JumpinJack AJ

The album is out today. Buy or listen to it here: https://orcd.co/twtmc

This is crazy. From the sound of "Nicki/Who Knows", we can tell it was from the Code Red era. Most of the songs on Code Red were recorded and mixed at Battery Studios. It very well could have been birthed around the time of "I Wanna Rock" with those lives drums and guitar. It's always good to hear Jeff chime in on the vocals. "Dance or Die" is on the Made In America soundtrack and "Don't Fight The Feeling" is from the Japanese release of Jive's Greatest Hits album, as is "Lovely Day/Lovely Daze". They have Code Red and Homebase vibes in their DNA. "Family Christmas" was the b-side to some "I Think I Can Beat Mike Tyson" back in 1989. My impression are that these are songs and skits they recorded at Battery Studios over the years (not 1997) that were put on a demo cassette. Lovely Daze and Don't Fight The Feeling were recorded at Battery Studios. Dance or Die and Family Chrstmas don't list where they were recorded on the releases that I have. I hope the lable that listed this is willing to share, or works out something where the songs are properly released. Jive Records was recently reinstated. They are or RCA likely own the JJ+FP library. I'm not sure if that applies to unreleased music.

I saw the news start bubbling a couple days ago, but wasn't going to post it here. A lot of this looks like a cash grab. Will runs a tight ship when it comes to business. Additionally, he knows eyes are on him and his behavior, especially since the Oscars. I don't know anything about Brian, nor do I want to discredit those who are victims of bad behavior, but it's hard for me to believe this is true. So much of it seems like he's trying to build something out of nothing, or very little. Will has shown us his character for decades and there are very few spots on it. For the most part, this looks like Brian dragging Will and his company into something based on what might be other people's behavior. Will and his legal team aren't going to play around with this, and I hope the end result shows nothing shady on his part.

It's crazy to think that we haven't had an album from Jill Scott in 10 years. That ends in February. Some of the producers include Carvin Haggins, Andre Harris (both from DJ Jazzy Jeff's A Touch of Jazz fame), DJ Premier, Adam Blackstone, and David Banner. You can sample it here: https://www.missjillscott.com/preview The CD, record, and other merchandise is available here: https://shop.missjillscott.com/ Here's an interview she recently did discussing it:

I agree with most of this. At the same time, what is sucess in music anymore? Sure, there's people like Taylor Swift and Beyonce, but most people don't value music. They think it should be free and they'll listen to whatever the record labels pay for to be a success. Most people dont' have standards for the music they listen to. I think releasing the other albums so quickly was too much. He should allow for them to breathe. Since he's such a determined person, I'd be surprised if he really doesn't get this music out someway. I especially agree with him not keeping his core audience in mind. As an artist, I want him to do what he wants, but I don't think this album as a whole delivers to those who are in his corner. I like the album, but I don't love the album. I think he had a lot to get off his chest, but that could have been done with a formula that we all love. I think most of his fan base wants classic Hip-Hop that appeals to radio and the mainstream. The album comes across as a compilation album to me, featuring lots of different sounds, but not truly coming together as an album. I don't think the fact that he cussed on this album helped it, but I know there's a lot of people who probably though it was ill fitting. I'm one of them. I listen to the edited version of the album. I don't think the producers were a main factor in its success. I think most of the guest artists contributed to the songs well, but the collaborations alone were nothing huge. The way he dropped the singles is pretty standard these days. A lot of artists drop singles until the album is complete. I like the old school way of dropping one single a month or two before the album, then the other singles come as the album comes out or afterward. I agree that physical media was a big factor. If he had sold CDs, records, and even cassettes, it would have helped the album chat. I hate that I don't have a Based On A True Story CD sitting next to his other albums. I would have listened to it more if I had the physical reminder of the album. I feel like he should release a three disc album with all the songs he's recorded for the project. Just have 2,000-3,000 made. Sign some of them, and put them on the website. "Pretty Girls" was just a bad idea. Being a runway song, he could have partnered with some event where the song fit and let it be tied that, but since he released it as a stand along single, it just came across as a huge misstep of what people want and what they expect from him. I think another main factor is that the US music fan base is jaded. Artists who were very successful just 10, 15 years ago are not supported...even laughed at. I don't know what makes people turn on an artist, but with him having such a successful past and the Oscars incident, it's kind of words against him. A lot of international music fans seem to be there for the love and support. That's why Will toured overseas. While he should have did a few spot dates in big cities here in the US, I don't know if he would have had the same success over here in the US. I hope this isn't the last we hear from him musically. Even if he doesn't take a chance on solo music, he's almost guaranteed success under the DJ Jazzy Jeff + Fresh Prince banner. They've neglected that for too long. I was just listening to Willennium the other day. That JJ+FP magic is loved and respected by so many.

Pre-orders for the physical copies are live. https://shop.massappeal.com/collections/cabin-in-the-sky-1?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

It's here!

I heard CD sales are going back down this. It's discouraging that albums like Based On A True Story haven't gotten a CD release. Earlier this year, I realized I misplaced Heavy D's last album, which was only released digitally and can no longer be bought. I still aggressively buy CDs. I year the younger generation has embrased them, but by buying used ones, which doens't help the industry.

Well said. I love the many facets of Hip-Hop. To say it has to be one way is silly.

It's discouraging to hear an opinion like that, but it is what it is. The crazy thing is, DMX isn't even a huge Hip-Hop music fan. He is a total R&B fan. In interviews and videos, he's discussed this. You can seem him at concerts getting lost in the music when R&B legends are performing live. I bet if Will and DMX spent any significant time together, he wouldn't be talking like that. Maybe he's just not that aware of Will's music outside of the hits. To say his music isn't rap is to essentially say KId's music isn't rap. Their styles aren't drastically different. In fact, Kid N' Play's first two albums are more polished than JJ+FP's first two albums.

https://according2hiphop.com/de-la-soul-announces-10th-studio-album-cabin-in-the-sky-releases-new-visualizer-for-the-package/?fbclid=IwY2xjawN6_lFleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFHZzJYV20yNk5VZGV0bEV5c3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHpSBcBSs8y83ZnWZR0iHadhGNkd_L2EduY0UDC0Fe4OcjnD_JnsODFKGZDLs_aem_wgZji5XKxK2WBhbxxXcw4Q De La Soul Announces 10th Studio Album Cabin In The Sky; Releases New Visualizer for “The Package” By Michael Dothard Image Source: Getty Images Videos by According2HipHop Hip-Hop legends De La Soul are back with their 10th studio album, Cabin In The Sky, set to drop November 21st via Mass Appeal. The upcoming project promises to be a celebration of the group’s enduring creativity, featuring production from heavyweights DJ Premier, Super Dave, and Pete Rock, and standout appearances from Killer Mike, Yukimi from Little Dragon, Common, Nas, and Black Thought. The album’s artwork is crafted by acclaimed visual artist Hebru Brantley, known for his vibrant, comic-inspired aesthetic, perfectly complementing De La Soul’s iconic style and the album’s anticipated cinematic feel In addition to the album announcement, De La Soul have released a visualizer for their new single “The Package”, produced by Pete Rock. The track blends Pete Rock’s signature soulful beats with De La Soul’s sharp lyricism, offering a nostalgic yet forward-thinking taste of what fans can expect from Cabin In The Sky. With Cabin In The Sky, De La Soul continues to push creative boundaries while staying true to the innovative spirit that has made them Hip-Hop trailblazers for over three decades. The combination of legendary producers, high-profile features, and striking visual art ensures this release will be one of the standout Hip-Hop albums of the year.

Man, this is dope. Welcome back!

Nice, it's been a while since I heard this. If someone gets a good MP3 of this, please send it my way.

https://people.com/karyn-parsons-says-her-fresh-prince-of-bel-air-character-was-almost-cut-before-shows-premiere-11811942 Karyn Parsons Says Her Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Character Was Almost Cut Before Show's Premiere 'The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air' aired from Sept. 1990 to May 1996 By Angela Andaloro Published on September 18, 2025 12:59PM EDT Will Smith and Karyn Parsons as Will and Hilary.Credit : Joseph Del Valle/NBCU Photo Bank NEED TO KNOW Karyn Parsons portrayed Hilary Banks throughout The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air's run from Sept. 1990 to May 1996 Parsons looked back at her time as Hilary, as well as some of her other notable roles, during an appearance on the All Bets Are Off podcast, hosted by Robby Vegas The beloved sitcom recently celebrated the 35th anniversary of its debut The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was an unforgettable career highlight for Karyn Parsons...that almost didn't happen. In a recent episode of the All Bets Are Off podcast, the actress, 58, chats with host Robby Vegas about the 35th anniversary of the beloved sitcom's premiere. Looking back at her time playing Hilary Banks, Parsons reveals the character was nearly cut from the Banks family at the suggestion of some executives at NBC. When it came to developing the character, Parsons says, "The writers were pretty incredible. They were great from the get-go." Hilary Banks, Alfonso Ribeiro, Will Smith, Daphne Reid, James Avery, Joseph Marcell, Tatyana Ali. NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty I "And then, as the show went on and new writers came in, I think they did a really good job of taking into consideration who they were writing for and how they work, and they were getting used to the character that I was creating," she continues. "The character that was on the page when I got the show was very thin... It said she was a model type, and it had her talking about Bruce and Demi and stuff. It didn't have a whole lot going on." "As a matter of fact, Brandon Tartikoff, who was the president of NBC at the time, when they were auditioning at the last network audition, he turned to Susan and Andy Borowitz, who created the show, and said, 'I think we should get rid of the daughter character. I don't... it just seems redundant,' " she recalls. Karyn Parsons, Janet Hubert, Will Smith, James Avery, Joseph Marcell, Tatyana Ali, Alfonso Ribeiro. Chris Cuffaio/NBCU Photo Bank/Getty "And [Andy and Susan] said, 'Just wait. Wait until this girl comes in.' They told me this story later. And I came in and did my whole weird affectation that I guess nobody else was doing." Parsons says that the affectation that became Hilary's signature — a mix of Malibu kids she got to know growing up in Santa Monica, as well as "my friend Leanne and my cousin Garland" — was born of her "trying to figure out how this character works for me." "The affectation, at first, seemed over the top. Like, maybe it's too much. But it kept carrying me. It worked. Judy Richmond, who was the amazing costumer on the show, she said that when I put the clothes on, that I became Hilary. And it was a little bit true," Parsons says. "Once I put the clothes on, my body started to change. My whole hips kind of fell and this lazy attitude just started to take over and once I started with the way she spoke, it just all fell into place." The role also allowed Parsons to embody someone so different from herself, which was "so fun" for the actress. "I was raised very much the good girl...and Hilary was the opposite," she explains. "She said whatever, unapologetic, I want this...she just said it and that was never me, so it was so fun to be able to be that person."