Easy...list dumb phrases or statements you've heard that have become somewhat of a lasting thing, but in reality are dumb statements when you think about it.

1) I wonder if heaven got a ghetto? Popular amongst the hip hop community! 

Why? Why would you want a place thats supposed to be paradise to have a ghetto. Would it really be the thing to have rival gangsta angels with AK's warring, junkies, delapitated buildings in my supposed paradise. Sure there are other aspects you'd want to keep and have, but " i wonder if heaven got a ghetto.....umm NO, dumb!!! Stop wondering.


the ball is rolling........what else?

When rap music first hit the scene heavy, it was speculated as just the next craze to come and go. People really weren't sure if they should back it or not, like MTV who flat out refused to play hip hop music. However, flashforward to the present and hip hop is as strong as ever. Usually music last a decade or so, then changes into a new direction. Their is distinct differences in 70's soulful sounds whether motown esque or rock, then the 80's came. The late 80's and on sprung hip hop. which has survived 20 + good years. Not only that,  its crossed over and influenced nations world wide with its slang, clothing styles, dancing and the list goes on. So what's the appeal, what makes hip hop music so influential and appealing to billions of people with different backgrounds but with the same love for this artform. 

------ my thoughts------
 
Crate diggers and music lovers alike know and recognize that this art is sample heavy. Hip hop beats have their hands dipped in all genres of music from soul, rock, gospel, county all across the board. With that you get a taste of every kind of sound musically possible and making it pretty hard not to find something you like. 

With hip hop, its just people talking, and talking over r n b esque beats, hardcore what have you. Hooks you can sing along too, catchy beats, even poets can relate to the cleverness it takes to weave words together that rhyme and still get your thoughts across.

Thats a couple views i have.......here's to another decade!

Are there some rappers out there that are just better off being a part of the group just can't hold it down solo, or we just wouldn't want them to.


- If slaughterhouse disbanded and made no more albums, would Joe Budden  cease to exist. Not my personal opinion, but a question that has been raised. Definitely underrated as an emcee, but can he hold down a whole album consistently when...pump...pump pump it up is his most recognized notable song /line.

- Anybody in the G unit camp.

- I like Freeway when he is featured and some solo tracks, but a whole album of that style and voice is audible torture.

- Sadly the hardest name to pull out is Jadakiss. This guy has so much talent, he should have classic cd's, but his solo efforts never hit their potential, while still dope, he can do so much better. He almost always stills the shine on any track he is featured on.

Who else is out there? This is all opinion of course!

The idea is to list things that are a waste of money that could be used to say....feed the homeless or something a little more noble.

1). Movies!!! Lets face it, there are a lot of bad movies out there being made amongst the handful of good ones. Thats millions of dollars right there. Soul plane could have fed the  homeless of skid row in los angeles for the year and then some. Did we really need the Anaconda movies?  Anyway, I don't know how to ever prevent it, but it should be put to a peoples vote whether a movie is made. Come up with the idea, submit it, cause there are quite a few movies I'm sure the american people would have vetoed and never let production break ground.

2). Meds / Drugs: There is a lot of b.s. drugs out there that got funded with large sums of money. They have some rediculous drugs out there. They have a pill for if you sweat too much, fart too much,  c'mon honestly?  My personal theory is that it started with A.D.D., it was their test run, they wanted to see how gullible people can be, and we bought it.  Paying attention is and has never been (in my eyes) a disease. Trust me I bet if little Johnny got whooped for not paying attention in class one time, you'd have his full attention, spare the rod spoil the child ?.  Besides these drugs have so many  ill side effects, whats the point.

 Thats my two cents.....I know there's got to be a lot more things out there!!!

So, I guess Tiger's parents were close, but off by just a little. He wasn't a tiger, he was a cheetah. Ok, now that i got that corny joke out, the question at hand is.......

Say you fall in love, you get married, what are some legit reasons for leaving the love of your life. Facts being, you still love her, you really do, but you just can't handle things as they are now. To the point where cheating is not any less wrong, but, hey outside looking in...we understand.


I can get it started with one:

- May sound shallow, but it really isn't when you think about it. If, when you meet your wife and you are both in relatively decent shape, and one of you puts on a few pounds while the other is  maintaining their ish, there might be some grounds there. Now, I'm not talking about few pounds, I'm talking enough to where your just flat out not attracted to your spouse anymore. But, not only are you not attracted to her, she doesn't show signs of, or doesn't even want to try. I mean thats why you get with someone in the first place, cause your attracted to them. Even if its her personality that seals the deal, your only initially reeled in by the outer appearance. You see a girl walking by you haven't a clue of whats going on in her head let alone her personality, your approaching because you had a little blood rush to a certain body part and find this person attractive. So in marriage if you lose that EARLY ON, she can have the greatest personality in the world that flows with yours, but if you feel disgusted about touching her, she is just a great friend from that point on or that chubby girl from school who was mad cool and kicked it and maybe you'd let her suck u up if you got drunk enough towards the end of the school year.

Thats one......lets go!

There are some things that are universal, and commonplace that they cross over and become natural  phenomenon. Once they  become labeled as such, you just really can't get mad when they happen.

For instance:

 - famous rich athletes who's profession requires a lot of travel being unfaithful. Okay, yeah of course its a bad thing, but how shocked can you really be. Its become more then a trend, its pretty much the unspoken, very very very...very fine printed clause when you marry someone of that status.

- famous rich athletes, well, actually ALL MEN, coming out of pocket and getting screwed over for cheating. I mean really, you cheat on a women, your going to take a big L in the pocket book. That's whether if its trying to buy her forgiveness, or if she is asking for a divorce and wants half, the house, car,....and let there be kids involved. Child support is real. And yes, unfairly they want more money then is necessary to maintain a little child, the latest case being Nasir Jones, getting it heavy.

- This ties in to the second point. I don't know how they reason it or calculate child support, but apparently for rich athletes especially, sitting at home, shopping, and calling the nanny to make sure the kids are ok would be a high paying job if it actually were one. Cause it doesn't matter that you had millions before she came, she is entitled to half for contributing nothing. Or is giving head and sex worth that much these days. So, don't be shocked at the verdict when the judge drops the gavel.

- If a girl cheats on a guy, don't be shocked, that you get nothing out of the deal except heartache. If anything if there are kids you might end up having to fight for them. Its been a one way street for far too long.

- Boy and girl friends.......Ladies..yes, there is a pattern. As the months pass, the season aren't the only thing that change. Its just fact, guys break off relationships in high numbers once summer starts rolling around. We start thinking about all the fun to be had, all the half naked women that are going to be runnin around, and just start rationalizing...maybe I don't need a girl. Vice versa, expect a lot of men to go ahead and make it official with a girl once winter starts rolling in and the temperature drops. Hey, who doesn't want a nice warm body to lay up with and maybe even get some good meals when its cold as f*ck outside. When its cold, we want that sure thing. I'm just saying don't be surprised.

I know there are plenty more things out there...lets hear em!!!

'Press Play', dope name for an album, unfortunately more often then not it seems making an album with more than 6 or 7 good songs out of 15 tracks has become the new age challenge for hip hop artist. Now its almost impossible to just press play and ride out without hitting SKIP atleast half the time.  Although there have been few bright spots sprinkled throughout the course. The question is what happened....why does it seem so difficult lately. I don't have the recipe, but maybe their are a few key ingredients that can be traced to why a lot of artist first cd is noted as their best work. This is in no way law, just obviously things to consider, cause simply put: I ain't no expert.

1). 15 songs, 15 different producers. Can an album with so many different personalities be cohesive. I know I have gone thru a cd and caught myself thinking that,...that just sounds out of place. There is no theme, no consitent vibe. This can be whether its the sound (beat choices) or lyrical content. Where I do think it can be pulled off, but the majority of time it hinders an album. Only reason I use the SKIP button is when I've just listened to 2 songs reflecting the mood I'm feeling and sound I'm looking for, then my whole vibe gets thrown off by track 3, 4, okay track 5 gets me going again, then it loses me again at track 6, 7....an aaah there it is again, thats what I feel like hearing right now, but I'm on track number 8 at this time. So, now out of 8 tracks I've listened to 4.

2). Can't deny that artist are on the grind and out their working hard. Everyone is busy making that paper the best way they can and traveling A LOT. Its a common thing now for artist to do a track, record their verse in NY, send it to the homie in L.A. to get on it, records his and sends it back, song complete. Maybe I'm reaching but, seems all the so dubbed 5 mic albums which seem to be a lot of artist first albums, when you interview them on the process of making that album you get a lot of the same answers. You get stories of chilling with the producer on hand, fellow artist on hand, making a song from the ground up, vibing together on the concept and direction, and there you have it...classic track.

3). Deadlines. Quality or quantity. Labels can be pushy, which you can't blame them, its a business. This can effect the artist in making not up to standard work. Everyone goes thru writers block whether brief or longer periods or has things going on in their life. When people get picked up by a major and make that first album, they have been working hard and grinding to get to that point. By the time they get there, they have plenty of great material unused from years of taking their time to write the illest shit they can to get recognized. With the right mind and time, emcees can come off not just good, but remarkeable.

4). Trends: If it aint you, it aint you. Some people just don't sound good doing certain things or making certain songs, without sounding just plain awkward. Your an artist, your supposed to be creative, be a trend setter.

Just few things that could contribute to half good albums being made. I'm sure their are more and other perspectives I'm not seeing or it could just be me and their aint no problem at all. What are your thoughts?