Good Friday Hip Hop!

I’m about to go in on another Top 5 Friday. This edition will count down the Top 5 Female Lyricists alive.

5. Rah Digga

Hails From: Brooklyn, NY USA
Lyrics: 8/10
Delivery: 9/10
Notable Quotable: “Takin photos wit the black and gray Polo’s
Ruinin niggas lives like they K-Ci or JoJo”
Associations: Busta Rhymes Flipmode Squad

4. Jean Grae

Hails From: Cape Town, South Africa
Lyrics: 9.8/10
Delivery: 10/10
Notable Quotable: “Still trying to get my pen on/ Write scripts and light splifs
Until we high as light bills/ Watching for those that might switch”
Associations: Talib Kweli, 9th Wonder, Blacksmith Records

3. Da Brat

Hails From: Chicago, IL USA
Lyrics: 9.5/10
Delivery: 10/10
Notable Quotable: “Thick in the the thighs cant touch that/Stay on my grind
I bust back if I must act and empty a stack
Its B to the R-A-T trust that I’m crazy/ JD pays me, I’m such a fuckin lady”
Associations: Jermaine Dupri, So So Def, Missy Elliot

2. Lauryn Hill

Hails From: South Orange, New Jersey USA
Lyrics: 10/10
Delivery:9.5/10
Notable Quotable: “More powerful than two Cleopatras
Bomb graffiti on the tomb of Nefertiti
MCs ain’t ready to take it to the Serengeti
My rhymes is heavy like the mind of sister Betty”
Associations: The Fugees, Wyclef, Refugee Camp

1. MC Lyte

Hails From: Brooklyn, NY USA
Lyrics: 10/10
Delivery: 9.8/10
Notable Quotable: “In full effect MC Lyte is back
And better than before as if that was possible
My competition, you’ll find them in the hospital
Visiting time, I think it’s on a Sunday/But notice they only get one day to shine
The rest of the week is mine
And I’ll blind you with the science that the others have yet to find”
Associations: Elektra Records, Salt-N-Pepa

Bonus Footage: I was trying to find a clip of what I thought was Jean Grae for like two years. I heard this girl rapping on interludes for 9th Wonder’s 2007 Dream Merchant II. The only female emcee associated with him, or so I thought at the time, was Jean Grae so I just assumed it was her. In the process of looking for this clip I learned that it was not Jean Grae. It was in fact a female emcee named Rapsody. You learn something new everyday. Please enjoy and pay thorough attention to the second clip…9th Wonder is a beast, but Rapsody’s voice just….well watch it.

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Released in 2001, ‘What Would You Do?’ was an accomplished debut single, posting good chart positions on both sides of the Atlantic and appearing like a strong declaration of intent from a group that seemed intent on filling the void left by The Fugees. Despite their follow-up single, ‘Caramel’, having similar success and their self-titled album going double platinum and being nominated for a Grammy, the third single sunk without trace and the group quickly followed suit.

‘What Would You Do?’ is a modern cautionary tale discussing how poverty can affect the choices made by people, especially single parents, to provide for their family. In the song, Claudette Ortiz, the female vocalist of the group, plays a single mum who has turned to stripping and prostitution to support her children and through the protestations of the two guys in the group, Ryan Toby and Robbie Pardlo, we find out that her situation is a product of a bad childhood and a violent father.

With Wyclef Jean as co-writer and producer on the track, it seems to me that this was possibly written as a Fugees song before they disbanded, but while The Fugees excelled at giving credibility to such big topics covered in their songs, in the hands of City High this seems a little like The Saturdays releasing a song about human trafficking. Basically the message seems fumbled, offering little perspective to a well-covered issue.

But, no matter how much the lyrics try to hammer home this warning about the lengths that people are often pushed to just to survive, you don’t really pay attention to the words when you’re singing along to them, and I promise you will be singing along to them. Wyclef Jean knows how to manufacture a pop tune and the inclusion of a sample from Dr Dre’s ‘The Next Episode’ is expertly used to split the track up. The rapping is good but it is Ortiz that shines throughout this and it was little surprise that their next release was ‘Caramel’ which put her centre-stage. After helping to put Destiny’s Child on the map with ‘No, No, No (Part 2)’ Wyclef might have thought he had helped launch another act into inevitable superstardom here, but it seems this was a short-lived, highly successful moment for City High. For me at least ’What Would You Do?’ will be their most memorable moment.

Who?

Wyclef Jean, formerly of The Fugees, one of arguably the most important hip-hop musicians of the ’90s. Who’s arguing that? I am, damnit. Forget all of the amazing shit he did with Lauryn Hill and Pras for a second — The man made The Carnival. The Carnival is one of the best albums I have ever heard, and contains one of the five songs that made me love hip-hop over everything else, “Gone till November”. (Make sure when you listen to that, you get the album version, not the radio single.)

Anyway, besides The Carnival, The Ecleftic was an underrated album, The Carnival, Vol. II wasn’t awful and Welcome to Haiti Creole 101 put Haiti in the spotlight. I was a history major, and I dabbled in Haitian history from time to time and let me tell you something: Fuck George W. Bush about all that “Haiti is a failed state”, Haiti is an amazing country that got royally fucked by every white person on the entire planet. Literally. All of them. In fact, here’s some trivia nuggets that’ll tide you over.

• Haiti is the only country where a successful slave rebellion occurred. Ever. In the history of the world.
• Haiti was responsible for 2/3rds of France’s exports around the time when Napoleon came to power.
• Napoleon sent over 300,000 troops to Haiti after the rebellion kicked-off, which was one of the main reasons the Russians were able to defeat him (though there are plenty of other reasons)
• Napoleon sold some spare land he had when the Haitian revolt succeeded, because he was going to use that land to support Haiti’s agricultural production. That land? The Louisiana Purchase. AKA: Haiti made America what it is today.

Toussaint St. Jean: From the Hut, to the Projects, to the Mansion

There isn’t a ton to say here. It’s a mixtape, so it’s not going to get rave reviews from me. The name Toussaint St. Jean is a combo of his own name and Toussaint L’Overture, who was like the Martin Luther King combined with Ghandi combined with Jesus combined with Spider-Man of the Haitian revolution. When the French were trying to arrest him, he once said, “Your ship cannot hold a man like me.”

Bad. Ass.

HOWEVER, Wyclef has given us a few great little nuggets of greatness, especially enlisting the help of, that’s right, CYNDI LAUPER, to sing the chorus of “Slumdog Millionaire”. God knows I never thought I would type that sentence in my life. The song’s not bad either. I dig it, even though Lauper sounds like a chain-smoking, union dockworker. The whole album has a mix between island, laid back sound and gritty-ish street-life hip-hop. Interest dynamic if nothing else.

A lot of the album, like “The Streets Pronouce me Dead”, Wyclef voices his frustration that youngins have no idea who he is and continually confused him with Will.I.Am. I got no problem with that. He’s kind of like a rich man’s DMX, people are quick to forget how effing important that man is (although Wyclef did a better job of not turning himself into a compete joke like the Dark Man).

Listen, it ain’t great. But there’s enough worth listening to to make it worthy of a spin or two.

So Now What?

Use this small window of Wyclef relevancy to tell your friend’s little brothers and sisters to go out into the world and listen to The Carnival. Wyclef might not have it in him to make hit records anymore, but that doesn’t mean we should forget how boombastic The Carnival was.

I remember when I was in high school I used to have a crush on this girl, and every time I drove to pick her up I would blast “Mona Lisa” in the car. Now whenever I hear that song, I think of a 1995 green Volkswagon Jetta and this PYT I once knew. Besides that, I still can’t bring myself to skip “Gone till November” when it pops up on the shuffle. Can’t do it. It’s a masterpiece.

For serious, everyone take three or four minutes of your day today and go listen to “Gone till November”. You’ll be glad you did.

Wyclef Jean – Toussaint St. Jean: From the Hut, to the Projects, to the Mansion

1. From the Hut, to the Projects, to the Mansion (Interlude) – N/A
2. Warrior’s Anthem – ★★★
3. The Streets Pronounce me Dead – ★★★
4. Slumdog Millionaire (feat. Cyndi Lauper) – ★★★
5. Every Now and Then (Interlude) – N/A
6. Walk Away -
7. More Bottles (feat. Timbaland) -
8. You Don’t Wanna go Outside – ★★★
9. Toussaint vs. Bishop -
10. The Struggle (Interlude) – N/A
11. We Made It – ★★★
12. Suicide Love (feat. Eve) – ★★★
13. Letter From the Pen -
14. Robotic Love – ★★★
15. Gansta Girl (feat. Lil Kim) – ★★★
16. Tell the Kids the Truth -
17. The Shottas – ★★★

Toussaint St. Jean: From the Hut, to the Projects, to the Mansion Total ★: 27
Toussaint St. Jean: From the Hut, to the Projects, to the Mansion ★ Ratio: 1.92

#184 – The Fugees – “Killing Me Softly” – (1996)

The Fugees are the one remarkable super-group (that I can think of) whose members were more famous independently after they left the group than they ever were for being part of the group in the first place. Pras (“Ghetto Supastar (That Is What You Are“), Wylcef Jean (uh, many things), and Lauryn Hill, whose “Doo Wop (That Thing)” was a massive hit in its own right and I distinctly remember it sweeping the VMAs back in 1999.

In lieu of Sesame Street’s 40th I share with you a video of The Fugees kicking it with the likes of Snuff’ and Big Bird.

This is the Midweek Thowback post, each Wednesday I will be going back, wayyy back in time and finding those songs that we all grew to know and love, have fun:

JENNIFER LOPEZ FT JA RULE – I’M REAL (REMIX) (2001)

THE FUGEES – READY OR NOT (1996)

TONI BRAXTON – YOUR MAKIN ‘ME HIGH (1996)

DESTINY’S CHILD – GET ON THE BUS  (1999)

BUSTA RHYMES  - PUT YOUR HANDS WHERE MY EYES CAN SEE (1996)

I can’t remember if the drive back from the Sarasota Medieval Festival was the first time I had heard Oasis. But I do remember sitting in the back seat of Mrs. Idelson’s car, staring down at my wax hand mold, hardened into the shape of a peace sign and crumbling at the base. And “Wonderwall” was playing. 

I can’t remember if “1979″ by The Smashing Pumpkins reminded me of my babysitter because she was born in 1979, or if she reminded me of the song because I had just listened to it on a cassette tape in her car. But I do remember staring up at the telephone lines as we rolled down the street towards my neighborhood, filing through all her other tapes in a large bin. “Kids in America” was written in green pen on one.

I can’t remember sneaking into Romeo + Juliet, or if we chickened out at the last minute. But I do remember buying The Cardigans’ First Band on the Moon album the day after I saw it, and bringing it into art class, we were making paper mache that week, and one boy named Jerry asked to sit next to me. “The only guy for me is Leonardo Dicaprio,” I responded.  

I can’t remember why we called each other names on the basketball court at P.E. or stopped being friends, but I do remember singing “Killing Me Softly” by The Fugees in drama class before everything fell to pieces, while we sat in the entrance to the theater, on that cold floor, in Airwalks, plaid skirts and baby tees, in the land before time, as pre-teens, when we had grown up on backyard birthday parties, swimming pools, and jelly shoes, just before we all grew up, and I left.

O filme é bonzinho,  mas a música dos créditos…

PS1: Segundo o Petiscos, ontem foi aniversário da Julia Roberts. Como a gente A-D-O-R-A ela, vale ver o trailer de Teoria da Conspiração, lançado em 1997.

PS2: E seria Jerry Fletcher o Melhor Fã? Lembra como ele definia o amor por Alice?   

Love gives you wings. It makes you fly. I don’t even call it love. I call it Geronimo. When you’re in love, you’ll jump right from the top of the Empire State and you won’t care, screaming “Geronimo” the whole way down. I love her so bad, I just… whoa, she wrecks me. I’d die for her.

GERONIMOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

PS3: E todo mundo sabe, mas não custa ressaltar que a Julia fará par com o Javier Bardem na versão de Comer, Rezar e Amar.  Veja a notícia do Ego e confira o meu trecho favorito do livro de Elizabeth Gilbert aqui.

מאזינינו וקוראינו היקרים!

אנדקאבר התעוררה הבוקר לצלילי הביט של סנופ דוג (Snoop Dog), דאגנו להתכסות טוב טוב עם הגרסה המופרעת ביותר של ההרכב מברלין The BossHoss שביצעו לנו את Drop it like it’s hot בסגנון קאנטרי! עוד התארחו אצלנו הבוקר – חמולת מרלי – בניו של בוב (לא הבנאי) והפציצו בביצוע  ל  Master Blaster (Jammin של סטיבי וונדר (Stevie Wonder). הזירה הבינלאומית הייתה לרב לאומית במיוחד הבוקר – אנחנו כבר יודעים מה קורה כשמגיע אנגלי לניו-יורק אבל מה קורה כשאיטלקי מגיע לפריז? תשאלו את  דיויד אספוסיטו! (David Esposito).מי באמת מאחורי להיט הניינטיז Ready or not? לא הפוג’יז (Fugees ) אם חשבתם במקרה…ומה קורה כשערן צור וזוהר ארגוב נפגשים?

מצורפת בזאת רשימת ההשמעה של התכנית מהבוקר- עם מקורות כמובן!

אייטם	מבצע	שנה	זמן	מקור	שנה
Drop it like it’s hot	The BossHoss	2007	3:26	Snoop Dog Ft. Pharell	2004
Still loving you	Sonata Arctica	2000	4:32	The Scorpions	1984
הפינה הבינלאומית	-	-		-	-
Un Italien a Paris	David Esposito	2007	3:24	Sting	1987
Master Blaster (Jammin	Damien Marley ועוד כל מני מארלים	2003	5:10	Stevie Wonder	1980
Not over yet	The Klaxons	2007	3:42	State of Grace	1993
Cat People	Hollywood, Mon Amour (ft. Dei li)	2008	2:55	David Bowie	1982
פינת הקשיש”ק	-	-		-	-
Ready or not here i come	The Delfonics	1968	2:02	The Fugees	1996
אלינור	ערן צור וכרמלה גרוס וגנר	1992 (שוב יוצא הזמר)	3:40	זהר ארגוב	1980
Just	Mark Ronson	2008	3:18	Radiohead	1995
Just like Jesse James	The Mooney Suzuki	2007	4:17	Cher	1989

בוקרים מברלין?! ועדיין… מבינים את המילים יותר טוב מאשר אצל סנופ דוג!

איטלקי בפריז…נשמע הרבה יותר מזמין!

Most love stories are about people who fall in love with each other. But what about the one-sided love affair? If we were rational we’d acknowledge that its simply addictive emotional masochism; the more unsuitable or unattainable the object of desire, the stronger the fascination.  But when you’re madly in love with someone who doesn’t know you exist, being rational is the furthest thing from your mind. We’ve all been there. You feel like the walking wounded, the unloved one, the handicapped without the advantage of a great parking space! Charlie Brown says it best: “Nothing takes the taste out of peanut butter like UNREQUITED LOVE.”

We opened the show with THE GIRL FROM IPANEMA from one of the best bossa nova singers ever,  Astrud Gilberto, performing with Joao Gilberto and Stan Getz. There really was a girl from Ipanema – a 15 year old called Heloisa Pinto who used to walk past the Rio bar frequented by the songwriters,Vinicius Morais and Antonio Jobim.  The song is a sweet tribute to the totally unattainable as well as an ode to youth. This music video is from the 1964 film “Get Yourself a College Girl”:

KILLING ME SOFTLY WITH HIS SONG has been covered by many artists, most notably by Roberta Flack, whose 1973 version topped the U.S. pop singles charts and won a Grammy Award. We opted to play the equally successful 1996 version, simply called KILLING ME SOFTLY,  by Hip-Hop group The Fugees with Lauryn Hill on lead vocals.

Whitney Houston’s version of I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU, released in 1992,  became one of the best-selling singles of all time. It was written and originally recorded by Dolly Parton and her poignant and bittersweet version, with Parton’s trademark twang,  was my choice this week.

I had to include Billy Bragg’s gentle, yet disturbing, song about a classroom crush, THE SATURDAY BOY, even if it was just for the line: ”I had to look in the dictionary/ To find out the meaning of unrequited.” The Violent Femmes’ upped the ante with a song about repressed lust.  ADD IT UP has Gordon Gano promising himself, ‘the day after today I will stop’, but the music’s pent-up passion suggests otherwise.

When I announced this week’s theme there was lots of correspondence regarding which genre of music does ‘unrequited love’ best. Yes, I agree with BayFM’s Cowboy Sweetheart that country singers have it pretty much all sewn up, but you can’t go past a little soul music when it comes to love songs, requited or not.  A couple of examples: JUST MY IMAGINATION from the Temptations and CUPID from Sam Cooke. And I didn’t forget the soulful sound of Ray Charles with YOU DON’T KNOW ME, delivering a duet with Diana Krall, from his Genius Loves Company album.

Joe Jackson is wonderfully incredulous when he asks: IS SHE REALLY GOING OUT WITH HIM? The Cars, on the other hand,  are obsessed with their BEST FRIEND’S GIRL while  Bowling For Soup are going nuts over the  GIRL ALL THE BAD BOYS WANT. I love a band with a sense of humour. Check out the video from Bowling For Soup. By the way, the band’s name was derived from a comedy act by Steve Martin.

Now if you need convincing that country singers are the kings and queens of the lovelorn, here’s Patsy Cline with I FALL TO PIECES, from the Glenn Reeves Show, February 23, 1963.

LAYLA by the Eric Clapton’s group, Derek & The Dominos, is a tale of unrequited love inspired by Clapton’s relationship with his friend George Harrison’s then wife, Pattie Boyd Harrison. Here’s a video clip from 1984 of Eric Clapton peforming the song live with Bill Wyman on bass, Charlie Watts on drums, Jeff Beck on guitar, Stevie Winwood on piano …. have I died and gone to heaven? 

A song that elevates lovelorn moping to operatic heights is Ben E King’s I WHO HAVE NOTHING and another, possibly,  is Dionne Warwick’s WALK ON BY, written by Burt Bacharach and David Hal. It was recorded by Warwick in 1964 and became a landmark single for her.

A year later Donovan released his first single, CATCH THE WIND, and in 1967 The Small Faces recorded TIN SOLDIER, a song Steve Marriott wrote to his first wife Jenny. The song signalled a return to the band’s R&B roots after their previous forays into psychedelic rock and other musical experiments. P.P. Arnold can be heard singing back up vocals. Here’s some rare footage of The Small Faces with P.P. Arnold performing on Belgium television. The year was 1968. Go the Mods!

Written by the Bee Gees, IF I CAN’T HAVE YOU was given to Yvonne Elliman when the group became involved in the soundtrack for the 1977 film Saturday Night Fever. She scored  a #1 hit in the US with the track. 

Going a bit further back in time is the Everly Brothers version of ALL I HAVE TO DO IS DREAM. Recorded in 1958, it was recorded in just two takes and features Chet Atkins on guitar. The B side “Claudette” was the first major songwriting success for Roy Orbison. Two years later, Orbison recorded ONLY THE LONELY, his first major hit. An operatic rock ballad, it was a sound unheard of at the time, described by the New York Times as expressing “a clenchied, driven urgency.” Here’s Roy performing the song during the Black & White Night concert. No-one does it like the Big O.

From the sublime to the ridiculous:  a teenager falls in love with a pin-up girl, in a picture dated 1929, in The Who’s PICTURES OF LILY and Fountains of Wayne sing about a schoolboy’s lust for his friends mother in STACEY’S MUM. 

And then it was a couple of classics: FOR NO ONE from The Beatles Revolver album, written by Paul McCartney and a track from one of my all-time favourite albums,  I’M WAITING FOR THE DAY from the Beach Boys Pet Sounds album.

In an effort to shake the lovelorn out of the doldrums, we closed the show with Radiohead’s masterpiece of poetic self-loathing, CREEP.

Here’s the complete playlist:

The Girl from Ipanema - Astrud Gilberto / João Gilberto / Stan Getz

Killing Me Softly  - The Fugees

I Will Always Love You - Dolly Parton

Diary - Bread

The Saturday Boy - Billy Bragg

Add It Up  - Violent Femmes

Cupid - Sam Cooke

Just My Imagination  - The Temptations 

You Don’t Know Me – Ray Charles & Diana Krall

Strange And Beautiful (I’ll Put A Spell On You) -  Aqualung

Is She Really Going Out With Him - Joe Jackson

My Best Friend’s Girl - The Cars

Girl All the Bad Boys Want – Bowling For Soup

White Flag - Dido

My Eyes Adored You – Frankie Valli  & the Four Seasons

I Fall To Pieces - Patsy Cline

Layla - Derek & The Dominos 

I’ll Kill Her - SoKo

I Who Have Nothing - Ben E. King 

Walk On By - Dionne Warwick

Catch The Wind - Donovan

Tin Soldier - The Small Faces 

If I Can’t Have You - Yvonne Elliman

All I Have To Do Is Dream - The Everly Brothers

Only The Lonely - Roy Orbison

Pictures Of Lily - The Who

Stacey’s Mom - Fountains of Wayne

For No One - The Beatles

I’m Waiting For The Day - The Beach Boys

Creep - Radiohead

Next week, we’re celebrating Halloween with SCARY SONGS FOR SILLY PEOPLE (or is that SILLY SONGS FOR SCARY PEOPLE?).  Suggestions welcome.

Listen to Lyn McCarthy at the Theme Park on BayFM, Tuesdays 2-4pm, Sydney time.  

Also streaming on http://www.bayfm.org

Tragically also on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/maccalyn

Kanye and 50 made recent headlines with the announcement of their books hitting stores. Now following in their footsteps is Wyclef Jean.

Wyclef is the latest in Hip-Hop to lend his name and back story to a tell-all book. Clef is having his life story revealed in a memoir published by It Books. He’ll team up with Anthony Bozza, the Rolling Stone editor who co-authored books for Eminem and Tommy Lee.

According to a press release, the memoir will detail his background growing up in the village of La Seur in Haiti eventually leading up to the move to Brooklyn that changed his life. Clef and Bozza will also tell the story of his “double life” as a preacher’s son and rapper leading up to his role in founding the Fugees. The producer’s enormous and selfless philanthropic efforts through his Yele Haiti foundation will be included as well.

Clef released a statement about the upcoming project saying,

 “I am so happy to share my journey which took me from the hut to the projects to the mansion. I am just getting started and feel so excited about It Books publishing the early stories from my life.”

A release date for the memoir is still unknown.

You have probably listened to this no matter what genre you’re into. The Score went 6x Platinum in the U.S. and multi-platinum in other countries. A well thought out album put together entirely by Wyclef, Pras, and Lauryn Hill. Their ability to mix hip hop and soul is, yes I will call it, breathtaking. Stream more here.

P.S. Word has it that Wyclef is enrolling at Berklee to pursue a music degree.

If the cool, fall weather isn’t enough to put you in the mood for Halloween (which is only a month away), then maybe this bit of news is: The paranormal is coming to the Garden State.

Note the orbs in this photo, taken inside Perth Amboy's Proprietary House, the former home of the royal governor of New Jersey, during a ghost investigation with Jane Doherty in January 2008./Photos by Ava Gacser

This close-up of the above photo appears to show a transparent figure, wearing what looks like a long skirt, directly to the right of the door.

Yup, that’s right: Be prepared to be wowed – and maybe even a bit spooked – when the Para-X (aka Paranormal Expo) hits East Brunswick on Oct. 10.

From 1 to 8 p.m., paranormal investigation groups and authors will join together to help quench your thirst for the unknown by offering lectures on such topics as paranormal technology and demonic hauntings. Renowned South Plainfield psychic Jane Doherty will be on hand to conduct psychic readings (for an additional fee). In addition, Amber Blues (featuring former Fugees drummer Don Guillaume) will perform, and the “Ghostbusters” car, Ecto 2, will make a special appearance. Vendors offering wares, food and refreshments will also be on hand.

The evening, which is hosted by the New Jersey Ghost Organization, will cap off with a ghost hunt and seance (separate admission).

Admission, $10, is limited to adults 18 and over. Para-X will be held at the Elks Lodge #2370 on Oakmont Avenue in East Brunswick, which is off Riva Avenue near Hardenburgh Lane. Proceeds will benefit youth activities.

I had a little craving for genius. Don’t mind me. I felt like I needed to hear some classic Fugees. I know they have said many times that they’ll be making a comeback, well we’re still waiting. And Lauryn please release something!

That is all.

With the blogosphere buzzing over the latest leak of the artwork and rumored tracklisting for Jay Z’s Blueprint 3, I’m caving under pressure to offer my two cents. Truth be told, I’ve never been much of a Jay-Z head and witnessing the way fools jock his every move isn’t propelling me into fandom. For some odd reason, very few hip hop bloggers are commenting on the contrived artwork (though making astute observations on the tracklisting). While I understand that the quality of music should stay in focus, I want to highlight the new direction of hip hop album artwork. First, I think we can all agree that album artwork is on the decline as Internet downloads have pushed record stores and thus CD sales further and further into obscurity. *To clarify, I am not arguing the quality of artwork is declining but rather the overall emphasis (and interest) is diminishing at the mainstream level. However, for artists with as much clout and hype as Jigga, CD sales and by extension album artwork remain relevant. Second, there is a tendency developing to big up artists who flirt with “conceptual” ideas that break away from the so-called canon of hip hop iconography (money, cars, clothes, hoes etc). I argue that this emergent trend of adopting abstract faux-avant garde artwork such as Kanye’s kitschy Warhol inspired “pop art” exposes a seriously underdeveloped (and undiscriminating) visual vocabulary. I have observed that people often praise artwork they feel they don’t “understand” for fear of missing some hidden “deep” meaning. Indeed, many mediocre contemporary artists rely heavily upon the depth popular audiences project onto their “conceptual” (read: campy/unimaginative) works of art. While diversifying images is necessary, we need to remain critical of what we’re looking at! One should be weary of artwork that is only reactive (read: when something is defined by what it isn’t – THIS is not that) or when something is applauded only for being “different”. We know what it isn’t but what is it? For instance, Kanye has a fetish with being “different” or “unique” in all his pursuits without recognizing the impossibility (or at least the paradoxical nature) of his ambition. How do we collectively define what is new? As I’ve illustrated before, Kanye is notorious in niche NYC based artist communities for explicitly jacking/selling ideas and re-branding them as his own. I wouldn’t make a fuss over this if he wasn’t building an empire on the backs of creative folks hustling everyday just to make a dollar. (I recognize that “Kanye” represents a brand that includes teams of image consultants, PR people and record execs). I’m also not arguing that any idea can be traced to one pure, singular source (i.e. these niche NYC based artist communities). However, matrices of money, power and fame complicate already messy politics of ownership and “intellectual property”. Let’s not act like this is a recent phenomenon (in light of ancient debates over Elvis eclipsing the Rock’N'Roll legends of color who paved the way for his success). I digress…in my opinion, simple and straightforward album covers like Nas’s “Illmatic” or The Fugees’ “The Score” are in fact more powerful, memorable and complimentary to the music itself and ultimately trump failed experiments in hip hop album artwork like Jay Z’s Blueprint 3. There is an arsenal of innovative artists who use album art to push their music (and overall image) in interesting directions. For example, artists like Madvillian pull from more theatrical elements while the likes of The Coup reserve their covers for clever political satire to animate their record’s narrative. Janelle Monae goes as far as creating an entire visual world to house the alternate universe she (Cindi Mayweather – her alter ego) inhabits. This is to say, album art has the potential to enrich hip hop and the popular imaginary so long as we stay critical and honest with what works and what falls short. At the end of the day, if you can’t name or identify specific ways in which Jay-Z is revolutionizing hip hop with his cover artwork, you should re-evaluate your opinion. Lastly, to all the notable hip hop bloggers out there, I challenge you to critique artists’ artwork and finally dispel the myth that you have to be an “expert” to offer an opinion. That said, what are your thoughts on the Blueprint 3 design? Please leave a comment! ***Update: An old friend (and impressive illustrator/musical encyclopedia, Billy Jacobs) elaborated on the subject of Jay-Z’s The Blueprint 3 by linking me to legendary designer Frank Olinsky’s blog where he points out that: “the cover of Jay-Z’s forthcoming album, The Blueprint 3, may have “borrowed heavily” from my concept and design for the Secret Machine’s 2004 album Now Here is Nowhere. See and read more here.” Upon further investigation, it appears as though Jay-Z’s design team appropriated elements from a (random) array of sources: Olinsky’s cover for Now Here is Nowhere, U2’s most recent album No Line On The Horizon and the “stark background with striking red element” motif of Kanye West’s 808s and Heartbreak (though I’m not as sold on this point and I don’t care much for U2). Coincidence?:

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for interesting and clever juxtapositions however haphazardly collaging other people’s work with no footnotes or citations to speak of is an entirely different story. In spite of my best efforts, I can’t seem to find any information from the person or people responsible for Jay-Z’s artwork to help clear the air. However, I did stumble upon Jay-Z’s take on the meaning of his cover that fails to mention any of the aforementioned influences. I must say, my skepticism is only growing.

Before I go, I will share two final Jay-Z mis-steps that bolster my arguments. When everyone was applauding his “Death of Autotune” single, a number of us were vigorously shaking our heads at the obvious hijacking of Roger Riley and Teddy Troutman’s earlier “Death of Autotune” release poking fun at the plug-in’s ubiquity.  FWMJ over at Rappers I Know was the first blogger to call it out and re-post Riley and Troutman’s official statement. Revisit that exchange HERE. Last point: why is Jigga making an exception for Rihanna’s blatant use of autotune in “Run This Town” ??? Consider your point thoroughly undermined. Phew! Thank you to those of you who are actually reading this post. En Fin.

Sentado frente al notebok pensaba en algo que pudiera contarles, algo que escribir para el Redemption.  Nada nuevo bajo el sol (nada bueno) por lo que hecho mano a mis dvd´s y encuentro dos joyas de las que pienso TODO ser humano, que le guste la música, debería ver: Dave Chappelle´s Block Party y Late Orchestration.

Vamos por parte, el primero es simplemente un exceso de estrellas negras, un abuso de talento y la mejor fiesta que he visto en mi vida. Resulta que el por el año 2004 a Dave Chappelle, el conocido comediante, se le ocurre realizar una fiesta en Brooklyn, y como toda buena fiesta, deben estar todos tus amigos. Por suerte para nosotros Chappelle tiene muchos amigos. Fíjense en esta lista: Common, Mos Def, The Roots, Dead Prez, Talib Kweli, Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, Kanye West y los Fugees (COMPLETOS!!)… además de varias estrellas del ayer y hoy paseando por ahí.

El concierto se grabó con la idea de hacer un documental, a cargo de esto estuvo Michel Gondry y realmente es un pasar de buenos momentos e interpretaciones magníficas. Es en conciertos como estos en los que el formato DVD afirma su existencia. Ahmir Thompson fue el encargado de la producción musical. Esto junto al toque de Chappelle hacen de este trabajo algo escencial para los amantes de Hip Hop.  Entonces lo que quiero decirles es que esto NO es una sugerencia: es una Amenaza, si no van y compran este dvd luego, no podremos hablar tu y yo. Si no creen lo que digo pues traten de imaginarse sólo un minuto cosas como estas:

- Jesús Walk cantada bajo la lluvia, con el osito acompañado de su fiel amigo John Legend y toda una Banda de músicos.

- You got me, interpretado por los Roots junto a Jill Scott y Erykah Badu a coro… un momento mágico en la historia de la música negra.

- Mos Def, Common, Kanye West y Talib Kweli, cantando los 4 en el mismo escenario, al mismo tiempo.

- Y el Reencuentro de The Fugees… LES PARECE POCO!!!  bueno les dejo el trailer del DVD para que se entusiamen…

El Segundo.  Pues bien, un año después del Block Party, en Septiembre del 2005, el sr Kanye West gozando de la fama de su segunda placa Late Registration, realiza un concierto en, ni más ni menos que, el mítico estudio de Abbey Road y lo llama Late Orchestration. Por si esto fuera poco Mr. West incorpora toda una sección de cuerdas que hace del show algo sublime y poderoso, llevando al rapero con sólo dos discos editados hasta ese momento, al olimpo del Hip Hop.

Las interpretaciones de Trough the Wire y Jesus Walks muestran una capacidad interpretativa que no había visto nunca en un rapero, pero con la que se saca el sombrero es definitivamente Bring me Down. Habilidoso en el fraseo, carismático y jugado en el escenario, familiar con su público y cuidadoso con todos los detalles.

Heard´em say, acompañado nuevamente de su socio John Legend y Touch the Sky, con un novato Lupe Fiasco, son tremendos aportes, pulcros y excelentemente bien preparados. Y para qué hablar de la sección de cuerdas! Todas exquisiteces que adornan y engrandecen un excelente trabajo. Mención aparte es la dirección del DVD a cargo de Tom Bird, quien se conecta a la perfección con las ideas de West y le imprime a la obra un toque muy cuidado y elegante. quién diría que estamos hablando de un concierto de rap?! vean un pedacito… Through the wire

Entonces, nuevamente, lo que quiero decirles es que esto NO es una sugerencia: es una Amenaza, si no van y compran este dvd luego, no podremos hablar tu y yo.

Al menos cuando yo veo estos dos conciertos me pregunto qué demonios estaba haciendo en ese momento para no haber estado ahí, espero que uds hagan lo mismo cuando lo vean… porque lo van a ver, cierto??

You’re flying across the Atlantic. Row 55 in the back of Being 757. Knees are sore from sitting in a seat in which no normal being fits comfortably. Some god-awful film has just started playing mid-flight, and you have a wait of about forty more rows until the stewardess arrives at your seat with that glorious bag of pretzels.

The year is 1996 and you own a fresh Sony Walkman accompanied by two albums: Midnight Marauders from A Tribe Called Quest and The Score from The Fugees. The girl who looks startlingly like Kelly Kopawksi from Saved By The Bell asks if she could borrow one of the albums to listen to during the flight. You couldn’t be more stoked that she is absurdly attractive, listens to great music but at the same time…you’re faced with a dilemma. Which album do you give up?

The Tribe or The Fugees? Who reigns supreme across the musical landscape if you could only chose one group?

Phife, Ali, and Q-Tip. A Tribe Called Quest.

Q-Tip, Phife, and Ali Shaheed Muhammad dropped sixty-four minuets of crisply bouncing, sample driven, oven baked hip-hop in 1990 in the form of People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm. Critically acclaimed from their first album, the Tribe’s feel good brand of socially aware lyrics coupled with some of the best production of the 90’s quite literally set the stage for their take over of the decade.

By the time Quest dropped the certified classic Low End Theory in 1991 their genius could not be denied. Rumblings of deep sampled bass strings contrasted with soaring jazz horns as Q-Tip and Phife light-heartedly threw boasts and brags back in fourth in such a familiar manner that you felt like you could hop on the track anytime you want and add your own two cents. On Midnight Marauders Tip and Phife fly back and fourth over tracks, trading lines and verses with reckless abandon and utter disregard for the fulfilling anyone but their own vision of what rap should sound like.

A perfect blend of intellectual prowess and street visions, the Tribe were as Tip stated, “Black intellects but unrefined.” They seemed to be just as comfortable riding over bouncing drums telling the story of a road trip gone wrong on El Segundo as bragging about their exploits on Electric Relaxation. Classic track after classic track emerged from the Tribe camp from Theory to Beats Rhymes and Life.

The 90’s were the veritable canvas upon which the Tribe exposed their genius in broad, and vibrant strokes coated in brilliant colors of soul samples and drums that kicked in ways that can really only be described as perfect. Their brand of hip-hop was completely new, completely original but at the same time somehow immediately familiar. There is something so positively right about dropping a needle onto a Tribe record and listening to the dense jungle of noise emerge fourth and surround your being. That feeling is what made Tribe so different and so special. However, you cannot talk about music creating feeling without talking about their counterparts of that generation, The Fugees take center-stage…

Wyclef Jean, Lauryn Hill, and Pras. The Fugees.

Children of immigrants born and bred in my home-state of New Jersey, Wyclef, Pras, and Lauryn Hill emerged from near obscurity in a flash of musical genius and mastery now known to the world as 1996’s The Score. Combining everything from Roberta Flack & Bob Marley covers to hilarious hood-Chinese take out skits The Fugees crafted one of the best selling hip-hop albums of all time and received world wide exposure for their unique blend of lyrical content and soaring vocals courtesy of Wyclef and Hill.

The Fugees cannot be discounted. To this day you can drop Killing Me Softly at any party and watch the place exploded into awkward two steps and karokee-esq sing-a-long antics. The group constructed 16 tracks that are almost all nearly perfect.

Wyclef seemingly sits down in front of the listener on No Woman No Cry and pleads the case of every poor Haitian child in the world to the point that the song causes emotion to rise with every single listen. Possibly the best cover of Marley as far as capturing the same emotion of the original artist.

You cannot mention The Score without acknowledging the eery almost disturbing quality of Ready or Not . This is Lauryn Hill at her finest. Her pained vocals wane over the background hums of a track that is impressive in its powerful presentation in every single verse from even Pras who does not disappoint on this definite Fugee’s track. As far as arising emotion, it doesn’t really get better than this from the Beatles to Busta Rhymes. The track speaks volumes without every raising its voice, an exercise in artfully crafted music. Fu-Gee-La is amazing. I’m not even going to go about trying to capture that one in words.

The Fugees are acclaimed across the world for their mastery of the genre. Once again- the group was completely original in their construction. Their brand of island influenced hip-hop translated the plight of their immigrant families perfectly all while being intensely listenable and immediate for any listener regardless of their own background. Not to mention the fact that a certain young lady named Lauryn Hill would be introduced to the world in a most drastic fashion which in it of itself is a sort of an amazing feat.

The question has been asked. The gauntlet thrown down. The field primed for play. Whatever you prefer, I want to hear what you have to say!

FUGEES OR TRIBE?

Sidenote: You don’t have to write a novel like I did, but I do want to hear your answer and your logic!

<3 Es’Q