Tuesday, May 31, 2005

spymob...the most gangster rock band alive.



Remember that Neptunes album "Clones" that came out a few years ago? Remember Fam-lay? Better yet, remember Spymob? They, as well as High Speed Scene, were the two random if not obligatory rock bands on a generally hip hop/r&b comp (while I keep saying "remember", remember Puffy's group Fuzzbubble?) and like Fam-lay and High Speed Scene, they made their appearance and then you never heard anything about them again.
Well low and behold, today I was killing time on the internet and I decided to see if Ruthless Records a.) still existed and b.) had a website. Well, the answer to both is yes, and apparently Spymob are on Ruthless Records.
Why this wasn't bigger news (album came out last year) is news to me because the label known for Bone, BG Knocc Out, Dresta and the immortal Eazy-E also has some pretty white looking dudes playing what I'm assuming isnt gangsta rap.
So if anyone has any info on this please get at me because as of right now Spymob is THE COOLEST BAND IN THE WORLD.
Don't believe me? Click here.

Monday, May 30, 2005

Memorial Day - Put the top down it be a beautiful day


Salute your fuckin' soldiers! Posted by Hello

The Perceptionists - Memorial Day

Congratulations KW2. I woke up this morning and the theme of today left nothing but you in my mind. From losing national championships to biting it doing gnarly endos, you truly are a fuckin' soldier bro. Awesome.

This song is posted as a tribute to the day at hand. To tell you the truth I don't know what's up with these guys anymore. When I was in college and Lif and Ak were on some pretty dope Boston underground hip hop shit. Now I honestly couldn't tell you if it's that the shit just got bad (underground hip hop) or if I just don't give a shit about it anymore. This track is decent, on some pseudo-dead prez with a backpack type shit. The moment to look for is when "I'm a fuckin' soldier" is yelled, most likely not in reference to KW2 but it makes me laugh/makes me angry all the same. Back in the day there was always the talk of this Perceptionists album where Lif and Ak form a supergroup with Fakts One, and I was genuinely looking forward to it. Then my college roommate interviewed Lif for the school paper (I can't believe this shit is still online) and Lif was on some "I live in Berkeley, I rap on the street corners" and we just didn't know what to think. But it eventually came out, and this is the song for today.

Just a couple other notes....Does anyone else think it's a bit shady that Larry Brown has all but directly claimed the GM position for the Cavs? I actually feel bad for poor Detroit fans as the Pistons are down in the EC finals right now as their coach is thinking about his new organization. I mean, does anyone really believe that the Cavs are foolish enough to hire a new coach (Mike Brown? Who? Mike Brown? Who? Mike Brown) without a GM in place. While the Cavs track record with decisions isn't good, there's no way that Gilbert hired a coach without any say from a new GM. Oh well, hopefully Young Bron and LB will have a great relationship just like in the Olympics. I guess as long as Ursh is happy.

Away from all this sports talk....shout out to my boy Chris Lemon-Red who landed a gig at the Boston Phoenix. He currently has Part Three of Trapped in the Closet by R. Kelly available on his site so get it while it's good. Anyone following the Trapped in the Closet series well...I'm sure I don't even need to tell you.

Got to watch some Mtv True Life yesterday with back to back episodes "I Have A Jersey Shore Summer Share" and "Weddings" where the groom tells the limo driver "I will hunt you down and gut you like a fucking fish!" Hope some of you caught that because those are two of the best episodes that show ever made and to see those back to back. Wow. In general that show is amazing as long as it doesn't involve dancing (including: cheerleading, hip hop dancing, going to dances) or fat people. Unfortunately 75% of the episodes they make involve one of those topics.

Also if anyone can tell me anything about Da Backwudz please get at me. The beat is fire and I feel like I'm missing out cause I don't know anything about this. Is this gonna be on point? Or the next Nappy Roots?

Don't forget to read directly below this as buu laced some crazy BTNH knowledge.

Saturday, May 28, 2005

the dayz of their livez - revised 05/29/05



With the debacle that was the Bizzy Bone interview courtesy of http://www.houstonsoreal.blogspot.com and the stories of Bone brothaz fighting, I felt inclined to share some shit I've seen and heard about Eazy's wandering sons...because nobody asked.
A week or two prior to the Bizzy interview when he was in Houston, I had a similar experience with Bizzy that I tried over and over again to explain/tell/act out for people but I never thought I gave it justice. Thankfully, shortly after my encounter with Bizzy (I noticed that I'm talking about him as if he was a UFO or maybe a ghost) that clip of his interview was posted and people actually got to hear some what I was talking about. The following is the blog entry I posted minutes after meeting Bizzy, so it's pretty real, like the Dead Sea Scrolls or something.

March 30, 2005: today bizzy bone blew my mind.
i met bizzy bone today and heres pretty much how it went:
"hey bizzy, i just wanted to tell you that im a big fan of your music and its a pleasure meeting you""aw no man, its my pleasure meeting you man...see...thats...im tellin you...this world is made of mountains clouds water and stars and we're living between seconds no milliseconds and its all about whats here (points to head) and here (points to heart) and the rest of this (gestures towards rest of his body) will just burn away ya dig because theres only one true god and the circuits that run through the world are popping at all times and we're living inbetween seconds but you cant just accept all the information at once youve gotta study it youve gotta learn it and the information will break open the earth that is your head and the water will wash away whats blocking the stars ya dig because the mountains were put on earth to keep everything going and we're living inbetween seconds and a lot of other people dont realize that because its poppin pop pop pop pop and you can have a baby but that baby might have a cleft lip and you gotta sew that back up because you want that baby to live and that baby might be your thoughts because mountains were put here to keep the earth together but that earth will break open and youll be living inbetween seconds and milliseconds and the water will wash away all that ya dig?"
"for real man...for real..."
thats not even the half of it. thats just what i could remember. he honestly gave a 10 minute sermon on spirituality and the like. jc and myself just sat there in a mixture of awe and stupor. i had a silly smile on my face half the time that im sure looked like a "come on, hit me" smile, but it was only because i didnt know what else to do. then when he left the room i told some friends through IM what had just happened and then i heard him rambling again. i walked into the other room where all i caught was"it'll give you a big bear hug...and bears eat salmon...and we're fishermen...fisherMEN"
yeah.

Following this Bizzy then made a surprise appearance at a Cleveland club during a wet t-shirt contest (he just got on stage and started freestyling for like 20 minutes) and then made his way down South where he gave the previously mentioned radio interview and a show or two. Bizzy was due back in Cleveland April 11th (?) for a show. Only problem was that we received news that Bizzy was stuck in Houston with no money and I guess living in a homeless shelter (which he had talked about in his radio interview, saying that real people are at homeless shelters and bus stations because nobody judges you there). So a small rescue team was sent from Cleveland to Houston to find Bizzy and bring him back. Said team, consisting of a couple notable local Cleveland rappers, left Friday afternoon and returned Monday afternoon. Apparently Bizzy was in a hotel and he had a couple bucks on him, so it wasn't too bad...After dropping Bizzy off in Columbus, I was regailed with stories of what I could only imagine was the GREATEST ROAD TRIP EVER. While the retelling of the trip was pretty short (Bizzy listens only to gospel, talked the entire way, smoked, refused to get back in the car at one point, and requested/made numerous stops at strip clubs/dance clubs...one club was said to be "just like that strip club in From Dusk Til Dawn"), I felt that it wasnt something you could just explain, much like when I met Bizzy. You had to be there.

So Bizzy comes back up to Cleveland and does his show, and I guess all is well until the afterparty (i feel like R Kelly). This is where things get extra shaky mainly because I wasn't there. All I know is that Bizzy and Wish threw down. Now theres a rumor floating around that J Records is ready to sign Bone for 1 Swizz Beatz produced album which could possibly return Bone Thugs back to the glory they once knew. I have also heard that the deal is worth some decent change, but worth twice that amount if Bizzy is in the group, and Bizzy isn't ready to commit. So Wish, not happy with someone keeping more food off his table, apparently came down to maybe talk some sense into his Bone brotha. That much is pretty much certain. How it went down is a different story. Some say it was like a wild west standoff with both Bones standing on opposite ends of the bar and squaring off, some say Bizzy was fighting another dude and bumped into Wish who was just walking in, and all sorts of fun stuff. Which ones I believe I don't know, all I know is that they fought, thus making any sort of Bone reunion in the near future not look to good...

...or does it? I have received some word that certain Cleveland figures are trying to mend the bridges and get Bone back together for at least a show, which if all goes well, could lead to the come back album I've honestly been waiting for for almost 10 years (Art of War came out in what, 97?). I think Bone is unfairly viewed as like a joke group or 1 hit wonders because they had a steady flow of hits for a good 3 or so years, and they helped start the whole sing songy rapping style that fellows like The Pied Piper of Afterpartys and Ursh have taken a liking to. As my man Mike and I had concluded, all Bone really needs are some good producers who will a.) give them good beats and b.) keep them from continuing with these slow, drawn out r&b type songs. While a couple of these songs here and there arent bad, these songs slowly took over all their albums, which didn't leave much room for the bangers and anthems.

Bone's been struggling, it isnt hard to see. 2 reunion shows ended up being 3/4's or 1/2 reunions (though I heard all 4 did a show in NYC for a Jam Master Jay memorial show), solo albums arent doing so well (Krayzie's got a mild reception, and I didnt even know Layzie had a new album coming out until I was looking through the Best Buy ad in the Sunday paper), collaborations arent going to well (Bone Brothaz pretty much got ignored, Bizzy's verse on the Jim Jones album was interesting to say the least, Krayzie's not doing so bad doing guest spots with Lil Jon but it aint blowin up, Wish has resorted to doing guest spots on other Bone members' albums...and these were the same dudes who gave classics like "Thug Luv", "Breakdown" and "Notorious Thugs") and frankly, with every group release getting more mediocre by the album, they need a big pick me up. (Wish was supposed to make an appearance at the Mike Jones show at Peabodys in Cleveland a few months back but he didnt make it into the club because he couldnt find a parking spot). This could be their chance.

Keep your eyes open to the Land of the Heartless this summer, because those 5, er, 4 true thugs from the double glock maybe making some noise in a major way.

Hopefully.

For Cleveland's and their sakes.

F Y L baybee.

Wednesday, May 25, 2005

I always get these dudes confused...


Rider's Block Part.... Posted by Hello

J.R. Writer - Mezmerize

J.R. Writer - Cold As Ice

So it's been about a week and y'all know it's about time for some Diplomat shit up in here. I've got this Jr Writer mixtape Writer's Block II laying around and I know it's been out for a minute but what can I say. The second half of this joint is actually compellably listenable and these are two of the best cuts. The first song Mezmerize is just one of those breezy feel-good summer beats with Jr flowing maxed and relaxed. Hope this is the shit Jim Jones is talking about for his summer heat Harlem: Diary of the Summer where dude is stating some "I pretty much surprised myself on this one." Not the first to mention this, but it's pretty shitty when you are the Head of Black Music at Warner Bros. and you are surprising yourself on some summer rap shit. Oh well. The other song is along the same lines so no surprises, just classic dipset fun from one of the youngest ups.

Other dips: watch the Cam'ron/Kanye West "Down and Out" video here.

New summer beverages? Been spotting these around for a min and wow, shit is overwhelming. Only thing to say is "Strap on your muthafuckin Evil Eye!"

Finally word is that Kansas City rapper Fat Tone who's suspect in Mac Dre's murder a while back was just killed in Vegas. Kansas City vs San Fran beef? I never knew it got that real.

Monday, May 23, 2005

Don't mess with Texas


magno with paul and mike Posted by Hello

Magno - Before I'm 25

Here's the dude. Not hearing much about Magno these days but this is the dude that you'd see everywhere with Mike Jones a few years back. Anyways, Magno puts his hustle out there and and basically dude wants his first mil by the time he's 25. And I can respect that. The song is dope and download it. Also look for the Magno interview in last Murder Dog.

Friday, May 20, 2005

Friday Recap - from one dude



At about 3:00am I think Wednesday night I was watching BET Uncut and a video a song called "Smoke With Me" by a group called The Firemen came on. It was your usual BET Uncut video, probably shot on that dude who always has the camera's camera, with random girls bootie clapping, random party scenes, and even a couple shots in a cigar shop (its all about that smoke in case you didnt come to that conclusion). The song itself honestly wasnt terrible (wasnt good either), the beat was decent (that old drum machine sound with no real progression or changes, but hey, if the neptunes can, why cant The Fireman?...actually maybe I should remind you that it was 3:00am with the volume down and I was falling asleep) but what kept me watching was the appearance of the one and only Teck Money. For those who don't know he was the wild, out of control, obnoxious dunn on The Real World Hawaii who did everything from try to steal girls from their lesbian girlfriends to freestyling with his drunk Hawaiin roommate Ruthie at the most random times. After doing one season of Real World vs. Road Rules and being the first host for MTV's Direct Effect, Teck just kind of disappeared. Well ladies and gentlemen, he's back, and it appears that our boy Teck has decided to try to make a career out of his skills...by making party songs about smoking weed and partying with girls. At least he's being original by wearing the hard baseball hats in the video (he looks as convincing as Flav in the viking hat). http://www.teckmoney.com



My dude bboy posted a little blog on his myspace.com profile involving one of these cartoons. Upon reading his post I remembered how much I liked collecting these little religious weirdo cartoons and I did a little google research hoping that someone had archived these things on the internet. The internet did not disappoint as I found the main page for one of the biggest distributors of all things creepy and religious http://www.chick.com/. Called "tracts" (n. A leaflet or pamphlet containing a declaration or appeal, especially one put out by a religious or political group) apparently most stem from a gentleman named Jack Chick who has been using his artistic powers to help promote his Christian views via the good old cartoon pamphlet for who knows how long. While I am not an overly religious person, I respect any person's right to worship and believe as they please but these are just, well, somewhat unsettling yet pretty amusing (peep the one called "The Traitor" where the main character looks exactly like everyone's favorite stretching hindu Dhalsim from Street Fighter 2).

Lastly I would like to big up a show Ive been listening to for a while called Big Things with DJ Ripsta and J-Fresh on 88.7 WJCU every Thursday night. Playing everything from local Cleveland talent to Juelz Santana to hilarious Foxy Browns diss tracks to on air freestyle competitions, Ripsta has yet to disappoint. Following in the steps of DJ G-Spot, Ripsta is making a name for himself on the college radio and I would take his show anyday over that corporate noise. So if youre from Cleveland, check 88.7 every Thursday from 6:30 to 9:30, and even if you're not from Cleveland, you can listen to it via the internet at http://www.wjcu.org.
Oh, and in the YOU HEARD IT HERE AT SUPPOSED TO BUBBLE FIRST news, Paul Wall is coming back to Cleveland at Peabodys either July or August. That shit is literally hot off the presses so check back here for more info sissies.

Go see Star Wars.

F Y L sucka.

Tuesday, May 17, 2005

Coming Soon...


what this look like? Posted by Hello

just putting the shit together. check back soon.
enjoy the namesake in the meantime...