June 2009

I really don’t know where to start with this one. Raashan Ahmad, while moving back and forth between Boston and various West Coast destinations, worked as a member of Crown City Rockers – and presumably will still in the future (the group recently released a few digital tracks…cop it). But with the ever ballooning ability of any artist to record and properly release music, Ahmad has seen fit to head out on his own for the second time. Soul Power is the follow up to last year’s The Push. And while that first full length foray slipped past me, this one didn’t. Initially, though, I’ll say that I didn’t recognize the name, however, upon figuring all of this out, I’m glad I took the time.

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afsdaWhenever Eminem first started getting a lot of radio airplay – late ‘90s or so – I had a friend called ‘Earfytones.’ He wore browns, dark greens, grey and the like, but nothing brighter than that under any circumstance. Unfortunate for Earfy, or not, he bore a vague resemblance, physically and vocally, to Mr. Mathers. We thought that was pretty funny. And it was. But during that time, these were the only thoughts of Eminem penetrating the thick skulls of myself and my meager cohort. Instead, rap wise, what we focused upon were Lyricist Lounge and Company Flow. Of course, both that compilation and El-P have had an enormous impact on rap – in an underground sense at least. But this was the time that my opinion of Detroit’s shadiest character was cemented.

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The inclusion of some higher power in music is realistically the basis of all American styles of song. From field hollerers thinking about a promised land to blues, soul and Bob Dylan’s ill advised flirtations with being born again, religion is an omnipresent force in beats, rhymes and life. Even those trumped up award shows feature ‘thank you’ speeches that include some mention of G-d, even if it’s coming from the most unlikely of sources.

Hip hop isn’t any different. And while most folks couldn’t readily name a host of performers that are explicit in regards to their worshiping habits in song, Mars Ill comes to mind pretty easily. In that, though, a lot of those songs only include vague mentions – at least the ones that I’m familiar with – of that supposed, powerful source. Considering the talent inherent in that crew, it doesn’t matter, though.

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Being signed to Duckdown…er…Ruckdown, the Kidz in the Hall seemed to have a certain amount of respect just due to who ran and or runs that label. And somehow, the duo that comprises the group, Naledge and Double O, received a decent amount of air time for an independent act over the last year or so. I, as dumb as it sounds, never got hip to it. But after coming across the Naledge mix tape due out at the end of the month, I went back and did a bit of reading. And the story as to how the duo met is almost as good as Chicago Picasso.

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PugsBeing figured as an integral part of any cities rap scene – it’s DNA, perhaps – while still showing up at performances simply as a fan speaks volumes about an emcee. Chicago hip hop isn’t the most well known in the country, maybe there’s reason for that – it might be Common’s tight pants and vests at this point. But maybe not. Pugslee Atomz, though, helped found the Nacrobats crew, which in its heyday included rappers, breakers, graf writers and deejays. And during sporadic crew performances it could have been considered the physical embodiment of hip hop.

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A spot opening a Nas disc as a producer isn’t proffered too many times. And the fact that Jay Electronica earned that right on Untitled last year without a proper full length under his belt means one of a few things. Nas has gone crazy – that’s not it, though. It was a fluke or Jay Electro is just really that talented. We’ll go with the last one, I guess. And even if the producer and rapper’s name might hint at some sound that he has nothing to with, it makes him seem like the future of hip hop. Maybe the fact that he’s eschewed going through normal avenues to release music is a part of that.

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DangI'd like to offer my services to the Quannum family. I may not have the greatest expertise in the fields of quality control or electronically inclined soul music, but really, what the fuck is going on over there? Is the office awash with bad speed and various other lab derived narcotics? There seems to be no other explanation for the recent unleashing of inconsolably worthless drivel from the once swaggerin' label. From Latyrx to Apsci is a pretty long journey. And obviously, no one wants to remake the same album over and over again with a varying cast of participants, but this needs to end.

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These dudes just don't get enough credit - although I appreciate Blueprint behind the boards more than on the mic, this is st

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daysndaysdaysndaysAt this late date, whenever I see the name Blu attached to a project, I make a concerted effort to check it out.

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MightyRegardless of how one might feel about the career turns and changes that have gone along with following Mos Def, it can't be argued that he possesses a ridiculous amount of talent and seems to be the mouth piece of a certain segment of hip hop culture. Whether or not desired, that position was solidified by around 2000 after a number of consecutive recorded successes.

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