Wednesday, December 20, 2006

STILL RIDIN' HIGH

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Posting might be inconsistent. I had the internet going nuts with the last post. Check another article by yours truly....

With over a decade of experience in the rap game, 8Ball and MJG are unlike most rappers. Despite their unique and original style, they have accomplished feats that most brand new artists would dream of - being fresh, consistent, and most important of all, maintaining relevancy. The rap game has changed greatly since 8Ball and MJG’s premier album, Comin’ Out Hard, debuted in 1993. The Dirty South runs hip-hop. Rap artists function as CEOs and manage multi-million dollar record labels. However, in the early 90s, many rappers didn’t know how to evade the pitfalls of signing bogus recording contracts and were perpetually “jerked” by labels. This is the era that 8Ball came from; nevertheless, 8Ball seems to have great foresight and has become adept at changing with the game.

As well as being featured on one of the biggest records of 2005, “Stay Fly”, 8Ball can add another great accomplishment to his resume, the launch of his own label, 8Ways Entertainment. As his counterpart, MJG, launches MJG Muzik, 8Ball has grandiose visions for his new company. 8Ball hopes to “have an artist on [his] label that could be the next Alicia Keys or Wu-Tang Clan.” Yo! Raps Magazine recently had the opportunity to sit down with 8Ball to discuss his upcoming film, what it’s like to work with Diddy, and why it took so long for the Dirty South to gain popularity. Life may be hard out here for a pimp, but 8Ball is still ridin’ high.

Continue post here....


Monday, December 18, 2006

NAS CAME AND WENT QUICK [PAUSE]

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I've just received word that "Mr. Hip-Hop Is Dead", NAS, just concluded his "Secret" promotional concert[at Webster Hall in Manhattan]. Unfortunately, to the dismay of most knowledgeable fans, his show was a measly THIRTY MINUTES.....that doesn't sound like Hip-Hop is alive to me man...Maybe Mr. Jones is conserving his energy for this Friday's doubleheader concert at Times Square? Contrarily, maybe it was just another crummy Hot 97 event where the majority of the concertgoers have no idea what to expect and are satisfied with a subpar showing? Whatever the case may be, the outcome is very depressing and disappointing. Fans pay up to $30 for a show and are only entertained for half an hour? Hip-Hop Is Dead...Corporate Hip-Hop is Alive and running, it seems as if Nas proved his own point.

Sunday, December 17, 2006

Tuesday, December 05, 2006

PHONTE of LITTLE BROTHER

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Recently, I had the opportunity to speak with Phonte....enjoy another exclusive interview by yours truly.......

Is Little Brother considered backpack or conscious rap? Though it may be quite difficult to classify Little Brother’s style of music, the most outspoken member of the group, Phonte, describes their music in one word, “real”. Since the 2003 release of The Listening, the North Carolina natives, Little Brother (Phonte, Big Pooh, and 9th Wonder), have served as a refreshing, antithesis to the promotion of misogynistic, “minstrel rap music” that has flooded the hip-hop industry. In fact, Little Brother’s sophomore release The Minstrel Show, spoke directly to this stemming problem with insightful tracks designed to place the onus of creating self-respectable hip-hop music back upon the artists’.


It is impossible to shy away from the fact that Hip-Hop, as we know it, is on life support. Can we save this beautiful culture of ours? According to Phonte’s diagnosis, he is not so optimistic about Hip-Hop’s recovery. Phonte doesn’t seem to believe the devilish marketing of the generic, “cookie cutter” rappers will stop being promoted by careless, money- hungry record executives and corporate-run radio stations unless the masses put a stop to the greedy corporate machine. With that said, the logic behind his eloquent argument could not be anymore clearer, “If I could sh*t between two slices of bread and sell it to you as a hamburger, why would I actually cook you a hamburger?”

Recently, Phonte sat down with Yo! Raps Magazine to discuss why Little Brother’s next album, The Getback will feature producers other than 9th Wonder, the transition from being independent to signing with a major label [Atlantic Records], and why Little Brother doesn’t get spins on mainstream radio. Be very afraid and pay very close attention. The new millennium minstrel show has been unleashed upon the Hip-Hop Community. It just might be up to Little Brother to become the driving force that puts an end to the nonsense we have been calling “Hip-Hop”.

Continue to article post here.

Monday, December 04, 2006

LOST ONES

I'm tryin'...don't hate me.....appreciate the dismal effort...