This blog has become a bit of a burden. I need something simpler that I can update regularly without fooling with Wordpress. So… While this blog will stay online as an archive, please move your bookmarks and subscriptions over to jamieradford.blogspot.com.
Joey, who writes the excellent hip-hop blog Straight Bangin’, solicited his fellow bloggers to compile lists of their top-25 hip-hop albums. Mine is below.
A quick note. These are MY personal favorites, and, to a large extent, probably do not reflect what historians would consider the most “important” hip-hop records ever. Also, my choices reflect my unique tastes: while many people prefer hip-hop heavily rooted in the art’s origins, I prefer music that has pushed hip-hop to different places. Key in my mind are rich sonic textures and smooth, interesting lyricism. I’m less concerned with music that is “true to the culture” and more concerned with music that moves me emotionally. That being said…
1. Fugees — The Score
It’s easy to summarize the reason that I love this album so much: I just sounds so good. The samples and rhymes are so smooth and unabrasive, and the drum loops are strong, but not so hard-hitting that your ears start hurting after extended listening. The Score represents, to me, the perfect musical collection: interesting, challenging, and moving, but at the same time, poppy, catchy, and accessible. These criteria has always shaped the music I find most appealing, as well as the music I create, and The Score epitomizes these qualities to me.
And, based solely on her performance on this album, I could make an argument that Lauryn Hill is my number one favorite rapper. No other MC that I’ve heard has combined such a mahogany smooth vocal color with such complex and complicated rhyme schemes. Andre Benjamin and Mos Def have come close a couple of times, but I could put L-Boogie’s vocal tracks here in my headphones, a cappella, on repeat, and never get ear fatigue.
2. Goodie Mob — Still Standing
This one would be in the top 10 on the strength of “I Refuse Limitation” alone. Or maybe even on “Black Ice” alone. This is one of the few albums, in any genre, on which every single song is just so good, you could play it on repeat. That, and the four members of the group, combined with the many guest appearances from the Dungeon Family crew, provide a diverse range of vocal talent, which prevents the record from stagnating. This, along with The Score, is one of the first rap albums that really made me take hip-hop seriously as an art form. Challenging, yet accessible. AND Still Standing shared the bass-heavy and tick-tick tempo of all the Southern rap I grew up listening to. For the Southerner interested in creative, artistic hip-hop, this is the definitive record. Either that, or…
3. Outkast — Atliens
See above. One thing that’s always impressed me about this album has been its simplicity. Unlike future Outkast releases, this album’s lyricism truly dominates. The beats are smooth and unobtrusive, and Andre and Big Boi’s verses are some of the best raps ever put to record. Andre was one of the first Southern MC’s… scratch that, one of the first MC’s period, to really push the envelope in terms of lyrical complexity. ‘Kast raised the bar here for rhyme-writing, and most any MC will recognize the importance of his contributions.
4. Eminem — The Slim Shady LP
Unlike a lot of folks, I find this to be, hands down, Em’s best album. My theory is that, here, we get the rhymes he had been working on and mulling over for years and years, the lyrics he had written in his trailor park bedroom, way before he got signed, expressing his feelings of ostracization and frustration. Way before Em started name-dropping Fred Durst and Christina Aguilera, he was writing about his dead-end job, his failures with women, and the struggle with drug use, and here, we get those lyrics, and not the ones he penned later in life against the backdrop of fame and fortune. My favorite track: “If I Had a Millions Dollars.” Go listen to that one again, and I think you’ll understand what I mean.
5. Bone Thus N’ Harmony — Creepin’ on a Come Up
It just sounds so good. So intense, but also so frikkin’ IMPRESSIVE. Say what you will about Bone, these guys had a tremendous talent, and they did something that nobody has ever (or could have, I don’t think) replicated. The group chemistry required to pull this off is also something rare in music. Also, my sentiments on this one mirror, in a way, my feelings about the Slim Shady LP. Something about an artist’s first major release, when they put forward all those songs they’ve been working on and thinking about for so long before they got signed, and now they have a budget and producers to make it sound as best as it can.. That’s hard to replicate. This one also made great use of that high-pitched Moog sound that makes a rap song sound so intense and intimidating. I like it better here than on…
6. Dr. Dre — The Chronic
I hate this one, in a way, because I think it had a lot to do with spreading the popularization of “gangsta” culture in America, but, on the other hand, the production quality on this album was something not yet heard in rap music. Sonically brilliant, with sing-a-long verses, something you can bump at a party and have the whole room feeling it, again, is a rare thing in music.
7. Beastie Boys — Check Your Head
For the kid who grew up listening to and playing hard rock and metal, and discovered later that he loved hip-hop just as much, this was the perfect album. They rap like rock vocalists sing. And there voices sounded more like mine when I first tried rapping, so I was hooked.
8. Outkast — Aquemini
In hindsight, parts of this album are frustrating to me. I found “Rosa Parks” to kind of annoying, in fact. But I have strong emotional ties to tracks 5-12 of this album (who doesn’t remember being blown away the first time they heard “the trumpet song?”), and it will always remain in my top favorites.
9. Mos Def — Black on Both Sides
Some of the best lyrical delivery I’ve ever heard on record, hard-hitting raps balanced against loungy pieces like “Umi Says.” Complex and smooth. Had me completely hooked the first time I heard it.
10. The Roots — Illadelph Halflife
My favorite Roots album. Doesn’t sound like any other rap record out there. Uncompressed and open. Non-stop, smooth-flow raps that can keep your attention if you want to pay attention, but can just wash over you like percussive accompaniment if that’s what you want. I could listen to this one over and over.
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Beyond these, there are a lot of albums that I like, and I have reasons for ranking them the way I do, but I don’t have the emotional connection that I have to my top-10. But, here they are anyway.
11. Wyclef Jean — The Carnival
12. Digable Planets — Reachin’
13. Tribe Called Quest — Midnight Marauders
14. Goodie Mob — Soul Food
15. Mos Def & Talib Kweli — Black Star
16. Madvillian — Madvilliany
17. Witchdoctor — A S.W.A.T. Healing Ritual
18. Three-Six Mafia — When the Smoke Clears
19. Wu-Tang – 36 Chambers
20. Kool Keith — Sex Style
21. Beastie Boys – Ill Communication
22. Outkast — Southernplayalistic…
23. Master P — Ghetto D
24. Dead Prez — Let’s Get Free
25. Lauryn Hill — The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
Sorry, I promised I’d have this up earlier. But, you know, responsibility calls, and I haven’t had a lot of time to dedicate lately. To me, this was a really cool interview, because, unlike the others I’ve done, it has less to do with the plot of the show, and more to do with the history of the company that made it, as well as some insight into the creative tensions at work that brought the show together.
Also, in this one, the low-key nature of my “production budget” is in full force. You can hear my phone beeping as my girlfriend is trying to call in on the other line, etc. But I left all that in, because I think it sort of says something about the decentralized nature of the New Journalism. I dunno.
So, check it out! And please save the file to your computer, rather than streaming it, to help me conserve bandwidth. As always, thanks for coming back to the site. Peace! J.
Jamie Radford Interviews Gabriel Alvarez.mp3
Also, be sure and check out my other interviews with the cast of the White Rapper Show.
So, I’ve been crazy busy lately with work, as well as some other things, so for now, I don’t have time to edit down my full interview with ego trip co-founder Gabriel Alvarez. But, early next week, I will put it up. It’s pretty interesting stuff, so def. come back to check that out.
In the meantime, I did edit down the portion where he discusses the “friend” they brought onto the show to hang out with John Brown in the last episode. It was kind of a funny and strange moment, because JB seemed really disappointed with his guest, and some meatheads on internet forums have gone so far as to suggest that there was some gay relationship involved (which is a stupid thing to say).
So, check that out, as well as two other mp3’s, one a preview from my upcoming EP, “The Freedom to be Reckless,” and one a random freestyle I recorded over an original beat. If you enjoy, please share with your friends!
Please be kind and save these files to your computer, rather than streaming them from my site, as it saves me precious bandwidth.
Peace! J
mp3’s:
Big thanks to reader “natisbusland” for transcribing the lyrics to “Car Wars,” which John Brown performed on the finale of the White Rapper Show. A lot of people have commented that his song was better, at least in a lyrical sense, than Sham’s, who ultimately won. Check it out and judge for yourself. I know you can hear a studio version of Shamrock’s song “Fly Away” at his myspace page
Also, apparantly there’s been some talk on some other message boards that John Brown is gay, or some other such nonsense, based on the fact that the guy they brought to hang out with him before his final performance, to some, “looked gay.” Someone suggested that I start a discussion about that here. But it’s not going to happen. It’s a big move to call somebody out for something like that, and there’s really no factual basis for that allegation, beyond dumb speculation based on some stereotypical impression of what his friend looked like. So don’t bring that kind of trash into my comments section, por favor.
Without further ado, the lyrics to “Car Wars:”
INTRO:
I’m from the ‘burbz man and you know we got a lot of resources out there…but you know we gotta get ‘em from somewhere…there’s a lot of blood that goes into that…I like to call it “Car Wars”…
It’s like three door garage, money in the bank, gas on full but you know what that takes?
Car wars…car wars…
We down to kill for them automobiles…
HOOK
Out in the burbz we all love to splurge
But what will emerge
To maintain that urge
Its car wars, car wars
We down to kill for them automobiles
VERSE #1:
The suburbs is under threat/four years ’til oil peaks so they stressed/the Middle East is a piece that they gotta get/Nigeria, Venezuela, lets not forget/no barriers, they just kill your citizen in debt/class of the modern man teaches to neglect/get your head cut off, air it on the web/die for Denali whips and their dealerships shit is really shit
(Repeat Hook)
Verse #2:
Hop on the highway, pedal on the gas/John Brown, I’m that rebel with the cash/little Jekyll, little Hyde for ‘dat ass/seven on the waist, you can hide, but I catch/litigate, go to trial, but I laugh/lawyers on the team burnin’ files from my past/try to compete but you miles in the past/im deep in the East like Miles into Jazz/Hezbollah slaughter so the peace ‘aint come/but I need the oil…makes my V-8 run/whether Im here up in VH-1…or out on my star tours…THERES CAR WARS
(Repeat Hook)
You guys remember Miss CKC, of “high and tight” fame, from the first episode of the White Rapper Show?
Well, she’s got a hot new video out, for her new single, Chips, and I think you’re gonna like it. Check it out!
Also, check out some of the videos on her web page. They’re funny, mang.
Oh yeah, AND — Check out this pretty hilarious (albeit a little harsh) write-up about a WRS finale party held in New York, with performances by members of the cast.
Shamrock wins! (And need I mention, I predicted this from the VERY BEGINNING!) Let’s take a moment to reflect on what a genius I am, and for all those naysayers out there to hang their head in shame. Ok… Good enough. Let’s discuss:
Is Fat Joe really the big finale guest? I mean, I know he did that one good “Little Italy” rhyme a long time ago, but I always thought of him mostly as Big Pun’s weed carrier. And now he’s famous for two of the most nonsensical rap songs to come out in a while; namely, the disposible “Lean Back,” and the latest Flavor of the Week, “Make it Rain.” I was far more impressed with Kool Keith’s appearance at the strip club. I’m just sayin.
Joe is also one of those MC’s who’s in the habit of glamorizing the crack trade, a la Young Jeezy, a la half the famous rappers out right now. That’s somehow become a cool topic. Isn’t it basically intuitive that we, as purveyors of hip-hop, and just as socially conscious individuals, shouldn’t get behind this type of image? I mean, crack?! It’s one of the worst things ever to hit poor and minority communities, and hip-hop worships these dudes who are all about getting rich off it? I’m sayin!
Anwways…
Throughout this episode, they seem to be foreshadowing that Sham might lose, leading me to believe that he was going to win. You know, so they can surprise with an underdog victory in the end, and leave us feeling satisfied as viewers? Some examples: (1) The quote him doubting himself because he’s from Atl when talking to Fat Joe, (2) he chokes at first when the mic is turned off in that scene where they’re rapping on the basketball court, and (3) His grill falls out of his mouth amidst his furious rappin’. AND they keep showing John Brown talking about how much more serious and original he is, as an artist, relative to Shamrock. Way to keep us in suspense, guys!
The funniest part of this episode is when they bring old friends to the house, to give the guys a pep talk before their big final challenge. Sham’s best friend shows up, but John Brown seems really disappointed with the guy they bring in as his guest “friend.” He sort of acts like he doesn’t even know the guy. You know when somebody comes over to your house or something, and you don’t really know them all that well, but they just kind of hang around and don’t get the hint that they should probably dip out? And you really don’t have anything to say to them, so there’s just all this awkward silence. That’s sort of how this was. Hilarious! Didn’t they do any research into who would be the best person to come visit? It’s like they just brought in some random dude who JB sort of knew. Weird!
For the final throwdown, they’re taken to a trendy nightclub called “Hell.” My guess is the owner of this joint was a big investor in the show. Some white bearded guy is rapping on stage. Anyone else notice the dearth of black people in this audience? Kind of funny, given that the rest of the show has been dedicated to placing white kids in situations where their listeners are primarily black. Now, in the finale, the contestants perform in a trendy club filled primarily with white folks. How ironic.
Part one of the final challenge: Spit your hottest 16.
John Brown spits some nice word play. Sounds a little nervous. But actually, his flow is pretty amazing tight. And, of course, he throws in the “Hallelujah Hollar Back” line at the end.
Shamrock. His flow is pretty nice too. It’s interesting hearing him try to rap all fast with his real deep Southern drawl. Seems a little hard for him at times. But he wraps it up pretty tight, esp. given how nervous you can tell he is.
I get the feeling that both of them are spitting 16’s that they’ve had in their back pockets for quite a while. Kinda cool that they let them showcase those, in addition to writing a new song for the competition.
Challenge 2: Perform a new song.
John Brown busts a ditty entitled “Car Wars.” It’s about.. um.. how the “suburbs have limited resources,” and thus, they have to have “car wars,” in which they “kill for them automobiles,” in order to survive. As I’m watching this, and before even hearing Shamrock, I’m thinking JB has dropped the ball here. The song doesn’t make a lot of sense. And he doesn’t look very happy or exciting as he’s performing it.
Shamrock does a little number called “Fly Away.” He raps fast in that Southern flow again, and its a little difficult to discern what he’s saying at times. Also, he loses his breath a lot here. The crowd doesn’t seem that into this joint either! On the positive side, he comes across as a lot more likeable than JB.
Pretty clearly, the 16’s were a lot better than the new songs. If I was in this audience, I think I’d be a little surprised to hear that one of these guys was going to win 100K for their performance. Not saying that the winner doesn’t ultimately deserve it, but neither of them blew anyone out of the water here.
The judges deliberate. They like Sham’s grill and his energy, but not a big fan of his songs. They think he’s replicating other contemporary Southern rappers.
They think John Brown’s skills are a little weak, but that he’s more original, and his song was better.
And then Shamrock wins!
I guess even if you’re a fan of John Brown, you can’t be too sad about this outcome. I mean, JB definitely made himself the star of this show, what with all his catch-phrases and his quirky personality. He’s certainly become the most oft-noted cast member in cyberspace. I think he’s got a reasonable chance at success despite this loss.
It’s crazy seeing Sham win. I remember way back when I was doing auditions for this show, a friend of mine from UGA was telling me that he had a friend who was auditioning as well, named Shamrock. I hit the guy’s myspace page and was sort of unimpressed at first. But I guess he had the personality and charisma to make it on to the show, and obviously had what it took to learn from each day he was there, and take that knowledge, and constantly improve his game. It’s actually kind of cool having a 2-degree connection to the guy.
So what do you guys think? Was this the right choice?
Oh, and… I should mention that I am taking solicitations for any new themes to start writing about consistently now that the White Rapper Show is over. Of course, I’ll continue to write sporadically about hip-hop related news and media. But, if anyone has suggestions for something for me to follow on a regular basis, let me know.
If you’ve been keeping up with my recaps, thanks a lot! I really appreciate it. And be sure and cop that Jamie Radford album! You won’t regret it!
Looking for the FINALE RECAP? – CHECK HERE
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But first!
I have to mention: If you’ve been reading, listening to, and enjoying my coverage of the White Rapper Show over the last several weeks, please help support a hard-working artist by ordering a copy of my album. It’s only 10 bucks, and you can order it conveniently on the left side-bar. Either from Itunes, or as a hard-copy, which I’ll send you myself, with an autograph and some cool stickers for free. You can sample the music on my myspace page.
I hate to make a pitch like this, but oftentimes, people don’t realize that blogging, making music, or any other creative pursuit can really be hard work, especially when you have to maintain a day job as well. So, if you enjoy the work that I do, and you’d like to continue to see more, please give your support by ordering a CD. And if you’re a blogger, you can also help by doing a post about my music, and maybe sharing one of my mp3’s with your readers. At the top of the page, there’s a link to some mp3s. Thanks everybody!
***
That being said…
I should mention that I never would have predicted this final three at the beginning of the show. I think that I, along with a lot of people, thought that John Brown was a big joke. Like he was this delusional kid who thought he was this rapper character. But, as the show’s progressed, it turns out that he’s actually this intensely focused guy, whose “character” is a carefully planned-out image designed to be memorable and marketable. And, you’ve got to admit, its worked like a friggin charm. Anytime anyone makes reference to this show in conversation, they’re bound to say something about “the King of the Burbs,” or “Hallelujah Holla Back.” It’s revealed on this episode that he’s not even really from the burbs. Funny.
Similarly, Jus Rhyme seemed too outlandish to be real, and too misguided to be competitive. But, as it turns out, he’s dead serious about what he believes, and his quirky personality is completely genuine. Judging on the hits he’s getting on myspace lately, and some genuine respect he’s garnered from other race-conscious hip-hop fans, there’s definitely a place for him in the game. There’s a lot of debate to be had on the effectiveness or appropriate-ness of his approach to race and hip-hop, but one thing’s for sure: he’s not faking it.
Sham’s not a surprise to me. I’ve predicted him to win from the beginning. But I think most people probably would have predicted, from the outset, a final three of Dasit, Persia, and Sham (or maybe Sullee).
Even though now I’m wondering if I should switch my vote to John Brown. He at least seems the most determined. And Sham’s delivery can be a bit nasal at times (actually one of the hardest things white rappers deal with, no joke). Then again, sometimes Brown seems a little too subdued for me. I’ll stick with Sham, for consistency’s sake.
In this episode, the three travel to Detroit, with the promise that they’ll be battling in Detroit clubs., against some of Detroit’s most famous battle-rappers. I’ve got to say, this is BY FAR the most harrowing elimination challenge the rappers have faced throughout the whole show (by far!). The “make a video” contest, the “make a song-and-dance routine” challenge were really nothing like this. You really can’t replicate the anxiety and pressure and adrenaline of being on stage, in front of a crowded club, in a battle rap. Especially as a white guy in front of a primarily black audience, and nobody knows who you are.
This club they’re in reminds me strangely of the Birmingham club where I had my first battle raps. I wonder if there are any parallels to be drawn between the two cities? Unfortuneately, Bham doesn’t boast much of a hip-hop scene (I smoked all those cats, for real). Anyway.. back to the show.
The gang shacks up in trailor. I get the feeling Sham’s been in one of these before, but maybe not either of the other two. One thing people from outside the South (and Detroit, apparantly) don’t realize is that, in places like small town Alabama, a trailor park is just the equivalent of an apartment complex. They’re not a step below apartments or anything. They’re just more prevalent here. The popularity of Eminem, et al has sort of prompted this romanticization of the trailor park as this colorful, sublimely depressing place where meth-addicted white folks mingle with a wacky cast of up-by-the-bootstraps, big-beltbuckle-wearing, tobacco spitting roughnecks, who are in a constant struggle to “get out the park.” Like there’s a one-way fence around it or something. Kind of like the parallel romanticization of housing projects as a land of nothing but drug deals, drive-by’s, and rap videos.
The depiction here of the trailor park is in line with this stereotypical portrayal, with zoom-in’s of a cow skull and some meth pipes or something, which is a little annoying. Also annoying is the idea that trailor parks somehow embody whiteness, and that more whites live in them, percentage-wise, than blacks. In certain parts of the South, trailor parks are home to lower-middle class people of all races. In Troy, AL, where I grew up, there’s a state university, and most of my friends who went to school there lived in trailors, instead of dorms or apartments. My fiancee and a lot of my best friends grew up in them, and most of these folks were lower-middle class, and not the “dirt poor” stereotype you see associated with trailors. For whatever reason, developers have invested more in trailor parks than apartment complexes in certain parts of the country, and, in those places, people who would live in an apartment in some other city, live in a trailor. Simple.
To be fair, the gang does seem to meet a lot of funny neighbors in this particular park. But, you know, I’m sure a lot of normal folks walked by as well, but they obviously didn’t get a lot of camera time.
Interlude: What’s up with this weird new advertising on vh1? Like the “Behind the Music” with Persia, which segues into commercials for KY Jelly and Burger King? And the “pop up ad” for Dr. Pepper. I guess the fancy borders and extra graphics are an attempt to “incorporate” the ads into the programming, rather than seperating the two, in the hopes that people will pay more attention. That’s a good idea, actually.
Anyway: The three rappers meet up with the Insane Clown Possee, who have a huge following among white kids throughout Detroit and the rural midwest. You know what? I just realized that I’ve never heard a single ICP song, unless you count that joint they did with Three-Six Mafia, with the Portishead sample in it. I just sort of realized that. I guess they don’t have much of a presence around these parts. Not to say that I’d listen to them if they did. But, in any case, you have to respect their business savvy, as apparantly they’ve got a whole factory, from which they manufacture and distribute their wares throughout the country. John Brown seems impressed. I was too.
They briefly meet up with Kid Rock, and play some pool. He explains how he got his first record deal, at 19. Cool.
The gang plays a game called “Marshall’s Law,” (named after Eminem), in which they answer trivia about Slim Shady himself. Hmm. John Brown wins. He gets to stay in a fancy hotel, and he chooses Sham to go with him, on some “keep your enemies close” tip. Jus is pissed. I guess he sort of should be, given that he chose JB to go with to see NORE. Then again, that turned out to be sort of a drag, so…
Sham and JB get some delicious food at the hotel, and have a fireside chat, while Jus makes up some silly diss raps back at the trailor.
The next day, Serch explains the setup for the next challenge: they’ll be battling three of Detroit’s best battle rappers, in a famous D-town hip-hop club, in front of a crowd of locals. Shamrock mentions a “wave of anxiety” once they’re told about this. I can’t blame him. Like I said earlier, this is by far the toughest thing they’ve been asked to do.
“To win a battle, you have to take a man down.” This is Serch’s advice regarding the battle. And this is sort of true, I guess. A lot of kids getting into hip-hop recently have never battled. They’re more into the “cypher”-type thing, where you stand in a circle and rhyme words with “-ology” over and over (listen to one of these next time you’re in the crowd at a Roots concert, and tell me I’m wrong). But battling really is no-holds-barred, and its really hard, and it can be really hurtful in the end. People get nasty and personal. Serch gives the crew some advice, and it sort of becomes clear that Jus is going to have the toughest time.
Jus seems ready to go for the “kill them with kindness” approach. “You don’t have to degrade them to beat them in a battle.” You sort of know this is a doomed approach from the outset. I like Jus Rhyme a lot as a person, and I think there’s definitely a market for his brand of hip-hop, but this elimination almost seems like a rigged game, in that it’s going to be nearly impossible for him to beat any of these cold-blooded MC’s in a battle. How could things go any other way than to see him eliminated? I mean, we all like Arrested Development, but would you bet on Speech in a to-the-death battle rap in some Detroit basement club? Nah. That makes this episode a little anti-climactic.
The battles:
The dude Shamrock battles doesn’t seem too good, at least not relative to how hyped up he was. Sham kinda rocks the dude at first, actually. But then he gets nervous… and the crowd starts taunting him… and he kind of blanks.
Jus Rhyme battles this guy, “La Peace,” and gets real nervous. You can hear it in his voice. Kind of shouty, which happens when you lose your cool and you’re just trying to be as aggressive as possible. This La Peace dude completely rocks him. Jus’ insults seem to be mostly about how his opponent is the police. Hmm.
John Brown v. Lo Louis. JB gets on some racial tip at first, with some line about how his opponent is an “Uncle Tom,” which I found sort of surprising. The crowd didn’t seem too mad though. John’s rhymes are actually pretty dang good. Lo Louis wasn’t so hot. Maybe the Detroit cats didn’t bring they’re A-game to this one? Lo ends up standing on the crutch-of-a-diss, “You’re not a rapper just because you have a myspace page,” which is old, old, old. If you’ve never heard it before in a battle, it probably sounds pretty clever. But once you’ve heard it eight times, its kind of yawn-able.
In the end, Jus Rhyme is out. No surprise. Not a diss on him, but this challenge was really rigged against him. It’s kind of sad though, because it turns out he lost his fellowship money at USC, because he chose to stay in NY to film the show, instead of going to fulfill some obligation he had there. That sucks, man. But I can’t blame him from staying on board. He did make it hella far.
So, it’s Sham v. John Brown for the finale. It seems they’ll be performing in some stadium-like setting, American Idol style. Like I said earlier, I’m sticking with Sham for the win, because (a) he’s from Atlanta, and went to school at UGA, (b) I still think he’s pretty solid as a rapper, and (c) it’s no fair to change sides at the last minute. But, deep down, I think John Brown might have it. Thoughts?
Oh yeah, and remember to pick up that album! Your support is crucial! Until next time…
Ok.. I’ve got to say, this is one of the coolest things I’ve had the opportunity to do in a while. Serch — lately famous for his role as host of ego trip and Vh1’s “The White Rapper Show” — was a part of foundational hip-hop group 3rd Bass, and a role model to white MCs everywhere. It turns out he’s also a really nice guy.
Serch and I spoke about his role as a father figure for younger MCs, his only regret about the White Rapper Show, and the challenges of making a career as an artist. Fans and fellow artists alike can find a lot of inspiration in his words.
Check out the full audio of our interview, below.
Please help me preserve bandwidth by right-clicking to “save target as,” etc. Peace!
I wrote an article about the White Rapper Show, and its place in our national dialogue on race and hip-hop, for Athens, GA’s Flagpole Magazine, one of my favorite alt-weeklies ever. I’m kind of proud of it. Go check it out! LINK.
Also, yesterday I had the honor of interviewing MC Serch, who it turns out is a really nice guy. I’m going to try and post the full audio of that tonight. Word!
