New Gangsta Ish from LE$…Check it out:

LE$-Black Hoodie Rap [Music Motion Picture] from David Stunts on Vimeo.

I saw this pic online and thought I’d share. Unfortunately, this looks to be true to the fashion and the music. It kind of sums up the culture from a mainstream perspective. In defense of the newer generation, those 80s hip-hop pants were a little more tighter than that (not skinny jeans though). In the 80s baggy jeans were hard to come by, thus given birth to “jean sagging”. My era is more of those two in the middle.

Thoughts?

Needless to say I was a little shocked when I heard this song was on Ma$e’s album. I didn’t think Diddy was going to give him anything that wasn’t designed for the clubs/airwaves. Featuring the LOX, DMX, and Black Rob this song became a classic in some respects. Probably more so for it’s creative concept than the performances. Dope song, hands down. This week’s Re-Release is Ma$e feat. DMX, Black Rob, & The LOX “24 Hours to Live“.

It’s a little ironic that Mase, who made his reputation as a guest rapper on records by Puff Daddy and the Notorious B.I.G., almost seems like a guest himself on his debut album, Harlem World. Like many big-budget hip-hop records, Harlem World is nearly a various-artists collection, featuring an array of different producers and guest rappers that often obscure Mase himself. Still, all that talent guarantees that the record will be well crafted, and that certainly is true. With Sean “Puffy” Combs and Jermaine Dupri behind the decks for much of the album, Harlem World has a dense, funky sound that is up-tempo party rap at its best. Like any late-’90s hip-hop record, it’s a little too long for its own good, but the singles, such as the bouncy “Feel So Good,” make it worthwhile. It still would have been nice to hear more of Mase on his own album, though. – Allmusic.com

Look, sometimes it’s not all about lyricism. Sometimes a persona (along with humor) can earn you fans. I think Nore is entertaining. I’ve liked every single he’s put out so far, so you can say I’m anticipating this album. Peep Nore in the studio…

Nice track right here…Check it out:

Hey, I’m an advocate for the traditional. I’m also a tech junkie. I love being able to get things done on the go. Some traditional beat makers might not like this but I say… OPEN YOUR MIND. I bought FL Studio HD on iPad, and love it. (Even though my beat making skills are elementary…Lol!)

There are a lot of amazing things you can do with an iPad (or any other tablet), but nothing amazes me more than seeing advancements made of  pre-existing technologies. I introduce to you… TABLETOP

A completely expandable studio for your iPad. Where FL Studio HD concentrates more on beat creating, Tabletop provides the more complete experience of music production:

“The heart of Tabletop is a modular environment where you can mix and match different devices. Select from more than 25 devices including samplers, mixers, effects, sequencers and more. Buy only the gear you need from an expanding catalog.

Tabletop is the first musical environment designed from the ground up exclusively for the iPad. Each device has its own uses, characteristics, personality — ranging from classics like drum pad samplers to touchscreen effects.”

The best part is that this will only run you .99 for the basic 10 module package. You can add modules ranging from 2.99 to 9.99. For a buck, I’m willing to try it out. If you are a beat maker who would love to create on the go, this just might be the app for you.

For more information on TableTop click here.

This one is dedicated to my man Tre who passed away recently. This was his ish! Every time this came on in a party, he would resort to his early 90s moves. Ha! We miss you bruh! This week’s Re-Release is Brand Nubian’s “Slow Down“. (Rest In Peace Tracy Trevon Stewart)

Brand Nubian never sold as many albums as the many West Coast rappers burning up the charts in the early ’90s, but the New York group commanded great respect in East Coast rap circles. In black neighborhoods of New York and Philadelphia, Nubian’s debut album, One for All, was actually a bigger seller than many of the platinum gangsta rap releases outselling it on a national level. Influenced by De La Soul and the Jungle Brothers, Nubian favored an abstract rapping style, and Eastern rap fans were drawn to the complexity of jams like “Dance to My Ministry,” “Ragtime,” and “All for One.” Grand Puba, Lord Jamar, and Sadat X had a lot of technique, which was what hip-hoppers favored in the East. On the whole, Nubian’s Nation of Islam rhetoric isn’t as overbearing as some of the recordings that other Five Percenters were delivering at the time. The CD is a bit uneven, but on the whole is likable and exhilarating. – Allmusic.com

Good to see this after having had seen this: “Click Me to See” Beanie is back in the lab. Hopefully we get some new music.

I wasn’t big on Dmx when he first came out. I’m sayin’, the dude was barking? All I could think was, “Hip-Hop is going to the dogs now that B.I.G. and Pac are gone.” On top of that, this dude would pray and bust yo muthaf@kin’ head open on the same album? This was one of those records that changed my mind. Dmx was unique. There hadn’t been nothing like him in the game before. His music was hard, religious, conscious, and sensitive all in the same package. Though his run was amazing, it is all but over now. I heard he is supposed to have a new album soon. I believe he has earned our ears for future releases. This week’s Re-Release is Dmx’s “Slippin’“.

“Following the deaths of Tupac Shakur and the Notorious B.I.G., DMX took over as the reigning, undisputed king of hardcore rap. He was that rare commodity: a commercial powerhouse with artistic and street credibility to spare. His rapid ascent to stardom was actually almost a decade in the making, which gave him a chance to develop the theatrical image that made him one of rap’s most distinctive personalities during his heyday. Everything about DMX was unremittingly intense, from his muscular, tattooed physique to his gruff, barking delivery, which made a perfect match for his trademark lyrical obsession with dogs. Plus, there was substance behind the style; much of his work was tied together by a fascination with the split between the sacred and the …” – Allmusic.com

I tried to ignore this little spat, but now it has reached a boiling point. It’s obvious what this is all about (i.e. See the A$$ above). Drake is waaaay out of his league trying to battle Common, and Com is too dope to be bothered with this. Drake throws darts at an anonymous foe, while Common says his name. IT’S ON!