Joey Bada$$ Says He Raps Better Than Tupac, People Flip Shit As Usual

In an interview yesterday (February 28th) with Genius, Joey Bada$$ offended some more sensitive Tupac fans.

The Brooklyn rapper discussed his beliefs and influences of past political figures (mentioning names like Malcolm X, Marcus Garvey, Martin Luther King Jr., Langston Hughes and more) and how they have influenced his music, but the quote that is pushing headlines everywhere is what he said about Tupac near the last half of the video; "Like, I already know I'm a better rapper than Tupac. That's just facts. One on one battle, I'll flame Pac."  And here's my beliefs (brace yourselves, Pac fans); Joey's absolutely right.

In pure rapping and lyrical ability, Joey Bada$$ would best Tupac. But in all of the different aspects discussed in what makes the "greatest rapper of all time", I don't even think other rappers know what it takes to hold the title anymore. Sure, there's lyrical talent and abilities, but there's also influence, there's flow, there's hit making (which doesn't qualify for pure abilities, but still), and too many more aspects to count. So yes, from a lyrical standpoint, Joey Bada$$ has Pac's number. But from an influential standpoint, Joey Bada$$ - just like pretty much every other rapper on the planet, dead or alive - has a way to go to get to Tupac's level. Check out the short interview below. No release date has been given on Joey's upcoming album, AABA, only that it will release in 2017.



                       (*I do not own this video, or the rights to it*)


*Update*

In the 24 hours since posting, Joey has revealed the cover art, release date (set for an April 7th release), and track list for AABA, which we've learned stands for All-Amerikkkan Bad-Ass. Check out the cover art below, and check out Joey's promo video for the album here.

  

Nas' Illmatic's 21 Year Anniversary (3 Must Hear Tracks From The Classic Album)

I was seriously 4 months old when this album dropped and I think it's amazing. This is hip hop to it's core, period. Yeah, sure, Illmatic has been talked about since it came out, got 5 mics in The Source and is rightfully deemed a classic album (and it earns this right, almost undebatable unlike other albums that have came out where everyone wants to argue if they're classics or not), but many people don't realize the influence it has had on hip hop since then. There are countless rappers who say that if it weren't for Nas' Illmatic then they wouldn't be rapping (Kendrick, yes, Kendrick Lamar is one), and it would be blasphemous to say that rappers today did not draw some inspiration from Nas and Illmatic. If you disagree, then, well, I would just have to prove to you why Nas is one of the most flawless lyricists of all time. Class is in session.

It Ain't Hard To Tell

Today's hip hop differs so much from that of the "golden age" of hip hop, a lot of it worse than it is better, and even thought I'm only 21, just by listening to a song like "It Ain't Hard To Tell", you can definitely tell that Nas was out for blood on his critically acclaimed debut. Where is the hunger to be the best for rappers today?  I certainly can't see it (at least in most of the rap dudes played on the radio), you'd expect these guys to want to show why they've "earned" their spot on the radio, or these gold and platinum album sales. It's too hard to tell that if it's the difference in how big battle rap was in the streets of New York compared to how it is now, but that could be a strong case for it. Anyways, Nas shows his true skills on the mic AND makes you dance with this absolutely amazingly produced Large Professor track.

Memory Lane (Sittin' In The Park)

   
Story telling created, originated and perfected by the best there is to do it. It's debatable whether Nas is the best story-telling rapper ever, you could probably put B.I.G. and Tupac up there with him, but you know every time Nas has a story to tell, you listen, and you get every detail about the entire story. Life in Queens is rumored to be a struggle, but Nas makes it sound like a coming of age tale in this addictive boom-bap jam. "One Love" also could take the cake as another fantastic story told by Mr. Nasir Jones.

N.Y State Of Mind

                                         (*I do not own these songs, or the rights to them*)

If you needed a reason to get pumped up, get hyped, or was looking for a song to make you feel some type of energy (not drain you of it, keep calm Drake), then "N.Y. State Of Mind" is that track. Whether you're waiting to pull that next bank heist (hopefully just on "Grand Theft Auto 5"), you need some pump up music for your next game or need it in the gym to get that next set of reps knocked out, Nas' "N.Y. State Of Mind" is the song for you (not to mention it features more great story telling in the first verse, hopefully Nas didn't get in trouble for any sort of debauchery he spoke of in this song, rappers really should be more careful of their hustle). This songs drums still kick like crazy and sound great in the whip if you want to bump, and of course you can thank the legendary DJ Premier for that.

So here's to Illmatic turning 21!  I'll be damned if I'm not allowed to buy it a drink, it deserves that and much, much more. My introduction to this album was as late as could be, it had to be around 2012 when I first bought it (had to see what all the hype was about) and since then I've played "It Ain't Hard To Tell" at least once a day, no joke. The word "classic" is thrown around so much and so often that it's hard to even tell if it means anything anymore, but if it still had any pull or credibility talking about music, then Illmatic remains a classic in the way it revolutionized beats, rappers and their story telling, and in the way it has pushed the envelope and will continue to for many more years to come. Whose in favor of Nas ending his career on an Illmatic 2?  I can dream.           





























    

Did Jay Z Really Just Buy Tupac's Unreleased Material?

Word in the rumor mill is that Jay Z just bought all of the rights to Tupac's unreleased material ($384 million worth supposedly, this includes unreleased and unfinished songs, verses, demos, writings, scripts, poems, and more). Now if anyone has the money to do this it'd be Jay Z (or Dr. Dre, and it'd certainly make more sense for Dre to buy the material), but the question is what interest does Jay Z have in buying Tupac's unreleased material?

So before I get in depth about thoughts on this subject I have to say that rumors are not true, as confirmed by a representative from Roc Nation. However, Jam INC's Jeff Jampol (who oversees Tupac's estate) did confirm that there could be some new unheard Tupac material circulating soon. How soon this will be is unsure, but the 20th anniversary of Tupac's death approaches (though it's next September, 2016) and supposedly Pac has new clothing coming out, as well as a Grammy museum showcasing Tupac's writing, and even a biography deal is being finalized for a "very serious writer" to put out a new Tupac biography.

All of this is exciting no doubt, and though the rumors of Jay Z buying Tupac's unreleased material may be far fetched, there is no denying that Mr. Z certainly has the money to buy Tupac's material if he really wanted to. Rumors of a 2016 album of Tupac's unreleased material titled And Now I Rise boasting such features as Snoop Dogg, Nas, Drake, The Dream, DMX, Beyoncé, and Jay Z were also being put out, although the rumors were confirmed false by Billboard. Interesting, to say the least. If you could see anyone buying Tupac's unreleased material today, who do you believe it would be and why?

For me it'd make sense for Dr. Dre to buy Pac's music and finish off what he and Pac had started with Death Row Records in the 90s, even if they didn't get along very well up until Dre's departure from Death Row. Can you imagine a mastered Dre beat with unreleased Tupac verses and even a hook?  With all of the stuff that Dre has in the bag that nobody's heard (way too much stuff that nobody's heard), there definitely has to be something that would fit Tupac's vibe. It'd certainly be a challenge for Dre to fit a beat around a verse as opposed to the opposite normal way of someone writing to a beat, but it'd also be a nice blast from the past and maybe even a new challenge that Dre could take on.

But anyways, even with the news being untrue, there's my two cents on the matter. Who do you think should buy Tupac's unreleased material and why?  Feel free to give me your answers on Google+ or twitter (@SuperNovaRover). Tupac probably has enough unreleased material to make 5 more albums knowing how hard the man worked during his time on our planet Earth, and probably for good reason seeing as how much he "predicted" things with his eerie lyrics. The sad part is his material from 20+ years ago still probably sounds more ahead of its time than Rae Sremmurd's. Can someone please tell me why they're rapping?  Anyways, let me know your thoughts on the subject if you'd like.     








            

To Pimp A Butterfly (Track By Track) Review; Kendrick's Conscious, Funky Transition

How many rappers are out there that could truly break the internet with a single song release?  When Kendrick's "i" hit the internet people were confused, general reactions were "oh he had been gone for so long and this is what he comes up with", or something along the lines of disappointed. But I've tried to make this point as clear as I could a couple times now, and other music listeners should do the same when hearing a "first" single off an album; one song taken out of context does not define the sound of an entire body of work, especially when the body of work is truly a story in itself, like that of Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp A Butterfly. Fans had no time to build any sort of anticipation for this album (or they did and just couldn't wait to leak it), so Kendrick decided to give us all an early Christmas present and release it a whole week before it was expected. Now with earlier than expected releases they tend to be let downs, but going back to the previous question (or argument in a sense), there is a choice selection of rappers who don't let many people down; Kendrick Lamar is on this list 9 times out of 10.

"Wesley's Theory" is the beginning of a story that we've all been waiting to hear for so long. Starting the story in the middle like a Tarantino flick, Kendrick flips hip hop on its ear and funks it out in a proper way with a George Clinton and Thundercat feature. The message of this track seems to hit home on a couple of points; the "we should have never gave you niggas money" point is a funny Chappelle's Show reference (Rick James BITCH!), but it could also point to how Kendrick believes people in society view black people. Is Kendrick trying to prove a point by satirizing points that have been made?  You could only tell after a few listens.

The "For Free?  Interlude" is another interesting piece of heavy jazz influenced music that also seems to flip a view of society. With a fun, fast paced piano riff and a couple of nice jazz horns, Kendrick explains "this... dick... ain't... FREEEE" to a woman. Who would have thought this was possible?  This is awesome if you ever have had to deal with bull from your woman, but the interlude on your first listen doesn't add up to much other than Kendrick showing hate towards thotty women.

If there was any track on this album that got hype more than any other, it was "King Kunta." Even before people knew anything about the album, "King Kunta" was being talked about in interviews with Pharrell, where he described the track as "unapologetically black and amazing," and you have to agree with Pharrell when you listen. The funk sound stays true in "King Kunta", and Kendrick and his go-to producer Sounwave kill it as usual with a bouncy sounding bass line and some every day observation with a mix of venting from Kendrick. "King Kunta" is unlike any song you have probably heard in the last 20 years; it's blend of consciousness and a funky beat make it so listenable that you can't help but have the message seared into your brain. Kendrick's goal, if any indication of his music (at least "King Kunta" and "The Blacker The Berry"), is getting put out to the masses, and that's half the battle of creating change.

Kendrick really likes to change up the sound of songs midway through, and his history ("Sing About Me, I'm Dying Of Thirst", "Cartoons & Cereal", and now "Institutionalized") of doing this is proven. Whether it be to curve your attention or to change the perspective of the story being told, it's always hard to tell why it's being done at first, but his angles always seem to follow the plot of the story in the end (after all, he is a self proclaimed "writer", and rightfully so). "Institutionalized" begins with a slow, wavy beat in which Kendrick starts on with his higher pitched voice, but then the beat transitions into another drum beat of the same type, but a little slower paced, almost made for you to pay attention to. "Shit don't change til ya, get up and wash yo ass," Kendrick's grandma said to him, and that right there is the point of this jam. Kendrick's grandma warned him of this time coming, as she did of the hood, that he uses less wisely than (we all) he would like to say he (we all) really does (do).

"I remember you was conflicted. Misusing your influence - sometimes I did the same" - a saying that continuously makes more sense as this album progresses, you can only keep listening to figure out what it leads up to. "These Walls" is a true reflection of self. Kendrick was in a vulnerable state making this song it is very easy to tell, and the saying "if these walls could talk" has probably never been used as a finer example. "These Walls" is Kendrick looking into his walls like mirrors, and seeing not only himself, but every flaw, every scar, every problem he has ever encountered, and maybe even every person he has hurt or murdered (allegedly) and having them staring him right back in the face. Now (besides the murder part, hopefully) how can you not relate to that?

Kendrick also remixed Eminem's "Kim" believe it or not. No that was definitely a joke, but Kendrick certainly isn't joking on his song "u", again taking a perspective where he is talking to himself via song. "Loving you is complicated", he cries in a menacing yell, and for him to point out a side of himself that only he would know with such detail is something that damn near no other rapper, let alone any other man would go as far to do. The beat switches up again halfway through this one, and it's hard not to feel the pain in his voice with every word he utters over the slow, sad sounding horn that could cause a heavy heart even on your brightest day.

Transitioning properly from downer to upper, "Alright" is a bumping track that we know Kendrick has the ability to make and make sound amazing (though To Pimp A Butterfly is a concept album as a whole, it's hard to make every track bump trying to fit the concept of the story). "Alright" is the song that balances out every bad feeling and down emotion you get from the album, and the sampled beat is such an uplifting tune that you can't help but jig a bit when it hits.

Kendrick's "For Sale? (Interlude)" is such a fluttery, beautifully demented transition, so unexpected you couldn't even guess at what came afterwards. Whether Lucy is a girl, the drug (which it very well could be by the sounds of this song), or Lucifer (much speculation online that Kendrick is referring to the devil as Lucy), this interlude has an "enticing" sound to it that is surely nail on the head in terms of the concept. No conspiracy theories here (or maybe so), but it sounds like Kendrick is talking about the devil in the details (the industry maybe?).

If you're looking for an example of why Kendrick is one of the best lyricists in the game, the first verse on "Momma" holds some credibility. The first verse is insanely scheme filled, where Kendrick follows one rhyme scheme the entire time, but the second verse is where you see Kendrick is learning from his experiences in life and the industry; "I know everything" he so boldly claims throughout the second verse, from the hood to the industry he feels like he's been through it all, but only to come home and realize he has to re-learn everything he once knew. It seems the struggles of the fame mixed with not seeing his family/friends is getting to Kendrick as he vents so beautifully in this song, and what better way to realize where you screwed up than to vent to your "Momma"?

"Boom boom," Kendrick says confidently throughout the next track "Hood Politics." "Boom boom" of course by definition meaning "not up to one's par or standards" (At least I'm assuming so, who really knows?). I surely didn't expect to learn any new lingo from this project, but as enlightening as Kendrick is I can't be surprised. Kendrick continues to say that the rules stretch "from Compton to Congress", which is another bold statement, but almost make sense to a point. "Hood Politics" is the mix of levels on how things work, and both (Compton & Congress) seem just as lethal and violent as the other.

"How Much A Dollar Cost" is another big one in the line of thought provoking musical poems that Kendrick blessed us with on To Pimp A Butterfly. Featuring a moving piano with some raw drums and claps, Kendrick paints a picture as well as he ever has on the different situations in which a dollar is needed. James Fauntleroy brings an atmosphere to the hook that only he could in an almost ghostly manner, as if you were just realizing that dollars truly mean nothing to our existence, and Ronald Isley fatalities the point (on some Mortal Kombat shit) on the outro of the song.

"Complexion" is such a smooth song (with added DJ spins that create a different touch to the track) on race that it damn near rocks it's point home and puts you to sleep with it's message. That way you wake up and NEVER FORGET IT (OHHHHHHHH NOOO HE DIDN'T!!!). Kendrick tries (and succeeds) in proving the point that "complexion don't mean a thing." Another beat transition towards the end of the track allows Rhapsody to give his side of the story, in which he hammers home, yet cool and effortlessly.

"The Blacker The Berry" we all know already so I won't elaborate any more than I have to besides the fact that the beat KNOCKS. Putting this song out as a single is especially surprising considering the content, mentioning such things as the Black Panther Party and Trayvon Martin, but going back to Kendrick's message, this of course was all part of the plan in getting people thinking clearly and maybe even acting on the issues that have been brought to light over the past year or so. Do you believe it worked?

Immediately the 90s west coast feel is evident when you first hear "You Ain't Gotta Lie." The bass line makes you bop and the message is (what seems to be) for anyone who has to "lie to kick it." The hook seems to be from the point of view from a girl (and if any guy has been through it, they know a girl who likes them is awesome) and is almost reminiscent of the first time you hung out with that girl you had a huge crush on, but the song could also take the point of view of Kendrick sending a message to rappers trying to sound good or look cool (you ain't gotta lie, you ain't gotta try so hard). "You Ain't Gotta Lie" seems to be another track that has multiple meanings to it, which makes Kendrick one of the most relevant, hard hitting rappers in the game today.

We all have already heard "i" as well so I won't do much of a review on it, but I will say the message to the song that is Harvey Dent to "u's" Two Face is timeless. If anyone is feeling down they could probably listen to this song and feel better (at least you'd hope), but they could definitely listen to it while they were feeling on top of the world then feel like they were on top of the entire universe. No matter how annoying "i" has gotten to be to you, you can't deny it's message and that it has helped people through some tough times in a time when suicide is at an all time high.

"Mortal Man" is the finale of the fireworks. To get Kendrick at his most vulnerable, his most thought provoking, and almost at a stage where he's contemplating everything he's done, doing, and about to do, "Mortal Man" is that song. As imperfect as it gets is the best way to describe this song. "Mortal Man" is practically everything everyone wishes they could admit to themselves and that's only the first part of the song, not to mention the ending is simply brilliant. Having a conversation with Tupac about his views compared with Kendrick's is what every single rap fan (let alone Kendrick fan) DREAMS about. The Tupac audio is probably from an old interview, though I couldn't tell you for sure, but to sit and listen to Kendrick and Tupac have a conversation (and to have it sound like an actual conversation) is literally a dream to many (including Kendrick), and an incredibly well thought out, well rounded, and a downright eerie way to end this album.

To Pimp A Butterfly. Has it sunk in yet?  Have you sat and listened enough to understand the message truly?  Do you feel as dumb listening to this album as I have so diligently in the past 12 hours?  These questions are questions that we don't need answers to right now. These questions we definitely will not get answers to right now, but if you paid enough attention to the album, you would understand that the point is not to get all of the answers to every problem the world sees right now. Ferguson shootings, Trayvon Martin's death, the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, or whatever our issues may be, the point is not to get the answers so quickly to our problems, because how can you really get an answer to a problem that is still unknown?  The first step is identifying what the problem really is, and Kendrick had no problems identifying his issues with himself and the world today on To Pimp A Butterfly.           

         







 

 

 



 

            

Kendrick Lamar Is Doing Things Bigger Than Music

It's been an incredibly, unbearably, excruciatingly long 3 years (almost 3 years, trust me, I've been counting) since Kendrick's last full length studio album. Good Kid Maad City was (and still is) a landmark in hip hop history and not only Kendrick's fans, but hip hop fans in general have been waiting for Kendrick's next move. How is Kendrick going to follow such a "classic" (I use quotations because the term "classic" is heavily overused and underappreciated)? What is Kendrick going to talk about on the new project?  And how much does Dr. Dre have to do with the new project?  All of these are questions that I can hopefully answer for you right now (besides Dr. Dre, who the fuck knows what he's doing).

Kendrick's newest single "The Blacker The Berry" is a statement. Period. Not only does this song have a message that unfortunately still has to be stressed today, but it couldn't have dropped at a better time. The Grammy's are widely known to be very white-biased and white music friendly (though Kendrick snagged 2 of them this past weekend) and Kendrick knows that. So allow me to explain the genius of Kendrick Lamar while (hopefully accurately) predicting the direction his still untitled next album will go. Oh, and in case you haven't heard it yet, check out "The Blacker The Berry" below.

                                               (*I do not own this song or the rights to it*)

So... what did y'all think?  It seems the main point Kendrick is looking to send home is that blacks and black music should be taken seriously. For too long black music has been shunned, shrugged off, and not given the props it deserves, and Kendrick is attacking this issue head on. But why now?  Why put out this song shining a spotlight on white entertainment and everyone in/supporting it?  Bingo; the Grammys. Even though Kanye attacked that already (if anyone chooses to listen to him), Kendrick is doing it the more effective way. Kendrick is putting it into his music and letting his voice be heard by allowing fans to be able to discuss what he says over a hard beat and some creepy, yet fitting vocals. I mean come on, its second nature for hip hop fans to discuss what these artists are REALLY saying over these records (*guiltily raises hand*). This right here... is Kendrick's socially conscious version of "Control."

To call Kendrick the new Tupac would be a stretch, but not because Tupac is too big of a comparison for Kendrick to handle. It's because Kendrick is attacking issues in his own way. Menacingly. Terrifyingly. Quietly. There's not a more effective way to do it. Make the music, draw the masses in, let them debate and *THINK* about what it means, then sit back and marvel at what you've done. This might be a bit of a black and white statement (not to be ironic), but Kendrick is silently making people smarter. And "i" love it.








    

Suge Knight: Gangsta Til Death(Row)

If there is one person in all of hip hop that embodies the gangster aspect of hip hop entirely (and maybe a bit excessively/unhealthily), it's Marion "Suge" Knight. Death Row CEO, co-founder, and arguably the most intimidating man in hip hop, Suge built a name and an empire through money, power, fear, and (believe it or not) respect in one of the most controversial and power packed periods of rap. The ups are some of the best and most well documented in hip hop history, which include 10 plus platinum albums, including 2 diamond, and the launching of legendary careers like Tupac, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Tha Dogg Pound, and countless others. But perhaps just as talked about (if not more) are the downs of Suge's career, which far outweigh the ups. Though I'm not wanting to break down every single one of them one by one, I am interested in how these things turn a powerful man into someone not so powerful (not physically of course, it seems Suge will always be that). I wouldn't call this the rise and fall, but more so the studying of Suge's roller coaster career. Is Suge Knight really what the public eye makes him out to be?  Is Suge's reputation real?  And is Suge's reputation partly what made Death Row so successful?  I hope to find answers to these questions just as much as anybody else out there, and that's why we're addressing Suge right now (Suge, if you see this, please don't kill me).

To start this off, I had to immediately include the fact that "Suge Knight dead" is one of the first search results that pops up in Google. Does this mean anything?  Maybe so. Do people expect it?  Probably. If I didn't know who he was, this would tell me that Suge's reputation is probably not great. And if you are just learning about Suge, you would be right in that assumption. Suge has had endless legal troubles that include assault charges, drug charges, traffic violations, he's been shot at multiple times (and being hit 6 times the most recent shooting at a Chris Brown party), and the most recent occurrence being theft (for taking a paparazzi camera along with Katt Williams, though Katt isn't seen in the video. I couldn't find it to post, instead I included a video of Katt talking to TMZ about Suge's shooting).

There's just something about Katt Williams and Suge Knight being together that brings the bad out of people (no shade Katt, you're a great comedian). Obviously there have been multiple occurrences including Katt and Suge, including a fight outside of a night club in January of 2013 (which there is also a TMZ video of floating around online), but to prove that Katt is not the common denominator in the bad press, here is a video of Suge throwing some sneak disses at (what you'd think as "former", apparently there still might be some bad blood even today) rival Bad Boy label head Diddy.

  
So discussing this video (besides the conspiracy theories surrounding it and Suge fueling the 'Tupac is alive" debate), the first thing that comes to mind is Suge's very unhesitant diss of Diddy. Which leads to the question: why diss Diddy after all these years?  Seriously though:  how does dissing Diddy right now help your career out?  Back in 94-96 this certainly would have made for great press, but right now can anyone honestly say they feel this holds any sort of significance?  Piling this on top of the "Tupac is alive right now smoking a Cuban cigar" comment makes it seem more of a cry for attention than trying to make a valid point on an issue. Not to mention that Diddy is currently worth $500 million and is in the top 3 on the Forbes list of wealthiest hip hop artists. Who out of these two would you say is winning?  Success is the best revenge.

A very big conspiracy I have to address is Suge's supposed role in Tupac and Biggie's deaths. There are definitely more than enough theories in both rappers' deaths to detail in one post (or several posts for that matter, especially Tupac), whether people believe the shootings were gang-related, that one or both of the rappers are still alive, or that Suge actually orchestrated the hit on one or both of the rappers, the speculation is endless. These arguments are certainly all just rumors, but nonetheless could sway the way somebody would view Suge and what his true intentions are. Why kill off one of your own rappers?  Some might say more money for Suge, others would say that Suge was jealous of the attention Pac was getting that Suge felt he himself deserved, and some might even say that Suge woke up on the wrong side of the bed. While the last one might not be as reasonable (though it could be plausible from what we know about Suge), it seems that people wouldn't know enough about Suge personally to form an honest opinion.

When we get into talking about Suge's most recent burst back into the spotlight, this might be evidence that Suge is indeed human after all. Suge recently had a court hearing for his alleged robbery charge of a paparazzi camera and was taken into custody with bail set at $500 thousand. If Suge were to be convicted, he would be facing 30 years to life in prison (with past charges being mostly because of an assault with a deadly weapon). While all of the charges Suge has faced have been no joke, it seems that it all finally begins to pile up on him in a TMZ video that shows Suge visibly upset with the ruling, and his face wet from crying. You'd have to be a past victim of Suge's to not feel a little bit of sympathy towards him in this video.

                                (*I do not own any of the videos in this post, or the rights to them*)


So while the evidence shows that Suge may not deserve to have any sympathy thrown his way, I'd most certainly love to hear what the audience has to say!  Do you believe that deep down Suge might be a good man whose made mistakes?  Or do you think there's no excuse for so much error and he needs to pay for his wrongdoings?  The sensible person in me believes that Suge is an egotistical, power driven maniac who doesn't care about anything but money, but then the good in me thinks that if anything were to make Suge Knight cry, it's probably pretty harsh. I tried my best to include 2 sides to Suge, but his history of violence and crime charges make it barely believable that there is good in Suge. Let me know your thoughts on Suge and if he's just made a lot of mistakes in his life and you think he can correct them, or if you think that there is no changing a man who has done so much wrong (Vanilla Ice might go with the latter, though that is also just speculation as well). All I really have left to say is that Suge Knight might really be gangster until death row, whether that be his desire or not.   








    









          

The Trillest O.G.: Bun B's Influence On Rap

I certainly got into Big K.R.I.T a lot later than I could have hoped. My first listen of him being his 2013 mix tape King Remembered In Time, and as I listened on to a mix tape that had every type of song, and sounded like he definitely could have sold in stores based on the quality of the songs, one of my select favorites from the tape was one by the name of "Shine On", featuring fellow Houston emcee Bun B. Now I've always been one to get into those heavily slept on rappers very late (probably because they're so heavily slept on), but this K.R.I.T tape led me to buy his debut album Live From The Underground, and I noticed another Bun feature on a song by the name of "Pull Up", also featuring Big SANT. I had never heard a rapper with such a distinguishable voice before, and by that I mean I had never heard someone demand such a presence on a microphone, I was almost sensing the power through the speakers, it was like Bun was in my house rapping along to the beat of these songs, and his style demanded just as much attention as his voice did. After hearing these tracks, I knew I had to hear more, and was moved by what I had found.

Bun B is his name. I really hope you already know, but it's okay if you don't because I can do my best to give the proper introduction. The only way you can properly describe Bernard Freeman is that he is the absolute trillest of them all. He is so trill in fact that he even had the word copyrighted (that's right, the word "trill" has been copyrighted by Bun himself, does it get more trill than that?). Many have debated what the word "trill" means, or who it represents, but the idea behind it has always been a sort of cool and laid back style, and when Rolling Stone magazine asked Bun what it means to be trill, Bun replied "just look at me." It's debatable that southern rap is almost nothing without it's originator, and his influence on rap is just about unmatched, you can hear it almost anywhere you turn on a radio to your local rap station. Bun's influence on not just southern rap, but rap as a whole is clear when you listen to big names like B.o.B, Big K.R.I.T, Trae Tha Truth, Paul Wall, Chamillionaire, Ludacris, T.I., Slim Thug, Nelly, and one of the biggest being Toronto's very own (also, October's) Drake (I mention his being from Toronto because even being from an entirely different country you can hear the influence and the homage paid to Bun in his music).

(Seems to be the most Houston-influenced song in Drake's catalog even to this day, especially when you hear him detail a night in Houston towards the end of the track.)(*I do not own this song or the rights to it*)

So what has Bun B really done for hip hop?  How has one man defined an entire subgenre inside a genre that is getting more and more broad every day (if you say rap isn't expanding, you're either hating, or you don't listen to it, period.)?  While the best place to start to explain this is in the influence you hear in the rappers I listed above, a certain style has been originated by Houston rap as a whole (and many would probably argue that Bun was indeed the originator), and it's called "chopped and screwed". If you haven't heard of this style it's done very heavily by DJ's and most commonly found on remakes of mix tapes. To "chop and screw" a song or a project is to slow it down, make the bass line bump just a little more than it did before, and make it proper for those who "sip on sizzurp" and "lean", and to put it in layman's terms, the people who like to move "just as slowly as the music".

Yes indeed Houston's brand of hip hop is one of the most known yet different types of hip hop there is out there, and Bun B and Pimp C were at the helm of it before Pimp C's unfortunate passing in 2007. That certainly hasn't stopped Bun's hustle though, as he has released 3 albums since then, II Trill in 2008, Trill OG in 2010, and Trill OG: The Epilogue in 2013. Oh yes lots of research went into this, how could I do an entire article on Bun without listening to any more of his music?  I certainly enjoyed everything I found. His first album Trill in 2005 was a huge blast from the past listening to, and reminded me of when I first had gotten into hip hop and some of the first artists I remembered hearing on the radio. Yes this album came at a time when southern hip hop reigned supreme, and boasted features from big names like Jeezy, T.I., Ludacris, Ying Yang Twins, Chamillionaire, Mike Jones, and basically every southern rapper you could imagine was at the top in 2005.

Overall, Trill OG has to be my favorite Bun album. His hard sound really shines through, and the features fit very well on every track, it's basically Bun's version of The Chronic 2001. A couple of stand out cuts are the Drake features "It's Been A Pleasure" and 'Shut It Down", with Drake doing hooks on both songs and even giving a verse on "Shut It Down," very interesting to hear these tracks as they were right around Drake's come up in 2010 right after his debut album Thank Me Later. Those aren't the only stand out features on the album though, Bun also got an unreleased Tupac verse for the song "Right Now", which also features Trey Songz and Pimp C. Every featured rapper sounds good in perspective of the album, but Bun is no slouch on songs without features, and he proves it on bangers like "Lights, Camera, Action" and "I Git Down 4 Mine". The production is banging in proper Bun fashion as well, perfect to bump in the trunk of your car, and even features a DJ Premier beat on the song "Let Em Know". (Wow, certainly didn't expect to basically just give you an album review there, but if I had to recommend any albums for new Bun fans, Trill OG would certainly be it.)

So needless to say, Bun B makes some pretty great music and his influence on today's generation of rap still shines through strong. Listening to him brings me back, especially his first album, because his style was basically what epitomized rap in the early 2000s, and the younger side of me gets all nostalgic, but saying Bun has made the same music since his debut would be unfair, and pretty inaccurate. Though the concept of his Trill O.G. (which I'm also just realizing means trilogy, clever work Bun) series remained the same throughout all 3 albums, his growth as a rapper and as a person can't be denied, and how could you not change after the death of a close friend, and former Scottie Pippen to his Michael Jordan?  No, Bun certainly hasn't been one dimensional at all throughout his career, but I believe there is only one word that could describe him, and I believe we all already know what it is.  

                












         

Kendrick Lamar And Dr. Dre's "Detox": An Insane, Not So Insane Theory

Kendrick Lamar is undoubtedly in the top five hottest emcees out right now, and really has been a giant on the scene since he became known roughly around 2010-2011. It's amazing what he can do on the microphone, and as a guest verse on ANYONE's song seemingly (see rap song catalog 2011-now). Dr. Dre is, well... he's Dr. Dre. A rap producer (a pretty damn good one at that, at least he was), and mentor to a strong list of established artists, along with being a headphone aficionado of a line that just sold for $3 billion. The two of these men together have the ability to make timeless hip hop, a sound, almost a certain type of hip hop branded by one coast:  the west. A bond of being from a troubled "hood" and knowing the struggles of the "streets" can take you a long way, or so they've shown to this point. But a certain idea was brought to my attention not too long ago that is just crazy enough to believe.

And now I propose to you...a question if you will:  Is Kendrick Lamar Dr. Dre's long awaited Detox?  Now hear me out here, this might not make sense to you like, at ALL, but then I really got to thinking about hip hop's best kept secret, and the ones keeping it. I know that Detox at this point is nearly a myth, the best album that no one has ever heard, incredible production, insane feature verses only from the best of the best in the game, production value rivaled by NO ONE, maybe even a few unheard Tupac verses?  The ideas for Detox are endless at this point, but I don't think Detox is what people think it is.

Now when it comes to Dre being the mentor that he is so well known to be, the list of names is a pretty good one. It's not far off to say that Dre is responsible for the come up of Snoop Dogg, Eminem, 50 Cent, Game, NWA, the list goes on (besides Slim The Mobster, whatever happened to that dude?). But the latest protégé taken under Dre's wing has been none other than fellow Compton emcee Kendrick Lamar. It wouldn't be wrong to think that Kendrick is just another successful artist, but it seems to me there is more to this...and now let me tell you why.

It is known that Kendrick Lamar is a clean, sober rapper that stays away from even the every-so-often beer. Yes Kendrick is 100% sober and has even rapped about overdosing on a laced blunt in Compton in the song "Maad City." The line is as follows: "Cocaine laced in marijuana and they wonder why I rarely smoke now, imagine if your first blunt had you foaming at the mouth." So its obviously safe to say that Kendrick is far out of the norm for a rapper/producer like Dr. Dre:  for God's sake Dre's first two albums are named The Chronic and The Chronic 2001, but the idea of Detox is to push Dre toward a new path. Whether he's sober or not nobody but Dre knows, but he has come out to say that Detox would be his final album.

Not only does Kendrick fit the "detox" theme that Dre is aimed for, but believe it or not, there is even more to this!  Obviously with both Dre and Kendrick being from Compton, there is (what you'd think) a certain chemistry between the two, you know, with seeing what they saw in Compton and all that. A bond had to be made with not only growing up with the hard ships of living in Compton, but with the music as well. It's like Dre is the king and Kendrick is the prince, he's still learning it all and has a way to go, but its like its set in stone:  Kendrick will carry on the tradition of west coast hip hop when Dre decides to call it a career. The torch will be passed, and in good measure, it's almost like Kendrick's come up was meant to be, seeing as its a known fact that Kendrick was ON SET of Dre and Tupac's California Love music video. That's right, the video was shot near his house in California. And on top of everything else, Dre and Kendrick even attended the same high school (Centennial High) in Compton!  Now it's starting to make a lot more sense that Kendrick has a song called "Look Out For Detox".

So when you think about things that are meant to be, this entire scenario is nothing less. It was pretty insane when I got to thinking about it I'll admit, but conspiracy theories be damned I had to address this. As reclusive as Dre is with everything nowadays (don't get me started on new music, or even something as simple as that incredibly dope Beats commercial with Dre and Kendrick in it. Can we at least get some official audio?), it didn't seem far off to assume that there was a bigger idea behind it all. Although the idea's insane, can you blame me for dreaming?  In case you didn't see the incredibly dope Beats commercial featuring the two, check out the director's cut below.

 

     *I do not own this video or the rights to it. I do not own Beats or the rights to them*



      




 

What's Beef? Not What It Used To Be; Hip Hop's Attitude

Why is hip-hop so awesome?  I'm asking because I want to know what the eyes of the people who listen to the music see. But it doesn't just come down to the music. Hip hop really is a culture as a whole. People who live it come in all different types of  shapes and sizes. Not even a specific city or state can define how you will see people act, or define what they listen to. In hip hop it is argued that your area does define who you're listening to to a point. Sometimes, in the minds of the people psychologically, where you're from is what you listen to. Anyone who showed respect to these other areas are cool with them because they paid homage. But to those who didn't.....well something needed to happen. This is how it was. But how is it now?  Has hip hop lost some of its attitude because the people aren't real enough anymore?  Let's examine this point, because I believe the people (myself included) have it screwed up to where someone's life being put in danger makes headlines for all the wrong reasons.

Now what is beef really?  No not the meat smart asses, the rap kind. How does it start out and where does it stem from?  If you asked 20 different rappers, you'd probably get 20 different answers. Ultimately when it comes down to it, beef is problems that other rappers have with each other. But beef has evolved since the days of before. If you really think about beef on a grand scale, you probably think Tupac vs. Biggie. Not one other hip hop beef has shook the media, along with the east and west coasts both as much as this beef did. The publicity was unheard of, something that rap hadn't gotten much of up to that point, but for the wrong reasons. Both of these men died because of rumors circulating about each one of them. Merely rumors and pride is all that this beef came down to, in layman's terms. Today beef is much different of course, not as much bloodshed (unless you're 40 Glocc), but ultimately it is better because lives aren't put at risk. At least, we'd like to think so.

Now there's a lot of different types of beef in hip hop today, if we started from about the year 2000 and came all the way up to 2014, you would definitely notice the differences with beef in the past. Social media sites like twitter make things a little more clear, but also complicates things at the same time. When you talk about something as little as the Iggy Azalea and Nicki Minaj "beef," (and that may be putting it heavily even describing it as that) social media sites and blogs and web sites of all kinds blew this out of proportion about 5 times more than what it actually was. The headlines were hilarious: "Nicki Minaj throws shade at Iggy Azalea with her acceptance speech?" People and their imaginations are wild. But the blogs and the web sites have it correct in this sense:  PEOPLE LOVE BEEF.

As bad as this may sound, any publicity is good publicity, especially to a rapper or singer. Standing up for yourself sometimes is all you can do. But it's the opinions of the people that get the stories incorrect. I grew up in an era of Eminem and 50 Cent dominating the webs and album sales (yeah, so I'm young, what of it?), so even in my opinion, it's just like Drake says; nothing was the same. Even with 50 Cent vs. Ja Rule, Shady Records vs. Murda Inc. in the early to mid 2000s it was different. Without social media how do we all last?  (The sad part is some people wouldn't have an answer for you, but I don't know if I have a right to talk, trying to make a living on the internet and all.)

An interesting aspect of beef itself is that only hip hop really deals with it, no matter how big or how small the problem may be (word to Meek Mill and Wale, grow up you two before we get Rozay on you). I believe a lot of this stems from rappers not being afraid to voice their opinions about others. Some may call it being thirsty for attention, which you wouldn't be wrong some of the time, but rappers certainly like to "keep it 100" with people when it comes to talking about being cool or having a problem with someone else. But the fact of the matter is, no one really knows what happens in beef between 2 people except for those 2 people!

I believe there are certain types of beef, 2 in particular. The first beef is having a problem with somebody outside of the music itself. If a rapper gets disrespected, most of the time, they will let not only that person, but sometimes will even let the entire country know about this problem (which can lead back to social media). That is the first type, and not too many people care about these issues too much. They usually resolve themselves, and are forgotten in a couple months (less if something bigger happens). But the second type of beef is musically. Verse-wise, when you get disrespected in a song, it isn't uncommon for this rapper to go back at the person throwing shots with some shots of their own. In rap, clearly how your rap is perceived is something that people buy, something that you can sell to willing customers. If your abilities get disrespected, you go back at this person questioning their abilities as well, sort of like a more main stream form of battle rapping. In my opinion this is what I love to see, this is what makes hip hop entertaining, and this is what adds to the competitive nature of hip hop. It has sort of been this way since Kendrick dropped "Control." Now I know, I know, "Control" doesn't deserve any more attention than its already gotten, but there is a point to it. Let me ask you some questions; since "Control" dropped, have you not been more entertained with rappers at each others throats going bar for bar and showing some of the best rap capabilities we've seen in a decade or more?  Hasn't rap finally gotten back to a competitive state where each rapper is rapping their tail off to prove they're the best?  I'll let you mull these questions over yourselves (get back to me on Twitter @SuperNovaRover, or Google+ Geoffrey Guy with your opinion).

So how would you define beef?  I can truly say it's nowhere near where it used to be on the entertainment side of things. But as a whole, this could be better for the publicity it gets. Rappers have to be cocky and confident to keep up appearances and make themselves look like they're the best, but the violence is lowering. The day when people focus more on the competitive aspect of rapping and not the killing part of it is the day they can say "we made it." Isn't it more entertaining to hear rappers go bar for bar instead of them going bullet for bullet?  If people understood the fun in hearing a fire verse as opposed to hearing a hollow point, then they would understand. If you get disrespected, do what you do best to prove it wrong: rap about it. Take it to the booth.    

    

  

       

   

Who is Daz Dillinger? The Analysis

Daz Dillinger is not a name many hip hop fans would know right off the top of their heads, or maybe not even a name you'd associate with music, depending what you know. See this was my opinion at first, not knowing who he was, all I saw him as was some random dude who hung out with Snoop Dogg. If you saw Snoop's movie "Reincarnated," which documents Snoop's rebirth and his trip to Jamaica to find himself, your first assumption might be that Daz is just a guy Snoop has been friends with all his life who just tags along with Snoop and smokes weed all day. But to those of us new to Daz, he is definitely much more than that.

Daz Dillinger, real name Delmar Drew Arnaud, is known mostly for his role in the hip hop group "Tha Dogg Pound," originally formed with fellow known west coast rapper Kurupt. Hanging out with Snoop so much of course wouldn't not open up doors for you, although he surely didn't need things handed to him. His real start in the industry began as a producer for legendary west coast rap label Death Row Records, where he produced multi platinum albums and singles for rap goliaths like Snoop and Tupac, along with contributions to Dr. Dre's highly acclaimed debut album "The Chronic."

I knew none of this, and of course didn't bother to do the research until now. The idea of Death Row Records and its rise to the pinnacle of hip hop always fascinated me, so I kept digging. When you think of Death Row you obviously think of Snoop, Dr. Dre, Tupac, Suge Knight and Kurupt. So where really does Daz fit into such a star studded line up of hip hop giants?  Daz got his real chance to show and prove himself once Dr. Dre, head producer of Death Row at the time, left the label in early 1996 due to issues with label boss Suge Knight to form his own label Aftermath. The rest of that story is very well documented history. *Cough Cough* where's Detox?

So this lead to nothing but great things for Daz, not only producing such hit songs as Tupac's "Ambitionz Az A Ridah," "I Ain't Mad At Cha," and Snoop and Pac's "2 Of Amerikaz Most Wanted," all multi platinum selling singles, but also being given the task of producing for Snoop's entire sophomore album "Tha Doggfather." But wait, in case you didn't think that was enough to believe Daz has the ultimate resume, there's much more. Would you believe me if I said the man raps as well?  Well you better because guess what; he does!

Shortly after fellow Death Row rappers Snoop, Kurupt, and Nate Dogg had left the label, Daz released his first solo album "Retaliation, Revenge, and Get Back" in 1998. Leaving Death Row seemed to open up many doors for the man, as he put out solo albums in every single year from 2002-2012, including two albums in 2005. Not only the rapping, but the production for other artists continued as well as he produced for rappers Kurupt, Soopafly, and B-Legit. It is known that Dillinger and Kurupt had a brief falling out in 2002 after Kurupt re-signed to Death Row, but they squash the beef in 2005 at a west coast unity event hosted by Snoop. Rumors say that Daz is planning to offer the new owners of Death Row Records unreleased material to re package along with re-mastered old Death Row material.

So that's that, at least for this portion. I hope you learned a lot, I know I definitely did just in this little research project of Daz. It just goes to show you a little research on someone you know little to nothing about can change your perspective about them. Now do I think Daz is just some dude who hangs out with Snoop Dogg and smokes weed all day?  Half of that is right, but I know not to think he isn't productive at least, no pun intended. Daz is just another portion of a huge segment of rap that practically defined a genre inside a genre with west coast g funk hip hop. If only we could relive those days in a way, get all the old heads together and put them on an album that will define the west coast for years to come. I'll bet it could happen, but we'd need a couple producers to work together and a few rappers to get on songs and rap about the right stuff. I wonder who we'd turn to for this project?  Hmmm.... 

      




       

Unreleased Music: Importance and Intrigue

So imagine this hip hop heads...you get online to do your daily music updates. Songs are in a debatable word "ehh".  You got your soulja boy here, your kevin gates there, oh lil b just came out with his 5th mixtape in 4 months? No disrespect to loyal lil b fans of course, but, well, you see a guy like me finds no interest in that. So you scroll and scroll until you believe you've lost all hope in the day until just then; BAM!  Herpes (No I'm kidding of course, Family Guy reference, sorry). But anyways, BAM!  A new (technically old) Eminem video of him at age 25 surfaces on the web and you get more excited than Royce Da 5'9 when he touches his rifle's butt.

So what brings this excitement you ask?  Well that my friends is what we are here to discuss. I can't be the only one when I say I absolutely love unreleased music, and with respect to all genres of different sizes and shapes of artists. It seems hip-hop takes the crown when we discuss unreleased material. A big reason for this possibly being the case could be the passing of arguably the 2 biggest and best to ever do it, Tupac Shakur and the literally big in his own right Notorious B.I.G. While the work ethic of both is seen differently; for example, an interview with Dr. Dre says being in the studio with Tupac is like making a whole album in one night (at least that's how I picture it, see Dre interview below starting at 3:55). Where as something new (old) from Notorious is definitely not as expected at this point, but from other's perspective might be something way more special.

Change happens in music. Sometimes its for the better and sometimes for the worse!  But nonetheless it happens. For example, the old, insane Eminem that could give the Joker a run for his money. Many people would find this Eminem more descriptive, more lyrical, and funnier in what he says (depending upon your taste in humor). Now, when we talk about the new post-Recovery Eminem, it almost seems like a different person (not saying I'm a conspiracy theorist who believes the real slim shady died many years ago and they replaced him with a clone. No really...look it up. Isn't it crazy what people can come up with?). Recovery was a good album of course, but not what fans were expecting. The opera heavy lead single "Not Afraid" to me sounds like him walking up to a church pastor on a sunday morning, snatching the mic from him, handing the church choir lyrics sheets, and just letting it all out (cue "AMEN" from the crowd).

A breath of fresh air to an old school Eminem fan could possibly be something like stumbling across a 20 year old freestyle, or an interview, enjoying the old blonde Slim Shady we all grew to know and love. These hip hop artifacts if you will, are very key pieces to seeing the growth of an artist, the struggles they go through, and who they were before they really became "somebody" as they say. The process of becoming a name in the music industry is just that; a process.

So enjoy who your favorites artists may be now, enjoy what they're currently doing, and understand that no matter how big they may get to be, they probably do deserve their come up because they worked for it, and paid their dues. Everybody loves a throwback Thursday though, and who knows what the next big release may be, or even when it drops. So, be on the look out for new Tupac 2015!!