Really though?!?

I really didn’t care too much for the apparent rap beef between Drake & Common!

Why?

Because it was only done to initially sell records. I get it. I get it. Common is an old rapper who shouldn’t be taking shots at the up and coming stars while Drake is a young, chump sort of rapper. Not even French Montana and Rick Ross can give his gangster ability any credit.

With that said, alls I truly care about is who would beat who if they were to actually fight in real life. But we all know the answer to that question.

(Fuck rap – I’m only listening to classical & jazz from now on)

[closes door]

They put the HD in (High Def) and bring you tunes from the District, Maryland, and Virginia area.

HD made up of Marlow and Troy Boy make swag seem easy on their already released track from their Loyalty B4 Royalty project dropping online New Year’s Eve.

This is crack a bottle and relax music or that good ole, smooth champagne and jay music. But they still manage to keep it G, so at midnight, make sure you have your lighters, drinks, earphones, stereos, and whatever makes you merry because HD finally drops their project for you to bring in the New Year right!

Track Listing is below:

In an essay titled, “On Black Male Poetics” by Afaa M. Weaver, the question of what is black male poetics is explored throughout using poets such as Langston Hughes, Roberty Hayden, and Jay Wright. As an African-American male, I agree with Weaver for the most part; however, I disagree with what seems to be his motivation behind the piece, which says, “Time has moved on, and if black male poetics is to assume a more manifest place, even as poetry itself is marginalized in exponential leaps in every waking second, then black male poets must explore the beauty of the quality of being human.”
It seems that the power to overcome is always prevalent in the history of African-Americans. Since being brought over to the United States during the slavery trade, the black male has been oppressed, and when one is oppressed how does he define beauty? Racism is still alive and kicking in not only our country, but also all over the world. Langston Hughes dealt with it greatly and the color of his skin had a great influence over his writings.
Today we have our first African-American president, Barack Obama. When he was first elected, many news stations constantly pushed the idea of a post-racial America; however, racism like poverty, that also happens to affect majority of the African-American population of our country, isn’t going anywhere, even almost four decades after the death of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Before I give my opinion on Black Male Poetics, I’d like to ask what has America done for the black male? Affirmative Action has done nothing but show us the black male in America is the underdog and not as well off with education as its white counterpart American. Yes, the poetic tradition figured by racially based political oppression, according to Weaver, is how black poets came to be, but that what being black is all about. You have to go through being discriminated against. You have to be called a nigger (at least once in your life). You have to feel oppressed. There is an unfair and oppressing system set-up so the black male can fail. That is why I disagree with Weaver. The beauty of the quality of being human for the black male poetic comes from the imagination and “the will to live in a world that too often would have us die” as Weaver said.
In my dreams of being a becoming a writer, I do not aspire for greatness. I aspire to inspire. I have the luxury of being able to express myself and express the situations of those I observe in my community. There are stories that need to be listened to, not just heard. For me, as a black male poet in my early stages, that is the beauty of the quality of being human—being able to express yourself.
The evolution of language has crossed over into other genres. Poetry is found in rap and hip-hop today in America. Whether its misogynistic, talking about killings, big chains, bettering the community, improving society, or damning the education system, it is a form of black male poetics because they are expressing the racially driven oppression that Hughes expressed during the Harlem Renaissance years.
Black male poetics for me, is telling it like it is. Rapper Jay-Z says “We ain’t thugs for the sake of just being thugs/ Nobody do that where we grew at, nigga, Duh!/ The poverty line, we not above/ So we come to mask and glove cause we ain’t feeling the love.” This represents black male poetics to me. We are forced into some situations. When the black male poet has his back against a wall that will never disappear, will he write about the quality of being human in an unjust society, or will he continue the legacy of what poets like Hughes started and “encourage” his audience and community?

My poetic alter-ego became a rapper. Just so happened that I was studying William Shakespeare at the time too.

The name of the song is Venetian Affair after William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice. It is recorded over the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air theme song instrumental.

Check out the song below – the lyrics are below

#Owwww (Click Continue for lyrics)

Venetian Affair

[Chorus]
Now, this is a story all about how
My life got twisted upside down
And I’d like to take a minute just sit right there
And tell you how I became the ploy of a Venetian affair.

[Verse 1]
In the slums of Venice born and raised
In the ghettos Jews usury for their days
Dealin out funds. You know the Christians want some.
Ducats in lump sums. Interest makes the income.
Then a couple of guys Bassanio & Antonio
Borrowed from his purse, a person’s flesh for the loan
If you repay me not a day in such place
He said, “I’ll seal a bond from the Jew content in faith.
But Antonio was wicked & anti-semetic
Spits on the Jews, ridicules, a big zealot
But he says, “Come on in this there can be no dismay
My ships come home a month before the day”

[Chorus]
Jews banned from professions
So we’re hated.
Keep stressing as the city’s only tax collectors.
I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands,
Organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions.
Fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons
It’s tragic, but it’s true.
My daughter ran away today, but all will be well
I caught wind of Antonio’s cargo fail.

[Chorus]
Venetian affair (repeat)

[Verse 3]
Now it’s my time, to take what’s rightfully a mine.
I profess that it’s best to start the process for his arrest
To have my due and forfeit of my bond.
If you deny me, I will take your city’s freedom.
What judgment should I dread? I’m doing no wrong
Venice must sentence against the Merchant
But I can’t make him bleed along the way
I said nay, take my life or let me leave, I pray.

[Chorus]
Venetian affair (repeat)

[Verse 4]
The villainy you teach me I will execute
If you wrong us, should I not revenge, too?
Being human you become a monster, but I don’t care
I lost my daughter, religion, and self to a Venetian affair.

2011 has been a very interesting year for hip-hop/rap music to say the least. With gangster rap on its way out the door, there is a new class of rap (emo-rap, backpack rap, internet rap, commercial rap, etc) that has taken over the airwaves. It’s not cool to be a gangster anymore. The lines of pop and mainstream music have blurred with the addition to hip-hop rhymthms and culture to reach a wider audience. Hip-hop meet gentrication.

Down below, you will find the list for the top 10 hip-hop artists of 2011. Thank you for the wonderful year.

Honorable Mention (No particular order):
Eminem, Young Jeezy, Childish Gambino, Lil B, Curren$y

Curren$y is a constant & diligent worker in hip-hop. With Covert Coupe, Verde Terrace, Weekend at Bernies, Return to the Winner’s Circle, and putting out a cd for his JET LIFE crew, he deserves to be mentioned as one of the top artist.

10. Mac Miller

Sold over 100,000 albums his first week by himself. With a little help from his record label. Nonetheless, Mac Miller has been a presence in hip-hop throughout 2011.

9. Big Sean
Signed with Ye and the GOOD Music label, The Luis-Vuitton Sean Don had a great year. Boi!!

8. Lupe

He called President Obama a damn terrorist (foolio). But he did move 200-Plus thousand his first week – #DumbedItDown

7. Nicki Minaj

She got that boom-ba-boom-ba-boom that SUPER BASS. She held it down on the airwaves and is currently the only mainstream female rapper doing her thang (And she got a big-ole booty)!!

6. Rick Ross & the Mayback Music Group

Commericial rap is back. Rick Ross is leading the commercial rap with his label making a lot of noise in 2011. Wale did numbers, Meek Millz did features, and Stalley and the rest of the gang is next up. Ross & MMG because 2011 made them codependent. Can anybody do anything without a cosign these days?

5. Wiz Khalifa

Roll Up & Black & Yellow – too bad the Steelers didn’t win the Superbowl in 2011. Anyways, Wiz went strong in shows, sales, singles, and the whole sha-bang. He had the Internet going CRAYZAY

4. J. Cole

Certified Gold! Album was almost a classic (depends on who you’re talking to). The sideliner took over when he finally got in the game this year.

3. Lil Wayne

Most album sales this year for first week sales. Young Money label rocketeer. 2011 is Weezy’s year.

2. Jay-Z & Kanye

Any group of people who can perform a song 6-plus, even 8 times and still have people screaming for more deserves a spot at the top for 2011. Watch the Throne would’ve killed hip-hop, but sorry to say rap is a young man’s sport these days.

1. Drake

Courtesy of Serenaz's Photostream (Flickr)

Show some love and support #Enjoy

With all the smoke in the air, I bet everyone enjoyed the munchies for Turkey Day. They didn’t call it the Smoker’s Club Tour for nothing.

Check out some of the clips from the show below. #Enjoy

See you on Twitter .

Curren$y
The answer to his question is HELL YEAH, LOL.

And I’m looking famous

Curren$y in a cast on stage uses Smoke DZA as a crutch

Elevator Music

Limps off stage at the end of set

Big KRIT
Moon & Stars

Touchdown, shawty

Method Man
Meth still got it.

WuTang in the place to be.

Method Man

The thought process has lost
All rationale.
There is no haven.
No asylum.
In my nightmares,
There are no grotesque creatures,
Never-ending falls,
Or deaths of those
Whom I hold sincere.

However, at some point
Between my dreams
I will have happiness again
From the white jacket, you so
Lovingly locked and subsequently
Lost the key to.

Black Tar & Feathers
-after Jean-Michel Basquiat

black skin

black on
black crime.

black people’s
time.

soul, blues,
hip-hop, rock
black music.

black ass
black news.

half white
half black,
first president.

black face
black Jesus

fading back
to black.

Wale delivery throughout majority of the album has garnered swag since his deal with Jay-Z first solo album dropping. His delivery quenches his thirst for Ambition on the introduction “Don’t Hold Your Applause.” He is deserving of applause with lyrics such as “Shit, I be feeling like real niggas don’t make it to 50 / And I be feeling Martin, Malcolm, and Pac would defend me.”He paints the thug life nature of the community that is caricature-like for the DC area (I’m not a fan of the word DMV).

Overall, lyrics and wordplay propels this album. The production and low quality beats take away from the appeal to Wale’s dominant NY 90s style flow with the DC lingo. With a hinting backdrop of gogo behind his beats, Wale has more two-step songs rather than headbangers.

This album is an eclectic collection of work; for example, songs like ‘Miami Nights,’ ‘Legendary,’ and ‘No Days Off’ show the hard work and come up in the rap game. When I get my money right I will shine bright kind of songs. But at the same time, instead of success he raps about earning, he emphasizes that ambition and says, I just want to be legendary.

‘Focused’ featuring Kid Cudi is a mix of witty banter and puns throughout. With Cudi on the hook, this song proves to be the mainstream song that Wale needs to sell more records. Even though he flopped with the opportunity to push into the mainstream scene with a song with Lady Gaga, Wale goes back to what he knows best in his poetic like tracks- WOMEN.

‘Lotus Flower Bomb’ featuring Miguel, ‘That Way’ featuring Ross and Jeremih,’ ‘Sabotage’ featuring Lloyd, ‘White Linen (Coolin)’ and ‘Illest Bitch’ are songs for the ladies. This is ride around music for you to enjoy when you’re driving down the Beltway or the highway.

However, if you’re actually in DC or a hood near you, you may want to bump ‘Double M Genius’ or ‘Chain Music.’ ‘Chain Music’ is the (coming from where hoes fuck you for your paint job) song. With a Rick Ross sample for the hook, Wale could’ve did it up if he used the previous Ross lyric instead.

As I’ve mentioned the album lacks the beat factor and one other thing- FEATURES. No shots at Wale, but with just Big Sean, Meek Mills, and Rick Ross the only rap features, the album lacks depth.

a href=”http://lolitzdo.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/20111102-105140.jpg”>

Moreover, Wale doesn’t lack depth in finding a message with his art. In the song, “DC or Nothing” he touches on things very sensitive to the DC area such as the AIDS epidemic, the dippa heads (users of embalming fluid), gentrification, you name it. Where the hood struggles, Wale tries to uplift.

I’ve seen a lot of tweets about Wale is finally putting ‘Us’ on. Thank you Wale for putting a face to DC area music. While most of the people are from Maryland, I’d feel left out as a fan if I were from MD. Unless, I want to be an outsider from DC too. There’s no argument with unifying three states due to similarities, but when the differences are vast, it will be a great feat to do the deed of unifying an area that doesn’t want to be together.

When listening to music, you don’t study the person. You say, this person is good at that. Let’s see how he goes about doing that. Wale at heart is a poet and a messenger. In order to fuel his ambition and feed his ego, he will have a hard time trying to be respected by his audience. Wale is nice, but what hood is he from? That will always be a question that has to be answered in order for him to achieve that personal success of being accepted by the gangsters and real DC niggas.

I don’t want to be a hater. I like Wale’s music. His genius gift of the pen on songs like ‘Wale from Maryland’ strengthens my disclaimer. This album is definitely worth copping. If you’re not from the DC area, you can learn a thing or two from this album. If you’re from the DC area, then support your stars. If you are from DC, then Moses is here to lead your ears to the promise land. Even if he isn’t from the city.

#DISCLAIMER

I was born and raised in Southeast, DC. When I was old enough to get in trouble for doing wrong, I moved deeper into Southeast. Afterwards, I lived in Northeast. From Ward 8, the worst area in DC to Ward 7, the next worst area in DC. Our nation’s capital is a very territorial place, marked by ‘hoods and streets. This sense of pride in your hood was exacerbated by the Go-Go.

I was educated in DC and then Maryland for the latter years of high school followed by Baltimore for college. Since a child, I’ve always heard “Oh, you’re from DC – what part?” The reply was more than likely always “Southeast.” “Oh for real? Where at?” The neighborhood that was said most of the time was “Barry Farms.”

Arguably one of the ‘hardest’ hoods in DC, if you weren’t from there, you couldn’t go around there. Or at least back in my childhood. For the love of me, I could never understand people’s fascination with being gangster. I could never fathom why people wanted to be from the place I grew up. It wasn’t nothing to look forward to but prison, drug selling, hustling, chilling on the corner, doing whatever you see in the gangster films. Such was life. College got worst. Out of town, everyone from any part of Maryland within 20 minutes of DC was from DC. But hey, those same out of towners told me I wasn’t from the hood because I went to a privilege, white, Jesuit college. )It got old fast.

With that said, I HOPE you enjoyed my review of the man who is single handedly trying to unify the suburbs with the urban, the gangsters with the school kids, the white collar with the blue collar, the bitches with the hoes; hence the name of the album: Ambition.