New single from the L.A. compilation album Curly Tops and Nautica Jackets
L.A.U.S.D ft. Blu & Miss Jack Davey- I Feel.
Pic Courtesy of Nahright.com
Remember the first time you heard Jay-Z's "Do it Again (Put ya hands up)" off the volume three album? I know...you went nuts......"Rocafella....you know what this is...we giving ya’ll 5 seconds to put your drink down and report to the dance floor immediately...all the bustas we givin ya’ll 5 seconds to get close to an exit..its bout to get real ugly in here....5 seconds is up....lets GO!!! BEAT DROPS!! Bananas!!...Then you went home and asked you moms for 10 bucks to go cop it at Sam Goodie. You brought it home, put it in your portable CD player and you were spazzing because the album was so hot. But none of your friends had the album. Just you. So they couldn't hear the real heat like "Snoopy Track" feat Juvenile or "It's Hot"(Some Like it Hot). All your boys were still bumping the "radio single" when you had all the gems. You felt like Hov made that track just for you and no one else. You were 1 up on everyone. You were exclusive. Then maybe 6 months later one of your boys comes to you and says.."Yo man, you heard that 'Snoopy Track" on the Vol.3 album.?..it's crazy."" For some reason...all this does is piss you off!!...thoroughly!!!..and you reply.."You idiot, i heard that song months ago!!!"...your so mad because the little musical leverage you had was now gone. You personal euphoria stripped away and stomped on because your lame friend decided to buy the album on sale 6 months later and tell you about somthing you already knew waaaaay before they did.Don't you hate when that happens??
In the last couple of years, the eyes and ears of American music fans have turned in awe toward New Orleans, Louisiana, to witness the transformation of the previously unspectacular rapper Dwayne Carter. We watched as he released thousands of songs and hundreds of mixtapes, appeared on everyone’s songs and videos, and sold millions of records.
They say every person has their opposite, the yin to one’s yang…Je’Ri Allah, known more commonly as Jay Electronica, also hails from New Orleans, and has built a buzz by NOT releasing material, by NOT appearing in public, and by being an enigma in general, in contrast to Wayne.
For a solid year, there was one real profile on him on the whole internet, and about 15 songs. The most prominent of the songs was unquestionably the 15 minute epic “song” Eternal Sunshine, recorded over Jon Brion’s soundtrack to the movie of the same name, separated into 3 verses with 2 interludes in the form of monologues by Erykah Badu (who he now shares a newborn baby girl with) and Just Blaze. He raps with a strange pacing, slow but controlled, pausing for effect often. His rhymes are filled with references to various literature, religions, art, history, and sciences. He covers philosophical ground and existential dilemma without the forced nature of a Canibus or the deliberate reasoning of a Lupe Fiasco…when he does it, it’s almost casual. Conspiracy theories, stories of betrayal, religious miracles, and moral quandaries are all fair game on any given track.
While in 2007 he was known mostly by other underground heads in Detroit, he is now a player to watch in the rap game, known by everyone from the Detroit battle rappers to Nas, who commissioned him to produce the intro on his last CD, to P. Diddy. He is signed to Erykah Badu’s record label, as a flagship artist. He has toured with Nas and Talib Kweli, but has yet to hint at any official releases. His hype has reached a fever pitch recently, with the release of the random single Exhibit A, produced by Just Blaze, which was in my opinion the best rap song in 2008. Will he ever be mainstream? I don’t care. I just want more songs, and an album. The ridiculous skills he possesses on the mic need to be displayed more, and it will be tragic if no projects ever come to fruition. Either way, just keep a (third) eye out for him in 2009. P.S. He’s the nicest rapper out of New Orleans.
Check out http://3sidez.blogspot.com/
VERY DOPE
It's hard to imagine that, right now, anybody is doing well. Sure there are those out there that are sitting comfortably on capital gains and revolving, lofty pay checks -- but what about those of us who have no investments, are paid minimum wage, work part-time, and just live simple middle-class lives: is it possible that there are those, like us, doing well in this extraordinarily stressful economic time? ...sure. These people are the ones that held back when friends and others leapt into poor, frivolous "investments" such as partying, or shopping, or even eating out; these people are the ones that lived modestly before the economy hit rock bottom and didn't splurge unnecessarily; these people are the ones that sowed during the "good times" so that they were able to have during the "bad times." Plainly: You reap what you sow. It's not that people all over America are just simply "losing" money now -- a lot of them lost it even before they had it!: bad debts, poor investments; living the "good life" on "so-so" income: all these unhealthy and unwise spending habits have led to many of the struggles that Americans are experiencing right now. Had they been "sowing" and saving beforehand, I'm pretty sure they would have been better off and living comfortably now. Should we feel bad for these people? ...of course. Because it's sad to know that they did not know this "profitable" proverb earlier on.
A word to the wise: Sow. For you shall reap abundantly in due season.
All Jamaicans smoke weed, all Mexicans sell oranges and cut grass, all Jews are cheap accountants and lawyers, all Middle Eastern people blow shit up, all Irish people are alcoholics, all Italians are in the mob, all Chinese people are mathematicians, all Cubans swam to America, Asians are all good in the martial arts, All black people play some sport and eat fried chicken, all Asians own a convenient store in the hood, Athletes are dumb, all Africans have shot someone by age 10.
It is this ignorance that keeps the world divided. Once we rid ourselves of the indoctrination of the "stereotype", we will realize that the next man is just like you and it was complete fear that kept us from seeing it.
This post really doesn't have shit to do with anything but if you don't have a Blackberry or a Macbook, your just behind the times. So sorry. Please excuse my ignorance.
With the recent success of brother Barack and the subsequent victory of the Pittsburg Steelers in the SuperBowl (being coached and lead by brother Mike Tomlin) earlier this year...being Black, right now, has never felt so empowering. It may be a reach, but think about it: sports, like politics, is equally and inherently racist, and in extraordinary fashion, a Black man became the president of the United States; and yet, in another extraordinary fashion, a Black head coach wins the Super Bowl becoming icons in their respective "arenas."
Now, sports has always been a disturbingly, singular reality for most Black young men in America, but now when you think of "Black" you can connote not only sinewy, ball-dribbling, slam dunking bodies on the basketball court or incendiary, elusive, unstoppable, running-backs on the football field -- but also: Politics, and President ...and Possibility ...and "Yes" ...and Opportunity! All these once seemingly foreign terms when talking about Blacks has become -- even in this premier occurence -- the status quo. Black people have a "heritage" to uphold now: if its not going to be that of Dr. King , ...or even that of Rosa Parks, ... or maybe even that of Gandhi... It should be that of President Barack Obama -- a vestige of progress, and success, and even "mission accomplishment" in Black America.
*Picture courtesy of pro.corbis.com
2009 brought monumental events, the biggest being the election of the first black or mixed president into the White House. Turns out brother Barack, lucky number 7 and not number 1. The First president of United States that was of color was none other than Thomas Jefferson. He was then followed by Andrew Jackson, Abe Lincoln, Warren Harding, Calvin Coolidge, and Dwight D. Eisenhower. Why has this monumental truth gone unknown for generations? These men denounced their black heritage and went as far as to destroy any document that made these facts known. Why don’t you know this? Ask your 10th grade US History teacher.
There's a great article written by a friend of mine on his blog that goes into much deeper detail about the cultural background of these men.
Click
here for the article
"I am thankful for what I have been through because it has given me the courage to fight the war on traditional thinking." Kanye West said this during his performance on VH1 Storytellers after singing "Flashing Lights". Traditional thinking is what causes the masses to be social pacifists and follow as opposed to lead. Traditional thinking is based on rationality in which most of our thought processes lie, but Kanye like many other icons tend to think light years outside the box and embody the courage to walk down a different path and march to the beat of a different drummer. People who dazzle us with their personal genius make it look as natural as breathing but face the internal battle of trying to fit in by standing out, a path asymmetrical to normality. Most people want to fit in. why are we afraid to stand out and think differently?Are we afraid of the ridicule of others? Are we afraid of failure?.....or are we afraid of success and the responsibility that comes along with it?
Currency
a. Something that is used as a medium of exchange; money.
b. A continued, uninterrupted course or flow like that of a stream...
This may sound corny. but...I subscribe to Rev Run's Daily Words of Wisdom (WHAT!? Say something!) Seriously though, I enjoy them -- I find his 'words of wisdom' to be very thought-provoking and meaningful, most of which I've even applied to my own life --and believe me, they've been helpful. Today I want to share an small excerpt from one of his "words" that I received earlier this week:
Money is at it's best when it's moving.... Not accumulating.... That is why it's called currency... It's supposed to flow in currents..... A wise man once said... “Rich people are not ALWAYS happy people..
How timely: How true is that right now, in America? -- money is supposed to flow...not STACK! Everybody talks about "saving money for a rainy day", but right now in America we are exeperiencing a monsoon and no one is spending! Saving now means nothing if you're not going to spend later: These big-time execs with their insatiable, voracious, money-hungry nature have sucked the economy dry, and furthermore, we on the ground level of this economy have ceased spending altogether: we've practically dammed up our own economy. There's no cash flow! I understand people having their trepidations with the economy, but the money has to go back in order for it to come out. Hoarding it up is only going to prolong our state and belabor the recuperation of our own, once copious, American Econ-river. I'll admit it: Fat Joe was right: we need to 'make it rain'.
With the recent success of brother Barack and the subsequent victory of the Pittsburg Steelers in the SuperBowl (being coached and lead by brother Mike Tomlin) earlier this year...being Black, right now, has never felt so empowering. It may be a reach, but think about it: sports, like politics, is equally and inherently racist, and in extraordinary fashion, a Black man became the president of the United States; and yet, in another extraordinary fashion, a Black head coach wins the Super Bowl becoming icons in their respective "arenas."
