The Dream - Love King (Album Review)

The Dream has an innate talent of making songs where the first time you hear them you think they are the worst thing ever created. But as the days go by, you find yourself singing along word for word. This has been the situation since his debut in 2007. With his third and reported final album, he continues down that road. Simple lyrics with catchy hooks and equally addictive beats make this a solid swan song for the singer/songwriter.

There is really nothing new on Love King. Most of the production sounds borrowed from his first two efforts. The first single, "Love King" jacks the piano loop from his first hit, "Shawty Is A Ten". The T.I. assisted "Makeup Bag" is reminiscent of "I Love Your Girl". That would be a problem if those aforementioned songs weren't smash hits. The lyrics have The Dream's signature wittiness and flair. In one song he sings, "I'm gonna be all over you like the credits on this cd". If any other singer said that, they would instantly be labeled with cornball status. But The Dream can take liberties like this because he has the bravado to pull it off.

This album was recorded during his whirlwind romance and eventual marriage to Christina Milian. Therefore, this is the most sexual and sensual The Dream has ever been. All of the songs are about making and keeping a woman happy any way possible. All except the closing number, "Florida University". Don't let the title throw you. This is a final kiss off to an ex that has treated him badly. Basically, he's telling his ex "f**k you" throughout the song.

Love King isn't meant to be ground breaking. So if you're looking for deep introspection and songs about the struggle. this isn't for you. If you're looking for a fun album for the summer, then you've got it right here. With only twelve songs, the set is rather short. But like Janet said, it's funny how time flies when you're having fun. And that's what this album does. It makes sure you have fun.

BET, You Did Good.

Watching the BET Awards is like going to your ignorant family member's cookout. You never really want to go, but you do because people you havent seen in years are going to be there. Plus, there is always some sort of foolishness jumping off. Basically, you go to be nosey. Once you get to this cookout, oftentimes, you wonder why you even exerted the effort in getting dressed and coming over. But once in a while, those ignorant family members put together a solid one. Such is usually the case with BET. Last night was the exception though.Most of the performances and awards given out were expected and therefore forgettable. There were really about five or six moments worth talking about.

First, respect must be given to Queen Latifah. She brought an element of class to the show that hadn't been there in a very long time. Although, her dressing up like her former movie characters was a bit contrived and lame, she made up for it with her enthusiasm and fun spirit. However, one of the funniest moments of the show was when T.I. kept calling her 'Set It Off' character "Chloe" instead of "Cleo". Her opening performance great. I loved when she sang over the year's most popular beats. And as if that weren't enough, she made every new female MC pay their respects with that rhyme she dropped. The lyrics were nothing but truth and that New Jersey swag was undeniable.

Secondly, the all girl Prince tribute was everything a Prince tribute should be. The performances were powerful. Done in Prince's style, but they had an air of orginality to them. Janelle Monae tore it up with her rendition of "Let's Go Crazy". She danced and sang her way around the entire auditorium. At one point, I thought she was going to shake her hair poof loose. She gave it her all. Esperanza Spalding made the mass public aware of who she was with her sexy and jazzy version of "If I Was Your Girlfriend". After that, Alicia Keys performed "Adore". Where she made it quite obvious falsetto is not her strong suit. But she was forgiven after she hopped her pregnant self on that piano and writhed like she was a back up dancer for Prince in his heyday. Ms. Patti LaBelle had everyone on their feet with the singing of The Purple One's signature, "Purple Rain". Patti got so into her singing, she kicked off her Christian Louboutin heels and hit notes most songstresses dream of hitting. By the way, Prince caught one of the heels and raised it for the crowd to see. That was classic.

The BET Awards was also a night of the comeback. Kanye West and T.I. both performed their new material with passion and fervor. El Debarge surprised all of us with a performance. He did a medley of his family's biggest hits. BET automatically won with this one because you show me a black person who doesn't love Debarge and I'll show you a liar. Deneice Williams joined Monica on stage to sing "Everything To Me/Silly". The only problem with this was Deneice dressing like she wasn't somebody's grandmother. Nia Long and Larenz Tate recited their poems from "Love Jones" and the place went wild. Nia was wearing a dress like she was trying to tempt Jesus to the darkside and Larenz looked like he hadn't aged since that movie. Perhaps, the most touching comeback was Chris Brown's Michael Jackson tribute. Chris danced and popped like only Michael could. Then, he brokedown when he was supposed to be singing "Man In The Mirror". Many will say the crying made the tribute more about Chris than Michael. I don't see it like that. That performance was about Michael Jackson and reminded us why we liked Chris Brown in the first place. He left everything he had on that stage and that's more than we can say for most of the artists in the industry right now.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention Nicki Minaj. She was on stage the most, performing three times and winning the Best Female Hip Hop award. Maybe it's me, but my disdain grows for her with every passing performance. She lip synched each and every one of her performances. I was surprised she didn't lip synch her acceptance speech. The wigs and outfits were not cool. They had her looking like a bad version of the Lil Kim "Crush On You" video, which makes it even worse that she beat Lil Kim out in the Best Female Hip Hop category.

At the end of the award show, I was left feeling like the show's producers did a good job. Sure there was some of the foolishness BET is known for, but there was a substantially less amount of it than shows of the past. The people behind the scenes must have made a conscience effort to bring some real intelligence and class to the telecast. Hopefully, BET continues on this upward slope. We'll see next year.

Rest In Greatness MJ

June 25 is one of the saddest days in music. Its the day time stood still and everyone wondered if the stories and reports were true. Was Michael Jackson really dead? On this day a year ago, I was at work on a lunch break. Many of my friends knew I was the biggest MJ fan around, so naturally, I was the first one they texted. I ran into my job, a resturant, screaming, "Michael Jackson just died!" everyone stopped talking and just looked at me like I killed their child or something. I ran to Radioshack and watched CNN for confirmation. Needless to say, it was one of the hardest shifts I had to get through. I'm going to save all the personal stories for the tribute blog I do for his birthday, which is in August.

I'd like to remember him during the good times. and in those prime years of his life, there were two people he has said to have respected to the highest level. James Brown was the reason MJ got into the business and was his idol. The next might come as a bit of a shocker. Prince. MJ respected Prince because he was the only other artist to make Michael want to work harder than he already did. So with that, I give you the only time these three were ever on stage together. Enjoy. Rest In Greatness!!!!!

A Reminder

It is extremely hot outside today. One of those days you hope it rains just so the earth can cool down a bit. When days like these come around i like to do one thing that most have forgotten about. so I figured I'd post a video telling you exactly what you should be doing today. READ A BOOK!!!!!

Eminem - Recovery (Album Review)

Kermit the Frog once sang how it wasn't easy being green. Years later, Lauryn Hill sang a song where she mentions how the road to hell is paved with good intentions. I can only wish Eminem would have listened to those two. However, it's quite obvious he didn't. Eminem had good intentions with this record. Recovery is not at all what it could be. Recovery could have been an outstanding comeback effort for our favorite white rapper. Instead, this album is a confused mess muddled
with valleys and very few peaks.

Eminem isn't the rapper or person he once was. He has made that painfully clear. Especially on the record, " Talkin To Myself". Em raps with the aggression we've come to know him for saying, "Them last two albums didn't count/Encore I was on drugs, Relapse I was flushin them out/I've come to make it up to you now/No more f**kin around". Too bad he doesn't deliver on that promise.

Recovery is rife with pretentious beats that Slim Shady tries to ride like a brand new Cadillac with a great pair of shocks. The result sounds more like an El Camino on its last legs. His subject matter swings between trying to become a new man after the drugs and trying to regain his former glory as the best rapper in the game. Neither subject produces anything near his former hits or signs to show he's going to reclaim his spot. Even the few featured artists are not living up to their potential and hype. Pink sounds disastrous on "Won't Back Down". Lil Wayne is spaced out on "No Love"- which samples
Haddaway's What Is Love", the song made famous by Saturday Night Live. Rihanna sounds extra nasally on "Love The Way You Lie".

While there are a lot of things wrong with this sixteen song collection, there are a few good things. Em continues to rap with
compound syllables, which is probably the biggest saving grace on the disc. His introspection is raw and sometimes a bit much, but that's what we've come to love Eminem for.

Honestly, I wish we could erase this and his last two albums off his discography because the legacy his first two albums created will most certainly be tarnished. Looks like Slim Shady is having a hard time accepting who he is without the substance abuse. And that's a hard pill to swallow.

The Roots - How I Got Over (Album Review)

Being that The Roots tour on the college circuit constantly, they are more likely to interact with indie-rockers than rappers. Being the house band for Jimmy Fallon can be credited for that too. How I Got Over is evidence of that very action. The hip hop band from Philly have put forth their most artsy and soulful album since-well ever. The result being the best thing since sliced bread to a true hip hop head.

With a host of indie faves, like The Dirty Projectors and Monster Of Folk-to name a few- The Roots create a body of work about life. They've had to struggle and want you to knowyou're not the only one. On the first single, "Dear God 2.0", Black Thought asks God some questions we've all had on our minds. "Why is the world ugly/ When you made in your image/ And why is living life/Such a fight to the finish". The sentiments of us living in a cold world are echoed on a great deal of the tracks. But like your momma used to tell you, its not what you say, its how you say it. Each lyric is rapped by Black Thought and other featured artists with creativity, elegance, and poignancy.

The production is organic and effortless. Sometimes, on a sample heavy album, the samples overshadow the actual production. But not here. The samples only enhance what has already been laid down by The Roots crew. If this album were only instrumental, you would still feel and understand the intent of it. That's how tightly everything fits together.

How I Got Over paints, in broad strokes, a complete picture of today's political and economic landscape from all points of view. there is no stone left unturned, yet there is not one topic beaten too much. This is the perfect blend of hip hop, jazz, politics, and emotions. Some of those emotions are the tough ones you try to suppress and not deal with and How I got Over is the explosion of them breaking free and running wild articulated by grown men.

Buy this because this is the type of album that changes lives. Just as Jagged Little Pill made it acceptable for single white females to get in touch with their anger. How I Got over makes it alright for young black men to fall down and find the strength to move on and better themselves.And though this probably wont be the the commercial comeback The Roots' record label is hoping for, it is probably going to be the album they are most rembered for in the long run.

Three Independent R&B Artists Better Than Anything Out Now

It's safe to say, R&B music has fallen from its once high pedestal. Back in the day,there were messages in the music. It was used to change lives, uplift, and inspire. Now, all we seem to hear is how many ways i can make you scream my name while we have sex. Don't get me wrong, i like that too. Sex is apart of life just like everything else, but its not the only thing. Like Kelly Clarkson said, love can be a many splendid thing. these five independent artists write and sing music based on the other facets of the broad topic. They also have better material than most of the stuff you hear on the radio. If you haven't heard of them, check them out. If you have heard them, buy their music and support real music.

Goapele
(pronounced gwa-puh-lay) is a native of Oakland, California. She has been on the scene since 2001 with her EP, Closer. To date, that has only sold 3,00 copies. But she is an artist to follow because just like the name of her latest single, her voice is like milk and honey. Soothing, sweet, and sexy all rolled into a beautiful package. Plus, her live shows are things legends are made of. Maybe that's why she has a cult-like following. Check out the songs Closer, Milk and Honey, and Don't Be Shy.



Bilal
This soul/jazz man has recorded with the who's who in the urban music genres. We saw his first album, 1st born Second, released on Interscope records. Though, critics praised the collection, it was a commercial failure. that lead Interscope Records to shelve his second album, Love For Sale. He has kept his name on the tip of the industry's tongue by touring constantly. that is a feat in itself considering he's only released one official album and evereything else has been put out virally. Look out for songs like Soul Sista, Love It, and Don't Close Your Eyes.



Calvin Richardson
Calvin Richardson has been in the industry since the mid-nineties. His biggest hits came in the early 2000s. He once had a duet with angie Stone, but he was replaced on it and the version without him was nominated for a Grammy. richardson works with Raphael Saadiq and the underdogs on a regular basis. Treat yourself to songs like Don't Keep On Pushin, More Than A Woman, and Fire In The Attic.

What's Old Is New Or Recycled

They say nothing ever really goes out of style, the name just changes. The aforementioned sentiment is true in all arenas of our lives. In the fashion circles, bell bottoms were all the rage in the 1970s. During the 1980s, they were out of style. But then during the late nineties, we witnessed a resurgence of them, only this time, the pants were known as flare jeans or wide leg pants. The same goes for artists and styles in the music industry. Most artist that gank someone else's style and try to modernize it don't really do it justice. Take Miley Cyrus, for instance. Miley Cyrus is the 2010 Britney Spears. A bad revamping of Britney Spears with a few subtle changes. Yet you step into rare air space when you talk about artists like Lady Gaga. If today's musical landscape was high society, Madonna would be considered old money and Gaga would be called nouveau riche-meaning new money. But why is Miley Cyrus not as accepted as Lady Gaga? Miley's execution is horrible.

before you embark on a task, you think about your plan. and while most plans look great on paper, the execution of said plan is usually the part that ruins you. Miley Cyrus and Lady gaga both had plans. Miley was going to go the Disney route and establish a fanbase by having a television show where she sang and danced. Lady Gaga decided to appeal to the audience that was ostracized by their peers. She was going to win them over by daring to be different and showing the people that were doing the ostracizing being different was cool. That sounds a lot like Britney Spears and Madonna. Britney started out as a mouseketeer on The New Mickey Mouse Club, where she sang and danced. Madonna is queen of the gays, if you exclude Barbara Streisand. But I digress. The reason Gaga is widely praised by the general public is because she is doing the Madonna thing equal to or, to some, greater than Madonna. The same can't be said for Miley.

Cant Be Tamed is the title track from Miley's second album. This parallels Britney in more ways than one. Britney's second album was Oops! I Did It Again, where the main message was how she wasn't as innocent as people believed her to be. Miley tries to deliver tha same theme with Cant Be Tamed. In the video, she's in a cage. The lyrics talk about her not being put into a box. Translation: I'm not as sweet as you think I am. As a writer, I would have to say that's slight plagarism. the lyrics are probably the same too. Not feeling that. In essence, Miley's whole career has plagarized Britney's. Miley is becoming tabloid fodder now. One word for Miley: yikes!

As for Lady Gaga, she took the central message of Madonna and created something totally unique. Madonna was daring in her fashion choices, but I never saw her rocking a dress made out of Kermit the Frog beanie babies. Plus, Gaga writes songs with layers. It will take more than one listen to catch everything she's throwing at you in Bad Romance. Some people still haven't peeped everything. Did you catch the Alfred hitchcock references? Or do you know what a 'leather studded kiss in the sand' is? Yeah, look into that one. Madonna gave you things like that in her music also. She delved into the bizarre just because she could. That's what Gaga has taken from Madonna. to me, thats not plagarism, just infinite flattery.

I mean, sure, they're both doing the same thing. Miley and Gaga are stealing someone's style to better their career. While Miley is still learning where she fits in, Gaga knows who she is. Which makes Gaga the winner because at some point the student must become the teacher. It doesn't matter if the student takes the positon by force or if it's passed down to them. Lady Gaga is starting to become the teacher slowly but surely. Miley cyrus is still sitting in the back of the class chewing her gum loudly and texting her classmates for the right answers.

Travie McCoy - Lazarus (Album Review)

For people that aren't too familiar with Travie Mccoy, he's the front man to the pop/rock/rap convergence, known as Gym Class Heroes. So if you were expecting a rap album from this guy, you'll be sadly disappointed. This is a genre hopping mix of emo rock and pop with a spinkle of rap sensibilities. This is not your average rap fan's kind of music. Matter of fact, this is not anaverage person's kind of music.

The disc opens with a guest appearance from Cee-Lo Green on "Dr. Feelgood". The track is a catchy and infectious tune about needing a pick-me-up after going through some sort of trial in life. Immediately following that is "Superbad (11:34)", which is a song about feeling stagnant in your life and trying to have a little bit of fun while you're trying to figure out what to do. It starts to become evident Travie isn't one to rap about things he hasn't experienced. That's where "Billionaire" comes in. With Bruno Mars crooning about wanting to buy himself all the things he's never had, one might think this is going to be a record filled with delusions of grandeur. But that's not the case at all. Travie spits about visiting the places most effected by Hurricane Katrina and doing more for those people than FEMA.

That's where the positives of this 10 track confection stop. After "Billionaire", Lazarus becomes a schizophrenic mess. Where one second, you're on the crazy train living it up and the next, whining about being dumped by an ex-girlfriend. He's still bitter even after two years. At one point, you don't know if you want to give this dude a hug or punch him in the arm and tell him to man up. And if that weren't enough, Travie brings in guest artists like T-Pain and Colin Munroe to lead us out of the schizophrenic area and stright into the town of bizarre. T-Pain sings the hook on "The Manual". on it, he sings," I'm just trying to be who you say you are...But who are you?" Confused much? Exactly.

Do yourself a favor, don't waste your time. Lazarus is a gross misrepresentation of Travie McCoy's talent and ability. If you want to hear him when he's on his A game, go pick up or download As Cruel As School Children by Gym Class Heroes. You'll appreciate him a lot more than if you listened to this nonsense.

Drake - Thank Me Later (Album Review)

The time has come. Hip hop's most lauded newcomer dropped his debut album. By no means is it a disaster, but it's not a classic. What it is is a moody and well written intropective look at a young man dealing with extraordinary circumstances. At times, Thank Me Later gives the listener a chance to experience Drake vascillate between many different extremes. Sometimes, it works and other times it doesn't.

The fourteen song set opens with "Fireworks", a bottom heavy song featuring Alicia Keys. In it, Drake raps about his reservations when it comes to becoming a celebrity and a popular rapper. The verses reveal heartbreak and paranoia, while the future Mrs. Swizz Beats sings about seeing fireworks in the future. The version on the album is different from the previously leaked version because on here, Keys is grossly misused and only sings the hook. Whereas, on the leaked version, she sang the B-section and hook. Still this is a great opener. But as the album plays, you notice there are a few missteps with this strong album, namely being the sequencing.

Right after "Fireworks", Drake totally flips it and sings on "Karaoke". Its not a bad song, it's just in the wrong place. This belonged more towrds the end of the set, where most of the other R&B joints about women are. The record is out of place because this leads into the standout and my personal favorite song, "The Resistance". This is, again, about his reservations about fame and how some of his old friends say he's changed. The wordplay is extremely dope on this track. This is not to say the other songs are lacking in lyrical dexterity because Drake shows that his mind and pen are very sharp. That rings true for both sides of the cd, rap and R&B.

as the disc draws to a close, Drake shows one major rookie mistake. Never let the hottest rappers in the game blatantly outshine you on your debut. Jeezy's verse owns "Unforgettable" and needless to say, Hov makes Drake an inconsequential figure on "Light Up". Drake does fare better with T.I. and The-Dream on "Fancy" and "Shut It down" respectively.

All in all, I like this album more than I dislike it, which is saying a mouthful without really saying much. Thank Me Later doesn't necessarily deliver on all of the hype, but it does show why he is considered the new face of hip hop. His cup is overflowing with potential. I hope he delivers a classic with the next album because Thank Me Later is evidence that he is capable of putting out a classic. This just falls a tad bit short.

You Can Get With This Or That

For the people who read my blog faithfully,(thanks!) you know I wrote a blog about who's more important--the singer or songwriter. Well, at the time I didn't really go in on that topic like I should have so here is my second take, but with a different spin on it.

They say birds of a feather flock together. So I guess that can be applied to all different groups and demographics. if we're going to use this as our reference point, the same can be said for families. Meaning, if one sister is good looking, the other must be. Now, this isn't true in all cases, but in the case of the Knowles sisters, it's definitely true. Which brings me to the topic of the day. who would you rather have-- Solange or Beyonce? when I say have i mean it in all senses of the word. Phsically,mentally, and musically. To the select few that read this blog and dont know me, this answer might be a tad shocking. I'm going to have to ride for Solange.

You might be wondering what the hell Solange and Beyonce have to do with the singer/songwriter blog. Here's how it intertwines. both are singers, very good ones, I might add. One is the powerhouse belter with all the vocal dramatics to start a damn soap opera. The other is cooler with the vocals with jazzier inflections. To put it plainly, I'm all for cool and not really into drama.

This is not to say I don't mess with Beyonce. I love Beyonce. If I didn't, I don't think I could be friends with Candy G. because she would disown me. But I like Solange more because she actually writes her own songs. Whereas, Bey will get a song from a songwriter and change a few chords or and a modulation and then bam-she has a co-writer credit. As quiet as its kept, some of Beyonce's hits were penned by the younger Knowles. If you have ever bumped "Upgrade U", "Get Me Bodied, or "Why Don't You Love Me", you should be riding for Solange. She wrote all of those. She has the brains and creativity to keep a guy like me interested. Plus, she's intelligent. Beyonce has said in interviews that she doesn't know how to use the internet. We are in 2010, its time to step your game up, Bey.

But when it comes to looks and body, Mrs. Knowles-Carter wins hands down. She has hips, lips, and ti..--ok I'm going to stop. It almost got vulgar. Solange is lacking in that department, but she knows how to dress it up to make it look like she's working with a lot more than she really is. Beyonce dresses more like the normal "good" girl would. Solange's style is more "i dont give a damn". She has the attitude and spunk to pull it off too. Moreover, Beyonce's lacefronts are starting to get out of control. We know she pays a pretty penny for them, but she must not be paying too much for whomever is putting them in. Its a mess. Solange cut her hair off and is now rocking an afro like she just stepped out of a 1970s blaxploitation film. I can dig that.

Now, i don't want this to sound like some smear campaign of Jay's wife. It's not. Its a simple statement of preference. Its like the eternal questions in our lives. Beauty or brains? Long hair or short? Big or small? Good looking idiot or average looking genius? Basically, it all comes down to what you look for in a woman and musical artists. In this case, I'd like to have the average looking genius who has a small body with short hair. But thats just me. Leave your opinions in the comment section.

Slim Thug Against The World Part Two

Professor Marc Lamont Hill wrote an open letter to Slim Thug about his blog post. Slim Thug said he would respond to his letter. Most thought he would respond in an open letter such as the one the professor wrote. Instead, the two men had a debate on twitter. Theloop21.com posted the conversation on their website. Here's the link.

RT @Supovadea: Fight thttp://is.gd/cJ3Ln

Slim Thug vs. The World

Yesterday, the blogosphere was set ablaze. Rapper, Slim Thug, expressed his opinion on black women. Although he used words like "most", "a lot", "my experience", he was attacked by offended women and men on twitter. People accosted Vibe Magazine for printing his sentiments. I agree with some of the things he said, but not all of it. I'm probably only one of a few. Professor Marc Lamont Hill, whose link I posted on why he hated drake has written Slim Thug an open letter. I'm posting the link. I will post Slim Thug's response tomorrow.

http://bit.ly/cYyeEo

Hood Classic: Crooklyn

It doesn't matter where you're from, we've all had to deal with some
sort of struggle in our lives. We've all had to go through it. Its the
common ground everyone stands on. That was the universal message in
one of the best movies depicting everyday struggles in the black
community. Crooklyn is about the 1970's, but is a story about a
journey rather than a time period.

This film is about a lower middle class Brooklyn family. There are
five children, four boys and one girl. The patriarch, played by Delroy
Lindo, is an out of work jazz musician, while the mother, played by
Alfre Woodard, supports the family as a school teacher. Even though,
Crooklyn is about a whole family, It centers around the daughter,
Troy. She learns life lessons chasing after her brothers and the
neighborhood kids. Being that she's a tomboy, she balks at doing
"girly" things like wearing dresses and grocery shopping. She really
hates grocery shopping because she has to use food stamps. Troy's
mother sends her down south to stay with her Aunt Song for the summer.
There, she begins to become a young lady and comes back to Brooklyn as
a girl ready to take on responsibility as being the only other female
in the house.

This movie resonated with fans and critics alike. Fans loved it for it
accurate portrayal of family dynamics. The parents intervene in the
children's squabbles over the television and name calling. Plus, the
parents argue over money and neither feeling appreciated by the other.
Critics loved it for the writing and acting being extremely realistic.
Roger Ebert said, "Although the Lees say the movie should not be read
as straight autobiography, some of the scenes have the directness and
pain of real memory."

Written by Spike Lee and his brother, Cinque, and sister, Joie
Sussanah, Crooklyn tends to be overlooked in the conversation of
Spike's best work. But who can forget "1,2,3, the devil's after me.
4,5,6, he's always throwing sticks. 7,8,9, he misses every time."
Crooklyn is always overshadowed by Do The Right Thing, School Daze,
and Malcolm X. Yet to those whose upbringing was similar, this is the
favorite.

Check It Out 2

This is a response to the article I posted yesterday. This piece is by Davey D. He's a journalist and hip hop historian. Read and comment.

My Take on Drake...Have We All Reached Our Potential? (A response to Marc Lamont Hill's Piece) http://bit.ly/cWCGZ1

Check This Out

Professor vs the Rapper: Marc Lamont Hill explains why he hates Drake.. Says he's a weak emcee http://bit.ly/apC04o

I agree with everything this man is saying. I had a debate with a friend about it last night. Tell me your thoughts.

Tell Me What You Want

At this stage in the game, hip hop has changed into an entirely different entity than it once was. Whereas it began in the South Bronx as Mcing, B-Boying, and graffiti artists, it is now a popularity contest. It doesn't matter if you are rhyming with intelligence and wit. Now, it's about how much money you make. So my question is where is the love for real hip hop?

How come there were moans and groans when people found out Talib Kweli was performing at Summer Jam? He is one of the most intellectual MCs out there, yet he doesn't get the shine he deserves. This is after stellar verses like the one on "Get 'Em High". Kweli's situation mirrors so many others' too. Take Lupe Fiasco for instance.

Lupe stole the show from Kanye on "Touch The Sky". Every album he has put out has featured some of the best content and lyrics in hip hop. But he barely goes gold with each album. There's something wrong with this picture. Especially when rappers with nursery rhyme flows and dumb lyrics are making millions. (Soulja Boy and Gucci Mane, anyone?)

I think the problem is the consumer. We are like children who can't make up our minds about which toy to pull out of the toy box. We say we want rappers to have something to say. We also want to dance and party, yet we never seem to get that from the same artists, except a few. And once that artist's song is played in heavy rotation, we complain about it being played out. Make up your minds, people! Show love to real hip hop, better yet, show love to real music. Music where the heart and soul emanates from the lyrics. Find music like that and you'll never go wrong. I promise you that.

Signs Of The Apocolypse

I've been getting a great deal of love about these tweets. So I figured I'd dedicate a blog to them. This is how you know the end is near by the happenings in music.

Justin Beiber gets Best New Artist nomination at BET Awards
This is not to say white people can't be nominated for black awards. It's just that it's freaking Justin Beiber. He's a pop artist. A light weight pop artist, at that. He got the nod because every popular black artist has co-signed him.

Nicki Minaj got a Vibe Magazine cover
Supposedly, Nicki Minaj is the hottest female rapper out right now. I'll admit I was on the bandwagon. While her mixtapes are cool, her actual singles have drowned in mediocrity. 'Your Love' is terrible. How do you sound tone deaf using auto-tune? Frankly, she doesn't deserve a cover of Vibe. But she got it. Umm yeah.

Janelle Monae hasn't become a success yet
Janelle Monae us one of those artist every other artist needs to emulate. I don't mean her exact style needs to be copied, but the way she doesn't classify herself as one type of artist. Yet, that is her downfall. In a society hell bent on labels, nobody buys her work because they don't know what to label her. Her album is dope, extremely dope. Check it out.

Well, as of now those are the signs of the apocolypse. Time to go find some more to blog about.