Fearless Ninjas

Why wasn’t this on Rae’s album?

Ghost beats up the track and shows his versatility.

Mayer Hawthorne- Green Eyed Love

WordPress not allowing video embedding except YouTube is annoying. Waiting to switch servers.
Had to wait for for Mayer Hawthorne’s new joint to make it over. Took a few days.

Benefit for DJ Too Tuff

If you know any rap history, you know the Tuff Crew.
If you know anything about DJing you know about DJ Too Tuff.

DJ Too Tuff, a/k/a the Deuce Ace Detonator, is considered a forefather of the Turntablist movement, because of several dynamic DJ tracks on the group’s albums. Dj Z-Trip, DJ Shadow and other New School DJs credit DJ Too Tuff for inspiring their style and music.

Good dude, life keeps showing up for dude.
Currently locked up and recently diagnosed with cancer, there’s an upcoming benefit that Philly should support. The line-up looks a little weaksauce, but at least they are trying to help dude out which is more than I am doing.

Anyone who wants to write Too Tuff:

Joe Hicks
736887
House of Corrections
8001 State Road
Philadelphia, PA 19136

Last time I saw him was a year ago at the first Philly DJ Day.
Get well and come home kid.

Jay Electronica: Swagger Jackson’s Revenge

Never posted after the Jay Electronica x Talib Kweli x Mos Def show. Who knew the kid lived around the corner and down the block? Found out at his show. It explains all the Philly slanguage and references he makes though. Alls I really wanted to see was Jay, but like a sucka I stayed for 4+ hours. Ever watch a movie and it’s so bad you keep watching because you think it has to get better. Well, it didn’t. At least Jay didn’t disappoint at all.

Public Enemy: Rebel Without a Pause

Being a 14 year old white boy from the suburbs, I didn’t even know this shit wasn’t built for me. There was no way you could of convinced me. I rocked It Takes a Nation and Fear of a Black Planet HARD. I even remember having the Yo! Bum Rush the Show cassette. It wasn’t the words that got me, it was the energy. And a certain amount of awareness. Goddamn.

Just watched the PE/Roots performance from the VH1 Honors and I was 14 all over again.

Yes, the rhythm the rebel
Without a pause I’m lowering my level
The hard rhymer, where you never been I’m in
You want stylin’ you know it’s time again
D, the enemy tellin you to hear it
They praised the music this time they play the lyrics
Some say no to the album, the show
Bum rush the sound I made a year ago
I guess you know you guess I’m just a radical
Not a sabbatical – yes to make it critical
The only part of your body should be parting to
Panther power on the hour from the rebel to you

Radio – suckers never play me
On the mix – they just O.K. me
Now known and grown when they’re clocking my zone it’s known
Snakin’ and takin’ everything that a brother owns
Hard – my calling card
Recorded and orderd – supporter of Chesimard
Loud and proud kickin’ live next poet supreme
Loop a troop, bazooka, the scheme
Flavor – a rebel in his own mind
Supporter of my rhyme
Designed to scatter a line of suckers who claim I do crime
They on my time tickin’

Terminator X

From a rebel it’s final on black vinyl
Soul, rock and roll comin’ like a rhino
Tables turn – suckers burn to learn
They can’t dis-able the power of my label
Def Jam – tells you who I am
The enemy’s public – they really give a damn
Strong Island – where I got ‘em wildin
That’s the reason they’re claimin’ that I’m violent
Never silent – no dope gettin’ dumb nope
Claimin’ where we get our rhythm from
Number one – we hit ya and we give ya some
No gun – and still never on the run
You wanna be an S.1 – Griff will tell you when
And then you’ll come again – you’ll know what time it is
Impeach the president – pullin’ out the ray-gun
Zap the next one – I could be you’re Sho-gun
Suckers – don’t last a minute
Soft and smooth – I ain’t with it
Hardcore – rawbone like a razor
I’m like a lazer – I just won’t graze ya
Old enough to raise ya – so this will faze ya
Get it right boy maybe I will praise ya
Playin’ the role I got soul too
Voice my opinion with volume
Smooth – not what I am
Rough – cause I’m a man
No matter what the name – we’re all the same
Pieces in one big chess game
Yeah – the voice of power
Is in the house – go take a shower boy
P.E. a group, a crew – not singular
We were black Wranglers
We’re rap stranglers
You can’t angle us – I know you’re listenin’
I caught you pissin’ in your pants
You’re scared of us dissin’ us
The crowd is missin’ us
We’re on a mission y’all

Terminator X

Attitude – when I’m on fire
Juice on the loose – electric wire
Simple and plain – give me the lane
I’ll throw it down your throat like Barkley
You see my car keys – you’ll never get these
They belong to the 98 posse
You want some more son – you wanna get some
Bum rush the door on a store – pick up the album
You know the rhythm, the rhyme plus the beat is designed
So I can enter your mind – Boys
Bring the noise – my time
Step aside for the flex -
Terminator X

Cory Gunz: Shut ‘Em Down

I like the track and the video. Cory can spit heatrocks. No matter what this kid does, or anytime anyone wants to question his talent, I will simply point them to the A- Milli remix, fall back, smile, and know I won that arguement.

This tracks off his Gangsta Grillz, Heir to the Throne, with Drama.

Video is official, and a set-up for a second part, so…

Both vids by Tee Smif.

The Avett Brothers

I have been listening to these guys all day.
One of the things I like about imeem is that they expose me to groups and bands I usually don’t come in contact with. I saw post and description of them this morning, and I think me being sick, not feeling very hip-hop-y, this worked real well. Definitely like folksy/bluesy stuff. Just not too well versed.

This is their new single:

Other videos here.
Other music here.

Lushlife…

Feeling it.

More here.

There’s going to be a few more random musical postings today. Sort of eclectical. People are sure to hate.

Ghostface

So I started out wanting to go to the Ghostface show.

Then I wanted to go to the Ghostface show for free.

I kept hitting up the people at Def Jam to get on the list and it occurred to me that in a recent interview, Ghost said he had only been to the Def Jam offices two or three times the whole time he has been signed there. Plus, I remember when I was trying to line up an interview with Juelz, that Def Jam was telling me that they didn’t know how to get in contact with him. The Dips are known for switching management like I change underwear (a few times a year), but it seemed crazy they couldn’t get in touch with their own artist. I think once I lined up the interview, I might of even hit up Def Jam to give them Juelz’s PR chic’s math. In any event…

Then I wanted to meet Ghost.

It occured to me that J-Love might be DJing, and thought that a Ghost + J-Love interview for the next issue would be dope and give me some leverage, so I hit J-Love with the idea. He was with it, talked to Ghost and we were good to go.

So the show was last night and in typical rapper form, be there at 9, we will do the interview before the show, turns into standing there for two hours, no time before the show, we will do it after. (What this usually turns into is rapper X is too tired/left/we will do it another time.) So me and Sean (sorry Tom) are at the backdoor to the venue with J-Love, Ghost and entourage. Security is patting down people and I hear the typical request.

“Guys, if you have any firearms on you, you are going to have to leave them back on the (tour) bus.”

A few people got out of line and headed back to the bus.
From there we are stuffed into a hallway staging area. Ghost, J-Love, entourage, me and Sean. J-Love jumps on the tables, Ghost runs out already on level 100, crowd goes bonkers, and we take sidestage, me taking pics, Sean filming. Watching shows from that perspective never gets old. Seeing what the artist sees, seeing how the entire place rocks with him, mouths every word, feeding off the energy, you can see how that shit is magical and enticing. Ghost TORE through his catalog, and that was that.
Post show, Ghost signed autographs, and titties, and then back to the bus. Much to my surprise, I was able to get the interview. Somehow I ended up on the bus. Somehow I ended up in the back of the bus. Somehow I ended up in the bedroom-esque suite in the back of the bus with just me, Ghostface and his woman who spent the time massaging his feet. I knew dude was tired and trying to get outta there, but every time I kept trying to be polite and rap up, he kept telling me I could ask more questions and take more time. Full details will be in the next issue, but I have to say meeting one of my favorite rappers of all time was not a disappointment. Dude was not giving canned answers, was not rushing me, was not on some typical rapper bullshit. Granted, I was only with him for a half hour or whatever, but I didn’t get the sense he was playing the role on any level, which I definitely get with most people I interview.

It was a crazy experience.

There’s a few standout moments that owning a rap magazine really has its perks.

This was definitely one of those nights.

I like this…

The xx- Crystalised