Black Music is Back On the Charts

A couple years ago, it seemed that hiphop and r&b had completely taken over the entertainment industry. You couldn't look anywhere without hearing the latest Lil Jon joint. After a while things started to settle down and bubblegum pop resurfaced and took its traditional spot in domination of the airwaves. You'd always see the obligatory hiphop or r&b track in the Billboard 200, but it'd be an apple in an orange basket filled with Hannah Montanahs, Hillary Duffs, and Britney Spears.

But in typical circle of life fashion, black music is back.

The biggest seller as of now is Rick Ross, with his latest album Deeper Than Rap which temporarily dethroned the mega star Hannah Montanah to take the number one spot last week. But Ross has a lot of company from the hiphop arena. Day26's Forever in a Day managed to reach #2 despite Diddy's constant bullshitting of the group on television.

Newcomer Asher Roth is moving units of his major debut Asleep in the Bread Aisle like crazy, as expected from all the recent media hype surrounding him. Jadakiss and Keri Hilson both drop top 20 bangers, and along with them you can find The Dream, Flo Rida, Beyonce, Jamie Foxx, UGK, T.I., and Jennifer Hudson all in the Top 50.

Also in the Billboard 200 are Charlie Wilson, Keyshia Cole, Slim Thug, India.Arie, Ne-Yo, Bow Wow, Jim Jones, Gorilla Zoe, Musiq Soulchild, and Anthony Hamilton.

Even Kanye West, Lil Wayne, and Soulja Boy can't seem to be killed as their albums are still holding their spots on the Billboard 200.

What I like most about this development is that there are actually a diverse group of acts that are topping the charts. It's not all hood rap, it's not all pop rap. You have everything from conscious acts like India.Arie and hood rap like Rick Ross to bouncy pop rap like Soulja Boy and stoner rap like Asher Roth.

Don't get me wrong, a lot of these albums could be better, but it's nice to see hip hop making moves, that opens the door for even more hot tracks to be made.

Cam'Ron, Make Good Music ThisTime Please

It's been about 3 years since we've heard anything from Cam'Ron, and I guess he needed to take a sabbatical. He managed to piss off a little bit of everyone. Jay-Z, the CEO of his record label; the other members of his Dipset crew; and even the American people, by claiming in an interview that he wouldn't alert authorities if he knew for a fact that a serial killer lived in his neighborhood. Top this off with his mother's multiple strokes, and you can understand why he took a break.

But, he's back, and planning to release a new album entitled Crime Pays in May. The rapper has personally leaked several of the album's tracks already, including "Cookies and Apple Juice", which is simplistic and raunchy, but less lazy than virtually everything the rapper dropped for Roc-A-Fella. "I Used to Get it in Ohio" (for which there is a music video) is less impressive, but I still have a small amount of hope that Cam'Ron could return to top form with this and future releases.

South Park, the unlikely humbler of Kanye West?

Comedy Central's flagship program South Park is infamous for relentlessly lampooning celebrities. In their latest episode, Kanye West is the next target of Trey and Matt's satire.

In the episode, entitled "Fishsticks", Jimmy comes up with supposedly the funniest joke ever, and everyone in the world seems to get the joke--except Kanye West. West, who believes he's a genius, eventually goes mad under the weight of his frustration at being the only one who doesn't get the joke. I'll save the details and let you watch the episode yourself.

Anyway, as with anytime anyone ever says anything remotely negative about Kanye West, the Grammy winner had something to say about it on his blog. But his comments might surprise you.

SOUTH PARK MURDERED ME LAST NIGHT AND IT'S PRETTY FUNNY. IT HURTS MY FEELINGS BUT WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT FROM SOUTH PARK! I ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN WORKING ON MY EGO THOUGH. HAVING THE CRAZY EGO IS PLAYED OUT AT THIS POINT IN MY LIFE AND CAREER. I USE TO USE IT TO BUILD UP MY ESTEEM WHEN NOBODY BELIEVED IN ME. NOW THAT PEOPLE DO BELIEVE AND SUPPORT MY MUSIC AND PRODUCTS THE BEST RESPONSE IS THANK YOU INSTEAD OF "I TOLD YOU SO!!!" IT'S COOL TO TALK SHIT WHEN YOU'RE RAPPING BUT NOT IN REAL LIFE. WHEN YOU MEET LITTLE WAYNE IN PERSON HE'S THE NICEST GUY FOR EXAMPLE. I JUST WANNA BE A DOPER PERSON WHICH STARTS WITH ME NOT ALWAYS TELLING PEOPLE HOW DOPE I THINK I AM. I NEED TO JUST GET PAST MYSELF. DROP THE BRAVADO AND JUST MAKE DOPE PRODUCT. EVERYTHING IS NOT THAT SERIOUS. AS LONG AS PEOPLE THINK I ACT LIKE A BITCH THIS TYPE OF SHIT WILL HAPPEN TO ME. I GOT A LONG ROAD AHEAD OF ME TO MAKE PEOPLE BELIEVE I'M NOT ACTUALLY A HUGE DOUCHE BUT I'M UP FOR THE CHALLENGE. I'M SURE THE WRITERS AT SOUTH PARK ARE REALLY NICE PEOPLE IN REAL LIFE. THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME TO DRAW MY CREW. THAT WAS PRETTY FUNNY ALSO!! I'M SURE THERE'S GRAMMATICAL ERRORS IN THIS... THAT'S HOW YOU KNOW IT'S ME!

http://www.kanyeuniversecity.com/blog/

I guess sometimes it takes a little satire to make someone come to their senses.

Busta Rhymes "Ay-Rab Money" Response Track

So, you might know about this by now, especially those of you up north--the news is a few months old, but just in case you haven't:

By now you've probably heard Busta Rhymes' "Arab Money" and/or its remix. If not, I'll fill you in. It's the first official single for Busta's upcoming album "Back on My B.S." With Ron Browz on the hook and beat, it's a definite banger, in the vein of "Touch It" and it's many remixes. The main problem with the song is that it's, well, racist. And people have been quietly grumbling about this since the song's release a few months ago.

The original hook features an auto-tuned Ron Browz bellowing gibberish that's supposed to mimic the Arabic language, not to mention the title of the song is sung in the hook, as expected; except it's pronounced "Ay-Rab" money. Ay-Rab. Like how you'd say it if you didn't take them seriously.

Also, the remix features direct quotes from the Qu'ran, which might be okay, since Busta Rhymes is a Muslim. It just doesn't seem right, though, in a frivolous song about money, jewelry, and women.

Well, this justifiably pissed off (among like every other intelligent person of Arabic heritage) Montreal rapper and Iraqi-native The Narcicyst, who responded with a pretty slick response track, called "The Real Arab Money", in which he teaches Busta how to pronounce "Arab": "It ain't Ay-Rab Money/it's called Arab Money".
He also includes actual Arabic, and explains that in today's times, "Arab Money" isn't even what it used to be.

Listen to "The Real Arab Money" here.

In response to this response, Busta personally apologized to Narcicyst via telephone call and has changed the hook to include the proper pronunciation of "Arab" but the song still includes the pseudo-Arabic gibberish and the random generalizations and belittlings of Arabic culture. Take what you can get I guess. Narcicyst has also taken "The Real Arab Money" down from his website. But you can still listen to it at the link above, for now.

This guy The Narcycist is pretty dope though. Check him out.

Throwback Review--Busta Rhymes--E.L.E (Extinction Level Event): The Final World Front

Whenever Busta Rhymes decides to retire from rap music, it's probably going to be safe to call him a hiphop legend. He's been on the map since the beginning of the nineties, initially trading verses with the other members of the well-received rap quartet, Leaders of the New School. It didn't take long; however, for everyone to realize that Busta was a dynamic force that simply could not be held down by the Leaders. Busta broke out on his own in 1996, and dropped his platinum-selling debut The Coming, which expanded upon the wildly flamboyant character he originally created for the Leaders. After scoring with the still-bumpable "Woo Hah!! Got You All in Check", Busta would go on to create a couple of the most unique and strangely addictive tracks of the nineties, "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See", and "Dangerous". These songs, with their brilliantly catchy beats and absurd music videos, grounded Busta Rhymes firmly in place as one of the most innovative, talented, and fun acts around. Being "fun" is one thing though. The question that was on some fans' minds was whether or not Busta could rightfully be placed alongside the true East Coast heat-bringers, like Nas and Biggie. Busta responded to the question with Extinction Level Event.

Not to say that Busta started to spit thought-provoking lyrics over mellow east-coast productions or anything. Conveying a profound message has never really been Busta's thing. Busta is all about his hardcore, seamless delivery and his in-your-face intensity. E.L.E. took those aspects and expanded upon them futher than the "party sound" that we were used to from Busta. Those factors, along with absolutely stunning production make E.L.E. Busta's best effort to date. The album tries to stick a vague theme about the apocolypse, but Busta quickly drowns out the theme with his own intensity.

The album opens with "Everybody Rise", a relatively short adrenalin rush of a track that sets the tone for the album, preparing the listener for the upcoming intensity that E.L.E. provides. It's done over a bouncy east-coast beat by the ridiculously underrated producer, Nottz (He's the guy who did Kanye's "Barry Bonds").

After this, the album proceeds to bombard the listener with high-octane tracks, including the title track, "Extinction Level Event (The Song of Salvation)", and the obligatory crew track "Against All Odds", which features the Flipmode Squad--to whom Busta has been surprisingly loyal and supportive througout his career, despite his being inifinitely more successful. "Tear the Roof Off" is similarly upbeat, and reminiscent of past hits such as "Dangerous" due to its formulaic verse structure and catchy beat. The braggadocios lyrics are markedly more poignant and biting than the 90s banger, however.

The most memorable song on the album is also the shortest: the popular single "Gimme Some More", on which Busta flexes his ability to spit lightning fast lyrics with little trouble. The two minute thirty-nine second long track features a genious sample of the frightening violin riff from the classic horror film Psycho. The creepy sound layered with the lively drums and Busta's effortless flow provides an awkward, yet absolutely satisfying sound.

Busta Rhymes and one of the very few guests, Mystikal, trade even faster verses on "Iz They Wildin Wit Us & Gettin Rowdy Wit Us?", a supersonic track that's so intense, you might need to come up for air once it's over. He lets you do just that, with the party tracks "Do the Bus-a-Bus" and "Take it Off", which were presumably added for the fans of Busta's ironically harmless and poppy "Dangerous" and "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See" who might have been overwhelmed by the barrage of strange sounds and end-of-the-world talk.

Then, out of nowhere, Busta flips the script on us. In what was probably the most important track to the eventual longevity of his career, Busta shows us that he doesn't have to be a raging, dreadlocked maniac. He can also be...sexy. And he can sell records while doing so. Of course I'm talking about the super hit "What's it Gonna Be", which features a sultry Janet Jackson on the chorus. The mellow, super-sexual track--alongside its notedly expensive computer-animated video--provide Busta with a brand new, important demographic: teenage girls. In true Busta fashion, he again innovates by creating a unique blend of his normal highspeed flow and the mellow R&B sound.

And with that, Busta had firmly planted his feet into hiphop history by creating one of the most well-rounded and intense albums ever. E.L.E. contained a lot of the same catchy material found in Busta's previous two attempts, but he rounded it out with more dark, in-your-face subject matter, more polished flows, and much more masterfully executed production. Many say Busta has since fallen off and devolved into just another bitches-and-hoes rapper, but perhaps he can come back to true Busta form when his new album, Back on My B.S. drops.

The Report Card

Production: A+
The production on this album is absolutely marvelous. The album features a mix of very different sounds, from the epic "Extinction Level Event" to the eerie "Gimme Some More" or the poppy "Do The Bus-a-Bus". Really, every track is bumpable, and the best productions, like "Gimme Some More" make you want to replay the track over and over again.

Flow/Lyrics: A-
Busta has one of the best voices in hiphop, and one of the smoothest flows, and this album is the best example of that. His voice flows so well along the rhythm that it almost acts as just another instrument in the composition. Busta Rhymes has never had particularly interesting lyrics, although his word choice and rhyme schemes are definitely top-notch.

Originality: A+
This album is one in a million. Busta Rhymes established himself as a unique voice that could not be duplicated, and this album, with its great mix of sounds, will never be duplicated either.

Overall: A+
Extinction Level Event is definitely Busta Rhyme's best album. Is it his masterpiece? I don't know if I can say that. Busta has definitely gotten lazy over the years, but I think he could use his new-found sophistication to his benefit and crank out an album even more well-rounded and significant. But even if he never does, E.L.E. will do just fine in my collection.

So Far Gone- a great way to launch a career

Canadian rapper Drake has been building a steady fan-base since the 2006 release of his first mixtape Room for Improvement. This buzz reached dizzying heights this past Friday with the release his latest So Far Gone. Fans waited with baited breath till the wee hours of the morning to get their hands on this zip file. Seriously, there were tales of folks only getting a couple of hours of sleep and hitting the refresh button hundreds on top of hundreds of times littered throughout the comment section of his official blog. The finished product is a cohesive yet eclectic mix of music showcasing Drake's versatility as an artist that also features some pretty big names.

So Far Gone opens up with "Lust For Life" a sparse, interpolated version of a Tears for Fears track that sets the tone for the rest of the mixtape. Drake reflects on his drive for success in the music game which is pretty much the basis for the rest of the lyrical content on Gone. "Lust For Life" quickly blends into the ethereal sounding "Houstatlantavegas" where Drake puts his considerable singing talents on display reflecting on a pretty, party hopping pretty girl. Both songs are reminiscent of Kanye's 808's and Heartbreak minus the auto-tune and the,well, heartache. "Successful" features frequent collaborator Trey Songz and Lil' Wayne makes his first of a few appearances.

Around "November 18" is where things start to get interesting. Produced by the late and legendary DJ Screw, Drake shows off his ability to adopt different regional styles without awkwardness. Elements of Houston and down south hip-hop culture sound natural coming from the Toronto bred rapper.

Drake's version of Jay-z's Ignorant Shit is just as enjoyable as the original. Over the Isley Brothers sampled Just Blaze beat, the chemistry between Drake and Lil Wayne is undeniable. Both come with some good quotables and neither outshines the other. The screwed ending is unexpected. Producer 40 flips Ignorant Shit back into the slow jam that "Between the Sheets" was originally. (So I guess that makes it a sample within a sample. Confusing, but a damn good idea.) Only this time, it's almost unrecognizable but no less sexy as "A Night Off"featuring Lloyd. The rest of the mixtape continues to straddle the line between great lyricism that the biggest of hip-hop snobs can appreciate and the jams that the most die hard R&B fans can rock with.

Drake has the ability to take the antithesis of typical hip-hop and make it into his own. Perfect examples are a very 60's rock influenced "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off" and a remix of Swede songstress Lykke Li's "A Little Bit." Honestly, So Far Gone feels more like an great debut album than a mixtape. It has something for everyone with enough diversity but not so far left that it alienates. If this is any indication of where he's heading, Drake's buzz is definitely not a passing fad.


The Report Card:

Production: A
One of the highlight of this mixtape is that even though some of it is recycled, there is a lot of original production courtesy of Producer 40. Even the samples are used in refreshing and new ways. Also, on deck are beats from master producers Kanye West and Just Blaze.

Flow/Lyrics: A
Compared to a lot of newer rappers out, Drake probably the top of the heap when it comes to lyricism. He exudes confidence and for good reason. The fact the he can stand with and even outshine veterans like Lil Wayne and Bun B is a testament to his talent as a rapper. Even on tracks where he sings the lyrics don't suffer. They aren't riddled with cliche.

Originality: B-
For the most part, the content is nothing new. Most of the themes: partying, money and success have been prominent in hip-hop since its birth. But the MC that can actually sing well is something rarely seen. Most rappers try but almost all fail. The honesty of So Far Gone is also refreshing. Drake doesn't pretend to be a drug kingpin or the hardest of the hard. He just speaks his truth.

Overall: A-
Musically, this mixtape has a lot things going on. But oddly, it works. It's a diverse but well put together effort. It's the perfect launch pad for a long career.

" I want to hear more of the Kanye who used to hang out with Common and Talib Kweli, not the new Kanye who hangs out with Lil' Wayne and T-Pain. " --

" I want to hear more of the Kanye who used to hang out with Common and Talib Kweli, not the new Kanye who hangs out with Lil' Wayne and T-Pain. " --
http://jupitersghosts.blogspot.com/

I read this on a blog, and I realized that I agree.

A lot of factors go into good hip-hop music, but there is one necessary, universal condition for great hip-hop (or great art of any sort)

Hunger.

Kanye West doesn't have it anymore. Kanye thinks that he's transcended rap or something, so he's putting out this half-assed auto-tune electronic bullshit. On Kanye's first album, he was spitting some cold technical shit. He always had that "I'm God" mentality, but you can tell he was humbling himself to the game on his first album. He actually tried to write hot lyrics with dope rhyme schemes and interesting concepts. His second and third albums slipped past, despite their clearly inferior lyrics, because of the catchy hooks and amazing production, but I'm not so sure that's its going to work again, especially since T-Pain has shown Kanye the ways of the Vocoder and he feels like he should sing on half his tracks now.

Anyway, we will definitely see. Kanye is good enough at crate digging that his albums have been very entertaining, but we'll see what he can do when his album drops on November 25.

Kickin It With Janet Jackson - A Fan Review

I almost died three times on Sunday. Seriously. I'm glad I didn't though because it would have gone down in history as the most unusual death ever. Can you imagine picking up a newspaper with the headline: "Young Woman Perished: Death By Janet Jackson"? Yeah I didn't think so. How did Janet Jackson almost kill me? It's simple really. She granted an almost life-long wish of mine to see her live. I freely admit I stan, and stan hard, for Miss Jackson. I can't ever remember a time not knowing who she was. I've known of her existence longer than some of my closest family members. It all started when I was about four years old. It was the first time I saw the video for "Pleasure Principle". I remember seeing this beautiful black lady dancing around in an abandoned warehouse. Nobody else, just her. Although it's simple, the video was truly enthralling. Since then, I've been on the JJ bandwagon. Through the janet. heydays and even through "nipplegate" I was and still am a staunch supporter. So you can imagine how much of a big deal this concert was to me.

Somehow Candice (who stans equally for all things Jackson) and I ended up with sixth row seats for the October 5 show. Well, it was more like I had to pay an obscene amount of money and promise my first unborn child for the tickets (not really) but you get the point. So we get our tickets and count the months and days till the show. Fast forward to the week of the show. Janet gets sick and starts cancelling shows. Trying to forever to be the optimist, I'm worried but refused to believe the show is cancelled. The night before the show, we make our way to Atlanta. At this point anticipation is in the air and we're both cheesing like the Sunshine Kid. But all the good vibrations and celebration comes to a screeching halt. While passing by Six Flags, one of the dj's on some ATL radio station says the show is postponed for two weeks. The car is completely silent besides Candice gasping for air and it stayed that way for a good twenty minutes. Our faces get stuck looking something like this:

Too far to turn back, we decided to slum around ATL for the weekend. In the weeks to come Janet keeps canceling shows left and right and we begin to think it'll never happen. But the unbelievable happened, Janet recovers and gets back on the road! So with renewed hope we get back on the road to see the show. The drive took forever but eventually we got to Atlanta picked up the tickets from a friend and headed to the venue. Once we got there and paid the waaay over-priced parking fees we settled into our seats. We promptly make friends with the folks sitting around us. We trade stories about how we took the postponement news and all that jazz. This nice couple in front of us made an awesome sign about how Janet's music saved their lives. One guy talked about how refreshing it was to be around fellow fans who felt the same way he does about her. One of the best parts of concerts is meeting and interacting with fellow fans. It's almost like you form a temporary family. I love it.

Anyway, after an hour of twiddling thumbs, nervously shaking legs and grooving to the sounds of the dj, the show starts. All of a sudden, the stage is awash with bright lights and dancers. Almost miraculously Janet appears through the fog singing "Pleasure Principle" and it was like I was my four year old former self all over again. The stage was the most interesting I've seen thus far. Instead of a traditional stage that's set up at the front end of the arena, this one extended into a runway out into the audience. Meaning that Janet and her dancers could actually come out into the crowd. That was definitely a treat, especially for those not right up there by the stage on the floor. She hit all the moves like it was still the 80's. After that she hit us over the head with hits like "Control", "Nasty" and her newest "Feedback". All of this took like 10 minutes and by the end I was already exhausted. Then after a quick costume change she continued her walk down memory lane with all the songs any Janet fan ever wanted to her life. The crowd was so into it. Folks, including me, were breaking out in spontaneous fits of jubilation with choreography included. One particular song that stands out to me is "Miss You Much" where not only were her moves crisp and strong but she even broke out the chair routine from the long form video of the song. I was in heaven by then. Her energy was unbelievable. She slowed things down with a slow jam from her latest and one of my all time favorites: "Come Back To Me" which I'm happy to report was bust it baby free. And for her super fans she even threw in some songs from her pre Control days that she had never performed on any of her other tours.

Then came what I like to refer to as the freak shit portion of the show. This is the part that every man in the audience, gay or straight, waits for. It's where some unprepared dude gets pulled out the audience and Janet commences to strap them down and perform some Ph D. level of freaky activity on them. Before the show started Candice, me and our newly found friends decided to get the guy to our left on the stage. We tried hard but it didn't work out like we planned. Some lame dude got up there instead and tried to run game on our girl J like that was really gonna work out in his favor. It was beyond entertaining.

Overall the show was unbelievable. Over the top is an understatement. The costumes are futuristic. The first is a goldenish body suit deal with a HUGE metallic belt. The next sequence features Janet and the dancers in sailor attire. Each set of costumes increases in levels of extravagance as the the show went on. There was no empty space on the stage. Somebody was somewhere doing something at all times. Everything was huge, even the pyro. Spurts of fire and explosives went off like Independence Day in there. I was so close I literally overheated when the fire went off. The dancers were great. The choreography was so intricate and involved but everybody killed it. But let's just focus on Janet for a minute. She looked awesome. While most people are trying to count her out because she's 42, let's just focus on the fact that she still looks like she's in her 20's. Like seriously. The hair was a little crazy but it worked within the context of the show. Like I said before she was killing the dancing thing as well. While some artists get lost in the sauce when it comes to dancing, she outshines her dancers and almost has more energy than they do. She never appeared tired or winded. I know I was and I wasn't even on the stage! Her voice was amazing as well. Most people like to harp on the fact that she whispers too much on her songs. She sounded clear as a bell to me. No shakiness or breathiness. She's the consummate show woman I can tell you that.

She even had guest performers such as Q-Tip, Nelly and her beau J.D. They performed on the huge screen suspended on the stage which fit in well with the futuristic theme of the show. It was an innovative way to ensure that all concert attenders got the same show. This was truly a show for the fans. Crowd participation was as equal and integral part of the show as the set pieces. After the show was over and everyone was leaving the venue I made it a point to look at the faces of my fellow concert goers. Looks of amazement abound. Everyone's voice had a hint of disbelief as if they couldn't believe what they had just witnessed. If anyone needed proof that Janet still reigns supreme, if they were in attendance they damn sure got it.

Beyonce gives seventh-grade girls more unwarranted validation

Beyonce is a excellent stage-performer with absolutely extraordinary singing ability. This, supplemented by the fact that she often works with some of the best and most innovative producers around, (note, I said "often" works with talented producers; occasionally she strays *cough* Swizz Beatz *cough*) causes Beyonce to definitely stand apart from most of her mainstream counterparts. Fortunately for her (and most successful artists), however, mainstream music is rarely, if ever, judged by its actual lyrics or message; or else someone may have taken her to task for her lyrical doggerel or, more importantly, her career-long barrage of sassy sexism disguised as feminist uplift.

Her latest man-bash is the most overt yet; the sweetly sung "If I Were A Boy", in which she--much like in many of her songs--reduces the entire male species to an innately inconsiderate, womanizing, emotionally-impaired collection of cavemen.

Q. Perhaps she's referring to a specific situation, and not incriminating the entire male species?
A. Nope. The song is called "If I Were a Boy", not "If I Were [insert name of trifling negro]". The song, by the title lyric alone, is specifically attempting to associate certain negative behaviors with being a "Boy", while at the same time painting women as being ever-grateful, helpful, forgiving, compassionate, and logical (especially in the music video).

The appeal of "If I Were A Boy" is the same allure that draws teenage girls to romantic drama films: the exaggerated Lifetime-esque victimization of women by the big bad wolf called the "man"; specifically crafted to appeal to the modern American woman, which further widens the emotional gap between men and women when men don't seem to "get it". Well of course we don't get it, it's not made for us to get. Much like how many women don't "get" why men enjoy watching uniformed men throw each other around. The difference is, we don't let the results of football games dictate our life's decisions. Well, most of us, anyway.

Q. Well, what about male rappers? Don't they say sexist stuff all the time?
A. Rappers consistently objectify women (which is not necessarily sexist), but they almost never literally say, or even imply "Women are bad and men are good" (the vice-versa of which Beyonce does in "If I Were a Boy").


I've even heard comments in praise of the track saying that the song succeeds in touching on something that every woman in a relationship has to deal with. Really. Every one? Really? I'm going to burst a big bubble here so be prepared: Guess what? Men aren't inherently inconsiderate. Not even a majority. Not even close. What's happening is something that's been documented and theorized by sociologists and psychologists alike. Society, and American society in general has remarkably unrealistic expectations of its people, and interestingly enough; a lot of these expectations are promoted by women. Even the ones on other women. That whole "gotta look exactly like a model" business? That's all women. Men don't give a shit if you've got a little cellulite or whether your a B cup or a D cup. We mostly care that A. you're not psycho. B. you're not diseased or otherwise fucked up. and C. you have a vagina.

Complimenting that is the "Prince Charming" expecations in place for men in relationships (which, not surprisingly, is mainly reenforced--and possibly invented--by the entertainment industry). You're expected to score a perfect A plus on the Matthew Mcconaughey quiz for male-worthiness, lest you be the subject of your woman's next social therapy session with her friends. This i.e unrealistic expectations, if I had to guess, is probably the seond leading cause of break-ups (not really knowing the person you're getting involved with is probably number one).

The situation described in "If I Were A Boy" doesn't happen most of the time. It does in the movies, of course, but most men--and most people in general-- are honest, hard-working, imperfect human beings that don't find pleasure in trampling on other people's emotions. I think humans often substitute Hollywood for our real lives when we nod our heads to songs like this one. But in many ways, that is understandable, because, after all, Prince Charming exists in Hollywood.

In This Case Imitation is the Highest Form of Hilarity

Sometimes I hate the internet for bringing fuckery into my world. So, some dude decided completely swaggerjack Prince. This fool even reworked the music from the Purple One's song "Automatic." Somebody please stop the madness! I almost died when I saw the bootleg Apollonia. I'm all for creative freedom and paying homage but this right here was never a good idea. At first I thought it was a big joke, but my soul wept when I realized he was serious.

Kanye West Gets Arrested? But I'm on Kanye's Side (For a Change)

Click here to watch the video.

Kanye West was recently arrested and presumably jailed for vandalism after destroying a paparazzi camera. He really trashes that shit too, as you can see in the video. I love how he casually walks back in line afterwards as if he didn't just get maniacal on someone's ass a few seconds ago.

Kanye's is a man of many antics, and many people think he's just a publicity whore, which is probably true. But in this case--and probably any case where it's papparrazzi versus celebrity--I've got to vote against the camera-man. Sure, taking someone's property and going Incredible Hulk on it is definitely illegal; but following a human being around against their will with a fucking camera SHOULD be illegal.

Wait a minute. It IS. It's called stalking.

How the papparrazi have continuously gotten away with breaking the law even to the point of trespassing, invading privacy, and even, at times, breaking and entering; is beyond my comprehension. I guess the celebrities just don't have the time to pursue legal action.

And I know the video doesn't show what happens prior to 'Ye's outburst, but it's the papparazzi. I guarantee you they were fucking with him. And honestly, following him around while he's trying to handle his business, is bullshit enough.

People are taking the side of the cameraman, presumable just because its Kanye, and we all know Kanye's a huge crybaby and a self-admitted asshole, and maybe we want to see him get a little comeuppance. In this case, however, I see just another case of the paparazzi abusing their inexplicable immunity to the law and another celebrity that didn't want to take it anymore.

The Milk Carton Files

Anybody remember this dude? Well, here's a little refresher course. His name is Glenn Lewis. Back in 2002, the Canada native released his debut album World Outside My Window. Due to an uncanny voice similarity, he was often compared to soul legend Stevie Wonder. Quickly lumped into the Neo Soul sub-genre, his debut proved to be successful by reaching #4 on the Billboard charts. In 2003, Lewis prepped for his second release Back for More and even released a single by the same name. After that, however, he pretty much disappeared. No album ever materialized.

I must admit up until a few months ago I had pretty much forgotten about him. That's really unfortunate because an artist with his caliber of talent should never be forgotten. In the earlier part of the year something compelled me to pull out my copy of Window. After having it on repeat for about three days I remembered why I liked him in the first place. Yes, he sounded like Stevie, but it was more than that. He made beautiful music. Most of his debut had that throwback sound of most "neo-soul" artist of the day, but there was something about his songs that were almost timeless. The fact that I can listen to it almost six years later and see a place for him and his music in today's market is a testament to that fact. Lets be real, this six year old album is better than about 60% of the R&B out now. After thinking about all this I was left wonder what happened to Glenn Lewis. So being the inquisitve (nosy) person I am, I decided to look him up. Boy did I find him!

Apparently, he's not signed to a major label anymore and he's still recording songs. His new stuff sounds much better than his first album. Which says a lot. He dropped the soul-man schtick,which I assume was forced on him in the first place by his label. His newer music seems a lot more comfortable to me. More like he's in his zone. It's definitely a lot sexier. One new song "House On A Beach" samples Marvin Gaye's classic "Sexual Healing", but still comes into its own as a smooth groove worthy of anybody's quiet storm mix.

Another new one titled "Remember Me" showcases his vocal ability. The simplistic track definitely plays up his vocals and the harmonies are to die for.He doesn't sound so much like Stevie anymore. And that's a good thing. All this new music had definitely gotten me excited, but I'm also a little worried. While I was on my Glenn Lewis search mission, I came across an interview he did last year. In it he said something to the effect of the artist with the most heart often get lost in the shuffle. And it appears that is very much what happened in his case. It sucks for him. It really does. It also sucks for the fans. I'm a sucker for a quality R&B track. Especially ones devoid of autotune and other trendy/what's hot in the streets qualities. So giving me access to this great material is like putting a kid's Christmas toys on display in a big glass box but not letting them actually touch them until the day after Christmas. Sounds crazy, but that's exactly how this feels. Which is why I sincerely hope he gets to put out another album. Either way, you can check out what Mr. Lewis has been up to these days at: www.myspace.com/glnumuzk and www.myspace.com/wwwglennlewismusiccom

"Most of my music is entertainment, stuff I've never done in my life," --Fat Joe

Obviously there is a distinction between art and entertainment; entertainment is almost totally geared toward the audience's desires. Entertainers do what the audience wants to hear. Art, on the other hand is as much for the artist and the art as it is the audience. Not to say that an artist would never make up a separate life, or tell falsehoods in his work, but if he/she did, it would always be for an artistic purpose, and not just to entertain someone. Considering this, I want to pose a question to you all. Where's the line between art and entertainment as it relates to the music industry? Does this line need to be drawn at all? Does it matter? it is okay for something to look like art, but be merely entertainment? Is it just for entertainers to make more money than artists, as they almost always do?

Farewell compact disc, I shall miss thee...

For most girls things like purses, shoes, and other such items hold a very special place in their hearts. Some like these items probably way more than they should even to the point where it might not be healthy (trust me, I've seen it before.) Well, I'm not like most girls. Don't get me wrong I count purses and jewelry as some of my vices. But there's one item in this world I can say I'm truly addicted to. It's a little piece of technology we like to call a compact disc. It all started when I was around eight. In fact, I can tell you the first cd I ever got my hands on: SWV's debut album. To say I was amazed is an understatement. After spending my few years dealing with tapes (remember those?!), I had grown tired of all the rewinding and fast forwarding involved. It was just a hassle. So when cds came into my life I felt like I was really doing something. The ability to skip to your favorite track with one push of the button you are freaking kidding me?! This is better than sliced bread!

This amazement quickly progressed into a full blown addiction. When something new came out, whether I really wanted it or not, I had to have it. Not just eventually, but the same day it came out. Hell, for the most part it's still like that. My mom was kind enough (or that much of an enabler) to take me to the music store anytime I wanted to go before I could drive. Once I got that license though it was over with. I went to great lengths to expand my cd collection and even surrounded myself with other addicts. Our lovely podcast contributor Candice has often accompanied me on these trips. Like me, she too has a problem. A prime example of how bad things got is how I came to own Kanye West's Late Registration. This release happened to coincide with one of the worst natural disasters in history: Hurricane Katrina. While the damage pales in comparison to that of New Orleans, Birmingham got its ass handed to it. Well, after coming to school only to find that classes were canceled (which for UAB can be compared to an Elvis sighting) Candice and I decided this was the perfect time to cop that new Kanye. So we traveled all the way to the other side of town through downed power lines and no working traffic lights till we found an open music store. We might have been in danger and so what we didn't have electricity at the house. We had some good music to listen to when the lights came back on!

We've even been known to scheme to get cds including lying to the people at Walmart about traveling from another city to pick up a copy of Beyonce's Bday at 2 a.m. Don't judge us because it worked (both times)! My love affair with the compact disc has been one wild and crazy ride. So you can imagine my sadness now that it's dying.

Yeah I know folks have been saying that for a while but I've been in denial. That was until I got my hands on the devil's instrument: the iPod. Now don't get me wrong, I love my slice of mp3 heaven. It gives one great freedom to know their entire music collection is available at any time and anywhere. But this invention is slowly fading out my beloved cds and that's not cool. There's a sort of ritual that comes with buying cds. First, there is the anticipation involved in waiting on it to hit the shelves. Then, there's the liner notes. I love being able to read who produced the track, where it was recorded, what it samples and the thank you notes. Its one of my favorite things about owning cds. My major gripe with iTunes and other online music stores is that you lose that. Even with the drawbacks, I find myself relying on iTunes to fulfill my music buying needs. It's certainly more convenient than waiting on a store to open up and driving there to pick it up. They never sell out which is a big plus. But it still makes me sad because I feel like I'm losing an old friend or something. But I guess everything changes with the times. It's going to feel mighty funny trying to explain to my future children what a cd was.

"Swagger Like Us" T.I., Lil Wayne, Jay-Z and Kanye West (Yes you read that correctly)

Let's see how long this link lasts.

T.I. featuring Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, Kanye West--"Swagger Like Us"

One in a million truly

Today marks the seventh year anniversary of the death of Aaliyah. The hip-hop community has had a few tragic deaths in its history, but this one marks me as truly shocking. She wasn't embroiled in beef or doing something she shouldn't have been. She was simply living her dream and doing her life's work when she was tragicallly killed in a plane crash. I read somewhere on the internet today that Aaliyah fans, or just music fans in general, could remember exactly where they were when they heard the news. I know I do. It was the beginning of my junior year of high school on Saturday August 25 and I had just come back home from hanging with my friends when one of them called me and told me the news. I didn't want to believe it, partly because my mom had mixed up her name with Brandy while trying to give me the message, but I was shocked when I learned the news. My friends and I stayed on the phone until early in the morning trying to find out if it was true. It was really strange because I remember that day specifically being on an Aaliyah kick. Her third album Aaliyah had just come out that summer and after giving it a break I decided for some reason to put it back into rotation that day.

Now listening to that album I see just how before her time she actually was. Aaliyah was so refreshing when it came out. Maybe it was because she hadn't put out a full album since 1996, but it still feels new even seven years after its release. It was just something about her. She had beauty, swagger, style, relatability and talent to boot. What is especially tragic is that she was just beginning to take off. Sure the urban audience knew who she was and she was already a super star in our eyes, but with all the big budget movies and the new music she had on deck you could tell she was getting ready to reach a completely new stratosphere. She was a pioneer for all the new R&B chanteuses of our day. Without her there would definitely be no Ciaras, Cassies, Rihannas or the like. Her death affected all us from the fans, her family and the people who worked closely with her. No one can deny that after her passing Timbaland, Missy and the Superfriends crew as a whole all lost a little of their swag. Sometimes I wonder just how big she would have gotten had it not been for her tragic departure. I guess it's best to just remember as the phenomenal talent that she was in her short lifetime. Rest in peace, Babygirl.

Self destruction? Hell yeah

I ran across this on Friday on Crunk & Disorderly. Meet Detroit's finest, ladies and gentlemen. It's so much wrong with this foolishness it's not even funny. First of all, all that cussing, talk of murking people, and bangin totally contradicts the message. Then there's the backup singers/folks with nothing else to do with their time. Homegirl in the crop jacket is dancing waaaaayyyy off the beat. And shouldn't that little boy be doing some type of homework? Lastly, apparently Tbaby took a page from the Silkk the Shocker book of off beat rhyming. Let's not even go into the pictures at the end. Everybody involved in this needs to be shamed. Real shamed. This project = EPIC FAIL. This is our future y'all and if you know like I know you'd be trying to holla at some property on that space station. Because if this is even a small representation of who's gonna be running the joint down here, we're all screwed.

What's Worse: Pop, Lock, and Drop It

So I've come up with a new feature to the blog, and this is one where you readers can get involved. Every now and then I will post up two related things, and you comment and tell me which one you think is more ridiculous, more of a shame, more unattractive or whatever criteria you decide; and why. So let's try this out.

What's Worse?

This white boy Pop Locking and Dropping it?



Or This 3 year old Pop Locking and Dropping it?



I don't think either of these are very appropriate, but you decide What's Worse!

Omar Gooding drops a Rap Album?

Yes, that man holding the huge Cuban cigar with the photoshopped smoke is none other than actor Omar Gooding.

Younger children, and older adults only know him as Cuba Gooding Jr.'s little brother. But us eighties babies practically grew up watching this man.

Over a decade ago we watched a thirteen-year old Omar Gooding on Nickelodeon's Wild and Crazy Kids. Later we saw him on Hanging with Mr. Cooper and Smart Guy, and he had solidified his image as a clean-cut family-oriented actor. He played a much more mature role as "Sweetpea" in John Singleton's street film Baby Boy, an unprecedented switch that indicated that Gooding was ready for more adult endeavors.

Soon after, we saw him in more mature parts on shows such as CSI: Miami and the short-lived ESPN drama Playmakers.

But even playing a thug in Baby Boy didn't prepare us for this--Omar Gooding, or "Big O" is releasing an album with West Coast gangsta rapper, C-Bo. Now it wouldn't be as shocking if he were releasing an album with someone like, say, Will Smith or Rev Run. It wouldn't even be that bad if it were someone like Ja Rule or Jay-Z. But C-Bo? The guy who writes lyrics like "I'm a mobster/killin' make my dick hard" is creating an album with Stuart from Ghost Dad.

I haven't heard any tracks yet, but I'll let you know what I think when I do.

I guess we all grow up, but could "Big-O" have possibly found a rapper whose lyrics weren't so horrific they got him arrested?

Hip-Hop (and music in general) needs a legitimate awards show

In my quest to finally figure out why mainstream hip-hop and music in general has gone down the shitter, I stumbled upon an interesting theory.

While the mainstream entertainment industry as a whole generally amounts to a huge cluster-fuck of bankable cliches, there are always the exceptions.

That is, in film and television there are. In music the only exceptions are, quite generally, the people who don't get any airplay. In film and television, however, these exceptions are noted by major players in the respective fields, put on a pedestal, and nominated for prestigious awards, like Emmys, Oscars, or Golden Globes.

You may be saying, "Well, what about the Grammys? That's the most prestigious music award there is, right?!"

Well, it is, but only by default; especially when referring to hip-hop. The Grammys, unlike the AMA's or Billboard Awards--whose winners are chosen based on their popularity--are awarded to those deemed worthy by a panel of old white dudes. Even so, the hip-hop/r&b playing field among all three events is generally populated with the same names. You know, the regulars: Justin, Beyonce, Usher, etc. Not to say that any of these three are untalented or uncreative, but they are definitely not the best in their field by any measure except popularity.

What about the BET awards?
Now I've really got to hand it to BET. A hugely bootleg television network has managed to produce a series of surprisingly un-bootleg awards ceremonies. But be honest, is that award really worth anything? At most, the music section of the BET awards is just a expanded version of the "urban" sections of the Billboard Awards (albeit with the respectable addition of a "Gospel" category).

Quite sadly, if we really look at it, the closest thing we have ever had to a pure hip-hop award's show is the Source Awards; and do I really need to get started on that shit?

Unlike musicians and record executives; filmmakers, theatre and television producers, and actors actually have a motivation other than money: the prestige of being recognized by critics, fans, enthusiasts, and experts as "the best" for that year. Not "the most popular" or "the most successful", but "the best". That phrase actually means something in film, theatre, and television. Perhaps this is part of the reason why hip-hop has become so dry and predictable.

It's just a guess, but maybe we need a prestigious hip-hop awards ceremony. How about the Can I Kick it Awards...? What do you think Mia? Hey we're not the Oscars but it's a start.