Milwaukee Hip-Hop - Part One

Wait. Milwaukee, WI has a hip-hop scene? They have Black people? C'mon people you KNEW it had to happen.

Milwaukee does, in fact, have black people AND hip hop. But not all the artist are black. Some of them are white. Most of them are wack...but the ones I pay attention to are not.

Today I need to put you on to Prophetic. Proph is not only a rapper, he is an artist. There's a difference between the two. I'm not the only one who thinks so. He is truthful when he spits. His vocabulary is insatiable, every track just gets smarter.When I attended the album release for Mo Profit Mo Progress I had never viewed Prophetic in the flesh. I had heard him on a Royal Fam mixtape prior and I wasn't diggin him that much. Watching him shed verbal tears on the mic was enlightening and I am genuinely impressed with what I saw. His connection with the audience is impressive for someone that's not signed to a major label. His album has become a serious staple in my daily rotation simply because he is an honest rapper. I don't see him rappin about a bunch of mess that he knows absolutely nothing about. Rappers are supposed to tell a story and not become one. I love what I hear when he opens his mouth and he's uber-intelligent to boot. The beats are sick. The lyrics are hypnotic. The vibe is irresistible. I can't wait to hear more from him and the rest of Royal Fam.



Take his song 'Entrepreneur" for instance. It's gritty hood shit but he keeps it so dignified. He gives those who don't know the hood a chance to experience it for a few minutes. After all, you don't gotta be from the hood to embrace to it.


Just Listen. ~ Soul

JOE BUDDEN - GIMMICK OR TRUTH?

Peace. I have been WAITING to do a blog on Mouse. I think he is one of the most prolific and amazing lyricists to ever blow his breath on a microphone. He is so emotional (not in a feminine way either). He talks to us through his music. He isn't afraid to be vulnerable and admit his shortcomings. He is honest when it comes to talk about everything from money, women, relationships, drugs, addiction, his musical style and everything in between. Now when his debut album dropped in 2003 the first single was "Pump It Up". People listened to the catchy beat and the sing-song hook. They didn't really listen to the lyrics. For instance:

"Hold up she want work that twerk that
Then again let me hurt that murk that
Til you gotta hurt back
Can't spit it out, boo you gotta slurp that
Can't cuddle after we done, it wasn't worth that
Joey I'm responsible for bringin Jersey back (And we bad huh)
She at the bar stylin' she throwing it up
She drink a little hypno, throwing it up
But I'm only dealing with freaks that wanna cut
Ma if you agree I want nut
Camcorder, get it played late night on BET Uncut (uhh)"

I'm sure most people have no idea the song is so sexual. This single was NOT a good representation for what Joe Budden is all about. In order to get a good introductory feel for Joey you gotta listen to 10Mins., Focus, and all the other tracks on this album.I was hooked from the moment I heard his first album. I didn't need to hear the mixtapes. But of course, I did.Mood Muzik? Sick. That shit is crack. All three of them. My current favorite though, is Mood Muzik 3. I can relate to a lot of the tracks on there simply because I'm a little older now and I have experienced more. 'Secrets' is a song that I think the world should hear because it's just so real! We as an urban culture don't discuss being safe enough. And all the talking that we do about it doesn't come with enough action afterwards.

Anyway. Joe's highly anticipated new album 'Padded Room' will be crack. I already know. Halfway House is in serious rotation already.'Sidetracked' is like the story of my fuckin life. And on another note. Have you ever paid attention to his samples? They're almost always from a rock song of some sort. I can't love that anymore if I tried.


Just Listen. ~Soul

Detroit Rappers Part 1 - Black Milk

Peace. In the past few years I've noticed quite a buzz coming from the other side of the lake. I am from Milwaukee,WI. Detroit artists have caught my attention somethin serious lately. I have always had a deep rooted love for Eminem and his crew of nutcases (R.I.P. Proof), J Dilla, Slum Village, Dwele, Guilty Simpson, Royce Da 5'9'', etc. Their lyrics and beats are always gritty, humorous, and honest. Honesty in the music always draws me in because it's less commercial and you have to have an emotional connection to that music in order to FEEL it.

A few months ago I was turned on to a cat named "Black Milk". Now I couldn't dig the name because it made me envision a porn star or some shit. So I got his albums and it took me a minute to actually listen to them because his name was so off-putting. Eventually though, I picked up Popular Demand and pressed play. When it was done...I put in Tronic...and then Broken Wax. I am way beyond impressed. The beats are sick. They have an old head feel to them with a new school flavor. The baselines are incredible. The lyrics are full of a young man's diary entries. He reminds me of a Joe Budden in a way because he's just so vulnerable on some tracks that you can't help but feel it in your gut. If you haven't checked him out yet...please do. Check the video in the meantime. Black Milk & Royca Da 5'9'' - Losing Out. This shit is SICK....he switched up the production a little bit on the Tronic album, but it works out great.




Find Black Milk on Myspace.



Just listen. ~Soul

WELCOME TO THE CIRCUS

Peace. I'm Soul and this is my blog on hip-hop. I don't have a whole lot to say on introducing myself since I'm not that good at it. Talking about myself is not one of my strong points. However, I could talk about music all day long. I love all types of music from rock to jazz, blues, r&b, and so on. Hip-hop is my love though. To me, it's not just a music genre. It is a lifestyle. The clothes, the hairstyles, the music, the lyrics, the beats, the rhymes, the looks, the attitude...all the way down to the food. I don't know very many (hardcore) hip hop fans that don't immerse themselves in the lifestyle. They even have jobs that allow them to fully live their lives.

Moving on...

This blog is not meant to offend anyone and the view and opinions expressed here are merely my own and are not meant to be taken too seriously...or too lightly. Basically the flavor of this blog will be strictly my opinion on hip hop and it's players.

Come back soon and enjoy.


Just listen. ~Soul