Devyne Enterprises - Artist Management & Development

       Every time I get one of these promo requests I get weary. Some might call me crazy in my willingness to travel anywhere the MTA will take me for an interview with... Anyone. Everyone deserves to be heard. & you never know who someone might be in 5-10 years. On my way to this one, I just so happen to see a guy with an "I f*cking hate rappers," sticker on his iPad. I suppose in a world full of haters, the game needs one ally. Ella to the rescue, huh?

      I met Devyne at Red Eye Group's Open Mic Monday. It's truly a fab event littered with ambitious individuals. You're guaranteed to leave that event inspired and connected --both to yourself and others. It's a sharing of information. Over candlelight, Bailey's and raging Hip-Hop (<3 <3 <3), I struggled to hear most of what Devyne said to me. I mean it was heaven to me & I had to keep reminding myself I was there on business.  I remember something about him producing and his ability to "make people sound good" as he nonchalantly described it to me. We talked a bit more about music. I can't remember the specifics but I remember noting his honesty. He was genuine. Whereas others' approach that night was hasty or... Thirsty... Devyne was professional. He gave me his card and subsequently followed me on Twitter. Or I could be mistaken and mixed up people the way things happen when I chase Bailey's with moscato.. but hey *shrugs* From there... We get here.

Drake vs J. Cole

Now, this is simply my opinion. My observation.

I see his hunger pains. I know his blood boils. He wanna roll with me. I know this kid'll be loyal.  

Jay-Z - "Coming of Age"

        People look for different things in the artists they'll deem their (most recent) favorite. This is a new era (not the fitted) where the youth are searching for a favorite rapper because they were too young buy Reasonable Doubt in 1996 much less anything else. The young BIG and Tupac fans' admiration seems to be sewn in a ground of respect.   In my experience, most current-day Young Money fans have a hard to time arguing why they weren't so quick to hop on Lil' Wayne during his "Wobble-dee - wobble-dee. Drop-drop it like it's hot" initial debut.


     Over the past couple of weeks, I've made it my duty to listen to both J.Cole's and Drake's complete works to date. For J.Cole, this is comprised of The Come Up (2007) (download), The Warm up (2009) (download), and Cole World (2010) (download).  Drake's works include....


        I initially started this post on August 4, 2010. As I wrote this, I think I was wiki'ing each artist. Then I realized how much music these guys have... I couldn't bring myself to write it all out. This is an era of mixtapes & these guys released one after the other with no remorse. Pirating music takes time. So, eventually, I downloaded it all & threw it all in my iTunes. I've been listening to it all... and it was tough to figure out what I felt until recently, when J Cole & Drake released a song together, "Hit it in the Morning." & as I wrote another post (I write like 5 at a time to get the ideas out), I felt it was a good time to elaborate on my preference.

        First & Foremost, J. Cole & Drake on one track isn't ridiculous? They're both infinitely talented. Equally hungry. And seem to be cut from the same cloth. They sound and kinda look... an awful lot alike. Neither are exactly heartthrobs. They're regular dudes... but I can see why one would admire such swag. Not to say I wouldn't date either... I would. But let's be honest. Now that they're famous, the money would matter. I can admit it. But it'd be the ambition and persona that would make me consider delving into "groupie" territory. NOTE: If you think the rest of this post is going to be based solely on their looks, feel free to use the [X] in the top corner of your browser. But just like you, I see with my eyes. I have to address my opinion in completion. 

Moving on. 

    J.  Cole and Drake share a demeanor that is something like that of a refined hustler. These boys ain't by-any-means-necessary hustlers... well Cole had his part of the streets, but he is a "College Boy". & He says it himself, "kill that ol' college gangsta shit. We dont believe." Besides, I heard from D.O. Vincent, writer of  UpInTheClouds.com, he had a 3.5 (I've been corrected. He had a 3.87. More brilliant than I thought.) outta St. John's. Both, Cole & Drake, have hustle in them in that they work hard in an, "I been up for four days, getting money both ways" way. They're work is crisp. Vocabularies pristine. Their flows are somewhat sung to you. Even the roughest of statements. There's a gritty edge to their pretty boy appearances which is received well by both males and females. My preference tho, is Cole... perhaps because I admire his intelligence. The simple fact that he is comfortable in his intelligence but didn't let that make him into a sucker.  I think this song right here is doing it for Cole. He needed this. Something radio-like. His work is incredible, but sometimes too heavy for today's radio. He's brutal. "I'm Raw..." he growls in "Winter Break."  [sidenote: Whatever Happened to Freestyling?] In my humble opinion, Drake does this same shit all the time. The talk to the girls & be emotional shit. I like that Cole has more than one side to him. Consistency seems false to me. Change is a natural attribute of the human species. Cole says shit like "All created equal looks like '≤' ("less than" or "equal to"). Depending on your race or depending on your address, man." That is where the old Hip-Hop resides within Cole vs Drake. Cole speaks for a people. When you have a voice, you should use it for the advantage of more people than yourself. Like Toni Morrison said, "The function of freedom is to free someone else."

I'm wise enough to know that know that money can't buy you happiness and lovers. But it's gone get my momma out the struggle, nigga.  J. Cole- Rags to Riches (At the Beep)

     Drake don't say shit. I'm not saying this makes him less "good". He's lyrically talented. He has a way with rhythm and wordplay that is rare. But he doesn't tackle many topics outside of himself. He talks a lot about what he knows which is the difficulty of coming into a lot of money in a little time. He speaks on his life. A lot of people, like... normal people, can't really connect to... unless they're pretend ballin out at the club... which is all people do these days. Pretend to make money. Pretend to have more than the next. Always on payday. The rest of the week, they're back in the struggle. I mean... Drake was a college boy, too.. but when I watched his "When I Was 17" on MTV, I immediately noticed how uncool he was. Poor Drake was a little cornball with lots of talent. No disrespect, he's nice now, but he looks like the kind of guy who can't dress himself. He's half lame & we all know it. He doesn't have any personal swag. All his swag is recorded on a mic. It's like that's all the swag he's got. Drake lacks presence on tracks. Which might be why both Jay and Rick Ross had him sing the hooks on their songs, "Off That" and "Aston Martin Music", respectively. I mean, Cole got a (pretty vicious) verse in on "A Star is Born". 

     This is where I think Hip-Hop has been lacking. In standing behind the struggle. In Jay-Z's "Decoded" there's a section about BIG's line in "Juicy" where he dedicates the song to "all the niggas in the struggle".  & That's real. It's  what Jay calls, "the ultimate story, the story of struggle, which is what defines us all." Drake doesn't have enough struggle for me. He's like DMC to me in that he "elevate[s...] humble life into something iconic" (p10). He can say day to day shit & make it sound cool. For example, he ended the line I used above from "Light Up" with "I could use a cup of O.J."  And we sang right along with the nothing-ness. Drake's a master of the love song and the party record. He has reinvented R&B and it's relation to Hip-Hop. Drake is Hip-Hop-and-R&B --in one.


Cole, though? My man speaks. And he makes me want to listen to every word he says. This man is vicious. This man is Hip-Hop.

#TeamJCole

Jay-Z's "Decoded" - Part 1

Did it different. Did it better. Did it nice. Did the impossible, then did it twice. Get it right. 

Jay-Z "Hovi Baby"

Before I read this book, I have a couple things to say. 

Lots of people expect me to like this book. So it's been terribly difficult to write this. The thing with Jay-Z is... the fans. The popularity and weight that comes with the name "Jay-Z" is advertising in it's own. He's a brand-name whose point of sale is "quality with consistency". Who wouldn't buy that? Granted, I am one of those people who thinks that every Jay album is exceptional. But that's only because it's true. So in trying to prove to myself that I wasn't a rider... I really listened to the new albums. But only in rotation with the rest. So, I know everyone might expect me to love this book and be excited for it which I was until I read the first page.  Everyone has been hailing how great this book is. & while it is well written, the writing is so.... ordinary. & Jay-Z is an extraordinary nigga. So I was disappointed at first browse. 

& I don't know anyone who's read the book whose opinion I trust. Books are personal things. Not every book is good. Authors are like rappers to me... I just don't fucks with a lot of them. & fans reveling in the book aren't my fav either. I don't like trend books. I don't like to read what people are currently reading. Before I opened up my Decoded yesterday, I was reading Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice which is quite good. When I announced on FB, that my next post would be this one, I got some feedback. I even got an inbox message telling me the book is a "great read". WTF does "great read" mean? That's the shit they put on self help books on the front table at Border's. It doesn't mean a damn thing.  On page 54, Decoded reads, "The problem isn't in the rap or in the rapper or the culture. The problem is that so many people don't even know how to listen to music." If people can fuck up a basic skill like listening,  I'd argue they're even worse at reading.  I wrote about the same idea in  "For the Love of Hip Hop," on November 17th. 2010. Just ONE DAY after Jay-Z released his book. That's why I'm reading this book now. Because there is a voice in there, behind all the bullshit, that is meant for me. I'll find it. But...the thing is... its not easy. 

    For a while, I hadn't been able to get passed the first couple pages --Page 5 to be exact. Which is really page 2.5 of text and literal page 23 in the book --for a couple of reasons. First, HEAVY ASS BOOK. I understand why now, sort of... because the images in the book simply print and present better in this manner. But a soft/ply cover option would have been nice. I need a book I can throw in my bag and go. The book is  too fuckin big. & I know that sounds like a dumb complaint, but there's more to that. People love hardcovers as decoration on their end tables. This book looks amazing on a bookshelf. But what about those of us who read? Your book wasn't welcoming. I think you missed out on an immense audience. The audience who will grab and go and read on the train or when they're waiting on just anything.  All business -- you missed out on sales, dude. On a consumer level, it made your book sort of cold and distant especially with the white cover. There's something about a soft cover book, in that you can lay up with it and bring it where ever you're going, that connects you toit. Both the content and it physically. (Cred: Advertising major who once interned for a publishing house. & I liked my classes.)

#2: I hate that book. The very conception of it. You already know I hate the physical qualities of the book, but I'm also a hater on it's construction. It's essence. I'm saying this here because I'm strong enough to admit it. I'm not jealous of Dream Hammond and her being able to work with Jay on this book. She has (a supposed) 20 years in the industry. She's reputable. But she sucks. This isn't anything Hammond should take to heart, most writers suck. Not only does she suck, her blog sucks. Here, visit: DreamHampton.com. & I hate on her so much, that I've been misspelling her name, but I'm going to leave it misspelled where it already lays. Out of pure disrespect. 

     But now that it's out, I have a crown to come at. A crown Hampton does not hold. No one knows her unless they're in the industry. Have you heard of her? Before this? & With that said,  I mean the Hip-Hop industry, because she is not a writer. Yes, she writes. And she writes with skill. But writing is not her passion. She's a film major. Ok... She's a very smart woman, I can't deny that. She went to NYU. But it's not my fault she paid more for her school name than I did. & before Jay, her claim to fame is that "she filmed her neighbor Chirstopher "Notorious B.I.G." Wallace for a documentary class." Really? You put that in your bio? He was your neighbor. How tough was it to set that up? I read some of her other stuff on that website, and forreal, I'm not impressed. 

    She was a mediocre feature on this project. I just don't think that Jay should have teamed up with someone who wasn't at the top of the craft. Choosing Hampton was like choosing anyone. I wasn't a collaboration. If Jay-Z & Lil Wayne is not a collaboration, but Jay-Z & Nas is, WTF has she done that makes this a collaboration? Even Jay-Z & Sista Souljah would have made more sense (from a publicity point) but I'm not a fan of hers either.  There are few well known black writers. Even less female black writers. The only ones I respect are Toni Morrison and Maya Angelou. But to me, Angelou is a better poet than essayist or story teller. 

& Most of All: The writing sucks. To the point to where I have to edit my book. It took everything in me to not take out my red Sharpie. In the end I failed and let my ink wrestle the first page. I didn't even like the first sentence. I wanted to feel like, with the first word, Jay was talking to me. Cuz that's how big Jay is. As soon as you hear his voice, you know it's him. He's unmistakable. So unmistakable that my 56 year old mother knows when it's Jay playin on the radio. 

     I love words. And I think every story has its own voice because every person has their own voice. The ability to ghost write, I think is a gift. The opportunity is not. The first 2.5 pages of this book don't read "Jay-Z" enough for me. I keep thinking... he wouldn't really say that like that. The first pages are real detached. Too professional. Pretentious. Too methodical for a man who is a freestyling legend. And some of it is just awkward. 

The first sentence: 

"I saw the circle before I saw the kid in the middle." is not a powerful enough sentence. The first line in a verse (like the first line in a paragraph) is always a statement & then a breath. That statement should be able to stand alone. So I typed a quick "Jay" into the iTunes search tab & threw him on shuffle. Just to prove my point: the Theory of the First Line.  If Jay does it while rapping, I'm sure he'd do it in writing. 

Examples: 

"Still there's pain." - Sweet

"Hello brooklyn." - Hello Brooklyn

"You're my best friends sister."-Soon You'll Understand

"I hustle from night to morning." There's Been a Murder

Then I cleared my search tab & hit "next". 

"See. I'm like a new breed of female." - Secret Location Remy Ma.

"Look, Nigga what you think this is?" - Here We Go - Trina

Even the females are doing it! 

Worst sentence so far: 

"When I got a little older, Marcy would show me it's menace, but for a kid in the seventies, it was mostly an adventure, full of concrete corners to turn, dark hallways to explore, and everywhere other kids." 

First, LONG ASS SENTENCE. 

      Second, "When I got a little older Marcy would show me it's menace." Who would say that? It's meance? That sounds way too scripted. #FilmMajor. Third, "concrete corners to turn" as opposed to.... concrete corners to jump? What else do you do with a corner? Or may be meant as opposed to plastic corners to turn. But I'm not sure how many different types of corners there are out there. Fourth: How many of you say, "and everywhere other kids"? How about... "and other kids everywhere" or we can take advice from Strunk & White and simplify to "and kids everywhere." No shit other kids. "Other kids" means the exact same thing as just saying "kids" "Simplify, Simplify," wrote Thoreau. "Do not overwrite," says Strunk & White along with "Write in a way that comes naturally."  I want to send Hampton a copy of my Strunk & White. I even got it out for her.  Point is, I shouldn't have this much to say about one sentence. 

      So I've been acting out my marginalia. I'm correcting less as I read along, but  there are still too many places where I, as a reader, am asking for more elaboration. Sometimes the story isn't playing out like it should. Things aren't said in the way they should be. They're lacking depth. Sorry, Ms. Hampton, but you know how Hip Hop goes. To be the best, you gotta prove yourself better than those on top. I still have my own work to do. So grammatical faux pas are acceptable of me, in my Blogging venue. But some writers are just real overrated *cough* Thing is... I'm like Jay. You know, how he used to pull out that binder on the mailbox? (page 5: an instance where the imagery you wrote didn't appropriately describe the desperation or the passion. You made it sound like the same kid who stops to tie his shoes even if he falls behind. The tone is too nonchalant....) & thats what makes me dope, Ms. Hampton. & if I'm not doper than you yet, I will be. Be patient, these things take time.  

 "Dopeness," A dope picture. 

      I'm already the best. I'm going to say it here. Now. So later, when when you hear about me, you'll know exactly how I said it, when I said & that I meant it. On page 26, you helped write, "if you can say how dope you are in a completely original, clever and powerful way, [that in itself] becomes proof of the boast's truth." Watch this.

This dope shit is nothin. 

I was there when Dope was invented; I hold the copyright. 

Mattafact, everytime you say "dope" it should be followed by 

"Copyright © 88" with my name beside it. You can add on the "All rights reserved" if it so moves you. 

-ELLA being dope. 

      Only thing doper is the picture to the right. I really believe I'm one of the dopest bloggers out right now. (lol.. had to laugh at the one.) This blog, for me, is like "The Come Up," for J Cole. I'm hungry. I'm gonna make it.  & If they don't think I'm the best now, they'll jump on the wagon later. These things also take time. Note to Hampton: This is how you show confidence as opposed to cockiness which you failed to do in the last sentence on page 5.  You know that "show don't tell" thing you learn early on? It's one of those cases. The way to be confident in speech is to show, then tell. Then show again. Like a "Reminder". You know that song, right? 

    So hopefully, the book gives me what I need. & it's gotten better as the writing gained momentum. My last opinion on Hampton is that it takes her too long to get a story off the ground. But the pace and flow improve as the words and the story settle into each other. I'm consciously trying to read this with an unbiased eye but I had to get my preconceptions out first. I'm open to it to the rest of this. Maybe she'll prove to me why she's dope. I don't have much faith though. At worst, this is really just primary research into how his autobiography should be written... which I really should write. 

We'll see. Back to the book. 

I'll give a final opinion when I finish:  "Jay-Z's "Decoded" - Part 2" 

Nicki Minaj - Pink Friday

       

     She's currently the most talked about rapper. Hands down.  This little lady's fame is rivaled only by the king of controversy himself, Kanye West. But when we talk about the female wave of rappers, Nicki has certainly staked her claim and made her mark. 

       Let me first say that I am a fan of Lil' Kim. Like it or not, it matters. For the younger generation of listeners, Lil' Kim is now just a played out "has been" as Nicki slyly addresses to a nameless target in "Roman's Revenge". But if you're old enough to remember the most recent wave of female rappers (including Trina, Foxy, Eve, Da Brat, Missy Elliot and many more) you know how hesitant I might be to hand the crown over to Miss Minaj. And Miss Minaj herself understands my hesitance. 

       When Nicki first appeared on the scene, I was skeptical as most. I was, without holding back, comparing her bar to bar with Kim who will , in my eyes, forever be the Queen. You have to understand that for me, Kim was the first female to stand toe to toe with men on a lyrical basis. The only female who could get on a track with Notorious BIG, Jay-Z and the rest of them and hold her weight. To absolute annihilate the track. I mean, think back on Kim's verse on "All About the Benjamins". I challenge anyone to show me a hotter verse. Hers was the best verse in the whole fucking song. So Nicki had a lot to prove to me over time.  I mean, I think we were all haters. I know I was and I highly doubt there is even one day-one Nicki fan. The girl is pretty and her looks have gotten her a long way in the game. Not to say that she can't flow, but image is a a more influential part of Hip-Hop than it ever has been. Nicki might be the most attractive female Hip-Hop artist we've seen thus far. Although taste changes with time... we all have to admit that baby girl is BAD at a reported (but not verified) 34-26-45 which is astounding if she's 5'2. & I LOVE that she's 5'2. The baddest bitches are all 5'2, ya know: Jada Pinket-Smith, Eva Longoria(used to be)Parker, Salma Hayek..... & yours truly ;) lol

        "Everything I try to teach 'em, the gonna see it in time" in the appropriately titled "I'm the Best" which just so happens to be track #1. She's come into the game strong and not only made her mark in the eyes of those within her Young Money camp, but respected lyricists like Mr. West & President Carter as to have been featured with them on West's single, "Monster" (& she ripped the verse, might I say). Minaj also features Mr. West on her debut album in  "Blazin'" where she attacks the beat furiously as she busts a BustaBust-like flow, addressing the situation I just described with charisma and a talented, playful way with words: 

How could it be little me

had the power to be

the best B in the league. 

Yea, inevitably.

But could it be?

Little me  you was heckling me?

Now its monotony 
when I regularly 
appeal?

I catch wreck on recreation. 

So I exceed all your expectations.

Bitches aint got it in 'em. 

I kill 'em and then I skin 'em. 

The contact was signed

but I am the addendum.  

       You either love or hate her & her Barbie movement. But if you hate it, it might simply be that you don't understand. 

The whole album is crack

you aint even got to skip a track

I aint gotta get a plaque

I aint got to get awards

I just walk up out the door

all the girls will applaud

all the girls will commend 

as long as they understand 

that I'm fighting for the girls

who never thought they could win

cause before they could being 

you told them it was the end

But I am here to reverse 
the curse 
that they live in. 

        I've mentioned this ordeal before in my post Black Barbie: The Baddest Barbie in the World, the unfortunate circumstance that throws young Black girls into a state of self-loathing because of their skin color. We are typically considered the bottom of the bucket and the prettiest of us are usually lucky enough to be "pretty for a black girl." No matter how you phrase that, it always hurts. Like we can only be but so beautiful and our skin color is holding up back from this other level of attractiveness that we can't seem to reach. That's bullshit and I applaud Nicki Minaj for being a sista (although she is a phtoshopped and lightened version) and holding it down for the rest of us. Like she says in "Fly" ft. Rihanna (reviewed Rihanna's Loud too, check it here)

Everybody wanna try to box me in.

Suffocating everytime it locks me in.

Paint they own pictures, then they crop me in.

But I will remain where the top begins.

Cuz I am not a word. 

I am not a line.

I am not a line.

I am not a girl that can ever be defined. 

I am not fly; 

I am levitation. 

I represent an entire generation. 

     The generation she speaks of is that of a multitude of girls (and women, even) who need a voice. We've been silent for so long. It's been so long since we could stand side by side with men and hold our own (in the Hip-Hop world that is). There haven't been many songs we could sing along to and exert as much passion and strength as our male counterparts can. For the older "Barbies", it's been a while since someone gave us an anthem to to sing to. For the younger Barbs, they finally have someone to call their own. 

     There is a smidgen of humanity in this album that I'm looking forward to hearing more of. We barely know Nicki. This album has shed a beam of light into a very dark hole. But there are still dark corners in there we have yet to see. The song that speaks the most truth and gives further understanding into the ugly beauty of Barbie World is "Dear Old Nicki," where she literally speaks to the girl she used to be. I'm going to insert the verses here because I think it's important that you read what she's saying. I'm afraid there are few people listening to her. I know how that feels, it happens a lot to black girls. 

Maybe you died 

Cuz everybody ask me where you at

I try to channel you in hopes that I can steer you back

But it's like very intersection, we just missed eachother

you got your fans waitin.

Tell me you aint 6 feet under. 

And tell me that you coming back. That you just took a break. 

Maybe I blamed you for everything. 

That was my mistake. 

In hindsight I loved your rawness & I loved your edge

Cuz it was you who talked me down from jumping off the ledge.

Your earrings bamboo. Your long nails, too. 

Your BMW every time you came through.

You was the braveheart.

You stole Wayne's heart.
You never switched it up. 

You played the same part.

But I needed to grow and I needed to know.

Were there was something inside me that I needed to show. 

So I just deaded you. 

Left you in all black. 

But damn, old Nicki, please call back. 

[Chorus]

You Told Me You’d Come When I Needed You
And You Said It So Sweetly I believed you
But Im Standing Here Calling I Cant See You
But I Am Holding You, Holding You, Holding You To That

Yo, I did chase the glitz and the glamour, money, fame and power?

Cuz if I did, that will forever go down my lamest hour.

I shoulda kept you with me, getting at them nameless cowards.

They was no match for you. 

Couldn't defeat your prowress. 

I had to make them changes. I hope you understood. 

You see, for every bad, I did a ton of good. 

But you was underground. 

And I was mainstream. I live that life now that we would daydream

My only wish is you come enjoy it with me.

Get on them conference calls. Go meet them lawyers with me.

The money came, yea. I tripled and quadrupled it. 

But I still miss us when we was on some stupid shit. 

But it's still fuck the media.

They ridiculed you, never believed in ya.

They just deaded you. Left you in all black.

But... Dear, old Nicki,

Please call back. 

      I'm not sure we understand what these artists are going through as human beings. I touched on this a bit in my post "For the Love of Hip-Hop." These artists feel alone. They are the constant targets of hatred and envy. That last song from Nicki is the best I've ever heard an artist explain the image change one goes through when shifting from nothing to something. Especially as a black female, you're asked to change yourself at every turn. On her old stuff (and those old pictures) Nicki's image was a lot louder... a lot raunchier. Not sexy... more trashy. Now she's begun to go over into a more elegant and tasteful sort of sexy that I hope continues to evolve and  demand more respect. I understand her and her torn relationship with herself. How many of us also grow up with an "if anybody says anything to me" attitude, ready to fight at the club and "always down" attitude, the honestly gets you no where and holds you back. This tough exterior isn't completely an exterior, it becomes who you are and as violent and ill-concieved as it may be, it is what makes you strong. It's what guides you through and helps you survive goring up in certain places. It's what "Talk[s you] down from jumping off the ledge."  

      Nicki is very... very alone. There are few females out there right now (making money) that she can confide in. Most people making money in her industry, who share he mind-frame and upbringing are men. And the women out there making money probably haven't seen or gone through all the things that's she's gone through. Still, this album chronicles a "Moment 4 Life" that she'd definitely want to have on repeat. Nicki is a super pretty bitch now, but she wasn't always this girly, sex symbol with pink lipstick. But one thing can be said: She made it. Success is the ultimate aphrodisiac: "This moment just reminded me of everything they deprived me of. Put your drinks up. IT's a celebration everytime we link up. We done everything they could think of. Greatness is what we on the brink of," she flows in "Moment 4 Life" Ft. Drake. This girl is living life and for any Ella, Barbie, women girl or whatever you would like to call yourself who feels like she's in her prime, Nicki has hits you'll definitely want to listen to, cuz she's the only bitch doin it how it should be done: "Bitch, I get money so I do what I pleases. I live where the muthafuckin pools and trees is. Broke bitches so crusty. Disgust me. Gave the bitch a ride, got the continental dusty... couple wet wipes case a bum try to touch me. Ew!" She's really a funny, bitch y'all. lol. That's entertainment. 

     Overall, I wasn't blown out the water, but I was entertained.  Nicki has started to hang with what I will call the "right" group of people (The Jays and Kanyes) and I hope their genius rubs off on her. She's capable of deeper contemplation that this album put out. I think she needs to do more studying. More reading. She needs to educate herself about the world around her and find more to talk about. With this, not only will her content grow, but the quality of her writing. Nicki says some cool, witty stuff (like "I am not fly; I am levitation"), but there are certain phrases that can be phrased better. With better vocabulary for example. Her rhymes are too simple for my taste. She needs to develop as a writer. For example, I liked the "addendum" metaphor in "Blazin'" and I really wanted more of that.

     I think Nicki has more to say. This was a great start for her as an artist versus a pop star. I look forward seeing Nicki grow and say the things she wants to say without hesitation. I want to know how the real Nicki thinks. I want more verses like those in "Dear Old Nicki," and "Fly" that express emotion and elicit thought. Dear new/old Nicki --whoever is there --you're the only voice we have at the moment. I hope you continue to speak for us and use it wisely. To all of our advantages. 

Great start, Nicki. I'm looking forward to more.  

 Oh, & until she can stand toe-to-toe with the likes of Erykah Badu and Lauryn Hill, Nicki Minaj is not the best female rapper. If you disagree, seems to me you haven't heard much music in your time. Sorry,  Nicki, but you can't have that title just yet, baby girl --if at all. Only time will tell.

Rick Ross - Teflon Don

Hip-Hop's mafioso murders music mercilessly & it's magnificent.  

Yes, I wish he was prettier. I think we all do, I'll say that upfront. But there is something about Rick Ross that is refreshing. Actually, not quite refreshing, rather reminiscent of 1990s hip-hop that raised me. His fourth solo, studio ablum, Teflon Don (download here), dropped last Tuesday, July 20, 2010. 

 Plain and simple, Rick Ross is a thug. It's been a while since I heard explicit lyrics like this. Have you noticed lately that rappers are only talking about where, when and how much they can "take a shit". Like, Lil' Wayne's line "I got 10 bathrooms I can shit all day." There's more, trust me. Thugs just say things like "bitch", "fuck" and "nigga". The rest is just gross and uncomfortable unless it's coming from Eminem (that man get a pass on everything, no?).

Rick Ross has a delivery that is boastful yet serious. There is a different flashiness from him. He still speaks of the struggle and the need to succeed while basking in everything that is fame, "If you looking for me, you can find me in the Guinness book. Only fly bitches ride with the Boss. Take a look." Rick Ross has street appeal. Let me explain. Rick Ross might have illegal actions under his belt that were not  for publicity and mainly out of necessity. It's the same way everyone old enough knows that Snoop Dogg has bodies buried somewhere. Rappers recently, just have a look like they can get bullied and pushed around. Not the guys you'd call to have your back. If you look like you get punked, I have no respect for you. Sorry, I breathe hip-hop and abide by street commandments. Chumps get no respect and Ross let's us know he is no chump.

"So fuck a nigga. I'm self made. 
You a sucka nigga. I'm self-paid. 
This for my broke niggas. This for my rich niggas. 
Got a hundred on the head of a snitch nigga. 


I think I'm Big Meech. Larry Hoover. 
Whippin work. Hallelujah. 
One nation. Under God. 
Real niggas gettin money from the fuckin start."
Rick Ross - B.M.F. (Blowin Money Fast) ft. Styles P.


The mafioso name-dropping though, seems to get Ross in trouble often. Apparently, the Gotti Family isn't too happy about the name of the album being titled Teflon Don since that was John Gotti Jr's, Boss of the NYC Gambino crime family, nickname. But then again, Demetrius "Big Meech" Flenory and  Larry Hoover don't seem to have a problem with being mentioned. Sidenote: Is there something deeper here? Meech & Hoover are both Black. Seems like sometime we forget that the Italians didn't fancy Blacks. I mean, just watch West Side Story. I doubt they meant to show how the Blacks were treated, and if you ignore it, you don't see it. But if you're Black, you'll notice. Perhaps Rick Ross's controversy can open up race conversation in certain circle although I have little faith that it will.

Anyhow, Rick Ross. Thug, right? And Rick Ross doesn't sing BTW. To "make up" for that, he has amazing collabos in Teflon Don: Jadakiss, T.I., Trey Songz, Erykah Badu, P-Diddy (there's something fly about Diddy's wack, you have to admit that) to name a few. It seems like if I stop paying attention to the song playing, all of a sudden I hear a familiar voice and say "You, too!?"

No matter the features, Ross holds his own. He has a raw way of speaking. His delivery is puporseful and shows no signs of hesitation. Ross's way of speaking makes it seem like everything he's saying is truth. Even his lady-aimed "Aston Martin"  ft. Drake and Chrisette Michelle (What'd I say about this effin amazin feaures?!?!?) retains his gangsta as he  says, "Everytime we fuck, her soul takes control of me."  Maybe that's not how a lady wants to hear it, but that's his truth. There's nothing better than the truth. That's the real hip-hop has been missing for a while.

You know an album's good when you want it to be over so you can listen to it again.

Bra[fuckin]vo, Ross.