andPOP » Hip Hop

Jay-Z Reports On the State of Hip Hop

Stephen Baldwin — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:42:44 +0000

In an interview with CBC radio’s Q, Jay-Z (Shawn Carter) discussed the current state of hip hop, and how it needs to progress through maturity.

“There’s been this reluctance to mature in hip hop and when you do that, you leave the audience very narrow. My whole thing is to expand the audience and the genre of music in any way, because music is music,” he said.

Jay-Z’s rise to success came a long time before his music began to mature. The artist has released platinum albums throughout the 90’s and early 21st century, and with his latest album, “The Blueprint III”, Carter surpassed Elvis Pressley’s record for total number one singles by a solo artist.

Hip hop’s history is so young that many of the artists who popularized it over 20 years ago are still icons of the present genre. The difference is that when they began in the industry they rapped about legitimate struggles in their life at that point, but when they all became millionaires, and continued with the same style and stories, the music lost its authenticity.

“In the beginning, it was at its purest form because everyone was struggling. All great music and all great art, I believe, comes from pain. As hip hop started to get successful, and really successful — you had these guys coming from these neighbourhoods that were now millionaires — it’s tough to draw back to that place [of creativity].”

Jay-Z, who turns 40 in December, performed in London, Ontario on Friday and then headed to Toronto to perform a show at The Air Canada Centre on Halloween night.

Jay-Z Wraps Up Hottest MC list

Stephen Baldwin — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 16:53:50 +0000

Last night MTV’s expert panel capped off their top ten “Hottest MC’s” with long-time heavyweight Jay-Z coming out on top. The controversial list was compiled by Hip Hop critics and enthusiasts, and for the first time included the opinion of fans across North America. The criteria: lyrics, flow, impact, buzz, sales and intangibles.

The final list: 1. Jay-Z, 2. Lil Wayne, 3. Drake, 4. Kanye West, 5. Rick Ross, 6. Gucci Mane, 7. Young Jeezy, 8. Fabolous, 9. 50 cent, 10. Raekwon

A few names are mysteriously absent from the list, most notably, Eminem. The rapper should not only have appeared on the list, he should have been in the top five. His recent album wasn’t his best of all time but its popularity continues to grow, and his verse on Drake’s new ‘Forever’ remix was the best on the track.

Kid Cudi’s name has spread like wildfire in the music industry, and TI continues to maintain his popularity; yet neither of them appear on the list.

Canadians may be excited, though, to see young Toronto native Aubrey ‘Drake’ Graham crack the top three. The MC has been one of the busiest in the music industry this year, quickly building relationships with the most powerful names in Hip Hop. Names like Lil Wayne, Kanye West and most notably Jay-Z.

While his new album, The Blueprint III, isn’t considered by Jay-Z fans as his strongest album, his ranking at the top of Hip Hop is long overdue. He was even given a stamp of approval from New York Governor David Paterson: “I can personally attest to his commitment to New York and the impact he has on New Yorkers of all ages,” he said.

If the list surprises – or angers – you, you’re not alone. Comments on the MTV website aren’t very supportive of the compiled list, and a few fans were especially vocal on omission of Eminem. While the MCs that made the list are deserving of recognition at this point, expect the list to be drastically different next year.

Raekwon and 50 Cent Kick of Hip Hop Top 10

Stephen Baldwin — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 20:09:02 +0000

MTV has compiled their list of the top ten, “Hottest MC’s in the Game,” and they’re releasing each name one by one.
The criteria for the top 10 list are: lyrics, flow, impact, buzz, sales and intangibles. MTV has put together an expert panel of their most educated hip hop critics to rate the current talent and success of today’s top hip hop artists.
Number 10 on the list is Wu-tang Clan member Raekwon (aka Raekwon the chef). While Raekwon’s public exposure has never been particularly high, he is one of the most talented artists in the music industry. His album Only Built 4 Cuban Linx.. Part II, released September 8, 2009, was critically acclaimed by all major music and hip hop outlets; debuting at number four on the Billboard 200. This was his fourth solo album along with the numerous Wu Tang albums to which he was an integral asset. Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… Part II reaches back to those Wu tang roots with raw hip hop verses and classic beats (produced by hip-hop giants RZA, Dr Dre, The Alchemist and Eric Sermon and many others).

Number 9 on the list was hip-hop heavyweight 50 cent. While he hasn’t released an official album since Curtis in 2007, 50 released one of the most impressive mix-tapes of the year, War Angel. The mix-tape showed fans that 50 is still first and foremost dedicated to his musical craft. Curtis ‘50 Cent’ Jackson is in the process right now of completing his fourth studio album, “Before I Self Destruct”. The album was scheduled to be released in late 2008, but instead was re-worked and improved for the new release date of November 17. Like Raekwon, Jackson has the top producers in the music industry working on his album including Dr Dre, Timbaland and Eminem, to name a few.If the recently released track Flight 187 is any indicator of the style of this new album, Jackson’s fans will be pleased. The song has a classic 50 cent flow with a relaxed yet cold-blooded tone.

A few of the MTV panellists disagreed with 50 cent’s spot in the top 10, citing his lack of recent albums and inactivity in the industry this year. Other’s were quick to defend his mix-tapes, current hype of his upcoming album defended by over one million Youtube hits on the Flight 187 music video, and intangibles like numerous public appearances and fan recognition.

After 50 cent and Raekwon’s ranking, the anticipation is building as to who will complete the top 10 list. The video of the panel discussion includes glimpses of Jay-Z, Kanye West, Lil Wayne, TI and most notably for Canadians, rapper/singer Aubrey ‘Drake’ Graham. Tune in to MTV October 4th at 10 p.m. for the “Hottest MC’s in the Game” top five.

Weezer-Weezy Collaboration

Stephen Baldwin — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 19:19:22 +0000

Weezer will include a track featuring hip-hop star Lil Wayne on their new album, MTV News reports.

Raditude, scheduled to debut on November 3rd, is the seventh studio album by the rock group, and front man Rivers Cuomo said it was a chance, “to do something totally different.”

If you’re familiar with Weezer’s edgy, upbeat rock sound, urban music is far from characteristic of their style. Cuomo told MTV News that he wrote the song, titled “Can’t Stop Partying,” with music industry dynamo Jermaine Dupri. “It was a real challenge for me, taking his ideas, which are very slick, R&B party [ideas], and giving it some kind of edge, some darkness, making it work with rock, making it work with Weezer,” said Cuomo.

But Lil Wayne is no stranger to Rock. He appeared on Fallout Boy’s last album, and is continuing to pursue his own solo rock-inspired project named Rebirth. Experience, though, doesn’t necessarily imply success. His rock endeavours have been praised for their daring ingenuity, but not necessarily their sound. Ingenuity is one thing that the music pair share though, so it will be interesting to hear the final product of their collaboration.

It wasn’t stated whether Weezer got the idea from the A Millie-Say it Ain’t So mash-up put together by American sampling and mash-up artist Girl Talk. The mix of arguably the two most popular songs by both artists is actually a pretty good blend, but it wasn’t necessarily received as well by fans of either camp as it was by Girl Talk fans.
The same can be said of Mash-up artist Mole Star with their 10-song Weezer/Weezy album he cleverly named Weezyer. The horrible blend of the two names is comparable to the album itself; it just doesn’t sound right. While he does make a strong attempt at blending oil and water, the mix lacks the natural flow that a rock/hip-hop mash-up requires (See a few tracks from Jaydiohead, a Radiohead/Jay-Z mash-up album by Minty Fresh productions, or Jay-zeezer, or even emineezer – ok, I made that last one up)

What’s worse about the Weezyer album is that Weezer fans who visit the official Weezer website absolutely hated the mash-up. Among the comments are a “Fu** that sh**,” followed later by a, “Why bother?” But it’s too early to get cynical, especially in this musical age of samples, mixes and mash-ups – you can never predict which sounds will work together.

Thinking about a room full of Weezer fans joined by a group of Lil Wayne fans is almost cataclysmic: the two groups are bound to fundamentally different music and lifestyle philosophies. But in this era of musical innovation, this combination shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone. Hardcore fans in each group will need to bite their lips and adapt to a changing music schema. If the song is a complete failure though, they’ll have plenty to bitch about for the next little while.

GLC Stays True To The Game

Ilan Mester — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 18:01:57 +0000

What do GLC, Ludacris and Macy Gray have in common? They’re all featured artists on “True to the Game,” an album that celebrates everyone who played in the Negro Baseball Leagues and helped set an example for African Americans of today.

Rapper GLC (short for Gangsta L. Crisis) has the track “Big Screen” on the CD and he describes “jumping at the opportunity” once he received a phone call to be a part of the album. But he isn’t alone on the track. Non other than Kanye West is featured on his song, which would be a pretty big deal for any artist but not for GLC. The man clearly has some connections having met West growing up as a teen in Chicago.

The two were introduced to each other through a mutual friend in the early ’90s and became pals. “Back then we was trying to rap. We were young, super young but still had these dreams and these ambitions,” GLC tells andPOP.

These ambitions led the two to grow as rappers and West landed on the worldwide stage. The rapper remained supportive of his friend and eventually was asked to collaborate on the track “Spaceship” off West’s “The College Dropout” album, giving him an official introduction to Hip-Hoppers around the globe.

He’s also done a few mixtapes, most notably “Hood Celebrity,” a compilation of old records GLC put together while he was touring in 2004, and the “Drive Slow” mixtape, which he compiled with five-time world champion DJ A-Trak.

And when West invited GLC to join his label G.O.O.D., it was pretty much a no brainer. “I decided to sign to his label because he’s my best friend, and we’ve been working together since the ’90s…we pretty much knew the ins and outs of each other’s rap styles,” GLC admits.

But being signed to G.O.O.D. doesn’t mean G.LC.’s rap is similar to West’s. In fact, he insists his style is unique. “Anybody who’s a fan of GLC or listens knows it’s different,” says the rapper.

GLC says he tries to see the positive aspects in what would normally seem like negative situations, and this is something the rapper can personally relate to.

He started writing poetry at a very young age, and for one very specific reason. “I started writing poetry when I was a shorty because you know buddy,” says GLC, “I found out that women, they were always captivated by a man that had, you know what I’m sayin, a way with words.”

But poetry also became an “escape” and a “departure” as the rapper describes it, from tough situations. Having lost both his parents as a kid, poetry became a tool for GLC to express his anger and emotion in a non-violent way. “But it also helped me get me some girls at a young age,” he jokes.

So where did he get the name Gangsta L. Crisis from? GLC explains:

“The name came when I grew up as a shorty. I was part of a street organization and they used to call me Gangsta L. you know, that’s what my rap name was. So people just call me Gangsta L. or Gangsta Love cause I got love for women.”

The “crisis” part came from many tough crises in his life, such as losing is house and losing his parents at a very young age. But it’s not just crisis that influences his music, GLC says growing up in Chicago has had a great impact on his rap.

“If I grew up in Alabama, if I grew up in Africa, if I grew up in Colorado, it would definitely influence my rap. The things that influence my rap are the things that I’ve lived, the things that I’ve seen, the things that I’ve witnessed.”

So what’s next for G.LC.? Fans can listen to his latest single “Flight School,” featuring Kanye West and T-Pain. G.LC. also plans to release a long-awaited album this summer.

“As long as people are sayin when’s that GLC comin out, when’s that G.LC. comin out, GLC come on with it!’ that’s when it’s gonna drop,” says the rapper.

As for the ladies, GLC has a couple in mind that he wouldn’t mind teaming up with. “I like Keri Hilson, she look real sexy. I like Ciara, she look real sexy. I like Keyshia Cole, she look real sexy,” and the list goes on.

To buy “True To The Game,” go to Amazon or iTunes and for more on GLC check out myspace.com/glc and follow him on Twitter.

‘Scratch: The Ultimate DJ’ Slated For Release Summer 2009

Joelle Tomlinson — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 22:01:03 +0000

A new hip-hop music game is set for release this upcoming summer. “Scratch: The Ultimate DJ” is an interactive video game in which the player is the DJ spinning the hip-hop tracks.

The setlist for the music game will include songs from Kanye West, Beastie Boys, The Black Eyed Peas, Eric B. and Rakim, Run DMN, Nelly, The Gorillaz and more, reports MTV News.

“Scratch: The Ultimate DJ” is slated for release this summer on “next-generation” consoles. The full press release, as posted on mtvnews.com, says that the game is an interactive experience for fans of hip-hop. It was developed by 7 Studios and features “60 original and licensed tracks from the most popular hip-hop and R&B artists”.

The press release also included the setlist, which includes:

 · Flashing Lights- Kanye West 
· Intergalactic- Beastie Boys
· Let’s Get it Started- The Black Eyed Peas
 ·Slacker- Tech N9ne
 ·Don’t Sweat the Technique – Eric B. and Rakim

Additional music from artists:

 · Run DMC · The Gorillaz
 · Nelly · Deltron 3030

It went on to say that, in addition to a heavy-hitting setlist, “Scratch: The Ultimate DJ” features distinctive urban environments, an array of customizable DJ personalities and a turntable style controller created by Numark, one of the leading manufacturers of DJ equipment. For more information on this innovative video game, visit the official website at www.scratchvideogame.com.

‘The Fat Boys Are Back’

Joelle Tomlinson — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 14:02:28 +0000

“The Fat Boys are back, and you know they can never be whack!!!”

This rhyme was printed on a media release announcing the momentous comeback of The Fat Boys to the music scene.

The group, originally formed in 1982, has decided to make a comeback in 2009. This will be the first track that Prince Markie Dee and Kool Rock-Ski have recorded together in 20 years. Their biggest hit in the past was a collaboration with the Beach Boys on a cover of The Surfaris’ “Wipe Out” on 1987’s Crushin’.

The Fat Boys have released seven studio albums, all of which garnered platinum results by selling a million copies in the U.S.

They are working hard to get noticed in the music world again, recently working with Philadelphia MC/producer Elijah to record “Unity”. According to chartattack.com, an album, tour, reality television show to find a third Fat Boy and a daytime children’s cartoon are in the works. The site also reveals The Fat Boys’ deal with InGrooves and Cleopatra Records to re-record “Wipeout” and “Human Beatbox.”

The Fat Boys will be missing a huge presence in their group without founding member Darren Robinson. Robinson, known as ‘The Human Beat Box’, pioneered the act of beat-boxing. He died of a heart attack in 1995 at the age of 28. Reports put Robinson at 450 pounds at his time of death.

Rap Royalty to be Crowned at the VH1 2008 Hip Hop Honors

Jeremy Singer — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 16:02:38 +0000

Imagine an event bringing together “la creme de la creme” of Hip Hop.

What about the 2008 VH1 Hip Hop Honors?

The event, which is to be held Monday night, 10pm, at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City, will include inducted artists such as Slick Rick, the late Issac Hayes, Too Short, De la Soul, Cypress Hill and Naughty by Nature.

During the rehearsals last Wednesday and Thursday, fellow hip-hop heavyweights Big Boi, Wyclef Jean and Public Enemy came out to practice alongside newcomers like Estelle and the Gym Class Heroes.

“We’re here to be a part of something historical,” Gym Class Heroes frontman Travis McCoy told MTV News. “It’s like the all-star game of hip-hop.”

This is the fifth class of legends to be nominated; past honorees include Snoop Dogg, the Wu-Tang Clan, Run-DMC and Rakim.

Hip Hop Artists to Auction Off Jewlery

Jeremy Singer — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 22:59:45 +0000

Kanye West, 50 Cent, P. Diddy, Lil John and Missy Elliott.

What do these celebrity Hip-Hop artists all have in common?

Well for one thing, they all have bling.

Kanye’s diamond studded black Jesus pendant, 50’s diamond link bracelet, Diddy’s diamond and platinum bracelet, Lil John’s 12 pound “Crunk Ain’t Dead” diamond pendant and Missy’s signature black-diamond-and-gold-mini-turntable pendant.

The other thing, is that they are all going to be auctioning off these star studded pieces of jewelry at the Hip-Hop’s Crown Jewels auction from the contemporary art auction house Philips de Pury & Company, March 5, in New York.

The sale, which was originally scheduled for October 1, was pushed back due to the overwhelming interest in the catalog, according to a spokesperson.

One of the main items of the event, Lil John’s diamond pendant, holds the Guinness Word Record for the largest diamond pendant, holding more than 3,700 diamonds in it.

Now imagine flashing that around the neighborhood.

Hip Hop Artists Demand Diversity in Bone Marrow Registry

andPOP Staff — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 14:09:52 +0000

Canadian hip hop artists are rallying to get a more ethnically diverse group of people onto the national bone marrow registry.

It’s a cause that doesn’t have much publicity or media attention but the hip hop community is hoping to change that.

Jesse Plunkett, founder of Hip Hop Canada, was motivated by a friend’s death from leukemia and says when he learned that the majority of donors on the bone marrow registry were not visible minorities, he was concerned that Canadian ethnic communities were potentially losing out on treatment options.

Plunkett enlisted the help of Canadian Blood Services to try to reach a larger group of donors. The concern was spread through online communities and generated so much buzz that two free concerts to raise more awareness have been scheduled.

The concerts will be held in Vancouver and Toronto.