Hip Hop Hour, October 2000, Volume 1
Hip Hop Minute, October 2000
It’s been a while but the nasty African is back from poppin' his colla
(E-40) on the left coast and I got a story to tell (Biggie). This month I'll start with ya'lls words following the firestorm of controversy that fueled last issue's letters to the editor (maybe I should make more inflammatory comments just get ya'll out of your seats more often). Then I'll tackle this month’s topic and discuss my absence from the hip-hop arena these last few months (other than the man givin' a nickah a 'ish load of work). Well since ya'll been lookin' for the man here I go (Mystikal)....
Now being a long time fan of commercial rap I am going to come to its defense. Now back in the day my moms only let me listen to Fresh
Prince, the Fat Boys, and MC Hammer. I even had the chance of seeing Mr. Stanley Burrell live at the Charlotte Coliseum on the "Turn This Mutha Out" tour with Oaktowns 357 and B Angie B. (Act like yall don't remember that shit if you want to) Commercial rap makes you nod your head at the club which is all it is supposed to do, Its fun. Everything aint supposed to be uplifting or cultural. Some stuff is just meant to be fun. If it weren't for cats like Puff and P, parties at The Power Company and Baby Shamue's would have been wack (drunk or not). SO power to the commercial cats. Leave the revolution to educated folks who know. Keep coming with the fun.
-Stephen Leach
I was discussing w/ my roommate just the other day…the new and improved busta...platnumbed and iced out...no more crazy clothes...a nuuh that has come into his own...but ur right mnm is fundamentally sound and one of the nicest out there..hey i'm a fan remember I helped ya'll believe it the great white hope...mc
-Diya Williams
Dawg, I like MnM, too. But, you must think if any black hip-hop or MC tries to wild out like Chez Wiggah, they ass would get no love. His shit is tight, but there were bruhs doing the same shit before him and where are they now?
-Samuel Harrell
[Editor]: but I just saw Fredro Starr on Moesha the other day, don't
you get UPN?
Hay you didn't ask if I could be quote..... I am going to have to get
my lawyers on you.... See you in court mister....
-Anonymous
I love this shit. Please let me deliver this to the masses.
-I. DeAndrei Drummond
Although I know it is a touchy one for...at least 75% of Black men our age and younger...I was around to see Curtis Blow style rap blow up into the Gold chain fashion reviews of Run DMC, to the "gansta shit of 86" with NWA So on and so forth. I even have my all time favorites: Kool Moe Dee, 2-Pac, Reggie Noble (sp?), Outkast + Goodie Mob,Young MC( just joking on the last one my nigga). Hypothetically Hip Hop is the expression of the soul of our young culture, an outlet of love and hate experienced by the underrepresented minority. Realistically, within the lyrical content and the associated hype of Hip Hop, positivity is the exception, not the standard. Hip Hop is the most sought after music style for teenage brothers by far, and also happens to contain the most "explicit lyrics labels."...what you hear not only affects what comes out of your mouth but more importantly what resonates in your mind. Excessive cursing, violence, revenge, alcohol and drug abuse, rampant promiscuity...AND PROUD OF IT. The Bible prophesies that in the last days people will glory in things that they were once ashamed to even speak of. Hello, does anybody see this connection...how about uplifting the soul and spirit of our people with our music in general. The revered Lauren Hill declared "Music is supposed to inspire, so how come we ain't getting no higher."...I don't have the answer for what clubs would do without the crowd movin thump that Hip Hop brings, but objectively speaking are you really surprised that an award show all about Hip Hop got out of hand, or that for every two Hip Hop clubs that open, 1 is getting shut down because it got out of hand...
-W. Lamont Heartwell
Damn ya'll had a lot to say. Well I'll start off with the way the last editorial ended. I've quite honestly been disgusted with what has been considered hip-hop lately and that (combined with work) left me disillusioned and searching for answers in the only place I could seek solace...my old hip-hop albums (I still can't believe Fat Joe slapped Jay-Z), Dead Prez, and the new soul/funk music that was pumping out
(D'Angelo,Lucy Pearl, Jill Scott,...). The juxtaposition of random super fictional violence from the wanna be thugs to the over the top superficial "millionaire" reformed ruffians left me...honestly ...scratchin' me head. And I'm doubly in trouble cuz Philadelphia is my favorite basketball team and Allen Iverson is one of my favorite athletes. The fiction was just underwhelming, I thought P and Mobb Deep said that this era was sparked by "reality music"? I hadn't bought any new rap albums cuz that's exactly what was coming out...rap. I didn't feel like listening to it and damn sure didn't feel like writing about what was available. Then add to to that the EMBARASSMENT of the Source awards. We proved that there was no way the Puerto Ricans were going to upstage us in the public eye of controversy. But the combination of Wu-Tang's new song and Outkast's senior album injected my heart with a booster shot. But that still sets up the backdrop for this month's issue. Where do we go now? I've talked about the class of '87 (Rakim, Kool G Rap, Big Daddy Kane...and let's sneak in KRS-ONE for arguments sake). I've talked about the class of '95 (Biggie, Nas, Tupac, Kwasi...and let's sneak in Jay-Z for the same reason we snuck in Kris even though he came strong in '97). I look around and see a generation lost. Kats copying what they see and unlike a generation ago they are not interjecting their own appeal to what they grab. It used to be even if you'd grab someone's style, attitude, or flavor you put your spin on it. Just take for instance the phenomenon of the do rag under the baseball cap. U-God of the Wu-Tang Clan started rocking that style when he started losing his hair circa 1994.
Shortly thereafter, Ghostface Killah joined him for largely the same reason. Ghost put a hat on top if his wave cap and U-God started rockin' a fitted cap. Don't believe me? go check the C.R.E.A.M. video. Now we got every knucklehead trying to get in the rap game rocking the same look and feel. I can't tell you how many times I've wanted to rush Memphis Bleek and just start Sprewelling his azz anytime I see him in New York. And what's going on with Lil' Zane? What's it gonna be nickah? Are you gonna wear the wife beater or take it off. I've never been one to discrima-hate on another nickah especially if he puts a premium on physical fitness, but this wife beater pulled up over the head is just totally krossed out and whiggady whiggady whack! He's not even the tightest young talent coming out of the ATL. Lil' Bow Wow could shit on him ten years from now if he didn't write another rhyme after today. Zane shouldn't even be allowed to show his face in public after 4:30 PM until Lil' Bow Wow says it’s cool to come out and and carry his jock strap to pop warner games. And let's hand Jermaine Dupri the "Daddy Warbucks" award right now. Showing once again that there is no shame in exploiting the services of children to put an extra dollar in So So Def's piggy bank. Go head JD!!! Who said life was a hard knock?
But what I really wanted to tackle this month is the future. The 90s
saw the emergence of a new demographic. The female lyricist has been
touched on in the past from Roxanne (all derivations), to Ms. Melody, to Boss and Yo-Yo, to Hurricane G. The female voice and thought sort of had a back seat. We saw MC Lyte, Queen Latifiah, and Salt-Peppa make huge strides to pave the way for the explosion that hit the scene in the late 90s and grabbed both conscious and economic success. I think we were all caught for a loop when Foxy and Lil' Kim stepped up with their hardcore and explicit lyrics about gun tottin', pistol poppin escapades and their risqué bedroom romps and club rendezvous with same language "reserved" for men. For the first time women said what they had been saying amongst themselves...on wax and saying "Fellas anything ya'll can do we can do too". It was both shocking and entertaining to hear these females talk about roles we had traditionally reserved for men. They served notice that there was another voice in hip-hop and it gave the sound another boost of energy. It seemed murky for a while there with the Gangsta Boos and Mia X's of the world pushing that envelope and it I thought that those female rappers were going to bring that movement to a head, blurring the lines of masculinity and femininity and then came our saving grace in the voice of a disgruntled Caribbean gal from the Fugees. With style and grace, beauty and elegance, and let's face it, raw in your face lyrical skills, Lauryn has game. She proved that not only could you say what the hell was on your mind and state your prerogative but you didn't have to cross sex lines to do it. In 2000, I personally am starting to feel Rah Digga not only for rhyme style cuz she got lyrics to go (A Tribe Called Quest), but something about here in general.
I'm feeling her for a lot of the reasons I feel Vivica Fox. Don't get
it twisted Dirty Harriett is cute but she's no Vivica. But Ms.Fox has
that raw ghetto feel to her that makes her appealing because she's
gorgeous but so..so...project. And I know I'm not the only one feeling
her hood rat lady like essence. (there's just something about a girl
that can rock Timbs and let you roll a blunt while still being able to
show up at dinner in a sun dress with style). But I'm gonna remain
objective and leave it up in the air to the public. Ultimately hip-hop just reflects what's going on (thanks Marvin, see I give credit where credit is due, some nickahs in hip hop should take a clue) like any other art form. Unfortunately, its been difficult to maintain that social pulse because of the misogyny between hip hop and rap. The unfortunate marriage has made strange bedfellows for the art form and the commercial machine. Its been difficult to tell if what Sole and Kim are saying is really what the women are feeling or if what Lauryn has to say in right on point or if the ladies out there are ready to pick up their Dessert E's and roll for No Limit grabbin' their crotches gangsta style. Or is this argument off base and are all today's women as affable as the lovely Ms. Hill. I'd like to think that was so, but I know that we have a lot of issues going on today and the ladies wouldn't be saying what they were saying if everything was peachy keen, so maybe they are all correct. We have a lot of ladies to choose from.
I'll leave ya'll with my assessment of what's going on outside of NY.
Some people would like to think that's the only place that matters and
has it made (Special Ed) but if we're gonna let our sound keep growing,
the future may or may not be in the five Burroughs. So here's the Best
of the Rest (in no particular order...somebody said Toronto and Canada
was up in heah)
West (aka tha Left Coast where they be poppin' collas):
Ras Kas - quite easily one of the best lyricists in hip hop period end
of story and I'll go to the mattresses with anyone that disagrees with
me
Xzibit - he's the West coast's answer to Meth, ruff and rugged he's got
charisma that both the east and west can embrace I'm excited about his
upside
Kurupt - hey he grew up in Philly and he's still got game
Snoop - I really really thought that he fell off? How did he get his
street credibility back? Was it really worth your soul Calvin? Well,
welcome back Mr.Broadus...
Tash - he's better than Ja-ro, cool blend of Cali luv and B-boy tempo
Alcholiks - one of the original B-Boy groups still around (Pharcyde are
ya listening)
Jurassic 5 - they sound like they're from the east coast to me they've
got next over there for the Left Coast b-boys(I can't believe the
Pharcyde just fell off like Dr. J)
Midwest:
Scarface - I still sit a lone in my four cornered room looking staring
at candles, go ahead and scoff, but there are only three people not
from Roc-A-Fella on Jay-Z's Oct. 31st album and he's one of them
8Ball - laugh if you want to but everything on Suave House at least
goes gold (Rufus Williams Wake Forest '96)...I'm not buying his albums,
but game recognize game "sho nuff!!!" (Tela, "Hoes in da Club")
Eminem-"...cuz shady will f**kin' kill you..."(Eminem)...Detroit what
Detroit Whut!!!
Bone Thugs- Hey if Cleveland wants this to be there lasting
contribution to rap and then I guess this is what will be their contribution
(feel, free to laugh on this one, I know I am, hehehehehe)
UGK - Maybe Jigga and Three 6 Mafia know sumthin we don't about these
trill azz nickahs (Three 6 Mafia "Sippin On Some Sizzurp")
Nelly - he's got skill, just need to work in content...triple platinum
and he's just getting started, let's keep watching him and hope he
doesn't get polluted
Da Brat - I know she keeps claimin' Southside but she means Chi-town
South:
Outkast - you'll see, Oct. 31st if you didn't already know...so fresh
and so clean...I won't spoil it for you...Snoop Leach sit tight I got
you
Goodie Mob - I'm probably the only one who bought their third album,
but they keep repin' positivity and spiritualism
Juvenile - I'm gettin' tired of him and Cash Money but he's
creative...and he still helps me get my man on at the club...BLING!
Mystikal - where was No Limit before he got there
C-Murdah - He's still...in [2000], where they [no longer] label [Percy]
a drug dealer (Master P "Bout It Bout It")...the ONLY affiliate of
Percy with rhyme skill
One Luv
K
Album Tip: If it wasn't clear before and you didn't hear me the first
few times GO GET the Outkast album, so fresh and so clean Oct. 31st
ya'll
...and oh yeah Jay-Z's coming out Oct. 31st, I don't have his album yet
he's keeping it in Fort Knox after that Un Rivera thing should be
decent though Vol. 3 type stuff
It’s been a while but the nasty African is back from poppin' his colla
(E-40) on the left coast and I got a story to tell (Biggie). This month I'll start with ya'lls words following the firestorm of controversy that fueled last issue's letters to the editor (maybe I should make more inflammatory comments just get ya'll out of your seats more often). Then I'll tackle this month’s topic and discuss my absence from the hip-hop arena these last few months (other than the man givin' a nickah a 'ish load of work). Well since ya'll been lookin' for the man here I go (Mystikal)....
Now being a long time fan of commercial rap I am going to come to its defense. Now back in the day my moms only let me listen to Fresh
Prince, the Fat Boys, and MC Hammer. I even had the chance of seeing Mr. Stanley Burrell live at the Charlotte Coliseum on the "Turn This Mutha Out" tour with Oaktowns 357 and B Angie B. (Act like yall don't remember that shit if you want to) Commercial rap makes you nod your head at the club which is all it is supposed to do, Its fun. Everything aint supposed to be uplifting or cultural. Some stuff is just meant to be fun. If it weren't for cats like Puff and P, parties at The Power Company and Baby Shamue's would have been wack (drunk or not). SO power to the commercial cats. Leave the revolution to educated folks who know. Keep coming with the fun.
-Stephen Leach
I was discussing w/ my roommate just the other day…the new and improved busta...platnumbed and iced out...no more crazy clothes...a nuuh that has come into his own...but ur right mnm is fundamentally sound and one of the nicest out there..hey i'm a fan remember I helped ya'll believe it the great white hope...mc
-Diya Williams
Dawg, I like MnM, too. But, you must think if any black hip-hop or MC tries to wild out like Chez Wiggah, they ass would get no love. His shit is tight, but there were bruhs doing the same shit before him and where are they now?
-Samuel Harrell
[Editor]: but I just saw Fredro Starr on Moesha the other day, don't
you get UPN?
Hay you didn't ask if I could be quote..... I am going to have to get
my lawyers on you.... See you in court mister....
-Anonymous
I love this shit. Please let me deliver this to the masses.
-I. DeAndrei Drummond
Although I know it is a touchy one for...at least 75% of Black men our age and younger...I was around to see Curtis Blow style rap blow up into the Gold chain fashion reviews of Run DMC, to the "gansta shit of 86" with NWA So on and so forth. I even have my all time favorites: Kool Moe Dee, 2-Pac, Reggie Noble (sp?), Outkast + Goodie Mob,Young MC( just joking on the last one my nigga). Hypothetically Hip Hop is the expression of the soul of our young culture, an outlet of love and hate experienced by the underrepresented minority. Realistically, within the lyrical content and the associated hype of Hip Hop, positivity is the exception, not the standard. Hip Hop is the most sought after music style for teenage brothers by far, and also happens to contain the most "explicit lyrics labels."...what you hear not only affects what comes out of your mouth but more importantly what resonates in your mind. Excessive cursing, violence, revenge, alcohol and drug abuse, rampant promiscuity...AND PROUD OF IT. The Bible prophesies that in the last days people will glory in things that they were once ashamed to even speak of. Hello, does anybody see this connection...how about uplifting the soul and spirit of our people with our music in general. The revered Lauren Hill declared "Music is supposed to inspire, so how come we ain't getting no higher."...I don't have the answer for what clubs would do without the crowd movin thump that Hip Hop brings, but objectively speaking are you really surprised that an award show all about Hip Hop got out of hand, or that for every two Hip Hop clubs that open, 1 is getting shut down because it got out of hand...
-W. Lamont Heartwell
Damn ya'll had a lot to say. Well I'll start off with the way the last editorial ended. I've quite honestly been disgusted with what has been considered hip-hop lately and that (combined with work) left me disillusioned and searching for answers in the only place I could seek solace...my old hip-hop albums (I still can't believe Fat Joe slapped Jay-Z), Dead Prez, and the new soul/funk music that was pumping out
(D'Angelo,Lucy Pearl, Jill Scott,...). The juxtaposition of random super fictional violence from the wanna be thugs to the over the top superficial "millionaire" reformed ruffians left me...honestly ...scratchin' me head. And I'm doubly in trouble cuz Philadelphia is my favorite basketball team and Allen Iverson is one of my favorite athletes. The fiction was just underwhelming, I thought P and Mobb Deep said that this era was sparked by "reality music"? I hadn't bought any new rap albums cuz that's exactly what was coming out...rap. I didn't feel like listening to it and damn sure didn't feel like writing about what was available. Then add to to that the EMBARASSMENT of the Source awards. We proved that there was no way the Puerto Ricans were going to upstage us in the public eye of controversy. But the combination of Wu-Tang's new song and Outkast's senior album injected my heart with a booster shot. But that still sets up the backdrop for this month's issue. Where do we go now? I've talked about the class of '87 (Rakim, Kool G Rap, Big Daddy Kane...and let's sneak in KRS-ONE for arguments sake). I've talked about the class of '95 (Biggie, Nas, Tupac, Kwasi...and let's sneak in Jay-Z for the same reason we snuck in Kris even though he came strong in '97). I look around and see a generation lost. Kats copying what they see and unlike a generation ago they are not interjecting their own appeal to what they grab. It used to be even if you'd grab someone's style, attitude, or flavor you put your spin on it. Just take for instance the phenomenon of the do rag under the baseball cap. U-God of the Wu-Tang Clan started rocking that style when he started losing his hair circa 1994.
Shortly thereafter, Ghostface Killah joined him for largely the same reason. Ghost put a hat on top if his wave cap and U-God started rockin' a fitted cap. Don't believe me? go check the C.R.E.A.M. video. Now we got every knucklehead trying to get in the rap game rocking the same look and feel. I can't tell you how many times I've wanted to rush Memphis Bleek and just start Sprewelling his azz anytime I see him in New York. And what's going on with Lil' Zane? What's it gonna be nickah? Are you gonna wear the wife beater or take it off. I've never been one to discrima-hate on another nickah especially if he puts a premium on physical fitness, but this wife beater pulled up over the head is just totally krossed out and whiggady whiggady whack! He's not even the tightest young talent coming out of the ATL. Lil' Bow Wow could shit on him ten years from now if he didn't write another rhyme after today. Zane shouldn't even be allowed to show his face in public after 4:30 PM until Lil' Bow Wow says it’s cool to come out and and carry his jock strap to pop warner games. And let's hand Jermaine Dupri the "Daddy Warbucks" award right now. Showing once again that there is no shame in exploiting the services of children to put an extra dollar in So So Def's piggy bank. Go head JD!!! Who said life was a hard knock?
But what I really wanted to tackle this month is the future. The 90s
saw the emergence of a new demographic. The female lyricist has been
touched on in the past from Roxanne (all derivations), to Ms. Melody, to Boss and Yo-Yo, to Hurricane G. The female voice and thought sort of had a back seat. We saw MC Lyte, Queen Latifiah, and Salt-Peppa make huge strides to pave the way for the explosion that hit the scene in the late 90s and grabbed both conscious and economic success. I think we were all caught for a loop when Foxy and Lil' Kim stepped up with their hardcore and explicit lyrics about gun tottin', pistol poppin escapades and their risqué bedroom romps and club rendezvous with same language "reserved" for men. For the first time women said what they had been saying amongst themselves...on wax and saying "Fellas anything ya'll can do we can do too". It was both shocking and entertaining to hear these females talk about roles we had traditionally reserved for men. They served notice that there was another voice in hip-hop and it gave the sound another boost of energy. It seemed murky for a while there with the Gangsta Boos and Mia X's of the world pushing that envelope and it I thought that those female rappers were going to bring that movement to a head, blurring the lines of masculinity and femininity and then came our saving grace in the voice of a disgruntled Caribbean gal from the Fugees. With style and grace, beauty and elegance, and let's face it, raw in your face lyrical skills, Lauryn has game. She proved that not only could you say what the hell was on your mind and state your prerogative but you didn't have to cross sex lines to do it. In 2000, I personally am starting to feel Rah Digga not only for rhyme style cuz she got lyrics to go (A Tribe Called Quest), but something about here in general.
I'm feeling her for a lot of the reasons I feel Vivica Fox. Don't get
it twisted Dirty Harriett is cute but she's no Vivica. But Ms.Fox has
that raw ghetto feel to her that makes her appealing because she's
gorgeous but so..so...project. And I know I'm not the only one feeling
her hood rat lady like essence. (there's just something about a girl
that can rock Timbs and let you roll a blunt while still being able to
show up at dinner in a sun dress with style). But I'm gonna remain
objective and leave it up in the air to the public. Ultimately hip-hop just reflects what's going on (thanks Marvin, see I give credit where credit is due, some nickahs in hip hop should take a clue) like any other art form. Unfortunately, its been difficult to maintain that social pulse because of the misogyny between hip hop and rap. The unfortunate marriage has made strange bedfellows for the art form and the commercial machine. Its been difficult to tell if what Sole and Kim are saying is really what the women are feeling or if what Lauryn has to say in right on point or if the ladies out there are ready to pick up their Dessert E's and roll for No Limit grabbin' their crotches gangsta style. Or is this argument off base and are all today's women as affable as the lovely Ms. Hill. I'd like to think that was so, but I know that we have a lot of issues going on today and the ladies wouldn't be saying what they were saying if everything was peachy keen, so maybe they are all correct. We have a lot of ladies to choose from.
I'll leave ya'll with my assessment of what's going on outside of NY.
Some people would like to think that's the only place that matters and
has it made (Special Ed) but if we're gonna let our sound keep growing,
the future may or may not be in the five Burroughs. So here's the Best
of the Rest (in no particular order...somebody said Toronto and Canada
was up in heah)
West (aka tha Left Coast where they be poppin' collas):
Ras Kas - quite easily one of the best lyricists in hip hop period end
of story and I'll go to the mattresses with anyone that disagrees with
me
Xzibit - he's the West coast's answer to Meth, ruff and rugged he's got
charisma that both the east and west can embrace I'm excited about his
upside
Kurupt - hey he grew up in Philly and he's still got game
Snoop - I really really thought that he fell off? How did he get his
street credibility back? Was it really worth your soul Calvin? Well,
welcome back Mr.Broadus...
Tash - he's better than Ja-ro, cool blend of Cali luv and B-boy tempo
Alcholiks - one of the original B-Boy groups still around (Pharcyde are
ya listening)
Jurassic 5 - they sound like they're from the east coast to me they've
got next over there for the Left Coast b-boys(I can't believe the
Pharcyde just fell off like Dr. J)
Midwest:
Scarface - I still sit a lone in my four cornered room looking staring
at candles, go ahead and scoff, but there are only three people not
from Roc-A-Fella on Jay-Z's Oct. 31st album and he's one of them
8Ball - laugh if you want to but everything on Suave House at least
goes gold (Rufus Williams Wake Forest '96)...I'm not buying his albums,
but game recognize game "sho nuff!!!" (Tela, "Hoes in da Club")
Eminem-"...cuz shady will f**kin' kill you..."(Eminem)...Detroit what
Detroit Whut!!!
Bone Thugs- Hey if Cleveland wants this to be there lasting
contribution to rap and then I guess this is what will be their contribution
(feel, free to laugh on this one, I know I am, hehehehehe)
UGK - Maybe Jigga and Three 6 Mafia know sumthin we don't about these
trill azz nickahs (Three 6 Mafia "Sippin On Some Sizzurp")
Nelly - he's got skill, just need to work in content...triple platinum
and he's just getting started, let's keep watching him and hope he
doesn't get polluted
Da Brat - I know she keeps claimin' Southside but she means Chi-town
South:
Outkast - you'll see, Oct. 31st if you didn't already know...so fresh
and so clean...I won't spoil it for you...Snoop Leach sit tight I got
you
Goodie Mob - I'm probably the only one who bought their third album,
but they keep repin' positivity and spiritualism
Juvenile - I'm gettin' tired of him and Cash Money but he's
creative...and he still helps me get my man on at the club...BLING!
Mystikal - where was No Limit before he got there
C-Murdah - He's still...in [2000], where they [no longer] label [Percy]
a drug dealer (Master P "Bout It Bout It")...the ONLY affiliate of
Percy with rhyme skill
One Luv
K
Album Tip: If it wasn't clear before and you didn't hear me the first
few times GO GET the Outkast album, so fresh and so clean Oct. 31st
ya'll
...and oh yeah Jay-Z's coming out Oct. 31st, I don't have his album yet
he's keeping it in Fort Knox after that Un Rivera thing should be
decent though Vol. 3 type stuff
posted by Kwasi at 11:27 AM
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