Slowly but surely

Just like my days of performing poetry; it's gonna be a while beffore I get into a habit of remembering to write something. Hopefully, my creative juices will kick in, but until then I'll just stick to writing whatever comes to mind. The NSBE convention came to town last week and it was great. Unfortunately, I did not get to fully experience it as I was helping out full-time with the high school students, but then that in itself was a rewarding adventure to say the least. My feet were in soo much pain it was ridiculous. Plus, my crew threw 2 events in addition to the soiree I helped host in honor of fellow NU alumna and our outgoing NSBE Executive Director. On that Saturday, I find out I have to travel to Denver for 3 days for work. So I'm here now and thinking back, posting a blog daily will help me keep track of things. So I should be writing about what we did out here tomorrow. Hopefully, we can fix the problem (one of them) before we leave for home.

Soul Survivor

Soul Survivor
Dave Chappelle really is like a modern-day folk hero. I think he'll gon down as one of the greatest ever. Eddie Murphy did his thing and innovated, but Dave is on a whole 'notha level. In less than 24 hours, I've laughed preety hard at the following three phrases:

rsvp, bitches
happy easter, bitches
viva la raza, muthafuckas

Ok, well Dave only really had a hand in 2/3 of those, but you should get the drift. But I am still new to this blogging thing. I'll figure it out sooon enough. I'm a techie geek (say that to me face and you will get F'ed up).

Took A While...

...but I'm here now, b!tches! More comments to come. I am quite balanced and widespread with crazy stuff in my head to share. This is my first blog. Here we go...

Album Review: The Alchemist - 1st Infantry

http://www.downtimeonline.net/reviews0121.htm

The Alchemist

1st Infantry
Landspeed/Koch Records

For hip-hop compilation albums, the debut of a budding producer is like walking a tightrope: Come with decent beats, but a slew of no-name and average rappers and your project will sit on the shelves. Round up a team of top-notch emcees and mire their vocals in dull tracks, and consider yourself confined to the underground's basement.

However, when you combine a gifted beat-crafter with a crop of talented artists, what you have is a gem; a delightful hip-hop albumthat outshines any other compilation or played-out commercial gimmick by far. The Alchemist's 1st Infantry is such an album; a voyage through the eyes of the California native, who has earned his stripes as the go- to-guy for a unique street sound unlike any other.

As a young teenager, the Alchemist started rhyming, but put that career plan on hold to focus on his first love, making beats; beats that are as raw as the concrete jungle itself. Being involved with Cypress Hill and the Soul Assassins, one track led to another and Alchemist now stands firmly juxtaposed on that thin line between the underground and mainstream hip-hop that revolutionizes the sound of the music. Just take a look at some of the bangers he's generated for notable artists: Mobb Deep's "Got it Twisted", Capone-N-Noreaga's "Phonetime", State Property's "Can't Stop, Won't Stop", Fat Joe's "Bring it On", Prodigy's "Keep It Thoro", Dilated Peoples' "Worst Comes to Worst", Ghostface Killah's "Never Be The Same Again", High & Mighty's "Open Mic Night", and Jadakiss' "We Gon' Make It."

1st Infantry also has its share of "Bangers", most notably a track from G-Unit's Lloyd Banks of the same name - better than most tracks on Banks' own album - and "Hold You Down" featuring Mobb Deep, Nina Sky, and Illa Ghee that stays in heavy rotation in many headphones and bass - heavy whips. And, while you can always do without any interludes, the few that do appear on the album don't detract from the quality soundscapes that ebb and flow like the daily grind. On the bass-heavy "The Essence," the Lox take you to Yonkers and deliver a thorough beat down on the track, while the ATL-BK connection of Stat Quo and M.O.P. on "Stop the Show" gets the adrenaline pumping full throttle. Devin the Dude's appearance on "Where Can We Go" is a funky, laidback tune with strong horns from Alchemist, whereas "Boost the Crime Rate" featuring Sheek and J-Hood is an off-the-meat-racket beat that is sure to leave more than a few heads with whiplash pressing rewind.

Other highlights of the album include Alchemist rhyming over his own beat on "Different Worlds," a blazing track that paints a vivid picture of how far-reaching hip-hop extends, and the reunion of Queensbridge neighbors Nas and Prodigy on "Tick Tock," another mellow, thumping groove. 1st Infantry claimed the top spot on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart in its first week out and also features Dilated Peoples, Big Noyd, Cypress Hill's B-Real, and T.I.


Check For These:
Mobb Deep - Amerikaz Nightmare
Jadakiss - Kiss of Death
Cormega - Legal Hustle
Royce Da 5'9" - Death is Certain
Jin - Rest is History
Mos Def - New Danger
Ali Shaheed Muhammad - Shaheedullah and Stereotypes