AZ- Undeniable.... Wacksauce!

AZ's newest release may come as a disappointment to those expecting to hear a repeat of Doe or Die, or say 2006's The Format. Well, to be frank, it's a disappointment no matter what you were expecting. The album starts off with "The Game Don't Stop," which is luckily one of the albums stronger cuts (I say this because the next handful of tracks are easily dismissible.) It shows AZ's trademark sesquipedalian schema in full vitality; somewhat reminiscent of the hungry Brooklynite fans feign for, but it goes no further. It's just enough to titillate, and it sets up the listener for disappointment as the album progresses. After listening to "Superstar" and "Life on the Line," you linger in anticipation of a track that will deliver Undeniable from being another subpar release from a more than capable veteran. And then you get "Fire." The track starts off reasonably well, but it later materializes into what one would imagine to be the generic AZ song. As usual his flow is top notch, and the Soul sample spread throughout the song fits in nicely, but this just doesn't feel like the AZ most have come to know and love. The next two songs in the rotation are easily deserved of a fast forward. The Achilles heel of "What Would You Do" comes via the albums first collaborator (Jay Rush… who?) far overstaying his welcome. The adroitness of AZ's lyrics cannot be second guessed, but when paired with such subpar production (as seen on not only "What Would You Do," but also on "Dead End,") it becomes difficult to listen without second guessing the integrity of the album in its entirety. The butchered sample of "Lets Do It Again" that shows up inside of "Dead End" quickly becomes a nuisance and can distract those first hearing the song from what AZ has to say. "Parking Lot Pimpin'" was a failure from the get-go. Not only does he choose to lay his unusually lackluster vocals over one of Hip-Hop's most whored samples, he wastes Four-minutes and Twenty-four-seconds on one of rap music's most threadbare banalities. Next enters the barely mentionable "Undeniable." Ironically enough, the title track becomes important only because it serves as the informant that exposes AZ's tragic flaw as an artist: his comfort zone is very, very small. On the majority of the album's cuts, AZ's efforts sound forced and completely unlike his normal self. This is exteriorized on the Ray-J assisted "Go Getter." Not only does Brandy's brother borrow way too much from R. Kelly's rendition of pretty much the same (albeit better executed) song, AZ fails to deliver anything memorable in between Romeo's placid monotone crooning. The last few tracks on the album are all listenable, but again, they fail to deliver what listeners have come to expect of Anthony Cruz. "The Hardest" has to be the biggest disappointment on the album solely because it is the only track on Undeniable with mentionable guest spots (which in all actuality don't stand out much.) The guest line-up offers the potential for a great track, but it just doesn't deliver in the fashion most listeners would appreciate. In typical AZ fashion, an extremely average album surfaces after he delivers a gem. If he would return to his old reflective/contemplative self, or at least stick to what he knows, he could (would) get the shine he deserves. It's not a bad album per se, but it is a let down various departments. The choppy production and forgettable guest appearances in combination with AZ stepping too far out of his boundaries has led to an album that gives fans little more than a desire to see the AZ we remember from years past. Look at the bright side, if he keeps this trend up (Doe or Die…A.Z.iatic…The Format…Undeniable.) the next album should rock. Better production and everything.

Cuz The Boyz n Tha Hood Are Always Harddd...

"Eazier Said than Dunn... Yeah that's a title!"

So the dude didn't write the majority of his own shit. Nor was he the best lyricist in the rap game (or NWA for that matter), even by early 90's standards. But.... Eric Muthaphuccin' Wright WAS an avant garde in molding the modern music industry early on in its oft' forgotten crepuscular epoch. Eazy has done more for music than most young jigs can see through their scribbled-on white sunglasses. Eazy not only played an essential part in popularizing West coast Hip-Hop, but he is equally accountable for many of the trends popularized in music a little more than a decade later.

Examples you ask?

Aside from chillin with the tall Israeli's (pre-pwnage of planet earth) that now run the game (and everything else) before it was cool to know one...
And pioneering the "Eazy Access" short cut to the love button now known as "saggin" (pause)...

How 'bout makin it cool to own your own label. Not just one of those fuck off labels either. We're not talkin' some "I'll sign all my weed carriers to this bitch to keep 'em feelin important!" type shit either (word to the Flipmode Squadddd!). Nah, Loc' was on his real shit widdit. As hard as he worked his corner in those Shell-Toes tossin Eightballs of yams and ish't, he wasn't puttin NAH'THIN to waste. And thus Ruthless Records was birthed. Eazy, that dirty Joo-bastard Jerry Heller, and everyone behind Ruthless was truly ahead of their time. Ruthless gave start to many of todays legendary/dominant music acts. Ranging from the fast rappin barbershop quartet from Cleveland (Bone bone bone boneeeee), your favorite gangster rapper's favorite gangster rapper (Cube nigga, who else???), to your white neighbor's sad equivalent to the Fugee's (will.i.am and them), Eazy has given birth to legacies that still burn bright to this hour.

The man that made his living off of Cube and D.O.C.'s throwaways (and small chips and chunks of their royalty checks not to mention), did much more for the game than recognized by the average rapnigga. Even by todays standards, he's been successful as shit, I mean... come teh fux on kids. Stop crankin the Batman and open your eyes up. Duke has 5 (multi in some cases,)platinum albums under his belt (and a buncha gold ones to match). This is a major feat in the era of ring-tone rap. But even back then, it was something unheard of to go multiplat like that; around that point in time (not too long ago, but shit.. time flies) you were doin pretty fuckin swell if you went gold and got some spins on the regulah'. But to do it big like the homie Eazy did it. Fuck, it's a rare sight. The closest thing we got to him right now is Jigga (can't think of anyone else who fuct his team over like that atm.) And we all know fo' sho' that Sean Corey Carter cannot match the gangsta' of that 5'6'' nigga no matter how far his bankroll stretches. I mean, that Tae-Bo ho might have cement hands and a viscious black card swipe, but E said it best. Niggas his height dont fight.

-uno

Lightskin is in again..

But I'll be damned if it isn't gonna be a toughie gettin our #1 Spot back (word to Luda) on the heirarchy of Colored Folks...

2008 looked to be a bright year for us Others, The Darkies took a real major like L thanks to that jig Mike Vick and his "Fuck PETA" club meetings late in oh7. But just as us Chosen Ones gathered the fuctup idea that we were a shoe-in's for Top of the Non-White totem pole, (Messicans are holdin it down with the labor-4-cheap thang atm) T.I.(P.) set us back a few acres and a mule with his whole stockpiling automatic weapons gig. But with the Fresh Prince holdin the silver-screen down for us at the ass end of 'oh7, we were expecting a strong year in '08. I mean, looking back on teh oh'7 it appeared that we were due for a good new-year, The High Yellow Spurs took the 'ship, Dungy got a bowl ring, Fiddy ain't sold nuttin... Jigga revived the album blend game with AG... and that moody ass dust-head Budden dropped MM3 around X-mas. If that trend held strong, we were due for a good year right? Right.

But after decades of being played like only us good haired niggas can play bitches, Karma had enough of our shit and struck back. And boy-oh-boy does that bitch hit hard. She went along and pulled some Ol Dirty Bastard TORTURE MOTHAFUCKAS! type ish on us. The vengeful wrath of Karma blindsided us wonderfully melanin deficient folks like Ike's hand in a steam room. We seemed to be doin iite' after the ball dropped..Lupe came hard (paws.), Alicia Keys dropped some catchy shit to start us off on the R&B front.... but fuckin A'. Not even the combination of that nehrd kid and her fine dyke ass could save us from this shit.

First YN from XXL gets the axe out of nowhere after his tenure of like a million years there, which for some-reason-that-no-one-can-explain, sets us back. ALOT.

And then comes the icing on the cake. Some whacked out ass Texan decides to kidnap some chick he was datin' and make a hungry-man dinner out of her ass. Yes, he was goin Big Lurch on that bitch, minus the PCP. This my friends, has fuct us over for many a weekend at the club. Not only was he a yellow-fellow like us, but he had *BUMBUMBUMMMM* good hair. The only things we had going for us, this sucka nigga turned against us. So we must tan and get fades or opt for the Common hairdo until OJ fucks up again. Lord save us.


So..
I say to you, my Bright-Black bre'dren: Once we seeith our opening, we must striketh! T.O. may heal in time for the big game, and Denzel is back on his you-know. WE MUST RISE UPPPP.... Else we face sitting behind the messicans for another year. And we know how much fun that is.

I Kno I Gotcha Opin...

Iite if you appreciate quality NY Hip-Hop, I'm damn sure you know of Black Moon. If you don't, you should tie your dick around the blades in your food processor and make a smoothie. But there is a way to repent... read on and learn you somethin. Black Moon was formed by Buckshot Shorty, 5 Foot, and Dj Evil Dee... and in my opinion; as a collective, made some of the best music to ever come from the East Coast. The sound they have ranges from somewhat hardcore sh*t to ish that just makes you nod your head in only a way quality music can. Black Moon has a very New York sound, but manages to separate themselves from the average Noo Yawk rap group. Although new musical efforts from Black Moon as a whole may not come about anytime soon (5 Ft is locked up) you can spot the remaining two members doing work together as the Boot Camp Clik. Here's to good music.


I Gotcha Opin
This sh*t used to be my jam, and still gets rotation... just a damn good song in my book. The melody to the sh*t and everyone's delivery over the Evil Dee supplied instrumental is superb, and it all comes to fruition as a dope ass track.


Buck Em' Down
Another showcasing of Buckshot and co. dropping that quality hip-hop sickness. The BDI Thug rides the boom-bap flawlessly and drops yet another classic verse here.


How Many MC's
Here is one of my favorite Black Moon tracks. Utilizing a KRS loop for the hook, putting out classic verses on both parts, this track is on a tone diff from their usual drops... still a classic.


2 Turntables and a Mic
Another memorable Black Moon track, a lot more energy on this track than those of prior mention. Love this song, you should too.

Go Get..

Enta Da Stage- Released wayyy back in 93', it's Black Moon's debut album... and its a must-hear.


War Zone- This dropped back in 99' (forever ago in internets timez), has more appearances from 5 Ft (six total, compared to EDS' 3) and is imo a more polished album than Enta Da Stage. That being said I still prefer EDS to this just because Buckshot was still yet to develop his serious concise style, and was at the time still on his raw.

Thanks for reading, hope ya found some sh*t ya liked.

-peas.

Hov he's not...

Ready, set...


Alright bitches, jumpoff.


Bubbling Philly artist, Young Chris (alongside Neef Buck he equals one half of the Young Gunz,) may not be new to some of you.. Yea. The "Cant Stop, Wont Stop" nigga. Thats him. Aside from that, he hasn't really received much exposure to the public (outside of a few sub-par B-movie appearances) thus far. Thankfully, I have found some free time and have decided to take you away from watching 2girls1cup reactions in order to hip you to some of his sh*t. Like a lot of emerging Philadelphia artists, Chris has sat (albeit obstreperously,) in the shadows of most of the quintessential Illadelph'-representatives. Black Thought (and the Roots), Cass, Sigel, Freeway, and even Peedi... all the usual suspects have up until now, soaked up all the shine in regards to what you usually hear in regards to Philadelphia. But no longer. Young Chris, with the help of esteemed Mix-tape DJ Mick Boogie, has exploded (pause) strongly onto the scene this year with two free-to-download bangers, The Newprint and Politically Incorrect (the latter being the stronger of the two efforts in my opinion solely because it lacks that malodorous dick rider stench that the first flaunts so openly. Not that the Newprint is a bad listen. He just coulda been a little less male groupie with his, yafiggadeal?) But yea. Young is very under appreciated, another unsung hero in the big ass flea market that is 2ksomethin' Hip-Hop. Aside from his two releases under the Young Gunz moniker alongside Neef, and his many appearances with the rest of the State Property camp, Young C has made many strong solo mix-tape appearances over the years in attempts to keep himself relevant. In all honesty, that wasn't enough. But now with the recent resurgence of "the Roc," Gunna' and all the rest of the fledgling Roc-a-fella artists are comin outta the woodwork in attempts to ride the hype and muster up some sort of recognition. To be honest, most of them will probably flop. Hard. But if allowed to strike at the right moment, and given the right push... C might be one of the three or four that I can foresee getting some sort of public acceptance. Hopefully, niggas and bitches, you'll listen to somethin here and go off on your own and dig up some of his older (not better.... well sorta) sh*t. Enjoy.




Mixtapes-Free for download, not stolen or any of that sh*t so fu*k off....

The Newprint


Politically Incorrect


Tracks- All from mixtapes, again free and not stole'd so once more... fuqough.
Soundtrack of My Life
Survival of The Fittest
Air Em' Out!
Bodies
Threats
One in a Million

Youtube Sectionnnn....fuchahf

Set It Off



No Better Love



Spittin @ Power 99 (No I didn't call it a freestyle, eat a dick, I know it's a written.)


and finally.... Can't Stop, Won't Stop

-peace.

Tubgirl '07?

So..
In recent weeks I've been browsin on round teh internets only to find milllllyunz of reactions to the "2 girls 1 cup" thingy... and i just cant duck it, every where i turn, someone's ranting and raving about how utterly F'n disgusting this ish't is. Being the hardcore BAMF that i be (sam jacksons wallet knows my steez,) i chose to investigate this ish, and after a few minutes and a random click or two... i foun't it.

and OMGWTF did i do.

I shoulda took Miss Info's facial expression (after all, anyone who can stomach hours of ringtone rap as stoically as she is a f0ckin animal right?) as warning enough. But no. Her, ?uestlove and a buncha greasy white teenagers weren't enough to steer my dumb ass clear of this shit.

word from the wise. dont look.

Soooo...

yayyy... my first post.