RESPECT THE FOUNDATION

I coulda sworn it was a month since I had posted in here again. Well, anyways, with being held inside of a box aka my workplace 30-40 hours a week, most of the day being spent out of the house, heading from one place to another, mostly work, only getting a couple of hours of sleep a day, it begins to take a serious toll on your body and your ways of thinking. Which led me to believe that I need a soundtrack to this abysmal way of living.

The one thing that I get tired of the most being an avid listener of hip-hop and rap, is when others wine, complain, bitch, cry, and moan about the way that something it is, because of the business suits that control 99% of what we hear anyways. It sometimes, now more than ever, makes me sickened that I am apart of this scene, because a lot of the people are stuck in this damp, dark cardboard box, and pretty much have no intention of stepping out, until somebody (ANYBODY) decides to bring them sunshine.

I been told...TO MY FACE...that they don't like "old school" hip-hop, because the lyrics or the flows were too "basic"...I seriously thought to myself "lemme get the fuck out this car and jump off of the highway"..."it would be a beautiful death'(c) Kanye West, but I kept my composure and explained to dude, it is all about respecting the foundation. If it's you, I'm talking about....sorry.



So as of late, I have decided to go back to those times, where everything was so simple. My iTunes/iPod is filled with mostly 80s-90s hip hop, containing many emcees/groups that I wrote off in the beginning of this life journey of mines, because it was "too underground" or "too commercial". As you can see youth played a role in this, and it is ironic that I am on the receiving end of those comments today.



The usual suspects from the east are there (Wu-Tang, Nas, Jay-Z, Gang Starr, Boot Camp Clik, Biggie, Big Pun) the west (Dre, 2Pac, Snoop, Cube) the south (Outkast, Scarface, UGK, Goodie Mob) the midwest (Bone Thugs, Twista, Common) the conscious (Fugees, Tribe, Brand Nubian, Roots, De La) the underground faves (anything from Rawkus, DOOM)....



Of course I added a few post-millennium faves (Kanye, Wayne, T.I.). The bottom line is this, that comparing now to then, like around 2003-04, my entire musical palette has changed entirely. Instead of styles, I got styles inside of styles. And I honestly like it that way. Plus, the numerous influences that make up my music listening nowadays, have changed the way that I write, the things that I write about, and how it is reflected through my vocal musings.



I believe that as a hip-hop artist and as a hip-hop head...it's a responsibility if you will, to not settle. It's a responsiblity to dig deeper into your craft. Something that I have done in the last six years of my life. I could not SETTLE for everything that I had. I wanted to know more and I felt I had to. Although, the music that I came up on, that I grew up with, will forever hold more weight, but...now that I know more and have listened to more, I have become more open-minded towards everything, and maybe in life as well.

Now I know, some people have their own lanes, some people have their own style, and the music they make and/or listen to will be a reflection of that. That is understandable, I can respect that. But don't come around on the internet, or go up to people's faces saying "we need to change the face of hip-hop music" or preach about "real hip-hop music" when there is no clear definition of what REAL hip-hop music, let alone there being nothing wrong with it from the beginning. That was a price I paid in the beginning and I looked stupid because of it.

So, if you normally see me, being a little bit of a snob, don't take it personal. It is mostly because a lot of what I've seen from people, fans and artists alike have been a tad bit hypocritical, but hey, we all ain't perfect. So the moral of this rant, for everyone and myself included...is to simply...PRACTICE WHAT THE FUCK YOU PREACH!!!!

HYPE PERFORMANCE

B-Boying is still alive ladies and gentlemen!!! This was recorded by yours truly at UW-Milwaukee for the Hype dance show. It is amazing that we can have a blizzard outside and people can still pack a room and make for a exciting evening. More videos coming from this night.

DEFTONES- "YOU'VE SEEN THE BUTCHER"

This is what happens when you gather a bunch of chicks together during their time of the month....lol....but in all seriousness, I was so-so about the track at first, 'cause I pretty much played "Diamond Eyes" on my iPod to the edge of death. But...I saw the video last week....on MTV2 (when they play videos).....and man.....is this not one of the sexiest videos ever....if you don't have the Diamond Eyes album (legal or illegal)....cop it!

DIGGY SIMMONS- SHOOK ONES (FREESTYLE)

Diggy Simmons- {Shook Ones Freestyle} from philthegod. on Vimeo.

This seems to be everyone's favorite beat to rhyme on...give it a rest!!!! But I give respect where respect is due...and this kid is the TRUTH....keep your eyes on the Preemo cameos.

KANYE WEST- "ALL OF THE LIGHTS" (FEATURING GODDAMN NEAR EVERYBODY) [MASH-UP VIDEO]

With everything that I have heard over the last couple of days, how this maybe Kanye's BEST album, how this is an instant classic, with Rolling Stone giving it the 5-star rating, Nodima (fellow rateyourmusic.com reviewer) going from giving it 4 1/2 stars to 5 stars...I was skeptical...to whether this was all just hype...you know post-Taylor Swift, I often question the motives of entertainment media nowadays, when it comes to Kanye. But...I gotta say...I am definitely convinced...and this song (that I thought was gonna crash and burn) is so epic, so many sounds and so many voices clashing that it is a collage of nothing but pure beauty...

I know it sounds like I'm bullshitting 'cause I been on my Kanye fix for the last couple of months, but I think this goes to show, that we NEED artists such as him in this God-forsaken, copy/paste, been there done that art that we call modern music. Who do you know is willing to put it ALL on the line, other than a few other rappers..(perhaps Jay, maybe Em, definitely Wayne, Drake wants to, Cudi, Nicki, etc. tries to)....let's face it....NOBODY....................NOBODY!!!!!!

....is doing what the fuck this dude is doing right now. Milwaukee artists, take notes, and push that envelope, and quit jockin' off what others have done before you.

Kanye West - All Of The Lights [mash-up video] from 5846 Productions on Vimeo.

THE PLAYLIST 11-16-10

MF DOOM- "DOOMSDAY"

I listened to this on the bus ride home from work yesterday. Hearing "Doomsday" reminded me of two things. One, Operation: Doomsday, truly did inspire a lot of these rappers (me included) to buy a $5 computer recording mic from Radio Shack and make an album with the crappiest sound quality. The other, being that I don't think people truly realize or appreciate that DOOM can drop some "notable quotables" sometimes...

"Shook niggas turn witness/Real men's mind their own business"

.....Plus...the Sade sample/interpolation is just.....*MUAH* MANIFIQUE!...I think its spelled right....lol.




SADE- "FEEL NO PAIN"

You would think...because "Kiss Of Life" is sampled...this would be the song that's next in this playlist....BUT IT AIN'T...I had this on repeat for so long a couple weeks ago...because of both the lyrics, I'm pretty sure...speak volumes and relate to so many people, enduring these problems today...and the video...probably one of the most seductive and sexiest visuals that a lot of these Auto-Tuned prostitutes, wish they can replicate today.




BRANDY- "BABY"

This song came up next in my playlist, and it just took me back when my sister played the SHIT out of Brandy's debut. Same time I'm sure when Moesha first came on the air, and the poofed out ski jackets were seen everywhere I went. I don't know why I feel so nostalgic for then and apathetic for today's R&B scene (most of it anyways). Maybe I'm just over this skank contest I been seeing lately...that and most of them are going electro (blame David Guetta).

DILLA ARTWORK

So I had ran upon this on Okayplayer's message board and realized this was fucking amazing. Obvious answer yes, however, I think back to two years ago when I had a profile on DeviantArt and how I was on a major roll with my ideas and the execution of those ideas and how in the blink of an eye, it just......STOPPED. And then I always have these pictures forming in my brain, from the color of the image to the stories behind them, and somehow they just stay there....in my brain....

I don't know if it is perhaps, writing has taken over my life so much compared to what sketching did, but I just need to find that inspiration again, where my pencil or pen are not creating words but images. Despite the fact that I feel my words paint pictures already...

Now, that I'm on the subject w/Dilla. I think it's time to bump some Fantastic, Vol. 2 and some Donuts to get me through the day.