The net is weird place.

There’s no way I can say I know the man above any more than I know any of you.

But I knew Big Fame One. Read the rest of this entry »

By nature, soundtracks are hit or miss, usually a group of singles accumulated to reflect the label’s top acts and upcoming artists who are more than likely forgotten. At best, it’ll spawn a smash single or have a strong base of songs. Regardless of the overall stature, the prevailing theme is maybe one to two tracks that will directly correlate with the film. Following the actual movie storyline may be a riskier commercial move, but when done correctly, the artistic yield is well worth the sacrifice. The RZA Presents: Afro Samurai Resurrection Soundtrack, makes good on the gamble, a collection that sticks so close to the story that it damn near is the story. Read the rest of this entry »

How many times did Bus-A-Bus have to beat us in the head with that for us to get the drift? Already a recognizable figure on his own, ’98 saw Busta Rhymes formally introduce the same crew who blessed When Disaster Strikes a year earlier. But unlike every rapper trying to put they “mans on,” Flipmode actually knew what was expected of them, and went the distance. Simply put: The Imperial is one of the best group albums ever. From the Spanish hypnosis found on “Cha, Cha, Cha” to Swizz Beatz’ blistering “Run For Cover,” the hardcore sextet produced nothing but pure New York street heat. They even featured a couple of surprises like the sequel to Black Moon’s “Got U Opin” and getting the entire Squad involved for some “Straight Spittin.”

But if you peep the liner notes, notice each one of the members had a chess piece by their picture. While it was a clever way to make them appear as an united machine, the correspondence between the pieces and their actual roles couldn’t have been more accurate… Read the rest of this entry »