Black Moon "I Got Cha Open"

Now that you got this page open you can listen to this Black Moon song entitled, “I gotcha open.” This song is once again a classic hip hop tune from the genre’s golden age. I currently have this song on my cell phone as my alarm it seems to always start the day off good no matter how rough the previous night was.

The remix of the song which you are hearing now was not the version you would have heard if you bought their album. They had different verses and an entirely different instrumental on the album version of this song. The only thing to remain the same was the song title.

It is also one of the coolest music videos that I have seen a hip hop artist perform in. Since the video on YouTube doesn’t allow it to be embedded, due to the person who posted the video to YouTube, I have listed the URL link as follows so you can see the video and how cold it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UP2mlvJkAPY

The lyrics are good but in my opinion they aren’t as complex as the most talented of emcees. But, this in no one can take away from Black Moon or the song. Rather the instrumental and the flow he uses and his voice cadence add a lot to the song. The trumpets and strings in the song make you feel like you are dreaming while you’re listening to the song and if you follow the above link the beginning is almost set up to emulate a dream sequence. Well I’ll leave you to listen to the song and I suggest you hit replay because the song gets better every time you hear it.

Joell Ortiz "Hip-Hop"

Yo do me a favor, accidently step on your white sun glasses/
We don't wear those over here this is hip hop(that's right)/
This is Carhart jackets, Timberland boots, unlaced/
This is Champion hoodies, chicken wings and french fries/
RIP pieces on the handball court, this is us still fightin' police brutality/
This is hip hop/

Today we have a song by Joell Ortiz who in my opinion is the most talented and relatively new hip hop artist to come to the scene. He and Slaughterhouse, the rap group he is a part of, which is comprised of Joe Budden, Crooked I, and Royce Da 5’9 recently signed a deal with Eminem and Shady Records so it is good to see a group of talented emcees getting a chance to get their music distributed by a major label.

This song specifically is all about hip hop and the current state of the genre and how Joell Ortiz thinks it can be improved. You could say he wants to go back to the golden days of hip hop before money and global fame was the driving factor in artist’s creative process.

Joell Ortiz along with being lyrically talented manages to show to his listeners that he has credibility in terms of his lyrics. He has a good sense of humor in a lot of his songs while at the same time managing to put out tracks that are introspective.

The artists who are able to let the listeners into their lives and creative processes end up developing a more meaningful relationship with their fans. Their fans don’t just look upon them as artists but rather fellow human beings with a knack for being able to help them get through their day. This leads to longer careers and in most cases more money for those artists with extremely loyal fans. Hell, Wu-Tang could still manage to sell out shows because they have loyal fans that feel like they really know the artists.

All I’m saying is that Joell Ortiz is the perfect example of an artist who manages to be genuine and unique while at the same time staying true to his craft.

Mary J. Blige ft. Smif n Wessun - I Love You (Remix)

Today I got another classic featuring Mary J. Blige and Smif N Wessun. This song is in my top 20 songs of all time hands down. It is a laid back love song of sorts that Mary does a great job on in terms of her vocals.

The remix which is the version you are hearing featured Smif N Wessun and if you don’t know who they are just type their name in Google and you should find out all about their work and the boot camp click. The instrumental is a perfect match for Mary and Smiff N Wessun. There is a heavy kicks and a lot of piano which was common amongst hip hop in the 90’s which artists should go back to now days.

Below I have shown you the second verse that Smif N Wessun spit:

Hip Hop, sets out in the park/
Blaze an L, raisin' hell till the day I dark/
Got me Reminiscing back like Mary J/
When I sit back and peep the game people play/
Too High to get over/
Cause I'm rollin' through life like a soldier/
Holdin' the weight of my fate on my shoulder/
Blazin' the trees,/
With my Duck Down family/
P-N-C-One L-O-V-E/

They only have two verses because Mary is singing the other. Their two verses are unique and similar to the style of back and forth rapping that Styles P and Jadakiss have mastered. I know I have almost mentioned this in all of my posts to this blog but God Damn why don’t artists keep making classics like this. There is nothing but positive comments on YouTube and hardly any dislikes. Whenever I ask someone to listen to the song they say they loved it.

I know the flavor and style that the 90’s brought to Hip Hop can never be duplicated but it can certainly be honored. So please if you are an emcee and stumble across this blog please take what I’ve just said into consideration. KEEP THE 90’S ALIVE!!!!!

Do Or Die-Po Pimp

Do you wanna riiide?/
In the backseat, of a Caddy/
Chop it up, with Do or Die/

We have a classic or our hands today. The song I’m talking about is Do or Die’s “Po Pimp.” I can remember watching this on the Box (old music video channel, much better than MTV) in the summer as a kid. It is a showcase of the talent that Chicago emcees can bring to the table. Do or Die has put out many albums since but I think none will ever come close to how good their first album was.

This whole song along with the music video which was filmed in its entirety in Chicago just adds to the overall vibe and laid back feeling of the song. All of the members of Do or Die do their part in this song but, Twista is the obvious standout. Twista went on to become the most successful in terms of a solo career hitting the platinum eventually later in his career when he went solo.

Here is the opening few bars of Twista's verse:

Well a motherfucker might be broke and shit/
And then collecting no dough from tips/
But I be spittin mo' game than a mouthful of poker chips/
To get them hoes with the Oprah lips and the provokin hips/
And never gotta tell her many lies/
I been lookin in the city skies, get up in the kitty's thighs/
Cause I'm blessed with a look of innocence, good sex/
Peanut butter complex and some pretty eyes/

Talented artists manage to bring the listener in as soon as they start to rhyme. In my eyes Twista has done this throughout his entire career. I rarely have come across a song of his that was lack luster. The man has possibly the most innovative and coldest flows known to man that is his entirely. On top of that he is extremely complicated when it comes to the words he rhymes and how they fit together in his verse.

To all you Po Pimp’s out there still blasting this song in your Cadillac safe travels and I’ll be bringing you some more Chicago flavor in the coming days.

Big L Now or Never

Now, get ready for a more positive song from Big L. The name of this song is Now or Never. I like listening to this song on the way to school or work because it motivates me to start the day off on a good note. Songs can influence moods and emotions and listening to a song that makes you feel like you have to get something accomplished before the day is over is always a positive.

It’s time to make power moves and get the chedda.
And buy the real nice things that makes life betta.
No foolish acts, moves must be clever.
Im down for whatever, I gotta blow son, is now or never.

In the short time that Big L was able to be with us he sure made positive impacts on people’s lives. It is clear that Big L would use songs like these and the creative process that goes with making these songs as motivation to get through his day and to accomplish his goals of becoming a successful rapper.

It is tragic that Big L was taken from us so early but, it is songs like this that he has left behind that makes it feel like he is still here with us today. Good artists manage to make their music live on long after they have passed away. There is emotion and genuine feelings being expressed by L and it is for that reason including his talent that he was able to garner so much respect and notoriety amongst fans and the Hip-Hop community. R.I.P Lamont

Big L - How Will I Make It

Today we have two entries that once again showcase one of my favorite artists of all time. I’m talking about Big L of course. The is a drastic difference between these two songs, this first song being grim and realistic while in the second entry I will post today shows a more optimistic and motivated Big L.

The first song is called How will I Make It. The entire song brings you into the hardships that Big L has gone through throughout his life. The song is somber and it seems that Big L is trying to show how low a person can get if they are faced with insurmountable odds in life. The difficulties that Big L had growing up from living in poverty is a drastic difference between these two songs, this first song being grim and realistic while in the second entry I will post today shows a more optimistic and motivated Big L.

The first song is called How will I Make It. The entire song brings you into the hardships that Big L has gone through throughout his life. The song is somber and it seems that Big L is trying to show how low a person can get if they are faced with insurmountable odds in life. The difficulties that Big L had growing up from living in poverty and serving time in jail all time used to paint a picture of a harsh world that can make the most talented musicians contemplate their chance of escaping the conditions in life that have managed to hold them back.

The chorus is in question form and Big L is asking himself or anyone who is listening, can I make it and how will I manage to escape the evils that have plagued my life. It seems that Big L gets his motivation to create music from the simple fact that music is the tool that will help him make it and overcome any doubts he may have in his mind about future success and the promise of a decent life.

It seems like my life been cursed ever since I was a child
And how will I make it?
I won't, that's how
I walk around with a frown I got no reason to smile
And how will I make it?
I won't, that's how
Aiyo times is rough I had to grow up foul
And how will I make it?
I won't, that's how
I always knew that I'll end up doing time on a L
And how will I make it?
I won't, that's how

Having listened to all of the songs Big L was ever a part of I can say in my eyes that Big L made it.

Big L-Put It On

This week is going to be all about Big L. Big L was a Harlem rapper who tragically had his life taken on February 15, 1999 after he was shot nine times in the head in a Harlem neighborhood. Apparently, the death was retaliation for something Big L’s brother, who was incarcerated at the time of his death, had done or something they thought he had done. In my opinion Big L is in my top 5 rappers of all time.

It is scary to think what the game would have been if Big L who had recently signed a deal and was starting to roll out his material for his upcoming album was able to develop his career and build a catalog.

His catalog to date even before his death is more impressive than most rappers entire careers. His word play is amazing in every song I hear him on. It is clear this man took pride in putting everything into his lyrics. It shows on all of his songs, he never gets on a song and performs at a mediocre level.

Big L is always the one artist who stands alone if he is put on group song. Big L of course as an original member of the DITC digging in the crates crew was in my eyes the most lethal and consistent rapper in the group. He was also a member of the Harlem based rap group Children of the Corn alongside Cam’ron, Mase, and Bloodshed.

This track that is featured in this entry is Put it on. I know I have been talking more about Big L than the actual song but for all you rap fans that haven’t heard of Big L, you needed a proper introduction to the man behind the music. All you need to know about this song is that if you are having a rough morning and find yourself half asleep on the train or bus to work play this song and you should feel like taking on the day.

Cassidy Freestyle

We got another Cassidy freestyle for you today. I know I just posted a Cassidy freestyle but shit he is talented so why the fuck not right. Let’s get into it.

I don’t know exactly when this was filmed but it was earlier in his career because he is already signed to full surface records as Swizz Beats is at the start of the video. The freestyle is short and this post will be as well.

Like all his freestyles his delivery is always on point and his words always seem to fit together just right no matter what the beat is. Now during this time in rap there was a lot of battle DVD’s going around on the internet with guys like Murda Mook and others but, rappers who had already gotten signed like Cassidy still felt it necessary to show case their talent.

This is what rappers today lack. CREDIBILIZTY. I’m not talking about whether you do what you say in your rhymes I’m talking about stripes. Could you be signed and still battle some random unsigned and hold your own. You will never see a rapper brave enough to be signed and get into a battle because they know that if they lose the record label might drop them.

There is something about Cassidy that says he wouldn’t care about battling anyone because he is confident in his skills. So if you rap about girls, crime, or just normal everyday life maintain your credibility so that if someone questions your ability you can show them they were wrong to question in the first place.

Cassidy 8 Minute Freestyle

Well damn, that’s really all you can say after watching this freestyle from Cassidy, a rapper from Philly who most of you should know. And if you didn’t know who Cassidy was before hearing this song you get an idea of how talented he really is.

I find it hard to talk for 8 minutes but he managed to spit written bars in freestyle for a camera for over 8 minutes and that is something that I don’t see a lot of artists doing. Maybe because they can’t do it or they just don’t want to but, this video has over 4 million views on YouTube and I can only assume that number is getting larger cause I listen to that video at least four time a week.

It isn’t just the lyrics that make this video amazing because his delivery and knowledge about his rhymes that shows when he is on camera. He acts out a lot of lines and that shows that Cassidy is a true battle rapper. Just ask Freeway, “Put a beat on.” If you didn’t get that reference Cassidy before he was signed had a rap battle against then signed to Roc-a-fella records Freeway who is also from Philly.

The battle is long and I won’t go into too much detail about it until I make it a post on this blog but, Cassidy won and after that got signed and started to sell records. So if you got 8 minutes to spare listen close and hear what Cassidy has to say.

Devlin Freestyle

We got another quick freestyle from Devlin over in the UK. This man just keeps coming with quality bars no matter what song he is on. I haven’t heard that many songs of his or songs that he is featured on that he doesn’t try hard on.

Here are some of his bars from the freestyle in case you weren’t able to get past his thick cockney accent:

I roll on the road like a tire on the street/
Im fire on the beat/
And im im goin out all guns blazin/
Like the guy from the film with a slice on his cheek/ (Scarface)
Iv’e got a guarantee that im always on my toes/
So you be dead by the time you rise from your seat/
A demonstration of forward planning/
Im predictin an awkward landin/
When I strangle a man and dangle his corpse from a fourth floor landin/

Speaking of language barriers, it was hard to figure out what these UK rappers where saying in their rhymes when I first came across the grime scene. But after time I was able to figure out all the slang words that I had never heard before and it occurred to me that once I got past that small barrier the grime artists were as deserving to be signed to huge record deals just as much as rappers from the states.

This is a short post because there really isn’t much more to say. Devlin is cold and he demonstrates that in this short freestyle. If only rappers from the states would come with constant music on YouTube for my listening pleasure but I don’t see that happening any time soon.

Eminem & Skam - Three Six Five

What’s up people today we have a track from Eminem and Skam from Eminem’s underground days in Detroit. The songs just like most hip-hop in the 90’s were centered on lyricism and how you came on a track.

Eminem went by Slim Shady back in these days and still had his same rhyme style and rhyme schemes in most of his songs. It seems that he manages to say the most outlandish things while at the same time staying lethal with his bars.

I have been listening to Eminem for a minute now and it wasn’t until I was a junior in high school did I finally discover his underground songs and freestyles that he had done before he hit the big time and got signed.

The Detroit hip-hop scene back in these days was really small and tight nit. But, the small size of its scene didn’t impact the quality of the music it produced. Eminem and Skam don’t waste any words in this song. Here is the first half of Eminem’s verse:

Yo know your spaced the fuck out like George Lucas/
When your pukus, turnin to yellow with orange mucus/
So when I grab a pencil and squeeze it between fingers/
I'm not a rapper, I'm a demon who speaks English/
Freak genuis, too extreme for the weak and squeamish/
Burn you alive till you screamin to be extinquished/
Cause when I drop the science, motherfuckers tell me to stop the violence/
Start a fire and block the hydrants/
I'm just a mean person, you never seen worse than/
So when Slim gets this M-16 burstin/
You gettin spun backwards like every word of obscene cursin/
Stoppin your short life when you still a teen virgin/
Unless you get a kidney speciman from a spleen surgeon/
In the best hospital possible for emergancy surgery/
To try to stop the blood from your rushin sternly eternally/

Now the second portion of Slim’s verse remains the coldest few bars I have heard in my entire life. And I have listened to countless songs but, none of them reach the level of lyricism and creativity that these few last bars in his verse demonstrate:

I'll take it back before we do each others name/
Run in a ultrasound and snatch you out your mothers frame/
I'll take it further back than that/
Back to lovers lane, to the night you were first thought of/
And Cock block your fathers game/

Now that is cold as hell nothing more to say and with that I leave you to listen to the song.

Common - Resurrection

Hello people, today we got a track from a Chicago mc who has been putting’ out quality music since the early 90’s. I’m talking about Common of course and his song from one of his first albums Resurrection.

This song definitely has that 90’s feel to it that makes it timeless. I don’t know what it is about music from the 90’s but it seems that no matter how many years pass hip-hop from the 90’s still blows everything else out of the water.

The 90’s was a time when hip-hop was still attempting to make a major breakthrough to the mainstream music. The determined and hungry feeling that came from rappers in that time hasn’t been duplicated since. Possibly making it into the mainstream made hip-hop lose some of it most appealing characteristics.

You can tell that the music especially in this song is from the heart and sincere. The song isn’t focused on topics that are prevalent in today’s music but rather music like Common’s song shed light on what was going on in the inner cities and in this case what was going on in Chicago.

Even the lower budget music videos from this time seem more appealing and make more of an intellectual impact on the viewer than today's over the top videos that have absolutely nothing to do with the song itself.

In the 90’s it was all about being real and staying true to hip-hop in your music. Now it is more about how much money and record sales you have accumulated. I am amazed at how far hip-hop has come but I still wish it was still and underground scene left untouched by commercial influences.

We don’t have a time machine to warn rappers about what hip-hop will turn into but, never the less this is a great song from Common. So listen and enjoy and stayed tuned for the next entry in my blog.

SB.TV - Devlin F64 #2

The last Devlin F64 that was posted on YouTube and featured in my last post has received 800,000 views on YouTube so far. So I guess they thought it was necessary to make another F64 featuring Devlin so here it is the F64 #2 featuring Devlin.



The UK grime scene has done a really good job of keeping their scene fresh and new with the steady supply of freestyles and new songs they feature on these different YouTube channels.

I find it hard to continuously follow some artists in the US but in the UK they have a great outlet. Although they have a more familiar outlet like YouTube many of these artists would die to have the kind of marketing power and influence that comes with being signed to a label in the states.

The acoustic guitar makes you feel like you are really in the studio with the artists while they are performing. The guitar also displays Devlin’s versatility as a lyricist because he maintains his lyrical complexity while at the same time managing to tailor his flow perfectly to the instrumental.

Fuck a pint drink beer from the barrel/
Still be on point with the bars/
I’m hard like striking a sparrow in flight with an arrow/
I’m live and I’m raggle you’ll thrive in a gallows/

If you are wondering what he says into the camera at the end he says, “Neeeeeev.” This is a quote from the movie Chopper which is based on an Australian gangster who is famous worldwide. Hint they call him Chopper because he chops his own ears off in prison to get transferred lol.

SB.TV F64 Freestyle - Devlin

Once again here is something different for you guys tonight. I’m bringing you a very talented UK grime artist by the name of Devlin. In this video he spits 64 bars for the camera.

In my freshmen year of college I stumbled across one of his videos and it really caught my eye and got me interested in the UK grime scene.
Devlin after many years of hard work on pirate radio sets and bookings was signed to Island Records, the same record label Bob Marley was signed to. He has really exploded in terms of popularity in the UK and recently released his debut album Bud Sweat & Beers in the start of 2011.

The fact that I realized this young man’s talent the first time I heard him and now seeing him build on those talents, get better, and final get signed has made me feel connected to the artist in a way. I can’t go overseas and experience the grime scene myself but instead, I got on YouTube regularly to keep tabs on my favorite artists in the scene. The internet has really broadened my horizons in terms of music and more generally life.

Devlin is a conscious artist that out of all the artists I listen to uses the most advanced vocabulary. It is refreshing to see an artist bring intelligence in his work rather than just speaking on the more misogynistic aspects of life.

I catalyzed half of the scene into making songs with their hearts on their sleeves/

Devlin in all of his songs is lyrically focused. It is the reason I admire him as an artist so much. His main focus is making music that he likes which is lyrically complex lyrically. When I listen to one of his songs or freestyles it gives me a mental picture of what his life and the lives of other youths are like over in the UK.

In closing here are a few of his bars that stood out in the freestyle:

A minute and a half/
I burry anybody with my lyrics and my bars/
Rippin’ you in half casue I’m lyrically advanced/
If you look up in the sky well be sittin’ on the stars/

Cause whether you like me is irrelevant/
You can’t deny talent when it’s evident/
I’m off the scales at an inadequate measurement/
Most of these men have a vocal impediment/
My names Devz im a local degenerate/
So I drink and smoke for the hell of it/
Play the beat and I carry on deadin’ it/
This is war there’s 64 from devlin/

I don’t mean to be the bearer of bad news but the next post involves a song that is extremely depressing to some of those who have heard it. The title of the song is Dance with the Devil. It is written and performed by Immortal Technique and underground and very talented hip-hop artist from Harlem, New York.

Much like my last post which featured Juelz Santana’s Lil' Boy Fresh, this track tells an even more complicated story. Here is the opening few verses of the song that immortal technique uses to set the stage for the listener:

I once knew a nigga whose real name was William/
his primary concern, was making a million/
being the illest hustler, that the world ever seen/
he used to fuck movie stars and sniff coke in his dreams/
a corrupted young mind, at the age of thirteen/
nigga never had a father and his mom was a fiend/
she put the pipe down, but for every year she was sober/
her sons heart simultaneously grew colder/
he started hanging out selling bags in the projects/
checking the young chicks, looking for hit and run prospects/

The instrumental is simple as it only has kicks, some bass, and the piano. The simplicity of this beat adds to the dark and ominous feeling that the lyrics give off. The character in the song is young and as is shown in the song is easily persuaded into leading a life of crime despite his mother cleaning her life up and working hard to keep food on her sons plate.

After the first verse is over Immortal Technique has one of the best hooks I have heard on a song.

Everyone trying to be trife never face the consequences/
you probably only did a month for minor offences/
ask a nigga doing life if he had another chance/
but then again there's always the wicked that knew in advance/
dance forever with the devil on a cold cell block/
but that’s what happens when you rape, murder and sell rock/
devils used to be gods, angels that fell from the top/
there's no diversity because we're burning in the melting pot/

Throughout the entire song you can tell that as the actions of the main character continue to get worse and worse that something terrible was going to end up happening at the end of the song.

And boy, is that exactly what happens in the end. Here are the last few bars in the song:

cocked the gat to her head, and pulled back the shirt cover/
but what he saw made him start to cringe and stutter/
'cause he was staring into the eyes of his own mother/
she looked back at him and cried, cause he had forsaken her/
she cried more painfully, than when they were raping her/
his whole world stopped, he couldn't even contemplate/
his corruption had successfully changed his fate/
and he remembered how his mom used to come home late/
working hard for nothing, cause now what was he worth/
he turned away from the woman that had once given him birth/
and crying out to the sky cause he was lonely and scared/
but only the devil responded, cause God wasn't there/
and right then he knew what it was to be empty and cold/
and so he jumped off the roof and died with no soul/

The end is depressing but the entire song builds up to this moment and it is wild to see a lyricist who can do just that with complex rhymes that make you actually feel something by the time the song is over.

So when the devil wants to dance with you, you better say never/
because a dance with the devil might last you forever/

Juelz Santana - Lil' Boy Fresh

The name of this song is Lil' Boy Fresh by Juelz Santana. The song was on his 2005 album, What the Game’ Been Missing. This was a great album and unfortunately was the last solo album to be released by Juelz Santana. You could say that Juelz Santana is what the games been missing if he could come with quality songs like this every time he drops.

The song is based on the 1994 movie Fresh. Here is a short description of that movie from Imbd, “12-year-old drug pusher who lives in a crowded housing project with his cousins and aunt. His father has become a street bum, but still meets with Fresh on occasion to play chess. Fresh is rather quiet in a crazy world. Fresh's sister is a junkie who sleeps with the dealers who Fresh sells for. As the story progresses Fresh realizes that he doesn't want to sell drugs anymore, he wants out.”

Juelz does an amazing job of telling the story of this young boy from the movie so much so that when I watched the actual movie it kind of spoiled it for me. Despite the fact Fresh was an amazing movie to watch and I suggest you watch it for yourself.

Juelz Santana is not necessarily known for his complex rhymes but his style fits perfectly for telling this story. His tone and paced flow really build the listener up for the ending of the song that if you hadn’t seen the movie sneaks up on you

Jose think shorty on his side/
But he don't know shorty on his side/
So shorty called Jose, like listen, it's going down, I need more cocaine/
So they met up/
it was a set-up, Guess who? CJ, Melek and Boo sped up/
You seen the look on Joses's face/
Like you never seen the look on old man's face, told him no man's great/
and it's no man's place, to fuck with no man's fam/
Then he said, where's my sister before I kill you/

The Abyssinians Satta Massagana

The song I’m bringing you today is a drastic change from the hip-hop I have been posting on this blog. This is a video taken from a documentary made in 1977, named 'Beats of the Heart: Roots Rock Reggae’. The documentary ‘depicts an unforgettable moment in Jamaica's history when music defined the island's struggles and immortalized its heroes.’ (Imdb)

The name of the song is Satta Massagana by the Abyssinians. The documentary fell adds to this video as it shows the Abyssinians in Jamaica playing inside a shack with just their instruments, voices, and of course the camera man.

It is interesting to see after watching this documentary that music helped people cope with their already difficult lives. Areas in and around Jamaica are impoverished and songs like this helped individuals cope and find God. The power of lyrics accompanied by instruments is demonstrated by the fact that most of these songs were used in churches to inspire those that were present.

Look into the book of life and you will see that there’s a land far, far away/
Look into the book and you will see that he-he-he rules us all/

In this song God is the central theme. They talk about a land far away where there is no light only day. It is easy to see that a song like this could inspire its listeners. The music of the Abyssininas and other musicians become a real force in the Jamaican society. This example shows that music isn’t simply just form listening pleasure, it also gives people strength to carry on with their lives despite the trials and tribulations that they may come across.

Nas - Good Mornin (Unreleased)

YEAH DJ ENVY THE PEOPLES CHOICE!!! HAHA. I can’t fuckin' stand when DJ’s yell at the beginning of a track and almost ruin the whole experience. Thankfully Nas is so talented you are able to look past the sometimes annoying DJ. But, this is not a rant against DJ’s because after all DJ’s did come before MC’s back when Hip-Hop was in its early stages in the boroughs of NYC.

The next track I’m bringing is an unreleased Nas project ft. Ron Isley on the chorus. It seems more often than not Nas is telling a story or painting a picture of a sequence of events for the listener. Here are the first nine bars of the first verse that sets the mood and tempo for the rest of the song.

Good morning the same old jerks goin' to work/
Garbage man pick up the dirt, the birds don't chirp/
There's this nice Lady I know, she always speak/
Wit her two children, headed to the school building/
Then rush home and again to lit housin/
And they are puttin' out the new ceilings/
Cuz her shit is leakin'/
Water keep drippin'down, so she beefin'/
Husband keep cheatin', he've been out all-evenin'/

The rhyme scheme is simple but the way that Nas manages to use simple words to make the listener they are really with that woman walking her children to work. It is also a real life situation that is common now days and that is a mother practically raising her children without the help of their father who in this case is cheating.

Good morning, police shifts the hood is on-in'/
So they drive around all-day wit bench warrants/
Eatin donuts and sippin' on coffee/
Ooops!, sudden stops spills on the walkie-talkie/
Damn this nigga is a creep/
Whispers to police at the wino in the middle of the street/
Wit missin' front teeth twist blunts deep in the cut/
It's my nigga so I holler it up, niggaz good morning/

The instrumental, Nas’ flow, and the vocals by Ron Isley make this a track I wish Nas would have put on one of his albums. Either way I’m glad this piece of work got to see the light of day. More Nas songs are sure to be featured in the future.

Last Emperor - Do You Remember?

Last Emperor wrote this song entitled Do You Remember? The track was featured on the And 1 Mixtape Vol. 2 soundtrack as well as the "Hidden Treasures" mixtape.

I heard this song when I was still in grade school. I had bought a pair of And 1 basketball shoes and with the shoes they gave me the video mixtape which featured “Do you remember” in one of the portions of the video. I liked the song so much the first time I heard it I stopped the dribbling I was doing while I was watching the mixtape and just sat down and listened to the entire track.

The acoustic guitar goes along perfectly with the whole theme of the song, it really makes you feel like you are traveling back in time to when you were a kid running around with you friends without a care in the world.

The originality and song concept that Last Emperor comes with is refreshing to listen to in a day where most of the mainstream music is watered down and repetitive.

One day I'll travel from the East to the West/
And tap into the hidden strength that all men possess/
I'll always be young, see a young mind is fresh/
And its clear my memories will one day disappear unless/

Last Emperor is still regarded as one of the most underrated MC's. It is a shame that talent like this can go unnoticed by the public. It shows that no matter how talented you are in the music industry only a select few reap extreme financial benefits. But, music isn't all about money and it is clear to hear when listening to the Last Emperor that money was not the only thing on his mind when writing this song

At times, I feel old like I'm going out of style/
So I turn down the music on my FM dial/
I beg of you to come and listen for a while/
And look at this wonderful world through the eyes of a child/

Taste of What's to Come

For the first post to this…illustrious blog, I would like to describe its background and what it’s all about. Since I have been listening to music the words, rather than the instrumental have always caught my ear. Whether it was the music of my parents such as The Beatles or Bob Dylan up to the music I myself choose to listen to, the way in which people express themselves through lyrics is fascinating to me.

Hip-Hop is what I listened to growing up and it is still the genre of music I find myself listening to most often. The entire Hip-Hop scene appealed to me from the start. The new way DJ’s, B-Boy’s, Graffiti artists, and Rappers had found to express themselves was something I admired in a deep sense of the word.

I myself was born and raised in Chicago and attend College at a Chicago University. Growing up I was always surrounded by different cultures and the ways in which those different cultures expressed themselves.

Living in the city opened my eyes to a means of self-expression that I would have never been privileged to if I had been raised in a more sheltered environment. Hip-Hop was never kept from me and because of that I was able to fully appreciate the skill of those who managed to use music as a way of telling a story whether it was real or fictional. So THANK YOU, Chicago.

This Blog however is not just based purely Hip-Hop lyrics but rather lyrics from all genres of music that paint vivid pictures, stories, and scenarios in the listeners mind. Word play and the level of intricacy that goes into writing complex lyrics will be displayed, dissected, and analyzed for your listening and reading pleasure ha-ha.

Despite the fact I will be making posts involving many different genres, I have to say I cannot stand country music and most of today’s modern music. But, if you are a fan of those types of music possibly reading my posts will lead you on a path toward enlightenment.