July 2005 Archives

This is definitely Don Omar’s week here on Talkin’ Videos. After getting some major shine earlier this week with “Reggaeton Latino,” he is the featured artist and primary redeeming quality of Cuban Link’s “Scandalous” [watch it now]. Oh shit! Cuban Link is still making records?

Taking it back just a little bit, this week’s "Throwback Thursday" comes to us courtesy of Bad Boy. Their slogan: “We drop the artists, so you don’t have to!”

On a loooong list of artists given the cold shoulder by Papa Diddy Pop, G. Dep stormed onto the scene “Let’s Get It” [watch it now] the unofficial Harlem Shake anthem. With the aid Harlem hound P. Diddy, fellow Johnson Projects mainstay Black Rob and some gyrating children, G. Dep immediately made his mark on the rap world by making sure we NEVER want to hear this beat again!

Es Reggaeton Latiiiiiiiinoooooooo!

(Tego Calderon sold separately)
Don Omar lays down the infectious chorus for Reggaeton Latino, [watch it now] the leadoff single of "The Chosen Few", a compilation LP geared to bridge the gap between the Latino rappers of the U.S. and Reggaeton artists worldwide. Is the United States ready for the booty-shaking invasion? NORE and Fat Joe join Don Omar and LDA in an attempt to answer this burning question.

I'm glad the Grand Champion is back! I'm sorry he's a crackhead though.

The Ruff Ryders' legacy is quickly coming to a close. The collective performance of DMX, Jadakiss, Kartoon and Flashy on "Get Wild," [watch it now] the most cliche hook and title in 3 years, is merely confirmation of the beginning of the end. I think pretending to be an ATF officer was the beginning of the end for DMX though.

Look! It's me again! Oh, it's me again! Ron Mexico motherfucker! It's me again!

Pardon the late entry, but I spent 15 hours in an airport today. I didn't get where I needed to go, so I decided we should all feel fly this fine evening. What better way to get fly than with ANOTHER crack anthem from the Dip Set Fly Boys? The Diplomats video du jour is the low-budget ghetto merger of "Get Down" and "Best Out." [watch it now] Between the two videos you should hear vocals from Juelz Santana, Hell Rell, 40 Cal, JR Writer and my new best friend, corny-chorus-boy Bezzle.

I leave you all for the weekend with a new video from my favorite Diplomat, Joseph “Jimmy” Jones. His newest offering is a split. The good folks at Blastro have hooked us up with the uncensored version of “Baby Girl/G’s Up” [watch it now] If you saw the Dipset in London video, I’d like to think of this video picking up from there. Jim Jones is pure entertainment. I’m just not quite sure why.

In Common’s lengthy travels, musical and otherwise, we’ve been exposed to as many sides of the artist as there are faces on the cover of “Electric Circus” (ugh, what a terrible record). Today we’re going to revisit the last face we saw on EC. What face would that be? Why, that would be the pussy-whipped face we saw standing in front of the deaf girl’s house holding up signs in the video for “Come Close.” Today’s selection “Go” [watch it now], his follow-up to “The Corner,” is of a similar mold as the joint he split with Mary J.

Hmmmmmmm...

No... that's not a misspelling. JZ is Jay-Z... just before he added some letters and punctuations to the moniker.

Before there was “The Hova” there was “The Nubian King” and “The Flunkie.” The painfully ironic prequel to “Nigga What, Nigga Who (Originators ‘99)” is a Jaz-O classic circa ten years older. In the midst of all of the Nubian talk on “Originators,” [watch it now] not only was Jay-Z supposed to be selling crack, but he looks like he may have been one of his own best customers.

Kid 'N Play saw this video like “Whew… Nothing to worry about here! Let’s practice that kickstep some more though.”

I wonder how many videos we'll do entitled "Dreams"

Today we go overseas to show a little love to the newest video from UK mainstay Dizzee Rascal. His newest visual composition “Dreams” [watch it now] presents a children’s puppet show starring… himself! In the context of a world overtaken by Crank Yanking and crass behaviour, (peep the UK spelling) Dizzee uses puppets in a manner that deviates from the norm.

Ghetto Bill has reached yet another milestone in an already stellar career as a rap entertainer and mogul. He has become the first repeat offender in Talkin’ Videos history. If he continues, he can be the Rafael Palmiero of this shit.

Remaking the LL Cool J classic “I Need Love,” Master P looks no further than the fruit of his own loins (Lil Romeo) to aid him in butchering a piece of hip-hop history with the new single “I Need Dubs.” [watch it now]

I'm a murderer... I'm a-- I'm a murderer, homie!

I’m glad he doesn’t take his “gangsta” too seriously to dance. Rappers dancing in their own videos has become a forgotten practice (except for Will Smith). However, watching Cassidy dance is the funniest thing I’ve seen in a long time (except for Will Smith). You can get all the funky chicken you can handle in Cassidy’s newest video “B-Boy Stance” [watch it now]

Once again, the jawn is courtesy of me breddrin at Jamaica Live! Link up, star!

H-WHAT?!?!… E-YEEEEEEEAAAAHHH!!!!

You know what that means! This week’s edition of “Throwback Thursday” has been brought to you by the Kings of Crunk. Which Lil Jon and the Eastside Boys video did we select? BIA BIA!!!! [watch it now]. Featuring Ludacris, Too Short and Chyna White, this video has everything you need from hoes, to fire, to drinking, to hoes, to hoes dancing on tables, to lesbians fucking up the plumbing!

Not the teenager with the molester moustache... The one next to him!

Fresh off the skreets of St. Louis, Missourah comes Ebony Eyez. The Trackboys' newest project. She is a girl. She is attractive. By golly, she can RAP!

Her new single and video "In Ya Face" [watch it now] displays all of these but we quickly learn that she is not exempt from the pressure of selling her own sexuality to be paid attention to.

I usually don’t start off a review like this, but… What the FUCK?!

At first I thought Misdemeanor had gotten on the Bobby Brown diet, but we can breathe a sigh of relief. She still appears to be on the Pharaohe Monch. Pasting her head onto the body of a video dancer to enhance the effect of anticipated weight loss is just another in a long line of spectacular camera tricks we have come to expect from Missy Elliott. Her new video “Lose Control” [watch it now] features vocals and dance stylings from Ciara and Fatman Scoop.

This is easily one of the most aptly titled videos we’ve discussed so far. Street-level up-and-comer Loose Cannon presents his new video “Who Do U Think U R” [watch it now]

From the first frame, before hearing the vocal sample chorus, I immediately pondered the song’s title (in regards to the artist). My first thought was: Why is there a gym teacher talking tough in front of a video camera?

Don't be alarmed... That's just a Kells mannequin in someone's front yard.

When we left off last Friday, Kells couldn’t believe it was a man.

As promised, and as per your request, I have the rest of the greatest epic poem of our time, R. Kelly’s “Trapped in the Closet!” [watch it now].

Say thanks to AOL music, friends.

In honor of the Queen Bee’s sentencing, today’s edition of “Throwback Thursday” is Lil’ Kim featuring Puff Daddy with the 1996 classic “No Time.” [watch it now] You may not recognize the protagonist as this video was released when Lil’ Kim looked human. Niggas talk about Michael Jackson, but Lil Kim has to be a close second in the “Daaaaaaaaamn, what did you DO to yourself” department.

You wanna daaaaaance? I can make you dance!
You wanna mooooooove? I can make you move!

While I wasn’t quite dancing to this creepy track, I was wondering what in the world JD was doing back in the game as a solo artist with no hair. His newest video “Gotta Getcha” [watch it now] is full of surprises, trickin’ and perhaps a little reverse psychology.

Jermaine Dupri needs an encore, y’all. Should we welcome him back?

These dudes are about 15 years too late with a sangin' group named Ment-2B. I guess they never got over that dream of being All 4 One when they were in 6th grade.

I’ll tell you what… In all seriousness, watching shit like this makes me feel like I might have been a little hard on Pretty Ricky. Ment-2B enlists the lyrical aid of Diplomat-trainee J.R. Writer for their single and video “Wassup, Wassup.” [watch it now]

Warning: The track sounds like they asked R. Kelly and Nokio to collaborate on something REALLY generic.

While you’re out eating hot dogs and shit, Mr. Mexico’s at a crunk party.

What? Haven’t you heard? Ms. Cherry is having a block party! No sucka ducks or lame bitches allowed!

Yep, punk “bitches” getting their boyfriends taken (forcibly or otherwise) is the general idea of Ms. Cherry’s single and video “It’s Whatever” [watch it now] on Streetwize Records.

When he’s not making “Pee On You” videos, he’s composing something either truly brilliant or painfully ignorant. With R. Kelly you usually have to pick your poison. Kellz’ newest video effort “Trapped in the Closet” walks a very fine line between genius and ignorance. While it’s neither “I Believe I Can Fly” nor “You Remind Me of My Jeep”, Kelly gives you a dash of the thought provoking without sparing us the lunacy you’ve come to expect from this troubled, troubled soul. Since I just love to hook y’all up, I’m giving you both parts of the video “Trapped in the Closet Pt. I” [watch it now] and “Trapped In The Closet Pt. II” [watch it now], both courtesy from the top shottas at Jamaica Live! (A next time, Star!) If you haven’t seen this video already, I don’t want to give away the special surprise ending… but I probably will anyway. (Hint: Watch the clips before you continue!)