Essays on Hip Hop

Kanye West - Artist of the Decade

2009-12-15T12:19:00.001-08:00

For starters this is not meant to be a piece for dickriding purposes (no homo), it’s simply an examination of facts that lead to an opinion of an artist’s worth and impact on an ever-changing game. Secondly, this is not meant to be a simply biography and therefore there is an assumption that readers are familiar with this artist’s career and don’t need a recap. With that said I submit to you, the hip hop community, that the artist of the decade, the artist who best represented hip hop, as well as took it to new levels, is Kanye West.

To anyone who’s been around the game recently, it’s clear that Kanye West has made a huge impact. From his soulful production, to his big ego, to his unique style, the Chi-town native has established himself as a staple in hip hop. What was once a young producer desperate to even get a guest verse has turned into a powerhouse in the rap world, doing everything from producing entire albums for big name artists, taking down the legends with guest verses, and creating albums that push the envelope further than we’ve ever seen. The most important quality in any rap artist is originality, and no one can deny that Kanye is as original as they come. His influence is seen in many of the young artists now coming up from his clothing (which is, albeit, questionable), his performance style (which is nothing short of rockstar-esque), his production (he brought back, yes, brought BACK, the method of sped up soul samples), and his lyricism (which is probably his most impressive improvement over time). While other artists have dropped classics and sold more records, no one in the last ten years has had the amount of quality material that Kanye has and no one else has been as consistent as Kanye. In fact, consistency might not even be the right word as Kanye has developed so much in this decade that his inconsistency is probably more impressive considering that when most artists change their style, they fail, but with Kanye change has only brought more greatness and it’s kind of fitting that his first real breakout came in the form of a single called “The Truth”.

The year was 2000 and Roc-A-Fella Records was reaching its peak. Jay-Z was riding out the success of “Vol. 3” and readying “The Dynasty” when the Roc’s beast Beanie Sigel released his first album, “The Truth”. Setting off the album was a title track that saw the Broad Street Bully putting to rest any questions of his ability to career himself in the game. The beat was raw, grimy, and sounded like it was straight out of the streets of Philly. The man behind the boards was Kanye West, a young producer who had done little more than a few Harlem World tracks, but the presence was immediately noticed. So fitting was the beat that it helped the album get past that “your label mates ain’t shit without you status” that Memphis Bleek had suffered through. What was most impressive about Kanye’s introduction to us was his uncanny ability to match beats with the artist. No one else has been able to construct a song in such a way that it perfectly fits the artist. Whether it was the Beans track, “Overnight Celebrity” for Twista, “Guess Who’s Back” for Scarface, “Selfish” for Slum Village or “Encore” for Jay-Z, Kanye always knows exactly how to create the perfect marriage between MC and beat. With “The Truth” he provided the backdrop of a hustler on the streets. On “Overnight Celebrity” he used the violins to complement Twista’s rapid-fire flow. “Guess Who’s Back” had that perfect southern drawl even with its soulful base. The pianos on “Selfish” were Slum Village to a T, and “Encore” is the stadium sized anthem track that Jay-Z needed to go out on. Ye’s production value is unmatched in a game where far too often an artist overpowers a beat or vica-versa. Case in point is DJ Premier. Premier can make a beat that damn near anyone can sound good on, regardless of that artist’s true lyrical talent (see Group Home and Afu-Ra), but production alone can’t carry a track. On the flipside you have the always-criticized Joe Budden, whose lyrics are arguably the best in the game, but whose production has been part of the reason why he’s never been able to achieve success (that and the bullshit label politics, and the low I.Q. levels of the zombies who buy music). Kanye will take an artist and create a beat that allows them to do their thing without sacrificing anything in the process. And when the lyrical abilities of the artist are in question, he’ll simply craft a masterpiece and drop a dope guest verse on it (see Dilated People’s “This Way”). However it isn’t just production that has made Kanye the artist of the decade, as beats alone cannot make a star. Over the years the once playful child-like rhymes of Kanye have become full blown 16 bar darts that make us all press rewind time and time again.

Back when “The College Dropout” dropped, it was nothing short of a masterpiece and a game changing album. From the skits to the samples to the flow and lyrical content of this Chicago MC we saw a shift in the way hip hop was made, from the simple “beats to the rhymes” style of the golden age to a true song composition that Kanye brought us. Even though we already had cinematic albums such as Raekwon’s epic “Only Built 4 Cuban Linx”, the lyrical skills of the Wu-Tang were NEVER a question, even from the beginning. But with Kanye, even those who loved his debut still criticized his somewhat immature lyrics, even though he had some very conscious political and social messages on the album. He certainly wasn’t at Eminem-level immaturity, but he didn’t seem to take himself that seriously and his somewhat corny flow and Ludacris-style accentuating of lines was something that everyone thought could use improvement. He clearly heard his critics and silenced them with “Late Registration”, where he upped his lyrical game about 1000 times past the level he was at with “The College Dropout”. But always being one step ahead of the game, he not only went above and beyond lyrically, he blew open the doors musically by adding full-on orchestras and creating not just songs, but symphonies with tracks like “We Major” and “Gone”. The latter of these tracks has not only clearly defined movements, but a final verse that proved that the youthful Kanye could tear apart a microphone when given the chance. He had come a long way since “The New Workout Plan”. Around this time, Kanye went from being the producer everyone wanted making their beat to the rapper everyone wanted to drop a guest verse. This has certainly elevated in recent years with him gunning for Jay-Z’s spot as the rapper you know will drop the hottest guest verse on every track he touches. His track record in the past two years has been untouchable with his contributions to “Go Hard”, “Put On”, “Swagger Like Us”, “Make Her Say”, “Run This Town”, “Kinda Like a Big Deal”, “Knock You Down”, “Maybach Music 2”, and he was the clear winner on “Forever”. While four years ago it was a known fact that if you saw Jay-Z as a featured guest you knew you would be hearing one of the sickest verses of the year, and while two years ago that title belonged to Nas, it’s no question that the last two years have found Kanye at the top of the guest feature list. To overcome such disbelief from people with regard to his lyrical ability, this producer disproved everyone from Damon Dash and Jay-Z to his biggest critics who thought he was nothing more than a dope producer. But lyrics and production alone can’t elevate someone to superstardom status, what an artist also needs is recognition and poise. And clearly from his complaints about Grammy nominations to his assessment of George Bush, no one on the corner has swagger like Ye.

The first lesson rappers learn apparently is that they are the best rapper ever in the universe. It’s kinda hard to believe that when every single rapper is saying it, yet Kanye not only believes it, he proves it, time and time again. Raised in a wealthy home he has never exactly been humble, but well it’s one thing to let your music speak for itself as he did for so many years behind the boards, it’s another thing to be in the spotlight and have the ability to not just boast lyrically on record but also in public. Kanye West embodies the idea that “I’m your favorite rapper’s favorite rapper” and he does it with such confidence and with such a resume to back it up that it’s damn near impossible to deny. The difference between Kanye and every rapper who claims to be the greatest is that Kanye isn’t just the greatest rapper, he’s the greatest producer as well, something that no other artist in the history of rap has been able to claim. You have great producers, like DJ Premier and Marley Marl, but when have they rhymed? You have producers like Dr. Dre and Pete Rock, who rhyme but aren’t known for their lyrical skills (in the case of Dr. Dre he doesn’t even write his rhymes most of the time). Then you have full on producers/rappers like J Dilla and Madlib, who although they certainly can rock a mic, are best known for their beats with their rhyming playing second to their work on the keys. Madlib and Dilla are the types who rap so as to not merely be creating albums full of instrumentals (which Madlib has done anyway). You have rappers whose lyrical abilities are easily beyond the scope of 98% of the rappers out there, and although everyone has their opinion about who the best rappers are, people like Jay-Z and Nas got lyrics for days and are certainly at the top of the game when it comes to metaphors, narratives, flow, and knowledge. But they don’t have any beats under their belt. Premier doesn’t have any quotable verses. Kanye has both. Kanye has beats which are unquestionably some of the greatest of all time and verses which are unquestionably quotable for years to come. With that comes the back up of the claim that he is as big as he thinks he is, because he has done it all, and he’s done it better than anyone else in the game right now.

Kanye has changed the game, in some ways by bringing back traits of the golden age, and in other ways by pushing the game in new directions. For starters he brought back the idea of one producer working with an artist on an entire album, something that had just about died out when he resurrected the concept on Common’s “Be”. Whether it was groups like Gang Starr, a record like “Doggystyle”, or the era of Wu dominance when RZA composed their classics, hip hop had begun to fade away from the one producer album. In an age when less is more turned into more is more, you saw commercial releases targeting every big name producer they could find to fill the teaser sticker for an album cover. With the exception of Clipse having the Neptunes run their show, no one in hip hop was letting the musical magic be handled by a single person. In 2005 Common released an album that both created a comeback for the rapper who had been exiled to left field after “Electric Circus” as well as re-introduced the brilliant concept of having one beatmaker oversee an entire record. What’s come from that has been artists like Sene and Fashawn bringing in Blu and Exile respectively to create their projects, as well as Blaq Poet electing to have DJ Premier run his show. There are still artists who elect to have a project run over by 17 different producers but the stigma of relying solely on one beatsmith to construct a record has been overturned by the brilliance that Common and Kanye brought. At the same time Kanye has pushed the rap game way past its roots, making golden age purists bullshit in the process, but opening doors to those who may have thought they didn’t have what it took to be a “real” rapper. Certainly without Kanye’s movement into the electronic world with “808’s and Heartbreak” we wouldn’t be hearing from Wale or KiD CuDi as both of their styles have a distinct electro feel. When Kanye announced that his fourth album would be mostly, if not entirely, auto-tune the rap community was a bit perplexed and when he performed “Love Lockdown” we all took a huge gasp. What the fuck was this singing bullshit and where were the soulful bangers and hyped up verses? The album that followed was either going to be a huge success or an epic failure, as most artists who switch their style up look silly by encompassing something that are not (see Lords of the Underground, yes, they released an album a couple years back). Hip hop is one of the toughest places to reinvent yourself and other than a couple artists who have shredded their old image and fooled the world with a new one (Lil’ Wayne), most are just left behind to question why they thought they could change their style and expect to still make hits. Kanye on the other hand managed to completely exit rap and create what is best described as a pop album which not only was incredible on its own, but allowed for future artists to explore other forms of music to incorporate into their style of hip hop and the result has been brilliant albums from artists such as the aforementioned Kid CuDi and Wale, both of whom have tracks that are far from hip hop but still work in a way that screams hip hop culture.

Part of swagger is not only the perception people have of you through your actions but also the image that you portray. Hip hop has gone through fashion changes from the disco era flashiness, to the Fila jumpsuits, to the gold chains and Africa medallions to the hoodies and tims to the flashy Puff Daddy suits to the all-black-everything. Some artists set the trends while others follow the trends. Whether or not the trends are good ones, they are nonetheless a giant part of hip hop culture. The Puff Daddy era of flashy everything was certainly one of the lower points in this culture but it was also a time that was filled with a lot of great party music and takes us all back to a prosperous time. What Kanye West did, whether for better or worse, was introduce the skinny jeans, tight clothes look that has been prevalent in hip hop for the past few years. Now granted some people have taken it a little too far, including Kanye himself who allowed pictures to be taken of him with highly questionable individuals, as well as Lil’ Wayne who thought the skinny jeans trend meant he could actually open up about being a homo as if that is somehow acceptable in hip hop (Biggie, Kane, Brand Nubian, as well as a shitload of others would HIGHLY disagree with that), but you can’t deny the impact that the skinny jeans have had on a culture that is all too familiar with being continuously told to pull its damn pants up. Kanye went so far as to ink a deal with fashion mogul Louis Vitton for a line of sneakers as well as with Nike for a line of questionable sneakers, thus cementing his position as “Louis Vitton Don”. Again, his fashion choices may not be the best and they might not be appropriate for hip hop, but they have been undeniably influential in a culture that is so conscious of fashion.

As important as artists such as Jay-Z, Talib Kweli, Nas, and even 50 Cent have been to this decade, there is no question that Kanye West has done more for hip hop than all of them combined. With his production dominating the world of beats, to the emergence of his lyrical dominance, we have seen an in-house label producer turn into a rap superstar. From his first hit “Izzo” to his most recent appearance on a track where he arguably bodied his “big brother”, Kanye has been owning every aspect of the hip hop world and he hasn’t been afraid to go against the grain to do so. There aren’t many artists who would have taken the chances he has taken or accomplished the goals he has set for himself, but he has managed to go way past any expectations that may have been set for him and has done it without any real missteps along the way. No sophomore slump, no lyrical faux pas, no dark periods (talent wise), and no losses of credibility, Kanye West has done what no other artist this decade has been able to do, everything.

Top 10 (15) Albums of 2009

2009-12-10T10:01:00.000-08:00

As we reach the end of 2009 it is clear that we have just finished arguably the greatest year in hip hop this decade, if not in the entire history of hip hop. While it’s difficult to compare this year to those of past decades due to the immense expansion of hip hop, specifically in the mainstream, the sheer volume of quality releases is still worth noting. This year is highlighted by big name artists dropping some of their best releases, past artists proving that they still have heat, and new talents giving hope to the next generation of rap. Whether it was Jay-Z’s “Blueprint 3”, Raekwon’s “Only Built 4 Cuban Linx Pt. II”, or Wale’s “Attention Deficit”, just about every fan of hip hop had something to be happy about this year. In recent years it’s been sometimes difficult to even construct a top 10 list, this year went above and beyond that and because of that it’s only fitting that the top 10 getting expanded to a top 15. These 15 albums are certainly not the only quality releases of this year but after much consideration it’s clear that these 15 stood out as going way beyond expectations, for a variety of reasons. This list is in no particular order as it was difficult enough to keep it to 15, ranking these would only cause more debate. With that said debate is always welcome and encouraged as at the end of the day, we are a culture of opinion, and have been that way ever since battles began to take place on street corners in New York. I present to you the greatest rap albums of 2009.

Jay-Z – The Blueprint 3 – released 9/11/09

Let’s get the obvious one out of the way. Time and time again, Jay-Z has proven that he is not only the King of New York but the king of hip hop in general. From the time that D.O.A. (Death of Auto-tune) was released we all knew that Jay-Z would be making an album of epic proportions. Boasting production from Kanye West and No I.D. and featuring guest appearances from up-and-comers like Kid CuDi and J. Cole we were all anticipating an album that was sure to get heavy rotation across the country. The immediate reception was mixed with some reviewers saying Jay-Z had lost his way and was trying too hard to imitate the electronic sound that hip hop was heading towards instead of paving his own way like he always had. Complaints about weak beats from Timbaland and accusations that Jay was sounding “lazy” on the mic may have come at the beginning, but after a couple weeks of bumping the album it was clear that Jay had once again created a complete album with replay value for months to come. From the get go it was certainly apparent that this was unlike any other Jay-Z album, with the spacey production and non-traditional hooks but just like every past album, Jay’s rhymes were on point. With the smash singles “Run This Town” and “Empire State of Mind”, soulful gems like “Already Home”, addicting street tracks like “On To The Next One” and a guest verse from J. Cole that brings back memories of Nas on “Live at the BBQ” (cue hatred from purists), The Blueprint 3 cemented itself as a classic album, something that will still be bumped years from now.

Raekwon – Only Built 4 Cuban Linx Pt. II – released 9/8/09

Sequels in hip hop, much like in Hollywood, are usually uncalled for and unnecessary. For years now the hip hop world and Wu-Tang fans have been eagerly awaiting the much-hyped sequel to one of the greatest albums of all time. But with all the anticipation came doubts that it could possibly live up to the legacy that the first Cuban Linx left. All those doubts were blown out of the water when Cuban Linx 2 dropped. The first single “House of Flying Daggers” was already an indication that the Wu was definitely back. The menacing beat and the lyrical slaughterhouse of verses left no doubt that the Wu-Tang was just as strong in 2009 as they were in 1995. The album that followed solidified the Wu as the greatest group of all time, able to grow with the culture as well as call back to what they helped start, Mafioso rap. Even though RZA didn’t handle all the production, J Dilla and Dr. Dre along with Pete Rock and others, were still able to construct a complete piece of work that was nothing short of a cinematic experience. The Rae and Ghost tracks were done in classic R.A.G.U. form, from the back and forth style of “Penitentiary” to the pouring out of Ghost’s heart on “Cold Outside”, and especially to the sexual deviancy of “Gihad”. Guest appearances from Method Man and Inspectah Deck made everyone who had begin to sleep on the Wu wake the fuck up and “Wu Ooh” brought back memories of C.R.E.A.M. The critics who complained the album was too long clearly didn’t realize that the first Cuban Linx was almost identical in length, and those who said the Dre beats left something to be desired were probably already tired from listening to what they thought was a lengthy album. The O.D.B. tribute track was nothing short of a tearjerker and the last song was the perfect reminder that the Wu-Tang is forever, and that when faced with the pressures of living up to a certified classic, the Wu should never be doubted. Oh and “Broken Safety” is easily one of the gulliest tracks to come out in a LONG time. It’s Wu motherfucker! Wu-Tang motherfucker!

Fabolous – Loso’s Way – released 7/28/09

Fans of Fabolous have always argued that his mixtapes are far better than his albums. What they usually fail to realize that is while mixtapes are for the streets, an album has to appeal to the masses, and with that, Fabolous knows how to make a damn good album. While a mixtape is perfect for firing off punchline after punchline, an album needs to be a complete product that is both diverse while maintaining conciseness and direction. With “Loso’s Way”, Fabolous does this brilliantly, somewhat following a storyline that is familiar but always welcome in the rap community, the rise and fall of the crime boss. Fab sets off the album by addressing all his haters and letting them know that he hasn’t lost his shine. Single after single follow and even on the more radio friendly tracks he’s still dropping metaphors that his fans know him for. In all honesty though the best tracks on this album are the “bitch” tracks, the female-focused tracks such as “Throw It In The Bag” and “Last Time”. The track with Ne-Yo “Makin’ Love” is hypnotic to the point that you KNOW many a babies are being conceived to it. There are just the right amount of guest appearances, mostly left to hook gods Trey Songz, The-Dream, and the aforementioned Ne-Yo. The production is spread out but nonetheless flows smoothly from track to track. And for those who think Fab is all about the women, “There He Go” will remind them that he can still bring that lyrical heat. The final track is a story that shows the depth of Fab’s talent. From baby-making tracks, to lyrical clinics, to vivid storytelling, this album combines every good thing about hip hop into a perfect package.

Cam’ron – Crime Pays – released 5/12/09

Face it people, the days of Purple Haze, The Diplomats, and Heatmakerz are over. But that doesn’t mean that Cam isn’t still on top of his game. Most critics felt as though this was more like a mixtape than an album but don’t let the length or amount of tracks fool you, this is a solid album from start to finish without any throwaway tracks or verses. It is a little long at 73 minutes, but Cam will keep you entertained the entire time. His signature flow and wordplay are at top notch levels as he makes some of the simplest lines not only witty but raw and dirty. Whether he is detailing his past business forays on “I Get It In Ohio”, inventing new slang on “Curve”, bringing nothing but raw rhymes on “Cookin’ Up” or being the raunchy disgusting Cam we all know and love on “You Know What’s Up”, Cam’ron never fails to impress the listener with his broad range of lyricism. The skits on this album are quite funny even after the first few listens and with a track that’s actually subtitled “No Homo” it’s clear that while Cam might not always take himself seriously, he knows damn well how to make a good song. The best evidence of this is the ridiculously dirty but highly catchy single “Cookies & Apple Juice” which has quite possibly the most hilarious hook along with equally humorous verses. A surprising entry for those who say Cam is all play is “I Hate My Job” which, although seemingly out of place for someone who supposedly makes thousands from hustling, deals with the problems of finding work in a recession and the depression of a 9 to 5 meaningless job. Finishing off the album with a tribute to the deepest of places is only fitting for the man who loves pink. It’s no “Purple Haze”, but “Crime Pays” is certainly a solid effort from one of the most consistent MCs in the game.

Clipse – Til The Casket Drops – released 12/8/09

For their entire career the Clipse have exclusively used Neptunes production. This time around they decided to expand and the decision couldn’t have been better. While the Neptunes still bless their third album with a handful of tracks, that signature sound that Chad and Pharrell were once known for has started to fade, not to take away from the quality of production, but there are no “Grindin”s on this album. With that said we have quite possibly the most consistent and complete Clipse album to date. There is already hate being spewed about the electro influenced dance tracks like “All Eyes on Me” but again these fans are looking for mixtape Clipse and not album Clipse. Some of the most powerful tracks are actually made for the club on this release, such as “Counseling” with a smoothed-out beat, a brilliant hook from Pharrell and laid-back topical verses from Pusha and Malice. Also the uplifting track “I’m Good” is much needed in this time of economic recession. No matter how depressed you are you can’t help but raise up with the beat the Neptunes provide. Clipse also brought back what was once a staple on every rap album but has gradually faded, the reggae track. While it might seem out of place it actually fits quite perfectly as not only a P.S.A. about snitching but a throwback to the days of Mad Lion gracing every damn album he could get on. The most noticeable thing about this album is maturity, which has turned Clipse from the kings of coke rap to elder statesmen looking back on their past transgressions and hoping to offer advice to the young’ns on how to stay away from the game. But don’t except the coke raps to be nonexistent as “Never Will It Stop” with Re-Up gang affiliate Ab-Liva is a testament to just how insane these guys can be with their metaphors and Malice drops what might be the verse of the year on the single "Popular Demand". Just barely making it before the new year, this Clipse album is arguably their best to date and certainly their most mature and complete.

Slaughterhouse – Slaughterhouse – released 8/11/09

The concept was simple, bring 4 of the hottest MCs together on one track, and end a feud between two of them in the process. What started off as one of the greatest posse cuts in history turned into a supergroup that went above and beyond the expectations of anyone, probably even its own members. Most people know the story by now, Joe Budden recruited Royce Da 5’9”, Crooked I and Joell Ortiz to do a track called “Slaughterhouse” and what came from that was the idea that the 4 would create an entire album, much like everyone had wished the Four Horsemen would have done years ago. The difference is that Slaughterhouse actually made the album, and it was proof that 4 heads really are better than 1, especially given the record label bullshit that every single one of them has been through. Not just lyrical tracks without hooks or good production, the Slaughterhouse album found these 4 MCs working together perfectly, weaving in and out, providing actually songs instead of just a lineup of verses. The opening track set off the concept perfectly with each member introducing themselves and what followed were commercial smashes, club bangers, and straight up hardcore battle rap tracks. While some think the album took a downturn near the end, it still provided one of the best retrospective tracks on hip hop and where it’s been and where it’s at now. Normally with this many talents on one album one will shine above the rest but there is no clear MVP here as each MC seemed to almost get better from the competition of the other three. This album proved that sometimes it’s better to gang up than it is to keep going solo because raw talent is raw talent and egos can get put aside to craft a memorable listening experience for the fans of everyone involved.

Wale – Attention Deficit – released 11/10/09

Upon first hearing this album I felt that it was all over the place and therefore difficult to really take in. From obvious club tracks to this new school electro rap to southern drawls I couldn’t quite tell what Wale was trying to do, then I realized what the title of the album was and it all made sense. Since Wale was introduced to the game he remained an outsider with a knack for lyrics, even with his unorthodox flow and interesting choice of beats. His mixtapes took the culture by storm and few have doubted his ability to run laps around a microphone, the question always was could he create a debut that would live up to all the hype, and there was quite a lot of hype. While it might be the most obscure choice for this list, “Attention Deficit” makes it because it does exactly what it says it’s going to do, and it does it quite well. If you are looking for a track to bump in the club you got the Neptunes crafted, Pharrell assisted “Let It Loose”. If you are a southern rap fan then “Mirrors” is your shit. If you are a conscious rap fan, always looking for a message then the controversial “Shades” is your focal point. If you are an i-Tunes junkie who only likes what’s popular then “Chillin” with Lady Gaga is for you and if you want what could be the ultimate anthem, with the most beautiful beat and blessed by a chilling hook then “Beautiful Bliss” with newcomer J. Cole is the track that you won’t stop bumping….believe me, I’ve tried. When Wale isn’t smoothly dropping cool verses over laid back production he is giving you true insight to not only himself but the world, and it’s wonderful to see that when faced with all the hype, Wale can live up to the challenge.

Rick Ross – Deeper Than Rap – released 4/21/09

Correctional Officer Ricky Ross. Quite possibly the most debatable choice on this list, it’s amazing that even after being exposed as the biggest fake in the industry Rick Ross still managed to promote his cocaine-rap as if no one had ever seen the pictures and documents proving he was closer to the police than 50 Cent. But this list isn’t about recovery or else 50 Cent himself would have made it. Whether or not Rick Ross has actually ever even seen an eighth of coke, he still raps like he’s lived the Scarface lifestyle and he does it with such ease that you can’t help but label him rap’s Al Pacino. His flow is as smooth as Biggie and his lyrics are as biting as Pac and right off the bat he attacks everyone who has hated on him and gives a few shots towards the G-Unit camp. The smash single, “Maybach Music 2” with T-Pain and Kanye West is a track fit for an amphitheater with its powerhouse hook and extra powerful production. Nas delivers a nomination for verse of the year on “Usual Suspects” and “Rich Off Cocaine” is the perfect track for driving down the freeway with the top down on a warm summer night, it’s the ultimate “living the high life” joint. The production is solid (thanks to the ever increasingly dope J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League), and Ricky’s rhymes are the perfect template for anyone reaching for the stars, and while the album caught some slack for the seemingly out-of-place “Face”, it couldn’t be a better addition to an album that is just so extra that you gotta love the effort that The Boss puts in to his projects. Whether or not 50 Cent destroyed Rick Ross on the internet and in the media, Rick Ross was no doubt the better MC this year, and this, his third straight album of this caliber, only proves that controversy is no match for consistency.

Ghostface – Ghostdini: The Wizard of Poetry in Emerald City – released 9/29/09

A Ghostface R&B album? The fuck? When Ghost announced earlier this year that his next album would be all R&B and “for the ladies”, most Wu fans took a step back, wondering what the hell that even meant and if it could possibly continue Ghost’s streak of always dropping hot albums (look back on his career, not a single misstep). While many Wu fans were highly disappointed with the finished product (sorry guys, you can’t be hardcore ALL the time), what Ghost delivered was the best love-making album since Stevie Wonder’s “Innervisions”. Ghost has always been known for his soul sampled, R&B-influenced, female appreciation tracks such as “Camay” and “Holla”, but we were always used to one or two per release, not an entire album with such a concept. But what we got was the perfect combination of beautiful love songs mixed with just enough spiteful tracks to satisfy anyone who’s been in a meaningful relationship. The highlights here include “Do Over” with Ghost’s incredibly detailed love letter verses exclaiming his regret for mistakes he made along with a hook and beat that are as modern as it gets but with that throwback sound. The single, “Baby”, is addicting, both from the auto-tune influenced hook and the simplistic beat that still sounds beautiful even though it’s true to hip hop form. The most out-of-place track “Stapleton Sex”, is the Ghost we all know and love, bringing back memories of “Wildflower” and “Wisdom Body” and has been described by the man himself as “porno on wax”. Every track on the album is a fitting tribute to the fairer sex and collectively this is a solid and complete effort for a concept that few thought would actually work out. While Wu fans are still hungry for that “Ice Water” Ghost, any fan of rap that can appreciate the softer side of art, this album is your “Lots of Lovin”.

Souls of Mischef – Montezuma’s Revenge – released 12/1/09

Almost as bad as the skinny jeans trend is the idea that “bringing back the old school” sound when you’re 10 years removed from your high point is a good idea. Whether its backpackers trying to imitate the sound or former big name artists trying to prove they still got it, hip hop has been plagued with average releases that all sound the same, about 15 years too old. When it was announced that Souls of Mischief were dropping a new album almost entirely produced by Prince Paul, immediately there was a question about whether they would fall into the same trap that artists of their time have been doing or if they would show that they caught up to the 2009 sound. What they managed to do, brilliantly, was somewhat of a combination of both. While this is no doubt an album of “true school” sound, it nonetheless fits perfectly into the 2009 mindstate that hip hop is in. With Del the Funky Homosapien hosting, this album is simply pure hip hop. Head nodding beats, back-and-forth rhymes, and cut up samples provide the listener a throwback to the days of early Souls of Mischief but never overdo the “we’re from the old school” template. Conceptually speaking this album is full of gems too like “Tour Stories” and “Postal”. Arguably the best tracks are “Proper Aim” and “For Real Ya’ll”, the latter of the two being the prime example of how to make a golden age track in 2009. From the way the MCs play off each other to the beat to the hook, everything about this track screams hip hop. The Heiroglyphics have always been comfortable in the underground and this album is certainly that, but instead of sounding like every other backpack rap record, they managed to stand out with this release, proving that you can be old school and yet still make a dope album.

Wu-Tang Clan Presents: Chamber Music – released 6/30/09

For starters, this album proved that a Wu-Tang album doesn’t have to just be Wu-Tang. Secondly, this is the closest thing to 36 Chambers since 1993. There. Now that that’s out of the way, this album is an epic release from the Wu-Tang catalogue boasting sinister production, knowledge-filled interludes, and a lineup of MCs that even “The Symphony” couldn’t touch. The combinations of MCs are carefully chosen, like with Raekwon, Cormega and Sean Price all tearing apart “Radiant Jewels”, which is the perfect name for a track so filled with knowledge that even on the eighth spin the listener can’t convert all of it to wisdom. Ghostface, Deck and AZ are another lethal combination on “Harbor Masters” where AZ is on his “Life’s A Bitch” game. In fact the non-Wu MC’s shine the most on this, suggesting that knowing they were going to be featured on a Wu album made them up their game to the highest possible level. What’s most impressive is how a live band was able to capture that raw gritty Wu-Tang sound that originated in choppy samples and dirty drums. And for anyone who thinks RZA fell off his lyrical game, “NYC Crack” is the most Wu-Tang sounding track since the 5 years that the Wu literally owned rap. Highly slept on, this album is what Wu-Tang fans have been asking for since the Clan first crept on the scene, and as the third Wu-Tang release on this list, it’s clear that once again the Wu-Tang Clan Ain’t Nuthin’ Ta Fuck Wit!

Fashawn – Boy Meets World – released 10/22/09

Hands down the song of the year is “The Ecology”, a hip hop sermon that is no doubt the most important thought-provoking track that rap has seen since “Get By”. Off of Cali native Fashawn’s debut, this track is the true definition of hip hop, from its powerful beat to lyrics that would make Chuck D proud of the fact that 20 years after “Fight the Power” there are still MCs that can spread the message that rap was founded on. With that said this rookie teamed up with one of the greatest producers out right now, Exile, to craft an album so complete that it’s almost difficult to believe that this young MC is a mere 21 years old. Fashawn tackled every topic on this album from life on the road to growing up fatherless to representing his home state, and in this day and age when MySpace and blog sites have meant that anyone and everyone is a rapper, he truly stands out as a rookie-of-the-year candidate. The flow of the album is flawless as tracks weave in and out of each other and the lyrics are never outshined by the soulful production of one half of one of the greatest duos out today. We still don’t know a lot about this kid but if this album is any indication, we have another MC whose potential is only growing by the minute and simply put, this album is dope. Don’t sleep on Fashawn.

J Dilla – Jay Stay Paid – released 6/2/09

Posthumous releases typically call up the scraps of an artist who’s family and friends are simply trying to turn a profit by exploiting the death of their loved one (see Puff Daddy) but with “Jay Stay Paid” what we get is an album that proves that had J Dilla still been with us that he would be crushing the scene with his production for years to come. This concept album, presented as a radio show hosted by legend Pete Rock, delivers some of Dilla’s finest work, and provides just the right amount of MCs to keep the listener in tune for the whole time instead of fading in and out and playing back only certain tracks. The weed anthem “Smoke”, while short, highlights Blu as one of the greatest new MCs and “Reality TV” has track of the year written all over it as Black Thought slaughters the beat while referencing damn near every reality show that television has forced upon us. MF Doom rides “Fire Wood Drumstix” almost as good as Jay Electronica once did and Dilla’s brother Illa J elegantly pays tribute to his fallen family member on “See That Boy Fly”. Longtime fans of Dilla will appreciate Frank Nitty’s powerful presence on “Pay Day”. But enough with the MC contributions, these beats are what make the album. Your neck will literally break with “Glamour Sho75 (09)” and if that only causes a cramp then “Coming Back” will surely put you in the hospital with the tears it will induce, being reminiscent of the best track on "Donuts". Crafted perfectly this album is essential to any Dilla fan, both old and new, and is the perfect showcase of the talent that we lost a few years ago.

Cormega – Born and Raised – released 10/20/09

If Nas is the King of Queens, then Cormega is the Prince. Who else could put together an album that includes a three track sequence of DJ Premier, Pete Rock, and Large Professor. While most artists get out of the streets and can only try to imagine what life might be like if they were still there, Mega is very much a product of his environment who has clearly kept close ties with the life he has been forced to live. The narratives on this album are chilling and combined with the wordplay of a seasoned vet, it’s a safe bet that Nas probably wishes he hadn’t had the falling out that he did with Mega. Cormega twists tales of street life while reflecting on the problems that still exist in a way that few MCs have been able to do over the years and he does it with such passion it’s clear that he is as authentic as every rapper wishes he could be. When people talk about New York rap, THIS is what they are talking about, from stories about crime to poverty to messages that every young person needs to hear, this album is the most complete East Coast album in years. Wrapped up perfectly with legends Parrish, Kane, Grand Puba and KRS, Mega gives us everything that one could hope for in a hip hop album. Another heavily slept on album, this is one of the gems that we were blessed with in a year that saw so much greatness.

Mos Def – The Ecstatic – released 6/9/09

Rappers take notice, Madlib is a top 5 producer, and including him on your album can only help catapult it to the top of every hot albums list. For the past few years Mos Def has given us albums that are not only way out in left field (The New Danger) but also as lazy and unfocused (True Magic…where the fuck was the album cover to that) and has never been able to live up to his solid debut “Black on Both Sides”. With “The Ecstatic”, Mos proves that his many styles truly can be mashed together and still come away with a classic release. “Auditorium” with legendary storyteller Slick Rick combines a hypnotic beat with verbal visuals from two of the greatest at delivering narratives. “Pretty Danger” is an example of how having Madlib on the boards is always the best decision that any MC can make as not only does he provide a banging beat but perfectly matches the flow of the Mighty Mighty Mos. The Reflection Eternal cut “History” produced by the late great J Dilla only further makes us hungry for another “Train of Thought” and the beauty of “Roses” is spine tingling. This album is proof that Mos Def is still one of the greatest MCs of our time, even if he is a little misunderstood. This is not an album for hip hop purists but instead an album for forward-thinking fans who can appreciate all styles of music. “The Ecstatic” is just that, and what else would we really expect from Mos?

There you have it. The top 10 (15) albums of quite possibly the greatest year in hip hop history. No doubt some people will disagree with this list, and surely everyone will have an album they feel should have made it, or an album that did make it that shouldn’t have. But at the end of the day these 15 albums most accurately represent the level to which hip hop rose in 2009. We should be thankful that so many artists made so many incredible contributions to this culture, and as we look forward to 2010 we can only hope that hip hop will continue on this streak. Sorry Nas, but in 2009, hip hop is NOT dead.

Why not on ---

50 Cent – Before I Self Destruct – the only reason this album sounded so good was because his last effort was a failure that even Kwame couldn’t have imagined. With that said, 50 may have improved, but he didn’t do anything special with this release, he just gave us what we’ve been waiting on for the last 6 years.

Alchemist – Chemical Warfare – it had solid tracks, some of the best of the year actually, with the brilliant combination of Snoop, Pusha, and Jadakiss and one of the happiest tracks we’ve heard in a while with “Smile” but there was a lot of crap on the album that made it obvious that Alchemist just wanted to prove that he could make any type of beat, and even though he got the best artists of those genres, he shouldn’t have branched out that much because the overall sound was completely unfocused.

Camp Lo – Another Heist – the hardest one to leave off the list. Purely because there were so many other dope releases did this one slip out of the spotlight. The obvious number 16, this album was nothing short of incredible, a perfect throwback to Uptown Saturday Night, and easily their best effort since that album. Perhaps a little too short (how often does THAT get said about a hip hop album) and unfortunately way too under the radar (not that that is relevant) this album deserves to make the list but just barely missed it.

O.C. & A.G. – Oasis – although the pairing of old school artists has happened a couple times recently (Marley Marl and KRS, Craig G and Marley Marl) this was the year that everyone who was no longer relevant in rap decided to pair up to try to make themselves relevant. From Del and Tame One to Buckshot and KRS to O.C. and A.G., this was the year that the former hitmakers teamed up to try to reinvent that classic sound for those new ears who weren’t around during their prime. This album was the best of out all the collaboration efforts so far and was the least desperate to prove that these MCs were “true classic MCs”. The beats weren’t outdated and the rhymes were on point, unlike other artists who have tried this formula, but at the end of the day they just couldn’t compete with the fresh talent and classic artists who have managed to maintain instead of fading away for a few years and then trying to reignite their flame.

Rakim – The Seventh Seal – for 12 years hip hop has been waiting for the return of the God MC, indisputably the greatest MC of all time. From the weakness of “The Master” to the fallout with Dr. Dre fans began to think that this album would never happen. We were finally blessed with the God’s work, and blessed we were, the God certainly has not slipped in his lyrical game but unfortunately this album sounds slightly dated, as if it had been assembled in 2005, reworked in 2007 and finally released in late 2009. By the time November rolled around, nothing short of a Clipse album was going to crack the top 10 (or Souls of Mischief I guess) and so therefore this album does not make the list, even though it probably should. He’s still the God though, still the God MC.

Hip Hop Maturation - The Blueprint 3

2009-09-18T10:51:00.000-07:00

About 15 years ago, and prior to that, hip hop was regarded as a “fad” that wouldn’t last. The general perception was that this infant form of “music” was nothing more than people shouting over other peoples’ music and that in time, like disco, it would be relegated to its own grave. Between the fashion and the content, it was regarded as having no moral values and as something that only deviants could ever appreciate. What happened was the exact opposite. Hip hop became arguably the most dominant force in music and culture over the last decade. We have everything from hip hop dance classes to the President of the United States talking about brushing dirt off his shoulder. The words “diss” and “beef” have become so implanted in our daily lives that some people probably forget or don’t know at all where those words actually originated. All the while the critics are still out there, whether in the mainstream news coverage painting hip hop as still a violent evil force in the corruption of youth, or in the genre itself as countless “columnists” feel the need to attack every new thing that hip hop ventures into. While bad press is still press, this need for people to constantly hate on every little aspect of hip hop culture, FROM WITHIN THE CULTURE ITSELF, is something that has been growing over the last few years and while the worldwide access the internet has given us certainly lends its support to this phenomenon, the real reason for the self-hatred is the fact that hip hop is in its second generation, and the first generation has no idea how to grow up.

When hip hop was a baby, it was nurtured mostly by its own people. The artists were the promoters were the record labels were the magazines were the critics were the fans. Hip hop was its own little bubble, separate from the rest of the cultural world, where young artists were free to express themselves as long as they were original and fresh. No one over the age of 25 was really doing anything with hip hop and as artists got to be that age they started to fall off. Obviously there were exceptions but the majority of these groups and artists saw a short career with maybe a few highlights and then a fade to obscurity. As tiny as hip hop was in the 80s and 90s, countless albums were released by countless artists, only to be never heard from again. The artists that were big failed to maintain that status as they grew and essentially outgrew the youthfulness of the culture they helped create. KRS-One, Rakim, Public Enemy, Run-DMC, and many others, by the mid 90s, even as they still made music, failed to create the success they once had. Newer artists were seeing short-term careers with one or two albums under their belt before fading into obscurity. Groups like Black Moon and Das EFX never made it past that first hit and only a very select few artists saw their careers grow over time instead of fade. Dr. Dre and Ice Cube, Jay-Z and Nas, these artists managed to grow and develop and maintain relevancy in a game that was always about the youth. But somewhere along the way, hip hop matured and brought some people with it. It culturally matured and has attempted to shed that anti-, youthful aggressive label that it carried for so long. With that maturation process inevitably comes rebellion, something that is no stranger to hip hop. The difference being that the rebellion hip hop has always been familiar with is the rebellion of mainstream culture, not the rebellion of its own culture.

Recently Jay-Z released “The Blueprint 3”, an album which has been picked apart by every critic inside and outside of hip hop, as well as every blogger and anonymous fan. Some of the criticisms have been the beats sounding too futuristic or the lyrics being too lazy. The general consensus is still hotness but not without a heavy level of critiquing. While every album sees its fair share of love and hate, what makes this different is that hip hop is, for the first time, experiencing the views and thoughts of a 40 year old man. For real think about that for a second, a 40 year old man. When we speak of legends in rap, the Big Daddy Kane’s, the Rakim’s, the Chuck D’s, we have to remember that all these MCs released the work that we praise so highly when they were in their 20s. When we point to the greatest albums of all time, the greatest verses of all time, the greatest moments in hip hop history, we are referring to moments, albums, and verses that were crafted during those individuals 20s. Their youth, their growing and changing and developing youth. Nas released the greatest album in hip hop history at the age of 20. Every album on the top 20 lists of rap was made during the artists’ 20s, so when you have an album that is released as the artist is pushing 40, you can’t expect it to consist of the same content and structure as the 20 year old.

We have one of the most, if not the only, competitive genre of music in hip hop. Since day one battles have been ever present in rap whether on the street or on wax and because of this we are always looking for those young bucks to try to come up and take the place of the seasoned vet. Only difference then was that essentially everyone was a young buck and the “seasoned vets” were only 5 or 10 years in the game. Perfect example is Canibus taking on LL Cool J. Student versus teacher. The battle was one that most people remember for ending Canibus’ career but not without a vicious punch delivered in the form of “Second Round Knockout”, a record in which Canibus accused LL of only making records for women at this point in his career. At that time, insulting someone’s game was the way to beat them in a battle. More recently however, battles have almost all involved one generation of rappers hating on the previous. Soulja Boy vs. Ice-T, 50 Cent vs. GZA, Joe Budden vs. Raekwon, The Game vs. Jay-Z. Every one of these battles has involved the older artist saying “you youngin’s got no respect” and the younger artist saying “yall is too old, retire”. It’s like the argument now is not about lyrical ability but about why older artists are still trying to be a part of what most still consider a youthful game.

What we need to all realize is that like all things that withstand the test of time, growth and development is necessary. Another recent album release is a perfect example of that. Raekwon’s “Only Built 4 Cuban Linx 2” is the follow up to arguably one of the greatest rap albums of all time, released in 1995. Here we are 14 years later and the Chef has cooked up something that both brings us back to the time when the Wu-Tang was the strongest element of hip hop yet also is within the current state of hip hop. This isn’t Jurassic 5 trying to “bring back the old school” but it’s also not just an empty title in an attempt to sell records. It truly is a sequel to the first album. And it’s a damn good sequel because Raekwon understand that he is no longer a young street hustler and therefore portraying that would be nothing short of laughable, so instead he made a crack album for 2009 that sounded like 2009. Growth and development.

In order for hip hop to maintain a lifespan far beyond anyone who’s around now we need to both appreciate the veterans who are able to grow and mature as well as embrace the new ideas and directions that the music is taking. Someone like Kid Cudi is doing things that 10 years ago would have never been in the minds of anyone, even the revolutionary, way-ahead-of-their-time Neptunes. At the same time Jay-Z is showing us that a lifetime of hip hop cannot consist of the same thing every day, every year or else it just gets boring and unrealistic. So for the haters of “Blueprint 3”, remember that a 40 year old hip hop artist is something that no one ever thought would happen and that rather than hating on it for not being “Reasonable Doubt”, that instead it’s better to take it in and see what maturity has to offer.

The Blueprint for Immobility

2009-08-26T13:51:00.000-07:00

Ever present in hip hop lyrics are tales of street dealings, mostly in drugs, sometimes in women, and sometimes pure violence. In fact tales of drugs have gone as far back as the famous “The Message” by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. As rap grew, so did the stories, providing more and more detail and giving more and more insight to the world of street dreams and realities. While many songs touched on various aspects of this underworld, there were two complete albums that play through like movies, life stories, biographies, entire pictures of the drug world. Each album played the role separately, one giving the rawest description, the cook up of sorts, the drugs on the table, ready to go, and the day-to-day bullshit that goes on to move that product. The other showcased the high life, the riches, the nice clothes and cars, the upside of the hustle, the kingpin’s manual for poppin’ bottles. One album looked at it from the kitchen, the other looked at it from the club. One from the work, one from the payoff. Together these albums make for the perfect combination of the drug life, both extremes with which one involved sees. With both artists on the verge of releasing new albums, both going back to old formulas of sorts, it seems fitting to take a look at the albums that defined and influenced one of the biggest aspects of hip hop, the drug dealer. The first to do it was Raekwon the Chef from legendary group Wu-Tang Clan with “Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…” in 1995. One year later up and coming Brooklyn rapper Jay-Z gave us “Reasonable Doubt”. There are many other albums that contributed to the Mafioso movement in rap, Nas’ “It Was Written”, Mobb Deep’s “The Infamous” and AZ’s “Doe or Die”, but the genre was rooted in and flawlessly done with Rae and Jay’s masterpieces.

In 1995 hip hop was sufficiently blunted. The west coast G-funk was still blazing but New York grittiness was making its way back to the top, arguably resurrected two years prior with the Wu-Tang Clan’s debut album “Enter the Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers”. The 10 man group was headed by RZA and his vision for a 5 year, 7 album plan was in the midst of manifesting. Solo albums from Method Man and GZA were pounding in every whip and next up was the Chef Raekwon with an album co-hosted by Wu’s most stylistic MC, Ghostface Killah. What was delivered was an album so dirty, so raw, so gutter that it set the blueprint for a style of hip hop that has been imitated time and time again, the gangster/drug dealing kingpin. The intro alone, with Rae and Ghost boasting of the high life while discussing the work they do sets in motion the whirlwind that follows with broken pyrex bottles, kitchen counter top wrap ups, money stashes in couches, shootouts in living rooms and a whole shit ton of cocaine being blown. To come out of that album without a white nose and a drip is basically impossible. They broke it all down. The production was heavy and grimy, the lyrics were shouted through voices caked in dust and liquor and the hooks (when there were any) were some of the most awkward if not genius things hip hop had ever seen. Every Wu general contributed to the album and each brought with him an alias specific to the crime family ideal. “Wu-Gambinos” they were called, each becoming a mafia don in the process of lacing their drug fueled darts. Songs like “Ice Water”, “Wisdom Body” and “Rainy Dayz” pierce the listener’s ears with sound so clashing it shouldn’t even work but magically along with the equally fucked up lyrics the tracks work to form an album that requires a shower following a listen. Even the one “female” track oozed with griminess even while invoking one of the sweetest things, ice cream. Never before had someone make listing the flavors of ice cream sound so rugged. They even supplied the high that everyone was chasing in the form of “Guillotine (Swordz)”, a track that began with a sample few believed would amount to an actual track after being hinted at before only to be quickly tucked away. “Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…” was the closest thing to the Scarface fantasy so prevalent in hip hop. It gave us all insight to the world of a cocaine dealer, at least as close as you could sonically get.

New York was the hip hop champ once again and Brooklyn was at center stage with Notorious B.I.G.’s chart topping album “Ready to Die”. On the success of “Juicy”, “Big Poppa” and “One More Chance”, Biggie had won over the hearts of millions of fans and provided the mainstream was swagger and flow along with lyrics filled with not only clever wordplay but substance and depth. His storytelling was unlike no other and he did it while still maintaining to throw punchlines out left and right. Around the same time fellow Brooklyn native and friend of Biggie, Jay-Z was on the come up after spending years working with legends like Big Daddy Kane and Jaz-O trying to find his niche in the hip hop world. Jay brought the swagger in a way different from that of close friend Notorious B.I.G. Biggie was known as a Heavy D of sorts, an overweight lover. The man loved his Gucci and Versace but played more on the lines of “let me chill and get money and fuck bitches”. Jay-Z stepped it up in telling us how rich he was and why he could afford all that nice shit. Jay seemed to focus on not just the hustle, but the results of the hustle, the fruits of labor. While Biggie liked to lay back and chill Jay-Z went out on the town wearing the most expensive suits, driving the most expensive cars, ordering the most expensive drinks, and getting the most expensive girls. Jay-Z’s life was on top of the world, looking down at everyone who wanted to be up there with him. Don’t get it twisted though, Jay certainly didn’t hold back from the risks it takes to earn such a high life. From “Friend or Foe” and “Dead Presidents” it’s clear that work had to be put in to get where he was. But this was certainly someone who had been on top and could educate those below him on how hard it was to get there. “Regrets” and “Can I Live” brilliantly showcase how one’s rise to the top is never easy and how it takes a strong man to survive. He also displayed his knowledge by giving life lessons to young’ns looking for their entrance to the life of crime on “Coming of Age” where he teaches an aspiring rapper/dealer how to make it in the world where he is king.

In the end you have two works of art so similar yet so different in their descriptions of essentially the same thing, the world of drug dealing. The reality is that there are very few kingpins of the drug world and most of them will inevitably meet their demise through either arrest or assassination. It is ridiculous to idolize such ideals when they result in nothing but heartache and struggle and usually much worse, but as any true great author can make the reader actually feel as though they are a part of the story, Jay-Z and Raekwon have given the listener the ultimate experience of the drug dealing lifestyle. And they have done it from completely different viewpoints. Raekwon has given us the training camps and the two-a-days and the pre-season and even the playoffs, Jay-Z has given us the Finals, the Super Bowl, the World Series, and the Tonight Show appearances following all those. Each artist holds nothing back in their accounts of one of the toughest professions for even the hardest of men, and yet each has a completely different vision of the world they live in. The lavish dining room with the bottle service and $50 plates of food doesn’t come without the hectic kitchen with sweltering heat and hunched over chefs busily working round the clock creating the delicacies. These records will give anyone who is interested the ability to see the two sides of the hustle, the ups and downs, the joy and pain, the struggle and the success. With both artists dropping new albums soon, Raekwon’s being titled “Only Built 4 Cuban Linx 2” and Jay-Z returning to his “Blueprint” label, this is a good time to remember how perfectly these two individuals presented us with something that most of us will never see up and close and personal but that all of us, through these albums, can feel like we at least got a peek in the door while being lucky enough to never have to walk in.

What the hell happened to Memphis Bleek?

2009-08-18T08:42:00.000-07:00

“a G? i’ll ride wit chu for free, i want the long term riches and bitches”

We all remember little Memphis Bleek riding shotgun with Jay-Z back on “Reasonable Doubt”, then setting off “Hard Knock Life” over some sick DJ Premier production, releasing a solo album, and subsequently, well, fading away. Why did the right hand man of the arguably the best rapper of the last decade fall so hard and could it be that Jay-Z himself is actually to blame?

With probably the best entrance to the rap game one could ask for, Memphis Bleek was featured on Jay-Z’s first album “Reasonable Doubt” as the corner boy Hov was mentoring on the classic track “Coming of Age”. He proved back then that he had the flow and the swag (before swag existed) to carry himself alongside one of the future greats of rap (even though most assume that Jay wrote his verse). While he was noticeably absent from Jay’s second album, he reappeared on the multi-platinum “Vol. 2…Hard Knock Life” to wake everyone the fuck up on the album’s intro. Along with another couple guest spots on the same album, it was clear that Memphis Bleek had the ability to build a legitimate career in rap, but could he ever step out of the shadow of Jay-Z and in doing so would he ever be accepted as anything more than a sidekick to the greatest rapper of our time?

Following the release of Jay-Z’s highest selling album to date “Hard Knock Life”, Bleek’s debut album was nothing short of a disappointment. So often in hip hop a top notch MC tries to put on his boys (we saw Nelly do this with the St. Lunatics) and so often that weed carrier is nowhere near as good as his mentor, that’s why he’s the weed carrier. “Coming of Age” (the album, strategically named after the song that introduced little Malik Cox to the world) was no different in the eyes of most fans. In fact the only singles that ever gained any ground were featuring other Roc-A-Fella artists, most notably Jay-Z as well as Beanie Sigel. Poor promotion, lazy work, and other factors may have been involved but at the end of the day no one was running to the store looking to scoop up the first Bleek solo album. It did go gold but this was at a time when the economy was booming and just about every rap album would sell at least 250,000 so gold was almost looked at as a failure. Luckily for Bleek he didn’t need solo success since he had the Roc-A-Fella label and Jay to hold him down but one can only imagine that it was difficult being next to the giant and not even coming close to measuring up.

In 2000, shortly after the compilation album “The Dynasty” was released by Jay-Z, Bleek’s next solo album surfaced, “The Understanding”. There could be any number of reasons for this but it doesn’t seem smart to try to jump start someone’s career by piggy backing their release on top of yours (as the Pharrell assisted “I Just Wanna Love U” was topping every chart in the industry and therefore would make Bleek’s album nothing short of completely missed). Few people noticed the growth from the debut and while the album again went gold, it’s assumed that it sold mostly based on Jay-Z’s guest appearances and the Roc-A-Fella label alone. Once again standing next to the giant proved to be a downfall.

A few years went by and Jay-Z released two Blueprints on the hip hop community, featuring all together one verse from Memphis Bleek. It seemed as though Jay was moving further and further away from his protégé, but without setting him up for any real success of his own. The year 2003 would be one of the most important years in rap as we saw Jay-Z retire from rap with his swan song, “The Black Album”. Released one month after was “M.A.D.E.”, the third album from the man who would be king. This was the first truly classic Bleek album. Featuring production from Just Blaze at the height of his game (and Kanye West) and a guest list that most rappers could only dream about (Jay-Z, T.I., Nate Dogg, Trick Daddy, M.O.P., Beanie Sigel and Freeway) the album could easily have been the torch passing from teacher to student if not for being completely overshadowed by the teacher himself. Again it’s hard to understand why Jay would follow up what was clearly going to be a huge record in “The Black Album” only a month later with this Bleek release, and even though there were references to the little man taking the place of the big man, it was as overlooked as any other Bleek album simply because he had already been labeled as nothing more than a weed carrier. It did sell a record 150,000 copies in its first week but never picked up any steam with the various singles and has since been forgotten by most. This was essentially the moment when it was undeniable that Memphis Bleek would never achieve the notoriety and success he deserved.

Two years later we were given “534”, a lazy and wasted album thrown together in the midst of the Roc-A-Fella split between Jay-Z and Dame Dash. In all honesty the only good track on the entire album was actually a Jay-Z solo called “Dear Summer”. From here we’ve seen Bleek fall into obscurity and while he continues to try to push forward on his own with Get Low Records, making mixtapes and signing artists, seeing him in a Garnier commercial just about sealed the deal for him to become milk carton status in XXL.

What we can take from this man’s career is the fact that no one is good simply because they are co-signed by a legend. At the same time, a legend’s weed carrier isn’t necessarily bad, but getting out of the shadow of the legend is extremely difficult and the artist usually suffers because of it. Would Memphis Bleek have even made a splash if not for Jay-Z extensively promoting him? That’s a question we will never be able to answer but at the end of the day there is no doubt that no one will forget the young dealer on “Coming of Age” and hopefully we never forget how he grew into the beast that slaughtered “Hand it Down”. Go pick up M.A.D.E. and put yourself in that Black Album mindstate again, and enjoy one more Roc-A-Fella masterpiece, and next time you see the name Memphis Bleek on something, an album, a mixtape, a single, don’t just brush it off but instead check it out and see how some sidekicks truly can make great music.

Why Slaughterhouse is good for Hip Hop

2009-08-17T11:24:00.000-07:00

Almost a year ago rapper Joe Budden put together 4 MCs on a track called “Slaughterhouse”. The idea behind this track was to get some of the most lyrical MCs all lacing a beat with 24 bars, back to back to back to back with no hook. The result was an epic track that was nothing short of a serious lyrical exercise. From that track (minus Nino Bless) the group Slaughterhouse was born. Consisting of Joe the Jersey native, Joell Ortiz from Brooklyn, Royce Da 5’9” from Detroit and Crooked I from Long Beach, this supergroup was really the first of its kind, something that 10 years ago before the boom of the internet could never really be imagined. This was 4 MC’s from different parts of the country all coming together on a song, which then turned into a few more songs (Onslaught, Wack MC’s, Move On). The closest thing we’d ever seen to this was the Four Horsemen group a few years back consisting of Canibus, Kurupt, Killah Priest and Ras Kass. That group, while getting together for a couple tracks, never really got that stability to make an entire album. Where that group left off, Slaughterhouse picked up, completing the idea of four top notch MCs forming a Symphony-like supergroup. For a number of reasons, this formation has been a huge boost for hip hop at a time when rumbles of the “death” of rap are still being spoken by fans and artists. For months there was a buzz about this group and when the decision to make an album finally happened the buzz picked up, gaining more and more ground in the hip hop community. Would the album be a solidified classic, or would these 4 minds clash in the process of recording an entire record? Would the result be an actual group album or a bunch of thrown together verses from four different MCs? We got lucky with this one…..

This first thing this collaboration shows is how hip hop is really about peace and love and not violence. These 4 MC’s came together for the love of rap regardless of where they are from. There is no bickering about east coast/west coast and the only “battling” of sorts is really between these 4 MC’s to all top one another. In fact these dudes have openly admitted that the competition to be the best has been a part of recording which is good for everyone involved, the MCs being on their best game and the fans receiving the hottest verses these guys can come up with. We also get the sense that these MCs really like each other and really have that chemistry that you can only hope for when such great talent comes together. The Lakers of 04 looked to be the best team ever assembled on paper but on the court they couldn’t put it together, something the Slaughterhouse crew has had no problem with at all. They are essentially the Pistons of the same NBA season, as individuals they are good but as a team they are unstoppable and the sum of all the parts is what creates the greatness. While Royce is the “apparent head” of the group, no one MC has been featured more over any other MC and none of them are quick to play the leader role.

This album has the potential to bring lyricism back to the game. Not to say that we’re gonna hear “The One” in the same rotation as the names they drop in the song, but the buzz that this group has generated will at least remind hip hop fans that sometimes a hot hook is not the only thing needed for a hot track. Rather than collapse under the pressure of maintaining lyrical integrity while also making something for the radio, Slaughterhouse has created an album that plays through like any solo artist’s major label release. Shared verses, hot hooks, blazing production, all these elements have combined to make an album as opposed to a bunch of tracks with all 4 MCs on it. Most MCs of this caliber would have made an album that wouldn’t be accessible by the majority of hip hop fans. Not to say it wouldn’t have been good but with this much verbal ability usually a couple issues arise. The first is always production. Artists get so concerned with making the hottest verses that they fail to put as much time and effort into getting the best beats possible for the project and sacrifice a hot song by using a boring beat. The other flaw is typically the desire to create such incredible bars that the double entendres and punchlines are overdone and therefore aren’t noticed or aren’t understood by the majority of listeners. So for the average listener it goes way over their head and they get bored and turn it off. Neither of these flaws were apparent in an album fueled by brilliant punchlines, simple and advanced, and blazing hot production. Putting aside the greatness of the group themselves, this is a solid album.

Slaughterhouse has brought back an idea gone from rap for years now, a group. There hasn’t been a rap “group” on the edge of the mainstream in quite some time now. Little Brother is about as close as it gets to a popular rap group and even they have lived in the underground with only producer 9th Wonder (now gone from the group) getting any real type of shine. In the age where a solo artist has guests on every track, Slaughterhouse has brought back the idea that more heads are better than one and that rap superstar status is not only achieved through being a solo artist with a hit single. In fact what really makes this interesting is the fact that all 4 of these artists have tried and arguably failed at making legitimate solo careers. Crooked I has been shunned since the Death Row days, Joell Ortiz was Rakim-ed from Aftermath, Joe Budden has been the victim of industry bullshit since before he even dropped his first album and Royce has failed to ever live up to the shadow in his life that is Eminem. Rather than be bitter and die out like 99% of rappers in their situations (each of the original Four Horsemen being perfect examples) they have become stronger as a group. Hip hop’s early days saw the Treacherous Three, the Furious Five, N.W.A, Three Times Dope and Stetsasonic. The Native Tongues, Wu-Tang Clan and Naughty By Nature, as well as many others, all brought that group element to the genre and were better because of it (obviously some of these groups produced legitimate solo careers for some members but for every solo artist, the group was the origin and undeniably the reason for the solo career success). Nowadays it’s about which artist is hot, MIMS, Drake, Soulja Boy, Fabolous, Nas, Jay-Z, Kanye West, all these solo artists have created hot music but the energy rises when you have that group effort with that group dynamic and more minds than one working on a project.

Finally Slaughterhouse has given us hope for the future of hip hop. They lit a match and sparked the game back up in a time when everyone is complaining about auto-tune and skinny jeans. When the hottest tracks on the radio are nothing more than a hook with artificial singing and a lazy 2-word-a-line rap verse these four MCs have knocked down the walls of manufactured music and created a soundscape that any and all hip hop fans can appreciate. Whether you’re a backpacker who needs “Microphone” and “Lyrical Murderers” to remind you that darts are still the name of the game or a casual fan who can get into party tracks like “The One” and “Not Tonight”, the Slaughterhouse crew and their debut album gives every fan of hip hop something to bump and a reason to be happy about hip hop in 2009.

We Care Too Much

2009-08-10T07:57:00.000-07:00

By this time everyone in the hip hop community is aware of an altercation that took place this weekend between Joe Budden and Wu-Tang’s Raekwon. This history of this situation, in short is as follows: Joe says Method Man ain’t as good as Vibe ranked him, the Wu-Tang gets pissed and rallies around Meth, Deck releases a diss track, Joe says “no comment”, then proceeds to comment all over the situation, deads it with a video apologizing to Meth but leaves open the idea that he will retaliate to anyone else who wants to talk shit. Enter Saturday afternoon.

Now as one of the few hundred people who was watching Budden’s live stream I’ll be the first to say that it was clear that Raekwon meant business when he walked up in that room. It was also clear that Joe was straight up shook when Rae sat down and starting asking questions and making accusations. What happened after that is all speculation since the feed cut out but when Joe came back it was clear he had taken a shot to the eye. Joe then proceeded to call the incident a “faggot move” and has since been absent from his usual daily video blogging.

In the hip hop world, beef is as essential as beats and rhymes it seems. However what used to be lyrical beefs, two MCs battling for control of the microphone at a block party, has become two egos battling for control of the public perception and fighting to maintain their status as being “real”. And while hip hop has certainly seen its share of physical beatdowns (KRS-One catapulting PM Dawn the fuck off stage), the internet age has allowed us to see, with our own eyes, while in the confines of our safe homes, the confrontations and subsequent beat downs of these artists. There are some lessons to be learned from this incident.

1. When you talk some shit, you better be able to back it up. Joe Budden has consistently throughout his career defined himself as the anti-rapper, the MC who is “real” simply by not subscribing to the “gangsta” image of rappers so prevalent and necessary to maintaining stability. The results of this are 3,000 records sold instead of 30,000 or 300,000. You can’t blame the guy for not faking, but at the same time dude has spoken some pretty harsh words regarding many subjects and artists in the game. In fact if people reacted to “Who Killed Hip Hop” the way they reacted to “How To Rob” then every single MC, past and present, would be calling for Budden’s head. At the end of the day though most rappers have realized that what is spoken on record stays on record, although most rappers aren’t talking as much shit as Joe Budden. This guy consistently gets on his live stream and discusses his opinions of other rappers, of rap in general, and of all the bullshit surrounding the entire genre, and has openly challenged any and all rappers to come at him if they wanna battle. The problem is that his bark is much worse than his bite, and this incident proves just that.

2. Wu-Tang Clan Ain’t Nuthin’ Ta Fuck Wit. This isn’t the first time in which a Wu-Tang member has been involved in an altercation, remember years back when a journalist had his ass beat for writing a bad article? You got a group of 9 (R.I.P. Dirt) mafuckas who came in the game swingin’ and haven’t forgotten who they are. While Joe Budden is a rapper’s rapper, an aspiring MC since youth, a writer and an artist, and a huge fan in general. The Wu-Tang Clan is a collective group of mafuckas who put in their work and just happened to be sick with the mic as well. The backgrounds of Wu members differ immensely from the background of Joe Budden. Hip Hop helped Wu-Tang escape the street life, for Joe Budden hip hop is a life he chose simply because of his love for it. That means, at the end of the day, that Wu-Tang will handle shit the way they been handling it and the way they grew up handling it, which is to say they will smack a mafucka upside the head if he’s talking shit. Joe Budden will also handle shit the way he been handling shit, by making a diss track and talking all types of shit. The lesson here is “know your competition”, something Joe Budden clearly failed to do before going at an entire group of serious mafuckas.

3. We as fans have need to check ourselves. I’ll be the first to admit that watching the pot boil was exciting. Between Rae’s demeanor and Joe’s shookness, I could tell we were in for something good, but what exactly is good about one rapper smacking up another rapper? Aren’t rappers a minority anyway? Aren’t rappers always being hated on by everyone else including media, parents groups, politicians, and just about anyone who isn’t a diehard fan of the genre? Why make it worse by a)infighting when our image is already bad and b)giving those groups more fire to rage against us. Battles are the lifeblood of hip hop but it’s LYRICAL battles we are supposed to be excited about, not physical altercations that further the stereotype of “violent gangsta rap” that Bill O’Reilly gets off on reporting. This shit ain’t a reality show, it’s fucking reality, and at the end of the day the fans are too excited about seeing a mafucka get his dome split (myself included) when we should be saying “hey, chill the fuck out”.

Now as more and more facts come out (and hopefully the IceWaterTV video of the whole incident) I’m sure we will get more information regarding while this whole incident took place but between the hip hop sites and the online buzz, this altercation is getting some serious attention and many of the people involved in the discussion are placing far too much emphasis on the hilariousness of Joe Budden getting punched in the eye (@mousebuddenseye on twitter says it all). Instead of laughing at how a rapper best known for being angry and bitter while having one hit 5 years ago, let’s take two things from the situation.

1. We don’t know these mafuckas like we think we do. It’s one thing to be a fan but to these people it’s real life. If someone talks some shit about Wu-Tang, the Wu-Tang members gonna take issue and they WILL back up their words with actions. They’ve never been a “words-only” type of group and this incident proved once and for all that they are as “real” as it gets (I hate when people use that word but it fits here). We can headphone it up all day getting lost in the street tales and imagery we’re fed by the Wu but we gotta remember that a lot of what they spit is taken directly from their eyes and ears, and if we actually think about that while listening, we’ll realize that these dudes have seen some shit that none of us would ever wanna be around.

2. Shameless discussion of these incidents will only further the problem. Yes it’s funny to laugh at Joey’s eye or the authority with which Raekwon stormed up in the room and ran shit, but this is not a good look for hip hop and it isn’t good for anyone involved. Even though the Wu proved once again that they ain’t to be fucked with, and even though Joe proved once and for all that he is all talk, this could have escalated past the point of an ice water banada and a black eye and we should all be happy it ended when it did. Violence is inevitable when dealing with people who have had to resort to it in their lives, but as outsiders we shouldn’t be voyeurs to this kind of behavior and celebrate it, because none of us would want to be in that situation.

My prediction is that Joe Budden’s career is essentially over. It was bad enough when he was “that Pump It Up guy”, then he became that “angry bitter pissed off Pump It Up guy” but now he’s in the same boat as Yung Berg and Drake and The Game as nothing more than a joke, a novelty, “that rapper who got punched in the eye”. He hasn’t had a single since Pump It Up, has sold maybe 10 copies of his last 14 albums combined and recently has been known as the “Internet Blog Rapper best known for showing off his wife’s ass”. The list of labels for dude has gotten worse and worse over time. This is most likely the nail in the coffin, and we’re the ones putting it there by subscribing to the idea that rap beefs are supposed to escalate to this. Keep it real.

Reflection on Hip Hop in 2008

2008-12-30T12:19:00.000-08:00

We had quite the year in hip hop with debatable ups (Kanye's masterpiece of an album) and debatable lows (Lil' Wayne's popularity with every rap fan who considers Get Rich or Die Tryin' to be old school.....and the ones who saw the movie before knowing it was an album title as well). Critics loved and hated each, and perhaps the overall theme of the year was surprises. From Officer Ricky Ross to the election of Barack Obama, the disappointing Roots album and the exceptional T.I. album, we spent the year learning something new every day. Who knew after three mixtape from the kingpins of coke rap we would be fed a garbage album that would actually lead to the departure of one of the members (who last I checked was doing tracks with DJ Premier....did Clipse really lose?). And to top it off we had Joe Budden magnificantly head the internal investigation unit by taking 15 minutes to give a comprehensive history of hip hop and then answer the question of who killed it. If this was an album, it would be album of the year, but instead that title goes to........

Nas - Untitled

For better or worse, this year was about change. History books will most likely contain entire chapters dedicated to events that happened this year, events that a nation of people made happen. It's safe to say that many of us learned a lot this year, more than we usually learn in one year. We as a nation learned together, about race from Obama's post-"God damn America" speech, about the economy from the stock crash, and like it or not, the environment from the continuing discussions about doing more for the earth. In short we got educated this year. Nas contributed to that education. Some might call Untitled preachy, but the very idea of why it's now called Untitled is the subject to intriging discussion. Musically it provided a gateway to tomorrow's rap, a proof of growth in an industry that has long been labeled immature and simple. Mysognistic raps with a drum beat and bass line still exist, but powerful speeches with orchestral backdrops have brought us to the next level (Show BIZZZZ A.G.).

Lil Wayne rose to power and along the way appeared on every other artists records, if for nothing else to help boost sales. Remember teenagers buy the most albums, they got expendable cash for frisbees instead of taking the easier route with zshare.

On a side note...who cares about album credits anymore anyways? You got ghost producers, production "teams", and DJs who feel the need to shout out every person on the track, themselves, the producer, themselves, the engineer, themselves, every other person in the room, themselves, some random dude on the block, and themselves, ON AN ALBUM TRACK. The tradeoff for paying $5 was the DJ shouting all over the mixtape, now they got albums, no wonder no one buys CDs anymore. What a digression from Baby's baby.

In a year that saw intelligence raised up above that Republican that Tina Fey played so brilliantly, the mainstream rap scene was on the complete flip, honoring someone with questionable mental stability, tight jeans, and even a fucked up drug problem. At least cocaine makes sense. There's no denying 3 million sold and everyone killed A Milli (other than Wayne) including Chris Brown.

Speaking of A Milli, the internet gave hip hop so many more outlets and opportunities for young artists to come up (what up Sonic). Freeway is still getting Def Jam-ed so he took to the net to promote himself with 30 tracks in 30 days. Up-and-coming Wale hyped and then released The Mixtape About Nothing, all through the net. Blogs became the news source for hip hop with up-to-the-minute information about how no one on the corner has swagger like Puff. Entire beefs have started, grown, and been resolved on YouTube. Every rapper that really raps let us know and the studio MCs seemed to shy away from the "freestyle cams". Must be tough to spit on the spot, especially when your ghostwriter isn't around (where's Gillie Da Kid?). Perhaps the best consequence of the internet is Slaughterhouse, the Voltron group of Joe Budden, Royce Da 5'9'', Joell Ortiz, and Crooked I. Look at that line-up again and think about whether or that could have ever happened 15 years ago. Two tracks from this group certainly isn't enough but neither was 3 verses from 3 Stacks in 07, and we got the same from him 08.

Kanye tried something different and rather than get all into an album that's still being digested and reviewed I'll just say this.....it worked.

Looking ahead it's clear that 2009 will bring us more surprises, but hopefully also some consistently good music as there were times during 2008 when I found myself bumping some yesterday shit waiting for something hot to drop (and as usual I missed a ton of shit that I'm just discovering now that everyone has their Top 10 lists going.....how the fuck did I miss out on Elzhi's joint?). The theme for 2009 needs to be keeping an open mind. Progression is essential and even though sometimes it's not in good ways (auto-tune), it can have it's shining moments (auto-tune has many.....you know EVERY hot hook this year had that shit on it). The radio will always be the radio and the undergroud will always be the underground but when Murs gets on MTV it's a sign that people really are listening, and it's the people who ultimately will decide who stays around and who doesn't.

Plus you know it's a good year when Wu-Tang drops fire.......

Essay No. 5 - It's All How You Look At It

2007-11-19T08:48:00.000-08:00

I want everyone to take a moment and envision this picture.....

You are standing in a theater, looking at the stage where there are 10 supermodels standing in a line. Each model looks hotter than the next and you have to decide if you can work with what is in front of you. I would assume most of you would be excited and agree that you had a wonderful lineup with all top-notch options.

Now imagine that 90 average looking people are scattered throughout the lineup, now does the group look appealing? I'm assuming that even with the 10 fine-ass honeys in there that most people wouldn't take the time to find them, they would simply see the massive amount of average people and just dismiss the whole crowd.

So what is the point of all of this? What does a lineup of supermodels have to do with hip hop? Think about it this way....

Hip hop has evolved so much in the past few decades that sometimes we forget that there are still incredible artists out there offering up some incredible plates for us to feast on. These plates are just getting harder to find.

See the people that focus on the golden era forget that at that time hip hop was still a very small culture that was growing slowly. The talent pool was overflowing with nothing but quality acts. These acts made hip hop potent among its fans and poisonous among its haters. Every Tuesday that a new rap album was released it was another quality effort from a reputable group, or a new artist breaking the mold with something exciting and fresh. Along with Heavy D we had "nuttin' but love" for the music. There were no real flaws. Finding a good artist in the hip hop game was easy, the lineup was basically perfect.

Fast forward to 2007 and you have a slew of artists that are terrible. The talent isn't there, the intensity isn't there, the flow isn't there, the drive isn't there. In a lineup of today's artists it can seem almost impossible to find any real talent. This is where the metaphor from above comes in. Back in the golden era anyone walking in the room that appreciated hip hop would take one look at the scene and fall in love, just like looking at a row of 10 gorgeous models. However now one might look at the lineup, or large group, or rap acts and at first glance see nothing worth giving a second look. It is easy to dismiss hip hop now because the quality acts are few and far between. It's harder to pick out a talented group so it's easier to just walk away and dismiss them all. Plenty of people have no time look for a needle in a haystack, a diamond in the ruff, or the likes. The previously easy task of seeking out greatness has been clouded by so many useless auditions that it's better for some to just walk away and leave rap alone. But fortunately for the true fans, the good artists have that "can't leave rap alone, the game needs me" attitude.

The problem is of course that many people don't have the time to seek out those "can't leave rap alone" artists and instead they just dismiss hip hop as being "dead". Well it's not dead and with the right attitude and dedication we can bring it up to a level higher than it once was, after all the purpose of any culture is to grow and expand into something greater.

So let's all work together in sifting through the enormous group of decent artists to find that diamond in the ruff, that special artist or group that has something real to offer this culture. For example, and this is only an opinion, Kidz in The Hall are a newer group that have not gotten much press and are basically being ignored by the hip hop community. They have released an album that for anyone that listens to it, brings back that 90s vibe everyone is itching to hear again. They even revamped the Souls of Mischief classic to create "06 'Til....." and lyrically knocked out Jay-Z in a "who-works-the-sample-better" battle over what most people know as the "Show Me What You Got" beat. This is only one example of the incredible talent that is passing by many hip hop fans, or once hip hop fans who have gotten tired of seeing so much garbage in the culture.

Everybody needs to wake up and realize that there are still talented hip hop acts with a lot to offer the world, we just need to find them in the midst of all the untalented novelties that are flooding the hip hop market.

With that said I encourage everyone to seek out a group or artist that you have not heard but have heard about with positive reviews. Whether it be Kidz In The Hall, Joell Ortiz, Saigon, or any other artist you find on your own. Even newer contributions from Nas and Jay-Z are worth more than just a casual listen. Also a lot of people seem to be ignoring the artists of yesteryear dropping new soon-to-be classics (Public Enemy, Keith Murray, and Boot Camp Clik are among some of these).

Just because the game is corrupted and filled with embarrassments does not mean that hip hop is dead, it simply means that good hip hop is harder to find but with a little effort you will not be disappointed with what you discover......

Jay-Z - American Gangster.....the album of the year

2007-11-19T08:05:00.000-08:00

It's been a couple weeks now that Jay-Z's American Gangster has dropped and although I never intended for this site to be a record review site I have decided to include my review of this record. Upon first listen I knew this album would be something special but now that some time has passed I will state that this is most definitely the album of the year and it has proved once and for all that Jay-Z is the best rapper alive....

After Kingdom Come it was apparent that Jay-Z needed to make an album that would reaffirm his status in the game. In addition to poor reviews, Kingdom Come didn't really hit hard with fans, perhaps hip hop isn't ready to be that mature yet. So after a year Jay-Z comes out with one of his finest works to date. At a time when there is pressure to clean up hip hop, Jay-Z is dropping a record that throws a mean punch to the do-gooders who are trying to rectify a supposedly bad situation in the culture. American Gangster, a concept album relying heavily on content from the movie of the same name, mixes 70's soul with the newer sounds of hip hop radio. Starting with "Pray", Hov comes in hard, beat pounding, birthing himself into the Frank Lucas character. Though the first half of the album is probably weaker than the second, Jay still manages to drop knowledge on "American Dreamin'" and "No Hook". The latter being a defense of his talent to bring lyrics during a time of hatred in hip hop. The single, "Roc Boys", is an uplifting head-nod to the flashy lifestyle of the hustler, quite reminiscent of the Reasonable Doubt days. The Neptunes ad a spacey, yet strangely enjoyable track for the ladies in the form of "I Know". The track is supposed to be representation of heroin addiction and surprisingly it does just that, it becomes addicting after just a couple of listens. Along with "Party Life", Jay shows his continuing versatility to be able to make records for all audiences. After "Party Life" the album kicks into high gear. Jay makes a brilliant statement regarding the Don Imus controversy on a once throwaway track now revamped and featuring the bulldog Beanie Sigel with "Ignorant Shit". "Say Hello" is a smooth groove with some more insightful knowledge from the "bad guy". Nas adds his two cents for a bluesy look at the high life on "Success". For those who hate boastful raps, Jay does it perfectly by going above and beyond what most rappers say, not just rhyming about how rich he is, but how he doesn't even have time for all his riches ("got an apartment at the Trump, i only slept in once"). To finish he drops "Fallin", a return to boom bap with elements of the new hip hop sound that blend incredibly with Jay's warnings of the inevitability of a gangster's life. Bonus tracks include the first single "Blue Magic" and a sample-heavy, title track banger courtesy of Just Blaze. A perfect ending to a near flawless album. The only real disappointment is the out of place "Hello Brooklyn". While the beat has the ability to rattle trunks, the guest appearance by Lil' Wayne is an obvious attempt to capitalize on a questionable rapper's current appeal.

All together this album is right up there with Reasonable Doubt and The Black Album. The only record in close range of American Gangster is In My Lifetime, or possibly The Blueprint. Jay-Z will certainly silence any critics who thought he may have fallen off or perhaps matured too much for the hip hop scene. This record is a solid album that will be appreciated for years to come.

Joints for the passing listener = Fallin', Say Hello, I Know, Ignorant Shit

Essay No. 4 - What (Shit) Iz Real?

2007-10-30T06:26:00.000-07:00

What Iz Real?

The question comes up all the time in hip hop. Who and what is real? and Who and what is fake?

The answers to some are simple, if you lived it you are real, if you didn't then you are fake. But is it really important to live everything you rap about? 2Pac made his career by rapping and THEN living out the things he rapped about. N.W.A. made a career rapping about what they saw as if they were doing it, when in fact none of them were in a gang, nor did any of them kill people. Yes they may have carried guns, but they weren't drug dealers or gang members. They simply REPRESENTED what was around them, as a voice of the community. A politician who is running for office will discuss plans to eliminate problems in the city, such as crime. This politician probably didn't kill anyone so what gives him the right talk about killing people? A minister will tell his church a story about a brutal murder in order to try to get his community to stop the violence. Does that minister have to be a victim of, or a instigator of, violence in order to talk about it. Does he have to be that brutal murderer in order to tell the story of that murderer.

Chuck D (who I believe to be the realest member of the hip hop nation) said it best when he said that rap music is like the black CNN. A journalist reports the news to either a television station, newspaper, or other source, who then relays it to the public. A rap artist reports the news to a record label, who then relays it to the public. The journalists who are out reporting the news (crimes) are not the ones doing the crimes, they are simply reporting what they are seeing. Therefore the rapper that reports what he SEES, not necessarily what he DOES, is real.

What constitutues "real" is also the ability to be diverse. If you sell drugs, great, I get it. At this point I think everyone knows the process of buying and selling drugs. We all know how to cook up crack and we all know that your money goes to cars and jewelry. We also know that in the process of selling drugs sometimes you encounter violence and the gun that you keep on you at all times will add to that violence. The drug dealing rappers that only rhyme about selling drugs are the ones that don't make it. It's the people like Jay-Z who flourish because they bring other subjects to the table.

Another trait of being "real" is, as strange as it might seem, being sensitive. Let's go back to Jay-Z for a second. Look at "Regrets" and "You Must Love Me". Pretty serious stuff for someone who is supposed to be a "hardcore street rapper". The man tells it like it is, the ups AND downs. He speaks on personal matters, detailing bad decisions in his life. Nas wrote a song for his mother when she died. Again, very personal. It gives the listener a chance to connect on another level with the performer. How many people can say they connected on a personal level with Soulja Boy? How many people can say they feel his pain? The ability to share those personal life-changing experiences is what rounds out a rapper as being "real" because it takes them down off of that "holier-than-thou" pedestal.

Consistency is also "real". This comes into question with rappers who have changed their style in order to compete with the market. A perfect example of this is Lil' Wayne. Love him or hate him, he is successful. Now my question to those people who are riding his train, what do you think of "The Block Is Hot"? Haven't heard it? Didn't think so. The album is his first, from many years ago when Cash Money Records was on top of the game (and they say that southern rap is just now getting its shine). To save you the traumatic experience let me just say that the album in question sounds absolutely nothing like his current releases. Now the excuse is of course that he "grew up" and in doing so, completely changed his style. My question is what was wrong with his original style. What was wrong with what he was doing about 6 years ago? Did it not sell records? Oh ok, it's about album sales, I get it now. Now I can already hear the retaliation...Gang Starr changed after album one, Tribe changed after album one. They didn't change, they grew. They didn't completely change what they did, they simply added on to it to create a better sound. Dr. Dre didn't change his style from N.W.A to The Chronic. He grew on what he was already doing and made it better. He didn't change it. Lil' Wayne changed how he rapped, changed his image, and now presents himself in a completely different manner than he did with his debut release. I question his realness.

So what rappers are "real"? Personally I believe that Chuck D is the realest person in the culture. He has never changed what he believed, changed his stance, altered his methods to reach a bigger audience. He makes records and even if the sound changes over time, the message and the intensity is there each and every time. He knows who he is in hip hop and he continues to be that person even though Public Enemy hasn't had a national success since 1998. He doesn't care because he is still making the music that he believes in. In the same breath is Jay-Z. He is real because he is a businessman and he has never strayed from that belief. Jay-Z has said that he didn't see himself having a career in rap because it came too easy to him and his mother always told him you have to work hard to succeed. He rapped because he was good at it and he made records as a way to make money. He has always stood by the fact that he is a businessman and he does what he has to do to make money. Fuck Cassidy, Jay-Z is a hustler. He knows how to make money. He is also real in that he may be a businessman but he represents what he is, not what people want him to be. How come he hasn't dropped an album like Reasonable Doubt again? Because his life is completely different now than it was back then. He's not a drug dealer, he's a CEO. He makes CEO rap. He makes rap that represents his age and place in life. So does Nas.

Rappers that aren't real? Well that list is a mile long and a huge argument so I won't list names but I will say this....

If you are worried about being "real", then you probably aren't. If you tell me, as a rapper, that you "keep it real", then you don't. And for fans, if you think realness is defined by a criminal record then you are wrong. Realness is defined by staying true to yourself and rhyming about what impacts your life. Whether it impacts your life from a direct personal involvment, or from outside looking in, the perspective is all the same as long as you give YOUR account, not what you think will sound cool. What would you think about Nas rhyming about going to a country hoedown and riding a bull in a sports bar? You'd call him crazy. By the same token I don't want to hear a redneck from Texas, while wearing a confederate belt buckle, rhyming about selling crack in the streets. But I would listen to that same redneck rhyme about his experiences at the bar riding the mechanical bull because at least it would be real, and original.

What about those gimmick rappers? or concept albums? Well gimmick rappers are just that, gimmick rappers. Insane Clown Posse might be great at what they do but they are not to be taken seriously. By the same token, concept albums are just that, concept albums. The rapper is typically playing a character and then encompasses that character for the album, like Kool Keith or recently MF Grimm. Is there anything "real" to playing a fake character? Yes, the realness is the dedication to the idea, and the ability to relay that idea while letting the listener know that this is a STORY. No one ever complained that Al Pacino wasn't a real cocaine dealer. He also never said he was a cocaine dealer, it was understood that he was playing a role. Just like a rapper announces that in a concept album, he is taking a role, and just like the movies, if the rapper sells the role well then the audience will enjoy it.

So in closing I'd like to explain why you should even read my judgments on realness. It's because I am real. My position in hip hop is real. I have never faked anything, represented myself incorrectly, or tried to be something I am not. I speak a lot on hip hop because I have a great deal of knowledge on the subject. I write rhymes that relate to what I have seen or done, or what I believe. I speak, act, and dress in a natural way. I present myself as the person I am, not the person I want to be or am trying to be.

I AM WHO I AM AND THAT IS WHAT MAKES A PERSON REAL.

Essay No. 3 - Hip Hop As A Teenager

2007-10-12T14:22:00.000-07:00

I would like to stray from the constant hate that hip hop is getting these days and focus on the some of the reasons why it might be looked at in such a bad way. I myself have helped spread the hate while i'm listening to The Sun Rises in the East wondering, like many of you, "what happened and why does everything suck now?". I touched on the subject last time by describing the franchise of hip hop. I would like to pose a different theory this time and see what type of reaction this one gets. After this i will tackle an entirely new topic in the hip hop world rather than continuing to focus on where hip hop was versus where it is.

Hip Hop is a teenager.

Now what exactly does that statement mean? We all know hip hop is pushing 30 years old so how can it be considered a teenager? Well time periods don't age at the same rate as people. This is a culture we are talking about, a large group of people and ideas and traditions. These things take time to get into place and therefore at 30 years old hip hop can definatley be acting as though it is a teenager and I believe it is.

In order to explain it's teenage status we must first look at its childhood years and then that will lead us up to it's current young adult status. Since we all know where and when hip hop started i won't rehash information everyone already knows but instead i will focus on its life as a child. I will refer to the child as "it" for two reasons. The first being not to place a gender on hip hop and the second reason being of course that hip hop is not male or female and therefore the only other appropriate pronoun in this sense would be "it". When a child is young it has no cares and worries. It does not stress over things, it simply lives as it wants to live (aside of course from some parental rules) but it does not have humiliation. The child is rarely embarassed and does what it wants to do, regardless of what anyone else thinks. We laugh at children for their strange activities and while they may notice our laughter they typically continue the activity if it makes them happy and it doesn't bother us. This is parallel with the hip hop of earlier times. You had everyone doing their own thing, from pimps to prophets, boastful to concious, partiers to fighters. You would see them all together, happy to be around one another, all while doing completely different things in completely different ways but with the same goal, to make good hip hop music. While there were beefs, those beefs never left the playground and at the end of the day everyone was friends again (who just did an album together?...hint...bronx meets queens). To clarify, it is not that the Real Roxanne and Shante were chillin on the stoop together or out together getting drinks at night but at your average block party MC's would battle, i mean really chew each other out, then eat together at the same table once the food was ready. Kids at recess might get into a fight but back in class everything was always fine, or maybe the next day shit was back to normal. That's how young kids act, they don't take anything too seriously because they know at the end of the day they are all in it together. They all gotta take that history test together and they all gotta get the same minimum grade to pass. Biz Markie never gave a fuck what people thought of his crazy style. X-Clan preached quite seriously while wearing the most African of outfits. Run-DMC, on the other hand, wore Adidas and partied hard. It was a time of discovery, everybody was learning about everyone else's uniqueness and style, just like you learn about your classmates throughout grade school. But then as all kids do, hip hop grew up, and around 97 it hit the pre-teen years and about the turn of the millenium it became a teenager.

So why is hip hop a teenager today? Well let's first look at the attitude. What is the attitude of most teenagers? That they are better than everyone else and that they know everything there is to know. Their biggest concerns are what clothes they wear, how their friends perceive them, and where they are going to party that night. Everything else is meaningless to them. They don't have any real direction, or focus. They just wanna live and be left alone to do their thing, however they want to do it. You can't tell a teenager how things are because they don't wanna hear it. You try to teach them and they don't care. Teenagers are also notorious for following whatever trend is popular at the time. Right now male teens are growing their hair out longer than they used to. Back when I was in high school the thing to do was to have short hair, now the thing to do is to have long hair. Everyone of them follows, for the most part, the same trend. If Abercrombie & Fitch is the popular brand then they all wear it. If Polo becomes "cooler" than they all wear it. How many teens did you see rocking a pink polo after Kanye dropped College Dropout in 2004? Teens follow trends, unlike young children who, when asked to pick out their own clothes, end up with a completely mismatched outfit that to them looks cool. I have a few nephews and recently their grandmother let them decide what they wanted for lunch. One of them decided to have a bowl of Rice Krispes topped with peanut butter. Now most of us would think that is crazy, but he loved it and i think we can all agree it was certainly an original meal. But you ask a high school kid what he wants to drink and it's all red bull and other energy drinks. Why? Mountain Dew has close to the same amount of sugar and caffeine, yet since all the other kids drink energy drinks then that is what your typical answer will be from a teenager. Let's look at hip hop in that sense. Record labels are looking for certain types of talent, a certain look, a certain sound. If you sound LIKE what they want to hear then you will get signed. This is why when a trend catches on it just blows up and artists mimicking it come out of everywhere. We had a few southern artists back in hip hop's childhood years. Most popular were Scarface and Outkast. I think we can all agree both Scarface and Outkast had very individual styles copied not only by no one else in their region but no one else in hip hop in general. Now you get Mike Jones putting out a record and Paul Wall does the same thing, followed by all their affiliates doing same-style records. Once a style catches on everybody has to follow it. What's sad is that some of the real rappers are accepting it and buying into it. Now Jay-Z did a track with Rick Ross and dropped the southern flow. Some argue that was genius that he proved he could do it, others might say it proves that originality is dead in hip hop (there's your Nas album). Jadakiss dropped a "south paw" punchline and while it was humorous, I ask the question - Why should people switch their style up? Recently 50 Cent and Kanye went head-to-head in a record sales battle and Kanye West came out on top. However my ears are hearing that the streets feel the 50 Cent album a whole lot more than Kanye's. Now the argument can certainly be made that 50's album has much more of a "street" sound than Kanye but still, wasn't it the same streets that was bumping "Award Tour"? That ain't the most "hardcore" record. Kanye's album, whether liked or hated, is an absolutely original and unique sounding record. It does not follow a formula, it takes chances. 50's album, whether liked or hated, follow a formula for modern day street rap, it's "safe" to market to the audience it is targeting. So even the streets seem to be a part of hip hop's teenage years by only wanting to hear what already exists. The arrogance also follows the teenage attitude with how everybody is really just rapping about what makes them great. They got big cars, big jewelry, everything is BIG BIG BIG. They all drive the most expensive cars and wear the most expensive clothing. Rappers will floss on their first single, da fuck is that? How you gonna tell me you're this incredibly sick rapper that's mad rich when i don't even know who you are? You gotta pay dues, everyone knows that. These rappers don't pay dues, they get signed based off of a nice hook and then get handed all this money. By the way, don't be fooled into thinking any of that stuff you see in the videos is actually theirs, it is all rented, in fact there is a huge business in renting out nice cars for music videos. These rappers have no sense of respect for the culture as they blatently exploit it before they even make a first album. Teenagers will spend their whole paycheck on something that is way beyond their living means just as rappers live beyond their means without realizing that at any moment that money could be cut off and now they are back on the street.

So my solution is that hip hop needs to grow up. Now this is where the mystery comes in. In some cases a person can tell what their teenager is going to grow up in to but in a lot of cases you can't. You see them graduate high school and either go to college or enter the work force and these days they change careers many times before truly settling in. It's hard to tell when a teenager will mature or what process it will go through to get there. Therefore I am saying that time will work itself out, hopefully, and hip hop as a culture and a movement will grow and mature. At this point we will again be happy with where it is. However the counterargument for that is that hip hop has always been a youth oriented entity and therefore it will always be dumbed down because the people who come into it now are young kids who want the teenage crap.

Either way, right now hip hop is an arrogant, ignorant, rude teenager. And what do you do with an arrogant, ignorant and rude teenager dissuade their behavior? You ignore them because without attention they don't act up. The good teenagers don't demand attention because they know they are doing good and they just keep doing it. The bad teenagers demand attention and act out to get it, hence the commercial rappers we all love to hate. Instead of spreading the hate, ignore them and they won't act out as much, they will instead look for love instead of just trying to spark controversy.

Essay No. 2 - Hip Hop Franchised Itself

2007-10-09T12:07:00.000-07:00

I would like to continue upon my first essay regarding the state of hip hop and people "wanting 94 back" as I put it. I hope to continue to write these essays at least once a week to discuss some thoughts on hip hop, past present and future.

This week's essay deals with a concept I feel might be able to explain why the hip hop market is flooded with sub-par music while the classics are few and far between these days.

I believe hip hop has franchised itself.

In explaining this concept I would like to go back to the 80s when hip hop was still young and fresh (I know it didn't start in the 80s but the MC became large in the 80s and that is mostly what this discussion revolves around). During the 80s hip hop had still not reached a mainstream audience and had not yet become a marketing tool for record labels to exploit. Major labels were not yet putting out the "next rap superstar". Basically the people who released hip hop were the artists themselves, or labels run by people who were in the hip hop community. Every rapper seemed to have a friend that was somewhat business minded. Your labels came about by people who loved the music and wanted the world to hear it. Best example of that is Russell Simmons. Not only the brother of Run, he was someone who truly loved what hip hop stood for. He was at the shows soaking up the environment of hip hop. He started a record label to promote the music and the scene that he loved.

I will divert from this for a second and come back to it after making another point. During this time originality was the biggest quality that made an MC great. You had to have an original style and flow to make it. Never did you hear someone say "dude sounds like KRS-One" as a positive statement. If you sounded like someone else you were a biter and your career was over. I'm sure there were plenty of artists who followed the formula of someone else but we don't know them because they never made it.

So originality is key. But there were other ways to get put on. Affiliates were being brought up by more well known artists. You had Q-Tip on Jungle Brothers and De La records. O.C. was heard on Fudge Pudge. Most famously, Nas debuted on a Main Source track. Knowing someone in the music who felt your shit was a great way to get into the industry because they would give you a guest verse on a track in the hopes that you would shine (uh, yeah i'd say Nas did aight on Live at the BBQ) and in turn get a deal and become big.

Now what does all this have to do with "franchising" hip hop?

Go back to the idea that the people who ran the labels, promoted the albums, "scouted" the artists and put them all. These people were all hip hop fans before they were business men. They grew up experiencing the creation and growth of early hip hop. They were there when Kool Herc was rocking parties. They went to the Kurtis Blow shows. They saw first hand what hip hop was doing to the people, mostly uniting them and giving them a place to express their opinion in a crowd who appreciated what the MC was saying. These were the people who decided if you were good enough for a record or not, and it's safe to say their opinions held some water based on their personal experiences of the scene.

I know a lot of people say that back in the 80s/early 90s that hip hop was all good and that every MC that dropped was nice, there was no bullshit, no "filler". I believe the reason for this was that because hip hop was so new and it was hard to convince anyone, especially white america, that it was worth listening to, so if you sucked you weren't getting put on. New York and L.A. ran hip hop. 99% of hip hop was coming out of these 2 areas in the early days. If you sucked, no one was gonna sign you and put out your record. You simply sucked. If you sounded like the next dude, no one was gonna sign you and put out your record. The labels were looking for someone original. Biz Markie, Native Tongues, Rakim, EPMD, Boogie Down Productions, Public Enemy, Whodini, Kool Moe Dee, Poor Righteous Teachers, Digable Planets...all these artists/groups were original and therefore made it because it was all hip hop but it was all different so everyone could relate to at least one.

Now of course you have shitty artists sounding just like the next dude. I could listen to Rich Boy, MIMS, and Baby Boy Da Prince all in a row and other than already knowing based on the singles, i could never tell the difference. The problem is that record labels instead of saying "what can you bring to hip hop that is new and original?" they are saying "who do you sound like so we can market you right?". I won't even get into lyricism, just sound itself. The more you sound like the next dude the better your chances are of making it today.

Also rap labels are no longer run by people in hip hop. They are run by business men in suits, some of whom have never even heard a Rakim record i'm sure. They know what sells and they know how to sell it and that is the bottom line. They don't necessarily want the audience to hear something GOOD, they just want them to hear something catchy and easily marketable.

This brings me to the franchise argument. When a company franchises itself it allows other people to purcahse factions of it's original label and market it on their own. Many rules are in tact, however the owner of the franchise is allowed to make their own decisons, hire their own employees, and follow some of their own practices. This is what hip hop has done. Back in the 80s you couldn't get a record out unless someone in hip hop said you could. You weren't on the radio unless a DJ played your shit, a DJ being someone who was close to hip hop and its artists and most importantly its CULTURE. Nowadays the label will "sell" your shit to the radio stations and arrange a deal for how many times it gets played an hour/day/week. By the way, the guy "selling" your song to the radio stations is probably a dude in a $1000 suit, sitting behind a huge desk, bumping Nickelback in his iPod. Back then it was Russell Simmons up in the studio saying "play my artist's shit, it's fucking hot". Rap has grown and branched out in so many ways that the originators are no longer in control of what makes it and what doesn't. Is this a bad thing? Yes and no. It's good because obviously a few people can't hear everything and different sounds make different people feel good. However it is bad for some reasons.

You have an artist like Nelly. Now i'm biased and will say he sucks. I'm only using him as an example however so feel free to put in your own artist to this equation. Now back in the days i would like to think that Nelly would not have made it. Maybe he would, maybe not, like I said put in your own artist here to make this work. So Nelly makes it, perhaps the "old school" way by being original but I'm sure there were plenty of original artists who never made it because they sucked and therefore didn't get put on or make their own label since it was an expensive venture. Anyways, Nelly makes it. Big rap artist, label finds a good single they can market and he explodes. Little kids who have no real rap knowledge love it, intelligent people think he's wack. But big business suit label guy wants to put out Nelly. Nelly now has money and wants to put his dudes on, the St. Lunatics. They release a single that creates a buzz (Here We Come). That leads to an album. Now we have 2 medicore hip hop releases. Next Nelly decides that all his friends are good enough for solo albums (Murphy Lee, Ali, probably the other dude). Now we got 5 rap albums which are better served as weed plates. All this based on 1 artist who came to be because some business suit thought it would sell. This business suit had a franchise in hip hop, his own part of hip hop that he could sell and market and he hired his own employees (Nelly and St. Lunatics) and set up shop with his business. Many patronized it and some came back for more.

Everyone has their own label now, most under major labels. But still they sign their own artists and put out all this crap material. This wouldn't happen if hip hop was where it was in 87 when the people who ran it made all the decisions and kept the crap in the dumpster. Now anyone can put out a rap album and therefore the market is flooded with garbage.

So to those who think that hip hop should be back where it was, or miss the old times, it is because of the growth and worldwide exposure and popularity that hip hop has become what it is. When a culture or an idea manifests, the beginning is always the best because it is the people who believe in the cause that are promoting it and the amount of material is limited to those originators. Once it becomes popular it becomes infected with people who have the wrong motivation, or simply just don't get it. Now usually this is a result of growth. Growth is good but it can also be bad. Hip Hop got too big for itself and therefore started franchising itself out because it couldn't handle finding the best southern artists and putting them on, or the best midwest artists and putting them on. Shit hip hop can't even weed out all the shitty New York artists and just keep the good ones. Too many people have a hand in hip hop now because it franchised itself out to too many people. It's like having five 7-11's on one block, it's too much to support all the patrons, you only need two stores that have everything instead of five stores that have varied products.

I understand that it is a good thing to see people succeed in hip hop and I'm not saying that nothing new should be released. I'm saying people need to be original and the labels need someone who knows hip hop to say "look this sucks, don't poison the young minds with this garbage, give them someone good".

I can't offer a solution because what is done is done. I'm just reflecting on why these things have happened and trying to offer an explanation for those upset with what hip hop is going through.

Thank you for reading, I don't have a topic yet for next week as these things usually come to me the night before I write them but if anyone is interested in discussing this more I greatly accept all comments on this theory.

Again thank you very much,

C-Dub

Essay No. 1 - It's Time To Move On - A Statement on the Current State of Hip Hop

2007-10-09T11:53:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Hip Hop Essays.

This site will feature weekly writings on hip hop: past, present, and future. It will take an extensive look at the culture and history along with presenting ideas and thoughts about where hip hop has gone and how it got there. I will start with by addressing a common theme I continue to see throughout the hip hop community and that is the theme that hip hop should go back to the way it was in the 80s/early 90s. People think it sucks now and they wish it was the way it used to be. To those people I would like to say this ---

IT AIN'T '94 NO MORE!

Look I love hip hop as much as the next person, in fact more than most. I, like most, also feel as though hip hop has never been the same as it was in the early 90s. With that said, I think we all need to move on and stop focusing on this fact.

Hip hop will never be the same as it was back then. For starters it wasn't mainstream back then. Yes you had artists like Dre and Snoop, Biggie and Nas, who were commercially successful, but it wasn't mainstream in society in general. Nowadays hip hop is everywhere and it is being spoofed more than any other stereotype. How many TV commercials have hip hop in them (as far as clothing, speech)? How many movies have that hip hop style white boy character (Can't Hardly Wait really started this)? How many people in mainstream society use hip hop terms (bling bling, ice, holla)? I mean shit even Hillary Clinton used the word "diss" when talking about George Bush's stance on social security. Hip Hop is the most popular form of music and also the most popular form of satire. Every time i turn around I see some character in the media that is a spoof on the hip hop stereotype. White people saying "yo yo" and wearing "hip hop" clothing is everywhere. Shit they even have "hip hop" dance classes for little girls.

Back in this "golden age" of hip hop, society was not hanging on every move that these rap artists made. Singles weren't mass produced for millions of people. The grunge movement was still big and hip hop was confined to a select few who chose to appreciate it. Adults did not know hip hop and wanted nothing to do with it. Now they not only know about it but they make fun of it by referencing certain aspects of it (mainly the clothing and the speech). When I was in second grade I can remember wearing my pants low and my teachers asking me if I didn't have a belt. They were confused as to why I would want to wear my pants low. They thought maybe the pants were tight around my waist, or maybe the pants were too big. Basically they didn't understand the style because they had never seen it. They questioned my Naughty Gear sweatshirt (remember that insert from 19 Naughty 3, i didn't have the bedsheets but damn did I give those mafuckas a lot of lucci). As I grew up and hip hop became part of mainstream society the comments went from "why are you wearing your pants low" to "pull up your damn pants, you kids these days......". That is a perfect example of hip hop's progression through the 90s.

The music and the artists were different back then because even the biggest rappers (again Dre and Snoop) were still somewhat underground. They may have had a top 10 hit but no one like Newsweek or 60 Minutes was interviewing them. They didn't have articles in the New York Times or reality shows based on their life. There was no one tracking their every move and there wasn't a legion of suburban white kids with their parents never-ending money supply buying every possible thing related to their favorite rap artist. You were lucky if you got a 2 page poster of your favorite rap artist in Word Up!

Also the coverage that hip hop was getting was almost solely by people who loved hip hop and who were involved in hip hop themselves. The writers reviewing the material and deciding what was classic were people who had been listening to Rakim and Public Enemy all along. They remember Eazy-E before N.W.A. They remember the impact that The Message had on communities of people. Now most people reviewing rap are shirt-and-tie upper-middle class reporters who go from reviewing Common's album to reviewing the newest Nickelback record. They give the "big" stories on hip hop to people who have never even heard an Ice Cube record other than "Put Ya Back Into It". Therefore the entire world of hip hop is twisted.

Think about this, when Lord Finesse entered a studio no one paid attention. No one documented his time inside and no one followed him when he left. He didn't get stopped by hundreds of people in the mall asking for his autograph, wanting pictures, introducing their parents to him. He never got a call from MTV asking him to perform on the music awards, get interviewed by Serena Altschul, and then do an appearence on TRL the next Monday. He didn't get asked by Pepsi to be in an ad that exploited his image as a "rap superstar" by making him wear fur coats while pouring champagne on hot scantily clad black chicks. There was no Yahoo or Google that would have a front page featuring his picture with links to download songs. Record stores didn't have HUGE posterboards advertising his HUGE release featuring the RADIO SMASH SINGLE. He just made his albums, pleased his fans, and did it again a year or two later. The hype was there but only throughout the hip hop community, which was very small at the time.

Does anyone remember when the hip hop bin at your record store was like 2 rows? Now it's an entire aisle. I remember going in once a month and buying the maybe 3 new hip hop tapes that dropped. Now there are at least 6 hip hop albums released every week with maybe 1 a month being worth the listen. The reason why we are all so disgusted and wish it was 94 again is because back then you could almost guarantee that any hip hop album you bought was going to be sick. Now there is so much crap that you have to weed it out and find the good stuff instead of just taking a chance on that Little Indian record knowing that it was probably gonna be hot. There is also the point that singles used to be something exciting to grab because of the remixes and bonus tracks but we won't get into that here. Basically the record industry did away with singles because it was no longer worth charging $2.99 for something that you could get on the album 2 weeks later.

Anticipation, artwork, originality....all these things are lost, they may not be gone completely, but they are certainly scarce, an endangered species if anything.

In conclusion I would like to say that I still love hip hop, today and yesterday. I got the new Kanye record bumping nonstop for like 3 weeks now in my whip. But right next to that i got the D.I.T.C. record and when I'm feeling real nice I bump Taste of Chocolate (Put Ya Weight On It is easily my favorite Kane track next to Young, Gifted, and Black). The music is still there but it's classic to me. The way Led Zeppelin can be played at the highest volume with everyone around knowing that we will never hear rock music like that again, but we can still enjoy those legendary cuts. I LOVE hip hop and my love of this music will never die. It keeps building as great albums keep coming out. I just have to realize, like everyone else, that what was then is no longer but the memories will always be there. Even though a lot of great records are out of print we have access to them through the internet and the few mom-and-pop record stores that haven't gone bankrupt yet. We can always keep the spirit of hip hop alive through both new releases and the classics. We just have to remember that a classic is just that, a classic, "a work that is honored in its definitive field", as defined by the dictionary. Another defintion being "something noteworthy of its kind and worth remembering". We can hold these classics up high and praise the legacy that they leave. Then we must move on and dig through the new release crates for more classics as they come to us, maybe few and far between but with the amount of rap records that get released these days it is much harder to find those classic albums.

Thank you all for your time and I hope you enjoyed reading this piece. I encourage comments but please let's keep it a mature discussion as opposed to a sling of shit throwing.