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(06/24/04 3:07am)
There's nothing more pathetic than an aging hipster," recalled Dr. Evil in "Austin Powers." What Evil didn't follow up with is how endearing it is when an old hand holds his own, which is exactly what hip-hop veteran Erick Sermon continues to do on Chilltown, New York, the follow-up to 2002's React. \n"Chillin'" is by no coincidence the standout track on Chilltown. "Chillin'" samples the Public Enemy/Anthrax team-up "Bring the Noise" and features fellow vet Talib Kweli and up-and-coming female rapper Whip Montez. Another potential hit resides in his sample of Sean Paul's "Like Glue," dubbed "Feel It." \nSermon did the whole shebang on Chilltown, from executive production to, of course, rapping. His rap style isn't as flashy as the new guard, and his production doesn't have the cutting-edge flair as some of the super-producers, but it all works nonetheless. He raps as though he's hip-hop's older, wiser brother who warns and advises his young pups as they bask in hip-hop's current limelight, often mocking cats in the game chasing the paper trail. \nHis skit, "Matrix," compares the music industry to taking the blue or red pill. Take the blue pill like Sermon, and you won't sell shit, but you'll keep making records and be happy. Take the red pill and you'll move units but get no respect -- he cites Hilary Duff as an example -- the nerve of him to think that.
(06/17/04 4:00am)
So did you hear the bad news? No Limit Records is bankrupt. Yes, maybe Lil' Romeo wasn't the edge they were in such dire need of anyway. Master P's label, the pioneer in the "bling-rap" genre, is rolling the tank on its merry way to greener pastures, ones thick with daytime cable appearances. \nIt'd be easy to kick P while he's down, if you want to call a $300 million-plus net worth "down." But that'd be easy. Instead, why don't we celebrate the near-decade of No Limit glory, when "Ugh!" wasn't just something you did after eating bad sushi. \nIntroducing the No Limit Tribute CD, complete with all the songs that gave No Limit its identity. Yo, P! Distribute this puppy and you're sure to add another zero to that bankroll. Ya heard!? Below are the cuts that'd make the cut.\n"Make Em Say Ugh" -- This classic was included among Blender's "50 Most Awesomely Bad Songs" list. But you know what comes right before bad? Awesomely! Yep, the song's gotta be awesome to be bad, and "Ugh" is awesome to a tee. The video was ridiculous, and distributed No Limit to the masses. Big things happened as a result of this song for No Limit, and this was likely the peak of its "pop" success. \n"I Can Tell" -- Pop music has produced some sweet duets: Sonny and Cher, Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, heck, even Mary J. Blige and Method Man's "You're All I Need" was ghetto-sweet. Add Jamo of 504 Boyz and Mercedes to that list. All you need to know is in the chorus: "You ain't gotta say too much/from the look in your eyes I can tell you wanna fuck." It's beautiful…\n"It Ain't My Fault" (Remix) -- Silkk the Shocker and Mystikal did this one. Mystikal's dropping of "Did I do that?" in the hook changed the game, bridging dirty south with Steve Urkel. Soon after, Mystikal left No Limit for Jive Records and better production in hopes of making more money. Today, the only place he shakes his ass is in the slammer for sexual assault. \n"I Got the Hook Up" -- You saw the movie, right? It may not have been a classic, but it was certainly an entertaining hour and a half, complete with mentally challenged gangs on bikes. P and friends went the R&B route on this one and it got serious airplay. The soundtrack itself wasn't half bad, even though I admittedly sold it back a few years ago in need of loose change for a Polar Pop. \n"Still a G Thang" -- Snoop Doggy Dogg was in trouble. His label was in the pits, his homies were getting shot, Dr. Dre had bounced outta the gangsta rap scene and the law was on Snoop's doorstep. Without a record deal, P extended his hand, or shall I say tank, to him, and that's how the "Doggy" was dropped from Snoop Doggy Dogg. "Still a G Thang" revived his career, reminding everyone of his earlier successes. Two Dre-less, horrible records off No Limit ensued, until Snoop and P parted ways. Both were better off as a result. \n"Bout it, Bout it" -- "Bout it, Bout it" was the biggest smash of the early No Limit days, and was one of the catchiest, most-used phrases by middle-class white kids in sagging jeans for years. \n"Wobble Wobble" -- A pretty sad attempt at chasing a hit single. No Limit was most likely sick of all the chart-topping success of rival label, Cash Money, and wanted their own piece of the pie. For as much as Cash Money is everything wrong with hip-hop today, its production with Mannie Fresh was always a little better than No Limit's no-name's and its choruses always seemed to move a crowd. That's all the credit I'll ever give to the self-proclaimed billionaires. Just another case of rappers getting rich off saying they're rich. \n"My Baby" -- Lil' Romeo coming onto the scene had his pops calling it the "future soldier of No Limit," but Romeo probably signified the end. The single made them some money, but their street cred was all about gone by now. It's pretty tough to rap about guns and crack and even tougher to believe it after your baby boy is on the scene. But the single did it's job, hitting #1 on the charts and fitting P's image for the Nickelodeon staple, "Romeo!." Do you think anyone who watches that network has heard "Burbons and Laces?" \nToday, there is no longer a No Limit Records. There's a New No Limit Records, comprised of P, Lil' Romeo and Silkk, but don't expect much more to come from the tank. There'd be a bit of an identity crisis at this label, one which made its success from "ice cream"-selling stories and tales from the Third Ward projects, to Lil' Romeo and daddy P staring on Nickelodeon (in one of the highest-rated shows on cable). Every time I see Master P on that show, it makes me want to forget the days when we'd all be driving to high school blasting Ghetto D, rolling to: "if you want me come get me/how the fuck you gon' take me/I got my true niggaz wit me and we ridaz"
(06/10/04 4:00am)
Introducing Jacki-O: new Miami rapper you probably haven't heard of, and probably never will. Think fellow Miami hotshot Trina, mixed with Lil' Kim, then take their inferior little sister and slap a mic in front of her. \nYes, it's just a mix tape, and look out for the new album coming soon, which she repeatedly warns on The Official Bootleg, but still there's no excuse for trying to sell copies by biting a Jay-Z beat and verse, as they do on "The Watcher Remix." Isn't a "remix" supposed to change the beat, or at least the lyrics? Then why is the first verse the exact same as on Blueprint 2? \nFreeway, fellow Roc-A-Fella mic-rocker, is featured several times on Official Bootleg. Spitting verses, he most likely debuted for Jay-Z and Damon Dash as they shook their heads and told him to throw the lyrics out. He probably ended up using them here because they're all garbage. \nSo, if you have an extra ten bucks you found in the street or got it from an aunt you didn't know existed, you're better off investing it in your own rap career, a Trina record or just crumbling it up and tossing it out the window. It'd be more painless than listening to this.
(06/09/04 10:49pm)
Introducing Jacki-O: new Miami rapper you probably haven't heard of, and probably never will. Think fellow Miami hotshot Trina, mixed with Lil' Kim, then take their inferior little sister and slap a mic in front of her. \nYes, it's just a mix tape, and look out for the new album coming soon, which she repeatedly warns on The Official Bootleg, but still there's no excuse for trying to sell copies by biting a Jay-Z beat and verse, as they do on "The Watcher Remix." Isn't a "remix" supposed to change the beat, or at least the lyrics? Then why is the first verse the exact same as on Blueprint 2? \nFreeway, fellow Roc-A-Fella mic-rocker, is featured several times on Official Bootleg. Spitting verses, he most likely debuted for Jay-Z and Damon Dash as they shook their heads and told him to throw the lyrics out. He probably ended up using them here because they're all garbage. \nSo, if you have an extra ten bucks you found in the street or got it from an aunt you didn't know existed, you're better off investing it in your own rap career, a Trina record or just crumbling it up and tossing it out the window. It'd be more painless than listening to this.
(05/27/04 4:00am)
Method Man fans, don't worry about the first single, "What's Happenin'" featuring Busta Rhymes being what Tical 0: The Prequel is all about. "I came to bring the pain …," which opens the song, has been used somewhere between 100 and 5,000 times in rap. Add to that an unmemorable beat and you have to wonder what they were thinking making this the first single. \nThat being said, Tical 0 is full of singles -- almost to a flaw. Much like fellow Wu-Tanger Ghostface, who summons the "pop" of Missy Elliott to breed a hot single, Method Man does the same on the album's third song, "Say What," which is missing a little something Ghostface's "Push" has. \nRockwilder, the underachieving producer who several years ago was to be what the Neptunes and Kanye West are now, has the golden jewel of Tical 0 with "Act Right." Meth takes Rockwilder's beat and fills it with what made him the Wu's big ticket: "Oh Shit, you know the name/who flip flows like chess boards, there go the game" is one of many clownin' lyrics spit on Tical 0. "Rodeo," featuring Ludacris aka "Mr. Feature-if-you-want-a-hot-song-these-days," is no disappointment, and yet another reason why Tical 0 has plenty of meat in potential singles, but not necessarily the bones to hold it together.
(05/26/04 10:01pm)
Method Man fans, don't worry about the first single, "What's Happenin'" featuring Busta Rhymes being what Tical 0: The Prequel is all about. "I came to bring the pain …," which opens the song, has been used somewhere between 100 and 5,000 times in rap. Add to that an unmemorable beat and you have to wonder what they were thinking making this the first single. \nThat being said, Tical 0 is full of singles -- almost to a flaw. Much like fellow Wu-Tanger Ghostface, who summons the "pop" of Missy Elliott to breed a hot single, Method Man does the same on the album's third song, "Say What," which is missing a little something Ghostface's "Push" has. \nRockwilder, the underachieving producer who several years ago was to be what the Neptunes and Kanye West are now, has the golden jewel of Tical 0 with "Act Right." Meth takes Rockwilder's beat and fills it with what made him the Wu's big ticket: "Oh Shit, you know the name/who flip flows like chess boards, there go the game" is one of many clownin' lyrics spit on Tical 0. "Rodeo," featuring Ludacris aka "Mr. Feature-if-you-want-a-hot-song-these-days," is no disappointment, and yet another reason why Tical 0 has plenty of meat in potential singles, but not necessarily the bones to hold it together.
(05/25/04 3:03pm)
D12 World? The title fits their raps, which are always either extremely exaggerated or entirely false. Your white boy head honcho is the biggest name in rap right now, but D12's remaining posse still hasn't proven itself, and so is the case with their second LP, D12 World. \nTheir first single, "My Band," which was likely written with the video in mind all along, isn't nearly as catchy as "Purple Pills" was. D12 mocks the added attention Eminem receives over the rest of his group. The video is entertaining indeed, but the song hardly stands on its own without the visuals. \nD12's chubby, raunchy, obscene limb, Bizarre, struggles to spit one intelligent line on the entire album. "Just Like You" is rapped entirely by Bizarre, and he offers advice to his child: "Yo my son, I'm trying to teach you something/you eight-years-old, it's time to start fucking/you know daddy won't give you no bad advice/smoke weed and listen to Obie Trice."\nIn 20 years D12's significance will be about as much as Credence Clearwater Revisited has now, so his performance alone is worth a mention. Eminem produces seven tracks, with "Get My Gun" and "Loyalty" featuring Obie Trice being his shining moments behind the board. It seems like he's saving his top raps for his next solo effort or he's just experimenting on this record, because he hardly stands out amongst his mediocre group. No one in their right mind would judge Eminem individually with his group that doesn't take themselves seriously and no one else does either. \nMr. Hot Commodity, Kanye West, produced the title track, "D12 World," and D12 doesn't have the soul or groove the track demands. For some reason, I imagine Nas would have been perfect for it. Just a suggestion, Mr. West. \n"Bitch" was better the first time, when it was called "Superman," but the subject matter on the rest of the record isn't much more intellectually stimulating than this. \nD12 finally gets introspective on the disc's last song (not including the bonus track) on "Good Die Young," but they've been clowning on the mic for far too long to take the song seriously. \nIf you like intelligent, relevant, political hip-hop, this record may not be for you and you should wait for the new Talib Kweli and Roots albums slated to release in the coming months. If you like shocking, irrrational lyrics with noteworthy beats and rappers who always talk about how sweet they are but never really explain why, pick this record up!
(05/24/04 8:48pm)
The era of the "producer" is upon us, where a good hip-hop CD is nothing without a cut from Kanye West, Timbaland, Just Blaze, or of course, Rap's Top 40 golden boy: Lil' Jon. \nRap used to play little attention to the production. Adding a drum beat or taking a sample was often enough. Underground rap especially could survive with mediocre beats. \nThat's far from the case today. Take the hottest verse ever spit and it's nothing unless you find the perfect, ear-raising beat to accompany it, making it even better by adding a raspy, bellowing voice in the background: "Okay! … Yeeeahh!" \nNow producers like Just Blaze, whose beats are technologically advanced, in-your-face and explosive must be summoned if your album is going to break the Top 50 or your hit single is going to go #1. \nThink about the underground rappers who always touted their lyrics over beats for their entire careers. Common and Talib Kweli used more underground producers (see Talib's collaboration with Hi-Tek). Now, both are in the "lab" (as the producers call it) and have even called upon Kanye West among others to take them to the next level in sound and most likely in sales too. Reports claim Kweli is using Kanye for as many as eight tracks on his new album slated for this summer. \nOne of the reasons hip-hop's forefathers A Tribe Called Quest's final effort, The Love Movement, flopped is because its beats were so predictable and lame, they would have made the classic Low End Theory roll its figurative eyes. Shortly after, Q-Tip dropped his solo album, which brought a brand-new sound and two very successful hit singles: "Vivrant Thing" and "Breathe and Stop," not to mention affirmed record sales. \nFast forward to today, where you've got Murs, one of the hottest up-and-coming rappers whose recent album, Murs: 3:16 The 9th Edition, is a smash with the aid of producer 9th Wonder, so much so, it can't even stay in stores (it took me two weeks to find it around these parts; the damned thing kept selling out). His previous album, The End of the Beginning, was buzz-worthy, but this past record has already been dubbed a modern-day classic. Producer 9th Wonder was even given the honor of a song on Jay-Z's Black Album. Jay-Z has aided many artists in the transformation between producer and super-producer, including Blaze ("Girls, Girls, Girls"), Swizz Beatz ("Money, Cash, Hoes"), and of course, Kanye, (who is somehow incorporated in nearly everything I write these days, so I'll lay off touting his skills). \nYou can credit Timbaland and The Neptunes for much of the producer's fame (not to mention Dr. Dre out west, who defined what west coast rap should sound like). They've been at it for about two decades from Virginia Beach. Both were at one point in the same group in Virginia (if anyone has a copy of anything they have, I'll pay top dollar for it. But they went their separate ways and have met up at the top). \nThen, far from these guys is Lil' Jon. This raspy, dirty south, energetic ball of raunchiness is everywhere. His breakout hit, "Bia Bia," is one of the hardest, in-your-face songs of the past five years. Since then, he's taken rappers who couldn't rhyme anything with "cool" but can inexplicably find things that rhyme with "tweet" to the next level. His Eastside Boyz, Lil' Flip and Petey Pablo personify this trend. Somehow Petey has summoned the best producers to work with him: Timbaland and now of course Lil' Jon. Who'd have thought a hook could be just listing a bunch of hood-fab female names? Well, when he comes on in the bar everyone goes nuts, so he's doing something right. \nOther producers (see above) keep changing their sound. Every time I'm about ready to get on the phone and tell everyone The Neptunes have been overexposed and are so played out, they come out with something ridiculous. And even though their latest effort as N.E.R.D., Fly or Die, fell short of expectations, they remain fresh despite their overexposure. \nThe fact Lil' Jon gets more airplay than fellow southern rappers and producers shows he's certainly found a niche in what he does. People in the club want to hear dirty, hard bass lines and hooks, which is exactly what he brings to the table, no matter how predictable it is. It doesn't help that Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle keep fueling it with their comedy. Help keep this guy off the jukebox! \nProducers these days can be used to transform someone's identity completely. Case in point: Justin Timberlake, who overnight went from teen pop star to cover of Vibe. How'd he do it? He recruited The Neptunes and Timbaland, the two most "can't-miss" producers in urban music to produce and help write all of his songs, and "Like I Love You," his first single which featured The Neptunes' house rappers, the Clipse, instantly had him on BET and urban stations everywhere. It's that easy, apparently. \nBack to Lil' Jon: he's respected in the south, or if not respected, people know his stuff will sell in stores and play on radio (hence his collaborations with everyone from Big Boi to the new 8Ball & MJG album). Will Lil' Jon be around in five years? Not if he doesn't find a new sound, since he's been using the same synthesizer beat in all of his songs. Is this guy famous because he's a joke? Whatever the case, he's making a lot of money and ruling the airwaves. \nBut the fact remains: the producer is playing a much bigger role now than ever, and new technology probably has a lot to do with it. Just about anybody can throw together some beats nowadays, and that's not to discredit what a good producer does -- it's art -- even Lil' Jon's shallow, predictable club-bangers.
(05/24/04 8:38pm)
It's a tough sell. The first words you hear on 8 Ball & MJG's new album, Living Legends, isn't from either of the two Memphis rappers, but from P. Diddy. \nP. Diddy? \nYes, 8 Ball & MJG have moved onto Bad Boy South, the same label Ludacris dissed in favor of Def Jam South (hence the lines on Back for the First Time: "Almost signed with Puff Puff but I think I'll pass …"). \nSo can Diddy, who executive produced Living Legends make an authentic record like 8 Ball & MJG have done together and solo for the past decade? \nNot bad, Diddy. Not bad. \nLudacris, 112, Twista, Shannon Jones and Diddy himself are featured, which is more of an all-star cast than 8 Ball & MJG have ever gotten on a previous record. This is no coincidence. The result is a record much smoother than their previous hardcore dread-knockers, including several hot R&B songs ("Trying to Get at You," "Memphis City Blues" and "Confessions").\nBut the highlight of Living Legends comes early with "Straight Cadillac Pimpin'," which takes an old southern spiritual hymn and turns it into a bona fide club banger. Frankly, it's worth the price of the CD itself.
(05/20/04 4:00am)
It's a tough sell. The first words you hear on 8 Ball & MJG's new album, Living Legends, isn't from either of the two Memphis rappers, but from P. Diddy. \nP. Diddy? \nYes, 8 Ball & MJG have moved onto Bad Boy South, the same label Ludacris dissed in favor of Def Jam South (hence the lines on Back for the First Time: "Almost signed with Puff Puff but I think I'll pass …"). \nSo can Diddy, who executive produced Living Legends make an authentic record like 8 Ball & MJG have done together and solo for the past decade? \nNot bad, Diddy. Not bad. \nLudacris, 112, Twista, Shannon Jones and Diddy himself are featured, which is more of an all-star cast than 8 Ball & MJG have ever gotten on a previous record. This is no coincidence. The result is a record much smoother than their previous hardcore dread-knockers, including several hot R&B songs ("Trying to Get at You," "Memphis City Blues" and "Confessions").\nBut the highlight of Living Legends comes early with "Straight Cadillac Pimpin'," which takes an old southern spiritual hymn and turns it into a bona fide club banger. Frankly, it's worth the price of the CD itself.
(05/20/04 4:00am)
The era of the "producer" is upon us, where a good hip-hop CD is nothing without a cut from Kanye West, Timbaland, Just Blaze, or of course, Rap's Top 40 golden boy: Lil' Jon. \nRap used to play little attention to the production. Adding a drum beat or taking a sample was often enough. Underground rap especially could survive with mediocre beats. \nThat's far from the case today. Take the hottest verse ever spit and it's nothing unless you find the perfect, ear-raising beat to accompany it, making it even better by adding a raspy, bellowing voice in the background: "Okay! … Yeeeahh!" \nNow producers like Just Blaze, whose beats are technologically advanced, in-your-face and explosive must be summoned if your album is going to break the Top 50 or your hit single is going to go #1. \nThink about the underground rappers who always touted their lyrics over beats for their entire careers. Common and Talib Kweli used more underground producers (see Talib's collaboration with Hi-Tek). Now, both are in the "lab" (as the producers call it) and have even called upon Kanye West among others to take them to the next level in sound and most likely in sales too. Reports claim Kweli is using Kanye for as many as eight tracks on his new album slated for this summer. \nOne of the reasons hip-hop's forefathers A Tribe Called Quest's final effort, The Love Movement, flopped is because its beats were so predictable and lame, they would have made the classic Low End Theory roll its figurative eyes. Shortly after, Q-Tip dropped his solo album, which brought a brand-new sound and two very successful hit singles: "Vivrant Thing" and "Breathe and Stop," not to mention affirmed record sales. \nFast forward to today, where you've got Murs, one of the hottest up-and-coming rappers whose recent album, Murs: 3:16 The 9th Edition, is a smash with the aid of producer 9th Wonder, so much so, it can't even stay in stores (it took me two weeks to find it around these parts; the damned thing kept selling out). His previous album, The End of the Beginning, was buzz-worthy, but this past record has already been dubbed a modern-day classic. Producer 9th Wonder was even given the honor of a song on Jay-Z's Black Album. Jay-Z has aided many artists in the transformation between producer and super-producer, including Blaze ("Girls, Girls, Girls"), Swizz Beatz ("Money, Cash, Hoes"), and of course, Kanye, (who is somehow incorporated in nearly everything I write these days, so I'll lay off touting his skills). \nYou can credit Timbaland and The Neptunes for much of the producer's fame (not to mention Dr. Dre out west, who defined what west coast rap should sound like). They've been at it for about two decades from Virginia Beach. Both were at one point in the same group in Virginia (if anyone has a copy of anything they have, I'll pay top dollar for it. But they went their separate ways and have met up at the top). \nThen, far from these guys is Lil' Jon. This raspy, dirty south, energetic ball of raunchiness is everywhere. His breakout hit, "Bia Bia," is one of the hardest, in-your-face songs of the past five years. Since then, he's taken rappers who couldn't rhyme anything with "cool" but can inexplicably find things that rhyme with "tweet" to the next level. His Eastside Boyz, Lil' Flip and Petey Pablo personify this trend. Somehow Petey has summoned the best producers to work with him: Timbaland and now of course Lil' Jon. Who'd have thought a hook could be just listing a bunch of hood-fab female names? Well, when he comes on in the bar everyone goes nuts, so he's doing something right. \nOther producers (see above) keep changing their sound. Every time I'm about ready to get on the phone and tell everyone The Neptunes have been overexposed and are so played out, they come out with something ridiculous. And even though their latest effort as N.E.R.D., Fly or Die, fell short of expectations, they remain fresh despite their overexposure. \nThe fact Lil' Jon gets more airplay than fellow southern rappers and producers shows he's certainly found a niche in what he does. People in the club want to hear dirty, hard bass lines and hooks, which is exactly what he brings to the table, no matter how predictable it is. It doesn't help that Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle keep fueling it with their comedy. Help keep this guy off the jukebox! \nProducers these days can be used to transform someone's identity completely. Case in point: Justin Timberlake, who overnight went from teen pop star to cover of Vibe. How'd he do it? He recruited The Neptunes and Timbaland, the two most "can't-miss" producers in urban music to produce and help write all of his songs, and "Like I Love You," his first single which featured The Neptunes' house rappers, the Clipse, instantly had him on BET and urban stations everywhere. It's that easy, apparently. \nBack to Lil' Jon: he's respected in the south, or if not respected, people know his stuff will sell in stores and play on radio (hence his collaborations with everyone from Big Boi to the new 8Ball & MJG album). Will Lil' Jon be around in five years? Not if he doesn't find a new sound, since he's been using the same synthesizer beat in all of his songs. Is this guy famous because he's a joke? Whatever the case, he's making a lot of money and ruling the airwaves. \nBut the fact remains: the producer is playing a much bigger role now than ever, and new technology probably has a lot to do with it. Just about anybody can throw together some beats nowadays, and that's not to discredit what a good producer does -- it's art -- even Lil' Jon's shallow, predictable club-bangers.
(05/13/04 4:00am)
D12 World? The title fits their raps, which are always either extremely exaggerated or entirely false. Your white boy head honcho is the biggest name in rap right now, but D12's remaining posse still hasn't proven itself, and so is the case with their second LP, D12 World. \nTheir first single, "My Band," which was likely written with the video in mind all along, isn't nearly as catchy as "Purple Pills" was. D12 mocks the added attention Eminem receives over the rest of his group. The video is entertaining indeed, but the song hardly stands on its own without the visuals. \nD12's chubby, raunchy, obscene limb, Bizarre, struggles to spit one intelligent line on the entire album. "Just Like You" is rapped entirely by Bizarre, and he offers advice to his child: "Yo my son, I'm trying to teach you something/you eight-years-old, it's time to start fucking/you know daddy won't give you no bad advice/smoke weed and listen to Obie Trice."\nIn 20 years D12's significance will be about as much as Credence Clearwater Revisited has now, so his performance alone is worth a mention. Eminem produces seven tracks, with "Get My Gun" and "Loyalty" featuring Obie Trice being his shining moments behind the board. It seems like he's saving his top raps for his next solo effort or he's just experimenting on this record, because he hardly stands out amongst his mediocre group. No one in their right mind would judge Eminem individually with his group that doesn't take themselves seriously and no one else does either. \nMr. Hot Commodity, Kanye West, produced the title track, "D12 World," and D12 doesn't have the soul or groove the track demands. For some reason, I imagine Nas would have been perfect for it. Just a suggestion, Mr. West. \n"Bitch" was better the first time, when it was called "Superman," but the subject matter on the rest of the record isn't much more intellectually stimulating than this. \nD12 finally gets introspective on the disc's last song (not including the bonus track) on "Good Die Young," but they've been clowning on the mic for far too long to take the song seriously. \nIf you like intelligent, relevant, political hip-hop, this record may not be for you and you should wait for the new Talib Kweli and Roots albums slated to release in the coming months. If you like shocking, irrrational lyrics with noteworthy beats and rappers who always talk about how sweet they are but never really explain why, pick this record up!
(04/30/04 3:35pm)
Illmatic, released in 1994, is widely regarded as one of, if not the best hip-hop record of the '90s. \nIt was a tough act to follow. Nas' following records have never had the buzz or sense of struggle and desperation Illmatic had. Known as the Queens rapper who doesn't sell out or bling like fellow artists of the NYC, Nas is the personification of street cred. And this title can be mostly attributed to his debut. \nThe 10th Anniversary Edition comes with two discs. The first disc is a digitally remastered version of the original. The second disc is an EP of sorts, containing four remixes ("Life's a Bitch," "One Love," "The World is Yours" and "It Ain't Hard to Tell") of Illmatic's choicest cuts. But the truth about Illmatic is there is no standout single, just 10 songs of the realest in hip-hop. \nIf you have the original Illmatic, and it's not scratched from overplaying it, you wouldn't be missing out on much by not picking up the Anniversary Edition. Of the six songs on the second disk, only two are newly written songs, and only one of them, "On the Real" would fit in with the original disc. But anyone with the slightest interest in hip-hop owes it to themselves to own this record, either the original or the 10th Anniversary Edition.
(04/30/04 3:27pm)
Three years after Bulletproof Wallets, Wu-Tang's Ghostface Killah is back with his fourth solo joint, The Pretty Toney Album (Ghostface's real name is Toney Starks). \nPretty Toney is Ghostface's first LP with his new label, Def Jam, but this CD is up there with his hottest, Supreme Clientele. Like Clientele, a strong first single, "Push" featuring Missy Elliott should boost sales and awareness. "Push" is catchy and will be coming to a club or party near you if it hasn't already, although the rest of the album is much harder, less pop-y. But Ghostface shines when he's witty. "Last Night" depicts him falling for a girl he spent the night with, and his subsequent battle in developing feelings for her, declaring, "She got men wrapped around her like the female Fonz but anyway I'm gonna call her again/if she diss me I'm gonna fuck up her Benz." \nThe other eight members of Wu-Tang are surprisingly absent, including RZA's production (there's hot production from No I.D., Dub Dot Z and Minnesota among others), but maybe that's the point, since Ghostface can easily stand alone without Method Man, Dirt McGirt or anyone else from the Wu.
(04/29/04 4:00am)
Three years after Bulletproof Wallets, Wu-Tang's Ghostface Killah is back with his fourth solo joint, The Pretty Toney Album (Ghostface's real name is Toney Starks). \nPretty Toney is Ghostface's first LP with his new label, Def Jam, but this CD is up there with his hottest, Supreme Clientele. Like Clientele, a strong first single, "Push" featuring Missy Elliott should boost sales and awareness. "Push" is catchy and will be coming to a club or party near you if it hasn't already, although the rest of the album is much harder, less pop-y. But Ghostface shines when he's witty. "Last Night" depicts him falling for a girl he spent the night with, and his subsequent battle in developing feelings for her, declaring, "She got men wrapped around her like the female Fonz but anyway I'm gonna call her again/if she diss me I'm gonna fuck up her Benz." \nThe other eight members of Wu-Tang are surprisingly absent, including RZA's production (there's hot production from No I.D., Dub Dot Z and Minnesota among others), but maybe that's the point, since Ghostface can easily stand alone without Method Man, Dirt McGirt or anyone else from the Wu.
(04/29/04 4:00am)
Illmatic, released in 1994, is widely regarded as one of, if not the best hip-hop record of the '90s. \nIt was a tough act to follow. Nas' following records have never had the buzz or sense of struggle and desperation Illmatic had. Known as the Queens rapper who doesn't sell out or bling like fellow artists of the NYC, Nas is the personification of street cred. And this title can be mostly attributed to his debut. \nThe 10th Anniversary Edition comes with two discs. The first disc is a digitally remastered version of the original. The second disc is an EP of sorts, containing four remixes ("Life's a Bitch," "One Love," "The World is Yours" and "It Ain't Hard to Tell") of Illmatic's choicest cuts. But the truth about Illmatic is there is no standout single, just 10 songs of the realest in hip-hop. \nIf you have the original Illmatic, and it's not scratched from overplaying it, you wouldn't be missing out on much by not picking up the Anniversary Edition. Of the six songs on the second disk, only two are newly written songs, and only one of them, "On the Real" would fit in with the original disc. But anyone with the slightest interest in hip-hop owes it to themselves to own this record, either the original or the 10th Anniversary Edition.
(04/23/04 11:44pm)
It's no secret that about 99 percent of all popular music in America is influenced by African-Americans. It's also no secret that white people are damn good at exploiting it and calling it their own, while making truckloads of money off it. \nWhich was the case with the blues, jazz, R&B, etc.\nAnd now some fear the latest culprit could be hip-hop. \nThe new Murs and 9th Wonder album, 3:16 (which is a hot record, pick it up), contains the song, "And This Is For..." to address the current state of hip-hop, including singling out Eminem: "Any white boy who thinks he knows my struggle/cuz he listens to Pac and his adrenaline doubles/now I ain't got problems with you being yourself/but when you front and use the 'N' word it just don't help." \nA quick sidebar on the recent Eminem controversy surrounding some freestyles Slim recorded as an angry, love-sick teenager in 1993: it appears this is more of an attempt by Benzino, the editor in chief of The Source, to sell magazines than it is a valid attack at Eminem. \nFirst off, how can you take something recorded a decade ago in a basement that seriously? He was dumped by a black girl, which caused him to spit an irate verse, likely intoxicated taking low blows at her and black people in general, while dubbing, "all black girls are bitches." This was an angry kid who felt helpless at the time, not a closet racist who somehow was and still is surrounded by black people who all mutually respect each other. \nBut this isn't to say what Eminem has been making money off of is the real Slim Shady either. Infinite, Eminem's first record released on Web Entertainment in 1996 is barely recognizable to what made him the biggest ticket in rap today. One of the songs, "Searchin'" is an ode to the same lady he graphically kills on numerous occasions. If on this mix tape, he killed this black girl but didn't call them all bitches, would that have not drawn such an uproar? Is that less shocking somehow? Infinite will be released by Web in the next year and is a must have for any Em fan, because the pre- and post-fame personalities will blow your mind. \nBack to Murs and his issues on the future of hip-hop. In the last verse on "And This is For..." he fears hip-hop will be just another casualty to black's musical ingenuity: "yes it is jazz and yes it is blues and it's the same way they did rock too/but I won't let the same thing happen to hip-hop/I refuse to watch that bullshit." \nIs hip-hop going the road of R&B and its continual "whitification" into rock 'n' roll? How many black rock stars are out there? Hootie? A couple guys in Dave Matthews Band? N.E.R.D? In 30 years will hip-hop be dominantly white? It doesn't seem far-fetched as middle-class suburbanites continue to spin and freestyle in their neighborhoods trying to develop street credit. These days they can even make it big (a la Kid Rock). \nIt's a scary image, seeing nothing but white guys in throwbacks rocking the mic on BET. One reason this will thankfully never happen is our culture has made significant strides since the '50s and '60s when one of the main reasons R&B was ripped off and turned into white rock 'n' roll was because it wasn't acceptable to listen to black musicians. The fact that you would actually pay a black artist was unthinkable to the white public, which is why covers were created to take hits by Fats Domino, Chuck Berry, etc. and turn them into more acceptable records (often without royalties) for whites, even though the difference between records were at many times insignificant. \nToday, America is far less racist, meaning few parents of white kids will flip out if they find a Biggie or Snoop record under their bed, which wasn't the case even 10 years ago. Hip-hop has gained a lifetime of credibility with the masses over the past decade. \nBut how about a reason why hip-hop just could turn white? This may seem farfetched, but black music has always been on the leading edge -- always changing, never satisfied with the status quo. Perhaps hip-hop is just a bridge to something far greater no one can even imagine yet, therefore leaving us an army of beat-boxing Justin Timberlake's once again after they've taken hip-hop to the next level. \nSo why are whites fascinated with black music? The simple answer: white people are, for the most part LAME, and too busy seeking out financial gain and intent on retaining their white-knuckled grip as the most technological and powerful race on this happy planet to come up with a new way of using the guitar or a simple turntable. \nThe more complicated answer is of course, complicated. Why does a middle class suburbanite like me have a CD collection made up of about 80 percent rap and hip-hop? Shouldn't I be listening to Good Charlotte or Simple Plan, aimed at the teen angst demographic who hate their math teachers and can't get a girl to play spin the bottle with them? \nMaybe it's because hip-hop brings me something new, something raw I never experienced in my 'hood. Maybe it's because hip-hop has an uncanny ability of expressing things people have always wanted to express but didn't know how. Or just maybe it's because I can't stop car dancing after I open a new Jigga CD for the first time on my way back from Best Buy. Or maybe Murs explains it best: "I asked myself for awhile but now I finally get it/good music transcends all physical limits"
(04/22/04 4:00am)
It's no secret that about 99 percent of all popular music in America is influenced by African-Americans. It's also no secret that white people are damn good at exploiting it and calling it their own, while making truckloads of money off it. \nWhich was the case with the blues, jazz, R&B, etc.\nAnd now some fear the latest culprit could be hip-hop. \nThe new Murs and 9th Wonder album, 3:16 (which is a hot record, pick it up), contains the song, "And This Is For..." to address the current state of hip-hop, including singling out Eminem: "Any white boy who thinks he knows my struggle/cuz he listens to Pac and his adrenaline doubles/now I ain't got problems with you being yourself/but when you front and use the 'N' word it just don't help." \nA quick sidebar on the recent Eminem controversy surrounding some freestyles Slim recorded as an angry, love-sick teenager in 1993: it appears this is more of an attempt by Benzino, the editor in chief of The Source, to sell magazines than it is a valid attack at Eminem. \nFirst off, how can you take something recorded a decade ago in a basement that seriously? He was dumped by a black girl, which caused him to spit an irate verse, likely intoxicated taking low blows at her and black people in general, while dubbing, "all black girls are bitches." This was an angry kid who felt helpless at the time, not a closet racist who somehow was and still is surrounded by black people who all mutually respect each other. \nBut this isn't to say what Eminem has been making money off of is the real Slim Shady either. Infinite, Eminem's first record released on Web Entertainment in 1996 is barely recognizable to what made him the biggest ticket in rap today. One of the songs, "Searchin'" is an ode to the same lady he graphically kills on numerous occasions. If on this mix tape, he killed this black girl but didn't call them all bitches, would that have not drawn such an uproar? Is that less shocking somehow? Infinite will be released by Web in the next year and is a must have for any Em fan, because the pre- and post-fame personalities will blow your mind. \nBack to Murs and his issues on the future of hip-hop. In the last verse on "And This is For..." he fears hip-hop will be just another casualty to black's musical ingenuity: "yes it is jazz and yes it is blues and it's the same way they did rock too/but I won't let the same thing happen to hip-hop/I refuse to watch that bullshit." \nIs hip-hop going the road of R&B and its continual "whitification" into rock 'n' roll? How many black rock stars are out there? Hootie? A couple guys in Dave Matthews Band? N.E.R.D? In 30 years will hip-hop be dominantly white? It doesn't seem far-fetched as middle-class suburbanites continue to spin and freestyle in their neighborhoods trying to develop street credit. These days they can even make it big (a la Kid Rock). \nIt's a scary image, seeing nothing but white guys in throwbacks rocking the mic on BET. One reason this will thankfully never happen is our culture has made significant strides since the '50s and '60s when one of the main reasons R&B was ripped off and turned into white rock 'n' roll was because it wasn't acceptable to listen to black musicians. The fact that you would actually pay a black artist was unthinkable to the white public, which is why covers were created to take hits by Fats Domino, Chuck Berry, etc. and turn them into more acceptable records (often without royalties) for whites, even though the difference between records were at many times insignificant. \nToday, America is far less racist, meaning few parents of white kids will flip out if they find a Biggie or Snoop record under their bed, which wasn't the case even 10 years ago. Hip-hop has gained a lifetime of credibility with the masses over the past decade. \nBut how about a reason why hip-hop just could turn white? This may seem farfetched, but black music has always been on the leading edge -- always changing, never satisfied with the status quo. Perhaps hip-hop is just a bridge to something far greater no one can even imagine yet, therefore leaving us an army of beat-boxing Justin Timberlake's once again after they've taken hip-hop to the next level. \nSo why are whites fascinated with black music? The simple answer: white people are, for the most part LAME, and too busy seeking out financial gain and intent on retaining their white-knuckled grip as the most technological and powerful race on this happy planet to come up with a new way of using the guitar or a simple turntable. \nThe more complicated answer is of course, complicated. Why does a middle class suburbanite like me have a CD collection made up of about 80 percent rap and hip-hop? Shouldn't I be listening to Good Charlotte or Simple Plan, aimed at the teen angst demographic who hate their math teachers and can't get a girl to play spin the bottle with them? \nMaybe it's because hip-hop brings me something new, something raw I never experienced in my 'hood. Maybe it's because hip-hop has an uncanny ability of expressing things people have always wanted to express but didn't know how. Or just maybe it's because I can't stop car dancing after I open a new Jigga CD for the first time on my way back from Best Buy. Or maybe Murs explains it best: "I asked myself for awhile but now I finally get it/good music transcends all physical limits"
(04/08/04 4:00am)
Jack Morris' cell phone resembled a concrete cinder block before it resembled a modern mobile device. But his famous phone, which was repeatedly confiscated by Mr. Belding, was just one of the tools which made him "Preppy," the most popular and trendy kid in the whole school. \nIf only Zack were around today. Zack's famous TNBC character died after the prime-time "Saved By the Bell College Years," when the show finally lost its edge. \nToday, cell phones are everywhere. If you are a student without a cell phone, chances are it's because you're violently opposed to them, or cannot afford one. For an invention which has been eaten up so rapidly by an entire generation, it certainly has its opponents. \nThe technology of cell phones has advanced so rapidly, even the title these days for cell phones is out of date. First off, they're all entirely digital now, not using cellular signals at all. Secondly, they're hardly just phones anymore. Would you call your computer a "word processor?" Today, they have ring tones, text messaging, entire CDs stored on them and even tiny digital cameras. \nIn case you haven't heard, camera phones have been responsible for a little mischief in the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation lately. It was bound to happen. Camera phones are much more convenient than having to tote an expensive digital camera around. And like a frisky freshman boy in Wright Quad with his webcam, these cameras can be very sneaky. Students were taking pictures of naked students in the shower, and now if you need to call your roommates for a ride, you better do it from outside. \nSenior Emily Curtis believes the HPER may be overreacting banning cell phones entirely. \n"It's a little over the top," Curtis says. "But if it's an issue, it needs to be enforced. It's too bad for those who don't have a camera phone or don't use it for bad purposes. What if they're waiting on a call from their boss?" \nSales Representative at the Communication Station in the Indiana Memorial Union Frances Crowley agrees that camera phones can cause harm. \n"Nobody wants to have their undie's snapped," admits Crowley. "I don't blame [the HPER] for saying it's intrusion of privacy." \nCrowley points out one phone sold at the Communication Station. The only way you can tell someone was setting up for a picture is by a small dial on the side of the screen. \n"You think they're messing with their phone, but you don't even know what they're doing," she says. "I find that intrusive."\nJon Dilts, a professor in media law, notes that what the HPER is doing is constitutional. \n"Of course, the government can't stop you from speaking," Dilts says. "But the First Amendment can control the time, manner and place. You can't prevent people from talking on cell phones, but you can from using them in certain places." \nBut the HPER incident only scratches the surface of all the insidious activities possible with newer cell phones. The addition of cameras and text messaging to newer models creates another medium which gives students a way to cheat on tests. \n"It's possible, but I've never seen it," admits Dilts. "I don't go out of my way to look for it but I am observant. I wouldn't search students or make them empty their pockets. But with text messaging it's definitely possible." \nThink the gadgets on cell phones couldn't get any more advanced? Swing by the Communication Station and pick up an AT&T mMode magazine. \nAmong the features coming to a phone near you is a Nokia MediaScreen. Have you ever been sitting in class in the morning but too irritated you were missing "Cold Pizza" to pay attention? Well, digital cable isn't just for TVs anymore. This phone, resembling a mini laptop, is complete with digital audio and video, as well as wireless internet of course. \nWith Kurashi Net, users will be able to use their phone to control appliances in their homes without being there. One call of the phone will preheat your oven or turn down your air conditioning. \nAnd further down the road, technology is being developed to place a tiny phone chip inside your tooth. The phone sends sound vibrations through the jaw and to the ear. The target audience is for stock brokers in need of up-to-the-second quotes, or naughty students who need their roommate to relay answers during their midterm. \nLike any technology, there will be people who exercise bad etiquette with it. Curtis, who works as a waitress at the Jungle Room, sees poor etiquette regularly. \n"I don't like it when people are sitting with someone else and are talking on their phone," she says. "It makes the other person just sit there like a jackass."\nCurtis also notes people can't sit by themselves anymore. Once the person they're with gets up to go to the bathroom, the other person whips out their phone and starts going through their phone book. \nSo every student has a cell, right? It seems like it. Curtis notes most of her friends don't even have a land line in their house or apartment anymore. \n"I never use our home line," she says. "We only have it for DSL. I don't give it out to anyone." \nDilts is in the minority of not having a cell phone at all. \n"I have no reason for one," Dilts says. \nIn a generation where students feel naked without one, Dilts nonchalantly admits, "I'm around a phone all the time, either in the office or my house. And I do most of my contacting by e-mail anyway." \nFor Crowley however, having a cell phone has been a lifesaver. \n"I have juvenile diabetes, so it can be especially crucial in certain situations," she says. "I've gone into several comas. At times, it takes that last ounce of energy [to call for help]."\nCell phones certainly cover the entire spectrum of wants and needs from sporting hot new ring tones to managing a family. Curtis' favorite features on her phone are her ring tones, and she proudly sports the '80s hit "99 Luft Balloons" as her signal for an incoming call. For Crowley, mobile technology has helped her stay healthy and be a more efficient mother. And, of course, Dilts is getting by fine without one.
(04/08/04 3:37am)
Jack Morris' cell phone resembled a concrete cinder block before it resembled a modern mobile device. But his famous phone, which was repeatedly confiscated by Mr. Belding, was just one of the tools which made him "Preppy," the most popular and trendy kid in the whole school. \nIf only Zack were around today. Zack's famous TNBC character died after the prime-time "Saved By the Bell College Years," when the show finally lost its edge. \nToday, cell phones are everywhere. If you are a student without a cell phone, chances are it's because you're violently opposed to them, or cannot afford one. For an invention which has been eaten up so rapidly by an entire generation, it certainly has its opponents. \nThe technology of cell phones has advanced so rapidly, even the title these days for cell phones is out of date. First off, they're all entirely digital now, not using cellular signals at all. Secondly, they're hardly just phones anymore. Would you call your computer a "word processor?" Today, they have ring tones, text messaging, entire CDs stored on them and even tiny digital cameras. \nIn case you haven't heard, camera phones have been responsible for a little mischief in the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation lately. It was bound to happen. Camera phones are much more convenient than having to tote an expensive digital camera around. And like a frisky freshman boy in Wright Quad with his webcam, these cameras can be very sneaky. Students were taking pictures of naked students in the shower, and now if you need to call your roommates for a ride, you better do it from outside. \nSenior Emily Curtis believes the HPER may be overreacting banning cell phones entirely. \n"It's a little over the top," Curtis says. "But if it's an issue, it needs to be enforced. It's too bad for those who don't have a camera phone or don't use it for bad purposes. What if they're waiting on a call from their boss?" \nSales Representative at the Communication Station in the Indiana Memorial Union Frances Crowley agrees that camera phones can cause harm. \n"Nobody wants to have their undie's snapped," admits Crowley. "I don't blame [the HPER] for saying it's intrusion of privacy." \nCrowley points out one phone sold at the Communication Station. The only way you can tell someone was setting up for a picture is by a small dial on the side of the screen. \n"You think they're messing with their phone, but you don't even know what they're doing," she says. "I find that intrusive."\nJon Dilts, a professor in media law, notes that what the HPER is doing is constitutional. \n"Of course, the government can't stop you from speaking," Dilts says. "But the First Amendment can control the time, manner and place. You can't prevent people from talking on cell phones, but you can from using them in certain places." \nBut the HPER incident only scratches the surface of all the insidious activities possible with newer cell phones. The addition of cameras and text messaging to newer models creates another medium which gives students a way to cheat on tests. \n"It's possible, but I've never seen it," admits Dilts. "I don't go out of my way to look for it but I am observant. I wouldn't search students or make them empty their pockets. But with text messaging it's definitely possible." \nThink the gadgets on cell phones couldn't get any more advanced? Swing by the Communication Station and pick up an AT&T mMode magazine. \nAmong the features coming to a phone near you is a Nokia MediaScreen. Have you ever been sitting in class in the morning but too irritated you were missing "Cold Pizza" to pay attention? Well, digital cable isn't just for TVs anymore. This phone, resembling a mini laptop, is complete with digital audio and video, as well as wireless internet of course. \nWith Kurashi Net, users will be able to use their phone to control appliances in their homes without being there. One call of the phone will preheat your oven or turn down your air conditioning. \nAnd further down the road, technology is being developed to place a tiny phone chip inside your tooth. The phone sends sound vibrations through the jaw and to the ear. The target audience is for stock brokers in need of up-to-the-second quotes, or naughty students who need their roommate to relay answers during their midterm. \nLike any technology, there will be people who exercise bad etiquette with it. Curtis, who works as a waitress at the Jungle Room, sees poor etiquette regularly. \n"I don't like it when people are sitting with someone else and are talking on their phone," she says. "It makes the other person just sit there like a jackass."\nCurtis also notes people can't sit by themselves anymore. Once the person they're with gets up to go to the bathroom, the other person whips out their phone and starts going through their phone book. \nSo every student has a cell, right? It seems like it. Curtis notes most of her friends don't even have a land line in their house or apartment anymore. \n"I never use our home line," she says. "We only have it for DSL. I don't give it out to anyone." \nDilts is in the minority of not having a cell phone at all. \n"I have no reason for one," Dilts says. \nIn a generation where students feel naked without one, Dilts nonchalantly admits, "I'm around a phone all the time, either in the office or my house. And I do most of my contacting by e-mail anyway." \nFor Crowley however, having a cell phone has been a lifesaver. \n"I have juvenile diabetes, so it can be especially crucial in certain situations," she says. "I've gone into several comas. At times, it takes that last ounce of energy [to call for help]."\nCell phones certainly cover the entire spectrum of wants and needs from sporting hot new ring tones to managing a family. Curtis' favorite features on her phone are her ring tones, and she proudly sports the '80s hit "99 Luft Balloons" as her signal for an incoming call. For Crowley, mobile technology has helped her stay healthy and be a more efficient mother. And, of course, Dilts is getting by fine without one.