We just lost one of the great American artists. Gil Scott’s music is timeless and, sadly, his views seem to only get more relevant. So much joy and pain in his music. This video really captures that physical and emotional landscape. I really hope his final resting is more peaceful than his life here

The Eminem vs Benzino beef boiled from 2002 to 2005. Benzino started it off with “I Don’t Wanna,” and it spiraled into a series of responses and counter responses that included “Pull Your Skirt Up,” “Look Into My Eyes,” “Die Another Day,” and a bunch more from Benzino; and “Bully,” “Nail in the Coffin,” “Like Toy Soliders,” and this song from Eminem, which I think is the best of the bunch. I can only assume that Benzino thought a beef with Eminem would boost his profile. It doesn’t seem like a good to start shit with one of the best battlers ever, and the threats of violence in Benzino’s songs don’t seem legal, let alone advised.

Most of Benzino’s problem seems to be that Eminem is taking attention away from minority rappers. While I understand that, Benzino — co-ownerr of Source Magazine for some time — wasn’t exactly a minor player. And most people in rap respected Eminem for his skills. I do think it’s interesting that there hasn’t really been another big white rapper since Eminem. Any thoughts on why? Who do you think won this?

Eminem: The Sauce (Benzino Diss)

MF Doom, Cee Lo, Danger Mouse… the track’s as good as you expect. Doom remains one of the best rappers in the game –  the rhymes start masterful on this and stay that way. Danger Mouse does it up right with the creeping bass, snares, and piano hits. And Cee Lo croonin on it. Not relevant to this track exactly, but I can’t pass  up this opportunity to mention that I think Cee Lo is one of the best rappers ever and I wish he’d go back to rapping. First time I heard this, Kid Cut Up played it at B-Side. If you like rap music at all, you owe it to yourself to check out his new mixes.

DANGERDOOM: Benzie Box

This is the intro to Donnis’ 2009 mixtape Diary of an ATL Brave. The mix has a few hot tracks, but I love the production and rhymes on this. Signed to Atlantic in 2010, it’ll be interested to see where Donnis’ career goes. On one hand he came up in Atlanta, opened for guys like T.I. and a more recent mixtape was hosted by Clinton Sparks; on the other, Donnis toured with Bruno Mars in 2k10 and makes a reference at the beginning of this 2k9 track to being annoyed at hipster labels.

Donnis: Beginnings

The Roots are most definitely the hardest working band in the rap music business. Not to mention one of the only actual bands. “Next Movement,” from the killer Things Fall Apart, is heavy duty. Possibly the first Roots songs to feature scratches — via fellow Philly native DJ Jazzy Jeff (one of my favorite DJs) — the song bangs hard. Black Thought kills it. Listen hard and listen often.

The Roots: Next Movement

I’ve got a half-ass story about this song and a Mumia protest in Philly maybe 12 years ago. It involves broken glasses, 45/48 hrs on a bus, freestyling in a truck stop parking lot, and an unfortunate turn of events at an Iron Skillet because of said broken glasses and a friend who was on a brief hunger strike. But that’s not the point. Mumia Abu-Jamal, has had a small bit of good luck and/or justice. Listen to the song. Get the full news at the always excellent Democracy Now: Court Rules Mumia Abu-Jamal’s Death Sentence is Unconstitutional, Grants New Sentencing Hearing. A better move would’ve been releasing him, granting a full pardon, and paying a huge chunk of money in restitution for what was probably wrongful imprisonment for 27 years. But this is something.

KRS-One ft. Channel Live: Free Mumia

Nine aka 9MM aka Nine Double M hit hard with underground classic Nine Livez. A year later he dropped his second album, Cloud 9. I’m a sucker for piano beats, and this one’s a certified neck snapper. After 1996, he wasn’t heard from again til the release of Quinine in 2009.

Nine: Lyin' King

Another epic entry in da art of storytelling category. In “Streets of New York,” Kool G, in the words of Havoc, one of the many rappers influenced by him, “paints a picture clearer than a mirror.” One of the most visual rap songs ever. A powerful historic, literary, and musical document.

Kool G Rap: Streets of New York

Gil Scott-Heron’s music and writing always resonates with me, but especially now, as we face this bullshit with Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, and the progressive dismantling of the laws and regulations that protect Americans and American workers — rights that were bitterly fought and sacrificed for — his music hits home (where the hatred is) even more.

Great beat, great rapping, MOP as reliable and badass as always. This may be splitting hairs, but for a song named Worldwide, all the geographical shoutouts are in the continental United States. Whatever, sometimes we’re all Georgians, and sometimes we’re all Cincinnati niggas.

Royal Flush ft MOP: Worldwide Pt. II