Dear Mason Betha and Cameron Giles,
I’ve been a fan of both of y’all for a minute now. Horse and Carriage was my jam, practically the only song that could get me on the dance floor. Y’all made amazing music together. I’m an unabashed fan.
But allow me to be a voice of reason; y’all need to dead your beef with each other. Not only for personal reasons, not only for Hip Hop and NYC but also for the dead.
I’m not going to fake with y’all; I’d love nothing more than to hear Killa Cam/Murda Mase collabo album. My imagination is running wild just thinking about it. I mean the two of you could rival Jada and Styles with that “in & out” flow. It would be sick! Plus I’m betting that we could see the return of Cam the storyteller that we glimpsed on his debut, only this time he wouldn’t have to do both parts.
I also think that the beef should be deaded because, well the whole concept of “beef” has been played out. Back when Jay manipulated Nas into a mixtape battle a “beef” was still relatively fresh and unmolested. Sure it sold records, but it was started in earnest.
But after 50 Cent got a hold of it “beef” became something that was little more than a marketing tool. I’m guessing that anyone who’s unfamiliar with the beef that you two have will view it as little more than tabloid fodder.
Now I know that the wedge between you two is genuine and personal. It’s a matter of betrayal. But for the sake of Hip Hop y’all need to patch things up.
Yes, I said “Hip Hop.”
Let’s be real; Hip Hop is rather stagnant right now. The South has indeed risen again and it’s everything that everyone feared; ignorance, repugnancy, and the setting back of Blacks for decades. But I really believe that you two could put NYC back atop the Hip Hop food chain.
Mase, you’ve lived in the South so you know what hot and how to take the usable components and incorporate them into something that’s, well worth listening to. Cam, you’re the unofficial King of New York, you run things. If the two you got together you could make an album that would break 50’s records. This is an album that people have been waiting forever to hear.
I also think that y’all should make amends if only to honor the dead. Bloodshed and Big L. are gone. How do you think they would view this beef? Sure, they wouldn’t be happy that Mase let his fame get to his head. And they’d probably be less that satisfied that Mase was talking greasy about writing Big L’s rhymes. But I’m equally sure that they’d want you to get together to honor their memory. Black Rob and Juelz may be giving Harlem some shine right now, but can y’all imagine how Murda Mase and Killa Cam repping Harlem would make it blow?
Look at it like this; Jay was talking slick about Nas’ baby’s mother and Nas questioned Jay’s sexuality, yet somehow those two managed patch things up for the sake of Hip Hop and NYC. Puff and the Lox patched things up and you know how bad the blood between them was.
And in those cases they didn’t have fallen comrades to honor. You don’t have to do it for me and all the other longtime fans. You don’t have to do it for Hip Hop, NYC or even Harlem. But you do have to do it for the memory of Bloodshed and Big L. The Beatles were great but everyone basically only remembers two things about them; they were on Ed Sullivan and Yoko broke them up. Is that how y’all want the Children of the Corn remembered; as a group that never got the opportunity to shine and it’s surviving members can’t stand the sight of each other?
Please, give reconciliation a shot.
Best regards,
Mathan Erhardt, Esq
Murda Mase & Killa Cam
DP shares the 2005’s best albums.
Aaron has officially announced that he plans on retiring. I do have it on good authority that Nick plans on bringing the heat very shortly. As for the actual column, someone got shot, some is appearing in Playboy (about a decade too late) and Aaron’s got a killer give away deal going on. And this link has clearly gone on way too long.
Mike Eagle breaks down beef like stomach acid.
Gloomchen offers a pretty solid mix and some news on Nellie McKay, which I find disheartening.
Mark this on your calendar; Aaron Cameron nailed this review!
Cam’ron & Ma$e
Ian manages to uplift my spirits with news on Bloc Party starting work on their second album.
Phil honors Lou Rawls.
Five Discs in My CD Player Right Now
1. Miles Davis – Sketches of Spain
2. Miles Davis – Kind of Blue
3. The Dave Brubeck Quartet – Time Out
4. John Coltrane – My Favorite Things
5. Thelonious Monk Quartet with John Contrane – At Carnegie Hall
