Link: Noh of Hujan is 100% -_-
For moar DASH UNDERSCORE DASH sightings, become our fren on myspace or click HERE frenz.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Stay flash, with dash underscore dash
Link: Noh of Hujan is 100% -_-
For moar DASH UNDERSCORE DASH sightings, become our fren on myspace or click HERE frenz.
Monday, September 08, 2008
JUICE September 2008: Last Word. Guilty as charged, Your Honor.
this month's issue of JUICE Magazine is its Hip Hop Issue. some of you already know this because some of you had to get photographed for the feature article. i approached the editorial team and asked if i could put in a few words, and they let me write a piece for their occasional Last Word opinion column. here's the text; you can go grab a copy of JUICE this month (please do; it's free) and read the rest, and enjoy the piccuhz, they iz velly nice.
props to Muna Noor, Managing Editor; writers Kevin Yeoh and Ili Farhana, graphic designer Euseng and the rest of the guys at Catcha. forward all hatemail to yours truly. bak bak bakdatang.
Last Word
… And That’s The Way It Is
Text WordsManifest
I refuse to give props to a Malaysian hip hop community that has not done enough to perpetuate its raison d’etre. As practitioners of the art form, be it by emceeing, or deejaying, or through breaking, graffiti, running record labels, gig organizing, merchandising, webmastering or what have you, hip hop culture in Malaysia is stagnant and in decline, straight up and down. We might say that we’re still here, that we’re still holding on, but survival alone does not warrant a JUICE issue dedicated to us and what we’re trying to do.
First off, hip hop in Malaysia is not new. The culture has been around since kids were breakdancing on checkered mats in Central Market in the 80s. Stop saying it is in interviews as a way of justifying why hip hop isn’t as prevalent as rock music. The rock scene has a definite sense of history; we don’t. As long as we maintain that hip hop is in perpetual infancy we’ll always be treating the community, such as it is, and the culture like a three-year old who doesn’t know any better. There’s been a lot of water under the bridge, and it’s up to the Malaysian hip hop community to accept it as part of its heritage, learn from it, and build on its foundations. You don’t know where you’re going until you know where you’re coming from. Get online and read something about hip hop, here and worldwide, if you really love it. Then act accordingly.
I’ve complained in private and publicly before that hip hop, here and abroad, suffered from being commoditized too soon after its jump-off point. I take it back. Punk, which originated at around the same time hip hop did, got launched into the world’s consciousness because Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood wanted to sell clothes and told the Sex Pistols to go on stage looking all pissed wearing their gear. Punk dealt with mainstream exposure, and although we’ll never run out of Good Charlottes, there will always be a strong undercurrent of substantial underground punk music and culture to balance things out. There will always be a fair amount of exploitation involved in the development of any popular subculture, and in light of hip hop’s materialistic, everyday-hustle self-image it especially applies to us, but here in Malaysia we’re in danger of believing our own hype. We don’t get driven around in Bentleys, we’re not cocaine-smuggling Nino Browns, we don’t own swank clubs, and we certainly don’t fill out arenas. Taking your rapper persona too seriously alienates people who could potentially be your biggest fans on the merits of your music and craft and just makes them think: he’s frontin’. There’s a fine line between letting yourself be exploited for monetary gain, and exploiting yourself for nothing. No one wants to see a minstrel show.
It sounds hilarious now, but hip hop really is an egalitarian culture: it lives and breathes as a mouthpiece for regular people. Hip hop is a fun, vibrantly cocky celebration of a life spent playing a good game with the chips we’ve been dealt with. We poke fun at life’s hardships and lay down commentary on it; we take a serious look at the stupid distractions everyone gets caught up in and we break it down. From Nas’ dissection of the n-word to Banksy’s scathing report on the British surveillance state to Too Phat’s stark look at imperfect repentance in ‘Alhamdulillah’, hip hop takes everyone’s everyday struggle and waxes lyrical about it. I’m glad that Malaysian hip hop culture now has access to so many commercial avenues, from merchandise to digital downloads to Billboard-charting acts touring in KL to Streething parties. When I started listening to rap music 20 years ago, none of that seemed possible in Malaysia. But hip hop is in danger of losing its link to the kid in the street looking for some way to convey his dissatisfaction with his surroundings and his joy for having what little he has. We’re too caught up in fake posturing and internal hate and country club clique mentalities to step back and see ourselves for what we were meant to be: storytellers who tell it like it is, not a group of people desperately clinging on to a set of fabricated lifestyle myths that sensationalise in the short term but disillusion an increasingly wised-up audience in the long run. In our desire to always be painfully fresh, we’ve become perishable goods. And once that kid in the street finds an art form that better reflects his current state in the world – and I’m guessing he already has – we’re off the shelf.
I love hip hop to the point people look at me like I’m a diehard Trekkie when I talk about it. Maybe because of that, I can’t allow myself to sugarcoat my opinions on where we’re headed with this adopted culture of ours. All the things I’ve said apply to me and my crew too, and I’m not trying to pretend like I have a solution to what’s ailing our community. I’m hoping to be proven wrong on all counts. But right now, from where I’m standing, it’s just like that. And that’s the way it is.
props to Muna Noor, Managing Editor; writers Kevin Yeoh and Ili Farhana, graphic designer Euseng and the rest of the guys at Catcha. forward all hatemail to yours truly. bak bak bakdatang.
Last Word
… And That’s The Way It Is
Text WordsManifest
I refuse to give props to a Malaysian hip hop community that has not done enough to perpetuate its raison d’etre. As practitioners of the art form, be it by emceeing, or deejaying, or through breaking, graffiti, running record labels, gig organizing, merchandising, webmastering or what have you, hip hop culture in Malaysia is stagnant and in decline, straight up and down. We might say that we’re still here, that we’re still holding on, but survival alone does not warrant a JUICE issue dedicated to us and what we’re trying to do.
First off, hip hop in Malaysia is not new. The culture has been around since kids were breakdancing on checkered mats in Central Market in the 80s. Stop saying it is in interviews as a way of justifying why hip hop isn’t as prevalent as rock music. The rock scene has a definite sense of history; we don’t. As long as we maintain that hip hop is in perpetual infancy we’ll always be treating the community, such as it is, and the culture like a three-year old who doesn’t know any better. There’s been a lot of water under the bridge, and it’s up to the Malaysian hip hop community to accept it as part of its heritage, learn from it, and build on its foundations. You don’t know where you’re going until you know where you’re coming from. Get online and read something about hip hop, here and worldwide, if you really love it. Then act accordingly.
I’ve complained in private and publicly before that hip hop, here and abroad, suffered from being commoditized too soon after its jump-off point. I take it back. Punk, which originated at around the same time hip hop did, got launched into the world’s consciousness because Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood wanted to sell clothes and told the Sex Pistols to go on stage looking all pissed wearing their gear. Punk dealt with mainstream exposure, and although we’ll never run out of Good Charlottes, there will always be a strong undercurrent of substantial underground punk music and culture to balance things out. There will always be a fair amount of exploitation involved in the development of any popular subculture, and in light of hip hop’s materialistic, everyday-hustle self-image it especially applies to us, but here in Malaysia we’re in danger of believing our own hype. We don’t get driven around in Bentleys, we’re not cocaine-smuggling Nino Browns, we don’t own swank clubs, and we certainly don’t fill out arenas. Taking your rapper persona too seriously alienates people who could potentially be your biggest fans on the merits of your music and craft and just makes them think: he’s frontin’. There’s a fine line between letting yourself be exploited for monetary gain, and exploiting yourself for nothing. No one wants to see a minstrel show.
It sounds hilarious now, but hip hop really is an egalitarian culture: it lives and breathes as a mouthpiece for regular people. Hip hop is a fun, vibrantly cocky celebration of a life spent playing a good game with the chips we’ve been dealt with. We poke fun at life’s hardships and lay down commentary on it; we take a serious look at the stupid distractions everyone gets caught up in and we break it down. From Nas’ dissection of the n-word to Banksy’s scathing report on the British surveillance state to Too Phat’s stark look at imperfect repentance in ‘Alhamdulillah’, hip hop takes everyone’s everyday struggle and waxes lyrical about it. I’m glad that Malaysian hip hop culture now has access to so many commercial avenues, from merchandise to digital downloads to Billboard-charting acts touring in KL to Streething parties. When I started listening to rap music 20 years ago, none of that seemed possible in Malaysia. But hip hop is in danger of losing its link to the kid in the street looking for some way to convey his dissatisfaction with his surroundings and his joy for having what little he has. We’re too caught up in fake posturing and internal hate and country club clique mentalities to step back and see ourselves for what we were meant to be: storytellers who tell it like it is, not a group of people desperately clinging on to a set of fabricated lifestyle myths that sensationalise in the short term but disillusion an increasingly wised-up audience in the long run. In our desire to always be painfully fresh, we’ve become perishable goods. And once that kid in the street finds an art form that better reflects his current state in the world – and I’m guessing he already has – we’re off the shelf.
I love hip hop to the point people look at me like I’m a diehard Trekkie when I talk about it. Maybe because of that, I can’t allow myself to sugarcoat my opinions on where we’re headed with this adopted culture of ours. All the things I’ve said apply to me and my crew too, and I’m not trying to pretend like I have a solution to what’s ailing our community. I’m hoping to be proven wrong on all counts. But right now, from where I’m standing, it’s just like that. And that’s the way it is.
ROGUE SQUADRON @ JUICE
This month Juice ran an article about hip hop and crews in MY. And naturally, we were featured on it. Here it rrr (click for bigger view):
Other crews featured: Diplomats International, Flow Familia, JBC, Kartel, Stylustiks, and Voyeur.
So get to the nearest Club or Starbucks or whatever to get that JUICE and start diggin' some info on the who's who of Malaysian hip hop crews nowadays.
Other crews featured: Diplomats International, Flow Familia, JBC, Kartel, Stylustiks, and Voyeur.
So get to the nearest Club or Starbucks or whatever to get that JUICE and start diggin' some info on the who's who of Malaysian hip hop crews nowadays.
Friday, August 29, 2008
DJ Layzr and DJ Intake @ DMC Malaysia
I just got this news. DJ Layzr and DJ Intake were #2 and #3 respectively at the recent DMC Malaysia. DJ Ceza snatched the top spot. However DJ Layzr will be representing Malaysia in World DMC England as Ceza is not a native.
Nonetheless, congratulations to them!
Here are some pics from Cliq:
Nonetheless, congratulations to them!
Here are some pics from Cliq:
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Jin Hackman hacking men
Here are some Jin Hackman freestyle videos just upped on youtube.
First is the cypher at Xfresh's X-Gig III (in which The Rebel Scum + SSK + Jin Hackman performed at) where he killt it:
Next I think a few days later is this freestyle battle organized by Vandal at Cloth & Clef. The turnout was only two emcees so Jin had to face this dude named Shawn J if not mistaken. Judge for yourselves homes:
Pwnge? hehe.
p/s: Sorry for the updateless streak. Me personally haven't been listening to any new hip hop at all. However just today I managed to get GZA's and Ice Cube's latest shit so I'll be checking those out first after having ignored new hip hop releases for a long fucking time.
First is the cypher at Xfresh's X-Gig III (in which The Rebel Scum + SSK + Jin Hackman performed at) where he killt it:
Next I think a few days later is this freestyle battle organized by Vandal at Cloth & Clef. The turnout was only two emcees so Jin had to face this dude named Shawn J if not mistaken. Judge for yourselves homes:
Pwnge? hehe.
p/s: Sorry for the updateless streak. Me personally haven't been listening to any new hip hop at all. However just today I managed to get GZA's and Ice Cube's latest shit so I'll be checking those out first after having ignored new hip hop releases for a long fucking time.
Malaysian Hip Hop
Everybody must join this one!
Set up by Emceedavid who resides and alerts us of nearly everything that's up in MY hip hop @ the Malaysian Emcee blog.
I hope this will be the return of a community we used to have. I mean nowadays we only get to properly communicate during gigs and those don't come too often, we still need this shit to keep us united and as a platform to learn new things and help other dudes learn new things too nahmeen.
So click - MALAYSIAN HIP HOP - and join aight.
Set up by Emceedavid who resides and alerts us of nearly everything that's up in MY hip hop @ the Malaysian Emcee blog.
I hope this will be the return of a community we used to have. I mean nowadays we only get to properly communicate during gigs and those don't come too often, we still need this shit to keep us united and as a platform to learn new things and help other dudes learn new things too nahmeen.
So click - MALAYSIAN HIP HOP - and join aight.
-_- MIXTAPZ DOWNLOAD LINK
After distributing it by hand for quite a long time and hoping someone would pirate it out to the internet not realizing WGAF about Rogue Squadron haha. I guess we have to net share it out ourselves.Here it it:
Rogue Squadron -_- Mixtapz
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Bakdatang Video!
Oh yes it is!
It's the long-awaited video for The Rebel Scum's "bakdatang", featuring Rogue bwoyz Saph and Nbe from SSK, and Spit from the most legendariest ever crew Naughtius Maximus and Ruffneck Clique.
If you haven't already watch it and I hope you enjoy it, if you do do comment, if you don't comment as well lah.
It's the long-awaited video for The Rebel Scum's "bakdatang", featuring Rogue bwoyz Saph and Nbe from SSK, and Spit from the most legendariest ever crew Naughtius Maximus and Ruffneck Clique.
If you haven't already watch it and I hope you enjoy it, if you do do comment, if you don't comment as well lah.
Rogue Squadron wins Favourite Overseas Act @ Hope Awards
Sorry late update ahh. erm, yeah! we won favourite overseas act at the Hope awards organized by dem dewds that bought us to singapore early this year 65 & hope.
This is our acceptance speech kinda:
We're basically grateful to everyone especially Fazli and 65 & Hope, our managuz Lady D and Ili FM, everyone everyone everyone, everyone who voted, everyone who supported us, you, you, and you. How nice to receive an award from dem lovable singaporeanz. We hope to see you dewds & dewdettes again soon cause yallz is the shiet fuhreel.
This is our acceptance speech kinda:
We're basically grateful to everyone especially Fazli and 65 & Hope, our managuz Lady D and Ili FM, everyone everyone everyone, everyone who voted, everyone who supported us, you, you, and you. How nice to receive an award from dem lovable singaporeanz. We hope to see you dewds & dewdettes again soon cause yallz is the shiet fuhreel.
Friday, June 06, 2008
Buff Nuff!
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Rogue Squadron in Singapore on the 17th May @ Chamber, Arts House
Details're all there right. Rogue Squadron is gonna come down to Singapore, or SG, as we like to call 'em to perform for Family Affairs II.
If you're in SG at that day, forget everything else and come chill with us. We're gonna be performing some songs form the mixtapz, some songs we usually perform, and some singles, even those that we haven't performed anywhere else too.
Hopefully we might be selling some tees, and we're definitely gonna be giving away as much -_- mixtapz as possible.
So you know whatitiz. CUM CUM CUM!!
Thursday, May 08, 2008
the legends, the legendary, and the magnificient
Living Legends - The Gathering EP (2008) [rar password: sprite]- THE GATHERING
- SHE WANTS ME
- PANTS ON FIRE
- WAR & PEACE
- LUVA CHANGER
- SAMBA
- AFTER HOURS (EXTENDED EURO MIX)
I haven't really put in enough listening hours for this one, plus Living Legends shiznites burn slow most of the times. But check it out anyway, it's been getting good reviews. And isn't that cover art just delightful? I'm just a sucka fahr sketch art.
If you're not familiar with them they're an independent collective comprised of emcees and djs from all over, westside u.s.a., europe, even Japan. And they pretty much have a big reputation in the underground scene.
The Roots - Rising Down (2008)The Roots fever hit KL earlier this year after Sunburst and I'm pretty sure everyone has been checking for this one. Honestly and personally I'm not feeling most of the beats except maybe 'rising up' feat. Chrisette Michelle and Wale (real good shit). But emcee-wise, Black Thought is at his best, and the guest lineup is a fucking dream for hip hop and The Legendary Roots Crew lovers. Here's a tracklist, figure it out yourself:
- The Pow Wow
- Rising Down Ft. Mos Def & Styles P
- Get Busy Ft. Dice Raw & Peedi Peedi
- @ 15
- 75 Bars (Black's Reconstruction)
- Becoming Unwritten
- Criminal Ft. Truck North & Saigon
- I Will Not Apologize Ft. Porn & Dice Raw
- I Can't Help It Ft. Malik B., Porn, Mercedes Martinez & Dice Raw
- Singing Man Ft. Porn, Truck North & Dice Raw
- Unwritten Ft. Mercedes Martinez
- Lost Desire Ft. Malik B. & Talib Kweli
- The Show Ft. Common & Dice Raw
- Rising Up Ft. Wale & Chrisette Michele
Jazzy Jeff - The Return of the Magnificient (part 1 | part 2) [rar password: Lismine]- Hip Hop (ft. Twone Gabz)
- Let Me Hear U Clap (ft. Pos)
- Run That Back (ft. Eshon Burgundy & Black Ice)
- The Definition (ft. Kel Spencer)
- Touch Me Wit Ur Handz (ft. Chinah Blac)
- Jeff N Fess (ft. Rhymefest)
- Practice (ft. J Live)
- Supa Jean (ft. Jean Grae)
- The Garden (ft. Big Daddy Kane)
- She Was So Flyy (ft. Kardinal Offishall)
- Hold It Down (ft. Method Man)
- All I Know (ft. CL Smooth)
- Go See The Doctor 2K7 (ft. Twone Gabz)
- My Soul Aint For Sale (ft. Raheem DeVaughn)
- Come On (ft. Dave Ghetto)
- Brand New Funk 2K7 (ft. Peedi Peedi)
Actually released last year. I kinda overlooked it, but I'm making amends right now. Cause this shit is sick. Truthfully, as I'm writing this I'm only 3/4 through the album but loving it so far. As has been the case with most compilation releases by legendary producers (or just hip hop producers period), the emcee lineup department is a crack cocaina warehouse. Method Man? Big Daddy Kane? Jean Grae? J Live? My Panties Wet? Fahr Sho'.
The production is predictably jazzy. Not something to get hyped up to, or throw chairs to. More towards midnight drive material. Really groovy. I'm telling you jazz is groovy by nature, but not just any producer can make it work for hip hop the way a legendary beat conductah like this 'former member of a grammy award winning duo who did not take the high profile path like his partner' could and did. The same goes for samples generally, really.
Plus in this very album there are more than one or two instances of classic hip hop samples reinterpretations/revisit, done justice by the Jazzy (phissshhhhhhhhhhh). Nuff said, I'm feeling this shit, if it kinda went over your head when it came out as it did with me you gotta load this ish down.
That's it for now from pimp papa hooligan. I'm outtie outtie outtie like Almunia from Arsenal.
Friday, May 02, 2008
The Rebel Scum. Manusia. Sunday.
Produced by Tripdisz. His House is in the building.
You heard the foetus. You can't defeat us. Listen and vote. Thanks in advance.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Monday, April 21, 2008
EFIL4ZAGGIN!
Goddamn, Nas.I'm not too crazy about the beat (and homie Enemyze doesn't like the hook) but on the lyrical tip, as always Nasty ain't playin. First song off N*GGER just got leaked, and Son shouts out not only to the regular type n*ggers, but k*ke n*ggers, sp*c n*ggers, g*tty n*ggers, and ch*nk n*ggers too.
Don't you wanna be a n*gger too? Sheesh
Nas - Be A N*gger Too
Sunday, April 20, 2008
the great (soul) train robbery
save us DC. save us from ourselves.And what's this I hear about a major record label (I mean big time TI-ridden #4080 major) getting shut down all across Asia next month? A sign of chickens finally coming home to roost, or a major setback for local and regional artists, hip hop or not?
Interesting times, brethren. Interesting times.
#4080!!!Saturday, April 19, 2008
the flip: disposable arts
"Now I don't usually do this, but ..." - R Kelly. Irony is good for your bones, son.
It's been a minute. So anyway: I was going through my own little shortlist of hip hop blogs, and came across a lengthy, well-thought out treatise on how the modern aspiring rapper can up hisself on the game by Achmed Rauff. First off, it's not a game. My bad for coming out swinging, but I need to. Well-thought out as it was, I would have to say that the article was at the very least naive and at worst, disingenuous. I'm not trying to front on dude, but I need to say what I need to say. Okay no more apologies until the very end of this post.
Being savvy on issues pertaining to product placement as a prerequisite to being a successful rapper? That would depend on your definition of success (word to Dubya). It's all good to be aware and update yourself on things that will capture the attention of potential sponsors and investors, but to say that a rapper anywhere, including here in Malaysia, needs that to be where he needs to be is a little over the top. You say in the same article that the popular perception of hip hop culture has been hijacked by MTV and then subscribe to that same symptom by also saying the main motivation of any hip hop artist is to end up sitting on fat stacks of green (I mean cash, not the yesca, holmes). It's not a dream that motivates many in our local hip hop culture. If it was, you wouldn't see a lot of the heads you know these days on their grind. They'd have given that shit up a long time ago.
I would love to get into a lengthy discussion on how to make full use of the local hip hop market to maximize profits and get those aforementioned fat stacks (of notes, not weed) but there are other far more urgent matters to deal with first. For instance, what market? I don't say this as a member of a hip hop crew and collective whose heads are so far up their underground asses that no one knows who they are, but as a genuine lover of rap music and hip hop culture who has seen the local community hide behind the excuse that it's "still in its infancy". I've been hearing that since 1998. I started listening to rap music in 1988. Hip hop's been here for a very long time, and we're still saying that we're new as an excuse for our lack of market penetration. If you want to talk business, how about this: it's not market penetration we should be worried about, it's market creation, maintenance and expansion.
I may differ philosophically from the people I'm about to mention, but Poetic Ammo, Too Phat, the Teh Tarik Crew, Phlowtron, etc have all made contributions to broadening awareness on hip hop culture in Malaysia. But it's a fragile thing to not build on their efforts, and to not let creativity and diversity dictate a scene's growth instead of what it'll take to snag that Hotlink deal. Kids - aspiring rappers or no - need to be involved in an organic community, not subscribe to brand names rappers on the radio name-drop. Kids are not stupid; they never have been and they never will be. They'd rather listen to Hujan or Onani and give those bands their support because first and foremost, these guys are in it for the music, and make it a point to appear that way. If you put yourself up on too high a pedestal, your target audience will lose their bond with you.
To artists, new and old: make music. Make some noise. Do a lot of good, entertaining shows. Be in as many places as you can be online and in person. It's great that you see Joe Flizzow and Pop Shuvit doing well and want to be like them one day, but pay your dues first. As an aspiring emcee (and that's the first time I'm using that word here) write from what you know, and also try to write about things other people know as well. Reading up on trends is cool, but not having an opinion about them would make that information useless. Don't just be informed, be knowledgeable. Be a businessman if that's what strikes your fancy, but never lose sight of your responsibilities to the art you're presenting to the world. People can spot a fake ass knucklehead from a mile away, and they'll drop you over a cliff in a heartbeat. And going out like that is no way to aspire to anything.
Oh. And just as an afterthought: XXL Magazine and The Source were headed by Eliot Wilson and Dave Mays respectively. They both thought the same way: hip hop is all about the cash. In the last 12 months, both of them were thrown the fuck out by fans, readers, listeners and hip hop artists who were fed up of their egotistical materialistic posturing. Even in the States, people are calling for this pimped-out lifestyle overkill to stop. How long will it take for us to catch up to the true school renaissance?
My bad if you're upset. Get at me. I love to talk shop.
listen: Masta Ace - No Regrets
It's been a minute. So anyway: I was going through my own little shortlist of hip hop blogs, and came across a lengthy, well-thought out treatise on how the modern aspiring rapper can up hisself on the game by Achmed Rauff. First off, it's not a game. My bad for coming out swinging, but I need to. Well-thought out as it was, I would have to say that the article was at the very least naive and at worst, disingenuous. I'm not trying to front on dude, but I need to say what I need to say. Okay no more apologies until the very end of this post.
Being savvy on issues pertaining to product placement as a prerequisite to being a successful rapper? That would depend on your definition of success (word to Dubya). It's all good to be aware and update yourself on things that will capture the attention of potential sponsors and investors, but to say that a rapper anywhere, including here in Malaysia, needs that to be where he needs to be is a little over the top. You say in the same article that the popular perception of hip hop culture has been hijacked by MTV and then subscribe to that same symptom by also saying the main motivation of any hip hop artist is to end up sitting on fat stacks of green (I mean cash, not the yesca, holmes). It's not a dream that motivates many in our local hip hop culture. If it was, you wouldn't see a lot of the heads you know these days on their grind. They'd have given that shit up a long time ago.
I would love to get into a lengthy discussion on how to make full use of the local hip hop market to maximize profits and get those aforementioned fat stacks (of notes, not weed) but there are other far more urgent matters to deal with first. For instance, what market? I don't say this as a member of a hip hop crew and collective whose heads are so far up their underground asses that no one knows who they are, but as a genuine lover of rap music and hip hop culture who has seen the local community hide behind the excuse that it's "still in its infancy". I've been hearing that since 1998. I started listening to rap music in 1988. Hip hop's been here for a very long time, and we're still saying that we're new as an excuse for our lack of market penetration. If you want to talk business, how about this: it's not market penetration we should be worried about, it's market creation, maintenance and expansion.
I may differ philosophically from the people I'm about to mention, but Poetic Ammo, Too Phat, the Teh Tarik Crew, Phlowtron, etc have all made contributions to broadening awareness on hip hop culture in Malaysia. But it's a fragile thing to not build on their efforts, and to not let creativity and diversity dictate a scene's growth instead of what it'll take to snag that Hotlink deal. Kids - aspiring rappers or no - need to be involved in an organic community, not subscribe to brand names rappers on the radio name-drop. Kids are not stupid; they never have been and they never will be. They'd rather listen to Hujan or Onani and give those bands their support because first and foremost, these guys are in it for the music, and make it a point to appear that way. If you put yourself up on too high a pedestal, your target audience will lose their bond with you.
To artists, new and old: make music. Make some noise. Do a lot of good, entertaining shows. Be in as many places as you can be online and in person. It's great that you see Joe Flizzow and Pop Shuvit doing well and want to be like them one day, but pay your dues first. As an aspiring emcee (and that's the first time I'm using that word here) write from what you know, and also try to write about things other people know as well. Reading up on trends is cool, but not having an opinion about them would make that information useless. Don't just be informed, be knowledgeable. Be a businessman if that's what strikes your fancy, but never lose sight of your responsibilities to the art you're presenting to the world. People can spot a fake ass knucklehead from a mile away, and they'll drop you over a cliff in a heartbeat. And going out like that is no way to aspire to anything.
Oh. And just as an afterthought: XXL Magazine and The Source were headed by Eliot Wilson and Dave Mays respectively. They both thought the same way: hip hop is all about the cash. In the last 12 months, both of them were thrown the fuck out by fans, readers, listeners and hip hop artists who were fed up of their egotistical materialistic posturing. Even in the States, people are calling for this pimped-out lifestyle overkill to stop. How long will it take for us to catch up to the true school renaissance?
My bad if you're upset. Get at me. I love to talk shop.
listen: Masta Ace - No Regrets
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
Moar -_- Mixtapz Updatz: Reviewz
We've gotten a few reviewz already now. Two to be specific.
One from Achmed Rauff. And another from Vicjamm who runs the Malaysian Hip Hop blog.
Thanks for listening guys, and taking the time to review it too. We appreciate it very much. And we appreciate anyone who wants to review this shit, don't matter if it's positive or negative or posinegative, we'll accept it all with open hearts (open ak-47s and c4s if you diss me tho lolwootup). Give us a buzz if you've reviewed it or anything. Aight.
One from Achmed Rauff. And another from Vicjamm who runs the Malaysian Hip Hop blog.
Thanks for listening guys, and taking the time to review it too. We appreciate it very much. And we appreciate anyone who wants to review this shit, don't matter if it's positive or negative or posinegative, we'll accept it all with open hearts (open ak-47s and c4s if you diss me tho lolwootup). Give us a buzz if you've reviewed it or anything. Aight.
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Young Buck out of G-Unit?
Apparently he is out of the crew, but not the recording company. Read here.What does this have to do with me, a Dipset fanboy?
I just think Young Buck is a dope rapper. Now that both him and The Game (years earlier) are out, G-Unit is almost a total non-issue to me, or hip hop, even.
Anyway here is a Young Buck song that's been getting some hype - hip hop can't save my life. I think he did it on the Lupe instrumental. It's pretty dope, as I've said, I dig his rapping. His swag, voice and accent (I hate the dirty south accents but some rappers sound good with it) is mad dope. Can I has Young Buck join Dipset? Huhu.
Monday, April 07, 2008
-_- Mixtapz Updatz
We managed to pass around 20 or so mixtapz during KL Undercover 2 (read mah short review of the gig here). If I'm not mistaken the next gig we're looking forward to would be DJ Fuzz's Mixology 2 Launch (24th April). So see you there if you haven't got this good shiet yet aight. Inform us if there's any other hip hop gig though.
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