MURS & 9TH Wonder-Funeral For A Killer
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MURS & 9TH Wonder-Funeral For A KillerIn continuing our "HIP HOP 4 THE OVER 30 CROWD" Series, we're rolling out MURS & 9th WONDER's "FUNERAL FOR A KILLER" Video. By now, most should be well familiar with 9th Wonder's production-but not sure how many, not living on the West Coast, are familiar with MURS. MURS has been around since 1994. Underground heads would remember him from his early days, as part of the group Living Legends. MURS is six solo albums deep, with "THE FINAL ADVENTURE" being his third collaboration with 9th Wonder. To get on this list, you have to display superior lyrical content & vision-with a good dose of proper production up under it. So rather than continue to bore you with my write-up, here's the video. Feedback & Comments Welcome.
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Jean Grae-Kill ScreenThough Jean Grae (aka Jean Greasy) has been around since the mid 1990's, she has remained largely unknown to the majority of Hip Hop listeners. But say her name to any True Underground Hip Hop Fan, or Hip Hop Purist, and a Big Smile would immediately come across that person's face. Three solo albums in, Jean has shined alongside (if not out-shined) some of Hip Hop's Finest Emcees-including Talib Kweli, Busta Rhymes, Pharoah Monch, Black Thought (from The Roots), Mos Def, Immortal Technique & Many More. Simply put, Jean Grae's Wordplay, Delivery & Creativity are far superior to any female emcee ever to bless the mic-yep even MC Lyte. Google her. Find her album's. She killed it on the 2012 BET Awards Freestyle Cyphers; just as she has been since about 1996. Most unique of all, she has a passionate penchant for telling stories of her personal struggles of love, heartbreak & regret-mixed in with ever so colorful battle rhymes... But don't take my word for it, peep the videos below... One metric often used to measure a Classic album, from the millions of others, is Still Knowing the Lyrics to the Song Years Later. Even if you haven't heard it in forever... Another, more important measurement would to gauge How an Album Changed the Course of that Particular Genre. For NWA, and there second album "STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON," both of these metrics emphatically apply here. Released 25 Years Ago today, S.O.C. was one of the first Hip Hop Albums to reach Platinum Sales status. Most notably, THIS WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITH ALMOST NO MAINSTREAM RADIO OR VIDEO PLAY. The Crew just simply toured, and relied on underground radio, to build a buzz. And that buzz grew so strong, that MTV had to come looking for them. I really don't recall BET ever really showing NWA much love; but of course BET's STANDARDS WERE FAR DIFFERENT BACK THEN. While NWA's lineup changed slightly with each album, clearly they were at their BEST on Straight Outta Compton. Blending Dr. Dre's unique & original production style, with super charged lyrical delivery from Ice Cube & MC Ren-and Superior Ghostwriting (by Cube & DOC) for Dre & Eazy E, gave the Hip Hop world something that had never really been heard before. NWA certainly were not the first "Gangsta Rappers;" but they were Far & Away the best. So while could, and will eventually, write about the negative affects that came from this change in the nature of Hip Hop Music-I choose now to Celebrate the Legacy of One of the Greatest Albums ever recorded... (Writers Note: My favorite song on the album was definitely "FUCK THE POLICE," with "I AIN'T THA 1" playing a really close second. In the latest installment of FUSE'S "CRATE DIGGERS" Series, we find Legendary Mixtape Dee Jay TONY TOUCH providing a tour of his more than 15,000 records. From Comedy albums, to Dance records, to Hip Hop, Reggae, Break-Beats & R&B-Tony provides crazy history & insight into the world of Crate-Digging, B-Boyism & Music Culture on a whole. Old School Heads will love this piece; and Young Cats could learn SO MUCH from Doing The Knowledge. For those not familiar with the CRATE DIGGER Series, we will be posting some of the best prior episodes soon. Gotta Keep The CULTURE Alive... Chuck D Is 53!!!Carlton Douglas Ridenhour, better known as CHUCK D of PUBLIC ENEMY, is hands down one the most powerful influences on the Man that I grew into being. He personified the definition of Boldness & Intelligence, at a time when those images were just Few & Far In-Between. As the Leader of Public Enemy, Chuck led an entire renaissance that took Hip Hop from Party Raps to actual Substance. A True Hip Hop Head, from early on in my youth; I remember vividly the IMPACT of hearing "LOUDER THAN A BOMB" & "TERMINATOR X TO THE EDGE OF PANIC" on the radio while visiting St. Augustine's College in the Summer of 1988. From there, there was no looking back. His references to Black Leaders, Important Black History Events & Tragedies, and other topics a teen in Nashville, Tn would have just not had the opportunity to learn about. And still to this day-be it that he & P.E. STILL TOUR 20+ YEARS LATER, or his Powerful & Blunt Speech at this year's Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Ceremony, or the many other contributions in between-I just want to thank that Brother for being the Legend & Leader that he has been for 53 Years. |
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