Grandma Got Skills! Stop-motion animation

I promise this will be the last strictly video I post this week, maybe some in Fine art Friday posts, but just so I don't forget to post it....this is a stop-motion quilt put together by Jo Hamilton. She works exclusively with yarn and giant quilt images of people and places, with loose thread showing the craftsmanship of the work overall. I usually run away from anything on the topic of knitting, but done with skill, things like this are impressive. My mom filled the house with knitted "trinkets" and "decor" that was mostly forgettable, according to me, but if she could do stuff like this, I'm pretty sure I would have been proud. check the link out for more and watch the video for a kinda-creepy construction video of the process. With the recent news of face-eating men roaming in LA, this work seems much more relevant.

Music Video: Alex Chadwick - Faded Lights

Alex Chadwick x LuvJonez
We just finished this promo video and song called "Faded Lights" from the upcoming Alex Chadwick mixtape for 2012. Chadwick, of 3rd Brillyance, is finishing up the rest of the mixtape album right now, but this simple promo video helps show the themes of growth and maturity showcased on the upcoming project. Keep your eyes open for more coming soon!

DOWNLOAD FROM SOUNDCLOUD HERE: 
Alex Chadwick - "Faded Lights"
Produced by LuvJonez for LuvJonez Music

The Pete Rock Library: Video

No matter how many times somebody interviews PR, Premo, and other crate diggers, I never get tired of seeing the stacks of vinyl or listening to them talk about their favorites. Check out the links at the end of the video for people like Jazzy Jeff, Da Beatminerz, Rich Medina and more.

Music Video: REKS - Autographs

A new video by the hard working REKS showcases one of the many heat-rocks on his latest album Straight No Chaser.  "Autographs" uses a poignant (slightly sad) but honorable scratch hook from the Beastie Boys "No Sleep Still Brooklyn" to reflect on the underground rap grind and the loyal fans that still check for it. Statik Selektah has quickly become one of my favorite and very slept-on producers for the True School MC's out there. Crunchy drums and simple soul flips are a good fit for REKS' lyrical skills and there are many quality cuts on this and his past albums that stay on repeat in my ipod.

Check out the video above and check out REKS recent album and back catalog if you want to hear a true school MC at his best.

Music Video: Nas - Daughters

Good to hear Nas back in solid form. He hooks up with NO I.D. to put out some classic, "family man" rap. Please let this be consistent with the rest of the upcoming LIFE IS GOOD album. Keep your digital fingers crossed!

Music Video: Action Bronson, Dana Coppafeel, Riff Raff: Hot Shots Part Duex

Dana Coppafeel and Action Bronson are no strangers to the posts at Double Truth and they team up with Riff Raff of MTV fame for a track called "Hot Shots Part Duex". Filmed and produced by Coppafeel's crew at UniFi Records in Milwaukee, the squad chills in various locales in Miltown, sipping Pabst Blue Ribbon and spits over a smoothed out track produced by The White Russian.

DOWNLOAD THE TRACK HERE:
Soundcloud: http://soundcloud.com/unifi-records/hot-shots-part-deux-ft-action

FOR MORE INFO ON UNIFI RECORDS:
Sign up and receive future UniFi Records Newsletters:http://unifirecords.bandcamp.com

Lupe Fiasco - A Man of Many Stumbles

Things which are alike, in nature, grow to look alike -  Nobody (Dead Man)

Lupe Fiasco seems to constantly be seeking an identity in the form of trying on different looks and trying several "styles" of rap. Above is my assessment of his current look, a combination of Dwayne Wayne, Prince Be from P.M. Dawn with a mix of Speech from Arrested Development. 

Lupe is always confusing to me, as he switches up his style in a way that seems desperate for attention. He came out as a "skater kid" outsider, then "backpack revolutionary", then "conspiracy fighter" and now he is working on a "return to the essence"of what I can only think is the Golden Era of rap. 

While I am a fan of the idea of Lupe Fiasco, a fairly popular MC who tries to push the positive lyrics on today's "club rap" scene, I can't help but feel like he is trying too hard to be acclaimed. We all saw his rock performance of "words I never said" fall on deaf ears at the BET Awards, despite his active performance and yelling on stage. At times, Lupe feels like a "skitzo" and doesn't want to believe that his brand of music can't compete with what is popular (anything by Young Money) or what is adored as "real hip hop" (Rhymesayers, etc.).

His latest fumble is his song "Freedom Ain't Free", a reworking of the classic Pete Rock and CL Smooth track "T.R.O.Y." Somehow I am not surprised that he didn't get the blessing of PR for this remake and acted surprised when PR was critical of the song. He has since tried to say that he reached out for permission (note only that he said he reached out and not that he actually got an answer) before and that it was his managers idea. He has since tried to somehow distance himself from the song concept, acting like he was forced to do it or something and saying he finds it best to "fall back from all that". 

Don't get me wrong, I like some of Lupe Fiasco's work, but until he takes a long look in the mirror to figure out where he fits, I feel like he is going to keep doing a "Charles Hamilton" every time he pops up and putting his foot in his mouth. Looking like a Native Tongues knockoff doesn't help the cause. 

You can pay homage to an era without dressing the part.

The Dead Man quote above means to point out that Lupe is starting to resemble PM Dawn and the "has-been league" and that is a slippery slope to the dollar bin. 

Typography Lessons for Web and Print

NERD ALERT

Jason Santa Maria offers advice on typography for designers of web and print. I have to admit that this post is a bit "nerdy", but typography always seems to be a stumbling block for many designers. Some of this applies to all arenas of type, but I am hoping that the "hip hop kids" who design flyers and promotional materials can apply these skills to rap marketing. So many times I have been handed a flyer with too many "special effects" on it, which make me either hand it back or decide instantly not to check out the item. Simple lessons in alignment, contrast, and balance would go a long way for these guys. It is a bit long, but it does address some good points of design and may help you give critical feedback to up-and-coming designers we all know.

 

Rasheed Thurmond (RIP) - Bodega Peoples

Bodega Attitudes of New York

This post is dedicated to comedian Rasheed Thurmond (RIP). His life was cut short by his health, as so many talented folks are, and had only a handful of appearances to showcase his craft.

Some of them were on Bad Boys of Comedy and other shows, but this post is dedicated to one of his more popular skits about his living in New York and shopping in Bodegas. It cracks me up every time because he got it just right. If you are ever in NYC, or lived here, try and go into one of these neighborhood stores and you are guaranteed some kind of "story telling" experience. From entirely unpriced inventory, to no one in the store, to changing prices hourly, bodega's are an odd way of life in New York.

skip to 2:15 for the skit

8-bit Zelda Fireplace Art: They Reminisce Over You

Nintendo NES nerds rejoice! Seeing things like this make me jealous and oddly reminiscent of the early days of 8-bit life as a kid, wasting hours playing Zelda, Duck Hunt and Metal Gear. This is some new work by Etsy artist JamesBit (fireball only) but may help give you some inspiration for how to decorate your bed bug infested studio with humor.

Action Bronson: Queens Get The Money

Action Bronson is certainly not a stranger to critical praise on the internets and much of the hype seems deserved. If you are a fan of the Golden Era sound, Action Bronson seems to be a leader of a growing movement of lyrical MC's keeping the sample-heavy, boom-bap, city-tested sound alive through his work with Statik Selektah and other members of the Showoff Records crew. Bronson seems to have a consistent record of putting out underground bangers and interesting collaborations with the hip hop purists like Roc Marciano (of U.N. and Pete Rock - Petestrumentals fame), Alchemist, and other East Coast era revivalists.

Sounding at times like a new school Ghostface and moments of Big Pun speed-rhymes (to me), Bronson always blends gutter sounds with a new-school flair and I have yet to really be let down by anything he releases. It is rare that the modern White rapper doesn't try to be the "lyrical mircale" or "goth rap, conspiracy theory rap" or even an Eminem style "self pitty, angry rap", so I like that he keeps it honest about his interests in weed, women and food instead of trying to create an "act" to perform with.

He seems well aware that his voice goes well with grimey beats and not the mainstream, glossy, techno sounds of todays rap. As long as he keeps pushing projects like he has, I will always check for new work. Props to Statik Selektah for helping usher the "true school" sound that I hope never dies down.

Check for some of the sounds below:

ACTION BRONSON "NOT ENOUGH WORDS"


ACTION BRONSON - ACTION IN THE KITCHEN (FOR HIP HOP FOODIES)

Tougher Than Leather

I came across this video and couldn't help cracking up. Maybe I would feel bad for the verbal abuse, but since it is directed at the rich Wall Street types, it makes it somehow deserving. It seems they pay to be verbally abused by him as a warped form of motivation, but I enjoy how he takes the opportunity to talk so reckless to their face, knowing they have no comebacks.

Eric Kelly seems unnecessarily angry or insulting at all times, but it seems to work positively in the boxing gym. These 2 quotes sum it up nicely:

"I'm doing something I love..boxing..training people...even though I'm training a bunch of fucking nerds. A bunch of Wall Street guys...no coordination...they're just not athletic people"


"Everything is not for everybody. You know, you don't see me going down to Wall Street, picking up a fuckin' briefcase, tryin' to type...do you? Cause that's not what the fuck I do....I beat the fuck out of people, ya know"

Perhaps the 99% should use this guy as a spokesman to make their case.

The Name Game

For those of you who have asked about where I got the name for the blog THE DOUBLE TRUTH, it is based on the last line spoken by Samuel L Jackson at the end of the "race rant" in DO THE RIGHT THING by Spike Lee. This scene has stuck with me since I saw it the first time as a kid because it was an interesting way to confront the stereotypes and hatred from each ethnic group within that Brooklyn neighborhood. I always liked the way he moved toward the camera and seemed to be yelling at the viewer, as we are all guilty of thinking this way from time to time.

For those of you that thought it was a reference to double speak from George Orwell's 1984, while it is not, that too has its merit as a way of talking one way, but meaning another. Either way, maybe this will help explain it for those of you that have no idea what I am talking about in both cases. Do your research!



Skip to 3:00 if you don't want to wait!

Fine Art Fridays

To try and make a regular habit of featuring stuff that is inspiring and interesting, I have gathered another round of art and culture related links to check out. Check them out and feel free to share anything else that might fit!

BAYO A.K.A. EDUARDO FLORES

Though the artwork has less to do with hip hop then most things I post here, BAYO's work is fascinating to me regardless. I am a lifelong fan of drawing and BAYO's work is both skillfully drawn and contains thought provoking subjects. Much of the work deals with the "human condition" and undue stresses of life. My description may not do it justice, but check out the images below and click the link to his site above for more, if interested.

CHALK BOARD DESIGN

I came across these videos by Dana Tanamachi one day and was pretty stunned by the level of skill she can render with typography on a simple chalkboard. Maybe I would have paid more attention in high school if my teachers could put this type of dopeness on the board before every class to keep things stimulating. The sample below is one of her designs in a time lapse video that shows her evolving process in its various stages. This one was designed for the Nagging Doubt Viognier wine label. Check it out and you won't complain that chalk art is too limiting.

KEVIN CYR : Delivery Man

There is something oddly hypnotic about Kevin Cyr's work with beat up trucks, painted from photos he takes in various locales like New York. He invests the detail of a fine art Master but devotes his work to the exploration of rusty, dented, time-worn vehicles as a type of metaphor for the human condition. He places the trucks (mostly) on colored backgrounds that remove it from its busy city surroundings and almost turn it into a museum display, like a dinosaur bones of the year 2012. People seem to hate on his work for basically repainting other graf artists work on his canvases, but he is only paying tribute to the history of the subject, not claiming the subject as his own.

I saw his work in Miami once and can hopefully check his upcoming show at the Jonathan Levine Gallery in NYC. For those that can't see it in person, check out the samples below and his website for more info.

DLO (Dialect Lyrical One)

The Known Unknown: Rappers you should know about - part 6

Hailing from the Midwest (Madison, WI), DLO is a dedicated craftsmen of hip-hop culture. From various group projects with live band DUMATE, to his solo adventures as instrumentalist ICEMAN and many other projects as an MC or collaborator, DLO always brings a mature mind to his work.

He continues to put out work under his aliases and represents the small, but always growing hip hop scene in Wisconsin. You may not think of Wisco as a hip hop mecca, but as Madison is a college town, the population is full of educated, talented, and proud musicians of all genres that continue to release creative work.

Again, I am promoting folks that I have worked with personally and there may be a collaborative album in the works for later this year, but check out DLO's work on the links below and give yourself a new soundtrack to life.

DLO - FREEWRITES

DLO - Pempstrumentals 

J Dilla - The Record Label

To honor the late, great James "J Dilla" Yancey, his mother Maureen "Ma Dukes" Yancey is apparently in the beginning stages of forming a record label called RUFF DRAFT RECORDS to release some of the unreleased gems of Dilla's legacy.  The first official release is called "Rebirth of Detroit" and is due out this Summer. 

I have high hopes for this project, as it would be a fitting tribute to the man and his music to properly release some of his beat tapes and other projects the world may never have seen or heard. 

I am hoping that items like the MCA album that never was, though it has been floating around the web for years, will be produced in its full glory, among other things. I hope it isn't just new people rhyming over his instrumentals from 10 years ago and more of a well-executed, carefully curated series of music that can help add to his legend. Perhaps it is wishful thinking, but I will check it all out regardless. 

Let's hope for the best! Check out the promo video and artwork below:

D artwork by djehngo

DJ Shadow: For Old Time's Sake

According to DJ Shadow's site, he is going to be releasing a NEW album of OLD material from the early 1990's. Entitled Total Breakdown: Hidden Transmissions From The MPC Era, 1992-1996, I will undoubtedly check for it, as I have been a fan since the first time I took a chance on Endtroducing... back in 1997.

Allow me to reminisce for a minute...

DJ shadow introduced me (no pun intended) to a world of instrumental, experimental, hip hop music that I never knew existed before picking up this album. I had never heard of DJ Shadow at the time or Mo' Wax records, but something about the cover of Endtroducing with its blurry, inner-record store photo made me want to hear what was inside. It was the first time as a music buyer that I bought something "sight unseen" having never heard of it or read anything about it. I was hooked on the Invisibl Skratch Piklz at the time and all things turntablism, so the simple fact that it said DJ on it was enough for me.

This album lead to me to other artists like DJ Krush, DJ Honda, DJ Spooky, and other artists on Mo Wax at the time. I gained a newfound respect for what was possible with music and started crafting my own sounds and future artwork as a reaction to this type of music. I have since "Fallen down the rabbit hole" with other forms of instrumental music, but I will always remember buying this album and Warren G "take a look over your shoulder" on the same day. I think I listened to the Warren G album twice before I sat down and digested a lifetime of DJ Shadow.

His subsequent albums kept me interested in new directions of music at Quannum, Stones Throw, and more west coast vibes for years. I have not been as blown away with the follow-up projects of DJ Shadow, but I will always check for new music from him, and especially since this new batch is a nod to pre-Endtroducingwork. I don't think anything will ever hit me like this album did the first time, but it keeps me digging for other work by similar artists, so I have that to thank DJ Shadow for.

Check his old and upcoming work out if you like and let me know your thoughts.

Phonetic One

THE KNOWN UNKOWN: Rappers you should know about - Part 5

Phonetic One is an MC from the Twin Cities (Minnesota, USA). He walks the line between spoken word artist/ MC/ actor/ activist and fits well into the more positive, life-loving, feel good music of the RhymeSayers ilk. I had a chance to work with Phonetic One on what was originally planned to be a 8 to 10 song EP collaboration meant to be a soundtrack to the Summer season in 2009. We were able to record 2 of the tracks as a demo and will hopefully complete the album in the future.

For now, I am hoping to "drum up" some awareness for the project by providing a link to the tracks recorded thus far. Just in time for the 2012 Summer, these tracks seem like a good fit for a BBQ, so check them out below and let me know what you think.

Promotional singles from the yet-to-be-released album SUMMER SO(U)LSTICE. A collaboration between Phonetic One and LuvJonez.

DOWNLOAD LINK BELOW
http://luvjonez.bandcamp.com/album/summer-so-u-lstice-ep

RIP Adam Yauch aka MCA of Beastie Boys

I just walked past this mural of MCA today and thought I would post it for the world! It was put up in the East Village/ NYU neighborhood and I walked past it today on my way to chow down on ice cream. It stopped me in my tracks for 2 reasons...it was done quick (within a day or so or his death) and the well-crafted layout and placement.

Though my interest in the Beastie Boys waned in the last few years, I will always remember the LICENSED TO ILL as the first cassette tape I eve bought and for the follow up crazy antics of PAULS BOUTIQUE and other albums. The last album I checked for was the 5 BOROUGHS album. Less so for the rhymes, but just to see where BB were at in the ever changing landscape of music.

Regardless of what you think of the Beastie's, they made a lasting impact on rap, it's ability to cross cultures, and they were able to create their own "lane" and keep it interesting for damn near 25 years as a group. MCA will be missed, but the legend lives on! Now in mural form!

Props to Cram Concepts

El-P : The Soundtrack to A Riot

It happens that as I rock my iPod on the subway daily, I keep getting drawn in to the EL-P spell of recent projects both as a solo artist CANCER FOR CURE and his collaboration with KILLER MIKE - R.A.P. MUSIC. Two tracks that stick out to me, actually three, are as follows:

DRONES OVER BROOKLYN - EL-P
THE FULL RETARD - EL-P
GHETTO GOSPEL - KILLER MIKE

These songs have some hypnotic, chaotic sounds going on that somehow seem perfectly suited to be the backdrop of a riot, bar fight, or boxing match. Both projects are full of paranoia, conspiracy, political, truth about industry, life and other subjects. Kind of a mix Public Enemy, Ice Cube attitude and "Little Johnny From the Hospital" (or any of El-P's earlier work). There are better comparisons, but I seem to be enjoying the "amped up" feeling of rocking these tracks while stomping the pavement of NYC.

Check out the sounds below and start your own revolution!

Follow the link to Killer Mike's album streaming on SPIN here. Click on GHETTO GOSPEL! Break stuff! SPIN.COM

Check out THE FULL RETARD by EL-P here! PROMO DOWNLOAD LINK . Break stuff again!

Check out an unofficial video but authentic audio of DRONES OVER BKLYN on Youtube! Turn it up and break stuff for the third time! DRONES VIDEO

Dope album covers too!

Fine Art Friday

The Brooklyn Gold Necklace

To switch it up a bit and bring a bigger spectrum of interests to the site and for anybody who is interested in the creative arts beyond music, check out the links below:




MOMA open call for submissions to sale in the MOMA store:
http://www.momastore.org/wcsstore/MOMASTORE1/images/pdfs/NYC.pdf

Steve "ESPO" Powers talking about his recent work


Interesting set of rules to help improve city behaviors
http://urbanetiquetteproject.blogspot.ca/

The Importance of Side Projects: How to keep your creativity alive


Willis Earl Beal - Evening's Kiss
I saw him at the BAM Shuffle Culture show last month and recently found this video. He drew it, made the music and got his David Lynch on with some simple, effective, hypnotic work. This should make you realize that you can do more than you think:

J. Hurt

The Known Unknown: Rappers You Should Know About - Part 4

J.Hurt


As quoted from Tumblr he is the "originator of the Elephant in the Room Music Collective." As a producer myself, I approached J.HURT about a collaboration, as I find his style kind-of a throwback to lyrical story telling that I miss from the golden Era. Check out samples of his music below and stay tuned for more. 


http://whotfisjhurt.tumblr.com/

http://www.datpiff.com/JHurt-Elephant-In-The-Room-Presents-Lost-In-Obscenity—mixtape.263535.html 


CHECK OUT HURT FLOWING OVER SOME 9TH WONDER:

Alex Chadwick

The Known Unkown: Rappers You Should Know About - Part 3

Alex Chadwick, formerly of 3rd Brillyance on Rawkus, has been putting out music for several years now. Always a good balance of introspective lyrics and upbeat life anthems, he quickly earned recognition from the Rawkus 50 around 2007/2008. Chadwick has since been living life and putting out projects under his name, using borrowed instrumentals and some original production. You can check out his past work below. He has been working on new material for an upcoming mixtape, so I will keep you posted, but check out the samples below.

http://alexchadwick.bandcamp.com/

http://www.amazon.com/Rawkus-Presents-Grass-Roots-Explicit/dp/B000YJYYEK

Bread Bread - The Reunion

The Known Unknown: Rappers You Should Know About - Part 2   New Music! 

BREAK BREAD - THE REUNION

Break Bread is a group I had featured here in the past. Made up of Dana Coppafeel and Da Ricanstrukta, the group disbanded around 2003 and re-grouped in 2012 to release THE REUNION. An album filled with an updated sound, mixing boom-bap production with some radio-friendly vocals. Check out the music on Bandcamp and DJ Booth below:


http://breakbread.bandcamp.com/


DOWNLOAD THE NEW ALBUM HERE
http://www.djbooth.net/index/mixtapes/entry/break-bread-reunion/

RIP Maurice Sendak

Though I am and was a fan of Maurice Sendak's books as a child and more so as an adult, listening to the man talk was both humorous and refreshing. He somehow walked the line of grumpy, old man and funny, honest comedian. I hadn't thought of him in a while, but when Stephen Colbert interviewed a few months ago, I couldn't help laughing out loud at his honesty about children's literature, mundane art and all of the perceived "rules of life". He as brutally honest and I am glad that video tributes (like below) exist in addition to his many books. Check them out again or for the first time and realize that the complexities of life can take many forms. RIP Mr. Sendak!

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Grim Colberty Tales with Maurice Sendak Pt. 1
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor & Satire Blog Video Archive

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Grim Colberty Tales with Maurice Sendak Pt. 2
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor & Satire Blog Video Archive

Subway Series: Gross things I have seen on the NYC subway

To pay tribute to the hundreds of gross things I see in NYC everyday (mostly dog and horse shit on the sidewalks) I decided to start posting these things to give the not New York crowd an insiders guide to the NY streets. Feel free to share your own, but this one was so over-the-top that I had to share:

SUBWAY STORY: Volume 1:


On my way home last night, while waiting for a train, I noticed a mumbling, cursing and arm-waving crazy lady was standing on the platform peeing on herself (wet pants, puddle at bottom of leg). 

In an effort to avoid her when the train pulled up, I waited for her to pick a car and I went to the next one. However, as soon as I entered the subway car, there was a guy sleeping upright in a seat who woke up, puked what looked and smelled like Cheeze-Its into his hand, then wiped it on the door, then went back to sleep. yay!

NY Post Racist Rant at Jay-Z

Though I am totally feeding into the hype on this article, I wanted to address the pure idiotic behavior used in both the write-up and reader responses to this NY Post article.

I addressed the new look of the Nets last week with an actual Graphic Design critique and comparison of the logo and new "digs" provided by Jay-Z for the new team home in Brooklyn. While I pointed out the more hipster, Brooklyn approach, at no point did a critique of the new logo devolve into an attack on Jay-Z or Hip Hop in general.

Somehow, the goons at NY Post (looking at you Jack Mirkinson) turned their "opinion" of the new logo and branding of the Nets into a race issue, attributing the new black & white color scheme to an "urban" look and therefore worthy of racist and misogynist terms for the entire Nets staff. The article is quoted below is all of its ignorance:

As long as the Nets are allowing Jay-Z to call their marketing shots -- what a shock that he chose black and white as the new team colors to stress, as the Nets explained, their new "urban" home -- why not have him apply the full Jay-Z treatment?Why the Brooklyn Nets when they can be the New York N------s? The cheerleaders could be the Brooklyn B----hes or Hoes. Team logo? A 9 mm with hollow-tip shell casings strewn beneath. Wanna be Jay-Z hip? Then go all the way! 


Some of the "only a white person would think of this" stuff said in this article attributes every rap cliche to the new logo and team colors. If not designed by Jay-Z, the logo would surely not have gotten as much scrutiny and birthed racist rants about the intent. Did anybody attack the lame Gap logo rebrand a few years ago to stupid, racist, or violence-related designers? No! Did people attack Pepsi for its umpteenth rebrand with racist jabs? No! What about the lame NBC Universal rebrand? Race or gender issues? No! Designed for a corporation by a whitey or group of whitey's...fine! Designed by a Hip Hopper for a corporation...racist! You decide.

Check the examples below:

The only reason the logo conversation turned into a race attack was that ignorant, jealous white folks can't handle the fact that anyone of "urban" background (aka the Hip Hop generation) can compete on a franchise level as a business owner. To insist that "Guns and Bitches" is the only value that a Hip Hop Mogul is or should be able to use for anything they work on is simply ridiculous.

Again, this entire fuss was stirred up because of the new team colors and logo. Is it worth it? Will the guy be fired for it? As a follow up, Mushnick tried to say his words were "mischaracterized" or taken out of context. News flash dumbski! Racist rants are RACIST rants no matter your intent! Attacking Jay-Z for his design choices as some sort of secret "gangsta" agenda shows how uninformed, uneducated and uncultured you really are. Just sayin'!

Rap Radio is Dying a Slow Death

As of April 26, 2012, Emmis Communications announced that ESPN Radio is the NEW OWNER of New York's 98.7 FM, and they are expected to STOP broadcasting urban music - and instead broadcast ONLY Sports Radio.

Emmis also entered into a transaction to sell the intellectual property rights of Kiss FM, the current format Emmis programs on 98.7FM, to MAGIC JOHNSON, who is in the process of acquiring New York radio stations WBLS-FM and WLIB-AM.

While this may not be earth-shattering news to most folks, the closing or "re-purposing" of another radio format that played modern rap music is another dent in the already limited airwaves for fans of rap music.

Though I admit that I don't and cannot listen to song after song of Young Money assembly line artists or any of the rap slash techno-house music generation on the radio, I do not wish it would "die off" necessarily. What I do wish, is that WE as a listening public had more choices for hip-hop music of a broader spectrum. 

Old school lunch hour or an occasional Biggie song does not give proper due to artists of historical importance in hip-hop. The Rolling Stones, Beatles, and most any rock band with a hit song from the 60's to now can be heard somewhere on the radio at any given "Alternative rock" station or "80's-90's station" on the air. However, the chances that you might here even a radio-edit of Smif n Wessun, Wu-Tang Clan, Goodie Mob (old version), Organized Konfusion or any seminal groups from the Golden Era of hip-hop or earlier is slim to non-existent. 

Perhaps the fan base for the older tunes is indifferent to the music, but even if we wanted modern "underground" stations that played 9th Wonder, Zion I, and others, we don't have that choice unless we listen to subscription-based or college radio and endure cost or lo-fi static and weak signals.

If Magic Johnson can buy up radio stations and undoubtedly hustle his own gospel format, of which he owns a music label, and pad his pockets, why can't any of the so-called pioneers of rap do the same for the fans and peers. Diddy may have his own TV channel but it will only be filled with Ciroc ads, Sean Jean ads, Bad Boy Records compilation ads, or any other self-gratifying marketing that he plans out and will surely avoid any semblance of music appreciation unless it features himself. Great for him, but for anyone dreaming of a day when the music we grew up on will ever be heard by anyone other than ourselves and our out-dated CD collection, the chances are slim.

The reason I enjoy sampling old soul and hip-hop is to both honor the past and give a nod to my own influences. If introducing folks to music they may not have heard before is a result of that effort, than I am glad to be a part of the experience. If we as a culture don't try to keep the past alive through education and re-introduction (for hip-hop anyway), up and coming MC's and artists will only know Young Money as a benchmark and model everything after that....which is sad to say the least.

Album Review: OC and Apollo Brown - Trophies

As long as I have been following the career moves of Apollo Brown, I have yet to be let down by any project he releases. From instrumental projects to full-length, collaborative albums with established and lesser known MC's, Apollo Brown always lays a good foundation for beats on all of his projects. 

With the collaboration with OC, I was surprised but excited to hear both all-new tracks and to see how OC could sound over the new songs. I have checked OC's work in the last few years but had yet to feel "wowed" by the sounds or lyrics for along time, but I was ready to hear something new. Borrowing some instrumentals from previous beat-tape albums but using mostly all-new tracks, OC and Apollo Brown bring their A game on this album.

OC sounds "fresh" over these new beats and the sound is a consistent mix of boom-bap samples, hard drums, and thoughtful lyrics. Stand out tracks for me are "The Pursuit", "Anotha One", "We The People", "The First 48, "Just Walk" and "Options. Something about the production makes it feel like a soundtrack to a movie like Rocky or at least a soundtrack to slap people to. 

Overall, the album makes me glad to see Golden Era MC's still making quality work and working with up-and-coming producers to bridge the gap for folks who grew up on the "Time's Up" OC and wanted to hear more. If you have never heard of OC, this is a good (re)introduction and the album gives you plenty of brain food to feed off to counteract any Young Money saturation on the current airwaves. 

Listen Up!

For lack of a rating system, I will give this album 4.5 stars/mics/ out of 5. This is according to MY system, which may not align with yours, but if I listen to an album more than a few times a week and still want to hear it again, it gets my stamp of approval.

Ruby Ibarra: Rappers You Should Know About

The Known Unknown: Rappers You Should Know About - Part 1

So, I have decided to start a weekly (or as often as possible) post of some lesser known Hip Hop groups or Rappers that deserve the attention of the public at large. Many of these acts I am hoping to work with in the future, but most of them just make quality music and I wanted to take time to shine a light on them for various reasons.

The first post is for the Hip Hop artist from San Lorenzo (CA) named Ruby Ibarra. I came across some videos of her free-styling and some of her rapping solo and was impressed with her flow, her content and her charisma. She was recently featured on a compilation by theillestfemalerappers.blogspot.com with her song "Game Up" (posted below). Quality lyrics, bilingual, and dope skills all around. Hoping for big things from her. Check it out!



If that doesn't convince you, listen to her kill the "Mad Izm" instrumental below!



http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ruby-Ibarra/225804540813954

http://www.youtube.com/rubyibarra