old to new...

yeah, they said OutKast's "Hollywood Divorce" was a modern-day "Burn Hollywood Burn". yes, i do agree they share similarities and i'm sure 'Kast was inspired by said song. i wished they would've put out this single as a video. we surely need this kind of talk to teach to the youth in today's times. i remember when i first heard 'Kast's version. i must've played it like 15 times straight, no lie. enjoy.
Public Enemy feat. Ice Cube & Big Daddy Kane - Burn Hollywood Burn

OutKast feat. Lil Wayne & Snoop Dogg - Hollywood Divorce

still the homie you love to hate

this is one of my favorite songs from the classic album AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted by Ice Cube. props to TheMeanArena for creating this video for "A Gangsta's Fairytale".

i gave you power

you know with the recent departure of crunk music being the norm amongst southern rappers, in favor of more dance-oriented styles, i was thinking about the boy pastor troy. now i know that some people from the other regions might not know who i'm talking about, but in the dirty south his name speaks volumes. i believe he made crunk music popular, he is clearly one of the early predecessors to the sub-genre. i remember when i was in middle school, and if one of his songs played, it almost was a guaranteed fight or a near riot. troy had or still has beef with lil jon (not to mention that famous beef with master p). he felt jon stole his style and ran with it. now i don't know how true this is but troy would've definitely been a mainstream success during crunk's peak. i'm not discrediting lil jon with anything, he deserves the title he bestowed on himself: the king of crunk. shit without jon's influence the south wouldn't be running the rap game right now. but troy's string of underground hits are undeniable: "this tha city", "vica versa", "if they kill me", and "i'm ridin' big" to name a few. yeah he made attempts to that next level (that stupid-ass "are we cutting?" bullshit) put never reached the levels he should have. jon's last album went 2x platinum off two videos and that's pretty impressive with the staggering album sales of recent years. i always felt like troy didn't get his shot, but with rumored talks with cash money, this could be interesting partnership. i feel he could mesh well with weezy & co. i just hope he can make another album like the original face off...

Ol' Dirty Bastard (r.i.p. november 15, 1968–november 13, 2004)

this is the remix to Ol' Dirty Bastard's "Shimmy Shimmy Ya" featuring MC Eiht & E-40. i first saw this a minute ago, but in case you haven't seen it here it is. i ain't never heard of this version before i saw the video but i love it. i don't know who produce this but a west coast version of a Wu song? GZA.

the darker the content...

i wanted to discuss something i've been thinking about for a minute. you hear critics say in order for a producer to be one of the greatest they have to have that "love" song in their careers. Timbaland's work on swv's "rain" could be "the" prime example. i'm not going to go in producers' catalogs of love songs but i wanted to stress another factor that i think is equally important. i call them "dark albums". the kind of albums you usually don't hear about. i find certain few of our greatest producers in hip-hop have had a dark album in their careers. maybe the most recognized and critically-acclaimed production has been The RZA on GZA/Genius' Liquid Swords. The Abbott switched his style and added synthesizers and other new equipment to give GZA's masterpiece a feel not heard in the Wu-Tang canon. i especially enjoy this wu solo album (forever fighting with OB4CL) cause there isn't any song for the bitches. i don't know why but there is just something about having a record where your not trying to appeal to the female gender (Soul Food is another great example). GZA is the best at saying little but meaning everything. he doesn't have to get you with the whimsical punchlines to gain your interest, his voice alone compels you to listen to his every word. another influential production team with said dark album in their works are the members of Organized Noize Productions. the overlooked, underrated, and almost completely lost classic, Witchdoctor's A S.W.A.T. Healin' Ritual. you could almost get this solely on their dark and compelling productions, but do listen to the doctor's mix of spirituality, religion, and thoughtful words equally. if this album was push by the record labels when in came out in 1998 i feel it could have been a tremendous success. even in today's times i feel it could apply today, the work is very much timeless. if you have extra change in your piggy bank please cop these works. i'm sure you can gather some of the inspiration i have gotten listening to these gems.

straight jacking (word to bebe's kids)

there's a new trend going on and i'm not even gonna beat around the bush: everyone is copying Prince's style. you might say it's been going on since he came on the scene in the 70s but i'm talking about in today's times. what, you need examples? ciara's "promise" (complete with his signature snares), about 1/3 of j.t.'s recent album, and dare i say it 3000's side of the 'Kast album. i say the purple one get back to his old roots or somebody is gonna swagger jack him something serious. i'm gonna probably update this post to further my proof but i can't think of anymore right now. shit, i talked about motherfuckers jacking shit earlier. when Cube did it, it was creative and genius. if you don't think so why everyone wants to make their own version? when is someone going to come around and be an original for once? i guess like NaS said "no idea's original". i'm about to go listen to that right now...

---------------------------------------------------------

1. ciara - "promise" (2006)

2. diddy - "last night" (2006)

3. justin timberlake - "until the end of time" (2006)

daily rant

it was bound to happen. yes, i'm going to speak on the recent phenomenon that has been the evolution of Lil Wayne (dare he gets the upper-case treatment?). yes, i got to play favorites, he is my second current favorite MC right now (only to Mr. Jones). a lot of people have asked the same questions and still continue to do so. where did his lyrical ability come from? was gillie really his ghostwriter? blazah, blah about his relationship with baby. all these questions don't stop him from constantly being in the top 10's and even the top 5's of fans and fellow rappers' lists. yes, to the sheep's eyes it seems like a spur-of-the-moment occurrence. but let's put weezy as the role of a wolf in sheep's clothing (it was coming, word to black sheep). it wasn't an overnight success of sorts. the progression could have started with his early recordings with b.g. as the b.g.'z. it could have started with his contribution to the hot boys. or maybe it was his debut solo album, tha block is hot. i think where a lot of critics and critiques agree that it started is with the first installment of tha carter series. the prophetic proclamation wayne said at the end of his first single "bring it back" being "the best rapper alive, since the best rapper retired" sparked people interests. most of the people probably said negative things like "is this motherfucker serious?" or "never in a million years will this statement be true". when did it hit that he would be the future of hip-hop and one of the most talked-about rappers in the new millennium you still ask? if not here then maybe it was the prefix, an obvious fascination with Jay-Z's black album (this mixtape was the prequel to tha carter). i didn't look for wayne when he dropped 500 degreez (i thought the title was a cheap shot at juve) and i didn't check the prefix (i later had to collect the material to here the progression). big bro had tha carter and let me hear it. as soon as i heard the first song "walk in" something was very different about him to my ears. it seemed as if his lyrical ability stepped a hella up. looking back it was a slowly but surely evolution. i know i can go on and on about the steps he's taken but i'll just let you hear with your own two ears.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

lil wayne - dec. 4 from the prefix






dj drama & Lil wayne - dedication from dedication

lil wayne & dj khaled - i'm a mothafuckin' menace from the suffix






lil wayne & mick boogie - miami from the w. carter collection








dj khaled, birdman & lil wayne - i'm hot from the carter 2 mixtape






lil wayne & mick boogie - bitches from the w. carter collection 2







dj drama & lil wayne - georgia...bush from dedication 2









juelz santana & lil wayne - hot shit from blow: the i can't feel my face prequel







lil wayne & mack maine - half on a dank from dirty work 14: the color of money






lil wayne - david banner from lilweezyana, vol. 1






lil wayne - make hoes say from the carter files (unreleased tha carter tracks)

daily rant: the dude, dude

not gonna write much, just lettin' ya'll know Devin The Dude's album comes out this tuesday, the 20th. judging from the tracks i've heard this could be the first good hip-hop album of 2007. i especially like the "what a job" joint with 3000 Stacks and Snoop (OutKast fan 'til the end). little girl gone is the first single, and it's not a typical first single. it actually has a socially-conscious message about a "black girl lost". goodie bag time: a link to the leaked song "treatin' me cold", a free download. waitin' to inhale comes out this tuesday, please support. i think i'm going to put my money on this too, i believe it's a safe bet.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

devin the dude - treatin' me cold

J Dilla (r.i.p. february 7, 1974–february 10, 2006)

i was listening to my music compiling a essential series for the late, great James "J Dilla" Yancey for my own personal pleasure. as i'm listening to his tunes i can't help but to think why i wasn't immediately informed of his talents as one of the greatest hip-hop producers of all time. i must have slept hard because his talents production-wise was spread out throughout the 90s and 2000s. it's like when i first heard he produced janet jackson's "got 'til it's gone". sure, you could have assumed that since q-tip was featured on it maybe, but i never guessed it the first time i heard the song (he was uncredited too, for whatever reason). it stands as one of my favorite songs in her career (probably tied with "the pleasure principle"). one thing i noticed with several beats he produced for his instrumental albums are the short time length each song is. i think he might have did this on emphasis, figuring the listener would get lost after three minutes. he stands as one of the best when it comes to soulful, groovy, smooth-as-baby-bottoms' productions. i stress the difference between making beats and producing songs. sometimes i feel like saying "he produced this song" all the time when it comes to certain artists. Jay Dee is of that caliber. i'm glad though, that i don't feel myself as one of those people who jumped on the bandwagon when he died. i was going through my "fuck the mainstream, hip-hop is dead bullshit, underground" phase (it's still current by-the-way). i was picking up on artists like mf doom, madlib, murs, etc. i bought the jaylib collabo album. it was very interesting because they both rapped on each other's beats (has that ever been done before?). maybe the most recognizable production from the him, "the light", can all be agreed upon that whoever produced this has a gift like no other. i wasn't gonna wait until everyone would talk about him, i just felt like speaking out about him. his music will live forever, his influence continues to grow everday, and his legacy is very much intact. i believe he served his purpose well and is still making those wonderful creations, just in another setting. from the bag is a dilla tribute mix put out by j-rocc & stones throw last year available as a podcast. for what it is if you are unaware of his talents or just want to hear a non-stop mix of his catalog, enjoy this.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thank You Jay Dee: J Dilla mix by J-Rocc

my 10 most anticipated albums of 2007

i discussed this in my post yesterday and here it is:

10. t.i. - t.i. vs. t.i.p.*
9. three 6 mafia - last 2 walk*
8. juelz santana & lil wayne - i can't feel my face*
7. common - finding forever
6. little brother - getback
5. ugk - u.g.k. underground kingz


4. kanye west - graduation
3. raekwon - ob4clII (extra kudos for nostalgia)
2. lil wayne - tha carter III
1. dr. dre - detox*
*these entries are subject to change as i probably haven't thought of all possible albums for a '07 release or they might not even come out this year.

honorable mentions: saigon - the greatest story never told (i'm not about to put this one on without just blaze's consent), papoose - the nacirema dream (to make us forget about mims), naS - untitled (mentioned he's gonna drop a new one), lupe fiasco - the cool (i'm watching you t.i.!), devin the dude - waitin' to inhale (it comes out this tuesday), 50 cent - before i self destruct (massacre anyone???), redman - red gone wild (can't say i have one of his albums), wu-tang clan - 8 diagrams (return to the 36???)

daily rant

we're already halfway through march and there has not been one significant hip-hop/rap album all year. i probably knew this was going to happen ahead of time when xxl magazine unveiled their 10 most anticipated albums. i don't remember half the list with the exception of ob4cl2, the t.i. joint, and tha carter III. imagine if naS dropped at the top of the year. he would've probably put himself in the position of having the best hip-hop album of the year (in '06 he had to share that title with the game). i just read a recent article where he said he's dropping another album this year sometime. i working right now on compiling my top 10 releases of '06 and i might put together my own top ten of 2007. i'll not just focus on major label releases, but put it on a real fair and logical level. i've good seen good reviews of that sean price joint jesus price supastar. i heard a couple of the songs. i didn't really hear about him until recently. shit, there may be a joint i've overlooked so far, any suggestions? if not, i guess i'm gonna have to keep guessing when detox is coming...

daily rant

a common misconception you can have in today's rap game time is saying a certain rapper has a tight 16. example:

A: "man did you hear what [insert rapper name] said in that verse? that shit was tight!"
B: "yeah, but i think he bit a couple of those lines from another rapper."

i promise you as you're reading this a conversation like this is being discussed. a more common term for it is swagger jacking. my definition of swagger jacking is not only taking some one's lyrics, but also style and persona. now i find myself doubting any new or old rapper who has a tight 16. it's at its worst when they don't try and re-word or re-organized the lyrics to suit them; they just take the whole verse with no changes. image a world where jacking some one's lyrics would be the same as paying a sampling fee. that would drastically change the game i think for the better. rappers would have to dig deep in their craniums to gather some new material. but then you would have the premo's & kanye's of swag jacking digging deep in the crates for that perfect 16. now i know, some of our all-time favorite mc's has swag jack on a certain level, to a certain degree. yes, i should hold them accountable too because they are the ones we like the best. maybe one (of the many) reason hip-hop is dead is because everybody is literally saying the same thing. i'm tired of hearing recited 2Pac & Biggie lines (let them please r.i.p.). that shit needs to seriously stop. i know imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but it's not appealing to the hip-hop heads who knows what's really going on.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
when swagger jacking goes wrong: cam'ron - swagger jacker (jay-z diss)

goodie bag

as you can see in my rotation of mixtapes, i'm currently listening to curren$y's life at 30,000 feet. it's an interesting listen because the beats are varied and there not the standard "down south" beats you'd normally hear for a southern rapper. he's rapping over instrumentals for "'93 til infinity", "for tha love of $", "dead presidents II" and "runnin'" (pharcyde). his flow you either love it or hate it; it reminds me a little of ma$e during the era of the shiny suit. he sounds like he raps from the nose because of his nasal drawl (word to shock g), but if you don't charge that to him you'll notice a unique individual with witty wordplay. if played right he could be the breakout rapper of '07. this mixtape might go overlooked though because most people aren't talking about it. curren$y mentions dj don cannon throughout the mixtape, with the assumption he's hosting it, but you don't hear the standard "cannnon" audio drop on not one song. this is kind of strange because if it was a cannon mixtape it would get more exposure (you know with him being in the most important djing group in mixtapes today). nevertheless, this mixtape is still on point. you can click the link on the current rotation (mixtapes) for the full mixtape, but for a sample listen to this pick from the goodie bag. i don't know who's beat this is, (or if it's a new beat for that matter), but it's still tight anyway. for those that don't know curren$y spits the 2nd verse.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

curren$y feat. top gunz - coasting thru the city

the introduction

let me be the first to say this. if at all you feel offended at me writing in lower case letters, this isn't the blog for you. resort to someone, thing, else. excuse me for my broken grammar but we're in a age where text messaging lingo is the norm (wrd 2 muta!). i only offer an insight into my mind as a ponder what ifs and other random thought bubbles. oh yeah, by the way i call myself the Critical Critic (should be easy enough to say). i'm starting this blog off as a dedicated chapter in the on going coverage of hip-hop history. who knows, though, if it will venture off into something else. only time and maybe a warning from me will tell. i grew up on hip-hop, listen to it daily, and forever search for that lost track i may have not heard the first go round. i'm 21 years young (bet you that caught you off guard!), from the "dirty south" (let the hate begin) giving my views on upcoming releases, mixtapes, news and other things hip-hop. oh yeah rap, too (i distinguish a difference, believe me). so as i start my blogging career and end this post i like to start off with something for the masses. this isn't the first hip-hop song i ever remembered, but the first song i took the time to remember by writing down all the words to it. my big bro had the cassette single of OutKast's "Elevators (Me & You)" (yes, some things are worthy of capital letters), the debut single from their opposite-of-a sophomore jinx album ATLiens. they weren't my favorite group at the time to write their lyrics word-for-word, but the instrumental was hypnotic and the words were flowing smoothly on the beat. i later had to find myself re-wording certain nouns & verbs in the song cause i didn't get it the first time. currently, they are my all-time favorite group, and i believe this is what kick started that notion.

ATLiens @ amazon.com