Until I hear otherwise this is who Weezy is rapping with nowadays, but even when he rhymes with children it’s nasty.
Get down with the young man here: Lil Wayne ft. Lil Chuckie – To Clean

Now let’s discuss this monster of an album. I doubt many of my readers care to know I’ve fallen into the scary world of mixtapes, but it’s ok — I haven’t tried that much lean or chopped and screwed yet, so don’t worry. I know that Weezy has at least 40 other mixtapes like this one, that bang just as hard. Credit the man for getting guys like Bun-B to get on a mixtape, with no commercial release planned, where in an interlude he addresses the lean that killed Bun’s underground partner in hip-hop royalty; Pimp C. The sad part of it all is Wayne doesn’t sound like he plans on letting it stop him until it consumes his body the same way it did in the Port Aurthur, Texas native. I might never understand the lifestyle that consumed Chad Butler, but I do understand the attraction of lean take it as you please — the fact that Weezy has a daughter and he’s still stacking cups is a shame to himself and his family who loves him. Seriously, we get it, you’re gangster as fuck take it eeeeeeaze.

Wait no.

Time to get a little topical, have to. Los Angeles recently started a meth campaign aimed towards gay men, not that I’m doing either… But who passes around “down-loadable gay meth user banners”? Isn’t that like anorexic girls keeping pictures of skinnier girls to keep themselves skinny?
I’m definitely not comparing lean to meth, but when you’re doing it and it’s all sexified like this young man above isn’t it time to just stop and say, oh yeah I should grow up right about now. Can’t pretend that I understand how amazing meth is or isn’t but I have to imagine that at some point along the way you just want a little better for yourself than being fucked up alllllll the time.

Who cares? All I care about is whether or not the Louis Vuitton Don can keep me entertained for a four-day weekend. Since the album comes out September 11th, I got it August 28th after watching most of the interwebs goin nuts over the uber-clean-no-extras leak that came first. I’m not one to point fingers, but doesn’t that mean that it’s most likely a disgruntled Wal-Mart employee that decided to show his 16 year old friends how sweet his job is.

Devin the Dude dropped Waitin’ To Inhale March 20th and I’ve been listening to it ever since it’s fallen into my hands. I’m going to approach the review as simply as possible. Hope this helps.

Boom 1 – Southern producer calls up a sound studio looking for the “boooooom” and the CD starts out with an interlude. The other two Boom interludes call for a giggle, no smoke break material here tho.

She Want That Money – With a wicked wa-wa pedal, simple back-beat and a chorus fit for church. Add in the Odd Squad cats (Jugg Mugg, Rob Quest) and you’ve got yourself a tight little posse cut. The track is fuel for the fire behind Devin becoming the sophisticated pimp rapper instead of the guy who says ‘bitch’ 120 times before track 3.

Almighty Dollar – Truth, nothing but truth. It’s not like Devin is robbing banks, but he’s not rolling in Lambo’s, which is why the Almighty Dollar speaks to just about everyone who’s struggled with cash-flow. Not that I have anything in common with the song, I’m rich. (i keed) I can’t help but think that the Dude is just real soulful and likes to keep it that way. I like it that way.

I Hope I Don’t Get Sick-A-This – Complete with a rainy background and the ‘Ooohs and Aaah’s’ of back-up soul singers to match, Devin talks about picking up women in the hotel lobby back in the day, the curse of being with two women, female fans cooking for him and even what happens when he has to turn you down. Note to female fans: He likes dicklickers and ballbiters.

What A Job – What could be said that hasn’t been said already. The track has been called the first classic of 07, the best song of the year and most importantly my most recent favorite. Regardless of the fact that the song talks about YOU stealing their music, it’s always a pleasure to hear three beasts on a track. To anyone who said Snoop fell off, fuck off. Andre “The Vampire” 3000 sees you downloading his shit, he told me to tell you, “If I come to your job, take your corn on the cob and take a couple of kernels off it that would be alright with you”.

Broccoli & Cheese – A song for the lovers, not the fighters. For what sounds like the old SWV ft. Missy – Can We beat, Devin definitely puts his own distinct touch on the song. Chronically following an evening out with one of his ladies, dinner at the “resteraunta, aww yeeeah Beninhana’s”, to heading back to his place, Devin simply has GOT to make his case for why she needs to get in touch with him, personally. Even in between the most comical lines on the track, the Dude still finds a way to sing to his lady on the track, bearing his soul, maybe not, but he still makes a great case for why she should believe him when he says on the chorus, “Girl, this dick is so clean, this dick is so clean, that you can boil it with some collared greens”, you can tell by the song title, he has other culinary choices to offer.

Boom 2 – What can you really say about an interlude that isn’t the $20 Sack Pyramid, honestly.

She Useta Be – Sultry saxophones start this one off, the obvious funk riff rides high and heavy and the Dude rides along. His rhyme delivery is a gift and it’s easy to see why the song and the word smith match up perfectly here. After being turned down in his high school years by the head cheerleader, Devin walked away then only to find her “150 lbs and 10 years later” and she’s sadly gone from “elegant to elephant”. That line alone had me on the floor, but the jokes don’t stop there, whether he’s calling her a hefty heifer or saying it looks like her whole body melted together, Devin the Dude easily comes across as a comedian and an artist at the same time on this one. He plays along, maybe just to get her obviously fine cookin’, he ends up so full from dinner he can’t even leave her big ankles.

Lil Girl Gone – This one came out of nowhere. I’d heard the single a month or so back, but it kind of seemed a little out of its’ element on the album. The beat is a nice backdrop, but just throwing Devin, Weezy and Bun B up to see what sticks, stinks. I know Devin and Bun B share the Houston connection, but Weezy does nothing on this track, so why show up? With the minute and change of wailing at the end, it’s probably safe to say this isn’t a fan favorite. (Apologies to the South)

No Longer Needed Here – Wait, he’s got a lady? She’s leaving? Is it because she’s not that into broccoli and cheese? Lima beans? Booom? One of them is no longer needed here, or there; if they bring this song with them I’d throw anywhere in there too.

Just Because – of what love does, should be the official title, but that wouldn’t necessarily make the song “clear”. Screaming sax all over the track, makes me long for a little Kenny G lovin’, but not here. He waxes about strangling his girl, going hiking and tripping her, locking her in the trunk, cutting off her hand and if she gets another man, them getting a house together so he can blow it up. I guess once they had 8/9 good songs on the album they figured it was time to pack on the extras. Still, he’s got a better product than most of the mainstream albums that figure they can sell an album based on a single.

Don’t Wanna Be Alone – It’s no Doobie Ashtray but it is a smoke break. I would’ve suggested it after Lil Girl Gone but this’ll do. Be Right Back.

Somebody Else’s Wife – Devin stole your wife and now he’s singing about it with a vocoder. What are you gonna do about it, huh? Posse cut, but no listed guests, sure, they’re good and shit. This one is slow enough for you to make the last song and this one a double-header buddha break.

Boom 3 – Boom. Get it?

Cutcha Up (I Can’t Wait) – Simple piano track with Devin sizing up his choice, who might be To Catch a Predator underage. Really, I don’t think he can wait to get it on with you. Ohhhhhhhhh, he meant young weed, I …. still don’t get it.

Nothing to Roll With – Country+Rap=Crap? Anyway, I’m sure the Dude has had his fill of country music down there, another reason the producer is looking for the BOOM at a sound studio shop. Seems he’s out of papers, out of blunts, he has no legs to go buy any of either, so he’s gotta settle with the bong and we have to settle with the country-rap.

Til It’s All Gone – Weed posse cut, finishing up the weed and the album.

Disclaimer – For an album that started as monstrous as this one, it’s sad that it ends with a compilation of would-be mix-tape tracks. There’s a good amount of people who are in love with this album already, love is kind of a strong word, but I can say I like like it, but I’m glad to see a MAJORITY of good songs compared to the “2006 Rule”, which gave artists the ability to release a CD with less than two possible singles. Thanks ring-tones!

El-P is all over the NY Times today. I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead is out tomorrow and he’ll be in LA later this week. It’s good to know that he’s getting all sorts of praise for the album that took him two years to create, but I was reminded by a friend this weekend, he’s pushed everyone else at Def Jux back for him to release his opus. Granted, I’ve heard the album and I can’t argue with the praise, but the overall album seems a bit selfish since Chan Marshall and Trent Reznor shine brighter than Aesop Rock or Mr. Dibbs. I’ll give it up to Producto though, he seems to be the only person that didn’t forget Abu Ghraib in this country. Check out the video.

He’s misogynistic, he’s rude but he’s probably the best white-rapper that Eminem wishes you never heard of.

Before it was cool for Eminem to beat up woman and talk shit, Rugged Man was talking about raping your girlfriend and fucking her pet dog. Before he was 20 he was signed to Jive Records as part of Crustified Dibbs and he even recorded a song with Biggie before he was

B.I.G. But Jive being a bunch of Jive turkeys shelved his project and released a paltry single on the side. Reason being: Too much talk about sex, drugs, violence and some coarse language. I’m tempted to say to Jive, he was a poet and you didn’t even know it.

R.A the Rugged Man is on what I like to call a roll right now. He’s teamed up with Nature Sounds (GREAT label) for his music and he’s in his element alongside MF DOOM and Masta Killa on the label. His flow is definitely something to appreciate, if you can’t enjoy a little ravage and pillaging in his rhymes every now and again, try to imagine what you’d be thinking if he was a cute white boy from Detroit instead of a stinky, smelly guy from Suffolk County, NY. Strong Island, stand up!

R.A is co-writing a book on boxing right now, about to release his latest movie? and at work on his next album. Read More…

R.A – What’s the lesson of the day…
Last year he showed you what a real verse sounds like and then here’s his most recent, super jazzy track off the Nature Sounds compilation.

Best Track(Lyrically) of 2006
Jedi Mind Tricks & R.A The Rugged Man – Uncommon Valor (A Vietnam Story)
R.A The Rugged Man – Super

El-P And Diddy? Oh no, he’s going to Bad Boy! No, he’s just getting shown the respect he deserved for the past 10 years.

Aesop Rock (feat. El-P) – We’re Famous

I like hip hop. I like it a lot. I read about it, I write about it and on occasion I like cause a ruckus.

I guess I can call myself a writer. You could google me and read some of my pieces, but I like to think that you would just trust me when I tell you I write. The other day I was just minding my business (or yours), cruising the blogosphere and I ran across El-P’s new post. Oh my, El-P talking shit before his album is released! No! The beefs are strictly for the 50s and the Cams of this world, aren’t they? Of course, I would be ignorant to think that anyone in their right mind would find a blog post as newsworthy. Obviously, there’s no reason that you’d read a blog post and get so bent out of shape you have to respond. God forbid that you start shooting some music videos and putting them up on YouTube showing everyone how rich/hard you are. No way! Of course, it’s 1995, 1997, 1999, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, Beef, it’s what for dinner.

Let’s just say, I wasn’t given the chance to “link” to his blog when I wrote about it, so I’m doing it now in all its’ glory. http://iswyd.blogspot.com/2007/03/new-rawkus-records.html

Remember, this is the same guy who in 2002 said ‘Signed to Rawkus/I’d rather be mouthfucked by Nazi’s unconcious’. In case you forgot what he said, watch him say it.

El-P – RJD2 – Aesop Rock – Lif – In-Store Newbury Comics (Cambridge)

I could be wrong, but I never saw a press release come out to respond to the probable mouth-fucking that most every artist that ever walked away from that place received. Well, until now. Underground, online fuckery, picture posting? I guess you guys were staying together for the kids.

His attack? I had no idea he had hijacked air-crafts and had an entire mob of backpackers ready to do his bidding. Regardless, the best part of the entire situation is Rawkus claiming everything was COOL between them. He had just imagined this. I’ll admit it, I saw the Puffy picture before he put it on his blog and I don’t frequent Okayplayer message boards, it didn’t really bother me, it was funny. I just figured he was in the corner asking Producto if he could just say “Take that take that take that” in the background of the track. El-P has created all the success that surrounds him now, he has a new album on the way, he has Cannibal Ox, Lif, Aesop and Cage ready to go again this year, it’s sad that this whole thing even happened.

What really gets to me is El-P got a phone call from the two co-founders, all apologies aside, they squashed it.

Then they send out the press release. Fuck, even I got the press release in my inbox. Wait, why is there a news story referenced on top of the release?

Ohhhhhhh shiiiiiiiiiiiit. (In my mind I said it like Bunk too)

El’s passed it now, so all the shit he wrote about it is gone now from his Myspace blog, but after he had said the beef was squashed and beef was worthless, he called them punks again.

This from El-P’s myspace:

THE NEW RAWKUS RECORDS. SAME ASSHOLES THEY ALWAYS WERE.

ok enough with this already. i dont care. for anyone who wants to read what i wrote you can peep it on any one of hundreds of websites that picked up on the “story” after rawkus sent out their mass press release in response to my myspace blog.

el

I think when I thought I was a writer, I wrote that story. Now that I know I’m not a “writer”, I’m hoping that blog entry will be your next “story”. I’m waiting on you to throw a “press release” my way to respond to my “blog”.

Hard to be mad, I’m a huge El-P fan. If I ever stop “writing” and start “rapping”, there might be a “story” about me and some Nazi’s you hear about in a press release, don’t believe what you read. Don’t “quote” me on that.

Adult Swim – Doing it Right. First with Stones Throw, now with Def Jux. Smart smart smart smarter.

Adult Swim and Def Jux get back on the free music train. Literally days away from the new El-P album, Smithereens gives me some shivers. They release Definitive Swim, featuring Aesop Rock, El-P, and more. Download the individual mp3s, or the entire album and exclusive artwork in a handy .zip file, here.

Going track by track – here’s what to grab. Smithereens, Brothaz Remix (since you miss Vast Aire), Blood Boy, Get Rich or Try Dying, maybe the Camu track if you want to impress your indie friends when they get back from SXSW. Tell ‘em you hate Copywrite too, that’ll show’em.

I’ve been up for a few days, I guess I’ll Sleep When Your Done Reading.

Devin the Dude was that dude on the Up in Smoke Tour. Mr. Oooooh Weee, the man who kept the show going and the smoke blowing throughout. A few years back, his album Just Tryin’ Ta Live wasn’t his breakthrough album, but there were a couple of seedlings on that album that should make this track no surprise. Always a few songs for the smokers, Devin the Dude always brings something to smoke on. This is the most star-studded affair off the album it seems, with the exception of the previously released single Lil Girl Gone with Lil Weez, this is where he demonstrates his ability to hang with tried and true professionals. Surprisingly, Snoop sounds like the new guy, Andre and Devin bring the veteran rhymes.

Off of Just Tryin’ Ta Live, for the smoke-heads.

Devin the Dude – Doobie Ashtray

This track tells us at least why Talib is hot, but remember, he’s been around for yeeeeears. Mims, your song just got jacked properly, show some respect and bow out, don’t pull a Rich Boy and “Throw Some D’s” all over this bitch. I’ll throw some D’s at that. Here’s a little something from Kanye’s old ass cousin.

Kanye West – Throw Some D’s Remix