What up all! I did an interview on 10/30/09 with the Tres Chic Style Radio Show. We chopped it up about hip-hop and music in general. It was a good interview. The Tres Chic Style Radio show airs every Friday at 11pm here: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/treschicstyle
Check out the interview here:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
No I didn’t watch the Def Jam Hip-Hop Honors. I don’t have anything against the celebration. I just have no interest in celebrating the past in this way. I keep old school joints on the iPhone and listen to them like they were released yesterday.
Basically, I celebrate hip-hop everyday. Looking at the event’s line-up, and Def Jam’s history, I can only think about the present/future. With Blueprint 3 and Cuban Links 2 on shelves, I can’t help but to think about what’s left. A lot of anticipated albums have dropped already and it’s not even holiday season.
Have we already seen the best of the holiday season? Will albums by Eminem (Relapse 2) and 50 Cent (Before I Self-Destruct) get pushed into 2010? More importantly, do we give a shit? Is anybody checking for that Nas & Stephen Marley album?
There are other albums “scheduled” to drop, but do we need more? There is a nice variety of music in the streets now (I.e. Ghostface Killah, M.O.P.). With all this good hip hop around…shit, I just don’t want it to end. Not too long ago we were being overwhelmed with wack shit (remember Laffy Taffy).
Please let’s close out the year with a BANG!
Props to Russell Simmons…
Well, well, well…. Hot off the heels of Raekwon’s, arguably, classic Only Built for Cuban Links 2; Ghostface drops a r&b collabo album. I was initially disappointed when he announced this album, but after hearing it, it’s not that bad. Ghostface Killah’s 8th official album, Ghostdini: Wizard of Poetry, is filled with tons of r&b artist paired with Ghost’s witty & humorous wordplay.
If you are a person who didn’t mind Ghostface over the Jodeci “Freak N U (Remix)” from back in the day, you will enjoy this album. Some of the featured r&b crooners are Raheem Devaughn, Lloyd, and John Legend. One of the stand out songs on this album is a song called, “Guest House” featuring Fabolous. The song features Ghost catching his woman with another dude (Fab of course).
It’s dope to see two hip hop artist come together and make a song that doesn’t leave you trying to compare their verses. This is a true collaboration. Ghostface’s lyrics are what makes this album. While all the r&b singers don’t churn out memorable performances, it’s Ghost’s lyricism and story telling that carry’s the load.
From vivid stories, to graphic depictions of sexual encounters with the ladies, Ghost knows how to pull you into his world. Other stand out tracks on this album include, “Stay”, “Do Over”, and “Paragraphs of Love”. The production is decent on this release as well.
Like I said earlier, this one isn’t for every Ghost fan. I kind of like the fact that this album isn’t a “spit-off”. That would put it in direct competition with Rae’s album. This is like having a glass of wine after dinner.
The Wu has been busy releasing some decent albums as of late. Add this joint to your collection and remember this, Ghost is probably the only Wu member who could have pulled this off. Vegas Recommends….
L.L. Cool J. is being considered for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. I wish this was the “Hip-Hop Hall of Fame”, but that will come in due time. This is a good look for “Mr. Smith”. His popularity and platinum success just started to slow down recently. You are talking about an hip hop artist who came out in the mid 80s!
There is currently NO ONE in the game that can claim that. Don’t give me that sh@t about the majority of his fanbase being female (as if when don’t grow tired of artist). There were, and are, a lot of dudes who rocked with “Uncle L” too. He is the Blueprint for longevity in the game.
He switched his flow and production to adapt to the ever changing world of hip-hop. If you follow the time line of east coast rap’s trends throughout the years, his run is incredible. He also never compromised his image. He’s both battled other emcees and revolutionized the “love record” (i.e. “I Need Love”)
Pay Tribute…
Here’s what The Rock & Roll Hall Fame has to say:
” LL COOL J
LL Cool J always had his sights set on rock & roll. Born James Todd Smith in Queens, New York, LL was only 17 in 1985 when he recorded “Rock the Bells,” which included the following couplet: “Cause it ain’t the glory days with Bruce Springsteen/I’m not a virgin so I know I’ll make Madonna scream.” A year earlier LL had made his debut on Def Jam, which was also the debut of the label itself. His first two singles – “I Need a Beat” followed by “I Want You” – sketched out the two main gears of his career: testosterone-maddened battle raps and tender, sexy love songs. The former included “I Can’t Live Without My Radio” (1985), “Jack the Ripper” (1987), and “Mama Said Knock You Out” (1991). By the 1990s, LL was working in television and film and has proven that rappers can sustain a long-term career.”
See the other nominees here: http://www.rockhall.com/pressroom/nominees-for-2010-induction/
Sorry Mike; the best metaphor I could find.
Do I really have to say it?
Well, you don’t need me to tell you what happen with this. Just click on the pic above. I just felt compelled to blog on it because I saw people saying stuff like, “Is this bad for hip-hop?”. Was it bad when he said, “George Bush don’t care about black people”? How about when Ol’ Dirty Bastard did it at the Grammy’s to Diddy?
Hip-hop has nothing to do with a ego driven and “high’ producer/artist who gets on stage and voices his opinion about weak videos. The shit was wack on his part, and truth be told, I didn’t know who Taylor Swift was before this incident. It was just bad for Kanye. He better pray his music continues to pop, because when (or if) he falls…it’s going to be hard.
This is why I don’t watch these shows (I was somewhere btwn True Blood & NFL last night). We get more news about the dumb shit behind the scenes than performances and honors. That’s enough blog time from me on this issue. Peace….
The original is always better:
This is one of the wack sides of hip hop! Beat Biters! This happened to a Producer I know (actually recording with him now). Read this Foul shit:
“Back in September 2008, MOP, Joe Buddens, Termanology and Big Shugg came down to Sonar in B’more and my, my man Esco and Keon went to the show. I pass out beat cd’s to Term, Joe and during MOP’s show I give it to Laze E Laze’s son (some young nigga) who’s the hype man. Now, fast forward to September 2009 and I’m listening to MOP’s Foundation album on my way home from work and when track #9 “Rude Bastard” comes on….it’s MY FUCKING BEAT! Not the same sample, the SAME BEAT! Drum programming, sample, chops…the whole damn beat! Then my man Mills does the knowledge for me to see who got credit for the track on the album and it says “produced by Fizzy Womack/Lil Fame”! So…I don’t get a check, I don’t get credit…I don’t even get co production credit! And I’m not looking for no “feel sorry for me” or none of that hoopla…I’m just asking for cats to forward this email to ANYONE who ya’ll know loves hip hop so I can @ least get credit from my peers for this track. Ya’ll ALL know I’ve been grinding @ this beat thing for YEARS and for my first placement on an album to be a jack move…it just ain’t right…but it is what it is…like I said do me this justice and @ least let the hip hop heads ya’ll know that your dude Kil gave MOP THAT heat…not no fucking Fizzy Womack…
Here’s my track:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=RJQZDNWM
And here are those beat biting nigga’s song:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=6KMZER90“
Damn shame…
***UPDATE***
Here is the status update from Kil’s Facebook Page (9/14):
“In a great mode…one step away from getting my credit and loot for this MOP beat…if everything ends up being everything…go out and support that new MOP Foundation album but just rememebr the credits are messed up so #9 “Rude Bastards” is produced by your man Kil!”
With all the big hip-hop albums coming out this month, there’s still a lot of dope music on the mixtape circuit. Here’s a list of my current rotation:
Cam’Ron/DJ Drama “Gangsta Grillz: Boss of All Bosses“
Better than Crime Pays. Better beats, rhymes, and concepts. I really couldn’t get with that album, but this mixtape makes up for it. The mixtape features Cam’s new crew “The U.N.”. The good part, they don’t rhyme like Cam (i.e. J.R. Writer). Cam’s rhymes and energy are much better on this mixtape. If you are a fan…say no more…get this…now!
Havoc (of Mobb Deep) “From Now On The Mixtape“
I was REALLY surprised by how much I liked this joint. I had been a little indifferent when it came to Havoc’s solo projects, but this one is FIRE! Lyrically he is as dope and interesting as ever (to me). This mixtape is really strong on the beats. Sometimes when I hear mixtapes like this, I wish they would have saved some for the album. You need this in your rotation.
Jay-Z “Hustler’s Poster Child 2“
This mixtape contains a lot of the songs released before BP3 (i.e. Brooklyn Go Hard). It also contains a couple of remixes from the American Gangster album. One gem on this mixtape is the unreleased track featuring MC Lyte entitled “BK Anthem”. This joint is NICE! I hope it’s a bonus on BP3. Either way, get it now. Well worth it for Jay fans.
Kid Cudi “Nasa Music“
This dude grew on me and I still can’t understand why (no I’m not a weed head, lol). There is something different about what he brings to music in general. It’s more than rap, it’s more than singing. It’s more about artistry, and this mixtape represents a decent appetizer before his debut album hits (which is Sept. 15th). The mixtape features Kanye, Common, Wale, Black Eyed Peas, & more. Expand your horizons…
“Come get some of this Sequel madness!!!”
G-TAG Online (4 Gamerz) The X-Factor w/ Vegas
