Racism In Hip-Hop

What's good folks!  Hope you're still getting down to my mixtape of 2014, as well as checking the rest of my best of...lists.  Unfortunately, a very disturbing situation is rounding off the year in hip-hop that simply must get addressed.  First of all, before I get into the story and issue at hand, I LOVE hip-hop.  Always have, always will be.  I live, breathe, walk, talk, eat, sleep hip-hop.  It's a major part of who I am.  In spite of this well known fact about me, there are some things about my culture that really vehemently piss me off.  One of which is bashing and bullying.  What do I mean?  Well let's get into it.

Earlier this year, I wrote a piece about how Grand Hustle artist, the Australian-born Iggy Azaelia was nothing more than a product of the machine.  I didn't consider as superbly talented, and still don't, but as a human being, I still respect her, especially as someone that's just trying to make it in the music business.  Yes, I consider her the Vanilla Ice of our generation, in spite of who she's signed to and signed with.  However, in comes Azaelia Banks, a New York up-and-comer, who finally released her full-length debut Broke With Expensive Taste.  She's more known for her Twitter beefs than any material released anywhere other than Vimeo or Vevo.  This...chick (ahem) has been the biggest antagonist of Iggy. She has never been short on words when it came to her disinterest in her.  Although she hasn't been the only one to have an issue with Iggy and how she's been defined as the new voice of hip-hop within suburban America, people like Banks and Snoop Dogg have gone out of their way to bully and harass Iggy.  So much to the point of bringing race into the picture.

Throughout this past year, Brand Nubian member Lord Jamar considered whites in hip-hop as "guests in our house" and didn't feel like they belonged in hip-hop culture due to how historically Whites have used bits of our culture and claimed it for themselves like Elvis in Rock & Roll.  Although I can see where Jamar was coming from in that sense, let's not get it twisted.  The Beastie Boys are still considered one of hip-hop's most important acts and was definitely a big time player in the early beginnings of hip-hop.  Simply put, you're BUGGIN if you don't own or haven't listened to their magnum opus Ill Communication, or even for that matter their landmark debut Licensed To Ill.  They used to get off and on flack too about being White in hip-hop, even to the point where there was a brief division between the ghettos of America and the suburbs, where the Beasties clearly were having their biggest audiences from.  I, personally, thought tracks like "Brass Monkey" and "Paul Revere" were as hip-hop anything Run-DMC and Doug E. Fresh were putting out.  Fast forward to Rob Van Winkle (aka Vanilla Ice) and that was where the problem started.  While the song was as dope as you could imagine at that time (do NOT front on me and say that you weren't dancing notoriously to the cut until you found out he was White), when it came to his background and how he came up in the game, he was a fraud the whole time.  He was just pulling an Elvis.  From there, artists like 3rd Bass had to prove that they weren't plastic rappers.  They succeeded with their stellar album, The Cactus Album, and showed that White boys could in fact rhyme, and be real at the same time.

Fast forward to today's times where Iggy, sincerely talented or not, is still a part of hip-hop and does respect our culture.  Use some type of sense: do you think T.I. would have anything whatsoever to do with someone that would deliberately disrespect his culture?  So for Banks for just flat out attack her as well as Seattle hip-hop phenomenon Macklemore is not just unfair, it's hypocritical.  In this day and age, racism is blatant and is more visible than it's been in many years, with us being the victims of it as usual.  However, with this past weekend's tweet arguments between Banks and Iggy, seasoned vet Q-Tip chimed in on the history of hip-hop to give Iggy perspective into how hip-hop culture is subsequently Black culture.  T.I. then threw his 150 characters plus into the situation and defended Iggy.

Now for my rant!  You've been warned.  This is just insane.  What we have here is someone like Azaelia Banks, who can't get marketed or talked about in no other way except about who she had something to say about, doing whatever she can to have Iggy drop her mic.  Maybe she is the new Vanilla Ice and T.I. is being suckered into it.  The point is, bullying this girl just makes her look like the bigot, bully and angry woman Iggy has stated that she is.  Plus this chick Banks has been throwing jabs at people like Action Bronson as well as Em simply because of a line Slim said in his breathtaking and defining Shady XV Cypher verse throwing shade at Alana Del Ray, who it turns out is a friend of Banks.  There would be no problem with that but I can't help but see a pattern of her beefing with White emcees (I use that term loosely with Iggy).  Is she another Lord Jamar that feels that Whites should just be "guests" in hip-hop?  Let's get this straight.  Eminem is one of the single greatest artists in the over thirty-five year history of recorded hip-hop.  Em is likely better than your favorite emcee and usually bodies most people on their own song.  He put to death the notion that Whites can't rhyme because artists like Marshall don't come along often.  The self-proclaimed "Rap God" is special.  He's a lyrical genius that will be remembered for his ability to chew up and spit out emcees and tracks at a moment's notice, plus he's a true student of the game who has highly influenced in his trailer park by the likes of Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, Ice-T and even Treach of Naughty By Nature, in which he stated "Yoke The Joker" by NBN was the cut that influenced him the most to want to rhyme.  Others Caucasian cats like Apathy, The High & Mighty, R.A. The Rugged Man, Ant from Atmosphere, and Yelawolf are monstrous emcees that could easily compete and maybe even outdo some of our own in this game.  Let's stop using this race bullshit.  Yes, artists like Iggy are being shoved down peopkle's throats as the new voice of hip-hop, as is Macklemore, but let's very briefly examine this.  Have we ever had a White female emcee before, much less one that has made any rippling effect?  Not a bit.  Kreashawn's career came and went in under fifteen minutes.  The hunt has always been on for a White female rhyme spitter to compete in this business.  In comes the plan to create one.  Atlantic Records, the parent company of Grand Hustle, saw possible big business in having hip-hop's first successful White female rapper on its roster.  Well how does that happen?  Give this girl a body, have her rhyme and sound like Nicki Minaj, give her catchy songs and have them flood your brainwaves with her tracks all over radio.  Badda-bing, badda-boom!  We have paydirt!

I'm fully about every race and gender showing up on the mic and exhibiting their talents.  This is to promote hip-hop culture and if you're dope, you're just dope.  We sure as hell don't have enough dopeness to run around in this business, at least not on a mainstream or commercial level.  Hip-Hop should not at all be exclusive to ANYONE as long as they're doing justice to ones that paved the way for today's generation, as well as respect the culture by way of lyrics, beats, and the principles/origins of the culture.  We're very short on students of the game and we're in dire need of them.  No matter what race you are.  From Latin artists like Kid Frost, Puerto Rican emcees like Fat Joe and the late great Big Pun, to even Asian artists like famed underground Dj, DJ Honda and former battle emcee turned Christian rapper Jin, Hip-Hop is for the world, just respect the culture and the ones that paved the way and in some cases died so that our culture could take over the world.  Granted, Iggy said some things that were deemed "questionable", but in all fairness, this Banks chick is all over Twitter and doing interviews not just saying she's wack or the like, but by bringing race into it in a very bigoted way is crazy, especially when you're not even relevant enough to say anything about who should be successful and who shouldn't be.  Don't forget, we have plenty of buffoonery and coonery within our own race to be a disgrace to hip-hop as well.

That's it for now people, but before I go, here's this week's cut of the week.  This offering comes from longtime west coast vet and Compton giant, DJ Quik.  His album, Midnight Life, was horrendously slept on this year.  Although I didn't rate it in my top forty or in my honorable mentions, that's merely because I forgot about it, not for it being anything lackluster.  This is truthfully his best album in years and puts me back in the days of Quik Is The Name, Safe & Sound, and Rhythm-Al-Ism.  Here's "Pet Semetary". Get your Chuck Taylors out, and start your C-Walking!  Until next time folks,  Happy holidays!

Best Non-Hip-Hop of 2014

What's happening folks!  I know, I know, this is supposed to be a HIP-HOP blog.  It is still a hip-hop section, do trust.  However, there are various other forms of music that affect hip-hop and vice versa so this still equates.  I'll start by saying I don't listen to much non hip-hop except some occasional rock, gospel, definitely some jazz but mostly R&B.  With that said, I'm going over the ten best non hip-hop albums of the year so let's go!

10. Shabazz Palaces- Lese Majesty
Production: artist
Guests: N/A

This duo, that consists of Baba and Ishmael (formerly of 90s jazz hip-hop trio Digable Planets), brought an even more experimental album in Lese Majesty.  This duo is not your conventional hip-hop duo in the least so you have to go into it with open ears and an open mind.  In 2011, their album Black Up was so sonically unbelievable, and they did a very good follow-up to it.  Here's a look at "Motion Sickness". 




9.
Tinashe- Aquarius
Production: Stargate, artist, Boi-1nda, others
Guests: Future, Schoolboy Q, A$AP Rocky

The west coast native presented an excellent debut that has heralded all across the board.  Her breezy, wispy vocals makes one reminisce of a 2014 Janet Jackson of sorts. Filled with sultry rhythms and passionate, yet vulnerable, lyrics, this will not be the last you hear of this young lady.  Shouts to a fellow Aquarian!!




8.

Luke James- Luke James
Production: unknown
Guests: Rick Ross

It's about time we got a whole full-length album from a guy even Beyonce herself says is one of her favorite artists.  So much to the point where he even opened up for her on a few dates.  The anticipation had been building for him since 2011.  His mixtapes were just teasers for the full meal, as his great radio hit "I.O.U." made rounds in the urban contemporary circuit.  This self-titled debut is passionate, angry, and sincere, all the traits for a lasting R&B debut.  You don't feel him, to quote him, "Fuck u"!



7.

Joe- Bridges
Producer: D.O.A.
Guests: Kelly Rowland, 50 Cent

Yet another incredible album from Mr. Joe Thomas.  This is a follow-up to last year's equally fantastic Doubleback: Evolution Of R&B.  With just over twenty years under his belt, he's officially a seasoned vet, and based upon albums like this, he still sounds as good as he did when he debuted, maybe even better.



6.

Faith Evans- Incomparable
Producer: artist, Chucky Thompson, Mike City, others
Guests: Missy Elliot, Sharaya J, Karen Clark-Sheard, Keke Wyatt, others

Incomparable is a very accurate description and adjective for the multiple Grammy Award winner.  Her latest album continues to show her exceptional vocal talents and gripping songwriting.  While it barely doesn't hold up to her last offering, Something About Faith, Faith Renee Evans still holds tons of weight on this album and more than worth the listens.



5.

FKA twigs- LP1
Producer: artist
Guests: N/A

English singer-songwriter FKA twigs delivered a somewhat spellbinding debut full-length that contains bits of mystery, yet a huge amount of intrigue.  Truthfully, the aura of this album is something refreshing and different.  This young lady is something to keep an eye on.

4.

Mali Music- Mali Is...
Production: artist
Guests: N/A

Mali Music entered the world of the mainstream with his KonVict Muzik debut, Mali Is..., and what an amazing debut.  The contemporary Gospel artist made a genre-free album that although inspirational, provided gripping pieces of personal heartbreaks and growing pains.  It's not hard to see why this album has been compared to Lauryn Hill's masterpiece The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill.

3.

Tank- Stronger
Production: Jerry "Wonda" Duplessis, artist, others
Guests: N/A

R&B's general is back with a MONSTER of a follow-up to his 2012 offering This Is How I Feel.  Complete with songs that contained live instrumentation as well as his powerful set of ballads, Tank continues to show why he's one of the most insane vocalists and stirring songwriters of our current time.  Let's hope the industry hasn't jaded him as he has stated and that he actually DOES put out another album.  This was his best solo album to date!



2.

Jhene Aiko- Souled Out
Production: No I.D., others
Guests: Common, Cocaine 80s

Jhene Aiko's debut, in a word, breathtaking!  In another word, flawless.  No I.D. presented us with his most defining production soundscape we've ever heard from within R&B.  This album reeked with pain, love, heartbreak, and redemption.  Arguably the most vulnerable album of the year.  Fellas, we don't look so good on this album, but this is less about male bashing and more about one guy that has hurt her badly and she expresses it in such poetic fashion.  There's a Grammy in her future.


1.

D'Angelo & The Vanguard- Black Messiah
Production: artist
Guests: N/A

DAMN!!!!  Fourteen years was the last time we heard from D'Angelo, but man was it worth the wait.  As good or possibly better than his last epic, Voodoo, Black Messiah presents anti-establishment, and provides social commentary the likes of which resembles timeless classic albums like Marvin Gaye's What's Goin' On.  This is a musical conundrum of funk, soul, and some bits of Prince-influence and Jimi Hendrix influence.  Vocally, he's as strong as ever and makes you forget he's been out of the limelight for fourteen years.   What a way to end the year with this modern day instant classic.





                                                                                                                                                                           
There have been some great albums to come out this year, and these were just some of them.  ALbums from Keke Wyatt, Chris Brown, Flying Lotus, Erica Campbell and others showed ferocity and true musicianship.  Let's keep the momentum going next year with albums from Jill Scott, Tyrese, Stevie Wonder, Carl Thomas, and more. Here are some honorable mentions for the year.

Prince-Art Official Age
His Royal Badness returned with edgier sound yet still unapologetically funky.

Chris Brown- X
The much awaited and oft delayed album from Breezy resulted in his finest album since Exclusive.

Pharrell- G.I.R.L.
He forced the world to get "Happy", but the rest of the album is just as infectious and catchy.  Pharrell had a sleeper on his hands.

SZA-Z
TDE's only R&B princess delivered a great montage of songs that introduces us to her slightly eccentric, yet fascinating, world

Michael Jackson- Xscape
This posthumous EP was met with mixed reviews, but regardless of how you feel about a couple of the music selections, you can't deny that it remains feel good to hear the King back over fresh production.  Love live the King.

Sam Smith- In The Lonely Hour
Vulnerable and emotional, this newcomer dominated the urban contemporary airwaves with "Stay With Me", but with this new album, he may the next in charge of blue-eyed soul

Erica Campbell- Help
One half of the famed Gospel duo, Mary Mary, delivered an album that even heathens could relate to and reflect upon. 

Tink- Winter's Diary 2
One word...NICE!!!

Mary J. Blige- The London Sessions
Now THIS is the MJB we've been wanting to hear for years.  She returned in incredible fashion with her best album in years.

Until next time folks, one love!!

Mixtape Of 2014: Best Hip-Hop Cuts of 2014

What's good peoples!  Last night I posted the top forty hip-hop albums of 2014, with quite a few honorable mentions.  Today, I'll be presenting a mixtape comprising of the best songs of the year.  There were several very notable cuts this year that not only made these songs great and enjoyable listens from a production standpoint, but also these cuts challenged the listener from, at times, thematic standpoints as well.  While the radio was plagued by the likes of Future (his Honest album was actually not bad, at least better than Pluto), Young Thug, Rich Homie Quan, K-Camp, and other cats, there were cuts that were exemplary of raw talent, intriguing writing, and ambitious production.  We will highlight these cuts today.

1. Locksmith- "Who I Am"
This underground battle rapper-turned-heralded emcee from the west brought us a very truthful and self-reflective album, A Thousand Cuts, and this track was a great example of much he exposes his soul to us.



2. Slaughterhouse- "Offshore"
Leave it to the House Gang to bring a brutally honest look into each other as emcees and friends, but also how jaded they are about the industry with true tales that continue to give you a look individually at the strengths and weaknesses of each rhymer.  Many have called this the sequal to their mixtape cut of 2012 "Truth Or Truth"


3.
Freddie Gibbs & Madlib- "Real"
We haven't had a good venomous diss in quite a while.  We haven't had the good slap-you-in-your-face-and-dare-you-to-do-something cut in years.  We very well may have gotten it from Gangsta Gibbs on this cut.  The first half, he's just showing his lyrical abilities, but the second half, Gibbs goes IN on former mentor, Jeezy.  Over dazzling production by Madliberator himself, this cut may very well be the climax of what I considered to be the best album of 2014, and an instant classic, Pinata.

4.
Logic- "Nikki"
Logic's Def Jam debut, Under Pressure, was one of the single best albums of the year hands down, and this very poignant ode to his addiction to nicotine was an amazing piece of work.


 5.
Run The Jewels- "Blockbuster Nite Pt. 1"
Killer Mike and El-P may very well be the most prodigious new duo in all of hip-hop.  Their self-titled debut was outstanding to say the least, but RTJ2 may have even trumped that.  Raucous, angry, and anti-establishment to the fullest, this cut is just one example of the blisters provided on this incredible piece of hip-hop and music as a whole.


6.
Big K.R.I.T.- "Mt. Olympus"
Unquestionably the strongest track to come out of the south all year.  This track was clearly a response to the "Control (remix)" of last year, when Kendrick basically called out all up-and-comers to step their game up.  K.R.I.T. showed up with his most lyrical cut to date over a melodic, yet explosive, beat.  Although this cut did not appear on the stellar Cadillactica (there was a remix on it but it doesn't quite measure up to this version), this was still one of the biggest monsters to appear this year and quite possibly his best track ever.


7.
Ab-Soul feat. Action Bronson and Aasad- "Stigmata"
An ominous beat, coupled with hard-hitting lyrics by Action and Soulo, made this These Days...' best track, and the promo video for the cut is very intriguing, but would still raise eyebrows for Christians who wouldn't see the symbolism of it all.


8.
Big K.R.I.T.- "King Of The South"
Earlier, we presented "Mt. Olympus", but this album cut is a strong contender for best cut off Cadillactica, plus you have to appreciate the boldness of the title.  If there was a "Mt. Olympus Pt. 2", this would be it.




9.

Kendrick Lamar- "I (Love Myself)"
Over a deliberate rip of The Isley Brothers "Lady", K-dot hammered home the need to appreciate one's self value through every trial and tribulation.  In this day and time, a cut like this is very needed.  This is the lead single to the as-yet-untitled sophomore Aftermath album coming in 2015.


10.

Eminem feat. Royce Da 5'9, Big Sean, Danny Brown, Dej loaf, and Trick Trick- "Detroit Vs. Everybody"
Man listen!  This was a posse cut for your ass!  Some of the D's best came together and BODIED the Statik Selektah track to the utmost.  Trick Trick later took the instrumental and put even more Detroit emcees on the track for a remix.  Even Big Sean brought his ass on this one!


11.

Apollo Brown & Ras Kass- "How To Kill God"
WAIT!!!!  Before you automatically start judging the track based off the title, do yourself a favor and LISTEN.  This track is filled with historical hypocricies of organized religion, plus he reveals what would actually "kill" God, based upon how we act in today's society.  Plus, the boom bap proved by Apollo Brown is just MONSTROUS!  If you think this cut is controversial, listen to the rest of Blasphemy.

12.

Drake- "0-100/The Come Up"
Shouts to Hit-Boy for this STUPID beat for Aubrey Graham to rip over.  Yeah, we've heard how this cut cause Diddy to blacken that eye of Drake's but whatever the case may be, Drizzy Hendrix was SPITTIN over this one, then brought it home with the close out track "The Come Up".


13.

Rapsody- "Godzilla"
Dear GAWD!!!!  This is emceeing right here y'all!  The NC native continues to show that she's more than capable of murdering tracks whenever she wants.  This unusually mundane 9th Wonder track was opportune for Rapsody to command the track and boy does she.  the close out track is just unreal!  "I'm like Godzilla, only God's illa".  Come on dude!!!


14.

Cyhi The Prince- "Basquiat"
Yes sir!!!  The ever familiar club instrumental got some funky 808s behind it plus some melody just set this cut off.  This G.O.O.D. Music upstart brought forth quite an amazing mixtape that mainly focused on black history and historical figures.  It's not too often we hear a ton about the famed deceased artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, but I'm sure glad we did.





15. LeCrae- "All I Need Is You"
The Texas native made a great dedication to his wife, and showed a true testament that it's okay to have long songs in hip-hop.  The Grammy Award-winning Christian hip-hop artist fearlessly, and without pride, expresses his deep love for his wife that even hard rocks could identify with, or at least would like to.




16.

Mindsone & Kev Brown- "Pillars"
If I had to give a most slept-on EP award to anyone, this team would definitely get nominated.  Lyricism is excellently exhibited throughout this cut, but mixed with the highly melodic boom bap in this piece and this is a complete winner.

17.

ScHoolboy Q- "Man Of The Year"
This was a big time hit for TDE's residential thinking thug.  In fact this was a big time album for ScHoolboy.  Infectious production was teamed with party-starting lyrics to make a huge hit for the TDE camp. 

19.

Common-"Rewind That"
One of Common's most personal, yet pretty creative, cuts, "Rewind That" has him rhyming over a melancholy beat from No I.D., whom he dedicates half of this cut to.  The other half is dedicated to longtime friend and hip-hop production legend, the late J Dilla.  Personal stories about both guys keep you intrigued, as well as the concept.  The most standout track from his exceptional Nobody's Smiling.




20.

J. Cole-"Love Yourz"
To close out this mixtape of 2014, Jermaine Cole brought us his best work to date with his third offering, 2014 Forest Hills Drive.  Definitely his most coming of age album, he closes off his own album with a reflective cut reminding people to appreciate those close to them over a very nicely put together track by Cole.




Trust me, there were a lot more tracks that should've been on this list, but these cuts stood out the most to me, and showed that hip-hop, in fact, isn't dead at all.  As I tell people, you just have to know where to look.  Until next time folks, enjoy the rest of 2014!  I'll leave you with one more treat, a superb joint from veteran Brooklyn emcee J-Live, called "I Am A Man", which was recorded in the wake of the Michael Brown case.  Touching stuff.  Peace!

The Best Hip-Hop of 2014

Welcome folks!  It's been a good minute since I updated my hip-hop blog due to various reasons (both personal and professional), however this new addition to my hip-hop section today will be well worth the wait, and the debate.  So let's begin!

This has been an OUTSTANDING year for hip-hop.  I'm definitely not talking about that watered down garbage being forced down the ears of listeners nationwide due to shady radio handlings with labels and such.  I'm talking about that hip-hop that radio won't allow you to listen to because of how "inaccessible" these acts and their albums are.  Truthfully there hasn't been a year this consistently good since 2009, and we've had some damn good ones since then as well.  From the beginning of the year when The Alchemist and Evidence came together to become Step Brothers and dropped their stellar debut, Lord Steppington, to today when J. Cole dropped his AMAZING third effort, 2014 Forest Hills Drive, this has been a year that actually greatly continued the momentum last year brought when Nas, Rapsody, Black Milk, Slaughterhouse, and Gangrene dropped tremendous rotators for albums.  While we were disappointed that albums from Joey Bada$$, Kendrick Lamar, Ludacris, Scarface, and Lupe Fiasco didn't drop this year, please be aware that they're on deck for 2015, with albums also from Nas, Sean Price, Slaughterhouse, another posthumous album from Dilla, Drake (hopefully without the black eye), and the epic collab album between Premo and Pete Rock (WHOA!).  However, right now I'm going to concentrate on the top forty albums of the year.  Normally I do twenty-five albums, but it was just that hard to compress twenty-five albums.  They were all that good.  With that being said, let's begin.

40. Cormega- Mega Philosophy
Production: Large Professor
Guests: Styles P, Nature, Redman, AZ, Raekwon, Black Rob

This Cormega's long-awaited return to the game, and he brought long time revered producer, Large Professor, with him to this album.  We saw a less gangsta, more grown-up, introspective Corey on this release, and this definitely delivered.

39. Various Artists- 9th Wonder Presents Jamla Is The Squad
Production: The Soul Council
Guests: Talib Kweli, Lecrae, Masta Killa, Elzhi, Phonte,Jadakiss, Blu, BJ The Chicago Kid, Pete Rock, others

9th Wonder has brought together a big group of talented artists under his umbrella and hooked them up with some more notable guests and the results are overall great.  The Soul Council (9th, Khrysis, Eric G., E. Jones, Kash, among a few others, as well as Nottz) provides some sonically blistering delights all over here.  Rapsody's "Betty Shabazz" is just one of the year's most lyrically stellar cuts, period (hint: this isn't the last time I mention Rapsody).

38. 50 Cent- Animal Ambition
Production: Dr. Dre, Jake One, Swiff D, Ty Fiffe, others
Guests: Prodigy, Jadakiss, Styles P, Kidd Kidd, Trey Songz, Yo Gotti

Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson has finally re-emerged with perhaps his best wall-to-wall album since The Massacre.  Many may scoff that content wise he's still the same 50 as we've seen.  This is true.  However, if flashes of 50 circa 1999-2001, this is your album.

37. M.O.P.- Street Certified (EP)
Production: Fizzy Womack
Guests: Busta Rhymes, Mobb Deep

FIYAH!!!!!!!  Great to see the return of the Mashed Out Posse (or Monkeys On Parole, whichever sounds better to you, or to them for that matter).  One of hip-hop's most consistent, and in-your-face, duos ever, return with an EP that will precede their tenth full-length album coming next year (word has it Premo will be the sole producer of the album *shivers*).  This is classic M.O.P. and contains much of the same ruggedness that we've been used to for over a decade.  The track "Broad Daylight" with a rather menacing Busta Rhymes holds the crown on this one.

36. Cunninlynguists- Strange Journey Vol. 3
Production: Kno
Guests: Masta Ace, Blu, J-Live, Murs, Del The Funkee Homosapien, Aesop Rock, Apathy, Celph Titled, others

One of hip-hop's most slept-on and unappreciated acts returns with the third edition of their Strange Journey mixtape series.  Kno, as usual, brings his highly eerie yet melodic production to this one.  This album contains tons of guests, plus this doesn't completely measure up to recent albums like Dirty Acres, the astonishing A Piece Of Strange, and the recent Oneirology, but they do manage to provide a breath of fresh air in terms of originality and a spacey concept.

35. Various Artists- Eminem Presents Shady XV
Production: Eminem, DJ Premier, Statik Selektah, Boi-1nda, Just Blaze
Guests: N/A

Em and the boys of Shady celebrate their fifteenth anniversary of the label and present a compilation of precision.  While the second disc contains Shady classics, the first disc is an excellent example of the talent in Shadyville.  Obviously Em steals the show, but he allows Slaughterhouse, Skylar Grey, and Yelawolf to get lots of shine themselves and the results are overall spectacular.

34.Vince Staples- Hell Can Wait (EP)
Production: Hagler, No I.D., others
Guests: Teyana Taylor

Cali's next to blow, Vince Staples, delivered his debut EP to much critical acclaim.  The atmosphere was one of anticipation after great guest spots on albums from Earl Sweatshirt and Common.  This EP didn't disappoint, but you do wish this was more than an EP.  Raw talent + No I.D. production = Two thumbs up, way up!

33. Dag Savage (Johaz & Exile)- E&J
Production: Exile
Guests: Fashawn, Blu, Ras Kass, Choosey, Co$$, others

Exile remains as one of hip-hop most incredible underground producers, although he's done work in the past with Mobb Deep ("Pearly Gates"), but most notably he's worked with new Mass Appeal (Nas' indie label) signee, Fashawn.  While we wait with heavy anticipation for Fashawn's sophomore album, The Ecology (which will be exclusively handled by Ex), we got presented with a rather potent album by he and fellow Cali native Johaz as Dag Savage.  Simply put folks, Ex's very engaging production combined with Johaz' sharp skill equates into a winner.

32. Black Milk- Glitches In The Break (EP)
Production: artist
Guest: Fat Ray

This was the first of two projects from the heir apparent to Dilla outta the D.  This was an EP, but a very strong EP at that.  This EP was reminiscent of Popular Demand, only within eight tracks.  This is not the last you'll see of Milk in this list, but this is a pretty decent start.  The track "Dirt Bells"...man listen!

31. Skyzoo & Torae- Barrel Brothers
Production: !llmind, DJ Premier, Oh No, Jahlil Beats, Khrysis, Black Milk, Apollo Brown, others
Guests: Random Axe, Sha Stimuli, Blu

This album has been awaited for a few years, and now it's here.  Boy was it worth the wait.  Anytime, Sky and Torae get together, you can sense a hell of a tandem, and on their debut, they prove themselves worthy of the next generation of formidable duos in hip-hop much like Run The Jewels and The Underachievers.  Truly bananas production only puts the cherry on top of the sundae that is lyrical tag teaming that would make EPMD applaud them.  This is NYC at its essence.

30. Statik Selektah- What Goes Around
Production: artist
Guests: Heltah Skeltah, Royce Da 5'9, Black Thought, Styles P, Kool Keith, Bun B, Logic, Pro Era, Crooked I, Pharoahe Monch, Sheek Louch, Astro, Action Bronson, Posdnous, Lil' Fame, others

Statik Selektah has become one of hip-hop's most in-demand producers, and has also crafted his best album to date.  This Boston DJ, who has collaborated with the likes of Termanology, Bumpy Knuckles, Freddie Gibbs, and many others, brought the elite of hip-hop together over relatively jazz-esque sampled production and nobody, I repeat NOBODY, brought anything sub-par.  Plus, how good was it to have Rock and Ruck (Sean Price) back together for a track?!

29. Bishop Nehru & MF DOOM- NehruvianDOOM
Production: MF DOOM
Guests: N/A

It's about damn time we got DOOM back on the mic, much less crafting behind the boards.  He brought with him young NYC upstart, and Mass Appeal signee, Bishop Nehru.  Oft-times compared to fellow NYC youngster Joey Bada$$, he clearly tries to establish a path all his own alongside his elder mentor.  The result: a promising album from one to watch in the very near future.

28. The Roots- And Then You Shoot Your Cousin...
Production: artist
Guests: Raheem Devaughn, Patti Crash, others

Come on folks, it's the legendary Roots crew.  Need I say more?  Continuing their themes of suffering, poverty, and the decaying of the American dream, this album may not be quite as cohesive as say their amazing How I Got Over or their truly breathtaking classic Illadelph Halflife Vol. 3, this album will still grip you from the time you push play.

27. Mellow Music Group- Mandala Vol. 2, Today's Mathematics
Production: Apollo Brown, Has-Lo, Oddisee, others
Guests: Murs, Wise Intelligent, Rapper Big Pooh, Blacastan, Ugly Heroez, others

Mello Music Group is an indie label based out of Arizona, and their acts that include Open Mike Eagle, Quelle Chris, Ugly Heroez, Has-Lo and Castle are without question dope artists.  The second half of their Mandala double album is more production heavy than the first half, but that's not saying the lyrics are below average by any means.  This is a label with a ton of promise, and trust me, there's enough talent to make noise.

26. The Underachievers- The Cellar Door: Terminus Et Exordium
Producers: Supreme, Statik Selektah, others
Guests: N/A

Brooklyn natives The Underachievers brought a fresh new ethereal sound with down south 808s on their highly heralded mixtape/free album Indigoism.  This is their debut full-length album, and it definitely holds up.  This album is dark, and focuses on much of the same themes as Indigoism does, however Issa Gold and AK makes their impression more accessible without bastardizing what brought them to the dance in the first place.

25. Pharoahe Monch- P.T.S.D.
Producers: Quell Chris, artist, Lee Stone, Marco Polo, others
Guests: Talib Kweli, Black Thought, The Step Kids

We're all familiar with the lyrical legend that is Pharoahe.  However, we've been wanting that subsequent superior album like his debut, Internal Affairs.  While Desire and W.A.R. were both fairly good albums, we've been missing that oomph from him.  Conceptually, lyrically, and in terms of storytelling, Monche is among the top five emcees in the game.  With P.T.S.D., he continues the theme of W.A.R. and shows the after effects of the W.A.R. if you will.  The results are great overall music, but it's really Monch himself that shines above everything.

24. Mello Music Group- Mandala Vol. 1, Polysonic Flows
Producers: Apollo Brown, Oddissee, Has-Lo, Audible Doctor, others
Guests: Denmark Vessy, L'Orange, Quelle Chris, Mr. Lif, yU, Open Mike Eagle, Oddisee, Has-Lo, others

This is the first half of the Mandala double album, and this is a lyrical ambiance. We see future potential stars like Open Mike Eagle and Castle and the production on this half is hypnotic and among the best in all of hip-hop all year.

23. Mobb Deep- The Infamous Mobb Deep
Production: Havoc, The Alchemist, !llmind, Boi-1nda, others
Guests: The Lox, Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes, French Montana, Nas, Bun B, Juicy J

Twenty years ago, hip-hop was declared "shook" by some troublesome nineteen year olds from Queensbridge, and they dropped one of hip-hop's most incredible, albeit very dark and menacing, albums ever in The Infamous.  They pay homage to that album by calling this one The Infamous Mobb Deep, and although the new cuts on this double album don't quite bring the same chills that the debut did, they do recapture the magic that made them one of the game's most "infamous" duos.  The second disc contains demos and B-sides that make you greatly miss the early 90s, but if you've never peeped "Shook Ones Pt. 1", you're in luck.  Best album from them in years!

22. Ka & Preservation- 1200 B.C. (EP)
Production: Preservation
Guests: Roc Marciano

Last year, Ka dropped one of the year's best albums in The Knight's Gambit.  It was murky, dark, and you felt the dampness of NYC streets.  This EP doesn't stray far at all, in fact these are some damn compelling six tracks.  While I'm waiting for Roc & Ka's Metal Clergy collab album, I could use another album from these two as well.

21. ScHoolboy Q- Oxymoron
Production: The Alchemist, Digi-Phonics, Pharrell
Guests: BJ The Chicago Kid, Jay Rock, Kendrick Lamar, 2 Chainz, Raekwon, Tyler The Creator, Kurupt

What a year for Schoolboy Q.  He definitely made a mainstream impact this year, especially on the radio.  The album reflected much of his prior album Habits & Contradictions, only with more accessibility.  I don't care how much you despise the radio, you can't deny the production of "Man Of The Year" and the bounce of "Collard Greens", but other bangers like "Hoover Street" and the title track solidified this album.

20. Your Old Droog- Your Old Droog
Production: DJ Driz
Guests: N/A

Shooting down conspiracy theories of this cat being Nas under a new moniker, people could still see how he could he could be compared to the iconic emcee, if not by voice alone.  His debut is intriguing and definitely deserves some much warranted attention.  Stop sleeping!

19. Rapsody- Beauty & The Beast (EP)
Production: The Soul Council
Guests: N/A

Many regard her as the best female emcee in the game right now.  She states she's the best in the game, period.  Either way, she very well may be the best regardless of man or woman.  Last year, she dropped the extremely dope She Got Game, and this year she extends her impressive catalog with this formidable EP.  Her track "Godzilla" is just lyrics personified.

18. Step Brothers (The Alchemist & Evidence)- Lord Steppington
Production: artist
Guests: Domo Genesis, Fashawn, Rakaa Iriscience, Gangrene,  Action Bronson, Roc Marciano, Blu, Styles P

80s pop culture references galore, this long-awaited collab between two of the best producers from the west coast (not to mention longtime friends) was every bit as hot as it was expected to be.  While the majority of the album was done by Allan The Chemist, the track Ev did, "Byron G" is arguably the most thunderous cut on the album.  While not breaking any new ground lyrically, the album makes up for it with outstanding production from head to toe.

17. Joe Budden- Some Love Lost (EP)
Production: Karon Graham, 8 Bars, others
Guests: Emanny

As one quarter of the most lyrically feared supergroup in the game Slaughterhouse, we're used to hearing Budden ripping mics apart, but on this EP, which will serve as a pre-cursor to his 2015 release All Love Lost, he bares his soul in ways we haven't heard him before.  While one of hip-hop's most honest emcees already, Budden goes another few miles discussing his addictions and failed relationships with complete sincerity.  Wish there were more cuts to this tremendous EP.

16. Isaiah Rashad- Cilvia Demo
Production: Digi-Phonics
Guests: Schoolboy Q, Jay Rock, SZA

Wow!!  This was arguably the dopest southern debut to come out this year, in fact in the past few (sans Big K.R.I.T.).  This TDE representative has been called a "southern Kendrick Lamar", and with most of the cuts on this incredible album, it's not hard to see why.  Although it doesn't contain a ton of depth, it more than makes up for it with prodigious talent and some of the best production this year.

15. De La Soul- Smell The D.A.I.S.Y. (mixtape/free album)
Production: J Dilla
Guests: Redman

De La + Dilla = SUPERB!!!  Nothing more to say!

14. Slaughterhouse- House Rules (mixtape/free album)
Production: Jahlil Beats, !llmind, Just Blaze, ARAABMUZIK, Nottz, The Heatmakerz, Harry Fraud
Guests: N/A

If this is ANY indication of what to expect from their 2015 album, Glass House, they will be one of the acts that will OWN 2015.  This mixtape makes you damn near forget about their good yet underwhelming Shady debut Welcome 2 Our House.

13. Black Milk- If There's A Hell Below...
Production: artist
Guests: Bun B, Random Axe, Pete Rock, others

Earlier we gave acclaim to his Glitches EP, but this album is nothing short of fire (hence the Hell Below title I guess).  Last year, he dropped the vivid conceptual album No Poison, No Paradise, and this picks right up from there in all respects.  Lyrically, he continues to slowly improve, but it's his continuously stellar production that continues to make Black Milk a worthy heir to Dilla's throne.

12. Mindsone & Kev Brown- Pillars EP
Production: Kev Brown
Guests: N/A

Admittedly, I wasn't too much up on this west coast duo of Mindsone, but I had heard of MC/Producer/DJ Kev Brown, as he was a student of DJ Jazzy Jeff.  This collab is straight lyrical and is no filler and contains no lightweight material.  Meanwhile the production Brown provides is classic, melodic boom bap that will make you a fan of his if you've never heard work from him before.

11. Dilated Peoples- Directors Of Photography
Production: Evidence, Babu, The Alchemist, 9th Wonder, DJ Premier, Oh No, Jake One, Diamond D
Guests: Vince Staples, Krondon, Sick Jacken, Aloe Blacc, Defari, Gangrene

What an outstanding return by team Dilated.  With each member putting out solo albums, it was only a matter of time before the reunion took place.  This is clearly the best album they've done since their exceptional sophomore album, Expansion Team. As a whole, they sound as fresh as they did when they debuted in 2000.

10. Damani Nkosi- Thoughtful King
Production: Warren Campbell, others
Guests: PJ Morton, Musiq Soulchild, Robert Glasper Jr.

I'll admit and say I slept on this Cali vet, who apparently has collaborated with the likes of Snoop before.  This album is the most laid-back, melodic, sincere album to hit in 2014.  This is strictly grown folk hip-hop, and quite frankly this is the single most REFRESHING hip-hop album this entire year.  Did I mention this contains little to no cussing in here??

9. J. Cole- 2014 Forest Hills Drive
Production: artist, !llmind, Cardiak, others
Guests: N/A

Disillusioned with the subsequent buffoonery mainstream/commercial hip-hop has seemingly become, Jermaine Cole went back to his roots and went back to his home of Fayetteville to remind himself of who he is and where he came from.  Even with no marketing, advertising, or lead single, Cole has presented the best best, and most cohesive, album to date of his career.

8. Run The Jewels- RTJ2
Production: El-P
Guests: Zach De La Rocha, Travis Barker, Gangsta Boo

If it was even possible to outdo their nearly flawless debut self titled album, Killer Mike & El-P may have surpassed even that phenomenal piece of work.  With RTJ2, this even more urgent.  This is even more paranoid.  This is even more anti-establishment.  It's very possible I should've ranked this higher, but this folks is a true CLASSIC!!!!!

7. Cyhi The Prince- Black Hystori Project (mixtape/free album)
Production:Tec Beatz, others
Guests:Jon Connor, Milah Brown, others

This G.O.O.D. Music, Konvict Music artist was best known on the Cruel Summer album, but man oh man did he shine on his mixtape/free album, that places great emphasis on Black history and historical figures.  The production is completely enthralling, but it's relatively understated compared to the raw, exceptional talent that is the man born Cydal Young.  BTW, did I mention Mr. West executive produced this?

6. Apollo Brown & Ras Kass- Blasphemy
Production: Apollo Brown
Guests: Sean Price, Sick Jacken, Slaine, Bishop Lamont, Royce Da 5'9, Xzibit

While it may very well be the most controversial hip-hop release of 2014, this is also among the most standout as well.  Apollo continues to show why he's quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with on the boards, while Ras continues to prove why he's one of the most stellar lyrical emcees of all-time.  If you peeped Ras' infamous "Nature Of The Threat" and you were taken aback and offended, trust me, this album isn't for you.

5. Common- Nobody's Smiling
Production: No I.D.
Guests: Lil' Herb, Jhene Aiko, Elijah Blake, Vince Staples, Jay Electronica, Drezzy, Snoh Allegra, Big Sean, Malik Yusef

Com reunited with his longtime collaborator No I.D. to construct a very socially conscious, bleak record documenting the hells of his native Chi-town.  Darker than most of his usual stuff, brother Com was seeking salvation and answers to the problems plaguing his city, resulting in his best body of work since his landmark classic, BE.

4. Logic- Under Pressure
Production: artist, 6ix, Dun Deal, others
Guests: N/A

After generating enough buzz from his Young Sinatra mixtape series, he released his Def Jam debut, and to be perfectly honest, this is highly comparable to 2012's most prized possession, good kid, M.A.A.D. City.  Consistent and engaging production is thrown a back seat compared to Logic's occasional rapid fire, double time rhymes, but also his sense of vulnerability and his unapologetic sincerity.  The track "Nikki" is one of the year's most compelling cuts.  Hell of a debut.

3. Big K.R.I.T.- Cadillactica
Production: artist, Jim Jonsin, Terrace Martin, DJ Khalil, Raphael Saadiq, others
Guests: Raphael Saadiq, Rico love, Bun B, Devin The Dude, Jamie N Commons, Lupe Fiasco, E-40, Wiz Khalifa, others

K.R.I.T. dropped his Def Jam sophomore album with much hype and anticipation.  The result: his best body of work to date, and that's saying knowing just how consistent and outstanding the rest of his work is, including his heralded Def Jam debut, Live From The Underground.  Conceptual, soulful, consistent, and highly engaging, this album is damn near flawless.

2. PRhyme- PRhyme
Production: DJ Premier
Guests: Schoolboy Q, Ab-Soul, Slaughterhouse, Mac Miller, Killer Mike, Common, Jay Electronica, Dwele

This new version of Gangstarr (R.I.P. Guru) is just what hip-hop ordered.  This is hip-hop tour de force.  Royce brought his A-game as usual, maybe even with some extra animal.  Premo, well what can you say it's Premo.  As for the unofficial third member of this ensemble, Adrien Younge, he proivided the samples for Preme to use for the album.  The only complaint about this impeccable album: it's only an EP.

1. Freddie Gibbs & Madlib- Pinata
Production: Madlib
Guests: Scarface, Raekwon, Earl Sweatshirt, Domo Genesis, Ab-Soul, Danny Brown, Mac Miller, Casey veggies, others

This was the best album, not just in 2014, but in the career of Gangsta Gibbs, no question about it.  This album served as a new benchmark, not just for Gibbs but for the ever eccentric Madlib as well.  While this may not be the genre-changing flawless classic Madvillainy was, this can arguably be considered as Madvillain's gangsta cousin.  Madlib's sinister, yet highly melodic, production was meshed effortlessly with Gibbs straight in-your-face delivery. If you were fortunate to conceive the brilliance that Madvillainy was, you'll roughly get that same feeling, only with more brutal realism and vivid storytelling.  If not for anything else, his venomous diss towards his one time mentor Jeezy, "Real" could easily be among the top diss records in recent memory.  This album has been compared, at its highest, to another exceptional classic in hip-hop, Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... and rightfully so. This album truly deserves the title CLASSIC.

Honorable Mentions:

Flying Lotus- You're Dead!
The producer's most experimental, yet most accessible, album to date with great results

Childish Gambino- STN MTN/Kauai
Catchy, R&B-flavored mixtape/EP from Mr. Glover that continues to expound his overall well-rounded talent.  Not a bad follow up to Because The Internet

Ray West & O.C.- Ray's Cafe
Veteran D.I.T.C. member collabs with a production upstart and the album is filled with laid-back, ol school-tinged production.

Ghostface Killah- 36 Seasons
The dude Starks is back with yet another incredible conceptual album, backed with The Revelations.  Although it falls short of other stellar moments in his discography like Ironman, Supreme Clientele, Fishscales, and the more recent Twelve Reasons To Die, it still shows GFK as one of the game's best storytellers.

Lecrae- Anomaly
The Grammy-award winning Christian hip-hop artist dropped another sonically pleasing album filled with references of God, love, and how rappers nowadays need to grow up.  Is "All I Need Is You" the new hip-hop love song anthem?

Diamond District- March On Washington
Fairly decent follow-up to their exceptional debut, In The Ruff.  More accessible, yet the boom bap never disappeared.  Not to mention, this Mello Music trio has rhymes galore.

Buckshot & P-Money- Backpack Travels
Always good to see Buck on a track, and this new collab with the Australian producer is a throwback to mid-90s hip-hop and it works well.

Wu-Tang Clan- A Better Tomorrow
Regardless whether or not this may the final album for hip-hop's divine nine, this is a nice step up from their half hearted 8 Diagrams in 2009.

Jeezy- Seen It All: The Autobiography
Still sounding as hungry as he did when he made his debut in the early millennium,  this is yet another heatmaker from the "snowman".

YG- My Krazy Life
Attempting to make "Toot It & Boot It" a memory, he resurfaced with a west coast knocker that brought some polish back to the gangsta scene out there.  You can also thank DJ Mustard for constructing the new movement out there as well.

Locksmith- A Thousand Cuts
This young underground cat's newest project is among the personal and truthful albums you'll hear all year.  Much like Has-Lo's In Case I Don't Make It, you'll FEEL every bit of this release.

Mick Jenkins- The Water(s)
The young Chi-town upstart created an interesting, yet promising, album to show he's among the next to blow from the Chi

Open Mike Eagle- Dark Comedy
Unorthodox, yet strategic, debut from this Cali upstart.

Stalley- Ohio
Raw and unbridled, there was bubbling anticipation for this Maybach artist, and it met the hype

Azaelia Banks- Broke With Expensive Taste
She made a habit of speaking her mind and garnering some enemies via Twitter, but her debut is definitely full of potential

Atmosphere- Southsiders
Slug and Ant are among the underground's most heralded acts, and albums like this continues to show why.  Although it's no God Loves Ugly, it's still a big time project for these two that shouldn't be ignored.

Blu- Good To Be Home
This son of a preacher man from Cali brought it back home with a double album full of goodies, although it lacks the substance and cohesiveness of Below the Heavens or Her Favorite Colo(u)r.

Ab-Soul- These Days...
TDE's deep thinking stoner crafted a more commercial follow-up to his outstanding release Control System.  Hell, he had me with the video trailer for the album.  Dope, but a slight letdown considering we've seen him do lots better.

Kid Cudi- Satellite Flight: The Journey To Mother Moon
Always eccentric and different from Scott Miscudi, but always worth a listen.  This is no different.

Tragedy Khadafi- Pre-Magnum Opus
What else do you expect, it's the Intelligent Hoodlum for God's sake!

Remy Ma- I'm Around
We celebrate Remy's return to freedom with a mixtape worthy of her maintaining her status as a 'Murda Mami'.

Joell Ortiz- House Slippers
One quarter of Slaughterhouse dropped his most personal album yet complete with searing production from the likes of !llmind and The Heatmakerz.  You must be sure and peep "Say Yes", which is considered one of the realest songs you'll hear this entire year.

Hasaan Mackey & Kev Brown- That Grit
Low Budget Crew member out of Rochester, NY native connects with the aforementioned Kev Brown for an impressive outing of tracks that shows the undenyable talents of Mr. Mackey.  Cuts like "War" and "Simone Louder" are especially knocking.   If no frills, boom-bap hip-hop is what you want, don't snooze on this one any longer.


As you can see, this was a superb year for hip-hop and I don't know about you but I'm ready for 2015 already.  Stay tuned later for my mixtape of 2014.  For now, peep these albums on this list.  Just because there were albums that didn't make it onto the top 40 didn't mean they weren't dope, thus the honorable mentions.  If you feel your album didn't make the cut or should've been on one of the two lists, definitely let me know and we'll discuss it.  Here's to an awesome year in hip-hop!  Until next time folks!

Indies Vs. Majors

What's going on cats??  Hope everyone enjoyed their weekend so that you all could come back to see my written mind presented and viewed for you.  This week's post deals with a big discussion within, not just the hip-hop industry, but the music industry as a whole.  Yesterday, there was a report that came out that stated that, for the first time in recent memory, if not ever, there was an entire year where there were no platinum releases.  NONE.  ZERO.  That, to me, was a sign of the industry times.  Last year, Beyonce closed out 2013 with her very strategically placed digital self-titled album, and shortly after released the physical copy.  That was the last big album to hit over one million units.  Let's face facts: unless you're Mrs. Knowles-Carter, Mr. Carter, Drake, Taylor Swift, and maybe the other Mr. Carter (Weezy), there's not a great chance of an artist hitting the once heavily desired platinum status.  Nowadays, and how it's been over the past several years, artists are now fortunate to get a Gold plaque.

Major labels were huge cash cows for artists.  In many cases, they still are.  However, the days of wanting and needing to depend on a major are subsequently over.  It was almost considered nearly talentless if an artist didn't have a major label that they signed with, or at least signed to a label with no distribution deal with a major like Def Jam, Interscope, Sony, or Priority.  Most of the time, especially in the ever lucrative nineties, if you were signed to a major or had a distribution deal with a major, you were quicker to go gold or platinum than say someone who was signed to Koch or Landspeed, who were both indie distributors.

Let's go over the differences between the indie route and the major route.  There's absolutely no doubt that being signed to a major will get an artist out to the masses a lot more.  Everything from promotion to marketing and bigger contracts automatically draws people to go this direction.  Radio and music videos (which are almost becoming relegated to channels like Youtube or MTV2) are pretty much promised, and with high end budgets, an artist is able to acquire top notched producers, music video directors, and tours.  The bottom line: tons of exposure.

As far as the indie route, it's just that: independent.  Pretty much everything comes out of your pocket.  From video shoots to producers and guests on your album.  You're responsible for your own promotion, marketing, and exposure.  The question gets asked, "How do indie artists make money?"  The answer comes the same way major artists have to make money: touring and appearances.  It's a lot quicker to recoup the half a million dollar advance the majors give you than say an indie distributor will.  However, with today's marketing, it's not quite as hard anymore with avenues like Youtube, Vimeo, Soundcloud, and other ways to get your craft out for the world to experience.

Most people would generally think that indie artists don't become millionaires or don't see the plush lifestyle those in the majors do.  That's not always the case.  Case in point: Tech N9ne.  The Kansas City native has been an indie artist and head of his own label, Strange Music, for over twenty years and has been on the Forbes List over the last couple of years.  Reportedly other artists such as Cormega and Sean Price have been said to have accumulated over a milli over the years as well.  Let's also face it, there's far less hassle.  Between fees all over the place due to the advance the majors give you, it's not hard to go nearly broke owing everyone such as engineers, guests artists, estates for sample clearances, lawyer fees, and many others.  With that being said, indies obviously have less of a problem with that situation.

There's another taboo about the majors that has caused many people to not even look in the direction of them, and that's artist and repertoire development.  A long noted, underground, behind closed doors secret within the record industry is that a lot of label heads or A&R reps "develop" artists, as in wanting them to sometimes compromise their craft for the purpose of selling units.  Basically, these people prefer artists to be more like actors and actresses more so than being themselves and creating the music that is more dear to their hearts.  With majors, you answer to a lot of different bosses.  Going the indie route, you're the boss, or even if you're signed to a distribution deal to more lesser known companies such as E1 (the former Koch Records), there's not an extensive amount of red tape.  

The many artists that have switched from majors to indies has hit staggering numbers.  Artists such as Joe Budden (even though he's signed to Shady/Aftermath in a group deal with his fellow Slaughterhouse members Royce Da 5'9, Crooked I, and Joell Ortiz), Mobb Deep, Scarface, and most recently The Game have all made enough money in the majors to answer to themselves and become their own bosses and determine their own sound.  That's not to say that all major labels and A&R reps go the way of wanting a certain "feel" with their artists, but it's been widely said that this occurs the majority of the time.  Let's take two examples:  if anyone remembers the video for Dr. Dre's "Dre Day", the very beginning of the video has a fake Jerry Heller (the controversial former manager of N.W.A.) and a fake Eazy-E (played by hilarious comedian A.J. Johnson) has Heller going over how Eazy was going to get marketed and was going to pretty much exploit him so that Eazy could get rich.  There's also the cut "Gun Clapp" by Boot Camp Click's three-headed monster OGC.  This was a perfectly illustrated example of how A&R's want an artist to have a certain "look" and "feel" and, once again, it's for exploitation purposes.  This cut, in my opinion, was a staggering statement made from a group who's click was all a part of indie label Duck Down Records, but had a distribution deal with Priority (let me just say that their album, Da Storm, is among the most hard-hitting and slept-on releases of the entire nineties and still remains as my favorite album to ever come from the BCC camp).

Artists are now starting to get that making lots of money and getting tons of fame and notoriety isn't worth sacrificing who you are, nor your craft.  It's refreshing to see more artists not succumbing to the dumbing down of their talent to obtain more attention, in spite of wanting to gain more audiences.  To all my indie artists, keep grinding.  It's a harder route that will require more work, but it will all be worth it, plus in most cases you'll get back what you put into it, maybe even more.  With the majors, Spearhead stated in the sorely under-appreciated hip-hop documentary "Rhyme Or Reason" that "Majors were like big corporate banks, and these banks give you loans called advances that you must pay back with phat interest."  With all this being said, majors will get you fame, fortune, and notoriety, but will it be worth selling out your craft?

That's all for now kiddies.  As usual, I'll leave you with the hottest cuts of the week, at least thus far.  The first will be from west coast underground fave Choosey.  His debut album, Left Field, was just released this past Tuesday and it's very dope.  On the track "Fly Me To The Moon", he and producer Exile (trust me, this cat will be in your top five faves if you've never heard his work before) construct this EPIC production underneath some mellow and laid-back bars.  The next cut comes from the aforementioned Joe Budden.  He's dropping his forthcoming album, Some Love Lost, in November and I have to be honest with you, this sounds damn good.  For the most part, Joey has sounded a lot more introspective, but also a lot more hungry over the past few years since he left Def Jam.  This track is the first single from the album "Ordinary Love Shit Pt. 4 (Running Away)".  This is a seemingly heartfelt, yet intermittently venomous, stab at whom we can highly imagine being former on and off flame, model and Love & Hip-Hop star Tahiry.  It's always refreshing to hear an emcee wear his heart on his sleeve in this overtly macho, fake ass thugging going on, and I have a feeling Tahiry will have a lot to say about this...or maybe not.  Only time will tell.  Next week will be a monster day of releases, as Ras Kass & Apollo Brown will drop their highly anticipated collar album, Blasphemy.  Run The Jewels (the incredible duo of El-P and Killer Mike) will drop the sequel to their phenomenal self-titled debut, RTJ2, and finally Black Milk will release his fifth album, If There's A Hell Below.  After checking out the stream, this may very well be his best album to date.  This is an incredible album.  Check you guys and gals out next week.

Hip-Hop Awards: We Still Have A Lot Of Work To Do

What's happening folks?!  Welcome back to another entry concerning the world of hip-hop.  Let's get right to it, shall we?  Last night was the BET Hip-Hop Awards of 2014.  Typically, when I hear about an upcoming presentation of the Hip-Hop Awards, I tend to roll my eyes because BET's version of what "hip-hop" is, consists of what's popular with the 106 & Park audience (is that show still on anymore?).  For this generation of listeners, people like Ty Dolla $ign, Rich Homie Quan, Migos, and the cringe-worthy Young Thug are the spokesmen for the new school of rap.  My feelings have been widely known about the subject.  However, I do tune in for one reason most purists tune in for: the cyphers.  Before I get into the cyphers, let's get into the high moments, as well as the low moments.  First the low moments so I can get them out the way.

ANY performance by Young Thug, to me, screams total and blatant ratchetness.  Naturally, when the Rich Gang members get on stage (Thug, Quan, and Birdman), I'm shaking my head ready for the next segment.  The next low moment was Bobby Shmurda.  How in the hell do these NYC cats continue to sound like they're from the South?  How long is this going to keep happening?  The song is wack but the "Shmoney" dance is even worse.  They brought a chunky lil dude on stage that I've been told is named Terrio who tore that dance up, but still the dance is just wrong.  It's cats like him and Troy Ave that aren't really bring NY back to prominence in any way.  Also the T.I. and Young Thug performance of "All About The Money" was very basic and plain, complete with shooting fire in the back.  I've seen better on stage vigor from Tip.

Now I'll mention the high moments.  Without question there were two particularly poignant moments.  The first was the exhilarating performance of Common's standout cut from his excellent Nobody's Smiling album "Kingdom".  He had a choir in the back, in which a choir is featured in the production of the song in the first place, but his cohort of the song, Vince Staples, showed that he's among the future of hip-hop that we can actually LIKE.  However, he also brought on stage the enigmatic, yet highly anticipated, Jay Electronica.  He added a verse that only be described as crazy (Jay, enough already, we need Act II: Patents Of Nobility.  Please make that happen in 2015).  The biggest moment of the performance occurred near the very end, when the parents of Michael Brown walked on stage (Mr. Brown was looking too old to be dressed how he was dressed however).  It was a moving moment to see them, as Mrs. Brown was still noticeably and understandably shaken by her sons death over the summer.  They, along with Common, Jay, Vince, the choir, and even the audience had their hands up in the "hands up, don't shoot" stance, while having a moment of silence.  Powerful stuff.

The next big moment happened when Doug E. Fresh was presented with their Lifetime Achievement Award.  Doug E. Fresh was very, very big in my upbringing as a young student of hip-hop so this, to me, was long overdue.  While accepting his speech, he thanked God, his six children, his wife, his father, and the original Get Fresh Crew.  Once he got to thanking his mother, he was overwhelmed with emotion, as he very tearfully stated that his mother had passed five weeks prior to the awards.  With his mother's face on the back screen, it brought everyone in view of the camera to tears.  However, the mood was lightened when awards host Snoop Dogg (who was as high as you can imagine but nevertheless had a great time and was damn funny in the movie skits with the ever gorgeous Nia Long) came out and asked Doug E.'s assistance with Snoop's legendary version of "Ladi Dadi" from the iconic Doggystyle album.  This was truly a wonderful moment.

The DJ Mustard performance with YG and others was basically average.  He came off like a west coast version of DJ Khaled, but he was obviously going off the momentum of his award he had won earlier in the evening for Producer Of The Year.  A better performance came when Brandy performed the remix of her hit from twenty years ago, "I Wanna Be Down" with MC Lyte, Yo-Yo, and Queen Latifah.  Clearly showing that Black don't crack, those ladies looked exceptional twenty years after the hit was made.  They were performing against an all-white backdrop, much like the original version in 1994, which made the visual look nostalgic, yet memorable.

Now, on to the cyphers.  The first one involved Wiz Khalifa and his Taylor Gang.  It was unimpressive to say the least, in spite of the legendary Premo on the wheels.  Hard to say who took the crown on this exchange because frankly it was very mediocre.  You be the judge.




Next was a cypher involving new jacks and vets.  Very impressive cats of former Bad Boy prospect King Los, Chicago's Vic Mensa, and perhaps hip-hop's next femcee in charge, Snow Tha Product held down the younger generation, while Treach showed he still had the skills to shut the party down, it was Mississippi's own David Banner, looking like a dapper elder statesman with his suit, bow tie and his grey beard, who took the title in this fierce cypher that arguably was the cypher of the night overall.  Here's a look.




Next up was a cypher involving Detroit's next-to-blow femcee, Detroit Che, Dee-1, Troy Ave (yawn), Lil' Mama, and Def Jam's newest signee Logic.  This was a little better than the Taylor Gang cypher, but was not as potent as the prior one.  Lil' Mama wasn't spectacular, but wasn't terrible either.  Truth be told, Mama got bars, albeit inconsistently.  Dee-1 was decent and I'm looking for good things from this young southerner.  The clear winner was Logic, who's album Under Pressure is already critically acclaimed before it even drops next week.  Take a look.




The next cypher involved underground commodities Jarren Benton and Corey Channon, as well as hip-hop's Romeo & Juliet, Papoose and the recently paroled Remy Ma.  While Benton and Channon did fairly decent jobs, it clearly belonged to Pap and Remy, as they HANDLED the back-and-forth techniques used in the past by the likes of Stetsasonic and Nice & Smooth.  Peep it out.




The final studio cypher involved Busta Rhymes student O.T. Genasis, southern rapper Kevin Gates (who recently had issues with Young Thug seemingly squashed), west coast underground cat G-Eazy, and battle rap giant Loaded Lux.  Genasis showed that he's one to watch in the future, as is G-Eazy.  Gates brought nothing jaw-dropping or rewinding (truthfully I put him into the same category that I put Quan and Thug in as talentless, ignorant wannabes with limited futures in this game), thus leaving Lux to venomously clean up the pieces.  Check it out.




Another slightly mediocre cypher involved another battle rap notable, T-Rex, along with Goodz, Rain 910, and Tsu Surf.  While all are more than capable of bringing heat to the mic, this cypher looked like it fell apart.  This one was a letdown, though not the worst.




The final one was an on-stage cypher involving notables in the battle rap arena.  Arsenal, Couture, Calicoe, and battle rap monster Murda Mook were exercising their lyrical daggers in front of the live crowd.  Couture was unimpressive, while Arsenal and Calicoe were average at best.  However, leave it to Mook to bring the viciousness, including a dab at Drake.  I'm very ready to see another Lux vs. Mook encounter, meanwhile if I was Drake, I would question whether or not to respond to all this shit talking Mook has been doing towards him.  As we've seen in the past, if you're not from the battle culture, don't start becoming one.  Here's a look at this final cypher.




Overall, the BET Hip-Hop Awards was fairly decent, though it showed that hip-hop as a culture has a long way to go before we are seen as a formidable, cultural giant instead of the sideshow coonery that we've become over the last eight years.  It's a shame that cyphers are the only thing that holds substance in this hip-hop awards show, other than the icon award.  Was there ignorance in abundance?  Emphatically yes!  Was there talent at all during the show?  Absolutely.  While emotional moments like the Common performance and the Doug E. Fresh speech were very special, moments like these are the minority and not the majority in terms of impact and being memorable.  Even this year's cyphers were overall down in quality as compared to classic ones like the Shady 2.0 cypher and the G.O.O.D. Music cypher.  Being that VH1 has done away with Hip-Hop Honors, which was some of the best three hours of television, this is what we're left with unfortunately.  Cyphers will not clean up the minstrel show that BET presents as hip-hop.  One day, hopefully, someone else will step up and show these kids what hip-hop is instead of the wack to barely above decent talent they're being exposed to.

That's all for now folks.  I'm going to leave you with two joints of the week.  The first one is hot new Black Milk and his Random Axe cohorts of Sean Price and Guilty Simpson.  This is the latest off his forthcoming album, If There's A Hell Below..., coming at the end of October.  With three distinct beat changes, the RA boys show their lyrical asses and makes the anticipation grow for a 2015 release of the sophomore Random Axe album (if you're not up on their self-titled debut, smack yourself!).  The next cut is the first official single from PRhyme, which consists of DJ Premier and Royce Da 5'9.  Earlier this week, Premo revealed the artwork and track list for the nine track album and quite frankly the game will start being on life support come December 9th.  Here's the track "Courtesy" .  Hold it down until next week guys and gals.

The Disrespect Of Hip-Hop C/O Iggy Azaelia

What's happening folks!!  Thanks for rolling along with me again this week.  Appreciate the views and the feedback I've gotten.  Not just in this particular blog, but in my other two as well.  Much love to all!  This week, my focus will be on the subsequent rise of Iggy Azaelia, and her apparent "right" to use the N-word in hip-hop circles.  Bear with me on this because this might piss some people off to a degree, but as usual, like it or not, I'm going to say it anyway.

First of all, let's go into this chick's history.  This is a young lady from Australia that got appealed to hip-hop in her adolescence.  She snuck off to America where she wanted to pursue hip-hop, and a few years later started a few Youtube freestyles (*rolls eyes*) and she soon made a cut called "Pu$$y".  From there, the buzz was about this caucasian Australian who got the attention of T.I. and put her as a member of his Grand Hustle team.  She finally released her debut, The New Classic, in April of this year with the massive crossover single "Fancy" with British Pop singer Charli XCX.  You started hearing this song everywhere, including commercials.  The album also produced single such as the T.I.-assisted "Change Your Life" and "Work", which were big hits for her.  As it stands right now, her album is near gold status here in the states, but has already achieved that stature in Canada.

The first thing I thought when I heard heard this young lady, whose real name is Amethyst, was "This chick here thinks she's Nicky."  I clearly knew what was going on here.  Here you have a rather attractive looking, blonde-haired white female rapper who can seemingly rhyme but her style is WAY too much like Nicky's.  Seriously.  WAY too much.  This one, also like Nicky, signed under a major player in the game with T.I.  Let's not even mention the implants.  This woman is a clear-cut replica of Nicky, and the industry knows it.  She's a clone.  Look at the blue print:  white girl with a phat ass (implants) and a southern drawl to her.  Nobody sees anything wrong with that picture?

I already am not a big fan of hers, but now comes the new controversy, instead of classic.  She recently claimed that she should be allowed to say the N-word because we all say it and it's accepted. Sigh.  Okay, it's a universally known fact that the word is not to be used by any other culture except us.  Here's where the proverbial grey area comes in.  Although we do know this fact, shouldn't we lead by example if we don't expect anyone else to say it?  I was called nigger quite early, plus had been the subject of racial jokes so to call me a nigger isn't the most offensive thing because I've been called worse.  That just reflects me though.  I'm more than aware of the history of the name and how cruel and beneath dirt that name was historically to our ancestors.  Ironically, we ended up calling ourselves that word as a means of solidarity or backwards unity.  Yes, I go around saying the same word because it was used in my house and of course dwelled within all of hip-hop.  The argument is, however, can we really get too angry when we hear those outside of our culture use it when we do a good job of it ourselves by using a word that has torn us down for hundreds of years?  I'm very mixed on the issue.  Would it feel and sound weird to hear someone like Iggy say that she's with her 'niggas'?  Hell yeah it would.  However, can I be completely smashed-mouth pissed by hearing her use it?  Not completely.  With a lot of people outside of our culture, especially whites, they go off of example.  Telling them it's not a word they use is not going to work truly unless they see us not doing it to each other.  The funny thing is the NAACP tried to outlaw and ban the use of the word period some years back.  The question I have is, why didn't they use this militant stance about the use of the word among our culture back when it was very popular to use it in the beginning?  I wonder was it was bold then as it was some seven years ago.  The funny thing is, we get all up in arms over the use of the word when other people use the ugliest word in our society traditionally and historically, but not only do we use it, we use it proudly.  Some of us even define ourselves as 'real niggas' and 'real bitches'.  Also these same people up in arms follow Christianity and very proudly profess their Christian faith, oblivious to the fact that it was beaten into our ancestors consciousness to survive so what really is the difference?

Anyways, going back to Iggy, why are people going after her and not T.I. for allowing her to say it?  I'm pretty sure if T.I. were to say, "Stop saying that shit", she would stop, but she freely has used it and no reprimand has been given, at least not publicly.  She's already been given the business by Rah Digga calling her "Pop" and "doesn't define what hip-hop is."  She has gotten similar attacks from others, but the truth is, Rah is right.  Iggy is manufactured.  Furthermore, is she really THAT talented?  Not in my personal opinion.  Everyone knows that hip-hop and myself are connected for life, but that doesn't mean that I need to be doing it because clearly being an emcee is not my calling, though I'm a great writer and poet.  However, she's a part of Pop culture, and let's face it, have we ever really seen a successful white female emcee?  The answer is obvious.

Although I don't think she'll be a one album wonder like most running the game right now (see: Young Thug, Kevin Gates, K-Camp, Rae Sremmurd, etc.) she'll still have to do a lot more convincing that she's not just home manufactured gimmick of the record industry.  Can it be done?  Only time will tell.  That's all for now kiddies.  I'm going to leave you with a track from piggy's New Classic album so can judge for yourself what kind of future she has.  After that is the track of the week.  This cut comes from the Maryland trio Diamond District.  The group that consists of yU, XO, and producer Oddisee made a lot of noise in the underground with their excellent debut In The Ruff.  They're back with their sophomore album March On Washington coming next week and here's the first single with accompanying video "First Step."  This is much appreciated 2014 boom-bap.  Take it easy guys and gals!

The Impact Of Illmatic

What's happening folks?!  Glad to see you made it back for another go-round.  This week, I'll be focusing on something very positive, for once, within this game of hip-hop.  This one involves the release of Nas' documentary, "Time Is Illmatic."  This documentary details Nas' upbringing and the inspiration behind the brilliant masterpiece known as Illmatic.  The result: a fantastic story of a gifted young prodigy being caught up in the streets and the chaotic environment that surrounded being turned into one of the industry's most prolific and important emcees that crafted the game's greatest album of all-time. Here's the trailer.




 
For me personally, Illmatic meant the world to me.  I first got turned onto hip-hop around the age of six when I heard Run-DMC's "My Adidas".  Then, it was the landmark single by them "Walk This Way' featuring Aerosmith that perked my ears up to hip-hop.  Throw in some Beastie Boys and, of course, the first time I heard "Rappers Delight" and I was just as intrigued with hip-hop as I was with rock, R&B, Gospel, and the Blues (the latter three were played in my Grandparents house daily).  However, when I heard Eric B & Rakim's "Paid In Full", I could remember the billowing 808s and the Asian vocal sample and said to myself, "This is different".  This was funky as hell!  Then I heard, "Thinking of a master plan/cause ain't nothing but sweat inside my hand" from this imposing monotone voiced-emcee.  I, then, managed to listen to the entire album of Paid In Full when I was seven and had found my alternative to artists that I was heavy into such as New Edition, Debarge,  Metallica, Megadeath, KISS, and Michael Jackson.  I LOVED the album.  I was immediately hooked by the crazy baselines and funky production.  I was also turned on, around this time, to a group called Stetsasonic, the original hip-hop band.  I remember how different they were just by hearing "My Rhyme" and "Go Stetsa", but not very long after that, I heard "Talkin' All That Jazz".  That did it.  I was done.  I knew that hip-hop was going to be my favorite genre of music from that point on.  Although I was still buying occasional R&B, Metal, and Pop, buying Paid In Full, In Full Gear, and Doug E. Fresh's The World's Greatest Entertainer (all around the age of eight) made hip-hop my official genre of music.

Let's fast forward to April of 1994.  I was still in eighth grade at O.L.M. Catholic School and I was watching Rap City (hosted by Big Lez and, I think, Joe Clair at this time) when I got home.  I remember seeing this video called "It Ain't Hard To Tell", and it immediately became my favorite cut in the world.  I was already heavy into the New York/East Coast scene with me being a big fan of artists like Black Moon, Smif-N-Wessun, Gangstarr, Pete Rock & CL Smooth, A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, and EPMD.  However, this was somewhat different.  This dude could RHYME, and I mean SPIT!  I was enamored by the use of Michael Jackson's "Human Nature" (which is my all-time favorite MJ cut) and the funky drum pattern.  It wasn't long before I was literally free styling this song often like most anyone else would just randomly sing their favorite song.  About a month an a half later roughly, I got exposed to his follow-up single, "The World Is Yours".  Although it didn't hit me with quite the same jolt as his first single did, I was intrigued by it nonetheless.  I ended up loving it to the point where this became my new favorite song, and I was free styling this cut as well.  I was on pins and needles waiting on this album, as Nas became my new favorite emcee, replacing Jeru The Damaja.

In comes April of 1994.  I managed to go to Peaches Records & Tapes to get myself three CDs that i REALLY wanted: M.O.P.'s debut To The Death, Gangstarr's excellent Hard To Earn, and Illmatic.  I was stoked beyond imagination for finally getting this album that I so badly wanted from my new favorite artist.  I had heard a buzz about it being bootlegged and how amazing the album was, but of course I needed to know it for myself.  After all, I was also into the gangsta West Coast scene as well, for I was into Dre, Snoop, MC Ren, Spice 1, MC Eiht, Cube and even some conscious rap like Souls Of Mischief.  I wanted to save the best for last so I put on M.O.P. first (this was the album that spawned their longtime riot-inducing anthem "How About Some Hardcore").  The album was dope, but somewhat underwhelming for me at the time.  I moved on to Gangstarr and boy was that a banger!  To me, Gangstarr was much like EPMD, if not better, in terms of consistency.  Now, however, was the moment I had been waiting on.  I popped Illmatic into my CD Player and one of the first things that struck me was the brief sampling of his verse on Main Source's "Live At The BBQ", which was ironic because I had actually bought Main Source's Breaking Atoms months earlier and LOVED it, especially that cut but I had no idea that this was the Nasty Nas mentioned in the linear credits along with Joe Fatal and Akinyele (Mr. "Put It In Your Mouth" himself).

The first cut after the intro was "NY State Of Mind", and it was a menacing cut in terms of production (BTW I saw the linear production notes, and when I saw that Premier, Pete Rock, Q-Tip, and Large Professor all did beats on it, I was like "This will be GOOD".  Understatement of all-time right??) .  Truthfully, in contrast, the lyrics are what drew me into the song.  Lyrics like "I got so many rhymes I don't think I'm too sane/life is parallel to hell but I must maintain" and "Niggaz be running through the blocks shooting/time to start the revolution, catch a body, head to Houston/Once they caught us off guard, the Mac 10 was in the grass and/I ran like a cheetah with thoughts of an assassin" hooked me, and I was hanging onto every word, every bar that was being said.  Then it was "Life's A Bitch", which featured a sample of another all-time favorite of mine, "Yearning For Your Love" by The Gap Band, so this was an immediate fave of mine before any words were spit.  Some cat named AZ was featured on the cut that I could see mentioned on the credits.  This dude MURDERED this cut, and Nas had to follow that but he held his own.  Once I got to track six, "Memory Lane" I was in a very good place already, but Dear God when I heard this particular track, I literally repeated this track over and over so many times that I remembered the whole song by the end of the day.  Besides the production being so hypnotic and engaging, the lyrics were as insightful and personal as you could get at this time.  Bars like: "Word to Christ/a disciple of streets/trifle on beats/I decipher prophecies through a mic and say peace/I hung around the older dudes, while they sling-smack/the dingbat/they spoke of Fat Cat" and "I reminisce on park jams, my man was shot for his sheep coat/childhood lesson made me see him drop in my weed smoke" are enrapturing to me and I couldn't get enough.  I finally moved onto track seven, which was the Q-Tip produced "One Love".  I knew this was an album that was quickly becoming my favorite of all the CDs and tapes I owned, which was quite a bit at this time.  I still had three more tracks to go before I made it to "It Ain't Hard To Tell", in which i would be KILLING this cut because it was finally in my possession and not just recording the song from the radio and onto a blank cassette (the true origins of the mixtape if you ask me).  Track eight was "One Time For Your Mind", a track that truthfully had less impact on me initially then the rest of the tracks on the album, but nonetheless was dope because it sounded like he was free styling the whole time.  With track nine, "Represent", this was just STUPID dope!  I remember putting this on constant repeat as well.  Come the sixth or seventh listen, I had the second verse down pat: "They call me Nas I'm not your legal type of fella/Moet drinking, marijuana smoking street dweller/Always on the corner, rolling up bless/when i dress/it's never nothing less than Guess/Kobe walking down the block with the hat turned back/loved committing sins while my friends sold crack/This nigga raps with a razor, keeps it under the tongue, the school dropout, never liked the shit from day one."  Now, it's here, "It Ain't Hard To Tell".  My SHIT!!!!!  Needless to say, this was a religious exercise that I did practically all summer long.  Don't get me wrong, the year of 1994 was OUTSTANDING, with releases from Outkast (Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik), Da Brat (Funkdafied), Method Man (Tical), Organized Konfusion (Stress: The Extinction Theory), Scarface (The Diary), Redman (Dare Iz A Darkside), and definitely Biggie's debut (Ready To Die).  However, in the midst of all this brilliance, greatness, and damn near perfection, it was Nas that wore the crown for best album of that year.

Ten years, and six Illmatic CDs later (I literally played them until they were warped and couldn't played anymore), it still remains as not only my favorite album of all-time (even mores than Boyz II Men's II, Michael Jackson's Off The Wall, Metallica's self-titled album, and Eric B & Rakim's Paid In Full).  This album made me LIVE for hip-hop.  I was more than just a big fan of it now.  I started writing, rapping (trust me I'm not a threat to anyone), and producing (see the prior statement).  I started looking at lyrics in an entirely new light and with introspection.  I was nicknamed "Hip Hop" because of my almost insatiable knowledge and love of hip-hop culture, but then I started to embrace it.  While Paid In Full, In Full Gear, and Run-DMC's Rasing Hell birthed me, Illmatic made me become one with hip-hop.  Although there was still special places in my heart for the prior genres, especially R&B, it was hip-hop that became my being, and that's what Ilmatic did for me.  This was the epitome of ghetto poetry, kind of like a hood Langston Hughes was Nasir Jones.  This was the most thought-provoking and insightful bit of poetry I had ever heard, it was just over subtle, yet incredible, production.  Whenever I pop in Illmatic, I reflect upon that fourteen year old naive, Catholic school boy that off and on grew up in an environment much like what was projected in Illmatic, only the murder rate was nowhere near as bad, but the drug pushers, wine-os, bums, and muggers were on the money.  This wasn't just a murder-murder-kill-kill album, and this wasn't necessarily a hardcore record either.  It was, however, and real look at a young Black man trying to make it in this world, in spite of the bullet-laced poverty that was around him, and the only way he could maintain was through poetry and music.

I remember when The Source (back when it was the most reputable hip-hop magazine there was) gave it the prestigious, yet rare, perfect five mic rating.  I said to myself, "If this didn't solidify this album, nothing will."  I often would call an album a classic if it gave me an experience that would change me and my perspective on hip-hop music and the culture that surrounds it.  There were many albums that I gave that moniker too later in my years, but Illmatic was the first album that did that to me within the first several listens.  While other albums like It Was Written, I Am, Stillmatic, and his most recent Life Is Good album were all very good albums and were almost knocking on Illmatic's greatness in a few instances, there will never be another Nas album, or maybe even another album period like Illmatic.  I've often compared albums like Common's BE, Kendrick's To Pimp A Butterfly, and Madvillain's Madvillainy to the brilliance of Illmatic in terms of impact, game-changing lyricism and production, and the ability to make one have an experience just by listening, but at the end, there's no such thing as a perfect album, except Illmatic.  However, as a liver, breather, and eater of hip-hop culture, I would want to see how many albums capture the essence of that album, whether it be musically, conceptually, or a combo of both.  We need albums like the ones I just mentioned that gets the Illmatic stamp of approval.  it's great and needed for our culture, especially in today's generation.

When I watched "Time Is Illmatic", I went back to that pudgy, fat-faced kid with the high top fade and braces listening and being engaged to this masterpiece.  There were some that knew the words without the text being on the screen, and there were others that only knew the words if they were on the screen (shame on you posers).  The background behind the making of the album and the impact it made on artists such as Erykah Badu, Pharrell, and J. Cole were eloquently explained and one could really tell how much the album to them as artists and as fans of hip-hop.  In fact one of J. Cole's mix tapes was called Villematic, while former Slum Village member Elzhi presented an album called Elmatic, which was al album solely dedicated to illmatic.  He literally redid each cut on Illmatic, only with his own lyrics and with a live band.  It was a prodigious project from one of the game's craziest lyricists.

It's not often we get hip-hop documentaries.  Flicks like "The Show", "Rhyme & Reason", and the recent "The Art Of Rap" were tremendous show casings of hip-hop and its evolution, but with Time Is Illmatic, this is more personal and shows the growth of a man through music and his passion for education beyond what traditional school would teach in today's society.  The point where he introduced a hip-hop fellowship into Harvard university was a particularly proud moment to see.

Hopefully, if you missed it, it'll be available on Blu-Ray, DVD or on Netflix because if you're a true lover of hip-hop, this is totally and completely for you.  Note: this is NOT for those who think Young Thug, Future, K-Camp, and some of these other incredibly wack and talentless so-called performers are the new leaders of hip-hop.  This IS, however, for those who would like to see beyond what's being currently fed to us, and a look at where hip-hop SHOULD go.

Name another album that has impacted more emcees, critics, fans, and educators than Illmatic?  Don't worry, I'll wait (long pause).  I didn't think so.  I didn't see Reasonable Doubt have a movie written and made about it.  I didn't see Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) have a book written about it.  I didn't recall The Chronic have an entire class taught about it.  Nope.  That my people was Illmatic.  Those reasons, and more, are the reason Illmatic was, is, and will always be the greatest hip-hop album of all-time, end of story.

Before I go, I will leave you with a couple of jewels to turn your speakers up to.  The first is off the perfection of an album called Illmatic.  This one is "Represent".  Then the next one is the track of the week, which comes from NC-native, and up-and-coming juggernaut Rapsody.  Seen as the next great femcee, this is a track from her upcoming EP, Beauty & The Beast, which is the follow-up to last year's exceptional She Got Game album.  Enjoy these, and I'll get at you guys and gals next week.