What's music worth?

So when you get to the end of this clip after the Dream has made some decent points he announces that he won't be doing any more albums because people don't appreciate music. Really Dream? You're lying. Not one musician who has said they're going to quit has actually done that. You are not Jim Brown, not even close and I'll tell you why. You suck. You're not that good. If I look at the greats

Big Boi aka Sir Lucious Leftfoot

So Big Boi is about to prep his first album without Andre 3000 and that isn't a package deal. A moment of truth perhaps to see how he can truly hold his own without his mate from Outkast. The bad part is, it's probably not a good time to venture off on your own as an artist with about 2 decades in the game as he is. The youth movement is all about the trap and while he has always been somewhat

Allah U Akbar

When Grand Puba left Brand Nubian (uh, the first time), there was a lot of question about whether the group would hold up. Sure, we knew from "Concerto In X Minor" that Puba wasn't the only praise-worthy mic holder in the group, but it was still pretty unclear what would be left when you took out the most dynamic element. Think Fugees minus Lauryn. And regardless of the creative content, I remember being pretty convinced at the time that this second album was going to be a one-off for devotees and the final Nubian album. It was a good look that Elektra didn't drop them right there.

And Elektra was surely all the more nervous when they first heard the single they'd soon be offering up to the public. "Allah U Akbar" certainly didn't have the upbeat swing of "One for All," the crossover sound of "Slow Down" or a collection of witty one-liners from Puba. A gritty self-produced beat, some tough lyrics ("So if you’re feeling lucky, then come and catch a buck. How could I kill a man? Well, I just don’t give a fuck! ...We’re bound to win, 'cause God don’t like ugly. You'll get slugged, rushed, raped, robbed and mugged, G.") and an attention-getting vocal loop for a hook added up to a pretty rugged debut. Even just the title... of course, it's a very positive saying (it means "Allah is the greatest;" it's a saying of praise); but I don't think it was an easy sell to MTV's advertisers in '92.

But lyrically, except for some standard NY tough talk in the mix, it's actually a pretty simple reintroduction of themselves. Sadat lays down the plot of their return:

"The deuce crew of the new makes the whole shit clear, yeah.
Give the question - I’m tired of brothers guessin'.
The Nubian name
Brought the X a lot of fame,
But wouldn’t it be a shame if it all up and ended?
That ain’t the plan I had, and shit like that ain’t intended."

It's really just a simple, unpretentious single to say, "hey we're back!" And the B-side is even less pretentious: another album track called "Steal Ya 'Ho." It's kind of a lighthearted extension of Jamar's line from "All for One," "every time I drop a rhyme to show Jamal is intellectual... girls wanna get sexual," with the pair kicking somewhat dirty raps about girls over another self-produced beat.

By the way - a quick aside to discuss dates. Discogs for some reason lists this single as coming out in1993, as opposed to the album and the "Punks Jump Up" single, which they list as 1992. But I could swear this one actually dropped first. And just check the scan I posted: the date is clearly labeled 1992. At any rate, this definitely came out around the earlier side of things, and their biggest hit from the album, "Love Me Or Leave Me Alone," came later.

So, okay, back to the music. Besides the two songs, and instrumentals, we also get two remixes - one of each song, both also self-produced. The "Steal Ya 'Ho" remix is interesting... it takes out the familiar funk guitar and replaces it with a simpler, grittier beat that draws you in more with the bassline. It's kinda cool, but would be non-essential except for the fact that it's also a lyrical remix. So it's essentially a whole new song, with new lyrics and instrumental. ...Not one of Brand Nubian's better songs, mind you (lyrically, it's kinda lame), but still.

And the same goes for "Allah U Akbar" - it's not just an instrumental remix (this one's more smoothed out and kinda cool), but it's a lyrical remix as well. This mix is way more in tune with what you'd probably have expected from the song in the first place: Five Percenter talk, social and political commentary, shots at the devil. This time around Jamar's on some righteous shit. And Sadat, well...

"Your raggedy ass women, they always be lustin'.
Pale, skinny creatures with subhuman features.
Have you ever noticed when it rains and their hair gets wet,
That it stinks so bad it makes you have to jet?"

So, it's not exactly a remix I'd recommend casually around the office. But if you like your Brand Nubian records O.G. and edgy, I don't see how you could resist adding it to your collection.

A Little Jersey Random Rap...

Found a cool, little 12" in my crates that I haven't listened to since I got it way back in the 90's. Turned out to be pretty fresh, so I reviewed it for DWG. You can read it here here.

You would think there has to be an end to all the dope "random rap" that could turn up from the 90's, but there never seems to be...

A Mother's Pride...

So I guess I have to touch on (figuratively only mind you) this Kat Stacks situation shit. So she has an altercation or whatever with ummm every Southern rapper in existence under the age of 28 it appears and her mother left a message for Young City formerly of Da Band, the big ugly suit, aka Mr. extend that 15 minutes of fame at every opportunity. That could make sense that she was angry and

Breaking Down the B.E.T. Awards- Nominees part 4

Now on to one of my favorite categories, the best new artist category. Unlike past years, all of the artists nominated this year actually have put albums out in some form. The most surprising thing is the fact that Justin Bieber is nominated, you know the label is kicking out some cash for that.


Justin Bieber - I'm going with Bieber just because he is in the category and he seemes birthed in a

Do the John Wall...

I saw this and immediately thought that this Southern shit is getting out of hand. I know that John Wall is a phenom and he is from the South and he is going to be a top 3 pick in this year's draft. But to make this song about the guy is just desperate. The worst part is that there is nothing unique or new about this dance at all. It's just a lame version of a "dougie". The beat is annoying but