So I'm perusing youtube and I stumble across this track. Dope as it maybe i can't help but wonder is mr. west aware of this?
It is obviously a take off:
i know, i know. One or more of you loyal HSD readers is saying, "but ave, Curtis made 'move on up' in '70, and Ye made touch the sky in '06".
Well loyal reader, there is a perfectly logical explanation for this. If you actually watched the touch the sky video (2:30)you'll see that the video was shot in '69 (Mr West was even ahead of the game by being one of the first to criticize president nixon early in his administration). At least a year ahead of Curtis.
......i know. i know..."But ave, Ye wasn't born until '77". Again, logical explanation best summed up in this early yet recent pic of Ye that should put this to rest
I was invited to contribute awhile back, so this is over due....but, you know....anywho.
My first post was supposed to be about a convo Donnie and i had, it goes something like this.....
We were talking about Weezy (not the one from above, but lilweezy/wayne {don't worry, i didn't forget the baby}, but I didn't want to scare people off before they read the point).
Sorry Ms. Jefferson.
Basically the consensus of my people back in the day was Wayne sucked. In the last couple years some of those people have come around to various degrees; from near g.o.a.t contention to thinking he has some entertaining lines (though she said she can't admit that to everyone). KRS was on Sirius awhile back and put it like this (I'm paraphrasing), "Wayne is dope.....definitely is hiphop.....but some of his subject matter can be a little young for my taste". Thanks Kris, couldn't have said it better myself. Being that this is a music blog on the internet i guess a link of sorts is warranted:
How'd this happen? (do I look like a mind reader) ion't know.
maybe it's the drug use.
maybe its a ghostwriter. maybe if you were rich before you could drive and had nothing to do all day but write lyrics you come up with some witty stuff too....
Yo!! IT'S WORKIIINNNNNG!!! IT'S WOORRRKIIIINNNNG!! Yeah! I finally put my setup back together. For those who dont know, my setup consists of: 2 gemini turntables (sorry, couldnt afford tech 1200's at the time), a stanton SK2F 2 channel mixer, M-Audio Torq (just like serato, only cheaper), and my monster 17 inch dell dual processor laptop. No, I havent put together a mix yet. It's comming. Be patient. But I got two joints that I only have on vinyl.
This joint here is for Ave. Back when i first got my turntables, Ave donated his small crate of records. Included in this crate was a 10 inch box set called The Beat Suite compiled by DJ Spinna. And on one of the records we found Montreaux 76. Its a nice jazzy/hip-hop insturmental. Takes me back to having lunch at the Mello Yellow in Hyde Park. They used to always have nice jazzy laid back music in the back ground. But anyway. Months ago, Ave hit me up and asked me to send him this song. So this ones for you.
This song is the shit. Nuff said. Me, Ave, and Donnie all used to be heavy posters on Okayplayer. I cant remember which forum this used to come up in. But people talked about this song alot. I couldnt find this song for shit. Me and Ave used to hit the music stores on the regular. And I never seen nor heard this song anywhere. So I thought it was an urban legend. The shit just didnt exist. And I could see visions of Questlove picking his hair and laughing at me. But then one day, I'm in Grammaphones digging thru the racks and I see it. Immediately went into secret agent mode. Couldnt let anybody see what I was walking out of the shop with. Yeah, I paid for it. But it felt like I was stealing.
I really treasure the gift of music. So when someone takes the time to introduce me to some new sounds, I am grateful. I'd like to take this time to give recognition to my friend Monica down in Georgia. A long long time ago at a time where my musical identity was still taking its shape, I received a 60 minute cassette tape in the mail that altered everything that I thought was right. Music that I had considered good, was just...eh, average. Musicians and producers I looked up to I started second guessing. Why, cause they weren't doing what THESE guys were doing. That mixtape is responsible for introducing me to Johnny Hammond, James Mason and Bobbi Humphrey.
Well, I received another mixtape (actually it was a CD this time) and I have to admit, she's done it again. Monica truly has an ear for solid soul music. This two disc set is filled with artists and songs I had never heard. One of which is Leo Sunshipp's "Give Me The Sunshine", which hit me hard when I was driving to an assignment. Just a great smooth groove. I love the end where dude pulls out the falsetto.
I never really say, "Hey, download this!" on this blog. But whenever I showcase one of the songs from her newest compilation, you need to download. At least take a listen. I'm having a difficult time picking out the next track. I might have to showcase two next time. Anyway, props to Monica
In preparation for the new Foreign Exchange album, I decided to play Nicolay's second solo album Here. I was only moderately impressed when I first bought it, but now that I've put it back in the rotation, it has really grown on me. The first joint on this album showcases a great talent from the Justus League camp, DarienBrockington. A very solid R&B track with Nicolay's tight production.
Also, allow me to say this. People that miss the Jay Dee sound need to check for Nicolay. I'm not saying he IS Jay Dee by any means, but he's definitely a disciple of his style. Listen to the first Foreign Exchange album, you can hear Jay Dee's influence all over it. While I miss Jay Dee, there are many producers out now that are carrying on his legacy. Nicolay is one of them.
It was the fall of 1996, my freshman year at Columbia College Chicago. I got to talking music with some friends of my roommate one night, and I was asked if I knew about the Philadelphia based hip hop group The Roots. I hadn't. In fact now that I think about it, there was a LOT of hip hop that I didn't know about back then. I'm almost ashamed to admit that outside of "Me, Myself & I", I had never listened to an album from De La Soul.
Anyway after that conversation someone loaned me both Do You Want More and IlladelphHalflife. I dubbed both of them on two 90 minute Memorex tapes and rocked them my entire freshman year. Back then I didn't have a lot of loot to buy new music all the time, plus CD's were expensive. I didn't hide the fact that I loved Do You Want More cause I wore that tape out. So much so that when the tape wasn't playable anymore, I taped over Illadelph with Do You Want More.
Fast forward three years and I have, what I would call, my first real system. A sub woofer powered by an amp all controlled by a Sony Xplod head unit. Hearing "Respond - React" through that system changed something. I don't know what it was, but that album just immediately altered every feeling I had about The Roots.
Why don't they start shows like this anymore? The Amazing Mr. Please Please Please came out with a serious introduction. With the horns of the JB's shouting, how could you NOT be hype? DJ Brainchild of Gordon Gartrell Radio shared a song from this album on his blog about a year ago saying it was a must listen. I bought volume one thinking that was the album he was talking about. Nope, wasn't it. I copped this album a few months back, and this isn't the album either. It doesn't matter, cause it's a solid show. And this track...when those drums hit at 3:11? Sick.
Ali ShaheedMuhammed "Social Reform" // Shaheedullah And Stereotypes (2004)
You have no idea how long it took me to find this CD. I don't know why I thought I'd find this album at one of those big warehouse stores. Do you know how hard it was to tell the kid in the blue shirt at Best Buy I was looking for Shaheedullah And Stereotypes. "Who sings it?" You know what? Nevermind. The average person probably doesn't know who Tribe is let alone their DJ. So yeah, I eventually found it.
This was another slow burner as I found cuts on this album years after I bought it. This album was my first introduction to Sy Smith and Kay from the Foundation. In fact, a lot of the artists that appear on this album have been showcased on RappersIKnow.com (it's all the same circle anyway). Stokely from Mint Condition has a tight track on here too.
I was upset with God's Son after I bought it. It seems I always get tricked in to buying a NaS album cause his singles are usually straight. "Made You Look" kinda sold me. Plus, the self produced "Get Down" was kinda tight. There are a few more highlights on the album, but for the most part it wasn't up to par. Then my guy 9th Wonder from Little Brother remixed the entire album. I'm letting y'all know, God's Son no longer exists in my mind. 9th Wonder (another Jay Dee disciple) hooked it up to make what NaS and his executive producers couldn't. His rework of "Ether" is one of his best beats. A must hear.
1st Born Second took a while to grow on me. In fact, I still to this day think the album is too long. But all in all, the Soulquarian movement is one of my most favorite periods in modern R&B. ?uestlove and James Poyser made some fantastic albums (yes, albums) that showcased some amazing talent. One being the voice, the attitude and the aura that is Bilal. His second album Love 4 Sale has been leaked and shared all throughout the Internet. There are a hundred theories as to why it never received a proper release, one being that it didn't have radio friendly single. Whatever the reason, people are really missing out on a dark yet brilliant album. Yes, darker than 1st Born Second.
