Loop Diggin' Thursdays, News & Rants 01.25.07
Posted by Phil Watts, Jr on 01.25.2007
Kweli makes moves while Mos Def struggles, KRS congratulates Nas while Prodigy wants to KILL HIM!! Plus the MafRIAA strikes again!!!
A lot went on the past few months while I was doing my BEST/WORST/R.I.P. OF 2006 columns (not to mention THAT Nas review…which I still stand by!) I haven't had much of a chance to cover it. The most interesting of them all being the artists once known as the duo, BLACK STAR.
It's been 10 years (that's right--TEN YEARS!!!) since many of us heard both Mos Def & Talib Kweli on the Rawkus Records compilation album, SOUNDBOMBING Vol 1. One year later, they would give us their certified classic debut album, under the name BLACK STAR. They would then move on to solo careers, teaming up for a song every once in a blue moon, and putting out solo albums of varied quality, from dope (Mos' BLACK ON BOTH SIDES and TRAIN OF THOUGHT, Kweli's album with DJ Hi-Tek as the duo REFLECTION ETERNAL) to iffy (Mos' NEW DANGER and Kweli's BEAUTIFUL STRUGGLE).
After one too many disappointments, it seems that the two have finally come around. While Mos showed up to do a verse on 9th Wonder's installment to "Crooklyn Dodgers" ("Brooklyn On My Mind") for the upcoming DREAM MERCHANT Vol. 2, which gave people some high hopes, Kweli comes out of nowhere with the ill single, "Listen", which surprisingly was produced by Kwame (the artist formerly known as "The guy with the polka-dots"). That fool deserves mad credit, because he really came through with this one!
It seems that after years of me complaining about his anti-Internet rants and his disappointing albums, I'm starting to look forward to Kweli's offerings more than Mos Def's…which is funny considering that everyone always considered Mos to be the dopest of the two. Since the "Listen" single, he's been putting out a few projects to tide people over for his upcoming studio album, EARDRUM (on his Blacksmith Records Imprint). You have the BLACKSMITH: THE MOVEMENT album, which spotlights a lot of the artists in his Blacksmith imprint (the most notable being Jean Grae), which is a pretty good compilation album. Then, over two years after raising a big stink over some idiot in THAT message board leaking his BEAUTIFUL STRUGGLE album, Kweli recently made the decision to give out his MADLIBERATION album (do I even have to tell you who produced the album?) as a free downloadable album…until he realized that his fans would buy TWO copies of an album like this, so he took it down. Things are looking up for him, and it looks like he just might break his "dope mixtape/weak studio album" streak pretty soon…
If only Mos Def's Hip-Hop career looked just as optimistic.
The moment I heard a few of the songs off of the TRUE MAGIC album, I though, "Oh SHIT! Mos is starting to come back, too!" The aptly-named "Undeniable" has Mos rockin' the mic like I know he can, over a sparse guitar sample and them old Havoc-drums (you know…from back when Mobb Deep didn't need the Alchemist around to hook them up!) Then, after hearing a one-minute snippet of "Fake Bonanza", I took it upon myself to snatch up the TRUE MAGIC album right then and there…without even listening to the rest of it!
I don't give a fuck if it's because of label politics, or because of him balancing his music and movie career, or whatever excuse he'll come up with…THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR AN ARTIST OF HIS CALIBRE TO COME OUT WITH AN ALBUM AS WACK AS THIS! By the way, to all the people who will no doubt e-mail me about how I should "feel his growth" (…) and stop being prejudiced, biased, ignorant, and all that bullshit, you are only wasting YOUR time, not mine. I've seen many people try to justify a lot of wack albums with the "growth & maturity" song and dance, but it NEVER works. That's why BE was Common's most successful album while ELECTRIC CIRCUS was swept under the rug.
Word has it that TRUE MAGIC has been pulled from the shelves to be re-issued in March, this time with ACTUAL LINER NOTES, some bonus material, and some semblance of PROMOTION. I highly suggest that Mos take these two months to rework this whole album. If it turns out to be the same shitty album that I got with the cheap-ass packaging, I will MURDER his ass! The negative comments I made in the review of Nas' latest album will look like GLOWING PRAISE in comparison!
Come on, Mos…don't make me have to do it.
*****
"I decided to ride with Koch Records cause I got a lot of shit to do and say, and I know Koch won't hold me back or censor my shit. The entire company will push the CDs to the maximum because they truly love and respect my music. We're all very excited about the whole thing...
...Alchemist and I put RETURN OF THE MAC together to get people ready for H.N.I.C.2...I'm 'bout to turn it up hot with H.N.I.C.2."
Prodigy's got trouble with G-Unit? Or maybe Mobb Deep is only signed to G-Unit AS A DUO, allowing them to go on solo ventures elsewhere. Either way, any excuse to having Alchemist back to carry him by the hand through yet another album produce his upcoming projects is a good one, because that's what was solely missing from the BLOOD MONEY album.
Here's the new video for HIS version of "New York Shit", but instead of giving Diamond D's "Went For Mine" another whirl, ALC hooks up this menacing Black Exploitation joint for him. It's good to see that P's finally gotten over 2Pac's "Hit 'em Up" as he has that 'Pac freestyle in the hook. Now a lot of morons out there are calling it "disrespectful". No…"disrespectful" is shitting on someone for having Sickle Cell Anemia (I mean, It would've been cool is you had just stuck with calling P wack and kept calling them MOBB SLEEP…but joking on his Sickle Cell illness? Love you to death, Pac…but that was kinda wack, man.) People oughta feel grateful that he's not acting like he's in the studio with 'Pac, like everybody else has been doing over the past 10 years.
He's also got another joint called "Mac 10 Handle" which is on some grimey, slow-ridin' shit, with ALC digging up the beat behind Ice T's "High Rollers". (Never sleep on the old school West Coast thug music!) Now some of y'all want to know why I keep saying that ALC keeps carrying P in all his songs over the past 5 or so years. Listen to that song and take note: It's still the same ol' P that we've had to deal with over the past 5 years. He's still sounding like he just woke up after a really bad night. He's still making fake-ass death threats that he knows full well that he's not going to follow up on. And yet…ALC knew just what to use in order to compliment him. Even though P's hoe-card has been pulled countless times over the years, this track actually makes him sound threatening! Now, compare this to the BLOOD MONEY album, where the beats weren't up to par, leaving P's shortcomings stick out like a soar thumb!
By the way…halfway through this video, he brings in this guy with the faintest resemblance to NAS. He even has the guy on stage with an Egyptian cane (cuz…you know…Nas only does that "Egyptian history rap"…even though he never even brings up Egypt anywhere on the HIP-HOP IS DEAD album!) When P sees 'Nas' in the mirror, he takes his machete and cracks the mirror and then proceeds to poke holes in his couch!! Hey, P…he's always been cool with you. YOU'RE the one who cut HIM off just because 50 Cent told you to--remember? Hilarious!
One other thing about both of these videos: Yo, Havoc…Hey, P…I don't EVER…EVER-EVER-EVER…want to see EITHER of you two muthafuckas with your SHIRTS OFF EVER AGAIN!!!!!
****
"On Saturday, November 25th, 2006, EPMD and Keith Murray came to Amsterdam to create and record a track together with Dutch producer KnowHow. Artist Dave White designed a record sleeve. ALL IN ONE NIGHT…in front of a live audience…"
This is the first time that I've been hyped over an EPMD joint in years! It was announced last year that EPMD signed to the re-established NERVOUS Records for a new album…and if this song serves as an indicator, then E & PMD are BACK!! DJ KnowHow deserves much love for hooking this track up and I hope this inspires Erick to get away from them bland-ass beats he's been doing since the ERICK ONASSIS (?!?!?) album and bring the funk back. Hopefully, Das EFX will work off the mic rust, K-Solo would get over his resentment, and Jigga will give Redman's RED GONE WILD album the proper push…and we could see a Hit Squad/Def Squad resurgence!
****
KRS-One takes time out of his busy schedule to congratulate Nas on the success of his latest album, HIP-HOP IS DEAD (which went Gold!), in the form of a new song called "Tribute To Nas". This joint was produced by the one and only Marley Marl, and as you should know, both 20+ year veterans are working on an album together (Just in time for the 20 year anniversary of CRIMINAL MINDED!)…and if this serves as an indicator, all these little boys screaming that "This is a young man's game" bullshit will be forever SILENCED! Granted, this may not be the old school James-Brown-break-beat-using Marley of decades past, but he's still got it! I would love for KRS to lighten up just a little bit and let loose on these children!
Anyway, KRS sets the usual "I'm #1" shit to the side and really gives props to Nas for the new album…and lets everyone know that anyone who has a problem with it "gets laid out on Fox News!!"
A month back, Monie Love had a radio interview with Young Jeezy The Snowman which turned ugly. A few weeks later, she was let go by the station. Many thought it was because of this interview…but she was recently interviewed by HipHopGame.com where she set the record straight about altercation with Jeezy and leaving the radio station. Basically, her contract was up and she let it run out. You'd be surprised to know that he's been a radio personality for nearly 14 years (which explains why she hasn't put out much music during that period…other than a few guests and adlibs.) She's also in the beginning stages of a comeback album, produced by the always dependable 9th Wonder.
To those that ain't her, here's some YouTube vids to help you get familiar:
Monie made her first appearance in this classic song…and EVERYBODY wanted to hear more from her. Seeing this makes me want to cry. People have no idea of how ill Latifah was…and with Latifah wanting to be a fuckin' DIVA, people will never know.
This is a classic De La joint that makes one wish that the Native Tongues would've put out an album as a full unit. It's sad that this will never happen. There are actually two versions of this song: The album version with De La, Q-Tip, and the JB's; THIS is the REMIX, featuring De La, Tip & Phife, The JB's, and Monie. By the way, do NOT ask me what the fuck BUDDY means. It's been 17 years, and I STILL DON'T GET IT!
Remember the OVERPRICED clothing line CROSS COLORS? WOW. Were people COLOR-BLIND or what?! No wonder that shit went out with bell-bottoms! Anyway, this was Monie's first big hit (from her debut album, DOWN TO EARTH), which got played to DEATH back in the day. Even Roxanne Shante' was getting fed up ("…I'm just about sick of that ‘MONIE IN THE MIDDLE' shit!!")
This was the second single from the DOWN TO EARTH album, which I liked a little better than "Monie In The Middle"…mainly because of the Spinners record it's based on. I always loved that record.
Born 2 Build Relationships (where) Education (&) Enlightenment Dominate. OUCH. This was from her second album, IN A WORD OR 2, and all the playfulness of the first album was replaced by the need to force-feed messages down people‘s throats. It‘s like an episode of "A Different World" printed in a CD. It's okay for a song or two, but through most of the album? I don't think so. This song was actually co-written by PRINCE…and everybody knows that Hip-Hop isn‘t exactly his strong suit (Remember "MY NAME IS PRINCE"? Prince turned THUG! Just what the world is feindin‘ for!) On the good side, Marley Marl produced a huge chunk of the album. However, it was too little too late at this point, as this was a jump-off point for a lot of people.
This a more recent song that she did, where she tries to get freaky. Yeah, the song is straight CORNBALL…but damn she looks good in this one! By the way, get a load of the Jin walk-in! Talk about a guy who's career has been derailed! Despite his potential as an MC, ain't no way anyone could recover from a song like "SPEAK CHINESE!" Poor guy.
****
After a few years of silence, the MafRIAA has returned in a huge way:
BREAKING NEWS: DJ Drama's Aphilliates Music Group Raided, 50,000 CD's Confiscated
By Tai Saint-Louis (AllHipHop.com)
Date: 1/16/2007 11:20 pm
The downtown Atlanta, GA offices of the Aphilliates Music Group were raided this afternoon (January 16), resulting in the arrests of 28-year-old Tyree "DJ Drama" Simmons and 27-year-old Donald Cannon, also known as DJ Don Cannon.
The Fulton County Swat Team, with assistance from Clayton County Police, entered the label's offices and studios at 147 Walker Street in the early evening hours.
Officials allegedly seized close to 50,000 CDs and took the 17 employees into custody for questioning.
According to Sgt. Nikita Hightower with the Fulton County Sheriff's office, the warrant was executed by Clayton County officers, which is just south of Atlanta.
DJ Drama and DJ Don Cannon were charged with racketeering and are being held at the Fulton County jail without bond.
According to authorities, the search executed sought only DJ Drama and Don Cannon, who were allegedly charged with racketeering.
In addition to the CDs, which were taken as evidence and will later be destroyed, police also seized computers, recording equipment and cars on the premises.
"These guys are actively advertising online. They've got a website that they're advertising from, that's where you place your orders and that's how the orders are shipped out," Matthew Kilgo of the RIAA told local reporters. "Statistics also show that you can make up to a 90% profit just off the resale of counterfeit CDs. So there's huge money to be made in it, and there's no stigma attached to purchasing it."
…and this is why many people (myself included) compare the RIAA to the mafia. They ALWAYS get their cut of EVERY HIT ON THE STREET. And if you don't pay them their cut? SUCKS TO BE YOU. DJ Drama & DJ Don Cannon are both about to get the cement shoe treatment, causing many Mixtape DJ's to get cautious (some of them even shutting down).
Despite how I feel about the antics of some mixtape DJ's, one good aspect about mixtapes is that it helps promote an artist, as it's been instrumental in bringing about the careers of a lot of huge rappers (50 in particular). It also can help an artist keep his name out there, just in case a label is too busy procrastinating to release their album. If the MafRIAA has their way, Hip-Hop will be stripped of these tools and will remain at the mercy of the record companies. This is definitely a case that we all need to pay close attention to.
****
IN MEMORY OF…
Disco D (1980-2007)
"I saw that he sent a website message a couple days ago to me and I replied before I left for the studio…I got back late and saw that he was excited about the news that one of his tracks was making it on Ultimate Victory, considering the fact that he didn't make it on my first album. I told him that Lil Wayne was putting his verse on the song and sent him my number so that he could contact me directly if he needed to. We were in the process of negotiation with his management and lawyers but a situation as tragic as this makes me not even want to think about discussing any music or contracts. I send my condolences to his family and loved ones. I hope he rests in heavenly peace."--Chamillionaire
Disco D was an up-&-coming producer who was a part of the Detroit Hip-Hop scene until he started getting some play with many prominent rappers, like 50 Cent, Lil' Wayne, Chamillionaire, and many others. Even though his professional career has been picking up, his personal life was another story. He was diagnosed as bi-polar and has gone through many bouts of depression, until he eventually decided to end it all.
Suicide is always fucked up. Anybody can tell you that people have gone through far worse and that you need to find strength, blah-blah-blah. It's easy to say…until either your family member or your best friend is going through it…or YOU are inches away from going through it yourself. It's just one of those things that there ain't no easy answer to.
Bam Bam Bigelow (1961-2007)
This man was one of the best big men to ever hit the ring and was pretty fast for his size. He went to war with many wrestlers, from Hogan & Andre the Giant during the old 80's WWF to literally tearing up the ring with Taz in the wild days of ECW (the REAL ECW, not that fake-ass shit that they're trying to pawn off as ECW these days!) He was also around during the last, dreadful days of WCW's existence as well. I would go further, but it would eventually lead to a rant about how wrestling today is pure shit compared to years ago, so I'll leave it alone.
It's sad that a lot of wrestlers are having problems during their mid 30's and 40's, as a lot of great wrestlers have died during that age range. That's one business that will chew you up and spit you out.
