Hot 16…Or More…”BEYOND THE SKY”

‘Yo, you’re a deep guy’ Are the words that my homie Sol-Leks told me after hearing the first incarnation of this song in his fabled Wet Paint studios. I heard this beat that he made from a sample of Sam Cooke‘s “A Change Gon’ Come” a year before and pretty much ignored it until it stayed in my head after hearing it a bunch of other times visiting the lab. It eventually ended up on my computer and I decided to record something over it. I started to play with the words in the sample about elevation and what’s beyond our human visibility. Then I wanted to get metaphysical. The verses were broken down from pondering on space missions and what we really know about what astronauts actually do, to observations on what people do for religion while searching for God and what they believe to be a heaven above the clouds, and finallY, to ghosts based on two recent deaths of one of Sol-Lek’s boys and my homie J.D.‘s boy who lost his daughter.

I put that version on Myspace in 2007 and wasn’t pleased with it. My voice wasn’t right and the verses were wordy and made the heavy subject matter sound even more off-putting by sounding more complex and nerdy than it needed to be. I left it alone until I was about to put out the deluxe version of my Crazy 8’s mixtape. I realized that I didn’t have any guest features and wondered if I wanted to make that a conscious choice in the spirit of the first 8. But I knew I couldn’t attack this song without throwing my boy Moser on it. Mos is a really deep dude and all of our conversations around that time were about seeking truth and conspiracy theories. Since I had upgraded my approach to the song now, I was headed in a more succinct direction and I knew he’d hit a point that I wouldn’t. Plus, with Sol-Leks on the beat and me and Mos on the verses, it was a certified representation of my crew, The Balance – so their presence could be felt on the project.

Mos came up with 2 verses and wound up recording both, but I kept this one because I split my long verse into 2. It was one of my earliest recordings with my GemStars family. He chose to discuss the threat of an impending bill that would allow government intrusion upon what they deem as ‘homegrown terrorism and violent radicalization’ and question the mysticism of the alien/God idea and the Mayan’s predictions of the world’s end. I took this opportunity to question the roots of American racism, the transatlantic slave trade and it’s feasibility and the faulty cause that’s attributed to the AIDS epidemic. In the second verse I go deeper about my wariness over religion, the environment and ancient history. Deep shit. People love it. Even better when I perform it and start off with the actual Sam Cooke song.

Now for the breakdown…

Beyond The Sky

“Still, get on that other shit,

cause they love it when I spit that government,

– I heard the Ku Klux was just set up to keep us fucking with each other over race!

So that sheet over the face…

Ain’t the ONLY cover-up,

it gets,

deeper than a mutha – and can anyone show me a picture of a slaveship??!

Even the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria get depicted in paintings!

While all we ever see is that same shit,

look like a diorama – tied up hands and feet – I wonder how I they lived,

on that transatlantic – hundreds of days spent,

how many slaves DIED up on the way compared to how many made it??!

And nowadays they give us this AIDS bit,

claiming African plainsmen fucking chimps and eating baboon brains man…

I’m all for evolution,

but how we went from being apes, to human beings

-wait!

Who eating apes??!  It’s confusing.

While we feuding over the word nigga – please!!

All the major cities finna drift to sea,

God if you listening…

Intervene…

(‘beyond the sky’)

I mean, lift us please…

(‘beyond the sky’)

Or at least…Send a beam”

(‘beyond the sky’)

 

VERSE 3

 

“It’s safe to say I’m a sinner,

cause your favorite religions,

got too much pagan shit in them,

for me to stay and it’s twisted…

Man made up them sentences…

And ain’t it ridiculous homie?

When astrology’s the only thing making sense and it’s all based on the stars….

Exactly what I want to be,

but just the thing that scares me the most when the sky is sitting in front of me!

And since the gold is no longer backing the money – think the Federal Reserve got nerve,

look at your currency (word!)

Word to Number 5,

they just changed the number 5 on the fuckin’ $5 for like the hundredth time

-what’s the signs?!

When they start advertising shit on the moon?

And “going green” is now the cool thing to do…

After all the cancerous plastics and aerosols,

nuclear Arab wars,

smaller countries packing – we attack them,

what we asking for?

I don’t like those hieroglyphics,

undecided if I’m thinking ancient Egyptians was paying alien visits

-Since it’s the writing on the wall,

I been wrong before,

but I’m sure if I even believe in dinosaurs!

Sure it’s a great science of modern lies,

Greek shit on them dollar signs,

on my R. Kelly – I’m really believing I can fly…”

 

Hope you learned something…

 

To hear or download this song, click on the pic of the cover below

Hot 16…Or More…”LIKE ME”

Ahhh 2006. What a crucial year. I first reconnected with my boys Killa and Sol-Leks at the end of ’05 and began this journey as a professional solo rap artist. Sol-Leks had this dope set-up in his room and used to do these preliminary recordings until he got the place that our crew, The Balance, would eventually wind up calling Wet Paint Studios. Between these times, I was reintroduced to Sekwon, who would be up in Sol-Lek’s room and have some of his beats playing. I heard songs that Sol-Leks had recorded over his beats and it always seemed like he had picked all of the good ones to rap over. I had jumped on a Sol-Leks track that Sek had produced, but he wanted me to rap over a few of his beats for myself. I had initially heard a beat he did early on called “La Lupe” and did something over that, but it went nowhere. He used to have this real choppy production style that skipped and was dependent on samples with hi-hats everywhere, so they didn’t really jump out at me. But like every other month, he’d come thru with a new cd of beats. He was real diligent with his. In early 2006, he had brought one of his beat cds and it had this track sampled from a Clint Eastwood movie. Just the fact of where it was sampled from alone made me want to take it. The other thing is that at that point, since not alot of his tracks hit me, I was real excited and I wanted to make sure I claimed it before Sol-Leks could. I took this track and wrote to it almost immediately. I recorded it in Sol-Lek’s room, but I didn’t like the mix. Sek said I did some real 50 Cent-ish type rhyme. I wanted it to be catchy tho. Where as most rappers would’ve tried to make it hardcore, I saw something else in that guitar and whistle run. But I still wanted to show off. So I chose this rhythm that rode the beat perfectly and lead into the hook each time. The first incarnation of it sounded more wordy in the first verse. So the song sat for a year after the Wet Paint era kicked in and the first Crazy 8’s and Moonlighting mixtapes took precedence. I re-wrote it and re-recorded that song about 3 times because Sek lost his original version of the beat. I just wanted to still let it be heard because I knew it was a dope song at the end of the day. Especially since I re-wrote it with more swag. So he finally re-made it correctly and by the time Wet Paint was done and I was recording with my GemStars crew in 2008, it was time for me to re-release the Crazy 8’s as the deluxe version with 8 new songs. I included this final version and it was well worth it. Sek has gone on to become one of my favorite and most reliable go-to producers. He’s come a long way and is a beast behind the boards now with respected rappers getting tracks from him. Watch out for the kid. So here it is…My first real song over a Sekwon beat….

LIKE ME

Verse 1

“Hey!

you can smoke a spliff,

on a cliff, (reference to the opening line borrowed from “Uptown Anthem” by Naughty By Nature)

but the difference with the 6…

Is I really Jump-Off, (Double entendre. The jump-off. Cliff. See?)

Like I’m suicidal with…

What I spit;

This that wrist-slit – quit the life you live,

cause it’s Bleek – but that Memphis,

mean I’m on my Grizz

–ly! (alot of people hate when rappers stretch a word to carry it from one sentence to another, but what I did here was made a triple entendre out of the whole suicide, wrist slit Bleek reference and made it connect to the Memphis line which can fit the Bleek and Grizzly references. And it all fit within the diced up rhyme pattern. Hence, the stretching of the word grizzly)

I’m the other kid who’s name contain a hyphen, (feeding off of the Memphis Bleek line, this is an allusion to Jay-Z; the other kid with a hyphen in his name. ha!)

ya’ll just wasn’t cutting it, so I’m bringin’ the knife in.

I’mma write til I can get my girl Canary diamonds,

all about that yellow– you can call her jewelery lightskinned!

But I ain’t colorstruck…

I’m from the westside where they throwin numbers up,

bandanas on their ups! (This was back when the gang culture in NYC was still a little bit new and more lively so the kids would be more outlandish and do stuff like wear bandanas in random places to signify their sets)

But get right, or get doubled up,

cause that sheet come in one color,

– it’s white! when you covered up!

Call for EMT,

round here, niggas eating spoonfuls of TNT…

Don’t let the waves fool you…

Cause Harlem’s known for gettin’ pretty and fly,

but you can check Youtube;

even Loon throwin C’s – you see! (Back then, Loon had beef with Dipset rapper 40 Cal. and appeared on a video clip claiming an L.A. Crip set)

I keep my frequency,

on FM,

for instance’ if a nigga’s hatin – F ’em!

He don’t really wanna see that FN,

unless you throw an A in between it

-then,

we can be best friends! ( because throwing the letter A between F & N would make him a fan – get it? Instead of seeing the FN, which is a gun. Which would be an extreme outcome)

And it ain’t even me to be threatin’,

-but I’m from a zone where the dudes known to toast more than the Best Man…

And I don’t mean Taye Diggs,

this is Harlem where they got ’em sayin “A!” and “Ya Dig”! (phrases popularized by Dipset rappers Juelz Santana and Jim Jones at the time)

Spot me at a House Party – ain’t no Play or no Kid,

but still a Class Act, (duh, Kid N Play movie titles from the early 90’s)

-cats act, but they ain’t like him…

(Lord…)”

HOOK

Verse 2

“That’s enough about where I’m from,

let’s get into where I’m goin…

My career’s speeding up!

Your careers’ll be slowing…

Down, like in the dumps!

I dump your stuff where the hole is,

couldn’t find a line if your rhyming came with a clothespin – oh! and…

Before your rhyming hit the store,

shellack that wax, (“wax” is old school slang for an album. It originated in description of the texture of vinyl records)

or you won’t be shining at all!

These rap cats wack…

Waving a 9 in all your songs,

but anh anh anh!

Survey says; you’re lying- you’re wrong

–Zero!! (allusion to the game show Family Fued)

Reolad,

Lik is gassed – he know,

my head is too big for my face like, Ne-Yo…

I’m So Sick, (Ne-Yo break out song. Also the bridge of a double entendre sequence)

I need some antibiotics,

in my system – jump over fences like your man was bionic

-penisulin…

Couldn’t heal him man,

16 Million Dollar Man,

can’t stop him but,

“we can rebuild him!” (This quote and the ‘jump over fences’ line are allusions to the old TV show The 6 Million Dollar Man a.k.a. the Bionic Man)

From scratch,

but scratch that – it’ll be a minute until then,

I walk up just like the kid who did in Lenon and killed him.

Critics ain’t spoke much,

you ain’t neither,

-it’s thumbs down like Roeper,

and you ain’t Ebert.

But soon as we get these ropes up,

you ain’t leaving,

so what he’s a New Jack?

Leave that New Jack Swingin‘! (Double Entendre like a muthafucka!)

And yeah I know that’s wrong considering Black History,

-but he been talking long…

Consider Black history!!

I’m the shit – that means;

simply I’m the shit to me,

your opinion means shit to me,

are you shittin’ me??!

(Lord…)”

Hope you learned something…

To listen to or download this song, click the pic of the mixtape cover below.

Hot 16…Or More…4THEMILLIONTHTIME

Once again, a result of my original intention to make a mixtape themed as my version of Jay-Z‘s legendary In My Lifetime Volume 1 album. This track was apart of the back to back series of 3 mixtapes that I wrote between the fall of 2005 and January 2006, including both How To Make A Mixtape volumes, and Westside Til I Die. When it was slated for In My Lifetime, before it turned into How To Make A Mixtape vol. 1, this was the lead off track. And much like Jay-Z’s use of it as his lead off track, my version is filled with bravado. I decided to take it for much longer than he did and make it into one long verse to make my introductory statement. The punchlines are filled with 2006-ish references and New York-centric talk that would have worked so well in the midst of the Mixtape blitz that was flooding the market back then. Hence the Kay Slay mention. When the idea to revisit my original Crazy 8’s mixtape around it’s anniversary and add 8 more tracks to it came to me, I surveyed what material I had laying around. After recognizing how many Jay-Z instrumentals got used for How To Make A Mixtape volume 1, I just decided that this one would be more fitting as one of the new 8 tracks for the Crazy 8’s Deluxe version. And even more fitting, it’s the lead off track for that bunch.

So here it go…

 

4THEMILLIONTHTIME

“It’s not a big debate – cause all the weapons ya’ll claim,

reflect on ya’ll frame,

It ain’t that I’ve been hatin’ – I just reckon ya’ll lame!

It’s not the kind of gauge behind the tech – it’s ya’ll aim,

You 6-shot niggas disrespectin’ my name!

(M-16!)

But what more can I say?

You got songs,

but we all can’t get on Kay Slay.

And all these rappers get it wrong with them songs they say,

It’s like these niggas gettin’ forced into the roles they play,

and then they really start endorsin’, when they know they’re fake,

with that coka, they Al Roker…

Couldn’t hold that weight.

But hold that – Wait!

I can do you one better,

got a Al Roker line – I’m about to predict weather…

Whether you die or live, cause if you think you’re kinda sick,

once you lie inside a ditch,

you’ll really be under the weather.

Your forecast reads that I’m the shit! Flush better,

before I let the silencer sneeze, God Bless ya!

Gesundheit, good night,

with that cheddar – I’m like Kraft, and my craft is only,

getting better…

Look,

I’m hot!

and ughk,

ya’ll not,

cause a million mufuckas got the same as you got!

The language you talk is chump change – Chump, change up your flow!

Maybe then, you’ll get a million sold.

My acapella shit is cold,

so you fellas better roll,

like in-line skaters,

keep this in mind haters;

You can chill or stand watch as,

I fill your man’s heart with,

a heavier feeling than the Million Man March did.

Til his chest is out like Dolly Parton,

pardon the blood and guts,

but that’s really all that brothers want.

And I should be the guy to try and lift my brothers up – but why?

The truth is I don’t really give a motherfuck!

So I chick-chick blam ’em and kill ’em off,

lyrically,

and pick which hand I’mma use to flick ’em off.

Then I flip the kickstand up and willie on,

the track,

you’ll get dropped quicker than Def Jam did Milian.

-Call me 16 million dollar man,

-16 is;

(A Million)

dollar man, really ya’ll…

I break the glass ceiling til it falls – have you healing scars for months,

peeling like dutches – I’m so Blunt!

So uhh…Don’t front,

you know I gotcha Opin – damn it closed,

so what?

You’re overly exposed like hammertoes.

So fuck the haters – they get choked up,

not (from) emotions, but from hands-on-throat!

And yeah, that broke Hammer flow,

will get you nowhere but broke and alone,

so get whatever helps you provoke – grams or blow,

or be lookin’ like a dick, like Joe Camel‘s nose!

Oh, and it goes…

Remind my church people to pray on, like ‘say grace’,

then I find some church people to prey on, like say Mase…

(And) If I fuck the same girl you just ate,

that’s the only way that you can say that you got the, same taste…

Your murder rap’s written in crayon,

you ain’t thug potential,

nigga you color pencil,

til’ I erase!

Cause you ain’t seen the pain of slaughtered brothers,

you just finger-painted and water-colored – you’re good with your art!

But you’re bloodsucking off the hood, pa,

so you should,

push that last album that went wood,

thru your heart!

You vampire niggas spend alot,

on them lies you make,

but turn the tide and they confidin’ in jake.

These niggas can’t bear the grind so they hibernate,

keep the CareBears in mind – niggas shine then shake.

Writin’ rhymes by the fire-escape,

with window-guards, til they start, thinking they’re Shyne behind them gates!

But that’s not quite the case,

cause if you turn around you’ll find them same guys at the gay pride parade.

And that’s about all that I can take,

so I just chase Banks,

like I’m in a Tyra race.

So I’ll, tell you the difference between me and them,

I’m counting up these 1’s,

til I’m seeing M’s

– Blowe!”

 

Hope you learned something…

 

Click the Pic of the cover below to listen to and download this track

Hot 16…Or More…”She’s Ridin In My Hooptie”

Back when I thought I was gonna be a a big deal R&B songwriter circa 2004, I started honing my chops by writing ditties over instrumentals of whatever was hot at the time – mostly Hip-Hop. This lead to the eventual composing of 30 songs over such beats.

I was a fan of the revolution that was going on with the handful of innovative R&B producers who were changing the game by not simply crafting songs with singers belting and riffing their hearts out over some hip-hop sampled beat or knock-off of a hit sound. No, what these new movers and shakers were doing was creating a new sound that was comparable to the Hip-Hop club bangers so much so that rappers began freestyling over those beats, and they were coupling them with clever lyrics and melodies that were more dense and nimble. This wasn’t the new Jack swing era. It wasn’t just singing like a church boy over a remix of  “The Benjamins”, it was a genuine marriage of R&b flair with hip-hop sensibilities.

Unfortunately, from these kinds of movements, the bastardization and microwaving has spawned and given us the rap & b subgenre, full of love songs filled with slang, autotune and singers delivering their verses like rappers. This works 2 ways with me; as a listener, I absolutely HATE hearing this kind of crap from professional R&B singers who call themselves artists. It’s disposable. However, because I am a rapper, I applaud it when I hear rap artists expand their boundaries and make these kinds of songs employing vocals and use of melody. I figure if a rapper is going to sing or get melodic, it should definitely maintain the rap nuances and not sound like a complete crossover into sappy territory.

As a songwriter, I’m less discriminating. Whatever gets the money is my motto. I know, it’s bad if I contribute to the very thing that I despise, but I still wouldn’t do anything cliche, eye-roll inducing or wack. It’s always going to have my style in it. Creativity comes first. And if nothing is truly new under the sun, then I will always find a way to say the same old thing differently.

So out of my seminal batch of 30, I tried the conventional and the conceptual. In the midst of  this came one gem of a song to me that I thought was so dope, I might just keep for myself.

Inspired by the purchase of my first car, I penned a song over the instrumental to 8Ball & MJG‘s “Look At The Grillz” off of an instrumental mixtape that I bought to help write the 30. It was screaming for a concept. It was street, but I could make it clever. I decided to play up on the car angle and make a cute track about love that prevails through struggling times…The struggling times being embodied and exemplified by a broken down old ride. I lost the beat, couldn’t find that version of it again, and after 2 years, decided since nothing was going on with it, I would in fact use it for myself. So I actually went to one of those crazy mixtape sites to re-find that mixtape that I originally got it from and wrote 2 rap verses for it to fill it out and keep it Hip-Hop. I wasn’t sure what my singing voice would be like for the style that I wrote it in, so I wanted to make sure my rap verses were just as present and memorable.

Since it was one of my first recordings in 2006, it became the song that rounded out my first ever project, The Crazy 8’s. It’s one of my most popular and among the favorites from my listeners. Having that said, here’s verses 1 & 2 from

 

“She’s Ridin In My Hooptie”

“(Look at the grillz)

On them hoopties – you see ’em ridin’ past,

feet on the gas brake – they screechin’, speedin’ and ridin’ fast.

Cause they’re embarrassed – don’t want you to see ’em ridin’ that,

they park 10 aves up from where they need – then they ride a cab…

(Why is that??)

Cause a pinto is a pinto, and it’s hard to stay in pimp mode,

when you can’t get out your car, without rolling down the window!

When the dealer gives you lemons, you should make lemonade,

but you can’t pick up no women when your whip is missing paint.

Ain’t no T.V. screens, DVD’s,

Negro please!

You see these things??!

Those (are) called tapes!

You probably don’t know how they look if you were born past ’88!

And my car…

Is older than my nephews and nieces,

I keep a couple things together with a special adhesive…

Called gum,

call uhmm…

Triple A – guess you need it,

when your car ain’t got no hydraulics – but it’s definitely leaning!

Now I’m sittin’ sideways, and I didn’t even mean it,

but as soon as I fix it – you sittin’ right there when I need it

(now sing it).

 

VERSE 2

 

See?

my 4 do’…

car,

is a Toyoooo…

ta,

and I got old…

Parts sittin’ in the back – that need to be attached, cause the truth is,

I don’t knoowww…

Just,

what they’re all fo’,

an’ that’s why I take off slooow…

cause it’s a habit that if I give too much gas, then I know that the brakes gon’ stall…

And I can’t be crashin’,

cause it just happens,

that they made this car waay-waay back when,

they ain’t install and equip no airbags in the dash yet!

My CD player’s hooked to a tape cause I need a beat…

But my gas light come on, so my car cuts off in the street!

And I ain’t complainin’ – it gets me from A to B and I keep it,

But damn, I’m sayin’ man, where’s Xzibit when you need him??

(Or)

Maybe I can fix it myself,

get a whole new system,

cause my speakers only play on the left,

and I need new rims man!

(Hey!)

This’ for my 10 dollar players – puttin’ $6 on the gas,

who save the other $4 for comin’ back later,

cause it gets pretty bad!

(But back to what really matters)

She know it won’t always be,

like this, and my chic is the baddest, because she ridin’ with me!!”

 

Hope you learned something…

Click the Pic of the cover below to listen to and download this track.

 

 

 

Hot 16…Or More…”BE RIGHT”

The homie Khadj told me yesterday that my rapping lacks aggression and that I sound too relaxed on the mic. Almost to a point where the listener may not care enough about what they’re hearing to delve any deeper into my material or personality. Well it’s obvious that he hasn’t seen the video for “Be Right”. 

At first, I was moved to write him off and tell him that he’s making loose judgements off of a loose listen to my first mixtape, The Crazy 8’s – which is full of rhymes that I put together in 2003. That’s an 8 year old gauge. But then I remembered that The Crazy 8’s has always been the tape that I tell people to refer to first in order to get an idea of the kind of artist that I am. And then I remembered that the song “Be Right” was one the only one that I wrote in 2005/2006, and that the accompanying video was my very first ever. Khadj had remarked that after seeing my Appearance on BET‘s Rap City, he gathered that I’m a good performer who can probably convey that rawness and expressiveness better on that plane than on track. He commented how a video would also capture that. So as I had prepared this month’s Hot 16…Or More…entry at the end of January, I considered talking about the whole experience of my first video being a milestone moment for me. How It rode the wave of successful timing and momentum that I had gathered ever since that fateful airing on Rap City. How I linked up with 2 creative and hungry young videographers from my city who offered to usher me into the world of music video for free, before it even became the norm for unsigned rappers to make their own, starting both of our grinds. Now his comments have just prompted me to present this song and video as a study in delivery and performance.

As the only song on The Crazy 8’s with original production (albeit sampled), there’s a real organic quality to it. The thing that I’ve always said about me as a rapper, is that as a listener, you either like my voice, or you hate it. I’m not going to yell on track, or do that stupid snarly thing that Kanye does. There’s something not-so-smooth about my tone. It’s not velvety. It’s also not the most commanding. What I do instead, is command the words. I give them life. Never too wordy, never too empty. There’s a slickness and a youthful nuance present in how I bend certain words and emphasize, and of course, you can pick up traces of my sarcasm and wit from these things. Especially in how I set up my punchlines…Lots of movie and pop-culture references. But also, lots of allusions to historic people and events, old parables and idioms, random knowledge that only someone who deals with vocabulary regularly finds themselves doing. Basically, you can tell I was the Black kid paying attention in all those extra English classes back in school.

This kind of approach would lead some to call me “lyrical” for lack of a better word. People are quick to assign that label to anyone who has a penchant for using a lot of syllables. But as a rapper, you can say a whole lot of nothing with a lot of words. Talib Kweli can exemplify that on his less conscious songs. You don’t hear anyone but other rappers praising Scarface for being lyrical. It’s not the first word that comes to mind when people consider his slow flow and poetic prose. At the same time, no one ever calls Bone Thugs N Harmony and Busta Rhymes lyrical – and they used more syllables than most. That all stems from the fact that they are hard to decipher. Yet, if you strike that balance between being multi-syllabistic and understandable, then you’re automatically thrown in lyrical water…strapped in with peers such as Pharaohe, Black Thought, Canibus, Lupe and whoever else was a backpacker’s wet dream on the cusp of the 90’s and the new millenium.

When I was deciding how I wanted to do this song, I knew I wanted to come off as one of those lyrical dudes, but with a jabbing element to it. My brand of lyrical is rarely from an angle where I want to boggle minds. I just want to come off as hungry, and taunting with an I’m-better-than-you smirk that’s apparent between the lines. I knew this had to be and feel dynamic. I heard the beat when I used to visit J.Libre‘s crib, the producer of it, and founder of my crew – The Balance. I was visiting his recording setup there weekly, and this beat spoke to me. It’s a sample from Isaac Hayes‘ rendition of  “If Loving You Is Wrong…” I was recording what I thought was going to be my version of Jay-Z‘s …Volume 1 at the time, so I just put that beat aside for future reference. When that idea began dwindling however, I re-listened to this beat again and felt inspired to murder it. I was still unheard of. My Rap City appearance had not aired yet and I needed a credo. I also why I wanted at least 1 original song.

The beat is so triumphant sounding. The statement was waiting to be made. The words in the sample are clear; “I don’t wanna be right”.  Even my talking at the beginning and end was meaningful. As the young new guy trying to make a name for himself and coming on the scene with his brand of lyrical and cocky, I felt that was perfect! If I didn’t fit in with what was going on at the time, or if I couldn’t be categorized or if I was making tracks that went longer than the 1 minute, 16-bar format, then I didn’t want to be right. The soulfulness of it stands out from the other tracks on the mixtape, but the pace of it falls right in with them. Where “My, Name’s Malik; I’mma Blow!!!” was my introductory declaration, This track is my mission statement. The video only adds to the overall intent and feeling of it, by playing up the training/boxing visual to make it Rocky-like. Now tell me I’m too relaxed now…

 

“Be Right”

 

“I’mma keep this short man,

cause you don’t John or Lee Malvo to show you what an M-16 do from Long range.

I write just like a sniper – take your pen off the page,

ricochet off your face,

make it spin off your braids.

Until there’s really shells at the end of your cornrows…

Lookin’ like Da Brat

–rhhhaacttt!!

Now look at that!

Better yet;

Bow Wow and Omarion,

No I’m not Omarion,

but you can get ‘Touched’, like the body on

a model off the show UnCut,

-but that was only for mature audiences,

so that’s Take 1 – cut!!

Now tell your bodyguard keep his gun tucked,

before I have to put ’em in the air – just to show the boy what’s UP!

Don’t speak – Shut Up!

Ask you how’s the weather’s up there…

Uh-Unh! – that was a test, you just flunked!

Don’t make me have to dearly depart you…

Leave you broke-up…

Oschino and Emilio Sparks you…

You wanna play Casino – this is really the part where you – Blow up;

the bomb is in the seat of your car duke.

And yes he’s, like Pesci cause I’ll kill you with a pen,

–in a bar!

Especially if you’re stealing from my friend

-ain’t no borrowing…

That’s called ‘biting’…

Your arms too short to box – forget it!

-I see why you biting.

You must’ve took your cues from Tyson,

but don’t mess with Liky iight!

You’ll get a leaky eye.

I’ll have one eye closed, til you can’t use both, at the same time;

Your new name is ‘Winky’…right?!

I done floored ’em with a hit, like,

Winky Wright,

and got a $40 dollar tip, off,

Winky Wright.

Cause unlike all these other kids – I admit I got a day job…

Hardest man working in business…steady gettin’.

I’m steady pimpin’…

While ya’ll are steady bending over,

cause ya’ll Undercover Brothers – I don’t mean no Eddie Griffin.

‘Sha-boing-boing!’

While ya’ll are boy-toys,

this boy toys around town in something foreign – steady whippin’!

I pop throttles,

and if it’s NOT foreign, then I’m like Tyra;

I’m pickin’ America’s Top Model!

Or somethin’ from that GM series…

Cause once they hear Malik spittin’, then they’re like ‘Gee, M’s serious!’

Chics need a good man,

then I G ’em serious,

like ‘look ma – I’m straight from that GM series’!

And then they wanna know who my wife is,

I tell them that I’m married to life,

cause we all know what life is…

And now I see they’re embarrassed…

Since I’m married to Life,

and I’m their father – guess they’re meeting the parents!

But once they meet me – it’s apparent…

That they all HotShots!

No way that they can take on my spot!

So who’s first on the bus?

Cause I teach these kids grammar like Hammer – yeah I stay on “Proper”!

But they ain’t in my circle of trust…

You wanna know why?

Cause they all, some Gaylord Fockers!!

-And it’s…

No sick days off pa,

cause I’m so Ill;

everyday’s a sick day – now call doctors!

And tell ’em Lik writes, what’s prescribed,

as bringin’ pain like Meth,

I’m “movin’ on your left!’

-Why??

Cause I don’t wanna Be Right….”

 

Hope you learned something…

Click the image of the Cover to the mixtape below to download and hear this song.

Hot 16…Or More… “WANT THAT”

Another installment.

Like I said in last month’s post, I can’t get as intricate as Jay-Z did in his Decoded memoir, but follow the spaces, italics and emboldened letters to see where my points are emphasized.

This excerpt is actually the entire set of verses and the hook from the track which appears as number 2 on my very first mixtape released as a solo artist, The Crazy 8’s. It’s titled “Want That” and was instantly a favorite among listeners and always has been. It’s actually a song that I wrote in 2003 when I ventured out on my boy Terence, The Politician‘s equipment to record myself for the first time. With nothing but alot of free time on my hands, I was determined to make a collection of songs that showcased every side of my 2003 self and finally hear my voice on a fully recorded project. I used some of his original beats, some industry beats and even spliced some of both together with my limited knowledge of the programs at my disposal. I sat there, day after day, and wrote, recorded and edited everything myself. I still have that collection. The subject song of last month’s post, “Talkin’ Bout” actually spawned from that collection as well. I sharpened punchlines there, tried my very first singing track, vented about the chic I was dealing with, and tried to come to an understanding with my Father and my little sister, all on the same 17 song compilation. Who knows how many didn’t make it! But I vividly remember the inception of this track…I wanted to make something effortlesly catchy, but I wanted to rap in a revolutionary way that hadn’t been heard before. Or at least not heard too often. I spent that summer looking up this artist that Timbaland was supposed to be bringing out. Her promo material was everywhere on the net at the time. She was a singer named Kiley Dean; a White girl with a soulful voice who was poised to fill in the void left by Aaliyah the year before. Why she never really saw the light of day, I don’t know…But the musical backdrops that Tim was providing her made the perfect candidates for beat jacking. He had the usual Timbo r&b fanfare, a 50’s inspired tune, even one that borrowed from a Jay-Z song that he produced. But nothing hit me more than this guitar and violin based beat that sounded like nothing I heard before from her song “Keep It Movin'”. I loved what Kiley did to it as a song, and I found a way to loop it immediately. The rhythm actually lead me to flow the way that I did, on top of my predetermined mission to flow super creatively, so ….Mission accomplished. I wound up coming up with the hook first, which lead me to write a song which centers around a story of me pursuing a woman who’s playing hard to get. It goes into the delicacies of seduction, mutual attraction and respect. This one is not as full of complex rethorical devices as some of the other entries…I wrote it down more so because I want you to be able to follow the words that may get lost in the speed or delivery of the flow.

And with no further adieu, I give you

“Want That”

“Maybe it’s just your size,

the way you shape out those jeans,

that make me just want your thighs, and everything in between.

And I ain’t one of those guys, who cannot say what they mean,

but when you talk with your eyes, I cannot say what they meeaaannnnn – Leaning…

I’m tilting – you walking away,

feeling so awkward – I play stupid, cause Cupid must’ve been sick,

or just off for the day.

Cause you ain’t lookin’ in my direction,

except to ask for directions,

I think you lackin’ direction.

So let me pass the suggestion,

I start by asking the question; (How you Doing?),

Your reaction was so, Passive aggressive.

No need for talking out your neck,

if that’s too much of a question, we can act like we never met then.

But then you turn and do something so unexpected,

We conversate but then end doing some sex shit!

So now I’m back to just leaning,

because you back up and leaving,

a nigga backed-up

-I’m fienin’ to lean your back up…

Against the wall,

you say it won’t be too long – and I’m,

tryin’a be strong, but my back’s against the wall.

So I’m waiting,

excersizing my patience,

but you being inconsiderate with all of this time that you takin’.

You say it’s all up in my mind – sayin’ ‘haste makes waste‘,

I can fall on my behind and misplace my face.

Girl I hate the pace, that you movin’ – But still…

It makes me laugh, cause I know what your doin’ – now do it!

HOOK

Stop what your doin’ cause when you do what you do – it makes me want that,

I should persue it, but somethin’ tell me that you don’t really want that!

What, you want me to play it….

Coooollllll….

You wanna have me when you’re ready but not too soon,

So I listen to what you tellin’ me not to do,

and I just follow, and I try not to break the rules.

You -say -what -you -wont -but -you -do -it -and -do -what -you -say -but -you -say -what -you -don’t -do!

So how you expecting a nigga to follow whatever the way he’s supposed to?? You know you’re hopeful,

that I hold you close, and go through all the motions…

But look here, you’re holding on to

– that,

Golden Rule, that the old folks use that says;

‘don’t give it up, til you know your cue’.

Stay on your,

toes and Q’s and your P’s and O’s,

and O.P.P.’s – Don’t leave nothin’ exposed.

So when we get heated I unbutton your clothes,

(but)

you got your own reasons so that’s why you say ‘no!’ – and I know…

I know we just met…

But somethin’ about you spells sex,

your lips say ‘Hell Yes!’

-And I know…

You won’t be happy til you covered in sweat – so mami…

Let’s hit the covers and rest – that’s when you jump up and step,

and put a brother in check,

like ‘ain’t ya mama ever taught you respect?!’,

I say yes,

but see, as a man-I got needs!

It’s not in my plans to fold up my hands and twiddle my thumbs,

I’m finna fuck,

You gettin’ me up, til you get enough, you giving me up!

And then I’m like

What??!

Did,

I do?

To make you not wanna do,

what it is you wanna do!

And I’m a nigga that’s full of patience…

But it don’t change the fact I’m anxious,

told me wait – but -I’m -afraid -I -might -end -up -with -my -dick -up -in -a -bunch -of -other chics’ waists – but wait Miss!!!

My mistake…

The dangers,

of strangers – they be Callin’! (Callin’!)

See with you, it’s safer, but you stallin’! (Stallin’!),

I ain’t too much in favor of this nonsense! (nonsense!).

But I’mma play it your way,

cause even tho I’m complaining, I’ll respect you much more in the morning!”

Hope you learned something…

You can download this song by clicking below on the cover to the original mixtape where it’s featured. 

Hot 16…Or More…”TALKIN’ BOUT”

In the spirit of Jay-Z releasing his new Memoir/Book of Rhymes this week, I’m resurrecting the Hot 16…Or More…Segment of this blog. It’s a section that’s never gotten the love or recognition of other continuous segments that appear on this blog, never garnering comments – except for the initial post.

I’m aiming to change that. And like I said, being very much so motivated by Jay-Z’s foray into the rap-as-poetry ethos, I would hope you guys are more receptive this time. He’s actually approaching things from the same angle that I always have with this segment; giving you a backstory, and understanding of the mindframe surrounding the verses, and then highlighting the literary devices used and the key words and phrases within the wordplay.

I don’t have too many tricks at my disposal. I just do a lot of emboldening and italicizing and CAPITALIZING. All I can hope is that those things at least bring your attention to words or sentences that may have meant nothing to you at all prior to that. Either that, or I’m just hoping that the sheer act of reading the words that I recited just makes you go ‘oh! so that’s what he was saying!’

This time I’m taking you back. 

We’re going to start at the most logical place; My very first mixtape, The Crazy 8’s. This Track is actually from a time period that goes even further back…I began recording myself in 2003, making my own loops, doing my own pre-mixing and editing. And what resulted was a full scale collection of songs; some over industry beats, and some over original production by my boy, The Politician (Who’s apartment I was staying in at the time, and who’s recording equipment I was using). There were only a few people who heard this collection, but among the music what garnered the best reponse were 2 tracks that I’ve always kept around. One of those being the track that’s being featured today.

If you’re like me, then you remember where you were when the Lil John production Takeover began. The song “Damn” by the relatively obscure ATL group, Youngbloodz, was a bonafied hit and I knew it from the first time I heard it. I thought if I rapped over it early before it blew up, then I could really put my spin on it and give it my own identity with a hook as catchy as the original. I grabbed the instrumental off Kazaa or whatever we were using back then, and proceeded to flip it the best I could.

At that time, Being that this was going to be my first collection of music as a soloist, I was determined to showcase as many facets of my personality as a man and Hip-Hop artist as possible. I sang, experimented with pop-rap sounds, vented, tested my flows and even dedicated 3 tracks to bashing the chic who I was dealing with. This track finds me declaring my stance on self-preservation and guns and altercations. I felt like I needed to be as clear as possible that I was no pushover and that while my status may not be that of the SUPER-hood dude, I still am a dude from the hood and as such,  I believe in certain hood laws. Also, because of all of the other styles and softer tones of the other records that I recorded, I knew that I wanted to dedicate a whole track to this topic and just go hard so there was no mistake.

When I released my very first solo project, The Crazy 8’s in the fall of 2006, I still wanted to include this track because the point was to give the audience an introduction to as many of my sides as possible in the shortest span. I still felt that this was a side of me that needed to be established so I didn’t have to do another song like this. Looking back on it now, I don’t feel the need to make another. The point was made…And while I really and truly did feel this way back at that time, I find now that I may hold some of the same sentiments, but not be so willing to put myself in any situations that might call for what I’m talkin about. Nor do I feel the need to voice it as much. In any case, it certainly wouldn’t be a whole song about why I want or need to defend myself. I just wanted to draw a clear line between me and he folks who glamorize violence.

And with that, Here’s “Talkin’ Bout” verses 1 & 2

“Cause Niggas get plucked like guitars get strummed,

so anyday I can ending your bluff with a flick of the arm,

In anyway that you be wanting – I pump it and give bodily harm

to parts you thought ain’t exist, and I swear – it’s all in the wrist

– I make sure you ain’t gettin’ far…

I don’t like no Black-on-Black Violence,

but I can’t relax with you tryin’,

to stick up a nigga while I’m gettin’ mine – that’s why that gat got a silencer…

To hush you hoes,

a nigga like me, ain’t livin’ like he, was raised my mr. Cliff Huxtable,

the gun’ll be keepin’ me comfortable.

Shout out to Mr. Clif,

One of the pros,

tell me who’s fuckin’ with Mr. 6, teen when he spittin’ that Southern Flow?

uh-unh – No!

No it ain’t a long list,

I go beyond this,

and alot of your expectations,

I’m bombing on detonation.

Tick tick tick Blowe!

Now you need the squad for the track

this is it – now pardon my raps,

When I spit, you oughta take naps – rest…

Yes…

See I put my heart on the track,

to do better – you better hope that you can get God on the track cause see!

(Hook)

That’s that shit I be talking about,

And I’ll be damned if you catch me runnin’ off at the mouth.

See that’s that shit I be talkin’ about,

and I’ll be damned if you catch me runnin’ off at the mouth.

So if you see me gettin’ Live,

you should know I got a reasoning behind,

I get it goin if you squeezin’ into mine,

So you should focus – nigga read between the lines…

I’d rather do than just talk about action…

You headed in the wrong direction,

I twist your head in the wrong direction – have you walking backwards – so talk with discretion…

What I spit is all for protection, it ain’t about representing no reputation or section – No!

Listen…

I just fuck ho’s – I don’t smoke shit,

I don’t get throwed, and no, I never sold shit!

But where you find them drug dealers is where my home is,

niggas be moving more crystals than a can of Folgers!

Gotta get that money man!

Since you know I don’t drink or smoke then don’t be surprised or don’t think I won’t put gun-in-hand!

And slap you with it if my health’s at risk,

I clap a nigga out of self-defense,

none of that runnin’ man!

But it ain’t no boastin’ or braggin’

muthafucka I hope you’re not askin’

to see the chrome that I’m rappin about – cause won’t be no flashin‘.

Long as you know I ain’t flappin’,

my mouth,

you’ll understand what I’m yappin’ about

– lights out!

Cause see!”

Hope you learned something…

Click the link below to Download the mixtape & hear the track.

http://www.malik-16.com/download_crazy8s.html