JumpinJack AJ

This week i picked up the solo album from Shock-G, the mastermind behind Digital Underground, and the man that put 2Pac in the limelight (and gave him some of his dopest beats...Trapped, I Get Around, So Many Tears, F*** The World, etc). For those of u who never heard of Digital Underground, i urge u 2 check them out. If u are a JJ+FP fan or a Hip-Hop fan sick of crap and looking 4 an alternative...check them out. They have 2 different Greatest Hits albums (featuring hits like The Humpty Dance, Kiss You Back, Dowhatchalike, Oregino Flow). Their style is kinda P-Funk meets Hip-Hop meets whatever else they throw in the mix. There's introspective rhymes and comedy sprinkled thru' out all of their music. Anyways, this post is about Shock G's new album which should please all fans looking 4 an alternative 2 the trash on the radio, and DU fans who might be hesitating 2 pick up this album. This album mixes stuff u'd expect from DU albums but also has tons of totally new flava. Shock G holds nothing back on this album. The album opens up with "Keep It Beautiful" which is a track about how Rap music's state is embarassing and talentless. The beat is slow and filled with knowelege u'd expect from KRS-One. He spits rhymes like "so many tryna be 'Pac but only cop the thug side" and "u really wanna be like "Pac, read shorty, read" and "forgive me but i'm gonna be the only rapper still wearin' a smile." "Cherry Flava'd E-mail" as this amazing steady bumpin' beats with this ill guitar. Production dosen't get any better than this....the beat just moves u. "Weesom Hustlas" is a bouncy beat with the DU crew...it's features Shock's alter-ego Humpty Hump and Money B. "Holmedown Up" as this crazy freestyle over some jazzy vibes u'd expect on a Jazzy Jeff album. This is a crazy love joint with a scattered beat once it starts up. "We're All Killaz" has this beat that's is just undiscribable. Basic beat but with weird percussion instrument. Shock's lyrics are slightly comical, unfocused ?uestions that mostly don't have answers. "Your Sun Iz A Pimp" is another track where Shock lets Humpty Hump take over the mic. Overall, the album covers all kinda ground. Basic Hip-Hop, thru' retro-feeling old skool influenced Hip-Hop, DU P-funkish stuff, slow stuff, fast stuff...everything. It also has some DJ-heavy trax featuring cuts by Q-Bert and D-Sharp. People always talk about beats being dope...but Shock keeps the beats dope and musical. The album is loaded with 17 trax and even tho' it dose have explict lyrics, it's really tastefull 4 the most part. Not 2 much cussing throughout it. The insert is filled with the same cartoons and comedy u find in the DU albums. There's something new 4 the Hip-Hop heads 2 check out. I found my copy of the album at Borders for $15.99.

There's alot more rappers that wanna be like FP...but they'll never admit it. What they don't know is that if u aren't a postive person, u'll never be respected by others. If your music is phoney garbage with no real lyrics, Hip-Hop heads will never respect them and their commerical fame will die away with the quickness. Another thing, u can't start a REAL career in acting unless u have skills. Since most artists are phoney and don't care about music and culture, they'll fail.

Here's a strange mix... THE ROOTS - Don't Say Nothin' BRANDY - Talk About Our Love (Bil Hamel Club Mix) JESSICA SIMPSON - Angels (Stealth Remix)

Kanye said Mase is his favorite rapper!?!?!?!? :roll: Oh lawd, what is his problem?!?!

FP and 2Pac were friends...i don't find that weird. Of course, i wouldn't really consider 2Pac a Deathrow artist. So many people didn't get in2 him until All Eyez On Me...so all these people look at him like a Deathrow artist, but he waz only on the label a matter of months. I can't imagin Petey Pablo hanging out with Deathrow...that just seems weird 2 me. MC Hammer on Deathrow waz probably the biggest surprise 2 me. Of course he got off the label with the quickness.

Mine is Code Red. When it 1st came out, it's the only thing i listened 2 for a loooooong time. Then of course we had 2 wait 4ever 4 a new album 2 come out....so i listened 2 it pretty often in between albums. Homebase, Big Willie Style, and Willennium are next in line.

Yeah, one of the things i loved about old skool Hip-Hop waz fantasy Hip-Hop and story-telling stuff. People like FP and Slick Rick still write stuff like that but the majority dosen't. If they attempt 2, it's usually about stupid stuff. Awhile ago, i just came 2 the conclusion that u can't expect anything from current new skool talent. If u want quality music anything like old skool...don't look 4 it by the artists that are on top of the charts.

Nope, they wanted 2 do one, but due 2 copyright issues, they couldn't. That's okay tho...cuz the song did very well as a single and just being on the radio. It still would have been hilarious tho.' We used 2 think their waz one that waz never released, but then Ready Rock C confirmed that they never did a video 4 the song.

FRIENDS DON'T LET FRIENDS LISTEN 2 EMINEM

I don't think of him as highly as alot of commercial rap fans do, but i do think he's one of the better artists 2 come out in recent years. However, after hearing about him charging a church lots of money 2 do a show which ended up really crappy, THEN him whining about not winning an award...that's just pathetic.

...somebody's smokin' something...

"Just Cruisin'" isn't a JJ+FP song. FP on the lyrics, Trackmasters on the beat. Dope song all around. I've always wanted 2 know if Jazzy Jeff did the scratches 4 the video version of the song tho.'

BUSTA RHYMES + ZHANE - It's A Party

Well, it depends on what u are trying 2 get across. If u wanna talk about comedy and story-telling type lyrics, there's trax like Girls Ain't Nothing But Trouble, Parents Just Don't Understand, Nightmare On My Street, I Think I Can Beat Mike Tyson, The Girlie Had A Mustache, Everything That Glitters, Who Stole My Car, U Saw My Blinker, Code Red. If u wanna display their overall style, I Wanna Rock, Pump Me Up, and half of the trax on He's The DJ, I'm The Rapper. If u wanna get in2 deeper stuff, there's Shadow Dreams and The Rain. Another thing u might wanna consider is just dubbing a simple medley covering all of their styles.

When emcees get big or want their stuff 2 be more-respected by people outside of Hip-Hop, they tend 2 use their regular name. Queen Latifah's new album is titled "The Dana Owens Album" and she definitly had other audiences in mind when she recorded it. LL Cool J is taking FP's personal advice that using his real name in films will make him more accessable and taken more seriously in the world of film. With Deliver Us From Eva, he waz credited as LL Cool J aka James Todd Smith. Since then, his acting has taken a turn 4 the better. His new clothing line is called Todd Smith. I don't think a name is that big of a deal...but i'd still like 2 see "Fresh Prince" on an album cover again.

JON B. + ODB - Everytime

Ahhh...no more silly topics. JJ+FP's music isn't kiddie stuff at all. FP's current stuff is often more "kiddie" than JJ+FP's stuff. And Fresh Prince isn't really an old skool name, it's his Hip-Hop name. All this polls and posts are killing me.

Kanye is turning out 2 be a real punk. He's turning in2 a really self-centered fool. Who takes those award shows that seriously?!?! He's not a country music fan i assume...i know i'm not. Who says she isn't just as big as he is in the world of country music!?!

I think your topics are getting just a bit 2 silly. Jeff often talks about the nite before "Rock The House" dropped and FP said "One day i'll do movies" and Jeff said "One day i'll do music for movies." They are following their blueprints from 1987. To commercial fans, FP waz of course the frontman of JJ+FP cuz he waz the lyrical one. 2 Hip-Hop heads, Jeff actually got more props 4 being one of the greatest DJs of all time. Ready Rock C got 'nuff props 2. FP alwasy intended on taking his career 2 new levels. Jeff had that option 2, but that's not what he wants. He just wants 2 spend time in the studio and make music. Everything else comes 2nd.

SHOCK G - Keep It Beautiful

I picked up Shock G's album "Fear of A Mixed Planet" and Destiny's Child's "Destiny Fullfilled." Both are good...expect short reviews from me soon.

I don't know about u guys...but most of my friends have a basic knowlege of the existance of JJ+FP. They don't know much about Jazzy Jeff's current projects these days simply cuz he dosesn't do 2 much commercial stuff...which is understandable. But most of my friend, from all areas and ages know about JJ+FP.

Yeah, i'll get Jazzy Jeff's new album if i find the 3-disc version here in the US. I have a feeling that i won't so i'll end up getting it on the internet. If it waz an actual studio album, i'd get it as soon as possible but since it's a mixtape/compilation type album, i'll wait til i find the 3-disc version.

I don't care much that my favorite artists are often overlooked and don't have top selling albums, but it is a shame that it seems that the less talent u have, the more success u get. There isn't really anyone out there like JJ+FP, but there are true skool Hip-Hopper out there that are releasing albums. KRS-One, De La Soul, Talib Kweli, Brand Nubian, LL Cool J, MC Lyte have all released albums in the past year or 2. U just gotta look around and give some artists a listen and see what fits u the best. Hopefully there will be a change in Hip-Hop/Rap's commercial success where some more artists with actual talent and creativity will get some shine.

BRAND NUBIAN - Young Son