thinking bout end of year top tens

folk, fam, flim, flam,

As is inevitable every year, holiday season for me means not presents and cheer (the Fat Money is notoriously broke and cantankerous) but end-of-year best and worst of lists. Only this year, after a few nights spent tossing and (as they say) turning, I am really at a loss as to clear album favorites from 2008. A variety of factors may be at fault: I've basically given up buying CDs (a far cry from my hey-day of $100/week on music conspicous consumption, big up Cheapos); the artists that are usually money have come with weaker-than-usual efforts (the Dude, Weezy, etc); my memory is shot from one (or 500) tooo many spliffies; the music industry sucks. Basically, it seems like this was a(nother) down year for our beloved hip hop (remember 95? Me neither).

I'm wondering if I'm alone in this feeling. Also, I'm sure there are at least ten amazing indie/inderground/local joints that I've either forgotten about or haven't gotten my greasy hands on. What I'm asking for from you, my loyal readers (no doubt all of you discerning experts on rrrrap), are suggestions on some ov your favorite discs from the last year. Whereas others might call this sort of blanket pandering lazy journalism, I like to think of it as an effective form of populist collectivization (sans pleas for the free coinage of silver, read your history kiddies).

My preliminary list includes Bun B, Z Ro, The Roots, Steinski, Q-Tip, Prof EP, Muja Messiah...But what am I overlooking?

Leave a comment with anything you can think ov. Peace peace!

New track from my man Braille: "Frankenstein"

Been sitting on this one for a while (its like Halloween themed, dig?), but it sho nuff deserves some shine. Heading up the trump-tight label Hip Hop IS Music (yea tell us somefin we don't know, kid), Braille has been putting in work for a minute (4 full length albums deep, van damme). Check out this year's The IV Edition, then peep my review of the solid comp "Heavy Rotation" from 2006, and cop that joint too: http://www.rapreviews.com/archive/2006_09_heavyrotation.html

The new track is a collaboe between Braille and S1, the first in (we can only hope) a series of tracks that will comprise the future album "Cloud Nineteen" from the two like-minded artists.

The Fat Money is a techno dinosaur, so the best I can do is list a link to all the press materials for this one...worth the effort dun dun: http://www.hiphopismusic.com/uploads/Frankenstein.zip

So illy.

i gets visual

Ever since the Fat Money discovered that here in Mad-town the hip hop can be thicker than coughee smoke in Devin's hotel room one minute, then suddenly it's winter and ain't even no mo doobies in the 'tray (metaphor, kiddies), I been scrambling to expand the H.E.A.D.S. enterprise. I swear, next time a name-brand rrrrapper sets foot in Wisco I'll be too old to enjoy it. But my cash flow is never weak, so what I'm gonna do but play da Vinci on 'em and enlarge the repertoire...

Even though my spurious creditials for film criticism include sleeping through an intro to film studies class in college and boasting having seen the movie Rockers at least 50 times, The Decider actually believed I could review a film fest screening, and I tricked them into publishing my piece, which even comes with neat youtube clips to enjoy:
http://madison.decider.com/articles/recap-wiskinos-fall-kabaret,1093/

Tomorrow I'ma see if I can check out some ballet...playing! Ain't slippin, expect more funky shit from H.E.A.D.S. sooner than later...

NEW FREE EP from Illogic: "One Bar Left"

Holy recession batman, seems like all my favorite indie artists be putting out all their carefully crafted music for free these days, while the major label players still fight for the table scraps offa propa CD sales (big up Luda). How, you ask? Fueled purely by a love for the music and a tacit understanding that Ramen isn't so bad with a little hot sauce; also, health insurance can wait. In today's game, building a loyal fan base is numero uno for sustaining a long-term career, and do to that you got to work them internet connections, and that's just what my man Illogic is fin to do with the moves he's been making over the last year.

Today marks the official release of Illogic's FREE new EP "One More Bar." This is obstensibly a preview to wet the whistles of Ill's more rabid fans before the release of his proper full-length "Diabolical Fun," which will come next spring and feature production from fellow Ohioian Ill Poetic (no relation):

http://www.divshare.com/download/5906891-722


For all you flat-pocketed MCs out there, it's also available for a 5 ducket digital purchase if you want the instrumentals thrown in: http://www.weightless.net/site/

As a special bonus for all you Lucky Charms-eating kiddies who cain't get enough: On a related note (grindin'), Ill Poetic released a series of ill mash mixtapes, including "Joe Budden meets Portishead" (http://www.megaupload.com/?d=KT8SVJ12) and "NIN meets OutKast" (http://www.megaupload.com/?d=CL6ETK0G), a record that "sounds like something Otis Redding would mosh to in Phil Spector’s living room." Peep those joints in time and see where we can go with this music...

So gobble up these free scooby snacks, but when Ill comes to your town, show some love and buy the t-shirt. Even rappers cain't survive on pure dopeness. Support good music!!!

Track of tha Day: Joe Budden w/ The Game, "The Future"

link up:
http://www.yoraps.com/audios1.php?subaction=showfull&id=1227512874&archive=&start_from=&ucat=13&

This shit will get bump in the club, so use it to wake ya face up after a long weekend. Monday morning get right joint. Although I find voco-dore bullshit annoying since 1996, the track is redeemed by my man Joe Budden, always on point and a real good dude. Cop the mixtape Mood Muzik vol.3 if you don't have it already, and peep his new shit when it drops!

Another Lil Wayne track, another polarizing performance

Peep the link:
http://www.yoraps.com/audios1.php?subaction=showfull&id=1227264230&archive=&start_from=&ucat=13&

Disclosure: I was a fan of Weezy briefly circa "Dedication 2," but the novelty of his swaggering sing song and Dr. Suess wordplay has long ago worn thin in the Fat Money's book. This song is a textbook example of how Wayne displays hints of talent and then squanders it with lines that are clever but nonsensicle and songs with no impact. Some heads hear surpreme articulation and a mastery of flow; I see a high egghead fuggin around in the booth cause his daddy owns the studio. If I hear another sleepy verse rhyming "bitch" with "shit" with "stupid" again, I'ma murder rap music. Also: Wayne, experimentation is welcome, but put down the guitar and hire a vocal coach. If this the greatest rapper alive, then build me a time machine and dial it up to '88 cuz I'd rather not live in such a world.

But that's just me, feel free to bump this track to your heart's delight. We all gonna die anyway so let's bling out!

New single produced by DILLA to peep

Here's a new single by a cat from NYC named Oveous Maximus, courtesy of Word Up! e-zine.

"Spoken word artist turned emcee, Oveous Maximus, is currently putting the finishing touches on his upcoming concept album, Ovilla, which is Ove going in over beats produced by the one and only J Dilla.

The first single from the album is "Feel The Beeeat"-- not Jay's best work, but any new Dilla Dawg is paramount in Fat Money's world. This one's getting multiple spins at the Selbo ranch for Ove's fresh flows ("never saw Disney/ fuck that Mickey!") and Dilla's seductive synths. Whoa.

Peep the track: http://beyondrace.com/Media/downloads/category/1-music-mp3-downloads.

A final thought: how the hell did dude get a whole disc of Dilla beats to spit over? not even Jesus should be that blessed, lord gawwwwd! i'd give my right arm to get a half-dozen ov his unused tracks, sheeeeesh. or my soul if dem devils is listening. just saying, dilla dawg for life

2008...time to set it straight

Like Cube when he finally shaved them curls off his head, this is gonna be the best year I ever had, despite the contradictions. We got a Black president, but the cancer of capitalism is still deep. Z-Ro is out of jail, but Kanye is still being wack. My jump shot gets nicer every season but the Bucks still suck.

Here's my first few weeks of output for the recently launched www.decider.com. Be sure to keep checking the Web site as we get deeper and deeper into the cultural abyss that is "Madison."

1. Pidgeon John concert recap: http://austin.decider.com/articles/pigeon-john-the-crest-and-kanser-at-high-noon-salo,751/ (the show where Unicus of Kanser tried to make me feel bad for not writing the praises of his group last year...ha)

2. Homegrown Hip Hop Fest at the Union: http://madison.decider.com/articles/homegrown-hip-hop-fest-at-memorial-union-naomi-kle,813/ (my originial draft was something like 1500 words, but my editor somehow managed to cut it down to 500...apologies to all the TC acts that deserved a lot more love)

3. Devin the Dude and Subtle concert recaps: http://madison.decider.com/articles/loudon-wainwright-iii-at-majestic-theatre-heartles,951/ (Devin is one of my favorites and Subtle I had never heard of...a good contrast)

*keep it movin, yea yea to the K.I.M. Look out fo' mo' in the coming weeks, including recaps of Clyde Stubb, Country Tribute acts, and a filmmaker's kabaret. Oh you didn't know? The Fat Money is diversifying-- fugg this rap shit! Hip Hop is dead stupid.

City Pages oeuvre

Although I'm still technically employed there, my output for alternative-news weekly TC staple City Pages has dropped to a trickle recently, on account ov my geography being all messed up now and all. Here, then, is a good time to gather up my cumulative work for them over the past 18 months:

http://www.citypages.com/content/result/author:190279;exactPhrase:on;page:1

The above link is only for material appearing in the print edition, so most of my best stuff (Web-based concert reviews) is not included. Here are some links to my favorite Blog entries, along with a few old rapreviews.com favorites as well (collect and read them all!):

1. Chris Rock concert review: http://blogs.citypages.com/ctg/2008/07/chris_rock_at_t.php

2. Feature music article on Kanye West and 50 Cent: http://www.citypages.com/2007-09-26/music/robber-barons/

3. "Back to the Lab" CD review of De La Soul's third album: http://www.rapreviews.com/archive/BTTL_buhloone.html

4. KRS-ONE concert review: http://blogs.citypages.com/ctg/2008/04/krs_one_april_1.php

5. El-P advanced CD review: http://www.rapreviews.com/archive/2007_02F_sleepwhendead.html

6. Concert review of TC producer's gathering: http://blogs.citypages.com/ctg/2008/06/last_of_the_rec.php

7. "Bizarre Ride" BTTL review: http://www.rapreviews.com/archive/BTTL_bizarreride.html

8. "Release the Dance" concert review: http://blogs.citypages.com/gimmenoise/2008/03/release_the_dan.php

9. El Guante and Tru Roots CD/concert review (big up yaself!): http://blogs.citypages.com/gimmenoise/2008/03/edutainment_jor_1.php

10. Necro concert review: http://blogs.citypages.com/gimmenoise/2008/03/edutainment_jor_1.php

11. Bootsy Collins James Brown tribute recap: http://blogs.citypages.com/gimmenoise/2008/07/funky_zoo_jorda.php

12. All the Way Live tour with Rakim, Ghost, B. Ali: http://blogs.citypages.com/gimmenoise/2007/11/all_the_way_liv.php

13. Stones Throw concert at The Foundation: http://blogs.citypages.com/gimmenoise/2007/11/madlib_pb_wolf.php

14. Del/Devin concert slideshow: http://www.citypages.com/slideshow/view/22904

15. WU TANG at Rock the Bells (my first ever concert review!!): http://blogs.citypages.com/gimmenoise/2007/08/rock_the_bells.php

16. Mos Def "True Magic" feature review for rapreviews.com: http://www.rapreviews.com/archive/2007_01F_truemagic.html

17. Hilarious hate-mail after I dissed Atmosphere (see 3rd letter down; thanks Bobby!): http://www.citypages.com/2008-01-30/news/letters-to-the-editor/

Mega props to my editors at CP-- Jeff Shaw, Sarah Askari and Andrea Myers! Props to photog Tony Nelson for driving out to Apple Valley that one time to see Bootsy. Props to the bouncers at First Ave for letting me sleep in the corner. Props to Rob for the ear plugs. Props to Ernie, last word, Jimmy II Times, Rahzwell, Prof, Brandon Allday, Big Cats! and every other TC rapper/producer/DJ who gave the kid the time of day...come to Madison fellas!!

A small fish in a big ass pond becomes...the same fish in a bowl.

People people: like that great man said, we got to get over before we go under. So the Fat Money is back on his hustle. Tryna save skrilly on a working class income is like Favre donning the Green 'n Gold again--just ain't gon happen, but I'm tryna win still! Fugg a stock market, I wanna have me a fat yacht, and enough land to...well, you know the rest. I'm taking notes from my man Z-Ro-- "I'm Still Livin," so I'ma continue to "Let the Truth Be Told" so that you'll "Remember Me"-- and I still "Hate U Bitch"!

Enough jive: I recently departed the mighty TC music scene for a quiet life of solitude among the cows in Madison, Wisconsin, ready to let my illustrious writing career in music slip away like so many blunted afternoons on the Grand Ole porch. But van damme, somehow the Fat Money stumbled into the waiting arms of the Onion's new Madison-focused online culture site, www.decider.com. Since their cultural musings have always been highly esteemed in my book (right up there with Klostermann and them Ego Trip heads), I jumped at the opportunity.

Let's just hope there's at least a few rap acts brave enough to travel to this sleepy hamlet in the dark days of winter... we are still needing to import our supply of rrrap talent unfortunately.

So any artists/promoters/managers/owners who want to get more funky shit in Mad-son, get at me!!!

Getting money like a caucasian!!!