More Reasons Why Being Deaf Sucks/Rocks

Yet Anther Reason Mathan Shouldn’t be Allowed To Time Travel

I’ve often held on to the theory that if one could travel back in time they could affect the present. Now maybe it’s because I’ve watched Back to the Future too many times, but it’s something that I firmly believe in.

Anyway, looking at the current Hip Hop climate one thing is clear; Hip Hop would be better off if someone went back in time and killed OutKast.

Y’see it’s my belief that OutKast provided the proof that an artist mustn’t hail from New York or California (and specifically could come from The South) and still be successful. Clearly their success was where everything went wrong.

I think it’s because of Big Boi and Andre 3000 that we’ve got Paul Wall and Mike Jones. Of course you’re saying “but Mathan, Paul Wall and Mike Jones are from Houston, wouldn’t the Geto Boys have had more impact on their success?” I don’t think so, let me explain.

Call me an ol’ fuddy duddy, but I don’t understand what the kids are listening too. Their idea of Hip Hop is so far removed from mine and it’s frightening. And from that fear I derived this theory.

In my mind OutKast begat No Limit. No Limit begat Cash Money. Cash Money begat a general interest in the “third coast” which begat Paul Wall, Mike Jones and Lil’ Jon.

Now don’t get me wrong; I’m not saying that lyrically (content or skill wise) any of those folks can touch OutKast. What I am saying is that the success of OutKast created a feeding frenzy of record labels who pounced on the untapped market.

I think that you can see a direct link to OutKast opening the doors for those artists with their success. They were the first “southern” artists to receive universal acclaim, from both the white and Black press. Their success was uncharted.

Shortly after OutKast proved to be talented, every record label wanted their own Southern artist. Thus No Limit was scooped up and became “hot” for a minute. No Limit then became the archetype.

Y’see OutKast showed that you could rhyme about your surroundings and people would still accept it. OutKast didn’t really sound like anyone else at the time. They had a unique flair and slang. They rhymed about things that while not everyone had experienced, were still vaguely universal.

Of course No Limit basically followed the same model, only they infused it with the gully tales of drug dealing and hood life themes that were dominant in East Coast Hip Hop nearly a decade earlier. That coupled with the extravagant jewelry (most notably “fronts”) and it almost seems like a case of cultural lag.

Regardless, Cash Money picked up on where No Limit left off, in the destruction of Hip Hop as an art. An act that continues today with Mike, Paul and Jon.

By now you’re asking “Mathan, what’s your problem with Mike, Paul, and Jon?” Well my main problem is that Mike Jones is climbing up the chart while Common is dropping slots. Granted I’ve never heard Mike Jones’ album, but I refuse to believe that he’s as lyrically talented as Common. I also can’t believe that the production on the album will be on par with Be.

And that’s why I wish I had a wacky neighbor named Doc Brown, who had a time traveling Delorean, so that I could right this cosmic injustice. Plus if we rub out OutKast, there’s a pretty good chance that Common never records Electric Circus (which I, quite frankly didn’t think was all that bad.)

I Know It’s Not Friday, But…

I watch HBO’s Entourage and every week I’m appalled at how odd the musical choices are. The show is constantly playing songs that were “hot” like six months ago. I realize that some of that lag is due to production time, but c’mon.

Here’s a show that features a soundtrack that’s freshly stale. And to make matters worse, on the last episode they had the audacity to play a skim version of Jay-Z’s Big Pimpin’. Oh the beat was the same and the lyrics were correct, but it just wasn’t Jay-Z spouting them. Boo HBO, boo.

Lying to Protect Your Friends

Shawn covers Von Bondies & Silverchair, yet makes it work.

Kyle comments on illegal downloading.

Gloomy’s got the goods, as usual.

Michael has some thoughts on destroying vegetables.

Tom doesn’t deal with time travel. Well actually he does, kind of.

Lying to Protect Your Friends…In a Grand Jury

Phil will be upset that I don’t want to kill Andre 3000 for dressing like a muppet. He does cover 300 Bars.

Mitch Michaels? Two weeks in a row? Nice.

Five Songs I Can’t Get Enough Of

1. The Nurse – The White Stripes
2. November Has Come – Gorillaz
3. Best of You – Foo Fighters
4. Go – Common
5. Bang – Yeah Yeah Yeahs