Interview: Too Short Says There Was Industry-Wide Plot To Shut Down Conscious Hip Hop

I never been much for conspiracies, but when I heard this, I had to take a look and see what Short Dog was talkin about..

He makes some eyebrow raising allegations (some which I wholeheartedly know are valid from just being around the industry a bit) in this interview with HipHopDX, and some folks have already labelled this as deflection from his recent, how shall I put it, mis-steps that have come under fire..

You'll have to decide for yaself.

Too Short: And, I’m not gonna blame this on anybody, but I was actually being pushed into a direction where I would talk to people at Jive [Records], I would go talk to the President, Barry Weiss, and he was like – I always wanted to do these [side] projects like the E-40 duet album, which was one they never would let me do. Jive would never let me and E-40 do an album together. They kept making excuses and so it never got done. I also wanted to do an album that was filled with songs like “The Ghetto,” “Life Is…Too Short,” “Money In The Ghetto,” “I Want To Be Free.” I wanted to do a whole album of positive Too Short songs, just to keep that balance. I had made a verbal deal with Barry Weiss, where he was like, “Right now would be the perfect time, you should do like the raunchiest Too Short album ever – the album cover, the songs, just do a dirty fuckin’ Too Short album.” This is the executive running the company advising me to put out an entire album of just cursing and sex. 

Read the whole interview here

Video: NYOIl Responds To The "New Black Swag Revolution"

No matter how you feel about him, when NYOil speak, you always listen...and the brutha always got something to say that you need to hear...

In this instance, Kool Kim NYOil breaks down the contrived nature of a certain new video making the rounds on social networking sites...Listen up and heed the message that he's tryin' to get across. Revolution ain't an exclusive thing at all, nor is it somethin that waits on you. Furthermore, criticism and consciousness ain't the same thing neither. Get Ready.

-BIG D O

Pic: Summer Jam 2010 @ Giants Stadium

Just in case any of you were wondering, yeah, Hot 97's one time illest Summer concert series has now devolved into little more than a reflection of the terrible, overtly mainstream music that they keep in rotation for the majority of their air time.

Real Hip-Hop lives on satellite and Internet radio nowadays, sorry, it's just the truth...

I still wanna post these just to jog everyone's memories of back when performing at Summer Jam really meant something and because, hey, at the very least I know there was some broads in there and who don't love going to a big stadium rap concert? I know a lot of ya'll just can't get to one so, live vicariously my dudes...I know I am...

Photo's via MissInfoTV and the Hot 97 staff...

-BIG D O

Jay Electronica's Unreleased Beaterator Instrumental

We all know that Jay Elec-Hannukah is arguably the most talented new MC/songwriter/producer and Erykah Badu impregnater to come around in the past three years (big emphasis on the "MC" portion of that statement) still, even those that have the proverbial "career fire" goin' strong aren't impervious to catching a few airborne embers.

As some of you may remember awhile back I was putting up vids of a few different artists who crafted some instrumentals on the new Beaterator for PSP production game...today we get a new addition to that whole campaign by Rockstar, minus the video and well, a decent beat.

The offspring of Rockstar collaborating with (super?) producer Timbaland got tested out by Jay several months back at the Rockstar Games Beaterator Lounge and for some reason today they decided to release the beat that Jay took a grand total of 5 minutes to make on their website in an obvious coat tail riding moment.

It was probably somethin Jay thought would never get out there and was just messin' around doin', so he's gotta be halfway amused that so many people care about the shit he throws away.

Damn the information age...

spotted over at the similarly named Prohiphop

-BIG D O

Single: Khaleel ft. Panchi - Rappin' Exercise (prod. by Showbiz & Cuts by DJ Premier)

So it seems that Year Round Records AKA DJ Premier's label is going in the direction of signing artists from everywhere but NYC...

In any case, this is a pretty dope record from Khaleel, the newest Year Round signee who calls Houston, Texas his home. Along for the feature is Year Round artist and one half of The NYGz Panchi...

Don't be fooled, this isn't a Preemo laced beat...In fact, his latest partner of sorts and production legend; Showbiz of D.I.T.C. , produced this while Preme handled the cuts.

-BIG D O

What's On TV?: HBO's How To Make It In America

Since I consider myself somewhat of a amateur TV critic and since I'm elated that HBO finally is putting out a new series that has a bit of the the same spark that their past programming triumphs like The Wire and The Sopranos did, I had to spread the word about my new favorite TV series How To Make It In America.

Okay, so like all things that I end up liking, at first I thought this shit was gonna be weak and dismissed it as simply "the new show with the Kid Cudder guy on it". Then I actually sat down and watched it...I was completely taken with the storyline, cast and music scoring which is rich with dope Hip-Hop and boasts the illest opening theme on TV.

Most of the show centers around two friends named Cam Calderon (Victor Rasuk) and Ben Epstein (Bryan Greenberg) who are hustling through their late twenties trying to come up on their dreams via street smarts and a never say die attitude....Sound like a familiar scenario anyone? Cam is a freewheeling Latino risk taker who's imprudence and naivety is the right balance for Ben, a Jewish kid who's steely, brooding demeanor sometimes impedes his progress. Together they've re-barrowed more loot from Cam's venomous uncle Rene (Luis Guzman); a local loan shark fresh out of prison with his own ambitions, to start their surefire ticket to fortune: A line of designer denim jeans called 'Crisp'. There's just one problem...they know absolutely nothing about the denim or fashion industry. Along with assists from their well-connected and equally ardent friends Domingo (Kid Cudi) and Gingy (Shannyn Sossamon) the pair embarks on their future.

The show is a great testament to the non-stop grind that it takes to make your dreams reality in this country, and you find yourself enjoying the ride waiting around and watching things develop as NYC subcultures clash at dizzying paces.

Do yaself a solid and tune in on Sundays @ 10PM people..6 more episodes left

-BIG D O


Watch Episode 2 of How To Make It In America Here

Single: Joe Scudda - Catch Up (prod. by Statik Selektah)

For a minute now N.C. bred Justus Leaguer Joe Scudda has been on my radar as one of the nastiest white kids out there doin' it...Of course I hate to reduce him and what he does to simply a color, but truth is truth; Him, Apathy and R.A. The Rugged Man are your go to Caucasians when it comes to this rap ish' nowadays...

Unsurprisingly, Joe has unleashed a heat rock titled "Catch Up" that I believe proves my assertion to a tee. Accompanying him is a righteous Statik Selektah beat that sports some drums that might be the illest I've heard in months....

Get ready for Scud's new EP "Not Your Average Joe", it hits stores on the 23rd of this month...

-BIG D O


Joe Scudda - Catch Up