Lil Wayne vs. His Real Father (Jigga)

Grown man kisser, excuse me, Lil' Wayne has been talkin' out of his ass for quite some time now, but he really stepped over the line in that Complex magazine issue a couple of months ago claimin' that he was better than Jigga. Now to me, u can't be better than somebody when u blatantly took his whole rhymin' style, but that's neither here nor there. Muthafuckas jus need 2 learn how 2 respect their elders, that's the bottom line. Thru all the "out of ass" talkin' (no homo), Jigga never said somethin' (or did he?), until possibly now in the new T.I. song "Watch What You Say". Now I'm hardly a theorist assumin' that every verse is about beef, but shit, ain't shit else 2 do nowadays but beef wit niggas, so Jigga is probably pickin' the one nigga who been talkin' outta the side of his mouth the most (besides Jim Jones anyway).

Now Lil' Wayne supposedly responds on Freekey Zekey's (WHY THE FUCK IS HE RAPPIN') song "Beat Without Bass", meanin' a battle that I wouldn't mind listenin' 2 might actually pop off. Fuck peace, I wanna see niggas fightin' in the street, Jigga and Wayne should go at it (a big PAUSE 4 that one).

Now I might get killed 4 sayin' this, while Jigga is my 2nd favorite MC (behind Nas), i don't think he's hungry enuf anymore 4 fuck wit Wayne, yes I said it.

Wayne in 7 rounds... BITCHES!!!

American Pimp

Some classic shit by Suga Free. For all you trick-ass-marks out there, Free is the original rapping pimp, and he's been laying his mack hand down on wax for about a decade now. This is a video for "On My Way," off his debut album Street Gospel. Released in 1997, the album failed commercially despite full production by DJ Quik and some of the most hilarious, mind-blowingly misogynistic lyrics ever recorded. The whole disc is classic: Quik drops impossibly smooth grooves throughout, and Suga Free spits game on every track, squeezing an unimaginable amount of syllables into every bar with rhythmic precision.

"On My Way" is probably the closest Suga Free will ever come to a love song, and it still involves threats of domestic violence and a storyline about him kicking a hoe out onto the street. All set to an almost cheesy, undeniably funky track. The video is the perfect visual accompaniment, as it shows Free in all his pimpish glory, waves and shiny shirts included. I never even knew this shit existed--thank god for Youtube.

Suga Free's still puttin' it down, but I don't think he'll ever make another masterpiece like Street Gospel. His last album, Just Add Water, didn't have a single beat from Quik, and feels like a mixtape rather than a proper record. Quik and he had been feuding cause Free reportedly stole one of Quik's beats and sold it to Rappin' 4-Tay, leading Quik to call him out as an untrustworthy junkie (don't know about that, but he has rapped about snorting meth, a new one for hip-hop as far as I know). However Quik and Free have supposedly resolved things, so here's hoping they reunite. Neither one of them is as good without the other (I like to think of them as the B-Squad Dre and Snoop.) I have to admit I haven't heard Free's latest project, Secret Congregation, but that's cause I'm not too fond of rappers' "crew" albums (Though I'd bump it over Cold Summer anyday.) Anyway, while all these rappers brag about their "pimpin'" let's give it up to a real pimp who can still rap circles around most of them. Chuuuuuch.

50's hood card is PERMANENTLY revoked!!

Maybe I shoulda figured it out when he said on "Ryder Music," "they say I'm homophobic, shit, go thru the hood, there's madd niggas on my dick," or maybe I shoulda figured it out when he makes fun of other MC's on his new song "Fully Loaded Clip" for havin' relationships with women, or maybe I shoulda figured it out by Tony Yayo's undyin' loyalty to him, but if nothin' else, a sequence of pictures were found the other day which shows that Vivica Fox must not have been puttin' it down in bed 4 him because he has now ran to this. I know they always say there is a reason behind everythin', but the reasonin' behind these photos might be more questionable than the damn photos themselves, so I don't even wanna hear that shit.

It's final, 50 can NO LONGER beef wit ANYBODY. How u gonna question somebody else when u holdin' dildoes wit a smile on ur face. Public Service Announcement, 4 all the MC's who got into altercations with 50 in the past, this is ur time 2 get back at him, cuz there is NO way around this one. U ain't gotta even say anythin', jus put a video on YouTube with a filmstrip with these pictures and a repetitive "50 likes men" hook in the background and u ain't even gotta rhyme, the shit is self-explanatory.

Allegations of snitchin', everybody on G-Unit floppin', nobody feelin' ur new music and NOW u like dildoes, 50's career is over...

"My Voice Irritatin' N*ggas..."

Sorry to monopolize this blog shit, but this video is so funny I had to share. Basically it's a posse track, with all your favorite rappers being hella gay. Some of the impressions are so on point it's hilarious. My fav's are 50 Cent, Ludacris, Gucci Mane, DMX, and of course er'body's favorite rapper, Li' muthafuckin' Boosie.



"My ice look cheesy, I got it at the maaall!"

How Can You Hate When the Shit's This Funny?

Bay Area 4 Life Son!!!

More than Music, Greg Oden in the club

And to think I ever doubted Greg Oden was ready for the NBA. At first I thought stay, polish your talents, enjoy college. Then I saw this picture and realized Greg has the most important part of being a professional athlete down...groupie management. I apologize for any doubts I had prior to viewing this image, because he seems to be on the right track so far. I don't want to speculate, but Oden could be well on his way to following in the footsteps of all the great, hall of fame adulterers. Kobe, Shaq, Michael Jordan, Barry Bonds, Chipper Jones folks we are talkin all-time greats here and I see no reason why Greg cannot out shine them all. Now all he needs is an endorsement deal, and some illegitimate kids by this young impressionable white woman, and he is all set.

Greg, before you embark on your journey of debaucherous, hedonistic encounters only Wilt Chamberlin could compete with, I think you need to get acquainted with a few phrases. 1)"He or She is not mine" 2) " I told you them kids ain't mine, so I ain't payin!"and of course the inevitable...3) "How much do I owe exactly?". Number 3 is key because you will not only be saying it to your future baby mamas, but also your lawyer, judges and whatever random skeezers, hoochies, hussies, impudent m.i.l.f's and snaggle-toothed smuts you have to pay to keep their mouths shut. Also remember one or two illegitimate kids is fine, shit who doesn't have one or five of those things floating around someplace. But lets not turn into Shawn Kemp son, More than 10 is really just ridiculous. God speed, and happy baby makin!

I'm not the only one!

Alright, since you punks don't trust my opinion, how about that of The LA Times? Yeah that's right, bitches, the Times is raving about Turf Talk. And so is All Hip-Hop, and so is (world's best blogger) Noz over at XXLmag.com. Not to mention the Bay Area blogs. And I just hit the local record store with my girl (who wanted to buy The West Coast Vaccine) and they only had one copy left. They've had to back order that shit! So wake up motherfuckers. Turf Talk is the truth, and this isn't just a good Bay Area album, or a good Hyphy album, or a good album for a relative of E-40. It's a fucking dope album. So stop frontin'.

I'll leave you with some words from Kelefa Sannah (yes, he of The New York Times.) Apparently he's on the (hyphy) train too.

Okaymentary: a documentary on Okayplayer

This is a trailer from a documentary that Okayplayer is making about their website. This is pretty much where I see Hip-hop POV at in 5 years. haha..

The 5-0 messed with the wrong dude this time...

Not that they ever seem to mess with the right guy.

According to August Brown's column in the LA Times, San Francisco police recently made fools of themselves and further diminished the police's already staggeringly awful reputation when they harassed The Coup's frontman Boots Riley, allegedly searching his car and launching accusations, to the extent that they investigated HIS ALTOID CASE.

Riley tells the story best, "One of the cops finds Altoids in the car, and is yelling at me, asking 'What pills are these?' I said, "They're breath mints; they're curiously strong."

Now I know that racial profiling is nothing new by any means, but this is just entertainment. Of all the people they could have messed with, it happens to be probably the most politically active rapper there is. He's a respected activist in the Bay Area, and a majority of his songs are about revolution and overall discontent with the system. And of course, he had to be the one the jackass pigs pulled over.

Right now he is working with the Office of Citizen Complaints to see what his legal options are in this case, according to the LA Times column. This isn't the first time, or the last, that this has happened to him. "I've gotten stopped for reckless eyeballing, for staring too hard," Riley told Brown. "These officers think they're Tarzan and this is a jungle, that all the animals need to be tamed."

The animals that need to be tamed are law enforcement officials. Why is it that I never seem to encounter officers who are sensible human beings, who communicate any sort of intelligible thought that really makes me comfortable that they are, indeed, "protecting and serving?" Maybe it's something they learn in the academy that demands they be ignorant monsters who should perceive contact with anyone 15-35 and able-bodied a threat, and any contact with black people an absolute state of emergency. Or maybe they are as scared of the black community as blacks are of them.

I mean, seriously, an Altoid case?

For those not in the know, The Coup is a Bay Area-based, politically charged hip-hop group who got national attention when their 2001 album Party Music originally showed the World Trade Center towers blowing up on the album cover--shortly before 9/11. The FBI raided Boots's apartment but found that it was just a coincidence... an amazing one at that.

I've been onto The Coup for a few years now and I love what they do. They are multi-dimensional and one of the only ones using hip-hop as protest music these days--and that's not to take away from the other topical raps Boots is capable of articulating. The Coup's style is pretty laid back, almost ambient, and I think you Southern heads would dig it... Boots's drawl and delivery are reminiscent of Devin the Dude or even Big Boi.

This just in: Common is gay

I wonder if that's a Gap hoodie...

The Ultimate Summer Mix

In case you can't tell by the title of this entry, I am about to grace you with what is the "ultimate summer mix". I don't pride myself in many things, but one thing I do think I can do well is make a good 19-song mix for my car or a mix for a party. With that said, is there any time during the year more needy of a good mix than the summer?

Ans: No.

So, without further adieu, here is my Summer Mix 2007. (Double Album).

Disc 1

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"2 Step (Remix)" - DJ Unk feat. T-Pain & Jim Jones
"Tatted Up" - The Alliance feat. Fabo (D4L)
"Keys Open Doors" - Clipse
"We Run This" - Missy Elliott
"Smash Your Head" - Girl Talk
"The Game" - Common
"Buy You A Drink (Shauty Snappin') - T-Pain feat. Young Joc
"Walk It Out Freestyle" - Lil Wayne
"Shakey Dog" - Ghostface Killah
"Beautiful Girls (Remix) - Sean Kingston feat. Sheek Louch
"The Zoo" - R. Kelly
"What a Job" - Devin the Dude feat. Snoop Dogg & Andre 3000
"My Block Freestyle" - Cam'ron, Juelz, & Jim Jones
"Music Is My Hot Hot Sex" - CSS
"Notorious" - Notorious B.I.G feat. Puff Daddy and Lil Kim
"Old School" - Lil Wayne
"That's My DJ" - Girl Talk
"Rehab (Remix)" - Amy Whinehouse feat. Jay-Z
"Stronger" - Kanye West
"Push" - Enrique Iglesias feat. Lil Wayne
"Ringtone" - R. Kelly
"Ghost Ride It" - Mistah F.A.B.

Disc 2

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"Bittersweet" - Kanye West feat. John Mayer
"Alright" - Ratatat feat. Memphis Bleek
"Party Like A Rockstar" - Shop Boys
"Dope Boy Fresh" - Three 6 Mafia
"Upgrade U Freestyle" - Lil Wayne
"Umbrella" - Rihanna feat. Jay-Z
"Hold Up" - Girl Talk
"Pop Lock and Drop It" - Huey
"International Players Anthem" - UGK feat. Outkast
"Kick Push (Remix)" - Lupe Fiasco feat. Pharrell
"Can't Tell Me Nothing" - Kanye West
"(Bonus Track)" - Lil Scrappy
"Act A Fool" - Lil Jon feat. Three 6 Mafia
"Big Shit Poppin'" - T. I.
"Too Deep" - Girl Talk
"Chop Me Up" - Justin Timberlake feat. Timbaland & Three 6 Mafia
"A Bay Bay" - Hurricane
"I'm A Flirt (Remix)" - R. Kelly feat. T. I. & T-Pain
"We Takin Over Freestyle" - Lil Wayne

So There It Is. Mostly new stuff, with a few jams from summers past sprinkled in. Download em or buy em, I don't care. Just get em and have a crunk summer. I know it may seem a little ATL heavy, but guess what? That's where all the party music comes from. It's what we do.

Keepin' up with the Joneses, or the Westes for that matter!!

Around the time of Late Registration, a song Kanye made with John Mayer started bein' rumored 2 be on it called "Bittersweet". Alas, album dropped and the song wasn't there, but this time, they decided 2 give out the entire track instead of the first like 15 seconds of the shit. This updated version still has John Mayer on it, but added Keyshia Cole to the mix (who doesn't really do shit on it btw), but that's neither here nor there. Enjoy it bitches, lemme know what u think...

Damn, son!

I am gonna have to cop this dude's album. Koch scores again!

AKON is my hero!!!

As of today, Akon is my new favorite artist, hero, idol, and mentor. Since he came onto the music scene I have had very mixed feelings about old dude. I don't like a lot of his songs, and have never bought one of his albums, nor did I ever think I would. The one thing you couldn't knock about Akon up until this point was dudes hustle. He is flat out on that grind and gettin PAID right now. As of this week however, we definitely shouldn't doubt Akons future as a professional wrestler either. Recently at a concert, some dip shit fan hurled a projectile at akon and struck him right in his grill. Akon then had security bring this ass hat on stage, and proceeded to unleash a move Hulk Hogan himself would have to be proud of. Instead of simply having this jerk removed, Akon decides it better to shot put this dude off stage simply cuz he can. No matter what anyone says Akon, I concur with your decision and hope that you make it a signature part of your act. watching you throw some random ass hole off stage for me is well worth the price of admission. May I point out that not only did akon throw this dude, he did it with great velocity and accuracy to boot. We should all applaud his efforts and he should be commended. This incident for all you non-believers out there is just another example that yes there is a god, and that he is great and mighty one at that. How can you not believe in a higher power when he not only wakes you up everyday, but provides us all with humorous episodes like this on a daily basis. Ladies and gentlemen these are the little things god does to make life just a little bit sweeter for us all. Watch the clip I doubt you will be disappointed. Since some of my computer illiterate friends don't seem to get how it works when we post links on here, CLICK HERE to see AKON molly wop this fool. hopefully that is simple enough for you.

Hyphy's First Classic?

Although it’s received quite a lot of criticism (I see you el), the “hyphy movement” has been a blessing for Bay Area hip-hop, which before last year’s newfound attention had been suffering from a decade-long commercial drought. Stupidity aside, hyphy has united Bay Area artists and provided local rappers a much-needed springboard to national exposure. Nevertheless, consistency has never been one of the genre’s strengths. Sure there have been some great songs, but we’ve yet to have a hyphy long-player that goes as hard as 90’s Bay classics like E-40’s In a Major Way or 3x Krazy’s Stackin’ Chips. Enter West Coast Vaccine, the new album from Vallejo’s Turf Talk.

If you’re not from the Bay, chances are you’ve never heard of Turf, but the lil’ homey has been doin’ his thing for a good couple of years now. Turf has the distinction of being E-40’s cousin, but he easily holds his own as a rapper, possessing a truly unique style that stands out even in a region known for its rappers’ unorthodox flows. Like E-40 or Keak da Sneak, Turf Talk is somewhat of an acquired taste (no homo), but his high-pitched, nasal cadence becomes addictive upon repeat listens. He’s also pretty damn funny, sprinkling his verses with hilarious one-liners that seem to owe nothing to the rappers who’ve come before him. While Turf’s flow is clearly a product of the Bay (and of the Sick Wid It fam), it’s also completely original, a quality that’s refreshing in a genre that too often seems to reward conformity. Though his influences are present, clearly Turf is his own man.

Of course any rapper is only as good as his production, and the beats on Vaccine don’t disappoint. Whereas 40’s Ghetto Report Card relied heavily on the Southern bounce of Lil’ Jon, Vaccine’s production is completely a Bay Area affair, resulting in a sound that, rather than being a “cousin of crunk,” is its own thing entirely. Hyphy architect Rick Rock supplies the bulk of the beats, pushing his compositions even farther into spaced-out madness (the monstrous “Holla At You”), while up-and-comer Droop-E (E-40’s son) also contributes several tracks, showcasing a newfound versatility on bangers like “Broke N*ggas!” and “Stop Snitchin.” Also present behind the boards are Oakland vet EA-Ski (aka “the Bay’s Dr. Dre”) and San Jose’s Traxxamillion, the mastermind behind Keak da Sneak's “Superhyphy.” Lest the album become too “dummy retarded,” as they say, Turf drops a few laid-back joints, such as the soulful album intro, that reflect his years spent in LA as an adolescent (growing up he split time between V-Town and Southern Cali.)

At 21 tracks, West Coast Vaccine is a bit bloated, but considering the length there are remarkably few duds. The beats knock hard as fuck (particularly in a nice car stereo) and Turf stays on point lyrically and vocally throughout, often completely readjusting his style to fit a given track. Bottom line: the shit slaps. Hate on the Bay if you must, but please at least listen to this album first.

...

I know none of you reading this are gonna run out and cop this joint, so I’ve posted the entire thing for download. Check it out, and if you like it consider buying a real copy or at least checking for Turf’s next project. I guarantee this shit is ten times better than the new Fabolous.

Ya'll Bay Area Nigs Got Problems!!

At first I wasn't gonna pay this clip no mind, but when I saw it pop up 4 like the 3rd straight time, I decided to take a chance on it. Now since I've been around my nigga BK (Richmond California, stand up!!) at school 4 the past 4 yrs, I became in tune with that Bay Area shit, but this time around, ya'll niggas is really trippin'. This new video called "Cupcakin" has showed up on a bunch of sites I've been on, receivin' comments like "classic" and "that next shit", which solidifies my thought that ya'll Bay Area niggas have lost ya'll fuckin' minds. I mean hyphy is cool, everybody wanna wild out from time to time, but shit like dancin' on top of movin' vehicles, words like "shaboobalaboobly", goin' "yellow school bus dumb" (whatever the fuck that means), and wearin' printed hoodies knowin' damn well its like 100 degrees over there is beyond my reasonin'.

All ya'll need Jesus...

Real Hip-Hop Network

Many of the problems in the hip hop community are due to the generational gap and lack of understanding the figurative chasm between them creates. Many people see the older sects as dated, and irrelevant at this point. 50 says O.G. simply stands for old goat, I on the other hand feel relieved that two certified O.G, hip hop greats decided to come back and save hip hop and black tevelsion from themselves.

KRS ONE, Kid Capri, and a music exec Atonn Muhammed, the president and CEO of the SSM Music Group, have been working on launching a TV channel for the past year or so. Its called The Real hip hop Network and will portray hip hop in a fair and balanced light, something the game has been missing since...well I suppose its never had it. The channel is going to be all encompassing from what I understand. You can tell KRS and Capri feel much like the readers and authors of this blog, and to some extent our still torn in regards to what the channels official platform will be. Sure I'd love to see a lesser known artists on tv, Or shows with more substance than Rap City (as it is today not circa 90's-'01) 106 and park, and MTV's sucker free. but at the sametime whether we like to admit it or not, we all like hearing some Three six, Game, Jeezy or any of the other masogonistic artists of the day. Thats just part of what hip hop is. Parts of it are grimey, violent, sexist but that is not compulsary of the art form. which is why this station is such a great idea. Rap fans are hypocrital by nature, much more so than any other music fans. We listen to it all and love it for what its worth, we bump our heads while talkin shit about the artist, we say it's dead then go buy the new releases that week. Hypocrasy is what we do, and its what we do best.

Whether its Deloris Tucker, Don Imus, or your grand parents, I dont think one hip hop enthusiast has not had that one particular annoying ass conversation. you know the one where you try and defend the music you love, but its hard because obviously they are ignorant to all the music that doesnt fit into the categories of gangsta rap, southern gangsta rap, east coast gangsta rap, and strip club music? As frustrating as this conversation can be, can you really blame them? whose fault is it? The consumer? The radio and television programmers? I think we all play a role. again the hypocrasy of rap and human nature for that matter applies here. KRS-ONE and Capri contend although they won't encourage it, you will hear some ho's and bitches's and nigga's on their channel just like the others, that as we all know is just part of the game and always will be. KRS obviously is still in touch with the side of him that said "Roxanne Shante is only good for steady F%@%'n" However it WILL NOT be a 24/7 thing like with B.E.T and MTV, but B.E.T especially.

Not to get on some racial ish but allow me to get on my 400 year old soap box for a minute. B.E.T was started by a black man, and he got rich off it. So rich that he was able to buy an NBA team and basically name it after himself. B.E.T is not owned by black folks anymore, but its programmed by black people, and a black woman at that. Do I like it when people like Imus desribe women that look like my mother or sister as nappy headed hoes? no, infact I hate it. Do I like it when people feel they can say certain things because snoop said it or cuz nelly slid his black card down some girls ass? no. But it pisses me off even more when B.E.T, which last time I checked stands for Black Entertainment Television portrays black women as hoes, and black males as thugs 22 out of 24 hours a day, and has done so for years now. Much of life is about accountability, you cannot do what B.E.T has done, then call foul when its become acceptable socially. Then again im sure NO ONE got what ever prejudicde thoughts they may have reinforced afterwatching the last season of College Hill...don't even get me started.

My only problem with the channel, is that its going to be a premium joint. It will cost you extra through whatever cable service picks it up. In my opinion the monetary component of the equation spells death for the fledgling network before it even hits the ground running. If you can remember MTV2 started out the same way and eventually ended up being on generic cable. I doubt it, but hopefully this new network will meet the same fate. Its needed, its necessary, and long over due.

Is Kanye really ready 2 Graduate?!?

So another song from Kanye West's Graduation has leaked to the internet, this time the song "Stronger." After listenin' 2 it, I duno if the shit is genius, or the worst fuckin' song he's ever been responsible for (even wacker than that shit he did 4 Brandy a couple years ago). Now the question must be asked, am I forcin' myself 2 like this shit, or is it actually the shit? For right now, I'ma go with my first thought and say that this song is gay, but I might re-nig later, fuck it, who knows. What do ya'll think of this joint?

By the way, "Can't Tell Me Nothing" is still THAT shit...

The best and worst producer-rappers of all time (part 2 of 3): The Best

Disclaimer: Let me be very clear what I’m judging on here. In making these rankings, the criteria I looked for were creativity (talent), originality, and strength of catalogue. This list is completely independent of sales, although I had to discriminate based on legacy; for example, despite the fact that I think J-ZONE is one of the best producer-rappers, and has been for six or seven years, I can’t bring myself to put him in the top 5 simply because most of you, at best, have probably only heard his name. I added the honorable mentions at the bottom for people who deserve recognition in this category but don’t make the top 5 cut. To review what a producer-rapper entails, see my part 1 article.

1. André Benjamin & Antwan Patton (Outkast)
The most creative group to ever grace the stages of hip-hop began producing its own music on ATLiens, and went on to produce for other Dirty South associates like Killer Mike. After they projected “’96 gon’ be that year” on “Elevators,” it seemed like every year since has been Outkast’s, garnering international attention, Grammy awards, and ever-expanding clout in the hip-hop world. Outkast broke from traditional hip-hop boundaries with Stankonia in 2000, to worldwide acclaim. Nowadays they possess the Midas touch of hip-hop, and their unorthodox contributions to hip-hop and black music continue to captivate hip-hop audiences everywhere.
Best Cut: “Wheelz of Steel” (1996); “Humble Mumble” (2000)
2. DJ Quik
As a friend of mine pointed out recently, Quik’s career may not be the most consistent out there. It would be hard to call any of his albums classic because they always seem to lack fluidity, variety, and uniformity. Nevertheless, it becomes very clear from reviewing his career greatest hits that Quik belongs in the top 2. He is the perfect embodiment of west coast hip-hop, and is responsible for dozens of self-produced hits, from “Sweet Black Pussy” to “Pitch In Ona Party” to his newest, “Can U Werk Wit Dat.” His voice is one of the most recognizable, and while it lends to his comic charisma, we have to take seriously his unparalleled knack for poppy production and rhymes to match.
Best Cut: “Hand In Hand” (1998)
3. Dr. Dre
The fact that Dre employs the writing of others doesn’t shake his position as one of the greatest producer-rappers ever. He, perhaps more than anyone still making hip-hop, has proven that he can adjust with the times—at least three decades worth. He has a reputation for being a meticulous figure in the studio, and his perfectionism manifests in his well-polished music. Dre is one of hip-hop’s great business minds and a genius musically, always a student of music and searching out a new way to do things. I can’t justify his accomplishments here in one sitting—somewhere down the line we will have to designate a real Dre Day.
Best Cut: “Let Me Ride” (1992)
4. Lord Finesse
Damn it feels good to see people up on it. An unbiased listening of The Funky Technician will convince anyone that, even in 1990, Finesse was a great producer of his time, and a rapper way ahead of it. Emerging from the hardcore depths of East Coast hip-hop, Finesse influenced the entire region’s musical output for years. I always forget how influential he is until I go back, listen to this album, and realize how many of his lines have been straight jacked by later rappers. Finesse’s may not survive prominently in the public eye, but he left his mark on D.I.T.C., as well as going on to produce for legends like The Notorious BIG, The Artifacts, Jay-Z, and Big L.
Best Cut: “The Funky Technician” (1990)
5. MF DOOM
DOOM is the only underground character to make this list, and unlike his stagnation in the underground caste, he made the list for good reason. Building a cult following since the late 1990s, which I proudly call myself a part of, MF (Metal Fingers) is an anomaly of his time, when rappers must be flossin’, blingin’ criminal replicas of one another. He is an imperfect, vulnerable portrait of a beaten black man, a street poet whose production bleeds emotions of the highest human capacity. He received probably his greatest exposure on his last projects, including an appearance on De La Soul’s last album, the highly acclaimed Madvillainy (with Madlib) and a collab with Danger Mouse, Dangerdoom. While lately his rapping has been his more foregrounded talent, the production he demonstrates as early as Operation: Doomsday is outstanding.
Best Cut: “Doomsday” (2000)

Honorable Mentions/People to watch out for (Descending order): Madlib, Cee-Lo, J-ZONE, Devin the Dude, El-P, Cool Calm Pete

Poet hustlers and tha graveyard shift

Bone-Thugs are clearly the most poetic hustlers on the graveyard shift, and I have been a big fan since the song crossroads opened my eyes to one of the best west coast rap CD’s I’ve ever heard (and their first CD) “E. 1999 Eternal.” If you haven’t heard it, you need to. But what I don’t understand, after buying and listening to their new CD, “Strengh & Loyalty,” is why I bought a Bone-Thugs CD and got a compilation with everyone and their mother on it. Everyone and their mother = (Akon; Mariah Carey; The Game; Bow Wow; Will.i.am; Swizz Beatz; Yolanda Adams and Twista) I mean, I am all for a guest or maybe two blessing an album. But I’m sorry; I didn’t buy a Bone-Thugs album to listen to Bow Wow. I was, and still am, extremely disappointed by this album and will not purchase another Bone-Thugs album till it is free and clear of ALL guest artists. What makes me more upset is that they have so much potential to make great music… but little Bow Wow, come on.

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RZA, Take Notes

I may be a little late coming to this one, but the other day I finally heard "914," the first single from Pete Rock's next solo project on Nature Sounds, NY's Finest. Now I'm a huge Pete Rock fan (some might say dick rider), but I gotta admit I was a little concerned about what the album would sound like, especially after hearing "The PJ's," a lukewarm joint with Rae and Masta Killa off the last Nature Sounds comp. Thankfully, I can now say that all my fears have been erased, because "914" is a monster.

Pete Rock ft Styles P & Sheek Louch - "914"

As the landscape of hip-hop has changed, Rock has seen himself stripped of major label backing and restricted by tougher sampling laws that prohibit the expansive production style he pioneered on albums like Mecca and the Soul Brother and The Main Ingredient. Nevertheless he keeps on dropping gems (albeit often under the radar), showcasing a modified style that makes the most out of short, unrecognizable samples and choppy, hard-hitting drums. "914" is a perfect example; it eschews the jazzy style of Pete's earlier work for a simpler, grimier sound that perfectly complements the ruggedness of MCs Styles P and Sheek Louch. In fact, the D-Block soldiers sound more at home over Pete's production than they have for most of their career (who ever thought it was a good idea to pair The Lox with Swizz Beatz, anyway?)

Hip-hop fans have notoriously short memories, so it's only natural that true-school icons like Rock be relegated to the genre's "underground." What's remarkable is that the man keeps putting out such high-quality material after almost twenty years in the game. His continued creativity (and that of peers like Premier) is a model for aging hip-hop producers, who with enough passion and drive should be able to keep doing this shit until they die.

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NY's Finest (Nature Sounds) is scheduled for an October release. The tentative guest list includes Papoose, Jim Jones, The Lox, Raekwon, Ghostface, Masta Killah, Cappadonna, Redman, Slum Village and MF Doom.