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I Miss Women In Hip-Hop

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg)Category: Uncategorized

?The other day, I had the urge to tell one of my favorite rappers that I loved her.

 ??That rapper’s name: Jean Grae.

 ?

 ?How did I tell her? Well, I didn’t.

 

I updated my status on Facebook and told all my friends like a coward. Eventually, she saw it. I don’t know if she was online (we’re FB friends) or if somebody told her, but I just felt the need to say it. But, is not some crush on a talented artist.

 ??I don’t know why, but I have been missing the woman’s voice in Hip-Hop. I’m not just talking about Jean’s lyrical prowess. Nor am I talking about vixen rappers, even though they are cool for obvious reasons. [Like one younger female friend of mine said, “A little Nicki Minaj never hurt.”]

 

I’m talking about the women in the game that had a mighty voice, a voice that’s been systematically silenced through the years.?

 ?There are so many reasons for their disappearance, but I won’t go into that now. I just miss the ladies, even when they were dissing us men or proclaiming it was “Ladies First.”?

 ?When I say I miss women in Hip Hop, I’m not just talking about the one’s holding a microphone. Men have always dominated Hip-Hop, but women were always involved in some way or another. I miss women at concerts and album listenings. I miss debating with a woman who’s the best and why. I miss women music executives and managers; important women such as writers, editors, stylists, publicists and other critical cogs in the machine.

 

I don’t blame the women who have abandoned Hip-Hop. Who really do they have left to rally behind? Lil Mama? Lil Kim?

 

Ok, what about male rappers? Most women I know tend to only like a handful of them ie Drake, Lil Wayne and Jay-Z. Even Drake is skating on thin ice thanks to his debut video that nearly pushed women to protest in the streets. Strategically, that was a bad move for Drizzy, because females had hoped he would help spread a positive depiction of women in Hip-Hop.

 ?Eh, we can’t entirely blame Drake’s video for the view that women are nothing more than eye candy in Hip Hop. (Maybe we should blame Kanye who directed the clip?)

 ??I miss women in Hip Hop but because they aren’t being given a spotlight but that doesn’t mean they don’t exist.

 

Shawnna is a beast.

 

Amanda Diva is Hip-Hop’s ultimate hustler, merging art and music.

 

Nicki Minaj was reminiscent of Kim and Foxy, but now has adjusted into a far more original being.

 

There are also a bevy of underground acts like Eternia, DJ Chela, Toni Blackmon and others doing their thing.?

 ??SO WHY ARE THEY M.I.A.??

 ?Hoping that it wasn’t just me, I asked some female friend why they thought women had left the scene. Overall they told me that they were “totally frustrated” with Hip-Hop.

 ??”There is no diversity,” said one woman, who works in a white-collar job. “ We’re in a recession and they just do all that bragging. ‘I got cars jewels crap is so played. Maybe I’m getting old, but I’m tired of it.” Frustrated or not, she still recognized Raekwon Only Built For Cuban Linx 2 as one of the better albums of the year.

 ?My pal Aimstar, general manager at The Source, also cited Rae’s album as one of the reasons why she “refuses to give up on Hip-Hop.”?

 ?Not to turn this into an editorial praising Raekwon, but there is something special about that album, Cuban Linx 2. I believe it is appealing, because it reflects a certain expertise in musical diversity, authenticity, musicianship and storytelling.

 

During the week of OBFCL2’s release, I went to Rae’s concert/album release party and was amazed at the number of women that were in the crowd. Now, I don’t mean traditional Hip-Hop ladies that looked like they smoke weed and listen to Murs on repeat. There were all types of women there.

 

You had the b-girls rocking Wu shirts (shout out to the Caramel Sundaes). Some women where flashy in heels and form-fitting mini dresses. Others were somewhere in the middle. Racially the crowd was like Jay-Z’s 9/11 concert but on a much smaller scale: Black, White, Asian and others. The venue was so jammed packed and hotter most Hip Hop parties I’ve attended since the 90’s.

 ? ?IS THERE ANY HOPE FOR WOMEN  IN RAP?

 ??This is the tough question.

 ??I want to say yes, because there are living, breathing examples such as Jean Grae.??But we have to keep it real.

 

One of my industry friends has a daughter that aspires to be a rapper.  

 

“Like most moms, I don’t want to see my daughter hurt, and I feel like in the rap industry, she would get her feelings hurt,” she said. “It seems as if you have to be supported by, or endorsed by a man in order to succeed. It is the one area of business where Black men have way more power than Black women.”?

 ?Misogyny has killed the female rap star not because they aren’t talented, but because a lot of male rappers have taught young people and outsiders how to feel about women. Hip-Hop music has taught many men to undervalue women, pour champagne on them, sleep with them and their friends and make them walk home. ?

 ?It’s not just the man’s fauly. Women need to take control of the their own fate and destiny. Sadly, that requires a culture reprogramming itself for women to accept each other who they are and stand firm on how they want to be portrayed. If you don’t respect a woman’s views you can’t respect the woman.?

 ??Our mindset, especially (but not limited to) in Black culture, has to shift if we want to see more ladies in the rap game. The future of Hip Hop depends on it.

 

I just know that I felt strange at the Slaughterhouse show and its almost 100% men in the house watching Joe Budden talk about being sexy with his arm in a sling. Rappers did those bits for the women in the crowd but if there are no women in the crowd who are you doing it for? Not me.?

 ?The late James Brown said it best: “This is a man’s world, this is a man’s world. But it wouldn’t be nothing, nothing without a woman or a girl.”

 ??Let’s get that balance back in the world of Hip-Hop…that is unless you don’t like women or think they can’t keep up with the men. I know of one woman, who could come out right now and smash 90% or more of the dudes currently in the game—Lauryn Hill.

?###

 

R.I.P. to Female MC’s: Featuring Jean Grae, MC Lyte and Eternia

 

 

Jean Grae

 

 

Lauryn Hill freestyle

 

 

Nicki Minaj – “Still I Rise”

 

 

Ghostface Killah Ft. Lloyd

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg)Category: Music

“Goner”

Jay-Z Chastises Kanye; Addresses 50 Cent

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg)Category: News

In an upcoming interview that will air on Trevor Nelson’s BBC radio show next week, Jay-Z once again addressed Kanye West’s antics during the 2009 VMA’s but also spoke on rapper 50 Cent.

 

During the interview, Jay-Z stated that he believed was rude for snatching the microphone from country singer Taylor Swift during her acceptance speech for Best Female Video.

 

West felt the award should have went to Jay-Z‘s wife, Beyonce Knowles for her hit video “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It).”

 

Although Jay-Z agreed that West was rude he stated that Kanye West “wasn’t wrong.”

 

Jay-Z seemed to become a little irritated during the interview, when Nelson suggested that Kanye was picking his battles and would not have grabbed the microphone from a rapper like 50 Cent.

 

In a recent interview, 50 Cent stated he would have assaulted Kanye West in the same situation.

“I wish he could come take one of my awards so I could black his eye in front of everybody,” 50 Cent stated.

 

“I think he would have done that if that was 50 Cent,” Jay-Z told Nelson during the interview. “No one is scared of 50 Cent. I want everyone to be clear. No one is scared of 50 Cent.”

 

50 also recently took a shot at Jay-Z when he name checked him and labeled him as “Urkel” in the video for “Flight 187.”

 

Jay-Z also revealed that he chastised West for interrupting Taylor Swift’s speech, which caused worldwide uproar.

 

People ranging from celebrities to President Barack Obama and former U.S. President Jimmy Carter have weighed in on the controversy.

 

“I just think that that’s what he believed,” Jay-Z told Trevor Nelson. “I thought it was rude I though it was inappropriate and I told him as much. But I don’t think he was wrong.”

 

Jay-Z is currently gearing up for a performance on Friday, October 9 at Penn State University.

TOP 5 DEAD OR ALIVE: Bow Wow

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg)Category: Reviews / Music

The moment you have been waiting for!

The Top 5 Dead or Alive according to Bow Wow!

Bow Wow has been doing this rap stuff since he was a mere babe of 5

years old under “Uncle” Snoop Dogg. Since then, he’s grown up into a

major megastar that has endured for several “rap generations.”

But who were his influences to help his make it to his current

position as an artist on Cash Money Records? His choices may shock

fans and haters alike.

Look no farther than Bow Wow’s Top 5 Dead or Alive.

The Notorious B.I. G

“When you mention Hip-Hop you think of Big. For a guy to have only

two albums and be put at the place he is should only be looked at as

amazing. He is undeniable, especially as a lyricist.”

Big L

“He’s just a dope lyricist. He is someone that I have just always

respected as an MC. He’s someone I feel gets looked over or

overshadowed. He is one of New York’s finest.”

LL Cool J 

“He is my idol. Just period. I see a lot of similarities between his

career and my career. We both have a strong female fan base. He’s

still here. I’m still here. He does movies. I do movies. He got

ridiculed a lot for doing girl records but then he came hard when he

dropped “I’m Bad.” I feel like “Fresh Azimiz” is my “I’m Bad.”

Tupac“–

What a lot of people don’t understand is I grew up in HipHop. I feel

like I’m the son or the baby brother of HipHop. I feel like that

because I got into the game so early. I was young and around Death

Row. People talk about Tupac…I was around Pac back in the day. When

he was doing the Me Against the World album I actually witnessed him

in the booth. I like him for his realness. You can feel his passion

in the music. He was motivated and he truly cared about the world.”

Special Ed

“He’s always been one of my favorites because of his lyrical ability

and the way he put words together. I redid his “I Got It Made” for a

mixtape. I have always had a female fan base so I like him because he

had that but was still respected as a lyricist. He gained respect but

was also a dope lyricist.”

Hip-Hop Rumors: Trick Daddy Beats Up Bootlegger? Mya Gets Cut? Is Bad Boy Folding?

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg)Category: Rumors

DISCLAIMER:

All content within this section is pure rumor and generally have no factual info outside of what the streets have whispered in our ear. Read on.

THE DAILY TWO SENSE

OK, this is a real Daily Two Sense. I know there are times when I write and there are typos. But, in my own defense, I write a lot per day. This is to those people out there that write me rumor. I thank you for your rumors that you send. But some of you need to just write more legibly. That usually means write with your hand, but some of you TYPE so poorly, I can’t even make sense of the stuff you are trying to tell me. It’s almost like another language. Anyway, I love all the tips, but I just can’t understand it all…lol…sorry for that PSA.

JAY-Z WANTED TO KILL LIL MAMA!

Mickey Factz snitched on Lil Mama via Twitter saying that she texted him that Jay-Z “Was gonna kill her” (or something like that). Well, there may be some factz to that. According to the Daily News in New York, Jay went ballistic when the performance was over. They said that after Lil Mama jumped on stage, he came backstage and spazzed out to the point where only Beyonce could calm him down. Also, I heard he was upset that MTV allowed her to get on stage so easily. Jay thought it was a fan at first, but it was a fan…lol…I was a fan named Lil Mama.

JAY-Z WANTS YOGA FROM COLDPLAY!

No way, Jay wants yoga lessons from Chris Martin of Coldplay fame? Here is what Jay had to say about working out and whatever:

“I try and work out four times a week – cardio, weights, push ups, pull ups – but I haven’t for a month because of vacation and touring.”

“Chris hasn’t tried to get me to do yoga yet but I am close to doing it. I’m envious of what he can do on stage. Watching him is amazing, he can really move. I want to be able to move like that, get my leg behind my ear, things like that.”

I love progressive Hip-Hop, but I never want to see one of the top like this, I don’t care if your “hustle is so Russell.”

DON’T BOOTLEG TRICK DADDY!

Who remember that song “Bootleg, Get Ya Leg Broke”? If you do, you my real Hip-Hop head and if you are under a certain age, you get a pass. Oh…the point…? One of the homeys from Florida hit me up and told me that he was down at the Carol City Flea Market and was doing a bit of shopping for some dunks. Well, in comes good ol’ Trick Daddy and he’s there with the crew to do some shoe shopping too. Well, in sturts the neighborhood bootlegger. You know, you see them in Any Hood, USA. Well, he’s advertising to all that he’s got that new Trick Daddy for “sale.” According to lore, the guy was warned that he needs to break every Trick Daddy fake CD in his bag or face undesirable consequences. Did that sound good? The man didn’t. You know what happened next, don’t you? Yeah – THE MOLLY WOP.

Next up for Miami – The Dub Car Show. Keep me in the loop!!!!

BAD BOY RECORDS…FOLDING FOR GOOD?

I hope not. Diddy said it, “I thought I told you that we won’t stop.” I refuse to believe the rumors that Bad Boy Records is folding. I heard some good news…that G-Dep is on Diddy’s new CD. Now, that would be awesomely fresh. Now, they need to keep their doors open until G-Dep and Black Rob and do another album. We know that Diddy has gone over to Interscope with his new album, but his Bad Boy deal is still with Warner. So, this seems to put a strain on that situation. His deal with Warner is up in April of 2010, according to reports, so he may just hold out until then before releasing any more albums.

MUSE IS HIP-HOP!

So, I am conferring with somebody from the AHH Staff and we are talking about this song by Muse. I heard the song, but never listened to the lyrics like that. So, I did at the beaconing of the staffer. And we got into a lil exchange on whether or not rap could get away with these lyrics. Check it and vote on the poll:

Muse

“Uprising” lyrics

Paranoia is in bloom,

The PR transmissions will resume,

They’ll try to push drugs that keep us all dumbed down,

And hope that we will never see the truth around

(So come on)

Another promise, another scene,

Another packaged lie to keep us trapped in greed,

And all the green belts wrapped around our minds,

And endless red tape to keep the truth confined

(So come on)

They will not force us,

They will stop degrading us,

They will not control us,

We will be victorious

(So come on)

Interchanging mind control,

Come let the revolution take it’s toll,

If you could flick a switch and open your third eye,

You’d see that

We should never be afraid to die

(So come on)

Rise up and take the power back,

It’s time the fat cats had a heart attack,

You know that their time’s coming to an end,

We have to unify and watch our flag ascend

They will not force us,

They will stop degrading us,

They can not control us,

We will be victorious

DiscussionsView Results

CHECK OUT THIS ROCAWEAR 10TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY VIDEO!

This is awesome!

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TWITTER FOLLIES

Seems like there was an issue yesterday. Rapper Skillz was misquoted as saying one of those jokes about Fab’s teeth. He didn’t say it, yall! He just retweeted it. Sorry if there was a misunderstanding…Twitter beez like that sometime.

Chance talks about this below, but here is the latest foolishness on Twitter: #sorrybowwow…

#sorrybowwow Ur the child star of hip hop.. Ure like Webster, Gary Coleman..

#sorrybowwow is not a rapper/actor anymore.. He’s a professional Madden video game player!

#sorrybowwow I hav 2 inform u, u hav no more fans.. They’re all @souljaboytellem ‘s now..

#sorrybowwow we don’t want u back as a actor on Entourage, but u can go b apart of Lil Wayne’s entourage..

RT @BUTTERSTUDAGANG: #sorrybowwow – I THOUGHT U WAS DA BRAT LIL SISTER WHEN U FIRST CAME OUT

UHmmmmm…this is getting old. Anyway, Bow Wow returned unfunnies to Fab:#heardbowwow got all of fabs info… and is bout to leak it on twitter…fab said i came bk from the dead. wish we cud say da same bout dat tooth @myfabolouslife get bk 2 ny safe. hit ya lil bro up and we can get it poppin. dem tweets is funny gnr but is ur tooth sittn nex 2 u on plane

LMAO! RUN THIS TOWN SPOOF!

Aw man, this dude is really funny. Check out Affion Crockett’s spoof of “Run This Town” called “Hunt Chris Brown.” LOL!!!!!!!!! The Rihanna character changes accents at the end of the vid…lol….

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SIGNS THE WORLD IS COMING TO AN END

Man, buddy, just turn yourself IN. This is just crazy and I am in no way trying to convict anybody, but this is horrific. Whole family is dead: Guerline Damas, 32; Michzach, 9; Marven, 6; Maven, 5; Megan, 3; and Morgan, 11 months. Well, not the whole family. Police in Florida are now looking for the husband/father. Yeah, Mesac Damas is very alive and running the streets, po po says. They think he may have left the country already. Apparently, there has been a history of violence in this home, but nothing like this. Police aren’t even releasing how the family was killed, only that it is one of the most sickening crimes in the history of the area. Police say they found Mesac Damas’ vehicle at Miami International Airport, and that he is probably in Haiti, his home. WHOA.

EPIC FAIL OF THE DAY

SMH at the United States of America. Are we going down the path of hell in a hand basket? Here is a video that suggests we are. They are saying that people are going to be REQUIRED to get vaccinated for the Swine Flu or else they won’t be allowed to travel from state to state. They also allegedly have some metal band that will have some sort of metal band that will include a microchip with all your information. SMH – what do you think of this?

See below:

EPIC WIN OF THE DAY

I know this was the done over 20 years ago, but this is the Epic Win of the Day. Letterman interviewed Mr. T back in the day. CLASSIC class of cultures.

Shout out to Santo Valentino!

CNN ETHERS FOX NEWS!

Somebody got very upset over lies by Fox News!

CHANCE CHATTER

Check out my homey Chance…the rumors below are his and so are the opinion and views expressed inside of this section. They are not that of AllHipHop.com or illseed unless we tell yo’ a$$ it is. Chance…do your thing!

THIS IS IT — DON’T MISS IT!!!!

Do you want to see “This Is It”, the Michael Jackson movie hitting theaters October 28th?  Well you need this info or you’ll miss your chance.  The movie is only playing for 2 weeks.  Tickets will go on sale a month in advance on September 27th right here get yours before they’re gone.  And if you want to do more than just watch you can BE a part of Michaels final bow by submitting your photo to the Michael Jackson’s THIS IS IT Mosaic.

50 CENT AND CHANCE – NO BEEFSo it looks like that Real & Chance vs 50 Cent and being down with the house that T.I. built rumor was just a RUMOR.  It’s not a verified account but I found a Twitter account with a significant amount of followers for Chance from (RCOL) and here’s what he had to say on the situation:

“I WASNT EVEN AT

THE VMA’S…MEDIATAKEOUT IS GONNA GET SUED FOR ALL THERE FALSE SH*T THEY

SAY…ANY WAYS IM NOT SIGNED TO GRAND HUSTLE … ME OR 50 WASNT EVEN AT THE VMA’S SO SOMEBODY REALLY BORED OUT THERE WRITING CRAZY S### LIKE THAT”So I guess that beef is squashed … I was looking forward to 50 recruiting “New York” to get at him. Oh well.

BEYONCE IS WAY TOO “PROMISCUOUS” – ?Yup thats right … This is according to protestors in Malaysia, a country where female performers are required to cover up from shoulders to knees with no cleavage showing.  Threats to disrupt a Beyonce concert 2 years ago forced promoters to cancel a performance in the predominantly Muslim country but Ms. Fierce is determined to make an Oct. 25 appearance.  Hopefully they arent forced to tone it down since watching Bey work it is half the fun.

I’M JUST SAYIN’How are you willing to kill the man by forcing him to do 50 shows but only want to play the movie for 2 weeks???Fabulous was GOIN’ IN on Bow Wow yesterday … Bow was throwing lame jabs but I thought it made him look lamer … note to celebrities: when Fab starts goin in on you just put the Blackberry down it’ll be over soon then you can just act like you didn’t even noticeI heard Maino did an interview with Donnie Simpson’s Morning Show in DC and it ended up with him hanging up on the OG radio guy!

Damn Illseed scooped me lol as long as it’s the boss it’s cool … Yup Smif-n-Wessun working on an album with Pete Rock … Tek stopped by Crack Distributors Radio on his way to a recording session and let us know … how dope is that???

MYA GETS SLICED!!!

Mya is gearing up for the new season of Dancing With The Stars and looking very good. Unfortunately she found out just how real primetime dancing competitions can get when she touched some broken glass cutting herself so deep she needed stitches. Thankfully, she made it through and will be able to hit the dance floor when the season starts. Here’s what the singer had to say (via Twitter) about her brush with the grim reaper:

“Nothing to worry about. Just an ugly slice on my finger-not the first time I’ve had stitches. I’ll be just fine. Thanks 4the concern.”

NO H### BUT…

Washington

DC is getting ready to do the right thing and legalize gay marriage

…  Now I’d say I’m just as homophobic as any straight 21 year old

black male from the projects but I don’t see why anyone would support a

legal ban on gay marriage.  First off why do you even care??  What that

man or woman chooses to do in their house is none of my business and

who am I to say who he or she should have the right to dedicate their

life to???  Second if it’s a religious issue, LAW should have nothing

to do with religion, do you really want the government telling us how

to worship??  This issue may not afffect you past an oppotunity to show

how macho you are because you hate gays but remember this:

“First they came for the Jews…

and I did not speak out

because I was not a Jew. 

Then they came for the Communists…

and I did not speak out because I was not a Communist. 

Then they came for the trade unionists and I did not speak out

because I was not a trade unionist. 

Then they came for me …

and there was no one left

to speak out for me.”

Peace – ChanceCDR @ Twitter or Gmail

For more, go to illseed.com. Or just follow me at http://twitter.com/illseed

MYA, WE LOVE YOU!!!

They keep us talking, but if we stop talking about them then they should worry!

-illseed

WHO: illseed.com

WHAT: Rumors

WHERE: AllHipHop.com, MySpace.com/TheIllseed

HOW: Send your rumors and ill pics to illseed at [email protected].

Review: Goodie Mob Reunion Show

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg)Category: Reviews / Music

Everybody knows that Goodie Mob is one of the main acts that put Atlanta on Hip-Hop center stage in the ‘90s. After years of inner separation, the Mob is back to the delight of Hip-Hop.

Needless to say, I was extremely excited about going to this show since I have been listening to them since ‘94 and haven’t ever had the occasion to see them all together. It had been raining torrentially in The A all week and Saturday September 19th was no different. The soggy environment was not a deterrent. We put on our boots, rain coats and went to the show at Masquerade Atlanta, an outside venue.

Others weren’t discouraged by the weather either, because when we got there, a line had formed and was wrapped around the corner. We got in the line at 7:30 pm, and the doors had just opened about a half hour earlier. Even still it, was a fairly large crowd. When we finally got into the venue, Atlanta’s own Pastor Troy was on and working the crowd into a frenzy. After his set, he humbly came down into the crowd and took pictures with the fans. (Well, my girl went into groupie mode and got one with him.) Troy was really a nice guy and very fan conscious, which was cemented as he liberally took time to speak to folks.

After Pastor Troy was finished, The Youngbloodz provided another appetizer to the main course – Goodie Mob. Soon thereafter, a light drizzle began to fall on the crowd, but instead of it thinning out, the crowd bolstered even more. More people came, it was almost reminiscent of the old Music Midtown days.

Finally – it was time for Goodie Mob!

They came out to the theme of the “Rocky” movies, the song that repeats “Getting Stronger.” They were donned in red with these crimson capes and provided an exceedingly vivid scene. They were all there – including Cee Lo – who many speculated would not appear.

They rocked it. Boy, did they rock it. They hit all the old classics from the first album (1995’s Soul Food), including my personal favorite “Goodie Bag.” The crowd was like a bunch of little kids in a toy store. Personally, the only way for me to stop grinning was to rap along with the songs. The atmosphere was festive and exuded electricity.

Oddly, Khujo was the showman of the night upstaging the rest of the clan with his onstage persona and antics. He was so animated and moving so well, that most of the audience clearly forgot that he now walks with a prosthetic leg. During the show, Big Boi and Sleepy Brown appeared to the crowd’s delight. Unfortunately, Andre 3000 was a no show.

When Cee-Lo brought Big Boi on stage and asked the crowd if they would like another Outkast album, the audience thunderously replied “Hells Yes!” Big Boi didn’t fully commit, but he stated that the Outkast Opus would likely come after his next solo CD. But, the audience was equally enthralled at the prospect of getting another Goodie Mob album at the top of 2010.

But, through it all – the rain and the rumors – this was a great show, one that none in attendance will soon forget. Hip-Hop is a mass of people packed into one place rain, sleet or snow and watching the Goodie Mob unified with out a fight, shooting or even scuffle to disrupted the groove.

It was all love the entire night.

Images: Courtesy ajc.com.

GOODIE VIDEOS:

Part 1

Part 2