Beef or Tofu??

Lil Wayne has been the main topic of conversation as of late. With a track leaking off his album(well really, the whole album leaked) titled "I'm Good" featuring Drake and Jadakiss, apparently a new beef maybe brewing between the Dwayne Carter and Shawn Carter.

I'm sure that all of you by now know what Lil Wayne has said, and if you don't you can easily find out by going somewhere and listening to the song. So let's get to it: Jay-Z makes a song that was originally slated to be on Watch the Throne titled "H.A.M." where he supposedly took a jab at Birdman, basically saying that he had more money. This song came out when Weezy was in jail, mind you. Weezy gets out and expresses that he might play off it, but says it wouldn't be legitimate beef. So damn near a year a later Weezy steps up to the plate and takes his jab back at Jay, in the form of threatening Beyonce.

Since Lil Wayne won't classify this as beef, so neither will I. But when you can call a guy's girlfriend a bitch, and then proceed to say that you would kidnap her, classifies as beef to me. But let me digress. If you didn't want this to be a beef, why respond at all? On top of that you respond to something that was not even a diss. Jay-Z does have more money than the Cash Money and Young Money combined. Oh yeah I forgot, in an interview, Lil Wayne in a nutshell agreed with the fact that Jay does have more money. But besides that, why take so long to respond? Is Lil Wayne trying to sell albums? I think so. But with what he said I feel Jay-Z will have to address it. I cannot see anyone letting another disrespect his significant other without retaliation. In addition, I don't know if you all forgot, but dealing with Jay does cause repercussions. He stabbed Un, and had Cam shot. So Lil Wayne(and Game) if you come at this guy a lil too hard he will retaliate and not on wax. Take caution fellas.

The Throne

I should have known my next piece was going to be on Watch The Throne. 

Listening to this album has been a struggle. I am constantly pulled in two different directions. It's a good album, but not great. And with the two biggest hip-hop artists collaborating for an actual album, I expected something groundbreaking. Was I wrong? Obviously, I was.

Nothing about this album was groundbreaking, minus the production. When delving into "real" hip-hop, one thinks of stories, wordplay, and substance. Only wordplay was displayed. Even the heavyweights have forgotten what hip-hop is about. And what really sucks, is that they truly worked hard on this project and thought that this is what hip-hop was missing.

Unfortunately they were wrong. True hip-hop doesn't care about how much money you have or have made, it's about the art. It's about who is the best. And granted these two MC's are by far considered the best, being the best and standing out as such, was not demonstrated. Lackluster lyrics were provided. Why, might you ask, was I pulled in two different directions? Well, to be perfectly honest, it's not a bad album. But it's not a great album. And it should be great. And what troubles me the most is that since it's not bad, and with the artists involved, the general public will consider what they made as great. It truly hurts my heart that the hip-hop that I grew up with and believed in, is truly dead. As a Jay-Z fan I really hate to say Nas was right, but he was.

Hova Da God

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I truly never had any intention of this being a blog based on music. I guess I shouldn't have started out with a piece on musicians. Well it is what it is. Having heard the interview with Jay-Z conducted by Angie Martinez, I have been left with no choice in the matter.

Growing up, I was the most authentic Jay-Z fan. Meaning I was a fan before Hard Knock Life. Rather, he was my favorite rapper after I saw the "City is Mine" video. From 1997, the coolest guy in my mind was Jigga. I was such a fan that my father knew if he saw Jay on the cover of a magazine to automatically purchase it. With that being said, there is no question that I am a fan of Shawn Corey Carter.

Over the years I have had certain quarrels over the actions he has taken. Retire(on top) and come back with a not so good album(Kingdom Come). Not cool. However, before that I watched "Fade to Black" and witnessed him basically force Kanye to give him the Lucifer beat, a pretty assholeish move. And then finding out how he treated Kanye initially and not wanting to sign him as a rapper because he felt that he couldn't really rap, I was like, "Damn Hov is kinda an asshole for real".  I don't totally blame him for the dispersion of the original Roc-A-Fella. I just wish that situation was handled better by all parties involved.

Now I don't totally agree with Jay-Z still rapping at his age. Let's face it, rap is a young man's game. However, in all honesty, what young cat is truly a better artist than Jay-Z? I couldn't think of one either. So with that, I can understand why he still makes music. He's still the best at it, hands down. And I wish you Lil Wayne fans would try to come at me. Lupe, Clipse, Fab, and Jadakiss are great lyricists, but all around artists Jay-Z will win. His catalogue proves it. Is Jay my favorite rapper today? No. Is he still the best doing it? Yes.