Hip-Hop, Politics, News, Music, Videos, and Life

Wale and Skyzoo Perform Together in NYC

2008-09-15T07:24:00.005-04:00

My slept on album of the year

2008-06-04T13:18:00.004-04:00

I know it is early, but after sleeping on The Show by "supergroup" eMC (made up of Masta Ace, Wordsworth, Punchline and Strick) I finally gave it a listen. The only member I have really gotten into was Ace, thus I wasn't expecting too much nor such a high level of production (produced by Ayatollah, Marco Polo, Nicolay and many more). Anyway it is sort of a concept album, similar to Masta Ace's album A Long Hot Summer. The album describes the groups journey as they are traveling to perform a show. I just wanted to spread the word and recommend everyone give it a listen. Not sure if this site promotes media sharing, but i'll upload this album in hopes that if you like it you will cop it with your own money cause everyone knows underground artists need all the support they can get.

DOWNLOAD HERE

3 reaons why Obama should not pick Clinton as VP

2008-06-04T13:17:00.006-04:00

1. Senator Obama has run a campaign emphasizing change in Washington, D.C. His message allowed him to defeat the powerful Clinton brand. Wouldn't it be hypocritical if he chose a Washington insider as his Vice President? I think so.

2. Senator Clinton and her campaign attacked him in every way possible. If someone insulted me with half of the intensity that Senator Clinton and her campaign attacked Senator Obama, I would probably deck that person when I saw him (not her, because I don't hit girls) in public. Is Obama supposed to turn the other cheek? If he does, he looks weak, and Republicans will spin it just so.

3. Dick Cheney proved that the Vice President can have incredible power. Do you really think Senator Clinton (and former President Clinton!) is going to play a complimentary role to Obama? No. She'll (they'll) want to be co-President. Here's an example that some of you might follow: The Lakers are in the championship. Obama is Kobe. If you brought T-Mac and Vince Carter on the team because they can score a lot of points (they're cousins, not husband and wife, you get the idea!) in the NBA Finals, what would happen to the Lakers chemistry? Would they still be able to win that championship? Maybe, but not without a lot of internal conflict.

"The Kramer: A Success or Failure?"

2008-06-03T17:47:00.002-04:00

Who is this Wale guy?

Wale’s “The Kramer” is the only track on “Mixtape About Nothing” that shines a negative light onto the Seinfeld series. Using Michael Richard’s intolerant rant from November of 2006, Wale brings up the highly charged and highly taboo topic of racist hate speech in America. But does his response to Michael Richards succeed in providing a conscious discussion of this difficult topic?

Wale’s lyrics are fierce, obviously emotionally charged and provide a dramatic call for help for those who have been hurt by hate speech, “who gonna listen to us? Who gonna speak for us? Who gonna plead for us? Who gonna be the head NIC for us? Who gonna defend us from crooked police on us? I’m just an insecure N-I-G-R.” His second verse is an alternate perception of the N-word saying how, “N***** ain’t bad, see N***** just had a clever idea to take something they said into something we have, something we flipped into something with swag.” Wale makes noteworthy jump after jump addressing different opinions and perspectives about hate speech culminating in a vicious self-reflection that ends the track.

“The Kramer” follows a similar lyrical strategy of political tracks by other Hip-Hop superstars like Eminem (with Mosh) and Jay-Z (with Minority Report) in the sense that it pits two parties at ends using “us” and “them” but “The Kramer” seems to flounder with whether it is trying to deliver the message that all white people are like Michaels or whether white people should attempt to learn from Michaels’ mistake. However this blending of “us” and “them” serves a purpose for Wale, it shows how hate speech is universal in whom it impacts. His ambiguous delivery criticizes the response people have to hate speech, some view it as a clear-cut “us” vs “them,” others have a tendency to ignore entirely, while still others believe that it is a difficult and multifaceted topic.

“The Kramer” may not provide the spark that both “Mosh” and “Minority Report” attempted to emphasize but it does strive to educate not just those who are racially intolerant but everyone who suffers from hate speech, “and make sure, everything you say can’t be held against you in any kind of way and any connotation is viewed many different ways ‘cause under every n**** there’s a little bit of Kramer, self hatred, I hate ya and myself.” With “The Kramer” Wale is able to show his audience the difficulty of dealing with hate speech from many different angles. His point appears to be less about how people like Richards are racist and more about the confusion and division of opinions people have about the N-word. This particular track can be interpreted in a vast variety of ways and I would love to talk about other people’s thoughts.

You can listen to “The Kramer”: here

Lil Wayne's Carter 3 would be a hip-hop classic if...

2008-06-02T22:27:00.009-04:00

...the track list looked like this

From the Underground Up's Carter III.

1. 3 Peat (Prod. by Cool & Dre)
2. Mr. Carter ft. Jay-Z (Prod. by Infamous)
3. Lollipop ft. Static Major (Prod. by Deezle and Jim Jonsin)
4. Let the Beat Build (Prod. by Kanye West and Deezle)
5. Tie My Hands ft. Robin Thicke (Prod. by Kanye West)
6. Phone Home (Prod. by Cool & Dre)
7. Shoot Me Down (Prod. by Kanye West)
8. Comfortable ft. Babyface (Prod. by Kanye West)
9. Dr Carter (Prod. by Swizz Beatz)
10. You Ain't Got Nothin ft. Fabolous and Juelz Santana (Prod. by Alchemist)
11. Misunderstood (Prod. by Kanye West)

That's an album. Universal really screwed Wayne's chances of having a classic. The artist should get to make their own track list.

Change? Yes plz, but keep the pennies.

2008-06-02T14:59:00.013-04:00

If one word could sum up this campaign season, I don't think anyone would disagree that the word would be 'change'. But what does that really mean? It actually means a lot more to the democrats than the republicans, and actually could have decade reaching implications. To understand change you must understand the recent history of the democratic party and American politics.

The democratic party, like the republican party, brings together various ideologies under its big umbrella. If we lived in a multi-party system, this would be completely un-needed, but by forcing all ideas into pretty much 2 parties (3rd parties throughout modern American History only worked if you had a well known figure running) you get this very result. So, the primary season is really all about which ideology is going to present its front to the public for this campaign season. Now, that is obviously an over-simplification because another important part of American politics is compromise - and that is why you have some seemingly inconsistent positions held by pretty much every candidate. (at least publicly, during the election cycle)

The democratic party lost the south during the Civil rights movement. During the entire Cold-War they had to tread carefully to avoid being conflated with commie bastards. Therefore that shaped its stance as being very pro-war. Remember, Vietnam is a result of Democratic presidents (And Eisenhower to a much lesser extent). JFK had the bay of pigs and handled the Cuban Missile crisis via gunpoint politics. However, the post-LBJ years have definitely been marked by a republican era. (Carter and Clinton were the only democratic presidents)

However, occurring during this same time, the democratic party really tried to re-shape itself from smoke filled rooms and political machines to a more diverse party that represented all groups(partly because of their radically changing base from FDR-LBJ). This is why their primaries/caucuses generally have far more rules and their delegate selection even required quotas for a while. The old party bigwigs didn't cede all power however, and this is why we have super delegates of the democratic party today. The change however, came in half-hearted measures and policies and the American public just simply didn't buy it.

After 30 years of mostly second-rate status and much corruption; Enter Bill Clinton. He promised a new way, and actually created yet another Idealogical group called the New Democrats. However, his new way lent more to his absolutely charismatic way than anything else. His 'moderate' social positions ripped the democratic base apart. His 'neo-liberal' economic policies lacked oversight because of republicans constantly trying to paint democrats as tax and spend. The problem arises because when you don't have a Bill Clinton, his actual actions in office are indistinguishable from a moderate republican, except for a few key areas - which happen to be unpopular with the american public. The New democrats fell lock-step in with the old party bigwigs who still held power from the social progressives, and they sought to move the party in that direction in the past 20 years. So, to recap, the democratic party has tried many different strategies in the past 40 years and they really haven't worked so well. The reason is because 'politicians' and 'politicing' (or making sure their party can gain control over all 3 branches of government) have become more important than actual 'policies'. I'll make another post on how the republicans have out-maneuvered them on this like a Cheetah to a turtle.

Cue Obama.

Obama is not beholden to the Democratic Leadership Council (The New democrats that have dominated since Clinton as discussed earlier, and have only gotten more corrupt) and all of its terrible policies. In fact, He isn't beholden to anyone, taking only small donations. He actually talks social change, something that has been left to rot since the Civil rights movement. Remember, Bill Clinton is the one who passed the Defensive Marriage Act, for example. The democratic interests however, are represented by Hillary Clinton. She is the quintessential politician. One could even call her a future Reagan or LBJ. The old democratic interests combined with her chicanery and political ingeniousness is also the reason that Hillary is still in the race. Old habits die hard, and so do political interests.

The era of political haggling that produces terrible legislation which is only meant to give momentum to the next election cycle could come to an end. Winston Churchill's prophetic words of the 20th century still apply to today, which shows just how permanent of a problem this has been:

The era of procrastination, of half-measures, of soothing and baffling expedients, of delays, is coming to a close. In its place we are entering a period of consequences.

Consequences the world 70 years ago solved with the very half measures he was talking about. The next 40 years could be dominated by social progressivism and government policies that focus on oversight as much as what the policy is trying to seek. The 'bite' of passed legislation therefore won't be softened by political interests. Obama, unlike very many previous democrats, isn't a 'socialist' or anything close to it. His economic policies are actually fairly moderate for a democrat. However they focus on people, rather than political lobbies, and that is where he differs from almost every other candidate of the past half-century - and the 'New Democrats' who said they sought that very thing. His social policies also speak to a time again of moving forward, instead of the recent talk of moving backwards.

Watch the race. Watch what Obama is saying. Watch how Obama begins to articulate his general election policies. Watch how the media reacts. Watch how other democrats react. This election could be the most important election of this next half century. Of course, Obama could very much not live up and could turn out to be a Carter all over again.

A friendly message to Clinton supporters

2008-06-01T19:37:00.005-04:00

3 things...

1. Congratulations! Despite the Clinton camps 20 million dollar debt, you all have kept the dream alive with your continued support. I believe Senator Clinton deserves the right to stay in the race. But don't you agree she has run a negative campaign in recent months?

2. Barack Obama is the Democratic Presidential nominee. Is it because the national news networks have chosen Senator Obama? No. Mathematically it is impossible for Senator Clinton to win. The big networks realize this. Some of you still need convincing.

3. If you are a Hillary supporter then Obama is a great second choice. Stop acting like you're not going to vote for him. If you vote McCain...shame on you.

I wish Senator Clinton all the luck in her political future, but it's time for her camp to stop attacking Senator Obama by making generalizations to thwart his momentum. He needs all the momentum he can get to beat an American hero like John McCain. I am not a Democrat, but I recognize it's time for a Democrat to be Commander and Chief. Clinton supporters agree. So how about we all get behind Senator Obama? At this point, it's the only logical choice.

EliteXC more like RiggedXC

2008-06-01T16:50:00.005-04:00

EliteXC, and more specifically, Gary Shaw, put on quite a show for its introduction into network TV. The endless hype about Kimbo should have been the first tip off that something was amiss, especially since he is mostly unproven in MMA. 3 fights and a title fight on network tv? Oh, ok.

But first, The girl fight between Gina Carano (what a hotty for such a tough bitch right? Perfect for TV) and Kaitlyn. Ignoring the fact that Kaitlyn shouldn't have even been in the same weight class as her, why did they stop the fight right after Carano began to really slow down from fatigue? Granted, Kaitlyn's eye looked pretty fucked up - but again something amiss.

Then the fight between Lawler and Smith was just a travesty. It was one of the best straight up duke out matches I have seen in a very long while. But then Lawler's fingers 'accidentally' go into Smith's eye. Fine, shit happens in MMA. Then Smith begins to take his 5 minute break that he is entitled too and the doc walks in. First she looks at the completely wrong eye and he goes 'its the other eye', she looks at that eye and asks if he can see. He says 'I can't right now but give me my 5 minutes'. He then repeats that same line asking for his 5 minutes, and the doc (at just over a minute into his 5 minute break) ended the fight. Smith flips out saying no he can see he just wanted his 5 minutes but oh well. Even Shaw was embarrassed by that and gave each fighter their winning salaries.

Now the Kimbo fight. Jesus christ the Kimbo fight. Now don't get me wrong, I love Kimbo Slice, and that man is an absolute beast. I have never seen anyone be put in a choke hold like he was for that long and not tap out. I can only imagine that his neck is so large that JT could not stop stop the blood flow. Then there was the end of round 2 when Kimbo took no less than 20 elbows/punches to the head and his only response was a thumbs up to the ref.

However, there was the extremely sketchy stand up when JT had him in a side hold and was looking to see how he could finish it. And also the glaringly obvious Cauliflower ear that JT walked into the ring with. Why didn't he drain that before that fight, especially going up against an absolute brawler like Kimbo? There really is only one explanation and it is 'if kimbo is losing, go for the ear'. There is also the fact that during round 2, one of the judges scored the round 10-9 Kimbo. What. The. Fuck. Kimbo really should have lost that fight, and against someone with such a glass chin as JT, I'm afraid he may never come close to the hype. Kimbo needs to work on his cardio and grappling, but I'm afraid at his age he will never be a great. EliteXC, however, shamed MMA and Shaw should be dragged out back and beaten.

What do you think?

Ran into Rick Ross today

2008-05-30T21:15:00.003-04:00

I said hello to the Big Boss Ricky Ross in the Atlanta airport this afternoon. He was passing through with one of his friends. Right after I met him, I picked up the new XXL with him, Flo-Rida, DJ Khaled and Trina on the cover. It reminded me a lot of this post I made back at the beggining of the year. I'll dissect the magazines contents later cause I feel like XXL is on my diiiiiiiiiiid you see this?

ps. I'm in NYC

Wale is Out of This World

2008-05-30T03:09:00.011-04:00

The Mixtape About Nothing comes out today, Wale's newest mixtape inspired by Seinfeld. Before you judge the name, listen what this young man has to say. I will say that he is, without a doubt, the most impressive lyricist I have heard since early Eminem or Nas.

I'll post a full review when I listen to the tape a few times. This shit is infinitely better than anything thats on the radio right now.

"And if you love substance you love Wale but most people love nothing so I made this tape”

"I’m not saying that I’m Nas here, I’m just sayin rap’s dead when I’m not here"

"Pause, epiphany, ya'll, ironically, normal and gnarly from Garfield, you're kitten me"

Check him out!

Old Wale: Nike Boots

Wale + Skyzoo = The Hacksaw Jim Duggan

Wale + Bun B = Back in the Gogo

Dunkin Donuts supports terrorism and Democrats can't follow rules

2008-05-29T23:37:00.004-04:00

I'm currently in Atlanta. I'm heading to NYC tomorrow for 2 months but I'm going to miss the hip-hop radio stations in Hotlanta. Couldn't post as I was driving up from Naples today, but here's something for your eyes!

1. Rachel Ray is a terrorist. Dunkin Donuts is a terrorist organization. Scarfs symbolize terrorism! Read this if you don't believe me!

2. The DNC is meeting this weekend to figure out some sort of compromise for the Florida and Michigan delegates. WHAT? I've got a solution: stick to the rules! This issue makes me furious.

"The issue: how to deal with two states that violated party rules by holding their primaries in January. At the time, the Rules Committee voted to penalize the states by taking away half their delegates, as the rules call for. The vote on the committee was nearly unanimous, and it included the vote of committee member/Clinton bigwig Harold Ickes. All the candidates — including Clinton and Obama — agreed not to campaign in either state; Obama, in fact, withdrew his name from the Michigan ballot. Clinton kept hers on. And though she won both states convincingly, she said at the time that in effect the votes didn't amount for much. That was then."

Plies is the realest rapper ever

2008-05-28T12:03:00.002-04:00

Plies' sophomore album (see image above) is called the Definition of Real. Most rappers could not get away with such an album title. Plies can. Here's why:

1. First major song as a rapper was called "Tell Dem Krackers Dat". That's something you can tell the cracker ass crackers in your life.

2. His crew allegedly shot up a Gainesville club after Plies microphone was cut off. Violence isn't cool, but it's the realest thing to resort to if your mic gets cut off! Read about it here.

3. He's from Ft. Meyers, Florida. I'm from right by Ft. Meyers aka "The Definition of a Real Place to Live".

4. Runs a website called Bid Long in order to support prisoners. It's way realer than donating money to charity or playing some celebrity basketball game.

5. His video for "100 Years". Might be the best/realest rap video/song ever created. Lyrics like "pussy ass cracka give a n***a hundred years" make it a done deal (and that's just from the chorus).

6. He said the realest thing EVER on DJ Khaled's hit song "I'm So Hood": "Never buy a Phantom, 28's don't fit". I don't know if that's true or not, but it's real.

7. I'm too real to think of more reasons. I think Plies' sophomore album is going to be a real success, pun intended.

McBush...I mean McCain

2008-05-27T18:37:00.004-04:00

Saw this.

John McCain is not only the most absent Senator of 2008, but he has voted with President Dubya 100% of the time. How about in 2007? 95% of the time.

+1 Obama

Veterans account for 1/5 of Suicides in 2005

2008-05-27T01:16:00.003-04:00

You can read the story here.

Some interesting information from the article:

•120 veterans commit suicide every week.

• 1,000 veterans attempt suicide while in VA care every month.

• Nearly one in five service members returning from Iraq and Afghanistan (approximately 300,000) have post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms or major depression.

• 19 percent of post-Iraq and Afghanistan veterans have been diagnosed with possible traumatic brain injury, according to a Rand Corp. Study in April.

• A higher percentage of these veterans suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder than from any previous war because of "stop loss" or an involuntary extension of service in the military (58,300), multiple tours, greater prevalence of brain injuries, etc.

•The Veterans for Common Sense case has already uncovered widespread breakdown of the VA's health care for veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. The Rand Corp. study demonstrates that, in addition to the 300,000 Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans diagnosed with PTSD, an additional 320,000 have sustained physical brain damage resulting from traumatic brain injury. A majority of these injured GIs are receiving no help from the Defense Department or the VA, which are more concerned with covering up such unpleasant facts than providing care and paying disability pensions.

Well, at least Bush hasn't systematically cut Veteran's benefits...oh wait

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, a whole lot of nehhh

2008-05-26T15:52:00.006-04:00

To get us all away from politics for a second, here is a review of the new Indy movie.

“Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” is a movie dedicated to action, nostalgic catch phrases, and a clever, surreal mystery but the compliments end here for Steven Spielberg and George Lucas’ fourth Indy installment. It is clear that this is the worst film of the once trilogy now quadrilogy and that the heralded producer/director combo have thrown all the successful quirkyness of the 80s movies out the window in order to capture a new audience. “The Crystal Skull” is solely a disappointing action flick, not a suspenseful action/drama with poignant downtime that provides great dialogue and character insight. The new Indy downtime occurs while the protagonists try to escape hordes of communists in a dense jungle, or while fleeing from even more communists in an unnamed American city.

Now before I really get to the tragic parts of this movie I should give it some credit (mostly because I feel like I have to). Harrison Ford shows that he can play a timeless action star and once again sweeps the audience off it’s feet while still cleverly hiding the fact that he is 65 years old. Shia LaBeouf plays Mutt, a character that reminds me more of a pachycephalosaurus than a human and barrages his way through the film, providing all of the extra excitement of a twenty something. Mutt’s mother, Karen Allen is just as great as she was in the first Indiana film and the continuous bickering dialogue between her and Ford provides some of the film’s most nostalgic highlights. Cate Blanchett, who plays a “telepathic” communist general, is generally good but suffers from a lack of importance to the story. There aren’t any connections between her and Indiana and the Spielberg/Lucas combo do little to provide the audience any reason to think of her as a dangerous human being.

Speaking of Spielberg and Lucas, they sure do know how to suck the teet of a franchise until it is dry don’t they? Here’s a suggestion to Mr. Spielberg and Mr. Lucas, why don’t you sit down together over a nice dinner and think up new ideas instead of just taking a great series of films and adding updated special effects. Indiana Jones survives thousands of rounds of machine gun fire, a swarm of hungry CGI jungle ants, random aborigines who pop out from behind every wall and crevasse, nearly two hundred ruthless communists and a…. nuclear bomb… Yes, that’s right, a nuclear bomb. Indiana Jones is perhaps the first human to ever discover that in order to survive the most destructive weapon man has every created all you have to do is hide inside of a lead refrigerator and you will be blown to safety, completely clear of all radiation. Are you kidding me? Was that you, George who decided on that clever little addendum of fantasy?

I think Spielberg and Lucas need to have someone slap them with the “duh-stick” that explains to them the reason the old Indiana Jones flicks were so good wasn’t because of the nonstop action but because they were able to combine SUSPENSE WITH ACTION. 21st century action movies aren’t suspenseful, they are entertaining and “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” limits itself because it really wants to be a full-fledged action movie. The problem is that Indiana Jones movies aren’t action movies, the guy is a freaking archeologist for crying out loud, let him do more than ten minutes of archeology before discovering everything in order to add five more minutes of chase scene during the so called “climax” of the movie.

I think I’ve completed my rant on Indy 4, it is a movie with a ton of potential but suffers from leaving the effective Indiana scheme of mystery and discovery, following the dark path of “lets give our audience nosebleeds because the action is so damn intense!” Hopefully I haven’t deterred readers from wanting to go see the movie because it is entertaining and it is great to see Harrison Ford return to his butt-kicking glory days. Check that, I would like to deter people from going to see this movie because until Spielcas and Luberg can show me that they can make a movie that doesn’t involve remaking a successful hit from the 70s-80s or 90s I don’t want them to make any money.

Jermaine Dupri understands blogs

2008-05-26T06:23:00.002-04:00

"The term ‘New Media’ needs to be changed,” Dupri said. “The internet's not new. This stuff should be integrated. It's all one media, and these days the digital space is way more powerful than outlets like print and television.” Link

Wale wants to get this money

2008-05-26T04:37:00.002-04:00

"I'm married to my money, my clothes, and hip-hop" - Wale (Wal-lay)

He's next to blow-up. Keep an eye on him!

Eminem's new material is his best yet

2008-05-26T04:10:00.005-04:00

This is from an old (March 2008) article from the good folks over at HipHopDX. This is what Royce da 5'9 (who is one of my favorite emcees...period!) had to say:

He [Eminem] told me he had some of the best shit recorded right now that he’s ever done in his life. I ain’t even got a chance to get with him to hear it yet. He ain’t heard what I got [new], and I ain’t heard what he got [new]. That’s kinda like what our friendship is, it’s always been real competitive. It’s always been that we motivate each other. And I think we at a point in our careers where we both need that.”

Does Facebook think I'm gay?

2008-05-25T16:33:00.006-04:00

I use facebook. I was the first person with red hair to use facebook. Despite my status, I'm still subject to the mini-ads on the left side of the screen when looking at my facebook home (not my actual profile). Today I decided to refresh my browser until I saw every last one. Here's what genius marketers/researchers have decided a male (single, straight, interested in women, college student) might be interested in.Advertisement Link 1. A website to help you get your ex back. Well, they know I'm not in a relationship. I look like a psycho in my pictures so I guess they thought this might be a better alternative than killing the guys she's with now.

Advertisement Link 2. This website offered me the chance to connect with some hot gay dudes. Sorry facebook, not really my thing. Not that there's anything wrong with that. I guess they figure I'll turn gay if I can't get my ex back with the help of Ad 1.

Advertisement Link 3: The National Council on Problem Gambling. I kid you not. Is there a growing epidemic of gambling addiction among college students? Someone fill me in.

Advertisement Link 4: Ebay! You are a stupid college student with a disposable income who loves to consume!

That was the order. Those were the ads targeted to me. Check out Dunn's post about the 4th Amendment! That's CRAZY.

4th amendment? What's that

2008-05-25T13:16:00.005-04:00

Al-marri is being held at a brig in South Carolina. He is an American citizen that came to the country on September 10th, 2001. The government arrested him in 2003 on credit card fraud. Then, a few months later, Bush declared him an 'enemy combatant' which means that he is stripped of all of his rights. He has never seen trial and has been locked away in a military prison since than. How can they do this? Well Government lawyers told federal judges that the president can send the military into any U.S. neighborhood, capture a citizen and hold him in prison without charge, indefinitely.

Oh. I'm sorry, what does the fourth amendment say again?

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

John Yoo and Antonio Gonzalez will you please stand up.

Uplifting News

2008-05-24T14:53:00.000-04:00

The inspector general for the Defense Department said yesterday that the Pentagon cannot account for almost $15 billion worth of goods and services ranging from trucks, bottled water and mattresses to rocket-propelled grenades and machine guns that were bought from contractors in the Iraq reconstruction effort.

Full story Here.

Biggie, Busta and Dilla

2008-05-24T07:49:00.000-04:00

Found this video explaining the rare collaboration of Biggie, Busta and Dilla. The track is unreleased, but Biggies verse is used on his subsequent album Born Again.

Here is the video with the explanation.

Here is just the track.

Haha the stories are funny, but it is sad seeing dilla confined to his wheel chair as he struggles with lupus.

Florida Runs Hip-Hop in 2008

2008-05-24T01:00:00.000-04:00

I feel an urge to do a follow-up to my post about 2008 being the Year of Florida. The Music Industry should take my number down...

Plies: Definition of Real is dropping June 10th. He's on fire. Check his statistics from 2008 thus far. "Shawty", his 2007 single, peaked @ #6 on the Hot Ringtone Charts this year. "Hypnotized" peaked @ #28 on the Pop 100 Charts and #22 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chartc. His singles from Definition of Real have also been well-received. Plies peaked at #69 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart with "Bust It Baby". "Bust It Baby pt 2" hit #16 on the Billboard Hot 100, #40 on the Pop 100, #3 on Hot Rap Tracks, #6 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart and #23 on the Hot Ringtones Charts. Clearly he's not going anywhere. Expect a great rest of the year.

Flo-Rida: I haven't been following the sales of Rida's debut Mail on Sunday because CD sales don't mean anything. The Music Industry is not about CDs anymore. For what it's worth, Sunday debuted in 2008 at #2 on the Album Charts. "Low" had incredible longevity and was a number 1 song across the globe (USA, Canada, New Zealand). "Elevators" is charting very well, and his upcoming singles (one with Sean Kingston, the other with Will.i.am) are sure to have cross-over appeal. I told you to expect a big year!

Rick Ross: MTV ranked him #4 on their 'Hottest MCs In The Game' List. He's crossed over in a major way.

DJ Khaled: Ace Hood's single "Cash Flow" was/is real big down South. Khaled gets points for that one. His new single "Out Here Grindin" is a hit! It features Rick Ross, Plies, Lil Boosie, Trick Daddy, Ace Hood and Lil Wayne. Akon on the hook. Certified smash. Props to Khaled for bringing back collabos.

T-Pain: Do I have to say anything? Google him. He's everywhere.

...more updates on Florida's dominance in 2008 coming throughout the year. And don't forget the predictions!

2008-05-23T16:42:00.000-04:00

Underground Politics:

Hillary Clinton's campaign is in debt...20.88 million!

Hillary Clinton No Longer Accepts DNC Rules that SHE SIGNED

2008-05-22T15:10:00.001-04:00

This is just gross.

From the Underground Up Presents: Coastland Center Streaker

2008-05-22T01:48:00.001-04:00

I got the exclusive. haha

Obama/Webb 2008

2008-05-16T20:34:00.000-04:00

Barack Obama will win the 2008 Presidential Election. He will win by more than five points. However, he will have a better chance at winning if he picks Senator Jim Webb of Virgina as his Vice President. You can read Jim Webb's biography HERE or read my justification of why Jim Webb is the man. Allow me to break it down:
1. Naval Academy Graduate (received Superintendent's Commendation for outstanding leadership)
2. Served in Vietnam in the Marine Corps -- awarded the Navy Cross, the Silver Star Medal, two Purple Hearts, two Bronze Star Medals
3. Earned Law degree from Georgetown University
4. Served from 1977 to 1981 in the US Congress
5. Proposed and successful fought for a black soldier to be part of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial statue
6. Former Secretary of Navy
7. Speaks Vietnamese
8. Currently a junior Senator on the following Senate Committees: Foreign Relations, Armed Services, Veterans' Affairs, and the Joint Economic Committee.
9. His son served in Iraq
10. Emmy winner

Has anyone seen Ray Cash?

2008-01-22T14:09:00.000-05:00

I'm waiting for his sophomore album. His debut was fire, but it got slept on due to a lack of promotion. Somebody help this guy out!!!

Mickey Avalon is about to have a big year

2008-01-22T14:00:00.001-05:00

So I go back to Florida, and who's music do I hear blasting through the speakers at a couple of parties? A former male prostitute with a drug problem named Mickey Avalon. He's currently featured in a Boost Mobile commercial with Jermaine Dupri and Young Jeezy, of all people. I see him tapping into a large white audience, and blowing up in '08. He's hip-hop, but with a punk-rock sound. LA Weekly sums it up best:

Mickey Avalon, the world’s greatest glam rap star — a genre of one.

Check out this article.

New Killa

2008-01-11T14:42:00.001-05:00

That new-ish Cam'ron mixtape, Public Enemy #1, is real good. I'm hoping Cam does big things in '08. And I hope him and Jimmy link back up. I know they're not 'beefin', but it's not the same when you don't see the whole Set together at once.

The Year of Florida (2008)

2008-01-08T15:39:00.000-05:00

Florida is the most underrated state in Hip-Hop. Look at the roster and what they're currently doing.

Trick Daddy - Rumored to be signing with G-Unit this year.

Trina - The radio's been playing her new single a lot, and she has an album coming out soon. Not sure how it'll sell.

Plies - He's one of the new stars of hip-hop, hate it or love it. Ladies love him, dudes likes his music. He sounds simple and ignorant on records, but check an interview with Plies cause he's an intelligent guy who can hold an intelligent conversation.

DJ Khaled - He's running the game as a DJ. I think of him as a southern version of FunkMaster Flex/DJ Clue. Expect more success in 2008 for Mr. "We The Best."

Flo-Rida - He's one of the future stars of hip-hop. With the number 1 songs on iTunes ("Low" ft. T-Pain), he's proven he can cross over. And he doesn't need T-Pain, because he can sing! Check him on Rick Ross' new single "Street Money." Expect a big year from Flo-Rida!

T-Pain - One of the biggest successes in 07, I'm expecting more smash hits from Pain this year, but a little less visibility (i.e. ghost writing).

Rick Ross - BAAAWSE! Trilla is going to be a smash...trust me!

Brisco - He's down with Cash Money, and has a heavy buzz in the South. Expect an album this year

2008 Could Be The Best Year For Commerical Hip-Hop

2008-01-08T15:11:00.001-05:00

There's new albums coming from the genre's biggest stars. No seriously, like THE biggest stars . The untouchables (Dre/Eminem/50). The Shady/Aftermath empire, more specifically, is dropping 3 MAJOR albums. And don't forget about Nasty Nas and Lil Weezyana .

Who: Lil Wayne
What: Tha Carter 3
When: First quarter 2008
Why does it matter: One of the most anticipated albums in a while, Weezy is looking to deliver a classic. Will he?

Who: Dr. Dre
What: Detox
When: 2008
Why does it matter: It's the most anticipated album ever...seriously. I would put money on the fact that it will be a classic album. Put 2001 in your stereo and I bet you couldn't tell it was a 90's rap album. I'm expecting Detox to have a big impact on the hip hop landscape.

Who: Eminem
What: Living Proof: The King Mathers LP (rumored title)
When: 2008
Why does it matter: Em has been keeping quiet, but everything he's dropped post-Encore has been pretty solid. His appearances on the Shady Records collabo album (The Re-Up) gave me hope that he's still hungry. Plus, look what's happened in his life since Encore. Obviously he's got a lot to talk about. I'm expecting a mature Eminem, and hyped up Slim Shady on this album.

Who: Nas
What: Nigger
When: 2008
Why does it matter: Nas has been in great form, and I'm ready to hear some intelligent social commentary from one of the best lyricists alive. I think the title is really offensive, but in a good way. I'm excited for the media's reception of this album, as well as hearing what he has to say.

Who: 50 Cent
What: Before I Self Destruct
When: 2008
Why does it matter: Supposedley 50's last contractual obligation for Interscope Records, Before I Self Destruct is filled with songs with agressive content. You won't find Justin Timberlake on this album, just that gritty 50 that won us over as fans back in the mixtape/Get Rich or Die Trying years (2001-2003). I hope!

Something to think about for 2008 hip-hop

2008-01-05T13:34:00.001-05:00

Check out this great NYTimes article about the current state of the rap game.
"Because hip-hop is so intensely self-aware, and self-reflexive, it came to be known as big-money music, a genre obsessed with its own success. If we are now entering an age of diminished commercial expectations, that will inevitably change how hip-hop sounds too."