sleeper
Well I guess this does prove there is something to these inteligent backpackers (jaded major label A&R drones).
Is the okayplayer/brooklynbodega/sandbox/hiphopsite demo that strong still.
Stronger than the too sexy for my shirt demo of Fader/Pitchfork/whatever 'now' blog
That's Common and Kweli. 1 and 2 respectively albeit in weak weeks.

"Battle For Cash" excerpt

After some advice from a talented young woman in publishing who has been fighting the good fight for our boy Brian Coleman I have finally started working on my book ideas with some level of seriousness. At least five minutes a day to start. I was up at 6:00 am working on this for the book "Battle For Cash: Hip-Hop and The Art OF War"
Let me know what y'all think.

...The reason I am drawn to the Wu is same the intellectual magnetic pull that draws me to Master Tzu. No other creative collective has been as consistently organized as the Wu Tang Clan. Only Jay Z has had a better run in the short history of Hip-Hop business. And even that is apples and oranges as Jay has only been able to provide his own success while his proteges have floundered in comparison (SCR note: except Kanye where one could argue was Dame's crowning glory) . That is not a knock as I personally like Memhis Bleek, Beans, and Freeway. However their annual numbers barely compete with the monthly numbers from 'Kingdom Come.'

On the other hand The Wu has delivered their own million sellers. At one time or another their derivatives Method Man, Ghost, ODB, and Raekwon have produced critical and financial hits since 1993.

After reading RZA's 'Wu Tang Manual' I realized that along with luck and talent their success is due to the basic tenets of strategy and execution. Lessons that Master Tzu teaches every day.

...The title 'Battle For Cash' is appropriate because that is what this is. Not a game, the ever so popular euphemism. A multi billion dollar business that is a cultural and social juggernaut. Hip-Hop influences fashion, film, literature, politics, and thanks to Hip-Hop Harry even child programming and elementary education. It employs thousands directly and indirectly. Make no mistake this is a battle. A battle for cash because cash in this world gives you power. The power to make decisions. And I believe harnessing the power of this culture is the single biggest inspiration for the disenfranchised since the Civil Rights. So let's prepare for battle because as Master Tzu would say the best opponent is the one who does not realize there is a conflict.

tried to post the new Talib Kweli video

I tried to post it from YouTube but there is some issue going on.
The joint was 'Hot Thing'
Is there any buzz on this album. I love Kwel but he killed me on the last joint. I hope he has tightened up the ship.

Let me know

I give you permission to...bite it

Swifty, Eb, Boogie and The Bea are out of town. Getting some much deserved and needed R&R. We are chilling with two sets of grandparents, 2 aunts, and three cousins. What does that mean? All my parents know. That means babysitters to my right, playmates to the left. All the amenities you don't get in BK.

Anyway, while I was chilling on Saturday night. Making sausage and peppers and sipping some vino with Grandma I get an email from two of my peoples who shall remain nameless. One asks me how he can get into my event at the Empire Fulton Ferry State Park and the other recommending that Microsoft cut me a royalty check. I am referring of course to the Live At The BBQ event presented by Zune this weekend at the same place the BHF calls home, Empire Fulton Ferry State Park.

I wish I was there but all reports seem to indicate the organizers got some...'inspiration' from our Bodega team. The email I got on the Treo used words like 'carbon copy', 'biter','1/5 the people' and 'better VIP.' LOL

At first I felt pangs of territorial anger. We opened that park up to Hip-Hop, we pitched Zune on BHF sponsorship, I know who got that Zune account and it seems like we just got cut out of deal. After another glass of Yellow Tail (quality, cheap wine from Down Under BTW) I realized I needed to grow up. It's not my park. I may have never seriously been in the running for the Zune account. And if the State is up for doing more Hip-Hop down there then that is good for me, the Festival, and Hip-Hop in general. A courtesy call would have been nice but hey they don't owe me anything.

I peeped a bit on You Tube this morning and it was definitely a good look to get LL. Some of those other acts we have already had (insert person biting apple sound) and their stage was much better. So you know what, I am gonna learn from this and make my event even iller. So to Zune and all those who received inspiration from the BHF I give you permission to bite it just like the song says. It's all good. There is enough out here for all of us.

I am off to the pool with Miles Boogie before this SC sun reaches its zenith and gives my black ass heat stroke.

And for the record my VIP was gonna be the shiznit before Amp'd went belly up and I had to cut my budget. Next year I am gonna have poles all throughout the triangle in the Warehouses and bad chicks giving out lap dances. Nachos and cheese waterfalls with four kinds of cheeses and beer bongs.

Finding Forever initial feedback

'that's double extra medium. I'll take the pink one and the green one

-the drumbeat intro to The Game is one of the sickest ever
- not his best work
- a tad uninspired and regurtiated
- still doper than most (as Joey wrote on the Bodega)
- wasn't that D'Angelo beat on Donuts?
- Will.i.am joint grows on you
- "found the new Primo" that's not a nice thing to say
- 'Ye is killing me with the Grey Poupon line. sometimes he goes too far
- I like the length. concise
- Cover sucks (as James wrote)
- 'Start The Show' is dope
- I did the filesharing thing so I don't what Kanye produced and what he did not so I can't speak on his performance
- 'Like Water...', 'Ressurection', 'One Day...' are still the best but this has some joints that will be on the Greatest Hits joint

Friday randomness on Monday

- Don't count Michael Vick out. $10 million buys a lot of lawyers (and judges guughhhh!!!)
- I guess his boy didn't heed the words of Killa Cameron
- Stephen A Smith the big mouth actually made good points about this on ESPN2 today

- Rock The Bells review is soon come here is a preview
too many flip flops in the mud
where the f%ck is Starks?
and who was the other dude always on the jumbotron
was Doom lyp syncing
UFC mudfights
Swift Chancellor acapulco style from the man who came up with the name the Chef Raekwon
Sage Francis dry humping
big spliffs
etc, etc.
Large albinos with skills
Baduism banned
no Muggs no Norm aka Terminator X 'it'

Random food establishments to avoid because of horrible service
- the pretentious coffe shop on Front Street
- Sole and Golden Crust on Fulton and Washington

The Bea is melting down. gotta go

Pepsi smashed it

In the midst of exploding pipes and stifling humidity your boy Swifty went to the Pepsi DJ Division regional last night at SOB's. Honestly my main motivation was to support my contact at Pepsi who supported us during the Festival. And do some networking, blah, blah.

Well in the midst of a being a good business associate a legendary performance broke out. In hindsight I should have seen it coming. See it was a DJ battle hosted by Enuff to determine who gets to join the elite Pepsi DJ Division. Enuff, Clinton Sparks, etc...those types.

Big up to Jack The Ripper who won with one of the best reggae sets I've heard in a minute.

After a better than expected battle the first surprise was our boy Joell Ortiz. He reminds me of a sucker dude I know from UVa but that is beside the point. After forcing a few songs he settled into 'Brooklyn Bullshit' which was cool. Then he did a few ineffective covers and finished strong with ‘Hip Hop.’
Like I said before it's a shame he played hardball with us. There are several cats I would have cut to make room for him. I like how he edited his commentary on white sunglasses with Kanye in the house.

Kweli was next. A nice short set which included maybe 3 new songs. Nothing to fall out about but quality. The usual black Star hits with Mos, etc. He would shine later.

After Kweli was the C to the O double M-O-N. But before I go into that let me back track. The judges for the DJ contest were Swizz, Just Blaze and Kanye. Enuff was the host and Q Tip was the DJ. I knew none of this going in, but once I found out I should have expected some fireworks.

So Common walks out to 'The Game' and tears it down. Very quietly Kanye and Consequence joins him as hype men. Com did another song then something happened to the DJ set. The freestyles began. First Kanye the Common. The energy started to heat up.

When the set got back up they threw on 'Get Em High' and Kanye called Kweli back. Kweli brought Mos. So you looked up and shoulder to shoulder were the only viable players in the game still trying to spit some quality sh&t.

I thought I was gonna get Respiration and be done but noooooo. They proceeded to start a round robin of hits. ‘Respiration’ led to ‘Get By’ which brought a super grin to Kanye’s face. Then Common did ‘Testify’ then passed it to Kanye who did ‘Heard ‘Em Say’ Mos got some and did one of the few bangers from ‘The New Danger’. Then Kanye took it back and tore it down with ‘Can’t Tell Me Nothing.’
I was not really into that song when I first heard it but after my cousin beating me in the head about it and now feeling that energy last night I have flip flopped. That shit bangs.

After that the highlight of the night occurred. While all these whippersnappers were rocking Q-Tip made his way down from the booth and snuck on stage.
Kanye passed the mic to Tip and launched into ‘Award Tour.’ The whole place including the gold and platinum rappers on stage erupted. Classic.

Around this time Swizzy, Saigon and Drag-On (you read it right) walked up. It was quite a sight.
Swizz may have gotten the best reaction of the night when he rocked ‘Money In The Bank’

Anyway, the night ended with Drag-On and Saigon and Hak from Channel Live.

The best part was how happy everyone looked. From Tip down to Drag-On. They knew Hip-Hop was in the house and loved it. Backpack fave Kweli next to short tail hitmaker Swizzy. Loved it. It was real. There is hope. The choice between dissonant, un-authentic indie rap and shallow snap rap is not the only one we have. Those dudes on stage represented it. You can make GOOD music and make money. No need to always be the starving artist. And the “conscious rappers” are real dudes. Not these fake preachers or wannabe hipsters. They are imperfect. They drink and curse just like the rest of us, but they do draw the line. They have kids so they want to educate. And they can rock the party.

And to see Q-Tip standing up there like a proud father was really the best part.
Hip-Hop is alive and it’s still good.

We need a Hip-Hop Hall of Fame

Hall of Famer?

Apologies if there already is one. I remember talk of one in the Vernon years back.

We need a Hip-Hop hall of fame on par to the Rock and Roll Hall in Cleveland. A place where our culture would be documented and celebrated. Fully funded and nationally recognized.

VH1's Hip-Hop Honors is the closest thing we have but that is not their mission. And this year's honorees prove it. I respect them all but clearly Missy is not a Hall Of Famer. To many she is at the edge of the definition of Hip-Hop. I think she will go down as one of the best but not a Hall Of Famer.

I recently had a conversation with Eb about how under appreciated Teddy Riley is. The New Jack Swing dominated Hip-Hop like crunk and snap are now. I think it's great he is being highlighted. TR is a Hall Of Famer but not yet.

Before these cats go in the Hall we need to admit Nas, Too $hort, Geto Boys, Kool G Rap, Biz, Marley, Red Alert and several others.

Wild Style is however a no brainer

I am not sure about Snoop. He is an eventual Hall of Famer but not before the aforementioned.

But Hip-Hop Honors is not the Hall of Fame so I can’t be mad at them.

We need to do it for ourselves

Don't let your kids watch BET

Somehow Miles turned from the Dora/Diego team up to Rap City.
I came into his room and this is what I saw