The death of Micheal Jackson has been hard to process. Like all seventies babies, I haven't lived in world without Mike and his sudden death has me a little shook. I've found some comfort remembering what comedian Lucille Ball's daughter said after her mother died.
Lucie Arnaz said that for fans of her mother's work on radio,television and films, her mother wasn't dead. She would continue to be there for them the way she always had and they could enjoy her jokes and pratfalls forever. Death wouldn't change the wacky readhead's relationship with her fans. While she had lost a mother, the people who appreciated her mother's artistry hadn't lost anything. They still had their Lucy.
If Micheal Jackson were alive, it's unlikely that we would've seen him complete those 50 show. It's also unlikely that we would've heard any new music from the King of Hype anytime soon. Micheal Jackson hadn't followed up the unlistenable "Invincible," 8 years after its release and had no record deal at the time of his death. He wasn't coming with anything but promises.
Now that Micheal is gone, we can reflect on his legacy and finally hear some of the music that has been locked away for years. An expert on the marketing of dead celebrities suggest that Micheal Jackson may be worth more than Elvis. He added that MJ may become the most profitable fallen star of all time, surpassing the current leader, Lucille Ball.
MC Hammer finally addresses a story MC Serch of the defunct rap group Third Bass has been telling for years. Although he doesn't confirm or deny what happened, Mr. Stanley Burrell's careful word choice and knowledge about the trio'scommercial in impact is revealing.
For those who don't have dog-eared copies of The Source magazines in their attic sealed in plastic containers, the story went something like this. Serch, along with members of Run-DMC, (members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame who Hammer dissed at least twice) abashed Hammer with their song and video,"The Gas Face." In the clip, an over sized hammer with eyeglasses is toppled and carried away as Hammer is dissed for about ten seconds straight. Also, on their debut, "The Cactus Album," they rapped "the cactus turned Hammer's mother out."
In certain communities, speaking ill about someone's mother is an invitation for violent confrontation. Since MC Serch and Pete Nice, as white boys, were visitors with passes in the hip-hop world, this might seem like a rather bold and unnecessary insult, in retrospect. Actually, it was more of the clever wordplay that filled the duo's first record that made it so appealing. "Turn this Mutha Out," was a single from from Ham's second album, "Let's Get it Started." They weren't talking about his mom, but his music.
Getting Done According to legend, that's not how the Hammer saw it. The former Oakland A's batboy allegedly called a Def Jam executive and said, "Don't send your boys to Cali. They're gonna get done." As much as Serch lampooned Hammer and his music, this time the dancing man in the baggy pants and space goggles was taken seriously.
In the above interview with allhiphop.com, Hammer says "It's ridiculous that you [Serch], want that [the alleged contract on his life] to be your claim to fame." It's hard to characterize this comment as a denial of the sequence of events Serch has shared. He could of killed (whoops) the issue once and for all, just by saying it never happened. But he didn't.
Hammer goes on: "I didn't know who that dude was ... " Well, if he didn't know then, he certainly did his research, as Hammer is able to pull estimated sales figures for Third Bass albums out of thin air. Predictably, he considers himself above discussion about the group, as his platinum-selling titles dwarf their "wood" status. (Actually Stanley, wiki lists two of the three Third Bass albums as "gold.")
Please, Hammer Don't Hurt 'em Was Serch's story about a supposed hit legit? It's hard to say. Hammer made pop rap, but he is from a rough section of East Oakland. He also hung out with Suge Knight and flirted with a gangsta image while signed to Death Row. But this is same artist who made gospel rap with a group called "Holy Boys" before he blew up and is now a minister. Death threats certainly aren't very Christian. What I can't get past is why Serch would think creating a story about being threatened by a pop rapper would enhance his reputation.
20 years later, who's ahead? So where are they now? Who's making the best use of that rapper's pension fund and trying to take their 15 minutes of fame into overtime? In the interest of allowing us all to sleep better at night, I've taken a look at this issue.
Artistry Third Bass rhymed circles around MC Hammer back then. Their disses of him were clever, artful and humiliating. Yeah, I would've been mad too, Ham. Their music holds up pretty well, but you might not realize it as it's seldom heard on the radio. With only three releases, their catalog is considerably smaller than Hammer's, but it doesn't contain the missteps and screw-ups that his does. Pumps and Bump anyone? Hip-hop purists viewed much of Hammer's work as treasonous back in the day, but in retrospect and in comparison to today's ring tone rap, it really isn't that bad. I kind of like this one, in a nostalgic sort of way. But if the aim of the game is to create compelling work that holds its value years afterward, and I think it is, Third Bass knocks this one out of the park.
Long Ball Airbody knows Hammer squandered millions of dollars on elaborate stage shows and funky pompadour hairdos for his 32 back up dancers. But his biggest mistake might have been not retaining the publishing rights to his hit records. It's a terrible and unfortunate situation when an artist has to part with the music that they made. This is part of the reason has to humble himself with self-effacing commercials like this one.
and this ...
Serch's catalog may not be filled with platinum hits that are part of the popular culture landscape, but it hasn't changed hands. Not only does the rapper retain the rights to his own music, he owns other artists' music, including Nas' "Illmatic," which is considered one of the greatest hip hop records of all time. Jay-Z made note of this during his feud with the Queensbridge rapper, reminding him that when he sampled Nas' voice he paid "Serchlite Publishing."
The rap careers of Serch and his partner Pete Nice seem to be over, but Hammer never stopped releasing music, even if you didn't care. He's put out three albums since 2000 and shows no signs of stopping. Serch's most recent release consisted of unreleased music from the 1990's, which succeeded in proving that there is a reason why some songs never come out. Hammer might not hit like he used to, but he keeps swinging, while Third Bass can't step up to the plate.
Both Serch and Hammer have worked in the post-career graveyard of reality television, but only one of them has their own show that airs on A&E Sunday nights. The reality is Hammer is a rare pop icon who can appear on the Today Show and allhiphop.com while MC Serch and Pete Nice are largely forgotten rappers. A tarnished image beats no image. Score one for Hammer.
Skillz and DJ Jazzy Jeff had their show at Kansas City Power & Light District Saturday night cut short. The dj and the rapper say the powers that be in the club didn't want to hear any hip-hop music. The event organizers claim that Jazzy Jeff ignored requests to turn down his sound and they cut the show to save their speakers.
Skillz gives his version of events in the video above.
It's a matter of debate of whether Marshall Mathers (Eminem) agreed to let Sasha Cohen, performing as his "Bruno" character, land on his lap ass up at the MTV Movie Awards last night.
Em hardly needs the publicity and his sensitivity is well-noted after he mushed a puppet that insulted him at the same award show, so I find it hard to imagine him agreeing to an idea such as this. What do you think?
If and when Son of Bazerk returns to the stage, they might have some new songs to perform. The group is in reportedly the studio with DJ Johnny Juice in New York.
Juice is one of the unsung heroes of the Public Enemy phenomenon, playing the background while bringing the noise to P.E. recording sessions. The other P.E. producers, the Bomb Squad were responsible for most of the bands combustible debut, "Bazerk Bazerk Bazerk," on Soul/MCA.
The family of slain rapper Dolla released this statement today:
“First and foremost we, the Burton family would like to thank everyone for all their kind thoughts and prayers during these trying times,” the statement reads. “Most recently, the Burton family was made aware that there have been numerous false claims of information floating around the ‘net and also reported in reputable media outlets. Part of this was due to someone who was not authorized to speak on the family’s behalf and who claimed to be the publicist of record decided to disseminate false information on her own and without the consent of the family to several media outlets.
“Due to the circumstances of the situation no other information will be released at this time. We are grateful for your continued support in these trying times. We now ask everyone to allow us to mourn the loss of our beloved Roderick Anthony Burton.”
Dolla, shown here with DJ Lonnie Battle during a Richmond, Va. appearance at Pearl Lounge, was shot and killed yesterday. The rapper was slain while waiting for a ride at the Beverly Center mall in Los Angeles.
The rapper was signed to Akon's label in 2007, and was in L.A. to put the finishing touches on his oft-delayed debut.
Dolla was part of the Konvict Entertainment family and an incredible artist. This is a senseless crime and the industry has lost a real talent. Our heart goes out to his family, friends, and fans,” Akon said in a released statement.
In the above video, Malice, of The Clipse, all but confesses that the cocaine raps that they put out for young minds to consume, may not have been true stories. As that guy used to say on This Week In Baseball, "How 'bout that?" While this admission is not surprising, the fact that he made it is.
“There’s a lot of foolishness in hip-hop as my grandmother would say,” he said. “And I just want to say that I am and have been a part of the problem, the thing about it is I need foolishness in my hip-hop, I need foolishness in my movies. I happen to like that."
Given that Malice likes dwelling on foolishness, it's a safe bet that the duo will continue telling lies to our wives and children with their next release. But they may be on the hunt for new source material. Their manager was recently indicted for allegedly operating a large drug ring in Virginia.
It didn't take long for rap veterans Guru and DJ Premier to gauge that former Wavelength host Yasmine wasn't well-versed on their career. The duo takes over this 2003 interview, tag-teaming on talking points, which means this interview is probably like many they did that day, but who cares? It's Gangstarr.
After the "The Ownerz," the album that duo is shelling in this interview, Gangstarr broke up and nobody really knows why. I can't put my finger on it, but some ingredient that was in there other albums just wasn't there on the last one. I love their other music so much that I wondered if, perhaps, the problem was on my end. After repeated listens, I officially cleared myself. If a reunion is going to bring more music like that, maybe I can learn to live in world without a new Gangstarr album.
The status of the duo's relationship was the subject of April Fool's Day cartoon, which would've been funnier if it didn't ring so true.
This was the group's first time meeting Yasmine, but their second appearance on Wavelength. You can read a transcript of that interview here and there.
If you read DMC's account of his days with Run and Jam Master Jay, you probably remembered how it all ended. Shortly after the death of Jam Master Jay, Run announced the end of the group at a press conference. This was news to hip hop fans around the globe and to DMC, as Run hadn't informed him of his plans until that moment. Since then, there have been reports that their relationship has been cordial but icy, as they only communicate via text message regarding business matters.
It wasn't Eminem's awkward induction speech that had me on the verge of tears this morning, but seeing Daryl and Joseph exchange friendly glances and a genuine embrace before walking on stage. It may never be the same between them and we may never see RUN-Dmc rock another crowd, but at least for last night they were friends again.
Rah Digga was the brightest star in the Flipmode Squad, a name that Busta Rhymes gave to his friends and family who wanted to become rappers but would settle for just hanging out with him. The crew of weed carriers has dwindled down to four members, with rappers like Digga, Rampage, Papoose and Lord Have Mercy leaving the group to struggle on their own.
We met Rah at Willie's Record Store in Richmond back in 2000. Although this clip catches her on a bad hair day, in the right light, Rashia Fisher is an strikingly beautiful woman. "That's me," she said with a laugh that day as she signed pictures of herself looking slightly more fabulous. Along with revealing her fresh face, Rah shared with us her uncommon orgin, which includes private school and a stint as an egineering student.
The Willie's store is now a Radio Shack. Rah Digga is reportedly signed to "The Inc." as part of a suspergroup with Vita and Charlie Baltimore. It's hard to say which is the better look.
Tennis shoe pimp and rock star wannabe Pharrell attempted to persuade a Paris McDonald's to open early recently by giving them a impromptu and unwanted mini-concert. I guess if Hammer could dance for popcorn chicken back in the day, this school teacher's son can humiliate himself for a couple of McNuggets. Although the money is probably long gone, at least Hammer got paid for his fast food shuffle.
Although he and his psuedo rock group, N*E*R*D, never appeared on Wavelength, the failed video show that inspired this blog, I did run into Skateboard P a couple times while doing business. The first time I saw him he was performing onstage at Flood Zone, a defunct Richmond nightspot. He and a couple of other guys were wearing matching flowered shirts and talking over a couple beats they had produced, Noreaga's "Superthug" and MC Lyte's "I Can't Make a Mistake." The crowd was polite but unimpressed. Later that evening, I was shooting Wavelength at another club when I was tapped on the shoulder.
"What's this?" he asked.
"I'm shooting my video show," I said.
"I want to be on this."
"Alright," I said and went back to setting up my shot.
"I want to be on this," he repeated.
"Well, you can't be on it right now," I said. "I'm shooting."
I guess the "P" doesn't stand for patience. He walked away from me and went on to become a successful producer and popular recording artist.
At the height of our irrelevance, Wavelength was among a handful of music shows that were invited to a series of press days for urban films in New York and California. A movie studio paid for my train ride to New York, (I never fly to New York. That's another story.), put me up in the W Hotel and gave me a per diem. All I had to do was watch a movie and chat with a few celebrities. It was the best of times.
Like much of the music that arrived in Wavelength offices during that time, I realized I wasn't the target audience for the film "Love Don't Cost A Thing." So I sat out the interviews and let Yasmine, who had moved from Richmond to New Jersey by then, to do her thing. In this clip, Yasmine talks to Nick Cannon, who after failing as a rapper, may have found his true calling as Mariah Carey's purse holder and bodyguard.
Every now and again someone wants to know whatever happened to former Wavelength host Yasmine. I got a message from her today to check out her article in Man Up magazine. As she's dabbled as a journalist, I was expecting to read something. But this is not that kind of article. Looking good, Yasmine.
It was a rare to have a national rap act as a studio guest for Wavelength, the failed video show that inspired this blog. A convergence of events had to happen; the rapper had to be on a promo tour or in town for a concert, they had to be in Richmond on a Wednesday, they had to be available between 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., and they had to decipher my perplexing directions to the studio.
After getting stuck in an endless loop of toll booths, The Coup finally made it to the studio for a brief interview. There were supposed to perform, but we didn't have the tables at the 918 N. Boulevard studio that day. I'm sure we missed a treat if Pam is as half as good as she says she is. We came up short in other ways that day, too. We could have used another 2 to 3 feet of our painted canvas backdrop, another microphone and somebody, anybody to work the cameras. That was public access television, you go with what you got. Or don't got.
Boots Riley, the lead rapper of the The Coup, now a duo, was in Virginia last year where was charged with using profanity in public after leaving the stage of a Norfolk concert. Defunct Hampton Roads news magazine Portfolio Weekly covered the story. The charges were eventually dropped and the city council rescinded the ant-profanity ordinance after realizing it was a bunch of bullshit.
According to People.com, Chris Brown and Rihanna are together again and staying at one of P. Diddy's home in Miami. (I assume it's not the same one where he's twittering while in the midst of a tantric sex marathon.) I can't think of another time where the old domestic violence scenario (guy meets girl, guy beats girl, guy loses girl, guy gets girl back) has played out on the pop culture stage. I hope this unfortunate situation inspires parents to talk with their daughters about "nice guys" who speak with their fists. It's sad, but I think we know where their relationship will goes from here. But what about their careers?
Professionally, Chris Brown is a pariah. Wrigley spit him out as their pitchman and the milk mustache people have wiped him off their list of promoters. His next film is "Bone Deep," but you wouldn't know it, because they've erased his image from all of the promotional materials. Radio stations have banned his music and former fans have been seen grinding his CDs into the asphalt. Some celebrities spoke out in his defense, but backed off after getting a taste of the bad press that Brown is generating. (What's going on with you, Terence Howard?) Anyone who rides with Chris Brown, who was last seen on a jet ski, is putting their career in jeopardy. This includes you, Ri Ri.
Since news of the assault broke, Rihanna's CD sales reportedly went up 35 percent. I don't expect she'll see a similar bump now that she's seen as an enabler as well as a victim. But unlike her boyfriend, she can walk away and start fresh whenever she wants ... if she wants.
Pop music fans are fickle. The memory of Rihanna's battered face will fade and if Brown is never charged, all could be forgotten ... by some. If Brown is able to return to making mediocre pop music, he'll be subject to unwelcome questions from the media, protests and threats for quite some time. Sort of like what awaits Michael Vick in a few months. Chris Brown may not go to jail but he won't get his life back.
After her on-stage meltdown in 2007, I thought pint-sized UK rapper Lady Sovereign was down for the count. The young spitter showed promise on her Def Jam debut, "Public Warning," with songs like "Those Were the Days." But things fell apart as she complained about being broke, the United States and not wanting to perform at a show in New York. Instead of leaving the stage, she stood there while the people who paid to see her rap watched her unravel. (The video has been removed from the youtubes by the people who do such things.) She managed to collect herself enough to continue the tour, but was off the radar for much of 2008.
Since Lily Allen seems to have given up rapping, the white girl lane in hip-hop is clear and the "SOV" is back. I kinda like it.
MC Hammer won't go away. Although he hasn't had a hit record in ages, the dancer/rapper continues to find ways to creep into the public consciousness. Hammer a.k.a Stanley Burrell was last seen during the Super Bowl telling us how easy it is to turn our golden household items into cash money. Aside from his work in commercials, which often trades on his riches-to-rags life story, he's also been a role player on reality shows. Now, it's time for the Oakland rapper to take center stage. "Hammertime," a reality show about the dancer and his family, is being produced by A&E and will premiere later this year.
The show will feature Hammer, his wife and their brood: daughter Akieba, 21, nephew Jamarius, 18, daughter Sarah, 15, Stanley Jr, 13, aka Boobie, nephew Meschek, 12, Jeremiah, 10, and 3-year old Samuel.
"Each week we'll open our home to viewers to showcase the hectic pace of our lives and our eclectic family ..." said MC Hammer.
"Hammertime" is produced by 3 Ball Productions Inc., the people responsible for the reality shows "Biggest Loser" and "Beauty and the Gee." J.D Roth, Todd Nelson and MC Hammer are executive producers. Executive Producers for A&E are Robert Sharenow, Scott Lonker and former Wavelength cameraman Stephen Harris.
Now that singer-turnt-alleged assailant Chris Brown has found himself in such an unfavorable situation that he'd be willing to trade place with one of the townies in Tappahannock, Va., it's time for the fast dancer to make a move. Here's what I think might happen in the coming days.
Chris Breezy will announce he has voluntarily enrolled in anger management classes. He'll also mention that he plans to donate some loot to a battered woman's shelter. Then, he'll issue a vague statement, that kind of sounds like an apology, but really isn't. It may go something like this: "I regret that my actions have put those I love in bad positions, I'm just a young man who makes mistakes, I was an abused child, my dog ran away, blah blah blah."
If all that is followed up with a hot album and he "beats" the court case, Chris Brown can come back. But if those pictures of Rhi-Rhi looking like Randall "Tex" Cobb ever come out, it might not matter. He can throw in some chopped meat and diced tomatoes and put it on a plate. 'Cause it's a wrap.
I've never heard a complete song by Marques Houston, Immature or Imx and I probably never will. That's part of the reason why I handed over the hosting duties of Wavelength, the video show I produced for more than a decade and came to naught, to a younger person. Yasmine seems really comfortable with Mr. Houston in this clip, as if she didn't have to do her homework for this one. Maybe she once had a poster of Romeo, LDB and Batman over her bed. Immature was pretty huge back in the day, as I remember.
On this Wavelength appearance from 2003, Houston offers a humorous explanation for the group's demise and talks about working with R. Kelly and his manager Chris Stokes, both men who have a fondness for hanging with the youngsters. The singer followed his first album "MH," which he discusses here, up with two more albums, including his 2007 release "Veteran," which debuted at #1 on the Hip-Hop/R&B charts. It would appear that the career trajectory former this pop idol has traveled a direction inverse from what I would have predicted. But if you're judged by the company you keep, the singer might have already peaked.
Houston is one of the "stars" (The show will also feature Kel Mitchell, Bobby Brown and Keshia Knight-Pulliam) tied to BET's new reality show "Played by Fame," which premieres on Friday. The show pairs celebreties with fans, who become the victims of pranks played by the semi-famous. In BET's hands, I'm sure this show will be much worse than it sounds.
Finally got around to seeing "Notorious," last night. It's a solid film. The legacy of Christopher Wallace hasn't always been treated with reverence it deserves (Duets and Born Again) so a project like this "Notorious," had little room for error. Fortunately, the errors are little in this well-constructed and provocative biographical film directed by George Tillman (Men of Honor, Soul Food).
The majority of the cast, especially the actor who plays Biggie, Jamal "Gravy" Woolard, succeeds in their portrayal of famous personalities and making you care about what happens to them, even though you know how it all ends. Angela Bassett inhabits the spirit of Voletta Wallace, bringing the dignity and grace to the role that you would expect. Anthony Mackie and Derek Luke are horribly miscast as Tupac Shakur and Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs, however.
Missteps aside, this is a good film that's worth a trip to the barbershop or movie theater near you.
Kelis and Nas are having a child, according to Us Weekly. The girl known for her milkshake is three months along and sporting a baby bump, according to the magazine.
It's good to see these two still together. They've seen their share of drama during their breif union. (They married in 2005.) Kelis, while with Nas, was arrested in March of 2007 for screaming obscenties at police officers in Miami. (She was acquitted last year.) In recent months, Kelis has been the subject of sex tape rumors, which is usually a career boost, but the tape hasn't surfaced yet. Which may be for the best, as the footage is reportedly more embarrasing than titilating.
When Wavelength host Yasmine met Kelis, she had recently become engaged to God's Son and spoke about how being in love colored her approach to the material on "Tasty." The two young ladies also discuss fashion favorites, breakfast options and who's got the better milkshake.
As the release of "Notorious," nears I've been reflecting upon that era. I had a chance to interview Biggie when he visited our home base, the Phono Booth, in 1994. Unfortunately, I was sick and couldn't will myself to come to the record store. My partner, Dre, shot some footage of the rapper as he signed some autographs. I attempted to sell that tape to Nick Broomfield for his "Biggie and Tupac," documentary, but he passed.
When Biggie came to Richmond again, (Dec. 26, 1994) I missed out on another chance to to record him. The rapper was performing at a local nightclub (The Flood Zone) and there was a guy from Bad Boy running through the audience putting his hand over video cameras and making threats. I knew I couldn't get way with filming the show as my camera was about three times the size of what most people were using. Somebody else was able to shoot the whole show, however and I've been trying to get that tape for minute.
I do have clear memories of that night. Keith Murray opened with an energetic performance which climaxed with an unfortunate decision to stage dive. The crowd of Richmonders parted and Murray landed hard and came up swinging. He didn't miss a line of "The Most Beautifullest Thing," but he was relieved of his pager, which was an expensive communications device back then.
Biggie came out with Puff Daddy and members of the Junior Mafia. The rotund rapper's performance was understated, which complimented Puff's dancing and continuous ad-libs. Busta Rhymes came out for the "Flava In Ya Ear" remix, which nearly tore the packed club in half.
Later on during the show, someone from the crowd climbed onstage and made a few steps in Big Poppa's direction, and was thrown off the side of the stage by a member of Big's crew. He might be the only one has bad memories from that show.
Newsweak published some shoddy articles on hip hop back in the day, as did many mainstream publications, and they've had to work hard to earn my trust. I stumbled across the first review I've seen of "Notorious,' the bio pic on the late Notorious B.I.G, at the doctor's office and since I had already perused last month's Family Circle, I dove in.
The write-up, written by veteran journalist Allison Samuels, is generally positive, which was a relief as I have been bracing myself for an exploitative take on the last years of hip-hop's golden era. Samuels didn't see it that way: "NOTORIOUS... managed to stun, unsettle and move me. It's been 11 years since the still-unsolved murder of the hip-hop icon, and the film does a wonderful job of revisiting that dangerous yet creatively rich time in music history. For a hip-hop fiend like me, it's a bittersweet journey to the days when the Cristal was overflowing, the bling was blinding and the performers burned brightly — but briefly."
Before Skillz became a globetrotting entertainer and ghostwriter, he suffered the often-poor entertainment options of Richmond, Va. along with the rest of us. One night in the late nineties, he was among the unfortunate few who came to the Richmond Centre to see Black Moon and the rest of the Boot Camp Clique. None of the groups ever took the stage to perform and somebody lost quite a bit of money that night.
The only performance came from Skillz, who freestyled about an recent altercation with a security guard at the event, with some help from Jazzy Joyce.
This footage was so lost, I still can't find it. The raw footage from this interview with producer and rapper Swizz Beats still eludes me, but I came across the Wavelength episode that featured an edited version recently.
Swizz aka Kasseem Dean became known for creating the sounds for the artists on the Ruff Ryders label in the late nineties. He was promoting his debut album "Presents G.H.E.T.T.O. Stories," in 2002, when we met him at the DTLR clothing store at Virginia Center Commons.
The producer has been a target of internet gossip sites recently, as reports have linked him to R&B songstress Alicia Keys. Swizz, who is separating from his wife of four years, denies the rumors.
Maybe you've heard about singer Anthony Hamilton's famous attitude. He's a diminutive artist who took some hard hits from the music industry before becoming a success and has every right to be bitter, angry and aloof. Well, he isn't. Instead, he seems to posess more humility and grace than the sum of his peers in the R&B game. Yasmine inteviewed the North Carolina native shortly before the release of "Comin' From Where I'm From," back in 2003. From what I hear, Hamilton still has the same folksy attitude that turns the people he meets into fans and supporters.
Hamilton talks with former Wavelength host Yasmine about his struggles in the industry, the love of music that kept him going and his desire to become an interior decorator. He's funny, too. The out takes from this one are a hoot. His latest CD, "The Point of It All," was released this week.
The talented producer is seen here as an enterprising young man, with a hunger to share his music with the world and for a certain vine-dwelling fruit.
I dug legos as a kid. But I never considered building anything like the images above. What is it about these little yellow men people find so compelling?
Freake aka Freak D was our favorite local rapper. He holds the record for making the most appearances on Wavelength, the defunct video program that spawned this blog, and is the only artist to have performed live on the show. As a guest, Freak was articulate, engaging and displayed intelligence and knowledge. We once debated the merits of In God We Trust versus the appeal of Reel to Reel. As a rapper, Freake has been part of a couple local music groups and once toured Europe with Skillz.
I heard through the grapevine that Freak hit a rough patch a while back, so I was heartened to see he's back on the grind.
The band's about to swiveyagain. Cutting-edge hip-hop group Son of Bazerk, known for their dapper clothes and highly charged music is planning a tour in 2009. MC Half-Pint aka Cassandra (pictured above, see if you can figure it out) says the online response to the band's classic material and the attention of a certain blogger (ahem) made her realize the group has not been forgotten.
For those who never knew, Son of Bazerk was Daddy Raw, Sandman, MC Half Pint, Almighty Jahwell and Bazerk. They released one album, "BazerkBazerkBazerk," in 1991 on SOUL Records, which featured the singles "Change the Style" and "The Band Gets Swivey on the Wheels." The group was produced by the Bomb Squad, the beat makers behind Public Enemy and featured contributions from noted musicians such as Micheal Hampton and Cliff Branch. It was a hip hop record unlike any other before or since, but don't take my word for it:
One of the rowdiest, craziest, noisiest, most animated records the rap world has seen, "BazerkBazerkBazerk" recalls everything from James Brown to Bad Brains to the Time to King Tubby to...well, a great number of things -- occasionally within the span of one track ... Similar to most Bomb Squad productions, the album has a merciless up-down-up-down sequence, with tracks continually flowing directly into each other. This only intensifies the breathless mania of the album. - Andy Kellman of All Music Guide
more ...
The groups sound could be described as being heavily influenced by the Long Island rap scene that included Public Enemy ... and by the style of soul epitomized by James Brown during his peak years. The sound was dense, manic and often noisy, but centered on very discernible funk grooves and ample use of heavily edited samples. - Last.fm. I interviewed two members of the group in 1991, while on a shoot for what would become Wavelength, the failed video show that inspired this blog. As Half Pint slept on a tour bus, Daddy Rawe and Bazerk talked about their overseas tour and their second album, which remains unreleased to this day. I caught up with Cassandra, now a school teacher, a while back. That interview starts here.
Bazerk mentioned a third album in a recent interview, but expressed doubt that it would ever be heard. I'm not sure where this track I downloaded from slamjamz.com back in the day is from, but it's worth a listen.
Skillz finally acknowledges all I have done for his career, with this blog and with Wavelength, the failed video show that I produced for more than 10 years. Listen close at at :45.
Despite what one gossip site is reporting, D'angelo is not signed to Bad Boy Records.
"Contrary to various media reports, producer, composer, performer, D'Angelo has not signed with Sean "P. Diddy" Combs' Bad Boy Records," the singer's manager, Lindsay Guion, said in a press release. "Both gentlemen hold one another in the highest regard, however the stories circulating in the press are totally false ..."
According to the release, the singer is still working on his third album in a Hollywood studio, which is scheduled a Spring 2009 release on RCA Records.
A year ago today, UGK member and southern rap pioneer Pimp C was found dead in a hotel in Hollywood, California. The group was known for it's dirty south style and for their hits "International Player's Anthem (I Choose You)" and "Something Good." Surviving UGK member Bun B continues to carry the group's banner and a final album featuring the duo is forthcoming, as well as a solo record from the deceased rapper called "A Pimp Named C."
Midwest rapper MC Breed died yesterday. He was admitted to the hospital in September for kidney failure after he collapsed during a pick-up basketball game. He released more than 10 albums was known for his songs "Ain’t No Future in Yo’ Frontin’” and ”I Gotta Get Mine." The latter song featured Tupac and follows below.
As rap music became boring and homogenized, Wavelength, the failed hip-hop video show that inspires this blog, began to incorporate R&B music into the playlist. Not just any urban music, however. Most of the singers that made it onto our show (AmelLarrieux , Anthony Hamilton, D'Angelo) would've been categorized as "neo-soul" back then.
Dwele gave us a few minutes after his soundcheck at the now defunct nightclub Bojangles in Richmond, Va., back in 2003. The Detroit native, now on his third album, talks about his music, his new video and reveals that was once ... a rapper.
BTW, I'm coming up on my 100th post and I've got something special planned. Stay tuned.
Will.I.Am might be in line for a cabinet post considering all the work he's done for the Obama campaign. Though this doesn't come close to his first effort, its much better than his sappy second video and a fitting end to the trilogy of propaganda films. Listening to this make me wonder what happened to Cody ChesnuTT?
MTV recently soft launched MTVMusic.com, which gives users access to a sizable portion of the network's video vault. This isn't as revolutionary as it would've been before sites like youtube took hold, but with copyright holders becoming more vigilant, this may become the only place you can search for a Prince's "America" video and actually find it. And be reasonably certain that it will still be there a week from now.
The site is easy to navigate and has over 20,000 videos. Most of the big names are there, which have become hard to find on video-sharing sites, regularly perused by the copyright police. I haven't had the time to thoroughly search for rarer rap clips, but I'm sure the archive will be expanding soon. So until I can see some Yomo & Maulkieor Yaggfu Front clips, I'll reminisce with videos like this from The Pharcyde.
I've never sat through one of Rudy Ray Moore's films, heard any of his comedy albums or his attempts at making R&B music, but I know his work. The comedian's voice was sampled on countless hip hop records and his persona as an articulate, larger-than-life pimp was a role model for men who came of age in the 1970s. Whether that was a good thing or not is up for debate.
Moore, also known by the name of the character he often portrayed, "Dolemite" died on Sunday died in Akron, Ohio after a long illness.
Here's some of Moore's work (The ass kickin' starts at 2:15):
Moore also played the character of Petey Wheatstraw:
Here's Dolemite talking out his life and his mother, who is 98 years old. An appearance on the Arsenio Hall show follows.
Beside every great rapper is his friend from the 'hood whose music career will be forced on the public. Known on the internets as "weed carriers," referring to their obligation to assume responsibility for their monied friend's bad behavior and habit, their job is can be risky, but it has its perks.
Through his close connection with DMX, who doesn't have a problem with getting arrested, Ruff Ryders member Drag-On appeared in three films and released two albums. Most people couldn't tell you one of his songs if you waterboarded them. A report suggests the rapper is now an employee of a Yonkers dry cleaners, as DMX continues his tour of courthouses.
Ray, a guy who grew up watching the failed video show that inspires this blog, Wavelength, handles this interview and talks to Drag about the delay between his releases, the content of his new album and reveals a past affiliation with another rap crew before his days as a Ryder.
Peter Rosenberg and Cipha Sounds decided to keep their "Juan Epstein" podcast going a few weeks ago and last week's edition might be their best ever. The duo sit down with The Large Professor and discuss his career in detail. There's a lot of new information, even for serious students of the professor's work.
"Juan Epstein" always reminds me of discussions the Wavelength staff would have after the cameras were off. Maybe we should've filmed that ...
The addition of Yasmine as host was a game-changer for Wavelength, the failed video show that inspires this blog. Once I relinquished hosting duties to the stunning Hampton, Va. native, her personality and energy became the nucleus of the program's final years.
I met her while shooting a video for a rap group she sang hooks for back in 2001. She impressed me with her enthusiasm, professionalism and lack of pretension. These three qualities are usually in short supply in low budget shoots. We talked for a minute and I knew she'd be my replacement, even though she was moving to New York in a few days.
We lost the local backdrop of the Richmond, Va., the town that had supported us for years and traded it for small studio spaces around New York City. We also gained access to rappers and singers didn't have our RVA n on their touring schedule. Before she decided to move on, Yasmine logged hours interviews with popular artists and few movie stars. Since then, she's appeared in a movie with Goodie Mob, acted in shortfilms and written about entertainment for Black Star News.
In this clip, with a pre-murder trialCassidy, she provokes the rapper to break union rules and smile.
BET recently announced that its long-running video program, "Rap City," would end next month. After almost decade on the air, the show never rose above mediocrity, although it often dipped below the mark. While the news of this mercy killing didn't warm my heart, I am concerned by what I heard from an industry insider today.
The bad news: Rap City might come back. Sources say the cancellation is a publicity stunt to generate nostalgia and interest in the program. Viewers might see a renewed version of the show back on the air in a matter of months.
BET has attempted to reinvent itself in recent years. The cancelled "Uncut," a video show that aired uncensored videos and hired Reginald Hudlin to create some original programs for the network known for reruns and rap videos. BET might not be living up to its potential, but it's certainly not the joke it once was. Bringing back a dated and flawed franchise like Rap City would be a step backward.
I hope it's just rumor. I hope Rap City is shut down for good and the network has moved on. Maybe, but I wouldn't BET on it.
Skillz does. His new clip for "Be Alright," features the rapper enjoying family and friends on a warm day in Richmond, Va. As the kids are in their second week in school, it seems a little early to reminisce over the season and too late to celebrate it. But I guess Skillz thinks that'll "Be Alright" too.
It's taken me awhile to appreciate the music of Q-Tip after his "Amplified" phase and the meandering jazz/rap stuff that leaked from two unreleased albums. I even found it hard to listen to his earlier work with A Tribe Called Quest after those musical missteps. But I'm digging this. Welcome home, Q-Tip.
"Til I got flashed by the paparazzi.. Damn, these n*ggas got me, I hate these n*ggas more than the Nazis.” - Kanye West.
There's never a good time to wild out in a airport, but if you had to pick a day, Sept. 11 would probably be the worst choice you could make. Yesterday, Kanye West and his bodyguard confronted a photographer who had taken his picture at LAX. In the video above, we see the bodyguard smash a photog's camera onto the floor while Kanye (grey hoodie) makes quick work of what looks like a flash. The bodyguard then runs up on the shooter who recorded the fracas on a video camera, but isn't able to wrest it from him, according to TMZ. The web site also claims that West was arrested after he was approached the same pap who videotaped the incident while a police officer stood beside him. The rapper's bodyguard was arrested as well and both were released on $20,000 bond yesterday afternoon.
Thanks to the good people over at MOD for providing a home for the bits and pieces that have been trapped in my videocassettes for years. This clip reminds us why Kid N' Play got a movie deal and that they once a had a DJ named Wiz who wasn't Martin Lawrence.
Former Source Editor-In-Chief Kim Osorio sued the ownerz of the magazine for sexual harassment in 2005, describing a workplace where "employees often watched pornographic movies and hung pictures of females in G-strings, smoked pot and called women bitches." Supposedly, this was the environment she worked in for five years, day in and day out, until she was fired. The jury found that she wasn't a victim of sexual harassment, but they did award her $7.5 million for unlawful termination.
While she waits for that payday, the former editor has been making good use of her time. She's the executive editor at BET Interactive and she's written a book about her time at the magazine once known as hip-hop's bible, "Straight From the Source," which came out yesterday. I haven't read more that the excerpts shared on the blogs, so its hard to tell if she's accepting responsibility for the mag's failure or painting herself as the helpless minion of morally bankrupt owners David Mays and Raymond Scott.
She admits to sleeping with rappers, which was one of the charges made by Scott in a interview where he was found to have defamed her character. The former editor explained her relationships with artists in a recent interview.
“I don’t think that I did anything wrong by dating people or being involved in relationships with people. For women it always comes down to the Scarlet Letter, sexual – oh my God, it doesn’t matter what year, what millennium we’re in; we are always looked at in that sort of light.”
She goes on.
“I love the way they hold rappers on a whole different level. Are you saying that no one is allowed to date anyone in the industry? Or are you saying writers aren’t allowed to date rappers? Or are you saying writers aren’t allowed to date anyone in the industry? What is it that you’re saying?”
It's been a long time since I finished journalism school, but I'm pretty sure they still have that rule about not sexing people you interview or write about. Once your drawers come off, your objectivity is already gone. Of course, things happen when adults work together closely over a period of time and that's when you make professional adjustments. NBC's Andrea Mitchell stopped covering financial matters once she started seeing her future husband Alan Greenspan. Reporter Maria Shiver was relieved of her duties at NBC once she became the First Lady of California. But Osorio doesn't seem to think there was anything wrong with her hook-ups with rap titans Nas and 50 Cent while she was editor of one of the top-selling music magazines.
That's the kind of attitude that led to the demise of hip hop journalism on ink and paper. If you want to read the truth about hip hop in 2008, blogs are the only source.
N.O.R.E. not only drops the f-bomb during this interview with former Wavelength host Ray, he also threatens fellow Queensbridge rapper Nas. If you can't recall the discouraging words that led to this lesser-known rap beef, listen to an emotional N.O.R.E. here and here. A quick search of the internets suggest that N.O.R.E. ultimately chose to weaponize a flower pot as this feud climaxed in a nightclub.
Respect to the crew at MOD for the redesign. What y'all think?
