Tag Archives: jay z

Politics

Big Labels are evil? Shocking.

August 17, 2008 – 7:44 am

I know it’s not really coming as that much of a surprise to you (especially since our post about the Roots struggling at Def Jam), but a lot of emcees out there are not impressed with the big labels.

Instead of investing in them and their talent, the big labels tend to cut people loose if they don’t perform as well as they had hoped.  It’s all about sales.

This article from Inside Nova fully illustrates that.  Citing specific examples, Dennis Winn really seems to take aim at major labels.  He starts off with a pretty big accusation:

“Nothing is more evident of this fact than the recent split between Atlantic Records and the Brooklyn emcee Saigon. Saigon, who signed with Atlantic in 2004, achieved considerable success as an indie artist prior to his major deal. After a number of mixtape releases, including the incredible “Warning Shots” LP, Sai was never able to capitalize on his momentum. Or better yet, maybe it was Atlantic that couldn’t capitalize on a raw emcee with tremendous poten-tial.”

He even points to current hip hop’s biggest commercial successes.  Kanye, Jay-Z, 50, all do well and move a ton of units, so big labels should be quite pleased.  But Winn’s assertion is that these emcees had to grow and be nurtured before they were able to do this, and had to earn their dues somewhat.

Some of it seems to make a little bit of sense, but some of it seems a little ranty at times.  Read the whole article and decide for yourself.

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Music

Timbaland producing new Jay-Z album

August 12, 2008 – 4:34 am

Timbaland (the producer who can do no wrong)  is reportedly producing Jay-Z’s new album.  Not that Jay-Z seems to need the help producing an insanely popular record, but I think having Tim behind your beats pretty much ensures it goes platinum several times over.

The last time these cats got together to make a track they ended up with Big Pimpin.  Not even one of my favourite tracks, but one that was a huge commercial success.

I think Timbaland’s severely unrerrated.  Not to say that people don’t recognize his actual beat-making talent, but that people don’t understand just how much of a starmaker he is.  Singlehandedly, he can make someone a success somehow.  He’s done it over and over again for everyone from Nelly Furtado to Keri Wilson (the girl from The Way I Are).

[Source: Pitchfork]

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Music

NYPD tracks rappers

August 10, 2008 – 6:51 am

The Virginia Gazette, a few months back, reported that the New York Police Department (NYPD) has collecting information about various rappers and their crews.  Why, you may ask?  Good question.

Now, there doesn’t appear to be any kind official policy in place to make this happen.  At least nothing that’s public knowledge.  But here’s what the article states:

“The NYPD has pulled together dossiers that contain photographs, arrest records and biographical information of hip-hop stars and their associates, as well as lyrics that make specific threats or brag about past wrongdoing, according to the retired detective who did most of the research, and documents obtained by Newsday.”

Oddly, they only really seem to concentrate on the super famous.  Jay-Z, 50 Cent, Puffy, DMX, Nas etc.  The mainstream rappers who everyone seems to know.

It’s interesting.  Most of the police want to make sure that they’re only gathering this information to learn more, to be more “hip hop savvy”, instead of actively pursuing the hip hop artists.  They don’t want it to seem like they’re profiling anyone, but it appears apparent that they are.

Read the article and check it out.

[Source: Virginia Gazette]

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Music

Mash-Ups To Get The Weekend Started Right

August 8, 2008 – 6:43 pm

So I was browsin’ through imeem.com today, looking for some new dopeness to listen to while I was at work.  I stumbled on to two absolutely ridiculous remix/mash-ups, and thought I would post them here for your listening pleasure.

The first is a blend of Beck’s “E-Pro” and Dr Dre’s “Next Episode” feat. Snoop D-O-double-G.  Check this madness out:

[Update: for some reason, you can only hear the full version of this track if you're logged on to imeem.com. My bad.]

The next mash-up appears like a bad match, but is actually one of the most gangster things I’ve ever heard: Simply Red’s “Sunrise” combined with Jay-z’s “Encore.” 

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Music

4080Records Strikes More Interweb Gold!

August 5, 2008 – 8:27 pm

This post’s title may be over the top, but its content sure as hell isn’t.   First up is a stupid fly remix of Tokyo Police Club’s “The Baskervilles” featuring Aesop Rock and Yak Ballz.  Whipped up by Amplive, this track is courtesy of okayplayer via Pitchfork.  Check out the song below, then visit the okayplayer post to watch a video of Amplive discussing its making.  And if you’re wondering who Yak Ballz is, after the jump check out a clip of him rhyming on air.

Also making waves on the web is talk of the imminent release of Lupe’s ”Paris, Tokyo“ remix.  Apparently it’s going to be huge.  At least if you believe all them bloggers.

Next is a leaked track from GZA’s upcoming album Pro Tools courtesy of The Full Clip via Where HipHop and Libertarianism Meet.  Called ”0% Finance,” the track has that classic Wu-minimalism vibe to it.

Finally, check out this K-Def remix of Jay-Z’s “Roc Boys.”  I’d describe it for you, but there’s no way I could improve on how the dude at Metal Lungies puts it: “Def’s version of “Roc Boys” is a complete about-face from the original’s feeling. It’s slow and downbeat, centered around a series of jazzy electric guitar riffs. Every few bars, the guitar is joined by urgent strings and police sirens. The remix switches the drums to light, live sounding drum taps. K-Def’s stripped down instrumental is compelling enough to demand attention by itself, while focusing the listener’s attention on the lyrics.”  Fo’ real.

Listen to the original here, then check out the remix:

Jay-Z – Roc Boys (K-Def Remix)

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Music

Jay-Z at Glastonbury

June 29, 2008 – 8:07 am

We’ve previously reported on Jay-Z headlining the Glastonbury festival, and just how annoyed that made Noel Gallagher.

Now that the festival is upon us, you can see Jay-Z hitting back in one of the best ways possible.

I give you the Jay-Z live cover of Oasis’ “Wonderwall”.

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Music

Lil’ Wayne Feels The Love

June 10, 2008 – 6:41 pm

Lil’ Wayne has been getting mad love recently. The CBC, Canada’s venerable national news service, compared his newest album, Tha Carter III, to “the 1990s opuses of 2Pac, the Notorious B.I.G. and OutKast – mega-selling, landmark releases that altered the course of rap music.” Diddy has called him the “best youngest rapper alive” and Jay-Z has annointed the New Orleans emcee his heir apparent: “As I share mic time with my heir/Young Carter, go farher, go further, go harder” Hov raps on “Mr. Carter”, a track on Tha Carter III.

So is Lil’ Wayne actually that good? To be honest, I’m not sure. I can’t remember ever seriously listening to any of his music. All of this positive coverage has piqued my interested, though, and as soon as I get my hands on a copy I’ll post a review.

In the meantime, head on over to nappyafro.com to listen to some bonus tracks.

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Music

The Green Album

June 4, 2008 – 8:26 am

Omer Saar (of universoulproductions fame) has cobbled together the Green Album, a collection of Al Green tracks mixed with acapellas from various rappers.

You’ll hear some Jay-Z, MF Doom, Common,  the Fugees, Pharycde, and others on this record.  So definitely a pretty dope tracklisting.

Check it all out at his blog here.

Now I know it seems suspiciously similar to the AlMatic post we did earlier, but it’s definitely not.  The Green Album is about 6 times as dope and definitely worth your time to download.

And it’s free.  I don’t know how long it’ll stay up (since these things seem to disappear faster than that pitcher of beer you bought for everyone), but it’s worth a look.  So head over to Omer Saar’s blog and download this ASAP.

And it’s just in time with Al Green’s new album, Lay it Down.

[Source: Okayplayer]

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Music

Jay-Z To Noel: Hip-Hop Deserves ‘Respect’

May 13, 2008 – 4:08 pm

Earlier, we reported how Noel Gallagher (of Oasis fame) was upset with the decision to include Jay-Z on the bill for the upcoming Glastonbury Festival because hip-hop isn’t “guitar music” and thus doesn’t fit with the festival’s “tradition.” Although festival organizers were quick to defend their decision to include Hova, the rapper himself remained largely quiet on the issue. Until now, that is.

In a recent interview with Bizarre Magazine, Jay ”hit back at Noel for being narrow-minded,” arguing that hip-hop “has put in its work like any other form of music.” According to Hova, although rappers don’t play guitar, the genre deserves as much respect as any other.

“[My headlining of Glastonbury] is just a natural progression. Rap music is still evolving,” Jay continued. “From Afrika Bambaataa DJ-ing  in the Bronx and Run-DMC going platinum, to Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince winning the first rap Grammy, I’m just next in line.”

It’s nice to see Jay defending hip-hop without resorting to name calling or finger pointing (a difficult prospect considering Noel is such an easy target). And I agree, hip-hop deserves legitimate respect. Although one might not enjoy listening to it, there is no denying that hip-hop requires as much artistry, creativity and technical skill as any other genre.

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Sample Sourcing

Sample Sourcing: The Lafayette Afro Rock Band’s “Darkest Light”

April 24, 2008 – 9:30 am

Today we explore one of my favourite samples: the blaring, haunting saxophone introduction to The Lafayette Afro Rock Band’s “Darkest Light” from their 1975 album Malik. Click below to listen:

The Lafayette Afro Rock Band - Darkest Light (Malik, 1975) [Sample]

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Formed in 1970 on Long Island, The Lafayette Afro Rock Band was originally called Bobby Boy Congress after vocalist Bobby Boy. Quickly realizing that ”America was already overloaded with funk acts” (1), the band relocated to France in 1971 where they caught the attention of producer Pierre Jaubert. Jaubert dramatically altered the group’s musical direction by encouraging them to blend ”the powerful Afro-beat tendencies” of Paris’ Barbesse community with the band’s “original solid (if workmanlike) funk.” (2) The resulting sound, a “heavy, dense, no compromise ghetto funk,” (3) propelled their second and third albums, 1974′s Soul Makossa (the source of another classic hip-hop sample: the drum break from ”Hihache”) and 1975′s Malik, to modest success.

Unfortunately, by the mid 1970s Jaubert had become infatuated with disco and convinced the band to record a novelty dance track called “Brazil” under the name Crispy and Company. The song became an instant hit, reaching #26 in the UK. Spurred on by the track’s success the band plunged headfirst into the disco wave, releasing albums like Frisco Disco and singles like “Dr. Beezar, Soul Frankenstein.” However, their disco success would be short-lived and the group disbanded soon after returning to the US in 1978.

Luckily for us, the band’s pre-disco catalogue has since been thoroughly mined by beat diggers and a number of excellent samples have been unearthed, the saxaphone introduction from “Darkest Light” being perhaps the best known and most recognizable of them. Melancholy and desolate, the sample is so effective for two reasons: first, because it is evocative - it elicits in the listener a unique emotional response - and second, because it is so versatile. Containing only a single instrument, the sample can be layered over any number of other samples to create an limitless variety of sounds.

Indeed, consider the diversity of the songs on which it has been used, some of which are listed below. On Jay-Z’s “Show Me What You Got”, the sample serves as a compelling counterpoint to the exuberant horns of Johnny Pate’s “Shaft In Africa.” On Public Enemy’s “Show ‘Em What You Got” the sample becomes a hypnotizing clarion call for empowerment while on Wreckx-N-Effect’s “Rump Shaker” it becomes a New Jack Swing summer jam.

Jay-Z – Show Me What You Got (Kingdom Come, 2006)

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Public Enemy – Show ‘Em What You Got (It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back, 1988)

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Wreckx-N-Effect – Rump Shaker (Hard Or Smooth, 1992)

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