Smart & Angry

When I was a Freshman in high school there was this one Senior guy who would always be messing with me. On one of his last days of school he snuck up on me before I was able to use my 4.5 evasive combine speed and instead of throwing me to the ground, putting me in a headlock, or taunting me, he explained to me why he had tormented me the whole year:

He said: “Don’t run man, I ain’t going to do nothing to you. You know why I always was messin with you right?”

I looked at him as non-scared as I could, fearing there was some sneaky ill-fated plan behind the way I chose my answer, and answered: “No”

He said: “so after I am gone you wont be letting all these fake dudes step to you, make you tougher”

A good lesson in hindsight, I was a arrogant dude who thought I could just come in and run game.When in reality I was maybe a a buck twenty-three, standing at maybe 5’5, with a loud mouth and no backbone yet. I needed some older dudes showing me whats up so I could truly takeover.

It was a good thing that happened, cause next year there were these incoming freshmen who were trying to be hard and all gangster-ish. They stepped to someone in my crew mistakenly, and I called them out, not letting off from that point on.

Over the last few years I have been watching Toronto’s rap sensation Aubery “Drake” Graham on the come-up. As successful as he has been, his whole persona reminds me of of those very incoming freshmen. A lot of posing, tough talk, and no back-bone. No older homey ever told him what was up, so he goes chameleon mode, and just hops on trends (Two years later those same tough-guys were skaters) trying a little too hard to be semi-cool.

The evidence is clearly in my favor in the case of the State of Realness vs Aubery Grahm. Not to mention dude was a teen actor, so most likely he perfected his chameleon abilities in this profession early on. Still, allow me to present a few shreds of evidence to the jury.

Exhibit A:

When I had first started peeping dude back in the 00’s, dude had beef with Toronto’s other famous MC Kardinall Offishall(who would destroy Aubery if it went to wax). Why? Well it seems as if Kardi got on one of Drake’s mixtape tracks and dissed some other resident Maple Leaf rapper whose name I can’t recollect. And instead of Drake being a man about the situation, dude tucks tail and runs to this other said rapper, and says he is cool with him and has nothing to do with Kardi dissin him(though it was his mixtape and he could of removed the song).Yeah that is some sucka shit**.

**yeah he pretty much just pulled a classic bitch move. Much like the one he pulled this year when the love of his life Weezy got on Hov and he went once again went Backpedal Mcgee on the situation again.**

Exhibit B:

I was cool with Drake when I first heard him. He had some tracks I felt could get some radio love, nothing too corny about em’, no love lost. Then he singed a major label deal (to this day I still think he should of kept it indie but dude needs someone to hold his hand most likely) and when he released Thank Me Later’s 1st single Over...you remember this one? With “classic” lines such as.

"what am I doing(repeat), I’m doing me(repeat)" (pause)

Yeah he just said that.

"bout to set it off in this bitch, Jada Pinkitt" (pause)

A reference about a movie featuring four women robbing a bank? OK, that one is a little less (pause) worthy since he didn’t say: “bout to Jason’s Lyric in this” . That would ended all, if he said that.

Not to mention how forced, and contrived the song sounded as well. Yet I thought to myself, maybe that’s just a rare misfire.

Well next he came out with a song was which up until that Weezy single this year which I can’t speak of, is the most Nick Jr-sounding, soft, pieces of trash I have heard this side of Kevin Rudolf.

I will not speak too much on this song. For I am not 14 years old and am not a female. I don’t know how anyone over the age of 18 would consider making this. Is this what he meant by the game being “Over”? If so, in every wrong way it would be over soon if nonsense like this kept circulating the airwaves.

Then came this tough talk new single Headlines

K, your a tough guy now? Going to body some guys now? Real?

Yet you still sing/rap on the track?

This is as bad as Hammer making that diss video with background dancers, for Jay-Z.

Exhibit C:

My last article of evidence I will introduce to the jury, is the recent Phonte words about Drizzy, dedicating the songwriter of the year award to Tigallo. Aubery has been up & down shouting out 9th Wonder and Phonte in the public eye for a minute now. Yet, he has yet to do a song with either? That is on some sideways type shit. Like it’s almost like he is trying to prove that he is cool with them in the public eye for the sake of him knowing that he is cool with older established homeys. What bothers me even more is that this is not the first time this has happened with a artist and him.

Danny! was supposed to be featured on his debut album, but for some reason Drizzy(and his handlers) wasn’t having that, and took him off(only evidence that remains online) the album.

This says a lot of the mans character. Or lack there-of I should say. Guy is quick to big-up someone, yet the actual possibility comes of doing something with said artist...dude ducks out and gets real funny style. Glad that Phonte called him out on it though, might be the big homey treatment he has been lacking in his circle. You know Wayne isn’t putting him up on game( remember that single , no grown man can tell me anything if he made a song like this ) for sure.

Bottom line is dude is major suspect. Definitely not someone you would want standing in your corner. Might as well have a cardboard cut out of him if that’s the case. It would provide essentially the same service(or lack of). That’s how much credibility Drake has shown up to this point, and it especially comes across in his music as well. Where for every one good song I hear of his, I hear probably five other ones lacking any identity, much like himself. Dude is phony.

So what is it? Is Drake Harvey Dent? Or is he Two-face? One thing for sure is Drake is on one.

-Justa

It’s coming around that time for me to start putting together my 2011 year end list of music. Yet before I even get around to doing that, I would like to first get a few more projects from last year. Which somehow I completely neglected for reasons being :

a) I just wasn't up on them
b) slipped my mind while I was organizing the lists last year.
c) I was overwhelmed at the task of writing about 102 songs 20 albums, and other matters.
d) all of the above

Either way, I come to bring justice back to these overlooked projects which this year have still captivated my ears a plenty.  So without further delay, here are a few jawns that missed my list year.

Danny!-And I Love H.E.R/Where is Danny?
Bobojojo introduced me last year to South Carolina artist Danny!(Govement name  Danny Swain) in a major way . Sending me dudes whole current catalog, and giving me all the background information I needed on him(including info on Mr Oct Very Own Aubery Drake leaving him off of Thank Me Now[Drakes fakeness is a post for another day]). My verdict on his music: Though I can’t get down with a lot of his earlier works, his last 5 years have been quite impressive.  And I Love H.E.R(2008) and 2009(leaked)/2011(officially released)Where is Danny? are bangers. He is definitely in his own lane, and his quirkiness is a much needed attribute in today's hip-hop world.

Earl Sweatshirt-Couch
Nothing this year that has required as many playbacks as missing the OFWGKTA members 2010 release Couch. Yeah it’s offensive as hell, but who in high school didn’t have a clever friend that was able to shock you a bit here in there in clever ways(most likely wasn’t the Homecoming King either). When you move past the shock value though, one thing is apparent for sure: the kid has got  some major skills on the mic. Though a short in running time, it  works as a complete work. This would of easily been in my top five last year for sure if I would of been on the up & up. And no, I am not saying ___ Earl !. 

Das Racist- Sit Down, Man(download here)
This is one of those groups you either love or hate. They do have a lot of hipster sensibilities  in their music, but dudes can rhyme. This project  is a good display of all what they bring to the table. Which includes a lot of satire, cynicism, and  jokes(check the Lil Wayne like song below). Pretty sure your friend with the fixed gear bike has played this for you already,  which is a great alternative to Beruit and Animal Collective if you ask me.

Terrece Martin- Here my Dear(download here)
It’s Terrace not Terrance  by the way! One of my favorite up & coming producers/artist produced this gem for the grown folks last year. Inspired by Marvin Gaye’s album of the same title, the project explores relationships and love(groundbreaking right?) while boasting solid features from artist such as Snoop Dogg, Murs, Wiz Khalifa, Kendrick  Lamar, Thurz & YO{formally of U-N-I}), Charlie Wilson, Kurupt and others this is definitely something that should be  on your iPod. Especially when you’re trying to getting your romance on.

Jazmine Sullivan-Love Me, Back
Don’t know how I left this off the list last year. This songwriter/vocalist impressed me so much with her first album, that it often had me standing up like I was up in Sunday worship service while listening. The second album only improves on what we were given a small glimpse on the first. Great vocal performances by her, and solid soul without sounding dated as well.  In a world where R&B has been invaded by rap and electronica, it’s good to hear someone sticking to the blueprint.

Strong Arm Steady- In Search of Stoney Jackson

My homey (shout-out to KP!) always swears by Strong Arm Steady. I personally have never been that huge of a fan of the (now)trio. Phil Da Agnoy has always been interesting to me before he joined,   Mitchy Slick is cool, Krondon has moments, but as a collective... nothing to write home about. That is until this Madlib produced album surfaced towards the end of last year. Madlib in my opinon is one of the top 5 beat-makers alive today. Yet, because of the release this year,  I was confused on to what album was which. Madlib is a beast, and if you know anything about his quirky, dusty productions, you know that there is no way you can come with your usual flow to his backdrops. Which pushes the usually calculated SAS crew,  above their usual west coast braggado.

-Justa