2008 has been kind of odd. While there hasn't been tons of albums that have been "mind blowin'", there has been a large quantity of "enjoyable" albums. When I say "enjoyable", I mean albums that I can put on and enjoy, although I don't I probably won't think much about them after a month or so. Nothing wrong with that. Anymore, if an album gets more than two or three plays from me, it's doing something right. I just have too much to listen to, as well does anyone that frequents online sites much. I will say that my favorite seven albums are all GREAT albums, which does make it an exciting year regardless. I've been HORRIBLE about reading other blogs and checking the forums the past six months, so this list has not been affected much by outside influences. They are all things that I have played quite often. They are found on the iPod at any time. They make me appreciate being a hip hop again.
Of course, my tastes are probably not the typical blogger tastes. In my old age, I like what I like, which is the underground obscure shit. I guess I can't relate to a lot of the music being made these days. There were some albums that I didn't get a chance to listen to just recently, such as the Snowgoons, Opio, Danny! and most notably, the new Invincible "Shapeshifters" album, which I think would have easily made it into this top 10. Be on the look out for that album in the third quarter report. We will start with the bottom half of the top 20, then wrap it up with the top half tomorrow (or possibly Saturday). As I've mentioned before, these are MY personal favorites. There are also NO mixtapes, I'll cover the mixtapes this weekend. I'm not going to say they are the absolute best, because after all, it's only my opinion and nothing else. But if you are someone that has similar tastes as me, you oughta check anything out you haven't heard yet. With that, let's jump on into it.
Top 20 Albums for the First Half of 2008: 11-20
20. The Camp - The Campaign 
Sounds Like: They show a lot of influences from Apathy and the Demigodz crew. Party music, nothing too serious.
Summary: Coming out of the northeast, Boston more specifically, The Camp is just some good ole fashioned boom bap with the party vibe coming down with them. The Campaign is comparable to an action comedy movie, where you don't have to do a lot of thinking and are entertained through the whole watching/listening experience. Apathy of the Demigodz was the Executive Producer on this project and his influence is readily seen on the album as they soemtimes come off as official Demigodz card carrying members. Only negatives I would say is that with five MC's, they kind of blend together and it's hard to tell who's who and at seventeen tracks, a few could have been shaved off. Regardless, it's an enjoyable album that fans of this type of hip hop should check out.
Favorite Tracks: "The Campaign", "Gentlemen Needs", "Little Story"
19. Weapon X - Portrait of a Starving Artist
Sounds Like: I think Jedi Mind Tricks when I think of Weapon X both in the terms of rhyme style and beats.
Summary: Weapon X was one of those artists that I ran across on a blog, downloaded the album on the strength of a recommendation, and really enjoyed the album. Since then, I've have mentioned the album several times on WYDU, posted several tracks from the album, and even interviewed X himself. Goes to show you that blogs ARE good for something. Portrait of a Starving artist is somewhat of a dark album, as we take a trip through X's psyche that is filled with uncertainty, struggle, and roadblocks. Armed with everything from deep thoughts, to straight up "F.A.Y" (fuck all y'all for those of you not in the know) type tracks, X paints a strong image with this album.
Favorite Tracks: "Destined For Greatness", "Don't Dream Of Women", "Asshole Syndrome"
18. Substantial - Sacrifice 
Sounds Like: You've heard him on several QN5 projects, as well as part of EFamm.
Summary: Maybe I'm a little biased by the fact that I saw Substantial live this past May and besides being a very cool dude, he put on a hell of a stage show. Then again, Sacrifice was ranked in the first quarter as well. This album is kind of hit in miss as far as the tracks go, but that's only because Substantial isn't afraid to take chances. Some of those chances don't work, but at least he doesn't create some boring album that plays it safe the whole way through. The songs that do work though are well exucuted and creative. Who knew that you could make a quality song using an interpolation of a Christmas carol as it's hook. Substantial is also a very versatile MC, going from battle rhymes to concept songs almost effortlessly.
Favorite Tracks: "Chain Reaction", "Resurrection of a House Party", "It's You"
17. All Natural - Elements (Fire)
Sounds Like: Coming out of Chicago, these are underground cats should that bring that late 90's indie boom bap to the scene.
Summary: I've been a fan of Chi-town's All Natural since first hearing them in the late 90's. They haven't changed their sound much over the last decade, but in this case, that's not a bad thing. DJ Tone B Nimble and Capital D are down with the Molemen. Their album, Elements (Fire), it's nothing more than straight up, quality boom bap hip hop. This is an album that I'm still getting more and more into, so this has a chance to move up even more before the end of the year. Great for fans that wish hip hop hadn't changed so much.
Favorite Tracks: "The All", "Poppers Pop, Breakers Break", "Nothin' To Lose"
16. Akrobatik - Absolute Value 
Sounds Like: A cross of battle rap, political consciousness, and Ak being Ak; a versatile MC
Summary: Absolute Value, grew for me over time and continues to win me over as the year goes on. Akrobatik is a very accomplished MC who brings a versatile LP to the consumer, to almost a fault. Absolute Value has something for everybody, everything from nuggets of knowledge found as Ak and Chuck D kick it "Kindred", to Ak just kickin' battle rhymes on the title track, produced by the great and mighty J-Zone. As I mentioned, the album kind of lacks a central focus and strays a bit in some places, but it's still a quality album that should stay in the top 20 when 2009 rolls around.
Favorite Tracks: "Soul Glo", "Put Ya Stamp On It", "Absolute Value"
15. One Man Army - The R.E.B.I.R.T.H.
Sounds Like: A lyrical MC that would rank up with the top MC's in the game right now. One Be Lo is very consistent, you know what you are getting when you get a One Be Lo album.
Summary: I haven't heard much about this album being mentioned in the hip hop circles after having a critical acclaimed release in 2005 in S.O.N.O.G.R.A.M. One Be Lo's sophomore retail album, The R.E.B.I.R.T.H., is everything his debut was, but just more focused. After being unceremoniously left off the first quarter list, I made sure the album was included on the midway report. The album is a twelve track focused effort, as One Be Lo is one of the more sociological MC's, touching on society as a whole as well as the state of hip hop. There are a couple classic tracks to be found on the effort, as both "Hip Hop Heaven", which takes a spin on Scarface's "I'm Dead" and "Gray", which incorporates a laid back beat with a sax loop that should be on any "end of year" list.
Favorite Tracks: "Rebirth", "Gray", "Hip Hop Heaven"
14. 9th Wonder & Jean Grae - The Jeanius 
Sounds Like: With beats from 9th Wonder, you get that soul sampled North Carolina sound that 9th has basically trademarked. With Jean Grae, you get a lyrical female MC that can hang with any male when it comes to rhymes and making songs.
Summary: The first of three albums that have appeared previously before in one form or another in the top 20. I was a big fan of the version that leaked on the 'net way back in 2004. The beats found on the original was one of 9th's best efforts. While a few things have changed on the 2008 version, the reincarnation is still undoubtedly dope. Jean proves while she should be mentioned as one of the top female MC's to ever grace the mic as she drops lyrical gems and thought provoking jawns as 9th paints soundscapes that seem to match perfectly with what Jean Grae has to say.
Favorite Tracks: "Don't Rush Me", "My Story", "The Time is Now"
13. Ill Poetic Presents Joe Budden X Portishead: Mood Muzik's 3rd (LINK)
Sounds Like: Something completely new....
Summary: My man Eric over at When They Reminisce has done enough campaigning for Ill Poetic to last the next two years, and while I've always thought Ill Poetic was dope, I just wasn't into his music as much as E. I also liked Joe Budden's Mood Musik 3, but it didn't get a ton of play from me. That is until Ill Poetic presented us with this "mash-up" of sorts. For those of you not familiar with the concept, Ill Poetic made beats using Portishead samples and it works WONDERFULLY. It's something completely new sounding and very creative. Tracks like "Roll Call" is just freakin' hard as fuckin' nails. It almost reminds of the 2008 version of The Bomb Squad. Just pure noise and chaos.
Favorite Tracks: "Dear Diary", "Roll Call", "Warfare"
12. Kidz In The Hall - The In Crowd
Sounds Like: Little Brother meets Cool Kids meets 90's Native Tongues
Summary: While some of my fellow blogging cohorts question their taste in fashion (and probably rightfully so), I wholly expected not to care for this album when it dropped for different reasons. Not because of the new image they were trying to cash in on, although the "Drivin' Down The Block" single didn't help at all, but I also wasn't a big fan of their debut, "School Was My Hustle". I still can't stand "Drivin' Down The Block", and I'm not big on their "image" (I won't call them douche bags though), the album was a pleasant surprise. Once again, versatility rules, as they cover a wide spectrum of sounds and topics. The production is on some top notch quality, when they aren't trying to cash in on the hipster sound. I'm not sure of the staying power of the album yet, but so far, it's getting the spins.
Favorite Tracks: "Let Your Hair Down", "Mr. Alladatshit", "The Blackout"
11. Raashan Ahmad - The Push
Sounds Like: Mr. J Medeiros comes to mind and his album from last year. Also, since Raashan Ahmad is from the Crown City Rockers, there is some of that flavor as well.
Summary: I've never been one to get into the Crown City Rockers. It's not that I didn't like them, I just didn't pay them much attention. I don't really remember what made me listen to The Push, I guess a couple people who's opinions I value said it was a good album. Sure enough, I played this album two times in a row the first time I heard it. There is nothing totally mind blowing on it, but just about every track is quality. Raashan Ahmad isn't the most lyrical MC there is, but he constructs quality tracks that lends to a overall cohesive album that grows on the listener the more he/she listens to it.
Favorite Tracks: "Cool Down", "Here We Go", "Get Funky"
Thirty Tracks from Jan-July 08 That You Need To Hear: 11-20
Amad Jamal - Goin' Postal (myspace)
Baje One - Mission Statement (Weightless EP)
Camp Lo - Lumdi (?)
EdO. G & Masta Ace aka A&E - What Does It Matter (Advance)
Kurupt - Yessir (?)
Oddisee ft Motion Man - Holding Back (Good Tree EP)
Praverb - Freedom To Prevail (Center of Attention)
Foul Mouth Jerk ft Masta Ace - Small Town USA (Street Light Music)
Suzi Analog ft DJ SoulClap - HandClapRap (myspace)
The Grouch - Artsy (Show You The World)
7/11/2008
Half Way Done: The Midway Report - The Top 20 Albums Part One
6/24/2008
WYDU Interview With The Starving Artist: Weapon X
Every now and then, an artist kind of pops up out of nowhere. We've all been told the evils of downloading, and while I do agree with some of it, there is also a positive side to it as well. I'll admit, I'm a frequent visitor to HipHopBootleggers (peace to Krooked and Deap) to peep some of the underground/obscure joints and most of the time if Krooked recommends something, there is a good chance I'm going to feel, it's how I became hooked onto my boy Storm Davis last year. This year, he suggested Weapon X and low and behold, I downloaded his album "Portrait of a Starving Artist", and was impressed enough with the album, it stayed in regular rotation and was mentioned in my Top 20 Albums of the First Quarter. Think of it as Jedi Mind Tricks meets the Demigodz. Or something like that. Through out the year, I've been bumping the album picking up on different songs and the such. One day I get an email from X himself and after we passed some emails back and forth, I thought he had an interesting story and some good music, so we set up an interview. Weapon X is a very personable dude and very articulate. The interview went rather smoothly and we even talked off the record for a good twenty minutes or so afterwards which made me a fan of this cat even more.
Weapon X
Don't Dream Of Women
Weapon X
Road To Redemption 
the New Basic Weaponry EP Free!
WYDU: Let's start this off proper like, why don't you let everyone know who you are and some of your background?
Weapon X: I go by the name of Weapon X. I reside out here in the San Fernando Valley, 818 of Southern California. What I'm all about? I'm just a starving artist man, just like the album title says. I'm a 9 to 5 daily worker/MC that's just trying do to do music and survive at the same time.
W: You have an interesting background, being of Iranian decent and born in Brooklyn. Care to touch on your heritage and the east coast background?
WX: No doubt, I'm Iranian-American, both of my parents came out here from Iran. I ended up somehow being brought into this world in Brooklyn, New York. A lot of hip hop culture goes down out there or course. I grew up in a family that was unlike most stereotypical Persian families that are made out to have a lot of cash. My Dad did odd jobs out in Brooklyn and all that and my mom was a hair stylist. They did whatever they could to make ends meet. I grew up listening to a lot of music. One of the things my parents used to do was stick headphones on my head at the age of two. That was one of the first inspirations of music, it was one of the first things that would get me excited. They'd stick the headphones on my head and I used to bob up and down, up and down, but at the same time I'd be entrenched to the music and be zoned out to it. That was one of the very first influences that I can remember growing up with musically. I listened to regular 80's music as well as a lot of Stevie Wonder while growing up.
When I was seven and a half or eight, I moved out from Brooklyn to L.A.. My parents figured I'd have better education and opportunities out west, rather being in a closed in area like the apartments and a lot of New York is. When I came out to L.A., I can say I wasn't exactly welcomed with open arms. That's changed over the years, but kids are cruel. Coming in with a different ethnicity, a funny accent and at the time, the first Iraq war was going down and they were running around calling me Iraqi. I grew up with a lot of discrimination issues. That led to a lot of fights and anger at a young age. Somewhere a long the way though, I got into singing. I used to sing in the elementary music choir, I learned a lot about music through that. I used to have a good voice before it cracked. Once it cracked, I needed another outlet. At the time, it wasn't cool to be an R&B singer. I started doing poetry, at first it was to calm my anger, cause I have some anger issues. Eventually I started getting into hip hop, I wasn't necessarily introduced to being a lyricist in the sense, but Wu was probably the first thing I heard. Being out on the west coast, we didn't get a lot of the traditional lyrical MC's. I'd listen to a lot of gangster rap, you know, Doggystyle, The Chronic, Regulate...G-Funk Era, that kind of thing. The first two songs I really got into was "Regulate" and Tupac's "Pain" off the Above The Rim Soundtrack. I figured already did poetry, I might as well translate the rhythm I learned in singing into the poetry and rhyme. From there it evolved into what I do today.
W: How was your cultural/family background effect your life growing up in the States?
WX: My Dad when he first came over was very strict in nature, and even to this day some. There was a lot of stuff he used to "regulate" on me when he had to. He'd put a whoopin' on my ass when I needed it. He was a very strong cultural family man. He worked very hard and instilled a lot of values on us. He taught us about our culture and our heritage, as well as my mother. My mother believed we should be well educated. She taught me how to read at an early age, I was reading before I hit pre-school. I was surrounded by middle eastern music. It had some influence on me, especially during different holidays, but at the same time not forcing it down our throats. At the time, my sister and I, who is younger than me, knew exactly what our identities were and where we came from.
W: How did your parents handle your "profession", your excursion into hip hop and being an MC.
WX: That's actually a really good question. When I first started rapping, actually not even there, but when I first started to perform. When I first started, I didn't think my shit was any good. I used to write in my notebook at school, because I'd get bored and I'd zone out in class. I wasn't the ideal student. I was smart, but not motivated. I'd write rhymes in my notebook, but I wouldn't let anybody look at it. I remember one day, one of my friends wanted to know what I was writing and snatched it away from me, he looked at it and said, "Whoa, this stuff's pretty good, you should try your hand at this". I figured I would, but at the same time I didn't really want my parents to find out. I didn't know how they'd approach it. They support me in whatever I do, but in my culture, they have a very strict ideal system. You know, with a rap artist, that isn't always a high priority. They ain't no doctor or lawyer or something. They are not the people with six figure salaries that they can brag about to the family. I wasn't quite sure how I was going to tell them.
They accidentally found out one day, when my friend left one of my old, old CDs in his car, some old EP shit from back in the day. He had let his mom borrow the car and my CD was in it. So my friend's mom came was talking to my mom and said to my mom, "Your son raps nice", and they were like, "My son raps?" Everything kind of blew up from there. They took it pretty well. My dad used to clown me at first, he didn't know if I'd take it serious or not. Also, the old middle eastern mentality is that rap is crap blah blah blah, making fun of rap and stuff. But now, they are totally supportive. My whole family supports it and now my extended family knows, they are all embracing it. I never thought they'd be this much behind it, I mean I knew they'd support it, but now they are actually pushing me to do this.
W: That makes it a lot easier, doesn't it?
WX: Oh yeah, when I was hiding it and broke, I was running around to different places to record. I had to make excuses to go out and the such. This makes it a lot easier, now I can do it at the house. I got a set up at the house, I got a little studio at the house, I don't have to worry about keeping it under wraps.
W: Do you have an exact moment where you said, "Hey, I want to do hip hop?"
WX: I don't know if there was an exact moment, I think it just kind of progressed. When I first started doing hip hop, in that evolution from doing poetry to rap, it helped me vent my anger I was feeling at an younger age. Eventually when I started being told I was good at it and I was pushed to do it, I wasn't really confident at first. It just grew and I realized I was becoming legit and people were giving respect. I figured that I always loved music, I was good at it, not because I think I'm good, but people are telling me that they think I'm good, and not just my family and inner circle of friends, but people outside my inner circle, I figured I owed it to myself to give it a shot. By no means was it one of those thing I just walked into. The more my confidence grew, the more of the realization that I wasn't just some guy that can rap as a little hobby. I am an MC, that's who I am and who I'm destined to be. Once that all sunk in, there was no stopping me. At that point that's who I wanted to be. After that I focused on mastering the craft.
W: Coming from the west coast you don’t have the “traditional” west coast sound as an artist. What kind of role does the west coast sound play in your music?
WX: There are west coast influences in my music, it's just not prominent. It doesn't slap you in the face. If you hear what I'm rapping about, you can tell which coast I'm from. As far as my rhyme style and beat selection, I'm more influenced by the east. I'm east coast born and west coast raised. The east is what molded me and gave me my thought processes. I listen to all kinds of styles.
Musically, I can switch it up. I listened to east, west, south, midwest and even worldly music. Beatwise, I'll admit, as far as what you hear on my album "Portrait of a Starving Artist" and even some of the Basic Weaponry EP is more east coast influenced. I'm more comfortable over those beats and a lot the people that made those beats, come from that background. The eas
t coast beats have more room for lyricism, where as the west coast "bounce", which I can rock to any day of the week, is more "sittin' in your whip" type of music, it's stereo system type feeling. It's Cali music, slow and drawn out, and that's not a knock, that's the stuff I grew up on before I started getting into the real east coast type shit. I just feel more comfortable over east coast beats.
W: Speaking of the west coast is there still a “traditional” west coast sound?
WX: I'm going to be honest, very people are doing the traditional west coast sound. The west coast right now, to me in the terms of sound, don't seem to be solidified. It seems like ever since the old Dogg Pound, Dre, Death Row hey days, it really hasn't been solidified and the sound has been lost. There are still artists out here with that sound and still doing their thing, one would be Crooked I. I give that dude the utmost respect, he's really kept that traditional sound. He keeps that traditional gangsta rap flava with great mcing. He himself even says he created a new genre, gangsta MCin'. Others like Ras Kas also keep that sound going, but overall, even people like Snoop who back in the day created the sound, he's not doing that west coast sound anymore. He's rhyming over Pharrell and that such. Then you got the cats up in the Bay doing the hyphy sound, which doesn't have the traditional sound, not to knock any of it. The west coast is struggling to find it's sound. With a few cats like Crooked, hopefully the west will find it and be back.
W: Your debut album in titled “Portrait of a Starving Artist”, which I’m sure is an indication of the struggles coming up in the game, just how difficult is it? What have you had to go through to get to where you are at now in the game?
WX: A lot of the struggle is explained in the album, that's why I called the album "Portrait of a Starving Artist". To elaborate for the people that haven't heard the album yet and to give deeper insight to those that have, I consider myself a starving artist. I'm not getting paid for my craft, I work a 9-5, sometimes not even that, I've been laid off numerous times. I don't live a life style that is lavish. I'm lucky to have some supporters, family to keep me off the street. At the same time I've gone through my share of stuff. Everything is incorporated into that title. I've had my share of trouble with the law, I won't say what, I'll keep that low. I've been through financial issues where I haven't had more than a few bucks to my name. I've had issues with alcohol, depression, but all in all, these are things a lot of people go through, not everyone, but a lot of people can relate to these issues.
Then I've had different issues than the average person. Coming over here when Iraq and Iran weren't looked upon in a favorable light, then of course it got even worse after 9/11. Fortunately for me, I'm very light complexion and I can pass for a white person. But if a cop pulls me over and looks at my I.D., he knows exactly where I'm from. I was at O'Hare airport, I got patted down. I went to Toronto, they were checking me for SARS. I've been through racial discrimination, all that stuff. I've been harassed by cops, along with the regular day issues.
Even as far as being respected in this game. When I started doing this, it wasn't everyday that someone from the Middle Easterner pops up out of nowhere saying "I can rhyme!" I'm still earning my stripes. I'm still struggling, financially to making a living, these are the struggles of the starving artists portrayed on the album.
W: Let's discuss the album, "Portrait of a Starving Artist". Talk about recording the album…who are some of the producers and guest artists you worked with on portrait? How much time has the album been in the works?
WX: Writing the album actually took place at a progression rate. The album came out in January of 2008, after I came up with the concept and figured out what I wanted to do on the album, I started conceptionaly writing the album around September/October of 2006. I didn't me
an for it to take that long, but I had other things on the side, such as regular life issues that always slow things down. It was recorded exactly how a starving artist would record it, straight out the house! No professional studio. I was learning as I went along, which is why it comes off as real and gritty, which is exactly how I meant it to be. I started writing songs for it and I was going through a period of extreme depression. I had lost my job in that moment in time and money was tight. Beats were not easy to come by, which was another reason the writing was extended out that long. I think it was meant to happen that way. As I progressively wrote, as I was going through this, it was incorporated and added an element of realism to the rhyme. It painted a picture of exactly what I was going through.
So from about September of 2006 to late 2007, I wrote the album and recorded the early joints . In September of 2007 to about November, I started recording and mixing all the joints. From there, I just decided I was going to drop the and just go with it. I was originally aiming for release in September of 2007, but something happened, but the packaging was held up, then the licensing was delayed, I didn't want no one to jack the music. By the time all this was done it was January.
Then I suffered another setback, which I still regret. When I had everything ready, I was going to release the album on the 22nd, a Tuesday. Some other unforeseen things happened. Then unfortunately my friend and producer Clockwork, who did the majority of the beats on this record, passed away due to some screwed up circumstances. It's always been in the back of my mind, I always wished he would have heard the finished product, the retail finished product. If I only didn't have that delay and dropped it earlier. I was looking forward to sharing this with him. He would have loved to seen this appear out there and appear on the blogs, there was a magazine article I wish he could have seen. Those were some of the difficult times in trying to release this album. God bless his soul, I hope he can hear how many people are enjoying his work, cause it's his work as much as it is mine, where ever he is at.
W: So Clorkwork did most of the beats on the album then?
WX: Yes, Clockwork was responsible for the majority of the beats on the album
W: There is some nice stuff on there. Who you are some of the guest artists you have on the album? You seem to have a network of others you run with. I've seen the Basic Weaponary EP and seen you guest appear on other people's projects such....
WX: All the people that show up on the album, those are all my boys. I'm most grateful for them. Let's see, let's start from their appearances on the album. There is Mayo, Mayo actually did two of the beats on the album that Clockwork didn't do. He also lent a verse to a track. He is a young talented kid, both with his beatmaking and his lyrics. We weren't sure the track he did, "Run", was going to make the album, but it was just so dope and fit the theme of the album so well, we had to include it. He resides up, if I'm not mistaking, up in Washington state.
AnP, is from money making Manhattan, back from my home on the east coast. He has two albums out right now When is The Metabolic Chronicles Vol.1 and 2. AnP is actually a very big influence of mine. He was one of the biggest forces behind getting Portrait of a Starving Artist off the ground. He told me "You got some talent, put out an album" and once I started to working on the album, he lent his talents toward it.
Then on the track "You Can't Hide", which features Louis Mackey, Grevious Bodily Harm and Askani Son. Those dudes are all talented. Askani is from, I forget the exact city, but from around Baltimore. Louis Mackey is from Illinois. Grevious Bodily Harm is out from the UK. I forget exactly how we came together, but I guess we just respected each others work, I can say that for everybody. We recently were going to do a group project. Louis Mackey is currently dealing with some school issues, but that should work itself out. Together we don't really have a name, we just call ourselves the "Clique". We've been pretty much appearing on each others projects. Grievous just dropped an EP which I'm featured on, Askani is working on a project that I'll be featured on. Both will both be on the second project. That is like my tight nit rhyming family right there. They were people I wanted on the album, it wasn't I just reached out to whoever, they are part of the family.
W: I'm sure every track is important to you, but do have one track that means more to you or stands out more than the others?
WX: I don't know if I can pick a particular personal favorite. I can pick tracks that I had the most fun making. I loved making "Mentally Unstable" with AnP. That was just a monster of a track and we just let loose of our inhibitions and just spoke our mind. Obviously I loved "You Can't Hide", I love posse tracks anyway. Every once in a while, I can hop on those and test my skills. Actually come to think of it, my favorite track on the album is "Road to Redemption", the last track, not counting the bonus track. After all the bull of the whole concept of me speaking my mind and troubles, it's that little ray of light at the end of the tunnel. It's me opening up, expressing my gratitude at the same time letting know people that through all of this, those that stuck by me I really appreciate it. It's not taken for granted. The whole track is serving gratitude to all that I've been given despite what I've been through.
W: You also have the new Basic Weaponary EP, which out for free download with Basic....
WX: Yeah, Basic is my homie from here, in the 818. We are actually apart of another group, with Baisc, myself and Apoetnomadali. The group is called Basic Poetry X. It's also a hip hop group, but it's more focused on the Iranian-American demographic. We do stuff on that side as well. We are in the process of recording that album. That's how I got to know Basic. We have a strong friendship. The EP basically came about when our friend and partner was going through a really tough time, it was kind of difficult for him to make music. He is also down in Orange County, more than an hour away, while Basic and I both live in the San Fernando Valley in the 818. We figured to keep the name going and out there, we'd combine our talents and get together for an EP. Not just for the promotion, although it's a good way to do it, but to combine our fan bases and give the people back something. I'm not going to get rich off of my album. I'm trying to make back whatever I can, at least break even or a little extra would be cool. We really just wanted to have fun with it. Basic also happens to be Iranian-American, in case I didn't mention it. We had fun with a lot of the tracks. It's a dope project. We just wanted to make it fun, which wasn't always the case on our individual albums. So far, it's been accepted very well.
W: How does the internet affect an artist such as yourself, the "Starving Artist"? You hear a lot of debate, does it help the small artist, does it hurt the small artist, what's your thoughts?
WX: It depends on where you are in your career. Obviously, the options on the internet are ever changing. It happens on a day to day basis. For an underground hip hop artist, yes it does take a bit of money out of our pockets, alright, it takes a lot of money out of our pockets, we're not talking just a little bit. Unless you are a Canibus, or Chino XL or a well known underground artist, and even them such as the case of Kool G Rap, who has kind of been lost in the shadows, the internet helps with letting people hear music they won't on the mainstream platform, or on the radio. It gives us the exposure we wouldn't normally have.
It has made making music more accessible. Everyone with a microphone in their home can make an album these days. Everyone can be a producer or an MC now. Yes, it's hurting us with over saturation and exposing us to a bunch of crap. I don't want to be disrespectful to anyone, but you know, rapping is probably not for them. It hinders in that way. But for the established artist or the ones that sincerly have talent, it helps us by expanding the our fan base and getting our music to people who might not have otherwise heard it. They don't play a lot of music from someone like me, or Ras Kass, or even Crooked I. The internet helps keep it going, otherwise there would be no medium for people to hear some of the music. It's keeping a lot of the original culture alive, from the music aspects. Without the internet, radio would probably just wash it all away. The original essence of culture would be lost. But yes, we are taking a hit though there is no doubt about it.
W: How much has it helped you personally, because I know your album leaked on the internet as well.....
WX: Oh yeah, I certainly do. I may not be making a whole lot of money, let's face it. Considering this my first album, I didn't stand to make a whole lot of money anyway. I'm not a signed artist, I'm not even signed to an indie label. Any money I make off of grinding it, I appreciate it. At first I was like "Ahhh, the album leaked!", now I look at it and people are enjoying the music and I got a bigger fan base. Since this is an issue in the industry anyway, people are going to download your album, the real money is to be made doing shows. The more people that hear my album and like it, the more people that are likely to come to the shows and watch me rock the stage. That part is not really hurting me at all. If the album wasn't available on line and I was just hustling out of my backpack, which is no shame in that, I do that all the time, but if it was just based on word of mouth, it'd be a lot harder, no doubt about it.
W: What do you have going on the future?
WX: Obviously there is going to be a second LP. I've had enough positive feedback and people wanting the music, I feel confident going through with a second album. I mean, I'd probably would have done it anyway, but just kept it to myself, but the music is obviously being appreciated. I'm working on the details as I go along.
As far as other projects, I'll be working on the Basic Poetry X album. That's in the very near future. We are going to get started on that very soon. It'll be aimed at the middle eastern demographic, but it'll still have a very strong hip hop influence. Then there is something have in the works, in it's beginning stages. As it stands right now, Grievious Bodily Harm and I will be doing a collaborative album, going on the name of Eastern Condors. The concepts and are being worked out. In between that sometime, I'm going to release another EP for the people just for the hell of it. It'll be a solo EP, just working on it. Don't know what I'm going to call that one as of yet. Who knows what else, but you'll catch me on people's albums. I'm willing to be a '98 Canibus and show up on people's albums and just rip shit.
W: Alright, let's wrap this bad boy up, you got any last words?
WX:I'd just like to thank my family for being so supportive, My regular affiliates, AnP, Mayo, Askani, Mackey, and GBH along with my boys APNA and Basic. I also want to thank you all at Wake Your Daughter Up for giving me the opportunity to partake in this interview and speak
my mind.In addition want to thank everyone along the way thats supported me and my music this far, it's because of you I do this. Lastly for those who are just getting acquainted with me you can hit up my myspace at www.myspace.com/wxmc and feel free to download the Sleepless Sessions EP for free as well as cop the album Portrait of a Starving Artist. Myself as well as other, indy artists really put a lot of work in our craft and we don't have a whole lot of cash to do it with so every little bit of support helps. Support Real Hip Hop and lets keep the culture alive.
6/18/2008
Top 10 Spins
It's time again for one of my bi monthly hip hop charts return. I'm really trying to keep with all the music dropping lately. I can't say hip hop is as good as it used to be, but there is a lot of "good" music out there, more than I can my tabs on. While there is a lot of "good" music out there, I've been stuck in some of my favorite albums of late. Sometimes I get stuck on certain albums, just because I don't feel like trying to digest something new. Ahhh the life of a hip hop head.....
Tracks
10. (TIE) Abdominal - Pedal Pusher & Father Jah - 5 Fingers
Abdominal comes to me from my T.Dot connections. I remember this album from last year, but I'm not sure if I ever listened to it or not. I suppose I should pull it out and see if the rest of the album is good as this track. The subject matter is not your traditional hip hop fare, but it sounds good. The beat is done by Ugly Duckling's Einstein, who I've always been a fan of.
Father Jah is one of those multi dimensional cats from the south. His music contains a little bit of everything, from the dirty south style, to straight up battle rap, to an almost NC sound. While I'm not as crazy about him as my man A-One, I do think the cat has extreme talent, although he might not always be my thing. This song, "5 Fingers" is my type of thing. Jah does his thing lyrically, as he flows along with a hard edged track that has a great electric guitar sample.
Father Jah
Abdominal
9. Rashid Hadee & Analogic - Explode
I've grown pretty tired of the whole "soul" sample movement, just because everyone and their dog is doing it. There are still some good "soul" productions out there, and this happens to be one of them. Rashid Hadee is one of those cats I keep waiting for to "blow up" on the underground scene, but just hasn't gotten over that hump as of yet. Analogic is a producer that keeps gettting his name out there and sounds good everytime I've heard one of his beats. This track is just a great combination of both artists strengths.
Rashid Hadee
Analogic
8. Yameen feat Maylay Sparks - The Atmosphere
My man Stinke aka Yameen has dropped an album that I would totally expect not too like, yet I've given it more than just a few spins this past week. I guess my older age has expanded my musical tastes a little more. With Maylay Sparks on the mic, it was the song that grabbed my attention before even listening to it. Maylay was down with Ill Advised back in the day, a group that I'm always on the look out for more music. This is something different, and that's something I've been bitching about a lot lately, nothing is "different". This is "different".
Yameen
7. Soul Occs feat Punchline - Dedicated to the B's
WYDU's on SoulClap graces the countdown with his rhyming partner, Tony Tigerstyle and special guest, Punchline on "Dedicated to the B's". I ain't going to lie, I begged Clap for an mp3 of this track when I first heard it a couple months ago. Clap is at his best here and Tony does his thing as well. Very smooth track, that should be in the top 100 at the end of the year. If this didn't make the album, then I can't wait to see what did.
Soul Occs
6. Freddie Joachim feat Aloe Blacc - 24 Hours
My man Names from Brews Rhymes With Crews put me on to this cat, and it's a good thing. I have to admit, this particular song sounds more like an Aloe Blacc track from his last album than anything else. That is alright by me, since I've always dug Aloe Blacc solo or as part of Emanon. Good track for those are into the light, mellow sounds of "adult contemporary" hip hop.
Freddie Joachim
5. Basic Weaponary - Lockem In
Basic Weaponary is my man Weapon X and his partner Basic. I'm a sucka for songs with angelic strings, and that's exactly what this song has. They are crazy. The track actually reminds me a lot of something you'd hear from Jedi Mind Tricks, with that gruff tone and flow. They both hold their own on the mic, thankfully, but the beat is the highlight for me, and that's not taking anything away from Weapon X and Basic.
Weapon X
4. Has-Lo & Small Professor - Molotov
Cocktails
Has & Small Pro might as well become official spokesmen for this blog, or they should just hire me for their promotion team. I'm sure you'll see more from both of these Philly cats in the very near future on WYDU. I'm not thru trying to convince my readers that both of these cats deserve the their valuable iPod space. Small Pro turns what was probably my least favorite from the original conception of "Fuck Has Day" and turns it into my favorite track found on the "Remixed But Still Fucked" version. Stay tuned, more to come from these two.
Has-Lo
Small Professor
3. eMC - Leak it Out
I'm still playing this album almost four months after it was released in retail, and five months after the "leak". I guess this album is just that good, or this year is that boring, or maybe a little of both, but my plays resurged after they released "Leak It Out" as a single. It was already one of my favorite tracks from The Show, but with a video, it made it come back some. Now if I could just figure out who the EXTREMELY hot chick is on their myspace default photo, I could die a happy man.
eMC
2. ST - Miss Beautiful
Myspace is good for something after all. Last week a group from Alabama of all places requested me as a friend. I don't really turn anyone down, because really, why is that big of a deal? But I check their music just to see what it's like. When I went to ST's (pronounced Esss Teee), Miss Beautiful was the track playing and it immediately grabbed my attention. So much so, I went and bought the track off of their snocap store....and I don't do that if it isn't the Smile Rays or K-Def. I'm not going to say this is on some "next shit", cause it's not. It's just good music and I'm a-ok with that.
ST
1. Hip Hop - Mr. Green & Pacewon
I was a HUGE Outsidaz fan back in the day, with Young Zee and Pacewon being my two favorite members. I've enjoyed Pace's solo material, although besides a couple 12 inches, not a lot of it made much noise. I'm hoping that changes with the release of his colabo album with Mr. Green. Yes, we've probably had our fair share of "hip hop" is great and reminiscing type of songs, but if it's good, it's good and this is....well, it's great.
http://www.myspace.com/paceandgreen
5/21/2008
Hump Day Freebies
I actually had a couple posts I thought about putting up this morning, but when it came down to finishing them up last night, I just didn't have the mojo. So, I'll fall back on some of the fear stuff that I've either stumbled across or had sent to me.
Sankofa is one of those dudes that I actually probably should apologize to. He sent me his CD, The Tortoise Hustle, right around the time I was in the middle of my three state move back in October and I never got around to doing a review of it. It was actually a good album that kept Sankofa in my "artists to watch" file. Thankfully, he sent me this download of some new tracks. Good stuff here.
New Basic Weaponry EP Free!
Weapon X and Basic are two artists out of the LA area. I mentioned Weapon X's album, Portrait of a Starvin' Artist, in my top 20 albums of the first quarter (and will undoubtedly be higher in the half way point) so there is a curiosity factor on this one. I hope to have more of Weapon X in the future.
Too Short Graces the Stage for Scion “Live Metro” May Concert Tour
Don’t Miss Connie Price and the Keystones and DJ Eleven
Live in Minneapolis, Columbus, St. Louis and Chicago
Scion invites music lovers in Minneapolis, Columbus, Ohio, St. Louis and Chicago to join the excitement as some of today’s greatest talents perform live on one stage.
Scion “Live Metro” concerts are free and open to the public. In order to gain access to these events, attendees must RSVP at www.scion.com/livemetro
“Live Metro” events signify Scion’s commitment to the urban
music-minded community through live tours that travel to select markets nationwide. Each event brings artists together from different genres of music – hip-hop, funk and live remixes – to create a unique and complimentary experience for audiences, while supporting the innovative collaborations between music’s best emerging and established talents.
Up-coming Scion “Live Metro” dates and locations:
· 5/26, 10:00 p.m. – 2:00 a.m. - Minneapolis at the Varsity Theater 1308 4th Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414
· 5/27, 10:00 p.m. – 2:00 a.m. - Chicago at The Metro 3730 N. Clark St. Chicago, IL 60613
· 5/28, 10:00 p.m. – 2:00 a.m. - Columbus at Skully’s 1151 N. High St. Columbus, OH 43201
· 5/29, 10:00 p.m. – 2:00 a.m. - St. Louis at Old Rock House 1200 S. 7th St. Louis, MO 6310
