Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Show Me Whatcha Got

Remember when Janet Jackson took off her clothes to promote an upcoming record? That was May 1993 – 21 years ago – for the album janet., and she was as blazing hot as the album (and Rolling Stone) cover was controversial. But the difference between Janet and modern day starlet Nkcki Manaj is that Janet had the goods to back up the controversial cover.

The lead single that followed the photo was That’s The Way Love Goes – a sly, sultry little track with a devastating baseline that had even the hardest hard rocks rushing the dance floor trying to get their groove on. Oh, and the rest of the album? “Throb”, "You Want This", "If", "Again", "Any Time, Any Place" – hit after hit. 20 million copies sold, ranked in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as #86 on their Greatest Albums of All Time List. A collection of soulful pop magic that we may never hear the likes of again.

Yeah, Janet had the body of life and was not afraid to show it off. But she had undeniable talent as an artist and performer. Don't sleep, along with her long-time legendary collaborators, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, she not only wrote the lyrics but also produced every song on janet. No, Janet was no one trick pony, not taking off her clothes merely for attention, but to demonstrate the power of a woman taking control of her sexuality. Twenty years ago that was bold and daring – today that’s purely derivative.

So Nicki has the body – we all can see that. But does she have the body of work to back it up? That remains to be seen. Come on Nicki – Show me whatcha got.

Thursday, June 19, 2014

Dave Chappelle Reminds Us Why We Missed Him


Dave Chappelle Buffed for his triumphant return to NYC
Caught Dave Chappelle twice during his 10 Gig run at Radio City. I agree with Esquire, dude was on his game. On night 2 Nas was fantastic as well (although I would have preferred to have heard the studio version of Illmatic, rather than the orchestra's interpretation  - a bit too artsy for my tastes). But while Nas/Dave together was special, I preferred the first night when Dave was by himself and was free to deliver a slow burn, 2 hour set without having to cut his material short to make way for another legend.

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Extended Play: The 7 Hottest Songs In America's Top 7 Cities

An interesting bit of analysis on Hip Hop DX seeking to find out what is really "Hot" right now across various regions. Great application of statistical and anecdotal data to make the case. Of course, I'm terrified by just how few of these songs I have actually heard. And by how ridiculous the titles of some of the songs/artists sound.

Statistical Proof of what hip hop tracks are "Hot" right now.

Extended Play: The 7 Hottest Songs In America's Top 7 Cities

Lamont's Lists: My Favorite Hip Hop Songs Of 2023

For hip hop, 2023 was a year of looking back. The genre reflected upon 50 years of existence by throwing itself a bunch of excellent parties...