Put Your W's Up!

One of my favorite debates when it comes to hip-hop music is who is the best hip-hop group of all time. Despite the huge numbers of talented ensembles to choose from my conversation generally boils down to just two: Outkast or the Wu Tang Clan. Of course, I always say, choosing between these two is like choosing between apples and oranges. You got the southern duo with the eccentric Andre and smooth Big Boi on the one hand and on the other you have the almighty conglomerate known as the Wu-Tang Clan with their no holds barred lyricism that is often introduced with some snippet from a kung fu movie. But for the debates sake, I never let reasoning get in the way of making a decision, and I always declare that the Wu has the number one spot. 

It is important to note that this doesn't take anything away from Outkast. Bombs Over Baghdad is still ahead of its time. But a collection of talent that is compiled within the group of the Wu-Tang Clan is so astounding that they have not only produced great albums as a group, but the solo projects that have spun off have been equally as rewarding with Raekwon's Only Built for Cuban Linx II being the latest example. 

But perhaps the greatest example of Wu-Tang's greatness is their latest album titled Chamber Music which isn't even technically a Wu-Tang album considering that three members are missing. Despite this, it was one of the best hip-hop albums of 2009 and since it was not an official Wu-Tang album it has not received the attention it deserves. 

What one finds in Chamber Music is RZA at his best with production that puts Wu-Tang's already dramatic lyrical story-telling against a live band sound. The album is an unofficial tribute to their legacy and shows that a combination of RZA production with even a less than full Wu Tang roster makes for a better product than most conglomerates could ever dream to put out. 

Harbor Master- Wu Tang Clan

Wu Tang Clan Chamber Music

The Mixtape

One of the greatest gifts hip-hop has given to the world is the popularization of free music, mostly in the form of the infamous mixtape. Honestly, it's one of my favorite things in this world and it lends itself perfectly to the hip-hop genre. Not only does it provide me with a guilt-less form of music to download but mixtapes are also often legit as artists are often set free from the shackles of the music industry and just put their lyrical virtuosity on display over some of their favorite beats. Forget the expensive production, forget getting a big name pop star for the hook, it's all about creating clever rhymes for a solid 10-20 tracks. Some artists are even better on their mixtape than album as Jay-Z hinted at when he referred to the 'Mixtape Weezy'. By the way, Wayne just justified this with his ballistic No Ceilings tape. LAWD have mercy!

Lil' Wayne- Swag Surfin' 

Now a mixtape can provide two basic functions. It can provide a vessel for an established artist to show he's still got it on a nasty-'Eat rappers and go in my yard and bury the bones'-lyrical level like Wayne did with No Ceilings but the mixtape is mainly for the young artists and it can be a powerful tool, as 50 Cent proved. Young artists can use the mixtape as a vessel of introduction for the listening public so that by the time an actual album comes out the artists barely even qualifies as 'new'. The best example of this is Drake as his So Far Gone mixtape made him into an overnight star and was more popular than most artists albums. And did I mention it was all free! 

But lately I've been listening to a couple tapes. As B.O.B. prepares to release his first album he also plans to release his mixtape titled May 25th which answers the question of when B.O.B.'s first album comes out. 

B.o.B. - The Biz

Cam'ron also released a tape titled Boss of All Bosses 2 which is pretty mediocre, but hey no need to feel like anything was wasted after all it was free. And it did provide me with this awe-inspiring Introductory track with the gem of 'Your money short like the shorts on Stockton'. 

Cam'ron- Intro

Now what would a mixtape be without the obligatory DJ shouts/bombs/gunshots/screams and poorly photoshopped cover? I wouldn't want to know what that would be, but it wouldn't be a mixtape. Luckily Cam's tape has both as the cover features a neckless Cam'Ron with a white man hand and DJ Drama yelling 'Let's go Avatar on these ni**as!' one song in. Yes!

Don't Sleep!

(R.I.P. Tiger Stadium)

Every time my father and I discuss music, which is very seldom, there are two sure topics that are supposed to arrive. The first is always that there is no longer any universally accepted 'great' band that dominates the musical landscape thanks to the rise of the digitalization of music and the last is always a discussion about how he doesn't understand why I love hip-hop music. 

I have learned to ignore the latter for the sake of family unity and address the former by stating that the digitalization of the music world has created positive change as well as negative. While there aren't the handful of dominant and universally appealing musicians or bands like my father experienced there is a much wider array of musicians thanks to the increased outlet that has occurred because of the internet. While it's certainly true that artists don't make as much money thanks to the dramatic decrease in album sales, the independent music industry is booming artistically as innumerable amount of artist are granted a previously non-existent outlet. 

As a result, every year there are probably hundreds (perhaps thousands!) of great albums that you don't hear. You can file the latest album from Motor City's own Finale, titled A Pipe Dream and a Promise, as it is one of the great hip-hop albums this year that few will here. My love for this album goes beyond the Detroit artist stannery I have exhibited from time to time. It is a legit great album from someone who left college early to be an automotive engineer for the Big Three and how Detroit is that. His music also mirrors the city as he has managed to create greatness with a workman like approach for his debut album that has not garnished widespread fanfare. 

Finale- What You Mean To Me

Finale- Heat

Finale A Pipe Dream And A Promise

D'Evils

A strange thing has happened these last couple of days as I have been listening a lot to Tupac's masterful Makaveli: The Don Killuminati 7-Day Theory. Released shortly after his death, the inspiration from this album was founded when Tupac read Makaveli's 'The Prince' in prison. The album, one of Tupac's most politically energized works, is often interpreted to speak directly against the Illuminati secret occult society that seeks to control the world and maintain that control through subliminal messages (more or less). A stretch I know, but I can dig because Tupac wasn't really concerned with said secret society but instead the crippling forces such as racism that destroyed his community. Or maybe the whole Biggie Tupac beef was really created by the Illuminati because they know Pac had figured them out! 

Tupac- Krazy

Now I thought after listening to Tupac for a while and glancing over 'The Prince' my foray into hip-hop and the occult had finished. But then Jay-Z released his music video for 'On To The Next One' and it has conspiracy theorists up in arms. 

Now I thought the video was a little strange, but overall it was interesting. But people are taking this thing seriously claiming that the video is evidence that Jay-Z is Illuminati himself and that Satan's takeover is quickly approaching. There is even discussion that Heath Ledger's death was ritual sacrifice. No joke. Check it.  

Now I'm all for a good conspiracy theory or two. I'm also all for the proletariat rising against the bourgeoise type thing. But like most conspiracy theories this one takes a few weak instances that resemble evidence and use it to support a theory that ends with Satan walking the earth. Just pump those brakes for a second. So what you're telling me is that because of this four minute video and a hand full of split second images it is definitive proof that Jay-Z is a member of a secret Satanic cult that controls everything (assuming such a cult even exists) and that he is just trying to indoctrinate the world and prepare the Earth for the time when Satan arrives? And you want me to buy this!? 

My whole problem with this is its total reliance on the interpretation of symbols. For instance, when I see the image of two bullets next to a crucifix I am not tempted to think Jay-Z is a Satanist, I instead think of how divisive Christianity often is and how religion is often the source of some of the most ugly violence our world has ever seen (see the Crusades and Europe for most of its history). Who's to say I'm not right? No one, because it's an interpretation not a fact. On to the next one!

The Warm Up

Hip-hop, and music in general, has changed a lot the past decade. The obvious change is in the sharp decline in album sales making the relationship between musicians and label companies all the more tenuous. Unfortunately with music becoming less profitable many rappers turn to other means to meet their ends like Clipse with Play Clothes and all the rapper turned actors. But let's stray from that talk. After all, Wale made a pretty encompassing song about the modern album sales conundrum. 

What's just as interesting these days is that a lot of the rappers that defined hip-hop's golden era are either approaching (or past) 40 and are making less or no music and have turned to other interests (I'm looking at you Ice Cube.) 

Not that I'm blaming those artists whatsoever as most of those people have families and lead much different lives, but it has put hip-hop into an interesting transitional period it hasn't really encountered. As a result of this defining generation starting it's ride off into the sunset everyone is starting to look for the best of the young kids coming up and what has resulted is a mess of buzz that has anointed about 50 young rappers the next (fill in favorite rapper here). 

The latest young kid that many have invested in is J. Cole, with his biggest investor being Jay-Z who signed him to a deal to his Roc Nation label. That buzz coupled with a supreme mixtape that dropped this summer titled The Warm Up has this kid looking like one of the new stars Hov spoke of in the song that featured the young prodigy himself. This shows probably the best change hip-hop has seen industry wise this past decade. It has gone from a genre shut out by much of the music industry to one in which those that were once shut out now control a part of that industry making it so much easier for young artists to gain a foothold. 

In the words of J. Cole himself, 'Applaud Hov, he gave 'em the platform'. 

J. Cole- Lights Please

J. Cole The Warm Up