Just a quick lil update

The Art of the Remix

Hip Hop was raised with the re-mixing of records. Taking a song and changing the tempo or other aspects of the song. It is a great way to showcase producers skills, artist versatility and overall a change. It can be said that the remix was invented by Sean “P.Diddy” Combs. I can agree with this. Think about it he has said flat out that “He invented the remix.” When we look at the history of the remix, it originated in the 60’s with dancehall music. Which is easily remixed when listen to different versions of songs. Now we look at the modern day remixes. Everyone can do it. If you are an artist nine times out of ten you may want to or be in the works to remix records. The thing is, sometimes the remix of a song is a better way to get known. Look at Destiny’s Child, their first song “No, no, no,” the first version was a semi hit. Had a little buzz but the song truly took off when the addition of Wyclef Jean. This was the start they needed, all because of the remix.

 

The remix is not always as simple as that. Some remixes come in parts, prime example Busta Rhymes- Touch. Then there are also slow jam remixes and all different types of remixes. The thing I want to stress is the importance for artists to try to remix some songs. Its a great way to examine your skills, and get known in more ways than what you are used to.

These two thoughts have been floating around in my head. Both of which I have posted, just in case you have not read them. Here are both of them combined. The first is about new hip hop artists as a whole. The second is about so-called musical saviors. Read them and let me know what you think.

A lot of ya’ll cats make hip hop cause your bored. You never really realized what the true meaning of this vast culture was. You are only in it for your name sake. If you took a minute to actually think about it. You are doing exactly what hip hop doesn't stand for. Glorifying ones self for personal gain. Education is a facet of hip hop. Come on now, that’s something that we all should know. Yet to some people hip hop is their meal ticket and by no means am i knocking that hustle. Do you young blood. but like the quote says there are too many emcees not enough fans. Sometimes an emcee needs to be a fan before he EVER decides to step to the mic trying to rock it..for the ahem greater good/ saving hip hop from the riff raff/putting the city of blank on my back.

Whats the fate of your favorite genre? Are you ready to do what you can or can’t to save it. Yeah that's right I'm talking to you up and coming artist who feels as though you are gods gift to music. the one that must “change the game so that the future can thrive” yeah let me just be the first to say you better do what you do u lil dreamer you. In reality. You are about the twentieth person to say some shit like that. and you see ain't shit change but the day. You want to spark change then listen to other artists and collab. do something new and stop trying to say your the new fresh sounds that music needs. unless you are gods gift and starting a new musical renaissance u ain't gonna do shit but drop a few albums maybe get a buzz that will last a lil while then end up at Costco grabbing carts talking about I'm the next MC such and such. Again I'm not trying to knock you what you do your craft is good. but you have to have realistic goals. You can’t take over the game in a day. you better rent that game first figure it out then make your moves. remember its chess not checkers. Simple bitches need simple games. If you want complexity then you need to evolve and grow up.

This sounds familiar...

I think I am a fairly good person when it comes to my thoughts on music. I listen to everything, yes literally everything. (As I'm writing this blog I have Daft Punk playing). Trying to give it all a fair chance. But as a former producer...well a producer who is on his own personal Detox shit. This is something that goes and gets to me every time. That is when two tracks (worse when they are one after another). That pretty much sound the same.

This to me is an album faux pas. It is as if they liked the song a little TOO much and decided to keep it going. Or the producer liked a particular sample and kept it going throughout. This to me gives off a feel of a lazy musician. Think of some same sampled songs...I'll wait..I know your going to find something.

For Example:

Please don't forget the whole Crime Mob cd. Each track had a sample that went track to track.

I think there are many more. I just want producers to stop doing so. Show your versatility and expand your horizons.

Use your Ears not your Peers

Oh the good ole days of Hip Hop (No this isn't a ran or bashing) Everyone has those nestalgic moments. Where they quote Rakim, Big or some other classic by which we guage what music should sound like. The question is what makes our ears the personal real hip hop level. We just go with what sounds good with a mixture of peer pressure. If a few view an artist as garbage our mindsets automatically change to have a distaste for that artist. We all have been a part of this situation.

Yet we then turn around and criticizes the whole "hip hop game." We get mad at the total lack of new artist being around and improving the overall "quality" of music. We as bloggers and listeners wont listen. We only put out whats going to either become commercial or underground success. What about those who need growth and guidance? What do we say about those...nothing, they get the silence. There are so many untapped listeners and artists that we are constantly shutting out of all facets of music. We say we want better, we want substance. Shunning stuff others deem bad.

So to listen or not to listen...that is the question...

Quality Underground Hip Hop

This is some real Athens Hip Hop...

Chopped and Screwed

Hip Hop as a lifestyle/movement/genre encompasses a lot of things. Like a proud mother, her children ( genre's) come in all different styles. From Christian rap to Dub-Step. Yet one in particular does catch a lot of flack. That would be Chopped and Screwed music.

It first started when the famous Dj Screw (rip) was used to hearing the Miami bass music and how up tempo and fast it was. He then took upon himself to do something new, he decided to slow the tempo down. He started mixing down songs in the very early 90's. He is officially the creator of the genre. This became a huge success and with this success, came another part of the genre which was and still is "Purple Drank." Other names include, Purple stuff, lean, purple sprite, etc. Drank as it is called is usually a mix of promethazine, sprite and some sort of candy like Jolly Ranchers or Lifesavers. This became a big and very large part of the culture the problem was it was easy to over dose on and cause health problems. The plus of drinking this stuff was that it supposedly increased the overall experience of listening to "Screw," music. This Drank did do something no one saw coming, it was the cause of Dj Screw's Death, he overdosed on it. After this tragic death dj's like Micheal "5000" Watts and OG Ron C took to the helm and exposed the world to this new style of remixing music of sorts.

What the flack from the genre is some people state that you are just slowing down a perfectly good song. Yet what the listeners fail to realize is that the chopping is actually a hard thing to do. Finding the perfect beat to enhance and copy is hard. You must be able to count your beats, and learn when to and not to chop the song up. Screwing a song is pretty easy thats just slowing it down.

With the big use of Peer to peer sharing, chopped and screwed music spread very fast and gained a whole worlds eye to it. From chopping and screwing hip hop, r&b, to even pop and rock. It shows the depth of a genre to show how good it actually is. So the next time you look at Chopped and Screwed music as a waste of time and dj skills think about the actual technique that they use and the originator who helped get this movement started.

Album Review: SouthernPlayalisticMaybachMusic

Mick Boogie is that dude if you in the hip hop world didn't know. I have been a fan of his mix tapes since back when he put out Ice Cream (yeah check that out if you haven't heard it better find it.) So his mixes and blends have been a fan favorite in the Cleveland area and now all over the world. So when I heard he was doing a mix tape with Big Boi and Ricky Ross I was kind of intrigued. Then there came Mick Boogie Presents Big Boi and Rick Ross: SouthernPlayalisticMaybachMusic. Now for those who are not too familiar that is a play on OutKast's cd, SouthernPlayalisticCadillacMuzik. This mix of songs of both artists and the mixes are pretty smooth. I found myself singing along with some of the Outkast sampled songs completing verses. Soon as I am ready for 3000 (Andre 3000) to come on i hear a "Boss," line then some crack rap. I am okay with some crack line metaphors, but what I was not used to was the over abundance of these lines. To me there wasn't a complete mix of the songs. I would have liked to see some exclusive content or a mix of a track with some new Ross and Big Boi verses. As much as I hoped that it would be a good mix I was a little disappointed with what was presented.

The thing wasn't that it was a bad mix with Mick Boogie at the helm I personally believe that the concept was good, just the choice of artists was the reason that the cd didn't quite meld well together. Maybe if we swap out Rick Ross for the likes of a J. Cole, or a J Electronica, maybe even for a twist of sorts throw in a Joell (Ortiz) or Beanie Sigel. Just the use of an artist that is versatile would make this effort better. Overall I would say this is a cd with high potential but it just falls flat quickly.

Oh Crispy Score- 3 out of 5

Download Here

This is some real hip hop

Freestyle Friday

Peep my girl star showing the ladies how to freestyle

Hip Hop Honors: The Real Version

I know I haven't been around a lot. Thats what happens with finals and senior classes. Rest assured, I have a topic that needs to be discussed. This punk ass hip hop honors awards: Dirty South , it was not that good. Mind you I haven't seen it all the way through so you can take what you will from this. But where were some people that needed to be there actually showing their craft representing where they were from? So here is going to be my trek across the dirty south. The first stop of this tour.

The Virgina's

No Hetero…errrr No Homo

 

Now that this movement is in it’s “post movement era.” I have decided to give my opinion on it. When this whole, “No-Homo,”  movement actually started by Cam’ron and Dipset. It spread like wildfire, your masculinity had to be in check. They were reinforcing the stigma that you, as a man cannon be okay with your own personal sexuality , nor can you be okay with the non0hetero sexualities that are prevalent in society. This really boils down to Hip-Hop’s lack of emotional depth.

Emotion is the kryptonite of Hip-Hop, as in some regards so is sexuality. Homosexuality is the biggest no-no in the culture. Bigger than oh lets say snitching. Urban Dictionary defined it as: Said to show that you aren't gay after saying something that sounded gay. If you are a homosexual or do anything that could be misconstrued as gay, and the least bit masculine you are looked down upon. Hence the “no-homo,” movement. Saying lines that some could constitute as gay but following it with the “no-homo,” like you are okay.  This came through and swept the community like Katrina and everyone did it. Thinking this was okay and just a Hip-Hop fad. Under the hood of that we were as a community thought it was okay, we are shunning a group of people that are more or less the same as the norm. I never thought Hip-Hop was for going with the main stream. being founded on the principles of social injustice and all. Since this caught on many Homo-rappers and artists felt as though a group that at one time was somewhat accepting is now treating them as second class citizens.

Hip-Hop needs to go back to the roots of being about the people. We talk about each other and not the social issues that are important to us all. How would Hip-Hop feel if there was a no-hetero movement? Or how about a No-Nigger movement. Being as though the major consumer of the genre is Caucasian males from about 16 to 27 year olds. How would we feel then?

A good video that talks more about this is youtube video from Ill-Doctrine

Can I melt on a Plastic Beach?

Okay so that was a bad joke but hey you can't blame me. As you can tell I'm going to be review the new Gorillaz Plastic Beach album. For those who don't know, I do enjoy some Gorillaz. From the first time I heard them years ago I have been a fan of what they do. And it is true some of their songs are either hit or miss and sadly I'm believing that this is the truth for this album.

The Gorillaz started back in 1998 as an idea from Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett. And to those who don't know, the band "technically," isn't comprised of real people. They are 2-D fictional characters. They are a mix of many genres including Hip-Hop, punk, dub and more.

Fast forward to their third studio album. (They have a vast amounts of side projects and collaboration albums too) Plastic Beach which was heavily anticipated because of the major success of Demon Days. This cd seems to have more of a Hip-Hop feel out of all other genres that they are considered artists of. To me that is kind of a good thing but just the same can be said to be a step away from their cross-genre past.

The songs still have that funky Gorillaz feel. With their trademark singing over sometimes heavily synthesized records. Their lyrical content is actually very well done. If you can get passed some of the beats and focus on what they are actually saying this album is pretty good. Add in the guest appearences with Mos Def aka Black Dante, De La Soul, Bobby Womack and Hypnotic Brass Ensemble its a very well rounded mix of artists.

My only negative about this album is that it wasn't a true "mix" of genres that I am used to. Not to say that the mostly Hip Hop take on this cd is bad but

Favorite song off the album: Superfast Jellyfish feat. Gruff Rhys and De La Soul. Just the way this song flows and sounds is very well done.

Least favorite song off the album: Rhinestone Eyes. I don't know I personally wasn't feeling this song as a whole. Just didn't do anything for me.

In the end I will say I was happy to get this album in my hands. I love just as much as I disliked how they strayed away from their normal style of making music. And that change can either be hit or miss depending on the fan.

4 oh crispy's out of 5

Black History Trivia….I Call Bullshit

Yesterday was OU’s very own Black History Trivia game. I was excited a fun way to educate about the history of my ancestors. But I was met with some harsh realizations from this game show. That that was a poor excuse for trying to educate about Black History. Know I know that I am not the most involved so to speak and pro Black on campus but even this struck a cord with me.

Now some of the questions that were being asked were okay and by that I really mean OKAY. The actual questions about history were good. Asking about Jackie Robinson being the first African American baseball player. (Which is actually wrong, it was Moses Fleetwood Walker..look it up) To which law was passed after MLK jr was assassinated. Some of these questions were challenging to even my group of friends. While some of the actual questions on movies and television were subpar. I was expecting and wanting a little bit more and my wishes weren’t met. Yeah lets all get the Sidney Poitier and who is Red Foxx questions. When the questions get remedial in the sense of name the characters played by a certain actor. And they did not go that far back from what I saw. Even that was okay the biggest problem was the music category.

Music is a big part of Black History. There is so much on this part of our history that the game show could have been on just this alone. But when the name that song portion of this game is playing the likes of Soulja boy, BEP, Kanye West, Sean Kingston and the like I was truly appalled. Is this really Black History? What have they truly done that was historic to the greater good of Black people? Its okay I have time I will wait… Nothing that really comes to mind. Now before you think that I am bashing they did play some Dionne Warwick, The Temptations, Etta James. This actually made me proud but where was Frankie Beverly and Maze, George Clinton, James Brown. Would I be asking to much for this. I want some people who changed the way music was produced, made and experienced. Where were The Fugees.

I understand it was for fun but when did learning about our history really just become a game. We need to do better.

Album Review: The Reminders

What's going on world? It has been a while but I needed to take some time and figure out my life and how hip hop was and is going to be apart of it. And to start things back up I have chosen to do an album review about The Reminders. This duo are some very insightful Muslim emcees. They are a group which I have actually gotten the opportunity to meet on a few occasions. They are a Hip Hop couple out of the Colorado area. The group is comprised of Aja Black a deep and conscious Femcee. She rhymes as well as sings with a good voice. Her in my opinion should be up there with a Jean Grae type. With her husband Big Samir who is also an emcee in both English and French. Their cd “The Reminders ReCollect,” is a mix of sounds of quality lyrics with solid beats to carry the whole cd. We see them perform different styles of songs. Covering many different topics from having self empowerment. To how they have grown up. This is one of the underground cds that I can honestly say is on the Zune right now. From beginning to end. The song I would highlight is Aja Black’s “I’ll 4 Life” This shows us that female’s who want to be lyrical can do it. Her word play in this song is amazing. The way she strung together sicknesses with Hip Hop metaphors is top notch to say the least. I would tell you to go and get a copy of this album

 

5 Oh Crispy’s out of 5

And to hear their music go here to take a listen to some dope emcees.