One In Each State?

I really don't need to say much about this photo, but it raises a lot of questions. Does the owner really love the brand? Or is it some kind of ironic joke about the brand, like ultimate sarcasm (i.e. is it s smart statement on the fact that Ed Hardy has sold out so much and made so many products that this dude was like 'Oh yeah? Well I have an Ed Hardy license plate')? The car is obviously a beater, so I'd like to think the latter, but who knows? And finally, is there one of these in every state? How lucky was I that I was fortunate enough to end up behind THE Ed Hardy license plated car in New York City? I could go on for days...

Proof & Dilla

A lot of people don't know how close Proof and J. Dilla were. Back in the early-to-mid-90's these two Detroit favorites started working together closely on various projects ranging from Proof solo material to songs for Proof's group 5 Ela to the hush-hush never to see the light of day due-group they had together, F.C. ("Funky Cowboys"). Seeing these two guys in a room together was always quite a treat, they communicated with very few words but always seemed like they knew something that you didn't- like they were in on some kind of joke or secret that you would never find out about...
Jaydee, as Dilla was then known, began working as a producer with the likes of The Pharcyde, A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul while continuing as a member of Slum Village. During the same period, Proof continued his hosting duties as the reigning battle champion of The Hip-Hop Shop while recording with 5 Ela and hatching the plans for D 12. Because they all had so much other stuff going on, a lot of the material that they created together never saw the light of day.
I was such a huge fan of Slum Village, Dilla and Proof/5 Ela that any time I could get my hands on it I would dub cassettes of their material. Fortunately, I saved it all. A couple of years back I began digitizing it, and have just kept it close for personal listening pleasure. The sound quality varies, but the quality of the actual material remains high. A sign of what could have been had Dilla and Proof ever had the opportunity to create a full-length project together.
I've decided that the world needs to hear some of this stuff. So, what better time to share it then now, on the anniversary of the loss of our dear friend, inspiration and the unofficial Mayor of Detroit: Big Proof. My current plan is to release a song every year around this time. Below, check out Proof's "On The Go" produced by and featuring J. Dilla. We miss you, P.

Passover Cheer for Kids

Things have come a long way since I was a kid and all we really had for fun on Pesach was finding the Afikomen at my Grandparent's house and fighting over the lousy $5 cash reward. It was always on top of the lamp, anyway...
Now, kids have all kinds of Passover fun. My daughter has finger puppets of the 10 Plagues of Egypt. Yeah, a "boils" finger puppet. Gross. Also, there's the video and song below about a rogue matzoh ball that Dart found for me. Wash it off and put it in your soup and eat it. Pause. Show it to the kidees while they play with their locust and lice puppets. Good Pesach everyone!

Shoot The Knux!

Get yer cameras out. Stack yer (photo) paper up. READY, aim, shoot.

Top 10 Most Underrated MC's

Earlier this week, I started blabbering on Twitter about this list that I've been conjuring up in my head over the last few months. Everyone always talks about who's in their Top 10 MC's of all time, or the ever-popular Top 5 Dead or Alive list. Well, I've been thinking about something different.
Ever since I started listening to rap and hip-hop when I was 11 or 12 years old (1982 or 1983 to be exact, I know, old guy), I've always been drawn to exceptional lyrics and lyricists. The art of emceeing is something that grabbed my ear and never let go, from buying every album that came out on cassette (there were only a few a month back then) to making a career out of it.
We all know about the greats that make most peoples lists (Biggie, Jay, 'Pac, Nas, Rakim, KRS and YES Em), but this isn't about them. This list is about the guys that haven't quite got their proper due or recognition as spectacular rappers, in my opinion. So, while I love Redman and Ghostface, guys like that aren't on this list because I think most people hold them in very high regard amongst the best. This list is about the other guys that often aren't mentioned in that discussion, but probably should be. The guys that on their best day could probably tear a New One in some of your Top 10'ers.

So without further ado, here is my Top 10 Most Underrated MC's list.

10. Black Rob: To me, this guy is one of the best street story tellers of the post-gold age rap era. Anyone that disagrees just take a listen to his verses on "I Love You Baby" from No Way Out for a reminder. Rob's dead pan flow packs a casual power that has been often overlooked. I think label issues and legal issues have really held this special artist back from where he deserves to be.

9. Nature: This one might cause some grumbling, but I feel strongly about it. Nature is one of the most gifted Queens MC's to never get his full shine. His simple but extremely poignant flow paired with wit and depth makes him really special. His debut album For All Seasons is an overlooked gem, and his verses from The Firm album are stand-out classics. Check out "We Ain't Friends" and holla back.

8. Brother J.: The X-Clan's main flow came courtesy of none other than Brother J., one of the smoothest but aggresive voices in the history of rap music. J. kicked X-Clan's brand of pro-black, militant rhetoric with such force and talent that even if you took issue with some of their views, you had to give it up to him. Although there were only two original X-Clan albums before the original members of the group disbanded (To the East, Blackwards and Xodus), J.'s delivery was so memorable that his style is imitated and his lyrics are quoted to this day. Check out the title track from the second LP "Xodus" for proof. Brother J. says YUCK!

7. Wiae Intelligent: Hailing from Trenton, N.J., the lead rapper from Poor Righteous Teachers was hands-down the best reggae/rap toaster ever. His melodies and intricate lyrics were simply incredible. P.R.T. had 4 albums out of the gate in the early-to-mid 90's and Wise never slipped for a second across all of those discs, even when there wasn't commercial success. Take a listen to "Easy Star" to hear Wise at his freshest.

6. The D.O.C.: Unfortunately for us, this guy was only able to make one (classic) album No One Can Do It Better before his vocal chords were severely damaged in an auto accident shortly after the album's release. Yeah, there's really only one album, but put it on today and it still stands up. That Dre guy has always been good at finding great rappers. Imagine what he would have done with The Doc if his full voice was still rockin'. The D.O.C. still remains a frequent Dre collaborator, penning several classics on 2001. Anyone needing a reference, check "Whirlwind Pyramid".

5. Del the Funkee Homosapien: Aa you may or may not know, D-E-L is Ice Cube's cousin. But their blood relation is where the similarities end. We first heard Del's voice on Cube's classic Amerikkka's Most Wanted, and he dropped a couple of classic albums and seriously complex and deep verses along the way after wards. This pioneering lead MC from the Hieroglyphics crew is one of my personal faves. Peep his twisty and flavorful verses on "Wrongplace" (Casual Remix) to remember.

4. Big L.: There's not much to argue with here. Right before L.'s untimely passing in 1999 he had blossomed into one of the best rappers in the game and was in his absolute prime. While he hadn't hit his stride quite yet on his major label debut, the world learned just how ill he was when his posthumous Rawkus album The Big Picture dropped. The classic "Ebonics" is all you need to know.

3. Royce Da 5'9": It has always amazed me just how many incredible rappers have come out of Detroit, and in particular the storied Hip-Hop Shop scene. Royce arrived on the scene in it's later stages, and quickly gained a reputation as one of Detroit's nastiest MC's. Personal bias and history aside, the fact that Royce still rhymes at the level that he does after all these years is simply incredible. If you don't know, give a listen to "Boom" for a reminder where he was and check out "Street Hop 2010" to see where he's at.

2. Big Pun: Another unfortunate early loss for hip-hop fans worldwide occurred when Pun passed away at an early age in 2000. Simply the illest Latin rapper of all time happens to also be one of the most underrated rappers ever. Pun was so nasty and quick on the mic that his verses commanded rewind buttons everywhere for years. "Dead in the middle of Little Italy..." is one of the most memorable lines ever. Listen to "Leatherface" loudly. Now.

1. Kurupt: A personal favorite of mine ever since the Death Row Dogg Pound days, Kurupt Young Gotti is still rapping at a level above most. Hailing from Philadelphia but spending his adult years on the West Coast caused Kurupt to develop a unique East Coast flow with that Cali twang that is one of a kind. Kurupt's solo album Tha Streetz Iz A Mutha and Space Boogie are both extremely overlooked gems that still get play in my rotation to this day. Check out the hard rhyming on "I Call Shots" to see where he was and listen to the sublime "Yes Sir" with Pete Rock to see where he's at.

So, there it is. I hope that this list causes anger, elation, frustration, memories and most importantly debate. Let us know who's on your Underrated list... the greatest thing about the list is that it's yours and thus nobody can be wrong.

Em on Howard '99

Here is a hilarious (for more reasons than one) video of Eminem's only Howard Stern appearance back in the day when he was terrestrial-bound at NY's KROQ circa 1999.

Howard Stern on Demand @ Yahoo! Video

Props to 2Dopeboyz for unearthing this.

Twitter Presents: Jewish Rap Names

Last night, Twitter became ablaze out of nowhere with a topic called #jewishrapnames. I think most people caught the drift, and it quickly became a game of who can think of the best name alteration first. Some people just didn't get it, and they wrote things that were either unclever, uncouth, or unfunny. Most of you did though, and the homie A-Trak went through and collected the best of the best. I added a few as well. Have a (good) sense of humor and check it out.

Kiddush Cudi
Daven The Dude
Schvitzmaster Mike
Oy Vey Da Jewman
Jerusalem The Damaja
Dr. Dreidel
Ludabris
Latke Flocka
The Ghetto Goys
The Cool Yids
Moses Def
The Lox...
Jew Tang Clan
Too Schwartz
Soulja Boychick
Talis Kweli
Sephardic-Cyde "Passover Me By"
The Lost Tribe Called Quest / Kvetch
Star of David Banner
Matzah P
De La Shul (feat. Trugoy)
Purim Righteous Teachers
Sir Mix-A-Latke / Sir Shiksa-Lot / Sir Schvitz-A-Lot / Sir Mitzvah-Lot
Big Punim
Lord Schmear
Shabbat X
Shalom Village
Leaders of the New Schul
Bris Markie
Menoraeaga
Slim Zadie
Bubbie Sparxxx
Limp Brisket
Afrika Bam-schmata
Kvetch Armstrong
Invisibl Skratch Shekels
Young Berg...
Schticky Fingaz
Fat Jew aka Don Cartahebrew
Jewvenile, Jewnior Mafia, Jewpac
Souls of Mitzvah
Meshugah Hill Gang "Rabbi's Delight"
Rick Reuben
Kugel Keith
Chai'rogrlyphics
Nicki Mi-nosh
Kid Shiksa
Foxy Braun
Sunz of Manichevitz
Lil Knish
Ko$ha
Jay Elec-Hanukkah
Boyz II Mensch
Hasheminem
Eric B. & Hashem
Young Schmuck

Thanks to everyone on Twitter who contributed. Except for those of you who made WWII references that were idiotic and in bad taste. Shame, shame.

Rachel Goodrich- "Lightbulb" (Video)

Check out this clip from South Florida's own Rachel Goodrich. The contrast here is fantastic. Good show, Gluck.

Executive Remix

Check out this clip spoofing the A&R remix process. It's pretty much the same scheme for producers. Most of this is sad but true, although I'd say it would take more than just a FEW calls and e-mails to get paid. Welcome to the biz, kidees!

Props to Mikey for the link.

Lebron Spits "Forever"

Last night when the Cavs BEAT the Lakers (HA!) Lebron caught a little extra curricular action rapping Em's verse to "Forever". Not bad, Lebron. I've seen Marshall on the basketball court, though...

More Refill Spots

Check out what's inside Shady Claus's medicine cabinet as well as the official Jordan IV Shady Clause TV spot that's been airing recently. (It didn't serve as such good luck for the Saints against the Cowboys when it aired on the NFL Network broadcast...)

Relapse: Refill is in-stores today, 12/21/09.

Hanukkah Radio 2009- Matisyahu

Reggae artist Matisyahu called up Hanukkah Radio on Shade45 this past shabbat (before sundown, of course) and gave us a very spiritual description of The Festival of Lights, aka Hanukkah. Check out the two segments below, and learn who the long-hair blunt smoking beatboxer at the White Plains house parties was in the mid-90's. Word to Buff Love.





The pic above is myself and Reef the Streets in front of the menorah in the mall at the Time Warner/AOL building shortly after the broadcast. We've got it on latke. Thanks to Matisyahu for making this year's program extra official.

Drake: Jew of the Year

Also from Hanukkah Radio 2009 on Sirius XM's Shade45 is the below phoner from none other than Canada's finest export in rap, Drake. Drake is Jewish, and we asked him some questions about it- including whether a certain event took place when he turned 13. Check out the audio below, and learn why we selected Drake as Hanukkah Radio's Jew of the Year. Somehow I doubt that a Hanukkah album is on the way, but we'd kill to get our hands on those photos from that Italian restaurant... Thanks, Drizzy.

Hanukkah Radio 2009- Jay Electronica

Like we do every year, yesterday we hosted Hanukkah Radio on Sirius XM's Shade45. This year was a bonanza for phone-in interviews, as we had Matisyahu, Drake and Jay Electronica call up and speak about various topics related to the holiday and the Jewish religion. Below check out Jay Electronica's interview and learn why he calls himself Jay Elec-Hanukkah and Jay Elec-yarmulke. I'll post the other interviews tomorrow and/or Sunday!

New Yorkers React to Refill

Check out what folks on the streets of the Big Apple thought of Relapse: Refill tracks. Yes, folks, it's in-stores on Monday 12/21.

No, these aren't actors. For reals.

The Knux Secret NY Show

From the folks at Red Bull and the NY creative crew Decon comes the next installment of the Live From Somewhere concert series. Next Thursday night, December 17th for FREE come see The Knux if you are in New York City. See the attached flyer for details. Red Bull... it gives you wings... and cappuccino!

Complex Eminem Cover

Check out the video below about the "making-of" of Eminem's Complex cover, out now. To create this I Am Legend style urban abandoned landscape, we went to Detroit's infamous Brewster Projects and the more desolate areas of Eastern Market. Check out the rest of the pics and the full article here.

"Lose Yourself" All Strings

This is an incredible string section rendition of "Lose Yourself". Peep the high violin players doing Em's verse lyrics... So detailed and subtle, they bounce identically to his inflection, cadence, tone and rhythm. Whoever made this paid very close attention to the intricate details in Em's delivery. Props to them. And to @saza23 on Twitter for showing me this. Feels like the score to a movie... oh, wait...

For more, check out Vitamin String Quartet on Youtube. They have a gang of string renditions, all very cool.

Travis Barker- "Forever" Remix

Check out Travis tackling Drake, Kanye, Weezy and Em in his latest remix for "Forever". I think it's safe to say that this guy is on a roll. GET IT?!?!

MTV Shows

Floyd Mayweather Vs. R.A. The Ruggedman

In continuing with the classic moments on Sirius XM's Shade45, The All-Out Show had a doozie last week... Frequent guest of Lord Sear and Rude Jude, R.A. the Ruggedman, took Floyd Mayweather to task about the quality of his fighting opponents in the past and where he's headed in the future.
I'm not going to give my opinion here, but R.A. sounds like he did his homework, and Floyd sounds like he knows his business. Forgive my tardiness in posting this, I was friggin' busy.