"It's Bigger Than Hip Hop"

Blame it on the Alcohol

2009-07-24T05:16:00.001-07:00

Hop has been evolving into a business for the past decade. With rappers gaining credibility as effective endorsers; companies have been seeking out the likes of hip hop superstars to attach to their brand.

I'm not sure if you caught it but the "Superstar" Lupe Fiasco was featured on TNT as one of their character outlines this summer. The money that hip hop brings in is equivocal to a small country, like Iceland! As Hip Hop has progressed and matured, so have the artist. The young men and women in the industry have turned a love of music into a business.Russell Simmons is the Father of Hip Hop Entrepreneurship, but there are many following in his footsteps. 50 Cent made massive millions by flipping Vitamin Water. P. Diddy has diversified his empire with his clothing line, chain of restaurants and his hit vodka Ciroc.

The bond between hip hop and alcohol dates back….way back. From "rollin down the street sippin on Gin & Juice" to "We Pop Champagne" hip hop artists have always had a close tie with liquor. The life of an artists keeps the alcohol flowing; club nights, backstage parties and tour bus fun always makes a time for celebration. A few entrepreneurial artists have chosen this over-indulgence in alcohol as a promising business opportunity.

If my research is correct the first to venture out into the adult beverage market was So So Def founder Jermaine Dupri when he became partner and Owner of the only vodka in the world distilled from soy and the first spirit to receive government approval to state zero carbs; 3 Vodka Distilling Company based out of Chicago. J.D first stared this venture in 2004 and the Vodka is still going strong today, with 3 variations of the original.

In 2005 Dipset's Cam'Ron partnered up with MK John's Imports to create the seasonal successful Sizzurp Purle Punch Liqueur. This purple drink hit the scene with it's own mixtape and was the summer craze in NY for that year. Cam'Ron and the Diplomats name dropped Sizzurp in every song they could and with each mention of it their pockets got fatter. The liqueur is still distributed today although it is under limited demand.

The most successful person to enter the adult beverage industry is no other but Hip Hop Mogul and Bad Boy CEO Sean "P.Diddy" Combs. This smooth premium distilled vodka is produced in France. Many people think that P. Diddy owns this, however he is a celebrity endorser making millions for his face and voice promoting the Vodka in magazines, web sites and at award shows.

Rapper turned actor Ludacris is now joining the likes of these men with the announcement of his new brand of Cognac called Conjure. There isn't that much info on the airwaves except that he spent a week with master blender Philippe Tiffon and Birkeda Hartmann "conjuring" up this cognac. I look forward to checking it out with it drops.

Throwback Thursdays: Mase/Murder Mase

2009-07-23T06:10:00.000-07:00

In lieu of my recent Hyades from this blog I've posted my own Welcome back music MC'd by no other than Pastor Mason Betha himself. This summer banger dropped in 2004 and introduced the Hip Hop world to the Cleaner side of Mase. The song was hot! Crazy beat with the same lazy punchlines spit over them. The video was fun, filled with kids and had Mase doing his signature dance moves with Cuda Love still by his side. During Mase's comeback he was getting much love from the Hip Hop community but at the same time received a lot of HATE from DIPSET. The beef sizzled for a couple years and then ended well done on the radio by a heart felt apology by the man Jimmy Jones. School had me held up from making recent post, but I'm back....

This is how most people remember Mase A.K.A Murder Mase. Fresh off the streets of Harlem he joined the Bad Boy team and started unloading video after video. Back by then, Puff Daddy he was destined for hip hop fame. His debut album Harlem World went multi platinum and released four top ten singles. Here is one of them for you!

R.I.P Mike....

2009-06-25T20:36:00.001-07:00

No words can explain our lose..

Throwback Thursdays: Krush Groove

2009-06-25T10:07:00.001-07:00

Kurtis Blow, Run DMC, LL Cool J, The Fat Boys, New Edition, Shelia E and a cameos from Russel Simmons and the beat master Rick Rubin. This movie chronicles the rise of Run DMC and the inner workings of stardom. The magnificant thing about this flick is that the acting wasn't half bad!

I think that this is the second movie I stored in my memory(1st=The Warriors). This movie along with Beat Street is Hip Hop at it purest. A yound, skinny LL Cool J doing what he does best with his Radio!, Kurtis Blow adds a maturity and a sort of Mr. Miyagi personality to the movie, while you got The Fat Boys providing the comic relief. Shelia E provides the sex appeal, with Blair Underwood (as Russel Simmons) providing the love triangle with Run in the middle.

The movie wraps up with a group performance by the Krush Groove Allstars at the famous club Disco Fever.

Kid Cudi....Transformers soundtrack

2009-06-24T10:29:00.000-07:00

That Cool Cleveland Cat Kid Cudi is featured on the summer's hottest movies' soundtrack. Transofrmers 2: Revenge of the Fallen. This track was originally featured on one his mixtapes: Dat Kid From Cleveland. Congrats!

Where is he now?

2009-06-24T10:23:00.001-07:00

"Kinda Like....tired of the same thing"! When I heard this I was all in. I was tired of the same thing, same style of rap. I thought that this dude was gonna offer an alternative. The 1st album did! Then he fell off the face of the earth. Laid back style, not really all that lyrical, but a good listen. If you haven't heard "A Fly Guy's Theme" check it out.

Vintage Biggie!

2009-06-23T10:35:00.001-07:00

Vintage Pac!

2009-06-23T10:27:00.000-07:00

"Where my Ladies At?"

2009-06-19T12:20:00.000-07:00

Can anyone name one active female lyricist in the game?......Lil' Kim, Trina and Foxy are prominent but not as active as they should be.

Rap has always been a predominantly male art form, but there has always been a female presence lingering on the airwaves. Even in the beginning there was JJ Fad with Supersonic, then you had Queen Latifah, MC Lyte. These ladies paved the way for the Foxy Brown, Lil Kim Lauryn Hill's of the game.

The persona of a female MC has/had to be sexy, but hard at the same time. She had to be able to seduce a man and take out a click of hating females without taking off her earrings. This stigmatized the females and sort of pigeon held them in that sight. This same brand that we put on female MC's has ran them out of the game.

With the turn hip hop has taken more and more rappers are trappers, which leaves the ladies to take a seat. Lil Kim, Foxy and Trina had an awesome run contending with their male counterparts but have recently stepped back from the limelight due to their own personal battles.

With the curtain call put on these ladies' careers, I am disappointed to see or not see a hungry female in the chamber, cocked and loaded to take the throne. Well in honor of the ladies enjoy this!

Throwback Thursdays: Tribe Called Quest

2009-06-18T12:31:00.000-07:00

"Bling Bling"

2009-06-16T10:01:00.000-07:00

Coined by one of the greatest rap dynasties in the history of the game, Cash Money introduced the U.S to the word Bling. It has sense became a staple amongst rappers, athletes, actors and those amongst us common folk who have the bank to acquire some. This fascination with jewelry is not a recent phenomenon.

Back in the late 80's, early 90's rappers rocked the huge gold ropes, finger eclipsing rings with a couple gold teeth to solidify their success. Fast forward 17 years and you have rappers of today's era carrying on the tradition.

This accessory has also changed throughout the years. From gold to platinum, from your average diamond to a technicolor assortment on one chain. As Hip Hop gained a larger market share amongst the American people and worldwide recognition, the artist's pocket

Kanye West hits on this topic in his song All Falls Down when he spits; "But I ain't even gon act holier than thou Cause fu*k it, I went to Jacob with 25 thou, Before I had a house and I'd do it again".

Rapper/Singer/Auto tune Pimp has recently took jewelry to the next step! He actually jumped off the steps with this one. He purchase a 10 pound, 197 karat neck piece at $410,000. The neck piece has a simple and straight to the point charm pulling his neck down that says "Big Ass Chain".

Now I can't lie, I do the the awesomeness of this piece of jewelry but at the same time I can't help but shake my head at it's ignorance. T-Pain has always been over the top, with the Top Hat and all, however this time he went through the ceiling. Hopefully he is the only person that needs A BIG ASS CHAIN and no one else will compete him....just let him have it!

"Hip-Hop"

2009-06-08T10:53:00.000-07:00

If you've been waiting for another dose of the real ish, the unadulterated Hip Hop, then you have one more day until the "Mos Def"inite drops his next LP, The Ecstatic. From what I've heard thus far Mos has went back to rap and left most of the singing in the last album(even though the LP was hot). Talib, Ludacris and The Ruler Slick Rick are some notable names near the mic with Mos on this LP. Go cop it tomorrow out the store! Stay tuned for the review.

"Guess Who's Back"/ Death Of Autotune

2009-06-07T13:24:00.000-07:00

Talk to me man!

For those of you that were keeping up with the blog I'm back from a week's worth of self promotion. SIDEBAR: Don't let anbody tell you that you can not succeed. If you find trouble getting ahead there are people out there willing to lend you there hand as long as you are utilizing yours.

No Down to Business!

Thank God that someone finally stood up against AUTO TUNE! You know, auto tune. The mechanism that T-Pain introduced and the rap industry exploited. Jay-Z has spearheaded the "Death Of Auto tune" movement with a track that is more like a Eulogy for the fad. Jigga has summed up the status of Hip Hop in 3 hard hitting verses which he calls "Assault with a deadly weapon"

Mr. Carter speaks out against the over usage of Lil Wayne in remixes and how every rapper seems to always be in the projects. This track will hopefully get Hip Hop back on track; check it out and enjoy!

See Murder

2009-05-29T11:30:00.001-07:00

To follow up on the No Limit blog; here is the exclusive footage of the C Murder shooting at a Baton Rouge night club.

(www.allhiphop.com)

"Perfect Timing"

2009-05-28T14:22:00.000-07:00

Need a new girl in your ear?
Well check this one out!

It's my pleasure to present to some and introduce to others; 23 year old Savannah, GA native, Brittany Bosco!

With the market for new female artist in a recession, this songstress has been assembling a huge following by rocking out cities across the nation. Mellow jazz beats along with a soulful voice makes her a great choice for that morning, noon or night play list. She has released two LPs, City of Nowhere & Spectrum, the tracks will put you in the mindset of a Sade, Jill Scott or Badu joint. If you were to ask her about her sound (as Clutch magazine did) she would say she is; "Gnarls meets a new-age Janice Joplin mothered by Sarah Vaughn."

But check her out, cause she will probably be on your radio/TV or in a city near you before you know it!

................Oh yea! Did I mention she is from Savannah, GA!

Throwback Thursdays: Kwame the Boy Genius

2009-05-28T08:45:00.000-07:00

Today we salute those hipsters that were doing their thing way before rap was a worldwide force.

In 1989 a 16 year old kid caught the attention of everyone with his polka dotted outfits and bleached high top fade. His cheerful and brainy style set him apart from most of the artist he contended with. His albums were hot, he was different and he was young; but his career only lasted for five years with four albums.

Kwame went through an image change when the 90s came and dropped the playful polka dots and picked up a more provocative style. This modification and a hot line from Biggie: "your life is played out like Kwame and them fuc*in polka dots" put a big hit on his career. For those who still where polka dots and think of growing back that box; this ones for you!

"We No Limt Soldiers.....I Thought I Told Ya?"

2009-05-27T20:44:00.001-07:00

No Limit records pumped out countless classics throughout the mid 90s to the turn of the millennium. Percy Miller aka Master P had a knack for finding lyricist that represented the raw and harsh reality of the real New Orleans; outside of Bourbon Street. In each CD case the insert featured the release dates for upcoming albums. I brought EVERY SINGLE LP that was dropped by No Limit Records. My favs are Mac's Shellshocked, C-Murder's Life or Death and Mystikal's Unpredictable (Do you see where i'm going with this yet?).

Ironically/unfortunately all three of these artist are behind bars.

C-Murder just plead no contest to 2 counts of attempted 2nd degree murder, Mac has been serving a 30 year sentence for manslaughter and Mystikal is still serving out a 6 year sentence for sexual battery and extortion.

These three men made their marks on the southern rap scene and still receive much love in circles outside the street. My prayers go out to them.......

"Leaders of the New School"

2009-05-26T10:20:00.000-07:00

Naw, not Busta and them but my top 3 new comers to the hip hop game. These artists have either flown below the mainstream radar or have remained regional successes.

1st on my list is the duo Kidz in the Hall. This twosome is comprised of Naledge who is the main lyricists and Double O who manifests tracks that are comparable to A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul joint. I first started listening to these guys back in the second half of 2008 when I brought(yes! I still purchase real CD's...SUPPORT HIP HOP!) their sophomore album "The In Crowd". When I say I was "Drivin Down the Block" bumping this LP ridiculously loud, I think I gave myself an ear infection! These two are a much needed substitute from the current Swagtastic Futuristic Rap that saturates the airwaves. Check out their latest video "I Got it Made" and judge for yourself.

Secondly is another dynamic duo that some of you may have heard of due to the collabo they recently released with Atlanta mixtape king Don Cannon. The Cool Kids dropped their latest brainchild "Gone Fishing" which includes one of my favorite songs out right now, "Weekend Girl" featuring Ryan Leslie. Listening to one of their tracks is like stepping into portal that takes you back to wonder years of hip hop. Simple sounds put together to mimic the beats of the early 90's mesh perfectly with the blend of the Chicago and Detroit twang that's spit on top of it. Their first CD "The Bake Sale" contained bangers like "Gold and a Pager"(one of the hottest on the LP in my opinion). For some fresh baked goods from these two check out their latest vid "Pennies".

Next, there is Charles Hamilton. The 20 year old hedgehog that let the world know the greatness of "Brooklyn Girls". MTV Jams actually introduced me to this dude. Once I saw the video, I found his mixtape Outside Looking which featured Don't Touch Me. This track showcases his playful and animated lyrical style. His topics range from his favorite porn star Lacey Duvalle to some of the hate that he has been undergoing in Unapologetic. His debut album The Pink Lavalamp was actually released as a free mixtape on various websites. Oh...did I mention that he makes beats too! He samples some throwbacks like Monie Love's It's A Shame in his self analyzing track Voices. If you are waiting on different slice of New York's' hip hop scene then this guy is what your looking for.

Drake, Wale and Kid Cudi are 3 honorable mentions though. With Drake under Weezy's tutelage he is already on his path to be "Successful". The Canadian rapper/singer/actor kind of appeared out of thin air in the beginning of the year and hadn't stop blowing hits in our ears since. The single Every Girl has been used as his radio and maybe video debut. Straight out of the nation's capitol Wale's street anthem Nike Boots adds some sound to the "most opinionated city" in the nation. Wale actually gives his own opinion on the current status of rap. In his track Dreaming he confronts lies that rappers tell in songs, falsehoods....get it false "hoods"!(kinda just made that up). Wale has just inked a deal with Jay-Z's Roc Nation. so he also has a vet in the game showing him the rope. Kid Cudi dropped his laid back Day and Night around a year ago, but actually is just getting the attention it deserves. Wale and the Kid named Cudi have an awesome track together titled Look Up In Da Stairs. Kid Cudi is an artist on Kanye West label Good Music. I have been waiting on the debut album which is said to be dropping at the end of this month. Stay tuned for all of these artist to impact the game. Hopefully their impact won't be short lived.

"Allow me to reintroduce myself....."

2009-05-22T06:56:00.000-07:00

My name is HOV!!!! Well not really, I am Jameel Riley. I am a 22 year old Senior marketing major at Savannah State University. I am employed full time by an undisclosed company which I cherish during this time of Recession (Although I am always looking for new opportunities. If you have a need to check out my resume click here). I am also an Independent Marketing Consultant with N'Spire Marketing Group.

Above all this I am a lover of Hip Hop. As a southern transplant from Bronx, New York I have respect for both genres of the culture. A child growing up listening to Kris Kross and MC Hammer, I am deeply influenced by De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, Wu Tang Clan and the late, great Tupac Shakur. When I moved down south UGK, No Limit, Eightball & MJG and 2 Live Crew started to take over my headsets. The bass and excitement below the Mason Dixon Line were alluring to the ear; I was hooked.

I find myself cruising the streets of Savannah, GA listening to "The Low End Theory" and "Ridin' Dirty". Hip Hop has had the 2nd biggest impact on my life(Family coming in 1st). When my brother wasn't there to lift my spirit I had Pac's "Keep Your Head Up". Music has taken me through triumphant times and perilous times and I am proud to say that Hip Hop is is my 1st love.....well maybe my 2nd!