Happy Thanksgiving!!! See you next week!!!!

John Forte - FREE and PARDONED!!!!

President George W. Bush has pardoned rapper John Forte, an affiliate of the Fugees, who has been serving prison time for smuggling drugs, sources told AllHipHop.com.Forte was one of 14 persons that Bush has pardoned or granted commuted prison sentences. This wave of White House pardons is Bush's latest, as he has less than two months in his presidency. A pardon cannot be overruled.

Forte was arrested at Newark International Airport in 2000 and charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine and conspiracy to distribute. Police caught him accepting a briefcase with about $1.4 million worth of liquid cocaine in it.

Forte was hit with a 14-year sentence in a federal penitentiary under minimum sentencing laws even though it was his first offense and he was a non-violent offender. He began his bid in jail in 2001 and has fought the laws vehemently.Through the ordeal, he maintained his innocence and turned down a plea deal. John Forte has released two albums, Poly Sci and I, John. John found an ally in legendary singer Carly Simon and her son Ben Taylor, both close friends. Forte lived at Simon's estate in Martha's Vineyard for about six weeks in 1999 and even spent the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays with the family. Simon and Taylor have lobbied on Forte’s behalf since he was incarcerated.

Much speculation has been made of others Bush may opt to pardon. Most of these involved those that government employees that may have unjustly interrogated suspected terrorists in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center. A pardon of these cases would severely impede president elect Barack Obama from investigating such crimes.

BS ALERT!! BS ALERT!! Kanye's New Album - 808s and Heartbreak

EQUALS

Well, you can't say that I told ya so....

I have had a few of my friends tell me that they are finally concluding that Kanye's latest opus is complete bullshucks. Kanye...please, get back to emceeing and making those fire beats that had me salivating.... You can still expand your sound....just not to this extreme. This album has become your "Electric Circus." I need that Kanye heat that had my head bopping... One - Cap-D


Kanye West during a recent interview with DJ Semtex:

“I don’t even listen to rap. My apartment is too nice to listen to rap in. I have to be in a way more grimey environment to turn any rap music on”

HUNH?

It's official...I have become the old dude on the block. My official rant on pants "sagging"

Morning family....

I have to get this isht off my chest...for real. I know, I know. I am always complaining about something. But I have to take this to the next level. Today's rant is about "sagging."

As I got off the A train, I saw a grown a*s man, who had to be at least 40 years old, with his pants sagging off his as*. What made this even more appalling is that the man was wearing "skinny jeans."

Look....I am like you. I am not trying to wear any pants that crushes my gonads. Mr. Johnson needs room to breath. BUT....this pants literally hanging off the as* thing has got to stop! It's the equivalent of a extremely, sloppily endowed woman wearing a revealing top. No one wants to see all that in the public!!! I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOUR AS*! POINT BLANK! And on a side note, some of you "saggers" need to start wiping your a**es if you are gonna expose your drawers.... (NOTE: For you kcufing clowns who are saying, "Why are you looking at brothers a**es," you know what you can do for me, a**hole)

For those of you who are completely clueless about "sagging." Allow me to give you a description. Sagging is commonly attributed in the media to have originated in the prohibition of belts for prisoners as belts could be used to commit suicide by hanging oneself, to strangle others, or to use as a weapon in fights. In addition, if a prisoner tried to make a run for it, the sagging pants would be a detriment to them and a deterrent. Loose fitting pants would get caught in the fence's razor wire and make the escaping prisoner an easy target for the prison guards' rifles. In the early 1990s, hip-hop artists popularized the style. Unfortunately, what started off as loose fitting jeans slightly below the waist, has now graduated to thousands of young men walking around with their drawers showing.

The thing that kills me about sagging is that I always see these young men walking around pulling up their pants every 10 feet. LOL! I mean, sh*t...you have a belt...use it!

I am making an official rule right now...there 's nothing that we can do stop young people from sagging, but if you are in your 30s and you are still sagging, you really need to check yourself. There are plenty of hip hop fashions that can keep you in style without making an "a*s"(pun intended) out of yourself. Better yet, let me put this on layman terms for some of you knuckleheads. Let's say you are sagging (most young people sag extremely low). Say a rabid pit bull was let loose and you had to jet in a hurry...Guess who will be bitten first? The fool trying to pull up his pants and run at the same time. Pants that fit have a purpose beyond fashion!!!!!

I am not hating, nor am I a saint who has never slightly sagged before. But I do realize that at a certain age, you have to stop doing isht and become a responsible adult. To us Gen Xers, let the millenials have their fashions. We need need to start setting examples. Pants hanging off your as* is not cool at all.

Sagging article...interesting read

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/30/fashion/30baggy.html

Know Your History - Lakim Shabazz

Lakim Shabazz was a hip-hop emcee who was one of the founding members of the original version of the Flavor Unit crew. His birth name is Lakim Welch. His stage name refers to the so-called Lost Tribe of Shabazz, which is based on the teachings of Wallace Fard Muhammad. His two albums, recorded for Aaron Fuchs's Tuff City Records, featured production by DJ Mark the 45 King, and his militant lyrics were predominantly about his love of the Nation of Islam and his dedication to the Nation of Gods and Earths, the latter of which he was a member. After his second album ran its course, he worked with Diamond D briefly and disappeared. He is currently living in New Jersey and makes occasional appearances at Five-Percenter Show and Prove events.

Video for "Black is Back."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9WHM8Nj9ko&feature=related

God Bless The Dead - MC Breed

Eric Breed, the Midwest rapper known as MC Breed, was found dead today after suffering kidney failure.

According to the Detroit News, Breed's manager Darryl Morris confirmed that the rappers was found dead at a friend's home in Ypsilanti, Michigan.

In September, Breed collapsed on a basketball court. He was taken to the hospital and put on life support due to kidney failure. He was taken off life support days later.

Last spring, Breed was arrested in Flint, Michigan due to missed child support payments. The rapper was also reportedly placed behind bars and eventually released on $18,000 bail last April.

Helping the Mid-West rise to popularity within hip-hop, the Michigan-bred emcee is known for gaining notice as an independent artist with a number of early 1990's albums, including MC Breed & DFC, 20 Below, The New Breed and Funkafied.

Breed also famously collaborated with various West Coast rap stars including Too Short, Warren G and the late Tupac Shakur.

They've come a long way....

Here's Nas' first video appearence....


Here's Jay's...

Receding Hairlines...My Two Cents

Now we know why he (Ne-Yo) always wears a hat...

...same goes for Susan Taylor. Braids killed her hairline....

What's up family!

I really want to talk about rap and r&b artists with receding hairlines who refuse to let that hair go. To these artists, I personally feel your pain. Being a card carrying member of "follicle damned club", losing one's hair can be a quite emotional experience. (Actually, I could give two ishts about my hair loss...weight gain is my my thing, but I digress)

I am offering some of my suggestions to up and coming artists in both R&B and Hip Hip. NOTE: I am not a barber or a hair professional. I am just a guy who observes and learn from others (and my own) mistakes.

1. Let your hair breathe - That means not wearing a damn doo-rag, hat, skully or other hair covering for the entire day. Continual head coverage and poor maintenance can kill your hair. Your hair is a living organism and you must allow it to breathe. Treat it like gold.
   



2. Enough with the cornrows - While I cannot offer any clinical evidence, I do believe that the constant pulling, twisting and yanking could have an effect one ones' hair. If you are a lazy person with your hair, cornrows only exacerbates the situation. Look at Rip Hamilton or your man Mystikal's wigs. Peep an early picture of AI's cornrows and compare it to now. Cornrows look fly at first, but you have to get them taken out eventually.
   
   


3. Wash, Dry and Grease your scalp - Nuff said.
   
   


4. Stay away from the chemicals, if you can - My mistake was that I used to put one two many s-curl kits in my flatop(trying to look like Aaron Hall or Dominique Wilkins) Can you blame me? back in high school, i wanted to be a member of Guy!!!!! LOL! Stick to the basic greases and soft brush to 360 your waves...
   
   


5. Go to a good barber - If you have to wait for the dopest barber in the shop to cut you hair right, do so. the wrong barber can send your hairline and points into oblivion.
   
   


6. Eat Healthy Foods - It is important to eat healthy foods and ensure that your body is getting the vitamins and minerals that it needs. Often times, the body will show poor health in the hair follicles and finger nails before and actual illness is detected.
   
   While it is important to get enough of the right nutrients, it is just as important not to get too much of any one type of vitamin. For example, too much of vitamin A and E, have been linked to shedding.

If this doesn't work, bald it!!!

One - Cap-D

My favorite Dr. Katz episode with Dave Chappelle

I know that this isn't music related, but it's incredibly funny! Enjoy! Cap-D

Black Jesus - I love ya, Aaron McGruder!!!

This is a humorous new series from the creator of The Boondocks, Aaron McGruder. It's incredibly funny!!! Support him at www.boondocksbootleg.com

*NOTE* - Please understand that the following video is a humorous take of Jesus Christ. If you are offended by such images and depictions, please do not view this.

One - Cap-D

Cap-D's Blog Spotlight - Ant-B's Two Cents

Fam,

From time to time, I will spotlight artists, producers and other industry types to give me their "two cents" on a variety of topics. My first victim is a close friend of mine simply named "Ant B". (For the clowns out there, it's not Aunt B.)

"Ant B" hails from the 'Natti and has been mentored by not one, but TWO legendary hip hop producers in the making. Which two, you may ask? Well maybe you know a couple of guys by the name of Just Blaze and DJ Khalil. Under their tutelage, Ant has sat in numerous sessions with some of your favorite emcees, produced, wrote, composed and created some heat for some very special people in the industry. (Sorry, I can't snitch on who he has worked with) Needless to say, he's a credible cat who's opinion I value deeply. Below is a brief interview that I conducted:

1. As a producer, do you feel that technology has hampered or enhanced the rap game?

I think it has done both. It's easier to make music now, sure. But its also harder to stand out. Depending on who you are these statements are both positive and negative! I loved my mpc. But once I learned how to make my laptop do the things my mpc did, I fell in love with it. I think evolution is necessary - behind the boards and in front of the mic.

2. What does the rap game need more of? Independent artists that don't create themselves from a cookie sheet. And truly viable ways for those artists to connect with a large, financially rewarding fan base.

3. Who are some of your musical and producer influences? There are so many. I grew up in the midwest so I had influences from all over and equally. To name a few - and in no order of importance... Big Daddy Kane, early LL, Public Enemy, NWA, Outkast, 8Ball & MJG,Michael Jackson (why do people leave him off their lists of influences?!), Snoop era Dr. Dre, Blueprint era Just Blaze, recent DJ Khalil... I can't come close to naming them all.

4. How do you feel about the seemingly lack of respect for true, beatsmiths/producers these days? (I.e Ron Browz getting more love than Primo)Yeah - not that I'm a fan of either - but that is wack. I'm all for a producer producing in the traditional organization and oversight sense. But Kane said something in a interview I just heard about writing rhymes for other rappers that I agreed with and I think applies here. He said if you brand yourself as a lyricist, but other people help you write - that's wack - but if you're an entertainer - then it's whatever. For me, that same sentiment translates to current day music production/producers/beatmakers/DJs. For instance - I'm not a dj - so I don't pretend to be one. I think there are a lot of producers that go around acting like dope beatsmiths and aren't. That's wack.

5. How do you feel about Auto tune?

I think its entertaining - but too much of anything is bad for you, right?

6. Any last words? Yeah cats need to stop using ghosts and acting like it's their soul we're feeling. Peace!

This is why Prince is so dope....

(Info taken from Ms Info's site - http://www.missinfo.tv/ )

The homie DJ Scratch is on tour right now with Q-tip and hit me up about their show last night at the Last Vegas House of Blues….

“Yo, while me and Q-tip were performing “Vivrant Thing” in Vegas last night….this n—a Prince walked out on the stage, took the guitar from our guitar player and just started rocking! None of us knew he was there until he popped up on the stage….then the n—a vanished like Batman, LOL!

The sound crew said Prince was in the balcony watching the show from the very beginning (The balcony was closed off). Then when “Vivrant Thing” came out, he just came backstage and walked out on stage.

None of us knew what was happening, then when we finished the show he was gone LOL!”

Pretty dope....

Auto-Tune,Talkbox and Vocoder - What's the difference??? (Well, here it is!)

Family,

A few of you out there have mistakingly lumped the soul funk groovings of Roger Troutman's vocoder skills with that of T-Pain's "auto-tune" flavor. Both are masters of their domain, but they use different types of musical technology. Roger used a "talkbox", which one actually must know how to play an instrument to actually use. (I always prefer this over autotune), while Auto-Tune does NOT require you to be a musician of any sort. (Outside of being a decent singer)

I am going to school you now on the difference between the two distinctive technologies:

VOCODER & TALKBOX
A vocoder is an analysis / synthesis system, mostly used for speech in which the input is passed through a multiband filter, each filter is passed through an envelope follower, the control signals from the envelope followers are communicated, and the decoder applies these (amplitude) control signals to corresponding filters in the (re)synthesizer. It was originally developed as a speech coder for telecommunications applications in the 1930s, the idea being to code speech for transmission. Its primary use in this fashion is for secure radio communication, where voice has to be encrypted and then transmitted. The advantage of this method of "encryption" is that no 'signal' is sent, but rather envelopes of the bandpass filters. The receiving unit needs to be set up in the same channel configuration to resynthesize a version of the original signal spectrum. The vocoder as both hardware and software has also been used extensively as an electronic musical instrument.
The vocoder is related to, but essentially different from, the computer algorithm known as the "phase vocoder". Whereas the vocoder analyzes speech, transforms it into electronically transmitted information, and recreates it, the voder (from Voice Operating Demonstrator) generates synthesized speech by means of a console with fifteen touch-sensitive keys and a foot pedal, basically consisting of the "second half" of the vocoder, but with manual filter controls, needing a highly trained operator.

TALK BOX
A talk box is an effects device that allows a musician to modify the sound of a musical instrument. The musician controls the modification by changing the shape of their mouth.

The effect can be used to shape the frequency content of the sound and to apply speech sounds (in the same way as singing) onto a musical instrument, typically a guitar (its non-guitar use is often confused with the vocoder) and keyboards.

A talk box is usually an effects pedal that sits on the floor and contains a speaker attached with an air tight connection to a plastic tube, however, it can come in other forms, such as the 'Ghetto Talkbox' (a homemade version which is usually crude) or higher quality custom made versions. The speaker is generally in the form of a horn driver, the sound generating part of a horn speaker with the horn replaced by the tube connection.

The box has connectors for the connection to the speaker output of an amplifier and a connection to a normal instrument speaker. A foot-operated switch on the box directs the sound either to the talkbox speaker or to the normal speaker. The switch is usually a push-on/push-off type. The other end of the tube is taped to the side of a microphone, extending enough to direct the reproduced sound in or near the performer's mouth.

When activated, the sound from the amplifier is reproduced by the speaker in the talkbox and directed through the tube into the performer's mouth. The shape of the mouth filters the sound, with the modified sound being picked up by the microphone. The shape of the mouth changes the harmonic content of the sound in the same way it affects the harmonic content generated by the vocal folds when speaking.

The performer can vary the shape of the mouth and position of the tongue, changing the sound of the instrument being reproduced by the talkbox speaker. The performer can mouth words, with the resulting effect sounding as though the instrument is speaking. This "shaped" sound exits the performer's mouth, and when it enters a microphone, an instrument/voice hybrid is heard.

The sound can be that of any musical instrument, but the effect is most commonly associated with the guitar. The rich harmonics of an electric guitar are shaped by the mouth producing a sound very similar to voice, effectively allowing the guitar to appear to "speak".

AUTO TUNE
Auto-Tune is a proprietary audio processor created by Antares Audio Technologies which uses a phase vocoder to correct pitch in vocal and instrumental performances. It is used to disguise inaccuracies and mistakes, and has allowed many artists to produce more precisely tuned recordings. Auto-Tune is available as a plug-in for professional audio multi-tracking suites used in a studio setting and as a stand-alone, rackmount unit for live performance processing. Auto-tune has become standard equipment in professional recording studios.

Auto-Tune was used to prominent effect for Cher's Believe, recorded in 1998. When first interviewed about this, the sound engineers claimed they had used a vocoder, in what Sound on Sound perceives as an attempt to preserve a trade secret.[4] R&B singer T-Pain has been credited with revitalizing the technique in contemporary music by making active use of it in his songs, a style which has since gone on to be imitated by numerous other R&B, Hip-hop (including Kanye West), and Pop artists.According to the Boston Herald, "Country stars Reba McEntire, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw have all confessed to using Auto-Tune in performance, claiming it is a safety net that guarantees ticket buyers a good performance."

One of the biggest misconceptions is that autotune will actually make you sound like T-Pain. that is not the case. T-Pain can actually sing a bit, that's why when he does it, it sounds so smooth. Auto-Tune merely enhances whatever is inputted into it.

Now that you know...spread the freaking word, SISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSY!

One - Cap-D

Let's stop all the kcufing madness...Justin Timberlake will never, EVER see my dawg Usher...(I'm riding with "Ursha")

Good morning family....

I am tired.

Sick and tired...

Tired of being sick...

I am so sick and tired of people calling Justin Timberlake the "Usher Killer" I love the fact that cats love to crown a new whatever when the reigning king is still around. let's get this straight right off the back...Usher hands down is nicer than JT.

A lot of people have been sh**ting on Usher's new album. While I will readily admit that it is not his best work, dude still went platinum. You know how hard it is to go platinum with a dope album?? This cat went plat with in this music environment with a sh**y album!!!!!

I have a homegirl (Bless her soul) who swears that Justin Timberlake is the second coming. Whenever we discuss the two, she always tells me how great he is, blah, blah, blah..yadda yadda yadda. She is unfortunately blinded by her fandom to acknowledge that Usher is Justin's daddy. All of the JT moves and etc. came from Usher. And that is not inclusive to dancing...it's also production too. Usher rocked with the Neptunes for his 8701 album, JT went and got the Neptunes to do damn near his entire first album. This cat is bitin' him like a Nestle's Crunch.

For those of you who don't know, I actually used to like JT. I loved what he did with N'Sync and thought he was pretty talented. Actually, he is talented. But compared to "Ush"? Naaaah, it's not happening. Usher has always been my dog. I have always been a die-hard fan of the singer-actor-dancer type artists. From the first days of my college radio career, I knew that Ush was going to be a force to be reckoned with.

Before we get started, let's get some preliminary isht out of the way. Am I aware that N'Sync has sold over 50 million albums world wide over the group's career? Yes. But let's not forget that Lou Perlman, former manager of N'Sync was kcufing them lovely out of that cheese. So no one is truly sure how much of that cash he is currently seeing. Better yet, I am very interested to see if Justin is seeing any publishing points or royalties at all. Also, let's not forget that Justin was splitting that cash five ways. Usher has never had to do that..even when he was briefly in a kiddie group called "New Beginning."

Let's rundown some brief history:

• WHEN JT was in the sticks of Memphis, Tennessee eating pigfeet and cornbread, Usher already had a recording career



• WHEN JT was singing the Mickey Mouse theme, Usher was smashing the charts at age 13 with "Just Call Me A Mack", his first solo song debut from the Poetic Justice Soundtrack



• WHEN JT was auditioning for N'Sync, Ush was rubbing elbows with every major player in the game. (Let's not forget Usher's mentor on style and trendsetting is Sean Combs)



• WHEN JT is playing himself with songs like "Dic* in A Box", or wearing leotards in a SNL skit, Usher is trying to figure out ways to solidify himself amongst the great pantheon of singer-dancers like James Brown, Jackie Wilson and Michael Jackson.
  

And speaking of dancing, let's go to the dancing part. You know what? We don't even have to go there. Usher hands down will smash Justin on that tip. I don't recall MJ letting Justin rock with him solo during his reunion special a few years ago.

See video -http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBN-AhGozK4

My Way - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8otWyLx6IQ
You Don't Have to Call -http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BDyqwwEdt4&feature=related
You Remind Me - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zud-HOjJmY0
MTV Awards with the infamous necklace dance - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7TH2tLZiJs

You want to talk sales? Please...solo sales is a moot point. Just to make it fair...I will only count two of Usher's solo albums.

USHER
8701 -4 million
Confessions: 10 million (diamond)
Total: 14 million

JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE
Justified - 3 million
FutureSex/Love Sounds - 5 million
Total: 8 million

Now I am sure a few of you are wondering, wait a minute, "I thought Justin sold like 8.6 of FutureSex..." Please keep in mind we are talking pure album sales. This does NOT include singles. If we did that, Usher would destroy him with 8701 alone. 9that album had 4 top ten singles) All of my numbers come from the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America)http://www.riaa.com/index.php. Not some glammed up wikipedia entry.

Don't get it confused...Elvis seemed cool at first to to a lot of people...not saying that JT is fully Elvis, but his solo career has "Elvis like" tendencies. Trust me...once the urban thing stops being cool, he will be out...back to pop and bubblegum sweet isht.

Hopefully this post will put the nonsense to bed. Ush...I gotcha', homie!

One -Cap-D

The "What ever happened to..." list

What's up family!

I am probably one of the few people on this earth that still buys hip hop periodicals. Over the years, I have graduated from "Fresh" to "Right On" to "The Source" and on to "Vibe Magazine" and "XXL."

One of my favorite XXL columns or features is the "Milk Carton" page. For those of you who do not know what this page is all about, typically XXL will put a formerly well known celeb on the side of the milk carton, insinuating that they are missing in action.

Well, I thought that I could have a little fun with this. Listed below are some rap and r&b artists that have seemeingly disappeared from the face of the planet. Enjoy!

• Milkbone


• Finess and Synquis


• Antoinette


• Oaktown 357


• MC Breeze


• MC Brains


• The Wholiganz


• BWA (B*tches with Attitudes)


• HWA (H*es with Attirtudes...Icouldn't make this up...google them)


• Rotten Razscals


• A+ (not the dude from Souls of Mischief)


• Twin Hype


• Two Kings In A Cypher


• The King and Eye


• Illegal


• ABC


• The Boys (Actually, I know where the Boys are at)


• K-9 Posse


• King Just


• YZ


• Joe Fatal


• A.D.O.R.


• Quo


• The Gyrlz


• The Good Girls


• Uncle Sam


• The Bobby Brown Posse


• The Biv 10 Family


• Son of Bazerk


• Crazy Sam


• DJ Kool


• K-Solo


• Positive K


• Wrecks N Effect


• Today


• Jamose


• UMCs


• O.C.
  
• Stezo
  
• Amil
  
• LA Starr
  
• 2nd II None

Feel free to add on.....

One - Cap-D

Mike J hustlin' cats out of that A-rab money....

Courtesy of Y! news

The son of an Arab monarch took the King of Pop to court Monday, charging that Michael Jackson took $7 million as an advance on an album and an autobiography that he never produced.

Lawyers for Sheikh Abdulla bin Hamad Al Khalifa say their client paid's Jackson expenses as an advance on the book and joint recording project with the sheikh, who is an amateur songwriter. Jackson claims the money was a gift.

Al Khalifa, 33, was due to testify at London's Royal Courts of Justice Wednesday. Jackson's lawyer Robert Englehart said he was seeking permission to have Jackson testify by video link from Los Angeles.

A lawyer for Al Khalifa said the royal first spoke to Jackson, 50, by telephone while the singer was on trial in California following his 2003 arrest on child molestation charges. Attorney Bankim Thanki said that Al Khalifa wanted to work with Jackson on rebuilding his career. Jackson's finances fell apart after his arrest and he was desperately short of cash.

Al Khalifa's first payment, for $35,000, went toward paying the utility bills at Neverland, Jackson's 2,500-acre (1,000 hectare) ranch and miniature amusement park in California, Thanki said. When Jackson was found innocent of the molestation charges in June 2005, Al Khalifa footed $2.2 million in legal bills, the lawyer said.

Al Khalifa said he believed the money would be repaid once Jackson's career recovered from the damaging trial.

"I saw the payment as an investment in Michael's potential," the sheikh in a statement he read out in court. "He said he would pay me back ... through our work together."

Al Khalifa moved Jackson and his entourage to Bahrain almost immediately after the trial, setting up a recording studio for him in Manama, the Gulf state's capital. The sheikh, who is the governor of the Bahrain's Southern Province, supplied Jackson with $500,000 in cash to subsidize his lifestyle and splashed out on a $350,000 European vacation for Jackson and his associates in February of 2006, Thanki said.

"The costs even included the expenses of bringing out Mr. Jackson's hairdresser," he said.
The lawyer said Jackson and the sheikh became close friends and at one time both lived in a palace in Abu Dhabi owned by Al Khalifa's father, Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Bahrain's king. The singer stayed nearly a year in Bahrain as a guest of the son, but the relationship soured when Jackson repudiated a business deal Thanki said they had agreed to.

Jackson's lawyers say the pair never entered a valid agreement and that Al Khalifa's money was given freely.

Thanki acknowledged that Al Khalifa gave some gifts to Jackson but said that most of what the singer received was part of a business deal.

The gifts, he said, "were essentially personal effects — watches, jewelry."

Thanki said the sheik was wealthy but that paying Jackson's bills had taken a big bite out of his finances.

"Some of the payments were staggering by any standards," Thanki said, saying the expenditure "should not be regarded as loose change for my client."

As for Jackson, he still appears to be in difficult financial straits.

Last week he was forced to give up the deed on Neverland, which is named for the mythical land of Peter Pan.

The trial is being held in London because the parties had agreed to take any disputes over their deal to an English court, Al Khalifa's representatives said. The trial is due to wrap up by the end of the month.

A response to by slang post...excellent points!!!

From a subscriber named BEAR-

Add to your list??? Once again Cap-D, without fail, you have struck a nerve!!! While the list is definitely comprehensive, it sounds to me like you want to do away with slang terminology all together, a decree, that I would totally be against. I might agree, that a large portion of those terms, and their usages, are somewhat out dated, played out, and/or yesterday. I also understand, being pragmatic and keeping things fresh is a virtue. Even on the topic of slang terms. It is only natural that you promote a new look for 2009. But, being pragmatic doesn't just mean establishing new isht.. It also means cultivating that which is considered old and making it new. So, while you say abolish.., I say refine!What do I mean???Just the other day, I was politickin' with a female friend of mine when she said something that made me feel rather uneasy. When I explained my disposition to her, she responsed by saying: "No need to be NERVYY SON..." I thought, ...Nervyy Son??? Different..! So, while "Son" is just one word on that long list of slang sayings we are to abolish come December 31st (which I know must have taken a lot of thought to compose), stirring things up a little (e.g. flipping and bouncing the word w/ a conjoining noun or two, or what have you) might provide a segue from those obsolete slang sayings you mentioned to new improved slang terms with added flavor. Then, we wouldn't have to so much Abolish words for 2009, but Polish words for 2009. Moreover, maybe you could provide the hiphop world with a full scope of metaphorical nuances similar to that aforementioned. Even launch a campaign surrounding the rebirth of obsolete slang terms. I'm just sayin'... P.S. As a contribution to the cause, I have provided you with a campaign slogan.Peace my brotha...

NOTE: I actually agree with what Bear is saying...

Young MC - Yeah, I am showing dude love....

Family,

I thought I'd throw you a serious curve ball with this one. I know ya'll are saying, "Okay, this mofo has flipped his wig...YOUNG MC???"

Hey, I would be lying if I said that i didn't like "Bust A Move". plus, I respect dude's hustle and his talent.

Say what you want about this brother, but damn it if he couldn't write a worldwide hit. Young MC has created not one, but three bonafide smashes that has withstood the test of time and will continue to do so even after he's left the earth. Which three cuts am I referring to? "Wild Thing," "Funky Cold Medina" and "Bust A Move."

Initially, like many of my hip hop bretheren, I laughed at this so-called emcee who rapped over the sweet, sappy guitar licks and whispery sung hook. But as I grew older, I do realize that Marvin Young, aka Young MC created "Stone Cold Rhymin'" for a much larger audience...an audience larger than the "hood." He had a plan and he set it in place...Stay squeaky clean, light hearted and funky with the music, means more spins and sales for him.

Let me give you a few tidbits about Young MC that you may not know:

• Similar to Ricky Dee, Young MC was born in Great Britain. (Young MC grew up in Queens, NYC.)


• His parents are Jamaican-Brits.


• He attended USC and graduated in 1989 with a Bachelor's degree in Economics.


• The woman who sang the hook on "Bust A Move" is named Crystal Blake, background singer for Stevie Wonder.


• The bassline in "Bust A Move" was provided by "Flea' of Red Hot Chilli peppers fame. He also makes a cameo in the video.


• He wrote "Wild Thing" and "Funky Cold Medina" in his college dorm room in 45 minutes.

I am not going to call him a legend, but his songs are constantly being utilized by commercials and movies. Need to introduce a sexy female in a movie? Play "Wild Thing" and slow motion the film. Need to introduce a Judd Apatow type slacker? "Play "Bust A Move."

Marvin Young is laughing all the way to the bank.

One - Cap-D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xy4FXhkm6Nw <--- The video for Bust A Move

Greatest R&B Album of All Time - Songs In The Key of Life

You find me an album better this one...nuff said.... One - Cap-D

Life's A Bi**h - Nas and AZ - Lyrical Perfection

[Verse One: AZ the Visualiza]
Visualizin the realism of life and actuality
Fuck who's the baddest a person's status depends on salary
And my mentality is, money orientated
I'm destined to live the dream for all my peeps who never made it
cause yeah, we were beginners in the hood as five percenters
But somethin must of got in us cause all of us turned to sinners
Now some, restin in peace and some are sittin in San Quentin
Others such as myself are tryin to carry on tradition
Keepin the schwepervesence street ghetto essence inside us
Cause it provides us with the proper insight to guide us
Even though, we know somehow we all gotta go
but as long as we leavin thievin we'll be leavin with some kind of dough
so, and to that day we expire and turn to vapors
me and my capers-ll be somewhere stackin plenty papers
Keepin it real, packin steel, gettin high
Cause life's a bitch and then you die

Life's a bitch and then you die; that's why we get high
Cause you never know when you're gonna go
Life's a bitch and then you die; that's why we puff lye
Cause you never know when you're gonna go
Life's a bitch and then you die; that's why we get high
Cause you never know when you're gonna go
Life's a bitch and then you die; that's why we puff lye
Cause you never know when you're gonna go
Life's a bitch and then you die
[--> chorus #2 includes these lines, echoes at the end]

[Verse Two: Nas]
I woke up early on my born day, I'm twenty years of blessing
The essence of adolescent leaves my body now I'm fresh in
My physical frame is celebrated cause I made it
One quarter through life some God-ly like thing created
Got rhymes 365 days annual plus some
Load up the mic and bust one, cuss while I puffs from
my skull cause it's pain in my brain vein money maintain
Don't go against the grain simple and plain
When I was young at this I used to do my thing hard
Robbin foreigners take they wallets they jewels and rip they green cards
Dipped to the projects flashin my quick cash
and got my first piece of ass smokin blunts with hash
Now it's all about cash in abundance, niggaz I used to run with
is rich or doin years in the hundreds
I switched my motto -- instead of sayin fuck tomorrow
That buck that bought a bottle could've struck the lotto
Once I stood on the block, loose cracks produce stacks
I cooked up and cut small pieces to get my loot back
Time is Illmatic keep static like wool fabric
Pack a four-matic that crack your whole cabbage

Morning Family,

I think I finally get it..well, I already had it. I truly know what it means when someone form my age bracket says, what happened to "hip-hop" these days? It's not about the sales, cars, scantily clad women in the video and auto-tuned tracks, it's all about quality, pure lyricism and craftmanship with your words.

"Life's a Bitch" is the fourth single from Nas' debut album Illmatic. It was released as a single on April 19, 1994 by Columbia Records. It features rapping from AZ and cornet playing by Nas' father Olu Dara. AZ's verse was the first recorded verse of his rap career and gave him much positive attention. Because of his verse on "Life's A Bitch", his debut album (Doe or Die) was anticipated much like how Nas' verse on "Live at the BBQ" raised expectations for Illmatic. "Life's a Bitch" was the first of several Nas/AZ collaborations such as "Mo Money, Mo Murder", "The Essence" and "The Flyest". Lyrics from AZ's verse on "Life's a Bitch" are sampled on "Keep It Real" by Milkbone.

This track is the epitome of the phrase "iron sharpens iron." The tandem of Nas and AZ on this skillfully Gap Band sampled track (produced by L.E.S.) has stood the test of time and at least in my eyes, is one of the greatest duo tracks of all time. I mean, I can imagine these cats in the studio, smoking, drinking, pens and pads out, zoning out to this track for hours. The way AZ came out the gates with his verse and the hook, had to make Nas say "Whoa, okay...I have make sure my verse is as equally tight or tighter." Of course, God's Son delivered..

They don't make joints like this anymore ya'll...

One - Cap-D

Know Your History - Roxanne Shante (Ph.D)

Roxanne Shanté, Ph.D. (born Lolita Shanté Gooden on November 9, 1969) is an American hip-hop pioneer. Born and raised in the Queensbridge Projects, Shanté first gained attention through the Roxanne Wars and her association with the legendary Juice Crew.

Shanté's career began at the age of 14 when she encountered influential record producer Marley Marl, radio DJ Mr. Magic, and Tyrone Williams talking about how UTFO had canceled their appearance at a show they were promoting. Shanté offered to record an answer to UTFO's recent hit "Roxanne, Roxanne," which was about a woman named who rejects the members of the group. The men agreed and the result was "Roxanne's Revenge," a confrontational and profane song in which Shanté assumed the role of Roxanne, dissing UTFO over a Marley Marl-produced instrumental (The official UTFO response to the their own song, was the song “The Real Roxanne,” with artist Adelaida Martinez assuming the role of Roxanne and eventually recording under the same stage name as the song title). Shanté's version and the Real Roxanne's version sparked the Roxanne Wars and made Shanté a hip-hop star in the process. The single would go on to sell over 250,000 copies in the New York area alone. One of the founding members of the Juice Crew, most of her tracks would be produced by Marley Marl, with the exception of several songs on Shanté’s last album, 1992’s The Bitch is Back.

As an MC, Shanté had an extraordinary ability to freestyle (improvise) entire songs. "Roxanne’s Revenge" was an example, reportedly written as it was recorded—in one take.[citation needed] However, the original version of the song was rerecorded after UTFO sued over the usage of its original backing track; the new version featured slightly different music with less profanity. People are most familiar with this version, which appears on the original 12-inch single released in 1984, with the original on the reverse side.

In 1988, Shanté and Rick James had a hit with "Loosey's Rap."At the age of 25, Shanté retired from the recording industry to become a psychologist. She continues to make occasional guest appearances and live performances, as well as mentor young female hip-hop artists. She also took part in a series of Sprite commercials during the late 1990s. She is married and has one son and one daughter. She earned a PhD in psychology from Cornell University—paid for by her record label via an unusual contract clause—and has a practice in Queens. She is a vegan and owns Hip-Hop Ices ice cream parlor in Queens.

She will be portrayed by actress Keke Palmer in The Vapors, a film about the formation and rise of the Juice Crew. In 2008, her single "Roxanne's Revenge" was ranked number 42 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop.

I'm Going In (My Frustration Rant) - Dr. Dre...I am sick of the bullshucks...

Dear Dr. Dre,

I am so kcufing fed up with you...really, I am. Before I go in, let me say this to the so-called hip hop purists out there:

• Yes, I know Dre is a legend.


• Yes, I acknowledge Dre's contributions to hip-hop


• Yes, I know that Dr. Dre is an accomplished beat creator and studio engineer.


• Yes, I own the majority of Dr. Dre and Dre produced lps.

Okay, I got that out of the way. Now, let's get into the real isht.

Dr. Dre...enough with the statements. I am sick of the bullshucks. Label me a hater or what have you, but I along with other fans don't believe a single word that you say anymore. This anger didn't start just yesterday...it has been pent up and snowballing for several years. Let's go down the list of projects that YOU said were going to come out but never ever happened, shall we???

• Helter Skelter (the collaborative Ice Cube-Dr. Dre album)


• NWA Reunion album with Snoop filling in for Easy-E


• "Oh My God" - Rakim's solo LP (Allegedly, you turned down several submitted DJ Premier tracks...wow)


• Chairman of the Boards (the collaborative Timbaland-Dr. Dre album)


• King Tee's solo LP (this was wayyyyyyyyy back when you first started Aftermath Records)


• Hittman's solo album


• The Last Emperor's solo LP


• Bilal's Dr. Dre produced album


• Joell Ortiz's Dr. Dre produced album


• Snoop's fully Dr. Dre produced album


• Detox (I don't EVEN want to get into this)

Yes, there are two sides to every story, but the story always ends with you looking like shi*. The aforementioned unfinished products are verifiable proof that we cannot believe a word that you say. Ok, I know that there are schedules and everyone is busy, but in this day an age, technology allows you get to one another when you can't be in the studio together. In addition, if you requested that certain emcees make themselves available for a few weeks, trust me, a producer of your stature could demand such an audience.

Next, let's discuss the "ghost producers" on many of your classic albums cuts. A few these dudes have stated that you either took their tracks or they were relegated to straight co-producing credits despite creating the beat in it's entirety. (NOTE: A common practice now is that established beat creators will allow an amateur to come under their wing. They will tweak the amateur's production and take the lion's share of the producing credit, since theoretically, it's their name.) Here we go....

• Mel-Man


• Warren G


• EA-Ski


• DJ Quik


• Daz


• Soopafly


• Just Blaze (hasn't said nothing..YET. But you turned down the beat for "Throwback", which became a smash hit for Usher??")

I have often gotten into many discussions with my producer friends regarding the fact that you actually make beats anymore. (They all ensure me that you do in some capacity.) From what I understand, you "produce" in a similar to that of Diddy now...taking beat creators' music and studio engineering them to Dre caliber... FAH!

Enough, enough, enough, ENOUGH. JUST SHUT THE KCUF UP. NO MORE DAMN ANNOUNCEMENTS ABOUT ANY KCUFING ALBUMS UNTIL YOU ACTUALLY COMPLETE S*IT.

Enough with the stalled album delays of Detox. Yes, I know you don't have to rush anything on our behalf, but we are tired of the false announcements of who is going to be on Detox, when it's going to drop and etc., etc., etc. Do us all a freaking favor. Don't say another **d damn thing until it is in the stores, okay?? For us hip hop heads that have been waiting almost 5 years for this latest opus, this is not cool at all.

I swear to kcufing **d that this album better be the second coming. I mean, to have us all waiting and twisting in the proverbial wind for some bullshucks will definitely impact your legendary status. Trust me on that one.

I am out...

Cap-D

List of slang sayings that we will abolish after December 31st

Now that we have a "brother" in office, as Chris Rock said, "We need to straighten our isht up and put on a suit." There's no excuse. Actually, there wasn't any excuse before, but I guess this is as good a time as any.

I am creating a list of slang that we should put away for good. (Please note: This list is all in good fun!) I admit that I have used many of these...

• Any saying that references Obama (i.e. I am Obama-ing the game, I am straight Obama with mine)
• "Baby girl, ma and mami"
• "At the end of the day....
• "Son" (I am so guilty of this one)
• "Dawg"
• "Bitcha**"
• "Nah'mean"
• "Hater"
• "What's really hood?
• "What's poppin'?"
• "Pimpin"
• "Fa' sho'"
• "Woadie'
• "Bling Bling"
• "What's crackin'?"
• "Guap, Stacks, Paper and Scrilla"
• "No homo"
• "Swagger" or any usage of the word swag or swagger.
• "Fo' sheezy"
• "Yezzzir"
• "Holla"
• "Holla atcha' boy"
• "I see you"
• "Smell me?"
• "Icy" (to describe jewelry)
• "What's the deal?"
• "Badonk-a-donk"
• "Stunnin', Stuntin or Pulling Stunts"
• Any new slang terms to describe "weed"
• "Jack" (used to describe phones)
• "Boo" (Does anyone realize that this was derived from the derogatory term, "jigaboo?")
• "Nigga" (nuff ' said)
• "Baby daddy" (the connotations are way too negative now)
• "Crunk"
• "Crispy"
• "Butta soft"
• "That isht is straight AIDS, son!" (typically said to someone when describing something or a situation that is so ill, it's straight killin' people.)

Feel free to add to my list....

One, Cap-D

Kanye's new album is what Common had with "Electric Circus"....808s and Heartbreaks is a**

"I realize that my place and position in history is that I will go down as the voice of this generation, of this decade, I will be the loudest voice," he said in an interview on Wednesday. "It's me settling into that position of just really accepting that it's one thing to say you want to do it and it's another thing to really end up being like Michael Jordan." - Kanye West

Just heard the album...it's extra juicy wack....trust me on this one... I am not going to even bother posting a review.

Kanye...if you happen to read this, I love your other work and I understand that you had to do this album before you could do what you normally do. I also understand your need to grow as an artist and to break beyond the barriers of hip-hop. I know this and have no problem with it. But just as you have criticized others work, I have the right to say something about yours. This album is horrible. This is not your typical Kanye-level work.

I would have preferred that you grieved fully for your mother before releasing any subpar work that may hurt your burgeoning legacy. take a break...enjoy life and f music for awhile. When you rush into the studio you make albums like this.

One...Cap-D

PS: I am not some ***cha** hiding behind a blog. If you want to talk about your album in person, let me know.

Big Up To "Lee" - Some Beat Street Love....

Morning Family!!

"Let's do the right thing and serve these suckers!!!!" - Lee from the cult b-boy classic, "Beat Street"

For some reason, I woke up this morning with "Beat Street" on my mind...in particular, the character of "Lee", portrayed by actor Robert Taylor. As a youth, this was one of the few characters that I could really relate with in the movie. He was close in age, hard-headed and a aspiring breakdancer. (NOTE: I was on NO way as good as Lee.) In any case, Lee was an incredible dancer that was ready to go off at a moment's notice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gu3X7rf9i5A - Lee and crew battle in the subway station

There's not much to say....Lee was that dude.

One- Cap-D

Cap-D's favorite posse cuts

Here are a few of my favorite joints. I suggest you go peep these if you haven't already...

• Protect Ya Neck and Triumph - Wu-Tang Clan
• Headbanger - EPMD, Redman and K-Solo
• John Blaze - Big Pun, Jadakiss, Nas, Raekwon and Fat Joe
• Eye for an Eye - Nas, Raekwon and Mobb Deep
• Self-Destruction - featuring every relevant east 80's emcee
• Scenario - LONS and ATCQ (if you don't know these initials, fall on something sharp)
• Resevoir Dogs - The Lox, Jay-Z, Sauce Money, Beenie Siegel
• Cowboys - The Fugees, Rah Digga, John Forte, Young Zee
• All in The Same Gang - every relevant 80's west coast emcee

Tell me your faves.....

Let's remember the classic posse cut, The Symphony!

Hey family!!

*singing* (Duh-duh Duh duh duhhhhhhh....duh duh duh duh dunnnnnh!!)

I know you still get goose bumps whenever you hear that piano riff. This song was a incredible. An unbelievable masterpiece. I mean, really earth shattering. Flashback with me to a time where labelmates did posse cuts because they had something to prove, enjoyed a little friendly competition and did not have to worry about silly ass beefs.

I also remember running to Strawberries (not the clothing store, but the record store) with my money in hand to be one of the first to cop Marley Marl's In Control Volume 1." I can see the cover now...a slightly flat topped, Jerri curled Marley Marl doing a #1 sign from the cock pit of a G3 or G4 personal jet. When you flipped the cover over, it had a pictures of most of the Juice crew, but a noticeably absent Big Daddy Kane.

There were a few other jams on this compilation - like Biz and Heavy D's "We Write The Songs", or Craig G's "Duck Alert" (wow....I remember calling a "herb" a "duck"...but I digress), but the Symphony was the real reason why you bought the album.

For those of you that live under a kcufing rock, the joint samples the classic Otis Redding piano riff from "Hard to Handle". The lineup starts off with Masta Ace (before Ase), Craig G, Kool G. Rap and ends with Big Daddy Kane. mannnnn...you just don't know how amped i was when i heard this joint!

I am sorry ya'll, I need to post Kane's and G Rap's verse. Do you understand how ill these dudes were in the 80's????

[Verse 3: Kool G Rap]Yo, Marley gives the slice, I get nice,and my voice is twice as horrifying as Vincent Pricegoes deep, till you fell in a spell of a sleep,and while I'm countin' the money, you count sheep.When G Rap strikes the mic, I recite the type of hype that you like,and make the people unite.I grip up hips and zip up lips, step on reps, you flip and wanna sip on my tip.Take a deep breath, because you don't have another left.Comin' back like I'm avengin' my brother's deat.Makin' veterans run for medicine,cuz I put out more lights in a fight than ConEdison.Rip the damn cage like I'm on a rampage.And if you want rage, I'm-a make front page.Read the headlines, suckers, todays the deadline,your head is way past bedtime.Can't kill though. Solo. Cuz you're still all...soft like a pillow.My rap is rougher than Brillo.So fear me, don't dare dare me, and don't compare me to him when you hear me.Talk about a battle but you ain't yet ready for war.Your metaphor sucks more than a whore.You can't replace me, ice me or ace me, bass me, face me, slice me or race me,bite me or taste me -- I'll show you that I got force.My rap burns your mouth like hot sauce.Run for water while I break your tape recorder.Server-to-sucker: the order is manslaughter.Another rapper, G Rap wrecks, he's rated X, to mean the boy is sex. Next...the amplifier gets used and abused. Pumps so loud, we might blow a fuse.This is anger, madness, ready to hang 'er.Rapper or singer: I'm puttin' up my middle finger.Next up... (I believe that's me) Big Daddy Kane, get on the mic for the Symphony.

[Verse4: Big Daddy Kane]Settin' it off, lettin' it off, beginnin'. Rough to the endin', you never been into move the groove with the smooth rap lord;like a bottle of juice, rhymes are being poured.Down your ear, crisp and clear,as I prepare to wear, tear and smear - then I'm outta here.With a mark left that you can all cling.Cuz rockin' a party? Yo, it's a small thing.I rip many places on regular basis, and broken down mics were the only tracesthat I'd been there and there at the party.The mic had my prints, and on it was a body.So take caution. I'm not horsin' around in a throwdown, clown,I'm takin' yours son.So just acknowledge the way that I kick it,cuz if rap was a house, you'd be evicted.And dismissed from the microphone, chokin' on a bone, cuz Daddy's home.And battlin' me is hazardous to health,so put a quarter in your ass, cuz ya played yourselfLike a game in the arcade. You need a far aid.I'm walkin' the path that Allah made.I'll attend and then begin to send a speech to reach and teach,so just say when.So I can let lyrics blast like a bullet.My mouth is the gun; on suckers I pull it.The trigger, ya figure, my pockets gettin' bigger,cuz when it comes to money, yo, Grant's my nigga!You've got the groove, MCs, freeze, stand still, nobody move.It's a sabotage, as I take charge. Don't barge, cuz gotdamn, I'm livin' largelike a giant. You're nothin' but a midget, a small digit.You ain't hit it, forget it, quit it.I reign superior, always takin' care o'ya.No-frill rappers, you will evaporate, disintegrate, deflate to your fate,as the great will dominate straight to the stateof reignin', gainin. So put Kane in, that category. Period. End of story...

I think I am going to pass out from those verses. Wow...I still get the same sense of euphoria.

Now some hip hop heads will say that Kool G made a subtle diss to Kane when he says, "Don't compare me to him when you hear me" in his verse... which of course led the same hip hop heads to say that Kane retaliated by saying "put a quarter in your a** cause you played yourself." What do I say? I say, who gives an isht. The verses were both fire and I appreciate the fact that Kool G and Kane were so competetive.

Here's another quick observation - Now that I listen to this joint as a seasoned hip hop head, I now realize that Masta Ase had one of the illest verses on this song. (See below)

[Verse 1: Master Ace]Listen closely, so your attention's undivided.Many in the past have tried to do what I did.Just the way I came off, man I'm gonna come off.Stronger and longer, even with the drum off.I keep on goin' and flowin' just like a river.I got a whole lot to give so I'm-a give alittle at a time, new trails are blazin',Action is in effect, and always stays in.Yeah, just like a shot from a cannon. I am the man in charge and I've been plannin'a jam strong enough that it can life your soul.I'm the originator, and my rhymes are made of gold.Once you hear the capital "A" rap, it'll staywith you for awhile, it won't go away.Unless you force it, because it stays with you, my friend,and if you toss it away, I'm-a hit ya again.I project my voice so it's right in the crowd.There's a sign at the door: no bitin' allowed.And if you didn't read it I suggest you do so,or you'll be stranded, just like Caruso.Sleep if ya wanna, go 'head, get some shut-eye.A man broke his jaw tryin' to say what I say on the microphone, you shoulda left it alone,just for the record, let it be knownthat my ego's only partially grown.And never will I ever condone biting in any form, yo I'm only warm.That verse was the calm, now here's the storm...Next up (Yo, I believe that's me). Craig G, light up the mic for the Symphony.

But most cats, like myself, slept on it so hard because we were die-hard Big Daddy Kane and Kool G. Rap fanatics. In my personal opinion, if you forced me to to pick a wack verse on this cut, I'd say that "Craig G" was the "Aquaman" of the crew! LOL!

In any case, enjoy the video below and I'll holla atcha' later!

One - Cap-D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSoXHUlwraU <---- The Symphony

PS: Why the "F" was DJ Polo in the video??? LOL! Peep Scoob and Scrap's video cameo...

An Ode to the Hype Man

Morning Family!!

Hype-man (noun)

A homeboy or former emcee who takes on the duties as the pre-crowd motivator and the tempo dictator. The hype-man adds ad-libs as needed, punch in the emcees lyrics to accentuate his/her delivery and provides comedic interludes as needed. the hype-man must know the entire catalog of the emcee to a tee and cannot stumble, mumble or fluff any of their lyrics.

I decided that today's post would be a bit more fun. I was thinking the other day about hype-men and really felt that there importance in hip-hop is often overlooked. So, of course, I decided to acknowledge some of the people that I felt were some of the greatest hip hop hype-men ever. The list below by no means includes every hype-man to ever "rock a party." These are a few people that I want to put a spotlight on to let them know that they are appreciated.

Cap-D's Hypeman Picks

Flavor Flav - Prior to the buckin, coonin and shinin' that Mr. Drayton is currently doing on VH-1, Flavor Flav is and will always be one of the premiere hype men of our time. He was the comedic contrast to the socio-political hard rhymes spit from Chuck D. He was also the one that had you imitating his dances, laughing at his outlandish stage antics as well as providing a creative insight to some of PE's dopest musical videos. As much as we may hate to say it, with out Flav, PE isn't just the same.

Spliffstar - Spliff is the embodiment of the hype-man. Energetic...humorous...crowd controller and most of all, he knows his place. Spliff and Bussa Bus have become the "Batman and Robin" of the hip hop world as of late. Dude handles Bussa Bus's verbal volley with lightening speed. What I love the most about Spliff is that he actually knows Bussa Bus's entire musical catalog. Dude never fumbles!! To make matters even better, Spliff can actually spit a hot 16, if tested.

Tony Yayo - This cat is the epitome of the loyal hype-man. He never wanted the limelight. Doesn't care if he's a star and will faithfully follow 50 to the bowels of hell. What makes Tony Yayo so intriguing to me is that he truly is humble and knows where his bread is being buttered. Similar to Spliff, he never fumbles any of 50's lyrics. (Note: Another G-Unit soldier Hot Rod attempted to play hype-man with 50. When he fudged the lyrics, 50 stopped the concert and promptly sent him off the stage. That's how important the hype-man is.)

Lil' Cease - AKA "Lil' Big Man, Cease-A-Leo." Lil' Cease thoroughly enjoyed his role as the crowd starter to one of the greatest emcees of our time, The Notorious B.I.G. As a hype-man, he was also gifted some of the hottest lyrics that could be ever written by Big. And as a reward for his loyalty, knowledge of Big catalog and sexually charged antics, Lil' Cease enjoyed a somewhat successful solo career and built up a impressive resume as a featured artist. When Big died, did his career die? Nope! he picked up where he left off with Lil' Kim, before becoming the hood's Jack La Lane.

Jim Jones/Juelz Santana - Yep, Jim Jones and Juelz Santana were hype-men. Before they were "BALLLLIN'," they were capos of Cam'Ron's "DipSet." He and Juelz were heavily involved in blowing up Cam's "Come Home With Me" Roc-A-Fella debut. Unfortunately for Cam, Jim and Juelz knew that they could be stars too...

Memphis Bleek - This was a case of a promising emcee who actually has been demoted and relegated to hypemen duties. After repeatedly putting egg on Jigga's face for failing to become second coming Jay-Z, Bleek has finally admitted to himself that he could rock quite deftly as a hype-man. Yes, he has an impressive list of collabos with Jay, but any fan worth their salt knows those lyrics were crafted by the Jigga-Man himself.

Sen Dog - Raspy-throated hype-man who represented the west coast something fierce. Loyal to fault and represented with B-Real. It was the perfect dichotomy of voices on a track.

Proof - Not truly a hype-man per se, but he deserves a mention. Proof as we all know was Em's main man and the mastermind behind Em's success. Despite being an emcee himself, he allowed his humility to take over and become a hype-man for one of the greatest emcees in our era. And he laughed all the way to the bank until his demise...

Vinnie (of Naughty by Nature) - My colleague told me that my list would not be complete without "Vin-Rock". I tried my best to argue that Vin was a legitimate emcee, but as he pointed out, "Vin-Rock doesn't even have his own songs, nor is he featured on the majority of the timeless NBN hits." In any case, this soldier has stayed in true form playing his position and masterminding the marketing and PR of the NBN brand. In addition, Vin always held it down with the machine gun spitting Treach. Not an easy feat to do.

The St. Luanatics - This is a case where having three hype men can always be a good thing. yeah, i know they are all emcees, but let's be real. Are you really checking for Ali?? Are you really looking for the dude with the Phantom of The Opera mask to spit that isht?? No.... BUT, I am looking for Murphy Lee to lead these cats in synchronized dances.

2 Bigg MC - LOL! I am just funnin' ya. Hammer's former hype-man was just pure comedy...big man could move too.