Jacinta Howard's 4 Cryin Out Loud

Random: A Couple of Things Happening This Weekend Besides the Finals

2011-06-10T12:37:00.001-04:00

While I've been watching the Finals with the rest of the nation, since this is arguably the best series in forever and has actually made me like basketball again, there are a couple of other things happening this weekend that might deserve our attention.

1. Johannes Mehserle, the BART copy that murdered Oscar Grant in front over numerous witnesses, is likely to be released on Monday. He shot Grant in the back while he was handcuffed, yet he was only made to serve 11 months in prison. According to Davey D, there will be a rally in Oakland at 5 p.m. on 14th & Broadway on Sunday at Fruitvale Bart where Grant was murdered.

2. The Bilderberg group will be meeting this weekend. Of course, American media has yet to admit the group exists, but according to Infowars.com, the Swiss media is covering it. Check out more info here: http://www.infowars.com/swiss-newspapers-cover-bilderberg/

That is all folks. Stay woke.

Geronimo Pratt: Finally At Rest

2011-06-07T18:26:00.001-04:00

I learned about Geronimo Pratt by listening to a Tupac song, "White Man's World" to be exact. That realization makes me sad when I think about who today's most popular rappers are. Pac was at the height of his career making songs about, or at least mentioning dude. These popular rappers nowadays... But that's another story for another day.

When I heard that he died last week at his home in Tanzania, my first thought was, "wow, first Gil Scott Heron, now Geronimo?" My second thought was, "Damn, dude lived in Tanzania? Can't say I'm shocked."

Of course, I had to refresh myself on Pratt's history. I dug up a few old articles from the L.A. Times and found myself immersed in the late history of this legendary freedom fighter and survivor. I say "late history" because of course, the paper focused on the events that immediately led up to his unjust arrest and the what followed very shortly after his release in 1997. A few of the things that stood out to me were:

1- He did eight years in solitary confinement. Anybody who knows somebody in prison or has been to prison themselves, knows that this is no joke.

2- The man that responsible for his set-up, a Panther "member" and FBI informant named Julius Butler, went to become...get this... a chairman on the First A.M.E. Church's board of trustees. Yeah.

3- Geronimo Pratt never became president of the United States. I say this because Nelson Mandela also spent 27 years in prison for freedom fighting. He became the president of the very country that had spent years oppressing him, South Africa. I had an opportunity to tour Soweto, SA almost two years ago, and visit the Apartheid Museum. The liberation movement in South Africa was closely modeled after the black liberation movement here in the states, (thanks to Steve Biko and Robert Sobukwe). At any rate, Mandela became the face of oppression. Pratt, however, did not. I know the cases are different, since Pratt was accused of murder, but the basic reasons for both of their imprisonments were the same-- fear, politics and hatred.

At any rate. I felt that I should say something about his passing. Although I'm glad that he finally got some kind of justice, and received over $4 million from the L.A. police department after his release, I can't help but think-- he lost a wife and child (she was murdered in 1971 when she was eight months pregnant), and was only free for 14 years before his death. All in the name of justice for a people who, by and large, no longer even know who he is. Meanwhile, Lil Wayne, TI and the like go to jail on gun and drug charges and expect sympathy. But that too, is another story, for another day.

RIP Geronimo Pratt.

New Video: "Get Involved"- Small Eyez

2011-05-21T12:48:00.000-04:00

Jamming new video from my good buddy, Small Eyez, "Get Involved" (directed by Ryan Lifto). I love any video that showcases Fred Hampton, who, all political inclinations aside, was so damn cute. I really have a thing for dimples. Is that bad that I said that about a revolutionary? Do I now sound shallow? Probably.

Oh well. At any rate, Eyez will drop his new project, NWORDS on July 5th.

5 Things I Learned from Watching Beyonce and Kelly Rowland Videos

2011-05-19T15:56:00.001-04:00

Alright, so clearly I've never actually written about Beyonce here, beyond maybe a few references. Not that I'm too cool for Beyonce, it's just, she gets written about a lot and I really haven't ever had much to add to the conversation. Lately though, I've been hearing a lot of discussions about Beyonce's new single versus Kelly Rowland's new single and when I ran across Beyonce's "Run the World (Girls)" video today on TSS, I was inclined to check them both out and see what all the fuss was about. Here are 5 things that I learned while watching their videos.

1. I believe Lady Gaga, Beyonce and Rihanna are actually all the same person. They pretty much make the same annoying, techno-driven songs, clamor around in black leather in the desert while climbing on top of, and gyrating on strange industrial/Mad Max-like architecture and often feature strange animals that they hold on leashes while trying to look hot. Really, dude. Were those hyenas Beyonce was holding in the video, or ligers? The point is, they're all pretty damn weird. They're like androids. And now, Nicki Minaj, Keri Hilson and Kelly Rowland have joined in the strangeness. I expect to see Ciara next, if she hasn't already.

2. The Mad Max themed videos are old and stupid. From what I understand, the world is ending on Saturday, so maybe that has led some of our coveted poplets to re-hash scenes from the old Mel Gibson movie about the world going to hell in a hand-basket. But if they understood how stupid they actually looked, perhaps they would stop. I know men like for women to look all greasy and sweaty and whatnot, but seriously. The grimy-in-the-desert-or-abandoned-warehouse thing is begging to be laid to rest. Besides, didn't Pac kill that back in like, '96?

3. Beyonce pretty much does the same dances in her videos. I will say that she added a few new moves to "Run the World (Girls)," but mostly I felt like I was watching "Deja Vu" or "Baby Boy" in the Mad Max-ian desert. Maybe she needs to diversify her choreographer roster. LaurieAnn is on E! Just sayin.

4. Being sinfully slutty is not at all sexy. Kelly Rowland has always struck me as a good girl, if not a little air-headed. I guess that now she's trying to be super-duper sexy, but it just came off as strange and disturbing. There are more than a couple of scenes in her "Motivation" video that are freakily similar to the part in the Devil's Advocate when the paintings came to life and started dry-humping and rubbing all over each other. It was creepy as hell, and frankly, I was scared both times.

5. The new R&B sound is to use Drake-like production. Which, all things considered, is kind of tolerable, actually. Honestly, Kelly's song (produced by Jim Jonsin) is pretty jamming. But I'm sure that the minimalistic production that Drake and his producer, 40, or whoever (why was I hoping he was referring to E-40 the first times I heard him call out his name on tracks?) have made popular. "Motivation" definitely sounds like something Jhene Aiko would do, or the Weeknd, or someone of the like. I'm sure we're bound to hear more of that sound, until eventually, we are all properly nauseated.

Oh, Killer Mike...How I Love Thee!

2011-05-18T15:07:00.000-04:00

I'm quite sad that I haven't been in Atlanta and therefore have missed all of Killer Mike's events surrounding the release of his anticipated PL3DGE album. Mike is absolutely my favorite guy to interview (alongside Scarface) and one of my favorite rappers. Why? He's so damn insightful and unafraid. We pretty much agree on every subject he speaks on--- from disdain for the black elite, to our thoughts about the realities of class and race in American and how to address them.

The thing for Mike, aside from having a hard time finding beats to compliment his abrasive rhyme-style, has in my opinion, been his struggle to balance his hardcore political content with music that is going to draw in average listeners-- you know, the cats that listen to Jeezy (who is featured on the album) and Gucci. It's a delicate balance that cats like Big Krit have mastered, but Mike has struggled with. Frankly, I think it's because more than just offering valid social commentary about the way things are, Mike is outright political. To be honest, to really ride to him, you have to have a certain level of awareness. Not saying you have to be a genius to understand him, but you damn well better be concerned about politics, society and the oppressed, otherwise you will likely be left behind with dude. The times when Mike attempts to lighten up and make what I guess is labeled "street music" he loses me, to be honest. It come across bland and forced. This is not to say Mike is only capable of being "political" it's simply to suggest that he's much more interesting when he is. (Randomly: he seems to be referring to himself as "Killer Mike" again and not "Mike Bigga" which is a relief).

At any rate, I just came across this piece written by Maurice Garland for TheLoop21. Basically, Mike is breaking down some of his tracks from the album, and of course, he has much to say. Here a few of my favorite quotables from the interview:

Speaking on education and the black elite ("That's Life II"): I have a general disdain for the black elite, just like how they have a disdain for the black poor. I've seen both sides. I grew up immersed between both sides, and both of them are on some bullsh*t. I'm not for black elitists trying to place blame on the black poor for the state of our community. That was my problem with Bill Cosby. If you have the money to donate $25 million to a college, don't you think it would be better suited giving it to a kindergarten class and seeing them all the way through school? If we really going to call black people to task on education, shouldn't we be starting at the seed and not the fruit?

Speaking on Pres. Obama ("Burn"): "I can't get a job but I can get arrested, thought things were changing with this Black President sh*t." I don't think anyone has the balls to say that. That's not a condemnation of our president, but, people really thought the sea was going to part when he got elected. I'm telling people that he is not a myth, he is a decent politician at best. It is beautiful to see someone who looks like you leading the country, but at the end of the day, I can't get a job.

Speaking on black churches ("Burn" & "That's Life II"): "I'm going at the church because I really don't think they are doing their people right. Churches should not be in ghettos and have the money buy cars and have the church beautified, but no one owns the complex across the street.

Speaking on drugs and politics ("American Dreams"): I have an adoration for the Bush family. From what I read, the father of George Bush didn't come from money. He married up and schemed and connived to get to the top. In political circles people are fond of Joe Kennedy for making the transition into politics from getting rich off whiskey during prohibition. The Bushes and Kennedys are looked as our Royal Families. That said, you're not going to tell me to not admire a drug dealer. I don't admire what happens to our communities because of drugs, no way. But, the same moral character it takes to run a criminal ring, it takes to organize a labor union or set up a system where you can switch votes and redistrict zones to your favor. I admire dealers the same way they admire Rumsfeld and Cheney.

Here's hoping he gets his own talk show.

Random Thoughts: At Least Sales of Like Water for Chocolate Have Gone Up

2011-05-17T11:51:00.000-04:00

Well, one good thing has come out of this whole Common at the White House debate-- sales for Like Water for Chocolate have probably gone up.

What's funny, is that for most of Common's fans, the song under intense scrutiny by Bill O'Reilly and the like, "A Song for Assata" featuring NBC's newest star personality, Cee-Lo, is among his most forgettable. Sure, us so-called conscious listeners certainly appreciated the sentiment, but to be honest, most of us agreed that, as fellow rapper/fan Phonte said on Twitter, it sounded like a "long ass book report."

Thank goodness for good ole Jon Stewart. To be honest, I haven't watched the Daily Show regularly in a while, but he's really stepped up in Common's defense on this issue, and has had some pretty funny commentary in the process. Who cares that Jon Stewart himself clearly knows very little about Common, or Mumia Abu Jamal and Assata Shakur for that matter (in his discussion with Bill O'Reilly he refers to Mumia as "Mummy"). If he knew a little more, he probably would've added that Mumia and Assata are probably the two the most famous political prisoners in black America, maybe even America--a simple google search proves it.

Of course, I suppose the issue here isn't whether Assata and Mumia are genuinely regarded as political prisoners. The idea of supporting them and bringing awareness to their plights is somehow anti-American, ignorant and unworthy of the White House. Unless of course your name is Bono or Bruce Springsteen. I'm not even going to delve into the thinly veiled racism that's being purported here. It's old and pointless--we've consistently being whining about racism and Fox News/Conservatives for how many consecutive years now?

But back to Jon Stewart. The fact that he's gotten involved legitimizes and gives legs to the argument for the slew of liberals out there who wanted to join in, but simply didn't have enough info to join in the debate because they, like the far-right, are pretty removed from hip-hop culture, and on a larger scale, black culture as well. (This is not at all to equate hip-hop culture with black culture).

It's times like these that make me again wish for a black version or Latino version of Jon Stewart or Bill Maher. Even in the Obama era, we know that ain't gonna happen. But wouldn't it be great if there were? You know, someone on mainstream television who articulate about issues with humor and a uniquely ethnic perspective.

Oh well. Here's Jon Stewart on the Common issue.

Wagging the Dog- We Can All Sleep Better Tonight

2011-05-02T12:11:00.001-04:00

American's can sleep better. Osama Bin Laden is dead. As Brian Williams waxed poetic about how every American would "remember exactly where they were on this fateful day" I kept having a nagging feeling.

As shots of the illuminated White House gleamed from the darkened sky, mingled with old footage of Bin Laden shooting weaponry or sitting Indian style in a large tent filled my television screen with the caption "Osama Bin Laden is dead" imposed at the bottom, the feeling increased.

When the Commander and Chief (a term which, let's face it, hasn't been used to describe Pres. Obama in a while) strolled to the microphone, I waited with anticipation, even as the nagging feeling drummed in my body.
What color would his tie be?

I've read countless times that the president's and presidential hopeful's tie color is significant in inciting feelings and making subtle statements about their ability and stance on various issues. Of course, Pres. Obama's was crimson red. Ah yes, blood red, how appropriate for the announcement that the world could rest easier knowing that it's number one Boogeyman was finally dead, his body disposed of in a sea somewhere off the coast of Pakistan. And on the same day that Hitler's death was announced.

And while I was certainly happy that Pres. Obama was able to capitalize on this undoubted political gain-- taking credit for hunting Bin Laden down and giving the orders to fire on him (with no American lives lost in the quest, and smack-dab in the middle of Donald Trump's Celebrity Apprentice, no less), the nagging feeling persisted. Here we were, expected to celebrate the murder of a man-- a terrible man by all media accounts, and all of the translations of the hundreds of tent-videos he's released over the years--- but a man, nevertheless. It felt a little, Roman. Barbaric even.

As I watched Pres. Obama stroll efficiently away from the mic, after giving yet another memorable, poetic announcement (smoke "billowed," the sky was "cloudless and still"), I pinpointed the feeling. I immediately remembered the 1997 film starring Dustin Hoffman and Robert Deniro, Wag the Dog.

So, are we wagging? Who knows. One thing is for certain though, with the Boogeyman officially dead, we can all sleep better tonight. And that is indeed, a victory.

God bless America... and no place else.

10 Biggest Revelations from B.I.G.'s FBI Files

2011-04-12T10:44:00.001-04:00

Pretty interesting piece from The Daily Beast. Seems like if the movie Notorious had explored the events following Big's death instead of rehashing old Source articles, it would've been more tolerable.

Here are a couple of interesting theories the writer suggests:

1. IF THE CAR FITS…
LAPD Officer David A. Mack, a suspect in the case, allegedly drove a 1995 black Chevrolet Impala SS with chrome wheels—matching the description of the shooter's car. When police searched his home, they reportedly found a shrine to Tupac Shakur in his garage, five 9mm guns—the same type of weapon used to kill Biggie—and a stash of Gecko 9mm ammunition (also the same type used to kill the victim). Gecko 9mm ammunition, a metal-piercing bullet, is manufactured in Europe and rarely used in the U.S. Mack was reportedly suspected of being a Mob Piru Blood gang member with ties to Death Row Records. However, according to FBI files, Mack allegedly "thwarted the murder investigation" when several other LAPD officers "began to show up as potentially being involved." Mack was released from prison on May 14, 2010, after serving a 14-year prison sentence for robbing $722,000 from a South Central Los Angeles branch of Bank of America. He has denied any involvement in Biggie Smalls's murder.

2. THE REAL REASON BIGGIE WAS "GOING BACK TO CALI"
In April 2004, an informant claimed Tupac Shakur stated, "the west coast is [Shakur's] and that if 'Biggie,' who use to be a friend of Tupac's, ever comes out to the west coast, he will be gunned down." The informant also alleged that everything about the East Coast/West Coast rivalry was true, including that Tupac slept with Biggie's estranged wife, Faith Evans, and that Biggie had Tupac shot in New York. Evans has repeatedly denied having a sexual relationship with Tupac. At one point, the informant also claimed Tupac and his entourage approached a location where B.I.G. and his entourage were hanging out, bearing guns. The informant said they were told "not to shoot him," prompting Tupac to tell Biggie that if he ever came back to California, "he would be killed." The informant then attested that B.I.G. came out with the song "Going Back to Cali" immediately after Tupac was murdered, referring to their prior exchange.

Spree Wilson- Everything I Own

2011-03-18T11:08:00.000-04:00

A catchy spring-time ditty from my buddy Spree Wilson. He'll drop his free online album, "The Never Ending Now" on April 5th, which "chronicles Spree's diverse musical pallet and coming of age." His actual album will be out on Jive later this year, I believe....

Everything I Own by spreewilson

Ode To... Nate Dogg

2011-03-17T11:43:00.000-04:00

The voice of G-Funk, the original hook-doer, one of the most memorable voices in hip-hop. Rest in peace Nate.

"One More Day"- Nate Dogg

"Oh No"- Mos Def, Pharoahe Monch, Nate Dogg

"Nah Nah..." E-40 & Nate Dogg

"How Long Will They Mourn Me"- Tupac & Nate Dogg

Greater Than the Sun- Zo! feat. Phonte

2011-03-16T15:40:00.001-04:00

Phonte and Zo!'s left dimple make an appearance in this video, directed by Phil the God. I love it how these guys always have regular chicks in their videos-- no weaves, make up or Latisse necessary.

Eternia & Moss- "To The Future"

2011-03-16T11:31:00.000-04:00

Dope song from a dope mc, Eternia. She's a good example of how a grown woman can make grown woman rap and still be relevant. She partnered with Kids Help Phone for this video, a youth counseling service for the vid.
Sad how much of this relates to my own life, and so many of the women that I know.

Is the South the Odd-Man Out?

2011-02-23T11:43:00.000-05:00

I just read a pretty good piece over at Creative Loafing about the "imminent decline of southern rap." The writer, M.T. Richards, makes a lot of valid points-- including the south basking in its own "southness" as if that is still enough to maintain the attention of an ever-changing rap landscape, the continued lackluster releases from its top dog's including T.I. and Ludacris, the passing-over of great projects from Big Boi and Playboy Tre mixtapes and the semi-hiatus' of its creative innovators like Outkast and Missy.
But the article made me wonder.

Is part of the south's decline associated with the bi-coastal rise of the "odd man out" kind of emcee that have garnered mass followings lately?

You know, the whole "weirdo in my own town" kind of rap that Kid Kudi, Kendrick Lamar, Wiz Kalifa and even Lil B have made popular as of late. The south has yet to produce one of these types of mc's to my knowledge-- Krit's sound is grounded in '96 Suave House/Rap-a-lot-era type of style and perspective. Yelawolf is a bit more mature than the aforementioned, as is Playboy Tre and Bobby Creekwater. Cy-hi seems to be more focused on carrying the DF tradition. I guess J.Cole would be closest but even his sound is too polished, and scope to broad to be classified as the "odd man out."

I dunno. It's just a thought.

New Music: Jaafar- "Superstar" and "No Pressure"

2010-12-01T17:16:00.002-05:00

About two years ago, I was introduced to a soul singer named Jaafar from Birmingham, Alabama. The short version of the story goes like this: I was in Soundshop at Westend (RIP) and my home girl Des Williams (aka That Retail Chick) was playing some jamming music that I hadn't heard before. I asked who it was. She told me it was an indie artist, some skinny dude from Alabama named Jaafar who had come into the store trying to get some product in there on consignment.

I continued doing what I was doing (shooting a short video for the old plantation). The next song came on, and it too was jamming super hard. I decided right there that I was going to buy this guy's CD, which was a major feat because at the time I hadn't bought an actual CD since like, 2000. That may be a lie. I actually had bought Adriana Evans and FE's LIAB. The point is, even before downloading became popular, I worked in the music store throughout college and later was a music journalist, so I had pretty much been getting free music on the regular since 1998. I'm not typically inclined to buy anything.

So I head to the counter and tell Des that I want to buy the CD. She looks at me really surprised, but says no, she'll give me a copy if I hit Jaafar's manager and let them know how much I'm digging the music. I do eventually hit Jaafar's manager and producer, get to talking with him and eventually set up an interview for him to be featured in Rolling Out. (Read the interview) During the course of the interview, Jaafar tells me that while he was doing promo at Centennial Olympic Park, a homeless dude comes up to him and tells him that everyone that hears his CD will buy it. Jaafar says that the homeless dude was right, every single person that he played the record for, bought it. I thought about the day I heard it in the music store, and how I was going to buy it. It gave me chills.

At any rate, that was a long, random story that maybe illustrates just how much I like this guy. His debut record, Travel Light is available for purchase. Here are a couple of songs off of his sophomore record Supernatural Love. I really love "No Pressure" and aside from the sorta-rapping on "Superstar" I dig it too. He definitely can tap into Kem's demographic.

Jaafar- "No Pressure"

Jaafar- "Superstar"

And for kicks, here is the song that actually grabbed me initially.

Jaafar- "Can You Make Time"

5 Reasons Why I Do Not Hate Nicki Minaj

2010-11-23T15:22:00.000-05:00

I really was going to stay away from doing any Nicki Minaj related posts. This is partly because I don't care that much to be discussing her at length, and partly because I like to pay attention to music that I actually support and like around these parts. She reminds me of an android-- I think purposely on her part-- sort of void of any real emotion or tangible connection to anything remotely real. Of course, this is the trend today in most pop music, especially among women, so whatever.

However, Nikki Minaj is a girl rapper, and as much at it bugs me, I usually feel inclined to jump in and offer some sort of opinion when people start to totally berate her for being average. That said, here are 5 Reasons Why I Do Not Hate Nicki Minaj.

#1- She is not the official representative of all female rappers.

And it's unfair and downright silly to expect her to be. She's just yet another example of the overwhelming need for more female rappers (and actually, artists in general) to have the opportunity to have support and exposure. Then, we could actually pick and chose who to like. Of course, all of us hip-hop folk can probably name a good five female emcees that we dig--Eternia, Stahhr, Boog Brown, Jean Grae and the like... but the bigger issue here is that if more female rappers were allowed to shine at the same time, Nicki could far more easily be put into her proper place, or her music could be kept in perspective. As it is, since there are no other female rappers doing it at her level currently, she is scrutinized and looked at as either the savior of girl rap (if you are one of her Barbie supporters) or the epitome of why people don't like female rappers. In all honesty, both assessments are unfair.

Look at it this way-- in the male world of hip-hop, or just in hip-hop since it's so dominated by dudes, the need to categorize it as "male" is redundant, you can name off the top at least 10 rappers who are huge--with mainstream radio-play, endorsements, etc. etc. You can name another 10 rappers who are underrated, another 10 rappers who are your current favorites, another 10 who are all-time favorites, and the lists go on. The cool thing is, the lists can realistically feature different rappers. You'd be hard-pressed to name 10 legit female rappers period, let alone have the audacity to try to make up lists. If the only rapper I was forced to listen to was Talib Kweli, or T.I., or Jay Electronica, it would be boring and terrible--and that's obviously not a swipe at any of them. I'm just saying, making one artist carry the weight of an entire genre is never fair.

#2- She doesn't even make music for me.

When Nicki Minaj began referring to her fans as "barbie dolls" and posing in pictures with obscene amounts of pink looking like the next installment of Bratz dolls, it became immediately clear that she was not making music for any woman over the age of 22, so why would I be offended that I can't relate to whatever it is that she says? It's silly, really.

I mean, if I were going to spend my time and energy being offended by Nicki, it would probably be because she's not a proper role model for young girls. But then, that opens up another can of worms because which one of these young, slutty, delusional poptarts is? Breast-baring Rihanna? Lap-dancing Beyonce? Acid-induced Lady Gaga? Nicki's primary demo is young, attention-seeking girls and non-black girls looking to validate their coolness by listening to whatever hip-hop is popular at the moment. Like, Kim Kardashian is probably bumping the Hello Kitty out of Pink Friday as I type. There are enough real issues to get worked up over in life; Nicki Minaj just ain't one of them.

#3- She's mildly entertaining, like a skinnier, less-talented version of Missy.

I know that Nicki had beef or whatever with Lil Kim. I never cared enough to follow the specifics, so I don't even know what it was about, really, but whatever. The Kim comparisons seem a little off to me. As she's released more music, really, Nicki reminds me more of Missy Elliot than anyone else. The animated voices, the wild characters in the videos and performances, the general presentation on the mic. Of course, Missy is a great talent, so I'm not daring to compare the two talent wise, but I see a lot of Missy influence on Nicki. And admittedly, I find her relatively entertaining for 16 bars. Or, if I had to compare her to a dude, she sort of reminds me of a way less lyrical Ludacris--sexual, silly, one-liners. At any rate, she's not terrible if taken in moderation. Have I downloaded her album yet? Nah. Will I? Eh, probably not. As I just mentioned, she's not making anything I'm interested in hearing at length. I'm just saying. Which leads me to my next reason....

#4- She is no worse than Gucci, Dorrough, Lil B, Jim Jones or Lloyd Banks.

Or any other mediocre/terrible rapper to achieve some measure of popularity or success. No need in attacking her for basking in the mediocrity that by and large, has dominated mainstream hip-hop for the past 10 years.

#5- She's not interesting enough for me to hate.

That kind of emotion requires a depth of feeling that I just don't have for Nicki Minaj, or really, any rapper at all. Maybe if she ever said or did anything that was really profound, or exuded depth beyond the carefully constructed hollow image she's created (and I do believe it's carefully constructed because she's a very bright woman), I could muster up some energy for her. As it is, I just can't. Just as I can't muster up the energy to hate any other rapper, male or female, who hasn't done anything besides whine about life and brag about themselves. It seems unfair that people get so worked up about hating Nicki when again, she's not doing anything different from most rappers of her caliber.

The Food Chain- "Reverse Psychology"

2010-11-17T15:28:00.002-05:00

REVERSE PSYCHOLOGY from foodchaintv on Vimeo.

New video, "Reverse Psychology" from Denver-based group, Food Chain. Dope vid. I guess it's a bonus track off of their album, Corpses (which was great). Happy to see that people are starting to pay attention to these guys.

Foreign Exchange- "Maybe She'll Dream of Me"

2010-11-15T20:37:00.000-05:00

Pretty dope concept video from a stellar album (Authenticity). Yes, they DO make music like this these days.

Happy Living Music- Nov. 9th Edition

2010-11-09T13:21:00.002-05:00

Times is hard. Ya'll don't need me to tell you that. Here's a list of the some of the random songs that have been getting me through my days. Happy living.

1- MGMT- "Electric Feel" ...Great for dancing around the living room.

2- Pete Kuzma feat. Bilal- "Hi & Dry" ...Great for driving with windows down.

3- Foreign Exchange feat. Chantae Cann- "Laughing at Your Plans" ...Great for driving with the windows down.

4- Zero 7- "Destiny" ...Great for wine and conversation.

The Saga Continues: Dallas Police Shoot Three Unarmed Men In Less Than a Month

2010-11-09T11:54:00.001-05:00

Right on the heels of the obsurd two-year sentencing of Johannes Mehserle, the BART cop who shot unarmed Oscar Grant III in the back, while he was handcuffed, the police are at it again---this time in Dallas.

Over the course of the past month, three unarmed men have been shot and killed by police officers.

Oct. 29th- Tony Menchaca was killed. Out of all of the shootings, this one appears to be the most "justified," though Menchaca was clearly suffering from mental issues. Menchaca said he had a weapon, and reached swiftly into his waistband. Five police officers then opened fire, learning after they had fired 23 times, that he was unarmed. The question here for me would be, why did they shoot him 23 times? I can understand why the reaction would be to shoot, but it seems like police training should include learning how to fire non-life threatening shots at a suspect--especially considering that these people are exactly that...suspects.

Oct. 13- A Plano man was killed accidentally during a drug investigation. The Dallas Morning News states: "One of the recent shootings, in which a Plano police sergeant killed a man Oct. 13 during a drug investigation as officers closed in to arrest him, was accidental, police have said. A grand jury reviewed the case but declined to take any action on it."

Oct. 9- Unarmed 25 year-old, Tobias Mackey, is shot and killed by police officers, prompting an outcry from civil rights organizations in Dallas. An 11 year-old boy was grazed during the shooting. The Rev. Ronald Wright of Justice Seekers of Texas told the Dallas Morning News: "They've got to stop killing African American men, unjustly. We want the police to police. The biggest gang problem right now in Dallas is not gangs, it's the Police Department, and that's scary."

Ode To...Jake One

2010-11-08T15:18:00.003-05:00

Jake One is a beast. That said, here is an ode to his more recent endeavors.

Freeway "Escalators" (produced by Jake One)
Any producer that can make listen to an entire Freeway song is good with me. Anyone that can make me listen to an entire Freeway project is my new bestie. Not that I dislike Freeway, to the contrary, actually. But his voice can get a little nerve-wracking after 16, unfortunately. However, any time Free and Jake collaborate, I'm inclined to do nothing except bob my head in sheer delight.

Scarface- "High Note" (produced by Jake One)
I know Face has an actual video for this, however, I find it very disturbing and therefore, you will instead gaze at the Emeritus cover. Trust me, you're welcome.

Scarface-"Dope Man Music"
I literally ride to this 9 out of the 10 times that I get into my Dodge Neon. This track is ridiculous. I know I'm recognizing the talents of Jake One here, but: "It's all about the paper my nigga, fuck a struggle/we ain't dyin broke hopin to get it, that's why we hustle..." --recession music at it's finest.

Jake One featuring D Black- "God Like"
I really hate it when rappers refer to themselves as "God" or say things like "God like" as it refers to something as mundane as their "flow." Anywhoo, this sounds like something that Beanie Sigel would sound great over. As I've often lamented, he needs to let me pick his beats. If he did, he'd probably still be rapping.

Jake One-"I Glow" featuring Elzhi and Royce da 5'9
Aside from two of the best rappers alive being on this track, Jake exposes his west coast roots, much to my delight.

----------------------------------------------------
And on a completely separate, totally random note-- there is another dude with ONE in his name that consistently makes me click "listen" these days... DJ Burn One. Okay, the transition was corny, but I can't wait for his instrumental album, The Ashtray, to drop and not just because one of the songs, "Sharae's Charade" is named after your girl (Jacinta Sharae). *Here's hoping the extra cool title makes the cut.*

Freddie Gibbs featuring Pill- "Do Wrong"
It doesn't get much smoother than this. Burn One gets the vibe that Freddie Gibbs has managed to revive-- that early Suave House, T-Mixx, Mike Dean sound, and I love it.

Four Women- Kelly Price, Marsha Ambrosius, Jill Scott and Ledisi (Inspired by Nina Simone)

2010-11-08T11:52:00.003-05:00

I didn't really watch all of Black Girls Rock last night. But I did flip over and happen to catch this performance of Nina Simone's "Four Women" by Kelly Price, Marsha Ambrosius, Jill Scott and Ledisi. I literally cried. If you could remain unmoved after seeing this, you probably have no soul.

Here is the original by Nina Simone.

Two Years: Oscar Grant III, Oakland and the Elusive Justice System

2010-11-06T12:51:00.005-04:00

This morning, I got up to look at the headlines. I wanted to find out what mainstream media was saying about the protesting in Oakland over the sentencing of Johannes Mehserle, the cop who shot unarmed, handcuffed Oscar Grant III in a BART Transit station a couple of years ago. Mehserle received two years, although based on some red tape and a bunch of random laws, he could've only gotten four years max, anyway. So guess what I found this morning when I began my search? That's right. Not a damn thing. The browser is automatically set to go to RoadRunner, some search engine that provides daily headlines. The protest was nowhere to be seen there.

Not that I really expected to be. It's not surprising that media has been very light on the coverage of the protesting (last night's from all credible accounts was generally peaceful) and rioting over this trial. If media is a propaganda machine, it doesn't make sense to report on things that might incite the average American to get up and make some noise over the continued injustices in this country.

Protests and movements, if frequent enough, lead to revolution. Why do you think those people over in France are always in the streets?

Over here, the idea of protest is typically limited to an online petition sent by some organization like Save Darfur or MoveOn.org. After all, can't have the revolution interrupting the next episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashians or Dancing with the Stars, now can we?

So, the media under-reports the rare instances of American's peacefully assembling to address injustices. Especially injustices that involve the shooting of an unarmed black man. Especially protests that are not limited by race (note the picture above, which features people of all nationalities). None of the protests in Oakland, which have been occurring fairly regularly over the past two years or so, are properly reported. Apparently, Oakland, home of the perhaps one of the most revolutionary movements to emerge out of the U.S. in the past five decades--- the Black Panther Party--- has people there that still have some fight left in them.

Anyways, continuing in my search for information, I headed over to another site. This is what I found on CNN. I had to scroll down to the middle of the list of headlines that are in the sidebar of the page.

Oakland police chief: Protesters 'tearing up' the city
Authorities in Oakland, California, said unruly marchers were "tearing up the city" as they protested a two-year sentence for a former transit police officer convicted for killing an unarmed man.
They were throwing rocks, bottles and trash, and ripping up fences late Friday, Police Chief Anthony Batts said.

That's how the story begins. Now, from the accounts that I read on Twitter (yes, I still get on to see what folks are talking about) namely, my personal hero, Davey D, the protesters were peaceful. The police, however, were not. They ended up arresting between 100-150 people. According to Davey D, the people were shouting not to resist the police. This is what he had to say about it on his blog, HipHopandPolitics:

Tonight Oakland Police showed us what Marshall Law was all about as they conducted mass arrests in East Oakland around 6th and East 17th. All in all over 150 people were arrested and likely to be taken to North County or Santa Rita for the weekend.
This all began when about 500 marchers left downtown where city hall is located and attempted to march to the Fruitvale BART station where Oscar Grant was murdered. OPD had devised a boxed in strategy which was described as a scrimmage line. With the use of helicopters, dozens of patrol cars and undercover cops spread throughout the crowd, police in a series of manuevers tried to corral marchers into a block and immobilize them.

So who is telling the truth about what went down? Some journalist who is reporting from Los Angeles (where the case was moved) or the man who is actually there? Why wouldn't CNN have had reporters based in Oakland reporting what was happening? Poor journalism? Laziness? Apathy? I'm thinking the latter two.

I headed over to the Oakland Tribune to get what would hopefully be a more accurate account of events. Their headline immediately told an entirely different story. Of course it was the top story for them--but beyond that, here's what it said:

Peaceful rally ends in 152 arrests

A day of peaceful protests over the sentencing of BART police Officer Johannes Mehserle ended in an angry march that led to a confrontation between protesters and police and 152 arrests. One officer had his holster ripped from his gun belt and another was hit by a car; his condition was unknown Friday evening.
But the scale of violence and destruction that marked previous protests did not manifest itself Friday night, although City Hall closed early as did several stores near 14th Street and Broadway.

This is significant, because the average reader, the average person who is generally unconcerned/unconnected with the entire Oscar Grant III saga isn't going to head over to an Oakland-based publication to get a more accurate, thorough account of events. They will read CNN's lazy, uninformed headline, maybe the first two graphs of the story and call it a day. Propaganda at its best. Further, the CNN story didn't even make mention of the inflammatory, degrading remarks the judge, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Robert Perry, made, chastising Oakland citizens for writing to the court, demanding that Mehserle receive a higher sentence.

I don't expect much more reporting to be done on this case. It, like the rest of the countless cases concerning unarmed black men and the police will subside. Their names will only come up when the next black man is murdered...then they will inevitably slip from our lips again.

So what to do? Two years. Two years for murdering someone. My cousin is doing 30 years for armed robberies, in which no one was killed, no lives taken. Two years. Michael Vick did that much time for killing some damn dogs-- mean dogs at that.

"Treat me like an animal, but love them Pits..." --Killer Mike, "I Gotcha"

Two-years. I almost feel like a hypocrite for just sitting here, typing. Internet activism, Tweeting injustices isn't working. So what to do? It seems as though no matter we do, the cycle continues.

Case and point: here's a story that I wrote, ironically, two-years ago after the Sean Bell verdict. I interviewed members of the hip-hop community, including Killer Mike, Gorilla Zoe, stic.man, Edward Garnes and more.

50 Shots: The Community Speaks on Police Terrorism

Edward Garnes: “Systematic change takes constant attack. What happens is we get complacent and comfortable. We put the heat on every couple of years, then we fade away. And cops and system know that black folks will have momentary enlightenment and go back to business as usual."

Two years. Something has to give. I just don't know what. Maybe two years from now, someone will have a clue.

Dating the Modern Mid-20s Black Man

2010-10-23T14:15:00.000-04:00

Goodness, gracious. This hit so close to home, it isn't even funny. Actually, it is still really funny.

The Homo-fication of Hip Hop: Come Out of the Closet, Already

2010-10-21T16:21:00.002-04:00

Truth be told, hip-hop has been gay for a while now. It started when rap artists as a whole began turning away from anything that made them appear to be vulnerable or human or presented realistic depictions of actual men and began painting themselves as blown up caricatures of gangsters, drug dealers and dimwitted alpha-males, thereby locking themselves into a perpetual state of adolescence.

But it escalated in the mid-90s, when rapper’s distaste for whores turned from casual observations of particular circumstances to a barely contained hatred for women in general. It was further defined when female rappers were no longer accepted as a legitimate part of the genre and culture. Instead of being hip-hop artists, they morphed into the rapping groupies that so many rappers supposedly hated--yet couldn’t seem to get enough of because they provided a tangible example to justify the hatred.

Anytime women are hated, misrepresented, mistreated or just not around, some extra gay behavior is just around the corner. The homo-fication process has started.

Think about prison culture. Think about all male schools. Think about the Black Church. Men run everything in all of the aforementioned institutions--women, by and large are not included, and where they are, they hold no real positions of power. The men in these institutions are expected to be alpha-males--all knowing, dominant, powerful, and without weakness. The result? Every single one of these institutions are cultural breeding grounds for homosexuality.

Why would hip-hop be any different?

That’s why, it wasn’t that surprising that 50 Cent, a dude who epitomizes homo eroticism in hip-hop, posed on the cover of a major magazine with young Soulja Boy looking like a pedophile who escaped from 500 BC Persia. It isn’t even surprising that Internet and underground/hipster superstar, Lil B regularly refers to himself as a “pretty bitch” in his music and then claims he isn't gay. It isn’t surprising that Kanye engages in catfights with pop starlets. It's not surprising that Lil Wayne kisses grown men in the mouth.

What is surprising, is that hip-hop has still not come out of the closet. Hip-hop is still pretending, even if it is badly, to be straight.

I’ve often wondered what it will take for hip-hop to embrace its new identity and be honest with itself. I mean, that’s the first step to change, right, acknowledging transformation and accepting it for what it is? Maybe it will take a major artist to come out publicly--maybe as a breaking news item for Hip Hop Weekly, or Bossip.

Or maybe, it will happen when the female rapper is totally extinct. It is close to happening-- the most popular woman rapper has painted herself to be an android-like, Barbie doll, with no awareness, emotion or perception beyond her carefully constructed fantasy world. In short, she is, but she is not.

However the coming out occurs---it's past time for hip-hop to get real with itself, and admit to what it really is--gay as hell.

The consequences of hip-hop denying its homo status could be very dangerous.

A culture full of hypocrites incites war, confusion and in-fighting...all very bad things (see: the United States).

So, hip-hop I beg you, stop playing games with yourself and admit to what you really are. Just, come out of the closet, already.

Black QBs...Still Black Listed?

2010-10-19T12:35:00.001-04:00

Last night, I was watching Monday Night Football (until the Titans ran away with the game and I turned to see Cliff Lee and his faded hat beat the Yankees, yay!). I was watching Vince Young and David Gerrard (before they were injured) and got to thinking about Steve McNair--honestly, I hadn't thought about him in a minute, and felt bad about it. I wondered why his legacy isn't remembered more, even if he did die under terrible circumstances, it really doesn't have much to do with his great talent on the field.

Coincidentally, I woke up this morning to see that his wife has been awarded $2.5 million from his estate, since he apparently had no will at the time and his assets were therefore frozen this whole time. Anyways, the whole thing made me start thinking again about the plight of the black quarterback. I come from a football loving family, and most of the time, the women tend to root for the teams that have black QBs, and to a slightly lesser extent, black coaches. This year, the favored team by the women in the fam is the Redskins, mostly because they are so disgusted with the way that Philly treated Donovan, a franchise QB.

Anyways, Mike Tillery over at StartingFive wrote this great piece about the plight of black QBs last week, with a special emphasis being placed on Donovan and his incredible NFL career thus far, which still has yet to be properly acknowledged or respected. Sure, he hasn't won a Superbowl, but neither had Payton Manning when he was still being considered the best QB of all time. Tony freaking Romo gets more respect from media and analysts. It's sad.

Anyways, Mike makes some great points:

Despite the accomplishments of the aforementioned Moon and McNabb, do front offices, fans and media still view Black quarterbacks as running backs in the year 2010?

He goes on to question:

Does the trickle down effect of the current Black athlete quarterback narrative seep into the minds of veteran officials not used to seeing QB athleticism on the NFL level because of the narrative? Cunningham and Vick? Quarterbacks or running backs? Steve Young…quarterback or running back? John Elway…quarterback or running back?

See what he did there? Anyways, it's an interesting discussion. It's just sad that we are still having it in 2010.

A Quickie Tribute to Minnie Riperton (In Honor of Breast Cancer Month)

2010-10-14T13:35:00.001-04:00

It's October and Breast Cancer Month, as anyone who watches the NFL knows. Seeing 350 pound linebackers wearing pink wristbands and socks is inspiring in so many ways. No sarcasm.

I've been on a big time Minnie Riperton kick for the past four months or so, and after reading a comment on YouTube, thought it was fitting to do a quickie tribute to Minnie in honor of the month. She passed from breast cancer back in July 1979-- a month after I was born, ironcially, at 31 years old. I've always felt a strange connection to her, not on any psychic/weirdo stuff, but just, her music has always really resonated with me in a bone-chilling kind of way.

As I got older, I began to appreciate her even more, and not just because of her other-worldly vocal ability. She was a layered writer. She was super sensual, but subtle. Still, she was progressive. She even drew criticism for some of her lyrics--my mom told me that when she was in broadcasting school, she failed a project for including Minnie's "Inside My Love" in her line-up. Apparently, it was too risque at the time.

At any rate, here is my quickie tribute to Minnie--just a few of my favorite songs:

"Baby This Love I Have"- This song was obviously sampled by Tribe Called Quest ("Check the Rhyme"). I love this track, it's so sensual. Fellas, this is the song to put on while sipping on a glass of good Pinot Noir or Merlot with your girl--read: the warm-up.

"Reasons"- Probably one of my favorite songs ever, seriously. In a weird way it sort of reminds me of Stevie Wonder's "Visions"--maybe it's because he produced the song during his Genius Years. Anyways, this song is so layered. I'll even post the lyrics:

The reasons for my life are in a million faces

Like aching promises I feel them in my bones
Slipping through my fingers to dance upon the road
The reasons for my life are more than I can hold
But oh, the sweet delight to sing with all my might
To spark the inner light of wonder burning bright
You're not alone
You're not alone
The reasons for my life are buried in deep places
Words once could awaken them
These seeds that I have sown
Ringing through the madness to crash against the cold
The reasons for my life cannot be bought or sold
The reasons for my life are filling all my spaces
Like rushing waters flow, they carry me along
Twisting through my memory to pull free from the load
The reasons for my life are more than I was told

"Perfect Angel"- This song is just beautiful, her voice just skates over this track like silk. Yahzarah actually did a great cover of this on Zo's Just Visiting Too, which is no small accomplishment.

"Inside My Love"- Clearly, I don't need to say anything about this. This has to go on the all-time Best Songs to Make Love To list.

"If I Ever Lose This Heaven"- I couldn't find a better version of this song, which was Quincy Jones' (produced by him and I think written by Leon Ware, who also co-wrote "Inside My Love." But this is Minnie singing it solo. If I'm not mistaken, she had already lost the use of her right arm and this was recorded just a few months before she passed. Consumate performer.

The BET Hip Hop Awards: Courtesy of My Mother

2010-10-13T14:50:00.007-04:00

So last night I accidentally watched the majority of the BET Hip Hop Awards. It turned out to be far more entertaining than I thought for one reason: my mother. Below is a partial transcript of my mother's take on the show.

JACINTA: You're watching the BET Hip Hop Awards? [makes strange face].

MOM: [shrugs] I just turned the TV on and this is what was on.

JACINTA: Oh, I was watching The Game earlier.

....About 15 minutes into the broadcast.....

MOM: Why are they yelling? Why? What is wrong with them? ....Why are they screaming at me?!

JACINTA: Oh, that's just DJ Khaled. He likes to scream a lot. It's kind of his thing.

MOM: [frowning] Well, he sounds like the kids that do our announcements at school: "Yo, this is DJ C with the morning announcements!!" And then they just scream the entire way through the announcements.What is wrong with these people?

.....After flipping briefly to an especially disturbing episode of Law & Order: SVU.....flips back...

JACINTA: I'm ashamed to say I kind of like this Soulja Boy song. Me and Mike sing this all of the time: "Every.body.pay.attention...." [dancing]...

JACINTA: Wait, there is no dance to this song? Shouldn't he be doing the Pretty Boy Swag? He really needs a dance to this song. He looks retarded.

MOM: [Looking at Jacinta like she's retarded]. He needs to pull his pants up. He can barely move. This is not hip-hop.

JACINTA: Is that Cortez? Why do they keep showing him? He's not even a rapper. They do know that, right?

.....After flipping back to SVU and watching Olivia actually kiss a man and wear a dress....flips back...

MOM: [looks horrified] "What?! Coochie Man! What?!"

JACINTA: No, he said GUCCI Mane.

MOM: Uh-uh. I definitely heard him. He said, "Coochie" coochie man. Who are these ghetto people?

...flips back to watch the oozing sexual tension between Olivia and Stabler. Just kiss already...sheesh....flips back...

JACINTA: [Laughing hysterically] Every time I see this dude, I think of Khalil [four-year old cousin] dead-panning to his dad's friend: "Um, your baby looks like Waka Flaka Flame."

....flips back to Law & Order....

MOM: Wait, let me see Waka Waka Flocking Flooka Flame....

....flips back....

MOM: Oh, he looks crazy. What is he doing? Why is he screaming? Why is he jumping? Where is he going?

JACINTA: You know he got really famous after being shot at the gas station around the corner from where I used to stay.

MOM: [shakes head]

JACINTA: And now you see why I've been so frustrated with being a music writer for the past few years.

MOM: Yes, I do. [sighs]

MOM: Now, why is P.Diddy bobbing his head? He knows he doesn't like this shit. He knows he's thinking: "I guess I better pretend to like this..uhhhh...."

...flips briefly to A Different World, where sadly, they are still showing episodes from the first season, which all pretty much sucked...flips back...

JACINTA: Wow. It's Antoine Dodson. That guy I showed you on the Internet.

MOM: That's really him, huh? [looks impressed].

JACINTA: [stares at MOM].

MOM: It's nice that he got a house of it though.

JACINTA: [shrugs] I guess.

....flips to see Kenan Ivory Waynan's sister sitting on a couch in the residence hall, laughing loudly at something that clearly isn't funny...flips back...

MOM: They are still screaming. Why are they still screaming?

JACINTA: It's still DJ Khaled.

MOM: What is wrong with young black people these days?

JACINTA: Actually, he's not even black. But he still gets to say "nigga."

MOM: Hell, he is a nigga. All of these people are niggas... even Eminem. I saw him on 60 Minutes. He is really sad. Smart, but sad.

....flips to see DeWayne Wayne running for Mrs. Hillman in an especially retarded episode...flips back...

MOM: Who is she?

JACINTA: Diamond...or Princess. Nah, I think Diamond.

MOM: Is she rapping? [looks baffled]. Is that rap? What is she doing? Is she rapping?

JACINTA: Yep.

MOM: Sooooo, if what she's doing is considered rap, why didn't you make it? God must just not have wanted you in this dirty entertainment industry.

JACINTA: Yay! Royce Da 5'9. I love him.

MOM: [frowning] Ew, I don't. Why does he have so many tattoos?

JACINTA: [ignoring MOM]. Ha, he said "...loaded with a baby Cannon like Mariah.." Hee.

MOM: Huh? What does that mean?

JACINTA: Nick Cannon is married to Mariah Carey and she's pregnant. It's a punchline.

MOM: [stares blankly]

.....back to a terribly dressed Lisa Bonet awkwardly flitting around Dewayne....flips back...

MOM: Oh, ok, I know this J.Cole guy. I think I heard him on the radio. Yeah, this comes on the radio. [bobs head awkwardly].

JACINTA: J.Cole is great. I've decided he's future. And he's cute. [bats eyelashes].

MOM: Ok, yes. Now this, this is hip-hop. I can understand what he's saying. This is real hip-hop. He actually has a message.

JACINTA: Mom, you don't know real hip hop.

MOM: Yes, I do, from back in my day.

JACINTA: No.

MOM: Yes, it started back in my day! What do you think the Last Poets were? Hip Hop! Gil-Scott Heron? Hip Hop!

JACINTA: Ok, mom. You know hip hop.

After that, my mom left to get on the phone and never returned to watch the rest of the show. I stayed for a few more minutes, mostly to watch B.O.B., who did great despite the terrible sound, the buddy, Yeller (Yelawolf) get a great look on a national show and see Cy-Hi Da Prince (who I recognized as star back when he was still in that group, Hoodlum, that was signed to Jazzy Pha's label...*pats self on the back*). All in all, it was an unexpetedly entertaining evening. Thanks, mom.

The End.

T.I. on the Cover of Upscale Magazine

2010-10-06T11:34:00.000-04:00

Yeah, so I'm a tad bit late with posting my own story, but let's just say I was pretty occupied throughout month of September. Staying in and out of the hospital, minor surgery (complete w/ complications), the whole nine. So posting wasn't high on my priority list. Funny how being sick, or in excruciating pain re-prioritizes things in your life.

At any rate, I ran across this earlier this morning. I guess they printed a double cover (still don't have a copy myself yet). The incredibly talented Hannibal Matthews took the pictures, which came out dope. This interview actually took place in mid-July...who knew that a few weeks later, shit would hit the fan... again? At any rate, I always love interviewing T.I. He's a pretty cool cat-- always answers questions, isn't afraid to be vulnerable and has always struck me as a genunine dude. It's unfortunate that he can't seem to get it together.

As I said, the interview was pretty cool and some of his family was even there. (His uncle was flirtatious and actually invited me to dinner. I politely declined since he's like 57, or something.). I don't think they ever publish the full story on Upscale's site for some unknown reason, so if you want to read the full article, you'd probably have to buy it, or read in the aisle of your neighborhood Walgreens or something.

Hope you dig it.

Read: T.I. Covers Upscale Magazine

Reality Check: 1 in 7 Americans Lives in Poverty

2010-09-17T19:03:00.000-04:00

If 1 in 7 people in the U.S. are poor, can America really still be considered the richest nation in the world? How does that even make sense? Check this out from the Associated Press:

The ranks of the working-age poor climbed to the highest level since the 1960s as the recession threw millions of people out of work last year, leaving one in seven living in poverty in the richest nation in the world.

The overall poverty rate climbed to 14.3 percent, or 43.6 million people, the Census Bureau said Thursday in its annual report on the economic well-being of U.S. households. The report covers 2009, President Obama's first year in office.

Of course, I'm sure the majority of the country will miss the real point here, and find some way to blame Obama for this--even though it's an inevitable. issue that he did not create and at the end of the day, simply could not control. The story continued:

Broken down by state, Mississippi had the highest share of poor people, at 23.1 percent, according to rough calculations by the Census Bureau. It was followed by Arizona, New Mexico, Arkansas and Georgia. On the other end of the scale, New Hampshire had the lowest share, at 7.8 percent.

Of course we knew Mississippi would be the poorest-- it always has been. But Georia also makes the cut, which is really not that surprising either, despite the "recession-proof" claims of wack ass Atlanta promoters and rappers. Actually, Atlanta operates in general under a hood of fantasy, with no real tangible connections to what is really going on in actuality.

I guess this is still the image that pops into most people's heads when they think about poverty.

But in actuality, this is more what poverty looks like in America these days.

My mom works in public schools and she is constantly telling me about how many kids come into her office (she's a nurse) looking for food. Or how many kids are only able to eat at school because they don't have food at home. Food stamps are oftentimes not enough to realistically feed a entire family for a whole month.

I've been through some experiences over the past week that really personally illustrated just how poor this country is. I don't know how people keep living in a state of delusion-- I suppose I could blame E! or MTV, but that would be too simplisitic. I don't know. It's getting scary.

Too many people are still running around with their heads in the sand. The sad thing is, I don't really see any solutions coming any time soon.

The Only Good Rap Song to Come Out of Dallas- Big Tuck feat. Erykah Badu "No Mistaken"

2010-08-27T09:36:00.001-04:00

This is clearly the only good rap song that has ever come out of Dallas, excluding anything made by D.O.C. of course.

Ode to Mr. Mike

2010-08-26T21:06:00.001-04:00

I recently had an epiphany. Mr. Mike needs a tribute. That said, here is my ode to Mr. Mike--one of the most unrecognized guys to come out of the south, but arguably one of the most subtly influential. I got to know Mike pretty well a few years ago, and even produced a few tracks for him. One of them is on my first release, The Other Side of the Game pt. 1. The other never was released. I don't have it on me at the current moment, but I will find it and post it, in case anyone cares to hear it. Anywhoo. Much love to Mr. Mike.

"All in My Mind"- Eightball & MJG feat. Southcircle
Good grief. Anybody who is still, in 2010, talking about how the south doesn't have "lyricism" needs to be shot after listening to this song. EVERYONE on this track snapped super hard.

"New Day"-One of my favorites off of South Circle's Anotha Day, Anotha Balla.

"Where Is Ya Love"- Clearly Mike was influenced by the west coast. Notice the random "west coast singer" who actually could not sing on the track. Why did the west coast always do that? Feature some terrible ass singer? Anyways, it jammed nevertheless.

"It's Yo Attitude"-I just remember writing Thorough's bio (one-half of South Circle) and finding out that this song was randomly featured on As the World Turns or something. Seriously, this was on a mainstream soap opera back in the day.

"Wicked Wayz" feat. Ice Cube- Probably Mike's most popular song. Back when rappers weren't comfortably-political (meaning socially conscious only when it's convenient).

"Kool-Aid"- Eightball & MJG-feat. South Circle- This was made around the time that I was hanging with Mike and Ro pretty tough--both of them decided to leave Atlanta shortly after this song was made though, and head back to Houston. Can't say that I blame them. Notice Mike crooning on the chorus. Dude can actually sing. Preacher's son and all that. Anyways, I thought this was going to help them make some kind of comeback, or you know, do something. But...yeah.

Tweet: "Always Will"

2010-08-26T18:57:00.000-04:00

With my emo ass.

The Foreign Exchange Readies 3rd Album, Authenticity

2010-08-24T10:53:00.001-04:00

I normally don't do things like post album art and whatnot here. I think it's boring and silly, quite frankly. But, Phonte sent this over yesterday afternoon, and I'm a big supporter of his and the FE Family, so why not?

I see that Chantae Cann is going to be featured on the album, which is super cool. She's the "voice" on Jaspect's Polkadotted Stripes album. I remember Phonte asking me why the hell I hadn't put him up on Jaspects a little over a year ago. Of course, I had, but the songs I sent him weren't his favorites on the album, so I guess he kind of forgot. Anyways, he was going ape over Chantae's voice--asking who on earth she was. At the time, I didn't know much about her myself, only little tidbits Jaspect's manager at the time, Jeff Cohran, had told me. Anyhoo, fast forward about a year or so, and Tay tells me he has just finished recording vocals for Chante. A few weeks later, at the FE show in Atlanta she nervously gets on stage during their impromptu jam session, and RIPS it. Good gracious, this girl's voice is other-worldly. I just hope that she gets over her shyness a bit.

So, that was my personal Authenticity story to justify making this post. Not really, but I wanted to share anyways. I think this album should be pretty incredible. I don't think most people understand how much work these guys put in. I mean, how many artist do you know that not only write, sing, and produce their own vocals, but then, mix their own vocals and engineer all of their own sessions? That's what Phonte and Nic do. Phonte essentially handles all of the vocal work--mixing the vocals, writing, engineering and Nic handles the music--producing, mixing the tracks. For any of you who have ever spent actual time in a studio (and no, interviewing someone for an hour or two doesn't count), you know that is an overwhelming amount of work.

Anyways, I'm looking forward to this project. Leave It All Behind is still in rotation...literally.

Picking up where their 2008 Grammy-nominated "Leave It All Behind" set left off, "Authenticity" is the group's most diverse work to date, with a tight, 11-track song cycle spanning the duo's trademark brand of lush electronic soul, to stripped down acoustic pieces that recall the heyday of 70's singer-songwriter driven folk.

Lead single "Maybe She'll Dream Of Me" is a playful, synth-driven hip-hop groove featuring a rapped verse from Phonte that evokes the band's "Connected" era, while the epic opener "The Last Fall" finds some of the band's most cynical lyrics to date ("Love is at worst an excuse/at best it's a truce...") over a frenzied Nicolay production jammed with layers of strings, guitars, and dense choral harmonies.

"I think every band reaches that point when they come into their own and find a sound that is distinctively theirs," says Phonte in reference to the album's title. "The title refers to me and Nic's journey to find our own unique space within this vast musical landscape. The biggest challenge as a musician is to find that 'thing' that makes you who you are. But I think we're getting there, and we're finding our way more and more with each record."

Featuring guest appearances from longtime contributors YahZarah, Darien Brockington, Zo! and Median, and also relative newcomers Chantae Cann and Jesse Boykins III, "Authenticity" hits stores 10/12 on +FE Music.

http://www.theforeignexchangemusic.com/img/discography/Authenticity.jpg

For more info: http://www.theforeignexchangemusic.com/2010/06/authenticity.php

11. This City Ain't The Same Without You feat. YahZarah

10. Laughing At Your Plans feat. Chantae Cann

9. Everything Must Go

8. Make Me A Fool feat. Jesse Boykins III & Median

7. Don't Wait feat. Darien Brockington

6. Maybe She'll Dream Of Me

5. Fight For Love

4. All Roads

3. Eyes To The Sky

2. Authenticity

1. The Last Fall

I Do Not Tweet, and I Am...Not

2010-08-13T19:08:00.002-04:00

Six months ago, I deleted my Twitter page. Six months ago, I ceased to exist.

When I first deleted my page, I got a lot of emails and phone calls.

"Are you okay?" "What's going on with you?" "Why did you delete your page!?"

People associated my mental health, stability and psychological well-being with my occupation on Twitter. The fact that I had willingly deleted my page, for no apparent reason, was a sure sign that I was going through a psychotic episode.

I started to wonder...

Was I still alive? Was I okay?

For the first few days after I deleted my Twitter account, I remember checking myself in the mirror frequently. I still looked the same. My pupils weren't dialated. My hair wasn't falling out. I seemed to still be breathing.

The phone calls, emails and texts, those were starting to slow down, however. It was then that I realized that my relevancy as not only a writer, but possibly as a human being was somehow inextricably linked to my Twitter page. After all, I was no longer available to tell everyone all of the vitally important things they needed to know, in order to gauge if I were still alive:

"Out having drinks with my baby @suchNsuch!"

Or references to my exciting dating life...

"About to go grab a bite to eat w/ the misses."

Or references to my fab lifestyle...

"Just had a great weekend of fun, sun and drinks with the fam @blah @blah @SuchNsuch Summer Sunday Fun, Fun, Fun!"

Or references to my impeccable health regiment...

"Hitting the gym now."

Or vague references to my popular religious/moral beliefs...

"Faith is so important and...like... stuff!"

Or offer comments about my preferred brand of lemonade while shopping at Kroger...

"Do you prefer Simply Lemon or Minute Maid? Simply Lemon for me..."

Yes, without my Twitter page, my existence was becoming dimmer and dimmer. People were unable to read about how I entertain myself, who I entertain myself with, where I enjoy drinking, how I serve Jesus and how frequently I practice yoga. In essence, they were unable to know the real me.

Then, there was my career.

In the 2000 school of media-- I know that visibility is everything. Writers want to be more popular than the artists/celebs they cover. We create websites using only our names. We make videos where we essentially interview ourselves. We bustle around town with equipment we don't know how to use to be seen and "on the scene." We participate in meaningless roundtable discussions that never lead anywhere, and serve no purpose--other than of course, to show that we were invited to the meaningless roundtable discussion.

Twitter has become the perfect medium for us media "tastemakers."

We can participate in silly music related debates (debates that in no way have any bearing on the actual state of the industry, but serve only to illustrate that we can write 140 characters about whoever the rapper up for discussion is). We can articulate just how much we know, and how quickly we can discreetly google what we don't know during an especially heated discussion. We can illustrate how smart we are. We can offer brazenly sarcastic commentary on every song that leaks or every ill-advised email blast we receive. After all, how else will people know how many unwanted emails we get per day, or how many people want us to listen to their music? We can brag about where we are, and where you aren't. We can tell you where we just landed.

It hit me. Without Twitter, how will other "tastemakers" know that I am still "tastemaking?" How will they know I am witty and sarcastic? How will they know that I'm alive?! I mean, sure they can read my bylines or blogs, but...how will they really know if they are unable to read what I'm #nowplaying every hour on the hour-- and that my musical taste (and therefore personality) is eclectic, yet grounded, well-informed but approachable? They won't. That's how.

My worth, I've found--both personally and professionally is synonymous with my Twitter Page.

And my Twitter Page no longer exists.

Therefore, I am... not.

iCarly=Child-Sized Soap Opera

2010-08-10T20:28:00.000-04:00

The weekend before last I was hanging out with my little cousins at my Grandma's house in Kansas. Of course, because it's Kansas and was like 117 degrees outside (almost literally), they were hanging in the living room, watching TV.

Then it dawned on me. I know why these kids these days are so advanced.

They sit around watching soap operas all day.

Now, I admittedly watch some of the shows that come on Disney Channel and Nickleodeon--mostly because I'm always interested to see what they are feeding to our kids, and I have a three-year old niece who imitates everything she sees. It's from watching these shows, like Hannah Montana for instance, that I was able to give my brother and his wife an informed opinion about why the show is too old for her.

So anyways, the kids, aging from ranges 8-12 were totally engaged in the shows that came on-- namely, Hannah Montana and iCarly. Both shows have real people (apparently cartoons are dead). They have love interests. They have continuing story lines. Seriously, it's like Young and the Restless for the pre-teen set.

Of course, all of this soap-opera like drama is disguised by the overt slapstick comedy that all of the shows incorporate. In fact, the slapstick comedy is what makes the shows look totally harmless-- and also fails to engage most thinking adults, because their brand of "comedy" is just, well, atrociously, obnoxiously un-funny.

Watching the shows, made me think about what I was watching at that age. Really, I was reading Sweet Valley High and Babysitters Club, which in all honesty, was kind of the same thing-- but better because I was like, actually reading. I'm not suggesting that the shows are inappropriate, only that the concept of them is, at the foundation, very grown. I mean, where are the X-Men cartoons when you need them?

Anyways, as I said, I now understand why these kids think the way that think, and then grow up to become stars on reality shows like the Hills or other ill-advised MTV reality shows. Sitting around watching soaps all day has never been healthy for anyone.

New Hot Heavy & Bad (Joi) Video: "One" directed by Dashon.Is

2010-08-09T11:14:00.000-04:00

Here is the new video, "One" by Hot Heavy & Bad, directed by Dashon.Is. It was shot on Auburn Ave, mostly in front of Pal's Lounge, which is owned by Devon Lee. As Devon says, "Joi is the Hot and Heavy and I'm the Bad." Guess this video amply demonstrates that statement.

Charles Taylor Blood Diamonds--The New Major Motion Picture?

2010-08-09T10:51:00.000-04:00

I've been trying to keep up with the developments of the Mia Farrow and Naomi Campbell testimonies against Charles Taylor. The prosecution is trying to get Taylor (the former president of Liberia who the U.S. government is rumored to have put in power, only to strip him of it when he got too out of control) on some blood diamond charges. Allegedly he gave Naomi some huge diamond back in 1997-- and they are now bringing that up as evidence against him.

Today, I get online and find out that Mia Farrow testified, and her testimony directly disputes Naomi's, who said she didn't know for sure if the diamond came from Taylor or not. It has been suggested that Taylor was using raw diamonds to leverage power and whatnot from different people.

My question would be: then why the hell did he give one to Naomi Campbell of all people? Not to be rude or anything, but even in 1997, Naomi wasn't like over here calling shots or wielding political power. She was like, at Fashion Week.

At any rate, I really find this story to be pretty fascinating and fully expect for it to be a major motion picture starring Matt Damon as the random white dude who is sensitive to the plight of African people and therefore must see Tayor destroyed, Gabrielle Union as Naomi Campbell in her first Oscar-nominated role (or Keri Washington because she already sort of has the accent down) and Gwenyth Paltrow as Mia Farrow. I'm dead serious. Mark my words.

If you guys haven't watched the Vice Guide to Liberia, as I suggested months ago, it will fill you in on more detail about Taylor and the other warlords, and the overall state of the country right now. It's going down over there. It's extra ironic because Liberia is the closest that America got to colonization in Africa. Suffice to say, the country is now f--'d up, and apparently, no one gives a crap about it.

As usual, great job, America. Meantime, I'll be waiting on my check from Lions Gate.

The 5 Best Female Singers On the Block

2010-08-06T15:10:00.000-04:00

Folks are always complaining about the auto-tune, out-of-tune state of R&B/soul music. With that said, here are the four women (currently) that I think have the best vocals in the game.

1- Janelle Monae. She's number one on my list simple because of her vocal dexterity. The way that she's able to switch styles at the drop of a dime is crazy and her range is ridiculous. I've literally gotten the chills listening to her sing.

2. Yahzarah. Anyone who has seen Yahz live knows her vocal ability is other-worldly. She's probably the most vocally-limber singer I've heard, honestly, alongsie Janelle. Hell, anyone who can do justice to a Minnie Riperton ("Perfect Angel") cover deserves a standing ovation.

3. Amy Winehouse. Sure, she has an unhealthy addiction to narcotics, but good gracious, her voice is beautiful. Rich, textured... she's the certified shit. Praying for her comeback--I'd hate for her to go out like Janis Joplin.

4. LaToiya Williams. She sounds really Aretha Franklin-ish/Fantasia-like, minus all of the unnecessary screaming. Her voice just melts into her tracks. Soulbounce says she's coming out with an album soon. Looking forward to that one.

5. Chrisette Michelle. Her vocal control is pretty impressive, especially because she's so young. I'm excited to see what she does as she gets older. Also, it would be nice if she could get with different producers and writers who can help her fully display her depth of talent.

Mentionables:
Jazmine Sullivan
Melane Fiona
Carlitta Durand

Joi on the Cover of Creative Loafing

2010-08-04T11:13:00.000-04:00

This story was a long time coming. It was especially cool for me to write because I'm such a stan, er, FAN of Joi. She's super duper cool, plus her talent is for real, other-worldly. I've had a chance to check out her new music with Hot Heavy and Bad and no exaggerating, it's the certified shit.

She's an artist that re-invents the wheel every time she drops, for real. As a writer, she's the type of artist that inspires me to still want to write music, honestly. Not that I'm jocking or anything-- just saying.

At any rate, if you ever get a chance, make sure you get down to Pal's Lounge on Auburn and Bell to check her out for FREE every Saturday night, while the getting is good.

She will also be having a Creative Loafing Cover Party and will be debuting her video for "One" (which is dope as hell) on Thursday evening at 7:30 at Pal's Lounge.

Hope you enjoy the story.

JOI'S BAD ASS REVENGE

New Music: "Ebony Essence"- Mykel

2010-07-30T11:59:00.001-04:00

So people are always asking me about what new music I'm listening to. I'm sure I usually turn out to be a disappointment when I tell them, not much, then randomly mention Radiohead's Ok Computer.

But I have found a few artists here and there that capture my attention, one being singer/songwriter/guitarist, Mykel.

I first heard him on "Miss Atlanta" by Bobby Creekwater and was impressed. Then, I heard him live at the A3C Festival and was more impressed because he can actually sing. I ran into him at Sunset Lounge a couple of days later, yada-yada-yada...months later, I heard some new music and was super impressed. Dude is really dope.

Anyways, he's currently pushing his new single "Ebony Essence" (and this isn't even the dopest song that he sent me) so I thought I would post it for your listening pleasure. Be on the lookout for dude, he's really talented.

The 6 Fashion Choices of Black Men in Atlanta

2010-07-24T12:04:00.000-04:00

I was hanging out at Pal's Lounge the other night, having a great time at their karaoke event, when it dawned on me that there are exactly 6 ways that black man likes to look in Atlanta. I think I got a glimpse of all 6 while there. Lucky me.

1- Like Pill. This is the certified trap look, reserved for actual dope boys. No posers accepted.

2. Like the New Boyz. Reserved for all the hipsters or hipsters who don't want to be called hipsters or weekend hipsters or...whatever. If you're over 24 and you still look like this, you are probably single.

3. Like the 2010 version of Kanye West. This is what most business professionals/corporate yes-men/industry guys with a title have decided they enjoy looking like on the weekends or during after-hours. These guys are sorta gay, but possibly not. But...yeah. Mostly gay.

4. Like Saul Williams. This is the almost hipster, but not quite hipster look reserved for those who enjoy chewing on bamboo sticks and lecturing folks about the ills of hormone-infested, cloned beef, chicken and all other forms of meat.

5. Like Gucci Mane. The flashy dopeboy, "you may find me locked up in Fulton County on any given Sunday" look.

6. Like Killer Mike. This look is pretty much reserved for people who were actually raised in Atlanta. Folks from Adamsville (the westside) and Decatur (the eastside) are usually spotted in this uniform--Wrangler or Levi Jeans, Polo Shirt, Nikes or Adidas and an Atlanta cap (of any team as long as it's crispy and fashionable).

And that good folks, is the entire gambit of your blackness. The end.

Dude, I'm Stuck in a Really Bad Episode of The Hills

2010-07-09T18:03:00.001-04:00

Sometimes, living in this reality television driven, pop culture worshipping society, I really feel as though I'm stuck in a really bad episode of The Hills. An episode that I simply can't escape. It's one of the reasons why I deleted my Twitter page and rarely get on Facebook. As jacked up as it sometimes is, I tend to enjoy living in reality more than immersing myself in a perpetual state of self-congratulating fantasy.

Last night was a prime example of what I mean.

While America was going ape, literally, over Lebron James' major Knots Landing-esque decision about what team he was going to sign with, protesters in Oakland were rioting over the sentencing of Johannes Mehserle, the cop who murdered Oscar Grant (who was handcuffed) execution style, at a busy public transit station.

It's disheartening to say the least. I didn't see one major news station cover what was going down in Oakland, or have any relevant commentary about what the verdict (he received involuntary manslaughter) meant for the current state of the country, the community at large or the police's relationship with the everyday citizens they are supposedly serving and protecting. Maybe some station did, but if so I missed it.

What I did see, was Larry King, who chose to use his talk show to join the Desperate House Wives-like phenomenon and dramatically discuss where Lebron was going to go after leaving Cleveland. Nevermind the fact that the NBA has turned into the City-- starring deluded, frilly athletes, owners and commentators, with ESPN serving as a wack version of MTV----the incessant coverage of Lebron instead of actual news just goes to show how far we as a society have slipped down the rabbit hole.

It's pretty disgusting.

I saw Obama giving his perspective on the Lebron James deal, but not addressing the never-ending cycle of police brutality and terrorism in the black community.

I don't know. It's time for us to collectively get back to reality. We're like a society of 12 year-olds at this point, and it's past time to grow up.

The Irony of Rick Ross: Conscious Rappers, Step Yo Game Up

2010-07-06T16:03:00.001-04:00

Oh, the irony.

The album that I have been anticipating the most this summer is from a guy who regularly says head-scratching shit like, "Larry Hoover dove off the mountaintop and turned into a golden eagle!" --the hell does that even mean? This is also the same guy whose goons damn near stomped me out a few years ago.

Nevertheless, Rick Ross' Teflon Don is undoubtedly the album I've been looking forward to the most this year-- more than Big Boi's, more than the Roots, more than Em, and more than my Sensitive Ass Love, Drake.

Why do I look forward to an album from a rapper who talks incessantly about cocaine, money and dead Italian gangsters who would probably refer to him as a spook if they ever crossed paths with his obviously confused ass? Simple.

J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League production.

...And all of the other producers who copy them. I'm not even mad about that because it makes them step their game up. (The Inkredibles also had some dope production on the last album too).

It's amazing what some live instrumentation can do. If these guys could hook up with a dope as singer and songwriter like maybe Anthony Hamilton, John Legend, Jahiem (with a writer of course), Tweet, Chrisette Michelle, Jasmine Sullivan, or the like they'd be on some Curtis Mayfield, Isaac Hayes-ish shit for real with their story-telling production. Hell, even if they hooked up for an entire album with a really good rapper--Big Krit, Bobby Creekwater, J. Cole, Blu...

I can't lie though, just because you have a dope beat doesn't mean you know what to do with it, and for that I will give Rick Ross' misguided ass some props. Dude knows how to ride a beat and his presence on the mic is notable. He knows what to do on a track, thereby making his cocaine-dream lyrics secondary to everything else that's going on with the song.

Then again, Killer Mike pointed out, he's one of the only rappers who was talking about Haiti before the earthquake, and still continues to...:

"...Look at Haiti people dying 'round the clock, I send $100,000 but that's another watch..." -Live Fast, Dy Young feat. Kanye West

No, he's not Stic.Man, but damned if that shit ain't jamming.

And that, in a nutshell, is the irony of Rosei (or however the hell he spells his new silly ass moniker). As unbelievable as it is, dude makes music for grown folks. That's why people like Chrisette Michelle, Erykah Badu and John Legend will hop on tracks with him, even though the features are odd as hell. Jamming music is jamming music--and it works. It's just ironic that the most jamming shit these days is coming from a guy named after a renowned crack dealer. I'm gonna need these so-called conscious rappers to step their game up.

"Maybach Music 3" feat. TI, Jadakiss and Erykah Badu

Is K-Rino the Best Rapper in Houston?

2010-06-25T16:22:00.001-04:00

I was listening to Scarface's latest mixtape, and he has an interlude where he says that K-Rino is the best rapper in Houston. Funny, because I've been having the same thought--and ya'll know how much I love me some Face.

Dude is dope as hell, on some just super duper lyrical shit. Makes me remember why I even still listen to rap music.

Lately though, I've been riding to Blood Doctrine a lot, and have been coming to the inevitable conclusion that K-Rino is one of the best rappers out period. Think Pharoahe Monch's perception/story-telling, Scarface's cool, reflectiveness and Jay Elect's or Killer Mike's political/social/spiritual understanding.

I was actually at a Jay Electronica show a few weeks ago, and he kept stopping the music to demand that everyone "listen!" to what he was saying! I feel the same way about K-Rino. "Listen!" to the LYRICISM on these songs:

"Blood Doctrine"- Point: Don't fall victim to the world, society and the Matrix.

"The Debate"- Point: K-Rino cleverly debates (with himself) Creation vs. Evolution
"Think of the per-fect celestial trajectory/ how things operate things operate successfully, with intricate detailed complexity..."

Oh Drake! How I Love Thy Sensitive Ass!

2010-06-24T11:18:00.000-04:00

Oh, Drizzy! How I loveth thy sensitive ass!

Let me count the ways...

1. Thine genuine humility is inspiring. In thine MTV documentary, when thou saidest thou does not want people to call thou the best yet, and thou blinkest with intensity as the pianos of seriousness play frantically behind you, thine genuineness is overwhelming.

2. The off-key crooning that even auto-tunes couldn't fix makes my heart go pitter-patter to the rhythm of thine elongated, overly-melancholy melodies.

3. Thine over-acting in front of the cameras for your MTV documentary made me whole-heartedly believe that you are better than good enough. In fact, you're better than almost good enough to be better than good enough and you're better than almost good enough to capture my heart.

4. When you stared into my eyes for a full 24 seconds while crooning about how I'm the f'ing best, I did not get "weird-ed out" and look away, for I knowest thou looketh-ed at me in love and adulation for my unbridled support of your debut album, and because I twit-pic'd you and showed it to all 246 of my Twitter comrades. I support you, Drake, my love. And thou supportest me with thine Blackberry lyricism.

5. Thou art a truly fine thespian. Thy brilliant turn in that Sprite commercial was among the best of the year, and captured the essence of essence-ness.

6. When thou expressed outrage over thine bum Atlanta BMI show, I appreciated thy realness. Atlantan's do not appreciate your fine talent, such club-going scallywags can never understand the sacrifices thou hast made to bring us your classic rhythms.

7. When you violently demand that you 'better find' my loving and my heart, it doesn't give me flashes of domestic violence or abuse. The pure emotion that thine sensitive ass emits makes my heart swoon.

I can not continue to count the ways that I love thine sensitive ass Drake, for they are too many...

But I shall lovest thine sensitive ass all the days of thine album...

Thank you NOW, Drake.

Sincerely,

Thy Truest Love

Fashion Fail: A Black Woman's Tragic Downfall

2010-06-23T10:28:00.001-04:00

I don't give a f--- about fashion. Does that make me an un-girl?

Yes, I've discovered, it does.

As I've gotten older, being labeled a Sorta Tomboy has become less and less cute and endearing in a Punky Brewster/Juno kind of way, and more and more lezzy in a Michelle Rodriguez kind of way.

So, as the hetero woman that I am, I've evolved. I rarely get labeled a Sorta Tomboy any more, nor have I had any recent lesbian inquiries (aside from one extra, extra chick who hit on me the other night at Ornsbys). Yes, my transformation into surefire womanhood is pretty much complete--except for two things: 1- I still haven't found a flock of 'earthy' chickenheads to surround myself with (you know, the righteous, so-called intelligent women with chicken head tendencies) and 2- I still don't give a rat's ass about fashion.

If it looks cute on me, and doesn't cut off my circulation in my pinky toe or tummy, I'm pretty much good. This is not to suggest I don't have any fashion sense, but rather, I don't care to spend my time talking about it, thinking about it, or spending my time forcing others to talk and think about it.

At one time, I thought it was okay that I have no real fashion-desires. I mean, I enjoy a good episode of Sex & the City and liked the Devil Wears Prada, isn't that enough? But as time has passed, I've realized that it isn't enough, and my inability to discuss Jimmy Choos in depth has actually been my downfall in my embarkment into womanhood.

My theory? Men like women who like fashion. Women like women who like fashion. Unless I plan on going to live in the wild, which I sometimes ponder, that pretty much sums up everyone I'm concerned about.

For women, it takes up hours and hours of conversation. It's a natural ice breaker. Meet a woman for the first time and talk about her shoes, and you'll see what I mean. It's a conversation filler. Launch into a story about how you buy your brand name this or that at some obscure boutique and witness the convo stretch into infinity.

As a woman who knows and cares nothing about fashion, when these types of convos inevitably arise, I am left to stare blankly at whatever fruity colored cocktail I am pretending to like at the moment in effort to be more girly. Oh, the irony. Either that, or I am left to converse with the guys about football, basketball, hip-hop or the oil spill. Let's face it, the latter option is not likely to earn me any 'earthy' chickenhead girlfriends any time soon.

As for the guys, they like women who can talk fashion because the more time a woman spends talking about fashion, the less time they are spending talking to (read: boring) them. A woman who likes and talks fashion also inadvertently makes a man feel more manly because he can say things like 'oh, there goes my girl, talking about fashion again, heh..she's such a chick, heh...' all while puffing out his chest at the blantant female-male difference, and thus, his enhanced man-ness. (The same concept can be applied to a woman who can't change a tire).

So, in a nutshell my not giving a shit about fashion, has inevitably become my downfall in life. I secretly believe it's been the cause of every break up I've had too- the Hubble theory lives on.

Guess I better go pick up some savvy woman's ill-advised book, like How to Shop or Fashion for Dummies 101, or something. After all, fashion is life.

Which Came First: The Label or the Whore?

2010-06-18T15:58:00.001-04:00

The other day, I sat a conference table, totally baffled. Sitting in my midst were a small group of female music industry "tatemakers" (meaning bloggers and a radio personality). We were discussing what direction a certain female artist needed to take her album in--basically acting as A&R's for the label who still hadn't identified her sound (largely because she has no personality to speak of).

The women there spent the beginning of the album waxing poetic about how said female artist needed songs with more depth who more adequately explained who she was as a person, and insisting that her age appropriate lust/love songs were too shallow and too slow (they wanted to hear a "club banger"). Seriously, someone said the word "club banger."

Anyway.

Then, came the end of the album. I guess this was the part of the album where the artist and the label decided to introduce her overtly sexual side, because the switch was abrupt and definite. A certain song, featuring Nicki Minaj came on and....

The women in the room went ape shit.

Heads were bobbing, eyes were sparkling and at the end of the radio-friendly 3;30 second song, the women insisted that that was the next single said artist should be pushing. The song, of course, was uber-vulgar with the required good beat and catchy hook. But since when is a good beat and a catchy hook enough to warrant a co-sign on a disgusting/insulting song from a group of supposedly thinking women?

I sat at the table, baffled. Weren't these the same chicks who were just shedding their brilliant perception (read: hatred) on said singer's lack of virtue and substance? All of a sudden, Nicki Minaj pops up and because she's "hot" and gets a lot of hits on lame-o blogs, that's the song said singer should roll with? Word?

Now, I'm not a dummy. I'm not a rose-colored glasses wear-er either. Women have been shaking their asses to degrading songs since the arrival of Luke. But these were a group of women who were supposedly trendsetters. Smart women who have the ability to somewhat influence the creative side of the music business. After all, we were called specifically to give our input on a project. Whether or not the label is going to legitimately take our opinions into account has yet to be seen, but the point is, it was an opportunity to offer a valid opinion-- not keep the retarded ass wheel spinning in the same retarded ass direction.

It made me think. It used to be I would totally blame the label (and label-like folks) for the imagery of young women in hip-hop and R&B music. I mean, how can I really blame a 16-18 year old girl who still hasn't quite figured out who she even is, for being sexually exploited by grown ass men who should know better? Of course, I acknowledged they played a role, but to me it was always minimal. But these days, and specifically after this last experience, I've had to re-think some things.

Which came first: the label or the whore?

I'm still more apt to point the finger at the label-- seeing as how they definitely have the most to gain from such tomfoolery, but women are definitely on some other shit these days. Other shit meaning, brain-washed and not even aware that they've been sucked into the matrix where it's necessary to be a misguided whore/groupie to be appealing musically and visually. It's rather...upsetting.

The next time I see a singing/rapping whore figure, my blame certainly won't be so easily placed on the label or the creators of the figure.

I'll be giving the average, thinking woman the side eye too.

What Ya'll Know About the Dirty South? Seriously, VH1.

2010-05-13T13:37:00.000-04:00

From the second that I got wind of the "Dirty South Hip Hop Honors" VH1 is doing a couple of months ago, I felt a certain type of way about it. I'm not even from the south, but I've always been passionate about people, entities, etc. who are misrepresented and treated unfairly. Folks whose contributions are always marginalized or overlooked completely...like southern rap artists.

I grew up listening to southern rappers. Of course, at the time, Cool Breeze hadn't yet coined the term "dirty south" so to me, they were just rappers who happened to be from TX or Memphis, or wherever. On Top of the World, Piece of Mind, Ridin Dirty, The Resurrection, The Untouchable, The Dude, The Diary, Anotha Day Anotha Balla, Supertight...these are all albums that not only became soundtracks to my life (and even taught me a thing or two with their raw perception) but in my opinion, are among the best hip-hop albums ever made.

So, when I read Scarface's statement about the awards this morning, I was totally not surprised. For one thing, Face has never had an issue speaking his mind. I remember the McCain interview he gave me in NY, ironically while preparing for his performance at the VH1 Hip Hop Honors in '08. Reading his statement, in all honesty, pissed me off. I know that a lot of legendary west coast artists feel slighted in the same way.

I come from the era when New York and L.A. had the only Hip Hop, and they weren’t fuckin’ with us, at all. If you think I’m lyin’, check the history of Hip Hop. Try to pull up some footage from the 1989/1990 New Music Seminar. That’s what I base my whole fuckin’ life on: the New Music Seminar 1989/1990. They was NOT fuckin’ with us. We sold records all over the fuckin’ country and New York made a mockery of it. They fuckin’ booed the Geto Boys in New York...- Face

Plus, having spent a great deal of my writing career interviewing southern artists, I know that even though they're among the most mainstream/popular now (I define hip hop as "mainstream" by how easily my mom can identify you) they're still not really respected as lyricist or legitimate contributors to the art. Radio-friendly? Yes. Trendy? Yes. Lyricists with a real appreciation for the art? Eh, not so much. It took ages for Face to be recognized as one of the best who's ever done it. Outkast had to sell 10 million records before they were labeled one of the best groups hip-hop ever produced. T.I. had to be dubbed "the Jay-Z" of the south before folks started really respecting his lyrical prowess. Lil Wayne had to drop a song every 30 minutes to be respected. Ball & G still haven't gotten their just due (although this is admitedly partly their fault for putting out shitty albums post 2000) and Bun B and MJG really haven't either.

Aside from the fact that this show trivializes the input of southern rappers and producers who have influenced rappers no matter where they're from: (Scarface--->Beanie Sigel, Jay-Z, Nas, and on and on... T-Mixx & N.O. Joe---> Hi Tek, Just Blaze, Kanye West (yes, I said it)), it also makes it seem as though your music has to sound a certain way to be considered "southern." Like if Zaytoven or Lil Jon, etc didn't produce it, it somehow is no longer from the south--- which again, marginalizes the sound and scope of the south period. As Face continues:

Back when Luke had Skywalker Records and J had Rap-A-Lot Records, they weren’t tryin’ to do no South shit. “It didn’t come from New York, son, so fuck that.” That was their attitude. Just because a TV was made in Japan, is it a Japanese TV? Or is it just a fucking TV? If a lightbulb was made in China is it a Chinese lightbulb?

Like, is Little Brother, who hails from NC (Phonte is from country ass Greensboro for Pete's sake and Pooh is from VA) not 'dirty south'? Is DOC, who is from Dallas, not 'dirty south'? Is Dead Prez (isn't Stic.man from Florida?) not 'dirty south'? If so, why not?

The entire concept of this show is really, really ridiculously wack and contrived, for all of the aforementioned reasons and many that I probably haven't even thought of yet, but most likely will later. All of the folks on the show deserve to honored with the rest of the pioneers and folks who have been instrumental to creating hip-hop's storyline... not, as Face said, "by making a Southern watered-down version of what the show is supposed to be or what Hip Hop really is..."

Everybody Hates Black Women

2010-03-04T14:03:00.001-05:00

I always knew that black women have it bad. And this statement isn't coming from a place of self-loathing or self-pity. I'm just a black woman who has lived in virtually every environment there is to live in-- from all white, to predominantly white, to all black to predominatly black. I've been among the rural and the urban, the rich and the poor. I've seen it from all angles.

And from this I've been able to convincingly conclude that black women have it bad.

The first piece of validation and confirmation that I had for my theory came in 1992, when I heard Ice Cube's "True to the Game."

"Cause soon as y'all get some dough, Ya wanna put a white bitch on your elbow..."

I clearly wasn't the only one who felt like black women were not the priority choice for any successful black man. Then came Wesley Snipes' comments (back when dude was relevant) about how "aggressive" and therefore unattractive black women are. Next up was Cuba Gooding, Jr. and his...well, very existence. Taye Diggs, Michael Jordan... this list goes on and on. But really, I had sort of accepted it. I mean, successful black men regularly chosing white women (or women of another race period) was just part of the game. Their excuses (the social circles are different so white women are more accessible, etc, etc) were still pretty shallow, but easy for me to brush off.

But then, things started to switch. It seemed as though regular black men started not wanting us too, on many different levels. My validation for this thought came from working in the rap industry. Suddenly artists started thinking it was necessary to have a random white woman validate them. They started passing over black publicists, marketers/promoters, even writers, in favor of white women, who with few exceptions, didn't really even understand the culture or the music. I have a few specific incidents I could share, but, eh.

Still, I sort of shrugged it off... until recently. My buddy, Kevin Johnson (who loves his black wife) sent me this study the other day:

Race and Romance: An Uneven Playing Field for Black Women

"Men (including African-American men) write back to African-American women at about a 20% lower rate. This result is somewhat reminiscent of the famous resume study done by Marianne Bertrand and Sendhil Mullainathan, which found that employers who place want ads were less likely to respond to resumes from people with African-American sounding names."

In a nutshell, it indicates that black women, based on a study of messaging statistics, are lowest on the desire totem pole for men... even men who claim that they have no racial preference. Sheesh. With so many different types of black women to chose from these days, I would've imagined the desire level would've gone up.

If everyone, including black men, find other races of women more desirable than black women, what does it mean for us? Seriously? Are black women the plague? Are we honestly unattractive to men (doesn't Beyonce, Keri and Halle refute that theory)? What is the issue, dude? Like, I really want to know. And don't come with the "black women have high expectations and are too angry" theory either. Been there, done that--- I need something new and current.

It's sickening to me, the stigma that black women apparently carry. And it's even more sickening that when everyone else finds us "undesirable"... black men can't even come to our defense.

Sigh.

Dude, I'm sooo going back to South Africa where I'm viewed as exotic.

It's just nice to feel wanted.

Sweet Tea Ethics w/ Ed Garnes, Cornell West and Killer Mike

2010-02-23T11:16:00.001-05:00

My buddy Ed Garnes, Killer Mike, Dr. Cornel West, Clifton West discuss market forces, hip hop, and why you won’t hear dead prez or Phonte on the radio. Actually....Killer Mike kind of takes over the discussion. If any of you have missed opportunities to hear him speak, maybe now you see why I talk about him as frequently as I do...

The 15 Levels of Your Tormented Break-Up (Which level are you on?)

2010-02-19T12:07:00.003-05:00

Breaking up is hard to do...but music sure does make it easier, right? If you're going through it, figure out which level you're on...and try to get to Level 15 as quickly as possible.

Level 1- It seeps in slowly, but you gradually start to admit that maybe this isn’t right.

Algebra- "Halfway"

Level 2- After a lot of arguing (with yourself as well as your dude/girl), you know that it just isn’t going to work. You’re tired. But maybe…

Jill Scott- "Whenever You're Around"

Level 3- Oh yeah, nah. It’s definitely over.

Dion- "Let It Go"

Level 4- Pack your stuff and get out. Seriously, don't even take off your coat. Leave.

Foreign Exchange- "Valediction"

Level 5- Upon realizing this is really the end, the person you’ve been the most vulnerable with is no longer yours, you begin the painful fight with the inevitable.

Lauryn Hill- "Ex Factor"

Level 6- Especially if the lovin was really, really back-breakingly fantastic.

Teedra Moses- "Backstroke"

Level 7- You begin to mistake the throes of passion for the ability to have a long lasting relationship. You think missing your ex means you’re supposed to be with him/her. So, you try, again.

John Legend- "Again"

Level 8- Finally, you admit that it’s just not going to work. For real this time...

Duffy- "Warrick Avenue"

Level 9- ....Sigh. Aw, man. Seriously? Again? ….Again??

John Legend- "Another Again"
*Random side note: John Legend, who normally reminds me of a koala bear is ri-dic-u-lously sexy in this video. Like, good gracious. Especially the parts where he’s on the piano, playing all tortured-like. If you’re a hetero-female, you may be stuck here for a minute.

Level 10- Ok. It’s over now. Really. Being honest with yourself makes you mad. Actually, you’re downright bitter. It’s probably hard to be around you and your moping.

Amy Winehouse- "Love is a Losing Game"

Level 11- Despite your bitterness and anger toward your ex, you manage to nevertheless feel jealous when your old lover makes a new friend. You just can’t help it.

Erykah Badu- "Green Eyes"

Level 12- Will you ever feel…normal again? You wonder if you will ever be able to really love anyone else.

Anthony Hamilton- "Never Love Again"

Level 13- You mope and mope. Eventually, you get over yourself and start to realize that life isn’t over yet. Maybe someone else will love you better.

Joi-"Another Rocket"

Level 14- You accept that loving is the best part of life, even when it hurts. It affirms your humanity, it strengthens your soul, it revitalizes your outlook it…. yeah.

India.Arie- "Good Morning"

Level 15- Finally, you believe, once again, that you’re going to find your human version of “the truth.” And this time, it just might work.

Anthony Hamilton-"The Truth"

Playboy Tre's "Look At This S***-- The Break-In

2010-02-11T16:09:00.000-05:00

Damn recession. Playboy Tre is a good dude... like he said, gotta watch who comes in an out of your house. People are untrustworthy. My stomach dropped when he said they stole his tower. I can only imagine.

Anyways, couldn't help but think of this classic DJ Quik verse:

"They musta thought that I was gonna play the punk role, just because my equipment got stole/but I ain't goin out like a sucka ass clown, they found, they couldn't keep a dope nigga down..."

Stay positive, Tre.

5 Reasons Why Artists Should Just Shut Up and Sing

2010-02-11T10:52:00.004-05:00

1. Mystery. People are always intrigued by what they don't know. It's why men chase "mysterious/exotic" women, it's why women are attracted to "bad boys"...you get it. So, with that in mind, it might behoove artists to stop being so revealing. There are ways to use social networking sites to your advantage by allowing fans an "intimate" glimpse into your life... keyword here being glimpse. You get to decide what intimate actually means-- you can reveal just enough to make people want to know more/like you more, without actually telling them anything (see: Questlove or Solange's Twitter). It's not necessary for you to tell your fans what color your doo-doo is, how much you feel like masturbating, or your opinion on everything that happens (unless you're Lil Duval and are making actual jokes about stuff.) After all, these social-networking sites should be used by artists to make people like you more, not cringe every time they hear your music because they can't forget the mundane remark you made during a moment of drunken stupidness on Twitter the day before.

2. Fantasy. When I close my eyes and listen to "Clarity" or "Stop This Train" or "Slow Dancing in a Burning Room" I get an automatic image of John Mayer in my head: a cool, sensitive but not corny dude, who is insightful beyond his years. That's part of what makes music magic. You should be able to be transported into some emotion or feeling that is authentic. But the mood is ruined when, while listening to "Your Body is a Wonderland," I'm forced to think about your "David Duke" penis comments from an interview you just did. The fantasy is that the singer could be singing to you-- or that the singer genuinely embodies what he's singing/writing about. Saying too much, ruins it. *Thank goodness, I wasn't actually that offended by his self-congratulating retardation. White people really don't surprise me with their "unintended" racism. Besides, I really love "Vultures."

3. Honesty can be detrimental. Let's face it: people don't enjoy hearing the truth, particularly when it offends and disrupts whatever fairytale they've weaved in their mind about any particular subject. As artists, your artistic existence is rooted in whatever your fan's perception is of you. (Note: I'm talking about true fans/supporters, not fly-by-nights). Now, this perception can be created mostly through your music/art, or, it can be created mostly by your persona/personal life. I know caring about how folks perceive you can be limiting, and it can be stressful. But the good thing here is, to a degree, you control what that perception is. Sometimes the best control is to simply say nothing. Don't do a lot of interviews (see: Sade, Maxwell, Mos Def). Unfortunately, sometimes it's better to let people speculate about who you are than to actually know. Don't comment on every single thing that happens, especially if it doesn't concern you or the community at large. Don't drunk Tweet. Don't try to "prove" yourself as something by being "raw" in an interview. Not saying you can't be you, but sometimes, it's just TMI. Sometimes your honesty should just be something that's expressed to yourself and your close cirlce of fam and friends who actually know you. Or better yet, your honesty should be limited to your music. It'll earn you loads of critical acclaim for being fearless and vulnerable, not loads of attention for being a selfish jerk.

4. People are self-righteous. That's the nature of man-- judge another while ignoring your own faults and limitations (see: the 50 million bible references to this very subject). Of course, your bonehead decisions or comments will blow over in a couple weeks because we live in a Digital World where info comes and goes like air. But, for the 15 minutes that people are paying attention to, dissecting and judging your every thought, mistake, opinion or whatever, it's torture. No doubt, people will judge you even if you try to live your life squeaky clean. When you open yourself up to be interpreted by other folks on a grand scale, that's inevitable. But there's some scrutiny you can avoid by simply shutting up.

5. You rarely say anything that matters anyway. I'm speaking for the bulk of artists that find themselves under the scrutiny of lame-o bloggers and tabloid shows. If you're being "attacked" for say, speaking out about police terrorism, the truth about prosperity preachers and their detrimental impact on the community, racism, the war, or even the Illuminati-- then that's something different. It's noble even. But if you're being "attacked" for flapping your lips about the details of your sex life, speaking on an issue you know absolutely nothing about, or for stupid comments you made in the heat of some random emotion, folks are a little less likely to fly to your defense.

Point? Just shut up and sing.

5 Reasons to Download Bobby Creekwater's Back to Briefcase 2

2010-02-09T23:25:00.007-05:00

I have to motivate myself to download the onslaught of mixtapes that are out today. Hell, I just don't have the 5 and a half minutes it takes to do so, and my computer can only hold but so much. Beyond that, I only download stuff that I know I'm actually going to listen to for more than two days.

Rappers release mixtape, after mixtape, with no real regard for their product in attempts to obtain buzz, that rarely translates into sales or maybe more importantly, actual fans (That Retail Chick expounds on this regularly on her site). You artists should really put more value on your music---as Phonte told me in a recent interview, "It's better to have one project with 5 'really great' songs than a 22-track mixtape with 2 'really good songs', 4 'aiight songs,' 3'eh' songs..." If you put half as much effort into your music as you do posting about what cereal you're currently eating on Twitter, or how many blunts you smoked to get inspired to head to the studio, you might actually be memorable.

Anyways, it's with those thoughts in mind that I've decided to start posting the few mixtapes/eps/projects that I consider worth actually downloading.
So, first up, 5 Reasons to Download Bobby Creekwater's Back to Briefcase 2.

1. He sounds like an Atlanta rapper who was raised on the Dungeon Family should sound. If DF and Organized laid the blueprint, why is there so much crap emerging from a city that is chock-full of talented artists that were inspired by greatness? Creek sounds like he grew up under the tutelage of his "big brothers" from DF. And very randomly...where is Big Floaty?

2. He isn't rapping about dumb shit. Not only is he not a silly ass rapper, but he doesn't rap like a silly ass rapper either. "Money was the motivation, now it ain't...there I said it..." - Exhibit B.C, Squared.
3. He's inspiring without being a cornball. He took his name from the creek that ran behind his Grandma's old house because it had longevity. I dunno, I just thought that was cool. Ya'll know I love rappers that can relate to the working class, and aspire to see people do better without sounding all superior about it (see: Killer Mike, Bun B, Scarface, Playboy Tre).

4. He can rap his ass off. There's a reason why Eminem signed him and why he's been signed to like three different labels over the course of the decade. Like Novel, he's super talented, and I don't understand why execs still haven't figured out what to do with him. Oh well, independent is better anyway.
5. I don't feel like I need to be on acid to understand what the hell he's talking about. His music sounds like riding through East Point with the windows down on a warm, late Saturday afternoon.

"Lust For Life (Memix)"-

01. Intro
02. Boyz on the Block
03. October 19th 8:30
04. The Aroma
05. Lust For Life (Memix)
06. Warm Up
07. Invented Checks
08. Harder
09. Farewell
10. Wasted (Memix)
11. A World
12. Definition of Creek
13. Whatever You Want
14. Two Hundred Grand
15. I’m So Cool
16. Business Man
17. Outro

New Music: Food Chain "Fcc Nggas" featuring Talib Kweli

2010-02-08T14:08:00.006-05:00

I interviewed Denver-based rap group, Food Chain a couple of weeks ago and they were super cool. Good dudes with good music... a rare combo. This is a song off of their new project, Corpses, which drops tomorrow and features Talib Kweli, Big Pooh, Chaundon and Joe Scudda.

"F*cc N*ggas" featuring Talib Kweli

Life Advice from Devin the Dude

2010-02-05T17:50:00.006-05:00

Ah, the never-ending joys of Devin the Dude. I was talking to my brother about how Devin pretty much has a song for every life circumstance.

Feeling bad about your finances? Circumstances? Throwing yourself a pity party? ... "Anythang"

"You ain't the only one who has problems...you ain't the only one who knows pain/Get up off your ass and just solve 'em...you still got a chance to try to change (try the shit again)..."

Upset about unrequited love? Wonder why folk only want to come around when you're up, but ain't around when you're going through it (and probably need them the most)? Grant it, this is pretty vulgar, the the general point is well-taken... "Only Your Mother"

"Now you lookin for a shoulder to lean and bitch I sure hate it, cuz my shit is dislocated..."

True story. Someone recently told me that his vengeful ex used her key to come into his house while he was at work and took all of his blankets, dishes and the vacuum cleaner. She even stole... the doobie out of his ashtray... "Doobie Ashtray"

"Somebody had the nerve to take the herb out of the doobie ashtray, why they do me that way?"

Tryin to make some life decisions? First off, read Proverbs, seriously. But at the end of the day, you can't listen to anyone else. You're the one who lives and dies with your decisions.... "Do What You Wanna Do"
"Everybody's got elders and you should respect them, they've been through similar shit, but then again, you can't let them/ put their hands on your life like a remote control/have you traveling down the same bumpy tore up road..."

Talk about perspective.

The Vice Guide to Liberia- Parts 1-8

2010-02-02T14:28:00.004-05:00

This is by far the most interesting thing I've seen on the Internet in ages. The suffering, the injustice, the inhumanity, the sickness, the hope and the revival is so engaging. I couldn't stop watching and thought I'd share.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Part 8

The Remnant Featuring Scar "Know This"

2010-01-29T13:36:00.004-05:00

Another appearance from Scar. Expect to see a lot more of him in the coming months, dude is "hopping on everyone's shit"...

Keith Olbermann on Rush & Pat

2010-01-14T11:44:00.001-05:00

That is all.

"Michael Luther King to the Sellers of the Rock" --Mike Bigga (Killer Mike)

2010-01-08T10:27:00.010-05:00

"...They abandoned working class rap with high ideals and bought into “conscious” fruit cake rap. Rap that is vocal but not offensive, rap that was smart but not blue collar, rap that was willing to protest (see Kanye’s rant on Bush) but not riot (see Rage Against the Machine at the Democratic National Convention)..." -Mike Bigga, Illuminati? Sheesh! This Ish Again!, XXL Blog

And this is why I will always love and support Mike Bigga (Killer Mike). His message goes beyond the convenience of 16 bars and into the actual community. He uses mainstream sites like XXL, not some obscure blog site that only you and your circle of "enlightened" friends know about, to inform the masses. He, in short, is what I have dubbed a "community rapper." Even if you don't agree with everything he says, or dig every song he makes, you can't deny that his heart is with the people.

I interview a lot of rappers for a living. I'm not going to go into the whole "Ignorant Rapper" rant, because the truth is, a lot of these guys that I interview simply are not ignorant. They just don't care enough to say anything relevant. In my opinion, that's a million times worse than not knowing.

So, as the music industry continues to mumble and blubber about "first week sales"-- as our rappers and artists continue to go ape shit over being Grammy-nominated, as "industry insiders" continue to rant and whine about the terrible state of urban radio and how dumb consumers are, at least we have a few people out there, like Mike, who is actually man enough to legitmately say something publicly that actually matters...and make music that actually reflects his knowledge, intelligence and more imporantly his genuine compassion for and committment to the people.

"I Gotcha"

New Statik Selektah "I'm Wit It" featuring Cory Mo & Talib Kweli

2009-12-16T14:10:00.005-05:00

I was listening to some old Warren G last night, and I've decided that's kind of what Cory reminds me of. Random, yes. Anyhoo. Dope track.

Statik Selektah featuring Talib Kweli & Cory Mo- "I'm Wit It"

Tha Bizness Present: Downtown ATL Nightlife

2009-12-16T13:15:00.006-05:00

I thought this was pretty cool video shot by the homie Henny-- one half of the uber-dope production duo, Tha Bizness (alongside Dow Jones, who makes an appearance, holding the camera at one point in the video).

You never know what you'll find out when you talk to people on the street. The scenes with the brother breaking down everything from the gospel to crack was especially cool to me.

Downtown ATL Nightlife from HENDERWORKS on Vimeo.

Independents Rising: The Foreign Exchange on Their "Daykeeper" Grammy Nomination

2009-12-16T11:48:00.005-05:00

When I first heard that Foreign Exchange had been nominated for a Grammy for one of my favorite songs of the decade (seriously) "Daykeeper" featuring Musinah, I was excited.

Of course, I was glad that a great song was recognized- but more importantly, that an independent group snagged a Grammy nomination. Hell, their nomination sort of hails a new day. Independent groups/artists have a chance, without compromising their art and integrity.

FE had no Interscope or Def Jam machine behind them. No Viacom. No Radio One. No DJ-rubber-stamped mixtapes. What FE did have, however, was beautiful music, a few great videos and an engaging stage show (that did not, I might add, include any piro-technics or back-up dancers).

Now, they're not the first indie group/artist to be recognized by the Grammys. Last year, I interviewed DC-based singer, Wayna. She was nominated in the same catagory. Nevertheless, FE's nomination, in my mind, speaks of a new day.

Independents can make music, not compromise their art and be recognized by the most presigious awards show in the business. Grant it, the Grammys miss the mark routinely (how on earth did Beyonce's paper thin Sasha Fierce earn 10 nods?) but as an artist you'd be lying if you said a Grammy nom/win wouldn't be one of the pinnacles of your career.

At any rate, congrats to Phonte & Nicolay. Check out their Grammy-inspired video below (directed by Matt Koza).

Foreign Exchange- "Daykeeper" feat. Musinah

DOWNLOAD "DAYKEEPER"

The Foreign Exchange's Grammy nomination video from The Foreign Exchange on Vimeo.

NEW Small Eyez- From the Sol EP

2009-12-01T13:15:00.005-05:00

Yay! Small Eyez's new EP, From the Sol, is here! Check the EPK. Be back shortly with an actual review, although, I'm admitedly not the most objective person.

Small Eyez- From the Sol from Black Static Films on Vimeo.

DOWNLOAD: From the Sol

Small Eyez- "Give Me the Light" (produced by Supa Dave West)

New Sammy Sam feat. Big YO "Concret Jungle" (Sammy Sam and the Case of the Ashy Robbers)

2009-11-25T15:30:00.005-05:00

Anyone been wondering where Sammy Sam is? Well, here's a new song from him, "Concrete Jungle" featuring and produced by Memphis/Atlanta rapper/producer, Big Yo.

I met Sam in the early 2000s through the late great Bill Davis of Fi Records. He was a character then and is a character now. Word is, he's dropping some new material with Oomp Records next year.

Anyways, it's funny because a couple of days before this song was recorded, Sam was robbed and shot in the arm. That's not really the funny part, obviously.

It's funny, because Sam, who has no issues with holding his tongue, told the robbers that they were "ashy" and looked like some pimps in their wore out gators. He was clowning them as they told him to get on the ground and was so funny that one of the robbers couldn't help but burst out laughing. This angered his burglar friend, so he shot Sam in the arm. Good thing it was just the arm. As I said, Sam is doing swell now. Damn recession.

Anyhoo. "Concrete Jungle" is below. He even mentions the Case of the Ashy Robbers in his verse.

"Concrete Jungle" Sammy Sam feat. Big Yo (produced by Big Yo)

Bobby Creekwater in Creative Loafing

2009-11-24T14:52:00.006-05:00

I interviewed Creek about two months ago at his studio. It was a great interview. Then I lost it, and had to interview him again. He was really swell about it.

Of course, I've been waxing poetic about the brilliance that is Bobby Creekwater for many moons now. Here's my little blurb on him that I did for Creative Loafing.

LINK

"Ms. Atlanta" feat. Mykel

Cunninlynguists "Yellow lines" Feat. Phonte & Witchdoctor

2009-11-24T13:29:00.004-05:00

I'm about to interview Kno from Cunninlynguists (again) and in honor of the occassion, decided to post one of my favorite songs from them, "Yellow Lines" off of Dirty Acres. Phonte + Witchdoctor = Strangely Jamming.

Love these guys. Speaking of Kentucky... I need more Nappy Roots.

Cory Mo, Troublesum, Pill & Mike Flow- "Beats & Lyrics"

2009-11-20T14:43:00.006-05:00

Here's a new ditty, courtesy of my homeboy, Cory Mo. Does pressing the record button a couple of times qualify as engineering? Yeah, I didn't think so. Anyways, I was around while Cory was dropping his verse (hit the record button a couple of times) and was supposed to hop on it. Unfortunately, I was bullshitting that day and promptly got bumped.

Anyhoo, Pill, Mike Flow and Troublesum also show up on this track. I think Troublesum might have the best verse too. Girls rule.

Formidable Female Emcees

2009-11-20T10:15:00.013-05:00

Per your requests, here is a quickie list of formidable female emcees. Notice how I did not say, "femcees"? I hate that word, even though I've used in a few articles myself, admittedly. For one, an emcee is an emcee... period. If you say femcee, why not say mancee? Because "mancee" sounds retarded. And so does "femcee."

Anyhoo. This is a quickie list (emphasis on quick). Everyone on here isn't super polished, some have indie deals, others are doing it solo-dolo. Also, please note that all of these women are not under 25. Guess what industry people? You don't have to be under 25 to rap and be a female. Hell, if dudes can get on at 36 (Plies, Rick Ross) and still be rapping at like, 53 (Jay-Z, Young Jeezy) then why can't women?

But yeah, please feel free to add to this short list if you sponosor a dope ass female rapper....

Eternia- She's super dope. Dope flow, good storytelling... just dope.
Check out: "Nowhere No More," "Bang"

Boog Brown- I first really heard her go on "Midwest Kidz" after my homie Small Eyez (also featured on the song) sent it to me. She killed it. Been diggin her ever since. She's a really, really great, introspective writer, and flow is ill. She may be my favorite listed.
Check Out: "The Mirror," "Midwest Kidz Rmx"

Miki Vale- Found her on Myspace back in the day and have been following her ever since. Has a good following, especially out in Cali. Nice flow, great writer...
Check Out: "Bringitback"

Brittany Street- Back when I was music editor at Rolling Out it seemed like she was featured at least once a month, mostly because our Chicago editor (Gavin Godfrey) at the time was in love with her. She's diverse, ain't afraid to be a girl and still spits.
Check Out: "Gone"

Toni Hickman- A little biased here maybe, because I've worked with her a few times. But Toni is dope, formerly signed to Suave House. Very point blank style, street intelligent music.
Check Out: "Obstacles"

Jboogie aka Lois Lane- Yes, that's me.

The Plight of the Female Emcee: 3 Kinds of Rappers That Annoy Everyone

2009-11-18T09:32:00.009-05:00

I've often contemplated why female emcees have gone the way of the wholly mammoth. I've also wondered why to be honest, I don't really like most female emcees.

Most of my musings have focused on industry politics and insider's refusal to take chances and reinvent the wheel. You don't know how many executives I've spoken to who claim that female emcees won't sell, have no real audience, and require too much effort to market. Um, excuse me, but isn't that your job? These executives are so spoiled by these "ready-made" emcees that they no longer even understand the concept of real marketing, artist development and grooming a project to make audiences understand why they need the music in their lives.

Anyhow, this time, I've decided to focus on the actual female emcees, not the system. These are the emcees that need to re-evaluate themselves and get focused on making good music. They are the types of female rappers that annoy everyone (even if they won't admit it).

The Mood Ring Emcee.
If I wanted to hear about solar eclipses, how the moon has affected my life and mood and the galaxy, I would google "astrology" or buy a damn telescope. Seriously, the hell ya'll be talking about? And yes, this applies to men as well. I think because so many female emcees got their start writing poetry (another annoying cliche) they tend to be all Mother Earth-ish in their rhymes. Rapping about the Milky Way and linear equations does not make you deep. Spare me. Please.

The Butch Emcee.
This is a complex issue. This category is probably the most cliche as well. You damn near have to be gay to rhyme these days if you're not being a whore. And before you get your draws in a bunch, no, I'm not anti-gay. I'm just sayin. Somebody needs too.

The truth of the matter is, I've never understood overtly gay female emcees. In fact, if you're a female emcee and are overtly gay, you're probably wack. At the end of the day, I don't want your sexual orientation/presentation to override your music, and for too many Butchy emcee's, it does. When you hit the stage, the first thing that pops into my head should NOT be "wow, she's extra gay." It should be "wow, she's dope" or "this song is jammin." Agreed? The same would apply to dudes, if any of them ever publicly came out of the closet. Nothing wrong with being proud about who you are, but your sexual orientation shouldn't define who you are as an artist, your music should.

Not only that, but too many of these newer Butch Emcees spend so much time trying to prove how dude-like they are, they forget their female audience and lose themselves and their message in the process. I mean, at the end of the day, I don't need you trying to prove to me how hard you are to overcompensate for your feminine qualities. I could just go listen to Chingy or Lloyd Banks if that's the case.

I understand that hip-hop culture damn near breeds gay women. Hell, hip-hop hates women (as it's repeatedly proven) and over the years has insisted that we deny any real femininity in favor of overtly perverted sexuality. I also understand that there are a plethora of gay emcees who have rocked long before the 2000s... I don't need to name them, since many are still semi-in the closet. But even with those emcees, their sexuality wasn't flamboyant. They were just women who rocked, pure and simple. If they happened to be gay, in addition to being a dope emcee, cool. Again, the focus was on making good music... Let's get back to that.

The Rapping Whore.
Out of all of my little categories, this is probably the one that pisses me off the most, for a number of reasons. I think the main reason is because the majority of these women don't even write their own lyrics and do not have any real control over their packaging. Therefore, they become the real-life projected image of what some warped, chauvinistic, controlling man thinks and wants a "woman" to be. Sick shit when you think about it.

I once wrote a piece for a book (that to my knowledge has yet to be published) about how Lil Kim's Hard Core change female emcees forever. Now, I'm not going to blame Kim for killing female rappers, the same way that I won't blame Master P for killing "real hip-hop" when he got on wax and proclaimed that he wasn't a rapper, but a hustler and proceeded to sell millions of records worldwide. I will say that both P and Kim are probably the most tangible examples of the inevitable change that took place.

After Kim dropped and experienced so much success, the blueprint was set. Take a cute female with low self-esteem, get a popular rapper to write her rhymes and make sure she is dressed like a hooker at all times. The female emcee became the physical manifestation of many men's most warped fantasies about what a woman should look like. She became the physical manifestation of what some men believed women secretly coveted-- their money (using sex as weapon to achieve their goals).

Basically, the female emcee quickly lost any traces of real femininity. She lost her voice. And she hasn't really gotten it back since.

The Rapping Whore is probably the most dangerous out there, because she's the only one who has experienced a great deal of commercial success. We all know how imaging can affect and influence people, damage their perceptions of what's real and kill self-esteem. This is a prime example.

I said all of this to say female emcees, for too long, have not represented real women...average women, like me. And that's why we're losing. Again, I understand that the industry machine is like, 97 percent of the problem. You can't even get attention unless you're endorsed by a click of men. I understand that. But for a second, let's forget about men and what they want. Hell, they've totally forgotten about us on the mic, with few exceptions. Just be honest and don't be afraid. It's hard, but it's necessary for women to ever be properly represented in hip-hop again.

***On the bright side, there is a small movement of female rappers across the country starting to sprout up again. They're focused, they're perceptive and they're making good music. If you know one, please, please sponsor her before she makes a break for Europe or Japan.

Freddie Gibbs featuring Pill "Womb 2 the Tomb" VIDEO

2009-11-03T17:07:00.004-05:00

Okay, here's the video for my favorite ditty of the summer, "Womb 2 the Tomb" by Freddie Gibbs feat. Pill (produced by the Super Incredible Mr. Lee). I dig it. I never actually like, for real looked at Freddie Gibbs either... um, cute anyone?

I think this new breed of rappers that can for real rhyme are actually good looking: Blu, Freddie, Pill, Mikkey Halsted, J. Cole... makes you actually want to watch videos again. Hee.

Anywhoo. If I ever shoot a video, I will officially have a scene where I get my hair done under a bridge, or next to a grafitti wall. If the guys can get their hair cut in abandoned warehouses, why can't we do the same? I'm just sayin.

"Wonderful Life" Sean Falyon feat Playboy Tre & Scar

2009-11-03T11:57:00.007-05:00

Wee! Excited about this ditty. Playboy Tre is quickly becoming my favorite rapper (if you still haven't downloaded Goodbye America or Liquor Store Mascot your speakers are probably mad at you).

Of course, ya'll know how I feel about my longtime buddy, Scar... he's poised to be "next" and is a phenomenal writer (John Legend, Mario, Jamie Foxx, etc).

Kudos to Sean Falyon for a jamming song-- Sean Falyon BE Everywhere coming soon.

"Wonderful Life" produced by the Weathermen:

The Foreign Exchange "I Wanna Know" video

2009-10-06T14:56:00.005-04:00

Check out the new video "I Wanna Know" by Foreign Exchange. This is one of my favorite songs off of Leave It All Behind... or at least, one of the most well-written songs. It's so hopeful. And I know my cynical ass needs reminders that there are still some people who believe in the concept of wanting to have unconditional love, or at least, trying your best to obtain and live up to the concept. Anyways. Nice video.

The Foreign Exchange - ''I Wanna Know'' from The Foreign Exchange on Vimeo.

A3C Festival Wrap-Up: Killer Mike, J.Cole, Rakim, Spree Wilson, Tanya Morgan & More

2009-10-05T10:53:00.008-04:00

The A3C Festival returned to Atlanta last weekend. Let's just say, I'm totally hip-hopped out. I mean, I dig rap and all, but rubbing elbows for three days with dudes who actively try to out "hip-hop" each other has been exhausting. There were a lot of cool acts though, namely, Spree Wilson, J. Cole, Killer Mike, Mikkey Halsted, Tanya Morgan and Diamond District.

Anyways, I covered the festival for Creative Loafing. If you missed anything, catch up.

A3C Day #1

A3C Day #2

A3C Day #3

Why More Women Should Attend "Real" Hip-Hop Shows

2009-10-01T09:42:00.014-04:00

With the A3C Festival kicking off today, I thought it would be a good time to give the ladies 5 Reasons to Attend a "Real Hip Hop Show."

For people who dig hip-hop that's not necessarily co-signed by urban radio, this is a cool festival, with tons of artists (most of which are actually good) and a generally good vibe. At least it was last year (check my wrap-up from last year). For the 2008 Festival, I was actually on the Women in Hip Hop panel alongside Roxanne Shante. Super cool. But honestly, aside from that panel (where I actually performed), the women were SCARCE. In fact, the only real female performer was Roxanne Shante who came out during the Juice Crew reunion. And of course, there weren't many women in attendance throughout the festival. I get tired of being one of only a handful of women at these kinds of shindigs. With that said, here's my list of women should attend more "real" hip-hop shows.

5 Reasons Women Should Attend "Real" Hip-Hop Shows

1. Wearing flats and sneakers make you sexier. Now, I've never been one of those women who need the 9 inch "Carrie" stilettos to make me feel complete. Hell, they hurt. I actually rarely wear heels period. But for my female counterparts, I know that heel-wearing is a big deal. Some of ya'll won't even leave the house without a pair on... nevertheless, you consistently complain about how they hurt your feet. Ah, the joys of womanhood. Well, at "real" hip-hop shows, sneakers and flats are not only accepted but encouraged. It's sexy. You'll be regarded as a "down chick who genuinely digs the music" even if you couldn't tell Blu from Stat Quo.

2. You'll get noticed without any effort. You know the incessant giggling girls do to get noticed? Or the chicks who talk to their friends extra loudly to get attention? or the women who deny themselves bra-power to let it all hang out? Well, at a "real" hip-hop show, such things are not necessary. There just aren't that many of us, which by default automatically demands attention. Men expect you to go see Lil Wayne or Drake. But if you show up at a Slaughterhouse show, you'll be dubbed the coolest. Now, if you're not really into hip-hop and are overwhelmed by the idea of a room full of wild neck-bobbing men, there are still a couple of acts you can check out: Little Brother (more women tend to check for them and the actually have danceable music), Blu (draws a laid-back crowd), Slum Village (laid back crowd, danceable music).

Little Brother fans

3. You'll only be referred to as a "ho" if the rapper is telling a really intricate, witty story. There will be no demands for you to drop it like it's hot, take off your panties and there will be no blow job requests (unless of course the request is followed with a self-deprecating laugh indicating seriousness only if you're down). See, "real" rappers are all about respecting the ladies and rejecting the status quo on the radio. Yes, Murs, Talib Kweli and whoever else probably want to shag you just the same as OJ the Juiceman and Yung Ralph. But the difference is that the aforementioned want to bone you with RESPECT. Get it? Eh.

4. Free weed. I'm not inclined to smoke these days, but if you delight yourself in greenery, "real" hip-hop heads will share.

5. Cool points. If you're a woman and you are spotted at a "real" hip-hop show, you will forever be considered cool by any man who spots you there-- well, as long as you're wearing your sneakers of course.

Random Tips on Nabbing a Cutie in the Crowd at a "Real" Hip-Hop Show:

**Even if you don't like the music, understand the music, or know who the hell the dude on stage rapping so sincerely into the mic is, just bob your head whenever the crowd does. When your neck gets tired, do your best not to look bored. Instead just stare contemplatively at the rapper or DJ on stage as if you are truly trying to decipher his lyrics. You'll look deep and concerned and most of all, as if you truly enjoy "real" hip-hop.

Kool G Rap

**If you spot a cutie in the crowd you'd like the specific attention of, there's something that you can do that will immediately spark his interest. If the rapper on stage looks a little grimy and you hear the words "hustle," "corner," "street," or "grind" used, lean over to said cutie and say that most rappers these days are totally influenced by Kool G Rap, and that Kool G is so underrated. If the rapper on stage has messy hair, looks kind of sleepy and you hear the words "self," "knowledge," "earth," or "higher power," lean over to said cutie and say that most rappers these days are totally influenced by Tribe Called Quest and Q-Tip is really an innovator. Let me know if works.

Slaughterhouse at the Loft in Atlanta

2009-09-30T11:16:00.009-04:00

Slaughterhouse at the Loft in Atlanta (plus Killer Mike/Mike Bigga)

My first thought when I walked into the Slaughterhouse show at the Loft in Atlanta, was 'damn, where is everyone'? I came late, (and actually missed my boy, Small Eyez) and the crowd was still pretty thin. For a city full of so-called hip-hop heads who yearn for the days of yesteryear when rappers put aside their ice dreams for bonefide lyricism, the place sure was empty.

"See, Atlanta people are full of shit," one of my boys told me, frowning. "This is a "real" hip-hop show and ain't nobody here. I don't see none of them Apache niggaz here... where they at? I don't want to hear anyone talking shit about Gucci Mane and OJ. They don't even support when they have real hip-hop here."

Dude clearly had a point. Although the room got a little thicker by the time Slaughterhouse went on, I still was disappointed in the lack of support. I don't know. Maybe people were all "concert-ed" out after seeing Goodie Mob rock last week. Eh. On to my thoughts on about the show...

Things I learned at the SH show:

1. Joey is amusing. Granted, most folks have a hard time this guy seriously, and hell, we all know why. But damned if he ain't funny. His first act of amusement came unintentionally, when he took off his shirt. Now, I'm all for dudes taking off their shirts and whatnot, but not dudes with birdchests. About 10 minutes into his set, Joey decided it was "hot than a muthafucka" and stripped. Um, hee. But seriously, his sarcastic comments and banter with Crooked and Royce was pretty amusing.

2. Killer Mike was called to preach. "They ask me why I'm rapping, tell me I'm called to preach/I smile, and kiss them on they honey brown cheek..."-"God In the Building"

Anyone who has ever seen Killer Mike, er, Mike Bigga, perform knows he has the ability to make you reassess your life. And not in a preachy, naggy, generic-Creflo Dolla kind of way. The dude really cares about your existence and progress, which is why he chooses to forgo the bullshit and get straight to the point. As he told the audience at one point, "fuck that backpack shit, this is real music..." He later informed them that he is really rapping about their life... fuck a Benz. Word, Mike. Word.

Now some people have suggested that Mike should've been part of Slaughterhouse, so that the south could be properly represented. While he certainly has the lyrical capability to join the group and the south should have been represented properly--honestly, I think his message is too hardcore for the group. He's too gritty-political, honestly. While SH isn't on bullshit either, to be honest, they're not as deep as Mike. Before you think I'm just illogically on dude's jock, think about it. There's a difference between reigning lyrically and having a powerful message that just happens to be lyrical as well. Dig? At any rate, my super group would be something like: Killer Mike (Mike Bigga), Bobby Creekwater, Pharoahe Monch and like Ras Kass (if he can stay out of jail).

3. Crooked I doesn't remember his raps. While under ordinary circumstances this would've annoyed me, it was actually hella funny. Apparently he never remembers his rhymes. In fact, when they did their little solo sets, he couldn't remember the words. I guess he may have felt bad about it, because when they closed the show with "One" he jumped down into the crowd and rapped his way back on stage. Dude rocks. Also, lest we forget, Crooked was one of the first dudes to really properly utilize the Internet to boost his career w/ his weekly rhyme series. That was random, but I'm just saying.

4. Women are scarce. I was talking about this on Twitter, wondering if there were going to be any women at the show. Of course, I knew there wouldn't be, but I kept my fingers crossed anyway. It's not like chicks don't dig hip-hop. Before Drake became the annoying-rapper-that-bloggers-incessantly-name-drop-for-hits they packed the Loft and screamed their little hearts out for him. (They also offered him sex after hearing him "croon" "Best I Ever Had" and apparently believing he was somehow talking directly to them, but that's another story.) Anyhoo, the point is, where are the ladies? I mean, SH is full of relatively attractive guys. Aside from Joey's bird-chest, he's cute. So is Royce, Crooked and Joell. I mean, even if you don't like hip-hop, you can just go to watch the action-- sorta like chicks who couldn't tell a lay-up from a jumper, but enjoy seeing Dwayne, CP3 and Lebron sweat.

Aaaaaand ladies, guess what? The dudes at "real" hip-hop shows won't make you feel uncomfortable. They won't be a nuisance because "real" hip-hop heads respect ladies. Or at least they like to pretend as if they do. Example: They'll look intently at your ass, but won't grab it unless you make a request. So don't be afraid. Hip Hop desperately needs us, trust me.

Bottom line: All in all, this was a good show that's worth seeing if it comes to a town near you.
Jacinta's Grade: B

Pill- "Glass" video directed by Zach Wolfe

2009-09-15T12:26:00.005-04:00

This the real next generation of Atlanta rap.Watching this video made me remember why I fell in love with the A in the first place, circa 1998.

2009 VMAs: What in Sam's (or Viacom's) Hell?

2009-09-14T10:44:00.003-04:00

Okay, so, the VMAs were last night. Those that read me know that's not the kind of thing I typically talk about here, seeing as how the VMAs have sucked for the past... what? Like 8 years? Also, I'm over 16 and MTV just doesn't do much for me any more.

But since there was so much drama attached to last night's show (maybe moreso than even Jay Cutler's atrocious performance for Chicago), I felt inclined to comment on a few things.

First... the hell is going on? Is it me, or did that entire show (well, what I caught of it between flipping back and forth between the game) seem... off? Strange? Forced? Weird? Creepy? I mean, it opened great, with a moving speech from Madonna and an angry, dope ass performance from Janet Jackson. Then... all hell (literally) broke loose.

1. Kanye's "Disruption". Um, first off, I'm inclined to side with Davey D on this one. Shit looked staged. From the randomness of the "outburst" to the fact that Taylor was conveniently backstage when Beyonce so graciously gave her an opportunity to re-do her lame ass speech for the lame ass award she won. Shit, they were even dressed alike. I thought the artists weren't supposed to know who's going to win. If that's the case, why would Taylor have even still been backstage, seeing as how Bey shouldn't have even known that she was going to win?

Even if it wasn't planned, like seriously, it's not that damn deep. Taylor Swift's 25 year-old self (I don't care what ya'll say, 19 my ass) is not a martyr people. Hell, people are still talking about her corny win today-- all because of Kanye.

Not only that, but why are people all surprised and disappointed at Kanye if the stunt was legit? He's been inappropriate for years. Doing inappropriate, gay shit is hardly out of character for dude. I'm just sayin.

2. Lady Gaga's blood. The hell? I dig her music. But what in the hell is she doing? And more importantly, why the hell are ya'll buying into the whole crazed, "artistic" thing she's trying to pull off? She's like a horrible mixture of Grace Jones and Madonna. Difference is, Grace Jones and Madonna earned their weird creativity stripes with more than one song and one strange ass, borderline demonic performance. And before you get all sensitive, like, I get what she was doing. I understand the point she was making. The shit was still creepy and weird as shit. Sorry. Media vultures? I could dig the blood in the eye and dying and wheelchairs if were for an actual cause. But being bullied by the media? Um, unless your name is Michael Jackson, get over yourself already.

3. Pink's trapeze act. She must've practiced the hell out of that. I'll give her that. But seriously, sometimes just plain ole singing does the trick. I do not need to see your ass flipping and swinging through the air to enjoy your performance. See: Alicia Keys.

4. Jack Black prays to Satan. Perhaps the most disturbing thing of all was the fact that Jack Black jokingly prayed to the devil. Okay, read that again. The dude literally prayed.to.the.devil. Is that funny to ya'll? Seriously? Did you snicker? Did you LOL? Too far, ya'll. Too far.

Bottom line: MTV has gone straight to hell.

Royce the 5'9 & Bun B - Hood Love (produced by DJ Premier)

2009-08-14T15:04:00.008-04:00

Yet another installment in the: The Return of Good Music series. I so love DJ Premier. So versatile.

Plus Bun and Royce on a track together? Exciting times.

Spree Wilson- Evil Angel EP

2009-08-13T10:18:00.003-04:00

Spree Wilson's new EP, Evil Angel. I've had some of these songs for a minute, and posted one of my favs, "I Believe She's Lying" below. Download Evil Angel.

Freddie Gibbs featuring Pill "Womb to the Tomb"

2009-08-05T14:05:00.005-04:00

Alright, got hip to Freddie Gibbs a little late, but he hasn't come out of rotation since I caught wind of him (plus, he hails from the Midwest). I was telling a friend he's like a perfect blend of dope rappers-- Z-RO, Scarface with Rass Kass sensibilities.

Anyways, here he teams up with the homie Pill (check the story I did on him), and with great results. They both go HARD on this track. I've been saying this for the past few months, but real music is coming back.

From Rick Ross' phenomenally produced album (even cats who can't really rap like that are getting back to putting out good stuff), to J.Cole, Freddie Gibbs, Pill, Bobby Creekwater, Spree Wilson, Novel, Slaughterhouse... there's a lot of great stuff out right now, rap wise. Cue the hallelujah chorus.

Goodie Mob Reunion- Still Standing (Sept. 19th, 2009)

2009-07-31T10:19:00.003-04:00

Everyone is going ape over this reunion-- as well they should. I promise Still Standing is the definitive album of my Atlanta experience.

I started a debate on Twitter the other week, when I said that Still Standing is a better album that Soul Food. Some folk called me crazy, others called me "genius" (Killer Mike, whose co-sign trumps everyone else's.) Still Standing, is the album where all four members evolved. It's more complete. The album is consistent and flows along perfectly. It embraces the happenings of life, and explains the realities of why things are the way they are.

Anyhoo. Excited about this show.

Statik Selektah, Cory Mo & Bun B- "Get Out the Way"

2009-07-30T16:21:00.001-04:00

This video came out a while ago (around Jan.), but I just saw it the other day, so I posted it. I also posted it because it's pretty jamming. Oh, yeah, and Cory Mo says that because of the great response they've gotten to "Let the Pimpin Commence," he, Mistah Fab and GLC are going to be dropping a mixtape really, really soon. In fact, it's damn near finished already. Let be the first (or fourth) to tell ya'll, Cory has some heat, so it's pretty much guaranteed to jam.

Leaders of the New Cool... Or Not.

2009-07-29T09:58:00.006-04:00

So, I went to check out the Leaders of the New Cool show at Lenny's last night. I was actually excited to get a chance to check out some people that I haven't had a chance to see yet, namely the Justice League's new artist, Laws and of course, Bobby Creekwater, who is arguably the most underrated emcee this side of the Mason Dixon. I also wanted to see how some groups had grown since I hadn't seen them in a while-- namely Hollyweerd. In my mind, this show was going to be somewhat similar to the This is the A show that went down a couple of years ago. Actually, in retrospect, that show was pretty terrible too... Yelawolf and Sean Falyon saved the day. Anywhoo...

Dude, this was seriously the worst show I've been to in a minute. It seemed like the DJ couldn't get handle on the crowd (really, neither could I) and ended being kind of all over the place. The show started super hella late for some unfathomable reason, and the opening acts--who were all pretty terrible had like 5-6 song sets, while the supposed "headliner"--Bobby Creekwater-- performed only a handful of songs.

Needless to say, I drove home (around 3 a.m.) mad, got up mad and am still a little mad about it. Really, I guess I shouldn't just blast this show. Really, the things that made this event unenjoyable are reoccuring in a lot of events I go to. Here are a few tips for the future.

1. Start the how before 12 a.m. No one wants to be standing around in a club waiting for acts to go on well into the middle of the night. A 8 or 9 p.m. start time would be ideal, people. The sad thing is, there were a few A&Rs and the like at the show. Warner and Jive were both represented and even Yung Joc fell through for a second. (If the unsigned acts were even interested in being signed- but that's another story for another day). Anyways, they ended up leaving before the good people even went on because it was so damn late. Now granted, most of the industry folk that were there really wanted to check out the dude Laws, (who can rap but needs to improve his stage show). But they would've stayed for the others too had it not been retardedly late.

2. Stop putting so many acts on the bill. I don't need to see 15 artists perform before the "headliner." That shit starts sounding the same around act #3 anyway. Also, the opening acts (I can't put any of them people on blast because I don't even remember who the hell they were) should at least be relatively entertaining and should not be doing 7-song sets.

3. Put good acts on the bill. If I didn't live here, and didn't know what was going on, and had just came to this show to see what was what in Atlanta, I would've left thinking it sucked. Sad, because there's actually some talent here (Fiona Simone, Boog Brown, Nesby Phipps, Small Eyez...).

I don't know. I may not be going to any more outings like this for a while.

Nicolay featuring Carlitta Durand- "Lose Your Way"

2009-07-28T12:13:00.004-04:00

http://www.nicolaymusic.com/media/downloads/nicolay_feat_carlitta_durand-lose_your_way.mp3

This is from Nicolay's upcoming project, City Lights Vol. 2: Sibuya. It's a warm, airy jam. Nic and Phonte have taken their musical collaborations as the Foreign Exchange to the next level, and formed a "label." Both of them are pretty anti-industry from what I've gathered (hence the use of quotations) so this label endeavor should be interesting, and really, a breath of fresh air. I'm excited to see what their going to do. So far, Carlitta and Zo! are both signed, and I'm especially anxious to hear what Carlitta does. I really dig her mixtape, Carlitta's Way, and I think with more focused production, she could really be a force.

Only one request for FE-- please don't sign any rappers.

Spree Wilson "Word" produced by No I.D.

2009-07-20T15:00:00.003-04:00

Ok, so this my lil homie, Spree Wilson's new video, "Word." Oh yeah, No ID on the track. Kinda weird, because like I said, Spree really is the homie, and this guy is soooo outta here. Give him a year, tops. Seriously.

Actually, Spree gave me a copy of his "demo" almost 2 months ago. Because we're cool beyond music, it honestly took me about 2 weeks to listen to it thoroughly. I was driving to Destin, FL from Atlanta with my mom, two year old neice and reltaively musically un-hip sister in law in tow. After about an hour of listening to XM radio, which seriously SUCKS, I remembered I had Spree's "demo." I popped it in...

Everyone loved it.

And trust me, I'm not just saying that because we're cool. He produced most of it and the production is big and wide open. He's rapping, but he's also singing, on some alternative sounding vibe that doesn't sound forced. Think Bobby Ray if he were more developed. (Spree also plays guitar). Anyways, his work really is pretty damn incredible. I'm just glad other folk are starting to get hip.

Go to http://www.mtvu.com/music/the-freshmen/nominees-072009/#more-17647 to vote for his video on MTVU. He's nominated as a cool Freshman (or something).

Krizz Kaliko "Misunderstood" (Strange Music)

2009-07-14T09:11:00.006-04:00

Been a fan of TechN9ne for ages--he too hails from KS (the birthplace of yours truly). Something "strange" in the water there apparently-- Janelle Monae is from there as well. I have to say, though, I've been a generic fan. You know, the fan that KNOWS a rapper can really rhyme, but doesn't like actually like, regularly bump any said rapper's music?

But yeah, Krizz Kaliko is Tech's rhyming partner a la Red & Meth or David Banner and Kamikaze (back when David Banner was actually good.) He's a very strange looking character. But, damn if this song, "Misunderstood" ain't jelly jamming. Feel like I'm about to purchase his Genius album and give it a whirl.

Anyhoo, spotted this video over at MauriceGarland.com and suffice to say, this hits way too close to home. Let me stop before I get to baring my soul and whatnot.

At any rate, go 'head and marinate on this for a minute.

Who Is Matthew Johnson- "This Woman's Work" Shot by Hannibal Matthews

2009-07-10T16:58:00.003-04:00

I first saw this video maybe a month ago over at Hannibal Matthew's studio. The guy featured, Matthew Johnson, was practicing the song to sing it in a wedding. They did a couple takes of him rehearsing (I actually dug the other version where he semi-sings to his girl and she's totally not paying attention) better. But this dude is incredible. Be on the look out.

Bobby Ray (B.o.B)- "Put Me On" for Reebok Classic

2009-07-08T14:34:00.006-04:00

Had a chance to check Bobby Ray doing this live at South Dekalb Mall's Footlocker in conjunction w/ his new advertising campaign for Reebok classics. Reeboks are honestly pretty ugly, although I did get a pretty dope pair in the mail the other day-- some hightops that are pretty hip and fresh. Perhaps I will take a picture?

Anywhoo, I thought this was super-hella dope then (my new word) and still do. I dig the whole Raphael Saadiq-inspired boombox for a head thing too...The story is that Reebok gave the artists involved w/ the campaign an old-school rap song to remix. Bob's was obviously Tribe's "Bonita Applebum." Bobby told me they were so impressed w/ the way the song came out that they were going to do a real push behind it. So I guess this is the start of it?

We all know this kid is so outta here. I just hope he's able to maintain his sanity in the midst of what is surely about to be a media storm in the next year or so. He already seems almost too self-aware and perceptive (dunno if you can be too much of those things, but hopefully you get what I'm trying to say).

Anyways, Bobby Ray is jelly jammin.

Michael Jackson's Unfair Treatment in the Media (We Miss You)

2009-06-30T10:25:00.006-04:00

It's been a minute since I lasted blogged. For one, I'm going to be revamping the site totally, and have been uninspired to use this one period. But, too much has gone on for me to remain quiet-- namely, the death of Michael Jackson.

My heart still hurts even typing this, to be honest. I've done a lot of writing about his death for Rolling Out-- and was kind of detached and numb while I was getting my work done. But whenever I hear his music, my heart continues to ache. He died too soon. Whenever I see the people who were working closely with him as he prepared for his tour saying that he was back to form, and looking better than ever, my heart aches. He died too soon.

But mostly, my heart aches because he was never able to revitalize his image the way he should have been able to. Even now, for every two minutes the mainstream media spends waxing poetic about the greatest entertainer ever, they spend another 10 questioning his "strange lifestyle" bringing up old, unfounded allegations about his molestation cases-- cases that I've never believed and the courts didn't either.

When they're not harping on those two things, they're discrediting his finances-- wildly throwing around the $400 million debt he had. What they fail to say, is what I read in the LA Times on my way back from LA--- he was worth well over $1 billion (Beatles catalog anyone?). We all know that in this materialistic country, the best way to defile someone's legacy is to suggest that they are financially irresponsible and broke. In MJ's case that simply wasn't true.

At any rate, I was in LA for BET Weekend (which I will discuss later), and stopped by a few record stores, as well as UCLA Medical Center. People were still out there, snapping pictures, and I guess just soaking up the reality that Mike is gone.

I was planning on writing a more in-depth piece about the treatment of MJ by the media, but Phonte beat me to the punch, and wrote it so eloquently, I've decided to post his blog in its entirety instead. He didn't touch on the financial aspect of MJ's life (said it's a whole other piece). But he did talk about his blackness, his humanitarian spirit and the bitch ass kids (or parents) who basically took away his life with their molestation lies. Check it out:

My Hero Ain't Molest Them Bitch Ass Kids: Phonte's teary-eyed tribute to The King

I haven't been compelled to blog in a long time.

In an era where everybody is twittering and text-messaging their lives away, a well-thought out essay that extends past 140 characters is quickly becoming a thing of the past.

But when our universe lost its brightest star on June 25, 2009, I felt a deep, overwhelming sadness that I haven't experienced in many years and I felt moved to say....something.

My hero, Michael Joseph Jackson, is dead.

Honestly I'm still trying to process it, almost like the loss of a much-loved family member. I mean, hell, to many of us Michael WAS family. Much like Nike, or Coca-Cola, or McDonalds, Michael Jackson wasn't so much a person as he was a living, breathing, American institution; a ubiquitous force that has seemingly existed forever and one that we couldn't imagine a world without. Seeing Michael onstage was less like watching a musician perform and more akin to witnessing a magician at work.

But contrary to his otherworldly stage presence and magical aura, the man we called The King of Pop proved to be a mere mortal. And now my hero, Michael Joseph Jackson, is dead.

What isn't dead, unfortunately, is the cloud of false accusations, unsubstantiated rumors, myths, slander, and outright lies that surround his life and his legacy. The greatest myth regarding Michael Jackson is that he was a pedophile who preyed on young children.

It is my belief now, just as it was 16 years ago, that the charges brought against Michael during his 1993 sexual abuse case were false. The allegations made by Jordan Chandler (the accuser) and his father Evan Chandler always seemed suspect to me for a few reasons:

1. Ask the average parent whether they'd want justice or money for their abused child and more than likely they'd say justice, if for no other reason than to protect their child (and other children) from a future attack. The fact that Evan Chandler was willing to essentially let Michael off the hook for a few million (reportedly 2-3), made their case seem like a well-orchestrated extortion attempt. In regards to the case, Evan was later caught on tape saying, "If I go through with this, I win big time. There's no way I lose. I will get everything I want and they will be destroyed forever...Michael's career will be over." Notice that homeboy ain't mention jack shit about his son. So much for being a concerned father...

2. Generally when victims of abuse come out with allegations against someone, other victims come forward to corroborate their story (i.e. the Catholic Church scandal, where a few parties came forward and it later led to thousands).

Very rarely do child molesters stop at just one kid, or even two for that matter. An alleged pedophile with only two accusers is kinda like an alleged serial killer with only one body. Or an alleged sneaker addict with only two pairs of Jordans in his closet. It just doesn't make any logical sense, nor does it coincide with the recurring psychological characteristics of most people who fall into those categories.

In the case of Michael Jackson vs. the Chandler family, not a single corroborating witness could be found to help prosecute the case and after raids were conducted on several of Jackson's homes, no hard evidence of sexual abuse was gathered.

Michael later settled the Chandler case out of court, not as an admission of guilt, but at the behest of his lawyers and financial advisors who warned him that a criminal trial could cost him millions of dollars in legal fees, as well as the loss of hundreds of millions in touring and endorsement revenue. With the Chandler case finally over, Michael continued to tour and released his greatest hits package “HIStory” in 1995. Ten years later though, he would face another trial that, in my opinion, would be the one to literally and figuratively, kill him.

Martin Bashir’s heinous, Machiavellian documentary “Living With Michael Jackson” aired in 2003. It was in this documentary that Mike (albeit foolishly) talked about his fondness for sharing his bed with children, and was seen holding hands with a young boy. Shortly afterwards the young boy from the documentary, 13 year-old Gavin Arvizo (a cancer survivor who had all his medical bills paid for by Michael), accused him of sexual abuse.

When Mike’s case against Arvizo hit airwaves in 2005, I must admit that I had my doubts. Much like the Chris Rock joke, I too shook my head in disbelief and said “ANOTHER kid!?! Mike, what the fuck?!! How could you be THAT stupid?!?!” As the case unraveled though, the financial motivations of the accuser’s family became much more apparent.

Similar to the Chandler case from ‘93, the prosecution couldn’t produce any credible witnesses to corroborate Arvizo’s testimony against Michael. Many of the prosecution’s witnesses were either former employees of Michael who had financial disputes with him, or had criminal convictions themselves. Arvizo’s testimony contradicted previous statements he’d made to officials saying that nothing ever took place between him and Michael, and Arvizo’s mother Janet Arvizo, an eccentric woman with a prior conviction for welfare fraud, single-handedly killed the case with her flippant remarks on the witness stand and overall bizarre courtroom behavior.

Actor Macaulay Culkin came forward in Michael’s defense and testified that no inappropriate behavior ever took place during their many times together, as did many other associates who had spent time at Neverland. Ultimately, Michael emerged from the Arvizo case with a Not Guilty verdict on all counts, but it proved to be a pyrrhic victory. The damage was already done. In the court of popular opinion, The King of Pop was an unrepentant child molestor.

When defending Michael Jackson against his detractors, I am often asked if I would let one of my sons sleep over at his house. The answer is no. Shit, I wouldn't let my sons sleep over at YOUR house. But that doesn't make you a pedophile, it just makes me a concerned and protective dad who doesn’t leave his kids around people I personally don’t know well enough to trust.

When it came to children, the only thing Michael was guilty of in my opinion, was naivete. While cuddling in the bed with children isn't technically illegal, it does violate several social norms; norms that a man who dresses funny, lives at an amusement park and refers to himself as “Peter Pan” would certainly pay a higher price for breaking. When I hear the tales of Michael laying in bed with those children, watching movies, tickling, and engaging in general horseplay, it sounds less like the work of a pedophile and more like the actions of a man trying to experience a childhood he never had.

During his investigation for the Arvizo trial, Michael was examined by Dr. Stan Katz, a clinical psychologist who concluded that Michael didn’t fit the profile of a pedophile but instead that of a regressed 10 year old, an analysis which I agree with wholeheartedly. I mean after all, only a person with the simple, unsuspecting mind of a child could truly believe they could sleep in the same bed as their pre-pubescent buddies and not pay a price for it.

Still, the most saddening myth surrounding Michael’s life is that he was ashamed to be Black. During the mid 80’s, in the midst of his ever-changing skin complexion and facial features, popular opinion in the Black community was that Mike was a sellout. This was an opinion that would unfortunately haunt him for the rest of his life, but a closer look reveals quite the opposite.

As echoed by my man Scorpeze of the house music duo Windimoto in his excellent blog, Michael Jackson never tried to disown or separate himself from his Blackness at any point in his career. In fact, he was probably the most openly pro-Black pop entertainer of his time. Michael Jackson ashamed to be Black? I mean, this was the same guy who:

-portrayed Black people as kings and queens in ancient Egypt ("Remember the Time" video)
-called Tommy Mottola (his then label boss) a devil and a racist
-sang "white man's gotta make a change" live on the Grammies in '88
-sang about a beautiful African woman in "Liberian Girl"
-featured an African chant at the end of "Wanna Be Startin Somethin"
-donated over $25 million to the United Negro College Fund
-sang "I ain't scared of no sheets" in "Black or White" and upped the ante by morphing into a BLACK PANTHER at the video's end
-wrote a song called "They Don't Really Care About Us," with a Spike Lee-directed video that featured prisoners raising the Black power fist
-uhhh “We Are The World” and USA for Africa, anyone?

What about this man wasn’t Black enough? Was it his battle with vitiligo and how it caused skin discoloration? Was it his excessive facial surgeries, due I’m sure in no small part to the teasing and ridicule he faced about his looks as a teenager?

Why did we turn our collective backs on a man who always reminded us that he never forgot who he was, or more importantly, whose he was?

This essay is my plea to all people who consider themselves a fan of Michael Jackson, but especially to Black people: Don't let them talk about our Brother. Don’t let his naysayers convict him of crimes that were never proven. Don't let people reduce the memory of one of our greatest heroes to that of a weird guy who wore a shiny glove and molested little boys.

When Elvis Presley died, did the media remember him as an overweight, drug-abusing racist who dated a 14 year-old, or was he eulogized as The King of Rock and Roll?

When Woody Allen dies, do you think the media will focus on the controversy behind him marrying his own stepdaughter, or on the films "Annie Hall" and "Manhattan" and how great they were? (Ditto for Jerry Lee Lewis, the rock and roll pioneer who married his 13-year old cousin.)

When people accuse Michael of being a pedophile or a child molester, ask them to provide hard evidence. Ask them to provide an opinion rooted in fact, rather than one based on gossip, hearsay, and conjecture. Chances are, they won't be able to. The Black community has done a great disservice in not reciprocating the love that Michael Jackson showed us when he was alive. The least we can do in honoring his death is ensure that his legacy is remembered properly for future generations.

Was Michael Jackson a weirdo? Of course he was a weirdo.

But maybe if you had been in the public eye since you were 7, had grown ass women throwing themselves at you since you were 13, suffered physical abuse at the hands of your father, watched your father and older brothers engage in sex with groupies on tour as a child, were called "Big Nose" and "ugly" by both family members AND fans, developed a skin disease that took away the one thing you repeatedly expressed your pride for, and spent the last half of your life as the most famous person on Earth, you'd probably be a bit of a weirdo too.

I am not attempting to paint Michael Jackson as a saint, as no man ever lives up to such a lofty title. But to me, the phrase “no good deed goes unpunished” seems to sum up Michael Jackson’s life more than ever.

Why would people try to tear down a man who constantly used his power, money, and influence to help others?

Why would people express such disgust and contempt for a man who constantly sang of love and peace, and used his talent to entertain, uplift, and inspire millions?

Tell em that its human nature, I suppose...

Rest in Peace, Brother Michael. I love and miss you dearly.

Phonte

RoddyRod featuring Carlitta Durand & Phonte- "This Time Around"

2009-05-22T09:47:00.007-04:00

Here is a new jamming ditty---producer RoddyRod featuring Carlitta Durand and Phonte. This beat is delightful-- love the way it moves. And of course, I really dig any time Tay & Carlitta collab. Carlitta is probably one of my favorite voices in music right now. I've had the pleasure of "interviewing" her once upon a time back in the day. We did it via AIM and she told me some interesting stuff over the course of our convo. I'll have to dig it up and post it someday. In the meantime...she told me:

1- Her daddy played basketball w/ Prince in high school. Yes, the Dave Chappelle skits are based on reality. Hilarity.

2- The old industry "beauty" standards are still prevalent. Which is, well...retarded.

3- She hates school. I think she graduated this year though, so congrats. Hopefully this means we'll be getting a lot more music.

Tay relationship quotable: "Just cuz you exercise don't mean that we gonna work out..."
Word.

RoddyRod feat Carlitta Durand and Phonte - "This Time Around" from Humble Monarch on Vimeo.