Support Mixtapes and the Justo's Mixtape Awards

I remember like it was yesterday. Back in the day I used to be a fiend for mixtapes. I would hit up the local corner stores and record shops to find the latest and greatest mixtape. Back then your mixtape came on a 90 minute Maxell cassette and you rocked it until the tape popped. One of my good friends in high school left to go to the Airforce and was stationed near NYC. So he would always send us the hottest mixtapes and we would have them weeks before they even hit our local spots. Kid Capri, Ron G, Tony Touch, Stretch Armstrong all taught us who the hottest Hip Hop artist were at the time and dropped the newest singles to the hungry masses. We even had local DJ’s who brought the heat just as much as the DJ’s from New York. I loved getting a new mixtape popping it in the ride and heading out for the night. I studied the lyrics, the beats and swagger that came with the hot tracks dropped on each and every mixtape.

Now it seems the mixtape game has changed. At first mixtapes brought us the hottest artist and new tracks. But it was not only that, but it was the DJ as well that captivated our minds. The formula of the rapper, the hot beats, and the DJ made each and every mixtape special. Now you might run across a few good mixtapes that give you all of those elements, but far too many mixtapes dropped now do not bring it like they used too.

Well just like the Grammys, The Billboarboard awards or (insert your favorite award show), there is a organization that each year gives out awards for mixtapes!!

The Mixtape Award Association launches a brand new innovative site January 1st, 2009.

Who: The Mixtape Award Association, presenter of the 2009 12th Annual "Justo's" Mixtape Awards is set to launch a new and improved, innovative two-part site dedicated to the DJ culture and The Music Industry in which it exists.

What: The site, www.TheJustos.com, is divided into two-parts. The first part, a site solely dedicated to The Justo's Mixtape Awards, to be held on Wednesday, April 29, 2009. This area of the site will be the powerhouse of the actual awards, through online voting, awards updates and all related events. The second part of the site, to be launched in March, will be an online comprehensive DJ community, with forums, blogs, goods and services catering to The DJ and the Music Industry.

When/ Where: THURSDAY, JANUARY 1, 2009, Log onto www.TheJustos.com and sign up for the online community to stay up to date with key information and year round events produced by The Mixtape Awards Association.

Key Information to be announced only via www.TheJustos.com includes:

* Information dedicated to the Nomination and Voting Process for "The 12th ANNUAL JUSTO'S MIXTAPE AWARDS"

* Contests, Press Releases and Updates regarding the events leading up to and taking place around The Justo's Mixtape Awards.

Please on January 1st go to the site and nominate your favorite mixtape. Show support to the site and the artist and DJ’s that drop mixtapes to the masses. By supporting the Justo awards you will be supporting Hip Hop!!!

Gadget Alert! Apple Mac might just put the laptop game on smash!!!!!

You saw it here first!!! Apple has a hot concept in the works that might just put every other laptop manufacturer on notice.

As someone who uses multiple screens when I’m working (or playing games) the idea of having a laptop with some extra screen space as portable as the unit itself is really exciting. Sure, that extra space would come in the form of folding, side-mounted monitors that have a break before the main screen — annoying for some — but some extra, segmented workspace on a portable platform is music to my ears.

And portable the triBook is: the conceptual rendering, picked up by Mac|Life, calls for a notebook that’s 10 inches wide and a little over six inches long. Click on through for more information than you’d ever want to know about the triBook concept.

The MacBook Air is about as sexy as a notebook gets. Just try pulling one out in a crowd. First comes the oohing, and then the ahhing, and then—sorry, but yes—the borderline-inappropriate fondling. There’s just something about the Air’s katana-thin profile that demands hands-on attention. People need to touch it, and open it, and prove to themselves that it is indeed a functional computer. But the honeymoon doesn’t last forever. The Air is the perfect computer for a very particular user, but it’s not perfect in toto. No optical drive. No FireWire. The hard drive—anemic. And while the Air’s height is essentially nonexistent, its width-depth footprint is still a bulkmeister. In a lot of book bags and backpacks, the Air is as awkward a fit as any traditional notebook.

Thus the triBook. At first glance, it’s not quite as spectacular looking as the Air, but its amazing story literally unfolds as you put it to use.

At a mere 6.75 inches deep, 10 inches wide, and about an inch tall, the triBook strikes a modest profile–it easily slips into most purses and man bags and completely disappears inside any book bag or backpack. But while portability is nice, it’s typically achieved at the expense of utility, and this is where the triBook is a triumph. When the triBook’s lid is closed, the two side screens tuck in neatly, sandwiched between the main display and the keyboard/touchpad. And when it’s time to use the machine, you lift the lid and unfold the side panels, just as if you were unfolding a cardboard box.

When the two side screens are fully unfolded to form a flat plane with the center screen, you’re left with an ultrawide landscape display of 21 diagonal inches. Indeed, not only is the triBook more portable than the Air, it also offers much more screen real estate. But have fun, play a little. The sides don’t have to pivot by a perfect 180. Cocked at a jaunty angle, each side screen can be set to form a little privacy barrier.

Now, we could claim that the triBook is Apple’s much-anticipated entry into the “netbook” market, but using the term netbook doesn’t do the machine justice. Netbooks are teeny, tiny notebooks stuffed with underpowered parts, including the most insubstantial of screens. In other words, they’re imminently portable, but really only good for surfing webpages and typing out email.

Not so with the triBook. Besides no-compromise screen real estate, the triBook comes with an 8x SuperDrive, a kick-ass hard drive, an array of I/O connectors, and a MacBook Pro-caliber CPU. All that plus a generous keyboard and an expanded multitouch trackpad that supports a whole new complement of touch gestures.

So this is it, the so-called “brick” notebook that’s been rumor-mill fodder for the last three months. An exceedingly simple but effective concept—in short, Apple to the very core.

Q and A with Tricia Rose, Author of The Hip Hop Wars

By Gilbert Cruz

Brown University professor Tricia Rose wants you to know that no one is right about hip hop. In her new book, The Hip Hop Wars, Rose takes on all sides, arguing that fans and detractors alike have advanced illogical, dishonest and offensive arguments about why the genre is bad and why it's great. She spoke to TIME about how radio is killing hip hop, why artists need to take more responsibility and what the music used to be like.

The rapper Nas released an album several years ago titled "Hip Hop is Dead." The first line of your book is "Hip hop is not dead, but it is gravely ill." Why do you think that? Many people would say it died a long time ago.
When Nas said hip hop is dead, it was really a way of making the statement I think that I'm making. He obviously doesn't think its entirely dead, or he wouldn't continue to labor there, but he is concerned about it enough to put people on notice that it is in the ICU ward. It was more a metaphor than a reality. But I think that there is no question that commercial hip hop, that is dead. But there is an incredibly rich world of hip hop that has been literally buried. I tell my friends and students, that's why they call it the underground — because it's in fact buried. But it's not dead, it's an underworld. It's like the Matrix, an alternative world that has its flaws but is part of a living force.

Coincidentally, I was watching the concert movie Dave Chapelle's Block Party the other night, in which he puts on a bunch of these alternative hip hop artists that you talk about in your book — Common, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Kanye West. Other than Kanye, why don't these artists sell as well as the Jay-Z's or the 50 Cent's?
There's a long history of a particular pleasure in consuming the ideas of black ghetto excess dysfunction. It used to not be ghettoized in setting, because black people weren't always urban people, but the same images can be found in American history for centuries. So this idea that a certain kind of sexual deviance or violent behavior defines black culture has had a huge market in commercial mainstream culture for at least 200 years. Also, sexist images, which hip hop has a lot of, seem to do very well across the cultural spectrum. So sexuality and sexual domination sell. Racial stereotypes sell. The market is more consolidated which makes it easier for those images to perpetuate themselves.

And those artists we just mentioned don't traffic in those stereotypes, so they don't fit into that corporate consolidated structure, don't get airplay, and therefore don't sell, right?
That's right. And of course it's a self-fulfilling prophecy. They deny this. They say that they don't influence sales, that there's no payola, that there's no influence on content. But there's ample evidence that that's false. If you play a song enough, you start singing it. It's really almost that simple. From what I understand, stations used to play a song on average about 40 times a week. It's up to 140 times a week now.
Look, I don't want it to seem like I'm bashing everything about Lil Wayne and Jay-Z, because I'm not. I think they're both very talented. If you look at the metaphors Lil Wayne produces, they're amazing, they're very creative. It's the substance. What are you making metaphors about 24 hours a day? Same thing with Jay-Z. Even he has acknowledged that he's "dumbed his music down" so that he can sell records. This economic imperative has had more of an impact on hip hop than rock or soul or R&B.


This is what hip hop is now. What did it used to be?
It was mostly for fun and for play. It wasn't primarly an economic industry, where people got involved more for money than for creativity. It had live community origins. When you really produce music in live community settings, you can't get away with a lot of what they get away with in studio generated spaces. You had block parties where you had multi-generational consumption. You have 12-year olds, 18-year olds, 30-year olds, 70-year olds, all at the block party. They live there. They're hanging out. They're not going to listen to a lot of the kind of commercial hip hop that we're talking about, where people are just rhyming about killing everybody who gets in their way and never caring about a woman — I'm not going to use bad language here, what's the point? — but you get it. there's no way that's going to be acceptable. So there's a kind of community regulation factor in early hip hop.
And when I say early, I don't mean really early. I give it the first ten, twelve years. It also had a lot of political content. And I don't mean just, "Burn down America." A lot of it was about education and learning more about your history and asking questions and making better choices and trying to change society for the better. Yes there was a lot of anger, but not by any means was it the dominant frame of the genre. Again, it's hard to tell this to people when they turn on the radio and they get T-Pain.

There seems to be the tendency when people complain about what they hear on the radio for artists to say, "Well, if you don't like it, just turn it off." There's that shift in responsibility from artist to fan. Is that a disingenuous defense?
I think it is disingenuous because they know that this isn't just about turning off one song. You would have to turn off all commercial black radio. You'd have to shut down all of your children's and your own investment in MTV, BET, VH1. You would basically have to unplug from society as a whole. So they know this is not going to happen. They know you're not going to do it because that means rejecting the entire system, not just a given artist. There's also this idea that parents need to watch their kids more. Well, OK, I agree, some parents are not very good at watching their kids. But a lot of parents are deeply struggling to figure out how to watch their kids and hold down three part-time jobs with no benefits. And they don't really need artists making their job harder by creating an allure, an excitement for behavior that is completely self-destructive. Artists tell you to turn off, but they really depend on you doing the opposite. And I say let's take them up on it. They'll change their tune, because they need an audience. They need us.

In these hip hop wars, what's one of the more prominent argument from critics that you counter in your book?
Hip hop causes violence. This is a very common argument that's been made pretty much from the beginning. There are a number of things that are wrong with this. One is that it posits an incredibly simple-minded causal relationship between music that has violent narrative in it and actual violent action. Hip hop takes the bigger weight for this problem than anyone else. And the reason it takes such a big weight is not because it's any more violent than slasher movies or than horror movies or action movies in general, but because there is a denial about the violent world that we created in post-1960s black America. These are communities whose stability has been profoundly disrupted. And when you destabilize communities, violence always goes up.
The hip hop causes violence camp is incredibly dishonest about the profound role of structural racism, of economic disadvtange that has been produced over dacdes. It's not just personal, lazy behavior. It's a dishonest way of dumping on hip hop a set of conditions that we are responsible for as nation. That being said, that doesn't mean that a constantly violent narrative is a good thing. I'm not suggesting there shouldn't be a challenge to it to some degreee. But it's not the source of the problem. It's a red herring.

So, are both sides wrong then?
Definitely. The critics are a little bit more wrong than the defenders. But overall, both arguments have enormous flaws. The defenders are the the most wrong about gender and sexism and the haters are most wrong about issues of violence and culture. I'm very upset about both sides in this war and I think the only way out is for the rest of us on the sidelines to get involved with an educated, sophisticated position. You have to be subtle, not extreme, in thinking about what's right and what's wrong when it comes to hip hop.

A Tribute to a True Legend: DJ Premier

Recently Peter Rosenberg made a tribute video honoring a true Hip Hop legend, DJ Premier. Check out the exclusive video here on UrbanEstablished.com!

An Analysis of Busta Rhymes “Arab Money”

By Anslem Samuel

Some may argue that Blacks (in America) can’t be racist because we as a people lack any real power, and without power one can not oppress another sector of human beings. While there might be some validity in that belief, I feel that racism has less to do with power and more to do with disrespect, ignorance and unprovoked hate based on one’s race. Sometimes this can manifest itself through purposeful actions, but other times it can be a completely unintentional act. I’d like to believe that Busta Rhymes participated in the latter.

By now most have heard Busta’s latest single “Arab Money,” where the veteran MC delivers braggadocios lyrics about his opulence that are peppered with references to stereotypes about people of Middle Eastern descent. To top it all off, producer Ron Browz employs an AutoTuned hook that includes a mimicking of an Arabic chant and the mispronunciation of the word “Arab.” Despite popular belief, Arab is pronounced Ah-rab not Ay-rab. The latter phrasing is actually considered derogatory, similar to how many African-American’s view the N-word. So this raises the question, is the title of Busta’s latest single racist?

To someone ignorant to the negative connotation attached to the usage of Ay-rab in the song, the answer may be no. But what if Busta, or any rapper, had made a similar song using another derogatory term? Imagine a White artist releasing “Ni**er Money,” a German artist releasing “Kike Cash,” or a Russian artist releasing “Spic Paper.” All of those examples would spark immediate controversy and protest, but somehow Busta’s “Arab Money” slipped past his label’s censor board. Perhaps, America’s current “war on terror” has made Middle Easterners the new “ni**ers” and label execs didn’t bat an eye at the racist title, but I’d like to believe it was merely an oversight that could be chalked up to ignorance. Then came the remix.

Although Browz has since rerecorded the chorus for the original to properly pronounce Ah-rab, the official remix of “Arab Money,” which features Diddy, Swizz Beatz, T-Pain, Akon, Bow Wow and Lil Wayne, now includes the addition of an interpretation of an Arabic holy prayer. This is the equivalent of a rapper blending the Our Father prayer into a secular song. Not only would better judgment likely prevail, such blatant disrespect of another culture would not fly. Still, the same common courtesy was not given to our Middle Eastern brothers and sisters regarding this release. In fact, the video not only features Arabic calligraphy throughout the opening credits, but several people sportin’ Keffiyeh scarves, which are traditionally worn in Middle Eastern countries.

This all brings us back to the initial question: Is Busta Rhymes’ song, and it’s accompanying video, racist?

Keep Your Fitted Cap On Point!

Just like your favorite pair of sneakers, the fitted cap is a must accessory to any true Hip Hop head. We all know that a good fitted can last a while with the proper care. We also know that it breaks ones heart when that day comes and you have to retire your fitted because it is too dirty or out of shape to salvage. Well while surfing the net this weekend I ran across something that might help us all out.

It's called the Fitted Pro. Let's check it out.




The FITTED PRO is a first of its kind; a device allowing cap collectors to clean, shape and maintain their collection of fitted baseball caps. Our exclusive preview continues with the second tier model in the series, the Fitted Pro Player.




The Fitted Pro product line consists of three models. The Starter is the basic mechanical model for blocking, stretching and holding the shape of your fitted cap. The Player is the deluxe dryer model that features a built in drying system with multiple settings. The Baller is the ultimate dryer-steamer model with an internal steaming apparatus in addition to blocking and drying features.

The Fitted Pro is set to be released very soon, keep checking back with UrbanEstablished.com for more info on where to purchase!

A Great Day In Hip Hop: Rewind to 1998

by Ogbonna Hagins

In 1998 the staff of XXL magazine first thought of redoing the "Great Day in Harlem" shoot, they had no idea how successful it would be. The first "Great Day in Harlem" photo, taken in 1958, brought together 57 jazz legends on the front stoop of 17 E. 126th St., a brownstone between Fifth and Madison Avenues, for an Esquire magazine piece. (The picture appeared in the January 1959 issue.) At XXL's historic recreation, 200 plus hip-hop greats flowed over three stoops—a new generation of cultural icons captured for posterity.

The shoot commemorated the 40th anniversary of Art Kane's famous photo of jazz greats such as Dizzy Gillespie, Charles Mingus, Count Basie, Thelonious Monk and Lester Young. It also honored the innovators of rap—a musical genre that has impacted popular culture as jazz did in its heyday.

"I'm just thrilled that so many artists found the time to come out and be a part of this special event," said Sheena Lester, editor-in-chief of the year-old magazine. "It was a glorious sunny day where there were East Coast, West Coast, Southern and Midwestern rappers acknowledging each other."

Artists came from near and far, representing the past, present and future of rap music. A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, Jermaine Dupri, Canibus, Fat Joe, Da Brat, Wyclef, Pras, Kool Herc, Grand Master Flash, Onyx, E-40, Mack 10, Crucial Conflict, Run-DMC, Slick Rick, Goodie MOB, Luke, Kool Moe Dee, Heather B, Paula Perry and members of Wu Tang Clan and Goodie Mob were all present. Laughter permeated the air on this tree-lined street, just west of the Metropolitan Community Methodist Church that served as the meeting place of all the stars. Icons met icons who turned out to also be fans.

Organizing a photo of this magnitude was a great feat in and of itself. The icing on the top was getting a renowned photographer to capture the moment. Though many could have taken the shot, only one had the historical significance which would add an exclamation point to the event: Gordon Parks, the legendary, 84-year-old photojournalist who directed the films Shaft and The Learning Tree.

In the '40s, Parks shot for Vogue and Life, among others, breaking through the racism which permeated the magazine business and society.

Philadelphia was well represented in the photo: The Roots, King Britt, Kurupt, Jazzy Jeff and Schoolly D were among the legends in the photo. Ahmir Thompson of Philly group The Roots, who was documenting the event with a hand-held video camera, called the gathering incredible.

"I've been doing this for six years, and I never met Wu [Tang Clan]; I never met the essential people of hip-hop." Thompson admitted he hadn't met 60 percent of the artists there. Britt, a Central High School grad, was overwhelmed and honored to be a part of it.

"First, Gordon Parks taking the picture—in Harlem," mused Britt. "This is where the soul is, from jazz to now."

Other artists were also thrilled. Cee-Lo, from the Atlanta-based Goodie Mob, foamed: "I just met Greg Nice. I just met Daddy-O, from Stetsasonic, who I love! DJ Hollywood. All these people. I'd heard their names when I was young. These are my heroes. I feel blessed. And for them to tell me that they like what I'm doing? It's a trip."

Heather B suggested that the spirits of many of hip-hop's fallen stars were present: "It was something in the air. You felt the presence of Biggie, you felt the presence Tupac, you felt Eazy E, Scott La Rock. They represented hip-hop."

When the time came for this moment to be captured, there was so much to absorb. Sticky Fingaz of Onyx, striking a pose with no shirt, a camouflage jacket draping his body. Fat Joe standing erect, with the pride of the boricuas on his shoulders. Ahmir with the classic pick in his afro. Gordon Parks standing behind two cameras on tripods, eyeing his subjects as he has done for more than 50 years, hands shaking ever so slightly as he clicked the first and subsequent shots: the artists with their fists in the air, some looking away from the camera.

When the shoot was over, the crowd of rappers burst into applause, accompanied by yells of pride. The disassembled crowd continued to talk with their peers, their heroes, their fans.

Not unlike the jazz shoot, there were some key artists that were not present. But with so many that were there, it was hard to be distraught about those who weren't there. A disappointed Lauryn Hill arrived 10 minutes after the shot was taken in a red Range Rover driven by her beau Rohan Marley with her son Zion in the back seat. A dejected Ras Kass from Los Angeles, who showed up too late, asked if there was some way he could be superimposed into the shot.

Things may have changed a lot in 40 years, but a magic moment is still a magic moment.

Ludacris “Everybody Hates Chris” Video

Notorious Soundtrack Details (Track/Artist List)

Details on the sountrack from the upcoming Biggie Smalls biographical film called "Notorious" are now available. The OST will feature hit singles from Biggie, unreleased new B.I.G. songs, demos and appearances from family members. In stores on January 13th, the soundtrack will also feature material from Jay-Z, Faith Evans, Jadakiss and even Biggie's son, Christopher "CJ" Wallace Jr.

One song from the soundtrack "Brooklyn (Go Hard)" by Jay-Z had an unofficial video recently hit the internet. The video features animated text (spelling out "Brooklyn") creating images of Jigga & Biggie Smalls.



"Notorious" soundtrack track listing, according to Bad Boy Records:

1. "Notorious Thugs" (featuring Bone Thugs-N-Harmony)
2. "Hypnotize"
3. "Notorious"
4. "Juicy"
5. "Party & Bullsh--"
6. "Warning"
7. "One More Chance" remix (featuring Faith Evans)
8. "Brooklyn Go Hard" (Jay-Z featuring Santogold)
9. "Letter to B.I.G." (Jadakiss featuring Faith Evans)
10. "Kick in the Door"
11. "What's Beef"
12. "World Is Filled"
13. "One More Chance" (featuring CJ)
14. "The Notorious Theme" (composed by Danny Elfman)
15. "Microphone Murderer" (previously unreleased demo)
16. "Guaranteed Raw" (previously unreleased demo)
17. "Love No Ho" (previously unreleased demo)

Don't Call it a Comeback! Rocafella 2.0

by John Reese

December 1st 2008

GrandWizHipHop.Com

Dame Dash Prepares "Rocafella 2 " Label

After the bitter break-up of Rocafella Records in 2004, Dame Dash has been struggling to find his own musical identity again. "I was one of the pillars of that company" says Dash. "Me and Biggs built that shit and ya man had to go and do what he did, i wont go into details [because] you should already know. It hurt, but im gonna hit the reset button on this shit." Dash, in obvious reference to one time partner Jay-Z, speaks of what many consider to be the strong arming of the label away from Dash.

As of today the sole controller of the venerable label is Mr. Carter with Dash and Kareem "Biggs" Burke never being able to be part of it again, however Dash is confident in what he believes will be the rebirth of what he made over a decade ago. "Me and Biggs have been in discussion about doing another label, another Roc style label with Juelz and Jimmy at the forefront." "Them two are from the same hood im from with the same struggle and can make hits easy."

With Jim Jones, a proven hit maker with his smashes like "Summer in Miami" and the 2006 banger "We Fly High," and Juelz Santana whos highly anticipated duo album with Lil Wayne "I Cant Feel My Face" due out early next year, Dash is obviously very confident about his new venture with the former Dipset members and goes on to elaborate on what he thinks will be the rebirth of what he loved doing. "Im telling you, its gonna Be Rocafella 2, The Roc 2.0! Me and Jimmy and Juelz. Its gonna feel like '98 again I promise you that.

December 2008 Magazine Covers

Here's a quick look at some of the December 2008 Magazine covers hitting a news stand near you.

Artist to watch for 2009: Wale

This weekend I listened to 3 Wale mixtapes on my way back home from D.C. and I must say it has been a long time since a MC has really impressed me. I heard a few tracks from Wale in the past but never really took the time to sit down and digest his flow and delivery. On one of the tapes Wale tells us that Black Thought from the Roots is one of his favorite rappers and I can definitely see the influence that Black Thought has blessed Wale with. Most of all Wale does not stray from the sound of DC. Most of his tracks bear the DC GO GO influence that sets him apart from all the other rappers. Don't get me wrong, Wale can spit on any track and deliver FIRE!!! But it is refreshing to see an artist who does not bend and try to sound like he or she is from a city or region they are not from. Check out this track from Wale with Bun B and give me your thoughts!

www.BoondocksBootleg.com

Okay I know there are a lot of people who love Aaron McGuder's Boondocks cartoon. We also know that Aaron has taken some time off before he drops a new season on us. So in the meantime what is a man to do!!? Well I think I might have the remedy to hold you over. Check out www.boondocksbootleg.com! Here you'll find brand new comedy from "The Boondocks" creator, Aaron McGruder's Partner Rumble studio! Check out the site and here's a clip to wet your taste buds on.

Jaz-O Emerges and He’s Looking to Finish the Jigga Beef

Now a days we see Jay Z chilling with his beautiful wife Beyonce and living the life. You seen him on yachts, in the islands, court side at basketball games and doing what a big celebrity do. If you have any knowledge of Hip Hop history or keep up with the numerous beefs that take place between artist, you surely know about the Jaz-O and Jay Z conflict.

Jaz-O is a MC, active in the late 1980s and early 1990s, best known for being a mentor of sorts to Jay-Z. Jaz is also known as the Originator and had a song called "The Originators" that featured a young Jay-Z in 1989. As simply the Jaz, he had success with his 1990 single "Hawaiian Sophie," from his debut album Word to the Jaz.

He has been featured on some of Jay-Z's songs, such as "Bring it On" (from Reasonable Doubt) and the single "Nigga What, Nigga Who (Originator 99)" (from Vol. 2: Hard Knock Life) as Big Jaz and produced the single "Ain't No Nigga" from Reasonable Doubt and the song "Rap Game/Crack Game" from In My Lifetime, Vol. 1. Jaz-O is known to have discovered Jay-Z. Jaz-O claims that Jay-Z got his name from Jaz, something Jay-Z denies.

Jaz was an important figure in the Nas vs. Jay-Z feud. It is also speculated that Jaz-O supplied Nas with some of the information he used in his Jay-Z diss track "Ether." After the situation with Nas cooled down, Jay-Z went on to diss Jaz first on a track released by DJ Kay Slay featuring Freeway, Geda K, Young Chris, and Memphis Bleek and later on his album The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse. Jay-Z said on the title track, "I'ma let karma catch up to Jaz-O." Jaz responded with a record on a DJ Kay Slay mixtape called "It's Ova."

Well Jaz-O is back and it looks like he is throwing his hat in the game and is definitely going after a few people including Jay-Z. Now I am on the fence about artist beefing and the potential of it to get out of hand. But I also know that sometimes it is that beef that brings out the best creativity and tracks. Who know what will happen with Jaz-O and Jigga. Is it the master finally coming home to scold the pupil or is it just one more person throwing rocks at the throne to upset the king?

Check out Jaz-O’s latest track. Here’s the link grab it while it’s up!!!

Download Here

John Forte is Free! Maybe George Bush Does Like Black People a Little Bit!!

Was it Kanye who said George Bush did not like Black people? After reading this old "Dubya" might not be that bad!

John Forte has been granted a pardon by the exiting President George Bush. The former rapper and close affiliate to the Fugees, was convicted of aiding and abetting in the distribution of cocaine. The rapper/producer was apprehended with two briefcases filled with $1.4 million worth of liquid cocaine.

Perhaps, Forte a former member of the Fugee's crew will once again start producing and rhyming as he did before he was locked up. Remember Forte produce two tracks on the critically acclaimed and Grammy-winning 1996 album, The Score.

Many people may not be familiar with the case against John Forte because we never heard the Fugees screaming “Free John Forte” at the end of their records or at the numerous award shows when the world was watching.

With the commutation, Forte will be released Dec. 22, after serving just over seven years. He still faces five years of supervised probation.

Here's a track to jog your memory a bit! Yeah I hope Forte can get back to doing music!

Q-Tip On The Depreciation of Hip-Hop Music

Q-tip formerly of a Tribe Called Quest gives his views on the depreciation of Hip Hop. As a longtime figure in the Hip Hop culture Q-tip gives us his insight on why Hip Hop is the way it is today. Check out the interview and let’s us know your opinion. With the new onslaught on various rappers using the auto-tune, Q-Tip might have some valid points. Where's the creativity in Hip Hop.

What is Go-Go Music and How it Relates to Hip Hop

Growing up in VA I had a lot of musical influences. Trust me hip hop has always been my love but there is an affair I must own up to. Don't get me wrong it's nothing to be ashamed of and it's nothing that anybody has to hang their head low about. My side chick is Go Go music. Now I know a lot of cats are like, "what the hell is Go Go music"? So let me explain what it is.

Go-Go is best when it's performed live. Go-Go is the music of D.C, originated in D.C, and only the best in the capitol of the U.S.

Go-Go involves a group of people playing different instruments, some on the mic, playing songs we hear on the radio but just a little differently than you expect. Go-Go music was founded in the D.C area in the mid to late 70s. Chuck Brown had a crowd jumper in 1978 with the single "Bustin Loose." Go-Go has inspired many artists in our time. In the 1980s Salt-N-Pepa was influenced by Go-Go with their song "Shake Your Thang." Also, "Rollin with Kid-N-Play by Kid-N-Play was influenced by Go-Go music. Music you'll probably remember like "Crazy in Love" by Beyonce or "One Thing" by Amerie was also influenced by Go-Go music.

The only place you hear authentic GO GO music is in the DMV (DC, Maryland, VA). To truly experience GO GO you need to go to a live GO GO show and feel the energy that flows throughout the room. Go-Go is a "Whateva I say y'all gotta do" kind of music. Go-Go is known for its live performances, but also for Go-Go dancing. It's hard to explain. It consists of two people battling by dancing, doing something with your body, getting yourself hyped. From the beats, dances and attitude, GO GO will truly have you on the floor enjoying yourself all night long.

There are all types of different bands in D.C. The first bands that came out in the late 70s were Rare Essence, Junkyard Band, Northeast Groovers, Backyard Band, TCB, Familiar Faces, Lissen Band, and Suttle Thoughts just to name a few. Bands then aren't like bands now. Bands that are still playing and out now are TCB, Backyard Bands, TOB, Rare Essence, New Impressions, Reaction, CCB, MOB, KIB, PIB, and GOB just to name a few.

Check out a very popular Go Go band Mambo Sauce and then peep Jim Jones in DC doing what it do when he comes to DC!

Are Real DJ's a Thing of the Past

Recently I was over one of my friends house and a few of the neighborhood kids were there playing Playstation 3 with his son. The kids were talking and I heard one of them say, “I am going to get me some DJ equipment for Christmas”. This statement really caught my ear because back in the day I was a DJ. I started my life as a DJ when I was about 14 or 15. I learned the craft and had a lot of fun with it. I spun records for school dances, I did gigs at a lot of clubs here in the city and I also toured with a DC go go band and spun during the band breaks. So I told this kid that if he wanted a few tips I could show him some stuff. I explained that I could show him how to backspin, how to scratch and cut, how to transform, how match beats and make some nice blends. I told him that I could show him how to cue up his records and put together some nice sets. Then without hesitation the kid answered back, “What do you mean by cueing up records”? My heart dropped and I could not believe what I just heard. Then it really hit me, theses kids coming up do not even know what vinyl is. In today’s world they work from MP3’s, CD’s (which are slowly becoming extinct) and Serato. Most kids have never seen a record. I was appalled, but could not be mad with the kid. Are DJ’s who spin vinyl also becoming extinct like the dinosaur? I stopped my DJ career right after college but never lost touch with the craft. I have my turntables at home and a stack of vinyl. No more gigs, no more battles, just a passion for the craft. But again, how can these kids want to be DJ’s without knowing how it came about. Are you a real DJ if all you use are MP3’s , CD’s and Serato? Where is the showcase of your skills? Can you keep a crowd on it’s feet and partying all night?

So I told this kid that he should go home and research how the art came about. I told him to check out some past DJ battles. I told him to checkout DJ’s like Jazzy Jeff, Kid Capri and Grandmaster Flash. I also told him to seriously look into getting some turntables before he gets the CD players and DJ software. Learn the basics, learn the history then add the new technology to your skill set.

Check out these two videos. First is DJ Jazzy Jeff on the wheels of steel and then my personal favorite DJ Scratch!!

Enter The Wu-Tang... Weathertech Boot by Fila

The Wu is back on it's grind and it aint another album dropping, or another DVD. This time they are in a venture with Fila. Fila and The Wu-Tang Brand, Ltd. announce their latest product collaboration: the Wu-Tang Weathertech boot. The winter wear boot will be available just in time for the holiday season and marks the second time the Italian heritage sportswear brand has partnered with Wu-Tang for footwear collaboration.
One of the most critically and commercially successful music groups of all time, The Wu-Tang Clan exploded onto the scene in the 1990s, delivering a sound unlike any other.

The Wu-Tang Clan consists of nine members: Ghostface Killah, GZA, Inspectah Deck, Masta Killa, Method Man, Raekwon, RZA, U-God and the late Ol' Dirty Bastard. These hip-hop pioneers are rappers, actors, entrepreneurs, record producers, screenwriters and executive producers. Under the direction of RZA, the group, through its own efforts and solo projects, (all of which he produced or co-produced) has been able to create a hazy, surreal, and menacing soundscape derived from hardcore beats, eerie piano riffs, and minimal samples. Out of these musical sounds and characteristics, their debut album "36 Chambers" was born. By 1993, The Clan possessed one of the most instantly recognizable sounds in hip-hop, and that still remains true today.

In 2007, Fila and the Wu-Tang Brand, Ltd. released a special edition of Fila's classic Original Tennis Shoe entitled the "C.R.E.A.M." shoe. This special and unique collaboration was a limited edition run that was available in three colors and developed exclusively for New York City's Training Camp sneaker boutique.
For this second collaboration, the Wu-Tang Weathertech boot was inspired by the classic Fila boot silhouette and features an oiled suede upper, molded rubberized vamp, d-ring lacing system and padded ankle collars. The Wu-Tang boot is emblazoned with the legendary group's insignia on both the side and the heel tab as well as with signature Wu-Tang yellow highlights.

I don't know, it's your call. I might feel a little weird rocking the Wu on my feet, but that's my opinion. The Wu-Tang boot retails for $100.

The Roots Named House Band For 'Late Night'; Temporarily Retire From Touring

This article was taken from www.AllHipHop.com

By Rudy West

If you are a fan of The Roots, the last time to see them perform live may be during their upcoming tour of Europe, which kicks off November 11 in Switzerland.

Sources have told AllHipHop.com that the revered Philadelphia Hip-Hop band will temporarily retire from touring in March of 2009.

While the news may be a disappointment for some, the reason for the decision is sure to delight fans of late night television.

The Roots will serve as the new house band for former Saturday Night Live actor Jimmy Fallon, when he replaces Conan O’Brien as host of Late Night on NBC in March of 2009.

O’Brien will be moved to The Tonight Show, where he will replace Jay Leno.

Last week, Fallon and The Roots traveled to the Delaware Valley, where they shoot a video at the Kung Fu Necktie in Philadelphia’s Fishtown section, to promote Late Nate.

At press time, The Roots could not be reached for comment.

The internet meets Nike's Air Force Ones

No matter how you see it. Nike's Air Force Ones are a staple in Hip Hop culture. These Nike's go by many names, Flaves, phat heads, big nikes, Uptowns, etc. No matter what part of the world you live in there is a name for this favorite style of millions and millions of Hip Hop heads. We all know that everybody and their momma has their own custom AF1's, but today I ran across an interesting design. Digg the largest content sharing site on the internet recently commissioned sneaker customizer Sole Brother to create a small batch of Air Force 1s. Featuring the sites colorways, the shoe also includes a subtle feature which comes to life as the lights go out with a glow-in-the-dark all-over pattern of the Digg logo. Now I am not one who runs out and endorses sneakers every time a new style comes out, but these Air Force One's are hot!
Check out the images and leave your comments on how you think they look.

What Happen To All The Hip Hop Video Shows!!!

Growing up in the world of Rap and Hip Hop, there were two things you could count on. The first thing was new Jordan's being released and the second thing was watching your favorite hip hop video show. Before the TRL's, 106 and Park's and Top 100 count downs there was Yo MTV Raps, Rap City and the infamous BET Uncut. Then like a blow to the stomach, Yo MTV Raps was canceled. Then BET Uncut faded away (but we all know the real reason for that). The last standing survivor was Rap City. Rap City can possibly be the last of a dying breed. When this all started, nobody knew that the hip hop culture would grow into what it is today. Nobody saw the the economic ramifications or the inevitable blend of Hip Hop into the mainstream culture. That blend into the culture is more than likely the reason why these once popular shows are now canceled. As the Hip Hop culture was assimilated into the mainstream culture, it became less and less tabu to have gangsta rapper videos being played right after the latest Pop idols video. Corporate America has embraced the culture in an effort to exploit it and reap the millions and millions that Rap and Hip Hop bring in on a yearly basis. Thus the demise of the your favorite Hip Hop Video show. Right now on mainstream TV there is no one show dedicated to Hip Hop. No show that will only air Hip Hop and Rap videos period. Yeah, yeah I am sure a show might pop up later, but will it have the same feel of a Yo MTV Raps or Rap City. Will it be all Hip Hop and Rap or will it simply be a mix of everything. With all of the success that the culture of Hip Hop has brought, in a way it's shooting itself in the foot. Is this what Nas meant when he said Hip Hop was dead? Below are some clips of Yo MTV Raps and Rap City......

Throwback Video of the Week 11-9-08

This week's throwback video of the week is Das Efx's "They Want EFX"! Group member Skoob hails from Brooklyn, New York City while Krazy Drayzy hails from Teaneck, New Jersey but the two met at Virginia State University in 1988 and began performing together. They named themselves "Das" standing for "Drayz and Skoob" and "EFX" meaning "effects". Das EFX caught the attention of EPMD at a local talent show where, despite losing the competition, they did well enough to convince EPMD to sign them to a recording contract. The duo gained critical and commercial fame with the release of their landmark debut album, Dead Serious, which highlighted their unusual rapping style which they nicknamed "sewage". As their career progressed, however, Das EFX's once-distinctive and unique lyrical delivery became more commonplace as other artists, including a young Jay-Z, imitated it. From the time of their debut in 1992 to 1993, several elements of their style were adopted by other hip-hop artists, including the Lords of the Underground, The Fu-Schnickens, Kris Kross, Common and even, to a lesser extent, Public Enemy. The iggedy style was also referenced in the 1996 BLACKstreet song "No Diggity" with "diggity" meaning "doubt". This also became popular catchphrase at the time. In 2007 the group had a large European tour and performed in Serbia, Italy, Bulgaria, Hungary, Spain, Germany, Japan, Chile and many other countries.They are currently working on a new album!

What do you know about Black Superheros

I ran across this website the other day and I was totaly floored. The website www.blacksuperhero.com is probably the hottest website I have ran across all year. Where else can you find a complete history of Black superheros. Here's an excerpt from the site:

To begin with, the history of black superheroes is not easily assembled since early on, much of the work was not reported on. There aren't volumes of books out there on the subject, and even if you look at historical books put out by major publishers - the coverage on their own black superheroes is sparse at best.

Also, companies prefer to sweep any negative and stereotypical characters from their past under the rug in order to preserve their images today. Therefore, the search for early black superheroes turns up more negative images than anything else. The history as a whole needs to be looked at in order to fully appreciate the black superheroes being created today.

Marvel’s first black superhero was named “Whitewash” (the name speaks for itself). Whitewash was a character drawn in full blackface fashion who appeared in the 1940's war comic "Young Allies". Created for comic effect only, Whitewash was portrayed as a helpless bufoon whose only purpose was to provide laughs as he fell into one dire situation to another. Full of the stereotypes you would expect to see at that time in American history, negative black comic characters were all too commonplace.

In recent years, many African American artists and comics publishers have taken it upon themselves to create and explore more black superheroes. The impact of these independent comics can’t be overlooked so I’ve included them in the museum because they are vital to bringing black superheroes to the forefront of the public eye. With many more black artists drawing, and new black superheroes being created everyday, black heroes are on the rise. Over time, their success will only help to broaden the minds of those who take the time to read and enjoy them. In conclusion, if you know artists that are creating comics, buy their books and support black superheroes!

Check out the site, scroll through the Black superheros and read their stories.

The Day After The Election, What Will Your President Be Playing On His Ipod?

The world as we know it has, or will be officially changing. I must admit, I would have never imagined that I can say that the president of these United States could possibly like the same music I do! I have grown up in the world of Hip Hop. My first album I can remember was the Fat Boys album my father got me one Christmas. I can remember stealing huge cardboard boxes in an effort to learn how to spin on my back and learn the latest break dance moves in middle school. I remember the shell toe Adidas and the fat laces. I saw hip hop grow from a so called passing phase to an economic powerhouse. Now to my amazement I see a politician running for President who can relate to the millions and millions of people who grew up, live and promote the culture.

Today when I ran across this interview of Barack Obama I could only smile and think about how far hip hop has grown. To see major politicians tell you how much they like Jay Z, Dr. Dre or whoever. Hip Hop has always been a vehicle to express the conditions, politics and stories of the urban culture. But today I can only smile and express my joy to see that the hip hop culture is on the right path. Yes there are going to be setbacks, people who criticize the music and life and of course people that live the culture who can be as ignorant as they get. But today I smile because nobody can tell me that hip hop has not grown.

So after the election dust settles and the votes are in, ask yourself "I wonder what the president has in his ipod this morning"! Hopefully it will be Hip Hop!!!!

Hip Hop Lessons 101: The Original 50 Cent aka Kelvin Martin

Hip Hop Lessons 101

It's not uncommon for rappers to name themselves after legendary gangsters. At one point in Nas' rap career, he called himself "Nas Escobar." Pablo Escobar was the world's richest and most brutal drug trafficker. Murder Inc's Irv Gotti, whose real name is Irving Domingo Lorenzo Jr., dropped his last name and replaced it with the same last name as an infamous Mafia boss, John Gotti. When you include rappers Scarface and Capone to the list, the consistent gangsta theme in hip hop isn't news.

50 Cent aka Curtis Jackson is known as a world famous hip hop icon. Now learn the real story and meaning behind the name.

Kelvin Darnell Martin (July 24, 1964 - October 24, 1987), known to the underworld as 50 Cent, was an African American who grew up in the Bronx, New York, but later moved to Brooklyn, New York and was known as a stick-up kid in a Public Housing Project in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. Throughout the 1980s, Martin became a well-known robber who managed to claim his success through the robbery and murder of local hustlers. Martin allegedly stole one of Rakim's chains and robbed LL Cool J's chain in a parking lot in Brooklyn.

Kelvin Martin was known as '50 Cent' because he was very short and would rob anyone, no matter how much money they had in their pocket. He was a very small guy at 5 foot 2 and 120 pounds however he made up for it with his talent at robbery, if he wanted something he would often just take it.

Friends estimate that, throughout his life, Martin had sustained at least 30 bullet wounds and murdered at least 45 people. Ultimately, gunshot wounds were his cause of death. He was shot on October 20, 1987 on the stairway of his girlfriend's project building, dying in Kings County Hospital four days later.

Here's is a very interesting video. Hip Hop legends tell us when they first fell in love with the culture. Now ask yourself, when did you first fall in love with Hip Hop. What was the first album, cd or artist that really made you want to be part of the culture? Hip Hop man, you have got to love it!!!

Get your urban news at DimeWars.Com

Hip Hop Mayor Heads to Jail

Once called the "Hip Hop Mayor" Kwame Kilpatrick is moving to a new home Oct. 28th — a 15-by-10-foot county jail cell where he will spend the next 120 days for lying during a civil trial to conceal an extramarital affair. At 31, he was the youngest mayor in Detroit's history — alternately dubbed "King Kwame" and the nation's first "hip-hop mayor" — and seemed to embody a glamorous celebrity lifestyle. He celebrated his inauguration in 2002 with "club crawls" of Detroit's most exclusive bars and nightclubs, later claiming the events were intended to motivate the city's disaffected youth.

Was Kwame an inspiration or hinder to the hip hop community?

As more and more people who grew up in the hip hop scene come of age and enter the so called business world, will they also be tagged like Kwame as the hip hop (enter profession).

Since he ran on a platform of being a child of the hip-hop generation, appearing on Detorit hip-hop stations and what not. Will they try to blame this latest debacle on hip-hop?

Video Throwback of the Week 10 - 26 - 08

Probably one of the best duos from back in the day. Too bad they broke up and parted ways before the world could experience their true potential. This weeks throwback video, Pete Rock & CL Smooth-T.R.O.Y. (They Reminisce Over You.

Sneaker Alert: Air Max Foamdome

More like "boot alert"! Here's the latest Nike boot, tell me what you think. What's the verdict? Is this something you'll rock this winter as you battle the elements? Since we last saw the above sneaker which we originally called it the Air Foamposite Boot, we now learn that its actually called the “Air Max Foamdome” since its a hybrid of the Air Foamposite One and the Goadome boot. The combination is pretty amazing especially for basketball fans and boot lovers. This tank like boot is scheduled to drop in stores this coming November with a price tag of $225. Those of us on the east coast and any wintery concrete city will definitely appreciate these.

Video Throwback of the Week 10 - 19 - 08

This week's throwback? Mad Skillz,The Nod Factor!In 1996 Skillz dropped the debut album, From Where??? and the first single off the album was "The Nod Factor". This is a personal favorite of mine because if you really look hard at the 3:50 mark of the video I make a personal appearance. I know, I know it's only a crowd scene, but hey I had fun that day hanging out with everybody!!

Barack Obama is the greatest MC of all time.

Written by Barry Michael Cooper a Barry Michael Cooper is a writer, journalist, and filmmaker living in Baltimore, Md. He is also a native of Harlem, N.Y.


Originally titled: When Politics Became The New Hip Hop

The definition of Hip Hop has always been a political one: at the heart of democracy lies the aorta of free speech. Be it George Orwell, V.I. Lenin, Karl Marx, or Donald Oliver Soper shooting the gift (of gab) in London at Speaker's Corner of Hyde Park, or KRS-One and Chuck D voicing their opposition to Reaganomics and a Dickensian New York in the late '80s, or Jay-Z, Puff, and Kanye describing theirBrave Rich World from Gulfstream-V windows 40,000 feet above Monaco in rhythmic iambic pentameter, Hip Hop is the vox of the common man speaking to power.

FDR was Hip Hop: "There is nothing to fear but fear itself."

MLK was Hip Hop: "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."

JFK was Hip Hop: "And so my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country."

RWR was Hip Hop: "The past few days when I've been at that window upstairs, I've thought a bit of the "shining city upon a hill"....And how stands the city on this winter night? More prosperous, more secure, and happier than it was eight years ago."

Bill Clinton is Hip Hop, too, but George Walker Bush embodies the flatline of Gangsta Rap: "Intelligence gathered by this and other governments leaves no doubt that the Iraq regime continues to possess and conceal some of the most lethal weapons ever devised...Saddam Hussein and his sons must leave Iraq within 48 hours. Their refusal to do so will result in military conflict, commenced at a time of our choosing."

Barack Obama is the greatest MC of all time. The DNC's Master of Ceremony's skills of Moving the Crowd have never been more evident than on the night of August 28th, 2008 in Denver's Invesco Stadium. It was the night Barack Obama fulfilled Martin Luther King's dream, and accepted the Democratic National Party's nomination for President. I wonder what went through his mind before he took the stage that night. Was it Jigga, as Obama mentally scrolled through his list of detractors in the media and politics, who tried to clown him by deifying him?: "I never claimed to have wings on/I get my/by any means on/when there's a drought/get your umbrellas out/that's when I brainstorm."

Maybe it was Rakim in the earbuds of Obama's iPod: "I'm not a regular competitor/ first rhyme editor/ Melody arranger, poet, etcetera/ Extra events, the grand finale like bonus/I am the man they call the microphonist."

Or maybe it was just Barack Obama being Barack Obama on this most historic night, transforming rap into epos: "We cannot turn back. America, we cannot turn back. Not with so much work to be done. Not with so many children to educate. And so many veterans to care for. Not with an economy to fix. And cities to rebuild, and farms to save. Not with so many families to protect, and so many lives to mend. America we cannot turn back. We cannot walk alone...in America, our destiny is inextricably linked."

I don't know if John McCain is Hip Hop. I don't know if he or the Republican Party understands that it is the culture of Hip Hop that has directly -- and indirectly -- fueled the youth movement behind Barack Obama. Many have made this connection between Obama and Hip Hop, including the great New York Times columnist, Maureen Dowd, to a young Baltimore, Md. journalist by the name of Timothy Cooper.

Even Robin Williams said on Letterman a few weeks ago:

Obama running is wonderful. It's-initially it was very interesting with people being kind of afraid of going, 'You know, he's a very eloquent black man'. And some folks in Conneticut going, 'Well, he's a tan Kennedy'. But...what was their fear, though? Are they afraid that this very eloquent man will be elected President, and all of a sudden he takes the oath of office and goes, 'Yo what's up?!! (Williams grabbing his crotch in the b-boy style) Yo-yo-yo! Yo gonna keep it real! I'ma bring it home right now, no more of that Urkel stuff! I wanna introduce some members of my cabinet: this is Lil' Ray-Ray, Skinny G, Colin Powell, because he's bad! Keepin' it real!

The Gen-Y'ers have truly made the connection between Barack Obama and Hip Hop. They are his advance team on Facebook, My Space, and Friendster, an army of Millennials that has assisted the Obama campaign in raising hundreds of millions of dollars online. For this new paradigm--young white kids (and Asian, Latino, African-American, and multi-racial kids, too)--the culture of Hip Hop allowed them to embrace a black man without fear, suspicion, or loathing. These same Gen-Y'ers will go to a Jay-Z concert and know all the words to "Regrets" or "Lost Ones." Michael Phelps motored Beijing's Olympic blue cube -- stoked by the fires of Lil' Wayne lyrics playing in his head -- en route to a record eight gold medals. These same Millennials are also educating their parents around the breakfast and dinner table, letting them know that the Baby Boomer version of the American Dream, the Woodstock, flower power, peace, love, and Haight-Ashbury, has grown up in Eminem's 8 Mile of Detroit, Snoop Dogg's Long Beach, and Common's South Side of Chicago. Their world may not be a ghetto, but the Millennials have broadbanded it into their very own 3-G global 'hood. Which, incidentally, is Obama's hood, too.

So I don't know if John McCain is Hip Hop. Last week, with McCain and Sarah Palin -- the Charli Baltimore of the G.O.P. -- and their operatives flashing the political gang signs to their conservative base ("Terrorist", "Ayers", "Who is the real Barack Obama"?), The Straight Talk Express derailed into lyrics of David Bowie's "Candidate": "I'll make you a deal, like any other candidate/we'll pretend we're walking home 'cause your future's at stake...I'm having so much fun with the poisonous people/ spreading rumours and lies and stories they made up."

John McCain may be more Rock and Roll than Hip Hop, which --along with R&B-- was the Hip Hop of the '60s and '70s. The raison d'etre of John McCain seems to trapped between a pair of Bowie bookends: The Man Who Fell To Earth who joins forces with The Man Who Sold The World. No matter how much distance this heroic fighter pilot and former POW tries to put between George W. Bush -- who is on an unswerving, abominable path towards presiding over the most calamitous administration in American history -- McCain cannot escape the connection nor the facts. Wall Street continues to collapse. The ranks of the unemployed swell to hundreds of thousands every month. The war in Iraq, Afghanistan, and an increasingly unstable Pakistan seem to have no end in sight. Those are the facts, and so is this: life as we know it in this country is slowly rotting away. And that's not Hip Hop. That's the discord of an apocalypse. And -- quite possibly -- as Sen. John S. McCain may find out at the end of the last and final debate with Barack Obama on Wednesday at Hofstra University, his campaign's swan song.

Notorious Trailer

In January 2009 the movie Notorious is set to drop and I can not wait! Based on the life of Christopher Wallace aka Biggie, this movie is set to really be one the first hits of 2009.

Born in Brooklyn, New York, Biggie grew up during the peak years of the 1980s' crack epidemic and started dealing drugs at an early age. When Biggie debuted with the 1994 record Ready to Die, he was a central figure in the East Coast hip-hop scene and increased New York's visibility at a time when hip hop was mostly dominated by West Coast artists. The following year, Biggie led his childhood friends to chart success through his protégé group, Junior M.A.F.I.A.

While recording his second album, Biggie was heavily involved in the East Coast-West Coast hip hop feud dominating the scene at the time. On March 9, 1997, he was killed by an unknown assailant in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles.

We all loved Biggie for his lyrics and music, but it was that swagger that the hip hop world fell in love with!!



Here's my favorite Biggie video. Enjoy!!

Please Revoke the Passport of Devin Harris and Bring Him Back Home

After a glorious campaign in China for the 2008 Olympics and the retaking of the basketball throne, why would Devin Harris of the New Jersey Nets allow himself to get hustled in London.



Please Devin, we just got our swagger back in the eyes of the world in basketball and then you come along.

Video Throwback of the Week 10 - 12 - 08

From time to time Urban Established will showcase a throwback video. This weeks classic, Keith Murray - The Most Beautifullest Thing In This World

Star & Buc Wild back on the radio

This may be old news to some, but recently I just found out one of my favorite radio morning shows is back on air. There once was a time when Star and Buc Wild graced the morning airwaves here in my city. Then one day they were yanked due to the wild antics and the honest truth that Star dropped every morning. Since then morning radio has been boring in my opinion. Well the other day I found out the Star and Buc Wild show has a new home and continues to push the envelope. Hopefully the new show will go into syndication and once again bless the airwaves nationwide. Here are some of my favorite Star and Buc Wild moments.