Hip Hop Is Read

They Reminisce Over You... Willie Mitchell

ivan1087@gmail.com (Ivan) — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 21:05:00 +0000

Willie Mitchell

(March 23, 1928 – January 5, 2010)

Hints of Assassination in Jay-Z’s Music Video?

ivan1087@gmail.com (Ivan) — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 22:17:00 +0000

Whether Jay-Z is a Mason or affiliated with the Illuminati is all speculative. It’s fun to talk about, I suppose, but it seems like a waste of time. For years now, imaginative people have pieced together lyrics and video imagery to conjure up theories about Jay-Z’s alleged occult activity. Some of it is fascinating. Often times, it’s ignorant as hell. For instance, a few years ago a preacher played a Jay-Z song for his parish. What he failed to mention was that it was actually a remix done by DJ Danger Mouse for The Grey Album. Clearly DM did it to stoke some false controversy; clearly he succeeded:

Others point to the diamond-shaped Roc hand sign as a symbolic representation of the Eye of Providence seen on dollar bills and in Masonic iconography. Like I said, it’s all speculative. It makes for fun conversation, but it’s nothing more than that. What interested me most about Jay-Z’s new “On to the Next One” video is a brief moment at the 3:39 mark. As Jay is reciting the line “Obama on the text”, a picture of a necklace depicting Jesus on the cross is displayed between a pair of bullets. What’s the purpose of this imagery? More specifically, why is it presented precisely after the Obama reference? Does Jay believe the president will be assassinated/martyred like Jesus?

To be sure, Jay-Z’s lyrics have always been deeper than meets the eye. An innocent verse to some can be perceived as a threat-filled subliminal assault to others. When do we know which is which? I might be reaching here, but who’s to say that “text” isn’t a double-entendre for “Tex”, short for “Texas”, an allusion to the murder scene of John F. Kennedy, the last U.S. president to be assassinated. We’ll probably never receive any explanation(s) for these inquiries because Jay-Z is such a tease. That being said, we can all expect these kinds of questions to not only linger but grow as well – as long as the answers continue to be withheld.

The Tape Deck '10: Volume #2

ivan1087@gmail.com (Ivan) — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 09:24:00 +0000

DJ Quik - Tonite | Insomniacs Club

ivan1087@gmail.com (Ivan) — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 05:30:00 +0000

One of my favorite DJ Quik tracks, "Tonite" samples the same two songs (Kleeer's "Tonight" and Betty Wright's "Tonight is the Night") as 2Pac's Easy Mo Bee-laced "If I Die 2Nite." Quik's "funky composition" came out four years earlier though, on January 1st, 1991 (happy new year, again). "Tonite" was the second single on Quik's debut album, Quik is the Name, which you can cop for just 7 bucks. Looking for an easy introduction to Quik's catalog? Look away from Born And Raised In Compton: The Greatest Hits compilation. Grab this one instead.

On My Radar: Natalie Suliman

ivan1087@gmail.com (Ivan) — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0000

I don't follow fashion... at all. So don't worry, I'm not turning Hip Hop Is Read into KanyeUniverseCity (if it wasn't for his girls section, I'd swear he plays with swords... not that there'd be anything wrong with that, of course). Like ~~some~~ ~~most~~ all straight guys who surf the web, I do my fair share of... um... research... on... the ladies (and you wonder why there's no such thing as a "soft" drive...ahem). Last year we saw some fresh faces like Rosa Acosta, Tahiry, Keri Hilson (been an admirer since "Hey Now (Mean Muggin)"), Nicki Minaj, Amber Rose and more. Each of them earned a spot on Complex's solid-yet-debatable Hottest Girls of 2009 list. In 2009, though, I and a small but dedicated group of pervy wankers came across a rising new star: Natalie Suliman. It's a bit unfortunate that her name is so similar to the Octomom's, sure, but who cares? She gets the HHIR stamp of approval and I expect big things from her in 2010. Victoria's Secret modeling contract perhaps? The sky's the limit! But don't just take my word for it... Check out her great track record:

I Wish I Knew Natalie [Suliman]

Jay-Z & DJ Kut - The Blackprint 3 | Download

ivan1087@gmail.com (Ivan) — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 18:30:00 +0000

Here's an interesting concept for a mixtape: take The Black Album acapellas and lay them over Blueprint 3 (unofficial) instrumentals. I guess folks are adamant about wanting your old shit, Hov...

Tracklisting + (Rapidshare) Download Link Below:

1. Jay-Z - Jay-Z DJ Kut Intro (0:25)
2. Jay-Z - Thank You Mom (3:50)
3. Jay-Z - Do I Entertain You? (4:48)
4. Jay-Z - Encore For The Star (3:49)
5. Jay-Z - Change On Venus Then Mars (3:54)
6. Jay-Z - Choose One (3:38)
7. Jay-Z - Threat Now Run It (3:53)
8. Jay-Z - Moment Of Real Truth (3:44)
9. Jay-Z - What We Talkin 99? (3:49)
10. Jay-Z - Empire Announcement (3:37)
11. Jay-Z - My Thug Reminder (4:12)
12. Jay-Z - Louis Cyphre (4:06)
13. Jay-Z - Allure Ambitionz (4:15)
14. Jay-Z - My Last Hate (2:28)

Yelawolf - Trunk Muzik | Download

ivan1087@gmail.com (Ivan) — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 18:00:00 +0000

He looks like Silent Bob's stoner partner; he kind of sounds like a mix of Bizzy Bone and a Southern Zack de la Rocha; and he's got glimpses of Lil Wayne's flow. After making a fair amount of noise in 2009, I'm interested in hearing what Yelawolf's got in store for us in this new year...

Tracklisting + (Rapidshare) Download Link Below:

1. Yelawolf - Trunk Muzik (3:40)
2. Yelawolf - Stage Lights (Remix) (3:35)
3. Yelawolf - Good to Go (feat. Bun B) (3:39)
4. Yelawolf - Pop the Trunk (3:49)
5. Yelawolf - Box Chevy Pt 3 (feat. Rittz) (4:23)
6. Yelawolf - F.U. (3:15)
7. Yelawolf - Lick the Cat (feat. Diamond) (3:36)
8. Yelawolf - Speak Her Sex (feat. Nikkiya) (2:53)
9. Yelawolf - I Wish (feat. Raekwon) (4:30)
10. Yelawolf - In This Club (4:00)
11. Yelawolf - Love Is Not Enough (3:46)
12. Yelawolf - Mixin Up the Medicine (Remix) (feat. Juelz Santana) (4:06)

The Tape Deck '10: Volume #1

ivan1087@gmail.com (Ivan) — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 17:00:00 +0000

Corrupting Your Childhood

ivan1087@gmail.com (Ivan) — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 08:00:00 +0000

Disney films have had a long-standing track record of putting out subliminal messages to corrupt the youth. Allegedly. Phallic imagery and fuzzy obscenities aside, you’d be hard-pressed to find a cartoon – old or new – that couldn’t be perceived to contain messages – concealed or not – displaying violence, sexuality or even drug use (lay off the shrooms, Alice). It’s safe to say that Ren & Stimpy turned me the fuck out at a fairly young age. And though I’ve never watched SpongeBob SquarePants, I’ve been told it’s highly entertaining. I was told this by one of my stoner friends (who happens to be older than me). I digress. The relationship between cartoons and hip hop is an interesting one to say the least. Artists like Talib Kweli and Ghostface have rapped about their Saturday morning habits; Ras Kass has quoted Daffy Duck in his raps; Madlib and DOOM have garnered attention from the Adult Swim crowd. Uniquely, hip hop differs from many other genres of music in that it allows the artist to construct long-winded dialogues in a relatively short space. This makes room for wordy compositions – a perfect format for creative storytelling. Let’s see what happens when Coolio and K-Rino bring Mickey and crew to the ghetto…

DOWNLOAD: Coolio - Ghetto Cartoon
DOWNLOAD: K-Rino - Cartoon Orgie

New Year. Same Kobe.

ivan1087@gmail.com (Ivan) — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 06:45:00 +0000

If Kobe Bryant isn't the rightful successor to Jerry West's "Mr. Clutch" moniker, then who is? LeBron? Get real! How many last-second shots has Kobe made this season? I've lost track. It's gotten to the point where we as Laker fans are spoiled beyond the conceivable; it's hardly realistic. Apparently Hollywood is more than just a film industry - it's a state of mind. And everybody loves a happy ending. We're lucky enough to get it. All. The. Time. Back2Back!

The Tape Deck '10 [The Index]

ivan1087@gmail.com (Ivan) — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 09:11:00 +0000

January

The Tape Deck '10: Volume #1

The Tape Deck '10: Volume #1

The Tape Deck '10: Volume #2

The Tape Deck '10: Volume #2

The Top 20 Hip Hop Albums of 2009

ivan1087@gmail.com (Ivan) — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 05:09:00 +0000

1. Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II
2. Mos Def - The Ecstatic
3. DOOM - Born Like This
4. Brother Ali - Us
5. Souls of Mischief - Montezuma's Revenge
6. Method Man & Redman - Blackout! 2
7. Brother Ali - The Truth Is Here [EP]
8. Eminem - Relapse
9. KiD CuDi - Man on the Moon: The End of Day
10. Jay-Z - The Blueprint 3

11. UGK - UGK 4 Life
12. J Dilla - Jay Stay Paid
13. K'naan - Troubadour
14. k-os - Yes!
15. Fashawn - Boy Meets the World
16. BK-One - Rádio Do Canibal
17. Saigon & Statik Selektah - All In a Day's Work
18. O.C. & A.G. - Oasis
19. Marco Polo & Torae - Double Barrel
20. La Coka Nostra - A Brand You Can Trust

The Samples of the Year 2009

ivan1087@gmail.com (Ivan) — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Back in '08, when I dropped the first Samples of the Year post, I didn't have much time to prepare. I just came up with the idea and rushed to get it in by the year's end. Not this year. I've had plenty of time to rack up some of my favorite samples from the year (not to say that the past two or three days haven't been stress-filled getting them compiled, edited etc.) In 2008, I gave you just under 30 samples. We had some innovative samples used this year, and I'd venture to say that we had better new music overall as well. This time I've got a total of 77 samples, over 5 hours worth of that goodness you've grown to love from HHIR (hopefully). As always, dig in, enjoy, and turn it up!!

(Full tracklisting here)

The Top 20 Hip Hop Albums of 2008

ivan1087@gmail.com (Ivan) — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0000

1. Nas - Untitled
2. Q-Tip - The Renaissance
3. eLZhi - The Preface
4. Black Milk - Tronic
5. Akrobatik - Absolute Value
6. T.I. - Paper Trail
7. The Roots - Rising Down
8. Lil Wayne - Tha Carter III
9. Kanye West - 808s & Heartbreak
10. Ice Cube - Raw Footage

11. C.R.A.C. - The Piece Talks
12. The Mighty Underdogs - Droppin' Science Fiction
13. The Game - L.A.X.
14. GZA - Pro Tools
15. DJ Muggs vs. Planet Asia - Pain Language
16. Atmosphere - When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold
17. eMC - The Show
18. Jake One - White Van Music
19. East Coast Avengers - Prison Planet
20. 7L & Esoteric - Esoteric vs. Japan (Pterodactyl Takes Japan)

The Top 20 Hip Hop Albums of 2007

ivan1087@gmail.com (Ivan) — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 19:00:00 +0000

1. Lupe Fiasco - Lupe Fiasco's The Cool
2. Talib Kweli - Eardrum
3. UGK - Underground Kingz
4. Pharoahe Monch - Desire
5. M.I.A. - Kala
6. Brother Ali - The Undisputed Truth
7. Blu & Exile - Below the Heavens
8. Wu-Tang Clan - 8 Diagrams
9. Black Milk - Popular Demand
10. El-P - I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead

11. Jay-Z - American Gangster
12. Prodigy - Return of the Mac
13. Talib Kweli - Liberation
14. Common - Finding Forever
15. Blue Scholars - Bayani
16. Kanye West - Graduation
17. Joell Ortiz - The Brick: Bodega Chronicles
18. Ghostface Killah - The Big Doe Rehab
19. Freeway - Free At Last
20. Aesop Rock - None Shall Pass

The Top 20 Hip Hop Albums of 2006

ivan1087@gmail.com (Ivan) — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 16:00:00 +0000

1. Ghostface Killah - Fishscale
2. J Dilla - Donuts
3. Lupe Fiasco - Lupe Fiasco's Food and Liquor
4. The Game - Doctor's Advocate
5. Nas - Hip Hop Is Dead
6. The Roots - Game Theory
7. Busta Rhymes - The Big Bang
8. Rhymefest - Blue Collar
9. Clipse - Hell Hath No Fury
10. Ghostface Killah - More Fish

11. J Dilla - The Shining
12. Cunninlynguists - A Piece of Strange
13. Apathy - Eastern Philosophy
14. Bronze Nazareth - The Great Migration
15. The Coup - Pick a Bigger Weapon
16. Murs & 9th Wonder - Murray's Revenge
17. T.I. - King
18. AZ - The Format
19. Mr. Lif - Mo Mega
20. Vakill - Worst Fears Confirmed

The Top 20 Hip Hop Albums of 2005

ivan1087@gmail.com (Ivan) — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 01:00:00 +0000

1. Common - Be
2. Zion I - True & Livin'
3. Kanye West - Late Registration
4. Gorillaz - Demon Days*
5. The Game - The Documentary
6. Danger Doom - The Mouse and the Mask
7. Think Differently Music - Wu-Tang Meets the Indie Culture
8. Atmosphere - You Can't Imagine How Much Fun We're Having
9. Edan - Beauty and the Beat
10. AZ - A.W.O.L.

11. Cage - Hell's Winter
12. Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley - Welcome to Jamrock**
13. Talib Kweli - Right About Now (The Official Sucka Free Mix CD)
14. Beanie Sigel - The B.Coming
15. Proof - Searchin' for Jerry Garcia
16. Little Brother - The Minstrel Show
17. One Be Lo - S.O.N.O.G.R.A.M.
18. Felt - A Tribute to Lisa Bonet
19. Quasimoto - The Further Adventures of Lord Quas
20. Black Market Militia - Black Market Militia

*With production by Danger Mouse and contributions by MF DOOM & De La Soul, I'd say this is a proper hip hop-ish album. Worthy of placement on this list. (Plus I played it at least 40 times - no exaggeration!)
**Even though it's reggae, I consider this a hip hop album as well.

The Top 20 Hip Hop Albums of 2004

ivan1087@gmail.com (Ivan) — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 20:15:00 +0000

1. Kanye West - College Dropout
2. Madvillain - Madvillainy
3. Jay-Z & DJ Danger Mouse - The Grey Album
4. MF DOOM - MM..Food?
5. Cam'ron - Purple Haze
6. Ghostface Killah - The Pretty Toney Album
7. Jadakiss - Kiss of Death
8. Brother Ali - Champion [EP]
9. Mos Def - The New Danger
10. N*E*R*D - Fly or Die

11. Nas - Street's Disciple
12. T.I. - Urban Legend
13. Masta Killa - No Said Date
14. Young Gunz - Tough Luv
15. Jedi Mind Tricks - Legacy of Blood
16. Talib Kweli - The Beautiful Struggle
17. Handsome Boy Modeling School - White People
18. Twista - Kamikaze
19. Slum Village - Detroit Deli (A Taste of Detroit)
20. The Roots - The Tipping Point

The Top 20 Hip Hop Albums of 2003

ivan1087@gmail.com (Ivan) — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 16:00:00 +0000

1. Jay-Z - The Black Album
2. OutKast - Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
3. 50 Cent - Get Rich or Die Tryin'
4. Gang Starr - The Ownerz
5. Freeway - Philadelphia Freeway
6. Immortal Technique - Revolutionary Vol. 2
7. Little Brother - The Listening
8. Jaylib - Champion Sound
9. Brother Ali - Shadows on the Sun
10. Memphis Bleek - M.A.D.E.

11. Obie Trice - Cheers
12. State Property - Vol. II: The Chain Gang
13. Ludacris - Chicken 'N' Beer
14. Original Soundtrack - Cradle 2 the Grave
15. G-Unit - Beg for Mercy
16. DMX - Grand Champ
17. Juelz Santana - From Me to U
18. T.I. - Trap Muzik
19. RZA - Birth of a Prince
20. Mark Ronson - Here Comes the Fuzz

The Top 20 Hip Hop Albums of 2002

ivan1087@gmail.com (Ivan) — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 01:00:00 +0000

1. Eminem - The Eminem Show
2. Jay-Z - The Blueprint²: The Gift & The Curse
3. Talib Kweli - Quality
4. Nas - God's Son
5. Scarface - The Fix
6. Nas - The Lost Tapes
7. 50 Cent - Guess Who's Back
8. Xzibit - Man vs. Machine
9. Blackalicious - Blazing Arrow
10. N*E*R*D - In Search of...

11. Snoop Dogg - Paid Da Cost to Be da Boss
12. El-P - Fantastic Damage
13. Clipse - Lord Willin'
14. The Roots - Phrenology
15. RJD2 - Dead Ringer
16. People Under the Stairs - O.S.T.
17. Cam'ron - Come Home with Me
18. Jurassic 5 - Power in Numbers
19. Original Soundtrack - 8 Mile
20. Slum Village - Trinity (Past, Present, and Future)

The Top 20 Hip Hop Albums of 2001

ivan1087@gmail.com (Ivan) — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 18:00:00 +0000

1. Jay-Z - The Blueprint
2. Nas - Stillmatic
3. 2Pac - Until the End of Time
4. Wu-Tang Clan - Iron Flag
5. Ludacris - Word of Mouf
6. Cormega - The Realness
7. Immortal Technique - Revolutionary Vol. 1
8. D12 - Devil's Night
9. Jay-Z - MTV Unplugged
10. Fabolous - Ghetto Fabolous

11. Tha Liks - X.O. Experience
12. Cannibal Ox - The Cold Vein
13. Aesop Rock - Labor Days
14. Jadakiss - Kiss tha Game Goodbye
15. Beanie Sigel - The Reason
16. UGK - Dirty Money
17. Ghostface Killah - Bulletproof Wallets
18. Dilated Peoples - Expansion Team
19. Sticky Fingaz - Blacktrash: The Autobiography of Kirk Jones
20. Mack 10 - Bang or Ball

The Top 20 Hip Hop Albums of 2000

ivan1087@gmail.com (Ivan) — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 09:00:00 +0000

I'm an '80s baby who grew up in the '90s and came of age in the '00s. While my interests in hip hop were born in the early-to-mid '90s, this past decade shaped my taste and preferences in the genre. Over the next few days, I'll be dropping lists of my top 20 albums for each year of the decade. Some of them are sentimental picks. For the most part, however, I'd like to think that my lists represent the development of my appreciation for hip hop as both a fan and critic over the past ten years. I'll start with 2000 and work my way up to 2008. My 2009 post will be the grand finale, so to speak, to cap off the decade and begin a new one. What will 2010 bring? Let's not worry about that just yet. Let's take a final look at 2000:

1. Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP
2. Ghostface Killah - Supreme Clientele
3. OutKast - Stankonia
4. dead prez - Let's Get Free
5. Common - Like Water for Chocolate
6. Deltron 3030 - Deltron 3030
7. Xzibit - Restless
8. Reflection Eternal - Train of Thought
9. M.O.P. - Warriorz
10. Wu-Tang Clan - The W

11. Jedi Mind Tricks - Violent by Design
12. Scarface - Last of a Dying Breed
13. Slum Village - Fantastic Vol. 2
14. Blackalicious - Nia
15. Big L - The Big Picture
16. Jay-Z - The Dynasty: Roc La Familia
17. Jurassic 5 - Quality Control
18. Snoop Dogg - Tha Last Meal
19. Ludacris - Back for the First Time
20. Mystikal - Let's Get Ready

The Tape Deck '09: The Best of 2009

ivan1087@gmail.com (Ivan) — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 00:50:00 +0000

The Tape Deck '09: Volume #66

ivan1087@gmail.com (Ivan) — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 21:05:00 +0000

The Tape Deck '09: Volume #65

ivan1087@gmail.com (Ivan) — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 19:31:00 +0000