There goes Diddy all over again -- dancing all up in the camera lense. Hip-Hop has changed a lot since the 90s -- skinny jeans, sweaters, autotune... but Diddy's still doing music videos set in tunnels where he can bounce around and get his face time. I guess if ain't broke, don't fix it.
The new issues of Ebony hits stands on Monday and Diddy is looking serious as fuck on the cover...New Sound New Vibe...really? We shall hear it soon.
I Pledge Allegiance to the Diamonds in the Sky of the Roc Nation, and to the Hip-Hop for which it shines, one Culture under His Hoviness, unconquerable, with rhymes and swagger for all! The King is HOME!
Jay-Z took over New York City tonight, celebrating life and the ones this country lost in the tragic events of 9/11. Eight years later, we still stand strong as a country trying to find its way and deal with the turmoil and politics that have divided a nation. Jigga not only represents everything original about Hip-Hop, but his don't-give-a-fuck attitude is the voice of rebellion. He kicked off the night with "Empire State Of Mind" for his first love, New York City. Alicia Keys was missing, but newly signed to Roc Nation Bridget Kelly held her own harmonizing along with Jay. The sold-out crowd at MSG roared along with every verse and every hook; cheering the champion on as Jay brought on a few of his best friends. Santi rocked it on "Brooklyn Goes Hard," Kid Cudi and his skinny jeans (apparently he figured out how to make his knots fit) took over center stage on "Already Home," and just as Hov had the Blueprint laid out for the night he took us back to '90s with "Jigga What, Jigga Who," "Big Pimpin'," and "Hard Knock Life."
Always the Rocker, John Mayer surprisingly stole the show with a few guitar solos for Jigga's most popular hits. Wowing the crowd, Mayer ripped chords while Jay single handedly pronounced the Death of Autotune gearing the waves of fans to start a "Fuck T-Pain" chant. Not everyone in Hovi's Kingdom is as forgiving as He. And guess what? With all black everything: tee, jeans and sunnies -- the Power Trio: Jay, Kanye and Rihanna absolutely "Run This Town." Kanye, as expected, stole his 15-minutes with the permission of His Highness on "Can't Tell Me Nothing" and "Good Life." But it was wifey's four-minute performance of "Diva" that left the crowd wanting more of Queen Beyonce.
The producers' convention of Pharrell, Swizzy, Ye and even Diddy had their moments -- mostly awkward ones as Pharrell serenaded Jay and Diddy brought his locker room banter to the stage as he slapped Jay's booty. Hova's probably got a few words for the boys after the show... only imagine what the punishment is for disobeying the King in front of his obedient servants. Awkward moments aside, it was Jay and Mary J. Blige who brought the crowd back to '96 and then MJB killed it with "The One" leaving everyone wanting an "Encore" or two.
Through the heavy reefer smoke and bouncing crowd, there was a nationalistic unity among the audience. USA chants synced and faded to silence throughout the night. Moments of silence and never ending screaming were shared. Jay's a sarcastic hero and no one messes with his city or his country, so his final words for those "hiding in caves" and terrorizing his people, "If you're having girl problems son, I feel bad for you. I got 99 problems but a bitch ain't one!"
Rappers are still backing liquors... Not just Diddy and his Ciroc. Sure everyone's got to have a backer when it comes to making straight pay these days, but the alcohol industry remained indebted to Hip-Hop for the constant flows of their brand. We poor and poor these bottles and major artists are still dropping names left and right to complete a verse. At some point when Jay-Z said he was done with Cristal, the movement started to lose it's impact. Apparently, that's not the case. Alcohol remains to be a pivotal part to the rap game -- defining status, providing swagger, and making everything simply "cool." Beyond the status factor, artists have always been products supporting and feeding off of other products. Clothes, shoes, jewelry and technology are not the only products that have mutually survived off the popularity of Hip-Hop artists -- the trend transcends these typical supporters and merges celebrity with commercial products that define lifestyles. It's not only about the products you drape yourself with; it means more to have a complete package of coolness emanating from a celebrity's persona. Rap artists are the epitomy of every great about being a male or female. From the liquor they sip to the kush they burn, alcohol and drugs are not only temptations but they define a bad-ass image that sells a rapper and pushes products to the forefront of their main audience. Hip-Hop is a delinquent's culture and that makes it easy for liquor companies to feed off its many personas. Being bad has never felt so good.
Welcome to Hustlenomics 101, today we learn to get it done by any means necessary. That pretty much sums up Yung Joc’s latest Hustlenomics (Block Entertainment/Bad Boy South)—lying, cheating, stealing, and genuinely being sly are the building block to any successful hustler. And Joc plays an amazing hustler because he sure did a great job hustling the public into thinking this album would make bank.
Between Joc’s southern drawl and weak rhymes about dealing drugs and being the greatest hustler known to mankind, Hustlenomics is packed with much-needed guest appearances from Hip-Hop’s biggest names Snoop Dogg, Diddy, Jim Jones, The Game and Rick Ross. Joc’s collaborations manage to save this album from itself, yet it’s still a lame collection of get-rich quick anthems.
On the Fixxers produced “Cut Throat” featuring The Game, Jim Jones and Block, Joc and his boys brag about kickin’ it with the greatest gangstas from the east to the west coast. Jones outshines the rest of the players on this track with his solo: “You either slang crack/Or had a wick jump shot/Either or there was no between/It was either be poor/Or move coke and feigns.” On “Getting to da Money,” Joc not so cleverly manages to connect the dots of hustling—it’s all about making money. Really? We had no idea. Thanks, Joc.
“Coffee Shop” has already become a summer favorite because of its playful beat and childish, anthem-like lyrics, but Hustlenomics features jumpin’ club tracks like “BYOB” where Joc rhymes over a Neptunes provided, slinky-like beat, “Gotta make the quota/I mix it with the soda/I chop the dope and sell it/With the rings of the Motorola.” Then there’s the R&B flavored track “Livin’ The Life” where Joc tries to show off his soft side for the ladies as he boasts about his hustler ways and player status.
Giving thanks to his mother on “Momma,” Joc unconvincingly attempts to come off as a newer version of Tupac by showing respect to the game and respect to the woman who made him who he is. Hustlenomics features snippets of greatness which comes mostly from guest artists; on “Brand New,” Snoop’s OG status overshadows Joc’s weak chatter. Joc put this album together with a “go get it” attitude, and unfortunately he fails to actually get anything going. This Bad Boy hustler's ideology lacks a strong thesis as to what really makes a hustler; instead, Hustlenomics is a collaborated effort of weak songs with no vision.
Originally published @ http://allhiphop.com/blogs/reviews/archive/2007/08/27/18484996.aspx
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