The REAL Rap Game

Every now and again, I get included in a bit of magic. This email was sent to me by my little brother Chuck, (The incomparable Charles Babb) as his rebuttal to some of his friends insistence on the merit of some recent rap albums. Chuck is so loquatious, yet no stranger to elegant prose that I merely decided to let his words ring true here with all of my fans....He delves deep doesn't he??? Anyway to experience more of my little bruh, Chuck in his rawest form, check out www.thesaintofsinners.blogspot.com

Anyway, you'll see what I'm talking about. Well without further ado:

The REAL rap game...Chuck on rap...

Don't believe me....check this diatribe out.....

"First off, I never said Souljah Boy is a good rapper, so you are wrong about that. He sucks like the other 99% of rappers out there today. Matter of fact, I'm quoted as saying, "He isn't a rapper. He's just a kid that talks over a beat created on his Apple with Garageband (the basic music making program that comes with Apple computers). However, the bad music has a reason for its success. Souljah Boy is a smart marketer. Anyone that can metatag his purposely mediocre song as all of 50 Cent's singles on the Internet in order to get people to download his music is smart. Souljah Boy will get all downloaders to listen to his piece of shit song at least once before hunting for the real 50 Cent song. Our simple-minded 50 Cent consumer base will like its catchy beat and chorus and forget that rap songs are supposed to have lyrics that rhyme and make sense." Onto Ghost. Ghost is a mildly above average rapper to me. I honestly believe Ghost purposedly creates abstract tracks filled with inconsistency and incoherence. Personally, I'm not a fan of his style. It is like many people hate Eminem's style because it is all nasal. Ghost sounds like a kid that is tattle telling on the bully after running from a beatdown. He just spits as it comes to him with no regard to the musical production. When he does tell a story, he delivers great pictorials of the world. Maybe, he is one of the best storytellers in the game because of his ability to lyrically paint vivid imagery. But, outside of storytelling, he is average to me. I have not listened to his last two albums (Hidden Darts or The Big Doe Rehab), so I cannot comment on his evolution as a rapper. Maybe, if I give those a good listen, then I would like him more. But, I cannot listen to him whine rap through an album by himself. His achilles heel is the incoherent verses that make you say WTF? It is like one moment he's Picasso and other moments he's Dante Lamb (http://www.dantelambart.com/)

. Even in your experimentation, please capitalize on skill.

If we are talking about legends in the game, there are so many at this point. From 1991 - 1998, before the Master P era, produced many popular legends (some better known than others) in the game. For example, have any of you checked J Live (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J-Live)? I think him and Gift of Gab (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gift_of_Gab_%28rapper%29) are two extraordinary storyteller rappers in the game. As you all know, I hunt down good rappers, so my palette of rappers is broad. I'll surf the Internet and listen to thousands of songs from unknown talent, ask for recommendations, and read a million and one posts by rap music afficionados. On ocassion, I give you all links to albums that I find. Like I told Randy, who I added to this thread, because I like it doesn't mean it is good and top caliber. There are plenty of things in the world that I like that isn't good. I just like it. For example, Jay-Z and Kanye's song Haterz. It is a joke/prank song that is witty as hell that is so off kilter and spoofing what is in the limelight of popular culture. It is a song that you will love it for what it is or hate it for what it isn't, which is great Jay-Z/Kanye collaboration. I know my main man, Mike Jordan, who is also added to this posts, hates that song with a passion. Outside of Outkast, the Clipse and Re-Up Gang are my favorite rap group, and all they talk about is drugs, guns, and being rich. However, I love how they do it. Their lyrical skill is unparalleled to any rapper in the game. But, let's talk about this rap music.

Oh, introductions are in order. I added Bobby Craft to the post. D and Asad, you all met Bobby in Japan. I also added my older brother Rekkai, and younger, wiser cousin Randy. Victor Lugo, a brother from grad school that is a hi-hop head that searches the Internet for new hot shit. And, another A-alike, the legendary Mike Jordan from my Morehouse days, who really doesn't need an introduction.

I hope all of you all have digested Lupe, Blu, Dox, Johnson & Jonson, Mickey Factz, Fashawn, Big Sean, Cool Kids, Wordsmith, Kidz in the Hall, Rock City, Kid Cudi, Skyzoo, TiRon, Pacific Division,Papoose, Wale, Drake, XV, Jay Electronica, Black Milk, Ced Hughes, P.Casso, Crisco, Tanya Morgan, Rigchus, Charles Hamilton, and J. Coles because we are going to start talking about young cats that are bringing rap back with a vengeance. Some these cats are straight up rappers and others add elements of today's brand of rap with old school rap schemes. (Yes, anything that pre-dates Cash Money is considered old school by today's youth.) Let's talk about how that brand of young rap is mixing with the new-age old school collaborations such as Buckshot and KRS-One collaboration, Buckshot and 9th Wonder, which are two remarkable albums (Chemistry and The Formula). Rae and Ghost>>> Remember, the Four Horsemen (Canibus, Ras Kass, Killah Priest, and Kurupt) The new HRSMN (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gICGp_94oQ&feature=player_embedded), when super rap groups were emerging to combat the bullshit that was out there. Do our elder rappers truly need to team up to combat the bullshit that is out in the public when we have a plethora of young cats carrying the mantra of fuct rhyming like Wayne, I'm going to rap like Big L? With the death of record sales, how do we find good rappers? I know someone that all of you are sleeping on. Joe Buddens! My god, I thank Dudley (I think it was you D), that put me up on this new Joe Budden, post Def Jam. This muthaflower is rapping like it is a curse on his soul. Another question, should we be buying Jay's old disc or expect him to deliver on the same lyrical caliber as his previous entries? Has he earned the right to push out par albums? OR, should we continually expect an elevation in skill?

Cheers,

Chuck

Listening Material that is visually Appealing (Taylor I"m gonna let you have your moment, but these are some of the best videos this decade):
Vox- President of the Hood: http://vimeo.com/4759441 (Who Shot Ya?)
Righchus- Go Hard: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgGfWEehloA ($200 to make)
Johnson & Jonson - Bout It Bout It: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8T5n8ChL-aY
Johnson & Jonson - Up All Night: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Lg-y0FXet0
Black Milk - Losing Out (feat. Royce Da 5'9): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HY5r_4xrEA
Jay Electronica - Voodoo Man: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxyqgDGdtMM&feature=related
Jay Electronica - Drugs and Bitches: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqOuCxzI1fw&NR=1
P. Casso- Best In show: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaQofaGC0uk (This some abstract incoherent lyrics)"

Well until next time....
R. Steed (Big Goldie)
"Fluffy Puffy - The Media Mogul in Training"
www.dashowtv.com
www.arewenotentertained.blogspot.com