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.

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.

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.

Wanna build buzz? Go to Jail

There was a time when a rapper being incarcerated meant the end of his career. Your label pulled out of the deal. You lost whatever endorsements you had. And fans were forced to listen to whatever material was out or hope that some unreleased tracks were leaked. But the line is not so black in white apparently. Over the last couple of years there have been many high-profile rappers who have been locked up, guilty or not. One of the greatest strengths of hip hop is the ability to evolve and be creative. The marketing side is no exception.

I wonder sometimes if these rappers go to jail on purpose. Because the industry has gotten so good at marketing them while they do their time. Its like they never left. For example, Lil Wayne was just released from jail after completing a year. Weeks before going in, he recorded new music videos, guest appearances, and even had a full length CD released while behind bars. Add in his weekly letters to his fans and you have a brilliant marketing plan. Gucci Mane and T.I. (who is doing another 11 months for probation violation with No Mercy on the way) have also yielded success from this.

But some are not as lucky and are not able to regain the shine they once had. G.Dep did a year in jail and did dropped him from 8 album deal. Due to Beanie Siegel's jail woes, The B. Coming  fell short of expectations.  The now deported Shyne has been in jail so long that he seems a little out of touch with the times.  Though Siegel and Shyne have managed to secure major label deals, the damage is done. But with all the success, why is so hard to stay out of jail? Is it the result of trying to live up to their street credibility, or are the Hip Hop Police really out to make examples of these guys?

Maybe there should be a contractual clause in all record deals for rappers to relocate to the suburbs upon completion of their first album. It worked for 50 cent....

Bow Wow: Look Past The Name

Yeah I know what you're thinking.....but bear with me.

I, like many, have written this guy off for many years because..well..he has not done anything worth talking about for a while. All I remember is a little boy with cornrows rapping to little girls. Though he is the butt of many jokes now, not many people were selling records like this guy did at that time. Like it or not he deserves respect for that. But success is sometimes a double-edge sword. He did it so well as a little kid, that no one really sees him as a credible MC-including himself at times- Exhibit A. Now he's pigeon-holed himself. He even retired from the game once upon a time (no one noticed). With a couple of albums tanking the last couple of years who would disagree?

Which brings me to now....

Despite his troubles with his place in hip hop, he still believes that we haven't see the real him. He's been really consistent with that message for many years now. I think that he is still trying to find who he is and that my friends is hip hop- the ability to grow and reinvent oneself.  Each of us, including rappers, try to find a piece of ourselves in the music. That's why we stay up to ridiculous hours on the Internet listening to new songs or why we pull Cd's out of our collections and listen to them again. We are searching for that feeling we got the first time. I think Bow Wow is doing that as well. He's still hungry despite the skeptics and critics. That's why he's got the deal with Cash Money.

Maybe he deserves a second chance to prove himself worthy of the respect of his peers. Look how many chances we give Kanye after he makes a total ass of himself (making dope music does help) I'm not saying that I will buy a CD but I am curious  to see if he can make a lane for himself on such a crowded roster.

Valid point? Waste of time? Floor is yours.

Nicki Minaj: Hype or Hip Hop?

To be honest, I haven't listened to a lot of her music (except a couple of songs from videos I see on TV). Like most people, I know enough to give my two cents on her position and what her existence means. Before I wrote this, I wanted to give her an honest chance by listening to some of her music. It wouldn't be fair to write my opinion based on limited info and no actual body of work. Since Pink Friday is not out yet, that leaves mixtapes as my only option. So I went on datpiff.com, searched her and the first one that came up I listened to, Beam Me Up, Scotty.

Upon listening, the first thing I notice was her confidence. She honestly believes she is the best which is a typical asset of most rappers. Even if you don't have everything you are bragging about in the song, it gets the listener's attention . Combine that with well known beats, familiar samples, and you get the gist. I really set out listening to this thinking that maybe there is something about this girl I'm missing. Is there more to her than this hyper-sexualized, random persona? Maybe there is more potential than her top singles indicate.

Ladies and gentleman the answer is.............no Now let's get down to business since my theory seems to be confirmed. Back in 2008, while randomly navigating Worldstarhiphop (that site is addictive), I happened to find Nicki Minaj. Upon watching the video, I dismissed her as another Lil' Kim/Foxy Brown clone using that road paved by both MCs to make a name for herself. Good for her. Nothing wrong with that. Two years later we have the finished project.... yes, project. The reason that the Nicki Minaj we see bears no resemblance to the Nicki of two years ago is thanks to Lil Wayne. I strongly believe that Wayne modeled her after himself in order to sell records and to do that, you need two things: a great marketing plan and a mysterious persona that makes you so weird that no one can classify you. And it has been a complete success.

Nicki Minaj is getting attention because she has marketed herself as an artist who can not be labeled. Which is fancy way of saying, due to the fact that she is not confident that she can deliver a hot 16 on every record, she sings (autotune) a song here and there. Some of you might say, "Well, she's just trying to transcend hip hop and become an artist that has cross over appeal". To that I say, you can't transcend to the next phase til you conquer the first. I don't even think she knows who she is hence, the new personalities every other week and the bisexual undertones. Though I haven't been able to get a straight bio from anywhere online, the little that I did find points to a girl in Queens who made up personalities to deal with an abusive father and an unstable home.

But I can't blame it all on her. What female rapper wasn't influenced by Kim and Foxy? They were some of the best to do it. I just don't think you can claim the throne if there is no one there to contest you. No one there to force you to raise the bar. I read on sohh.com last week that she is afraid of what she might sell the first week. The reason is, she doubts that she will be able to top her own hype. A problem that Drake faced not to long ago ( less than 500,000 units the first week with that buzz?). Like it or not, we made Nicki Minaj by buying records from rappers with mediocre talent. So the mega-conglomerate, record companies think that this is what we want.  Nicki Minaj's true potential ( if there is any) remains to be seen. I know she will move lots of units when the album drops, but I don't see where she goes from here. Who knows? Maybe this will set the tone for one of the many underground female MCs to move to the forefront.

Maybe the less crazy Lauryn Hill will come back...... ?

Maybe we will all have no choice but to hear, "It's Barbie Bitch" for the next couple years.

What are your thoughts? Am I looking at this all wrong? Should I be happy that there is a female MC that is able to build buzz equal to that of her male counterparts once again?

Talk amongst yourselves...I'm listening

Hip Hop is Alive and Well....... Right?

Being that this is my first blog entry, it's only fitting that I start a blog about the state of it right? Since the 2006 release of Nas' Hip Hop Is Dead CD, everyone has argued if this statement rings true. Is Hip Hop really dead? Of course not. There are still many artists ( J.Cole, Jay Electronica, Blu, etc..) whom many people believe will preserve the art form. I think the real question should be: Is hip hop alive and well? 

What I mean by 'well' is, everyone who listens to hip hop music can find an artist or artists that they are into through any media outlet (radio or television). Based on that definition, I believe that though alive, hip hop is very sick. Radio stations are dominated by the same five artists 24/7 with no variety which has led me to boycott the radio being on in my car since 2005. Sure, that means that I have to carry a ridiculous amount of CD's with me or my Ipod but its a small price to pay to not listen to record-exec fueled monotony that is played out of fear of taking a risk on artists that don't fit the formula to go platinum in a week (Not everyone can or will be Lil Wayne). In the 80s and 90s you had mainstream, west coast, east coast, and underground styles of hip hop to chose from and most people were able to get played on the radio.  A lot of that had to do with many smaller/ independent record labels which meant less over all control of hip hop music as a whole.

Which leads us to the the present. I am not saying that there is not any good music out there. But I like lyrics and creativity that progresses the art form.  What I see is a lot of artists that are watered down. Artists who are not encouraged by their record labels to become better MC's. And the result is an entire industry dominated by rappers who can't rap about anything past their possessions and 'Simon Says' dance music. I know that many listeners that love their Gucci Manes and Rick Ross's will say that I am a hater. But I challenge any of the songs in their brief catalogs to go up against a Talib Kweli, Mos Def, or MF Doom lyrically. Better yet, try making a song without bragging about some car you rented and none of your listeners will ever attain. 

There is no one solution to change hip hop. Though the listener and as well as the music industry has changed, dope lyrics always trumps a hot beat. I am not trying to 'bring it back' but I don't want to listen to the same song play at the same time on three different radio stations. There is nothing wrong  with listening to music that is meant to dance and have a good time to in the club or something. But even the club closes for a couple of hours. You can't hear half the words anyway because of the mind-numbing bass, your blood alcohol level, and the equally-wasted girl that you are trying to smash in the corner. Lyricism will return to the forefront of hip hop when the consumer is ready to take a break and listen to some meaningful music. Until then I guess I'm going to keep the Roots' How I Got Over CD on repeat while I wait for J. Cole to drop.