purpleWarblog

Classically Emenem

anwar0780@yahoo.com (Anwar Baksh) — Sun, 10 May 2009 14:34:00 +0000

I don't like to praise Music Artists. In fact I'm usually critical. Very few artists have the real goods. As someone who loves writing and paying special attention to my words, it takes a lot to impress me. An Artist has to meet high standards, has a finely tuned delivery, and be competitive against the most respected in their Genre.

Emenem is an artist that was introduced to me by a good friend sometime in 1998 or 1999 just before the release of his first single. I remembered it was on a mix tape and I liked it. I was told he was white from day one. I was surprised at the quality to be honest. At that time, their were very few respected white Artists in the business.

Classically, you either hate him or love him. And that makes for an interesting person, period. In Hip Hop, it's about fun, swagger, lyrical skill, vocal prowess, money, power, sex, pain, love and really anything else that can relate to millions. And this guy brings it.

Often, songs don't become classics. They fall by the wayside and hardly get airplay 10 years after release. I'm constantly annoyed by some old songs. Hip-Hop will have a lot of music that simply don't survive the test of time. Some of Emenem's songs will fall under this category. But he has a lot of excellent material that will age gracefully.

Real rap enthusiasts should be able to understand and study this Artists work. His perspective is not that different from a lot of people. The delivery is nothing short of excellent. I feel the content is rich, diverse and relative to me or the times. This is good work.

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Album Releases in HipHop 5.12.09

anwar0780@yahoo.com (Anwar Baksh) — Fri, 08 May 2009 04:22:00 +0000

I'm always interested in the latest album releases in Hip Hop. Here's a partial list.

Rick Ross - Deeper Than Beef - 1 Stop
Cam'ron - Crime Pays - Asylum
The Game - Blood, Sweat and Tears, Vol. 4 - 1 Stop
Paul Wall - Fast Life - Asylum
Young Jeezy - The Godfather of the Trap - 1 Stop
Jadakiss - The Last Kiss - Roc-A-Fella
Jim Jones - This Is Jim Jones - Sony

source: billboard.com

This Day in Hip-Hop History:
At 11 years of age, Clive Campbell migrates to the United States. He's a big kid, so friends nicknamed him Hercules. He went on to become a writer and changed his name to Kool Herc. - about.com

I was attacked by a Google chomping Monster!

anwar0780@yahoo.com (Anwar Baksh) — Fri, 08 May 2009 03:34:00 +0000

To all the PurplewarBlog readers, If any, I'm sorry for the lack of updates. I had a series of system issues that I'm still struggling with. Namely a virus that attacks all of Google. At this point I can't even load their home page.

But I will have to continue updating the site regardless of the obstacles. So keep watching the Feed Readers for those rare Gems. I like to write for the future. Without comprising the past or present.

Anwar

Obama's Grandmother dies hours before his Victory!

anwar0780@yahoo.com (Anwar Baksh) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 21:42:00 +0000

11/03/08 - 4:44pm

At 3am today, Senator Barack Obama's grandmother died from Cancer. And this crossed my mind when he went to see her. This might be another addition to a great story. Not to be insensitive about it. It's a great lost to most people. But he's about to be the President Elect...that should make you think, how ironic.

Some might say she died for the sympathy vote. Or she was at total peace in her life and her grand childrens life that it was time to go. Maybe she couldn't bare to see him loose and decided to check out early. Maybe she was too sick to continue on. Either way, the anticipation of Obama as president was more so for her than anyone else in the world.

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Make Your Own Beats

anwar0780@yahoo.com (Anwar Baksh) — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 13:37:00 +0000

So you want to make your own rap beats, huh? Well it’s easier than ever these days to actually make and eventually sell your own productions. This article is for absolute beginners who want to learn about audio recording and music production. Specifically I will explain very basically how to start making your own beats for practically any genre.

You will first need the tools of the trade. You can’t do much with out these things. Luckily they are not too expensive and in some cases free. One example of free software I used when starting out is the DT-110. A small sample based sequencer that helped me understand the fundamentals of beat making. I later moved to FL Studio and really loved it. It is also a sample based sequencer with some seriously advanced features for making your own junk, including tracking and exporting to mp3. If you are serious about beats then you must get this software somehow. For better sound editing (sampling) I would recommend Sony Sound Forge. I’ve used both for years and enjoy the ease of editing and sequencing they provide. Regardless of the amount or type of gear you have, it’s all about how well you make use of it.

Now that you have your gear and know how to do the basics, let me explain what goes into making a beat. The count: actually is the “beat”. Most people know how to count on time with the music. For example: One, two, three, four, TWO, two, three, four, THREE, two, three, four, FOUR, two, three, four. Each completion of the last four is considered a measure or bar. Count is often heard at the beginning of R&B songs, especially 60’s & 70’s classics. You can also use a metronome if this is difficult.

Most beat making gear comes with preinstalled patterns, and also there are free and paid resources for drum patterns. Make a custom pattern based on a concept already in your head. Try to stick to 16 measures or bars per pattern and then alternate it. Use three or four patterns together to make a song for the best results. Try listing to your favorite song and study how they shift beat patterns to change from Intro-Chorus-Verse-Bridge-Outro.

When you have your basic beat made, don’t worry about effects yet. Worry about your bass line. Bass can be any sound with a low frequency that match your beat and give it rhythm. Most instrumentals use the bass. In rap beats they are strongly linked to the kick drum. I suggest hiring or acquiring a professional for the best results with R& B records. Michael Jackson once said he worked very hard on the Billy Jean bass and took some time to get it just right.

When mixing the drums, it’s important that you don’t over step the boundaries. The foundation of modern music relies on recording standards. For one, don’t pan various drums into the far left or right field. Drums are usually centered in the listening field, and if paned, it must be done tastefully. Usually Toms and percussions are panned.

Go and make beats now. You should have the basic idea on how to construct the bed of a song. From here you will move into melodies and other instruments to build on top of your beat. Track a vocalist in and hear your composition come alive. Finalize the mix according to taste and deploy.

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Break Dancing Kid

anwar0780@yahoo.com (Anwar Baksh) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 01:13:00 +0000

Thought you should see the influence of hip-hop.

he even does a little battle chant at the end.. haha!

Album Releases in HipHop 7.22.08

anwar0780@yahoo.com (Anwar Baksh) — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 15:50:00 +0000

I'm always interested in the latest album releases in Hip Hop. Here's a partial list

Rich Boy - Bigger Than The Mayor
Cappadonna - The Cappatalize Project
Doap Nixon - Sour Diesel
Hell Rell - Black Mask Black Gloves
Khia - Nasti Muzik
Mac Dre - Dre Day July 5th, 1970
Mr. Hyde - Chronicles of the Beast Man
Mr. Criminal - Rise 2 Power
Skillz - The Million Dollar Backpack
Marracash - Marracash [Import]
Poach Stevens - Werk

Sourced: Weeklyhiphopalbums.com

This Day in Hip-Hop History:

In 1996 NAS began a four-week run at No.1 with 'It Was Written' on the US album charts.

Fame and Fortune

anwar0780@yahoo.com (Anwar Baksh) — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 01:44:00 +0000

How to write a Rap Song

anwar0780@yahoo.com (Anwar Baksh) — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 01:28:00 +0000

How to Write a Rap Song

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

This article will show you how to create the standard rap song and how to add your own style to it. Start with the fundamentals, then shape your creation into a masterpiece.

Steps

Think about the topic of your rap so you do not blindly write a whacky unwanted song.
Create a low tone (Bass Synth, etc). The bass line should be in the same key as the melody so that there are no 'sour notes' and the beat is easy to listen to. The bass line should not be as lengthened as the melody line but should work with it and fit together.
Structure the song. A popular song structure would be: Intro, verse, chorus, verse, chorus, chorus, middle 8 (AKA breakdown), chorus, outro. The intro usually consists of all the parts playing, the verse would be just the bass and the drum beat, then the chorus should be all parts playing, the middle 8 (breakdown) should be anything of your choice but must distinguish itself from the rest of the song and the outro is simply the beat just playing on until the song ends.
Write lyrics. Rap about anything but remember to write to the beat and make sure that your 'flow' is not whack! Just make sure that the lyrics match or just associate with the name of the song. Put your heart into it, be in love with the song when recording it or writing it. Just keep talking and babbling.
Listen to your inner rapper to figure out what works best. If you are not sure what to say, remember that the point is to get beyond your mind/memory. Make up sounds and let new language emerge. Try focusing on famous musical artists you respect/love ones/Jah/your heart and see if that affects what comes out. Focus on rhythm and feeling... Let go, flow and appreciate...
Keep in mind, what you're going to rap about and keep writing everything that runs through it on something, if your on a bus, paper or your hand will work just fine, a book would be nice too. Then read everything later and keep the BEST material.
Try to rhyme at least once a sentence, make sure not to repeat words , unless it's a verse, or at least sounds cool. Keep a constant tone, if you want to have fun with different voices then dub it over later. People can tell when you're changing your voice and it's lame at best.
You don't need to buy Pro Tools to get started. There's plenty of free audio editors, such as Audacity that provide a free way to make music. If you happen to have an apple mac computer, those come with Garageband, which will allow you to record right out of the box!

Tips

To write a rap song the best thing to do is write from your heart and things that you have experienced in your life and would like sharing with the outside world. Writing a rap song is about writing your feelings and expressing yourself.
The hook should be something infectious and catchy. The hook is basically the chorus. Like most of those songs listed, listen to the way the artist works with the beat to create a hook and do the same with your beat.
Add flavor to the beats by including drum fills (e.g. before chorus or verse, add additional bass and melody lines and make the song shine).
When creating a bass line: the bass could play a note on every kick of the drum beat.
A hi-hat can be good, because it keeps the song flowing and keeps the pace, but it's optional.
If you don't have access to studio equipment, the following cheap packages can help with your quest: FL Studio, MTV Music Generator, and Hip Hop Ejay.
Don't show up to a battle in bad looking clothes or shoes ,etc because that just makes you more vulnerable to beng a target for dissing.It may seem bizarre, but even if you have a good flow,if you have an easily targetable appearance or qualtiy, it can cost you the battle.

Warnings

Don't rap about personal things that are not true. While some people might take a "I can rap about anything I want to!" attitude, it's best to really look at things before just spitting out false trash. Trying to beef up your image without doing the "work" is almost universally known as posing.
- Also keep in mind that just because popular rappers write about that stuff, doesn't make your raps any more or less "rap" by writing or not writing about similar things. Remember that creativity and vision are often valued more by fans than image alone.
Don't listen to experts, listen to your heart...
It's always ok to have the knowledge to rap about anything, but remember you'll lose respect and word will go out on the streets if you don't keep it real.
If your rap lyrics suggest someone who you're really not, then refrain from such lyrics. For example, don't just take it all the way and say that you were born in the hood, if you really weren't.The more you expose your false lyrics, the less respect you will gain. By just keeping the content simple, you can impress many more people.
Be careful, try not to make the rhythm of the song faster then you can rap, you could end up rapping out gibberish!

Related wikiHows

Sources and Citations

SSBeats - The best Hip-Hop beats online.
- [1] - Download Rap/Hip-Hop Beats from award winning producers.
Hip Hop Forum - Learn how to write your own lyrical rap songs and share them with users for feedback!
LetsBeef.com is a website that allows you to freestyle battle over real beats.
Spoken vs. Written Spoken vs. Written is dedicated to the independent art of Rhyme.
[2]Explore,Express, Discuss Inherent Creative Ability
The Complete Beginner's Guide to Rap - Learn how to improve your rap skills with this one of a kind guide.
Learn to Write Rap Songs blog dedicated to helping others improve their rap songs

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Write a Rap Song. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Lil Wayne – The Carter Saga!

anwar0780@yahoo.com (Anwar Baksh) — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 13:33:00 +0000

There’s something about Hip-Hop that always kept me intrigued and makes me love this music even more. It’s the potential to create genius. So far it has given us a good few. These artists know how to take it to the next level.
In an age where digital piracy has almost destroyed CD sales and the industry is flooded with “Bedroom Artists”; the business seems to stifle its most gifted individuals.
But that’s a two sided coin, and on the other side we now have a larger pool of talent that can excel without a high dependency on record labels. Artists can interact with fans on common bases. Now it’s just the talent and the buyer.
So everybody gets a chance to shine. The masses are consuming media and music especially. Hip-Hop has its stake in the Pop Music Pie and can make mega stars. Artists have to be even more creative, innovative and charismatic. You’re judged almost instantly and so is failure; instant. Success is a slow long process that may take years and a lot of hard work. It may not depend on talent but demand. The most successful artists know how to tune their talent to match demand.
Lil Wayne when realizing the need to move to the next level turned to some of his big wig industry friends for guidance and support. He then refined his craft to compete in the mainstream and also win critical acclaim. He learnt how to speak to the masses more affectively while still keeping his brand but making it better.
This business may ask a lot of their artists, but the excitement and inspiration of great music will always intrigue us. We are always hungry for fresh content and the next best artist. We dig for reflections on our lives in their music and worship when it’s abundant. Artists that can connect to our hearts have mastered a highly in demand talent.

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Barack Obama for President!

anwar0780@yahoo.com (Anwar Baksh) — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 15:15:00 +0000

Tribute to Tupac

anwar0780@yahoo.com (Anwar Baksh) — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 20:25:00 +0000

What Tupac meant to our generation, and what kids today should take from him.

My cousin first introduced me to Tupac’s “I get around” hit off his “Strictly for My N.I.G.G.A.Z” album of 93. At first I really didn’t care who 2Pac was. I didn’t see the video till 94. I must admit, he hadn’t made an impact on me yet. For the world he was already known for the hit "Brenda's Got a Baby" off the "2pacalypse Now" album of 91.

Tupac had both positive and negative outputs in various aspects of his life. Although that became prevalent slowly to fans, they always knew he had talent. Back in those days Hip-Hop had just begun to be a mainstream force. Pac was very young, in his early 20’s, and you could clearly notice his youthfulness.

By the time of the rape trail and first shooting incident, you either loved him or hated him. Pac was all over the media, but largely because of controversy and subsequently it made him infamous. He became so infamous in fact that it probably fueled the opportunity that led to his early demise.

After death he became a legend. The world heard his name and many became obscessed with his music, his life and death. Maybe it was his plan, because Tupac left an abundance of unreleased material. I think he knew he would be in demand for a long time or still even after death.

I can’t imagine what a 5 year old kid in 96 thinks of Pac today. I would hope, just like other genres, the kids still show the same love and respect to past artists and especially those that past away.

Tupac Shakur (2PAC, Pac, Machiavelli) is one of the most talented rap stars we have ever known. He touched many lives long before his death in away no other artist had before. He had a solid fan base and was at the forefront of the Hip-Hop cultural movement. His contribution to music is timeless. His content is timeless. His influence on the world is timeless. Let all those who come after, that claim to be of Hip-Hop, not ignore Pac.

Nas New Album

anwar0780@yahoo.com (Anwar Baksh) — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 14:39:00 +0000

Nas New Album
In the early to mid 90’s when Hip Hop was in its teens, my friends often knew rap stars like Nas first hand. They knew their family and friends and we would often see them in Jamaica Queens frequenting local businesses. Nas has always been a hero to us. Many consider him a disciple from the streets. Anyone who says they love Hip Hop music should at least know who Nas is.

With so many (including NYC) rallying to prevent the exploitation of racial and sexist epithets in music and other media, and being someone with his social repute, why would Nas want to name his new album “Nigger”?

For as long as I can remember there have been a few racial nicknames for my people (Indo-Guyanese) and other “minority” groups. These words offend few and for most not at all. Every free and able person in the United States has an equal opportunity for a successful life. I’ve been thought to look anyone square in the eye even when I had less. I would never let a racial nickname offend me unless used as an insult.

The extent of offense someone may take from such words largely depends on the context in which it is used. As with many profanities of today, they can be scornful or tasteful.
The negative or positive use of many words can invoke the same emotion as a racial nickname used in a similar manner. Last night on 20/20 they spoke of a girl who committed suicide because a supposed peer used the worst insults to her online, and none were racial. Yet my close friends throw around some of those words with no insult.

Confidence also plays a huge roll in weather or not racial epithets can offend. I mean the confidence of an individual or generally of the people as a whole. I was born into poverty, but only because of political reasons. I can tell you, poverty does not make an individual or group of people any less confident or ambitious than those that are well off. The determining factors that create a difference of confidence in people are control and propaganda. In other words, the influence one group has over another group or person, and the abuse of that influence to instill fear of persecution. Fear of persecution means you are not confident, susceptible to insults and attacks, and especially so when those insults and attacks are public.

African Americans have come a long way towards equalizing the opportunities available to them, relative to their white counterparts. I think it’s time to make strides towards equalizing the degree of offense racial nicknames cause? With respect to ugly history, we must understand where we are now. And old shackles must be broken.

If Nas was a fat guy, and he wanted to call his album “Fat Guy” to make a statement, that it doesn’t make a difference in his value to the world, then no one would question him.

Context and Confidence is what determines the vulgarity of racial epithets; the context in which it is being used and the confidence of the individual or group it is directed at. I think it best if someone tried to insult you, regardless of what words they use or how hard they go at it, if you’re secure, just brush your shoulders off. People should always let that be their position. Remember, you’re better than that.

Besides, isn’t it common in movies to use racial epithets? And no one said you can’t make it boomerang. Also, let us not get into the First Amendment Rights, which might create a reason for litigation.

I want to see them ban “Coolie”. Ha Ha! I would laugh so loud.

Who is Joell Ortiz?!

anwar0780@yahoo.com (Anwar Baksh) — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 04:36:00 +0000

Who is Joell Ortize
The Brick (Bodega Chronicles) is the name of his debut off Kosh/Aftermath. A friend recently put me on to this 27 year young upcoming rapper from Brooklyn, NYC named Joell Ortiz. Now what are we missing from the rap scene? We need someone who presents a fresh take on that ol' gritty NYC concept. Joell Ortiz raps with passion and wit. Presenting an honest view of his life in poetry similar to the early 90's Hip Hop. He reminds us a little of Big Pun & Fat Joe but with Brooklyn’s own spirit. He's clear and confident. His style is mastered and his delivery is cool. My hope is his music will mature to perfection and we can see more classics.

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The Cool -Lupe Fiasco's New Album

anwar0780@yahoo.com (Anwar Baksh) — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 02:42:00 +0000

Lupe Fiasco is cut from rare cloth. This kid first caught my ear with his debut single “kick, push” in early 06. I knew since then he made something special. He was born and raised in West Side, Chicago, and is a skateboard kid turned Grammy nominated rapper. Lupe names Spice 1 and Ice Cube as his early influences and although I think his vocals falter sometimes, his style reminds me of young Nas or Mos Def.

A new album called “The Cool” is set to hit stores in December 07. With new songs like “Superstar” and title track “The Cool” that I both love, I think Lupe Fiasco is giving us real classic records.

Welcome!

anwar0780@yahoo.com (Anwar Baksh) — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 11:24:00 +0000

Hello first readers of the purplewar blog. My hope in doing this blog is to bring fresh new music and entertainment to you from the underground up. My name is Anwar and I've been interested in the music industry for as long as I remember. In my blog I will feature news, rumors, music, videos, events and more of the hottest Reggae and Hip-Hop stars known and unknown from the streets of Jamaica, New York to the world.