PART TWO (Something I was supposed to post yesterday)

Okay, well now that I got my anger out of the way, it's on to reflection.

Now 2008 has been a rollercoaster ride of a year for me and the people around me. From, breaking up to getting back together to breaking up again to getting back together again (with two different women), to my musical evolution, to me making money again, to my friends making bad decisions (including myself), here are some things I would like to accomplish now that we are in the thick of 2009.

1. I want to stop "rating" music, and actually "listen" to music again. I think that the reason I been at wit's end wit hip-hop and rock lately, is 'cause I been listening to it with a "critic's perspective". I think what I'm gonna do is I'm going to put away the notebooks (the ones I rate music in) and just LISTEN to it. So that way, it will be easier to determine a best of without filtering through the shit later on like with what I did for '08.

2. Evolve artistically. I think with the fact that I am able to do art again (take studio classes, have more free time) as well as head into more topics or concepts as a writer/rapper/poet, I should be able to stand out among these MC's regardless of accolades, material, or popularity.

3. Treat others with more appreciation and graciousness while reconnecting with past friends. Yea, these last few months have been torture when it comes to my social life. But with the friends I do have, thank you for sticking with me. To the ones that I lost touch with, I haven't forgot about you. To my family, you are forever in my heart for your support and love. And to my heart and my soul, that is you. My one and my only, for starting over with me, even when I didn't deserve a second chance, for hanging in there with me when it comes to my problems, for allowing yourself to open your emotions to me, and for accepting who I am and what I have come from, and for every day and every night, knowing that there is no one else that I want to be with more than you.

So off to 2009 I go...and hoping to continue to become a better artist and a better person.

RESOLUTIONS (part one)

I have been posting a lot of entries in the last 24-48 hours. Right now, before 12AM hits the clock, I am going to post my thoughts on a couple of situations that have been either upsetting me or make me wonder about what the future holds.

First, starting with what made me upset...I mean PISSED BEYOND RECOGNITION!!!

I said that I would try to never make posts based on the existence of one Soulja Boy Tell 'Em...however, I must...because of the idea, that he always says some shit, that makes you think, "who does this nigga think he is?"

http://www.worldstarhiphop.com/videos/video.php?v=wshhjoMTNmJQBsfNU7B5



Let me just start off by saying what I had previously belted out of anger..."WHO DOES THIS NIGGA THINK HE IS". I'm not gonna say anything that others haven't said already, ya know "Jay started the "best rapper alive" saying" or "Andre, Q-Tip, Kool Keith said it way before hand, Nas just ran with it" or with the idea that perhaps Nas uses these controversial themes as perhaps gimmicks, BUT, I will say this, is that I could respect SB's opinion more....if the shit made sense...after all, his example of "old school" is Get Rich or Die Tryin'. SMH. Just sitting around with your "yes men" eating dinner, talking shit about an artist you only wish you could reach the status of, ain't getting you nowhere in getting respect as a legimitate artist. Nas killed his career? Let's recap...

NAS- "UNTITLED" (nigger)

Hit #1 its first week, selling over 150,000 copies
Stayed in the top ten for three weeks
critically acclaimed by music publications (XXL, The Source, Rolling Stone)
certified Gold by the RIAA

SOULJA BOY TELL 'EM- iSOULJABOYTELLEM

Sold 45,000 copies its first week at #41
Bad reviews in almost EVERY music publication

At the end of it all, one thing is for sure....

Nas= living legend

Soulja Boy= dead gimmick.

The bottom line is everything that I have said all along, you ain't gotta like artists like Nas (who actually saluted you) or Ice-T (although he instigated it) but pay respect for the motherfuckers that allowed you to put your crappy music out to the public and make money. But judging by your sales, I don't know how long that is going to last.

http://www.worldstarhiphop.com/videos/video.php?v=wshh0MgA2d70d4P7V2O8




Part two coming later.

WHAT I LEFT OFF...

Since I don't necessarily feel like going on and on as to why these songs sucked this year, Ima just put them down, with my own personal opinions for some of them.

These do not rank in any kind of importance...they suck, they suck....

Soulja Boy- Donk (except when a girl has her back turned in front of you)
Tyga- Coconut Juice
Shawty Lo- Dunn Dunn
Nelly f/Akon & Ashanti- Body On Me
Yung Berg f/Casha- The Business
Bow Wow f/Soulja Boy- Marco Polo
Lil' Wayne f/Brisco & Busta Rhymes- La La
Plies f/Jamie Foxx & The Dream- Please Excuse My Hands
Webbie f/Lil' Phat & Lil' Boosie- Independent (except for Boosie's verse and the hook)
DJ Khaled f/the damn south- Out Here Grindin'
Soulja Boy- Birdwalk
Gym Class Heroes f/The Dream- Cookie Jar (sometimes)
V.I.C.- Get Silly
Lil' Mama f/Chris Brown & T-Pain- Shawty Get Loose


TRACKS THAT WERE SHORT OF MY FAVE 100....

Sheek Louch- Good Love
Joell Ortiz- 50 Shots
Jim Jones f/The Game- Love Me No More (RMX)
Fat Joe f/Lil' Wayne- The Crackhouse
Joe Budden- Who Killed Hip Hop? (ESPECIALLY THIS ONE, THIS WAS ORIGINALLY MY NO. 1)
Saigon- Homegirl
The Cool Kids- Black Mags
Gym Class Heroes f/Busta Rhymes- Peace Sign/Index Down
Kid Cudi- Day 'N Nite
Kardinal Offishall f/Clipse- Set It Off
Snoop Dogg- Life of the Party
Lil' Mama- L.I.F.E.
Eminem- I'm Having a Relapse
Scarface- High Powered

DOWN TO THE WIRE: #10-1

Well, it is here...my top ten songs of the year.

Now keep in mind, this portion was REALLY difficult in deciding, as each song affected me in a different way and perspective this year, but in the end, I'm confident about this. Maybe controversial...but so am I....so here we go.

10. THE ROOTS F/DICE RAW & PEEDI PEEDI- GET BUSY

Much like a lot of the Roots songs on Rising Down, it depicted Black Thought being more visceral and commanding as ever, even feature alumni, Dice Raw and Peedi Peedi couldn't keep up wit the Thought's lyrical assault, and not to mention a bumping backdrop to keep the energy going courtesy of the best hip hop band in the business.

9. YOUNG JEEZY F/KANYE WEST- PUT ON

It is safe to say that this was the hood anthem of the year, and this is when Kanye's Auto-tuned madness began. Yet Ye's emotion and heartfelt verse kept up wit Jeezy's new outlook on the streets and everything around him. Even so much that The Recession was one of my favorite albums of the year, and that had to be the first time that I put aside Jeezy's shortcomings as a lyricist, for the fact that he put together a wide variety of quality material this time around.

8. NAS- HERO

Regardless of what Nasir Jones' motives were on his new album Untitled (Nigger)...or recently Soulja Boy's perplexed outlook on the emcees' career, this was probably the first time in recent memory, that Nas' first single...is actually memorable. The third verse lays it all out on the table.

"This universal apartheid/I'm hogtied/The corporate side/Blocking yall from going to stores and buying it/"....."So Untitled it is/I never changed nothin/But people remember this/If Nas can't say it/Think about these talented kids with new ideas being told/What they can't or can't spit/I can't sit and watch it/So shit I'ma drop it/Like it or not/You ain't gotta cop it/"

7. T-PAIN F/LIL' WAYNE- CAN'T BELIEVE IT

This is one of those songs, where you don't wanna like it, but you can't help but consider it a guilty pleasure. Despite the fact, that you can hardly understand what the hell Lil' Wayne is saying on his feature, T-Pain proves once again, why he AND HE ONLY should use Auto-tune.

6. NE-YO- MISS INDEPENDENT

This is for every hard-working woman in America...Lawyers, Doctors, Teachers...strippers, prostitutes, burlesque dancers....If you made your own money, this was for you...and Ne-Yo did what Webbie and Boosie couldn't do earlier in the year.

5. LIL' WAYNE F/STATIC MAJOR- LOLLIPOP

I am not going to discuss Auto-tune again. So instead, I'll direct my attention to the fact that this is true....if rock bands are covering your songs...months after you put it out...YOU MADE IT!!!!



4. KANYE WEST- LOVE LOCKDOWN

If I liked "Heartless" more than this, why is this higher than "Heartless"? Well, simply for the fact, that although it took how many versions to make it right, when Kanye finally hit gold...it was easy to feel the pain this man presented to all of us. Like I said, I may not have liked 808s and Heartbreaks like some emo kids may have...but I understand the means.

3. T.I. F/JAY-Z, KANYE WEST, AND LIL' WAYNE- SWAGGA LIKE US

"No one on the corner had swagga like us", you know, you wouldn't even known Kanye made some of these beats this year, being caught up in his Love Lockdown-ness...but although, I feel they shoulda came way harder than they did, Tip put them to rest, and spit the best verse on the track.

2. M.I.A.- PAPER PLANES

And then comes the aforementioned song Mr. West sampled. Although, this song has been around for about a year, from the critically acclaimed album Kala, it took a movie (Pineapple Express) to breathe new life into this song, and let me just say this, as many times as this song came on at Silk Exotic, when it came on, I was worked as hard than ever to give up money. But yes, others spit to it (like me), others made a dance to it, but given its subliminal messages, this had to be No. 2 as song of the year...meanwhile, one song took its claim and made history, and made it fun to rap again....


AND MY NUMBER 1 SONG OF THE YEAR IS.....






1. LIL' WAYNE- A MILLI

I don't think there needs to be any words for this, but what I will say...is that not only did it refreshen the game in regards to lyrical competition, but the fact that this song had remotely no hook, it makes no sense, and the beat is simple, Weezy's mentally perplexed lyrics and delivery took a simple song to overwhelming popularity. So much I did THREE versions of the song myself. Logical Thought did a version, Lil Ole P did a version, I'm waiting for Amanda to do a version, fuck a crackhead on a street corner will spit to "A Milli", it goes to show, that one song, can make a difference, and change the rap game as we know it, and goddammit, this was the song. If you don't like it, suck it!!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8uf-Wri2q8

#20-11

20. KANYE WEST- HEARTLESS

This is more easier to swallow than "Love Lockdown" was on the first listen. But honestly...Ye...the Auto-tune has to stop.

19. BEYONCE- SINGLE LADIES (PUT A RING TO IT)

This was a manwhore's kryptonite. Catchy though.

18. T.I.- NO MATTER WHAT

All of the personal strife that occured in the life of one Tip Harris, he puts to rest on this Danja-produced epic. Shawty Lo might wanna fall back from his personal attacks.

17. THE ROOTS F/WALE & CHRISETTE MICHELE- RISING UP

Vintage Roots. Not only did it display the talents of rising stars Wale and Chrisette Michele, but this was a more of the lighter side in closing the mostly dark and brooding and socially aware Rising Down, by No. 2 album of the year.

16. THE GAME F/TRAVIS BARKER- DOPE BOYZ

I don't know whether this was Game continuing his love/hate admiration/despising of Jay, but despite all of that, this track had heavy rotation on my iPod, proving once again, Game could make a hot track without 50 or Dre.

15. COMMON- UNIVERSAL MIND CONTROL

Sadly, this was the introduction that led to an album of which I don't ever wanna hear Common attempt to recreate ever again. But its Planet Rock-esque, Neptunes-helmed production and futuristic vibe, allowed it to get heavy burn...and even product placement.

14. GNARLS BARKLEY- WHO'S GONNA SAVE MY SOUL?

As much as I rather hear Cee-Lo rap more than sing, when he does sing, man, does he pull the trigger in emotion. This maybe the song I want to play at my funeral.



13. USHER- MOVING MOUNTAINS

Picking up where Omarion's "Icebox" left off? Well, Here I Stand may have been more generic and lacked the energy and purpose that Confessions had, this standout track, told the story that I had been enduring over the last couple of months in my relationships.

12. RICK ROSS F/T-PAIN- THE BOSS

Man, who wasn't bumpin' this in the beginning of the year? Officer Ross one-upped himself on a track that solidifed his place as one of the South's elite and one of the heavy hitters in the rap game, as well as the fact that it pushed Trilla to #1, beating out Snoop and Fat Joe. Man....then he just had to keep that secret...

11. T.I. F/RIHANNA- LIVE YOUR LIFE

Yea, I got sick of Rihanna this year...who didn't...but man, she finally sound like she wanted to sing on this track. The first moment I heard this, one word popped up in my mind...."HIT". Not only does Tip put everything in perspective (in other words his best verses I've heard, since King), but this track is hard-hitting as it is motivational. Yea, Wayne may have sold the most this year, but the KING is back on his throne!!!

#30-21

30. THE GAME F/LIL' WAYNE- MY LIFE

This was a track in which Weezy actually put his Auto-tune frenzied vocals to good use while the Game sounds...well...introspective...So much that Amanda wanted to remix this with me...and the funny thing is, she didn't know who the Game was when I said "oh that track from Game?"

29. T.I.- SWING YA RAG

This song should have been the lead single from Paper Trail instead of Whatever You Like...but who knows..."whatever YOU like"....pun intended.

28. LIL' WAYNE F/ROBIN THICKE- TIE MY HANDS

Another song that I felt should have been a single, but was one of my favorite tracks off The Carter 3. It even became the soundtrack to my messy breakup with my schizophrenic ex-girlfriend this past summer. Shouts to 88Nine Milwaukee, for giving this song play and this was alos another example of Weezy's abilities for songwriting.

27. CHRIS BROWN- WITH YOU

A song that wouldn NOT go away, but you heard enough that you had to love it...and beg your gf not to sing karaoke to it.

26. JORDIN SPARKS F/CHRIS BROWN- NO AIR

See "With You"...

25. JAY-Z- JOCKIN' JAY-Z

If his performance at Glastonbury didn't piss Noel Gallagher of Oasis enough, the first four bars in the second verse of this song sure did. Still waitin' on Blueprint 3!!!

24. THE DREAM- I LUV YOUR GIRL

If you wasn't bouncin' to this at the club wit ya drink 'n ya 2-step...SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH YOU...and even the remixes from Jeezy and Fab was satisfying enough to get the ladies goin' "FUCK THAT NIGGA"!!!...hell even my remix of the song ended up on more than 80 playlists this past summer on Imeem....what a country!!!

23. N.E.R.D.- SPAZ

This was the epitome of a fight-starter. I damn near had a heartattack when they performed this live in my hometown not too long ago, moshing so hard. Now if only the rest of that album was like this. But I'm not gonna piss Randal off so whatever.

22. ATMOSPHERE- SHOULDA KNOWN

While "You" had the hipsters jumping and the casuals requesting it on pop radio, the lead single from When Life Gives You Lemons, had that spooky "supposed" Eurthymics sample, while Slug's storytelling is as vivid and more on-point than usual.

21. Q-TIP- MIDNIGHT

Cool & Dre proved two things to me this year, 1. That they still had life in them 2. They can re-make a classic song from A Tribe Called Quest and make it sound better than the original (imo). From the Smirnoff series, this was indeed my favorite out of the three songs, especially since Just Blaze's remix of Common's "The Light" was closing in on this...The Preemo remix of KRS' "Criminal Minded", I didn't get a chance to peep as much. But this is something I could see playing in the iPod walking or a night out on the town.

#40-31

40. PLIES F/NE-YO- BUST IT BABY, PT. 2

39. DAVID BANNER F/CHRIS BROWN, JIM JONES, & YUNG JOC- GET LIKE ME

38. BUN B F/SEAN KINGSTON- THAT'S GANGSTA

37. LUDACRIS F/CHRIS BROWN AND SEAN GARRETT- WHAT THEM GIRLS LIKE

36. T.I.- WHATEVER YOU LIKE

35. ATMOSPHERE- YOU

34. ROBIN THICKE- MAGIC

33. NE-YO- CLOSER

32. BIG BOI F/RAEKWON AND ANDRE 3000- ROYAL FLUSH

31. GNARLS BARKLEY- RUN

#50-41

50. SHAWTY LO F/LUDACRIS, YOUNG JEEZY, PLIES, & LIL' WAYNE- DEY KNOW (RMX)

49. IMMORTAL TECHNIQUE- THE 3RD WORLD

48. BUSTA RHYMES- DON'T TOUCH ME (THROW THE WATER ON 'EM)

47. KARDINAL OFFISHALL F/AKON- DANGEROUS

46. KEYSHIA COLE- HEAVEN SENT

45. KERI HILSON- ENERGY

44. RIHANNA- DISTURBIA

43. Q-TIP- GETTIN' UP

42. BEYONCE- BEAUTIFUL NIGHTMARE

41. RAHEEM DEVAUGHN- CUSTOMER

#60-51

60. JENNIFER HUDSON- SPOTLIGHT

Hopefully, 2009 will bring more of a positive light in the career and in the life of this talented artist. We're keeping your family in our prayers...



59. BUSTA RHYMES- ARAB MONEY

It's perhaps controversial, it's perhaps idiotic, but damn this is one of the most entertaining songs of the year...maybe I'm just prone to ignorance...or Ron Browz' error-filled use of Auto-Tune.

58. USHER- TRADING PLACES

I wanna fuck so much to this song, it's crazy....too much info...

57. RON BROWZ & JIM JONES F/JUELZ SANTANA- POP CHAMPAGNE

Once again Ron Browz should just stick to making beats and put down the mic, but, this was another song you couldn't get away from in the club...gone as far to "pop champagne" for Barack Obama's victory as newly elected President.....was that necessary to make a song out of it?

56. LUDACRIS F/T-PAIN- ONE MORE DRINK

We've ALL been through this....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5VsXBacU-w



55. KIDZ IN THE HALL- DRIVIN' DOWN THE BLOCK

Never thought this track would get as big as it did...

54. Q-TIP- MOVE

This is why Rik Cordero stays one of my favorite directors out right now...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpDTXBDcp0Q



53. CHRIS BROWN- FOREVER

This was corny to me at first....but this is what the radio does.

52. JAKE ONE F/FREEWAY & BROTHER ALI- THE TRUTH

Another Rik Cordero directed gem...but also, this track was instrumental in bringing two household gems in both mainstream and underground rap together, due to the soulful sounds of versatile producer Jake One.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aJYMYRMprY



51. BLACK MILK F/PHAROAHE MONCH, SEAN PRICE, & DJ PREMIER- THE MATRIX

I had first posted this track a couple weeks back and it has been getting heavy rotation on my iPod as of late...

"HAPPY" (BELATED) CHRISTMAS!!!

and here we go with #70-61...

70. DRAKE- BRAND NEW

This song became so popular, that even Lil' Wayne had to come ruin it...frog...I prefer the original more, but for the Weezy stans...here's the remix.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=za5i4yYLm_c



69. J. HOLIDAY- SUFFOCATE

Play this for the ladies...and I swear panties will fly...

68. LUPE FIASCO F/NIKKI JEAN- HIP HOP SAVED MY LIFE

67. REKS- SAY GOODNIGHT

Preemo returns in true form while Reks spits lava....

66. BEYONCE- IF I WERE A BOY

Sasha Fierce goes for Adult Contemporary...

65. RICK ROSS F/NELLY & AVERY STORM- HERE I AM

64. THE DREAM- FALSETTO

see J. Holiday....

63. RYAN LESLIE F/CASSIE & FABOLOUS- ADDICTION

Prolly one of my top five instrumentals of the year was for this song.

62. MURS- CAN IT BE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JaOXWrS9raE



61. JAY-Z- I KNOW

featuring my new crush, Zoe Kravitz....sorry hun, lol.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSOb10b6IC4

#80-71

here we giz-ooooooo!!!!

80. RIHANNA F/NE-YO- HATE THAT I LOVE YOU

79. ESTELLE F/KANYE WEST- AMERICAN BOY

78. JAZMINE SULLIVAN- NEED U BAD

77. SLIM F/SHAWTY LO & YUNG JOC- SO FLY (REMIX)

76. LLOYD F/LIL' WAYNE- GIRLS AROUND THE WORLD

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CGNcLZcnaw



75. FLO-RIDA F/TIMBALAND- ELEVATOR

74. USHER F/YOUNG JEEZY- LOVE IN THIS CLUB

73. ALICIA KEYS- TEENAGE LOVE AFFAIR

72. MARIAH CAREY F/T.I.- I'LL BE LOVIN' U LONG TIME

71. LUPE FIASCO- STREETS ON FIRE

#90-81

Sorry for the delay....when you are caught in a snowstorm all day...what can ya do?

#90. NAS- BE A N***** TOO

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieoqDkoTcUE



#89. N.E.R.D.- EVERYONE NOSE

#88. TREY SONGZ- LAST TIME

#87. GNARLS BARKLEY- GOING ON

#86. G-UNIT- RIDER PT. 2

#85. JOHN LEGEND F/ANDRE 3000- GREEN LIGHT

#84. JOELL ORTIZ- MEMORIES

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3eDeN1Q1h8



#83. TECH N9NE- EVERBODY MOVE

#82. SCARFACE F/LIL' WAYNE & BUN B- FORGOT ABOUT ME

#81. YOUNG JEEZY- CRAZY WORLD

check out this crazy guitar cover of the song right jeahhh....THATS RIIIGGGHHHTTT!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YV4bJ3cRa7k



#80-71 LATER TODAY.....

MY FAVORITE 100 SONGS OF THE YEAR

Aight, its that time of the year again...where I give to YOU...the viewing public, my favorite 100 songs of the year (hip hop wise)...this is a list compiling of the songs that had the most impact on me this year. Whether I was bumping them on my iPod, whether I danced at the clubs to them, whether I wasted away money at the strip clubs to them, whether I spit verses to them, anything of that nature....and because I don't want everyone to hurt their eyes, reading my list, I'm gonna post ten songs daily until we reach #1...so here we go....

100. Keyshia Cole feat. 2Pac- Playa Cardz Right

99. Britney Spears feat. Fabolous- Break the Ice (Remix)

98. Alicia Keys- Like You'll Never See Me Again

97. ASHER ROTH- ROTH BOYS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGPrX38NRZg



96. M.I.A.- Boyz

95. ATMOSPHERE- GUARANTEES

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoLxuyV9qz8



94. Keyshia Cole- I Remember

93. Ice Cube- Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It

92. DJ Khaled f/Kanye West & T-Pain- Go Hard

91. JAY-Z - ROC BOYS (AND THE WINNER IS...) (the original, ha ha)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_7Zy1TlwQc



......#90-81 tomorrow.....

I FEEL THE SAME WAY ABOUT MY JOB!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zf3fm9x7h7Y

THE BEST OF 2008 (STARTING AT #10 TO #1)

and NOOOWWWWW...the best album of 2008 is....











Honorable Mention:

eMC- The Show
Elzhi- The Preface
Black Milk- Tronic
Tech N9ne- Killer
Young Jeezy- The Recession
Johnson & Jonson (Blu & Mainframe)- S/T
Murs- Murs For President
Skillz- The Million Dollar Backpack
GZA- Pro Tools
Kidz In the Hall- The In Crowd
Rick Ross- Trilla
The Game- L.A.X.
Bun B- II Trill
Scarface- Emeritus
ABN (Z-Ro & Trae)- It Is What It Is
Ludacris- Theater of the Mind
Termanology- Politics As Usual

Let Downs:

Kanye West- 808's and Heartbreak
Common- Universal Mind Control
G-Unit- Terminate On Sight
Snoop Dogg- Ego Trippin'
Nelly- Brass Knuckles
Z-Ro- Crack
LL Cool J- Exit 13
Prodigy- H.N.I.C. Pt. 2
Ice Cube- Raw Footage
Clipse- Presents: The Re-Up Gang
David Banner- The Greatest Story Ever Told
N.E.R.D.- Seeing Sounds
AZ- Undeniable
Flo Rida- Mail On Sunday
Del tha Funkee Homosapien- The 11th Hour
Fat Joe- Elephant in the Room
Kool G. Rap- Half A Klip
Sheek Louch- Silverback Gorilla

MIXTAPES OF THE YEAR:

Nas & DJ Green Lantern- The Nigger Tape
Charles Hamilton- And Then They Played Dilla
Charles Hamilton- Death to the Mixtape Rapper
Clipse- We Got It 4 Cheap III
Clipse- Road to 'Til the Casket Drops
Stimuli & DJ Victorious- March on Washington
Rhymefest- Man in the Mirror
Wale- The Mixtape About Nothing
Crooked I- The Block Obama
Crooked I- The Block Obama II
Joe Budden- Halfway House
Royce Da 5'9"- The Bar Exam II
Joell Ortiz- Brooklyn Bomber Mixtape
Mad Static- Written In Blood II: The Shit Gets Real (HAHA, HAD TO THROW MY SHIT IN THERE)
Ludacris- Gangsta Grillz: The Preview


SLEPT ON ALBUMS (OR ALBUMS ILL GET TO ONCE I GET FREE TIME)

Killer Mike- I Pledge Allegiance to the Grind Pt. II
Pete Rock- NY's Finest
Akrobatik- Absolute Value
Braille- The IV Edition
Dizzee Rascal- Maths + English
Snowgoons- Black Snow
J-Live- Then What Happened?
Statik Selektah- Stick 2 the Script
Large Pro- Main Source
88 Keys- The Death of Adam
DJ Babu- Duck Season Vol. 3
Reef the Lost Cauze- A Vicious Cycle
Doap Nixon- Soap Diesel
Outerspace- God's Fury
E-40- The Ball Street Journal
Evidence- The Layover EP
King Syze- The Labor Union
EPMD- We Mean Business

DIDN'T BOTHER:
Plies- Da Realist
Soulja Boy- iSouljaboytellem
Shawty Lo- Units in the City
Webbie- Savage Life II
Ace Hood- Gutta
DJ Khaled- We Global
Unk- Second Season
Big Kuntry King- My Turn to Eat
V.I.C.- Beast
Tyga- No Introduction
2 Pistols- Death Before Dishonor
Three 6 Mafia- Last 2 Walk
Foxy Brown- Brooklyn's Don Diva
Trina- Still Da Baddest
ANY MIXTAPE GUCCI MANE PUT OUT....

Coming soon....MY FAVORITE TRACKS OF THE YEAR!!!

MAD STATIC PRESENTS: THE LITTLE ENGINE THAT DEED....

And to think this cat could not get roasted anymore on Youtube and on the Internet...he took his shit to American Idol...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3r3mrvZszg



But it was okay. Despite the hatin' ass Simon Cowell and his wrath, Eli managed to slip by with no problem...went up to Bad Boy Offices, and presented his demo of a remix he did of "Victory", when Diddy asked, "yo, who did this?" He responded, "I DEED IT"...Diddy replied with one swift, "I TOLD YOU THAT WE WON'T STOP!!! NOW I TOLD YOU THAT WE WON'T STOP!!!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HTQESOZH_Y



Since then, n**** blew the FUCCCCUUUUUUP!!!

Started doin shit wit G-Unit....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWRa1ALjyoQ



Lil' Wayne....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3MQBXnLUYg



Apparently, he got a thing for the underground shit wit Dilla beats...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOENr5BrudQ



hell...even got wit Tay Zonday of Youtube fame....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3bc7vaR_Vs



Somehow....he was able to get on the top of the world...sayin the same lines...over..and over...and over....roastin' like ever...and became an inspiration to all...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5IU00uJ3bU



Thanks a lot Eli Porter...in the end, you proved to everyone that indeed...DREAMS DO COME TRUE...you the best mayne!!!....raise ya glasses in the air yall....

YOU DEED ITTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!

I MUST BE EITHER CORNY AS HELL OR MADLY IN LOVE...

Cause I am scrolling through pictures of my girlfriend and I on my iPod nano-chromatic.

Yea, I was in the midst of putting everything on there with us, while in the meantime, was in a bit of an argument with her about things. Irony at its best.

Since, all I have been doing is post, post, post, and not express, express, express...I am going to do what I do best and that's tell it how it is...shit if I can't even post "nigga" and not block the last four letters (according to a hater), I must be doing something wrong, right?

Anyways, I guess a problem that has always plagued my relationship with "her", is my habit to be a blunt, straight-forward individual. That usually leads me to bringing up problems, complaints, or just anything that may not be worth mentioning at the wrong times and at the wrong places in time, which leads to me getting a shit load of silent treatments, cold stares, and responses that make any Lil' Wayne diss look like its "Ether".

But the fact of the matter is, is the way I am, is my personality normally a curse for those around me?

I guess I have used these experiences or in other words, our arguments, as testaments to why I feel I am always the blame for what goes wrong with my friends and family. A question she asked me last night, was "why do you hold on to so much guilt?"

It was a question that I could not answer right away and come to think of it, I don't even know if I can answer the question right now.

I don't like when I look in her face and tears are slowly descending from her eyes, rolling down her cheeks, knowing that I triggered those horrid emotions.

But I guess that I want everything to go so well in our relationship, that I worry too much, and perhaps I take it out on others' insecurities, because I have such a difficult time in dealing with mine. From the absence of my father in my life, to the environment I grew up in, to the ridicule I faced as a child and teenager, I pride myself to become a strong individual no matter what it took or what i sacrificed.

Without turning this into some long emo rant, in what it becomes anyways, she knows that I apologized since then, and that she is highly aware that I am TRYING DAMN HARD to understand her and her emotions. I just wish that she could be able to talk to me and open herself up to me without having to prolong the pain or drive me into a mental frenzy to the point where emotional destruction occurs in heartache, depression, and losing grip of everything around us.

These are things that I wish I could tell yall everyday, things I wish I could put into music more, or things I could discuss with my family, but these kind of things, I can only describe seeing her face to face. Where our eyes lock and our lips quiver, to the point where it could be too much but in the end it could be a major improvement in communication and our love.

MY TOP 20 G.O.A.T.

I did a blog entry in relation to this concept a couple of months ago, and judging by the last few months, EVERYTHING has changed. The way that I look at music, from all aspects, has twisted, distorted, and evolved. I realized that maybe a lot of artists that I had in my top 20, were in there based on legend status, and that I left out artists in my top 20, in which I grabbed on to their style and their material faster than those on my list...now that a few months had gone by...I figured its time I do this...and base this list off of simply influence on ME and me only, as to why I thrive on this music so much nowadays, and who keeps me going in this rap shit.

I am probably going to catch heat from people on this, but this is MINE....make yours.

1. Andre 3000
2. Nas
3. Black Thought (The Roots)
4. Eminem
5. Common
6. Biggie
7. Brother Ali
8. Lupe Fiasco
9. Jay-Z
10. Scarface
11. Kool G. Rap
12. Big Pun
13. Ghostface
14. Rakim
15. Big Daddy Kane
16. 2Pac
17. Mos Def
18. Q-Tip
19. Slug (Atmosphere)
20. Tech N9ne

I know what you are thinking...where are the Chuck D's? where are the KRS-One's, where's the Slick Rick's?....shit where's LL?...not disregarding what they have done, I got Criminal Minded, Nation of Millions, Great Adventures...(as far as LL, I lost interest after listening to everything else in chronological order, after Radio.), but it took me a while to appreciate it as much as I did Live and Let Die or Illmatic...even modern classics, like The Cool or Be...fuck even underground classics, like Shadows on the Sun or Anghellic. So, if you can do better, post your own blog on who your favorite top 20 is...I think I'm gonna do bands next. Holla....back to studying now.

WHY DO I HAVE HER AS A MYSPACE FRIEND???

This is taken from the Kramp and Adler morning radio show on alternative rock station FM102.1, based out of my hometown of Milwaukee. I wake up to them every day. The reason I am posting this is because today, I woke up to the Paris Hilton-like ditziness of their guest for the day...the infamous "Madonna of Myspace"....

the one....the only.....Tila Tequila....

If Adrianne listens to this, I beg you to prepare yourself for you are going to hear in this interview.....which is blatant stupidity.

The link down at the bottom....

http://www.fm1021milwaukee.com/includes/tables/1/20081216110658.intv_tila_tequil.mp3

IT'S FUNNY I CAN STILL BE ANNOYED BY THIS TYPE OF BIASED CRAP...

"I aint trippin off a status cuz every nigga starts out underground.
I do mess with the underground but not the obscure shit....

shit like Devin Landing Gear, Slim Thug Back By Blockular Demand, Lil Keke - Loved By Few, MJG - Pimp Tight, Pastor Troy - Troy, Zro - Crack, ABN - It Is What It Is, Killer Mike, etc. Gorilla Zoe, Lil Boosie, Gucci Mane.. That shit is underground. That shit aint touching a radio even though they may have had previous crossover hits.

Like I said before I don't have the time anymore. Ill let niggas that get paid to discover niggas discover those niggas. I'm past that point where I have to be the first to hear it.

and all these new niggas (Plies, ACe Hood, B.O.B., BloodRaw, OJ Da Juice etc.) had heard of em in the underground before they dropped their first album anyway so it doesn't even matter to me like that.

Some of these guys yall name don't even have a local buzz so why am I supposed to even think about them when I'm here in Atlanta and it's always some new ass nigga coming out?

And a vast majority of the niggas are wack as hell and you have to do twice as much sifting through bullshit to get to something you like. Shit started feeling like a chore, way worse than listening to the radio. I barely listen to the radio too cuz I got a 120 GB Zune that hook to the car and the home theater so I'm straight."


I put this down on here, because over the last two years, the guy that posted this and I have always clashed on shit on Rapmusic.com, and then I realized that this is a person such as myself (A PERSON WHO LISTENS TO EVERYTHING) debating with a person such as him (A PERSON WHO MOSTLY LISTENS TO EVERYTHING REDUCED TO A REGION, PICKS A COUPLE FROM EACH COAST, AND IGNORES EVERYTHING ELSE)

Do you listen to music or do you just skim through it?

I might have been off wit that line, but you know what I'm sayin...

Maybe I am just complaining for the sake of complaining, but honestly, this kind of shit is why I strictly go to Okayplayer.com nowadays...as much as they are snobs (like myself) at least they have a thought process that isn't limited to what's hot in the latest edition of Ozone.

MY THOUGHTS....ALMOST A WEEK LATER

On this supposed beef between Mr. Soulja Boy Tell'Em and Charles "I enjoy wearing the color of a vagina" Hamilton. This apparently started based off some footage that Soulja Boy saw on Thisis50.com, of Hamilton taking offense to blunt comments he made, proclaiming that HE is the reason why artists such as him are not being taken seriously. SB of course goes into his empty immature 18-year old logic and gives his habitual "FUCK YOU NIGGA, I'M RICHA!!!" response.

Then on Friday, I noticed there was a video also leaked from Charles Hamilton, in response to SB, in the form of a diss record "Word? Aight!" turning the Auto-Tune high and doing his little ditty to T-Pain's "Can't Believe It", with silly remarks such as "Collipark is in his anus", "This ain't no Ice-T shit, I'm vodka".

Then yesterday, I noticed there was a freestyle, that according to Mr. Hamilton on his blog, was a response to him, entitled "Head Shots". Since I knew it was going to suck, I didn't pay it no mind, but I hear he is getting "lyrical" on this one. Sure, if he advanced his vocabulary past the "YUUULLLLEEEE" and the "YAAAHHHHH".

You noticed, watching how this beef has manifested into some unnecessary nonsense, it makes my little "diss" towards the "Crank That" hero last year, look as if though it could be lumped into that category, where anyone that disses Soulja Boy...automatically loses...much like Hamilton addressed in an interview earlier this year.


It's at a point where I think the world is beginning to look past the illusion that Soulja Boy presents to the public, that he is actually an ARTIST. I have read three reviews already (Dart Adams, Allmusic.com, a friend) where everyone is on point with their opinion. This is a FLOP in the making and for those that love hip-hop it is LONG overdue.

This kind of shit happens, when you run out of ideas, resort back to your cookie-cutter formula, attempt the same lame-ass dance instruction songs that made you famous to begin with, and expect people are going to eat it up. NOT ME PLAYA!!! I didn't even listen to the album yet, but I already know I am not going to be impressed. Call me a hater or a bitter elitist, or whatever, the bottom line is simple, the gimmick has run its course, either stick to production, which you are pretty much hit or miss, let your homies get shine (Arab, "your name here", whomever), do movies, or whatever, other than that, the first four words of my diss record from last year say it best....SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!!! No one cares anymore and the reason we continue to keep givin' this n**** attention...who the hell knows, maybe it is out of boredom, but I am ready to move on from the tumultuous year and a half that has been considered "The Reign of Bad Dance Terror" knowing that his record is going to drag quicker than Yung Berg's chain on a Detroit sidewalk.

As for Mr. Hamilton, instead of complaining to the public, of how Soulja Boy is holding you back (in which is by far the lamest shit I ever heard) why don't you what you do best and let the music speak for itself, grind harder, keep your fanbase increasing, and maybe....just maybe...those SB comparions will fade. Btw, Knuckles and Shadow are better.

Man....I feel like slappin a n**** todddaaaaayyyyyyy (slap, slap)

VERSE OF THE YEAR!!!

Rappers can’t clap me
Jackers can’t gat me
Original meaning of jazzy fat nasty
I don’t bite rapper’s lines, I bite the captain’s arm off
I don’t throw shots in the air, I throw that Molotov
Cocktail, reservoir dog my collar off
Ya’ll scared to get that revolution popping off
You really got the guns you claim in the track
Then my question to you is who you aiming ‘em at
You complain that the rap police caught you with a gat under the seat
Misdemeanored that twenty bag of weed
But little old me with the few facts that I speak
The homeland security gaveled me over seas
Froze my bank account and seized my guarantee
And ya’ll are soundscanning like a hundred more than me
They kicking you off tour for freaking a chick or two
Verizon dissed me too 'cause I was too political
Ya’ll are all safe and shit, ya’ll are not saying shit
You just snap your fingers and dance and make your label rich
Gotta pay back that advance, so they ain’t gave you shit
This is your chance to say something and you’re wasting it
People are starving, you talking bout balling
Can’t think of nothing more important than that jargon
Hundred different ways to describe diamonds sparkling
Eighty percent of kids are listening to ya’ll shit
I heard that statistic I almost cried
Never wanted so bad for 2pac to be alive
What the fuck happened to rap when
The gangsters are scared of upsetting they industry masters
It ain’t my place to say and I hear all that
But fuck that, I live in the hood and we need ya’ll cats
So as soon as I hear ya’ll on some real pro black
Then I will gladly go back to my emo rap
They say the truth don’t belong to nobody, if you see it you speak it
It would be a sin to keep it a secret
So if I need to breathe then believe that I mean it
Quit trying to be somebody’s boss and be a leader
If it wasn’t bad enough your labels are hoeing you
You can’t even scan, your fans are downloading you
There’s no connection, so they’re not supporting you
You ain’t never shed light on nothing that they’re going through
We ain’t buying cds, we striving to live
And these artists don’t need me they already rich
I ain’t hating on you, rock them shines
Just remember us from time to time when you drop them lines
Rappers can’t clap me
Jackers can’t gat me
Original meaning of jazzy fat nasty
Busy raising babies and living on tour
Signing off Brother Ali, sincerely yours

- Brother Ali "2nd Time"

DYME-A-DUZIN FT. D-PRYDE- "GOTTA EAT IT"

This is a parody of the popular and overplayed T-Pain hit, "Can't Believe It" but this is directed towards hunger and starvation....This is some funny ass shit...creative as fuck...shouts to BYAHH!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEBbJMU4WEQ

WALE FT. BROTHER ALI- "2ND TIME"

The future is looking brighter for the Rhymesayers camp!!! BLEE'DAT!!!

Listen to Ali's verse REAL carefully...100% "UNDISPUTED TRUTH" (with the pun intended).

I can't STAND this n****!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOxfPmAcS-A



....my thoughts later...

...taken from Thisis50.com

THAT UNIVERSAL MIND CONTROL....PFFF....

Yes...this is me talkin' smack about Common. Not really Common the MC, but this new album that he presents to the masses today, the former "Invincible Summer" is now "Universal Mind Control".

Now here's the deal, usually since BE came out, I have been excited about a Common release, album, song, show, don't matter...however, when I learned he was doing an entire album with the Neptunes (or Pharrell)...the first thought on my mind, was that I looked at Pharrell, like I was Janet, circa the 80s..."WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY???"

Mostly, cause I ain't been excited about a Neptunes production, since Hell Hath No Fury (Clipse) . Been a while...and after the Common/N.E.R.D. show in my hometown of Milwaukee...I was a bit skeptical of these new songs, looking at people like, "what the fuck did Pharrell do to him?" and unsurprisingly, this question became reality on this album.

First time hearing the title track as well as "Announcement", I'm thinking to myself that I am not hype to these tracks, like I would normally be towards Common singles. But I digress...

It's obvious that Common is directing his music towards the nightlife and uses this approach to make some experimental, electronica-tinged, feel-good music, but what it comes off as bland Neptune-produced, lazily rhymed, uncomfortable music.

The only track I got excited for was "Inhale" (No. 8 off the album), but if this was XXL (as to how I normally rate albums now) it would get an XL and nothing more than that. Come to think, 7 out of the 10 tracks only got an L....not good.

I don't think it is fair to say that Hollywood changed Common, or he was sipping the Neptune-made Kool-Aid, or Kanye had channeled Auto-Tune, whispered in his ear, and told him "YOU MUST DO THIS"...But honestly, Universal Mind Control makes Electric Circus look like Resurrection.

Common- Universal Mind Control (Live)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCCC9ivMUa8

MY PROBLEMS WITH ROCK

Before I get started with this, let me just say that this is not a verbal assault on rock music, as I for one am a rock and roller by heart, it's just that I have had a more personal connection and relationship with hip-hop, which explains my artistry, but most of it has a rock influence.

I over the last couple of months, have been turned off by most rock and have only listened to classics more (same with hip-hop). For example, I have 2 Zeppelin albums (I and IV), Joy Division's debut (Unknown Pleasures), The Downward Spiral (NIN), Rage's debut, Tool's Aenima, and countless others filling up my iPod cuddling with hip-hop classics.

However, it appears that over the last couple of years, I haven't looked at rock the way that I use to. Here's why.

1. NO IDEA'S ORIGINAL

It is safe to say for hard rock, the radio has destroyed it as we know it. Post-grunge bands (Nickelback, Seether, Three Days Grace, Breaking Benjamin) can pump out great tunes, however, I really don't know anyone that would put their albums on their most anticipated lists, as they have made it comfortable for bands to go a formulaic route when it comes to albums. In other words, none of these bands on the radio are pushing the envelope creatively, and it makes a genre that I love very very dull.

2. TOO MANY EMO BANDS

There are many exceptions for this rule. For example, I am a supporter of Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance, Paramore...or even "progressive emo" as I like to call it (Underoath, Chiodos). However, there are so many of these bands, that when I hear their songs, well, let's say that I can't really tell a "All Time Low" from a "Cobra Starship". Be original. Form your OWN sound. It's aight to wear your heart on your sleeve and praise Morrissey to the death...but sound good while you do it, okaaaayyy???

3. MY FAVORITE BANDS ARE BECOMING REDUNDANT

There are only five bands that I will still support no matter what and those are Deftones, Tool, The Mars Volta, Nine Inch Nails, and Slipknot. Other bands that I had been a major fan of before, I can't even get into their music now, because they too have either ran out of ideas and have become bland, or they don't exist anymore.


I guess when I really think about it, I have become pretty much a fan of albums more than artists. For example, Illmatic is THE album that made me become a better lyricist. I however HATED Nastradamus. I don't think that makes me more or less a Nas fan (or stan) but more of just a fan of great quality music. I mean I don't like being a casual fan to everything, but when an artist can't keep it consistent, what do you expect? Like I love band T-shirts, and I have a Smiths T-Shirt with "The Queen Is Dead" cover, however I only have the Singles album. Or does it make everything wrong, when I have a Maiden T-Shirt, and only have the best albums instead of EVERY album? I don't know, but with that aspect I just do what I do, I'm not gonna buy merchandise if I didn't have at least one album of a band, that wouldn't make sense.

But either way, I love rock and hip hop, like it was one in the same, but c'mon...I go for quality, and that is why as an artist myself, I'll mark for your album, but I WON'T mark for you.

I FOUND IT!!!

One of my favorite scenes of the Family Guy episode that aired two weeks ago, where Stewie and Brian steal that annoying "Surfin' Bird" record from Peter...and what better music to destroy it to, than the Geto Boys.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UD95-If1Rio





(Keep in mind, this was a reference to Office Space)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FDG55K2kWw





Speaking of the Geto Boys, Scarface's "EMERITUS" is out NOW!!!

SEETHER- BREAKDOWN

This song and video so relates to me right now, in the aspects that I could apply it to my friendships and past relationships, with the idea, that I feel that I am so much more than what people perceive me to be, but yet they end up stuck inside of their own worlds, they refuse to see that side of me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pykfBdmxABQ

THIS IS BY FAR..THE WORST RAP BATTLE EVER....

I swear to you the level of retardation in this battle, is beyond any particular reasoning....just watch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHpw6CzprNY

CLASSIC MATERIAL: NINE INCH NAILS- THE DOWNWARD SPIRAL

Nine Inch Nails- "March of the Pigs"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rphCzwwVl5w



The song that later became one of the late Johnny Cash's defining moments.

Nine Inch Nails- "Hurt" (performance is a duet with David Bowie)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCMLwbdSrTY



Nine Inch Nails- "Reptile" (from Woodstock 1994)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTy8rl8ffQw



Nine Inch Nails- "Piggy"



Nine Inch Nails- "Closer"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLq_wie8CRc

Check out this video: Saturday Night Live - Blizzard Man