Crooked I puts his own slant on "Black and Yellow"

When I first heard "Black and Yellow" by Wiz Khalifa, I really liked the beat and I have to admit, the song is catchy. I just can't get into the whole repetitive thing about it. It doesn't do it for me.

Crooked I, member of the super-group Slaughterhouse that also consists of Joe Budden, Joell Ortiz, and Royce 5'9, has the solution.

In this edition from last week of a short series of freestyles of his called 'Hip Hop Weekly Reloaded,' Crooked I flows over the "Black and Yellow" beat, representing his home of Long Beach, California in place of Khalifa's Pittsburgh:

"This is how we do it in the LBC: packing metal, packing metal, packing metal, acting ghetto."

His lines are also much more personal and possess a greater storytelling quality than the original.

Check it out.

Snowgoons store up for winter with their 4th album

Snowgoons, a group of hip-hop producers from Germany, collaborate with the best underground MCs on each of their albums to create epic soundscapes from their unique place in the world of hip-hop. On Kraftwerk, their fourth that was released on Friday, they don't disappoint.

Often working with members of super-groups such as Ill Bill and Slaine of La Coka Nostra and Outerspace and Reef the Lost Cauze of Army of the Pharaohs, Snowgoons have what you would call an orchestral sound to their beats, layering complex rhythms and not sounding like anything you would hear on the radio. As can be guessed by their name, they don't aim to sound similar to poppy rap beats or imitate any West Coast styles. They put a lot of winter themes to their song and album titles and samples they use, like on the track "Iceman" featuring Cymarshall Law from their album Black Snow.

Although that may make it seem like there's a dark tinge to Snowgoons' music, alongside all of the battle-lyric verses there's a positive vibe laced in, especially in one of the tracks on A Fist in the Thought, "All in Your Mind," with uplifting lyrics from Viro the Virus.

It's the perfect mood-music rap for the winter, with gritty beats; and they talk about snow, of course.

On Kraftwerk, Snowgoons finally work with Boston MC Esoteric, featuring him on the track "Three Bullets." That's not to say they haven't done songs with Boston rappers before. Black Snow featured EDO G and Jaysaun on the track "Raining," with plenty of Beantown shout-outs.

"We Nah Play" has to be my favorite track on the new album, with up-and-coming MC Crooked I, and a little reggae-rap flavor in the beat enhanced by Beenie Man's vocals:

NaS creates playlist for Rolling Stone with "Hip-Hop's Best Lyricists"

Rolling Stone magazine's latest issue features themed playlists from 50 different artists, and they chose NaS to name hip-hop's Top Ten Best Lyricists. 

The list starts off without surprise with Notorious B.I.G. and 2Pac at the first two spots, but some names further down come unexpected. 

"When I said 'hip-hop is dead' a few years ago, I felt we'd gotten away from the great wordplay and storytelling," says Nas. "There's a place for the party shit and a place for the gangster shit. I focus on the guys that are always pushing themselves forward."

Some of those guys are current artists that one wouldn't expect to receive respect from the legendary MC.  He chose a song by Rick Ross and a song by Lil Wayne, each of which resonated with him as they related to certain aspects of his life.

Here's the full list:

1. "My Downfall" - Notorious B.I.G., 1997

The lyrics are about how he's acing the shadows of death, despite all of his success, and he's giving it to you in a way that makes it seem so real.

2. "If My Homie Calls" - 2pac, 1991

He's just saying to his boys that he's going to be a friend no matter how big he gets.

3. "Road To The Riches" - Kool G. Rap & DJ Polo, 1989

The way we're rhyming now? He was already doing it then .

4. "A Bird In The Hand" - Ice Cube, 1991

5. "Paid In Full" - Eric B. & Rakim, 1987

6. "I'm Single" - Lil Wayne, 2010

I'm recently divorced, so I feel what he's saying.

7. "Tears of Joy" - Rick Ross, 2010

Ross is at the pulpit here.

8 "The Moment I Feared" - Slick Rick, 1988

It's cinematic. He's at a hip-hop show and ices this girl who played him, then he's in prison getting violated by some dude. This was unheard of.

9. "Empire State of Mind" - Jay-Z, 2009

This song is huge. It sounds like Broadway. It's New York's modern anthem.

10. "Queen Bitch" - Lil' Kim, 1996

At the time, females rappers didn't appeal to the street, but Kim came with the vulgarity, sexuality and gangster shit.

The Wu Tang show sold out...that leaves a hole to be filled

I am so crestfallen that the Wu Tang show sold out. I had a feeling that I waited too long to look for tickets this weekend; the floor seats and even all of the balcony seats were taken.

This doesn't mean I'm giving up. I'll be checking on craigslist until the day of the show for any loose tickets.

That leaves a hole to be filled in the shows that I'm going to. I just found out that The Sword, the band that opened for Metallica on the tour for their latest album, is playing on Tremont St. in Boston on Sunday with Karma to Burn, a pretty solid stoner/hard rock band.

And I'll be trying to get to the Disco Biscuits show in January once tickets go on sale.

This is a song by The Sword, featuring howls from my spirit animal, which a Facebook quiz even made official.

Mass. MC/Producer combo bring it back to 1982

Termanology and Statik Selektah, both from Lawrence, MA, released 1982 on 10/22. This track, "Goin' Back," features nice verses from Cassidy and Xzibit and no chorus. It's garnered a good amount of attention for the duo's first official album together, getting airplay on JAMN 94.5 lately.

Termanology first gained himself national attention with his 2006 track "Watch How It Go Down," produced by DJ Premier, which landed him in XXL magazine's "Show & Prove" column, after already being featured in The Source magazine's "Unsigned Hype" column in 2005.

Statik Selektah is a producer who has worked with MC's like Nas, Royce Da 5'9, Mobb Deep, Freddie Gibbs, and KRS-One. His album 100 Proof: The Hangover that came out this year reached number 37 on Billboard's Heatseeker Albums chart.

1982 isn't really a retro sound, the name is just a sign of respect for that famous era of hip-hop. The sound is fresh and the album as a whole seems like something Statik and Term have been waiting a while to finally make happen. This makes them a promising duo, and hopefully they'll keep it coming in the future.

Kno Graveyard f Sheisty Khrist MUSIC VIDEO

The setting is a little gloomy, but it goes with the song, right?

This video for "Graveyard" by Kno off his new album Death is Silent that I reviewed last month came out yesterday. No special effects but it's a perfect fit, focusing on the well-crafted beat and delivery by Kno that has hip-hop fans losing out if he's not on their radar.

Featured on this most hard-hitting track from the album is Sheisty Khrist, who is collaborating with Kno's fellow CunninLynguists member Deacon the Villain for an album to be released 11/30, Niggaz With Latitude.

Dubstep is my cup of tea

Oh, hey.

So if you haven't heard of dubstep yet then now you have, but you'll probably hear about it somewhere else soon, too.

Dubstep is a type of music that is very similar to Drum and Bass, but is largely influenced by the slow dub vibes of reggae music, hence the name. A lot of reggae-rock bands do dub remixes of some of their songs, which slows down the tempo, focuses in on the rhythm, and usually repeats some parts to create an atmosphere.

Originating in England, dubstep appeals to most fans of house music and techno because of the heavy focus on rhythm. It's made using studio equipment, and can even be done by amateurs using computer programs. I'm not familiar with many original dubstep artists, I've heard mostly dubstep remixes of songs, which can be pretty good. The notorious Wu Tang Clan acknowledged the popularity of dubstep earlier this year by releasing Wu Tang Meets the Indie Culture Vol. 2: Enter the Dubstep, full of dubstep remixes of hit Wu Tang joints.

Almost any song you want to find a dubstep remix of can be found on YouTube. On my birthday last week, a friend that I got into dubstep posted a "Happy Birthday" dubstep remix to my Facebook wall and that definitely made the day.

A few days before that, we went on a dubstep excursion, starting with wondering if the music from the Home Alone movie has a dubstep remix, and of course it does. We went on to find everything from James Bond to Power Rangers to Rocko's Modern Life dubstep remixes.

So to commemorate the birthplace of dubstep, here's a remix of "Gimme Shelter" by the Rolling Stones.

Registering for classes at midnight tomorrow and still can't miss this show

The Expendables put together one well-balanced show for tomorrow night as their fall tour comes into Boston.

It will have all of the genres that I listed above, with The Expendables being a combination of rock/reggae/punk/ska, not quite sounding like any one else with similar influences. C-Money, the trumpet and keyboard player for Slightly Stoopid and former member of reggae group John Brown's Body, will be performing his solo music that he classifies as alternative hip-hop, which has a reggae/dub tinge to it. The Flatliners will bring the more hard-nosed stuff; they're a punk/ska band from Canada with maybe a little reggae involved, but the guitar is too fast to be able to tell right away.

I saw The Expendables last winter at the same club in Boston, The Paradise, and was not disappointed. Passafire and Iration, bands that are mostly reggae-rock, opened for them and it was a very chill show. The Expendables opened for 311 on their 2009 summer tour, and I got to see them twice because they were the only band that played before the power went out at the Comcast Center and the show had to be rescheduled. Both times they closed with the song "Sacrifice."

That being said, The Expendables are a band that you would definitely like if you're into more well-known bands like 311 and Slightly Stoopid. They're signed to Slightly Stoopid's label, Stoopid Records, both being from California. Not only will C-Money play tomorrow, but other members of Slightly Stoopid will perform for his other live instruments, which there are more of than you would expect for something classified as "hip-hop." There's not much officially released stuff out there by C-Money, but he does perform a lot of live shows, like at the 2009 San Diego Music Awards.

The Flatliners are influential in the punk scene in Ontario, and have toured with The Expendables before. They released their first official album, Destroy to Create, in 2005, and their third, Cavalcade, this year on Fat Wreck Chords.

This is "Do or Die" from their 2005 album.

Rugged Man coming to Plymouth next month (thanks Moakley)

This is a video R.A. the Rugged Man made for his legendary verse, which is based on what his father experienced in Vietnam, on the Jedi Mind Tricks track "Uncommon Valor: A Vietnam Story." This is probably Jedi's most well-known song, mostly because of R.A.'s ridiculous, fast flow and poignant lyrics.

As I found out by reading a small info card that I picked up off the help desk while I was walking out of Moakley today, R.A. will be doing a show in Plymouth, MA, on December 10.

R.A. is the same rapper featured in the video I posted last week in my review of Celph Titled's new album, and I'm pumped that he's doing a local show next month. The show will feature local rap groups Outland Camp and Weird Die Young, and will take place at The Guru Room on Main Street, which I've never been to. I'm definitely trying to get myself to this show, but I still don't have my Wu Tang tickets, which is top priority.

Hailing from Long Island, New York, R.A. has been rapping since the early '90s. Although his rap is truely underground, calling himself well-known for being unknown in one of his tracks, R.A. has worked with rappers ranging from The Notorious B.I.G. to Mobb Deep, and has been on tracks done by producers such as Alchemist and Snowgoons.

Jive Records signed R.A. when he was 18, but in the early 2000s he went independent, eventually releasing two albums. Die, Rugged Man, Die was released in 2004, promoted with the single "Chains" featuring Killah Priest and Wu Tang member Masta Killa. Legendary Classics Vol. 1 is a collection of rare and unreleased tracks, as well as previous collaborations including "Uncommon Valor," that came out in 2009. It puts together all of the tracks that were the main body of R.A.'s career to that point, which gained him unending respect from his peers. "Who's Dat Guy" is a song where he describes himself, trading verses with Havoc of Mobb Deep.

A new album is expected from R..A. in 2011, yet to be named.

Wu Tang unifying for US tour and coming through Boston

The world-famous, notorious Wu Tang Clan is setting recent disagreements aside and coming together to tour the United States, doing a show in Boston on December 22 with all eight members.

There have been rumors about an album being released to complement the tour, but it's not likely that no details would have leaked about it by now.  The latest news of definite new material coming out is Ghostface Killah's Apollo Kids on December 14 and a solo album from Raekwon, Shaolin Vs. Wu Tang, coming out next year.  Wu Tang hasn't released an album with the full clan since 8 Diagrams in 2007.  They have, though, released other solo albums featuring fellow members, as well as a compilation album and a group-album done by three members.

Raekwon's fourth solo album, Only Built for Cuban Linx Part II..., came out last year.  It's a critically-acclaimed sequel to his debut album that had stand-out tracks like "House of Flying Daggers" featuring Inspectah Deck, GZA, Ghostface Killah, and Method Man.

RZA executive-produced a compilation album released in 2009 that had five Wu Tang members.  They worked with other New York rap legends on tracks like "Harbor Masters" featuring AZ, and RZA stepped up to the mic over some of his solid producing on tracks like "Evil Deeds" featuring Ghostface and Havoc of Mobb Deep.

This past March Method Man, Ghostface, and Raekwon came out with Wu Massacre, a true Wu-style album that debuted at #12 on the Billboard chart and got good reviews from major critics like Rolling Stone. It was promoted with four singles including "Our Dreams," with RZA on the boards using a Michael Jackson sample.

The only Wu Tang member I've seen live so far is Raekwon when he came to the Paradise on a tour for his last album, so this is definitely my #1 priority concert right now.  GZA has got to be my favorite rapper out of all of Wu Tang, so I'm pumped to try to see him live, and RZA and Method Man are just over-the-top personalities who are worth seeing in person no matter what.

The show is at the Wilbur Theatre, which I've never been to but I know usually has stand-up comics, so it's probably a small venue and should be an awesome show.



Rest in Peace Old Dirty!

Celph Titled creates new classic with '90s throwback

This is track eight on Celph Titled's new collaboration with Buckwild, Nineteen Ninety Now, released on Tuesday. If you've never heard R.A the Rugged Man, the rapper who The Notorious B.I.G. did a song with and said was better than him back when he was alive, then this is a treat.

Celph Titled is a rapper from Tampa, Florida who is a member of the underground rap super-group Army of the Pharaohs and has done songs with fellow member Apathy on the Fort Minor project of Linkin Park's Mike Shinoda.

Celph is a boisterous and clever rapper that delivers punchline after punchline of violent and aggressive rhymes, coining nicknames like "The Landmine Lieutenant" for himself. He's put out albums in a group with Apathy called The Demigodz as well as albums of solo work, which he combined in a full-length collection called The Gatalog. On this album he's working with Buckwild, the legendary producer of the mid-'90s group Diggin' In The Crates, which included Big L.

This is different from the average collaboration album with a great from the '90s, though, because all these beats are actually brought back from the '90s. All of them are unreleased tracks that Celph Titled selected from a collection Buckwild never put to use, and Celph crafted new verses to create a modern retro-style classic.

On this release Celph continues to get even better with punchlines while improving his flow compared to all of his previous albums, and just like always his songs would have to be unrecognizable by the time they were edited enough to be on the radio. He responds to a diss by fellow underground rapper Cage by dissing him relentlessly on two separate tracks, and starts right in with his witty and raw punchlines on the very first song of the album, "The Deal Maker:"

"This is my movie in 3D, Slice your neck wit' a Fugees CD / and stick Lauryn Hill with the coroner's bill"

Celph's gritty yet humorous style and smooth flow fit perfectly with Buckwild's pure-'90s beats. This goes straight to the Top Ten underground hip-hop albums of the year.

AZ releasing "Doe or Die:15th Anniversary Edition" to hold fans over until sequel

AZ, the legendary rapper who had the only guest appearance on Nas' debut Illmatic, was supposed to release the sequel to his own debut, Doe or Die 2, before 2010 was over. But an anniversary edition of the original album is what fans will get instead.

AZ will still come out with the sequel, which will be all-new material. The hold-up is being caused by a common culprit that most rappers can't avoid: looking for a new label. He's announced that it will definitely be released in 2011, and that recording will be completed by the time that year is here.

What he's releasing on November 23, Doe or Die: 15th Anniversary Edition, is for the purpose of keeping new music coming out, he said. The album will consist of at least four completely new tracks, and around six of the originals from Doe or Die. The originals will have new beats, some having new verses and some having the original ones, with AZ "spitting them again." He said that some of the originals that will appear on the anniversary edition include the classics "Sugar Hill" and "Rather Unique."

Some producers who are on board for Doe or Die 2 include Pete Rock and Boston-native Statik Selektah. AZ announced last year that he was looking to have Kanye West and Dr. Dre work with him on the album, but it hasn't been confirmed if either of them will come through.

Read a whole Q+A session with AZ about the albums on hiphopdx.com.

I've been way more excited about Doe or Die 2 all year than I am about the anniversary CD now, but it sounds like the re-release will still definitely be worth listening to. AZ is showing loyalty to his fans by putting this out, and I can tell that he's really eager to get the sequel out and wants it to be as good as he can make it. He put out two mixtapes last year, G.O.D. (Gold, Oil and Diamonds) and Legendary, which both had some really solid tracks, especially "Bonafied."

I saw AZ and Cormega live at the Middle East in Cambridge last year, and it was the best hip-hop show I've been to by far (even though I need to get that number up, compared to the rock shows I've been to). They were both originally in Nas' supergroup The Firm, and yet they're both definitively underground, but that only makes it more exciting to be one of their fans.

This is a song slated to be on Doe or Die 2. AZ is looking official with the cigar in this video.

Kno's first solo album sets him apart

Kno is simply the best hip-hop producer you don't know about.

The producer of Kentucky hip-hop group CunninLynguists released his debut solo album, Death is Silent, today.  Kno only laid down four verses over CunninLynguists' last four albums, so this is the most rapping he's done in a long time, doing most of the vocals on the album with appearances from fellow CunninLynguists members Deacon the Villain and Natti, plus others.  The album is entirely produced by him, as he works to cement his name as the best producer in the Southern underground hip-hop game.

As the title might make you think, Death is Silent is a concept album.  Braving the topic of death gracefully, the album follows the theme of different ways it affects major aspects of life like love and family.  Kno's best-executed verse in both lyrics and delivery reflects the theme perfectly on "They Told Me":

"(They told me) that I'll soon see the light, if I like it or not / That's the icing on top of the cake that is baked for a tot / So he's taught, to count the days 'til he drops"

Kno has always held his own lyrically on CunninLynguists material, but Death is Silent makes it seem like he's been practicing even while he's hardly stepped up to the mic, showing solid writing and flowing skills that go along with the concept.  Mainly staying away from punchlines with Cunnin', on some of the album's more upbeat tracks like "Graveyard" he displays skills with those too:

"I'm the Talcum Malcolm, the emo Primo / Got no need for beef, got a vegan ego"

Calling himself the "Emo Primo," a reference to DJ Premier, Kno created amazing beats for this album and didn't let down those who recognize him as an icon of Southern beat-making.  Kno utilizes the types of sounds with strings that he's often used in his past work to compliment the theme of the album excellently.  Some hardcore fans of hip-hop criticize the use of samples in songs because they're not created by the artist, but this is a technique that the great DJ Premier uses to create combinations of clips of rapper's past vocals to create unique new sounds, and Kno is known as one of the best at finding the right sample for the right song.  A perfect example is the chorus of "Spread Your Wings," where he uses a sample of a female singer's vocals to form an atmosphere:

"If you do, spread your wings please let me know/ Take me with you when you go / You can't leave me here alone"

I pre-ordered this album and got it in the mail today.  It's one of the few albums I've actually bought in the past few years; I buy an album when it's that good and it makes me want to support the artist.

You can get the instrumentals of the album for free when you buy a copy through the Boston-based undergroundhiphop.com.

RIP Gregory...Your music will live on forever

Gregory Isaacs was a reggae musician born in 1951 in Jamaica who was known and respected around the world for his vocal skills. Gregory toured the world often after achieving world-wide fame and jumped around to different labels, mostly high-profile ones. He continued to perform live into this century and released a critically-acclaimed album in 2008.

More than 500 Gregory Isaacs albums were released during his career, a lot of them being compilations.

Gregory died today in London after a long fight with lung cancer.

DJ Premier unveils details for Premier vs. Pete Rock album

Hip-hop fans have been waiting a long time to find out what would happen if  the beat-making forces of DJ Premier and Pete Rock collided on one album.  Soon they're about to find out.  DJ Premier recently unveiled some details about how it will be laid out in an interview with ItsBongoBoy.com

Premier, the acclaimed producer that was one half of Gang Starr, will choose six MCs and do six songs.  Pete Rock, the acclaimed producer from Pete Rock & CL Smooth, will do the same.

It's "like a friendly battle," said Premier.  Each of them can pick either individual MCs or groups, he said.

Rolling Stone magazine named DJ Premier arguably the best producer in hip-hop history.  In the past, Premier has been a long-time collaborator with the group M.O.P., and has worked with rappers such as Blaq Poet, KRS One, and recently Kanye West.  Pete Rock has worked with rappers ranging from members of Wu Tang to Boston-native EDO G, and recently Kanye West.  Those MCs are likely choices for each respective producer.

Premier is working on an album with KRS One that will be a follow-up to 1993's Return of the Boom Bap, and is still waiting to get things going with a compilation album between himself and Nas.

"Fable 3" commercial features Jim Morrison reincarnation

This song by a band called The Black Angels is used in commercials I've been seeing for a videogame called Fable 3. I've never played any of the games but the song makes it seem epic. The band is pretty good, they're a mix of blues and psychedelic rock, and the singer sounds a lot like Jim Morrison from The Doors.

The Black Angels are a band from Austin, Texas. They formed in 2005 and built a good amount of their popularity through their Myspace page and by being a supporting act on tours with bands like The Black Keys, Queens of the Stone Age, and Wolfmother. Their name is derived from a song by The Velvet Underground, "The Black Angel's Death Song."

Structure and Story Online

      "I didn't have time to write you a short letter, so I wrote you a long one."

       That's a great quote from Mark Twain.  It's true.  Longer, wordy stuff flows out easier but short is better, more effective.  That's why it's harder to write.  It shows you mean business.

        Chapter 13 is really useful, it has info that makes me not want to sell the book at the end of the semester and use it again later.

       Lately I've been questioning whether I want to use the 'Inverted Pyramid' all the time, but the chapter shows that it's the perfect style for writing online.  The lead and the beginning of the body are really the hardest part to write because it's the 'newest' part that makes your story different from anything that already came out.  You make that part interesting so people will at least read that, and if they don't read the whole thing to the end then it doesn't matter since it's just supporting information that you gathered.

       The four rules given on page 189 are all really good too.  When I first read number 2, "Cut useless verbiage," I thought it was harsh that he said the "amateurish, chatty stuff" is what has to go, but I realized that I already stay away from writing that stuff.  Writing leads is what teaches you how to do that, and blogs are actually really good practice for it.  I try to start my blog posts with something that will catch a person's eye and make them click on it and read the rest, especially since people looking through blogs are considering reading something, but it has to be interesting.

       That Mark Twain quote is rule number 4, "It's harder to write short than long."  That goes along with getting rid of funny, word-play headlines.  They're one of the more creative parts of journalistic writing, but sometimes it shows through that they're unnecessary, and it's a relief when you can just write a standard, uncreative headline that just sums up the story.  That's what catches the eye if the person would even be interested.

       I also agree with the point that links are effective and that Wikipedia has way too many.  And I like the Stephen Colbert reference.

Reggae-rock meets rap in concept collaboration

Some rappers and a reggae-rock band did a U.S. tour together at the beginning of this year, and then decided to do this song together, and it is a sick collaboration.

Zion I is a hip-hop duo from Oakland, California who released their first album in 2000, which was nominated for Independent Album of the Year by The Source magazine. They gained more exposure and respect with their critically-acclaimed third album True and Livin' which came out in 2005, and again with their fifth album released in 2006 called Heroes in the City of Dope, featuring the single "Spinnin'" that was on the soundtrack of the movie "Grandma's Boy." Their song "Go Hard" was featured in the video game NBA Live '10.

Rebelution is a California band that mixes reggae and rock, who covered Bob Marley's song "Natural Mystic" on the compilation album Tribute to a Reggae Legend released in July. Forming in 2005, their debut album released in 2007 titled Courage to Grow gamed them heavy radio play in LA with the song "Safe and Sound." Additionally, the album was named the iTunes Editor's Choice for Best Reggae Album of 2007.

After the tour together this year, Zion I and Rebelution kicked off another one tonight in Missouri, and will be coming to Providence on October 29.

This song was a great idea and makes the mixing of their styles sound effortless.

CKY coming back to Boston

Ever watched "Jackass"?  Then you've heard CKY. 
       The progressive-rock band CKY, a mix of rock, metal and punk, has been featured in many of the show's episodes.  Their songs fit well with the type of stuff the "Jackass" guys do, and they probably use it to motivate themselves, too.  The band was like the "house band" for the videos made by drummer Jess Margera's brother Bam, who was already being a "Jackass" with his friends before the show.  Both the band and Bam's videos went by the name CKY, and both gained some popularity at about the same time.

       I first heard CKY in one of the earliest episodes of "Jackass," when Bam's CKY is making hit television in a parking lot with some shopping carts and "96 Quite Bitter Beings" as the background music, a song with an unforgettable guitar riff.  Ever since then I've been a fan, and in August of '09 I saw them live at the Paradise in Boston.  I mostly went to see one of my favorite bands, ASG, who have been featured in "Viva La Bam," and opened for CKY that night.  Altogether it was a sick show; both are absolutely worth seeing live.  The new album they were supporting, "Carver City," has been called their best yet, both inviting new fans with accessible sound and appeasing diehard fans with new songs that are "classic CKY" like "Hellions On Parade".  Plenty of those diehard fans were definitely at the show, it's the only one I've been to where everyone in the back just pushes everybody into the stage until there's no one that's not shoulder-to-shoulder.

       I would definitely go see them again, but I don't want to ruin the last show since there's no ASG this time.  I'm thinking about going to see them at the Paradise again when they come back on November 11.

       A new song CKY just came out with is being played during the credits of "Jackass 3D."  On that note, I'm about to go see it right now.  I knoww it's going to win some Grammys.
      

Boston rap duo 7L & Esoteric release new album "1212"

       The Boston-native combination of producer 7L and MC Esoteric released their first album in four years on October 8.

       7L & Esoteric make heavy underground hip-hop, being known best for their membership in Army of the Pharaohs, the supergroup of east coast rappers led by Vinnie Paz of Jedi Mind Tricks.  7L makes aggressive beats filled with piano-style keyboard samples and plenty of bass, perfect for Esoteric's fast, hardcore delivery with excellent rhyme skill and raw lyrics that often represent his hometown with Red Sox and  Celtics references.

       1212 is what the duo calls their "darkest" album yet.  Where they were aiming for the atmosphere of the album is shown well with an appearance by a Wu Tang member, Inspectah Deck.  The track he's on, "12th Chamber," is a reference to Wu Tang songs with similar names, like the epic "4th Chamber" by GZA.  "12th Chamber" is a good look at the rest of the album, a gritty song with overtones of enforcing your authority by way of deathly battle lyrics.  Following the same theme is "Bare Knuckle Boxing," featuring Ill Bill of rap supergroup La Coka Nostra and fellow Army of the Pharaohs members Vinnie Paz and Reef the Lost Cauze.

       Esoteric also gets behind the boards, producing three tracks on the album, the most impressive being "Drawbar 1,2" featuring nice verses from Alchemist and Evidence.  7L comes strong with the beats as always,  and Esoteric still never misses steps in flowing over them.

       If you've never heard of this Boston group, it's a good time to check them out on the album where they say they're "bringin' it back to the essence."

A free CD of the album's instrumentals comes with it when you buy from Boston-based outlet undergroundhiphop.com .

Washington Post compares Freddie Gibbs to 2Pac

       Earlier this year, Freddie Gibbs gained some recognition when he became the first unsigned rapper to appear on the cover of the hip-hop magazine XXL, but he seems destined for success when his debut album gets reviewed by the Washington Post, and in it they compare him to 2Pac.

       The review of Str8 Killa is nothing but positive, saying that the new rapper has no interest in "hanging out with Weezy" and mentions a history that includes robbing freight trains and a major label deal that turned sour.  The reference to Lil Wayne is significant in relating his situation as the reverse of Freddie Gibbs, Wayne having major popularity but a lack of agreement on skill, resulting in his claims to being the "greatest rapper alive" frequently heard but never confirmed.  The Post calls Gibbs "an underground sensation beloved by hip-hop fans and indie rockers alike."

       During a time of materialism-filled videos and an endless supply of auto-tune on the radio "when gangsta rap has mostly fallen out of favor," Gibbs sounds like the New Depression-era reincarnation of a familiar face.  These tough times can easily recall the positive messages delivered about dealing with struggle back around the time of "Troublesome '96," and Gibbs matches up to 2Pac in both sound and subject matter.  Maybe a new figure delivering life-like visualizations of street life in the form of gangster rap is exactly what the hip-hop world needs and wants, 2Pac still being the best-selling rapper of all-time.  The Post comments on the word-around-the-watercooler comparison by saying that "Gibbs seems less interested in being the savior of 2010 hip-hop than in being the second coming of 2Pac, a comparison that Killa encourages stylistically and narratively."

Enjoy the sounds of 2Pac?  Check out Freddie Gibbs.

The Washington Post article: Album review: Freddie Gibbs, "Str8 Killa"

A video-interview with Freddie Gibbs: Freddie Gibbs: Does keeping it real still matter? [XXL Video]

Free download of the Freddie Gibbs mixtape Str8 Killa No Filla: Download Freddie Gibbs's "Str8 Killa No Filla" Now

Roles and Skills for Cross-Platform Reporting

       The main thing this chapter got me thinking about is how I should continue to round out my skill-set before I start looking for an organization to get involved with once I graduate college.  I'm definitely behind in most of the new media skills that the chapter talked about, but I felt confident when it mentioned the two things that you absolutely need to have: good writing skills and an open mind. 

"Fortunately, the skills you need don't include using a crystal ball.  The skills you need are traditional journalistic ones such as research and storytelling...with a digital update."

       That reassured me, because I don't believe in crystal balls.  That quote pretty much sums up the chapter and it's a really good message to college students who want to enter the "dying profession."  It's not dying, it's changing; typewriter manufacturers probably didn't die off, they started making computer keyboards.  As long as I can write, then I just need to adapt to the new ways that my writing will be put out there.

       The media tools being talked about in the chapter made me realize more clearly and made me glad that we need to keep this blog for the class:

"An editor will not only manage content for the print publication but also keep a blog and maintain a presence on Facebook."

Before this semester I knew near to nothing about blogging.  I saw it as a certain type of writing that's done by the type of person who spends too much time on their computer, but now I realize that as long as it's me writing about what I mean to write about then it's a great way to target something specific and get people involved.  Way back in the days of myspace I saw that bands keep blogs, and that's a perfect example of how it's a tool to promote yourself with, whatever you do to make money.  And it feels good to think all my time spent on Facebook wasn't wasted.  Everyyyythinggg wants to be a social network now, iTunes even changed its sidebar application to 'Ping,' a "social network for music."

      Another thing this chapter made me glad about is my Communication major/Media Studies concentration.  I definitely feel like I'm in the right place knowing that I want to write as a career, even comparing it to maybe being an English major.  I do want to start an English minor soon, but now I'll focus on getting a wider media background, too.  I still have time left in college to start exploring media, and I should, especially since the credits will count and when a potential employer looks at my transcript it won't be seen as wasted time but as useful skills. 

"The new reporting environment means reporters need, at minimum, proficiency in audio, video, and image editing."

I guess it's time to go and buy a digital camera and take an editing class.

Also, this chapter made it clear that the book was written for a Canadian audience.  I noticed all the references to Canada in the other chapters but didn't realize that, I'm not sure if it was mentioned in class.  That's OK, though.  Canada's cool.

Nas is next move in collaboration album with DJ Premier

Premier told fans at a show in Africa that he wants to produce an album for Nas:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaO2cVhKknI&feature=player_embedded

       Nas, who recently accused Def Jam of stalling the release of his new mixtape, Lost Tapes 2, has yet to give a response to Premier on the possibility.  The two talked about doing the project as early as 2006, and Nas spoke to MTV about it in 2008, as well as about wanting to do an album with Dr. Dre.  The upcoming Lost Tapes 2 is produced by Pete Rock; if the other two projects were to come to fruition, it would mark collaborations with arguably the three greatest producers in hip-hop.
       Nas clearly wants to make an impact on the hip-hop world in the near future judging from his statements in the "open letter" he wrote to Def Jam about stalling his album: "Open the REAL budget.  This is a New York pioneer's ALBUM, there ain't many of us."  He is by no means afraid to expand his career to include interesting collaborations in order to do that, shown by the album with Damian Marley released in May of this year, Distant Relatives.
       The making of that album was an early example of Nas sitting on the idea of a collaboration album.  Ever since "Road to Zion," the track on Damian's 2005 album Welcome to Jamrock, Nas had wanted to do an entire album with the reggae-rapper, which was to be completed five years later.

       Nas announced on his Twitter on September 15 that Lost Tapes 2 is coming soon.

The mean streets of Gary, Indiana revive gangster rap

       Apparently they actually are mean streets.
      
       Freddie Gibbs delivers tales of surviving in the ghetto doing whatever it takes, legal or not, on his debut EP, Str8 Killa, but the difference between his album and what many people call "gangster rap" that's played on the radio is that Freddie depicts the downsides of hustling instead of the bragging rights he gains from doing it. Gibbs manages to have gritty lyrics about life on the streets without glamorizing any part of the lifestyle, which sets him apart from every other rapper trying to break into the industry.  No matter what the content of the songs on the album, he highlights the consequences of hustling for survival and his message is always to keep your head up and try to do what's right.
      
       The first time I heard Freddie Gibbs was when I listened to his track "Close Your Eyes" last year from his first mixtape, The Miseducation of Freddie Gibbs.  I could tell he was different by the Ozzy Osborne sample that's used in the hook and actually fits the song really well.  He released that mixtape himself, as well as his second one, Midwestgangstaboxframecadillacmuzik, both in 2009 after first showing promise by being signed to Interscope in 2007 but leaving over disagreements.  He stayed busy recording tracks and was featured on fellow midwest-underground rappers CunninLynguists album Strange Journey:Volume II on the track "Imperial."
       CunninLynguists' producer Kno reunites with Gibbs on Str8 Killa for the track "The Coldest," which gives no less deep of a look into life in the ghetto than any other track on the EP.  The most potent example of that perspective out of all nine tracks has to be "Rock Bottom":

"If you a man, then put some muthafucking food on the table / That's what she said / but still a n**** wasn't able / to get up some bread for the rent, lights, and cable / The gas and water / she's acting like I'm trying to starve her / and I know the baby growing in her belly gotta eat too / Only thing I got left is this gun on my belt / if I can't feed myself how am I going to feed you?"

       That song features "underground king" Bun B of UGK, and other features on the album include Chuck Inglish of The Cool Kids and even Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys laying down a hook.  What makes Freddie Gibbs still underground despite those mainstream features is his refusal to come up with fake themes to make more money, relentlessly relaying his images of true life whenever he picks up a mic.  If Str8 Killa gets him success with the masses, Gibbs doesn't see himself standing among the typical mainstream rappers who are getting promo time on MTV:

"Player haters, fuck 'em / Record labels, fuck 'em / Radio, fuck 'em / All my shit still be bumpin'"

he raps on "National Anthem (Fuck the World)," the track where he details his hometown, his departure from Interscope, and his struggle to become the voice of "the midwest streets."  Gibbs was signed by Decon Records for a single-album deal, and will be looking for new sponsorship for his sophomore release.

       This is the video for  "National Anthem (Fuck the World)" with pretty good production yet not a 24" inch rim or rain-shower of money in sight.

Interviewing in the Digital Age

       This chapter came just at the right time.  I've been wondering if I would be able to use an email interview for my class article but wasn't sure if it's really acceptable, and the chapter answered all the questions I had.  Any interviews I need to do for The Comment can usually be done with someone that's right on campus, but for my news feature for class I want to do something I'm really interested in so I might need to try to get someone that's harder to reach or too busy for an in-person interview.  The book said that nothing is better than an in-person interview pretty much because it puts them on the spot and you can make it more personal and interact with them, and that's exactly what I figured would make an email interview maybe not good enough to use for a story.  

       A perfect example of how emailing can take longer to get the answers, just like the book said, is when I wrote my first article this year.  I emailed both the dean of Math and Science and the dean of Social Sciences and Humanities to see if they would be available for an interview or to just email me their answers to my questions, just two days before my deadline.  One of the deans emailed me back pretty quick and was available for an interview the next day, while the other one took longer to respond and ended up emailing me the answers a day after my deadline.  I was still able to write a good story with quotes from just one of them, and the quotes from the in-person interview were better quality anyway.

       The info in the chapter about how to do your in-person interview is really helpful too.  When I interviewed the chief of campus police it felt like he didn't have much to say on the subject, so I let there be pauses when I caught up on my notes and he would add to what he was saying, and it was usually more useful than his original answer.

       I might take another shot at an email interview for my news feature, but I want to use the style that the book suggested, one question at a time.  I don't know how I could do that without sounding like a douche so I'll ask Cope for tips on that.

My 2nd Favorite Band is in Boston on my Birthday

       I just found out that what has to be my 2nd favorite band, The Expendables, are going to be in Boston on the day of my 21st birthday, and I am wicked pumped.  Tickets go on sale tomorrow and I am definitely going even though it's on a Tuesday.  They're playing at the Paradise Rock Club on Comm. Ave in Boston in November, where I saw them last year when they toured around the same time.  I like that place for shows, it's small so you can get up pretty close, and they get some good acts there.  The Expendables are an awesome band to see live, they sound like Stick Figure with the reggae but with punk and ska thrown in so it's way faster and heavier.  The first time I saw them was when they opened for 311, which has to be my favorite band, last summer at the Comcast Center in Mansfield.  I actually got to see The Expendables twice there because the power when out after they played the first time, so the show got postponed until the next Monday and they played again.  They came on before Ziggy Marley, and both times they ended with "Sacrifice," probably their best song and it was amazing.  They're a really chill band, they had a table set up after they played and I went down to meet them and get a Slightly Stoopid tour flyer signed by all of them; they had those at the show to promote Slightly Stoopid, the band that discovered The Expendables and signed them to their label.   The Expendables dropped a new album over the summer called "Prove It" and it will be sick to see some of those songs live.  I'm pumped for my 4th time seeing them, hopefully I'll grab a few legal drinks at the bar at Paradise, and I'll review the new album soon as a preview to the show.  And as a side-note they came out way before the movie, their first album dropped in 2001.

This is the video for "Sacrifice" by The Expendables:

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

Reporting Basics: Accuracy, Precision, and Balance

       Chapter 12 is a useful chapter that outlines the important reasons for and ways to go about checking all of your sources and being accurate.  The video we watched in class today was one of the possible consequences of not verifying your source, like the one given in the Introduction of the chapter where a scientist committed suicide as a result of wrongly being used as a source.  The author really stresses how important it is to fact-check everything, all the way down to spelling and getting numbers right.  I agree with how much he emphasizes accuracy.  On my college papers, I always put everything into my own words and never copy-and-paste anything in case the professor checks it for plagiarism, and they're the only person reading it.  When you write a news story, it's being given to the general public so it's pretty likely any mistakes will be spotted. 
       Edward R. Murrow is a beast for confronting Joseph McCarthy; you can just tell by that picture of him that's in the book.  I found his quote pretty inspirational, whether or not I go into journalism. 
       I like how the author says to never use any verb but "said" for quotes.  It really does change the way it's interpreted, like if you use "claimed" then "you're suggesting the person is lying."  Using words other than "said" makes it sound more exciting but it adds more detail onto the facts, and all you can use to write a news story is fact. 
       I agreed with scientist Andrew Weaver when he's quoted saying that "climate change" is less accurate than "global warming."  When I was rewording something from The Globe for a newsclip for The Comment last week, I actually chose to use "global warming" where they had used "climate change."  Not only does "climate change" butter up something that people should be concerned about, but just like Weaver said, "global warming" lets the reader know exactly what you're talking about. 
       The chapter showed me that it's worth it to be accurate at all costs, and if missing a side to the story makes you want to pick a side and throw off the balance, write another fact: "If you can't get the full story, put that in the story."

Second article for The Comment coming out 9/23/10

                                                                  Getting tough on texting

      On September 30, Massachusetts will enter a new era in the Information Age, with the Safe Driving Law, which most notably bans text-messaging while driving, going into effect.   Signed by Governor Deval Patrick in July, the new law also creates violations for any use of a cell phone by Junior Operators (16 and 17 year-olds), any use of a cell phone by public transport vehicle operators (MBTA, etc.), and improper use of a cell phone by operators who are 18 and over (one hand must be on the steering wheel at all times), according to mass.gov.  This legislation comes after the May, 2009 crash of an MBTA Green Line trolley that injured 49 people, caused by the conductor sending a text-message, and increased concern about car accidents as younger generations rely more and more on texting and using other handheld electronic devices.

            According to the Governors Highway Safety Association, 29 states have banned texting while driving before Massachusetts, New York having a ban on all handheld cell phone use since 2001.  These states cite using cell phones while driving as a major distraction, and believe this use to be a substantial cause of car accidents.  A study conducted by the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis in 2002 calculated that about 2,600 people die each year because of it, and that another 330,000 are injured.  Young people are seen as the most at-risk for these accidents, which is why all cell phone use will be prohibited for Junior Operators.  “I never took [the danger] seriously until one of my close friends lost his life from texting and driving,” said BSU junior Taylor Cleary, causing her to “fully support the new law.” 

The Safe Driving Law does not prohibit Massachusetts drivers from making calls, but writing, sending, and reading text-messages, as well as emails, instant messages, and searching the internet, will be illegal according to mass.gov.  The law also applies to laptops, handheld video game systems, and digital cameras, but not GPS devices, and applies even if the vehicle is stopped in traffic.  Emergency situations are the only exemption from all aspects of the law.  Junior Operators committing their first offense will receive a $100 fine and have their license suspended for 60 days, and all other drivers will be fined $100 for their first offense and $500 for a third offense.  Drivers can be pulled over by police if they are believed to be texting while driving, and any car accidents known to be caused by cell phone use will be considered a criminal offense, the offender receiving a 60-day license suspension and $500 reinstatement fee. 

The new law compares to the one calling for the use of a seat-belt: it can’t be enforced unless a police officer notices it.  “Because it has some enforcement problems attached to it,” said BSU Chief of Police David Tillinghast, “doesn’t mean the statute is a bad idea.”  He believes that the law will “probably not” put a stop to texting while driving around campus, similar to how speeding laws have not ended speeding, but that it will have a “substantial deterrent effect.” 

“I can’t say [texting while driving] has specifically been the cause of any accidents on campus,” said Chief Tillinghast, because “it wasn’t tracked previously,” but after September 30 “officers will be more attuned to it.”  Students and others driving around campus will be charged with texting while driving “if an officer happens to see it” or “if someone tells us after an incident” that it was the cause, he said. 

“It is literally impossible to text and drive safely, so I’m glad the legislature has addressed it.”

Music video for "Walk of Life" by Stick Figure

This is a simple video Stick Figure made for an A/V class in 2006 for one of his best songs, "Walk of Life," from his first album, " The Sound of My Addiction."



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMF8_IfCqLw

Real roots reggae: from Duxbury, MA

       A few weeks ago I got into an underground reggae artist whose songs I've been listening to over and over, and about a week after I first hear his music I find out that he's from right over there in Duxbury.
      

       A reggae artist who goes by the name of Stick Figure dropped a new album on August 3rd that comes with authentic and original roots reggae blended with influences by southern California dub, and this is coming from right here in southeastern Massachusetts.  Stick Figure creates a unique reggae sound in a small town on the east coast, and does this while displaying amazing musical talent: Scott Woodruff writes, records, and produces all of his songs, playing each instrument separately and layering the tracks on top of each other. 
       There have been multiple major artists that mix reggae, rock, and dub from the coast of California, like Sublime, and others from closer to the east coast like Slightly Stoopid, but Stick Figure manages to stand out and maintain a completely unique sound.  His style is similar to Slightly Stoopid, with more of a relaxed vibe, the songs consisting of original, upbeat rhythms and strong, positive lyrics.  An example is one of the most original reggae rhythms to come out in a while in the first minute of the song "Vibes Alive," the opening track on his third album released in 2009 titled "Smoke Stack," where he sings, "Another generation, keeping the vibes alive."  He paid homage to one of his influences in February of this year, producing a dub remix of the song "2am" by Slightly Stoopid, a style that slows the tempo down and focuses on rhythm. 
       The album released over the summer was Stick Figure's fourth, titled "Reprise Sessions" because it's the first with three new members added to his live band after relocating to southern California.  With new musicians on bass, drums, and keys, and Woodruff still on guitar and vocals, the band re-recorded some signature tracks and layed down some new ones.  The newly-formed full band adds a more energetic sound in the reprise tracks, and a fresh vibe to new ones while keeping all the original Stick Figure elements.  The lyrics on the new songs deal with hardship and keeping a positive outlook, like on "Gone" where Woodruff sings, "Even when your mind is gone/you've got to keep your head on strong," and take a view on society on the song "Youth" where he sings, "An 18-year old boy just jumped off a bridge/and they'll call it another suicide," and repeats "The youth are getting restless" in the chorus. 
       The band is currently recording its debut album of all-new tracks together, expected to drop this fall.


http://www.stickfiguremusic.com/

Arts & Sciences severs alliances

This is my first article for The Comment, the first issue comes out tomorrow.  Make sure to pick one up if you're on campus, peeps, it's free.

As Bridgewater State is experiencing its exciting first year as a university after expanding its size, adding a new dorm in the past year and a soon-to-be-completed new math and science building, it is concurrently concentrating its focus on what was once its largest school of study. Effective July 1^st, 2010, the School of Arts and Sciences was divided into two new schools: the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, and the School of Science and Mathematics.  To commandeer these new schools, BSU appointed Dr. Arthur Goldstein as founding Dean of the School of Science and Mathematics on August 1^st, and Dr. Brenda Molife was chosen to serve as Acting Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences.  Dr. Marian Extejt was also appointed on August 1^st as the new Dean of the School of Business.

            With the new math and science building bringing more physical space for the study of those disciplines, the split allows for more of a focus on the departments within each new school.  The smaller number of schools groups together departments that are more similar, such as the Art Department and English Department both within the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, and the Biological Sciences Department and Mathematics and Computer Science Department within the School of Science and Mathematics. 

            A greater cohesion among similar departments was the major advantage seen among faculty in 2007 when BSU first began exploring the idea of forming new schools.  According to the Report of Findings of the Committee on New Schools Preliminary Study, released by the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment, President Dana Mohler-Faria “charged the Committee on New Schools to conduct a campus-wide discussion about possible structures for academic schools” at BSU.  The popular opinion among respondents to the study was that “the internal functioning of new schools would be better than the [former] model.”  Advantages that were seen included a “discipline-specific focus” and “easier communication among departments with some similar interests.” 

            These advantages are along the lines of what Dr. Arthur Goldstein foresees for the future of the newly-formed schools.  Asked whether students taking courses within the School of Sciences and Mathematics will experience a change, he responded that students will not “notice anything different” because “there are not things in science and math that are problematical,” but that the formation of these new schools “allows each dean to focus on smaller departments.”             Splitting the School of Arts and Sciences was not done to fix something that was wrong in the past but to improve the future, such as more schools meaning more research.  As a new dean, Dr. Goldstein plans to “expand support for student research stipends” and to “approach local bio-tech companies for support,” as well as other actions which focus on his particular school that “couldn’t have been done with a dean of arts and sciences.”  As part of what is now Bridgewater State University, Dr. Goldstein says that he and the other new deans are “full of ideas” and “full of initiatives to push forward” in the years to come.

Intro

       Hey my name is Sean Taverna, and this is my blog for my Intro to Journalism class.  I am 20 years old from Watertown, MA and a junior at Bridgewater State University.  I'm taking this class because I'm a Communication major and I want to write as a career, even though journalism is a "dying profession;" I chose Comm. so I could be opened up for more jobs with my degree, maybe like writing for a company, but I want to start an English minor before this year is over.  I might start off writing for a newspaper but I'd like to write for a magazine; my #1 pick would be Rolling Stone because I'm really into music (reach for the SKYYYYY). 
       By reading this sick blog you can find out about underground music, which is mostly what I listen to, and that's why I named it after the Ninja Turtles (they live underground in the sewer if you're not cool and didn't know.)  This is also my first semester writing for The Comment, Bridgewater State's student newspaper, which you could call underground news since not that many people read it.  Some of the underground artists that I get real excited about are in hip-hop, reggae-rock, and ska-punk, so anyone who likes those genres but only listen to mainstream and want to find some really good bands can by reading my stuff. 
       I feel like I don't have the authority to write about music yet since I don't play an instrument, but I'm taking Music Fundamentals this semester and I plan on learning guitar (yeahhh I'll let you know how that goes.)  I'll post links to good bands, practice writing CD reviews of bands that I like, and maybe even concert reviews if I get to some before December.  I'll also post any articles I write for The Comment, which comes out every Friday.  And I'll try to blog about every time I eat pizza because that's what the Ninja Turtles eat (alllllllll dayyyyyy).