Archive for the ‘Arts & Entertainment’ Category:
09 Oct
Hip Hop is a form of music created in the streets by black youth in the early 70’s, but with its enormous cross-over appeal it has become a way to integrate diverse populations. It is becoming a symbol for what this country represents. Now some argue that rap and hip hop only promote sex and violence through its lyrics, but they fail to see the bigger picture at hand. For Hip Hop is bringing unity, the type of unity that people once dreamed of, and one can only imagine what is to come from this rhythm powered movement. Yes, the lyrics can be harsh and violent, but that goes for any form of music. Take Carrie Underwood for example, who is a country singer, she has a song out called “Before he cheats”, and in the song she talks about taking a Louisville slugger to both head lights and smashing all four tires of her boyfriend’s car, sounds kind of violent to me. Then you also have Bret Michael, who is a rock artist and, most of his songs are about sex, drugs and money. The point I am trying to make is that no matter what type of music it is, whether it is hip hop or country, nine times out of tens there is going to be some form of violence, some kind of representation of sex, and some form of harsh language. But no other category of music can bring people together the way hip hop does.
It is a true symbol of the evolution that this country is going though, because back then you probably only saw young African Americans bobbing their heads uncontrollably to the beat of hip hop. Now you find all people of all races enjoying this form of music, and it is actually estimated that 75% of hip hop listeners are non- African Americans. The reason for that is because the rhythm and the bass that thumps so loudly has become an addicting source to their ears, and once they have had a taste of Hip Hop they have no choice but to come back for more. Big name companies such as Nike, McDonalds, and Saturn, have caught on to the effect hip hop has on the world and now uses it in advertising their products, because they know that, not only will it gain the attention of African Americans, but it will also gain the attention of people of all races. Hip Hop has the power to move a nation and if you put its sound behind your product, then you are guaranteed a variety of customers.
Now some do claim that the new generation of Hip Hop is an embarrassment and that they are slowly bringing Hip Hop to its death. But I would have to disagree, because hip hop is a way one expresses him or herself through music. And if jerking is what that artist is into then of course they are going to integrate that into their music. They even have kids in the suburbs doing it. This only brings me back to the point I am trying to make, even though some claim this generation is the death of Hip Hop they are still branching out to all different types of cultures. Sure Hip Hop has come a long way from the Slick rick and N.W.A days, but the new generation has started a trend that makes people feel good and just want to dance through these hard times our country is facing. And the way they are doing it is simply beautiful.
But Hip Hop is here to stay, and some may hate on the new generation but whatever the case may be Hip Hop is still uniting people as we speak, and it is doing without the use of violence, without drama, without causing something terrible to happen in the world; but simply through its music. Go to any concert of a Hip Hop artist and you will see different people of different backgrounds coming together to enjoy quality music. For Hip Hop is and will forever be a form of unity.
09 Oct
What are you doing this weekend? Going to see a movie at the $1.50 theatre at Blue-ridge? Going out to the same club, with the same group of people, on the same night you went out last weekend? Grabbing your ‘Go Pass’ and taking the bus out to Crabtree Valley Mall for some free samples in the food court? Does this sound like your typical weekend? There is nothing wrong with the movies, mall, and the club, but many often find that these infamous three are the only options available to them on the weekends. Being born in Raleigh, I know all about the monotonous choices of activities that some people might experience, especially students that are from large booming cities like New York, Washington DC, or Denver, Colorado to name a few. But Raleigh does not have to be that way. For the most part you have to live here while you are in school, so why not make the most of it! Below, I have listed some alternative options that you might want to consider to spice up your weekend. Most of the activities are group friendly, so invite your friends for a really extraordinary evening! Some of these activities might require some transportation other than the ones offered at NCSU.
1) AFM (Bowling)
1827 Capital Blvd.
Raleigh, NC 27604
(919) 832-3747
Price: Generally $7-$12 a person
Even If you absolutely suck at bowling (like me) and have to use the gutter free rails (like me) you can still have a good time especially with a large group of friends. The AFM lanes charge an average admission of $ 5.50 a person per game and $4.25 for bowling shoes. For the more economic friends nights they have specials on Tuesday and Sunday nights starting at 9pm which include paying a $5 cover charge and receiving everything else (shoes/per game) only a $1 each. Their hours generally range from 12pm-2am on the weekends but can vary on the weekdays. They also offer a variety of American classics in the eatery including hot-dogs, pizza, and hamburgers for reasonable prices.
2) Marrakesh café lounge
2500 Hillsborough St.
Raleigh, NC 27607
(919) 341-1167
Price: $ 8 usually covers 2 people for 30 min of flavored tobacco
Marrakesh is a hookah bar located on Hillsborough Street. across the street from DH Hill Library. Similar to a coffee shop setting, the Marrakesh café offers a serene and calming environment to unwind after a long week of studies. For all of you that do not know, a hookah is a device that is used to inhale flavored tobacco through filtered water. This environment is not for everyone, because it includes smoke from tobacco, which has been known to have some negative side effects. Hookah has also been proven to be a safer alternative in some studies to the smoke produced in cigarettes. They café also serves an assortment of delicious pastries, hot tea’s, and coffees.
3) Pullen Park
Why not have a picnic with that special someone or race you friends…or the ducks in motor boats in Pullen Lake. Pullen Park offers a lot of recreational and CHEAP ways to have a relaxing weekend. It’s also located right on campus, so no public transportation is needed to indulge in this activity. Campus too noisy? Pullen makes a calming place to unwind and study for that upcoming test on Monday. Also ‘Theatre in the Park’ is also located in Pullen Park for all of you that enjoy the intricacies of a good drama.
4) Adventure Landing
3311 Capital Blvd., Raleigh, NC 27604
919-872-1688
Price: Generally $10-$15
Get in touch with the kid in you. Just because you are in college doesn’t mean you’re too cool for laser tag right, right? Adventure landing houses a variety of activities in just one location including laser tag, put-put, arcade games, and race car racing. You might remember doing these activities as a kid, but you’d be surprised at the amount of excitement generated from these elementary activities when you get a bunch of friends involved. They are generally open from 10am-12am on the weekends, offering a special on Saturdays including 30 tokens, unlimited laser-tag, and mini-golf for only $9 till noon. So get there early.
5) Outdoor adventures
Carmichael Recreational center
2611 Cates Avenue
Price: generally $35-$105
If you really want to do something really out of the ordinary one weekend why not go on an adventure? The Carmichael recreational center is offering trips in the fall and the spring semesters to various locations on the eastern coast including Virginia, Washington D.C, New York, and even here in the Carolinas. Backpacking across Virginia, white-water rafting , and sea kayaking in Staten island are some bold choices for the adventures but there are also more mellow trips such as ones offered in November where one has the opportunity to spend a day in Washington D.C enjoying the many historical sites. For the most part these are weekend long trips, often departing Friday morning and returning Sunday. The Majority of the costs are covered by NCSU which include food, equipment, and transportation. There is a fee for each trip that can range from $35-$105 depending on the trip and location which can be a little pricey for some, but out of the ordinary none the less. If this is something that might interest you here is the website http://www.ncsu.edu/campus_rec/ to check out the different outdoor adventures and directions on how to register.
Stephanie Spivey
09 Oct
This past Saturday, Sprite hosted the Sprite Step-Off qualifying Round right here in Raleigh at the Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion; Raleigh was one of many qualifying rounds around the country. Hosted by Saint Augustine College, the competition is not only the largest step competition to hit the area, but is also the largest step competition in history with a pool prize packet that reaches $1.5 million dollars. Sprite will be traveling all over the country to find talented Greek step teams at various colleges that will first compete in numerous qualifying rounds that will take place in September and October, then the regional semifinals and regional finals in the months of October and November. The national finals will take place in Atlanta, Georgia on January 19, 2010; the overall winner will appear in Stomp the Yard 2. Saturday’s competition featured 5 teams, three fraternities and two sororities, from all over North Carolina, including the Eta Omicron Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc from NC State.
Even though it was gloomy day and the rain was coming and going as the day wore on, it did little to stop the people at the Sprite Step-Off from having fun. The “audition stage” show kicked off the festival; during this phase of the competition, the teams showed off their skills to judges in hopes of moving on to the next round. However, since there were only five teams and a total of eight teams (four fraternities and four sororities) qualify, all the teams were eligible to move on. The second round took place at the main stage; the first group to perform was the Delta Chi Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc from Elizabeth City State University. They were followed by the Eta Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc from NC A&T, whose performance theme was The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air that even included the “Carlton” dance; they concluded their performance by stepping blind-folded. Up next was the Eta Omicron Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc who drew a lot of cheers and support from the NC State students that were in attendance; they opened up their show, like in the Back 2 School Jam, by throwing money into the audience and were able to “revive” the crowd with their performance. The Gamma Xi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. from St. Augustine’s was next, and even though they only had two members perform, they were able to hold their own against the other teams. The Gamma Psi Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., also from St. Aug. was the last act to hit the stage and ended the step competition on high and energetic note.
While the judges were busy tallying up the final scores, Sprite kept the crowd alive with other forms of entertainment. A local music group performed their hit “Million Dollar Man”, a song that is being played on the radio stations here in North Carolina. A group of high school steppers named Rho Alpha Gamma graced the stage next and showed their moves to the audience; the black modeling troupe from Saint Augustine College, BJMT, followed and showcased their modeling skills. The last two acts, Embrace and Beatnam Veterans (both hip-hop groups), performed songs that had people in the audience jamming along with them, especially two songs dedicated to the ladies that caught the attention of many women in the audience.
However, the judges were not quite done with the results so people decided to create their own fun. Lines were forming as people did the Cupid Shuffle and the Cha-Cha slide and jamming to some of their favorite songs like “Poison” by Bell Biv Devoe. There was even a battle between St. Augustine and NC State students to see who could get the most “hyped” in which NC State slightly edged out the St. Augustine students. Soon after, the results were ready; for the sororities, the Gamma Xi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. came in second place and the Delta Chi Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. came in first place. For the fraternities, the Eta Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. came in third place and won $1,500, the Eta Omicron Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. came in second place and won $3,000 and the Gamma Psi Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. came in first and won $5,500. All teams, except the first place teams, will be competing in South Carolina on October 17th for the regional semi-finals. The first place teams get to go straight to the regional finals in Charlotte, to be joined by the winners of the semi-finals.
Following the revealing of the results, the DJ Battle took place, which was sponsored by McDonalds. Each DJ represented one of the three popular burgers of the popular food chain: DJ Prince was the double quarter pounder with cheese, DJ Scholar was the Big Mac, and DJ DY Nasty was the Angus Third Pounder. DJ Prince’s style was throwback hip-hop music that had many in the audience nodding their head from side to side. DJ Scholar’s style was current and past club hits and the recent dance songs that have swept the country in a dancing craze like “2-step” by DJ Unk. DJ DY Nasty had a style that was more laid back and even included a couple of the late Michael Jackson’s hits. The battle went on for three rounds and the audience had a chance to vote for their favorite DJ by sending a text to a specified number with the name of the DJ; DJ Prince won the battle and will be moving on to the next segment of the DJ competition.
Before the headliner act, Lupe Fiasco, came out, Vistoso Bosses, who currently have a song and video out entitled “Delirious”, treated the crowd to an eclectic performance. The group provided a rock/hip-hop tone to them that many people were able to vibe to. Finally, after a much anticipated wait, Lupe Fiasco came to the stage which immediately drew a large roar from the crowd. Lupe did not disappoint and rocked the crowd with songs like “Superstar”, “Go-Go Gadget Flow”, “Paris, Tokyo”, and even treated the audience to a song off his upcoming album. Mr. Fiasco, in a move to show love for his fans, gave a girl in the audience his bottle of water when she exclaimed that she was thirsty. Following the show, he took pictures with several of the Greek organizations and members of the media. Video cameras were on the scene to capture footage which will be aired on national television in an “American Idol” type television show so keep an eye out for the teams competing in the show because they will be popping up on your TV screens in the coming months. The Sprite Step-Off has successfully been kicked off and will only grow bigger from here. For more information go to: http://spritestepoff.com/
- Lauren Gayden
09 Oct
Have you ever had one of those moments where you say something and you realized that maybe you went a bit too far? How about one of those moments where you go beyond sticking that proverbial “foot in mouth”? Ever said something that made one of the nicest people you know and who would never say something against someone say something against you? Well, if you’re Kayne West then you are used to doing all of this on quite a regular basis. Unfortunately, for him recently he went beyond the regular level of being unacceptable.
At 32 years old, West took on a nineteen-year-old Taylor Swift at the MTV Video Awards. Her shining moment of winning her first MTV Award and the historical first MTV Award won by any country artist was utterly destroyed. More disgraceful than the missed face-mask penalty in USC-NCSU, West took away the microphone from her and talked about how she didn’t deserve to win. He went on to say how Beyonce and her video for “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” was “one of the best videos of all time”. It was hard to watch, to see a grown man to put down a young girl like he did on national television. With her speech ruined, she smiled and went on to act with grace well after West was removed. Beyonce, who later on won Best Video of the Year, brought Swift on stage with her to give her speech to make up for West’s despicable act.
The eye of the storm from his tirade has far from ended. He was removed from New York’s Radio City Music Hall after being booed from the large crowd. Fellow artist and nominee, Pink, saw him and was too shamed to look at him. The list went extensively on to Blogger Perez Hilton, rapper/rival 50 Cent, Emil Wilbekin (Essence.com), Ann Powers (Los Angeles Times), Former President Jimmy Carter, and current President Barack Obama amongst others called for West’s head on a stick. Obama even went as far as calling West a “jackass” in an offline interview. Even Donald Trump is calling for West’s removal from the MTV Awards.
Swift and Beyonce were admirable in how they acted. Although the looks on their faces were priceless, they were priceless for the wrong reasons. West took prime opportunity of using live television and ruined a quality moment. The message that he wanted to get across wasn’t so bad but the way he went about it was truly out of line. Yes, Beyonce’s video was very good and could have been one of the best ever, but the timing of what he wanted to say was wrong. With the millions of viewers that were watching, many of whom, were probably seeing her for the first time will now associate her with Kayne West telling her on stage that she didn’t deserve to win an award.
In the end, Swift may have gotten more notoriety from this but West’s reputation is forever damaged. His apologies still don’t seem to be genuine or fulfilling but I can only hope that he learns way more than what he showed. He’ll learn his lesson one day, but he is incredibly lucky that it wasn’t someone else who wasn’t a nineteen year old country singer that he went up against.
09 Oct
To market, to market
To buy a Black Man
Step right up and pick one out if you can
First up
Is a young black male
About 5’11” fully equipped with the du-rag and waves
Timbs are extra
Special offer going only once
This Negro comes with his own custom made grill,
With cubic zirconium diamond earrings and a Rolex
That doesn’t work
So he’ll have an excuse to be “fashionably late”
This Negro comes with the latest slangs that have downloadable updates
So he’ll always be in style
Buy now
And I’ll throw in two baby mommas, two kids, with street drama
So you know how “real” he is
This Negro will have VIP access to all the club spots and poetry jams
So he can be perceived as having some ——–
He also comes with his own personal poem to spit to the “breezies”:
Black man, Black man
What’s the message Black man
I love my beautiful, black, Nubian Queen
Because black is beautiful
And beautiful is black
And I loved-ed her
And she loved-ed me
And everyone should applaud because no one wants to see an angry black man
And this in one of those pretty Negroes with the “good” hair
That wears a diamond-encrusted crucifix
This Negro also comes with his own car
With rims that spin counterclockwise
So Come one, Come all
Everyone can place a bid on the amazing Negro
It’s all for sale!
…Is this what the Black Man has come to?
09 Oct
Aubrey Graham or Drake, as he is more commonly known, is no newcomer to the entertainment business, but based on his history, it is a surprise that he has come this far and has the buzz surrounding him that he does. He was born in Toronto, Canada and began acting on Degrassi: The Next Generation, a “teen drama television series,” as Wikipedia so eloquently labeled it. He played Jimmy, a basketball player who was shot by a classmate.
To sum it up, he is a Canadian who played a disabled basketball player on a teen soap opera, not exactly the typical history of a rising hip-hop star. His topics are not consistent with the wave of “d-boys” that hit the market in the last 3 or 4 years, so what is it? Could it be that hip-hop is finally returning to the lyrics, to the realness that I believe should be the root of every true artist’s arsenal? I hope so.
In my opinion, what separates Drake from the rest is his style and his ability to connect with the track. He does not simply go for punch line after punch line which is stereotypical of so many mixtape rappers. He reads the beats and in contrast to free styling, which often lacks the story telling, he picks a general theme and tells his story. If this is a sign that hip-hop consumer’s tastes are changing once again… I hope it lasts. The next stage in the evolution of Drake is his range as an artist. You have the rapper famous for his slick lyrics and the spirit of his beats that make your head rock, and on the other side you have the singer.
I was surprised when I first heard songs such as “A Night Off” and “Something”; I was in awe as I listened to this rapper whose voice competes with many full-bred R&B artists. Granted moguls like Jay-Z say that rappers are singing too much, but with a voice like Drake’s, I don’t think he [Jay-Z] can even say too much against him. Drake is definitely leading the next wave of artist’s whose lyrics define their success. The dance songs are moving aside for the J. Cole’s and the Drake’s. As HOV [Jay-Z] said in a song on his newest album, The Blueprint 3, “Drakes up next, [lets] see what he do with it.”
09 Oct
Three years ago, Michael Vick was one of the most dangerous and elusive players that the National Football League (NFL) had ever seen. However, that all changed in the summer of 2007 when three other men and Vick were indicted with felony charges for dog fighting. He eventually pleaded guilty and was sentenced to approximately 23 months in a federal prison.
This past April, Vick was released from prison and finished the rest of his sentence under house arrest on July 20, 2009. Once he completed his time, the talk of his possible return to the NFL reached an all-time fervor. From ESPN to CNN, many speculated on whether or not the commissioner of the NFL, Roger Goodell, would reinstate Vick back into the league and if so, when. Within a week, Goodell reinstated Vick but only on a conditional basis, a concept that stated that he had up until week six of the season to fully reinstate Vick.; However, Goodell later ruled that Vick could play by week three of the season. On August 13, 2009, in a move that surprised football fans and analysts alike, he was signed to the Philadelphia Eagles on a two-year contract.
Now that Vick has done his time and is back in the NFL to attempt to make a living for himself and his family (and to get himself out of debt), there are still voices out there who feel that he does not deserve a second chance. Out of the most outspoken groups that are against Vick, PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), have made it clear that they believe that he should not receive a second chance, let alone be able to prove himself. Right after Vick was done speaking at his first conference after being released from federal custody, PETA felt that he was not compassionate enough and should take further steps to prove to them that he is truly sorry for what he did, like taking a psychological test. They have even said that they will be present at the Eagles’ games this season to protest the organization to express their discontent. But what is even more mind boggling is that an animal rights group in Washington D.C. vowed to donate a bag of dog food to a random animal shelter in Washington DC every time Vick gets sacked during the October 26, 2009 Eagles vs. Redskins game. The animal rights group also said that it is all fun and games being for a good cause. People seem to understand that the group might be trying to get publicity out of this whole situation, but when it comes to putting another human being’s health and livelihood on the line, it stops being funny.
We will never know if Vick is truly sorry for what he did, but there is one thing that we do know and can do: let the man prove himself first. Before we, as a society, cast the first stone, let Mr. Vick have his shot at redemption so that he can have a chance to turn himself around and to show himself, and ultimately society itself, that people can change when given a second chance.
09 Oct
Diamonds in the air for yet another classic CD from the semi-retired Jay-Z that was released on Friday, September 11, 2009. A legend such as this man can not seem to deliver anything less than perfection. A highlight of the Blueprint 3 is that it features many popular artists. This is a commendable act for Jay-Z to share his flavor with his fellow icons.
A major highlight track is “Empire State of Mind” featuring. Alicia Keys. A dynamic duo to say the least, they give us an ode to New York,; the place where dreams are made through streets that make you feel brand new, and where the lights inspire you. Keys belts out, “Let’s here it for New York” and—I say, “Let’s here it for these two artists.” With lyrics from websites like “killerhiphop.com”, this track will make you breathe deep for the big city.
Take a moment of silence for the death of T-pain—I mean Auto-tune. Unfortunately, the next highlight D.O.A (Death of AutoTune) (in which Jay-Z specifically calls out rapper T-Pain), is a source that has supposedly upset T-Pain. T-Pain has responded back by saying, “Jay-Z is 59 years old, what does he know about what’s hot?” at one of his concerts. The clip can be found on YouTube. This track does not pose a question as to rather it is a hit or not, but the real conflict begins with the reoccurring sense that “real music” or raw talent is dead. Everybody loves T-pain, but are rappers singing too much? More importantly, would people still buy the albums if artists did not conform to “what’s new/hot?” D.O.A will make you think about the current state of hip-hop which is already up for debate, but every once in a while a track like this one will come along and remind us that true hip-hop is still very much alive.
Next, “Run this town” featuring singer Rihanna & rapper Kanye West is without a doubt, the new club anthem. When this song comes on, hands go up, voices get louder, and people sing-along passionately with Rihanna. If you have a nightlife, you know what I am talking about. “Real as it Gets” featuring Young Jeezy is one of those “real recognizes real” cuts. It gets some airtime in the club and it is one of those songs that everybody loves because it is a “represent where your from” song.
“On to the next one” ft. Swizz Beatz has an awkward beat that ironically makes the song what it is. It just makes you want to move, and that is the very core of what makes a song a hit. “Off that” featuring Drake is upbeat and futuristic. It can’t really be described any other way. This track is a standout because it talks about how they are “off” all the minuscule things in life that do not contribute to having a successful future. Drake says, “You can’t bring the future back”. In other words, what you do or have done in the past/present determines your where you get in the future,. If you miss the boat, too bad because it is already gone, and it is not coming back. “A star is born” featuring new and upcoming artist, J.Cole, who will be performing at the “Koncert Talley Party” on September 25th, 2009, is another masterpiece. The lyrics include shout outs to rising icons and successful artists. It notes that “everyday a star is born”, which does not need to be said to be seen.
Other tracks are “Venus vs. Mars,”, “Already Home,”, “Hate,”, “Reminder,”, “What we talkin’ about,”, “Thank you,”, and “Young Forever” featuring Mr. Hudson. Blueprint 3 ends with the customary “So Ambitious” featuring rapper and singer Pharrell Williams, that inspires people to thrive on the negativity of people trying to bring you down. Pharrell sings, “The motivation for me was them telling me what I could not be.” It reminds you to continue to be ambitious no matter what hardships you endure. Know that “If you believe it, then you can conceive it.” The whole album should be highlighted truth be told. It is one of those albums you can enjoy the whole way through…No skips. You have to love the undeniable style of the great HOV(Jay-Z). The delivery of his cunning lyrics, and his determination to never actually retire. It is true, the rap game does need him.
09 Oct
The latest release by R&B singer Trey Songz, entitled Ready was definitely a highly anticipated one. After the June 30th drop of Anticipation, the mix-tape, the countdown began. Trey had been releasing music for years, but his new release featuring the up and coming rapper Aubrey “Drake” Graham, and his non-stop flood of music hitting the mix-tape scene has really created a buzz for himself. The pretty boy’s album follows suit with a barrage of lyrical mood- setters, club bangers, and of course his infamous slow jams. If you are seriously into slow jams and “baby-makers”, then this is definitely the C.D. for you.
Starting off with the sensual “Panty Droppa,”, Trey weaves his words seamlessly into the mid tempo melody as he tells the story of a late night encounter ending with that trademark “panty droppa.” “Neighbors know my name” leaves little to the imagination as Trey reveals his most intimate thoughts over a mix of electric guitar, and a perfect beat that titillates your senses and arouses your imagination. Another favorite of mine, “Be Where You Are”, is a familiar story to us all. Seeing that girl or boy for the first time, and all the thoughts that go through your head—From their hair style, the picture of them getting dressed, talking to their friends on the phone, and building the courage to step to them and see if your key fits the lock to their heart. The desire is felt. The thoughts are heard and the questions are answered all in an attempt to be where you are. “Black Roses” fasts forward to the end of a relationship. Trey explains his confusion at the thought of her heart not being his anymore, and all he has to give her is his black rose as a symbol of their dying love. We have all had those relationships that ended with confusion and lingering feelings. We remain hurt because something about that person just will not let you let them go, and this is the tale of the song “Holla If Ya Need Me.” You know it might not be the best decision, but you want them to know that you will always be there for them and they can simply “holla” if they need you.
Unfortunately, with all of the beautifully written songs, Trey never seems to open up and show his true range and depth as an artist to the audience. His vocals remain almost stationary in that, if you are a Songz fan, it is all too familiar and maybe too comfortable. However, Trey definitely knocked two songs out of the park with the emotion, the lyrics, and surprisingly his range with “Yo side of the bed” and “Jupiter Love.” “Yo Side of the Bed” eerily reminds us of the late legend Michael Jackson and builds up to a slow release as the main instrumentals drop out and make room for the powerfully understated words of Mr. Songz. I can feel the words and the empty feeling of losing that one, his one. As I listen to the song, I feel as if the pain radiates through his soul, but perfectly flows into the melody. His falsetto holds the remnant of tearful nights as he replays the day she left over and over again in his mind. The track plays perfectly and does not seem forced or
planned. Overall a masterpiece, if you take the time to truly feel his words.
Lastly, my personal favorite song of the entire album, “JupiterLove,” is ironically out of this world. The simplicity of the melody falsely lulls you into a sense of security. Your body relaxes, your eyes close, and the bass line becomes your heartbeat as the song envelopes you. Oddly the words compliment the beat instead of the beat complimenting the lyrics and right as you think the song is ending, he blasts you with a taste of the Trey that I knew could not help but show his face on the album. I feel that this new Trey is just getting warmed up and there will be much more to come. Overall, the album was a huge success sporting amazing lyrics, out of this world music, and of course Mr. Trey Songz.
09 Oct
Too often in this day and age, it is heard and said that the music played in mainstream simply has no substance. Lyrics are devoid of meaningful aspirations and deep-seeded foundations. Many rap songs played on the radio now have gained fame simply because of a catchy hook or club playability. But what about hip hop? It has long since remained a musical genre that has had painfully slow comings into mainstream, unless spit by a popular emcee, and has stayed for the most part underground. Yet it has always been a musical entity that has spoken countless truths, millions of memorable bars, and dope beats. Now, more than ever, [hip hop] artists are stepping outside the box; creating what I have personally dubbed as a “Hip Hop Renaissance”. So as I’m thinking about who’s become “hot” or “fresh” lately in the underground music world I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s artists that have been in the game for awhile but are just now gaining recognition and popping up on the radar of most. Recently brought into the mainstream scene, underground artists such as Wale, Drake, Kid Cudi, J. Cole, and the Cool Kids are making their mark. Among them are even more new hip hop extrordinainaires moving into the Hip Hop Renaissance.
In July, Complex.com, an online blog version of the magazine, did a fashion story within their style features section on some of the new revolutionary faces in hip hop; entitled “Leaders of the New Cool” and calling them hip hop’s new “class”. The fashion story then spun off into a Complex sponsored mixtape entitled “Leaders of the New Cool” that features: The Cool Kids, The Knux, B.o.B, Charles Hamilton, Big Sean, and many others. The 28-track mixtape is hosted by Mick Boogie and DJ Treats and creatively brings together the artists songs.
“Leaders of the New Cool” has touches of old school hip hop and brings about a nostalgic feel as it incorporates some old school hits. For instance the track “Hollywood Hiatus (Cool it Now)” by U-N-I mixes snippets of New Edition’s “Cool It Now” and he drops bars on a cover beat from that song. Inspirational reminiscence to other hip hop stars such as Outkast and Lupe Fiasco are audibly present on the mixtape and some beats have a Gnarls Barkley feel to them as well. In my comparisons of them to other well-known artists, I in no way mean to diminish or take away from their own individuality or unique talents and presence in the game.
All the artists on, the mixtape indeed bring an undiluted and eclectic flavor to the hip hop game and provide an essential need for a change in music. As B.o.B says in his track “Generation Lost”: Honestly I don’t listen to rap/because when I turn on the radio/ out comes crap.” Floating above and beyond catchy hooks and club playability “Leaders of the New Cool” is a prime example of undergrounds hidden talents and the need for its transition into mainstream.
*To listen to/download the “Leaders of the New Cool” mixtape visit Complex.com and go to the music page.
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