Beat Kings

I stumbled onto this documentary over the net one day but I just can't find the actual DVD. Anywayz, I figured this might be worth the watch especially for all you future "super producers" out there!! Remember, before the emcee could actually rock a crowd, he needs to have the DJ and and a beat. I found a couple of clips from the DVD that I thought you might like. The documentary is titled "Beat Kings" and it goes in depth in regards to the whole history of the DJ/beat making process. The documentary showcases producers such as: RZA, Marley Marl, Havoc, Kanye West,...the list goes on. Just check out the clips I put up.

Note: If anybody has access to to the DVD in its entirety, leave a comment and shoot me a link!!








Now watch how Pete Rock makes a beat. Pay good attention!!

Censorship and HipHop

The new uproar in in the society we call Hip Hop, "Censorship". Tell me something, is all of this fallout due to the whole Don Imus situation? If it is, I think the "ish" is ridiculous!!!! These words didn't come from rap music, these words came from the street which is the environment that birthed Hip Hop!! I think that if we are going to mend this situation we need to correct the behaviors of the street. This whole situation boils down to economics. Those at the bottom struggle and got through more hardship than those at the top. What ever trends that have been set in society started at the top and trickle their way down to the bottom. Al Sharpton needs to attack the system on whole basis and not lead a "halfway" staged attack on the entertainment industry moguls. Banning the words, "nigga", bitch, and "ho" isn't going to change whats going on in the hood. Again Al Sharpton if your going to attack the industry make sure to attack all of them.

50 Cent has been on Rap City all week and here is footage of him and Cousin Jeff talking about the whole Hip Hop censorship issue. Check it out:

Graduation Is Near

Kanye does it again. First, he tells off the haters by releasing his first single, "Can't Tell Me Nothin". Then, releases a mixtape to add on to the hype. To me, the mixtape is a perfect prelude to the upcoming album, Graduation. He tells us on the second track, a snippet from the album, "The more shit I talk, the more the album gets pushed up." If you haven't bought into the hype yet, this album should be the best of his, and a definite classic. From what I heard on this mixtape, the album will help turn hip-hop in the right way. Of course, like any mixtape, he throws his remix's on there; "Throw Some D's", "Buy You A Drink", and "Because of You". What helped him the most though, was including song snippets from the actual album. But hey, you don't have to take my word for how nice this mixtape is.

Download The Mixtape Here

Video Showcase: Hip Hop Lives!!!!!!!!

As long as BlastMaster Kris is still capable of blessing the mic, Hip Hop will always be here!!!!! The albums out (KRS-One and Marley Marl: Hip Hop Lives) too, so go get that!!!! Check the video:




KRS-One and Marley also stopped by Rap City. Watch real hip-hop unfold...

HWU 1.1: Another Case of To Snitch or Not to Snitch

Fat Joe could possibly be sought to testify as a witness to a shooting that left 2 men dead in Miami this past Labor Day Weekend. Apparently, Fat Joe and his crew were in the area where the shootings took place. Now if called to testify, Fat Joe could possibly hurt his "street cred" and music career, right? Well, this is such a tough situation especially if Joe and his crew had no direct involvement with the incident. If you didn't know, Cam'ron was recently on on 60 Minutes and told Anderson Cooper that he wouldn't give the police any information not even if a serial killer was living next to him in "4E". Cam's comments were ignorant and un-educated. If you want to play the "street games" more power to you, do your dirt and if you get caught, keep your mouth shut. But if your a simple law abiding citizen who is just concerned about the safety of others, tell the cops what you see. Its your neighborhood too. I think Joe is in a completely different situation from Cam's so-called scenario. I mean I know Joe condones the whole "Not Snitching" movement, but I bet he never thought he'd be involved in a situation were his ethics will be put to the test. Busta Rhymes faced a similar situation last year when his bodyguard and close friend Izzy Ramirez was gunned down in front of him during a video shoot in NY. Busta stuck to the "No Snitch" code of silence even though that was his(so-called)good friend. On the other hand, Fat Joe, who has no affiliation to the two men involved in the shootings is in a tough spot. I think I pretty much know what he's going to do. So tell me what do you think he's going to do?

Video Showcase

Joell Ortiz stopped by Rap City the other day and dropped a freestyle for Friday Mic Check. We're assuming you read the previous article on him, so you should already know what to expect. Watch and learn....



Common's first single, "The Game", from his next album, Finding Forever, now has music video. The video is raw and matches the song perfectly. Common's next album is sure fire. His other tracks released on the internet have been internet hits, such as "Black Maybe", which you can hear on the juke box. "The Game" was produced by none other than DJ Premier. Enjoy.

Tom Gist: Byrd of a Different Feather....

I'm pretty sure that the majority of you have either heard very little or nothing at all about Tom Gist. Maybe the name throws you off, I mean, "Tom Gist, that doesn't sound like anything an emcee would name himself after". That's probably what many of you thought. Wrong, this emcee lets his "government" speak for itself. Tom Gist is the newest member of the Diplomat conglomerate and he's ready to shine. Now I know there alot mixed reviews when it comes to the Diplomats but Gist is an emcee of a different caliber. He unlike many others, has something to say. He doesn't let the pressure of the industry alter his lyrical content. Some would say that his signing to the Dips may be a short term relationship due to the style and concepts that the group represents. But Gist is as versatile as it gets. He's got a freestyle with Cam over the "Life's a Bitch" instrumental and in my opinion, Gist held the track down more than Cam did (although Cam did lay it down too!!!). Gist has about 5 mixtapes under his belt and he just finished his album on the Diplomat label titled "Initiation". I'm not the type to try and explain how emcees spit, cause every one's going to have a different opinion. I'd rather let the music speak for itself. As you can see, we've installed the "MZL Juke Box" and I put a few Tom Gist tracks on there for yall(and yes, I put track with him and Cam on there, so you be the judge!). And if after you listen to the tracks and don't think Gist is a "soon to be problem", YOUR NOT ON MY LEVEL!!!! Leave a comment let me know how you feel.

FAKE CONDOMS, WHAT!!!!!!

This is serious!! Nowadays who or what can we trust?? Its just been reported that the makers of Trojan Condoms (the so-called "condom you can trust") have confirmed that their Magnum brand is being counterfited in urban communities in NYC. The funny thing about is, I'm not the least bit surprised. "There's a war going on outside no man is safe from".Prodigy couln't have said it any clearer!! Why in the world would anyone want to make fake condoms? Lets just hope its only the Magnum brand because if its more than just one, we're gonna have a huge problem. Check the video:

What Would You Do??!! Pt.2

In light of my last article, I decided to submit this poll to really find out what yall would do!!The money or the love? I'll let you decide:

What Would You Do??!!

Nowadays everyone is complaing that the game has turned sour and that that theres no good music being created anymore. Hip Hop is the most popular music genre in the world as well as the largest money maker for the entire music industry. Now tell me this, what would you do if a label put a 6 figure deal on the table for you and all they want you to do is stick to the "script". I mean, money isn't everything but it sure would be nice to have a whole lot of it!!And to all of you die hard Hip Hoppers who claim you'll never sell your soul to become a puppet for the commercial industry, I feel you but only to an extent. I mean I "love" the whole Hip Hop movement, but I'd also "love" to get paid for doing what I "love" to do!!! (Wouldn't you???) Its like a double edged sword, the more money the artist are making, the more diluted the industry becomes. So tell me, "What Would You Do"??!!

Joell Ortiz, You Don't Know, Get To Know.....

Welcome the newest addition to Musiq Iz Life "Dollaz45". Expect Big things to pop off now!

Talk about a breath of fresh air for east coast hip hop, this new artist is a double shot can of fresh air with no chaser!!!! Joell Ortiz is an up and coming Brooklyn emcee who possess the talent to take the game back to that "Respectable Era" for those of you that know what I'm talking about. Ortiz created his first buzz by winning an EA sports contest. The prize was being able to create a song for the NBA Live soundtrack(True NBA Live players should have no trouble figuring out what year his song made the soundtrack for the game). He recently dropped an album on Koch Records called "The Brick Bodega Chronicles" (I suggest you go and cop that, I'm certifying the album!!!) Off your first listen, you would literally think your back in "96" rocking to something reminiscent of a combination of Biggie Smalls and Big Pun ( if yall got ears like I do, you'll pick up on what I'm trying to say...). On the track called "Hip Hop", Ortiz starts off with the line: "Accidentally step on your white sunglasses, we don't do that over here... It's Timberlands and Carhart jackets over here..." Based off that line alone plus the fact that he hadn't even started the verse shows he's not your average "run of the mill" emcee. I mean I know Juelz stated it first, but maybe, just maybe Joell Ortiz is the really "What the Games Been Missing"? After creating such an underground buzz in the street, Dr. Dre (Tha Chronic) caught wind of the movement and now Joell Ortiz is a certified Aftermath artist. So once you do your research on this kid, listen to the "The Brick Bodega Chronicles", and watch a few of his videos I'm gonna link you to, then and only then will you be able to look forward to the Aftermath album coming soon!!!!!!! I'm new the whole blogging thing so I'm having trouble uploading videos to watch on the site directly. So for now, I'm just gonna send yall the links!!

Joell Ortiz Video Links:

"Hip Hop"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6B6k4sbkuX8

"Brooklyn Bull Shit"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRIx_L757_A

Joell Ortiz qualifying for the EA Battle

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJJQGy_ytQE&mode=related&search=

Hip-Hop World Update 1.0

My first HWU (Hip-Hop World Update) for you. And believe me, things are constantly happening in the hip-hop world, so there will be many of these.

It is summer time, so a lot of things are going on in the hip-hop world. Money and music are in the plenty, and this weekend we had two prime examples of that.

Money is important in this business. And the ones that become business men when they get to the top, are always the smartest. Look at Diddy, Jay-Z, Dame, and now even more than ever, 50 Cent. Remember his investement into Vitamin Water? They even have a grape drink made for him, "Forumla 50". It's made by the company Glaceau. Well, Glaceau was bought this week for $4.1 Billion by Coca-Cola. 50 Cent owned 10% of the company, which earns him an estimated 400 million. Now if you ask me, that is an investment paid off.

On the music side. Kanye West's single "Can't Tell Me Nothing", which I've had for a couple weeks, is straight brilliant to say the least. He tells off his haters, and does his thing. This single gives us a preview of Graduation, his next album, which could be his best ever, musically and lyrically. The video for his single, is in one word, unique. I love it, the whole color and smoke aspect is raw and perfect for the song. Nothing was over done, unlike "Touch the Sky", everything was simple. For you wonderful readers, I leave you with the video.

Truly Magnificent

Artist: DJ Jazzy Jeff
Album: The Return Of The Magnificent
Rating: 5/5
Reviewed By: Jeebin

I don't think you can represent true hip-hop as well as DJ Jazzy Jeff has done with his sophomore album, The Return Of The Magnificent. Forget the ignorance and materialistic fantasies of most of todays mainstream artists, because he continues to bring the roots back to hip-hop. Most remember him with Will Smith, or on "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" getting thrown out constantly by Uncle Phil. So if you haven't heard his debut album, this is really a treat. He brings out his skills, and really creates an indie classic, or in my eyes a straight classic.

His production shows he is one of a kind. As his name hints, he provides the smooth and jazzy feel to perfection. But of course he still brings the funk, giving us memories of the 80s and 90s rap scene. You can tell he put this album together right as each songs flows with the next. He doesn't need to follow any trends, so forget snap music and dance music, this is real hop-hop production.

An average hip-hop fan of today, one that focuses on the mainstream hits, won't recognize most of the rappers that he collaborates with. DJ Jazzy Jeff works with classic MCs, indie stars, and up and coming artists. The artists include Twone Gabz, Pos, Eshon Burgundy & Black Ice, Kel Spencer, Chinah Blac, Rhymefest, J Live, Jean Grae, Big Daddy Kane, Kardinal Offishall, Method Man, CL Smooth, Raheem DeVaughn, Dave Ghetto, and Peedi Peedi. The track he did with J Live, "Practice", is one of my favorites. Rhymefest brings his funk side out to the fullest in a track called "Jeff N Fess". "All I Know" with CL Smooth on the track, was a classic jazzy type beat that was a perfect match for CL. Each rapper brings intelligence to their lyrics, something we need more and more in hip-hop today.

So when will see more albums like this? I would love for some more true hip-hop to emerge from today's bull----. This is a definite grab for everyone, young and old. Bringing back pure hip-hop to its finest.

The Return Of The Magnificent is The Return Of Hip-Hop?

Hip-Hop: Then & Now

This month, I did a ten page paper for my history class. Normally, I hate writing essays, but when I saw the subject options, Rap and Hip-hop caught my eye like none other. Sadly, I got an 87%, and clearly should have received a higher grade. O well, life is life.

Since the paper was for history, a majority of the paper was on the history of hip-hop. I knew most of it, but i learned a few tidbits here and there. But my favorite part in writing this paper, was the opinionated pages at the end.

You can download the whole paper below.

Hip-Hop: Then & Now

Heres a paragraph:

"Hip-hop has plenty of positive aspects that should be shared more often, but because of media and record companies, those positive aspects are continually overlooked. Hip-hop has allowed many poor individuals to ‘up’ their status of living, and in return, those artists have done positive music, and donated money to communities. Yet those stories are not in the news. The stories in the news are shootings, arrests, and court trials of the musical artists. Hip-hop started by improving and uniting the black communities. Sadly, now hip-hop is almost doing the opposite, by glorifying gangbanging and drug use. The positive artist have not been able to get there message out there as much, because it doesn’t sell. Nas, Kanye West, Common, Talib Kweli, and Mos Def are positive artist that are constantly putting the message into the music. The public sees the mainstream, radio play and music videos, but most don’t see the underground side of hip-hop. Underground hip-hop now is more positive than ever before. Indie, or independent, labels are able to allow artists to freely express themselves, because to them it isn’t all about the money. The difference is mainstream is in the Best Buys, and the Wal-Marts, while the underground is not that easily accessible. Commercialism is what kills hip-hop."

This is a good read for all hip-hop fanatics and true fans to the craft.

One Love,
Nahjee

The First of Many

Welcome to my blog, the blog of Nahjee Maybin a.k.a. Jeebin. If you are here, you are here because you have a definite love for hip-hop. Or you may just simply be here, because you're a good friend. I will try to update this blog every couple days or so. I will include...

• Album Reviews
• New Music
• Updates on MY music career. Representing ReaLife Productions.
• Rumors about Hip-Hop
• Articles about recent events that include Hip-Hop
• And anything else i feel like posting....

Hopefully, my love and view for hip-hop will open some of your minds and branch you off the complete mainstream view of hip-hop. Hip-hop is the best thing in the world today. Nothing can influence people the way it does, positively, believe it or not. Welcome to my world of hip-hop.