Rap Beef? What is this '96?

What's up with all of this "rap beef" lately? First JD come out of his mouth with that "the DJ is dead..." junk! Jermaine Dupri has been around music far too long to make such a remark. He knows full well that the DJ is the heart that pumps the blood through the veins of Hip-Hop.!

These remarks brought forth a lashing by both DJ Kay Slay and DJ Greg Street. Street probably took ish too far, on some self righteous ish, but he makes some decent points regarding JD's business practices. Click here to see Greg Street rant. 

Then you got Lil Wayne dissing all the DJ's! Dude just flat out said "F**k all mixtape DJs...". Though he quickly retracted that statement on DJ Drama's radio show, that little remark got some dudes agg-gra-vated! Peep here to hear Lil Wayne on Drama's show setting the record straight as to how he truly feels. Dude must have forgotten that the DJ is the reason why he's the hottest rapper out right now. Anyway... I digress.

Then you got ya boy Shaty Lo of "Dey Know" fame coming hard at the King of The South, T.I.  It started off kind of tame but now the gloves are off. L-O claims that T.I.P. ain't from Bankhead and that he needs to "be acknowledged".  T.I. on the other hand says that Shawty is just looking for some shine and likens him to a "dog barking at the moon". LOL! I hear that the two even took some verbal shots at each other during Atlanta's Hot 107.9 Birthday Bash this past weekend. Good to hear that T.I.P. can get out of the house now. Check his performance out... 

I like T.I., I think that he's one of the best artist in Hip-Hop right now. He has undeniable talent, and he's one of the more consistent Hip-Hop artist out today. I dig my man L-O's music too, but he still has some work to do before I'd consider him a formidable opponent for Tipper. Just saying...

Now you got Trick Daddy and my boy Ricky "The Boss" Ross going at the lil homie Plies. (Mind you they've all recorded several songs together). Here is a quick clip of ole Trick Daddy Dollars, you gotta be an old Hip-Hop head to remember when he had the "Dollars" on his name still. LOL, anyway, here's a quick clip of Trick calling Plies out of his name. So disrespectful....

Rick Ross had a thing or two to say about Plies too, something in regards to Plies should be thanking him and Trick for his career. Can you say... Insecurity. So sensitive... Mind you he did this at an over seas show. Hmmmmm.

Okay, THEN you got your boy Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson trying to pick a rap beef with Lil Wayne and as of late it seems that he took a shot at T.I. Allegedly 50 had sump'n to say about T.I. getting off with one year after catching a weapons charge. He did get caught with like a  million guns, but I suspect that it was money that was doing the talking there... not T.I.P.

Why can't Curtis just sale records based on the merit of his music rather than picking fights to boost sales. Lame!

Anyway, who knows if all this "rap beef" is even real.

Oh speaking of 50, here is a quick clip of Young Buck telling 50 to "F**k Off"! LOL! I can't help but do this yall.... (*In My best Cam'ron voice*) "Currrrrrtissssssss"

Anyway all that said. I think beef is lame. I hope that none of this spills over into anything more serious that what it seems now. Hip-Hop doesn't need this madness! Wake up brothers... all of you guys are earning more money than you could doing anything else legally, and each of you are at the current forefront of this culture. You know they're watching you. Smarten up guys there is more to made made with unity. All this beefing is lame and you guys need to knock it off. Half of it isn't even believable anyway, some of it is just an obvious ploy for attention and a stab at trying to become more relevant. Where is Lupe Fiasco when you need him. "Hip-Hop saved my life.."???

Mannnnnn... My Bad Ya'll...

Aight ya'll I'm back. I know I been absent like a mugg. Been busy and been busy. Anyway, a lot has happened during my absence. Hella news in Hip-Hop, me vida loca, politics, and much much more. Shouts out to my homies at the Neo-Soul Cafe' for an excellent job on the I Got Soul music conference. I should have pubbed it here, but like I said... I been busy and been busy. Let's go...

Is there a HULK in you? Can you handle the HULK?

I've had this post on my mind for more than a few weeks now. I guess that I should start by explaining the whole HULK thing. I use the word HULK to describe that big green monstrous creature inside all of us. We all have a HULK inside of us, and most of us hide our HULKs well. I hide my HULK well and most people that I know do the same. However, we all have our times when that HULK just bust out of us. I would assume that different things can bring out the HULK in each of us, I know that this is true for me. What about you?

In remembering the Incredible Hulk T.V. show, I would imagine that we all struggle with our inner HULK the same as Dr. David Banner did in the T.V. series. Each episode someone or a group of people would do something to set the good doctor off. At the very hint of trouble, Dr. Banner would warn the culprit not to go there. If the trouble persisted he'd warn them again, by the third time he would drop the infamous "Don't make me angry... you wouldn't like me when I'm angry" line. I know this is true for me. What about you?

I assure ya'll that I'm not just shooting off at the mouth. I've given this some very deep thought. HULK! I think it's the perfect description for that side of us all that even we don't like... especially when we're angry. Just like the character HULK on television, we all look uglier when we turn into our HULK, we all damage and destroy things when we become HULK, even in good intention, we all immediately regret allowing our HULK to be exposed; just like Dr. David Banner felt after his HULK had overtaken him. I know this is true for me. What about you?

I've never been one to apologize about my HULK, I know that it's an instinct, we all use it to protect ourselves in some way or another. Perhaps you HULK to save face, maybe you become HULK when you're hurt, angry, depressed, drunk, excited, whatever. 

Imagine how frustrated Dr. Banner had to be with his HULK, after all, it's a weakness for us all. Our HULKs tend to be a manifestation of our hurt, anger, scorn, resent, sorrow, regret, fear, and whatever else you want to add. Our HULKs tend to protect us, but hurt others. Our HULKs scare everyone, even the "good guys".... even ourselves. I know this is true for me. What about you?

Though I've never been one to apologize for my HULK. I would like to do so now... publicly on this blog. To any and everyone who has ever had to face my HULK, I apologize, I apologize for the big green monster. I know that he is ugly and scary and not pleasant to deal with. My most sincere apologies. We all have HULKs to try and contain, but I have let mine surface at the most inopportune times and he's hurt people that I know and love. I'm working on becoming a better man. I feel proud of some of the small goals that I've accomplished in the past months. I hope to show everyone more of my good side, I hope to be a better everything to everyone. What about you?

Bullet and a Target! A few thoughts... (Part Deaux)

Part 2 is coming soon...

Here is the link to part 1  Bullet and a Target.

Women Get Yourselves Together! Buss It Baby T.V.??? Seriously???

Okay so once again, my apologies for being absent, but I'm back now. I know ya'll missed me and my Vida Loca. I was reading Hip-Hop DX and ran across an interview with Plies (pictured on the right), for those who don't know, Plies is a Rap artist from Ft. Myers, Florida. He's what one could call "hot" right now. I like Plies as an artist, he's good for what he is, which is a self proclaimed "goon". I liken him to New Orleans rapper B.G., formerly of Cash Money. Plies may be best known for his hit singles "Shawty" featuring the infamous T-Pain and his latest single "Buss It Baby" featuring Ne-Yo. Plies keyed the term Buss It Baby, and I have to admit, when I first heard the song I found myself using the term Buss It Baby whenever I could. I thought it was funny in a Ha Ha the jokes on you sort of way. I never knew that it would come to this...

Seems that not long ago, hundreds of young and not so young Black sisters were inspired to go to a casting call for an upcoming reality show featuring Plies called "Buss It Baby". At first, I was thinking, this isn't that bad, I mean after-all, Flavor of Love is the best of the worst and surely this show will be less "harmful" than FOL. NOT! after I watched the video I was sad, sad that sisters so young and so full of life have seemingly conceded to defeat. You may be thinking "How can you pul all of that from a seven minute video?" Here's how. It doesn't matter your background or education or socioeconomic status, we all can aspire for better. I worry because some of these sisters speak as though they have no ambition, as if they have conceded to being someone's Buss It Baby. One sister, when asked about why she should be selected, turned her booty to the panel and said "Because I Buss this thing open". Are you kidding me? I'm all for a woman being confident and comfortable with her sexuality, but to allow it to be your only means of defining yourself is sad to me. There was another sister who talked about how having no tonsils allowed her to... WAIT! she didn't actually call them tonsils, I don't think she even knew what they are called, she referred to them as "That shit Charlie Brown got in his mouth..."; anyway, she talked about how having no tonsils allowed her to (these are her words) "take d**k to the back of my throat and swallow that muthaf**ker" . See? See what I mean? My logic is this... surely this sister knows that she's NOT going to be with someone who she meets on a T.V. show; and who wants to be with a woman who publicly brags about explicit things such as oral-sex abilities and how "Gutta" and "Hood" she is? Maybe there are cats out there that like that type of stuff, but that is such a turn off to me. Nothing is more disturbing and unattractive than a classless woman. I mean I'm sure some of these "women" have children and or a guy that they're involved with. Why would you go on television and pursue someone who doesn't want you as much as he (and the network and producers) want to see you make an absolute fool of yourself, shaming yourself and your family. They want you to be they're Buss It Baby. Today the term Buss It Baby will be struck from my vocabulary log. I'm also done referencing myself as a "goon". I was using this to describe the full contact style that one must have when doing some of the work that I used to do. 

This was sad to me, but a true sign of the times. What people will do for fifteen minutes of fame. I don't know about you, but what was most disturbing is the one sister, she was attractive too, seems that she would have more viable life choices than to become a Buss It Baby. I'll quote her so you all can feel the full effect... (See video @ 3:44)

"If I go on a date with Plies, there is nothing that I won't do, there's nothing that he could ask me to do that I wouldn't do... it's nothing. I figure if I do it for the locals.... Plies, oh my God. Whatever he won't me to do that's what it is." She proceeds to show her panties, she said that she would show more, but she hadn't shaved. Wow! 

I thought about it so more, and though what this sister is saying is very crude and classless, is it that much different from the so called classy women who would do the same actions with similar logic. How many times have women made remark similar in nature about an actor or a singer or an athlete or just your average joe with enough money? Makes you say hmmmmm.

There's a thing line between Classy Women and Buss It Babies! Which are you and why? <<< class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">"Ain't it funny that I have on all my clothes and I can still sing..."? 

MIND YA OWN!!!!

This is still a relatively new blog and I definitely appreciate those of you who keep up with it, I even appreciate the ones who pop in to be nosey. Those of you who know me well know that I am a very private person. That is in part why I rarely use names here. The only time that I use names is when I want to help promote someone (i.e.) Artist, Producers, Models, etc. 

I have never cussed or used any explicative here and again for those of you who know me, you know that I enjoy cussing, I think that explicatives make for good conversational catapults. A few well placed cuss words can turn a two minute monolog into a thirty second monolog. Though I'm intelligent enough to speak to any man, woman, or child from any corner of the earth, in a manner that would globally be considered "good", I most often choose to speak "effectively". Effective is not necessarily good, effective is effective. Picture the jerk that cuts you off in traffic, do you really think that you could relay a message to said jerk by try to communicate "good" while operating a two ton machine? I don't. But I do know that a couple honks of the horn, a few flashes from your headlights and a well timed middle finger is often the most effective way to relay your message in traffic. 

I created this blog as a way to blow some steam. I guess that I use this as an electronic diary of sorts as well. I welcome each of you to peruse and chime in. This is why I have enabled reader comments. This is why I have my email address listed, as well as my IM contact. For anyone who has a question about what I post here, please bring your queries to me, otherwise you run the risk of crossing someone that you do not want to cross.

I totally understand curiosity, but I have little to no respect for nosey folk. (*I still haven't cussed yet*) I also understand people wanting to know things that may not be transparent to the "common reader". Again, I don't use names b/c this is a reflection of my experiences in my life that I have chose to make public to the whole wide world. I doubt seriously that everyone in my life wants to do the same. So... since the lack of names has seemed to ignite some of you all's "Spidey Senses" let me be as clear and definite as I can without putting anyone on absolute blast, I also have an interest in preserving relationships, I've had enough broken relationships to last a three lifetimes. "P" please please please don't go starting fires that you have no intentions or no interest in putting out. Please mind your own or handle your budding curiosity better than what you have. This is not the first or the second time that I have been approached by someone who I know, like, and love regarding a seed of doubt that you have planted. Understand that we do have a common interest and when you question the genuineness of my interest, you are also questioning my character, as well as some other things that I'm sure you don't intend to do. I have never disrespected you and I have let your slights roll of my back. I choose my battles a lot more carefully these days. My word is my bond, both good and bad, and I am telling you today that there will not be another instance of me feeling as though you are being intrusive. I hope that this has been transparent enough for you. Never one to engage in one-way conversations, I will allow you an opportunity to express yourself as well. Feel free to contact me if you'd like, I'm sure that you'd be pleasently surprised by my willingness to help you better understand what may not be transparent enough for your liking.  Dro214@gmail.com

In the words of Forest Gump, stupid is as stupid does. What I take from that is just because we may do stupid things doesn't make us stupid. I for one consider myself to be an extraordinary brother, however, I've done many stupid things. I am also aware that if I string together enough instances of ill behavior then I fully expect to earn a fitting title. (i.e.) If I hate on you enough, perhaps I am a hater. If I do shiest things to you enough, then perhaps I'm just shiesty. If I dip my nose into your business enough, then maybe I'm just nosey. And finally if I come off as trying to sabotage you enough, then perhaps that is my intention. 

In closing, I'll leave you with a quote from a good friend of mines who doesn't mind his name listed on a public blog. My homie Rob Viktum told me something one night that has stuck with me every since... "Reputation is everything, protect it with your life". I practice that each day. Do you?

Friends, Liquor, Chicken & A Weekend to Remember.

Sorry folks, it's been damn near a week since I checked in with everyone. I've been in the trenches, that and partying like a mugg!

As some of you know, things have changed with me lately. I recently severed ties with a group of artist that I was working with. At first I was a bit saddened by the split, but the more I thought about things, this was the best move to make. I'll still be working with at least two of the artist from the same group, but my work with the group as a whole is done. It finally became crystal clear that we have fundamental differences. This move sent me in search of my next project. One of the things that I wanted to do was to focus more on myself and my personal interest. 

I began to pound the pavement in search of a 9-5 gig, the search lasted for weeks, and I was becoming discouraged. Well all of that ceased last Friday when I finally landed the gig that I needed. Proof that all we have to do is keep the faith.

The good news didn't stop there. I had a great weekend. It all started on Friday evening, I hollered at a friend of mine and got my mind right, left there and bumped into another friend of mine who invited me to his house party. I was a bit skeptical b/c I wanted to chill and kick back with my peeps, I had no plans to party really. Well needless to say I ended up going to the party, I arrived late, but as soon as I stepped in, I was like "I should have BEEN at this party a long time ago" I looked around and most of the people I didn't know, but I had a few homies there, and there were some cute ladies there as well, good lively music, all the liquor and beer that you could want, tons of fried chicken, some kush brownies and more blunts and joints than you could shake a stick at. Yeah; it was my type of party! The next day, I bumped into another friend of mine who invited me to his art show on Saturday night. I agreed to come, thinking, what the hell, it could be fun. Anyway, I stroll into the show about 11:30pm or so, thinking that I would look at some cool art (that I don't quite get) and go home. However as soon as I hit the door, I see my man NaNa from NDD, he was there filming a documentary, I picked up a complimentary glass of wine, and then headed outside to have a smoke. As soon as I stepped outside I saw my man Rob Viktum (Hip-Hop Producer) and Word Life from the group The Stick Up Kids. I chopped it up with them for an hour or so and then I spot another friend of mine walking up, the same friend that threw the party the night before. We all shot the breeze for another half hour or so before Boogie, my man who threw the party the night before, invited me up to his spot for a drink and to talk a little business, we went up around 12:45 or so and drank until after 5:00am. Needless to say I was in no need to drive. The next day I spent the afternoon recouping, after I was back to full strength I found myself having fun again. No drinking was involved, just good genuine conversation with people that I know and like. Finally the weekend was over and it was time for me to return the "real world". 

All of this to say that I just had the best three days that I can remember in a very long time. Though I still carry the weight of broken relationships and disappointments. This weekend showed me how valuable friends are. This weekend showed me how much I value those close to me and how much they value me. It made me feel good. I was able to forget about all of my woes, in part because of the alcohol, but mostly b/c of the people! I feel great, new job, and as I began to type this message, I got a call about a part-time gig that I was interested in as well. Though I'm not a very religious person, I must say... God is good!