Good Read ... "Why Popular Bloggers Are Bad for Hip-Hop"

 
I caught this joint on O's FB page. It's a thought-provoking read. Potholes is one of my favorite blogs. I dig what they do. No shots but most of what is written in this piece needed to be said (and said again). It's a conversation about popular blogging that O and I have had for a while. We do this blogging shit because we love it. Everything we post on The Mad Bloggers is music we enjoy. It's music in rotation in our cars, on our MP3 players. If we don't enjoy it, we're clowning it. If we're not clowning it, we're asking for a second opinion. Regardless, we CONTROL our content. Labels DON'T control our content. Advertisers DON'T control our content. We control it. I'm not posting music because the people want it. I'm posting it because the people need it. There's a few pieces of this editorial I would have changed and some other places I would have dug a little deeper on but overall, it's a good read. Check it.

There’s a prevalent idea that bloggers are supposed to be the pulse of the culture, with a craft dedicated to being early up on new goodness, and I’ll briefly concede so as to admit 2DopeBoyz has hit the mark a few times and served to help the careers of a few underdogs I’m a fan of. However, these charitable acts and attempts to fight the righteous battle are diluted and rendered nearly futile as Meka and Shake take ten steps back by giving a run to wack degenerative MCs with strong followership to ensure people keep coming back to their site.

WHY POPULAR BLOGGERS ARE BAD FOR HIP-HOP [Read More]

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What I'm Watching ... The Roots "Dear God 2.0"

Check the new vid from The Roots for "Dear God 2.0". This track is easily one of my favorite joints to drop this year (up there with Kanye West's "Power"). The visuals are fresh. "How I Got Over" is available digitally today and in stores tomorrow. Also, our podcast this week is dedicated to The Roots. Look out for that dropping in the next day or so.



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Download ... Rock the Dub (@Khal) presents "Niggas Is A Beautiful Thing"

I can fuk with like 90% of this mix. I bet my avid followers can guess the songs I CAN'T fuk with *cough* Gucci, Soulja Boy, Hurricane Chris, Lil B (and a few others). This mix is straight ig'nant at it's finest. Showing some love to the homie Khal over at www.rockthedub.com, check it out if you're so inclined. If you fuks with it, buy yous a 40 ounce, turn this shit up and let your mind take a break. Haha.

Since it's the official start of summer, I'm unleashing a remedial mix I made a few months back entitled Niggas Is A Beautiful Thang. Think of this as my collection of Ignorant Rap Guilty Pleasures. Shouts to @EnigmatikBGDB for the track list help.

Tracklist:

01/Honeycutt (Intro)
02/Rich Boy ft. Polow Da Don "Throw Some D's"
03/David Banner ft. Lil' Flip "Like A Pimp"
04/Project Pat ft. La Chat, DJ Paul & Juicy J "Chickenhead"
05/Juvenile ft. Mannie Fresh & Lil' Wayne "Back That Azz Up"
06/Slim Thug "Like A Boss"
07/Rick James interlude
08/Bailey "Fuck Yo Couch"
09/Rick James interlude 2
10/Khia "My Neck, My Back (Lick It)"
11/Maceo "Ho Sit Down"
12/Crucial Conflict "Hay"
13/B Rich "Whoa Now"
14/Iconz "Get Fucked Up"
15/Luke ft. Trick Daddy "Scarred"
16/Prince Paul "Booty Clap"
17/Sporty Thieves "Cheapskate"
18/Hitman Sammy Sam "Step Daddy"
19/DJ Unk "Walk It Out"
20/Soulja Boy "Turn My Swag On"
21/Hurricane Chris ft. Superstarr "Halle Berry (She's Fine)"
22/Shawty Lo "They Know (Dey Know)"
23/Gucci Mane "Lemonade"
24/Lil' B "Pretty Boy"
25/Chris Rock Fresh (Outro)

Niggas Is A Beautiful Thang [Download]

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Check It ... Intalek x Ritchcraft "Everyday Money"

Check this fresh cut off of Intalek (emcee) x Ritchcraft's (producer) upcoming "Lives and Vibes" EP dropping July 5th.



twitter.com/Intalek
twitter.com/Ritchcraft

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Check It ... @Emperess presents A VERSE A DAY​.​.​. Day 1

The homegirl Emperess is pushing her aggressive promotion A Verse A Day, ahead of her "Fairytale World" ep dropping July 21st. Check out day one.



www.Dont4getTheE.tumblr.com
www.myspace.com/emperessmusic



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What I'm Watching ... Miguel "All I Want is You" Feat. J. Cole

This joint has been floating around for a few days. I'm just now posting it up. #latepass. Enjoy!



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@LadyBlogga x Happy Father's Day x "Quesfire"

Today is Father’s Day and on behalf of my team, I would like to wish all the Fathers a Happy Father’s Day!!! There is nothing like seeing a man with his child/children but there is something about seeing a man with his daughter that makes my heart melt. I am a Daddy’s girl myself. And even though he is hundreds of miles away, he still makes me feel like a princess.

In the music industry, family and children are considered “taboo”. For some reason or another, a lot of men in the industry hide the fact that they are family men to protect their “image”. (That is a blog for another day). Anyway, @Quesfire has shown me 2 sides to his talent. I’ve seen him rip the stage at shows and then there’s this.

He took the time with his daughter Lil T to collaborate on her first track “Lil Momma” which talks about the relationship between a father and a daughter. There’s no cursing and sex. No guns and violence. Just a father’s love and the admiration of his daughter. If this video is not Father’s Day appropriate, then I don’t know what is. Please take a moment and see @Quesfire and his daughter Lil T doing their thing on “Lil Momma”.



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When She Speaks, You Listen: @LadyBlogga - "Utah Execution"

I rarely watch the news because I am afraid I might see something crazy. Well sure enough, I sat up after the game as the late edition rolled. A story came on about Ronnie Lee Gardner. Mr. Gardner is a man who has been on death row for YEARS for the heinous crimes he’s committed. First and foremost, I am annoyed at how long this man stayed alive on death row. If he is sentenced to die then he needs to do so immediately. Appeal after appeal after appeal. The people of Utah have been paying for this man to stay in jail for 25+ years. Finally, his reasons for an appeal have exhausted all possibilities for release and he was executed this morning, June 18th. Now early on, he selected to be executed by anonymous firing squad. I don’t think he thought it was really going to happen. Perhaps he selected this way to die as a joke?? I couldn’t imagine what it feels like. What do you do during the final minutes leading up to your death by being shot multiple times? Close your eyes? Hold your breath? Anyway.

I had NO IDEA that this method of execution still existed. How barbaric and inhumane? I thought it was all about lethal injection and electrocution. I mean I know he killed other people but personally, I feel that we, as a people, are not in any position to decide if someone lives or dies because of the crimes they committed. But the law is the law. So the firing squad is made up of members of the Department of Corrections and they are offered counseling and a commemorative coin upon completion…. Wait. Yes. Commemorative coin. As we speak, Ronnie Lee Gardner Execution Commemorative coins are getting ready to be distributed to anyone who played a part in his execution. This is the most bizarre and disturbing thing to me. Utah is having issues with funding their education system but they have time and money to have special “Ronnie Lee Gardner Commemorative Coins” made. What exactly do people do with said coin? Display it on their mantel at home? I want to see what it looks like. Is his face on it? A pin used to be given to people who participated but they didn’t wear them. Gee, I wonder why? If it is an anonymous firing squad, who would wear the pin or flash the coin afterward?

Whenever I hear about an execution, I feel uneasy. This particular one bothered me especially. I understand that he has to be executed but do we really have to commemorate it with a coin??

C’mon, UTAH…I need you to do better.

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What The @LadyBlogga Is Listening To ... Chaundon - "Y’all Don’t Want It featuring Carlitta Durand"

M-Phazes is hard at work producing good stuff. Chaundon dropped a new single on Bandcamp and it is definitely a banger. Growing up in the South Bronx and writing rhymes since the age of 13, Chaundon comes equipped with tough lyrics. Working on his highly anticipated album “No Excuses” due out soon, his first single “Y’all Don’t Want It featuring Carlitta Durand” is moving around the internet like a cool summer breeze. His first album “Carnage” was released 2 years ago. Aside from his own lyrical mastery, he came through with collabo’s with Little Brother, 9th Wonder, Jean Grae, and Sean Price. He has a host of mixtapes under his belt as well. Check out the single and get to know Chaundon.

http://chaundon.bandcamp.com/

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Download ... @ScholarMan "Fatherhood Dreamlovers Mix"

Father's day usually brings bitterness. My pops wasn't there like that. I'm okay with that now. I did however have a stepfather and grandfather who provided me with fine examples of being a man. As a father now, I try to provide my children with the same type of guidance. Even if things aren't always right between their mothers and I, I still continue to maintain that connection with them. It's important. Far too often on this day, folks talk about how guys aren't shit, etc, etc. Let's leave them deadbeat dudes for another day and pay homage to REAL fathers. It's important. Talk about these dudes that suck on Monday.

The homie ScholarMan put together a great father's day tribute to his father who he lost recently (deepest condolences). Check it out. It's fresh. It's personal. Maybe you'll find a connection.

To those fathers out there, happy fathers day.

My father passed a few weeks ago and as we come closer to Father's Day I thought I would honor him by presenting the hip-hop community this EP. I borrowed some samples from one of his favorite doo wop groups, The Dreamlovers and created this project. My pops was an avid supporter of my music and I am truly grateful to have had him as a father. So with that said, I dedicate this EP to all the dedicated father's and to those who had a dedicated fathers or father figures in their lives.

www.soganicmusic.com


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What I'm Listening to ... Jaheim - "Finding My Way Back"

This joint been on repeat randomly throughout my week. It's a really good song. I zone out to the vibe he got on here. Good song. Check it...

Official music video for Jaheim's "Finding My Way Back" off his latest album ANOTHER ROUND - in stores and online now! Buy it here - http://bit.ly/aMgRRt

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TMB's Track of the Week 6/18/10: "Good Enough" @BigKrit

Big K.R.I.T.'s "K.R.I.T. Wuz Here" project was kind of a surprise to me. Mississippi emcee/producer Big K.R.I.T. has a gang of dope tracks on the project and "Good Enough" was one of the standout ones for me. While on a road trip this week, the track came up again and so I felt the need to push it out there again. So, enjoy "Good Enough" from Big K.R.I.T., the track of the week.




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