Dj Jazzy Jeff Present's My Fav's Vol 1

I was on Facebook today and I saw this on Jazzy Jeff's page! You know I had to download it! Check it out! He's got some dope mixes on here!

For all my Classic Hip Hop Lovers...a lil something for the Ipod...Computer...or Car
ENJOY

Click For Free Download
http://www.zshare.net/download/56895555ba86df7a

Common Concert @ 9:30 Club

Last night I was able to catch the Common concert @ The 9:30 Club in DC. Thanks Neel for letting me know about the show. I hadn't seen Common perform in awhile and it was great to see an awesome HIP HOP show. Common is a true artist and knows how to perform. He had great command of the stage, the music, and the crowd! Eventhough he ran thru a lot of his more recent stuff, I was very much satisfied with the show. I was a little disappointed he didn't perform The Sixth Sense or I Used To Love HER, but it's all good. He started the show with a whole lot of energy and ended the show with the same amount of energy, if not more. I left hyped as hell! There was a great vibe at the show. Everyone had a mutual love for hip hop, so there wasn't any BS. Overall it was a great experience! I will be at the Rakim show on the 26th!

It seems that today's artist underestimate the value of the live performance. It's so critical in becoming a successful artist. Back in the day artists didn't have all the outlets that are available today (radio, tv, internet, etc), so when they got your attention, they made the most of it. I know we all probably have a story of how you saw someone in concert for the first time and they sucked and you never looked at them the same again. It's time to go back to the grass roots and hit the road and SEE your fans. There's a handful of artists out there on the road everyday and I appreciate and salute them!

As I sign off, I leave you with some video from the show. In case you're wondering, I used my sony cybershot T77 digital camera to shoot the video. It takes surprisingly awesome video! I recommend it to anyone looking to get a digital camera!

Storytelling Rap

As you may know from my previous blog, I was listening to Raekwon's classic Only Built For Cuban Linx. Since it was nice this weekend, I found myself driving around enjoying the weather while listening to good ol Rae. I got to the song Spot Rusherz while I was driving and I felt like Raekwon was in the passenger seat next to me and we were in Staten Island. "Line for Line this is how we get down. Can you feel me story telling rap magellan!" What happened to rappers painting a picture with their rhymes and taking you on a journey with them? Slick Rick, Nas, and a few others are phenomonal at this! We need more storytelling in today's hip hop!

Neel, Where you at? You caught me off guard that day when you sent out the Boot Camp joint because I don't have my hard drive w/ my classic music. But like a chamelion, I adapt to all situations. This is my way of being able to hit you with those classics. I was looking for the youtube of NORE & Nas - Body In The Trunk. That's storytelling classic! I couldn't find it though. If anyone has the mp3 please email it!

Verbal Intercourse

So this morning I was figuring out what I was gonna listen to while I worked. I was in a very indecisive mood and couldn't make a selection. Did I want hang with Native Tongues? Did I want to see what was goin on in BK? Chill uptown in Harlem or the Bronx? I wasn't sure, then I hit the O's in my album list and clicked on Only Built For Cuban Linx. As I'm going thru it, I'm like damn this shit is on another level. I think I say that everytime I listen to it. But I can honestly say that this album is Classic b/c it has the same effect on me every time I listen to it. When I got to Verbal Intercourse, I felt like I was in the mid 90's again. The combo of Raekwon, Ghostface, and Nas is magical. The beat is incredible. I wish they made a video for this song. I bet everyone of you lost your mind when you heard this for the first time.

As a fan of Hip Hop, I always enjoyed ill collaborations! It's definetly a lost art in today's Hip Hop Culture. So many Egos and the almighty dollar get in the way of potential classic combinations. Will we ever get a collaboration like The Symphony again or Scenario or Banned From TV or even All About The Benjamins? It took Nas & Jay way to too long to do a song together. They owed it to us.I always felt that these collaborations brought artists together for a common cause, which was to make HOT MUSIC! Isn't that what it's supposed to be about at the end of the day?

DeLa Soul ft Common - Days Of Our Lives

So for the past few days, I've been listening to De La Soul - The Grind Date. Not sure how you all feel about this album, but I think it's an under the radar classic! I'm catching lines and verses now that I don't know how I missed. If you have the album, listen to the track with Common. It's called Days of Our lives. Pos spit a hip hop quotable. I know the text doesn't have the same effect so I encourage yo all to listen to that song. He got me with the secondhand rhymes line b/c i know so many "rappers" that say they don't write their lyrics and can just hear the beat and go in the booth. That's so whack because what happens is that it sounds like you don't write and it sounds like you should stop rapping. If you're gonna rap, but some effort into it. Here it is:

I furnished the rooms, and mortgage on these
See them quittin ass rappers caused a shortage on these
The soul boys of big illa-noyz get the praise
We break it down in these three ways

My moms died from secondhand smoke;
so I wish yo' ass would diefrom them secondhand rhymes you wrote
Or shall I call them second rhymes - written seconds 'fore you enter the booth
Words thrown together with very little truth
And a select few can do it (true) you ain't part of them scriptures
And got the nerve to feel you want me out the picture
But I was never in it, I'm the frame around the flick
Or dishin in the mouth of your dame around my dick
Ladies and gentlemen, introducin Workmatic
One of L.I.'s finest, and this is "MY LIFE"
Which is filled with bad minutes and good hours
and, good months and bad years and with my peers
we struggle to juggle the shit
Family life and the music game don't easily fit
My lady wants me home, sayin rap tour three rap whores
and scores of scandal, even more than we can handle
Sometimes, the rhymes I say
Is the fly the currency to save the day
Can't turn it away, cause we out
to find presennce way beyond our measure, so baby don't pout