Far From Ferguson

Machito "Cannonology" & "Frenzy" (1957)

2009-07-18T15:32:00.000-07:00

From time to time I run across new (or old) music that deserves a little attention. Coupled with my appreciation for the production masterpiece of the year,my desire to invest more time in Black diasporic music led me to Machito & The Afro-Cubans. The name alone deserved closer inspection. Machito's Afro-Cuban rhythms and jazz improvisation made him a household name for serious jazz heads, and now I see why. Without going to in his seamless merge of sonic goodness from Harlem to Havana, sit back, relax vibe out to this ish...

"Cannonlogy"

"Frenzy"

Dwele "MJ"

2009-06-28T02:17:00.000-07:00

Pure Dopeness

Spotted at Blind i

Today is A Sad day...

2009-06-26T10:31:00.000-07:00

R.I.P.
Michael J. Jackson
August 29, 1958-June 25, 2009

The J. In J. Cole is for “Just Raps” Homey

2009-06-17T06:56:00.000-07:00

I worked on that title for sometime, but I still don’t think it captures what I mean so fuck it. I’ve been bumping Cole’s new Warm Up Mixtape, and as far as my opinion goes it doesn’t disappoint. I remember hearing about Cole before Hov’s co-sign, via someone who heard his first mixtape. To anyone who closely heard that album, his growth is evident. To anyone who didn't hear it, or unconsciously compares him to the other guy who rolls with Jay because of their ‘Jack and Jill’ inspired complexion (it’s a black thing) is missing the birth of a Rap star. Let’s talk about it.

Reading Nahright, I came across a few comments about his latest project:
Hatement(s):

1. j.cole is a run of the mill throwback….He’s rapping in an era where the time has passed him…he has lyrics but what else?

2.Please dont get this twisted, J.Coles last mixtape was boring

^Now that I can cosign, i can’t explain it but it’s like a nigga just rapping which on paper sounds good but there is nothing else to him. It’s like he’s missing whatever it is that’ll make someone a star.On another note niggas make too many mixtapes nowadays. By the time this nigga’s album drops he will have released three or four albums worth of matrieal.

More than anything, its good to see us using the comments section for something other rehashing catchphrases and calling each other fuckboys. These comments are only a few of several, and many of those see the promise in Cole’s Warm Up. Still, haters abound. Well, maybe they aren’t haters. Shall we call them the uneducated? We Shall.

The uneducated rarely evidence a sense of History when critiquing hip hoppers. In an industry where current artist are known more for their work outside of hip hop, OR their ultra-inflated gang leader/drug lord/ pimp/rock star personas, its strange hearing someone who, well….Just Raps. I’m sure its crazy to think of a Mixtape without a Wayne feature (or Bun). No Techno/Santogold Samples? Damn. But this is J. Cole. Straight out the Fayette’Nam, this nigga spits that Dylan!

Take this shit for example.

Let me just put this out in the universe now, the visuals for this would be dope as hell. Aside from the obvious hit quality, the content is on point, no pauses. This post is not about comparisons, but I know a lot of artist who can’t make “girl songs” without spewing the same high fashion, I’ll trick because I can anthems that infect the radio.

And if you want some introspective shit, reminiscent (not jacking) of Pac. Certified Hot Diarrhea.

I wouldn’t be honest if I didn’t admit that he has some growing to do. Conceptually, get this nigga some help quick. The ‘Warm Up’ theme is not really relevant, but the cover art is cool. At times his production is ok, but just ok. His strength is anchored in his delivery, but I’m not sure if he possesses the ‘hit making’ talents to rival some of the New Kids on the Block. Still, I don’t know if that matters. Real Hip Hop fans will dig this shit. Hard rhymes, pounding drums, and dangerous wordplay—with a message.

Do yourself a favor and download this asap.

Bonus:
I came across this a while ago. Peep his explanation of the song that eventually made its way to Jigga Man.

Casa Bey Bey's Kids?

2009-06-10T16:26:00.000-07:00

Tis’ the season for graduations and bad ass kids being out of school. If you haven’t noticed these mofo’s yet, you will, but don’t shy away from the moment. Sharing time with the next generation can be en enlightening experience for both parties, as was the case for me today when I spent some time with Derrick, a 14 year-old Cousin of the wifey's.

“I didn’t know you did music too”, he said as I unpacked the software from my bag to reload it into his uncle’s computer. “I make beats, but just as a hobbie.” I could see him pulling out his mp3 player to show me the type of beats he rode out to. Deciding to blast the volume and hit play, he started to play songs to punctuate our convo. “Oh, I see you’ve heard of Drake”? Immediately we connected (pause). All of a sudden, I was cool in his eyes.

Without going into the forces of mulattoism at work in bringing Drake to the forefront, we changed the topic of conversation from independent rap to instrumentation. Talking about the new Flaco album, I could see Derrick losing interest.

“The progressions are fucking crazy, and the lyrics are even better”, I said, slowly craving THC as I spoke more passionately about the Mos Album. By this time, Derrick had walked away, Stanky Leg’ blasting through the head phones. Well maybe not, but some shit like that.

Truthfully, I didn’t expect Derrick to feel Mos Def. As a matter of fact, I think I brought him up to change the conversation. Still, its kinda disappointing to see how the radio has completely trained him to like, well….’radio music’. Like most people, Derrick’s ears don’t venture into uncharted territories. I will give him credit for telling the wifey that Birthday Sex was going to be a hit. We both laughed at him.

In a long and convoluted way, I sit and ask myself that perennial question: “Does anybody PLAY real Shit anymore?” Anyone with a brain knows why Clear Channel plays the same excrement on replay. It’s not even about that really. I wouldn’t mind hearing it ‘Blamed on the Achohol’ 200 times a day if I could changed the station to hear some Hip Hop music that didn’t assume I was on my way to the club (or in a club, leaving a club, etc.).

Until that great day when Club DJ’s no longer control what’s “Hot”, I’ll keep riding through the west side of Chicago blasting Casa Bey and getting strange looks. If nothing else, maybe Derrik will think its on the radio and ask for a copy. I’ll save this lil nigga somehow…

Homework in the Summer?
Mos Def- Casa Bey (Live w/ Roots)

Quick Listen: BlaQKout

2009-06-09T07:38:00.000-07:00

I haven’t had the chance to post as much as of late (writing essays on Dostoevsky can be a bitch), but good music forces you to tell somebody. Making my weekly music rounds, I find one of my “Most Anticipated” albums of year. Ladies and Gents, DJ Quick and Kurrupt present BlaQKout. See the Spelling? Cool right?

I’ll admit, I’ve never been a hard-core Kurrupt fan but I’ve always respected his lyricism. Though his questionable business interests have impeded his success—a la Lloyd Banks—he’s known to snap on a mic. Every since Quick shouted out my hometown (It is hot enough to make you cuss motherfucka), he’s been a favorite producer. Needless to say, I was pretty excited to finish by torrent download; I mean album purchase on itunes. Here’s what I thought:

BlaQKout (3:01)
The title track is dope, opening the album with a familiar Quick verse over crazy instrumentation that resurrects the best of the G-funk era. Following Big Unk, Kurrupt quips: “Me/I was born to be to be a G/Different Situations bring out a different me/Soliloquies a get shit spit spazzy/I put that on my life my wife my kids and the streets, I’mma rise”. This album may be a keeper. But I’ll reserve judgment and keep it moving.

Cream N Ya Panties (4:05)
Um…This shit sounds like the type of music Prince would rap to. A party song geared to the club hoes, the two emcees fluidly toss verses back and forth as guitars and synths accompany. The verses aren’t great but solid nonetheless. Overall, I like it. Two tracks in, I can hear the makings of a production masterpiece.

Do You Know (3:28)
You Saw this One. Tell me what you think?

Watcha Wan Do (3:24)
Quick provides a flute laden bounce track that surprisingly doesn’t outshine his verse. Believe it or not, he’s held his own thus far. As for the rest of the track, it’s not memorable. Sorry Kurrupt and______ (Insert Random Females name).

Ohh (3:15)
Great recover track. After the last joint, I almost lost confidence, but this one restores my faith fast. Kurrupt addresses the ladies…obviously the other tracks were for the bitches. I agree, there is a difference. I don’t want to beat a dead horse, but the production is insane. This joint sounds like Andre 3 stacks-meets Teddy Riley. Quick is a mastermind.

Fuck Y’all (3:14)
“Y’all aint saying nothing, Y’all niggas is fronttin’. Fuck Y’all, Fuck Y’all, Fuck Y’all”
As ignorant as the hook reads, it sounds dope. The Quickster lays his signature bounce while he and Kurrupt address the haters. Again, Quick may have outshined his little homie. But let’s keep it moving.

Hey Playa (Moroccan Blues) (4:22)
Again. Beat. Is. Fucking. Crazy. The drums would make Dre proud as the Arabic sample carries some of the best verses on the album. This is one of the standouts of the album.

Exodus (3:03)
This is completely unexpected. Kurrupt assumes the role of Jamaican roots and culture front-man, repeating” Jump, stump pump and reach again. I could have done without this one, but I know that Cali-weed is helluva’ drug.

9X’s Outta 10 (2:55)
You already know how I feel about this. This seems to be Kurrupt’s only solo and he makes the best of it. The beat is less soulful than previous cuts, taking a mechanical, albeit dope turn.
Jupiter’s Critic And The Mind of Mars (2:28)

Sometimes unexpected tracks can be a welcomed surprise, and such is the case with this one. Following the mechanical turn of the last track, Quick lays Hussein Bolt paced lyrics that that reeks of quirky bravado. Is someone writing this nukkas’s rhymes? Andre?

The Appeal (3:38)
This joint is nice. Definitely more the most laid back cut thus far. Kurrupt sowly coast through a thoughtful verse that’s more reminiscent of Nate Dogg than Snoop Dogg. Again, Quick holds his own too.

Problem: The B Stands for Beautiful (Skit)

Watchu Wan Do (Alternate Version)
Same beat. Different Verses.

Album in Stores Now

Bonus:

On Drake, Lebron & Internet Consumption

2009-06-03T05:22:00.000-07:00

As always, I’ve was making my daily blog rounds when I came across this:

DRAKE INTERVIEW - LIVE FROM HYDE PARK, LONDON [PART 1] from DJ SEMTEX on Vimeo.

Now unless you’ve been under a fucking rock, it’s hard NOT to notice that Drake is that Nicca for 2009. From virtual obscurity, he has become an internet phenomenon. Just check online and you can find info about him dodging gunshots in the Chi, kissing Ri-Ri in the NY, or packing shows in H-Town & ATL. Like a man who is committed to single-handedly destroying the Brown-Skin preference of most SANE black women, ole’ Drizzy’s bright ass has got the internet going nuts. Wouldn’t you agree?

Now I don’t want yall confusing ish before I begin so let me say that I like Drake. As a matter of fact, I was one of the few listening before So Far Gone. Simply put, I can’t give him the industry just yet. I’m not hating, though it scares me that a white (albeit dope) artist is considered the best rapper ever and a Jewish kid is the next big thing. What next? Spectacular from Pretty Ricky will make a part 2 of the gay shit he did? Please say no. Of course, he’s quite capable of success, but high expectations can be a mother for-ya. Just ask the….ahem…..MVP.

As a die-hard Kobe fan, nothing made me happier than to see Bron walking off the court as a loser, but who can deny the kid’s talent? Though he lost, he still may be better than the Black Mamba (he’s not, but just for the sake of internet argument). He gave us one of the most amazing playoff performances ever, but in the end, the time wasn’t right. Drake was lucky enough to join a pretty good team, so that analogy may not apply, but one thing is for certain: Nothing is for Certain. The Internet consumption of all-things-new told us that this guy, this guy, and this guy were next up, and then along came Drake. Last I checked, I haven’t seen those other niggas sense. I kid I kid but you get my point.

Like other die-hard Laker fans who are scared to admit that Lebron MIGHT surpass Kobe’s legacy, I don’t want to say that there isn’t a possibility that Drake MIGHT be next up for icon status. For now that’s just it, a MIGHT. Until he delivers a classic album (I don’t mean that new “classic” either where record sales=classic status), I’ll file Drake under a “strong possible”.

I bet King James thought he would still be in the playoffs, but everyone else did too. Nike didn’t make a Hedo Turkoglu puppet for the finals, and with the exception of Sir Charles, the hoop intelligentsia claimed Cleveland as a sure thing. But things happen and…you see how it ended for him. Maybe it was his championship to lose or, maybe there was hype involved from the start. I guess its all how you see it. Either way, things happen. Until he gets a ring, he’ll be the greatest player to never win. As a longtime fan, I wish the best for Drake. I’m pulling for you homie, but singles can only take you so far. Remember this:

Nuff Said.

Conspiracy Theory: Jimi Hendrix Was Murdered By Manager?

2009-05-31T22:22:00.000-07:00

I saw this while I was West Coastn' and had to post it. Could this be true? I'll reserve further speculation, but damn homie, was it that serious?

Wright claims Jeffery, who was married to actress Gillian French, made the confession at his apartment in 1971, two years before he died in a plane crash.

He writes: "I can still hear that conversation, see the man I'd known for so much of my life, his face pale, hand clutching at his glass in sudden rage."

He says Jeffery told him: "I had to do it, Tappy. You understand, don't you? I had to do it. You know damn well what I'm talking about."

He quotes Jeffery as saying: "I was in London the night of Jimi's death and together with some old friends ...we went round to Monika's hotel room, got a handful of pills and stuffed them into his mouth ...then poured a few bottles of red wine deep into his windpipe."

Video Of The Day: Carlos Santana ft. Wyclef (and two other cats)

2009-05-31T13:58:00.001-07:00

Carlos Santana feat. Wyclef Jean - Maria Maria @ Yahoo! Video

Enjoy

My new favorite Song!!!!!

2009-05-30T23:52:00.000-07:00

Just watch it.

Spotted at Vlad's via CH

Dead Prez Talks Asher Roth, Swine Flu and Jessie Jackson

2009-05-30T12:29:00.000-07:00

Spotted at 2 Dope Boyz

Whatever you think about their views on A. Roth, you have to respect their opinion consistency. Or maybe you don't? If only more Hip Hoppers would be honest though.

Drakemania In The New York Times

2009-05-29T09:25:00.001-07:00

(Photos by Chad Batka)

New York Times writer John Carmancia talks about the light-skinned tortoise (I must hate, he's single-handedly bringing back albinism), and his all but impressive show in NYC this week. I like Drake, but I hate the way the blogesphere creates the people for consumption, just to move on to the next big thing (Kid Cudi dig?). Here's the jist:

And a star, almost. That Drake couldn’t carry the burden placed upon him on Tuesday night was almost a given. Wearing a striped Commes des Garçons shirt and red Air Jordans, he dressed the part, but he never fully eased into it. At moments he seemed uncertain, far more so than in videos of recent shows elsewhere. When he was joined by the veteran Bun B on “Uptown,” he appeared small by comparison.

Maybe the tiny stage was too confining. (“This is the smallest show we ever did,” Drake’s D.J. said, a roundabout boast.) Maybe some of his songs — “Successful,” “Closer to My Dreams” — were too moody. Or maybe the crowd was too resistant, especially when Drake sang: “Brand New,” a note of self-doubt addressed to a lover, is one of his finest, but here it was stilted, an obstacle to be moved around.

Read it in its entirety over at the Times.

Old School Hoops Commercials

2009-05-29T07:27:00.000-07:00

Spotted these over at a dope blog and thought them rather apropos, considering its playoff time. Its funny to see a new generation of NBA fans that only know Charles as a post-game analyst. For a while, Chuck was my favorite player and the reason I wore number #34 back in the day. Ok, this post is becoming somewhat sad with its nostalgic undertones. One last thing on hoops though: Kobe's better.

Books Real Niggas Should Read:

2009-05-27T04:29:00.000-07:00

I promised myself that I would do more reading this summer. Hey kids, books are cool too. He's black, he's into philosphy and he went to an HBCU. Damn right.

More at the New Republic.

President Obama only wants Black Art for the White House!!

2009-05-25T06:34:00.000-07:00

Ok, so that's not really true but wouldn't that be dope? The real deal is, the Pres and First Lady are looking for "Multi-Cultural" art for the White House, replacing the Hall of Whiteness which is on display currently. Who knows, a few more gutsy moves like this and I'll forget about Cynthia McKinney!

Barack Obama is taking on health care, financial regulation, torture and environmental policy. He’s also revamping the White House art collection.

The Obamas are sending ripples through the art world as they put the call out to museums, galleries and private collectors that they’d like to borrow modern art by African-American, Asian, Hispanic and female artists for the White House. In a sharp departure from the 19th-century still lifes, pastorals and portraits that dominate the White House’s public rooms, they are choosing bold, abstract art works.

More at WSJ

Far Out: Why Hip Hop WILL Respect Bone….and Midwestern Hip Hop Culture….Pt. 1

2009-05-24T10:41:00.000-07:00

With all the current talk of Hip Hop super groups, I think the time has come for us to revisit the Legacy of B.O.N.E. That’s right. I’m talking BONE Thugs in Harmony nigga. Just hear me out.

From the outset, I’ll say outright that I truly believe that the St. Clair boys are the most influential group in Midwestern Hip Hop history. Sure, Kanye’s got the kids rocking the denim nut-busters, and Nelly’s soulful croon made the way for people like Cudi and Drake, but it was Layzie, Crazy, Bizzy and Wish (and of course, the oft-convicted Flesh-N-Bone) that laid the foundation for all these cats. Before we get into all this though, remember this?

The originality that these cats possessed is often overlooked, but if we consider the time frame it might help to illuminate my point. Imagine its 1994. Nas and Biggie had the east on lock, and the south was starting to make a buzz with the introduction of OutKast, Scarface and Orange Mound’s finest. Snoop and Tribe were received a year earlier, but this has been noted. No doubt, real shit at its finest. But amidst all of this, 4 dudes from Cleveland dropped the most influential project of them all. Simply put, with Creepin on Ah Come Up… Bone brought harmony (and melody) back to Hip Hop. Sure, Twista was known as much for his rapid-fire flow, but Bone was first group to embrace the melodic and rhythmic value of words in their verses and prove to the record industry that this merger was prfitable. Disagree? You should smoke something….

Before the Thuggish Ruggish invasion, Hip Hop critics sited raps seeming lack of melodic structure as a point where the art could not match up with more traditional forms of music WHITE People (if you saw this you know what I'm saying). After Bone though, artist—hip hop and r&b artist—recognized the inherent relationship between melody and pattern. Take this chick for example:

As but one person who’s amassed a large catalog on the merger between Hip Hop’s pulsating rhythm and syncopated, yet melodic grooves, Mariah was not alone. I could go on, but no no no I won't. But suffice it to say, I believe Bone success was largely (though not completely) responsible for this....

Now I'm not saying that everything they did was dope. Far from it. The Art of War Album was mostly filler, and a endless strings of average solo projects sent the Bone stock crashing--but this too is the story of Hip Hop. Before they returned to earth though, Bone gave us some of the best hits of the 90s AND created a new sound. If you didn't like these, you're gay:

Shoot to 2009 and all the rappers 'sang'. Sure, some of this is because music goes in circles but don't fool yourself into thinking that Bone wasn't THE premier group to re-introduce melody to Hip Hop. After the Auto Monsters have their way, the Cleveland boys may have to do it again.

ART: Lucy and Bart

2009-05-22T04:20:00.000-07:00

Lucy and Bart are an artistic collaborative doing strange, but very interesting work. I don't know if its art, or fashion, are bodily manipulation, but the shit's cool either way. Hey, maybe they should style this clown. Anything is better than what he's doing now.

LucyandBart is a collaboration between Lucy McRae and Bart Hess described as an instinctual stalking of fashion, architecture, performance and the body. They share a fascination with genetic manipulation and beauty expression. Unconsciously their work touches upon these themes, however it is not their intention to communicate this. They work in a primitive and limitless way creating future human shapes, blindly discovering low – tech prosthetic ways for human enhancement.

Steal More Pics Here.

Introducing: Iphone "8Bitone" Synthesesizer

2009-05-20T21:39:00.000-07:00

It never ceases to amaze me when I see stuff like this. Cool shit that forces me to suppress my anti-capitalist sensibilities, but for a moment.

8Bitone is Synthesizer and Sequencer application to simulate sounds for 8bit Personal Computer and Console Game Generator from the 80`s.

PSG and SSG vintage voices are revived here and their nostalgic electric sounds are able to be simulated with iPhone/iPodTouch.

The Sequencer part uses general Piano Roll Screen.
It has been adjusted for Multi-Touch function of iPhone/iPodTouch to compose songs with fingertip easily.

To operate Sound Changer properly, Synthesizer parts consist simple form of Knobs, Switchs, Sliders for easy understanding.

Website

Cold Jacked from Boing Boing

Banksy Does it Again....

2009-05-20T08:50:00.001-07:00

Famed street Artist Banksy is in hot water for a recent exibiht using the elephant above. More on it at The Guardian.

The British artist Banksy has been criticised by officials in California for the "frivolous abuse" of an elephant which he had painted to look like pink wallpaper.

The elephant, Tai, was the main attraction at Banksy's first US exhibition, which opened last week in Los Angeles, drawing celebrities including Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

Tai was painted to blend in with a set-up of a living room, and was supposed to symbolise how the problem of world poverty is ignored.

Los Angeles's Animal Services Department (ASD) had given a permit for the 38-year-old female elephant to appear at the exhibition, titled "Barely Legal".

However, officials later said that they regretted granting the permit, and yesterday ordered Tai's owners, Have Trunk Will Travel, to remove the floral spray-paint.

MUSIC: Joel Ortiz "Rican Ebonics 09"

2009-05-20T07:47:00.001-07:00

Off Joel Ortiz Covers The Classics Mixtape. Download it here.

Ave-Verb is a battle rapper...

2009-05-20T07:16:00.000-07:00

I grew up with Verb, and its always good to see someone from the home team get on, but homie in the hat, step your rap game up.

HONESTY UPDATE: Both of you need to step your rhymes up. We need more than this to fight Chingy's tranny fan club.

Event: World Beat Boxing Championship

2009-05-20T04:50:00.001-07:00

I'm not really into shit like this (I've never heard anyone better than Rhazel), but it should make some interesting video clips nonetheless. The beat box kids are running the entire event live from their site. Check it out.

Cool Shit: Frank Lloyd Wright LEGO Series

2009-05-20T04:38:00.000-07:00

I must get my hands on at least one of these as soon as possible. If you don't know who Frank Lloyd Wright is, he's a really cool white person that made interesting buildings. Hey, just bridging the cultural gap...

The LEGO Group and Brick structures, Inc. to produce and distribute Frank Lloyd Wright Collection® LEGO® Architecture Building Sets

The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation announced today that The LEGO Group is now the exclusive licensed manufacturer of Frank Lloyd Wright Collection® LEGO Architecture sets.

The LEGO Group and Adam Reed Tucker of Brickstructures, Inc. officially introduced the LEGO Architecture line in 2008. The line currently consists of six buildings – now including two of Frank Lloyd Wright’s most famous and recognizable buildings, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and “Fallingwater.”

With models developed in collaboration with architects, LEGO Architecture works to inspire future architects, engineers and designers as well as architecture fans around the world with the LEGO brick as a medium. Builders of all ages can now collect and construct their favorite worldwide architectural sites through these artistic replicas.

Learn more about the dead white guy.

Spotted at: Praire Mod

Book: Photos by Sammy Davis jr.

2009-05-18T08:14:00.000-07:00

I ran across this over at Dodge and Burn and thought it interesting enough to post myself. I'm going to the library today to check it out. Ive decided to spend more time this summer reading (though this doesn't have any words...), and a trip to the library never hurts.

Album Review: Em gets roasted in the Tribune

2009-05-18T04:23:00.000-07:00

Greg Kot over at the Chicago Tribune disagrees with this guy about the relapse album:

Yet Eminem has the talent to outlive his moment. When he’s good, he can be very good. His best music has an honesty as withering as a heart attack. He has produced landmark music such as “Stan” and starred in a hit movie, “8 Mile,” that gave his hardscrabble story a context and depth lacking in his albums.

But for anyone who carried a glimmer of hope that this talented if perverse MC had a great album in him, the kind of arty self-reinvention that the Beastie Boys once engineered with their 1989 masterpiece, “Paul’s Boutique,” “Relapse” is a wake-up call. He took five years off to produce an album that retraces his steps rather than forging a bold new path.

Either way, I get another post. No emoticons for sarcasm...

Check it out here.

ART: Margaret Bowland

2009-05-17T00:08:00.000-07:00

From Santafe.com:

"Bowland’s impressive rendering makes surreal situations believable and odd juxtapositions acceptable. But there are conflicts. The naked bodies we see in advertising and the movies are mostly female and white; most of Bowland’s are dark-skinned and one is a dwarf. The discomfort comes not from Bowland’s choice of subject but from the viewer’s conventional notions of female beauty, “normalcy” and race."

Hey, I just like the naked chicks.

Want More? Visit Margaret's site.

Dj Quick & kurupt, 9x Outta 10

2009-05-16T23:35:00.000-07:00

This might be the one of the dopest singles of the year. I'm just saying.....its better than this.

Music: Nipsey Hussle

2009-05-15T20:50:00.000-07:00

VIMBY - Nipsey Hussle

I need to beef of the blog (i don't say pause, I'm from St. Louis) and....Nipsey Hussle > Your Favorite Internet Rapper. Check it out.

Music: Is Undelightful a word? A review of Big Pooh’s The Delightful Bars (North American Pie Version)

2009-05-15T19:57:00.000-07:00

Its no secret that many members of Hip Hop’s great duos find it difficult to sustain or garner the same attention as solo artist. Ask any Hip Hop head what their favorite Q-tip track is, and no doubt you’ll hear several. Ask them about their favorite Phife Dog track and well….you see what I mean. Forging a unique sound against a backdrop of past success can be difficult, but as Rapper Big Pooh might suggest, not impossible. As ½ of the acclaimed hip hop duo Little Brother, Rapper Big Pooh returns with The Delightful Bars, a self-proclaimed “street album” and follow-up to his 2005 solo endeavor.

At a time when Hip Hop albums are known as much for their conceptual consistency as they are for dope lyrics, Big Pooh’s project fails the test. Though overpopulated songs like “Nothing Less”, “Reality Check” and the Justice League riddled “Roll Call” (feat. Jozeemo, Chaundon and Joe Scudda) provide the head-nod quality that any fan can appreciate, it’s clear that the album suffers from unnecessary guest appearances and a clear lack of direction. The end result is a project that features everyone from Torae, West Coast newcomer Jay Rock and Justus League songster Darien Brockington, yet leaves the listener wondering if the North Carolina emcee truly has what it takes to be the front man without the help of his more popular LB sibling.

Ironically, it’s the more introspective tracks that save the album from being an endless tour in lyrical shit-talking. On the D.R. produced “Step Up”, Rapper Big Pooh addresses issues such as teen pregnancy & imprisonment without being redundant and preachy, while on the Musinah laced, “The Life”, Big Pooh waxes autobiographical, giving fans the substance they need, but only interspersed between the many forgettable collab-tracks which take up an unhealthy bulk of the album.

Still, the album features the type of production that may be filed under ‘Positively Average’, and the steady line of quality production compliments Big Pooh’s rhymes. With songs like “Review Mirror” (9th Wonder) and the Jake One-produced, “Something Like Stars”, Pooh shows consistency by choosing tracks that cater well to his simplistic, yet driven flow.

To be sure, Rapper Big Pooh knows what sound works for him and after one listening of The Delightful Bars, its clear that he doesn’t stray far from uncharted waters. For an artist that obviously wants a bigger piece of the pie, this project just doesn’t cut it.

Rating: 2.5/5