bigted

Yeah we here always seem to focus on the negatives more than the positives, basically the hating is just jealousy Will is a household name, those like Bow Wow doesn't have any fans over 20 probably so they're small change, but Big Will/Fresh Prince reaches a lot of different age groups that not many artists period can, it's like you could ask the president who's Will Smith is and he'd know but if you ask him who Bow Wow is he wouldn't know, my parents are over 50 years old and they don't really like hip-hop but they'll be borrowing my DVDs to see his movies, if anybody over 50 years old does like hip-hop though there's probably a good chance they like JJFP though and they wouldn't know anything about 50 Cent or they'd hate him, lol, if Will and Jazzy do a world tour, we'll be seeing parents going with their kids to see the shows, lol....

That's what seperates Will from other rappers in the game, he got fans from all walks of life, those who're 30 and over would probably say "Girls Ain't Nothin' But Trouble", "Parents Just Don't Understand", and "Brand New Funk", those who're between 20-30 probably would say "Summertime", "Men In Black", and "Gettin' Jiggy Wit It" and the teenagers and young kids probably just know him for "Switch" and maybe "Black Suits Comin", Will reaches many generations of fans lol....

Well you know record labels are money hungry bastards, it's funny that you mention 50 'cause he's on the same label as Will, the label spent way more time into promoting him and all of his beefs than anything Will did last year, the reason why "Lost and Found" wasn't promoted enough was 'cause it wasn't your average watered down disposable music that gets on the radio but despite the weak promotion more than 1 million people in the world went out to buy it which is the maximum for most creative artists these days 'cause gimmicks outsell talent right now: "Black radio/they don't play me though/even though the fans went out and bought enough/Guess they think Will ain't hard enough", easily though if he had more support from his record label, his albums could easily reach millions of fans still 'cause he does have a lot of people out there check for him, don't hate the player, hate the game, maybe if they stopped promoting "Laffy Taffy" garbage and actually supported real mcs hip-hop would be in a golden era again like when they put energy in getting all kinds of mcs no matter what style they were, there's a stream of real artists out there that need to get on and recognized, seeing garbage like that winning awards and getting on the radio all day makes me ashamed to say I'm a hip-hop fan sometimes myself, you can't blame Will for not wanting to do music that much anymore, he could release albums every year but the labels still won't promote him enough to outsell all the garbage artists, having black radio stations not playing his songs is the reason why he ain't the most popular rapper out now that'd would be like if some theaters didn't play his movies he wouldn't be the most popular actor either, people'd want to see it but if it ain't available for them they won't see it, there's a lot of people that'd be interested in hearing Will on the radio and would cop the albums, the movie industry is simply more supportive of him than the music industry is.... Will probably wanted "Tell Me Why" to drop right away since he recorded it 3 years ago but Interscope had the final say on what to drop, they decided to put all their energy on Em/50 instead, they act like only kids listen to hip-hop but there's a lot of older heads out there starving for real hip-hop again but they don't seem to care, "Back when rap was smart and multilayered/we could rap without A&R's and ultimadems", the industry bull**** is taking away the love of the game, a lot of behind the scenes stuff is holding Will back from reaching his full potential, maybe if they weren't bull****tin' so much and let him release what he wanted he'd be interested in doing more, think about that now....

:word: It's a shame that PE has put out a lot of albums and done quite a bit of tours over the last 10 years but only one of them went gold, most of the general public was just introduced to Flava Flav now on "Flava Of Love" but that wasn't PE related so they won't know about PE still, but anyways how would y'all feel if Will gave up acting completely and released a bunch of albums that hardly anybody except a few thousand loyal fans even heard of with no radio station playing his singles? It's like a lot of Will's ol' school peers are only remembered for what they did 15 years ago even if they dropped albums recently.... At least you could say 1 million people who bought "Lost and Found" heard "Tell Me Why" and 2 million who got "Willenium" heard "The Rain" even though they never got released to radio and more than 30 million have made purchases on his 9 albums even if they turn their backs on him later, there was a point in their life that they enjoyed it, they can't front, Will definately is/was being heard which is something you can't say about other great artists and it'll remain that way 'cause he diversifies his audience even more when he does films so he could always come back drop a song/album and have people that never heard him before check for his music as well as us loyal fans 'cause he could go promote on places like Good Morning America, Today Show, and Access Hollywood, hell he could perform at the White House if he wants to, lol, rather than just the usual TRL and 106&Park that most rappers could only go on/some even not allowed to go 'cause his acting career has given him a larger platform that nobody could shut down, we should appreciate, not hate, whatever Will has the passion to do, he'll have fans cheering him on, he's a champion in life....

Imagine what fans of Heavy D must feel like after waiting 7 years and still no album to drop anytime soon :ohdear: Will's prime of his rap career was before a lot of us started listening to him when he did the 5 albums with Jazzy Jeff, when he was touring, had a lot of street credability when they were selling millions and winning awards including the 1st grammy in rap history all before he started a family and his movie career that's out now, we can't bring back the past but there's a lot of great artists who haven't dropped one platinum album in their career and that's one of Will's worst sellling, that ain't bad, they'd love to say that, Common took 7 albums to go platinum just now... I wish I was born earlier so I could've lived in the golden era myself 'cause I feel out of place with what's out now since I like so much ol' school stuff, lol, the music industry has changed so much and the way I look at it ain't his fault, it's probably not as fun for Will to do music if you think about the way it's changed for the worst, maybe if the rap game returns to the golden era again he'll wanna do more but until then I think he'll probably stick with doing more films 'cause like Julie said that's where he gets the most popularity and respect at right now, the average time on top for a rap artist is not that long, in a few years 50 Cent'll be out of the spotlight himself and if he makes it to his 9th album he'll go double wood 'cause he don't have the talent and the desire to make it that far, his prime past after he got signed, he's only living off Eminem's fanbase that's fading too lol... LL Cool J don't sell as much as he did 10 years ago and he's been in the game the longest being the most dedicated and talented artist to stay on top as an ultimate entertainer just like Will. I'll be surprised if he ever sells as much as "Mr. Smith" and "Mama Said Knock You Out" again even though he's still putting out hits, I can't complain about that since he could still get on 106 & Park and TRL, Public Enemy released an album last week and it only sold 5,000 copies in the 1st week and their videos can't even get premiered when they used to go platinum, they release albums every year so there goes my theory of saying that releasing all the time'll keep your fanbase, lol, the fans have crap taste in music and have sold out from the great artists, not the opposite, as I put this in perspective I can't complain, true talent'll prevail in the long run though, Will still could be dropping hits 10 years from now as long as he's still alive while these wack chart rappers out now'll be long gone from the spotlight, VH1'll be doing a special: "Where is 50 Cent now?"

Well you're right about that 'cause LL does as much movies as Will does, in fact he signed a contract to do 9 films so who knows it might be awhile until we get an album after he releases "Todd Smith", Rakim hasn't really released an album in 7 years either just like Slick Rick, Heavy D, Big Daddy Kane Queen Latifah and others who haven't released anything longer than that, JJFP released 5 albums in 7 years and had a lot of success, if you look at who's popular now, you see that they release albums at about that same pace, it's kind of hard to do at this point for Will to do 'cause he's not in the prime of his music career anymore being more focused on films, like Kev said though he could release less films now if he wanted 'cause he's really popular there and could do only one film a year and spend more time to tour and record, I don't mind if he does films but it's upsetting that his film career overshadowed his music career, he needs more balance so that he'll be having equal respect and popularity at music and movies, but no matter what though you can't expect ol' school artists to carry hip-hop forever, it's a young man's game, you could do movies when you're older...

:word: To Jim, I couldn't say it better myself, at this point Will is in a confortable financial position as one of the richest men in America already, if he really loved music as much as he said he does he could do it more often and he'd get the recognition he deserves, if he really worried about his image he'd release the right singles when he wants to, he hasn't been that hands on with his music career like he should be, he could've kept the momentum from high sales on "Big Willie Style" up if he got the proper singles for "Willenium" and the other albums after that to come out, simply put he doesn't make it any easier for himself just doing a bunch of blockbuster films and releasing an occasional album is making him look like a sellout, he can't expect to get a lot of props for his music if he don't tour at all in the last 20 years, he ain't giving the fans what they want, and he's more respected as an actor 'cause he puts out movies every year, if he put out movies every 3 years he wouldn't be a popular actor anymore right? But when it comes to his music fans they have to wait and that's why his popularity has declined, fans are impatient, even us hardcore fans of him are feelin' alienated, I don't wanna hear that bs about how he got a family that's why he can't tour either, a lot of the artists have kids and they still have time to tour, maybe us fans set the expectations too high though, a lot of rappers are going to movies and are dropping less albums though so Will ain't the only doing this, it's frustrating though I feel you, but at this point I don't even care anymore and I'm happy with whatever comes out, I have more things in my life to worry about than my favorite rapper releasing an album....

Yeah I'm gonna pin this thread since there's so many posts here :1-eek:

Who is this petition being sent to? I think it's way too late to be doing this now, nobody cares anymore :shakehead:

Again usually the highest sellest artists are the ones who do tours, Eminem, 50 Cent, Kanye West, Black Eyed Peas, and all of them popular rappers have world tours, even the pop stars like Britney and Madonna have world tours, Will seems to be one of the only music artists not to do tours, "Lost and Found" would've done better if there was a tour last spring/summer, "Code Red" might've done better if JJFP had a tour when that dropped too, you see though that your theory of associating music with television and film doesn't always work either, "Boom! Shake The Room" was premiered on FPOBA back in the days but that didn't stop "Code Red" from being the lowest selling JJFP album, "Black Suits Comin'" and the mega success of "MIBII" didn't stop "Born To Reign" from being the lowest selling album of his career either, then again selling 200,000 is the average of most rappers who don't do acting these days and that's Will's worst so he ain't doing too bad if you look at the big picture, it'd be nice if he toured though, maybe if more saw him and Jazzy rockin' the house, they'd respect him as a music artist and it'd save people from wasting money to see 50 Cent, that'd actually save some lives :kekeke:

I didn't serious think that be a good idea to do but I was just saying that if he was coming out as a singer now he'd probably have short term success, lol, but would end up being a one-hit wonder with no credabilty like most of them are gonna end up being since true talent prevails in the long term, the music industry is filled with a bunch of disposable artists, Will has stood the test of time, he don't need to change a damn thing, he only needs a record label that'll promote his albums enough so that everyone knows that it came out so they could buy them, maybe if they spent less time promoting disposable trash and promote the true artists that've stood the test of time and that music fans respect the most then maybe the music industry would be better than it is now, to see Ciara outselling Toni Braxton is a joke just like seeing 50 Cent outselling Will ....

Well if Will came out now he probably might be able to make it as a singer 'cause most singers out now can't sing either, they need to have rappers on their songs to have hits, lol, btw it's a bad idea to say Will'd sell more if he was r&b 'cause he outsells all r&b artists not named Usher or R. Kelly already, nobody really buys r&b anymore, Toni Braxton only sold 200,000 on her last album, overall I'm really happy with the way sales are for Will right now, not many artists in the industry could put out 9 albums that sell well over 30 million+, Will's unique the way he is, he should do what he wants to do, he shouldn't have to change to fit in with the hot trend sellin', he never had to rely on that so why start now? 'Cause I don't see 50 and those other pop artists on top of the charts selling that much when they're on their 9th albums 'cause they get overexposed, even Britney Spears goes from selling 20 million when she came out to selling 2 million with her last album and she's only like on her 4th, she probably won't even go gold on her 9th album if she even makes it that far...

:word: I also can't believe that DJ Premiere would produce for Black Eyed Peas before producing for Will...

Happy Birthday Max from one Piesces to another! :rockon:

I think r&b was more popular when "Born To Reign" came out and how well did that album do? And would that really help his image? Hell no, Will can't sing that well he's an mc, that'd put a nail in the coffin on his career if he made an r&b album!! :paperbag:

You could check out what Fat Joe said when you fast forward this an hour into the program, he's there vibin' with Jazzy Jeff and says a lot of nice things about him too, Fat Joe basically got love for everyone except G Unit, lol, you don't have to like his music but he's a cool dude, he doesn't go around dissin' other people just to hype up his sales: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/westwood/index.shtml btw, there is 45 year old rappers already, I mean Public Enemy's still going strong and Chuck D's 45 years old

Yeah it's all love with Fat Joe, he was saying that he respects what Will has done for hip-hop, he basically means that Will's the top dawg in the industry, that wasn't a diss man so chill...

Well that's the point no matter who'd win there'd be somebody complaining, I don't think Will got any beef with Three Six Mafia 'cause they won an Oscar before him either

A lot of people in the hip-hop buisiness got love for Will too though, I was just listening to Fat Joe saying on Tim Westwood's that Fresh Prince sounds like money and everyone in hip-hop got love for him, anyways I enjoyed reading this LL article, hopefully this'll get everyone anticipating his album, btw if this was 5 years ago and somebody asked LL if he thought he was a legend he'd say yes, he has really humbled himself over the years, lol....

Thanks for that Tim, Jazzy and Fat Joe were vibin' there, it was nice to see Fat Joe show love to FP too...

Yeah I like that E-40 track too, it's hard to believe that Lil' Jon produced it, I don't like much of his production but this track is hot, I saw that special on the Bay Area on MTV2 last weekend

This topic should be pinned if this is so important, I'm gonna think of a really good question to send to that link, btw Johnny you should post the link to your 'Tell Me Why' video there and ask Will what he thinks of it

http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/feature/art...t_id=1002154697 LL Cool J: 'I Do What Comes Natural, What I Love' March 08, 2006 LL Cool J "Few are able to get to the top. LL Cool J has stayed there and thrived. From 'Rock the Bells' and 'Around the Way Girl' to our new collaboration 'Control Myself,' LL's hard work and inspired creativity have allowed him to stay as relevant and influential today as ever." -- Jennifer Lopez "LL Cool J did what everyone said was impossible. He defied every rule and paved the way for hip-hop to reach a whole new level of global influence and achievement. LL Cool J was the cornerstone of Def Jam Records, the first superstar who proved that rap artists could be career artists. Over the past 20 years, he has continued to reinvent himself and stay on top." -- Atlantic Records president Julie Greenwald "I've seen him grow up and come through the clinches of this business and manage to keep his head, his integrity and his strength as a strong black brother. I am very proud of him and have nothing but love for him. We made it to the top. I was there four or five years before him, but now it's good to see him sitting across from me. We're still in it to win it." -- Angie Stone "LL Cool J was one of the first teen hip-hop artists and one of the first hip-hop artists to bring the music to the masses. As a teen artist I realize how hard it can be for people to accept many of my records as mature. LL Cool J showed that he too was relevant." -- JoJo "LL Cool J is one of the founders of the hip-hop revolution and without a doubt is one of the most important rap artists of all time. His influence goes beyond music alone. LL Cool J is a cultural force." -- Warner Music Group executive VP Kevin Liles "We've been fans for a long time. LL is a hip hop legend n it was an honor to work with him especially on a song that speaks our language!" -- Mary Mary's Erika Atkins "He has been a pioneer. At a recent industry function, younger artists such as Ludacris, Kanye West and Chris Brown talked to Def Jam executives about LL Cool J's important influence on them. Not only has he opened doors, but he has served as an inspiration to them." -- Flipsyde's Piper "I knew he had a rare combination of talents and was destined to be a musical pioneer who would forever have a profound impact on the world of music. Hip-hop owes a debt of gratitude to LL Cool J. Hip-hop and rap wouldn't be half of what it is today without his influence and amazing body of work." -- Warner Music Group chairman/CEO of U.S. recorded music Lyor Cohen "LL Cool J gave me belief, being I'm from Queens... His work ethic and staying power was a key example for my life professionally." -- Yummy Bingham Quotes compiled by Debbie Galante Block. March 08, 2006 Gail Mitchell Grow. That word pops up frequently in conversation with LL Cool J. Indeed, since the rapper became the first Def Jam artist to release a single some 20 years ago, it seems to have become part of his mantra. His focus on professional and spiritual growth has resulted in a slew of hit records, two Grammy Awards and noteworthy roles on TV (including hosting the 2005 Billboard Music Awards in December) and in film. That still does not take into account his numerous humanitarian efforts, his role as a product pitchman or the recent launch of his Todd Smith clothing line during New York's Fashion Week. "I'm having a great time, a real good time," he tells Billboard. "Very thankful about where my career is at. Hopefully, I'll be able to give people some good, quality music and film in the future." Fresh off the success of his latest film with Queen Latifah, "Last Holiday," and on the eve of releasing his 12th Def Jam album -- "Todd Smith," which comes from the rapper's given name, James Todd Smith -- LL looks back on what has powered his double-decade career. The theme of "Last Holiday" was all about possibilities in life. This could be applied to your own. Did you think 20 years ago that you would be where you are now? Honest to God, I can tell you that the answer is no. I mean, where I'm at was a fantasy back then. I guess I focus so much on trying to build and trying to grow that maybe sometimes I don't even pay attention to where I'm at. What was your aim starting out? Just to record and album and get on the charts? A: My aim was just to hear my record on the radio. I just wanted to hear my record on the radio and get a Mercedes [laughs]. In that order [laughs]. That was it. I just kept working at it and God blessed me. I've just been focusing on growing as a human being spiritually and as a businessman and as an artist; To consistently go after new things and allow myself to mature. Let more people into my life to help me creatively and on all levels. This all has just been a growing process. In the past you have said you feel you are at the beginning of your career again because there are so many possibilities out there. Do you still feel that is true? Yes, of course. I'm still very young in dog years. I've just been doing this a long time in terms of being a professional. I still look forward to having a lot more fun [and] introducing the world to some interesting things I have going on in my life, [like] doing more films [and] working on more companies. Since finishing your new album, "Todd Smith," how would you compare the studio process then versus now? If I had to choose whether or not it gets easier or harder, I would have to say it gets harder. Well, you know what, maybe that's not correct. It's just different. The challenge always becomes trying to do the best work you can, trying to make the best music you can, trying to do something that's really exciting -- and at the same time not repeating yourself. On the album you have as guests Mary J. Blige, Lyfe Jennings, Freeway, Jennifer Lopez again... Also Mary, Mary, 112, Teairra Mari, Ginuwine. Juelz Santana. What producers did you work with? A: Bink, Trackmasters, Pharell Williams, Jermaine Dupri. In such a youth-oriented industry, do you feel pressured to make records that will attract that market? I don't really know how to do that. All I can really do is what I do and what comes natural, what I love. All I can do is make the best music I can and hope that people enjoy it. Whatever project I'm involved with, I try to make it positive and fun and cool. I just make it to my taste, in other words, and go from there. Along those lines, you're a father of four children whose ages range from 5 to 16. The subject matter of hip-hop and videos has gotten much racier over time. As your kids get older, how do you reconcile that with what you do? A: Look, let's be frank about: it could be cleaner. There's room for a little more positivity. I think women can be displayed in a way that's beautiful without making them look like tramps. It is what it is. There's no need in pretending that's not a problem. It is. Everybody has the right to see what they want to see and at a certain age. God gave us free will, so who am I to try and impose my will on someone else? But that being said, he gave us liberty, but at the same time you still want to take responsibility for the people you're influencing. That doesn't mean I won't do any sexy videos. It doesn't mean I don't want to have beautiful girls in my videos or in the stuff I'm doing. I just think it could be a little classier sometimes, that's all. I don't want this to seem like I'm bashing my industry because I'm not. The industry as a whole is in a good place. We've just got to take a few more risks [and understand] that people would like something different. What was your aim when you started out in this business? I just wanted to hear my record on the radio and get a Mercedes. In that order. [laughs] That was it. I just kept working at it, and God blessed me. What has changed the most about the music industry in the last 20 years? Rap music has become much more visually driven, much more money-driven and even more producer-driven. Is that a good or bad thing? Just different. The visual thing is tough but not necessarily bad. Nowadays, your video is as important as your song. So now you not only have to be a person who can make great music, but you have to be able to deliver a vision on it. But then again, that part is good, because it makes you really have to dig deep as an artist. As far as it being more economically driven, I mean, you know, that's good and bad. You make more money, but at the same time it's a trade-off. Do you think you could start in the record business today? It's cool that's a question I'll never have to answer. [laughs] I'll let you answer that. Whatever you say is right. How about no? That's even funnier. After all these years, do you consider yourself a legend? A legend? I guess I'd say no, only because considering yourself a legend would mean letting your past hold your future hostage, and I don't do that. At some point you embrace what you've done and [are] happy. If you've got your hands on the plow and you look back, the lines won't be straight in the ground. You've got to keep moving forward. But I definitely respect and appreciate the amount of time I've been doing what I'm doing, and I know it's a unique position to be in, and I don't take it for granted. But it's still fun for you? Absolutely. I love it. I love the creative and the people. The politics I could do without. But the politics and the hard work just come with that. Jay-Z once said no one wants to see a 45-year-old rapper. Do you agree there is a shelf life, so to speak, for rappers? We've got to see where this industry is going. As much as I respect that sentiment, the reality is there will be 45-year-old rap fans. Who will they want to see? So the question more importantly for me would be, do I want to be doing this in 10 years? I can't answer that. I don't know what I want to do 10 years from now. I don't know if when I'm in my mid-40s I'll want to do what I was willing to do in my mid- to late 30s. For the past 10 years you have managed your own music career. Is it hard juggling being an artist and a manager? Do people think they can take advantage? [laughs] Well, you can think what you want to think. Now whether or not you can actually pull it off, that's another conversation. This ain't just been... 20 years of champagne popping and going chain swinging. I prefer to take a hands-on approach to my career; it just gives me a certain level of comfort. I don't want to make it seem I'm the be-all, end-all and the buck stops here all the time. I have a lot of people I consult with You have had your brushes with disses, and watched the feud between Nas and Jay-Z play out. How do you feel about these types of feuds in the hip-hop community? Peace is always better than war. Competition is fun in hip-hop, but you can be competitive by making good records. We don't have to dis one another. But at the same time, there's nothing wrong with that either as long as it stays [rooted] in fun. Which of your albums represents the quintessential LL Cool J? I don't think there is such a thing as quintessential. To use Michael Jackson as an example, you could compare "ABC" to "Rock With You" -- they are from different eras but equally important. On a sentimental level, "Mama Said Knock You Out" is an important record, because it was dedicated to my grandmother [who] passed away. Album-wise, I don't really have a favorite. Maybe the "Mr. Smith" album to a certain extent, just because it was a time of maturity and a time when I went to a different level in my mind -- spiritually, emotionally, mentally, psychologically. Art is funny. I don't have one [favorite] record. I have quite a few singles I like lot. My favorite single is "Doin' It." Who are your biggest influences? I'm influenced by everything. As music changes, my influences change. What influenced me in 1996 is not necessarily what influences me now. Right now, I'm influenced by everything that's out now, that's going on now. Madonna has been a strong influence on me in a lot of ways. I've always admired the way she's handled her career. They counted her out, and she's caught up right now. There's a very what-have-you-done-for-me-lately mentality in the music business. But art and the music business are two different things, and you can never count a great artist out. Who haven't you worked with yet who is still on your wish list? Those are the types of things I kind of let happen naturally. Are you planning to tour? I haven't toured on any of my albums since, like, "Mr. Smith," but I think I may tour on this one. I like it. I think it's worthy. Not that the others weren't. But I think this one feels like a record that I want to get out and tour on. It just feels right. Do you like touring? I like the actual concert. Everything in between I could do without. [laughs] The airports, [going] in and out of the hotels, that's tough for me. That's why I hardly tour. It's just so grueling. But I think I'm going to go ahead and give people some love on this one. What is your take on the whole debate about rappers turning to acting? It's our responsibility as human beings to maximize the use of all of our talents. That's a biblical principal. You're supposed to use all of your talents. If you don't put everything to use, then it will be taken from you. So to limit yourself and not take advantage of everything you have the potential to do is foolish. Do you find yourself pigeonholed in terms of scripts because you are a rapper? People would only be able to pigeonhole me if I was greedy. I could work a lot more as an actor doing stereotypical roles that people associate with rappers, but I choose not to. It's not easy. They didn't think of me for "Last Holiday," [because the role was] way, way different than anything I've ever done. The studio had to be convinced. People don't associate me with an everyday guy like the guy in the movie. It's not so much about the degree of difficulty, it's about how far away it is from how people perceive you. I've definitely been through that, and I still go through that. But I think "Last Holiday" is a perfect example of me getting the opportunity to get outside of that box. This next question is for the ladies. How often do you work out to maintain your physique? I'm actually in the process of doing a book. We just put together a deal for a workout book that will give people the ins and outs of how I do what I do physically -- my diet, my workout, my philosophy, my ideology. It will probably come at the top of next year. Is there a second autobiography on the horizon? I want to see what happens with this workout book. It has a lot of material in there, [and] it will be very personal. We'll see what happens from there. If, God willing, I live a little bit more, then we can address the sequel.

Well hey now it's quality over quanity, you don't have to have 10 albums out to be considered among somebody's favorite artists, now I think Kel Spencer with the few material he's made is definately as talented as those who made 10 albums, especially since a lot of established rap artists like FP, Heavy D, Teddy Riley, Diddy(oh nevermind him 'cause most of the industry makes his lyrics, lol), and MC Lyte have asked him to help them with their lyrics, not many could say that, that mixtape he dropped is definately one of the best albums I've heard in years, record labels should be fighting over signing this man, putting him in the top 10 is more legit than a lot of the rappers some of y'all mentioned here, even though you should already know who they are, lol, I'm not gonna say who 'cause I don't wanna start beef but Kel definately could rip a lot of your favorite rappers out now and that'll be seen once he gets on, I think the compilation project he's working on with Will is gonna help a lot of people get to know him.... I'll happily agree with anyone who says Kel Spencer is one of their favorites 'cause he's one of my favorites too, I'm gonna be posting a review on that mixtape, if he don't blow up soon the music industry has no heart, his time'll come soon and a lot of hip-hop heads will be putting him among the all time greats... Btw, I gotta add Heavy D, Mary J. Blidge, Rakim, Blackstreet, Guy, Slick Rick, Destiny's Child, James Brown, and DMX to the list of my favorite artists I like listening to....

It looks like we're finally getting some hip-hop albums to look forward to over these next few months, it's been a slow start to this year so far, that gave me time to get Kel Spencer's mixtape which I'm gonna post on soon and I still gotta get Aceyalone's album which I'm surprised Tim didn't make a post about here unless I missed it, lol, but anyway these are the albums I'm looking forward to, fingers crossed they don't get pushed back: March 7 Public Enemy - Rebirth Of A Nation(looking forward to copping this by the weekend) Various Artist - Paris Presents: Hard Truth Soldiers Vol. 1(I'm looking forward to getting this one soon as well) March 14 DMC (formerly of Run DMC) - Checks, Thugs & Rock N' Roll(does this really come out next week?) Various Artist - Dave Chappelle's Block Party March 21 nothing interesting this week March 28 Jagged Edge - Jagged Edge April 25 Diddy - Against All Odds(might check out for this album since Kel Spencer, Nas, and Common are ghostwriting on it, lol) April 2006 Busta Rhymes - The Big Bang Outkast - Idlewild (OST)(I heard this got pushed back till the summer but we'll see) Pharrell Williams (a.k.a. Skate Board P) - In My Mind May 2 LL Cool J - Todd Smith(the album I'm most looking forward to!!!) May 2006 Redman - Red Gone Wild(who knows if this ever comes out???) I'm not looking any further than that for now if all those above came out I'd be very happy, anything released after that is wishful thinking like JJFP and Biz Markie doing a "So Fresh Part II" on Slick Rick's "The Adventure Continues" album which we don't know'll ever come out, we'll probably also have to wait a few years for the Kel Spencer/Will Smith compilation album, lol...