Rap Magazine Puts R&B Star on Its Cover

Despite the anticipation of a number of rap albums being released this summer, the so-called "Bible of Hip Hop Music, Culture and Politics" has head-scratchingly awarded the cover of its "Summer Issue" issue to an R&B star, solidifying the notion that Hiphop publications are completely out of touch with its readership.

You might have heard that Jay-Z & Kanye have an album coming out. Well, the same goes for Eminem and Royce Da 5'9 and Pete Rock & Smif N Wessun. Hell, even DJ Khaled and Lil' Wayne. But somehow Bonsu Thompson came to the conclusion that the singer Chris Brown was more deserving of The Source's cover than a number of relevant rap acts.

The Source tries to justify Brown's placement on the cover by referencing "his progression as an artist as he dabbles into rap," but he is still an R&B artist who is known more for his singing and especially dancing than for some hot 16s.

And while I agree that most everybody deserves a chance at redemption, and while I acknowledge that Chris Brown does indeed rap at times on his latest album (which isn't half bad), I definitely do NOT agree that a Hiphop magazine is the appropriate forum for this type of coverage.

I especially do not care that this is, according to The Source, Chris Brown's first magazine interview in over a year. The fact still remains that he is not, nor will be ever be, a rapper, which to me means he simply is not worthy of being on the cover of any of its issues.

The one and ONLY exception to that rule is Mary J Blige, who's nickname -- The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul -- was bestowed to her by Diddy, another member of Hiphop royalty. Blige not only rhymed on her classic debut album (that was chock full of classic breaks and beats that are now standards in both Hiphop and R&B), but was also responsible for introducing the LOX to Diddy. So without Mary, one could make a persuasive argument that the world never would have been exposed to Jadakiss, one of the most consistent and greatest rappers to ever touch a microphone. That alone right there gives Mary (and Brook Lynn) an irrevocable lifetime membership to the Hiphop Nation.

I thought that Benzino's departure would restore The Source's journalistic integrity, but the truth is that under the leadership of Dave Mays the magazine provided a much more comprehensive coverage of Hiphop, regardless of any controversy or allegations of misconduct.

Beanie Sigel Concedes Defeat to Jay-Z

Although nearly two years too late, Beanie Sigel yesterday issued an apology of sorts to Jay-Z without actually saying the two words that matter most in this type of situation: “I’m sorry”.

During that time period he released at least five tracks** entirely devoted to discrediting and disrespecting Jay, not to mention doing the same in countless video and radio interviews.

Maybe Beans got himself off the pills long enough to clear his mind and realize what all of us have known all along – it is counterproductive for most rappers to challenge Jay-Z in damn near any arena, but especially in rap.

Or, more probably, Beans finally noticed that his pockets contained more lint than cash, and because of that he is willing to eat crow with a side of humble pie.

This seemingly last ditch effort of appealing to Jay for help/work through a false, disingenuous acknowledgement of his wrongdoing should be embarrassing to Beans. But, then again, Gator never felt any type of shame when he two-stepped for his parents in hopes of getting some cash for his next fix. Could this also be Beans’ song-and-dance?

During yesterday’s interview Beanie also admitted he had an album’s worth of songs dissing Jay, but that he “couldn’t put that out. It wouldn’t sit right with me.”

However, just admitting their existence is reason enough to cast doubt on the probability of Jay accepting this so-called apology. Especially because in today’s digital world, it is more than likely that the material will eventually surface with or without Beans’ consent, since, like with most if not all other new rap music, a studio engineer or a member of Beanie’s entourage probably made copies of the songs in hopes of cashing in on them at a later date. And as well all know Jay would NEVER put himself in a situation to lose.

In fact, the only rapper who ever effectively went up against Jay is NaS, and even the considerable rapping talents of Mr. Jones didn’t disrupt Jay’s steady ascent to the top of Hiphop and popular culture stratospheres, where he continues to rest to this day.

The truth of the matter is that Beanie wasn’t a particularly effective battle rapper when he faced off against Jadakiss and Dipset, so there was no way he could even put the smallest chink in Jay’s armor.

For some reason some rappers who were once down with Jay are now scorned at his lack of involvement in their careers, but the reality of the situation is that their work with Jay far outweighed the effectiveness of their work without him. In other words, these rappers owe Jay. Not the other way around.

But confidence can be a detriment, backfiring to the point that a career will find itself in shambles if it doesn’t rein in and control that confidence that can many times lead to bad decision-making.

It’s not Jay’s fault that Beans squandered most of his earnings on Bentleys and drugs when Jay put him in a position to build a similar type of empire (State Property the group, the film series and clothing line; Pro-Keds) that Jay now rules with an iron fist.

It is unclear what's next on the menu for Beanie. He's said in the past that he has no desire to return to making music but mentioned yesterday he's planning to release a mixtape in the near future.

Maybe now is the time for that long-rumored Beans & Bleek album, since both of their careers are currently on life support.

To his credit, though, Beans did [finally] take the high road and admit the truth of the situation: "Whatever I felt this dude Jay did wrong to me, it can’t outweigh the one thing he did do for me – he gave me an opportunity." It's just too bad that more rappers who have also been supposedly scorned by Jay can't bring themselves to do and say the same.

** In case you forgot, here are the songs in question:

What You Talkin' Bout (Oct. 2009)


I Go Off (Feat. 50 Cent) (Nov. 2009)


How I Can Kill Jigga Man (Nov. 2009)


Think Big (Nov. 2009)


Haters (Aug. 2010)

All In Together Now: Collabo Albums Thriving

2010 will be remembered for many things. But a lack of collaborative albums between solo rappers and a single producer is definitely not one of them.

Who knew that the phenomenon that was arguably perfected in 2003 and 2004 would continued to thrive six years later with an unusually high number of rappers and producers putting their egos aside to partner for the greater good of Hiphop music?

Aside from resulting in quality music from rappers and producers responsible for molding Hiphop into the pure artform that it is today, these collaborations also give the artists in question a chance to showcase their talents alongside their equally talented peers (something that does not happen as often as it could and should).

For this critic, when it comes to this type of Hiphop album in 2010, it just didn’t get any better than Skyzoo teaming up with !llmind for Live From the Tapedeck, which was released on Duck Down – the pioneering independent label responsible for a plethora of collaboration albums released over the past few years.

Boston area trailblazers Statik Selektah and Termanology took a break from being solo artists to come together to release their 1982 album -- one of the most slept-on underground rap albums of the year -- proving that Statik is one of today's best and most consistent producers in the business.

But late last month west coast mainstays The Alchemist and his rapping counterpart Oh No (and the brother of the legendary Madlib) quietly released Gutter Water, a monster of an album recorded under the name Gangrene that features beats and rhymes credited to both artists, similar in nature to the above referenced Jaylib project.

Released in that same vein, Philadelphia drug rapper Freeway and Jake One -- a prolific producer from Seattle who is responsible for tons of recent underground and mainstream hits – showcased their unlikely partnership in the form of Stimulus Package, 16 banging tracks that featured Free along with Raekwon, Bun B alongside his State Property bretheren.

9^th Wonder and Murs concluded their celebrated series of collaborative albums with ForNever, their fourth album together that didn’t quite measure up to their first three offerings in this format but was still much appreciated from fans of both.

The improbable alliance of KRS-One and Wu-Tang Clan producer True Master provided fans with a bird’s eye view of The T'Cha rhyming over that Shaolin sound, but unfortunately when the two immovable forces collided the result was not as breathtaking as fans might have hoped.

Looking forward to 2011, the popular trend of Hiphop collaboration albums promises to continue in a major way beginning with a joint album from Pete Rock and DJ Premier, who have gone on the record to discuss their upcoming project that will feature 10 tracks – five for each producer with the rapper(s) of the producers’ choice on each song.

Not to be outdone, Def Jam label mates Sheek Louch and Ghostface Killah (who both have albums scheduled to be released later this month) announced a few weeks ago the Wu/Block album, a collaboration of Wu-Tang Clan members and D-Block members uniting to create one album. With the considerable talents of the core members of each collective, the Wu/Block album has the potential to be a masterpiece, but many fear the album will only feature each group’s affiliates instead of highlighting the lyrical talents of Jadakiss alongside the GZA, or any other conceivable combination between the two groups.

Also scheduled to be released in the next year is Monumental, the collaboration between Smif N' Wessun and Pete Rock that has already spawned the underground hit Prevail, featuring Tek and Steele in rare form trading rhymes with Raekwon over a classic horn-driven beat.

And after more than a decade, talks still have not died down of a possible album with NaS on the mic and Premier on the boards, which is arguably more anticipated than Detox.

But until either or both of those albums come out, it is obvious there will not be a shortage of good music to come in the next 12 months. I'm looking forward to it.

Hi Haters, He's Back From Hiatus!

Raekwon is like Jadakiss, to me. Hardly any of their rhymes sound bad, but that's because their voices are so unique and they have mastered the art of flowing beautifully.

But then you hear their albums and actually listen to their lyrics and find yourself wondering "how did a person with all this talent put out this terrible product?"

This is precisely what has maligned Raekwon for the better part of the past decade. Aside from a few bright spots as a featured guest on random songs, his career has been in the toilet since releasing one of the best Hiphop albums ever created.

He's been pressured into making a sequel to that album, and at one point was working with Dr. Dre to produce the album -- a move that many of us east-coasters found to be curious and a borderline desperate move that may very well tarnish the original album's legacy.

In fact he's been working on the Cuban Linx Part II for about four years, with no results. The whole thing is reminiscent of Dr. Dre's infamous "Detox" album, which was announced seven years ago but has yielded no music for public consumption.
Let all the hating on Raekwon cease! Raekwon is back!

So just when I had all but given up on Rae -- especially after hearing his recent foray into R&B -- a new track from AZ's new mixtape to be released in August surfaces featuring Rae and some guy named Charlie Rock.

My first thoughts were to ignore it but AZ is one of the best and most consistent rappers ever, and since I enjoyed his last album so much I figured it wouldn't hurt to check this track out.

I'm glad I followed my instincts.

After a crazy 16 from AZ and a forgettable verse from Charlie Rock, Rae brings it home with his unmatchable flair and ease on the mic.

Rae's recent renaissance actually started a couple of months ago when OutKast's Big Boi leaked a single from his upcoming solo album. The song featured Andre 3000 and Raekwon, both in rare form with excellent verses.

But I thought nothing of it since Andre is routinely great and Rae is reliably unreliable. But with the release of AZ's song I'm hoping the real Rae we all know and love is back for good.

His verse -- rapped in classic Wu-Tang slang and style -- from the song follows (as best I could interpret it...), as well as a link to the AZ song after that.

"Put on ya thinking caps,
Sold the dro off the bat.
I gotta get high
The Enzo's swole and it's fly.
We hold paper, player
Whatever
The feather in my hat is plush
If it falls, I gotta shoot down ya medals.
Titanium rum
Drunk at the Gucci outlet
Put it ya mouth, b*tch, yum.
You know the chasers and the baseheads
Those my friends
I had to sell when the case fell to pay my rent.
They said all them n*ggas in the crib cook
Bag up blocks of coke
Go to jail and listen to Kim.
That slow motion sh*t
What? We crooks,
Good jooks,
Catch us on the block with Cazals and Tims.
From my mans, Ray Blends,
Call him Rayful Eds.
Stick a church man, burn him and skate on rims.
We the 90s,
N*gga, rewind these lime weeds,
My Guyanese mossies smoke buds and cleanse
Big gems.
New glocks,
The stocks is in.
Catch me on the block cockfighting with hens."

The Secret feat. Charlie Rock & Raekwon - AZ & DJ Absolut

DJ Premier's Latest Hits

Why oh why do people younger than I sleep on DJ Premier?

This guy is a standard-setter, and has been ever since he came on the scene in 1989 with his incredible scratching ability.

It wasn't until a couple of years later that he refined his sound while also redefining what is now that classic New York City Hiphop sound -- boom bap Hiphop music.

Now he has a sound that is both instantly recognizable and while impossible to duplicate.

And after what seemed like a couple of years off from rap to get that money from Christina Aguilera, it seems that Premo is back in a major way in 2008.

In no specific order, here are my favorite DJ Premier-produced joints of 2008 -- thus far:

1) Real N*gga Quote - Rhymefest: Equally as much a political statement as it is an examination of the N word, Premo outdoes himself on this beat with his vintage sound. It's really kind of a throwback when you consider the addition of Malcolm X vocals over the last part of the track. Quotable:

"That's why I say f*ck 'em all
Hillary, Jesse Jack even Brarck is involved
When police beatin' that ass
None of y'all will do a damn thang.
But you can raise $100 million for a campaign?
Homey, ya better explain!
I'm in cell with a n*gga that look like Ving Rhames!"

2) On the Rise Again Feat. Haylie Duff - Kool G Rap: No doubt this is an unexpected collaboration, but it works. Classic Premier drums, a sick strings loop, minimal bassline, and ridiculous scratching on the hook with Duff's vocals as the perfect complement. G Rap is still living the fast life, and he kills it with top notch crack raps. Quotable:

"My main alliance was cocaine giants
N*ggas had more material than Lane Bryant's
Had the block flooded with customers and clients
They had the metric system down to a science.
Up and down the strip in the gulliest whips"

3) Criminal Minded 08 -- KRS-One: Starting off with Premier verbally dedicating the track to Scott LaRock followed by the Blast Master singing in the same cadence from the original version of the song, before the first drum hits you already can feel that this one is special. We haven't had a KRS-Premo collabo in years, so I'm glad they didn't half step when recording this. You already knew Premo would hold up his end of the bargain but I wasn't sure if Kris would come with that boom bap rap or that holier than thou mumbo jumbo that alienated much of his original fanbase. Over a crisp, sinister Premier beat, KRS doesn't disappoint, aiming his hatred at the everlasting sucker emcee. Quotable:

"Yo Premier, why these rappers so soft?
Their corny ass raps be making me doze off!
When I spit lyrics, I step farther/step-father, like ya other dad."

4) Just (remix) -- Mark Ronson Feat. Alex Greenwald & Blaq Poet -- I know I sound like a broken record, but this is Premier at his best! A remix of a Radiohead song, and also a remix in the true sense of the term, Premier uses the original song's horns and vocals and adds his boy Blaq Poet (from Queens rap group Screwball) for a ridiculous 16 bars about a guy debating on taking his life. Quotable:

"You can't take it, take a razor and erase it.
On the 15th floor lookin' at the pavement.
Just do it, don't think, go 'head, fly
Might do it on the first try, just die.
Just forget it, you ain't been sh*it your whole life.
Do the world a favor, do it to yourself twice.
Get some pills, a gun, or a sharp knife.
Goddamn, you can't even do this right.
Too much stress, too much pressure.
F*ck the world, the note's on the dresser.
Smack my boss, and kiss the kids.
Let my wife know that she's a cheatin' ass b*tch.
And just take that leap
And hope you make real big mess in the street
As the world goes on not missing a beat
Don't do it to yourself, don't listen to me!"

Here are the rest of my favorite 2008 Premier joints:

Big Shug - Like a Muhf*ckah: Premier experiments with a new, slower style while still maintaining that sound we all know and love him for. Of course, his scratching is ever present on the hook. Shug isn't the best emcee but he puts together a somewhat conceptual song regarding the emphatic street colloquialism, "like a muhf*ckah".

Little Vic - The Exorcist: I know nothing about this rapper except he's decent on this basic Premier beat. But there's something about dude's flow (his lyrics are not spectacular) over this easy-going, bouncy beat. And when you hear Premier cut up a line from an old Lords of the Underground song, you're hooked. This song gets better and better every time I hear it.

Reks - Say Goodbye: This Boston emcee has been doing his thing on the low for the past few years, snagging features with much better rappers and producers than he deserves to be with. And this song is no exception. But as always, Premier brings out the best in his collaborators. And Reks follows suit with bar after bar, steady spitting, going in and out and over and under the beat, owning it. The haunting vocal sample over Premo's drums is the final deal maker.

Ya Dayz R #'D (Remix Feat. Lady of Rage, Freddie FoXXX & Royce Da 5'9): The original was great, but Preem remixes this song something vicious, and then adds real rappers Freddie FoXXX & Royce -- who steals the show with lines like "I let the record do the talking for me like a Preem hook" -- along with Lady of Rage, who always seems to pop up out of nowhere and make a random appearance every few years, like this one. She has good timing to jump on this one.

That White - Fat Joe: I get sad when I think about the direction Fat Joe's career has gone in, knowing he will never make another Jealous Ones Envy, or even another Don Cartagena for that matter. But every now and then he returns to his DITC roots and gives the streets a good, solid banger. Pause. Hot classic Premo as usual, this time with Fat Joe ignorantly praising the Almighty for the existence of cocaine.

My Thoughts - Freddie FoXXX: I'm actually guessing that this is from 2008, but that's when I first got wind of this magnificent beat with cinematic strings and a simple piano. Premier's drums are softer than usual, but very appropriate for this track. And FoXXX talks his usual sh*t, just letting us in on the many tings that go through his head at any given time.

BONUS: Jadakiss - From then Till Now (DJ Premier Scratches) (Produced by The Alchemist