State Of The Union: Hip-Hop+

Step Over

2006-09-28T09:54:00.000-04:00

Where have I been lately?

Aside from digging lots of George Pelecanos, Dennis Lahane and Richard Price books, i've been contributing to Rupert Murdoch's wealth by chilling on MySpace.

Come check it.

Bill's A Thrill

2006-05-20T09:49:00.000-04:00

Ultra goofy comment from Bill Walton last night during the Spurs vs. Mavericks matchup. A brief exchange between Walton and Steve "Snapper" Jones went something like this as Walton was describing various strengths of Mavs players:

Walton: Keith Van Horn is a cerebral player and will always be in the right position.
Jones: Who is a cerebral player?
Walton: Keith Van Horn.

Of course Van Horn was the only light skinned player Walton was describing. Jones caught the oddball reference and wanted to have Walton reiterate his stance on Van Horn's intellect. He did just that. Made for great TV.

The two have been broadcast partners for years and are known as the NBA's broadcast odd couple. Here's a hilarious Q&A from their 2005 USA Today interview.

How was it as teammates?

Bill Walton: I had to rebound for Steve and guard his man. He refused to pass or play defense, and he was such a bully. He picked on the young rookies. I was never so embarrassed for a sense of man's inhumanity toward man. ... The loss of human decency was amazing. It was with good cause and reason, that (coach) Jack Ramsay had to say, "Steve, we can no longer have you on the team," waiving him goodbye.

Steve Jones: He was the worst guy to sit next to on the bench because "I don't understand what's going on out there. Nobody wants to get me the ball. I'm doing all this work, and now I have to come over here and sit down."

How did you guys get along as teammates?

BW: He came along at the most fortuitous time in my life and saved this dazed and confused soul who was wandering around aimlessly in the deserts of life.

Snapper, do you regret having saved him?

SJ: I had no choice. He wasn't going to go away.

What makes the two of you so popular?

SJ: We have different views on everything.

BW: I'm the compassionate conservative, right down the middle, and he's the radical. One of the great things about being on a basketball team, and I think we've gotten away from that in our world, is when everybody thinks alike, nobody thinks. It's OK to be disagreeable. Just don't be disagreeable about it. Thank goodness one of us can set the story straight.

When you started together at NBC, did you think it would work as well as it has?

SJ: We had no idea. Whenever we're together, we just seem to have a natural chemistry and a lot of fun. That's the whole thing.

Did you miss working games together?

SJ: He left me. He got in his car and said, "Steve, give me a call." I'm still waiting for the call. Last year he ran out of gas, and they put us together in the studio. We're better on games. We were liberated.

What makes you good partners for each other?

BW: Steve Jones is a genius. Steve Jones, like Magic (Johnson) and Larry Bird and Bob Cousy and John Stockton, LeBron James, sees things nobody else sees. Unfortunately, unlike those other guys, Steve sees all the wrong things.

SJ: What makes Bill unique is that he's spontaneously outrageous to the point where you can't believe he said it. He's somewhere out there where we're doing exploratory space navigation.

Who What Where

2006-05-16T11:32:00.000-04:00

Been quite for a minute. What have I been doing, you ask?

Still plugging away for URB. Props to them for the Diplomats issue. Not really my thing, but I like the direction they are headed with new associate ed Brandon Perkins. An important step forward.

Been dropped by the Washington Post. Methinks they've got too many hip-hop oriented folks like me. Still scribbling for the Washington Post Express. Did a piece on Elvis Costello for them.

Also, did anyone check the Sauce's April issue? It is probalby the thinnest issue i've caught in at least 5 years--if I were an advertiser, i'd be hella skeptical. Anyway, a detailed Source history begins on page 44 that drops dimes on everyone and details the innumerable wrongs that were done at the mag. Hopefully things will improve because as much as I've grown to dislike this pub, it's influence on me as a writer and hip-hop head is undeniable. Congrats to Faith Dunn, who penned the piece that takes Mays & Benzino to task hopefully for the last time.

I'm also working on a book. More news soon...

Q Interview

2006-04-09T19:10:00.000-04:00

He's the best. Ever. Now that we've got my bias out of the way, here's my interview with legendary turntablist DJ Qbert. He was coming to Baltimore for a gig and this was for the Washington Post Express.

Did the QFO have the impact you envisioned?
A lot of people are finding out about it and stuff. People are picking it up. It's out there now. People are reinventing it and making different versions of it now, now that the idea of it is out there.

What were the initial reactions to the QFO?
They were like, 'Wow, I want one.'

Did you design because it was portable?
Definitely because it was portable. It's something that can go in your car, go to a picnic or something, just have fun anywhere with it.

I heard you've said it can be taken to the beach. Have you really taken it to the beach?
Yeah!

Talk about the Kut Mobil.
Originally that was my Range Rover and I put a whole system in there--a turntable, a mixer and I hooked it up to the speakers in the car and everything. But that was just too bulky and that was the reason why I invented the QFO. Now, I just have the QFO and you can still hook it up into the system in your car, but it's not as a ridiculous of a huge studio in your car anymore. It's just very simple.

What will come next after the QFO?
Probably something even more portable. Like a smaller version of the QFO. Like a 45 version. Like 'Here, pass it. Let me do a scratch.'

Are you spinning on the QFO this tour?
I'm back to my roots, which is two turntables.

Who is spinning on this tour with you?
I'm not sure, do you know?

If you are the sole act, do you feel added pressure?
I always feel pressure when there are other DJs. Like it's a battle. No matter what it is, I still have to do my best in any situation.

Talk about your one handed DJing.
The one handed stuff has taught me how to do new things that I do nowadays. I even have routines where I'm doing one-handed stuff on both turntables now. Like one hand is doing something, the other hand is doing something different on the other turntable. Let's say my left hand is making a drumbeat and my right hand is scratching. Kind of like a piano player. One hand is doing the rhythm section and the other hand is doing the solo.

Your DVDs go behind the scenes about how to do scratches, equipment set up, etc. Do you ever feel like you're giving away secrets? Do you worry about creating turntable monsters?
That's absolutely what I want. Because everybody has a different personality, different fingerprints, different way of writing-- thats what I want to see. I want to create monsters. I want to create something that will inspire me and everyone else.

Have you spun on the DVD turntables?
We have a pair of those. We're sponsored by Pioneer. They're a lot of fun too. I'm more of an analog guy. I love vinyl and I love the whole rawness of [it].

Do you use final scratch at your shows?
Not me. I'm trying to be original and stay with vinyl. I just love the analog sound. I like it raw and street and dirty.

Scratch music has come down in popularity after hitting a high point in the 90s. How have you dealt with that?
I've always known it as an underground art and for me, it's always going to be an underground art. Even if it goes mainstream, there's always the underground true heads that are still there. That's pretty much where I'm at. It's like breaking. There's a lot of b-boys that have stuck with it. It became very popular and it died out, but the true heads are still there. It never did the died out thing. That's kind of where I'm at. It's always fascinating to me, it's always growing.

There's a lot of people that consider you the best turntablist in history? How do you react to that?
I think they're not educated enough to know that there's a lot of guys out there that are ridiculously mind blowing in their own way. I'm definitely not the best in this. If you're always just looking at apples, there's always oranges and bananas out there and shit.

What are your plans for 2006 and beyond?
I want to do another movie and album. I just want to keep it a surprise right now before the album comes out.

Tell us about The Breaktionary.
It's a new record that I made. It took four years to make. It's 250 b-boy breaks on 4 records. I rock the party like for 4 hours straight with breaks.

You can do 4 hours straight with four records?
Yeah, but you need doubles for that.

Why haven't you gotten down with a bigger company or major label over the years?
It's the fact that [Thud Rumble] can do whatever we want. We're not signed to a label where we'll have to do something for a certain amount of years. It's kind of like prison, you know? You have to do it. That can ruin your creativity. Because if they want it at this certain time and it's like, "Uhh man. I don't feel like making an album 'till later." You can't rush an album.

Dave In DC

2006-04-04T16:30:00.001-04:00

Caught Dave Chapelle last night in D.C. The Kennedy Center, no less. Why is Mr. Chapelle playing the Kennedy Center? Well, it was benefit for the Duke Ellington School for the Performing Arts (A D.C. based public high school that Chapelle graduated from as a youngster).

The venue was stuffy, but Dave didn't care. He let loose with unflinching enthusiasm and didn't try and tone it down for the kiddies as more than a handfull of teens and even pre-teens were in the seats.

Some observations:

Show was too short! For the three figure ticket prices, we could have had more than 90 minutes--especially considering he's known to roll for hours at comedy clubs.

Chapelle loves stand-up. He's incredibly comfortable behind the mic and he's goofy enough to just simply bend over and chuckle at some of the hilarious quips that come out of his mouth.

He's substantially disillusioned with show business--or at least everything outside of stand up. It's a game, he reapeated over and over. Before you say, what isn't?, he really emphasized the shadiness in the entertainment biz that's sickening to him.

He's a closeted Cheaters fan. The reality TV show that showcases cheating lovers gets Dave's endorsement. He excitedly recreated an episode where--guess what?--the male cheater was caught on tape and then exposed to his lady. This took about 15 minutes! Funny, but too long when you consider the limited time he was on stage.

Often times, he was hella serious. He's deep into Pimp--Iceberg Slick's seminal biography that examines the cold, crude and violent pimp game from a man who lived it. Dave recounted a scene in detail that involved one of Iceberg's "girls" and how he concocted an elaborate scheme to mentally improson her. It worked and as that worked on this lady--who he dubbed a "bottom bitch"--it works on the American people by our government or the entertainment biz brass on their "stars" like Chapelle--or wherever you wanna take it. America pimps it's people was the message. While folks dug the story, this took another 15 minutes and just as quick as he began, he was out. Over. Done.

Best Moment: Dave recalling a pre-Grammy encounter with Jessica Simpson, who kissed Dave on the cheek after a brief exchange. Dave copped to lying about how he told her "I like your work" or something to that effect.

The night's theme was something repeated several times by Chapelle before launching into an elongated story. "It's not funny, but it's interesting." Sort of an audience warning. Too much of the night and especially during storytime, he was only interesting, but the 30-40 minutes of hilarity made the show well worth it.

Final Take: Chapelle is smart as hell. He's articulate, intelligent, conflicted and oh yeah, hilarious. He actually did this gig expressly for the high school's benefit at no charge.

Monday Mess

2006-03-26T20:42:00.000-05:00

Damn. My bracket is toast. But congrats to George Mason who are living it up with five starters from Maryland that Gary Williams couldn't get his hands on. An incredible run that might not be over yet.

Also, congrats to The Rub DJs, who made URB's annual Next 100 list. I talked to them for the ultra brief write up and it's here if you've got a microscope.

A few days ago, I had a chance to yak it up with the greatest DJ to ever hit the decks. Still guessing? Will post the entire thing next week.

Caught a rather fiery Sadat X a couple weeks back in B-more opening up for Zion I (what is wrong with this picture?). The oddest thing about the gig was X was hanging in the back of the venue for over an hour prior to his mic ripping and it seemed as if nobody noticed him. Folks are too young I guess. Support his disc! Special thanks to Thanksgiving Brown.

Pair of Franks

2006-03-08T19:20:00.000-05:00

I know i'm mad late on this disc, but the merging of Frank Sinatra and Frank White is sublime. The remix project from DJ Cappel & Smitty dropped last summer and got some play from some major media outlets. I never heard the disc until now and am forcing myself to view Three 6 Mafia's Oscar performance on YouTube as punishment.

While The Grey Album was undoubtedly more complex and heavily textured than Blue Eyes Meets Bed-Sty, its Premier-ish chopping of the Sinatra tunes like "For Every Man There's A Woman" is white hot. Download that cut at The Rub DJs site here.

Cappel & Smitty actually improve on the original Biggie cuts (take note Mr. Diddy)--including "Come On" (culled from Sinatra's "My Way Of Life") where the horns support Biggie's baritone like butter.

Lovin' it & missing Biggie more than ever.

Jumped The Shark

2006-03-05T21:05:00.000-05:00

Madonna has allegedly invited Hasidic Reggae Superstar Matisyahu to a passover seder. According to the man in the black hat, "I don't know if I can go. I'll have to check it out with, like, multiple people, to make sure it's kosher." (via Rolling Stone)

Has Matthew Miller already jumped the shark? His major label debut drops soon.

Tragic

2006-02-11T09:07:00.000-05:00

The untimely death of James "J Dilla" Yancey at 32 is truly sad.
Thank you for what you brought to the game.
R.I.P.
Discography
Pick up Donuts.

Hi-Lo

2006-02-09T19:05:00.000-05:00

With the another Grammy show in the can, here are my awards.

Best Outerwordly Appearance: Sly Stone.
What an incredibly uncomfortable showing for one of the best songwriters who ever lived. Pasty mowhawk aside, his pants were raised up in a way that suggested nursing home status. Poor Sly couldn't even raise his head. I read one AP account that suggested he "kept his head bowed." If Joss Stone's dress had sunk to her ankles, I don't think his head would have risen either--I think he simply doesn't have the ability to do it! It was like his neck had been smothered in Krazy Glue. His right hand sported a bandage--quite handy for playing the keys with. Was he wearing a mask? Jeez. I know the guy is 61, but he could easily pass for 81. I guess the moral of this story is don't do drugs.

Kudos to Josh Freedom Du Lac at the Washington Post for predicting his appearance in a story that ran Jan. 27th.

Worst Pairing: Mary J. Blige & U2
No, I don't want to see the queen of hip-hop soul convulsing during her rendition of "One."

Best Suprise: De La Soul
They appeared at the first live act of the night. Even if they were with a bunch of cartoons. Dope.

Wilson Pickett - Solace In Suburbia

2006-01-28T18:17:00.000-05:00

With the recent passing of soul luminary "Wicked" Wilson Pickett, the Washington Post just published an intriguing piece on his final years living in suburbia. More specifically, an Ashburn, VA subdivision.

According to the article, one neighbor brought him muffins after his move in. Another regularly went fishing with Pickett.

Incredibly cool. Last I checked, none of my neighbors had been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Shinoda & Friends

2006-01-22T21:49:00.000-05:00

Quick Clip:

Here's a review of Fort Minor's debut disc, The Rising Tied.

If ya didn't know, it's Mike Shinoda's (Linkin Park) hip-hop project. Pretty solid, save for some of the utter corniness he ocassionally spits. What i'm really happy about is the record serves as a major label platform for long toiling indie rap trio Styles of Beyond.

If you like Tak & Ryu's tag team rhymes with Fort Minor, try Megadef on Spytech Records. This is a write up I put together on that disc a while back for URB (scroll down).

05's Top Tracks

2006-01-08T20:56:00.000-05:00

As promised, my picks for the best songs of '05. Audio links courtesy HipHopSite.com.

1. Common feat. John Legend & Kanye West - They Say - Geffen
"They say because of the fame and stardom I'm somewhere in between the church and insane asylum" - Kanye
"They say life is a game, so I play hard / Writing for my life cause I'm scared of a day job."
Incredible combo of Com/Kan/John with Kanye on the beat. Slammin' & sincere.

2. Perceptionists - Memorial Day - Definitive Jux
Thoughtful anti-war verses from the perspective of enlisted soldiers.

3. The Game feat. 50 Cent - Hate It Or Love It - Aftermath
Forget what these top tier rhymers are talking about, Just Blaze absolutely killed the beat.

4. Paul Wall feat. Big Pokey - Sittin' Sidewayz - Atlantic
Sort of like diving into a bath full of maple syrup.

5. Matisyahu - King Without A Crown - Or Music
This hasidic reggae rhymer busts from the heart.

6. Kanye West feat. Adam Levine - Heard 'Em Say - Roc-A-Fella
Levine's high pitched wails make the ideal compliment to the upper piano notes that grace the track.

7. Fort Minor Feat. Bobo & Styles Of Beyond - Believe Me - Warner Bros.

8. Giant Panda - 90's - Tres
Yes, this tune is a sort-of-remake of A Tribe Called Quest's lazy classic "Midnight." Since we'll never have another Tribe LP, enjoy.

9. Amerie - 1 Thing - Sony
The year's most hypnotic jam, produced by DC's own Rich Harrison.

10. Madonna - Hung Up - Warner Bros.
Thank you Abba and Stuart Price.

Live in '05

2005-12-31T09:15:00.000-05:00

Let's pass on baloney laden statements about how important MY top 10s are this year. Here's one man's opinion.

The albums... (singles coming soon)

1. Perceptionists - Black Dialogue - Definitive Jux
The year's most politically minded hip-hop joint--or any genre for that matter--took on the war in Iraq and loads of other heavy topics with a highly intelligent left hook. As Akrobatik raps in the title track, "It's black dialogue, go ahead, kid, try it on." Beats and brains.

2. Kanye West - Late Registration - Roc-A-Fella
Go ahead and hate on Kanye. He's hella full of himself, but this is one helluva record delivered with the highest self imposed and fan expectations on the line. Recruiting Jon Brion was as deft a hip-hop move we've seen in years.

3. Giant Panda - Fly School Reunion - Tres
Not just reminding folks of hip-hop's early 90s golden age, they re-created it in an updated way I've yet to see any act match. I feel like personally thanking them for what was probably my most listened to disc this year.

4. Edan - Beauty and the Beat - Lewis
Heady. Brainy. Intelligent. Freakish. Most will lather Edan in praise for his dome, but his prog rock infused tracks are what hadcriticss (including yours truly) falling over themselves to praise this record. It deserved every word.

5. Eels - Blinking Lights and Other Revelations - Vagrant
Since Mark Oliver Evrett, aka E, is essentially the Eels, he gets the props. Soulful and even depressive, this double album is dynamite. He even made his a no-budget music video shot in his house, complete with unplanned howls from his pooch. Side story--I was to review an Eels show in '05 and missed the gig. That might not sound like much of a story, but the reason I missed his strumming was he actually took the stage at 7:00 pm (on time) with no opening act. I was still at work. Guess he goes to bed early.

6. Common - Be - Geffen
This one grew on me. After overcoming my initialdisappointmentt, tunes like "Testify" keep me coming back to it. At 11 tracks, it's concise and precise.

7. Murs & Slug - Felt Vol. 2 - Rhymesayers
These guys put the emo in emotion. According to the press materials, "FELT is a musical collaboration with the long-term goal of having sex with b-level Hollywood actresses. This record is not for the love of Hip Hop." Need I say more?

8. John Legend - Get Lifted - Columbia
We go gaga for R&B artists who write their own tunes and skillfully pound the keys, but Legend deserves every utterance of praise.

9. Dangerdoom - The Mouse and the Mask - Epitaph
I'm not a Cartoon Network freak. Frankly speaking, I don't even stay up late enough to catch Adult Swim. But when Doom and Danger Mouse came together, it was the finest moment yet for both. Brilliant pairing.

10. J-Live - The Hear After - Penalty
The most overlooked rap disc of the year. Are we getting overlyaccustomedd to J-Live's forward thinking wordplay? Whatever the reason, if you skipped this disc, return to it if only for "Listening." It's a recorded phone convo between Live and his wife Kola Rock. Mature and reflective.

Long Time No Type

2005-12-17T12:32:00.000-05:00

Since it's been a while since the last post, it's catch up time.

Things I'm digging:

Kev Brown "I Do What I Do" (Up Above)
Sat down w/Kev at a local diner here in Maryland for an URB magazine B-Side and he's as cool and calm as his silky hip-hop jams. Highly recommended for golden age rap game aficionados. Pete Rock fans should definitely pick it up.

Supernatural "S.P.I.T." (Up Above)
Fifteen years in the making. The freestlye legends first officially released full length. Also talked to him for an URB magazine feature at this Bed-Stuy coffee spot. Animated cat with live lyrical talent that can't be matched.

Maryland Nighthawks
The ABA is back. Spoke to the owner Tom Doyle for a piece in the Washington Post Express. Squad has Lawrence Moten, Randy "White Chocolate" Gill and several other offensive minded hoopsters. Fun for $10 or less.

Just yesterday, Doyle and Gill were featured on ESPN 2's Cold Pizza. Doyle proposed trading Gill & Moten for Indiana's beleaguered forward Ron Artest. Shrewd promotional ploy. I love it!

Breakin' Ankles

2005-11-02T19:46:00.000-05:00

Scoop Jackson's sports writing is much like Allen Iverson's killer crossover. Both force you to stop and stare. Now Jackson has taken Lakers head honcho Phil Jackson to task for being critical of hip-hop culture. Thanks hiphopmusic.com.

Jackson unleashes over the top verbal fury that's better read than described. Check it out!

Oh, pick up Scoop's books.

Sole Provider: 30 Years of Nike Basketball

The Darkside: Chronicling the Young Black Experience

Hood Healer

2005-09-22T19:58:00.000-04:00

Respect is due. David Banner's Heal The Hood campaign is a resounding success. Give till it hurts.

If I remember right, Mr. Banner is the same guy who gave away a college scholarship in a contest for an album he put out a while back. Not your average major label MC.

White Fight

2005-08-31T14:39:00.000-04:00

On Fri. Aug. 26, highly unusual story made it's way into the Washington Post's "A" section. It was about a Brooklyn based DJ, The Pumpsta, who throws a party called "Kill Whitie."

Stories like this are usually reserved for the Style section if they run at all and I was pretty suprised to pick up the paper and see something like this on page 3. Kind of like seeing Kanye West on the cover of Time.

Anyway, I'll sum up the article like this:
White DJ and his party attending buddies make fun of black culture in a racist manner.

The Pumpsta, aka 25 year old Jeremy Parker, issued this statement today.

New York, NY Aug 31, 2005 - A storm of controversy surrounds last Friday’s article in The Washington Post entitled Deejay's Appeal: 'Kill The Whiteness Inside.' The portrayal of Kill Whitie as an "all- white parody of black culture” has propelled racist threats against the party’s founders.

Throughout the article, the author depicts the party as an “all white” event. By focusing on only one of the event’s founders and promoters— a white male - the author characterizes the event as “a melanin-lacking hip-hop party.” Such a characterization does not reflect Kill Whitie's demographic. The other promoters and deejays are multi-racial women. The author interviewed DJ “Sha na na na,” an African-American woman, for nearly four hours, but did not quote her, let alone provide any mention of her participation. People of different races, ethnic backgrounds, and sexual orientations have frequented the party since it began in 2001 at a predominantly Black and Hispanic club.

Despite the polarization created by the Post, Kill Whitie actually serves as glue that bonds a diverse group of people. The recent article has fueled a forum of hate mail and racist propaganda perpetuated by the Post’s blatant misrepresentation. Despite pressure to abandon the party, Kill Whitie’s August 31st show is scheduled to occur.
-------------------------------
Parker contends that the author purposely slanted the piece and misrepresented the party. I'm not sure who to believe, but I've gotta say this - the Post article mentions that one of the party fliers offers " free admission to anyone with a bucket of fried chicken." Seems pretty classless, no matter the skin color of the party throwers.

Concert Cliches

2005-08-28T21:47:00.000-04:00

David Segal delves deep into the concert cliche here. Mr. Segal (see--I can do NY Times style) is the former pop music critic at the Washington Post and a fantastically hilarious writer.

Full disclosure: I am biased because I freelance for the Post once in a blue moon. I freelance for their sister paper Express more regularly.

Anyway, check it out if you've got the site's free registration. Well worth your time. It reminds us there isn't much left in the way of Live Concert Moments. Set lists are planned, encores counted on even with a sub par crowd. Folks should be surprised to get anything more than a cookie cutter experience from most bands.

For something mos definitely non scripted, take rap freestyle legend Supernatural. Caught him a few times in concert and when folks would toss out words for him to rhyme to--like supercalifragilisticexpialidocious--it wasn't planned. He even had someone open random pages from the dictionary and pick a word to rhyme along with. Truly a Live Concert Moment.

Black and White and Dope All Over

2005-08-15T23:35:00.000-04:00

Giant Panda's debut LP is in stores and I'm a huge fan of their throwback rap. Sort of like a modern version of A Tribe Called Quest--who they're undeniably influenced by.

Here's my take on it from URB Magazine. Enjoy and cop the record.

Ranting on Rev

2005-07-25T10:44:00.000-04:00

With Scion's metro parties bringing several first timers to play in DC, I was floored when I saw DJ Revolution's name as one of the upcoming spinners. He recently played--I embarassingly missed the gig--and prior to the show, I interviewed him for the Washington Post Express and HipHopSite. To get to the meat of our Q&A, here's the HipHopSite version of things.

For those that slept, Revolution's the L.A. based DJ for the internationally syndicated radio program "The Wake Up Show." The show's the most widely heard hip-hop radio show on the planet, so he's the most listened to hip-hop DJ on the FM dial.

Check out Rev's choice quotes, including his comments on a then unknown Eminem rolling through the studio.

Edan's Magical Mystery Tour

2005-07-04T22:20:00.000-04:00

Quick Clip.

Since the stuff I do for URB rarely ends up online, here ya go. I know the mainstream press has been all over this album like he was Bright Eyes, but the Humble Magnificent deserves the props.

Color Crisis Pt. II

2005-07-02T12:25:00.000-04:00

This white fans of hip-hop talk makes me recall an interview I did with doo wop R&B legend Pookie Hudson in Feb. for the Washington Post Express. Not sure who this man is? Click here.

I asked him about his down years (there were many and he was even homeless for a while) and he had this to say:

"When disco came in, when the British groups invaded. I though it was all over. Then white people started doing this oldies thing, saving records, making things expensive. I have to say the white people took to it more. They are the saviors of it at this particular moment."

There's been talk of this sort of thing for jazz and especially avant garde type jazz, but I hadn't heard much of this about R&B. Mr. Hudson was basically saying that his career was revived by white folks taking an interest in his music. Of course, they are not the only ones, but neverthless, this is something that stood out to him and he made it a point to tell me this, without really being prompted to do so.

More info on Mr. Hudson here.

Color Crisis

2005-06-30T18:54:00.000-04:00

Lots of folks are talking about Bakari Kitwana's incisive look at how concious black rap artists have heavily white live audiences.

Some of the more insightful comments from the piece:

Zion I's Zion: "...Black folks will say that they aren't trying to hear hip-hop artists remind them of their problems."

Wendy Day: "I can tell you as someone who works with independent labels in parts of the South and Midwest that if you are breaking a record at the street level in these communities, and you don't have young Black kids buying your record, you will not go anywhere."

Brother Ali: "One of the hardest things we're dealing with now is the underlying feeling of white supremacy among fans who feel they are a part of hip-hop, but are listening to and prefer mostly white MCs..."

Kitwana asserts correctly that white folks dig politically charged hip-hop. Though there's no way to prove this, i've been to enough shows myself to concur. Brother Ali's comments (I believe he's a Black albino--though am honestly not sure) are pretty interesting. I know fans like those he mentions. However, there are still plenty of hip-hop heads that don't have white supremacist feelings when it comes to melanin-deficient MCs. In fact, when it comes to yours truly, I will undoubtedly cast a more critical eye when hearing a white hip-hopper spit and must admit that even before I hear him or her bust, i'm automatically assuming that it's going to be more Brian Austin Green than Emimen.

Random Rundown

2005-06-27T22:44:00.000-04:00

This is what's been running through my domepiece as of late:

1) George Pelecanos is the best crime writer I've read in a grip. He's absolutely meticulous when it comes to music. You're likely to read his Chocolate City characters spinning tunes from The Stylistics to Neil Young. Ideal summer reading.

2) Why the heck to realtors have to post their glamour shots on all of their paraphenalia? Seems to be the only profession outside of the entertainment world that feels the need to do this. Do they think they'll actually be selected if they're good looking folks? Do people actually pick them over someone else for this reason? Seems completely absurd. Why do I care about this? Not sure, quite truthfully.

3) Watching Tom Cruise deny the relevance of psychiatry is fantastic television. He's so wacked out, he appears to be playing a movie role in real life. Maybe he should pop a couple Ritalin to chill out.

Frontline

2005-06-16T20:43:00.000-04:00

If NoCal's Frontline is at the Bay Area's hip-hop forefront, i feel thousands of miles away. Not feeling the sound, which I liken too much to the crunked out jams that blast on BET daily. They have some lyrical chops, but i'm not getting it.

Double P

2005-06-15T10:43:00.000-04:00

Witnessed a pair of 16th letters the other night: DJ Premier & DJ P. They played for free courtesy of that toaster like car line Scion. More on that in a minute. Here's the review.

Just by strolling onto the dance floor to his spinning area, Premier had the crowd in awe of his mere presence. Sort of a Jerry Maguire-ish "had me at hello" type thing. He was tight on the decks (lots of precision cuts), but not into much turntable trickery. Hearing him play a gang of jams he produced from MCs like Jay-Z and Nas was truly a thrill. He didn't have to do much--heck, he's Primo. To see him is to love him.

DJ P had the unenviable task of prepping everyone for Premier and he won the D.C. crowd over with his seamless, oddball mixes (not an easy task). Some sample pairings from P:

Beastie Boys "No Sleep 'Til Brooklyn" & Fat Joe "Lean Back"

Tears for Fears "Shout" & Motley Crue "Shout at the Devil"

Notorious BIG "Gimme The Loot" & Mystikal "Danger" & The Beatles "Help"

At the end of his set, DJ P actually breakdanced smack dab in the middle of the crowd. His moves deserved an honorary Rock Steady card. Check out a video of P b-boying here.

Still tough to believe this was all FREE. As much as I joke about Scion's cars looking like lunchboxes, I've gotta give 'em props.

Perception Is Reality

2005-06-14T10:06:00.000-04:00

I know i'm made late on this, but The Perceptionists record is downright dope.

Pissed, pensive and funny as hell, the trio of DJ Fakts One, Mr. Lif and Akrobatik deliver. Oh, don't miss Shock G's guest appearance on the most hilariously incisive joint on the disc, "Career Finders." Check out the album samplere here.

Testifyin'

2005-06-06T22:39:00.000-04:00

Dave McKenna writes live show reviews for the Washington Post. He's probably the sharpest and most hilarious concert reviewer i've ever come across. Check this recent review from the metal band Testament:

Testament at Jaxx

-------------------------------------------
Metalheads prefer the old Testament. The band, that is. The recently reconstituted and influential menace-metal outfit pummeled a full house at Jaxx Friday with its first stateside show in more than a decade.

Testament formed in Northern California in the early 1980s and seemed bound for Metallica-level success later in the decade. But such prosperity never came, and the band has been in disarray since the the1992 departure of guitar hero and onetime childhood prodigy Alex Skolnick. Now that he's back with others from the band's glory days, it's clear Skolnick has aged differently from his mates. While they have grown creepier-looking over time -- singer Chuck Billy, whose gargantuan body is covered by hair and tattoos, cuts as scary a figure as anybody who sings for a living -- Skolnick now exudes regular-guyness. He has a short coif and -- horror of horrors! -- no visible body ink or piercings. (For perspective on how odd this purity is, consider that Testament's lineups since Skolnick left the band have included musicians from groups with names such as Death, Obituary, Disincarnate, Cancer, Dark Angel, Sadus, Forbidden, Slayer and Evil Dead.) The band's hard-core followers are as ornery-looking as four-fifths of the band, which, layoff be damned, produced about 90 minutes of metal so heavy the CIA might want to prevent its export to Iran. Yet when Skolnick -- who while on hiatus from Testament composed big-band jazz for, among others, the Westminster Kennel Club broadcasts -- threw his trademark faux-classical licks lickety-split into the solo on "Thrown in the Fire," the fans cheered him as if he'd gotten "666" branded on his forehead. During "Disciples of the Watch," Billy, who in recent years won a bout with cancer that once had fans wondering if he'd ever screech about Beelzebub again, commanded the crowd to scream along with him lyrics such as "Obey! Or I'll burn you to that cross!" The moshers were too scared not to comply.
--------------------------------------------------------------------

Talk about having fun with the material. It ain't hip-hop, but I'm loving it.

Like A Ginsu

2005-05-28T18:27:00.000-04:00

Gza can give a fuck about rims or ice. That's what he told his students--and that's what we were--at his gig a few nights ago in DC. Here's how it went down in my review.

The sharpest sword in the Wu is no frills. He just stood in place most of the time and spit his heart out. Folks predictably went bananas.

Quick Gza quotes from the stage:

"I make sure to craft it real, original"

"The first time I did a demo was with Ol' Dirty Bastard. That was in '84!"

"[My son Justice] has been rhyming since he was in pampers."

Gza also said that he doesn't write often, typically only one rhyme a month. He also said he just recorded a 12 song album with DJ Muggs in L.A.

After the hour plus gig, he signed autographs and posed for pics with everyone who wanted one. "I'll stay here all night," he said. "I got nowhere to be."

Plan B

2005-05-19T18:52:00.000-04:00

DJ Z-Trip's been through the ringer for his major label debut. I talked to him about the drama for the Balitmore City Paper and here's how it turned out.

Among the quotes that had to be snipped out of the feature:

When asked about playing at SARS Stock in Toronto:
"When you get up there and there's [400,000] people, there's also a point where, you mentally sort of shut down and block it out. It's just too hard to fucking fathom. It's too hard to comprehend that many people. In a weird way, I revert back to me Djing in my bedroom."

On the Mash Up vs. The Blend:
"There still is an art and a craft to mixing two songs together. I personally feel that when someone's doing it on a computer in their house, at four in the morning in their boxers, in front of their cat and they go, 'Oops, I screwed up. Oh, lemme just click my mouse and fix that. Oh, there we go. Now it sounds better.'"

On Uneasy Listening's unexpected success:
"It's sort of a drag, because something that we did sort of off the cuff in a very fun way has become a complete, studied, picked apart thing."

Z-Trip's also got a track on the upcoming Mowtown Remixeddisc. Listen to how he flips the Jackson 5 here.

Coincidentally, DJ P just posted the song credits (who mixed what) for "Uneasy Listening" at his website's message board. You might be suprised...

Bootylicious Bar Mitzvah

2005-05-15T23:20:00.000-04:00

Destiny's Child is available for weddings and Bar Mitzvahs. Seems a British retail magnate is set to have the trio gyrate for a host of 13 year olds in the South of France for his kid's Bar Mitzvah.

Also on the bill, Justin Timberlake. Hilariously enough, he just had throat surgery and might lip sync his tunes for a million dollar payday. (OK...this is from a website that refers to him as Trousersnake.)

The guy who is wacky enough to pay for all this is British billionare Philip Green.

In a related story, Destiny's Child didn't play my wedding last summer. But DJ Neil Armstrong of the 5th Platoon did.

Thanks again Neil!

Saul Sans Band

2005-05-11T10:42:00.000-04:00

Attention MCs:

Can you rock a crowd with just your voice?

For more than five minutes?

Thought so.

Saul Williams can. Here's how it went down.

Prophet of Rage

2005-05-02T17:32:00.000-04:00

After seeing Adam Mansbach talk about his novel "Angry Black White Boy" last week in DC, I wanted to post this brief interview with him. It was used for a feature in the Washington Post Express, but since that paper must be downloaded in its entirety as a PDF, I'll give the Q & A in full.

Why do you think someone like Macon went to such extremes in the novel? Why wouldn't he consider other options to change the system?

Macon is the kind of kid who is fed up with inaction and fundamentally distrustful of institutions, and his self-image is very tied to insurgency. To him, the central problem is white people’s refusal to be self-critical, their ability to back away from the question of race when it becomes unpleasant, and so his agenda is to force the issue as radically as he can. It’s an agenda he backs into, however – he doesn’t set out to lead a movement. Events thrust him suddenly into a leadership position, and he makes his tactics up on the fly as things spiral out of control around him. And that’s the other thing: Macon is young, and very conflicted, and his politics are twisted up with his personal issues in a way that makes him both charismatic and volatile. Which is what gets him into this mess to begin with.

You and Macon are similar in many ways (school,hip-hop, geographical upbringing). Where do you think you stop and that character begins?

Definitely before the moment Macon decides to start pulling guns on people just because they’re white. We do share a lot; we’re both products of a mostly-white school system integrated by a program that brought inner-city black kids out to the white ‘burbs –- a unidirectional form of integration, you might say. And we both discovered hip hop and politics at a young age, at a time when hip hop was a gripping site of social critique – the first place I found real validation for my suspicion my community was hypocritical and complacent, and that institutional and economic racism were powerful, unseen forces that allowed it to be so. At that time, there weren’t many white kids on the scene. You had to seek hip hop out where it existed, which meant venturing into other neighborhoods, insinuating yourself into other communities. Being in the minority yourself, for a few hours. This lead to an interesting duality, for both Macon and me -- being vigilantly aware of your own whiteness, and simultaneously trying to escape it. In a lot of ways, though, Macon is an anti-autobiographical figure. He’s the zealot I might have been, but didn’t want to be, or lack the courage to be, or am too old now to be, or see too much grey to be. He’s caught up in a need for validation that I thankfully extricated myself from some time ago. I found other music, I went on the road with Elvin Jones and started dealing with jazz. Macon just has hip hop. It’s the only time signature he knows how to play in.

What's the status on the film? I see there is a director? Is there a studio or rough schedule?

Not yet. The director, Adam Bhala Lough, has written a great script, and in a few weeks the process of showing it to actors and studios will begin. We’ve held off because Adam’s first film, Bomb the System, hits theaters in two weeks, and also so that the book could get out there and generate its own buzz.

Who would you like to see Macon be portrayed by on the big screen & why?

I lean toward casting a really talented unknown – somebody for whom this will be a breakout role – and surrounding him with top-notch actors. I’d love to see Mos Def or Geoffrey Wright as Nique, Chloe Sevingne as Logan, Warren Beatty or Robert Duvall or Harvey Kietel as Conway Donner. I could also see Hayden Christensen as Macon. Some people aren’t into him, but I think he displays a real intensity in a couple of the scenes from the last Star Wars joint. Whether he’s hip hop enough to play Macon, I don’t know. But when I watch the scene where he comes back and tells Natalie Portman about how he’s just killed all the Tuskan Raiders, I’m like “Yeah! That’s Macon!”

Will you be doing any rapping at the book reading at Politics & Prose?

If I can get my drummer, The Apple Juice Kid, to drive in from Chapel Hill, then definitely. My new album, Stand for Nothing, Fall for Anything, just dropped on Upshot Records, so I’ll probably perform something off of that. It’s a hip hop and spoken word album with a six-piece jazz band – and because all the musicians are so well-versed in both jazz and hip hop, it’s a much more organic fusion of the musics than a lot of what’s come out thus far. Besides, I like to flip the script on what people expect in a bookstore. Keeps it interesting.

Handsome Boys Get Ugly

2005-04-26T22:26:00.000-04:00

Took in the Handsome Boy Modeling School show last week at the 9:30 Club here in DC. I've attended several hundred hip-hop gigs in my time, but this had to be the worst concert with the most talent on stage i've ever witnessed--an absolute debacle from beginning to end.

Let me first say I dig HBMS's albums and even own a pair of "Get A Life" DVDs--for the uninitiated, that's the Fox sitcom the group's concept sprung from. The humor in "Get A Life" is sarcastic and often infantile and I like it. The yuks in this concert were stupid as well, but the jokes fell flatter than a crepe under an elephant's foot.

Dan Nakamura and Prince Paul appeared with fake mustaches and told bad jokes most of the night. It didn't get better.

"Y'all dont' look half bad," announced Paul. "But not as good as we do." Ha. We only heard that line reworked about fifteen times throughout the evening.

The pair were joined on stage by a modest band with guitar, bass & keys, who embellished the canned beats. A large screen featured cheap images of the guest singers and rappers like De La Soul and Jack Johnson.

The images appeared to be created by myself on Microsoft Paint. And I can't paint. The character's lips moved a bit with often motionless bodies. It was like watching Triumph The Insult Comic Dog, only minus the jokes.

While they played "A Day In the Life," a single image on the screen without changes represented rappers RZA & A.G. creating a remarkably cheap effect. Couldn't we at least have two separate heads on the screen?

Here's my official review.

While the show centered around flat skits and pre-recorded tunes starring computer animated crooners & MCs, the two handsome boys scratched records and looked uneasy. At least Nakamura did. Here's an incredibly talented producer that puts a club full of folks to sleep when he grabs a microphone.

Prince Paul was a boisterous master of ceremonies with jokes so repetitive and asinine that it seemed like I was stuck in hip-hop's most horrific skit without an ending.

Mr. Dead tried his best to liven things up with vulgar segments that centered on breasts. Let's just say he won't be hitting the comedy clubs anytime soon.

Casual and Josh Hayden did tunes live that were fairly interesting. Dres from Black Sheep even did "The Choice is Yours," but the sizable crowd was already out of the game at that point.

I'm fans of Paul & Nakamura and they deserve to be hip-hop luminaries. But as they'd say, the show was decidely "un-handsome."

Z-Trippin' & P-Mixin' pt. I

2005-04-22T17:36:00.000-04:00

DJ Z-Trip just dropped his major label debut.

The short story is: He signed 3 years ago with Hollywood Records and DJs round the world let out a cheer. After finding out that sampling entire songs is virtually impossible, he regrouped with "Shifting Gears." The record is dope and I'll have more on it soon. I interviewed Z for the Baltimore City Paper for a profile that will run in the coming weeks.

Among the things we spoke on was "Uneasy Listening."

For the uninitiated, it's basically the mix CD that ushered in the current mash up craze. He did the disc with DJ P, but is tired of P remaining uncredited for his contributions.

P, of course, feels the same way and on his website, is about to unveil the official "who did what" unveiling of Uneasy Listening's mixes.

Z-Trip got mega large and P didn't. Although P's still had his share of success with regular DJ gigs across the country and even a sizeable tour with 311 last summer.

Here's a quote that didn't make my story on Z-Trip. When asked about "Uneasy Listening" and "Shifting Gears," DJ P had this to say, "I don't really have any comments on the subject of Uneasy Listening. As far as Z's new album, I listened to it and i think it is good for his first produced album."

Breaking it down, there's no beef, but a little tension for sure. Both have beef with the mainstream media neglecting P's part in "Uneasy Listening."

On a side note, The Washington Post's Sunday Source section itentified Z-Trip as a "DJ-rapper."

Steady Slangin' Slang?

2005-04-22T16:44:00.000-04:00

In Nathan Rich's NYT critique of "Angry Black White Boy," he calls writer Adam Mansbach out for slangin' too much slang.

"Yet for all the complexity of his subject, Mansbach's tone is distractingly breezy and frivolous, and his language can be lazy. Slang, just like normal speech, has its clichés. "This place is wack," "you need to chill," "I wasn't trying to front" and "in full effect" are accurate vernacular, but they make for dull dialogue and are no better than "give the credit where it was due," "hit the nail right on the head" and "Macon's heart fluttered with nervous excitement."

Huh?

Doesn't Mansbach slang filled dialogue lead the realism of the characters? Isn't this the way folks talk? The jargon isn't overdone and is well warranted. Would Rich prefer the characters avoid slang in their daily discussions that we, the readers, are supposed to be privy to?

Kudos to Mr. MANsbach for a dope read. Macon & Co. are explosive. Learn more about the book here.

Common's Conundrum

2005-04-18T20:52:00.000-04:00

As folks debate the seriousness of Common's coke gig a while back at hiphopmusic.com, his record's release date looms.

The facts as reported in Billboard:

"Like Water For Chocolate" sold 748,000 units

"Electric Circus" sold 293,000 units

"Be" will go gold and you won't see a hacky sack in sight.

Now it's official--Com & Darius Rucker now have at least one thing in common.

URB's Next 100

2005-04-06T21:01:00.000-04:00

Urb Magazine's annual Next 100 issue has hit the streets and here are the folks I profiled:

Santa Cruz MC/Producer Grip Grand

Washington state hip-hop trio Grayskul

Beantown radio friendly rhymer Sullee

Hip-hop act Giant Panda

Eastern Development's beatsmith Leo 123

Croatian producer Koolade

Flex Mathews - DC's own Out Of Work Superhero

Dutch master Nicolay

Veteran Virginia beat banger Nottz

Subscribe to URB

MP3 Coming This Weekend...

If Headz Only Knew I'd Be On AOL (MP3)

2005-03-30T16:36:00.000-05:00

Yes, that was Jersey City's Heather B. in a recent AOL commercial.

Back when the Real World was actually legit, she starred in the inagural series in NYC. She also put out a slammin' LP with loads of help from DJ Premier in '96. She even dropped a little heard sequel in 2002.

Her finest tunes boast a vigorous thump from Premier, exemplified in this weeks selection, "If Headz Only Knew."

Heather B.
"If Headz Only Knew"
1996
DOWNLOAD HERE

Jose Canseco vs. Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth

2005-03-30T10:11:00.000-05:00

This is how shallow I am. I'd take VH1's "The Surreal Life" over 60 Minutes any day.

Volume 5's cast has just been announced.

The C-Listers this time around:

Jose Canseco: Baseball's Benedict Arnold
Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth: Legendary Apprentice mini-tornado
*Janice Dickinson: America's Next Top Model Judge
Sandi "Pepa" Denton: Part of pioneering hip-hoppers Salt-N-Pepa. Ex wife of Naughty By Nature's Treach.
*Caprice: British model
*Carey Hart: Motorcrosser
Bronson Pinchot: Played Balki on "Perfect Strangers."

* Indicates I couldn't indentify any of these folks in a police lineup.

Xzibit is Norml

2005-03-26T09:11:00.000-05:00

With Xzibit heading to DC in a week for a concert, I was contemplating his recent arrest in Guam after being caught with wacky weed.

According to an AllHipHop.com report, "he was very relaxed" about getting got. Draw your own conclusions from that.

Speaking of getting nabbed, there's been loads of busted celebs when it comes to sticky green situations. NORML's got a database and among those listed are:
David Lee Roth
John Lennon
Paul McCartney
Whitney Houston
Willie Nelson
and GASP!...Snoop Dogg.

More offenders.

I Leap Over Lies In A Single Bound (MP3 Inside)

2005-03-23T19:39:00.000-05:00

With a nod to innovators at Soul Sides, Cocaine Blunts and the like, I'm gonna get into this sonic blogging thing. I'm aiming for a musical post with download once a week, every Wednesday. I've ripped damn near a zillion tunes from loads of sites, so it's time to give back.

To commence the proceedings, it's a man who established a legendary hip-hop career with one song--Jeru The Damaja. Since he's appearing in DC this weekend, I thought he'd be a nice pick.

I remember catching a show at the old 9:30 Club with Gang Starr back in like '92. When the boys brought out Jeru to do "Come Clean," the place flipped. He verbally smacked fake gangsters and didn't have to name names. Plenty of "ooohs" filled the dingy establishment. Just like that, Jeru was ghost after a single song.

"Come Clean" stands as a legendary track, thanks to the deadly combo of Jeru & Premier. Rumor has it that Jeru was so fed up with Primo's production props, he ended their musical relationship after their second album. Ain't been the same since.

"You Can't Stop the Prophet" was another inventive, metaphor filled masterpiece. Blessed with the Pete Rock Remix, Jeru battles Mr. Ignorance, hatred, jealousy and envy with panache.

"You Can't Stop The Prophet"
Jeru The Damaja
Payday, 1994
DOWNLOAD HERE.

By The Power of Grayskul

2005-03-22T19:19:00.000-05:00

After catching the Atmosphere and Grayskul show the other night here in DC, I learned a few things.

1) Atmosphere is Slug. With a band or just Mr. Dibbs, there's not much difference because it's all about Sean Daley. Justifiably so.

2) If folks read my review, they might think I thought Mr. Daley was full of cliches. He wasn't.

How it read: "Soon after, he opted for a rap cliche -- commanding all the beautiful folks in the audience to make noise."

How it was written: "Soon after, he opted for a rap cliché--commanding all the beautiful folks in the audience to make noise. Slug turned the tables on the predictable roar by flipping the bird to all in sight and emotively ripped through "Godlovesugly." "I wear my scars like the rings on a pimp," he expressively rapped. "I live life like the captain of a sinking ship."

Morals: Don't create an image of extended middle fingers for the newspaper audience and life's a bitch.

3) Grayskul has a legit shot at single handedly resurecting horrorcore. Assuming that people want to recussitate the genre. What do ya think about that Flatlinerz & Gravediggaz? Note that Grayskul's name doesn't end with a "Z," which might preclude them from doing this. However, MC Onry Ozzborn's last name boasts a pair of Zs. Does that count?

Check Grayskul's video for "Prom Quiz." Dope.

Random Rundown

2005-03-17T19:36:00.000-05:00

Hey Ya'll.

Long time, no blog.

Random Thoughts:

My man Sam has a fantastic peek into one of the most successful India hip-hop labels in history. Check it here.

I'm feeling pretty guilty lately. The culprit: a dislike of this brother's tunes and I'm virtually ashamed of it. More on this later...

Common's back with "The Corner" (click for the video) and seems to be favoring neckties. I liked his last record's experimental feel, but I'm hella glad he's given the boot to the Hacky Sack fare. Some folks are complaining that Kanye's guiding too much of his new LB "Be" (out in May), but whatever he touches has a shot at garnering Billboard love and it's about time Common's sold some records. I'm rooting for him!

Going to see Atmosphere tonight at the 9:30 club here in DC. Slug's got a band this time and left Mr. Dibbs at home. Grayskul is on the bill too. I'm curious to see a hip-hop act with a pair of mc's and a bass player on stage. More in a few days...

Pop Punk Puke

2005-02-26T16:52:00.000-05:00

Sometimes when I'm at a concert, I feel like a geezer. At a recent gig from Texas pop-punkers Bowling for Soup, I was nursing home material.

Bowling for Soup is a lot like Blink 182, only much funnier.

You've probably heard BFS's ultra catchy radio hit "1985". It's the tune that asks, "When did Ozzy become an actor" and a lot of other probing, pop culture questions. It's a great example of how terrific the group's songwriting is. They know how to pen a hit. They also know how to toss poop jokes at one another on stage while a crowd filled with pre-teens and their parents yuk it up in the audience.

Here's my show review.

Little known facts about BFS learned at the show:

1) Guitarist Chris Burney licks his guitar after each song. With his tongue.

2) Lead singer Jaret Reddick does a mean Shaggy impression. If you pay him $10. An audience member coughed it up.

3) BFS appeared as a prom band in the film debut of Britney Spears.

3) The band is obsessed with regurgitation and bowl movements. (Maybe that one's not little known...)

Voice Choice

2005-02-10T05:31:00.000-05:00

The Village Voice's annual Pazz & Jop poll is out.

Who's #1? Kanye West. Good thing he was picked. He would have walked off the web in protest.

In this December post, I noted that Kanye would top the tally. Hey, I know this isn't like predicting that The Wizards would be in the 2005 NBA playoff run, but let's give credit where it's due.

I also brushed against my crystal ball to reveal:

1) I won't have heard half or more of the top 10 records. Truth is I haven't listened to five of them (Brian Wilson, Loretta Lynn, Green Day, Arcade Fire, Modest Mouse). This doesn't count the Modest Mouse video I caught on MTV several times. This is probably nothing to brag about, but whatever.

2) The most politically eloquent mic ripper since Chuck D, Immortal Technique, won't make the cut. His record didn't and only got 2 folks voting for him. Either nobody knows who the f*ck he is or they're getting technical with release dates because it dropped in '03, but got noticed in '04.

3) I also said Madvillany & The Grey Album would make the top 10 (not my picks, but my predictions). Grey took 10th, Madvillany took 11th.

4) My other predictions for the top 10? Elliot Smith, Sonic Youth and The Streets would sneak in. Right on the Streets (#7), wrong on Sonic Youth (#37) and Elliot Smith (#22).

My ballot.

I even got a tiny, little quote up in there. Break out your pocket magnifiers and check it out on this page. They list me as residing in Charlottesville, VA (aka Rob Lowe's birthplace), even though i've never set foot within city limits. But I ain't mad at'cha. Update: They corrected it to B-Town, MD. Props to the copy editors for some quick action!

One more thing, the Voice's web page has a super cool feature that lists all the writers that picked a particular album or song. More on this later...

Soul Power

2005-02-09T20:07:00.000-05:00

Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings are about forty years behind the times.

And that's a good thing.

Where's George?

2005-02-02T21:02:00.000-05:00

This is a hip-hop blog.

If you're looking for stuff about Dubya's speech, try here, here or here.

Alter Egos

2005-02-02T11:35:00.000-05:00

Caught a show with Leak Bros Cage and Tame One. It's a depressing, drug drenched LP and doesn't exactly make for a fantastic live gig.

Read all about it.

As for Cage, he seems drawn to concept albums with dark subjects.

Porno: Smut Peddlers

Crooked cops: Nighthawks

Smoking cigarettes doused in embalming fluid: Leak Bros

Want more? Try Cage's upcoming Def Jux disc "Hell's Winter." Producers include, ahem, DJ Shadow.

Yikes.

Diss Bliss

2005-01-23T19:08:00.000-05:00

Skillz is rap's unnofficial punchline champ. Though he said he'd had it with his yearly rap ups, he came out with another joint. Some of the meatier lines:

Mase came back too, did y'all peep it?
What's funny is he prolly made more money preachin'.

And then Shaq came at me, but I ain't sure why
But I crushed the dude
The day he beats me?
That'd be the day he won't mumble in his interviews.

For a minute though, votin' was fly
And everybody had a shirt that said Vote or Die.
Seen on everybody from 50 to Jigga.
Newsflash to Puff--shirts didn't work nigga!

In a nutshell, i'mma make it clear
Ron Artest spent 5 mil on a cup of beer.

Click to hear the '04 Rap Up from Allhiphop.com.

So Fresh, So Clean

2005-01-17T22:58:00.000-05:00

Ignore the P. Diddy inspired reflections behind him because Raheem DeVaughn is just an earnest soulster looking for love. In fact, the guy doesn't even like to curse.

Caught a sold out 9:30 Club gig the other day and the kid has some passionate and powerful pipes. Like a pint-sized D'Angelo, only without the keyboard wizardry or mug shots.

Here's what went down.

A few more details: He's a Maryland bred crooner and was one of URB's next 100 of '04. Watch the Billboard chart for him. He's a comin'.

Weezy's Emmy

2005-01-05T09:26:00.000-05:00

Despite Nas's claims otherwise, Isabel Sanford did grab an Emmy in 1981 for Best Lead Actress In A Comedy Series.

Nas in "These Are Our Heroes (aka Coon Picnic)":

Let's hear it, one for the coons on UPN 9 and WB
Who 'Yes Massa' on TV. What ever happened to Weezy? The Redd Foxx's?
Never got Emmy's but were real to me.

Story Credit: Morris W. O'Kelley at AllHipHop.Com via EURWEB
Still a dope song Mr. Jones. But did you have to toss darts at my man Taye Diggs? After all, he held it down in Brown Sugar.

Nowhere as Deep as Tupac

2005-01-04T22:47:00.000-05:00

Keeping the Nas theme, check out some insightful quotes from his recent Associated Press interview.

On Puffy's Vote Or Die campaign: "I think I wasn't a part of Vote or Die because I'm not a registered voter and I don't agree with voting because of the examples out there, the thievery of an election, the so-called thievery. I can't tell people to stand on line to vote and they're still going to be found in jail tomorrow."

On Tupac: "I'm nowhere near the mind state he was. The stuff that he wrote, he was 21 years old and here I am 31 years old, and I'm still nowhere as deep as Tupac."

Magnificently humble.

Ride Pimper Vs. Street's Disciple

2004-12-29T20:53:00.000-05:00

The new Nas joint is tight, but contains about a dozen too many tracks to be a classic. Xzibit's new disc is mediocre at best and is sort of like watching a day-long "Pimp My Ride" Marathon on MTV.

For the detailed explanation, here's the double review.

This brings me to some random thoughts on MTV:

1) How many times can you trick out someone's trunk?
2) Will people really buy Pimp My Ride custom car mats?
3) I don't understand what the f*ck they are talking about on Laguna Beach. Believe me, I've tried.
4) Ditto for Viva La Bam. The show makes me yearn for Jackass.

Best of 04

2004-12-28T08:47:00.000-05:00

Since the blogosphere is beginning to weigh in on the best records of the past year, I thought i'd give you mine and make some predictions.

My Top 10:

Kanye West "College Dropout" (Roc-A-Fella)
Immortal Technique "Revolutionary vol. 2" (Viper)*
De La Soul "The Grind Date" (Sanctuary)
DJ Danger Mouse "The Grey Album" (White Label)
Ghostface "The Pretty Tony Album" (Def Jam)
Alicia Keys "Diary of Alicia Keys" (J)*
Prozack Turner "Death, Taxes & Prozack" (Outofwork)
Franz Ferdinand "Franz Ferdinand" (Sony)
Alchemist "1st Infantry" (Koch)
Murs "Murs 3:16" (Definitive Jux)

*Out in '03, impacted in '04

My Pazz & Jop predictions (after checking O-Dub's blog for inspiration):

Kanye West will top the poll.
I will not have heard at least half of the top 10 records. (possibly more)
Immortal Technique won't make the cut. Not because he's not one of the top thought provoking MCs in the game, but because not enough folks have heard the album.
Madvillany & The Grey Album will make the list. As will Elliot Smith, The Streets and Sonic Youth.

What are your picks??

Quas's Homage

2004-12-19T13:11:00.000-05:00

Looks like Quasimoto is digging classic rap jams. Madlib's helium infused alter ego remade Biz Markie's "Picking Boogers" into "Hittin' Hooks" in '99 and now comes up with a hilarious take on Skillz's "The Nod Factor." His version delves into lady loving, of course, and "The Broad Factor" is a slammin' preview of another Quas full length, due in '05.

Speaking of Skillz, looks like he's elected NOT to conjure up another year end rap up for '04. It'd be "too easy" for him, according to his Okayplayer post.

Damn.

Grammy Gripes

2004-12-07T23:29:00.000-05:00

Grammy nods were announced today.

Checking the nominees, a few things become apparent.

Album of the year nods are comprised of these categories:
Artist(s)
Album Producer(s)
Recording Engineer(s)/Mixer(s)
Mastering Engineer(s)

Kanye West's nomination gets 2 credits. Mr. College Dropout and Eddy Schreyer (recording engineer/mixer/mastering engineer).

Usher's nomination includes about 10 zillion folks. Makes Kanye's solo production credit for his album even more spectacular. Even better, he nabbed 10 nominations to lead the pack!

Teena Marie actually got a nod in a category with Alicia Keys, Jill Scott, Angie Stone & Janet Jackson. From her disc on Cash Money Records, no less. (Insert bird call here.)

The Black Eyed Peas got a nod for "Let's Get It Started." I'm laughing out loud about how this incredibly bland tune that originally appeared as "Let's Get Retarded" is getting so much play. Guess Fergie is having a bit of an effect on this act. Add to this that the NBA actually commisioned this track, you've got even more of a joke. Wonder if Mr. Artest was listening to this track before the basketbrawl game a little while back. Blame it on hip-hop, they say. Maybe they'll blame it on the Peas too.

Tribe's B-More Vibe

2004-11-28T16:05:00.000-05:00

Photo Credit: Baltimore City Paper, Jati Lindsay

Here's the Tribe Called Quest reunion gig wrap up.

Let's hope that '05 is the year of their comeback disc.

Puhleeaze?

Ray Ray

2004-11-15T09:49:00.000-05:00

In 2002, Raphael Saadiq was uncerimoniously dropped by Universal Records just after releasing his first solo disc "Instant Vintage."

Saadiq promptly got 5 Grammy nods and stopped answering calls from the bigwigs who dissed him. That won't happen again. Saadiq's got a new joint on his own label. Since you can't really drop yourself, Saadiq is safe.

He's also safe because his phenomenal voice sounds as sweet live as it does on any record. Caught Saadiq recently at Virginia's Birchmere and here's how it went down.

I'm trying to stop myself from going on and on about this dude, but it's tough. I'm not one of those bloggers that cranks out endless paragraphs, so i'll close this one out with a peek at Saadiq's rockin' resume.

Aside from his obviously hefty credentials of unleashing lots of his own hits with Tony! Toni! Tone! & Lucy Pearl, here's a brief list of dope cuts Saadiq has either written or produced or both:

Jill Scott "Spring Summer Feeling"
Erykah Badu & Commom "Love Of My Life"
Bilal "Soul Sista"
D'Angelo "Lady"
D'Angelo "Untitled
Devin The Dude "Just A Man"

Tribe Triumphs

2004-11-12T09:59:00.000-05:00

Hit the A Tribe Called Quest show and have answers from questions posed in my previous post. The gig was smooth like butta.

First, the basics.
>>They still have tremendous chemistry when they want to.
>>Jarobi can't rhyme, but is a solid hype man. (OK, i'm being kind here...)
>>Phife likes to use reggae inflections in lots of his live rhymes.
>>Phife is also a dope MC and has some of the best lines in any Tribe tune.

Q: Why wasn't the show promoted> (an informal survey of some local hip-hop fans turned up nobody that knew about this gig)
A: It was, but not in the DC area. The promo concentrated primarily at Baltimore Radio and everything was handled by a division of RJ Renyolds for Salem's "Stir Your Senses Tour." This also explains the unusual venue which RJR rented out for the gig.

Now, some details. Tribe was dope and had folks begging for a comeback disc. They played for 67 minutes and Q-Tip probably sweat away 5 lbs in the lights. During that time, they played 22 tunes. Here's the set list:
Buggin' Out
Oh My God
Jazz
Date Rape
Butter
The Chase Pt. II
His Name is Mutty Ranks
Sucka Nigga
Keep It Rollin
Everything Is Fair
Steve Biko (Stir It Up)
Breathe & Stop (very brief portion of it)
Vivrant Thing
Hot Sex
Find My Way
Bonita Appelbaum
Electric Relaxation
Can I Kick It?
-------------------
>>Encore Set
Scenario
Check The Rhime
Award Tour
One Two Shit (with special guest Skillz)

Will there be a reunion CD?
Q-Tip and Phife both cryptically adressed this.
After bigging up the recent reunions of Wu Tang and The Fugees, Tip said, "We about to do this shit and put this shit down."

In a freestyle during the night's last tune, Phife added this to his rap, "Tribe album one day / Just be patient."

Aiight. I'll be patient.

Full review soon via Balt. City Paper.

Tribe's Tribulations?

2004-11-11T18:56:00.000-05:00

Looks like the Gods were listening when I made my last post begging for an A Tribe Called Quest reunion gig in the DC area. It's happening tonight at Michael's 8th Ave. (You'll love their website.)

This is a place that hasn't hosted major shows, aside from Ballroom Boxing, for a good 10 years, as far as I know. (Somebody school me on this if i'm wrong.)

Questions need to be answered tonight.

Why was this show barely promoted?

Why did it end up at a wacky wedding venue like Michael's?

Why are the guys doing spot dates and not a whole tour?

Damn...I'm flowing like Jadakiss right here...Does that mean I'm conscious?

Why won't they do an album?

Why did they have so much beef and do they still have issues?

I might not find out. They're not doing any interviews.

Whatever goes down, I'll write about it soon, so stay tuned Tribe fans.

Full Disclosure: I'm a Tribe junkie, even to this day.

De La Double

2004-10-27T10:07:00.000-04:00

De La Soul is back. Maybe they never left, but their last couple records had me thinking they did. Their new disc is the tightest joint they've unleashed in years, certainly since "Stakes Is High." Here's an album review and a live concert review for ya.

By the way, their own pair of Nike kicks are on the way. Credit: 5th Dimension

BTW #2, at the De La gig I went to, Trugoy revealed the crew is trying to get a mega tour together with A Tribe Called Quest, Wu Tang Clan, Biz Markie, Mos Def & more. Guess the Native Tongues have officially been reinstated.

BTW #3: Can I please get an A Tribe Called Quest tourdate in DC?

BTW #4: Speaking of our nation's cap, the powers that be will now be able to e-mail or text message us when a dirty bomb detonates down the street. My question is, will they be sending the info in a real DC emergency? Like when a 1/2 inch of snow hits the pavement?

Wax Melter

2004-10-07T19:46:00.000-04:00

Damn, does Rjd2 have balls. First he drops an amazing rookie disc that knocks folks on their asses. They he comes back with more rock influenced instrumentals and even a pair of tracks where he actually sings! And no, the guy can't really carry much of a tune, but that's not the point. The fact that he's crooning in concert with an acoustic axe is highly commendable. He rocked the Black Cat with 4 turntables, a mixer and MPC-2000XL sampler/drum machine. Word.

Sonic Stutters

2004-10-07T19:40:00.000-04:00

Rob Sonic's "Telicatessen" is the newest Def Jux disc. Predictably so, it's a bit freaky, but thoughtful. I ran into a quite imposing looking Mr. Sonic at a Rjd2 gig at DC's Black Cat and I must say, the guy was mad cool. Here's something I wrote about his solo debut.

Symphonic

2004-09-06T13:59:00.000-04:00

Masta Ace is still rolling in his post Juice Crew days. Liked the new record. Unlike most major MCs out there, his best work might still be in front of him.

It's Devin Dude...

2004-08-26T20:47:00.000-04:00

Devin The Dude is one of the most criminally overlooked rappers in the biz. Here's what I thought of his new record. He comes off as earnest, yet filthy dirty and hilarious. Nobody is really checking for his solo work, but they should. A partial list of big wigs who've hired Devin to sing and/or rhyme on their tunes include De La Soul, Jay-Z & R. Kelly, Dilated Peoples, The Roots and Scarface. Looks like he's got lots of famous fans. Maybe he can get some more not so famous ones. Too bad this album seems to be getting almost no promotion whatsoever.

Truth About Phixion

2004-08-06T08:55:00.000-04:00

Saw a show from Non Phixion the other night in DC. The crew from Brooklyn was missing Goretex, but the show in tiny Club 2001. Here's the review. Their first time ever in the nation's cap was ferocious and Ill Bill is one scary MFer. Immortal Technique was also there--my second time witnessing his authoritative rhymes live--and I keep talking about this guy, but it's never enough. There is nobody doing this rap s*it with a combination of bravado and intelligence like this cat from Harlem. Nobody.

The Legendary

2004-08-02T21:54:00.000-04:00

Caught The Roots opening for 311 at Nissan Pavilion in Virginia Friday night. Seems folks were more interested in listening to goofy pop/rock/reggae than the globe's greatest hip-hop band. More on this here.

Explosion

2004-08-02T21:48:00.000-04:00

Since I've got a sweet tooth the size of New Jersey, it's a sad Monday. Seems William Mitchell just passed away. Who is Mr. Mitchell, you ask? Just the freakin' inventor of the finest candy ever to explode in one's mouth--Pop Rocks! Rock on in the afterlife, William.

Don't You Know Who I Am?

2004-07-21T09:16:00.000-04:00

Caught D12 the other night at the 9:30 Club here in DC. Gotta give 'em some credit because without Eminem, they've got a mountain to climb every night on stage. Proof and Bizarre are the dopest of the bunch. Well, Bizarre is more like the group's comic foil, the Rakim of raunch. Here's what I thought of the show.

Makin' With The Freak Freak

2004-07-07T11:33:00.000-04:00

The Beasties are back. Corny, funny and overtly political on occasion. Did I mention corny? Here's what I thought of the new record and the debut disc from the most likeable act on Def Jux - Hangar 18.

Ball & Chain

2004-06-25T08:50:00.000-04:00

Long time, no post. Good excuse though. I'm getting married tomorrow to a fantasic lady (had to add that in). Neil Armstrong from the 5th Platoon will be spinning at the party, so we're getting hitched, hip-hop style. Neil's Original and Sweet mix discs are dope, so check 'em if you haven't already.

Puhleaze...can I have one?

2004-05-12T21:37:00.000-04:00

Holy shit! Technics delivers the digital turntable. Spin CDs just like vinyl. All I can say is if were not considered asenine to put something like this on my wedding registry, i'd do it.

Sharp & Precise?

2004-05-08T13:33:00.000-04:00

Have you heard the new album from Dilated Peoples? I'm a longtime fan of the trio, but their latest plods along a little too slowly for my taste. Still some good cuts up in there. Here's how I saw it for the Baltimore City Paper.

Cutting Up The Sopranos

2004-04-24T10:03:00.000-04:00

Caught the Quannum show a few nights back. Great to see the whole crew together, but the main attraction was DJ Shadow's DVD turntable. He can scratch a DVD up on video screens the same way he slices up wax. Coolest thing since the 1200s came out. A must see if this thing comes to your town. It's no strech to say this thing is gonna be absolutely huge. BTW, Shadow isn't just a production guru, but can cut with the best of 'em.

Less is Murs

2004-04-01T20:56:00.000-05:00

Eminem once admitted he'd move less units if his skin was a few shades darker. Now Murs explores the subject on his new LP, which is hella raw, poignant and boasts 9th Wonder's production on every track. Here's how I wrote it up in URB.

Freak The Technique

2004-03-24T20:45:00.000-05:00

A little while back, I was addicted to Immortal Technique. He's a next generation Chuck D, only a lot more inflammatory and hella pissed off. He even goes as far as to put a graphic of a White House massacre inside his CD jacket. I took a look at his fantastic sophomore set, Revolutionary Vol. 2 for the Baltimore City Paper. Don't sleep on Technique. I still think he can blow up.

Johnny Paycheck

2004-03-22T10:50:00.000-05:00

Thank you counselor! The Attorney General of the State of Maryland just sent me my share of the CD MAP Antitrust Litigation Settlement. As one of over three million pissed plaintiffs, I got a check for $13.86 for copping overpriced CDs through the years. Does this mean P. Diddy's royalty notes will be minimized to compensate for all these payouts?

No Mas. Please.

2004-03-17T19:47:00.000-05:00

Is it me, or is Usher's #1 tune "Yeah!" produced by Lil' Jon an eerily similar re-tread of Jon's own "Get Low." Did I actually hear Usher saying his work with Lil' Jon was going to change music in a TV interview? Yikes...

In a related thought, is Ludacris the new king of cameos or what? Sorry Busta.

Kanye Kan

2004-03-17T13:03:00.000-05:00

Now that you've heard it from everyone else, here's my take on Kanye West's debut LP. Worthy of all the hype? Yes.

Is it the classic, revolutionary joint that will change music Kanye thinks he's created? Probably not. But one hell of a record nonetheless. My prediction is the speedy samples will be passe' in a year or so, though i do dig 'em.

News at 11

2004-03-12T22:58:00.000-05:00

One of the more memorable few hours i've spent in a months was dragging my tired ass out to Bladensburg, MD to see an Elephant Man gig at a crammed nightclub. For those who think covering concerts is a glamorous biz, here's how it went down. After being temporarily slowed by gridlocked cars honking at each other and 5-0 with sirens blaring, I headed for the club. (I thankfully parked a few blocks away in front of what looked like some kind of junkyard.)

I promptly got into a massive line that must have had over 100 people in it at approximately 11:15pm. There was another line that looked five times as long (no joke), so I stayed where I was. I got through security only to find that there was no guest list. What a suprise. If any of you reading this have arranged to get into a show through a publicity firm or (gasp!) a record label, you know what I'm talking about. Nobody had a list until one security guard said f*ck it and seriously helped me out. I think he felt sorry for me because I was out there so long that folks were asking me where to go like I worked there. When I finally accepted my short lived role of "working" there, I gave one guy directions to get in. Turned out I was wrong and he reprimanded me. Got in after 45 mins of being out in the cold and feeling pissed. Oh yeah, excellent show. Maybe i'll dye my hair day-glo orange. Naah.

Lil' Bro, Big Show

2004-03-03T09:54:00.000-05:00

Went to the Little Brother show the other night.

A heck of a good time. These cats have fun on stage like no other rap act out there. Thanks to Mark at MN8 for producing this dope gig. Little Brother is about to be signed to Atlantic, so look out for a major label release late this year.

West In The East

2004-02-26T01:14:00.000-05:00

Just got back from the Kanye West gig. The place had the acoustics of a shoe box, but he put on a great show. He's incredibly conceited, but equally sincere and I love it. He got a little pissed at getting beat out by Norah Jones his first week and was equally pissed about not snagging 5 mics in The Source. "She was killing me in the Wal-Marts," he grumbled. That was cut from the review but my fave line of the night.

Steady Bloggin'

2004-02-20T17:21:00.000-05:00

What's up y'all? Long time no talk. What's going on with the site you ask? It's going through some changes. I switched to Blogger. Easy to use. Very cool.

What places am I writing for? Here's a current list:

Washington Post (Concert & Album Reviews--Available on the web.)

Washington Post Express (Event Previews--Available for a few days after publication on the web.)

Urb Magazine (Reviews, Features--Generally on the web.)

Baltimore City Paper(Concert & Album Reviews, Show Previews--On the web.)

HipHopSite.Com (Whatever they let me do--Web only.)

FAQ For You

2003-08-02T22:12:00.000-04:00

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Craig and This Blog...

Q: Who the heck is Craig anyway?

A: I'm a hip-hop journalist straight outta the Maryland suburbs. I've lived in both coasts and in the middle. I write about hip-hop and the like for magazines, newspapers and websites. I also have a full time regular 9-5 gig...well...more like a 7:30-6:00. Here's an old article that highlights some relatively unimportant stuff I did in the midwest.

Q: Why is this site called State of the Union? Is this a magazine?

A: This isn't really a magazine. It's a blog and a place where some of my writing is archived. State of the Union got it's name from a now defunct hip-hop magazine I briefly put out in Colorado between 1997-98.

Q: Can I put my link on your site?

A: I'm working on that section of the site, so you can e-mail me.

Q: I'd like you to review my album/single/movie/pan flute solo.

A: Send all product with a bio (if you've got one) and production information to: Craig Smith 4808 Moorland Ln. #1104 Bethesda, MD 20814-3110

*Vinyl is welcome!*

Q: If I send you a package, will you get me a news item/review/feature article?

A: Nothing is guaranteed, but i'll do my best to check it out.

Q: I'd like you to write for my magazine/newspaper/website/roll of toilet paper.

A: Get at me and let's talk.

Q: I'd like to advertise on your site.

A: This site has no advertising.

Q: Is this all the stuff you've ever written?

A: Nope. I've done several items for URB and Stress in particular, that aren't available on-line.

Q: Who do you write for?

A: Currently I write for: The Washington Post, The Washington Post Express, URB, Elemental, Baltimore City Paper, HipHopSite.com and Culturama.Org. I've contributed in the past to Allhiphop.com, Washington City Paper, SF Weekly, Stress, SOHH.Com, DailyMix.com, HiFiArt.com, While You Were Sleeping, AllMusic.com, 88HipHop.com, Platform.net, StrictlyHipHop.com and VinylExchange.com.

Q: Why should we listen to your opinions about music?

A: This is just one man's opinion. I'll admit I have a great deal of knowledge and experience within several types of music, but I always recommend checking out stuff for yourself. If you think what I thought was off the mark, let me know. On the other hand, if you are nodding your head in agreement after reading one of my pieces or learned something cool you'll take with you afterwards, let me know also!

Q: Do you love hip-hop?

A: Yup.