Nas' 25 Favorite Albums...
Scrolling through Complex’s slideshows can get tedious at times, but it’s worth it this time.
There’s a ton of overlap between his list and what I imagine mine would be.
Also, he threw that Jay-Z shit in there on some political shit. His explanation of that choice is all kinds of long and incoherent. ROFL…
On Sampling Laws...
In the wake of MCA’s passing and an ongoing sampling suit filed against the Beastie Boys for their work on “Ill Communication”, and more importantly, “Paul’s Boutique”, a few articles about hip-hop, sampling and the courts have popped up.
Click the title for one and here for another via Slate…
One Last Nicki Review...
The homie Craig goes in on “Roman Reloaded.”
My sentiments exactly.
I quite enjoyed those first 6 or 7 songs. Basically everything before Chris Brown shows up…
Searching For Sugarman...
I haven’t actually read this yet, but I’m certain it’s going to be good. Wright Thompson over at Grantland writes about a documentary on the “lost Dylan” - Sixto Rodriguez.
Better known to rap nerds as the guy Large Professor sampled for Nas’ “You’re Da Man.”
I’ve enjoyed the song ‘Sugarman’ (and the album it’s on) quite a bit in the last decade. Click the title to go read that shit…
More on Rawse (and Jeezy)...
My apologies for bringing it up again, but the shit won’t go away, so I’ll keep indulging. I’m a grown man that refuses to watch wrestling anymore, so this will have to do.
Someone on Slate wrote an article attempting to explain why Rawse exists. I read it and didn’t come away with any new theories. Wasn’t particularly impressed by it either. However, one of my old buddies linked to said article this morning and it triggered a bit of a rant. I figured the rant would make for a decent post here:
Read that one yesterday. I’m not sure I understand what that clown was trying to write. Yet another article attempting to rationalize the reasons that fraud’s success. Simply put, authenticity matters less in today’s rap because the guys that write the checks don’t care and neither does this bitchmade generation of 90s babies. That’s all there is to it. The writer took a not so random shot at Young Jeezy, but despite Rawse’s current success, he still hasn’t managed to match Jeezy at his peak (or trough for that matter). Jeezy’s “moment” may have passed (for the record, I only really got on the Jeezy fan bandwagon after the hipster fetishism with him [and the Clipse if I recall] died down a bit), but he went platinum 3 times and Rawse has never matched any of his opening week sales (or gone platinum). At least he acknowledged the fact that Rawse came into the game as a Jeezy clone before eventually finding a slightly dissimilar lane of his own (but they’re still competing for the same ears). If this was the 90s, Rawse would be a nobody. He’d have been dismissed EARLY for being a fraud and a biter. Jeezy could possibly survive in that era, based off his bonafides alone.That said, Rawse is clearly a student of the game and devoted to his art and that shows in his development as an artist. I respect that.I still listen to Jeezy more and think he’s better. I also buy his shit and will never let a dime of mine see Rawse’s pockets if I can control it. But that’s just me.
2011: Year of the Troll...
Funny read on how we’ve become a nation of trolls.
I co-sign that shit, given that I’m a bit of a troll myself…
Straightbangin' On The Best Albums Of The Year...
Joey be writin’ y’all.
That first paragraph alone is worth the trip over to his spot to take a gander…
Re: Emotions, Drake & 'Take Care'...
In 2011, I only make fuck with women smart enough to understand everything written at this link.
Doc Zeus (via PassionWeiss) basically covers every problem I have with Drake’s music. The interesting thing to me is that one of the 1st things I did on this blog was review Drake’s debut album & I was aware of all this shit back then, especially after a discussion with a good friend of mine who’s also prone to over-analyzing shitty rap music (whaddup Ben). The tragic thing is that I didn’t include any of this in my review because I was intent on keeping shit exclusively pithy around here. Thankfully, I had about 3 readers at the time, so whatever. In fact, I would go as far as claiming that Drake & Rick Rawse are more similar than either of their core fanbases would want to admit to because of the level of veiled (yet appealing) cynicism that abounds in their music. One just pretends he cares about anything that isn’t him, money or sex, while the other pretends about everything. That probably explains their musical chemistry in some perverse way. I think this is the part where someone goes “welp!”
In a nutshell (for you smart-dumb niggas), Drake don’t love deez hoes at all (or anything else really). Drake just loves himself & is smart enough to make music that appeals to dumb broads & the confused man-children they love. The rest of us can either respect the talent & melodies and leave it there or ignore & slander the entire sham. No shots.
Outside of “Look At What You’ve Done” (which is still largely about him in a sense) there’s zero depth to the alleged emotion on display throughout the bloated run-time of this sonically impressive album (note that “sonically impressive” only means I like the beats & melodies — basically the sound/vibe — I appreciate the consistency & cohesion throughout the record). Which leaves me with the following puzzle: “How does one evaluate an album that sounds great (literally), but is also cynical and cheap because of the “emotion” within, when said emotion is the supposed unique (and by implication, good) thing about the album?”
While I wrestle with a mystery I have no plan to actually resolve, please click the link above to go read the best shit you’ll read about Old Heads, Drake & ‘Take Care’…
Pitchfork Loves Gangsta Gibbs...
Well hello there. It’s been a minute. Sorry, I’ve been busy. These hoes can’t fuck themselves all the time. Hoes can’t live by fucksaws, vibrators and dildos alone.
That’s where a grimy nigga like me comes in - to the detriment of this bloggy goodness.
Here’s Pitchfork on Freddie Gibbs’ “Cold Day In Hell.” Spoiler: they like it.
I don’t really do proper reviews anymore. I’d rather be cruel to people I actually know and like, plus my opinion counts for shit. Besides, I’m hopelessly biased when it comes to Gibbs/Nas, so it’s probably for the best that I don’t review #CDH. Pause if needed.
I hope to write a bit more in the next few days/weeks. Once AT&T’s fuck ass service gives me the internet I ordered. This is America damnit. Gimme my shit. I’m the 99% nigga…
David D. of The Smoking Section On Drake, Kanye & Phonte...
David D. is the resident jester of The Smoking Section with posts ranging from breathless rants about 90s wrestling to side-splitting deconstructions of shitty rappers and rapping, but on occasion he puts his pen game to serious use. This is one of those occasions.
This article is excellent. You should all read it…
