Who would've thunk it? The schlep who gave us the annoyingly catchy diatribe against haterism "Ridin'" last year off his major label debut The Sound of Revenge is back, and I have to admit, I'm mad surprised at dude's new direction. Maybe I never gave him much of a chance, especially after Weird Al Yankovic blasted his ass out of the water with "White and Nerdy".
Well, no more. Credit where credit is due, Cham came correct with his two new singles, off of Ultimate Victory, which drops September 18th. Both "Evening News" and "Hip Hop Police" (featuring no less than SLICK RICK THE RULAAAAAAAAA) are dope, heartlfelt songs addressing what ails the modern Black man, the hip hop industry Stateside, and the contemporary b-boy worldwide. Not exactly the kind of shit you'd expect to hear from a guy named Chamillionaire, but hey, shows what I know, right?
Anyway, check this shit out. People might be waking up after all.
Sure, the cover art is a little frou frou (about as frou frou as the one for Electric Circus, ergh) but there's nobody alive today with enough creative acumen to be shitting on The Artist Formerly Known As Sense. Yes, Cube, I mean you too, so shut the uff up, Hollywood.
I remember reading on now-defunct hip hop site Hip Hop Infinity (word to Jay Seagraves) a comment about Com, how as one of the most gifted lyricists in hip hop he doesn't grow upwards - maybe because there's not much higher an emcee can get than Resurrection. But Common does have the ability to surprise heads by expanding horizontally, widening his range of subject matter, themes and emotions to the point where I dismissed him at one point as being a touchy-feely pussywhipped Erykah-yes-dearing emorapper. He isn't, really. He's just out there having fun, doing whatever he can with whatever and whoever he has at hand. And you can't knock that type of hustle.
Finding Forever is Common getting a little older (note the slightly manic KRS-One stare on the cover graphic); his rhymes come a little slower, and you might have heard a simile or two before. His beat choices are pretty good, especially if you're looking for a soft revolutionary: slightly preachy, a little retrospective, and very feelgood. Kanye knows his homeboy, and you get a sense will.i.am went nuts with the hip hop is love vibe on this one. Raise your glasses (of your non-alcoholic beverage of choice, the man is a practicing Sunni, ya heard) to Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr. He might not have found it yet, but we're looking forward for him to be doing it forever.
Just read this on the Myspace bulletins, and you know how long those stay up in your start page. So yeah. Young Ariff's pimping off his mp3 collection for anyone with twenny bucks to throw his way. Here's his post:
i got some rare albums in mp3 anyone wants them i would gladly burn it for you for about 20 ringgit.
heres the list. (Silkk The Shocker first album - The Shocker) (Lil Wayne mixtapes) (Pimp C - Tha Come Up-Screwed)) (Dj Screw Mixtapes) (Project Pat - Layin The Smackdown) (Eightball- Lost) (Notorious Big Mixtape) (State Property - Where Ya Hood At) (Devin The Dude) (5 Deadly Venoms Mixtape) (Big Apple Rappin - Ego Trip Mixtape) (Big L - Livestlyez Of The Poor & Dangerous) (Black Sheep - Wolf In Sheeps Clothing) (Copywrite - High Exaulted) (Homeliss Derelix - Fraudulent Ep) (Freddie Foxx - Industry Shakedown) (Crown City Rockers - EarthTones) (Edan - Funky Drummer) (Dj Spinna - Compositions) (Blahzay Blahzay - Blah Blah Blah) (Blood Of Abraham - Stabbed By The Steeple) (Infectious Organisms) (Masta Ace - Sitting On Chrome) (Masta Ace - Slaughta House) (Mack 10- Mack 10) (Scientifik - Criminal) (Phil Da Agony - Hulk Steady) (Lootpack - The Antidote) (Smiff n Wessun - Da Shinin) (Ultimate Force - Im Not Playin-Diamond D's first album) (Wake Up Show Freestyles) (Geto Boys - Till Death Do Us Part) (Kunga219- Tharpa Transcripts) (J Zone - Sick Of Being Rich) (Analog Brothers - Pimp To Eat) (All Natural - Vintage) (2pac - Thug Life Vol One) (Beatnuts - Street Level) I Have lots of Rare Funk,Soul And Reggae albums as well
get at me if you need anything on the list we can meet up and i'll pass them to you.
get at me - Ariff- 012 2119244
I suggest you get at dude ASAP. ask for some Stax albums too, he will not disappoint. Peace
Before I was forced to join The Rebel Scum and later on Rogue Squadron, I was a member of the Wu Tang Clan. It was a very nervy affair when I had to make that long distance call to The RZA informing him of my new affiliations, but gladly he was cool about it. He assured me that no matter what, I will always be a part of the WU. And now that I belong to a family more geographically close, he advised me to always bring the ruckus, protect my neck, never be fucked with, and hope for a better tomorrow. He encouraged me to bring the WU with me wherever I go or am, for the WU is fo'e'va, muthfcka.
And so I have to plug this shit right here. New upcoming WU album, "8 Diagrams". Be on the lookout. There's no beef machine to hype this shit up, this ain't 50 cent. So I'll just have to let the dudum dudum RZA bassline do the talking. Nuhhmeayncn?
Now that is a short snippet of "Life Changes" during Wu Tang's performance at Montreux Jazz Festival (18th July 2007). It's a track in honour of the late Old Dirty Bastard off their upcoming release. Up next is the snippet of first single "Watch Your Mouth":-
I know we've been waiting for Wu Tang's full potential to come back since forever (not literally), but fuck it I still anticipate every WU release as a crew with unparalleled pedophilist fanboyiness. And judging from the very short youtube snippets, it's banging like the Feds and C.I.As on my door after I elevated the pentagon. So cop this shit when it's out. I've been in touch with U-God a lot lately seeing as he's always confided in me when bullied by the other members for being too light-skinned. So he'll definitely inform the whole clan, and they'll be really happy when they read my sms saying Malaysia got they backs and all.
So whatever, I've done my internet part for the WU for now. I'm off to hire a contract killer for Yayo's parasite ass. No wait, make that a contract throwyoudownthestair-er for full nostalgic effect on your boss' part. How darrr u traa ta diss Ghost you ponce. Anyway, diversify your bonds, peace.
Everybody loves Outkast; Pitchfork-reading white boys, keystyling white thugs, that jailbait JoJo, caucasian fans of Chris Brown, bands with the word "The" as their names (coincidentally, comprising white people), other species of whiteys and also, black people. You name the common denominator - from the lowest to the highest - and chances are they're fans of the duo. As a caucasian journalist might put it, Outkast is that rare act that transcends genre convention while still adhering to pop sensibilities. 'sall good Hip-Hop to me though.
It's a shame that the general public are mostly only familiar with their post-Stankonia work, their previous albums either exceeded that or are about on the same level depending on who you're asking. "Millenium" is off their second album ATLiens, the LP that started their secession from conventions. Produced by Outkast regular Organized Noise, the track is a meditation on.... something, I don't really know. Like most Hip-Hop lyrics, it's written from the MCs' stream of consciousness. But combine that with a haunting beat and a non-sequitur chorus that mentions planets, hoes and cars in the same breath and you'll get some profound Hip-Hop shit.
You know what? I'm cheating by doing this. Hip hop music has got to be the most convoluted form of artistic incest known to man, what with collaborations up and down and across label rosters, remixes, concept albums, remakes, street singles vs. radio singles, beef, feuds, truces, crews, collectives, alliances. And yes, bitch, you know I had to get 'incest' up in the first post.
I, as always, digress. Linking up songs for hip hop is dead easy, because everyone's up in everyone else's business, and lines get crossed more often than Arabs get their phones tapped. Allow me to illustrate:
Marco Polo feat. Masta Ace - Nostalgia First time I heard about Marco Polo was when he produced Pumpkinhead's 2005 LP, Orange Moon Over Brooklyn. (See how easy that was?) His own album Port Authority dropped earlier this year, and even though I'm not insane about all the tracks, dude still gets love for blessing Masta Ace with one of the dopest beats I've heard in a long time for 'Nostalgia'. I couldn't really digest the fact that Ace has certified OG status now, but it shouldn't have been all that much of a surprise. He is a member of the Juice Crew, after all, and he and Tragedy Khadafi edged out Nas from being inducted. That takes skills. Besides, Ace in his later years has been on that educational, reminiscing tip on the regular - for instance, he was already getting his rap legend on while working with:
Cunninlynguists feat. Masta Ace - Seasons Deacon The Villain and Kno are more Outkast and Goodie Mob than Three 6 Mafia and Lil Flip on the southern scale, but on a whole other level. From their 2001 debut Will Rap For Food on down, they've been solidly churning southern fried soul with a twist. Masta Ace and guest producer RJD2 seem to be in full agreement with their raison d'etre. This is a dope song. The beat is straight ill, and the rhymes come thick with allusions and layered metaphors. Mad props to RJ, but that said I can't really see the Lynguists outsourcing all that often: they both produce sick beats. speaking of which:
Jay-Z - Dirt Off Your Shoulder (Kno's The White Album Remix) It's true: a remix is saying you made a mistake. In a ideal universe, Hov would have heard Kno's beat CD and got him to make this for The Black Album. Maybe it's because I'm not such a big Jay-Z fan, but I honestly can't remember what the original sounds like after listening to this version. And President Carter sounds really good here, too. He's on a beat with as much ostentatious swagger as he does. Now, when I say that I'm not really feeling Jay's work, it doesn't mean I'm hating on dude. He's held it down as one of the best that ever did it, and he's proved it in posse cuts in the past, if not so much these days (Rihanna needs him). Here's Jay (have I gone through all of his nicknames?) taking care of business by consensus:
Jay-Z feat. Scoob, Shyheim, Big Daddy Kane, Sauce Money and Old Dirty Bastard - Show and Prove Oh you love me right now don't you. Shit is rare, so hold on to it and cherish it always. Just look at that list. I'm not as familiar with Scoob and Sauce Money as I am with the others, but damn. Each and every one of them will tear your ear a new asshole. Each emcee at or near his pinnacle, Jay included. ODB gets special RIP props, sure, but the true OG up in this is Kane, who back in the day made it a one-man mission to outshine damn near everyone on a cut, every time. There was, of course, that one time he only managed to get on par with the other dude on the mic:
Tupac Shakur feat. Big Daddy Kane - Wherever You Are Unreleased means nothing on the innernuts. But this shit is hard to come by, so once again, genuflect upon my effortless dopeness. Kane is definitely one of the few who changed the game, along with Rakim, Kool G Rap, Chuck D and Ice Cube, but like Nas on the East Coast, Tupac took what was on the ground floor and just kept running with it. You can hear massive traces of Kane's rhyme structure in Tupac's verse, mingling with that raw anger only a short guy with no hair can bring. Psych, he might not be my GOAT but Tupac will never get the WM gasface. Besides, he kicked Kane's ass. Now, I did compare Pac to Nas, and Russell Simmons once brushed aside Mr. Jones as being a "Kane clone with a squeaky voice". (What was he on?) I mentioned Nas in the first song commentary, and his arch nemesis is on two songs up in here, so he might as well end this chain. And how:
Nas - What Goes Around By the time this came out in 1999, Nas was nose-deep in bad beat choices, but this one shows how God's Son can come with it when you lace him with a solid loop. Salaam Remi is behind this one, as he had been for two albums before Nasir got chummy with Will I. Am and Salaam started hanging out with Mark Ronson and Amy Winehouse. Damned if I know who sang the bridge though. Dude's got a great voice. But Nas. Damn, son. Believe the prophecy.
Straight up. I got this song off a popular hip hop message board, it's brand new and if I'm not mistaken will be on Immortal Technique's long-awaited upcoming album "The Middle Passage". Most def, Mr Immo Tech featuring one of the best crews in hip hop like ever? Pant moist material. For me at least.
Anyway. I've been listening to this shit on repeat since I downloaded it a while ago. Banging beat, phrasin' on the hook, unfuckwittable Boot Camp Clik ghetto concrete pavement timb boot flashing swagger & drawl all over it, and Immortal Technique getting more and more grimy gangsta delivery-wise with every track he drops. Looking forward to the new album. Fuck it, just check this out y'all:
On another note but still ill connected. Here's a video taken from Akir's new album "Legacy". A song named "Treason" feat. Immortal Technique. Personally I felt some of the video's digital FXs are a bit PS2 skate game-ish but footages were cool, rowdy and shit, I dig the song too. Akir is one of the few progenies of the NY style we've all come to know and love, not the one we're alarmingly becoming fed up with. You know what it is. So play that shit yo.
Here's some British Hip Hop for your souls. Phi-Life Cypher one of the untouchables I would say. It was back in 2003 when I first heard these guys. I randomly downloaded thier whole album on soulseek because of the word cypher in their crew's name, and guess what? Im glad I did because the album I downloaded turned out to be one of the most superb rap albums i've ever listened on MP3 no doubt. Lyricism at its best with cuts and stomps from Nappa, Vadim and others i suppose, the whole album sounded sweet.
There were a few tracks that really caught my attention like 'ABC', it was a track where they rhymed thier verses from A to Z. Yeah recently some fucks have done it too but to me these guys were first because I heard their version first in 2003 before any other version so fuck the rest of em. It wasnt just the complex rhymes and such that amazed me. It was the message in some of the songs, like this track im going to link yall called 'Racist'. The content of thier lyrics and the choice of beats they spit on really deserves a place in your ears , so LISTEN!
