Hip Hop On My Mind is a blog on various topics in Hip Hop Culture and Rap music. The blog aims to educate and get discussions going on the various topics.
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NaS Concert Recap
As I mentioned before, I went to the NaS concert yesterday. It was held at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City. It was present by Hot 97 and Live Nation. After waiting a hour and 30 minutes outside, I finally got in. I seen from my seat the sold out crowd. Hot 97's The Finisher Mister Cee started the show with his own set:
Before he ended his set, he played the new Jadakiss record called "Letter to B.I.G." from the Notorious soundtrack:
Once he set was done, people waited for the greatest of all time to arrive. They called his name over and over. Then, he finally appears to perform his verse from Ludacris' "I Do It For Hip Hop" and his own record "Hip Hop Is Dead" to start the show:
After a few recent of his records, he kept it going by performing "Sly Fox" from his untitled album:
When he finished with the recent records, he asked the crowd could he take it back in time. After the crowd yelled yes, he performed many of his classics including "NY State of Mind" from the classic Illmatic:
Keeping up with the classics, the crowd was surprized with a visit from the Brooklyn MC AZ. This was the first time in a long time that the two MCs were seen together. NaS and AZ performed "Life's a Bitch" from the classic Illmatic, "Phone Tap" from the Firm album and more:
After a short break, the crowd tried to get NaS to perform "Ether." He turned it around to talk about a new album coming next year and the upcoming election for Mayor of New York City.
After he performed a few more records, he would go on to say that he won the battle with Jay-Z while saying no disrespect to the Brooklyn MC. (Fun fact: I recently found out that NaS felt that "Super Ugly" was not great as Jay-Z's stans and others made it out to be. This can be found in Kim Osorio's interesting book called Straight from the Source: An Expose from the Former Editor in Chief of the Hip-Hop Bible.) NaS kept going with another recent record "Black President" from his untitled album:
After that he performed his verse from Young Jeezy's "My President." Busta Rhymes came out to give NaS a little rest. He performed "Arab Money":
After that, he performed the classic "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See." NaS started to perform "Fried Chicken" from his untitled album which features Busta Rhymes on the record. When it came to Busta's verse, he cut the record off to claim that NaS is the greatest MC of our time:
Video courtesy of NAMESAKE917288. NaS ended the concert on a high note with more classics like "One Mic." His set lasted about a hour and 45 minutes. He might have stopped during some of the verses he performed, but he put on a great show that will last in people's mind forever. He performed a great range of his records from Illmatic to his untitled album. He showed everyone in that building why he is the greatest. If you never been to a NaS concert, you should.
NaS' MySpace http://myspace.com/nas
View more pictures from the show at: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2048222&l=94938&id=12203061 Pictures and videos from the concert are shot by me except the one I mentioned.
The Semi-Banned Music: My Senior Thesis
My Senior thesis titled The Semi-Banned Music: the Debate Over Lyrical Content and Themes in Rap is here! It has been a long road, four months of writing and one year of research. There was a lot I wanted to include, but I'm glad with the way it came out. I get my grade sometime tomorrow. I'm excited, but I'm even more excited to share it with all of you.
I, Danny Tejada, present to you, on Hip Hop on My Mind, my Senior thesis titled The Semi-Banned Music: the Debate Over Lyrical Content and Themes in Rap.
Abstract
My Senior Seminar paper will discuss the censorship of Rap music over its lifetime. The issues of sexism and the N-Word have been an important part of the criticism of Rap music. I will explore how various groups tried to censor Rap directly and indirectly, the amount of censorship that occurs today, male and female Rappers’ use of the word “bitch,” sexual themes in the music, and Rappers wanting to start conversations on the N-Word. With all of these subjects addressed, I make the point that the censorship that occurs today, while appropriate, is enough. There needs to be an understanding between those in the industry and those who are trying to limit the music regarding reasonable restraints that do not go too far in terms of limiting First Amendment rights.
Print it out. Read it. Share it with everyone you know.
Feel free to e-mail me at DADDYMACK31@HOTMAIL.COM with any questions and comments.
I'm heading back to New York City this Saturday. So, I might not post that much entries. I'm excited for a NaS concert that I'm going to on the 26th. My first NaS concert. I will also work on my mixtape Underground Hustle Vol. 3. If you are in the city, feel free to hit me up.
Thank you for the support. Peace.
Mixtape Spotlight: Swaggz at it Again and "DOPE SH!T" #4
Oh Boy! I have not hosted a mixtape in a long time. I know that I'm dropping my Senior thesis here later today, but I had to get this out. I seriously have been working on Underground Hustle Vol. 3 and plan on getting more of it done over this break I have.
Swaggz has been hard at work on Got Swag? Vol. 2. The first one has received a great number of downloads. Everyone can check that out at http://hiphoponmymind.blogspot.com/2008/05/mixtape-spotlight-swaggz.html. To hold people over, Swaggz released this mixtape along with me. Listen to it on datpiff, but download it on sendspace because datpiff messed up some of the tracks. ALL FREE!!!
I have not dropped one of these in a while. One reason is because I seriously forgot about it. That was my fault. Since I did that, I'll drop two tracks. Both come from Underground Hustle Vol. 2.
The first track is from $.O.D. It is called "Streets I Roam." Produced by Music Voyage.
Listen to and download the track for free here: http://sharebee.com/5fa04381
$.O.D's MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/sod2
Music Voyage's MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/personalentertainment
The second track is from Sindecal which features ThA SoprAno. It is called "I'm From Jersey." Produced by DTKN Productions.
Listen to and download the track for free here: http://sharebee.com/fa75eda5
Enjoy all of these records. I might do another "DOPE SH!T" with tracks from Underground Hustle Vol. 3. We shall see. Shout out to all of the artists and producers.
My Senior thesis comes later today. Stay tuned.
The DJ Started it All
The sixth post in my posting spree and the last before I drop my Senior thesis called The Semi-Banned Music: the Debate Over Lyrical Content and Themes in Rap tomorrow. Today's piece is something I wrote for a website. I didn't know if it would get published there. So, I posted it here. I really considered putting this in my thesis. I did not, but some elements of this do appear in it. Check it out.
When most people hear about Hip Hop, they think about the music and not the culture. KRS-One said it best: “Rap is something you do; Hip Hop is something you live.” Hip Hop is a culture. Rap is the music of the culture. Hip Hop Culture consists of MCing, DJing, Breakdancing, and Graffiti Art. Over the years, it has evolved to different things as well like fashion and knowledge. Hip Hop Culture was created as result of the growing poverty in the Bronx, New York. Now, it has grown into a worldwide thing.
Back when Hip Hop first started, the DJ was the one who people favored the most. He or she was the main headliner for concerts and parties. The DJs introduced MCs to the world at these events. DJs would play a record while MCs keep the crowd moving with vocals. The MC was the DJ’s hypeman. DJ Kool Herc was one of the first people who created the Hip Hop DJing culture. It was a back to school party at 1520 Sedgwick Ave in the Bronx hosted by his sister Cindy Campbell that his skills were shown to the masses. The people in attendance witnessed his best skill called “the break” which involved two turntables and a mixer. With these instruments, he isolated and extended the percussion and bass of various records. Soon after, many young people wanted and tried to be like DJ Kool Herc.
Nineteen seventy-seven was the year that seen an increasing number of DJs. The reason for that was the blackout in New York City that occurred on July 13th. In reference to that blackout, Grandmaster Caz in the book Yes Yes Y’all said, “During the [blackout looting occurred], everybody stole turntables and stuff. Every electronics store imaginable got hit. Every record store. That sprung a whole new set of [DJs].” Despite the negative effects of the blackout, positive things grew out of it. The growth of the Hip Hop culture was one of them.
There was another DJ who inspired others. That DJ was Grandmaster DST. In nineteen eighty-three, he made a song called “Rockit” with Jazz legend Herbie Hancock for his album Future Shock. It was the first popular single to feature scratching. The live performance of the song is what inspired many well-known DJs. Some of them talk about what the song did for them in the documentary Scratch.
Not only did DJs rock parties and featured on singles, they formed their own groups with MCs and made albums. Grandmaster Flash is a great example of this. He formed the group called Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. They made hit records including the powerful “The Message,” the anti-drug anthem “White Lines,” and the scratch heavy “Beat Street Breakdown.” The success of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five and many other DJ lead groups made MCs popular.
Today, the DJ is pushed to the background and the MC takes center stage. Also, there are very few vinyl DJs and more digital DJs. DJing has evolved because of the MP3 format. DJs don’t have to carry crates full of records. They can fulfill any request at parties. They can do all of the things that vinyl DJs can do with various computer programs. The youth enjoy digital DJs, but many vinyl DJs criticize them. Both groups of DJs are important because they set the mood at parties and concerts.
The importance of the DJ has been forgotten. Without the DJ, Rap music would not exist. DJs were the original A&Rs. They scouted for new MCs to showcase and found the right beats to get a concert or party going. DJ Kool Herc, Grandmaster DST, Grandmaster Flash and many others made a great impact on the world. Their work shall never be forgotten.
Source: http://nymag.com/anniversary/40th/50665/
Check out my other posts on DJs. Tomorrow is the day my thesis will be dropped for FREE!!! Don't miss it.
Don't Push Me Cause I'm Close to the Edge
For the fifth post, I post the other piece I wrote for my thesis, but did not use it. Check it out.
Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five’s “The Message” was released in 1982. It is a record about the things a person endures and sees when living in a low-income neighborhood. It has been greatly recognized by many including Rolling Stone, which ranked the record fifty-one in their 500 Greatest Song of All Time issue, and the Library of Congress, which added the record to their National Recording Registry in 2002. It was unique because of its slow instrumental. This allowed the listeners to listen to every lyric and imagine that they were living and seeing everything they hear.
The Rapper on the record, Melle Mel, paints a picture with a simple and catchy chorus:
Don't push me cause I'm close to the edge. I'm trying not to lose my head. It's like a jungle sometimes it makes me wonder how I keep from going under. It's like a jungle sometimes it makes me wonder how I keep from going under.
He lets people know that he is at his tipping point. Any interference by anyone can cause him to go over his limit. He also does not know how he stays sane when he feels trapped and sees all of the dangers around him. In the first verse, he says,
People pissing on the stairs, you know they just don’t care. I can't take the smell, I can't take the noise no more. Got no money to move out, I guess I got no choice. Rats in the front room, roaches in the back.
He is describing what it is like to live in a housing project. He sees disgusting vermin and smells urine. He knows that he can’t escape all of this unless he has money.
As the records goes on, Melle Mel continues to tell various stories. Some examples are a woman becoming a prostitute, the result of not being able to get to work, and a boy who falls between the cracks. He created a sense of what it was like in the eighties. The record became timeless because people who live in the low-income neighborhoods today can relate.
Here is a bonus video of a dance created using old school music including "The Message":
TDS Breakdancing! Woohoo! Choreography by Amira Streeter Dancers - members of TDS Inspired by the 80s, y'all!
Music used: The Message - Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five It Takes Two - Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock Sucka MCs - Run DMC Push It - Salt n Peppa Shake Your Rump - Beastie Boys Rapper's Delight - Sugarhill Gang
Two more posts.
It's Like That, and That’s the Way It Is
Fourth post in my posting spree. It is very difficult to do this since I got other things going on, but I'm here as promised. I found this website which will be the best way for me to post my thesis. I'm excited about it.
For this post, I am posting a piece I wrote for my thesis. My professor told me to write about two records from the sub-genre Conscious Rap. So, I wrote one page on each record. The other I will be posting tomorrow. Check it out and listen to the record at the end.
Run-D.M.C.’s “It’s Like That” was released in 1983. It is a record about people realizing their realities. In 1998, a remixed version of the record stayed at the number one spot for six weeks in the United Kingdom. Six hundred thousand copies were sold there. It was significant because it started the group’s career. It is one of the first Rap records to have a back and forth exchange between MCs. There was no chorus, but “It’s like that, and that’s the way it is” was being repeated at the end of the verses. This kept listeners interested because there were two different voices in the verses and an easy to remember line allowed them to follow along even without a chorus. It inspires people to want to do better in order to escape a life of poverty.
The Rapper Run starts talking about the things people in low-income neighborhoods are up against:
Unemployment at a record high. People coming, people going, people born to die. Don’t ask me, because I don’t know why. But it’s like that, and that’s the way it is.
He knows that times are hard, but he does not know the reasons behind it. He recognizes that this is reality, and seems to give no solution to these problems. The Rapper D.M.C. follows by making it personal for the listener:
People in the world trying to make ends meet. You try to ride car, train, bus, or feet. I said you got to work hard, you want to compete. It's like that, and that's the way it is.
Unlike Run in the beginning of the verse, D.M.C. offers a solution which needs to be done in order to be able to live.
Towards the end of the record, both Rappers encourage people to make a better life for themselves. They tell them that praying and learning will help. They also tell people to respect each other. This record tries to help people get off their feet and become great while not looking down on others. During the time of the record, it was believed that there was no unity and a high amount of people living in low-income communities. Run-D.M.C. wanted to change that with this record. Many of the aspects of the record can be applied today, but times have changed for the better. Less people are living in low-income communities, and there is more unity.
Third post in my daily posting spree. This one is related to my thesis which I will be dropping at the end of this spree. I have not done a post in a while related towards women. So, I figured I should do one. I remember watching VH1 when this documentary on Video Vixens came on. It was very interesting. I wanted to write on it, but I could not find it online. I still did not find it while I was doing my thesis, but I did reference it briefly because I remembered what was talked about. It was not until very recently when I came across it online (I'm kind of mad about that). I have many opinions on it, but I think my thesis addresses the whole picture well.
VH1 did a great job with this documentary. It features many video models including Karrine "Super Head" Steffans, artists including Cam'ron and directors. Check it out and discuss it.
I encourage all of you to check out my other posts on women. Just click the women tag on the bottom of this post.
Sampling Can Be Dope
Day 2 of my daily posting spree for a week until I drop my thesis. This time I wanted to give Kanye West his own post. I've been digging Kanye ever since he dropped his first album The College Dropout, which I think is a classic and will go down as my generation's Illmatic. He is one of the best producers ever. The samples he used were very slick. I'm not feeling 808s & Heartbreak as much as I did with his other albums. "Coldest Winter" did win me over. After "Love Lockdown," things got better. I do wish he finished out the theme he had going with his albums. It was something my generation needed. It spoke to us.
I never quite understood why some people has issues with Kanye using samples. To me, any type of production can be dope and spark great creativity. But, it does make Rappers lazy, not writing hooks and all. Samples make Kanye's production interesting. I think he is the Sampling King. He brings up samples that no one would ever think of. This leads into a video I came across showcasing samples Kanye used on his albums. It blew me away. Check it out:
Kanye will go done in history and be remembered forever. But, where does that leave the future of sampling once Kanye leaves the scene? This is where Charles Hamilton comes in. He really impressed me with his mixtape series which including original production from him. I liked the fact that he sampled recent records. No one really does it to the extent his does. His new video for "Brooklyn Girls" (which also has a sample) shows that he has potential and will go far.
I really encourage everyone to check out his mixtape series. You will not be disappointed.
Here is to more great music from Kanye and Charles for many years to come. CHEERS!
Rap is a Secret Society?
I would like to announce that I will be releasing my Senior thesis called The Semi-Banned Music: the Debate Over Lyrical Content and Themes in Rap for free download. Tell everyone you know. I've worked on this for the past four months, and gathered research for over a year. I'm glad to be done with it. So, to lead to it, I will do a post everyday related towards the thesis and some other things I've been meaning to post.
For the first post, I came across a documentary on Rap and freemasonry on a forum that might not come back (shout out to everyone there). I am clueless on what freemasonry is. I have talked to one of my professors about it, and he could not really explain it to me. The documentary is called Hip Hop & Freemasonry: The New Age & Military Agenda. I found it interesting because I would overlook the fact that all of this stuff is mention in Rap. The documentary gave me a lot of insight, but I do not agree with it. Check it out and discuss it. Enjoy.
This video examines the various agendas that are CURRENTLY being pushed through Hip Hop and the direction they are moving us in.
This work is a mixture of conversations from Alan Watt, Tupac Shakur & "Gwapo's" weekly Radio Show.
From “Ether” to Doing It For Hip Hop
Yesterday was “Ether,” today NaS and Jay-Z join forces for Hip Hop. Ludacris’ “I Do It For Hip Hop,” from his album Theater of the Mind, is one of the most epic records of 2008 (maybe in recent years). It was produced by Wyldfyer who happens to be the same person who produced “Black Republicans.” NaS and Jay-Z drop some gems in their verses. Ludacris (one of my favorite artists) had no chance. His verse was not memorable. NaS and Jay-Z were memorable. The great thing about their verses is that despite the fact they are friends, they still take shots at each other.
NaS started his verse by saying:
They say I’m so low key; I’m socially awkward. Only niggas who really know me, who I talk with. They smile in the light, hate in the dark. You call it beef, to me its just a fucking walk in the park.
Some people would believe that this is a reference to Jay-Z. They believe that the whole unity thing between the two was not real. So, Jay-Z smiles in NaS’ face, but still hates him behind his back. They also seem not to talk to each other that much. The whole battle with Jay-Z was easy to NaS. It is not a fact that these things are true, but these types of things can be seen in various interviews of the two and in their records. For example, in Jay-Z’s diss to Jim Jones called “Brooklyn High” he said, “The Jones can’t keep up. Maybe my nigga NaS, but I got stronger after ‘Ether’.”
After NaS did that part of the verse, he continued it by addressing Rappers who are frauds:
Cause you are who you are when nobody's looking. That’s who you are. So when the cash and the cars is gone the day after tomorrow, don’t be asking to borrow. Ski mask it hard like the way you rap in your bars.
NaS refers to Rappers who Rap about their gangster lifestyle. There was a time when a lot of Rappers (some still today) who came into the industry Rapping like 50 Cent. Over the years, very few of them got exposed with things like jail records that did not exist. Some of them were even exposed for having undercover police bodyguards. NaS was just saying if they were Rapping about things they really did, they would do them when they go back to the hood, after being a “one hit wonder” and spending all of their money, and do what they claimed they did whether it was robbing, stealing, killing or selling drugs.
In another part of the verse, NaS addressed Rappers who started beefs:
20,000 different species of bees. Some have poisonous stings, some just pollinate leaves. Like Rap, some just buzz, some will attack; compromise their own life in fact.
Some Rappers create beefs with other Rappers where it does get very dangerous. Many innocent people get killed because they happened to be near the Rapper who was the targeted. The worse case of a beef not ending well was the one between 2pac and B.I.G. Both of them were killed at young ages and both of their murders went unsolved. This is why the Jay-Z and NaS battle was a great example of a battle that did not get physical.
Jay-Z started his verse describing how he used to Rap as just a hobby:
Hip Hop started out in the park. We used to do it to avoid the Narcs. I used to do it so the homeboy Clark could get the fuck off my back while I knocked off these packs. I used to rap to impress my friends; to pass the time while I was getting it in. Just so happens I’m so illegal with the pen, they ain’t want me doing anything illegal again.
The first line comes from MC Shan’s “They Used To Do It Out In The Park.” Jay-Z used it to create the image of him in a park Rapping while he sold drugs. He just did it to entertain others. His friends convinced him that he should pursuit Rap full time. After that, the rest became history.
Jay-Z does credit Rap as the reason he is alive today. He thanked the pioneers and the person who put him on (while dissing him at the same time):
Thank God for Kool Herc. Without this shit, I probably would’ve got murked. Shout out to Grandmaster Flash and to Caz. And even Jaz bum ass.
It is really great to see the founding fathers of the culture being recognized by someone who became richer than them. Without those guys, Jay-Z knows that he would have not been the success he is now.
NaS ended his verse with another shot at Jay-Z: “Pardon the rest of my niggas, but I’m the best whoever ever did it.” Jay-Z closing his verse with a reference to NaS, Jim Jones and others:
Hip Hop help me wash my rocks. These other rappers couldn’t wash my socks. That’s why I took the number one slot. The realest shit from rap comes from my voice box.
Best? Realest? NaS and Jay-Z hold themselves highly over others. They both feel they are number one. When it is all said and done, the people decide who is number one. As both of their careers come to an end, many people will see the both of them as the greatest of all time.
Enjoy the record:
The Day a Giant Fell
Seven years ago today, NaS release a record called "Ether." It was a response to Jay-Z who released a record called "Takeover." The day NaS dropped "Ether" the world (at least New York City) stood still. Many people felt that it was the end of Jay-Z's career. Don't think so? Listen to the record:
Here is audio of Jay-Z on Hot 97 after he heard "Ether" with some funny pictures and "facts":
You can hear it in his voice that he also felt that his career was over. He tried to bounce back with a record called "Super Ugly." Hot 97 did a poll with their listeners to see who won:
MTV did a special on the whole battle:
This was the greatest battle in Rap history. "Ether" is cited by many to be one of the greatest diss records of all time. It will be remembered by many for a long time. It is great to see that both men squash the beef at Jay-Z's "I Declare War" Concert:
Both of them sat with MTV to discuss the battle and more:
They went on to do two tracks together: "Black Republicans" from NaS' album Hip Hop Is Dead
and "Success" from Jay-Z's album American Gangster
Battling is great for Rap, but coming together is greater.
Happy Birthday to the 39 year old Jay-Z.
The Road to Being the GOAT
Sometimes, as a fan of an artist, I wonder how the artist get to where they are today. I'm sure a few people feel the same. As you should know, NaS is my favorite MC of all time. NaS' career has been filled with many great releases from Illmatic to his untitled album formally known as "Nigger." VH1 released a documentary about his life as part of their Driven series. The episode aired sometime after 2004.
Check out more on the show here: http://www.vh1.com/shows/dyn/driven/89048/episode_about.jhtml
NaS told his story many times before, but "Surviving The Times" (from his Greatest Hits album) is a true reflection on this life.
This is a promo video for his first album Illmatic:
I do believe that NaS is the greatest of all time. But, I don't think everything that he puts out is the best. His untitled album was great, but I don't think it is the best album of this year (that goes to T.I.'s Paper Trail as of right now). The Nigger Tape was great as well, but I don't think it is the best mixtape of this year (that goes to KiD CuDi's a KiD named CuDi as of right now).
NaS continues to set the bar high for other Rappers and MCs. He will be remembered and etched in history for forever.
More info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nas
Hip Hop Can Unite
I like XXL and Vibe for different reasons. XXL creates great cover stories from time to time (like "The Freshmen 10"). Vibe has great cultural articles. Both magazines are a great balance for me. But, XXL has always set the bar high.
In 1958, Art Kane shot a photo called "A Great Day in Harlem" for Esquire magazine. It consisted of 57 Jazz legends (which included Dizzy Gillespie and Thelonious Monk) and took place on 126th Street between Fifth and Madison Avenues in Harlem.
About 10 years ago, XXL recreated the photo with Gordon Parks and named it "A Great in Harlem '98" (1998 also happens to be Rap's breakout year as claimed by many fans and scholars with releases from Jay-Z, DMX, and Lauryn Hill). XXL gathered many Rappers from the new and old school for this picture.
These pictures where found at http://smokingsection.uproxx.com/TSS/?p=6125.
I heard about this photo for the past three years. It was not until a year ago that I got to see it. It is really amazing to see all of these artists together because Rap is known to be very competitive. Everyone wants to be #1. This picture shows that people can put their feelings and egos behind for the benefit of others. People do wonder if there was unity behind the scenes. While I was doing research for my senior thesis, I came across a documentary of the event by Nelson George called "A Great Day in Hip Hop." Decide for yourself if there was unity behind the scenes and learn some things in the process.
With things like this and Barack Obama being elected as President, it proves that anything is really possible. I hope that XXL continues to set the bar high, and other magazines to try to reach that bar.
Find out more about the original "A Great Day in Harlem" here (there are some great interactive tools and interviews): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Great_Day_in_Harlem http://www.harlem.org/ http://www.a-great-day-in-harlem.com/ http://www.artkane.com/fullsize/harlem/fzharlem.html http://www.jazz.com/features-and-interviews/2008/8/11/jazz-s-most-iconic-photo-is-half-a-century-old
Here is an article about "A Great Day in Harlem '98": http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/entertainment/1998/09/30/1998-09-30_rappers_retake_famed_pic__hi.html
Hip Hop on My Mind Turns 1 Today/"DOPE SH!T" #3
A year ago, I started this blog to share my thoughts on various things within Hip Hop Culture. I've been a big fan for the music since 1998. I've been a student of the culture for the past 3 years. I enjoy it a lot. I am so glad that all of you check out the blog. I know that I don't post often, but when I do, it is worth it. It really takes time for me to come up with topics and write about them in a timely matter while balancing school and club work. I started getting into writing about Rap when I wrote these reviews for Scratch Magazine: These reviews were one of the things that made me want to start this blog. A lot of great things have come out of this blog. What I love the most are the comments. I love to interact with people.
I've been thinking about what are the top 10 posts. It is hard for me to choose because I think that mostly everything that gets posted here is great. If I really had to choose I would go with: My very first post called "Hip Hip Is Dead?" http://hiphoponmymind.blogspot.com/2007/11/hip-hop-is-dead.html I feel that it set the stage for what the blog was going to be about.
The classic interview with Chuck D Getting the chance to do this blew me away. It was my first major interview. I really took time with creating the questions. The goal was to have a 30 minute interview, but Chuck had so much to say that it became a hour. It came out great. http://hiphoponmymind.blogspot.com/2008/02/chuck-d-interview.html
"Sampling in Hip Hop" It was the first time there was a guest blogger. I know that I learned a lot from this. Nick Cicero did a great job. I hope to have more guest bloggers soon. http://hiphoponmymind.blogspot.com/2008/03/sampling-in-hip-hop-part-1-samplings.html http://hiphoponmymind.blogspot.com/2008/04/sampling-in-hip-hop-part-2-revealing.html
"Interview about Hip Hop Alliance" This meant a lot to me because it was the first official time where I got to speak about the club in greater detail and give my opinions on various other things. http://hiphoponmymind.blogspot.com/2008/03/interview-about-hip-hop-alliance.html
"Ghostface Killah Concert Recap" This was the first time I reviewed a concert. Although the main event was horrible, I was grateful for the opening acts. http://hiphoponmymind.blogspot.com/2008/04/ghostface-killah-concert-recap.html
"The Letter" I really enjoyed this because of the dialogue that was happening in these post. I am really grateful when I talk to people who don't see eye to eye with me on most things. I thank Wendell C. Arnold for that conversation. http://hiphoponmymind.blogspot.com/2008/04/what-happens-when-person-does-not-know.html http://hiphoponmymind.blogspot.com/2008/07/round-2-of-letter.html
"The N-Word" Here I gave my own opinion on the word. It was hard for me to write it because I did not know how to explain myself. It started out being in support of NaS (that did not end well), but it turned into something else. http://hiphoponmymind.blogspot.com/2008/05/n-word.html
"Getting Rid of a Homegrown Evil" This was where I addressed the sexism in Rap music (the bigger picture is within the Black community). Writing the paper made me think a lot about myself and my peers. http://hiphoponmymind.blogspot.com/2008/05/getting-rid-of-homegrown-evil-part-1.html http://hiphoponmymind.blogspot.com/2008/05/getting-rid-of-homegrown-evil-part-2.html http://hiphoponmymind.blogspot.com/2008/05/getting-rid-of-homegrown-evil-part-3.html http://hiphoponmymind.blogspot.com/2008/05/getting-rid-of-homegrown-evil-part-4.html http://hiphoponmymind.blogspot.com/2008/05/getting-rid-of-homegrown-evil-finale.html
"I ain’t a Dope Boy, But I’m Dope, Boy!" One song and the whole Rick Ross being a C.O. things made me write this post. I'm glad that I got to do this because I wanted to talk about it for a long time. http://hiphoponmymind.blogspot.com/2008/07/i-aint-dope-boy-but-im-dope-boy.html
"Atlantic Records Stays Losing" The label's actions towards the internet made me write this one. I wanted to pay respect to the founder and how the label used to be. I just did not like how things were being done today. http://hiphoponmymind.blogspot.com/2008/09/atlantic-records-stays-losing.html
As a thank you for riding with me, I want to finally gave you all "DOPE SH!T" #3. This comes from Underground Hustle Vol. 2. I got the chance to work with a new artist to me Hellz Yea! from Brooklyn, New York (my hometown). I wanted to work with Broken Equipment Productions who were known for their "Dipset the Movie" and "Birdman and Weezy" videos. I'm grateful that they agreed to work with me. Hellz Yea! did his things on the best. I was glad about the finished product. The track is called "Monster Beast." Shout out to Hellz Yea! and BEP.
Listen to and download the track for free here: http://sharebee.com/c7bc479b
Before I go, I just wanted to say that I am grateful that President-Elect Barack Obama won. It really means a lot to me. It really does prove to me that if you put your mind to it, you can achieve it. I thank everyone who voted.
Again, thank you for checking out the blog. Stay tuned for more great post. Take care.
21 Years and I'm Still Here
A few days ago, I mentioned that today would be my 21st Birthday. This one means more to me than others in the past. Not because I can drink (although, that is a plus). It is because I am finishing college and being able to start my own independent life (hopefully in a Teach for America program in Washington DC). I've endured so much in my lifetime you would have no idea how I came out to be who I am today. Even I don't know. I do know what keep me going. Most of the time (more so after junior high school), I did not have anyone to push me to do my best especially from those who I would assume love me the most. Rap was always there for me. It helped me out during rough times. It kept me sane. There was one record that would always have a great impact on my life. That record is NaS' "I Can." Without this record, I would be where I am today. It might be corny to some, but it is very powerful. In addition to the message in the record, it made me want to make a great impact with children even if I mostly likely won't know the results. I just got to have faith, just like NaS, that I am making a difference in a child's life.
There is a time in my life when everything went wrong. It was when my grandmother died. I can relate to Kanye West's feelings. Kanye West's "Hey Mama" 2008 Grammy Studio Version Kanye West's "Coldest Winter" from 808's & Heartbreak
Another record I can relate to is Charles Hamilton's "November 10th." He is turning 21 as well in 9 days. It really is amazing what one endures during 21 years of their life.
Everyday, I am reminded of what inspires me to go on. I do have to admit that there were times where I lost myself. Mickey Factz's "The Inspiration" makes sure that never happens to me again.
Most of the time, I feel like I'm a "Man on the Moon" because of the positive things I do. KiD CuDi knows what I'm talking about.
Despite all of this, I hope that young people just like me know what I faced and get my message of never giving up no matter what. They should be able to shake that "Hood Mentality." Ice Cube agrees with me.
As I reach my 21st year, I look forward to the next 21 years. I thank you all.
As a bonus for all of you, here is the second episode of Real Talk with Da Dope Boyz. This time we discuss something I value a lot: leadership.
The New Faces of Rap
On November fourth (election day), XXL Magazine’s newest issue called “The Freshmen 10” will be released. Just when Rap was heading for a downfall, XXL showcases newcomers who are taking the world (not just America) by storm. The covers are the best I have seen so far in my lifetime. I’m glad that Wale, B.o.B, Charles Hamilton, Mickey Factz and KiD CuDi are getting their shine. These artists are the definition of the future of Rap.
I just started to get into Wale (http://www.myspace.com/wale). I’m not going to lie. When I first heard him, I thought he was wack. The Mixtape About Nothing (download it here: http://www.zshare.net/download/12770681c4ad01f5/) won me over.
B.o.B grabbed me with just his chorus from “On Top of the World” on T.I.’s Paper Trail. It made me reflect on my life and see how I feel that I’m sitting on top of the world. I wanted to hear more from him. I download the Hi! My Name Is BoB Mixtape (download it at his MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/bobatl) and thought to myself when was the last time I enjoyed a 30+ track project? I was not disappointed.
I don’t even know how I came across Charles Hamilton (http://www.myspace.com/hamiltonsmusic), but I do know I picked up his Outside Looking mixtape (download it here: http://www.mediafire.com/?wui9hcfmqbt). It was a solid project, but “Brooklyn Girls” and “November 10th” were the standout tracks for me because I could relate. His bi-weekly mixtapes are waves of highs and lows. It amazes me that we are both 20 years old, and I am 9 days older than him (yes, my birthday is this Saturday).
It was one song posted on Nah Right that got me into Mickey Factz (http://www.myspace.com/itzmickey). It was “I'm Sean (50 Shots More)” (http://hiphoponmymind.blogspot.com/2008/04/it-really-is-sad-day.html). He really made me feel what Sean Bell felt that night. After that, I followed his The Leak series. His 9 minute track called “The Inspiration” was the stand out for me. It made me think a lot about what makes me keep going in my life. It made my elite list of favorite songs of all time which consist of only four songs. I’m glad that I got the opportunity to interview him on my radio show (http://hiphoponmymind.blogspot.com/2008/04/mickey-factz-interview.html). He is a really humble and cool person.
I usually don’t pay attention to newcomers and KiD CuDi (http://www.myspace.com/kidcudi) was one of them. One day, about a week or so after his mixtape a KiD named CuDi dropped, I decided to download the mixtape because I wanted to listen to something new. I heard about him being signed to Kanye West’s label. So, I figured why not download it? Playing the mixtape was like a journey of my emotions for the past 10 years of my life. “Man On The Moon (The Anthem)” spoke to me. It was as if I was Rapping it. Every single line consisted of the thoughts I currently have today. Just in the beginning of it he says,
I guess if I was boring, they would love me more. Guess if I was simple in the mind, everything would be fine. Maybe if I was a jerk to girls instead of being nice and speaking kind words then maybe it would be OK to say then I wasn’t a good guy to began with. But, my mind is all crazy. They got me thinking I ain’t human like I came from above. Feeling like an airplane in the sky.
The track made me feel like I was not alone. It was another track that made my elite list of favorite songs of all time. He did something for me that my favorite MC NaS could never do. The mixtape as a whole played like an album. I really don’t know how he is going to top that with his debut album Man on the Moon: The Guardians.
I find it crazy that people are being disrespectful towards XXL for their great efforts. If they put Lil Wayne on the cover, people complain. If they put NaS, people complain. If they put Jay-Z, people complain. There seems to be no winning at all for XXL. I really thought the internet would love this issue since most of these artists made their fan base on the internet. I don’t think there is anything wrong with getting known on the internet because after all the internet does consist of real people.
If you ask me, the internet is better than the “real world” because the internet is the whole world. Having a fan base all around the world overshadows a fan base just from a block or city. It is not like these artists did not try to get their people behind them. Their own people turned their backs to them. It is almost as if they don’t want one of their own to succeed unless they are the ones succeeding. The radio and music video shows are irrelevant these days anyway. Blogs are the voice of the people. The radio does not speak for the people. You won’t hear most of these artists on major stations. The people have control of the blogs not the radio.
If these artists are “running the blog posting scene,” then it means that the people want to hear them. Top blogs like 2 Dope Boyz and Nah Right do not post stuff the people will not feel. It is funny how bloggers complain about this issue and more. One issue is how artists who go away for a few years and get overlooked. Last time I checked, this issue was about newcomers. Even if artists who produce more music faster get praised, they should if the music is great. It takes skill to drop a dope track every week or a dope mixtape every two weeks. Another thing that is funny about bloggers is how they say well I’m not talking about so and so. That is respectable, but when they give praise to an artist in another post who they dissed in their newest post, that does not make sense. Some bloggers should not even have a blog especially if they contradict their selves within the matter of a week.
XXL would be wrong not to recognize these artists. The magazine would be of corporate interest if they did not. XXL wants to be for the people. A lot goes into the completion of one issue. A major issue like this is worked on many months before. If that was true for this issue, some of these artists did not even have the buzz at the time, but they were out there unlike others. The issue happens to be timely which is hard for print media to do. I can go on and on about the construction of print media, but that is another blog. I also want to respect those journalists who I look up to at all of these print media outlets. Let’s just say the main goal of these outlets is what will sell? There is also the issue of being timely, which is a hard thing to do in the internet age. The way I see it, it is in the hands of the people who go out and buy the issues. If they don't, the same artists appear on various covers because that is going to sell.
XXL took a risk with last year’s issue “Leaders of the New School.” They are taking a bigger risk now because as compared to the first issue all of these artists are not well-known by a good amount of people. Most of last year’s “leaders” had hit records. I do tap my hat to XXL for doing this issue. I look forward to buying and reading it. And I think others should do the same. Most of “The Freshmen 10” will make an impact that will last forever. They will be known as my generation’s NaS, Jay-Z, Chuck D and more.
Check out a preview of it here: http://www.xxlmag.com/online/?p=28844 Mixtape coming soon.
Get Ready for Something Epic
Hello everyone. I'm sorry about not posting "DOPE SH!T" #3 this past Friday. I have been very busy lately for many reasons. One of them is getting ready for Skidmore College's 2nd annual Hip Hop Culture Week presented by Hip Hop Alliance. It seems like a month more than a week with the other events we put on this week. I also have been editing a new TV show called Real Talk with Da Dope Boyz which I produce and host. You can see the first episode below.
Two Thursdays ago, We had an event called "Graffiti Night" at Tang Teaching Museum at Skidmore College. It was a great turn out. Check out an article in my school's newspaper about the event: http://media.www.skidmorenews.com/media/storage/paper1313/news/2008/10/17/ArtsEntertainment/Graffiti.Artists.Paint.The.Town.At.The.Tang-3493233.shtml
Here are a few pictures: The first picture was taken by Heather Gilchrist '09 and the second picture was taken by David Mishler '09. Check out more here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2045234&l=d6baa&id=12203061 http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2045235&l=abe4a&id=12203061
As I said before, I've been getting ready for Hip Hop Culture Week. If you are around the college, come to the events. 815 North Broadway Saratoga Springs, New York
Here are a few list of the events: Monday, October 20, 2008 Barack & Curtis: Manhood, Power & Respect screening and discussion The documentary by Byron Hurt, who is best known for his documentary called Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes, examines "the contrasting styles of manhood exhibited by Presidential Candidate Barack Obama and Rapper/Mogul Curtis Jackson, aka 50 Cent." Discussion led by David Whitely '11. At 7pm in Bolton 282
Tuesday, October 21, 2008 “Utopian Strategies and the Myth of the Superwoman” A Presentation on Black Womanhood in the 1960s and 1970s Pop Culture--from the Starlets to the Stars by andre carrington, Professor of American Studies At 5:30pm in Tisch 302
Wednesday, October 22, 2008 “Hip Hop: Why Does It Matter?” An interactive discussion on various topics in Hip Hop Culture (including The N-Word, Sexism, Homophobia) with Faculty, Admin. and Students from different academic backgrounds. Moderated by Danny Tejada '09. At 7pm in Emerson Auditorium
Thursday, October 23, 2008 KEYNOTE SPEAKER KIM OSORIO Presents "The Truth About Women and Hip Hop: Straight from the Source" Books on sale after the event for $27. At 7pm in Gannett Auditorium
Friday, October 24, 2008 The “Oh My God” Show with DJ Daddy Mack, Cosign and DJ Mason Dixon Midnight to 2am On 91.1fm and online at http://dj-daddy-mack.tripod.com
Friday October 24, 2008 3rd Annual Hip Hop Non-Stop Until you DROP!!! Hosted by DJ Daddy Mack and Chantrice Ollie Performances by: The Incomparable Shakespeare http://www.myspace.com/shakeink Fresh Jacobs http://www.imeem.com/freshjacobs Just Real http://www.myspace.com/jrjustreal Thoroughbred Dance Starz http://www.youtube.com/tdstarz05 Slam Poets from Skidmore and more!!! At 11pm in the SPA
Saturday, October 25, 2008 “Swagger Like Us: Clash of the Decades” Party DJ Daddy Mack, Cosign and DJ Mason Dixon on the 1s and 2s. FREE!!! Come dressed up in 60's to 90's gear and possibly win a prize. At 11pm in Falstaff
Check out the event on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=31058963170
You can look forward to seeing videos from some of these events. Shout out to the Executive Board of Hip Hop Alliance and the co-sponsors without them this week would not be possible, the Underground artists coming to perform (check out their websites), and Kim Osorio.
Here is the first episode of Real Talk with Da Dope Boyz:
"DOPE SH!T" #3 is coming soon.
Byron Hurt Does It Again
Byron Hurt, who is best known for his documentary called Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes, just released a short documentary called Barack & Curtis: Manhood, Power & Respect.
The new documentary examines "the contrasting styles of manhood exhibited by Presidential Candidate Barack Obama and Rapper/Mogul Curtis Jackson, aka 50 Cent."
It is worth watching. Take the time to watch it. After that, check out Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes.
The trailer
The documentary
Raw footage in which includes some clips that did not make the final cut.
A Conversation with BK Cyph
A few days ago, I got to sit down with Brooklyn’s newest MC blowing up on the scene, BK Cyph. He has a lot things going on for him like his weekly series at 2dopeboyz.com and onsmash.com, his single “Never Sold Crack,” and his freestyle “My President Sold Crack” over Young Jeezy’s “My President is Black.” He took a break from dealing with all of this to have a long conversation about the crack epidemic in the 1980’s, “My President Sold Crack,” “Never Sold Crack,” Senator John McCain, and so much more. Now, Hip Hop on My Mind would love to present to all of you the first installment of exclusive conversations with artists, producers and more. These conversations are more than just an interview. After you read this, don't forget to check out the links below.
DJ Daddy Mack: Whats up BK Cyph? Thank you for meeting with me today.
BK Cyph: No doubt, homie. It's nothing. We go back. We are doing this for Brooklyn.
DJ Daddy Mack: Yeah. No doubt. We are.
Let’s start with your whole concept of “Never Sold Crack.” What made you want to come up with this concept? How did you hook up with Acafool, who is well-known in his state?
BK Cyph: Oh man Acafool, that's the big homie. I get a lot of love in Florida.
So I've had the concept to do “Never Sold Crack” for years. I had a meeting with an A&R at Sony and dropped off a demo. He was feeling the rhymes, but felt I didn’t have any street cred because I didn’t rhyme about hustling. I was like, “I never sold crack, why would I rhyme about it?”
From there, the concept was born. I wear that on my sleeve, that's my battle cry. I never sold crack, but I'm still from the hood, Flatbush, Brooklyn. I always dreamt of having little kids, singing “Never Sold Crack.” I brought the concept to a few producers, but none of 'em could make the track as big as I wanted it to sound. One night, Acafool hit me up and said “Cyph, I need to produce your single.” A week later, we had a hit record.
DJ Daddy Mack: That is an interesting journey. So you were keeping it real. Staying true to yourself. To have kids singing that is a great dream considering the music that is out there today.
In this day, mostly people my age laugh at your concept. I know a few of them who do. I, personally, don’t get it. You are coming out with something positive, catchy, and has a party feel to it. How do you respond to these young and even older people who have these negative feelings about your whole Mr. Never Sold Crack concept?
BK Cyph: They laughed at 50 when he did “How to Rob.” They laughed at Kanye West when he said he wanted to rap. I don't sweat that shit. I'm in this for the long run and a few haters ain’t gonna stop me.
You wanna know something funny, these dudes may have funny shit to say on the net, but their favorite Rappers give me HEAVY respect for doing what I do and representing what I represent. Jeezy showed me mad love and told me he respected me for coming out and saying that I never sold crack. Jim Jones showed me heavy respect for being myself. Plies has shown me a lot of love too. I fuck with that dude.
I played “Never Sold Crack” for Plies, and he was supportive. He told me fuck the haters; you got a hit record. That's Jeezy, Jim Jones and MOTHERFUCKIN PLIES.
They rep that thug shit, that street shit and they all respect me. So, the haters will fall in line eventually.
DJ Daddy Mack: Wow. So you were getting cosigns from the artists who these haters love. I'm sure that you are making a difference out there without you ever knowing the effect of what you do.
You mention Rappers who are frauds and Rick Ross in the same line of “Never Sold Crack.” But later in “My President Sold Crack,” you seem to throw something out there with your “real Ricky Ross” mention. So, were you saying Rick Ross the Rapper was a fraud?
BK Cyph: No, no, no. In “Never Sold Crack,” the line is “I ain't Rick Ross. I ain't AZ. You ain't Boy George, homie you crazy?” I wasn't talking about any Rappers in that line. Rick Ross was a real hustler that the Rapper named himself after. AZ was a real hustler in Harlem. But, everyone knows about the real Rick Ross and the real AZ, but how many people know about Boy George?
Now, tell me I ain't from the bottom. I dare you to tell me that I ain't from the hood. If you were from the hood in NYC during the 1980's, you know about Boy George. They used to say he had a car like Spy Hunter and use that shit to outrun the cops. That's some urban legend shit.
DJ Daddy Mack: Word? Dang. I'm sure young people like me did not know about Boy George. So in that line were you talking about those real hustlers?
BK Cyph: Yeah. I wasn’t talking about any Rappers in that line. I was talking about the real hustlers. I'm still a rookie in the game. Who am I to talk about Rick Ross who has established himself as a bankable artist? AZ is a legend, and he's from Brooklyn. I respect that dude and I'm a fan.
I know when I mentioned Boy George, dudes must've thought I meant the Karma Chameleon dude. [LAUGHS] But, the hood knew what I meant.
DJ Daddy Mack: I'm glad you cleared that up.
In “My President Sold Crack,” you talk about the government’s role in the crack epidemic. You do a great job with explaining it. Explain President Reagan’s role in this for those not clear on that since young people like myself don’t know much about it and for the older people who think it was all Oliver North.
BK Cyph: I mean Reagan backed it. He set the policies that led to the Iran-Contra scandal. He was responsible. It’s just ironic that in trying to subdue the Sandinistas in Nicaragua, the hood was introduced to crack-cocaine. The profits from crack helped to try to over throw the government in Nicaragua.
Then, Nancy Reagan comes around and is the face for the “war on drugs.” That shit is the ultimate hustle. You give us the drugs and then turn right around and vilify us for selling it.
DJ Daddy Mack: Wow. I was talking to someone the other day who thought that Nancy Reagan was this nice lady until she saw the recent VH1 rockdoc on N.W.A.
BK Cyph: Yeah, I missed that N.W.A. special on VH1, damn. But, the Reagan administration fucked us up and we're seeing history repeat itself in 2008.
DJ Daddy Mack: What do you mean by that?
BK Cyph: Have you seen the news? Every week, some old lady is getting mugged. That shit is some 80’s shit. Crack is back. We are about to see more violence in the hood. Look at Wall Street, Wall Street ain’t eating. So, if Wall Street ain't eating, you know the hood ain't eating. It's a trickle down effect.
There are no jobs out here. The government is cutting funds. Kids are graduating college and going to work in McDonalds. What else is left to do but hustle?
DJ Daddy Mack: McDonalds? That is very serious and scary considering I'm an outgoing college student myself.
BK Cyph: It’s bad out there. I got my Bachelor's Degree and was working in a mailroom. At least, I was lucky to have a job.
DJ Daddy Mack: Dang. Soon a Ph. D will not be enough to get you a good job.
BK Cyph: Yeah, it won’t be enough. The American economy can’t support the amount of kids graduating. It’s fucked up; they told us to go to school, to study and work hard. We did what we were told, and now we're fucked.
DJ Daddy Mack: I see.
What made you want to do “My President Sold Crack?”
BK Cyph: Well, you heard Jeezy's “My President is Black.” I had to put my twist on it. And for the record, I was the FIRST Rapper to re-do that record. Remember how everyone freestyled over Lil Wayne's “A Milli”?
DJ Daddy Mack: Yeah. [LAUGHS]
BK Cyph: When I first heard Jeezy's record, I knew everyone would rhyme over that. So, my plan was to be the first and have my shit so ill, that NO ONE could follow me after that. But, Rappers are dickriders. So, you know everyone is on that joint now. But for the record, Cyph had the very first “My President” freestyle. Respect to Jeezy for the inspiration.
DJ Daddy Mack: For me honestly, when I hear that beat, I think of “My President Sold Crack” not “My President is Black.”
BK Cyph: That's an honor, but we needed the original. We needed that record. It was great to have Jeezy and NaS on the same record to deliver that message. Killer Mike had a dope version too.
My version is like Lupe Fiasco's version of Kanye West's “Diamonds Are Forever.” Kanye had a DOPE RECORD. But, when Lupe got on it and freestyled about the blood diamonds, he made a name for himself.
DJ Daddy Mack: Over 2000 downloads for your record is very impressive.
BK Cyph: Yeah, that was in like one day. For a brand new Rapper, that's pretty good. But, I don't sweat that shit. Just gotta keep working.
DJ Daddy Mack: I see. It is funny how an unknown artist can come along and make a record better than the well-known artist.
BK Cyph: I don't know about all that. I respect Jeezy. The record was just different. If there was no original, I could have never done what I did.
DJ Daddy Mack: I respect Jeezy to some degree. But, I just think you did a better job, and I'm sure a few people would agree.
You mention President Bush in that record, and you make this connection that him and President Reagan are one in the same with the line: “He ain’t selling crack no more. He in it for the oil. It’s an all out war.” What are the similarities between these Presidents? One that I can think of is that Bush’s father was Reagan’s Vice President who then became the next President.
BK Cyph: The Bush family was tight with Reagan. It’s the same line of thinking. They run the country in a similar way. There is no concern about the American people. It's all about an agenda to rule the world. Look at how fucked up America is today, the war, the economy. We haven’t been this fucked up since the Reagan era.
DJ Daddy Mack: Rule the world? Very strong. [LAUGHS]
BK Cyph: Those motherfuckers are trying to rule the world. That’s real talk. Bush’s whole international policy is on some get down or lay down shit. Saddam didn’t wanna get down and you see what happened to him. But, the truth is we are losing this war.
DJ Daddy Mack: Just like what Katt Williams said in his special The Pimp Chronicles Part 1.
I feel you on that. But, I don't think Bush is smart enough to rule the world. Dick Cheney is the brains in my opinion. He is trying to rule the world. A new book came out about him called Angler: The Cheney Vice Presidency. It is insane all the sneaky shit he did.
BK Cyph: Don't let Bush fool you. Yes, he is like a bull in a China shop, but he is plenty smart.
DJ Daddy Mack: Bull in a China shop? What do you mean by that?
BK Cyph: Meaning that he is a clumsy motherfucker, but he knows what he is doing.
DJ Daddy Mack: Oh I see.
BK Cyph: He stole the election and the American public did nothing about it. That's some thug shit.
DJ Daddy Mack: Word. He did steal it. I did not understand it during that time, but now I'm like why people did not do anything about it?
BK Cyph: Because Americans were afraid. We like to lease our Hummers, our cell phones and stimulus checks. We don’t wanna lose that shit. Look at the economy now. We're losing all that excess shit, all that luxury, we're losing it.
Now, what will they take from us next? The only things left are food, clothing and shelter. Once they start fucking with that, you’ll see a revolution.
DJ Daddy Mack: Interesting.
Recently, Senator John McCain was linked to Iran-Contra affair in the 1980’s (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081007/ap_on_el_pr/mccain_iran_contra). This also happens to be around the time when he voted against the Martin Luther King holiday (http://www.democrats.org/a/2008/04/john_mccains_re.php). What’s interesting is that “My President Sold Crack” is about the Iran-Contra affair; you do shout out Senator Barack Obama in it and show no love for Senator McCain. What do you think about this link? Also, since you shout out Senator Obama, is it safe to say you support him?
BK Cyph: I support Obama. But don't get it twisted, it's not like if Obama wins that all of our problems are solved. We still have to hold him accountable; there is still a lot of work to do.
DJ Daddy Mack: I agree.
BK Cyph: As far as McCain being on that board that supported the Iran-Contra scandal, it’s not surprising. I mean he supported the war and the troop surge in Iraq.
DJ Daddy Mack: You are saying that some things don't change?
BK Cyph: I'm saying our politicians are like wrestlers. They say rap is like wrestling, but nah these fuckers are worse.
DJ Daddy Mack: [LAUGHS]
BK Cyph: We trained Bin Laden, he was once an ally.
