“Shallow Days, Hollow Nights…”
GENERAL By TSSCrew on March 31, 2008 at 3:12 pmWords By Patrick M.
While the timing of Hip-Hop’s death has been on people’s minds since Nas stated his opinion on the matter, I believe its nearest brush with mortality came in the late 90s.
At the time, a newfound schism had emerged, the brutally false distinction between “Rap “and “Hip-Hop.” A variety of things played as factors: East Coast-West Coast overload and humanities’ need to portray themselves as cutting edge led to the emergence of an underground movement. They refused to acknowledge the artistic merits of anything that touched a radio airwave or MTV. Yet they also represented the music’s deepest fanbase and their retreat from popular Hip-Hop led to the prevalence of the lowest common denominator music that still infects the game today.
The saving grace was that the elitist fans were wrong about the Rap/Hip-Hop dichotomy. Their scorn was directed towards artists that, in time, were proven to be amongst the most important contributors to Hip-Hop of the last decade. No two artists faced the wrath more than Jay-Z and Nas, who were accused of ruining the perfect “Hip-Hop” aesthetic of the 90s with albums like Hard Knock Life: Vol. 2. Peers in scorn were the southern stables of Cash Money and No Limit, who proved to be ahead of their time, pioneers in Hip-Hop’s demographic shift southward. Eventually, most underground heads accepted the rise of the South and bowed down to the quality of top-selling artists like the aforementioned Jay-Z and Nas, and their followers like T.I. After all, you can only ignore quality for so long. Fast forward to 2007, and it looks like this brush with death is history, with the fawning critical portraits of Lil’ Wayne by Pitchfork and the New Yorker being the greatest example of elitist acceptance possible.
I wonder if the schism has been truly healed or simply bandaged, destined to rupture again. Lately I’ve noticed, and been part of, a growing snarky criticism towards popular artists. Granted, the Soulja Boys and T-Pains are worthy of mockery in hopes that people will wake up and we’ll never have to hear from them again. But just as these “commerical” artists suck, there are plenty of underground artists equally adept at making crappy music and offending Hip-Hop’s sensibilities. Snarking people on the bottom doesn’t raise your cred as a hater though, so what’d be the point?
In the middle of the previous divide, one of the most lauded underground/pure Hip-Hop groups Blackalicious released a song called “Shallow Days.” On the first verse, Gift of Gab outlines his philosophy on why he doesn’t use violence in rhymes, eliciting one of the most common gripes at popular music of that day. But on the second verse, he turns his verse into a conversation with an unnamed “hustler” who has his own reasons for writing rhymes that reflect the reality of his life. Gift of Gab tells the hustler (and himself) that the true enemy is not the gangster/popular side of Rap, but the other forces that conspire to hold both of them down. The implied lesson is that wasting energy slandering each other acts to distract from the mutual demons we face as Hip-Hop fans.
It’s an important lesson, one we all have to continue remind ourselves to balance criticism with praise when it comes to our music, and to not shut doors on artists because of our perceptions. As critics and fans, we need to be honest about what we find good and what’s crap no matter how it’s packaged or who told you it’s hot. There’s nothing wrong with praising Akrobatik and Rick Ross at the same time if they both bring the goods. Support good music by passing it along to peers or going to a show if that’s your thing and you got some spare change.
After all Soulja Boy’s still fam.
Maybe the semi-retarded cousin that peed on your sister at the last reunion. But still fam nonetheless.
Don’t forget that.
Posted in GENERAL — Tags: Blackalicious, Gift Of Gab, Shallow
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great song. good post, Pat.
My little sister (17 yo) said it to me like this, in parallel to Chris Rock’s saying: Rap is for niggas and Hip Hop is for Black people.
My heart goes out to their father……….
O’Jays son dies after taken from jail
03/31/2008 2:36 PM, AP
Singer Sean Levert, a third of the 1980s R&B trio LeVert and son of lead O’Jays singer Eddie Levert, has died after falling ill while serving a jail term. He was 39.
Authorities said Monday that an autopsy was inconclusive but foul play was ruled out.
Levert was sent to the Cuyahoga County jail last week for failing to pay child support. He died at Lutheran Hospital in Cleveland late Sunday, less than an hour after he was taken there from the jail, said coroner Frank Miller.
His brother Gerald Levert, who had success as a solo artist after leaving their trio died in 2006 at age 40 of an accidental mix of prescription and over-the-counter drugs.
The brothers had formed LeVert in the 1980s with childhood friend Marc Gordon. Their hits included “Baby I’m Ready,” “(Pop, Pop, Pop, Pop) Goes My Mind” and “Casanova.”
“Casanova” was nominated for a Grammy in 1988 for best R&B performance by a duo or group with vocal. It was also nominated for best R&B song.
At Gerald Levert’s funeral service in November 2006, Sean Levert and his father performed “Dance With My Father” and personalized the words for Gerald. The elder Levert’s group, the O’Jays, was known for such smash hits as “Back Stabbers” and “Love Train.”
Sean Levert found a new third partner last year and was trying to revive LeVert.
An autopsy was done Monday but no immediate cause of death was determined, according to Powell Caesar, a spokesman for the Cuyahoga County’s coroner’s office, but he said there was no evidence of foul play or trauma.
Levert suffered from high blood pressure and had been hallucinating in jail, Caesar said. Toxicology reports could take four to six weeks, he said.
Warden Kevin McDonough said earlier that Levert had been sick and guards were watching him at the jail’s regular cellblock because he had been acting strangely.
Sean Levert had pleaded guilty last week to six counts of nonsupport involving children ages 11, 15 and 17
Good post bruh.
Music is music no matter who makes it or where it comes from. I’ve never been a “under-ground back-packer” type; I can’t stand those clowns because they always have this elitist idea of what hiphop should sound like, FUCK OUTTA HERE!!! I like anything as long as it’s dope and I feel it, nuff said.
ps
The ROOTS killed it last night here in Toronto!!! They even did live renditions of some club bangers like “This Why I’m Hot”, “Snap Yo’ Fingaz” and Throw Some D’s”!!! With a Philly-Roots flavour to them though!!! I definitely got my $42.00 worth for sure; they even came back out for a 20 minute encore AFTER rocking the stage for two straight hours!!! I’m definitely buying “Rising Down” when it drops. Yo Gotty, I got those photos coming real soon my dude.
Oh yeah, buy that fucking AZ “Undeniable” when it drops April 1st, support good music people!!!
ayo this is a question for all yall out there rocking external HDs…how do you get itunes, wmp, etc. not to create 2 versions of all your shit if you have a backup version on your external?…shit is pissing me off
^ I just fux with my external..nothing on my internal space..looks like i need another external just to back up everything i got..what a hassle
“I wonder if the schism has been truly healed or simply bandaged, destined to rupture again.” truest words in this post.
Things won’t change only because the weak minded enjoy “Hatin”, it makes them feel better about themselves and their music.
@ sherm…I don’t mess with any of that stuff..but it seems all you need to do is point itunes, wmp, ect only point to the file location(s) that you want to be discovered. (i.e. do not do a “discover all “..just point the software to one file location(s))
DJ SOUL
Under The Radar - Volume 1
1. Nas “Let’s Go” (DJ Khalil Remix)
2. The Roots feat. Mos Def & Styles P “Rising Down”
3. Outkast feat. Raekwon “Royal Flush”
4. Phonte (Little Brother) & DJ Spinna “Dillagence”
5. Erykah Badu “Soldier” (Prod. by Madlib)
6. Gnarls Barkley “Who’s Gonna Save My Soul”
7. M.O.P. feat. Bilal “Get Rich or Die Trying”
8. Rick Ross feat. Jay-Z “Maybach Music”
9. Fat Joe feat. KRS-One “My Consicence” (prod. by The Alchemist)
10. Ghostface “I’ll Die For You”
http://www.zshare.net/audio/96355675312418/
If someone have some good movie “divx”
so perhaps 700mo and in one link ! Please homies. thxinad. Here: Snatch w/ brad pitt by Guy Richie.
(sorry i just found this) enjoy. peace yall! bye
http://rapidshare.com/files/37681473/Snatch.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/37681700/Snatch.part2.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/37681943/Snatch.part3.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/37682149/Snatch.part4.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/37682356/Snatch.part5.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/37682620/Snatch.part6.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/37682866/Snatch.part7.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/37682916/Snatch.part8.rar
No kidding… when I was a bartender I invented a drink called the Silky Johnson on account of that is my favorite character of all time. I also named my dog Dylan after “Whoooo are the five best rappers in the world? Dy-lan, Dy-lan, Dy-lan, Dy-lan and Dy-lan.”
Yeah… I’m a fan.
Great write up by the way, Pat. I’m a fan of yours as well.
I didn’t see this one in the loosies or the quick search.
WALE-hiphopgame freestyle…it’s dat fie produced by 9th wonder
http://rapidshare.com/files/103897392/wale_-_hiphopgame_freestyle.mp3
i wanted to z-share it but couldn’t get
LC whats in a Silky Johnson? with a name like that it might be my 2nd favorite drink behind a banana cognac.
Psst…
Estelle - Shine
1. Wait A Minute (Just A Touch) (Prod. By Wil.I.Am)
2. No Substitute Love (Prod. By Wyclef Jean & Jerry “wonda” Duplesis)
3. American Boy (Ft. Kanye West) (Prod. By Will.I.Am)
4. More Than Friends (Prod. By Keezo Kane)
5. Magnificent (Ft. Kardinal Offishall) (Prod. By Mark Ronson)
6. Come Over (Prod. By Supa Dups)
7. So Much Out The Way (Prod. By Wyclef Jean & Jerry “wonda” Duplesis)
8. In The Rain (Prod. By Johnny Douglas)
9. Back In Love (Prod. By Steve Mckie)
10. You Are (Ft. John Legend) (Prod. By Tom Craskey)
11. Pretty Please (Love Me) (Ft. Cee-Lo) (Prod. By Jack Splash)
12. Shine (Prod. By Swizz Beatz)
http://www.mediafire.com/?dgvp4×3a2bb
Conya Doss - Still
01. Common Ground
02. Can’t Stop
03. Something 2Nite
04. What I’d Do
05. It’s Over
06. Right On Time
07. How About Us
08. I Miss You
09. Emotions
10. Turn It Up
11. Come Over
12. Let Me Love You
13. Message
14. Ride
http://rapidshare.com/files/103895717/Conya_Doss-Still-2008.rar
@ Thugnif
hahaha… I can’t give away my recipe!
Greums….
password for that movie link perhaps?
@ oed
LOL LMAO
Ayo Boog,
I know you’re on it already, but grab that Estelle….
Tight Tight album…
Wale - The Beast Of The Beltway mixtape (DJ Maf)
http://rs23.rapidshare.com/files/101784537/Wale-The-Beast-Of-The-Beltway.rar
@ oed
i was LOL @ u asking for a password from le french who cuts and pasted
ight got a hard find for the heads, so diggin would be appreciated y’all
Mac Mall - Illegal Business? 2000
ey thanks for the external+itunes tips…it automatically doubled up most of my shit so i hadda delete thousands of songs but now i got it set so it won’t double up anymore…whew
@ Theruggedandraw - that all u got?
Mac Mall - Illegal Business:
http://rapidshare.com/files/42755544/macmallillegal2000easymgl.rar
sike next time you want any album just go to google and type the album name+rapidshare (or megaupload, mediafire, etc.) and look in the sites that come up…don’t use joints like rapidlibrary or 4megaupload tho cuz they install spyware on your computer
u guys dont burn ya itunes on dvds as a safe back up
“After all Soulja Boy’s still fam.
Maybe the semi-retarded cousin that peed on your sister at the last reunion. But still fam nonetheless.
Don’t forget that.”
Great analogy, its mad funny…but in all seriousness, very well said.
@ boogie - no, but that’s a really good idea
lol
no doubt Boog…
got excited to throw the movie on my iPod and……
(to be continued)
@ OED
Co-sign on that Estelle. Shorty is the absolute truth.
dope post
@ sherm, good look
yeah i tried doin that but to no fruition
Love this song, good album as well.
I think Gift of gab is my top 10 emcees.
good post.
no shit? well, happy to help
Good looking out on that Estelle OED. Most appreciated… I’ve been waiting for this one.
fyi thats Estelles 2nd project her 1st stateside…
blu&exile anyone
@ LC and Thugnif - how you gonna go into a bar and say “can i get a Silky Johnson?” you have to say no homo like 8 times…or they’d tell you to throw some lotion on it
hahahaha
@ Sherm…
It’s good that I’m a girl then, right?
LOL @ SHERM
I don’t drink martinis or sensitive shit like that but I also don’t buy a bottle of Henn or smoke my GREEN in club to fit in wit the “thugs” (I do it to get thowed…haha) and no matter WHAT I drink the hoes still love me; to quote Young Bleed “its not the car its the nigga!”
yeah mos definitely…you can give me a silky johnson any day lol
^No homo.
anyone know of any good FREE wmv converters for Windows??? thxnadv
whoa…that above comment was @ LC - no homo!
@ Thugnif - i hear you playa…i’m just sayin, it would be funny to swagger up to the bar all gangster and be like “ayo, lemme get a silky johnson”
LOL…As long as I’m not wearing a pink shirt I’m good.
OED I don’t know exactly what you trying to do but this should do it.
http://rapidshare.com/files/103817814/X1l1soft.Video.Conv3rt3r.v3r.3.1.53.0321b.rar
PW=smforum.net
@OED…see if you can find Advanced MP3 Converter…a simple easy to use program that works good…
good luck!!
appreciate that Doug…
“I would say something about your hos but it looks like you’ve ate them.”
@EOD
sawrry homie!
psw: jazdaaa
if u or someone have some good dvix movie in one link or few!!! links.
peace y all.
LOL BUT I DONT KNOW IN WHICH LANGUAGE THE MOVIIZ ! BUT PROBABLY ENGLISH LOL!
thug, didn’t see you there til now.. appreciate the help fellas..