Benz and a Backpack

The hip-hop world is abuzz with the promise of a follow-up from one of rap’s most prominent and skilled female emcees, Rah Digga. On the heels of her inclusion in BET’s recent documentary ‘My Mic Sounds Nice’, Digga delivers a taste of what’s to come with the remix of “This Ain’t No Lil Kid Rap,” the lead single from Classic. Featuring Redman, the pairing is only natural, as the Digga and Redman are good friends and New Jersey natives. Despite the long-running friendship and shared geographic location, this track marks the first time the two have ever appeared on a song together.

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A few months back, Miss AKW blessed us with serious knowledge (as she always does with her Throwback Thursdays) about the best Posse Cuts of all time. AKW picked the best of the best, but there are an endless amount of group collabos out there because, as she put it, posse cuts “were the best way to introduce new artists to the world, before the internet ruled.” This joint, The Points, features Biggie, Busta, Redman, Buckshot, Rock of Heltah Skeltah, Bone Thugs, Big Mike, Ill Al Skratch, and is on the soundtrack to the father-son combo Melvin and Mario Van Peebles’ 1995 film Panther.

The movie is an account, albeit one of historical revisionism, of the first three years of the Black Panther Party (1966-68). With appearances by many black personalities including Kadeem Hardison, Chris (both Tucker and Rock), Angela Bassett, Marcus Chong (Tank from The Matrix), Bobby Brown and more, it’s definitely worth watching. Relatively well-received both popularly and by critics, Panther succeeded in its attempt to bring clarity to the motivations and intellectuality that underscored the Party’s movements. However, as Michael Eric Dyson pointed out in his 1995 NYTimes review, “the movie never addresses the sexual abuse, physical violence and misogyny that were common in the Panthers’ ranks.”

No matter what your feelings on the film, the soundtrack is comprised of really notable artists and good music: Joe, Blackstreet, MC Lyte, Usher, Monica, George Clinton, Funkadelic, The Last Poets, the Boys Choir of Harlem, Tony! Toni! Toné!, Queen Latifah, and the aforementioned posse cut “The Points.”

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The last thing I want to do right now is start one more apocalyptic diatribe on how pop-culture and mainstream rap music have ruined the face of hip-hop as we know it.  The overlapping space where cannabis culture and the culture surrounding hip-hop music have morphed into one embarrassing cliché (see video) is best left ignored.  So, no, I’m not going to start denouncing appropriations or portrayals of hip-hop (counter)culture in movies and other media, nor will I begin describing how this helped give hip-hop a bad rap/ruined weed/ruined hip-hop/ruined it for all of us… or something.  The fact of the matter is: any effort to intellectualize what is ultimately a collection of hip-hop songs about smoking weed would be futile.

This video is both terrible and amazing.

Cypress Hill: Stoned Is the Way of the Walk (1991)

In 1993, Chuck Phillips reported the success of Cypress Hill’s second full-length album, “Black Sunday”, which had just surpassed U2 and Barbra Streisand for a spot as No. 1 album, in the L.A. Times article, “Rolling Up the Charts Cypress Hill Parlays Pot to Album, Merchandise Success”.  The author notes “Cypress Hill’s stoner image certainly hasn’t hurt the group any. The pro-pot rhetoric has transformed the self-proclaimed former gun-toting gangbangers into a multimillion-buck merchandising machine–appealing primarily to a new wave of weed-toking white suburbanites”.   Whuteva!  Almost 20 years since their debut, we know that Cypress Hill’s music has influenced a much broader range of people than that.  I mean, who DIDN’T pay homage to the group in the mid- to late 90’s? And who’s not digging this in 2010?

Smif-N-Wessun: Shinin… Next Shit (1995)

Smif-N-Wessun’s 1995 joint, “Shinin… Next Shit” plays homage to Cypress Hill, recapitulating the notion that “stoned is the way of the walk”.

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Tone Loc: Cheeba Cheeba (1989)

I’ve heard several arguments that Cypress Hill was the group that really made the glorification of weed smoking one of the most prominent motifs in hip-hop music.  But check out this Tone Loc track from 1989.  The man goes in on this track.  Sure, the entire song is about weed, but in terms of content, his anecdotes are far more complex than most rhymes recently released revolving entirely around reefer… Right?

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You know there’s more…
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We’ve seen a couple collaborations between Snoop and CuDi of late, the most recent of which (“I Do My Thing”) was produced by none other than Dr. Dre. All old school Snoop (and tree) lovers take notice: there’s a new toker in town.

CuDi’s making waves not only in the music world but also in the realm of television. He plays the bottle-popping, easy-going Domingo on HBO’s newest hit series How To Make It In America. CuDi’s character is peripheral (so far), but the show itself taps into hip hop culture in a big way: the two main characters were raised on hip hop in New York City, and now in their late 20′s and with little direction in life they team up to start a denim line called Crisp.

Hit the skip for new CuDi X Snoop, plus a full Mixtape Monday stuffed with goodies from all over the industry (including the very first single off Drake’s upcoming official album AND the first four episodes of How To Make It In America!).

Kid CuDi ft. Snoop Dogg – I Do My Thing [prod. Dr. Dre] [prod. Watts & Ringo]

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Little Brother – Curtain Call

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Drake – Over [prod. Boi-1da]

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Bong bong! Off Magnum Force, the undeniably dynamic duo Heltah Skeltah’s second studio effort. The track features two emcees who’ve flown below the radar for their entire careers, Doc Holiday and Starang Wondah, but both of them brought it on ‘I Ain’t Havin’ That,’ the lead single from Heltah Skeltah’s oft-overlooked sequel. The visuals are exactly what one would expect from a late 90′s underground video: a convex camera lens, thin-rimmed shades, and a neon-colored tunnel through which the entire crew bounces.

To ensure any hardcore hip hop head that Heltah Skeltah is the epitome of the genre, the verse of ‘I Ain’t Havin’ That’ samples A Tribe Called Quest’s ‘Hot Sex’ and the chorus samples Redman’s ‘Pick It Up.’ Even Combat Jack thinks Sean Price is the best rapper out now. Hit the skip for another track off Magnum Force that features none other than Method Man, which is the collab of my dreams.

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While some of these joints are kind of weak and just awkward in comparison to the artists’ later, more developed releases, the potential the young rappers display is undeniable. For the most part. This week’s selection includes very early appearances by some of our favorite names in hip-hop.

Organized Konfusion featuring O.C.: “Fudge Pudge”
Pharoahe Monch and Prince Po’s debut album, and this is the only track with a guest appearance!

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Mood featuring Talib Kweli: “Peace Infinity”
This album, Doom, was the beginning of Hi-Tek’s career. This is how he was introduced to Talib Kweli. Pre-Black Star and pre-Reflection Eternal!

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Already, twenny ten started with a bang- or, as I like to say, a bong bong! So far:

• The Reflection Eternal mixtape (featuring Jay Elect and J. Cole!),
• Raekwon’s Coke Up In Da Dollar Bill,
• Emilio Rojas’ The Natural,
• Jay Electronica’s Victory, and
• If you didn’t catch it, Mark McGwire admitted to using steroids earlier today…

What’s To Come

It will only get better; with the promise of the new Rae, Ghost, and Meth group/album, the forthcoming Strong Arm Steady album (produced entirely by Madlib), releases from Luda and Lupe, Statik and Black Milk, Random Axe, Redman, and The Roots. Em’s Relapse 2, Nas and Damian Marley’s Distant Relatives, new Kanye, Cudder, and J. Cole. And sheeit, that’s just touching the surface of hip hop!

For our indie heads, you’ve got OKGO, Vampire Weekend (…), Animal Collective (yeaboi!), and the Cold War Kids. But 2010 holds more than just the promise of good music. Next month Vancouver will hold the 21st Winter Olympics, then in May the World Expo will be in Shanghai, and on June 11th the FIFA World Cup will kick off in South Africa.

2010 marks Obama’s second year in office, and with health care tucked securely under his belt still hanging in the balance, we can only hope that there will be the opportunity to tackle other equally pressing issues like unemployment, terrorism, and climate change.

To that end, 2010 holds the promise of the US’s first plug-in electric car (courtesy of Chevrolet, called the Volt and scheduled to drop in November). To charge the Volt, one need only plug it into a standard household outlet and it will be powered for 40 miles (which exceeds the distance of the average American’s daily commute). Beyond that point, minimal gas is used to propel the vehicle 300+ miles!

Big things are already poppin’ in twenny ten, and there is much, much more to come. Hit the skip for 15 brand new tracks from the Wu Tang and Wiz, Strange Fruit Project and Statik, Ryan Leslie and Wale, Bun B and Jump-Off Joey, plus an unreleased Drake verse for his smash hit Successful.

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2009 was, for both hip-hop and myself, a damn good year. I spent the first half of the year in Barbados, a land of sunshine, fat asses, $1.50 Guinness and something awesome called daggering, which I strongly urge everyone to try. I then came home to my native NY, promptly turned 21, and spent the second half of the year stumbling in and out of bars and clubs. Oh, and also listening to some of the best hip-hop music to come out in a long time.

I shudder sometimes when I think of 08. That was a year that seemed to be dominated by trend-following and pigeonholing. Everyone wanted an auto-tuned hit or that one Weezy feature that could get you a couple spins, and it seemed like every rapper was being forced under the label of “blog-rap,” “club-rap,” “mixtape-rap” or the dreaded “washed-up-pushing-40-completely-unoriginal-why-are-you-still-rapping-rap.” Needless to say, 09 offered up something much more refreshing.

Dudes like Kid Cudi blurred genre lines and got love from Soundscan and Hot97. Love him or hate him, Drake came through with something fresh and offers the potential to usher in a new generation of rap superstars. J. Cole and Jay Electronica emerged as budding messiahs for the more lyrically-inclined. And wouldn’t you know it, 90s superheroes like Raekwon and Red & Meth reemerged to put out dope shit that had old-heads and skinny-jeaned youngsters rockin’ in harmony. Even Eminem got his shit together in 09!

All this has me pretty geeked about 2010 and the new decade, but before I get ahead of myself, I’ll throw my favorite joints of 09 into the ring. Apologies in advance to B.o.B., The Cool Kids, Curren$y, Wiz Khalifa, Emilio Rojas, Fashawn, Freddie Gibbs, Willie the Kid, Young Chris and others who I bumped throughout the year but didn’t quite make the cut. I’m expecting big things from y’all in the new year.

Without further ado, hit the jump for my top 10 songs of 2009.

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That’s right, the Chef is back, and he’s better than ever. Let’s look at his menu:
Appetizers:
Blood On The Chef’s Apron (Mixtape), Staten Go Hard (Mixtape)……………………$0.00
Ill Figures ft. M.O.P. & Kool G Rap………………………………………………………$0.00
Radiant Jewels ft. Sean P & Cormega…………………………………………………..$0.00
Entrees:
Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II…………………………………………………………………$12.99
Dessert:
Coke Up In Da Dollar Bill (Mixtape)………………………………………………………$0.00
Beverages:
New Wu, Have Mercy, Pyrex Vision……………………………………………………..$0.00
House of Flying Daggers, Surgical Gloves, Catalina…………………………………..$0.00

*Note from the Maitre D: Although nobody had a more complete 2009 than Raekwon, he wasn’t the only one stirring the pot. Hit the skip to hear 10 of my favorite cuts from ’09, including J. Cole, Slaughterhouse, Jay Electronica and many more!
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2009 saw long-awaited drops, unexpected come-ups, and head-scratching mistakes. Monster commercial hits, tasty underground pleasures, and a mixtape as the biggest album of the year. We saw record labels and media establishments lose power like a blizzard just hit and the lines went down. We saw firsthand how a fresh blanket of snow threatened normal routines, had people shoveling their steps and digging out their cars with whatever they could grab (like, say, a slimy incident at the VMAs). They hadn’t salted, or even prepared for the storm at all. They’d gotten so wrapped up in summertime living that when winter hit, they were caught wearing flip-flops and shorts.

The internet debilitated the industry as we knew it, and it was typified in 2009: free music everywhere. The number of people who don’t pay a nickel for their music is growing bigger, so record labels are confined to a shrinking share of the market. Now labels are doing their best to regain their grip on the game, and part of that process is squeezing artists tighter than Homer does Bart’s neck. You won’t get a deal unless you’re already a marketable commodity, and as a result some of the best albums this year came from alternative groups on independent labels. Nonetheless, you know some major-label bosses scored huge hits in ’09. Hit the skip for the cuts that’ll tide you over ’til spring shows her pretty face.
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