When people think of the Golden Era in rap, names like Rakim, Kool G Rap and Big Daddy Kane come to mind. I personally appreciate everything they did to pave the way for our generation of entertainers, but I really can't relate to their music and I don't listen to it that much. In my case, the Golden Era was from the 4TH QUARTER of 2002 to the 1ST QUARTER of 2004.
(For those not familiar with the quarter system, releases dates are broken down into 4 quarters, JAN/FEB/MARCH, APRIL/MAY/JUNE, and so on.)
I've been a big fan of rap music since around 1994. It had grown from listening to an artist here & there and basic radio hits to "digging in the crates" and actually buying & listening to a variety of sounds & genres of rap.
At the end of 2002, I was making the transition from High School to College. I was relying heavily on music as an escape from studying/applying to schools and also as a High-Enhancer during my various weed-smoking escapades as a youngster.
Looking back on it, I realize how spoiled I was around that time. The amount of quality CD's that came out during that time is mind-boggling. The following CD's were released from the 4th Quarter of 2002 to the 1st Quarter of 2004:
Jay-Z- The Black Album
Kanye West- College Dropout
State Property- State Property Presents the Chain Gang Vol. 2
Young gunz- Tough Luv
The Diplomats- Diplomatic Immunity
50 Cent- Get Rich or Die Tryin
G-Unit- Beg For Mercy
T.I.- Trap Musik
Three 6 Mafia- Da Unbreakables
Outkast- Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
Freeway- Philadelphia Freeway
Juelz Santana- From Me to U
Roc-A-Fella- Dame Dash Presents the Dream Team
Ludacris- Chicken & Beer
... and those are just the major releases. Albums like Hi-Teknology by Hi-Tek and Electric Circus by Common also provided some classic tunes. I'm sure im missing others on that list as well.
Out of those albums, I would put AT LEAST 3 of them on my favorite albums of all-time list (Hint- I was a big Roc/SP/Dipset fan around that time). Those albums are, for the most part, each respective artists' best work. I vividly remember riding up on AMTRAK to visit Temple University as a prospective student and playing Diplomatic Immunity over and over. I can remember feeling like Jay really went out with a bang with "My First Song." (Little did I know he would indeed come back like MJ wearin the 4-5). I remember listening to every song on State Prop 2 without skipping one track. I can remember the goosebumps I got the first time I heard "Spaceship" by Kanye West. I was never a huge fan of 50 Cent, but there's no denying the hit-after-hit variety that he provided on Get Rich or Die Tryin. I can remember the whole G-Unit CD being played at house parties when I was a Freshman. T.I. was at his best on Trap Musik, where he was still able to more-than-effectively strattle the line between street and commercial. "Ridin Spinners" captured the fad so perfectly and also provided Lil Flip one last breath before T.I. took his life as a rapper. People were skeptical of Outkast coming out with solo projects, and I think most people liked Andre's LP better, but I liked them both and thought they defied all haters and took a big risk which resulted in two smash hits("Hey Ya" and "The Way You Move"). Freeway had such a new, unique style and although his voice was a bit much at times, I was still a big fan of Philadelphia Freeway. I was a huge fan of Dipset so nuff said bout Juelz lol. And hearin "One for Peedi" and "Home of Philly" made me feel right at home even though I had only recently become a resident in the area. Even Luda, my arch nemesis, had a plethora of bangers on his KFC & Bud Lite LP.
The one thing that all these artists had in common was their collective hunger. Some of the albums above were those artists' first, and that in itself was motivation to put their best product out. Some of the albums were efforts by the artists' to solidify their growing buzz or acknowledge their legitimacy as Hip-hop heavyweights. Some of the albums were an artists'grand finale (or was supposed to be in one artists case) or goodbye to mainstream fans. Other albums were collective efforts by a group of artists who were at the top of their game at that time and were able to co-exist and shine equally on a major stage. Unfortunately, the majority of cliques in the rap game from that time have disbanded for a number of reasons. It's unfortunate because now is when we need their best efforts the most, and barely any of the artists mentioned above still have the fire or skill they once possessed.
With all that being said, here's a playlist I made that has a few tracks from each of the cd's mentioned above. I wasn't able to get all the ones I wanted, but it's still a mix that probably contains more quality tracks over a 1 1/4 year span than the amount of quality songs that have been released in the 5 years since the "Golden Era". Enjoy!!
- J. Todd
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Thursday, September 18, 2008
The Race Card
"...We are Africans, and we happen to be in America. We are not Americans. We are a people who formerly were Africans who were kidnapped and brought to America. Our forefathers weren't the Pilgrims. We didn't land on Plymouth Rock; the rock was landed on us."
-Malcolm X
Salutations world,
Normally I try not to touch on topics that deal with race and politics, because there is never any clear cut or correct answer. But I feel like with the recent comments made by Dallas Mavericks forward Josh Howard about the National Anthem, I started thinking "Does Josh really have a point?" First, lets check out the footage..
Now, before I defend or justify what he says, lets take into account the history of our illustrious nation, as well as the "African American" history in this nation. I started off this post with a well known quote by Malcolm X, in which he says that we cannot be African Americans because we were "Kidnapped and brought to America." So does Josh have a point? Should blacks really embrace things such as the National Anthem or Independence Day when we were brought to this country against our will?..
Of course slavery is a strong reason why many blacks do not feel attached to this nation, and some people would even argue that it is time for blacks to get over that and embrace the patriotism that is exhibited by whites. I then say, even if we try to "forget" the ills of slavery and the civil rights era, what about the state of the black nation now? I currently reside in North Philadelphia, and everyday I see visual proof that blacks are still overlooked and mistreated in this nation. The fact that I can see a 40oz. spot on every corner and kids wandering the streets at all times of night (and even the day when they are suppose to be in school, schools which are severely understaffed and poorly funded) is mind blowing to me. How can I sing a National Anthem, when I am a young black man and I see these crimes committed against my people on a daily basis?
So do I agree with what Josh said? Well, yes and no. Yes in the sense that he is correct. As a young black man, I feel like we are always fighting an uphill battle for equality. But I am not fully sold on the way Josh expressed his feelings. He could have chosen a better avenue to express himself as well as a better choice of words. But hey, sometimes when you feel strongly about something then it has to be said. So, what do you think? Was Josh right? Should black people exhibit love for a country that has historically oppressed and overlooked them?..
"It is necessary to understand that Black Power is a cry of disappointment. The Black Power slogan did not spring full grown from the head of some philosophical Zeus. It was born from the wounds of despair and disappointment. It is a cry of daily hurt and persistent pain."
-Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
-Yeezy
-Malcolm X
Salutations world,
Normally I try not to touch on topics that deal with race and politics, because there is never any clear cut or correct answer. But I feel like with the recent comments made by Dallas Mavericks forward Josh Howard about the National Anthem, I started thinking "Does Josh really have a point?" First, lets check out the footage..
Now, before I defend or justify what he says, lets take into account the history of our illustrious nation, as well as the "African American" history in this nation. I started off this post with a well known quote by Malcolm X, in which he says that we cannot be African Americans because we were "Kidnapped and brought to America." So does Josh have a point? Should blacks really embrace things such as the National Anthem or Independence Day when we were brought to this country against our will?..
Of course slavery is a strong reason why many blacks do not feel attached to this nation, and some people would even argue that it is time for blacks to get over that and embrace the patriotism that is exhibited by whites. I then say, even if we try to "forget" the ills of slavery and the civil rights era, what about the state of the black nation now? I currently reside in North Philadelphia, and everyday I see visual proof that blacks are still overlooked and mistreated in this nation. The fact that I can see a 40oz. spot on every corner and kids wandering the streets at all times of night (and even the day when they are suppose to be in school, schools which are severely understaffed and poorly funded) is mind blowing to me. How can I sing a National Anthem, when I am a young black man and I see these crimes committed against my people on a daily basis?
So do I agree with what Josh said? Well, yes and no. Yes in the sense that he is correct. As a young black man, I feel like we are always fighting an uphill battle for equality. But I am not fully sold on the way Josh expressed his feelings. He could have chosen a better avenue to express himself as well as a better choice of words. But hey, sometimes when you feel strongly about something then it has to be said. So, what do you think? Was Josh right? Should black people exhibit love for a country that has historically oppressed and overlooked them?..
"It is necessary to understand that Black Power is a cry of disappointment. The Black Power slogan did not spring full grown from the head of some philosophical Zeus. It was born from the wounds of despair and disappointment. It is a cry of daily hurt and persistent pain."
-Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
-Yeezy
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Point "Gods"..
"And y'all scared I can tell, and I'ma get bucks like Milwaukee cuz like Sam I-Can-Sell.."- Jadakiss, "Put Ya Hands Up"
Now normally, this blog is full of opinions centered on hip hop and pop culture. But today is solely dedicated to my first love, BASKETBALL. And with today's NBA being heavily influenced by hip hop, it is only right that Real Talk takes a stab at a heated debate..
And the debate is, WHO IS THE BEST POINT GUARD IN THE LEAGUE?
Now some people would say CP3 and other would say D. Will (people like myself)..
So, while trying to be as arbitrary as possible, lets break down both cats.
First, CP3..
Of course, CP is what many would look for in a Point "God". Quick, amazing vision and creativity are all things that define his game (also a 2nd Place MVP finish, shout out to AG). But on to my pick..
D. Will
First and foremost, check the first clip in this video where a certain someone gives CP3 a few moves. But yes, I feel D. Will is the best point guard in the league. He posses the same qualities as Paul, while also having a excellent jumper and size that allows him to put smaller point guards (Such as Paul)in the post and score at his discretion. Now they were the class of a rather weak 2005 Draft, D. Will being selected third and Paul forth. And I am not knocking either ones accomplishments, but lets just be honest with ourselves for a minute..
So, my idea was to keep this simple so that it would leave room for a heated discussion with all my fellow basketball lovers. Let the Debate begin!!
"Fuck y'all mean, handlin' since a teen, like LeBron or Sebastian High school graduates, straight to the league.."- Jay-Z, "Dead Presidents III"
-Yeezy
Now normally, this blog is full of opinions centered on hip hop and pop culture. But today is solely dedicated to my first love, BASKETBALL. And with today's NBA being heavily influenced by hip hop, it is only right that Real Talk takes a stab at a heated debate..
And the debate is, WHO IS THE BEST POINT GUARD IN THE LEAGUE?
Now some people would say CP3 and other would say D. Will (people like myself)..
So, while trying to be as arbitrary as possible, lets break down both cats.
First, CP3..
Of course, CP is what many would look for in a Point "God". Quick, amazing vision and creativity are all things that define his game (also a 2nd Place MVP finish, shout out to AG). But on to my pick..
D. Will
First and foremost, check the first clip in this video where a certain someone gives CP3 a few moves. But yes, I feel D. Will is the best point guard in the league. He posses the same qualities as Paul, while also having a excellent jumper and size that allows him to put smaller point guards (Such as Paul)in the post and score at his discretion. Now they were the class of a rather weak 2005 Draft, D. Will being selected third and Paul forth. And I am not knocking either ones accomplishments, but lets just be honest with ourselves for a minute..
So, my idea was to keep this simple so that it would leave room for a heated discussion with all my fellow basketball lovers. Let the Debate begin!!
"Fuck y'all mean, handlin' since a teen, like LeBron or Sebastian High school graduates, straight to the league.."- Jay-Z, "Dead Presidents III"
-Yeezy
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Top 5 Worst Videos of All Time
Sometimes there's a music video that comes along that makes you question one's existence, state of mind and/or level of sobriety when deciding to go ahead and shoot their masterpiece-of-shit. Below are 5 of those videos that will make you shake your head in disgust/vomit/break your tv/etc.
#5 Mase- Welcome Back
Mason Betha.... Boy oh Boy. People were already skeptical of your comeback to rap after leaving the game to become a holy man in Atlanta, the home of faulty pastors. Then he unretires to make this. He opens up the video with a horrible Mr. Rodgers impersonation and then spends the rest of the video practicing his horribly outdated dance moves. Nice Comeback, Mase. Come to think of it, where is Mase? I'll save that for another post
#4 V.I.C- Wobble
This video premiered fairly recently, but was so horrible that it's already made the list of all-time visual bricks. Not only is the concept for the song deeply awful, but the video takes it deeper in the depths of garbage. He starts off sitting in his dressing room, only to put on an African tribal mask that happens to be hanging up next to his mirror, which magically takes him back to a speakeasy-like 1940's environment. Then the camera cuts to Mr. Collipark in full Coon Mode, doo-woppin and skippin around the stage. The rest of the video consists of various horrible dance steps by V.I.C and every 10 seconds cuts to Collipark cheesing or doing something resembling Sambo. Simply Unacceptable.
#3 Ludacris- Get Back
I'm not the biggest Luda fan, so my opinion may be a bit biased. Is it just me, or is Luda by far the corniest dude in the rap game. I'm not sayin he can't spit, but all that hyperbole and stretching out his words just doesn't do it for me. Unfortunately, this video looks like it was all Luda's idea. He spends the intro and the first verse in a dimly lit bathroom beating up some loser with his popeye forearms. I didn't crack a smirk. I was ready to try crack by the end of the video. He spends the second verse walking down the street with a posse of overweight women wearing what looks like old-school flight attendant outfits. He proceeds to tell various animals and girls with animal fur boots to get back. video over. Good show, Luda, you bamma ass dude. I wonder if it's a coincidence that the Album "Get Back" was on was his weakest album sales-wise and in every other regard.
#2 Big Pun- How we Roll
First off, RIP Big Pun. He was one of the most slept-on, underrated artists of all-time. With that being said, he would be spinning or turning as much as he could in his grave (pun was a big dude) if he saw this video. Never have I ever seen such horrible animation. It looks like something off the first season of South Park or a game on Atari, maybe Nintendo, but thats being generous. This had to be Fat Joe's work. I say that because I noticed it had Pun wearing Fat Joe's now-defunct "FJ-560" clothing line, which was in stores for about 19 days. I would've been more than happy with an old footage/image collage of Pun, not this High School Computer Applications Project, which I would've given an F- if I was the teacher.
Drumroll please.......
#1 P. Diddy ft. Hurricane G(whoever that is)- Public Enemy #1
Oh Man. This was a really dark time in Puff's career/life. I want to date this video around 2000, approximately 3 years after The Notorious B.I.G passed. Mase had left to become T.D. Jakes. Black Rob went to jail. His crew that he proclaimed had arrived with his song "we aint goin nowhere" had careers that were doing exactly that. Going Nowhere. So it's understandable that he was a bit disoriented and felt he had to put Bad Boy on his back with this single "public enemy 2000" from the cd Victory.
With that being said, where do I start?! The video starts off with him Driving a lambo down some street in what looks like LA with Flava Flav riding shotgun. This is before Flavor of Love popped so Flav was definately unpopular at this time. He then has some random broad start poppin wild shit and droppin catch phrases about how "nice" he is. LOL. Nice (which im guessing is referring to his lyrical abillty) and Diddy just don't go together. Viewers are then introduced to a shimmering Puffy on his circular dance stage. He begins his painful-to-watch dance moves, but the video moves on pretty averagely until around 2:50 into the clip. The beat drops, the camera zooms in, and Puffy starts spinning around. The "Planet Rock" beat drops, and Puffy proceeds to make an absolute fool of himself. He performs a combination of washed up dance moves with the camera man seemingly putting in more work than him rotating around him at high speeds. While watching this debauchery, I couldn't decide whether I didn't want it to end because it was so funny or if I just wanted to end as soon as possible because it was so bad. Fortunately it does end, and then his third verse takes place outside Southern Fried Chicken, a popular NY food spot. He's posted on his bentley with some Daunte Culpepper Look-a-like and a crew in the back with 0 recognizable people. He then ends the song with the same chick poppin some more shit and then thankfully the video is over. Puffy obviously has deleted this video from his memory, because it's impossible to have the swagger and confidence he possesses with this song and/or video ever crossing his thoughts.
P.S. He did a an all-spanish version and a rock version too, which im sure are equally horrible.
Honorable Mentions:
Field Mob- Sick of Being Lonely
- I like the song. The video's not that bad either, just an excessive amount of cooning throughout the clip.
Ja Rule ft. Ashanti- Mesmerized
- A horrible attempt at a re-make of Grease. Ja-Rule's only fan left probably gave up on him after this one.
Ja-Rule Ft. Bobby Brown- Thug Lovin
- Another half-way decent video, but it's obvious that Bobby Brown was high on Crack the whole time. His Fiend Mouth was quite crooked in this video. Shout out to Anee for that one.
Refugee Camp All Stars- Stayin alive
- Another pitiful attempt at re-creation. This one was supposed to be "Saturday Night Fever." I feel Lauren for jumping ship when she did. It probably made Wyclef but on his life vest.
If you have any other suggestions for bad videos, feel free to provide input in the comment section.
-J. Todd
#5 Mase- Welcome Back
Mason Betha.... Boy oh Boy. People were already skeptical of your comeback to rap after leaving the game to become a holy man in Atlanta, the home of faulty pastors. Then he unretires to make this. He opens up the video with a horrible Mr. Rodgers impersonation and then spends the rest of the video practicing his horribly outdated dance moves. Nice Comeback, Mase. Come to think of it, where is Mase? I'll save that for another post
#4 V.I.C- Wobble
This video premiered fairly recently, but was so horrible that it's already made the list of all-time visual bricks. Not only is the concept for the song deeply awful, but the video takes it deeper in the depths of garbage. He starts off sitting in his dressing room, only to put on an African tribal mask that happens to be hanging up next to his mirror, which magically takes him back to a speakeasy-like 1940's environment. Then the camera cuts to Mr. Collipark in full Coon Mode, doo-woppin and skippin around the stage. The rest of the video consists of various horrible dance steps by V.I.C and every 10 seconds cuts to Collipark cheesing or doing something resembling Sambo. Simply Unacceptable.
#3 Ludacris- Get Back
I'm not the biggest Luda fan, so my opinion may be a bit biased. Is it just me, or is Luda by far the corniest dude in the rap game. I'm not sayin he can't spit, but all that hyperbole and stretching out his words just doesn't do it for me. Unfortunately, this video looks like it was all Luda's idea. He spends the intro and the first verse in a dimly lit bathroom beating up some loser with his popeye forearms. I didn't crack a smirk. I was ready to try crack by the end of the video. He spends the second verse walking down the street with a posse of overweight women wearing what looks like old-school flight attendant outfits. He proceeds to tell various animals and girls with animal fur boots to get back. video over. Good show, Luda, you bamma ass dude. I wonder if it's a coincidence that the Album "Get Back" was on was his weakest album sales-wise and in every other regard.
#2 Big Pun- How we Roll
First off, RIP Big Pun. He was one of the most slept-on, underrated artists of all-time. With that being said, he would be spinning or turning as much as he could in his grave (pun was a big dude) if he saw this video. Never have I ever seen such horrible animation. It looks like something off the first season of South Park or a game on Atari, maybe Nintendo, but thats being generous. This had to be Fat Joe's work. I say that because I noticed it had Pun wearing Fat Joe's now-defunct "FJ-560" clothing line, which was in stores for about 19 days. I would've been more than happy with an old footage/image collage of Pun, not this High School Computer Applications Project, which I would've given an F- if I was the teacher.
Drumroll please.......
#1 P. Diddy ft. Hurricane G(whoever that is)- Public Enemy #1
Oh Man. This was a really dark time in Puff's career/life. I want to date this video around 2000, approximately 3 years after The Notorious B.I.G passed. Mase had left to become T.D. Jakes. Black Rob went to jail. His crew that he proclaimed had arrived with his song "we aint goin nowhere" had careers that were doing exactly that. Going Nowhere. So it's understandable that he was a bit disoriented and felt he had to put Bad Boy on his back with this single "public enemy 2000" from the cd Victory.
With that being said, where do I start?! The video starts off with him Driving a lambo down some street in what looks like LA with Flava Flav riding shotgun. This is before Flavor of Love popped so Flav was definately unpopular at this time. He then has some random broad start poppin wild shit and droppin catch phrases about how "nice" he is. LOL. Nice (which im guessing is referring to his lyrical abillty) and Diddy just don't go together. Viewers are then introduced to a shimmering Puffy on his circular dance stage. He begins his painful-to-watch dance moves, but the video moves on pretty averagely until around 2:50 into the clip. The beat drops, the camera zooms in, and Puffy starts spinning around. The "Planet Rock" beat drops, and Puffy proceeds to make an absolute fool of himself. He performs a combination of washed up dance moves with the camera man seemingly putting in more work than him rotating around him at high speeds. While watching this debauchery, I couldn't decide whether I didn't want it to end because it was so funny or if I just wanted to end as soon as possible because it was so bad. Fortunately it does end, and then his third verse takes place outside Southern Fried Chicken, a popular NY food spot. He's posted on his bentley with some Daunte Culpepper Look-a-like and a crew in the back with 0 recognizable people. He then ends the song with the same chick poppin some more shit and then thankfully the video is over. Puffy obviously has deleted this video from his memory, because it's impossible to have the swagger and confidence he possesses with this song and/or video ever crossing his thoughts.
P.S. He did a an all-spanish version and a rock version too, which im sure are equally horrible.
Honorable Mentions:
Field Mob- Sick of Being Lonely
- I like the song. The video's not that bad either, just an excessive amount of cooning throughout the clip.
Ja Rule ft. Ashanti- Mesmerized
- A horrible attempt at a re-make of Grease. Ja-Rule's only fan left probably gave up on him after this one.
Ja-Rule Ft. Bobby Brown- Thug Lovin
- Another half-way decent video, but it's obvious that Bobby Brown was high on Crack the whole time. His Fiend Mouth was quite crooked in this video. Shout out to Anee for that one.
Refugee Camp All Stars- Stayin alive
- Another pitiful attempt at re-creation. This one was supposed to be "Saturday Night Fever." I feel Lauren for jumping ship when she did. It probably made Wyclef but on his life vest.
If you have any other suggestions for bad videos, feel free to provide input in the comment section.
-J. Todd
Sunday, September 7, 2008
"The 2008 Overrated Awards"
"And the winner is.."
Welcome ladies and gentleman to the 2008 Overrated Awards! Now before we start I'll give you a little history behind these awards.
One day, while surfing the net (Shouts to Skye Boog once again), we came across a list of the 33 most overrated trends, people, and anything else in general. But we felt something was missing...Hence, the 2008 Overrated Awards!!
First, there are a couple of honorable mentions including Chain Snatching, Spinning Rims, and anything involving Benzino!..Now back to the Awards..
50) Chain Messages- Look I don't want to send this shit to my next 7 friends just so that I will have a good day. Cut that shit out!
49) Eccentric Females- Look, you ain't Erykah Badu, Period!
48) LLS and SMH (Aim acronyms)- Whatever happened to the good ol' LOL or LMAO, now negroes (of course) have once again taken it upon themselves to mess up a good thing. Lets keep it simple!
47) Wild Chainery- NO MORE FAKE CHAINS, CHRIST!
46) Songs that require a dance- Like, let Soulja Boy live. I don't want to hear nobody else making a dance song.
45) Being on Time- Yea, being on time is completely overrated. Case in point, I was supposed to post this 3 days ago, ah well!
44) College Goons and Thugs- Like nigga you can't be tough with an organic chemistry book in your backpack.
43) Mohawks- NO!...HELL NO!
42) Waist Belts- Girls, cut this shit out now! Nobody wants to see sections of fat seperated by a big ass (usually one, solid obnoxious colored) belt.
41) Big Sunglasses
40) Baseball- Y'all niggas play 162 games a year!!! Why do I want to watch the Yankees and Red Sox play 74 times a season?!?!
39) House Phones (or calling niggas in general)- Texting has killed that awkward silence that I so hated on the phone.
38) Girls with the Rihanna Cut
37) BET- They coon our people out so much!
36) The Game- When will he ever stop name dropping in every song
35) Facebook Applications
34) Everybody can't be a party promoter!
33) Black People Skateboarding
32) "I Get Money"- If i hear another person say they gettin money, I'm kicking them square in the teeth.
31) "I'm Fly"- Refer to #32
30) Only T-Pain can use the T-Pain Voice
29) Rape- Like, just pay for a prostitute and call it a day
28) Everyone starting a clothing line
27) Take all these new school cartoons off tv- BRING BACK DOUG!!
26) Vitamin Water
25) Gas
24) Peace Sign in pictures- Once again, another semi-cool thing that black people destroyed
23) Grown ass men with braids- Nigga you are not a member of Bone Thugs N Harmony
22) Makin it rain
21) Poppin Bottles
20) Wearing heels to an 8:40 class- Next girl I see doing that, I'm pushing her down the aisle in the lecture hall
19) Model Pose's in pictures/Modeling in general- It has got to stop!
18) Star Tattoos
17) Lower Back Tattoos
16) I Love (Insert City) T-shirts
15) Reality TV Shows
14) Blogging (LMAO)
13) Wild Colorful clothing
12) LL Cool J- He is dangerously close to falling into the Benzino category in my eyes
11) "Lil" and "Young"
10) Gucci
9) Lil Wayne- Let's be real, he is falling off
8) Guys wearing Skinny Jeans
7) Sneaker Heads- Invest in a suit and some hard bottoms, instead on a $900 pair of dunks
6) The 80's retro style
5-2) I give you guys these 3 spots to insert anything that you totally depsie
and the winner of the most overrated thing in 2008 is...
A College Degree!!
So you mean to tell me that I have to work dumb hard for 4+ years, just to get a piece a paper. Now that piece of paper get's me a job where I will slave just to make enough money to pay back the loans that I took out for that piece of paper. My advice to the youth, learn how to shoot hoops or sell crack! LOL..
Peace Out world!
-Yeezy
Welcome ladies and gentleman to the 2008 Overrated Awards! Now before we start I'll give you a little history behind these awards.
One day, while surfing the net (Shouts to Skye Boog once again), we came across a list of the 33 most overrated trends, people, and anything else in general. But we felt something was missing...Hence, the 2008 Overrated Awards!!
First, there are a couple of honorable mentions including Chain Snatching, Spinning Rims, and anything involving Benzino!..Now back to the Awards..
50) Chain Messages- Look I don't want to send this shit to my next 7 friends just so that I will have a good day. Cut that shit out!
49) Eccentric Females- Look, you ain't Erykah Badu, Period!
48) LLS and SMH (Aim acronyms)- Whatever happened to the good ol' LOL or LMAO, now negroes (of course) have once again taken it upon themselves to mess up a good thing. Lets keep it simple!
47) Wild Chainery- NO MORE FAKE CHAINS, CHRIST!
46) Songs that require a dance- Like, let Soulja Boy live. I don't want to hear nobody else making a dance song.
45) Being on Time- Yea, being on time is completely overrated. Case in point, I was supposed to post this 3 days ago, ah well!
44) College Goons and Thugs- Like nigga you can't be tough with an organic chemistry book in your backpack.
43) Mohawks- NO!...HELL NO!
42) Waist Belts- Girls, cut this shit out now! Nobody wants to see sections of fat seperated by a big ass (usually one, solid obnoxious colored) belt.
41) Big Sunglasses
40) Baseball- Y'all niggas play 162 games a year!!! Why do I want to watch the Yankees and Red Sox play 74 times a season?!?!
39) House Phones (or calling niggas in general)- Texting has killed that awkward silence that I so hated on the phone.
38) Girls with the Rihanna Cut
37) BET- They coon our people out so much!
36) The Game- When will he ever stop name dropping in every song
35) Facebook Applications
34) Everybody can't be a party promoter!
33) Black People Skateboarding
32) "I Get Money"- If i hear another person say they gettin money, I'm kicking them square in the teeth.
31) "I'm Fly"- Refer to #32
30) Only T-Pain can use the T-Pain Voice
29) Rape- Like, just pay for a prostitute and call it a day
28) Everyone starting a clothing line
27) Take all these new school cartoons off tv- BRING BACK DOUG!!
26) Vitamin Water
25) Gas
24) Peace Sign in pictures- Once again, another semi-cool thing that black people destroyed
23) Grown ass men with braids- Nigga you are not a member of Bone Thugs N Harmony
22) Makin it rain
21) Poppin Bottles
20) Wearing heels to an 8:40 class- Next girl I see doing that, I'm pushing her down the aisle in the lecture hall
19) Model Pose's in pictures/Modeling in general- It has got to stop!
18) Star Tattoos
17) Lower Back Tattoos
16) I Love (Insert City) T-shirts
15) Reality TV Shows
14) Blogging (LMAO)
13) Wild Colorful clothing
12) LL Cool J- He is dangerously close to falling into the Benzino category in my eyes
11) "Lil" and "Young"
10) Gucci
9) Lil Wayne- Let's be real, he is falling off
8) Guys wearing Skinny Jeans
7) Sneaker Heads- Invest in a suit and some hard bottoms, instead on a $900 pair of dunks
6) The 80's retro style
5-2) I give you guys these 3 spots to insert anything that you totally depsie
and the winner of the most overrated thing in 2008 is...
A College Degree!!
So you mean to tell me that I have to work dumb hard for 4+ years, just to get a piece a paper. Now that piece of paper get's me a job where I will slave just to make enough money to pay back the loans that I took out for that piece of paper. My advice to the youth, learn how to shoot hoops or sell crack! LOL..
Peace Out world!
-Yeezy
Thursday, September 4, 2008
"To Know Where You Are Going, You Have To Know Where You Have Been.."
"I'm not trying to be, no big thing..No No..I'm not trying to give you no advice.."- "I'm Not To Blame" by Bobby Byrd
Salutations world,
Just wanted to share a little playlist I conjured up while thinking about all the quality samples in hip hop history. This is just a sample but I hope you enjoy..
Salutations world,
Just wanted to share a little playlist I conjured up while thinking about all the quality samples in hip hop history. This is just a sample but I hope you enjoy..
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
"But I Can't Teach You My Swag, You Can Pay For School But You Can't Buy Class.."
I put Marcy on the map, I put Brooklyn on my back.."
Sorry for my absence, but school is just starting back up and I needed some time to do me. Props to the Barack posting by my cohort in blog.
Now, back to business. As, the summer drew to a close, I began to drift further apart from hip hop. Occasionally, I would listen to timeless classics on my iPod just so I wouldn't abandon the genre in whole. But, in every cloud there is a silver lining. Jay-Z, is single handed, bringing hip hop back..
Now before you began to question who is the best rapper, let us check his credentials..
1. Reasonable Doubt (Nuff Said)
2. Streets Is Watching (Set the foundation for movies such as State Property and Belly)
3. Volume 1: In My Lifetime (Besides "Sunshine", definitely was a quality, overlooked album)
4. Volume 2: Hard Knock Life (Set the standard for truly street rappers to crossover..sold 5 million+)
5. Volume 3: Life and Times of S. Carter (Introduce the "Club Banger".."Big Pimpin", "Do It Again"...)
6. Dynasty: Roc La Familia ("First I get my money right, then I get my team on (slight Kanye reference but you get the idea)..Also introduced Kayne to the world and Freeway)
7. The Blueprint (NUFF SAID)
8. The Blueprint 2: The Gift and The Curse (Hidden gems amongst a rushed album)
9. The Black Album (A proper send off)
10. Kingdom Come (A decent but rushed comeback)
11. American Gangster (One of the most cerebral albums in hip hop. From front to back, Hov gave you the story of a hustler from the beginning, to the height of power, to ultimately his downfall..)
12. Blueprint 3...
Back to business..
In the past couple of months, Sean "Jay-Z" Carter, has hit the airwaves and mixtape scene hard, letting fans (and critics) know that he is still the "G.O.A.T."..It all started with a simple freestyle to "A Milli"..
And then he proceeded to continue his tear through '08 with..
(Fast track to 2:10 to hear Hov)
And if that wasn't enough, He told the whole rap game what they were doing..
Now, after these 3 tracks, I was already waiting at Best Buy for the blueprint 3, then he proceeds to hop on..
In a game where substance is clearly lacking, Jay-Z has once again "Step out his blazer, lossend up the tie, and stepped inside the booth, Superman is alive." To deny that Jay-Z has hip hop in his hand right now, you would have to be a fool. Besides the impending release of T.I.'s "Paper Trail", "The Blueprint 3", is on a course to be another classic by the God MC. He has always had a knack for knowing exactly how to properly drop an album when hip hop is in desperate need for a savior (Coming from a man who sold 500,000+ on Sept. 11, 2001)..
"School of Hard Knocks I'm a grad, and that all blue Yankee is my graduation cap, it's HOVVVVVVVVVAAAAAAAA.."
(Shout out to Skye Boogie, for sitting through my nonsense while I got these thoughts out!!)
-Yeezy
Sorry for my absence, but school is just starting back up and I needed some time to do me. Props to the Barack posting by my cohort in blog.
Now, back to business. As, the summer drew to a close, I began to drift further apart from hip hop. Occasionally, I would listen to timeless classics on my iPod just so I wouldn't abandon the genre in whole. But, in every cloud there is a silver lining. Jay-Z, is single handed, bringing hip hop back..
Now before you began to question who is the best rapper, let us check his credentials..
1. Reasonable Doubt (Nuff Said)
2. Streets Is Watching (Set the foundation for movies such as State Property and Belly)
3. Volume 1: In My Lifetime (Besides "Sunshine", definitely was a quality, overlooked album)
4. Volume 2: Hard Knock Life (Set the standard for truly street rappers to crossover..sold 5 million+)
5. Volume 3: Life and Times of S. Carter (Introduce the "Club Banger".."Big Pimpin", "Do It Again"...)
6. Dynasty: Roc La Familia ("First I get my money right, then I get my team on (slight Kanye reference but you get the idea)..Also introduced Kayne to the world and Freeway)
7. The Blueprint (NUFF SAID)
8. The Blueprint 2: The Gift and The Curse (Hidden gems amongst a rushed album)
9. The Black Album (A proper send off)
10. Kingdom Come (A decent but rushed comeback)
11. American Gangster (One of the most cerebral albums in hip hop. From front to back, Hov gave you the story of a hustler from the beginning, to the height of power, to ultimately his downfall..)
12. Blueprint 3...
Back to business..
In the past couple of months, Sean "Jay-Z" Carter, has hit the airwaves and mixtape scene hard, letting fans (and critics) know that he is still the "G.O.A.T."..It all started with a simple freestyle to "A Milli"..
And then he proceeded to continue his tear through '08 with..
(Fast track to 2:10 to hear Hov)
And if that wasn't enough, He told the whole rap game what they were doing..
Now, after these 3 tracks, I was already waiting at Best Buy for the blueprint 3, then he proceeds to hop on..
In a game where substance is clearly lacking, Jay-Z has once again "Step out his blazer, lossend up the tie, and stepped inside the booth, Superman is alive." To deny that Jay-Z has hip hop in his hand right now, you would have to be a fool. Besides the impending release of T.I.'s "Paper Trail", "The Blueprint 3", is on a course to be another classic by the God MC. He has always had a knack for knowing exactly how to properly drop an album when hip hop is in desperate need for a savior (Coming from a man who sold 500,000+ on Sept. 11, 2001)..
"School of Hard Knocks I'm a grad, and that all blue Yankee is my graduation cap, it's HOVVVVVVVVVAAAAAAAA.."
(Shout out to Skye Boogie, for sitting through my nonsense while I got these thoughts out!!)
-Yeezy
Why are Barack Obama's biggest critics black?
When Jeff and I decided to start a blog, it was the result of an in-depth conversation about the state of hip-hop. I was sure my first post would be about the hottest new song, the redskins upcoming season or who was the baddest chick in the game. Ultimately, it was the comments made by three supposed "intellectuals" that prompted me to make my Inaugural post. On Thursday evening, August 28th, 2008, I watched (along with millions of other people) the historic, powerful, and poignant speech by Presidential candidate Barack Obama. Still high off the power and conviction of Obama's words, I turned to PBS because a friend of mine told me Tavis Smiley was interviewing Dr. Cornell West and Dr. Julianne Malveaux about the speech. I was already aware of Smiley's dislike of Obama over a forum he hosted that Obama declined to attend. However, I figured that West and Malveaux would provide a more objective and rational analysis of the speech.
To my dismay, they didn't. They only furthered my thinking that there is a serious generation gap in the black community and a conflict of interests as well. Dr. Malveaux said that the speech "broke her hart". Dr. West was displeased that he didn't devote part of the speech to the people that fought to get him to that stage. WTF?!?!
It's pretty common knowledge that Barack Obama is Black. It's also pretty common knowledge that there are still serious issues regarding race and equality in this country. If Barack Obama runs his campaign focusing on his race and it's history, he'll lose, period. Prospective voters, especially those not sold on a minority being the president, are interested in hearing what he can do for America. He addressed that specifically in his speech.
It's beyond my comprehension how they could criticize Obama when his candidacy is the culmination of the work Martin Luther King, Dr. Malveaux and Dr. West put in during the civil rights era. Maybe they feel slighted for not being acknowledged. They wanted him to refer to Martin Luther King by name in his speech. They should take MLK's advice and practice a little selflessness and shut up before they cost him the presidency. He's already had to deal with Rev. Wright's hatin ass and now this. I'm sure he was expecting some harsh criticism, but not from his own kind. It's time for these old heads(yea, you too, Jesse Nutcracker Jackson) to fall back and let history take its course. And I know alot of young people are weary of the voting process, but our ancestors died for the opportunity for us to have a voice, so that "my vote doesn't count" shit doesn't fly around here.
That'll all for today. Oh yea, No one on the corner got swagger like us lol (had to throw in the hottest current catch phrase to be trendy)
- J. Todd
To my dismay, they didn't. They only furthered my thinking that there is a serious generation gap in the black community and a conflict of interests as well. Dr. Malveaux said that the speech "broke her hart". Dr. West was displeased that he didn't devote part of the speech to the people that fought to get him to that stage. WTF?!?!
It's pretty common knowledge that Barack Obama is Black. It's also pretty common knowledge that there are still serious issues regarding race and equality in this country. If Barack Obama runs his campaign focusing on his race and it's history, he'll lose, period. Prospective voters, especially those not sold on a minority being the president, are interested in hearing what he can do for America. He addressed that specifically in his speech.
It's beyond my comprehension how they could criticize Obama when his candidacy is the culmination of the work Martin Luther King, Dr. Malveaux and Dr. West put in during the civil rights era. Maybe they feel slighted for not being acknowledged. They wanted him to refer to Martin Luther King by name in his speech. They should take MLK's advice and practice a little selflessness and shut up before they cost him the presidency. He's already had to deal with Rev. Wright's hatin ass and now this. I'm sure he was expecting some harsh criticism, but not from his own kind. It's time for these old heads(yea, you too, Jesse Nutcracker Jackson) to fall back and let history take its course. And I know alot of young people are weary of the voting process, but our ancestors died for the opportunity for us to have a voice, so that "my vote doesn't count" shit doesn't fly around here.
That'll all for today. Oh yea, No one on the corner got swagger like us lol (had to throw in the hottest current catch phrase to be trendy)
- J. Todd
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