JumpinJack AJ

I have been very fortunate to see a lot of my favorite groups/artists live....DJ Jazzy Jeff + Fresh Prince, TLC, Arrested Development, De La Soul, Wyclef, Black Eyed Peas (2000), Jason Mraz, LFO... Not to mention others like CIty High, The Pharsyde, Kris Kross, Musiq Soulchild, Eric Hutchinson. While their are many other groups and artists I'd like to see, I'll feel complete when I finally see LL Cool J live. My friend who lives in Pittsburgh who saw AD with me said that DJ Jazzy Jeff was spinning at a club one night a few weeks ago and that nobody really knew about it. She said if she hadn't found out the night it happened she would have let me know.

I saw Arrested Development live last night. AWESOME EXPERIENCE!! Back in 1992 when they came out, I instantly loved "Tennessee." To this day it's one of my favorite Hip-Hop songs of all time and has only spoken to me more with age. I loved both of their 1st 2 studio albums. Why I appreciate Speech's solo work equally, I was disappointed when they parted ways. Luckily, with the internet I was able to see they were back together and doing things on an indie level in the early 2000's. Anyways, to me, AD is easily one of the best and most consistent groups in all of Hip-Hop. For those who aren't familiar with their music; it's a very organic brand of Hip-Hop that talks about life and love. No over produced or trendy beats. No talk of sex, drugs, bling, etc. No real cussing. The group has evolved around the 4 core members with other extended members coming and going over the years. Their package includes everything...emceeing, singing, dancing, DJing, and a complete live band. A few months ago they were supposed to perform close by in Baltimore but they show was canceled. Since it was still on the venue's site (AD took it off their Myspace) I still went and was disappointed when I found out it was canceled. When I saw this show pop up, I knew I wasn't gonna miss it. The only downside to it was that they were part of a festival which had them playing a shorter set for an audience that mostly didn't know who their really were. It was at some mega rich private school and a lot of the audience was young white kids who probably never heard of them until they heard they were coming and did research on them online...lol. Not exactly the perfect venue for the afrocentric Grammy-winning Hip-Hop group from Atlanta. I was sure 2 show up early so I was up front and center. The environment was strange. On this ritzy campus, it was set up kinda like a carnival with tons of cheap food and games. Once they opened the area 2 the main stage I just waited with a friend forever to make sure nobody got any closer. I saw thru' some high school aged rock band that was actually pretty good tho' they certainly weren't my taste in music. Anyways, when AD came out, I was so hyped. It's always a thrill 2 see your favorite artists live. They did a handful of songs off their new album before they broke into Tennessee. They covered their other biggest hits like People Everyday, Mr. Wendal, and Ease My Mind. Eshe still dances like she's 20 years old. She just goes for it. She's simply amazing. Tasha has some of the most powerful pipes in all of R-N-B. Rasa Don wasn't there and neither was Baba Oje (who was turning 78 that day!...the oldest man in Hip-Hop). I was a bit upset that they didn't have a DJ for this set. It was strictly a live band. Speech came across just like he does on all of his material. They also had tons of crowd interaction throughout the show. I've been 2 handful of concerts and they did some things I've never seen artists doing on stage. Since this wasn't a legit concert and part of an event, their set ran about an hour and half (the 2 live albums I have from them both go over 2 hours). They did and encore and brought up tons of people on stage. At one point they stopped bringing people on stage but people just kept climbing on the stage...lol. Overall, the show was amazing. The crowd was actually really awesome. Once they started, the place got packed and people really responded to them. A lot of them didn't know what AD was all about so some of their interaction was a bit strange, but whatever. The thing that I appreciated the most about their show was how much the loved being on stage. You could see they were having a great time. At the end of the show, they let the crowd know they were selling music and shirts in the back and would be happy to meet anyone who wanted to meet them. This was after they already reached out to all the people up front, slapping hands. One Love actually jumped down in2 the audience. My friend and I hung out awhile while they sold stuff and greeted people. We waited at the end of the lines so we could have more of their attention...lol. I asked Speech for a picture and he came around the table 2 talk for a moment. He was talking about the new album and I let him know I got it a couple weeks ago. He asked about his new solo record and I told him I had it all. He seemed impressed when I mentioned some of the things I had. He shook my hand and thanked me for the support. I also talked to Eshe and Tasha for a bit and got a picture with them. Eshe is so freakin' funny. Just hearing her interact with the other fans was hilarious. Speech pointed out that the version they were selling was different from the version I got on Amazon and that it had some other songs on it. Unfortunately I didn't have enough cash on me because of the tolls I had 2 pay 2 get 2 Pittsburgh. He said I'd be able 2 get it on the website soon. Amazing night. Anyone who wants 2 see some of the pix from the show can see them on my Myspace and Facebook. Check their website... www.ArrestedDevelopmentMusic.com

ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT - Bloody Strong? (2010) U can download this song for FREE at www.ArrestedDevelopmentMusic.com!

Thanx for posting this. Kiss The Sky was such a good album. This makes me miss R-N-B when it was simple and charming. I'm sick of the dance beats and garbage rap cameos. Is Top of The Pops like Soul Train where 95% of the artists are forced to lipsync? I don't recall Tatyana performing on TV much during this time so it was nice 2 see this even if it's lipsyncing.

I don't know if his reaction is really wrong. Hip-Hop Honors should be about honoring the legends. When I think "dirty south" I think of all the commercial garbage that's been popular (for a short period of time) in the past 7 years or so. Sure, groups like 2 Live Crew, Geto Boys, Arrested Development, OutKast, and Goodie Mob really got things started prior 2 this, but not much of the recently popular crap really honors those who got the ball rolling. I think Scarface is associating it with what most people are gonna associate it with; fly by night crap-rappers like Young Joc, Lil' Scrappy, Hurricane Chris, Slim Thug, etc. There is no reason for VH-1 2 honor a such a disposable and forgettable (and often embarassing) bastard child of Rap music. Honor good artists. That's what worked in the 1st shows (which were amazing). Giving it a theme like "Dirty South" is stupid, limiting, and unworthy of the attention. The Def Jam idea was respectable but even that was a bit limiting and even predictable. I believe that when Scarface says he's Hip-Hop and doesn't want to 2 be labeled "dirty south," it's because of the embarrassing stuff we hear on the radio now.

Scarface Boycotts VH1's 'Hip Hop Honors' Hip-hop veterans Uncle Luke and Tony Draper recently voiced their displeasure with this year's VH1 'Hip Hop Honors', which will honor the 'Dirty South.' Both emcees opted out of participation in the annual show, and now Texas rapper Scarface will join them in sitting this one out. In a heated rant, Scarface vented to Ozone magazine that he would not be attending the show because he felt disrespect for being boxed into such a narrow category. "I was nominated, but I declined to accept because I don't wanna be classified as just 'Dirty South.'" "I'm Hip Hop man. I'm not going because I feel slighted. Even though it was a nice gesture, I feel like it's just a pacifier. They're like, 'Let's give these n----s down there a pacifier so they can stop feeling left out. We'll make Luke and all these n----s down there look funny,' you know?" The outspoken emcee made it clear that his beef was not necessarily with the award show itself, but with the way they approached this year's category. He explained that, although he had participated in several previous 'Hip Hop Honors,' VH1's 'Dirty South' theme seemed more of a mockery than an honor. "I went to [Hip Hop Honors] when they honored Def Jam because I wanted to be a part of that. I felt honored that they would even call me to do it. But this year, I totally disagree with how they're trying to categorize us," he said. "You know how they make us look on TV? Like we live on the front porch with flies and s--- flying around us, with our stomachs all big, eating watermelon rings. Don't f----- make a mockery of us because we come from down there and you have no f----- idea what it looks like." After revisiting the struggle it took to get Southern hip-hop on the map, Scarface said that he just wasn't willing to let the show tarnish everything he and his fellow Southern rappers have worked hard to achieve."For an East Coast-based show to call themselves showing some f----- love by making a Southern watered-down version of what the show is supposed to be or what Hip Hop really is, man, I feel ****ed up about that s---" VH1's 'Hip Hop Honors' airs June 7, 2010.

2Pac actually wrote that song for MC Hammer when he was on Deathrow. I remember reading an interview years ago where Hammer said 2Pac wrote it FOR him to record because he also thought that as Hammer was progressing as an artist, it fit with his current (mid-90's) style. It was on MC Hammer's unreleased 1996 Deathrow album "Too Tight" and then put on his 1998 album Family Affair. It actually came out before Deathrow put out 2Pac's Greatest Hits which contained 2Pac's version of it. It's in my top 5 of 2Pac songs...and one of my favorite MC Hammer songs too. SPEECH w/ NENAH CHERRY + 1 GIANT LEAP - Braided Hair Down South Productions (2002) LoveLifeMusic (2005) Such a deep and inspirational song. Forgive me, it's gonna be a lot of Arrested Development and Speech for the next few days. I'm seeing them live tomorrow. I'm so freakin' hype!!

I have the audio of the set and the interview they did with Tim Westwood but it's on CD and my CD burner hasn't work for months. I know SOMEONE has 2 have this and can put it up tho.'

I think that collabo albums are rarely a good idea. It's not that they are bad, it's just that 2 form a "super group," you really should be the perfect match. The ONLY collabo album in all of Hip-Hop history that I can recall that is perfect when it comes to the dynamic is Method Man and Redman. At first I was thinking this might be a good move for Nas to get some more attention, but at the same time, The Game isn't really hot in the mainstream like he used to be. If it's about good music and good lyrics, go for it. If not, leave the idea alone.

DJ HASEBE + SPEECH - Universal Music ? (2007?) This is dope. Speech is in raw form. I'm seeing Arrested Development perform live this Saturday. This is the 1st time I ever heard this track.

BRANDY + LL COOL J - Sittin' Up In My Room (DJ Kalo I Remember Remix) (Unathorized (I think) (1995...newly remixed tho') Ted, when u posted that MC Hammer "Heartbreaka" joint (which I ordered years ago and never received, it made me go back and get it again). It has another bonus track on the import but I think I have the other one on an "It's All Good" promo single. That LL Cool J "Forever Yours" joint is the ONLY track that was on an LL bootleg I ordered back in 1999. After hearing it for the 1st time 2day, I located that independent 1996 album (with the wack interludes that probably had nothing 2 do with LL) and ordered it at an excellent price. Check that YouTube link...someone remixed that classic Brandy remix that got play back in the day. The production totally updates the song. I wish there was a download for it.

4TH AVENUE JONES - Rules of The Game No Plan B (2002)

4TH AVENUE JONES - Movin' On No Plan Be (2002) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfA6ALDywQc&feature=related Ahmad's official 2nd solo album comes out next month. Now if only the 2nd album he did back in the 90's would be released.

KID N' PLAY - Bounce House Party 4 (1993)

AHMAD, RAS KASS, + SAFIRE - Come Widdit Street Fighter Soundtrack (1995) Forgotten 90's CLASSIC! Ahmad is one of my favorite emcees of all time. Easily in my top 20.

...and dare I say a remix of "Guilty Conscious" between FP and Eminem would be hilarious.

Jazzy needs 2 start sliding exclusives 2 the fans. If it's not wack and it's never going to be released, it's easy 2 just let something get out there and not worry about legal issues.

Yeah, it's been confirmed that the 3 of them were in the studio together but I think this is the ONLY things that's ever hinted that they actually recorded a song together. It's be interesting 2 see what kind of song they could have recorded together with FP and Eminem on vocals. I'm having a tough time figuring out what kind of subject matter they could work together on. Beyond the comedy and story-telling, I'm clueless.

BONE: THUGS -N- HARMONY - See Me Shine Uni5 (2010) This song is so good. I can't get sick of it!!

BRANDY + TIMBALAND - Sirens Afrodisiac (Import Single) (2004)

ANGEL TAYLOR - Like You Do Love Travels (2010)

I agree. That's why I asked that we make a message board totally devoted to reviewing albums. I'd do reviews a lot if I knew they'd read and easier 2 find.

The cool thing is that Eminem is a strong influence on the mainstream side of Rap and Hip-Hop. If he's making better music, those who can't make the attempt will fall off even quicker.

I think the "album sequel" concept is stupid. If u are going 2 release an album shortly after another with the same vibe, creating an extension of the 1st...great. I think it's just stupid after years have passed and/or u've released other albums since. If time has passed, then do something new. Who wasn't disappointed when Jay-Z's Blueprint sequels weren't as good as the 1st?

I picked up the album the other day. I've listened 2 it 2 or 3 times through. I definitely like it overall.