Based On A True Story
?uestlove Explains J. Dilla's "Little Brother" Beat
This is such a great story and so hip hop, I just had to put it up here. Enjoy!
And here is the song itself. Track itself is sick, but even better when you know the story! What are your thoughts? Leave them below.
Peace.
Respect Due: Marley Marl
There were many BIG moments that happened in hip hop during the 1980s and early 90s and Marley Marl happened to be a part of many of them. One of these moments, and perhaps his first major recognition, came when he produced "Roxanne's Revenge", the response track by Roxanne Shante to UTFO. While coming out on the winning side of that "battle", this would not be the last legendary back-and-forth Marl would be involved in.
Marley Marl is perhaps best known for his work with MC Shan, and more specifically, their track "The Bridge". This track, which Marley produced, started one of the most documented battles in hip hop history, known as The Bridge Wars, and helped propel Boogie Down Productions into hip hop superstardom. However, Marl has done much more than just been involved in battles.
Known as one of the innovators when it comes to sampling and reprogramming breakbeats, Marl produced for some of the biggest artists in hip hop throughout his career. His label Cold Chillin' housed several of them, with the collective going by the name of the Juice Crew. The Juice Crew was made up of legendary artists Roxanne Shante, Kool G. Rap & DJ Polo, Biz Markie, Big Daddy Kane, MC Shan, and Masta Ace. The individual careers of each of these artists had significant impacts on the culture, but they also showed what they could do as a collective when they dropped the single "The Symphony".
Marley's biggest hit came in 1990 when he produced LL Cool J's "Mama Said Knock You Out" and although he hasn't been as relevant in recent years, his work and the artists he helped establish continue to leave a footprint on hip hop today. So, to Marley Marl we say...Respect Due.
What are your thoughts on Marley Marl? What's your favorite Marley Marl song or instrumental? Leave all your thoughts and comments below. You can send any e-mails to straightouttahiphop@gmail.com.
Peace.
Sources:
http://www.allmusic.com/artist/marley-marl-p101803/biography
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marley_Marl
Wealth In Hip Hop
Russell Simmons and this book do not have any affiliation with this blog or its contents, but the image certainly represents the contents below.
Sure, plenty or rappers will talk about how much money they have and how paid they are, but this album truly represented two figures that beat the odds and can now enjoy the wealth they've achieved (hence songs such as "Made In America" and "Ni**as in Paris"). However, when I mentioned this during my conversation over Thanksgiving, my brother and frequent debater in hip hop, Mr. Milan Drake, stated that his, for lack of a better word, "issue" with this was that hip hop isn't based in wealth. It's based in poverty and hardship and coming from the bottom.
We didn't get a chance to finish the conversation, but that statement definitely sparked the idea for this blog. I 100% agree that hip hop is not based in wealth. Never has been and, for the sake of preserving the culture, hopefully never will be. I can't see anybody that was born into wealth having a prosperous career in hip hop - just given its rebellious nature. However, hip hop, for a long time now, has been about the come-up and trying to improve living conditions. It's been about that struggle of having all the odds against you and still, somehow, being able to find a way out.
Typically what we see from artists over their careers is where they started from with their debut album - their struggle and hardship - followed by their rise to fame and riches (this usually takes place over a few albums), but then there tends to be a drop off. Artists end up with financial issues from years of being taken advantage of by the industry. How many artists have we seen hit with child support and tax issues? Some are able to live comfortable, but never get all of the things they wanted/expected out of their music careers. We constantly see the hard work and then the small wins, but not the ultimate victory.
"The Throne" (the album and group) represents that victory. We've seen the ups and downs of both artists, but now, even though they do still deal with their own issues, they can celebrate reaching that pinnacle. I think it's important for people to see this. It's important to see people in hip hop go through these periods of maturation and struggle and still be able come out at the very top. Hip Hop is based in the struggle, where it should be, but unless we see some people actually achieve something after going through that struggle, then it's all for naught.
When I listen to "Watch The Throne", I get inspired. I know the knock on the album more than anything else is that people can't relate to it. I certainly can't relate to a lot of the material, but I can aspire to be able to relate. When I hear "Made In America", I want to one day sing those words and truly mean it. I want to be able to travel around the world. I want to celebrate achieving my goals. I can't relate to that right now, but I can imagine that what I'm hearing is what it will feel like when I do. I also want to be able to hear this from other artist's perspectives, as well. More people need to be able to feel that. We hear so much about the struggle that, from time to time, we need to be able to see that all the hard work pays off - in a big way!
I hope for more stories like Watch The Throne. Not because I wish to see hip hop lose its edge and become soft. I want it because there needs to be a blueprint (pun intended) for how to make it in hip hop. There are always going to be new starving artists. Those are the ones that we need to cultivate and support. But, without having anything to point to, what will prevent the new artists from the same pitfalls that so many others have run up against.
As fans, we can sometimes be selfish. I truly believe that biggest reasons artists like Jay-Z and Kanye West are so polarizing in hip hop isn't because they've set the culture back. They actually do the opposite and try to push it forward. The reason is because they have reached a level of success that hip hop still isn't familiar with. They've found a way to connect with a broader audience without compromising...too much. Perhaps Jay-Z wouldn't be so polarizing if he did decide to rap like Common or Talib Kweli, but he found a way to appeal to a wide range of people while still connecting to hip hop fans.
As fans, we tend to blame all artists for that. We want artists to maintain what we view as the purest form of hip hop, even at the expense of their own progression and financial gain. We need to always hold artists that call themselves rappers/MCs accountable for being true the culture. We also need to allow them to be able to achieve success and, hopefully for others in the future, wealth without the guilt trip. In the end, we may all benefit from it.
I think we also get upset when other artists that we deem aren't straying at all from pure hip hop don't get the recognition that others do. I saw a tweet not too long ago that said "Why doesn't Kendrick Lamar have 1 million followers?" I think we would all agree that Kendric needs to be bumping out of every radio and on every Top 10 video show. Since this isn't the case for so many artists that deserve recognition, I think we sometimes attribute success to selling out and don't consider it "real" hip hop. Although this could be argued for many artists, it isn't the case for all. I hope that one day artists like Kendrick Lamar can reach the same heights that Jay-Z and Kanye West have without feeling pressure to conform in any way. Yet, as long as artists stay true to themselves and produce quality music, I won't blame them for trying to achieve the things we all strive for. Can't knock the hustle.
What do you think about wealth in hip hop? Do we need to see it more? Does wealth and the representation of it hurt hip hop? What did you think about the "Watch The Throne" album? Leave all thoughts and comments below. You can send e-mails to straightouttahiphop@gmail.com.
Peace.
Sleep When I'm Dead
It's been a few weeks now and it looks like everything is back to normal. After suffering two seizures, Rick Ross is back on his grind, we seem to be healing from losing Heavy D, and Eric Sermon has assured everybody he's alright after suffering a heart attack. However, there's something that hip hop really needs to take away from all of this that really hasn't been addressed in our culture...health.
This book and its author do not have any affiliation with this blog or its contents.
While Heavy D and Eric Sermon's cases may not have been as evident, Rick Ross has spoken openly about the causes for his seizures - mainly sleep. "Grindin'" has always been a staple of hip hop. Ask any person that has had any success what the key is, and they'll attribute it to the grind. People always talk about how they gave their all to their dreams, sacrificing many things to get what they wanted, especially sleep.
Although sacrifices do need to be made, and there will be some nights where you get less sleep, we need to start pay attention to how our lifestyles and choices affect our long-term health. There is no point in doing all the work for all the spoils and we aren't able to enjoy them. I fight this on a constant basis myself. Even as I write this, I knowthat my schedule doesn't allow for a lot of sleep, but I constantly tell myself that it's simply the price I have to pay for success. There will be times when I find things to work on and stay up until the early hours of the morning because I want to feel like I'm being productive instead of wasting time away by sleeping. However, I'm trying to make more of an effort to go to sleep and find better times to do work because I feel the lack of sleep wearing on me.
I think we take our youth and health for granted. Hip Hop and the people in it are all still young. We haven't seen the effects of the lifestyles we choose to live, but eventually these things catch up. Rick Ross was just a glimpse of what can happen when we don't take care of ourselves, but I'm not sure how serious people really took it. This goes for more than just sleep, too. Although sleep is the focus of this blog because of hip hop's approach to the grind, this also goes for all other things that affect our health: diet, heavy drinking/smoking, exercise, etc.
New artist Rapsody (check her out if you haven't already) has a song on her Thank Her Now mixtape called "Sky Fallin' (My Mind)" in which she talks about her journey to where she is now and how she only slept three hours a night. Similar stories can probably be found amongst most people that are successful, but one question still remains - is it necessary? In the case of Rapsody, perhaps it was. She documents how she went to work, went home for a little while, and then headed to the studio to knock out tracks before getting ready for work the following day. Maybe her schedule didn't allow for much sleep if she was going to focus on her passion, but for many of us, that isn't the case. We constantly talk about losing sleep in the name of working, but spend countless hours doing other things that prevent us from being productive. We try to fit as many things into our day as possible and so instead of sacrificing time with our friends, watching sports, going to the movies, etc., we choose to sacrifice rest and rejuvenating our bodies so we can be more productive the following day.
I think part of us thrives on being able to function on little sleep and still become successful. It's just part of that story we're able to tell. When we finally make it and we get to let people know about what it took to make it, we have come to glamorize lack of rest. It is supposed to somehow prove how dedicated we are. Yet, if we want to remain sharp and live long, prosperous lives with as few complications as possible, we will have to learn how to better manage our time so that we can stay on the grind and still get enough sleep at night. Let's make sure that we not only work hard and gain success, but that we take care of ourselves so that we spend more time enjoying the success than we did working for it.
What do you think about the idea of grinding in hip hop? Has health been sacrificed? Is sleep overrated? Leave all thoughts and comments below. Send any e-mails to straightouttahiphop@gmail.com.
Peace.
Respect Due: Kool DJ Red Alert
Some people just have a good ear - whether it be for talent, music sound, or both. Kool DJ Red Alert has it for both. After watching and studying Kool Herc at some of the first hip hop parties, Red Alert decided to try his hand (no pun intended) at DJing. After teaching his cousin some of the finer points he picked up, his cousin, DJ Jazzy Jay, in-turn introduced Red to Afrika Bambaata. Soon after, Red Alert became the DJ for Bambaata's Zulu Nation.
From there, things began to take off. Red became the DJ at New York's 98.7 KISS FM, becoming the top DJ and staying with the station for 11 years. He then moved over to Hot 97 for several years and held two daily shows before returning to KISS FM in 2007. Between his mixes, his albums, and breaking in new artists, Red Alert became one of the most notable DJs in hip hop, and is still recognized as such today.
Along with a long list of credits, Red Alert is often noted as the one that introduced several hip hop legends to the world, including Jungle Brothers, A Tribe Called Quest, Black Sheep, and Queen Latifah. He also managed many of these artists and more through his company Red Alert Productions (RAP), which was home to the Native Tongues. From albums, to radio, to breaking talent, he's definitely left his stamp and mark on hip hop, so to Kool DJ Red Alert we say...Respect Due.
What are your thoughts on DJ Red Alert? Leave all thoughts and comments below. Send any e-mails to straightouttahiphop@gmail.com.
Peace.
Sources:
http://www.kooldjredalert.com/html/bio.html
http://www.billboard.com/artist/dj-red-alert/bio/12435#/artist/dj-red-alert/bio/12435
Shock Value
After the last "General" post ("Our Past Can't Be Our Present"; not the X-Clan "Respect Due"), there was a brief discussion/debate with my hip hop brethren and all around good-guy @MisterDrake (for all you Twitter lovers out there). You can check the discussion and post out here, but I want to piggyback off of that blog and even the conversation.
When I talk about comparing the past to the present and making sure that we just appreciate the artistry for what it is, that doesn't stop at an artist to artist comparison. Whether we recognize it or not, we compare artists in their current state to their past selves/work. When an artist creates a piece of work that resonates with the hip hop community, we always ask the question "Can they do it again?" But we don't ask this in the sense of can they make more quality music. We don't want the same feeling that might be different, but just as good. We want something familiar; something we've already seen or heard. Who cares if the follow-up effort is a really solid effort? It's still not a classic.
This is seen in no better place that the "Sophomore Jinx" theory. I'm sure you have all heard it before. An artist comes out and shocks the world with their debut album. Everybody claims they're the next best thing. But as they gear up for their second album, the questions about topping the first one start to arise. Can they out-do themselves on this project. How do they think the fans will respond? How does it compare to the first one? These are questions that we have heard. We may have even asked them ourselves. If you go back through some of my album reviews, I'm definitely guilty of it. I may say that the album I'm reviewing "isn't quite [insert album title]...", but why should that matter? All you need to know is if it's something worth buying; whether it's good or not, not how it compares to previous work.
Part of it is psychological. As humans, we need certain references and a lot of times we talk in absolutes. That's why we constantly have the debate about who's the greatest rapper ever. There probably isn't a greatest, but we still place one artist against another, constantly narrowing down until we have a never ending argument (although they can be fun). And let's be honest, perhaps artists bring it on themselves. Are we supposed to compare two albums when an artist does a sequel? Redman says he's working on Muddy Waters 2. OB4CLII just came out with high praise. Jay-Z now has three Blueprint's under his belt. How can we not compare one to the other? It would almost be unfair to think people would otherwise.
Then again, there haven't been sequels to Illmatic, Reasonable Doubt, Amerikkka's Most Wanted, etc. Perhaps Ice Cube matched, if not topped, he debut solo album, but most artists aren't as fortunate. And instead of hearing, "That was a great second album," most hear, "It's good, but not as good as..." We take away from our own listening experience when we do these comparisons. We become critics instead of fans. You could even say we become junkies. Each artist is a new drug and each album is another high, but we can never top that first high. We're never satisfied with what we have, just on the search for the hunt for the next best thing.
As artists get older or stop putting out music at the pace we're accustomed to, we tend to say they've lost it - that they're washed up. I beg to differ, though. It may be true in very few instances, but more than that, I think they've lost their shock value. It's hard to continuously reinvent yourself. DMX brought the grit back hip hop during the shiny suit era. Hip Hop was shocked by his presence. But what about now? How can DMX stand out when every single person with a microphone is killing somebody while simultaneously dancing and grinding on some chick?
This post could go on for a lot longer. I could talk about Nas and how his concept albums continue to keep him relevant. Or how Rakim can still out spit some of your favorite artists, but nobody will check for the album. We claim we just want quality music, but is that what we're really in search for? Or are we just waiting for another artist to grab a defibrillator and yell "Clear!"?
What do you think? Do artists just get washed up after a while? Is this whole thing about shock value just a baseless theory? Why do you think so many artists that still produce quality music get overlooked? Leave all your thoughts and opinions below. You can send any e-mails to straightouttahiphop@gmail.com.
Peace.
R.I.P. Heavy D
Respect Due: X-Clan
X-Clan didn't just talk the talk, they walked the walk. Their social involvement was seen outside of music, most notably with the Blackwatch Movement, founded by Professor X. Blackwatch was created to inform youth of worldwide issues and injustices, as well as making people experience Black Nationalist values within hip hop.
Although X-Clan split after dropping two highly acclaimed albums, "To The East Blackwards" and "Xodus", they came back together to release the album "Return From Mecca" in 2007. Unfortunately, Professor X would not live to see the album's release after passing away from spinal miningitis in 2006. Yet, even after his passing, Brother J and the other members continue to push the agenda of Professor X and the Blackwatch Movement. So, for the awareness spread both on and off record, to X-Clan we say...Respect Due.
What are your thoughts on X-Clan? Where do they fall when we talk about hip hop elite? What impact did they have on you? Leave all thoughts and comments below. Any e-mails can be sent to straightouttahphop@gmail.com
Peace.
Sources:
http://www.xclanmusic.com/bio.html
http://www.daveyd.com/interviewbrotherj.html
http://www.xxlmag.com/features/2007/03/brother-j-of-x-clan-rip-professor-x-august-4-1956-%E2%80%93-march-17-2006/
Our Past Can't Be Our Present
However, getting cut off might just help that spoiled, rich kid begin to appreciate what was once taken for granted. Maybe that's hip hop's current state - or at least where it's heading. Maybe we are learning to let the past be the past, and although we need to always make an effort to remind ourselves of the past and remember all those that helped us get to this point, we are ready and willing to accept a new breed of artists and let them display their talents. In accepting these new artists, we have to ensure that we allow them to be themselves. Many have compared J. Cole and his storytelling to Nas when he was younger. While I'm sure it's a compliment, and it is almost human nature to compare things that bare some sort of resemblance, we have to make sure that we don't expect J. Cole or any other artist to be a reincarnation of our heroes. By doing that, we're not able to fully appreciate young talent. We only latch on to the part that is familiar and fail to see the greatness in everything else they display.
This isn't easy to do. I'm guilty of doing all the things mentioned. When I first heard B.O.B., he reminded me, as he did many other people, of Andre 3000. I'm sure there are other new artists that will come in the game that will remind of us of others that came before them. Acknowledging that is fine, yet, we have to make sure that we don't expect them to play that role and then become disappointed when that standard is not met. If you meet somebody that looks like your brother or sister, you don't then expect to have the same relationship with them that you would your sibling. Let's not do that with the current state of hip hop. Let's have a new and unique relationship with this generation of hip hop, and as it fades out, create a different one with the generation to follow.
What are your thoughts? Is it necessary to look back and compare? Do hip hop fans do too much comparison? Does that help or hinder the culture? Leave all thoughts and comments below. You can send any e-mails to straightouttahiphop@gmail.com.
Peace.
More Than One Story
I recently bought Common's book “One Day It’ll All Make Sense”. I’ve been reading it a little bit here and there the past couple weeks, but early on in the book, while I was reading the “Prologue”, one quote really stood out to me: “It speaks to the fact that when you try to tell your own story, you can’t help but tell someone else’s along the way”.
I think this line describes hip hop in a number of ways and is a great way of explaining some of the controversy that surrounds it. Hip Hop is often attacked for its graphic or vulgar language and violent imagery. The artists that come from these backgrounds of poverty, struggle, and hardship are exposed to things that many people aren’t comfortable with and so, in the name of “keeping it real” or simply expressing themselves (as we all have a right to do), they attempt to tell their story.
Not all stories are fairy tales. They are formed based around some emotion. It may be joy, anger, sadness, depression, excitement, pride, or any other number of emotions you can think of. Out of these emotions are poetic stories that resonate in the ear and heart of the listener. However, what it is important for critics and young children alike to understand is that when the artist is telling “their” story (regardless of what kind of story it is), they are never telling their story alone. This is the point that Common makes, so well.
While many of the songs MCs create are based around their life story, they also tell the stories of the people that raised them, mentored them, lived in their communities, and anybody else they were exposed to – whether it be during day-to-day life or during one significant impact. When telling these stories, they may tell it from the outside looking in, but often times they talk about it in the first person, replacing the main character with themselves. This is where things get tricky.
There is a fine balance between telling somebody’s story and simply fabricating your own reality. As part of the hip hop community, we need to do two things; one as artists and the other as fans. As artists, they need to find that line and make sure that they don’t veer into an alternate reality and take on a persona that is not their own. While hip hop needs to receive more credit for giving a voice to the voiceless, it also needs to make sure that it is telling the story and not participating in the activities it describes (not the negative ones at least). As fans, we need to be aware that not everything coming out of an artist mouth is a first-hand account. It’s also important to note that mentioning or explaining certain circumstances does not always mean that they are being glorified. This message is especially important for young children who look to imitate or idolize these artists. If need-be, sit down with your children and explain this to them, so that they have a better understanding of hip hop, the story it’s telling, and how it is being narrated.
What do you think? Does hip hop do a good job of telling all of our stories? Does it need to get more credit? Leave all comments and thoughts below. Send all e-mails to straightouttahiphop@gmail.com.
Peace.
