Jigga vs. Talib Kweli

This one's a little more hypothetical, but I love the premise. Every Black Album aficionado should immediately recognize the line:

"If skills sold, truth be told, I'd probably be, lyrically, Talib Kweli."

And any Black Star aficionado should immediately remember the lesser known response in "Ghetto Show" where Kweli says:

"If lyrics sold then truth be told, I'd probably be, just as rich and famous as Jay-Z."

This all happened after Kanye helped to bridge the gap between these two Brooklyn emcees on the remix to Kweli's own Ye-produced single. And now you got enough music for a new "Favors" segment on this blog right here.

2002
Talib Kweli - Get By (Remix feat. Mos Def, Jay-Z, Kanye West, & Busta Rhymes)
2003
Jay-Z - Moment of Clarity
2004
Talib Kweli - Ghetto Show (feat. Common & Anthony Hamilton)

... and do the John Wall.

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Snippet #2: Obamamania?

Question: Everyone knows that every rapper and their momma hopped on the Obama bandwagon come election time, but do you know the very first artist to lend bars in support of our current president?

Hint ... it's not will.i.am or Jigga or Crooked I or Ludacris or anyone who put out a mixtape tribute to the man recently. What if I told you it was all the way back in 2004?

"Why is Bush actin' like he tryinna get Osama?
Why don't we impeach him and elect Obama?"

That couplet is from Jadakiss' remix to his (only?) smash single "Why". And they come from Common. This was Com just months after Kanye single-handedly resuscitated his public perception with a feature on The College Dropout while Be was still just "under construction". How many people actually followed politics close enough in 2004 to know who the newly-nominated United States senator from Illinois was? Certainly not me. Barack didn't gain national steam until well into 2007. I just wanted to let you know who started the movement in case ya didn't already know. Hidden sneakily in between references to his ex-boo Erykah Badu, religious ponderings, and Britney Spears dissing while also in the mix of Jada, Styles P, Nas and Anthony Hamilton, it could have slipped by anybody.

Jadakiss - Why (Remix feat. Styles P, Common, Nas, & Anthony Hamilton)

... but do take my word for it.

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Soundtrack Diva

No, that's not Whitney Houston in the picture.

I really enjoy Macy Gray. I don't care what anyone else's opinion is of her. I got all four of her albums, search for all her loose tracks, and randomly throw on her playlist all the time while still holding my man card. All you may know of her is her global smash single (that you know all the words to), "I Try", and maybe that she sang the As Told by Ginger theme song (for all the former Nickelodeon-ers around my age), but who really cares about that? To me, she's forever an icon ... simply because she played a role in my two favorite movies of all time, Domino (with my wife, Keira Knightley) and the OutKasted Idlewild.

Speaking of those two movies, Macy also performs a featured song on each one. And luckily for me, they were em-pee-three'd on the respective soundtracks as well. Majestically drawing the curtain on Domino's elaborate, explosive, and intensely provoking conclusion, Macy softly lays her vocals on a song simply entitled "Real". That deeply cemented the flick as my favorite and most personally impacting film I've experienced so far in my short life. It opened on a stellar note with a thumping Xzibit/Anthony Hamilton collabo and held every morsel of my attention and dedication until Macy's signature croon completed the experience. And this is another thing ... I don't give a flying anything what you think about Domino. That's my ish for the rest of eternity.

And soon after I updated my iTunes with a few secretive gems that I had to search down from Ms. Gray, I realized that she for real, for real brings her A-game on movie soundtracks. I love most all her music, but she's got some serious hits on a couple random big screen projects that I've never actually seen before. I thought I'd share them with you tonight if you can handle the raspy vocal repertoire of one of my elite R&B songstresses. You can say what you want, but let me tell you that there is no mistaking a Macy Gray joint. And I'm not even talking about the still smoldering one that she just put down. If those pipes (and I'm not even ... forget it) are broadcast over some speakers, then everyone knows what's up. "I Try" is a purely classic landmark of the turn of the century, so you should have respect for this woman. Now I ain't saying her last name is Keys or Hill or anything, but give a few of these soundtrack songs a chance and get a taste of some miscellaneous Macy goodness that you may find out you can secretly enjoy, too. And just to reinforce everything I've already said, I really, really, really love Keira Knightley ...

Macy Gray -
"Real" from Domino
"Coming Back to You" from Deja Vu
"Time of Your Life" from 8 Mile
"Don't Forget Me" from Confessions of a Shopaholic

... but do take my word for it.

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Back at It

Mr. Hamilton is back at it again. Not Anthony Hamilton. Not Jeezy Hamilton.

Charles Hamilton - The Dead Zone

Charles has quickly become a polarizing figure in hip hop. I personally find the short-lived (and media-created) "beefs" and assaulting commentary stupidly hilarious, but it's really getting his name out there. Unfortunately, a lot of it's just a bunch of hate. Not enough people let his music speak for him instead of what they read on gossip blogs. Or legit hip hop blogs' comment boards ...

Like I've said before, I listen to every Charles project multiple times. And thoroughly at that. So I have no words of its quality as of yet, but I'll get back to you. Chuck is still my favorite out there doing it right now. Until Andre's back, of course ... but hopefully not too speedily.

... put 'em both together and you got yourself a super spork.

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If You Catch Me Dreaming ...

Anthony Hamilton has always been the master of heavy-hearted tracks that really connect. His voice is perfectly suited for the soft power needed to emotionally hit the soul. Whenever I'm straight down on anything in my life, I tend to pull his name up on the iTunes. May sound corny, but I swear I do. I just really like this song.

Anthony Hamilton - Pass Me Over

This letter to the only One who knows what's actually going on absolutely moves me like something else. I could listen to the piano on this track looped forever. It's that nice. Then there's just perfectly placed accentuations with rain-like injections, off-branching melodies, tambourine jingles, and drum pattern changes. And then the choir comes in? Man!

I really need that song after pulling a 60 on my second Chem II test. I mean, like, that combined with UK losing to GEORGIA yesterday ... please hide all medication from me for a little while. I ain't quite on a roll as of late. But Mr. Hamilton serves as a pleasant whisper in the moment that I want to scream at the top of my lungs.

... put 'em both together and you got yourself a super spork.

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Classic: Thugz Mansion

This is a nice lil' two-fer. Same official Pac verse, but one hundred percent different tracks. One was released on the posthumous Better Dayz with Anthony Hamilton while the other transfered a verse to the acoustic Nas rendition on God's Son. I'm a sucker for anything with finger-picking or Mr. Hamilton, so I enjoy both rather thoroughly. Somehow 2Pac remains both over and underrated in his legacy since his death, but it's impossible for somebody to not have a few Pac songs they sweat.

2Pac - Thugz Mansion (feat. Anthony Hamilton)

Nas - Thugz Mansion (N.Y. feat. 2Pac & J. Phoenix)

Supposedly the short Pac-Nas feud was deaded right before Pac's unfortunate passing, so I'm sure the 2002 version was deeply genuine, especially considering it came shortly after the passing of Nas' mother.

... this was whatcha all been waitin' for ain't it?

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Don't Tell Nobody

So my "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" blog got deleted, too! Somebody's after me! But it's okay, cuz i'm bout to have a special joint like nothing I've ever done before. If it works out I may just have a heart attack and be a martyr through the song. Ha! Don't tell nobody though. 'Cept brandUn.

Dumb concept, but here's my favorite "Nobody" tracks! This could be a Jeopardy category or something.

Alicia Keys - Nobody Not Really

Anthony Hamilton - Ain't Nobody Worryin'

Nate Dogg - Nobody Does It Better (feat. Warren G)

Avril Lavigne - Nobody Home (Acoustic)

Chaka Khan - Ain't Nobody (Loves Me Better)

Eclectic mix. And fittingly, each track deals with something completely 100% different. Whether it's insecurity in the world, acknowledging undealt-with circumstances, braggadocio of one's dopeness, facing the pain of unknowingness, or the rare praise of a man's love. Respectively, of course.

I had previously posted that amazing Leona Lewis was like my third favorite woman in the world. Well in case you didn't know, Alicia Keys is two. Eventually I'm going to dedicate a music post to each of my five wives. But again, they'll prolly get deleted for some reason they won't fully explain to me! So check back like 12 times a day! Ha!

I'll try to stray away from posting new-new stuff unless it's absolutely vital, cuz then the argument of affecting record sales is dead, but the freshest music will always find its way on these pages. So, yeah. Who am I kidding, I'm posting whatever new stuff I want whenever I want. "You, sir, were a formidable opponent." (c) Stephen Colbert

Don't wanna get sued for using that last line there! Ha! But anyway, it might be the pictures I've posted with some of the posts. Whatever it is, my blog won't die and I'll tinker to make sure of it!

... and so concludes another masterpiece

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