You really don't need to know about Hip-Hop to know about this man. He was apart of the greatest Hip-Hop group that made it's mark on music. This weekend I'll be celebrating his life and what he contribute to this thing we called Hip-Hop. Tomorrow my post will be on the legacy of Jam Master Jay.
Yo what's up people and here's another post on my Ipod Shuffle. I really don't have too much to say, but I hope you enjoy the music from this post. Enjoy!!
Not too long ago, me and my homie Tia Olivia Brown Scott was out not too long having a couple of drinks. The D.J. was playing a lot of the records that we came up on, and the had the place in frenzy because they were classics. After awhile, he started to play original samples of a lot of the classics he was playing. The song Debarge "Stay With Me" came on, and we're just vibing to the song, and Tia looked confused for a moment. She said "I thought this was Biggie song?" I asked her "You never heard Debarge "Stay With Me"?" she had thought the beat to "One More Chance" was original but as we all know Puffy brought that 80's R&B records life and this record right here was definitely one. So this post is dedicated to her and the brain fart she had that evening...
I know lately my blog has been mainly about Hip-Hop and I haven't been giving the time and energy into R&B like I should. So with this post I'm going to write about a era of music not too many people dwell on, and I think they should.
Sometimes when I'm in the midst of other people and the topic music comes up, people go into talking about the latest artists and how their music is great. After awhile, we go into the older music from other musicians and how that music is timeless. It seems every time I bring up the New Jack Swing Era I get these confused, dumb reactions from people. "Wasn't that a dance?" "That wasn't no damn music! That was Nino Brown's club name in the movie New Jack City!" Sighs it kills me that people are not knowledgeable on a era of music dominated urban music for several years in the late 80's and early 90's. This era I'm talking is The New Jack Swing Era.
In 1985, two rappers by the name of Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick brought this idea to a young producer by the name of Teddy Riley. The idea was to make a Hip-Hop record about getting ready to performed at a concert. The record was a smash and played in every night club. Doug E. Fresh, and Slick Rick found new success but who gain a lot of notoriety was Teddy Riley. Up and coming artist like Kool Moe Dee to Heavy D came knocking Riley's door down to contribute to their albums. With this over night success for Riley, it was only going to get bigger.
Teddy went on to meet a vocalist by the name of Aaron Hall, Timmy Gatling, and forming the group Guy. Their first album self-entitled "Guy" had smash hits like "I Like", "Piece of My Love", and "Teddy Jam's". With Teddy being known as a Hip-Hop producer, this R&B album set the tone for the "New Jack Swing". Before it was named the New Jack Swing, Teddy called his sound Sophicated Bumble Gum Music. Teddy called it that it because it was young. Journal Berry Micheal Cooper described the sound a musical hybrid that combined R&B and Hip-Hop inspired by the urban youth.
Teddy went on to produced for the likes of Keith Sweat, Al B. Sure, and the legendary Bobby Brown. This sound was like none other. Around the time this sound was introduced, you had a lot of ballad singers, and it wasn't any music you could really dance to, and that's what Teddy brought to the fore front. I can remember myself as a kid seeing Guy's "Teddy's Jam" and getting up in the living room and dancing with no rhythm. When I talk to people older than me that was really in the midst of that era, all I hear is good stories about them embracing his music, and running to the dance floor whenever one of his records came on.
With countless hits under his belt, he stepped into another realm producing for the likes of Boy George and the legendary Michael Jackson. His brought his signature sound to the King of Pop as it went to another level with the album "Dangerous"
Teddy went on to have success with groups such as Wreckx-n-Effect and the legendary group BlackStreet. With all his other success in music, he will always be know for the New Jack Swing and what it brought to music and also the urban culture.
Hey what's up everyone, this is another edition of "My Ipod Shuffle" and as you seen from prior post, it's been very random. This week my Ipod doesn't let me down. Check out the post and I hope you enjoy PEACE!
For a bonus, here's Johnny Gill performing "Lady Dujour" live on the Arsenio Hall Show
"Love Thrist" comes off the very underrated album Jean Grae "Jeanius". This song has nice summer night feel where you want to roll the all the windows down, or drop the top and let the song stay on repeat the whole night.
I hope you enjoy!
I've had this song in my collection for some time, and their just putting a visual out which is dope. The song is by Curren$y called "Flying Irons" which features Fiend. Whenever I hear this song, it gives me this effect.
Remember this guy? Take a close look; this guy graced your television screen on two classic T.V. shows. Ted McGinley played Roger Philips on Happy Days and Jefferson D'Arcy on Married With Children. Ted came along at the tail end of the sitcom runs while on T.V. For some odd reason when they introduced his character on the shows, the ratings plummet. The roles Ted played on the show was never good. On Happy Days, the role Roger Philips was a Mrs. C's nephew that was the coach and gym teacher at Jefferson High. This role didn't do well because they used his role to fill the void of Richie since he left the show. After so long, Happy Days got cancelled because the ratings dropped.
The other show he played on was the popular Fox classic "Married With Children". Ted played as Jefferson D'Arcy, the husband of Marcy D'Arcy which was played by Amanda Bearse. Ted cane along on the show to give a little more thrill to the show. He played a freeloading playboy that assisted Al Bundy in their feminist views about women, and always on the hunt for new "puppies" at the Nudie Bar. The show was on the decline when he arrived. We all know about family T.V. sitcoms, once the children start to grow up, it's not much you can do with the roles, but find a way to close the show without taking away from the legacy of it. So once again when Ted came apart of the show, it declined and eventually went off the air.
I know y'all are probably wondering where I am going with this, and how does LA. Reid fits this equation? It's pretty simple, both of these guys are always called in for help to improve something and it only gets worst.
Now let me explain why Mr. Reid is being given this title:
Back in 1984, two young guys by the name of Rick Rubin, and Russell started a Hip-Hop record company in a NYU Dorm called Def Jam Records. They went on to create stars from LL Cool J to Redman. Def Jam became a staple of Hip-Hop knowing that when you see that logo on a back of a CD case, or even a magazine ad, you were going to get the best music possible. As time went on Rick Rubin went on to other music endeavors and Russell went on creating Phat Farm Clothing. To sum it up Lyor Cohen and Kevin Lies took it over, and took Def Jam to another level by creating some of the Hip-Hop's biggest stars. With stars like Jay-Z, DMX, and Ja-Rule, Def Jam was on a roll. As they say, all things come to an end and Lyor and Kevin left to run Warner Bros. Music. To run the biggest Hip-Hop recording company, who do you call? LA Reid.!!
Let me give you a brief history about LA. Reid. He was apart of 80's R&B group, The Deel along with the legendary Babyface. As time went on, Babyface and LA left the group and went on writing and producing for some of the biggest artist of this time. They later on created a record company called LaFace Records. They created stars like TLC, Toni Braxton, Usher, and a Hip-Hop group he didn't want to give a chance but became a one of the biggest groups and that's Outkast. After his success with LaFace, he was given the CEO position at Arista Records. The home that Clive Davis built for timeless R&B, LA took that position. His stint with Arista had some good moments but a lot of bad moves like passing on T.I., never letting Q-Tip's album see the day of light, and most importantly spending large amounts of money on albums and in return the albums didn't do so well. As time went on and Arista wasn't holding the same prestige as they once did, they fired him.
So now let's get to his run at Def Jam records. LA was suppose to carry the torch that Rick and Russell ignite, but totally the opposite. LA gave Def Jam a face lift no Hip-Hop fans wanted to see. He turned a Hip-Hop Trinity into a ran down flea market where you can find knock off brands and that's what LA did to Def Jam. Instead of taking the same routes as other successors at Def Jam and make classic album, he went for making hit records. Now don't get me wrong, you're in the music business to make money but at the same time, you want to keep integrity in the music and make timeless classics. As time went on you didn't see the hardcore groups Def Jam was know for, instead, you see pop acts like Rhianna, and so called R&B star "The Nightmare" of my fault "The Dream". Reid went on going along with what was hot on radio and grabbing acts that could barely rap but had a hip dance to go with it.
Reid didn't show any respect to staple artists on the label. Artists like Redman, Method Man has to throw a rant on a radio station or in a magazine interview to get some attention about their projects. Reid goes on to sign big Hip-Hop acts like Nas, The Roots, Ghostface and doesn't give them push they deserved. For example Nas recently sent out a email to LA Reid expressing his frustrations with the label and how their keeping the music away from the people and how he isn't Hip-Hop.
As time went on, the sales have dropped and he's made desperate moves like signing artist like Shyne, that just got released from Prison without seeing if he still had the same spunk that Shyne once showed 9 years ago. Speaking of Shyne, he's came out publicly and wrote a letter to LA. Reid stating his frustration as well and telling him to go back to R&B because Hip-Hop doesn't live in him.
As you see, LA Reid has a lot in common with Ted. They've both came in on prestigious things and with their roles, things took a turn for the worse which brought those staples to an end. In conclusion, people that's over LA needs to take him out of that position because things are not getting better and people don't look at the Def Jam brand and it once was. Well atleast Ted has some classic moments on "Married With Children.
One of Biggie's classics, and personally one of the best Hip-Hop Storytelling records that was ever made. I use to play this song over and over again, and close my eyes and be able to imagine what he was saying in the song. Be able to do that shows how powerful words and if used in the right way, can do some incredible things, and Biggie proved that in this song. Enjoy!
Hey what's up everyone, here's another post on my Ipod Shuffle. I don't know but my Ipod was playing a lot of stuff I haven't heard in awhile which was great. Check out my the line-up and I hope you enjoy PEACE!
Since I spoke with my homie Wimpy from CSF about "The Departure EP" I've been excited about the project. I've been a fan since their first mixtape that was released earlier this year "Clear Soul Radio". So just out of love and appreciating the art I had to post their E.P. out of support. Here's the link to their mixtape:
This picture is worth a thousand words and in some instances, a Hip-Hop head's tipping point. For over 10 years, the legendary Dr. Dre has promised the Hip-Hop world his last album "The Detox". Over the years, anticipation has grew out of control because it's been so secretive of how the album is coming and who's featured on it. From time to time, reporters would ask people from his camp, how's the album coming along, and their response is: "The album is incredible! It's going to change the face of music!" Saying that leaves the fans anticipating even more and nothing never comes . It's like a old wrestling storyline that involved Sting and the Black Scorpion and it just dragged out and nothing good came about it. (For my old school wrestling fans.)
With the frustration growing rapidally from fans about the album not coming, to make things worst, you have in this picture, Dr. Dre promoting his three hundred dollar headphones which are selling quite well. The bad thing about this is the fact that Dr. Dre is the face of West Coast Hip-Hop, and the scene out there is stagnant until he releases a album. This is horrible because it's a large amount of talent out west. With this post I'm going to give my five producers that could bring the west back to life without taking the Doctor away from his busy schedule of selling headphones, and having batting practice with the Boston Red Sox.
D.J. Battlecat
My first pick is one of my personal favorites and that's D.J. Battlecat. Battlecat comes from the School of Dre where he learned a thing or two from Dre and just put his own spin on it. From working with the likes of Snoop Doog to E-40, he's been able to keep that low-riding, Roger Troutman heavily influence sound for every fan that appreciates West Coast Hip-Hop. Here's some of Battlecat's classics, Kurupt "We Can Freak It." and E-40 "Nah Nah Nah"
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D.J. Quik
The name by itself says enough. This Compton, California MC/Producer has put a stamp on the west coast sound. With Quik's smooth melodic sound, he's made classics like "Born and Raised In Compton", "Safe and Sound", and "Trouble. D.J. Quik has been fortunate enough to be able to hang around let's his sound grow. From when he was introduce in the 80's using samples, to now having live instrumentation, and letting his sound come alive with his colorful imagination, and steadily pushing the envelope.
Focus
The name says a whole lot, and he backs it up with hard sneers, heavy keys that puts a signature on his sound. Focus was another one that came up under Dr. Dre and also was apart of the production team at one time to put together "The Detox". After years of working on the album and not seeing any light at the end of the tunnel, he decided to leave and show Dre what he has learned from him. Focus sound is somewhat inspired by Dr. Dre. With his big heavy sound, and the sneers kicking so hard, it feels like you have a pre-schooler stomping on your chest, he almost gives you that Dre feel people have been asking for sometime. He's work with artist like west coast MC Bishop Lamont, Stat Quo, and Busta Rhymes, he's been able to keep take the west coast sound relevant, and taking it to the next level.
D.J. Khalil
One of the Dr. Dre's go to guys has really made a mark on the west coast and overall just Hip-Hop. This L.A. producer has other producers putting their drum machines away and learning how to read music. Khalil sound has a hard punching sound while at the same time it has a original sound as if he's sampled a song but it's totally the opposite. Khalil is also working on "The Detox" with Dre and on the side making music with the likes of The Clipse, The Game, and Eminem. The west is in good hands with Khalil because of his distinctive sound and his creativeness, the west can go real far with this man behind the boards.
Lee Bannon
This up and coming Sacramento producer has a made a name for himself in short time. Since his arrival in 2009, with his debut album "Me and Marvin" where he took Marvin Gaye samples and made beats out of them, he really gave the west a different look. Besides the other producers I've listed above, Bannon has a strong Hip-Hop presence in his production. With the heavy sampling with rare records and working with the likes of U-N-I, Curren$y, and Talib Kweli, he's gave listeners a different sound while everyone else sticks to their laid back, heavy sneer kicking sounds that the west loves. Lee Bannon will be around for awhile especially since he's expanding himself with his production and also working with different artist as well.
While you wait on the good DOC to come out the operating room with a masterpiece, be sure to check out these producers and what they have to offer to ears for your enjoyment.
For awhile I had been trying to find out what sample they used in this song and I just stubble across a couple of months ago. I was so surprised they used this sample because it was the least songs I thought would be used, but how they sampled it, it was very creative.
