#TCMS: Phonte, "Charity Starts At Home" Live Album Review

#TCMS History was made yesterday... Phonte of Little Brother's solo rapping debut, Charity Starts At Home received a perfect score. That's right...the full ***9 Second Applause***

David Banner & 9th Wonder, Death Of A Pop Star Album Review

David Banner journeys to the opposite end of the Rap-o-sphere on his fifth studio album. Where every album prior showcased the Mississippi emcee’s skills behind the mic and the boards, he hands production duties over to 9th Wonder this time out, allowing the North Carolina beat-miner to craft the score to the spaceship ride that is Death Of A Pop Star.

It only takes 30 minutes for Banner to completely redefine his lyrical reputation. He’s always been a skillfully aggressive rapper, but hearing him relentlessly attack track after track with varying styles and levels of introspection -- dropping dime after dime like Hugh Hefner -- over 9th’s snare heavy, east coast sound is the truest testament to his range as a rapper yet seen.

His suicidal thoughts speak for the millions still suffering through the current Great Recession on “Diamonds On My Pinky”. “Dreams of screaming demons hearing death whisper 'Hello' / My shell’s strong / My soul is Green Lantern wearing yellow / Hella weak," he raps over the album opener’s haunting choir and charging bass line, then closing the song with six of the year’s realest bars:

“Bang / It’s the same damn thang / The Boys Clubs are closing while they building PF Chang’s / Look it at your pinky ring / It got souls on it man...But I’m from Mississippi where you let your nuts hang / And where the white folks let my ancestors do the same”

It’s an awesome verse, really. One of many that shapes Death of A Pop Star’s beautiful struggle motif. The rich, soulful production feels celebratory throughout, while the weighty, visceral content fosters introspection, demanding repeated listens. “The richer that you get the more you turn away from God / And the poorer that you are the more you steal because it’s hard / We hope for the precious like Smeagol living regal,” Banner kicks Redman style on “No Denying (Channel 3)” . 9th’s emphatic organs and electronic blips on “The Light” are raucous enough to incite a riot while lines like “Yeah they twisted religion / Made Satan a Christian / Gave us Barack Obama, then we fell off the mission” are enough to incite a riot for a cause.

“Something Is Wrong” (featuring Lisa Ivey) is sonically generic, but Banner’s vivid depiction of a conversation with a homosexual is simultaneously gut wrenching and enlightening -- the type of verse that opens minds through it’s visceral honesty.

“Women playing men but why do men play women? / I saw one in Ugg boots and real tight denims / Man, he had Apple Bottoms on / So I walked over to him and asked ‘what’s wrong?’...He said ‘David Banner I remember when he raped me / Taped me to the bed / Binded both legs / I blanked out and woke up in a pool of red / Changed my whole world / I guess my stepdad thought that I should’ve been a girl’”

READ FULL REVIEW @HIPHOPDX.COM

From Tanya Morgan To OISD - Leaders Of The True School Album Review

“I ain’t gonna front, man / my rhymes are getting better...” - OISD, "JIMINY"

Sometimes I listen to Tanya Morgan and wonder why they don’t move me more.

On paper, they’re the type of group I naturally gravitate towards -- common man content, gimmickly deficient, at least one member with an appealing octave, sonically similar to other cats I already like. Check, check, check, check, check....

Mathematically I should love them.

To be clear, it’s not that I dislike them. I certainly don’t think they’re wack. I honestly believe they’re great for Hip Hop.

They never subtract from The Culture, outwardly pimping it for financial gain.

Rather, they only add to it.

The fact that they are talented enough to have a voice in and build a life around they’re music -- never manipulating that power for the greater evil -- is proof positive that they belong.

I respect that. I forever respect that.

The problem is that I inherently compare them to other “Native Tongue” offshoots. Other derivatives that put the pieces together just a little bit better. Specifically, Little Brother.

Its not that I don’t dig their beats. I just dig 9th’s more.

Its not that they can’t rhyme. Its just that Phonte rhymes better.

Its not that their concepts aren’t tight. Its just that Little Brother’s are tighter.

Hip Hop is a sport. Its competitive. Every element.

Been that way since Clive Campbell first figured out to how to maximize the sound reverberating from his Dub system, out-blasting the speakers across the hall.

So its impossible for me not to compare. And that comparison is the basis of the most important measure for any music maker: Replay Value.

Does whatever sound you’re putting out make people want to listen again? And again? And again? And again?

Its completely subjective, varying from ear to ear. Completely personal.

And personally, Tanya Morgan gets me to 6. Seldom 7. Never 10.



I say that to say this, O.I.S.D.’s debut LP, Leaders Of The True School, is sonically impressive.

J.O., EyeQ, Khid2Che, ShowTyme, and J.Monopoly provide an undoubtably polished offering revolved around old school/Golden Era production, references and rhyme schemes, delivered with a modern twist.

Every beat is straight flame -- or Fuego Sauce in OISD speak.

FACT.

The C. Jonah produced, brooding, bounce heavy “Jiminy” is an instant standout, and J.Eazeemayxdabeats laced “Sidekicks-N-Flykicks” lovely with an ill Notorious BIG cut and emphatic horns that provide immediate cause to put your drinks in the air.

The chopped and screwed, Jay-Z sampled “Recession Report” diversifies the album sonically and contextually as the crew opines on the recent financial crisis.

“Billions from civilians is what Bernie done Madoff.”

“Untitled” is arguably the most potent cut and one of the few instances where the crew lyrically spit personal, heartfelt rhymes.

From mic to plug, the LOTTS is extremely well produced. There isn’t a suspect beat here.

And that is the problem.

The production is too good...overshadowing the Emcees.

While the beats are Fuego, the rhymes are mostly pedestrian. Lines like “My flow is rare, like blue hair” and “So Top 10, n***** gotta give me two fives” water down the content, failing to consistently match the top shelf, boom-bastic production.

Considering that OISD spends 70% of the album kicking cypher rhymes -- braggadocio raps -- rather than mixing in stories or concepts, the lyrical short comings are more apparent.

Add that to the fact that the LP's throwback theme can be immediately polarizing (either you love it or hate it depending on when you were born and how you feel about their flip on the original versions) and far from brand new (“Hipster” rappers like The Cool Kids drew loads of attention in the mid 00s with a similar angle) -- and suddenly that all-important Replay Value measure is jeopardized.

The upside is that the members of OISD are all reasonably young (all between 20 and 22 years old). So it will be interesting to see how their sound evolves as life inevitably affects their art.

Like Tanya Morgan, all the pieces aren’t quite there.

However, these five cats have correctly assembled a large enough portion of the puzzle early enough in their careers to be excited about their promise, their future.

Leaders Of The True School is a dope listen and worth the download.

Even if it rocks harder as background music.

RATING: QQQ.5

DOWNLOAD LEADERS OF THE TRUE SCHOOL HERE

6 MINUTES WITH JEAN GRAE AND 9TH WONDER - A QUOTABLE EXCLUSIVE

"Uncommon like Erykah. / Phenomenon hysteria. / Height rocks millenium. / Shante' criteria" - Jean Grae

Following Blacksmith Record's re-release show for Jeanius (review to come) at the seminal Fat Beats record shop in lower Manhattan, I had a chance to steal a quick 6 minutes with the grossly underappreciated, illest FEmce, Jean Grae and the new Pete Rock, producer 9th Wonder. Read on to find out about Jeanius's "risky" production process, the status of Jean's unreleased video "My Story," 9th's relationship with legendary producers Pete Rock and DJ Premiere, peach cobbler shakes, and Vivrin...

TCM: You're talking to 2 Carolina cats right now?
9th: Oh, where you from, man?
TCM: I'm from Greenville.
Yahnick: South Carolina
9th: Oh, ok! Ok.
Yahnick: I spend a lot of time in the Raleigh/Durham area. My sister went to A&T...
9th: Too bad!...Whats her name? Sadiqua? Sadiqua, too bad. You went to A&T, it was a bad choice. Its a dumb school. I don't they learn anything...
TCM: Ay, my mom went to A&T, man. We gotta slow down a little bit.
9th: Oh, your mom went to A&T, man?! Be glad that thats your momma!
TCM: Watching you guys, and listening to you guys, you have a real natural chemistry...
9th: I don't like her ass to tell you the damn truth...
Jean: I fuckin' hate this dude.
TCM: So whats it like being in the studio? Are you actually in the studio together?
9th: Uh, we did Jeanius together, yes. We did Jeanius in 4 days. Recorded in 4 days.
Jean: We both just blacked out. We totally blacked out. And when we came out of the blackout, it was an album.
9th: Are you familiar with the restaraunt called "Cookout?"
TCM: Yep.
9th: Lots of "Cookout." Lots of "Cookout."
Jean: And No-Doz. And Vivrin.
9th: And Vivrin.
TCM: So it was, fun?
9th: Yeah, yeah, yeah man. It was very risky. We was eatin,' man, burgers and grilled chicken sandwhiches. And taking Vivrin at the same time...
Jean: Peach cobbler shakes...40s...
TCM: Gotta watch your sodium, now.
Jean: No that was years ago. I can't do that now.
TCM: Fried foods gonna catch up to the cigarettes and break your health a little bit.
9th: Exactly. Its all good.
Jean: Thats why he's eating homecooked meals.
9th: Exactly.
Yahnick: What you got in there? Lets see that, lets see that.
9th: Uh, uh.
Jean: Nope nope nope....Well it was roasted chicken, sweet potatoe fries, some vegetables with rice, and homemade apple sauce.
9th: I'm gonna take this to Baseline and finish it.
Jean: Yeah, go for it. Wheres (someone whos' name I didn't catch)?
9th: At Baseline with Pete Rock.
Jean: Oh. Pet Rock?
9th: Pet Rock.
TCM: So how does it feel to be compared to Pete Rock, to Premo, to those cats?
9th: I love it, man. They're friends of mine. They think its cool too, so, you know...Some people go around claiming that...Pete and Preme don't think its cool. But they think its cool. They like [the comparison]. And, you know, I with it, man. Those are my adopted big brothers. They take care of me, man. And I truly take care of them.
Yahnick: You deserve it, brother. You deserve it.
9th: When you put in the work, thats what happens.
9th: I appreciate that, man. I appreciate it.



TCM: So Jean, with lyricism coming back to the forefront now, and as a female Emcee...
Jean: Is it?
TCM: Oh yeah, certainly. You don't think so? Or would you disagree?
Jean: I mean, it would nice. It would be nice.
9th: Jean thinks a lot of people can't rap.
Jean: Yeah, of course.
TCM: She's right about that.
Jean: I do. Definitely do.
TCM: As a female Emcee, its twice as hard at the same time...
Jean: Its a little more than twice. A littler more than twice.
TCM: Thats fair. Thats fair.
Jean: It is what it is. Thats my battle so I never look at it like that. [But] Yeah, its hard.
TCM: One of the things that I do appreciate about your show is that you always look like you're having a good time on stage.
Jean: Because we are having a good time. We are genuinely having a blast. And most of the jokes we share are a blast. And I can feel free to talk. I can listen to...'fun chillin' in your living room,' thats what you always feel like. [Motioning towards 9th] Except when he's on stage and then I just want to get off stage.
TCM: So how is it over at Blacksmith right now?
Jean: Its getting better.
9th: BLACKSMITH IS FANTASTIC.
Kweli (in the background): Its amazing!
9th: Its an amazing place. Ran by an amazing guy. Who makes amazing records.
Yahnick: I have a question, ever since they altered [My Story], you were kind of upset about that.
Jean: I don't know. Never seen it. Don't plan to. And its not coming out.
9th: I haven't seen the video either.
Yahnick: Well she doesn't like you so, thats probably why you haven't seen it.
9th: I don't like her ass either...



TCM: So whats up next? Are you going on tour for this release?
Jean: Yes. We have to.
TCM: Wheres the first stop?
9th: Carboro, North Carolina. Outside of Chapel Hill. The cats craddle.
Yahnick: When are you going to be in Greenville?
9th: I don't know.
TCM: We need a definite behind that.
Yahnick: They desperately need you.
9th: Thats what I heard, man. Hold on a second (into cell phone: 'Mommy I'm doing an interview and the cameras on me and you're on the phone').
Jean: They gotta actually ask us to go. They gotta actually ask us to go. Otherwise it would be really really weird if we just, like, went to a place for a show and...Do you have a venue?
Yahnick: Yeah, I'm gonna get one.
Jean: Okay, yeah. Then we're there.
TCM: So, was it more fun making This Week, Jeanius, or the re-release?
Jean: Oh, everythings just different. Everythings a different experience. I can't judge.
TCM: I hear that. Well, I appreciate it [the interview]. Again, I'm with The-Quotable.com. Good lookin...
9th: You slid into interview kind of slick.
Jean: Yeah, that was nice.




Carry on...

The Quotable Reviews: Theatre of the Mind

"Cause this is Theatre of the Mind. / Consider it a sign / of whats to come next." - "I Do It For Hip Hop"

After 8 years and 6 studio LPs, there are certain expectations we here at The Quotable have for each new Ludacris album:

We expect him to come hard from the left with his big, baritone voice, and even bigger videos and production ("Southern Hospitality," "Roll Out," "Stand Up!," "Get Back," "Move Bitch").

We expect him to down shift into mack-mode for a track or three (a la Busta Rhymes), using his tongue-twister-slash-late-night-phone-tone to seduce the fairer sex ("Phat Rabbit," "P-Poppin," "Splash Waterfalls," "Hoes In My Room").

We expect a healthy amount of comic relief ("Ho," "Area Codes," "Blow It Out").

We expect an ill 16 bar cipher cut to open each album ("Southern Fried Intro," "Intro," "Warning").

But what keeps the respect flowing in Luda's direction is his visceral focus on lyricism. And we expect him to drop lines like 'Enter' each and every time out the gate.

FACT.

So as expected, we here at The Quotable were more than amped about Luda's sixth studio album, Theatre of the Mind. Although he's never been one of my default Emcees (artists that you listen to during those times when you don't know what you want to listen to), Ludacris consistently brings that heat when its cold outside. Does Theatre of the Mind meet the standard? Walk with us as...

The Quotable Reviews: Theatre of the Mind

Theatre of the Mind is basically made up of three types of tracks: cipher cuts, chick/club songs, and concept records - all intended to provide that scene-from-a-movie feel.

The album opener, "Intro," represents the obligatory, ill, 16-bar, cipher cut where Luda reintroduces himself while laying out the premise of his latest release (a staple found on each of his LPs). Over The Runners heavy bass line, bouncing snare drums, and medieval choir, Ludacris drops one of the most honest quotables of his career - "Give me 16 bars / on another n***** song / and you know that I'm gonna fuckin' kill it!" 'Cris has arguably the hottest intros in the game. Each of his LPs opens with some big, triumphant, back-the-muttaskut-up-cause-you-can't-handle-me-lyrically intro that immediately reminds you why Luda's necessary to Hip Hop right now - because he holds every other MC accountable for his craft. "Intro" is no different, and equally refreshing.



And to be honest, this is the side of Chris Lova Lova thats had us here at TQ so eagerly anticipating this latest release. I mean, tracks like the hilarious, T-Pain assisted "One More Drink," or the club anthem, Chris Brown featured, "What Them Girls Like," or even the R&B-throwback, Scott Storch produced "Contagious" (featuring Jamie Foxx) suitably fill the chick/club track quota (none of which are bad listens). And concept records such as the 9th Wonder produced "Do The Right Thang" (where Luda and Common team up to remind cats to walk the right path or be prepared to face life's consequences), "Call Up The Homies" (featuring The Game), or the trap-certified, 808 bass-lined, "Southern Gangsta" (Rick Ross and Playaz Circle join Luda to wax poetic about their hustler credentials), or even the highly anticipated T.I. collaboration, "Wish You Would" help to round out the album. But Theatre of the Mind's true value is found in its cipher cuts.

"Bow down to greatness / before I get pist-n' / run up in the stands like the Indiana Pacers." - "Undisputed"



"Undisputed" and "Everybody Hates Chris" (with Chris Rock) are the albums first 2 examples, each showcasing Luda's brolic, battle-ready lyrical demeanor. The latter's lively horns and hand claps invoke an immediate head-nod while 'Cris rides the track to perfection. Then, after a brief detour down chick-track-avenue, Theatre of the Mind breaks left onto freestyle expressway. "Last of a Dying Breed" is an epic, scratch-heavy, track that Luda and Lil' Wayne use to put on an exhibition in lyrical exercise.

"Top 5 dead or alive / but really it just hit me / that 3 out of your 5's too scared to f*ck with me. / So how can I advance if you don't give me no opponents? / How can you see the future if you're living for the moment? / Hip Hop couldn't die, / I never offer my condolence. / But I offer ya'll day of atonement."

Luda's arguably at his best on the DJ Premiere produced "MVP," which is also arguably the album's best beat. Premo provides that classic boom-bap nostalgia, and Luda laces this one with some of the albums dopest quotables:

"And my delivery's invading your vicinity. / Hennessey is my remedy. / Taking shots like Kennedy. / And I been a G / for a long time. / To these streets I'm connected like I'm on-line. / On time for whatever. / And every time an album drop, / I drop B.I.G. like Voletta."

I drop B.I.G. like Voletta???? It doesn't get much iller than that!!! It doesn't get much more visual than that!!! And, since The Notorious BIG was a large muttaskutta and giving birth to him must have been exceptionally uncomfortable (Voletta Wallace is Biggie's mother), it doesn't get much bigger than that!!! Now add the fact that Luda's sold over 15 million records world wide (no easy feat for any artist at any point in history, let alone during the recent record-sales recession), it doesn't get much truer than that. Ludacris is a beast. Ludacris is a beast.

"I don't do it for the cars and the fancy drops. / I do it for Hip Hop." - "I Do it for Hip Hop."

Rounding out Theatre of the Mind's best run is "I Do It For Hip Hop" - an ill, scratch-heavy cipher cut enlisting 2 of rap's titans - Jay-Z and Nas. Another great track. Each Emcee gets busy here, but in the end, Ludacris outshines both. Jay appears to have an interesting strategy though. Rather than attempt to go straight at Luda lyrically, he instead uses an old school flow, invoking Hip Hop nostalgia to leave his mark on the track ("Hip Hop / started out in the park. / We used to do it to avoid the narcs."). My cousin Sha pointed that one out. Nas kicks a cool little bumble bee analogy to describe how he's "as live as a hive full of predators," successfully netting him 3rd place.

"And their almost extinct / so I'm sayin' it loud. / MC means 'move the crowd'" - "Last of a Dying Breed"

15 tracks. Loads of guest appearances. 0 interludes.

All in all, Theatre of the Mind is a balanced, enjoyable, LP that will have your head-nodding as soon as you press play. You can clean to it. You can pre-party to it. Might be tough to slide into mack-mode, but you can definitely drive to it. Its combination of chick/club tracks, concept records, and cipher cuts adds up to a solid, diverse listen. Theatre of the Mind is one of the year's best Hip Hop albums, and arguably the most potent of his career.

And the more I think about it - I'm a bi-album Ludacris fan; meaning that I tend to get excited about every-other Ludacris album. Back For The First Time caught me off guard in a good way which made me excited about Word of Mouf (2001). But Chicken & Beer (2003), although more-than-nice in retrospect, wasn't on the priority list at the time. Then The Red Light District (2004) dropped and of course I had to cop that the first day. But I damn-near ignored 2006's Release Therapy, which is his most critically successful LP to date. Now here we are, late in '08, and for some reason I couldn't wait for this album. And thats because, for me, less is more with Ludacris. He's such a larger-than-life presence on every song, that it doesn't take much to OD. Theatre of the Mind's diverse sound scape does a solid job of minimalizing that trait, signalling replay-value potential (and it doesn't get any more important than replay value).

Furthermore, the fact that there is nothing ground-breaking, or career redefining here, or that Luda doesn't show us a new side of his person, his thoughts, his lifestyle, his anything isn't necessarily a bad thing. He still delivers a top-shelf product that embodies all of the reasons why you love Luda in the first place. His diversity. His ability to make you laugh, to make you bounce, to make you feel OK about screaming "move bitch, get out the way!" And most notably, the fact that he's a lyricist to the death - and he's got what you need. Ludacris, the last of a dying breed.

Rating: QQQQ

And Then There Were 2: Producer 9th Wonder Leaves Little Brother

Looks like the rumors were true...

Underground uber producer 9th Wonder has officially parted ways with North Carolina based rap group Little Brother. In an interview with HipHopGame.com, Little Brother MC Rapper Big Pooh had this to say on the split:

"Little Brother has decided, in the best interest of the group, for Little Brother and 9th Wonder to part ways. There are no hard feelings and no beef. This is just a decision that had to be made so all three of us could move forward and continue to provide the world dope music."

Big Pooh continued, addressing rumors that the group was dropped from its record label, Atlantic Records.

"First, I want to say that Little Brother has not been dropped from
Atlantic. At this time we are in the process of negotiating our release from the label due to a difference in philosophies."

"We asked to be released," LB manager Big Dho added. "I think we may just put the album out on Asylum to close our deal, but it's definitely a wrap for us at Atlantic. We weren't happy with how things were going and we decided we wanted to leave and on their end, they decided that they didn't want to deal with that either. Nobody on our end is mad or has any ill feelings towards their company."

So what does the future hold for Little Brother and 9th Wonder?

LB's third full-length Lp, Getback, is scheduled to drop in 2007 but currently does not have a set release date. Nottz, Alchemist, and possibly DJ Premier are rumored to provide production in 9th's absence.

To hold us over, LB will release its latest mixtape, And Justus For All, as a free download on February 13. Mark your calendars.

9th Wonder is currently working on production for a third album with California MC Murs.

A couple of LB videos to send you on your way...

Allegedly, BET refused to play the "Lovin' It" video because it was too intelligent...

Looks like a regular rap video to me.



A rare one here..."Speed" was the first track the trio created. Crazy homemade. Hip Hop to the core.



LB and Big Daddy Kane...always payin' homage to those that came before.



I'm gettin' nostalgic over here. 2 to 1 LB officially breaks up by January 2008. Phonte is too nice not to go solo.