Tag: Happy Birthday

Eazy Duz It: Happy Birthday Eazy-E

When it comes to West Coast hip hop, there’s Snoop Dogg, The Game, DJ Quik, Yo Yo, and of course Niggaz With Attitude aka NWA but without NWA, we wouldn’t know about Dr. Dre, Ice Cube and the late Eazy-E. Eric Wright aka Eazy-E was an original member of the hip hop group coming all the way from Compton. A group whose notorious for putting gangsta rap and Compton on the map and they’re also known for the famous line “Straight Outta Compton”, which is the same name of their debut album in 1988. The album only released three singles including the album title, “Gangsta, Gangsta” and “Express Yourself”, which is one of my favorites. Eazy-E also released his solo debut the same year called “Eazy-Duz-It.” All three singles released from his debut album all had “Eazy” in it. “Eazy-Duz-It”, “Eazy-er Said Than Dunn” and “We Want Eazy”, now I never sat down and listened to his album from beginning to end but Eazy’s rhymes were very simple. He wasn’t super lyrical and he lacked flow but he was original and he had that West Coast “laid back witta joint in the whip” attitude over Dr. Dre’s funky but spooky and hard kinda production that innovated that gangsta rap sound. It’s the same sound as “The Chronic” and Snoop Dogg’s 1993 debut “Doggystyle.” My personal favorite Eazy-E joint is “Eazy-er Said Than Dunn” because of the beat and to me personally, that’s his hardest joint. I run that one more than the others that I know. Back in the 90’s HIV/AIDS was a serious epidemic that had America worried and sadly Eazy was a victim of the disease. On March 26th, 1995, Eazy-E lost his battle with AIDS. It was one of hip hop’s most shocking news and to this day, HIV/AIDS is something that’s still relevant. Sex is a whole other subject and it’s something that’s a part of the human life but it is something that shouldn’t be taken so lightly. It’s the sensation and feeling that can distract people from using a condom to help protect them from pregnancies and having babies or even worse, catching a deadly disease. People can say they’ll protect themselves and end up not doing it just because but it’s “Eazy-er Said Than Dunn.” Also, contracting HIV/AIDS can also be from sharing needles as well, let’s not forget. For those that’s reading this, please stay safe and be safe. It’s the best way to be. Happy birthday and rest in peace Eazy-E. Peace and love.

Brooklyn’s Don Diva: Happy Birthday Foxy Brown

When it comes to female rappers, depending on the person you ask, an older person from the first generation of hip hop would say either MC Lyte, Queen Latifah or Monie Love, a younger person would say Nicki Minaj or Remy Ma but my all time favorite female MC is Brooklyn’s own Foxy Brown. When I listen her spit she gives me goosebumps, I get an ugly face just listening to her. She has that tough, ghetto girl, Caribbean attitude that I personally love so much. Joints like “I’ll Be”, “I Can’t”, “Oh Yeah”, or her guest verses on “Touch Me, Tease Me” or “I Shot Ya”, every time I listen to Foxy her energy and attitude keeps my attention and focus on her. She’s raunchy and materialistic with an attitude that says “I’ll slap the shit outta you if you try to play me so come correct”, it’s almost sexy to me. LOL! Her 1996 debut album “Ill Na Na”, which turns 20 this November, is one of my favorite hip hop albums but my all time favorite from a female MC. The entire album from beginning to end is another banger. Her sophomore 1999 album “Chyna Doll” was okay. Some songs stood out and others were decent but it didn’t have the same energy as her first joint and 2001’s “Broken Silence” was a confessional album about everything she been through during her life and career. I wish Foxy could bring back that ’96 fire she did with her first album but I still love her. She showed me love on Instagram last year for the anniversary of “Ill Na Na” and it made me very excited and happy. She’s really cool too. Much love to Brooklyn’s Don Diva, the ILL NA NA, Inga Marchand aka Foxy Brown. Happy Birthday Fox.

A Tall Glass of LEMONADE: Happy Birthday Beyoncé

It was 1997, and I was three years old at the time, that same year I remember hearing both an original slow version and a upbeat hip hop remixed version of the single “No, No, No.” It was sung by a girl group who came all the way from Houston, Texas and the group consisted of four girls and their names were Beyoncé, Kelly, LaTavia, and LeToya who went by the name Destiny’s Child. To this day, that remix version of “No, No, No” featuring Wyclef Jean, of the hip hop group The Fugees, is hands down my all time favorite Destiny’s Child joint. Then throughout the very late 90’s up til 2004, Destiny’s Child kept coming with bangers after bangers, albums after albums but it was in 2003 when this woman emerged into something the world wasn’t ready for. In 2003, Beyoncé went solo and released her debut album “Dangerously In Love” and the first joint she dropped was “Crazy In Love” featuring Jay-Z. I remember that summer like it was yesterday. When that album dropped, Beyoncé was everywhere yo! “Crazy In Love”, “Naughty Girl” and “Me, Myself and I” was played back to back, you couldn’t get rid of Bey if you wanted to. 3 years later, she released her sophomore album “B’Day.” On this album she put out a music video for every song on the album and she was on “Dreamgirls.” Songs like “Dèjá Vú”, “Upgrade U”, “Ring the Alarm”, and the biggest one of all “Irreplaceable”, that joint was written by Ne-Yo for those who didn’t know. Beyoncé still keeps getting better, still selling world tours all over, still putting out music videos, albums, she was on top of the world, and she puts out “I Am… Sasha Fierce.” This album is my least favorite from her because the songs to me, besides the singles, didn’t move me and the whole “Sasha Fierce” thing to me was too robotic to me but Bey made up for it when she puts out my favorite album vocally from her called “4.” This album, she was vocally going in. “I Was Here”, “Love On Top” and “I Care” are my top favorites on the album. Bey then disappears for a while and everybody was wondering when she was gonna put out a new album but instead she puts out her documentary called “Life Is But a Dream.” It was a documentary about what her life is like on and off the stage, life with her family, life on the road, she’s in the studios and doing rehearsals for shows, Beyoncé is a hard working woman and that documentary shows. Then in 2013, Beyoncé does a Prince move and drops her new surprise, visual self titled album. That album blew me away, it was such a genius move and hands down my favorite era from Beyoncé. The videos posted on her YouTube channel shows the creative process she did to create the album along with the music videos and she said that everything is a reflection of her inner thoughts and fantasies and she decided to create the songs with music videos that match the visions she was seeing in her head. This is my favorite Beyoncé era because to me reached Michael Jackson status as far as being an entertainer. She was taking risks, she became even more powerful on the stage and she being unapologetic about who she was and how she felt and she continues to be even more powerful with this recent album called “LEMONADE.” Another powerful album about infidelity, love, being Black in America, she shut down the “Illuminati” rumors that everyone was claiming her to be, she’s taken a more spiritual side with her art and it’s amazing to me. She came from being that country girl from Houston, Texas in a girl group with the country accent to being a woman whose not afraid to be who she wants to be. Beyoncé is the Tina Turner, she is the Michael Jackson of this generation and with a serious and enormous fan base, she definitely keeps the people and the press talking. Beyoncé is an amazing performer on the stage, her voice is powerful, her dances are fierce but clean and her energy and vibe screams “I am the greatest!” Some people don’t wanna give her props and there are others who give her too much props and treat her like a God, which isn’t so good. It’s one thing to move people in such a powerful way that makes the world fall in love with you but it’s another thing when people act like she’s the only one to do it like the way she’s doing but I salute Bey. She’s on top of the world right now and with a huge variety of albums, hits and music videos under her belt and electrifying performances, she’s doing her thing and she’s not going anywhere no time soon.

The King of Pop: Happy Birthday Michael Jackson

They call him the King of Pop, they call him the greatest entertainer to ever walk the planet earth, he touched hearts all over the world, he made women faint at his concerts, he has a huge catalog of music that goes back to the 70’s and his name is Michael Jackson. Michael Jackson is an iconic artist that inspires a whole lot or artists that exist today, not just in singing and dancing but entertaining period. Every Black household, cookout, birthday party, wedding, has Michael Jackson’s music, whether it’s “Thriller”, “Off the Wall”, “Dangerous” or even music from The Jacksons like their “Destiny” or “Triumph” albums. When you’re listening to a Jacksons album or song or a Michael Jackson album or song, you can’t help but to mimic Michael’s mannerisms and dance moves, especially the classic Moonwalk dance that he premiered on Motown 25 while performing his smash hit “Billie Jean” in 1983. Let’s not forget the classic bio pic movie about the Jacksons starring Angela Bassett, playing Michael’s mother, Katherine, in 1992. Angela, as usual, does an amazing job playing that role. Growing up, my mom would play The Jacksons while she cleaned up around the house, their music was from the 70’s and 80’s and here I was, a 2 year old running around singing these songs. Til this day, their music is still amazing to me and I always loved their harmonies and how instrumental it was. “Destiny” is my personal favorite Jacksons album but my all time favorite Michael Jackson song is “I Can’t Help It” from his 1979 album “Off the Wall.” Also, how incredibly dope Michael Jackson music videos were? Off the chain yo! I personally didn’t care for the extra long concepts and short films and stuff, that was annoying to me, except “Thriller” but when the music finally comes on Michael is doing his thing. Another magical thing about Michael were his live performances. His live performances were just as dope as the music videos. We didn’t know what to expect so you couldn’t miss a Michael Jackson performance. Now music, we would be here for days talking about his catalog. “Off the Wall” was very disco-ish but a classic, “Thriller” was more on the pop side, the early MTV days when they weren’t playing music videos from Black artists and I believe “Billie Jean” was the first music video played on MTV by a black artist. “Bad”, Mike had a new image, people found out he had a skin disease called vitiligo. It’s when the skin loses it’s original skin color but in blotches all over the body. Michael was still loved though, he had the same spark and magic. Then there was the 90’s and there was “Dangerous”, which is my favorite Michael Jackson era. That “Remember the Time” video is my all time favorite Michael Jackson music video. I loved the whole Egyptian ruler theme where Eddie Murphy and beautiful model Iman were the king and queen and Magic Johnson was one of the servants. That choreography was bananas yo! I try to learn that whole dance til this day. LMAO! Then we have the “HIStory” Michael. This was when Michael became more political and was speaking about the injustices and his unfair treatment in the world by the government and the media. “Scream” with his sister Janet is too legendary. That’s another favorite Michael Jackson video of mine. Me and my sister always acted like we were in that video, jumping on the furniture, dancing everywhere, we pretended to have an audience and everything, that’s the Michael Jackson effect right there. “HIStory” is my favorite Michael Jackson album because the songs were powerful, unapologetic, strong, emotional and raw all at the same time. Michael didn’t give a fuck! That’s why they banned the “Scream” video back then. Songs like “Tabloid Junkie”, “D.S.”, “Earth Song”, “Money”, “Stranger In Moscow” and the best song to me on the album is “They Don’t Care About Us.” These songs were the answers to everything. Michael was giving it to the people raw and uncut and of course there was the remix album in 1997 called “Blood On the Dance Floor: HIStory In the Mix.” Me and my sister ran that CD to the death! Those remixes had a flavor of hip hop, R&B, pop and dance and the entire thing was banging from beginning to end but after that, nobody heard another album from Michael until 2001’s “Invincible.” To me that was his last REAL album because the posthumous music wasn’t all that. They should’ve just left it at “Invincible.” I remember when “You Rock My World” came out. They ran that video to death on MTV. Chris Tucker foolish ass was his hilarious self as usual in the video and of course in classic Michael Jackson fashion, it was a short film and lots of dancing all over a woman he was chasing, just like “The Way You Make Me Feel.” Let’s not forget about the remix featuring Jay-Z. When you live in the hood where people are selling bootleg CD’s off the street, you come across some underground dope shit and I loved that remix. I personally liked the remix better. That was a street joint only found on mixed CD’s provided by DJ’s. Songs like “Butterfliez”, “Cry”, “Heaven Can Wait”, “Break of Dawn”, “The Lost Children” and “Whatever Happens”, this was another dope Michael Jackson album but it’s underrated to me, people didn’t appreciate this joint. It’s been seven years since Michael passed and we all still feel the pain of his loss. It’s like a cut trying to heal but it’s healing incorrectly. It gets re opened on the day of his death and his birthday but we all love Michael very much. He’s moonwalking and singing in a new and better place. Happy Birthday and rest in peace King. We love you and miss you. Hee Hee!

 

Knowledge Reigns Supreme Over Nearly Everyone!

Lawrence Parker aka KRS-One aka “The Teacha.” A man with both the knowledge and wisdom with the rhymes that grab your attention about politics and self righteousness. A man who can sometimes say things that most don’t agree with but his intentions are good. A man from the South Bronx who began with DJ Scott LaRock and DJ D-Nice also known as Boogie Down Productions. KRS demands so much respect both on and off the stage. He teaches others what the true purpose of hip hop is really about and that’s one thing I can truly admire about this man. His words are both powerful and strong with an attitude that makes you want to sit down, listen and learn. Through hip hop, KRS is just like Public Enemy or the X-Clan when it comes to politics but can also be just like Big Daddy Kane, Kool Moe Dee, LL Cool J or Rakim and could spit those heavy rhymes over those hard bass tracks with a bit of bragging by saying that he’s # 1! One of the most important rules written in hip hop history, you NEVER battle KRS-One and that’s a fact, jack. My all time favorite cuts from KRS include “I’m Still # 1”, “MC’s Act Like They Don’t Know”, “My Philosophy”, “Sound of Da Police”, and my personal hip hop anthem, BDP’s “South Bronx.” KRS is definitely a hip hop icon for me because he’s everything that hip hop represents and everything that I wanna be. To be able to say that I’m from the South Bronx also makes me proud and I always say that. I should be quoted by now. LOL! Happy Birthday to the Teacha and rest in peace DJ Scott LaRock.

The King of G-Funk: Happy Birthday Nate Dogg!

Nathaniel Dwayne Hale aka Nate Dogg. When I think of hip hop singers, he’s definitely the one. The East Coast have Mary J. Blige and the West Coast have Nate Dogg. I personally don’t know his solo stuff too much but when you hear joints like “Ain’t No Fun”, “21 Questions”, “Area Codes”, “Regulate”, or “The Next Episode” there’s no denying that deep singing voice with a bit of that West Coast attitude underneath it that makes him stand out in a room full of rappers. I just remember feeling so shocked about his sudden death back 5 years ago, it doesn’t even seem like 5 years ago. I might have to spend the day checking out his music. I’m not a fan of too much West Coast hip hop but Nate Dogg I can definitely listen to all day and just like Mary J. Blige, he provides those smooth soulful but gangsta hooks that can give a hip hop track that feeling that you can feel when you hear it. Singing along to it is one thing but feeling it and understanding where that voice comes from and how it makes you feel is another. Happy birthday and rest in peace to the king of hooks, the king of G-Funk.

Happy Birthday Ali Shaheed Muhammad!

Ali Shaheed Muhammad, 1/4 of A Tribe Called Quest, 1/3 of Lucy Pearl (with Raphael Saadiq of Tony! Toni! Toné! and Dawn of En Vogue), and 1/3 of the production team The Ummah with Q-Tip and the late great J Dilla. Ali Shaheed was always my favorite member of ATCQ because he was very laid back and cool. Nobody knows his business, nobody knows his next moves, I call him “The Mystery Man” cause you don’t even know whether or not he produced one of your favorite joints unless you buy someone’s album and read this credits. Speaking of credits, I just found months ago that he did “Brown Sugar” for D’Angelo back in 1995 for his debut album with the same title. I also remember reading somewhere that D’Angelo is one of Ali’s favorite singers. I had already mentioned in the 20th anniversary edition blog of ATCQ’s fourth album “Beats, Rhymes & Life” that ATCQ is my favorite hip hop group, so today I took a little trip down to Queens on Linden Boulevard and 192nd Street to visit the ATCQ mural. That mural came about because of one of the members of this hip hop group on Facebook I’m apart of called “Hip Hop Discussion Group.” Shoutouts to them for making this happen. It was a long ride out there from The Bronx. LMAO! I wore my custom made ATCQ t-shirt, a pair of plain black shorts and my fresh Air Force Ones sneakers, all white of course. I finally get to the mural and I was immediately blown away but the experience for me coulda been a whole lot better if I had someone to go with me, preferably another Tribe fan, that would’ve been dope. I took pictures, I recorded a video of me walking past the entire wall until I met this man standing nearby watching me named Terrence. He was cool and was nice enough to take a pic of me in front of the mural holding up 2 Tribe vinyls I own. I shook his hand, thanked him and went on my way back Uptown. All day on the train I was listening to Tribe, zoning out, having creative thoughts, getting inspired and thinking about what life would’ve been back in 1990 for me. I was listening to their debut album “People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm” mostly. I always had this fantasy of hanging out with Tribe, even with Phife. I always considered Q-Tip my older brother, just because me and him share the same zodiac sign, we’re both an Aries. I would get tips from Q-Tip about how the industry is and how to survive it, Ali would show me his techniques on the turntables, Phife would be talking shit and cracking jokes and Jarobi would be cheffin’ up a bomb ass meal. That was my biggest fantasy but don’t tell the guys. Man do I miss Phife though. Cool ass guy he was. Rest In Phife and Happy Birthday Ali Shaheed. ATCQ 4 Ever!!!!

I Used to Love H.E.R.: An Ode to Hip Hop!

Dear Hip Hop,

I was 17 years old, it was the beginning of my senior year in high school. At that time I was young, naive, afraid, a coward, very insecure, I had no sense of direction or understanding, I was in the darkest place of my life and I was going through a lot of shit, fighting every single day to get to a new place, trying to figure out who I was. The only thing that got me through those tough times was music. I grew up on music, I breathed, walked, talked, ate, and slept music, that’s all I know more than anything else. I was a heavy music fan and lover, especially hip hop and R&B. During the beginning of my senior year, a very close friend of mine introduced me to a place I never knew existed. This place was a place filled with MC’s, not rappers, MC’s/poets, DJ’s, breakdancers, producers and graffiti artists, this was a place that had the perfect hip hop scene. Noticed how I said MC’s and not “rappers” is because they actually tore the place down with their incredible talent and had so much control and respect on the mic. At this time, I started getting to know everyone and everyone was cool and amazingly talented. I had been exposed to hip hop growing up but this was it for me, this sealed the deal for me. That’s when I finally understood what hip hop culture was all about. It was about unity, having fun, being peaceful, conscious, expressing your experiences and stories through art in order to reach a certain audience that reflected our environment and it definitely started to leave a huge influence on me and it showed in my attitude and my appearance. I can’t forget to mention that this place I was introduced to was an underground, low key spot here in the South Bronx on East 149th Street right around the corner from White Castle before they got rid of it. Ever since then, hip hop took a huge effect and toll on me. I started to dress differently, my mindset is different, my outlook on life is different and slowly but surely my life is beginning to change and get better, I was seeing the light. I went from the R&B Ne-Yo and Bruno Mars look in argyle sweater vests and Prada shoes to the Big Daddy Kane, Slick Rick, Run-D.M.C., Kid N’ Play, Wu-Tang Clan look with the high top fade, Doc Marten boots, overalls, gold rope chain, baggy jeans and hoodies and Timbaland boots. Everything about me was different, my look, my walk, talk, style, attitude and I was getting stopped in the middle of the street getting complimented and respected for it. Fast forward to now in 2016, I’m 22 years old, I know exactly who I am and where I’m going and I definitely can’t forget where I come from. Being from the South Bronx, I feel it is my responsibility to keep this culture alive but that sounds “old”, “not relevant”, “corny” and “stuck in the old days” to those who don’t care about this culture or understand it. Thank you DJ Kool Herc for creating the greatest soundtrack of my life. Thank you Run-D.M.C. for teaching me how to rock a fresh pair of Adidas, thank you Big Daddy Kane for teaching me how not to be a half stepper and to have a high top whose rule, thank you LL for teaching me how to appreciate our “around-the-way” girls and not to call them out their names for having long nails, extensions in their hair, and bamboo earrings with at least 2 pair, thank you A Tribe Called Quest for teaching me self righteousness and teaching me that I can definitely “kick it” too, thank you Kid N’ Play for teaching me what a real house party looks like, and thank you Mary J. Blige for giving us R&B singers a place in the hip hop community. We may not have a dope rhyme to spit but we are just as down too. Hip hop may not be the same and it’s always gonna evolve and Black music is Black music and it’s all good but everyday I try not to get too salty about her hanging out with the Trap niggas……. *Shrugs* Thank you hip hop for being the love of my life. Peace and One Love.

BIV10: Happy Birthday Michael Bivins!

Michael Bivins, 1/6 of the supergroup New Edition and 1/3 of the illest hip hop and R&B group, Bell Biv DeVoe, the man behind Boyz II Men and 702, the man behind all of the business moves and aspects of his groups and the man behind BIV 10 Records. Mike Bivins was always someone I personally looked up to when it comes to being a business man. He seems to have the golden touch cause everything he contributed to the music world was dope not to mention that both New Edition and Bell Biv DeVoe have always been my favorites. BBD’s 1990 debut album “Poison” is definitely a banger from beginning to end and one of my personal favorite albums of all time. I watch BBD music videos on YouTube and study their fashion and dance moves. These guys were hard but smooth at the same time, they had all the dope gear, the spray painted overalls, the gore tex boots, the illest fades and haircuts with dope designs and Ricky’s voice over those strong new jack swing and hip hop beats was and is still incredible to me. Their latest joint “Run” samples from Biggie Smalls’ 1997 joint “Hypnotize” and it’s a banger. They still have it and haven’t lost their touch at all. Thank you Mike and the entire New Edition for being so inspiring to me. Team NE 4 Life! Happy Birthday Mike!