Two drinks and an opinion

    My aggression toward recent hip hop has been brought on by the pure arrogance on the very artists that have been claiming to be saving the culture. Lil Wayne with his all to drugged out rendition of a child’s candy. And this guy says he’s the best in the game, but the worst part is….half the country agree’s with him. Now I’m not gonna bring out the whole argument of, “back in the day….”, but right now it seems relevant. You would never see Rakim coming out with hit singles that were named, “Lolipop”, and if he did they wouldn’t be so lyrically stripped down. Everyone says how lyrically advanced Wayne is, but have they every really listened to what the fuck he is saying. This is how lyricly advanced wayne is in Lolipop….”And that pussy in my mouth had me at a loss fo words,  Told her to back it up like erp erp,  And make that *** jump like shczerp shczerp, And thats when she said I lo-lo-look like a lollipop….” Ouch, thats all i have to say, because if this is the hero of todays youth then tommaro leaders are…..dare I say….worse then that peice of shit Bush.

     I say that we as members of the hip hop culture demand more prominant hero’s. Instead of Lil Wayne why not Atmosphere, or Lupe Fiasco, or P.O.S, or Common. And for those who want a more gangster feel, why not Joel Ortiz. I dont know, im just a concerned hip hop head with a couple drinks in me and a frustration at recent bullshit….

Cool Mpls Graff

Check this out guys, its a piece of cool Graff I found in MPLS, if you like it and wanna see more, just comment on this post and ask to see more.

Graff in MPLS

Back in the Day with Brother Ali

Live! From First Avenue! Brother Ali:: Thursday, 07 September 2006

When I ventured to historic First Avenue to check out the headlining act at the club’s fifth annual Celebration of Hip Hop, I had high expectations. After parking (and being informed that I would be paying upwards of eight dollars to do so), I headed to the front door of the venue, where a crowd of hopeful freestylers stood in a large cipher, spitting rhymes about life. As I made my way inside, a wall of noise battered my senses: a dj was spinning popular hip-hop to a smaller crowd than I expected.

I made my way to the bar to grab a drink and deal with the Cassidy track that was coming out of the speakers. The crowd, although small, was very diverse in age and fashion sense. With its freestyle battles and break-dancing showdowns; the place was like a large block-party, only, uh, indoors.

As I sipped a beer and observed the opening act, a less-than-sober Brother Ali fan stumbled to my side. While spitting on my face, he asked me if I liked Brother Ali. With a short “yeah” from me he decided to go off about how I wasn’t a real fan, especially if this was my first show.

As I’m quite involved in hip-hop, I’d have been stupid not to have heard of Brother Ali: Shadows on the Sun has been widely lauded as one of the best hip-hop albums out of the Twin Cities. Fans call him “The Show Stopper,” because he usually goes on before Slug and steals the show. So, as I said before, my expectations were more then high.

After the opening act and a fifteen-minute break where they announced that Brother Ali would be having a guest DJ, he appeared on stage with an entrance that rivaled Princess Di’s exit. Still, Ali seemed as if he wasn’t an artist above the crowd, but a popular kid in the crowd. Everybody loved this man’s slightly overweight, cocky, albino ass.

With guest dj Ant, (one -half of Atmosphere) behind him, Ali got into his set. Suddenly the stage seemed tiny.. Even while dancing and running everywhere, the big man never seemed winded. It was like he had done this a thousand times—which he has..

A couple songs in, he stopped to talk to the crowd and hype the festival:

“What other city has so many talented motherfuckers? There isn’t one! Me and my buddy Ant over here have traveled the world, and we have seen some wack ass MC’s open for my ass. I’m always confused, like, ‘this the best your motherfucking city has to offer?’ When Wu Tang come to town I Self opens up. That’s what the fuckk I’m saying! Start that fucking beat!!”

He screamed at the crowd like Malcolm X would–with that kind of conviction. When the beat started, he hit every two and four harder then the last with one of the best flows I’ve experienced.

So was it all it was cracked up to be? If it’s the last thing you do in your concertgoing life, see Brother Ali. Period.

Pigeon John review

Pigeon John
...And The Summertime Pool Party
Quannum Projects

Your average rap entity–say, DMX or TI–certainly couldn’t say “we’re gonna have fun in a major way” without being laughed at. But when Pigeon Show drops the line on Pool Party opener “Welcome to the Show,” it’s just Pigeon being Pigeon.. The Los Angeles-based rapper has always been a little weird, but ultimately fun.

He’s also super-pro, balancing singing and rapping adroitly. (Some said he did too much of the former on 2005′s Sings The Blues).Production–from a slew of luminaries, including RJD2–is very solid all the way through. Guest spots are sparse, but collaborations with J-Live and Brother Ali on “The Last Sunshine” and “One For The…” work like $20,000.00-an-hour call girls. “Freaks! Freaks!,” featuring DJ Rhettmatic doesn’t fare so well. Other than that it’s all Pigeon, and he holds his own for most of the album. While “I Lost My Job Again” and “Higher?!” were less than impressive, Pigeon shines on tracks like “Weight Of The World,” “Do The Pigeon,” and “Brand New Day.” My favorite solo track is “Growin’ Old,” in which Pigeon reminisces about the activities and artists he enjoyed in his childhood.

The verdict: Again, Pigeon being Pigeon. If you already like him, get it. If you don’t…

Zion I and The Grouch review

Zion I and The Grouch
Hero’s in the City of Dope
Live Up

When underground legends The Grouch and Zion I get in the studio together, expect a barrage of political lyrics and catchy beats. The MCs’ new album sounds like a love child of DJ Shadow and Mos Def. The voice of Zion and beats of Amp Live have always been a good combo, as proved on the duo’s last album “True and Liv’in,” but when you add a The Grouch’s voice, the plot thickens accordingly, with the Zion’s high-pitched voice providing a yin to The Grouch’s gruff yang. Go straight to the second track, “Hit ‘em,” and confirm your suspicions that this album was worth your money (or bandwidth). The beat is infectious to the point of delirium, and with a simple hook followed by quick lyrics, this is definitely a track to nod your head to. All the beats on the album are peppered with strings and horns, which makes a very interesting listen and will you keep you engaged the whole way through. Still, the album seems a bit bumpy at times: Zion’s a better rapper than the grouch, and a better lyricist. It shows.

Tew Tone

Tew Tone Spills the Beanz

Written by Justin Smith
Thursday, 6 March 2008
Cypher Grills Local Rapper, Gets Meaty Answers
It’s hard to find a humble MC these days. Most are never short for words about how tight they are or how gangster they are, and will gladly tell you that they are the only hot shit out right now. You probably wouldn’t even know that Tew Tone was an MC just from talking to him. Although he very much is, it’s not a stretch by any means to say he’s also a scholar, a businessman, and an a ex-hustler. Tew Tone came up in a very large family where he said his biggest influnces were God and his mother, but he was also an influence to his younger brother OJ, who is now in Top Contenters with Tew Tone. After moving to (and away from) a slew of different places, he and his family finnily setteled in St. Cloud, where he began his rap career.

Cypher: How did you get started in music?

Tew Tone: When I was three I got a Smurf drum set, I thought I was the shit. In Memphis my uncles used to rap on the corner. I hung out with them. They thought I was a fly nigga, ’cause I was breakdancing on the corner with the boom box and the shell toes. Thats how I got into the game: breakdancing. I had a Jheri Curl and all! Wait, I had a S Curl!! I used to get on there and freestyle, then I started writing. My first song was called “Spanish Fly.” I got in trouble in school for it because I didn’t know what “Spanish Fly” meant; come to find out I was on the right path. I was pretty much mimicking Too Short. I used a karaoke machine to record the track and started pumping the streets with it. I sold like ten tapes, and I thought I was moving something!

Cypher: What was school like?

Tew Tone: High school sucked! We lived at the Salvation Amy because we didn’t have enough money to get a house. Everyone at school knew something was up because I came to school in the same clothes every day. They would ask me where I lived and I would tell them some bullshit. I would be like, “well it’s this joint across town,” or “like, right next to the gas station.” They knew I was bullshittin’.

Cypher: Did you ever hustle?

Tew Tone: Yeah.

Cypher: Why?

Tew Tone: ‘Cause I was hanging with some hustlers and thought that was the only way to make some serious cash. After I started hustling, I started spitting more. I got my younger brother O.J. on a track at eight years old, rapping about Mickey Mouse. I was looking for another way to get out.

Cypher: How did you get your name out there?

Tew Tone: A group called Trouble Makers helped me out. Then I got a spot on a local radio station. I started doing some more work with Trouble Makers, then I started making music with my brothers.

Cypher: You and your brothers make up Top Contenders. Besides the obvious, how is that differant from just your music?

Tew Tone: My brothers are so driven and talented that it makes me step up my game. OJ is making beats and rappin’ and he blows my mind. You can’t lock down a style from him; he’s everywhere, and that keeps me on my toes.

Cypher: What’s your goal? To get signed, or get your message out? Anything else?

Tew Tone: I’d love to get signed. Why wouldn’t i want to get signed? Till then, I’m gonna keep doing what I’m doing.

Cypher: What groups or crews do you respect?

Tew Tone: If I’ve heard of them, I respect them. Obviously, they’re doing something right.

Cypher: How do you feel about the state of hip hop right now?

Tew Tone: It needs mouth-to-mouth. It’s so unbalanced right now. The media is bringing a bad message right now: only playing dance music. Dance music serves its purpose, but it’s not bringing the other side to the public. What is it teaching us? Life is just a party? There’s another side to life. Just like Kanye was trying to say: you can’t say God because you won’t get your shit played. How does that make sense?

Cypher: What do you think about the hip hop scene in the Twin Cities?

Tew Tone: It’s cool. I like it. But it’s not where it should be. We’ve got a lot of work to do.

DJ Green and EMS “The Elixer”

DJ Green and EMS come together for the first time with “The Elixer”, released by K-Otic records. The fifteen tracks are laced with impressive scratching from Green, which is most prominent on “Standing on the Ceiling” and “It’s Electro.” Their beats, at times, are reminiscent of Dr. Dre and at other times the Neptunes. More often than not, you will find yourself bobbing your head. The rock infused “Maze” is catchy, and has an almost inspirational feel. The energy in EMS’s voice, matched with his smooth flow and interesting lyrical content keep you more than entertained. The track entitled “I’m Broke” is truly the poor man’s anthem, and the mainstream feel of “Unbreakable” sets the tone for the radio friendly album. A guest appearance by Capaciti fits well with the style of EMS and brings a level of enthusiasm with his unique flow. If there is only one reason to pick up this record, make it for the life that Desdamona brings to the track “Slow Down.” Overall, The Elixer is filled with sick work by DJ Green and engaging lyrical content from EMS, but is not a album I would listen to more than twice.

Charlie Bartlett is so F*cking Hip Hop

When i decided to pay money to go see Charlie Bartlett in the theater, i thought, “its only eight dollars, what’s the worst that could happen?” What i didn’t expect, was to come out of the theater thinking, “Wow, i respect that character more than i respect most of the rappers in the mainstream spot light!” But that’s what happened. My consensus of this movie is, Charlie Bartlett personifies Hip Hop in its rawest form. First we have to take a look at what personifies Hip Hop, since it has been skewed so much by corporate interests.
Since the insurgence of Hip Hop in the american culture, it has first and foremost been an art form based on escape and rebellion. Escaping the poverty stricken neighborhoods the culture was created in, and rebelling against the very authority that ignored that poverty. DJ Kool Herc, the godfather of Hip Hop, gave the youth a place to escape to and a voice to rebel with when he created Hip Hop.
Charlie Bartlett assumes the role of DJ Kool Herc in a round about way. He is kicked out of private school for making fake ID’s for students, which essentially is an entrepreneurial venture. He is enrolled in public school, and stands out right away for not looking or acting like anyone else. When he is beat down by the school bully, he is sent to a therapist. The therapist does what any parent in america would do when there child is to creative to fit the mold of a sheepish student, he gives him riddaline. Charlie sees this as an opportunity, and enlists the very bully that beat him down to sell the riddaline to other students. Charlie makes a name for himself as a guy that can get medicine for other kids. He holds office hours in the boys bathroom, where kids come and talk to him about there problems, then he prescribes them medicine if they need it. This gives the students a way to escape, and Charlie a way to rebel.
The culture of Hip Hop has also been based around entrepreneurship and expressing yourself through a creative medium. The first Hip Hop heads formed crews and companies based around graffiti, DJing, MCing and break dancing. These crews and companies eventually led to money and fame, all by expressing themselves through a creative art form.
Charlie forms a crew and a company at school selling prescription drugs and advice to students. He becomes marked by school officials as the voice of the rebellion, just as Hip Hip has been marked the same by many politicians.
There are also many random ways Charlie Bartlett parallels Hip Hop kids of today; he gets shot at, he is musical (he plays the piano), he writes (a play), his father is in jail, his mother is struggling to take care of him, and he even goes to jail.
Charlie Bartlett is a portrayal of a rebellious generation that happens to parallel Hip Hop in its rawest form. For anyone that has ever felt like an outcast, this movie is not only for you, but about you.

J.S.

Love of Culture

A poet at worst..
My scribes describe this worlds work.
Tears telling years of un-fed thirst.
What hurts..
Don’t ask, its probably not pleasant,
cause gunshots taught my block most of its lessons.
From Ghetto landscapes
you cant escape
this Government rape.
Its right behind you,
On the side, in front…. but this light might blind you.

That’s why i stay underground, Cause the Surface is to shallow.

Our 1 escape came in 4 forms,
Which lead me 2 believe we had 3 more.
But no, just Hip-Hop and its elements of 4.

A spray painted break-dancing MC named DJ captured my heart,
turned me into a poet right from the start.
Now half my hero’s lie dead in a hearse.
But they were just like me….
A poet at worst.

J.S.

Hip-Hop Spots In Minneapolis

The Blue Nile:
+ Free open mic night/ poets groove with Desdamona and Kevin Washington.
+ Two stages, one upstairs and one downstairs.
+ Parking lot right across the street.
- Brings in very few bigger acts.

Triple Rock:
+ Well established and well known spot.
- Parking can sometimes be a hassle.

The Foundation:
+ Bringing in national acts such as Lyrics Born and Cut Chemist,Guru, DJ Q- Bert.
+ Party and Bullshit with Jimmy 2 times and Plain Ole Bill every Wednesday
+ Cool vibes inside the club (Atmosphere, ambience).
- Hard to find for the first time.

The Lone Tree/Annex Bar and Grill:
+ Cool Ambiance and dance floor.
+ VIP room for performers.
- Parking can suck on the weekends.

Big V’s:
+ Good spot for new and upcoming artists.
+ Weekly hip hop hosted by T.Q.D.
- Stage is a little on the small side.

7th Street Entry/ First Avenue:
+ Centrally located.
+ recognized world wide as a music venue.
+ Big dance floor, big sound.
- Drinks can be pricey.
- Parking is close but is rarely free.
- Gets unbearably hot when packed with people.

The Rox (St. Cloud):
+ Good size stage.
+ Smoking allowed.
- Its an hour from the cities.
- A lot of unknown acts.

Java Joint (St. Cloud):
+ Decent sound system
+ Well established within the St. Cloud area
- Long and skinny, awkward layout.

Dinkytowner:
+ Due to being located on the U of M campus, usually good crowds
+ Regular weekly hip hop shows (i.e. the Hook Up on Saturdays)
- cramped dance floor, and can get very crowded around the bar

Pizza Luce (Duluth):
+ Good location within downtown Duluth.
+ Creative interior, with a circular stage.
- Far from the cities.
- Small hip hop scene.

The Fine Line Music Café:
+ Good location off of 1st Ave.
+ Good lights and sound.
- Entrance, merchandise tables, bar, and seating area all within 15 feet of
Each other making for a crowded, high traffic area.

The Cabooze:
+ Well known music venue.
+ Fairly easy to find, visible from interstate 94.
+ good sound system.
- small area around the stage.

The Myth Nightclub:
+ High class interior.
+ Large dance floor and stage.
+ Air conditioned/water mist over dance floor.
- Tickets to shows can be expensive.
- Parking lot is very small in comparison to how many people attend.