There are a lot of reasons to second guess Cormega’s new visual featuring a ’90 All-Star squad. That said, there are also five reasons not to (six, if you count the beat). First off, so what if the video for “Fresh” looks like marionette crayon drawings and leaves Big Daddy Kane looking like Muhammad Ali? Have you ever tried computer animation? It’s impossible. Does it matter this single from Mega’s Born & Raised album that came out two years ago? Not on TSS. Lastly, even though these MCs are passed their prime for the most part, are we going pass on an opportunity to pay homage to these foundation layers, just because of this slice of awkwardness? Never that.

One piece of advice though. As a fan, if these are your prized MCs and you’ve been wanting to enlighten your youngbloods, please refrain from sharing this video. The animation might frighten them.

Words By Jesse H.

There’s something about Brooklyn.

After you’ve lived in New York City long enough to understand the subtle nuances of the subway system (knowing the color of the train you need and the actual letter of the train you need is a very pivotal difference), you begin to have a certain respect for the intrinsic cultural differences of each borough-especially as a Hip-Hop fan.

Staten heads don’t even refer to the island by it’s formal name, thanks to you know what crew. Harlem heads champion Cam’s street stubbornness. Queens residents rock hoodies and Timberlands in mid-summer and fiend for grimey ghetto-narratives. Bronx folk are the old heads who glower at the mention of Solja Boy and the latest dance trend. But there’s something interesting about Brooklyn. Brooklynites like their lyricists pure, their drum snaps crisp and their looped samples mid-tempo. And while Brooklyn fans arguably are the snobbiest (ask any Brooklyn resident, and they’ll tell you ad nauseum about how they “refined” the craft), the list of top-20 caliber emcees that call Brooklyn home is indisputably impressive. So what better place for an independent New York Hip-Hop festival to call home? All the requisite pure-Hip Hop characteristics were on display in excess at Brooklyn Bodega’s 5th Annual Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival.

The event got a righteous initiation on Friday with the kick-off party (salute to Noah from BB for organizing). Brooklyn Brewery supplied the booze, DJ’s spun throwback Read the rest of this entry »

I can’t do this full justice so I’m gonna swipe the full words from Classic Rhymes, who put together this video in the first place. Read if you want to…or not. Makes me none.

For me, this album was probably my coming of age, part of that self-awareness that you gain in the awkward middle-teen years. In fact, I think I’ve said that One For All was one of those albums Read the rest of this entry »

What said political awareness in rap was dead?

Grand Puba drops his second single, “I See Dead People” featuring Read the rest of this entry »

That “with Friends” that they throw on this was a huge understatement.

Yes, Heav Bum diddly-diddly-diddly-diddly-diddly Dee & Pete were genuine friends with these artists so getting them all together for this song probably wasn’t hard. But when you have heavyweights like Kool G. Rap, Grand Puba, CL Smooth, Q-Tip and Big Daddy Kane all on one track, it’s a wonder the reels didn’t pop. Read the rest of this entry »

When I think of rappers that embody everything that says “He’s a New York aggin” to an outsider, Mega Montana is it. Sharp lyrics. Street vernacular mixed with a definite command of the English language.

He brings a select few members of Hip-Hop’s history along with him on this track, which is slated to be featured on his upcoming album.

Cormega Feat. KRS-One, Big Daddy Kane, Grand Puba, Parrish Smith and Kool DJ Red Alert – Fresh

Bonus — 50 Compiled Cormega Freestyles