So I heard this song about a month ago, listened to it 3 times today (consecutively) and honestly I can say I have no fuckin clue how to feel about it. I mean on the one hand it's Kanye so of course I wanna buy into the hype just because of the special place I have for Yeezy due to his "Still love H.E.R." track and fond memories of Late Registration and Graduation. But honestly I gotta say...what the fuck is this shit? I mean damn Kanye, it's kinda sad that a music video has to redeem a song for me and that's how I feel. Now let me clarify. Kanye's new found weirdness isn't an issue to me at all and honestly I dug 808's so now that that's outta the way I feel like I don't like this track because maybe I'm outgrowing Kanye's flow. I mean I'm just saying in his absence I've adjusted to Blu, Curren$y, Wiz Khalifa, and Stalley just to name a few cats and I think coming back to Kanye is like going to church after a great night on the town...something's just missing (probably the weed) but I digress. All metaphors aside I think Kanye needs to step his game up for the other tracks on his album unless I'll be one disappointed guy and while I can appreciate the artistry of the music video I feel like the actual song could've went a lot harder than it did. Like damn Kanye, I think Pac Div roasted you on their track and it's damn near a year old and drastically less produced than your newest shit. (Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPZ0C_gp4us) I guess what I'm getting at is if Kanye wants to really shake up the industry than he needs to dial back the ego and make music from his life again (you know...the real shit that got him in the game in the first place) and stop trying to be the latest pop sensation in the game. Be as weird as you want but at least give me some shit I can vibe with without feeling superficial/facetious. I'll reserve judgment on the album till it drops. Until then, draw your own conclusions on Kanye's new Power.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Monday, July 26, 2010
Yet Another Find
It's rare that a battle rapper can make an impression on a mixtape, much less an album. The only people to successfully carry over the energy of a live performance into the studio to my knowledge have been the Notorious B.I.G. and Eminem. I'm sure there are some more out there but these are the ones I can think of off the cuff. But maybe there's another we can add to the list in the form of Edan (E- Dan).
Edan is a native of Rockville, Maryland and from the beginning it seems like he was destined to make hip hop. From building his own home studio complete with a 4 and an 8 track recorder and a pair of turn tables to landing a spot at the Berklee College of Music for production, this cat's always held hip hop as a love and with his Beauty and the Beat album it appears that love is strong as ever!
So this album is cool as hell if you haven't gotten that already. I'll be brief but let's just say if you're looking for something different in hip hop then definitely give this mix a listen. And for those of you not trying to take a leap into the unknown I'll give you a visual...imagine battle rap lyrics rapped over 60's rock samples with enough trippy wonderfullness to rival Puff the Magic Dragon and the Yo Gabba Gabba guy mixed into one. It's an amazing ride I'd recommend to anyone so there's only one question left to ask yourself...Are you Experienced?
Saturday, March 27, 2010
The Next Kind.
Isn't it funny how we live in a society that discourages individuality? How we live in a place where both the intellectual or enlightened individual shares something with the fool in that they can't think for themselves? We're all guilty of subscribing to group-think. Whether it be choosing to smoke because someone told you it was cool or choosing a religion because of what an 8,000 year old book says. Don't get me wrong, I certainly see the importance of spirituality, but religions (in any form) are nothing more than forms of thought control. No matter how you spin it. I grow tired of individuals talking about how they're "enlightened" or "awakened" when really they're just looking at the same picture from a different angle. No matter which way you look at a puppy, be it from the front, back, side, upside down, whatever it's still a puppy. If you take an existing belief system and look at it from a different historical context that doesn't make it new, just different. I'm speaking in particular about Black Hebrews and belief systems like it.
(For appeal's sake I'm using God instead of Yhah)
Before you try and grill me with scripture let's take a look at your scripture for a second. Who was the Hebrew bible written by? I certainly have no idea, and as much as you would like to push the point that it's God's word the fact is that God didn't write it unless you literally believe the bible descended from the sky. So since the majority of us can believe that a human wrote this bible then let's think for a second. You're basing your entire belief system off of the ideas that one man or multiple men compiled in a book millenia ago? I mean certainly they could have been inspired by God but I feel like it's quite audacious to claim that something MAN wrote is to be considered the sacred word of GOD. Who even made it sacred? Man did, who even holds a reverence towards that book? Man does. So maybe now you're able to see my point of thought control, just to be sure though let's dive a little deeper in the idea of control.
(On Control)
Many of us black people feel as though there is a power structure bent on keeping us oppressed. Though I can certainly concede the point that life isn't easy for a black person in America, I wouldn't consider our status oppressed. Disproportionate, yes. Discriminatory, yes. Unjust, sure. But oppressed is too harsh a term. But all semantics aside, let's focus back on this power structure. We (and I use "we" very loosely) seem to point to this power structure as our reason for our unjust status in America but let's consider for a second another possibility. The power structure doesn't cause our social status, rather, it's the perceived power structure that causes our unjust social position. Think about it, when every black multi-millionaire/important person is asked about how they overcame their racial issues they all give the same answer "It was an obstacle but I didn't let it phase me." It's all about how you define yourself. If you want to overcome race then overcome it. Don't sit around and blame this or that for you not receiving the outcome you want, the problem lies with you. You aren't flawed or anything, don't get me wrong, you just can't be afraid to face adversity on the road to becoming what you feel in your heart that you should be. The Answer to "How?" is yes. That simply means that we have no control over the how, all we have is the illusion of control. So don't delude yourself with illusions, instead lose yourself in the moment. Only by being present in the here and now can we find true happiness. If we get stuck in the past or obsessed with the future then we can never progress.
(On Secret Societies and Illuminati)
There are some of you who will dispute everything I say with conspiracy and questions of the Illuminati and other Secret Societies that presumably run the country. If these societies are so well engrained in our society then how will we ever hope to gain any bit of information on then? If I were a secret society with a bunch of power then anything that held any truth about me would either be kept top secret or destroyed. The public would only receive the information that I'd want them to know meaning it'd either be half-truths to mislead the public or it'd only be the positive things my organization does so they wouldn't know our underhanded side. Basically it just doesn't make sense to blame secret societies for anything because you never really know if they exist or not. If they do exist you won't possibly be able to know anything true about them unless you joined and became a member of their most inner circle, and if they don't exist then you're wasting time pondering/blaming things that aren't real. If there is truly a powerful and influential secret society out there then it's one that none of us have heard of and there would be no mention of it anywhere.
(Symbolism)
To those of you who'll back up your claims of secret societies with symbolism then ponder this. How would you know what a symbol really meant? Sure you can do research but who put out the information you're taking in and how are they connected to the secret society you're trying to learn about? All things are connected and all the information you're looking at is a form of propaganda told from one bias or another. So how do you know what you're watching/reading isn't propaganda about said secret society that was distributed by said secret society so that people like you would become lost in the illusion of truth? That's the thing about symbols, anyone can make something out of nothing, but to make nothing out of something is art. Basically the people who look at the dollar bill and think nothing of it are just as lost as the people who look at the dollar bill and see Illuminati references.
(Truth)
Here's the summary of this rant. There is no dualism in the truth. Everything, no matter how far-fetched or conservative is a part of the universal truth. Think about it, a UNIVERSAL truth would be something that applies to the entire UNIVERSE and all things bizarre, mundane, complex and mundane. Your system of beliefs and faith in one ancient book is just like the generation before yours and also completely different. They're completely different in that theirs was a form of submission and coping with that feeling of submission and yours is a system of awakening and improvement. They're fundamentally the same though in that there are base rules for a person to follow in order to be considered a part of the group or an enlightened member of the group. For one it's a belief in Jesus dying for your sins and in the other it's a belief that black people are God's chosen. If you don't follow this mentality you're excluded from the system. Does that sound like anything other than thought control? Every civilization that's been recorded has had some sort of official religion or God-like figure, and that's fact. So how then is any new religion different from all the control mechanisms that have come before it?
(The New Breed)
There is a new breed of humanity on the way that sees the truths of the last two generations. These coming waves of Indigo Children will be the ones to make way for the next era in human consciousness and the only way to be a part of the new times will be to find your own truths and your own beliefs independent of anyone else's beliefs. The dark ages are over my friends, I'll be waiting for you in the light.
(For appeal's sake I'm using God instead of Yhah)
Before you try and grill me with scripture let's take a look at your scripture for a second. Who was the Hebrew bible written by? I certainly have no idea, and as much as you would like to push the point that it's God's word the fact is that God didn't write it unless you literally believe the bible descended from the sky. So since the majority of us can believe that a human wrote this bible then let's think for a second. You're basing your entire belief system off of the ideas that one man or multiple men compiled in a book millenia ago? I mean certainly they could have been inspired by God but I feel like it's quite audacious to claim that something MAN wrote is to be considered the sacred word of GOD. Who even made it sacred? Man did, who even holds a reverence towards that book? Man does. So maybe now you're able to see my point of thought control, just to be sure though let's dive a little deeper in the idea of control.
(On Control)
Many of us black people feel as though there is a power structure bent on keeping us oppressed. Though I can certainly concede the point that life isn't easy for a black person in America, I wouldn't consider our status oppressed. Disproportionate, yes. Discriminatory, yes. Unjust, sure. But oppressed is too harsh a term. But all semantics aside, let's focus back on this power structure. We (and I use "we" very loosely) seem to point to this power structure as our reason for our unjust status in America but let's consider for a second another possibility. The power structure doesn't cause our social status, rather, it's the perceived power structure that causes our unjust social position. Think about it, when every black multi-millionaire/important person is asked about how they overcame their racial issues they all give the same answer "It was an obstacle but I didn't let it phase me." It's all about how you define yourself. If you want to overcome race then overcome it. Don't sit around and blame this or that for you not receiving the outcome you want, the problem lies with you. You aren't flawed or anything, don't get me wrong, you just can't be afraid to face adversity on the road to becoming what you feel in your heart that you should be. The Answer to "How?" is yes. That simply means that we have no control over the how, all we have is the illusion of control. So don't delude yourself with illusions, instead lose yourself in the moment. Only by being present in the here and now can we find true happiness. If we get stuck in the past or obsessed with the future then we can never progress.
(On Secret Societies and Illuminati)
There are some of you who will dispute everything I say with conspiracy and questions of the Illuminati and other Secret Societies that presumably run the country. If these societies are so well engrained in our society then how will we ever hope to gain any bit of information on then? If I were a secret society with a bunch of power then anything that held any truth about me would either be kept top secret or destroyed. The public would only receive the information that I'd want them to know meaning it'd either be half-truths to mislead the public or it'd only be the positive things my organization does so they wouldn't know our underhanded side. Basically it just doesn't make sense to blame secret societies for anything because you never really know if they exist or not. If they do exist you won't possibly be able to know anything true about them unless you joined and became a member of their most inner circle, and if they don't exist then you're wasting time pondering/blaming things that aren't real. If there is truly a powerful and influential secret society out there then it's one that none of us have heard of and there would be no mention of it anywhere.
(Symbolism)
To those of you who'll back up your claims of secret societies with symbolism then ponder this. How would you know what a symbol really meant? Sure you can do research but who put out the information you're taking in and how are they connected to the secret society you're trying to learn about? All things are connected and all the information you're looking at is a form of propaganda told from one bias or another. So how do you know what you're watching/reading isn't propaganda about said secret society that was distributed by said secret society so that people like you would become lost in the illusion of truth? That's the thing about symbols, anyone can make something out of nothing, but to make nothing out of something is art. Basically the people who look at the dollar bill and think nothing of it are just as lost as the people who look at the dollar bill and see Illuminati references.
(Truth)
Here's the summary of this rant. There is no dualism in the truth. Everything, no matter how far-fetched or conservative is a part of the universal truth. Think about it, a UNIVERSAL truth would be something that applies to the entire UNIVERSE and all things bizarre, mundane, complex and mundane. Your system of beliefs and faith in one ancient book is just like the generation before yours and also completely different. They're completely different in that theirs was a form of submission and coping with that feeling of submission and yours is a system of awakening and improvement. They're fundamentally the same though in that there are base rules for a person to follow in order to be considered a part of the group or an enlightened member of the group. For one it's a belief in Jesus dying for your sins and in the other it's a belief that black people are God's chosen. If you don't follow this mentality you're excluded from the system. Does that sound like anything other than thought control? Every civilization that's been recorded has had some sort of official religion or God-like figure, and that's fact. So how then is any new religion different from all the control mechanisms that have come before it?
(The New Breed)
There is a new breed of humanity on the way that sees the truths of the last two generations. These coming waves of Indigo Children will be the ones to make way for the next era in human consciousness and the only way to be a part of the new times will be to find your own truths and your own beliefs independent of anyone else's beliefs. The dark ages are over my friends, I'll be waiting for you in the light.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
A Brave New World
If it's one thing that's constant in the world it's change. Whether driven by violent conflict or a clash of ideals things are always changing. It's been a few centuries since our last great revolutions and I feel as though the world is overdue for another one. Don't you feel it too? The restlessness? The anxiety? The emptiness? The growing sense of nihilism that's becoming more intense by the day? We're in desperate need of the new, because the mundane just won't due. Wake up people, we're living in a system that is rapidly lulling us into a state of quiet comatose while it continues to weave delusions of grandeur in our heads. Yes, it's true that we're creations of the Gods, but that doesn't give us any more dominion over the planet than the tigers or dolphins. We evolved from that same pool of muck that bore the colossal whale so why do we feel more privileged/haughty just because we have shiny machines to do stuff for us? We must continue to evolve and not fall into this illusion of "safety." There is no such thing as being "safe" in the world, you're always vulnerable to something, so why not focus on being prepared for anything rather than constantly removing yourself from everything. The next revolution is coming, and if you don't take your own evolutionary destiny into your hands then someone else will control it for you; take what they consider your weaknesses and get rid of them regardless to how you feel about the change. This revolution has nothing to do with your religion or your career. It has everything however to do with you.
Everyone wants to be an individual but no one wants to be themselves.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Haven't done a music thing in a while...
Hello music lovers, I'm back with yet another album you should listen to: The Kills - Midnight Boom. I won't lie, this album may take a little getting used to but once you get the vibe you're hooked. I ran across this group by accident really. During one of my more riveting days of unemployment I was watching the Current Network (Awesome tv by the way...) and they did an interview with VV and Hotel from the group The Kills. I had heard about them before from artists like Lightspeed Champion (His album review coming soon) and The Wombats but I never really looked into them much. Better late than never I suppose.
All anecdotes aside I really really really digg this band. They're kind of like a grittier version of The White Stripes if Jack and Meg White switched places and shared the spotlight more often. VV (Alison Mosshart) delivers her vocals with the perfect balance of raw, in-your-face power and laid-back (almost teasing) cocky playfulness. Hotel (Jamie Hince) delivers his heavy guitar work in such striking fashion that I'm still left reeling from the chords after the album's finished. This is such a good album any music fan should check it out at least as a break from the mainstream. It's raw, it's gritty, it's heavy-hitting but you'll love every second of it.
Inspiration -Love-
Life's starting to look really good again folks. Time to run on a full tank of dreams wherever life is taking me! I'm back on that up and up where the lights are just a little bit brighter, the colors are a little bit more vibrant, and nothing is as blissful as a kiss on a warm day. Hello world, Toney Gaines is back :)
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Inspiration -Pain-
So a lot of times in life we go through some stuff. Like honestly, we go through some real shit. Personally, so far this year I've dealt with a painful breakup from a relationship that I thought was serious and the death of a friend. Both have left holes in my heart that I doubt will ever heal entirely. Sure, everyday makes it a little bit easier and I'm able to overlook her dating again (the very guy she said she wasn't going to pursue) or I'm able to let her go a little bit more and not take the loss so personally, but I still lament them both. What am I trying to say here...I guess the point I'm trying to get at is that I'm not down. I'm hurt, it's affecting me, but I feel as though I'm being sculpted. Each day I feel lighter like another piece has been chiselled away and I can feel the divine in everything just a little bit more. Haha I feel like I should say something/make a point that's easy to remember for all of you that actually read this. I guess what I'm getting at is that everything's a choice. It certainly may not feel that way and I'm by no means expecting any human to go through drama completely unphased, but you can choose how long you let things affect you. I'm currently in another relationship and as silly as it may be I'm feeling pretty damn optimistic about it. I'm able to talk about losing my friend now...I can actually tell my story and share my relationship to her without wanting to cry over her death. Life goes on people. The world keeps on spinning and the moment continues to grow and blossom, building upon itself. We can't be so wrapped up in our own grief that we fail to see the beauty in others. There's a time to grieve and there's a time to be with yourself, away from the world, but you have to know when that time is over and when it's time to return to the world around you. I know people who have been holding on to the same situations for years. Carrying around that grief for years, that pain for years, that hurt for years and all of that torment is taken out on everyone around them. The woman from a bad relationship who finds it hard to trust a man. The man from a bad relationship who chooses to victimize women because of the experience. The friend who loses themselves and pushes everyone around them away. We all know these people. We've all been these people. Some of us are bound to be these people again. It's not worth the pain, and pessimism doesn't make the suffering any easier. I encourage you to let all of that past stuff go and relish in the now. The time for grief is over, get back to the things that are really important: Finding out about yourself, showing love to the things around you, and developing a way to live in harmony with your surroundings. If I believed in prayer I'd say one for you all but instead of that I have something better...music.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)