Tag: hip hop

It’s Dark And Hell Is Hot: The 20th Anniversary

As the 90’s were slowly coming to an end, hip hop was in a place where it was shiny, glittery, and downright Hollywood. With it’s shiny suits and dresses, fancy cars and jewelry, big smiles and alcohol, all it took was for one guy from Yonkers to come along and redirect hip hop back to it’s roots in the streets. With his rough exterior and vulnerable lyrics and big attitude, Earl Simmons aka DMX not only brought hip hop back to the streets but he was the first artist in hip hop to release two number 1 albums in the same year. On May 12th, 1998, DMX released his debut album “It’s Dark And Hell Is Hot.” With four singles out, DMX was the new face and voice for the streets, the ghetto, the first to be the voice for vulnerable black men in hip hop since Treach from Naughty By Nature. Giving us stories of pain, abuse, struggle, drugs, violence, and sex, while staying true to his higher faith. Just like his hometown natives, Mary J. Blige and The LOX, he also gives that same gritty, street, raw emotion, pain and truth in his music. “Get At Me Dog”, “Stop Being Greedy”, “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem”, and “How’s It Goin’ Down” featuring Faith Evans were all big hits for Simmons. 20 years later, Simmons is known as one of hip hop’s most treasurable artists. One of those artists that stayed true to hisself an where he comes from, despite the troubles with the law, drugs, and alcohol. With an acting career and also party hits underneath his belt, DMX is a certified legend in this hip hop biz.

Capital Punishment: The 20th Anniversary

If you’re a true Bronx native, you see this man all the time on the classic mural on the corner of 163rd Street and Intervale Avenue across the street from White Castle. On top of the mural is the sentence that sums up this man’s legacy in hip hop and in The Bronx. Known as the first Latin artist to go platinum is a definitive spot in the “GOAT” discussions with the homies in the barbershop but of course the lyrical ability and word play is also a conversation topic as well. Christopher Rios aka Big Pun released his debut album “Capital Punishment” on April 28th, 1998. Pun started off in a underground hip hop group called “Full-A-Clips” with the name Big Moon Dawg and then later on became Big Punisher. After meeting another fellow Bronx native, already known artist named Fat Joe, in 1995, he appeared on the track “Watch Out.” He also appeared on The Beatnut’s “Off The Books”, which was a success. Then comes the debut single “I’m Not a Player” with the O’Jay’s sample which was an underground success and then a remixed version came along, featuring the singer Joe, which became Pun’s debut successful single and took him to another level. On April 28th, 1998, Pun then released his debut album which went #5 on the Billboard charts and then eventually making Pun the first Latin artist to go Platinum. Pun then became a part of the infamous Terror Squad and then he tragically died due to a weight problem. Still one of the greatest to ever touch a mic, Big Pun’s legacy will always remain.

Ashanti: Hip Hop’s Hook Girl

She was once the pretty unknown girl with the angelic voice that you heard singing the hooks on songs by Ja Rule and Fat Joe. She was the underdog who people wondered all the time who she was. She was the pretty girl from around the way who hung out with the thugs and hardest dudes ever. She held her own ground, wrote her own material, became the “hook girl” in the early 2000’s, and even appeared in the music videos with the curvaceous body, smooth brown skin, shiny silky black hair, and a small little sway and beauty in her eyes as she sang the hook in the camera. On April 2nd, 2002, that “hook girl” released her debut album. With a self titled album and three singles, Ashanti took over the game in the early 2000’s. “Foolish”, “Happy” and “Baby” were all on heavy rotation on TV and radio. Ashanti Douglas was the new “it” girl who could blow you away with her charm, beauty, and soothing voice. After 15 years, Ashanti still looks just as amazing and her latest single “Say Less” featuring Ty $ is a banger that fits with the times. Forever she’ll be one of the golden girls of R&B. Hip hop’s “hook girl.”

He’s The DJ, I’m The Rapper: The 30th Anniversary

After the West Philadelphia hip hop duo released their debut album in April 1987, the duo returns with another hit album that took their career and status to another level. On March 29th, 1988, their second album “He’s The DJ, I’m The Rapper” was released. It is known to be the very first double album in hip hop history. With Will Smith, aka The Fresh Prince’s witty, funny, and happy but lyrical style and Jeffrey Townes aka DJ Jazzy Jeff’s incredible mixing and scratching with samples over a beat, the duo goes down in hip hop history as one of the greatest duos of all time. With three singles released, “Brand New Funk”, “Parents Just Don’t Understand”, and “A Nightmare On My Street”, the songs are a reflection of The Fresh Prince’s life as a young guy with an understanding of the world around him and making it sort of a comedy without being a comedian, more so of an MC who is just sharing his experiences and his thoughts about regular everyday life as a young guy who just wants to be fresh, spit rhymes, meet fly girls, and keeping his pockets fat.

Notorious B.I.G

On this date in 1997 rap artist the Notorious B.I.G. is killed in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles. He was 24. It’s been 21 years. He would have made 45 years old on May 21. SIP Biggie, you are damn sure missed.

Written by Dianne Washington

Erykah Badu

Erica Abi Wright (born February 26, 1971), better known by her stage name Erykah Badu is a Grammy Award-winning American singer-songwriter, record producer, activist and actress. Her work includes elements from R&B, hip hop and jazz. She is best known for her role in the rise of the neo soul sub-genre. She is known as the “First Lady of Neo-Soul” or the “Queen of Neo-Soul”.

Early in her career, Badu was recognizable for wearing very large and colorful headwraps. For her musical sensibilities, she has often been compared to jazz great Billie Holiday. She was a core member of the Soulquarians, and is also an actress having appeared in a number of films playing a range of supporting roles in movies such as Blues Brothers 2000, The Cider House Rules and House of D. She also speaks at length in the documentaries Before the Music Dies and “The Black Power Mixtapes”

Erykah Badu was born Erica Abi Wright in Dallas, Texas on February 26, 1971. Her mother raised her, her brother (Jabbada), and her sister (Nayrok) alone after their father, William Wright Jr., deserted the family early in their lives. To provide for her family, the children’s grandmother often helped looking after them while Erykah’s mother, Kolleen Maria Gipson (Wright), performed as an actress in theatrical productions. Influenced by her mother, Erykah had her first taste of show business at the age of 4, singing and dancing with her mother at the Dallas Theatre Centre. Erykah Badu was the owner of Focal point in Dallas, Texas.

By the age of 14, Erykah was free-styling for a local radio station alongside such talent as Roy Hargrove. In her early youth, she decided to change the spelling of her name from Erica to Erykah, as she firmly believed her original name to be her slave name. The term ‘kah’ signifies the inner self. Badu is her favorite jazz scat sound and is also an African name for the 10th born child used for the Akan people in Ghana.

Upon graduating from Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, Badu went on to study theater at the historically black college Grambling State University. Concentrating on music full-time, she left the university in 1993 before graduating and took on several minimum wage jobs to support herself. She taught drama and dance to children at the South Dallas Cultural Center. Working and touring with her cousin, Robert “Free” Bradford, she recorded a 19-song demo, Country Cousins, which attracted the attention of Kedar Massenburg, who set Badu up to record a duet with D’Angelo, “Your Precious Love,” and eventually signed her to a record deal with Universal Imperial Records.

After 10 years as a vegetarian, Badu became a vegan in 2006: “Vegan food is soul food in its truest form. Soul food means to feed the soul. And to me, your soul is your intent. If your intent is pure, you are pure.” Badu splits her time between Dallas, Texas and Fort Greene, New York.

In 1995, Badu became involved with rapper André 3000 of OutKast, with whom she had her first child, a son named Seven Sirius Benjamin, on November 18, 1997. Their relationship ended sometime in 1999. Their relationship inspired André 3000 to write the song “Ms. Jackson”.

In 2000, Badu was in a romantic relationship with fellow Soulquarian Common; their relationship ended in 2002. On July 5, 2004, Badu gave birth to a daughter, Puma Sabti Curry; Puma’s father is West Coast rapper The D.O.C., originally from Dallas. On February 1, 2009, Badu gave birth to her third child, a girl named Mars Merkaba Thedford, with her boyfriend of five years, rapper Jay Electronica.

Written by Dianne Washington

19 Naughty Three: The 25th Anniversary

After the celebration of their 25th anniversary of their debut album two years ago, New Jersey’s very own DJ Kay Gee, Treach, and Vinnie aka Naughty By Nature’s second album “19 Naughty Three” has now reached the big 2-5. To give y’all a recap, I was invited to a Naughty By Nature/Cypress Hill show for free by Kay Gee himself two years ago during Halloween weekend and that night was definitely one of the greatest nights of my life. Hit after hit, classic after classic, Naughty tears the stage up and it certainly felt like 1991 all over again. Now fast forward to now, February 23rd, 2018. It’s now the 25th anniversary of their second album and it’s my favorite album from Naughty. At 2:18 this morning, I wanted to revisit the album and give it a listen and it’s still timeless hip hop. Every fast rhyme, every hard beat, every sample, this album is a definite banger and a must have for a hip hop fan. Besides the three singles “Hip Hop Hooray”, “Written On Ya Kitten” and “It’s On”, my favorites are “Ready For Dem” featuring the late great Heavy D. Rest In peace. “The Hood Comes First”, “Hot Potato”, “Sleepin’ On Jersey” featuring Queen Latifah and “Sleepwalkin’ II.” No skips on this album for me at all. Something rare for me with albums nowadays. That’s another story I won’t get into but back to the main topic. Naughty By Nature have definitely put in work and have solidified themselves as hip hop legends. They’re still doing show left and right, up and down and making sure they’re shows have the same exact energy as when you listen to their albums. They’re a true hip hop group that never changed who they were to sell records or to be accepted by mainstream standards. They continued to stay their true selves and keep it real. The same three guys from the streets of New Jersey. It’s as real as it gets. Nothing watered down. The best part about our hip hop legends doing shows is they’re doing better and looking better than most of the young guys my age. It’s like the young guys can’t keep up with the OG’s but claim to wanna be like them or they learn from them. Which part? But this is no diss. Just keeping it real. After all, that’s what hip hop is all about and Naughty have definitely done that.

For Us By Us: An Urban Classic

The night of Valentine’s Day was just another day. A regular day. No plans, no love in my life, nothing. As usual, I was scrolling on Instagram and happened to see a sponsored post on my news feed, something about the new FUBU and Puma collaboration. Quickly, it caught my attention. Turns out to be launch event with the founder of FUBU himself, Mr. Daymond John. I know y’all remember FUBU. The same brand everybody was rocking in the early 2000’s. LL Cool J was one of the people I remember seeing on TV wearing it and it was so dope so I was really excited and decided to make a trip to the Queens Center Mall the next day for this moment. The next day came, I got ready, of course I had to get fresh, it’s a must. LOL! I even pulled out my vintage FUBU blue windbreaker jacket so that when I knew when my moment came to meet this guy, I wanted to show how much of a fan I am of his clothing brand. The event started at 4. I got to the mall around 2:30 and I was nice and early. I forgot to mention that the post on Instagram said that the first 25 people who show up gets a free $50 Puma gift card, I was the eighth person on line. 2 hours went by and it was finally time to go inside. When my time came, I got my card and went straight inside. When I finally went inside of the Puma store, they had the entire store set up just like a red carpet event. DJ Drewski From HOT 97 was inside spinning all of the dope hip hop joints and there were these dudes lined up and everyone including the employees were rocking their fresh FUBU/Puma joints. Head to toe. I waited patiently to meet Daymond and finally I did. Just like I thought, meeting the man himself was another dope moment for me. He even showed me love for the windbreaker jacket and signed a little flyer for me. I copped me a red medium exclusive Puma/FUBU shirt to rock with my Puma’s this summer. It’s a must. I paid for my shirt and even got a free copy of Daymond John’s book called “Rise And Grind.” He signed my book and I left. I left with such an euphoric feeling. Excited to be able to meet yet another legend in hip hop culture and even have something exclusive that not everybody will have. I will also be reading that book. Definitely has some gems in it I can learn and use for myself because fashion is my thing too.

Real Precyse

Real Precyse is a Producer and DJ from the Boston, M.A. region who focuses on Trap & EDM, but has skill sets in many other genres. With a vast Hip Hop background Precyse has managed to cultivate a unique edge on expanding his imagination whilst honing desires to become a staple in the industry by having his own unique approach. One of Precyse’s favorite quotes details the synapses and mindset he maintains. “Both desire and imagination are stored in the mind of the individual and when stretched, both have the potential to position a person for greatness” – Eric Thomas.

Sho-Time

Karine Sho-Time Thornton was born in the Bronx, the home of Hip Hop music where tradition and culture was born. Sho-Time always had a passion for art, he went to the high school of Art & Design studying architecture and Animation. He discovered he had a passion for creating music. Most of his early recordings were produced by Tron on the Beat. In the process of establishing himself and his brand, Sho-Time added media and film to his resume, uploading video’s with today’s up and coming and mainstream artists. This was the birth of Sho-Timetv, which was established as a media outlet in 2010. Sho-Time has worked with companies such as Def Jam, Sony, Universal recording and many more, Sho-Time interviewed the cast of the hit show on the OWN Network, The Have and Have Nots and Love Thy Neighbor by Tyler Perry. Sho-Time has been featured on many radio stations across the country. Sho-Time has worked with sites such as Urltv, Vladtv, WorldStarHipHop.com, WhatsHotinHipHop.com and many more. Sho-Time has hosted and judged countless showcases and concerts across the board. One thing that comes to mind when you hear the name Sho-time is his work ethic and drive. People always say this man is every where and by the looks of things, he is not slowing down. Sho-Time is a plethora of gifts and talents but the best of all these things is his passion, the passion you see in everything that he does, that is why he is successful. Sho-Time inspires others who are close to him. I have had the privilege of knowing him and can say he can change lives with the examples and determination he puts forth on every project in public and personal life….