I’m Kind of Hip Hop

The Four Pillars of Hip Hop

Last modified on 2010-05-03 23:54:13 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

Today I want to talk about a particular topic in hip hop. These are the four pillars of hip hop. Normally when people think of Hip Hop now a days, they think of strictly rapping. But this is not the case. Rapping is only one of the four pillars. So now I will list and explain the four pillars which the fact that hip hop is not just a music genre, it is an entire culture.

THE EMCEE: The emcee is what most people think of when they think of Hip Hop. The emcee is the controller of the microphone and is free to say what ever is on his mind with rhyme scheme and rhythm along with, usually, a beat created by a producer or DJ. An emcee is the modern-day poet. A well known emcee would be some one like Eminem or Jay-Z.

THE DJ: The DJ, although similar to a hip hop producer, is different. The DJ only creates music from already made music, but mixes it to make their own beat. It might sound easy, but it is not. A turn table is the common instrument for the DJ, like the mic for the emcee. If a person had to represent the DJ with a particular symbol it would be the turn table. A well known DJ would be DJ Premiere or DJ AM.

THE BREAK DANCER: The break dancer is the main dancer for the hip hop community or culture. The break dancer, or sometimes known as a B-Boy or B-Girl does a lot of fancy tricks and head spins. The most well breakers or B-boys would be Rock Steady Crew or the Jabbawockeez .

THE GRAFFITI ARTIST: The graffiti artist is the most visual artist in hip hop. The graffiti artist is the most over looked participant in hip hop culture. Graffiti is usually seen on building is urban areas. Like all of the other pillars, the graffiti artist expresses themselves through their craft. A popular graffiti artist would be Banksy.

Lil Wayne

Last modified on 2010-02-18 20:58:31 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

So, I just have to say that I already did a blog about Lil Wayne, but I don’t think that it was ever posted so sorry if I forget something that I already said that was probably brilliant. No I’m just playing, but here are my opinions on Lil Wayne.

Weezy F. Baby a.k.a. Lil Wayne is the self proclaimed “Best Rapper Alive”. I don’t agree. Just because I disagree with this statement, it doesn’t mean I’m a “hater”. I think this for a few reasons. First of all, Lil Wayne doesn’t have much subject matter or many concepts in his songs. Also, I don’t truly believe he is much of lyricist. You might disagree, but if you think about it, Wayne doesn’t say much of anything with substance, he doesn’t make sense a lot of the time, and even though he makes a lot of witty metaphors, a lot of them are either not that good or just don’t connect with each other all that well. His wordplay is there, but it’s just a little off-par or sometimes just lazy. For example the line “I’m hot like the sun” is just very unoriginal and not that clever. That’s the kind of thing that you might hear frequently in a Wayne verse. I mean, don’t get me wrong. I do like some Lil Wayne songs like “Tie My Hands”, “Comfortable” or “Georgia Bush”, but I just think he is overrated. So I am not a “Wayne Hater” or a “Weezy Head”. I think he is a decent MC.

Peace

J. Cole

Last modified on 2010-02-06 21:01:26 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

A new and upcoming artist from Fayetteville, California has really caught my eye. I am really feeling his music. He is the first artist to be signed to Jay-Z’s new label, Roc Nation. If you don’t already know who he is, I’ll tell you. His name is Jermain Cole, better known as J. Cole. You might have heard him featuring in Jay-Z’s track from The Blueprint 3 called A Star is Born. If you heard his 16 in that song and liked it, there is much more to come from and better. I highly recommend listening to his latest mixtape titled “The Warm Up.” It has some pretty ill lyricism and also just some tracks with good song structure with some catchy hooks like “Grown Simba”,”I Get Up”, and ” Lights Please.” I also enjoy his concepts and topics that he touches on like your average story about a kid that is trying to make it and stories about girls that he knew or has dated. We really get in to his mind from his lyrics. I also recommend checking out Wale song Beautiful Bliss. It is dope. J. Cole kills it in my opinion but it is also just a very enjoyable joint. Look out for his upcoming album. I’m not sure when it is going to be released but I’ll get back to you. So bottom line….don’t sleep on J.Cole. He got bars.

Peace

My Top MCs: Part 6

Last modified on 2009-12-14 21:09:05 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

Number 3: Eminem

If you don’t know who my number three MC is, you must be living under a rock. Eminem is the second most top selling rap artist in the world behind Jay-Z. The white rapper has broken sales records such as fastest selling rap album in one week with 1.76 million copies sold. But the sales aren’t the most important thing in my book. Slim Shady’s lyrics, while controversial, are still ridiculously amazing. The thing that amazes me about Eminem is the fact that he always manages to switch up his flow, but still sound appealing to the listener. Even though Em did leave the rap game for about four years, he came back with the “Relapse” album and amazed listeners. I have many favorite Eminem songs like, “Lose Yourself” and “Stan”, but there are not many Slim Shady songs that I don’t like. So go out and listen to everyone’s favorite white rapper.

My Top MCs: Part 5

Last modified on 2009-12-16 20:15:24 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

This week I’m going to talk about an absolute legend. If you don’t already know who I’m talking about, this is for you.

Number 4: The Notorious B.I.G.

Biggie Smalls, Big Poppa, or Notorious B.I.G, whatever name you use we all know that he is one of the greatest rappers of all time. Biggie died before his time. Biggies sweet flow and lyrical skill caught peoples attention. Biggie came out with hit records like Big Poppa and Juicy. In my opinion, Juicy is one of the greatest Hip Hop song of all time. Biggie died at age 24. There is not much else you can say about the master himself. If only he could have made more than two albums.

R.I.P. Biggie Smalls

My Top MCs: Part 4

Last modified on 2009-11-20 04:30:41 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

Number 6: Talib Kweli

Talib Kweli is a lyrical legend. Kweli has done so many great things for the hip hop community. My all time favorite trck from Kweli is “Get By.” This song truly explains the real tragedies that happen in the ghetto in every day life. Kweli began a team up with other hip hop legend, Mos Def to form Blackstar. Kweli is one of my favorite rappers and I definitely think you should check him out if you haven’t before.

Number 5: Mos Def

A beast with or with out Kweli,  a legend, and if I do say so myself, not a half bad actor. Mos Def is so lyrically talented. I can’t even explain it. Mos Def is ridiculous on the mic. I would give you my favorite Mos Def song, but I cant think of a specific one. They are all good. Mos Def is obviously also one of my favorite rappers. So all I’ve got to say is, go listen to “The Mighty Mos Def.”

My Top MCs: Part 3

Last modified on 2009-11-17 20:58:54 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

Look at Part 2 if you want to see my number 8 MC.

Number 7: K’naan

A relatively new artist, K’naan is a Somalian rapper who knows English as a second language. Despite this setback, K’naan is lyrically talented and he has concepts in songs that are actually relevant to the world, and reflect his life growing up in Somalia. This is mostly in English with a hint of his native language which adds his uniqueness. K’naan’s first and only studio album was produced in the house of none other than one of my idols, Bob Marley. Appropriately, there is a track on the album featuring Damian Marley (Bob Marley’s son.) I really enjoyed this album.
Although he has only released one album so far, he has a number of mixtapes. One of his mixtapes is a tribute of Bob Marley, using instrumentals from Marley himself. K’naan is one of my favorite upcoming artists and I think you should definitely check him out.

Peace.

My Favorite Rap Groups: Part 3

Last modified on 2009-11-14 20:55:53 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

Number 1: Black Star

Black Star is my personal favorite rap group. I know that they might not always be considered a rap “group.” This is because Black Star only consists of two MC’s; Mos Def and Talib Kweli, two of my favorite MC’s. Talib Kweli holds it down for all the true lyrical fans and Mos Def pretty much covers the rest. The two of them combined form a lethal force in the rap game. My favorite songs are Respiration and Definition. But every song from their album, entitled “Mos Def and Talib Kweli are Black Star”, is quality. Both of them have solo albums and all of them are classics.

So until next time,
One Love, Hip Hop.

My Top 5 Rap Groups: Part 2

Last modified on 2009-11-14 20:57:47 GMT. 1 comment. Top.

This is part 2 of My Top 5 Rap Groups.

Number 3: A Tribe Called Quest

In 1985 A Tribe Called Quest was formed, and it’s a good thing because hip hop wouldn’t be the same without them. A Tribe Called Quest is best known for combining the smooth sound of jazz and rough edginess of rap. They were the first to really make this sound popular. The group consists of the members Q-Tip, Phife Dawg, and Ali Shaheed Muhammad. Q-Tip is my personal favorite and a great lyricist. I can’t really think of one favorite song of ATCQ (A Tribe Called Quest). My favorite album is The Low End Theory. I really think that if you have never listened to them, you should most definitely check out ATCQ.

Number 2: The Roots

Classic. That’s one great word to describe The Roots. The Roots have a very soulful feel to their sound. At the same time, a very poetic and wise feeling. The lead vocalist named Black Thought, is very lyrical and poetic rapper who is full of wisdom and has great flow. Also the drummer, Quest Love, is great asset to the band. That leads me to my next point. The Roots are one of the few Hip Hop groups to use real instruments to create the base of their beats. This creates a more organic sound and an even more soulful edge to them. One of my favorite songs from The Roots is the song called “What They Do.” This a song that makes fun of the typical rap basics. The video also does this. I recommend watching that video and listening to The Roots. Peace.

My Top 5 Rap Groups

Last modified on 2009-11-14 20:57:17 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

This weeks blog I’m going to get away from the topic of my top MC’s. This blog will be focusing on my top 5 rap groups. Before solo artists in the rap game started, MCs were always in groups. The first main solo rap artist that in the mainstream, that I know of, was LL Cool J. So, with out further ado, here are my top 5 rap groups.

Number 5: De La Soul

De La Soul is a rap group that started in the year 1987. The thing that draws me to De La Soul is the way they bring fresh lyrics with a tad of humor, but still a deep message, and the way they sample fresh hooks. Another intriguing aspect of De La Soul is the way the combine jazz and rap. My favorite song of their’s is “Me Myself and I.” That track gained De La Soul huge popularity, but conjured up some controversy with the group The Turtles for using a sample from one of their songs. The groups’ consists of artists Posdnuos, Trugoy, and Maseo.

Number 4: Run DMC

Run DMC is, in my opinion, one of the most influenced and commonly known groups in the rap game, even to this day. Run DMC consist of three group member. First there is Run (Rev Run). Then DMC. Last, but certainly not least, is Jam Master Jay.
Unfortunately, on October 30, 2002, Jam Master Jay was shot in the back of the head during one of his recording sessions in the studio. The group has not released anything since.
One of their most famous songs, and arguably, one of the greatest Hip Hop songs of all time,  is “Walk This Way” featuring Aerosmith. This track combines the two great sound of Rock and Rap to form one of the greatest Hip Hop songs of all time. This song is on their legendary album Raising Hell. I definitely recommend copping this album. Peace.

My Favorite MCs: Part 2

Last modified on 2009-11-14 20:56:43 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

This is a continuation of my previous blog of my favorite rap artists, current and old. Remember, this is not me stating facts. These are my opinions. Also, not all of the rappers are numbered in order. But my bottom and top 5 are on the top and bottom for a reason. So let’s get started.

Number 8: Common

Formally known as Common Sense, Common is killing these other rappers with his poetic lyrics. Even though, in my opinion, Common is an amazing lyricist, he is still pretty underrated in the mainstream world.Common is a true lyricist, with his nice use of word play and poetic skill to really convey his message in his songs. A lot of his tracks have have good concepts and deep meanings. Common also has a unique style of flow where he speaks in a clam manner, but also goes hard. One of the most influential joints in the world of hip hop, in my opinion, comes from Common. The song is called I Used to Love H.E.R. This song is a genius way of talking about his views of hip hop but disguising hip hop so that it sounds like he is talking about a girl. This song is from the 1994 album Resurrection. I highly recommend getting one of Common’s albums, or just listening to this rap genius.
Until next time, Peace.

My Favorite MC’s

Last modified on 2009-10-21 02:34:51 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

You might be wondering from the title, what’s an MC? Well, an MC is usually known as someone who raps for a living or just for fun. MC literally stands for Master of Ceremonies.

Well, enough of that. My main point is to talk about my favorite rappers of all time. And because I have so many favorite rappers I decided to narrow it to my Top 10 MC’s. But because that takes a very long time I will do a few artist each blog. Alright, lets get started.

Number 10: Nas

Nas is a great MC who first dropped his album “Illmatic” in the 90’s and it was a major success and is a classic to this day. He is very skilled lyrically, but he has also picked up alot of fame from his conflict with Jay-Z.

Number 9: Jay-Z

Jay-Z is the top selling Rap artist in the game. Jay-Z has dropped 11 albums, and almost every one being a classic. Jay-Z is not the most lyrically talented but still continues to create amazing and capturing songs and albums with so many songs that a lot of people can relate to. Jay-z gives every song that he does so much energy.

That’s it for this week. Until next time. Peace.

Kid Cudi Man on the Moon: The End of the Day

Last modified on 2009-10-21 02:35:07 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

Kid Cudi! What’s a Kid Cudi? Well Kid Cudi is one of the hot new artists in the rap game. He just dropped his new album “Man on the Man: The End of the Day”. I had never really listened to Kid Cudi’s mix tape. So I didn’t understand his unique style. When his single “Day N Night” was released I thought is was one of the best singles of the year. The video was also a very creative idea with great images turning real life into cartoons. But I still didn’t really know what Kid Cudi was all about. With this new album though, I finally realize all the Kid Cudi hype. HIs album is not like other albums that I have heard recently. The album has 5 different acts, like it is a play or a movie script. All of the songs have a theme that in some way or another. Each song describes a part of Cudi’s life either that has actually happened or something he dreamt. The album is also narrated by another artist named Common. This album creates images like a movie. When I close my eyes I can visualize some of the things Cudi says. Kid Cudi’s style is not necessarily just Rap. I think of it as techno alternative Rap. My favorite tracks on this album are…. well now that I think about it, I don’t have a favorite song from this album. They are all equal and form a great album. I think it is a great idea to go and get this album. That was my review on Man on the Moon.

Peace.

Blueprint 3 and Man on the Moon

Last modified on 2009-11-14 20:55:22 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

Lately in the world of Hip Hop, there has been a lot of hyped albums released. Jay-Z released his long awaited album “The Blueprint 3″. This album has the top singles such as “DOA (Death of Auto-Tune)” and “Run This Town” featuring Rihanna and Kanye West. This album features Alicia Keys, Drake, J. Cole, Kid Cudi, Young Jeezy, Pharrell, and a few others. My favorite tracks on this album are “DOA”, “Empire State of Mind”, “Hate”,and “A Star is Born”. The album is a great finish of the Blueprint trilogy albums that Jay-Z has created. In other business, Kid Cudi’s long awaited album “Man on the Moon” was released on September 15. The CD includes the very much much hyped single, “Day N Night”. I was very excited for the album and went out and got it as soon as the thing dropped. The album is huge success in my opinion and has a very unique sound. I had high expectations for Cudi and he met those. This is just an album update and a recommendation for what you should considered buying. Ya Digg!

Welcome

Last modified on 2009-11-14 20:54:33 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

What is Hip Hop? Do you know anything about it? Did you know that it is a form of music? Do you know how it originated? Can you name any Hip Hop artist? If so, only the artists that we hear today on the radio or on TV. Or can you name any that are considered “old school.” All of those questions can be answered on my blog, “My Hip Hop.” I will be covering on what I know about Hip Hop music. This is also a learning experience for me, because even though I am a true Hip Hop fan I ,of course, don’t know every thing there is to know about the music. I will be covering topics such as who my favorite Hip Hop artists are, my all time favorite albums, my favorites of the year (or recent), and my favorite videos of all time. I will also be comparing the music of today and older periods of Hip Hop. Hope you enjoy it. I think I’m going to have fun.