Rap Attack 101: What to Have Before You Leave the Studio

 

BREAKING NEWS: I'm a Jay-Z fan.  This is only my opinion and not law, but he's the greatest MC of all time because "MC" stands for "master of ceremonies" and nobody masters a ceremony as a hip-hop/rap artist like Mr. Carter.  (I will say that Doug E. Fresh is arguably more or at least equally entertaining as a one-man show.)  Now for the real point of this post...it takes a lot to go from Picture #1 to Picture #2 as a rapper, MC, artist or however you choose to bill yourself.  Seems like an obvious statement simply because Jay is the subject in these pictures.  However, judging from many of the performances that I see at open mics, artist showcases, and even "professional" concerts, it's not as consensus of a practice as one should expect it to be.  Let's forget lack of stage presence or a clear sign that an artist doesn't practice enough before they grace the stage.  Let's not even get into whether somebody is dope boy fresh or spewing wack juice all over the game.  The thing that annoys me the most is that many artists think they're so ready for Picture #2 that they leave Picture #1 without the essentials.

Scribbler's Highlight of the Week: The Miami Heat Take On Harlem

So all of my highlights will not necessarily be from the same week...in fact, it'll typically be something that I came across or simply thought about posting that week.  Anyway, anyone who knows me knows that I always complain about being the last to know about everything and anything.  So when my best friend Country showed me some clips of people doing the new Harlem Shake, I felt lost as usual--mainly because I thought, "This doesn't look like the Harlem Shake that I remember!"  Nevertheless, I quickly got over it as I was wildly and thoroughly entertained by most of the clips.

Scribbler's Throwback of the Week: War, "Galaxy"

So remember the "Been Around the World" video where Puff Daddy and J. Lo quite possibly ignited their much-documented romantic history with a dance for the Shiny Suit Rap ages?  Yeah...this was the song playing--a gem delivered by the legendary Long Beach, California funk band from their 1977 album, Galaxy.  The opening bass line alone may be one of the nastiest introductions to ever grace a song--and I wouldn't be surprised if Rick James was inspired by that same movement when composing "Give It To Me Baby."  Not to mention that the marriage of the bass, the piano chords and the percussion is signature War, but on a different tip because it rhythmically makes minced meat out of most disco records of its time.  So if you find yourself listening to this and decide to tap into your inner Diddy or Jenny From the Block, I promise that I will not judge you...to your face.

Scribbler's Highlight of the Week: Blake Griffin...And One, Son

So since I'll be sharing sonically-pleasant favorites once a week, I have to get on my Warner Wolf and "go to the videotape" as well.  Thus, the "Scribbler's Highlight of the Week" is born.  Usually, I'll feature a spectular sports play--mainly because I live vicariously through athletes since I'm probably the least athletically-inclined member of my father's side of the family for this generation--but don't be surprised if it's just something funny, swaggerific or just flat-out random as a mugg.  With that said, on to the inaugural feature...

Hail to the [Fill In The Blank]: Fight For New D.C.

At the "Racist Stereotypes and Cultural Appropriation in American Sports" Symposium at the Smithsonian's Museum of the American Indian on February 7th, one of the top issues was the nickname attributed to the team that has been in my hometown of Washington, D.C. since 1937: "Redskins".  Apparently, there were many people who walked into this symposium donning team apparel with a sense of pride in their local pro football team.  However, many of those people walked out with heavy hearts and regret once they realized just how "racist" and "demeaning" the term is to the Native American culture.  Furthermore, not one person in the audience stood up to defend the name--including any member of the franchise because no one answered the Smithsonian's invitation to participate.  I would have not only attended the symposium if I knew about it beforehand, but more important, I would've been in the majority of those who had nothing positive to say about this long-standing nickname.