What is a Classic

    I often hear people offer up their opinion on what they consider a “classic” rap album. I guess until recently I never considered what it actually takes to make up a “classic” album. I know my perception of what is classic material is different than what someone else considers to be classic. Before I continue I would like to first give examples of what I consider to be “classic”: Straight out of Compton, Amerikka’s Most Wanted, Death Certificate, Doggystyle, The Chronic, Resurrection, The Diary, The Untouchable, Every Outkast Album, Soul Food, Ready to Die, Reasonable Doubt, and so on and so forth. There are far more than I listed, but I just wanted to scratch the surface. Some will look at this list and say what about….. But understand that this is just a snapshot of what I consider to be classic material, and what is considered the standard. Each album meets different criteria that put them in this category. And this is what I want to focus on. What makes an album a hip/hop classic? Now before some readers begin steaming about what albums I didn’t list, calm down. I’m going to narrow down the elements that give an album that “stank” if you will that It takes to rise above the rest.

    The first element that is essential to classic status is the beats. Much like a great New Orleans gumbo, you can add all the shrimp, and boudin you want, but without that love and the right seasoning you just have a pot full of ingredients and no soul. To me that’s what the beats are, the soul. This ingredient is tricky, because the beat preference vary from region to region and state to state. On occasion there is an album that transcends all bounds. Exhibit A: Doggystyle. Now this album is heavy with sho nuff west coast flavor, but for the time it was released the beats could be heard banging all over the country. Why you may ask, because the beats on the album were funky and contained a little stank! No matter where you grew up, you had to bob your head when it came on. Beats aren’t the only reason, but you have to admit without them you probably wouldn’t be jamming Doggy Dogg World some 20yrs later. Exhibit B: Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik. Initially the album wasn’t accepted outside of the south. Outkast was even booed in ‘95 at the Source awards in New York while accepting the award for best new rap group. Funny how this album is largely considered a standard. In the south we always knew the truth, but it took the rest of the country a little time to warm up to it. The lyrical content was on point, but the beats made love to your soul. Once you have the soul, the body will follow!

    The next ingredient that can boost your album in to the next stratosphere are the lyrics. Exhibit C: Illmatic. Most hip/heads and even other rappers consider this album the mold by which all others are judged. Lyricism is the most basic building block by which rap was built, and there other greats out there who deserve some credit. But popular opinion rules out on this one. The beat pattern follows the New York boom bap style, which is an acquired taste for many outside the region. The lyrics are what make this album universally respected. Think I’m lying, just get the album and go to #3 Life’s a Bitch ft. AZ! Seriously go get the album if you don’t already have it and listen I can’t do this one for you. Exhibit D: Reasonable Doubt. I admit that initially I wasn’t the biggest Jay-Z fan, but once I went back, whew! The lyrics on this album have an adult feel to them. J’s lyrics have a subtle arrogance that isn’t too much, but just right. The song Friend or Foe epitomize his cool confidence. I would argue that his rhyme scheme and word choice are impeccable.

    The last piece to the puzzle has a dual purpose. The social commentary/ability to capture the moment. I present Exhibit E: Amerikka’s Most Wanted. Ice Cube’s best work in my opinion. He began with a strong voice against the machine. I remember the first time I heard the album in ’91 I didn’t whether I wanted to be a black panther or a gang member (if you do your history one evolved from the other). There was a focused anger that needed to be heard. Fueled by frustration with sell out radio stations, and street issues that were and still are plaguing the music. He simply let loose. It’s worth noting that his social anger was amplified by the fact that he went to New York and enlisted Chuck D and his infamous production team. Exhibit F: Resurrection. I must warn the reader that this album is straight anger no chaser! But to the right set of ears there is social commentary that is rivaled by few rap albums. Scarface, Willie D, Bushwick Bill hit you in the face with stories and commentary that are undeniable. Take that and add the phone conversations with Larry Hoover (infamous founder of the Gangster Disciples). I would go so far as to say that you don’t ever have to go to the ghetto and listen to this album and have a complete understanding of the anger that resides in many of the impoverished neighborhoods around the country. Willie D comes off as one the scariest rappers you will ever hear. If you think I don’t know what I’m talking about I dare you to listen to First Light of the Day! If you aren’t from the hood, you might have nightmares!

    The albums I listed are only are few examples of what I consider to be classic. Also know that are many others. Some are personal preference and some are universally recognized. I just want the reader to understand that your classic isn’t necessarily mine. I also want to share with you what elements I find necessary to compose a classic. If you don’t agree, cool. Ponder this, how long has it been since a classic album has been released? Think about it!!!!

Hip/Hop Homework

This is entry is very simple. Instead of me doing the leg work I won't the reader (whoever that might be) to pull their own weight on this one. I am going to list three old school movies that revolve around the music and culture and hip/hop, and I want to began a discussion that hopefully educates and entertains at the same time.
Beat Street
Wildstyle
Breakin pt.1

I will pose this simple question. What is the common theme of these three movies as it relates to the culture?

There isn't necessarily a right/wrong answer, but I have  an answer and I want to discuss this. If you want to know my answer hit my comment section, and let's get the history lesson started. I will say that my answer will tie in  to the current state of the culture. And for those who don't like history, tough shit!!!!!!!!!!!!

Me Generation

            It occurred to me as I was riding around doing what grown people do, running errands. I’m on my way to the grocery store and it hit me like a brick. When is the last time you heard a group of rappers get together and rap about anything other than how much money they have or have spent? Think hard, because of the top of my head I can think of several tragic events that have happened in recent memory that deserved some sort of collective outrage. And I don’t mean just wearing some t-shirts or a quick line in a song. Of course I bring this up, because once upon a time “me” wasn't the entree’ of the day.

            Way back when I was just chillin in a place that in 1988 earned the distinction of being the “Murder Capitol” (look it up). That’s right Albany, GA! It was fun, but dangerous at the same time. The entire country was being ravaged by drugs and murder. Ask your older relatives what it was back then. I remember NWA “Straight out of Compton” was the new craze. It was as gangsta as it got! I remember watching YO! MTV Raps and they premiered something that hadn't been seen since “We are the World”. A group of musicians that decided to put “us” before “me”.

            Yep I can remember it like it was yesterday. The “Stop the Violence Movement” was something completely new in rap. Imagine that, rappers came together to rap about the destruction that was happening in our communities, what an idea. It was revolutionary then, and considering the current climate in rap it is as revolutionary now as it was then. I’ll give a couple of names: Boogie Down Production, Heavy D, Dougie E. Fresh, MC Lyte, D-Nice, Stetsasonic, etc. I’m not going to spoil you, so you can look up the rest. It almost seemed like a once in a lifetime occurrence, or was it?

            They say that lighting only strikes once in the same place. You would be wrong to believe that, because the very next year the west coast took a stab at it. This time it was “We’re All in The Same Gang”. This movement had just a little more credence, because at the time NWA was considered by the FEDS to be a serious threat to society, and they took part in the movement as well. The song also features Above the Law, who at the time was just as gritty as NWA. There again I won’t name all the participants, because I feel that I would do a disservice to the reader by spoon feeding this information.

            I just wanted to put this out there to illustrate that being gangster doesn't always mean irresponsible. It also doesn’t mean that rappers should neglect where they came from just because they have “made it”. Looking out for self can only get you so far. I think that selflessness should be honored and not selfishness! I just want this post, and all future post to be snapshot of where we can go, not how fast can we kill the culture. My apologies to my hometown of Albany, because my reference to it being the murder capitol wasn’t to shame the city, but only to help illustrate what was going on at the time. Peace!

Social Rant

                                            Social Rant

          It has been awhile since I wrote on my blog. I’ve had ideas of what I wanted to write about, and there have been many topics that I wanted to cover. Some of the topics that I have kicked around will be future entries, but for now I feel like this topic that is on my mind is the responsible thing to write about. I can only hope that this entry can serve to provoke thought and action. To end the mystery I’ve been thinking about a responsible way to move the movement that we refer to as hip hop in another direction.

          When you take a look at the current climate of the financial world there has become this divide between middle class and the upper echelon. There is also this purposeful exclusion of those who have yet to obtain of this “American Pie”. I could go on and on about how the rich have rigged the system in their favor, or how our government has been bought. This alone is enough for me to stop capitalizing america in my writing. After watching a documentary called “Park Avenue” on Netflix along with my own struggle as an out of work veteran with a college degree  and no felonies I began to ponder……… What the hell is going on? Being that I alone wasn’t enough to spark this change, but I thought that there is a platform that is embraced by millions across the world that speaks to the souls of the masses. And that platform is hip-hop/rap.

          Now I will be the first to admit that rap has arrived at a place where even the diehard fan like myself has lost quite a bit of faith. It seems that selling drugs, embracing drug use, or the outright disregard for anything responsible has become the topics of the day. And to some degree I believe that there is a place for some ignorance, but shit now!!!!! This is especially unsettling when you find out that record labels are nothing more than puppet masters. More upsetting than the fact that rappers seem to endorse this bullshit behavior is that rappers happily sell their soul to the devil for a piece of change, or just simply a chain. They even have the audacity to say this bullshit about them doing it for the hood. I digress, because my purpose isn’t to hold artists responsible for the dumb shit that they infect our airwaves with, but to daydream about what would happen if they helped their communities participate in the voting process, education, and self pride.

          It is paramount for the disenfranchised to take part in the process that affects their lives. Many of the social ills that plague my hood, your hood, and the entire nation could be averted if those who are being screwed by this system actually did something about it. The one thing that we see every presidential cycle that has politician shaking in their boots is “did they vote?” or did they do everything they could to keep us from voting? Instead us responsible, decently informed hood representatives have to hear topics such as: throwing money away, selling something that has ruined at least one person in every family (molly,crack,coke,etc..), or other dumb shit that doesn’t help their families and neighborhoods.

          All I’m saying is in this country we participate in a lot of bullshit, but expect to be taken serious. Why not use the system the correct way, and fix our society. invest time in educating yourself, and stop letting what others that don’t look like you, or live like you dictate what you see as fact. Take a little time to learn more about civics. Most important make those who work for our money fucking earn it (rappers and politicians).