OUT OF TOUCH

I know everybody must remember back in the day, whenever you would put on that Dre or Snoop tape while cleaning your room so you could go outside without argument, your parents always had a snide comment about your choice of music. "Aw boy that ain't music...they stealin' from Parliament...they ain't even sangin'!" Then they would proceed to drown you out with The Isley Brothers or Earth, Wind, and Fire. I've began to think recently, am I turning into my parents? With all my rants about the Golden Era of Hip-Hop, have I become so stubborn in my listening ways that I can't even give this new era of music a chance? As I reflected upon this revelation, I came up with a single answer: "Hell naw!! Majority of hip-hop (if you can still call most of it that) today is straight garbage!!"

I'm a pretty open minded dude, I think I give everything a fair chance (even "808's and Heartbreak") before I decide that it is not for me, and most of the shit out there ain't for me. I don't even turn on the radio anymore unless I want to catch a game. This weekend was one of my guy's bachelor party, and I didn't know any of the songs the girls danced to at the strip club. Strip clubs play everything that's in heavy rotation and I did not recognize not one "Yung," "Big," or "Lil'" that was played over the speakers.

The average new schoolers answer to criticism of their peers is usually one of two things: 1) "Fuck them old school niggas!" or 2) "Niggas is hatin' cuz we gettin' money and they can't no more!" There are more answers, but they all boil down to disrespect of the previous class. No matter who it is, even the most respected new schoolers slip up with the disrespect (ask Lupe). I will agree with them that they are more marketable than say a Redman, or a Rakim; but fuck, so is Britney Spears, and who much actual talent does she possess besides looking cute and being able to grind on people and other objects. She's nothing more than a smart stripper.

So I guess the question I am trying to pose here is am I and other people who think like me out of touch with the new direction in hip-hop? I would have to say no. You see in my parents case, they did not want to like hip-hop or give a chance; I am nothing like that. I search out for new and innovative artists everyday through the Internet, most of the time I come up empty handed, but I have found some diamonds in the rough like Wale, Asher Roth, 88 Keys, AC, Kid Cudi, Mikkey Halsted, and etc. Money made will never equate to talent. My message to all these new schoolers who think people like me are just haters: Step your game up! Quality music will shut my mouth.

Freshmen Orientation

There has been a lot of talk about these new "freshmen" that were sent here to save hip-hop. Sounds like a BET episode of "Heroes" if you ask me. Maybe I am old and set in my ways, but is all this hype needed?

Yes, I admit that hip-hop is in a tailspin. It is more profitable to be commercial rather than artistic. The Current School has a total lack of respect for the Past School and the Old School pioneers, and the so-called best rapper of the era is nothing more than a punchline and metaphor slinger.

Can this new class really take the culture on its back and reach new heights? No...not really. I say this because nothing ever lives up to its hype (i.e. Hatton-Pacquiao, Kimbo Slice, Blueprint 2, any Joe Budden album). So far only a few of these new names have shown me something new.

Charles Hamilton is definitely not living up to all the talk, at least in my mind. Is he scared to release an album? This cat must have like 300 mixtapes in rotation, sorry Weezy looks like theres a new mixtape king. He sounds like the spawn of a reproductive session between Ma$e and BG. He just really hasn't impressed me yet. How come he can drop a diss record on Soulja Boy, but back down to Rhymefest and Wale. Anybody can out-rhyme Soulja Boy, come at a real spit kicker.

I really haven't heard too much from Blu or Cory Gunz. Mickey Factz, Big Sean, Nippsey Hussle, Mistah F.A.B., OJ Da Juiceman, and Nicki Minaj haven't really said anything to catch my ear, so I'm not going to make the effort to search them out. First impressions are everything to me, you got to have me at hello. I still remember the first time I heard B.I.G., Nas, Wu-Tang, L.L., The Fugees, etc... Classics get you from the first line they utter.

Fear not folks, there are a few I think have promise. If there was someone I can say could be the voice and fill all the gaps, that would be Drake. The cat can sing and rhyme over any music. His only drawback for me was that he is a Wayne protege, but now it seems like the student is better than the teacher. Wale is extremely dope, I just hope he finds his niche. Asher Roth can spit his ass off when he's not fighting Eminem comparisons. Bobby Ray seems like he is budding into a genius like his ATL mentor Andre 3000. Kid Cudi, I'm still 70/30 with him. I like most of his material, but he hasn't had that one for me.

All in all, who the fuck cares. Music works in a cycle. One person is hot for a second then gets bumped from their pedestal by someone newer and fresher. I think this has been a hot topic because hip-hop itself is still so young, and for so long it was thought of as art and more than music. Every form of musical expression has gone through that metamorphosis, and now hip-hop fans must come to terms that its only entertainment.

SUMMER SCHOOL

My semester of school just ended, so that means class is back in session for you all. Nobody reads this shit, so I wasn't missed. Ha Ha! I guess I didn't make Vibe's top 50 blogs list...aw well, who reads Vibe anymore anyway. This new generation doesn't read period.

Speaking of the new generation, I recently read on SOHH.com that Ice-T and Bow Wow's favorite punching bag, Soulja Boy, wants to create a classic album. This sparked my interest because it made me think, "wow, do these fools really think there is a formula for a classic album?" If you think it, it will happen. He goes on to say that he wants Lil' Wayne, Kanye West, and Jay-Z to get on his project to ensure its' classic status. In other words he wants them to make it a classic for him.

These statements from Mr. Tellem didn't shock me at all, because he is the king of uneducated statements. What did shock me was the thought that young artists today might actually believe that you can walk in the studio with the intent of making a classic album, and just do it. Doesn't work like that young wordsmiths. I'm sure Darius Mile has the intent of scoring 3o+ points every time before he steps on the court; does that always happen...nope...in fact it hardly happens.

In my belief, Jay-Z, Nas, Raekwon, Rakim, and GangStarr want to create classics every time they stepped in the studio, but they each only did it once. Were their other albums quality? Yes! All of them classics? Hell Naw!

The word "classic" is tossed around too much. You don't know if a piece of art is classic until it stands the test of time. A lot of people tossed around the word with Lil' Wayne's "Tha Carter III." I am not a fan of Weezy myself, but he put out a solid effort with that album. Will we remember it 10-15 years from now like we do "Illmatic" or "Ready To Die," probably not. Especially with the way everybody raped the "A Milli" beat, I don't even remember Wayne's actual verses. In contrast, everybody remembers the opening line for "Juicy."

I guess what I am trying to say is just have the intent of making good music all the time and a classic might squeak out by mistake: DON'T TALK ABOUT IT, BE ABOUT IT!!!!

Since I haven't done a post in a while, and I love doing polls, here's another one for you. What is your favorite hip-hop classic? Is it Nas' "Illmatic," Biggie's "Ready To Die," Raekwon's "Only Built For Cuban Linx," Jay's "The Blueprint," or Dre's "The Chronic." If you don't like any of those 5 and have your own, click the other box and leave a comment with your favorite. Just vote....I love an argument

WHO'S KILLIN' IT?: BEEF

Is it just me or are you too waiting to go to your next hip-hop show and and see a ring on the stage with Michael Buffer standing in the center yelling "...and in this corner..." This "beef" syndrome has grown out of control. It has become an over used marketing tool, that has only proven successful to only a handful of artists. I remember when it was entertaining, only because it was real and relevant. LL vs. Kool Moe Dee, BDP vs. The Juice Crew, Cube vs. NWA, Dre vs. Eazy, B.I.G. vs. Pac, Jay vs. Nas... It worked because these men had legitimate problems with one another (money, contracts, baby mamas, bullets...), luckily, in most cases, the wax was the last resort. Now its all a game, choreographed like the WWE. Unknown people are coming out and calling out reputable veterans like a new wrestler calling out John Cena to start an episode of Smackdown. Who the fuck really cares about Lil Boosie, Shawty Lo, Plies, Papoose, Peedi Crack, Gillie Tha Kid, and so on and so on. The cats are just trying to build some pub and gain a rep. Newsflash...how about just resting on the laurels of actual talent to build a rep, crazy idea but it just might work. All this beef shit does is make it easier for an MC to be contradicted. For example, how many diss records has The Game dropped since he said "...this beef shit is for the birds and them birds fly south..." on the "Hate It or Love It" remix. The Game's career is built on beef and name dropping (shout out to Clubba Lang). If 50 ain't beefing, he ain't selling (whats good Kanye). This is not a sport, but pretty soon we are gonna need weight classes. You can only battle somebody if you have the same amount of hits as then, if not STEP BACK!!!! (big up to DJ Don Cannon). I guess what I am trying to say is if you are a young aspiring rapper and you thumb through your book of rhymes and subtract all references to beefing, crack, shooting niggas, bitches, and hos and all you got is blank pages...listen to this, and go back to the drawing board.

Mos Def - "Beef"

On that note I got another poll for you, best diss record of all time, I got some heavy hitters down there so listen closely. Which ever cut makes you say "damn!!", "hell naw!!", or "no he didn't!!" the most vote for it. Here it is, in no particular order because I love them all. Don't forget to vote on the right.

Nas - "Ether"

Jay-Z - "The Takeover"

KRS-One - "The Bridge Is Over"

Eazy E - "Real Muthaphukkin' G'z"

Dr. Dre ft. Snoop Doggy Dogg - "Dre Day"

Ice Cube - "No Vaseline"

Common - "The Bitch In You"

Twista - "Suicide"

2Pac ft. The Outlawz - "Hit 'Em Up"

DJ Quik - "Dollaz & Sense"

LL Cool J - "Return of The Ripper"

I THOUGHT YOU DIDN'T DO THAT?

I know, I know. I said I wouldn't get involved in the exclusive game, but these are my people. This is my fam R.U.N.V.S., they consist of River, Cal-One, and Yung Dunit. Cal-One MC's and makes most of the tracks. It's a little rough around the edges because they are too broke for the studio...just playin' I love ya'll. I like this track though, the title matches the beat, you can just visualize Godzilla crushing buildings in Japan. But check it out and tell me what you think. Holla.

R.U.N.V.S. - "I'm A Beast"

THREE PEAT?

Not really a three peat since I reopened all my polls for another year, but Meth and Mary are still holding down the lead in both polls. In all fairness I never hit them with real competition...that is until now. They gotta go up against Pac, Big, Pun, Aaliyah, and ODB. Yes, they have to go up against an extra opponent this time. This is the deceased legends edition of this poll. I have a strange feeling about this, just like when that Rampage Jackson fight went to the decision. I think we might have a new champion. Ya'll know the deal, listen and vote to the right. Vote on the old polls too if you want.

6.) Ol' Dirty Bastard ft. Kelis - "Got Ya Money"

5.) Aaliyah ft. Timbaland - "Are You That Somebody"

4.) Big Pun ft. Joe - "Still Not a Player"

3.) Notorious B.I.G. ft. R. Kelly - "Fuckin' Tonight"

2.) 2Pac ft. K-Ci & JoJo - "How Do You Want It"

1.) Method Man & Mary J. Blige - "You're All I Need"

EXCUSE ME AS I KISS...

Well it was announced a little while ago that worldwide pornography conglomerate, Vivid Entertainment, got their hands on and plan on releasing to the masses an "authentic" sex tape featuring deceased rock star Jimi Hendrix. All I can say is...Wow! What people do for money. I'm sure that's what Jimi wanted as his legacy. You can peep the preview at http://www.hendrixsextape.com/ , and after I watched the preview over and over and over and over again (I had to be sure) I can't really tell if that is him. It moves kind of fast in the preview, but it looks like a black dude with an Afro wig boning two white girls in a poorly produced stereotypical 70's porn flick. They do provide the testimony of two old..really old...school groupies that provide positive confirmation of that being his penis (that don't mean shit...ask R. Kelly...digital piss homey). Fraud or not, Ray J. and Kim will soon be bumped from the number one spot, because I'm sure this shit will sell like crack among perverted Rock & Roll historians. I always heard there was talk of making a Jimi Hendrix bio-pic starring Andre 3 Stacks as Jimi, now I think you gotta re-cast it with Lex Steele (Google it for those that don't want to admit they know who he is).

So what's next, an Elvis freaky flick with a Graceland groupie? Maybe a 8mm sex romp featuring Marilyn Monroe and JFK. How hot would a Biggie sex tape be? He could have Faith, Kim, and Charlie Baltimore in it. Hype Williams behind the camera, hitting us with the fish eye lens money shot. Puffy dancing around that bed whisper yelling "take that, take that" and "Bad Boy, baby." I shouldn't joke about that because you know Puff loves a dollar and he'll try and get every one he can out of Big's legacy. Supposedly there is a Jay and Beyonce tape floating out there...Beyonce naked might make me a fan again...thick ass hips. I digress. Those of you that read this blog, hit me in the cbox or comment this blog and tell me which couple would you pay to see their sex tape, and which couple would you pay to have their sex tape burned. For example I would poke my eyes out with Bic pens rather than watch a Flavor Flav and Bridgette Nielson flick. Holla back.

SOME OF THIS AND SOME OF THAT

Well boys and girls let me start off by wishing everybody a happy and safe Fourth of July holiday. On this Independence Day, I challenge all of you to rid yourselves of something you are dependant on. Whether it be smoking, drinking, or listening to Tha Carter III, really declare your Independence today.

Moving on, its time for a new installment of my polls. This time I am going to explore the what should be the best hip-hop and rock collaboration. I had to be very careful when deciding upon a criteria for this category. First of all, Run DMC and Aerosmith's hook up on the classic "Walk This Way" could not be eligible, because it is probably the best of all time, so there would be no argument. Also, "mash-ups" are not eligible because I feel both artists should be in the studio with each other at the same time for it to be authentic (Sorry Hova, Linkin Park, Ludacris, Sum 41, and Travis Barker). Lastly, the song had to have originally verses coming from both ends of the cooperative, so that scratches Kanye and Chris Martin's "Homecoming" because Kanye dropped a more soulful (and honestly a much better) version of that song with John Legend singing the hook years ago. So that leaves me narrowed down to my top five. I hit you all with the hyperlink for all of them down low, and you leave your vote on the poll. I'm even gonna hit you with that old Kanye and John Legend "Home" so you can decide which version is better and I'll put a poll up to see the results. It's a holiday, why wouldn't I hit you with a bonus poll. Oh yeah...I also reopened my other polls so feel free to vote on those too if you didn't before. Enjoy.

POLL # 1

5.) Limp Bizkit ft. Method Man, Redman, and DMX - "Rollin'"

4.) Ice Cube ft. Korn - "Fuck Dyin'"

3.) Public Enemy ft. Anthrax - "Bring The Noise"

2.) Sublime ft. The Pharcyde - "Summertime"

1.) De La Soul ft. Teenage Fan Club - "Fallin'"

POLL #2

2.) Kanye West ft. Chris Martin - "Homecoming"

1.) Kanye West ft. John Legend - "Home"

POOF: FATHER MC

The last POOF I did on MC Brains actually garnered the attention of MC Brains, well at least his manager. She commented me back with his Myspace URL and his website, and let me know that he is alive and well. He goes by the name of Brainz Davis now and is still heavy in the music game which I am glad to hear. So I put up the info for any fans who like to she what the artist formerly known as MC Brains is up to. (http://www.brainzdavis.com/ & www.myspace.com/brainzdavis) Check him out and show him some love.

So on to this installment of POOF. The focus of my attention this time is Father MC (born Timothy Brown). He was one of the first artists a young A&R named Sean "Puffy" Combs was able to sign to Uptown Records. Before stepping in the hip-hop arena, Father MC debuted as a dancehall/reggae artist. One might describe his style as kind of a poor man's Big Daddy Kane, he was real smooth with his delivery and directed most of his attention to the ladies. He burst on the scene in 1990 with his debut album Father's Day, the lead single was "I'll Do For You" which sample the Cheryl Lynn disco hit "Got To Be Real" and featured a young and unknown Mary J. Blige on back up vocals (did you ever think you would hear that sentence...Mary J. on back-up?). It was a hit, reaching as high as number 20 on the charts. Unfortunately the rest of the album did not do as well, but it did have another stand out single that provided another famous Uptown Records R&B act its platform to be heard. Father MC sampled Vaughan Mason and Crew's "Rock, Skate, Roll, Bounce" to create "Treat 'Em Like They Want To Be Treated" featuring Jodeci singing in the background.

The success of those two singles was enough for Uptown Records to release another Father MC album in 1992 titled Close To You. This album did not do as well, though it did produce two more hits in "One Night Stand" and "Everythings Gonna Be Alright" featuring Jodeci once again. His relationship with Uptown Records soon deteriorated, and Puffy did not bring him along to join the Bad Boy Records roster. He has released four more non-noteworthy albums on different labels since then (1995's This Is For The Players & Sexual Playground, 1999's No Secrets, and 2003's My). The Father also managed to pose in a full spread for Playgirl magazine in the late 1990's. In 2007 he reinvented himself with the name Fambody (whatever the hell that means) and laid plans to create more music in the near future.

I remember Father MC as being real suave, so it makes perfect sense that he would pose for Playgirl. I was a fan, yet not a fan. What I mean is I liked the songs he released, but was never intrigued enough to get his albums. From the looks of the titles of the songs, the context is pretty much the same throughout: the ladies. If he came out before Big Daddy Kane, he might of experienced more longevity in the game (maybe not because Kane was and is a beast on the mic). I wish I could write more on him, but I don't know much more. That's why I write these pieces, to learn. So Father, or Fambody, if you are out there hit us up and let your fans who have lost contact know how they can still get down with you. Hear are a few audio reminders of who this man was.

Father MC ft. Mary J. Blige - "I'll Do For You"

Father MC ft. Jodeci - "Treat 'Em Like They Want To Be Treated"

Father MC - "One Night Stand"

Father MC ft. Jodeci - "Everythings Gonna Be Alright"

I'M BACK

Wow, it's been a while. I've been dealing with some shit, my computer was doing some silly shit, and I experienced a loss in my family..."but still I stand." Though I was dealing with all of those trials and tribulations, the real reason why I wasn't writing was because I really wasn't feeling it. I guess because of my competitive nature I need competition to motivate me, and there are very few blogs out there that provide that for me. Not to come off like a cocky prick, but most of the blogs in this genre don't even bother with the commentary anymore. The exclusives have taken over. Don't get me wrong, sohh.com, gowherehiphop.com, hiphopupdate.com, and 2dopeboys.com, all do a good job of providing commentary, thoughts, and opinions, but the majority of you just post songs or talk about how great you are.

If you post a song at least tell your readers what you think of the song, where you would rate it. I think a lot of bloggers are so caught up in the race to post an "exclusive" that they lose focus in the reason they started their blog. Once again I could be wrong, that could be the sole reason they started their blog. That's like the guy that plays Cd's at his family reunion and calls himself a DJ and has never touched vinyl. So hears my challenge to all of you so-called bloggers out there: STEP YOUR GAME UP! Write something. Use your keyboard for more than just typing in a song title. Motivate me. I'm like the Tupac of this blog game, I got like 300 blogs just sitting in storage. It can be only so long that I will have the patience to play down to my competition, soon Imma have to take off and blow past you cats that ain't trying to progress. And on that note here's a little theme music for the message of this blog.

Ludacris - "Move Bitch"