Writer's Block # 3

Fear's Constitution

Afraid to be successful

Afraid to be forgotten

To be or not be my mantra

My hollowed skull rotten

On the Beach

Listeners afraid to teach

How can a leader lead his followers

When his enemy is who he sees

In the mirror

Shows the truth

Proof is in the pudding

Could've, Would've, Should've

Simply replaced with couldn't

Leads a frail man on a trail that's decorated with bullets

Always scared to try but never afraid to pull it

Isn't it strange how we close one eye to aim

Because we blind ourselves to reason

Then it's easier to spread the blame?

What if Martin was scared to march

Malcolm paused sparking a revolution

My only choice would be fear

A solution less solution

No theorem to back me up

Against the wall of my failures exist

In my mind I break'em down

Like crab legs

I'm walking sideways

Trying to avoid topplin' on negative waves of defeat

Yeah, I think I'm big me

More talented and blessed

A vision you can't see

Yesterday I had a dream

Crashed in a ravine

Loved one in the passenger seat

Told her not to just breathe

For goodness sake, awake

Don't want you to see sleep's cousin yet

But instead of being paralyzed

Got my angel wings, pair-a-fly

Use the darkness to fuel my journey past the sun

Past the milky ways and Sector 9

Never hesitate to be great

Make them fear your evolution

Never pledge allegiance

To fear's constitution.

Lupe Fiasco- Double Burger With Cheese

 

An unofficial video to go with a great song about classic hood movies. Glad someone put this together. I couldn't remember them all from the song alone. How many can you remember?  If you haven't already, go listen to Lupe's new mixtape, Friend of the People: I Fight Evil.

Very Dope

The Weeknd- The Knowing

I meant to post this the other day. A lot of their mixtapes sound like they are written by Drake over old 90s R&B beats. But what made me really pay attention to them was this video. Taking a situation many people go through and turning it on its head. Making the painful beautiful. Shout out to the director, Mikael Colombu. Enjoy.

Hip Hop Fantasy League

                      
What's up again people. So there is a rumor going around that the follow up to Take Care will be Drake's last album on Cash Money/Young Money- I'm sure that the  video having not one Cash Money artist or symbol didn't help either- That would be huge because aside from Wayne and Nicki Minaj there is no one on that roster putting them on the map at the moment (yeah I know Tyga is there, but I haven't heard much about his new album, Careless World ). So naturally the next question is; if this is true where would he end up? I also heard that he fired his management team as well. And it made me think, what if Drake was managed by RocNation? After seeing how well Wale is doing since the MMG signing, it wouldn't be a bad decision. Think about the how epic that would be? Jay-Z, Kanye, Drake, J.Cole, and Wale all in the same circle. But this is all speculation until we hear from the man himself:

Yes, a great vote of confidence from Drake but is he convincing the crowd or Wayne? Now I don't know how many albums Drake is under contract to do with Cash Money/Young Money but I guess we will have to wait until his next project to see if the story changes or not. But for now it seems he's not going anywhere.

Speaking of moving labels, Common is not releasing his new album under the G.O.O.D music imprint. Many websites I've visited claim that Kanye is jealous over Common publishing a book as well as acting on a new TV show. But I find that hard to believe that Kanye would want anything from anyone at this stage in her career. As for Common, he doesn't need to associate himself with Kanye to sell records but it doesn't hurt. He's been on a roll with My Dark Twisted Fantasy (MDTF), Watch The Throne, and the upcoming G.O.O.D music compilation album. Anyone would be happy to be in the same circle.

This all got me thinking, if you had a fantasy record label, which artists would you want there? Would the rumors of Drake or the Common's departure from G.O.O.D music mean anything? With a void like that left, which artist would benefit the most from it? A lot of success in hip hop is not just about talent of where you are signed, it's also about timing. J.Cole has been waiting for his album to drop for 3 years. Think about that. The album is done and because of timing, clearances, editing, etc...it gets pushed back. Something to marinate on the next time you ponder the Detox question.

It seems like its going to be an interesting end of the year in hip hop. Any part of the rumor I got wrong? Don't care about these artists? Leave a comment or continue the conversation with me on twitter. @HipHopPoli.

H.I.F.T : International Edition

Greetings everyone. I know its been a minute since my last post. But I went to the motherland. Now that I'm back, I need to catch up on whats going on in the states here. Aside from the beautiful people, scenery, and culture I came back with, yes you guessed it, new music. I know that I primarily post hip hop related material, hence the name of this blog, but I listen to a lot of different things. I hope you enjoy. I know you won't be able understand all the words, but good music is universal. I also wanted to show the influences that we experience here in the U.S. influence other parts of the world, at the same time. Let me know what you think:

P Square- Forever

You really, really like it?

Ice Prince- Oleku

A little more hip hop for the regulars on my blog. This guy is very big over in Africa. Can any of my Nigerian brothers and sisters tell me what 'Oleku' means?

P Square- Bunieya Elu

This is without a doubt, the number one song where I was at. As you can see, the group P-Square is also very big over there.  This plays at every club, on every corner, every car, you get the point.....

Waconzy- I Celebrate

All I'm going to say about this one is, he definitely is a Lil Wayne fan. Oh and check the white guy's moves at 2:00.

Well, that's it for now. I hope you enjoyed the new music. Thanks for reading and your support.

Amber Cole and Hip Hop's Reflection

Like many of you on twitter, I woke up to Amber Cole trending very high. My first response was that this was another video vixen who wrote a book slamming all the rappers she slept with. But I was horrified when I saw the video. A 14yr old girl giving oral sex to a fellow student on school grounds. No, I will not share the link here. But, what disappointed me more were the comments about her. I do not condone what she did but dismissing her as a whore doesn't help anything. She's not an adult people. Neither are the boys involved. They all learned it from somewhere.

Hip Hop has a history of glorifying women who are willing to do anything and everything to garner the attention of the artists in their videos. And as silly as it might sound to some of us out there, some women out there think this is the only way to get their attention; and worse nothing wrong with it. Superhead-like video vixens have made careers by glorifying this behavior and truly believe that they are taking the power back from the sometimes misogynistic industry. But oftentimes it has the reverse effect and continues to perpetuate the stereotype.

Rappers, as well as we the consumers, have a responsibility to lessen the emphasis on this aspect of hip hop. Yes attractive women in videos help get others to watch, but only describing them as sex objects can backfire albeit Amber Cole. Those kids thought it was cool to film a girl doing what they wanted because they had power over her. Like the rappers they see in videos. And she let them because she wanted attention and to prove that she is worth something. I'm sure there are more factors involving why this happened, but it's worth thinking about. The most surprising thing about all this is not that it happened but how we all reacted, including myself.  We didn't ask why it happened. Most of us didn't even question double-standard of not judging the boys involved. But that's a topic for another time.

We have to be more responsible with the images we put out there, especially in the black community. Because believe it or not, many people out there think that the images in hip hop are all black people are.  I know that young kids who love hip hop just want to have fun and not take life too seriously. But remember, eventually you grow up and have to deal with the world, its issues, and the consequences of doing dumb things when you were young. Amber Cole (if that is her name or really her in the video) is finding that out the hard way.

The BET Awards: The Little That You Missed

The only thing that stops me from completely ignoring this show every year are the Cyphers and a couple of performances that save it from being utter nonsense. Exhibit A:










This is the difference between good songs being performed poorly




And a good song performed well with passion



I don't agree with everything he says but Lupe Fiasco is grossly underrated by his peers and public alike and a great performer.


I pretty much tuned out after these performances. What were some of your favorite moments this year? Did anyone else steal the show? Let me know.

H.I.F.T Vol. 9

New Drake

New visual for the single "Headlines". And if you didn't notice, "Take Care" on the way....

Frank Ocean Swim Good

With features on Watch the Throne and plenty of Mixtape material, Frank Ocean is having quite the year. Finally, an official label ( Island Def Jam) visual for one of the stand out tracks from Nostalgia/Ultra. Let me know what you think.

No More Beef?

I have been pondering this for a while. It seems like competition between rappers, beef, battling or whatever you wanna call it is all but dead. Nowadays you are lucky to see a Twitter beef go longer than a week. Though I support the supposed unity between rappers, I miss the competition and the great music created from these heated exchanges. I think we need another one of these to restore some interest. As Wale mentioned in a recent interview and Mixtape About Nothing's "The Perfect Plan" maybe people aren't listening as much or the same way.

Now I'm not asking for something as personal as Nas/Jay-Z battle, but history has taught us that getting personal creates the best material. There's emotion behind it, not just the pursuit of money. I liked the Game/50 cent beef when it began. They weren't holding back. Eminem against (insert rapper name here) was great. Though I'm glad Em has found peace and sobriety I miss the drug-fueled Slim Shady.

Even when rappers try, their heart isn't in it. They get bored. Look how lazy and uninspired that Rick Ross/50 Cent battle was. If a rapper can't be inspired to defend their credibility against another rapper, how can a fan believe you are passionate about making great music. Does financial success have to bring about passionless music?

Rap seemed more exciting and it gave fans something to unite around. I remember sitting in homeroom talking to my friends about the new Jay-Z/Nas diss that dropped on Hot 97 last night. Don't get me wrong now. There are a lot of great artists to listen to out there, I just want to take it back to the essence. A real rap battle. Two artists spitting their best lyrics for bragging rights and respect. I don't want to see violence just competition, hunger. Isn't it time for another "The Bridge Is Over? Or "No Vaseline" What would make a good battle? Drake vs. J.Cole? Wayne vs. Jay? (no more subliminal shots). Who would you like to see go at it? Does beef have to equal career suicide of violence? Is it possible for it to just stay on wax?

H.I.F.T Vol. 8

The long-awaited visual to the best song on Returnof4Eva....Wow



Wale: Saying Nothing Real Loud?

I was on hiphopdx and listened to an impromptu interview from Wale with Culture6 set up by Wale himself to address a lot of comments that fans and haters alike have been making about his switch to the label Maybach Music Group earlier this year. I personally think it was a very smart move. Allying himself with one of the biggest names in hip hop gives him a bigger platform than he ever got with Interscope.While listening to the interview, expecting to hear some real introspective, direct answers to some questions that a lot of people share, I was a little disappointed. Not by his cockiness/arrogance/confidence, but how he dodged questions with other hypothetical situations and proceeded to talk down to the interviewer. A couple of points stood out to me:

The first being his response to Culture 6's questions about his difference in delivery from Attention Deficit to Self Made. Wale responds saying that you need to look harder for the gems and that every record can't be deep or intellectual. True as that may be, I don't think there is anything wrong with an obvious fan asking that question. I agree with him that rappers are praised for how they say things not what they say but that is the listener's purgative.  We as fans buy records that artists put out and how we respond to their music shapes the commercial success of your career. We only know you through your music. So as you evolve as an artist into something we are not familiar with, we feel like you changed and betrayed us. Because we really think we know who you are. Unfortunate. Yes. Wale has a right to defend his craft because that is a piece of himself being an artist. But when you put it out for mass consumption, you give the public free reign to critique your work.

I didn't really have a problem with the "regular person" comment. So every person's story in the world is not interesting. Big deal. Lots of rappers make those comparisons (Kanye West) That being said, he comes off as the very thing that many of his fans and haters alike claim he is..arrogant. It didn't help that he claimed that Culture 6 contradicted himself but wouldn't tell him how. A jab at him because he's angry that someone critiqued him? He's taking himself too seriously.

Wale is a good artist that has a bright future. No one can question his ambition. He's in a great position to do amazing things in his career. And for that I applaud him. But the reality is Attention Deficit was not great not because of the content, but because the album as a whole didn't flow. The "feeling of the music" as he said was off. I agree Wale. It's all about timing. But your time came when Attention Deficit dropped and it didn't deliver like it should have. Blame that on the first single (Chillin') or no push from the label (both legitimate reasons) but the facts are the facts. I think he knows that he still has a lot to prove; hence aforementioned album name. I can only hope that its the right time for him. Maybe then he can tell us what success means to him. But remember those regular uninteresting people that you're talking about are the same ones that are going to buy that CD and ultimately decide what the commercial side of your success is.

Ambition in stores this fall. Follow @Wale on twitter.

Amy, Amy, Amy?

I was getting off work when I received a text about Amy Winehouse's death. I can't really say that I am surprised because of her long past with drugs. But in the back of my head I thought she would get through her struggles and make more music. It sounds kinda of cliche but she is gone way before her time. When Back to Black came out, it didn't feel like a woman singing tribute to a forgotten generation of singers, it felt like she was truly being herself. Often singing about her struggles with relationships and drugs, Winehouse was not only credible but relatable. We all know at least one person in one of those situations. Her music founded a new sub-genre and is credited with starting a wave of British soul singers ( Duffy, Adele, etc..)

A lot of people wonder what would Amy Winehouse's music would sound like if she was sober. The truth is we all ready have the answer in her first album "Frank". Since she is dead I am sure a lot more of you will be checking for this-as with most deceased artists. Just as the title implies, Winehouse gets right to the point on this album. No metaphors or similes. The true genius behind this album is not the aforementioned or how young she was, but the fact that every one of these songs stood alone. Goes down as a classic to me. Despite her short life, she managed to achieve something that artists spend their whole careers doing; being true to herself and being accepted-and praised- for it. So remember her music. Please listen to/buy "Frank" if you haven't. Rest in peace to a true artist.

Writer's Block # 3

In Security

Thank God I'm in security 

Securing me 

Keeping in all my hesitation and fear

My safe haven

From all my future successes 

Holding back my progression from touching me

Surrounded by so many faces

Marked with distrustful eyes

And I can't tell the difference

Amazing soothsayers of words

Baiting their traps

To capture the naive

Using their backs for target practice

So my thoughts are spinning counter-clockwise

For all you wise-guys

Conspiracy theorin' the reasons

Why we stand on the same plane

But we ain't even

So imma stay in this fortress

And take no sides just 

Stay silent and never care 

Why I'm the only one standing there

So thank God I'm in security

Securing me

Keeping in all my hesitation and fear

Music to my ears

My safe haven

From all my future successes

Holding back my progression from touching me

I just want you to put trust in me

Take my advice

Realize I'm not being jealous

But I don't know how to reach you

This ain't plastic I'm wrapping to ya

But see through the silence

My dreams to be on the same team

And shoot down the stars together

But every time the ink dries, 

You write another letter

So imma watch you from over here

In my fortress

Because it's easier to lead you from afar

On the same path

Why are we throwing stone faces?

And we can't laugh

About the old times

So I hesitate

Running back to an illusion

Finding comfort in the confusion

But thank God I'm in security

Securing me

Keeping in all my hesitation and fear

Music to my ears

My safe haven

From all my future successes

Holding back my progression from touching me

Falling for the things right in front of me 

You always had my back

Led me to a heart attack

Shiftin' in my system

You saw the greatness in me

Said my words had power

To bring children from building edges

And inspire millions

Being my biggest fan

I still hesitate

To write down my own feelings

That's why I hate being in security

Keeping me from all of God's graces

Protecting me from my own destiny

Never reaching for success

Settling for a stagnant existence

I just wanna move past the masses

To the front to see

What's been holding me backwards

Back to the grind

I don't need insecurity

To put in its perspective

See, I got the recipe

So the next time I walk past

Your assistance I won't ask

So don't even mention me

Keep holding back.

The Live Show

Photo by Kyle Johnson

I went with my lady to go see Raheem Devaughn at the Carter Baron 2 weeks ago. Though not the most avid listener, I came from it not only more of a fan, but with more respect for him. Two words, Live Show. He put on a great one, an experience you might say. There was a live band, he held up cue cards the entire show to direct the audience, he even had an artist paint the entire show. At first I didn't understand it but it was to build an ambiance during the performance. True showmanship.

Great live shows are a dying art. I was looking at Vh1's Soul School and saw The Gap Band's Early in the morning and Janet Jackson' control. What struck me about both were the duality of both artists to sing, dance, and play instruments well. I miss the energy that performances like this give me.

 

Live shows bring songs to life in a way videos can't quite capture. Its more personal, intimate, and you feel a part of the experience. A lot of rap is missing this. There are very few artists that headline their own show with just a mic and a DJ ( Jay-Z, Lil Wayne). Most just walk around a stage and say the lyrics. It's not cool to dance anymore and have fun on stage (Big Daddy Kane). I think Steve Harvey said it best on Kings of Comedy -"I paid 49.99 for these tickets, damn it you scream.". When I think of great performances, I remember The Roots 2009 Rock The Bell performance with Skillz doing classic Hip Hop songs. That's what great performances are made of.

All in all, rappers need to step there performance game up. Especially after another wack ass Bet Awards. That "I'm on One" performance put me in a coma. I should have watched the video again. What say you fellow visionaries? What other artists give great concert performances? What live shows stand out to you?

Hip Hop: The Forgiven and Forgetful

(AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

So sing-song rapper Ja Rule is in the pen now snorlax but his anti-climatic leave from hip hop rehashes the subject of how forgiving the hip hop community is when its artists screw up. Actually I think it's the most forgiving of all the genres. Whether you sold drugs, shot a man down, or got involved in a sexual mishap, if you give us a hot single we forgive you. Give us a hot album, you never did anything.

Hey, we all make mistakes. Theirs are just in public for all to see. But that begs the question; as fans do we ever have the right to critique an artists' personal choices? Some examples..

Lil Wayne

I know I talked about this much earlier but, I can't think of any other rapper who's career has benefited more from jail time in recent memory.  He went away for eight months, had an album out while in jail, and a ridiculous amount of features and videos. Now we are all awaiting  Tha Carter 4. Not to mention he is sober. That's important because he's never made music that way. Possibilities are endless.

Lil Wayne - Music - More Music Videos

T.I.

Now in jail for the second time in two years, I really think this is hurting his career. It worked the first time because of the timing of the album release. But it's not doing much to build an even bigger fan base when no one sees you or much material. T.I. is a dope rapper. I know he can rebound again. It's hard to hate on em when he makes music like this.

Chris Brown

No surprise that T.I. featured him in the video above. They both have weathered storms in their careers. Having one of the greatest music comeback stories in the last couple of years, there is no better example of hip hop's forgiveness than this guy. Though I do not cosign what he did, I really believe this was a blessing. Think about it: Chris Brown has been putting out hits since he was a teen. Many teen artists have trouble making the transition into an adult while keeping their fans with them (Bow Wow). Having this tragedy gave him the opportunity to explore his dark side while taking time off after Graffiti failed. When he returned from his hiatus, as a mature adult, all the pieces came together and you get this....

Honorable Mention: Prodigy

I almost forgot about him to be honest. I mean to be away 3 years is crazy. Being one half of the infamous Mobb Deep automatically makes you a legend. People should still check for him. His best stuff might still be ahead of him. He's got that new mixtape out right now. Let me know how it is.


So who are some other artists that mess up and get easy passes for good music? Kanye? R.Kelly?

Let me know...

Big K.R.I.T Country Sh*t Remix

Finally!! A visual for this song! Huge fan. He's got two of the best mixtapes out. Listen to his music.



 Download  KRIT WUZ HERE and RETURNOF4EVA  here

Like the Vision of Hip Hop page on Facebook!!!

Contact me at hiphoppolitician@gmail.com. Follow me @HipHopPoli.

Old School: Sampled Memories

Random thought....

Practically every generation of hip hop listeners over 25 remembers a time when they thought the music they were listening to at the time was their 'golden age'. A time when all the music that they heard was amazing and perfect. Real or imagined it felt perfect to all of us. We often use that 'golden age' as the standard for which we compare all music we hear.

I like a lot of old school music from different genres and eras (Temptations, Sam Cooke, Dramatics, Manhattans, Coltrane, etc..) Because of it I often find myself staying up late at night listening to old songs that are sampled in hip hop today. There is an art to it that I find fascinating and I respect anyone that does it especially well.

While on whosampled.com, I ran into one of my favorite samples of the late Gil Scott Heron, Home Is Where The Hated Is sampled on Kanye West's classic Late Registration. That beat and Heron's voice haunt me into a trance while listening. Thank God Common did it justice. I felt a little robbed by the length. I knew his name. I knew his music without realizing it. The beautiful thing about music is that you don't have to dig to deep to find the connections. I say all this to say if you are passionate about something, keep learning about it.

 

                                                  

Good music is out there. R.I.P to a legend.

Contact me at hiphoppolitician@gmail.com. Follow me @HipHopPoli

Rihanna-Man Down

Everyone has been talking about this song for the last couple of weeks. The video concept was not what I was expecting but well done. Enjoy.

Contact me at hiphoppolitician@gmail.com. Follow me @HipHopPoli

H.I.F.T VOL. 7: Delayed Edition

I'm trying to make up for my hiatus. I know most of you guys are recovering from the Memorial Day weekend and are getting back to the grind. So here are a few to get you going....

Look out for section 80 and this guy's mixtapes

Now that it's safe to put records out again....

More About Nothing...

And the long awaited sequel.....

Don't forget to look at the original


Contact me at hiphoppolitician@gmail.com. Follow me @HipHopPoli

Writer's Block #2

Some more from the stash.....

 Arrows Pathways, Tears Descent

When I'm in bed at night with the lights off,

I shoot arrows laced with questions into the sky 

Aiming for the holes in it

Hoping one will get through 

And God will see it

But none ever return

While I wait for answers,

The pump on my heart loosens

Tears from unknown destinations escape my eyes

Like tadpoles upstream

Trying to bring messages to my mouth

But they're whipped away before I taste them

Only dried pathways in soft clay reveal their existence

I spent so much time with my head in the sky

I lost my way

That my heart memorized

It led me back home

And there I realized that God doesn't reply using arrows

But with butterflies when you are ready to look for them. 

Contact me at hiphoppolitician@gmail.com. Follow me @HipHopPoli

Cop Killing,Violence are Common's Place?

That's right Ol' Knitcap here is the most violent rapper..ever.

The last couple of days, I have been boycotting the news while the media continues Bin Laden Mania. But while scanning through last week, I caught the report about Common going to the White House. You know its a slow news week when reporters are reaching for controversy like this. If you don't know, Fox News have added Common to list of rappers that they believe encourage violence and in this case, cop killing. It's almost not worth commenting on. If anything, through the many incarnations of Common he's gotten flack for not being 'hard' enough. Even the casual hip hop listener knows that.

Here's the old video that Fox is referencing. I miss Def Poetry Jam....

Once again. Another poorly researched fact taken out of context by an ultra-conservative, fear machine. I swear they pick on a rapper ever year to mess with. Remember the Nas controversy? Or how they painted Ludacris as a gangsta rapper? He lost an endorsement deal with Pepsi because of these lunatics.

 

People are entitled to their opinion on hip hop. I don't agree with some of the music either. But the great thing about hip hop is that there are different subcultures that all people can find something they like. Youtube Common, and you can find a positive song in 5 seconds. Just do some research. Educate yourselves. I think that Jon Stewart said it best.....

Nuff said.....

My condolences to the family of M-bone of Cali Swag District. R.I.P.

Contact me at hiphoppolitician@gmail.com. Follow me @HipHopPoli

H.I.F.T VOL.6

It's Monday and like the rest of you, I wish I could fast forward to Friday. No better way to start the morning then with some hustling music. Ace Hood is a star for real. I think he is one of the more promising acts over there in DJ Khaled's crew. He's hungry. He's real. He's Hustlin'...hard in fact. I hope you are.

-Hit me up at hiphoppolitician@gmail.com. Follow me @HipHopPoli

Saadiq Keeps Stone Rollin

In an industry of artists trying their best to emulate past decades in their music, Raphael Saadiq is doing the best rendition while pushing r&b and soul into places never imagined. Stone Rollin feels like a sequel to The Way I See It with another decade themed album with relatable subject matter. The project wastes no time propelling the listener into the 70s with 'Heart Attack' supported by subtle guitar riffs and simple drums over Saadiq's powerful declaration. Though the tracks don't flow as smoothly as its predecessor, you barely notice thanks to top notch songwriting and catchy beats. The album really finds its groove in the second half thanks to the blues-inspired contribution 'Day Dreams' and 'Good Man'. Saadiq saves the best for last on 'The Answer' which feels a lot like 'Sometimes' from the last album in its storytelling demeanor. Though short, the album will leave you wanting the keep the repeat button on.  I give it a 9/10.

Album in stores now.

-Hit me up at hiphoppolitician@gmail.com. Follow me @HipHopPoli

Writer's Block

Honestly there was nothing I felt like writing about today in the world of hip hop. So rather than do that, I thought I would share some of my poetry with you guys. Yeah I have emotions too.

Death of A Dream

I wasn't meant to be under this long

The silence has begun to set in

And all the color has seeped out of my perspective

How beautifully eerie the sound of a dying dream

As it struggles for hope to survive

Fighting against all doors closed

Crawling over obstacles as if swimming through an ocean

With no current to fight against

Ignoring the unspeakable pain

Gnashing against all predators who wait patiently for it to die

What keeps it going?

What gives it the strength to traverse impossible odds to survive?

It's chance.

The chance to be realized.

The chance to become an accomplished goal.

As long as this thought is alive,

A dream will continue to live

And ignore how utterly destroyed it truly is

A dream never dies quietly...

Sidenote: Wale is going to have a great 2011. Two albums this year? You're gonna see a lot more than Attention Deficit eluded too. More About Nothing is available for free at Datpiff.com.

Thanks for taking your time to read. More to come depending on the feedback. As always, you can reach me at hiphoppolitician@gmail.com. You can also follow me @HipHopPoli.

Osama Bin Dead?

     
I know I'm not the first or last person to comment on Bin Laden being dead. I'm honestly still in shock about the whole thing. It seems almost too real. But rather than revel in the moment my conspiracy wheels are turning.

I do believe he's gone but there are so many other questions unanswered. Personally I want to see a photo because there has been so much controversy over him being alive or not in the last couple years. I would feel better about it. I have heard many inconsistencies in the events surrounding his death. First the mansion blew up, then then ran in the house and shot him in the head, then he died during a gun fight. Which one is it?

Then there's the obvious question that most are considering: what happens next? If Bin laden was still running Al Quaeda at the time of his death, don't you think there would have been some orders for retaliation or putting someone else in charge? I can't escape the feeling that something else is coming. Maybe not on American soil but somewhere.

All in all, I am glad that the families of the 9/11 victims can have some peace. But there are so many questions unanswered. Many may say he's dead and that's all that matters. What 9/11 taught me is to question all that is in front of you and search past what is fed to you for the truth....your truth.

Oh yeah and Obama has solidified his second term. teapartytrumpublicans...give up.

Now back to the music....

Theophilus London

Video is great. Like his style. Sounds a lot like Kid Kudi, especially on this track. Despite his name and sound, he's actually from Brooklyn, NY. I love the 80s and this definitely gives you that vibe. And this only scratches the surface of his music. This Charming Mixtape and I Want You are both available for free on Datpiff.com.

-Questions or Comments? Hiphoppolictician@gmail.com. Follow me on twitter @HipHopPoli.

H.I.F.T Vol. 5

Frank Ocean aka Lonny Breaux is building quite a buzz. I posted Nostalgia, Ultra a couple of weeks back. Now someone has posted an unofficial mixtape of unreleased material. Look for the The Lonny Breaux Collection on Datpiff.com. Its free and with 64 songs, everyone can find something to listen to. Enjoy.

-H.A.Y.F.T?  Hit me up at hiphoppolitician@gmail.com. Follow me on twitter @HipHopPoly.

Wanna Sell Records?: Be A Weirdo

If you were at Coachella this year, then you saw some great performances from a lot new and old artists. I watched some of Kanye's performance online. Dope as usual. But what stole the show for some was Lil B naming his album, I'm Gay. Personally, I don't know how I feel about it because I don't know his angle. But I think that his statement touches upon a deeper movement in hiphop.

You can use any of today's social networking tools to build a name for yourself in the industry and cut out the middle man. But, everyone having access to the same tools and influences creates a lot of artists that look and sound the same. To counteract that, hip hop artists and rappers have emerged that are not cut from the same cloth. Rather, they have woven a tapestry so diverse that, typical labels can't hold them.

Obviously we all  know Nicki Minaj at this point. Though she is the top female emcee by default, she is more known for her outrageous style and antics than actual lyricism these days. Then you have Odd Future, a collective of west coast rappers that have shocked the industry with their violent lyrics and then you have the aforementioned Lil B. Like it or not, they are geniuses because they have mastered the art of being original and unpredictable. Staying ahead of the curve keeps you relevant. But a gimmick only lasts so long before you have to prove you're more than that. The sophomore jinks still exists after all.

It's too early to tell where these artists' futures lie. But I believe that consistency in the quality of your music equals a long career. It's great that you want to do everything but what is the point if you can't do anything well? Good or bad, artists like this bring fresh air to hiphop. Hopefully, this will allow more labels to take risks on rappers that don't fit into the radio-play formula.

- So am I right? Or maybe the caliber of rappers hasn't changed but rather the fans that buy the music. Share your opinion at hiphoppolitician@gmail.com. Also follow me on twitter @HipHopPoly.

Positive Feedback

Thursday is slowly fading into Friday about now. I hope everyone is enjoying the weather today if you are in the DMV. Well, Ashely Judd has since apologized for her rant about Hip Hop; claiming she was taken out of context. If you read my last blog, you know my opinion on it. Here's a video showing rappers discussing their influence,or lack there of, they have over today's generation of kids in schools. Thought it was pretty relevant to the topic from yesterday. Some good points. Enjoy.

Am I the only one that did not know that Bun B was a co-professor? I need to step my research game up.

As usual, thanks for reading. Questions and comments? Hit me up at hiphoppolitician@gmail.com.

Apparently, it's poetry month. In honor of that, check out Tabitha A. Lewis' new book, Poems and Praise. Search for Tabitha's Poems on Facebook.com for the link to purchase a copy.

Til then, peace.

Hip Hop = Rape Culture?

Happy Monday everyone. I hope you all had as good a weekend as I did. It's always good to be well rested to deal with the week's bullsh*t. Speaking of that, a nice fresh load just flopped on my lap this morning. If you are familiar with Hollywood than you might know the name Ashley Judd. She's been in the news lately for recently coming out about being molested as a child in a new memoir. Well that's not all.....

Apparently, she's not a fan of hip hop. I'm really not surprised by that but how far she takes it. According to Sohh.com, Judd says, "Along with other performers, YouthAIDS was supported by rap and hip-hop artists like Snoop Dogg and P. Diddy to spread the message ... um, who?" the actress reportedly says. "Those names were a red flag...as far as I'm concerned, most rap and hip-hop music - with its rape culture and insanely abusive lyrics and depictions of girls and women as 'ho's' - is the contemporary soundtrack of misogyny," 

Seriously?!!! What does supporting YouthAIDS and hip hop have to do with each other? Last time I checked AIDS was a world issue that anyone could support. She probably heard N.W.A by accident while at a red light and that was it for her. 

I think its great that anyone puts their money and time behind an endeavor like this. How predictable for her to single out two very visible hip hop stars and judge the whole culture. Like all music genres, Hip Hop has subcultures that lend to the ear of many different people. You want less 'rape culture' hip hop? Go listen to Will Smith. Hell, Nelly did a duet with Tim Mcgraw! Ever listen to country music? They talk about some controversial stuff there too. 

Honestly, I could care less if this lady from Kentucky is a fan or not. But, do some research beyond the surface of what the media is feeding you before judging or else you will sound as ignorant and narrow-minded as she does. Go to Sohh for the full article and 9th Wonder/Questlove's responses.

I didn't say it was good but you get my point...

*Sigh................

Alright, now back to the positivity.....   

H.I.F.T VOL.4

 

Still holding out for an album..... Sampling Thom Yorke's Eraser was genius. Listen to it.

 

 


-As always thanks for the support and taking the time read. Questions, comments, H.Y.F.T music? Hit me up at hiphoppolitician@gmail.com or at facebook. Look for Olu shegun.

H.I.F.T Vol.3

Vintage Lupe............

"They'll play ya/ like the spacebar in tools..." 
  
I think if Lupe can get back to this on his next album, he can surpass the success of The Cool. I hope this helps everyone get over the hump this week.

Also.......

Listen to the new Pharoah Monch album free.

Shout out to John D. Barber for the link. Yes he cuts hair........

-Like it? Don't Like it? H.A.Y.F.T?  Hit me up at hiphoppolitician@gmail.com or on facebook

H.I.F.T Vol.2

 Greetings. It's Tuesday and I am already feeling the work week working its voodoo. Allergies are having their way with me today as well. But I love the struggle because it brings out the best in me...most times. And what goes well with that? Good "On My Grind"...ing music. Today it's Big K.R.I.T.'s first mixtape-K.R.I.T Wuz Here. I know its entire mixtape but I couldn't pick a favorite song. Plus the new mixtape, Returnof4eva dropped for free yesterday. I really recommend that you listen to the aforementioned first. Not that its a theme or anything but just trust me on this one.

 This song makes me want to produce.....

Been waiting for someone to sample Adele since the album dropped last year......

There you go. I have done my good deed for the day. Play some of this and see if your week doesn't seem better. You can download both mixtapes on datpiff.com. 

- Don't like the songs? Feeling a different song? H.Y.F.T? Email me at hiphoppolitician@gmail.com and I'll shout you out.