Kanye is at it again...

Does this fool think he is Jesus or something? Is he the hip-hop martyr? Is he the #1 target of the media and the music industry? Well...that's the way he sees it. Watch this youtube clip below about a recent show in NY that he did and his eyebrow raising rant...



Is he on that Hennessy again like he was when he jumped on stage with Taylor Swift? Or does he just need his fair share of brown nosing from his loyal fanbase. I honestly don't get it. If he was just so much about his music and not caring about what the media has to say about him, then what's the point of these crazy rants he goes on with in his live shows. He's still a douchebag...plain and simple. His personality overshadows his talent which is a shame. I'd probably appreciate his music more if I didn't know he was a full on tool. Still no toast for the douchebag for you Kanye.

~Mark

#NowPlaying: Dr. Dre "Kush" feat. Snoop Dogg, Akon

Wowww!! The Doctor is back! A new single from the long awaited Detox has been leaked, and I believe its the official single that will be released because a sample of this is even played on Dr. Dre's own website. Although with all the delays that have happened for this Detox album, who knows what's the real deal for this actual song or if it will even turn up on the album at all. Dr. Dre isn't necessarily a perfectionist as much as I would call him an obsessive compulsive. Either way, this song is hot! Check it out:



Here's another unreleased track from Detox that sadly probably won't make the final cut. I dig it though, even though it has 2 of my least favorite rappers at the moment:



Detox is near...can you feel it? I been missing the doctor!

~Mark

San Francisco Giants 2010 Season in Music; Fan Videos

This baseball season has been awesome! In celebration of a great season of trials, tribulations, and triumph of the San Francisco Giants ultimately winning the world series, I found it very heartening that the entire Bay Area has been standing up big time for our favorite boys in orange and black in music. Below are some of more noteworthy selections of music to commemorate this great time in baseball and SF history. It goes to show how great this fanbase really is!















...what a great time to be living in the Bay Area!!

~Mark

Kanye...WTF??

I dunno if anyone else has been feeling this way lately...but has Kanye West lost his damn mind? I'm not necessarily the biggest Kanye fan, and anyone who knows me can attest to this, but I can recognize good work ethic and sincere art when I see it and up until this point Kanye has been simply "meh" in my book. The guy doesn't necessarily have legendary raps, but I appreciate the fact that he produces a lot of his own music and doesn't really try to fit the mold of a traditional rapper. That being said, he does some really off the wall stuff to try and stir up controversy and lately this has come to an insane head. I mean...look at his planned album cover...


What the hell is that supposed to be? This isn't art. It's just Kanye trying to stir things up and get people talking again. The sad part is, it's working. People are buying into it and consider him a great artist because he takes risks. The lead recent single "Runaway" which was debuted on the MTV VMA's is another testament to how weird Kanye has become lately. "A toast to the douchebags"....I dunno what it is, but it doesn't seem like rap. I dunno, seems like the man is more about getting people talking these days than making "G.O.O.D." music. Just listen to the "G.O.O.D. Friday" free singles he's released coming up for his album release. Definitely some lackluster material. Oh well, I'm definitely not raising a toast to the douchebag Kanye West.

~Mark

Throwback Thursday: Real Muthaphuckkin G's

What's crackin everyone?? It's throwback Thursday time. You know what that means. Another track to throw us back to a time where music might have been a little more blissful and interesting. Either that or just a track that reminds us of good times. I was listening to some of my 90's rap playlist like I usually do, and I came upon the classic gem by Eazy-E "Real Muthaphuckkin G's". Remember back when Eazy-E and Dr. Dre were beefing in the wake of Dre's creation of Death Row and split up of NWA? Well you should because that's where the song "F*** Wit Dre Day" came from. It had its pretty hilarious video, but I think E came much harder with his response diss "Real Muthaphuckkin G's". What takes me back with this song especially is the accompanying video and just how hard and west coast the beat sounds. Way more hood than Dr. Dre's "Nuthin but a G thang" could have ever been and some hilarious pictures of Dr. Dre exploring his more feminine side. If you don't believe me...take a look for yourself:

This week: Eazy-E "Real Muthaphuckkin G's"



Now that's gangsta! Give this a spin, put your locs on, put your Compton hat on, and drink a 40 of St. Ides and bring it back! RIP Eazy

-M

Forbes' Hip-Hop Cash Kings

oh yes it's that time of year again. Forbes has indeed released their list of the 2010 richest rappers of this past year and since the last time they did their countdown, things seem to have changed. Don't take my word for it though, check out the list here, and down below.

Forbes' "Hip-Hop Cash Kings" 2010

1. Jay-Z - $63 million
2. Sean "Diddy" Combs - $30 million
3. Akon -
4. Lil Wayne - $20 million
5. Dr. Dre - $17 million
6. Ludacris - $16 million
7. Snoop Dogg - $15 million
8. Timbaland - $14 million
9. Pharrell Williams - $13 million
10. Kanye West - $12 million
11. Aubrey "Drake" Graham - $10 million
12. T.I. - $9 million
12. Swizz Beatz - $9 million
14. Eminem - $8 million
14. 50 Cent - $8 million
14. Young Jeezy - $8 million
17. Common - $7 million
18. Soulja Boy - $6 million
18. T-Pain - $6 million
20. Lil Jon - $5 million

It's honestly quite daunting to get into why each rapper is where they are in the list, but there are a few things I want to point out.


-Jay-Z....AGAIN?! I'm not a hater and I don't mind seeing people succeed, but the more this guy tops lists like this the more his ego gets filled and the more people give him pointless kudos. I'm honestly tired of seeing Jay-Z everywhere in the rap world. It's quite depressing if he's the shining star of hip-hop and the richest one to boot.
-Newcomers in the list?!? Young ones at that. I was very surprised to see Soulja Boy and Drake in the top 20 list considering there are still so many veterans out there making way less and other rappers claiming to be richer than they really are. Soulja Boy has been on the grind for a couple of years so I'm not entirely surprised on that one but I'm really surprised on Drake whose album has barely come out and his world tour wouldn't seem so lucrative on the surface. Then again there's the whole Sprite campaign to consider.
-I was really surprised to see how many of the top 10 rappers are rich because of outside business ventures, real estate investments, or companies they have started that have been kept on the hush for the most part. It is true that in this digital age people don't get rich simply off of their record sales and I think the rappers have figured that out before everyone.

That's all for now. Looking at this list gets me inspired to start rapping so I can begin to make millions too. If Soulja Boy can do it...ANYONE CAN!!

Peace for now,
M

#ThrowbackThursday: Rock 'n Roll vs. George W. Bush

Hey what's going on music heads welcome to another posting of the "Throwback Thursday". Ever since I've noticed Throwback Thursday was indeed not my idea, I've realized you can find out everyone else's Throwbacks on this fine Thursday by doing a twitter search for "#throwbackthursday", and see what everyone else is thinking about in musical retrospect. I stumbled upon my idea for this week's throwback because as I was going through some of Eminem's old albums, I came across a song I hadn't heard in quite some time: "Mosh". This song came out and stirred up quite a buzz when it was just before election time in 2004, and actually I haven't really heard it since. It's not the most inspirational and motivating political song in the world, but it kind of became a symbol to youths and the hip-hop community that arguably the most powerful man of rap at the time, Eminem, really did not want George W. Bush re-elected. It has a pretty original concept of a video as well. Check it out if you don't remember:



Remember now? I sure hope so. While this song didn't help to knock Bush out of the campaign run, it made me remember the other movements that were going on in the realm of politics and music at the time. I remember there being a tour rallying in campaign support for John Kerry that included Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, Patti Smith, Jackson Browne, Willie Nelson, Dave Matthews Band, John Mellencamp, The Foo Fighters, Pearl Jam, The Dixie Chicks, and a few other noteworthy names. I think it's pretty much safe to say that at the time, 80% of the music industry was sick of Bush. Except for maybe the country singers like the redneck all-star Toby Keith making songs about freedom and putting his foot up Osama Bin Laden's ass. Now with Eminem, even several rappers showed their militant support for John Kerry. We all know how it ended up though. In the end, Bush won, the liberal side was heartbroken, and many musicians felt their efforts were in vain. I guess it was just an important moment for music because it showed that people were willing to sacrifice their careers by coming out about their political affiliation and were willing to take a stand. I think that's important. We have definitely seen that in the Obama vs. McCain election in 2008. When even rappers make their own political songs ("Black President" by Nas, "My President" by Young Jeezy), it shows some serious support. Welcome to America, where everyone is allowed to speak their mind.

~M

Diss Songs

I was running across some new downloads and for some reason I thought about all the great diss songs that have come out from rappers to one another. Don't ask me how this came across, but I definitely have been thinking about some gold. Most likely will come up with a list sometime soon. But for now, here is some inspiration. Game completely eating up Yukmouth...



~M

Happy Birthday Tupac Amaru Shakur

Today is rap legend 2pac's birthday. The man would have been 39 years old. There isn't anything I can say about 2pac's importance to music that every documentary hasn't already, however I can say that his music meant a lot to me because it represented a realness that I had never heard in rap before up to that point. I really felt a connection to the man. When I listen to a song like "Death Around the Corner," I feel the same paranoia he feels. When I listen to a song like "Dear Mama," I really understand how he feels about his mother and catch a glimpse into his family. Somehow 'Pac had the gift of being able to connect with his audience that no other rapper was able to do before him. I think this is why he was so special to many, and certainly why he was so special to me. I really don't think a rap icon up to the caliber of 2pac will ever be realized again. R.I.P. Tupac. We miss you. Rap could certainly use you right now.

~M

#MusicMonday: Eminem's Recovery (Album Preview)

Hey everyone happy #MusicMonday yet again. I know I haven't really been posting much to this amazing thing we call the Music Rehab Clinic, but I've been pretty busy considering all the commotion that summer brings up. Parties and trying to be productive have halted my creative juices for columns just a tad but rest assured, the Clinic will come back with some pretty decent steam. In the meantime, I've had some thoughts on one of my favorite MC's: Eminem...


Eminem has changed the release date of his Recovery album to be released sooner (on June 21st) most likely due to leaking of the album in its entirety. Honestly, I was a little skeptical on the quality of the album considering Eminem's recent lack of hype, lack of work ethic, and lack of live appearances ever since the release of the Relapse album. I actually really enjoyed Relapse, so I was hoping that Recovery could all but change my pre-deposition on what new material would bring. However, the release of "Not Afraid" and taking a look at the featured artists really gave me a shock. Featuring pop singers like Pink and Rihanna? Only rapper featured was Lil Wayne? No skits? No D12? No Dr. Dre? Clearly this is a new Eminem and he wants us to know that right off of the get go. I think he is taking a huge risk with this album. After Relapse and its lackluster sales (at least in comparison to most Eminem albums), it's pretty safe to say that this is the "make it or break it" album for Eminem and his relevance on today's obviously changed rap game.

I think the complete 360 of Eminem's character into this serious man stripped of the Slim Shady antics that made him famous has to do with two reasons. 1) The rap game has changed greatly from the time that Eminem was dominating the charts with smash albums like The Marshall Mathers LP and The Eminem Show. 2) Rehab and the recovery process has changed him into someone who realizes the most important things in life and why he raps in the first place. Could Eminem really have put a nail in the coffin of the Slim Shady persona? It's really looking like it. He's older, wiser, and considered one of rap's most important figures in the 21st century. I'm not sure how I feel about the serious nature of his new music, but I am certainly intruiged to hear it.

Eminem has everything to prove, but he probably feels like he has nothing to prove. He's experimenting and probably just happy to be making music that he feels he should be making at this point in his career. Another evident factor of this is the change of production for an Eminem album. A typical Eminem has production from the usual suspects: Dr. Dre, Eminem, Jeff Bass, and sometimes from his D12 cohort Mr. Porter (known better as Kon Artis). It's pretty noteworthy to see all the new producers that Em has never worked make appearances on this album. Boi-1da, Just Blaze, Jim Jonsin, and DJ Khalil make their mark all over the album. Also new and un-heard of producers (at least to me): Emile, Script Shepherd, Supa Dups, and Alex da Kid. Eminem doesn't even have 1 track on this album to his own production credit. I'm not really sure what that means. Cleary, he's looking for a new sound and wants to focus on his lyrical prowess instead of his production merit. I can respect that. Could it also be that he wants to give all these new producers their big time shot into the music biz? Could be the case as well and I really respect that. As much as it's evident that Eminem is a changed man, I think quality artists like him typically know what they're doing. Even if the production is poor and the songs don't catch the ears of America like the past albums did, I'm sure Eminem will still captivate with his incredible rhymes. We still believe in you Slim!

~M

Throwback Thursday: The Hyphy Movement

If you listen to rap radio stations when you live in the Bay Area, it is a little depressing to realize that all of the "hits" that are played on our local stations don't play any local music. Once in a while we might hear a local "hit" from a local "big name" artist, but it is a rare occasion considering that these artists fizzle out after their career remains stagnant even in local circles. It's not their fault however. The San Francisco Bay Area is by and large one of the biggest metropolitan areas in the United States that has struggled to discover an identity in rap to separate themselves from the rest of the nation ever since rap has been introduced to the masses. Many Bay Area rap fans can argue with me on this. We do indeed have a lot of unique artists that make music unlike any others in the country. Bay Area beats do have some unique identifiers that most can recognize and attribute to being from the Bay Area. However, this is all old school. The rap legends of the 90's have cemented their legacy in our corner of the nation: Too $hort, Digital Underground, Mac Dre, Richie Rich, E-40, The Luniz, etc. The new generation of rap artists remained with no local sense of identity or direction. That is...until the Hyphy Movement was introduced.
I wanted to write this Throwback Thursday in commemoration and appreciation of the Hyphy Movement. Even though the movement has lost most of its steam at this point, it represented something new and fresh for the rap scene in the Bay Area that we had never experienced before. Finally, the Bay Area had something to call its own. The Hyphy Movement brought along new slang, new themes, new artists, and everybody was loving it. Suddenly we were all wearing "stunnas", going "dumb", and "poppin' thizz" in our "scraper" on the way to the "sideshow" while "yokin'". Even if the rest of the nation didn't necessarily like it or catch on to it, everyone knew about it. When My Block: The Bay premiered on MTV, the word was out: The Bay Area had a new movement.
Even the older Bay Area rappers wanted to catch on. Suddenly we heard veterans like E-40 and Richie Rich doing raps on Hyphy beats. It was all about parties, clubs, drinks, drugs, going dumb, and being ignorant to the extreme. It pretty much was similar to the Crunk scene of the South, but what separated it a bit was the slang, the rappers, the territory, the different style beat, and the extreme nature. I believe the height of the Hyphy Movement had a few notable moments:
-E-40's My Ghetto Report Card album debuting at #3 on the billboard 200
-Keak Da Sneak's "Super Hyphy" music video making an appearance on MTV's video rotation
-Big name producers like Lil Jon contributing production for Bay Area artists
-Mistah FAB getting signed to Atlantic Records
-Bay Area rappers making appearances on big name rappers' mixtapes and vise versa (Example: Ma$e making an appearance on Mac Dre's Judge Dre Mathis)
-MTV doing their My Block: The Bay special
-MTVnews actually covering news of Bay Area artists and the growth of Hyphy
Why did it die? I really can't tell. For a while it seemed like the movement was here to stay. Unfortunately for the Bay, this was not the case. There are many fingers to point at the demise of our precious rap identity. Was it because the scene was so similar to Crunk of the South? Possibly. Was it because even though we kept learning about new rappers, none of them brought anything fresh to the table? Likely. Was it because after a while the corporately owned radio stations began to get bored and decided to play less Bay Area music to please the higher ups? Maybe. Or could it have been because every song started to sound the same after a while? Very likely. In any event the scene has greatly died down and we don't hear so much about the rappers we had grown to love between around 2002 to 2008. We don't hear so much about guys like Rydah J. Kyle, J. Diggs, Keak Da Sneak, and Dubee Sugawulf anymore. Matter of fact, many of these rappers like Mistah Fab, are actually doing their best to steer away from their Hyphy roots and cleanse their image to blend in with the rest of the generic rap going on in the music industry today. The most tragic part about all of this, is the aftermath in the wake of Hyphy. The Hyphy Movement has produced some bastard children like L.A.'s "Jerkin" movement; clearly an offspring from the bay sounding beats, bay sounding flows, variation of the turfin' style of dance from Oakland, and use of bay area slang. Jagged Edge also has a song called "Stunnas". Did I mention they were from Atlanta? Anyways... It's sad to see that the promise and possibility of the Bay Area to finally have their own identity ripped away. However, I can see some solace in the fact that even though it only lasted for a short minute, the Bay Area was recognized as an up and coming force to be reckoned with. We realize the potential is there as long as it is organized, supported, and marketed correctly. I believe it's only a matter of time before the Bay Area regroups and comes up with something new and fresh. Even if we don't, I don't mind the Bay Area lacking commercial exploitation like some areas such as Miami have endured. Maybe that's what makes us so unique; we keep it so real that we can't fit into any commercial category that the music industry can exploit and generalize. Keep it real Bay, we will have our day...

~M

Random Thoughts 6/08/10: Diva Wars!

Can't we all just get along in the music biz? Apparently not, and that sentiment especially applies when it comes to women. More importantly, divas with egos bigger than Jay-Z's. I've been noticing some specific divas haven't been getting along lately, so let's break them down...

Battle for the Supreme Blonde Diva:
Christina Aguilera vs. Lady GaGa


This feud has been carrying for quite some time now from what I understand. The most interesting part about it is how entirely fabricated by the media it is. Neither lady acknowledges that any sort of rivalry exists when they get asked in front of a camera or microphone; but we all know what's going on. The roots of those seem to have been started ever since Lady GaGa began to emerge and Christina Aguilera came out with her "keeps getting better" single that pretty much took the up and comer's music style and fashion almost to a T. What gets me on this one is Lady GaGa is doing exactly what Christina Aguilera did so many years ago, only at a more extreme level. Wacky fashion, danceable tunes, singing chops, showing all kinds of ass in little to no clothing on stage...yep...Christina did all that before. What gives GaGa the edge? The fact that Christina took time off to be a mom and vacated the spot for a little bit. GaGa has done big things ever since Christina has left the music industry for a while and used the Aguilera formula to cement herself into stardom simply by doing it bigger, louder, and crazier than Christina did. Now that Christina wants to come back and reclaim her spot, it seems like a much harder task now that GaGa has gained so much steam. Not to mention Christina's new music sounds suspiciously like the electro dance beats that Lady GaGa songs have popularized recently.

Winner: Lady GaGa


Battle for the Baddest Bitch in Rap:
Lil Kim vs. Nicki Minaj


This one wasn't too hard to foresee. You can't really be a female rapper in the game and come nasty and raw without biting the style that Lil Kim originated. There's just no way around it. Lil Kim wasn't the first female to start rapping, but she definitely brought the sex element into it and had a style all of her own. Ever since then, we have seen Foxy Brown, Trina, Shawnna, Jacki-O, Gangsta Boo, and now Nicki Minaj. From the sex ridden raps, skimpy outfits, and colored wigs, Nicki Minaj might as well be Lil Kim Jr. But what's Lil Kim's problem with Nicki? She says Ms. Minaj has snubbed her in the past and hasn't paid the proper respect to the Queen Bee that is deserved. I hate to say it, but I think Nicki has the upper hand in this feud. Lil Kim has been washed up for days with lackluster material and poor attempts at media attention (this one included). Nicki has taken the high road and pretty much ignored all the bad press that Lil Kim is trying her best to throw towards the Young Money MC. Let's put it this way...Drake is on stage supporting Nicki Minaj while Ray J is on stage supporting Lil Kim. Not hard to see who has more relevance. Sorry Queen Bee. That day might be done.

Winner: Nicki Minaj


By looking at both of the winners of these battles, its apparent that the "out with the old, in with the new" phrase really holds its own when it comes to these female artists. Sorry OG Divas, but times have gotta change. Unfortunately, it's not your time anymore.

~M

#MusicMonday: My 10 Favorite Rap Songs

What's going on music heads? Happy #MusicMonday to everyone yet again. Hopefully everyone had a good weekend, I certainly did. Union Street Fair in San Francisco, for those that don't know, isn't necessarily any specific important festival that involves music or anything. It's mainly an excuse to start partying in the morning and that is exactly what we did. Not to say necessarily that music wasn't involved, because it always is. How could one have a party without music? It never happens...so I heard some good tunes over the weekend for sure. Some good local bands and of course club hits in the bars. Things to get the party started you know. However, what brought me to this week's list was listening to Sirius radio this past week.

Hip-Hop Nation (Channel 40) had a special guest rapper on the air to break down his 10 favorite rap songs of all time. I believe his name was Laws. I don't know much about him but he ran through a pretty decent list of songs. It really got me thinking; If I had to choose my 10 favorite rap songs, what would they be? That seems like a pretty big task considering all the great hip-hop that is out there, but I managed to sit down and meditate on this idea and came up with what I believe are my 10 favorite rap tunes of all time. This doesn't necessarily mean I think they are the best or I think they are the most groundbreaking. Hell, they might not even be good at all to some, but for one reason or another, they are very very special to me. I could play these songs forever and a day from here until death and I will still love them. So let's run through it...

My 10 Favorite Rap Songs

10. "Paid In Full" by Eric B. & Rakim

The classic track that everyone has heard one time or another even if they didn't realize it. Covered time and time again, "Paid In Full" might have the most replicated bassline in hip-hop history. The attitude and rhymes are just fierce. Eric B. & Rakim wanted to let everyone know how serious they were about making a killing in the rap game and this was the boldest statement they could have made. Rakim revolutionized rapping in the 80's and created a whole new style that helped shape the east coast rap of the 90's.


9. "Role Model" by Eminem

Slim Shady was going to be a superstar, there was no doubt about it. A white dude with enough crazy antics to fuel music critics for all eternity could sell and create controversy, but this cut off of his major label debut stood out to me because it showed that he was first and foremost a rapper. The lines are brutal, the rhymes are great, and it showed off just how crazy Em could be while still making it sound great. It really showed off the talent that Dr. Dre saw in him.



8. "You Know How We Do It" by Ice Cube

All I gotta say is..."daaaamn". It doesn't get more west coast than this people. The track is hot all on its own, but Ice Cube really came correct with this jam at a time where Dr. Dre and the rest of Death Row were completely dominating the charts and west coast hip-hop as a whole. Instead of trying the one up, Cube just did what he does best and that's just be himself. The beat juts put a vision in my head of cruisin' down an L.A. street in a convertible '63 impala watching a pretty sunset. This is always a great summer jam for me. Props to QDIII for the beat, even though I didn't anything from him after this.


7. "Ten Crack Commandments" by The Notorious B.I.G.

Who better to tell you the rules of the crack trade and rhyme it so perfectly in a story than Biggie Smalls. Selling crack being his main source of revenue before breaking it big in rap, Biggie knew what he was talking about. However, what makes this song so great to me is the way it was articulated so perfectly. The man always could tell great stories with his raps, but ten commandments about how to sell crack and succeed? Awesome. It only sounds perfect on a DJ Premier beat as well. Biggie was spittin' crack before it was even referred to as that.


6. "Playaz Club" by Rappin' 4-Tay

Even though I am a Bay Area native and specifically born in San Francisco, I wasn't going to throw in a Bay song into my favorite rap song list lightly unless it really earned its place. "Playaz Club" did exactly that. The way "You Know How We Do It" really captured the essence of being from Los Angeles, this song really captured the essence of what San Francisco and the Bay Area as a whole was all about when it came to rap. The whole song has incredible style and Rappin' 4-Tay really brought the heat.


5. "N.Y. State of Mind" by Nas

Brutal! Grimey! It doesn't get more gutter than "N.Y. State of Mind". I almost feel like I'm from the ghetto when I listen to this. The entire Illmatic album could have filled up any top 10 list, but this track stood out to me simply because of the mood it created. Down the scratchy vocal recordings and choppy production, it really created the scenery in my head of the dangerous environment that Nas was coming from. Nas is also amazing when it comes to telling stories with his rhymes. DJ Premier strikes again with the beats!


4. "So Many Tears" by 2pac

Classic, classic song. This is 'Pac showing off his sensitive and soulful side. Up until this point we were used to all this talk about thug life, aggressive panther politics, and getting around. This was him showing off a little bit of vulnerability; that he's a person too, he's got feelings, and he's suffered the heartbreak of a hard life. This is the kind of song that makes you value all the good things in life. Friends and family especially. I was actually pretty surprised to see that Shock G produced this great beat.


3. "C.R.E.A.M." by The Wu-Tang Clan

Wu-Tang was a posse to be reckoned with, and it was because of tracks like "C.R.E.A.M." that showed the rest of the hip-hop universe that they were unmatched at what they did. On perhaps the greatest beat that RZA has produced, Inspectah Deck really encapsulated in his verse what growing up in the ghetto was like. Method Man's hook on this song is also one of the most widely recognized in hip-hop history. Who doesn't still say "dolla dolla bill y'all" these days? I know I still do. Cash certainly does rule everything around us. Wu-Tang wasn't kidding.


2. "Deep Cover" by Dr. Dre & Snoop Doggy Dogg

Who would have known that this solo debut of Dr. Dre introducing us to a brand new Snoop Doggy Dogg would be the first step to the creation of arguably the greatest partnership in hip-hop history? "187 on the undercover cop"; yet another of the most widely recognized hooks in rap. This song tells a great story between verses from Dre and Snoop about how much undercover police aren't appreciated in the least. From the very beginning of the intro dialogue, this song never quits in terms of quality. Still sounds great so many years later. Imagine if Warren G had never introduced Snoop to his cousin Dr. Dre? Rap might look a lot different these days; especially on the west coast.


1. "Above The Clouds" by Gang Starr f/ Inspectah Deck

How many times does DJ Premier show up on my list? I'm not sure, but it's a sign. DJ Premier makes the best beats in hip-hop in my humble opnion. This song is no different. I think the beat is what single handedly makes this my favorite rap song ever since I first heard it. It's soothing, it's calming, it's catchy, and I'm pretty positive can sway even the most stubborn hip-hop critic. Guru and Inspectah Deck also deliver great verses in this song to further supplement this great showcase of rap quality at its pinnacle. Can it get much better than this? I'm not sure, but I'm not convinced rappers from today's age can do it like this anymore. Very sad about Guru's recent passing, but it is in amazing tracks like this that legacy lives on. True artists don't fade.


And that's all for my list of favorite rap songs. What do you think? Do you agree? Am I completely off base for liking some of these tracks? What would your list consist of? Leave a comment and let me know. At the very least, I hope this column gets you digging through your old rap records and discovering some great tracks. Until next time...PEACE!!!

~M

Throwback Thursday: The Eminem Show

Hey what's going on world? Welcome to another Throwback Thursday. Not sure why, but I have been in a big rap mood lately. Not necessarily that today's rap is anything exciting, but I've brought out a lot of my old records and have been reminded of how great rap used to be not so very long ago. One of those old favorites of mine is the album I'm about to review for this week's Throwback Thursday. In the spirit of my man Eminem's new single "Not Afraid" being all over the airwaves (which I've already posted my thoughts on here), I went into a retrospective of the older Eminem records I used to enjoy. This week I chose...



Artist: Eminem
Album: The Eminem Show
Released: 2002, Aftermath/Shady/Interscope Records

Up to this album's release in 2002, there was no sugar coating the fact that Eminem was #1 in the rap world. Whether or not you loved him or hated him, album sales don't lie. His initial breakout with The Slim Shady LP has sold rough 6 million worldwide to date. The follow up (and career peaking) Marshall Mathers LP has sold roughly 19 million worldwide to date. At the time, Eminem had done it all in music after merely 2 major label recordings. He had done world tours, sold millions of records, performed and recorded with huge names in rap, made magazine covers and newspaper headlines, saw his way onto everyone's television set, angered the government and censorship groups, and yet at the same time had music critics eating out of his hand. The question lingered; how in the hell was he going to follow up The Marshall Mathers LP: the album that put his name in everyone's mouth, his face on everyone's magazine, and his status on top. The answer? Perhaps my favorite Eminem album: The Eminem Show. What made this album so significant to me was the toning down of the insane "Slim Shady" moniker he had created for himself. He had already proven himself as the king of controversy and shocked America to death about gruesome themes like drugs, sex, and homophobia. This album went to a great length to give controversy a backseat and show off what Eminem was all along: an artist.

#1 - The Production. How do you prove your critics wrong and show that you don't necessarily need Dr. Dre to be succesful? Produce most of the album yourself; and that's exactly what Em did. With only 3 tracks produced the the Doctor, the rest of the production was handled by Mr. Mathers.

#2 - Lyrical skill. It was mainly shock value in the previous albums. In this album not only does he step the flow up, but he tells a solid story with his rhymes. He stays on theme, his rhymes and metaphors are consistent, and he tells a story in his lines. Much more improved from his previous showcases. I think this album was the one that reminded all of those of losing his rap skills since "selling out" that he was still the skillful rapper that came out of the slums of 8 Mile.

#3 - A more personal touch. In The Eminem Show we catch a glimpse more into a more serious and personal side of Em. The gimmicks and shock value aren't so necessary anymore. He goes into lyrical depth about his childhood, his stance on politics & government, race dichotomy in rap, recent personal events, being a father, and how he has dealt with fame.

All in all, this is a more consistent album and more of a proving ground of the artist that is Eminem. It showed that Slim Shady could evolve and that he wasn't a one trick shock value pony. The end result: another classic album that sold as much as The Marshall Mathers LP worldwide. Eminem could have died out, but decided not to, and The Eminem Show set the stage for the artist that we still know and love to this day. Good job Em. You deserved your success. Detroit WHAT!!

Standout tracks: The whole damn album!

Review: ***** (5/5 stars)

~Dr. M

Scale:
***** - Amazing! Highly important
**** - Great, very enjoyable
*** - Decent, worth checking out
** - Average, not very exciting
* - Poor, don't even bother

Album Review: Distant Relatives

Just a disclaimer to anyone that reads this: before you get any further into this review, reggae is not my specialty! I know who Damian Marley is, but honestly, reggae is not a staple in my music player. Not that I have anything against reggae or I think it's less important than any other genre, I just find a lot of reggae is pretty similar in nature. Similar beats, the same guitar up-stroke, and familiar themes make new songs a tad bit stale to me and leave me feeling like I've heard it before. However, I do enjoy it from time to time. Bob Marley is a music legend; no doubt about it. Now onto the review....



Artist: Nas & Damian "Junior Gong" Marley
Album: Distant Relatives

I'm not going to lie; I checked this album out because it has Nas' name on it. I consider Nas one of the greatest rappers in the history of rap; bar none. He is definitely in my top 5, if not my favorite. He has made some poor business and personal decisions as of late and hasn't come as hard recently as he did in his heyday in the 90's, but his albums are always worth checking out because his message is always relevant. He is one of the last real rappers left. Now Damian on the other hand...I'm not sure. I mentioned I don't really know much about reggae aside from the big names like Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, and my man Barrington Levy (and the recent uprising of white people doing reggae like UB40 and Pepper), but from what I understand, Damian Marley is one of the popular names that pop up in today's reggae. It is mostly because he is the youngest son of the legend Bob Marley? Possibly. I haven't heard his music before this album, but considering he produced pretty much the entire album, I know he's got talent. That being said, I feel like this would have been better as a Damian Marley solo album. Nas throws in his verses here and there, however I feel the hip hop elements somewhat dilute the soul of the music. The instruments sound great, the themes are loud and clear, and the production is crystal clear for the most part. It seems like the things I like least about each song are Nas' verses that sometimes feel out of place with very reggae/worldly sounding tracks that would flow a little bitter simply with Damian's "singing?" (I don't know how to classify the reggae lyrics). On top of that, Damian's roots are firmly planted in reggae and his productions reflect it, so throwing a few elements of hip hop beats on top of that don't sound like they blend too well. However, considering this album will probably sell better than most Damian Marley solo albums, I can understand why it was done. Nas on the other hand...this makes no sense homie. Unless he was bored and just felt like doing something different. He does have some big child support payments coming up as well. Ya, actually it makes sense now. Overall it's worth a listen if you're a reggae fan. Damian Marley is a really talented producer and musician. I just may check out more of his joints. Bumbaclad rasta!

Standout tracks: "My Generation", "Friends"

Review: *** (3/5 stars)

Scale:
***** - Amazing! Highly important
**** - Great, very enjoyable
*** - Decent, worth checking out
** - Average, not very exciting
* - Poor, don't even bother

Random Thoughts 5/23/10: Biggie Smalls, DJ's in Rap

What's going on world. Happy Sunday, day of the Lord, if you're into that kind of stuff. Instead of going to church on Sundays I wake up at noon at veg out for another couple of hours before I decide on doing anything productive. As is the case today, except I woke up a few hours ago earlier. Let's get a few things underway that have crossed my mind...

So it's come to my attention (thanks to every rap radio station and music news site) that 2 days ago, May 21st, would have been Christopher "Biggie Smalls" Wallace aka The Notorious B.I.G.'s 38th birthday. R.I.P. Biggie, Happy Birthday and all that. I give the man his credit for accomplishing all that he did before dying at the age of 24. We should all be so lucky to have become a self made millionaire before breaking a quarter century of life. I guess growing up in the ghettos and making a living off of selling rocks sure does something to one's motivation for life success. I also find it a huge travesty that the murders of 2pac and Biggie have not been solved. Everyone hopes that one day they can be solved but let's be honest; if it was going to be solved it would have been by now. One more thing about Biggie: I have a hard time swallowing the hip hop collective's statement of him being a rap legend and a portion of it saying he was "the best that ever did it". Everyone has their own opinions, but to me, a man that made one album called Ready To Die and then the next step in his career was his murder...didn't leave much to fall back on in terms of legacy. He was great yes, he was lyrical, he was a man who was meant for rap, but rap legend? Only time could have told such a story and unfortunately he didn't have enough of it. Where Brooklyn at?!?

Ok, something that has been a thorn in my side for some time and I need to get off my chest...what the hell is up with these DJ's in rap? You know what I'm talking about...those dudes shouting at the top of their lungs all over a song during the intro, midway through, and the end of the song. They're not the song producer, the song rapper, or the songwriter. Let's provide such an example: What in the hell? Yes, my thoughts exactly. For someone who really had no place in terms of song creation, I don't understand where the hell some of these rap DJ's gain a reputation in terms of being "hot" or "talented". I would have to say my main 3 culprits are DJ Khaled, DJ Drama, and DJ Clue. Please feel free to put them on blast on twitter (the links have been provided). Shouting at the top of lungs all over a song isn't talent. I might understand it to make leaking of a single that much harder if they are the promotional DJ doing a world premier (i.e. the DJ last night doing the world premier of Drake's new single on Shade 45), but aside from that, I don't get it. The worst part is they are actually getting really rich doing this. How the hell do they do it? Whether it's on their own album or someone else's; it just doesn't make any sense to me. Care to enlighten? Let me know...leave a comment. I really need answers on this one. Do people like this guy deserve to be rich?


That's all for now. Til' next time!

~Dr. M

Dr. M's Diagnosis On: Sean "Puffy/P. Diddy/Diddy/Dirty Money/I'm Rich Bitch" Combs

Hey what up world. Dr. M back at it again on this Friday night. I figured my last post would be the last one of the night and maybe weekend but I decided to say forget it because something came up. And that something was reading this very interesting article on mtvnews.com about Sean "P. Diddy" Combs (or whatever the hell his name is these days). Actually the article was neither interesting or entertaining, but it share a noteworthy tidbit of information: Sean Combs has YET ANOTHER business venture. For those too lazy to read it, he's talking about opening up a management firm so he can ruin more careers without actually signing artists to his label (if its even his label anymore...he keeps selling more ownership as it makes less and less money).


Sean Combs...what a name. Internationally renowned, but then again, for what? The man is a jack of all trades, and at the same token, a jack of no trades. Let's put this into perspective. He is classified on wikipedia as a record producer, rapper, actor, and fashion designer. Now add talent manager to that list as well. Is he really good at any of those? Let's investigate....

1. Record Producer

He definitely deserves his props for lifting Bad Boy Records from the ground up and starting that movement in the 90's. In the mid to late 90's you always heard songs from Biggie, Ma$e, or the man Puffy himself all over the radio and mtv. However, he is NO RECORD PRODUCER. He's an executive producer, entrepreneur, and businessman yes; he has the money and he can make the moves, but him trying to hop in and take producing credit? That's just downright dirty. I'm not talking about how he's always on every song saying his trademark "yea, badboy, can't stop won't stop!" and in every video, I'm talking about actual production credits under "Diddy & The Hitmen". Puffy has never been known for actual studio production, aside from shouting orders at the producers he has in the studio at the time. The Hitmen are the ones that do the actual production work. And funny enough, The Hitmen has a lineup that constantly changes. Is this just Puffy's way to squeeze more money out of all the songs released on Bad Boy Records? It just may be.

2. Rapper

Rapper? Does he even write his own rhymes? His albums have progressively sold less and have been more critically panned with each release and in recent years he's struggling to find his own genre...let's just skip this one...

3. Actor

He's been in a few movies like the sequel to Carlito's Way and he's done a few Broadway shows, but he's far from being recognized in the film industry as an "actor". Good for him for branching out though. Seems fun.

4. Fashion Designer

His clothing line Sean John is pretty popular. I don't wear any Sean John but from what I've read its a pretty lucrative business venture and people seem to like it. Does Puffy actually design the stuff? I'm not sure. He might take credit for designing the Sean John styles just like he "produces" records.

5. Talent Manager

Rick Ross and Nicki Minaj are in for some TROUBLE! They are the first two to sign to his new management firm. Both trust Puffy as a very knowledgeable man and the one to take them to music success. However, should they trust their career to Puffy and put it in the hands of someone who doesn't have any successful artists on his record label? This is the one that gets me. The whole management firm thing is new, but Puffy has always revered himself as a good talent scout and manager. Is he really? I don't know....do the names Danity Kane, Dream, Day26, Donnie Klang, Kain, Black Rob, Mark Curry, G.Dep, Craig Mack, Carl Thomas, and 112 mean anything to anybody? Ya...didn't think so. They have all gone by the wayside after initially having the hype of being on Bad Boy Records and the seal of approval from the man himself. Did I miss any? Bottom line: Every artist Puffy has "discovered" and signed has failed (or died). Ma$e didn't necessarily fail but he quit to become a pastor. Soon as he decided to come out of retirement, Puffy put the final nail in the coffin of his career.

Oh and I almost forgot. He's the spokesman for Ciroc vodka. I'm sure he can put that on his everlasting resume. But let's wrap this thing up....



**DIAGNOSIS: The man is out of touch with the music industry and scrambles for ways to stay relevant. He's good at nothing but average at everything. However, it works. He's a good businessman. That's what he does. People need to stop giving him credit as a "musician" though.

**PRESCRIPTION: Nothing at all. No matter what, he'll do just fine. Cheers Puffy



'Til next time world! Leave a comment!

~Dr. M