R&B and "radio music"


I liked some of the R&B this year, but damn, can't somebody over 18 get some radio play? I think that the only R&B singer over 18 I can see getting radio play is Jamie Foxx, but I haven't heard his song much on the radio. Then there is Charlie Wilson, the ex-lead singer from the Gap Band, but Im not too impressed with his stuff at all.


Young Jeezy to me is just another in a line of manufactured gangstas. Last year it was the GAME, this year its Jeezy, next year, the beat goes on. Its just like Ice Cube rapped in his classic "Be True to the Game", they'll have a new nigga next year.


One artist to watch is Akon. Funny thing about Akon is that when he does that song with Jeezy, singing about having a gun in his drawers, and then he did that song about being locked up, it was all rotated on MTV and on the radio, but now he's got this song "Lonely", and I havent heard that song anywhere but on my IPod. Akon is really taleneted though, but I hope he wont be reduced to singing hooks for rappers like Nate Dogg. Hes got too much talent for that.


When is the ignorant nonsense in rap gonna stop? Radio seems to love Jermaine Dupris "Boy I Think They Like Me", D4L's "Laffy Taffy" and Nelly's "Ice Grillz". I just wanna know, when will that madness stop??????????????? Sure, people have a right to make crappy rap records, but why do rap radio stations play that as though that is all that is out? Makes no sense to me.

Latino rap stuff I liked

I liked alot of the trends of this year. Latinos seemed to take the rap world by storm with the whole Reggeaton thing. Truth about Reggeaton is that it has been around for at least 10 years; and I used to buy CDs of the stuff in Latino record stores in like 1994. My favorite artist has always been El General. One song he did called "Muevelo", I can't understand, but I have a feeling its about booty.

These days, the music industry has to beat it to the ground and try to sell it to suburban white kids, which is cool and all, but Vibe going so far as to claim that Daddy Yankee is the Latino Tupac is a bit ridiculous.

Check out Reggaeton Online!

I also got into Chicano rap this year. At first I hated it, because its a bit simplistic and regional. However, like fungus, it grew on me. In at nutshell, it's Mexican gang kids rapping over oldies (r&b music from the 50s to the 70s) but Im just open minded like that; I picked up this one CD "Chicano Rap Oldies" a couple days ago, and the rappers got minimal skills, and sometimes it gets ridiculous hearing a "vato" screaming bloody murder over a slow jam, but really its quite enjoyable.

In a way, its like Trina and Twista's latest songs, in that they were rappin' over oldies; Trina over that "Tender Love" song, and Twista over that song by Ready for the World. There has always been a practice in hip hop to rap over old music anyways, but rappin' over slow old songs is cool now, and thats the whole epitome of Chicano rap.

Check out Chicano Rap Magazine and Chicano Rap News!

AHH News Feature: Rappers Talk Patriot Act & Presidential Powers
By Nolan Strong
Date: 12/29/2005 6:00 pm

Last week, the U.S. Senate struck a deal to extend requirements within the Patriot Act that are set to expire soon, ending a dispute between prominent Democrats and Republicans.

On Dec. 21, Sen. Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) announced that Congress had reached a compromise to extend expired portions of the act until Feb. 3, 2006.

The Patriot Act was passed in 2001 and gives the government sweeping surveillance powers, which were set to expire Dec. 31, 2005.

Republicans wanted the act permanently extended before its Dec. 31 expiration date, but various senators from both parties used obstructionist tactics, filibustering the anti-terrorist act and claiming it does not protect American civil liberties.

Rappers M-1 of Dead Prez and Immortal Technique, Rock The Vote director Hans Reimer, and Hip-Hop historian, journalist, DJ and community activist Davey D offered their thoughts on the controversial act.

M-1 stated that civil liberties could be compromised or worse.

"The Patriot Act in general is a violation of the human rights of the citizens of the United States," M-1 told AllHipHop.com. "Even though I consider myself a world citizen, I also recognize this abuse of power a continuation of government programs such as the counterintelligence program (COINTELPRO), which was historically put together to undermine the forward progression of the Black community."

COINTELPRO was founded by infamous FBI chief J. Edgar Hoover in 1956, out of the government's frustration with Supreme Court rulings limiting the government's prosecution power against dissident groups in the United States.

The once-secret program was expanded to include domestic surveillance and actions against various U.S. counter-cultural organizations and leaders, including the Black Panther Party, the Ku Klux Klan, the Nation of Islam, Malcolm X, and Martin Luther King Jr.

In 1971, COINTELPRO became public when a group of radicals broke into FBI offices, sending classified files to various news agencies. In the midst of the controversy, Hoover publicly disbanded the program, although many believe the FBI continues its surveillance activities today.

In 1976, a Senate committee investigating the program found that "the Bureau conducted a sophisticated vigilante operation aimed squarely at preventing the exercise of First Amendment rights of speech and association, on the theory that preventing the growth of dangerous groups and the propagation of dangerous ideas would protect the national security and deter violence."

"What's ironic about COINTELPRO is that it effectively destroyed many of the pro-black militant youth movements of the time, which in turn created a void [that helped give] birth to Hip-Hop," Davey D. said.

Like the COINTELPRO program, the Patriot Act has been criticized by various civil liberties groups since being passed in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, attacks on Washington, D.C. and New York.

The act grants federal authorities across-the-board rights for warrantless searches and wiretaps on individuals or groups who they believe pose possible terrorist threats.

Other controversial sections of the act grant government access, without court authorization, to business records and library patron files, and the use of National Security Letters (NSLs) to obtain records from "electronic communication service providers."

Immortal Technique said he believed the short-term effects of the Patriot Act were not as important as the long-term effects it can potentially have on civil liberties.

"It's not what liberties it will deprive the American public of today or tomorrow, but rather if it's renewed indefinitely," Immortal Technique said. "What liberties will be sacrificed on its altar many years from now when it's no longer an issue? This Federal Republic is run by patient architects, patient enough to wait two presidential terms for a war in Iraq. They can wait for things to fall into place," he added.

A recently-exposed secret executive order issued by President Bush in 2002 created uproar among U.S. legislators, prompting members of Bush's own Republican Party to question the president's powers.

"There is no doubt that this is inappropriate," said influential Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Penn.), chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, who vowed to hold hearings into the matter in 2006.

"If this could be helpful in any way to the population, why then does President George 'Washington' Bush [get] the consent of not only the population, but even his own people in leadership around him?" M-1 pondered about the secret executive order.

Bush defended the secret order and the Patriot Act, stating the surveillance was within the "inherent powers" of the president.

Opponents of the bill fear it can easily be abused and used against individuals for reasons other than those related to terrorism.

"Many of Hip-Hop's pioneers and political groups, including Afrika Bambaataa, Public Enemy, X-Clan, and Paris to name a few, have all come under surveillance for their political activities, especially when they began traveling overseas," Davey D. said. "Artists like Bambaataa who worked to raise money for Nelson Mandela and the African National Congress during South Africa's apartheid regime, really caught hell. Others like Public Enemy and Paris, who were connected to or did things with the Nation of Islam as well as artists affiliated with the 5 Percenters (The 5 Percent Nation of Gods and Earths) also came under fire."

In a statement, Bush said the Patriot Act has helped disrupt terrorist plots and cells, and that he would work closely with the House and Senate to ensure the United States is not without the act "for even a day."

According to Immortal Technique, "This country and this system never needed an act like this to conduct surveillance on its citizens; it has always been done, especially with Black and Latino people."

While the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution prohibits "unreasonable" searches, including eavesdropping, some Republicans rallied behind President Bush to support passage of the act.

"You could argue it one way and you might argue it the other," said Sen. Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah). "But the White House certainly has some case law on their side and the inherent powers of the president on their side, and those two, I think, would cause any reasonable person to side with the executive branch."

"These surveillance tactics were later applied to so-called 'Gangsta rappers' as an extension of the war on drugs," Davey D. stated. "The recent realization of a Hip-Hop Task Force underscored this fact."

According to Hans Riemer, director of Rock The Vote, upcoming 2006 elections could be decisive for the current adminstration's agendas.

"The 2006 election will be about whether people are happy with President Bush and his buddies in Congress," Riemer told AllHipHop.com. "Right now the winds are blowing against them. If young people vote against the Bush agenda again the way they did in 2004, and turn out in big numbers just like they did in 2004, that could spell real trouble for these guys. The only thing these people fear is losing an election, so the only way to impact them is to make them worry about their job security."

The debate will continue as the 109th Congress enters its second session on Jan. 3, 2006.

Source: AllHipHop.com

The War On Christmas and other things....

Here we are, Christmas Eve, and its just funny how time passes. Its tripping me out the whole "War on Christmas" thing, its quite stupid and lame to me, like its purveyor, Bill O' Reilly.

Check out this pic of Bill O Reilly I found on Peking Duck. The girl in the pic is kinda cute, I mean the sista in the pic, not Bill.

It tripped me out the whole story about the woman who swallowed her phone. I was like damn. I know every man wants a woman that swallows, but this is just outta control.Anyways, what was up with thiswoman? Isn't this dangerous?

The whole "Stop Snitching" thing....

I was just reading the Black Electorate hip hop Fridays editorial, and he talked about how hypocritical it is when people get upset about "stop Snitching" t-shirts, and how this idea of not snitching resonates in all of society.

I'd have to say that basically, I don't believe in being involved in outting criminals. Why should I? One time me and friends at the time were going to go to a club, but we saw some dudes run up into the club and so we drove past. We came back and found out some nigga got shot. Cops asked us did we see anything, I said I didn't see nothing.

So, was I in the wrong? I don't know and I don't care. Why should I be held to a higher standard than journalists who out CIA agents, trifling ass soldiers who want to play "frat party" in Iraq, and police who beat down and harass people. Why should I do anything? I just went out for a night to party. I don't want to be involved in that.

At the beginning of the classic movie "A Bronx Tale", this kid gets in that whole Mobster lifestyle because he didn't tell on one of the good fellaz. Is that irresponsible, to put that in a movie for all to see? What about the rep of a kid in school who always "tells the teacher" when other students do wrong?

Americans seem to have these ideals that in order to be a good citizen, you have to do things like get involved in every situation, because that is what good American people are suppossed to do.

I guess that is good and all, but Im going to put it like this, I am not putting myself on the line for nothing. Im not snitching on nobody. And if some self righteous do-gooders dont like it, tough.

What I learned from the whole Tookie thing

I don't really feel any connection to the whole Tookie case; to me it seems like a West Coast thing; and it hasn't really had me angry or anything.

However, I can't help but think about how willing the government is to kill people to prove a point. It just makes me think about something really simple. Is the government really wanting to give people who've done wrong a fair shake? What about the whole idea of rehabilitation?

Granted, he did wrong, and in Republican circles they are trippen about the fact that Tookie's main defense that he was selling childrens books to discourage kids from joining gangs was a dud because he only sold 300 books, I mean, look, does that really matter, the # of books that he sold?

What this points to is that these Republicans don't care about rehabilitation, and the jails are not for that, they are for just locking the criminal up and throwing away the key.

So, I think the main thing that we should all learn from the Tookie thing is kids, all these videos showing you the dangerous lifestyle, don't emulate it, because these Republicans are all to willing to throw u on Death Row and throw away the key. Go to school, get a job, keep out of trouble, don't be a "gangsta". Its like that kid on the Boondocks cartoon said, "We should go to college so we don't end up like (gangsta rapper) Gangstalicous."

I think that Tookie would agree.

IF TOOKIE LIVES, MAYE SHOULD WALK FREE

Sunday, December 11, 2005 - FreeMarketNews.com

With all the controversy over the impending execution of Stanley "Tookie" Williams, founder of the L.A. street gang the Crips, who is on death row for multiple murders, it's noteworthy that the story of another black man facing execution is not making the headlines. In this case, the state is Mississippi, and the man on deathwatch is Cory Maye.

With the exception of libertarians Radley Balko, blogging at the Agitator, and Steve Gordon at Hammer of Truth, there is almost nobody in the media ranks who seems to care. Meanwhile, Maye's story is far less convoluted than Williams' sordid tale. According to both Balko and Gordon, the man was minding his own business, asleep in his bed with his baby daughter in her crib, when several armed men stormed his door and entered his Prentiss, Miss. home, one night in December, 2001. In fear of his life and those of his family, Maye raised a gun and shot one of the intruders, seriously wounding him. After a bit more struggle, during which the other intruders identified themselves as police officers, Maye surrendered and was taken into custody, while his home was searched for illegal drugs.

As it turned out, the troops were looking for Jamie Smith, the man who lived on the other side of the duplex, suspected of drug dealing, and had stormed the wrong door. Nobody among the officers on the scene had even been made aware that the property was occupied by more than Smith himself, and they assumed the other door was only a side entrance to the house. Unfortunately, the officer Maye shot ended up dead; more unfortunately for Cory, who is black, the officer was not only a white man in Mississippi, but the son of the local police chief.

According to the stories by both sources, the trial featured an incompetent defense attorney, an all-white jury and a prosecutor who played fast and loose with the rules of courtroom conduct. Maye was convicted of first-degree murder of a police officer, and sentenced to be executed. Appeals since then have only served to delay the process. At no time has the fact that this man was merely protecting his home from invaders been taken seriously, even though Mississippi law does allow such self-defense as a justification for killing someone.

Attempts to appeal the jury's decision have been unsuccessful, perhaps also hampered by the shortcomings of his legal counsel. The latest word on the situation is that Cory Maye is due to be executed by lethal injection, unless Governor Haley Barbour can be convinced to intervene on his behalf with a pardon, or failing that a reduction in his sentence. Steve Gordon ends his coverage with an e-mail link for the Governor, at:

http://www.emailyourgovernor.com/mississippi-governor-haley-barbour.html

in hopes that at least some readers will do what they can to convince Barbour to rectify this tragic miscarriage of justice.

From Free Market News

New York vs. the World?

I listen to hip hop from all over the world. I've brought albums from artists from Cuba, Israel, Italy, Africa, and all over.

When I read a posting like "Why Doesn't New York Accept World HipHop?" , I think about closed minded heads who only accept hip hop being one way. They think its corny for foreigners to rap, they can only accept the music from people like them, and they think that people from other countries are "perpetrating".

I don't think this at all; I think that hip hop is a forum for cultural expression. I cram to understand how closed minded cats are who can't even listen to rappers who rap in Spanish. Its like, if they only knew what a big market there is in Japan, in Germany, and even in Brazil for homegrown stuff and for American rappers. It could be a real cultural exchange, connecting people who are going through the same experiences.

But, people want to be all territorial about stuff. It trips me out how NYC rappers aren't really in the spotlight besides 50, but then NYC cats want so hard to keep it to their city.

Haters?

I find it really funny that some of these hip hop bloggers and board posters have nothing better to do with their time but argue over how much Sheek Louch of D Block is getting per album. Who gives a crap? Acting like they actually are doing stuff in the industry; one board poster actually said he spoke to Bone Thugs who told him how much they per album; its like, wow, y'all niggaz got friends in high places!

I mean, come on now, let the man do his thing. I don't like Sheek's style either, but Im willing to put a link up to his album on Emusic as a show of support. I don't give a crap about that petty stuff. Niggaz talking about how much he's getting an album, and these clowns couldn't even put together a verse worth recording. At least I admit I can't do it, but Im never going to get up all in the next man's ability to get his money. Then people waste their time debating about it. Funny.

Mitzvahpalooza

I was listening to Russ Parr here in DC and he was joking about 50 Cent doing a Bat Mitzvah. I thought he was bullshyttin', but I found the article: The Jewish War Profiteer, Gangsta Rap, and 13 Year Old Girls

Now the damndest thing about this is that it was for the daughter of a rich "war profiteer". Not that I would expect 50 to know his azz from his elbow in regards to this, but I like the angle of the article:

Why the world's best 13th birthday party has Iraq vets' blood boiling On the day the President told the American people to prepare for the long haul in Iraq, here’s a story that seems to perfectly sum up our priorities as a nation. They’re calling it Mitzvahpalooza. It may go down in history as the world’s most obscene birthday party (eat your heart out Dennis Kozlowski). David H. Brooks, CEO of bulletproof vest maker DHB Industries, spared no expense for his 13-year old daughter’s entry into adulthood. The girl and 300 of her closest BFFs were entertained recently in New York’s Rainbow Room by Don Henley, Stevie Nicks, Kenny G, Aerosmith and, believe it or not, 50 Cent (I guess 500 large can make you forget all about street cred). It was hosted by Tom Petty. The reported cost: $10 million.

It's some pretty heavy stuff. Check it out.

Straight up hypocrite....


"A lie moves around the world at the speed of light"-Donald Rumsfeld, directly quoted from USA Today "Rumsfeld calls for optimism about Iraq involvement"

Beef amongst bloggers?

My thing with this whole blogger deal is that Im just matter of fact about this. I just do this because its fun, and Im not really trying to make this into anything else per se.

But now, Im seeing bloggers "beef", and though I respect everybody doing this and taking it to different levels, I think that is real corny.

Now we got Byron Crawford versus Clyde Smith, which I found out about on Hip Hop Blogger.

My thing is this. You start using this to talk trash, and I don't think the drama is all that deep. Bloggers calling out other bloggers. LOL. If anything, that is just funny.

So you begin to see what this is about. Clyde Smith is under the impression that if he had been invited to contribute, someone over at Entertainment Weekly would have discovered his blog and made him rich and famous, thus erasing the past 47 years of his worthless, pathetic little life.

The jealous woman continues:

I'm also interested in who becomes prominent in the hip hop scene. There was an early phase in which Eric at Stink Zone put out a call to create a network of bloggers and suddenly I found myself associated with folks like Eric, Jay Smooth, Oliver Wang, Lynne d Johnson and Hashim Warren, among others. Early this year, Eric stopped blogging.

Ah, so who "counts" and who doesn't count in the hip-hop blogging scene should be decided by a committee primarily consisting of, presumably, Clyde Smith and the staff of Entertainment Weekly, not the actual kids (myself included) who frequent these sites.

You wonder if it ever occurred to Clyde Smith that he wasn't invited to contribute to this year's list because his blogs fucking suck.

LOL. Look, us "hip hop bloggers" are doing what we are doing for the simple reason that most of us couldn't get attention doing nothing else. I know I can't rhyme, can't cut a rug, can't graph to the point where I could get $ for it, and we all couldn't get writing jobs at magazines. So, we found this other outlet for which we could make our voices heard. So, when I see another cat doing this "beef", Im looking at a cat like myself. I dunno, shyt is funny.

As Rodney King would say, "Can't we all get along?"

Latest news from some hip hop blogs!

I haven't had any time to make any entries! I just brought a new house and in a couple minutes the cartoon show The Boondocks is about to be on!

Here is a quick review of five stories from some blogs I been seeing:

Pimpwiz helps a brotha out with the Get Busy Gift Guide!

Cherryl with 2 R's calls Tucker Carlson a Poopyhead (To me he's a bytch-ass)

Miguel asks "Nigga, why you single?" on FukyoCouch!

Dude on Crunktastical be talking much shyt! But he's funny!

Byron Crawford sticks it to Lauryn Hill!

Alright y'all, the Boondocks is on!