Can I Get To Know You???

I was watching MTV Jams this pass week and seen Wale's new video called Diary. It deals with the issue of the black female and their resentment towards men. Most females don't want to give men the time or day because of certain resentment toward their own father or relationships in which they were hurt in the past. This may result in having to repair a broken heart in due time, however some females don't even allow this process to take place before they drop you like a bad habit. This is a very pertinent topic which hasn't been addressed in the way Wale is presenting the issue. It hits home for all of us so check out the video and lemme kno what you think....

Hip-Hop's Fallen Soulja

After suffering a severe heart attack on this past Monday, rap icon Guru founder of the rap group Gangstarr dies at the age of 48 due to cancer- related causes. I didn't know much about the group in its early existence in the late 80's but I had the chance to experience their music in the 90's. Along side Dj Premiere rap group Gangstarr helped to define the sound for New York hip-hop on the underground circuit. The rap group worked solo as much as they collaborated, one of their lastest projects people may be familiar with is The Ownerz which was released in 2003. Their music inspired individuality and instilled a sense of pride in the black community. The values you have set for future artist will be much appreciated and the game will never be the same without you. R.I.P Guru a true hip-hop pioneer

Jail Time 4 Rappers

In the pass recent months, big name hip-hop artist are being incarcerated for possession of weapons. Just a few weeks ago rapper T.I was released from prison after serving a one year jail bid. The most recent arrest was rapper Lil Wayne being sentenced to a year as well with the same charge. I don"t agree with this at all, being under a microscope on a 24 hour bases causes people to envy and wanna take action. Take T.I's situation for example, after just losing one of his body guards to a murder he felt the best way to protect himself was to arm hisself. I agree wholeheartedly. However, even though these sentences will fly by, I still think that with a concrete fanbase both of these artist will found options to bounce back and dominate the game once again. People wanna know why I ain't touch on Gucci Mane getting locked up lol homie jus stupid all you had to do was put the weed and drugs down for a couple months, and he couldn't even do that. SMH no remorse.

Mixtape Brings Exposure

With album sales at a all time low, hip-hop artist are now using mixtapes as a way to stay relevent. The increased popularity of mixtapes was apparent when newcomer Drake dropped the mixtape " So Far Gone" that instantly catapulted his career and started a major bidding war as to what major label was going to sign him. The dominnance of mixtapes can also be compared to artist who owe the overall success of their career to mixtapes. One of the most highly profiled artist Lil Wayne ( who I try to refrain from talking about) conquered the mixtape game with cd's such as Droughts 1,2,& 3. You would look for a Lil Wayne mixtape as oppose to an album because it was a guarantee dude would destroy anybody's track. However, artist are now beginning to use original music and producers to create new material for its consumer. For example, Nicki Minaj is everywhere in music nowadays after having a dominating all rap females with her mixtape "Beam Me Up Scotty" which included all original music. Rap bitches step ya game up!!! At one point and time mixtapes were used exclusively for underground artist trying to make a name for themselves, now mixtapes are what hip-hop heads ook for.

Next Generation ( Embrace or Decline)

For the past recent years hip-hop has been dominated by headline artist such as Weezy , Young Jeezy, Rick Ross, and Jay-Z. However, with the increasing popularity of the internet artist are being equipped with different outlets in order to have their music reach its fan base. Some of the new artist that are creating alot of buzz include Drake, Wiz Khalifa, Kid Cudi, Wale, and B.O.B. Being unique in Hip-Hop can be a difficult task but these artist have found different ways to express their experiences through a variety of electronic sounds and live instruments. Speaking from personal experience, the hip-hop culture tends to dumb down its music by displaying images of money, cars, clothes, and exotic women. These things are nice to have but I feel our experience of Hip-Hop should be taken back to its roots where issues of substance were being discussed. For example, on Wale's new album Attention Deficit there is a song called "90210" which depicts the lifestyle of Hollywood celebrity's and how average females tend to potray similar lifestyle based on what they see on reality shows. In addition, while the disscussion of key issues is important overall talent is a necessity. B.O.B for example is a constant reminder of talent having the ability to rap, sing and play the acoustic guitar is what will keep him prevalent in the game and sustain longevity. Songs that I recommend include "No Mans Land" and "Satelite". Kid Cudi is one of the most innovative artist of this generation who receives alot of ipod love due to his distinct flow and the genuine flavor that he brings to the game. He's not afraid to step out the box and do something different no matter how he is perceived, also he doesn't try to be something that he is not. In hip-hop alot of artist tend to play the gangster image when in reality thats not appealing to all audiences, you get more respect just being yourself. Hip-Hop has seen its ups and downs but I feel these select artist are capable of bringing a much needed variety to the game. We have been programmed to accept music that emphasize on fast cars and living the "rockstar" lifestyle that we lose sight of what our true values are. Embrace or Decline these fresh new faces....... The choice is yours!!!