Stop Playin'

Tonight, I have no commentary, no insight, or no thoughts that need extensive exploration. It's too late for that.

All I want to know tonight is when Tim and Bus are going to release this track!!!

We need to get someone on this right now.

peace.

Emcee of the Month: Joell Ortiz

Man, I need some hard-hittin' hip hop like this today. This is "Battle Cry" by Joell Ortiz.



There are some days in the lives of hip hoppers when we need to hear the livest, rawest, grimmiest, gulliest, most aggressive tracks we can find. For me, today was one of those days. I was actually worried about doing my post tonight because I didn't know if I'd be filled with too much of the energy from my day to really be constructive. But this record is like therapy for me.

I absolutely love these long form rap tracks. Canibus has a great one called "100 Bars", The Roots did the incredible track titled "The Web", and Busta Rhymes has a fantastic one named "Rhymes Galore." Sometimes I don't want to hear any hooks or r&b cameos or clever sample tricks; simply 'one-plus-one is two' type cuts. One rhyme plus one beat equals two to four minutes of pure head-nodding and teeth gritting, and many times that's all I need.

Joell is a masterful rap lyricist and I am grateful to have found this video tonight. It allowed me to rediscover a clear sense of thought that was clouded by the events of my day. I'm a bit disheartened that this is our last day with him. This has been a fantastic month of music for me.

Joell Ortiz is dope.

peace.

She's Goin' In

I love this type of stuff. This is a cover of "Look At Me" by Chris Brown feat. Busta Rhymes and Lil Wayne by Karmin.

I'm absolutely not a Chris Brown fan. I think his talent is mediocre and only supported by massive amounts of technology and handlers of his image. Lil Wayne, however, pleasantly surprises me from time to time and Busta is, for all intents and purposes, a legend. So two-thirds of "Look At Me" is quite entertaining.

This cover isn't better than the original track. That I won't concede.

But I will say it makes Chris' section of the song easier to enjoy, and homegirl's accuracy with Busta's verse is quite impressive.

I decree this video dope.

peace.

The Rhymes of Our Lives

"Scenario" by A Tribe Called Quest is arguably the greatest posse cut in hip hop history.

There are so many cameos in the video, so many quotable lines, and so much imagination in the track's composition, I can't fathom anyone who knows anything about hip hop to solidly argue against it. There's not a hip hop head I know that doesn't have fun when this track comes on. This song is simply marvelous.

peace.

Do the Bus a Bus

I was too young and too busy tinkering with my bicycle to notice when Leaders of the New School practically broke up on camera during an episode of "Yo! MTV Raps" in 1993. But I wasn't too young to be completely spellbound and ignited with primal exuberance when I first heard "Woo Hah! Got You All in Check" on the radio in 1996. Everyone I knew was going out of their minds over this track! I don't think hip hoppers had shouted and jumped around that much since 3rd Base dropped "The Gas Face". It wasn't long after that when Busta Rhymes solidified his place in my top 10 favorite emcees.

Busta is one of the most unapologetic, relentless, aggressive, amplified, and explosive voices in hip hop. His characteristic vocal abrasion matched with his ability to rattle off lines like a roofer with a nail gun allows him to rhyme with a cannonball-like impact. He purposely throws the listener of balance; it's not supposed to be comfortable listening to him rap. It's supposed to incite a riot.

Over the years, Busta Rhymes has found more range and variety in his performance. He discovered a sense of delicacy and sophistication with his collaboration with Janet Jackson on "What's It Gonna Be?!" in 1998. On the 1997 single "Dangerous" he explored some of his more playful impulses. But throughout all of his work his edge has remains, which will always be the most enduring and dynamic element of his music.

Here's a clip of Busta's recent collaboration with Kanye West and Jay-Z called "H.A.M."

peace.