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Blogs Music for Life "Hmm... Makes Me Wonder" by Mitchell Mensa | "Hmm... Makes Me Wonder" by Mitchell Mensa |
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| Written by Mitchell Mensa | |
| Friday, 13 July 2007 | |
First, people really need to get off of the notion that Lil’ Wayne is the best rapper in the game right now. An artist saying he’s the best rapper is not a valid enough reason for a person to state the rapper’s claim as fact. It really irks me when I hear a fellow artist or fan express this as their opinion. Before I say anything else, I want it to be known that Lil' Wayne is currently one of my favorite artists. When they were each released, Tha Carter I, Tha Carter II and both Dedication mixtapes constantly stayed in the rotation on my iPod and stereo. Before that, I liked various tracks from his previous albums and the S.Q.U.A.D. mixtapes. But I’m not going to let his increased popularity cloud my judgment either. Lately, the Weezy hype train has been getting out of control. I could honestly think of ten rappers currently in the game that I feel are better than Lil Wayne. If I wanted to take it even further, I could think of at least five southern artists that I believe are better musicians overall.
Next, it is beyond me why many artists feel compelled to get a track produced by Eminem. I have no issues whatsoever with a person asking to get a hot sixteen bars from him; I respect Eminem in that fashion. But as soon as he is requested or decides to get behind those boards, I almost throw up listening to the finished product. This dude has like a 20% success rate in terms of producing a hot song. The last Eminem produced beat that I genuinely enjoyed was 50 Cent’s “I’m Supposed to Die Tonight” off of The Massacre. I can recall countless times in which it seemed as if Eminem was trying his hardest to sabotage a song which an artist was killing lyrically. For example; Jay-Z lyrically does his thing on “Moment of Clarity” from The Black Album. But I usually skip the track every time I listen to the album due to that beat. On Nas’ album God’s Son, “Carry the Cross” suffers the same fate. Sometimes I chuckle to myself, when Nas raps, “Y’all can keep your week beats from your corny producers”. I didn’t really hate the song, but I did not love it either. I was not able to realize why, until I listened to the same lyrics on a different beat on 9th Wonder’s bootleg God’s Stepson. That instrumental and those lyrics from Nas seamlessly meshed together in turn, creating a completely different and ultimately better song. It has gotten to the point where I can’t even listen to original track anymore. The Eminem produced “Touchdown” which is featured on the album T.I. vs. T.I.P. , is a song that I actually like. However, the production on that track is average and I feel that there could have been better alternatives to the beat that was selected. Lastly, I simply do not understand the unnecessary hate that Fat Joe receives from the fans and media alike. Granted he’s not one of the upper tier artists currently in the rap game, nor is he as entertaining as he used to be, but I feel that the criticism that he receives is somewhat unwarranted. Not only is he responsible for introducing the lyrical monster Big Pun to the masses, he has released some quality material during his career. I feasibly could not dislike an artist who created tracks such as “Success” and “Bronx Tale”. His 1995 release Jealous One’s Envy is an arguable classic in my opinion. While other albums such as Don Cartagena, Represent & J.O.S.E. are all adequate in their own right. I do admit that some of the current material he puts out is horribly forced, but even in his current state of mind, I still hear tracks from him that I can truthfully say I like. Now I am by no means touting Fat Joe to be one of the best to ever do it; I’m simply just saying he’s a pretty good artist. Joey Crack could not possibly be worse than some of the people that try to pass themselves off as rap musicians today. Yet, talking to many fans of rap would lead you to believe otherwise. But, I’m not going to get too bent out of shape about any of this. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, right? Comments
(20)
Fat Joe is Wack because he made a wack song with Paris Hilton! And how is it that he got a pass for saying the n-word in the chorus of lean back and everyone hopped on j-lo's back when she said it. They're both puerto ricans from the bronx, right?
Changed my mind about Weezy after hearing his latest mixtapes. There are not 10 rappers in the game better, nor are there 5 southern rappers better right now. South: 1) Dre 3000, 2) T.I., 3) Weezy. Overall: 1)Jay-Z, 2) South List. Weezy mixtapes:
http://buymixtapes.com/free_download.php?album_id=4263 http://buymixtapes.com/free_download.php?album_id=4256
What about Scarface, Bun B & Big Boi even? I all think that they're better southern artists than Weezy right now. Fat Joe's wack cuz he sold his soul for riches and Eminem is horrible altogether.
We can always count on Fat Joe to give us a hot summer single but the rest of his album is usually doesn't measure up.
I have always disliked Fat Joe,especially his last almbum, I feel he forces his music and hs no real lyrical talent. Lil Wayne is not even on my top 30 favorite rappers, but his lyrical content does play to the masses.
Weezy is better than TI. Tip's last two albums have been wack, and his flow has been regressing.
By the way I'm tired of all you East Coast people hating on Southern hip-hop!! You guys grew up listening to nothing, but music from your region, but you all want to be critics on what we've been listening to our entire lives. And don't give me that oh I heard Outkast's album when I was young garbage either!! You guys just started accepting rap from other regions, and you can't take that East Coast hip-hop is antiquated and 98% of your rappers can't make a hit!! To say that you can name ten rappers in the game better than Wayne right now is borderline disrespectful!! I guess you didn't hear how Weezy made Jada sound like Larry Holmes on that "Predator" mixtape!!! And artistically Wayne is the best rapper in the game including Jay-Z (Jay with the Wizards of course)!!!
Jamaar, no one is hating on southern hip-hop! You're probably from Indiana or something anyway. Jay-Z is still the best and if I were starting a new record label, I would not start with no damn Weezy! I would pick a Nelly or Kanye over him in a heartbeat. And yes, listening to Outkast and Scarface as a kid on the east coast was a huge thing for hip-hop head credibility! We have credibility to criticize southern music. Although i'm actually feeling it right now...Ay Bay Bay, that's my song, turn it up!!
Actually I'm from Cali homeboy!! I agree that Jay-Z is the best ever, but his last album sounded more like a guy past his prime. You East Coast people sound like the old heads from back in the day who use to say that Pac and Big weren't real Hip-Hop.
On another note, Hiphop101 it doesn't surpirse me that you would pick Nelly and Kanye West to start a record label over Lil' Wayne, and that's exactly why you'll always be in freshman level courses homie!! You're too shortsighted and don't have the broad perspective necessary to excel in upper level courses like myself!!! Wayne is only 24, and he is considered by the masses to be the most complete artist in the rap (Kanye and Nelly have both said so on record). Nelly has been on the decline every album since his debut, and Kanye requires a couple million dollars just to make an album (ghost writers, sample clearances, big budget videos, orchestras etc.). Weezy on the other hand is the most prolific emcee since Pac, and he doesn't even require an album to stay in the public eye. I could go into further detail, but it would be pointless for a Hip-Hop professional school graduate to continue arguing with a guy who's still in 100 level courses!! Please never talk to me again my friend.
Cali huh? You must be from Orange County or something.
Anyway, hiphop101 means that beginners like you must come to me for baby steps in hip-hop. I was simply making the point that Weezy is not the "chosen one". How could a rapper who joins the "blood gang" after he became a millionare successful rapper be the most prolific emcee since Pac'? That must be some kind of sick joke. There is no question that I would start a label with T.I. over Weezy, real talk. The numbers don't lie. Weezy has one good "album" to back up anything your saying about him. There is no way Orange County has the caliber of hip-hop heads for you to even compete with me or anyone who grew up on east coast hip-hop. Let me know when you are ready to sign up for "hiphop101". Peace my brother.
Hiphop101 way to be mature about this situation and attack where I'm from instead of focusinjg on the facts, but I guess it's hard to make a good argument when you know you're clearly outmatched!! I guess the only thing you could do is pull a Mike Tyson and metaphorically bite my ear, lol!!! For the record I'm not from Organe County, but I know some real dudes from there who an E-thug like you would never disrespect in person!!
Yes Weezy loses points for "pledging" blood to increase his street cred, but is TI any different? This is the same guy who threatened a bunch of white kids with $50k bounties at concerts on at least two different occasions, fought a college educated music executive at a prestigious banquet, and hit a fan in the face with microphone, and blamed all of this on his alter ego!! As for selecting TI over Wayne this once again proves your relative inexperience Mr. 101!!! TI is coming off of back to back critical failures, and this is the guy you want as your flagship artist??? He did do monster numbers these last two albums, but when you consider that for King he dropped two singles before the album including arguably the biggest single of the past few years, along with a blockbuster movie, some might argue that his 522k first week was a bit of a let down or at least expected. TI vs. TIP also sold well, but you must consider that he is signed to a label where the executives (lyor Cohen, Kev Liles) have a history of allegedly purchasing their artist's albums to inflate first week sales. Next week will be a good barometer of whether or not TI's sales were a fluke. I'll say this Mr. 101 you have a lot of heart, and you remind me of myself when I was young and dumb. If you want me to mentor you just let me know, and we can set something up!!
Haha, really funny. There is a huge difference between "T.I.P's" reacting before thinking antics and promoting a gang thats helping to destroy the black community (thanks Weezy). Furthermore, you dodged the fact that Weezy has only made one good album (Carter I). T.I has the numbers and critically acclaimed albums to show. And he's still young. Grant it, he hasn't evolved on his past 2 albums, but he has a chance to recover. He's not as old as Nas who has fell off to the point of no recovery.
You comparing "Little Wayne" to Pac' showed how much of an amateur you are. You are going off of potential with your arguments. You must be in cahoots with the jackass who didn't pull the trigger on the Andrew Bynum for Jason Kidd trade. You Orange County folk kill me.
If you think TI's actions weren't premeditated then you are a clown homie!! Just watch the BET Awards, and you'll see how he used the fight with DTP for publicity. I only compared Lil' Wayne to Pac in terms of output my friend!! I'm not aware of another artist who put out more music than Lil' Wayne did in 2007 since Pac. If you want to argue that than maybe we should work on getting you into some of those advanced slow courses!!
Clipse interview from Laced Magazine:
Laced: How do you feel about Lil Wayne saying he is the greatest rapper alive? Malice: If you Wobble Dee Wobble Dee, you can’t be a legend. Pusha T: You can’t kiss other men, you can’t wobble dee-wobble dee, and and you can’t bite styles. You can’t bite everybody’s styles. You can’t try to rap like Jay-Z, dress like the Clipse, become a coke dealer after 5 albums, and now dress like Jim Jones. You can’t do all that and be a legend. You have to be a trendsetter and he ain’t setting any trends.
Wow you must not have much to stand on if you're using the Clipse to support an argument!! You can talk about him not being a leader and everything else, but the fact still remains that he makes good music!!
I agree with the eminem assesment, the guy hasnt done anything the past 3-4 years. As for Lil wayne, hes my favorite rapper at the moment, and i would say the best currently, doesnt mean hes the best. Its like in soccer the best player in the world is Ronaldinho, but this past year he wasnt, its all about your form at the moment... Weezy is str8 killin it
Hip Hop 101 and Jamaar are both a couple of jerks. Stop arguing! Black on black crime brothas.
why hasn't anyone mentioned the young and gifted corbin bleu from the best movie alive, high school musical?
 written by Sean P , August 26, 2007
MAN I FEEL YOU ON THE EMINEM PRODUCTION!!! SOMEONE HAS FINALLY SAID WHAT I HAVE BEEN THINKING FOR YEARS! THIS SITE IS THE TRUTH!
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Eminem does suck as a producer and Weezy stole Dre 3000's whole style on the low. He's hot but overrated. He comes off as a follower and top tier artists must be "leaders".