IN MY MIND

MIXTAPE OVERLOAD....

2009-08-06T18:57:00.003-05:00

As I am listening to Chamillionaire's Mixtape Messiah 7 (the first disc at least, second one still to come), I now come off of reading an editorial on nappyafro.com, in regards to yes....the mixtape.

A lot of good points were made in the article. For example, I believe 2009 will forever be remembered as "the year of the mixtape". Mostly recognized for Drake "changing the game" with his So Far Gone mixtape and Gucci Mane getting more publicity and street cred than what he really deserves (not only that but I am getting sick of mentioning both). Not only that, but we're seeing a lot of new artists get love from the bloggers and the heads combined (Pac Div, Tiron, Diz Gibran, QuESt, XV) and others who increase their popularity from mixtapes (Wale, Slaughterhouse). And it is at a point where mixtapes are held at a higher account and importance than the actual album. Yes, I agreed, there is a huge problem with that.

I think where the problem mostly lies, is that right now, there are one too many mixtapes and even more DJ's that are putting out the same shit that you found on the latest Drama or Whoo Kid tape. Where it also gets sad, is that these DJ's are profiting from it. How many Gucci tapes do we really need out there??? I'm surprised Charles Hamilton put out THAT many tapes thinking we'd still keep an interest.

When it comes to an overload, it makes you wonder, what is even the point of putting out an album when you got 10-15 mixtapes of material. Some mixtapes come out and you wish that THIS was the album (Trey Songz's new mixtape).

However, sometimes, mixtapes serve as the outlet where artists can truly express themselves artistically and their albums (usually the case with major labels) are basically the product that is made to drive the "casual hip hop listener" to go to Best Buy or whatever record stores are still open to buy the CD or at least buy it off of iTunes. And despite contrary belief, mixtapes still serve as a purpose to break an artist, and increase his stock (once again Drake).

Other times, artists have no choice BUT to release mixtapes, due to being shelved and blackballed (Joe Budden) to still make the listeners aware that they're still out there and still droppin' heat. (Chamillionaire).

As an artist myself, I am unsigned, no label, and reside in a city, where our hip-hop scene has limited exposure (unless your name is Ray Nitti). However, this is how I look at it. Mixtapes for me, are ways to provide a glimpse into my skills, and where I can creatively go all out and show the city (the world) that this is what you can expect when I begin to work on my album, where the album is served to reach the "casual listener". However with me, I choose to not dumb down, but to attract those different sounds and styles into my own. There is a huge difference between being inspired and jackin' someone else's steez. And you know mine. (c) Method Man

So quite frankly, I agreed with most of the editorial, and I hope that people (the artists in general) realize that mixtapes can get you to that next level. But it is the album that will solidify it.

GUCCI MANE- GANGSTA GRILLZ THE SEQUEL

2009-07-28T21:04:00.003-05:00

So it has been almost a week since Gucci's sequel to his previous Gangsta Grillz tape with DJ Drama has been released to the public. As it has been told in the past, as well as heard, when you listen to pretty much ANY Gucci Mane record/tape/album, do not go into the shit expecting things such as you know, extravagant wordplay, intricate rhyme schemes, clever metaphors, you need to listen to it with an open mind, and basically a tolerance for ignorance. In Gucci's case, you need to have a knack for beats and understand that Gucci's lyrics, are not at all at a level of let's saaaaaay Nas...but has the tendency to shock you with flow and humor underneath his mush-mouth delivery.

The tape is nothing out of the ordinary...it's the same ol' coochie coochie (Gucci Gucci). One thing I will not knock him for is his ear for beat selection. Much like Jeezy, the beats covers up his limitations.

However, as I said before...this is nothing NEW from him. As in nothing really that WOW'd me or whatever.

Much like the Movie, the Sequel gets no more than a "L" (or average) from me, as there are records that I can bump when strollin' (or walkin') through the neighborhood ("Pressure", "Awesome"). Then there is that one song that is gonna make me go ballistic in a club setting ("Wasted", "Superhero"). HOWEVER, there are songs where you are just waitin' to push that stop/pause/skip button ("Leading Lady", "Hottest Rapper", any record wit OJ Da Juiceman on it).

Either way, there is shit on here for everyone on this tape, but like every Gucci Mane tape, it won't satisfy everyone.

MAKING IT RAIN: THE EPITOME OF UNNECESSARY SELF-CONFIDENCE....

2009-07-26T22:43:00.004-05:00

Okey dokey. So everyone knows about the video that has leaked for several days now that depicts the prime example of an athlete who just can't seem to catch a break, yes, i'm talking to YOU!!!....PAC-MAN ADAM JONES!!! (whom I never saw the hype anyway)

Anyways, the video depicts him at an very popular ATL strip club, (don't know the name and don't really care) but it shows him with a Louis Viutton bag (what straight male carries those to begin with???) of about $100,000 converted to stacks of $1 dollar bills (really?????) and tossing that shit in the air like it was confetti at the numerous rounds of desperate females in the tightest G-strings you can find at your nearest TJ Maxx. Other minions included producer/rapper Jermaine Dupri (whos beats sound like he's stuck in the year 1998)...and rapper-turned-quasi fashion designer Nelly (who sounds like he's stuck in 2000). Anyway, JD decides to take it upon himself and defend many of the male population inside of the strip joint and justify each and every one of their fried brain cells, by telling the girls, NOT to stop dancing, to continue doing their jobs, and get their money when they are done performing...as each and every one of those males make their hard earned million dollars a day...to waste it all...on a female's attention.....

Other incidents involved Pack-Man smacking a b****, caps busted outside a hotel...yada yada yada....

Now, I am all for going to strip clubs (as I am seen there on numerous occasions), however I don't see how my apperance, where I take pretty much $30-50 there, 2/3 of that small ass pocket change is spent on drinks (in which I mostly consume by my lonesome, unless I want to share the wealth) tipping (the girls (that I know), the bartenders (so that they dont become dicks and spit in your alcohol), the bathroom guys as they spend most of the night inhaling the toxic fumes of shit, urine, and cigarette smoke)....could measure up in any particular form of chauvinism or feeling of superiority towards women....when I can be a pro athlete, rapper, manwhore, etc. and take a large sum of my millions and just feel the need to throw it any and everywhere, creating a frenzy of broke "independent" women to come at my money like cheetahs feasting on their young, and then want to get MAD...because they're not DOING THEIR JOB.........

Jermaine Dupri....GET THE FUCK OUTTA HERE AND TAKE BOW WOW'S MUSIC WITH YOU ON THE WAY OUT!!!!

It appears this whole need to make it rain on them ho's has invented a new way for niggas to be niggas. Not saying it speaks for just black people, as the occasional Colonel Sanders stand-ins, with their crusty beards, tinted glasses, and Santa Claus pot-bellies have infiltrated strip clubs to catch a glimpse of what life will be after divorce.

There are reasons to why I take so little to strip joints.

1. I know better.

and 2. I know more.

Now, this is not any particular way of saying I have better judgments than those baller type niggas. However, in a world that we live in right now, where money is being treated like army rations, why do we do it???

It seems for years, this vapid mixture of self-confidence and arrogance, keeps people looking at us going "what a bunch of niggers" (directed towards the hip hop culture...knowing almost everyone of color does it), however famous people try justifying it (JD) by claiming that it is a way of life that if you can't understand, don't fuck with it. But that's the thing though...I don't understand it, nor do I want to fuck with it. I don't even spend that much on the ACTUAL FEMALE.....why should I??? she ain't paying for my tuition dammit!!! The girls that usually know me come up to me for my time and ears, cause they know what I am about and what my motives are. The motives usually being if I am not gonna spend money on you....I'm NOT gonna spend money on you...it's just what it is. Plus, I usually wind up leaving the club still with money left over that can be saved or used for my dinner the next day, you know, personal needs.

I guess all in all, what I am saying in relation to what illseed of Allhiphop.com referred to in his editorial on the same topic, is that we ought to give the strippers a little reward for their actual interaction with us, whether physical or verbal, whatever. And perhaps the sexual and financial power trip these guys are on when throwing their money to the ground, is one of the mindless character traits that us men have when we choose to exemplify our superiority towards the opposite sex therefore, belittling or degrading the girls in the process, cause it is the cool thing to do, by throwing it to them...like food being tossed to prisoners.

It's like I said, I love the strip club, but not to the point, to where I am willing to throw away large sums of money....

(think about it: Pac-Man $100,000 > Me $30-60)

......just because I get off on the empowerment that ballin' can bring...

To celebrities, step out of the alternate reality that you reside in and wake up to what is really going on around you....

CLASSIC RECORDS....I SHOULD JUST LET STAY CLASSICS

2009-07-25T12:52:00.003-05:00

And this is all in relation to the little conflict that I have had with listening to music this year. Both current and of the past. However, this is something that I have had issue with, and as I write this, I believe that I may have discussed this in a blog post of the past.

I review albums, on a regular. It's mostly how I differentiate the real from the fake, or basically, the bullshit from the fertilized...if that even makes sense.

However, lately, every classic album that I have bought/DL'ed/stole from others have been just that...classics. So the problem is why am I still rating albums???

Lately this year, I have listened to albums based on emotion. In other words, do I think something is going to uplift me in a way that my passion for what I love to do will return in some kind of fashion??? Honestly no...I haven't got that from albums. Let's review the major releases.

Jadakiss- good album, nothing memorable however.

Rick Ross- improvement (unexpected or not) however, the whole CO thing still bugs me.

Eminem- not the Em I wanted to hear. I feel for the more personal shit. Character Em, I can only take in doses....small doses.

Meth & Red- an album I once thought was album of the year, after another listen...well....nothing memorable.

Busta- legend of the fall-offs.

Asher Roth- I don't believe the great white hype. He's not a bad artist, but the album is so inconsistent.

Cam'Ron- ehhhh....

Jim Jones- see Cam'Ron.....

Flo Rida, Mike Jones, Bow Wow, Mims, Gorilla Zoe, etc.- See Cameron and Jenny Jones.

The only rap albums (on major labels) that I have enjoyed from top to bottom is basically two albums...

Mos Def's "The Ecstatic" and UGK's "UGK 4 Life" (excluding that piece of shit track with Akon)

Other albums I haven't necessarily got to yet (Twista's "Category F5", Maino's "If Tomorrow Comes")...some I haven't bothered (Ace Hood's "Ruthless")

The only albums that I have really enjoyed this year have all been "INDEPENDENT" records...or as ya'll like to call it "UNDERGROUND" was "Chamber Music", "The Truth Is Here", "Padded Room", the beautiful "Jay Stay Paid".

Meanwhile, I have stuck to my classic albums. Because there is so much room on my iPod that I have limited my album lists to near 8-9 songs out of what are possibly 15 tracks overall...while leaving room for 10 albums that I listen to all through, from top to bottom.

And I haven't felt the need to wanna review or rate them. I just want to listen to the music and see for myself if it deserves classic status. It feels....corny nowadays and especially for me being the age that I am. I will probably review just current albums, but I doubt I will do that to...and mostly 'cause nothing has impressed me. Except for a few albums....and then not only that, but my favorite records have been....mixtapes.

The following:

J. Cole, Pac Division, U-N-I, Rhymefest, Joell Ortiz, Emilio Rojas, QUEST!!!

and yes...Drake.

Have put out great records and have released them (free of charge)...even 50's tapes have been good....and you can even filter out an "OKAY" tape from Gucci Mane or OJ Da Juiceman....eeeven Soldier Kid put a tape out today....and confirmed my belief and faith that he stop making records one day....

So the way that I see it...is that 2009...is the year of the mixtape.

A vivid idea that the industry is indeed CHANGING.

A MESSAGE TO THE GAME

2009-07-23T02:50:00.002-05:00

.........GET OVER IT!!!!.........

WAS HE SINCERE???

2009-07-22T21:01:00.001-05:00

In my opinion......no.

Because of this....

1. I often believed that anyone that has to read an apology off of cue cards either A. Didn't mean what they say or B. Using this as their own personal gain. He seems like he's doing both.

2. ......Who talks like that? "What I did was fucking retarded!" lol.

3. It does NOT take SIX FUCKING MONTHS to apologize for something of this nature and severity. Despite what your attorneys say or what the public has done to ridicule you every step of the way since your incident, you should have "manned up" then...not six months later.

I believe that this rehearsed, near-remorseless apology, is another example of the downward spiral that he and his career is continuing to take. Since his new album is rumored to come out this year, is anybody really gonna be checking for him? More stunts like these, and I highly doubt it....say hello to the has-beens Chris, you done R. Kelly'd ya'self.

JUST WRITING

2009-07-14T22:44:00.002-05:00

Yea, I mean there is a wide range of things that have been on my mind as of late, as I endure this process of writing for my next mixtape, Written In Blood 3. I mean, for the last couple days, I have realized that I have been writing nothing but downers, sad songs, excerpts of doubt, fear, and mental recklessness.

A lot of that has and had to do with me dealing. Dealing with the fact that the one person that I love more than myself, hates me for all eternity. Maybe not, but that is how everything is portrayed. A lot of things don't make sense. Not as to whether or not I regret the break up, because to an extent I don't and know that it was best for me. It's more of just, wondering what does she want from me? I mean I don't know of any other way I can possibly explain my side of the story, without receiving a backlash of doubt from her, and watch it roll in like a tsunami to destroy everything that is left of our relationship. The one thing that I hate more is when she says things such as her wishing that I would have done something terrible to her, to make the pain easier to deal with or let the hate for me grow immensely.

WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT SHIT???

It's like saying you wished that I cheated on her, or talked shit about her to everyone else, much like what all her friends and family did in regards to me, relaying that I wasn't good enough for her, or that I am gonna hurt her, or that I'm slime. Even when we were going through our shit, I defended her, and not one member of my family or any of my friends (well, except Krystle but she's an ass like that) had said she was wrong for me.

But its like I said before, when promises are made on a regular basis, and are never fulfilled, what do you expect? I would rather get myself together than to have so much self-hatred that I take it out on her, in which for a certain period I had. The thoughts of suicide or doing something terrible to myself lingered so many times during our first tenure, all 'cause I had never loved anyone like I did her, and that it drove me crazy that problems were unresolved.

I do NOT want to go down that path again.

But I apologized and I have tried making things right, but apparently she would rather I keep my distance and leave her alone, in which I understand, but at the same time, the fact that we can never be friends again, or she'd rather hate me for the rest of my life, kills me. I do NOT need another "Rhea" in my life, or an ex-girlfriend or friend in general that turns into an enemy. There's a part of me that wants to give up, but at the same time, there has been so many times that I have heard that from women or that I have said that myself.

I've managed to rectify relationships, with the exception of one (you know who) because they are at least rational enough to understand the flaws and plights of our situations and are not taking every second bashing me with complaints and "you coulda did this" or "you never cared about me" garbage. So does she mean what she says? I am not sure. From what it seems, she means it, but life is too short to hold grudges, or to feel anger. Although I can do the same, I hope she understands that as well. But I guess I'll never know, as I feel like I will always be looked at as a mistake in her eyes.

I guess, this time around, the reasons for making Written In Blood 3, is to sort through all of the emotions and make quality music, outside of the bullshit we been getting lately. Mixtapes have been key lately for breaking artists, or furthering their evergrowing popularity (Drake, Wale, Bobby Ray, J. Cole)...although too many can drive a wedge between genius and insanity (Gucci Mane, OJ Da Juiceman, Charles Hamilton, Max B). Me on the other hand, is me laying rest to the issues that have plagued my life and my music in the last couple months. I feel bad that I haven't taken this year to my advantage and made as much music as possible, but somehow that is all changing.

I plan on recording every week, Written In Blood 3 should be out my early to mid August, Hell Week (the first official album) will be out after that, and then I hope to have another EP out, where is nothing but relieving myself of the stressful vibes and have something out in time for the beginning of the semester and fall. You can say there will be more feel good music on there for a change. If only I can expose the horror first.

UPDATE

2009-07-09T16:00:00.005-05:00

My blogging game has been off I truly admit on my part. But what can you say when you have a gazillion things going on at one time? Mostly, what has been occurring these last several days all surround the upcoming releases of two projects that have been a year in the making.

Written In Blood 3- a mixtape that has been worked on since the LAST Written In Blood tape, lol. I consider this project to be the most personal record I have done yet. I consider this coping with my maturity as a person and as an artist. A lot of things I plan to talk about are....well, you will have to wait and see.

HELL WEEK- Finally, finally, finally...this album/EP is coming out. We got most of the shit recorded. My parts are all done except for one and another is being re-recorded when we get the time to do it. Either way, this is all going to be the pinnacle of all the BULL shit that we have experienced these last several months.

Okay, this is a crappy blog/update, but that's what's happened. So long.

MUST BE NICE

2009-07-03T14:57:00.003-05:00

I'm on a roll today with these posts....let me keep em goin...

Another Worldstar masterpiece. Three white kids (two males, one female) are in their home studio, and two of them are freestyling over a beat from underground-known producer Kev Brown (if you use to listen to Milwaukee's Late Night Hype Show a few years back, his shit and Oddisee's got a lot of burn). These cats are coo...I like to see others come harder.

HERE'S ANOTHER ONE FOR YA....

2009-07-03T14:38:00.003-05:00

The story given for this, was apparently this took place in Haiti and the guy that you see came from the club and went straight to church in the early morning. Then again, this came from Worldstarhiphop, so I don't necessarily know how valid that story really is. Perhaps it was a case of over-excitement. Either way, this is a funny as hell video to watch. At the same time...disturbing...the same time...you cannot help but show sympathy....just a little bit.

LATE PASS: THIS WEEK IN COONERY.....

2009-07-03T14:06:00.005-05:00

So, the buzz all around this week, has been what I would like to consider as the very reason why I do not watch BET for music anymore. The only time I watch BET is for Smart Guy and The Game. Anyways, the BET Awards were this past Sunday, and you can tell that the recent passing of Michael Jackson brought the vibe down to where the show was mostly a show filled with dedications, tributes, and performances. Understandable....then this shit happened....

You got Drake sitting in a stool (due to a torn ACL allegedly) half-assing his performance of "Best I Ever Had", then you have Lil' Wayne and his Young Money minions performing "Every Girl" while putting the censors at their mercy. As well as a bunch of pre-teen girls coming on stage during the performance surrounding Drizzy (one of them were apparently Lil' Wayne's daughter)...then Birdman or Birdshit as 2dopeboyz.com refers to him as, performs "Always Strapped" wishing his mouth was strapped shut so that he was unable to speak. A horrid performance, and a horrid night in Drake's young career. Then as well as the video for "Best I Ever Had" premiering....FINALLY!!!...he makes up his mind and decides to sign with Lil' Wayne and Young Money....*sigh*...

Okay, I believe in loyalty....but don't you think that this performance shows that Drake is beyond Wayne and his weed-carriers' antics? There were so many routes he could take (sign wit Jay and Roc Nation, go to Kanye and G.O.O.D. music, go independent)...instead he chose the easy way out and the route that we all expected anyways, and is now included himself in the freak show circus that is Young Money. All I hope for now, is that the quality of his music does not decline as whenever Drake and Wayne get together, the songs falter (mostly due to Wayne's over-unpredictability). Here's your chance to prove me wrong, and maybe I'll thank you later, and buy your album........maybe....But never do I wanna see such brainless fuckery on stage again.

If that wasn't enough, here is a video of Hurricane Chris performing "Halle Berry (She's Fine)", in front of Louisiana's House of Representatives. The first thing I thought was.....why? and the next thing I thought was how? And I concluded my thoughts with, "It is no wonder we blame the South for everything"....

This has prompted me to start something new every week. Every week I will come across something that will have me shake my head in disgrace of being a human being (usually targeted to my own race). So if I see it, I will post it, and I will give my comments, so take these and enjoy it biatch.

*Apparently the rumor is according to Complex Magazine, Drake is signed to Cortez Bryant's Hip Hop Since 1978 & their company Aspire Music Group, where it is a joint venture with Lil' Wayne's Young Money and he is not signed as a Universal artist, however they play a part in the distribution of his records*

....sure.

TRYING TO DEAL....

2009-07-01T23:51:00.002-05:00

Okay, so it has been awhile since I had updated this son of a biatch...A lot has gone on during that time. Of course, the main highlight is the breakup between me and Adrianne. During the course of the last few days, I have done everything to deal. From hanging with friends, to going out on my own, to just flat out being alone. From the start, I began to move on and begin a new chapter in my life, which started today, as I began writing and recording for the next volume of Written In Blood. The first song I wrote was called "Winter of the Heart". The song is basically describing a small part of what happened in our relationship and my feelings towards trying to deal with the situation while trying to move on, yet at the same time recognizing how she is feeling and how much it kills that I had to do this.

Do I feel a little hurt due to the fact that she decided to call our relationship "a prison", yea, I mean who wouldn't take offense to that. It makes me begin to believe that she felt that she was trapped or that she feels she is better off without me in her life. Especially with the idea that she believes it would be easier if I had cheated on her or that she did something wrong to me. Honestly, what the fuck would that prove? That the pain would be easier to deal had I done something wrong? So, that the fact that her friends and her family having the idea that I am a "loser" would be justified in some twisted type of fashion?

I understand the anger, but come on, is it saying that the 2-3 years we been friends and lovers meant absolutely nothing? I know I hurt her and I know that maybe in her mind, breaking up with her was the easy way out of my issues, but I told her my reasons, I regret that it had to come to this, and I am trying to make things right between the both of us, but I am NOT going to continue beating myself up about the whole situation.

Was calling her the wrong thing to do? there is no yes/no answer. But I just miss hearing her voice. I miss being able to talk to her about anything and everything, but at the same time, I can't condone feeling like I am the enemy for this entire ordeal. I was simply being honest and true to what I felt and believed. I just hate that it cost us both each other's support and company in the process.

Times like these...where....you just wanna die.....

2009-06-25T23:42:00.004-05:00

This will probably be the LONGEST blog that I ever do.....

As hours pass, I for one still can't believe that one of the greatest artists and entertainers to ever live...is gone.

Found out from co-workers and customers during the first fifteen minutes of my shift at work today, that Michael Jackson had died today. Later found out that he died from cardiac arrest aka a heart attack.

The irony of this tragedy is that as I was reading an article from the latest edition of Rolling Stone (unfortunately the Jonas Brothers made the cover...again) that he maybe having health problems due to overpreparing for his "comeback" tour in Europe.

The way I see it is, no matter if you're a pop star, rock 'n roller, hip hop head, or soul crooner, Michael Jackson had some if not a major influence on you. You can even it see it more now in today's generation of artists, from Justin Timberlake

to Usher

to Chris Brown

Even in hip-hop.....

With the tumultous week that I have had so far, from the break up with Adrianne, to my stress, THIS is the prime example of that old saying "Do NOT take life for granted". I think with all of the scrutiny and all of the jokes that we have made, in writing Michael off the last several years as "Wacko Jacko" or any name that you can create to describe his unorthodox behaviour (I can't lie I was laughing as well) we all forgot what it is to like the MUSIC. I can't recall any particular song that made me want to dance, cry, smile, or any human emotion other than a Michael Jackson song. It is not just an influence on a particular group of artists or a plethora of dancers, or fashionistas, he influenced damn near the WHOLE WORLD. Hell, he DID influence the whole world. This is way past a 2Pac or a Biggie or a Kurt Cobain or a Jimi Hendrix, he was THE entertainer. With that, here's five (out of the 15 I made a list out of) of my favorite MJ songs of all time. Enjoy the songs on your own time or what not, whatever, just enjoy. R.I.P. to the definitive and true KING OF POP!!! You will GREATLY be missed........

5. "Jam"

For the video, this was when two of the greats in their own respective fields collided. Michael vs. Michael....Jackson vs. Jordan. It's just that vibe you get when you hear the song, it's just high-octane energy. The Heavy D cameo makes it better also.

4. "Human Nature"

Not only is it a sample in one of the greatest hip hop songs ever, Nas' "It Ain't Hard To Tell", but a memory that will always stick in my head when I hear this song, is my mom sitting next to me in the car as she drives, with tears coming down her eyes, while "Human Nature" played on the radio.

3. "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough"

The song that made me get into Michael again, after years of straying away from him.

2. "Dirty Diana"

This is for the rock/metalhead side of Mad Static, Slash apparently doing the guitar on the track, but it is that song that describes that particular groupie (or celebrity) that will do anything for stardom (every video vixen today) or maybe I have the story mixed up and I don't wanna think of what really happened, lol.

1. "Smooth Criminal"

No words needed.

But instead, I will present this to you....

Also, so they are not forgotten, Rest in Peace to actress Farrah Fawcett (who passed away five hours before Michael) and TV personality Ed McMahon (who passed in the same hospital).

CLOSING A CHAPTER

2009-06-24T07:31:00.001-05:00

Okay so a lot of you have been wondering as to how the hell I became single that "instantly". Received and made a lot of phonecalls and texts in regards to the entire situation. And yes, it's true. We are no longer together.

I can't necessarily say that the results stemmed from one general conflict. It came from a lot of things. One of them being the constant fighting. Every day and every week arguing, complaining, about the same general stuff, that we both said to each other, time and time again, that we could fix to better the relationship. Nothing worked, as we always kept resorting back to our own ways and moods. It's safe to say it was pride.

Also, on my behalf, dealing with the issues of being in a long-distance relationship and letting that coincide with my own "personal demons", not knowing what my future holds. For one, questioning whether or not I will EVER finish school, not being where I want to be with my career right now, and damaging relationships with people I care about the most (my family).

It just got to the point, where it was basically too much to handle for me. I begin questioning myself. Whether or not I was ready to handle a long distance relationship. Not being able to see each other everyday, the constant arguing, the need and want for the other to support what you do and for it to only get it halfway. I just felt, that perhaps....I wasn't ready as much as I thought it was...and those reoccuring emotions...led me to let her go.

Was it the right thing for me to do, naturally yes...but keep in mind, it's something that although I had to do for me, is something that I NEVER wanted to feel like I had to do. I wish she could understand the depth of my internal strife, but some things are just better left the way they are I suppose.

I don't ever want to regret nor forget the time that we did spend together, the tears I shed on her shoulder and vice versa, the emotions that stir when I look at her photos or read anything she says, or hear her voice, because she did make me look at both life and love in a different light.

I'm just at a point in my life, where right now, if I ever want to survive in both life and love, then I have to work on myself first, which means finishing school, going extra hard at my music and art, get closer to my family, since I never seem to tell them anything in regards to me. I don't know if yall can consider that selfish at all, but what good is it for me to destroy a relationship that I cherish if it is me who is feeling that I am the one causing the problems, because I can't handle what is going on in my life outside of the relationship. For that alone, I'm not willing to commit to ANYONE, until I MYSELF feel I'm ready to.

Right now, I just have to worry about me. But this girl is someone that I don't want to just become a distant memory. I hope that she can see it in her heart to forgive me for doing what I did. And not that I regret breaking up with her, because in my heart I know it was best for me, but I do regret, not putting enough effort for her to be loved, for not opening up more, for her to not see how much I loved her, as I defended her every single day I mentioned her name. And for that I deeply and sincerely apologize, and I just hope that if she does see me as a different person, it is because I am working hard on myself to change.

I hope one day, we can again have the kind of friendship we had before we became boyfriend/girlfriend, and that in her eyes I'm not an evil person in any way, shape, or form, and so I will give her as much time and space that she needs to deal. But it is like I said, I have to follow my heart and my life will go on. I just hope she understands someday.

I'M GOIN' TO HELL FOR EVEN LAUGHING AT THIS

2009-06-19T00:31:00.002-05:00

This was from a WGN (Chicago news station) live morning news telecast, where one of the reporters dunks on a three year old.

You know. This is one of those clips where you're on either side of the fence. You're either saying this is the wrongest thing you can do to a kid and his already frail self-esteem or you're laughing your ass off at this. I am doing the latter.

I'M IN HELL......

2009-06-17T03:42:00.003-05:00

Naw, ya know what, I can't even hate on this here, cause I know this was all done in good fun, and I cannot tell a lie. This is funny as hell...and seeing as how the CMT awards was a while ago......yeeeaaaa....so enjoy.

IT'S A RECESSION...AND YOU DO THIS....

2009-06-16T17:12:00.003-05:00

T-Pain, I would like to applaud and congratulate you, on taking the award for "We Couldn't Be Any More Niggerish Than We Already Were Or Are".

YOUNG JEEZY "24 23" (KOBE/LEBRON)

2009-06-16T10:59:00.004-05:00

This is apparently off of "Thug Motivation 103" coming soon, but more importantly, this is a diss going at the biggest cornballs in the game right now, that being Gucci Mane and OJ Da Juiceman. No it's no "Bridge Is Over", no its no "Takeover", no its no "Hit 'Em Up", or "Second Round KO"...WHATEVER WHATEVER WHATEVEEEERRRR!!!! This is trap music at its finest, Jeezy back at his trap SHIT, and Jeezy's throwin' shots, take it for what it fuckin' is. This shit goes HARD!!! (Pay close attention to the second half of the first 16's). I can't wait to hear what kinda advanced brands of heavy lyricism that both Gucci and the Juiceman are gonna stir up from their nursery rhyme dictionary. Better go back to cookin' crack nigggggaaaaa!!!

IS HE CORRECT???

2009-06-14T18:28:00.003-05:00

After watching this a couple of times, I feel a little bit of what JD is saying. Being from Milwaukee, and liking the music that I like, it is safe to say that I am very diverse altogether, as a music lover and as an individual. So, for me, it is very likely for me to hear LMFAO on the radio if it is a station such as 88Nine, which is known for their eclectic lineup of music (where else are you gonna hear Atmosphere, Erykah Badu, and Michael Franti & Spearhead all in one hour?) and somewhere bands like Chester French are selling out shows and club gigs based off of their music alone and because their buzz spread from word-of-mouth. And our "underground rap" scene is more known than any other subgenre of hip hop in the city.

However, Milwaukee is a city that is known for "dickriding" other cities. That is where a lot of what you would hear on a station like V100, You hear records that have a better chance of getting airplay in Atlanta or Houston or some city located in the South than it would here.

We're in a time now where albums are selling less, labels are afraid to take chances and risks on new artists, and new artists, put out relentless material, and despite large fanbases, they are unable to build on that buzz by both critical and commercial acclaim (it often happens with either/or). Hip-Hop is crowded as fuck right now. For every Drake, there is a Soulja Boy, for every Asher Roth there is a Charles Hamilton. You wanna take it there, for every Dyme-A-Duzin, there is a Lil' Crazed (neither are wack, but you get my drift). And because the labels are afraid to bank on the artist that has it all (talent, range, popularity), they instead decide that they are going to invest their money on the trend, whether it is Auto-Tune or the latest and advanced version of the Hokey Pokey (via the Stanky Leg or the Ricky Bobby).

I am not necessarily blaming the staggering impact of quality rap and hip-hop on the radio on trends, it is much bigger than that, it is more of the imbalance that we suffer nowadays whenever we do listen to the radio. How often do you think you will hear Q-Tip or The Roots on V100? Unless they're playing "Vivrant Thing" or "You Got Me". Hence that these are mega-hits, but still these are artists that still put out quality singles, songs that I will definitely take over a "Make the Trap Say Aye" or a "Bricks" any day (noting that I am in my right mind at the time).

So my question to you is this, is the radio fine the way it is? Or is it blatant musical segregation that is causing what we have endured over the last several years? Because in my eyes, it is getting worse and worse and worse.

THE WIDESPREAD VIRUS THAT IS CALLED "NIGGADOM"

2009-06-11T18:17:00.002-05:00

Okay, so for those that know me, you know what happened to me Monday night.

As I am coming home from a slow yet fast day at work, I go home excited for my three days off and well-needed rest. As I am crossing the street, and trying to turn my iPod off where I had KRS-One playing in my earphones so I wasn't aware, some young nigga runs up on me and hits me on the side of the ear where my temple is. It didn't knock me out or knock me down, but it did tweak how the sound came out in my earphones as I found out later that night. So I turn around, find out what the fuck was up, and its the young dude, with like three other niggas in the distance, looking like they were laughing or pleased wit what they saw. I had my arms extended out, not really looking to fight, but I'm like "what are you doing?". One of em say "pick up yo' hat man", and they walk off.

So my guess is that it was nothing more than a wack ass attempt at portraying a gang initiation. And if it wasn't that, then it was some lame joke or something young punks do when school is out and they have no money or no job to keep them busy.

The incident hasn't really changed the way I move around the city. I still do what I do, and handle it how I always do, just I become more aware of what the fuck I am doing and who is around me at nighttime, but usually don't nobody be outside. Maybe it was just one of those nights, and plus it was around 11.

Worst come to worst, I'm sick of niggas in general. Don't get it twisted, because I love my brothers and sisters, but I'm thinking to myself, why the fuck do we do these kind of things to each other. We are already looked at as being ignorant, too dependent, as troublemakers, and all kinds of shit, and yet we kill each other every night, we start wars (conflicts) with each other every day, and what for???

Money.....fame....women.....material bullshit.

Do you feel like a man when you run up on someone from behind? Do you feel empowered knowing that three or four other niggas got your back to outnumber one person....ONE PERSON???....and do you feel like you can destroy everything you touch using a weapon instead of using your own two fists??? Nigga, that ain't called survival, and it is definitely not called strength or empowerment, that shit is called COWARDICE.

And I have seen or heard of too many good people die over bullshit things these last twenty three years of my life.

But as I said before...I'm not gonna let this kinda shit affect the way I live my life, and let it be known, it's the evil that men do, and the shit niggas pull, that ends up with them laying in coffins instead of their beds at night.

In the end.....the good die mostly over bullshit.

IT'S THE END ALRIGHT....

2009-06-07T14:26:00.003-05:00

I remember a day when the Black Eyed Peas represented everything that I love about hip hop today. When they took it back to the essence. They weren't the best on a lyrical standpoint, but then again, when you heard their music, that really didn't matter, because it had that original feel-good vibe to their music. Shit you can blast out ya boombox (note MP3's players weren't that big and iPods didn't exist yet) Their music represented all that was the "elements" of the hip-hop culture if you will. I remember shit like this....

and........

and they had a white girl before the Ferg...

Years went by and they kinda disappeared for a bit. I didn't understand it, nor was I in that right state of mind to care, but then I noticed they returned...with a new white girl...and a way too happy song...a bit pop if you will...but still I was feelin' it...but I started to doubt.

The Elephunk album started to have me question everything about them. Especially, when I realized the Black Eyed Peas' "Let's Get It Started" or for those that don't give a fuck about Wal-Mart led censorship, "Let's Get Retarded"...won the Grammy for best rap song or whatever...the first thing I thought to myself was....that was a rap song???

Then came Monkey Business. Man....you wanna dumb down to sell records...you follow the Black Eyed Peas formula...

Around this time, everything Black Eyed Peas was hard for me to swallow (pause). Especially when cats like Kanye, Common, and T.I. were getting ready to reach the height of their popularity only to get shafted by the radio-friendly, corporate-backed sugary-sweet, tooth-rotting music that the BEP were putting out. I mean at least back in the day Taboo and Apl had mic time and verses...now...I dont know what they do, I mean what are they, hypemen? bodyguards? It's all Fergie wit Will.I.Am behind the beats.

So Fergie went solo for a bit and got crazy popular, Will.I.Am dropped a solo....(and no one cared)...but at the same time, he felt he needed to prove himself that he was just as hip-hop as any nigga in the game. So from there, he started producing for almost EVERYONE...from legends like Nas and Common to future greats like the Game to lesser knowns like Murs.

It had to be at least two years...and the BEP started working on a new album...and just when I think, all is gonna be well....I get this.....

Now "Boom Boom Pow" aint as bad as one would think it would be, BUT...I absolutely HATE when someone comes out and claim this as the BEP is changing the game...All I see this as is a rip off of Afrika Bambattaa's "Planet Rock" dosed with idiotic lyrics about the year 3008 manipulated by the fine workings of an Auto-Tune program....ROCK AND RAAAAAWWWLLL....

What is the point of this blog? It is simple. For years, I've been questioning to whether the Black Eyed Peas can return to that vibe that I had for years listening to their music. Fergie is talented, Will.I.Am is talented, Taboo and Apl....good for what they do....but that really ain't to say I am satisfied with the product they are putting out now. Nor do I believe I ever will now. They basically said "Fuck You" to hip hop and have now driving down the crash-and-burn lane of pop music and vow never to return...and if you don't believe....

Man...Jamie Foxx hit it on the head on the Foxxhole a little while ago...

DEATH OF AUTOTUNE

2009-06-06T14:38:00.002-05:00

This right jeah....is the newest track off of Jay-Z's upcoming Blueprint 3 which we all found out will be released on 9/11 (ironically the date of the 1st Blueprint album). Since it came out, there has been a lot of mixed reaction. Of course you are hearing the typical "Jay's lyrics suck" responses along with the "Shit will never be as great as Reasonable Doubt" quotes coming from these 9year old lames with faggot tendencies, who prolly wasn't even into Jay until The Black Album.

Look, we know already....nothing will ever come close to Reasonable Doubt...hell Mos Def will never make another Black On Both Sides...but I am loving The Ecstatic right now as I am typing this...

My thoughts on this is that THIS is particularly what hip hop needed after this dry-as-fuck first half of the year for hip-hop releases (with the exception of the new Dilla album, the new Mos album, Blackout 2). From the sounds of it, he is basically going at EVERYBODY. Auto-tune is effective when it is used correctly, however most emcees either A)abuse the tool to the point where they become unlistenable or B) believe that there is an automatic success to using the tool because everyone else is using it, instead they are another victim to a passing trend.

I doubt anybody is gonna even TRY to use it after this song, however i DON'T believe that it is going to go away that soon either. As long as there is a T-Pain, Lil' Wayne, Kanye making hits with it...then I ono...but I am about as sick of it as everyone else. Ain't nothing wrong with trying new things, the culture thrives on it, but there's a thin line between being original and sounding unoriginal and quite frankly these cats are using this as a scapegoat for staying fresh in an already crowded genre.

BUY MOS DEF'S THE ECSTATIC TUESDAY!!!

ANOTHER NIGHT WHERE I SHOULD BE SLEEP

2009-06-04T00:00:00.002-05:00

But that is what happens when you start to acquire some kind of inspiration for the things that you do. Whether that be in life, in love, or whatever.

Such as last night when I went to the Highbury Pub on the south side of Milwaukee for the first time. My homies in the Boombox Saints crew were performing (my first time seeing what they can do live, after highly doubting them) and I can say that they brought it fa sho. Then of course, I went up, did a poem, got back down and everything was peace. At the same time, I was a bit discouraged. Discouraged due to the fact that I am thinking well, maybe spoken word is not gonna work at these kind of places. This is where that hip hop shit need to be heard. So I figured what I'm gonna do is for next week, I am going to show up at the Highbury and do either a old joint or a new joint. Either way, it is time I show my skill...

Here is a part of the Method Man & Redman (w/Busta Rhymes) interview from the Juan Epstein (Cipha Sounds & Peter Rosenberg) show....

A WEEKEND MUCH NEEDED

2009-05-31T12:17:00.002-05:00

Hello everybody. I am sitting here in front of my girlfriend's laptop watching and listening to the Travis Barker remix of Eminem's "3AM" (good to see him back on the drums).

Meanwhile, I am in Green Bay, spending a much needed weekend with my love. And the funny thing about this weekend. WE HAVE NOT HAD ONE ARGUMENT SINCE I GOT HERE!!!! Yet....(not trying to jinx myself) and knowing how I have been lately with the stress building and the tension growing in regards to my future endeavors (music and school), I am even surprised at myself.

But yes...so starting tomorrow, I begin serious writing on my three projects hoping for ALL of them to be released in all three months of the summer.

1- Beatjacking 101- Basically "Summer Soulstice Vol. 3" except its not on the "remix" tip, but it is more of me and not just a verse or two, so I guess you can say it is the Heartbreak tape with different beats

2- Written In Blood, Vol. 3- a continuation of my twisted thoughts and ALL original by ALL means.

3- The "Untitled" project with me and Amanda, which is an EP of our collaborative thoughts and plots to rule the world.

Also, much props to Dart Adams for his blog on Drake from a couple days ago, as I been conflicted as fuck wit this dude. But I have taken "So Far Gone" for what it is pretty much and honestly, I was able to write and think more listening to that in the last few days than my old school shit....

Ok.....later homies.

Oh....and here's a video with Rosenberg's crappy camera work according to the gf, as he interviews Drake (and plugs himself in the process)

....and there's a little run-in as well....

NOVELTY RAP AT IT'S FINEST!!!

2009-05-25T01:48:00.002-05:00

This is one of those songs/videos, where I am not really interested in what these niggas are saying nor doing. If anything I try my hardest to block them out in anyway possible and focus on the focus of this particular video/song. One of my favorite things.....a white girl with a booty.

In the last couple of weeks, I have been daring people that I will be doing a remix for this song. Gimme a few days. You will be surprised.

I HAVEN'T WRITTEN AS MUCH AS I WOULD LIKE TO...

2009-05-24T00:40:00.002-05:00

And I mostly blame life for that....

I believe the culmination for all of the bad luck I have had with all of the elements that make up my life, came in the form of me losing my ID as well as my check/debit card on (perhaps the city bus).

Whether it was carelessness or not, it did in fact make me look at things in maybe an unnecessary perspective. That maybe God is trying to send me some kind of message (or at least that is what my friend Courtenay said to me.)

I wish that I could put a lot of what has happened to me and what I have endured mentally and physically into a way that at the same time remedies what I am going through while it is giving people a bird's eye view into the man that people are not used to seeing.

At the end of the day, I wish the world could just sink into me and my thoughts....

IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME I SHOULDN'T HAVE LEFT YOU...PART 627?!?!

2009-05-16T15:12:00.002-05:00

But as of this moment, I am done with school for this semester and for the year. Year number six, here I come...I honestly do not know why I am still in school after all of these years. I mean, school keeps me on my feet, keeps me grounded, keeps me yearning to learn, but have you ever felt that out of all your hard work, you are getting absolutely NOWHERE? I feel that I should be in studio classes actually DOING something, instead of sitting down and listening to a voice that projects across a gigantic lecture hall, with the ability of passing out from overbearing boredom (no disrespect to my professors). If I wanna hear a projected voice putting me to sleep, I'll listen to Asher Roth's new album.

Yet, the thing is, with the idea that I feel I am getting nowhere, it motivates me to pursue what I want to do, and learn more about what I do, without letting school hold me back from doing so within the institution. At the end of the day, a diploma should not define me. My hard work and determination as well as dedication should provide others for who I am as an individual. If I choose not to give a fuck, it would show, or perhaps it is when that question pops up in class, and I wonder, "Why the hell am I here?".

Bottom line is, this week has been hella stressful for me and for those around me. And I apologize for letting my stress, my anger, my frustration, and my fears affect the way that I treat those that care for me that much, especially to my queens (Mom, Adrianne) my princess (Amaya) and I give thanks to the homies that stood by me (Randal, Leon, Frank, Amanda) and a big ups to the haters (Rhea).

This summer, I look to get out my dreams and make use of the trying times that our country is in.

A GOOD ANALOGY OF WHO CAN USE THE N-WORD....

2009-05-06T11:58:00.001-05:00

My opinion later on in the day.....

IS BROOKLYN IN THE HOUSE???

2009-05-03T22:52:00.007-05:00

Over the last couple of months, I have been hearing nothing except for who is gonna carry the torch for New York City. In the last issue of XXL with Officer Ricky on the cover, there is an article about the last crop of emcees from Hip Hop's capital...and how years later....they are either shelved, dropped from labels, or we don't know where the hell they are right now.

Joell Ortiz- signed to Dr. Dre's Aftermath, but with the Three-Headed monster, there was no tellin' when he was going to drop so he left.

Papoose- signed to Jive for a $1.5 million dollar deal, buzz was huge from '04-06...but he left...and since then we ain't heard from him.

Saigon- signed to Atlantic, yet his album was delayed time after time after time, and the greatest story remains NEVER told.

Uncle Murda; Tru Life- signed to the Roc.....then got dropped.

Nowadays...there are two emcees that I hear on the regular from others whether online or in magazines, that in which they believe are going to bring NY back to the forefront....

From Brooklyn....Maino

From Brooklyn....Red Cafe

Now before today, I ain't heard a lot of their material, other than their singles. For Maino, he struck gold last year around this time with the block anthem, club favorite, retro-sounding, "Hi Hater" and now with the "Live Your Life-esque", Just Blaze produced (irony) "All The Above" featuring T-Pain.

For Red Cafe, I heard before on Fabolous mixtapes from like 2006. A lot of his shit were club hits/street anthems ("Bling Blaow", "Paper Touchin'") and now with "Hottest In The Hood" that just been remixed with an all star cast (Diddy, Jadakiss, Fabolous, Rick Ross, OJ Da Juiceman (why???)) and been jacked by the top lyricists in the game (Joe Budden, Royce Da 5'9", Lloyd Banks).

Now I decided to listen to tapes respectively from them, Maino's "I'm the Victim" tape featuring DJ Trigga, and Red Cafe's "Eviction Notice".

From what I heard. I ain't impressed, but I ain't disappointed either. If anything I give their tapes a 7/10 as a whole. The songs as a whole are bangin', but at the same time, their skills are average at best, but they still spit better than most of these niggas out here today (Gucci, Juiceman, Soulja Boy, any niggas wit a dance out right now).

Of course, the ultimate result is the album. Maino's "If Tomorrow Comes" is out June 24th and although Red Cafe has an album already released with DJ Envy (via Koch/E1 entertainment), his official album "The Shakedown" should be out later this year, via a joint venture with Akon's Konvict Muzik (the label Red Cafe was originally signed to) and Diddy's Bad Boy (oh lord....)

I don't really know if they are the ones I'd go to in regards to holdin' the NY down, Jadakiss is already doin' a good job wit that, surprisingly selling over 200,000 copies of his new album in three weeks, with little to no publicity. the new Jim Jones is out, Cam'Ron's about to return (especially with possible rumors of a Dipset reunion), Busta's heatin' the streets up right now ("Arab Money", "Conglomerate"), 50's plottin' his return (in midst of the Rick Ross fiasco), Fabolous of course doin' his thing, Mos Def's new album comin' this summer, Reflection Eternal's album (Kweli & Hi-Tek), as well as Blueprint 3 (Jay-Z) scheduled for this year as well.

But Maino and Red Cafe have a bright future as long as they can keep pumpin' out the hits. I just don't think they anyone I'd listen to everyday though.

the white kids caught on quick.....yall on to somethin'!!!!

THE DOUBLE STANDARD

2009-05-02T01:56:00.005-05:00

The double standard in hip hop has taken its toll on my mentality as of late. More recently, one white boy from Pennsylvania, that just had an album debut at #5 and along with fellow whitey, has a thing for "nappy headed hos".

Mr. Asher Roth

Now I heard about this incident about a week in advance and it didn't even get any attention til recently. Where Asher left an update on his Twitter account, where he claimed he was at Rutgers University kickin' it with "nappy headed hos".

Now at the moment I read this, I didn't even get upset and after talking to my girlfriend a little bit, I came to a conclusion.

WE AS BLACK PEOPLE GOT SOME NERVE.....

What I mean by that, is that black entertainers (more referring to hip-hop) got some nerve where we can constantly put out songs and release videos and come on other media publications, where we are constantly referring to women as nothing more than inferior to us as a male species. To where they are objects. To where they are pretty much....meaningless.

Do I accept the nature of Asher Roth's comments...no.

At the same time, who are we to be this overly offended, as we take part of the double standard everyday in our lives and careers by exploiting and glorifying the negative aspects of our culture through rampant materialism.

I mean are we celebrating the fact that we are rich or are we using our stupidity to rub our success in the faces of those that are less opportunistic or less fortunate?

I know I turned this into something that is completely off topic in regards to the Asher Roth comments, but this is an element of the incident, that plagues us today. If you can't practice what you preach, then it really shouldn't have been said in the first place. Why do you think I often go around saying that I myself am not a fucking role model?

THE FUNNIEST SHIT I HAVE EVER SEEN.....

2009-04-29T15:36:00.001-05:00

And I know it is wrong of me to laugh at this and whatnot. Hell, I don't even know if this is a real case to be completely honest. But if it is true....man, is karma a bitch or WHAT???

*DISCLAIMER* PAY VERY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE LAST TWO MINUTES!!!

WHAT IS THIS SHIT?????

2009-04-24T22:10:00.000-05:00

Thank God for mute. The white chick look hot tho.

AND I JUST REALIZED....

2009-04-23T16:52:00.000-05:00

The last post I just made about Drake is pretty much a repeat of a previous one I did. Click on Drake's label and do a compare and contrast if you will. Now that I think about it, if I did do two blogs expressing the same feelings...chances are this is serious than I thought. Well lemme know what ya think.

IS MY REVELATION COMING TRUE???

2009-04-23T14:02:00.004-05:00

That all of this time...I've been overhyping an artist that is average at best???

You know how you listen to a new artist, you feel good about that artist, you thinkin' to yourself, man...this is THAT nigga!!! You start taking the artist's shit to all of your friends, and THEY start likin the shit...well that's how I felt at the time about Drake. I intensely watched Degrassi growing up (well, it aint been that long) more cause all the shit that happened on there, I was experiencing myself or I had friends who experienced it...not to mention the girls on there were hot.

So, the moment I heard Aubrey Graham aka Drake was a rapper...I'm like, "NO FUCKING WAY"!!! This was like around late '06 into '07...everything feels like one big fucking year nowadays.

2006- ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT- a good start, not perfect, but good start.

2007- COMEBACK SEASON- this was the shit that had me re-evaluate everything (at the time I thought "swag" was cool)

until.......

THE WAYNE-BOLA EFFECT!!!

enter throughout 2008...where you begin hearing Drake remix Wayne tracks ("Man Of The Year", "A Milli") you start to notice him in Wayne's videos ("A Milli" again) and he starts to appear at his shows ("The I Am Music Tour") and they even begin to do tracks together....

enter Valentine's Day...and SO FAR GONE is released....

The latest mixtape where it isn't just taking the inspiration of "808s and Heartbreak", they're damn near emulating the album...all I did was remix it...*mixtape on the upper right hand corner*...*SHAMELESS PLUG*

Now, I didn't really feel it as much as "Comeback Season" at first, then the more I listened to it, the more I began to enjoy it, and the more I enjoyed it, the more I started to question, and the more I questioned, the more I began to see what I am seeing now.

I'm beginning to recognize the flaws that a lot of the fans and bloggers are exposing as well. The fact that he doesn't have a lot of range in his singing, or he is beginning to pick up Wayne's bad habits (Auto-Tune), or that when you really think about it, his content is pretty limited (clothes, women, money, blah, blah, blah) and someone such as myself, always goes back to the shit that I can relate to the most (Brother Ali, Talib Kweli, Nas, Atmosphere). It took a couple blogs and many, MANY listens to finally realize that...and then not only that...I think this was the icing on the cake...being one of the recent episodes of Joe Budden TV.

When is Jumpoff on a nigga's dick THAT much...(other than the other members of Slaughterhouse, lol).

Not only that, but they played "Best I Ever Had" at Texture this past Saturday...and this shit was off a fuckin' mixtape. Although, a lot of my tracks are from mixtapes. Heheh.

But yea, this ain't a diss to Drake at all, as two of his latest is on my iPod right now at this VERY MOMENTO. But, like I said, I always appreciate the things or topics I relate to MORE. And honestly, has Drake ever endured hard times? I'm not one to judge, but cot damn, there is a difference between storytelling and just flat out bragging. Drake likes to tread the waters of both. So this shit will do for now, but I'm really waiting for him to pull a Jay-Z's "Minority Report" or a Lil' Wayne's "Tie My Hands" or a Kanye's "Roses". Something that will make us look at Drake for a brief minute as more than just a braggadacious rapper, otherwise we might as well look at him as another Kanye/Wayne clone, that kicks it with Trey Songz from time to time. And believe you me....THIS HERE IS ON SOME TRUUUTHHHFUL SHIT.

"I hate an actor that plays a rapper"
-Big Pun "John Blaze"

Keep in mind...it's only hatin' if ya jealous...

AFTER ALL OF THIS I'M THINKING....

2009-04-20T19:39:00.003-05:00

Maybe I been on Rick Ross a little too hard lately...

Now, I been contemplating this since I copped the latest issue of XXL, with Officer Ricky on the cover. He claims that his credibility isn't hurt from the last couple months, being crucified by the Hip Hop community, for lying about being a correctional officer, before we knew him for what he is today.

I always said, that I am not upset that he was a C.O. Being a correctional officer is as regular as any other job. You think if I ever were to be famous, that I'm gonna enjoy the idea of saying I use to work at Sam Goody (the root of all evil in regards to music)? What bothered me the most is that...well....it took him so long to admit it. Are you that ashamed of your past? 'Cause we all know you ain't got all that shit...then again Biggie didn't....is it going back to the idea that Officer Ricky was posing all along...that rap...is...merely...entertainment?

And all these images that we see on the television everyday, or when we play a new record, that these images are nothing more than facades of what we wish we were, or what we hope we are in the future?

Well, I know for myself, living where I live, and living with what I live with, and knowing what I know, I NEVER want that kind of living, never have and never will. so don't ever catch me rhyming like I'm the spokesperson for a clothing brand that will disappear in five years anyway.

Far as Ross, I suppose he has held his own to get him this far. All 50 did was make an ass of himself in the end, with the "Pimpin' Curly" videos while resorting to his usual antics, which in the long run.....no one cares anymore.

Does it sound like I'm figuratively kissing Ross's cellulite ass? Maybe.

But if you want me to really forgive you, make a classic rap album. Deeper Than Rap is FAR from that, but from what I've heard so far and what I'm listening to now, it's a hell of a start. But keep this in mind, keep it trilla in everything you say, and maybe we'll start to take you seriously.

DUMB ASS QUOTE OF THE DAY GOES TO....

2009-04-17T11:24:00.003-05:00

OFFICER RIIIICCCCCCKKKKKKKYYYYYYY!!!!!! (50 SHOUT OUT)

Now it appears that dude is putting the wrong name in his mouth. On a recent interview on Hot97, Rick Ross commented on the new video for Eminem's "We Made You". He simply said the following....

"His swag ain't the same"

Now I was gonna save this for last night, but I forgot to post. My thoughts on the new Eminem.....

It is what it is I guess.

This isn't necessarily the Slim that I wanted to hear though. The Slim that helped bury the careers of Ja Rule and Benzino, shut the mouth of Canibus, and yada yada yada. But I guess this will do right now. Quite frankly he has to attract the white kids first, ya know the kind that will confuse him for Asher Roth. lol.

My honest opinion, I thought he would hit these bitches harder than what he did. But what it turned out to be was a 4-minute track of infatuations for the most dysfunctional females on Earth. He was treading the same waters he did on "The Real Slim Shady", "Without Me", and "Just Lose It", but we ALL expected this. And hopefully this Relapse doesn't become an overdose...of the same shit from Encore.

Don't let me down Marshall.

Here is the link to the interview....

http://www.zshare.net/audio/58785551097aeaa7/

IT IS OFFICIAL

2009-04-17T01:23:00.002-05:00

Max B has the BIGGEST ego in rap music right now.

It's bad enough that you put you put yourself in the #1, #2, and #3 position in your own personal top five (over Biggie and 2Pac of all people) but now you're saying no is paying attention to Jim Jones? Not that I am a fan of Capo's antics, but he is one of the few holding down the NY right NOW....cause we all know yo' ass ain't doin' it. It's even worse when pro basketball player Ron Artest, is sayin' yo ass is gonna do 700,000 to a million records in one week. Fat......FAT....chance.

Here's one of his old interviews with XXL.

STUDENT AND THE TEACHER

2009-04-05T21:18:00.000-05:00

G.O.O.D. Music rapper, Consequence took footage of this during Kanye's "Glow in the Dark" tour this past summer. Skateboard P was on point with the Busta & Q-Tip impressions. If you notice, that little puke Chris Brown is sitting down behind Pharrell, with perhaps having absolutely no idea who the Jungle Brothers or the Gang Starr records they're talking about.

AFTER HEARING THIS.....

2009-04-04T22:10:00.001-05:00

....I'm rethinking my Twitter account...lol.

FOUR POSTS IN ONE DAY....WHAT THE FRICK???? haha!!!

AND ON A SERIOUS NOTE....

2009-04-04T15:10:00.002-05:00

My girlfriend told me about this yesterday when I got home from work. Say a prayer for the victims of this incident and the families and friends affected by this. My heart and my condolences goes out to yall.

I THOUGHT OF SOMETHIN'

2009-04-04T14:45:00.002-05:00

I just realized that I made a list last week with a list of all the albums in which I showed interest in listening to in the next couple of months, because honestly, I haven't been keeping track lately, with my mind circulating around rock and R&B lately; meanwhile my frustration with rap music is increasing, not just with the music itself, but the antics going on outside of that...see my other blogs.

So where I had around 20 albums I wanted to listen to...I narrowed it down to about......SIX....JUST SIX....make that SEVEN cause the new UGK came out this past Tuesday...come to think, make that EIGHT...cause that new Jim Jones album...I'm skeptical....To the point where I'm gonna ad-lib every one of my sentences (DUBBING)as much as that don't even make sense (WEIRD SHIT) so now here's the decision I made.(CHOICES)...naw, you know that...SLASH THAT SHIT IN HALF!!! so where it's 20 albums, slash it to TEN.

So it comes down to UGK, Jim Jones, DOOM, Reks, P.O.S., Brother Ali (EP), Saigon, and the new B-Real. While I STILL need to finish listening to the Joe Budden album. Now that Okayplayer.com has given the shit a score of 84. That's something for ya!!!And I been hearing some good shit bout the new Slim Thug album.

And next week, its the new Jadakiss and I'll see if I wanna hear the new MIMS album, now that I found out Tech N9ne is on the record....RIDICULOUS!!!

Speaking of Tech...this is the latest track of the second album from his "Collabos" series coming soon...its featuring Slaughterhouse's own Crooked I and the equally lethal lyricist Chino XL (who is on my Facebook, yay!!!)

"Sickology 101"

ATMOSPHERE- "YOUR GLASS HOUSE"

2009-04-04T14:42:00.003-05:00

This is the 4th video off of Atmosphere's "When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold" album. It's a really creepy video for myself, seeing as how I too am an alcoholic. lol.

I'M USING THIS RIGHT JEAAHHHH....

2009-03-30T18:59:00.002-05:00

to list the choices that i have for my design analysis that is due this Thursday (technically Friday 12:00AM)

James Montgomery Flagg - U.S. Military poster

George Lois- Muhammad Ali cover for Esquire Magazine

Ben Shahn- US Office of War poster (1943)

THE ALBUMS I NEED 2 LISTEN 2 ASAP....

2009-03-29T13:56:00.002-05:00

EXILE-RADIO
DOOM- BORN LIKE THIS
REKS- MORE GREY HAIRS
GORILLA ZOE- DON'T FEED THE ANIMALS
JOHN ROBINSON- WHO IS THIS MAN?
X-CLAN- MAINSTREAM OUTLAWZ
P.O.S.- NEVER BETTER
ZION I- THE TAKEOVER
JOE BUDDEN- PADDED ROOM (need to finish)
B-REAL- SMOKE N' MIRRORS
HAVOC- HIDDEN FILES
K'NAAN- TROUBADOUR
PROJECT PAT- REAL RECOGNIZE REAL
BROTHER ALI- TRUTH IS HERE EP (need to buy)
CNN- CHANNEL 10
SAIGON & STATIK SELEKTAH- ALL IN A DAY'S WORK
JIM JONES- PRAY IV REIGN
SLIM THUG- BOSS OF ALL BOSSES
FLO-RIDA- R.O.O.T.S.

....lot of work to do....

I THOUGHT I WAS DONE WIT THIS FUCKIN' SNOW...

2009-03-28T23:30:00.003-05:00

But it turns out no, as I am inside tonight early than what I should be. But maybe that is a good thing as I really wanna take this time to spend much-needed time on some songs that are either unfinished or non-existent.

Besides all that, today my photoshoot finally, FINALLY took place. Amanda and I got some good shots in. My facial expressions could use some work, but for that being my first time, what the hell eh? I'll let you be the judge when I put them out.

Man, I been fuckin' HOOKED on the new season of Making the Band. Not that I don't know that whatever I been fuckin' seein' in regards to Que and his "bitchassness" as of late, is affecting them to the point to where they gon' breakup...everything seem to be peachy. Don't believe? Check this episode of JD's "Living the Life" from two weeks ago.

But this is an album that I can't wait for, seeing is how not just with them, but a lot of the latest R&B releases from The-Dream, J. Holiday, Keri Hilson just this past Tuesday, and shit from last year (Ne-Yo, Musiq, Anthony Hamilton, Lyfe, Bobby V, Keyshia Cole) bringing traditional R&B back to the forefront, while all these Auto-Tune/Voicebox niggas (T-Pain, Akon, Ray J, anyone with low vocal qualities). Hell, I been more excited for shit in R&B than I have with the latest rap releases and there's been a lot of shit (DOOM, Reks, Jim Jones, Joe Budden, Saigon) Here's some shit from the new Day26 album on April 14th.

"I'ma Put It On Her" (ft. Diddy & Yung Joc)

"Vixen" (ft. Sean Garrett)

and because I feel this need to have more buzz than what its been getting...and cause I'm sure Adrianne will be curious...here's some new UGK, from their last album "UGK 4 Life" out this Tuesday...

"Da Game Been Good To Me"

R.I.P. PIMP C!!!!!

YEEEAAAAHHHHHHHHHHNO.

2009-03-26T01:54:00.005-05:00

Why....oh why....is this nigga gettin so much hype right now?

How the hell does this dude go from gettin buzz, to gettin' shot at, to facin' murder charges, to get put in jail, to becoming nonexistent, to comin' back, to goin' back to jail, to comin' out, to now becomin' the shit since the Wayne effect last year?......and his music's trash?

Maybe I don't have a Cadillac or gigantic ass subwoofers to enjoy it, but it don't take a rocket scientist to know...niggas is feelin' Gucci Mane La Flare a little too much. You honestly believe that all the shit he got himself into, that when he gets out of jail, yall treat him like King Jafi Joesph? fuckattaheaaaa....

I tried all weekend that I was outta town, trying to know...what is it about this dude, that got everyone buggin'....ya know what.....I COULDN'T FIND SHIT....

The only good song that came outta the 30-40+ songs I heard was this one...and this one wins by default cause of the beat and the funny ass hook.

If someone can explain to me why this is? Please do...'cause seriously...I am NOT convinced...flow sound like he chewing marshmallows, he sound like he high out his mind ALL THE TIME...and his vocab...man, if I had to rap like him, I'd be better off with a learning disability...

I don't wanna sound like I'm hating or whatever, I'm not in the ATL...but...seriously.

Look at the high-fives after this shit...he make Eli Porter look like Rakim.

YOU DEEEEEED IT GUCCI.....STAY ICEY!!!

THE SIDE YOU NEVER SAW...

2009-03-24T22:16:00.001-05:00

This is an interview conducted by none other than Rashida Jones (Quincy Jones' daughter, The Office, I Love You Man) that I think was conducted either weeks or months before 'Pac died. Listening to stuff like this, makes me 'shamed that people and even I when I was young never got a chance to see this side of 2pac.

NEWCOMERS DO NOT EQUAL LEGENDS....

2009-03-17T10:51:00.002-05:00

And what i mean by that is that I am sick to death of the habit where artists come into the rap game and they don't even have a solid catalog (more than three albums) to even feel the need where they have come to a point in their careers where they have to plan "early retirement". We've heard The Game say it (only to begin making a new album as rumored) and Lupe Fiasco aka the king of the bullshit (i'm sorry I don't care how talented he is, he is an arrogant muh'fucka) with his last album, a triple-disc effort entitled "LUPend"...only to hop on Okayplayer and say he's got a couple more in him, before LUPend, sees the light of day. We've even heard Saigon say this shit...and he STILL has no album out. Now, the latest victim....an artist, with a little buzz right now, and new artist on Kanye's G.O.O.D. label, Kid Cudi.

"AFTER THE RELEASE OF MY FIRST LP THIS SUMMER, IAM NOT MAKING ANY MORE SOLO ALBUMS. IAM FALLIN BACK ON BEING A ARTIST. THE DRAMA THAT COMES WITH IT IS MORE OVERWHELMING THAN THE SHIT I WAS DEALING WIT WHEN I WAS PISS POOR BROKE. MY FRIENDS GET MAD AT ME, SAY IVE CHANGED, ONE OF THE ONLY HOMIES I GOT IN THIS GAME, WALE, IS WORRIED ABOUT ME CUZ OF SHIT HE HEARS. LIKE WTF? WHO CAN SAY IM BEIN HOLLYWOOD? IM NOT AROUND ANYONE BUT PLAIN PAT AND EMILE. WHO CAN SAY THAT SHIT? MUTHAFUCKAS TALKIN SHIT HERE AND THERE, SPREADIN RUMORS, MAKIN JOKES, TRYNA JUDGE ME, AND FOR WHAT? DOES MY MUSIC POKE FUN AT OTHERS? DO I TALK SHIT ABOUT PEOPLE N MY MUSIC? I ALREADY WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL ONCE, AND GOT EXPELLED CUZ IT WASNT FOR ME. IMA DROP OUT THIS SHIT BEFORE NIGGAZ TRY AND CRUCIFY ME.

I DONT LOOK AT IT AS QUITTING, FOR I HAVE ALREADY ACCOMPLISHED MY GOAL. I HAVE A SOLID FANBASE WHO TRUELY APPRECIATES ME AND MY MESSAGES THRU SONG, I GOT MULTIPLE BIG RECORDS, I HAVE RECIEVED WORLDWIDE CRITICAL ACCLAIM FROM THE BIGGEST TASTEMAKERS IN THE GAME, 3 FAN MADE BEST OF MIXTAPES WITHOUT EVEN RELEASING MORE THAN ONE MIXTAPE AND NOT EVEN RELEASING A ALBUM, I CAN PAY MY MOMS MORTGAGE AND HELP MY SISTER WITH MY NIECE AND HOLD MY BROTHERS DOWN WITH WUTEVER THEY NEED. THATS WUT I GOT IN THIS GAME FOR, TO ACCOMPLISH ALL THESE GOALS AND I HAVE. NO REGRETS

IM SORRY TO THE FANS, IM SO SORRY YALL. I KNO U GUYS WILL ALL HATE ME, BUT REMEMBER, IM JUS A REGULAR DUDE WHO WAS GIVEN A AMAZING GIFT, AND NOW WITH THAT AMAZING GIFT CAME MORE UNCALLED FOR PROBLEMS THAN THE AVERAGE HUMAN BEING SHOULD HAVE TO DEAL WITH.

I WILL STILL DO THE COLLAB ALBUM WITH CHIP, AND THAT WILL BE MY LAST STUDIO RECORDING.

IAM GOING TO FOCUS ALL MY ATTENTION ON THE HBO SHOW WHICH WE START SHOOTING IN AUGUST AND MY ACTING CAREER IN GENERAL…ILL CONTINUE TO DO SHOWS FOR THE REAL KID CUDI FANS, AND IM PLANNING A BIG CONCERT THIS SUMMER, JUS ME, AND I WILL PERFORM MY ENTIRE MIXTAPE FROM BEGINNING TO END AND NEW SONGS FROM MY ALBUM. ILL KEEP U GUYS UPDATED ON THAT

AGAIN, IAM SORRY, BUT ITS THE ONLY WAY TO KEEP ME FROM GOING COMPLETELY INSANE. IM TOO REAL FOR THIS HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL SHIT. BAK TO THE MOON I GO."

Now I don't know whether to look at this and think, sympathy or just flat out being a pussy. Now I know, I'm not where I wanna be right now in the rap game, and the things he mentioned in his blog, those things are SUPPOSE to happen when you become "semi-famous". People will feel you changed, people will talk shit about you, the labels will suck you dry, critics will crucify you...hell, I'm a nobody in the game and people do that to me. But hey, I'm doin' what I love and I wouldn't trade it for anything else. The way I see it is this, when you get to the point to where you're able to provide for your family, I can see where everything is cultured, but lately I been seeing too much of this from 90% of the artists in the game. Niggas' emotions gettin' the best of their judgments. Which lead to pointless beefs, boring tracks, and video blogs displaying things we care less about in this world. Bottom line is simple, before you can actually feel the need to retire, MAKE AN IMPACT FIRST!!!

"TOSS AND TURN"

2009-03-16T19:54:00.000-05:00

I had never thought
Making love that's in such a
Sensual manner, with passionate actions
Exposed to your scrumptious, vuluptous skin

One in which is such a life-changing experience
A blessing that would soon end up being my curse in disguised fashion

Images once flickered revealing when those nights turned to day
When darkness reflected sunshine whenever you and I connected
When our souls joined forces, when our bodies became one

Everytime a kiss of mines entwined with your trembling lips
Your senses vibrated and pulsated
At each moment our motions coasted within the confines
of this waterbed, sending butterflies through your stomach
Your breathing matching the beats of your heart
As it rapidly increases with no letting up
No winding down accept the slow winds we make to Kelly's 12Play

I use to love that feeling of after i climaxed
From the way your mouth shattered the still frame of my pleasure
Breaking through the doors and burning down the house
You took this love and made it yours

Until that one day....

That one day, where my ears stand front and center
To the moans of you, accepting another person's invitation
of lust and desire, and maybe I wasn't the perfect boyfriend
Maybe I wasn't the best man, maybe I wasn't a soulmate
But you can't blame me for trying
And I guess in the end you wasn't havin' it
any other way but yours...
and in the process, you pushed me out the way
for a female.....and my best friend at that.

And from that second, I closed my eyes in
trying to erase every memory of us
and every thought of you that had me believe
that we were meant to be for ever and eternity
as your voice mails contain your echoes of yearnin' me
time and time again, your deception became timeless
My impatience, no longer silent
And my actions were now violent

Back and forth, we toss and turn between who's right and wrong
My screams became your rapture
While your cries captured
Me at my lowest moment in maturity
And here we are in the middle of a sidewalk of traffic
Arguing, pushing, shoving
Cursing, bitching, fussing
And in the end I can't tell who was hurt more

But I knew, I never wanted to hurt her
I wanted to love her
However my love was then and now for someone else
And she used it as a weakness
towards how I would treat a woman for now into the future

And even now, we both try to rectify the past
Through constant conversation
Until she rehashes the past over a misunderstatement
Such as a poem I wrote over the course of five years
She takes it as if I came to my senses

And here she is reliving those days again
of where we used to toss and turn within the bedsheets
Now I'm tossing and turning within my emotions
Until i come to a point to where
I don't know who to hate more
Her or myself?

And no matter how much i cut the cord
She keeps coming back for more
Cause apparently our discord is her discourse
For continuing her verbal intercourse with me
Hoping verbal would lead to sexual
But she's sadly mistaken if Ima fall for it

'Cause even though I can't look at her without an inch of regret felt
I can't even stand her for the pain that she had left
in the middle of our crossroads

And the fact that I even came close to it
Brought me to when I stared into my niece's eyes
And for the first time in years cried
'Cause I don't ever want her first time with a guy
to result in a busted lip or black eye

And I hope to God, that coming close stays to never going
'Cause when I touch a woman
It's when I hug my mother
Play airplane with my niece
Give dap to my sis
Or wipe my girl's tears away from the joy of being with me

So to the girl this is directed to
You ain't the first, nor the last that I say this to
But this is where the story ends, it's over, so stop tryin' ya luck
Guess you wished you never succumbed to that head and a fuck

(c) Mad Static

*YALL EVEN LOOK AT MY WORDS THE WRONG WAY, THERE GON' BE DRAMA...LOOK IN MY EEYYYEEESSSS!!! lol...playin'*

"YOU'RE SO SET TO FAAAAAIIIILLLLLL!!!!"

2009-03-15T00:04:00.002-05:00

This new Lamb Of God track says it all!!! Or at least that's how I've felt in one long day. For one, the plans for my photoshoot for my up-and-coming, now untitled mixtape, was held up do to so many reasons.

1. My friend who was taking the photos catching a fever.

2. Her losing the camera in Glendale.

3. Her boyfriend's son having to be taken to his mother at 1:00 leaving very little time.

4. The model I had for it, couldn't even respond to a text or phonecall.

So, that pretty much left me in the dust and in disbelief.

Now, I understand there was a mix of things going wrong beyond one's control and miscommunication. Whether to be upset or hurt, there's really nothing I could say or feel and I am not mad at anyone....until someone says some bullshit or whatever. But regardless, I don't know why, but I have just been in this contemplative mood all day. Especially with this whole ex-girlfriend situation taking the forefront again. It's like I mentioned two blogs ago, this has been my inspiration to really...really.....THROW THIS BITCH UNDER THE BUS...especially if she's not only sending dumb e-mails, begging and pleading through the phone...and now...making myspace videos....WE USE YOUTUBE MOFO!!! I'm not even gonna post the link, cause I'm tired of making people famous off of my expense.

I don't know, but this has just been a day beyond expectation and completely fucked me up mentally with no limitations. Not only that, but it has affected me to the point where I'm just fed up with everything. The only good thing I look forward to is getting drunk this week, making money, and the most important thing of all, be able to see my girlfriend this upcoming weekend.

So maybe this is another obstacle for me to get where I need to be. That don't mean I like it. But what the hell can you do? Other than pick up the pieces?

......well...can it be that it was all so simple?

"YOU AIN'T NUTHIN 2 ME"

2009-03-14T15:24:00.003-05:00

"Apologize 2 ya ma fa me. You on da udda hand, can choke on yo crooked dick !"

-signed by my ex-girlfriend.

Well sorry to disappoint you, but my head doesn't extend that far. I'll ask Chad of Nickelback, I'm sure he can give me some pointers.

CHANGE OF THE GUARD

2009-03-13T02:16:00.003-05:00

You know what the whole concept of ex-girlfriends are? They are designed to drive you crazy!!!!

This last week, I always thought that I would be able to get through ten tracks with no problem. Talk about love, be all lovey dovey, get my LL on and all kinda shit...

I can't do that now...and I blame this bitch.

Now, I don't want to be bitter or angry or whatever, but I would seriously like to thank my ex-girlfriend, for giving me the opportunity, to be able to have SO MUCH MORE to say in regards the negative aspects of this little thing we call love.

Its those negatives that always outweigh the positive aspects of my love life, with that being the love of my life, and those negatives influence me to not only lash out at her, but the resentment allows me to lash out at everyone else including family and friends.

It's basically the last draw now. I've only made one track in regards to this situation and I hoped I keep it that way, now I feel like I can make 20 more...lol.

The bottom line is this basically, I want this project to be an all-around story into my head. Things that I don't say on here, ain't cause of fear, it is because my head is wrapped around in the present so much, that I lose sight of what I want for the future (if that makes sense).

So I guess in the end....LOVE HURTS....

But...as long as I have my love...I'm willing to deal with the pain.

THE-DREAM....IS HE THAT DUDE?!?!

2009-03-06T17:45:00.003-06:00

Man...I gotta be honest wit you, I been more inspired and intrigued by R&B music lately than I have with rap music. It is just something about it that it can either be, soothing for the soul, or an element for your energy. Shit that's out right now from Jamie Foxx's "Blame It" to anything Ne-Yo puts out...gets heavy burn on my iPod or my other mp3 player. But everywhere I go, they keep sayin' the same thing....

"THE-DREAM IS THAT N****"

That's right....Terius "The Dream" Nash, along with partner-in-crime, producer Tricky Stewart, have written for any and everybody in the R&B game, from Rihanna to Usher to even Britney Spears. LOVE/HATE, The Dream's debut album came out around a year and a half ago...the moment it came out, you got people comin' out sayin' its a classic album.

But I won't deny, despite the obvious Prince influence, the often silly lyrics in some songs...there are some SERIOUS babymakers on that album. You know how much cutty I got to "Falsetto"?????

But as much as he is the shit on his own, when he writes for others, he brings the best out of those that he writes for...take Usher for instance..."Moving Mountains" was and had to be one of my top THREE R&B songs of the year...and unfortunately, the only song I REALLY loved on the "Here I Stand" album....well other than "Trading Places".

Now...his new album...Love vs. Money...is expected to be out sometime later this month...and according to posts on Okayplayer...Rolling Stone apparently gave the album....get this.....FOUR AND A HALF STARS!!!....whhaaaaatttttt???? (Lil' Jon style)

Now, I'm not quick to jump on bandwagons in regards to believing the ****1/2 star hype...but if Dream's got joints like this on the album....im keeping my fingers crossed, that I'ma have my new sex soundtrack for the spring time....

...which reminds me, I gotta peep that new Ryan Leslie, ASAP!!!

HOLLA!!!!

THE WORST WEEK EVER...(Not sponsored by VH1)

2009-03-01T13:49:00.002-06:00

Well "Next Sunday" aka the beginning of March, could NOT have came quick enough. Come to think, it didn't come quick at all. Since last Sunday, I have been

A. Tired beyond the point of oblivion

B. Lacking sleep causing me to be tired.

C. Worked a horrendous amount of days.

D. Had a even MORE horrendous amount of exams (three)

E. As well as a project.

F. Gig gor cancelled.

G. I got too drunk on Monday causing waking up with muscle pains and incoherence.

H. I haven't written shit, except rewrite an old poem.

and....

I. My girlfriend's insecurity complex reached new heights this past week.

So, the question is, with all of that? Do I feel that I have accomplished things this week? To an extent, yes, to an even greater extent...no. Due to the hectic week I had, that had made me more stressed and frustrated with where I stand as a person and an artist. You know those stages where, you're like, "I love rap" one day and then the next you're like "I HATE THIS PART...RIGHT...HERE"(shut up gf)...That's how I am with rap at least at this stage in my life.

Even though, I feel like everyday, everyone else that I know is surpassing me in this rap shit, I know that this is something that I will NEVER stop doing, until I am unable to do it. As much as I tried talking to my gf about it, and as much advice that came out of the conversation, I still felt like, nothing was answered. I guess that's where I have to come in, so that I can be able to make the effort and put my name out there anyway possible.

I am proud and congratulate those that have come a long way (yall know who you are) and are able to get shows and get on records, but PLEASE...keep that shit to yourself. In the end, this is a competitive game, and now in this dwindling economy, it's going to become even MORE competitive. Make your moves, as I am going to make mine, and one way or another, we gonna be sharing a stage. The last thing I wanna do is come off as a hater or that I'm praying for others' downfalls, that's not the case at all, but the last thing that Ima do is kiss ass and follow other peoples' to make a name for ME, I never done it that way, and I don't plan to ever do it that way.

It's basically, I like your music, here's mine, if you feel it, let's work together, let's make shit happen, if not, then its whatever.

AND NOT....I like your music, let's do some shit.

So whether it is me, myself, and I in this local game, then so be it, but I sacrificed a lot to have my craft the way it is now...it's time to let the world know.

MARONZIO VANCE

2009-02-23T00:40:00.002-06:00

I gotta say...all I been doing is watching videos of his rants on my iPod lately...this dude is the truth. For those that don't know who he is, not only was be part of NBC's Last Comic Standing series, but he is also known for his infamous "Puffy Is Poison" rants, in which actually caused Diddy himself to reply to his videos....(in his non-entertaining, annoying manner).

Here's a recap....

Puffy Is Poison (Pt. 1)

Diddy's response (aka The Day that "Bitchassness" was raised to level ORANGE!!!)

Puffy Is Poison: Pt. 2 (THE BURIAL!!!)

WOW......

2009-02-20T16:25:00.002-06:00

Well, after looking at this, I don't even know what to believe or where to begin for that matter, as I originally thought that the injuries Rihanna sustained weren't that serious. Now, I'm starting to think what the hell came over Chris to inflict this kind of damage? To take from one of the posters on Okayplayer.com, this does NOT look like the results of what happened where you claim that she attacked you first, or you were fighting back in self-defense, AT ALL. There is NO coming back from this for Chris Brown, and I guess for the time being, in the long run, it's true what they say. Karma is definitely a bitch. If I was Chris, I lay low.

Credit: TMZ.com; Concreteloop.com; Okayplayer.com

HEARTBREAK FROM THE 414 IS OUT NOW!!!

2009-02-15T10:26:00.000-06:00

http://www.zshare.net/download/556238023fe2b072/

PHEW....WHAT A WEEK!!!

2009-02-14T16:17:00.005-06:00

At first it all started with the alleged now TRUE claim that an enraged Chris Brown started two-stepping all over Rihanna's face, causing them to pull out of the Grammys.
Since then...the shit has become a continuing downward spiral of rumors and possible claims, for example.....

1. Chris Brown may have received herpes from Rihanna.

2. Jay-Z is prolly coming after him.

3. That maybe Rihanna was cheating on him.

4. Maybe Chris was cheating on her...(with Keshia Chante)

5. That Chris maybe charged with attempted murder.

6. That he left her on the side of the road.

Too much fuckin' drama for me to take in one week. But here's the deal. I don't know the whole story, that's why I don't choose sides until I hear it. But one thing is fo' sho', I DO NOT support that shit by any means, but where do you draw the line between the music and the man? What I find funny, is that radio stations have took Chris Brown off their playlists as well as him losing his endorsements from Wrigley's and Got Milk?, but why do they play "Ignition" and "Feelin' On Yo' Booty" ninety times a day and R. Kelly is out on the streets pissin' on toddlers? OJ is too much of an influence on these woman beaters. As well as who couldn't see this comin', after all Chris has a history of enduring the effects of abuse (aka his stepfathers' abuse towards Chris' mother), so maybe it is the cycle. Whether his career is going to be over or not, remains to be seen, but Chris better come clean, SOON!!!

Now on to this bullshit.

This beef did NOT even have to go there...it went from wack ass disses, to baby mothers being exposed, to MOTHERS being exposed, to silly ass cartoons, one thing is for certain and it is something that I have been proclaiming since the beginning of the year....

RAP SUCKS!!!!

Don't believe me, watch this....here's an example of a wack ass rap beef.

and one of the 1,000 ways to ruin a classic instrumental....

......the Bow Wow/Soulja Boy beef was more entertaining than this shit....and that lasted what six days?!?!?

You know it is obvious, niggas are scared of niggas...they WANT to take it there, but they don't....and why, because they don't want a Tupac/Biggie Pt. 2...the last feud I was excited for was The Game and ironically 50...and even that went into unnecessary foolishness.

And wanna know what's ironic...they BOTH have albums on the way.

....the only good thing that came out of this week...was this....

I'M ON A BOAT MOTHERFUCKA!!!!!

MY FUNNY VALENTINE......

2009-02-11T15:29:00.007-06:00

Yea, I haven't really gone into the things that transpired this past weekend in regards to me and my woman's...let's just say her body...was callin....for me...

Anyways, with Valentine's Day rolling right around the corner, I am blessed to be with this beautiful woman this time around, and I know despite how much time school, work, and promoting this new tape will take up...we will and always do have even more time to have a great time....with great sex to follow.

Just thought I throw that in.

MY LIFE WOULD SUCK WITHOUT YOU WOMAN!!!!

A CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF "SWAGGER"

2009-02-09T19:18:00.002-06:00

RANDOM THOUGHT IS GONNA LOVE THIS!!!!

2009-02-09T00:39:00.002-06:00

This came courtesy of Worldstarhiphop.com

In this video, you see WWE RAW Superstar Chris Jericho getting out of a van to a swarm of crazed teenage fans. It turns out that this one dumb chick went up to Jericho, and according to Worldstar, she began knocking on the window of the van, agitating him and to the point of touching/striking him, that's where it led Jericho to fire back at the female. Afterwards, it was an all-out frenzy, where even the stiff-ass security guards got in harm's way....(where is Officer Ricky when you need him....ROSS!!!) Now I am by no means condoning hitting a female, but I have witnessed experiences such as these head on and this is in regards to any celebrity/athlete, if they don't wanna be bothered, DON'T bother them. Now I don't know if the WWE are aware of Jericho's actions, or if this is even gonna leak to the headquarters, or whether Jericho is going to be fined or even suspended...but let's just say it is going to be an interesting next couple of days....

And if that wasn't enough....Chris Brown is hitting females now???

I'll have my take on that once I watch the video....thanks Worldstar, I now have faith in you again....

HEARTBREAK FROM THE 414.....OUT VALENTINE'S DAY!!!

MAYBE "808's AND HEARTBREAK" DID DO ME SOME GOOD....

2009-02-04T15:28:00.005-06:00

It made me depressed enough to write this mixtape. Well, in beginning the "promotion" for this tape, this is something INCREDIBLY different from any tape that I have done. Where most of my songs, already take on a somber, depressing, horror-like vibe, this tape...is the EPITOME...of that shit.

But see here is where the story ends and begins again. For this tape, I took it upon myself to use the beats for Kanye's album for the greater good....and rap on them. I decided to use a lot of these songs and reflect my own "heartbreak" through situations other than shady women...So while, the tape is dominated by the beats I chose (keep in mind, some songs have already been released) there will still be some originals...and there will still be remixes...but the difference between this one and the others...the tracklisting will be a leaner amount, that way everything will be straight to the point. While I am still working on it, it WILL be out on Valentine's Day...the perfect time to provide this for single yaps.

Some things you will be surprised I do, some will be surprised with what I say, some will be surprised at how I tell the story....but 100% do I promise that the music will be good.

And if you feel it will suck and you want ur money back...you can't cause its free...FUCKER!!!

So wit that said, and while it is four days from me seeing my girl...

It is 11 days til "Heartbreak From the 414"...the first tape off of my Renaissance series.

THE RULES OF BEING STRANDED AT A BUS STOP....

2009-02-01T14:28:00.003-06:00

.....know when the buses stop runnin!!!

But other than that, since my girlfriend is pressuring me to blog, even though I don't have shit to talk about. I'll just go ahead and say what is on my mind, or in other words, what's been on and crackin' in the life of me's.

Well, basically I am coming off a good first night at "Erotic Milwaukee" that takes place at the Miramar Theatre every Monday. It went so well, I have a guaranteed gig for this upcoming Monday, premiering a new piece, that I will later post on the blog soon (depending on the reception it gets). But yes, it is the motivation to open up sexually, that is allowing me to present a new style in the next couple of months in my lyrics and in the sound of my music. Where I plan to take it remains to be seen, but it is going to be an interesting experiment.

My gf thinks that I drink and go out too much.............

Anyways, last night before getting stranded, me and one of my partners-in-rhyme, Myke Deezy, were writing two new tracks that we hope to record tomorrow. In addition to that, we met up with a new singer, her name's Rachel, much like Amanda, is a singer-songwriter, and who will also be joining me and Deezy for a couple of our projects. The legacy is BUILDING!!!!

Umm.....school is nice.....work is cool........

Anyways, there ain't really nothing goin on with me. I'm kind of bored with rap right now, outside of writing my own material, and I'm looking to see if this $800+ billion stimulus plan really works...but I believe Obama is kind of rushing into this situation, something in which I feared from the jump. Take your time Barack.

Ummm, new tracks from Cuban Linx II have been poppin up...I really need to hear 'em. Rae + Ghost = unstoppable!!!

And Reggie (Logical Thought) is finally married.....I've lost my homie forever, lol.

......AND SHE MINE'S MOTHERFUCKAS!!!!

Aight, but I will return sometimes tomorrow with an update with what happened at the show. Peezeezy!!! (peace extended)

SEX PLAYLIST

2009-01-26T18:14:00.004-06:00

In continuing the sex theme of my last blog, I made up a little playlist of songs, that either contain the theme of love, sex, or sounds like love or sex....

Ministry- Broken
A Perfect Circle- Thinking Of You
Orgy- Fetisha
Deftones- Cherry Waves
Stabbing Westward- So Wrong
Live- Voodoo Lady
Tricky- Ponderosa
Garbage- Sex Never Goes Out of Fashion
The Smashing Pumpkins- Once Upon A Time
Tricky- Makes Me Wanna Die
Incubus- I Miss You

INTO THE MIND OF A SEXAHOLIK....

2009-01-26T00:35:00.003-06:00

Well, it is safe to say....yep....I'm horny.

But with good reason....yea, my girlfriend is miles away from me, and instead of cuddling up next to her, I am here in my hometown of Milwaukee, looking at pictures of her, while impatiently anticipating the 2 weeks I have left, before I get to see her again.

But like most smarty-art niggas like I, I do whatever I can to remedy that mental affliction, and NOT...through masturbation.

Through music.

Over the past couple of weeks, I have been working on two new projects.

The first being the first volume of the Renaissance mixtape series, where the concept is me documenting all my experiences good AND bad, before getting back with Adrianne, at what was my safe haven for a time....yea...the strip club...

The second, hoping to release on Valentine's Day, is the second volume of the Renaissance, where I plan to make a tape, based off of Kanye's new album. Don't get me wrong...I'm not singing...or planning to use the Robot voice...more details soon.

So where am I going with this? Well, it is safe to say, I am using music as a way to express more of my sexuality, especially doing songs for the ladies, and especially doing songs for MY lady. By no means do I plan to dumb down the lyrical ability, because I feel that I am at my best, when others try their damndest to try and decipher everything that I am talking about in my music, but let's say, that this has been the "sexaholik" coming out of me lately.

Over the last few months, I have felt like my sex drive has...decreased...I guess it's due to the stress of my everyday life, or the fact that I don't see my girl as much as I want to, or lack of creativity, or my deteriorating will to do those kind of things, more so cause I feel liberated relaxing and chillin', rather than fuckin' all the time. Yet, I truly believe that the best sex I ever had, has been....with her....more so, cause I have done more that I ever wanted to do with a girl, with her, and that she FUCKING LOVES IT!!! There's nothing like knowing there is a spot on your bed that will forever be there, because you made your girl...*you know where I am going with this*....

So, while I am waiting to express that again with her, I take every route possible, where it helps both stimulate my sex drive again...AND...boost my creativity again a well. I suppose over the last couple of months, I know what I have wanted to become as an artist and I want to use that to my full advantage. At the same time, I know of certain things I can do to spark the flame between me and my girl again in regards to romance.

Reasons why I have hesitated in the past, I suppose, it is more because I am such a reserved, quiet individual that if the mood is right...I will go ALL NIGHT!!! which is TRUE!!! Now, does that tend to the other's needs...maybe not...but if you don't feel it, you don't feel it...and the last thing I would wanna do, is fuck her the moment I get up...where my breath stank, and my eyes are crusty and red, and my voice is groggy....I wanna be refreshed, energetic, and ready to go...but I also know that as much as she initiates it, I can do just as much to instigate it....and I sound like Jesse Jackson, anyways!!!

I ono...I guess to each its own, but we are already in the right direction on how to get back to that...to what it was like when we were at her sister's house for the entire week...that is the type of shit I wanna relive...and winter ain't helping!!! But Valentine's Day is coming...so I will see what I can pull....*WINK*...But I am ready, willing, and able to prove myself that I can be a lover again.

WHY AM I GETTING TIRED OF HEARING DRAKE?

2009-01-25T12:06:00.006-06:00

Now, before some of the Drizzy stans start pissing themselves from anger (TJ), lol. This is not a hate post towards this cat, in fact...I was lumped in the category along with many 15-16 year old girls who followed Degrassi (pause), and who knew that Aubrey Graham was a rapper, way before Lil' Wayne started nut-hugging him on award shows (The VMAs).

This had to be around what...late 2006 perhaps? Drake began putting singles out, mostly with fellow Canadian artists (Voyce, JD Era, Kardinal Offishall) linked with DJ Smallz, one of the South's elite DJs, and made Room For Improvement. 2007 came with Drake getting ready to end his stint on Degrassi as the infamous "Wheelchair Jimmy"...and a second mixtape was released entitled "Comeback Season", where he bodied popular songs such as Kanye's "Barry Bonds", Lupe's "The Failure", and more, not to mention high-profile collaborations with then partner-in-song, Trey Songz (no pun intended), surprisingly Rich Boy, Phonte of Little Brother, 9th Wonder, and more...

I thought to myself, man....this kid is TRULY the future of this rap game...then he ran into Lil' Wayne...

I'm not saying Lil' Wayne is the career-killer like some people I know of (Diddy)...but I just don't like when people act like every verse he spits....or sings...is the hottest shit out right now...I don't give a FLYING FUCK if he is clever...it sure as hell don't make it entertaining.

And since then, it seems as if though Drake is about to follow in his footsteps, because he has been more hit-or-miss, rather than consistent, but that is just my opinion. His verse over Kanye's "Say You Will" was madness, and his remix of "Swagger Like Us" was ripped to shreds. Hell, he outshined Wayne himself and everyone else that appeared on Dedication 3...YEA I SAID IT!!!

I guess my problem with Drake is that...I hear new shit about the same shit...in other words...I wanna see what homie can do, when he has a topic, or he's talking about more than what he has, and reflect more on his life and whatever struggles he had growing up and shit...even though, I don't believe he has ever had any.

I guess until we see that, Drake to me, will be the cat, that with all the co-signs, verses, mixtapes, and credentials he has...he will have to take himself out of the "one-dimensionality" that he sometimes pigeon-holes himself into...

This ain't me hatin...but I'm just sayin...

Download Mixtape | Provided by DatPiff.com

4 AND A HALF CORONA'S WITH A SHOT OF CLARITY

2009-01-24T13:43:00.005-06:00

I have remotely, NOTHING, to talk about, discuss, reflect, or bitch about. So I feel as if though I must get my Demetri Martin on, and pretty much examine the dynamic...or what I like to consider....useless interests....

For example, last night, Thursday night, and the night before Thursday night, some like to be goofy and call it "Wednesday Night". Or if you cohabitate in the asshole complex, you will call it "Hump night". But anyways, those three nights combined, with a massive liquor intake, more than I had since my disastrous evening at the then Have a Nice Day Cafe, "Crazy Jamie" exposed itself ten-fold.

In some ways, it was enjoyable, I'm more open with my feelings, the excitement level in my self-esteem is raised to greater heights, I become "the most hugable, lovable, sonomabeech" ever. There isn't much of a difference between what I am then, and what I am when non-alcoholic. However, the liquor ignites some kind of spark or triggers some kind of randomness that isn't as different than the randomness that I expose to the world, through perhaps, everything that I do on a regular basis.

Now, the question that was raised by my girlfriend in her blog that she never updates..*wink*..is why do we enjoy the leisure of alcohol consumption only for our bodies to be drained of physical and mental energy later on?

Do I particularly have an answer for such a question....no....I just do it. It is one of those questions that no matter how hard you try to answer, you close your eyes tight, you scratch your head, or shake the magic 8-ball, you can't come up with a logical resolution. I guess to me, drinking is one of those activities or festivities that doesn't require solution. It is one of those things where I can throw up on your shoes...for five minutes straight...then e-mail you a Hallmark card saying that I was "sorry"....and we just laugh it off the next couple of days...

So I guess the question that I raise is....

"What about the dark side of drinking?"

IT STILL EXISTS PEOPLE!!!

2009-01-21T00:36:00.002-06:00

http://www.worldstarhiphop.com/videos/video.php?v=wshhSHdY2Rw8K4Odj2FA

And after eight boring minutes of this, watching these idiots try their absolute hardest to spew any kind of verbal negativity they could, while at the same time posing with their Wal-Mart rifles, something clicked in my head. Whether for show or for real, this bullshit still exists in the minds of those who don't even recognize how fortunate we are to begin a process of redemption for the eight years that we have spent making false promises and bad choices.

Whoever reads this blog, understand this. It is like I have stated before in one of my previous entries, that just because Barack Obama is officially our new President, that does not automatically mean, that the economy is going to get better like THAT, or that racism will cease to exist, or that he is not going to make mistakes.

If you WANT CHANGE....you NEED and HAVE to MAKE CHANGE!!!!

As much as we would want to depend on this man to mend our already shattering country (in some areas), it is all up to us as to what direction we want to take this country and to where we choose to head in the future.

Otherwise, sheer ignorance such as what is displayed in this video, will continue to run rampant and ALWAYS has the potential to get stronger as the days roll by.

So take January 20, 2009 to heart, for this opportunity we have has finally arrived!!!

The question is...what are WE going to do with it?

WHAT IT TOOK TO INSPIRE ME TO WRITE AGAIN...

2009-01-18T20:41:00.002-06:00

These last couple of days I haven't really been active on here or posted anything relevant, unless it is promoting myself or the artists I work with, or things of that nature. Mostly it is based off a few things, that often plagued my thought process if not, frustrated me.

That after all this, ignorance is still bliss.

These next two days, are two that mean a lot to me, one being that it is Martin Luther King Day tomorrow. The other being that on Tuesday, HISTORY will be made. Tuesday, will be the inauguration of President-Elect Barack Obama.

Now, within the weeks prior to Obama's inauguration, I have seen and heard things everywhere, that somehow effectively changed the way that I look at my race, or more specifically, my "peers" in the rap game.

The belief that one thing is for certain...

Niggas would rather change the weather before they change themselves for the better.

Corny, yes. But other than that, this is how I feel. More so, there has just been lingering thoughts in my head, that make me believe, what does it take for someone to look at the opportunity that we have, and use the opportunities that we do have, and use them for the greater good. For example, why are rappers still talkin' 'bout "ballin'" when we are in what is known as the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression?

I know some of us, can't live without it (me...although I'm too broke to ball) but seriously, when you do shit like this, this is unexplainable and indescribable.

http://www.worldstarhiphop.com/videos/video.php?v=wshhH807hiUHbp56CGH3

Or...when niggas rob other niggas that appear to have squeaky clean images and then are robbed of their chains and shit...but yet somehow, manage to wanna transform into another one of the many fake gangstas disintegrating the black and hip-hop culture, based off the scare of their lives....

http://www.worldstarhiphop.com/videos/video.php?v=wshhB7cHVzkUvPP7pzfu

And going outside of niggas, even the thought, that after the injustice we witnessed in the Sean Bell case, this still happens.

http://www.worldstarhiphop.com/videos/video.php?v=wshhE0dHVZnvi3Dxl8a2

So, here's the deal, internet thugs, fake gangstas, bad rapper/actors, police brutality, racists, the declining economy, the fear of what will happen in the future for myself and everyone, has molded me into having a very irritable, impatient, pissed-off mentality. One that for my art, will fuel what anger I do have inside, and direct it in a positive manner.

As I believe I had mentioned before in my blog, that it was Barack Obama or in fact the whole election in general, that had persuaded me to follow more politics, the positives and the negatives. I come from a neighborhood where our views are often twisted into what others would rather have you believe other than the truth itself. There are so many things that I have kept bottled in for so long, that I feel that NOW is the time for me to express that through music, especially if I sometimes can't do it here, based off of the disgust that I have for those that still allow others to look at the world in a negative light.

Tuesday, for me, means that we can no longer make excuses for being held back by others, it means that we have opportunities presented to us now that back in the day, we as African-Americans would brush off, based off of doubt, and it definitely means, that for us now, we HAVE to get our acts together, for I know that every action and every choice President-elect Obama makes, will be under a microscope.

Time will tell, but right now, I hope for the better, and the better is what makes me write again.

A NEW FEATURE ON ME AND THE UNDERGROUND MILWAUKEE RAP SCENE!!!

2009-01-16T21:26:00.002-06:00

Last March, my friend and one of my many collaborators Bassey, aka Da Boss, interviewed me on my music, and my thoughts on the state of the Milwaukee rap scene and where I see it going in regards to the future. You can read it all on his blog.

http://www.airandseabattle.com

and while you're at it....go to this....

http://www.imeem.com/madstatic

a new track is up...hope you enjoy.

COMING BACK FROM THE WORST WEEKEND....

2009-01-13T00:50:00.002-06:00

Well, a lot of people have wondered (or just Adrianne, newrapmusic, hiphophoneys) where I have been as of late, and why I have not posted anything new...mostly because life has been kicking my ass lately, especially over the course of three days.

It started Friday night, when I was hanging out with an old friend of mine, and apparently her friend, and her "boyfriend", and whatever. She called me earlier that week, wondering where all the hot spots are in Milwaukee. I invite her to this one spot called Suite. I hadn't been there but I heard it's been poppin' and from what it looked like, it was....not in this chick's mind though...she throws a fit the moment we get inside, rambling on and on, why playing Sisqo's "Thong Song", is a crime that should never be committed inside of a club. Well, honestly, I rather take that, than the redundant Gucci Mane shit I had to endure on my iPod today. Plus, IT'S A CLUB. So to satisfy her bitchassness, I decided to leave with them, onto what I thought would be another club, but instead we ended up in this tiny, wack ass bar, called the Cleveland Lounge, as I watch her nibbling her dude's ear, whatever the fuck they were doing, while I was rocking in a chair, drinking and watching ESPN, listening to the same shit I could hear on my friend's MP3 Player. I was just glad to get the fuck outta there.

Saturday, I was just tired and cold, but at least everything was easy at work. The bad thing about it was that Adrianne and I had got into an argument, but that was resolved. I applied this to a concept that I will get into another time.

Sunday, my check card was out of commission for 24 hours I suppose, as I couldn't purchase anything with it. Embarassing as fuck, and I guess it was based off a glitch in the iTunes purchasing universe. But that is taken care of now...least I think.

However, the positives of this weekend, was that after two songs that I have done to instrumentals from the 808s and Heartbreak album from Kanye, I feel as if though, I should make a mixtape out of that, especially now that I am working on at least four or five right now. Its strange. So I suppose I should write a verse to one of those beats right now.

Ill have more to talk about tomorrow (or later today).

PIMP OF THE YEAR!!!

2009-01-07T03:25:00.003-06:00

SAIGON, STOP WHINING AND RAP!!!!

2009-01-06T10:26:00.004-06:00

If you (like I) have had no free time other than check out these hip-hop sites such as Worldstarhiphop.com (which as of late has become "the epicenter of nigga-rance") you would have noticed, that there has been "vlogs" that manifest into the form of pointless videos, featuring one Saigon.

Now since his album has YET to be released, Saigon has kept kinda quiet lately, outside of popping up on a couple tracks, to throwing hissy-fits at record labels and Just Blaze. Even to a point to where he quit the rap game.

So yea, since then he has been making videos, yappin and yappin and yappin, and all this time I am thinking.....why ain't you rappin?

Don't believe me then check this out....

While this is an interview and I can appreciate most of the things he mentioned, this is going a little bit overboard...

Yep....absolutely nothing but steroid pumpin....

And if that wasn't enough....

Man.....nobody cares.......JUST RAP!!!

Can you see the shift in personality through these three videos??? Practice what you preach homie. Don't take this the wrong way, Saigon is one of my favorite rappers of the current times, in fact, he just MIGHT BE what NY Hip-Hop needs to revive itself. BUT, while he could be taking the time to make records of "Desperado", "Color Purple", "Pain In My Life" fame....he is instead doing.....this.

Bottom line is...I just wish NY niggas would get a grip on themselves and make music, instead of bitching and moaning.

I guess that one dude off of Rapmusic.com was on to something.

CLASSIC TRACK: ALICE IN CHAINS- WOULD?

2009-01-02T17:33:00.002-06:00

I have been keeping this on repeat all day (well, not all day) on my iPod. This to me, was just one of those songs, that have that edge musically, but with enough harmony to touch the emotional portion of your soul.

R.I.P. Layne Staley

PART TWO (Something I was supposed to post yesterday)

2008-12-31T18:49:00.002-06:00

Okay, well now that I got my anger out of the way, it's on to reflection.

Now 2008 has been a rollercoaster ride of a year for me and the people around me. From, breaking up to getting back together to breaking up again to getting back together again (with two different women), to my musical evolution, to me making money again, to my friends making bad decisions (including myself), here are some things I would like to accomplish now that we are in the thick of 2009.

1. I want to stop "rating" music, and actually "listen" to music again. I think that the reason I been at wit's end wit hip-hop and rock lately, is 'cause I been listening to it with a "critic's perspective". I think what I'm gonna do is I'm going to put away the notebooks (the ones I rate music in) and just LISTEN to it. So that way, it will be easier to determine a best of without filtering through the shit later on like with what I did for '08.

2. Evolve artistically. I think with the fact that I am able to do art again (take studio classes, have more free time) as well as head into more topics or concepts as a writer/rapper/poet, I should be able to stand out among these MC's regardless of accolades, material, or popularity.

3. Treat others with more appreciation and graciousness while reconnecting with past friends. Yea, these last few months have been torture when it comes to my social life. But with the friends I do have, thank you for sticking with me. To the ones that I lost touch with, I haven't forgot about you. To my family, you are forever in my heart for your support and love. And to my heart and my soul, that is you. My one and my only, for starting over with me, even when I didn't deserve a second chance, for hanging in there with me when it comes to my problems, for allowing yourself to open your emotions to me, and for accepting who I am and what I have come from, and for every day and every night, knowing that there is no one else that I want to be with more than you.

So off to 2009 I go...and hoping to continue to become a better artist and a better person.

RESOLUTIONS (part one)

2008-12-31T16:45:00.004-06:00

I have been posting a lot of entries in the last 24-48 hours. Right now, before 12AM hits the clock, I am going to post my thoughts on a couple of situations that have been either upsetting me or make me wonder about what the future holds.

First, starting with what made me upset...I mean PISSED BEYOND RECOGNITION!!!

I said that I would try to never make posts based on the existence of one Soulja Boy Tell 'Em...however, I must...because of the idea, that he always says some shit, that makes you think, "who does this nigga think he is?"

http://www.worldstarhiphop.com/videos/video.php?v=wshhjoMTNmJQBsfNU7B5

Let me just start off by saying what I had previously belted out of anger..."WHO DOES THIS NIGGA THINK HE IS". I'm not gonna say anything that others haven't said already, ya know "Jay started the "best rapper alive" saying" or "Andre, Q-Tip, Kool Keith said it way before hand, Nas just ran with it" or with the idea that perhaps Nas uses these controversial themes as perhaps gimmicks, BUT, I will say this, is that I could respect SB's opinion more....if the shit made sense...after all, his example of "old school" is Get Rich or Die Tryin'. SMH. Just sitting around with your "yes men" eating dinner, talking shit about an artist you only wish you could reach the status of, ain't getting you nowhere in getting respect as a legimitate artist. Nas killed his career? Let's recap...

NAS- "UNTITLED" (nigger)

Hit #1 its first week, selling over 150,000 copies
Stayed in the top ten for three weeks
critically acclaimed by music publications (XXL, The Source, Rolling Stone)
certified Gold by the RIAA

SOULJA BOY TELL 'EM- iSOULJABOYTELLEM

Sold 45,000 copies its first week at #41
Bad reviews in almost EVERY music publication

At the end of it all, one thing is for sure....

Nas= living legend

Soulja Boy= dead gimmick.

The bottom line is everything that I have said all along, you ain't gotta like artists like Nas (who actually saluted you) or Ice-T (although he instigated it) but pay respect for the motherfuckers that allowed you to put your crappy music out to the public and make money. But judging by your sales, I don't know how long that is going to last.

http://www.worldstarhiphop.com/videos/video.php?v=wshh0MgA2d70d4P7V2O8

Part two coming later.

WHAT I LEFT OFF...

2008-12-31T15:42:00.004-06:00

Since I don't necessarily feel like going on and on as to why these songs sucked this year, Ima just put them down, with my own personal opinions for some of them.

These do not rank in any kind of importance...they suck, they suck....

Soulja Boy- Donk (except when a girl has her back turned in front of you)
Tyga- Coconut Juice
Shawty Lo- Dunn Dunn
Nelly f/Akon & Ashanti- Body On Me
Yung Berg f/Casha- The Business
Bow Wow f/Soulja Boy- Marco Polo
Lil' Wayne f/Brisco & Busta Rhymes- La La
Plies f/Jamie Foxx & The Dream- Please Excuse My Hands
Webbie f/Lil' Phat & Lil' Boosie- Independent (except for Boosie's verse and the hook)
DJ Khaled f/the damn south- Out Here Grindin'
Soulja Boy- Birdwalk
Gym Class Heroes f/The Dream- Cookie Jar (sometimes)
V.I.C.- Get Silly
Lil' Mama f/Chris Brown & T-Pain- Shawty Get Loose

TRACKS THAT WERE SHORT OF MY FAVE 100....

Sheek Louch- Good Love
Joell Ortiz- 50 Shots
Jim Jones f/The Game- Love Me No More (RMX)
Fat Joe f/Lil' Wayne- The Crackhouse
Joe Budden- Who Killed Hip Hop? (ESPECIALLY THIS ONE, THIS WAS ORIGINALLY MY NO. 1)
Saigon- Homegirl
The Cool Kids- Black Mags
Gym Class Heroes f/Busta Rhymes- Peace Sign/Index Down
Kid Cudi- Day 'N Nite
Kardinal Offishall f/Clipse- Set It Off
Snoop Dogg- Life of the Party
Lil' Mama- L.I.F.E.
Eminem- I'm Having a Relapse
Scarface- High Powered

DOWN TO THE WIRE: #10-1

2008-12-31T01:44:00.002-06:00

Well, it is here...my top ten songs of the year.

Now keep in mind, this portion was REALLY difficult in deciding, as each song affected me in a different way and perspective this year, but in the end, I'm confident about this. Maybe controversial...but so am I....so here we go.

10. THE ROOTS F/DICE RAW & PEEDI PEEDI- GET BUSY

Much like a lot of the Roots songs on Rising Down, it depicted Black Thought being more visceral and commanding as ever, even feature alumni, Dice Raw and Peedi Peedi couldn't keep up wit the Thought's lyrical assault, and not to mention a bumping backdrop to keep the energy going courtesy of the best hip hop band in the business.

9. YOUNG JEEZY F/KANYE WEST- PUT ON

It is safe to say that this was the hood anthem of the year, and this is when Kanye's Auto-tuned madness began. Yet Ye's emotion and heartfelt verse kept up wit Jeezy's new outlook on the streets and everything around him. Even so much that The Recession was one of my favorite albums of the year, and that had to be the first time that I put aside Jeezy's shortcomings as a lyricist, for the fact that he put together a wide variety of quality material this time around.

8. NAS- HERO

Regardless of what Nasir Jones' motives were on his new album Untitled (Nigger)...or recently Soulja Boy's perplexed outlook on the emcees' career, this was probably the first time in recent memory, that Nas' first single...is actually memorable. The third verse lays it all out on the table.

"This universal apartheid/I'm hogtied/The corporate side/Blocking yall from going to stores and buying it/"....."So Untitled it is/I never changed nothin/But people remember this/If Nas can't say it/Think about these talented kids with new ideas being told/What they can't or can't spit/I can't sit and watch it/So shit I'ma drop it/Like it or not/You ain't gotta cop it/"

7. T-PAIN F/LIL' WAYNE- CAN'T BELIEVE IT

This is one of those songs, where you don't wanna like it, but you can't help but consider it a guilty pleasure. Despite the fact, that you can hardly understand what the hell Lil' Wayne is saying on his feature, T-Pain proves once again, why he AND HE ONLY should use Auto-tune.

6. NE-YO- MISS INDEPENDENT

This is for every hard-working woman in America...Lawyers, Doctors, Teachers...strippers, prostitutes, burlesque dancers....If you made your own money, this was for you...and Ne-Yo did what Webbie and Boosie couldn't do earlier in the year.

5. LIL' WAYNE F/STATIC MAJOR- LOLLIPOP

I am not going to discuss Auto-tune again. So instead, I'll direct my attention to the fact that this is true....if rock bands are covering your songs...months after you put it out...YOU MADE IT!!!!

4. KANYE WEST- LOVE LOCKDOWN

If I liked "Heartless" more than this, why is this higher than "Heartless"? Well, simply for the fact, that although it took how many versions to make it right, when Kanye finally hit gold...it was easy to feel the pain this man presented to all of us. Like I said, I may not have liked 808s and Heartbreaks like some emo kids may have...but I understand the means.

3. T.I. F/JAY-Z, KANYE WEST, AND LIL' WAYNE- SWAGGA LIKE US

"No one on the corner had swagga like us", you know, you wouldn't even known Kanye made some of these beats this year, being caught up in his Love Lockdown-ness...but although, I feel they shoulda came way harder than they did, Tip put them to rest, and spit the best verse on the track.

2. M.I.A.- PAPER PLANES

And then comes the aforementioned song Mr. West sampled. Although, this song has been around for about a year, from the critically acclaimed album Kala, it took a movie (Pineapple Express) to breathe new life into this song, and let me just say this, as many times as this song came on at Silk Exotic, when it came on, I was worked as hard than ever to give up money. But yes, others spit to it (like me), others made a dance to it, but given its subliminal messages, this had to be No. 2 as song of the year...meanwhile, one song took its claim and made history, and made it fun to rap again....

AND MY NUMBER 1 SONG OF THE YEAR IS.....

1. LIL' WAYNE- A MILLI

I don't think there needs to be any words for this, but what I will say...is that not only did it refreshen the game in regards to lyrical competition, but the fact that this song had remotely no hook, it makes no sense, and the beat is simple, Weezy's mentally perplexed lyrics and delivery took a simple song to overwhelming popularity. So much I did THREE versions of the song myself. Logical Thought did a version, Lil Ole P did a version, I'm waiting for Amanda to do a version, fuck a crackhead on a street corner will spit to "A Milli", it goes to show, that one song, can make a difference, and change the rap game as we know it, and goddammit, this was the song. If you don't like it, suck it!!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8uf-Wri2q8

#20-11

2008-12-31T00:14:00.002-06:00

20. KANYE WEST- HEARTLESS

This is more easier to swallow than "Love Lockdown" was on the first listen. But honestly...Ye...the Auto-tune has to stop.

19. BEYONCE- SINGLE LADIES (PUT A RING TO IT)

This was a manwhore's kryptonite. Catchy though.

18. T.I.- NO MATTER WHAT

All of the personal strife that occured in the life of one Tip Harris, he puts to rest on this Danja-produced epic. Shawty Lo might wanna fall back from his personal attacks.

17. THE ROOTS F/WALE & CHRISETTE MICHELE- RISING UP

Vintage Roots. Not only did it display the talents of rising stars Wale and Chrisette Michele, but this was a more of the lighter side in closing the mostly dark and brooding and socially aware Rising Down, by No. 2 album of the year.

16. THE GAME F/TRAVIS BARKER- DOPE BOYZ

I don't know whether this was Game continuing his love/hate admiration/despising of Jay, but despite all of that, this track had heavy rotation on my iPod, proving once again, Game could make a hot track without 50 or Dre.

15. COMMON- UNIVERSAL MIND CONTROL

Sadly, this was the introduction that led to an album of which I don't ever wanna hear Common attempt to recreate ever again. But its Planet Rock-esque, Neptunes-helmed production and futuristic vibe, allowed it to get heavy burn...and even product placement.

14. GNARLS BARKLEY- WHO'S GONNA SAVE MY SOUL?

As much as I rather hear Cee-Lo rap more than sing, when he does sing, man, does he pull the trigger in emotion. This maybe the song I want to play at my funeral.

13. USHER- MOVING MOUNTAINS

Picking up where Omarion's "Icebox" left off? Well, Here I Stand may have been more generic and lacked the energy and purpose that Confessions had, this standout track, told the story that I had been enduring over the last couple of months in my relationships.

12. RICK ROSS F/T-PAIN- THE BOSS

Man, who wasn't bumpin' this in the beginning of the year? Officer Ross one-upped himself on a track that solidifed his place as one of the South's elite and one of the heavy hitters in the rap game, as well as the fact that it pushed Trilla to #1, beating out Snoop and Fat Joe. Man....then he just had to keep that secret...

11. T.I. F/RIHANNA- LIVE YOUR LIFE

Yea, I got sick of Rihanna this year...who didn't...but man, she finally sound like she wanted to sing on this track. The first moment I heard this, one word popped up in my mind...."HIT". Not only does Tip put everything in perspective (in other words his best verses I've heard, since King), but this track is hard-hitting as it is motivational. Yea, Wayne may have sold the most this year, but the KING is back on his throne!!!

#30-21

2008-12-30T23:48:00.002-06:00

30. THE GAME F/LIL' WAYNE- MY LIFE

This was a track in which Weezy actually put his Auto-tune frenzied vocals to good use while the Game sounds...well...introspective...So much that Amanda wanted to remix this with me...and the funny thing is, she didn't know who the Game was when I said "oh that track from Game?"

29. T.I.- SWING YA RAG

This song should have been the lead single from Paper Trail instead of Whatever You Like...but who knows..."whatever YOU like"....pun intended.

28. LIL' WAYNE F/ROBIN THICKE- TIE MY HANDS

Another song that I felt should have been a single, but was one of my favorite tracks off The Carter 3. It even became the soundtrack to my messy breakup with my schizophrenic ex-girlfriend this past summer. Shouts to 88Nine Milwaukee, for giving this song play and this was alos another example of Weezy's abilities for songwriting.

27. CHRIS BROWN- WITH YOU

A song that wouldn NOT go away, but you heard enough that you had to love it...and beg your gf not to sing karaoke to it.

26. JORDIN SPARKS F/CHRIS BROWN- NO AIR

See "With You"...

25. JAY-Z- JOCKIN' JAY-Z

If his performance at Glastonbury didn't piss Noel Gallagher of Oasis enough, the first four bars in the second verse of this song sure did. Still waitin' on Blueprint 3!!!

24. THE DREAM- I LUV YOUR GIRL

If you wasn't bouncin' to this at the club wit ya drink 'n ya 2-step...SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH YOU...and even the remixes from Jeezy and Fab was satisfying enough to get the ladies goin' "FUCK THAT NIGGA"!!!...hell even my remix of the song ended up on more than 80 playlists this past summer on Imeem....what a country!!!

23. N.E.R.D.- SPAZ

This was the epitome of a fight-starter. I damn near had a heartattack when they performed this live in my hometown not too long ago, moshing so hard. Now if only the rest of that album was like this. But I'm not gonna piss Randal off so whatever.

22. ATMOSPHERE- SHOULDA KNOWN

While "You" had the hipsters jumping and the casuals requesting it on pop radio, the lead single from When Life Gives You Lemons, had that spooky "supposed" Eurthymics sample, while Slug's storytelling is as vivid and more on-point than usual.

21. Q-TIP- MIDNIGHT

Cool & Dre proved two things to me this year, 1. That they still had life in them 2. They can re-make a classic song from A Tribe Called Quest and make it sound better than the original (imo). From the Smirnoff series, this was indeed my favorite out of the three songs, especially since Just Blaze's remix of Common's "The Light" was closing in on this...The Preemo remix of KRS' "Criminal Minded", I didn't get a chance to peep as much. But this is something I could see playing in the iPod walking or a night out on the town.

#40-31

2008-12-29T23:38:00.002-06:00

40. PLIES F/NE-YO- BUST IT BABY, PT. 2

39. DAVID BANNER F/CHRIS BROWN, JIM JONES, & YUNG JOC- GET LIKE ME

38. BUN B F/SEAN KINGSTON- THAT'S GANGSTA

37. LUDACRIS F/CHRIS BROWN AND SEAN GARRETT- WHAT THEM GIRLS LIKE

36. T.I.- WHATEVER YOU LIKE

35. ATMOSPHERE- YOU

34. ROBIN THICKE- MAGIC

33. NE-YO- CLOSER

32. BIG BOI F/RAEKWON AND ANDRE 3000- ROYAL FLUSH

31. GNARLS BARKLEY- RUN

#50-41

2008-12-28T23:55:00.002-06:00

50. SHAWTY LO F/LUDACRIS, YOUNG JEEZY, PLIES, & LIL' WAYNE- DEY KNOW (RMX)

49. IMMORTAL TECHNIQUE- THE 3RD WORLD

48. BUSTA RHYMES- DON'T TOUCH ME (THROW THE WATER ON 'EM)

47. KARDINAL OFFISHALL F/AKON- DANGEROUS

46. KEYSHIA COLE- HEAVEN SENT

45. KERI HILSON- ENERGY

44. RIHANNA- DISTURBIA

43. Q-TIP- GETTIN' UP

42. BEYONCE- BEAUTIFUL NIGHTMARE

41. RAHEEM DEVAUGHN- CUSTOMER

#60-51

2008-12-27T21:36:00.002-06:00

60. JENNIFER HUDSON- SPOTLIGHT

Hopefully, 2009 will bring more of a positive light in the career and in the life of this talented artist. We're keeping your family in our prayers...

59. BUSTA RHYMES- ARAB MONEY

It's perhaps controversial, it's perhaps idiotic, but damn this is one of the most entertaining songs of the year...maybe I'm just prone to ignorance...or Ron Browz' error-filled use of Auto-Tune.

58. USHER- TRADING PLACES

I wanna fuck so much to this song, it's crazy....too much info...

57. RON BROWZ & JIM JONES F/JUELZ SANTANA- POP CHAMPAGNE

Once again Ron Browz should just stick to making beats and put down the mic, but, this was another song you couldn't get away from in the club...gone as far to "pop champagne" for Barack Obama's victory as newly elected President.....was that necessary to make a song out of it?

56. LUDACRIS F/T-PAIN- ONE MORE DRINK

We've ALL been through this....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5VsXBacU-w

55. KIDZ IN THE HALL- DRIVIN' DOWN THE BLOCK

Never thought this track would get as big as it did...

54. Q-TIP- MOVE

This is why Rik Cordero stays one of my favorite directors out right now...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpDTXBDcp0Q

53. CHRIS BROWN- FOREVER

This was corny to me at first....but this is what the radio does.

52. JAKE ONE F/FREEWAY & BROTHER ALI- THE TRUTH

Another Rik Cordero directed gem...but also, this track was instrumental in bringing two household gems in both mainstream and underground rap together, due to the soulful sounds of versatile producer Jake One.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aJYMYRMprY

51. BLACK MILK F/PHAROAHE MONCH, SEAN PRICE, & DJ PREMIER- THE MATRIX

I had first posted this track a couple weeks back and it has been getting heavy rotation on my iPod as of late...

"HAPPY" (BELATED) CHRISTMAS!!!

2008-12-26T11:14:00.002-06:00

and here we go with #70-61...

70. DRAKE- BRAND NEW

This song became so popular, that even Lil' Wayne had to come ruin it...frog...I prefer the original more, but for the Weezy stans...here's the remix.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=za5i4yYLm_c

69. J. HOLIDAY- SUFFOCATE

Play this for the ladies...and I swear panties will fly...

68. LUPE FIASCO F/NIKKI JEAN- HIP HOP SAVED MY LIFE

67. REKS- SAY GOODNIGHT

Preemo returns in true form while Reks spits lava....

66. BEYONCE- IF I WERE A BOY

Sasha Fierce goes for Adult Contemporary...

65. RICK ROSS F/NELLY & AVERY STORM- HERE I AM

64. THE DREAM- FALSETTO

see J. Holiday....

63. RYAN LESLIE F/CASSIE & FABOLOUS- ADDICTION

Prolly one of my top five instrumentals of the year was for this song.

62. MURS- CAN IT BE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JaOXWrS9raE

61. JAY-Z- I KNOW

featuring my new crush, Zoe Kravitz....sorry hun, lol.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSOb10b6IC4

#80-71

2008-12-24T21:26:00.002-06:00

here we giz-ooooooo!!!!

80. RIHANNA F/NE-YO- HATE THAT I LOVE YOU

79. ESTELLE F/KANYE WEST- AMERICAN BOY

78. JAZMINE SULLIVAN- NEED U BAD

77. SLIM F/SHAWTY LO & YUNG JOC- SO FLY (REMIX)

76. LLOYD F/LIL' WAYNE- GIRLS AROUND THE WORLD

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CGNcLZcnaw

75. FLO-RIDA F/TIMBALAND- ELEVATOR

74. USHER F/YOUNG JEEZY- LOVE IN THIS CLUB

73. ALICIA KEYS- TEENAGE LOVE AFFAIR

72. MARIAH CAREY F/T.I.- I'LL BE LOVIN' U LONG TIME

71. LUPE FIASCO- STREETS ON FIRE

#90-81

2008-12-24T03:52:00.002-06:00

Sorry for the delay....when you are caught in a snowstorm all day...what can ya do?

#90. NAS- BE A N***** TOO

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieoqDkoTcUE

#89. N.E.R.D.- EVERYONE NOSE

#88. TREY SONGZ- LAST TIME

#87. GNARLS BARKLEY- GOING ON

#86. G-UNIT- RIDER PT. 2

#85. JOHN LEGEND F/ANDRE 3000- GREEN LIGHT

#84. JOELL ORTIZ- MEMORIES

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3eDeN1Q1h8

#83. TECH N9NE- EVERBODY MOVE

#82. SCARFACE F/LIL' WAYNE & BUN B- FORGOT ABOUT ME

#81. YOUNG JEEZY- CRAZY WORLD

check out this crazy guitar cover of the song right jeahhh....THATS RIIIGGGHHHTTT!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YV4bJ3cRa7k

#80-71 LATER TODAY.....

MY FAVORITE 100 SONGS OF THE YEAR

2008-12-22T12:41:00.002-06:00

Aight, its that time of the year again...where I give to YOU...the viewing public, my favorite 100 songs of the year (hip hop wise)...this is a list compiling of the songs that had the most impact on me this year. Whether I was bumping them on my iPod, whether I danced at the clubs to them, whether I wasted away money at the strip clubs to them, whether I spit verses to them, anything of that nature....and because I don't want everyone to hurt their eyes, reading my list, I'm gonna post ten songs daily until we reach #1...so here we go....

100. Keyshia Cole feat. 2Pac- Playa Cardz Right

99. Britney Spears feat. Fabolous- Break the Ice (Remix)

98. Alicia Keys- Like You'll Never See Me Again

97. ASHER ROTH- ROTH BOYS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGPrX38NRZg

96. M.I.A.- Boyz

95. ATMOSPHERE- GUARANTEES

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoLxuyV9qz8

94. Keyshia Cole- I Remember

93. Ice Cube- Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It

92. DJ Khaled f/Kanye West & T-Pain- Go Hard

91. JAY-Z - ROC BOYS (AND THE WINNER IS...) (the original, ha ha)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_7Zy1TlwQc

......#90-81 tomorrow.....

I FEEL THE SAME WAY ABOUT MY JOB!!!!

2008-12-20T15:40:00.003-06:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zf3fm9x7h7Y

THE BEST OF 2008 (STARTING AT #10 TO #1)

2008-12-20T14:42:00.007-06:00

and NOOOWWWWW...the best album of 2008 is....

Honorable Mention:

eMC- The Show
Elzhi- The Preface
Black Milk- Tronic
Tech N9ne- Killer
Young Jeezy- The Recession
Johnson & Jonson (Blu & Mainframe)- S/T
Murs- Murs For President
Skillz- The Million Dollar Backpack
GZA- Pro Tools
Kidz In the Hall- The In Crowd
Rick Ross- Trilla
The Game- L.A.X.
Bun B- II Trill
Scarface- Emeritus
ABN (Z-Ro & Trae)- It Is What It Is
Ludacris- Theater of the Mind
Termanology- Politics As Usual

Let Downs:

Kanye West- 808's and Heartbreak
Common- Universal Mind Control
G-Unit- Terminate On Sight
Snoop Dogg- Ego Trippin'
Nelly- Brass Knuckles
Z-Ro- Crack
LL Cool J- Exit 13
Prodigy- H.N.I.C. Pt. 2
Ice Cube- Raw Footage
Clipse- Presents: The Re-Up Gang
David Banner- The Greatest Story Ever Told
N.E.R.D.- Seeing Sounds
AZ- Undeniable
Flo Rida- Mail On Sunday
Del tha Funkee Homosapien- The 11th Hour
Fat Joe- Elephant in the Room
Kool G. Rap- Half A Klip
Sheek Louch- Silverback Gorilla

MIXTAPES OF THE YEAR:

Nas & DJ Green Lantern- The Nigger Tape
Charles Hamilton- And Then They Played Dilla
Charles Hamilton- Death to the Mixtape Rapper
Clipse- We Got It 4 Cheap III
Clipse- Road to 'Til the Casket Drops
Stimuli & DJ Victorious- March on Washington
Rhymefest- Man in the Mirror
Wale- The Mixtape About Nothing
Crooked I- The Block Obama
Crooked I- The Block Obama II
Joe Budden- Halfway House
Royce Da 5'9"- The Bar Exam II
Joell Ortiz- Brooklyn Bomber Mixtape
Mad Static- Written In Blood II: The Shit Gets Real (HAHA, HAD TO THROW MY SHIT IN THERE)
Ludacris- Gangsta Grillz: The Preview

SLEPT ON ALBUMS (OR ALBUMS ILL GET TO ONCE I GET FREE TIME)

Killer Mike- I Pledge Allegiance to the Grind Pt. II
Pete Rock- NY's Finest
Akrobatik- Absolute Value
Braille- The IV Edition
Dizzee Rascal- Maths + English
Snowgoons- Black Snow
J-Live- Then What Happened?
Statik Selektah- Stick 2 the Script
Large Pro- Main Source
88 Keys- The Death of Adam
DJ Babu- Duck Season Vol. 3
Reef the Lost Cauze- A Vicious Cycle
Doap Nixon- Soap Diesel
Outerspace- God's Fury
E-40- The Ball Street Journal
Evidence- The Layover EP
King Syze- The Labor Union
EPMD- We Mean Business

DIDN'T BOTHER:
Plies- Da Realist
Soulja Boy- iSouljaboytellem
Shawty Lo- Units in the City
Webbie- Savage Life II
Ace Hood- Gutta
DJ Khaled- We Global
Unk- Second Season
Big Kuntry King- My Turn to Eat
V.I.C.- Beast
Tyga- No Introduction
2 Pistols- Death Before Dishonor
Three 6 Mafia- Last 2 Walk
Foxy Brown- Brooklyn's Don Diva
Trina- Still Da Baddest
ANY MIXTAPE GUCCI MANE PUT OUT....

Coming soon....MY FAVORITE TRACKS OF THE YEAR!!!

MAD STATIC PRESENTS: THE LITTLE ENGINE THAT DEED....

2008-12-17T18:05:00.004-06:00

And to think this cat could not get roasted anymore on Youtube and on the Internet...he took his shit to American Idol...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3r3mrvZszg

But it was okay. Despite the hatin' ass Simon Cowell and his wrath, Eli managed to slip by with no problem...went up to Bad Boy Offices, and presented his demo of a remix he did of "Victory", when Diddy asked, "yo, who did this?" He responded, "I DEED IT"...Diddy replied with one swift, "I TOLD YOU THAT WE WON'T STOP!!! NOW I TOLD YOU THAT WE WON'T STOP!!!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HTQESOZH_Y

Since then, n**** blew the FUCCCCUUUUUUP!!!

Started doin shit wit G-Unit....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWRa1ALjyoQ

Lil' Wayne....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3MQBXnLUYg

Apparently, he got a thing for the underground shit wit Dilla beats...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOENr5BrudQ

hell...even got wit Tay Zonday of Youtube fame....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3bc7vaR_Vs

Somehow....he was able to get on the top of the world...sayin the same lines...over..and over...and over....roastin' like ever...and became an inspiration to all...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5IU00uJ3bU

Thanks a lot Eli Porter...in the end, you proved to everyone that indeed...DREAMS DO COME TRUE...you the best mayne!!!....raise ya glasses in the air yall....

YOU DEED ITTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!

I MUST BE EITHER CORNY AS HELL OR MADLY IN LOVE...

2008-12-17T16:13:00.004-06:00

Cause I am scrolling through pictures of my girlfriend and I on my iPod nano-chromatic.

Yea, I was in the midst of putting everything on there with us, while in the meantime, was in a bit of an argument with her about things. Irony at its best.

Since, all I have been doing is post, post, post, and not express, express, express...I am going to do what I do best and that's tell it how it is...shit if I can't even post "nigga" and not block the last four letters (according to a hater), I must be doing something wrong, right?

Anyways, I guess a problem that has always plagued my relationship with "her", is my habit to be a blunt, straight-forward individual. That usually leads me to bringing up problems, complaints, or just anything that may not be worth mentioning at the wrong times and at the wrong places in time, which leads to me getting a shit load of silent treatments, cold stares, and responses that make any Lil' Wayne diss look like its "Ether".

But the fact of the matter is, is the way I am, is my personality normally a curse for those around me?

I guess I have used these experiences or in other words, our arguments, as testaments to why I feel I am always the blame for what goes wrong with my friends and family. A question she asked me last night, was "why do you hold on to so much guilt?"

It was a question that I could not answer right away and come to think of it, I don't even know if I can answer the question right now.

I don't like when I look in her face and tears are slowly descending from her eyes, rolling down her cheeks, knowing that I triggered those horrid emotions.

But I guess that I want everything to go so well in our relationship, that I worry too much, and perhaps I take it out on others' insecurities, because I have such a difficult time in dealing with mine. From the absence of my father in my life, to the environment I grew up in, to the ridicule I faced as a child and teenager, I pride myself to become a strong individual no matter what it took or what i sacrificed.

Without turning this into some long emo rant, in what it becomes anyways, she knows that I apologized since then, and that she is highly aware that I am TRYING DAMN HARD to understand her and her emotions. I just wish that she could be able to talk to me and open herself up to me without having to prolong the pain or drive me into a mental frenzy to the point where emotional destruction occurs in heartache, depression, and losing grip of everything around us.

These are things that I wish I could tell yall everyday, things I wish I could put into music more, or things I could discuss with my family, but these kind of things, I can only describe seeing her face to face. Where our eyes lock and our lips quiver, to the point where it could be too much but in the end it could be a major improvement in communication and our love.

MY TOP 20 G.O.A.T.

2008-12-16T23:05:00.002-06:00

I did a blog entry in relation to this concept a couple of months ago, and judging by the last few months, EVERYTHING has changed. The way that I look at music, from all aspects, has twisted, distorted, and evolved. I realized that maybe a lot of artists that I had in my top 20, were in there based on legend status, and that I left out artists in my top 20, in which I grabbed on to their style and their material faster than those on my list...now that a few months had gone by...I figured its time I do this...and base this list off of simply influence on ME and me only, as to why I thrive on this music so much nowadays, and who keeps me going in this rap shit.

I am probably going to catch heat from people on this, but this is MINE....make yours.

1. Andre 3000
2. Nas
3. Black Thought (The Roots)
4. Eminem
5. Common
6. Biggie
7. Brother Ali
8. Lupe Fiasco
9. Jay-Z
10. Scarface
11. Kool G. Rap
12. Big Pun
13. Ghostface
14. Rakim
15. Big Daddy Kane
16. 2Pac
17. Mos Def
18. Q-Tip
19. Slug (Atmosphere)
20. Tech N9ne

I know what you are thinking...where are the Chuck D's? where are the KRS-One's, where's the Slick Rick's?....shit where's LL?...not disregarding what they have done, I got Criminal Minded, Nation of Millions, Great Adventures...(as far as LL, I lost interest after listening to everything else in chronological order, after Radio.), but it took me a while to appreciate it as much as I did Live and Let Die or Illmatic...even modern classics, like The Cool or Be...fuck even underground classics, like Shadows on the Sun or Anghellic. So, if you can do better, post your own blog on who your favorite top 20 is...I think I'm gonna do bands next. Holla....back to studying now.

WHY DO I HAVE HER AS A MYSPACE FRIEND???

2008-12-16T21:15:00.006-06:00

This is taken from the Kramp and Adler morning radio show on alternative rock station FM102.1, based out of my hometown of Milwaukee. I wake up to them every day. The reason I am posting this is because today, I woke up to the Paris Hilton-like ditziness of their guest for the day...the infamous "Madonna of Myspace"....

the one....the only.....Tila Tequila....

If Adrianne listens to this, I beg you to prepare yourself for you are going to hear in this interview.....which is blatant stupidity.

The link down at the bottom....

http://www.fm1021milwaukee.com/includes/tables/1/20081216110658.intv_tila_tequil.mp3

IT'S FUNNY I CAN STILL BE ANNOYED BY THIS TYPE OF BIASED CRAP...

2008-12-15T14:06:00.002-06:00

"I aint trippin off a status cuz every nigga starts out underground.
I do mess with the underground but not the obscure shit....

shit like Devin Landing Gear, Slim Thug Back By Blockular Demand, Lil Keke - Loved By Few, MJG - Pimp Tight, Pastor Troy - Troy, Zro - Crack, ABN - It Is What It Is, Killer Mike, etc. Gorilla Zoe, Lil Boosie, Gucci Mane.. That shit is underground. That shit aint touching a radio even though they may have had previous crossover hits.

Like I said before I don't have the time anymore. Ill let niggas that get paid to discover niggas discover those niggas. I'm past that point where I have to be the first to hear it.

and all these new niggas (Plies, ACe Hood, B.O.B., BloodRaw, OJ Da Juice etc.) had heard of em in the underground before they dropped their first album anyway so it doesn't even matter to me like that.

Some of these guys yall name don't even have a local buzz so why am I supposed to even think about them when I'm here in Atlanta and it's always some new ass nigga coming out?

And a vast majority of the niggas are wack as hell and you have to do twice as much sifting through bullshit to get to something you like. Shit started feeling like a chore, way worse than listening to the radio. I barely listen to the radio too cuz I got a 120 GB Zune that hook to the car and the home theater so I'm straight."

I put this down on here, because over the last two years, the guy that posted this and I have always clashed on shit on Rapmusic.com, and then I realized that this is a person such as myself (A PERSON WHO LISTENS TO EVERYTHING) debating with a person such as him (A PERSON WHO MOSTLY LISTENS TO EVERYTHING REDUCED TO A REGION, PICKS A COUPLE FROM EACH COAST, AND IGNORES EVERYTHING ELSE)

Do you listen to music or do you just skim through it?

I might have been off wit that line, but you know what I'm sayin...

Maybe I am just complaining for the sake of complaining, but honestly, this kind of shit is why I strictly go to Okayplayer.com nowadays...as much as they are snobs (like myself) at least they have a thought process that isn't limited to what's hot in the latest edition of Ozone.

MY THOUGHTS....ALMOST A WEEK LATER

2008-12-15T13:35:00.003-06:00

On this supposed beef between Mr. Soulja Boy Tell'Em and Charles "I enjoy wearing the color of a vagina" Hamilton. This apparently started based off some footage that Soulja Boy saw on Thisis50.com, of Hamilton taking offense to blunt comments he made, proclaiming that HE is the reason why artists such as him are not being taken seriously. SB of course goes into his empty immature 18-year old logic and gives his habitual "FUCK YOU NIGGA, I'M RICHA!!!" response.

Then on Friday, I noticed there was a video also leaked from Charles Hamilton, in response to SB, in the form of a diss record "Word? Aight!" turning the Auto-Tune high and doing his little ditty to T-Pain's "Can't Believe It", with silly remarks such as "Collipark is in his anus", "This ain't no Ice-T shit, I'm vodka".

Then yesterday, I noticed there was a freestyle, that according to Mr. Hamilton on his blog, was a response to him, entitled "Head Shots". Since I knew it was going to suck, I didn't pay it no mind, but I hear he is getting "lyrical" on this one. Sure, if he advanced his vocabulary past the "YUUULLLLEEEE" and the "YAAAHHHHH".

You noticed, watching how this beef has manifested into some unnecessary nonsense, it makes my little "diss" towards the "Crank That" hero last year, look as if though it could be lumped into that category, where anyone that disses Soulja Boy...automatically loses...much like Hamilton addressed in an interview earlier this year.

It's at a point where I think the world is beginning to look past the illusion that Soulja Boy presents to the public, that he is actually an ARTIST. I have read three reviews already (Dart Adams, Allmusic.com, a friend) where everyone is on point with their opinion. This is a FLOP in the making and for those that love hip-hop it is LONG overdue.

This kind of shit happens, when you run out of ideas, resort back to your cookie-cutter formula, attempt the same lame-ass dance instruction songs that made you famous to begin with, and expect people are going to eat it up. NOT ME PLAYA!!! I didn't even listen to the album yet, but I already know I am not going to be impressed. Call me a hater or a bitter elitist, or whatever, the bottom line is simple, the gimmick has run its course, either stick to production, which you are pretty much hit or miss, let your homies get shine (Arab, "your name here", whomever), do movies, or whatever, other than that, the first four words of my diss record from last year say it best....SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!!! No one cares anymore and the reason we continue to keep givin' this n**** attention...who the hell knows, maybe it is out of boredom, but I am ready to move on from the tumultuous year and a half that has been considered "The Reign of Bad Dance Terror" knowing that his record is going to drag quicker than Yung Berg's chain on a Detroit sidewalk.

As for Mr. Hamilton, instead of complaining to the public, of how Soulja Boy is holding you back (in which is by far the lamest shit I ever heard) why don't you what you do best and let the music speak for itself, grind harder, keep your fanbase increasing, and maybe....just maybe...those SB comparions will fade. Btw, Knuckles and Shadow are better.

Man....I feel like slappin a n**** todddaaaaayyyyyyy (slap, slap)

VERSE OF THE YEAR!!!

2008-12-14T01:24:00.002-06:00

Rappers can’t clap me
Jackers can’t gat me
Original meaning of jazzy fat nasty
I don’t bite rapper’s lines, I bite the captain’s arm off
I don’t throw shots in the air, I throw that Molotov
Cocktail, reservoir dog my collar off
Ya’ll scared to get that revolution popping off
You really got the guns you claim in the track
Then my question to you is who you aiming ‘em at
You complain that the rap police caught you with a gat under the seat
Misdemeanored that twenty bag of weed
But little old me with the few facts that I speak
The homeland security gaveled me over seas
Froze my bank account and seized my guarantee
And ya’ll are soundscanning like a hundred more than me
They kicking you off tour for freaking a chick or two
Verizon dissed me too 'cause I was too political
Ya’ll are all safe and shit, ya’ll are not saying shit
You just snap your fingers and dance and make your label rich
Gotta pay back that advance, so they ain’t gave you shit
This is your chance to say something and you’re wasting it
People are starving, you talking bout balling
Can’t think of nothing more important than that jargon
Hundred different ways to describe diamonds sparkling
Eighty percent of kids are listening to ya’ll shit
I heard that statistic I almost cried
Never wanted so bad for 2pac to be alive
What the fuck happened to rap when
The gangsters are scared of upsetting they industry masters
It ain’t my place to say and I hear all that
But fuck that, I live in the hood and we need ya’ll cats
So as soon as I hear ya’ll on some real pro black
Then I will gladly go back to my emo rap
They say the truth don’t belong to nobody, if you see it you speak it
It would be a sin to keep it a secret
So if I need to breathe then believe that I mean it
Quit trying to be somebody’s boss and be a leader
If it wasn’t bad enough your labels are hoeing you
You can’t even scan, your fans are downloading you
There’s no connection, so they’re not supporting you
You ain’t never shed light on nothing that they’re going through
We ain’t buying cds, we striving to live
And these artists don’t need me they already rich
I ain’t hating on you, rock them shines
Just remember us from time to time when you drop them lines
Rappers can’t clap me
Jackers can’t gat me
Original meaning of jazzy fat nasty
Busy raising babies and living on tour
Signing off Brother Ali, sincerely yours

- Brother Ali "2nd Time"

DYME-A-DUZIN FT. D-PRYDE- "GOTTA EAT IT"

2008-12-12T14:35:00.002-06:00

This is a parody of the popular and overplayed T-Pain hit, "Can't Believe It" but this is directed towards hunger and starvation....This is some funny ass shit...creative as fuck...shouts to BYAHH!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEBbJMU4WEQ

WALE FT. BROTHER ALI- "2ND TIME"

2008-12-10T18:26:00.003-06:00

2nd Time f. Brother Ali - Wale

The future is looking brighter for the Rhymesayers camp!!! BLEE'DAT!!!

Listen to Ali's verse REAL carefully...100% "UNDISPUTED TRUTH" (with the pun intended).

I can't STAND this n****!!!!

2008-12-10T10:33:00.001-06:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOxfPmAcS-A

....my thoughts later...

...taken from Thisis50.com

THAT UNIVERSAL MIND CONTROL....PFFF....

2008-12-09T10:47:00.003-06:00

Yes...this is me talkin' smack about Common. Not really Common the MC, but this new album that he presents to the masses today, the former "Invincible Summer" is now "Universal Mind Control".

Now here's the deal, usually since BE came out, I have been excited about a Common release, album, song, show, don't matter...however, when I learned he was doing an entire album with the Neptunes (or Pharrell)...the first thought on my mind, was that I looked at Pharrell, like I was Janet, circa the 80s..."WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY???"

Mostly, cause I ain't been excited about a Neptunes production, since Hell Hath No Fury (Clipse) . Been a while...and after the Common/N.E.R.D. show in my hometown of Milwaukee...I was a bit skeptical of these new songs, looking at people like, "what the fuck did Pharrell do to him?" and unsurprisingly, this question became reality on this album.

First time hearing the title track as well as "Announcement", I'm thinking to myself that I am not hype to these tracks, like I would normally be towards Common singles. But I digress...

It's obvious that Common is directing his music towards the nightlife and uses this approach to make some experimental, electronica-tinged, feel-good music, but what it comes off as bland Neptune-produced, lazily rhymed, uncomfortable music.

The only track I got excited for was "Inhale" (No. 8 off the album), but if this was XXL (as to how I normally rate albums now) it would get an XL and nothing more than that. Come to think, 7 out of the 10 tracks only got an L....not good.

I don't think it is fair to say that Hollywood changed Common, or he was sipping the Neptune-made Kool-Aid, or Kanye had channeled Auto-Tune, whispered in his ear, and told him "YOU MUST DO THIS"...But honestly, Universal Mind Control makes Electric Circus look like Resurrection.

Common- Universal Mind Control (Live)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCCC9ivMUa8