H.I.F.T 8/28

Every year there is a song that is polarizing. A song that walks the line between annoying and pure joy. When you first hear it, the only that comes to mind is, "Why?" However, it finds a way to burrow itself into you mind. And before you know it you are singing it to. That honor belongs to the song, "Cha Cha" by D.R.A.M.

This sleeper hit first invaded my eardrums one late night on MTV Jams. To be honest, the video is just as important as the song. Without it, you just don't get what this song or guy is about.  

The content is very relatable. You find yourself in a club that caters to a different culture. Add some drinks and a fine lady or two, and you got the courage to go dance with a girl to a dance you know nothing about. That my friends sums up "Cha-Cha". You can't help but love this. This record reminded me about the fun element of hip hop. I often look for the lyrics over everything. But, music is about a feeling first. In the video, D.R.A.M is not faking how much fun he's having. You want to be included in all the tom-foolery. Is this one-hit wonder worthy?, still too soon to tell. But he might have put out his best work first. Until then, "Cha-Cha" my friends. And if you see Taina, say what's up for me.

The Grammys: The Safety Dance

Hello World,

It's been a long time. But I'm back. And what better way to come back then to give my vision of what went down at this year's Grammys. And there was a lot to see

The Grammys were always known for celebrating the diversity of music, breaking new artists, and showing unity in the music industry for the sake of creativity. In recent years, the awards have become more politically charged. Safe choices are selected in place of opportunities for creative genius on stage. This decision has resulted in the show being out of the touch with what the masses are listening to. Many times, deserving artists get the India Arie treatment. 

Though the awards were hosted by recycled host LL Cool J, they did start off with a very good Beyonce performance. A well deserved moment in the spotlight after a surprise album release not backed by her own label. Yes it was sexual and a bit raunchy but so is Miley Cyrus (Was she even there?). Plus Beyonce is Beyonce and she pulls it off much better than old chicken cutlets. Speaking of the twerk novice, the lack of it did not go un-noticed while Robin Thicke performed a much classier and enjoyable "Blurred Lines" set with the group, Chicago. 

The mash-up performance with Imagine Dragons and Kendrick Lamar was amazing. However, I think Kendrick deserved a solo performance given the amazing year he has had. Like many, I thought that Kendrick Lamar was robbed for Best new artist. An opinion that was echoed by winner, Macklemore. I don't take anything away from him or his impact as an artist but it didn't hurt to have a single that was about one of the political and controversial topics that we face in this country. I know that music is not just about the content encompassed within each line, it's also about the feeling that that song is able to conjure from our souls.   Both Kendrick and Macklemore represent what Hip Hop is about. Though Macklemore has the more obvious crossover/pop success, Kendrick Lamar achieved it while still making rap songs. I think that ability is special.

Aside from surprise snubs, there were a couple of surprise bright spots. Pink's performance was dope as usual. She has been for a long time.  But, she was really at her best during this performance. Pink has always found ways to evolve her craft and still be relevant to fans and the industry. But, in this specific performance she once again shows her dedication to evolving as a performance artist. What artist have you seen do a full acrobatic routine (without nets) and still be able to stun you with their amazing vocals? She is a rare talent who I think in some strange way still has not received her props for her body of work.  But, maybe the greatest thank you is being relevant enough to perform.

However, the performance that brought me the most joy was Daft Punk's performance of "Get Lucky" feat Stevie Wonder. I can't tell you how much joy it gave me to see such deserving artists win. It was also significant because, Daft Punk's Random Access Memories was the group's first release in over 10 years. Their song didn't have any deep content. It was a simple song with a simple idea but it didn't need to because it invoked a feeling that many people could relate to. That is what music is about. Ironically, Daft Punk winning is a safe choice as well.  But it proves that great music doesn't always have to be controversial. The Grammy was once a prestigious award given to a deserving artist for their contributions to the music industry. Now it seems as if the panel in charge of the decision is out of touch with what the masses are listening to. But as consumers, we shouldn't look to a certain award to justify that the music that we listen to in our cars, on our phones, or on our computers is good or not.

H.I.F.T.- 7/26/2012

Get More: Lupe Fiasco, Music News

As a fan of hip hop, it is easy to get caught up in the image of what a rapper portrays and not who they really are. We forget that being a rapper is a job and not everything is necessarily true that you see or hear them say. I was sifting through the video dumpster of worldstarhiphop looking for some meaningful content and happened upon this interview of Lupe Fiasco. What makes this video stand out from any other Lupe interview or of any rapper for that matter, is that he's expressing emotion. Emotion for his city, for his friends, and for those left behind. Emotion that you can visually see.

Emotion? Yes. You may think that to be trivial but as real fans of hip hop artists, you want to know as much about them as possible. Aside from the music, you don't really get to know them as, human beings. Though most of us will never know these artists on a personal level, it is good to see them be honest about how they feel. Hip Hop is notorious for glorifying being 'hard' and seeing any kind of emotion as being weak. I often wonder why that is. I know artists have no obligation to do this and are entitled to keeping their lives personal. But that allows your fans relate to you more.

I just thought it was cool to see an artist who was not afraid to show that he was moved by something on camera. I know that he's not the only one that cries for the youth or fallen friends, but it was nice to witness it. Don't ask me why it's important to see it rather than hear about it. Though I don't always agree with his opinions, I do respect him as a artist, a true artist. Never afraid to express himself despite criticism. This generation of youth growing up today often use music to escape from all the problems they face on a daily basis. I can't blame them.

A lot of the music you hear on the radio, videos on TV, and top 10 charts in hip hop reflect this. There is a lot of substance missing from music out there in mainstream hip hop. People would rather dance than deal with what is going on around them. Don't get me wrong. There needs to be dance music. Music that uplifts people and makes them feel good. I just see an imbalance on the substance.  But, that will change when people, young and old alike are ready expect more from their music. Until then, it is cool see artists like Lupe using their platform and celebrity to facilitate deep thought.

HIFT Vol ??

I was watching MTV hits this past weekend. And Nas' "It Ain't Hard to Tell" came on. And it just took me back to that time. It still feels fresh. And it still destroys much of what is on the radio now. And just when I thought it couldn't get any better. I am introduced to a new young talent by the name of Joey Bada$$. And my jaw dropped. Not just because the song, "Hardknock" ft CJ Fly is great lyrically but the whole experience felt like it was cut straight out of that same era Nas began in. And was pasted here with little effort. It didn't feel like someone imitating. It felt organic. Enjoy.

This performance made me shed a tear.....

 

For the brothers with daughters....

                      

Visionary of the Week: Taka Winter

Hey everyone. A while ago on twitter I promised that I would feature more local music talent as apart of my Visionary of the Week series. So here is my first offering; Modern Music Group Presents: Taka's Winter. I have been intentionally sitting on this project for a while because I wanted to really listen to the content. Hailing from Arlington, VA, Taka Winter crafts a unique project that covers many subjects while showing his depth. With the standout tracks, "Two Face" and "Substance Control" Taka shows his ability to make mainstream, radio hits. He easily switches modes to his more personal beliefs and heritage on his self-titled track "Taka's Winter" and "The Devil Inside of Me" The production does a good job of not overshadowing Taka's sound throughout the project. The beats are often reminiscent of producer, Nujabes. With varying subject matter over laid-back beats, Taka's Winter gives a smooth listen for listener. He uses every track as opportunity to display his lyrical versatility. The project feels a lot longer than 43 minutes and leaves you wanting more from the artist. You won't get tired of this project anytime soon. So dress warmer people, Taka's Winter is here.

                          

From Comeback to Comeback Please

Note: I know that this isn't exactly a current event. I wrote this some time ago but I am just getting around to posting it now.

Like most people, I tuned into the home-going service for Whitney Houston. It was really touching to see the outpouring of love and support that was shown by family and fans alike. It's sad that it takes death for people to say great things about you or acknowledge your accomplishments. But at least it happens.

With all the questions surrounding her death, (drugs, suicide) its easy for all of us become fixated on the last hours of life rather than a person's life, impact, and legacy. In the post-housewife era of entertainment, drama is king. The spiraling descent of a human being is more alluring than the rise. And once they crash, we rather they stay there to see if they could fall further.

Its the most true with entertainers. And the nail in the coffin can be the very thing that might restart your career, the comeback. Whitney Houston, Amy Winehouse, and Michael Jackson were all victims of it. They were musicians who were at the top of their game, fell off for many reasons (some scandals, others drug use) and were one event away from reclaiming their former glory.

Well, until they died that is...

Killed by the very thing that made them..fame. The pressure to perform to the same standard every time with very little understanding from fans and critics alike when they miss the mark. I know that I'm a guilty of that too. Its just very weird that three of the most recognized names in entertainment all fell within months of making their comebacks. And now, in death they get the attention (good or bad) they deserve. I wonder if we all could've handled that pressure; that criticism in this industry. If that's the case, we should all share in the blame and stop crying comeback please.

Yeah I know it sounds harsh. And its meant to be. Sometimes our expectations of people with a talent can be farfetched. We forget that they are human beings. They allow their artistic expression to be scrutinized by others.

The one thing I realized from the deaths of these artists, is that they really are always working. Even when you haven't heard any new material. A lot goes into that CD we buy or download that we don't see. I'm not questioning the sincerity of our outpouring of sadness for any artist. But I wonder what do we really miss about them? And as fans can we really be expected to miss more than their music? If they weren't as successful would we miss them the same?

About Trayvon...

Greetings to all who read and support my blog. I know I have been away for a while but I finally got a minute to breathe so that I can write something. Ironically, its about someone who isn't anymore.

I just got an email from a family member on some one's take on Trayvon Martin's killing. And it inspired me to write something. I had so many things that I wanted to post about that I didn't get a chance to (Whitney Houston, new music, etc...) But, non of these seem as important as this. When I first heard about the killing I didn't feel much as I saw a blurb about it on the TV at work. It wasn't until I sat down and watched a couple of videos and listened to the 911 tapes that I felt some emotion. Anger. Sadness. Frustration.

But what really made me upset was not the case but my initial reaction. Nothing. I wish I could tell you that I was upset and ready to put on my hoodie and march but I wasn't. The reality is that I have been conditioned to situations just like this one. Where someone of color is arrested, wrongfully-charged, killed, or profiled and somehow justice is not in their favor. In fact, I have come to expect it. And that my friend, is a problem. We are conditioned to immediately react and be outraged when something of this magnitude happens but what happens a week, month, or year from now? We will be caught up in the next major story the news puts out.  I count myself as part of that cycle.

I don't want this to be the case this time. I don't want us as people to forget the outrage, sadness, or anger that any of us feel for this boy and his family. Because that means we are still human. Our humanity is intact when we can still empathize for one another. When we can still rally together for a single cause and make a change happen and our voices to be heard. And I want to believe in that change. The hope that we can still accomplish this.

So how do we keep this movement going? How do we keep the outrage of this situation from dying down? Continue to feel something. Anything. Don't fall into the trap of getting caught up in the next story that every one's talking about and forget. Because the reality is that unfortunately, there will be another Trayvon Martin out there. Because racism is still alive. It's more alive today actually. And though it's not going away anytime soon, we must take those feelings and share them. Talk about them with your neighbor, your coworker, your loved one. Because dialogue leads to communication. And hopefully a better understanding of each other and how we can coexist together in this world.

Sounds overly ambitious right? Impossible? But we fear what we don't understand. Or choose not to understand. And it was obvious by those 911 tapes that George Zimmerman didn't understand something about Trayvon Martin. He ignored signs and warnings because he believed that he had categorized Trayvon correctly. Enough to justify killing him. And as long as things like this happen, we have a lot more talking to do.

The SOPA Act, The Internet, and You

I didn't know too much about this before but it is alarming if the the Senate passes this in its current state. Sites like mine can be severely limited or be black-listed altogether. If this is something that concerns you, contact your senator and let them know how you feel. You can find your Senator by searching your zip code on Google or other search engine.

Stay Schemin (Acoustic) Video

I have a love-hate relationship with Mike Posner's voice and his singing ability due to his song choices in the past. But he kills this cover of Rick Ross' "Stay Schemin" off the Rich Forever Mixtape. Shot out to Blackbear for the vocals and guitar assist and Killerhiphop.com for posting.

MLK Didn't Die (VIDEO)

Common Vs. Drake: Could It Go The Distance?

Alright so as you all know Rick Ross' Rich Forever Mixtape just dropped. That's great and all but the real story is this brewing beef between Drake and Common. Now as some of you know, Common has a track called Sweet from his new album. On the track he says;

"Singing all around me man, la la la
You aint muthaf-cking Frank Sinatra"

Peep the video

When the song originally came out, a lot of people thought that it was aimed towards Drake. And we all know that he has the tendency to sing and rap on many of his songs. So when Common was asked if that was a diss to Drake he didn't deny it. Which brings me to now. As I said, Rich Forever is out. Check out the video for Stay Schemin'. But pay special attention to Drake's verse.

 

As you can see from Drake's verse, he's talking to Common directly. Very good verse. But, wait...its not over. This just came out today. Skip to 3:30 to hear Common's verse.

 

That Canada Dry line was fire. Til this point, the more impressive rapper in this brewing beef has been Common. I'll tell you why. I am very impressed with how aggressive he has been with his issues towards Drake. And as far as I know, Drake hasn't addressed him directly aside from subliminally. I know I am getting ahead of myself with what this may mean. But as I have mentioned before, I think beef doesn't have to be a bad thing in hip hop. Though I don't doubt Common's feelings about Drake are authentic, I can't turn a blind eye to the timing being around his album release. Maybe it serves both purposes. 

Its always great to see a beef like this. Old blood vs New blood. This is a more raw side of Common that has been lacking from the last couple of albums. It is reminiscent of the Common that once battled Ice Cube. Drake's response to this could confirm his confidence not only as a rapper but potentially a rap legend one day. Yeah I know, way too soon. Whatever your opinion on beef, or this one in particular. Hip Hop heads, young and old, will be talking about it. Interest and discussion is good for hip hop. I just hope to get a couple more tracks from both of them before it ends up in the rap beef graveyard...twitter. 

Speaking of twitter, follow me @HipHopPoli to continue the discussion. Til next time....thanks for reading   

Niggas In Parris (Video)

In case you didn't know the lyrics.....

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