Another week bites the dust my dudes.  Brett Farve steps back on the football field, Michael Phelps did his favorite impression of Prince Namor the Submariner, and Team USA beat the living dog s***t out of Spain. In addition to the two profound losses last week, the music industry lost Jerry Wexler.  Shout to Usain Bolt who blew the entire field of the track in the 100 meter dash.

Gearing up for AllHipHop Week (stay tuned for announcements) Harlem Week (Which is really like Harlem Month), the Democratic National Convention (Hillary still hustlin') and Vlad's Lawsuit (I saw pics, not a 4 million dollar  beating, but people should tell they entourage to chill out) and dealing with the fallout, both positive and negative from the ozone awards.  Been a fast month, but a long opening so without further ado let's get it!

T.I. "What Up"

The drama continues as T. I. gives a not so subtle jab at Shawty Lo.  We've been watching this thing unfold and in the grand scheme of things musically it just really isn't a contest. Even further apart in talent than the Jay-z /Jim Jones farce. Lackluster as far as these types of songs go rhyme scheme and hater talk is pedestrian.  You can see people getting hype and it's listenable, but if you don't know that there's beef attached, it's just another stop jocking me hater song.  T.I. is bigger than that.

Shawty Lo "Knew It"

Man.  This is just close to the worst.  First it sounds like the president of the Young Jeezy Fan club dropped a song.  After you get past that, it's pretty much the same talky flow as "What up" and a bunch of other songs.  More crotch grabbing anti snitch  accusatory rhetoric.  I'm sure some one somewhere is eating this up, but I can't imagine the world going crazy over this.  The beat is trap song X as well. 

These two songs are an example of how beef can side track you from your mission and your musical identity. Fellas, break bread, ignore each other or whatever but both of you are better than these songs.  Just stop.

Bun B feat. Rick Ross, David Banner, 8Ball & MJG-"You're Everything"

And now, for some good stuff from the Durty. This sounds like a love song to Southern Hip-Hop from the good folks south of the Mason Dixon.  If you don't feel that way it's all good, but key in on MJG's verse and see if you get what I'm saying.   Officer Ross, David Banner and 8Ball all ut in stellar performances, but it is Bun B and MJG who really bring out the essence of this joint. Dig it.

Big BoiFeat. Raekwon, Andre 3000-"Royal Flush"

It's good to hear Dre and Big Boi together rhyming on the same track, and with Rae riding shot gun like it was 10 years ago, you'd think it was magic.  Not quite.  I think the culprit here is the music, the production on this feels disjointed.  Perhaps it's a piece of a larger ensemble, but it just isn't as smooth as I'm used to hearing them. It's not as seamless. Solid track lyrically and Dre bats cleanup like few rappers in history can, but this doesn't sound like they were in the studio together.

Cassidy Feat. Corey Gunz- "Body Bagz"

Heat. Corey Gunz opens up with illness (you broke nose for trying to Mike Jones my o zone...bwahahahah) and Cassidy the Hustler (Shout to Smothe) hops on afterward on a mission not to get murdered on his own track.. While his flow isn't as ill, the lyrics and delivery more than make up for it and his a capella ending puts the proverbial boot on the throat.  Body bags indeed

Busta Rhymes Feat. Ludacris, Lil Wayne;"Throw It Up"

Man how much heat does Busta have to drop to make the market give a f**k?  I haven't heard anything weak from him in recent memory and the world just doesn't seem to care.  The song itself is formulaic, but it bumps.  You would hope that with outrageous flowers like Busta, Wayne and Luda that the format would more more than linear punchline layups.

Billy Danze "Im'a Kill 'Ya"

If you owe Billy Danze, you hould probably pay him. I know some of you got your Styles P's and your Hell Rells and all that, but no body is more hardcore than Billy on the mic. You can bet a Brownsville ass whipping on that. DV Alias Krist  signing on the hook. Singing too long on the hook. It still ain't the same without Fizzy Wo', but this is solid mixtape fodder. Respect the jux. 

Ice Cube "Why Me" Raw Footage

Ice Cube delivers once again.  Decades into the game he still manages to deliver originality and flavor.  In this song, Cube raps first person in the frame of a murder victim speaking to his murderer.  It's ill without being sappy or morbid. Worth listening to.

*************************************************************************** Overtime

There's been a lot of talk out there about how old rapper should retire and step off the stage but really none of the young dudes have proven themselves talented enough to get it done (Don't get it twisted Wayne is almost 30) Well I nominate Corey Gunz. He's got the lienage, the youth, the skills, the talent and most importantly the hunger. Here's something to get you familiar if you don't know. Peace out, football season coming soon my dudes.

corey gunz

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Happy Birthday Marcus Garvey!! Jamaica Stand up!!