General Principles

got dam GZA rips this shit

Wisemen - Wisemen Approaching

this is the joint ive been spinning the past couple days



didnt feel it too much at first, but i am coming around on it

it is dense

definitely a independent delivery as it would have little mass appeal although the message is universal

the album is spiritual and bleak and any elements of joy are overshadowed by laments


in that regard - it is not a very uplifting album


humor is important


one of the best things i read about independent Hip Hop came up in the Wu forum today:

I got bored listening to it in all honestly....this type of hip hop is being played out..I want some next level shit and this isn't it..all these indie mc's need to step their game up
- Marc051

if you cant bring it better than what is currently available - why bring it at all?

its almost embarrassing


as far as i can see - Doom is the benchmark

if you cant be as entertaining/enlightening as him - stay working in the lab until you can



but still - this is a good album

nice sounds for the ears but bleak lyrical content

Kool G Rap - 4, 5, 6

i dont know how G Rap gets slept on after all these years

even i slept on this album when it first came out back in '95



from the wikipedia entry:

4,5,6 is the solo debut by Hip Hop artist Kool G Rap, released in September 1995 through Cold Chillin' Records. The release followed his break-up with DJ Polo in 1993. The album was not received well critically, but was warmly accepted by underground fans. Despite the album's dark, grimy street sound, it peaked at number one on the R&B/Hip-Hop chart, and also featured two crossover hits, with the title track "4,5,6", and "Fast Life". The album features guest appearances from B1, MF Grimm and Nas, as well as production from Dr. Butcher, Naughty Shorts, T-Ray and Buckwild of D.I.T.C.

as far as im concerned - there may be rhymers as good as G Rap, but I'd be hard pressed to come up with anybody better


i been revisiting the mid-90's a lot lately

Keith Murray, Redman, O.C., Wu

even back then they were complaining that Hip Hop was dead

if it was dead then - then i have no idea what it is now


zombies on the mic


this album is heavy on the gun play, but G Rap tears it up

Target Market: Settled

Although there does not seem to be as much cross-over appeal for in-line skates as there is for skateboarding, the target market for this project is going to be the non-hardcore skaters - so i am going to be highlighting such aspects as:
- ease
- comfort
- durability
- functionality
- utility
of the in-line skates for my campaign

i am tempted to use the innovative 2-wheel company, but since style is going to be as significant of a selling-point as functionality, i am going to stick with one of the more conventional companies.

so i am going to go with K2

their logo is straight ill and i am looking forward to working with it (although i am still not in far enough to turn back if i change my mind in the next couple days)

on my mind right now is Lupe Fiasco - a lot of sources have been hailing his album and approach to Hip Hop as a landmark in crossing Hip Hop and skater culture

reasons for this are especially evident in his video 'Kick Push':




his other video 'I Gotcha' is also dripping wiff style:




i took a trip to the mall again to check out some other labels in general - but ima save the results of that trip for the next blog post


tomorrow

111

Tracks - Videos

the beat never dies

these tracks are slick and the videos got crazy style to boot -

Madlib - Take it Back




MF Doom - Monkey Suite




Madlib - Slim's Return




respect due to the dude in class that told me to look into Madlib's newer shit