February 2007 Archives

Ill No-No

I remember when there was time that I could say that Brooklyn was truly running New York City hip-hop. There was Foxy, Lil Kim, Mos Def, Fabolous, Talib Kweli, Memphis Bleek, and a few others putting in work for the rap game. But now? Most are sitting on the sidelines and, try as they might, are failing to catch a rebound.

I was reading a few back issues of The Source, and I ran across something that said "Is Chicago hip-hop dead?" Then they had a feature on Common who spoke on Resurrection (I Used to Love H.E.R ") and voiced his opinion on what was wrong with Chicago rap at that time.

Then, I ran across this:

Today, I'm aggravated. First off, I haven't seen my Saigitty album. It's the end of February, and not a peep from The Greatest Story Never Told. And then he suddenly resurfaces from out of left field:

"I'm not gonna run into the booth and make a Prodigy diss and I would lyrically destroy Prodigy," Sai told hiphopgame regarding Prodigy telling him to suck his dick. "But if we run into each other and he doesn't have ten security guards or a pistol around him, I'll beat him like a piñata. Just for that 'suck my dick' shit."

Jim Jones recently hit up Hot 97's Funkmaster Flex show where he got a few things off his chest:

"Ms. Bleek, I hope Jay got you in his will. The Roc has fallen, give it up Bleek. You ain't never had a hit, you were never hot, Hov had to say he got you in his will and all that. You lil' twerp of a man, you ain't even a stand up guy, Ms. Bleek."

Hot 97's DJ Enuff Holds Down Wildfire Friday:

This Friday, hit up Club Remi in Astoria, Queens with Heavy Hitter DJ Enuff. The party starts at 10pm, ladies are free before 12am, dress code should be fashionable and trendy, no Timbs. And remember, they have a right to be selective.

With an album set for release this April, Redman had a few words for MTV’s Mixtape Monday:

"I don't know how everybody else does it, but Def Jam is working like whatever gets played on the radio is your single. It's just like, if I got a record that I ain't even want to be the single, but if the bitch gets a certain amount of spins, that's my single [and] video. Another thing is they don't shoot videos off the bat no more. They wait till you get spins, then shoot. ... I know everybody is waiting to see, 'Let's see what Def Jam is going to do with Redman,' because other artists were complaining that the promotion was bullshit. You know the routine.

According to HHNLive, Busta Rhymes is determined to get rap nemeses, The Game and 50 Cent, to appear on a song together for his upcoming album Before Hell Freezes Over.

Busta says:

"I have always had problem with the beef….If you listen to The Devil's Advocate, which is the title track on his [The Game's] album, I didn't agree with his role at how he handled the situation."

I peeped Nahright the other day, and what I saw was yet another Bad Boy artist stuck in a rut. This time it's G Dep.

The Bad Boy recording artist, who released his first and last album in 2001, entitled Child of the Ghetto, has been shelved like many other artists on the label and left to find other ways to make a living. And if "other ways" include venturing out to another label, that option's pretty much a dead end, given the fact that any material released will still belong to Bad Boy Entertainment (because the contract has yet to meet its quota).

...This on-going nonsense makes me scratch my head in wonder: what is this "beef" gonna come to?

Today marks the eighth year that Harlem's underground great Big L was shot to death just blocks from his home.

Isn't it ironic that this disgrace, Mase, has reentered the rap scene?

First and foremost, I guess I spoke too soon. It seems as if I brought the corpse back from the dead. Mase's god-awful track has recently been circulating throughout the 'net. Someone please, please tell this clown ass nigga to scram. If people chose to view Harlem the way they see Mase now, then Harlem would be the laughingstock of America.

But, in the words of Fresh, I digress.

So the kid known to many as Mase's protégé, CARDAN, is back.

Speaking of such, what the "hell" happened to Mase anyways? I know duke was washed up, but... who cares. I'm just glad he's gone. He did enough damage to Harlem as it is.

After basically being held prisoner on Interscope as he was forced to watch his second solo LP, Time is Money, get abused, kicked around, leaked, and blackballed for over a year and a half-- maybe more-- Styles P was set free and is now on KOCH Records.

Speaking of such, I don't understand how 50 Cent can call KOCH a graveyard and then allow one of his artists to release an album under that very label... unless he's admitting to all that Mobb Deep's career is dead. How's that for support.

"He looks like a gorilla with rabbit teeth."

I don't know how many times this has been stressed. But it's well known that whenever 50 Cent or someone from his camp is coming out with an album or some kind of project, there must be a dis record, an outlandish or asinine statement set for release--or something, anything--that will bring 50 or one from his crew some kind of propaganda.

It's been a long time coming, but this Long Island rap crew, R-Side--which consists of Young Ceez, Capitol E, Hoodlum, and Pre--is on the road to success with their debut mixtape The Relapse. Although thrown in a pool full of competitors, gimmicks, and thousands of artists just trying to make it, these Roosevelt, Long Islanders are bringing something refreshing to the game: depending on themselves to get their name out there as opposed to trying to use industry outlets and record labels to catch a come-up.

I've tried to ignore it. But it's on Crackspace. It's in The Source. It's in the streets, it's everywhere.

Prodigy told Crackspace:

"Return of the Mac... that's getting niggas ready for H.N.I.C 2... 'Cause KOCH is gonna go hard. They know if I have an H.N.I.C album, that shit is like, incredible... to have that shit over here at KOCH. So, they did real good with Jim Jones and all that shit but H.N.I.C is gonna be like, that's another level. That'll be out like the beginning of the summer."

The Big Pun tribute party, which takes place tonight at 9pm, will be located at Club Duvet on West 21st street, Manhattan.

Hosted by Big Pun's widow Liza Rios, this celebration is for all who never got a chance to pay their respects, and will feature performances by Cuban Link, Remy Ma, Triple Seis, late Pun's son Baby Pun, and more.

"As the years pass by, there is a younger generation that is going to start not knowing who The Notorious B.I.G is. The importance of who he is and still being the greatest rapper of all time is still evident [and] should be much smarter in our education of the Hip-Hop generation." -- Hot 97's DJ Mister Cee, The Source Magazine, Feb '07

Yeah. Check the fronts. The proof is finally here for those who never believed. SOHH fifteen years ago.

According to MTV Mixtape Monday, Nas might be taking the remixes to the TV screen. Considering how many people were strewn across all three remixes ( 90s all-star mix, 80s and Westcoast all-star mix), this show, if ever pursued, might turn out to be quite interesting. He told MTV:

"First we wanted to get it out to people and just enjoy it. Now we're thinking about going in on a TV show to find out where them niggas was at. I wanna see. These muthafuckas ain't old to me. And if they are old, that's nothing to take away from them. Man, these muthafuckas are interesting people. They're part of the whole foundation. They are the blocks, them big boulders underneath the pretty surfaces. They need to be looked at like that. Even if it's for a second, let's be real, you can't expect all these niggas to drop new albums, but it's good to see that they still here. They ain't gotta come out and go platinum, they can do different shit. It's just good to show love."

"To the left, to the left/ Everything is hustle to the death for the F."

The kid F-a-b-o has a new song produced by and featuring Swizz Beatz. And in the midst of all of this, where is Redman? Where is Joe Budden? You can find Redman's album cover, entitled Red Gone Wild, Thee Album, via Rizoh. Joe Budden has made a front-page feature on Eskay's Nahright. And really though. This is not right. Definitely not.

The Hot 97 Angie Martinez show, if you listen regularly, will give off some interesting conversations.

Before the phonecall (listen), 50 had said that there was no beef between he or Cam'ron. They even greeted each other in a reasonable manner. But things took a turn for the worse. Shout out to Shawn NYC for the link.

Love poetry? Love hip-hop? Got skills with the ink? Articulation is flawless? Well the Lower East Side's Nuyorican Poets Cafe is the place to be every Tuesday-Sunday. From a variety of music including jazz, hip-hop, and Puerto Rican rhythms, to events such as beat battles, plays, and fashion shows, to the infamous Nuyorican Friday Night Poetry Slam and open mic opportunities, the Nuyorican Poets Cafe is the number one spot for your source of hip-hop in its purest form.

"Aw man could you believe this? It's like a holiday man. It's like Nas bringing a rap holiday man. (Where are they now?) Here they are. 2007 they right here... Here they are. Unbelievable! Hip-hop is dead? We'll see what happens." -- Nas "Where are They Now (Remix)"