Whats Buzzing in the Streets – Page 82

Supa Dupa Fly: The 20th Anniversary

Once again, another great classic hip hop album has reached a milestone. It’s like excitement and disbelief at the same time because I was once a kid listening to it when it came out. To give a quick recap, Missy Elliott is one of hip hop’s most creative artists. She got her start in an R&B group called Sista under the management and direction of Jodeci’s own DeVanté Swing but when things started to take a change for the worst, Missy abandoned the group and everything she worked hard for at the time. Fast forward to the summer of 1996. Missy appears on Gina Thompson’s remix of “The Things That You Do” and she also wrote and produced on Aaliyah’s “One In a Million.” Then, a year later, on July 15th, 1997, Missy released her debut album “Supa Dupa Fly.” An album with a sound that was like no other. Timbaland’s production and Missy’s creative, bright and colorful music videos and catchy songs full of R&B vocals and raps made Missy an innovator right out the gate. Her and Busta Rhymes both had music videos that were super cartoonish and creative. Missy brings you, rapping, singing, dancing, and a bunch of other stuff that you’ve never heard and/or seen before and it made you want more. Singles like “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)”, “Hit ‘Em Wit Da Hee”, “Beep Me 911” and “Sock It 2 Me” were all on heavy rotation during 1997 and 1998. Other albums cuts like “Best Friends” and the catchy and dope interlude skit “Bite Our Style” were my favorites outside the singles. Missy’s style and look was also something innovative. She brought back the finger waves that was out during the 80’s, with baggy clothes and sneakers. Ski goggles, garbage bags, oversized baseball jerseys, track suit pants and big sunglasses. A combination of looks that came with a person who was very confident in her size and it also proved to women that you can be yourself. Being plus sized was also beautiful, especially in a world where they only celebrate being thin. 20 years later, Missy is still someone who doesn’t get the credit she deserves as a producer but that’s something normal in hip hop, something that shouldn’t be. Women not getting the same or equal recognition as the men. Makes women like Missy shine even brighter and makes her even more legendary for always staying true to herself in a male dominated field. She’s always “Supa Dupa Fly.”

The Legacy of Lil’ Kim: The Queen Bee

For someone who is very short with such a huge personality, style and attitude, this woman is definitely someone who will not be forgotten in hip hop. Not only is she hard to miss and hard to not recognize but there is a sweet but sexy woman that has a very hypnotizing kinda thing about her that she had back in her glory days when all the guys were buying her first CD just to see pose half naked on the album photos and flyers. Hence, the name of her debut 1996 album “Hardcore”, she’s raunchy, sexual, unapologetic, materialistic and can kick it with the fellas without hooking up with whoever steps to her with a smile and flirt. This Brooklyn MC by the name Kimberly Jones aka Lil’ Kim. Lil’ Kim got her start in the hip hop group Junior M.A.F.I.A., along with Lil’ Cease and the late great Notorious B.I.G. himself. With a list of hits like “Crush On You”, “The Jumpoff”, “Download”, “No Time”, “I Can Love You” with Mary J. Blige, “Ladies Night”, “Magic Stick”, and the list goes on, Kim has been solidified in the game as someone who was not only a fashion icon but someone who was beast in her own right on the stage. She had the presence and attitude that matched the guys on the stage with her and she took no bullshit from anyone. Despite her little riff with Nicki Minaj, Kim is still doing her thing regardless of what anyone says. She’s a huge part of history, not only with The Notorious B.I.G. and Junior M.A.F.I.A. but also with Diddy and the Bad Boy crew as well. In 2017, a new Lil’ Kim album wouldn’t be really necessary unless she takes it back to how she used to do it. It would be something really refreshing.

Paid In Full: The 30th Anniversary

For an album that only has a very little amount of songs, 9 to be exact, it had a huge impact on hip hop culture. This album is an album that many would consider it to be one that is part of the golden age days during the late 1980’s. Both a DJ and a rapper who both come from New York, both join together under Marley Marl, to create a classic hip hop masterpiece that’s well respected and loved 30 years later. On July 7th, 1987, Eric B. And Rakim released their debut album “Paid In Full.” Just like Nas’ “Illmatic”, “Paid In Full” didn’t have a Lot of songs but in that short amount of time the album lasted, it was a classic from start to finish, a classic from day 1. The album was short because it was said that the album was rushed and that both Eric B. and Rakim both were in the studio for only a week recording it. The album became super influential on other MC’s and rappers in the future. It’s hard hitting beats, Rakim’s flow and delivery, the DJ scratches and classic R&B samples that were picked out by Eric B. himself, obviously made the album one of it’s kind. The album’s success got them both a deal with MCA. With 5 singles out of the 9 track album released, every song had everyone’s attention. No matter where, It made people go crazy, still til this day and people know every single word too. Hip hop events aren’t hip hop events without a Eric B. And Rakim song being played. No matter the DJ, the time, the place, it’s always important that their songs from this album was played. It’s hard to get away from it too. It’s still played like it just came out 30 years ago. It’s timeless, still feels like brand new when it comes on and every true hip hop fan MUST own this album. It’s hip hop code. They don’t call Rakim the God MC for nothing. Everybody in this game wants to be king or considers themselves to be kings but what’s a king to a God.

Miss E… So Addictive: The Legacy of Missy Elliott

Hands down, she is one of the greatest to ever do it. The most creative woman in hip hop. Between both her and Busta Rhymes with the most creative, funniest, and wackiest music videos, her ability to do both singing and rapping and is an incredible writer and producer as well. She’s worked with so many artists that the list is endless. They say her ability to create should be a crime, almost like a misdemeanor. The Misdemeanor herself, aka Missy Elliott, the Virginia native that been through it all and still came out on top to be one of hip hop’s most respected in the game. She grew up an only child with an imagination that reflected very well in her personality and art. While she was in high school, she met a guy named Tim Mosley, who we all know today as Timbaland. Their chemistry worked and they became something that was dope, they were a duo, like peanut butter and jelly, ketchup and mustard. They Always hung out to create something. Timbaland was a DJ while Missy sang and rapped and they would feed off of each other to help make each other’s skills stronger. She also became part of an all girl group who named themselves Fayze. They only had one joint out called “The First Move.” After high school, she and her group went to a Jodeci concert dressed as the female version of them, which was Missy’s idea. They performed for DeVante and they were part of his crew called Da Basement under his label called “Swing Mob.” Other members of Da Basement who we all know as well were Magoo, Tweet, Playa and Ginuwine. DeVante changed Missy’s group name to Sista and in 1994 they released an album called “4 All The Sistas Around Da World” with the only hit single “Brand New.” By 1995, Swing Mob was no longer in effect and Missy left it behind. She then returned as just a producer and writer and ended up being featured on Gina Thompson’s 1996 remix of “The Things That You Do.” Missy also did hits for Total, SWV, 702, Nicole Wray, Destiny’s Child, MC Lyte and worked with Aaliyah on her album “One In a Million.” By 1997, Missy finally released her debut album “Supa Dupa Fly.” Her single “The Rain” came with a video that was way ahead of its time. Directed by Hype Williams, Missy’s Videos during that time was something that was never seen or done before by a female in hip hop. Hype Williams is a director, who at the time, was doing music videos that was far more creative and different from the rest. After breaking out for her debut in 1997, Missy continues to keep putting out albums and hits for days. She’s also writing and producing for other artists as well. With more albums under her name like “Da Real World”, “Miss E… So Addictive”, “Under Construction”, “This Is Not a Test!”, and “The Cookbook”, Missy never loses her touch. She continues to keep going and she’s gotten more greater each time. She was honored at VH1’s 2007 Hip Hop Honors and she’s done a lot of philanthropic work and was even a spokesperson for women who were abused by sharing her story of what happened to her as a child. Forever innovative and creative, imaginative and magical, Missy is definitely a legend. She’s so fly and so addictive!

Don’t Sweat The Technique: The 25th Anniversary

“Don’t Sweat The Technique” is the fourth and final album by both Eric B. & Rakim together. Released on June 23rd, 1992, this album was different from previous Eric B. & Rakim albums because this album was more socially conscious. Topics of poverty, crime, abortion and the wars going on in the world. With only four singles in total, the album was a success and got mostly positive reviews. “What’s On Your Mind?” appeared in the soundtrack of “House Party 2”, “Know The Ledge” appeared on the soundtrack of “Juice”, and “Don’t Sweat The Technique” and “Casualties of War” were both regular singles from the album. Their previous albums were more about the streets and had a much more harder sound and production. There’s only a few on this album with that hard sound. The album can get boring with the strong conscious topics a bit but with songs like “Don’t Sweat The Technique” and “Know The Ledge”, it gives the album a bit of a party vibe without losing its conscious focus and it gives the listeners a bit of what Rakim was doing on his albums before. Overall, the album is dope. The singles are the perfect songs chosen and promoted at the time and it’s a powerful, classic joint and also underrated from the God MC.

The Legacy of Ice Cube

The man who was once a part of a hip hop group that was ruthless, very honest and to be considered “the world’s most dangerous”, Ice Cube is one cold mutha that brought the heat with his highly conscious music and bold raps of what it’s like to be a Black man here in America. When he left NWA, there was friction between him and the group but with drama comes with great music and Cube definitely brought out some hard bangers. More than a month ago, I finally got the chance to actually listen to his albums from start to finish and I was completely blown away with how dope his music is, not that I wasn’t expecting it to be but, the production, the attitude, the topics, it was all dope. I personally enjoy his music a lot more than NWA’s. Especially his first albums “Amerikkka’s Most Wanted”, “Death Certificate” and “The Predator.” All three albums were a reflection of the Ice Cube that was unapologetically truthful and harsh but he was real. Songs about certain topics that made your mouth drop and laugh like “Yoooo, did he really say that? Did he actually make a song about that?” After the third album, Ice Cube’s music is not exactly the same but he still had some bangers and he was now appearing on the big screen in movies. His character as “Doughboy” in 1991’s “Boyz N The Hood” was the perfect role for him. He was also in “CB4”, “Higher Learning”, and nothing like the classic “Friday” series. Such a classic and hilarious movies. The Ice Cube nowadays is a lot more laid back but don’t sleep on him. He’ll still bite back if he has to and he just recently got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, such a huge accomplishment for the West Coast hip hop legend. Yay Yaaayyyy!

Keep The Faith: The Legacy of Faith Evans

The story of Faith Evans doesn’t begin when she became an official artist of Bad Boy and it certainly does not begin when she married the late great, Notorious B.I.G. either. The story of this R&B diva begins in New Jersey. She grew up in a Christian environment, which explains that golden voice of hers. She sung with several jazz bands and was encouraged by her mother to do it. While she was in high school, Faith was also involved in pageants, festivals and even contests where she got even more exposure and after graduating in 1991, she attended Fordham University to study marketing but then left a year afterwards when she had her daughter Chyna with her then boyfriend and producer Kiyamma Griffin. Faith then moved to L.A. to be a backup singer for Al B. Sure! and was then finally noticed by Diddy. In 1994, Diddy signed Faith to his up and coming Bad Boy label making her the first female artist on the label. Before Faith’s debut album released a year later, she was contributing backup vocals for Mary J. Blige and Usher. Finally, on August 29th, 1995, Faith released her self titled debut album. This album is a personal top 10 R&B album for me. The entire album is a banger and I grew up on it. Faith’s first joint “You Used To Love Me” was originally for the group Total, another act on the Bad Boy label. That song and “You Don’t Understand” were both about her marriage to Biggie Smalls, who she married on August 4th, 1995. They met a Bad Boy photo shoot. Together they only had one son, who they named after Biggie but they call CJ. The drama in their relationship eventually ended up putting Faith in a feud, one that includes the East Coast/West Coast Beef and even in altercations with other women that Biggie dealt with but all of this ended in a very horrific and tragic ending when Biggie was murdered and passed in March 1997. In memory of Biggie, Faith appeared on the song “I’ll Be Missing You” with 112 and Diddy which won her a Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group in 1998. That same year she also appeared on the song “Heartbreak Hotel” with Whitney Houston and Kelly Price and even released her second album “Keep The Faith” in October. The album was a difficult process for her because she was skeptical about the progress in the beginning. By the early 2000’s and on, Faith continues to put out more albums and more bangers. 2001’s “Faithfully”, which is my personal second favorite from her, 2005’s “The First Lady”, a Christmas album the same year as well, 2010’s “Something About Faith”, a compilation album called “R&B Divas” with other R&B legends for the show on TV One, 2014’s “Incomparable” and she recently released a new album with Biggie called “The King And I.” I haven’t heard the album yet but so far I’ve heard mixed reviews. Some positive and some negative. Throughout it all, Faith Evans is definitely an R&B legend and someone who is not just once The Notorious B.I.G.’s wife. Although Faith herself uses that a lot, I thought it was a smart idea to actually put out more work including both her and Big. Her vocal ability and songwriting skills are amazing and she has an incredible body of work under her belt that people today still can sit down and enjoy from start to finish. Faith herself is not a hip hop artist but she’s definitely involved. Her legacy lives on.

Mecca And The Soul Brother: The 25th Anniversary

Coming from Mount Vernon, both Peter Phillips aka Pete Rock and Corey Penn aka C.L. Smooth came together to be one of hip hop’s most legendary and celebrated duos of all time. It was exactly 25 years ago when the duo released their debut album. On June 9th, 1992, their album “Mecca And The Soul Brother” was released. With Pete Rock’s glossy and smooth but jazzy, hard hitting and soulful influenced production and C.L.’s cool rhymes and flow with an edge that made your head bop. His rhymes were mostly philosophical and had little to no cursing. C.L. is another one to me who has a voice that’s perfect. It hits on the beat just right. Completely flawless. The album is a perfect project from beginning to end. An album that’s about knowing your true self which is the Mecca. It’s a way of life, not a place or a state of mind. The album’s positive energy is what made it one that’s highly respected and held in high regard by hip hop fans. Besides the singles “Straighten It Out”, “Lots of Lovin'” and their signature joint “They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)”, the rest of the album was just as much of a banger. Honestly, it’s my first time hearing it all the way through and I instantly fell in love with it. It just has that perfect sound I love so much. Joints like “Soul Brother #1” and “It’s Like That” are my top favorites. Out of an entire album that’s dope, there’s always a few ones or less that stands out the most. It’s the ones that hit me the hardest. It makes me go crazy, I make an ugly face listening to it. Overall, I can definitely agree that it’s truly a hip hop classic.

The BXtraordinary One: The Introduction of Alex Villafaña

Refreshing, ambitious, someone with actual talent, not the usual thing that you hear everywhere else and definitely an extraordinary one with a voice that represents hunger, wanting to succeed, but also being thankful and showing love to those he appreciates. Not forgetting where he comes from and where he is going. Alex Villafaña is a dope upcoming artist from the Highbridge section of The Bronx whose also a current Hostos Community College graduate. I personally had the honor of meeting this dude over a year ago when we were in the same Linguistics class. Of course, his image makes him noticeable and hard to ignore but with a voice over a fresh and polished hip hop/trap beat, Villafaña keeps your attention. The homie who you can definitely sit down and actually have a discussion with about hip hop, a Jay-Z or a Nas album two, he’s definitely what I would call, according to one of his songs, the “BXtraordinary” one. His mixtape “Looking For The Title” explains it all. It’s a body of work that’s about a young man whose trying to find his way and who is on his way to the top at the same time. Taking and learning from what life is giving to him, not forgetting where he comes from, using that to make him both a better person and artist. His latest single, which is a freestyle joint called “Nas Album Done”, is something just a little more dope though. So short, so simple but straight to the point. Love to witness dope talent from my hometown. More reminders that not all rap is wack, especially ones who can actually rap. To check out his music, his SoundCloud is Alex Villafana, add him on Facebook at Alex Villafaña and follow him on Instagram @villianhustle.

I GOT BARS. I GOT BARS. I GOT BARS.

This is a common phrase when it comes to rap. The terminology is a consice way of telling people I rap and I’m good at it. However the three words take on a life of their own when affiliated to Brute Camp. Brute Camp is a two member Hip Hop group comprised of NYC rappers Profit and King Sleeps.
Prophit met King Sleeps in the Winter of 2005 at the Brooklyn Woods Workshop, at that point Brute Camp was formed. I GOT BARS became the mantra.

Profit is from Venezuela, raised as a kid in Colombia and moved to the United States in the summer of 1991 at the age of seven. King Sleeps, Born in Brooklyn, NY into a musical household, Sleeps began developing his craft at the tender age of seven.

In the hip hop culture it is imperative to stand out and be noticed. This is true when it comes to Brute Camp. Their music weighs on the side of brash and in your face, with songs like Overrated and Shake and Twerk. The two members who are very much different on the surface combine to make a perfect match in music and business. Profit who is affectionately known as Proph takes standing out very personal. The start of the I GOT BARS apparel line with everything from Neck ties to T-shirts has been pushed by Proph and Sleeps. There’s not a place Proph or Sleeps has been seen without thitm repping their brand. When asked How did the idea of I Got Bars come about? Proph answered ” The idea I Got Bars came about to make a point that listeners were not too interested in the lyrics or the message that a song had so we incorporated I got bars into clothing were audience could see what we were really are about.

Proph also states coming to the USA in 1991was imperative for his families survival. During them years, it was heavy poverty and a high crime rate percentage, Pablo Escobar era.

Both crew members agree it was a great idea to bring out I GOT BARS to the public eye. The rationalization is since people don’t want to hear it or know about it they will have to see it. They go further and believe it brings a lot musicians together in different genres. I Got Bars apparal can be seen on the likes of celebrities such as Wyclef, swizz beats, Remy Ma, 50cent, Benzino, Joell Ortiz, Keith Murray, KRS One, Mc Lyte, Black Rob, Murda Mook, Fred the Godson, Producer illmind, Chris Rivers, Cory Gunz, Papoose, Charlie Clips, Cassidy and more.

Brute camp’s drive comes from being lyricists and artists that enjoy story telling in a music form. The listener can hear the message and visualize what is being presented to them.

To shine light on their music, Brute Camp has numerous music videos, songs streaming on SoundCloud and other internet resources. In all fairness, their stamp I Got Bars is better known than the groups official name which is BRUTE CAMP. My job as a journalist and writer is to bring awareness and inform individuals of what they should be tuned in to. BRUTE CAMP. The music should be listened to for entertainment, lyrics and visual storytelling.

When you think of real Hip Hop think of BRUTE CAMP and know they Have Bars.
Follow them on IG @Brute_Camp

Written by Sugarhill Sky.
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