Best Verse Week # 3: "Onslaught 2"

After getting zero votes for his verse on "Forever" in week #1, Kanye claimed the title of best verse in week 2 on " Her Say". Fortunately he's not featured on today's track. Instead I bring you "Onslaught 2" courtesy of Slaughterhouse. Every song on this album is warranted for a vote count considering the make up of the group, but there can only be one song selected. Place you votes!

From Ghetto to Gaza Speaking Tour:Feat M1 of Dead Prez

M1 of the political/revolutionary rap group Dead Prez recently held a speaking tour discussing his experiences in Gaza. His mission was organized by a group "Viva la Palestine", a coalition with members reaching numbers close to two hundred dedicated to the liberation of the Palestinian people suffering Israeli oppression. The main objective was to enter Gaza with a number of different resources and goods donated for the people antagonized in this region. Yet things aren't always as they appear, and M1 encountered a wide range of obstacles to hinder his efforts. You can read more of what he had to say of his time there @ sfbayview.com.

I walked into the Black Dot cafe, a small venue in West Oakland organized by active members of the community, expecting to hear M1 speak on the similarities and differences between the ghettos abroad with the poverty stricken hoods in America. Although I did not receive what I expected, I did gain a whole new perspective on a situation I had not been paying much attention to as of late. I knew about the Palestinian/Israeli conflict, but not nearly enough converse on the situation. First and foremost, I want to credit M1 for eloquently telling his story while focusing on important issues he experienced first hand. The dangers of the location are well documented; I commend him for the courage to go into a foreign land to help a group of people terrorized by enemies that are backed by our own government.

I didn't get a chance to hear direct parallels between American ghetto life with Gaza, but through M1's experiences, I was able to draw my own conclusions. He recounted a story of meeting a young man whose father was killed by a missile that directly hit his home during dinner. M1 made it very clear that this was not an extreme case or an anomaly, but a regular occurrence in the everyday lives of people trapped in this war zone. Yet the similarities are there; the black youth of America deal with similar obstructions in the face of police brutality, government mandated laws aimed at specific groups, and the ever increasing prison population represented primarily by African Americans and Latinos.

But this was also a time for me to look past encounters in my own life and learn about what others go through. Oppressed people are all fighting against the same machine and reaching for the same goals. I have been in the face of American terrorism, but my occurrences greatly differ in magnitude from the suffering and brutality experienced by people across the globe.

Hip Hop Hoop News

ESPN NBA Pre-Season Power Rankings: The new season starts with the defending champions accorded the standard respect here by returning to the rankings in the top spot. Yet the Los Angeles Lakers also find themselves in a loaded top 5, with each of those teams seemingly capable of winning it all but all five likewise confronted by major unknowns … whether it's Ron Artest's willingness to blend in with the champs in L.A., Vince Carter's ability to replicate Hedo Turkoglu's success in Orlando, Shaquille O'Neal's effectiveness as LeBron James' sidekick, or the health questions that persist about Boston's Kevin Garnett and San Antonio's Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili....Read More @ ESPN.COM

NBA to Unveil Guidelines for Social Networking: The NBA will this week introduce what it considers "minimal" guidelines for players, coaches and team officials when using Twitter and other social networking sites, according to sources with knowledge of the policy. The primary restriction of the policy is expected to prevent various team representatives from tweeting during games, after the stir caused late last season when Detroit Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva, then with Milwaukee, tweeted from the Bucks' locker room during halftime.One source described the forthcoming policy as "very minimal" and "less stringent" than the guidelines announced earlier this month by the NFL, which now regards players, coaches and football operations personnel -- or any third party representing them -- to be in violation of league rules if they use social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook from 90 minutes before kickoff through the end of the standard post-game access period for media interviews......Read More @ ESPN.COM

KRS-1 Blames Def Jam for Destroying Hip Hop: "Def Jam is the dopest label in hip-hop, in the culture of hip-hop. There really would be no hip-hop as we know it today if it wasn't for Def Jam. But you don't get that respect without also being the label that single-handedly destroyed hip-hop...Every time you think of what's wrong with hip-hop, the lyrics, the commercialized music, one artist being played on the radio all day, things like that, that's all Def Jam...We respect it. It's a respect cause we all competing, so Def Jam had the hardest competition, but the hardest competition as I showed the respect, I also showed the truth. And the truth is everybody else had to sit down so Def Jam could be who they are."....Read More @ Examiner.com

Reverend Al Sharpton Hosts WWE Monday Night Raw: This coming Monday, September 28, social figure Reverand Al Shapton will make one of his most surprising appearances yet - on WWE's Monday Night Raw. The civil rights leader will host the 9pm live taping from Albany, New York's Times Union Center.
The appearance prefaces Sharpton's four-city tour with former Speaker of the House Of Representatives Newt Gingrich and Education Secretary Arne Duncan, who will be stopping in Philadelphia, New Orleans, Baltimore in Atlanta in an effort to reform public education.
Monday Night Raw airs at 9pm on the USA network.

Bigger Than Hip Hop?

Hip Hop mogul Jay-Z recently appeared on the Oprah show seemingly ending the ban of rappers on her program. But don't be so quick to believe the embargo on Hip Hop has been reascended by the queen of day time T.V. When Oprah had the cast of Barbershop on her show, Ice Cube, the star of the movie, was mysteriously missing. She later had the cast of Crash on her show to tackle issues of racism that the film brought forth, but initially did not extend an invite to Ludacris. Luda did end up on the episode with the rest of the cast, but was attacked by Oprah for his lyrics and use of the the words "Nigga", "Bitch", and "Ho". Oprah later admitted that she doesn't like having rappers on her show because she feels it empowers them. Yet somehow, Jay-Z managed to transcend Oprah negative imagery of Hip Hop, and appear on the program in an one on one interview. Don't applaud Oprah for finally allowing a rapper to grace her presence, no need to give credence to that gesture; she was just going along with the general consensus that Jay-Z is somehow above Hip Hop.



Jay-Z is constantly talked about like he is on an island all by himself, like his intellect is on an a level that no other rapper can ever achieve. Hip Hop writers and journalist regularly shower him with praises towards his wit and creativity. From Bill Maher to the President himself, its seems that the world just can't get enough of Mr. Carter. But is Jay-Z really that different from any other rapper?

I will admit that Jay does have a lyrical ability and style that not many can match, but it's not the style that seems to attract so many outside of Hip Hop culture to embrace him. Remember, Oprah berated Luda for his lyrics, yet Jay-Z has had songs that with very similar content to Ludacris. The difference is that Jay-Z is more clever in how he talks about his content. Instead of blatantly saying "Kill that Nigga", he'll instead use lyrics asking what size suit you wear before he unloads a clip on you. That's still murder rap no matter how its expressed. Supporters ignore the fact that American Gangster was considered "concept" album, yet the material was what we've come to expect from Jay-Z. It was nothing more than an excuse to return to what he knew best.


Jay-Z worshippers will probably label me a hater, that's fine, I expect you to get defensive. But I'm no hater; I just don't believe that Jay-Z is any more qualified to represent Hip Hop than Ice Cube or Ludacris. What about Chuck D? Krs-1? Nas? Common? Mos Def? or Kweli? There are a number of rappers who don't represent the negativity that is associated with Hip Hop. These same MCs have music that even takes more of a stand on social issues and also includes commentary that identifies with Oprah's sentiments about rap music. I watched the show and it wasn't bad at all. Jay is smart brotha and is a deserving delegate of Hip Hop culture; I'm just not one to get on my knees and pray to him, even if he calls himself "Hova".

You Might Not Have Heard About It: Feat. Blitz the Ambassador

In a recent post I discussed the question of Hip Hop being dead and the responsibility that fell on all parties associated with the dying art form. I referenced the burden of the artists in the game and how they must step to the forefront in preserving Hip Hop's essence. I explained the role of the consumer as well as fans of the music and our duty to search for MCs who dedicate their lives to this unique form of expression. So for that very reason I am taking it upon myself to put the spotlight on the lesser known rappers in the game. The artists who still possess a passion for the music, who aren't controlled my the corporate machine, and for those maintain the pulse of Hip Hop. Once a week I'll search for a different artist to bring to your attention. Today's feature is the The MC out of Ghana, Blitz the Ambassador.

After arguing with my boy Dub about the the decline of Hip Hop, he introduced me the the music of Blitz. He didn't tell me much about him or his music, he just said "listen". What struck me first before I even tuned in to the first track on "Stereotype", was the album cover. The imagery of the suicidal gesture of blowing out the brains of a boom box immediately enticed me. The album kicks off with a prelude with a few shout outs to cities all over the world with a melodic backdrop. The album seamlessly transitions from the intro to the first track "Something to Believe In" where Blitz's skillz are truly emphasized. Throughout the whole album Blitz displays a rare combination of poetics, relentlessness and amazing production. He effortlessly spits over each track while boasting different styles over a diverse range of instrumentation. His topics expand from the state of Hip Hop, the plight of African people all over the globe, to his passion for Hip Hop.

Blitz the Ambassador is truly a rare breed indeed. I found myself listening to this album without even thinking of skipping a song. Each track seems to spill over to the next without missing a beat. If you're a fan of real music and want to hear something outside of mainstream machine, this is definitely an album that will not disappoint. I posted a track below to check out. You can find his album "Stereotype" on Amazon, Itunes, and in your local record store. Support! Save the music!

Best Verse Week # 2:"Make Her Say"

It's that time again, cast your vote for the weekly best verse. Last week, Eminem edged out Drake by one vote on "Forever". This week features Kid Cudi, Kanye West, and Common on "Make Her Say". Who will take it this week?

Hip hop Hoop News

Jay-Z on Oprah: Sneak Peek




Lockout Official: The NBA formally notified the union representing its 57 active referees Friday that it was imposing a lockout, saying the rejection of its latest contract offer left "no choice but to begin using replacement referees."Lamell McMorris, lead negotiator for the referees, told CBSSports.com that he received formal notice of the lockout from the league shortly after 3 p.m. ET. Replacement refs will convene next week for the annual training camp for officials, although the timing of the camp is undecided based on the logistical challenges of convening replacements.If the NBA and its referees' union can't agree on a new two-year contract before Oct. 27, replacement referees will officiate regular season games for the first time since 1995. Read More....


Nas and Kelis Back Together?:Nas and Kelis caused a media frenzy when they got married and a seemingly bigger one when they filed for divorce. The two seemed to be over for good but recent rumors have been forming with unidentified "sources" telling media outlets that the two are reconciling their differences. "Nas and Kelis were celebrating his birthday with some friends and you couldn't tell they were divorcing to look at them. They seemed very intimate and were kissing and hugging and even left together," a source told WENN. Read More.....

Lamar Odom and Khloe Kardashian to Marry?: Insiders tell E! News exclusively that Khloe Kardashian and her NBA star boyfriend Lamar Odom are already considering tying the knot.
Odom, a forward for the L.A. Lakers, and Khloé recently have been "talking about rings," says a source close to the couple. Members of the Kardashian family are neither confirming nor denying the wedding plans or a date. A rep for both stars have declined to comment. Read More....

T-Mac's Back: Tracy McGrady came all the way to Chicago to seek redemption. The seven-time all star has been in town for several months after having micro-fracture knee surgery earlier in the year. He spends most of his days rehabbing at ATTACK Athletics on the West Side and is convinced all the extra work he's put in this summer will turn him back into the player he once was. The ironic thing is that it took a lot of people to get McGrady to finally give the rehab facility in the Windy City a try.
His former teammate Luther Head tried to get the 30-year-old to give Tim Grover and his staff a chance, but he was unsuccessful, McGrady was too loyal to his trainer of 11 years, Wayne Hall.
"[Tracy] asks me now, [saying], 'You should have put a gun to my head and made me come,'" Head said during a training session last month. Read More....