Day 38-39: Led Zepplin I (1969) by Led Zepplin, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (1988) and Fear of a Black Planet (1990) by Public Enemy

Sorry kiddies. I know it's been a while since I wrote, but the last couple days have been hectic for  me. I know, who's life isn't?! Hahaha...nonetheless, it's much harder to keep up with a daily blog when you've been in school and traveling cross two states. But finals are over and I'm settled in beautiful Wyoming, so let's continue with the madness.


But first, a moment a silence for the sorry excuse for a team known as the Lakers...


...


Thank you. And now, here's a picture of breasts.





Sigh...even that didn't cheer me up.


But I'm not gonna discuss the Lakers any further only because it'll piss me off further, and I'm sure everyone has already gone to their blog to vent.  So...that is all I will say...


I do feel, however, that I must discuss the Public Enemy albums. Now, as I've mentioned in the past, I was taking a Hip Hop Culture class this past quarter, but now finals are over. But I seriously can't help but to listen to hip hop much differently than in the past.


I've been hesitant, in particular, with these two albums. I know the hoopla. I know how politically charged they are. I've heard "Fight the Power." And of course...Flavor Flav. 'Nuff said. 


Despite that, I am by no means an expert in Public Enemy. My friend from high school spoke highly of them, but when I bumped a few of their songs a few years back...well...I wasn't impressed. The beats sample heavily from hard rock and metal bands, and the funk samples are distorted to the point where they are no longer funky. Not to mention that there was almost no bass in their jams, and I'm a dude who's first intro to hip hop was G-Funk. Chuck D didn't have the smooth flow that I'm so used to. And, of course...Flavor Flav. 





Hahaha...gotta love the guy. 


I was all about that political agenda in hip hop back in da day. Honestly, I prefer it. But I thought Public Enemy was bland. There sound was almost repetitive and it definitely put more emphasis on lyrics as opposed to beats.


But just like most music that I have in my collection, it begins to grow on you. Or better yet, on me. And fast, too. I seen the rankings of "It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back." Lots of magazines say its one of the best hip hop albums ever. But I had to check it out for myself.


And what do you know? They're good. They're really fucking good. I love their lyrics. They're so in your face. They take the mic and slap white America in the face with it. Shit, even Flavor Flav gets in the whole business and gets all militant. Terminator X may sample tons of rock songs, but it suits the themes and mood. Chuck D aint bland, he's just direct with his style. These are some bad, mad bruthas. My professor even went as far as calling "It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back" the greatest PUNK album of all time. GODDAYAM! They were once even labeled the most dangerous band by Rolling Stone. 


And "Fight the Power?" Maybe the greatest political hip hop song ever. You may have your opinion, but rarely will you ever hear another song that is just a foot up the Man's ass as "Fight the Power." Sure, thank Spike Lee, but this song took on a life of it's own. 


And then there's Zepplin. Hahaha...my boy and I, as we drove to Wyoming, discussed our different tastes in music, and Zepplin came up. Now, some people are fans of the Beatles, some are fans of the Who, and then there are Zepplin fans. I am the latter, although much love to the other bands. If I could ever assemble a group of musicians who had the same brilliant goal, I can only hope that they are as good as Zepplin. Jimmy Page is not the greatest guitarist of all time, nor Robert Plant the best singer. John Paul Jones is funky, but not the funkiest. You can debate whether John Bonham is the best drummer ever, but never a definite. Despite this, this was a group of extremely talented musicians who came out of nowhere. I would even argue that, although arguably not the best, they are at least top 5 in their respective instruments. No doubt.


Anyhow, I will be back tomorrow with a new album. Until, be strong, my bruthas and sistas. Enjoy the World Cup and pray for the Lakers!


Peace, bruthas and sistas.

Day 25: The Carnival (1997) by Wyclef Jean and Ready to Die (1994) by Notorious B.I.G.

So today I have to do a double since I've fell behind yesterday. I actually had finished Wyclef Jean already, but I was just too tired to write anything. 


10:35 PM
Okay, so I've avoided this again for the last two days. I just haven't found an opportunity to really sit down and write. Lakers, basketball, work and school. Also lots and lots of studying. Plus a much delayed drug test that I should've taken last week. Add that up to just the right mixture of laziness and you have my current relationship with my blog. 


Anyhow, I was able to listen to these good albums, but at the same time, I'm too tired to really talk about them. I just played a game of 21 with Tostada to vent a bit after that horrible loss in game 4 of the Western Conference Finals. And I immediately went and got my ass handed to me by Tostada himself. Shit! I really got cut back on the stoges.





But what can I really say about these albums that hasn't been said anyways? Everybody knows that Biggie was good. I would even say better than Tupac. All my West Coast brethren are going to skewer me for this statement, but it's true. In the whole Biggie vs. Tupac argument, I have to side with my man Big Poppa. In my opinion, Biggie was a way better rapper than Tupac. And he only had two albums out! But like I said, there's not really much I can add to this argument. 


As for Wyclef Jean, he's got a pretty good mix of hip hop and singing goin. And some of it is in Creole. I only know it's Creole because some of the boys I worked with at the summer camp spoke Creole, and I would constantly make them say Creole phrases. 


I know. That's fucked up. It's like someone telling me to translate random phrases to Spanish just 'cause it sounds nice to their ears. But they were cool about it. It's not like I'm gonna go to a random person and hope they speak Creole for my enjoyment. 


But yeah, both these albums are sick.


I just wanted to comment on one aspect of Biggie's album. I read this (and I will constantly continue to comment on this since it's one of the subjects in my Hip Hop Class, that has the dopest professor) in one of my articles, based on one of my favorite songs, "Suicidal Thoughts." The article stated that the album is a reflection of the black male condition in the ghetto: it is at the same time a boastful anthem of the life of a drug dealer, mafioso, gangster, yet at the same time, he's self aware of his endless struggle, incapable of leaving the condition that he was born into. 


His birth is actually the first song. You can hear him coming into this world, with "Superfly" by Curtis Mayfield playing in the background, but this beautiful, triumphant moment is broken by the sound of his parents fighting, his father threatening to beat his mother. Throughout the album, you have moments where he reflects on his position, wishing death in songs like "Everyday Struggle" where he exclaims "I don't wanna live no more/sometimes I hear death knockin at my front door." He celebrates coming up in "Juicy," reflects on his constant struggles with the law in "Gimme the Loot," and his relationships with women throughout the whole album. But in the end, it's too much, calls his friend and shoots himself in "Suicidal Thoughts." 


I'm not saying this is the path of all people in the ghetto, but I am saying this album can be taken as a metaphor for the conditions many people (especially those of color) suffer from: the inability to cope with the realities of poverty and discrimination. In this case, Biggie really had some issues with himself that he probably exorcised through his art. Sadly, we would never see his evolution as an artist since he was taken from us. Who knows? He might have been able to figure things out. 


But anyhow, I just thought that insight was beautiful. I think it's something I've had to deal with as well, and I'm sure I'm not the only one. 


Anyhow, I'm writing this as I watch "Being John Malkovich," which has some hilariously witty parts. But that'll be for another day. 



Witty muthafucker.


Peace, bruthas and sistas!

Day 22: The Information (2006) by Beck

Well fuckadoodle doo! This shit is annoying. I had a whole fucking post done, ready to be published, and BAM! Fucking blogspot says that there's conflicting editing going on at the same time, but instead of saving it, it just fucking goes and erases my post! Shit!


So lemme briefly summarize what I wanted to talk about. Also, I have some nifty pictures. Let's see...

• White people are my friends, although I may hate on them...a lot. Listening to Beck is my way of making it up to you.

• The Lakers won, so I shall celebrate by saying LAKERS!

• I think I have the dopest professor, Sohail Daulatzai. 

• Beck is all over the place. In a good way. 

• I want the kids at the camp to sing the phrase "One by one, I'll knock you out" from the song "Cellphone's Dead." Hopefully, Beck can make it out.

• I'm proud of my little brother for going out of his comfort zone and busting a flow with me. 

Let's see...yup. That's basically it. The rest of the sentences were just filler, anyways. But seriously...fuck!

Alright, bruthas and sistas. Sorry for cutting this short, but I really should get to sleep. If I even try to remember whatever nonsense was in the post that was meant to be, I'd probably go insane. In the meantime, hold tight, and tomorrow I promise I'll bring it better. 

Peace, bruthas and sistas!

P.S. With my last sentence, I curse Blogspot!!!