The Chronicle

Drake, LeBron James and The Greatest Summer

2011-07-14T15:02:00.002-05:00

Written by Chris Cromie

4:32 left. A raucous American Airlines arena is on its feet with a mixture of urgency and terror. Their beloved Miami Heat are down by 7 points with ball in hand. The Heat have struggled to penetrate Dallas’ exemplary perimeter defence so far with LeBron James limited to just four points in the fourth quarter. The ball swings around the outside of the key as they look for the extra pass and a mismatch. It lands in the hands of James, his 6ft 8” frame towering over the diminutive but calculating J.J. Barea. In any other game, James would have spun by him into the lane and attacked the rim, but when it mattered most, he passed. The resulting play ended in a turnover and helped crown the Dallas Mavericks as the 2011 NBA Champions. James finished the game with his head in his hands, surrounded by a cacophony of criticism. The “next Jordan” had failed in the clutch. There was no “next Jordan” about it. At this stage, he’d be lucky to be the “next Paul Pierce.”

As Dwyane Wade’s little brother trundled off the court, his #6 jersey in his face, he knew the questions that were going to be asked in the press conference, even before he took his seat. He knew them because he’d positioned himself to face them. The commercials, the press junkets, ‘the Decision.’ All a concerted effort to create a legacy his back wasn’t ready to carry. Hip-hop and basketball, bedfellows for the better part of two decades, bear many similarities- If not only for the simple vicariousness of ballers wanting to be rappers and rappers wanting to be ballers. Magic, Bird, Hakeem ... the list of players immortalized in verse is endless. Then Shaq came and athletes started to become rappers... the myth always did work better in metaphor. And Jay-Z. Jay-Z was Jordan. The self-proclaimed greatest of all time who thought retirement was synonymous with recuperation and came back to find the game had changed. But unlike his idol, who hung his Nike’s up with fatigue, Jay has continued to deliver to an industry ill-equipped to manage a new generation. In 2001, the new class was Joe Budden, Grafh and Saigon. When New York ate itself in a conniption of self-hatred, those names fell by the wayside and were replaced by the ringtone rapper. A brand of junk and jingles. Out of the ether sprung Lil’ Wayne, a name many heads were familiar with since his pubescent Hot Boys days. He declared himself “the best rapper alive since the best rapper retired.” That was, until the best rapper un-retired and the two engaged in friendly subliminal warfare.

Biggie had Junior Mafia, 2Pac had the Outlawz and Jay-Z had a bunch of guys who, depending on your perspective, either inspired him to enhance his lyricism or acted as fodder from which he leeched his post-Blueprint styles from[18]. Lil’ Wayne has Young Money. A motley crew of hangers on and genuine artists, the bastard children of Kanye West, hipster fashion and Weezy himself. The most talented of the lot is unquestionably Drake, an inoffensive Toronto rapper with a terrific range of sometimes polished, often immature talents. As a fledgling artist, he drew from more seasoned rappers such as Nickelus F and Chuck Inglish to help construct a style. The resulting mixtapes gave Drake a Toronto foundation; a basecamp from which he established a reputation for affable music and collaborations with recognizable American artists. It also licensed him an inflated ego. A brash, almost dismissive attitude permeated his interviews as he sought to validate absent street credentials by affiliating with mediocre gangsta rappers or picking fights with other Toronto artists, sometimes simultaneously. Regardless, his efforts attracted the ears of Lil’ Wayne and after becoming initiated in the Young Money family, Drake dropped his most impressive project yet, 2009’s So Far Gone. A flawless fusion of rap and R&B, the mixtape introduced him to an American audience through grand slam singles like “Best I Ever Had” and created a seismic buzz around a full length debut unheard of since Doggystyle.

The manifestation of the hype was Thank Me Later, a sprawling smorgasbord of foreign influence littered with the memorable (”The Resistance,” ”Fireworks,” ”Shut it Down”) the forgettable (“Up All Night”, “Show Me a Good Time”) and the downright disappointing (“Light Up”). The latter came as no surprise, collaborator Jay-Z similarly shit the bed when he joined then-next big thing Lupe Fiasco for 2006’s aptly named “Pressure.” In the lead-up to the debut, Drake described it as a “solid hip-hop album,” and while he openly admitted to taking cues from mentor Lil’ Wayne, he yearned for the abilities of Nas and Andre 3000. "Nas was somebody that I used to listen to his raps and never understood how he did it” he told MTV. “I always wanted to understand how he painted those pictures and his [rhyming] bar structure. I went back and really studied Nas and Andre 3000 and then came back with this album.” Curiously, the LP heralded none of these proclamations. Throughout the album he laboured lyrically with cliché crises of fame and tired punchlines while crooning insipid, if catchy, R&B hooks. More Dream than DMC. More Jodeci than Jay-Z. His music no longer held that inimitable fusion as the mosaic became a melting pot, too sugary for consumption.

For fans of his earlier work, it was an unmitigated disappointment. Which isn’t to suggest it’s a bad album, it just failed to scale the tower of hype that had been created. Some pointed out that it would have been a foot too far for anyone to climb, which seems a tad oblivious to records like Illmatic, the Marshall Mathers LP and Doggystyle, all of which arrived tied to relatively similar expectations. As some observers pointed out, Drake is a very gifted rapper. When he applies himself, he’s capable of digging out the mazed psychosis of a conflicted man- a vulnerability few emcees are capable of exploring. Drake’s issue is that he either doesn’t understand or simply doesn’t appreciate that before Nas turned Rastafari and Dre decided he was Prince without the Revolution, the pair earned their stripes delivering a string of undisputed hip-hop classics. Granted, almost a decade has passed since that era, but the criteria remains; you cannot hope to become one of the best rappers of all time if you don’t rap. Rather than deliver a hip-hop classic, Drake simply gave the fans what he thought they wanted and to be fair, that’s where the album succeeded as it pulsed past platinum within months. But musical enthusiasts knew the score. He’d played it safe, stuck to the pre-arranged formula. This acerbic truth became all that much harsher when five months later, Kanye West released My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. It was artistic, it was challenging, it was hip-hop in its purest format; a perfect riposte to ‘Ye’s detractors and those who questioned his direction. Critics and consumers alike fawned over the masterpiece, Drake himself telling The Source “it's a great project and it's definitely given me something to strive for, because perfect scores are hard to come by nowadays and I've seen a lot of them on that album. That definitely lets me know what I'm gunning for on this next project.”

The project in question, Take Care, is timetabled for a late October release, but what remains to be confirmed is which type of Drake we’ll be getting. In conversation with MTV, he revealed “I been rapping a lot lately. Me and 40 have been doing some great rap music, so I sort of took a hiatus on the R&B for a second. It’s cool to do R&B, I love it, but it’s just hard for me to always commit to it. Because some nights, I get in there and 40’s beats, as melodic or R&B-driven as they may be, just have that right pocket that I just wanna spit.” Yet the two tracks we’ve heard thus far give no indication of a more lyrically-inclined approach. Is there simply just more to come or did Lucy move the football again? “Dreams Money Can Buy” delivers a solid, if unimpressive rendering of the alpha male fantasy, replete with tales of cars, cash and cuckolding. Its wavering synths rise and fall at the feet of a pedestrian chorus, bookending unspectacular rhymes. “Marvin’s Room” plays antithesis to Nas’ “Black Girl Lost” as Drake maws over an ex in an attempt to (wait for it) take her away from her current boyfriend. Intoxicated, he ignores the rebuffs by serenading her for the better part of two verses, telling her she could do better. Maybe the pigskin we keep hoping to kick is simply good PR copy, maybe Drake tells us what we hope to hear or maybe he just doesn’t want to do what it takes to graduate from promising rapper to great emcee.

At the 2009 Toronto launch party for So Far Gone, Drake stood victoriously with LeBron James by his side, representing two young men on the verge of conquering their respective professions. In the ensuing two years, neither reached the competitive goal they sought, arguably regressing in the process. LeBron wants to be Jordan, but doesn’t want to put in the work necessary to become Jordan-esque. Having watched him shrink in successive playoff years, this can no longer be disputed. He wasn’t there to witness Jordan struggle against the Detroit Bad Boys, forcing him to develop a fall-away jump-shot. Or in the summer of 1995 when he took to the gym, motivated by his defeat at the hands of the younger, more athletic Orlando Magic and developed a post-game. All he saw were the endorsements, the highlight reels and the trophies. In this year’s finals, he watched in ignominy as Dirk Nowitzki hoisted the MVP trophy and his first NBA title. His friend Drake had his own embarrassment as he sat, confined to his seat while Eminem and Shad collected their Rap Album of the Year prizes at the Grammys and Junos respectively. At his post-game press conference, LeBron clumsily passed the buck, reminding all the “haters” that he was considerably richer and enjoyed a better lifestyle than them. Yes, the jeers and the cat-calls hurt, but if he doesn’t develop some new weapons during the break, he can expect the same taunts next season. Similarly, Drake has a busy two months ahead also. Given the ever-blurring line between mixtapes and albums, optimists can pass Thank me Later off as neo-sophmore jinx. Take Care will get no such courtesy, nor should it. Whether it’s a simile slash-move or a storytelling spin-hook, he needs to review his arsenal and seriously step his game up. This summer, it’s time for Drake to take the necessary steps to enter the pantheon of great hip-hop emcees, or settle for alternative prize: 2nd best R&B rapper.

Nas - Soundview Vol.2 - Start Wildin’ Like Insane Asylum on Rikers Island

2007-07-09T18:09:00.000-05:00

Nas - Understanding

Recorded shortly after Illmatic, “Understanding” is one of the better tracks from Nas’ extensive unreleased catalogue. It’s one of the few songs made between his debut and sophomore that still displayed the “Live at the BBQ”-style delivery that made many critics and fans alike declare him as the successor to Rakim’s crown. Joined by AZ and Bizmarkie who lace the intro, Nas floats over the Grover Washington sample with ease:

“High priest release voodoo
“Déjà vu” on this taboo
Illmatic shit and what have you
Chef cocaine cook, no brain and got the proper diction
My composition bleeds words and weed blurs my vision
I'm freezing in time, stop the rhyme
I'm sober in the stolen Range Rover, much crime
I… stick up America, Nas in your area
Disrupt the sound barrier, clowns get rounds of terror”

For most Nas fans it remains a firm favorite. Now if only we could find a clear, CD quality version…

Nas - Belly Button Window

The predecessor that would eventually evolve (or devolve) into the jewel “Fetus” from The Lost Tapes is another testament to Nas’ superior storytelling ability. Detailing the life of a fetus, he rhymes:

”I existed in a womb, just like an abyss
Came straight from spirit land, my hands balled in a fist
Punching on my moms stomach, kicking on her cervix
Twitching cause I'm nervous
Thought my intended purpose
Was to be born to reign, not in scorn or vain
But to take on a name, my pops chose for me
Bloodstream full of indo
Developing eyes looking out my belly button window
My father's face wears a frown
And I'm wondering if they even want me around
Cause I'll go back to spirit town
So I could rest longer before I come back down
The chute again, in the near future when
My moms and pops can agree on this
Was here before but my moms saw her gynecologist
He dumped me off, first they want me then turn around and they don’t
You got a 120 days do what you want
But as for me coming back this be my last time
Abort me, keep me, give me away, make up ya mind”

Clearly influenced by the Jimi Hendrix record of the same name, Nas tackles the subjects of pre-conception spirituality and unwanted pregnancies, but it’s the imagery he uses in referencing domestic disputes which makes it so dope:

”Watching 'em yell, heard my moms voice well
Feared fist fights, so terrified when we fell
While they broke up furniture and smashed plates on the wall
I wondered if I am born will I be safe at all”

The joint was initially supposed to feature on the double album I Am... Nastradamus but following bootlegging, the project was split into 2 single albums with some of the original tracks, such as "Belly Button Window," put back on the shelf in favor of bland, newly-recorded songs like “You Won’t See Me Tonight” and “Life Is What You Make It.” An updated version of it was released on 2002’s Lost Tapes with some revised lyrics in light of Nas’ mother’s passing, but the original will always be the illest.

10 Dope Albums With Wack Covers

2007-05-11T00:29:00.000-05:00

It’s fairly easy to compile a list of wack albums with wack covers to match, mainly because the list starts and finishes with this…

… As an alternative, I wondered if it was possible to throw a list together of dope albums with shitty covers. Can the 2 co-exist? For starters, I’m gonna forego the whole pen and pixel movement. This is due to the fact that:

a. They’re easy targets
b. There wasn’t exactly an abundance of dope albums to come out of it, save for a few indie gems that only people who live in a 10 mile radius of the artist’s local swapmeet and trendy ‘omg-look-what-I-found’ revitalist types still really care for.
c. Master P. Just, because.

It should go without saying that anything art-based is completely open to interpretation and perception. However, regardless of the great music on some of the following recordings, the covers still need to get put in check.

10. Eric B and Rakim - Dont Sweat the Technique

As Eric B and Rakim’s musical relationship began to fizzle out, so did the creativity of MCA’s Art Department. If 1987 was born-gawd Gucci prints and thick gold ropes, then ’92 was all about jazzy crayola styles, disjointed sentences and gnarly cut, paste and flip poses. AND it all takes place in front of... a white-room. Somehow, this is Arrested Development’s fault.

9. Eightball and MJG – On Top of the World

It’s arguably not as good as their debut effort, Comin’ Out Hard, but dammit, this album cover is genius. Eightball and MJG are on top of the world. They’ve just discovered Rick Moranis’ device from Honey, I Shrunk the Kids and have decided to raid Suave House Records CEO Tony Draper’s Micro Machines collection and race them across his pool table while he’s playing. What scamps. The album being ill more than makes up for it though.

8. Dogg Pound - Dogg Food

The East Coast-West Coast media-fueled conflict is boiling over thanks to the “New York, New York” video-shoot, C. Delores Tucker has managed to whip almost every soccer mom, conservative do-gooder and attention-starved female R&B washout into a frenzy and… this is what you come up with? Leather jackets and neon yellow writing? DANGEROUS. Kurupt’s smooth “hmm, I wonder” pose makes the cover that much more intimidating. Where’s Joe Cooley and Rodney-O when you need them?

7. AZ – Pieces of a Man

There are at least 3 “hmm, I wonder” facial expressions here, surely that’s worth something? Not to mention that they all seem to be randomly dispersed throughout the cover. There is absolutely no point to this artwork, which is a shame because the album is dope. I still don’t get why it never did well. Likeable rapper + popular cameos with Monifah and D’Angelo + beats by Trackmasters, RZA and Dr. Dre + collabo with Nas = sophomore slump, mediocre sales and being dropped from your record label? Yup, gotta be the album cover.

6. Luniz - Operation Stackola

Stackola means cash, and the Luniz are robbing a bank to get some. Unfortunately, this means scaling the walls of a MS Paint-drawn skyscraper to get it. Is it any wonder that the both of them look a little confused? Rather than getting an artistic representation of one of the west coasts finest pimped-out, gangsta rap and quintessential summer albums, they instead end up looking like 2 extras from Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Shockingly enough, AZ’s label (Noo Trybe) was behind this mess too.

5. Canibus - Can-I-Bus

Yo gawd, shit is ultra-violet cause the shit is mad scientific nah mean? And… the letter is gold and platinum cause the style is mad royal, dig? In translatable terms, it basically means that Universal’s marketing department didn’t have the slightest clue of how to market a rapper that made Rich Boy look like he ain’t just run a 110m sprint in a 100m gym. No degenerative lyrics about guns, women and cocaine? Fuck! Throw a purple background and a giant C on there instead! No, he didn’t end up becoming the second coming of Rakim, but this album is mad solid and shouldn’t be slept on. And besides, isn’t ragging on Canibus for the sake-of sooo 2003? Well, clearly not.

4. Cam'ron - Confessions of Fire

A mini-controversy erupted towards the end of 1997 due to the proposed artwork of Cam’ron’s Confessions of Fire. According to magazine advertisements, the cover would feature Killa Cam holding a crucifix (or was it a Bible?) in one hand and a gun in the other. The artwork was supposed to represent Cam’s good intentions, but ultimate attraction to ‘the streets.’ Rather than run the risk of releasing an album with a cover that actually meant something, Sony/Epic Records instead decided to revamp it and depict Cam’ron as the lost member of the Village People. It wouldn’t be the last time Cam sought after those Queer Community spending dollars:

3. Big Pun - Capital Punishment

For all intents and purposes this shouldn’t even be on the list. It’s pretty much just Pun’s head and those fruity goggles that were all the rage in New York during the late 90s. However, after I realized that this had replaced the much doper cover artwork that seems to only be available on the European releases it pretty much became a concrete lock.

How can you NOT use some chick (who I always assumed to be his wife) dusted in gold, posing as a hip-hop Statue of Liberty with a mic and turntable? AND Pun has his chubby, meat hooks on her desperately trying to cover up her nipples with some shield while posing. This shit had ‘one take’ classic written all over it. But no, clearly this was no match for THE GOGGLES, or some dick at the label who was afraid that HMV might not display the album as prevalently with the crude artwork involved. They let Europe win. And the terrorists too.

2. Boogie Down Productions - Ghetto Music: The Blueprint of Hip Hop

How do you follow up the previous classic Boogie Down Productions covers of the duo arming themselves for war in the darkened basement on Criminal Minded and Kris imitating Malcolm X with the Uzi by the window with By All Means Necessary? By showing a close-up of a cop’s ass in tight pants. You say I’m pushin’ crack, but you be doin’ that! I’ve always wondered what the cop’s problem with Kris chillin’ on the stoop was anyway. He probably spells Kulcha with a C, causing the Hip Hop Temple veil to split while Tupac and Biggie murder kittens from heaven, or something.

1. Dr Dre - The Chronic

Yes, I’m well aware that the cover art is based on Zig-Zag’s classic white paper packs:

No, that doesn’t make it any better. 15 years ago, this album redefined an entire genre. 15 years later, the album cover is still pants. Brown pants. With stains.

Big Pun - Soundview Vol 1 - You keep playin' and I get furious quick.

2007-05-08T18:19:00.000-05:00

Big Punisher – Fantastic Four (with Cam’ron, Noreaga and Canibus)

Arguably some of Big Pun’s best verses came from collaborations and his rhyme on “Fantastic Four” is no different. Featured on the 1998 DJ Clue The Professional album, Pun goes bar for bar with Cam’ron, Noreaga and arguably a song-stealing Canibus – each of whom were considered the best of the new generation of emcees. The track was created shortly after Pun struck platinum with his debut Capital Punishment and he uses the verse to get at cats who didn’t think it was possible:

“Fuck all y'all non-believers, I roll wit God, the squad and T.S.
Out wit the BS; we platinum, they even doubted Jesus
Niggas is 85%, I'm 400 solid
Brainbolic wit knowledge, cock-diesel scholars”

The most impressive factor of Pun’s style was his near-flawless delivery. His ability to sharply ride the beat with a multi-syllabic vocab is what kept him distinguished amongst the growing thug-rap contingent that overpopulated the New York rap scene during the late 90s. Unfortunately, these crazy verses would be some of the last he would offer, as his weight pushed past the 400lb mark that he referenced in his verse, fluctuating between 450lbs and 700lbs. The gain in weight suppressed his breath control, which is possibly the reason why his unique style was so toned down on his sophomore follow-up Yeeeah Baby!, recorded shortly before he died. Known by most through his music as being a comedian at times, Pun also had the reputation for gettin’ gully when necessary:

“Talk of the town, soakin’ you down with the toast 'til you drown
Ghost you and pound your corpse with a force that'll open the ground
Save the jokes for the clowns, I'm on a serious tip
You keep playin’ and I get furious quick
And now I take you for a walk through the ghetto
Either spark your metal or get outlined in chalk by the devil
I rep the borough that mothered this rap shit
I used to clap shit…”

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Big Punisher – Banned From TV (with Noreaga, Nature, Cam’ron and the Lox)

One of Pun’s closest friends in hip-hop was fellow boriqua Noreaga. Before meeting Pun, Nore had trouble identifying with his Spanish roots, often ignoring their existence. It was through their friendship that Nore began taking more of an interest in his heritage and culture, an interest that years later would fuel him to become an ambassador of Reggaeton to America. On 1998’s “Banned from TV,” the two would collab alongside Nature, the Lox and Cam’ron, who at the time was on damn near every collabo thanks to Lance “Un” Riviera’s push. Over the thumping baseline and scratched horns, Pun flexed his delivery with:

“Ay yo, I hold niggas ransom
For money like Johnny Handsome
Been sonnin’ niggas for so long I think I got a grandson
My passion is money, a stash and a honey
That won't ask questions but will blast anybody”

The song was released on 12” as a warm-up single for Noreaga’s debut fan-favorite N.O.R.E. yet surprisingly has gotten very little retro-play over the years. Well, unless you live in the UK in which case Tim Westwood makes a point of playing it on an almost weekly basis on his radio show due to the Nore line: “I play the best hood, O-T with Tim Westwood.”

Diggin' in the Greats Vol 1. - "And if we would not, people could've forgot."

2007-04-15T11:47:00.000-05:00

The 9th Creation - "Bubble Gum"
Falling in Love
PYE, 1975

Artifacts - "Wrong Side of the Tracks"
Between a Rock and a Hard Place
Big Beat/Wea, 1994

Back in 1994, Newark, New Jersey duo the Artifacts had an underground hit with "Wrong Side of the Tracks," spawned from their debut LP Between a Rock and a Hard Place. Specializing in graffiti themed hip-hop, Tame One and El the Sensai's relatable halcyon styles were a favourite among hardcore listeners, who in those days were involved in multiple elements of hip-hop culture rather than just Myspace rapping and Fruity Loops production. Check Tame's testament to a day in the life of a tagger on "Wrong Side...":

"I'm out to bomb like Vietnam under the same name Tame One
The bad one, ink flow master bastard with the Magnum
I tags up quick, and then I steps to the exit
When it's time to get sess'ded or flex on some fresh shit
Some wack crook stole my black book I know who took it
I know his whole tag because the fag writes his name crooked
The ink I use might stink, but you gotta think
I got my props hops, cause my tags don't shrink
I'm taggin' and baggin' bitches cause my name, is famous in the street
Cause they know my name's from cruising in the Jeeps
So yo, grab a can and put your man up and stand up
For the fresh never stale niggas off the third rail
Deep, dark and black like the Magnum I pack
It's that Artifacts chat from the wrong side of the tracks"

The references to black books, tag styles and the third rail all capture the essence of the multifaceted b-boy stance popular on the early 90s hip-hop scene. Produced by T-Ray from the Soul Assassins clique, the song sampled 9th Creation's "Bubble Gum," featured on the bands 1975 album Falling in Love. A reputable Californian funk and soul band from the 70s, 9th Creation were known for their brooding guitar licks and laid-back grooves. Like a good deal of funk bands, they'd eventually deliquesce from the limelight due to the obliterating popularization of disco. Thanks to hip-hop sampling, their name will live on for a few generations yet through the music of not only the Artifacts, but 3rd Bass, Black Moon and Pete Rock & CL Smooth.

Check out the Artifacts - "Wrong Side of the Tracks" video right hurr:

Nas - Soundview Vol.1 - I Might Stutter But I'm Still Crazy Butta.

2007-04-12T05:35:00.000-05:00

Nas - Deja Vu

"Through the lights cameras and action, glamour glitters and gold
I unfold the scroll, plant seeds to stampede the globe
When I'm deceased, by then the beast arise like yeast
to conquer peace leaving savages to roam in the streets
Live on the run, police paying me to give in my gun
Trick my Wisdom, with the system that imprisoned my son"

Some call it the greatest hip-hop verse of all time. At the very least, its considered an exemplary piece of lyricism and a fitting representation of New York street rap during its dark and moody mid-90s era. Many will recognize it as Nas' verse from his "Verbal Intercourse" collabo with Raekwon the Chef on the iconic Only Built for Cuban Linx. However, the verse also appeared on the unreleased Nas classic "Deja Vu" backed by a different beat. The somber piano melody marks a stark contrast from the Emotions vocal sample that RZA cleverly chopped on "Verbal Intercourse," giving the verse more of an introspective feel. As good as the first verse is, some prefer the second (myself included), which includes this gem:

"Blunts, thugs, and alcohol, what a mixture
Just picture your life as a whole, judged in court they convict ya
They telling you your state of mind like you worthless
So he curses, his mom saying Bible verses
That's all she works with, But miracles never leave the churches
Instead it hits the pockets of the preacher just to purchase
A house with a swimming pool, labels me a sinning fool
I'm just a nigga who inherited a winning jewel"

The exceptional comparison between the archaic, ghetto-harvesting U.S. Justice system and the faith-fueled - and often misguided - Christian devotion highlights Nas at his finest. With regards to "Deja Vu" and "Verbal Intercourse," it's unknown for sure as to which song came first, but according to Raekwon in XXL Magazine's stellar 'Making of Cuban Linx' piece "he [Nas] had already went through three or four rhymes [for "Verbal Intercourse"], and he couldn't really see which one he wanted it to be. But I heard it. Once it came out his mouth, I was like, 'that's it.'" With this in mind, it's possible that "Deja Vu" had already been recorded and that the other rhymes Nas was auditioning were verses 2 and 3.

If there was ever a track that not only deserved to be on Illmatic, but is arguably one of the best songs Nas has ever recorded, its "Deja Vu." Enjoy.

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Nas - '94 Freestyle from the Westwood Show on Capital Radio

Shortly before Tim Westwood, the European equivalent of Funkmaster Flex, bounced from Capital Radio to the BBC Radio One juggernaut at the tail end of 1994, he featured a young and relatively unknown, up-and-coming lyricist from the Queensbridge Housing projects of New York. At that time, Nas was embarking on a promo tour of Europe in support of his debut masterpiece, Illmatic. As was customary on Westwood's shows, the guest was invited to spit a freestyle. Like most emcees, Nas recited a partial verse to start and semi-freestyled the rest. Beginning with the second verse of "Memory Lane" over a sped-up version of the classic "Ike's Mood" break, Nas drops jewelz galore:

"I keep a gem star razor under my tongue
And near my gums when I'm not strapped
Blow you just before you cock your glock back
Touch your temple, leave ya leakin' while I'm speakin'
The shit that I be freakin' gives me papers when I'm sleepin', chief
Walk around mega hard like 'whateva god'
You couldn't count how many niggas my Beretta scarred"

Even while stumbling verbally in an effort to prevent using curse words, his delivery remains entertaining as he throws in another line from his "waving automatic guns at nuns" phase - a far cry from his future claim of God's Son:

"Pardon the curses, but just send the verses
When I was a kid I used to blow up the churches
But now, I got older, snatchin' purses
walkin' around... I'm a nervous wreck
What the heck, don't disrespect
'cause if you do, you might get hit with the Tech
Off the top off my head, yes, I'm a blunthead
The FI-FBI wants me dead
But chill, I might stutter but I'm still crazy butta
Do whatever you want, I'm from the gutter"

Hip-hop Interpretation

2007-04-06T18:05:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite albums of 2001 was Jay-Z's Unplugged - a recording of his MTV Unplugged 2.0 episode. To those unfamiliar with the concept behind the popular series, it entails artists and musicians who typically rely on electronic equipment to 'unplug' them and perform acoustically. The show has featured music icons ranging from Bob Dylan to Nirvana in the past, however at the time it was rare (and well, still is) to see a hip-hop artist featured. Given the severe regression of quality live rap performers who also enjoy mainstream success, the absence is understandable. Another glaring issue revolves around replacing the electronic soundtrack that the emcees rap over. While rock acts could simply swap electric for acoustic, the potential transition for their musical cousins wasn't so easy.

Enter Ahmir '?uestlove' Thompson and his world famous The Roots band.

The Roots

While it wasn't the first time hip-hop music had been recreated using instruments, The Roots' interpretation of beats from Timbaland, Just Blaze and Kanye West among others was so seamless that they gave the electronic originals a run for their money. Who better to do it than a hip-hop act themselves? If you haven't heard it already, check their interpretation of the seminal diss track, "The Takeover," which is particularly ill considering how they flip Mobb Deep's "Shook Ones" and Nas' "N.Y. State of Mind" & "Oochie Wally" while Jay throws his darts live. Don't sleep on the always dope Jaguar Wright doing her thing with the soulful vocals.

Jay-Z - The Takeover unplugged
Jay-Z - Girls, Girls, Girls unplugged
Jay-Z - Song Cry unplugged

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Based out've Brooklyn hard rock and steeped in lush funk grooves are the El Michels Affair band who've lately been on tour with Raekwon the Chef in preparation for his highly anticipated Only Built for Cuban Linx II album. XM Satelitte radio captured the sounds of Shaolin Soul interpreted by the funk band for a special showcase. Hearing how they flipped classics such as "Criminology," "CREAM" and "Glaciers of Ice" is worth the download alone. Check out the Truth and Soul website if you like what you hear, their Sounding Out the City album is ridiculously good. Click the links below to hear hip-hop interpretation at it's finest.

El Michels Affair and Wu Tang Clan - Live in Concert 10-22-05
El Michels Affair - CREAM Instrumental
El Michels Affair - Glaciers of Ice Instrumental

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On a mission to reclaim Jazz from the lounge Lizards are Marc Mac's Visioneers. Last year, The studio project released their Dirty Old Hip-hop album on BBE Music to relative critical acclaim. Interpreting classics such as Nas' "The World is Yours" and The Pharcyde's "Runnin'," this joint is a must-cop for the heads. Check out the Treacherous Three styled "Funkbox" featuring Capitol A to escape to '84. Fresh.

Visioneers - Funkbox feat Capitol A
Visioneers - Runnin'
Visioneers - The World is Yours

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Josh Verdes

Hailing from Richmond, Virginia is guitar impresario Josh Verdes who caught the attention of many with his electric interpretation of Jay-Z's "Dead Presidents II" and Nas' "New York State of Mind." A ballsy attempt considering the anthemic status of both songs respectively, but to his credit he flipped them both with the niceness.

Check out the Youtube clips right hurr:

Josh Verdes - Dead Presidents II Interpretation:

Josh Verdes - New York State of Mind Interpretation:

It Was All a Dream

2007-04-04T17:15:00.000-05:00

Biggie Smalls is the illest. Unbelievable how much time has passed since the tragic news hit the streets. Where were you when you heard it? Did you believe it at the time? Now that it's a shocking ten years later, ask yourself: do you believe there will ever be a time in your life that you will hear the late-breaking news of the world finding out who was part of the conspiracy to assassinate Christopher Latore Wallace aka The Notorious B.I.G.? Chris Rock can joke all he wants, but if you care to research the details of the murder of Biggie Smalls, it was much, much deeper than what meets the eye. It was a highly organized hit and not retaliation from some fraudulent East Coast-West Coast war. What’s beef? Beef is when street enemies also work as police. Beef is when there’s no justice, no peace, causing mothers grief. Beef is when lies kill truth, guaranteed to ruin the minds of youth.

Check out the bizarre.

There is always life after death. It goes: dead, then injured. Often for the injured survivors, the damage is permanent. It sure is this time. An entire culture and all close friends aside, his family still has no closure to the hole in their hearts. Biggie is survived by two children – a daughter, T’Yanna, and Christopher Jr., a son – and of course, his mother. Biggie was her only child. Her struggle is that much heavier with no other children to help her though the wake of such an enormous loss. Certain little facts get forgotten along the way to the future as rap’s past dissolves faster and faster. To those still paying attention, Voletta Wallace is continuing the David vs. Goliath fight of her life against the City of Los Angeles and the LAPD for concealing evidence that their officers were involved in the death of her beloved son. There has already been a mistrial from an officer concealing evidence from the case, crucial evidence with testimony from certain individuals revealing potential names of people suspected of being responsible for pulling the trigger on Biggie after the Soul Train Awards on March 9th, 1997.

Find your last bit of hope. Imagine. What if there were suspects arrested tomorrow? What if there was an official trial, with a judge and a jury? Most importantly: what if there was a guilty verdict? What if there was no out of court settlement accepted, no mistrial, no escape on a technicality? If the names of the masterminds behind one of hip-hop’s most damaging crimes and one of its most heartbreaking unsolved mysteries were found, what then? Could they ever receive a fair trial? Would they ever be sent to prison? And what would happen to the police department that was possibly complicit in the crime? Would there be riots in the streets? Considering the history of Los Angeles and Rodney King, William Cardenas, Juan Saldaña, John Jordan, 16-year-old Julio Castillo, Stanley Miller, and surely countless other unnamed and unknown victims of the silent but violent history of police brutality in the City of Angels, this is not entirely unimaginable. Hell, it might be the most righteous reaction to a social institution like the LAPD, whose mandate is allegedly “to protect and serve.”

"A deliberate concealment of information" is how Judge Florence-Marie Cooper described the illegal actions of Detective Steven Katz. For six years, Katz was the lead investigator of the Biggie Smalls murder case. For six years, Katz bumbled strong leads and refused to question obvious suspects. Such incompetence culminated after he had interviewed Kenny Boagni, a police informant, yet when it came time to present the crucial testimony, he told the judge he had “forgotten it in a desk drawer.” Following a verdict of mistrial, in which the LAPD was found guilty of withholding evidence to the plaintiff’s case and basically breaking the law to protect the privacy of the police force, Shaheem Reid of MTV quoted Ms. Wallace’s lead attorney, Perry Sanders: "Little did we suspect so many lies [would] be told under the penalty of perjury." Sanders pleaded with anyone with information on Biggie's 1997 murder or corruption in the Los Angeles Police Department to get in touch with him and help make the badge-wearing criminals responsible to a level of truth and justice. “This [case] sends a message you cannot trust the police." He also stated that the whole department is not corrupt, but clarified that a few crooked officers "give good cops bad names. It's time to clean house at the LAPD at the highest level."

Voletta Wallace was asked for her thoughts on the discovery that the LAPD withheld evidence that it had collected itself, therefore deeming it valuable if not vital, yet not submitting it for trial in a court of law, and she responded with a lack of surprise. What was surprising, though, was that it was a secret source within the police organization itself that told her about the corruption. Ms. Wallace, after releasing her frustrations vocally outside the courthouse, calmly stated: "I've labored with pain and sweat just to find what happened to my son."

(clockwise from top left - Suge Knight, CEO of Death Row Records. David Mack, LAPD Officer. LAPD composite of murder suspect. Amir Muhammad, aka Harry Billups)

While there are several notions as to what exactly took place during the planning and execution of Biggie Smalls, with the available evidence, one theory seems to be more consensually plausible than the others. In terms of the target, it’s speculated that Marion ‘Suge’ Knight ordered the death of either Biggie Smalls or Sean ‘Puffy’ Combs (aka Diddy) and asked LAPD officer David Mack, who at that point was employed by Knight’s Death Row Records for security and who also had strong ties to Compton Bloods street gangs, for assistance. Mack sought out his ex-college roommate Harry Billups, who had since changed his name to Amir Muhammad after converting to the Nation of Islam, to commit the drive-by in that legendary black Impala, and drive off into the night. A public execution outside of a high profile Soul Train Awards after-party, in a busy Los Angeles street, in front of hundreds of potential witnesses, without a police chase or video surveillance - even though the FBI admits to following Biggie Smalls in Los Angeles for up to a week before his murder. Who Shot Ya?

Eugene Deal claims to know. Deal, a former bodyguard of Puffy Combs, denounced the LAPD’s favoured allegation that Biggie was murdered by members of the Southside Compton Crips (the same gang accused of murdering Tupac Shakur) over an unpaid protection agreement. Bad Boy Records had been using Crips as security for appearances while on the west coast. However, some sources, including Reggie Wright, the head of Death Row Records security, believed that the Crips began extorting Puffy Combs to the extent where he refused to back down from their demands – and allegedly paid the price. Deal, however, maintains that the Crips showed nothing but love at the Soul Train Awards after-party and instead points the finger at a figure dressed like a “Nation of Islam guy" who "seemed to be checking [Combs] out." Deal claims that that same figure turned away and began walking north, the same direction from which the black Impala came only 10 minutes later. In an interview with documentary filmmaker Nick Broomfield, Deal was shown 6 mug shots of individuals who in some way had been suspected of being involved in the murders. He immediately pointed to the picture of Amir Muhammad and said "that's him right there." The LAPD has never shown Eugene Deal, a prime witness, a picture of Amir Muhammad.

Nor have they ever interviewed Amir Muhammad themselves. Muhammad has always proclaimed innocence, stating in the LA Times: “The fact is the police have never talked to me. And the reason they haven't is because I had nothing to do with this horrible crime. The police didn't chase this lead because they obviously realized at some point it wasn't true. ... The story made it sound like I was some mystery assassin who committed this heinous crime and then just dropped off the face of the Earth – which is the furthest thing from the truth. ... I live and work right here in the Southland area and have done so for many years. ... I can't find the words to express the injustice I feel was done to me.” Yet, for someone who so vocally maintains innocence and, furthermore, feels like he is the target of a character assassination of the highest degree, Mr. Muhammad has been unusually lenient in seeking justice or compensation for the “libel and slander” that has been connected to his name and face (the main police composite sketch of Biggie’s killer remains strikingly similar to the picture of Muhammad).

Why haven’t the LAPD ever taken him in for a single questioning? Maybe because they know that David Mack was as corrupt a police officer as they come. 8 months after Biggie’s murder, Mack was arrested and convicted for a Los Angeles bank robbery. He’s currently serving a 14 year bid and reportedly associates with also imprisoned Mob Piru Bloods, a street gang with ties to Death Row Records. A formal investigation into Mack’s dealings and any associates affiliated would surely open a black hole of dark secrets that the city would rather keep closed. Such a revelation would negatively implicate various officers across the entire department, from former Police Chief Bernard Parks, all the way down to some of the least decorated beat cops on the force. It would be worse than the RAMPART Scandal that threatened to implode the LAPD in the 1990s. How many department-wide corruption scandals can one city take? Well, how many innocent people can one group of corrupt officers murder before the people learn the facts and decide to retaliate?

During his interview with Katz, Kenny Boagni stated that he shared a cell with LAPD officer Rafael Perez, the one-time partner of David Mack. Not only were Perez and Mack partners on the police force, they were partners in crime. In February, 2000, Perez was convicted of stealing confiscated drugs and re-selling them to street dealers. Boagni confessed a long list of connections that tied together the fragments and separate events that occurred on the night of Biggie’s murder. Firstly, Boagni stated that “Mack and Perez were involved in Death Row Records, they went to all their parties and stuff.” In a November 2000 declaration to a police detective, Boagni said Perez told him he was at the award show when Biggie Smalls was killed. He also claimed that Perez called David Mack on a cell phone before the murder to say that Biggie Smalls was in his SUV. However, after figuring prominently in both LAPD and FBI investigations, Boagni suddenly recanted his testimony and claimed that his confessions were fraudulent.

Recently, the LAPD have assigned a brand new task force to investigate the murder, removing the forgetful Detective Katz and implementing a six-man team of veteran homicide officers, who are currently equipped with a new office, a new budget and a computerized tracking system to organize the “messy 72-volume ‘murder book’,” a book that possibly carries the name of the killer(s) of Biggie Smalls, but is possibly in the possession of the last people in the world that would want to reveal the killer’s name because of the potentially earth-shaking repercussions it would have on the City of Los Angeles and the LAPD. Time will tell what happened. Steps are being taken, slowly but surely, that edge closer and closer to the answer to the questions some of us have been asking since March 9, 1997: “Who killed Biggie Smalls? And why?”

Ten years have passed and we still miss Big Poppa. Crews have disbanded, labels have changed and hip-hop has grown. Biggie Smalls' music has been imitated, but nowhere near duplicated. He’s probably rolling in his grave while hearing the assessment from friendly rival Nas that “hip hop is dead.” A large part of it died March 9th, and it may never heal until we know the whole truth.

The trial of Ms. Wallace vs. The LAPD is set to resume in Summer 2007, at which point she will continue to attempt the impossible: seek the truth, receive justice and find a guilty verdict for those responsible for the corruption, negligence and viciousness that took Christopher Wallace away from us – and her – forever. Like Tupac Shakur, he will live on forever through the music. And like Tupac, he foresaw death before death saw him. After Shakur’s passing, Biggie had a conversation with well respected photographer Ernie Paniciolli regarding his former friend: “In five years, me and duke would have been doing things together. We would have been recording together, and we would be taking all the money ‘cause individually nobody [could] touch us, and together you know nobody [could] touch us.”

“It was all a dream.”

Co-written by Addi 'Mindbender' Stewart

Only God Can Judge Me

2007-04-04T16:35:00.000-05:00

His posters adorn the walls of bedrooms from American frat houses to modest Greek slums. His voice calls from stoop boom boxes and car stereos on a daily basis. He is the rapper that most new jacks dare to compare themselves to. Inarguably the most iconic artist hip-hop has ever seen, Tupac Shakur's legend continues to live on.

It's difficult to believe that on September 13, 2006, it was 10 years since Tupac's life tragically ended in a Las Vegas hospital, his body riddled with bullets. Anticipated dates of his return passed years ago, crushing the hopes of those who just couldn't let go. However, ideas being bulletproof, the well publicized "thug-life" attitude that permeated a portion of Tupac's music reverberates to this day. His most renowned album, the 1996 double disc All Eyez On Me, cemented that attitude into the mindset of listeners, both consumers and media alike. Unfortunately, some tend to forget that his career's worth of work was so much more.

Since his solo debut in 1991, 2pacalypse Now, Tupac had always delivered a wide range of emotions in his music from compassion for the females to Black Panther rage. While the latter bordered almost on nihilism at times, it was at the very least focused on black consciousness, social commentary and the universal need for education. Following his incarceration in 1995 on trumped up charges of sexual abuse, this would drastically change. It was in jail where Tupac began developing his ill will towards former associates Biggie Smalls, Puffy Combs, Andre Harrell, and close friend Randy "Stretch" Walker. He believed the four had set him up to be ambushed in a Manhattan studio lobby the previous year. It also birthed his distaste for several other east coast hip-hop personalities including Funkmaster Flex and Mobb Deep who he'd heard mocking west coast vernacular and style while listening to the radio during his jail sentence in New York. Incarcerated, Shakur's anger grew, fueled by the fact that those who he felt had tried to take his life were walking free while he was trapped behind bars.

Tupac began reading books of battle strategy and political philosophy such as Niccolò Machiavelli's The Prince and Sun Tzu's The Art of War. In an interview with Vibe Magazine he spoke of how prison had reformed his attitude towards life in general, telling Kevin Powell: "I wanted to keep it real, and that's what I thought I was doing… That Thug Life shit…I did it, I put in my work, I laid it down. But now that shit is dead." However, it wasn't long until both Biggie and Puffy publicly refuted his claims of their involvement in his ambush causing Tupac to seethe with rage. A nasty rumour had also begun to float around New York alleging that he had been raped while imprisoned. What made matters more frustrating was the fact that in October of 1995, his case was appealed. Unfortunately, due to his crippling legal fees, he could not afford the $1.4 million bail.

Shakur's public legal issues were beginning to make him a liability for Interscope Records. CEO Jimmy Iovine didn't welcome the bad publicity, but also didn't want to completely lose a platinum selling artist. He instructed Suge Knight, CEO of Death Row Records (a subsidiary of Interscope) to try to convince the rapper to agree to be moved to the burgeoning west coast gangsta-rap powerhouse. Suge had tried on numerous occasions to woo Shakur to his label, most notably on the set of the 1994 movie Above the Rim. Impressed by Suge's command of capital, Tupac remarked to reporters on how he had been paid $200,000 for a song to be featured on the soundtrack of the movie (of which Suge was executive producer), and even though he hadn't used it, Suge still allowed Shakur to keep the money. Tupac's imprisonment and urgent desperation to be released would provide Suge with the perfect opportunity to coerce him into signing a contract.

Hounded by prison guards and jealous inmates, Tupac regularly received death threats. On the outside, his reputation was being slandered. Incompetent journalists ran stories claiming Tupac had set up the entire shooting to bolster his street credibility. "When I read that, I just started crying like a baby… it just tore me apart." During a prison visit on October 12, 1995, and against advice from some of his closest friends, Shakur met with Suge Knight and signed a three-album contract with Death Row Records. Dr. Charles Ogletree of Harvard Law School paralleled the situation with that of the mythological character Faust, who in his hour of need struck a bargain with Satan in exchange for his soul. Such sentiments were echoed by Tupac. He told friend Watani Tyehimba, "I know I'm selling my soul to the devil." His mother, Afeni Shakur, claimed, "At that point, I don't think he had any choice but to sign that contract."

Upon leaving prison, Tupac immediately hit the studio with a vengeance and within two weeks had completed the recording of the highly anticipated All Eyez On Me. The album was a stark departure from his previous recordings such as Me Against the World or 2Pacalypse Now and the disposition noticeably shifted. Songs such as "Ambitionz az a Ridah" and "Can't C Me" showed a side of Tupac that while wasn't new, was rarely this venomous. The album lacked the balance that its predecessors enjoyed, missing songs similar to "Keep Your Head Up," his ode to struggling, black women or the resilient "Me Against the World." Introspection had been replaced by recklessly brash overtones. Music journalist Ronin Ro opined, "Where five years ago Tupac had been a political rapper, he was now indistinguishable from the other gangsta rappers signed to Death Row."

On a music video set, Kevin Powell remarked on how Suge's influence was negatively altering Tupac's behaviour, resembling the relationship of a father and his mischievous son. This influence, coupled with Shakur's emotional release from prison, was perfectly encapsulated in songs such as "Picture Me Rollin'" and "California Love." Both symbolized the unfocused euphoria of a vengeful man, now free. In turn, All Eyez On Me presented an intensely one-sided view of Tupac's personality—a view that is somewhat unfairly used to summarize his artistic career.

However, by the end of August 1996, Tupac was going through another metamorphosis. He confided in new girlfriend Kidada Jones of his plans of leaving Death Row Records, settling down to start a family and focusing more on political music, of which he was recording at a prolific rate. His change of heart was reflected in songs such as "White Man'z World" and "Hold Ya Head" which would be released on his final LP, The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory. Forebodingly dark, the album reconnected Tupac to his earlier style of socio-political commentary. On September 13, 1996, the music stopped and a legacy was born.

In remembering Tupac as an artist, it's easy to get caught up in the image of his Death Row era. Certain mainstream revisionist historians from the media portray him as nothing more than a mindless thug who made party music without a cause, a notion that some of his less informed fans do little to reject. But the turbulent year he spent alongside Suge Knight was only a fraction of the curriculum that Tupac had to offer. It's important that those same fans (and the artists who cite him as an influence) that gravitated toward the thugged out, gangsta images from tracks on All Eyez On Me also take heed of the rest of his catalogue such as the sensible lessons from "Wordz of Wisdom" or the heartfelt story of "Brenda's Got a Baby."

Those who dismiss his more positive work as lacking sincerity due to some of his unnecessarily violent songs do his memory a disservice. Tupac was a complex individual, commonly accused of being a "walking contradiction," a distinctively human trait, which his detractors forget enabled him to be so accessible. The ability for so many to relate to the passion in his music is exactly what made him revered the world over and puts him head and shoulders above most artists involved in hip-hop today. How long will we mourn him? For as long as the void he left in the soul of hip-hop exists. Until the end of time.