You know the story about leaving a club too early?

That was me last night.
After Mickey's rock/thrash set I was done.
Little did I know

Thoughts on the new Kanye

This is bugged out and normally it takes me a while to co-sign Kanye's weirdness.
But on this I am with him.

As much as we may not want to admit he may be the most provocative and progressive artists we have ever had in Hip-Hop.
as opposed to some other fake genre benders Kanye's arrogance may be deserved.

This song and performance is a risk. And to me that is what this is about.
Makes me wonder why he associates with so many artists (you know who) who are not even trying to push themselves anywhere near this.

Bravo Mr. West.
Keep pushing

I alwayd did love 'Rocking It'

I was caught up on The Wire so the Grammy’s got all my attention last nightHere are the thought from the Swift Chance

• I love Herbie Hancock but him winning shows why the Grammy’s are simply not the standard anymore. Do you know 5 people who even knew that album was out? Let alone heard it. Not just your Hip-Hop friends but your whole network. The Grammy’s are more than a celebration of the Short Tail but a celebration of the elite. Herbie winning was a statement by the old guard, don’t trip
• However, I do like the archival stance they take. They make sure our industry’s short institutional memory is kept in check
• Oohh you know Kanye was pissed
• But his stance on these awards is becoming a bit of a joke. As evidenced by Usher’s comment
• I feel Kanye about getting pissed when they played the music but dude; this is not your personal platform. Don’t be a dick. You can show some good taste as well
• It was great they let him do a tribute to moms
• The light up jacket? I don’t know – good performance though
• Winehouse performance was dope
• Made me think we are making too much of her drama. Kind of like Britney
• Those dancers were serious
• However, at the same time I felt like they celebrated her drug use in an indirect way
• Two words, well five. MORRIS DAY AND THE TIME! Best thing all night
• Beyonce is built for this. Everyone else fall back
• ‘Proud Mary’ was dope buy where was the Ike shout out?
• Sure were a lot of Black folk on stage
• And a random country dude
• Carrie Underwood has a strong ass voice
• What the hell was the look Mark Ronson was going for? Jack White on a diet?
• Glad Alicia Keys stylist got the memo from the Super Bowl. Although the 1st outfit made her boobies look crazy, she looked banging in that second outfit
• Akon looked like a vampire
• Rhianna did much better than I (and those watching with me) thought
• I wonder how Common felt when Kanye told him to stop competing with him. I am sure he’s used to it
• Aretha, you are the queen and you can do whatever you want but spaghetti straps need to be reconsidered
• Prince is still the man

More thoughts on Kanye's mom

First of all, Miss Jones is perhaps the most ignorant Black person in media. Listening to her is like eating a candied Big Mac fried in beer batter. You just know it's bad for you. Somewhat interesting and tasty but poison nonetheless.
This morning talk about Dr. West must have spiraled into talk about plastic surgery. Next thing I know she said 'When I get my work done I feel more comfortable with white hands on my black body.' What!? What the f*ck is she talking about? Shut up you half a hit having big mouth. You are poisoning our children.

Now...

The worst part about the tragedy of Kanye's mom is it seems it was so unavoidable. The Daily news reports she was counseled against the surgery. Counseled against recuperating at home.
And eventually you have to ask why does a 58 year old mom need a tummy tuck and breast reduction for? Seems like she asked the same question. I wish she had arrived at a different answer.

In my ignorance i think plastic surgery is for porn stars, starlets, and vain women. That is not always the case I know.
I don't know what it's like to have $20 mill in the bank and manage a $100 mill brand. The absolute need to look the part is more than most of us can imagine. Maybe she looked at a clip of the Grammy's and was like 'I got to do something. I am not pleased with how I look.' And living in LA you are surrounded by people who think nothing of a lift here, a lipo there. Next thing you know you are on a table with a mask over your face like 'what the f*ck am I doing.' So tough.

Fame and money is not always what it is cracked up to be. Bills are paid, but do not be confused there are exponentially larger problems waiting for you.

damn

Unfortunately I have been through this. No one loves you like Moms
This really sucks on more levels that I can ever hope to communicate.

It will get better, brother. Don't let this break you.

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.

He was as Black as the street was

why Kanye gotta blow me up like this


Just caught Kany via the dons at Nahright
My old ass fell asleep

This was dope. Say what you say but Kanye takes his sh*t seriously.

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

Super Tuesdays

I am not alking about the political primary season I'm talking about the days when you cut class on Tuesday afternoon to run to Plan 9 Records (Charlottesville in the house) to cop the new release. I remember bombing an exam in first year and drowning my sorrows in the purchase of 'Apocolypse '91'. "Can't Trust It' and 'Shut 'Em Down' - god bless Carl Ridenhour.

Another memorable yet random Super Tuesday was when 'Blowout Comb' dropped. Back at Uva the entire campus was buzzing. Every bad chick you ever saw was waiting on that release. You see Butterfly's pops taught at Uva so we always had an affinity for the bugs. That album is still under-rated.

A great Super Tuesday was the day Black Star came out. It was them, Brand Nubian and 2 others...damn i can't remember. Someone help me out. I saw an interview recently with Kweli where he was speaking on it.

I am not sure if it was on Tuesday but I remember when I bought De La Soul is Dead and Sex Packets by DU on the same day.

We had a heavy recent Tuesday with Kweli and Swizzy although I think that is only heavy in my mind as I think Swizzy's numbers are gonna be crazy while I worry about Kweli.

One of the signs of how bad things are is actually the excitement over the upcoming September 11th Super Tuesday throwdown between Curtis and Senor Tight Jeans. I can't remeber the last time two superstars dropped on the same day and instead of celebrating these fools were fighting. I am glad to read on allhiphop that they 'hugged it out' as it were.
Super Tuesday is too important to fight over you silly egotistical millionaires. Now go buy some $3,000 jeans you crazy kids.

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.

Thanks Kweli

this guy appreciates Kweli

Let's keep it real, the mega human brand that is Kanye 'to the' owes a tremendous debt to one Talib Kweli Greene.

Before Kanye was too sexy for his shirt he earned his backpacker respect by producing 'Get By' and a bunch of joints on 'Quality.' I remember when we recorded 'Mood Swing' - the joint Kweli did with Asheru. Kweli was playing joints off of 'Quality' and talking about the beats he got from 'this dude Kanye that works with Jay-Z.' My response was 'you mean that dude Kane?' (a problem with Mr. West's plaques).

Kanye may have hit gold with H to the Izzo (overated) and the Scarface joint but he got his Hip Hop Nazi/Bougie Hip Hop fans from Kweli.

The inspiration for this post? Listening to the 'Get By' remix on the C train. Which made me think of the line (and I paraphrase) 'Hov ain't get a beat from me in a minute / He heard 'Just To Get By' and I was re-hired.' Even the Louis Viton Don would agree. Plus I remember an interview where Kanye spoke on how he modeled his live show after Kwel and how going on tour with Kweli was the biggest boost to his career.

Anyhoo, I say this to say how fucked up it is that Kanye's status has so wholehearyedly eclipsed Kweli's. On paper Kweli is a better MC although not nearly as entertaining. The bottom line is that there is no good reason why there is a such disparity between the two.

Kanye should take out a full page ad in the Times thanking our man Twig Ali aka Kweli. (what up Hodge).

(Another 'who cares' moment. At the Apollo in 2002 or something with J-Live. We had to share a dressing room with Kanye. We looked on the door and was like 'who the hell is this'. Went in. Drank all the beer and ate all the food. 20 min later Kanye and crew walk in with the same look. 'who the hell is J-Live?' They bounced and an hour later I'm like who is this clown rhyming in a white dinner jacket. Who knew?'