Hiphopservations

Not sure if there's gonna be any deep thoughts in this edition - just a rundown of some shit I've been listening to and whatever. Of course, you never know where my mind will take me by the endE'

So Will the cableless wonder finally got to see some videos Friday night. Hoo boy I was charged let me tell ya, nothing like some mindless flipping between mtv bet vh1 and the box to enrichen your weekends. Saw the eminem video. Well, while it still trips me out that he's #1 on the box and getting play on every station, having finally seen the video and this "new" version of the song, I can understand why. But I'm not gonna shit on him for it, I really don't see any reason to. Yeah he changed some lyrics. Well whatever, you have to or you're gonna get edited. The song's not quite as funny now. Big deal. Yall act like it was some politically charged deconstruction of society which has completely lost its message. It was always a goofy song, it's still a goofy song. Really though, I should have seen this popularity coming. I remember when I dubbed "my name is" off stretch and bob in like september, and the next day I played it in the car for this friend of mine who's not a rap fan at all. He was laughing his ass off. And a few months ago, I was in the car, listening to hpk, with one dude who's a rap fan but not real up on the underground, he didn't know who eminem was at the time, plus 2 other cats who don't hate hip-hop but don't really listen to it. Some shit came on, maybe "just don't give a fuck," it definitely caught everyone's attention, they were talking about it as we chowed on our burritos. I think the reasons for his popularity are pretty simple (besides the PR push I'm sure aftermath is giving him, and all that behind the scenes shit). The voice and the video. I know some cats think the voice is annoying. But if it doesn't bother you, first of all it's a distinctive voice, and secondly he really annunciates. It's easy to catch everything he says, every joke is crystal clear. I'm not saying this makes him better or worse than say, chino xl, but people wondering why chino didn't blow up for doing similar shit have to realize that non-heads who latch on to some hip-hop songs aren't watching videos or listening to the radio all focused. Chino spits his shit rapid fire, if you're not sitting there concentrating on the song you won't catch all the lines like you will with eminem. It's eminem lines that have been flying thru my head for the past few days, even though there's other songs that I've been listening to a lot more and like a lot more. Furthermore, the video, whether you love or hate it as a hip-hop purist, gets your attention as well. Frankly I thought the shit was funny. It ain't no classic shit, but I was laughing. (and I think that johnny carson impression was on point.) calling eminem a sell-out, or a vanilla ice, really doesn't hold any water with me. Dude _is_ talented. I doubt I'll get the album, because most of the beats I've heard him over have been weak, and the shock/funny raps don't have much staying power w/ me. But I am interested in hearing it. Oh yeah, one more eminem thought - I find it very interesting everyone is suddenly getting their panties in a bundle over his lauryn hill line. I don't remember anyone saying shit about it when tony first posted that line in like july. Oh, but of course he wasn't yet the great satan back then.

Saw the redman "I'll bee dat" (or whatever it's called). I thought it really fizzled in the 2nd half, but the beginning? When he swept those dancing chicks away, and then they got replaced by the 300 pound broads, I lost my shit. Saw the "dr. greenthumb" video. Well, b-real's teeth looked funny. Saw about 30 seconds of the juvenile video. First time I've even heard the damn song. I've been reading about it in magazines and here for like 6 months, I was almost getting compelled to just buy the thing so I could hear it. Anyway - it strangely seemed not bad. Dude does sort of sound retarded, but I kind of liked the beat. I'd like to hear it again.

Well what I really wanted to see was this roots video. Finally I decided to charge 2.50 to my friend's phone and ordered it on the box. 90 minutes later the shit still hadn't come on. I was getting salty, but then I caught it on the bet countdown. Damn, that video is cold. I'm not gonna offer any additional interpretations, but I just really dug the whole vibe of this video. When he walks through that park towards the end and there's like 200 bodies all over the place, man, it was kind of scary and beautiful at the same time. And then when black thought is suddenly dead and everyone else is scattering, right as the drum n bass breakdown comes on - perfect

Did saafir's album ever drop? What's up with that?

Is dj spinna making a little comeback? It's hard to follow him, he seems to produce so much shit, as far as I can tell from reading sandbox's and hiphopsite's little blurbs, and I'm sure I don't hear half of it. But it seemed like for a little while, like say 1998, his shit had dropped off a bit. But recently the beats for big kwam's "verbalize" and jigmasta's "matrimony" are really hitting me. Maybe these aren't even new, but I've just heard them.

So what did I buy recently.

Souls of mischief single: this first song "shooting stars" is really a shame. There's a good song in there somewhere, but I honestly wonder if anyone listened to this shit before releasing it. These samples they have are completely dissonant, it sounds horrible. I think this beat is close to being dope, but they took a couple samples that would be nice on their own, but don't fit together at all. I don't think I can ever listen to this song again. The second song is straight but forgettable. But "maximize 3rd eyes," daaaaam. That beat is amazing. Anyone know who produced it? Plus tajai and phesto come w/ some classic hiero flow ? the rhyme structure, subtle use of alliteration. Dopeness

Ras kass "won't catch me running"/"remain anonymous" I've had these on tape for a few years but thought maybe if ras saw big sales of this reissue he' see what the people want from him. Probably not hmmm? O well - most of yall know this shit. Brilliant. His flow and his lyrics were just way ahead of what he's doing now.

Marley marl "the symphony" 1 and 2. Yall know this. Youngsters - go find it. That's what mic presence is all about.

Dose-one _Hemispheres_. Hmmm. I haven't come close yet to digesting this. I'm not sure if I will. Hemispheres is an appropriate name; this is one of the most cerebral records I've ever listened to. At least it seems to be. I think the vocals should be mixed a little higher on a few songs, especially since he has such an unorthodox flow, you're not quite sure where the next word is coming from. I prefer the "right" side more; makes sense as I'm lefthanded. I don't quite know what to say about this. It's strange. I like it, but I'm not sure if I should. I really don't get it yet. From what I can make of "ethereal downtime" I think there's more substance in that song than in most artists' entire oeuvres. It feels like a song I have somewhere in the back of my brain, but I've never had the motivation or time or something to quite get it onto paper. Anyway, a couple of the beats on the first side suck, though I'm really feeling "spitfire." Beats on the second side are different, can't really describe them. But I'm feeling them enough to want to put some time into figuring out what this guy's talking about. Is this a worthless review or what?

Big mike _still serious_. Ha ha. Well I found it for 3 bucks so I figured what the fuck. Anyway, it's ok. I really want "Playa playa" but that's on the 1st album. This shit is ok, it doesn't really do anything for me but I can listen to it. Have you ever noticed that if you buy some shit for real cheap, you're not as critical, nor do you put in the same amount of time to listen to it carefully as if you bought it new for like 16 bucks. No? it's just me? Ok

Diamond _hatred passions and infidelity_ found it in the 5 for a buck bin. No cover. This is decent. Even the commercial beats are decent on here. I'd say it's even worth 5 or 6 bucks.

Paris _sleeping with the enemy_ hell yeah!!! This shit is cold. Listening to it I'm kind of reminded of ice cube's first couple albums. It's heavy on the politics and social commentary, and it's got those thick west coast beats from the early 90s, back when their beats were intense and in your face, instead of the post-chronic laid back, sludge-funk. Honestly, I think this is a better album than Amerikkkas Most or Death certificate. Too bad he was so slept on. Shit, too bad I've slept on him for the better part of a decade. I need to get his first one now. DJ shadow hooked him up with "days of old," that beat is ridiculous. "black power is more than a t-shirt." "I'm not pro-human cause every human ain't pro-black." What's he doing now, since getting arrested for stealing his own equipment?

Peanut butter wolf. Well I'll probably piss some people off, but this bores me. I can't really rip on it, it's not bad. I mean, the mcs are generally mediocre, but not terrible. The beats are well-crafted, every dj you could want to listen to is on here somewhere. It does nothing for me. I just have no interest in hearing it anymore. "tale of 5 cities" is cool, but I honestly don't think it came off as dope as the concept of it was. "run the line" is straight. Planet asia's songs are straight. The lootpack song is straight. That's about it. None of these beats get me open. They're not bad, they're really not, and I can't say I recommend no one get this album.But absolutely nothing about it makes me want to put it on.

Went to subterranean on Sunday night. Good stuff. djs precyse and rude one and a couple other cats I kind of recognized but don't know their names were spinning. Sake was there, but wasn't spinning, he said because he hadn't brought any stuff. They played some records, did some individual routines, did some impromptu "team" routines. Precyse did this routine, a one-record beat juggle of "miuzi weighs a ton." Just made different drum patterns with the one record back and forth, the crossfader and the volume fader. The dopest part was probably when he played that little horn (?) that comes in right before "get up! Get doooown," then pitched it to like +6 and played the horn again, then pitched down to like ?8 and played it again. I guess that sounds kind of easy, but he was doing some other shit too, it was kind of complicated, plus it sounded dope. (so many dj routines, both scratching and juggling, just seem to me like some joe satriani guitar jack-off bullshit. Ok, so your hands are fast, let's hear something interesting.) precyse is just sick technically, plus he has a musical sense. Later he was just cutting up one word for like 5 minutes, but it never got boring, he knows how to change up his patterns. Anyway, when he was thru with his solo routine, the crowd went nuts. Capital d of all natural plus cohorts mr greenweedz and the all-star showed up, they kicked a few verses and some freestyles. Apparently cap d's upcoming 12" is a solo release, not an all natural release. What the difference is I'm not sure, since he does all the mcing and producing regardless. Oh, and the All-star is dropping a single. So if anyone cares, and I'm not sure why you would, I guess you can keep an eye out for that. Mike from mass hysteria showed up, but didn't feel like spinning or rhyming. I was kind of disappointed, as I've never seen him rhyme in public, plus I thought it would be nice for him to show some people what he has what with their song coming out on the molemen single in a couple weeks.

I've only heard "nas is coming" a couple times and haven't gotten to peep the lyrics really, but whatever, you can't sound wack over that beat. Primo haters out of the way! I love innovators as much as anyone, but how many of these supposedly great new producers still have beats worth hearing after a couple years? When they run out, I know I can turn to premier and his formula and 90% will be tight.

I guess that's about all I've observed recently. Depending on what kind of prices I can find, I'd like to get the roots, prince paul, and the coup this week. I also need to get the black star single, is that remix all it should be w/ black thought and pete rock?