Yelawolf "Till it's Gone"

 https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/till-its-gone-single/id918287843

New Music from @Yelawolf, "Till it's gone".

Premiered on last night's Sons of Anarchy episode (Which was a great episode, btw, loved the ending)

Until next time,

Shade

DRWN Beats RMXS Project (On the Grind)

It's been a while since I've posted an entry on here. It's something that I've been away from for a while. The twitter has stayed active, and as I've gotten back into it recently, it only seems fair that I put down some thoughts that go beyond 140 characters. This is a combination of a regular post and an On the Grind post, if you think about it. 

So for my first post back, let me send you to another site, so you can support a great artist. It's a project of remixes, and the beats are on point. As someone who has some history of music and melody (11 years of Piano), it definitely gets a cosign from me. Check it out when you get a chance, and support if you can: 

 @drawnbeats 

 www.blvntrecords.bandcamp.com/album/rmxs 

 Until the next time, Shade

B.o.B. Floating on Strange Clouds

Right now, the amount of buzz going around for Grand Hustle Records can be felt all around the social media circles. The two biggest artists on the label both have singles in rotation in the radio and are both working on new albums. T.I. coming off of his prison bid is working on his new album, currently titled Trouble Man. But quite possibly, there is bigger buzz for his labelmate and his album, B.o.B. and Strange Clouds. B.o.B., born Bobby Ray Simmons Jr., has brought such a breath of fresh air to hip hop and to music in general. From his mixtapes to his debut album, he has consistently raised the bar and has worked to blend genres of music together. On his new album, Strange Clouds, Bobby Ray is continuing to do just that.

His lead single, from which the album gets it’s name, has a feature from the always popular Lil Wayne. It was produced by pop sensation Dr. Luke, famous for working with pop stars such as Ke$ha, Taio Cruz, and most famously with Katy Perry. It isn’t the first time that these two worked together, coming together for an album cut from B.o.B.’s first album that was turned into a single, “Magic”. What can we expect from this, the sophomore album? More hit records, definitely more high level collaborations that could be turned into hits.

Currently a confirmed track is “So Good” that features and is produced by veteran hit maker Ryan Tedder of One Republic, famous for producing and writing hits like Beyonce’s “Halo”, and Leona Lewis’ “Bleeding Love”. Another track that has been rumored but could be incredible is “Airborne” with Drake, Kanye West and produced by Boi-1da and Kanye West. I feel that an interesting collaboration, for an album cut would be to see if he could parlay a track with Jay-Z. After the Eminem featured Airplanes II, a track with Jay-Z would be an incredible next step. Furthermore, I think an Usher feature, would be exceptional, their connection to Atlanta, Georgia being prominent in the song.

When it comes to the production on the album, B.o.B. has some of the greatest producers in the world on speed dial. Dr. Luke, Ryan Tedder, Alex da Kid, and of course Jim Jonsin are easily reachable. But one can’t forget probably the greatest in Bobby Ray’s arsenal, himself. Out of 12 tracks on The Adventures of Bobby Ray, 5 of them were produced by B.o.B. himself.

Regardless of the outcome, Bobby Ray Simmons has built an incredible buzz and an incredible level of interest in his project. It’s easy to tell that when it’s released, it’s going to storm the charts and radio.

The Most Abused Word in Hip Hop: Classic

Thinking about what to write for an article, I was skimming through some youtube videos and articles and saw an interview where the word classic was used to describe upcoming work. Got me thinking. This is going to be a new series of posts on the Most Abused Words in hip hop. It's debut article? On the word "Classic"

I myself am a fan of hip hop. But there's a scary trend that has been happening in Hip hop recently. The overuse and straight abuse of the word "classic". It seems as though every artist claims that the album that they're currently working on is a classic. What exactly does that mean though? Dictionaries give the definition of classic as being something that's of the highest quality, that can act as a standard or a model. But how often do these albums get released and they fail to live up to these statements? I'm not saying that the artists themselves are horrible and suck, but maybe they should better phrase their thoughts before they speak. Freestyling interviews, probably not the best way to go. DJ Khaled is a great example, as is Rick Ross. Both use the word classic a lot. DJ Khaled far far more than Ross. When you sit and think about it, was We the Best Forever really a classic though? Is it something that's of the highest quality, a standard for future albums? The shine of Pro Tools that was applied to the album undoubtedly gives it a high production quality, but the album had its weak spots.

Khaled's already applying the same term to the upcoming Rick Ross God Forgives, I Don't album. I don't doubt that it's going to be a phenomenal, solid album. But a classic? Rick Ross is constantly getting better, but will that album be able to sit on the same shelf as albums like Reasonable Doubt? 2001? And dare I say it, one of Ross' nemesis' works, Get Rich or Die Tryin? I'm not too sure. There are albums that have come very close in past years. Mainstream ones, such as Thank Me Later, or My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. There have been underground albums that have approached classic status.

But in order for something to be a classic, it needs to be something that completely changes the game. It has to be something that heavily challenges preconceived notions on what Hip hop is, how music is created, and how we speak to people on the thoughts that come to us in our daily lives.

Maybe I'm a little too protective of words, but then again, Hip hop has always been about understanding the power and effect of words on people. Maybe I should change my definition of classic to what Ace Hood said in the first verse of "Get Money" from the Ruthless album, "I gave you a classic in my day".

Should I settle for that? Or should I expect more from the artists of my generation?

Hit me up on twitter ( @idoitforhiphop ) with your thoughts

The Fabolous Life

September 13th, 2011 is not that far away. And that's when the new Fabolous album, Loso's Way 2: Rise to Power will be hitting shelves around the world, as well as iTunes and other digital download sites' servers. But what can we expect from this album, less than a month away from it's intended release date? The first single hasn't been released yet, leading one to believe that just maybe the album is getting pushed back, yet again, despite Fab wanting it to be released right around the ten year anniversary of his debut album, Ghetto Fabolous. Instead of focusing on the negative, or the lack of a positive in regards to album release, let's look at what we do have. The mixtapes There is no Competition 2, the S.O.U.L. Tape. In addition, we have guest verses on various tracks and albums. There's a lot to be seen there, a lot to be heard.

TINC2 and the subsequent EP have been named in a number of different top ten lists for 2010. The S.O.U.L. Tape was well received and will be given a good look probably at end of year lists for this year. Fab's been feeding and feeding the demand for music and he has a number of guest verses under his belt since Loso's Way was released. We have the excellent Lloyd Banks' Start it Up from 2010, and Fab was chosen by DJ Drama to be one of the headliners on the Oh My cut, the first song from Drama's third album. So what can we expect from the album? What can we hope, for the album?

Fab will be continuing his Loso's Way series, a melding of his life story and Carlito's Way the movie. We will definitely see a collaboration with Ryan Leslie, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Everything they've done together, from Leslie's shelved album to Everything, Everywhere, Everyday with Keri Hilson has been musical gold. The two share a creative genius when it comes to the music that they do together. Another of Fab's prior relationships will be involved in the album, Red Cafe, Paul Cain, and other members of the Street Fam group.

I hope that Fabolous is able to reach out to old friend Joe Budden and possibly through Budden, be able to work with the rest of Slaughterhouse. You never know, down the road that might be able to develop into a good Fabolous x Eminem collaboration. Production wise, since Street Dreams, Fab has always had at least one Just Blaze song on his album. This trend needs to continue, as Loso's way Lullaby which had not only Just but Alchemist behind the boards was one of the better beats on the album.

Throw in a few of the Fab standbys, and it sounds like a good album. But now, Fab needs to step up, go beyond what we're used to hearing from him. Thanks to Start it Up, he's developed a better relationship with G-Unit. A good New York anthem could be good, with 50 and Banks. As a rapper that effortlessly moves between camps, even feuding camps, I'd like to see a concrete album quality collaboration between Fab and Nicki Minaj. Also, you know that a Fab x Drake song has to be in the works.

Star studded albums are something that tends to be a trend nowadays. I think that despite the possible collaborations I've listed, that Fab can and should make more of a true solo album. Have a few guests here and there, but make sure that they count. Fab easily takes people on journeys with each 16, and I think that Loso's Way 2 has the possibility of being one of his best albums to date. With less than a month away, it's only a matter of time.

The Future of G-Unit Records Pt 2: Lloyd Banks

Follow Lloyd Banks at @Lloydbanks


Follow me at @Idoitforhiphop

If there's one thing Lloyd Banks can do, it's spit. His Top 5 or Better series has shown that. He's put out mixtape after mixtape and they've been consistently good. They've been a little sporadic since he started the series, but despite the time between them, there's definite quality there. You can tell that there was a level of thought put into the projects. But the problem is that it hasn't translated into a third studio album from the Queens rapper. That's something I'd like to see. I do like the mixtape Banks. He's pretty damn good with the punches and he deserves the credit that he gets. The haters really need to sit back on that front.

Back to business though. Banks has an actual, real single out, Beamer Benz or Bentley feat. Juelz Santana. It's a pretty tough record with a good video out. And it's a definite good look for him. I'm trying to figure out what label the album would be coming out on. Yeah, it's coming out on G-Unit, but who's going to distribute the album? G-Unit can't do it by itself, unless 50's going for straight digital releases. It would be a smart business move, but I know it'd be a blow to the oh so large pride of 50 Cent. Also there's just so many benefits to a physical release with heavy promotion. Which brings us to the main question, namely how marketable is Lloyd Banks now?

Rotten Apple didn't do the greatest numbers that the people at Interscope could have hoped for. With the way sales are now, can Banks do even those numbers in this sales climate? That's the question. Furthermore, can he do it with a reduced budget? He's not going to get the promotion that he did with Rotten Apple and he's definitely not going to get the promo he did the first time around. That was back when G-Unit was on top and 50 Cent could do no wrong. It was obvious that anything that 50 Cent touched turned to gold.

But these days, even 50 can't do the numbers that he used to. So why should we expect the same from Lloyd Banks? The short answer is that we shouldn't, but the long answer is that we should.

In the short game, he's not going to sell a million records like he did with Hunger for More. I have a feeling though, that selling a milli isn't Banks' objective. He's trying to get his foot back in the door and get back into the game in a major way. It'll allow him to rebuild his fanbase, which at this point, will defend heavily on whether or not his female friendly songs are up to par, and rework himself back up to those numbers. In the long run, he'll be in good shape.

Provided this album does what it needs to do. And there's a few things that he needs to do in order to make sure that happens:

Timb for a club sounding track, but nothing from Shock Value II.
A Dr. Dre track is a must, and if you can get two. One should be just a solo joint, the other, go back and forth with Em.
Havoc is always a good choice for the grimey NY sound
DJ Nasty or Sean C and LV as well.

When it comes to the females, the choice to grab Keri Hilson on Rotten Apple's Help was genius. Do it again. Get Ryan Leslie as well, for another song. Get a good R&B/Pop singer to go for crossover, like Justin Timberlake or Bobby Valentino. The remix to Slow Down was nice.

The rest of the album should be given to newer producers, not necessarily unknowns for the sake of the budget, but newer producers.

Either way, Banks has his work cut out for him, but I'm fairly confident that he can pull it off. He's got the hunger for more and a rotten apple isn't going to satisfy.

The Future of G-Unit Records Pt 1

By now, everyone, including supposedly impervious to criticism and negative thoughts 50 Cent, has to realize that G-Unit Records is in trouble. It's been a long time since the label has put out an album that has sold well, even considering the climate of sales and the overall slack of sales of music since 2006. Furthermore, the label itself isn't signing new talent to bring a resurgence to the label or to generate and drive more interest in the label. You add in beefs with other, lesser or equal high profile MCs that G-Unit isn't clearly winning and you can begin to understand why the pressure is on. But will they crack? Or better yet, have they already cracked and now we're just watching the spiral downwards?

A lot of the burden to succeed for the label and for the group falls on the leader, 50 Cent. Honestly speaking, with the exception of a couple mixtapes here and there, what has Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo done in a while? Yayo's been sitting, just being 50's hypeman at concerts and only recently has there been talk of him getting back into the swing of things, with his new release, the Gunpowder Guru. Banks is another thing. He's been grinding on the mixtape scene, putting out multiple official mixtapes that have been keeping his name going, but the question is whether or not he's going to become a mixtape rapper permanently. That new Beamer Benz or Bentley joint of his is doing nicely and the video is good too. It's a good look, and I think he has the chance to break back into the game.

Mobb Deep are gone. M.O.P. are gone. Buck is gone too. Who's left on the label that you can name off the top of your head? Spider Loc has been signed since 2005 and has yet to put out a solo album. Hot Rod is another who's been on the label for a long time, 2006, and hasn't released anything significant, with the exception of a couple mixtapes, and a somewhat promising single that had Dr. Dre production that had to have been meant for a different artist.

T.O.S. was supposed to restart the reign of G-Unit and G-Unit Records. Before I Self Destruct was supposed to cement that return and line up the next series of solo albums for people on the label, or the first series for some. But those things have yet to materialize, really.

Over time, if you look at what Fifty's done with what has been given to him, he's a pretty damn good business man. I have faith in him that he can come up with a new strategy to take over the industry once more.

Lil Jon: Crunk Ain't Dead...or is it?

There are times when I look at artists' dedication to some of their projects and I have to shake my head. Some of them aren't economically viable, still others are just too left field for the artist, while even more just things that make so little sense it's not even funny. Kanye West starting a travel agency in he middle of what was turning into a recession is one of them. But the biggest one recently that I can think of, album wise, is Lil Jon's Crunk Rock project.

He has been working on this album for years with no real results. The Snap yo fingers track was years ago and he hasn't come out with anything since that has really jumped off. Also one of his hallmarks, production, hasn't been a prominent as it used to be. Not that many people are going for Lil Jon beats as before and artists are taking notice, definitely. His past hits are really out of the people's minds. I'm not sure if his Crunk Rock project is going to have the success that he's hoping it will.

What he really needs to do is link up with the Eastside Boyz and reinvent the crunk sound. That's kinda what he's trying to do here with Crunk Rock but doing it by himself isn't going to work. He has to figure out what it is about the crunk sound that is going to appeal to people in 2010 and onwards. Then he has to link up with artists that are going to help him bring that to the forefront of people's minds. Last but not least, he has to make sure that these are artists that the people are actually interested in hearing material from.

Which means unless he's getting serious rock groups, he's not going to stand a chance. You have to then look at the odds of him getting rock groups like that, groups that are actually still selling in this climate and hope that their styles and his styles can properly mesh for a Crunk and Rock experience. And what's the possibility of that happening?

I really hope that he isn't thinking of this as though it is 2005. Because people aren't looking for this like they are looking for Detox. There are virtually no artists in the Crunk sub genre anymore. Almost everyone has gone to the Young Jeezy, T.I., style of music and I really don't think that Lil Jon's album is going to bring about a resurgence in Crunk music. I could be wrong and the album could be some next level shit.

But really, what are the odds?

On the Grind: Who is Bizness?

Follow Bizness: @Bizness516 http://www.bizness516.com/

Follow Idoitforhiphop: @Idoitforhiphop

Who is Bizness? It's a good question. He's an up and coming MC out of Westbury, Long Island, New York. A talented artist who is also multifaceted, Bizness dropped a new mixtape entitled The Suburban Dream on January 18th. The 17 track mixtape, excluding bonus tracks, gives listeners a view into Bizness' vision. In order to fully understand that vision, I met up with him during the mixtape release party at First Class Clothing in Westbury and spoke to him for a little while.

In the short time that we talked, I was impressed not just by his talent, but by his outlook on a number of things.

Bizness is both an MC and a producer. Rapping since around 11 and making beats since the age of 15, he has an insight into at least two of the many sides of the creative process. This isn't his first mixtape, but its the first to really go into the "Suburban Dream". As he put it, a lot of people are afraid to be from Long Island, because it doesn't fit in with the stereotypes. But he's trying to show people that there's a struggle there too, and that there's talent as well that deserves a chance to shine and be heard.

The tape features all original production from Bizness, with samples used on "Jealous", "Suave", and 100 Ft. Casso. Originally the mixtape was going to be titled Suburban Revenue, before the title was changed to the Suburban Dream to focus people's attention on how he's trying to touch the history of the suburbs and the life that people live there, through the history of Westbury, nicknamed Westmoney. It was done to be just another way to show people that artists coming from the suburbs are worthy of the same amount of time and attention as those from anywhere else. We talked about the tape for a while, before we moved on to other topics.

When I asked him who his favorite MCs were, he heavily favored fellow NY emcees such as Jay-Z, Fabolous, Jadakiss and late NY greats the Notorious B.I.G. and Big L. He also named people like Drake, Lil Wayne, and Rick Ross. Because of his love for NY and NY emcees, I asked him how he felt about the current state of NY Hip hop. Its a question that you might not consider apt because he's from Long Island, but that's just another reason why Bizness made The Suburban Life and started the Westmoney movement. He spoke on how there isn't any unity in NY Hip hop and how it seems as though some of the artists in the NYC area have a problem with others making it.

He noted that in the South, when there is beef and there are problems, they're worked out relatively quickly. He said that was something that doesn't happen that much in NY Hip hop.

I didn't have a large amount of time to talk with him, but from what time I did have, I got a good picture of the artist, and I think I can answer the question of who is Bizness?

Bizness is a MC with skills from Westbury, Long Island. He's someone with rhyming skills that surpass the average and someone with something that a lot of MCs lack: Vision. He's the kind of artist that needs a deal and now.

Make sure you check out his mixtape, the Suburban Life and check him out on twitter and on his website. I was able to get a copy of the tape and there'll be an official review coming soon.

Cudder

This is the day and age where many rappers and MCs are attempting to make an album a year to try to get sales. Its an interesting tactic and one that, if I had the time, I'd go into further, because there's a part of it that not many people see and realize, and just gloss over. Many people just complain that the overall quality of the lyrics and the songs have gone down because of this, but you have to remember that this is a business in the end, and a lot of these artists, despite being "artists" are not in fact, "artists". One person who is not like that, is Kid Cudi. From day one, he's shown passion, hunger, and most importantly, the ability to rap the way that Kanye West wanted to on 808s and Heartbreaks, without making it sound partially retarded. He dropped his debut album in 2009 (Feels awesome to do that, let's get it in 2010), towards the end of the middle of the year. After 3 months of his record being on physical and digital shelves, it has sold roughly 230k copies. Now, I'm not going to talk about how those are horrible numbers for a debuting artist, particularly one like Cudi who had major advantages going for him.

This is a recession and very few people are selling. Rap album wise, only Jay-Z and Eminem went above platinum in 2009, I don't count the Black Eyed Peas. And that's Jay-z and Eminem. I'll leave it at that. Cudi's debut put up strong numbers, maybe not the numbers that he had hoped for, and that his label had hoped for, but strong numbers, nonetheless. Day N Nite, that smash hit of his, went to number 3 on the charts.

So, why the second album so soon? I could give a few reasons, but I'll go with the one that makes the most sense and is the most obvious. It makes "cense". He's looking at it from the perspective that he's getting another chance to make music, music that people may want to hear, and music that for him, he has something of a need to make. His labels are looking at it from the perspective that, despite the fact that he didn't sell a huge number of records (So Far Gone EP, here's looking at you), he's still selling majorly well.

His sophomore album may not sell as many copies as Man on the Moon did. But he and the marketing division at UMG are smart. They're not calling this album the sequel to Man on the Moon, they're calling it Cudder, and its not a Kid Cudi album, per se. Its a collaboration album, which means that they're going for a broader audience, and they're going to try to allow him a chance to make his unique sound even better by mixing it with people from different genres of music.

Thus, when he gets to a proper sequel to Man on the Moon, he'll be ready to go all out and make an album that not only will sound good, but will sell well, at least for the year that it's released in. And you can't ask for much more than that.

Uncle Snoopy

I'm not looking at this one from the perspective of sales numbers. If I did, the tone of this article would probably be even worse than it will be. Malice n Wonderland, Snoop Dogg's tenth studio album sold roughly 60k copies its first week out. I'm kind of upset by this, because from the tracks that I've heard, its a pretty good album. Not to say that I'm praising Soulja Boy, but the Pronto record was actually decent. I Wanna Rock is being remixed by everyone and their mother, potentially the new A Milli. Gangsta Luv wasn't a huge hit, but it was pretty decent, and it brought The Dream into a more hardcore territory than he had really been in before. Maybe that was the problem with that record, but after Sexual Seduction, it seemed as though Snoop was suited towards that kind of sound. Maybe he really wasn't.

Snoop didn't get, in my opinion, the push that he needed to get from his record label. Priority didn't exactly go all out. The video for That's the Homie wasn't exactly what you might have expected. Sure it might have connected with fans, but for a single that's being released, is that really the right video look? I would look for that to be done if the song released wasn't a "real" single, but a web video that you put on WorldStar. Kinda like Rick Ross' underground media campaign, turning like 5-6 songs from Deeper than Rap into SpiffTV helmed videos.

One of the main questions is whether or not Snoop has lost his touch when it comes to rhyming. Of that, I'm not sure. I don't think he's really fallen off, but I don't think that he's where he once was. Personally, I think he should take a little bit more of a backseat, maybe get into the elder statesman role that he should. Its not like there aren't people in the game from the West Coast that can't get on. Nipsey Hussle is doing his thing, and Game has enough hate in his blood towards 50 to make at least another album after R.E.D. 40 Glocc will attempt to rob like 5 more people to convince 50 Cent that he deserves a big G-Unit push.

The problem here is that how many of Snoop's acts have really broken through? Nate Dogg and Warren G did good, but for the most part Warren G wasn't really one of Snoop's artists. Nate had a much bigger connection, at least to me, but even then, he stood on his own. DPG is the only real one of Snoop's acts that have broken through and become a major force, and they're pretty much gone at this point in time.

So how do you become an elder statesman who puts on artists and really is a boss, when your track record is definitely not the greatest? It's pretty damn hard.

But let's take a look at Malice n Wonderland itself. If you look closely, the album is basically a West Coast version of Jay-Z's idea behind The Blueprint 3. What did Jay do when it came to guest features? Hot, up and comers, mixed in with some people already established, along with some fan favorites. Going through the three setups, that means: Mr. Hudson, Drake, Cudi, J. Cole, then Rihanna, Young Jeezy, Alicia Keys, and then Kanye West and Pharrell.

What did Snoop do? The same thing. First you have Jazmine Sullivan, Nipsey Hussle, Soulja Boy, then you have The Dream, Brandy and then you have Pharrell and R. Kelly. Kokane is the only odd one out, but chalk that up to being somewhat original.

He did, in a sense, the same thing that Jay did, except that Jay kinda did it better. Either that, or that's what his label made him do, and they did a piss poor job of it. Either way, Snoop's got some decisions to make. Because if he keeps making albums that do numbers like this, he's only embarrassing his catalogue, which has some amazing albums in it.

On the Grind: The Kid Ceez

This here is Part 2 of the last On the Grind article. This one is with The Kid Ceez, an affiliate of Mr. Dope Flow. Check out the interview and tell me what you think about it.

Follow the Kid Ceez: @TheKidCeez

IdoitforHipHop (IDIFHH): When did you first start rapping?

Ceez: Basically since the 7th Grade. It all came slowly, but that's when I decided to take it seriously.

IDIFHH: Who would you consider to be your biggest influences, music wise?

Ceez: My biggest influences would have to be Jay-Z and Fabolous. Hov has done so much for the game since Day 1. He has definitely set the bar really high. Loso has been my favorite rapper for a while because lyrically, the dude is sick. Punchline after punchline which is what catches my attention in songs and the fact that he can spit about anything and make it hot. He's dope.

IDIFHH: So you like the BK, got it. If you could pick anyone to guest on the hook for a track of yours who would it be?

Ceez: At the moment, I would have to say Drake, hands down. The kid is talented and very creative with hooks. Not to mention he's on fire right now.

IDIFHH: Speaking of Drake, he's signed to Cash Money and Young Money. What do you think about that movement?

Ceez: It's crazy. Wayne pulled an all star line up. That's a label I wouldn't mind signing to.

IDIFHH: I don't think that there are many that wouldn't.

Ceez: True.

IDIFHH: Label wise, you run your own. I have to ask, how do you balance being an artist and running a label?

Ceez: I think it helps that I have a great team that don't give me trouble when ti comes to decision making and they help as well, so I never really feel as though I'm on my own with things.

IDIFHH: I guess being an artist helps you see things from their perspective too. What are your views on the whole downloading issue that has been plaguing the industry? I mean, it really hurt 50 Cent and his Before I Self Destruct project. How do you think the labels should respond?

Ceez: Downloading is a major issue as far as sales go, but I think its to a point where it's too much for the labels to handle. The internet is damaging album sales too much. Labels can work harder, and not letting tracks leak as easily, so you have to go and get the album to listen to it, but other than that, there's not much that they can do.

IDIFHH: Do you think that maybe the days fo the CD are over? Take T-Pain and his Nappy Boyz label. It's all digital.

Ceez: Not so much as being over, just that its harder to be successful with it. I think it'll get better in time though.

IDIFHH: If anything, the downloading should increase. What makes you sure that it'll get better?

Ceez: The fact that labels are going to get to a point where they're going to have to resolve the situation.

IDIFHH: True. I don't think that its going to end well for the artists.

Ceez: We just have to say positive and hope for the best.

IDIFHH: With the forefront of the game being in the south, what do you think NY needs to do to maybe bring it back?

Ceez: Unite. One reason the south is in control is because they're putting differences aside and making collabs on a daily basis. Our egos are stopping us from doing the same. We need to stop all this beef shit.

IDIFHH: With Jada and Fif putting their shit behind them, do you think that its something that could happen in the near future?

Ceez: Its a start. Its a great move by them. That might be the beginning of the east making a comeback.

IDIFHH: Before I let you go, are theyre any shoutouts you'd like to make?

Ceez: Shoutout to my TNE Squad. DollarSIgn T, Spoda, and Tone! 2010 is OURS. Shout outs to the homies JayCro, Young Fame. HBF and GPS, Da Connect lives on. My bro Code Red and everybody else I fucks with. Shout outs to my twitter fam, and all the fans out there, they make it all possible.

IDIFHH: Alright, take it easy.

Ceez: You too.

On the Grind: Mr. Dope Flow

For the next On the Grind post, we've got a two part post. The first part is with Spoda aka Mr. Dope Flow. One of the first people who followed me on twitter and showed me love, I had to chop it up with him and see just what was going on in his world. Maybe after this interview, you'll feel like I feel, that he's on his grind.

Follow him: @mrdopeflow
Check out his blogsite: http://www.spodamusic101.blogspot.com/

IdoitforHipHop(IDIFHH): So when did you start rapping?

Spoda: I started rapping around 1997/1998.

IDIFHH: Who would you consider to be your biggest influences, music wise?

Spoda: Jay-Z, Nas, Jadakiss, Gangstarr, Biggie, Das Efx, Heltah Skeltha, and AZ

IDIFHH: Speaking of Gangstarr, Premo is one of the best producers out. If you could work with any producer for a whole album, who would it be?

Spoda: Well, I actually got a few. Premo, Kanye, 9th Wonder, and Just Blaze

IDIFHH: Nice. Alright, with so many artists using the internet these days, how do you feel it has affected the music industry? Do you feel as though the pros outweigh the cons?

Spoda: I think the internet is a great tool as well as a bad tool for music. Mainly for two reasons, first off the record sales. It's definitely making a huge decline for the simple fact that people can download an album, a single, or whatever. Meaning that not to many people buy the actual album when it drops. But on the flipside its a great tool for promotions and networking. Everyone is on the net, whether its for doing promotion for social networks, A&Rs, and labels who look for talent on the net for the simple fact that its where everyone is at.

IDIFHH: That being said, with so many trying to get on, what do you feel makes you different from the rest?

Spoda: Personally, I don't feel as if I sound like anyone else. When I write, I try to distinguish myself from the rest. There's so much new talent, but you always hear "He/She sounds like so and so." That's now how I want to be categorized. So I write so that I'm labeled as my own breed and so that I stand out instead of fitting in.

IDIFHH: Yeah, I think being labeled is something that a lot of artists need to avoid. A good example recently is Asher Roth being compared to Eminem. So what are you doing in 2010, and what, if anything, are you doing differently from 2009?

Spoda: Well for starters, my sophomore mixtape, "The Arrival" hosted by DJ J-Prince is dropping 2/23/10. I have a few other projects I'm working on, mainly staying more consistent and hungry. I'm definitely building up my fanbase, which is growing daily. Just trying to stay relevant.

IDIFHH: My next question is what's your creative process? Do you need the beat first or do you write and then change accordingly?

Spoda: It really all depends on how I'm feeling. I'm constantly brainstorming so sometimes I creat verses without a beat. Then there are times when I want to write to a beat to make sure my flow and delivery is on point. The majority of the time when I get a beat, I listen to it on repeat, turn it off, and the beat is stuck in my head. So I also rain like that. In one of my verses, I summed it up. I said, "I don't write/I brainstorm it till the page is filled/"

IDIFHH: Gotcha. If you could collab with anyone living, who would it be?

Spoda: Good question. The LOX, Jay-Z, Fabolous, Young Chis, Joe Budden, Nas, Juelz Santana.

IDIFHH: You're heavy with the New York people.

Spoda: Yeah. West Coast, Nipsey Hussle, Game, Snoop Dogg. South: Scarface, Andre 3000, T.I., and Ludacris.


Be on the lookout for his mixtape, "The Arrival" dropping 2/23/10. Part 2 with The Kid Ceez coming soon.

Cassidy: Where To Next?

I have to wonder what goes through Swizzie's head sometimes. Interesting beats, dope collabs aside, he's not the greatest when it comes to label talent and managing that talent. Full Surface doesn't have the greatest of track records. Cassidy is one of those examples. He's an incredible lyricist and he definitely has bars, but his albums have been hit or miss. He comes out with one or two records off the album that do well, but the rest of the album doesn't live up to the hype. A lot of the time, he only has the one record that works. I'm a hustla the second time around and the third time he had My drink and my 2 step.

But he doesn't get the promo that he needs after that. I'm not sure if it's a problem with him of with Full Surface and Swizzie. I know that he's working on another album and that he's on his grind, but realistically how many battle rappers have been successful and how.many have had lasting careers. He's not one of the few in that number. I honestly think that one of Cassidy's problems is Swizzie. He has a tendency to focus on a particular type of record and Cassidy kinda has to work with only that. I think that Cass needs to work with different producers and that'll do another thing for him.

He's not that deep of an artist. He has things to talk about but they don't really come out that much. On the last record he started making songs like that. But he had more material to talk about considering his arrest. He did come out with more personal records like Innocent, Leanin on the Lord, and Done 4 me.

If you couple his lyricism with deeper topics them you have an incredibly potent, at least to me, combination. Sticking to the same formula isn't going to help him in the long run. He has to change and he has to adapt to the times. Hip Hop has changed and the B.A.R.S. album showed that he realizes this, and is attempting to make the adjustment. I think he just needs more time to fully get into the swing of things, but the problem is that the game could change while he's adapting to the new way of things.

He's one of the best out of Philly and he has the ability to be great and really put the city on his back. Philly needs someone, after Freeway and Beans' problem with Jay.

Ludaversal: The Maturation of Ludacris

Ludacris is one of the best artists in the south. That much goes without saying. There are very few who are on his level, especially in the mainstream. Three stacks is still the the greatest there is, followed by Scarface and Big Boi and then Luda. Say what you may want about T.I., but he's not really on Luda's level. Luda has a history of killing people on their own songs and he's def. good at not letting it happen to him on his own songs. The thing that I've been thinking about is whether or not Luda can really do Luda anymore. I mean Luda has a history of making really good but also really raunchy club songs. What's your fantasy, Area Codes, Splash Waterfalls, the list goes on.

But what's interesting about those records? They're all kinda old. They're still awesome, and they get pretty damn good rotation all over the place, but there hasn't been a new song like that from Ludacris in a while. Money Maker? What Them Girls Like? One More Drink?

One More Drink is the closest out of all of those to really be something like the old ones and even then its not really like them. Its much more subdued, much more toned down. The question that I've been asking myself, has been: Has Ludacris really grown up. Did Release Therapy achieve what he was trying to do? Has he reached the point where he's not really doing the Chicken-N-Beer kind of stuff, but he's on that Do the Right Thang kind of stuff?

I mean, he can still get a party started and he can do it well, but it seems to me that he's getting to the point where he's past that. He's not into the crazy partying, but the grown up, Hollywood high life partying, not the Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan shit though. He's on to the next one. He's growing up and his movie roles and the experiences that he's going through now are making him a different kinda person. Yeah, he can still rip a 16 and you don't want him to be as a guest feature on your record unless you're bringing more than your A game, but he's drifting away from what his bread and butter was. I for one don't mind it. I can dig the whole shift away from his original style.

Not because I'm cool with him in a sense selling out his former ways, but because growing up is a natural part of life. It happens to all of us, regardless of where we are in life. We learn more and we understand more and it affects us. If making that kind of music makes him a better person and a happy person in his life, then that's awesome for him. I've been buying his records since Red Light District, I bootlegged before that from friends. I bought Theater of the Mind because I know that Luda might not have the amazingly awesome party records like he used to, but his lyricism is undeniable.

And more importantly, he's saying things and talking on subjects that actually matter.

With all that said, I'm definitely looking forward to Ludaversal. He's not the first southern rapper on a Premo beat, but he's one of the best they've got. You just can't argue with that.

Outkast!

The Clipse kinda recently stated that they were the best rap duo ever. They're pretty damn good. The first thought is what does it mean to be a rap duo. Do both have to be rappers? So……a group like….Gangstarr wouldn't count? Cause…tell me if I'm wrong, but I kinda think that they're better than the Clipse. Anyway, assuming that both members of a duo need to rap as their main thing in order to be a rap duo, there is one duo that's just a little more dynamic duo material than the Clipse. Big Boi and 3 Stacks for the win. Outkast is by far the greatest duo of all time. Name an Outkast album that was bad. Not an Outkast album that you didn't like, but an Outkast album that was bad. There's a difference. You can personally not like something and still admit that its good.

They've put the time and effort in on each release that bears their name. Every album has been amazing, whether it’s the production or the lyrics. They've constantly been experimenting with everything they do, creating unique sounds and using instruments that others haven't yet. Affiliated with the Dungeon Family and Organized Noise, they're a powerful force in Hip Hop and Rap.

But the last Outkast album was 2006. Idlewild, the first, maybe, stumble in their catalogue was released alongside their movie and it's been a minute. Rumors of a break up have swirled around the group. Big Boi has been working on a solo album that has long seen setbacks and pushbacks, Sir Luscious Lefty the Son of Chico Dusty. All I know is that I don't really watch cartoons all that much anymore (Boomerang, I see you!!) so I don't really see anything of that Class of 3000 tv show. Regardless though, I want a God damn new Outkast album!

Remember Hey Ya? Roses? Ghetto Musick? B.O.B.? Way you move? Ms. Jackson? Jazzy Belle? Elevators?

Is it too much to ask for another album of phenomenal music? Really?

All I got nowadays from the ATL unless I'm looking at T.I. and Luda is people like Gucci Mane...Yung LA…Soulja Boy…and…I might just cry. Gucci is getting nice, but he's nowhere near the league of Luda or T.I. Come on now.

Outkast, please help save Hip Hop. For the love of everything sacred and holy.


(Oh and it'll help Big Boi pay the taxes he owes to the state of Georgia. There's always that)

The R.E.D. Album

(The) Game puts off retiring for another LP release. Titled the R.E.D. Album, the record is going to come out December 8th on Interscope Records. At least it was, until Game decided to push it back to 2010, which I think is a good move personally. First off, the boy is off Geffen, and back on Interscope. There isn't a Aftermath/G-Unit tag, but hey, linking back up for sure with Jimmy Iovine is always a good move right? The question is whether or not Game can do it again. He did it with the Documentary. He faltered just a little bit on Doctor's Advocate, and LAX was a banger with the exception of 2 maybe 3 tracks in total.

If there is one thing that Game has proved, is that he can make awesomely good music without the help of 50 Cent or the Good Doctor. Now the question is whether or not he's going to be able to do it again on the R.E.D. Album and better yet, how well people are going to respond to the release.

I remember seeing an interview where Game was talking about his "retirement" after L.A.X. and he was saying that he had done evreything tha the had wanted to do and had said everything that he had wanted to say. My question is, if that's true, then why another album? What's the reason for it, it doesn't make sense? That Better Days track is nice, yeah, but the Krazy record is not so much. Big Money is decent, but I don't think its first single material. Game constantly steps his bars up and steps his albums up. L.A.X. was a phenomenal album to say the least.

He took the name dropping thing to a whole new level, but made it nice with the Never Can Say Goodbye record. Letter to the King was inspiring, much more so than another "conscious record x Nas" aka Jeezy's My President. Everything about that song was good.

I want to keep this one short and sweet, considering how the others have been kind of long. I'm looking forward to The R.E.D. Album. I want to see what Game comes up with this time. From the tracks I've heard already, I'm thinking that it should be a banger of an album. He's worked with some of the best producers and he was recently quoted in an interview saying that he finally hooked up with Pharrell and that he is trying to get DJ Premier on the album, something that I think would be a dope collabo. The Cool and Dre beats will still be there and with Dre apparently back in the studio with him, I can only anticipate exceptionally good material.

Hopefully he doesn't do any random 50 Cent disses like he did on the Cool and Dre helmed Money track, the "I'm a bout a dollar, 50 Cent ain't real" line. And hopefully, he gets Young Buck on the album. Buck has been grinding for a minute and if there has been anyone that I've wanted to see win when going up against 50 Cent, it's definitely that boy from Cashville.

On the Grind: Sonny Black

Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present as the first artist spotlighted in the On The Grind section: Sonny Black.



Follow Sonny Black on Twitter at: @OfficialSonny
Follow Me on Twitter at: @idoitforhiphop

Sonny Black is an up and coming independent artist from St. Louis, Missouri. When you think of St. Louis and music, you probably first think of Nelly or Murphy Lee. Maybe even Jibbs. Not me. The first thing that I really think of is Miles Davis and Chuck Berry. It's telling then that on Sonny Black's Myspace, you see, under the section of influences, pictures of Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack, amongst others. These are the kind of people who have influenced him. Don't get me wrong, he can make music that gives you the feel of the club like a Nelly or a Chingy or a Huey. You can hear that in one of his songs Party Girl. But he's a great deal more than just the club. Frankie and them did the songs that won the ladies, but more importantly than just that, they had great lyrics and a potent message. Sonny Black possess those same qualities.

Take this new song of his, Still Water, that's been climbing internet radio stations charts for a minute and is bubbling, just waiting for a chance to jump into the iPods and airwaves of mainstream America. It's a great track that has an equally great message. The song is built around the premise that one shouldn't judge a book by its cover. It’s a good motto to hold when looking at Sonny Black. With lyrics like: "But I understand the lives of those that share my pain only want the same, Heaven on Earth so sweet the name, But rappers get sold like Valerie Plame" or "Rap dudes talk about how they body bag dudes, we all got the tools to clap fools, but the fact is y'all just some starving actors with musty armpits and rusty ratchets.", one can see that he's talented.

But looking beyond just him, the lyrics are telling you to open your eyes and see that everything isn't exactly what it appears to be. So don't get it twisted. Listen to Party Girl and you'll see that he can get people on the dance floor the same way that he can be introspective on Still Water and tell you how things are in St. Louis.

People need to listen to Sonny Black. He's got bars and something tells me that he's going to be coming up soon.

Download Still Water here:

http://www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/q8vupq

Check out his myspace here where you can see videos of freestyles he's done over beats such as Maybach Music 1, Jokes on you, and a scorcher over Dead Presidents.

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/OfficialSonny

Jadakiss Top 5 Dead or Alive

Follow Jadakiss on Twitter: @Therealkiss
Follow me on Twitter: @idoitforhiphop

If you think about how sales have gone down, the numbers that Jada put up for The Last Kiss are really good. The others went gold, and he didn't do that this time around, but how many people are even going gold? He did damn good with what he had. More importantly, he made good music. While none of his singles really cracked the Billboard Top 100 with the exception of the banger that was By My Side feat. Ne-Yo, he had kept his name in the streets alive through mixtapes and through the big remix songs, the "Let's grab 1000 artists and throw them on here and just loop the beat!", those. His guest features weren't that many, but he made them count.

Last Kiss sold very well, and Jada said that the fans were not going to have to wait as long as they did for this last one. Another five years is a long time, you know? So he's coming out with another album, hopefully in 2010, entitled, Top Five Dead or Alive.

Interesting claim. Let's forget the people that Kiss would have to be going up against in the "Alive" section. People who not only claim that they're lyricists, but also, are respected as lyricists. Let's just go with those who have passed on. Let's look at the super big names. B.I.G., Tupac, Big L, Big Pun. I'm not trying to build a Top 5 Dead or Alive list right here, but Jada's already got some stiff competition. I think that he could potentially mess with one of the people on that list, maybe. I'm not naming names because I don't want people coming after me, sorry. THEN you factor in that he's got to be going up against people who are alive? Jay-Z? Nas? Joell Ortiz? I could keep going. And no, I didn't forget about the white boy.

It's my personal belief that Eminem can and will, if needed to, rap circles around anyone who has ever walked this earth and has claimed the title of MC or rapper. I know I just said I wasn't going to make a Top 5 DoA list, but come on. Jada is nice. Don't get me wrong. Say it with Fab's voice too. Jada is Niiiiiice. But I really don't think he's Top 5 Dead or Alive.

I'm just a fan, you know? I don't mind hearing great, phenomenal music. Whatever I feel, Jada believes that he's Top 5 Dead or Alive and he's going to be coming out the gate strong in order to show that he is. Shit, let him prove me wrong. My iPod will appreciate it and I know, most importantly, the other fans and other hip hop heads will too.

Until then, I got Can't Stop Me in the playlists.

Moving Bad Boy to Interscope

Twitter follows:

Follow me: @Idoitforhiphop
Follow Diddy: @iamdiddy

I don't understand it. No wait, I do. I take that back. I can completely see why Jimmy Iovine said yes to this. Think about it. What act from Bad Boy in the past couple years has really worked and has had staying power? Don't worry, I'll wait. There's Danity Kane, but they've broken up and they're history at this point. There's Red Cafe. Now, he makes good music, but I still don't know when that debut album is coming out. Furthermore, I haven't seen any "official" mixtapes from him in a minute. The only other people are the LOX. With the exception of Jada's last album which is a tribute to Jada, the LOX don't really sell records. We Are the Streets did good, but that was back in 2000. No Security back in June sold how much? Exactly. You have Day26 who…don't make me laugh.

I watched one show of the second season of their Making the Band. Their hats alone made me want to change the channel. That was before I heard what they were saying. Then I did change the channel. But okay, Day26 has sold a decent amount of records in the post 2006 sales world, so I'll put them on the list of who Bad Boy has.

Which brings us to Diddy.

Diddy sells records. If you don't believe me, look at Press Play. That album went past Gold in 2006. If he came correct and did the auto tune right and had the Lady Gaga like danceability of the tracks, and lets be honest, Diddy is about dancing and partying, he could do it again if not maybe go past Platinum. So Bad Boy has Diddy. But why would Jimmy Iovine sign over all of Bad Boy for Day26 and for Diddy? That doesn't exactly make sense. Which brings you to the thought about Diddy's way of breaking new talent.

Look at Danity Kane. Look at Day26. Diddy takes the "On to the Next One" approach. He had Danity Kane but then he got bored and MTV wanted another season, so he made Day26. Diddy creates groups and artists and then releases them with one or two singles coming from the album. It makes its money and then Diddy moves onto the next one. In this way, he makes sure that he makes his money and that the label makes its money. All he's done here is swapped out Atlantic Records for Interscope Records as the parent label that he needs to pay. Obviously we don't know the cash flow situation, but I can only assume because he made the switch, Interscope is giving Diddy more capital with which he can broaden the scope of his artists' return.

I don't see Bad Boy changing the idea behind its line up anytime soon. Pop groups and R&B. Where are the real spitters? This is the label that arguably the greatest rapper of all time was a part of. Where are the rappers?

Or did reminiscing about the shiny suit era make Diddy want to try to bring it back, but in the wrong way?

Jimmy Iovine knew that Interscope would make its money back from the pop route and said fine, let's do the deal. But it’s the actual fans of the old Bad Boy who suffer the most. I'm getting ready to catch the Last Train outta this bitch then.