Sample Set #146: Ahmad

2Pac - "Out on Bail (Live)" | Insomniacs Club

Got me sittin' in a cell, a five by seven/
Will I finally get to go to ghetto heaven?/

Stormy Daniels: Out on Bail

I'm sure you've heard by now, but if not, here it goes: Former(?) pornstar and potential political candidate for the Louisiana Senate, Stormy Daniels was arrested earlier in the week for domestic violence. Apparently she beat up her husband because he didn't do the laundry. Long story short, Stormy was held overnight and released on $1,000 bond. If you ask me, she got off easy. But then again, she's used to getting off easy, ain't she? ZING! By the way, just for the record, I'd let Stormy Daniels beat me up in exchange for lettin' me beat it up. Just sayin'. Guys, you know I'm right... Proof:

The Tape Deck '09: Volume #32

Eminem - Warning (Mariah Carey/Nick Cannon Diss)

Guess who's back? [via RR]

Download: Eminem - Warning (Mariah Carey & Nick Cannon Diss)

Don Cannon | HHIR Twitterview

Since you guys liked that short MC Hammer Twitterview, I figured we'd keep it rolling. It'd be easy to just chat on Twitter and leave it at that, but some discussions are worth posting on the blog too. This time I was able to have a quick chat with Philly-born producer/DJ Don Cannon who shared some thoughts on... Hip Hop Is Read! Check it out:

IvanRott: @DonCannon What it do, Cannon!? (Ivan from @HipHopIsRead)

DonCannon: @IvanRott YOOO!!!!

IvanRott: @DonCannon Much love on the Kobe/Jordan post :D I saw that while you were tweeting the text and was like "DAMN!" HA!

DonCannon: @IvanRott YEAH I FUCKS WIT YALL HEAVY

IvanRott: @DonCannon Humbled, man... for real!

DonCannon: @IvanRott NO DOUBT

IvanRott: @DonCannon What kinda stuff do u like from the site specifically? Sample sets :D ? I'm workin on a new Big Daddy Kane joint right now!

DonCannon: @IvanRott I LOVE THE SAMPLE SETS!

DonCannon: @IvanRott I BE GETTIN ALL THE TAPE DECK JOINTS FOR THE RADIO

IvanRott: @DonCannon Oh, word? Peep this: I'm working on a year end wrap up of the best samples from the decade, year by year! Should be major... *

DonCannon: @IvanRott YOU SHOULD DO A THROW BACK TAPE DECK WIT ALL THE OLD SCHOOL HIP HOP JOINTS

IvanRott: @DonCannon Damn U just gave me an idea. U know how the Tape Deck says 2009 on the bottom right? I should do one for each 80s/90s year.

DonCannon: @IvanRott YESSSSSSSS!

IvanRott: @DonCannon No doubt, should be hype!

IvanRott: @DonCannon Good talkin to ya man! STAY UP! Again, the support is appreciated :D

And there you have it! Don Cannon's also a fan of your favorite blog! :D

Follow Cannon on Twitter: http://twitter.com/DonCannon

Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/IvanRott

Follow Hip Hop Is Read on Twitter: http://twitter.com/HipHopIsRead

* P.S. Be prepared! :D

Photo of the Week: Beer Diplomacy

Barry, Joe, Skip and Jim spent the day throwing down on some brewskis and reminiscing over better days... Ah, good times...

Making your way in the world today takes everything you've got/
Taking a break from all your worries, sure would help a lot/
Wouldn't you like to get away/
Sometimes you want to go/
Where everybody knows your name/
And they're always glad you came/
You wanna be where you can see/
Our troubles are all the same/
You wanna be where everybody knows/
Your name/

Top 10 Assists for the 2009 NBA Season

Great dunks and blocks are a nasty yet enjoyable sight to behold. But assists? An absolute thing of beauty. Passing is an oft-underrated concept in the sport, and I've always enjoyed watching compilation clips featuring the likes of Magic, Stockton, Pistol Pete, Steve Nash and all the greats (yes, even Jason Williams - remember him?). And now the NBA's official YouTube page just compiled a selection of the top 10 assists of the year. So you can sit back and catch a dollar's worth of dimes (see what I did there?)! Enjoy!

Sample Set #145: It's a Big Daddy Thing

Come, get some, you little bum/
I take the cake but you can't get a crumb/
from the poetic, authentic, superior/
Ultimate - and all that good shit/
I'm the original, Asiatic, acrobatic/
There you have it, now get dramatic/

^ > Your Life! Seriously though, it was time for the 'cane to drop a Kane set. Not as heralded as its predecessor Long Live the Kane, It's a Big Daddy Thing is essential listening to any rap fan for its classic tracks like "Warm It Up, Kane", "Smooth Operator", "Young, Gifted and Black" and more! I'd been working on this set for a while; if you recall, a while back on Twitter I mentioned that I had to watch a movie to get an audio snippet. That film was Re-Animator, a cult classic which seemed retarded at first glance, but I've gotta admit - it grew on me! Anyways, it's also a good time to drop this set what with the Game/Jay-Z beef apparently heating up. Why? Well, remember when Game spit this hot line: "Ask a Jay-Z fan about Big Daddy Kane/ Don't know him, Game gon' show 'em/". It's true, damn it! So get familiar (if you aren't already)! (For the record, the bars at the top of this post were, you guessed it, ripped off by Jay; not hating, just saying...). Kane is right up there with the greats like Rakim, Ice Cube, KRS-One, Chuck D, Masta Ace, LL Cool J and the like. Rap pioneers. Pay attention... (not to mention that Big John Hamilton joint is off the handle)! As always... turn it up!!

Scarface - "My Block" | Insomniacs Club

One of my favorite rap vids.

Jon Stewart Confronts and 'Traps' Bill Kristol

America's Most Trusted Man, Jon Stewart wrapped logical loops around Bill Kristol's private insurance-supporting stance last night on The Daily Show. And boy, oh, boy was it a sight to see. This interview, along with his highly-publicized quarrel with Jim Cramer will go down as some of his finest and most important IMO.

Four Levels of Existence, Jay-Z, Kanye West & Rihanna | Sample & Example

I just woke up, and the first e-mail I checked was titled "Sample source for Jay-Z's Run This Town". This track was sent over by Akuma over at Cash Rules. This one's a bit more difficult to decipher than previous ones. Either way, I'd like to hear your thoughts on it... Again, courtesy of Akuma's awesome find! Check it out:

SAMPLE:
Four Levels of Existence - "Someday in Athens"
Album: Four Levels of Existence
Year: 1976(?)

EXAMPLE:
Jay-Z - "Run This Town" (feat. Kanye West & Rihanna)
Album: The Blueprint 3
Year: 2009

TQ - "Right On" | Insomniacs Club

Out here, it's just a way of life...

<3 L.A.

Johnny Cupcakes Los Angeles: First Anniversary

Thanks to Hetal for the lead:

Originally founded in Beantown, Johnny Cupcakes opened up a store in L.A. on Melrose (walking distance from yours truly's residence) where they sell some snazzy t-shirts and apparel. If you're in the L.A. area and would like to participate in the store's First Anniversary (with free cupcakes!) feel free 'n stop by. Browse the shop to see what they've got!

"Run This Town" | TRU Brain Trust

I love this pic' for so many reasons...

First and foremost, if you subscribe to HHIR but not to TRU, something's wrong. If you haven't gotten familiar by now, take this as the time to do just that! And if you haven't heard, the TRU Brain Trust is officially running this rap (blog) shit. Every once in a while, Rizoh throws up the bat signal and I add my two cents to a hot topic. This week? Jay-Z, Kanye West and Rihanna's assault on the airwaves, "Run This Town". Check out our analysis on the track and make your thoughts heard either on TRU or HHIR's comment section:

TRU Brain Trust Analyzes “Run This Town”

The Grouch & Eligh - !BOOM! ft. Slug [Music Video]

I wouldn't be surprised if this song, along with Deep Rooted's "Crazy" blew out some speakers this past year... Seems like the Bay pulled a jack move on the crunk movement.

David Dallas - Big Time [Music Video]

New Zealand emcee David Dallas (formerly known as Con Psy) is gearing up to release his debut album Something Awesome really soon. The first single off the album, "Big Time", features a trippy new music video to match. Check out David Dallas' official blog for more info on status of the upcoming album. "Big Time" will also be included in the next volume of The Tape Deck.

It's The Real: I Date You So Much Right Now

No, it's not a De La Soul skit!

VIDEO: RAAAAAANDY!

 

 

 

Aziz Ansari is a genius. This three part documentary is a look into the mind of Randy, a standup comedian on the rise. It’s all part of the viral promotion for Funny People, the new Judd Apatow movie.

The Tape Deck '09: Volume #31

Insomniacs Club with (O.D.B. &) Kelis

"Baby, I got your money..."

How prophetic...

The Tape Deck '09: Volume #30

DJ Quik - Way 2 Fonky | Insomniacs Club

Can't fade the West Coast...

Way 2 Fonky is the second album by rapper/producer DJ Quik. The song "Way 2 Fonky" responded to Tim Dog's West Coast diss "Fuck Compton". It was released on January 1, 1992 on Profile Records. The album peaked at #20 on the Billboard 200 music chart on August 8, 1992. It was certified Gold by the RIAA on October 9, 1992. It features the singles "Way 2 Fonky" and "Jus Lyke Compton". Chris Rock ranked Way 2 Fonky twenty-fourth on a 2005 list for Rolling Stone on the Top 25 Hip-Hop Albums of all time.

Zion I & K.Flay - "Coastin" | Music Video

At long last the music video for "Coastin'", a track off Zion I's latest album The Takeover which I predicted would become a single sooner or later. Zumbi and Amp are some of the nicest guys out there and the rep the CA hard, so I've gotta give 'em their props. If you're wondering who's driving that red Cadi', it's Deuce Eclipse, fellow West Coast representative.

Pac’s Life: Pac-Man References In Hip Hop

It’s become commonplace to hear emcees make reference of Adam “Pacman” Jones and a certain Las Vegas incident in their raps. But long before this, hip hop made many references to Namco’s Pac-Man, a revolutionary video game released in the early ‘80’s. In general, rap verses containing cultural references – especially nerdy video game references – produce some of the corniest lyric sheets imaginable. Questions arise like: Did they make a reference to Pac-Man because they’re an avid player of the game? Were they high? Was that all they could come up with to rhyme with words like “stack”, “crack”, “can” and… “man”? Were they just lazy?

First things first, yes, they were definitely high at the time. All of them. Were they lazy? That question is not quite so rhetorical. I’ve carefully picked out a selection of hip hop quotables and I’ve taken it upon myself to be the judge! Were the references strung about out of lack of creativity or was there some level of imagination and inventiveness with the rhyme scheme? Let’s find out! Bonus points if you can come up with some more Pac-Man references in the comments section and offer your opinions on them. Start game:

“I never sweat it, you was so cute/
That I ran like Pac-Man in hot pursuit/”
- Shaquille O’Neal; “Let’s Wait a While”

Verdict: Yeesh! I’d rather put my life on the (free throw) line with the ball in Shaq’s hands than to hear this shit again! Superman’s weakness is Kryptonite. Shaq’s weakness is free throw shooting. And rapping. The actual hook to this song – thankfully not performed by Shaq himself – goes a little something like this: “Let’s wait a while/ Before it gets too late/ Let’s wait/”. Apparently you can stop the reign!

“Call me Pac-Man you ghosts is blue/
I got my red river rubies and my ocean blue…/
…Jewelry…/”
- Lil Wayne; “Fly In”

Verdict: Juelz Santana once rhymed the word “fire” with the word “fire” before rhyming it with “fire” and “fire”. And then he capped it off with one more line ending with the word “fire”. I shit you not. To my knowledge*, nobody else has ever repeated the same successive word as Juelz did on his “Losing Weight Part 2” verse. On “Fly In”, Weezy doesn’t even come close. But it might give us a hint as to why neither of these two rappers can feel their face.

“You’re wack, man/
I eat a nigga like I'm Pac-Man/”
- Krazy Drayzy of Das EFX; “Real Hip Hop”

Verdict: It’s hard to knickitty-knock much of what Das EFX spickitty-spit; and trickitty-truth be tickitty-told, I’ve always lickitty-liked this lickitty-line. But really, what’s the difference between Pharrell sickitty-saying “you ain’t heard that we swallow guys” [||] and Dray saying “I eat a nigga…” [||]? Not mickitty-much.

“Me fallin’ off, it won’t happen/
Boy, get back then with the mack man/
I sold crack, dodgin’ cops like Pac-Man/
Rap-A-Lot ‘fo life’ like Mack 10/”
- Yukmouth; “Stuntastic”

Verdict: The lazy “penmanship” in this rhyme coupling is actually the Mack 10 shout out more so than the Pac-Man reference. And if you wanna get technical, even that line is flawed since Pac-Man is actually encouraged to eat the “boys in blue” – not dodge them. Am I right or am I right?

“Korean New Year to Hanukah I'm bombing ya/
Put you to sleep for good, pajama ya/
Wrangle your he man pajama’s/
Wrap you up in your Pac-Man sheets/”
- Cam'ron; “Get It Get It”

Verdict: Since Big L died and the Children of the Corn disbanded, Cam’ron dumbed down his rhymes and began to make a name for himself by purposely writing jibberish that somehow, someway had a clever ring to it. This shit is incomprehensible. Even by Tom Breihan’s standards!

“The music is like that green stuff provided to you by sack man/
Pac-Man, how in the fuck do you think we gon’ do that man?/
Ridin’ round Old National on 18’s without no gat man/
I'm strapped man & ready to bust on any nigga like that man/
Me and my nigga we roll together like Batman and Robin/”
- Big Boi of OutKast; “Aquemini”

“Lookin’ like Ms. Pac-Man, hammers and Vogues and cat-man/
I'm speakin’ about these pros cause you know nothing ‘bout that man/”
- Big Boi of OutKast; “Spaghetti Junction”

Verdict: Step aside, Juelz*. Big Boi’s first verse on “Aquemini” racked up a total of eight mentions of the word “man” (one of which was omitted due to a serious need for brevity)! Neither of these Pac-Man mentions seem to make much sense. They’re just some strung out pairings of two-syllables word-combos like “___ man”, “___ man” and “___ man”. Like that, man. OutKast, man. They’ve got…. tact, man.

“And let's not even bring up the tracks man/
Nope, nope, let's not do that man/
You eatin’ up the game like Pac-Man/
He got the whole world shakin’ just like crack fiends/”
- Kanye West; “Heavy Hitters”

Verdict: I can’t really front on this Pac-Man mention, let alone the track, since it was one of my favorite Kanye mixtape songs from back in the day. He really was eating up the game back then. No fishsticks.

“I was in and out of homes like the Orkin man/
Never listen to my parents like an orphan man/
Strong finger on the trigger like it’s dwarf’s hands/
Confiscate goodies like Repo Man Sam/
Make nigga kick that can, fall victim to the Klick Klack Klan/
My vixen eat ya face, like she Ms. Pac-Man; my wish her command, uh!/”
- Pusha T; “Chinese New Year”

Verdict: “Uh” indeed! Uh… what!? Your vixen will eat my face? That sounds kinda kinky. I’m in.

“Pac woman better yet Space Invader/
If your name was Chun-Li, we'd be playin’ Street Fighter/”
- Wyclef Jean; “Guantanamera”

Verdict: References for the sake of references are pretty lame. Here’s a prime example of an emcee who’s given up on the craft of rap as poetry. This line makes me imagine Wyclef back in the day flipping through an old copy of Nintendo Power Magazine and finding random names to use in his verses. “Pras Michel better yet Wyclef Jean/ If you played with L-Boogie, I’d buy the al-bum/”.

“The moments were subtle but unstolen and guess who owns them/
No friendly, non-threatening corporate lacky mucks in the totem/
Lucy was in the sky with diamonds/
Five dollars to hold them/
The summer beneath these Pac-Man’s with acid behind his molars/”
- Aesop Rock; “The Greatest Pac-Man Victory in History”

Verdict: With a title like that, you’d think the whole song was about playing Pac-Man. Not at all. Only one Pac-Man mention on the entire track, and it pretty much makes no sense; like most of A.Rock’s lyrics.

“My Resident is Evil, full of Southside riders/
I hope you're Pac'd-Man, I got six Virtua Fighters/”
- Ludacris; “Press the Start Button”

Verdict: Like the aforementioned Wyclef track, this is just another example of an emcee using references for the sake of references. To my horror, I came to notice that the entire song is full of video game puns and references. Now the track title seems to make more sense. According to OHHLA – because Lord knows I’m not gonna try and decipher these puns manually – there are 20+ video game references on this track. Game over!!! But wait, there’s one more…

“Pac-Man, y’all niggas know my name/
It’ll take a quarter key to survive in my game/
They call me Pac-Man, and ain’t a damn thing change/
Even though I got signed I’ma still slang thangs/”
- Beanie Sigel; “Mac Man”

Verdict: High score! Let me make one thing perfectly clear: the lyrics you see above are merely the hook for the song. He repeated those lines twice between each verse! But there are plenty more references to go ‘round! Here’s an extended selection:

“All I do is stack loot, run around and eat fruit/
And harass these lady cops named Pinky and Sue/”
…
“…My nigga Donkey Kong bringin’ weed in by the barrels/”
…
“Met Ms. Pac told she could go on a mission/
But first she got to let me put in Pole Position/
I wish I woulda knew then what I now know sooner/
Cause ten towns later here come Pac Jr./”

Verdict (cont’d): Let the record show that Mr. Sigel used the title of the game Pole Position as a pun for the act of intercourse! … What can’t you love about this song? Sigel has undoubtedly earned the corny-ass “Mac Man” handle. I’m not sure who else was gunning for the title, but hey, congrats anyways…

Level 2 coming soon...(?)