TopDawg14

I like Jay's idea of a concept album and his lyrics seem to be almost back to that Reasonable Doubt stage. Pharrell kinda of messed it up though with the wack chorus but overall it's a cool song. I like the fact he's going to do his next album based off the movie American Gangster.

This year's honorees are Missy Elliot, Snoop Dogg, A Tribe Called Quest, Whodini, The New Jack Swing Movement and the movie WildStyle 30 Rock's Tracy Morgan will host and there are scheduled to be appearances by Chris Rock, T.I., The Game, Common and others. Here is the link: VH1 Hip-Hop Honors 2007

If that's true then I'm looking forward to it. I really liked the "grown-up" vibe he had with Kingdom Come and if he combines that with that "Blueprint" sound & style, Jay could have another classic on his hands.

Will's got a vice grip on Jada's butt. HILARIOUS!!!!!!

I knew Kanye would have a big week but not this big. He moved nearly 1 million in a week. Nobody does that these days. Big ups to Kanye!!! CHI-TOWN STAND UP!!!!!

Here's my review of Graduation: Good Morning - laid back beat; nice intro song on the album. West is not to be confused with a great lyricist but he matches the laid back beat nicely(Grade = 8/10) Champion - fierce beat by Kanye but he should have given this beat to Lupe cuz Lupe would have killed this beat; again, no complex lyrics but clever nonetheless(Grade = 8.5/10) Stronger - I love the fact he sampled Daft Punk on this one. Love it.(Grade = 10/10) I Wonder - I really like Kanye's extra-slow delivery on this track. I also like the fact he's really sticking with the synth-beats.(Grade = 9/10) Good Life - even though I'm not a fan of T-Pain, he & Kanye work well over this Michael Jackson sample. Cool song(Grade = 7.5/10) Can't Tell Me Nothing - at first I hated this song but it grew on me. Kinda funky despite its slow-as-molasses beat(Grade = 7.5/10) Barry Bonds - I really don't like Wayne but Kanye found a way to contain Wayne and keep the wackness to a minimum; maybe Wayne was at his best when he's just doing guest spots. Beat is sick though.(Grade 7/10) Drunk & Hot Girls - I have one word for this song - HILARIOUS!!!!! One of my faves on this album. I wish Mos Def had a verse on this track but it's one of Kanye's most clever songs(Grade = 9.5/10) Flashing Lights - didn't like how the song starts but then the heavy synth brought this song to life. Another one of my faves(Grade = 9.5/10) Everything I Am - Premier provides the classic scratches but West's delivery could have been better. (Grade = 7/10) The Glory - O.K. song; nothing special(Grade = 6.5/10) Homecoming - Chris Martin lays it down on the chorus; beat is kinda gospel-like(the piano reminds me of church); Kanye's flow is good on this track(Grade = 8.5/10) Big Brother - very personal song on his sort-of "strained" relationship with Jay-Z; cool beat and Kanye feels humble on this track; another fave of mine(Grade = 9.5/10) Bonus ITunes track: Good Night(feat. Al Be Back & Mos Def) - cool track; Al Be Back's flow is better than Kanye's; Mos Def again provides the chorus; should have rapped on this one(Grade = 7/10) Overall - while not a classic like College Dropout, Graduation again shows West experimenting and not following tired cliches that's poisoning rap right now. West is an average lyricist(and we all know that) but he's at his best when he doesn't try so hard to be a good one. He suceeds for the most part but there's not a classic song(or songs) that really define this album. He had Jesus Walks for Dropout. He had Diamonds from Sierra Leone for Late Registration. Even without that defining song on Graduation, he still delivers one of 2007's best hip-hop albums. Grade = 8/10

Charles Mingus - Mingus' Finest Hour

Couldn't have said it better myself.

Hip-Hop is not dead. It is very much alive. The problem is the industry. The industry side of it is dying and that is a good thing. The fact that sales are down is a good thing because it suggests that people want real music. I say you should support those artists who put out real hip-hop. Talib's album came out yesterday and I'm going to support him by getting it on ITunes. People have to know where to look for hip-hop now. Let the industry die as far as I'm concerned. The music belongs in the hands of the people; not these suits who don't know a damn thing about the hip-hop culture. As long as I'm alive, then hip-hop is alive because hip-hop is in me. If hip-hop is in you then it's alive. All of this media hype and garbage on radio and TV is not hip-hop. Hip-hop is a lifestyle; it's about the culture. It will never die as long as hip-hop is in us.

Congrats to Jeff for the success of TROTM. For a small label, 100,000 in sales is pretty big. I hope more and more independent labels surface and begin supporting real hip-hop... and just real music in general.

Happy Birthday Cozmo!!!!!!

As I was reading the responses it just sounded like a lot of those cats aren't really informed about Will in particular and REAL hip-hop in general. I just get tired of hearing people say that Will is corny cuz he doesn't talk about hood stuff. The dude got a scholarship to MIT! They don't hand those out to anybody. What was Will supposed to do - fake about being a thug? It just kills me with the whole "corny" talk. Will never compromised his style for anybody and I have great respect for that. His style was the same when cats were bumping Brand New Funk, Parents... and Summertime. It's not that Will changed; it's just that the industry changed. People allowed all of this garbage to be considered hip-hop. The industry squeezed out artists like Will, Mos Def and others for nonsense like you hear on the radio now. Standards have changed. It seems garbage is more acceptable now. What it really boils down to is that hip-hop is in its 2nd(or maybe even 3rd) generation and there is a generation divide happening within the community. Those of us who remember what hip-hop was like in the 80's shake our heads at the crap that's out now. It's all changed... and it's getting worse by the moment.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!! How old are you now? Are you legal yet? LOL!!!!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, FUQ!!!!

Happy Birthday!!!!!

A Tribe Called Quest feat. L.O.N.S. - Scenario Classic collaboration joint

Jay-Z - 99 Problems 99 Problems

My vote goes for Chuck & Larry. Although Adam Sandler can be hit or miss(remember Little Nicky?), he is a funny dude and I've been a Kevin James fan since King of Queens. I saw Knocked Up and I thought it wasn't that funny. It had its moments but overall it was a disappointment.

Will used TFPOBA as his stepping stone into Hollywood. He's said in numerous interviews that he always wanted to act. This was and is his plan - to be the biggest movie star in the world. Of course we would like to hear more music from Will but this was his plan and, I believe, his destiny. TFPOBA also kept Will's name out in the public arena while most of his hip-hop peers' shine started to wane. Other than Latifah and LL(and Ice-T to a lesser extent), most of the rappers back in the 80's had(and still do) a hard time keeping their name out there.

Jada: You sure you can carry me? Will: What you think I do all this training for, baby?

I feel like an old geezer compared to everybody else here. I was halfway done with high school when Homebase came out. :muahaha: :lol:

De La Soul - Stakes Is High

Let me be the first to wish Jazzy Julie a: :Party_fest09: :birthday: :2thumbs: :rockon:

That looked cool but best believe Jada gave him an earful for trying that stunt with no net.

Ah, the summer of '91. The Bulls' first ever NBA title; hip-hop was still pure for the most part and and I was 16 when Homebase was released. I remember when I first heard I'm All That I thought it couldn't get any better. Homebase was that heat for me in the summer of '91!