Dialectical Materialism, My Mello

I abhor consumerism, misogyny, and Black fratricide. Yet as the music on this page thus far clearly illustrates, I still garner much respect for and satisfaction from culture that coincides with these conditions.

For the saddening yet consistently reified fact is that contrary to privileged liberal revisionism, corporate boogeymen did not swoop down from the hills one day and poison the loving peaceful streams of consciousness flowing joyfully from the mouths and minds of rap's founders. Milk D threatened to smack women down on "Top Billin". The lower case g himself Rakim Allah stayed adorned in gaudy gold rope chains. Schoolly D waxed poetic about popping his gun the same year I was born. All these unsettling phenomena have existed in varying forms and been articulated repeatedly both within broad dimensions of modern life and the art that reflects/directs it. It's not as if rappers stopped advocating sexism, capitalism, and Afrikan genocide that these forces would cease or even lighten their spiritual, mental, and material burden. If that was the case my father's generation would be the shining pinnacle of revolutionary respectability, and they're certainly not. For better or worse, hip-hop has democratized the means of musical production, distribution, and subjectivity so that young Black and Latino men can develop and articulate our expressive potential as never before. Yet this does not mean that it's needed or beneficial for anyone, even ourselves, to listen. The true testament of its value is to be reflected in our actions towards and beyond oneanother, and our ability to ultimately maneuver the vehicle of rap to whatever lanes need to be explored towards more just lives.

So in the meanwhile, I will continue to promote that which I feel reflects the best that this form has to offer, even when its content may not coincide with the change I may want to see. Because as Huey Newton so wisely taught, it is within the crevices of such contradictions that truly innovative ideas trickle into action.

Plus most of that so-called conscious shit don't bang like it should. And I'll be damned if progress has to sound like pots and pans. Best believe most of those mediocre coffee shop dudes (*cough* Little Brother) really don't be sayin much of anything, they just don't say those things which trigger the hip-hop content cops (of either conservative or so-called revolutionary stripes).

The Coup - Not Yet Free:

Raw Footage

As any nucca between 16 and 25 in Philly will tell you, there are entirely too many rap DVDs. While they were originally innovative and captivating during the early 2000's, since the decline of Big Star's pioneering 2rawforthestreets series most are majorly trash. However, when all the planets align just right, the Philly rap DVD format can still capture the candid finesse and fury that inspires spitters to hit the lab twice as hard, fans to raise their standards twice as high, and a&rs to listen to the streets twice as deep.

Ceza - Headshot 3:

Case In Point: Saigon Interviews Himself

Sai Giddy interviewed himself about his favorite aspects of life and in the process transformed an old jingle used in Mazda commercials into a certified '04 mixtape banger. Lyrically dense? Nah. Creative without being corny? Absolutely.

"My Favorite Things"

Got The Whole Block Mad At Me...

Though today's top hit topography certainly suggests otherwise, at one time it was damn near blasphemous to bang down south music in the northeast. But my co-d Ross always knew what time it was. I ain't ashamed to say that "trill" was a part of our regular vocab back in '01. So of course you know my man had much love for the Slow Mo. This right here is a criminally slept-on banger that grows betters with age like a fine jailhouse fine. It truly embodies all that is so unique about the Block Beataz and their team: highly creative while refreshingly familiar, richly textured and diverse while retaining cohesion. And who knew anybody could flip SWV into somethin so cool yet sinister.

Without a doubt the perfect soundtrack to whippin the Cutlass Ciera down Broad Street late night in light rain with a choppa in the trunk. R.I.P./R.I.U. to the General.

"Doin My Dirt"

The Future Sound Right Now

My college was arguably the hipster capital of God's known universe. As such, I have had ample opportunity and exposure to their strange yet captivating ways. At said college, my room was arguably the northeast epicenter of Slow Motion Soundz, the best movement moving in rap since the Wu-bloodkin.

One day, a skinny white man known as Diplo brought them together in an 'awkward' embrace... but then, that embrace turned shockingly beautiful. and mo than a little freaky.

enter the bombastic bastard child that is "Bama Getting Money (Diplo Remix)".

Amen.