How About A Hip-Hop President

Jay-Z called this in 2003 when, before Dirt Off Your Shoulders, he exclaimed,

"Turn the music up in the headphones.
Barack, you can go on, brush your shoulders off nigga, I got you."
- Jay-Z

Surviving The Times

So, being my first post, I figure I should start off by telling a bit about myself, but I don't want to. The way I see it, you can tell the man by what's going through his headphones. The one thing I will say is that I do not enjoy what I hear comin' out of other peoples speakers. The list goes on and on. Fortunately there are people like myself, and my best friend the Young G of many names, his most recent being Orlando Magic, who stay true to the classics.

I've got well over 500 songs prior to 1998, and I'm always finding new shit to pump through the speakers. Things by De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, Naughty by Nature, Run DMC, The Sugarhill Gang, Kool Moe Dee, Eric B. & Rakim, Beastie Boys, LL Cool J, Jazzy Jeff. The list goes on and on.

When you're born after 1990, you miss out on all the good stuff. I'd like to end this with a quote from one of the best rap groups of all time, Run DMC.

"If you really think about it times aren't that bad.
The one that stretches for success will make you glad.
Stop playing, start praying, you won't be sad.
It's like that, and that's the way it is."

I'll leave you with some of the best classics you gotta check out:

Scenario - A Tribe Called Quest
Me, Myself, and I - De La Soul
Rapper's Delight - The Sugarhill Gang
Wild Wild West - Kool Moe Dee
Children's Story - Slick Rick
You Be Illin' - Run DMC
Brass Monkey - The Beastie Boys
Feel Me Flow - Naughty By Nature
Bonita Applebum - A Tribe Called Quest
My Melody - Eric B. & Rakim
The Magic Number - De La Soul
Bust A Move - Young M.C.
My Adidas - Run DMC
O.P.P. - Naughty By Nature
Awards Tour - Jurassic Five
Ain't No Half Steppin' - Big Daddy Kane
My Philosophy - KRS-One
Momma Said Knock You Out - LL Cool J
Gangsta's Paradise - Coolio
Baby Got Back - Sir Mix-A-Lot
Humpty Dance - Digital Underground
Hip Hop Hooray - Naughty by Nature
Lets Get Married - Jagged Edge
Hypnotize - Notorious B.I.G.
You Can't Touch This - MC Hammer
No Diggity - Blackstreet
This Is How We Do It- Montell Jordan

Check me out here, too.

The Rhyme Has Come

You guys have been waitin' way to long for this, so I've decided that I gotta go big or go home. Well, since I'm stayin' right where I am, I've decided to go big.

Below I have some of newest tracks dating back less than a month ago, and I have ones that I've copped as recently as today. It's a dope combination of the underground and the commercial, the gansta and the backpack, the old school returning and the new school gettin' better.

First, I'll give you my Top 10 Tracks:
Big Boi ft. Andre 3000, Raekwon - Royal Flush | This is the first joint I've heard from Antwan's forthcoming solo album, Sir Luscious Left Foot.
Fat Joe ft. KRS-One - My Conscience | This happens to be the dopest track off Joey Crack's new album and with old school strength, there's no going wrong.
The Game - Big Dreams | Fresh out of incarceration, The Game lets us now how tough he is, with another song about dreams.
Lupe Fiasco - Gold Watch | This just happens to be my favorite song of Lupe's The Cool.
Lupe Fiasco ft. Talib Kweli - After All | This song takes an older track "Just Might Be Okay," flips the beat, and adds a respectable verse by Talib. No losing here.
Sheek Louch ft. Styles P, Jadakiss - Gettin' Stronger | Gettin' strong is an understatement when the LOX comes with it better than ever.
Three 6 Mafia - I'd Rather | They get their message across, and the song definitely keeps playing in your head.
Wale ft. 45 Kings - Strings | There's something about his songs that is just contagious.
Wyclef Jean ft. Lupe Fiasco - Fast Car Remix | A peaceful island-based track that just gets so much more with the addition of the Lupe verse.
Young Chris ft. Peedi Crakk - 3, 2, 1 | This complimenting duo raps about the good life and enjoys it.

And I left you with another 26 joints:
Atmosphere ft. Stage One, St. Paul Slim, Muja Messsiah, YZ, Brother Ali, Toki Wright, Blueprint - Crewed Up | This is a dope track of some Mid-west underground rappers showin' us how strong they flow together.
The Cool Kids - A Little Bit Cooler | As a big fan of the Mikey and Chuck, this song comes just as tight as their earlier ones.
DMX - Already | The Dog returns from a hiatus to deliver us a decent track.
E-4o ft. Lil' Jon - Turf Drop | Hyphy and crunk music collide is this new class by Forty Fonzerelli.
Fabolous - Hey Papi Freestyle | It's been a while since Fab came out with something this good.
Fat Joe - Thank God For That White | He lets us know who he has to thank for his success.
Gnarls Barkley - Run | The new track is definitely way to catchy to leave out of the mix.
Ill Bill ft. La Coka Nostra - That's Coke | These boys tell us how that white is more than a drug, it's a culture.
Kidz In The Hall ft. DJ GI Joe - The Black Out | There last song I posted was so dope, it's amazing to see how close they come when bringing this one.
The KnuX - Cappuccino Remix | I don't know what it is about this group that had me listening to their original and their remix of this joint.
Lil' Wayne - I | This upbeat mixtape track shines in the wide catalog of Wayne tracks.
Lupe Fiasco ft. Young Jeezy, TI - Superstar Remix | Another remix of a Lupe track but with some an unexpected, southern rap cast.
Mickey Factz - Up High | A very Lupe-esque song, but I dig it.
Mickey Factz ft. Nakim - K-1 Attack | Mickey shows us that he can switch up the flow and still sound decent. Other dudes verse ain't bad.
Nappy Roots - Who Got It, Where's It At | This track from a country-rap group definitely strays from their older "Aww Naw."
Q-Tip - Midnight '08 | This old school and underground veteran comes strong with brand new music.
Red Cafe ft. Fat Joe, Jadakiss, Fabolous - Paper Touchin' Remix | A strong cast makes this song a remix that top the originator.
Rick Ross ft. T-Pain, Lil' Wayne, Fabolous, Red Cafe - The Boss Remix | Like the last track, this one brings it hard over Ricky Ross's new track.
Snoop Dogg ft. Too Short, Mistah FAB - Life Of Da Party | This is the best song of Snoop Dogg's latest album, and that's not saying much. Time to hang up the towel.
Swizz Beatz - Candy Green | It may be no "It's Me," but for a producer, Swizz really delivers.
Talib Kweli - Independent Hustle | A tribute to all those record labels and individual rappers doing it big and not getting all the recognition they deserve.
Tha Dogg Pound ft. Pharrell - Cheat | The sample is what originally drew me to this track, and DPG kept it coming.
Wale - Rain, Sleet, Snow | Up and coming D.C. rapper who takes to his Washington roots with upbeat background tracks to tightly flow over.
Young Buck - Hold On | I'm really into these slower, meaningful flows lately.
Young Chris - Rewind Freestyle | C's freestyles are always just are strong, if not stronger, as all his produced tracks.


I know it's been a while, but I hope no one's too disappointed after this re-up. So many posts in so little time. You can't complain when the music's insane.

Gettin' In Touch With Our Musical Roots

The Legendary Roots Crew, or more commonly know simply as The Roots, and one of the most successful underground rap groups in the history of hip-hop. They have been releasing amazing music for over twenty years now. They produce such deep, powerful rap lyrics with the aide of an in house bad and a hard hittin' jazz sound like no other.

The variety of styles that The Fifth Dynasty has released also points to how much of an artistic talent the group has. Even the former members of the group point towards the groups immense talent - they include renowned beat boxer Rhazel and hip-hop producer Scott Storch. Current member, and one of their most recognized figures, drummer ?uestlove, has a repertoire that includes DJing, music journalism, producing, and appearances on the Chappelle Show.

Well, from what I've heard so far, The Roots have done it once again. The crew will be releasing their tenth album since formation. I've been checkin' some of the singles and leaks around the internet, and from what I can see, this album is more than promising. Contrastingly from their last album, The Game Theory, the lines are going to be delivered over tracks that have a less rock feel, and many of them will have some strong artists joining them as features.

"I'm working on [album] number 10 right now — I want to be the first rap artist to actually make a good 10th record, that's my goal." -?uestlove

Get Busy (ft. Dice Raw, Peedi Crakk, DJ Jazzy Jeff)
Rising Down (ft. Styles P, Mos Def, Dice Raw)
Rising Up (ft. Wale, Chrisette Michele)
75 Bars [Black's Reconstruction]
Birthday Girl (ft. Patrick Stump)

Now, we play the waiting game for the release of this album on April 29th.
"It's all in the music."

The Coincidence is Undeniable

Finding all the newest joints, as I attempt to do, is tough work, as you can see by the time that passes in between posts. As I was browsing recently though, I came across a new Wu-Tang track with RZA and Inspectah Deck. There was something about this track that just seemed all too familiar. Then it hit me... Undeniable of Mos Def's True Magic.

Below, I posted up both these tracks so you can see the similarities yourself.

RZA ft. Inspectah Deck - You Can't Stop Me | The track and the sample have a very old-school feel that's stays true to the Wu style.
Mos Def - Undeniable | Mos Def takes this sample and flips it in the best of ways.

Hope you like this, and all the other posts I'm blazin' one after another.
ABC, always be cool.