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Wednesday, April 30, 2008
only when we're drunk
Question: This trio with a drinking problem curiously released an early single about their love not of liquor but of “Mary Jane” Answer: Tha Alkaholiks!!
I love the Liks. I put them with EPMD and Gangstarr as great examples of meat and potatoes Hip-Hop. They never took themselves too seriously, yet never shorted their craft. The Likwit crew was one of the most dominant of the late 90’s and early 2000’s. Certainly on the indie scene. With releases on ABB and a smattering of majors like Tommy Boy, Loud and Capitol, Defari, Dilated, The Liks, Phil Da Agony, King Tee and the rest were great for the West Coast.
Maybe we can do a reunion at The Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival??????
Don't forget! It's JAMES BROWN BIRTHDAY WEEK! Thanks to the home piss girl Nicole "SAW/SAY" Nelch for the heads up... here's what's on the menu:
FRIDAY May 2nd, 2008 • The Apollo Theater Foundation, Inc. and the Museum of African American Cinema present: REMEMBERING JAMES BROWN. Celebrate James Brown's birthday one day early with 90 minutes of rare and historic film footage from numerous sources that feature live performances of the late, great "Godfather of Soul" along with band members Maceo Parker, Bootsy Collins and Abraham, Inc.'s Fed Wesley. Nelson George & Billy Mitchell will be hosting. Doors at 630pm, free. Apollo Theater Soundstage 253 W. 125th St. NYC.
SATURDAY May 3rd, 2008 • JAMES BROWN'S BIRTHDAY FUNKFEST! NYC Release for The James Brown Reader: 50 Years of Writing about The Godfather of Soul co-edited by Nelson George & Alan Leeds. Special JB DJ set from The Legendary DJ SCRATCH aka "I'm Better Than You!" (EPMD). Resident DJs: O Spindles & Baby Dayliner with a cameo from $aucey. Good Foot Video/Photo Booth by: NEWPOP. NYC release for "Say it Loud: James Brown & Friends Pt. 2": mixed by J.ROCC (limited number will be on hand, early arrival is recommended). Giveaways by WeSC. In association with Waxpoetics & Fusicology. 10pm, $5 w/ RSVP: nicolenelch@gmail.com. 87 Ludlow btwn Delancey & Broome NYC
• Who cuts Ghostface?: Looks like Ghost Deini has ended up on the cutting room floor. The fabled filmed meeting of Dennis Coles and Robert Downy, Jr. as Iron Man in the upcoming flick Iron Man seems to be no more. HIPHOPDX
• Guessed what dropped yesterday?: The Roots' latest opus, Rising Down, dropped, that's what. For all things release day related, go here: OKAYPLAYER
• If you've got some time: The title of this study really says it all--"Rap on Rap: A Content Analysis of BET and MTV's Daytime Music Video Programming." Ish is real. Read. Learn. PARENTS TV
If you post a handful of AZ doe or die joints on a blog, with no apparent reason in particular other than just cause you yourself wanted to listen to them (no news story to connect them to, no on-topic reference to mention)... then you friend, are a lot like we.
That's right dun scouts! Get your "Lil Zane" on, as an official opening act at the 4th Annual Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival!! In conjunction with SayNow.com, the BODEGA™ presents a contest to find the illest undiscovered mic fiend this side of the Mississip! Got a dope written rap your mother can't get enough of? Spit off-the-top's that consistently gas your home peoples? WORD LIFE, We're talking to you! Call 718-354-877 and leave us a worthy 16 (that's bars, you crumbs!) The nicest of the nice wins the coveted opening slot on July 12th. Simple, simon!
Check the BHF page for more details & regular BHF 08 updates!
• Guess who else still struggles?: Even if you're The Roots, you still have to hustle to get your label to care about you. Apparently things have been rough for Philly's finest since the departure of Mr. Carter. Read on to see just how much so: REUTERS
• Jean Grae takes a page from Lupe: Who took a page from Jay-Z, who took a page from... Everyone is retiring. Ms. Grae is the latest to make it known that walking away from hip-hop most likely is the next move. HIPHOPDX
• If you've ever wondered...: Just who is this Jay Electronica you keep hearing about? Well, if you don't know, follow the link and get it known: WE DO IT RIGHT
Question: Pete Rock, Heavy D, and Puffy all hail from this 914 town Answer: Mount Vernon, NY
Money Earnin' Mount Vernon has produced its fair share of Hip-Hop icons. And you know what? I am adding Mr. Big Stuff, Heavy D to the list of greatest rappers history will diss. The Heavster and his teddy bear appeal got your Moms to OK Hip Hop in the house. Without him, maybe Living Color wouldn’t have been the proto-version of the Chapelle Show. Think about it... (would you join the Navy if you didn’t like the gravy and rice?)
Three detectives were found not guilty Friday morning on all charges in the shooting death of Sean Bell, who died in a hail of 50 police bullets outside a club in Jamaica, Queens. The crowd gathered at the Queens Criminal Court building reacted to the verdict in the Sean Bell shooting trial. Justice Arthur J. Cooperman, who delivered the verdict, said many of the prosecution’s witnesses, including Mr. Bell’s friends and the two wounded victims, were simply not believable. “At times, the testimony of those witnesses just didn’t make sense,” he said...
• Look kids! It's ?uestlove: The world's favorite drummer sat down for an interview and expands on Raising Down, politics, their last album, and just, you know, observing ish. ON SMASH
• EPMD - new record, new label: The duo has new digs, the jointly created and launched EP Records, which will float their new record, titled We Mean Business. Read more here: ALLHIPHOP
• Read, think: "Every now and then I come across close-minded racism of this nature and it puts me in my place. It reminds me that even though hip-hop is about self expression and derives from a historically diverse cultural base, there are still people, and forever will be, that are weak minded and have no other alternative to express their confusion than by spouting nonsense." Read more here: GRANDGOOD
Newsletter Thursday is when we see where all the real Hip-Hop nerds are...
Question: This Philly bred ballplayer once worked with the Trackmasters on a self titled album that was quickly shelved after a poorly received duet with Tyra Banks Answer: Kobe Bryant
One of the worst chosen releases… ever.
***on a completely unrelated note DON'T FORGET...***
The Hip- Hop Culture Center in Harlem Presents the 2nd Annual RAPATHON!! History is in the making: the 2nd annual Rapathon is taking place on Saturday, May 3rd starting at 9am. Final auditions for the Rapathon will be held TONIGHT!! Thursday, April 24th at 6:30pm at the Hip-Hop Culture Center... SO JUMP ON THAT A TRIAN!! Emcees: be ready to bring it for 90 seconds - NO CURSES OR VULGARITIES (like your name was Slick Willy Styles!)
Represent hip-hop at the final Rapathon auditions: Thursday, April 24th @ 6:30pm - Hip-Hop Culture Center in Harlem, 2309 Frederick Douglass Blvd. on the second floor of the Magic Johnson Theater - BE THERE!!
Folks have grumbled for sometime, but for real this sh-t is too much. Watch the first five minutes... he straight up says "tap dancin" in his second line.
• Suspect locked up : A major suspect in the death of Jam Master Jay was arrested and sentenced to 17 years for a spree of robberies. Federal prosecutors are pushing for Jay's murder to be considered and are seeking a more severe punishment. NYDN
• Oh, Fox News: Soulja Boy was credited the other day on Fox News. Too bad it was Jay Smooth, who most decidedly is not Soulja Boy. ILLDOCTRINE
• Method's plans: This summer expect to see a Method Man graphic novel, called, um, Method Man, and then look for the movie. These things are getting kind of predictable, aren't they: WOOOHAH
Question: This iconic rapper listed this name in liner notes (until he became a Muslim) before he and his Tribe released their fourth album in 1996... Answer:Jonathan Davis AKA Q tip
Good old Kamaal Fareed had some of us considering abstinence when he came out in advance of Beats Rhymes and Life as a true believer of the Muslim faith. Then he came out with ‘Vivrant Thing’ and we all gave him a pass. I mean he is the Abstract.
Is that new album coming out? And what is the verdict on that Trace cover people?
• H.N.I.C. 2 came out yesterday: Prodigy is FREE!! Well, in your iPod headphones at least. Pick up the record and watch a grip of pre-pen videos via ONSMASH
• Cosby and Ultramag: So Ced Cee of Ultramagnetic is producing some of Bill Cosby's profanity-free hip-hop record. Apparently ish is real and the record, called Cosby Narratives Vol. 1: State of Emergency, is due for release next month. HIPHOPDX
• Visual history: Jesse Kriss (same person behind Visual Scratch) has created a java-powered "interactive visual representation" of some of the samples used in hip-hop's history. Go get learned: JESSE KRISS
Our dear ol' pal Derrick PKA Dee Phunk is launching his own bloggidy blog blogg - it's called TREES FOR BREAKFAST In honor of said undertaking, he'll be hosting a party tomorrow night. The Hump - It's gonna be JAM CITY USA, so do yourself a solid and b-b-b-BE THERE!!!!
THE HUMP - Wednesday, April 23rd, 2008 @ Blue Owl, 196 2nd Ave (near corner of 12th St) 10pm - 4am every Wed, NO COVER ALL NIGHT www.blueowlnyc.com RSVP: thehumpnyc@gmail.com
a special pre-launch party for Trees for Breakfast hosted by Dee Phunk (Rare Form / Trees for Breakfast) www.rareformnyc.com | www.treesforbreakfast.com www.myspace.com/phunksupreme $6 specialty / well drinks 'til 12am! resident DJs MYLES & LINDSEY along w/ special guest DJ TAHLEIM spinning all your favorite joints from 1998 - 1998 www.myspace.com/djmyles | www.djlindsey.com www.myspace.com/djtahleim
COME EARLY FOR THE SPECIAL SLOW JAM SET! (just get there early anyway, it may get packed)
• Glad someone caught this: For some reason nobody (CNN, FOX, MSNBC) seems to want to acknowledge that a few days ago Obama dipped into Jay-Z's tool box and brushed some dirt from his shoulder during a speech in Philly. At least Maureen Dowd did: NY TIMES
• Still a fan : Flow TV sat down and had a little chat with Pacific Division (PAC DIV) in coordination with URB magazine's Top 100. Pac Div is nice to hear, but the editorial staff at URB is a bit suspect...: NAH RIGHT
• This dude just killed it at Union Hall last weekend: Chairman Mao, one of the founders of Ego Trip (this website's favorite hip-hop mag...ever), gives an in-depth interview about all things music and hip-hop. It's a two-parter so read the whole thing!: APA
Brothers Under Madness, Priority Records, 1995 Question: This West Coast label's roster has boasted The Black Eyed Peas, Ice Cube, Ras Kass, Organized Konfusion and many more, since their inception in 1986
Answer: Priority Records
That's a pre Fergie BEP known as The Atban Clan. As far as labels go, you have to look to Priority, Def Jam and Jive as three of the most important. Whether you like the music or not, you are talking at least 5 genre defining albums from Priority. Throw in the Death Row catalog and the argument could be closed.
The checks off that catalog is enough to buy White Castles for the whole crew. Every day!
• He's still with us: He may be locked up, but Prodigy's presence is hard to shake. So it's no surprise that hearing a new freestyle track from dude feels oh so right. Listen here: SPINE
• Radio Takeover: Waajeed and Bling47 take over DJ Jamad's Afromentals Mixshow on Sirius Radio for an hour-long show featuring a wealth of talent. Like PPP, Estelle, Tiombe Lockhart, and Invincible. Check the podcast here: BLING47 RADIO
• Marvel x BET =: The Black Panther animated series. Coming to BET prime time in 2009: "Since being created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby and debuting in a 1966 issue of Fantastic Four, he’s never achieved the marquee status of his peers, despite being the first major black superhero." Now Black Panther gets his due. And if it's successful enough, a movie might follow. COMPLEX
Question: For reasons still unknown to man, this DJ and former partner of a certain legendary MC, recorded a song with porn star Ron Jeremy Answer: DJ Polo
I believe the joint was called Freak Of The Week ...Perhaps the worst song in recorded history, an abomination to Hip-Hop culture. I wish someone would explain how you go from co-billing with Kool G Rap, one of the greatest of all time, to co-signing an overweight porn star. Ron Jeremy does seem like a nice guy, but if he ever grabs a mic again I will be forced to beat him about the head.
SATURDAY!! MAY 3RD... IT'S THE 2ND ANNUAL RAPATHON!!! Presented by The Hip Hop Culture Center in Harlem.
Auditions are tonight and Monday at the Hip Hop Culture Center, 2309 Eighth Ave & 124th Street, 2nd floor of the Magic Johnson Theater. That’s Friday, April 18th, and Monday, April 21st @ 6:30pm. Peep highlights from last years event right here!
The Rapathon will be hosted by our main man and BHF host Uncle Ralph McDaniels.
Featuring over 100 emcees rapping non-stop with no vulgarities! Inconcivible!! Contestants will try for a new record, passing the mike for 25 straight hours. The best emcee will win a Ralph McDaniels-produced and directed video, which will premier on WNYC-TV’s Video Music Box. History in the making!!!!!
For more info call 212.234.7171 - tell them the BODEGA™ sent you!
• New ish from Buckshot and 9th: The song's called "Hold It Down," and the video features Talib Kweli & Tyler Woods, while it examines "three different perspectives of struggle and how they all intersect within the same environment." Hmmm: NAH RIGHT
• esreveR nI: Everyone's favorite "strange" group, Gnarls Barkley, has re-released their latest album, The Odd Couple, for free. One thing: the entire thing is backwards. Lyrics, beats, tracklisting--it's all backwards. Um, enjoy: ROLLING STONE
• Digi Snax: Bobby Digital is back. Really that's all you need to know. But I guess you could read more about Bobby's latest project here: BILLBOARD
Question: Name all rappers who appeared in the posse cut ‘We’re All In The Same Gang’ Answer: Cold 187, Body & Soul, Def Jef, Mich’ele, Tone Loc, Above The Law, Ice-T, MC Ren, Dr Dre, Young MC, Shock G/Humpty Hump, Hammer, and Eazy E (The West Coast All-Stars)
Last week all you big shots who claim my questions are too easy fell back on the Stop The Violence question. I suspect even more took the zero on this one. I think the good feelings from ‘All In The Same Gang’ lasted about the length of the recording session. When a dude named Cold 187 sets off a record it is safe to say the calls for peace will be short lived.
• Jay-Z not welcome?: Jigga is set to headline the Glastonbury festival in the UK, but since he doesn't make "guitar music," the genre typically showcased there, people seem confused. Ticket sales have slowed and Noel Gallagher (remember Oasis? What?) is upset. Read here: THE GUARDIAN
• Someone has some 'splainin to do: Read this and then tell me that Akon, your favorite singer to dislike, is as hood as he claims: THE SMOKING GUN
• Sir Luscious: Big Boi talks about his upcoming solo album, Andre's next album, and the new Outkast project slated for release next year. Big Boi's record, called Sir Luscious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty, will feature guest spots by Raekwon, T.I., Mary J. Blige, Andre 3000 (obviously), and Khujo Goodie. More here: HIPHOPDX
Question: This book by Ghanaian author Ayi Kwei Armah was the inspiration and shared the name of Reflection Eternal’s first 12” single Answer: 2000 Seasons
If you are not up on this song, get on it ASAP. This is Kweli’s best single piece of work. I think the Reflection Eternal is his best album but this is his best song . This was the song that set it off. Before the alliance with Mos, beofre he introduced Kanye to the Hip-Hop intelligentsia, before he was 50’s favorite rapper. This was the joint.
Quite simply a masterpiece. And once you read the book by Armah you can get a true sense of what seperates Kweli from the pack.
Our ol' buddyGuillermo is performing this weekend at none other than the WORLD FAMOUS APOLLO THEATER... As part of the uptown landmark's Salon Series, Guillermo will be bringing to the lucky audience his unique sonic-vision... and his f--king crazily dope beat machines. This from the Apollo site:
Guillermo E. Brown’s Shuffle Mode—an experimental, beat-based, electronic, jazzy, soulful, label-free, solo multimedia work tracing one man’s pathway to music through a diversity of influences. From watching his father “perform” as an Episcopal priest to the varied spheres of musical activity surrounding his mother’s career as an ethnomusicologist, to his ancestry as a Caribbean in Panama and as a Panamanian Caribbean in Brooklyn, and as a self-styled seeker of the expansive rhythms that bridge the artificial boundaries created by the commercialization of music, Brown has created a socio-political statement that accepts all dimensions of music as valid while meditating on such questions as “Why does the music comes out the way it does? Is authenticity a relevant musical concept today? Why do these genre boundaries exist?”
Tickets are only $15 - support real dudes, support new sounds, get on the A train! More on the event, and a link to Guillermo's myspace page... HERE!
• Alicia clears things up: Guess what? She was misrepresented in her Blender magazine interview were she allegedly claimed that the government was behind 'gangsta rap' and the negative results it has had on hip-hop. And good thing all that about her gold AK-47 necklace was dealt with... HIGHBIRD NATION
• The latest in hip-hop to talk about Obama: Buckshot weighs in on politics and Barack. Oh, and his upcoming album with 9th Wonder. BUMP HIP-HOP
• Almost forgot about this album: So Wu-Tang put together a video for "My Heart Gently Weeps" off of their 8 Diagrams album. Erykah Badu is in it. Watch it here: ONSMASH
Above: Kidz In The Hall at the most obvious photo shoot... ever
Newly drafted BODEGA™ contributor Yellow Rebel recently spoke with Naledge, one half of the Chicago duo Kidz In The Hall...
"...it’s sort of the reason why soul music has always been around forever. Love is something that’s never going to go out of style. And that’s kind of the way I look at what we do with our hip-hop. The type of hip-hop we do—it’s something that we explore, the fabric of the every man; the common man as well as the person up top and the person at the bottom. And they’re facing issues that are never going to change. There’s always going to be somebody who’s in love, that falls out of love. There’ always going to be somebody that’s struggling with their 9-5. There’ always going to be somebody that’s having issues with their girl, with their parents. There’s always going to be somebody that’s going out to the club and drinking, getting intoxicated. There’s always going to be somebody—it’s things that we talk about that are always going to happen. They’re timeless. And our opinions, and our spins on it, and my poetics, and Double-O’s sounds, you know we try and take interest in our crafts as well. ‘Cause sometimes it’s not about what you say, its how you say it. It’s not just the beat; it’s the way the sample was chopped. You know what I’m saying? Certain things about it speak to you. I can get 5 producers the same sample and they not going to do it the same way Double-O’s going to do it..."
• The Alicia Conspiracy: Alicia Keys has recently pointed a finger at politics and the government by saying in a recent interview that Gangsta Rap "was a ploy to convince black people to kill each other. 'Gangsta rap' didn't exist."Also, she believes that the East/West coast feud was fueled "by the government and the media, to stop another great black leader from existing." My, my Alicia... HIPHOPDX
• And Jay Smooth's response to Alicia: Says that Alicia is just "wrong" and "extra suspicious," not "crazy." And then puts things into perspective. Please watch here: NAH RIGHT
• Bush Babies!: The Good people over at Ohword.com have (once again) complied a fantastic grouping of less-known, under-heard cuts (plus videos!!!). This time around, it's Brooklyn's own Bush Babies. Please allow some time in your day to "Remember We." OH WORD
Question: Pete Rock the Chocolate Boy Wonder got his start DJ’ing for Marley Marl on what radio show Answer: “In Control”
Growing up in the Bronx, the BDP/Juice Crew battle was like the Hatfields and the McCoys. I don’t think I listened to WBLS on Friday or Saturday night until I was in college. Strictly Chuck Chillout and Kool DJ Red Alert. Honestly it wasn’t until the emergence of Pete Rock and CL Smooth did the ice begin to thaw. It wasn’t until I was in London with Grap Luva, Pete’s younger brother, did I realize that there were folks on the other side of the fence who looked at Marley as the genius that he is. Boy I told Grap that I was a Red Alert guy and I thought we were gonna fight right there.
We owe a lot to the ‘In Control’ radio show. If you ain’t up on it – do your homework...
HELLOOOOOOO BROOKLYYYYYYNNNN.... How you doin'? Good, glad to hear it. Big tings gwan as the spring rolls along - only a couple months away until the 4th Annual Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival, which means (as we mentioned last week) lots of BIG announcements in the very immediate future. First things first though, we've begun the process of hooking up your online source for all BHF updates, right here at the BODEGA™. Check out the newly updated festival aisle... links a plenty, all for your BHFucational benefit. Be sure to check back throughout the upcoming weeks, as we'll be making updates on the regular.
• Remember that Lupe is calling it quits?: "A cursory glance around his Manhattan hotel room only reiterates this; there's no entourage, the only paraphernalia is cough and cold-related and the TV is tuned to a documentary on deep-sea diving. It wouldn't be unfair to surmise that Lupe Fiasco is a bit of a geek." Where have we heard this before? Read more here: THE GUARDIAN
• The Rap Records: The second edition of The Rap Records, the Ultimate Vinyl Resource compiled by Freddy Fresh, has just hit stores. This round includes:"UK Rap scene Introduction by Record Collector Magazine contributor Dudley Jaynes, 1990's Introduction by Classic MC, 740 Pages in length, Over 2,500 Full Color Photo's, Section on Bootlegs and Mastermixes, Updated British and foreign Labels throughout book, Now Listing Records to 1994 and beyond, Photo's of Rare Old New York Area Records Stores, Extensive Comprehensive Index, Highest Price Paid Auction Guide, Interviews With Famous Collectors and Auctioneers, and Section on distinguishing Bootlegs from Originals." Read more/buy here: FREDDY FRESH
• Not sure about this: Proctor and Gamble, the same multinational company that distributes toothpaste and put 5+1 blades on a Gillette razor, is launching a record label with Island Def Jam Music Group. It'll be called Tag Records (after the horrible body spray) and run by...wait for it...Jermaine Dupri. REUTERS
Question: This Boston MC created the hits ‘Bugaboo’ and ‘Be A Father To Your Child’
Answer: Ed O.G.
This is an easy one. If you missed this one or thought Destiny’s Child wrote the original ‘Bugaboo’ you are not allowed into the Festival this year. The first European tour I went on was with Ed back in the late 90’s. That brother is cool as sh*t. But the best part of going on the road with Ed was his man Bullet. Bullet was Ed’s hype man and right hand man. The perfect guy to have in the van on hour rides from Wiesbaden to Berlin or whatever. Plus in each city through Black Planet he had lined a freakazoid for himself.
So today is dedicated to cool ass Ed O.G. and Bullet the first digital pimp.
• An actually good article on T.I.: From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "Late Thursday afternoon Atlanta rapper-actor T.I. granted his first sit-down interview since the convicted felon was arrested for, and pled guilty to, three firearms charges last month." Read more here: AJC
• Ask Conse...: Consequence now has a column called "Real Men DON'T Cry!!" Allow the hidden member of TCQ to bestow his rap-game knowledge. See here: ON SMASH
• Blacksmith TV: Episode 2 of Talib's Internet television service is out, boasting that "Hip-Hop nurtures your soul, cereal nurtures your body." Watch here: NAHRIGHT
Question: Name every artist who appeared on the seminal posse cut ‘Self Destruction’ Answer: KRS ONE, Dee-Lite, Kool Moe Dee, MC Lyte, Daddy-O, Wise, D-Nice, Ms. Melodie, Doug E. Fresh, Just Ice, Heavy D, Fruitkwan, Chuck D, Flava Flav
In a somewhat random (but not so random) coincidence we have been speaking with the organizers of the 2008 Stop The Violence Movement about helping them out this year. The song ‘Self Destruction’ and the original STV project inspired me to do so many things. As basic as an all star record seems today you have to realize when all these MC’s got together it was unprecedented.
On top of that a lot of these dudes were on the very top of their game. Kris was coming off of ‘Criminal Minded’ and ‘By Any Means…’ Scott La Rock hadn’t been gone that long. Heavy D, Lyte were on their way up the ladder. Stet was still relevant. This was before LL ended Moe Dee’s career. And ending it with PE was the absolute killer.
Continuing the grand and storied tradition of dope videos that feature the always awesome Rapper Attached To The Camera effect (Kurupt Gimmewhutchagot, De La Breakadawn) Inglewood California's El-Prez introduce UAINTUPONTHIS!
Nice to see an independent crew put out a clip that's not shot on a camera phone, isn't it? A fine example of what a little extra artistic flair can do for a rap video. Take note whipper-snappers, it doesn't take much. El-Prez... Perhaps a good look for BHF '08 national outreach program? Swifty what say you? Brooklyn?
Remember that scene in Belly, where they're at Tommy's crib or whatever, and they got that crazy looking movie going on a projector - with a kid in rabbit ears and the two little cowboys screaming at him about how he stinks (like pu$$y amongst other things) - can't remember what the scene in Belly was about, but it was kinda an obvious nod that Hype or Malik Sayeed or someone was sending to somebody? Well that somebody was Harmony Korine. That was his movie Gummo. Harmony wrote the screenplay for KIDS (1995) and made some real bugged out flicks before and since then (Julien Donkey-Boy, Ken Park) - a lot of folks write those joints off as pretentious weirdo creep-out bull sh-t, but that's pretty short-sighted. Think of Harmony Korine as the Anti-Disney.
ANNNNY WAY this isn't a real deal or a lecture or anything, (heaven forbid!) just wanted to give some context to the posting of the above trailer for his latest feature-film Mister Lonely, which is opening in the US May 2nd. It's about a Michael Jackson impersonator in Paris who meets a Marilyn Monroe impersonator who takes him to an impersonator compound to live with her Charlie Chaplin impersonator husband and her Shirley Temple impersonator daughter. True, it's no Street Kings (read; extremely bitter sarcasm), but it might be worth your checking out. Diego 'Y tu mamá también' Luna plays the Michael Jackson impersonator. How ill is that? Hip Hop!
• Big Boi is "big": April 26 apparently marks the 14-year anniversary of “Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik.” That makes us feel great. His new Atlanta Ballet production, "big," makes us feel, well, interested? Hear him talk about it: DJBOOTH
• Your own "Sexual Seduction": You've always wanted to star in one of Snoop's videos. Don;t lie like you haven't. Well now you can: WIRED
• Remember this guy?!: J-Live is back with a new album, Then What Happened?, on May 26. The first single, "The Upgrade," features Posdnous and Oddisee and can be heard here: SPINE
Question: Name all of Nas’s full length recordings Answer: 1994: Illmatic 1996: It Was Written 1999: I Am… 1999: Nastradamus 2001: Stillmatic 2002: The Lost Tapes 2002: God's Son 2004: Street's Disciple 2006: Hip Hop Is Dead
I booked Nas with Z'hane (remember them?) in 1994 at University of Virginia.
My first real project. I had to fetch Nas, Grand Wizard, Jungle and the rest from the tour bus parked in at the Holiday Inn where groupies were f*cking up my production schedule. After an 18 minute performance that was supposed to be two hours, I took him back to the hotel. His manager was like, “Come and get us for the after party. It will be all of us except for Nas, he is probably gonna get some rest.” All I could think was, “I thought sleep was the cousin of death.”
Littler Wayne: Amazon.com has posted the cover art for Lil Wayne's upcoming Tha Carter III. It's Wayne as a babe (we guess) with hilariously photoshopped tattoo's on his face and baby hand. Speaking of tattoo's... he looks like a straight up dwarf. No way in hell this will be the official artwork... however, we are going to pray for it to somehow be true. Definitely would merit a trip to Best Buy. See for yourself - AMAZON
Miss Rap Supreme: More satirical shuckin and jiving from the ego trip reality television machine! You hurd about it, now see about it - VH1
?uestlove on the wackness that was Birthday Girl: "It was just sticking out like a sore thumb... initially it was going to kick-start the record... but then that didn't work. Then we were going to have a 'halftime' thing where it was gonna come in the middle of the record as a break from the political thing, but that didn't work, either. Then we tried to make it the last song on the record, and that wasn't working... then we tried to make it the hidden track, and that wasn't effective. Basically the album was complete; it starts with 'Rising Down' and it ends with 'Rising Up,' so that makes more sense to me." Can't say they didn't try - BILLBOARD
The internet singles era; that's what we're living in friends. Mp3 blogs feed our feverish hunger for that new new, and full-length albums are about as far outta vogue as they've been since the disco era. 12"s were the kindle of those long-since burned out days of popular music - today, it's the makings of your iTunes playlists. While that sh-t may not be news, it still sometimes takes a step back to fully digest 'what be up', as the magnificent Heather B once said.
One tricky thing about a singles era has always been the fact that so many joints get lost in the shuffle. With no album to be remembered as a part of, and little-to-no radio play to ingrain the more obscure tracks into familiarity, it's easy to puff puff pass on many a quickly downloaded banger. B-sides stay losing in this day and age, boy.
Anywayssss -- it's with this in mind that we present a small group (ten tracks) of one-off heaters for your listening enjoyment. You probably heard these when they came out - all were released in the past year or two - but in the interest of exercising our collective musical attention span, it can't hurt to listen twice, right? Ok roll 'em...
REAL TALK • Grand Puba & Lord Finesse
Both of these vets go off on this straight-forward burner, but Puba's verse in particular warrants special attention.
NIGG-Z FRONTIN' • Cormega
Every now and again Corey actually sounds nice. This was one of those somewhat rare occasions.
HIP HOP NATION • Channel Live
Dope beat, dope rhymes, nostalgic but not corny. Usually a winning recipe.
THE LAST HOPE • Drake
Canadian television star and BODEGA™ favorite - a standout from his mixtape, few months back now.
NOT TO F-CK WITH • Spot feat. Jim Jones
Wasn't this dude affiliated with Sickamore, the blogging A&R? Not sure, don't care. Banger, and Capo lives for beats like this.
MULTIBILLION NEGRO • Zest
Found this one a while ago, via a tangled myspace web - Me thinks he's from Brooklyn (?) - It's a little Big Juss-y but I fux with it.
WAR OF THE ROSES • Butta Vs feat. CL Smooth
This shit might even be older than two years... can't remember.
WALK MY WAY • Tanya Morgan
BODEGA™ homies, TM been doing their thing. This joint is a favorite - check for the mixtape!
NO TIME FOR NO'S • Fam Lay feat. Clipse
Even Pharell joints get overlooked. Was this song popular? Whatever, it knocks. I want to hear it at a club.
NASTY TRICK • Gangsta Boo
Just kidding. This song is 10 gotdamn years old! From the album Enquiring Minds... little duns need not apply. 18+, don't resist!
