Hip Hop Anonymous

Hola amigos…..I have a new found love…hip hop. That’s right, in the last few days I have undergone a musical transfiguration. As of late, whenever someone steps into the 4 walls with a door that I call my office or the Sexterra, the sweet jams of Mos Def, Kayne West, or Talib Kweli (currently my favorite hip hop artist) can be heard from the speakers.

In reality, I should have gotten into hip hop years ago. ). Since my recent musical overhaul I have found remarkable parallels between jam bands and hip hop leading me to believe that I would have loved hip hop in high school. (note: I currently have accepted hip hop, but have yet to accept rap music. This is an important distinction to make since I view hip hop as smooth, socially conscious beats and rap music as loud, obnoxious jams written for pure entertainment value i.e. Souljah Boy or the Hot Boyz)

Take a look at jam bands. The draw to the jam variety of music (bands like String Cheese, Widespread Panic, The Grateful Dead, etc.) are awesome live perfomances, good instrumentals, insane lyrics (listen to Phish sometime if you want to experience this draw), music with a greater purpose, the openness to collaboration and, in hindsight, good music to listen too while “under the influence”. As I delve into hip hop, I see the same attributes surfacing. For example the good instrumentals of jam bands were perfect for stimulating thoughts on long car drives. A good beat in a hip hop song does the same thing for me. In both cases, one can essentially turn off the lyrics and let the jam flow through the mind. Too trippy you say, well take a good listen to the lyrics of a hip song for you lyrical junkies, the number of artists featured on someone’s album for those who appreciate a good collaboration, or the socially conscious themes that crop up in the music of hip hop atrists which appeal very nicely to the those of you who thrive in the fight for social justice and empowerment of the impoverished.

Bottom line is that I have finally found a musical genre which compliments my love of jam music, opening new doors, breathing life into what was once a stagnant musical journey that could have led to myself wearing white shades with Cheebs across the lenses cranking the Souljah Boy.

Peace and keep it fresh
Juan Pablo

Why I hate HUGE

Disclaimer: I hate HUGE

I hate the Huge, aka Bill Simonson, on WBBL the Ball 1340 Am. I really do! Today on his show he goes off about how he wants to go national and that his syndicate head says he would put him up against Jim Rome. Then for the next hour all huge (I am no longer going to use caps in his name as a sign of literary disrespect) does is field calls from folks who say that Rome sucks and that the huge is amazing and would run the Jungle out of the business. One guy called and said that Rome is a self absorbed bias individual who repeats himself over and over and over again, excuse me but that is the entire huge show everyday except the days when the dude from ann arbor is on because huge is gone. Another guy called and said huge is to Kirk Herbstreet as Rome is to Corso. His logic, huge is on point level, headed and gives credit where credit is due, Rome is just obnoxious. My logic, Corso rocks and Herbstreet is from Ohio State. If that listener watches Game Day he would have seen a sign in the crowd this year referencing the growing legend that is Chad in Portland, gaining fame from the icon of sports radio Jim Rome. I don’t see many testosterone Tuesday signs up at Game Day sights. I am sorry folks but its not close. Lets compare the two for a minute

Top Five things about the Jungle
The Smack-Off
The Clones
Major Sports Icons as Guests
Pop Culture Icons as Guest Hosts
One day a month devoted to either horse racing, homeschooled kids, and/or cock fighting
Alvin’s Clips (Adult Alarm, The Donald v Rosie, etc.)

Top Five things about the Huge Show
Bill claiming to love ND, Mich, and Mich St all at one time
Callers who cant read
The biggest guest spot of the year, Lloyd Carr interview.
One day a month devoted to race in the NFL, a pitch to go national, bitching at Moller
Those damn songs to promote the show

Face it Huge you’re a jackass who can’t hold a candle to Jim Rome. No one from your show has gone on to host his or her own program. No pro athlete is running to the radio at 3 pm to hear you and then calling to give their take. No one is coming on your show for karmic purposes. No one is taking time out of their schedule upon being asked to guest host your show. I hope you go national and I hope you get run. Then you’ll have to end up finding something else to do, like the time you were an XFL commentator.

War Charles Woodson’s piano prowess

Good night now

N.W.A where have you gone

In the past six months I have started to realize how ridiculous rap music has become. Actually, Rap Music has been careening toward madness for the past five years. I think it began with Lil’ John and the Crunk explosion in 2003-2004 afterwhich the phrase yeahhh was an everyday saying and kids were consuming crunk juice in place of Gatorade, but I do not have the rap music expertise or time to construct a blog which could actually be a masters thesis in pop culture. Instead what I do have is a video. One which rivals Leather so Soft (the video which vaulted Lil’ Wayne into my top 5 greatest guitar gods of the world), Party Like a Rock Star, Rock On(Do Da Rockman) (if you haven’t watched or listened to this video it’s a must see; just be prepared to do the rockman right after you lean like a cholo), and the new hit Crank dat Souljah Boy (my personal favorite). Now we have one that eclipses it all, Kafani's new hit, Fast Like a Nascar You may think it doesn’t exist, as I did when I received a text message cuing me into this gold nugget of rap music obscurity, but click play and see for yourself. Its proof that even you can become a rap icon in today’s music seen; just include me in your posse.