Drake & Kendrick Lamar: You Changed!!!!

Drake and Kendrick Lamar are two rappers that I was listening to before they got BIG, so to speak.  Its been bugging me for sometime now that I'm noticing the changes in their content and persona, now that they've signed on to major record labels with Drake at Cash Money and Lamar at Aftermath.  When Drake first came out he was much more earthy and sensitive and his content was much more "girl friendly", which is what initially attracted me to him.  Kendrick also seemed to be more of a conscious rapper before he teamed up with Dr. Dre to produce his recent musical efforts.

In my humble opinion, Drake signing with Cash Money may have skyrocketed him to super stardom and gained him millions of fans throughout the world, but as far as his musical content, I think it might be the worse decision he ever made.  When Drake was set to go pro (sign on to a major label) there was a bidding war between all of the top labels so he pretty much had the ability to pick and choose who he would officially start his professional career with.  Many artists are not as privileged to be at the center of a bidding war and able to decisively choose the right fit for what they are seeking to accomplish in their musical career.  When I initially heard that Drake had chosen to sign with Cash Money I was weary of what it might mean for his image and sound.  Well, so far, Drake has gone from the sensitive, introspective and seemingly "harmless" Jewish boy from Canada to a bottle slinging, gun toting, entourage accompanying, tough guy that threatens other rappers and dares them to throw rocks at the Cash Money throne. *sigh*

Kendrick Lamar was also a unique and artistic rapper that seemed to shun record industry standards with musical content and artistry that dared to be different and dare I say it, conscious.  If you know the West Coast music industry well, you are well aware that it is very rare to see an artist come from the West Coast that is not a gangsta from Compton or Watts and/or a blood or crip.  Its almost as if Snoop Dogg branded our side to damnation, as record labels refuse to produce any artists that do not fit this stagnant gangsta/thug prototype.  At first, Kendrick was a breath of fresh air, and he still is, but I am wondering just how much Dr. Dre's influence will deter him from his roots of uniqueness.  At first Lamar was beckoning ladies to tear down their masks in "No Makeup" off his "Section 80" mixtape, where he proclaimed:

Damn girl, why so much?
You bout to blow your cover when you cover up
Don’t you know your imperfections
Is a wonderful blessing
From heaven, is where you got it from
I love your smile
You can do it without style
From your lips, all the way to your eyebrows
It’s the beauty in her
But when the makeup occur
I don’t see it, all I see is a blur

Now, I hear Lamar taking on the bad boy/playa role with lyrics like:

My nigga said he wanna fly out to get him some
3ws only for a three day run
Bitch, take the muthaf--king panties off you ain't no nun, shit
I be living in the sky every time i ride by them hoes

The lyrics above are from his debut single, "The Recipe" featuring Dr. Dre where he explains the top 3 reasons why people come to Los Angeles/Cali, which are "women, weed and weather".  This tone of lyrics is a far cry from the newcomer that once talked about the trials and tribulations of growing up in the hood, political activism, the importance of being yourself, etc. etc.  I am in no way saying that Lamar has done a complete 180 on his former views and lyrical content, but one can only wonder if his inner voice will be watered down to package him for the Hip Hop community the way that only Dr. Dre can.

Please don't get me wrong because I still love these two dudes' music and I salute their artistic capabilities.  I just hope that in selling their music through a major label distributor that they don't sell their souls.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS
Have you noticed that once independent artists sign onto major record labels that their creative control has diminished?
Have you heard the differences in lyrical content from before Drake and Kendrick Lamar were signed to majors?
Are you no longer a fan of Drake's after he signed with Cash Money Records?
Do you see a change in Kendrick Lamar's lyrical content?

L.A. Based All Female Hip Hop Collective: The (SIS)TEM Stakes Claim To The Throne

Ya'll aint ready! When I found out that there was an all female Hip Hop collective performing throughout Los Angeles a couple years ago I immediately got excited.  I mean its not as if I don't constantly hear people complaining about the lack of REAL female MCs in the game.  Whether you've heard of them or not, the fact is they are REAL female MCs and they go hard.  The (SIS)TEM is a collective of female emcees, producers, vocalist, and Djs, co-founded by Aceyalone, Badru, and DVS-1, from the legendary Project Blowed in Los Angeles.

Comprised of some of L.A.'s most official female lyricists that have been performing, touring and spitting for years, even long before they joined forces (a la the Justice League), The (SIS)TEM is full of hard-hitting, grab your nuts and AK flavor music that is reminiscent of the West Coast rap groups of the past.  DVS-1 had a vision for the group that did not include Nicki Minaj Barbie flows, nor did it require any help from the fellas.  All that was mandatory of the collective were hardcore, take no prisoner flows, surely to make their toughest male counterparts take notice.

What the L.A. Hip Hop scene needs now more than anything is unity and The (Sis)Tem proves that point by enlisting the Hip Hop powers of DVS-1, Oracle, Miss Bliss, Brandi Kane, JiJi Sweet, Kandi Cole and Dawn Gun on The Treatment Mixtape.  Each member has her own style and brand of flows sure to identify with every listener's musical wants and needs.  These women have paved their own path, silenced the critics and have gained the respect of legendary MCs like KRS-1 and Chubb Rock just to name a few, as well as garnering several awards and accolades from their esteemed peers in the industry.   Two of my personal favorites are Brandi Kane aka The Dopeman's Daughter and Queen Kandi Cole.  Not only because they are personal friends of mine, but also because I've been seeing them do this rap stuff for years and their rhymes personally speak to me.

In April of this year they released The Treatment Mixtape that boasts beats and lyrics that are for the most part, clearly West Coast bred, yet evolve to tell a story that will resonate across the country.  With tracks like "Gimme That", "Don't Judge Me" and "Mic Check", the sistas of The (SIS)TEM are sure to please even the most harsh critics that believe there is no female Hip Hop presence on the west side of the globe.

For a free download of The Treatment Mixtape go here: http://thesistemcrew.bandcamp.com/
Follow The (SIS)TEM on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/TheSISTEM
and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/thesistem

Here are a few pics of the ladies in action via their performances and tours across the country:

Happy Listening!!!!

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS
Have you heard of The (SIS)TEM before?
What do you think about The Treatment Mixtape?
Would you like to see these ladies perform live?
Who is your favorite MC of the group?

Snoop Dogg and Friends Document the 20th Anniversary of the L.A. Riots via Vh1's Rock Docs

Looking back 20 years ago to the week, all sorts of emotions came up when I watched VH1's latest Rock Docs film, Uprising: Hip Hop and The L.A. Riots, which premiered on May 1st on Vh1.  As West Coast representer Snoop Dogg narrated the documentary, he explained the social and economical triggers that led up to that fateful day on April 29, 1992, which lasted 4 days.  The documentary also highlighted how our new age civil rights leaders aka Hip Hop artists like KRS-1, Nas, Tupac, N.W.A. and Ice T, spoke on the growing rage and living conditions that were occurring in the ghetto prior to the uprising, yet why was no one listening? Instead they were trying to ban them from the airwaves because they were speaking the truth about the trials and tribulations that were occurring in the ghetto every day.

I was 11 years old and was not allowed to leave the house when all of the fires and looting were taking place.  53 people were left dead, while countless Los Angelenos were injured and billions of dollars of damage was done in the streets of South Los Angeles and abroad.  While watching the documentary I think a lot of myths about the riots were dispelled as they showed races other than African Americans looting and causing mayhem.  Furthermore, they also portrayed how many individuals who didn't even live in the area that came by to participate in the debauchery...SMH (Shaking My Head)

I understand the anger and rage that the people of my community felt on that day where the (4) LAPD Officers were acquitted for the brutal beating of Rodney King that was caught on videotape.  Seeing an injustice like that first hand changed my view of this country and the world I lived in forever.  However, the aftermath of the rage and violence left us with little to show for, other than a few pairs of Jordans, some electronic equipment, diapers, burned cars and buildings, and an infrastructure that would take years to rebuild.

I recall my parents taking us around on a tour of the devastation in the aftermath.  We rode around South Los Angeles and saw all of the destruction first hand for the first time and not from the news channel's camera lense or perspective.  Depression and activism followed shortly thereafter as black folks came together for what had seemed like the first time in my young life.

The documentary really brought some things to light that my young mind was not able to process at the time, yet in hindsight makes so much sense.  Hearing the story told from the eyes of the musically artistic heroes of then and now really gave me a new perspective on this tragic incident in our history.

Below are some pictures to remind us all of the devastation 20 years ago:

As the country is yet again polarized on incidents of brutality and the mistreatment of people of color, such as in the Trayvon Martin case, many people have alluded to the 1992 riots reoccurring, if his killer, George Zimmerman is acquitted.  Although it is not a situation of Police brutality, it shines the light on the realization that not much has changed when it comes to race relations and perceptions in this country, as well as, law enforcement's proclivity to protect their own, bury evidence and block the shade from tragedies such as Martin's unjust murder.  Regardless, I urge us all across the country to think twice before we burn our own communities down, again, in a fit of rage and violence, because as we look back to the worse riots in our country's history, it doesnt change things.

Check your local listings and the link below to see when the Rock Docs will air again on Vh1:

http://blog.vh1.com/2012-04-04/vh1s-latest-rock-docs-film-uprising-hip-hop-and-the-l-a-riots-to-premiere-may-1/

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS

Were you old enough to live through and remember the L.A. riots of 1992?

Do you think anything has changed from then to now?

Do you think people will riot if George Zimmerman is acquitted?

Were you one of the ones looting and burning?

If we could respond differently then, what would you say we should've done?

Can West Coast Hip Hop Music Make A Comeback?

I hope most of you caught The Cypher on BET's 2011 Hip Hop Awards that featured newcomers like Machine Gun Kelly and Lecrae, but what stood out most for me were the Hip Hop artists from the West Coast getting major shine.  Specifically, Kendrick Lamar, Dom Kennedy and Crooked I.  For those that don't know, Crooked I is a well known underground artist that is a vet on the West Coast Hip Hop scene, and quite possibly one of the most underrated MCs west of the Mississippi.  Kendrick Lamar has been deemed the Leader of The New School by West Coast greats Dr. Dre and Ice Cube, while collaborating with a plethora of artists from J. Cole to to Jay Rock all while toting Compton on his back. 

There are even more MCs that are making a name for themselves in the Hip Hop world that were not featured in the Cypher, but have been steadily building momentum, including Jay Rock from Watts, CA and Problem from Compton.  I could mention new artists like Tyler the Creator, who hails from Los Angeles, Lil B and Kreayshawn from Oakland, but I'd rather focus on artists like Jay Rock, Problem, and Dom Kennedy as these artists deserve more shine and attention.

Lets be honest, the West Coast Hip Hop scene hasn't been the same since Death Row was extinguished years ago.  Nowadays it seems the vets like Snoop Dogg, E-40 and Ice Cube run the game and local DJs don't give much play to West Coast artists, unless you're YG (ie. Toot It and Boot It).  With that being said, I want to highlight a few solo acts that are making a name for themselves straight from the underground to your speakers.

An Introduction To West Coast Hip Hop's Up And Comers:

Dom Kennedy
From: Leimert Park, Los Angeles, CA
Dom Kennedy was featured on BET's 2011 Cypher alongside Lady of Rage and Blind Fury.  While some critics say his "so-called" freestyle didn't cut the mustard, his name is steadily coming out of the mouths of Hip Hop enthusiasts and critics alike.  He is associated with Pacific Division AKA PacDiv, whom have been featured on MTV2 and tour the country performing and making appearances.  Kennedy has a strong mixtape following and is making waves, all with no major deal.  Kudos to him!  Here is a formal introduction, Kennedy's video Grind'n from the From The Westside With Love II mixtape:

Problem
From: Compton, CA
Problem is probably one of the most underrated rappers in the West, mainly because you've probably heard his music before, and danced to it in the club, but didn't know who he was.  He is known for club bangers like I'm Toe Up, Potion, Double Dip and I'm Burnt (a collaboration with Snoop Dogg and Kurupt).  And it doesn't stop there.  Problem is none for writing for various other artists and has worked with the likes of E-40, Too Short and DJ Quik.  His most recent body of work is featured on his mixtape Hotels that was released earlier this year.  Check out his video for Know What It Is"

Jay Rock
From: Watts, CA
Possibly best known for his recent collaboration with Kendrick Lamar on Hood Gone Love It, Jay Rock was named one of the top 13 most street artists by XXL and has worked with industry heavyweights Lil' Wayne and Will.I.Am.  His debut album Follow Me Home was released in the Summer of 2011 under Strange Music.  Check out his video for Hood Gone Love It:

I'm very excited about what these artists can possibly contribute to the West Coast Hip Hop legacy now and in the future.  Keep your eye out for artists like these and the West Coast will be back in no time.  WEST UP! lol

TIME TO WEIGH IN:
Have you heard of these artists from the West Coast?
Who stands out the most?
Do you think the West Coast can revive its Hip Hop scene on a major scale?

Are you a fan of West Coast music?