Something about this movie...always loved it. Even funnier - seeing Bill Cosby, portray a role as a hustler...despite his recent rants and tirades about the hustling lifestyle. Now don't get me wrong but let's be 100% honest. Bill Cosby does have some points, in what he's saying. Raise ya kids, feed ya kids, be a role model to your kids, teach em' right from wrong...but then again, think about it:
Biggie Smalls...that was Notorious B.I.G's original name before legal issues prompted the change, obviously was influenced by this movie Bill Cosby was in
Farnsworth Bentley...he got that from Bootney Farnsworth, Jimmie Walker's character in the same movie
"Let's Do It Again" ironically has influenced some of the very rap music Cosby ain't too crazy about. Don't get me wrong, the movie is cool cause its on some "robbin for the hood" type ish...but let's be real. You got pimps, hustlers, gamblers, and money grubbin preachers all up in this flick. Ice cold as a pudding pop he may be - but Bill, even in your heyday younger generations were looking up to you as well and it wasn't like they didn't have a little help in creating these personas that exist in hip hop today. Humility would go lengths in this department...remember dude you had a few *indiscretions and illegitmacies of your own*. Use that as a means to level with people, cause wholesale criticizing ain't gonna go far to help the youth, if you get on the soapbox - but act like you ain't got some dirt in your past too.
Now with that said I'm late'ish in upping these but two joints directly and indirectly inspired by Mr. Heathcliff Huxtable himself. First
"Everybody" Farnsworth Bentley feat. Kanye, Andre + Sa-Ra, destined to be a club banger
And "That's Life" Killer Mike, not 100% my endorsement -but the track is tight and certainly can't say Mike isn't making some sureshot accurate observations on most of what he says
Alright, so I've got a confession. Yea I've been listening to the Shining for about a month now...and sadly enough 4:28 a.m. I'm itching to get my ass in line to pick up the actual vinyl for this piece. Yea I could just order it - but why do that when I can get this vinyl in my hands pronto to add to my stack? Wouldn't make sense to wait now would it?
If you even know anything about Dilla - then ain't anything I need to say to you. If you don't I got a few choice words: Like Water for Chocolate + Electric Circus + some songs off of "Be", Slum Village, Pharcyde, Roots, A Tribe Called Quest, Erykah Badu, Kanye West, Pharrell, D'Angelo, Madlib, Bill Withers, Pete Rock, Janet Jackson, Stan Getz, Joe Pass...the list goes on, and on when it comes to the bridge that Dilla built between a generation of soul and Jazz for his fellow musicians and listeners alike.
One example...and this is mind you ONLY ONE example of the genius at hand here. Piece these 3 songs together and you got the ingredients for one slammin' ass track:
1 Part old OLD primordial school type hip hop ESG "UFO"
1 Part old soul/funk The Vibrettes "The Humpty Dumps" (drums)
+ 1 Part Lyricism from one of hip hop's finest + a heaping handful of ingeniuty from James Dewitt
and you get: Let's Ride from Q-Tip's "Amplified" album
Now imagine that... but ALLOVER Donuts, The Shining, AND the upcoming "Jay Love Japan" (which from the 7 or so tracks I've already heard is *still* beyond most production technically and creatively than most anyone out today). Get the damn album. Get two. Peep the whole discography. Throw a dollar or two to the Yancey Family Fund. Tell ya mama. And ya grandmama...
""man I ain't fuckin wit dem niggas no mo! first they was some pimps, then they was some aliens now they on that whole black righteous space shit... "
Mang, Mang, Mang! Folk. Shawt Shawt. Shawty. Shawty-folk. Folk-shawts...and all derivations in between. I'm listening to that "new new 'Kast"...now wait. Hold up. Hell naw. What the hell... "damn...Damn...DAMN James..."
Aight so it ain't exactly news outkast change styles like draws on every damn album. If you ain't caught on during the past 5 albums...i don't know what to tell ya. So either you can get wit it and grow...or go. If you don't like the way they sway...fly away. Now that's out the way. First impressions of the album. I got 4 maybe 5 tracks I like on this album. Not too strong considering I tend to ride through the entirety of Outkast albums. Mainly right now PJ & Rooster - and honestly after hearing the first few singles off the album I didn't think I was gonna like it much. Then I listened again, the whole album in its totality. Then it kinda hit me. Its a soundtrack...and truthfully, most OutKast albums depending on your perspective swallow like "fine wine or peanut butter" ( means it takes a little time for you slow folx - *get on your OutKast discography*) - so really after listening a few times through...seriously I think Imma grow to like this one, just put it on the shelf next to my other 5 offerings from outkast. Sad part Imma prolly like the album even *more* once I see the movie, since a lot of the tracks seem to rely at least a little on the imagery of the movie...and if you seen the trailer, the imagery ain't lookin half damn bad. When this hit shelves, you better get there before I do.
Aight so the next installment, though not proceeding in any particular order is the Philly based Nouveau Riche. Part fronted by Legendary Roots crew hip hop veteran (yea if you've been in the game 10+ years platinum status or not...yer ass is a veteran) and Nikki Jean - and backboned by Alex and of course Khari Ferrari these cats certainly got the crowd amped for the yamps. check em out at www.nouveaurichemusic.com or on myspace
