ChesingTheCool presents: The Smoke Break feat. Devin the Dude, B.o.B., 88-Keys and Jaspects

Something for all you wake-and-bakers on a Sunday morning. The homie Small Eyez just hit me with a Smoke Break mix he did in celebration of the upcoming Devin the Dude x 88-Keys x B.o.B. x Jaspects show. This shit is riding. Plenty of familiar tunes here but never heard together and never heard like this. Good job Eyez.

DOWNLOAD: ChesingTheCool presents: The Smoke Break

Frantic Friday in Atlanta (6/5): Devin The Dude & 88-Keys, Camp Lo and FILA Party

Consider this a 7-day heads up. Some of ya'll might have seen the tweet I made about Atlanta the other day and this is a prime example of it. Not really complaining over this one, but damn, I feel like I need to have three me's if I want hit up each of these shows. Check after the jump to see what I mean.

Devin the Dude and 88-Keys
Ambient Studio
585 Wells, Atlanta, GA 30312


My favorite rapper and the man behind one of my favorite albums of 2008 are on the same bill at Ambeint Studios (yeah, I don't know where that's at either) and I have to be there. Devin hasn't been in Atlanta since DJ Princess Cut brought him through Club Crucial 3 years ago.

Forever I Love Atlanta (FILA)
595 North
595 North Ave, Atlanta


I just found out about this party the other day from the homie Keinon of FCC. Every FCC party I've been too I've had a good time, feels like you're family even if you don't know na'an ngh in there. My blue Fila's got stolen out of my gym locker a few months ago (damn, I still haven't told that story) but I might just hit up Walter's and get a new pair just to hit this up.

Camp Lo
Cenci
1259 Glenwood Ave (East Atlanta Village)


Crazy, me and my brother was just jamming to some Camp Lo on the way to Miami last weekend. From what I've heard, I hear they still got it. Plus the homies Binkis Recs and Senor Kaos are hitting the stage. I also want to check the dude Stanza out. On top of that, I am highly interested in seeing what that Lucid Absinthe talkin'bout. I read in either GQ or Esquire not too long ago that that stuff has been banned for like 90 years and just became legal again sometime in the last couple years. I want to try it, but if they're going to be doing all of this there, iono about all that shawty.

But yeah, there you go people. You have one week to decide what you're going to be doing with yourself next Friday. This ain't even counting what MJQ gonna be looking like. I hope you enjoy your decision(s).

B.o.B. aka Bobby Ray Rocks Foot Locker at South Dekalb Mall

Here's some footage and photos from the B.o.B. Reebok event I was waxing poetic about a few days ago. Bobby Ray and his band the Eastsider's did their thing. Most cats only wish their music can get heard in Foot Locker, this dude done messed around and did a show up in there. The above footage has B.o.B. performing "Put Me On" which they will be shooting a video for in LA next week. Shouts out to G-Roc and TSG for this video. The back of my head makes a cameo appearance. Check after the jump for some footage from Ozone and a few pics I snapped of the show.







B.o.B. spitting a familiar verse acapella and performing "Haters"

Konsole Kingz x G-Shock Giveaway

If you think you're that dude (or girl) on NBA 2K9 holler at my homies Konsole Kingz and get in on their 2K9 Play Date on June 14th from 8:00 - 11:00 P.M. ET (5:00 P.M. - 8:00 P.M. PT). The first 10 winners will get free G-Shock watches. When you sign up look out for these gamer tags: KONSOLEKINGZ, KKZ NBA2K, BUTCHER BLACK, DJExplicitNYC. Good luck.

UPDATE: Click Here for more details

Kno-"Caucasian"

Just viewed this over at TSS. But I shoulda known to click on this as soon as I saw Kno of Cunninlynguist tweet this yesterday. One time for Chris "Birdman" Andersen, Luke Walton, Wally Z. and these of our Caucasian brothers representing in the playoffs right now. This one's for you. While ya'll laughing I bet Kno could probably take Ye and Jeezy on the court too.

Killer Reign Supreme Over Nearly Everyone

Killer Mike spits a freestyle at the Hip Hop Appreciation Week concert at The Loft in Atlanta as KRS-ONE watches on.

Prescription for Murder: Pharmacist Charged With 1st Degree Murder After Shooting Unarmed 16-year old Would-Be-Robber 6 Times

"Take six of these and call me in the morning": Jerome Ersland, 59, says he acted out of fear and self-defense

Sad story out of Oklahoma.

Pharmacist Jerome Ersland has been changed with First-degree murder after shooting and killing 16-year old Antwun Parker in a robbery attempt...as he should be. Read the details of this story after the jump.

Taken from KOCO.com

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Prosecutors have charged Jerome Ersland with first-degree murder.

He was booked into the Oklahoma County Jail Wednesday after turning himself in, police said.

Ersland said two males tried to rob his pharmacy at Southwest 59th and Penn last Tuesday. Police investigators said Ersland shot 16-year-old Antwun Parker, killing him.


R.I.P. Antwun Parker

District Attorney David Prater said he defends a person's right to protect themselves, but Ersland crossed the line.

Surveillance video showed that the other man who came into the store demanding money had a gun but Parker did not. The tape showed that Parker seemed to be in the process of putting on a mask, police said.

Ersland fired shots at Parker, hitting him in the head. He also chased the second man down the street, firing two more shots.

"If that first shot had been fatal, we wouldn't be here," Prater said. "That was a legitimate shot taken by Mr. Ersland when he was in imminent threat of death or bodily injury. He's defending himself."

Prosecutors said Ersland returned to the store after the chase and fired five more shots into Parker's abdomen. Parker was unconscious with gunshot wounds to his head, prosecutors said.

A medical examiner said Parker would have survived the head injury, but died from the shooting to his abdomen.

"Jerome Ersland was justified in shooting Antwun Parker in the robbery attempt," Prater said. "Ersland is accused of exceeding that lawful authority through deadly force when Ersland shot Parker five times in the abdomen with a .380 caliber pistol after the failed robbery."

He said that Parker posed no imminent threat to Ersland at that point.

"When you put a pistol just a foot away from his chest and you fire five rounds into that child's chest, in my opinion, the laws of this state do not protect in the use of that deadly force," Prater said.

VIEW THE ACTUAL VIDEO FOOTAGE HERE (shocking to say the least)

After the shooting, Ersland told Eyewitness News 5 that he acted to save his life.

"They were shooting at me and I was just shooting to get them off of me and get to them to leave," Ersland said. "I wasn't trying to kill them."

Ersland's attorney, Irven Box, said his client plans to plead not guilty during his arraignment.

"I think the only message is, 'Enough is enough crime and robberies in this city,'" Box said. "I think he took the first steps toward doing that."


The Parker Family Watching The Video

Parker's Family Reacts

News of the murder charge came on the same day that Parker's family buried him.

"I'm mad, I'm mad," said Parker's mother, Cleta Jennings. "He didn't have to shoot my baby like that."

She said that the charges against Ersland give her a sense that justice is being served.

"I'm saying, 'Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, God. I'm excited. I'm so happy this man is being charged with murder," she said.

She said that while her son may have been mixed up with the wrong crowd and knows that what he did was wrong, she knows that Antwun would never hold a gun and didn't have to die.

"You could have stopped at one shot. You lied," Antwun's sister, Brittany Baldwin said, of Ersland. "Ain't nothing in the world that can replace him. Nothing can take away the pain I feel now."

Mike Parker, Antwun's father, said he was willing to forgive Ersland, but said what he did was not right.

A judge has set Ersland's bond at $100,000.

=======================================================================================

This is absolutely terrible. This painfully reminds me of both the robbery scene in Nate Dogg's "One More Day" video (1:33 mark) and of a story I posted last year about Joe Horn, the "neighbor" who sniped two people who broke into his next door neighbor's house.

Old white men kill me (not literally, I hope) when they do shit like this and claim "self-defense." One thing I've learned about (some of) them is that they love to make examples out of young black men weather it be Antwun Parker or Mike Vick. Which is why I tell the wayward and straight-laced kids that I speak to every once in a while to not even bother to give "the man" a reason or opportunity to even do anything to you. They are just itching at the chance to take one of you out and let the "justice" system sort it out later.

How do ya'll feel about this? Granted, young Antwun made a mistake, but he didn't have to die for it. If Ersland was out to make an example, sadly, I hope it resonates in the minds of other kids thinking about doing the same thing.

Whats On Lucious' Leftfoot?: Big Boi Rocks Fakes?

DAAAAMN DAAAAMN DAAAAMN JAAAAAAAMES!

Ok. I guess I can't just act like this ain't happening. So...

The net is buzzing about Big Boi's "Space Jam Jordans" that he rocked during his Sneaker Pimps performance a couple weeks ago. As you already know, I was at the show. Front row even. And like I told you there, they call out folks rocking Fakes. So when I saw Big Boi hit the stage in these J's I was like, ehhh, they don't quite look right.





I swear I started to roast Lucious' Leftfoot, but I was like nah, I'm not super sneaker head like that. I didn't want say something and be wrong. Plus, at the same time I was like, shied, this is multi-millionaire Big Boi, ain't no way in hell this man has some fake Jordans on. They must be some super-duper rare exclusives or something. And between the shows hosts, Dave, DJ Clark Kent and Greg Street's jonin ass, surely one of them woulda called him out. But again, this is Big Boi we're talking about, even if they are fake, who was gonna call this man out, on stage? He warrants too much respect. That's like going on stage during a Parliament Funkadelic show and asking George Clinton "you been smoking rocks tonight shawty?" Even though its a harsh truth, I've both seen and heard of Mr. Clinton with pipe in hand, and this Clinton does inhale.

However, I shoulda known something was up when C-Bone asked Big "whats those on your feet?" and when he replied "oh, some of them...Space Jam Jordans" the crowd gave a collective Scooby Doo "huuggghhh???" and laugh.

But yeah man. I don't know if all of this warrants me hopping across the street to ask this man "Where'd You Get Those?" But damn, if I do happen to see his car parked out front today, I will be tempted to.

But yeah anyway, lets end this on a good note. If you happen to be on the Eastside today, fall through South Dekalb Mall and check out B.o.B.'s Reebok release. Once again, I reiterate, Reeboks were the shit growing up. Hell, its what kept alot of kids who couldn't afford Jordan's, Deion's and stuff like that in style and away from having to rock XJ900's, Pro Wing's and Hoop-It-Ups. Folks that went to Miller Grove remember those fake ass sneakers. Instead of the Jordan logo, they had two dudes going for a jump ball...hellllll naaaaaawwww.

Soulja Boy Covers Rolling Out

"How Soulja Boy Saved Hip Hop" = Pretty Bold Statement

You throwing tomatoes or flowers at this one? Regardless of if you agree with the title or not, its one of the better written stories on SB by one of the better writers out there, Jacinta Howard. Photos by Hannibal Matthews.

READ: How Soulja Boy Saved Hip Hop

DJ Quik x Kurupt-"Do You Know"

I just had to share this song. Shit is jamming, Quik did his thing on this beat. He freaked the hell out of Toni, Tony, Tone "Anniversary." Its from their upcoming collab album Blaqout...I might be copping this one shawty.

Gucci Mane Covers Creative Loafing

Gucci Mane and his "Stoopid" haircut are gracing the cover of Creative Loafing this week. Its a pretty good read too if you wanted learn more about Gucci's reason for rhyme.

READ: Fresh from jail, Gucci Mane's star has peaked

MG Re-Post: "Hip Hop Needs Some Pussy" (2007)

So me, the illustrious Saptosa Foster and the homie Aqua had a brief exchange on twitter last night about the absence of a female MC population in Hip Hop right now.

The brief chat reminded me of a post I made over at my old Myspace blog...

I titled it "Hip Hop Needs Some P*ssy." I titled it that because at the time, rappers was acting like they hadn't gotten any in while. Everybody was beefing. Everybody was complaining. Dudes was just wilding out in general. Signs that they aren't getting any. I accredited their behavior to not enough estrogen being in Hip Hop to balance out all of that testosterone. It got a decent response back then, so since I got reminded of it, I figured I'd share it with ya'll (copied & pasted verbatim) today if you didn't catch it back then.

===================================================================================

Hip Hop Needs Some P*ssy (2007)

[Claimer: Erykah Badu, The Roots and Common all feel that Hip Hop is a girl (H.E.R.)...I tend to disagree, it looks like a dude to me. {Austin Powers voice} Its A Maaaaan, Baaabaaay}]

This has been on my mind for a minute, and I'm sure I'm not the first or last to speak on this...but damn, where are the female rappers?

Yeah yeah yeah...I know that there are "some" out there in the most generic sense of the word, but really, where art thou? As a writer, I pay attention to who gets put on the cover of rap magazines. And um...I honestly can't remember the last time I saw a pretty face on one. I mean, Kimora Lee Simmons was on the cover of The Source this past month, but does that really count? Eve popped up in the current XXL, but she was the only female feature in there, and if my memory serves me correctly, she was the first female to be in there for a hot lil' minute.

I mean got damn, where are the girls at? Sure, yeah, we have women in the videos dancing and in the magazine posing, but where are the ones with something to say? You know, the ones with brains (not those kind, get your mind out the gutter). And yeah, I know we got people going crazy over this Lil Mama girl (I saw a freestlye of hers, she can really go), but can I get more than 1 or 2 at one time? Is that being selfish? Is that too much to ask? To see more that Lil Mama and Eve?

Granted, female rappers were never the bulk of the rap population, but damn, you at least had a couple options. I remember times when I was watching Rap City or YO! MTV Raps, seeing videos by Queen Latifah, MC Lyte and JJ Fad all in one sitting. There were other times when I could see Salt-N-Pepa, Bo$$ and Concious Daughters on the same show. Fast forward to a day where I'd see Rage, Da Brat and Dis N' Dat (thats Bass Music for those of yall who dont know) and fast forward again to a time where I'd see Foxy Brown, Lil Kim, Bahamadia and even Nonchalant at the same time. And the beautiful thing about this is that, I KNOW I left out hella names! Meaning there was even more to pick from or leave alone. Don't get me wrong, just like there were/are some wack as dudes rapping, there were/are some was ass females. All I'm saying is, its nice to have options.

Yes, I know there are about eh, 17 female rappers out there right now. I get Myspace friend requests and mixtapes from quite a few of them, I just dont care for the lot of them because all they rap about is taking my money or shoving my face in their special place...and I dont wanna hear that shit no more than women want to hear dudes tell them they gonna pimp them and tear their p***y up.

Damn, what was I saying....yeah, where are the options? I know people say that Hip Hop is mysogonistic and demeans women, but shied....I find the thought of no women being around period, more frieghtening than the thought of them being disrespected. If these gangstas aint careful, they gonna go from saying "fuck yall hoes" to "damn, where the hoes at?" {i use that term comedically and loosely, and it wasnt meant to offend or imply}.

Hip Hop is starting to remind me of those nights in the club where there aint NOOOOO females. Ya'll know what I'm talking about fellas. Hip Hip is looking like a Sword Fight, a Sausage Party, a Testosterone Tangle, a Hardleg Convention.

I mean, I don't know about ya'll...but when I was a kid, I wasnt one of those boys that said "ew, yucky" when a girl came around. Granted, I wasnt the perv looking up girls dress and grabbing ass everyday at P.E. and Recess, but I wasnt one of those "No Girls Allowed" treehouse ass niggas neither got dammit. But damn, thats what Hip Hop is looking like to me right now...dudes are not liking girls. What does that shit mean? I mean whats really going on?

And to the ladies, I ask? Did the fellas chase you out of the party? Or, while I'm sitting here complaining, hell, I might need to realize that sheid, maybe women dont want to rap anymore. Thats fair, because there are times when I don't want to listen to rap my damn self. So, if thats the case, thats completely understandable...I only wish that some of your male counterparts would take the same action and just, stop rapping...because just like Herby Luv Bug hinted on S&P's "Push It"...."It aint for everybody!"

I dunno man...Hip Hop needs some women dawg. Folks talking about Hip Hop is Dead or its dying...no it aint...its going through a dry spell...Hip Hop needs some pussy...thats all. I mean, look at how these dudes are acting. They slapping 14 year olds, having petty ass fights, recording diss videos in their boxers, walking around angry all the time and going to Oprah for help with communicating with the sistahs....yep {deep breath}, sounds like somebody needs some pussy...Dudes wont have time to be mad and all up on each other and in each others business if they're preoccupied with the opposite sex.

So yeah man....stop jacking off (ego masturbating) and go get some ass Hip Hop...I guarantee you'll feel better. But don't just run up in anything tho...quality over quantity. And if it aint with a woman you want having your kids, use a rubber...last thing we need is some more bastardized rappers running around...and I imagine that you dont want to catch nothing either...

your thoughts please...

(oh yeah, shout out to all the Female DJs putting it down out there)

===================================================================================

So, two years after, it seems like the situation has gotten worst. How do ya'll feel?

From The Vaults: Killer Mike-"My Chrome" video (2005)

Man. I thought this Hype-directed video would never see the light of day but I am so glad its here for the world to see. I remember being on set for much of this video. Matter fact, its during this shoot that me and Mike actually got cooler and developed a rapport outside of our interview conversations. Hell, I even remember giving Witchdoctor a ride to the gas station to get some Blacks. They went ALL over the city from Magic City to Mike's grandma house to Columbia Road shooting this vid. I met Hype Williams for the first time on this shoot too. Damn, this is bringing back memories. They even got Kenlo's A-town sneakers in this vid.

At the same time, this videos unearthing is bittersweet. It really makes me upset that Big Boi and Killer couldn't remain a tandem. Southern Hip Hop could have really used that. Makes me even more pissed that Ghetto Extraordinary didn't drop when it was supposed to too. And damn, with the Purple Ribbon logo being on it, that means it could've still been released as a video off the Got Purp Vol.2. DAMN DAMN DAMN JAMES! Anyways, I'll stop my memory lane ride now and let you enjoy the video.

Shoutout Whiteboy D

INBOXication: Freddie Gibbs

When I saw the homies over at The Smoking Section bigging up Gary, Indiana lyricist Freddie Gibbs over the last couple of weeks, I'll be honest, I never got around to listening to everything they posted. Hell, he even had a couple songs with Devin the Dude that I didn't click on immediately. Sorry, its just so much damn music out there. Add that to the umpteen other things I distract myself with on the internet as well as a temperamental computer, me clicking on any of Mr. Gibbs' music in a timely fashion was not very promising.

After while though, I had to realize that judging from as much as I talk to the homies Gotty and TC, and my interactions with the crew and community over there, that they would never co-sign no bullshit. So, I finally clicked on one of their Freddie Gibbs links and...

I instantly became a fan of this dude's music. So much that not only did I download his The Miseduation of Freddie Gibbs mixtape and listen to damn near each song at least twice before moving on to the next one, I scoured YouTube looking for some of his older tracks and I can't say that I was disappointed at all.

After doing some more digging around I saw that he was signed to Interscope 2-3 years ago. Of course we all know that label is a place where they just throw a bunch of pictures on the wall and rolls with what sticks. So needless to say, Freddie didn't stick, but ever since, dude has been on a mission to get his music out there and put his city on the map.

The above song, "From the G" is the first thing I saw and I was won over just 1/4 into the song. Crazy, about a week or so ago I remember reading Mistah F.A.B. tweeting about how artists, especially ones from Oakland, shouldn't try remaking 2Pac songs. Well, Gibbs isn't from the O so I guess he gets a pass on that. But I feel where Fab is coming from. Especially after the Ja Rule's and Master P's of the world have made such mockeries out of 'Pac's music. But, Freddie did his damn thing on the "Bury Me A G" beat. Hell (ducks chairs) he might have ripped it better than at least two of the Thug Life cats that were on the original.

Of course with any up and coming artist, they're going to be compared to someone before them. Not necessarily because of any glaring similarities, but just as a frame of reference. With Gibbs, he reminds me of Z-Ro (which will remind you of 'Pac by default), except he's not as emotional or mean. That's not to say that you can't hear struggle, pain or emotion in his music though, because theirs plenty of it in there.

"Neverending Cycle" (prod. by JR Rotem)


Another thing that sticks out to me about Gibbs is how he is able to speak from the perspective of someone trapped in a miserable environment who is trying to survive, but at the same time tell you why its miserable beyond just coming with a "shit fucked up, it is what it is" type mentality in his approach.

"G.I. Pride" (prod. by Just Blaze)


He also shows that even when you're talking about the "hood" you can still make it jam and talk about regular shit outside of busting every gun and banging every broad.

"In My Hood" (prod. by JR Rotem)


At the end of the day, the thing that impressed me most about Gibbs was his delivery. Being that he's from Gary (which is to Chicago what Missouri City is to Houston, meaning its pretty much the part of town that the city cops don't bother coming to) he has that Midwest patented Snipe style embedded in his flow. But, he doesn't rely on it to a fault like Do or Die and Twista did and do at times. Instead, Gibbs just slows it down and freaks it depending on what beat he's on. Example, his nimble (and focused) wordplay over Big L's "Flamboyant" beat.

"Flamboyant (freestyle)"


Even though the song is about heartbreak, he also snaps on this old Souls of Mischief too.

"How We Do (93 To Infinity freestyle)"


Of course, no emcee is complete without being able to tell stories and Gibbs does that well. On "Queen" he goes in similar to how Nas did on "Undying Love" except here he captures lighting in a bottle and makes you feel like you are the character in the story.

"Queen"


But yeah, I don't want to mess around the whole damn mixtape, I want to leave something for you to listen to on your own. I walked away with a sense that Freddie reps for the dudes in the hood who have common sense and believe in themselves enough to make it out of tough situations, but just still get caught up from time to time. Hense the appropriately borrowed "miseducation" theme with GD and VL signs placed around him. But yeah, if you are a fan of Dayton Family, Z-Ro and just some reality based G-shit in general, you will dig Freddie Gibbs. If you are a fan of swift deliveries and focused lyricism, you will dig Freddie Gibbs. Matter fact, if you come around these parts often and dig the most of the music that I share here, you'll dig Freddie Gibbs. I spoke with him briefly and he insisted that this mixtape is just a taste of what he has to offer.

DOWNLOAD: Freddie Gibbs-The Miseducation of Freddie Gibbs

BONUS: Here's some of his older stuff that I found and enjoyed on YouTube

"Summer Breezing"


"Live From Gary"

Eastside Pride: B.o.B. Gets His Own Reebok Sneaker

B.o.B.-"Atlanta, GA" (2007)


Granted, they aren't as popular as they used to be, but having your own Reebok Classic is the shit if you're from Decatur, which is why I'm posting this. As much ish as people may talk (me included at times) about B.o.B.'s musical development over the last couple of years, I got to say I'm happy as hell to see this. Score one for the hometeam...

I remember we used to wear Reebok Classics religiously. They were the perfect shoe. They matched with everything from a crispy creased Tommy/Nautica/Polo outfit to whatever you just happened to throw on. Most of all, before you started working and making your own money, they was pretty much the only good-looking affordable shoe that your parents didn't mind buying you for school time. Damn, I miss my Classics.

Man, Reebok Classics are sooooooooo Eastside, and to have the release go down at South Dekalb shawty? This idea is pure genius and its only right that an Eastsider get his own pair. Like really, I don't think ya'll understand where I'm coming from on this.

See, as much unity there is in Atlanta, there is also subliminal segregation. There was a time when folks could tell you wasn't from their side of town based solely on how you dressed. Any of ya'll can correct me if I'm wrong...but it always seemed like folks in Decatur wore Reeboks. Westsiders wore Jordans and Southsider wore Air Max's or whatever the "hot" $100 sneaker was at the time. Granted, people from all sides of town wore these sneakers at the same time, but you were just more likely too see one of them dominate the area. Which is why folks always knew I was from Decatur.

Case and point. Before I got a car, I was on MARTA. So when I'd want to go visit some girl across town or hell, just go to a mall other than South Dekalb, I'd hop my ass on MARTA and ride out. It never failed. From the time I'd go past Five Points headed either West or South...cats always looked at me funny. Not funny as in they were about to jump me, but just that "I don't know you, you ain't from around here" look.

After while, I realized it was because of what I was wearing. Like I said, Atlanta niggas all kinda dressed alike for the most part back in the day. But if you from East Point and you saw a dude riding the 182 headed to Greenbriar, decked out in some Reebok Classics with a matching Reebok t-shirt (and shorts if you was doing it like that) you absolutely knew his ass from the Eastside. And it went vice versa for niggas falling through the Candler Road flea market decked out in Jordan gear. Folks rocked Jordans on Eastside, but never quite to that extent.

Or it could just be the way we walked. Because I remember walking through Greenbriar rocking some '96 Olympics Air Max with the matching shirt and still catching a couple "iono buddy" looks.

But yeah, congrats to Bobby Ray landing his own Reebok sneaker. Not that it was ever to be doubted before, but this cat is officially a Eastsider, hahahah! Depending on how I'm looking, I'ma try to cop a pair to show support. I just hope Reebok finally did something about the toe tip on the shoe. Everybody knows that you can only go for so long before the toe tip start flapping. And there is no fixing that shit. Superglue, tape, staples...yeah, I've done it all trying to salvage my Classics. I'm really hoping they've done something to solve that problem.

But yeah, if you're around come through and show some support:

Bobby Ray x Reebok
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Foot Locker at South Dekalb Mall
2801 Candler Road, DECATUR, GA

Jaspects feat. Senor Kaos-"Fallin" [remix]

Kaos told me about this track right after I snapped this flick of them at DJ Drama's album listening last week. Wasn't doubting the dopeness and hearing it confirmed it. Good job fellas.

Spotted at Small Eyez' place

Clipse X Kanye - Kinda Like A Big Deal Behind The Scenes

Shout out to Steven Victor for the assist.

AJC: Man Charged with Cruelty for Tattooing Toddler

AJC dropped this gem this morning:

A Floyd County man has been charged with child cruelty after authorities say he tattooed his 3-year-old son.

Floyd County Police Sgt. Teri Davis said Eugene Ashley, 24, tattooed his son’s back right shoulder with “DB,” which stands for “Daddy’s Boy,” sometime this spring. The child’s mother, Amy Ashley, was not present during the incident.

The tattoo was discovered after an unidentified person complained to the Department of Family and Child Services about the conditions at the Ashley home. The Ashleys have several children, Davis said.

The children remain with their mother. Eugene Ashley was arrested May 21 and faces charges of child cruelty and tattooing a person younger than 18 years old, the latter being a misdemeanor, Davis said.

Ashley has been released from jail. Information on his bond amount was not immediately available.

Damn, fathers stay losing. Can't win for trying. By the way, the above photo is not of the child.

Mikkey Halsted-"We Are One"

Granted, he's not rapping about having fun at a Memorial Day cook out, but the fact that producer No I.D. sampled Frankie Beverly & MAZE's "We Are One" kinda put me in that mood. Nonetheless, check this song out. Mikkey is dope and has been for some time now. He's the man behind one of my favorite songs ever.

Spotted at FSD

Killer Mike-"Man Up"

Yeah, its been a minute since some new (not just unreleased) Mike leaked out. Well this one is from an up coming Grand Hustle x Greg Street collaborative project that should be hitting the streets soon. I was asked to hold onto this until Monday. Since I was up I figured I'd go ahead and put it out there for ya'll.



UPDATE: Greg Street just sent over the cover art for the mixtape

M.I.A.

Won't be too much going around here until Monday or Tuesday. Thanks for stopping by. Enjoy your Memorial Day weekend.

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"Down On Boulevard": Creative Loafing's Feature on Boulevard

I haven't been out to see the print version of this week's Creative Loafing, but I stumbled across their current cover story on Boulevard through their website. Very good and interesting read. It pretty much speaks on how the strip is one of Atlanta last ghettos (or as it was called in the story "the hole in the donut") and why it hasn't grown or gotten better in damn near 40 years. It also speaks on the current moves being made to change it for the better. Though the story doesn't really say that its about to be the next place to suffer from gentrification, it kinda sounds like it. I'm sorry, but I'm not buying the whole "lets just fix it up, but keep it Section 8" routine. I really think their about to come through with the broom and sweep them folks down to Clayton County like they've been doing for the last 5-15 years. Anyways, good story, great read, check it out.

READ: "Down On Boulevard"

Soulja Boy Covers Rolling Out

Gotta show love to the old stomping grounds every now and again. Rolling Out has Souja Boy on their next cover. Jacinta Howard wrote the story and Hannibal Matthews shot the images. Should be a dope product all the way around with the both of them involved. Check after the jump to see some more shots and a sneak peak of the story.





READ: Sneak Peak-Soulja Boy Covers Rolling Out

"Shine Blockers": Big Boi and Gucci Mane Recording at Stankonia

"Veeeeeedy interesting" (c) Arte Johnson. Big Boi recruited Gucci Mane and Project Pat to hop on a song called "Shine Blockers" for his Lucious Leftfoot: Son of Chico Dusty album. In typing that just now, I kinda realized that Project Pat '99 = Gucci Mane '09. I don't know ya'll but I was jamming to some Pat pretty damn hard back then. I guess that's what my slight disinterest in Guccimania stems from. Feels like I've heard it before. Same way I felt about Jeezy at times. I came up listening to Top Authority. So when I hear something years later that's either a direct byproduct or mimic of it, I just be like...I've heard this before, and better...

*steps away from soapbox*

But yeah, I'm posting this video because I found it interesting to see how Big Boi is attempting to bridge a gap of sorts by enlisting Gucci on his album. Only other time I can remember a DF member doing something like this was when, hell, Gucci featured Khujo on "Corner Cuttin'" on his first album.

Big Boi's been doing this for a while now though. Him hopping on remixes to Gorilla Zoe's "Hood Nigga" and DJ Unk's "Walk It Out" are proof. I'm also posting it because it shows that as much as Atlanta Hip Hop seems to be segregated at times, there's still some sort of unity. Which brings me to something else...

Not gonna be doing any name dropping but, I had a talk with two friends about the same subject. It was about a year and some change ago when Atlanta's "Otherground" was really popping with Proton, Hollyweerd, etc doing shows every weekend. One friend was saying that the Outkast's of the world should reach back and give these groups a much-needed co-sign. While my other friend was saying they're not going to co-sign them because hell, they probably don't relate to what they are doing. I saw both sides of the coin and they both made equally valid points. I tended to lean more in the direction of the latter though.

Mainly because, some of our elder statesmen in Hip Hop prove to us again and again that while they may be fans of the groups that seem to be inspired by them, that don't always mean that they are going to or are even supposed to co-sign them. Being so close to what's come before you, could actually backfire at the end of the day.

Example, there used to be this group called Da Wascals. When they came out, folks immediately called them the baby Pharcyde, because they had the same producer (J-Swift) and they was signed to the same label. Aside from the fact that the group wound up breaking up, folks wasn't messing with them as much as they might have if they didn't look and sound so much like Pharcyde. Did all of that make sense?

Plus, 'Kast over the years have always co-signed what is probably considered the polar opposite of what they had going on at the time. Ya'll remember Aquemini Records? Killer Mike, Slim Calhoun, TCP and Konkrete. Them niggas was raising hell back then. So much to the point they started calling them "AquemiTHUGS." That's not really what comes to mind when you think of the Stankonia-era 'Kast, now is it? Plus, up until recently, Atlanta was always a slum-type place. And, in the late-90s/early 2000s the DF was setting things up to catch that impending wave of Atlanta street shit that Pastor Troy was kicking off, T.I. picked up and Jeezy ran with.

Like me and some friends were saying on twitter yesterday. Cool Breeze was T.I. before T.I. and Backbone was Jeezy before Jeezy. Plus, if ya'll go back and listen to that Slimm Calhoun The Skinny album, you'll hear that he was doing everything that is cool now, back in '01. So, that being said, seeing Big Boi gravitate more towards Gucci Mane instead of the stuff he may be expected to co-sign, doesn't really come off as much of a surprise.

But yeah, as far as the "Shine Blockers" song itself? Judging from the clips of the song that's playing in the video, its probably not going to be my cup of tea. But, its interesting to see and hear nonetheless.

Shouts out to Zach Wolfe (and his super camera) and SnortThis.com

Quite Frankly: Oscar Wants to Outdo Oprah

Since that whole free KFC chicken thing went awry, the kind folks at Oscar Meyer want to insert even more pandemonium into our lives be giving away free hot dogs.

From an email:

While supplies last, Oscar Mayer is giving away coupons for a free package of beef franks. Simply go to OscarMayer.com and fill out the required information. The coupon will be mailed to you in 4-6 weeks. Only one coupon per household and the offer expires once Oscar Mayer has given away $1 million worth of free franks.

Again, I'm always weary of free food. Am I the only one that thinks something must be wrong with it?

Anyways here is the link to get your Oscar on.

Anthony David feat. Algebra and Phonte-"4evermore"

Crazy. I feel like I saw this song materialize over Twitter. AD and Phonte had been going back and forth for a minute giving each other props and saying "we should link up" and then next thing you know AD happens to be in Phonte's neck of the woods and it happens. Now we have a "twitterexclusive" to jam to. Just like that Bobby Creekwater and Mistah F.A.B. collab not to long ago.

Anyways check it, easy listening for a nice day so far.

Anthony David feat. Algebra and Phonte-"4evermore"

TONIGHT! Kuhvet.com x MauriceGarland.com x Remy Martin presents Tweet & Greet Wednesdays at The Wine Loft

Come out and meet some of your Tweets face-to-face with networking and drinks as the backdrop. Hope to see ya'll there.

Gangsta Pill-"Music"

Pill-"Music"


With all this Relapse talk, its nice to get some medicine that might actually heal your ears instead of make them sick. Here's the first vitamin from Pill's follow-up to 4180: The Prescription project, 4075: The Refill.

Produced by Mick Vegas

Stole Food

Someone just showed me this clip trying to get me to laugh in amazement. Funny thing is, I knew what dude was doing 10 secs into the video. I used to do this in high school to get breakfast. Dude in the video doing too much though. When me and friends did this we'd just be like "shit, we changed our minds" if we said anything at all. The other way is to just drive into the the drive-thru lane and...nah, I ain't gonna say too much, ya'll can figure it out for yourself if you're hungry enough. When you think about it, this shit is actually kinda sad. Like I said, I was 17-18 when I was doing this, this guy seems to be at least in his mid-20s. Goes to show you that no country has a monopoly on poverty and hood shit. But yeah, check out the vid, and if you need more ways to get over on the system, check out dead prez' video for "Hell Yeah" aka the Trillest Video Ever.

Witchdoctor-"Rich & Poor"

This is how you can tell you when you truly have a voice. I swear EJ is the one of the only artists that can record on sup-par equipment but still make a jamming song that will hold your attention...and might even make you hit repeat. I really like this song, true words spoken.

Spotted at TSS

Lost & Sound: UGK-Trill Azz Mixez (1999-00?)

[UPDATE: I was finished with this post and about to hit publish. Right before I hit the button, I texted Bun B to ask him a quick question. The quick question turned into brief phone conversation revealing even more history about this CD. I kept my post the same, but added his input. His new added quotes are in the block quotes.]

On the previous Lost & Sound I mentioned that I found this week's feature at the same time I found it, well here it is, UGK's Trill Azz Mixez a must have and heard for any and every UGK fan.



I can't remember if I copped this in 1999 or 2000, but I remember exactly where...the student center at my alma mater Fort Valley State University. Yep, while other schools had credit card companies in the student center signing up kids for new debt, FVSU had the bootleg CD man posted up with at least four tables worth of photocopied album covers and slim CD cases. I was always weary about copping stuff from the bootleg man, because shit, the CDs were bootleg. They were liable to play in one CD player and not the next. Or, they'd play in your CD player for about two weeks and just stop working. It's like they had an expiration date or something.

Plus, 99-00 was a time when albums first started leaking to the internet and at the time my college radio station partner-in-crime Shawty Slim was a wizard on the computer so I'd have most if not all of what the bootleg man was selling, weeks prior. But, one day when I was going through the student center to pick up some lunch, I decided to go see what he had on the table. MAN! When I saw the UGK crest logo it seemed like it was glowing and everything else got blurry. I remembered reading a couple things about TAM on a old UGK Geocities site called Country Rap Tunes, that I used to check religiously!

But, reading about it and actually expecting to find it was two different things. I have to remind you, this was damn near 10 years ago when you had to do more than just dream of something leaking to the internet, google it the next day and waah-laah, its there. Hell, the only reason I came up on the Dirty Money bootleg in '99 was because my college roommate at the time went to Texas for the summer and cameback with it somehow. I just thought TAM was gonna be some CD that wouldn't make it past Alabama. But, here it was staring me in the face. I immediately copped it for $5...photocopied cover and all.

Now, I know most artists out there frown upon people buying their product from the bootlegger. But, seeing as how UGK are the Underground Kingz, I think they damn near wanted folks to buy their shit from the bootlegger, unless it was one of their retail projects. Plus, like I said, this was at the height of the "where's Dirty Money?" days so I had to get this joint. Hell, for some years, the only way to get new UGK music was through an illegal means. Plus, I was wearing out my Dirty Money bootleg to the point that the film on the CD started chipping.

Bun B: Trill Azz Mixez was originally conceived by DJ Wiz in Nashville. He begged us to do it. This was back when mixtapes were actually "mixtapes" and was only available in mom and pop stores. Wiz used to do a lot of Cash Money and No Limit mixtapes and he always wanted to do one with us. We'd always just be like "yeah, aight, whatever." But, when we started having all of the label trouble we said we should do a mixtape and go ahead and put it out with Wiz. After it came out everywhere we went, people wanted it. We'd never have enough copies of it. To this day we still don't. We'd always talk about bringing it back and re-releasing it. We actually did shows in the Midwest and the majority of the show would be based off the mixtape. It created income and we sold them at shows. Big up to DJ Wiz, he was an undying supporter of UGK. He hepled us understand the scope of our spread. Doing that tape with him is the reason why we put the UGK logo big as hell on all of our CDs now.

But yeah, I'm doing all of this talking and haven't spoken on the actual CD. Well, Trill Azz Mixez is a blend tape of classic UGK songs and lyrics over other beats, a great example of Southern Hip Hop. Example:

"Back, Front, Back, Side to Side" x "P.W.A."


I wish I could have edited these two together for ya'll, because they way they blend into each other on the CD is flawless.

"I Left It Wet" x Too Short's "Freaky Tales"


Another thing I dug about this CD was that it had the best of two extremes. One minute it was mixing UGK lyrics over Bone instrumentals:

"Tell Me Something Good" x Bone & 2Pac's "Thug Luv"


Then it had blends that were more homegrown:

"Murder" x Lil Keke's "Southside"


Again, you have listen to the CD in its entirety to appreciate how the songs blend into one another:

"Break 'Em Off Something" x "Southside"


I would upload the flawless blend that is "2 Real" x "Diamonds & Wood" but I want to leave something left for you to experience when you download the CD.

Easily and obviously the highlight and standout of the CD is "Top Notch Hoes." Its the only song on the CD that isn't blended, its a standalone track. When TAM came out, the only other CD I ever heard this song on was my Dirty Money bootleg that I scored a year or so prior. Again it was the standout on there too because it was on the only song that sounded of decent quality and actually finished.

Question, am I the only one who thought Pimp was dissing The Roots on this song when he said "What They Do, What They Do, nigga was corny is fuck/You get no play that Texas, you're shit don't bump in the trunk." Its obvious that he was dissing BET and their East Coast biases, but I always wondered/overthought about that line in particular.

"Top Notch Hoes"

Bun B: Everybody wanted "Top Notch Hoes." We got shows off that song. That’s a hardcore UGK song. You came up to us tell us that was your shit? We knew you've been rocking with UGK for real. I'm not sure what or who's album that was for. It might have been for Kool Ace. I think "Top Notch Hoes" was supposed to be another Kool Ace song. Kool Ace was a big friend to UGK. When we recorded it we considered holding on to it and putting it on Dirty Money but we said fuck it because we didn't think Dirty Money was ever coming out.

Yeah, Pimp was talking about The Roots on his verse. Bygones are bygones now, but yeah, he was talking about them. He thought they were shooting at Too $hort in the video. And you know how close they were. Pimp was always taking up other people's battles. He never really had any proof that they were dissing him in the video, so when he says that line "I saw your video nigga sound like you dissing my friends" I'd be like exactly! That's what it "sounds" like, you don't really know. But Pimp actually liked what The Roots was doing, he always talked about having a live band on stage with him. They probably never knew Pimp was dissing them or ever did, I guess they do now. The only reason he said that was because he thought they were dissing $hort. Pimp just like to say things to get under people's skin, including mines.

Once again, the post is getting lengthy so I'll wrap it up now. If you are a UGK fan or even if you're just now getting introduced to them YOU NEED to have Trill Azz Mixez in your possession, this is classic and a gem. Up until 15 minutes ago, I never even knew who mixed this joint down, but Bun just informed me that it was DJ Wiz from Nashville, so shout out to him. Great work. Hope ya'll enjoy.

DOWNLOAD: UGK & DJ WIZ: TRILL AZZ MIXEZ

Sneaker Pimps Re-Cap and Photos

This past Friday I fell through the Sneaker Pimp show at The Tabernacle. I learned something about myself going there.



I learned that I'm not a "sneaker head" like that. Granted I have a closet full of sneakers and could probably go nearly a month without wearing the same pair twice if I wanted to and I try my best to get sneaks that no one else has. But, compared some of these cats I saw at this show, I am no sneaker head.



I'm not going to camp out for Jordans or Yeezys. I don't imagine myself dropping hundreds on one pair (though I will do that for some fresh Kenneth Coles, Bostonians, etc.). I'm just a dude that likes sneakers, alot. No disrespect to the heads out there because I know a lot and shied, I'm always looking at either TheShoeGame or StandardATL to see whats good. Hell, if Eastbay was still relevant I'd probably still keep a subscription. Like my dude Nesby Phips said, Eastbay was like sneaker porn, fellas, ya'll know what I'm talking about. But, I guess the best way to get my point across is to say, like...



I workout often and I take care of myself. Would I call myself an "athlete"? No. I'm just a guy who is in good shape. Make sense? Yeah? No? Ok.



But overall the show was cool. Its always nice to hangout anywhere drinks and good music can be found. The show is pretty much a gathering for sneaker heads to show off their shoes and enjoy some sneaker-based art displays. Imagine Foot Locker meets the museum.











The show also featured some performances from Prynce, R.City (Rock City) and Big Boi. The homie Amir Shaw was out selling his book 23 as well. But before I get to that, I have to tell you about what was probably one of the more memorable moments of the show.



Now, if you've never been to a sneaker head show, it goes like this. If you walk in there with some fakes, you're going to get noticed. Hell you might get noticed more than the person with the freshest, loudest shoes on. When I say fake, I don't mean as in those XJ9000's, Pro Wings or Hoop It Up's folks used to wear when we was in 8th grade. I'm talking about shoes that look real, but are fake.



When you are spotted, you get called out and brought on stage.





From there they ask for your shoe, hold it to the crowd and explain why its fake. In this case, the culprit was rocking a pair of green see-thru AF1s. Apparently, they only came in red for girls, and blue for guys. Green was not an official colorway.





Very embarrassing. But, the thing is, after the embarrassment, 99% of the time, their going to give you a new pair to go home with so that you won't be walking around with fake sneakers on.



Well, the unsuspecting sole (ha, get it?) who got called out wasn't aware of this. So when Sneaker Pimp co-hosts Dave Jeff and DJ Clark Kent proceeded to set his shoe on fire...





Dude got mad and kinda bucked on them...





I ain't gonna lie. Not that I would walk around wearing fake sneakers, but if I didn't know any better and happened to actually pay to go to a sneaker event and some dudes I didn't know started setting my shoe on fire? The shoe I walked in wearing and had to wear when I leave and go home? Yeah, I woulda bucked too.



Anyways, they gave him his burnt up shoe back and escorted him off the stage. In hindsight though, dude might have deserved that, solely off of the dumb answer he gave when they asked where he got them from. He said he got it from his "drug dealer." GTFOH man.



Anyways, fake sneaker guy was forgotten about quickly as Big Boi took the stage and rocked!







Now, I've seen Big Boi perform numerous times since Dre 3000 decided to fall back from rapping. He's always done his thing. But on this night, it just seemed better than usual. He rocked so hard that it actually made you mad at Dre. Like, dude where the f*ck are you? Especially when you're accustomed to hearing Outkast songs in their entirety, not just with Big's verses on there.



But yeah, that's pretty much it. Shouts out to the homie Sean Falyon for looking out with his extra ticket. I was prepared to support and buy a ticket, but that extra change they tacked on at the door? Whew. Wasn't gonna be able to do that. Preciate it homie.