Archive for February, 2006

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DJ Styles Mixtape: The Scrapalation defines the Hyphy Movement

Monday, February 27th, 2006

The ScrapalationHave you been hearing about folks getting Hyphy out here in The Bay and want to find out what it’s it all about? If you want to own the definitive mixtape that explains Hyphy then you have to pick up The Srapalation. In the Bay, brothers roll oldschool whips with tight rims and trunk rattling, bass-rumbling stereo systems which are affectionately known as scrapers. Well, The Scrapalation is the ultimate compilation of scraper music. Featuring all the latest hyphy anthems as well as many of the classic Bay Area artists that started this movement years ago.

The Scrapalation starts off with the No. 1 song in the Bay, “Tell Me When To Go” by E-40 and Keek da Sneak produced by Lil Jon. The song samples the infectious “DUMB!” chorus from RUN DMC’s classic, “Dumb Girl” and has kid’s in The Yay going, “DUMB! DUMB! DUMB! DUMB!” From there it features many of the hottest Hyphy artists and Bay MCs out now like Turf Talk, The Team, Mistah F.A.B., Balance, Hoodstarz, Zion I, San Quinn and many more. But for a double dose of Bay love it also includes classic cuts by the artists that put the Bay on the map in the first place: Too Short, Spice 1, RBL Posse, 11/5, 3xCraxy, Luniz, MC Pooh, and even Hammer. 

So if you love you that Bay flava, be sure to check out The Scrapalation. It’s the Hyphy Soundtrack of Sideshows everywhere.

Posted in Hip Hop, Mixtapes | 7 Comments »

Don Knotts Passes Away

Sunday, February 26th, 2006

Don KnottsWhat Gen-Xer who grew up during the 70’s didn’t witness the silliness and homeliness of Don Knotts? Every last character he played is very memorable. As Deputy Barney Fife on “The Andy Griffith Show,” his crazy antics were the perfect foil to Andy Griffith’s straight-laced, All-American, good boy image. Then replacing the Ropers on “Three’s Company” as Mr. Furley, he was brilliant as the always bumbling landlord. Sidenote for all the Bay hip hop fans, that character was who Mac Dre based his alter ego Mr. Furly, the owner of the buildin’ on.

Somehow I remember watching his wacky movies on Saturday afternoons for the afternoon movie. Do any of yall remember the Saturday afternoon movie? I had two favorites, “The Incredible Mr. Limpet,” and “The Ghost and Mr. Chicken.” Mr. Limpet had me thinking I could turn into a fish if fell in the water. That’s kinda scary for a kid who lives in the Bay surrounded by water. Mr. Chicken was classic comedy with a few spooky moments for a much more innocent time.

Cheers to Don Knotts. R.I.P.

Posted in Society | 5 Comments »

Casual Smashes Your Rock Well

Saturday, February 25th, 2006

Smash RockwellCasual, of the mighty Hieroglyphics Crew comes at us with his alter ego, Smash Rockwell. Like Biggie said, this brother has flows like “Licorice!” I bet he could spit rhymes all day long and still teach Moother Goose a thing or two.

The musical landscape is very diverse on this album. On his anthem, ‘Oaktown,’ Casual enlists the services of Too $hort, E Mac, G Stack, and Richie Rich. It has an oldschool, stripped down, bass heavy, riding beat similar to Too $hort’s classic, ‘The Dope Fiend Beat.’ The most inspirational song is ‘Single Mother.’ The beat is super hot like some pre-Super Fly, Curtis Mayfield flavored, inspirational soul. Casual spins a very touching story, as he “takes this time out to honor” all the single mother’s out there. This song is very touching. For the Hyphy cats out there, he gives us ‘In The Whip.’ It has a hard Hyphy beat that was made to ghostride the whip to and he’s spins some crazy tales about doing his thing while riding around The Town.  

Other standouts include ‘Nickel and Dime Gangsta’ featuring the Ambassador of the Yay, E-40. ‘Hieroller’ features his Hieroglyphic brethren, Opio and Tajai creating the lyrical mayhem that they are known to do. ‘I’ll Hit That’ showcases Cas getting straight ill on the oldschool, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five groove, ‘I’m Nasty.’ ‘Wakmup’ highlights Smash Rockwell waking ‘em up and breaking cyphers up. In all Casual gives us 15 hot cuts, but I can’t forget my favorite song of them all, “Styles So Many, Styles So Many, Styles!” Yes, Casual busts mad styles on the song ‘Styles.’ With that song alone, how could he go wrong?

You can catch Casual and the Hieroglyphics on tour currently in a town near you.

Posted in Albums, Hip Hop, Music Reviews | No Comments »

Rise Up with Azeem

Saturday, February 25th, 2006

Azeem - Rise UpPro-Black, politicized hip hop used to have hard beats and slap as hard on the block as it did among the college crowd. Well heralded Oaktown MC, Azeem has dropped the Rise Up mixtape to take us back to that day. This mixtape is pure ‘Rebel Music.’

For those that don’t know, Azeem has a long track record in the game dating back to the last millenium, touring on Lollapalooza, winning Slam titles, and working with Michael Franti.

For this mixtape Azeem jacks many of the fat hip hop and dancehall beats that are out now to bless us all with his special brand of wordsmithery and revolution. The mixtape opens with the title track, ‘Rise Up,’ which starts with a version that’s freaks the old Whodini, ‘I’m a Hoe’ beat, then it flips into the remix with the ‘Welcome To Jamrock’ beat. Azeem spits hot fire on this track. He rhymes over more beats from The Game, Bob Marley, Common, 2Pac, Ying Yang Twins, and Young Jeezy. On ‘Weeping, Wailing’ Azeem spits rhymes so pure over the Kanye ‘Drive Slow’ beat, he’d have Kanye wondering why people consider him a conscious rapper. Azeem also kills the ‘King of Kings’ beat that Terry Ganzie used to rock on ‘Dangerous.’

He features ample political speeches from Malcolm X and Angela Davis over some dope beats, which used to be a key part of hip hop. His guest artists who get wreck include DJ Child, Tiye Selah, Pressure, Ras Bumpa, DJ Zeph, Mikey Dread, Rankin Scroo, and even a cameo by his daughter Sana Azeem.

If you like real hip hop, with a real message to it, then be sure to Rise Up with Azeem.

Posted in Hip Hop, Mixtapes, Music Reviews | 1 Comment »

Black Men and Public Space

Saturday, February 25th, 2006

I read the following essay in the 10th grade, in Ms. Joe’s World Cultures / English class and it had a tremendous impact on my life. She is my all-time favorite teacher ever, along with her counterpart, Ms. Wolfe.

First, as a big, Black man I can relate to everything Brent Staples writes about, the thunk of car locks, letting people clear the lobby before entering it, not trailing people when I walk, and whistling unsettling tunes like Steely Dan to ease the discomfort. Anybody want to call me ‘Deacon Blues?’

Most interestingly though, I came to like his writing style. His choice of words and way of wielding language, makes it easy for him to make what is undescribable by most brothers easily understandable by any audience. His use of humor is quite insightful, and without being to laugh at the nastiness of life, we would all go crazy. What can you do anyway? Ignorance is such a behemoth monster to try to slay. I printed this in my Myspace Blog, but I feel the need to keep sharing it. Let me know what you think.

-Furious

Brent Staples
“Black Men and Public Space”
(Originally appeared in Harper’s Magazine Dec 1986) Big Black Man

My first victim was a woman — white, well dressed, probably in her early twenties.  I came upon her late one evening on a deserted street in Hyde Park, a relatively affluent neighborhood in an otherwise mean, impoverished section of Chicago.  As I swung onto the avenue behind her, there seemed to be a discreet, uninflammatory distance between us.  Not so.  She cast back a worried glance.  To her, the youngish black man — a broad six feet two inches with a beard and billowing hair, both hands shoved into the pockets of a bulky military jacket — seemed menacingly close.  After a few more quick glimpses, she picked up her pace and was soon running in earnest.  Within seconds she disappeared into a cross street.

    That was more than a decade ago, I was twenty-two years old, a graduate student newly arrived at the University of Chicago.  It was in the echo of that terrified woman’s footfalls that I first began to know the unwieldy inheritance I’d come into — the ability to alter public space in ugly ways.  (more…)

Posted in Blackness, Society | 4 Comments »

Ideas for Disneyland Started In Oakland

Saturday, February 25th, 2006

FairylandChildren’s Fairyland in Oakland, CA has the distinction of being the nation’s first theme park catered to families and kids. Nestled into Oakland’s, scenic jewel, Lake Merritt, you have to walk through the tiny shoe house, which the little old lady used to live in, to gain entrance into the magical land of nursery ryhmes, mazes, slides, and puppet shows. The park’s Open Storybook Puppet Theater is the oldest continuously operating puppet theater in the United States. Fairyland which was built in 1950, was visited often by Walt Disney as he devised plans for Disneyland. One of the special innovations at Fairyland were talking books which were operated with a maigic key.

Magic KeyThere are so many fond memories of fun times I enjoyed at Fairyland as a kid. My mother threw one of my birthday parties there and it was fantastic. There was a labrynth, a huge slide, a train that took you around the perimeter of the park, nursery rhymes, and a puppet show. I still remember the joy of turning that magic key anticipating the story that was going to come out of the talking box. What more fun could a 6 year old kid in the pre-internet, pre-Ipod days ask for? Sometimes when I think of those times, I would not mind revisiting them because everything was perfect. Unfortunately, I’m now too tall to fit through the little old ladies shoe.

View Fairyland here. For those who’ve ever been there, please share your memories.

Posted in The Town | 1 Comment »

Confessions of a DJ Whore

Saturday, February 25th, 2006

Snoopy Da PimpHip Hop has become my pimp and I’m its whore. It first enticed me with sounds of RUN DMC and Public Enemy, ‘Ladi-Dadi, We Like To Party!’ I heard these sounds that were new, FRESH, and exciting and I was inspired by them. So much so, that I decided to follow Hip Hop’s Peter Pied Piper trail as I eased on down the yellow brick road to become a DJ. Like most hoes, I didn’t know Hip Hop was a pimp at first. I thought surely something this great should be spread around the world and I wanted to be part of Hip Hop’s team to do it.

In the early days, Hip Hop used to wear gigantic, gold rope chains that we used to call Donkey Ropes. Hip Hop was flossing back then, but didn’t have much money. Yet, I didn’t think I could afford to hang with Hip Hop’s crowd. Hip Hop must have sensed it was losing some potential customers, so it started rocking African Medallions, which could be copped at the local Flea Market or Swap Meet for $5-$10. For another 10 bills, it sold us ‘X‘ hats or a Raiders hat if you wanted to keep it gangsta. I hope you didn’t forget the $5 locs. Hip Hop started hustling and was trying to get paid. There was a time before Roc-A-Wear, Sean John, Karl Kani, or even Cross Colors when we all used to rock Lee, Levi’s, Wrangler, and for the bold and adventurous, the ‘Jordache Look.’ Hip Hop style varied, was unique and personal, but Hip Hop sensed it could get paid if it sold us all the same uniforms. It began selling us everything it could. RUN DMC, after selling us Adiddas, began selling us New Coke although we still wanted the Old Coke.

I loved Hip Hop so much; I’d do anything to be down. Hip Hop knew I was a music freak and that I would do anything to play some good tunes for a receptive crowd, so it enticed me by telling me I could spread my musical orgy worldwide with just 2 turntables and a mixer. My early DJ days were filled with mad lovemaking, passionate embraces, and tender moments. There was lots of aural sex between me and my crowds. (more…)

Posted in DJing, Hip Hop | 1 Comment »

The Boogieshack Showcase Another Side of Oakland

Saturday, February 25th, 2006

Boogie Shack: The Mixtape

If you think all of the Oakland hip hop artists are super-hyphy or going dumb, then you are sadly mistaken. Some people in the Bay aren’t doing donuts at the sideshow or ghostriding the whip. The Boogieshack are one of many talented hip hop groups that hails from what we lovingly call, The Town. Boogieshack is comprised of Korise and MonteCristo, two brothers from Oakland who have been at this since 1996.

On their latest mixtape, “The Mixtape,” hosted by DJ Sake 1 and DJ Juice they take us on a musical journey that has touches of soul, jazz, a few hyphy jams, and some good, pure, hip hop beats. Refreshingly, these guys don’t seem like they used to be drug dealers, trappers, pimps, murdered anyone, or even jaywalked. It’s just some good music minus all the obligatory “N’s and B’s.”

Standouts include “Town Love,” yet another ode to Oakland, the city that loves us like nobody can. “Hip Hop Is” features another dope Oakland MC, Zion I. “Raise Up” is a heater with a super fat beat and a slapping kick drum. “Scrapperz and Spittaz” showcases Boogieshack’s versatility as they get Hyphy, featuring Chopp Black of The Whoridas. And of course their underground hit, “Trendy,” that’s been percolating around the Bay. They have a little something for everyone.

Be sure to check the brothers out!

Posted in Hip Hop, Mixtapes, Music Reviews | 1 Comment »

Damon Wayans wants to Trademark the “N” Word

Friday, February 24th, 2006

Reposted From Wired News 

By Rogers Cadenhead
02:00 AM Feb, 23, 2006

Damon Wayans

The actor Damon Wayans has been engaged in a 14-month fight to trademark the term “Nigga” for a clothing line and retail store, a search of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s online database reveals. 

Wayans wants to dress customers in 14 kinds of attire from tops to bottoms, and use the controversial mark on “clothing, books, music and general merchandise,” as well as movies, TV and the internet, according to his applications.

But, so far, his applications have been unsuccessful. Trademark examiner Kelly Boulton rejected the registration dated Dec. 22, citing a law that prohibits marks that are “immoral or scandalous.” A previous attempt by Wayans was turned down on identical grounds six months earlier.

“While debate exists about in-group uses of the term, ‘nigga’ is almost universally understood to be derogatory,” Boulton wrote to Wayans’ attorney, William H. Cox, according to the application.

Cox and other representatives of the actor did not respond to interview requests about the registration.

Wayans can appeal the rejection, but experts in trademark law differ on his chances for success.

Lynda Zadra-Symes, a trademark lawyer in California, said Wayans may be successful. She compared “Nigga” to the successful registration of Dykes on Bikes. (more…)

Posted in Blackness, Tell Me When To Go | 10 Comments »

Mike Marshall, The Soul of the Bay

Friday, February 24th, 2006

Love, Lies, LifeBe sure to check out Love, Lies, and Life, Mike Marshall’s first solo CD in 20 years. I can’t lie, I’m a fan, but you have to understand, I’m from the oldschool and I’m from the Bay Area. Mike Marshall aka Mike Meezy from Berkeley High scored big with the Timex Social Club smash “Rumors” in 1986, part of the classic music era for any oldschool hip hopper.

Unfortunately, due to politics and the issues that artists faced, Mike was forced out as his producers formed Club Nouveau. Mike resurfaced about 10 years later singing the famous hook with the Luniz on the Bay anthem, “I Got 5 On It.” He’s kept busy and has now dropped his latest CD.

Mike gives us the wise tales of a sage veteran in the game. He puts the soul back in the game. His songs deal with various issues such as love, life, and his personal experiences from a grown man’s perspective. There are many standouts on this album and I highly recommend it.

(more…)

Posted in Music Reviews, Who Stole The Soul? | No Comments »

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