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From Black Music to Crack Music: What Happened to Hip-Hop?

TRUTH Minista Paul Scott — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 11:00:46 +0000

“I blame my mama for turning my brother into a crack baby.” – “Keep Ya Head Up” – Tupac Shakur

This is Black Music Month and just like clockwork people will ask the age old question, what happened to Black music,
especially Hip Hop? However, like previous Black Music Months, June 30th will find many scratching their heads, filled with more questions than answers. However, the real answer is quite simple.

Black music got hooked on crack.

Following the death of college B-ball superstar Len Bias, in 1986, a great fear struck America . There was a new drug on the street that was gonna turn the hood into a kingdom of the walking dead. As Public Enemy put it , an eternal “Night of the Living Baseheads. “Worst than that they would spawn a horde of crack babies who would be destined to become career chain snatchers and riders on the prison revolving door. And since mainstream America was just getting turned on to Hip Hop, the destinies became intertwined.

Well , a recent study has proven what many already knew. Don’t believe the hype.

In an article published in Pediatrics, the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics. The idea of the “crack baby” has been exposed as myth. Although, the authors concede , that like with any drug, crack is not the best thing to put in your body, especially, while you’re pregnant., social factors such as poverty really play a greater role in determining the future of children.

But what about the music that was supposed to represent the mentality of the “crack babies”. If the crack baby syndrome was a myth, the music must be fictitious, as well.

Let’s be clear. There is no denying the devastating effect that the drug trade has had on the ‘hood, from the heroin explosion of the 70’s to the crack epidemic of the Hip Hop era. And the music of the periods served as soundtracks to the misery, from Curtis Mayfield’s “Pusherman” to Biggie Smalls’ “Ten Crack Commandments”

According to Seeka tha Teacha, captain of the Hip Hop Liberation Army,” Crack cocaine was introduced to Hip Hop for the purpose of destroying families and the well being of urban communities. It made drug dealers look rich in the eyes of the youth who were exposed to poverty.”

However, in this case ,we are not talking about the glorification of slangin’ rocks.that has permeated rap music since the late 80’s. That issue has been the subject of too many articles , books and documentaries to mention. Nor are we talking about the real life drug issues that have destroyed the careers of artists from Billie Holiday to DMX. Thus, murdering the message and the
music.

The point here is how the whole idea of “crack music” is based on the media perpetuation of the crack baby (prenatal cocaine exposure) myth and the pathological behaviors associated with it have effected Black culture. And more importantly, how the stereotypical images associated with crack have affected our youth.

Some believe that the media hype around selling and using crack was really a self fulfilling prophesy. And if you pump crack pipe dreams in the heads of children, they will gravitate towards that even if they ain’t bout that life.

According to a recent Time magazine article , Dr. Maureen Black , professor of pediatrics and epidemiology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine says that “once you label a child that way…there’s no hope for the child. “

Durham NC substance abuse activist, Shareef Hameed , agrees saying that “crack baby became part of the American vernacular.. It was like labeling someone before they even got started.”

Hameed says that the signs of crack addiction are nervousness , paranoia and aggressiveness, which, ironically, are the same attributes reflected in today’s rap music. It was also rumored to cause ADHD (attention deficit disorder. ) Which explains why the music seems to be attractive to those with low IQ’s and short attention spans.

Crack rap can be distinguished from Hip Hop by its lack of subject matter and overly simplistic, pickaninny choruses And the music industry has sold the idea across the planet that this is the type of music to which kids are addicted.

Unfortunately, many Hip Hop fans have bought into this false reality, as well.

The idea of crack babies has its roots in the negative stereotypes of Black people stretching back hundreds of years with the “small brain theory” which claimed that Black people had small skulls which limited their capacity to absorb information. Not much different than the racist stereotypes connected with Hip Hop.

So, the crack baby myth is really a socio-political construct , a euphemism for the pathological behavior of some young Black males. The term is not really about a specific drug. In theory it’s about a cocaine derivative but in practice it includes weed, malt liquor, molly or any mind altering drug that is promoted in Hip Hop.

What should be of major concern is how the crack baby hoax has served to demonize Black men. This is especially important with the upcoming George Zimmerman/Trayvon Martin murder trial as the media has already tried to portray Martin as a crack baby only hooked on weed, in preparation for what will become the “Trial of the Century.” Also, of note is the recent media fascination with Chief Keef and his recent exploits including accusing a security guard of racist mean muggin’ when he was allegedly busted in a hotel room smoking marijuana.

Like any addiction, the first step to overcoming crack music addiction is admitting that you have a problem. We must admit that it hasn’t been crack that has had the most far reaching effects on the Black community but “crack music” that has propagated a hoax.

Unfortunately, a whole generation has gotten high on the hype.

This Black Music Month Hip Hop needs a detox.

It’s gonna be a long hot summer, socially and politically for Black people and we need our minds sober and ready for action.

Like Pac said on Revolution:

“Can you imagine the damage we could do if we weren’t high?”

TRUTH Minista Paul Scott can be reached at info@nowarningshotsfired.com Follow on Twitter @truthminista

Check out Militant Minded Radio every Tuesday at 9PM EST
http://blacktalkradionetwork.com/page/militantmindedradio

Filed under: Editorial, Headlines Tagged: Black Music Month 2013, BMM 2013

Menace II Society: 20 Years Later

Biba Adams (@BibatheDiva) — Sat, 25 May 2013 16:36:38 +0000

It was my senior year of high school. A hot Memorial Day weekend, May 26, 1993. My cousin and I went to a see it at a theater that has long since closed down, The Americana. Patrons were being waved down with security wands, scanned for guns. It was an inconveinece that we didn’t even think twice about. Hey, it was better than getting shot. This was Detroit. In the early 90′s, and violence was just a fact of life.

And so were guns. And the death or incarceration of young, black men. Doughboy had only declared it 2 years earlier, but it seemed like they still didn’t know, didn’t show, or just didn’t care about what was going on in the hood.

But, then came Menace II Society.

The “hood movie” genre was already in full swing. New Jack City, Boyz N the Hood, and Juice provided the visuals for the hardcore music of the time. Set to gangster rap soundtracks, the new image of African American culture now had faces to match it. While Nino Brown was a villain worth hating, Doughboy tugged at your heart strings, and Bishop, you just felt sorry for.

But, then came O-Dog.

Nothing could prepare you for the opening scene of the movie. The random violence was astonishing. O-Dog was an antihero. He blurred the lines between hero and villain. Because for all of his bad-ness, he felt like someone you knew, someone you loved. He was young, black, and didn’t give a f**k.

But the heart of the story was Caine.

Caine Lawson was a boy I went to high school with. And if you grew up in an urban jungle, you probably did too, and if you didn’t, you might have been him. The son of a junkie mother and a drug dealing, murderous father, raised by grandparents who didn’t understand him, Caine seemed doomed from the very start. But, he was smart. Unlike most of his friends, he was graduating from high school, a fact that endeared him even more with the audience. And, hey, I’ll say it… he was cute. He was handsome in a way that wasn’t off-putting. He was handsome in a way that was just above average, just enough for it to matter. He could pull the girls, with his texturized hair and his silk shirts. He had a nice (stolen) ride, and nice (stolen) rims.

[ALSO READ: ’93 til Infinity: Our favorite “Menace II Society” Characters]

He was such an epitome of young, Black manhood in the early 90′s, that he could have been from anywhere. But, he grew up in South Central Los Angeles. In the late 80′s and 90′s, after the rise of NWA and West Coast hip-hop, South Central was synonymous with violence and anger. Having been filmed and released just a few short years after the Rodney King beating and the uprisings that followed, the beginning images of the 1965 Watts Rebellion and the 1992 LA Riots (or Rebellion) explained without words the city’s long-history of police brutality, gang violence, and systematic oppression.

And that was the point.

Menace II Society was, above all, the story of forgotten men. While Boyz N the Hood was a story of lost promise, of an invisible war waging in America’s ghettos, there was still a silver lining; after all Tre and Brandi went away to college, one at Morehouse and the other at Spelman. Caine never made it to Atlanta with his girl. Instead he died, right when he had found a reason to live.

And that was what made the tragic film so painful and powerful. After seeing it that opening weekend, I saw it again a few days later with my film buff mother, and afterwards in little Ford Escort, she threw her head into her hands and sobbed. Shocked, I stared at her as she wailed about the “vicious cycle.” I understood, but in my heart, I chose to make up a little story that Caine made it to the hospital and lived. I held that in my heart for years. To this day, when the movie comes on television, I usually turn it off before he gets shot. He was that powerful a protagonist.

The tragedy in Caine’s death was that it seemed so unavoidable. That it was a fate that he knew was hopeless to outrun. Caine’s fate was like so many in the Black community. A waste, a young man who could have been a good father, a good contributor to society. Instead, he was just another one of the lost ones, another brother you tipped the bottle for.

The late, great Roger Ebert, who absolutely loved this film, stated in his 4 star review: He (Caine) has the values of his immediate circle, and the lack of imagination: He cannot envision a world for himself outside of the limited existence of guns, cars, drugs and swagger. This movie, like many others, reminds us that murder is the leading cause of death among young black men. But it doesn’t blame the easy target of white racism for that: It looks unblinkingly at a street culture that offers its members few choices that are not self-destructive.

The Hughes Brothers didn’t blame society for the problems in the hood. But, it didn’t let it off the hook either. It showed, plainly, that there was a cycle of violence going on in the ghetto, and young men, smart men, handsome men, black men, were dying everyday and we were doing nothing about it. The film asked hard questions and demanded answers that still have yet to come. Questions about single motherhood, the growing numbers of grandparents raising kids–co-parenting with the streets, America’s obscenely high incarceration rate, the proliferation of guns in the Black community, and how systematic oppression (lack of access to liveable wage jobs, quality schools, and basic services) just creates more problems for all of us.

20 years later, street culture is celebrated. Films like Menace II Society put faces and images on stories that rappers had started to tell. And those stories only got louder, with driving bass beats to back them. Within months, The Chronic would drop and so would Doggystyle and Los Angeles and “gangster rap” would capture the imagination of America for years.

There is still crime in the Black community, still oppression, still bad schools, still single moms. But, I choose to believe that there has been progress in the last 20 years, and I don’t mean because we have a black President. There have been some decrease in violent crimes in major cities, the war on drugs locked up more than a few good men, but there has been a decrease in drug-related crime. There are more grassroots community programs and agencies in our cities, saving kids one at a time.

So, this year, as I prepare to head to my 20th high school reunion, I can see a movie in my hometown without there being metal detectors.

Filed under: Editorial, Headlines, MOBILE Tagged: 2Pac, Albert Hughes, Allen Hughes, Boyz in da hood, Caine, Compton, jada pinkett-smith, Juice, Larenz Tate, Menace II society, Menace II Society 20th Anniversary, O-Dog, Tyrin Turner

Why The Real Slim Shady Still Stands Up: 13 Years of “The Marshall Mathers LP”

shad2487 — Thu, 23 May 2013 17:50:43 +0000

The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of AllHipHop.com

On May 23, 2000, thirteen years ago today, Eminem’s second major-label album, The Marshall Mathers LP, was released. I was a thirteen-year-old and in seventh grade at the time.

I’ll never forget how much of an impact that album had in the hallways of my middle school in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Guys started wearing plain white T-Shirts and girls that had been reciting Britney Spears songs knew the lyrics to “The Real Slim Shady” word-for-word by Memorial Day. When I heard the album for the first time in its entirety early that summer, it was morbidly mesmerizing.

As I listen to that album today, it holds up incredibly well. I am now twenty-six and so The Marshall Mathers LP has been in my music collection for half of my life. And while some pop culture references may be dated, the lyrics, beats, and delivery remain some of the best ones that Hip-Hop has ever produced. I still play the album on a somewhat frequent basis, and recently came to realize that it is to Generation Y what Nirvana’s Nevermind was to Generation X: an example of artists becoming mainstream as a result of spitting in the face of it.

In honor of The Marshall Mathers LP’s thirteenth anniversary, I reflect on hearing it for the first time and what it’s like listening to it now. Some opinions have changed; some haven’t. Regardless, it definitely proved Eminem wasn’t a fluke and that he was, in fact, one of the most skilled emcees to emerge in a very long time.

May 2000:

I recall watching “EmTV” on MTV the weekend before Marshall Mathers came out, and after Eminem picked his favorite music videos and parodied MTV shows for a few hours, he did an interview with Kurt Loder. During their conversation, it became clear that the album was very explicit. But after hearing “Guilty Conscience” and “’97 Bonnie and Clyde” from The Slim Shady LP a year earlier, I remember thinking, “How much more shocking could he be?” But after I heard “Kill You,” I saw what all the hoopla was about. And that was just the first song.

By the time the album ended, Eminem was my new favorite rapper. The album was funny in a way that hardcore rap usually isn’t. My favorite lyrics were, “Cause if I ever stuck it to any show biz, it’d be Jennifer Lopez/And Puffy, you know this/ Sorry Puff, but I don’t give a f*** if this chick was my own mother/I’d still f*** her with no rubber/And c** inside her, and have a new son and a new brother.” It was offensive and disturbing, but also a little clever and honest.

“Kim” and “The Way I Am” were powerful records, but the album’s best song was “Stan.” The way that he gave the perspective of a fan and then what it’s like to be the person that’s idolized was astonishing.

May 2013:

Eminem is still one of my favorite rappers and “Stan” remains one of rap’s best songs ever. And in addition to solidifying Eminem’s chops, the album also made a major contribution to the legacy of Dr. Dre. While he obviously gave Em his break, The Slim Shady LP only had a few tracks produced by him. The Marshall Mathers LP, on the other hand, had more and that is reflected in the quality of the album.

One of the reasons I think the album connected so powerfully with audiences was that Eminem put so much of his personal life into his songs. He got more specific- he didn’t just say Detroit, he said that ICP “ain’t seen a f****n’ Mile Road south of 10.” He didn’t just rap about a wife- he put a name, Kim, with it. Listeners knew about the relationship with his mother. By putting detail into stuff like that, he made his subject matter real people, places, and things, and that gave him a way to be authentic and make people really care about him.

In a nutshell, Eminem’s second Aftermath release is about pain and the pressures of being in the spotlight. The rhyme that I now feel is the best is from the verse he closes the album out with, “If I ever gave a f***, I’d shave my nuts/Tuck my d*** in between my legs and cluck/You motherf***ing chickens ain’t brave enough/To say the stuff I say, so just tape it shut/S**t, half the shit I say, I just make it up to make you mad so kiss my white naked a**.” That pretty much sums it all up.

While Eminem has seen incredible success since The Marshall Mathers LP, it still remains his magnum opus. Yes, it is the fastest-selling solo album in music history and won countless awards, but that’s beside the point. This is a great album because the music is really damn good and it deserves to be recognized for that more than the controversy it created or the commercial success it achieved.

Respect due.

What do you think of The Marshall Mathers LP? Share your thoughts in the comments section!

Filed under: Editorial, MOBILE Tagged: Aftermath Records, Dr. Dre, Eminem

Dillard President Asks Dr. Dre Why He Gave $35 Million to USC and Not a Black College

Dr. Boyce Watkins — Thu, 23 May 2013 17:13:18 +0000

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The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of AllHipHop.com

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This piece originally ran on yourblackworld.net

Dr. Dre is one of the most successful entertainers in history, earning hundreds of millions of dollars by making great music. Much of this music moves because he has been able to successfully package urban/black culture, selling it to audiences around the world. One of the questions some have about those who readily use their blackness for profit is the following: What are you giving back to those who gave you so much?

It’s hard to know exactly what Dr. Dre is doing for the black community, but we all know where he made his greatest gift. Dr. Dre and music producer Jimmy Lovine recently announced a whopping $70 million dollar donation to USC to create a new degree. The program is one that pulls together liberal arts, graphic arts, business, music and technology. Dr. Dre’s donation is the largest ever given by any African American in history, and oddly enough, the money is going into the hands of rich white people.

As I prepared to give the commencement address at Simmons College, a growing HBCU in Kentucky with a very rich history, I heard a story about a group of ex-slaves who pooled their money to buy four acres of land so they could educate future generations. Without sacrifices like these, the school would not be giving so much to the community today. The school’s extraordinary president, Dr. Kevin Cosby, has not taken a paycheck for his work for the last eight years and readily speaks of how the school is located in one of the poorest districts in America. He sees his contribution as a chance to lift up the community around him, rather than simply milk the community’s resources.

If I could transplant Dr. Cosby’s brain into Dr. Dre’s body, black America would be changed forever. Also, had those ex-slaves been naive enough to give all of their money to the big white university down the street, the impact of their contribution would be minimal at best. One of the reasons that black Americans struggle economically is because we’ve been locked out of economic opportunities, while massive institutions like USC hoard the wealth to protect their own (take a look at the very low percentage of African Americans they hire or admit as students). Simultaneously, when we do have access to the resources necessary to begin our building process, we don’t feel inclined to support those who look like us. That’s the difference between the black and the Jewish communities: They teach their children to generously target their resources to protect them against oppression.

Some may argue that Dr. Dre can do whatever he wants with his money, and this point is valid: No one has the right to tell any of us what to do – a child has no obligation to care about his mother, a husband has no real obligation to provide for his wife, the list goes on and on. But the truth is that if you choose not to care about your community, then don’t expect your community to care about you. Black people have always been incredibly loyal and supportive of Dr. Dre, particularly those who made him the defacto King of Compton and Long Beach. It would seem that his greatest economic gift should go to them instead.

Another person who had something to say about the gift is Dillard University president, Walter M. Kimbrough. Dr. Kimbrough was once the youngest president of any HBCU in the country and proudly considers himself to be a part of the hip-hop generation. In an op-ed in the LA Times, Kimbrough openly asks Dre why he chose to give so much money to USC, as opposed to one of the struggling HBCUs that really could have used those resources:

I understood their need to build a pool of skilled talent. But why at USC? Iovine’s daughter is an alum, sure. And he just gave its commencement address. Andre Young — before he was Dr. Dre — grew up in nearby Compton, where he rose to fame as part of the rap group N.W.A. The Beats headquarters are on L.A.’s Westside.

Still, what if Dre had given $35 million — his half of the USC gift and about 10% of his wealth, according to a Forbes estimate — to an institution that enrolls the very people who supported his career from the beginning? An institution where the majority of students are low-income? A place where $35 million would represent a truly transformational gift?

Dr. Kimbrough is absolutely correct. USC’s endowment is over $3.5 billion, which gives this school more money than every single HBCU in America combined. Even more stunning is that the school’s endowment isn’t even in the top 20 in the nation. The point here, and I hope Dr. Dre understands this, is that white people have plenty of money and they aren’t going to use that money to help people who look like you. They don’t exactly need black people making donations, since they’ve already earned over a billion dollars from their African American athletes, many of whom have mothers who can’t even pay the rent.

Even worse is that much of this wealth was accumulated on the backs of slaves and black people who were locked out of the economic system. Schools like USC make it diffcult for black students to gain admission and even more difficult for black faculty to get jobs. The university sits down the street from South Central Los Angeles, a virtual war zone where prisons and funeral homes get rich from all the young black men being fed into the prison industrial complex. USC doesn’t use many of its resources to help these individuals, it simply uses Dr. Dre’s money to build higher walls so they can protect the rich white kids from the scary black ones.

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Black students at USC protest police harassment during a recent party on campus

I wonder if Dr. Dre knows that not only does USC admit very few black students, but the ones who are there are subject to serious racism and racial profiling. During a recent campus party, the LAPD sent over 70 police officers in riot gear with a helicopter to break up the party after noise complaints. All the while, the white kids were partying up in their fraternity houses without so much as a peep from the police.

Additionally, for Dr. Dre, his $35 million dollar donation (half of the $70 million he is sharing with Levin) is merely a drop in the bucket for a school like USC that is sitting on an amount of money that no HBCU will have for at least another 100 years. USC shed no tears when Dr. Dre’s baby brother was murdered in the violence that has poisoned the black community. They did nothing when his son died from an overdose on the drugs that were dropped into black communities in the 1980s. HBCUs have scholars working to solve these problems, and thousands of students who will graduate to fight for black America. USC does NOT.

Dr. Kimbrough goes even further to explain why USC was a questionable donation target for someone who grew up as a struggling black kid in South Central Los Angeles.

USC is a great institution, no question. But it has a $3.5-billion endowment, the 21st largest in the nation and much more than every black college — combined. Less than 20% of USC’s student body qualifies for federal Pell Grants, given to students from low-income families, compared with two-thirds of those enrolled at black colleges. USC has also seen a steady decrease in black student enrollment, which is now below 5%.

A new report on black male athletes and racial inequities shows that only 2.2% of USC undergrads are black men, compared with 56% of its football and basketball teams, one of the largest disparities in the nation. And given USC’s $45,602 tuition next year, I’m confident Dre could have sponsored multiple full-ride scholarships to private black colleges for the cost of one at USC.

Dr. Kimbrough made a courageous decision to write this article. There are some who might criticize him as a “hater” or argue with his right to question what Dr. Dre does with his money. But I’m not talking to those people right now. Instead, we must look at the facts: Dr. Dre, a man who has made hundreds of millions of dollars selling back urban culture to the world has made his largest donation to a predominately white university that doesn’t need the money and rarely admits black students unless they can play a sport. I love Dr. Dre’s music, but I am dying to ask my good brother, “What were you thinking?”

By the way, as schools like USC have gotten rich from black athletes, HBCUs can barely pay the bills. All the while, almost none of this money is returned to the black community, and multi-million dollar USC athletes like Reggie Bush have their integrity questioned for receiving a few hundred dollars under the table. The fact is that these schools rob black people blind, don’t give hardly anything to the black community, and laugh at the fact that we are ridiculous enough to turn around and give money back. If I were the president of USC, I’d be giggling under my breath and wondering how a group of people can have such little respect for themselves.

I think this is what some in the dotcom era might call an “SMH moment.” Dr. Dre is a brilliant producer, but this move just doesn’t make any sense. I hope he has something to say.

Dr. Boyce Watkins co-stars in the Janks Morton Film “Hoodwinked,” starring Dr. Steve Perry, Dr. Marc Lamont Hill, Dr. Jawanza Kunjufu and Dr. Ivory Toldson. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here.

Listen to hear an interview between Dr. Walter Kimbrough and Dr. Boyce Watkins as he explains why he wrote this article.

Filed under: Editorial Tagged: Dr. Dre

Kanye West’s Infatuation With Jesus

Chad Horton (@ChadHorton) — Wed, 22 May 2013 11:58:25 +0000

The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of AllHipHop.com

We’re all made in the image of God. Kanye West wants to be God.

Hip Hop has always been about braggadocio antics and ego, but believe it or not there is a ceiling to what people will approve of. Kanye West has walked that fine line and is about to step over it.

But is this really anything new? Rappers have been referring to themselves as things that they aren’t since the beginning. When you lie, you have to continue to create new lies to support the original lie. In hip hop, the titles and bragging have escalated from the dopest emcee, ambassador of a region, gangster, baller, don, killer, king of a region, king of hip hop, best to ever do it, Makaveli (Tupac), Hov (Jay-Z), a God, Rakim (a Five Percenter) and now Yeezus.

I’m not really shocked. The infatuation with Jesus has been with Kanye since he hit the mainstream with “Jesus Walks.” In ’06 Kanye said that he should be in a revised version of the Bible. He didn’t just liken himself to Jesus on the 2006 Rolling Stone cover, he posed as him – crown of thorns and all. And most recently of course the rumor that his new album would be titled ‘I Am God’ and then ‘I Am A God’, to finally the recent rumor/leak the title will actually be Yeezus.

You can call it art or metaphorical and lie to yourself all you want but Kanye is no different than the countless men in the past that have worshipped and created idols, or lied to themselves by thinking that they are equal to God or God himself. He is the furthest progression in hip hop toward thinking and/or trying to get others to think that he is the greatest ever. That progression naturally moves to blasphemy by putting himself on the highest level possible – God.

I would wager that Kanye is just creating a buzz for his new album and testing the waters to see if the masses would accept it, and end up changing the album title.

Find more from AllHipHop.com contributor Chad Horton at Rapzilla.com, and follow him on Twitter (@chadhorton).

Filed under: Editorial Tagged: Jesus, Kanye West, Yeezus

Streets Is Watchin’: Who Speaks For The ‘Hood ?

TRUTH Minista Paul Scott — Mon, 13 May 2013 15:03:10 +0000

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The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of AllHipHop.com

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“We Want in/Or let the revolution begin”

“Various Shades of Black” - Rakim

There was a time when Rev. Cleophus Johnson, head of the Negro League of Colored Black People ,Inc could call for a march and thousands of people would show up. So, he was confused when his latest call to integrate Big Bubba’s Beer and Burger Barn was only answered by a couple of elderly citizens on their way to a Bingo game. Maybe it was because, on the other side of town ,Brother Rasheed was leading a march of thousands against police brutality that he organized on Twitter…

For generations, Black activism went, basically, according to script. The designated leader of 42 million African Americans would spend months organizing a mass demonstration. Every Black radio station in the country would promote this event as it was the ultimate place to be. Then ,after the march, the people would go home , not sure why they came and confused as to what to do next.

But now times have changed and the new face of leadership is anyone who has more that 5,000 Facebook friends and a smart phone.

Historically, since the days of Frederick Douglas, White America has only needed one Black leader to be the voice of all Black people. This was perfected with the coming of Booker T Washington and his Tuskegee Machine, as steps were taken to make sure that his voice was the only one being heard by the masses, whether right or wrong.

But what about now, when the playing field has been, somewhat , leveled, and the high school kid with 10,000 Twitter followers and an itchy typing finger may have more juice than a Civil Rights leader with a prime time TV show?

Years ago, a leader would call for a boycott and “negotiate “ for several weeks before getting a sizable donation to his organization and a photo op with the CEO of the targeted corporation. But now, thanks to 5G iPhones, the battle has already been fought and the war won before the leader can pour his morning coffee

This is most evident with the recent, successful, grassroots efforts against Reebok and Pepsico, as activists led successful campaigns against companies that dared to use rappers with disgusting lyrics to promote their brands. While it is easy to pick up Dr. Winstead Williams and fly him to your corporate headquarters to work out a deal to calm the natives, it ‘s another thing, altogether, when thousands of disgruntled customers are on Twitter plotting a Boston Tea Party styled rebellion and, stealthily, organizing to poor gallons of your product in rivers across the country. Or when thousands of high school kids put the word out on Instagram that anyone wearing your company’s sneakers to school tomorrow runs the risk of having a scarlet L painted on his forehead.

This is problematic for those who hold leadership positions in the Black community because no chosen race spokesman can afford to have people launching successful movements without him being at the front of the line directing traffic.

Although, Eric B and Rakim once said “Follow the Leader,” with the popularity of the Internet , seems like the leaders are the ones doing the following, as there is nothing left for them to do but get down with OPIP (Other People’s Intellectual Property).

I found it strange that after Hip Hop activist, Rosa Clemente used the term “rap industrial complex,” during the Rick Ross/Reebok controversy, variations of that phrase started coming out of the mouths of more “mainstream” Black leaders and intellectuals.

So, it seems like the day of the HNIC has just about run it’s course.

The changing dynamic has also proven problematic for the media .

There has always been a serious lack of black journalists in the mainstream media. But today ,even the ones who do make it in front of the camera act more like star truck celebrity groupies than hard nosed reporters. These people will walk right past a group of poor Black folks protesting against indecent housing in order to get the scoop on Puff Daddy’s weekend Black tie affair.

But fortunately, there are people like Scotty Reid whose Internet based , Black Talk Radio Network, is challenging the mis-education of Black media. The network is launching Militant Minded Radio which will serve as a legitimate voice of “the streets.”

However, the first task is that we must redefine what is meant by the term “the streets.”

It was once universally accepted that “the streets” was a term used to voice the collective displeasure of those suffering politically and economically at the hands of a common oppressor. However, in the Hip Hop Era the term have been redefined to mean “a group of mindless zombies , who ‘s collective self identification is based on Wall Street marketing schemes, regardless of economic circumstance.”

If it is true that there are eight million stories in the naked city, then there are 42 million stories in Black America, all of which deserve to be heard. We now have the technology to tell our own stories. he question is, do we have the courage?

We must show the masses of the people who are waiting for someone to come along to lead them to the Promised Land, that the power is right at their fingertips.

Funkmaster George Clinton once said that his legendary group , Parliament’s, mission was to “reclaim the pyramids. “

In 2013, our task must be to reclaim the streets.

TRUTH Minista Paul Scott’s website is No Warning Shots Fired.com . He can be reached at info@nowarningshotsfired.com or follow on Twitter @truthminista Militant Minded Radio airs every Tuesday at 9PM EST on the Black Talk Radio Network.
http://blacktalkradionetwork.com/page/militantmindedradio

Filed under: Editorial, Headlines Tagged: Rakim

Phoning in the Revolution: Exploring Race and the Technological Consumer with Insight from Chuck D

S. A. Waters, @JakeCrates and Octavia Bostick — Sun, 12 May 2013 01:30:23 +0000

The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of AllHipHop.com

How much have you spent on electronics in just the last 12-24 months? How about your friends and family? And what did you and/or your community get back from it? Really? How does race impact the way tech companies market products?

Hip-Hop, African-Americans in particular, have always been out front when it comes to electronic gadgets/mobile phones and as such have been the champion for all things electronic in the process. Everything from “motorola two-way page me” in lyrics to close ups of cell phones in videos, Hip-Hop has been key in making electronics companies untold fortunes through its constant promotion, support and usage. According to research statistics from Nielsen mobile, African-Americans are actually more likely to own a SmartPhone than other racial groups, and according to Pew Research Center, Black women Tweet more from their cell phones than any other ethnic group in this country.

It’s statistics like these that should equal power. Yet typically we see Caucasian hands gripping phones in print ads, and coverage on Black owned tech start-ups a rarity in the edgy tech media, save during Black History Month and an occasional bone thrown. The money and media support simply doesn’t seem to be filtering back to Blacks who contribute so very much to a multi-trillion dollar industry. Why?

The tech-savvy Hip-Hop legend Chuck D senses an issue. In a recent interview about tech and race he explained, “If I had to say one way or the other I’d say that most tech-related companies today are pretty arrogant. Do they see an importance in reaching out to diverse markets in this country? For me, it’s like they’ve decided “buy it/use it or don’t”, it doesn’t really matter that Black Americans spend millions on these gadgets and stuff and tons of time (on their social platforms). Who cares about statistics? They know we’re going to buy/use these tech products, phones and more; so it seems they could care less.”

He continues, “And the way it’s all set up; it’s encouraged to be like another appendage and (for those platforms that have a monthly invoice for usage) don’t miss a payment; then it gets gangsta.The only way I see more diversity happening both inside of these companies and with their strategies is for a collective push to happen like in Montgomery, Alabama back in the day.”

Perhaps it is this, coupled with President Barack Obama’s 2013 inauguration speech just a few months ago that encourage Edward Richards to co-found the 1.21 Movement. Richards explains, “As I was listening to what Barack Obama said at the Capitol I was crazy moved. He talked about how everybody should be included in this tech game. I looked around and thought, I don’t even really see us represented the way we should be, let alone ‘included’ when it comes to tech. So I got together with some friends and launched the 1.21 Movement. We’ve got quotes from King to Kanye, stats and more to open people’s eyes.”

The 1.21 offers a blog, Facebook page and Twitter page to encourage direct comments to major tech companies who are not including us in media or supporting media organizations that don’t support Blacks by spending advertising dollars at those outlets.

“But what has gotten some of the most feedback,” explains Richards, “has been our YouTube channel featuring our ‘People on the Street’ series. We are asking regular people if they know how much money is being spent, how these companies get down. And when they find out they are shocked. Some of the videos are really funny too, given these people’s reactions.”

And just what are some of those statistics? For example, Pew Research released information just two months ago that shows that Caucasians who own a cell phone decreased two points. Blacks are a target as avid consumers. Blacks have also been deemed “ahead of the digital curve” according to Think With Google. We also spend a proportionately higher income of our discretionary spending on electronics than any other demographic in this country, according to a BET survey. But what are we getting in return? Are we even being respected?

“Here’s the thing,” says Chuck D. “There’s also just a lot of dumb people now in our society. Larger business knows it so they’re like, ‘yeah, here’s something for your dumb a**: a new phone, a new game.’ It’s like everyone’s got a Wii, but they have no idea how it works. That’s, like, the big secret. Why aren’t more young people trying to figure that out and more?”

Indeed. Surely an Alicia Keys or Samuel L. Jackson appearing in an ad might not seem equivalent to the $39 billion we spend in electronics. Most Black communities are in a very poor state in this country, and the wealth gap between Blacks and Whites is said to being growing exponentially and fast.

“Where is the commitment from tech companies in terms of grants and internships to Black and schools so they can be power players in the tech game and not just consumers?” asks Richards. “They need to be creating special programs to hire and train the next generation of tech leaders and those who report on them. It’s like the new invisible man. They say that can’t find us. It’s not true, but if If they can’t find enough of us, they have a responsibility to help create them. And when we need more Black writers at these tech magazines and major magazines to represent us more consistently. That kills two birds with one stone in terms of wealth increase. How are phone companies gonna just put their money, which is from our pockets, on these magazine sites that don’t even include us on staff? How does that make sense?”

“I think we’re in a position where we can no longer be taken for granted. This movement needs people to show support by leaving comments on our sites asap,” says Richards. “Please! Because that is where the power is. If we were able to do it in the past for other things, we can do it now. It’s like economic (genocide),” he concludes. “And our kids can’t become what they can’t see. I believe this is part of what Obama meant in his speech!”

Chuck D’s sentiments are equally strong. He says, “Yeah, these tech companies definitely should have more accountability with the (balance of dollars and deals). We really need to look at what’s happening because for me, Hip-Hop is technology — from the two turntables and a microphone it’s all about the combination of technology to express a lifestyle and creative vision.”

Truly, Hip-Hop is strength for technology. Just this week, the famed Smithsonian in Washington, DC has announced its Smithsonian Places of Invention exhibit is slated to open in spring 2015 at the Lemeson Center, part of the National Museum of American History. It will pay homage to the Bronx as a place for “hot spot for innovation” along side Silicon Valley and other cities in our nation. The Bronx is being singled out due to its contribution to turntables technology, usage of hotwired streetlamps and more. Accolades are wonderful, but if you compare household income between say, the Bronx and Silicon Valley, it’s staggering. Seems like it’s time to put a few things in balance. Maybe the 1.21 Movement will do just that, with a little help from Hip-Hop.

Filed under: Editorial, MOBILE Tagged: Cell Phones, Chuck D, technology, Twitter

Hip-hop’s Infatuation With Assata Shakur: It’s Complicated

Chuck "Jigsaw" Creekmur (@ChuckCreekmur) — Fri, 03 May 2013 22:51:15 +0000

This piece originally ran on TheGrio.com.

It wasn’t our parents who introduced us to Assata Shakur. It was hip-hop. Chuck D of Public Enemy broke the thick, cold ice when he bellowed, “supporter of Chesimard!” in the group’s seminal song “Rebel Without A Pause.”

However, Assata Shakur, known to her haters by her married name, JoAnne Chesimard, lived a graphic tale that began well before the 1987 classic song by P.E. Shakur, 65, was accused of the 1973 murder of state trooper Werner Foerster during a traffic stop in New Jersey. A member of the Black Liberation Army, Shakur was convicted in 1977, even though her case was wrought with controversy (she has consistently denied killing Foerster and proclaimed her innocence). And then she famously escaped, and fled to Cuba. Chuck D name-checked her, and sparked a lot of brain cells in the youth who were consuming rap music at a time when her name was not ringing many bells.
After Chuck D came others in rap who acknowledged Shakur in their lyrics, like revolutionary rapper Paris, the jazzy Digable Planets, militant crew X-Clan, and Common, a more palatable purveyor of conscious rap. Assata’s name came up in 2011 when Common was invited to the White House to perform, as many on the Right took exception to his early lyrical content. They were also offended at his outright, unapologetic support for Shakur on “A Song for Assata,” who is now widely known only as a “convicted cop killer” as if injustice didn’t exist in America.

RELATED: An Open Letter From Assata Shakur

But hip-hop also embraces Assata for a reason deeper than any name-check.

Her godson, Tupac Shakur, was probably the biggest name ever in rap music. Many have fantasized that Pac is in Cuba right now, chillin’ with his step aunt. Although most people gravitate to the thug in Pac, he had revolutionary blood in his veins. He’s mother was a Black Panther and his stepfather Mutulu Shakur, also an activist, is considered a political prisoner by his supporters. Mutulu is in jail right now for helping his sister, Assata, in her escape from prison on November 2, 1979. These are the ones Tupac considered “real n***as.” We absorbed that in his songs as he name checked them.

The wormhole goes deeper.

The Rebel…With A Cause
Shakur holds a major distinction that probably contributes to the ire of her detractors. Simply put, she got away. Davey D, a hip-hop activist and historian, says her supporters can relate to her success at bucking the system.

RELATED: Assata Shakur Becomes First Woman on Terrorist List

“Of course she was a rebel,” Davey says. “She’s been a rebel — not in some sort of nostalgic way — but in a real way that people can relate to.” And he says Shakur’s supporters in the world of hip-hop “don’t see her as some crazed cop killer, the way the popular narrative would have you believe. She was somebody who was about defending our community. She comes on the scene [as a] response to our community [being] attacked” by racist forces.

Click here for the rest at TheGrio.com

Filed under: Editorial, Headlines, Uncategorized

Lil Wayne Apologizes To The Emmett Till Family

AHH Staff (@AllHipHopcom) — Wed, 01 May 2013 16:21:30 +0000

Back in February, Lil Wayne became the subject of intense scrutiny for a rap lyric that seemingly disrespected the memory of Emmett Till, a young boy that was murdered and mutilated in 1955 for whistling at a white woman. The rapper appeared on the song “Karate Chop” and proclaimed that he would beat up a woman’s private parts like Emmett Till. Since, the Till Family has attempted to get a response and apology. Their wish has been granted. The letter is below.

Dear Till Family:

As a recording artist, I have always been interested in word play. My lyrics often reference people, places and events in my music, as well as the music that I create for or alongside other artists.

It has come to my attention that lyrics from my contribution to a fellow artist’s song has deeply offended your family. As a father myself, I cannot imagine the pain that your family has had to endure. I would like to take a moment to acknowledge your hurt, as well as the letter you sent to me via your attorneys.

Moving forward, I will not use or reference Emmett Till or the Till family in my music, especially in an inappropriate manner. I fully support Epic Record’s decision to take down the unauthorized version of the song and to not include the reference in the version that went to retail. I will not be performing the lyrics that contain that reference live and have removed them from my catalogue.

I have tremendous respect for those who paved the way for the liberty and opportunities that African-Americans currently enjoy. As a business owner who employs several African-American employees and gives philanthropically to organizations that help youth to pursue their dreams my ultimate intention is to uplift rather than degrade our community.

Best,

Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr.
Lil Wayne

Filed under: Editorial, Headlines Tagged: Emmett Till, lil wayne

OPINION: Mannie Fresh Says There Will Be No Labels In 20 Years

AHH Staff (@AllHipHopcom) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 02:33:26 +0000

The music industry has certainly changed dramatically in the last 15 or so years. Actually, the record label machines have not changed very much, but the circumstances surrounding it have. Basically, artists are finding ways of usurping the majors more and more these days. In the 90s artists like Master P and Cash Money were so hot in the streets, they commanded millions when they joined forces with the majors. These days, those dollars have dried up, but hip-hop continues to leverage the power of the underground without the majors. Mannie Fresh, the beat maestro that provided the foundation for Cash Money, has reasoned that in a couple decades there will be no need for labels at all.

Check out the video.

What do you think?

Filed under: Editorial Tagged: Mannie Fresh

Is There A Conspiracy Against Hip-Hop?

Houston Williams (@AllHipHopcom) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 21:07:20 +0000

Without question, Hip-Hop is one of the most revolutionary art forms created. But, in 2013 the music has become void of the political promise it once held in the Golden 80′s and 90′s. Some, with an almost violent fervor, have maintained that there is an over, concerted conspiracy against Hip-Hop.

Enter: Scarface, the legendary rapper from the Geto Boys.

Check out what he has to say where he name checks Jewish people, old people and says Whites will soon take over the culture.

Filed under: Editorial, Headlines Tagged: Scarface

Emmett Till’s Family Speaks Out Again

AHH Staff (@AllHipHopcom) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 15:08:15 +0000

The family of Emmett Till is not letting Lil Wayne off the hook for the lyrics that disrespected the memory of Emmett Till and women in general. While Wayne probably isn’t very stressed over the opposition, has refused to say sorry, the family of Till have released a new video chiding the rapper for what he rapped on “Karate Chop,” a song by Future. The song was removed by Epic Records and was never released commercially.

Emmett Till sparked the Civil Rights Movement when he as a young boy was murdered in 1955 for whistling at a white woman.

Filed under: Editorial, Headlines

The Castration of the Hip Hop Nation

TRUTH Minista Paul Scott — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 14:39:56 +0000

The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of AllHipHop.com

“Sisters say where are the good Black men/ They’re missin’ in action/ Cause we are at war!”

“Buck Whylin’” Terminator X featuring Chuck D and Sister Souljah

There used to be a time when takin’ a Brotha’s manhood took a lot of time and effort. Folks used to have to go through the trouble of finding a tall tree, a strong rope and a sharp knife. Not to mention sending out all those postcards to make sure that all their friends and neighbors got the right address for the lynching. But today , it’s much easier. All they have to do is find an entertainer , put a dress on him and they can castrate a million Black men, automatically…

Not too long ago, it was understood that just being born a Black man made you an adversary to the White male dominated power structure. So, whether it was lynchings, police beatings or negative images on TV , it was abundantly clear that somebody was out to getcha.

However, in these days of what country singer Brad Paisley and his homie LL Cool J call “accidental racism,” we have fallen victim to the easiest way to ensure the defeat of a people. Convince them that they’re not at war.

Although, Tupac once rapped that “my 4-4 makes sure all your kids don’t grow.,” the wickedly wise have more subtle and diabolical means to rid themselves of the undesirables.. And one of those means is image control.

When the Rick Ross Molly rape song scandal broke, I knew that either way it turned out, it would not be a good look for the Brothas. If left unchecked, Ross would have been given a hood pass to continue making his misogynistic, murder music into eternity. But if addressed successfully , the image of Rick Ross would have to be blown up to be the poster child of rape. The latter happened, and as usual, Black men were caught in the middle of the classic game of “heads I win, tails you lose” and the white image makers that create the Rick Ross’s of the world went, virtually, unscathed

So once again, the image of the Black male took a hit.

Not much different than the OJ Simpson trial back in the day. Even though, I may have believed that “The Juice” was guilty that didn’t stop the image of the Black man as a psychopathic, axe murderer from being beamed across the planet.

More recently, with the tragic bombing of the Boston Marathon , we saw, courtesy of the erroneous reporting of an overzealous CNN journalist ,that even when it comes to terrorism ,the usual suspects are ones with dark skin. This is even more disturbing when placed against the backdrop of the numerous Black males who have been killed by the police because of a case of “mistaken identity.”

Historically, there has been a precedent set that any conquering army, kills the men, rapes the women and, as Chancellor Williams revealed in his work “The Destruction of Black Civilization,” produces children who identify with the rapers of their mothers instead of the cultural traditions of their fathers.

This is why Hip Hop has increasingly become more European than African, adopting lifestyles that were embraced by the Greeks, Celts , etc instead of those from the continent of their ancestors.

One of the recent controversies in Hip Hop is the feminization of the culture which includes putting Black men in skirts. It must be noted that this is not limited to rap music, as one of the most frequently asked questions by conspiracy theorists is “why do most Black male actors have to put on a dress at some point in their careers?”

Although the topic of Black men wearing feminine clothes has been discussed in Hop Hop terms, it has rarely been discussed within the context of Black racial survival, which has generated much confusion and half truths. As Neely Fully wrote in in “ The United Compensatory Code,” “unless you understand white supremacy, everything else will just confuse you.”

What is at issue here is not what one does in the privacy of his bedroom, but whether there will be any Black people left 100 years from now. It’s about the reproduction of Black children which can only be accomplished by the union of a man and a woman. No more,no less.

Sadly, any mention of this topic will have charges of the misnomer “homophobia” flying everywhere. In actually, Black men aren’t afraid of being roughed up by a bunch of gay guys. The fear is the influence that a segment of society that has achieved a substantial amount of political and socioeconomic power has over a group that has been politically, socially and economically castrated. So much so that they will accept the genocide of their race to avoid upsetting the more socioeconomically powerful group.

Also, the feminizing of Black males secures the survival of the white race that could be wiped out in a few generations by miscegenation. It also reducing the chances of Black men physically or mentally challenging white supremacy.

This paranoia is what Dr. Frances Cress Welsing calls “fear of white genetic annihilation.” In her essay, “Black Male Passivity,” she stated that “white males fully understand that males who are forced to identify as females will be programmed, simultaneously , into submission to the males they call “The Man” as opposed to aggressing against these same males.”

Let’s be clear, this is not just limited to homosexuality. Having more love for strippers in a club than for the mother of your children or producing a squad of babies all over the hood who don’t know their daddy does not ensure the survival of the race, either.

Perhaps the worst thing that is being done is using to Hip Hop to brainwash an entire generation of Black Males to execute Kill on Sight orders on other Black males. Thus, making fratricide, an acceptable practice.

From homicides to homosexuality, the desired end game result is the same. The final solution to America’s race problem.

We must understand that this is not just about music or sexual preference. The survival of our race is in jeapody if something doesn’t change. It’s time for Black men to stand up for Black men. Who else is gonna do it?

Like Eldrige Cleaver once said “”We shall have our manhood . We shall have it or the earth will be leveled by our attempts to gain it.”

TRUTH Minista Paul Scott’s website is No Warning Shots Fired.com. For more information on the Black By Nature/Conscious By Choice Campaign contact (919) 972-8305 or info@nowarningshotsfired.com. Follow on Twitter @truthminista

Filed under: Editorial Tagged: LL Cool J, Rick Ross

The Three Jay’s: Jay-Z Throughout The Years In His Own Words

Keith Nelson Jr (@JusAire) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 22:30:26 +0000

Remember “The Three Daves” episode from the 2nd season of The Chappelle Show? If not, in the hilarious episode, Dave acted as himself from three different ages (18, 24, 30) handling different topics (relationship problems, fighting the law, professional rejection).

Unless you have been living under a rock for the past three weeks, there’s another superstar in the news going through another drastic transformation in his career:

Jay-Z.

[ALSO READ: Jay-Z and Beyonce Become Music’s First Billionaire Couple, Reddit Co-Founder Wants Jay-Z’s Nets’ Share]

The Brooklyn lyrical titan has signed a multiyear deal with Universal Music Group for his Roc Nation record label, began a sports agency(then subsequently signed Robinson Cano), was named one of the 100 Most Influential People by TIME Magazine(for the SECOND time) and April is barely halfway over. A lot has changed since Jay was rapping faster than a caffeinated Twista and dressing baggier than Fat Albert.

There are three Jay-Z era’s in his illustrious 14 year recording career (minus his two year retirement).

’96-’00 will be known as his Rise to Stardom/Project Boy Grows Up.

’01-’03 is his Ascenion To Greatness/New Rap King.

’06-present is Icon Hov

So let’s take a look at The Three Jay’s:

Jay-Z on Fashion:

Rise to Stardom/Project Boy Grows Up (’96-’00):

“So I’m cruising with this Bourgeois broad/

She said “jigga man, why don’t you take the du-rag off/

Hit a U-Turn, ma, I’m dropping you back off.”-“So Ghetto” from Vol. 3 Life and Times of S. Carter

Rule No. 1 for Ladies Wanting To Date Jay-Z back then: Durag > you. Jay-Z always personified his mafioso and decadent lyrics with suits that would make Frank Lucas proud during the Reasonable Doubt days. But like he says later in the song, he was still a “thug n*gga ’till the end.”

Ascenion To Greatness/New Rap King.(’01-’03):

“And I dont wear a jersey, I’m thirty plus/

Give me a crisp pair of jeans, n*gga, button ups”-“What More Can I Say” from The Black Album

You want to know how drastically Jay-Z changed between age 30 and age 33? He released The Blueprint album at 30 and The Black Album at 33. On “Jigga That N*gga from The Blueprint he said:

Come on the track duh duh da-da
With a throwback jersey and a fitted

He dropped Mitchell & Ness quicker than he did Amil.

Icon Hov (’06-present):

“Throwbacks, I threw ‘em back, remember the button ups”-”Reminder” off of Blueprint 3

I like to call this Rocking Chair Hov. The older he gets the more reflective he becomes of his career. He’s one half of music’s first billionaire couple so he’s super comfortable in dressing in anything now. Even if that means looking like George Costanza:

[ALSO READ: Jay-Z Officially Applies To Be A Baseball Agent]

Jay-Z on Love:

Rise to Stardom/Project Boy Grows Up (’96-’00):

“She wanted, us to end, cause I f*cked her friend/

She gave me one more chance and I f*cked her again/

I seen her tears as she busted in/

I said, “sh*t there’s a draft, shut the door b*tch and come on in!” from “Jigga What, Jigga Who” off Vol. 2 Hard Knock Life

He was brash and unapologetic earlier on before he had political connects to upset. He even “dated” this woman:

Something tells me not many women got past a firs date with younger Young Hov.

Ascenion To Greatness/New Rap King.(’01-’03):

But ma you got a f’real f’serious role
I’m bout to give you all the keys and security codes from “Excuse Me Miss” off The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse

In 1999 Mr. Carter was ending dates if a woman disrespected his durag. In 2001, he said he was going to “mourn forever” for failed relationship on “Song Cry”. By 2002 he was sounding like he was ready to get married with no prenup.

Coincidentally, this line was on the same album he had his first collaboration with his future wife and mother of his first child, Beyonce. The things a woman can do.

Icon Hov (’06-present):

“The most amazing feeling I feel
Words can’t describe what I’m feeling for real
Maybe I paint the sky blue
My greatest creation was you”- from “Glory”

On this one song he tries to hit a high note, says the father who abandoned him was good deep down inside, and even talked about Beyonce’s miscarriage. He even slides in a sly reference to the late Aaliyah(check your carry-on baggage, seriously). He has a wife and and a child. This is what rap at 40 should sound like.

*Cues Blue Ivy’s outro*

[ALSO CHECK OUT: New Music: Jay-Z’s New ‘Open Letter’ Discusses Everything From Obama To Cuba To ‘New World Management’]

Jay-Z on Enemies:

Rise to Stardom/Project Boy Grows Up (’96-’00):

“You’re twitchin, don’t do that, you makin me nervous/

My crew, well, they do pack, them niggas is murderous” from “Friend or Foe” from Reasonable Doubt

On numerous occasions Jay-Z has said when he started rapping he was just doing it to impress his friends.He was coming out of the drug game and relinquishing that mentality was not quick. In 1999 he pleaded guilty for assault after stabbing record producer Lance “Un” Rivera over the latter bootlegging his album.

Ascenion To Greatness/New Rap King.(’01-’03):

“When the grass is cut, the snakes’ll show/

I gotta thank the little homie Nas for that though/

Saving me the hassle of dealing with half of these a*sholes

And I’mma let karma catch up to Jaz-O.”- Blueprint 2″ from Blueprint 2: Gift & The Curse

Simply put: Jay-Z wanted to be the greatest rapper of all time so it is no surprise that on the same album where he says he’s the closest to B.I.G. he aims at all his targets on “Takeover”. From bringing out Michael Jackson at Summer Jam(BEFORE the Prodigy picture) to selling out Madison Square Garden, he was ready to distinguish himself from the others and show he was in a class of his own.

Just don’t listen to “Renegade”.

Icon Hov (’06-present):

“Tell Rush Limbaugh, to get off my b*lls/

It’s 2010, not 1874″- “Off That” from Blueprint 3

This man said that he told the President of the United States of America to quit his job and take a vacation with him on the beach. He’s in rarefied air for a Hip Hop artist. So naturally his enemies turn from angry rappers to angry politicians and political pundits. Let’s just hope he doesn’t start beef with any dictators.

Jay-Z On His Rap Legacy

Rise to Stardom/Project Boy Grows Up(‘ 96-’00):

“I’m from where n*ggas pull your card, and argue all day about
Who’s the best MC’s, Biggie, Jay-Z, and Nas”-from “Where I’m From” from In My Lifetime Vol. 1

At his core, Jay-Z is a competitor. He once battled DMX in a Bronx pool hall in the 90s. He once rapped on radio with Big L for 10 minutes. Not for money but just to showcase his skills. Young Hov always had his eyes on the throne.

Ascenion To Greatness/New Rap King.(’01-’03):

“If I ain’t better than B.I.G. then I’m the closest one”- “Hola Hovito” from The Blueprint

There was a void in Hip Hop after 2000. Notorious B.I.G., Tupac, Big L and Big Pun had died within the last 4 years. While Nas was yelling there is no Best Rapper of All Time, Jay-Z was cornering the market and letting the new generation of Hip Hop know early who the G.O.A.T. was.

Icon Hov (’06-present):

“Hov got flow though he’s no Big and Pac, but he’s close
How I’m ‘posed to win? They got me fighting ghosts” from “Most Kingz”

Jay-Z is considered by a large consensus to be the Greatest Rapper of All Time but the ghosts of Tupac and Biggie still linger. He is no longer competing with anyone but simply carving himself into Hip Hop’s Mount Rushmore next to them. ‘

A sports agent. A former part NBA owner. A husband in a billion dollar relationship. He is done trying to say he’s the best, he’s just redefining what that “best” means.

[ALSO READ: Jay-Z Covers TIME Magazine’s 100 Influential People, NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg Writes The Article]

Filed under: Editorial, Headlines Tagged: barack obama, Beyonce, Biggie, Dave Chappelle, George Costanza, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Nas, Tupac

The Best After 25 Years? Public Enemy’s “It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back” Still Sets The Bar High

Chuck "Jigsaw" Creekmur (@ChuckCreekmur) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 18:20:46 +0000

This piece originally ran on TheGrio.com in celebration of the 25th Anniversary of ”It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back” and Public Enemy’s looming induction into the Rock-N-Roll Hall of Fame this year.

The greatest hip-hop album ever was made 25 years ago this month.

Its title alone speaks volumes: It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back.

At the time, it was a metaphor for African-American people, a nod to the systemic racism plaguing America, but for others, it also represented the uphill battle Public Enemy faced.

The album was crafted at a time, 1988, when hip-hop had no boundaries and every landmark album was groundbreaking. But Public Enemy broke ground that went clear through to the other side of the world when they made It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back. The album is what we call a Magnum Opus (Latin for ‘great work’).

The beginning of Public Enemy’s world dominance

PE’s second album, It Takes A Nation boasts one of the slickest intros, but it forecasted what was to come — world domination.

It Takes A Nation kicks off from a recording in London, while the Long-Island-born group toured the world on the 1987 Def Jam tour. They were informing America that they had already been approved by the world and now it was America’s turn.

Of course, hardcore hip-hop heads had already embraced their first album, Yo! Bum Rush The Show, but this was special.

theGrio: Why doesn’t hip-hop respect its elders?

Since the beginning, hip-hop has hinged on endless circular discussion of “Who is the best?” “Who had the best album?” or “Who is the best emcee ever?” They echo to this day. Pondering the best is a true cornerstone of hip-hop and opinions are fact to the person who holds them.

So, let’s discuss this album in that regard. At the time if its release, the album was heralded as the best album of 1988 by the Village Voice‘s celebrated Pazz & Jop Critics Poll, a first for a rap album. It was also ranked number 48 on Rolling Stone magazine’s 2003 list of the 500 greatest albums ever made. No other rap album was held in higher regard.

Additionally, NME, Vibe, and AllHipHop.com also agree: This is the one. Across all musical barriers, the album is beloved. Twenty-five years doesn’t diminish this classic.

It Takes A Nation means different things for different people.

For the hip-hop audience, it represented a musical revolution and an insurrection of the mind of its listeners as well. Suddenly, hip-hop morphed into something that offered socially-relevant content that was overt, brash, abrasive, and jarringly proactive. That was Public Enemy. “Bring The Noise” was like a call to action, as front man Chuck D bellowed “Bass! How low can you go?” on the album’s lead song. Other songs pushed themes of Black Nationalism, community unity and offered an overall smorgasbord of rebellion. This was bigger than hip-hop.

Middle-class white kids looking for an outlet were also attracted to the Public Enemy movement thanks to It Takes A Nation. Gradually, they pushed it to platinum status over a year after its release. In the 80s, many of those kids were impressionable and hip-hop, a fairly new phenomenon, helped open them up to different ideologies and thinking. But this perfect storm cannot truly be discussed without delving into the music.

Click here for the rest of Public Enemy’s ‘It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back’ still powerful 25 years later.

Filed under: Editorial, Headlines, Slider Tagged: "It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back", Chuck D, Flavor Flav, Public Enemy, Terminator X

DEBATE: What Did You Think About “Fix My Life” With DMX?

AHH Staff (@AllHipHopcom) — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 02:37:46 +0000

DMX is once again the subject of much discussion in Hip-Hop and the show “Iyanla: Fix My Life” has shown the rapper in a way that we’ve never quite seen him. From the range of emotions – rage to despair to confusion – DMX showed us his soul. But, he disagrees completely with the show, stating that he was set up and that it has actually made his life worst. What did you think of the program and the #SupportDMX aspect of it?

Filed under: Editorial Tagged: DMX, SupportDMX

Being an Accidental Racist is No Excuse!

Jah Bread — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 19:04:57 +0000

The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of AllHipHop.com

LL Cool J may indeed be hard as hell, but this is a battle for which he clearly didn’t prepare. He rocked the bells of my brain on his verse in Brad Paisley’s new song Accidental Racist.

I’m saying though…really: “accidental racist?” The name alone is ludicrous. If someone was accidentally being racist and doesn’t stop the racist actions it’s no longer an accident!

Now, I’m not upset that they made the effort. More effort needs to be made to address the vestiges of privilege and oppression still remaining in our society. I agree with Paisley that artists have a responsibility to fostering change in society. And to shoulder that responsibility, artists must be informed.

Accidental Racist or Excused Ignorance?

Accidental Racist is a misinformed attempt at a discussion on race that betrays Paisley’s own words. He says he’s not trying to rewrite history, but the lyrics of this song do exactly that!

In Accidental Racist, Paisley makes an appeal to glorifying Confederate Culture. He makes that claim because he (and his generation) had nothing to do with the issues (i.e. slavery, lynching, KKK terrorism, etc.) that associated Confederate culture with racial tyranny. Yet, such a claim completely ignores the “Invisible Knapsack” of White Privilege. Such a claim demonstrates a complete misunderstanding of reality.

Paisley claims that Whites are “still paying for a bunch of ‘mistakes’ that a bunch of folks made before” his generation came. First, those “bunch of folks” didn’t make “mistakes.” The Institution of Slavery and the system of Jim Crow segregation were the workings of intentional racists…not accidental racists. Further, he doesn’t say that his generation is returning the privilege their Whiteness has accrued. Paisley’s generation didn’t have to contribute to the issues that gave meaning to the Confederacy because the “blessings” of privilege have already been established and the “Progressive Investment in Whiteness” has long been solidified.

He calls himself a “proud Rebel son,” and tries somehow to make that not offensive. Forget the racial overtones of notions of the Confederacy and Rebels. How about the fact that the Rebels were as anti-American as one could be? Did they not take up arms against their government? Did not the Rebels secede from the Union?

Yet, right into that anti-American…anti racial tolerance expression, walks LL Cool J…completely oblivious to what’s happening around him.

Don’t get me wrong: I understand why Paisley would reach out to LL Cool J for this. LL is the only of HipHop’s pioneers who is still relevant. I mean…he was in “Krush Groove!” He may not have Jay-Z’s money and social standing. But, LL Cool J was one of the ones who made it possible for Jigga to exist.

So of course it makes sense for Paisley’s Accidental Racist to feature LL Cool J. As plain as that is to see, you’d think (I thought) LL would know better. For, Ladies Love Cool James comes onto the track and begins to show how misinformed he really is!

Rather than an Accidental Racist, LL displays accidental ignorance. And that ignorance is irresponsible. For instance, LL compares “do-rags” to the Confederate Flag. Really?! When have “do-rags” ever been responsible for rallying mobs to take the lives of White people? Meanwhile, the “Red flags” have raised countless orchards of Strange Fruits for the harvest. What kind of comparison is that, LL?

Yet, he didn’t stop there. LL goes further to say, “if you don’t judge my good chains, I’ll forget those iron chains!” (Forgive me Lord, but…) WTF?!?!

If you don’t judge my hoodies, I’ll forget your white hoods?

So, LL Cool J is willing to forget slavery if White people will allow him to wear gold chains without scrutiny? C’mon son! You’ve got to be kidding me.

The Emancipation Proclamation was issued a mere 150 years ago. We are less than three generations removed from the Plantation. A mere 50 years ago, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and others led the March on Washington. Yet, the Accidental Racist further demonstrates his need for education by stating on Good Morning America that we should not be “victims of something that happened SOOOO long ago!” Rather than being a true friend and providing him with a much needed education, LL Cool J demonstrates his own need for an education by exclaiming his approval of that comment.

The shortsightedness of LL Cool J’s lyrics is emblematic of an even larger problem: celebrities opening their mouths and speaking out without being properly informed. Now, true, we can’t have it both ways. I have been a critique of celebrities being silent on issues of social import. So, on one hand it is great that Brad Paisely and LL Cool J decided to approach this topic. Racism is far from dead and needs to be addressed if we are to ultimately kill it. But, the dialogue of the song does nothing to correct the Accidental Racist so that he might become a Intentional Anti-Racist.

Artists do indeed have a responsibility to lead societal change. And to be responsible with that community trust, artists must take this duty seriously. That means not just being good at your art, but also being well-read and well-informed. If Paisely recognizes that he is an Accidental Racist, then he must use his art to encourage others to be Intentional Anti-Racists. And if LL Cool J is being asked to join his friend on this song and in this effort, then as a friend he has a responsibility to help restore his friend to wholeness…yet, LL simply serves to give cover to the Accidental Racists’ intentional ignorance.

This is far more problematic because we are talking about LL Cool J. I mean LL dropped his first album in 1985, when HipHop was still “pure” and had purpose. Before the deadly beefs and über misogynism, LL Cool J was part of the culture where HipHop was fun and informative. So, if LL Cool J can miss the mark when it comes to the responsibility of the art form, what are we to expect from the 2Chainz’s and Young Jeezy’s of the world? Maybe Canibus should have taken the mic off his arm, and protected LL from himself?

HipHop and emcees must work to restore the community trust, and again become responsible stewards of the people and their legacy. We need artists who won’t be flippant with history and current events.

Because of culture and the stains of culture, we are left with Accidental Racists, Accidental Misogynists, and Accidental Bigots of all sorts. Shouldn’t our task as artists be to bring some intentionality to undoing those vestiges of hatred?

For more, go to
http://www.jahbread.com

Filed under: Editorial, Headlines Tagged: accidental racist, LL Cool J, racism

Russell Simmons Writes Letter To Obama Urging Him To End “The War On Drugs”

AHH Staff (@AllHipHopcom) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 23:19:20 +0000

[Editor's Note: Russell Simmons and Dr. Boyce Watkins have delivered a letter to President Obama urging him to address the damage that has been caused by increased incarceration rates and the "War on Drugs." The letter is below and the entire plea is posted at Glo bal Grind.]

Dear President Obama,

Your hard work and leadership on issues affecting the unrepresented classes of people in our nation have served as an inspiration to many of us who hope for brighter futures for all Americans. In that spirit, we believe the time is right to revise our national policies on the criminal justice system and move from a suppression-based model to one that focuses on intervention and rehabilitation.

Mr. President, you have demonstrated a commitment to pursue alternatives to the enforcement-only “War on Drugs” approach and address the increased incarceration rates for non-violent crimes. Your administration has moved in the right direction by committing increased funds to drug prevention and treatment programs and supporting state and local re-entry grants. I encourage you to continue your efforts to revamp the policies of the last 30 years that have seen the prison population skyrocket.

The greatest victims of the prison industrial complex are our nation’s children. Hundreds of thousands of children have lost a parent to long prison sentences for non-violent drug offenses, leaving these children to fend for themselves. Many of these children end up in the criminal justice system, which comes as no surprise as studies have shown the link between incarceration and broken families, juvenile delinquency, violence and poverty.

Mr. President, we are a coalition of concerned advocates that is ready to support you in innovative criminal justice reform and implementing alternatives to incarceration. As you set in motion research and policy to combat this societal crisis, this coalition is poised to help you make the transition successful. Some of the initial policies we recommend are to apply the Fair Sentencing Act retroactively so that those sentenced under the 100-to-1 crack-to-powder disparity receive sentences that are more consistent with the magnitude of the offense.

Click here to read the entire letter, and outline of the movement at Global Grind.

Sincerely,
Russell Simmons
Dr. Boyce Watkins

with
Sean “Diddy” Combs
Rosario Dawson
John Forte
Tyrese Gibson
Sanaa Lathan
John Legend
Ryan Leslie
Angie Martinez
Q-Tip
Samantha Ronson
Teyana Taylor
Denise Vasi
Rev. Lennox Yearwood, Hip-Hop Caucus
Chuck “Jigsaw” Creekmur, AllHipHop.com

Click here to read the whole 200+ list of supporters

Filed under: Editorial, Headlines, Slider Tagged: president Obama, Russell Simmons

What Ray J’s “I Put Her On” Album Will Sound Like

Keith Nelson Jr (@JusAire) — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 23:22:22 +0000

(AllHipHop News) William Ray Norwood Jr. has been in the news almost ever year even whe he is not releasing music. Past events suggest he possesses no filter. He’s had physical altercations with Fabolous, radio tirades and of course, the sex tape scandal which elevated the stardom of the relatively unknown Kim Kardashian. Better known as Ray J, the singer/songwriter recently announced he’s releasing an album entitled I Put Her On with the single “I Hit It First” to be released on iTunes on April 9th.

A blind man in a dark room with soap in his eyes can see where this album is probably going so let’s venture into what Ray J’s new album will be…hypothetically.

Intro

Regular Bush

With a chorus consisting of “you only got that reggie bush” being screamed repeatedly from an autotuned Ray J, the crooner flips the name of one of Kim Kardashian’s former flames’ , Reggie Bush, to be a double entendre (Not #TripleAuntAndre) for marijuana and Kim K’s “regular” sex game.

I Hit It First

What’s G.O.O.D.? (featuring Consequence)

After hearing Consequence actually write the lyric “light skin is the right skin” from a Love & Hip Hop episode he officially became a “He’ll Say Anything” all star. With Cudi and Common leaving G.O.O.D. Music in less than a year of each other and Pusha T revealing who gave Cons his front teeth, there’s enough ammunition for Consequence to make his own scorned revenge album.

In Or Out? (Featuring Future)

“ I got an indoor pool, an outdoor pool”-Ray J

Ray J uttered these lines in an altercation with Fabolous and etched himself in social media infamy. Ray J has no shame in flipping past failures into future “successes”. Imagine Future’s “I woke up in a new Bugatti” chorus from Ace Hood’s song “Bugatti”. Now, imagine that same chorus but with the words “I got an indoor pool/I got an outdoor pool/So girl…you in or out?” Now repeat. Add some Young Chop/Mike Will Made It/Lex Luger “trap rap” hi hats and snares and you have “In Or Out”.

Mr. TMZ (Skit)

SCENE: Ray J gets a phone call from Game.

Game: ”Yo Ray, another chick in the tabloids saying I’m her baby daddy. It’s so tough being us.”

Ray J: “I know. Paparazzi around me so much I adopted one of them. [Laughs] *Phone beeps* hold up Benzino calling me.

Game: “That’s the homie, put him on conference call.”

*Conference call begins*

Ray J: “Yo ‘Zino, Game on the line with us.”

Benzino: “What’s up Chuck? You getting massacred by these tabloids like me, cuz?”

Game: ”Yeah man it’s.. *phone beeps* hold up it’s Budden. I’m going to patch him through.”

*Joe enters*

Game: ”Joe, you on the line with Ray J and Benzino too.”

Joe: [in best Barry White impersonation voice]: *Long sigh* “Hi guys. How are..”

Ray J: “Yo, not to cut you off Joey B, but I just thought of something. If you think about it. The internet is world wide, right? We the most talked about dudes on these internet streets, right? That means we the most talked about men in the world, right? Sh*t all the traffic we bring to TMZ, we probably should own that motherfu*ker”

*Group laughter* *Group Silence* *Sound of a light bulb clicking on*

Ray J: I HAVE A BRILLIANT IDEA!

*Fade into next song*

Mr. TMZ (Feat./ Game, Benzino & Joe Budden)

POSSE CUT ALERT! POSSE CUT ALERT! Imagine A$AP Rocky “1 Train” but full of reality TV show references. A few “I’m loving Hip Hip (Love N Hip Hop)”, a few “Globetrotter, I’m a WorldStar” and a whole lot of dirty laundry being aired out by Hip Hop reality TV’s leading men…and Ray J.

I Been On (Feat./ Moesha)

No typo. Over Beyonce’s “I Been On”, Ray J’s older sister Brandy reprises her role as his cousin-turned-paternal-half-sister Moesha from the 90′s comedy show to remind him they were TV stars years before we kept up with any Kardashian. Also, while she’s here (and in an alter-ego she can defer blame to) Moesha will probably send a light shot at Beyonce who essentially said “I run R&B, y’all just peasants” on “Bow Down/I Been On”.

Mistake

This is the ballad. Better description: This is the ballad where Ray J hints that he should have been the first to impregnate Kim and even alludes to her unborn child being a mistake. Before you scoff at the notion that Ray J would stoop so low as to call another man’s unborn child a mistake peep the evidence:

Evidence A: “I Hit It First”

Evidence B: Ray J once harmonized these lyrics on his song “Snakes In The Grass”:

“Make sure you don’t bleed and stuff/Make sure this aint your bloody week, you sl*t.

Blame Game(Remix) (featuring Amber Rose and Kris Humphries)

There is no better way to end an album implicitly dedicated to Kim Kardashian than remixing the most scathingly detailed breakup letter from a rapper to a model ever. Simple. This could be the song that reveals it all. Ray J could sing rap narrate a story where he confirms the lingering rumor that Kim and her mother, Kris Jenner were behind the sextape release. Amber Rose, the unfortunate topic of the original “Blame Game” could finally go into detail about Kim’s home-wrecking ways like she hinted in numerous interviews earlier last year.

“They were both cheating on me and Reggie with each other. She was sending pictures, and I was like, ‘Kim, just stop. Don’t be that person,” Rose told Star Magazine in Janruray of 2012.

Then to end the song and the album, Kris Humphries comes in and simply says: “I know who/ did you know what/with you know who/ Let’s just keep that between me and you. For now.”

Filed under: Blogs, Editorial Tagged: Amber rose, Benzino, Brandy, consequence, game, Joe Budden, Kim Kardashian, Kris Humprhies, Moesha, Ray j, TMZ

Open Letter To Rick Ross From A Music Industry Vet

dee dee “Hip-Hop Mama” cocheta — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 00:22:56 +0000

Editor’s Note: Dee dee cocheta is an industry vet that has had a long tenure in music. Her career spans PR & Social Media Professional, digital content producer, blogger and more. She writes an open letter to Rick Ross after a recent song seems to advocate date rape. Rick Ross has not commented. While rape, real or suggested, is horrific and completely objectionable, the views in this open letter are dee dee’s.

Greetings William,

I am writing you a letter because I have sat back and observed long enough. I am coming to you as a ‘sister’ of the human family we all belong to. WE are connected! AND you my brother, I am tired of hearing negative things about you and now I am mad at how you are treating yourself. So please do not take this wrong or feel I am coming at you to scold or beat you up with my words. I am coming to you because I CARE and LOVE YOU!

What brought me to the point of writing this open letter was after reading ALLHIPHOP.com Hip-Hop Rumors on your new song, “U.O.E.N.O.” (you ain’t even know it) titled: YOWZA! New Rick Ross Lyric Will Upset Smart Women! So yeah I’m a little upset and rightfully so as the lyric you wrote about refers to ‘date rape’ and is exactly how I lost my virginity; someone STOLE it at the age of 14 before entering in high school. I take responsibility for being at a party I had no business being at but I want you to know how scary this now 41-year-old woman felt to wake up to blood on the sheets with an aching pain and empty feeling, that your heart is sunken where you feel you lost something. Well I did, I lost the right to choose whom I wanted to share that special moment with because I was knocked out and taken advantage of. See William, your lyric doesn’t educate it only further glamorize what fools like that man did to me 27 years ago. I happen to believe in karma and I know that man got his without me having to lift a finger.

William, I’m concerned about your health and your life messing with the wrong people and feel you are not listening to the GOD in you. I believe things that are happening to you now is because it’s GOD saying SLOW THE EFF down, get control of your life, you are not on the path destined. William, that means not at the expense of yourself or others. I understand this entertainment industry with expertise of over 20 years and can impart wisdom as I just shared my experience with date rape. Additionally, in my youth, I have been associated with gang members, dealt with being a borderline diabetic so weight/eating has always been an issue for me most of my life and basically led a self-destructed life. Why? because I really did not love myself. Additionally, I have 7 children and 3 grand babies (known to many as the Hip-Hop Mama) where I was recently diagnosed with breast cancer… So William, I’m not the type of mom, sister or friend that judges let alone condone certain things, I take accountability for my actions, I take responsibility for how I live and educate my children; making them aware of as much as I can in life – good and bad, never hiding truth and the ugliness this world has to offer. Right now though I am in the process of healing self and fully loving me. I believe this may be something missing in your life. I am sure you are trying to work on your health issues?!!? I am not sure what’s going on with all this gang/gun/court mess but I do not like it and I have been praying and meditating on you for a while.

“You must choose your battles wisely.” Words I have heard and keep hearing because I did not learn my lesson until now…

William, those lyrics on date rape to your actions all say to me you need help and healing yet we cannot take that first step for you. YOU MUST CHOSE A SIDE and not at the expense of your health, your life or to further perpetuate the hurt and pain of others.

William, we are all survivors, KINGS and QUEENS! I hope you make your way back to being able to show us that courage and strength. Being vulnerable is not a sign for weakness; it shows you are a man. I will continue to pray yet this is a call for you to take some other type of action before you will be another fallen Hip-Hop artist like so many others we lost. I believe and LOVE YOU WILLIAM. Please show me something different good!

RESPECTFULLY, your sister

dee dee “Hip-Hop Mama” cocheta

Filed under: Blogs, Editorial Tagged: open letter, Rick Ross, ricky rozay

With All Due Respect Lil Wayne Should Never Be Compared To Malcolm X

Yohance Kyles (@HUEYmixwitRILEY) — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 17:10:28 +0000

Let me start by saying that as a diehard Hip-Hop head and a child of the south I have been listening to Lil Wayne and Cash Money since they burst on the music scene in the late 1990′s. I can acknowledge that at times Wayne has shown signs of artistic brilliance, but I also feel that his musical output over the last few years has been nowhere near the quality of his incredible run between 2004-2008.

With that being said, I have no problem with Hip-Hop fans debating whether they believe Wayne has fallen off or if he is still one of the best in the game. Comparing Top 5 lists, GOAT lists, and Hottest Emcees lists helps keep fans investing in the culture and pushes artists to strive to be better. But I do take serious offense to Wayne (or any rapper) ever being compared to a legendary civil rights leader like Malcolm X.

Let’s be clear, Lil Wayne is an entertainer. His job is to sell records for the sole purpose of making money. Yes, as a public figure I believe he is responsible for the content he presents to young people, and if someone feels that the music he releases has a negative impact on his listeners then they have every right to call him out on that. The same way his supporters have the right to defend him. The First Amendment applies both ways. That’s a public discussion that is completely understandable. But again the only reason Wayne is a public figure is because he is a performer.

Malcolm X was so much more that. He was a minister. He was an activist. He was a philosopher. He was an advocate for change.

I cannot see how anyone can compare the man who said “beat that pussy up like Emmett Till” to the man who said “power in defense of freedom is greater than power in behalf of tyranny and oppression.”

This is not an attack on Wayne or his content. It just needs to be pointed out that we are being asked to equate a man who at this point in his career mostly raps about sex, drugs, and skateboarding to a man who gave his life to end discrimination and promote peace.

To even compare Lil Wayne to the pre-converted Malcolm Little is also beyond the stretch of imagination. Racism is still alive and well in 2013, but I don’t think that Wayne could even understand the level of hatred and discrimination Little had to overcome during his life growing up in the 1930′s and 1940′s.

Wayne has been surrounded by money since he was a teenager, so he had advantages as a young black male that Little never had nor most of the American-American youths of today will ever experience.

The “anger” expressed by Little was from a place of deep hurt and resentment from being poor and voiceless. Wayne’s “anger” seems to stem from a feeling of being misunderstand for the work he creates and constant public criticism. The difference (beyond the fact that one is the result of institutionalized racism and the other a bruised ego?): Wayne has a worldwide platform to express his discontent. Little didn’t.

I will say that Wayne and Little both have one thing in common. They both saw the inside of a prison cell. But again that’s where the similarities end.

Malcolm Little came out of prison a changed man who had found faith and a true sense of purpose. Lil Wayne came out of prison a man who not only continued his reckless behavior, but as someone who many feel digressed artistically as well.

While I hope that Wayne is able to fully recover from his current medical condition and that this latest incident in his life opens his eyes and forces him to reevaluate his decisions in the future, we do not have to elevate him to the level of Malcolm, or any other notable hero, to wish him well.

Filed under: Editorial, Headlines, MOBILE, Slider Tagged: lil wayne, Malcolm X

What Lil Wayne and Malcolm Little Both Have in Common

Dr. Boyce Watkins — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 17:15:14 +0000

The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of AllHipHop.com

I love and respect the creative ability of Lil Wayne, even if I am concerned about the content of his music. The brother is going through some difficult times, and as someone who saw the early deaths of Eazy-E and Tupac Shakur, it’s hard for me to see chickens coming home to roost in the life of a man whose talent has changed the world.

I mentioned Weezy during a three hour private conversation I had with Min. Louis Farrakhan and I’ll probably bring him up again when Farrakhan and I gather for a forum on the state of the black community in Chicago on March 30. I’ve listened to enough of Wayne’s music to know the lyrics by heart and I am not afraid to say that I both love the verses and detest them, all at the same time.

It’s hard, as a black man who’s studied psychology, to know that repeating lyrics that glorify violence, promiscuity and drug use are being pounded into the heads of little black boys before they even have a chance to choose what they are going to become. I’ve studied Wayne’s life carefully to try to understand where his message is coming from, and what kind of internal pain might lead a person to become so determined to destroy his own people. You might wonder why I am obsessed with Wayne’s genius, and the answer is quite simple: Wayne reminds me of Malcolm Little.

Both Lil Wayne and Malcolm Little were brilliant, brave, creative, charismatic, resourceful and ambitious. They were natural born leaders with the spiritual energy to tear through any obstacle that lay in their path. But they were also both disturbed products of the poison dropped on the brains of little black babies in hoods all across America. After seeing nearly every man in his family murdered by whites, Malcolm grew up with the kind of anger that led him to destroy himself and those around him. His tremendous power was being used for evil rather than good, and had he continued down that path, he would have wreaked untold amounts of havoc on the world.

Lil Wayne, like Malcolm Little, is a product of American racial oppression. Everything about Wayne, from his gang affiliations to his sexual promiscuity and numerous drug addictions, came from the “I don’t give a f*ck” attitude necessary for him to climb out of the depths of ghetto hell that defined his circumstances. Unfortunately, the recording industry has given Wayne a massive platform through which to spread his life philosophy onto the world, and it’s leading millions of black boys right to the penitentiary.

Wayne could have been another Malcolm X, but Malcolm X is what the caterpillar becomes when he’s grown into a butterfly. Being spoiled by money and power at an early age is enough to make any man arrogant, and I don’t think there’s anyone in Wayne’s camp who cares about him or the black community enough to do a serious intervention. As a result, one of the greatest black men in the history of the world lies in a hospital where he will either die or return to a lifestyle that is inherently suicidal. Just like there’s a prison cell built for every black boy in America, there is another hospital bed waiting for Lil Wayne, since it’s only a matter of time before he’s six feet underground.

I hope Wayne gets at least some of what I’m saying and that his friends care enough about him to intervene in his life. I hope he understands why you can’t go around comparing the face of Emmett Till to a woman’s vagina. I hope he realizes that rather than passing messages encouraging young black kids to engage in criminal behavior, he could do a whole lot more for the people he loves by fighting against the prison industrial complex. In other words, I remain hopeful that Lil Wayne can go through the same transition that made Malcolm Little into Malcolm X. His genius is too great to be wasted.

For more on Dr. Boyce, go to
http://www.yourblackworld.net.

Filed under: Editorial, Headlines Tagged: lil wayne, Malcolm X, seizure, seizures

A Response To The Author At The Onion

@Skyyhook — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 19:31:18 +0000

Last night February 24, 2013 was Oscar night and once again the stars were out to see who would walk away with the coveted golden statue that is fought so hard for every year.

A beautiful actress stepped onto the Oscar red carpet. Take a long look at the gorgeous little princess in the amethyst gown, and what do you see? You see her hair done in pretty little tendrils, as she is obviously going someplace fancy. You see her signature puppy dog evening bag, and is that not the cutest little girl look ever? And you also see an Academy Award nominated actress!

This adorable little girl is having the whirl wind career at 9 years old that actors and actresses may work their entire lives to achieve and yet may never get more than a glimpse of. This should be a beautiful thing, something that is cherished and celebrated! Hooray for little 9-year-old Quvenzhané Wallis right? That’s what all reasonable people would think, but then, they would not be those who were live tweeting for The Onion last night.

Let’s be clear.

When you call a 9-year old girl the sort of vile, disgusting, perversion of all things reasonable name that the author of The Onion tweet did last night and call it satire or entertainment, then I for one shudder to think of what that author could possibly have found amusing or remotely legitimate about what he or she said.

But it runs so much deeper.

This little girl isn’t even old enough to be explained to what that term even means. Dig that for a second. Let that marinate. How does a parent sit their little one down and explain that her hard work will be diminished in comparison to what some loser thought he should say to get a laugh at her expense. There is no sorry good enough.

Google will now be filled with her name and his tweet no matter what anyone says or does from this point on. And even if you are going to send a new pony, a check for her paid college tuition and all the puppy dog handbags she could ever want for the rest of her life to her home today, I still can’t see how saying I’m sorry will ever be enough.

The author should meet swift punishment and be man and or woman enough to take the heat for what they said about an innocent little girl who was showing up to an event to be honored. This person took away what should have been something wonderful that she would be remembered for. But now her name will be synonymous with something awful which is lasting, and stinging, and forever. Her grand kids will know about what this idiot had to say. Google is forever.

So what is the solution?

I don’t know, but in the meantime, my wish is that all who read this editorial will tweet #WeLoveYouQuvenzhanéWallis often and every time you think of it. And if people continue to do that, maybe as things die down about this event, we can do some good in burying this story so that when she Googles her own name she sees messages of love instead of the hateful, reckless, immature, flat out disgusting message that appears now.

This is the open letter that The Onion posted in response to the controversy:

Feb. 25, 2013

Dear Readers,

On behalf of The Onion, I offer my personal apology to Quvenzhané Wallis and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for the tweet that was circulated last night during the Oscars. It was crude and offensive—not to mention inconsistent with The Onion’s commitment to parody and satire, however biting.

No person should be subjected to such a senseless, humorless comment masquerading as satire.

The tweet was taken down within an hour of publication. We have instituted new and tighter Twitter procedures to ensure that this kind of mistake does not occur again.

In addition, we are taking immediate steps to discipline those individuals responsible.

Miss Wallis, you are young and talented and deserve better. All of us at The Onion are deeply sorry.

Sincerely,

Steve Hannah
CEO
The Onion

AllHipHop.com wants to know if you think it’s enough? Let’s talk about it! Get the comments section going, we want to know your thoughts!

Filed under: Editorial Tagged: ahh, AllHipHop, allhiphop.com, Google, Live Tweeting, Quvenzhané Wallis, skyyhook, Skyyhook Radio, The Onion, The Oscars 2013, Twitter

For The Love: Lil Wayne Disrespects Emmett Till

Hypestyle (@Hypestyle) — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 22:35:44 +0000

“…Beat the p**** up, like Emmett Till”—Lil Wayne (w. Future), “Karate
Chop”, 2013.

Rapper Lil’ Wayne (Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr.) is embroiled in a controversy over lyrics referencing murder victim Emmett Till, whose death by lynching in 1955 served as a galvanizing agent for America’s civil rights activism.

The lyrics– specifically, a 16 bar verse– come from a remix that Wayne, 30, participated on with Epic/Sony recording artist Future, on the single “Karate Chop”.

Despite the fact that the single was never officially released (it was apparently leaked via the Internet) the public criticism has been so
vehement that Epic Records responded by indicating that the company is taking “great efforts” to remove it from public access. Surviving members of the Till family have publicly demanded an apology.

At least one prominent musician has publicly taken issue with the lyrics. “You can’t equate that to Emmett Till,” said Stevie Wonder. “You just cannot do that. … I think you got to have someone around you… even if they are the same age or older — is wiser to say, ‘Yo, that’s not happening.”

In 1955, Till was a 14-year-old boy from Chicago visiting family in the Mississippi Delta when a chance encounter with a passing white woman eventually led to Till’s kidnapping from the family home a few days later. He was eventually found dead, brutally beaten and his head misshapen. Two men put on trial for the murder were acquitted, and—protected by double jeopardy—infamously admitted to their own guilt in a later interview. In the years to follow, poems, songs, and an ongoing assortment of civil rights gatherings and demonstrations referenced Till as a martyr for the civil rights cause.

This is an ongoing problem in hip-hop and other urban-culture entertainment, where certain celebrities seem to be oblivious to history, and fan culture seems to be more and more accepting of an anything-goes creative aesthetic, even if it seems to fly in the face of common sense and heretofore basic standards of respect. When pushback occurs for anything offensive that is done or said, the party in question tends to claim a persecution complex, or that his “freedom of speech” trumps all, regardless of the inanity of what he is being scrutinized for. Even certain personalities have come to think of themselves as “social activists” by virtue of their celebrity status– despite never participating in any sort of public demonstration or protest, phone call campaign, letter-writing campaign, local government meetings, or really anything that might have a genuine context reflective of an involved citizen.

Buying holiday turkeys, winter coats or even computers for a classroom doesn’t make somebody MLK or Malcolm X. Being reckless in one’s travel habits and getting busted for possession-based gun and drug charges doesn’t make somebody H. Rap Brown or Huey Newton. In 1955 Jim Crow-era New Orleans (where Wayne is from), he could have easily met the same fate as an Emmett Till, whether in his teen years or now at age 30. Hip-hop’s younger generations have made ritual of giving props to “the homies that didn’t make it” via pouring liquor and wearing T-shirts emblazoned with photos of the recently deceased. If Wayne, Future and others were really cognizant of giving honor to the dead, they would not be so casual in engaging in throwaway punchlines that mock those whose bloodshed helped clear the way for the relative freedoms that are enjoyed now.

This editorial originally ran as “Lil’ Wayne’s Lyrics Ignite Furor Over Emmett Till Reference”

Filed under: Editorial Tagged: Emmett Til, lil wayne

RIP! ALL HAIL TIM DOG!

Chuck "Jigsaw" Creekmur (@ChuckCreekmur) — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 19:50:18 +0000

“Having that gang war / We want to know what you’re fighting for / Fighting over colors? / All that gang sh*t’s for dumb motherfu**ers.” – Tim Dog

Tim Dog is dead.

Before Biggie and Pac, where going at it in a war dubbed the East Coast/West Coast beef, there was Tim Dog. Now, I loved what NWA, Ice Cube, DJ Quik and those guys were doing, but, I have an eternal love for the underdog (which they were too in a different way). Maybe New York didn’t realize it at the time, but a lot of us “outsiders” shifted our eyeballs to other areas of the nation in the late 80s and early 90′s. Compton was one of those areas and we were captivated with the visuals coming through the speakers.

Tim wasn’t having it.

Tim Dog was brazen, brash and bold against some of the most talented and fearsome rappers in the game in 1991 with “F**k Compton.” But he spoke out when Dre beat up Dee Barnes, the video music host. The Ultra Magnetic affiliate talked out opposing something we East Coasters didn’t fully understand at the time – gangs. His debut album, Penicillin on Wax, was almost chiefly meant to discredit rappers from Compton and , to a lesser degree, the West Coast. He also did some outright silly stuff like dissing Kid-N-Play, cool and fun emcees. He also praised Public Enemy for no apparent reason. He apologized to Dr. Dre’s ex-girlfriend, singer Michel’le, for dissing her in “F**k Compton.” He made sure it was known he was cool with Ice Cube, Ice-T and kinda liked NWA’s MC Ren. LOL! He was all over the place sometimes. A rebel with many contradicting causes.

Fact: Tim Dog has an understated place in history. Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg checked him (and inadvertently immortalized him) on “Dre Day.” A post-Ice Cube NWA sued him for using their music at on his second album ( a first at the time) so they wanted to get at him any way possible. Tiny Lister aka Deebo from “Friday” even threatened him when he moved out West. And he still bragged “I’m the illest n***a alive! Why you say? I dissed the West Coast and I moved to LA!” I can’t help but wonder if anybody is celebrating at the news of the Bronx rapper’s sudden demise.

I’m not partying. My jaw dropped last night after hearing Tim Dog (real name:Timothy Blair) was dead, from an apparent seizure.

For years, I had tried and tried and tried to interview Tim Dog. And I feel bad that I’ll never have that opportunity to do this now.

Some are going to ask why, considering I’ve been blessed to have interviewed most of the biggest names in the game through the years. Let me explain. Tim Dog was mysteriously elusive – defiantly elusive!

A few years ago, he had gotten a new record deal and it was clear that press had to be involved to re-introduce him to the game. Few people remembered “F**k Compton” or “I Get Wrecked” with KRS-One. The man refused to do any interviews until they dropped him from the label. Weird as all get out!

But, recently, he stood accused of defrauding a number of women out of thousands of dollars, a apparent attempt to fund a new album. In June, he was all the rage again for all the wrong reasons and an investigative piece by NBC’s “Dateline” dug deep. It was at this time that I started to email with Tim to get his side on record with AllHipHop. He hated the edit job and accused the network of misstating the facts. He was down to do the interview, but he just stop replying after confirming. But, just for the record, he felt terrible about the allegations against him and he had absolutely no trust left in the media. Such was Tim Dog.

On the very low, I was a huge Tim Dog fan. I can now liberate myself of that secret. He wasn’t the most talented dude, and paled to compare to those he opposed, on the real. But he had something most rappers lack…balls. Pardon the baseness of the word, but I don’t know any other way to say it. But, this man had the nerve to drop a 5-disc box set of his greatest hits. NWA, Snoop, or any of his adversaries haven’t even done that yet (even though they all could).

That’s Tim Dog. Incredibly audacious.

“First dog in the game. And the last. Believe me.” – Tim Dog

Tim Dog – “F**k Compton”

Tim Dog – “Step To Me”

Tim Dog – “I Get Wreck” featuring KRS-One

Filed under: Editorial, Headlines, Uncategorized Tagged: RIP tim dog, Tim Dog, tim dog dead

Hip-Hop’s Response to the 2013 State of the Union Address

Chuck "Jigsaw" Creekmur (@ChuckCreekmur) — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 19:07:30 +0000

“There is much progress to report…”

I can only imagine the conversation that President Barack Obama had prior to crafting this speech, his first State of the Union address since his historic reelection. With much of the nation still in dire straits, what could he possibly say to uplift the nation? And frankly, how should I respond as a man, father, business owner and hip-hop head.

We know the statistics are staggering – BLAH. At the end of the day, we’re just regular people, right? All the jargon, all the talk, all the optimism isn’t really what people want is it? We want to see – and I do mean see -is change is here, as we all hoped would manifest within President Obama’s first term. Sure, things have gotten somewhat better, but its time for things to really change.

There are positive signs. Did you see the beacons?

Barack Obama used the word “poor” in his State of the Union speech. I can’t lie, I gasped aloud like I did when Marcellus got raped in Quentin Tarantino’s “Pulp Fiction.”

During my many visits to the White House (I was invited with other media professionals of color who were given the task of helping bridge the gap between Washington and the urban reader) we were told “an Obama that doesn’t have to worry about re-election is a dangerous man.” Once the word poor entered into the congressional hall last night, my mind immediately thought, “Obama: Unchained.” My president didn’t say “those aspiring to be Middle Class” or some other coded lingo for po’ folk. He said, “And for poor kids, this lack of resources and education can shadow them for the rest of their lives.”

Hot damn.

This is a big step.

When white America catches a cold, the saying goes, black America gets pneumonia. I happen to think Black America just dies when America catches a cold. You know the stats, right? Is there any disputing this notion? You better not or I’ll hit up google. I swear to God. So, there’s really no reason to regurgitate them? Nope.

But this isn’t about stats, because for all of America, the stats suggest we are on the uptick. What do you say to the reality staring at you when the stats are giving you a sarcastic wink like “yeah right”? What do you say when life is defined by BR and AR (Before Recession and After Recession)? How do you maintain hope steadfastly, when just about everything suggests otherwise?

At first, the State of the Union sounded like more of the same. But it wasn’t. I know President Obama mentioned Hadiya Pendleton and that was commendable. That was likely all he could do, because some things just don’t change. You didn’t really think he was going to mention Lil JoJo, did you? But, when we are talking about gun violence, we have to mention Chicago, where statistics show every four hours somebody is shot – that’s is not a typo. Every four hours somebody is shot in Chicago, I repeat. Here’s another for you. More people were shot dead in Chicago than Afghanistan, where we are at war. We cannot blame Chief Keef for this war at home.

ALSO READ: The Creation of Chief Keef: Fixing Chicago’s Teen Murder Culture

The president said and I believe it. “We can fix this…and we will.”

“What I said tonight matters little if we don’t protect our most precious resource – our children” and he is correct. We, because they won’t. Because you better believe that there is a we and a them. Be clear, the “we” I speak of includes POTUS.

As I glanced over his left shoulder at Speaker of the House John Andrew Boehner, I knew his poker face was not indicative of what resistance was to come. Chicago deserves a vote and it was well-earned before the tragedy in Newtown.

I’m happy to see that the wars are wrapping up. I mean, Kanye and Kim are covered more than our decades-long wars, both home and abroad. I don’t even know people in the military anymore. Its like they are a covert group of people that go away and come back without their stories being told. They are wrapped up in a nice bow at sporting events and called “wounded warriors.”

ALSO READ: 5 Takeaways From President Obama’s State of the Union Address

Thank goodness for my homegirl Nikki Lynette, a supremely talented Chicago-based singer/rapper. She kept me up on her brother, who has finally returned to America after faithfully serving in the military. Her joy was my joy. Her brother straight up escaped death, but returns to his family alive. That’s real.

Nikki’s brother is a hero but that doesn’t necessarily help in this search for a job.

6 million new jobs? Where are they?

My people need some.

Housing market healing and stock market rebounding?

My people need some houses to stick the bandaids on and their stocks need hot air in order to rebound. Obama knows. “We cleared away the rubble of crisis and we can say with renewed confidence that the state of our union is strong, but…(Note: people started clapping before the “but”) we gather here knowing that there are millions of Americans whose hard work and dedication have not yet been rewarded.”

Obama knows.

My people need rewards.

Can we get a violence against African America Men Act passed?

Forgive me. I know you cannot lobby for Black men, but with incidents like Trayvon Martin and Jordan Davis happening repeatedly, I thought I’d toss it out there. My bad. Jumping in for the ladies, Rubio knows he’s ruined for 2016, by voting against the Violence Against Women Act. Played yourself on that, homey, and I thought you knew so much about Tupac. You gotta keep your head up.

I’ve maintained my faith in Obama and self through all of this, but my tone is different than previous “Hip-Hop Responses To The State Of The Union.” I feel like Sweet Brown this time around. I ain’t got time for that stress. This time, its about smiling when the blood, sweat and tears roll down your face. We keep it pushing because we never had any choice. We’re not like the billionaires that were killing themselves in ’08. We may kill ourselves, but its out of a sense of intense fear and sheer, unrelenting hopelessness. But its time to be attentive. We must keep educating the youth, starting with our own. Encourage each other. Guide one another without judgement. We’ll invest that dollar in ourselves and deposit $7 later on.

ALSO READ: The Hip-Hop Response To The 2011 State Of The Union

ALSO READ: The Hip-Hop Response To The 2012 State Of The Union

“We know this works so lets do what works,” Obama said. So, look back a few simple decades to a more prosperous era and then look forward an even more prosperous future. Put the info and knowledge in your head and where you want to be in your GPS.

Lets go.

Filed under: Editorial, Headlines, Slider Tagged: Chuck Creekmur, Jigsaw, President Barack Obama, State of the Union

NOW: Engage In Barack Talk!

AHH Staff (@AllHipHopcom) — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 15:00:12 +0000

With Congress’ public approval ratings at an all-time low, the State of the Union will play an important role in establishing the agenda for the Obama administration’s second term. #BarackTalk, an interactive State of the Union viewing party and online discussion, is an opportunity for America’s young voters and seasoned activists to come together surrounding their vision for change, critique Obama’s address, and form new connections to advance a policy agenda in 2013. The open forum for youth activists and citizens will address the most important political topics of 2013, including climate change, gun violence, voter suppression and youth entrepreneurship.

Featured panelists for #BarackTalk, include Goldie Taylor (MSNBC), Michael Brune (Executive Director, Sierra Club), Reverend Yearwood (Executive Director, Hip Hop Caucus), Rob “Biko” Baker (Executive Director, League of Young Voters), Monique Gamble (University of DC), Jasiri X (One Hood Media), Carmen Berkeley (Executive Director, Generational Alliance), Shamar Robbins (Green For All), Jared Ball (author, I Mix What I Like: A Mixtape Manifesto), Malik Rhasaan (Occupy The Hood), Janee Bolden (Bossip), Austin Thompson (SEIU), Liz Ryan (Executive Director, Campaign for Youth Justice), Jessica Sandoval, Eddie Ferrer (COO, DC Lawyers for Youth), Michael Kemp (juvenile justice activist) and other leading pundits.

Official event partners, include Ustream, Rock the Vote, Voto Latino, Sierra Student Coalition, Energy Action Coalition, Campaign for Youth Justice, USSA, Opportunity Nation, Headcount, Generational Alliance, Our Time, and Spark Action.

Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013 from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. ET
10-12 a.m.: #MorningStatus: Weekly political livestream with Biko Baker

1-3 p.m.: Talking Points: Monthly political livestream with Carmen Berkeley

3-4 p.m.: Jasiri X performance + Live Google Hangout with special guests

5-6 p.m.: Education panel with United States Student Associate + Opportunity Nation

6-7 p.m.: Juvenile Justice panel with Campaign for Youth justice

7-8 p.m.: Climate Change panel with Sierra Student Coalition + Energy Action Coalition

8-9 p.m.: Immigration panel with Leadership Conference + Voto Latino

9-9:30 p.m.: State of the Union Watch Party + #BarackTalk Tweet-up

9:30-11 p.m.: Reaction Panel with special guests

#BarackTalk will take place in the heart of the nation’s capital at legendary cultural space, Busboys and Poets (2021 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20009) and broadcast live via Ustream at http://www.YoungVoterLive.com. Join the conversation online using the hashtag #BarackTalk.

Filed under: Editorial, Headlines Tagged: Baracktalk, Bossip, janee bolden, Jasiri X, League of Young Voters, Malik Rhasaan, Occupy The Hood, Rob Biko Baker

Meaningful Music: A Benefit Concert For Newton EMTs

@Skyyhook — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 18:30:27 +0000

Last Friday, February 2, 2013, I was making plans to attend an event in Harlem, when I heard about a benefit in Danbury, CT that caught my attention. There was a hip hop chick named Jass Bianchi that was putting on a show to benefit the EMT’s and first responders from the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings in December of 2012. I was unaware of the problems that were being suffered by these noble men and women. PTSD has been an issue acquired from the abhorrent sights that they were witness to on that horrific day. So, Jass Bianchi decided to get involved and create a benefit to both support these workers and to raise awareness about their plight. After hearing about the wonderful thing Miss Bianchi was doing with her platform, I felt it was only right to use mine to bring the same type of awareness and to attend the event.

The artists she had lined up were all there to share in the sentiment of the evening, which was doing something good for those who do amazing things for the rest of us in society. The show was eclectic with all genre’s of hip hop represented including Ms. Bianchi’s own dope group HOli MOli who took the stage later on in the evening. My personal favorites were Blacastan and Political Animals. I was truly impressed with all three acts as their flows were sick and the music was on point.

But that wasn’t all, there were also break dancers and graph artists, and the principals of Hip Hop were all represented thoroughly! The food upstairs was great and bottom line it was a good time for everyone in attendance.

Sandy Hook Fire Fighters

I got a chance to speak with Jass Bianchi and ask what her motivation was for putting the event together and she said, “I went to Sandy Hook Elementary School, and was raised 3 minutes up the street. Their nurse came over to family parties, my father spoke to the father of the only child who survived the day after, my childhood best friend’s brother was the one falsely arrested as the second gunman and my high school friend is a teacher there. As you can see, the tragedy literally hit home for me. I needed to do something! I truly felt specifically for the first responder EMT’s and my mom served on their board when I was younger. Not only that but they volunteer to help others on a daily basis! To throw this event was an honor. I’d also like to thank Pam Janutolo of Asbestos Records, Mark Minnock and Mark Boisvert of MEB Cinema for all of their generous time and effort!”

I asked Jass what she thought about the way the night came together and she said she thought, “The overall feeling was beautiful! I was surrounded by positive energy the whole night. Classmates I haven’t seen in a mad long time were there supporting for the cause. I went from discussing stage time and recording details to reminiscing about girl’s nights and the good times we had growing up. The Chief and assistant Chief of Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corp were there supporting us all along and laughing with my mom on the side.”

Personally, I’m glad that I attended the event and if you are interested in helping, they are selling the CD/DVD performance of the concert online or you can make a donation at so check it out!

Filed under: Editorial Tagged: Conneticut, EMT's, Jass Bianchi, Sandy Hook Elementary School, skyyhook

Editorial: Ni**as at the Grammys

TRUTH Minista Paul Scott — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 17:24:08 +0000

“They say money make a n*gga act n*gger-ish”
Problem- A$AP Rocky

On February 10th, the world will witness the 55th annual Grammy award show and rap royalty will be in the hizzouse. This ain’t nuthin’ unusual. However, what is news is that for the first time, a song featuring the controversial “N-word” is in the running for an award, courtesy of Kanye West and Jay Z’s hit “N*ggas in Paris.” And since the song is nominated in two categories, the odds are in their favor.

The only other thing to come close to this monumental event is, perhaps, Nas and ex-wife Kelis sportin’ the N*gger embroidered jackets on the red carpet at the 2008 show.

So the question is, if Kanye and Jay are successful, how are they gonna announce the winner and who is gonna do it ? Since the Grammy folks like to do the unexpected when it comes to announcing winners, I can’t wait to see Ted Nugent jump on stage and say “and the winner of the Rap Performance of the Year is “N*ggers in New Hampshire”…I mean “Coloreds Outta Compton”…Aw, shucks …”

Also, the fact that the awards are smack dab in the middle of Black History Month makes matters worst.

If we look at the history of rap music and the Grammy’s, it is safe to say that our music was not always welcomed. Kinda like a thugged out version of “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner. “Although the genre was finally recognized as something more than ghetto noise by the late 80’s, controversy was created when the show would not televise the new category, prompting a boycott by Jazzy Jeff and Will “Fresh Prince” Smith and others in 1989.

So while some will be proud of the fact that 24 years later, Hip-Hop can proudly boast that it has produced the first N*gga song that could possibly win a Grammy, other Black folks, like myself, look upon the possibility with utter disgust. Especially considering that more socially relevant groups such as Brand Nubian and X-Clan never won the award , even though they are considered legends in the Hip-Hop arena.

Perhaps most disturbing is that by rewarding such ignorance , it helps to legitimize the usage of the work in the eyes of White Americans. Droppin’ the N-bomb in the presence of white folks was once seen as a cultural no no. I can remember the controversy that arose when “George Jefferson’s “ white neighbor “Tom Willis” called him a n*gger on national TV on the 70’s sitcom “The Jeffersons”

But thanks to Hip-Hop groups, like NWA (Niggaz with Attitude) the word has become less offensive, even though it is, technically, still taboo for white people to actually say the word.

Although, many point to Hip Hop for propagating the warped idea that the overuse of the word would take the power out of it, it was actually white comedian Lenny Bruce who suggested that back in the 60’s. It must also be remembered that John Lennon tried to universalize the term back in 1972 with the song , “Woman is the Nigger of the World.”

It is oft repeated myth that the N Word is hip because it is a term of endearment that all Black people use to express brotherly love and racial solidarity.

Uh, no we “all “don’t.

There are probably more African Americans who, vehemently, oppose the word than those who embrace it.

For instance Philadelphia social worker, Abena Afreeka, who recently started a “N*gga Recovery Program” to help those addicted to using the word, opposes it because it acts as a psychological trigger to subconscious memories of slavery which results in negative behavior. Thus creating the perfect Manchurian candidate.

Despite the false idea that we now live in a color blind society, racism still exists. And when Black rappers use the word they are like Beyoncé at the last Inauguration, lip syncing what many white folks in this country wish they could say out loud.

Which probably explains the massive crossover appeal of rappers who frequently use the word like Kanye West and Jay Z’s fellow Grammy contenders former gifted college athlete turned ratchet rapper, 2 Chainz, and former correctional officer turned “gangsta,“ Rick Ross.

In a climate where people like Quentin Tarantino feel comfortable releasing N-Word laden movies and reality shows that feature African Americans as over sexed buffoons, it is time that we flip the script.

Hip Hop artists must stand up and denounce the use of the word in the same manner that they denounce safer and non- race specific issues like animal cruelty and bullying.

We must realize that the use of the word is just a throw back to slavery and until we stop identifying ourselves as n*ggas, we will continue to be 21st century mental slaves. It is not only the word that must die but the pathological behavior that has been associated with the word courtesy of Holly ‘hood and the music industry.

Like that classic scene from the old school Spike Lee flick “School Daze” when Dap (Laurence Fishburne) tells some brothas “you’re not nigga’s,” this must be our message in 2013.

But truth is there is a trace of the racial inferiority complex ,a carry over from the enslavement of our ancestors, in all of us. And in order for our fullest self to live, that part of us must die.

So before we can change the world we must change ourselves

As Chuck D once asked on the Autobiography of Mr. Chuck, “Can you kill the n*gger in you?”

TRUTH Minista Paul Scott’s website is NoWarningShotsFired.com. Follow him on Twitter @truthminista To contact the Black By Nature/Conscious By Choice Campaign contact info@nowarningshotsfired.com.

Filed under: Editorial, Headlines Tagged: Jay-Z, Kanye West, N*ggas in Paris, watch the throne

The Hostile Takeover of Black History Month

TRUTH Minista Paul Scott — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 17:45:58 +0000

“You took my style/I’m takin’ it back”
How Ya Like Me Now – Kool Moe Dee

Is it just me or does Black History Month always seem like a bad movie script? There will be the usual programs about slavery and the life and times of Dr. Martin Luther King. We will be bombarded by hundreds of commercials by that same Barry White sounding brotha braggin’ about how some company loves Black people. And somewhere near the end of the month , every city in America will throw some multicultural shindig that talks about every issue under the sun except the ones that are relevant to African Americans in 2013.Although the question is posed every year “Is Black History Month still relevant”, the question that we should be asking is whether or not Black History is controlled by Black people ? And if not , is it really Black History or a watered down, white washed version of our culture.?

Back in 1926, Dr. Carter G. Woodson started what was ,then, Negro History Week as a way to save the story of a great people from falling into the dark abyss of Euro-centric falsehood. However, since then, the celebration has been exploited by everything from car companies that want to sell Black people pimped out new rides to restaurants that create a soul food dollar menu every year ,complete with fried chicken, watermelon and red Kool Aid.

What is most disturbing is that many of the companies that will have “Say it Loud, I’m Black and I’m Proud” blastin’ out of the intercom systems during February 2013 are the same ones that dissed Black folks in the 90’s.

Although AT&T has commercials playing ‘round the clock on black networks , back in 1993, the company came under fire from African Americans when their employee magazine contained an ad which featured a picture of a monkey representing the people of Africa.

In 1994 , Denny’s Restaurant chain , which takes great pride in its diversity programs ,was sued for racial discrimination. Ironically, it was the Denny’s chain that brought out some of the old “Sambo” restaurants.

Also, the old Texaco gas stations had to shell out some major dollars in 1996 when the company’s top officials were busted for referring to their African American employees as “black jellybeans.” (among other things)

And these are the types of people who we trust to tell our story?

Really?

Under the guise of Black History, they give us just enough to keep “Black leaders “ happy and to ease white guilt. So we get the same old rehashed slavery/MLK/civil rights stories over and over again.

What happened to the great African civilizations of Ethiopia and Egypt? What about those brave warriors who fought against the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade.Or how about the thousands of Black people who fought against racism before and after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr?

This version of Black History is considered too controversial for the mainstream.

Although controversy may sell rap cds, it doesn’t sell cell phones. So, in most cases, telling the truth about Black History may be bad for business.

For instance, if more Black children knew about the damage done in Africa over the scramble for gold and diamonds, maybe “bling” wouldn’t be so popular. Nor would rappers like Trinidad James singin’ about “gold all in my chain/gold all in my ring..” still have a career. Thus impacting both the jewelry and the music industry, simultaneously.

If Black kids got a strong dose of true African history during Black History Month, maybe they would start wearing dashikis and kufis instead of snapbacks and True Religion Jeans. Which would impact the clothing industry.

Also, if our youth learned about the historical origin of Black on Black violence every February, they may be less likely to pick up an assault rifle. Thus, impacting the gun industry.

So, the only ones who truly benefit from true Black history are Black people.

This is why our story must be told and it must be told by us. There must be a hostile takeover of Black History Month.

Black History is more than a way to push a product. It is the tie that binds people of African descent together. So, before we even begin to talk about “taking back Hip Hop” or” taking back our community,” we must concern ourselves with taking back our history.

Unlike during the time of our parents, we now have the technology to make it happen right at our fingertips.

The Black By Nature/Conscious By Choice campaign is on a mission to bring back Black consciousness and there is no better time to start than right now. Just as Public Enemy had as its mission to raise up 5,000 Black leaders during the late 80’s, our task today, is to raise up 5,000 intellectual warriors.

For Black History Month we are suggesting the following steps.

Instead of depending on the media to give us the truth about our history, we must use Youtube , Facebook and Twitter to start a “Black History :The Lost Episodes” series where we will post and Tweet information that has been purposely hidden from the masses of Black people.

Hip Hop must also get involved as we are asking rappers to adopt the names of our Black heroes and heroines during Black History Month. If rappers can name themselves after comic book heroes like “Johnny Blaze” and Hollywood gangsters’s like “Frank White” and “Scarface” , why can’t we have , “The King Tut of the Turntables,” “The Nat Turner of Rap”,” or “The Harriet Tubman of Hip Hop.? “

Also, we must form Afro-centric media watch groups to make sure that our history is not distorted by the media, especially during Black History Month.

So, the hostile takeover of Black History Month must happen.

Like Malcolm X would put it , we must take back our culture this year, “By any means necessary.”

We can do this the easy way or the hard way..

Or like Biggie Smalls once rapped “the fast way, ski mask way… ransom note….”

TRUTH Minista Paul Scott’s site is No Warning Shots Fired.com. Follow on Twitter @ truthminista For more information about the Black By Nature/Conscious By Choice Campaign contact info@nowarningshotsfired.com or call (919) 972-8305

Filed under: Editorial Tagged: Black History Month, Public Enemy, Trinidad James

Twilight Zone: The Confusing State of What Is Real In Hip Hop

Keith Nelson Jr (@JusAire) — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 16:58:48 +0000

“Rap snitches/Telling all their business/Sit in the court and be their own star witness” - MF Doom on “Rap Snitch Knishes”

What would you think of someone whom the majority of the time you heard them speak they were discussing/reminiscing on/bragging about murdering people?

What would you think of them if they rhythmically conveyed this over infectious instrumentals?

What if they vehemently proclaimed they were “real”?

If you are a psychiatrist, you would probably diagnose them as a sociopath with psychotic delusions of grandeur. If you are the vast majority of the consumer community in Hip Hop, you would probably buy whatever song/album/mixtape they murder. As long as they are “real”.

Welcome to the “Real” Twilight Zone.

Rap, with its proclivity for braggadocious images dating back to Slick Rick’s all-gold everything attire, has always been a divisive entity usually creating a dichotomy between what constitutes as being “real” and what is reality. By virtue, gangsta rappers traditionally shoot videos brandishing firearms, surround themselves with entourages of criminals and promote violence as a means of keeping it “real”. Chief Keef has videos of him waving guns, threatened to physically harm a peaceful Lupe Fiasco and responded to the death of rival rapper Lil Jo Jo like this:

However, before being sentenced to 60 days in juvenile detention because he wielded a gun at a shooting range during an interview (probation violation), ~~Chief Keef~~ Keith Cozart teared up and quickly denounced his lyrics as “bull stuff”. He is not the first to claim his lyrics are not real when the veracity of murderous lyrics was incriminating evidence in a trial. Back in 2004, Beanie Sigel’s lyrics were used against him in a gun charge case until the judge claiming Sigel as simply playing a character for the entertainment of his fans. Philadelphia defense attorney Michael Coard expanded on this notion in an interview with USA Today back in 2006:

“It’s about boasting. It’s about exaggerating. … It’s about acting,” he said. “If Robert De Niro, or Al Pacino or Marlon Brando are charged with shooting somebody, are they going to be playing clips from The Godfather in court?”

This volatile Twilight Zone gets further complicated when the “Real” and reality clash. Back in 2008, after photos of Rick Ross(born William Leonard Roberts II) were released he attributed it to haters having fun with Photoshop at his expense. It took him a month and the emergence of payroll documentation from his time as a correctional officer for the Maybach Music Group boss to admit it was true, but not before asserting “I never tried to hide my past”. Yesterday, Ross was the target of a drive-by assassination in his hometown of Miami, FL. If we take his “real” lyrics to be reality then his “lil Hatians shooters” should soon have the men who tried to kill him on TMZ.

Are gangsta rappers ready to admit they are more reality TV stars than actual “gangsters”? Is “being real” an industry construct designed to assist in promotion similar to makeup and inflated Twitter follower numbers? Following Rick Ross’ recent assassination attempt, rival MC 50 Cent claimed the lack of bullet holes suggested it was a staged shooting.

But why would a rapper even consider faking something so vile?

60% of the Top 10 highest selling rap albums of 2012 mentioned violence on multiple occasions and as a result of the boastfulness of hip hop, these mentions are usually in the first person perspective. A week after Chief Keef was sentenced his album (which also features violent lyrics) moved up a spot in the Billboard Hot 100. The buying public in hip hop has had a noticeable fixation with violence since five n*ggas with attitude came storming straight out of Compton onto the national scene. Is there not a way to quench this thirst for violent imagery without incriminating oneself while still being “Real”? Well, the fastest selling rap album of 2012 was Kendrick Lamar’s classic concept album good kid, mAAd city, a collection of gangster tales framed in a cogent narrative. The album did not glorify any part of the visceral experiences and creatively conveyed gang stories similar to most gangsta rappers.

With more rappers signing on to reality TV shows maybe a balance between “real” and reality is being reached Will rappers who claim to simply be speaking for a certain group of people or retelling stories simply stop speaking in the first-person when mentioning what violent acts can occur when rapping in non-storytelling songs?

Only time(and sales) will tell.

Filed under: Editorial, MOBILE Tagged: Beanie Sigel, chief keef, Kendrick Lamar, Lupe Fiasco, Rick Ross, Slick Rick

Rollin’ With Rush: How Rap Helps the Right Wing

TRUTH Minista Paul Scott — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 02:08:57 +0000

There’s a famous scene from the cult classic movie “Scarface” where inebriated gangster, Tony Montana (Al Pacino) disses a bunch of classy conservative folks by telling them that they need people like him so they can point their fingers and say “that’s the bad guy.”
Such is the strange relationship between the Right Wing and rap music.

So, it should come as no real surprise that Rush Limbaugh defended his new homie, Shorty Lo on his radio show. Limbaugh thinks that the people who caused Oxygen TV to squash plans for Shorty’s “All My Babies Mama’s” reality show are a bunch of haters.

While at first glance they may appear to be at polar opposites of the political spectrum, the ideologies of gangsta-ism and conservatism are actually dependent upon each other for survival. Just like in the world of Hollywood, every hero needs a villain and every villain needs a hero.

Since the inception of gangsta rap in the late 80′s, the conservatives have used the music to embody everything that is socially and morally reprehensible in this country and the gangsta’s have been quick to label anyone who disapproves of their violent and misogynistic lyrics as a wrinkled right wing ole fogy.

It must be noted that when the term “Hip Hop” is used here it is not meant to include the music of legendary political artists such as Public Enemy whose legacy is seen today in the lyrics of noncommercial groups such as Dead Prez but the majority of the commercial rap that has dominated the charts and radio playlists for well over a decade.

While much of the criticism from the Right has centered around naughty words and suggestive lyrics, the apolitical and anti intellectual nature of “gangsta rap” has, in many ways, fulfilled the wishes of those who seek to conserve power by the dumbing down of the powerless. This may be the reason why the commercial era of “political” Hip Hop lasted a mere four years but the reign of gangsta rap has been going strong for 20 years.

Therefore, it is no surprise that the late gangsta rap pioneer Eric “Eazy E” Wright had lunch with President George H Bush at a reception for the Republican Senatorial Inner Circle in 1991. That becomes even more strange in the context that the Right is not exactly known for breaking bread with the enemy as former VP candidate Sara Palin pointed out ad nauseum.

It must be noted that while the protest against rappers Tupac Shakur and Snoop Dog led by C. Delores Tucker and William Bennett only helped to elevate their status as cult heroes who were merely fighting, according to them, represent their community. Bennett went on a decade later to issue what could be a considered a call for gangsta eugenics when he said that if you abort every black baby in this country ,the crime rate would go down.

Also, during the mid 90′s while aid to the poor was under attack, MTV showed a clip with the late rapper Russel “Ol Dirty Bastard” Jones arriving at a welfare office via stretch limo to pick up food stamps during an era when the Right Wing was holding up images of black women as “welfare queens.”

Fast forward to 2013 and we see that Hip Hop has not changed much and neither has the Republican Party. Despite the many rappers who moonlight as voter registration organizers during political season, their day jobs are still keeping the masses of ”ghetto” youth politically misdirected and justifying the Right’s political scare tactics.

So, today what to do about the so called “Hip Hop Generation” is seen as the new “white man’s burden.” In states across the country there are laws being imposed where the wearing of Hip Hop inspired clothing may be probable cause for the implementation of legislation reminiscent of Richard Nixon’s tough on crime policies of the early 70′s.

With the economy saggin’ like rapper ‘Lil Wayne’s pants, the Conservatives need poverty poster children who they can say enjoy being broke. Who can argue for more social programs when the image of “tha hood” being broadcast across the planet is not an area filled with hungry children and dilapidated buildings but a fantasy land where black men with gold teeth ride around in expensive cars with spinning rims blasting loud music all day. Not exactly the best argument for affirmative action.

Now, I’m not suggesting that a rap mogul is in a studio somewhere composing rap lyrics with a Republican strategist but stranger things have happened in the wild world of politics.

However, at a time when the whole world seems to be yelling for change, maybe Hip Hop artists won’t turn a deaf ear.

Maybe, this year, to quote Tony Montana, we can finally say “goodnight to the bad guy.”

TRUTH Minista Paul Scott’s website is No Warning Shots Fired.com. He can be reached at info@nowarningshotsfired.com Follow on Twitter @truthminista

Filed under: Editorial Tagged: Gangsta, minister, TRUTH Minista Paul Scott

DEBATE: Beyonce Or Rihanna: Who Has The Hottest GQ Cover?

AHH Staff (@AllHipHopcom) — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 00:26:19 +0000

Rihanna and Beyonce are the two reigning females in urban music (and beyond). Today, GQ revealed Beyonce’s new cover, a nod to the Super Bowl in which she will be performing. Just a few months ago, Rihanna held the distinction of gracing GQ’s cover and she set the internet afire as well with her penchant for nudity.

No slouch, B, – who had a child just a year ago – seems to be back in the rarest of forms – a true M.I.L.F.

[Want more? Loving It: More Beyonce GQ Pics Leak]

Rihanna has continuously captivated the public’s pallet even thought she’s got a flair for taking pictures with out clothing.

Both women are sexy as all get out so…the inevitable must be asked: WHO HAD THE HOTTER COVER?

Filed under: Editorial, Headlines Tagged: celebrities, Rihanna, sex, sexy

DEBATE: Should Meek Mill Respond To Cassidy?

Chuck "Jigsaw" Creekmur (@ChuckCreekmur) — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 20:02:59 +0000

Cassidy slipped in a diss to Meek (“Me, Myself and iPhone) and then Meek responded in a song (“Repo”) that he proclaimed would be his last. But, then Cassidy upped the ante with “R.A.I.D.,” a song that the internets considered to be “ether.” Now, the rap world speculates whether or not Meek should respond to Cassidy’s 10 minute condemnation. Clearly, Cass has a and he’s even taken no-so-minuscule shots at Rick Ross and MMG. In a viral video, Elliot Wilson of RapRadar argued that Meek should NOT respond to Cassidy, who is seemingly trying to his career back to his former gold glory. I saw Elliot’s video and had to counter on twitter. This is Hip-Hop and that Cassidy diss is not something that can be ignored – not by an emcee. Imagine Nas trying to ignore “The Takeover” or LL trying to ignore Canibus “2nd Round Knockout.” Once upon a time, Jay-Z used to dispose of just about every lil’ New York rapper that said a slick word. Clearly, this isn’t remotely close to those battles, but its definitely piqued the interest of the fans. BUT I REPEAT: THIS IS HIP-HOP. At the root, Hip-Hop is a gladiator sport. Lets get it on! Check out YN’s video below, join the debate and take the poll.

Cassidy – “Me, Myself and iPhone”

Meek Mill – “Repo”

Cassidy – “R.A.I.D.”

Filed under: Editorial Tagged: beef

Happy New Year! (Take No Days Off!!)

Ash Cash — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 18:18:35 +0000

TO HEAR THE AUDIO VERSION OF THE DAILY WORD **CLICK HERE

Happy New Year my warriors of light! Welcome to the very first day of 2013 and the day that begins the rest of your life! Today’s Daily Word is dedicated to Taking No Days Off!! Without a shadow of a doubt, this is your year! Everything you want out of life will be yours! You are focused, determined, and are ready to solidify your greatness! You understand that in order to make this the best year, you must continue to work everyday towards your dream! Your vision is so clear that you know that even if society says that it’s a holiday or the weekend or any other excuse it uses to make you unproductive that you will continue to chip away at that dream! Today is the day! Seize every opportunity to move yourself closer and closer towards your bliss so you can live a life of greatness! There is nothing that can stand in your way if you don’t allow it! Take No Days Off and TAKE what you DESERVE!!!
-Ash’Cash

“Set your goals high, and don’t stop till you get there.”
-Bo Jackson

“It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop”
-Confucius

“Keep working hard and you can get anything that you want.”
-Aaliyah

“Victory is always possible for the person who refuses to stop fighting.”
-Napoleon Hill

“I don’t stop when I’m tired. I only stop when I’m done …
-Marilyn Monroe

“The question isn’t who is going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me.”
-Ayn Rand

“The only thing that will stop you from fulfilling your dreams is you.”
-Tom Bradley

“No matter who you are. Your dreams can come true if you work hard & put 110% effort . No matter how hard it is dont give up, you will get there if you want it. its not easy but it is rewarding in the end!”
-Chris Durkop

***BONUS*** “Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.”
-Thomas Jefferson

–

Ash’Cash is a Business Consultant, Motivational Speaker, Financial Expert and the author of Mind Right, Money Right: 10 Laws of Financial Freedom. For more information, please visit his website, www.IamAshCash.com

Filed under: Editorial, Headlines Tagged: happy new year, inspiration

The Last Word: YOLO…and Now You Owe Drake For It

Andre LeRoy Davis (@ALDreDay) — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 15:02:49 +0000

Our satirical and funny friend, Andre Leroy Davis, was back at it again in 2012 with “The Last Word”, his unique brand of cartoonish commentary on current events and politics.

After laying claim to a hit song and title (“YOLO” or “You Only Live Once”), Canadian rap sensation Drake argues that companies (like Walgreen’s and Macy’s) who talk about only living once should pay him for using the phrase!

Trademarking gone wild? Or, a legitimate claim? We’re not sure, but Andre always has a unique take! YOLO? Now pay Drake. With Drake’s money.

Check out more witty goodness at www.AndreLeroyDavis.com.

Filed under: Editorial, MOBILE Tagged: Andre Leroy Davis, Drake, The Last Word, YOLO, YOLO lawsuit

A Christmas Story: Rest In Peace, Capital STEEZ

K1ng Eljay (@K1ngEljay) — Tue, 25 Dec 2012 14:00:15 +0000

Featured image courtesy of Capital Steez’s Tumblr page

I was originally tasked to do a review of the Pro Era mixtape that just dropped, and that’s still coming. But midway through writing it, I began to hear rumblings of one of the members taking his life. Initially, I thought nothing of it and just continued to write, but as the story finally tumbled out on every news outlet from MTV to Complex (to AllHipHop.com, of course), it became clear that something terrible had happened… and it was an instantly sobering moment, where the important things came into focus, more now than ever.

This might be top ten worst feelings ever. Finding a dope artist and seeing so much raw talent, and while still comprehending it... gone.
—
K1ng Eljay | Leon Jr (@K1ngEljay) December 24, 2012

My first time ever hearing Capital STEEZ rap was on Joey Bada$$’ “Survival Tactics.” Being that I was already impressed with Joey and the Pro Era crew, I honestly began to wonder who would be the weakest link in the team (because that’s what we do! We compare, lol). After hearing his verse, I didn’t think it was STEEZ, exactly, but I still had my doubts. I felt his talent was raw, but I didn’t know enough to formulate an opinion on him.

That turned out to be a good thing, because after playing the aPROcalypse project and hearing his verses, he impressed me the most, arguably more than the lead man himself. It was refreshing, and the chemistry he had with the other members was notable in its own right, to me. And literally, as I’m still amazed to what I’m listening to (but honestly, still not quite comprehending that I stumbled onto someone great and brimming with talent), I read the note from Statik Selektah.

Capital STEEZ was dead via rumored suicide, on Christmas Eve of all days.

The end.
—
KING CAPITAL $TEEZ (@CapitalSTEEZ_) December 24, 2012

The horrific event should matter, not the date, I know. But I also know that anything can happen to anyone at any time; Newtown can attest to that, and so can Chicago if you’ve been paying attention… But even still, the fact is that the consumerism side of Christmas is themed around giving. It truly messed me up that after finding a member of a team that I was beginning to rock with, it’s done. Over before it began. That gift I had discovered while perusing music had a depressingly somber string attached. All of the potential, just… Dead.

From a musical standpoint, it’s one of the worst feelings I’ve had since I began writing for AllHipHop.com, because it hits too close to home.

I’ve been in the same unfortunate situation, where someone close to me did the same thing. It puzzled me to the core, and all I could think of to answer my questions… were more questions. How could I have been there? How I could’ve prevented that from taking place? How could I have stopped it? Were there signs? Was he trying to tell me? How in the hell did I miss it? How come I never really told him how much I appreciated him?

@CapitalSTEEZ_ a lifetime too early.
—
Statik Selektah (@StatikSelekt) December 24, 2012

But with that being said, there’s no way to know how those connected to him feel right now. Statements don’t do it justice, and everyone reacts differently to things like this. Words can’t convey exactly what was lost, but maybe it can help us to understand that now’s as good of a time as ever to let people know you love them. What’s the point of places roses by tombstones when you have a chance to just hand it to them?

As a culture, we have a tendency to take things for granted. We make assumptions on the daily that when children go to school, they’ll be safe. We automatically think that a quick late night run to Taco Bell won’t end in us being injured or killed in a car crash, but instead with us plopping back down in front of our TVs to watch SportsCenter and wait for a Josina Anderson sighting (maybe that’s just me). Thankfully for a lot of us, we have a chance to eliminate some of those assumptions and be more appreciative over the course of the holiday season, especially to the ones we care about. Some people won’t get that courtesy, and that in itself should be the wake-up call to do better.

As for the Pro Era crew and everyone else affected by this… again, words can’t really put into focus how I feel about this. I hope it means something when I say that I’m truly praying for you all. I wish nothing but the best.

RIP Capital STEEZ. Such a talented and good dude. Was just speaking to him like last week. I'm saddened. My heart goes out to his fam
—
Rob Markman (@RobMarkman) December 24, 2012

Rest in Peace, Capital STEEZ.

Filed under: Editorial, Headlines, MOBILE, Slider Tagged: Capital STEEZ, K1ng Eljay, Pro Era, Survival Tactics featuring Capital Steez

5 Reasons Why You Should Watch “Django Unchained” and 5 Reasons Why You Should Skip “Django Unchained”

Chuck "Jigsaw" Creekmur (@ChuckCreekmur) — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 20:15:48 +0000

It has been a long time since movie goers will be as conflicted over a movie, but that’s the sort of film “Django Unchained” is. The movie, the latest, by Quentin Tarantino, tells the story of Django (Jamie Foxx), a Black man that finds freedom in a most unlikely manner. He eventually becomes a bounty hunter with a most unusual ability to kill. And, kill he does. He’s motivated to ruthlessly murder any and everything that stands between him and his lovely wife, Broomhilda (Kerry Washington) and those are mostly White plantation owners and workers that seek to hold him back. The movie offers compelling acting from Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Samuel L. Jackson, Don Johnson and a lot of co-stars.

With that, Django will continue to generate dialogue between those that that love it or hate it. The opposed notions are representative of the characters in the movie since most of them have no grey matter. With that, AllHipHop presents an effort to offer both sides of “Django Unchained,” the good and the ugly, as told by this writer and the creators of this controversial movie.

5 Reasons Why You Should Watch “Django”

1) In Some Demented Way, Django Is A Heroic Figure.

Quentin Tarantino [director] says: “There are a zillion dramatic exciting heartbreaking triumphant [slavery] stories that can be told. Everyone always says there are no new stories, but there’s a whole bunch of them, American stories. And I wanted to be first one out the gate with it.”

2) Ultimately, “Django Unchained” Is A Triumphant Love Story Between A Strong Black Man And An Unbreakable Black Woman.

Kerry Washington [Django's wife Broomhilda] says: “I was very moved by love story because [enslaved] Blacks were not allowed to fall in love and get married. This is a story about a husband and wife when blacks weren’t allowed to be husband and wife. We get to see romantic stories all the time…those crossed loved stories. They’re not from different Italian families like romeo juliet, but Jamie [as Django] had to take down slavery and Candyland for his woman. I feel like this is a movie I had to do for my father. He had no superheroes. Django is a hero.”

3) Django Is An Enslaved Black Man That Immediately Seizes Power Like No Other Enslaved Black Man.

Kerry Washington says: A lot of times people in past may have felt nervous about playing a slave because there are so many narratives about powerlessness. This is a film about a black man that finds freedom, rescues wife, who’s an agent of his own power. A liberator. A hero. Nothing shameful about the film. It’s exciting, hopeful and inspiring.

Jamie Foxx [Django] says: First off, everything in this film…we never get a chance to see a slave fight back, actually do for himself. there are lots of firsts in this movie…you make comments based on things you see you see for the first time…I knew coming into this that there would be a lot of things said…it was a fantastic ride

4) The Movie Is Funny And Well-acted.

Somehow, despite the subject matter. Quentin Tarantino – the sick genius he is – manages to create humor in “Django Unchained.” The funniest part was a gut-busting Klan gathering gone wrong, but there was many others in the movie. Quentin Tarantino: “In editing, I needed a cheer in end and had to figure out how to balance emotions. I didn’t want to traumatize audience so bad that they cant enjoy the movie.” So, don’t feel badly if the movie is enjoyable. The talent in the movie are without peer.

5) For All Of The Violence And Excess, We Get To See Slavery In Its Most Brutal, Racist And Horrific Form.

Leonardo DiCaprio (The villainous Calvin Candy) says: “[Being the villain in "Django Unchained"] sucks, man. Being the biggest villain of the piece. My character represented everything wrong with the South. He’s like a young Prince trying to hold onto all his privileges at all costs. He’s a walking contradiction: raised by Blacks and lived with Blacks but had to see them as non-human. Calvin Candy is a narcissistic, self indulgent racist. He’s one of the most horrible characters I read in my life, but I had to do it. He’s too good of character…I hated him…could not identify with him.”

(Editor’s note: These quotes are from an exclusive press conference in New York City that featured the major characters of “Django Unchained.”)

5 Reasons Why You Should Skip “Django”

1) The “N-Word” Is Used 114 Times (Or More)!

The biggest mistake I made while watching “Django Unchained” was trying to count the number of times the word n***er was used. I stopped at 64. Sure, some argue it is powerfully contextualized in the movie, but I found it exclusively offensive. Spike Lee agrees. The “Do The Right Thing” genus tweeted, “”American Slavery Was Not A Sergio Leone Spaghetti Western. It Was A Holocaust. My Ancestors Are Slaves. Stolen From Africa. I Will Honor Them.” To me, Tarantino made the word into another character in “Django Unchanged,” a faceless antagonist. In “Django Unchained,” n***er is almost exclusively in a Virulent manner. My friend and activist Tarik Ross said, “QT got his rocks off having his characters saying the N word. He likes to say it to RZA and who knows how many other silly negroes who also get their rocks off saying it back to him.” At the end of the day, it was unnecessary, but true to Quentin Tarantino’s previous use.

2) Tarantino Spin Or Not, Do We Really Need Another Movie About Slavery?

There are so many slave flicks. Clearly, none that are of the Tarantino fare, but better from a historical and educational point of view. If we want a super hero for the current era, I recommend Quentin Tarantino or John Singleton or Spike Lee get The Nat Turner rebellion or the Black Panther comic book green lit into a big budget movie. Now, those are real super heroes – straight outta Africa!

3) Mass Killing Is Way Out Of Style!

A friend of mine, MSNBC analyst Ari Meliber argued – in an excellent piece for the Atlantic - that “Django Unchained” is actually amoral and void of critical thought of similar movies like “Inglorious Bastards,” a holocaust period flick also by Tarantino. He says, “While ‘Django Unchained’ presents a morally stark universe, where people do and say evil things with no remorse, it also luxuriates in the license that such evil provides. We are invited to cheer on the slavish killing of men and women, black and white, because they are implicated in an evil institution.” No spoilers here, but if we are going to argue realism – in the instance of the overuse of n***er – then we have to agree that the “black and white” portrayal of the characters reduces them to overly simplistic characters that really cater to people most base emotions. African Americans cheered at the end of “Django Unchained” at the screening I attended. No bueno.

4) It Gets Boring!

Frankly, “Django Unchained” clocks in at 165 minutes. As we sat in the movie, I began to wonder when it would all end. Parts of the movie dragged on endlessly and perhaps worse – pointlessly. Even amid the periods of action, the gun violence gets routine and generic.

5) Opening date on Christmas. Really? This is not the movie to enhance your holly, jolly holiday.

Chuck “Jigsaw” Creekmur is the co-founder of AllHipHop.com and can be found on Twitter at @ChuckCreekmur.

Filed under: Editorial, Headlines, MOBILE, Slider Tagged: Django Unchained

The Connecticut Shooting: How Many More?

Kevin Powell (@kevin_powell) — Sat, 15 Dec 2012 18:55:56 +0000

“Babies. He killed babies.” That was the text message that blasted its terror from my iPhone into the sudden numbness of my mind when I first learned of the terrible mass shooting at that Connecticut elementary school. Babies, as young as kindergarteners, murdered, just because they were there. Nearly 30 dead in total, 20 of them children. Babies, yes, babies who will never have children of their own. Also dead, too, the shooter’s mother (a teacher at the school), and the shooter, a man only 20-years-old, from a self-inflicted gun wound. Every single time I hear about a shooting, be it one-on-one in a ghetto or a mass shooting in a suburb I feel sick, very sick. And so profoundly sad.

How did we as a nation get to this? How are we able to be numb to the fact that approximately 9000 gun-related deaths happen every year in America? A number so great, as someone posted on my facebook wall, that if this total were in any country other than ours it would be considered a civil war. Or note that since guns killed Martin Luther King, Jr. and Bobby Kennedy, just two months apart in 1968, over one million Americans have died from gun violence. Indeed, among the world’s 23 wealthiest countries, 80 percent of all gun deaths are American deaths and 87 percent of all kids killed by guns are American kids. Moreover, in our America, over one dozen guns are legally sold every minute of every day. That means there are almost 300 million privately owned guns in this country-that’s almost enough to arm every man, woman and child. But while there is a gun in four out of every 10 American homes, only a small percentage of owners have most of the weapons, with the average collection swelling in recent years to around seven guns per owner.

America, this is who we are, this is where we are, with no resolution or cease-fire in sight. Violence is as American as apple pie, the Super Bowl, rock and roll, hiphop, and the iPhone I am typing this blog on. It is deeply rooted in the history and psyche of our society and we cannot identify a single American generation that has not experienced the insanity of violence.

And, clearly, no one is immune from this national tragedy of endless gun violence. Not people in America’s ghettoes. Not people in America’s suburbs. Not Black people, not White people, not Latino people, not Asian people, not Native Americans, not straight people, not gay people, not any people, any faith, any region, any class, or any age. Not Trayvon Martin or Jordan Davis, not those little children at that Connecticut school.

For we are a nation held hostage by gun violence. And we do not seem to know how to escape its wrath, even as it murders babies in run-down inner city tenements and babies in neatly manicured suburban schools.

This is an epidemic that we have on our hands. One that has plummeted so far out of control that we wrongly continue to see these as isolated incidents, or simplistically limit them to debates between gun control advocates and pro gun lobbyists.

Yes, I personally support much tighter gun restrictions. Enough of saying, after Columbine, after Virginia Tech, after Aurora, and now after Connecticut, that it is too soon to discuss gun laws. It is actually too late, because yet more Americans are dead, senselessly. In this case, children…

Yes, I feel we need to think long and hard about why it is overwhelmingly American males who commit these shootings, these mass murders. There is something disturbingly wrong with how we define manhood in this country, how we boys and men are socialized. With how manhood is so invested in violence, anger, ego, competition, revenge, guns, murder.

And, yes, I feel we’ve got to, once and for all, have a national conversation on mental illness in our America. For only a seriously unstable human being would hoard guns, and use those guns on others. At a movie theater. On the mother of his child. At an elementary school. What are we not saying and doing for the male population in America where gun violence is the final solution for every single conflict, disturbance, dispute, or beef, be it real or imagined?

But I also believe that America needs to take a hard look at its soul. These mass shootings are piling up. They are happening at high schools, elementary schools, malls, places of work, college campuses, military bases. There is clearly no place called careful, no place to run and hide.

It means we’ve got to confront, head on, the culture of violence that pervades every aspect of our lives, from school textbooks to comic books and blockbuster movies, to our most popular sports and video games, to destructive and abusive domestic relationships, to the way we describe our day-to-day lives with the most aggressive language and imagery. To even the news media and what it chooses to report on a daily, and why.

You teach a people, any people, to be violent, that violence is the remedy for their hurts, wounds, gripes, problems, and they will resort to violence. Without a second thought, and especially, again, if there is a profound emotional and spiritual imbalance. And doubly so if guns are so readily available.

I heard President Barack Obama’s words and felt his tears, very sincerely, when he spoke about the Connecticut school shooting. However, as the leader of our country Mr. Obama must, sooner rather than later, use the full moral weight of his office, of his historical position, and demand we have that national conversation on violence that we’ve continually pushed to the background after a few sensationalistic news cycles have passed.

And we as Americans, from all backgrounds, all walks of life, must come together, and march on Washington, just as the National Rifle Association lobbyists do on a daily, just as we’ve done for other causes. We must come from every corner of our nation and demand massive changes to our America, to gun laws. We need those there who’ve been affected by gun violence in some way, and we need those there who do not want to see this spiral downward any further.

Because even our children are dying because of guns…

And we cannot wait any longer. Not for the sake of our America. Not for the sake of our children, both the ones gone, and the ones yet to be born.

Kevin Powell is an activist, public speaker, and author or editor of 11 books, including “Barack Obama, Ronald Reagan, and The Ghost of Dr. King: Blogs and Essays.” Email him at kevin@kevinpowell.net or follow him on twitter @kevin_powell

NOTE: You can also read this blog on the Daily Kos at
http://www.dailykos.com/blog/uid:260683

Filed under: Editorial, Headlines Tagged: Activist, Guns, Kids, killers, sandy brook, violence

Katt On A Hot-Tin Roof: An Open Letter To Those Who Love Mr. Williams

Skyyhook (@SkyyhookRadio) — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 19:55:06 +0000

Katt Williams is from my hometown. He has been held up on a high pedestal for being one of the few that have made it out of our small Ohio city and go on to have actually, really done something amazing for themselves. The current roster contains his name, along with John Legend and Dave Chappelle – and, as you can see, that totals only three guys out there doing it. So to all of us on the home team, that is saying a lot!

Katt took a city’s hopes and dreams and lived them out. It saddens the community that he has spiraled down a murky path as of late, and many hope that he will decide to return home so he can find insulation and protection from those who apparently are preying on his sickness. To many, he is just a comedian with problems, or maybe even one of the funniest guys they know of, but where he’s from, he is a part of a legacy. This is worth remembering, because the fear is that people will be saying these words at his funeral if he doesn’t get some major help soon.

I traveled to Seattle in the same week that Katt found himself suddenly announcing his retirement. The fact that he did so in the middle of the street, as he was being thrown out of yet another hotel in the Seattle area, was sad. The fact that people in Seattle had formed a very different opinion of his accomplishments than those from our hometown – as a result of constant arrests and not being able to remain sober enough to tell the jokes he was sent there to tell – was even sadder. But knowing that Katt has reduced himself to being the punchline in the jokes he used to tell about the people in Hollywood is the saddest fact of all.

I spoke to Nicole Higgins of Seattle, and she expressed her disappointment with the last three shows: “Every single time we paid to go to his show, he either didn’t show up or was so out of it that he couldn’t follow his own jokes! He would start to tell a story, and then trail off and start saying things that made no sense. It was so weird! He’d say ‘My mother is such a trip that, she umm, yeah, it’s just crazy how that goes.’ We were looking at him like, ‘That isn’t a joke, that wasn’t even a complete thought!’ He just couldn’t keep it together.”

Carlos Imaini of South Seattle said, “The rumor about last week’s show was that he actually was backstage at the show that night, but was allegedly so high that they couldn’t get him to physically walk up on the stage, let alone leave him to entertain the crowd.”

If this is the case, and Katt was that terribly sick/high, that serves as even more evidence that there are people out here who will continue to push artists of all types to their deaths if they send mentally unhealthy people out into the streets. Add the spotlights, and you further showcase their illnesses. I mean, are they selling tickets to concerts, or sideshow attractions? At the end of the day, stars like Katt are human beings that have families and lives. They are being treated as chattel. The exploiters know these people need help, but they would rather make a buck off the morbid curiosity of onlookers. It’s sad.

So, if Katt Williams returns to my little hometown in a coffin, there will be plenty of “friends” and “colleagues” with blood on their hands. Don’t pretend to care about this man if you stand by and watch as we tragically lose him to his demons. Demonstrate that you love him by getting him the help he needs now, before it’s too late. This nation can’t take too many more fallen stars and funeral tears from those who “loved” their meal tickets. If you really love Katt, tell him ‘no,’ before that option is gone, before Katt is gone. Don’t allow him to continue to be a joke, when he used to master the art of the joke.

“It’s on your nose” stopped being funny a long while ago.

Filed under: Editorial, Headlines, MOBILE Tagged: Black comedians, Katt Williams, Katt Williams arrests

The Last Word 2012: Colonel Mary J’s Chicken Flies The Coop

Andre LeRoy Davis (@ALDreDay) — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 17:29:24 +0000

Our satirical and funny friend, Andre Leroy Davis, was back at it again in 2012 with “The Last Word”, his unique brand of cartoonish commentary on current events and politics.

In the multi-billion dollar world of celebrity endorsements…all “gwop” ain’t good “gwop.” Just ask the reigning Queen of Hip-Hop Soul. We’ve loved Mary J. Blige in her good times and bad, and in most of our eyes, she can do no wrong. Unless, it involves her being too excited to sing about a piece of fried chicken in a commercial jingle that we just couldn’t bear.

Andre’s artwork captured the unfortunate “Burger King Crispy Chicken Strips Fiasco” of April 2012 by picturing MJB with yet another chicken giant (BONUS – below it is the real commercial):

Check out more witty goodness at www.AndreLeroyDavis.com.

Filed under: Editorial, MOBILE Tagged: Burger King, KFC, Mary J Blige Burger King incident, Mary J. Blige, The Last Word 2012, The Last Word by Andre Leroy Davis

The Last Word 2012: Hip-Hop Bows Its Head for Baby Chris

Andre LeRoy Davis (@ALDreDay) — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 14:21:15 +0000

Our satirical and funny friend, Andre Leroy Davis, was back at it again in 2012 with “The Last Word”, his unique brand of cartoonish commentary on current events and politics.

He was a hero among Hip-Hop giants, with an infectious smile that we never imagined would fade. But, in August 2012, Chris Lighty’s peers mourned the loss of rap’s talented business mind and friend. Whether it was due to an alleged suicide or something more sinister, it was clear that all anyone could question was, ‘Why?’

Andre captured the tragic event in his special way – by spotlighting how Hip-Hop and beyond came together (with some putting aside long-standing beef) in Baby Chris’ honor:

Check out more witty goodness at www.AndreLeroyDavis.com.

Filed under: Editorial, MOBILE Tagged: AHH's 2012 Year End, Baby Chris, Chris Lighty, The Last Word, The Last Word by Andre Leroy Davis

Pieces Of A Man: I Am Manny Pacquiao. Are You?

Chuck "Jigsaw" Creekmur (@ChuckCreekmur) — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 05:02:19 +0000

“It’s not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or when the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions and spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who at the worst if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat.” -Theodore Roosevelt

I’ve had a long-standing love affair with the brutal sport of boxing. I love the big fights. I love the small fights. I love the winners and, depending on the fight in the dog, the losers. Before I was married (and later divorced), I even had my bachelor party at “Mickey Ward vs Arturo Gatti 3,” to the chagrin of some of the men that attended. To hell with them. I was never into strippers anyway.

I’ve also had a long-standing love affair with the Internet. AllHipHop.com, my company, was founded in the late 1990s and blossomed in the 2000s. I feel like I’ve seen it all online, from the inside to the outside. The AllHipHop Ill Community is just that—ill. It’s a monster that we created in many ways and it continues as such. But, the Internet has changed in the advent of social media, viral connections and a larger, more sinister monster has emerged. This beast is merciless with yellow teeth and it comprises of millions of collective people that band together in waves, surrounding the epic moments in history. It all started humorously, I believe, maybe even innocently.

Manny Pacquiao in an epic bout by knockout to his long-running rival Juan Manuel Márquez. The dirty ball of jokes and spectator humor traveled downhill rapidly and collected more and more filth as it descended into a full-fledged mudslide. Every fool with a photo app, Twitter account or Facebook page was sharing pictures that only a few people had actually created. People were seemingly getting their rocks off. There were pictures of him laying on the beach, or with Michael Jackson leaning over top him saying “Manny are you okay?” Seriously, these were funny and others, funnier. But, as it went on, these humorous exploits became uglier and more mean-spirited.

I was done with the jokes when one of my Twitter followers (and one-time college classmate) responded to a Pac Man quote I tweeted with “RIP.”

The gem of a tweet said: “It is your response to winning and losing that makes you a winner or a loser.” – Manny Pacquiao.

My blood started to boil a bit at the notion that somebody would find that a fair response to a man the was still very alive and still had a career in this sport should he choose to.

I am Manny Pacquiao.

The quote that began this phenomenal op-ed is one by Teddy Roosevelt, 26th President of the United States. I don’t know much more about Teddy, but I put this quote to memory in the 1990s and it has followed me through every stage of my life. From it I draw a lot of strength particularly when I have gone through trying times with an audience in full view.

Maybe I’m getting sensitive as life goes on, but I felt for Manny. In fact, I was definitively prompted to write this after I saw a picture of a smiling Manny consoling his doting wife, who appeared to be weeping uncontrollably. I felt their pain and then, with the backdrop of callous jokes and sideline commentary, grew angrier. I thought about my recent trials as a single father and as a divorcee. Then I thought about my toil to get where I am now, which as far as I am concerned, is as far from the top as the day I started. Then, I thought about losing my father and other family members and overcoming struggle after struggle after struggle. And, subsequently overcoming each struggle or facing those trials that remain until they crumble in an absolute battle of attrition.
Manny Pacquiao isn’t retiring. He’s a champion beyond the wildest dream of the jokesters and the mean jerks.

Click here to continue reading “Pieces Of A Man: I Am Manny Pacquiao”

Filed under: Editorial, Headlines Tagged: beef

The 20 Funniest Manny Pacquaio Memes After Juan Manuel Marquez KO!

illseed (@illseed) — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 03:10:18 +0000

Okay, so just in case life isn’t unbearable enough for the homie Manny Pacquaio these days, these internet mugs are making sure that he never wants to see the light of day again!

It’s been a couple days since poor little Manny got KNOCKED THE F*CK OUT by Juan Manuel Marquez (after gettin’ a daggone pre-fight pep talk from another loser? “Mittens”!!! Why, I ask???), but the jokes are non-stop!

HA! And some of y’all out there are actually pretty funny. Check out how the ‘net keeps goin’ in on Manny!!!!

BUT THERE IS A BIG CAVEAT AT THE VERY END OF THIS POST….SO LOOK FOR IT.

HOWEVER….

And, at the end of the day….

Filed under: Editorial, MOBILE, Rumors Tagged: Boxing, entertainment, illseed, Juan Manuel Marquez, Manny Pacquaio

The Last Word 2012: Breezy, Drizzy and a Bajan Babe Worth Brawling For

Andre LeRoy Davis (@ALDreDay) — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 14:24:15 +0000

Our satirical and funny friend, Andre Leroy Davis, was back at it again in 2012 with “The Last Word”, his unique brand of cartoonish commentary on current events and politics.

2012 saw the resurgence of “beef” in a major way in Hip-Hop. The drama even spilled over onto R&B singers, as two of the biggest global celebs – Chris Brown and Rihanna – found their names intertwined in the news once again. This time, however, the story also involved YMCMB’s golden boy, Canadian rapper, Drake, who apparently “kissed-and-told” too much about his exploits with Chris’ former girl at the time.

And, according to Andre’s The Last Word, Breezy was ready to fight for his woman:

The Rihanna-sharing hit a climax in New York in mid-June of this year, with a Henny-bottling slinging brawl that dragged Meek Mill into the mix, too. It was a bad look for all, but made for another funny Andre artistic moment…

Check out more witty goodness at www.AndreLeroyDavis.com.

Filed under: Editorial, MOBILE Tagged: AHH's 2012 Year End, Chris Brown, Drake, Hip-Hop Rumors: Footage Of The Chris Brown Vs. Drake Altercation Surfaces, Meek Mill, Rihanna, The Last Word, The Last Word by Andre Leroy Davis

“No, Virginia. Rick Ross Ain’t Gangsta”: Rap’s X-mas Reality Check

TRUTH Minista Paul Scott (@truthminista) — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 14:08:51 +0000

“In the real world these just people with ideas/They just like me and you when the smoke and camera disappear” – “Hip Hop”, Dead Prez

When Virgina “V-Gangsta” O’Hanlon’s homegirl broke the news to her that Santa Claus was a big fat fake, it didn’t faze her one bit. As long as she still got her Lil’ Wayne CD for Christmas, she was good. But years later, when she found out that her new favorite rapper, Rick Ross, wasn’t the gangster she had grown to know and love, she went into a violent rage, followed by a major depression lasting several days…

Recently, mainstream America got hip to something that “the ‘hood” already knew. Their beloved Grammy-nominated gangsta, William “Rick Ross” Roberts wasn’t a gangster after all. He just played one on TV.

This has sent his suburban fans searching for a “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus” type of affirmation. Just like Virginia O’Hanlon, when she wrote the famous letter to the New York Sun back in 1897, asking for reassurance that the Jolly Ol’ Soul was real after her friends told her that Ol’ St. Nick was just a trick, Rick Ross fans are sheddin’ tears in their eggnog, yellin’ “Say it ain’t so!”

Last week, Rick Ross cancelled the remaining dates of his MMG (Maybach Music Group) Tour, reportedly because of YouTube videos posted by members of The Gangster Disciples who threatened to step to Roberts for shoutin’ out their leader’s name on one of his songs, and using their gang symbol on a CD cover without breakin’ them off a little royalty cash.

To make matters worst, the rapper has beef with convicted drug dealer, Freeway Ricky Ross, of the infamous Iran/Contra/Compton cocaine connection that was alleged in the ’90s by the late reporter, Gary Webb. Apparently, Freeway Ricky Ross is miffed that rapper Rick Ross has the nerve to use his popularity of contributing to the genocide of thousands of children in the ‘hood to sell records that glamorize the genocide of thousands of children in the ‘hood.

Not to mention the die hard Tupac Shakur fans who are hatin’ on him for having the audacity to proclaim himself the reincarnation of the “father of THUG LIFE.”

However, the main people upset by the revoking of Rick Ross’s ghetto pass are members of his Caucasian crossover fan club who, vicariously, live the ghetto life through their favorite rappers from the comfort of their spacious homes in the ‘burbs.

Someone once said, insubstantially, that 80% of the kids who buy Rap music are white. While we are not sure how he, scientifically, arrived at that figure, he’s probably darn close if you look at whose parents have the most disposable income.

During the mid to late ’70s, Hip \-Hop started as an obscure form of party music barely known outside of four of the five NYC boroughs. However, with the release of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five’s “The Message,” Rap music became White America’s long range telescope for viewing urban blight. During the late ’80s, Public Enemy frontman, Chuck D, proclaimed Rap “the CNN of Black America.” Shortly after this pronouncement, NWA brought Gangsta Rap to the forefront and rappers became the epitome of Tall, Dark and Dumb, the dudes that all of the cool, White guys wanted to be like, and the hip, White chicks wanted to be with.

The best example of the origin of this idea would probably be the miraculous transformation of nerdy “Bud Bundy” to “Grandmaster B” from the early ’90s sitcom, “Married With Children.”

So for White kids, “Gangsta rappers” were the perfect Christmas gift, like a life size, thugged out version of a GI Joe with the kung fu grip. Or Shirley Temple’s “Mr. Bojangles” with street swagger, willing to buck dance at the drop of a dollar.

But last week, the charade came to an abrupt ending, when Middle America had to come to grips with the fact that maybe their superheroes of the ‘hood weren’t so super after all.

They finally had to deal with the reality that it was all one big joke, and the joke was on them. Although the music industry marketing gurus could spin the well known fact in Hip-Hop circles that Rick Ross was a former correctional officer, earning him the title a la rapper 50 Cent, “Officer Ricky,” the idea that a feared Gangsta rapper is scared of gangsters is an unforgivable sin in Hip-Hop. He might as well have done a duet with Barry Manilow.

But it’s not just William Roberts who is perpetratin’ a fraud. Many of the fiercest Gangsta rappers and producers in the industry are actually college educated, from Suge Knight to Sean “Puffy” Combs. Even Robert ‘s fellow Grammy nominee Tauheed “2 Chainz” Epps attended college on an athletic scholarship during the mid ’90s, despite his lyrical content that centers around “big booty hoes.”

But the question is, now that the jack-in-the-box is out of Santa’s bag, where does Hip-Hop go from here?

The music executives can either allow Hip-Hop to grow up and once again become socially relevant, or they can continue on their fool’s errand of trying to fool all of the people all of the time.

History teaches us that they will probably try to make a feeble attempt at the latter. I mean, if they can turn a C.O. into an O.G., I guess anything is possible. But in reality, the future direction of Hip-Hop depends on the gullibility of the consumer.

Just like the cop-out that a parent gives his child when she finds her toy pony hidden in the garage two days before Christmas:

“Santa exists as long as you believe he does.”

So does Gangsta Rap, Virginia. So does Gangsta Rap.”

TRUTH Minista Paul Scott’s website is NoWarningShotsFired.com. He can be reached at info@nowarningshotsfired.com or on Twitter (@truthminista).

Filed under: Editorial, Headlines, MOBILE, Slider Tagged: Chuck D, Freeway Ricky Ross, Gangster Disciples, No, Rick Ross, The Message by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, TRUTH Minista Paul Scott, Virginia. Rick Ross Ain’t Gangsta: Rap’s X-mas Reality Check

The Last Word 2012: Keep Your Political Self-Interests – We’ve Got “Super’PAC”

Andre LeRoy Davis (@ALDreDay) — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 17:11:16 +0000

Our satirical and funny friend, Andre Leroy Davis, was back at it again in 2012 with “The Last Word”, his unique brand of cartoonish commentary on current events and politics.

Politics can be a petty, nasty business, and in 2012, we saw the worst mudslinging, self-interests we’ve seen in years. The “SuperPACs” (Super Political Action Committees) were determined to pull their weight and their pocketbooks all the way to the White House.

Andre knows that Hip-Hop lives by a separate set of politics – and we aren’t easily blinded by big talk and big dollars…unless it’s a raucous rivalry between rappers. Check out who he thought (in hologram and spirit form) could save our day:

Check out more witty goodness at www.AndreLeroyDavis.com.

Filed under: Editorial, MOBILE Tagged: 2012 Election, Hip-Hop and politics, Super PAC, Super Political Action Committees, The Last Word, The Last Word by Andre Leroy Davis, Tupac Hologram

Battle of the Brands: MySpace (and Old School Rappers) Gets A Bad Rap

Octavia Bostick (@thawrite1) — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 16:02:50 +0000

I feel like MySpace gets a bad wrap like Old School Hip-Hop.

Case in point is Slick Rick the Ruler’s recently getting boo’d – what the hell is that about? You can’t take away someone’s legendary status just because they had a bad performance or technical difficulty. And the same thing applies to MySpace…kinda. The Digital Age has already significantly shortened the lifespan of an artist’s career, and sooner than they realize, some “Twitter stars” will be the scoffed-at “legends” they seemingly enjoy dismissing on account of relevancy.

The social sphere is so ever-changing that what was trending even a week ago is lost in the abyss irrelevancy thanks to breaking social media news.

My first introduction to the original MySpace was through a publicist friend of mine who asked me, “Are you on MySpace? It’s a cool new site that a lot of artists are on, and you can connect directly with them.” MySpace was a social media platform where the users determined the product by how they used it. And the artists, who became the super users, made MySpace what it was by creating a place to connect directly with their audiences by uploading songs, emailing users, and personally engaging with their fans.

As a journalist and a fan of music, MySpace started off as a great way to contact my favorite artists without having to go through their management teams. But it quickly became “MyWorld” instead of “MySpace.” I was spending hours a day on my profile, searching other profiles, meeting strangers, and connecting with people I hadn’t seen in a long time, and I didn’t have to leave the house. MySpace was the first of its kind to allow user’s access to their favorite artists and exclusive music, and more importantly, to become personally invested into their favorite celebrities’ success. However, many of us saw the movie, The Social Network, so we pretty much know how that story ends.

But does it have to end? No, it doesn’t have to end for MySpace – or for artists like Slick Rick who Hip-Hop tends to “age out” at a certain point. Is that really fair – to MySpace or Slick Rick? What if Jay -Z were aged out of Hip-Hop at age 40? Nobody would’ve been “Watching the Throne”, that’s what. All it takes is a little re-tooling and new user interaction for an original to maintain relevancy. How do you think Sean Carter took Hip-Hop to the White House, after all? The seasoned rapper/MySpace analogy just works. Like Slick Rick and others, are we really gonna give up on MySpace, the platform that opened the door for all of these other “bites of freedom” that allow us almost too much access into the lives of our favorite celebrities?

Well, I will admit I had given up my old MySpace password for the hottest new social space as well, but all that changed when I received an invite to go to a MySpace “Feel the Music” Show recently. I, like most people, wore a side-lipped scowl, thinking, ‘MYSPACE? Who the hell still goes to these shows?’ Then, upon further reading, I saw that free Denon Headphones and DJ Jazzy Jeff, two of my favorite things would be there, so off to the show I went. Yes, I had heard of the new MySpace launch, and that Justin Timberlake had become part owner, but this still wasn’t enough to make me want to create another new profile to go alongside my Twitter, Facebook, Pintrest, Pandora, Tumblr, and various e-mail accounts I have to manage and maintain on a regular. But, to my surprise, when I stepped into the party, it was wall-to-wall packed and hot as all get out.

My first thought was, ‘Dang, are all these people still on MySpace, or are they all just here for the free headphones, too? The answer became clear as I checked out the scene. It looked like all of the subcultures you literally see on MySpace – from the cool kids to the Asian kids breakdancing in the corner, all coming to support the music. DJ Jazzy Jeff delivered a set that had everyone too “turnt up” to care that it was 110 degrees in that joint. The whole experience had reopened my eyes and made me want to check out what the “new MySpace” might have jumping off.

Clearly, the owners of the “new MySpace” are not going down without a fight – check out the recently launched Beta version of the site. I received an invite to set up my profile, and I was instantly excited to see the new site…it was FRESH! Oh, my bad, swerve, whatever! The visual is aesthetically pleasing with its horizontal navigation, and seeing the familiar face of our good buddy Tom was encouraging. Although he doesn’t work there, he is there to enjoy the new site he posts.

MySpace listened to the needs of their super users – the artists – and created something new that hasn’t existed before, by connecting various aspects of the most popular social media tools in one place – the new.myspace.com. The New MySpace, though equipped with some of our favorite social media capabilities, is all about the music. The super users who defined what the original product was about determined what the product turned into, and with the new features in place, the new.myspace.com is positioning itself to once again carve out its own lane as the go to for music social media. The shows they host – with big names like Ciara – only help to support the reinvigorated brand.

Still in Beta form, the new.Myspace.com is prioritizing the functionality of the site to answer the needs of their super users, while re-tooling some of the old familiar functions like the Top 8, which is reserved for those top fans who are the top engagers and influencers in your network. It allows artists to track who their top influencers are for more personal engagement. “Discovery” is the most important theme of the new MySpace – discovering new music, new users, and new ways to engage utilizing social media, while connecting marketing platforms, merging catalogs, and having content connected all in one place.

The fact that the original MySpace still has 30 million classic users to this day is telling of the impact that it’s had on social media. Like Old School Hip-Hop, it never died all the way. The stars and careers that were launched by the social networking site helped make artists like Drake, Soulja Boy, and Sean Kingston a part of Pop culture history. And, the new MySpace has the capacity to open a whole new world of discovery with new tweaks that have what it takes to put it back on top.

So, if for no other reason than you gotta respect the fact that, as the throwback, MySpace set the bar for everything that followed – give it a try. They deserve the chance to raise the bar, and it appears they are on the right track to live on. Just like Old School Hip-Hop.

Filed under: Editorial, Headlines, MOBILE Tagged: ciara, Denon headphones, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Hip-Hop and social media, MySpace, MySpace concerts

The Last Word 2012: A Hoodie and Skittles May Cost Your Life

Andre LeRoy Davis (@ALDreDay) — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 18:22:29 +0000

Our satirical and funny friend, Andre Leroy Davis, was back at it again in 2012 with “The Last Word”, his unique brand of cartoonish commentary on current events and politics.

In one of the most tragic and polarizing stories of 2012, 17-year-old, unarmed Trayvon Martin was shot and killed in February 2012 after arguing with “neighborhood watchman,” George Zimmerman. With only Skittles and an iced tea on his person when he was shot, Trayvon’s murder had the Hip-Hop community particularly appalled, and rocking “hoodies” became a symbol signifying that Black men are sick and tired of being pigeon-holed and oppressed.

At the time, Andre’s artistic “Weapons” statement said it all:

Check out more witty goodness at www.AndreLeroyDavis.com.

Filed under: Editorial, MOBILE Tagged: George Zimmerman, Hip-Hop and the community, hoodies, The Last Word, The Last Word by Andre Leroy Davis, Trayvon Martin

The Last Word 2012: A Baby Blue Heir To “The Throne” Is Born

Andre LeRoy Davis (@ALDreDay) — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 18:37:37 +0000

Our satirical and funny friend, Andre Leroy Davis, was back at it again in 2012 with “The Last Word”, his unique brand of cartoonish commentary on current events and politics.

In one of the top stories of the year, iconic rapper/entrepreneur Jay-Z and his equally major singing wife, Beyonce, welcomed baby Blue Ivy Carter into the world on January 7, 2012. Even before her birth there were rampant pregnancy rumors, guesses about possible names, and the sense that Hip-Hop’s royal couple was birthing its first heir to The Throne.

Andre captures the momentous occasion and Blue Ivy’s first rap recording (“Glory”) in his “The Last Word” cartoon from this past January:

Check out more witty goodness at www.AndreLeroyDavis.com.

Filed under: Editorial, MOBILE Tagged: Andre Leroy Davis, Beyonce, Blue Ivy Carter, Glory by Jay-Z, Jay-Z, The Last Word, The Last Word by Andre Leroy Davis