Tag: JAY DOGGZ

Totally Krossed Out: The 25th Anniversary!

The story begins in Atlanta. Two little boys who met and became friends in the first grade. Now fast forward and the year is 1991. It was then where the story of these two boys’ legacy begins and their lives change forever. Just a normal day, hanging out in the mall, it was their style and attitude that caught the attention of a then and also young guy himself, who goes by the name of Jermaine Dupri. This was exactly two years before So So Def happened but in the meantime, Jermaine Dupri discovers these two boys who both go by the names of Christopher Smith and Christopher Kelly, also known as the hip hoppin’, baggy clothes backwards wearing, tiny braids on the head and their small but rough voices, Kris Kross. The perfect name for them since it was a play on both of their names being Christopher and the fact that they actually were their clothes on backwards. Kris Kross signs a deal with Ruffhouse Records and on March 31st, 1992, their debut album “Totally Krossed Out” is released. The entire album was produced by Jermaine. It sold 4 million copies with 4 singles, “Warm It Up”, “I Missed the Bus”, “It’s a Shame” and their all time infamous hit “Jump.” Til this day, “Jump” is definitely a timeless classic because of it’s party vibes and energy and the famous line that goes “…..Cause inside out is wiggidy, wiggidy, wiggidy, whack!” Play that joint today at a party and the dance floor goes bananas, especially at a 90’s hip hop party or event. Overall, the album is a strong hip hop party vibe. In the start of the album, their being interviewed by a radio DJ who compares them to another hip hop/new jack swing group Another Bad Creation but they shut it down by saying that it was “another bad idea.” I didn’t really take that as a diss to ABC personally but they got their point across. The albums main message is just about the two boys hanging out together, living life in the ghetto and just having fun. It’s a insight of what life is like for them regularly with a rapping style that’s hard with a production to match. The song “Lil’ Boys In Da Hood” is the perfect song that best describes that with Ice Cube on a loop. To me the album is definitely underrated. Usually kids are pushed to the side because they’re so young and dismissed for not having so much “experience” in life but this album proves that the young ones definitely have something to say too. In the words of Andre 3000, “the South got something to say.” Their overall success has made them the youngest rap duo to gain so much success with gold and platinum albums at only 11 and 12 years old. Almost 4 years ago, Chris Kelly passed away from drug abuse. Definitely another loss in hip hop history that shook the industry, especially for those who were growing up in the 90’s and lived through life rocking to Kris Kross. 25 years later, the album is still as dope as it was then. Rest In Peace Chris Kelly.

Life After Death: The 20th Anniversary

20 years ago, Brooklyn’s very own The Notorious B.I.G. passed away in Los Angeles from a drive by shooting. His passing was definitely a huge loss in hip hop history and then 16 days later, his second album “Life After Death” was released. The album was released on March 25th, 1997. A double disc album that came at the right time after his death. The album touches on topics of enjoying life, success, street crime, and paranoia, with a little bit of Biggie’s comedic touch and funny storytelling while trying to stay positive with hopes of escaping the life he once had while growing up in Brooklyn, trying to survive. It was almost like the Brooklyn MC knew his time was coming. Compared to “Ready to Die”, this album was more of Biggie trying to escape the street life and becoming more of a man whose trying to focus more on the positive things in life while still keeping an eye out for anything lurking, coming his way that made him feel paranoid. To me personally, this album only had a few cuts that I was able to skip past while “Ready to Die” was a masterpiece that was able to be played all the way through without any skips. The album starts off with a skit where Diddy is talking to Biggie and trying to make sure he stays alive. It’s a perfect way to get the album started. Biggie flatlines at the end and then as the album goes on, it seems as though he’s talking to us, telling us stories from another place in life, a life after death. Besides the classic singles released from the album, “Kick In the Door”, “Last Day”, “What’s Beef?”, “I Got a Story to Tell”, “The World Is Filled…” and “My Downfall” are all standout tracks to me. Everything about those tracks from the production, the storytelling and of course the way Biggie delivers with his voice. This isn’t just plain rapping, this is a storyteller’s life and the things that were going on in his head. After all, a tragedy that took the MC’s life and cut it short turns into a celebration because the love of his fans and family keeps his legacy alive. In the words of The LOX, we’ll always love Big Poppa.

All Hail The Queen: The Legacy of Queen Latifah

One of hip hop’s earliest female MC’s, the homegirl from Newark, New Jersey, the one who came onto the scene in 1988 when she was just a part of the Flavor Unit. She made a demo that ended up in the hands of Fab Five Freddy, who was a host on Yo! MTV Raps, and then was given to an employee at Tommy Boy Records. After that, she recorded her hit “Wrath of My Madness.” She then released her debut album in 1989 with both a voice and a style that’s iconic in hip hop history. She’s fearless, unapologetic, strong, a no nonsense type of person whose well respected and might give a mean jab or two if you don’t come correct. Mostly known for her female empowering songs and teaching how and what it means to be respected as a woman, especially in a male dominated field that she’s in, she’s definitely the Queen, Queen Latifah that is. She came onto the scene in 1989 when she signed to Tommy Boy Records and released her debut album, that year in November, titled “All Hail the Queen.” Of course, this is the album with her signature hit “Ladies First” with another dope female MC who goes by the name Monie Love. Besides how powerful and uplifting the song is, their rhymes had incredible flow and wordplay, it was something that made you have much more deeper love and appreciation for women, black women especially. Her next joint “Nature of a Sista” is the album with one of my favorite Latifah joints, which is “Latifah’s Had It Up 2 Here.” The opening line in the song is what always made me love Latifah as an MC. “Well, It the L-A, the T-I, the F-A-H, you see why…” It’s the first line that comes to my head when I think of her and her music. Her 1993 joint “Black Reign” is what made us 90’s babies appreciate Latifah the most because of the joint “U.N.I.T.Y.” It’s another dope record from the Queen about not disrespecting our women and uniting. “Just Another Day” is a smooth, laid back joint about chillin’, hangin’ around in the hood with your homies. Latifah’s switch up from her first two albums to this one wasn’t such a bad move either. She still kept it real, stayed herself but on this album, it was more dark and appealed more to the streets. Her first three albums to me stood the most. It marked her legacy as an MC. During the 90’s, that’s when she made her mark on the television screen. She was mostly known for her role as Khadijah on “Living Single” and as a roughneck lesbian named Cleo on “Set It Off.” Can’t forget to mention the talk show she had at the end of the 90’s, which most don’t know about. Throughout the 2000’s, Latifah has been in countless movies as a starring role and has been on Broadway and even doing traditional singing style with her music and another talk show that only lasted for three years. Latifah is definitely someone in hip hop who has influenced a lot of women and opened doors for them. Definitely a queen in her own right.

Criminal Minded: The 30th Anniversary!

This past week has been an incredible one for hip hop and especially those who are from the Bronx, the birthplace. It makes me proud to be from The Bronx this time around, even though I’m always proud, regardless of the ignorant and asinine comments made about my borough daily. This past week, Swizz Beatz went live to reveal an unreleased joint during a DJ battle with Just Blaze that made the entire hip hop community go bonkers and Remy Ma rips Nicki Minaj apart with her diss track “ShEther.” There was definitely a lot of talk about whose the better MC between the two ladies and of course, non hip hop fans jumping in discussions just to defend Nicki by throwing out information about her sales and income when we all know that traditionally in hip hop, it’s the skills on the mic that matters, not the sales and awards, but it was definitely another interesting The Bronx vs. Queens battle, which reminds me of KRS-One and MC Shan. Now speaking of KRS-One, yesterday was the birthday of the late great DJ Scott LaRock and today, “Criminal Minded” turns 30. On March 3rd, 1987, KRS-One and DJ Scott LaRock aka Boogie Down Productions released “Criminal Minded.” A 10 track album that’s definitely one of the greatest and most influential hip hop albums of all time. I usually critique each song on the album when it comes to celebrating its anniversary but for this one, It’s one powerful album for just 10 songs. In classic hip hop, KRS-One fashion, what The Teacha himself is known for, he delivers with such knowledge and wisdom. Teaching the listeners a thing or two about politics and such. At the same time, the two classic bangers, “South Bronx”, which is my personal theme song, and “The Bridge Is Over” are both responses to the MC Shan battle during that time and it shows how an aggressive KRS-One gets on the mic. Like he says, never battle him cause he’s number one! This album is definitely a top 5 for me personally. Not just because it’s KRS-One but because it’s an album that’s actually a banger from beginning to end and what I consider to be an early blueprint or “the guide to being an MC” for a lot of dope and talented rappers in the game, both old and young. I guess this is my way of paying homage to KRS-One and Scott LaRock but mostly to Scott. Definitely a late great whose time was cut short unfortunately but is still respected and loved today and peace to The Teacha. 30 years, BX we here!

Ooooooohhh… On the TLC Tip: The 25th Anniversary!

It all started with three young women from Atlanta and Philly. These three young women were totally different but when they came together, they were magic. This magic then made them into the greatest female group of all time. It was a cool, deep throated singer with a swag that was ahead of her time by the name of Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins, a crazy, energetic, creative, free spirited and outspoken one with the nasally raps whose no longer with us but is deeply loved and missed by the name of Lisa “Left-Eye” Lopes and a sexy, sultry, with the R&B vocals and smooth dance moves who goes by the name Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas, together they are the hip hop, R&B and pop group also known as the “crazysexycool” ones, also known as TLC. It was 25 years ago when the world got its first taste of what and how different girl groups can be without the typical glamour and perfect harmonies with dresses and high heeled shoes, instead we got baggy, colorful clothes with condoms pinned all over and heavy Doc Marten boots with at least 4 layers of thick colorful socks, crazy but fun dance moves and lots of powerful and positive statements made in the music that represented female empowerment. Way before Lauryn Hill’s “The Miseducation” or Beyoncé’s “Lemonade”, there was “Ooooooohhh… On the TLC Tip.” With 7 O’s and 3 H’s, the O’s represented the days of the week, the H’s represented the three members, “on the tip” was 90’s slang for “on my jock”, “flow”, “vibe”, or “mood.” The title lets you know that you were on the TLC vibe and we fell in love with it. The open starts with a short but simple skit of what sounds like a Caucasian male on the phone giving his opinion about the girls’ look and how he thinks it’s “just a fad” and “it must be a black thing!” but in the same breathe compliments them by saying “but they’re pretty cute!” That intro was a perfect representation of how different TLC appeared to the eye. The next track and debut single from the group “Ain’t 2 Proud 2 Beg” is a catchy hip hop/new jack or “new jill swing” joint about safe sex, hence why they wore condoms pinned to their clothes. They heavily promoted the importance of safe sex. They also talk about not being ashamed or don’t mind begging their significant other for sex. The next joint “Shock Dat Monkey” is a joint I personally always skip. I just never cared for the song but it’s not bad song at all. The intermissions on the album are pretty hilarious too. On the first one, the girls sing a catchy but hilarious song about getting “rid of a ho” that a male friend they’re hanging out with admires for wearing tight clothes and the girls are against the whole wearing tight clothes and exposing body parts to get attention. The intermission was a perfect one before “Hat 2 Da Back” comes on. The final single released from this album but this song is about being a woman whose comfortable with wearing baggy clothes and not always showing off your body for attention. “Das Da Way We Like ‘Em” is one of my favorite joints on the album. Not only is the production so dope but it’s another “Ain’t 2 Proud 2 Beg” type of joint to me. Something you can definitely dance to. It’s a catchy joint about being accepted for who you are what you’re not. Speaking of acceptance, “What About Your Friends” is the third single released from this album and joint about the importance of friendships and whether or not should you keep them around based on circumstances. “His Story” is another favorite of mine. A song about the story of a woman named Tawana Brawley, who was a woman that made accusations about being raped and nobody taking her side and instead taking the men’s side of the story. The song touched a wider scale of how the world always brush aside women’s issues and take up for men and quick to defend a man. It’s a song about calling out male privilege. The second intermission comes on about T-Boz and her man fighting over whether or not she will be going out for a night of fun. She slaps him for lying about taking her, after changing his mind, and then let’s him know that she’s going. The perfect transition into the next joint “Bad By Myself”, which is another favorite of mine on the album. Crazy ass beat, another banger on the album but the song is about the encouragement of women being able to do what she wants and take care of herself without depending on a man to do so. “Somethin’ You Wanna Know” is a cool, laid back joint you enjoy while wiping the sweat off of you from dancing throughout majority of the album and then another laid back love joint “Baby-Baby-Baby” kicks in. This joint was the second single released from the album. It’s the song that caught the attention of older folk who don’t usually listen to what “the kids” are listening to but sometimes, what “the kids” are listening to can definitely do something that’s relatable for all audiences to enjoy. The album concludes with another Marley Marl joint “This Is How It Should Be Done”, which is my second favorite album and followed by my first favorite “Depend On Myself”, another uplifting joint about not depending on a man. Left-Eye finishes off the album with a final important message about safe sex and the girls finish with a classic trademark chant of theirs “Ooooooohhh on the TLC tip!” The album is not only a great debut for the group and their legacy but to come right out the gate so impactful and positive like that was something different and never before seen like that from any other girl groups. TLC’s legacy continues with 3 more albums including, “CrazySexyCool” in 1994, “FanMail” in 1999, and “3D” in 2002. It’s unfortunate that Left-Eye is no longer here to see the fruits of her labor 25 years later. T-Boz and Chilli are both still doing the damn thing and still got us, the TLC Army behind them the whole ride through. As the girls once said and did in a chant “I’m the T, tiggity, tiggity, tiggity, T-BOZ, I’m the liggy, liggy, *CLAP CLAP* LEFT-EYE, I’m the C, and It be the chills, CHILL-LAYYYY, and that is Ooooooohhh on the TLC TIP!” This one was definitely for Lisa. Rest In Peace beautiful. Peace and love to T-Boz, Chilli, the TLC Army and their families. 25 Years later, and the party still don’t stop when a TLC song comes on. Let’s do it like it’s 1992 again!

Baduizm: The 20th Anniversary

Good music makes me happy but classic shit gets me excited, especially when the anniversary of that specific classic arrives. Sometimes I’m prepared and other times I’m reminded the day of and it catches me off guard like “Oh shit! That’s a CLASSIC!” 20 years ago on February 11th, 1997, hip hop and neo soul artist Erykah Badu burst onto the scene with her debut album “Baduizm.” I honestly don’t feel worthy enough to even write about this masterpiece of an album because Erykah is another level with her intellect and word play. It took me years to understand Erykah and other women who are just like her because I’m used to hood girls and there’s nothing wrong with a hood chick but Erykah is the intellectual black woman who represents a totally different type of creativity that’s rare in the hood. She’s the one who burns an incense and sips on tea with an ankh symbol around her neck, which represents life and completeness. Erykah explains fully what it means on her Live album that also came out 20 years ago. Erykah’s sound had a jazz vibe to it but she definitely is hip hop. It’s not that in your face, kinda rough stuff, it’s that soothing but knowledgeable stuff. It’s honest, it’s real, it’s unapologetic, it’s consciousness, it’s celebrating the beauty of being a black woman whose comfortable in her skin and not afraid of what the masses thinks. It’s inspirational and one of the first of it’s kind, along with D’Angelo’s “Brown Sugar” in 1995 and Maxwell’s “Urban Hang Suite” in 1996 with that neo soul sound. I consider Erykah the Queen of Neo Soul but I read that she doesn’t want to be called that. It keeps her in a box. To me, she’ll always be the Queen of neo soul. “Baduizm” means to be “high” off of her. “Izm” is slang for weed. Just add the “Badu” in front of it and we got this masterpiece which is called “Baduizm.” The album starts off with a joint that’s one of my favorites on the album. “Rimshot” has a catchy hook and a dope beat. “I wanna rimshot, heyyyy diggy diggy.” When I’m spinning and I put this album, this joint definitely stays on a loop. “On & On”, which is the first single from the album, is the next joint on the album. This is the first song that comes to my mind when I think of Erykah. It was this song when Erykah said “I was born underwater with 3 dollars and 6 dimes” and it went over a lot of people’s heads. She was basically saying she was born complete. Goes back to the ankh symbol that I mentioned earlier. Then it’s “Appletree.” Erykah says in the beginning of the song that she has some food but not the edible kind, she has some “food for thought.” As the song goes on she talks about picking her friends like she picks her fruit. Being smart and careful about who the people she keeps in her circle. It’s also something that can make a person “complete.” The company you keep can sometimes make you feel complete if they’re the right ones. The ones whose willing to be honest and real about who they are and something they’re not. “Otherside of the Game” is another favorite of mine on this album. Every time I hear the song, I can see the entire music video in my head with her and Andre 3000 in the studio apartment by themselves. Erykah at the time was pregnant with their son Seven. It’s a song and video that’s about being in a complicated relationship but she stays by his side anyways. The next joint is “Sometimes…” but it’s the #9 Mix. A shorter version. I’ll get back to this joint when the full version comes up. LOL! The next joint “Next Lifetime” is hands down, my all time favorite Erykah Badu joint. Everything about the song keeps going back to it every single time. The beat, that bass, the groove of it, it’s a smooth ass song for real. A song about Erykah being in a relationship already, currently, at the moment but low key wanting to be with another man by saying she guesses that she’ll see him in the “next lifetime.” “Afro (Freestyle Skit)”, a very organic and original freestyle about picking an afro and going to enjoy a Wu Tang concert. Definitely one of my favorite skits from any album in the 90’s. “Certainly” is a smooth but jazz influenced joint. When I listen to this joint, I picture myself in a poetry lounge with incense burning and a man on stage playing bass and of course Erykah standing on stage with her cup of tea on the side and she’s sharing knowledge and giving us a little bit of her sassy but funny and cool personality. “4 Leaf Clover”, for those who didn’t know that song is a remake. My mom played this joint to death. I mean all the time. It made me forget that it was from this album for a while. “No Love” to me is the most underrated song on the album. It’s a nice R&B joint with a vibe. Something to play on a beautiful Saturday morning. Ironically, it’s Saturday but it just hit noon as I’m writing this. “Drama” is the only song on the album to me that doesn’t leave an impression like the rest of the album does but it’s not a bad song. It’s actually really dope and I like the hook but it’s not the song I’ll remember first from the album. Now finally, we get to “Sometimes….” This joint was on constant replay and on a loop for hours the first time I heard it. That beat makes you nod and sway and sing along to the song. “Where did the love gooooooo?” Another favorite of mine on the album. Big time. Then Erykah has a “flipped” version of “Certainly.” I definitely prefer this version more. The hip hop in me automatically fell for this version more than the other one that’s earlier in the album and the album ends with a continuation of “Rimshot.” A nice applause for such an amazing album. Definitely one of the albums anniversary I was waiting for and I was reminded two days ago by a friend on Facebook. He was posting about Erykah and how long it took for him to understand her lyrics. He also posted her “Live” album, which will be 20 in November but Erykah is definitely one of music’s greatest of all time for her positive energy and spirit and her being so knowledgeable. I do wish to meet Erykah someday. Such a beautiful woman as well. She’s so different and definitely marches to the sound of her own drum without knocking others for what they do. Something that I recently learned and someone reminded me of that and going through masterpiece reminded me of how inspiring Erykah is in that way too.

Ronnie, Bobby, Ricky & Mike, Ralph & Johnny Too!

Almost 2 weeks ago, the New Edition biopic movie premiered on BET for a three night special. So far it’s the best biopic to me personally. The entire movie was amazing and truly inspiring. The moment I became a New Edition fan was when I was 14 years old. It was their 25th anniversary at the time I believe, they were in Sister 2 Sister Magazine and there was an article about them in the magazine and they were all wearing suits and different color ties. VH1 Soul, at the time before it changed to BET Soul, were playing all of their videos, including their solo joints and I remember being glued to the television screen amazed with the amount of hits they had. Back to back videos of New Edition, Bell Biv DeVoe, Bobby Brown, Ralph Tresvant and Johnny Gill including their episode of “Behind the Music.” I was inspired by how much they been through as a group and how far they made it and of course, how legendary they are. During the same time, in the summer, Limewire was still a popular music download website and I made 2 mixed CD’s with nothing but New Edition, Bell Biv DeVoe, Bobby Brown, Ralph Trevant, and Johnny Gill joints. Speaking of the members, today is Bobby Brown’s birthday. Bobby by himself is my favorite as well as BBD. Bobby was a monster by himself on the stage. Lots of energy and he can dance his off. “On Our Own”, “Every Little Step”, “Roni” and “One More Night” are my top favorite Bobby Brown joints. Both Bobby and BBD had That energy and edge that I like so much. Bobby was the rock star but BBD was on the hip hop side of town and they were considered “mental”, which is everything that I personally represent today. To be “mental” means to be free to do whatever and wear whatever you want. Doesn’t always have to be planned but it’s still your style and original. Ralph and Johnny were the smooth R&B guys who had the bangers for the ladies but I learned how to love a girl by listening to those love songs. With all of their albums and music videos put together, that’s about 40 albums, including the remixes albums and about 60 music videos. Forever their legacy will live on.

SOB’s Jam Master Jay’s Birthday Celebration

Last night was another incredible hip hop moment in my life. Something else for the vault, something to definitely share way in the future when I’m old and grey. LOL! Downtown at the infamous SOB’s was the birthday celebration of Run-D.M.C.‘s very own Jam Master Jay. So many legends under one roof and so much love as well. Dope performances by Naughty by Nature, ONYX, Parish Smith of EPMD, and Mr. Cheeks, which was a surprise to me. I knew it was him on the stage but I needed to overhear someone say his name to verify it. Besides the performances, dope DJ’s like the legendary DJ Hollywood, Grand Wizard Theodore and none other like the “koolest” one himself, Kool DJ Red Alert and I was introduced to ScratchMasta Jazzy G, and JMJ son DJ. Jam Master JSon. That’s all I can remember but he definitely did his thing during sound check. I noticed a lot of people came there with a fresh pair of Adidas on or some kinda merchandise with Run-D.M.C. or Jam Master Jay and not to mention, I met both JMJ’s nephews and cousins, they’re cool too. Looking forward to more nights like this.

JUICE: The 25th Anniversary

January 17th, 1992, the classic hip hop movie “JUICE” was released. 25 years later and the movie is still a timeless favorite from hip hop fans all over. The movie has plenty of hip hop cameos too. EPMD, Kool DJ Red Alert, Treach from Naughty By Nature, him and Tupac were really close friends and Fab 5 Freddy. The movie mostly takes place in Harlem and it’s about 4 friends who do what it takes to get respect or in other words get the “juice.” They skip school just to hang out in Steel’s house while his parents are at work all day. Bishop and Q have a fight about what it takes to get respect in their own neighborhood and why they gotta stop taking harassment from the cops everyday but in order to escape everyday harassment by the cops in their neighborhood, they all come up with an idea to rob the corner store in order to get the “juice.” Things start to change when Bishop gets control of the gun and decides to shoot Quiles dead in his store. He then gets a little too pistol happy and ends up killing Raheem in a fight because he refuses to let the gun go. Now only Q, Bishop and Steel left, Q tells Bishop that he is “crazy” and Bishop didn’t like that. Eventually, throughout the rest of the movie, Q and Steel team up together to avoid Bishop but he pops up everywhere trying to lure them into his schemes and so he can get back at them. Bishop catches Steel in the hallway of his building and ends up shooting him. Q finds out and decides that he’ll go buy a gun just in case Bishop comes for him and they end up fighting until the end of the movie when Q accidentally let’s Bishop fall to his death off the roof of the building. Everyone that was from the party inside the building saw the whole thing happened and then someone reminds Q that he’s got the “juice” but he shakes his head no and the movie ends. The movie stars Omar Epps, Khalil Kain, Jermaine Hopkins and the late great Tupac. Quincy aka Q or GQ (played by Omar Epps), is the good guy in the crew, aka The Wreckin’ Crew, who doesn’t really want to get involved in their stick up plans lead by Bishop (played by Tupac) and Raheem (played by Khalil Kain). Q is mostly focused on being a popular local DJ and winning contests at the DJ battles that are hosted by Ruffhouse MC (played by Queen Latifah). Raheem is Q’s closest friend of the crew. Raheem denies his responsibilities of being a father to his son by his ex girlfriend. He’s also the leader of the Wreckin’ Crew and it was also his idea along with Bishop to rob Quiles’ store. Steel is the guy in the crew whose always being laughed at by the crew and the one whose always late when they wanna go hang out and skip school. They go back to his place to hang out while his parents aren’t home and Bishop is the one in the crew that’s always ready for something. Always prepared to “throw down” when something happens. He gets harassed by the neighborhood bully Radames everyday and every time Radames gets a chance to. Radames always threatens to beat up or kill Bishop which adds fuel to why he eventually gone crazy throughout the movie but then Bishop comes back for Radames and kills him. The soundtrack to the movie is even just as dope. “Is It Good to You” by Tammy Lucas and “Don’t Be Afraid” by Aaron Hall are my top favorites on the soundtrack. Also can’t forget by Naughty By Nature’s “Uptown Anthem.” This movie will still be a hip hop favorite in another 10 years or more.

Ya Gotta Have the Right SKILLS!

A little more than a week ago, as usual I got a message from this dude about how dope he thinks my Instagram account is and how much he enjoys old school hip hop. Automatically, I knew this is someone I had to associate myself with. Anybody that’s into hip hop is cool with me but old school hip hop, you’re definitely cool in my eyes. Anyways, me and this guy had a few words with each other and he tells me about himself. This guy goes by the name Skills. He’s a 26 year old artist from New York who started a movement with another artist named Gifted, called NxtSkool, and also has a dope designer and has a clothing line but he only sells hats and tees. He personally sent me this really dope Biggie Smalls tee and I was really happy about that because I’m a huge Biggie Smalls fan. You can never go wrong with some Biggie. After checking out a few of his hats and tees, I definitely had to check out the music. After doing some research on the website, I finally came across the NxtSchool YouTube channel and hit play on this joint called “[Nxt]Style, Vol. 1.” This joint to me is an original. Doesn’t sound like what everybody else is doing, whether mainstream or underground, the flow is simple but it’s dope, you can hear the hunger and energy in Skills’ voice. Definitely, Skills can be the next dopest thing in hip hop. Even though there are already so many artists who do both music and fashion, Skills definitely has his own thing going on. It’s doesn’t remind me of anybody else, not that it’s a bad thing if it does but it’s original. Check out Skills on Instagram @Skills_Nxt, check out the gear @NxtSkoolStore and subscribe to the YouTube channel, Nxt Skool and check out their official website NxtSkool.com.