Method Man / Redman show @ Jannus Live

Determined to make the most of my Halloween weekend I kicked things off with a trip down to Jannus Live (which will always be Jannus Landing to me) and caught the Method Man / Redman show appropriately dubbed Smoke-A-Ween.

Conventiently priced at $18 (even though with stupid ass Ticketmaster my shit came to $26!!!) this was a can't miss show for Bay Area hip hop heads.

I showed up around 9 pm and witnessed the scariest site a 90's hip hop fan could lay eyes on, a "metrosexual boy band"! My first impression was what the fuck? Then after a few minutes of listening to this gay ass bullshit my next reaction was why the fuck aren't fans storming the stage with pitchforks and torches? Then I realized everybody was high and had no idea what was going on anyways, far as they were concerned it was Howard The Duck onstage or something.

From here on things steadily improved. The next act although almost equally as gay but not quite as metrosexual or boy bandish took the stage and tried to swoon the audience with their own unique brand of lyrical white boy bullshit. The lone black guy in the group was dope though so props to him. The other two guys just looked akward. With so much local talent in the area it is tragic that Jannus allowed some fratboys from Orlando to pay their way to opening for Meth and Red but whatever. Which is all this was. Some kids who use daddies credit card to swipe their way to the top....of the toilet!

One of the shows highlights was the costume contest. I wish I had been closer to the stage to snap some pics but I chose to spend the evening posted up on a wall near the wall throwing down $5 drinks. One girl just used the opportunity to get on stage and dance like a stripper (which was the fucking bomb!), another guy dressed as Redman from "How High" with a B.U.F.U. outfit but the crowd favorite were the two guys dressed as a sack of weed and a blunt. It was an epic costume to say the least.

The dj at the show was a little lame. It is normally standard precedure at these 90's rap shows for the likes of local legend DJ Sandman to rock the stage with a variety of old school jams. I've become so used to his sets that now days I look forward to what gets played before the show almost as much as I do for the main act. This guy was no DJ Sandman. It was tragic to hear Lil Wayne and other mainstream friendly crap to be used at such a show.

Thankfully all was not lost, DJ Sandman did arrive eventually along with the lovely and talented indie local artist Dynasty. He opened the Dynasty set with the theme from John Carpenters Halloween which earned him extra cool points from me. Then followed it up with Mobb Deeps classic "Shook One's Pt 2" to warm up the crowd. I swear the place almost exploded when this record came on. Dynasty's performance was charasmatic as usual. It won't be long before this chick is headlining her own shows.

Finally Method Man and Redman hit the stage about 10:30 and did a hell of a show until close to midnight. The only problem is that the majority of fans at the show aren't really Red and Meth fans. They are more like Wu-Tang fans who came to see Method Man, Redman is sort of the bonus to sell a few more tickets because there is no way that in the present day Meth could pack a crowd in this area without a little help.

Since the majority of people there really aren't fans of the duo's collaborative efforts it makes the audience a little stale until they hear tracks they are familiar with. The songs that recieved the most energy back from the crowd were Meths more popular solo efforts and ofcourse the M-E-T-H-O-D Man (you can hear that song instantly in your head right?).

Thing is, when I see these guys on stage as much fun as they appear to be having they also make it look like a job. Like they don't enjoy themselves being rappers anymore. I'm guessing part of that is a disconnect from their fanbase. Two black guys from the New York / New Jersey area are probably a little dumbfounded as to who all these college aged stone white kids are at their shows.

Not only that, both of these guys careers are shackled by the influence of The Rza. Method Man because The Rza militantly crafted the Wu-Tang brand and early careers of the groups members leaving them very little lee-way to branch out and market themselves to their own liking. Redman has always been stuck because without his collaborations with Method Man his career would have disappeared into the ether many moons ago. So both are essentially playing a role that is paying their bills but at the same time not necassarily representative of who they truely are.

One thing that bugged me a little bit was the smug elitism spewed by both of these guys on stage. Normally this type of talk doesn't bother me that much because who the hell am I to talk, right? Thing is, everytime Method Man publicly opens his mouth and lets loose his opinion (the Waka Flocka controversy for example) he always winds up retracting himself then appologizing. Not to mention all of his bullshit cameos on lame TV shows and movies (Soul Plane anybody?). Don't even get me started on the low quality of his solo albums. So for him to stand before a crowd of made up mainly of white kids and talk about the sad state of modern hip hop is a bit insulting. Same goes for Redman who had the most to say on the state of hip hop. Who is he to talk after collaborating with the likes of Christina Aguillera and doing modern day minstral shows like the movie "How High" and the stupid Fox show "Method and Red" which was cooning to the twentieth degree.

After the show I was kind of shocked by how tight security was. I've seen quite a few shows at Jannus and the artist are typically friendly enough to do some type of meet and greet with fans afterwords. Hell after the Wu-Tang show Rza and Ghostface handed out pizza and KFC. Public Enemy let everybody backstage and even Big Daddy Kane was kind enough to pose for pictures. Hell a bum I met outside showed me a picture on his phone of him and Young Jeezy!

Method Man and Redman though had the place on lockdown like they were Paul McCartney and John Lennon or something. It may be standard procedure for police to be present at these shows but this was outrageous. Both artist ran as quickly as possible to their tour bus and got out of there asap. How lame. Especially considering these guys cult following you'd think by now they'd have built some type of rapport with their fans through signing autographs, etc. Hell, they could even do what Tech Nine does and just charge a minimal fee after the show for a meet and greet.

Anyways, it was a dope show. Definitly worth the money. Hopefully soon the whole Wu-Tang Clan will make a return to Jannus. One member just isn't enough.

Luther "Luke" Campbell Speaks Out Against NYC Mosque

This one is completely mind boggling. Hip Hop smut peddler and one time champion for free speech Luther "Luke" Campbell has come out in opposition of the New York City "Ground Zero" Mosque because in his opinion Muslims are exploiting our kindness and no different then the KKK.

I'm confused over this for alot of reasons. First and foremost isn't this the same guy who released the song "Banned In The USA"? That is one of my all time favorite records and if memory serves the theme was that here in the United States regardless of ones race, religion or political beliefs we are all protected under the first amendment to enjoy whatever sort of language we choose regardless of how inflamatory it is.

It also seems to me that Luke is big on opinion and short on facts. Not only is the mosque nearly six blocks away from ground zero, there is another mosque already five blocks away and the World Trade Center itself had a mosque inside of it. Is he saying that the Muslim population that works and lives in this region have no right to freely worship in a location that is convenient to them? Give me a break, maybe Luke is also opposed to the street vendors selling hot dogs next to Ground Zero because they may be undercover terrorist.

I wonder how Luke feels about islams influence over hip hop music itself. One could certainly make the arguement that it was muslims who laid the foundation for the culture Luke would eventually get rich from. Not to mention Luke came up when most artist were affiliated or influenced by organizations like The Five Percenters and NOI. Islams relationship to the black community is something that goes back to pre-slavery. I guess what I am wondering is if this has something to do with Islam as a whole or is Luke singling out muslims from the middle east in particular.

Im not hating on Luke but i have to wonder why a guy who made his living off of sexually charged rap lyrics and strip clubs is taking sides in a controversy that really has nothing to do with him or his business. Especially when the same people bashing the mosque are the same ones who would like to see him put out of business.

Craziest thing is, the biggest supporter of the ground zero mosque may be none other then Luke himself. Lyrics from Banned In The USA.

Luke's speech:

What is this?? Is this not America? This is not China! This is not Russia! This is not the place where they brought down the wall, this is America!

We have the right to say what we want to say, we have the right To do what we want to do, and what I do in my house, You might not do in your house! So what I do in my house is my business! And the simple fact Of it all is that we are BONDED by the First Amendment! We have the Freedom of EXPRESSION! We have the freedom of CHOICE!

And you, Chinese, black, green, purple, Jew, YOU have the right to listen to whoever You want to, and even the 2 Live Crew! So all you right-wingers, left- Wingers, bigots, Communists, there IS a place for you in this world! Because this is the land of the FREE, the home of the BRAVE! And 2 Live Is what we are!

Big Daddy Kane visits Jannus Landing!

Photos

- Big Daddy Kane performing

- Jannus Marquee

- Me with Big Daddy Kane

- Me with Dynasty aka The Femcee

I'll admit that throughout the years I have sort of neglected the work of Big Daddy Kane. I've never listened to any of his albums and couldn't really recite word for word any of his big singles.

It's nothing personal, just never got around to it.

Strangest thing is that Big Daddy Kanes verse on Public Enemy's "Burn Hollywood Burn" is one of my all time favorites. The line at the end of the song where he says, "aye yo I got Black Caesar back at the crib, ya'll wanna go check that out" kills me everytime.

Feeling as though I had been missing out, catching his show last Friday night at Jannus Landing seemed like a good place to start catching up.

Doors opened at 7 but the show technically didn't start til about 9:30. Which is fine by me, when I finally rolled in around 9 on a sugar high from Starbucks I found a spot in the back and chilled out to the wide variety of classic hip hop records being spun from the stage by DJ Sandman. Which to me is the best part of these old school shows. Sandman can always be counted on to set up the perfect vibe when waiting for a show to start.

The opening act was a local talent transplanted from New York (like everyone else here) named Dynasty who I had been hearing an awful lot about lately. Initially I had blown her off as another local backpack rapper yuppy trying to re-live the golden era artist that are a dime a dozen around here.

But a few things are different about Dynasty that peaked my interest, one is her DJ is Sandman, whose taste is good enough that I trust he wouldn't stand behind anything thats whack. And two, she has been garnering support by the likes of DJ Premier by getting spins on his radio show. A major accomplishment.

When I heard her rhyme I was actually sort of blown away by how raw her style was. This chick

could flat out rap. In fact, I will go so far as to say she is exactly what the mainstream hip hop scene is in desperate need of. Not only does she have the abilities to make it, she is naturally likable in a way that other female emcee's aren't. Almost like a Lauren Hill but meaner on the microphone.

Following the highly enjoyable set by Dynasty, the crowd was left in a state of confusion by the performance of Loyal. I have no idea of who Loyal is or where they came from or who they paid for the stage time, but they were worth seeing just for the experience of witnessing the akwardness of their performance.

They basically spent twenty minutes not rapping or rapping other peoples hit songs, then dancing provocatively on their male dancers. None of whom looked over 16 years old. The crowd was left looking confused and nobody really knew what to make of it.

Eventually around 11-ish Big Daddy Kane arrived and immediatly launched into a furious performance. I found it amazing that here is a man probably in his mid to late fourties rhyming three times faster and harder then guys half his age. Incredible!

Thankfully ticket prices for the show were only $15 because after about 25minutes Big Daddy Kane through down a couple of dance moves (which were quite impressive I must say) and abruptly ended his set before coming back out for a brief encore. Needless to say there were more then a handful of disappointed fans in the audience.

Ok, so normally this is were a person would end a concert review. But those of you that know me know how I like to take shit to the next level when I hit up a hip hop show.

Rather then go chase skirts on the streets of downtown St. Pete like a normal 26 yr old guy on a Friday night after a concert, I chose instead to wait for the security guard to turn his head and sneak backstage for photos.

What I got was something a little bit more special. After a few minutes of standing around outside of a door waiting for Kane to walk out, I was approached by none other then DJ Sandman who graciously introduced himself and invited me into the dressing room.

Inside the room standing around a table were Big Daddy Kane and none other then DJ Charlie Chase co-founder of the pioneering hip hop group The Cold Crush Brothers (Havn't ya'll ever seen Wild Style?!?). I basically just stood to the back, discussed hip hop fandom with a kid who's name unfortunatly escapes me at the moment and chilled out listening to the stories being told by Kane and Charlie Chase. It was crazy.

Just when I thought that things had died down, the kid who I was having the conversation with asked Kane to spit 16 bars for him. Kane obliged, spitting a mesmorizing politically tinged rhyme that wow'd the room. He then challenged the kid to spit 16, he accepted and laid down a nice verse. It was a little bit over 16 bars, prompting Kane to make a joke comparing the kid to Kool G Rap (what an honor to even be mentioned in the same sentence). Then Dynasty laid down some rhymes and I guess it must have been contagious because next thing I knew it seemed like the whole room was going in. Quite the experience to witness.

After that everybody said there goodbyes, I snapped some pics (unfortunatly not with Charlie Chase, but I'm sure there will be other chances) and escaped into the downtown night life.

Happy 15th Birthday to The Purple Tape!

(above is a shirt I had made with the album cover on it)

I've always read that this album is what they call a "grower", meaning it takes a few listens for the listener to truely appreciate what they are hearing. I can certainly attest to that. In my case it took roughly a half decade to recognize Raekwons "Only Built 4 Cuban Linx" as the masterpiece it is.

The story begins sometime around 2001 after I had prematurely retired my career as a high school basketball player, bored, unfocused and newly without any sense of a self identity. I discovered the tail end of the Wu-Tang Clans "Can't Go To Sleep" video on MTV 2. The soulfull samples, the witty consciousness of the rhymes, I was hooked. My collection of Wu-Tang albums steadily grew over the coming weeks and months, grabbing cd's anyway I could.

Back in the day there was a pawnshop my father used to frequent that had a whole wall of the store devoted to used CD's. They ran a deal that was three disc for fifteen bucks and if memory serves my purchases that day were the GZA's "Beneath The Surface" (which I think is better then people give it credit), something else and Raekwons "Only Built 4 Cuban Linx" which had almost zero appeal to me that day and was really only bought out of curiousity thanks to the hype surrounding it.

At the time the narrative of the album and the dark, overly gritty atmosphere were completely lost on me. My mind and ears just weren't ready for it. First of all because the street slang and five percent nation talk sounds like a foreign language until you catch a grasp of what they are actually talking about.

Anyways, there the album sat in my collection getting a few listens here and there until about 2006. Around that time I had delved further into my love of old cult flicks from the 70's and developed a insatiable appetite for ugly entertainment filled with profanity, violence and most of all, I do stress most importantly, it must look or sound dirty. Not dirty as in perverted, I mean dirty like scratchy. When I play a record I want it to sound like the speakers are burning and filled with dirt, the way vinyl makes a sound or old film crack on the screen. Only Built 4 Cuban Linx on that scale delivered in spades. The album is so grimy that every time I listen I feel the need to shower and rinse off a layer of filth. When this album finally clicked in my head and hit me, it hit hard like a smack to the face by a shovel.

As they say, the rest is history. Cuban Linx has recieved so many spins from me since 2006 that I had to replace my original copy with a new one because it had become unplayable. Next to Public Enemy's It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back, this is the most intricately perfect hip hop album ever produced (IMO). It is the standard by which I hold all other albums (hip hop or other) accountable too. Hell, it may even be the standard I hold most movies too. Easily the greatest gangster flick ever put on wax.

By far the most influential piece of art in my own personal life. To say that I love this album is an understatement. It is a testament to the greatness of the Wu-Tang Clan (In this case mainly Raekwon and Ghostface) and the genius of the Rza that 15 years later fans still celebrate the release of the album.

Eminem Sucks

Yeah that's right I said it.

With the upcoming release of his new album "Recovery" hitting shelves this Monday I am beginning to feel as though I am the only person not excited about this thing. A new Eminem album is the equivalent to a national holiday here in the United States. The guy is all over magazines, TV, radio, the internet, there is just no escaping the promotional machine for Eminem.

I know I will get attacked for asking this, but why? What is the big deal? His beats suck, his concepts are lame, his voice is annoying and his flow just ain't all that hot. He is this generations definitive cross over artist, appealing to both hip hop purist (some), soccer moms and everyone in between. When the reality is that he should be some niche genre artist with a cult fanbase at best, at worst just another aging back pack rapper with a Myspace page trying to recreate the golden age.

My feelings in regards to Eminems success have always been mixed. When I originally heard "My Name Is" it was a bit of a shock to see a white guy who kind of looked how I looked, talked like I talked and had a weird sense of humor similar to mine while being co-signed by the likes of Dr. Dre and played on MTV.

At the time things were different, if you were a white kid wearing white tee's and talking with an accent you were a bit of an outcast. The type of kid who skipped school, smoked weed and probably from a broken home. I was none of the above. But close enough to where I could easily relate to that crowd easier then the mainstream alternative.

Eminem was sort of like our anti-hero. He represented us in a way that had never been done before. White Americans have always had a counter culture figure to admire in some form or another but for my generation it had almost seemed impossible that our hero would emerge out of the hip hop scene, we were the types of kids nobody wanted to previously acknowledge existed. Americans have always liked their icons to have a little soul but not so much that they become dangerously "black".

And to me there in lies the problem with Eminem. As much as he represented a small minority of us, he quickly became the anti-anti-establishment. It wasn't long before the whole world was wearing their hair in a bleached ceasar and wearing white shirts. Rather then rebel in the fashion of someone who genuinly grew up admiring black culture and having a true love for hip-hop as he claimed, he instead allowed his people to crank up the promotional machine into overdrive and milk his cross over success for penny they could drip. The hell with bashing the Backstreet Boys, he was now on par with them.

So, to get back on point, what has Eminem done in the last ten years that is still worthy of his hype? Made one classic album, The Marshal Mathers LP, and five really crappy ones. Starred in a terrible racist biopic that should have been called Tarzan In Detroit. Was exposed by The Source Magazine as being a bigot when a tape he had recorded in his early twenties emerged of him bashing black women and calling blacks "ni**ers". Which ofcourse got swept under the rug by the mainstream media and resulted in the firing of The Source's co-founders Dave Mays and Raymond "Benzino" Scott from the magazine.

In ten years what has he done to make hip hop better? Think about how great the music was pre-Eminem then evaluate the quality of the ten years since. There is no comparison. For someone who is such a fond admirer of hip hops history how has he used his fame and exposure to make the culture better? Besides sign 50 Cent who's marketing campaign is that of Donkey Kong in a bulletproof vest. Why not sign someone with skill and talent as opposed to someone who is an easy sell.

When I look at the track listing for "Recovery" I think of everything that an album of this magnatude should be. Someone of Eminems stature could gather production and guest appearances from the best and brightest hip hop has to offer, he could provide the type of freedom in his rhymes that others are not allowed and attempt to usher in a new era of music, but he doesn't. Instead he gets a guest appearance from Lil Wayne and gets hooks from Pink and Rhianna. These are the types of gimmicks up and coming artist use to sell records. Not a guy who has sold eight hundred million units. Pathetic.

I could go on forever but I won't. On Eminems death bed I have no doubt that he will look back on his life and career and see that it was wasted. To me that is punishment enough. Hopefully he will just realize the error of his ways before it is to late and make amends for this. But I doubt that. Enjoy "Recovery".

RZA to direct Man With The Iron Fist!

The Rza, founding member and creative genius behind the legendary hip hop group the Wu-Tang Clan has just been handed over $20 million by Universal Pictures to shoot his kung fu epic The Man With The Iron Fist in China this September.

First off let me start by saying that this has got to be the most ambitious fanboy inspired project to come along since Grindhouse. Not only because it is being written and directed by The Rza, (who is also providing the soundtrack!) but because it was also co-written by none other then Eli Roth, the current king of nerdy gore flicks. What a combination, and if that wasn't crazy enough The Rza has apparently been training behind the camera over the years with the likes of John Woo and Quentin Tarantino (Rza contributed to the Kill Bill soundtrack).

All of this is fantastic news and I am no doubt excited, but I must admit that as a die hard Wu fan I am a bit skeptical.

There's no denying The Rza's genius, one only needs to listen to the early catelogue of the Wu for proof of that. Rza produced albums such as Raekwons "Only Built For Cuban Linx" and Gza's "Liquid Swords" were essentially movies in and of themselves, only on wax instead of film.

Problem is, that's The Rza of days long past. The grimey, grindhouse inhabiting fanboy that crafted classic album after classic album with a potent blend of capitalism, eastern philosphy and the influence of the five percent nation just doesn't exist anymore. Now days we are stuck with a Hollywood hippy that is a hack of his former self. Producing thrown together albums with luke warm beats and doing soundtracks for any bad movie that'll cut him a check.

As a fan I am really hoping this project works out, but I also know it is a matter of which Rza will show up. If we get the early to mid 1990's Rza then we will no doubt be in for a treat that should captivate audiences and possibly inspire more fanboy friendly films. On the otherhand, if we get the cgi friendly Rza of the 2000's who never met a movie like Blade 3 he didn't like, then we are all in big trouble.

Thankfully with Eli Roth overseeing the project things should work themselves out ok, and don't be surprised if Tarantino is lurking somewhere behind the scenes with a hand mixed up in this. Stay tuned.

Lampin Goes To Wildsplash 2010

To say that I dislike local "Hits" and "Hip-Hop" station Wild 94.1 would be an understatement of the worst offense. The lame rotation of simplistic brain candy aimed at immature teens, the corny white DJ's who may or may not be reading idiotic urban dialogue from a script. It's enough to make a hip-hop fan keel over in pain and hurl their intestines out.

So, it is with some irony that I write this article not as a long-winded rant in opposition of the corporate culture vulture, but as a newly won-over fan of the station thanks to their annual spring break Wild Splash concert held at Clearwater's beautiful Coachman Park. OK, maybe fan is too strong of a word.

How I got to this point is fairly simplistic. A month or so back, me, the wifey and some midgets won a free ticket to the event from Wild 94.1's promotional booth at the Tampa Bay Rays Fan Fest at Tropicana Field. Although I rarely listen to the station these days because of its nagging ability to make blood sweat out of my pores and shoot from my ears, I was still able to name three of the acts performing at this year's Wild Splash and win the free ticket. Only problem was there were two of us and just one ticket.

Although I procrastinated until the last minute, it wasn't a hard decision for me to purchase the second ticket. Not only did me and the misses need a day out and about, but I had been up to my neck swimming in vinegar at the meat-pickling factory while dodging doctors eager to squeeze puss out of my numerous skin infections. I needed an escape, and even though Wild 94.1 is the manifestation of nearly everything in this life I am morally opposed to, I figured, hey, if I can't beat them then I might as well join them. At least this once.

After making our way through the hordes of creepy cult members that occupy downtown Clearwater, we arrived just in time around 2:30pm to witness the first act to hit the stage, local artist Javon Black featuring Lil Kee. As a supporter of local hip-hop I will admit that neither Javon Black nor Lil Kee are really my thing, but boy can they make catchy tunes. I have little doubt that Javon Black is destined for stardom, or at least his fifteen minutes of fame. Their live show is on point and professional. Kicking things up a notch they brought out surprise guest Strizzo, a popular local artist known for his jook city schtick. These guys may not have the budget or national name recognition of the other artists, but they can kick start a party with the best of them.

Up next was a snoozer of a performance by Lil Wayne protege, Yo Gotti. Maybe I am a little bit of a biased hater but nothing about this guy appeals to me. It's like a rehash of a bad gimmick I have already seen done better and will probably see a hundred more times in the near future. To make matters worse he really only rhymed for about seven of the twenty minutes he was on stage. The rest of the time was spent playing lyrics from Drake and Lil Wayne. Or at least that's how I remember it.

Yo Gotti was followed up by Trina who hit the stage surprisingly early considering her star power. Like Yo Gotti she cop'd out by burning her time with Lil Wayne songs in between her attempts at sleep walking through her set. You know, it really says something about an artist's popularity when other artists they are not even associated with need to use your jams to hype up their crowd. Needless to say, Trina was a big disappointment, especially since she was one of the main artists I was looking forward to seeing.

The biggest surprise of the day came thanks to the tight jean wearing, bright color shirt rocking duo The New Boyz. I had previously passed these two off as nothing more than a couple of untalented teenage hacks. Man was I wrong, these kids are the real deal with the talent to go places. Sure, it's not really my thing, but I can understand their appeal to a younger demographic. Some of their older counterparts should be taking notes from these guys on how to properly wreck a stage.

We took a few minutes after The New Boyz set to soak in the picturesque view of the water from Coachman Park before indulging in some five dollar Budweisers while taking a stroll through the carnival-like atmosphere of the event. Several local artists were on hand to push their wares including Acafool who's underground hit Hata Blockaz has gained somewhat of a cult status around these parts. The main focus for me were the numerous scantily-clad women who had taken it upon themselves to entertain the crowds with their dancing. The misses obviously didn't appreciate this too much but that's what the five dollar beers were for. A fair trade-off if you ask me.

Also in attendance were the fine folks of the U.S. Army who in my humble opinion have no business at a hip-hop concert, especially on this, the eighth anniversary of the Iraq War, where so many of our fellow peers have been shuffled off to die for the interest of big business. I digress.

Around 5 in the afternoon, the very talented B.O.B. took the stage. I've been aware of B.O.B. for a minute but not really familiar with his stuff until seeing him live. What a brilliant all around musician who is severely under-appreciated. This guy plays the guitar, piano, you name it. Unfortunately, I got the impression from the crowd that this man's style was a bit over the audience's head. If a song isn't insulting towards women (black women, especially) about selling crack or getting drunk at a club then it probably isn't likely to get a very warm welcome from this station or its listeners. Thankfully, B.O.B. has managed to slip through the cracks with his hit single "Nothin' On You". I hope this man is given the opportunity to stay in the limelight and grow as an artist, because this is exactly what the music industry is in need of.

By the time B.O.B. finished his set it was noticeable that the crowds were growing anxious after a long day of standing in the sun in anticipation of headliner Plies. I myself was a mere seconds away from being vomited on by a girl who smashed into me on her way to the ground as she fainted. There were several such incidents just by where I was so I can only imagine what the rest of the park must have been like. It was obvious to me that much of the crowd were more familiar with a club atmosphere than that of a concert and completely out of their element. Especially the women in attendance who seemed more concerned with pulling each other's hair out and brawling like men then they were with having a good time. A theme that would be revisited on several occasions later in the evening.

As dusk approached, the artist I had anticipated seeing the most, Damian Jr Gong Marley came to the stage. Booked last minute as a replacement to dance hall artist Sean Paul, I considered this a huge upgrade. His father Bob (you may have heard of him) is one of the few musicians I can honestly say with a straight face has my utmost respect so it was an honor to say the least to be able to witness his seed carrying on his legacy with thought-provoking yet infectious grooves while carving his own niche. Damian really rocked the crowd, blending his set with his own songs and a few of his father's. I will say this, Damian doesn't look and sound just like his father, but when you are within feet of the stage it is pretty damn spooky how closely they resemble one another. He rounded out his performance with his two biggest songs to date, Road To Zion which sounds amazing live and the song I wish all hip hop sounded like, Welcome To Jam Rock.

Finally at around 8, headliner Plies was greeted by a raucous crowd of deranged women (if you want to call them that) and blood-thirsty teenage girls. In nearly every direction there were females pushing and pulling, cursing and fighting. It was pandemonium. He performed all of hit singles "Becky", "Medicine", "Buddies" and about a half dozen others before being joined on stage by label mate, Fella. About a half hour in, Plies noticed a young girl with a sign that said it was her birthday. He pulls her out of the audience, gives her the huge chain from around his neck plus his bracelet, then asked her what she wants for her birthday and hands her ten thousand dollars. I'm still trying to figure out how this guy turns on a profit on his shows just handing stuff out like that.

Anyways, all in all, Wild Splash 2010 was an amazing time, and most importantly, a revelation for what mainstream hip-hop should look and sound like. When I turn it on 94.1 with the exception of Old School Lunch and The Sunday Session, every hour is just a repeat of the same songs by the same artists doing basically the same whack style of music (if you want to call it that). On the flipside, Wild Splash, whether intentionally or not, was a colorful showcase of how diverse this hip-hop culture actually is. There is no reason the likes of The New Boyz and Trina cannot be played in the same hour along side Damian Marley and B.O.B. (B.O.B.'s more conscious stuff anyway).

Although I will probably remain an opponent of the station, as long as they continue to put on shows like this, I will be there. For a $22 ticket you just cannot find a better deal, especially when it comes with all the eye candy and second-hand smoke you can shake a stick at.

R.I.P. Guru

Written April 20, 2010.


Wow. I'm in a complete state of shock at the moment over word that legendary emcee Guru, one half of the iconic hip hop group Gangstarr is dead at the age of 43 after a battle with cancer. This is heartbreaking to say the least.

During times of tragedy and times of joy the lyrics of Guru, real name Keith Elam, have been there for me. It's hard to truly summarize at this moment because of all the emotions currently stirring, just how much this man's work has meant to me. He isn't alone in his efforts, I have plenty of favorite hip hop artists, each special to me in their own ways, but none have ever been quite as unique as Gangstarr.

I became a believer around 2001 after hearing a track by Gangstarr called "Above The Clouds" featuring Inspectah Deck off of the compilation CD Wu-Chronicles Chapter 2. The intro speech of President JFK over a jazzy DJ Premier beat and the lyrics by Guru would forever change how I viewed myself as a hip hop fan. I would later go on to collect much of the group's albums including such classics as Daily Operations and Moment Of Truth. Daily Operations, in particular, still receives a spin at least once a week.

What I loved most about Guru was his ability to never stay pigeonholed to any one style. The man could go from sounding as politically insightful as Chuck D in one song to sounding as smooth as Snoop Dogg in the next. I have a great deal of respect for Guru over the fact that he never needed to sell out and portray himself as anything other then who he was. Guru never had to run around in a bullet-proof vest disrespecting other artist and being a gimmick because he truly loved the craft of emceeing and allowed his lyrics to speak for themselves.

The Internet will be abuzz with conspiracy theories over Guru's troubled relationship with the other half of Gangstarr, DJ Premier, for years to come. I will reserve my theories on that out of respect for Guru and the legacy of Gangstarr, what's done is done. But I will say that it would have been nice to see the two reconcile before it had to come to this. Both are legends, Premier continues to be one of the top producers in the industry, but without each other they just seem incomplete. What a tragedy a partnership so beautiful had to die so miserably. That's just how these things go I guess, success has a way of changing relationships.

It is my hope that the death of Guru re-invigorates an interest amongst younger hip hop fans to explore an era from a not-so-distant past when hip hop stood for something both artistically and culturally. Regardless of what happens, Gangstarr will remain a staple of my collection for the rest of my life. Thank you to Guru for the many years of hard work that has been invested into the quality of his work, it will live on forever.

My 10 favorite Hip-Hop Films

My ten favorite hip-hop films. Here they are in no particular order.

Belly - 1998's Belly would bring together a who's who of hip-hop acting talent led by acclaimed music video Director Hype Williams for what is arguably the most underrated film of the 1990's and what I believe to be the peak of hip hop influenced cinema. I will never understand how film yuppies and art snobs could spend so much effort drooling over the likes of Tarantino, Kevin Smith and others from the '90's indie film boom yet sleep so hard on an incredible talent such as Hype Williams. The intro to Belly is the greatest four minutes of cinema ever filmed (or at least my favorite). Check it out.

Boyz N The Hood - This is the first movie I ever sat through in a theater solo. I was about eight years old and given the option of seeing either this or the other big film that weekend, The Rocketeer. Thankfully I made the correct choice and to this day I have yet to forget the experience of witnessing this masterpiece on the big screen.

Menace II Society - No such list would be complete without the inclusion of the Hughes Brothers. Before they were hacks making big-budget trash like The Book Of Eli, they were renegade filmmakers in their youth directing classics like Dead Presidents and most importantly, Menace II Society. This is probably the bleakest and most nihilistic film of its kind. Larenz Tate should have been nominated for an Academy Award for his role as O-Dog.

New Jack City - Scarface homages are a dime a dozen when it comes to hip-hop films. But none are quite as good as Mario Van Peebles' New Jack City. There is a lot to love about this film, but the greatest thing is the portrayal of a lovable crack head played by a then barely-known Chris Rock.

Do The Right Thing - Spike Lee's epic portrayal of a Brooklyn neighborhood on the edge of chaos is the granddaddy of all hip hop films. Not only is it absolutely brilliant, one of the greatest pictures ever made, it was also a vehicle used as a promotional tool by Nike to advertise the Air Jordan sneaker, creating one of the most genius marketing campaigns of all time. Of course, one cannot mention Do The Right Thing without also mentioning its soundtrack, in particular the greatest hip-hop anthem ever made, Public Enemies' "Fight The Power".

Juice - I have probably seen this movie a hundred times and everytime I expect to see a different conclusion. I have never really been into the music of Tupac Shakur (I always thought he was a hypocritical phony), but I give him props for his performance in this film as Bishop. Had the man lived I have no doubt that the sky could have been the limit in terms of his acting abilities.

Friday - No doubt the definitive comedy of this genre. As a lifelong Ice Cube fan I have always felt that he is at best when his surroundings are more down to earth and basic, whether it be his music or films. Friday is a perfect example. The thing that is so great about this movie is that anybody can sit down and watch it and still find it enjoyable whether they are fans of hip hop cinema or not. The only thing that sucks about this movie is that it is to blame for the successful mainstream explosion of Chris Tucker (who was brilliant in Dead Presidents and Friday but sucks in everything else).

He Got Game - As a teenager who lived and breathed on basketball courts, He Got Game maintains a special place in my heart. Not because it is such a good movie, but because it encompasses every single aspect of basketball culture, from the love of the game to our love of the apparel we wear playing it. Once again Nike manages to sneak in an Air Jordan commercial about half way through. They don't stop there though, nearly every classic sneaker that was released around this time period makes a cameo in this film, heck, even a pair of Kobe Bryant Adidas makes an appearance. Also worth mentioning is that Public Enemy re-united along with their production crew The Bomb Squad for all new material for the films soundtrack.

Don't Be A Menace - The Wayans were such an important part of my childhood that it would be almost criminal not to include something with them on this list. I remember back in the day when this was released I was almost terrified to go and see it in the movie theater. Having just seen movies like Pulp Fiction and From Dusk Til Dawn the Mirimax logo had an almost dangerous feel to it (mind you I was about eleven at the time), add onto the fact that this was a black movie and during this time in my cities history things were also a little tense. Nonetheless, my father forced me into seeing this opening weekend and to this day it is one of the funniest movies I have ever seen.

House Party - I was in the first grade (I think) the first time my parents let me rent this from the video store. At the time it was the greatest thing I had ever seen and probably rented it thirty more times back to back. I learned a lot from this film, all of which I'm sure has permanently scarred me in some way or another.