new music form the COOL KIDS

Music found at Nahright.com

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"Ever since politicians jumped on the social-media bandwagon, critics have been questioning the wisdom of elected officials using Twitter on the job."

It seems as though the rapid surge of politicians gravitating toward social media is raising some eye brows.

See full story here:

posted by Patrick Dieudonne

Heard this song and lost my mind.K'naan talks about the Somali pirates that plague his native land. Give this one a close listen.

Shouts to LLayo and Recruit Zero

Download HERE

Interesting insight on the republican mindset. Michael Steele also talks about the "embrasure" and open armed nature of the Publican Party. Enjoy.

Cited at Milehive.com

Posted by Brian Murray

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

One can only remain puzzled at Pat Buchanan's overtly racist remarks about supreme court justice nominee Sonia Sotomayor. He rambled on with numerous subjectively erroneous statements rooted in condescension and haste. Take a look at Rachel's response.

I wrote an article on J.Cole last week for Limite Magazine, and it dawned on me that I hadn't put his mixtape on the site, so here it is!. This guy is definitely a huge talent and a lot of this sucka MC's better step it up. Enjoy.

Full article here.

Download J.Cole- The Warm up

If you guys don't already know, this health care reform stuff is quite serious. "Reform of America's health care system is necessary to prevent economic instability for families, the medical industry, and the government, President Obama said on Wednesday." Full story here.

Article cited at CNBC.com

Posted by Patrick Dieudonne

...Everybody get on up...everybody get on up...get up...get on up. The DJ opens up with a historical piece from James Brown as he scratches the record giving the atmosphere the most appropriate hip hop ambience. Stretching his arms over the crowd he introduces an artist baptized in Hip Hops own flow. With no further interruption Q-Tip strolls out onto the stage with the expected nonchalant demeanor and begins to perform like the vet he is. Performing hits from Midnight Marauders, The Low End Theory, and People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm the hundreds of people gathered to see Q-Tip were pleased to see that one of HIP HOP’s icons has still remained true to the game.

Written by Brian Murray

Born into a country in civil war, MIA has taken revolutionary action in the name of injustice, been nominated for Grammy and Academy awards, and touched millions across the globe. She is now dealing with the real world effects of motherhood and the future path of her career. Click here for the full story.

Full story at Spinner.com

Racisim in Washington continues. When will it end?

Hip Hop mogul Sean Carter has inked a book deal decoding the double entendres buried in the elaborate wordplay of his vast discography. The book breaks down chapter and verse of what the lyrics mean, what people thought they meant, and what came out of them. This is some pretty interesting stuff. Jay elaborate on parallels between Marilyn McCoo and Mrs. Butterworth.

Get the rest of the article here at Complex Magazine

After a long hiatus from the spotlight, Dave Chappelle has surfaced in Oregon doing a free show at Pioneer Square in Portland. Hopefully he will continue to make more public appearances going forward.

See the full article here

Posted by JJ of 3Sidez

If you're not a fan already, you need to be!. Entourage season 6 premiered last Sunday and the first episode did not disappoint. Even though it seems Vinny is back to super stardom, the rest of the crew is branching out and doing their own thing. Looking forward to the rest of the season.

Supreme court justice nominee Sonia Sotomayor has been all over the news as of late due to her ambiguity on her stance on abortion. Here, she "threatens" to shoot Oklahoma Senator Tom Coburn, while also deliberating on marijuana and abortion.

See full article here


Researched by Brain Murray

Traditionally community colleges are a last resort as a form of higher education, but president Obama is trying to change that. In a speech on Tuesday, Obama has proposed to invest nearly 12 billion dollars in the countrys Community College programs,"$9 billion in grant money to boost academic programs and raise graduation rates, plus another $2.5 billion to upgrade school facilities. It would also fund open-source online courses so that schools don't have to build more classrooms to admit more students.

See the rest of the article here

Very interesting debate.

I usually don't put up anything to "gossipy" or foolish but I felt this was somewhat relevant. Allegedly Chris Brown was scheduled to perform at the BET awards and do a tribute to Michael Jackson along with other artists. It's rumored that Jay-Z threatened to remove himself and other label mates if Brown was allowed to perform. Jay is blackballing Brown because of the recent incident with singer Rhianna, but let's not forget how Jay was caught on tape smacking some women in the face twice some years back. Hypocrite!! That is all

Please fast forward to the 2:55 mark, the rest of video is nonsense.

Not really much to say...Enjoy...Shout out to JJ from 3Sidez

Jay-Z gave a world premiere of his new video "D.O.A." the lead single off of his Blueprint 3 album last night after the BET awards and he did not disappoint. Although I've already covered the message and history behind this record in the "48 laws of hip hop", I still wanted to address the video....and it is tough! This is the Jay we all know and love. Super cool, crazy video, bravado on a Billie. Enjoy.

The Hypocrisy of a Nation: The Power of Media

As the world mourns the King of Pop, and music television stations have Michael Jackson tribute shows on repeat, all I can do is shake my head at the hypocrisy of this country. For the last ten years of Michael’s life he endured extreme character assassination. Michael was slandered by American media for years. He was persecuted and ridiculed for his extensive nose jobs, questionable sexuality, skin color, and being an alleged child molester. I was listening to the 98.7 Kiss FM today while writing this and the DJ said, “he was a giant and we should honor him for all time.” Where was the honor when he was in times of despair? Where was his praise then? The most sentient and controversial moments of Michael’s life became the butt of every comedians joke and the blueprint for innumerable sketch comedy shows, but now that he's dead...we're sorry? Michael has said time and time again that he's a perfectionist, and nothing is every perfect enough. So is it possible that Michael tore his body apart to fit into the perfect mold he thought his fans wanted? Is it worth it to dedicate your life to millions of people whom didn't have your best interest at heart? Michael may have been the King of Pop and sold 100 million records, but he died a lonely man. I guess that's the price of fame. The good Michael did heavily out weigh any questionable "bad" and that is what he should be remembered for. Michael is among a handful of artists whose music was powered by an energy that was bigger than them and served a bigger purpose. Michael Jackson wasn’t, R&B, or Pop, or Rock n Roll, or Hip Hop. He was Music. The media was able to destroy this man, like they do so many other people. Again, lets remember not only what Michael has done as an artist, but as a humanitarian.

Dr. Cornell West has said time and time again that, “There can be no calling without a recalling, and there can be no vocation without an invocation.” These words stand true but have a much abbreviated duality. I personally believe what Dr. West is trying to say is that to be who “you” are, you have to go back and find out where “you” came from. People of all colors and creeds have benefitted and suffered from the rights and wrongs of the people that came before them. Many preach the ideology that the secure understanding of your history brings you to a more complete understanding of self: a minor echoing Ghanaian proverb “Sankofa”. Dr. West says that it is beneficial to you and your people to delve deep into your past to find your voice, but I feel it is just as important for people of the past to make it their obligation to help shape the tender minds of the future. The black community has been labeled as having a “crabs in a barrel” mentality where in direct contrast Jews and Italians “take care of there own”. Hopefully one day the “take care of you own” mantra will break past racial barriers and turn into an altruistic social standard. Reaching down from high places of achievement to help the next young person succeed is the catalyst that will spark maturation of an entire people. Mentorship is key. Helping to shape the paths of the future is something we all can do by tapping into the lives of other people. So as Dr. West urges the youth to learn their history, we as the youth should encourage and invite the past to come and help shape the present.

Up and coming production duo "So Japan", has made their latest musical mark by producing the song "Outti" track 13 on G.O.O.D Music artist Big Sean's latest mixtape Uknowbigsean. The track also features artist Pat Piff, who was recently signed to Pharrell William's STAR TRAK record label. Courcy Magnus and Kyle "Micky Park" Edwards met in college 4 years ago and began experimenting with music. These Philly and Connecticut natives have very distinct styles individually and when they they come together they create a sonically unorthodox, genre breaking, limitless sound full of dirty drums and memorizing melodies. With Courcy currently acting as the solo artist, the impeccable production is developed by both members of the group. They most recently are focusing on Magnus's solo mixtape tenatively titled ,"TV under the bed". They are also working on some songs with the NYC based club hoppers the Retro Kidz who already have a single out entitled New Era. We really look forward to hearing more from So Japan in the future and the highly anticipated mixtape.

In the mean time we have blessed you with a few Courcy Magnus/So Japan unreleased tracks.

1.) The Streets the Runway
2.) Blazed and Confused
3.) Crunches
4.) Another Planet


Pic: Kyle "Mikey Park" Edwards, Russel Simmons, and Courcy Magnus

First and Foremost, I want to say that the new Jay-Z single “Death of Auto Tune” that has been circling the Internet for the past few days is a banger. The production by NO ID is insane. The coliseum ready drums are painted with the brush of a baseline from the 70s, and a cinematic guitar sample. With that being said, lets look beyond the bass clef under the melody into the truth of this record.

The producer of this record is NO ID, Kanye’s mentor. It’s also rumored that Kanye helped produce the track. Now, being that Kanye just recorded his genre breaking album 808s and Heartbreak in COMPLETE auto tune. One can only assume that this is emphatically a diss record and Ye is one of those on the receiving end along with T-pain, Lil Wayne, Ron Brownz, and other artists who use auto tune.

Now let’s back track. Kanye’s 2007 album release “The Graduation” was brought to a close with the track “Big Brother”, a song dedicated to the mentorship and guidance by Jay-Z. My initial reaction was that this reminded me of the first law in the 48 Laws of Power written by Robert Green, “Never outshine the master”. At this point in music, Kanye was bigger than he’d ever been and there was a buzz about him being the biggest artist on Def Jam. But to quiet down the rumors, and prevent any out lash from the Rap guru, he stokes Jay’s ego by dedicating a song a song to him. The same thing happened with Lil Wayne and his Carter III album. There was again talk about Lil Wayne saying he was better than Jay, which caused controversy in the media. What does Wayne do? He drops “Mr. Carter”, a song in honor of both of them demonstrating another “don’t outshine the master” move.

So while Robert Greene’s philosophy was being demonstrated by Wayne and Ye, Hov is applying the exact same philosophies. After Jay’s 2003 “Black Album” release Jay “retired” from Hip Hop. This was Greene’s 16th law, “Use absence to increase respect and honor”. Jay left the game when he was at the top of his career. This retirement then put Jay into a powerful business role with Def Jam. In this new found white collar position Jay exemplified, by the nature of his job, law number 11, “Learn to keep people dependent on you”. During Jay’s retirement we heard him on a few random features with some pop artists but that was it. Jay also applied law number 34, “Be royal in your own fashion, act like a king to be treated like one”. We all know that Jay is the epitome of all things fresh and behaves like he’s the air to the throne in the kingdom of “Cool”. Unfortunately it seems as of late, Jay has been undoing all of this. Simultaneously Wayne and Ye were following law number 41,”avoid stepping on a great man’s shoes.”

After the public homage paid by Ye and Wayne, by dedicating songs to Jay, and appearing in countless videos together over the years why would Jay put out a song called “Death of Auto Tune”? Ye and Wayne are of the few artists who use auto tune the most in the industry. It seems as though Jay was applying law number 3, “Conceal your intentions”. Why the public blow? Can he really put out a song like this and say it’s not a diss toward these two artists? Jay has almost UNapplied all of these successful laws. Why would Jay come out and attack the artists of today who have found some success? It’s almost childish. Isn’t Jay above something like this? I would think so. Others may feel the same way Jay does, but isn’t Jay above being the “messenger”? Or is Jay just trying to generate hype around the Blueprint III.

This may be a stretch, but this does demonstrate the calculated methodical moves done with extreme precision that artists have to follow in order to be successful.

The other day a friend said to me, “A realist is a pessimist in disguise”. I thought about it for a minute and it started to resonate. One persons fear is another person’s reality. When someone tries to talk you out of something and says, “I’m just being a realist” there secretly saying, I’m afraid to do what it s that you are trying to do. Being a “realist” puts a ceiling on natural progress. Instead of being real, be undeniable! Be purposeful and extraordinarily zealous! Live beyond the realm of comprehension in between passion and insanity. Because being a “realist” just isn’t good enough.

Inspired by Courcy D. Magnus

This past weekend I went to the sex museum in New York and had an interesting experience. For those who don't know, on the first floor are a bunch of exhibits about the sexual history of animals, while the second and third floors have human exhibits. I found the information about animals and sex to be deeply interesting and enlightening. This trip led me to some very unusual questions.

So here I am watching two lions hump each other like Peter North and Jenna Jameson and I think to my self, "wow, that man lion sure is tearing that lady up!” I bring my eyes to the caption above and it reads "Same sex with animals". Eye brows were raised. Apparently it is very common for many animals to have sex with the same sex. More than common, it is sometimes preferred. This is consistent for other animals like gorillas, baboons, snakes, and flamingos. I found this to be odd given my ignorance on the subject and the level of controversy homosexuality causes in the human world. Being gay in the animal kingdom is as common as being straight. Animals also partake heavily in the intensely taboo acts of masturbation and group sex (orgies).

As I'm reading all this animal fact on gorilla masturbation and snake orgies, all I can think to myself is, "They're just like us". We, do the same things in our sector of the food chain that they do in theirs. So if we (in the spirit of evolution) "evolved" from some "ape like" creature into the now Homo-Sapien, and seem to be mimicking and taking part in the same things that they are.....where is God in all of this? Because it is religion that tells us that these things are sinful acts punishable by burning eternally in the depths of hell. The "Bible" recites chapter and verse what is and isn't allowed sexually by man, and the "gay" phenomenon, that has become almost a paradigm shift in the 21st Cen, is heavily scrutinized in the church. Not to say that being gay wasn't going on before, but it was not nearly as heavily as publicized. Homosexuality is one of, if not thee most controversial topic socially, politically, and culturally. This never ending argument is the reason for new legislature, hate crimes, and election votes. So just the "thought" of "gay" is pretty powerful.

So let’s stick with evolution for a minute. Wouldn't the knowledge of animals engaging in the same twisted kinky sexual routines that humans do strengthen the argument of evolution vs creationism? Because if Homo Sapiens were not the "first", then the behavior had to be inherited genetically through those who came before no? So what is our connection with the animal world? Do animals have that sophisticated of a consciousness that they understand the idea of a GOD?

"A college degree is one of the most blatant forms of oppression"

What’s really relevant? Is it more useful to spend your life climbing up the academic ladder, getting countless graduate degrees validating your academic worth, or immersing yourself into the world and learning things that no class will cover? The obsession with “name brands” takes away from the human focus. People put themselves in a lifetime of debt to go the “name brand” schools and learn about great people and how they lived their live. This path seems to guarantee some form of a successful future….success by the “American” standard. But success isn’t something that can’t be measured on a customary rubric. Success is an individual journey but it seems that we take the formal, nationally accepted path to our own success.

Is college really the answer to a bright future? It is the only way that you will learn, and become intelligent? Is the goal to become as smart as you can, or to become smart enough to make money? The obsession with college almost seems to come back that notion of personal celebrity. “So, what is it that you do?”…”It doesn’t matter I went to Harvard”. People graduate from “brand name schools” and don’t know anything. I’m not knocking these schools at all, but this is a fact in any college.


A college degree is one of the most blatant forms of oppression. You spend foolish money to learn a bunch of abstract ideologies. Then you apply for a job, and they tell you that everything you learned over the last four years was bullshit so they put you in their “training” program and hire you anyway. Then it’s that same degree that they deemed worthless that dictates how much money they are willing to pay you. Ironic

We need to learn to valid success by our own measuring stick, and focusing on educating ourselves, but opening our minds to new places, cultures, and ideas. We need to step outside of our comfort level and put ourselves in positions of great responsibility. This is how you learn, grow, and mature.

Just some food for thought......

*I wasn't able to articulate this point as well I wanted to due to my concentration on the CAVS MAGIC game. My apologies

The obsession with these social networks (facebook, myspace, twitter) has become a paradigm shift in the digital world over the last few years. But what is the real addiction? Is it that you can find your first girlfriend from the 4th grade after not talking to her for 15 years? Is is that you use it as a great networking tool for jobs and internships?.....very possible....or is it that people are so obsessed with themselves that they want people to know what they are doing at all times? Are we that narcissistic that we need to have 15 albums of face shots in countless poses?

It seems to be a combo of both, but the "thc"(chemical in weed that gets you high) in these networks are the responses we get from other people. The "someone commented on your photo". The "someone likes your status", or 12 person threads on a picture/article/or video you posted. The affirmation of your friends and strangers makes us feel important, and we all love that feeling. When you log onto facebook, and you see that number icon above "inbox", it makes us feel good. You were important enough for someone to message you. On twitter, you have to "follow" someone. How ego boosting is that? " say man, I have 467 "followers" on twitter now. How many do you have?"". These social networks definately bring our personal celebrity into fruition. But its funny how a lot of these online celebrities tend to be very quiet in real life.

So I've been following the HBO series Brave New Voices for the last couple weeks, and every time I watch it I get goose bumps. These kids are using language to massage souls and stimulate minds in ways I never thought were possible. To publicly recite your most private of inhibitions, in a way that's therapeutic not only to an individual but to an ideology, is nothing short of amazing. The show gives us a true understanding of how powerful language really is. Talented teenagers across the globe show us how to use language to love, to fight wars, to apologize, to grieve, and most importantly heal. To be brave enough to tackle some of these issues and the reward that comes along with it is something I think we all should aspire for.

Cornell West and Lupe Fiasco give lecture at Calvin College


Grammy nominated Lupe Fiasco and laureate extraordinaire Dr. Cornell West displayed regal caliber enlightenment and intellectual prowess on stage at Calvin College a college in Grand Rapids Michigan. The irony is that they had never met before this encounter but in my following them over the years they have both cited and expressed inspiration from each others work. Dr. West acts almost as if to be a humbled reporter interviewing the world renowned musician. They go into deep reflection about the idea of "self" and both of their "legacies". I found this lecture to be extremely progressive, and a great way to show the depth to those involved in Hip Hop Music.

Courtesy of Nahright.com

you can stream it or download it here

"some n****s wanna sit down and complain about, I wanna sit down analyze see how it came about"

To a lot of you this video may be old, but this may be one of the most revolutionary assessments of hip hop culture that I've heard and I felt I needed to bring it to light again. This 15 minute cultural autopsy looks deep nucleus of hip hop music, challenging the very fabric that we use to sow our consciousness. As of late, Joey has had much digital success taking over the internet with endless music and giving the public a direct look into his life with Joe Budden TV. Joe Budden is giving fans a REALISTIC view of the life of a rapper. He uploads footage of him and his close group of friends having realistic conversations about real life. He's constantly filming: in the studio, on the street, and in his house (not the house he rented for the MTV cribs half hour special that was financed by his label) Surprisingly he has many uploads with his girlfriend Tihiri, and talks about proposing and getting married constantly. I find this amazing because this is not the stereotypical action of a rapper. To have "one" woman and profess your love for her publicly is the exact opposite of what a lot of rappers portray, not because that’s who they really are, but because they have to fit into an image molded by the public. I commend Joey for not being plagued by social cowardice and giving fans an organic blueprint of him. Shout out to Jump off Joey. Enjoy!

I once thought that the feeling of uncontrollable fatigue after a meal was a paradigm among the black culture. People have referred to this as "Nigger-itis" or "ethnic fatigue" for centuries. The stereo typical hour lunch outing being completed with a 15 minute power nap was a sight that employers have seen for quite some time. It has become so common it's written into your contract when you’re hired, "Anything more than 15 minutes "itis-time" is docked from your pay". It turns out there actually a scientific reason for all of this and its not exclusive to members of the darker nations, we just don’t hide it as well. Apparently, large amounts of blood are diverted away from muscles to the bowel to aid digestion. This would make it unwise for us to try and run and as a defense we feel like resting. Hunger keeps us awake, while sleep aids the digestive process. This is probably the most useful information I’ll ever write.

Strait comedy!

Christianity is the monotheistic doctrine of the New testament though the word of Jesus Christ. Originally a Jewish sect in the mid-first century, Christianity evolved into a dominant religion in the Roman Empire. Christianity also was responsible for shaping the foundation of Western civilization starting in the 4th Cen. Now...in 313 Constantine issued the Edict of Milan that proclaimed religions toleration throughout the Byzantium empire which heavily propelled the Christian faith. This essentially in my understanding,is the forceful indoctrination of a faith onto the people, and a direct contradiction in the "separation in church and state" that reverberates with fervor throughout the Western world today. Its pretty clear that the separation of church and state is non existent. Not with politicians campaigning in churches, using certain Christian beliefs sway a vote one way or the other. Not with for years people having to put there hand on the bible and swear to God they are telling the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

It is understood and no secret that Christianity was used for social control but not necessarily in nefarious manner, because in some fashion, there has to be order. But now, a group of people in the 4th Century who may have been poor, uneducated, so on and so forth are dedicating their lives to solely getting into heaven. With the advancement of humans mentally, physically, and emotionally, is buying into an ancient "story" hindering your ability to reach your human potential? Does it make sense to live under laws that were applicable centuries ago, in completely different context? Just my thoughts...not necessarily my beliefs....

Black Thought, Talib Kweli, & John Forte Jr. from Okayplayer on Vimeo.

Video Courtesy of Nahright.com

Andre and I have had a few posts that have acknowledged president Obama for his success so on and so forth. I purposely have been somewhat objective and left and any thoughts about coercion and corruption out of my writing on any level because that isn’t the purpose of this anthology. The Obama Deception video is rather interesting. It not so much a conspiracy theory as it is factually based information by individuals who pay close attention to detail...Assuming this video is 100% accurate, how do you feel about you government now?

As you know we support L.A. Based artist Blu. Here's a video from 2006...Blue Collar Worker. The soung touches on being a broke artist with a regular blue collar job, which is the case for most artists. It's just uncool to talk about such truths.

Krs One spits a freestyle about true democracy founded in 508 B.C. Athens by Klisthenis and the end of this "true" democracy in 322 B.C. with the conquering of Athens by Alexander of Macedon. Apparently we havent seen democracy since.

New single from the L.A. compilation album Curly Tops and Nautica Jackets

L.A.U.S.D ft. Blu & Miss Jack Davey- I Feel.

Get song here: Download

Pic Courtesy of Nahright.com

Remember the first time you heard Jay-Z's "Do it Again (Put ya hands up)" off the volume three album? I know...you went nuts......"Rocafella....you know what this is...we giving ya’ll 5 seconds to put your drink down and report to the dance floor immediately...all the bustas we givin ya’ll 5 seconds to get close to an exit..its bout to get real ugly in here....5 seconds is up....lets GO!!! BEAT DROPS!! Bananas!!...Then you went home and asked you moms for 10 bucks to go cop it at Sam Goodie. You brought it home, put it in your portable CD player and you were spazzing because the album was so hot. But none of your friends had the album. Just you. So they couldn't hear the real heat like "Snoopy Track" feat Juvenile or "It's Hot"(Some Like it Hot). All your boys were still bumping the "radio single" when you had all the gems. You felt like Hov made that track just for you and no one else. You were 1 up on everyone. You were exclusive. Then maybe 6 months later one of your boys comes to you and says.."Yo man, you heard that 'Snoopy Track" on the Vol.3 album.?..it's crazy."" For some reason...all this does is piss you off!!...thoroughly!!!..and you reply.."You idiot, i heard that song months ago!!!"...your so mad because the little musical leverage you had was now gone. You personal euphoria stripped away and stomped on because your lame friend decided to buy the album on sale 6 months later and tell you about somthing you already knew waaaaay before they did.Don't you hate when that happens??

In the last couple of years, the eyes and ears of American music fans have turned in awe toward New Orleans, Louisiana, to witness the transformation of the previously unspectacular rapper Dwayne Carter. We watched as he released thousands of songs and hundreds of mixtapes, appeared on everyone’s songs and videos, and sold millions of records.

They say every person has their opposite, the yin to one’s yang…Je’Ri Allah, known more commonly as Jay Electronica, also hails from New Orleans, and has built a buzz by NOT releasing material, by NOT appearing in public, and by being an enigma in general, in contrast to Wayne.

For a solid year, there was one real profile on him on the whole internet, and about 15 songs. The most prominent of the songs was unquestionably the 15 minute epic “song” Eternal Sunshine, recorded over Jon Brion’s soundtrack to the movie of the same name, separated into 3 verses with 2 interludes in the form of monologues by Erykah Badu (who he now shares a newborn baby girl with) and Just Blaze. He raps with a strange pacing, slow but controlled, pausing for effect often. His rhymes are filled with references to various literature, religions, art, history, and sciences. He covers philosophical ground and existential dilemma without the forced nature of a Canibus or the deliberate reasoning of a Lupe Fiasco…when he does it, it’s almost casual. Conspiracy theories, stories of betrayal, religious miracles, and moral quandaries are all fair game on any given track.

While in 2007 he was known mostly by other underground heads in Detroit, he is now a player to watch in the rap game, known by everyone from the Detroit battle rappers to Nas, who commissioned him to produce the intro on his last CD, to P. Diddy. He is signed to Erykah Badu’s record label, as a flagship artist. He has toured with Nas and Talib Kweli, but has yet to hint at any official releases. His hype has reached a fever pitch recently, with the release of the random single Exhibit A, produced by Just Blaze, which was in my opinion the best rap song in 2008. Will he ever be mainstream? I don’t care. I just want more songs, and an album. The ridiculous skills he possesses on the mic need to be displayed more, and it will be tragic if no projects ever come to fruition. Either way, just keep a (third) eye out for him in 2009. P.S. He’s the nicest rapper out of New Orleans.

Check out http://3sidez.blogspot.com/
VERY DOPE

All Jamaicans smoke weed, all Mexicans sell oranges and cut grass, all Jews are cheap accountants and lawyers, all Middle Eastern people blow shit up, all Irish people are alcoholics, all Italians are in the mob, all Chinese people are mathematicians, all Cubans swam to America, Asians are all good in the martial arts, All black people play some sport and eat fried chicken, all Asians own a convenient store in the hood, Athletes are dumb, all Africans have shot someone by age 10.

It is this ignorance that keeps the world divided. Once we rid ourselves of the indoctrination of the "stereotype", we will realize that the next man is just like you and it was complete fear that kept us from seeing it.

This post really doesn't have shit to do with anything but if you don't have a Blackberry or a Macbook, your just behind the times. So sorry. Please excuse my ignorance.

2009 brought monumental events, the biggest being the election of the first black or mixed president into the White House. Turns out brother Barack, lucky number 7 and not number 1. The First president of United States that was of color was none other than Thomas Jefferson. He was then followed by Andrew Jackson, Abe Lincoln, Warren Harding, Calvin Coolidge, and Dwight D. Eisenhower. Why has this monumental truth gone unknown for generations? These men denounced their black heritage and went as far as to destroy any document that made these facts known. Why don’t you know this? Ask your 10th grade US History teacher.

There's a great article written by a friend of mine on his blog that goes into much deeper detail about the cultural background of these men.

Click here for the article

"I am thankful for what I have been through because it has given me the courage to fight the war on traditional thinking." Kanye West said this during his performance on VH1 Storytellers after singing "Flashing Lights". Traditional thinking is what causes the masses to be social pacifists and follow as opposed to lead. Traditional thinking is based on rationality in which most of our thought processes lie, but Kanye like many other icons tend to think light years outside the box and embody the courage to walk down a different path and march to the beat of a different drummer. People who dazzle us with their personal genius make it look as natural as breathing but face the internal battle of trying to fit in by standing out, a path asymmetrical to normality. Most people want to fit in. why are we afraid to stand out and think differently?Are we afraid of the ridicule of others? Are we afraid of failure?.....or are we afraid of success and the responsibility that comes along with it?

Ari Gold from HBO's Entourage has got to one of the most memorable TV characters in recent time. (Although his character is based loosely on prominent American talent agent Ariel "Ari" Emanuel) His anti-gay, cultural , and gender epithets make for the bedrock of satirical genius on which the show stands. Here are some of his most noteworthy quotes. Enjoy.

1) Lloyd: "Are you hiding something from me Ari?" Ari: "Only my cock and my asshole Lloyd."

2) Ari: "I want you to pass this message along to Dana. Tell her that I still have the pictures from Cancun, tell her that I’m gonna start a website. I will take a full page ad out in the L.A. Times advertising it. Tell her it will be called imahollywoodexecutivewhore.com and that no password or fee will be required. Tell her I Want A Fucking Call Back!"

3) Ari Gold: "Listen to me, Lloyd. Do you want to make it in this business or fold shirts at a Chinese Laundromat? Pledge."

4) Lloyd: "What’s wrong?”Ari: "Has so much cum squirt in those eyes you can’t see what’s right in front of your face? Amanda Daniels takes that job, Vince is fucked and I’m fucked. Which means we’re all fucked. And we’re fucked in the way you like to get fucked not fucked in the way normal people like to get fucked."

5) Ari: "Listen, Lloyd, I want you to put all my files, folders, binders, *everything* into a box! If you find a used condom, an executioner's mask, and a fucking spike paddle, don't think, just pack that bitch! Chop suey!"

6) (Ari shows Lloyd the dust on his finger) Lloyd: "The cleaning staff’s on strike, you know that". Ari: "They strike, you work. You’re Asian; you’re supposed to be a neat freak. Go get a rag............ Go Lloyd, go. I want every desk sterile enough for you to get trained on."

Kanye West delivered a powerful performance on VH1's Storytellers, performing a combination of songs from his last two albums The Graduation and 808's and Heartbreak. The show consisted of "unplugged" versions of the studio productions coupled with poignant monologues by Kanye in-between each record. There's a dope article about Kanye on 3 Sidez to a Story, a blog geared toward the uniquely insightful understanding of Hip Hop music. Click here for more.

Download: Kayne West Live From VH1

Spike Lee is undoubtedly one of the greatest directors Hollywood has seen, exclusively for his vividly poetic portrayal of black life in the late 80s and early 90s. Not only is Lee able to give us holistic insight on racial tension, family feuds, and social injustices, he gives the characters in these movies such dope names!..Ossie Davis played The Good Reverend Doctor Purify in Jungle Fever, and was referred to as such throughout the whole film...no abbreviations. Also in Jungle Fever, Wesley Snipes played Flipper and Samuel L. Jackson played Gator. There was also a cameo appearance by Charlie Murphy whose character was called Livin' Large. In Lee's Do the Right Thing, Spike play Mookie, Bill Nunn played the infamous Radio Raheem, Giancarlo Esposito played Buggin' Out (you had to love he and Mookie's hand shake),Samuel L. Jackson played Mr. Senor Love Daddy, and Robin Harris (Father from House Party) played Sweet Dick Willy. You just gotta love it. The characters from these movies are timeless.

Talib Kweli has been one of the few underground artist that have been able to bridge the gap from mainstream to underground for quite some time now. He has dropped multiple highly regarded albums such as, Quality, the Black Star album with Mos Def, Reflection Eternal with Cincinnati producer Hi-Tek, and most recently Ear Drum. He has confirmed that he will be dropping a second Reflection Eternal album this year, along with a collabo album with a group called Idle Worship consisting of him and two other artist, Res and Graph Nobel a Canadian artist. I have anticipated with much angst for some time now another collaboration between Kweli and Hi-Tek. Glad to see it is finally going to pan out.

With his highly anticipated mixtape So Far Gone, Drake has definately lived up to the expectations of his fans. But has he set the bar so high that he might not be able to out do himself on his debut album anticipated to release this summer? Drake displayed an array of talent giving us heavy hitting punch lines on tracks like Ignant Shit, then turning around and singing on a slow ballad like A Night Off featuring LLoyd. While you think about this, check out the chopped and screwed version of So Far Gone.

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Yet and still.....Barack is still the only dude cool enough to pull this pose off.

We often find ourselves trying to be involved with whats current and not with whats relevant. Dressing in the latest fashion, downloading the latest song, being consumed with whats right now, and not whats right is an American staple. For some reason if you haven't heard the new 50 track that dropped 30 seconds ago, your not cool. We follow Hollywood trends of fashion and style like it's gospel. Evaluate things on your own and don't be a follower because your favorite rapper co signed something. Everyone should do their own thing. Dress in what YOU think is fly, not what Kanye said is fly. I'm sure Kanye isn't looking to us for fashion or music advice. He does his own thing. And that's why he has been able to be so successful, by being bold, different, and more importantly himself. Lupe Fiasco's The Cool was partially based on a comment by Dr. Cornel West saying, "The things that we think are cool now in the future will be uncool." Don't get caught up in the hype. Be yourself.

This is absolutely random, but why do the coolest brothas on earth all sit cross legged? I'm sitting here watching a video of Denzel Washington, and he's sitting on Tavis Smiliey's couch for 45 minutes in a cross legged position. Then it dawns on me that Barack was on the same couch on Tavis' show, sitting in the same OG position. And I'm not talking about the one where the ankle rests on the top of knee. I'm talking about the joint where the thigh is on top of the knee. Only a true G can sit in that awkward ass position for that long and walk away cooler than when he sat down. Big up to the 40 plus BBoy stance.

Click here to see Denzel
Click here to see Barack

L.A. based emcee Blu, signs with Sire/Warner Brother. See article.

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The American people saw history unfold in front of their eyes, with the election of the nations' alleged first black President Barack Obama (I say alleged because research shows that there were four presidents before Obama that were of mixed decent as well, but that also is alleged) , the crumbling of Wall Street, and brutal warfare abroad. But it is the belief of many that being Black, was the least of President Obama's concern. The corruption in America social and economic structures began to expose itself in rare form as of late. Illicit activity has gone on for years and years to enslave many and empower few. i.e. Prohibition. But these things went unusually unnoticed by the majority. People knew, but nothing was done. After listening to Obama's speech tonight, it seems like he is acknowledging these evils and actually addressing them. Maybe a change has come, because the tone of his rhetoric is almost anti-Washington. Only time will tell. As Americans we need to hold him accountable.

Michael Eric Dyson comments on Attorney General Eric Holders speech on race..."Despite all the bravado that hinges on talk about taking responsibility for our actions, a point that is usually hammered home when speaking about black folk taking responsibility for their problems, it seems that most Americans feel disinclined to assume responsibility for the poor state of American racial affairs."


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Saw the shirt, and laughed..applicable to all walks of life.

Some new tracks, some old, from a Headless Giant favorite Lupe Fiasco.


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Time for a little music. Here's Blu's latest mixtape. With Below the Heavens , (a collabo album with producer and Exile), and Johnson & Jonson (another collab album with producer Mainframe) under the belt, Blu hits us with urgent lyrics rapped in jazz samples giving us a progressively retro feel.

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My personal belief is that, graduating high school, going to college, getting a degree in something you did out of convenience , to only get a job clocking fifty hours a week, waiting for that pay check every other month is not the formula to success. This is not conducive to being a "supreme being". When I say "supreme being", I mean finding out who we really are and why we are here. Traditionally people spend the first third of their life climbing the ladder of institutional education working hard to go to the best schools and get the best jobs. Then they wake up at 22 yrs old, drive to their entry level jr. analyst position at a high profile investment bank and realize, they hate their life. They spend 12 hour days making millions of dollars for someone else. That is not bringing them closer to the nucleus of their supreme ability.

Tapping into your own personal energy and exploring your strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes is what helps you to find out who your really are. Your brain is a powerful thing and I feel like it is highly under used. We live in a society where we are taught to be followers not leaders. Taught to believe what we are told and not question law. Questioning is imperative for learning. Question your professors, question you, pastor, question your parents. It is through this unyielding questioning where true knowledge is attained and secured. Those who buy into this iconoclastic philosophy are usually labeled as rebellious radical but it is this ability that keeps you rooted in being true to your self. As important as it is to "think" it is just as important to "live". Sitting in a room reading about the lives of others does stimulate the mind but leaving that room and writing your own life story is what builds character. Taking risks and failing, falling in love, helping others is what helps us etch our name in the stone of life.

Now, is it possible to be successful without going to college and getting a job to support yourself financially in this country? It's not impossible, but it's definitely not easy. The US is designed for people to incur debt and get jobs to pay it off. You leave college, a place of learning and growth, 80,000 dollars in debt. I fundamentally have an issue with that. So does the average college student have time to read for leisure and take trips across seas, while working two jobs making pennies, and taking 19 credits to graduate on time. Again, not impossible, but tough. I'm a firm believer in "understanding the machine". Everyone's "risk tolerance" is different given their social and/or economic status. We all can't do the things we want to do. Sometimes keeping your head above water is the only thing that matters and what you really want to do becomes irrelevant.

So in reality, the cycle will continue. We will continue to pay 20k a year for college, get an internship and springboard in to corporate America. When that cycle is broken, that will be a sign of the true maturation of humanity. The focus on making you and everyone around you reach their personal zenith for the benefit of all.

Why the Headless Giant? Media...we consume ourselves with the flamboyantly irreverent radio personalities who have made a career out of being a critic, the misogynistic, hyper sexual, violence ridden reality T.V shows(which have replaced that barrier braking uplifting sitcom, that people from the same gender, race, religious background can enjoy), the love scandals of Hollywood, rap beef and other things that can do absolutely nothing for you.

The media in the 21st century has no intention of making you any smarter. At all! Watching women compete in physical activity to see who is going to marry some bachelor, or a lesbian living in a house full of men and women who compete for her love, is not conducive to intellectually stimulating your mind. The bad part is, the television is literally raising our youth and this is what they see and emulate. So when the intelligence level of generation Y is lower than those generations preceding them, we can't exactly act surprised if we are subjecting them to such nonsense. Now don't get me wrong, it is the ENTERTAINMENT industry right? And at some point we watch these shows, and listen to the "crack" rap for mere entertainment. But there has to be balance.

Even as young adults we can't buy in to the glory and glamor of black cards, maybachs, diamonds, and girls, confuse it with the norm, and stray away from our own personal paths to righteousness. Even though its not readily available, we need to look beyond the smoke in mirrors to attain that balance to keep ourselves rooted in reality.

"A youthful, empirically intelligent assessment of culture, religion, and politics in the 21st Century"