Here is a beef that has gone on way too long already. Common vs. Drake. While at Aka Hip Hop.com I saw an interview with Common and it was about this whole beef. What’s crazy about this whole thing is Common hasn’t gotten this much publicity since Be when the word first came out the Kanye West was going to produce the whole album. Three albums after Be and the only hype even close to that album is a beef with Drake.

First off anyone who knows Hip Hop and respects real MCs knows this isn’t even worth putting thought into. Common is the better MC, artist and actor (well he starred in a movie, Just Wright, and worked along side Morgan Freeman King) but Drake is popular. Looking at this interview in the end Common says something about who decides the winner of these beefs. Now I first heard the interview because I was reading a comic book and that part came and I had to pull it back and see Common say what he said. What was crazy is I was expecting to the light bulb moment as he said those words. He didn’t but he should have.

Look this is ALMOST like what happened about a decade ago with KRS One and Nelly. Remember that beef? No, well Nelly was hot, real hot and had a song called “No. 1” and there was a line about people saying what’s real Hip Hop those rappers albums flop. KRS was featured on a song sometime after that and said something that came off like a diss to Nelly. From there the two kinda sorta went at each other. I say kinda because Nelly didn’t make a song just was featured on a remix and said some slick shit and had a freestyle dissing KRS. Of course KRS being the better MC killed Nelly with every track aimed at him. The problem is Nelly fans didn’t know KRS and radio since their record labels puppets and Universal put the push for Nelly radio only rocked Nelly stuff and it came off like Nelly was better “rapper”. This could go that way for this beef. I’ve seen Common in a few interviews and can tell you most of the people interviewing him are jumping on this beef bandwagon. I say that because any real Common or Hip Hop fan would ask if Common will go “Bitch In You” hard at Drake or just do a verse here and there? Then you add the fact out of the blue there are half ass mixtapes featuring Drake and Common songs as if Drake has a catalog as long as Common does.

In the end Common could come away looking like the loser to someone who really isn’t close to being on the same level as he is. Drake is popular and for some reason these blogs, Hip Hop websites, Hip Hop magazines and these people doing video interviews are making these young Hip Hop fans believe Drake is a real challenge for Common. What’s next Lil B. vs. Royce and people really thinking Lil B. may be able to take Royce. Hip Hop is real funny style right now.

I for some reason really didn’t check into Soundcloud as much I should have before going with them for my Sunday Soul Sessions. I used up all my free time which is like a hundred and something minutes. I looked up the cost and for $30 I can get another hundred and something minutes, for 500 plus minutes it’s close to 60 bucks. That’s only four hours and some change… That’s corny as fuck. So I looked around and came across a few of my first options which were Mixcloud and Soundmix. The thing about those sites is it’s mandatory to track list your songs on these sites because the artists are supposed to be getting paid when your mix gets played. That is where I take issue with all this because anyone who knows the music business and definitely any artists such as myself knows unless you own your music the label that owns your music gets paid not the artists.

I kinda have an easy answer for movie piracy which I will get into later on down the line. As for the music industry there is no real answer at all. One reason is because the music industry is really on making a profit for popular albums and songs. I bought the then Common Sense second album Resurrection in 03’ and saw it was under the Loud Records banner not Relativity which was bought out by Loud Records. Loud was bought up by Universal Music Group. UMG is only making Wu Tang Clan, Mobb Deep, Pig Pun and the Only Built For Cuban Linx album available. All the other artists aren’t really showing up on Itunes and you can only get used CDs and Albums of many of those other artists on Amazon. Itunes and Amazons are the two major online distributors of music with Wal Mart followed by Target for physical CDs. So if those four outlets aren’t selling certain albums the other outlets follow suit which makes it hard to get new copies of some albums. The crazy thing is if let’s say Da Dwelas video gets uploaded by someone on youtube UMG is there to block it. UMG isn’t doing a Vevo channel for them or selling the artists albums but they don’t want you to put it out there yourself either. Why not? In the end this is why I do illegally download. If I can’t buy it because labels feel there is no profit in uploading the whole album of less successful artists on Itunes or Amazon who are only known to those die hard fans of a certain genre, yes I will go somewhere else to get those albums. It’s sad some person who loves or just has an album uploads these albums on their free time for free when a label can easily do the same thing but for some reason just doesn’t.

It’s sad that labels aren’t willing to just put everything they own out there and then if someone uploads the album on one of those file sharing sites then you can make the argument about piracy. As for now I have gotten Cissy Houston R&B albums, D.J. Rogers, Nektar, Gloria Scott, The Duncans, Les McCann, Hi Rhythm, The Fuzz, Cold Crush Brothers, The Perfections, Salsoul Orchestra, United 8 and many more lesser known artists albums from illegally downloading. Would love to pay for the albums of these artists because I’m totally a fan and nowadays they’re shutting actual records stores down across the country all the time. So to even get old 45’s and albums of these artists and rip them to my laptop isn’t an option. I could go the Ebay route but the rarer an album is the higher the price. I shouldn’t pay over $400 dollars for an Earth Wind & Fire debut album no matter how much I love them. I know I’m not the target at all for these piracy claims because I don’t really deal with the pop culture stuff too much. I’m just saying it would be nice if these labels really put out all the music they own and have some side revenue flowing while they milk the more popular music cash cows. So I figure piracy is the labels fault. I just need to make it that way in my mind so I can feel better… I feel better now

I remember in 2009 when our country had a slight uproar about Derrion Albert death only because it became news and because it was posted on youtube.  After all the blacks are savages talk David Banner and 9^th Wonder dropped “Something’s Wrong”. Before this song I had no idea they were working together at all. I saw some interview with a shaven David Banner saying he had a list of producers he wanted to work with but a mutual friend linked him up with 9^th. From there what started out as a mixtape endeavor turned into a full fledge album.

So what happens when a MC/producer gets with one of the more popular underground beat makers in Hip Hop? Well first off the south gets represented nicely with 9^th being from NC and Banner being a Mississippi dude. You also get Banner going back to his conscious rap roots. 9^th Wonder really came through with the beats on here. It’s strange as fast as you can hear people say they’re tired of his sound it’s the collaborative efforts like this that shows he has much more to offer.

The album opens with “Diamonds On My Pinky” where David Banner just throws ill lines after ill lines in a short one verse bangout. Once that ends you get something pleasurable to the soul as 9^th beat sounds mad different than what you’re used to and David Banner kills “No Denying”. These one verse tracks show that this would have been a dope mixtape. Again it sounds good hearing a southern rapper with sense of self because that just seems like the last thing a south rapper has at all. “The Light” is one of those tracks I skip not because it’s a bad song but the hook is too damn long. As the title suggest it’s another food for thought track. A well welcomed highlight is hearing guest Ludacris and Marsha Ambrosius join the party on “Be With You”. It’s sound like a Luda track as he does kill it with the wordplay that only he seems to pull out of nowhere. Banner does keep up but Luda last bars put him over. Guest that show up make the album feel like David Banner and 9^th had a wish list of artist they made beats for and saw similarities on that list and called those people to come through. Some of those picks worked like with “Be With You” and “Strange” featuring Big Remo. “Silly” featuring an uninspired sounding Erykah Badu which was nothing more both producers braggin on their production credits, I swear this must be the first version of the last verse on “Make It Big”off the Wonder Years album for 9^th Wonder. Anthony Hamilton makes it on the album too, sounding a bit off key. I think that’s a 9^th issue because a lot of R&B artist sound a bit off on his production especially if he or someone he regularly works is mixing down the songs.

What’s cool and odd is the sound 9^th is known for hardly shows up. On “Stutter”, “Slow Down” and “Mas 4” which is really just some hard gangster shit. The way these beats come off are the way you expect 9^th to be coming all the time. So far I have been really feeling what he’s coming with and it’s sad those who say they are fans of his have yet to pick this up if just for a different sound beat wise. By no means do 9^th overshadow David Banner, I think they fed off one anther good. This album is good and short which has no interludes and skits, how old school is that? This isn’t an instant classic and to be honest what is nowadays? This is going to be one of those must haves down the line for someone who is a fan of either one of these men or both. If you don’t have this and like their music this might be a good listen for you. This is what Hip Hop is all about right here.

All day yesterday I was hearing how Mitt Romney is on the offensive. He’s been on the offensive since the primaries started. Hell he’s been on the offensive since McCain beat him. Romney was the front runner in a pool no names candidates, two has beens, and a highly overrated asshole cowboy who shot himself in both feet. The only competition for Romney is the party he’s a part of.  He’s been the one constant in the game of musical chairs, everyone one has had their spotlight moment to be a threat to who? Romney. He has been Ali with no Frasier. There’s been a Foreman, a Patterson, maybe a Liston but no Frasier at all. Now what was once thought to be a two for two victory in the first two primary votes is now a one for two thing and having his ass handed to him down in South Carolina, a place he really had no real chance at anyway, now he’s on the defensive.

I’ve asked before what is the motivating force behind this run? There seem to be more excitement about him winning one out of three primary votes than anything else leading up to this. The media hasn’t been this excited since the thought of Christie getting in the primary race had really picked up steam. If anything if I’m a republican I hope Romney doesn’t get the nomination because his party has shitted on him so bad that he might just become everything they claim he is if is to beat Obama.

As of now Romney has to regroup and now take this race a lot more serious than ever had to. At no point before the voting did Romney have to consider anyone a true threat pass Rick Perry the first few weeks of him entering the race. All the other hot for the moment candidates that got there week or two to shine to have news networks break down their political profile never were on Romney’s radar. Newt Gingrich became that threat because he (Gingrich) is just as well known as Romney is on a national. Its natural Newt would be the major thorn in his side and that their down south things totally are different. Romney now has to fight to stay alive. That’s not offense that’s defense.

I almost missed the rebroadcast of KC Currents last night. Well I did miss all but the segment about local Jazz. Listening to whole show it’s one in which I was reminded again why I like the show. They talk to a Tuskegee airman and then there is the Jazz stuff. The spot they’re referring to on The Plaza I have never been to it, seen it before but I don’t hangout at The Plaza. It’s not my kind of crowd of people. I have been to and love and feel the real source of Jazz is The Blue Room on Vine. It was nice hearing what local artists had to say about the city and the Jazz scene. There also is a piece for those still with hurt feelings about the New York Times article and the lack of places to eat for those not wanting meat. As always click here and enjoy.

Mitt Romney was somewhere speaking about not wanting to stop people from starting companies and making money. The crowd went crazy and then came a few sound bytes of people who owned their own business saying that’s why like Romney. That’s fine but for some reason we seem to have fused supporting American businesses with supporting hiring American people to work for those companies. Every few weeks it comes out during a slow point on a news network or NPR that many companies are out sourcing or just setting up shop out of the country. Hoffa put Apple on blast on a Sunday show on CNN when no one is watching because Apple was setting up shop in Mexico. That was the beginning and end of that story.

For all the flack Obama gets it should be noted that he (Obama) does have enough sense to separate American jobs and American companies. You always heard him say things like put Americans back to work or create jobs for Americans. Something Republicans aren’t really saying. Instead they are saying look out for the job creators as if that insures Americans will gets jobs. We are in a global market. The first thing anyone learns about business is get the best results without spending a lot of money. If that means outsourcing then so be it. Something no one really takes in consideration at all when they allow these politicians to speak on Obama being a job killer. I wrote about American bridges being built in China awhile back, the company who outsourced that job is an American company the workers aren’t, how are we supposed to be happy about that as Americans? That is something that needs to be addressed much more than taxes, regulations and Obama care.

If that becomes the focus, whoever is in support of outsourcing or just going to another country should lose the election. They can attempt to blame it on taxes or even throw a quick subtle jab by speaking about unqualified workers without trying to come up with a solution for what has now become a major issue that no politician is willing to address at all. If the Presidential race does boil down to jobs I think the person that strikes that blow of trying to figure out how to retrain Americans will have the upper hand. Because the opposing theory is of course cost. To say you’re not willing to invest in or “throw money at” retraining Americans to better their chances at getting work sounds anti Americans to me. All the pro life true conservative Jesus talk can’t hide that fact.

1. Intro/ Smokey Robinson – Quiet Storm
2. Jodeci – Forever My Lady
3. Boyz II Men -  End Of The Road
4. Jodeci – Cry for You
5. Boyz II Men – Bended Knee
6. Jodeci – What About Us
7. Boyz II Men – Trying Times
8. Jodeci – I’m Still Waiting
9. Boyz II Men – Water Runs Dry
10. Jodeci – Feenin
11. Boyz II Men – I’ll Make Love To You
12. Jodeci – Good Luv
13. Boyz II Men – It’s So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday

I don’t do rest in peace posts at all. Even when there are people I totally admire who have passed away I made it case not to go there. This isn’t my first issue with people not recognizing icons and legends that have passed away and who have been forgotten due to time.

It was reported Etta James had passed away, my girlfriend hit me up right after I had heard the news from someone at work. I jumped on Facebook and Twitter throughout the day and night and pass DJs and those who really loved music no one mentioned Etta James at all. I follow people in my age and older than me on for the most part on Twitter and most people are around my age that I’m friends with on Facebook and to not have it be something everyone is speaking on is crazy to me. I couldn’t feel that way too much about Gil Scott because as known as he was I knew he wasn’t someone the average person on the street would know. Etta James though? That was a different case in my mind. I thought everyone knew of her and knew at least one of her songs. I would have been cool with people going the lady Beyonce played in Cadillac. Nothing like that even came up. Maybe it’s just the people I follow and work around and live by. The cynic in me says if this was anyone out right now the news would be huge.

Is it a case of no longer caring about those who came before us? Could it be Etta James wasn’t a big enough star so her passing wasn’t on everyone’s radar? So many people will pass, it’s life, they aren’t all going to be Aretha Franklin, Al Green, Mick Jagger, Paul McCartney, Dolly Parton larger than life pop relevant people. There will be thousands of the lesser known artists who have contributed so much to music and should be recognized for it, not just in death.

I’m sure the Grammys will do something to honor Etta James, at least that’s what I would think. The Grammys have dropped the ball many times in the past several years. If they do choose to do a tribute it can’t involve any of the chicks on “urban radio” at all, including the mother of Blue Ivy.  None of the ladies out right now are worthy of such an honor in my opinion.

RIP Etta James

PROTECT IP / SOPA Breaks The Internet from Fight for the Future on Vimeo.

See you Thursday

When people ask who is my biggest influence in Hip Hop I always say KRS One. In a list of MC’s he is number two behind Rakim. As Hip Hop goes after listening to this interview you see just how a true legend should act. In the interview it’s more autobiographical as he reflects on his life and career. Not many MCs or rappers can have you wrapped up in what their saying without beefing, promoting their music or just saying things to get their name in the news. KRS has been one of the few MCs who can go around and speak and not have to do shows or have those places he goes to speak want to hear his music. I’ve seen him on youtube at places where he spoke about politics and the people interviewing not once brought up his music. He put the music behind him and never looked for an opening to bring it up. While many former rappers who don’t settle into acting gigs or production duties find themselves not really doing too much that’s note worthy. When the 15 minutes is up some have nothing else to offer. KRS doesn’t have to make another album again ever and say take any topic out of the things he spoke about in this interview and build with a crowd of people.

This interview also shows the difference between how MCs used to carry themselves as opposed to today. It’s like when watching the Beef series and seeing Davey D, KRS, Ice-T and few more school artist you saw how different they were from all the new beefs at the time of the DVD series. You can call it maturity or just call it a lost system. I think like how Motown had taught people how to speak and carry themselves Hip Hop artists had something similar. Or it could have been most old school rappers were college students, yeah college students, none of that being too hood to learn, go figure. Yes of course that isn’t KRS life but if you heard him and listened to him speak you’d never know it. He (KRS) is the one reason I read so much as well as sat in listened to the older Gods around my way when they would build about life and religion.  It’s cool seeing KRS show love to all those he beefed with in the music business, well everyone except PM Dawn. He admits he was young, they all were young and it could be why he never really disses the new dudes in the game. You have to grow up at some point and he knows that more than anyone.

This is a deep look into the life of KRS and it’s free on youtube, gotta love the internet age for reasons like this.