Bronx Bomber puts stamp
On dopest beats heard thus far
I miss the 80s

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Just missed it this year.  Try and prove me wrong.

In all seriousness, I’d like to send a belated congratulations to some good folks I’ve gotten to know in the raposphere: the boys at The Smoking Section, Riz over at The Rap Up, internet celebrity Dallas Penn, Ivan over at Hip Hop Is Read,  Jason at T.R.O.Y. blog and LowKey and Obese over at UHTN.  Well deserved.

As with some other commentators, I take issue with VIBE’s incredibly wide definition of a “Hip Hop blog”.   In fact, I would argue that the entire NMC roster are not blogs.  They post content, not opinion (OK, occasionally Eskay will drop an op-ed). I’m not hating at all.  Should they be in the top 5 or 10 rap websites?  Definitely - if only based on how many Xerox websites that straight up copy their format and content are out there. Read more…

I’m an 80’s baby, so I obviously found this appealing - Donny Goines channeling Judd Nelson as Bender from the 80’s classic The Breakfast Club.  In fact, I’d cop this joint just for the cover alone.

I guess Goines didn’t have much of a choice on which character to dress as.  Not sure if it would of had the same effect if he dressed as Brian or Andrew.

Creative cover art aside, hard working MC and all round dope fellow Goines is worth listening to.  Album drops May 19th.

They say confession is good for the soul. Today we offer another installment of The Confessional, an ongoing feature on Your Favorite White Boy, where your man B-Double will be confessing certain things that he would not dare bring up in the company of his hip-hop brethren.

Bless me Reverend Run, for I have sinned.

It’s been way too long since my last confession.

As many heads know, Asher Roth got everybody all in a lather when he updated his Twitter status and tried to clown Don Imus.  Here’s the screenshot courtesy of Eskay:

Like most rational people, I figured Mr. Roth didn’t use the latest in social networking applications to inform everyone he’s a closet racist who loves rap music.    But I also understood the situation because a few months back I did the same thing.  Peep game: Read more…

Look, I understand that the music industry is a tough place to be right now.  Album sales are down, label pressure is up and every artist is expected to post Weezy numbers.  In a bid to sell enough albums that their A&R still returns their calls, rappers are looking for any way to keep their name in people’s mouths and on their computer screens.

But it is starting to get ridiculous.  I can’t go 2 minutes without getting a new video, song or mixtape jamming up my inbox.  So, as a public service to all the other bloggers, web site owners and readers alike, here is my advice to rappers and their marketing reps.  Summary: sometimes, less is more.  Get me?   In any event, let me serve it up:

1.  Trailers for music videos

There was a time when debuting a new video on TRL or BET (when they still played videos) was a major marketing activity.  It was the visual interpretation of your artist’s product and can help build buzz. But creating a trailer for your own 3+ minute video is just madness.   Your director is not Francis Ford Coppola and you definitely are not Al Pacino.  Let’s keep things in perspective.

2.  Calling Your Album A “Classic”

The homie Guy Fawkes over at Hip Hop Head touched on this as well, but too many of your favorite rappers are putting their album title and the word “classic” in the same sentance.  I realize that rap was built on bragging, but only fans can dub product worthy of such a title.

Even worse is when you’re throwing that word around and the only person who’s heard your joint is you.  Its called managing expectations.  And keep your label from hyping you up to fail.  Who thinks Pray IV Reign fits that title besides Dame Dash?  Steve Rifkind calling Asleep In The Bread Isle a Top 5 album?  With a straight face?  Uh, yeah.  Read more…

Its becoming a bit of an epidemic. Industry cats biting independent folks. This time, its the good folks over at Hot 97 doing their best impression of the Rosenthal Brothers at Its The Real. Now, I’m not some agent of the ITR folks. I know they have no beef with Rosenberg et al. In fact, he has appeared in their videos.

I just can’t help notice that the raposphere seems to be a testing ground for concepts that then get snatched up if they prove successful. Of course, I’m starting to sound like a broken record on biting, but it was the first thing I thought of when I saw the above video.

I’m just saying.

Via the homie Guy Fawkes over at HHHead comes the Smirnoff Signature Mix Series remix of the seminal hip-hop classic “Criminal Minded.”  With Premier on the beat and the wheels, KRS provides an update on where things have been since he dropped his first joint that began his path to legendary status.

I’ve seen a few of these remix tracks and it seems that heads come down on one of two positions: you’re cool with them or you think that you should never touch a classic hip-hop track.  I have to say I come down hard on the latter side - you should never, ever, ever remix a “hall of fame” type song - especially if its yours.  Maybe that’s part of why I though this tribute sucked so badly.  Read more…

THE STREETS SAY: 3.5 out of 5

Sketches of My Soul: (4 out of 5)

Summary: “Asleep in The Bread Aisle is definitely an acquired taste. Asher jumps through numerous topics throughout the album, but at the end of the day, this album is simply about having fun. There are few weak records on the album (the generic “Blunt Cruisin” and “Bad Day”, which features a horrific hook by Jazze Pha), but Asher Roth delivers with a promising, yet unorthodox debut. While the Eminem comparisons surely will not stop, Asher has quietly shown that the only ways the the two are alike are “they have the same complexion and similar voice inflections”.

The Smoking Section (3.5 out of 5)

Summary: “Asleep In The Bread Aisle offers up an euphonic musical experience from a promising Hip-Hop artist. While there’s plenty of room for growth and maturity, Asher Roth’s slacker mentality validates the stoner’s pass to thrive in the game for future endeavors.” Read more…