September 27, 2007 | Tags: none

Here’s my second installment of the Why MI State’s Hip-Hop Is Better Than Yours blog series. Please note that these aren’t in order of importance; I’ve got other MCs that I’m looking to get exclusive tracks from for your listening pleasure. In the meantime, these artists deserve just as much attention.

Guilty Simpson

(Photo from StonesThrow.com)

He was one of the late J Dilla's best friends, but dismissing Guilty Simpson as the stereotypical weed carrier is criminal. Since getting his first (to my knowledge; correct me if I’m wrong) cameo credit on “Strapped” from Jaylib’s Champion Sound LP, he made appearances on other efforts by other Detroit mainstays—BR Gunna, Cysion, Dabrye and others—before signing to Dilla’s label home of Stones Throw last year. His gruff, yet crystal-clear delivery and tongue-in-cheek punchlines (“I got a cousin that play for the Utah Jazz/but I don’t gotta run the number 2 to shoot y’all ass) have made him one of the city’s most sought after MCs in what seems like a short time since 2003, and with so many impending projects, listeners should get their fill. His Ode To The Ghetto debut (which features production from Madlib, Dilla, Mr. Porter and Oh No) is coming soon, a mixtape is coming sooner, an OJ Simpson LP produced entirely by Madlib is coming later (am I the first person to put that news out, or no?), and a full-length with Black Milk and Sean Price is coming later also. P.S.: Dude has the illest name in hip-hop, just my opinion.

Guilty Simpson & Madlib, "New Bombay (American Dream)"

Guilty Simpson, "Man's World" (prod. J Dilla)

Magestik Legend

(Photo from MagestikLegend.com)

Another instance of Michigan artist who may be known primarily for his partner’s reputation rather than his own, Magestik Legend still isn’t to be fucked with. A member of MI staple OneBeLo’s Subterraneous Records, the MC/producer put in work at shows with him for years before releasing his album, FREE, online for, you guessed it, free this year. Later on, he’s got Theme Muzik, his proper solo debut. A talented storyteller, punchline MC, and everything in between, Magestik is a force to be reckoned with.

*Magestik Legend audio coming later (DivShare problems); but in the meantime, you can download the entire FREE album at MagestikLegend.com.

Up Next: The illest Detroit producers.

The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of the writer and not necessarily those of HipHopDX.com or Cheri Media Group.

Why MI State's Hip-Hop Is Better Than Yours. (Part 1)

September 25, 2007 | Tags: none

With the death of city icons Proof, Blade Icewood and J Dilla, Detroit and the rest of the state of Michigan have both been getting lots of attention. Luckily, our artists are taking advantage of the opportunity. The past few years have seen your favorite up-and-coming journalist be more proud of his homestate than ever before, with dope veterans finally getting a shot, and young guns respecting the efforts of their predecessors and making it a point to rep the mitten to the fullest. For the rest of the week (and maybe next week, who knows), I'll be profiling the best MCs and producers Michigan has to offer. Some of them you'll know about, some of them you won't - but all of their music gets the Ketchums Stamp of Approval. In advance, just let me tell all my Detroit heads: I don't know shit about the street Detroit rappers like K Deezy, Stretch Money, Tone Tone, etc. - I've just never taken the time to get into them. But if you think they're that hot, school me @ SpeechIsMyHammer@yahoo.com; otherwise, I'm profiling the artists who are making people pay attention, or who I feel need to get put on.

Black Milk

Other posts will have one or two artists per post, but this cat deserves his own shine. Frankly, aside from maybe Termanology, this is the only young person that has me excited about hip-hop. He's garnered countless comparisons to J Dilla, and while I won't flat out call him the next James Yancey, there's definitely some validity to these assertions, whether it's in his production style, which meshes robust percussion with the soulful grit of the city, or his cocky, syncopated flow. His Popular Demand full-length debut (he's had mixtapes and an EP previously) was one of the year's strongest albums, but what's scary is that his newer material makes much of that disc sound irrelevant. Peep the third installment of his MySpace Beat CD series, in which he splices together several instrumentals he's working on; he's taking his drums even farther than he was before, and he's sucessfully experimenting with different sounds, which has helped him step out from under Dilla's shadow and take over as the area's reigning producer du jour. He's also following in Dilla's footsteps in the respect that he's staying busy as hell, but still not forgetting where he came from: homie's upcoming projects include the Caltroit LP with Aftermath's Bishop Lamont, a full-length with fellow Detroiter Guilty Simpson and Sean Price (fucking wow), an album with OneBeLo (formerly (currently?) of Binary Star and the best MC in Michigan, IMO; he'll also be profiled this week), and probably some other shit that I'm missing. Slum Village caught on early, and recently, the likes of Pharaohe Monch and the other aforementiond artists have also, so it's time that you have too.

Listen Up:

"Action" (feat. Slum Village):

MySpace Beat CD 3:

"Sound The Alarm (Remix)" (feat. Royce Da 5'9" & Guilty Simpson):

"Caltroit" (Bishop Lamont & Black Milk):

(William E. Ketchum III approved.)

The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of the writer and not necessarily those of HipHopDX.com or Cheri Media Group.

Rock The Bells 2007: Detroit (Late Pass)

September 20, 2007 | Tags: none

I had originally written this piece for URB, but after some miscommunication about its deadline, I thought I'd post it here. Yeah, it's late as hell, but don't act like you haven't left pizza in the fridge too long and ate that shit anyway (or maybe that's just me?). Either way, this was the best show I've been to in my life, so I felt obligated to post this review and pictures somewhere - and who better than my DX fam? Enjoy, and get ready: next week is official Speech Is My Hammer...Detroit Hip-Hop Week.
--

With the emergence of artists like Black Milk and Guilty Simpson and the lingering nostalgia of deceased heroes J Dilla and Proof, Detroit has recently been identified as the new hotbed for real hip-hop. But living here (or in the area—I’m back and forth between various cities within a 90-mile radius), you wouldn’t know it: artists constantly cancel shows or avoid the state altogether, and major tours often offer condensed versions of their previously-overstuffed lineups. To y’all, we’re the next hot thing; to them, we’re still not on the level of the left and right coasts.

With that in mind, there’s plenty of reason to look forward to the Rock The Bells stop in the Motor City with a skeptical eye. New York highlights like Rakim and Public Enemy opted to stay home, while Cypress Hill limited their appearance to Cali. Add on David Banner’s cancellation for the tour, Jedi Mind Tricks’ mysterious disappearance, and MF DOOM’s continuous concert shiftiness (he allegedly sent an imposter to a show in San Francisco earlier on the tour, and went MIA at a concert in Ann Arbor the day before Detroit’s show), and it seemed like there were more artists that we were missing than we were getting. And with most concertgoers opting for the more cost-efficient lawn seats, the stadium section seemed even more underwhelming than it already was. But other fans were grateful regardless: with Supernatural, Immortal Technique, hometown staples Slum Village and Phat Kat, Pharaohe Monch, Talib Kweli, Nas and the Wu-Tang Clan all showing up in the DTE Music Theatre, who’s complaining?

After Supernatural set things off with several freestyle sessions—one while simultaneously punching at an MPC, and one using tangibles from the crowd to rhyme about—for nearly 20 minutes, Immortal Technique stomped on set. Just as angry and passionate in person as he is on record, the stout Peruvian MC jumped his set off with a scathing freestyle and scowled through verses from his Revolutionary mixtapes, surprisingly engaging the crowd with his militant street hop for his entire set. His supporting cast contributed as well, with DJ GI Joe tearing up the tables and IT’s hypeman also spewed a punchline-heavy, equally-aware 16. After jumping in the crowd to spew venom while standing on the seats, IT ended his segment true to form: “My name is Immortal Technique, and I don’t give a fuck if you burn my music. Matter of fact, I think you’re a pussy if you don’t go home and steal my music.” Revolutionary but gangsta.

(Immortal Technique)

Following a mediocre no-name that’s not worth mentioning, Slum Village performed. After performing three tracks, their momentum died down considerably as the group succumbed to a 10-to-15 minute J Dilla tribute by DJ Dez. Phat Kat came on afterwards, and when the stadium audience didn’t give him the response he thought he deserved (partly due to the aforementioned sparse stadium audience, and partly due to his seemingly infinite underground MC status) after a few of his songs, he proceeded to berate the silent concertgoers, complaining that other areas show Detroit more love than their own do. Fortunately, Slum Vill rejoined Kat onstage and regained crowd support with “Cold Steel,” the Elzhi-featuring lead single from Kat’s Carte Blanche LP. They continued to perform hits like “Tainted” and “Selfish,” and ended their set on a good note with the hard-knocking “1,2.”

(Elzhi of Slum Village)

By this time, security was letting a limited amount of lawn-sitters inside of the stadium due to rain, and the newly-covered viewers were fully into Pharaohe Monch’s set. Equipped with a live band and two backup singers, the Queens lyricist launched his set with the Black Milk-laced “Let’s Go” and commenced to perform a string of hits and fan favorites like “Agent Orange” and “Simon Says.” What followed was a pinnacle of the show, as Pharaohe performed “My Life” and left the background singers—one male, one female—to vocally duke it out by belting the song’s soulful hook back and forth. The singers added an authentic feel to the set, and Pharaohe’s band—despite a guitarist who was trying way too hard with continuous rock star poses—improved the sonic quality of every song performed.

(Pharaohe Monch)

Come Talib’s set, the scattered showers had evolved into an all-out thunderstorm and the rest of the lawn seat-holders were allowed entry into the stadium. All things considered, Talib’s set offered the most surprises: the BK MC started off his set with an engaging freestyle, and performed tracks that spanned his entire career—from “The Blast” to “DEFinition,” from his verse from DangerDoom’s “Old School” to offerings from his latest Ear Drum—reminding listeners how hardbody his catalog really is. Despite Pharaohe’s comparatively elaborate stage set-up, Talib kept the crowd going with only a DJ and his own energetic self. In a surprising move, Talib also brought Pharaohe back out to perform their verses from Quality’s “Guerilla Monsoon Rap,” engaging the crowd with their back-and-forth wordplay. Another highlight: Talib alertly catching a cup thrown at him by a crowd member Mike Piazza style, looking homie in the eye, saying “I fucking dare you,” and continuing with his set.

(Talib in his b-boy stance (i.e., my best photo ever))

While me and photographer Marcel Friday missed most of Nas’ set waiting in line for a Wu-Tang meet and greet (which we had gained access to after name-dropping our way into VIP tickets), feedback for Nas’ set was mixed. While his choice of tracks was impeccable—“NY State of Mind,” “Black Republican” and virtually everything in between—many fans complained that he stumbled through his verses, playing off forgotten bars as looks for crowd participation.

Luckily, the Wu didn’t disappoint as the grand finale. All living members showed up, and with ODB’s son sharing the stage with them, it was like the entire crew was there. The Clan ran through hits like “Bring The Pain” and “Triumph,” and every member’s personality was shown throughout: Ghostface’s stylistic swag seeped through his pores, the energy and toothy grin of ODB’s son eerily resembled those his father’s when he lip-synced “Shimmy Shimmy Ya,” GZA’s precise mathematics flowed freely as he sipped a bottle of Grey Goose while strutting onstage, and RZA’s calm-yet-hype persona seemed to guide the clan’s performance. The highlight, however, was clearly Method Man; precluding his first verse by spewing bottled water into the crowd, he was crystal-clear for all his verses, puffed blunts passed to him by concertgoers, and crowd-surfed at least a half-dozen times (including one time where he hilariously poked Photographer Friday in the eye). When crowd members dropped him, an under-the-influence Meth got up from the ground and yelled, “Fuck that: can I get a mufuckin’ A for effort?!”

(Meth goes wild.)

And that statement perfectly describes Detroit’s installment of Rock The Bells. Sure, many of the tour’s highlights ended up being no-shows or line-up subtractions, and an underpopulated crowd made things worse. But with the ill line-up that did show up holding it down, fans still appreciated: hip-hop was in the building, and that’s all that mattered.

The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of the writer and not necessarily those of HipHopDX.com or Cheri Media Group.

Back To The Future

September 06, 2007 | Tags: none

What's good y'all? This is my second week back at school, so with that, my still (attempted) takeover of the journalism industry, actually living this hip-hop shit (Including Rock The Bells, three shows last week, dogs, all in different cities. Acting like gas isn't cripplin' cats) and trying to do things like eating and sleeping too, shit's been crazy as far as time is concerned. Still, I thought I'd give y'all a brief rundown of what I've got in the works.

DJ Drama

Just in case y'all didn't see this yesterday, peep it. Me and Drama are homies, so in a HipHopDX exclusive, dude basically laid it all on the line. Highlight:

HipHopDX: Speaking of Wayne, shortly after the raid, there was an interview with MTV News where he said that you and other mixtape DJs had to “smarten up,” “play the game fair,” and to look at DJ Clue and Khaled as examples. A lot of people looked at those comments as disrespectful; have you spoken to him since then?

DJ Drama: ... I’m going to say first and foremost, I respect Lil Wayne, and when it comes to that microphone and what he does in that booth, the boy’s a problem. He’s on top of his game, I will never take that from him. But when the raid happened, and he made those comments to MTV, it was a stab in my back. ... I had issues with that, as did a lot of people, because a lot of people knew the impact I had on his career, there’s no denying that. Lil Wayne was definitely here before me, but niggas will tell you that they ride more to Dedication 2 than the Carters. Especially in a situation where…loyalty’s a lot, man. And when Wayne had those problems with Gillie, I made a decision on my own based on the work that me and Wayne had did when the nigga was tearing his ass. And for someone to turn around when I was at my low point, and say, “You need to do it right like Khaled and Clue?” OK, that’s what’s up, dog.
--

Next week: Will.I.Am

I nabbed uber-producer Will.I.Am for DX's Producer's Corner section (whattup Mel!). Homie's hilarious, and his realness is beyond measure. A clip:

HipHopDX: Eazy was a gangsta rapper; how did your sound progress from ghostwriting for him, to the pop-friendly sound you’ve established with Black Eyed Peas? How difficult was it for you to transition your beat-making like that?

Will.I.Am: When I was rolling with Eazy, I was just a straight-up killa. He found me straight from the streets. I had like two bodies under my belt, I was in and out of mothafuckin juvenile hall and shit, I was straight up rugged raw. I used to slang crack and mothafuckin twinkies and shit, robbed the liquor store. Then finally, I just started selling my shit out of ice cream trucks, and then the little kids used to run to the truck when they heard the ice cream song. I’m like, “Oooh, this is a hot little market here, this ice cream truck shit!” So with the Black Eyed Peas, I just took it to the next level, and just started making ice cream truck music. You know what I’m saying? Slangin’ mothafuckin lollipops. [laughs hysterically] I can’t even hold a straight face.
--

I've also got Salaam Remi talking about everything from Nas to his own pops' history in music, Sicknotes (Obie Trice, "Cry Now;" D12, "How Come") breaking down producing in the Detroit hip-hop scene, Khrysis (better than 9th? Just my opinion...), Oddisee (honestly, one of the illest producers in the industry, independent or not), and others. And that's just the shit that I'm actually telling y'all about.

As far as blog topics, future ones include:

Diggin In The Crates

(Don't worry, I haven't forgotten.)

Why "MI" State's Hip-Hop is Better Than Yours

Featuring Black Milk, Guilty Simpson, (both pictured), Royce Da 5'9", OneBeLo, Elzhi/Slum Village, Buff1, Othello, Mr. Porter, and much, much more. (And yeah, my hoodie game has stepped up a little bit)

William E. Ketchum III's interview memiors

Including, why I say that the post-1995 DJ Quik is a bitch. (As if the above album cover wasn't enough)

That's all for now.

Ya boy!

The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of the writer and not necessarily those of HipHopDX.com or Cheri Media Group.

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Speech Is My Hammer...

Why MI State's Hip-Hop Is Better Than Yours. (Part 2)

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Why MI State's Hip-Hop Is Better Than Yours. (Part 1)

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Rock The Bells 2007: Detroit (Late Pass)

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Back To The Future

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