Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Atmosphere: You Can't Imagine How Much Fun We're Having


Peace whats happening you already know so you don't have to ask. Slug (the MC) and Ant (the producer) are legends in the underground game and have one of the biggest if not the biggest following in underground hip-hop. They been doing it for damn near 20 years and even got a great label, Rhymesayers, to put even more people on. Some names on the Rhymesayers roster are Evidence, Aesop Rock, and everyone's favorite albino conspiracy theorist Brother Ali. I recently started listening to Atmosphere after hearing a couple tracks here and there so i decided to randomly pick their fourth studio album released back in 05 You Can't Imagine How Much Fun We're Having as the one that's going to introduce me to the duo. I don't really know what to expect so here we go.



Ratings right here:
0- never playing this shit again or just hitting the next button
1- if it comes on i'll let it play
2- i go out of my way to play this

1) The Arrival
Right out the gate first things first Ant hits us with some bass trunk rattling thumping shit. 3 seconds in and already i'm liking what i'm hearing off to a good start. No matter how good of an MC you are, you need to have the beats to go along with it to take you to that next level. When Slug is saying "They've arrived" i'm taking that to mean Atmosphere is back to take help bandage our wounds of wack shit that's been playing. If this was released in 05 that means if my calculations are correct Dem Franchize Boyz and D4L (shout out Shawty Lo) was poppin. Jermaine Dupri really has no artistic integrity and really just jumps on to what is hot but he getting paid. But the YoungBloodz was out around the same time i think so everything wasn't complete ass, dey callin me. Back to the track it's some raw shit. Slug is hitting you bar after bar nonstop and before you know it he just rapped his ass off for four minutes straight with no hook. Much respect. Great way to start the album no bullshit. It's like Slug was telling his kid "bring your friends over and i'm going to shit with the door open so there isn't any surprises and they know exactly what they're in for the minute they step into my house." 2

2) Panic Attack 
Hard hitting shit again right from the start by my man Ant. Two tracks in and he got me seriously thinking he one of the more underrated producers we have. Slug almost gave me a panic attack when he comes out with his muffled voice, i don't fuck with that but they switching it up. After hearing this Slug has flow for days. Dude can probably rap the dictionary and find a way to make that shit all flow like the Mississippi. He's talking to all those who suffer from panic or anxiety attacks and thus have to rely on meds to keep them in check. Slug trying to warn those the dangers of trying to medicate yourself with non-prescription drugs or alcohol. Pretty much watch out what the fuck you doing. Don't use your diagnosis as an excuse to be an idiot because stupid choices can lead to panic attacks creating a vicious cycle. 1

3) Watch Out 
Here we got the classic haters/fuck the youngsters anthem track that it seems everyone has to have. nothing special. pretty much a fill in the blank rap. ain't feeling it since the concept is overdone. 0

4)  Musical Chairs
Slug is telling us the story of two different people to get his point across that life is like the game of musical chairs. There is always someone going to be left out. Suzy and Bobby are looked down upon by society and friends because they aren't like everyone else with Suzy being a Slut and Bobby being a know it all with no friends. There isn't anything wrong with them but maybe they should have had someone tell them "You don't know everything you stupid shit" and "Stop trying to fuck all the time" and maybe they could fit in better but shit that goes back to parenting and maybe Slug is reminding himself of necessary fatherly duties. Ant laced the track again and i'm saying at this point he is ahead of Slug for the race of star of the album. 2

5) Say Hey There- the music video is edited but if you wanna see it click
Sean is flexing on the topic which he is best known for and that is talking about his past relationships and shit. So if you thought Drake was the first to be "open" with relationship issues...WRONG. Slug been doing that but he tells the masculine version of it unlike the feminine escapades of the man from north of the border. Pretty much this is a story about a bitch who just won't leave him alone. My man Sean don't wanna be in the relationship but the broad doesn't get the picture and he can't get rid of her. She pretty much annoying the shit out of him with everything that she does causing him to stress over some unnecessary shit. The girl is ruining Slug's life and my man is just trying to get away so he doesn't always have a migraine 25/8. Ant bruh once again keeps laying down fire for Slug to cook on. It's that chemistry that great duos or groups just have. 2

6) Hockey Hair 
Just flexxin his flow again. This the second track on the album where Slug straight up raps, no hooks, just bar after bar after bar flexxin that flow that he has. He's not fully satisfied with the "celebrity" lifestyle. I don't know if i would call him a celebrity and i don't think slug would call himself a celebrity either. He doesn't like the touring aspect of his job now that he is older. It may have been cool back in the day but the older he gets it's probably not as cool to be hooking up with chicks 15 years his junior and whatnot. Seems like Slug wants to find some happiness and would be able to if he can settle down with a wife but touring and shit is getting in the way of that. Ant is 6 for 6 behind the boards. 2

7) Bam
I gotta do more research on this but why does Ant not get anymore love as one of the best producers we have? Usually being a producer is some color blind shit or i don't know maybe he only caters to a certain demographic or some bullshit like that. 2nd track in a row where it's Slug flowing the whole time although i like what the did with anytime Slug yells out "Bam" that takes care of the hook right there. A one word hook and he goes right back into talking about how him and Ant are coming at you with that in your face rap that you can either love or hate. I got a good vibe from these dudes that their live shows are ill. 2

8) Pour Me Another
I see the appeal of Slug as a rapper. He is a guy that people look up to yet he has problems just like all his fans and he is super easy to relate to. I'll sum this track up in 6 words...Slug drinks his problems away too. First beat of the album i am not a fan of BUT i let it slide because it fits perfectly with what ol Sluggo is saying and how he feels. 1

9) Smart Went Crazy 
After seeing Ant's pic on the link he looks like a serial killer/rodeo clown/local tattoo artist whose hobby is fixing up motorcycles/possible neo-nazi but i don't judge based off a pic. Now i don't know if this is right but what i think Slug is saying is that shit is all good at first no matter if it's a truth or lie. The shitty things happen when what you thought were truths turned out to be lies and that realization is sadder and harder than if you had just known the truth from the beginning. Slug at the time of the album's release had been around for a while so it's not like he's new to the game or anything like that. He still struggling with the lifestyle he's living but at the same time the problems he has are problems a normal person suffers through which again enhances his appeal to his fanbase. Cool track but not memorable like that. 0

10) Angelface 
Comparing shit to a woman never seems to fail. It's a winning formula Common used to talk about the direction of hip hop at the time and in this instance Slug refers to different cities he has been to while on tour as his women. Makes sense as most are one night stands and can either be a terrible experience or great one which keeps him coming back for more in the future. Only reason why this shit ain't on instant repeat is that i really don't give a fuck about the cities that Slug and Ant have been to and for the fact that he tricked me because i thought i was bouta get a little freestyle at the end. 1

11) That Night 
 Yo first of all RIP to the girl who the song is dedicated to. Fuck people who when given the tiniest bit of power completely abuse it and have the biggest power trip. The song is written about a 16 year old girl who went to an Atmosphere show in New Mexico and ended up getting taken advantage of by the janitor working that night. If you want the rest of the details listen to the song or look it up because i don't wanna touch on it here. This shit is too sad. Back to napoleon complex motherfuckers. There is a reason the scumbag is working as a janitor. He is no position to be a leader or have any power. If he had half a brain he would be the head janitor supervisor or some shit, no disrespect to any janitors out there. Fuckbrains like him wondering why no one gives them respect or some shit or looks at them differently...Look in the mirror dude. I feel like i'm digressing my point is that motherfuckers who don't have any power don't for a reason. If we give them any reason to feel empowered we are doing ourselves and society as a whole a disservice. You supposed to be cleaning my shit i didn't flush not telling people you can meet them up with the performer. I gotta say once again the only people i'm trying to demean are peole who be abusing their powers when their intellectual qualifications destined them to be followers and nothing else. 0

12) Get Fly 
Who knew the neo-nazi could sample a church choir and turn it into some positive shit. This song has my favorite message in the song which is to 1) take accountability for your actions and 2) do what makes you happy instead of pleasing others. Slug starts off by saying he used to think the government was out to get him or he would blame god and society but fuck it. If people are really out to get me they'll get me so ima live the way i wanna live in the meantime. If they are trying to bring me down the best thing i can do is enjoy myself because they sure as hell don't want that. The second verse he is saying learn from mistakes both from your past and of those that are older. More often than not we will end up in those same situations but at east by seeing it already happen we would be better equipped to handle it. I fuck with this song. Bonus points for the choir solo at the end. 2

13) Little Man
Is it just me or does the beat sound a little like Aquemini. Now we got that out of the way i wanna say i dig this track. Love the concept of Slug talking to his son, his father, and then to himself. He's a self aware man and will be the first to admit he has made many mistakes but is constantly trying to make himself a better person, father, and son. This some grown man rap shit right here. No ignorance allowed when entering Slug's chamber. Future...there's the door, French Montana...call your shot somewhere over there, Drake....you still looking for the password to get in keep looking, Weezy...aren't you a father too? i know he a smart dude and i am not one to comment on someone else's parenting skills but i'm 100% sure everyone would give him respect once again if he did a self check track instead of talking bout licking his own fluids off of some hooker's back. My favorite track on the and a great way to end it. 2

Total Rating: 65%

First off i know Slug is the star and rightfully so because he the frontman but goddam Ant opened up my eyes. Definitely gotta look into him and see if he got any other projects on the side. This album is like the perfect amount of time for me. I ain't a big fan of skits because most of the time artists don't know how to use them and they end up being annoying talking bout "i came up from nothing blah blah blah." We get it, that's why we're listening to your album because we wanna see how you came up from nothing through you rhyming words. If i wanted to hear you talk about your come up you shoulda wrote a book. Anyways 13 TRACKS, a couple ones that weren't for my taste and only maybe 1 that i thought was complete trash. Other than that all quality work from my boys Slug and Ant. Definitely bouta dig into the itunes and find their other shit and give it a listen. peace.


 



Action Bronson & Alchemist feat. Schoolboy Q- Demolition Man


I love it when an MC and a producer do a whole project together especially when they got chemistry like Alc and Bronsolinio. Add in Quincy and you got a winning formula. I didn't like this at first but it definitely grew on me. Those mating calls them two be doing bouta be stuck in your head too. No one was sober while this track was made that's for sure. bbbdddaaabyebye bbbdddaaabyebye

Monday, February 25, 2013

Man On The Moon: The End of Day


I figure i go into the vault and do some good old fashion album reviews. Going to touch on albums or tapes from present day or the past so if there is anything you want me to speak on let me know. The first one i'm going to do is kid cudi's first album Man on The Moon: End Of Day. This is one of the first, if not the first, hip hop albums of the "new generation" that i listened to. Day n Night hooked me in and as i kept looking for other tracks off his album i ended up liking a lot of them so i eventually just downloaded the whole thing. If i were to put it into a subgenre emo rap i guess is where it would end up. Not that that's a bad thing but he does reveal who he is to us which i think is the best thing a debut album can do for an artist. If they tell us who they are from the beginning we feel more of a connection plus its quicker to see if we like or hate the artist, but by being yourself an artist can never be called fake.

Ratings right here:
0- never playing this shit again or just hitting the next button
1- if it comes on i'll let it play
2- i go out of my way to play this

1) In My Dreams (Cudder Anthem)
The first track is always important to any album because it sets the tone for what we are about to hear. This is no exception. The minute you hear the beat and Cudi speak you know 1) this album is finna be about all the shit that is is going on in his head and 2) the dude smokes a lot of weed among other substances. We are about to be taken into his dreams aka his state of mind when he is high but with that state of mind comes some real thoughts. Common ends it on some spoken word stuff that cuts the bullshit and tells you what to expect from the sober perspective. Good intro to an album 1

2) Soundtrack 2 My Life
There isn't two ways around it, this song is fucking depressing. The first verse starts off explaining exactly who he is not, not Jigga. He just a dude from Cleveland trying to make it in the world. He lived a tough life by growing up revealing he was raised by his mom which we find out later because his father died. Despite not living in the best circumstances he had role models in his mother, at least one of his older brothers, and his older sister so he had a support system. Then the hook comes in and he emo's it to the 10th degree saying he has sadness that he keeps inside of him. No one can see it because Cudi chooses not to reveal it to the world. The second verse comes in saying he's been messed up ever since his father died but by expressing this as a new artist he is hoping to inspire others who suffer from depression or whatever that they are not alone. And if you didn't get it by now he lives in a dark place, like the other side of the moon dark. Third verse comes in talking about wanting to kill himself then somehow ends up saying even if he gets all that he wants he still wouldn't be satisfied. That's is some fucked up shit but shit who knows what went through his life. 2

3) Simple As...
Right here Cudi is still dreaming and by the beat it sounds like he is still having good dreams. He knows personal dreams can be hard to explain to others so he is going to keep it as simple as possible. He knows what he does not want to be, a loser and a loner, and convinces himself that he is not through his music. If he is a celebrity not only can he gain popularity but he can inspire others like him. He knows though that stereotypes are hard to break. Parents will be reluctant to let their kids listen to Cudi simply because he is a rapper without listening to what he is saying. Also he is putting himself in a box and not being the prototypical "rapper" which may throw fans of hardcore rap by simply assuming Cudi is soft and don't feel like listening to him. Common closes it out on some more spoken word stuff saying we have been listening to Cudi's positive dreams and we are now about to hear his nightmares. So get ready for some depressing shit. 1

4) Solo Dolo
Mescudi is saying he is all alone pretty much in the world. He is not saying fuck the world but is unsure if there is anyone else out there like him and by releasing his music he will be able to find out. He also feels as though he can't do anything right and everything he tries fails. To combat this feeling he lives in his dreams, does drugs to escape reality and go into his happy place. His last verse is the essential fuck you to the haters when i was coming up verse that i guess is a must on every album. i never understood why musicians always address their haters on debut projects. It's not that people don't like them it's that people don't know about them but whatever. 0

5) Heart Of A Lion
This track is all about a plan he has to make it big. He acknowledges that he is stuck in and because he has not yet achieved success he feels as though he needs to ask for help. He fell into a trap of feeling down about himself and smoking weed which in turn turned into a cycle until he was able to keep it under control at least. Remembering words his mother told him Cudi is determined to not let anyone tell him No and comes up with a plan to work hard 25 hours a day in order to accomplish whatever goals he has set out for himself. He could be showing signs of believing in the good angel and bad angel on your shoulder concept. I thought he addresses his haters whenever he is talks to "You" but i am thinking that he is actually talking to himself and the bad angel on his shoulder. 2

6) My World feat. Billy Cravens
This is the song i finally understood what he is talking about by man on the moon. He references it a couple times in this song by saying "in my room...i mean on the moon." The moon is a metaphor for his room as to where Cudi would go to when he wanted to be by himself. No one could bother him in his room just as no one would bother him on the moon. Not only that but with his room being a place of refuge it also seems to be a dark place much like the other side of the moon which refers to the side of the soon that does not receive sunlight and is the darkest part of it. Some more depressing shit here about his failures in life, couldn't talk to girls, and never being able to hold a job in addition to talking about people who didn't believe in him and the bad angel on his shoulder. It's a good song but too depressing to listen to over and over. 0

7) Day N Night 
Here's the song that propelled Cudi into the star that he is today. Despite the nice beat it's yet another depressing song. To me it's a track that talks about the cycle he goes through in a typical day. He has a lot on his mind and is constantly on the search for answers yet can never find it and always seems to get frustrated. The hook is saying that he is not comfortable during the day and like most people the real him comes out at night where there are less people to judge because less are out and about. Another reference to his drug use is when he says "free his mind at night." It makes sense seeing as he probably has no responsibilities during the night and has the time to partake in such activities. To make himself feel better he wears fresh stuff like white Nikes and smokes more weed. This in turn is the cycle he goes through every day. 2

8) Sky Might Fall
 Some more depressing stuff from our star today but at least he is trying to put a positive spin on it now. He seems to have been happy at one point in his life because he is constantly trying to find it again throughout the album. Nothing in his life is going right at the moment and does not mind if the world were to end. It would surely just put an end to his life that has nothing right going for him at the moment but if the world were to not end he could follow the plan he laid out in Heart of a Lion and attempt to make something out of himself and indeed possibly finally achieve happiness which no one is sure if he has reached today. 1

9) Enter Galactic 
No wonder my man is so happy on this track. It's pretty much an ode to either shrooms or weed i can't figure it out but yeah he making a love song to it. Good thing about this is girls can think song is about them while druggys can trip balls, listen to this, and do whatever it is that they do while they on their trip. He has a wack line like "I want to kiss you on the space beneath your navellette...so moist like a towelette." We'll forgive him for now but if drugs were making him come up with that stupid shit then thank god he sobered up. It's whatever though because he actually makes me feel like i'm taking an acid trip and if an artist can put me in his state of mind by what he is saying...it's good. 2

10) Alive feat. Ratatat 
Song starts off right away by Cudi stating he is more alive at night than during daytime. By comparing himself to a werewolf he looks for his prey to keep him alive. His prey is happiness or whatever the fuck Cudi is looking for to not make him depressed and I sincerely hope he finds it soon because he got me wanting to kill myself. He then goes on to say again how he is a loner and just wants to be by himself while he tries to accomplish what seems like is turning out to be his life goal of finding peace within himself. Now I believe everyone is in the same situation trying to find inner peace but some people face it better than others. But the point being finding happiness is everyone's goal in some way or form. 2

11) Cudi Zone 
It looks like Cudi balls are finally dropping seeing as he appears more willing to say Fuck You to his haters (the evil angel on his shoulder) and is ready to tackle his dreams. As he looks to prepare for the new stage in his life he can't go all in and doubt stays in his head. That is why he can't let go of weed. It has been his loyal friend sticking with him through tough times and Cudi isn't just going to let her go so he decides to bring her along for the ride. He looks to his dreams to imagine the life he will have when he is successful and can already see how great it will be to be finally be loved by everyone. At the same time he knows of certain pitfalls but figures once he made it that far there could be nothing worth throwing everything away for. 1

12) Make Her Say 
Now i've said before that on a debut album i prefer the artist the artist to have as least amount of features as possible otherwise it defeats the purpose of introducing an artist. But i like the idea of this one with Kanye and Common. The last couple couple tracks have Cudi getting out of his nightmares and revealing his more positive dreams to us. Make Her Say samples Lady Gaga's Pokerface if any of you completely forgot about her and is Cudi's dream about the perks of being a celebrity...sex with bitches. While Cudi is talking about the girls he wants to bone kanye and common being the veterans that they are tell him the type of girls (girls because women don't subject themselves to that) he can expect to see. The older brothers are showing him the ropes and i hope they told him to always wear a rubber. Funny that kanye ended up wifing a ho but that's his business. Btw the sample is fucking annoying. 1

13) Pursuit of Happiness feat. MGMT  
Two points i gotta make right off the bat. 1)No one has told me why Drake is in the video and 2) Schoolboy and Rocky absolutely killed the sample to the cover of the song. So the problem is if i hear the hook i want to hear the Q'ster's version and not Scott's but that's ok. I'll always remember who did the original. Anyways Cudi is actually telling us the stuff he goes through to pursue "happiness." Society tells us happiness is going out, partying, living life to the fullest because YOLO right. Well that shit may work for some people but people like Cudi that life just isn't for him. Trying to achieve happiness through this lane is causing more stress and a feeling of "what am i doing with my life?" Although it may be fun for a while living that life can get old pretty quick and a person needs to decide whether or not they wanna grow up. 0 no offense but the minute i hear the hook i'm switching it to Hands On The Wheel

14) Hyerr feat. Chip Tha Ripper
If you have never heard of Chip Tha Ripper (now goes by the name of King Chip) i suggest you give him a listen. He may not be everyones cup of tea but fuck it you can't say that he's trash, shout out to everyone that laced Oil Money. Now after hyping up Chip there isn't anything to this song. It's your standard weed song, no new ideas here. If you liked Chip's verse check his other shit out. 0

15) Up, Up, and Away
After depressing us for a lot of the album Cudi decides to end it on a good note. He finally woke up after a longs nights sleep, decided to wake and bake, and decides to do whatever the fuck he wants to. He reasons that he will be screwed with any choice he makes. He's going to have his haters if he keeps doing his music thing but he will disappoint the people that matter to him if he sits by and continues to do nothing with his life. Common closes it out saying we always have something to accomplish. Successful people can't just sit back and relax after accomplishing a goal. Even if they don't want it there will be another challenge waiting for them. 1

Total Rating: 53% 

So looking at the rating maybe i don't like the album as much as i thought i did. I think it is a hit and miss thing with me and obviously there are a number of misses but it doesn't suck. Not a bad debut at all for the lonely stoner kid from cleveland. It definitely introduced him to us and we know what to expect in terms of where he is coming from. Obviously his content has changed with subsequent albums but it is still the same Scott Mescudi. The things i liked the most about it were the low number of features and no doubt Cudi was the star of he album. The producers didn't outshine him and Cudi rode all the beats well. He realized these beats weren't ripe for killing so he didn't go for the kill. If he tried that the album would have sounded a lot different and most likely come out worse. Thank you to the 10 people taking their time to read this. peace


Starlito- Mental Warfare


Shout out to Big Boy for putting me on to Lito. title track of the Tape he dropped last year. Seriously one of the more underrated rappers out today. He recorded the project in a castle. If that's not some Count Dracula pimp shit then i don't know what is.

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Rapper/NBA Counterparts



Since Lil Wayne is probably the only rapper who has ever had beef with the NBA it got me thinking how similar rappers and NBA athletes actually are. Then i remembered i kind of read something like this before. First of all i'm giving credit where its due and saying i got the idea for this entry from bleacherreport. They did another slideshow like that but i couldn't find it. This entry will pretty much be self explanatory. The only thing i'm going to say is that only current players and "relevant" rappers will be used for this. So let's Michael Buffer this shit. Sorry Bruce

Rajon Rondo/Childish Gambino

The key thing that pits these two together is versatility. Rajon can get a triple double any night he seemingly wants to, controls the game for Boston offensively and sets the tone on the perimeter defensively. Childish Gambino, or Donald Glover, wrote for 30 Rock, stars on Community, does stand up, and from what i hear can absolutely rock a crowd. Rock a crowd to the point that Gza just stops doing his set because Gambino's is too crazy. Rondo does have his deficiencies like not being a great scorer so he is not called upon lead Boston in that aspect. While Donald Glover is a good actor he is not called upon to be the lead actor. He may lead an episode every now and then but that's it. Two versatility guys who are best when called on to support.



Chris Bosh/Rick Ross

Maybe a little puzzling at first but give me a second. Both call Miami their home and both have been accused of being fake with Officer Ricky continually speaking of his days as a drug kingpin which no one believes and Bosh being Miami's center while everyone around the league unanimously credit him as being a fake tough guy. This leads to people taking figurative shots at Bosh while someone literally took shots at Rozay, although 50 believes it was staged. They both have their signature looks. Ross is disgustingly fat, has a beard, grunts UGGH and WHOOOH, and i'm pretty sure no one has ever seen his eyes. Bosh looks like a dinosaur, ostrich or whatever other awkward animal you can think of, has his signature facial expressions, and pretty much looks like a bitch. Haters gunna hate tho and Ross is going to keep putting out the best selling albums while putting on for his super team MMG. Bosh is going to keep putting up solid numbers to the tune of about 18 and 8 everynight and does what it takes for his super team to survive. 

Drake/Pau Gasol
This was just too easy. Not only are both regarded as two of the softest in the respective professions, foreigners doing it big in America but they both resemble animals. Drake has a rat face look going for him while Pau has that llama look going for him, shout out to Peru. Both were swimming in obscurity until the biggest people took them in. Lil Wayne took in Drake for Young Money, and to write for him, while the Lakers traded Kwame Brown for him. Turned out to be wins for both as Drake had two best selling albums and Pau helped Kobe and friends get two more rings. With Pau seemingly on the decline we can only hope the gods make it right and take Wheelchair Jimmy down with him.

Chris Brown/Dwight Howard

These two both started off their careers as two youngsters who everyone seemed to love and do no wrong. Breezy had the dance moves and could sing karaoke like no other. Then Breezy proceeded to beat Rihanna to a pulp and come off as a douche that throws tantrums (literally throws child temper tantrums) when someone would ask him about it. I get that he gets annoyed whenever those questions come up but are we supposed to feel bad for him. I don't know what Rihanna did to set him off but c'mon dude, you can't expect to beat America's sweetheart and not face any questions about it like it never happened. Now he is public enemy number 1 and other than stupid ass girls who say "Chris Brown can beat me any day" i havn't met anyone who respect him as a person. Hard to respect a boy who takes dick pics bleaches his hair blonde and throws tantrums when someone asks him a question he doesn't want to answer, ever think of saying "No Comment." Dwight was the God fearing teenage phenom who could jump out of the gym and was a physical specimen. He had his run in Orlando then proceeded to become a teenage girl when he wouldn't give an answer to the team that was built around and for him. He said he would stay then demand a trade then retrack any statements and eventually get a very good coach in Stan Van Gundy fired. He finally gets his wish of being traded to LA and that isn't good enough for him. He says he will stay in LA then there are reports of him wanting to go to Brooklyn and now his back hurts and cries if someone asks him how he is doing. Oh and that wholesome God image he came in with turned out to be phony because he has knocked up like three different women and proceeded to leave the children fatherless so yeah. Two kids who came into the game with all love then proceeded to never grow up and stay children as they are now amongst the most hated in their profession. Goes to show how the media can puff up a celebrity's ego to the point of entitlement which disallows the chance for growth.

Rasheed Wallace/ E-40

belt says Roscoe lol








Here we have two OG's in the game who find a way
to keep thriving in a young man's game. They both were not afraid to do things their own way. Since they are different, people either love or hate them but i would like to think fans of basketball and hip hop have respect for them no matter whether you love or hate them. Rasheed has been doing his thing since his days at North Carolina and keeps it real by always rocking the Air Force 1's on the court. I feel like he is not respected for being as smart of a player as he actually is. Has a solid inside out game while realizing later in his career he can play longer by shooting the 3 which he was able to do effectively. Rasheed doesn't care what anyone thinks because he is just going to play the game the only way he knows how and the man could pick up T's like no other. E-40 has been hustling since day one and got his start in the Bay Area rap group the Click, shout out B-Legit and Suga-T. A self made music man whose Sick Wid It Records label has enabled 40 Fonzarelli to put out music on his own terms. He doesn't get his respect by how much influence he has blessed the game with and that is just in terms of slang. 40 is also notable for still working just as hard now as he was earlier in his career seeing as there aren't too many people who drop 3 albums in one day like the Ambassador of the Bay. Two OG's in the game who have loyal fans and would be very hard for someone else to be like them in the future.

Chauncey Billups/Bun B


Another OG comparison here with Chauncey and Bun B. Chauncey always seems to be the veteran that a team needs to not only help guide them to the playoffs but to help them make a deep run. Bun is that dude who gets called upon to lay down a verse and for the most part usually ends up with the best one. Chauncey has had his moments individually like being MVP of the 2004 Finals but for the most part being remembered as a team player who only provided positives and no one really has anything bad to say about him. He is best known for his run with the Pistons in the mid 2000's who had a great run of success in the East and has maintained a good career afterwards with Denver, New York, and now the Clippers. Bun is a legend in the rap game who is best known for his work teaming up with the late Pimp C, RIP Pimp C, as one half of UGK. He created his best work with Pimp but has stayed noteworthy laying down track stealing guest verses. It's not like Bun is a lost cause by himself as his third solo album Trill OG ended up getting a rare 5 mic rating from the Source. Two guys who go about their business and looking back on their careers you may be surprised on how much the two were able to accomplish.

A$AP Rocky/Jeremy Lin

#1 Asian gangsta
Maybe a little puzzling comparison at first but let me explain. Both were guys who seemingly came out of nowhere in New York to dominate the landscape for a while. They are also unconventional stars who based on appearance wouldn't be the first people you think of as success stories. Rocky is a New York rapper but doesn't have a New York sound at all. On top of that he raps about being a pretty motherfucker and dresses like a gothic transvestite. So one wouldn't assume succes for him. But he dropped two videos for Purple Swag and Peso which he was then able to parlay into a $3 million deal, TYBG. He followed that up with Live.Love.ASAP which was very well received and dropped his album Long.Live.ASAP which debuted at number 1 i think despite being leaked a month early. Jeremy Lin is a Chinese dude from Palo Alto, went to Harvard, and blew up the basketball world last year during Linsanity. Now for anyone who has ever played chinese dudes in basketball they either suck like no other or are ballers and Mr Lin fit into that latter category. He came out of nowhere to get all the national buzz, his jersey sales skyrocketed, and inspired chinese kids all over america to finally have a chinese player they could claim as their own, sorry Yao and Yi Jianlin. He parlayed his two week success into a $25 million deal with Houston and has been doing a decent job for them this season. Anyone else think he should reunite with D'Antoni in LA or is that just me? Two guys coming out of nowhere and briefly dominating their fields before parlaying it into success while still doing their thing today. 

Kobe/Eminem

These two i would have to say are undoubtedly the best of their generation. If it weren't for a guy named Jordan Kobe might even be in the discussion for GOAT. They have been around for a while starting out as understudies before taking over and consistently putting out great seasons/content over the last 15 years or so. Em had the underground hit Infinite which gave him a buzz but really took off when Dr. Dre took him under his wing and pointed him in the right direction. After a while Dre took the training wheels off and Em started to take control of his own career and took off to the point that he was in conversation of GOAT rapper. Sure he had his missteps like Relapse and Recovery but we all know that if Marshall were to drop something tomorrow everyone would go crazy trying to peep it. Kobe started off slow then rose to the unquestionable #2 man behind Shaq during their 3 peat. It was a couple more years before Kobe could grab the role of alpa male and he still has not relinquished that title. His resume speaks for itself and there has not been someone since Jordan who visibly hates to lose in any sport for that matter as much as Kobe. He has had his missteps as well like raping someone in Colorado and the Smush Parker years but once Phil Jackson came back aboard he used the end of his prime years to grab a couple more titles. If you were up against one rapper for a battle rap or one player to take the last shot today would anyone be confident if that opponent were Kobe or Em? i doubt it.

Lebron/Kanye

nice shirt of yourself
Right now Kanye is the reigning king of the hip hop world while Lebron had one of they best years ever in basketball to claim the title of best player in the world today. Not only are they on top of the game but they can pretty much do anything they want in their respective professions. Kanye can rip a track that he made and wrote himself, do a concert justice, get people talking about him and seemingly keep his sanity knowing he going to be paying child support for Kim Kardashian's kid. Lebron can take over a game offensively with drives to the basket, being a facilitator and can lock down an opponents best player no matter the position, wassup derrick rose. Now they can't do everything perfectly with examples like kanye on a hook or Lebron shooting threes but them doing so is still a better option than most others. They are in the prime of their careers right now and everyone has an opinion on them whether is a douche or not or whether lebron is a douche or not. They both make everyone around them better but if you need someone to take over you know who to look to.



Metta World Peace/Lil B

The artists formerly known as Ron Artest and Brandon McCarthey are two guys living in their own world and have the rare distinction of having been interviewed by Nardwuar. Lil B lives that based like no one else can and Metta World Peace is just out there. Both have been part of some talented teams in the past with Ronnie part of a team with Reggie Miller, Jermaine O'Neal, Stephen Jackson, and Austin Croshere, shout out to Auburn Hills. Lil B was a member of the Based Boys better known as the Pack with Young L, Lil Uno, and Stunnaman. Both have made some questionable decisions in life such as Ron Artest jumping into the stands to beat the shit out of the wrong guy and Lil B calling his album I'm Gay. Shit both have even crossed over into each others profession. Ron has his own record label and has released one album that I know of, Queensbridge projects stays breeding legends pretty much, and Lil B unsuccessfully trying out for the Golden State Warriors D League team where he could have teamed up with Kent Bazemore to form the most entertaining backcourt ever. Each has their fans who love them because they do what they do without caring about others' opinions about them and for that i always have respect for people like that.

Waka Flocka Flame/Gerald Wallace

The thing that sticks out about these two is the energy these two bring to the table. Flocka can't seem to not shout on any track he is on including one that sounded like it was supposed to be a slow jam before Waka came in the room. Gerald Wallace can't seem to not go 100 percent every minute he is on the court and has paid for it by virtue of never playing a full season in his career. Flocka has had mainstream success like having a number one hit with No Hands but his real niche is in the underground mixtape game. He has about 11 official tapes released in the last 3 and a half years and among those are some of the best named and great album covers of this generation, peep Lebron Flocka James and Duflocka Rant. Gerald Wallace not does have the flashy numbers but has been recognized as an All Star back in 2010. His success comes with the "stats" that don't show up in the box score like hustle plays, diving for loose balls, being a shutdown defender, and going full speed at all times. A unique stat that did show up was for one year he averaged over two blocks and two steals a game which not many in history have done and even more noteworthy because Wallace is a swingman. They both know what they are good at and stick to their comfort zones. We know what we are getting if hear a Flocka project or watch Gerald play so you can never really be too frustrated with them.

Jay Electronica/Mike Vick

I know Vick doesn't play in the NBA but i thought this was the best athlete comparison. Both are some old dudes that are in danger of never living up to their potential. In Vick's case it is his combination of being injury prone and refusal to play smart when he is healthy. He needs to realize people will respect him more if he is willing to not take a hit rather than be the tough guy and fight for every yard. That's a good mentality for a running back but not a $100 million quarterback. Jay Elec needs to cut the bullshit and fucking drop his album already. I don't know if he was waiting for a sign from Allah or something but the longer we wait the more likely it is that the album is not going to be as good as we hope. He has shown a glimpse of what he can do with tracks like Exhibit C and Eternal Sunshine. Vick has shown us potential as a Quarterback with his great 2010 season but for some reason has not been able to be consistent. Time is running out for these two to make something out of their careers but if they can show us what we know they are capable of then we are in for a treat.


Kevin Durant/Kendrick Lamar 

Here we have the two young guns who have been improving every year. Durant jumped onto the national radar by winning Player of the Year as a Freshman at Texas and entered the NBA in 2007 where he has proceeded to win the last 3 scoring titles and looks to be on way to a fourth this year. If Lebron is the best player in the world then Durant is right at his heels trying to catch him. He is still only 24 years old and can still improve on his game to really take over the game. Already the best scorer in the league he can kill teams in multitude of ways with his handling, shooting, or drives to the bucket. Durant is as close to unguardable as there is and opponents can't stop him with their only way to defend him is to pray he has an off night. He has helped rebuild the former Seattle Supersonics into the juggernaut that is the Oklahoma City Thunder. On a team with players like Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka, KD is unquestionably the leader of the team. Kendrick has been buzzing underground for a few years and broke through this past year with his major label debut good kid mAAd city. The last several years though he has been putting quality projects wit the Kendrick Lamar EP, Overly Dedicated, and the critically acclaimed Section 80. Only 25 years old K-Dot is not recognized yet as the best MC in the game but if he keeps improving at the rate he has been there does not seem to be anyone else who will take his crown in a couple years. Much like Durant's team Kendrick's team is the talent laden Black Hippy. Although not necessarily the leader Kendrick is definitely the bar setter for Schoolboy Q, Ab Soul, and Jay Rock. These young guns are leading a new generation and are people that vets and youngins alike can be proud to see as the leaders.

The Roots/San Antonio Spurs

Two of the most respected entities of their professions these two groups pretty much set the bar for longevity and success in Hip Hop and the NBA. The funny thing is that the core has remained the same for so long. The Roots main men consist of Black Thought and ?uestlove and those two go back to their high school days way back in the 80's. Best believe once i get some cash i'm going to cop me some ?uest air forces. The rest of the band has been a revolving door of role players with the most notable member to branch out and do his own thing has been Scott Storch. Every album The Legendary Roots Crew has been in the categories good to great and the best thing about them is their consistency and being able to sound fresh after every project for over 20 years. Now the Spurs run started off when Greg Popovich took over, drafted Tim Duncan (probably the most under appreciated Hall of Famer ever) and paired him up with the Admiral, shout out David Robinson. That core led them to two titles and after David Robinson  Manu Ginobli and Tony Parker proceeded to supplement Duncan to give them a core Big Three which has been scary consistent over the past decade. Every year you can pencil them in for a top 3 seed in the west despite to always seemingly have a revolving door of role players but credit has to go to the Big 3 and Coach Pop for that. Both the Spurs and the Roots are going to continue to be great until they decide they do not want to and in the future their level of excellence i believe will be appreciated and the standard bearer for future teams and groups.
 

There you go for some food for thought. Actually pretty sick to me how careers of rappers and athletes mirror each other. Definitely going to do something like this again in the future but with other sports and musicians from other genres. Who knows who will be relevant in a year. peace



Shawty I'm Flexxin


Thursday, February 21, 2013

Slim Samurai Freshmen 2013


Aight now as everyone eagerly waits every year to bash on the XXL Freshmen cover each year we gotta agree that XXL used to be sorta okay at this. From '08 to '11 they seemed to be genuinely trying to pick hip hop's next breakout star. Some notable names to be chosen for the cover that were able to break on through to the mainstream were Wale, J. Cole, Big Sean, Kendrick Lamar, and the most notable of them all Mister Wiz Khalifa. They even were able spot dudes who continued to put out ill shit like Freddie Gibbs, Jay Rock, Nipsey Hussle, and the homie Big KRIT. Then they just got some duds like OJ Da Juiceman, Fred the Godson (still don't know who he is), and Mr. Forgettable himself Cyhi the Prince. So they weren't terrible in their choices but then i don't know what happened in 2012. They just put out the people who had the most buzz with the exception of Don Trip. Does anyone think French Montana, MGK, Hopsin, Future, and Kid Ink are going to be the next wave of superstars. I admit to thinking Iggy would go in the way of Nicki Minaj in terms of coming up as a rapper than switching to appeal to the pop audience because of her look but for the time it seems like she just going to make shitty rap. Macklemore surprised me and i have no idea why Roscoe Dash is on there. If they follow that pattern i got $10 saying Mikey Rocks is on the next one.

Since i have no idea how XXL chooses their list, i'm going to make my own that makes sense to me. My criteria is rappers who have buzz but have yet to break through. Because i consider artists like Joey Bada$$ and Action Bronson and Schoolboy and Ab Soul to have already broken through they won't be on here (they're headlining their own tours so they're not exactly on the come up). So it's pretty much the best known unknown artists out there. It was tough because i don't feel like anyone really separated themselves from the pack and i don't see any game changers aka it's just another year in music. Without further adu, Slim's 2013 Breakthrough Artists.

Rockie Fresh- First off we got the newest MMG member Rockie Fresh. Now i don't like dude's music like that but its cool and i could see him getting mainstream love this year if he releases an album. His release all depends where he is on the MMG pecking order so who knows when he gets his stuff out (shout out to Stalley). The good thing about being on Ross's label though is the artists do put out their albums and Ross for the most part lets them do them. Considering Rockie Fresh's two mixtapes Diving 88 and Electric Highway had a mainstream type of sound he should be able to make a fairly seamless transition. So if i had to put my money on someone breaking onto the radio this year, it would be this young cat right here.

Into The Future

Dizzy Wright- This dude surprised me right here. Because he rolls with Hopsin and Swizzz i completely expected him to have a style like them and boy was i wrong. Not as in your face as the other two but definitely is as nice and can hold his own when the situation calls for it. He has a good outlook on life as you can see in his music. He's not going to change the world or nothing but is a good complement to the Funk Volume crew.

Fuck Your Opinion

Iamsu!- First off, i really hope he drops the ! from his name. All rappers with $ or ! and whatever need to just stop that (curt@!n$ i'm looking at you). not only is it extremely annoying to type that shit in to youtube but i just automatically think they suck. Now that's out of the way we got Iamsu out of Rich What, Richmond California. Now he not conscious or nothing but the most important thing i learned from him is that apparently Richmond is not part of the Bay. I don't know if that is official seeing as Richmond is on the Bart map or just his view but he said it. He brings that bay party rap back into the game and if you don't know who he is you definitely have heard him on Function, Who Booty, and he wrote the hook and laid a verse down on Up. He makes his own beats too (shout out to 1 O.A.K. for teaching him how to) which is always a plus in my eyes. Suzy 6 Speed was dope and hopefully he can get nationwide love rather than the regional love.

Mobbin

Phil Ade- I don't like this dude because he making people pay for his mixtape now but whatever. Other than that i don't have anything bad to say about Phil Ade (pronounced Odday). Lyrical dude who is a throwback in terms of his choice of beats. Love the samples that his producers flip and how he rides the beats. He doesn't tear them up but he definitely does it justice. I have no idea where he's from but definitely gunna try to see him live if he comes to the area.

Always There

Dee-1- The first time I ever heard of this cat was on the GGN Network (shout out to Uncle Snoop). I did a little more archaeological research and found out the dude is from New Orleans and doesn't sound like a typical Hot Boys/Cash Money rapper. I peeped his mixtape and he was just telling us what it's like to be him. Dee is the news reporter out of whatever New Orleans hood he's from and isn't afraid to call out local legend lil wayne on his shit.

The Garden of Eden
(aka J. Cole with dreads)

Mr. Muthfuckin eXquire- Alright now i heard some comparison last year saying mr exquire (don't forget the motherfuckin) was the second coming of biggie. Whoever said that needs the slap themselves every morning when they wake up but the man does have talent and i'm not talking bout rapping. Dude can murder a coloring book like no other. Well he actually can spit fire but i feel like he is going to be one of those guys that absolutely kill one verse over and over and never really puts out a dope project by themselves. shout out to Bun B. Mr eXquire definitely got his own flavor and him and el-p just needa do a project together because mixed race babies tend to come out real nice.

Huzzah


Rapsody- Now this girl has been getting a lot of love recently and is the next great hope for female emcees, sorry iggy. I still think jean grae still holds the crown but rapsody can close the distance even more if she continues to put out quality projects. She has appeared at Paid Dues and laced tracks with fellow North Carolinians Kooley High. Other North Carolina legend 9th Wonder sees the potential and has worked with her as well which pretty much legitimizes her as a talent. Be on the lookout for her this year.

Buckshot


J. Pinder- Alright i admit that i do not know much about this cat right here other than he shot a couple videos in san francisco. i don't know if the guy is from san francisco but he definitely has some talent. He is a story teller and not only do his songs pay attention to his craft but he tells the story through his videos as well which has become a lost art recently as well. I'm actually surprised he is not more well known because he has that young person growing up in the world sound trying to find himself that relates well to the youngbloods, shout out to Uncle Drew.

A Learning Game


Young Gully- Gully is that dude out of Oakland who is finding a way to blend the Bay sound with a Conscious sound. He has a couple well received projects under his belt already such as The Oscar Grant Project and The Definition of Gas to name a couple. He also released a retail album David that was available in stores around the Bay Area and available on iTunes so if you like his free projects definitely cop David and support a local artist on the come up. I feel like he needs to diversify his flow up a bit but he is still a young artist who has gotten love from legends already. Pep Love of Hieroglyphics even blessed Gully's remix of '93 Til' which in my opinion along with Freddie Gibbs' How We Do are the two best remixes of the original. HM5 mixtape coming soon.

Still YH feat AB and Lil Chris

that's oscar grant's pic if you didn't know. if you don't know his story you will see how blacks and whites are treated differently indeed. in short a white cop got one year in prison for killing oscar grant. RIP

Team Backpack-Now i don't know how many people nationwide about the Bay Area Collective known as Team Backpack but if you want something different definitely check them out. I really hope they prove me wrong on this but i do not feel they will appeal to the mainstream but at the same time i don't think they really give two shits about that. They wanna expose their up and coming artists to the world and most effectively do this through their cyphers. They show love and get love from notable artists like Erk Tha Jerk, Iamsu, and even Funk Volume has spit for them a couple times. Shout out to Armani, Jedi, E-Money, and everyone else in the Team Backpack movement to keep doing what you're doing. Check out their website for info and all that good shit.

Do That

There you have it. The people i feel you should be listening to and not necessarily the biggest stars for the upcoming year because honestly only like 2 people on the xxl cover actually make hits so odds are for the magazine to actually get some predictions right. Point i'm making here is that xxl can't take credit for calling that 2 artists break through when their other 10 predictions flop harder than vlade divac. make sure all three of you reading tell me about anyone else on the come up. peace.



Adele- He Won't Go

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Wrestling and The Olympics

The Olympic Cut the Weight That Is Wrestling

News came out this morning that the oldest sport in the world has been dropped from the 2020 Olympics. This is stupid seeing as the Olympics prides itself on tradition and history yet are washing itself with history and tradition. There is very little that has changed about wrestling over the years. As a matter of fact i can't think of any. It is two people competing against each other to see who is better. That is not a dumbed down explanation. It is the essence of competition. It is one on one, no one there to help you. Sure there are coaches but wrestlers can't hear what the coaches are saying during the match anyway. It is one of the only sports today that we can go in a time machine to the first Olympics and have the spectators not only know what sport it is but also compete because it is the same now as it was then. So now that wrestling is gone we can all go enjoy the true spirit of the Olympics in the form of ping-pong, sailing, golf, tennis, shooting, B-team World Cup Soccer, and competitive crocheting which will be a sport by 2024 if my sources are correct. And Track And Field and Swimming and other sports like that are great for the Olympics too but if they have world championships every year that kind of devalues the joy of being the best once every four years. I don't know maybe i'm just pissed or maybe i'm making sense who knows. All i know is i'll be sure to get my fix by watching rich people ride horses to claim the title of best horse back rider of the world. peace.


Sublime- Scarlet Begonias


RIP Brad. Dam a lot of talented people have died. Makes you wonder if being famous is worth it.

This Day In History

February 12, 1912

Hsian T'ung, the last Chinese emperor is forced to step down from his position ending over 2,000 years of Chinese imperial rule. He was only six years old at the time and weird to think people would let someone that young rule but there was divine belief in the rulers so whatever. I'm down to see the rise of an empire again just to see how the world would react and see how the empire would hold up in modern times. peace


UGK- Pocket Full of Stones pt. 2




UGK coming with that Houston sound. Some funky, grimy, feeling yourself stuff right here. RIP Pimp C

Monday, February 11, 2013

This Day In History

February 11, 1990

After spending 27 years in jail , 2/3 of which were spent in a small cell without a bed or plumbing and forced to hard labor, Nelson Mandela is released from prison. A symbol of the movement to end South African apartheid he was arrested numerous time in the early 60's. One for treason, one for trying to leave the country and was sentenced to 5 years in prison, and again for sabotage which resulted in a life sentence. He was the symbol of the South African apartheid movement and respected for his ability to not go batshit crazy and stay sane while punished terribly as a prisoner.

Nelson Mandela Bootcamp


Masta Ace feat. Jean Grae- Hold You

Two great MC's blessing the track and the fact that Jean Grae is from South Africa links up pretty nice to the Nelson Mandela story. Little known fact is that Eminem has admitted to being influenced greatly by Masta Ace. peace

Sunday, February 10, 2013

What Is Underground

Four Pillars of Underground

Nowadays "underground" is such a broad term that it encompasses any artist that is not mainstream. What is underground though? I have no idea but i decided there are four types of Underground artists. The first is the artist/group who comes up, has a loyal fanbase and is making quality records. Then they generate a large enough buzz as to where a major label signs them. The artist/group however does not proceed to take away from what got them there. They are able to straddle that fine line of appealing to a wider audience while staying true to their roots at the same time. Take The Roots for example, probably one of the more widely accepted hip hop acts ever but they have a sound unique to themselves and have never "sold out" for bigger money or anything like that. Yes they made records here and there that catered to more of a mainstream audience but they were still able to keep that distinct sound to where you knew it was The Roots. Other examples would be early 50 Cent, Young Jeezy, Nas, Jay-Z (to an extent), and Outkast. You could even say Flocka brought his sound to the mainstream (shout out to the people who apparently kidnapped some random person's daughter and killed someone thinking it was Flocka).

The second is the forever underground artist/group. These people won't cater to what anyone says and will do their music on their own terms. They pretty much have no chance of making it on the radio and gaining a wider audience because they will not conform to any major labels and will solely focus on the kind of music they want to put, not the taste of some middle aged white guy who climbs mountains and plays electric guitars. shout out to the Gza. These are the Lil' Boosies, Freddie Gibbses, Starlitos (shout out to big boy) of the world. Gangsta Gibbs was signed to Young Jeezy's label and was sitting there not getting shit done with the label. You know he was putting out quality music because he kept serving up highly reviewed mixtapes and ep's yet those wouldn't make any money for the label so they wouldn't push those projects. Gibbs said fuck it and bounced. Starlito man that's another story. The Tennessee native puts out quality tape after quality tape but won't sell out for the sake of him not wanting to be changed by any corporation. I'll let my man speak more on Lito if he chooses to bless the both of you reading this. Other example would be Curren$y, Asher Roth (he admitted to fucking up with I Love College and vowed to never do some bullshit like that again), E-40, Cassidy, Zion I, Hieroglyphics, the whole Living Legends crew, and my man El-P.

The third group is the sellouts. They had a solid underground career and were making a name for themselves until they got signed. Nicki Minaj i'm looking at you. She wasn't the greatest rapper but she was nice and did her thing yet and even for a minute on young money she tried to stick to rapping. Yet when she wanted that solo career money a complete 180 was done on her style. Not only did she lose every fan that was with her in the beginning she has proceeded to completely make a fool out of herself. Her biggest demographic of fans are girls yet she promotes herself as Barbie. Instead of trying to influence kids and say that it's good to be yourself she goes around looking like a schizophrenic blind clown shaking her ass wearing the dumbest wigs, weaves, shit stains whatever you wanna call it on her head. And if she says that her music is not intended for young girls then she needs to realize it whether she likes it or not that they do listen to her and look up to her so she needs to be aware of her celebrity. Plus she cannot be possibly happy. I don't know if its her decision or someone else's but why is she doing the stupidest shit on stage wearing the stupidest costumes making the stupidest noises. Plus look at any of her pictures. They put so much makeup on her that they are whiteifying her. She is actually black but everyone thinks she is mocha colored. Have some self respect. If that isn't a sign of America still not being ready to accept black people then i don't know what is. Trashing Nicki tho is too easy and overdone so another example of this is Pitbull. Listen to his first album M.I.A.M.I. and tell me that the Pitbull then and now could not be more different. Once he figured the key to success was to spit some bars in english followed by some bars in spanish that no one knows what he is saying Mr. 305 would not look back. I can't blame him for chasing the money but come on dude, where is the integrity. He don't care about making music for his fans anymore. He makes music for his bank account but we shoulda known that Money Is A Major Issue. When did Pitbull even come back into our lives. I just remember him shoutin Culo and next thing i know he is wearing tiny suits and on every top 40 hit. Other examples would be Wiz after his first album, Medium Sean (shout out to Big Ghost Chronicles), and B.O.B.

Now this last group pretty much are overnight success stories. They just made that one hit single and kind of missed the struggle part of being an underground artist. You got your Trinidad James, the Cash Out guy, Soulja Boy is still trying to find the magic of Crank Dat, and so on and so forth. They're in limbo because the mainstream doesn't want them after their 15 minutes of fame and the underground sees that they're wack and wants nothing to do with them either.


El-P feat Mr. Muthafuckin eXquire and Danny Brown- Oh Hail No


I'm telling you, don't sleep on my man El-P. Legend in the game, has been around forever making classics, and has a sound all to himself. Never Ask Me To Hail. peace


and p.s. seeing the three nominees for Urban Contemporary Album be all black guys, it just re-dawned on me. When did Urban become synonymous with Black? Does that mean Suburbs are synonymous with White? Then is Rural Mexican? i don't know someone explain that to me.

This Day In History

February 10, 1992

Mike Tyson is found guilty of raping 18 year old beauty pageant contestant Desiree Washington and sentenced to 10 years in prison. Although I believe the beginning of the end started for Iron Mike when he lost the biggest upset in boxing history to Buster Douglas in 1990, shout out to Japan, this prison sentence further accelerated his downward spiral. He only served 3 years of the sentence but the man from Brooklyn was never the same as he was before both as a boxer and as a person. He could not regain the edge that made him the most feared boxer ever and making terrible business decisions, like buying a pet tiger an trusting Don King, led to him losing the fortune that he had earned. Hopefully he is getting his life together and not making a mockery of himself in future movies but he has to do what he has to do to pay the bills. Although Mayweather may claim to be the biggest draw in boxing history, he has nothing on the buzz that Tyson could provide. peace.




The Roots- How I Got Over


Seriously only a select few in history has had a band as consistent as The Roots. U2, The Rolling Stones, Red Hot Chili Peppers. They already get their respect but I believe in the future we will realize how important they are to hip-hop as a genre. If there is any doubt to hip-hop haters about the quality of music, just listen to The Roots. This track is off their ninth album and they still bring that flavor for your ear. shout out to craig mack.

Saturday, February 9, 2013

The Most Electrifying Moves In Sports Entertainment

Everyone watched wrestling when we were younger and if you didn't either you're a liar, to afraid to admit, or actually didn't watch it but we're not worried about that last group here. It's a time for reminiscing and nostalgia right here. You know what it is, i have in my hand a list of moves that gets everyone out of their seats because they know the match is over.

Angle Slam/Ankle Lock

Putting both Kurt Angle finishers on here because Kurt Angle is the shit. Winning an Olympic gold medal with a broken freakin' neck then proceeding to take over the wrestling world. Plus he stole Ken Shamrock's finisher of the ankle lock and made everyone forget that he took it from him. shout out ken shamrock, you still get some love here. Oh it's, it's damn true.



Diamond Cutter

Some like the RKO better but gotta give it up to the original. Diamond Dallas Page could counter a bunch of moves into his finisher that was one of the more original and unique ones of his time. And I'm convinced that Jay-Z got the roc symbol from this man. Self High Five



The People's Elbow

I could honestly have a whole list with the Rock's best moments so that's probably for another day so lets take in the most electrifying move in sports entertainment and appreciate it. who cares it's probably his weakest move its the Rock.




Tombstone Piledriver

Staring at the Undertaker's crotch while being held upside was probably the scariest moment for any wrestler and for that it is on here. Probably the most fitting finisher for any one wrestler.



Stone Cold Stunner

The one and only Stone Cold. Everyone has definitely either tried or seen someone try this on someone else. It was best followed by him drinking beer over his knocked out opponent.




Spear/Jackhammer

Goldberg's devastating 1-2 combo put the finishing touches on anyone. Dude could and did lift everyone up and i don't think anyone ever kicked out.





Sweet Chin Music

This is one move that actually looks like it could do actual damage in real life. Best thing about this was it could be done at any moment anywhere.




Frog Splash

This was done by several people but perfected by the one and only Eddie Guerrero. RIP. He was one of the last wrestlers who can have every single person in the audience and at home watching in full support of him. A true icon.




There you have it. Best and most electrifying moves. peace


Hieroglyphics- Masterminds
keep that third eye open

This Day In History

February 9, 1950

Senator Joe McCarthy of Wisconsin captured the fear of Americans across the country when he announced in a random speech in the random city of Wheeling, West Virginia that he had in his possession a list of 205 US State Department workers who are communists. Fresh off of World War II and with the threat of the Soviet Union, having communists and communist spies take over the government was the last thing Americans wanted to see. shout out the the Rosenbergs. For some reason we as Americans let fear control us to the point where McCarthy got re-elected to the Senate and continued to accuse anyone of being a communist from the Secretary of State to your next door neighbor. He was never able to provide proof and everyone finally caught on and eventually no one cared about him anymore. He died peacefully of alcoholism and now his legacy is that of someone who screamed fire and pulled the alarm in a crowded movie just so he can have the whole theater to himself. peace


Geto Boys- Mind Playing Tricks On Me




What was originally supposed to be a a Scarface solo track Willie D and Bushwick Bill heard a peep of this and told 'Face "Fuck you we laying down verses too" and a classic was born. Kid Cudi's Day N' Night's reason for existence was because of this song as young Scott said it was his version of the Geto Boys song, so you could either thank the Boys from Houston or hate them for that one. shout out to Office Space for introducing a brotha to Geto Boys. I Sit Alone In My Four Cornered Room.