Things I Didn’t Know A Week Ago Part 4
1.Rap Crews Are Back
The hip-hop label/crew whatever you want to call it has returned. Gone are the Roc-A-Fellas, Bad Boys and Wu-Tang but Maybach Music Group, Shady Records, Young Money and G.O.O.D Music are making the hip-hop crew a relevant force again.
Kanye’s crew just has to take some lessons from MMG and actually put out an artist or two, Young Money needs to find a place for Cory Gunz and explain to me why Tyga has a record deal…but other than that, the industry is looking pretty decent.
Eminem is putting his guys out soon, Wale is dropping an album, Meek is killing and as soon as Jay-Z finds some other rappers to join the Roc Nation gang, there could be some formidable forces in the game.
2.Cole Broke The Mold
Speaking of Hov’s regime, J. Cole’s second week in stores proved that no radio single or gimmick is necessary when you have a strong following, consistent mixtapes and a nod from the greatest alive. Cole surprised folks moving 217,000 his first week and I think he sold just under 70K in the second week so kudos to the Sideline Story.
Hopefully the major labels change up their approach a little bit. While we’re on Roc Nation signees…
3.Jay Electronica Has Mind Control Power
His ability is not just over us mere mortals who believe it’s okay for him to put out a song per season or a snippet of an unfinished record, he also got Prodigy to throw his diamonds up on a chorus.
Did Prodigy forget that ten years ago he was on a Summer Jam screen and getting referred to as “Twinkle Toes?” I mean I’m down for growth and squashing beef but somehow I think Jay Elect told him what to say and he said it.
This is the same man that congratulated Game and threatened him on Twitter in the same breath. Then he posed the same threat to any rapper in the business and I’m positive it worked. Did Game apologize yet? Believe he will.
4.DMX Hates Terrence And Rocsi
Dark Man X might just dislike everyone under 30 years old including the entire 106th & Park audience, but he really wanted to call Rocsi a b**ch a few times as he answered some questions on BET’s video show.
Not only did they try to force him to admit that he listens to new rappers, but Rocsi blew up the fact that his hook was originally said by Drake. DMX looked comfortable performing at the BET Hip-Hop Awards but speaking to Terrence and Rocsi, he looked like his publicist convinced him this was a good idea to get the “youth.”
5.Drake Is Tough
He’s not afraid of Pusha T coming at him sideways, he doesn’t care about radio shows or rappers taking subliminal jabs, and his album is going to sell records and answer questions.
Drizzy went on Funk Flex’s radio show and didn’t rap while reading his phone, he expressed his bravado calmly suggesting (I’m paraphrasing) he saw Serena Williams naked, he’s been there, done that with Rihanna, and if Jay and Wayne go at it, Aubrey may have to jump in on his “brother’s” side as opposed to his mentor. Be afraid.
6.The BET Hip-Hop Cyphers Featured Some Awards
I know BET is not the best network in the world and I understand hip-hop is not in its golden era but when you have to have seven cyphers to fill in for the lack of categories, performances or overall interest in your show, maybe it’s time to rethink the ceremony.
The cyphers are great for exposure when new artists like Stalley and Kendrick Lamar get national light. But others who might not need to be spitting outside of a record, don’t need the exposure because they just get exposed. If you would have told me that I’d be hearing some R&B singers, a French cat flowing with subtitles and a blind guy rapping, I would tune in just for that, but how about you guys put together a real award show too?
Anyway I had some observations about the show that I decided to write down because I’m always a fan of learning things I didn’t know seven days prior.
-Those Shady guys can rap, Royce introduced himself to a whole slew of new folks, Crooked I showed why he’s my favorite Slaughterhouse occupant and Eminem made everyone that rapped in a cypher feel a little dumb for a few minutes.
–LL Cool J might have had the second or third best verse of the evening during his acceptance speech that he (his ghost writer) wrote on the way to the event.
-Someone (Wiz Khalifa) just has to perform shirtless every award show huh? Do the stylists include that in their fee? Tight pants, fresh kicks, hat, shades and show off your boxers?
-I’m glad Lupe got to do a song with a message. BET snuck in some realness during the fluff.
-Fifty showed the “how to take down a star” method years ago when he shouted out Vivica Fox’s dress…Royce da 5’9″ was watching. Good luck Royce.
-Black people show up for MTV Awards but there were a whole lot of “this person couldn’t be here tonight” for BET. Makes sense though.
