My City

About a year ago people were telling me, "Atlanta is Black Hollywood". I paid no mind until time proved them wrong. Atlanta is not the Black Hollywood, but the new Hollywood.

While most people don't know this that actually live here....well they don't actually live here. I happen to live in the city of Atlanta, not a suburb or section of the city. I went to sleep last night with lights shining in my room from a movie, starring Jennifer Lopez and Cameron Diaz.  Getting back to the point, I have to give credit to someone that I don't particularly favor, Tyler Perry, for bringing the film industry to Atlanta. His studio is the only one in the city, and the only one outside of LA, that is just like one that resides in California.

Living in the city has afforded me to witness various films being filmed here. Not even a mile from my townhouse, Ryan Reynolds and Jason Bateman filmed a scene for their upcoming comedy, The Change-Up, at Joe's on Juniper. In addition to that, a mansion in Ansley Park(also not a mile from my residence) was used to film something recently. All of these movies do not star black actors. Atlanta, the third fastest-growing city in the country, is definitely becoming Hollywood Jr.  Sure New York is a great place to film on location(if you can). But Atlanta is the new place to be when it comes to films. Spending my first part of my life here and coming back, I would have never thought this would happen. Glad to see it happening though. On top of that, many music videos have been shot here. Curren$y shot 'She Don't Want A Man" here, as well as, "Super High(Sativa Remix)" by Rick Ross. As many would like to say that ATL is known for gays, fake balling, and the hub for music, it's more than that. Atlanta is now, not only the place for young professionals, but the film industry as well.

The Alliance

 Being that the last post I made was about the Big Sean, I felt a particular way about posting this piece. For one, this blog is not intended to be just about music, although it is something I have been in love with for what seems like forever. In addition I don't like to write about something twice. However upon learning of the alliance that has been made between Curren$y, Wiz Khalifa, and Big Sean, I have been given no choice.

For some I may be late for others I may be early, neither of these really matter to me. What matters to me is hearing good music, and since that is somewhat rare nowadays when it crosses my path I feel the need to let others know about it. Supergroups have been formed before, it's nothing new(i.e. Slaughterhouse, The Firm, Westside Connection) What draws me to this particular supergroup(minus that I actually like the artists involved) is how they are, more or less, at the height of their popularity, respectively. Even though it's a mixtape they are releasing, they have done what Jay-Z, DMX, and Ja Rule only talked about doing back in 1999.

What I most respect about this project besides the music(5 tracks have already been released) is that at this point in each one's careers this is an album worthy venture, yet it will be free for all. With all the shows these guys are doing separately and found the time to come together to record an entire project to give away for free shows not only that they steadily keep their fans in mind, but also that they genuinely have a love for the craft and are not just looking to make a hit. It's more than that, they are from what I see trying to make the best music they can radio play or not. This commands respect and what is missing from the rap game. Now if only I could get a full CRS(for those who don't know CRS is Lupe Fiasco, Pharrell, and Kanye) project....

And to Wiz and Curren$y if you happen to read this, this project with Big Sean does not count as How Fly 2.

Five leaked tracks: O.T.T.R
                              Flowers
                              Dot Dot Dot
                              Weed Brownies
                              Proceed

G.O.O.D. Enough?

     


As far as having mainstream artists that make well above average music, I would say G.O.O.D. Music is the only company to house artists of this caliber under one roof: Kanye, Pusha T, John Legend. Common, Cy-Hi the Prince, Kid Cudi, and yes this includes Big Sean.

In my experience, I have been met with negative responses when bringing Big Sean up as one of the new hot artists out right now.  And with what I normally hear on the radio, or what I see/hear either people listening to, I just get confused as to why people hate on Big Sean. I have heard, "oh he sounds like 'Ye". But let's be honest Kanye has fathered a style, and nowadays if you rap a certain way people are going to automatically chalk you up and box you in as sounding like Kanye(funny they don't mention Drake in this same light).

Upon listening to Finally Famous the Album, if you like rap and don't like Big Sean you're hating, pure and simple. For clarification, is he a favorite of mine? No. But I do respect talent. And the young dude can rap, period.  Add to that he's repping a new city, or rather a city that hasn't been repped for a long time, which is bringing a new perspective than the Atlanta way of life. Not to mention that Detroit needs all the positive reinfocement it can get.  As far as his album is concerned, out of 18 tracks,  8 tracks are good, "I Do It" probably being the best. That may not be half of the album, but with 18 tracks that's a hard feat to accompolish. 

All in all, Big Sean is not a bad rapper and I felt the need to speak out for him, for the people that speak out against him(for no reason).  I understand everyone is not going to like a certain artist, but it's almost as if no one ever tried to give him a chance.

The Golden Age of Hip-Hop

My first piece was based on influence of musicians, not really music as a whole. However, this post will consist of something my friends and I have observed about, what I like to call, the Golden Age of Hip-Hop, which spans over the years of 1994 to 2000.

Not too long before the internet virtually killed the music game, there was a time when people purchased albums, artists went platinum, and there was much more excitement and anticipation when Tuesdays rolled around.  In addition, the competition and orginality was at an all-time high. Upon further examination of my friends and I trying to decide what the best year in hip-hop was, we discovered that it was a pretty much a toss up between the years 1994, 1996, 1998, and 2000. Yeah, pretty much the even numbered years were the truly balanced years of musical releases. 

1994. This year might have released the most classics, and is arugably the greatest year of hip-hop.  This is the run-down: Ready to Die-Notorious B.I.G. , Illmatic-Nas, Southerplayalistic-Outkast, Creepin on Ah Come Up-Bone, Da Brat-Funkdafied, The Diary-Scarface, Regulate G-Funk Era-Warren G, Tical-Method Man, Most Beautifullest Thing in the World-Keith Murray, Resurrection-Common. There were a few more, but as you can see this was an exceptional year for hip-hop.

1996: I don't know which is my favorite year, but it might be 1996. When I look back on this year it's hard to believe all these albums came out in the same year. And on top of that, so many went platinum. There's a lot to name, bear with me: ATLiens-OutKast, 7 Day Theory-2pac, The Score-The Fugees, All Eyez on ME-2Pac, Reasonable Doubt-Jay-Z, Illadelph Halflife-The Roots, Ridin Dirty-UGK, Ironman-Ghostface Killah, It Was Written-Nas, The Coming-Busta Rhymes, Beats Rhymes and Life-Tribe Called Quest, Hell on Earth-Mobb Deep.

1998: This year by far is considered to be the best year by most: OutKast-Aquemini, Jay-Z-Hard Knock Life, DMX-It's Dark and Hell is Hot & Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of my Blood, Juvenile-400 Degreez, Busta Rhymes-E.L.E., Miseducation of Lauryn Hill-Lauryn Hill, Trick Daddy-www.thug.com, Doc's Da Name-Redman, Ghetto Fabulous-Mystikal, Shell Shocked-Mac, Bobby Digital-RZA, My Homies-Scarface, Big Pun-Capital Punishment. If you haven't noticed, most of these artists dropped the same years, and sold very well.

2000: This year wasn't neccessarily the last year of good music, but in the abundance of releases in the same year that exhibited such talent or classics the finale is 2000: Eminem-Marshall Mathers LP, Stankonia-OutKast, Jay-Z-Dyansty, Talib Kweli-Reflection Eternal, Ghostface Killah-Supreme Clientele, Wu-Tang Clan-W, Big L-Big Picture, Ludacris-Back for the First Time,  Common-Like Water for Chocolate, Big Tymers-I Got That Work, Scarface-Last of A Dying Breed, Ruff Ryders-Vol.2, Beanie Sigel-The Truth, DJ Clue-Backstage, Mystikal-Let's Get Ready, Snoop Dogg-Tha LaST Meal, LOX-We are the Streets, Ja Rule-3:36, Busta Rhymes-Anarchy, 3-6 Mafia-When the Smoke Clears. 

If only music could get back to this. Either way comment and let me know what you think the best year was.

R.I.P.

 
In the past few years we have witnessed a steady rate of historical deaths. We have lost Michael Jackson, Patrick Swayze, Ryan Dunn, and plenty others. However, the most significant death is that of originality.

I understand we live in a world where media influneces everything we do. However, the media itself has been monopolized and there is now a lack of leaders for the masses to be influenced by. For nearly this entire last decade, there have been very, very. few new people to step in the spotlight that have the ability to mesmerize mainstream media. And even if they do possess this ability, they don't have longevity on their side to make an impact(i.e. trend, one-hit wonder, etc.).

When it comes to music, we've been watching the same people keep steady reign over the entire industry(Jay, Diddy, Kanye, Wayne, T.I.) Few people have been able to step in and make headway(Rick Ross, Young Jeezy, Wiz Khalifa, Drake). What's the most troubling is that all the music being a produced is a part two of whatever last song was hot. It's not to say that artists mainstream or independent aren't making songs with originality, they just don't put it out because it won't get any airplay. Most people have become complacent with hearing the same song by different artists.

Fashion and movies have also taken to being as unorigianal as possible. Movies are either remakes or the same story told the exact same way. The last true original movie to come out was Inception. Well Avatar was original in it's own way as far as setting a new style of shooting movies. Other than that it's only adaptations of comics or books. Fashion has also lost it's luster among the majority of people. Everyone is either a carbon copy or are just lost. No one has any orginality. Well it's a million fly people out there and a billion people out there that follow the fads. And with the lack of leaders for said billlion to follow, everyone looks the same. And the worst part about it is that I know everyone notices they look like the next person, but have no inner flydom to at least make an effort to switch it up or improve what they're wearing. Let's all just get a little more creative and be ourselves. Trust me a better feeling will come from doing so.

Culture Shock

This might be the most left-field piece that I ever post. However, I feel the need to let people know of my generation that in 1887 one of the most gangsta characters ever was created: Sherlock Holmes.

The film directed by Guy Ritchie did Holmes some justice, but not fully. Now before I begin, you might be asking yourself, "does this guy really read Sherlock Holmes novels?" Yes, I do have a somehwat geekish side, but I'll still beat yo ass(women excluded) if you ever want to try me. With that out the way, back to the subject at hand. As of recent I have delved heavily into the novels and short stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and have come to the conclusion that if there was ever any guy that exhibited the quote "I don't love these hoes" it's Sherlock Holmes. His only concern in life is solving the most complicated cases that the regular police department can't(which proves cops were never that smart even back then). For his services he is paid handsomely, and with this being his only passion, it's always M.O.B. with Holmes.

Now aside from the fact that I respect his intelligence and deductive reasoning to the highest level, he doesn't take any chances. If anything is remotely dangerous he always asks Watson, "You strapped yo, because I am and I suggest you be too"(not in those exact words obviously). What I don't agree with and what most people don't know is that Sherlock Holmes is definitely a cokehead. When not working on a case he just gets high on coke or opium. Opium during that time period might not be so bad, but I just can't get with cocaine during any time period. But at the end of the day, anyone that makes a living off of making the police look stupid is a G to me and not wanting to take credit publicly for it is the ultimate G move.

I will now cut this post short, because I know y'all mufuckas don't fuck with Sherlock Holmes. But it's classic literature and I read heavily, and fuck it it's my blog. But just know Sherlock Holmes is a certified G and if you don't believe me read one short story and you'll be inclined to agree. Just a little culture shock for you bitches.

How the times have changed.....

What is the world coming to? I never thought, especially being under 30, that I would ask myself this question. But after being introduced to this new craze called planking I had no choice. I mean really what the fuck is the world coming to?

Planking is described as a game in which some moron, or someone deciding to masquerade as moron for a day, lies face down with their hands at their sides imitating a wooden plank in a public place. Apparently the more public the place, for the dumb asses participating to be seen, is the key. If this is not the epitome of the word pointless, someone please tell me what is. However, the fact that it's the most pointless shit I have ever heard isn't what perplexes me the most. The documentation of the injuries people have received doing this inane activity, is what I'm not getting. How in the fuck does one get injured lying perfectly still, in a public place? And it's self-inflicted at that. You broke your own chin because you thought it was cool to try and lay still on your sink and stove. Now don't get it twisted, please keep doing this because people hurting themselves planking(excluding the guy that died, I do have somewhat of a heart and just because someone died doesn't mean I can't say they weren't smart and that shit was dumb) is pure comedy.

The game has been around for quite some time. But obviously if there is "right" way to do it, people aren't practicing it. However, just because those back then who planked "correctly" were not safe from negative outcomes. A group of people got fired after being found planking on the job. Yes, these people literally were fired for lying perfectly still, it doesn't really help that they were doctors and nurses. It doesn't stop there. Evidently, comedian, Tom Green has made it a point to stake the claim that he invented planking. Why someone wants to credit themselves as having come up with arguably the most idiotic thing since the Pet Rock, frankly is fucking retarded. Now, I'm not saying he didn't, nor would I care if he did, but who really wants to be responsible for bringing such a thing into existence. 

At the end of the day, people finding ways to make lying down dangerous and it becomes a certified world-wide craze, really makes wonder the times we're living in. So please don't go out and lose more than your dignity by planking(i.e. your job, your chin, your life, etc.), and to those that plank......"I feel sorry for your mother."

And if you haven't seen the chin accident was recorded:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXlF9je90tA

Haircuts and Such...

Since recently receiving a bad hair cut, it has been brought to my attention that there has been a haircut beef between Miguel and Lloyd.  Really? WTF?!?!?

I will acknowledge the haircuts are similar and rather gay. Also Miguel does have the claim to fame as being the first of the two with the new do. So in this situation, he might be the gayest, then again maybe Lloyd gets that title for getting the cut second. This will be probably be up for debate for some time to come. The only credit I can give to this "beef" is that it involved a face to face confrontation, rather than being a twitter beef. But then again it did start from Miguel tweeting, "Imitation is the highest form of flattery. Shout out to Lloyd". So scratch that, shit is gay ass hell.

Arguing about having the same hairstyle amongst men, is the direct correlation of two girls showing up to a party with the same dress on. I'm not really concerned with the fact that Lloyd shaved his head to get it tatted. What I am more concerned with is how it was squashed. In essence these two men ended up having a heart to heart about it. Miguel: "I shouldn't have said that on Twitter" Lloyd: "I just felt it was disrespectful, I wasn't trying to mock or imitate you." This was paraphrased of course but is accurate all the same.

This is what the current game of music consists of, two dudes arguing about a hairstyle. I now see why Waka said he is done, or rather doesn't wish to work in the music industry. Aside from the fact that he has no talent, he makes a valid point. The music game is fake as fuck and gay as shit, with all these skinny pants and a plethora of other gay shit. It may sound like I have a problem with homosexuals, I don't, they're people too. But when one of the things I love(music) becomes sodomized I do have a problem with that. When a person is in the spotlight, they have the power to influence, and when two men parade around arguing about having the same haircut it sets a bad example for the youth that look up to said people. Add to the fact that the haircut screams GAY(did I already say that) it's just not a good look for the people involved and what they represent. 

My venting is done for the day and let's hope this style is not picked up as a trend.

JETS the new WU....?

Let me start off by saying, in relation to size, eccentricities, and being one, if not the, greatest hip-hop group of all time is not where the JETS relate to Wu-Tang. However, when speaking about influence, Curren$y and his two main cohorts are definitely on the trail of the Wu.

When Wu-Tang etched their footprints in hip-hop, they did not establish a fan base, so much as rather a cult following. Their reach spanned far and wide. In a matter of years, it was not out of the ordinary to see a random person, no matter the race, with Wu-Tang paraphernalia or even a W tattoo. Ever since the year of 1993 the Wu-Tang Clan influenced fashion(Wallabees, first hip-clothing line), slang(C.R.E.A.M., Shaolin, and really too many to name), and music of course(RZA's production style, the mere size and cohesion of the group). And Wu-Tang will, as far as, hip-hop is concerned will live on for decades to come.

Now it is 2011 and times have of course changed, for better or for worse. More people are followers now, than ever. And trends change daily. The originality that once overwhelmed hip-hop is virtually non-existent. But not fully dead. The Jets(Curren$y, Trademark, Young Roddy for those who don't know) stay true to being themselves. And with that have created a somewhat of a cult following of their own. Don't think so? Then take your camo cargo shorts off and put down that paper plane your burning while reading. My main reasoning for saying Curren$y and the Jets are just as influential as the Wu-Tang Clan or at the very least have the potential to be goes to the fact of me seeing multiple retweets from twitter of males and females with JET tattoos.

Upon further dissesction, you will discover that in this day and age where so much music is free, individuals go out and purchase Curren$y albums. If that doesn't exhibit a strong ass following, I don't what does.  And when I say purchase albums, I mean search until they find them at retailers. If you don't think this demonstrates a cult following, then you don't know what a cult following is. Neither of these groups are the most popular, yet have a well maintained fan base that support them. They do this simply put, through their influence of individuality.