Awesome collabo with two of favorite artists...Erro and Tigallo

http://youtu.be/s1gl66hgxmU

9th Wonder- The Wonder Years

With an album based on one of my favorite childhood sitcoms, how could this album not be destined for greatness. In a world of Kanye clones, Just Blazes and Swiss Beats, 9th wonder has spent the last 10 years carving a niche for himself in one of the most fickle areas of hip hop….beat making. What most people don'et know or often assume is that when they hear a 9th Wonder beat, they automatically assume he's biting Kanye's brand of production. Unfortunately for those poor misguided souls, I have some sad news. 9th Wonder actually pioneered that sound. It was only because of the Roca Fella (Jay-Z) platform that Kanye was given COMPLETE recognition for this style of music...but that's neither here nor there. As a fan of Little Brother, I was introduced to his production during my Little Brother campaign years ago when the group dropped its album the Listening. During those years, the two parties split and it got pretty nasty, but in the name of good music, the two parties reconciled and thank GOD, because without that reconciliation we wouldn’t have the genius that is “One Night” feat Phonte on this album. In a testament to true hip hop, 9th boasts features on this album from Talib Kweli, Erykah Badu, Phonte, and Tanya Morgan (another sleeper). Not much to say about this album….out of 5, I’d give it a 3.5, but the production is dynamite!!!!! Definitely an honorable mention for the summertime drive…..

"September is the month for music in 2011"

After the release of Kanye and Jay-Z’s legendary collaboration that is Watch the Throne, the hip hop world seemed to have its fill of music for 2011. Then in walks Mr. Phonte Coleman, aka Tigallo, aka Hacksaw Jim Thugging….lead singer of the Grammy nominated band The Foreign Exchange and former member of the rap duo Little Brother. From the first time I heard Phonte rhyme I knew this guy was special. Many people today in hip hop get lost in beats and if its not the beats then everyone is obsessed with the belaboring of metaphors. Rarely, do u find that MC who has the right balance of lyrical wizardry that encompasses metaphors as well as masterful story telling in addition to a suitable vocabulary for those post secondary educated listeners of hip hop. In the words of Phonte, “But I’m from the south, where if u ain’t snapping, or rapping bout trapping you’s a freak of nature!” For the last 6 months while everyone has been anticipating the release of the Watch the Throne album, I’ve had my eye set on Phonte’s Charity Starts at Home album.
A week ago today I downloaded (yes I pirate too) a copy of this great album and I haven’t removed it from my cd player since. I even made three copies so that no matter where I am, I can listen to it if I please. From the opening track “Dance in the Reign” to the last track “Who Loves You More”, this album is greatness. Not only is it greatness, but its the greatness that defines Phonte as an artist. Throughout this album, Phonte is true to who he is and what it is he does. My personal favorites are “Not here anymore” where Phonte teams up with Elzhi of Slum Village and 9th Wonder to produce an awesome track. “Ball and Chain” allows us the fans to see the vocal skills which has recently made Phonte the notable figure he is with the group The Foreign Exchange…and lastly, “Who Loves You” feat Eric Roberson is the perfect concluding track in which Phonte exclaims, “I got a room and a microphone, and a family I ain’t seen in months. And I played this record a million times, just hoping you would play it once. Break bread witcha fellow man, show love and look out for your heart. And always take care of home, because Home is where Charity Starts. In the midst of albums like the Carter IV and Watch the Throne, this is my pic of album of the year…no questions asked. But in a world of snappers and trappers, this record will be largely overlooked by mainstream and will remain a jewel buried in the rough. Do yourself a favor and pick up this classic….

This one is dedicated......to my favorite girl

Anyone who knows me already has some idea of my extreme infatuation with this woman. Not only does she edify my ideas of what a beautiful black woman is, but she has this indescribable beauty that grabs me and refuses to release its grip! The crazy thing is I’d always known who she was because “Heaven Knows” had always been one of my all time favorite 90’s songs! But once I got older she released her version of Luther’s “Forever For Always for Love” and I knew instantly there was something about her voice that would make me love her album. After I bought Outrun the sky it was a wrap. I had to find every album she’d ever done cause I couldn’t get enough of her voice. Within two weeks I had purchased or either ordered every one of her albums (money well spent). I often envision Ms. Hathaway singing at my wedding but she has so many awesome tracks I wouldn’t know what to tell her to sing. Hell, she could sing her freaking ABC’s and I’d probably be moved.
The highlight of my infatuation with Ms. Hathaway came three years ago when she came to Memphis to perform and I had the opportunity to shake her hand and take a picture with her. She took one look at me and said, “You’re hair is gorgeous!” Me being the charismatic cat I am, I told her “Not as gorgeous as you!” Unfortunately, my bonehead friend who took our pic only get half of the back of my head in the picture (how do you do that). Anyways, Ms. Hathaway, this post if for you….keep doing what you do and I’m eagerly anticipating your album due to be released in September.

 

What the summer's been missing

Roughly three years ago, was the day I literally fell in love with what is today my most favorite group in the whole wide world. As an avid follower of the former rap group little brother and subscriber to one of the most hilarious podcasts of all time (gordongartrellradio.com), I was informed that Phonte (Little Brother) had been working on his second album with the group The Foreign Exchange. Obviously I didn’t know there was a first album so I immediately put my pirate skills to use and located the album. Instantly I was hooked, but nothing (not even this album) could prepare me for their follow up album, Leave it All Behind. Now if u haven’t yet heard the genius that is Leave it All Behind by The Foreign Exchange, I would say kill yourself, but then that would leave us with two problems. One, you’re dead of course, and two, you still haven’t had the chance to hear Leave it All Behind. So do yourself and go cop the album, IT’S WORTH IT!
(Getting back on track) My reason for telling you about the Foreign Exchange is because they have a lineup of artists that (to steal a line from Puff) Can’t Stop, Won’t STop!!!! You’ve got the talented producer Nicolay’s Shibuya City Lights Vol. 2, The Foreign Exchange’s Leave it All Behind and most recently Authenticity. Darien Brockington, Yahzarah, Muhsinah, and last but not least Lorenzo Ferguson aka Zo! Today was the release of Zo’s Justvisitingthree album and it is just as awesome as his prior releases with appearances from Eric Roberson, Phonte, and Anthony David. Phonte even takes us back to the 80’s with his rendition of George Michael and Wham’s Everything She Wants. It makes me wish he’d do a sequel to Zo and Tigallo Love the 80’s (Phonte and Zo remake all of your favorite 80’s songs). Nonetheless, please go and cop Zo’s Justvisitingthree available for download at www.theforeignexchangemusic.com

Music is for Life

I can remember sitting in my bedroom listening to the radio for hours on end. One hand on the record button and the other on the pause button….I had to get it juuuusst right or this once in a lifetime (more like once an hour) opportunity to dub my favorite song would be wasted. Luckily for us all, times have changed and we no longer are forced to sit patiently and rewound our tapes back with pencils because the tape deck ate it to shreds.
To some, the way I feel about music may seem a bit sacrilegious, but what the hell….we all have our own ways of finding peace and understanding through life’s trials. Some choose religion/prayer, some work, and some even choose drugs. Myself, I’ve always found my way through it all with music. Through every moment of my 31 (soon to be 32) years of life on this earth, I’ve always been able to relate that time of my life to a song. When my cousin got locked up in 86’, Rene and Angela’s You don’t have to cry was blowing up EVERY radio station across the south! When I thought I got my heart broken in college, Marc Dorsey’s I Crave damn near drove my roomate to the brink of insanity.
I hope to recreate that feeling of nostalgia for years to come with this blog. Anyways, enough with the rambling….stay tuned for future posts.