Foreign Rehab

The abbreviation of Amy Winehouse's life enticed my usually dormant feelings to snake their way out of the basket. I'm hesitant to say, initially the news made "sense", but after fixing my ill-informed and conditioned reflexes it didn't make any sense at all. Amy's troubles took place in the tabloids as well as television, that's no secret. It however makes me wonder about the environment that some stars with opportunistic lives operate in. Now before i swan-dive into the Grand Canyon with this beautiful mind that i have, i would be remiss if i didn't mention that at this minute the cause of her death is unknown. This is going to be a twisting and winding piece so tarry with me as i am returning from an unintentional sabbatical.

Logic tells me that it should be reasonably difficult for a grammy winning songstress to commit destructive behavior on a consistent basis. For anyone unfamiliar with Amy Winehouse, she had a hard time overcoming some drug abuse issues that became known just as quickly as she did, around 2006 for many of us. To make this point simple [This alone may be my platform's undoing] I will say that humans generally consider drug abuse bad, generally care about each other, and particularly care about people that can make money. Winehouse had a camp -- any Grammy winning artist has a "camp" -- how was this group unable to keep her from a revolving door of rehab visits? We all understand that adults make their own decisions but stars tend to have less freedom and tend to have their lives more controlled than the rest of us. Now factor in family members who more than likely realized she was the cash cow of the family, how do you let that self-implode? I do not underestimate the power of addiction but her legacy wreaks of enablers.

I've read a little bit about the struggle of addiction with cigarette smokers, and it is well-understood that smokers tend to either have or have signs of depression, so often times it's equally as important to deal with the mental state of the person as it is to deal with the nicotine addiction. Here i'll put a little excerpt from the Journal of the American Medical Association in 1990, "In a study of 3,200 randomly selected adults, of those who had at some time in their lives been diagnosed with a major psychiatric disorder, 74% had smoked at some point, 14% had quit. Of those who had never been diagnosed with a psychiatric problem, 53% had smoked at some point in their life and 31% managed to quit... about 80% of alcoholics smoke... about 90% of schizophrenics smoke." With that information i extrapolated it to drug use [I could be wrong] and it leads me to the conclusion that Winehouse was troubled further than what we may know. However, with many resources it seems she would be able to get exceptional help, and that help would get to the root instead of continuing to trim the limbs. Again I am mystified.

Lastly I will say, is there anything that we can do as bystanders or fans? We know that celebrities have an effect on us but is there any way we can affect them? Maybe there isn't, but I think we all play a part. Do we make it comfortable for the drug culture to exist, or do we realistically help prevent what we can? Those are just questions to think about in case there is a way we can help.

The only thing left at this point is the epilogue. Amy Winehouse - loved to sing, but was sent to the wrong rehab.

My Top 5 Albums of 2010

I'm back with my 4th installment of my personal best albums for the year passed. Once again here are the rules:

1. The albums are selected from what i have personally heard
2. There is no need to argue because my opinion is what i deem to be the total after tax, it's nothing else to add.

This was a good year for music's sake, at least as far as I am concerned. Before I delve into the list i have to do the obligatory honorable mentions. J.Cole finished the year so strong with his Friday Night Lights mixtape [Correct, I count mixtapes as they are the new albums.] and followed up on the momentum his labelmate Wale's mixtape More About Nothing. I am utterly grateful for Kanye's GOOD Friday series, that's an album worth of material and it keep me musically fed all fourth quarter. And my last honorable mention is Kenneth Whalum III, simply phenomenal, see post below.




5. Drake - Thank Me Later
As amazing as i think this album is there is one deficiency, i didn't feel like he finished quite a few songs. He delivered one verse on many of the songs [See "Light Up", "Up All Night", "Unforgettable", "Miss Me"]. The one thing that i feel Drake does better than a lot of artists, he doesn't waste any words. All of his bars are hearty, very little cliche statments or metaphors/similies that don't really mean anything. The album is relatively personal and you feel like you get a grasp of his journey, even dating back before the music; tidbits that shaped Aubrey's well-rounded outlook on life which he fights to hold on to after his introduction to the fastest life he's ever seen. I would be remiss if i didn't mention the versatility of what he does, a major part of the reason he instantaneously strolled to the top; he sings with acceptable precision and is easily one of the better new rhyme-sayers. He's that rare.




4. Kid Cudi - Man On The Moon II
I hate to repeat myself so I'm going to try to highlight some points i possibly left out of my Cudi post late last year. Cudi does a LOT with his music, it's quite versatile. One of the things that i like about his album is that it's really an adventure. Artist development is very hard to find these days, but so is album development. Cudi's albums always feel like stories that you can follow and not just a collection of songs. When you can get in the booth and take people where you want them to go and not where they want to go, that's special. Also i had to give him credit -- which often eludes him from what i hear -- his songs tend to have quite a bit of a message, sans the ones where he goes on his "stoner" binge.



3. Nas & Damian Marley - Distant Relatives
I was mildly surprised at how mammoth this album was. Now when i say that, don't think for one second-hand on the watch that i didn't assume it was going to be good. I just had no way to predict it would be this good, considering i 'thought' i didn't understand Damian Marley. The island influence on this special delivered this to my heart. The synergy these two created was top-shelf, it makes Jay-z & R.Kelly look like 4th grade homework [I shouldn't have done that, as it was demeaning, but comparisons work wonders for perspective]. Frankly, it's hard to explain this album, which is another reason i used a comparison. Just trust me that it's great.



2. N.E.R.D. - Nothing
This is the best #2 I've ever posted, it hurts me to even associate this with a silver medal. This album means so much to me and as contradictory as this sounds, it is my favorite album currently. The undertones of social commentary in the lyrics are sheer genius. I tell people this is my life manual [behind the Bible of course]. The music comes from left-field, yes even for N.E.R.D., but it works so well with your ears. I am convinced that Pharrell has a voice suited perfectly for music, it's magical and unclassifiable. The layers in N.E.R.D.'s music is so much more developed than what i usually hear these days.



1. Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
This album is so complete it forced me to move my own favorite to #2. The first observation i had when i heard this is, there's at least two songs within every song. He creates so much mood and build in each song, nobody shifts the music like Kanye. Another amazing feat he conquered was turning a bunch of features into a positive and not a negative. Kanye is a symphony director that organizes the people with the sounds. He put 11 highly acclaimed artist, a few legendary, on the same song and it came out sounding amazing. He does the complete gamut when composing, and i had to give him his just due for just that. I wouldn't be surprised if he mixed the album himself. When i listen to this album i can't even go find another hip hop album to put in without it sounding simple, this simply dwarfs all of it's contempararies. The one thing i can always thank Kanye for is pushing the envelope. If you can stomach more of my superlatives about Kanye go back and read my previous post.

To Those Who Believe:

It's no secret to anyone who frequents this blog that music is a critical part of who i am and when i find something with layers and depth that really speaks to me, I must share. I just purchased the jazz album of an incredible young man from a lineage you may be familiar with, his name on and off stage is Kenneth Whalum III. The album is entitled To Those Who Believe.

For my generation--somewhere below 35 and above 18-- Jazz has become antiquated and we no longer spend time with this inspirational and culture-building art form. Most of our distance is created by lack of accessibility and connectivity. A healthy portion of the jazz artist we knew/know are at least 15 years our senior so we never found a connection with them, although a lot of that music was just as incredible. A young man like Kenneth Whalum who was bred musically by one of jazz's elite (and I'm sure there's more to his story that i don't know) has the proper foundation and the right placement to really be a torch bearer for the resurgence of a genre. He is authentic enough for traditional jazz aficionados who are usually more roped off in their own music VIP section, but he walks amongst the crowd of the socially aware, those who talk and interact with more people on a day-to-day basis than our parents, as a lot of our friendships and acquaintences are still closer to fresh than they are old; these people disseminate information like highly contagious viruses. Therefore I think this young man has the credibility and appeal to get people to listen to jazz once again. Here's a brief caesura, my dad would be proud of me right now.

Despite that last paragraph please don't make the mistake of thinking this was about his "hip" factor. The music is stellar, and this i know as i've sat in my dads car listening to jazz for hours upon hours through my upbringing, i've been to the record store with dad many times and also sat on the back porch with he and his jazz. This is character building material--and i mean that--, something i would recommend to every human i know. I will probably play this for my grandad and send a copy to my dad, I have already smothered my friends with this album (they were appreciative though). If you can give this a listen, i am most confident you won't return to me unhappy.

Click HERE to view the album.

Man On The Moon (Revisited)

I spoke on Twitter earlier today about music artist Scott "Kid Cudi" Mescudi and pointed out things that i perceived to matter with music pundits. Cudi's second musical offering, Man On The Moon II, was released today with what seems to be minimal hoopla; seems interesting for a widely known artist that commands so much money in concert appearances and is the absolute favorite artist and understudy of arguably the best hip-hop producer/artist actively working. Nonetheless reality prevails.

As a person who ardently seeks music to love and enjoy, I find Kid Cudi a very fascinating artist. I am under the heavy belief that i am witnessing history, I think Cudi is the first of his type. As I told my good friend @Kerrel_ he is a "howler", not a rapper or a singer. I've witnessed him in concert twice and I swear that if you turn your back at times during his show you would think a wolf has been switched into Cudi's place when you were not looking. As i think back to when Cudi was introduced to the world there were a lot of people that were confused by his musical presence, initially he was called a rapper until those in charge of the titles could no longer produce evidence to support that claim. However it was apparent to everyone that he wasn't a singer, or at least not by the definition we have commonly adopted. I will indeed admit, when introduced i didn't know what to call him either (If i was ever asked to call him something, generally I refer to him as an artist). This discovery alone was substantial enough to keep me listening to him in an effort to learn more about him and I'm sure i wasn't the only one.

Another facet of Cudi's commanding music presence is his leadership and pioneering ability. He is the torch bearer for a section of society that never really had a quality representative in the mainstream music world. Matter of fact my friend @Kerrel_ who is from Cleveland told me a story a while back of a house party he and Mescudi attended where there was quite a bit of substance abuse taking place in one of the bathrooms -- and Cudi was firmly planted in the mix. And for the those still wondering, drinking doesn't happen in the bathroom. Cudi was attempting to rap and from the account i received it wasn't really good. This is long before he was thee Kid Cudi. But the point is he represents a large part of a youthful experimental culture that trades Excedrin for Ecstasy. A generation that never really felt the need to deal with their problems without abetment. This is probably the one subculture of America that didn't really have it's own music catalogue. No matter what you are pioneering you have to be a secure and sturdy individual or either simply not care, which i think Cudi is both. Cudi believes he is that "Nice" when it comes to music (See Complex interview). There are few music artist that give the fans an open book to read, for instance Jay-z shows very little of himself through his music, most songs aren't really too personal or relatable (how many of us honestly have Maybachs); Mescudi on the other hand will point out his instabilities with no concern for side effects and i find that to be commendable and I'm sure for him it's empowering.

Kid Cudi gives you quite a bit of feeling through his music, and that is paramount to attract listeners. The sound isn't what entrances you, its the feeling. People like music that feels good, or takes them somewhere they want to go. Music is simply what feelings sound like. If you are indeed adept at putting your feelings into music then you will win every time. I'm under belief that a lot of artist don't do what they feel when the music strikes, they operate only in the confines of what they believe to be acceptable, or what they are supposed to do. Cudi came along at the right time and is afforded the opportunity to be free with his song making and doesn't appear to be impeded by the machine too much. He probably can send a lot of his gratitude to his boss, Kanye West. The point is this, a liberated artist is a heck of an occurrence to witness. It will usually end up in superb material or atrocious material and Cudi is surely standing in the superb line only behind a very few.

For anybody looking to get a one-of-a-kind music experience i recommend Kid Cudi, it is imperative that you show up without reservations. Pop the album in (I or II) and slide your headphones over your ears. You'll find something to latch on to, I guarantee it.

Kanye's Vestige

"Look at cha, Look at cha, Look at cha, And i want to show you how you all look like beautiful stars tonight..."

There are billions of people on this earth and one of the most intriguing and awe inspiring happenings is when people find ways to separate themselves from so many that are just like them.

Here we are, a couple of days after, where the authentic feelings usually reside. Kanye has just debuted his short film "Runaway" and it has once again left him standing alone with no modern day peers in sight. The film was roughly 35Mins long with a delicately delivered storyline sandwiched between music and pretty imagery. A lot of artist leave the listener to fend for themselves when drawing conclusions and painting images in their head about the presented music, but Kanye spoon-fed all of his personal visions, whether fond of them or not. However it gives another avenue for avid fans and pedestrian listeners to latch on to, perhaps someone was not substantially moved by the music but they were inspired by the visuals.

Most hip-hop artist forget that they're making art. For the sake of consistency we'll classify Kanye West as a hip-hop artist (although i have another theory). Obviously most people want to sell music to the largest pocket of consumers they can reach, therefore you have to be very generic in your approach...unless you are THAT good (most aren't). One of the most perplexing phenomenons is that record labels usually sign hip hop acts that aren't 'That' talented. For instance I don't think many people would argue that 50 Cent, Rick Ross, or Gucci Mane are much more talented than many of their peers. Many of the faces in music are just that, faces. There are people who produce the track, craft the most important parts of the song, which would be the hook or bridge (IF the hip hop song even has a bridge now) and do a lot of the creative process for the "faces". It has become more important to find the right resource than to be the resource, which isn't always a bad idea but it shouldn't be the first option. The segment that now separates artist is marketing, therefore the eminent emphasis isn't on the art. Most passive music listeners will listen to whatever comes on the radio and aren't very discriminate in what they listen to. So the extra time/effort goes towards other things. Contrary to popular belief music is a niche culture.

Kanye on the other hand works equally hard at both, if you recall back to College Dropout he talked about how he had marketing schemes for an album that didn't even have a home (label) yet; he was the one who forced Rocafella to put the album out because he filmed the video got it played and was pushing his own art with his own drive. Whether one likes Kanye's presentation or not you have to be grateful that he is trying hard. He didn't wake up one day in Prague with a film crew, costumes, and backdrop and decide to shoot this film. He didn't decide to relay another gangster or street related visual back to us. He attempted to give us his story how he viewed it as he lived it; not give us someone else's story and try to fit it to himself. An "A" for effort should be given above all else. His motivation of changing the music landscape is the catalyst behind this and that has always been apparent. There are artist that often leave me perplexed to wonder what their motivation is in the music race. Kanye is amassing a nice collection of audio and visual memoirs to keep him alive for many years after he has stopped, and for an individual looking to change the ordinary that's not a bad idea.

Give Kanye credit, love him or hate him, he probably won't Runaway again... He'll be here in some form or fashion.

High Jump P

There isn't much to say, to put it plainly. I just liked the picture

Caspa & Mr. Hudson - Love Never Dies

Anyone who keeps track of me and my musical endeavors knows that i was really impressed by Mr. Hudson's (G.O.O.D. Music/Def Jam) last album Straight No Chaser. This is a novel song pegged to be on the Caspa & Mr. Hudson EP, Back for the First Time (releasing in a few hours), the visuals are heart-warming but the music is nothing shy of magical. I couldn't resist sharing.

Drake interview w/ DJ Semtex

Semtex says: "If you're a fan you're going to love this...It may even make the biggest skeptic a believer". I think its an amazing piece of insight on Drake the person and the layers of who he is. The songs are broken down by Drake himself. For me this is what i love to hear from people in general, its even more beneficial that he's an artist. Its almost like storytellers without the stage. Immerse yourself.

Ro Spit- A Different Arrangement

The return of the Fly Emcee is upon us with a slightly different approach. Arriving June 8th is Ro Spit’s, A Different Arrangement. Ro Spit has been propelled by his widely played OH S#!T Project which elevated him from the pack of rappers without an identity to an artist with a heavy broadband following.

Artist inspiration can be channeled through many unexpected outlets; it forces them to take an angle that may not have been visible before. For Ro Spit, that inspiration arrived in the form of fellow Michigan representative Mayer Hawthorne and his Strange Arrangement. Understanding the notion that music never limits itself is a very liberating mindset. Ro acknowledges “I don’t have certain or specific things that inspire me. I just know when I feel it, and then just hit the gas.” Ro Spit made a transition from reverberating bass patterns to trumpets and cymbals, showing his diversity and musical dexterity. And he almost did it overnight. Ro quickly took his time and completed the project in less than a month, another ode to his voracious work ethic. The project cradles the listener and rocks them through unexpected twists and turns, going from juxtapose storylines to outright semi-automatic verses; or as rappers say – Bars!

This arrangement is comprised of the musical production from Mayer Hawthorne’s previous arrangement, as confusing as that sounds it makes perfect harmony. With no features and special guests, Ro Spit is the solitary emcee to finesse this delicate music. There are many superlatives that could be used to explain this outstanding work, but for now let’s just call it…Different.

Hit www.rospit.com always.

Phil Ade- Always There

Since i've been boasting music today, i figured i minus well share this for those that haven't seen it. I've held out for about a week and a half but i have succumbed, i have to post this video. This is an artist out of D.C. that i like by the name of "Phil Ade". I met him when i went down to Texas for SXSW and he's pretty solid. This video makes me feel good too. Its sooo cool, check it out.

The Burn Rubber Jacket

This was last month at the Wayne State show with Wiz Khalifa & Curren$y & Ro Spit. I was trying to toss my ideas out to Ro before the show so he could be on point for the show...it didn't work.

Renaissance State of Mind

This is an endeavor that im involved with that i am quite proud of. For those that are presently unaware this is "Renaissance State of Mind" by Ro Spit, which is a native spin of Jay's "Empire State of Mind". The quality is phenomenal all the way around. Check it out if you are currently unaware. If you would like to get more familiar with Ro Spit, visit rospit.bandcamp.com or rospit.com

Shawn Carter/Rhapsody

Although many have seen it within a 24 hour span (just the way of the internet world). I would still like to showcase this for those who have not seen it. Whomever came up with this idea did a good job of implementing it. Jay strikes poses from his album covers and smoothly transitions from one to the next...it looks nice. This is a collaboration with Rhapsody for his upcoming album Blueprint III. Check it out

Michael Jackson: Person or Icon

I'll start with a quote i generated some days ago, "The more talented you are, the less human you become in the eyes of the public." Americans as a collective unit have to learn how to view talented individuals as humans and not icons. As i watched the Today Show this morning Matt Lauer asked Tommy Mattola, "What was it about Michael Jackson that allowed his fans to overlook his [controversies], Tommy Mattola simply replies "His Greatness". A friend told me they read a passage from the mayor of Gary, In where he referred to Michael as "the prince of peace", extremely hyperbolic talk as there is only one Prince of Peace. Once again our perception is distorted.

Jackson's passing was a startling and surprising occurrence but the overt displays of emotion seem rather ungrounded, and at the height of those missteps is suicide. We can't pretend to overlook the reality that Jackson was a troubled man, and with that said I can't say that i am completely surprised. Many different medications were found in his home, he dueled with anorexia, fought a lung disease, and we all were aware of the skin disease. Never does one expect death especially considering the dubious circumstances that surround Jackson's. Most of us did not know Michael Jackson personally, yet some have patronized the goodness and gifts that Michael munificently bestowed upon us, but i think it would have been more important for them to carry those burdens with Michael. One of my favorite individuals Michael Eric Dyson pointed out how Jackson identified a lot of the ideologies that tortured the African American community for years, many African Americans wrestle with the European standards of beauty, so much that we turn to surgery operations and wigs (weave). He was not "used" as a artist because that was his profession, however very few if any were heeding the Jackson's inward, yet outwardly visible lamenting.

People have taken tickets to the memorial to Ebay, in an effort to profit off of an enormously popular dead man, deplorable to say the least. The Today Show is giving the run down of proposed celebrities in attendance as if that matters, although the service is at the Staples Center, "this isn't a basketball game!" There was a lady that hitch-hiked a ride to the Staples Center and all along her trek i believe she spent $1400. How does she have money to make this trip but she can't afford transportation. I do not tell anyone what to do with their money; I would rather tell her you do not owe Jackson your presence at his funeral. You've essentially paid him by purchasing his music and supporting his career, personally you don't owe him anything because personally he gave you nothing. That may sound unwarranted as i do not know her life but we've had approximately 12 members of his fan club commit suicide and I pray that the number isn't understated. Redundancy usually creates deaf ears but, he was human just like you and I.

As i close my soliloquy I wish the Jackson family the best and hope that if there are any positives that can be extracted from Michael Jackson's death we pay attention to them. Most importantly, all I can hope for at this point is that he knew Jesus.

Creativity Alert

This is an MTV Europe ad. Why can't we get that creativity over here. We always get stuck with the seductive ads over here in the lustfully driven U.S.A. Simple yet creative, enjoy

"L.A.S.E.R.S."

Although i do not know what it stands for--i like it, the message that is. Lupe is consistently one of my favorites and he says quite a few things that i would say if i were afforded the platform that he has, therefore i syphon his words a lot to support and echo my own.

There is nothing like good, productive dialogue; proceed with caution. Often times we support and endorse the wrong messages, usually destructive, selfish, or unfruitful. To be honest a huge portion of it comes from our music and i believe that music is the undercurrent of our lives, it pushes our minds in different directions, although it doesn't have control it has influence. For my demographic, ages 18-33, unfortunately there are too many instances where we use damaging ideas to paint the outline of our reality. This is not an endeavor calling for a rush of MLK remembrance songs, but rarely do we achieve a balance, or even worse rarely are we able to discern foolishness from quality. I don't want to get too long-winded so i will truncate my message, i think Lupe brings a lot of quality, especially in terms of thought processes.

I think as much as support some other emcees with inferior talent and very little to say (which is all good), we should support even more talented emcees with a lot more to say (which is even better).

Lets Get Back to Music

This is pretty much what i've been trying to say for a while. My compadre (i think that's how you spell it, i don't know spanish) Pharrell talks about the MUSIC! That's what we have to get back to. People often look at me like an alien when i tell them i don't listen to the radio or i haven't heard this song or that song, because these joints are playing everywhere....but im not a fan of most music. Also he briefly talks about the prominence of the new social media sites and the like. Good stuff P!

Be GREAT Today!

Alright here is the setup, these are both old and the songs have matured into the retirement home, but these are actually a couple of videos i have watch consistently with much affection for quite a while. Above are a couple of astronomical music producers, but that is not necessarily the point. It's the ZEAL, the FERVOR, and the PASSION. One of the things that i have learned, and it correlates for the blog, it doesn't matter what your profession is if you approach it with the respect and passion it deserves you will excel.

-As I bring you deeper into my brain- I've shared with some of my closer confidants my affinity for Kanye's work ethic and habit. Regardless of feelings towards him, good, bad, or indifferent he really goes to work with a concentrated focus and an astonishing energy reserve. He initiated the release of his first album, because he was working so hard and the public couldn't help but take notice, Rocafella hadn't even planned on putting him out yet, this is after he scratched and clawed to get signed. That's what it takes to be great! It doesn't matter what you do, we have all seen professionals across the board who may not be exceptionally gifted in their field but their determination and passion boost them ahead of the competition. When i sit down (i usually don't stand and write) and write I have two goals: 1. To inform the audience in an efficient manner, 2. To become the greatest writer alive. I've talked about this before but people learn differently so I was compelled to use yet another example post. Look at my man Pharrell, compare his body language with the girl he is essentially writing the song for. Actually if you hear the finished song [Natasha Ramos "Midnight Hour"] she doesn't do it justice, she doesn't exude the passion. Its even obvious in the studio session here, Pharrell's whole body is captivated by the song, his legs are tapping, head swaying, arms waving, and mouth talking. In contrast she has a little head nod but thats really it. The passion you pour into your work is evident whether you realize it or not. You could be selling paint at Sherwin-Williams and give customers the most remarkable shopping experience in the world or you could just do it as a job and achieve average results. The point is give yourself whole-heartedly to whatever your passion is and I GUARANTEE that you will excel.

This was just placed on my heart to share with the readership. Whatever you do, go be the best "x" in the world. Don't' be afraid to be GREAT!

Kanye reminds me of...

Before you write off my assessment, you have to hear me out. As i was sitting watching my favorite movie Above the Rim the other day it forced me to think about Tupac's life and this is what i resolved, Kanye is extremely like Tupac. It is rare that people so different can reflect the same light.

Follow me, its ok, trust me. Both individuals were intensely passionate about their work, especially music. Their passion for music pushed them to the cusp of greatness, Tupac created music that was felt like never before. The first fingerprint of his work was his voice, never had an artist up to that point spilled so much assertion and aggressiveness on their music. The most potent characteristic of his music was its impact on the rest of the game. He dared you to step your game up, with thought provoking songs as well as when he had his ambitions as a ridah. Kanye has also pushed people to take their music to a whole new level, he was essentially the godfather of a whole music revolution as far as the resurgence of the soul sound. Even now he makes music that changes the whole dynamic of his genre, if you can still box him into one.

Both of these guys were technically bred as anti-mainstream artist. Tupac came through with Digital Underground, a heavy contrast to the "gangsta-rap" that was taking place at that time. Kanye came up with Talib Kweli who is certainly more about helping generations than he is about selling records. Kanye says Kweli is the most important person in terms of his development as a rapper. Both Pac and Ye ended up being extremely available to the mainstream.

Both individual are extremely emotional, if you have the opportunity look at some old Tupac interviews or if you have snippets stored in your brain just think back. Look at how emotional Kanye gets, just like Tupac did. Both were passionate from an uncommon viewpoint, let me explain what that means. Tupac was such a layered individual and there was more to him than what met the surface, people would often ask him how he could make these aggressive and violent songs and in the same booth create some of the most inspirational, thought-provoking, and uplifting material. He took his experiences from an under privileged environment and merged that with privileged living, what he saw during the later chapter of his life. Most people weren't like that, which is why it was so hard to fathom for most people. Either you were hood or you were uppity, there were very few that had come from so little and achieve so much and have a platform to express it to the world, simultaneously trying to explain to the opposing viewpoint to each side. He couldn't convince the media and mainstream America that people from the slums don't always have bad intentions and they are just like you, they could not absorb what it was like to be from the slums. Just like people from the "hood" couldn't understand the demands he had on his life now and that he had work to do as far as helping as many people as he could with the platform that he had. So his viewpoint was so uncommon because there were so few that could relate.

Kanye on the other hand was taught to be different by choice. He defies all the laws and platforms that were set before him, from the time he entered as a rapper, he says himself " they were looking at me funny cause i didn't have a jersey on". He is part of the mainstream but he thinks like an underground artist, he doesn't want to do it the way others do it. Kanye would make an album and gripe because he didn't get a Grammy Award, but you have to look at what drove him to act this way. Kanye is so talented a lot of songs that are produced, he could do in his sleep, his brain is thinking "push the envelope" and create something truly original. He thinks why are we rewarding people for songs that sound just like ten other ones on the radio and lack so much from a creative aspect. Kanye is a true artist stuck in the world of painters. Everyone can paint especially if you have a stencil. Kanye is trained to think the way you SHOULD think. Lets use the example of taking someone out to a fine restaurant with the finest delicacies and they don't want anything because they are looking for a hamburger, and you are thinking "dude, we got filet mignon here, what do you mean you want a hamburger?". That is what he deals with in his field, but he works amongst them and with them. So back to my original comparison, both were hellbent on making you see things from their uncommon perspective.

Pac and Ye were also both raised by single mothers and were very close to their mothers, which I personally think had to do a lot with them being so emotional. Both had mothers that were relatively activist and progressive on societal concepts. Tupac's mother was affiliated with the black panthers and although Kanye's mom was a teacher at the tender age of six she participated in the sit-ins.

For me when i look at the two i am able to see a lot of the same brilliance, creativity, and emotion. That's why i see these two as carbon copies that walked two different paths.

The Best Albums of 08

This is the second installment of my annual "best of " album assessment. Things you need to know include:
1. the albums are selected from what i have personally heard
2. with the lack of quality music volume i have dwindled my list to 4 instead of 5, a "decent" album doesn't get you on the list
3. There is no arguing because my opinion is what i deem to be the total after tax, nothing else needs to be added

First i must start with an honarable mention, Common - Universal Mind Control. He's one of the major players in my lineup but the album just came out in December and its just solid not exceptional. Now lets start the show (shout out to Finding Forever)

4. Joe Budden - Halfway House

This album is technically classified as a mixtape, however i make the rules. Joe veered slightly from his Mood Muzik series and put together a compilation that took over listener's emotions but not in the somber fashion of the MM songs. As usual he saturates the microphone with his witty opinions and perceptions. He took the time to seek new production and compose theme oriented songs, an occurence usually reserved for actual albums, and some artist don't even do it then. So he gets praise for his laudable efforts.

3. John Legend - Evolver

As far as R&B is concerned i am a stickler for songs that excavate below the surface and detail the many emotions and feelings involved with romance and things of that nature. I have a hard time enduring "sex songs". Legend put forth his best effort to date on this one, a mix of breezy, light-hearted songs and demanding, aggresive tunes. Also i was pleasantly surprised once i thoroughly listened, as i expected the run of the mill John Legend. He took a step outside of his traditional formula with the help of many, nonetheless exceptional album that i will replay for a long time.

2. Nas - Untitled

Some of you may refer to this as the Nigger album, but no matter what you title it the product is great. The concept and depth of the content is informative, riveting, and incredible. It is an art to teach and educate in an enjoyable and eloquent fashion. I suppose only a veteran could have pulled this off and i applaud Nas for taking the bold stance, as he states "people are afraid of criticism, but i always put myself in a sacrificial position". He nailed it, nuff said

1. N.E.R.D. - Seeing Sounds

This is one of my top 6 albums of all time, period. Although they are often categorized as experimental rock, i like to refer to this album as just pure music. Each song features a break down that any musician or artist would kill for. The melodic range of the album is off the charts, the verses are so poetic and alluring. This is what happens when you give ardent, bold, and insanely talented artist the liberty to do as they please. Its such a rare mix of peculiar talent amongst the three members that has progressed with each album they make and it has come to a temporary apex (they may get even better next time). If you aren't familiar just do yourself a favor and listen to "Love Bomb". It was impossible for me to not give these guys the top spot.