HI-TECH SOUL

Kendrick Lamar

2011-11-22T09:18:00.000-08:00

In case you haven't heard, Kendrick Lamar can rap like there's no tomorrow. In the span of one year he's gone from a blip on my personal musical radar to a staple of my existence. And what has earned him this unbelievably esteemed position is really two things. First, he perfectly paints broad societal and generational critiques with seemingly minimal detail. Secondly, I think if I were talented enough to be a rapper, I would be like Kendrick Lamar. Broadly scoped songs with a persona that appears detached and calm.

Anyways check out 'Ignorance Is Bliss' which is a phenomenal video portraying Kendrick's going from the grave of his friend to exact revenge with perfect Malcolm X sample at the end. And 'A.D.H.D.' is possibly my favorite song of this year with Section80 being one of my favorite albums of the year.

Drake's 'Take Care' and the Hype Machine

2011-11-15T09:20:00.000-08:00

Drake's sophomore album Take Care has been released and overall the reviews have been pretty positive from all sorts of publications. Pitchfork included in it's completely meaningless 'Best New Music' album category, Rolling Stone gave it 4 out of 5 stars, XXL Magazine gave it an XL (also known as 4 out of 5 stars, get a real rating system XXL). Overall, but particularly from publications that are not exclusively about hip-hop, the reviews have been real solid. But I'm not sold.

Hip-hop has long been a genre focused on boasting, a form of lyrical competition. With its foundation rooted in taking old records and cutting them up to create a backdrop for that lyrical virtuosity, it has been a unique genre that has been famous for its lack of musicality in the traditional sense. To this day, you will find a large population that believes that hip-hop is not music because it lacks the traditional markers of the art form; there often is no melody, no instruments, just lyrics and countless variations of lyrical styling. Of course the beat played an important role, but it is usually supplementary to the lyrics where the artist's expression created the listeners impression.

However, this has started to change and it began in earnest with Kanye West's 808's and Heartbreak. It was one of the first albums where lyricism took a backstage to musicality and was able to pull it off to some degree. I distinctly remember upon first listening to the album thinking that I hadn't heard an album where the lyrics in itself weren't so much descriptive but instead were simply a part of the overall mood that was set up by the production. The overall mood, of course, was one that was not boastful and exuberant but sentimental and introspective. Of course, the single on Drake's new album is none of these things and Drake crooning about how someone talking trash about him will make him 'catch a body like that' is something that might not ring very resonantly and perhaps why it's mainly left out of any discussion of the album overall.

Drake ~ Headlines (Official Video) from OctobersVeryOwn on Vimeo.

In many ways, hip-hop needs some degree of sentiment and could be more introspective. But what many review heralding Take Care have failed to realize is traditional hip-hop albums have accomplished this feat without compromising lyrical content. The perfect example is Nas' Illmatic and it has been held in such high-regard because of its ability to be introspective without being over-dramatized and self-involved. Further, Nas was able to encapsulate mood on songs like 'N.Y. State of Mind' without ever making his lyrics secondary. Instead, he uses his lyrics not for punchlines so much as a way to create a portrait of the world he is attempting to convey. This is something that is and has always been a halmark of a great rapper but it is also something that has become very rare as it is both hard to do as an artist and had to market as a record label.

Lucky for the modern day rapper, they have been given another avenue to greatness. Rappers have been infatuated with indie rock (and rock in general) for some time now. Jay-Z claims to love every indie-rock band of the moment, Big Boi said he can't get enough of Mumford and Sons (the banjo, specifically) and wants to collaborate with them, and Kanye West featured Bon Iver prevalently on what was perhaps the greatest rap album of the past few years. When Kanye collaborated with Jon Brion for for the production of Late Registration, it was groundbreaking and the influence has only spread from there.

But there is a reason 808's and Heartbreak is pretty much unanimously considered Kanye's worst album. It's just not as interesting as his other work. The problem in making hip-hop a sonically centered genre is that it is trying to shove a square peg into a round hole; it just wasn't meant to be.

And this is the overall problem with Take Care. It's incredibly shallow. There isn't the joy that you get with other great hip-hop albums where you discover new things about it weeks, months, even years after it was first released. It is what it is, and what it is more often than not is over-sensitized drivel and no where is this more apparent than in the most overrated song on the album, 'Marvin's Room'. Never has a song where a forlorn twenty something male croons about a lost love while drunk been so over-hyped.

And herein lies the problem. No one ever questioned that a drunk dial to an ex-girlfriend couldn't be, on some level, entertainingly visceral. But this isn't a genre where such an act can carry an album on its own and being viscerally self-exposing only gets you so far in hip-hop unless you have some lyrical talent behind it to provide the backbone. Take Care is sorely lacking in this regard. It should be noted that the greatest lines on the album are the lines in which Drake pays homage to other great rappers by using some of their famous quotables.

This isn't even to say I don't like the album really because on the first listen or too it sounds great. I think it has it's time and place, albeit that time and place is very limited. But to pretend this is something that is forward-looking that will remain interesting even weeks from now is erroneous. Pitchfork even took the monumental step of comparing the current Drake album to Marvin Gaye's Here, My Dear which is beyond hyperbolic.

In the end its not that Drake doesn't come off as genuine, because he does, and it's not that the album is completely terrible because it's not. It simply lacks substance. Other artists have done what Drake attempts to do in Take Care in making a brooding, introspective album focused on the insecurities of the album's creator. The only problem is many others have done it much better.

Wale, The Iraq War, and the Art of Deception

2011-11-05T21:17:00.000-07:00

The Iraq War is so old even its protests are dated.

A lot of jokes were made when President Obama announced that all U.S. troops would leave Iraq by the end of the year. The game goes like this. Think of one of your favorite things from the year 2003 and revel in the manic depression that arises when you realize how dated everything else from 2003 has become. The Ipod was fresh and new (without a click wheel) and the Detroit Tigers were busy attempting to avoid being immortalized for baseball ineptitude, Jay-Z released The Black Album as his walk-out music, and T.I. was still rapping about the trap with his album Trap Muzik before he became a mega-star, stopped rapping about the trap, and THEN got locked up twice for guns and drugs. Needless to say, times have changed since 2003 and it's depressing to think one of the more constant presences of my life has been the Iraq War.

While plenty of things have come, gone, and been completely forgotten in the time it took America to fight the Iraq War, some things have just changed shape, and one of the perfect examples of this in hip-hop is the transformation of Wale from a hyped member of XXL's Freshman Class in 2009 to a disappointing debut album to a member of the Maybach Music Group.

In 2007, Wale released The Mixtape About Nothing and to this day it's one of my favorite mixtapes. Everything about it made Wale stand out. It was lyrical while avoiding the pitfall of appearing to try to hard and it was conscious but in a way that was truly genuine and creative. I still believe 'The Kramer' is a masterpiece that many rappers would be hard pressed to match. In essence, I thought Wale was J. Cole before J. Cole.

Wale "Nike Boots" video (Directed by Chris Robinson) from Elitaste on Vimeo.

On 'The Roc Boys Freestyle' Wale showed off all of his capabilities and rapped about everything under the sun, but for the purposes of this topic one line always stood out.

And they never going to leave like the troops in Iraq.

Burying a line speaking out against the Iraq War is nothing particularly special in hip-hop for this time period. Even Jay-Z was questioning it as early as 2003 in 'Beware of the Boys'. But the stretch of tracks on Mixtape About Nothing that spans from 'The Freestyle' to 'The Kramer' perfectly encapsulated why I was sure Wale was destined to be one of my favorite rappers of the next decade.

But when you're wrong you're wrong. Attention Deficit, all label missteps aside, was a disappointment. It wasn't 28,000 sold in the first week terrible, but let's just say I hadn't given it much of a listen outside of the week it was released until I wrote this.

Many, myself included, thought Wale would drift into obscurity. More About Nothing failed to recapture the exuberance and freshness of its predecessor, and Wale sounded more intent on telling everyone they were failing to recognize his talent than actually displaying that talent that everyone knew was there. And in comes Rick Ross.

If there is anyone who knows something about fabrication, it's Rick Ross. When Wale signed to Maybach Music, it signaled the end of the Wale that many of his early fans were interested in and ushered in a Bawse'd version. This version has become more focused on telling everyone how great he is rather than creating evidence to back that claim.

The title of Wale's new album and it's subsequent content is a perfect description of what kind of rapper he has become. Wale certainly thinks he's fantastic. I know this because he keeps telling me. Like I told George Bush and Dick Cheney, you can't just keep telling me something and expect me to believe it. At some point you have to actually prove what you claim. You're either good at rapping, or you're not. Iraq either has weapons of mass destruction or they don't. Same thing, right?

As is par with course of Wale in the past few years since he joined the self-aggrandizing universe that is the Maybach Music Group, Wale keeps telling everyone how great he is and at times he's right. 'DC Or Nothing' is actually one of my current favorite songs. The line: 'Seen it over a dollar/Got him under a flower' is a gem. And its no coincidence that the strongest song on the album is a song where Wale turns the lens away from himself and points it outward. What was great about Wale was that his personality was strong enough that he didn't need to be the focus of his music to give it a stamp that was unquestionably his. This certainly isn't the rapper I saw in 2007 at The Shelter in Detroit who made a joke about how all the light-skinned girls were at another venue for a Drake performance nearby.

It's clear that Wale still has the potential to be great and to be fair on Mixtape About Nothing, he was cocky. But he was also bent on proving why he was cocky. Today, Wale seems more bitter that with Attention Deficit he took a shot and missed. In many ways he's still trying to escape that failure and his attempt to completely reinvent himself with Ambition proves just that.

But at least now we know a hip-hop career can rise, fall, reinvent itself, and rise again in the course of half the time it takes to fight an unpopular war with false justification.

A$AP, The Three Million Dollar Man

2011-11-03T19:40:00.000-07:00

Remember when Drake released So Far Gone? If you don't what are you reading for? Whether you do or don't it was considered groundbreaking at the time because here comes this guy from Toronto who used to be on Degrassi (DEGRASSI!), who released So Far Gone as his third official mixtape which managed 2,000 downloads in 2 hours and two legitimate hit singles while somehow managing to be something sonically unique in a hip-hop scene that has been decried for becoming far too formulaic. Not to mention this was free. What resulted was what Billboard called 'a massive bidding war' that resulted in Drake getting a $2 Million advance. No one had seen anything like it in a long time, if ever.

Enter A$AP Rocky, who has become one of the most discussed figures in hip-hop in the matter of two weeks thanks to this revelation. A Three Million Dollar Record Deal and unlike Drake, he hadn't released a mixtape (although he has now, which I'll get to soon) and he isn't exactly groomed for success as Drake was, who is listed as an 'entertainer' (because let's be honest he's not truly a rapper) on his wikipedia page. Three Million with no mixtape and videos like the one below? Now THAT'S unheard of.

People have tried comparing A$AP Rocky to Tyler the Creator and I can see the comparison. Both are very young, seem very outrageous, and have a tight knit clique that provides fantastic production. But I think the comparisons stop there. Tyler the Creator seems to live in the vacuum of his own world, where as A$AP Rocky wears his many influences on his sleeve. At times, its easy to think you're listening to a Houston rapper with the ubiquitous to syrup and slow, drawn out beats. But then the next verse he raps with the sped up flow trademarked by Cleveland's Bone Thugs N Harmony. And you can't forget the omnipresent Harlem cockiness that pervades every syllable.

But right now, it's that last influence that's going to be the most important. To take on the expectations of a $3 Million record deal and deliver isn't easy (although it may be one of those good problems) and with his mixtape released this week, LiveLoveA$AP, he's off to a good start.

The Life And Death Of 'Lasers'

2011-03-17T22:56:00.000-07:00

If you've been any sort of a self-respecting hip-hop fan, you couldn't help but follow the drama that was Lupe Fiasco versus Atlantic. For three years Lupe Fiasco and his fans waited for his third release, Lasers, with numerous reports of Atlantic shelving the album leading to dedicated Lupe fans (of which there are many) to protest outside of Atlantic. Drama indeed.

And all that drama ended when Atlantic finally released Lasers. There was just one problem, and that was maybe Atlantic was right. The album has been widely panned and rightly so. Aside from a few decent efforts, most of the album is incredibly frustrating. 'Out Of My Head' and 'State Run Radio' are songs I waited three years for? Even the better songs, such as 'Coming Up', leave something to be desired. Specifically with 'Coming Up', think of Tupac's 'Keep Ya Head Up' with a club-centric focus. Bummer.

But all is not lost! Since the release of this abomination of an album, Lupe has bemoaned the process of this album himself, claiming all the squabbling with Atlantic (he was told to not rap too deep on the album's single) left him less than fully invested in the project. For most hip-hop fans, this album was dead upon first listen.

And while Lupe and many of his fans may be less than satisfied with his project, there are clearly others that this album is reaching. The album has officially became Lupe's more commercially successful, blowing away his previous two efforts, both critically acclaimed. And it's fairly easy to see how this came about. Lupe has often been criticized for being inaccessible, a hip-hop intellectual of sorts. But this album is more characterized by pop beats and vapid rhymes. I guess Lupe followed his own advice.

But we all knew complex rhyming didn't sell. Atlantic knew it too. And while the fact remains that major record labels continue to mess up great hip-hop, Atlantic may have managed to expand Lupe's audience after all and turned out a successful hit of an album.

But that still leaves the rest of us asking what about that other Lupe? What about the the one that released this song or this song or this song? Or even what about the Lupe that released the rather awesome 'I'm Beaming' and 'Shining Down'? All of these songs would have been the best track on Lasers!

Oh wait, here he is.

Lupe Fiasco, Pharrell Williams, Travis Barker - If You Want To

It turns out, Lupe fans should have no fear. He's been releasing music and a pretty steady pace and is even rumored to have already finished his next album, Food and Liquor 2, which may even see a 2011 release. Just hope Atlantic doesn't get their hands on it first.

Goin' In For The Kill

2011-03-14T20:32:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while, a song comes along that seems to be created to be sampled to death by hip-hop artists. I'm not talking about a drum sample that has been cut out of James Brown's 'Funky Drummer' or The Honeydripper's 'Impeach the President' as those are part of an era of hip-hop in which the samples were free. But now, samples cost money, and no one is going to pay for a James Brown drum beat that could instead be duplicated.

Instead, samples are often used as a way to replace a chorus (Nas' 'Get Down') or to make the song recognizable to a sought after demographic (Lupe Fiasco 'Show Goes On'). The latest sample to be passed around is from La Roux's 'In For The Kill'.

It's pretty easy to see how the chorus of this song is easily translatable to hip-hop. One could take it literally and use it as a chorus for a gangster rap anthem or one could use it to set the tone for a song focused on lyrical braggadocio. And it has been used in all of these ways. The Game used it as a potential single for his upcoming album, Swollen Members made a video, even Jim Jones got in on it. The list goes on and on. But by far my favorite has been the gangster rap rendition from Chicago's L.E.P. Bogus Boyz, and it has this awesome video to match.

Old English D

2011-03-02T19:31:00.000-08:00

Detroit has been getting all kinds of shine in different ways these days. It makes sense after all, America loves the underdog, and there is no city that more represents the underdog (not exactly by choice) than Detroit. Home of American organized labor, Motown, the greatest baseball team known to human kind. The arsenal of democracy! What's not to love! Of course, there are the underlying racial tensions that continue to dominate an outsiders perception of the Motor City, not to mention the politics of the city itself, but to say that's not typical of modern America as well would be erroneous.

The most ubiquitous view of Detroit recently has been the recent Chrysler ad that debuted during that Super Bowl that I didn't watch. Without a doubt, the commercial is awesome. Nothing says grizzled like a commercial filmed in the Detroit winter (ask anyone). Sadly, it doesn't address many of the issues facing the industrial metropolis in the 21st century, most notably outsourcing, which Chrysler is no stranger to. Post-industrial life is rough in the Motor City, but at least this commercial is awesome (sarcasm unintended).

But Detroit's shine does not stop there! After all, a big commercial spot during the Super Bowl can hardly represent a city as unglamorous as Detroit. A more accurate representative is the up and coming rapper Danny Brown whose penchant for out of control rhyming and widely varying subject matter have made him one of the top young rappers to watch in the upcoming young year.

And he represents Detroit almost too well, often rapping about the ugliest parts of urban decay. In fact, it's hard to listen to his critically-acclaimed The Hybrid and not get a little depressed. But so is life in the D, and he represents it well when he raps on the song 'White Stripes' :

Roll deep like the roaches in my kitchen
Dawg I ain't trippin'
But they never gone
They don't even run when I cut the lights on

While much of The Hybrid shines light on Detroit, what has bee on constant rotation lately as a start to get ready for my return to Motor City is Danny Brown's 'New Era'. Assuredly, 'Black and Yellow' this is not. And in the many Detroit anthems that have come out of the most 'underestimated plus underrated city in this hip-hop game', none are as catchy as Wiz Khalifa's smash. But they shouldn't be. Undoubtedly, this is a song that can only be truly enjoyed by Detroiters. And this is Detroit's charm, and why Chrysler's ad claims 'Imported from Detroit'. Detroit, whether it's for better or worse, has become one of the most unique cities this country has ever seen. And while it would certainly be nice to revel in the big city feel of a more traditional metropolis, artists like Danny Brown makes one revel in that uniqueness, even if that uniqueness is slightly depressing.

Danny Brown - New Era

A Pair Of Air Jordans...

2011-02-14T19:18:00.000-08:00

And a muthafuckin' attidue. So spits Freddie Gibbs on the recently released song titled 'In' which he shares with Blu and Homeboy Sandman. And while Homeboy Sandman's finishing verse leaves a little to be desired, the smooth, heavy bass and the rhymes of Blu and flow of Freddie Gibbs is enough to keep this song on heavy rotation. Gibbs verse utilizes hip-hop realist language at it's best. The line 'A pair of Air Jordans and a muthafuckin' attitude...' is an impeccable opening line and one that I wish more represented my daily existence. Instead it's more a pair of Air Jordan's and a sunny disposition. Regardless, Freddie Gibbs flow on this song is enough to make even the meekest feel tough.

Blu, Freddie Gibbs, Homebody Sandman - In

The Hip-Hop Generation and the Politics of Disconnect

2010-12-26T20:39:00.000-08:00

My first (and more than likely only) Utah Christmas has come and gone. What does this have to do with hip-hop you say. Ah, only everything. One of gifts this year was Jay-Z's new memoir titled 'Decoded', which purports to break down the story behind the songs. I was a little skeptical at first, but the book is very insightful (whether he wrote it or not) and the layout is real nice. But I digress.

A major theme of the book is the role hip-hop has played in defining this generation of African-American males and just how terrifying that definition is to most of America. Jay quotes a famous Biggie line that concisely displays this them:

Look at our parents, they even fuckin' scared of us...

Jay-Z's life is undoubtedly worthy of a memoir. The story of the rise of a young black man from the Marcy projects to being in Forbes magazine is enough, and really Jay-Z's entire career has been centered on telling that story from start to finish. But what has always made Jay-Z's music special is that his story is incredibly normal despite it's exaggerated nature. While he may tell it eloquently, the theme has always been the struggles of what has come to be known as the hip-hop generation

But even the label of hip-hop generation is misleading, for the message of the hip-hop generation is omnipresent, but it is one white America is often hesitant to confront. Go to any urban center and you will see the same problems. You will see the dilapidated public schools, corrupt local governments, police brutalizing, and the ever-increasing amount of young black people being put into the prison system. Despite this, there seems to be a consensus from white America: we have done enough.

It is no secret that America's discussion of race has stalled. And what this has led to is a view of African-Americans that is still defined by a homogenization of stereotypes. This can be said for hip-hop as well, and it is something that Jay-Z indirectly addresses throughout his memoir. He often complains that there is much more to his music than many have given him credit for, and this is a statement that applies on a much broader scale. In his book Decoded he writes:

To tell the story of the kid with the gun without telling the story of why he has it is to tell a kind of lie. To tell the story of the pain without telling the story of the rewards is...a different kind of evasion. To talk about killing niggas dead without talking about waking up int he middle of the night from a dream about the friend you watched die, or not getting to sleep in the first place because you're so paranoid from the work you're doing, is a lie so deep it's criminal.

Jay-Z tells the story of the hip-hop generation with this statement: there are more complexities existing within the hip-hop generation than many care to admit. And this gets to a much deeper point. Not only do many not want to examine these complexities and lend a critical thought to what it means to be black in America in the present day, but there still exists a deep, visceral fear of African-Americans that many refuse to confront.

And this applies very much to my rather liberal Utah community. There seems to be a notion that most will vote for a black president and espouse liberal ideals, but for most people's comfort levels concerning race ends. Jay-Z once wrote on The Black Album that he had '...demons deep inside that would raise when confronted'. This is an incredibly telling statement for the hip-hop generation. And while Jay-Z has made a career from speaking for the hip-hop generation, is a message that still hasn't been heard by most.

#1: Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

2010-12-23T20:47:00.000-08:00

For this selection, there was no doubt. Kanye West may have created not only the best hip-hop album this year, but the best album period. As the release date for this album approached, people were expecting big things. Kanye was on a roll with his G.O.O.D. Friday series and even went to the lengths of creating a short-film to promote the album. We all knew that RZA, Pete Rock, Pusha, No I.D., and Q-Tip were hanging out with Kanye in Hawaii as he was putting the finishes touches on the album, and we all struggled to predict what would be the result of an album they all said was incredible. But even with all these factors that pointed towards My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy being all sorts of fantastic, I don't think anyone expected anything like this.

What Kanye has created with his latest album may very well be his masterpiece; his album that helps redefine what rap music is, and this is due to multiple factors. As with every Kanye album, the production is unparalleled. From the triumphant 'All of the Lights' to the more understated 'Blame Game' and 'Runaway', Kanye seems to be able to combine where hip-hop has been to where hip-hop should go. But one of the most common knocks against Kanye is that his rapping skills would keep him from creating that era defining album. And then he created 'Gorgeous', a song that may be the lyrical song of the year:

I was lookin' at my resume
Feelin' real fresh today
They rewrite history I don't believe in yesterday
And what's a black beetle anyway? A fucking roach?
I guess that's why they got me sittin' in fuckin' coach

But this album is more than just the epic beats and Kanye's best rhymes to date. This album is something only Kanye West could have created. From the moments of unrelenting bravado on 'Power' to the self-deprecating moments on 'Runaway', the album shows the power hip-hop (an all music) can have when raw emotion is channeled through a talented vessel.

Almost a decade ago, Jay-Z created the now legendary Blueprint and it's supposed theme was that it would be what all hip-hop artists would try to emulate going forward. People did try to emulate it, but what made it so special is that no one truly could recreate it. When listening to Kanye West's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, this realization comes back even stronger. It's easy to see that this album, hyperbole aside, will be the benchmark for the coming decade. It is, in essence, the next decades blueprint. But it's also easy to see that it will be a blueprint that all will fall hopelessly short of, perhaps even the creator himself. This is a testament to the completely uncompromising work Kanye West has created, and it certainly is not only the best album of this past year, but an album many will be trying to catch up to for years to come.

#2: Big Boi - Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty

2010-12-22T18:42:00.000-08:00

In many ways, Big Boi's long delayed album Sir Lucious Left Foot represents the state of modern hip-hop in it's current retrofuturism movement as it is attempted to be molded by the record label forces that be. Big Boi's album had become as famous as Dr. Dre's Detox for it's seemingly never ending delays. But while listening to this album there is one question that pops into one's mind: Who in there right mind would delay the release of this album?

Big Boi has often been thought of as the other guy in Outkast, and when many heard that his solo album was finally going to see the light of day, many were skeptical. It was possible to think of Andre without Big Boi but impossible to think of Big Boi without Andre. It's now fair to say that there is no 'other member' in Outkast as Big Boi has proven that he was more than a passenger in creating Outkast's funked out southern beats that have come to define the Atlanta duo. That same sound that defined Outkast is in full force on Sir Lucious Left Foot.

However, to say this album was just a throwback to the Outkast days would be missing the other half of it's greatness. On songs like 'Follow Us', Big Boi succeeds where many have failed in creating a hip-hop song crossed with a dash of indie rock as Vonnegut makes a guest appearance. But the theme of this album is there is always more, and while the unbelievable sound of this album is enough to wow the listener, the lyrics are what elevate it to the next level.

Big Boi celebrates the past while reminding us all that he is still one of the best rappers in the present. He plays the part of street connoisseur, conscious rapper, disgruntled veteran, and the sweet talker. What it all combines to make is one of the most refreshing albums in hip-hop. It is neither revolutionary nor formulaic. It has the songs that are clearly meant for mainstream play (like Shutterbug and Tangerine), but they still have a certain twist that Big Boi throws in to make them a little more unique, whether it's the thumping bass on Tangerine or the funked out Shutterbug. It's just one of the best albums of the year, choke full of great songs from start to finish, that never seems to get boring to listen to. And all from one of the most unappreciated artist in hip-hop.

Big Boi - Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty

#3: Cee-Lo Green - The Lady Killer

2010-12-21T19:07:00.001-08:00

Ok, I know, it's not a hip-hop album. But Cee-Lo is perhaps the greatest dual threat when it comes to singing and rapping. From his days with the legendary Goodie Mobb to his more recent works as the singing member of Gnarls Barkley, it's fair to say that Cee Lo's talents are diverse. And for that reason, coupled with the fact that Cee Lo's newest solo album titled The Lady Killer is irresistibly great, Cee Lo finds himself on this list.

Of course, when most people think of Cee Lo these days they think of the smash 'Fuck You' which is most definitely one of my favorite songs of 2010. But Cee-Lo's album is so much more than the one hit. Cee-Lo's gift, whether he is rapping or singing, has always been his soulful voice and it is on full display here as he creates an album that immediately transports the listener to the time of Motown and soul.

In an interview conducted in the midst of the the 'Fuck You' madness that swept across the country, Cee Lo said that the song was about the music industry, and on closer examination this makes perfect sense. The music industry has been notorious for it's mishandling of a talent such as Cee-Lo. And you have to wonder if 'Fuck You' wasn't a demand by the label in order to have an easily marketable single.Of course, in true Cee-Lo style, 'Fuck You' is not your normal single. It's still musically glorious and, of course, has the profane chorus that is undoubtedly directed at the music industry. But despite the enigma that is Cee-Lo, he has managed to create what is not only one of the most unique albums of this year, but one of the albums that is simply the most fun to listen to. And, for once, people are finally realizing his talents.

#4: The Roots - How I Got Over

2010-12-20T21:11:00.000-08:00

The Roots have become hip-hop's consummate professionals. Evidence of this fact can be found on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, but it has more to do with the remarkable consistency of The Roots without the benefit of a true smash hit or what one would define as a typical classic album. Still, The Roots not only perform one of the best live shows in hip-hop, but they are also able to put out a new album every so often that sounds like it's just a little bit further ahead than everything else everyone is trying, and that is certainly the feeling that their latest album, How I Got Over, presents.

The album features the same unbelievable production that seems to be formulaic for The Roots, but would be revolutionary for everyone else. It also features the rhymes of Black Thought, one of the most underrated rappers of this era. But the Roots also branch out slightly on this album, calling on the services of the Monsters of Folk and Joanna Newsome.

With all of the indie rock guest appearances and the late night show, it's easy to think The Roots have gotten complacent. That their music has perhaps become a little too business. However, on multiple listens to How I Got Over this thought is easily dispelled. For most other groups, The Roots subject matter would immediately earn them the label of conscious rap. The Roots, for the most part, escape this categorization. This is mainly because The Roots have created their own lane in rap, and there is no other musician (or group of musicians) to even compare them to. In an age where flash is one of the several defining themes, The Roots still manage to make great music and people still manage to depreciate it.

The Roots - How I Got Over

#5: Big K.R.I.T. - K.R.I.T. Wuz Here

2010-12-19T19:15:00.000-08:00

Hip-hop is motivational music. It's hard to listen to legends such as Rakim and Jay-Z and think that you are doing enough with your life. This makes sense when one studies hip-hop and realizes that one of the defining themes in the genres history is making something out of nothing. This is why hip-hop was birthed out of the concrete jungle of the South Bronx with little other than a crate full of old disco and soul records and a speaker system.

However, with the multi-billion dollar industry that it has grown into it's tough to recognize those roots sometimes. With artists like Kanye making a short-film to help promote his own album, it's fair to say hip-hop is no longer an underground genre. However, the modern music industry presents complications. With record companies completely unwilling to take risks in an era of depleted record sales, many artists are left to fend from themselves. And where most artists flounder under such weight, Big K.R.I.T. rises with one of the best, and certainly the most motivational, hip-hop album of 2010.

In an era of hip-hop consumerism, Big K.R.I.T. stands out as an artist on his own. Complaining on the song 'Viktorious', "I'm making my own beats what the fuck!" this album displays the thoughts, ambitions, and frustrations of a young artist with the music industry that he desperately needs to break into. Even the title suggest a person anxious to leave their mark on the world whether others want him to or not. And even though he had to write insightful lyrics, produce his own beats, and ultimately distribute his own album, it's fair to say that mark has been made.

Days after his K.R.I.T. Wuz Here was released, labels came knocking at his door. They will undoubtedly be looking for the next 'Country Shit' or the next 'Children of the World', but what is on full display in the career of Big K.R.I.T. is the embodiment of hip-hop traditionalism. He is an artist that no label expected anything from, and while that is a shame and it shows the continued dysfunctional relationship between hip-hop artists and hip-hop labels, it have been for the best. In an era of hip-hop consumerism, Big K.R.I.T. was forced to return to the hip-hop tradition of making your voice heard by any means necessary and with it created one of the most unexpected hits of this year.

Big K.R.I.T. - K.R.I.T. Wuz Here

#6: Shad - TSOL

2010-12-18T19:36:00.000-08:00

Hip-hop, like any genre, is subject to classification. Hip-hop fans obsess over categorizing what is real hip-hop and what isn't, whether something is conscious rap, cocaine rap, gangster rap or any of the other countless subgenres. This practice is hardly unique to music, it can be found in studies of literature to cinema. But every once in a while their comes along a musician, artist, or author that seems to defy classification. They seem to defy everything their genre portrays and stand out from the lineage of progression along which most others can be found.

This is certainly the case when listening to Shad's TSOL. Make no mistake, the album features your traditional hip-hop beats and it's focus is still the clever wordplay that has been the focal point of hip-hop for over two decades. But none the less something about Shad seems different. Perhaps it's that he's from London, Ontario (which is perhaps the least likely hip-hop setting of all time) but Shad seems to be outside of the hip-hop tradition yet steeped in it at the same time.

A fine example of this can be found on the song 'Keep Shining' which decries the absence of woman in hip-hop in what is the most appropriate example of self-reflection any hip-hop artist has displayed on the subject in a while. And in reality, the song not only applies to hip-hop but to American society in general. Shad pin-points a fact that few can grasp in a mere three minutes: equality has less to do with a shallow mirage of acceptance and more to do with a deep understanding of the other and this can only be gained through letting others do and speak for themselves. This lyric can truly be transformed to almost every aspect of American society:

I talk to women I just can't talk for women, that's for you
We need women for that, more women in rap

Shad will undoubtedly be labeled a 'conscious rapper', and this is truly a shame. Not only is his wordplay some of the cleverest I have heard all year, but to pigeonhole an artist like this is a mistake. Shad is so unique it's tough to make sense of him. He raps about typical conscious rap subjects but does so in his own creative way that still focuses on creative writing as well as important subject matter. He's a Kenyan born Canadian bred rapper working on his Masters in Liberal Studies. He's an artist too unique for specific categorization and that's what makes this album so uniquely great.

Shad - TSOL

#7: Freeway & Jake One - The Stimulus Package

2010-12-17T19:18:00.000-08:00

Sometimes the familiar is best. In a new age of hip-hop where ringtones can make a rapper it's comforting, and in some ways precocious, to go back to what made hip-hop what it is. This is not to say that modern hip-hop is dead, as so many like to say, and I hope this list proves at least that. But for every album like Black Milk's Album of the Year, which strains the limits of what we thought hip-hop could do, it's important to have an album that falls back on hip-hop's traditions, a meat and potatoes album if you will.

In this age of hip-hop futurism, Freeway and Jake One have delivered that classic hip-hop meat and potato album that is full of all the genre's staples. Freeway's tough talk rhymes are laid perfectly against Jake One's head nodding beats full of soul samples. And if you had any doubt of what this album was going to sound like, Freeway and Jake One clear all doubts with the opener, 'Throw Your Hands Up', which just has a sound that seems to perfectly describe what a pure hip-hop should be.

And while the formula may seem simple, Freeway and Jake One prove that less can mean more. With the passing of Guru of Gang Starr it's becoming increasingly clear that the close relationship between rapper and producer is disappearing. Very rarely is an entire album produced by one person as artists increasingly focus on appealing to a wide audience and hire different producers to create the soundscape they desire. But it becomes clear that with Jake One producing the entirety of The Stimulus Package that the producer-rapper relationship is still incredibly important.

But this album is about more than simply trying to recapture the golden era of hip-hop. Upon one listen of this album, it's clear that it's not incredibly marketable. It wasn't going to get a whole lot of publicity and it wasn't going to garner much financial success. But Freeway lays out the purpose of the album later in the album when he raps:

I am not going to hate on the state of hip-hop
In fact, all I'm here to do is give you real rap

While a simple line, this type of work is becoming a scarce commodity. In an age when far too many rappers are trying to grab a piece of the seemingly boundless hip-hop market, Freeway and Jake One deliver something that many people are forgetting: real rap.

#8: Reflection Eternal - RPM

2010-12-15T18:25:00.000-08:00

It's no secret that hip-hop receives it's fair share of criticism, and sometimes rightfully so. But one of the criticisms that I have always felt has been completely ungrounded is the argument that hip-hop is far too nihilistic; far too angry. The argument typically goes that a certain old person heard some random rap song on the radio (which usually isn't the best barometer for what most fans of the genre would consider truly good hip-hop music) and were disgusted by how angry it sounded, how in your face it was, and how it lacked any constructive message like all that great music that was released when that person was growing up in the 1960's.

It takes little immersion in the hip-hop genre to realize how ridiculous the argument that rap is hopelessly vapid is and the latest album for Reflection Eternal, comprised of Talib Kweli and Hi-Tek, sheds light on the absurdity. Rap excels at being the modern realist poetry and truly great rappers are able to rhyme about something many people are feeling but in incredibly complex and nuanced patterns. This is precisely what Talib Kweli does on the song 'Ballad of the Black Gold':

There is no other genre that could possibly display the far-reaching consequences of our societies addiction to fossil fuels in such a nuanced way as when Talib Kweli pens:

Loyalty to petroleum royalty spoiled the economy
We won't get it poppin' till we oil free
If you're oil rich then we invadin'
They call it occupation but we losin' jobs across the nation

But perhaps it isn't that hip-hop is as nihilistic as it has been portrayed. Maybe it's just proudly declaring a message that most of America doesn't want to hear. But in this fact lies hip-hop's greatest strength. At it's best, it is almost viciously unapologetic, holding up a world that most would rather ignore. When one listens to an album like RPM they can't help but notice that most hip-hop is not vapid at all, but instead irresistibly engaging.

"STRANGERS" TALIB KWELI & Hi-Tek feat. BUN B from Reset Pictures on Vimeo.

Reflection Eternal - RPM

#9: Nas & Damian Marley-Distant Relatives

2010-12-14T18:24:00.000-08:00

Collaboration albums always seem to come out a disappointment. This may be the result of the initial collective fan freakout that inevitably follows when it is discovered that successful artist X is pairing with successful artist Y for a full length album and the resultant let down when all realize it's not an instant classic that will redefine rap. Too often concerning hip-hop collaborative albums, the whole is not greater than the sum of it's parts, but less than. Sorry Aristotle.

While collaboration albums always seem like a great idea in theory, they have proven to be incredibly difficult to numerous pairings in reality. This may be because it's difficult enough to create a coherent full length album as an individual, but once another artist with entirely different artistic visions enters the fray the album becomes disjuncted. Or it may be because collaboration requires just that, full collaboration, and without that close artistic relationship the album is doomed to mediocrity.

With all the potential pitfalls, it was understandable that when Nas and Damian Marley announced they were uniting forces for a full length album titled Distant Relatives the fan reaction was split between skeptical and anxiously anticipatory. After all, collaborations are tough enough, but uniting two artists from two different genres seemed like a daunting task. Leading up to the release it seemed fair to ask if this would be a hip-hop album, a reggae album, or both. And if both, could the two artists make it work?

However, where other collaborations fail, Distant Relatives excels as both artists feel at home at all points on the album and neither feels like they are being pulled in a certain direction. This may be due to the focused topic of the album. Most collaborations lack any unified feel and the listener leaves feeling that the two artists just went into the booth to showcase their individual talents and see what happens. This is not the case on Distant Relatives. Both Nas and Damian Marley have become famous for their ghetto stories and becoming a voice for the voiceless. In this sense, the uniting of these two artists makes perfect sense and provides the strength that brings their album onto this list. As is usually the case, Nas' lyrical verbosity is on full display throughout the album and he gives a very apt description for the entire hip-hop generation in a mere two lines when he raps on the song 'My Generation':

Can you blame a generation subject to gentrification
Depicting their frustrations over ill instrumentations

This theme of being the voice for the hip-hop nation is what makes this work so ambitious and so powerful. It goes beyond speaking simply for those in American ghettos all across the country and acknowledges the fact that all of the problems that have created our American ghettos and the racial underclass exists around the world. For over a decade now, hip-hop has been a global genre celebrated and loved around the world. This album, with two seemingly very different artists, creates a sound that may be defined as global hip-hop, and without the collaborative effort I doubt the message would have been so powerful.

Nas and Damian Marley - Distant Relatives

#10: Black Milk-Album of the Year

2010-12-13T19:20:00.000-08:00

While Black Milk's ambitiously titled album may have fallen a little short of it's namesake, it is still one of the most forward pushing albums of the year. Known for his producing more so than his rapping, Black Milk attempts to push hip-hop in a burgeoning new direction away from prototypical hip-hop beats and into something that more closely resembles a cross between soul/jazz/funk/rock/whatever else you may think of. With most hip-hop albums one listens too, it's tough to conceptualize how it would play in a live performance. However, hip-hop has grown and with it the expectations for live hip-hop has grown as well and fans are starting to require unique experiences that go past a DJ in the background waving a towel around and shouting into a microphone every fifth word to pass as musical accompaniment.

And in this sense of expanding what live hip-hop is capable of, Black Milk excels. With several big acts now touring regularly with a live band, Black Milk reaches even further and creates an album that begs for a live performance. This is the case for songs such as Keep Going and Gospel Psychedelic Rock as on the former Black Milk creates a beat that seemingly only he could create and on the latter creates a beat that is oozing with Detroit's musical heritage.

However, the album is not without it's missteps. At times, it feels Black Milk is reaching too far artistically to pioneer that brand new sound that hip-hop and it's fans are constantly searching for. But it's hard to truly be upset by the missteps. Black Milk has constantly prided himself on progressing hip-hop, particularly as a producer, and when trying something that has rarely been tried there are sure to be missteps. But overall he produces a work that few else could or would even dare to try, and even though I may be showing a slight hometown bias, I believe he deserves the credit.

Top 10 Hip Hop Albums of 2010

2010-12-12T20:39:00.000-08:00

The year is indeed winding to an end and with that ends another year of music that has been quite amazing. While T.I. and Weezy have both seen the extended jail time that will occasionally become intertwined in the career of your favorite rapper, hip-hop is also witnessing the rise of it's next generation with stars such as Drake, and depending on who you ask, this may be the next death of hip-hop.

Whether you have love for the new stars that are emerging or not, hip-hop is strangely becoming a genre that revels in it's albeit rather recent antiquity while still striving forward, and this makes the current of era of hip-hop quite interesting. Hip-hop has always been a genre defiant of the ever-present 'establishment', but it is increasingly becoming a genre divided against itself. This may be a result of the now well-documented transition of rap from a grassroots to a commercialized genre or it may simply be a generational difference. A new generation of hip-hop fans are coming of age, and to these fans hip-hop's golden age is nothing but ancient history.

However, for every movement there is a counter-movement and as the new generation of fans have flocked to the likes of Drake and the rest of the Young Money roster, it has forced other artists not just back to the booth to attempt to redefine the greatness that was exhibited in the Golden Era of hip-hop, but also to push the genre forward. So here hip-hop stands, a genre defiant against itself, grasping at it's past while pushing itself towards the future. And I believe many of the albums I will come to describe do that incredibly well.

But before I go any further, let me stress that while I may view this as a top list, it is just that MY top list. I went by nothing other than my pure enjoyment and paid absolutely no mind to record sales, 'hotness', or whatever else you may think of that might cause disagreement.

Before I get into this sure to be epic list that I'm sure will come to define hip-hop music in the year 2010, here are some of my favorite tracks/videos/mixtapes that simply can't be ignored.

Sweet Jesus. I know Rick Ross is a huge phony. I know that the whole persona this song is based on is fabricated and I've never really been able to fully get into his music because of it. But, once again, Sweet Jesus. The best way to describe this song: HUGE.

Another enormously popular song from this past year, and for this one I can't for the life of my figure out why I love it so much. I am, admittedly, susceptible to a nice city anthem (Whatup Pittsburgh!) and the question of whether I have or have not been to that city is completely irrelevant. Or maybe it's the infectious hook and celebratory beat. Or maybe it's just that Wiz Khalifa sounds so excited about having a huge year and this sound oozes with excitement. Whatever it is, I haven't been able to tear away and haven't really wanted to. As previously mentioned, it was part of a big year for Wiz as his Kush and Orange Juice mixtape also got heavy play.

If there is one fear I have that is totally lacking in an experience, it is rural poverty. That statement is even truer concerning rural poverty in the south. It's a terrifying world that seems completely foreign. The sense of nihilism that Yelawolf portrays in 'Pop The Trunk' does nothing to alleviate these fears but rather exacerbates them.

Speaking of hip-hop trying to get back to it's roots while still striving forward, the Cool Kids manged to get away from their seemingly unceasing label drama to release one incredibly solid mixtape titled 'Tacklebox'. Chuck English really comes into his own as a producer on this.

Speaking of label troubles, it's a real same that this song wasn't on one of the albums that is one of the ten best albums of the past year because it was one of the best of 2010. Hip-hop versus hip-hop labels are one of those never ending conflicts.

Andre 3000 and Big Boi- Lookin' For Ya

Hustle

2010-09-12T21:34:00.000-07:00

Rap, at it's best, is about hustle. It's about being heard when no one else is able, or willing, to speak for you. Hustle was perhaps the greatest characteristic of rap in the 1990's that produced many of the genres biggest stars and best music. Without romanticizing the hip-hop golden era too much, to ignore the differences in financial opportunities for rappers in in the 1990's and 2000's would be a mistake. Hip-hop of the 90's represented more of a grassroots movement, and like most successful grassroots movements, in the 2000's it became an establishment.

As hip-hop not only became artistically, but also financially, established some of that artistic work ethic was lost. One of the biggest developments of the 2000's has been the emergence of the rapper as entrepreneur. Countless artists have translated their musical careers into acting and business careers to make even more money in a modern musical landscape that is becoming less financially viable. Unfortunately, this has had numerous negative effects on hip-hop music, with two being the most important.

Firstly, the attention of the rapper/actor/businessman is inevitably divided. When they go in the studio for an album, if they go in at all, rapping isn't their only job, it's only a part time job. Secondly, because many rappers have diversified their sources of income, rap no longer becomes essential for their prosperity. If 50 Cent or Jay-Z releases an album that flops, their will be almost no financial impact. Subconsciously, it keeps a rapper hungry if he's rhyming to put food on the table.

If there is any positive that can be found from skittish record labels refusing to take a chance on new artists, it's that it accentuates hunger and encourages a return to the hustle prevalent in the 1990's, and this is something evident in Big K.R.I.T. from Mississippi.

On his self-released and free debut album K.R.I.T. Waz Here, his hunger is on full display as he often somewhat brags and somewhat complains that he has had to make his own beats. Even the album title suggests a solitariness from an artist that is determined to leave his mark even if others are seemingly disinterested. This theme carried over into his video for 'Hometown Hero' as he is the only soul you see in the entire video.

It is rare that an artist releases an album for free on the internet and in the week that follows has record label representatives knocking on his door ready to sign him to a deal, but this is exactly what happened with Big K.R.I.T. But the question is, would Big K.R.I.T.'s debut have been as powerful and raw if his path was made easy and those record labels had come earlier? As is often the case, the toughest times in one's life can bring out the hustle in just about any person. The degree to which Big K.R.I.T.'s struggle to gain recognition affected his album will never be known, but it is fairly certain that it didn't hurt.

The Frightening Reality

2010-08-11T12:38:00.001-07:00

Hip-hop, unlike any other genre, prides itself on the reality it supposedly represents. It is a genre of music that sometimes seems to go out of its way to be controversial and hip-hop as a whole usually retorts the controversy, whether it be about sex, drugs or violence, by saying they are simply rapping about reality.

However, with the rise of commercial viability in rap has come the unexpected decline of not only authenticity, but also the importance that term carries. Today, it has become a genre that has become infiltrated by fabrication. This is not to say that fabrication hasn't always existed in hip-hop. With hip-hop's growth has also come the growth of the hip-hop fan and many today realize that even though many rappers speak about selling drugs and what not, most have done a small fraction of what they actually claim. However, this has become accepted by the hip-hop fan where before it was a was not.

The clear case in this instant is Rick Ross, who has created a complete fabrication of a life that involves him growing up in Dade County in Miami and coming up through being, seemingly, the biggest cocaine dealer the region has ever seen. Of course, it was revealed this was not true (he instead was a correctional officer, ironically), yet this did little to damage his career.

So the question to be raised is this: Does authenticity even matter in today's rap game? Freddie Gibbs, on his latest EP provides a nihilistic and often terrifying yes. Claiming to rap that 'real reality rap' the listener finds something that Rick Ross and the likes lack, which is truth, in all it's exuberant pain. And as is often the case for those that grow up dirt poor in some of America's most depressed areas, the truth isn't pretty and it's, at times, frightening.

This is exemplified very well in the track National Anthem (Fuck the World). While it includes all the drug posturing made famous long before Gibbs, the artist is able to lend an authenticity that expresses a vengeful pride that has grown from a nightmarish setting that is all too real.

While Freddie Gibbs remains an artist lacking any sort of marketability with this EP, this may be to the benefit of the listener. To take away the the volatility and darkness of Freddie Gibbs would be to take away what has formed his world and thus destroy his greatest strenght: rapping that real reality rap, which, it turns out, still does matter.

Milton Bradley Is Kanye West

2010-04-12T15:24:00.000-07:00

As I've noted before, athletics and hip-hop often intersect with both being highly-competitive in nature. Recently, the ever-controversial Milton Bradley said he was the Kanye West of baseball, and really the comparison is fairly accurate. Both have been known to be highly volatile and both have been known to call out white people. All in all, I think the comparison is pretty accurate. Both have loads of potential, and while Kanye is slightly more consistent professionally, both have drawn constant ire from white America.

But Milton's claim got me thinking, what are other rappers baseball equivalents?

Josh Hamilton = Lil' Wayne

Both these phenoms were introduces to fame at a young age, and it's fair to say that it messed both of their lives up. While Wayne joined Cash Money Records as a young teenager, Josh Hamilton was drafted by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays straight out of high school. Both are loaded with potential and have showed it in flashes, but have been derailed at one point or another by drug addictions, Weezy by the sizzurp and Hamilton by the crack, alcohol, and pretty much every other drug ever it seems. To go along with their drug addictions, they both love getting tattoos while under the influence. Both have claimed to have gotten clean, but a setback is always just around the corner. The common theme between the two? Just think of what they could have done and could still do sober!

Jay-Z = Alex Rodriguez

The talents of these two men are undeniable, and they both know it. It is well documented that Hov's biggest fan has always been Hov, and the same can be said about the obsessively narcissistic A-Rod whose 10 year $252 Million deal with the Texas Rangers in the 2000 disgusted fans. Both have been known to use slightly questionable tactics in their rise to the top, as Jay has been accused of backstabbing on more than one occasion and A-Rod used the juice, despite being seemingly one of the best players without it. At the end of their day, both are some of the greatest ever, but they have their share of detractors. And both have been known to spar with the next pair, both of whom were considered the King Of New York at the time.

Derek Jeter = Nas

Just as Jay-Z and A-Rod are considered to be some of the best, so are these two but without as much flash. Once again, the talent is undeniable and in their prime both were considered the King of NY. As previously stated, both had verbal spats with the previous two on this list and both are judged to have come out on top.

Dontrelle Willis = The Game

What a bright start both of these young men had, but personality disorders have left many fans scratching their heads. While Willis was the NL Rookie of the Year in 2003 and won 22 games in 2005, he has been derailed by an anxiety disorder ever since arriving in Detroit. While The Game has not been diagnosed, he has exhibited very irrational and emotional behavior, often asking forgiveness and expressing love for a fellow artist one day, then dissing them the next, then claiming he didn't mean it the day after that. Just as Dontrelle Willis on the disabled list is a common sight, so is an image of an emotionally distraught Game. The common thread between the two is the constant belief that if they could just put a lid on those mental problems, greatness would follow.

Speaking of The Game, here's a new track from his upcoming album produced by the Neptunes.

The Game - It Must Be Me

Miguel Cabrera = Eminem

A couple of the greatest right here, but both have the unfortunate quality of turning towards substance abuse in times of stress. Following the death of his close friend and fellow rapper Big Proof, Eminem became addicted to sleeping pills while the stress of carrying the Tigers anemic 2009 offense drove Miguel Cabrera to a drunkness that many thought impossible. Even with these debilitating addictions, both have thrived and the promise of sobriety and a stable method of stress management suggests continued greatness, or so we Tiger fans hope.

Locked Up

2010-04-07T07:36:00.000-07:00

Modern hip-hop can often be characterized by one dilemma: to go for big sales or to make an artistic masterpiece. Unfortunately, in hip-hop the two rarely overlap. However, to display this as a purely a modern problem is incorrect. Even in the mid-90's, when Biggie was making 'Hypnotize', there was a focus on making tracks that could be played in the club and on the radio which usually translate into much bigger sales. While Biggie was talented enough to rap about pretty much anything he wanted and was as much in his element with songs like 'Hypnotize' as with 'Gimme The Loot', other artists struggle with this dichotomy.

This struggle has been accentuated, particularly in the past decade as illegal downloading has risen to prominence. With album sales drastically falling, record labels demand that an artist have at least one radio ready single that will ensure record sales. Translated, this means that the album must have a couple songs that white kids will like and will make them buy the album, as this has become the market which now purchases the most hip-hop albums. It can be argued that this shift in the market is what has called the so-called 'death' of hip-hop, and it is where this modern dilemma is rooted.

A fine example of an artist stuck in record label purgatory is Rhymefest. The self-defined working man rapper, his debut Blue Collar displayed the dilemma well as it featured great songs like 'Devils Pie' but also abysmal songs such as 'Brand New', which shows Rhymefest struggling to come up with his own commercially viable hit.

Of course, Rhymefest is at his best when not worrying about his radio spins or about how many people are buying his records. Unfortunately, this is the last thing his record label wants to hear and it has forced his second album to the shelves for years now despite a promising debut.

This type of treatment is typical in hip-hop. Years ago, there were protests when Fiona Apple's album was shelved by her label from outraged fans, but Rhymefest is far from the first talented hip-hop artist to have his album shelved and he will be far from the last.

However, as his long delayed second album, El Che, gets ready for its May release (maybe you can guess the release date from the mixtape title), Rhymefest has released a mixtape titled Dangerous: 5-18 that serves as a prelude to remind everyone that he is indeed finally releasing his second album and, yes, he is still really good at rapping. As is often the case with the mixtape, on Dangerous 5:18 Rhymefest finds himself unbound from the constraints of the label pressures that have weighed him down for years, which allows him to present his personal and passionate style of rapping front and center.

But the underlying and seemingly timeless question of why rappers like Rhymefest can never find financial success despite their unquestioned lyrical prowess and substantive material remains. In a sense, hip-hop has become trapped by its own ambitions to expand from a niche market to a global phenomenon. With so much invested, there can't be a even a small chance for failure. There is no doubt hip-hop has become more formulaic since its expansion, but there are of course many exceptions and Rhymefest will assuredly be one of them.

Baseball and the Literary Imagination

2010-04-01T14:38:00.000-07:00

Those who know me know that I love three things in no particular order. Baseball (specifically Detroit Tigers Baseball), fine literature, and hip-hop music. While all three intersect to a certain degree, it is American literature and baseball that has formed a deep symbiotic bond that has lasted throughout history.

Baseball is a unique sport. It is a sport embedded in antiquity while being pulled towards modernity. Despite the enormous payrolls and the rampant performance enhancing drug use, it is a game that relies on seemingly archaic practices. One is a catcher stinking his fingers in his crotch and wiggling them around in order to communicate with the pitcher, all while the runner on second attempts to decipher the code and relay what he has discovered back to the hitter. This, of course, is not illegal and there is evidence that it occurs readily.

The sport is filled with fans defined as 'purists' who vehemently hate the designated hitter in the American League for the aspect of shameless promotion it brings to the game and if asked whether they favor an expanded replay system will spit in your face. A large part of this battle against modernity is the claim that baseball is America's pasttime, and it holds its past in high regard. In no other sport are records as highly revered to the point where they take on a mythical quality. By many, players such as Jackie Robinson, Willie Mays, Babe Ruth, and Ted Williams, are revered as beings greater than humans and more as Gods.

Of course, this element of mysticism lends itself perfectly to literature and it often plays a key roll in many of Americas greatest literary achievements. Featured by writers such as John Updike and Don DeLillo, baseball often provides a perfect marker for the times. As James Earl Jones' character in the Field of Dreams (adapted from W.P. Kinsella's novel, 'Shoeless Joe') said:

America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It's been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt, and erased again. But baseball has marked the time.

Of course, what lends to this mythical quality is that some of the games greatest players played before a time of 24-hour sports analysis such as on ESPN or the high definition highlight of every play from countless angles. Instead, these plays are often restricted to grainy footage if they were caught on tape at all. Such is the case with Bobby Thompson's 'Shot Heard 'Round The World', which capped off the New York Giants historic comeback over the Brooklyn Dodgers. Of the home run, and the Giants comeback, Red Smith wrote:

Now it is done. Now the story ends. And there is no way to tell it. The art of fiction is dead. Reality has strangled invention. Only the utterly impossible, the inexpressibly fantastic, can ever be plausible again.

The mysticism of baseball allows the writer to exaggerate the greatness of the player and the play and it is an exaggeration that we crave, that we long for. We want these moments and players to transcend reality. Perhaps no player continually destroyed the art of fiction more than Willie Mays, and his play defined as 'The Throw' (as opposed to his ubiquitous 'The Catch'), which has no visual or audio record but is only survived by those in attendance that day at the Polo Grounds in New York City, displays this point. James Hirsch writes of 'The Throw':

Cox bolted for the plate as Mays was barreling toward the right field line, his momentum carrying him away from the play. He was in no position to throw, but when he planted his left foot, he sharply pivoted counterclockwise, his number temporarily facing home plate, his eyes flashing intensely before the bleacher fans. It appeared as if the impact of the ball had given him the additional thrust to pirouette in spikes. Without hesitating or even looking, he whipped his right arm around and fired the ball, then corkscrewed his body into the ground. His hat flew off. He peered under his armpit and tried to follow the drama at homeplate.

According to others, the ball took off like it had a mind of its own. When Cox was called out at home, it is said there was 'a momentary silence, similar in response to when Mays hit his first homer, as if the fans couldn't comprehend what they had just seen. Then the stadium erupted while Cox stared at the plate in disbelief.' Of course, with the lack of video or audio record of the play, there is no verifying 'the throw' and its seemingly unbelievable nature. But this is what made great players into Gods and formed the unique relationship between baseball and literature. In both, mysticism thrives and we treasure those that can do things that push the boundaries of what we as humans thought possible.

However, while baseball and literature often meet to show the mystical nature of a play or moment, it also describes the transcendent nature of the players themselves. John Updike, in his wonderful essay Hub Fans Bid Kid Adieu wrote about Ted Williams last at-bat of his career, in which he hit a home run at Fenway Park and ran around the bases for the last time in front of the Boston fans whom his relationship with was described as 'more of a contentious marriage than a blissful love affair'.

Like a feather caught in a vortex, Williams ran around the square of bases at the center of our beseeching screaming. He ran as he always ran out home runs—hurriedly, unsmiling, head down, as if our praise were a storm of rain to get out of. He didn't tip his cap. Though we thumped, wept, and chanted "We want Ted" for minutes after he hid in the dugout, he did not come back. Our noise for some seconds passed beyond excitement into a kind of immense open anguish, a wailing, a cry to be saved. But immortality is nontransferable. The papers said that the other players, and even the umpires on the field, begged him to come out and acknowledge us in some way, but he never had and did not now. Gods do not answer letters.

Even with unbelievable players today, such as Albert Pujols, the sense of mysticism has diminished. The sense of wonderment is often missing from the modern game, but it does appear in short glimpses.

I remember when I was a little kid going to games at Tiger Stadium, I was often more excited to see the great players on the opposing teams than the Tigers, mostly because my team spent years of frustration waiting for Justin Thompson to become a dominant pitcher and Bobby Higginson to become the great 5-tool player he was always meant to be. But there was one player that stood out in the era of my childhood, and that was Ken Griffey Jr.

In many ways, Griffey was the new age Willie Mays. A young phenom known as a five tool player who could not only do everything great, but seemed to do it in ways that defied what we thought possible all the while with an endearing smile on his face. Like Willie Mays, he was nicknamed 'The Kid' and like Willie Mays he was every kids hero and his swing was imitated by every child across the country.

Amid his torrid season in 1997, my father and I decided that we would arrive hours before the game started to watch Ken Griffey Jr. take batting practice, a time honored tradition in baseball which allows fan to expand the mysticism of a player as batting practice is not televised and seen by only a dedicated few.

I, along with a group of fans begging to be awed, stood in the overhang of the second deck in right field at Tiger Stadium. We watched in amazement as the smoothness of Griffey's swing transferred to the violent energy of the ball bolting through the air. One hit stood out. As Griffey swung, he pulled the ball right towards us. But this was not a majestic fly ball, but instead a streaming rocket. I'm not sure if I was simply unable to comprehend the speed and the trajectory of the ball just hit or if I didn't dare attempt to catch it, even with my glove, but either way all I could do was stand with my mouth open as the ball approached. In an instant the ball had flown by me, and all others surrounding, and rocketed straight down the concourse tunnel where it eventually banged against the outer concourse wall with a sound that rivaled a gunshot. Had some unfortunate fan been walking up that tunnel to the stands, they would have been killed. Instead, all present stood in amazement struggling to comprehend what we had just witnessed.

This small instance is the part of baseball that is timeless, and is why it will forever remain America's national pasttime.

Death Gotta Be Easy...

2010-03-22T17:56:00.000-07:00

Health-care reform has cleared what is hopefully the last major hurdle as it works it's way to President Obama's desk and it came at an ugly price. I'm not talking about any of the number of compromises made, but I am talking about the ugliness portrayed in many anti-health care reform demonstrations which, predictably, featured there fair share of racial and homophobic slurs, directed at members of the House, that seemingly transported us back to the early 1960's (not in a good way).

But I also got to thinking about the main argument for 'killing the bill': it's too expensive! All fallacies of this argument aside, to trumpet financially stability and debt reduction under the Republican banner is fairly comical. After all, it was the manipulation of the Republicans that led us into an unjust war which has now cost American taxpayers over $710 Billion. Combine that with our foray into Afghanistan and we're over $1 Trillion spent, and this doesn't even take into account the incalculable loss of life that has occurred in both of these countries. So why the complaining about health care reform? After all, it is much more concrete that the maddeningly abstract issue of national security for which we have spent trillions over the past decade.

As is always the case, hip-hop provides answers for this question. While contemplating why spending money on two wars is so unquestioned yet spending money for health care reform to extend insurance to millions of Americans I turned to 50 Cent who stated this rather fitting statement in Many Men (Wish Death On Me):

Death gotta be easy, cause life is hard

It'll leave you physically, mentally, and emotionally scarred.

MANY MEN WISH DEATH ON ME

$yncere aka S.G. | MySpace Video

If anything, this health care debate has confirmed what is often declared by many hip-hop artists. It's much easier to die than live in this country it seems. The ever volatile 50 Cent wasn't the only to point this out, so did Biggie in his masterful 'You're Nobody (Till Somebody Kills You). Hip-hop songs with similar themes are literally endless and the common critique asks why the genre must be so nihilistic. However, as is often the case, hip-hop is able to reveal something about America that it too often wishes to ignore about itself.

In a country where we invest more in our prisons than our crumbling inner-city schools and don't question fighting two wars half-way across the world but fight tooth and nail to pass (modest) health care reform that would extend coverage to tens of millions of Americans, this nihilism makes a lot more sense. And it's not just hip-hop. William Faulkner expresses a similar sentiment in the equally morbid As I Lay Dying:

It takes two people to make you, one people to die. That's how the world is going to end.

'Well Bo Knows This, And Bo Knows That...'

2010-03-13T09:19:00.000-08:00

'...But Bo don't know jack, 'cause Bo can't rap'. One of my favorite things about hip-hop music is it's constant crossover into the athletic world for the sake of wordplay. And when you think about, the long standing relationship between sports and hip-hop makes perfect sense. Both exhibit hyper-competitive individuals set on displaying they are the best at what they do. And as I gear up to catch my first Detroit Tigers spring training game of 2010 on the radio I really got to thinking about two things. Just who among the several overpaid candidates will fill out the bottom of the Tigers rotation and the close knit relationship between sports and hip-hop.

Of course, there are varying degrees of sports in hip-hop. It can be as simple as comparing yourself to a great athlete (or comparing a lyrical opponent to a terrible athlete). It can also be a short punch line to serve as a point of reference to the listener, such as when Big L rapped:

And everytime I’m in a jam I always find a loophole,

I got a crime record longer than Manute Bol.

In this case, Big L stating his crime record is longer than a 7'6'' man immediately let's the listener know that Big L has one very long crime record and is therefore a very bad man. However, it doesn't stop there. Hip-hop has even had forays into the extended sports metaphor with my personal favorite being Main Source- A Friendly Game Of Baseball, which compares police brutality to our nation's past time.

There are a few rather uniform sports references that need to be addressed, so uniform that by the mere mention of them immediately conjures up a specific image in the listener. The greatest example of this is a rapper comparing himself to Michael Jordan such as Jay-Z did when he said he's 'The Michael Jordan of Recordin' which suggests he is the best there ever was.

You want to display how quick you are? Around the '90's you probably would have made a Jeff Gordon or even a Mario Andretti reference would do, which is what the Tribe did when they claimed in Award Tour: 'Lyrically, I'm Mario Andretti on the Momo'. Of other note in 'Award Tour' is one of my personal favorite baseball related lines: 'Comin' with more hits than the Braves and the Yankees'. Ah, the 1990's. When the Braves were a dominant force and the Yankees were just burgeoning into the purely evil force they would soon become.

Now, if you want to dish out the ultimate insult to your opponent, a sports reference can handle that too. Just mention how your opponent is ugly like Sam Cassell and you're all set. This is such a definitive reference it can apply to much more than an opponents physical attractiveness. He's just that ugly.

Of course, the rap-sports exchange can go both ways. From Shaq Diesel released four studio albums to Ron Artest stating he wanted to take time off from the NBA to work on his rap career, NBA players have always returned the infatuation. Normally it results in some abomination in which sports references go into overload as they are about the actual rapper. Shaq Diesel is no exception.

Of course this is just an abbreviated summation of the relationship between sports and hip-hop music. They often overlap with athletes wishing to be rappers and rappers wishing to be athletes. Normally this relationship produces vivid visual imagery (such as with Sam Cassell) but when the two crossover, proceed with extreme caution.

Hip-Hop As The New Southern Gothic

2010-03-09T16:24:00.000-08:00

The southern environment and the artists that have come out of that environment have provided America with some of it’s greatest and starkest reminders of both how far we have come and far we have yet to go. To this very day, America remains a country divided between the North and the South with the South not fully trusting the North and vice versa. While the characterizations of both the North and the South have changed with the modern political language representing the South as the ‘Bible Belt’ and the North often as ‘Liberal Elites’, the history of this ambiguous geographical yet rather pronounced cultural divide stretches back to before the Civil War. While times have changed, the South remains characterized by the racial classes that have defined its history.

It is important to mention that in no way is the South this backwards region while the North is completely righteous. Many African-Americans came North to flee the restrictions of Jim Crow to find many subtle yet just as forceful road blocks in Northern cities, and this was a point made very clear by Ralph Ellison in his landmark work Invisible Man. However, racial tensions have often been more accentuated in the South and this in many ways directly led to one of America’s most distinct literary genres; the Southern Gothic.

The Southern literature has often been characterized by extremes. Whether it is the 19th century fictional portrayal of the joyous slave or the 20th century Southern Gothic style, the South has been either a heaven or hell. Southern Gothic authors such as William Faulkner, and Flannery O'Connor often portrayed the South as the latter. However, this does not mean these artists exhibited uniformity in their feeling towards the South. O'Connor often supported the South and instead condemned the North for the hypocritical superiority it displayed when condemning racism in the south while turning a blind eye to their unique brand of racism in the North. But a common thread within the Southern Gothic novel is the portrayal of the South with grotesque imagery as a dying region.

However, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is now almost half a century old and the Souther Gothic novel has all but become history. As a result Southern Hip Hop has picked up where the likes of Faulkner and O'Connor left off with an interesting twist.

Since bursting onto the seen in the past decade, Southern Hip-Hop has been blasted for it's apparent lyrical vapidity as it has jumped to the forefront of the drug rap subgenre. Dubbed the 'Dirty South' by the legendary Goodie Mobb, Southern hip-hop often contains the same grotesque imagery that characterized the Southern gothic novel.

The divide between North/South is already apparent in this groundbreaking song with lyrics like:

So when they pulled up playing Rock the Bells

We took what we want and left 'em quiet as hell

While nihilism and the representation of the grotesque is nothing new to hip-hop, this song displays very well how much of a factor place plays within the narration. Setting is as much a defining characteristic within the Southern Gothic novel as it is in Southern hip-hop.

Of course, the twist that exists when comparing the Southern Gothic novel to Southern hip-hop is that southern hip-hop is a predominantly African-American art form which is often regionally focused while the Southern Gothic novel was dominated by white Southern authors portraying the grotesqueness of the South. This change in perspective is essential and this is clear when The Clipse states in their song 'Virginia':

Ironic, the same place I'm makin' figures at

That there's the same land they used to hang ni**ers at

The South's tumultuous racial history is, of course, not lost on the modern southern hip-hop artists in most instances. They know and often have lived through the grotesque imagery that was often depicted in the Southern Gothic novel.

In this sense, southern hip-hop is often more authentic than the Southern Gothic novel and is also a more authentic art form than many give it credit for. While the Southern Gothic often strove to reveal the grotesqueness of the South, which was often defined by racism, through the eyes of the white southerner, southern hip-hop lends that voice to the person at the center of that grotesqueness.

However, with the change in perspective of the artist comes a change in the product. A very unique author in the Southern Gothic subgenre was Flannery O'Connor as she stopped short of completely condemning her Southern homeland and instead displayed the grotesqueness of the South as part of her identity. This is incredibly similar to much of southern hip-hop as the grotesque is often portrayed in a nostalgic light as it represents the familiar.

However, one constant in both the Southern Gothic novel and southern hip-hop is it represents a unique part of America; a part where the past and the present struggle to reconcile each other. The South may be grotesque and it may have a very accentuated dark history, but both the Southern Gothic novel and southern hip-hop display it for what it always was: unique. And no hip-hop group displayed this better than the ATLiens themselves with a style that is uniquely Southern.

ATLiens ~ Outkast from ATLien on Vimeo.

Get That Original Sin Off Your Shoulder...

2010-02-14T21:07:00.001-08:00

There's been a lot of talk recently about whether Jay-Z is a free mason and even whether he worships the devil. This arises from his recent music video 'On To The Next One' which features several supposed occult images. However, this could not be further from the truth. In fact, Jay-Z is a devote born again Christian who has been saved and proof of this is very apparent in the imagery in one of his classics, 'Dirt Off Your Shoulder'.

The common misconception surrounding this song is that it's theme is centered upon Jay-Z dusting off a haters comments by 'brushing his shoulders off'. Even our great 44th President of these United States has fallen prey to this false interpretation during his campaign:

However, what Jay-Z's infamous song is about is not the bravado and general flossin' that many take it to be, instead Jay-Z is speaking of finding his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and the sacrament of Baptism which was his coronation into the Christian world. Therefore, 'Dirt Off Your Shoulder' is one of the greatest religious pieces ever written as it speaks directly to the power of baptism to cleanse an individual of original sin, the proverbial 'dirt' that remains on everyone's shoulders.

When one examines this powerful song word by word, line by line, bar by bar it becomes obvious what Jigga Man's intent was. Let's begin.

Right from the start it's apparent that the Jigga Man is speaking about the Most High as he claims to be 'locked by the force' which sets up the rest of the song as a dedication to his new found Lord and Savior. This song has all the tell tale signs of a born again Christian. This is especially apparent in the first verse with lines such as:

Came from the bottom the bottom, the top of the pots/ Nigga London, Japan and I'm straight off the blocks/ Like a running back get it man I'm straight off the block/ I can run it back nigga cause I'm straight with the Roc.

This line is also constantly misconstrued as many tend to believe Jay is using the term 'block' in the typical sense as a place in impoverished communities where people sell drugs and perform other elicit activities. The truth is that Jay-Z is making a reference to Peter, the apostle of Jesus Christ upon which the Church was founded. When Shaun Carter says he is 'straight off the block' he is referencing the house of the Lord and spreading the word through missionary trips to distant lands. This also applies to the term 'Roc', which many believe to be a reference to Jay-Z's now former record label Rocafella Records. Instead, this is once again a reference to the Church. As anyone who has had that original sin brushed off their shoulder can tell you, it is a joyous occasion that one wants to share with every person ever regardless of the other persons wants, needs or beliefs. Once you have been saved, nothing will stop you from saving the souls of others. In Jay's case, he has the means to travel all over the world to spread the good word.

Another generally misconstrued line is as follows:

Feelin' no remorse feelin' like my hand was forced

Middle finger to the law nigga grippin' my balls

Many look at this and say: How vulgar, this is devil music! On the contrary, this is Jay-Z condemning the sinful secular society that surrounds him in America. He once again references the divine 'force' and claims that despite our Godless societies best efforts, he will be 'feelin' no remorse' for his Baptism. The secular nature of American society is clear evidence of Satan himself attempting to turn America, the worlds foremost power, into his kingdom on Earth. Jay-Z offers a brazen retort to the Satanist America by 'gripping his balls', a sign that he plans to have limitless children with his wife Beyonce, a typical characteristic of the born-again Christian.

Now if all of this wasn't evidence enough, just take a look at Jay-Z's supposed retirement following The Black Album. He walks away on top to fulfill his duties to his Lord and Savior, but as with most fundamentalist Christians, he can't walk away forever and comes back years later claiming the game still needs him. And need him it does as there are still plenty-a-souls that need saving.

Put Your W's Up!

2010-01-19T20:08:00.000-08:00

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

2010-01-12T21:17:00.000-08:00

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!

2010-01-10T19:15:00.000-08:00

(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

2010-01-06T11:26:00.000-08:00

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

2010-01-04T17:52:00.000-08:00

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

Praise the Lawd!

2009-12-26T16:16:00.000-08:00

Despite Jay Electronica's seemingly sloth-like work ethic which usually produces two or three songs per year, he is being lauded as not only one of the greatest rappers of his time, but perhaps of all time. For people familiar with this force of lyrical ferocity, it is easy to see why many are lauding him with such high praise. It's not only that he makes unbelievable music, but also that he seemingly can't make a bad song and has very little apparent interest in seeking enormous amounts of fame and revels in his continued mythical-like ambiguity.

Tracks like Exhibit C and the unreal Just Begun should continue to build his mythical status even as he continues to delay releasing any sort of album. What kind of person introduces a preview for a track that is seemingly as great as Dear Moleskine then makes people wait for over half a year with no further mention of it? But is this all part of Jay Electronica's master plan? Is he just sitting on all of this material that he knows is legendary and is just waiting for the right time to unleash it upon us mortals? Are we just not ready for his presence? Excuse the religious undertones that this man evokes, but if hip-hop needed a savior, he would be it.

Jay Electronica- Exhibit C

Talib Kweli, Jay Electronica, J. Cole, Mos Def- Just Begun

Home Is Where The Dope Music Is

2009-12-25T14:09:00.000-08:00

The weather outside is frightful...

I forget what Christmas song that is from but he may have been speaking of Detroit Christmas 2009. Or was that line not meant to apply to a Christmas day which consists of a rain that could be considered a downpour and menacing clouds that shroud the American side of Lake St. Clair while sunlight mocks me from the Canadian side? Perhaps a sign from the Big J.C. to finally put the finishing touches on this health care reform? Without a doubt!

But despite the weather it has indeed been a merry Christmas and Detroit producer/MC has contributed greatly to the days merriness with his unstoppable song 'Keep Going' which will be on his upcoming summer release titled Album of the Year (Yes, that's really the title).

Maybe I'm just showing my bit of favoritism for Detroit musicians but I like to think Black Milk can actually have such an audaciously titled album as long as he keeps the album on par with this song. A magnificent song that is distinctly Detroit with it's sporadic dirty drums and oozing chorus. Spread the Christmas cheer!

Black Milk- Keep Going

To Live and Die In Authenticity

2009-12-24T06:54:00.000-08:00

After shelving Freddie Gibb's rather awesomely raw mixtape The Miseducation of Freddie Gibbs I've dusted it off and brought it to light again mainly because he's been popping up in all the publications you wouldn't expect to find him in (New Yorker, New York Times, Pitchfork). The situation is similar in all these publications. Hip-hop is dying or is dead, and Gibbs is the man to resuscitate it with his brand of Gary, Indiana gangster rap that manages to stay true to its mid-90's

roots without being anywhere near nostalgic.

Now I have my own feelings about Gibbs future success. The very rawness that made his mixtape

often doesn't translate well to a studio album for various reasons (see declining hip-hop album sales

and worried studio executives). But my main concern with articles such as these are their simplistic

views of the hip-hop genre and their constant love of gangster acts like Gibbs. Like I said before, the Gibbs

mixtape is fire, but this doesn't mean that hip-hop hasn't blessed the world with other great music this year.

I can't help but think that publications such as the New York Times and especially the New Yorker

look upon hip-hop with a tinge of fetishization. It seems the only records that are 'real' in hip-hop,

according to these publications, are the gulliest examples of gangster rap. The more nihilistic the better.

They discount Jay-Z's Blueprint 3 for not being real enough and praise Gibbs for his authenticity

when in reality comparing those two artists, one a young twenty something from Gary the other now 40,

married to Beyonce and trying to move the Nets to Brooklyn, is like comparing apples to oranges.The

truth is their is more than enough room for both in hip-hop. There will always be room for the kid like Gibbs

in hip-hop but as the genre continues to grow as the world's most popular music genre you have to

believe (and desire) that as legends like Jay-Z push 40 they will change their subject matter somewhat.

Or is growth not allowed in this industry? Should Jay-Z go the route of The Who and continue to sing

his equivalent to 'I hope I die before I get old' at his shows into his AARP days. Or in hip-hop does one

actually have to get killed, like Biggie or Tupac, to be considered TRULY authentic?

The point is, there is room for both in hip-hop as it continues to grow as a genre. There are times when

I can't listen to The Miseducation of Freddie Gibbs and there are times when I can't listen to The Blueprint 3.

Each is good in it's own right. Gibbs isn't the end all be all of authentic rappers. While hip-hop continues to grow

it seems hip-hop critics are stuck in the mud desiring a return to the so-called authentic time of the genre

when most of the artists were broke 20 somethings telling ghetto tales. Now that those artists have grown up

they have been discarded by those same critics. You have to wonder: does Gibbs need to save hip-hop

or do publications such as the New Yorker need to change their views of what hip-hop is? I'll put my money

on the latter.

Freddie Gibbs- The Miseducation of Freddie Gibbs

Life After Death

2009-09-28T19:02:00.000-07:00

A couple years back I bought a t shirt proclaiming 'Dilla Lives' shortly after the untimely, tragic, and downright unfair death of the legendary Detroit producer. Of course at the time I thought the message was purely sentimental as I endlessly rolled around playing 'Donuts', the album Dilla recorded on his death bed.

Little did I realize the t shirt would prove to have a more literal meaning. It turns out that James Yancey's collection of unreleased work was so extensive that many of it is just coming to light now on albums such as Q-Tips The Renaissance released last fall and more recently on Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx Part 2, which is already being anointed as a classic.

J Dilla contributes three beats to Raekwon's tremendously terrifying sequel and the results are three of the better tracks on an album full of great ones. The fact that beats like these are just now getting play three and a half years after his death does two things. It makes me wonder just how many more beats like these he has and further solidifies his position as one of the greatest hip-hop producers of all time. It's clear J Dilla's musical legacy isn't even finished forming even if his time on this earth is over.

Raekwon ft. Inspectah Deck, Ghostface, Method Man- House of Flying Daggers

Raekwon ft. Ghostface- 10 Bricks

Raekwon- Ason Jones

Us

2009-09-20T20:33:00.000-07:00

Brother Ali has many gifts. He's a great lyricist, is comfortable in his own skin which seems to elude even the most popular MC's sometimes, and he has one of the most soulful voices in hip-hop. Unfortunately, Brother Ali is a white albino from Minneapolis which leaves him in hip-hop limbo. Besides his cultish following in Minneapolis, not many really know what to make of this man. But when listening to Us, Brother Ali's latest release, you can't help but think how all those physical and regional differences combined with his unquestionable talent has molded him into one of the leading voices of underground hip-hop.

Listening to this album is personal. By the end of the album you feel like your inside Brother Ali's world as he spends the entire album describing everything from how he parties, to race relations, to buying a new house. By addressing such a wide range of topics Brother Ali does a great job of avoiding some of the common pitfalls of underground rap. His album doesn't get bogged down by a monotonous theme that so many underground albums fall victim to. If he talks about race relations, the next he's talking about how great life is after the birth of his second child, and then right after he goes into telling the story of a rape victim. This gives the album it's honest feel and buy the end I even forget that he's a white albino from Minneapolis, home of the most God forsaken baseball stadium known to man. Despite the Metrodome sabotaging the Tigers, we still escaped with one and now we leave without looking back.

Brother Ali- Breakin' Dawn

Brother Ali Us

The Salvation

2009-09-17T17:36:00.000-07:00

What a couple of weeks it has been for hip-hop music. Big old names, big new names, and smaller new names alike are all bringing forth really solid efforts. By now most know Jay-Z has released the Blueprint 3 to mixed, but mostly positive, reviews and Raekwon has released Only Built For Cuban Linx Part 2, an album some are already calling a classic. There's been some debate over which is better. Personally, and I know you care about my personal opinion, I love them both. There's something to be said about Raekwon making something that sounds like it's straight out of the 90's and there's something to be said about Jay growing to this point in his career. He really is hip-hop's first grown up star.

Oh yeah, did I mention Kid Cudi released something too?

I'll post more from all this stuff later, but I figured I should start with something a little more under the radar. I've posted a few things from the young Brooklyn MC that goes by Skyzoo but with all the big releases lately I almost forgot about his upcoming debut album. But to Skyzoo's credit, he has knocked Jay, Rae, and Kid Cudi all out of my speakers (albeit for a short while).

By unanimous decision

All of them's telling me

That it's me who can paint true Brooklyn like Shelton Lee

I ain't aim to make a classic

I aim to say what happens

And if the outcome gets praised then blame the havoc

If the outcome gets praised then blame the tragic

My Lord what a line. Combining 'blame hip-hop' viewpoints with the 'hip-hop needs to be hardcore' and shrugging both off. Skyzoo is lyrically on point throughout this album's entirety painting vivid pictures and reminding me why I first fell in love with hip-hop.

And in case you were worried about production with the debut, have no fears. Just Blaze has a track, 9th Wonder has 5, go-go's greatest Best Kept Secret has one, and for my Detroit peoples Black Milk owns the track titled Penmanship with that haunting Detroit sound.

Skyzoo- The Opener

Skyzoo The Salvation

Coastin'

2009-08-26T20:58:00.000-07:00

Some West Coast stuff. My listening relationship with Zion I has been a strange one. Back when I was first getting into hip-hop at the start of high school I was heavy into their first release 'Mind Over Matter' and I really like their album 'Deep Water Slang'. Then for whatever reason they just sort of fell off the map for me and I got into some other areas of hip-hop. I kept tabs on them and checked in once and a while but I started to get away from strictly underground music.

Don't get me wrong I love underground hip-hop as it often provides a vastly different voice from the often hyper-consumption driven mainstream counterpart. But at the same time those kind of 'conscious rap' themes of rebellion and down with the man can get tiresome listening to 24-7. Besides anybody not digging Jay-Z saying 'I'd rather live enormous than die dormant' and has to get their head checked. My point is you need a balance of these seemingly divergent sub-genres depending on mood, time and place.

But this Zion I song is so good it fits into every mood, time and place. And the video is a beautiful thing as well with all it's sustainable technology and oh so smooth feel. Has to make my man Van Jones proud (middle finger up for Fox News; you're still going against those commies? Really?)

Zion I- Coastin'

Wale In Detroit

2009-05-18T20:46:00.000-07:00

What a musically rich night for the D it was last Thursday! I already knew Wale was going to be in town at The Shelter and bought tickets pretty far in advance just to make sure I didn't make the drive to Detroit for nothing, but as I am driving in I catch wind of a Drake performance at the Majestic. Apparently the line for this show was huge and this surprised me a little. Just goes to show how much Drake has been blowing up lately. The former Degrassi star is everywhere! Unfortunately I was unable to sneak my way into the Drake show after Wale got finished after midnight. Immediately after Wale ended, everyone made fled like shots had been fired to see if they could get into Drake. Almost no one did.

But Wale did not disappoint. The D.C. ambassador brought a live band with him which makes hip-hop shows infinitely more interesting and the setting was cozy and full of some pretty devoted fans despite an official release from the rapper. This video should give you a better feel for the setting. The Shelter is pretty much the basement of St. Andrew's, a larger venue, and the entrance leads you down an alley and to the back of the building, a very hip-hop setting. (See 8 Mile) In fact, Wale rapped the opening verse of 'Lose Yourself'. A few tracks from Wale below.

Wale ft. Lady GaGa- Chillin'

Wale ft. Black Thought, Peedi Crakk, Young Chris, Tuphace- Hot Shyt

Wale- Gotta Be Magic

Are You In?

2009-05-13T16:33:00.000-07:00

De La Soul is one of hip-hop's most legendary groups not only because they have produced classics such as De La Soul Is Dead and 3 Feet High and Rising but they have also managed to stay together for two decades now. As a result, they are still putting out music and recently they teamed up with Nike for one of their workout releases. It's no secret that hip-hop makes for good workout/inspirational music. Just ask Michael Phelps what he listened to before he swam in the Olympics and he will tell you Weezy. Coincidentally, ask Phelps what he listens to when he lights up and he will probably have the same answer.

But if you listen to Are You In? while on the Phelps offseason workout plan you may start to feel a little lazy. While not flush with workout references, there are a few instances that may leave fans of De La Soul wondering why they are talking about running so much. And with this being untracked, unless you feel like fast forwarding you will have to deal with it.

De La Soul Are You In?

Crime Pays

2009-05-12T17:14:00.000-07:00

Killa's Back! After a long hiatus during which he apparently thought about retiring from hip-hop all together, Cam'ron released his 6th album to date which qualifies (in my mind) as the first big official release of the year. While a good album, it is incredibly hit or miss. As usual, when Cam'ron connects on a track he hits it out of the ballpark and this is clear in a few songs on Crime Pays, most notably 'Never Ever', 'My Job', 'Silky', and 'Get It In Ohio'. While this amount of strong tracks would usually make for a pretty strong album, Cam'ron loads this single disc to the brim with a total of 23 tracks (18 songs). As a result, Cam'ron has his fair share of misses. But after such a long absence, I'm willing to overlook the missteps.

Cam'ron- Silky

Cam'ron- Never Ever

Cam'ron Crime Pays

Mother's Day Hip-Hop

2009-05-09T09:57:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not, hip-hop has provided the world with some of the greatest mothers day tracks known to human kind. Today I head home for Mother's Day and is my usual question before I set out on the 2.5 hour drive- what am I going to listen to? Well here is the answer, an assortment of my favorite mothers day tracks will start me off on the right foot.

Nas- Dance

Ghostface Killah (ft. Mary J. Blige)- All That I Got Is You

Tupac- Dear Mama

Jay-Z- Blueprint (Mama Loves Me)

Talib Kweli- Momma Can You Hear Me

Kanye West- Hey Mama

This Ain't No Mixtape

2009-05-06T21:59:00.000-07:00

One thing you have to respect about hip-hop is that it is filled with artists that have almost obsessive work ethics. Say what you want about people like Lil' Wayne as sometimes he leaves a lot to be desired but there is no denying two things. First, he is talented and secondly he's a worker. This is evident simply in the seemingly unstopping torrent of mixtapes from Weezy which have featured some of his best work such as in the unstoppable 'Da Drought 3' and 'Dedication 2'. When Wayne proclaimed in an interview with Fader that his daily routine consisted of waking up, lighting up, and heading to the studio until he went to sleep, he may not have been exaggerating.

Now it seems some (not all) of Wayne's attributes have rubbed off on Young Money protoge Curren$y. Known as primarily a mixtape rapper, he recently delivered his official release appropriately titled This Ain't No Mixtape in case you mistook it for one of the many unofficial releases he rattles off on the introductory track. You have to respect that kind of work ethic and if you do purchase the album here. Lord knows the man has put out his fair share of free work.

Curren$y- Blown Away

Curren$y- Scared of Monstas

Gone Fishing

2009-05-05T16:05:00.000-07:00

The Cool Kids newest mixtape features more of the nostalgia rap that they have become well known for. As usual, the young Chi-town duo come with many 90's hoops and hip-hop references. It's strange how the new thing in hip-hop is getting back to the 'golden age' of the early 90's. Call it post-postmodern hip-hop. Don Cannon is the mixtape DJ on this one so get ready for that gruffy voice and 'THE CANNON-THE CANNON'.

The Cool Kids-Champions

The Cool Kids- Broadcasting Live

The Cook Kids Gone Fishing

I'm Black In College

2009-04-27T07:04:00.000-07:00

If you know me, you know I'm not really into this new guy named Asher Roth and despise his new single 'I Love College' which is so uncreative lyrically it hurts. By far my most hated lyric is:

I am champion at beer pong
Allen Iverson, Hakeem Olajuwon

First of all, I bet Hakeem The Dream would suck at beer pong. His numerous post moves would be pointless. And Iverson would find a way to bring down his team. He would just be playing by himself chucking like there is no tomorrow. What I'm saying is Asher Roth and his single 'I Love College' are just not for me and the concept of a subgenre titled 'frat rap' is just terrifying.

Luckily, a young artist named Front Page has taken the hit single and put it to good use in his remix titled 'I'm Black In College'. He takes a pretty serious issue and makes it funny which isn't easy. What makes this track all the more enjoyable is it applies so well to my alma mater Kalamazoo College.

Can I graduate?

Or do you just want to keep me here the rest of my life?

Front Page- I'm Black In College

Heathen

2009-04-25T13:28:00.000-07:00

A little while back, I posted a few tracks from Nickelus F in which he rhymed over some Portishead songs. Those songs were what peaked my interest in him, but he has grabbed my attention with his most recent release titled Heathen. A big part of hip-hop is being authentic and despite the increasing commercialism of the genre, it is still almost always grounded in reality and stays away from abstract lyrics that speak of abstract topics. However, while every artist tries to seem authentic, shockingly few are.

This became incredibly apparent when it was revealed that Rick 'Officer' Ross was a former correctional officer. While I don't think all hip-hop artists have to be held to the reality of their own lives, it seems that if you are going to make personal boasts (as Rick Ross did when he referred to his cocaine peddling days) they should be rooted in some form of reality. Mainly I just love the many awesome photoshop pictures that have come from the Rick Ross correctional officer fiasco.

Despite many hip-hop fans coming to the shocking realization that many rappers most likely have not led the lives that directly correspond to their lyrics, Nickelus F is incredibly believable throughout Heathen. Albums that are honest are often albums that are very personal. Therefore, it comes of no surprise that the best albums are ones that convince the listener that they are listening to an accurate portrayal of the artists personal life. Maybe image matters after all.

Nickelus F- Be Good

Nickelus F- Prideful

Nickelus F Heathen

Amazing

2009-04-23T18:04:00.000-07:00

Wait, is this a Planet Earth video? Apparently Kanye and Hype Williams teamed up to shoot the new video for his song 'Amazing' in Hawaii and what resulted is another great video from Kanye. When most artists release a video at this point in time I usually don't get too excited about it. The era in music in which a great video was essential to go along with a great song are over, but Kanye always seems to come out with something new and original that no one else is doing in hip-hop. Not only is the video something new, but apparently Kanye is also trying to keep his ego in check. Now that would be something really new. Frankly, if he keeps making songs like 'Amazing', he can do whatever he wants.

Kinda Like A Big Deal

2009-04-20T20:42:00.001-07:00

I've been waiting on this one for a long time. I can remember checking the internets almost obsessively for this track this past winter during it's rumored release date, which I think was sometime in November. After rumors that Kanye West had Debo'd this track (which were refuted by Clipse) it finally comes to the light of day with lofty expectations in tow. It won't blow you away on first listen, but it's a great song in every aspect. Contrary to the Malice Brothers past two albums, this isn't a Pharrell beat, instead Khalil does the production but he keeps the empty drums that were so prevalent on some of the tracks off Hell Hath No Fury. Recession rap this is not.

It's a blessin'

To blow a hundred thou in a recession

With no second guessin'

Clipse ft. Kanye West- Kinda Like A Big Deal

Oh and this track is unrelated in almost every way except that Mic Luter is also from Chi-town just like Kanye, but this remix is crazy. I've been looking for an excuse to put this up for a while. Mic Luter murders Lupe's 'Dumb It Down' in almost ever way.

Mic Luter- Dumb It Down (Remix)

Just A Friendly Game Of Baseball

2009-04-16T20:32:00.000-07:00

I've been getting back into searching for some old hip-hop classics that have eluded me and one that I have recently been listening a lot to is Main Source Breaking Atoms. Released in 1991, it is a very politically conscious album before the term conscious rapper was invented and before hip-hop was the enormous cultural phenomenon it is today. Many talk of the golden age of hip-hop with incredibly lofty language, and rightfully so. It seems that almost any album released in the late 80's to mid 90's is a classic. But as a result many discount modern hip-hop as entirely commercial. Certainly the game has changed, but not all of it is bad. With it's broader spectrum, this unique musical genre that grew like wildfire out of the Bronx as recently as the 80's has such a large impact. I could go on for days on this topic, but back to this Main Source album.

By far my favorite song is 'Just A Friendly Game Of Baseball' which places police brutality in terms of the great national past time. In the song they claim the mythical Babe Ruth is a bigot and that the government are the umpires. It's a great analogy when you think about how sports has infiltrated the justice system in the form of the 3 strikes your out policy. Thank God that Major League Baseball didn't go with 3-2 count that I played with in Catholic League High School Baseball or our justice system would be even more messed up. A 2 strikes your out policy would have been even more catastrophic.

Main Source- Just A Friendly Game Of Baseball

Main Source Breaking Atoms

Playoff Time!

2009-04-15T14:47:00.000-07:00

In Detroit, April is by far the greatest sports month. The Pistons and Red Wings start their playoff runs and the Tigers begin their 162 game season. Not being a big hockey fan, my attention is generally turned to Tigers baseball and the Pistons playoff run. While good old FSN Detroit always tries to capture the excitement of Detroit sports in the month of April with their yearly 'April In The D' song contest, these songs always come up extremely short, which isn't much of a surprise. Last year's song was a hard rock song that featured a lead singer that was far too similar to Mystery from the unstoppable reality show 'The Pick-Up Artist'.

While last years April in the D song was a pop-metal romp with brilliant lyrics describing Detroit as a place where 'the boys are hard and the girls are pretty' this years song is equally as disappointing as FSN Detroit went with a softer indie rock snoozer. If you can watch all 2:37 of this I commend you. If you stick around a little bit, you will see one of the brief moments in which Allen Iverson is actually playing in a Pistons uniform. What a surprise, he seems to be dribbling around with no intention of ever passing the ball

At this point I obviously need somewhere else to turn to for my April themed sports excitement. Luckily, the NBA is great at marketing and usually comes up with something awesome for the playoff time. Usually, there is some disappointing playoff commercial that markets some Hollywood action movie, but this year Kanye West's 'Amazing' is played over various highlights from playoffs past. While my Pistons find themselves in uncharted territory coming in at the 8th seed, if they can beat the Cavs in the first round there season is a success. Either way, it looks like their streak of playoff runs to the Eastern Conference finals is over. Doesn't matter, Lakers win it all this year and Kobe gets his Shaq-less championship.

The Funk Man

2009-04-14T21:34:00.000-07:00

Del Tha Funky Homosapien is an often overlooked west coast rapper. He doesn't exactly fit with the gangsta rap scene that in many ways defines the west coast, but he has made a career out of being totally unique, which is not as easy as it sounds. However, for all of Del's success (see I Wish My Brother George Was Here) he hasn't exactly flooded the market with music. Therefore, the fact that Del is releasing this album, titled The Funk Man, for free on his website makes this Tuesday all the more joyous. He calls it a 'stimulus package' and I usually am wary of free albums thinking can they really be that good if even the artist doesn't deem it necessary to charge. But sure enough, this album is good and has some great tracks.

By the way, if you happen to be in the Mitten, Del himself will be performing at the Blind Pig in Ann Arbor on May 5th.

Del Tha Funky Homosapien- Sometimes I Gotta Get Stupid

Del Tha Funky Homosapien- Simple Satisfaction

Del Tha Funky Homosapien The Funk Man

Road Trip Hip-Hop

2009-04-12T18:11:00.000-07:00

I recently drove out to New York City to enjoy my post-college life and a large part of making that 10 hour drive was deciding what to listen to along the way. I already had a playlist of my favorite New York City hip-hop tracks, but needed something a little different for driving through the rocky Appalachians of Pennsylvania.

Hip-hop in general does not lend itself well to road trips. It's city music and therefore fits in well with city traveling, but I was able to unearth a few that fit well. What's essential is that the track be laid back but not to the point where it puts you to sleep. It's a challenge.

A real nice song with a long and smooth introduction. This one has a very nice western vibe the could keep you driving through even the most barren of landscapes.

She Came Along- Kid Cudi (prod. Sharam)

This one is pretty self explanatory. The beat is mesmerizing and keeps you in that driving trance that allows hours to seem like minutes.

Rollin' (Remix)- Kid Cudi

This is similar to the Rollin' track in that it mesmerizes yet it also motivates. When you destination still seems distant and you think you will never get there, this track will do the trick.

Ready or Not- The Fugees

Perfect for driving through the countryside. While Del Tha Funky Homosapien had to dream about Sunny Meadows while smoking a little herb, you will be happy to be experiencing the real thing.

Sunny Meadowz- Del Tha Funky Homosapien

How could the hip-hop hippies of De La Soul not be on this list? The whistles that accompany this song make it unstoppable for joyous road trips.

Eye Know- De La Soul

Not hip-hop, but one of the all-time great driving tracks. In any setting. Period.

Pusherman- Curtis Mayfield

A fine mix of a laid back beat with an uptempo rhyme. Sure to relax you yet keep you up.

Fat Cats, Bigga Fish- The Coup

A classic track. It's easier to find yourself lost in this song with it's relaxing beat and Common's beautiful lyrics. In my opinion, one of the greatest hip-hop songs ever made.

I Used To Love H.E.R.- Common

Smirnoff Loves Hip-Hop

2009-03-30T19:34:00.000-07:00

Or at least they love the people that listen to it, and they want to get those fine people to buy their liquor. Smirnoff has recently released a few songs to go along with their 'signature series' vodkas. I don't quite understand the pairings, but the concept is to get young artists and pair them with older artists to get a new perspective on a classic track. Now for most musical genres such actions would be enough to label the participating artists sell outs. For whatever reason, this never has applied as much to hip-hop. If someone cries sell out the inevitable response is stop hating. As Kanye claimed in 'Good Life':

50 told me go ahead and switch the style up

And if they hate then let them hate and watch the money pile up

True but seeing Nas up there with a Smirnoff bottle still seems strange. Isn't this the guy that almost named his album after America's most controversial word? Chalk it up to versatility.

This one is definitely my favorite and a remix of this track is nothing new to Nas. However, despite having already done this track on his album It Was Written, he delivers a new and updated version with a different vibe. In case you were wondering, this song goes well with the Raspberry flavored vodka.

Nas ft. Marsha Ambrosius- If I Ruled The World '09

This next one has Pacific Division paired with Nice & Smooth. Smirnoff gets a few shout outs which I'm sure makes them happy. Reppin' that Strawberry Smirnoff. So Funky.

Nice & Smooth & Pac Div- Funky For You '09

They Call This (Hip-Hop)

2009-03-29T19:06:00.000-07:00

A few Detroit related tracks have popped up recently. This first one is Classified, along with Royce Da 5'9'' and B.oB. aka Bobby Ray. I've been listening to quite a bit of Royce lately, particularly his great album Death Is Certain, particularly the undeniably smooth 'What I Know' that is a perfect track to bump when driving around Detroit.

But back to this track. I kind of knew what to expect from a Royce and Classified collaboration, as they have done it before on 'Unexplainable Hunger'. Royce's verse on that song was crazy and everyone fit well I thought. But I wasn't sure how the young B.o.B. would fare as his rap style is much more mellow and different in general. But he fares well and does something that is a little different. I love it when artists step out of their usual thing because if they are talented it generally ends up great.

Classified ft. Royce Da 5'9'' & B.o.B. - They Call This (Hip-Hop)

Another Detroit heavy track. What always has confused me is the immense love Detroit rappers get overseas. Royce Da 5'9'' is way more respected over in Europe than in America. I've heard some Europeans say he's better than Jay-Z, which shows the love he gets over there. The same goes for Guilty Simpson. They can't get enough of it. When I attended Rock the Bells hip-hop festival in Detroit Guilty Simpson performed early in the day and chastised the crowd for not being 'live enough'. He claimed that people over Europe give him more love. Don't get me wrong I love Guilty Simpson, but Europeans are treating him like David Hasselhof. The man is just not primed for super stardom in my opinion. I don't even mean that to be negative as I think a lot of his skill comes from being a more underground artist. I honestly think Europeans just like the image of Detroit as that grimey and dangerous American city. Just a theory. After all, there are no Europeans visiting Detroit.

Anyways, true to form this is a track from a German production duo called JR & PH7. I can hear some Detroit influence in the beat along with some DJ Shadow, which is a beautiful mixture. It also features Black Milk which creates a nice Detroit duo.

JR & PH7 ft. Guilty Simpson & Black Milk- Top Rank

Morning Hip-Hop

2009-03-28T20:40:00.000-07:00

Something I often thought about while I would make my early morning treks to campus was always: 'Man, I wish I had a playlist of morning specific hip-hop. I'm not trying to listen to this club banger or this heavy conscious thing, it's too damn early'.

Generally when people think hip-hop, they don't think mornings, they think nights. However, I recently found a good compilation of morning hip-hop songs that have the bravado and motivation aspects that are essential to the jam that will get you going in the morning. Plus, it has a real nice mix of new and classic tracks.

My favorite has to be Ice Cube's 'Today Was A Good Day'. It's for those relaxing mornings. If you're looking for more motivation try Outkast's 'Git Up, Git Out' or Jay-Z's 'Early This Morning'.

Good Morning Mixtape

Cam'ron

2009-03-21T12:18:00.000-07:00

Killa is back! Remember Killa Season? I don't want to either. But remember Purple Haze? It's albums like that which have built Cam'ron's cultish fan base. Cam'ron has been missing for a while and apparently he was attending to family matters, but he is back with a couple real strong tracks and his album Crime Pays is set to drop in May.

Cam'ron - I Hate My Job

Cam'ron- Ohio

Mike Milan

2009-03-19T15:58:00.001-07:00

Fresh, new and unsigned Mike Milan hails from Manhattan and you can add him to the cast of up and coming young guys that seem to be jumping out of the wood work lately. I downloaded a few songs by him today and I was feeling them all. Then I got to this song 'Watch Me Live' and found perhaps the first Rodney Stuckey reference in a song which addresses the young Pistons guard uncanny ability to get to the rim. Must have been made a couple months ago when Stuck was tearing the Bulls apart for 40, he's been slumping lately.

I drive in do mine's the Stuckey way

Like the Pistons I gets 'em

Mike Milan- Watch Me Live

Mike Milan- Neon Lights

Word Play

2009-03-17T21:13:00.001-07:00

A nice little track from Wale and Curren$y with 9th Wonder production. A real nice beat on this one as 9th wonder always delivers something nice. A perfect song for that 70 degree rolling that I would have done today if my garage door had not fallen off its hinges.

I can make the clouds jealous I am that fly

Wale ft. Curren$y - Word Play (prod. by 9th Wonder)

Another little tid bit tonight. B.o.B., who recently changed his name to Bobby Ray apparently, released this little singing track recently. The beat is nice and he actually does well with it. I was surprised.

Bobby Ray aka B.o.B.- Ghost in the Machine

Nickelus F x Portishead

2009-03-16T07:17:00.000-07:00

I've had these songs for a quick second, but haven't been giving them that much play mainly because Portishead is really damn depressing and ominous. It's not that they aren't good songs, you just need to be in that mood to feel it. But, with finals looming here, I have had ample time to give these songs plenty of rotation. At least finals have given me a reason to bust these songs out in full force.

Nickelus F ft. Portishead- Roads

Nickelus F ft. Portishead- Cowboys

The Sky Might Fall

2009-03-09T21:26:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago I posted a video that has Kid Cudi's unreleased track 'Sky May Fall' played over the Transformers 2 trailer. Turns out, it was guerilla marketing and the song is not officially the track for the trailer, however there is discussion that it may become official.

Regardless, the song is dope. And here is the track in full. It sounds like it needs a little mastering and cleanup, but I was really feeling the clip of the song so I needed a little something to tide me over.

Kid Cudi- Sky Might Fall

Way Cool

2009-03-04T21:36:00.000-08:00

Hip-Hop beats can come from anywhere these days, just ask Charles Hamilton. With songs like 'Window Media Player' that rely only on sounds that your computer may make and a hand clap, he now goes over a beat from a show that many Nickelodeon devotees of the 1990's may remember called 'Clarissa Explains It All'. I don't know where the hell this idea came from, but it works.

Charles Hamilton- Way Cool

Click Click

2009-03-02T21:01:00.000-08:00

Despite E-40 almost having Biggie killed, I can't help but love him. Besides, he handled that business with Biggie properly in the end. Plus 'Tell Me When To Go' is still a beast and really was my introduction to hyphy music and Bay area hip-hop as I was too young for Too Short and his freaky tales when it was first released.

Lately E-40 has been really branching out and seeming to go all over everything. Here he goes over a very fast and loud MSTRKRFT beat and does well with it, although the emphasis definitely lies with the electronic duo on this track.

MSTRKRFT ft. E-40- Click Click

Sky Might Fall

2009-02-26T08:29:00.000-08:00

Kid Cudi has been getting a lot of time on here lately, but don't blame me this man seems to be kicking it into high gear. He also seems to have a knack for creating anticipation for his releases. I can remember watching his trailer for the 'A Kid Named Cudi' Mixtape and endlessly waiting to here a full version of the track at the end.

Well this time he does the same thing but on a slightly bigger stage. His upcoming single 'Sky Might Fall' is in the trailer for the upcoming Transformers movie. Now if you know me, you know I love bad movies (case and point, Alien vs. Predator and ALL the Blade movies), so my excitement for this trailer knows no bounds. By the way, track by Mr. West.

Speaking of Cudi, Kanye and videos, check this crazy video for Welcome to Heartbreak. I don't care if you think 808's and Heartbreak is good or not, this song is an absolute beast and in all honesty one of Kanye's best.

KANYE WEST "Welcome To Heartbreak" Directed by Nabil from nabil elderkin on Vimeo.

Generation Lost

2009-02-21T16:53:00.000-08:00

Further evidence of why I hate mixtape DJ's. When B.oB.'s last mixtape came out one of the standout tracks for me was 'Generation Lost' but with the DJ screaming all over it, the track became somewhat hard to listen to. But after hearing a no-DJ version of the track, plus a little crisper production, the track has received new life. Check the video too. He may not have the same budget that Cudi had on his 'Day 'n Nite' video, but it works. When you see a guy biking in the middle of nowhere, give him props.

B.o.B.- Generation Lost

Day 'n Nite Video

2009-02-19T20:30:00.000-08:00

Kid Cudi's first video for his hit song Day 'n Nite has just been released, and while it may be a little bit later than most debut videos, it is worth the wait. A lot of artists rush out their first video to capitalize on early success, but Cudi took his time with this one and got So Me to direct it, the same person who directed Kanye's awesome 'Good Life' video.

I think this video will really help out Cudi as he gets set to have what is shaping up to be a big year.

The Diesel

2009-02-18T21:48:00.001-08:00

I admit, I used to be a Shaq hater. I thought his entire game was simply he was a physical monster that still couldn't make a free throw. But after seeing a video like this, how can you not love him. The big man has moves.

Drake

2009-02-16T21:05:00.000-08:00

With The Carter III all over the Grammy's and Wayne still dropping tracks like there is no tomorrow, I haven't given him much listen lately, although I did get back into The Carter III for a little while. But Drake, with his mixtape So Far Gone, has provided me reason to listen to Weezy once again as his fellow Cash Money partner joins him on more than a few tracks.

But on this mixtape Drake outshines Weezy. Now the verses that Wayne drops are far from his best work, but Drake doesn't slouch. The mixtape is a strange one, not something you'd typically expect from Cash Money. Drake follows the current trend of going over some recent indie tracks, such as Lykke Li and Stangold, which both are actually pretty decent.

But the track that I enjoy the most is Drake and Weezy going over the crack beat from 'Ignorant Shit'. Drake adopts that stream of conscious flow that fits well on mixtapes.

Drake ft. Lil' Wayne- Ignorant Shit

Drake- Unstoppable

Play or Get Played

2009-02-11T19:02:00.000-08:00

Usually I'm not one to become obsessed with a television show. It just takes too much commitment to center plans around sitting around for a half hour or so to watch a lot of commercials. But that's part of the beauty of The Wire which has recently popped up on the beautiful on demand feature for HBO.

One of the things I love about The Wire is the intersections it has with hip-hop music. Not only is Method Man one of the characters, but Wire references are all over hip-hop. Check this video by Skillz.

I also stumbled across an awesome list of If Rappers Were Characters From The Wire. First of all, I never knew Charles Hamilton looked so much like Duquan, and Andre 3000 is right on with Lester. I can even see Nas being Avon and Jay being Stringer as Nas stayed a little more street oriented (arguably) than Jay-Z. The funniest comparisons definitely are Rick Ross with Bunk and Scott Storch with as Ziggy.

Now before I get back to my romp through the first season for the second time, what would be a post on The Wire without Clay Davis and his trademark phrase.

R.I.P. Dilla

2009-02-09T19:42:00.000-08:00

So tomorrow, February 10th, marks three years since the late great Detroit producer J Dilla died from lupus. Every once and a while some musician from your city will come along that inspires great pride (think Biggie with Brooklyn) and even with the plethora of great Motown stars that came out of Detroit J Dilla is right up there (for me at least) with the rest of them for the innovation he caused in hip-hop production and how he represented the city of Detroit. Always shunning the limelight and fame, but a driving force in hip-hop none the less.

Here's a nice little tribute to Dilla

This is one of my favorite, and slightly less celebrated Dilla tracks. Off Welcome 2 Detroit, this jazzy track is too smooth for words.

J Dilla- Think Twice

Sadly, all is not well in Dilla land, as this Vibe article suggests. With Dilla's estate in limbo, money has yet to reach his mother (who now also has lupus) or either of his two daughters. Cop this t-shirt from Stones Throw and proceeds go to Maureen 'Ma Dukes' Yancey.

Sky High

2009-02-07T17:46:00.000-08:00

Another song from Kid Cudi with a beat that has a plethora of Kanye samples. It's a short little track but I really like Cudi's flow on this one. Recently I discussed what Kid Cudi's first album would be like with a friend and he claimed that he would like it to be produced by a single person to give it a really coherent sound. But if that's what you're hoping for, don't expect it from this one. But I have to admit I am loving Cudi's variety.

Kid Cudi- Sky High

Mos Def

2009-02-06T08:27:00.000-08:00

Mos Def and I have a love/hate relationship. Black On Both Sides was crazy, maybe even a classic depending on who you ask. The first track 'Brooklyn' grabbed you with it's laid black production, but Mos Def goes at the beat aggressively and makes it work as he flows well with it. 'Hip Hop' is still a banger, and there are many gems at the end of the album that still surprise me. All of this, and I haven't even mentioned Black Star.

But let's be honest, The New Danger was weak, except for a few choice tracks, and don't even get me started on True Magic which takes a nosedive after its exceptional introductory track.

Even with Mos Def's successes and failures, I still keep faith in him. Which is why I've been getting ready for his next album, set to release February 24th titled The Ecstatic. Despite these few tracks, I don't know what to expect from Mos Def and I am tempering my expectations as to avoid the disappointment I felt with True Magic. Here are a couple tracks.

It took me a while to come around on this one, but I have.

Mos Def- Life In Marvelous Times

Mos Def- Quiet Dog

Ryan Leslie

2009-02-01T07:30:00.000-08:00

Ryan Leslie is a fresh new R & B man out of Cali. Now r&b isn't something I usually listen to very often, but what really draws me to this guy is not just his singing voice (which is smooth as butter, think R. Kelley without the sex with children and sing talking), but it is his producing.

But before Ryan Leslie became the man behind Cassie's megahit 'Me & You' (he produced, wrote and recorded the track), he scored a perfect score on the SAT and entered Harvard at the age of 14. At 19, he is a Harvard grad and delivers the Harvard Oration at the commencement ceremony.

Fast forward a few years and Ryan Leslie has become one of the hottest producers and is on the verge of becoming the next superproducer. But as with many Harvard graduates, he has larger than life ambitions. Ryan Leslie may not just stop with producing, so watch out for this one.

Just check out this beat he makes for Kid Cudi.

Ryan Leslie x Kid Cudi @ studio from Vernonmac on Vimeo.

Ryan Leslie ft. Cassie & Fabulous- Addiction

Ryan Leslie Ryan Leslie

Pennies

2009-01-27T19:52:00.000-08:00

The Cool Kids video for their song 'Pennies' was released a little bit ago and its a nice way to kick off the new year that could hold big things for this Chicago duo. I've been liking the vibe of this song more and more and this video really contributes to the song and helps take it to that next level. I can always tell if a video is good if it reinvigorates my enthusiasm for a track. And this video does just that.

No I.D.

2009-01-25T21:45:00.000-08:00

I've been really getting into tracking down some older stuff lately as new hip-hop seems to be kind of slow to start off the New Year. This usually happens as a lot of artists set releases for December for numerous reasons. But I have been enjoying some of these older albums, none more so than a few tracks I downloaded from Chicago producer No I.D.

If you don't know, No I.D. is a Chicago legend. Not only has he produced some classic Chi-Town albums like Common's Resurrection, but he was also Kanye's mentor. Here's some tracks from his album Accept Your Own & Be Yourself.

No I.D. - State to State

No I.D.- We Rock Like So

You Maaaadddd!

2009-01-22T21:01:00.000-08:00

The inauguration was without a doubt a day of national celebration, and justifiably so. The first black president was ushered into office. There have been too many hip-hop tracks to count celebrating this historic event such as Jay-Z's 'History'. But at the same time, a lot of people (myself included) are ecstatic that George Bush is leaving office. Some are so happy they just can't hold it in, and one of these people was Young Jeezy and Jay-Z at a show days before the inauguration.

I personally love the remix Jay-Z did for 'My President Is Black', but little did I know the people of Fox News thought otherwise. Check out Bill O'Reilly and Dennis Miller discussing how awful it is that these two rappers are 'spewing hate'.

First off, I would also like to extend my thanks to those people that Young Jeezy mentioned. And does Bill really think people still like Bush at all? Even his own party won't welcome him in. I also hate how Dennis Miller acts like hip-hop invented the word 'hoes' and sexism in general. But besides all this, they criticize these two artists for words of 'hate' then go on a partisan rant about how Guantanamo is being closed. I can't help but watch this and be reminded of this precious piece of video.

Anyways, here's a few tracks.

Jay-Z- My President Is Black (D.C. Remix)

First Black President

2009-01-19T21:50:00.000-08:00

As I'm sure you all know, Obama is ushered into the White House tomorrow and if you're like me you will be skipping a gym class (or whatever you may be doing) to watch the speech. There have been a plethora of Obama inspired pieces that have come to the light of day recently, some decent some bad some just strange. One that has stuck in my mind was a video put together by NYOIL that opens with Obama talking about the importance of the father in families, but the video is set to Marvin Gaye's 'What's Goin' On'. As the song loops Marvin I couldn't help but say wait a second, wasn't Marvin Gaye killed by his father?

But I digress. When I think Obama and the music that he inspired I think of two songs. Nas' 'Black President' and Young Jeezy's 'My President Is Black'. While I think Nas' track is the stronger of the two and addresses Obama's election and what it means in a more analytical way, Young Jeezy's track is much more celebratory. It is appropriate then that the video for Young Jeezy's ode to Obama be released just before his inauguration. Check it out.

And I could never forget about the great Martin Luther King Jr. I feel like Obama is giving MLK day more meaning this year, as it becomes not just a day to remember the past but to celebrate the course our country is on with the inauguration looming. But I also always love MLK day because it means some Martin Luther King focused hip-hop tracks come out which are always a joy. I'm a sucker for the Dr. King-preacher voice samples.

Overcome, Overcame

Cause there's a hundred black millionaires in the game

And the one thing that really trip me out

Is there's about to be one up in the White House

Snoop Dogg and Sly Stone- Doctor King Remember

Notorious

2009-01-16T19:14:00.000-08:00

The movie Notorious was released today, and I had been listening to copious amounts of the great King of NYC to prepare for the occasion. However, as I went to start my car earlier today, I learned the sub-0 temperatures we have been enjoying here in Michigan had made my car battery as dead as the Pistons in Oklahoma City tonight. (Get rid of small ball, it's not working). Anyways, the night that was supposed to be me watching a Hollywood movie about a hip-hop legend has resulted in me drinking 24 oz. High Life and listening to the Notorious soundtrack.

Despite my disappointment in my car battery, this soundtrack is quite good as it compiles some rarer tracks with some of Biggies hits. I'll also put up Biggies unsigned hype demo that was made before he was signed after he was featured in Vibe. If your car is working, go check out Notorious!

Notorious B.I.G. Notorious

Notorious B.I.G. Demo

I'll Be In The Sky

2009-01-14T19:41:00.001-08:00

A nice video for B.O.B.'s first single 'I'll Be In The Sky'. It has great energy and he plays up that martian theme that is everywhere. Speaking of martians, a lot of people are knocking B.O.B. these days for sounding too much like Andre 3000, particularly with this track. Obviously, the two bear resemblance, but I for one don't mind an artist heavily influenced by the great Andre 3K. Enjoy It! Track below.

B.o.B.- I'll Be In The Sky

The Golden Hour

2009-01-13T20:37:00.000-08:00

I've been really vibin' to this album from Ypsilanti's 14KT lately. He makes some nice Detroit style beats but he has other influences as well. The first track, titled 'The Waiting Room' shows off his diversity as it isn't so much a hip-hop beat but something that combines other aspects of electronic music. It keeps the booming bass of hip-hop and retains the space feel that has been huge lately, but it has that nice rhythm break in the middle that leads to the the sporadic light percussion and isn't as repetitive as some hip-hop beats.

Basically, this album has been a real pleasant surprise. Highly recommended.

14KT- The Waiting Room

14KT The Golden Hour

Shuv It

2009-01-12T20:16:00.000-08:00

No shortage of remixed Santogold tracks these days. Just after Jay-Z used Santogold's 'Shove It' as a sample on his 'Brooklyn Go Hard' another remix has popped up this time with Project Pat and 3 6 Mafia. I like this one though because it gives the Santogold track a little more grit while keeping it Santogold's track. While 3 6 Mafia makes there presence known, they don't take it over, which I like because I can take only so much 3 6 Mafia.

Shuv It- Santogold ft. Project Pat and 3 6 Mafia

There's Only One

2009-01-11T17:31:00.000-08:00

Ann Arbor MC Buff1 has recently released his album titled There's Only One and it's got that nice midwestern vibe. My favorite song on this album is 'Dream Streets' and it even has a nice little video to go with it. The only thing I don't get about this song is Buff1 claims he's sick of eating burgers in that Taco Bell. Hamburger is now the midwest taco apparently. One can only guess what the midwestern burrito is. Coney dog perhaps? Anyways, here's the video for 'Dream Streets' with the track and album for download below.

Buff1- Dream Streets

Buff1 There's Only One

Fuck the Police

2009-01-10T21:29:00.000-08:00

I don't know how many of you have heard about this awful situation involving a young man named Oscar Grant in Oakland, but it makes the classic N.W.A. song very relevant. At a BART station in Oakland, a guy recorded the tragic shooting of a young, and unarmed, 22 year old by BART police on New Years Eve with there cell phone. Here it is.

The shooting is bad enough as 3 policemen surround an already subdued Oscar Grant and with his face on the pavement shoot and kill him. But now I am hearing various reasons why the police officer would commit murder like this and one is that he confused his gun for a taser, which is complete BS as he clearly steps back and shoots. Sure Oscar Grant was most likely less than a saint and from what I have read he was less than perfect. But nothing he had ever done justified what happened to him.

When I think of incredibly sad situations like this, I in general think of 'Mad World' by Gary Jules. Therefore, it is only fitting that Novel gives a cover of the track in tribute to Oscar Grant.

Novel- Mad World

Spit That Kurt Vonnegut

2009-01-08T20:41:00.000-08:00

This song is one of the reasons I love hip-hop music. There is so much diversity within a single song. In this song alone, Jay Electronica makes various great references including American author Kurt Vonnegut, Jesus' apostle and betrayer Judas Iscariot, the Seattle grunge band Nirvana, andf 2008 presidential candidate John McCain. Plus he does it all so creatively on an ominous beat that flows well with Jay Electronica. This beat accentuates his lyrics very well and never overpowers him. Jay Electronica seems to be in complete control throughout this entire song and never lets the listeners attention stray.

I spit that wonder rhymin' shit

Me and my conglomerates shall remain anonymous

Caught up in the finest shit

Get that type of media coverage Obama gets

Spit that Kurt Vonnegut

That blow your brain Curt Cobain that Nirvana shit.

Jay Electronica- Exhibit A (Transformations)

Here's some other Jay Electronica that I've stumbled upon. This one is real old school as in Kurtis Blow flow old school.

Jay Electronica- Trolley Stop

A nice little track produced by 14KT.

Jay Electronica- Swagger Jackson's Revenge

Brooklyn Girls

2009-01-05T21:12:00.000-08:00

Not a new song by any means, but a song I have gone back to lately because of its infectious hook. Charles Hamilton is another one of those names that has gotten a lot of buzz lately and this track is one of the main reasons why. But speaking of names getting buzz check out this video from MTV News that has a few interviews with some of the promising up and coming hip hop acts.

MTV Shows

But back to the track Brooklyn Girls, its simply fun to listen to. Odes to Brooklyn are nothing new, but I think Charles Hamilton puts a nice spin on it with focusing on a certain part of the Brooklyn population. Check the video and the track below.

Charles Hamilton- Brooklyn Girls

Mick Luter

2009-01-04T19:45:00.001-08:00

Chi-town has been getting some much needed love lately but its still crazy how many talented people are undiscovered in the city of wind. Mick Luter is perfect evidence. It's always refreshing to hear some people older than me in an age when many rappers seem to be blowing up before they leave their teenage years. Here's a nice video from him that I've been feeling lately.

Here's a track from Mick with fellow Chicago MC Mic Terror. For those of you fortunate enough to remember the Nickelodeon show 'Doug' from your childhood, there is a reference at the opening of Mic Terror's verse to none other than The Beets.

Ooo Wee Ooo Killer Tofu

You don't want beef this what the fuck I'm gonna do

Mick Luter ft. Mic Terror- Here We Go

And speaking of strange rock bands and Chicago rappers, a weird rumor has surfaced that Lupe is the lead singer for a British rock band named Japanese Cartoon. That's not all, Lupe, according to this rumor, goes by the rock name Percival Fats and sings in a British accent. And no this isn't in the Kanye 808's and Heartbreak vein, Lupe is going full into the rock world with this, if its true. Check out these tracks.

Japanese Cartoon- Heirplanes

Japanese Cartoon- Army

Who knows if this is true or not, but its funny either way because Lupe assuming some British accent and joining a rock band titled Japanese Cartoon is very plausible.

Double Ladies

2009-01-03T10:32:00.000-08:00

In case you didn't know, Beyonce is indeed Sasha Fierce and her song 'Single Ladies' has been everywhere recently. Therefore, it is only fitting that a remix pop up with her lyrically inclined husband Jay-Z. Kanye is thrown in there for good measure as the track gets a grittier feel as pounding bass replaces hand claps.

Beyonce ft. Jay-Z & Kanye- Double Ladies (Government Remix)

N.A.S.A.

2009-01-02T21:13:00.000-08:00

A nice spacey track that combines two of the hottest female artists that exploded this year mixed in with a certain Louis Vuitton Don. The mixture works fairly well for a nice up tempo track as Santogold gives a nice verse and Lykke Li contributes a very nice hook.

When ya'll on 10 I'm on 11

I'm gonna make the news be on at 7

N.A.S.A. ft. Kanye West, Santogold & Lykke Li- Gifted

The Best Underground Producer

2009-01-01T20:50:00.000-08:00

In my opinion, it's Detroit's own Black Milk. I found the perfect video to showcase his unique abilities as he puts together an INSANE beat in about oh 10 minutes. This video is from a while back too. Apparently he threw out this beat and I may never know why.

He has certainly carried the torch nicely for Dilla and is only improving. If you don't know about him, you need to get with it. His third album titled Tronic was just released and it has some of the best beats I have heard in a while. I'll put it up for download, but go buy it if you appreciate it.

Black Milk- Hold It Down

Black Milk Tronic

B.o.B.

2008-12-17T11:08:00.000-08:00

I've been listening to him a lot lately, particularly his mixtape. There have been two standout tracks that I have had on heavy rotate lately. He keeps with the martian theme that is so prevalent today, but does it more so in the Outkast vein than the Lil' Wayne 'I'm on every drug known to man and am in my own world' vein. He is after all from Atlanta, and I'm a sucker for that southern drawl. Here's the mixtape in it's entirety.

First we have this song 'Generation Lost'. I love the flow on this song and it goes well with the beat.

B.o.B.- Generation Lost

This song is with the current King of the South T.I.

B.o.B. I'm That N...a

New York City

2008-12-04T14:48:00.001-08:00

In honor of my upcoming trip to NYC I created a nice playlist full of hip-hop from the city that never sleeps. However, as I realized how extensive my playlist had become I started to break it down into a playlist for each borough. So I thought I'd give you my top 5 songs from each borough (minus Manhattan). Let's start it out with the birthplace, the Bronx.

Bronx- Home of the Yankees, but more importantly the birthplace of hip-hop. Just leave it at that.

Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five- The Message

KRS-One- The Bridge Is Over

Afrika Bambaataa- Planet Rock

Big Pun- Beware

Dr. Octagon- Earth People

Brooklyn- The hardest borough to pick 5 from. I'll limit myself and try to do some things a little off the map.

Notorious B.I.G.- Juicy

Jay-Z- U Don't Know

Ol' Dirty Bastard- Shimmy Shimmy Ya

Jeru the Damaja- My Mind Spray

Big Daddy Kane-Ain't No Half Steppin'

Harlem- Not being a fan of Dipset lately, I had to reach back for some stuff from this borough.

Kurtis Blow- The Breaks

Biz Markie- Biz Is Goin' Off

Big L- Put It On

Cam'ron- Harlem Streets

Mase- Feel So Good

Queens- A very underrated borough. While there are certainly better Run and Nas songs, these two I've been feeling lately.

A Tribe Called Quest- Check the Rhyme

Nas- Nas Is Like

Run D.M.C.- Down With The King

Mobb Deep- Survival of the Fittest

LL Cool J- Mama Said Knock You Out

Long Island- I never realized two of hip-hop's most influential group were from Long Island.

Erik B. and Rakim- Paid In Full

Public Enemy- Don't Believe The Hype

Busta Rhymes- Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See

De La Soul- Wonce Again Long Island

MF Doom- ?

Staten Island- Wu-Tang dominated.

Wu-Tang Clan- C.R.E.A.M.

Raekwon- Ice Cream

Ghostface Killah- The Champ

Method Man and Redman- Da Rockwilder

Ghostface Killah- Cherchez LaGhost

Brooklyn Go Hard

2008-12-03T20:38:00.000-08:00

New Jay-Z, and if that wasn't enough, Kanye West produced. This song is reminiscent of Swagger Like Us as Kanye calls on a Santogold sample, who is more and more appearing as an M.I.A. All she needs to do know is be pregnant in a couple years and their career paths may be completely the same.

While Jay-Z adopts some what of a Jamaican accent/Lil' Wayne flow on the first verse, the second is classic Jay.

I father I Brooklyn Dodger them I jack I rob I sin

Aw man I'm Jackie Robinson

Except when I run base I dodge the pen

Lucky me luckily they didn't get me

Now when I bring the Nets I'm the black Branch Ricky

Jay-Z- Brooklyn Go Hard

But anyways, this track will be featured on the Notorious soundtrack, which is reportedly supposed to be a good film. From what I've heard, the man that plays Biggie does a fine job. Check the trailer here.