1350 Okie Doke Street: Five Overrated Hip Hop Albums

Being a Libra often means one thing: I prefer harmony and avoid confrontation like the plague--often to a fault.  However, being the man Big Dadi Scribbler helped to raise also means I have no problem defending my position if that's what I believe wholeheartedly.  Besides, when you've gone a significant portion of your life flying under the radar, having the occasional unpopular opinion is light work.  With that said, the inspiration for this new posting series came from one of those "one gotta go" memes featuring Sade, Erykah Badu, Beyonce and Lauryn Hill.  Mrs. Scribbler and I talked about how people often make those memes to target a certain artist they feel is overrated, i.e., it's always Beyonce who takes that "L".  However, I have been in some of the most virulent arguments over everything from hip hop needing to be a form of "edutainment" to what makes a quarterback "elite" to anything regarding the Dallas Cowboys to...well...Beyonce.  So as an ode to the now defunct Dream turned Love Nightclub--which was more hype than actual dope, especially since I once had to beg a DJ to play go-go music in a nightclub in D.C.--I welcome you all to the grand opening of "1350 Okie Doke Street" where "controversy create conversation".  First up: I present five hip hop albums which I love, like or tolerate, but believe have been vastly overrated.  Preparing to lose friends and followers in five...four...three...two...one...

Album Review: Jay-Z, "Magna Carta...Holy Grail"

As I have matured in the way that I listen to music, I have become one of those people that doesn't rush to declare an album's greatness until I've had ample time to sit with and study the product in its entirety.  Thus, you can imagine how annoyed I became at seeing so many people gawk at my favorite rapper's twelfth studio album, Magna Carta... Holy Grail.  Granted, Jay-Z flexed his hustler's muscle once again by selling a million records well before his much-anticipated album even hit the market, so you know this only fueled the frenzy.  What built the anticipation even more was that a lot of his core fans had been disappointed with his product as of late--some since American Gangster and many since as far back as The Black Album.  However, I knew there was trouble afoot for our beloved superhero (or beloved villain depending on who you ask)...

UHHHH DUHHHH ALERT: Kendrick Lamar Named MTV's "Hottest MC"

So this is supposed to be a picture of Kendrick Lamar being surprised as MTV personality and hip-hop aficionado Sway tricked the 25-year-old Compton, California rapper into thinking that he was getting interviewed.  In reality, Sway revealed that Kendrick had been named MTV's "Hottest MC in the Game" for 2012.  Now before we go any further, I must set this up with Mrs. Scribbler's reaction to the list...when I merely mentioned that Future was No. 9 on this list a spot ahead of Meek Mill, she scoffed, "I'm no longer interested.  I mean, you can continue, but I'm no longer interested.  Is he even a rapper???"  However, when she correctly guessed the top gun, she immediately said, "That's no surprise.  He deserves it."