hip-hop

Read The Introduction, Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 9 10 11 When Nas came out with Hip Hop is Dead last year it sparked a lot of debate. Some people were angry that he could say such a thing. I understood where he was coming from and agreed with him. [Keep Reading]

Read The Introduction, Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 9 10 Since its very beginnings, hip-hop has had distinct regional sounds. The art form was born in the Bronx but even then there were distinct styles in three different sections of the [Keep Reading]

I find a lot of people are taken aback or surprised by the fact that I am so passionate about hip-hop. I don’t seem to fit the typical audience. It throws people off. I love hip-hop music and culture but I try to remain open to other forms and [Keep Reading]

2Pacalypse Now by 2Pac This is the debut album from “the greatest emcee to ever touch a mic,” at least I have been proclaiming that ever since I was first introduced to this amazing artist. There is something intangible about his music. It could [Keep Reading]

Read The Introduction, Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 Rap songs started out simply enough. It was what the DJs had available. They had record players and they had plenty of records. That was all that was needed, at the start. DJs could [Keep Reading]

Read The Introduction, Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 Hip-hop started with the DJ. This is a point that I cannot emphasize enough. From the very first block parties, DJs used record players in very creative ways. They didn’t merely play a record for [Keep Reading]

The key to good hip-hop is this – the music and lyrics need to work together. They need to enhance each other like a movie script and an actor. A script is great by itself but it doesn’t truly come alive until it is produced. Rap music goes way [Keep Reading]

Read The Introduction, Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 In the late 1980s, we saw a shift in the lyrical content of rap songs. This new style is referred to as political rap. The emcees started to talk about real life issues. Chuck D, of the [Keep Reading]

Read The Introduction, Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 In 1962 James Brown recorded his historic Live at the Appolo. His sound and performance really introduced a new form of dancing. In 1969 he recorded two songs that have had quite a lasting [Keep Reading]

Word…Life by O.C. The year is 1994. I faithfully tune into the Mastermind Street Jam on Energy 108 every Saturday afternoon from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. It’s about the only time that real hip-hop music makes it to the commercial airwaves in Hamilton. [Keep Reading]