A Quotable Rant: Back From Hiatus

"Its been a long time. I shouldnt've left you..."

Sometimes even planned change is unexpected. I'll leave that there for now....

"How should I get it started? F*ck it, just get it started."
"Ya'Meen" - Method Man; Tical 4:21...The Day After

EVERY YEAR THIS ISH HAPPENS!

Every artist and every label fiends for that summer smash, or that holiday season cash-in - and they all end up crossing-swords fighting over rapidly depleting album sales!

Jay-Z, Nas, Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes, Ludacris, Lupe Fiasco, The Game, The Roots, Clipse, Ice Cube, Outkast, Obie Trice, Young Jeezy, Diddy, DMX, Mos Def, Method Man, Mobb Deep, Fat Joe, Lloyd Banks, Pharrell, all released albums between June and December of 2006. As of today, only Hova and Outkast* managed to crack (the much overrated) platinum status domestically (both deserving significant asterisks - Outkast released Idlewild in conjunction with the duos feature film Idlewild - quintessential cross promotion. And as President of Def Jam, Jay-Z was essentially the only artist with complete control over his marketing budget - allegedly spending upwards of $20 million on album promotion for his un-retirement Lp Kingdom Come - including a Super Bowl ad and an unprecedented 1-Day US tour). A few others above posted strong sales numbers (Jeezy, The Game, Luda, and Nas are all approaching 1 million albums sold...6 months later) - the rest fell victim to the competition.

Too many MCs, not enough muttaskuttas buying CDs.

Maybe I missed the memo - but when did it become smart business to release a potentially viable product into an already over-saturated market? 9 out of 10 times money is lost - especially when all the products are packaged the same. And considering the lack of creativity plaguing commercial rap music (Corporate America: once again turning sugar to shit in pursuit of dollars and cents), who can tell the difference anymore? Or more appropriately, who cares to tell the difference?

Here's a thought: rather than flush cash down the isher jousting with every other industry big name during the cluttered 2nd half, why not diversify and drop big-ticket Lps in the wide-open 1st half? Think about it - less competition, increased likelihood of consistent radio and video rotation, and if the chance to make Spring Breakers nationwide dry-hunch to your jammy jam isn't enticing enough, then the increased revenue opportunities should be.

Case in point: T.I.'s 4th studio album, The King, was the only platinum selling album throughout most of 2006. When did it drop?

March.

"You do the arithmetic. WE do the Language-Arts."
"A Life in the Day of Benjamin Andre" - Andre 3000; The Love Below

Carry on...


* To be honest, I have no real way to verify this and seriously doubt its accuracy. According to Wikipedia Idlewild is "platinum" but does not distinguish between domestic or international. My assumption is that it went plat internationally, but I also remember what happens when you "assume." So The Quotable will give 'Kast the benefit of the doubt since they've given us a decade worth of Classics.

Imus Not the Real Bad Guy?

My homegirl Murda (Mary) forwarded this "long email" to me today in regards to Don Imus's recent word-vomit. Interesting read...

courtesy of KansasCity.com (please don't sue me...PUHLease don't sue me).

Imus isn’t the real bad guy
Instead of wasting time on irrelevant shock jock, black leaders need to be fighting a growing gangster culture.
By JASON WHITLOCK - Columnist

Thank you, Don Imus. You’ve given us (black people) an excuse to avoid our real problem.

You’ve given Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson another opportunity to pretend that the old fight, which is now the safe and lucrative fight, is still the most important fight in our push for true economic and social equality.

You’ve given Vivian Stringer and Rutgers the chance to hold a nationally televised recruiting celebration expertly disguised as a news conference to respond to your poor attempt at humor.

Thank you, Don Imus. You extended Black History Month to April, and we can once again wallow in victimhood, protest like it’s 1965 and delude ourselves into believing that fixing your hatred is more necessary than eradicating our self-hatred.

The bigots win again.

While we’re fixated on a bad joke cracked by an irrelevant, bad shock jock, I’m sure at least one of the marvelous young women on the Rutgers basketball team is somewhere snapping her fingers to the beat of 50 Cent’s or Snoop Dogg’s or Young Jeezy’s latest ode glorifying nappy-headed pimps and hos.

I ain’t saying Jesse, Al and Vivian are gold-diggas, but they don’t have the heart to mount a legitimate campaign against the real black-folk killas.

It is us. At this time, we are our own worst enemies. We have allowed our youths to buy into a culture (hip hop) that has been perverted, corrupted and overtaken by prison culture. The music, attitude and behavior expressed in this culture is anti-black, anti-education, demeaning, self-destructive, pro-drug dealing and violent.

Rather than confront this heinous enemy from within, we sit back and wait for someone like Imus to have a slip of the tongue and make the mistake of repeating the things we say about ourselves.

It’s embarrassing. Dave Chappelle was offered $50 million to make racially insensitive jokes about black and white people on TV. He was hailed as a genius. Black comedians routinely crack jokes about white and black people, and we all laugh out loud.

I’m no Don Imus apologist. He and his tiny companion Mike Lupica blasted me after I fell out with ESPN. Imus is a hack.

But, in my view, he didn’t do anything outside the norm for shock jocks and comedians. He also offered an apology. That should’ve been the end of this whole affair. Instead, it’s only the beginning. It’s an opportunity for Stringer, Jackson and Sharpton to step on victim platforms and elevate themselves and their agenda$.

I watched the Rutgers news conference and was ashamed.

Martin Luther King Jr. spoke for eight minutes in 1963 at the March on Washington. At the time, black people could be lynched and denied fundamental rights with little thought. With the comments of a talk-show host most of her players had never heard of before last week serving as her excuse, Vivian Stringer rambled on for 30 minutes about the amazing season her team had.

Somehow, we’re supposed to believe that the comments of a man with virtually no connection to the sports world ruined Rutgers’ wonderful season. Had a broadcaster with credibility and a platform in the sports world uttered the words Imus did, I could understand a level of outrage.

But an hourlong press conference over a man who has already apologized, already been suspended and is already insignificant is just plain intellectually dishonest. This is opportunism. This is a distraction.

In the grand scheme, Don Imus is no threat to us in general and no threat to black women in particular. If his words are so powerful and so destructive and must be rebuked so forcefully, then what should we do about the idiot rappers on BET, MTV and every black-owned radio station in the country who use words much more powerful and much more destructive?

I don’t listen or watch Imus’ show regularly. Has he at any point glorified selling crack cocaine to black women? Has he celebrated black men shooting each other randomly? Has he suggested in any way that it’s cool to be a baby-daddy rather than a husband and a parent? Does he tell his listeners that they’re suckers for pursuing education and that they’re selling out their race if they do?

When Imus does any of that, call me and I’ll get upset. Until then, he is what he is — a washed-up shock jock who is very easy to ignore when you’re not looking to be made a victim.

No. We all know where the real battleground is. We know that the gangsta rappers and their followers in the athletic world have far bigger platforms to negatively define us than some old white man with a bad radio show. There’s no money and lots of danger in that battle, so Jesse and Al are going to sit it out.

To reach Jason Whitlock, call (816) 234-4869 or send e-mail to jwhitlock@kcstar.com. For previous columns, go to KansasCity.com

Al Sharpton / Don Imus interview:



Your thoughts?

Little Brother - And Justus For All

Nothing better than FREE music.

Little Brother and Mick Boogie definitely hooked us up this time! If this is any indication of the quatlity of music we can expect from LB sans 9th Wonder, then these boys are FAR from finished...Mo' FIYAH!

Download And Justus For All Here (courtesy of Rappersintheknow.com)

Track Listing:

Produced by 9th Wonder, Khrysis, Nottz, Oddisee, RJD2, Focus, Babu, & Midi Mafia
Words by Phonte & Rapper Pooh

Tracklist
1. Big Pooh: Intro (Poobie’s Song)
2. Little Brother and Chaundon: Can’t Stop Us (Produced by Young Cee)
3. Little Brother and Oddisee: Delusional (Produced by Oddisee)
4. Interlude: The Purpose Of Mixtapes
5. Little Brother and Skillz: Life of the Party Remix (Produced by Nottz)
6. Little Brother f/ Legacy: Best Kept Secret (Produced by RJD2)
7. Interlude: Wack Freestyles
8. Little Brother f/ Rhymefest and Supastition: Do It To Death (Produced by Focus)
9. Phonte and Von Pea: A Word From Our Sponsors (Produced by Khrysis)
10. Interlude: The Justus League Crew
11. Phonte: Last Day
12. Little Brother: Never Leave (Produced by The Kickdrums)
13. Interlude: Mick Boogie, The A&R
14. Big Pooh f/ Ray Cash: Bring It On
15. Big Pooh, Bishop Lamont and Jozeemo: Without You
16. Interlude: Myspace Etiquette Part 1
17. Little Brother: The Pressure (Produced by Khrysis)
18. Little Brother and Joe Scudda: Fan Mail (Produced by Babu)
19. Interlude: Favorite Duos
20. Little Brother, Mos Def and Talib Kweli: Let It Go (Blackstar Version) (Produced by 9th Wonder)
21. Big Pooh and O-Dash: One Eleven
22. Interlude: Myspace Etiquette Part 2
23. Little Brother f/ Kardinal Offishall: Cross That Line Remix (Produced by 9th Wonder)
24. Little Brother f/ Cormega: Back At It (Khrysis Remix)
25. Little Brother f/ AZ: Rise And Fall (Produced by J. Cardim and Phonte)
26. Little Brother f/ Talib Kweli: Grown Man (Produced by Midi Mafia)
27. Little Brother: Outrolude

Quotable Videos:

"Can't Forget About You" - Nas; Hip Hop Is Dead



...still in love with Chrisette Michelle...


"Minority Report" - Jay-Z; Kingdom Come



...still in loathe with that whisper rap...


"Wouldn't Get Far" - Game feat. Kanye West; The Doctor's Advocate



...Game still name droppin'...


"Throw Some Ds' On It Remix" - Kanye West

...on repeat in my iPod all week...


"Throw Some Cheese On It" - Wich Boy



...just plain comical.


Carry on...

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.

Quotable Videos: Onyx - "Slam"

1994

"I'm a B-Boy / Standin' in my B-Boy stance. /
Hurry up and give me the microphone before I bust in my pants."
"Slam" - Onyx; Bacdafucup



Make Noise B-Boys!

Yo!

"Ven" - Ven; 1980s

"VEN is among the handful of writers who were responsible for upholding an artistic presence on the New York City subway system during the mid to late 1980s. He wrote during the decline of the movement with a level of commitment matched by few. He hit BMTs and INDs with IRT caliber burners. VEN was also a key player in the creation of the last whole subway train (10 Cars).He was also an early participant in the "Clean Train" Movement."

Courtesy of @149st

Comedy Interlude

The battle...is now a BATTLE!



Yep...he got style'd on...

(Shout out to MM!)

Anyway. Enjoy Skee-Lo.

A Quotable Rant - I Blame Master P

"Friend or foe yo? State your biz. /
Hmmm, ya tend the doe? Ah, there it is. /
Me? I run the show. Oh, and these kids /
Don't like nobody comin' round here f*ckin' wit they doe for sh*t. /
You're enterprisin' though and I like it. /
But f*ck wit the big dogs yo, and I gotta bite ya. /
Look, its outta my hands. /
And you gettin' money round here is not in the plans. /
So hop you ass outta that van - head back to Kansas."
"Friend Or Foe" - Jay-Z; Reasonable Doubt

I blame Master P for this sh*t.

To his credit, Master P was the possibly first rapper (certainly the first I can remember) to master the science of marketing.

Think about it.

P turned independent record label No Limit Records, into a one-time industry powerhouse and global conglomerate, selling over 75 million albums to date. He used grass-roots marketing techniques such as selling tapes out of the trunk of car in areas with potential demand for his brand of gangsta rap music - giving free samples to people in expensive cars (Wikipedia.org). In 1996 he parlayed this street-level buzz into an industry shaking distribution deal with Priority Records, giving No Limit Records 100% ownership of its "masters" (master recordings) and 85% of record sales - an agreement unheard of at the time (and, fore the most part, since). He ingeniously created brand recognition for No Limit Records and cross-promoted his artists in every project (albums, straight to video releases, etc). Every release used the same, over-the-top artwork (diamond encrusted titles, bright colors, gaudy mafia imagery) regardless of whose album (Mystikal, Silkk tha Shocker, Mia-X...whoever) was actually being released, making No Limit records instantly recognizable on record store display shelves. He was the first rapper to be worth over $300 million, immensely increased the popularity of southern rap music, and was a part of the foundation for what would later become known as "Crunk Music" But probably most importantly, (according to Wikipedia.org) "he made sure all of his artists debuted at #1 on soundscan to build the perception of popularity" (is it me, or does that sentence allude heavily to P inflating record sales by buying large quantities of No Limit releases himself?..."things that make you go hmmmm"). Master P made somethin' outta very little, layed the blueprint for today's method of new artist discovery and forever changed the inter-workings of the rap music industry.

Only one problem. Master P couldn't rhyme!

Seriously, (and this is the most impressive part of his story) Master P sold rap music without being able rap. Instead, he came up a with his own formula - enviable personality, energetic production, easily remembered hooks, and the infectious, A-1 ad lib - "Ugghhhhhh" (I could go senile tomorrow and still have "Make 'em say Ugghhhhh! Na Naaa Na Naa!" trapped in my head). This combination opened the eyes of every other record label and forced them to revise their business plan. No longer was artist development, well-rounded Lps, music quality and lyrical talent crucial to movin' units. Thanks to to the P-Formula beats, hooks, and ad libs were now paramount (my thank you card is in the mail....sigh).

I say that to say this.

Now, 10 years later, Hip Hop is flooded with a bunch of one-trick ponies disinterested in the trivial nuances of Hip Hop...You now, little things like history and lyrical expression and sound quality and, well...Hip Hop. Hell, everyone these days thinks they are rappers...and sadly, thanks to the P-Formula, just about everyone thinks they can actually be a rapper. Hip Hop is the new gold rush or dot.com-boom - its the new 'hustle' and every muttaskutta with a pen and a pad is runnin' to the well. The worst part is Master P's off-chutes have taken the P-Formula to an all time low.

Case in point: Young Jeezy.

Young Jeezy has seamlessly adapted the P-Formula to his brand of trap music - utilizing stellar production, catchy hooks, and extensive adlibing to sell records. Arguably, he's more known for his ubiquitous ad lib, "Yeaaaahhhhhhh," than any line dropped since his major-label debut Lets Get It: Thug Motivation 101 (and is a direct decendant of P's "Ugghhhh!"). His "Snowman" persona is an immediate reminder to P's "Ice Cream Man" alter-ego. And beats and hooks are his songs primary selling points. By no means is Jeezy the only rapper using the P-Formula to move units, but he is the prime example of what happens when the P-Formula goes wrong.

What separates Jeezy from most other offenders (Pitbull falls into this category as well, having gone on record stating Hip Hop is only a hustle to him) is that he openly, in fact arrogantly boasts being a "trapper not a rapper." Hip Hop isn't his Heaven - its his Hustle; and he proudly pimp's it for his own profit. And there lies the irony behind this boondoggle.

My cousin Sha broke it down like this.

Jeezy's popularity is based off of his trap star reputation. He's a block-hustler with assumed ties to Atlanta's most notorious crime family (Black Mafia Family) so his street credibility has never been in question. To even survive in that world, there are certain rules you follow. So I wonder what would Jeezy (or anyone in the life) do if some outta town hustlers encroached on his territory, pushin' product to his clientele, and bounced safely back to whereever they were from with a pocket full of cash (like on The Wire, when the New York cats tried milkin' Marlo's blocks down in B-More; or Jay-Z's "Friend Or Foe" - he's talking directly at guys like Jeezy...yet he signs him to Def Jam? Money talks loudest)? Specifics aside, that ish would be handled accordingly - as it should.

But despite knowing that basic rule of respect for other people's territory, Jeezy un-remorsefully encroaches on Hip Hop culture, using the P-Formula to sell records, and makes millions of dollars without showing an inkling of deference to what and who he's stealing money from!

Thats right. STEALING.

Its one thing to be a bad rapper with a good gimmick (there have been plenty of wack rappers in Hip Hop history). But its a wholenother thing to profit from Hip Hop and not proudly claim to be a part of the culture! That ish will get you killed where he's from...but somehow okay for him to pull that sh*t over here? Jeezy is making millions of dollars off of Hip Hop music (thanks to the P-Formula) and says he's not a rapper??? He's a trapper??? He's just gettin' his paper???? I'm suppose to respect you just because you "bust your guns"??? Nah muttaskutta, YOU DO THIS NOW! You have decades worth of deference to pay, homie and you're slackin'. Real recognize real, and I ain't never seen you in my life! I can't wait for your counterfeit rap career to fall off and you end up in a too-tight-two piece suit...dancin' with the stars.

So what if Young Jeezy is a 'hustler' or 'trapper' or whatever he considers himself? In the end he's a hypocrite, simple and plain. And I'll NEVER respect it - no matter how hot his ad libs are.

"Get the point?
I'll let you go, but before you leave, /
I guess I oughta let you know / I need those keys.
And a promise you'll never, / no matter the weather, /
Eva-Eva-Eva-Eva-Eva-Eva-Eva-Eva-Eva-Eva-Ever /
Come around here no more."
"Friend Or Foe" - Jay-Z; Reasonable Doubt

Carry On....

Yo!

"I'm just writin' my name in Graffiti, on the wall."
"My Melody" - Rakim; Paid In Full



"Futura" - Kell; 1980

Quotable Videos: Positive K - "I Got A Man"

Nas got me feelin' nostalgic ya'll.

1992 - Back then all you had to have to get on the radio was...a good song.

Wop it out. Wop it out.



Shout out to the girls in the bikinis (no beach. no pool. still...bikinis).

Carry on...

The Quotable Reviews: Hip Hop Is Dead

"Gave my man my right, I coulda went left. So like my girl Foxy the kid went Def."
"Hip Hop Is Dead" - Nas; Hip Hop Is Dead

Over the past 5 years, God's Son's been good to The Company Man.

No doubt.

Since Jay-Z seemingly, single handedly revitalized Escobar's approachingly stale career with the now infamous battle-track, "The Takeover", Nasir Jones has crafted 3 critically acclaimed, platinum selling LPs (Stillmatic, God's Son, and the grossly underated double disk, Street's Disciple), pushin' the envelope to its lyrical, creative illest every bar along the way (seriously people, who else is spittin' detailed street tales in reverse ("Rewind")? What other rapper is makin' tracks from a female's perspective with such vivid clairity that its mistaken for a guest appearance ("Sekou Story" and "Live Now")?? What other Emcee makes a song with his POPS ("Bridging the Gap")??? Anyone who can't appreciate this is 12 years old (intellectually) and should leave any room The Company Man is in immediately. Certain places children can't play). So with the announcement of his controversially entitled, Def Jam debut album, Hip Hop Is Dead, expectations rose high for us here at The Quotable. Whats Nas got for us now?

*****

"I can smell the haters. Wishful thinkers. /

Bad-luck prayers."

" Money Over Bullsh*t" - Nas; Hip Hop Is Dead

From the first verse on the first cut ("Money Over Bullsh*t") on Hip Hop Is Dead, its apparent Nas came with a mission. A message. And anyone in the way can either roll, or get rolled over. "Put a barrel in a Capo's mouth, 'til his scalp come out. / You a kid. You don't live what you rap about" God's Son spits over L.E.S.'s thumping bass drums and haunting piano keys, dismissing (Dipset Capo) Jim Jones in one bar.

"N****s always on that bullsh*t.
Makes a n**** wanna open up a full clip."
"You Can't Kill Me" - Nas; Hip Hop Is Dead

Clear the trash. Carry on.

From there, Nasir Jones dives head-on into the concept driving this (near) concept LP - "Hip Hop been dead [and] we the reason it died." But rather than wasting an album whinning about everything wrong with today's commercialized Hip Hop industry, God's Son crafts an introspective, educational, and at times inspirational album impressive in both its intricacies and its exclamation points.

"Carry On Tradition," finds Nas bodly admonishing both bitter "rap pioneers" and self-important new rappers "with they fingers entertwined in some gang sign madness," reminding them both that if you've made money off this game, or are making money off this, then you need to contribute to the culture; you need to respect where its been and continue to push it forward.

He follows that with "Where Are They Now?," joining Salaam Remi behind the boards (receiving production credit). Over live drums and a James Brown (the Godfather of soul, Grandfather of Hip Hop) sample, Nasir shouts out "some of his homie's that were misrepresented - legends of the game."

"Lets break it down to / Mic Geronimo, Pharcyde and Coolio. /
I heard Craig Mack back in the studio. /
Have you seen these lost MCs? Funky 4+1, Force MDs. /
Ms. Melodie, I hope she packin' a bank roll. /
As well Educated Rapper, [Dr.] Ice, and Kangol. /
Shante, she from around my way yo. /
EPMD, K-Solo. / Where are they now?"
"Where Are They Now" - Nas; Hip Hop Is Dead

The opus continues with the Will.I.Am produced title-track, "Hip Hop Is Dead," where God's Son kicks an inspired, freestlye flow (once again) over the sickening "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" sample (He used this same sample on "Thief's Theme" (Street's Disciple). Then Lupe Fiasco came along and murdered his beat on the mixtape cut "Twilight Zone." I guess Nas wanted (needed?) another shot at this one...stating "I had to flip this track again yall" during the song intro. Looks like Lupe touched a nerve torchin' his track like that. I'm making this up...but what if I wasn't?).





Up next..."Who Killed It?" a 3 minute and 10 second long mystery track where Nas, using an uncanny Humphrey Bogart impression (or some other prohibition era gangster voice. Actually, I have no idea whose voice it is, but its uncanny nonetheless. In fact, if you know whose muttaskuttin' voice he's using, hit up The Company Man. Thanks, carry on) is on a case to find out who killed Hip Hop (over mean Salaam Remi / Will.I.Am production using the beat from Eric B & Rakim's "I Ain't No Joke")...easily the most creative cut on the album. Definitely a must-download.

"I feel like a Black Republican, / Money I got comin' in. /
Can't turn my back on the hood, / I got love for them. /
Can't clean my act up for good, / Too much thug in him. /
Probably end up back in the hood. / [I'm] like f*ck it then."
"Black Republican" - Nas; Hip Hop Is Dead

Arguably the most anticipated collabo of the new millenium, Jay-Z guest appears on "Black Republican," creating Hip Hop's first anthem of the new year. God's Son rides L.E.S's epic production to perfection (this entire album really....Nas spits the perfect flow for each beat on the album. It really is a thing of beauty). Ironically he never refers to himself as a "Black Republican," substituting "Black Militant", taking over the government" instead. Which makes sense if you think about it...I mean Nas is a lot of things...and a black republican is certainly not one of them (I can't even imagine Nas in a voting booth, let alone calling himself a "black republican"...I digress).

Kanye West returns the favor on "Still Dreaming" (Nas guest appeared "We Major" on 'Ye's sophmore LP, Late Registration) where the 2 emcees wax poetic on creepin' relationships, manhood, and entrapment using a sped-up soul sample - Diana Ross's "The Interim" - as the backdrop (classic Louis Vuiton Don production). I gotta say one thing, Kanye's growth lyrically and sonically is impressive. With every release, his beats become more seamless (initially you could hear the breaks in the cut from whatever sample he used. But, the breaks on "Still Dreaming" area nearly inaudible. I mean, I can figure where the breaks probably go, but they're certainly not obvious. My cousin Sha pointed this out to me. Always educating) and his delivery more competitive. Say what you will about his arrogance, but at the end of the day his hunger is refreshing. He wants to be a better emcee, and any Hip Hop fan should appreciate this (same goes for Lil' Wayne. And The Game. Not Young Jeezy though. You can't say that about Young Jeezy). Another must-download track.

"Its beef week / Monday murda. /
2 n***** dead Tuesday. / Wednesday and Thursday is hurst day.
Friday - sombody-gotta-die day. /
Saturday, put the gat away. Chillin' wit' your chick and a bag haze, /
Wonderin' how its all gonna end / In what type of way. /
Cause Sunday, back to gunplay. /
Most sh*t start over nothin' and get finished quick cause the art of reprecussion. /
Yeah I seen it. A G'goin out indecent."
"Hold Down the Block" - Nas; Hip Hop Is Dead

"Hold Down The Block" finds Nas opining on of a hustler's life and its consequences, without ever sounding preachy.

The Chris Webber produced (yes, that Chris Webber) "Blunt Ashes" is a look back at his career while reflecting on the lives of notable politicians, writers, jazz musicians, and R&B singers. Another envelope-pushing cut.

Tre Williams fills "obligatory inspirational/ghetto reflective, Anthony Hamilton-on-the hook" track (this muttaskutta sounds just like Anthony Hamilton...kinda like Sterling Sims sounds like R.Kelly on Jay-Z's "Dig A Hole." Designer impostors smell good too. Certainly cheaper) on Kanye West produced, "Let There Be Light." The track also features one of the album's realest Quotables - "I can't sound smart or yall'll run away." You can't tell that that line doesn't speak volumes about today's dumbed-down rap industry.

In fact one of the best things about Hip Hop Is Dead is that it ends just as strongly as it begins. "Can't Forget About You,' 'Hustlin,' and 'Hope" all fit subtly, strategically into the album's theme; all 3 are straight Hip Hop.

"Unforgettable. Unsubmittable. /
I go by 'N' now. Just 1 syllable. /
Its the end cause the Game's tired. Its the same vibe /
'Goodtimes' had right after James died. /
Thats why the gangsta rhymers ain't inspired. /
Heinous crimes help record sales more than creative lines. /
I don't wanna keep bringing up the greater times. /
But I'm a dreamer, nostalgic with the state-of-mind."
"Can't Forget About You" - Nas; Hip Hop Is Dead

I think I'm in love with Chrisette Michelle (her voice at least). Homegirl can blow. She stole 'Lost Ones' from Jay-Z, and she gives Nas a run for his money on (another Will.I.Am special) "Can't Forget About You." The hook is ridiculous, the sample is perfection (Nat King Cole's Unforgettable) and Nas delivers one of his best series of verses since Hova woke his ass up. How 'bout this...if I was trapped in a mini-van with 4 ornery 8 year-olds on a cross-country drive to California and was only allotted 12 songs on the family ipod mini...this song would be 1 of them...thats how dope it is. I can listen to this track forever.

The Game makes an inspired guest appearance on the Dr. Dre produced, "Hustlers," spittin' "1995, 11 years from the day, / I'm in the record shop with choices to make. / Illmatic on the top shelf, The Chronic on the left homie. / Wanna cop both but I only got a $20 on me. / So f*ck it. I stole both." The Songstress, Marsha Ambrosius (from Floetry) laces the hook here and Nas rides Dre's synth strings and subdued heavy keys to perfection...again.

Finally, God's Son concludes Hip Hop Is Dead on some real Emcee ish with an ill accapella freestyle flow, vividly depicting the days when he and Hip Hop "used to be close." No beat. No hook. Just his point:

"Ain't got nothin' to do with Old Skool, New Skool, Dirty South, West Coast, East Coast. This [is] about us. This our thing. NahwhatImsayin'. This came from the gut. From the blood. From the soul. Right here man. This is our thing, man. You know. So I say what I say. And I say what I say and I mean it. Yall take it how you wanna take it. Cause if you askin' why is Hip Hop Is Dead, its a pretty good chance you're the reason it died man. Its a pretty good chance your lame ass, corny ass is the reason it died, man. You don't give a f*ck about it. You don't know nothin' about it. You want this paper, be a hustler. You a 'hustler' you ain't a 'rapper' - get your paper man. NahwhatI'msayin. But this rap sh*t is real. Bitch. This sh*t is real, Bitch."

Understood.

*****

As dope as Hip Hop Is Dead is, its not without its faults.

3 things:

1) Although Nas's delivery delivers on "Carry On Tradition," the Scott Storch, $80-thousand-dollar-per-beat beat is wack. He paid too much...whatever he paid.

2) The Kelis assisted "Not Going Back" is nice...but poorly placed. First off, the beat is too slow for the album's pace at that point, disrupting the transition. "Where Are They Now?" thru "Black Republican" is like driving 90mph in a 50mph zone..."Not Going Back" is the brick wall. Now, this track - with its gunshot rampage intro followed by Kelis immediately admonishing his actions - fits perfectly right after "Hold Down the Block." Plus, "Hold Down the Block" touches on bangin, hustlin, doin' what you gotta do...but knowin' that eventually you'll have to pay for it. "Not Goin' Back's" declaration of NOT going back to the hood is the logical follow-up thematically. And the pace flows with the rest of the Lp. I already re-arranged the album on my iPod.

3) I hate to critique this because I think its a great song but "Playa On Playa" is outta place on Hip Hop Is Dead. Snoop blazes this track and of course God's Son doesn't disappoint, but the pimp theme feels odd here. "The finest chicks I came on and sprayed them. / Gotta get your papes on, play on Playa"...catchy as hell, yes...dope beat, dope rhymes...wrong album. Maybe the Label made 'em do it.

Oh, and one more: Did he include the song lyrics in the album book? NO! Of course not. That would make too much sense. Fans might appreciate that a little too much. I don't know, but it seems to me that the best way to ensure your audience knows what you're saying would be to WRITE IT DOWN FOR THEM. Seriously, this is more necessary now than ever...people don't want to listen like they used to...and if its too complex, they'll ignore it all together. And when you ask them about the album later, they come back at you on some ole' "I couldn't hear what he was sayin'" or some bum-"I couldn't understand it"-bullsh*t. We gotta stop givin' these muttaskuttas excuses. (In my best Eddie-Murphy-as-the-old-white-jewish-dude-in-the-barbershop-on-Coming-To-America impersonation) Ahh Haa! Ahh Haa! (...wagging finger). Would you guys just taste the soup already!

Nevertheless, Hip Hop Is Dead is a masterpiece. You can bump this goin' to club, cleanin' the crib, chillin' wit your girl...where ever. You'll learn about Hip Hop from this album. Buy this album. Burn this album. Steal this album if you have to...whatever. Just make sure you listen to Hip Hop Is Dead.

Its that serious.

Rating:
QQQQ.5

Best Tracks:

1. The wholedamnthing

Carry On...

On the set of "Can't Forget About You"

courtesy of YBF.com

Quotable Videos: Lupe Fiasco's - "Emperor Soundtrack"

Carry on...

Talib Kweli & Madlib - Liberation

Brooklyn MC Talib Kweli and underground producer Madlib tossed us a freebee...

Download Liberation here.

Hopefully this will hold me over until Warner gets its ish together and FINALLY releases Kweli's upcoming album, Eardrum.