Constructing a verse is easy. Constructing one with meaning, passion, and longevity, however, is the trick. Every fan, critic, and casual listener of Hip-Hop has at least one or two 16s they can turn to reflect on in good times and receive guidance through in bad times. At its very core, it’s powerful. Relating to another person’s words and emotions as if they were your own was the reason music was created and the sole testament why it remains the language of the world. Read the rest of this entry »
Hip-Hop has been around long enough that no one is making it to the forefront without taking cues from those who have come before them. The smart ones are perceptive enough to pinpoint certain traits from multiple sources and assimilate them into their own style. Which is why asking someone nowadays who their influences are, simply isn’t enough.
We’ve teamed up with Yours Truly for the “3:16” video series in an effort to peel another layer off the onion of the emcee’s thought process. When told straight from the horses mouth, the verses they hold near and dear to their heart provide a wealth of information. A verse or two recited is like being in the huddle when the play’s being drawn up. A few vital pieces of information make you see the play in a whole new light.
For our second installment, all lights are on Fayettenam’s own J. Cole. Although he shouldn’t need an introduction around these parts, here are a few highlights off his resume: he’s assumed the role of the new and improved Memphis Bleek on Jay’s Roc redux, released two well-received mixtapes, warmed up audiences on Jigga’s BP3 tour & found a place on XXL’s latest freshman list. All before dropping a debut album. Taking a brief respite on his road to apparent stardom, this Tarheel upstart recites a trio of verses that have stuck with him over the years.
In part one, J. shares how Canibus’ “Buckingham Palace” transformed his own rhyme style, helping him rearrange his whole approach to rhyming.
In part two, Cole breaks down his affinity for Nas’ “Undying Love” and its influence on one of his first songs, “The Storm,” as well as his smash, “Lights Please.”
As we keep building & blogging, there’s always a drive to develop a different approach in the way we engage artists. In some situations a Session works well, whereas Fifteen Minutes with an emcee can cover quite a bit of ground as well. Still, we want to keep the experience unique & Fresh, leaving the standard Q&A to other outlets while we continue to push the envelope.
With that in mind, we’ve joined forces with the brilliant minds at Yours Truly(http://yourstru.ly/) to create the “3:16″ Video Series. Since it’s primarily their brainchild, I asked Will of Yours Truly to give a few words for his take on the series. He says any emcee worth your time should be able to make his verses your favorite, just as any emcee worth his salt should have his favorite verses committed to memory.
“Playwrights have scenes, poets have stanzas, Holy men have verses, and emcees have 16’s,” he says.
And so our first subject in this project is the rhyme trio collectively known as Pac Div. With a quality “mixtape” (Church League Champions was better than quite a few releases with bar codes) under their belt and an energetic, well-choreographed stage performance, the Californians continue to climb the their way to success. For this occasion, Mibbs, BeYoung & Like each take a moment to recite a rhyme that’s etched in their memory banks and then share the reason why the lines or the artist who spoke them had such an impact on each member of the group. Read the rest of this entry »
![[avatar]](http://p.uproxxcdn.com/global/images/default-avatar.jpg){kind=avatar}
