Aug
6
2007

Cuban Linx: 8-6-07

Eve @ AOL Sessions: “Tambourine” and “Party Like a Rock Star (remix)” [Spotted at Hip-Hop Crunch]

>>Kanye’s Graduation guest list include: Mos Def, T-Pain, Chris Martin, and DJ Toomp. Plus, bad news for GOOD Music haters: “Stronger” has finally cracked Billboard’s Hot 100 at No.47. [Reuters]

>>Derek Beres’ brilliant piece on the evolution of Africa and hip-hop is a must-read. [Popmatters]

>>Ivan has a wonky-quality preview of the new Wu-Tang single from 8 Diagrams. [HIR]

>>I caught Soulbrotha & Rukus in concert the other night and was stunned that these brothers are still crawling under the radar. If you’re in the Bayou City this Wednesday, catch them at Club Chrome (2815 S. Shepherd Drive, Houston, TX 77098). Time: 10pm. You’re guaranteed to have a good time.


10 Responses

1. bil Says:

Curtis 9/11. fcuk a kanye

2. Nahshon Says:

Eve’s party like a rockstar verse was cool.

3. Ivan Says:

I suppose Mos will be singing on the Grad album, cuz Kanye said a ‘lil while back that there’d be “no emcees on the album.”

With T-Pain on the guest list I’m already starting to get disappointed…….. Hopefully the album won’t be as 80’s-ish/techno-ish/electron….ish (LOL) as everyone says it will……

4. Nahshon Says:

Ivan, i completely agree. The more Ye moves toward this “I’m too fly” mentality and away from the Chi-town soul, the worse off he’s gonna get. For the record I think the dude has the potential to be hot (n/h) but he has to fight the temptation to go away from what makes him great.

Stronger was great because he experimented in a new field and had success but there ain’t nothin like that old bread and butter shit!

5. Rizoh Says:

Kanye has built a career off coloring outside the lines. So, why should he stop now that he’s on top?

6. Ivan Says:

^ He’s colored outside the lines, but within the frame of the roots of hip-hop. Rumors about the album state that as a general rule, many of the tracks will be electronic/pop oriented. The further he moves from the SOUL, the more generic and forgettable the album/songs will be. (I dread that alleged T-Pain collab…::shudders::)

Look at the timeline of pop music in the past 30-40 years or so. SOUL!!! Motown = instant classics. Even (pop)rock was soulful. But music (IMO) degraded through the 80’s and 90’s to be flat.

Why else is Amy Winehouse earning so much (well-earned by the way) applause and reception? Cause she’s bringing back SOUL to the music.

Though I’m not a big fan of it, it’s generally alright for emcees to front. It’s been like that since the beginning. (Rapper’s Delight…My Adidas…Top Billin’) But keep it in the vicinity of hip-hop.

It’s the same problem/query I have with Timbo’s “progression.”

My rant is finished………for now…

I

7. esbee Says:

Ivan couple of problems with your argument here:

Amy Winehouse is just rehashing 50’s and 60’s styled jazz tunes..

Hip hop has always been based on using other genres of music as its foundational collage, as a beatmaker I’m sure you understand this. We don’t have to always sample motown classics, that to me is putting hip hop into a box and a dangerous one at that.

Also motown never had all instant classics…they were the POPular music back in their time, basically the interscope of their day so everything they dropped was by default carried by radio not to mention the backdoor politics involved with that.

Had not Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye individually stood up to Berry Gordy to create their own “sound” we would never have those classic albums we all herald so highly.

My main point is let the artists do what it is they feel and you as a fan try to keep an open mind. You sound like you’re already closed-minded to what it is Ye is trying to do without even giving it a listen before-hand. That is my problem with rabid hip hop fans..this is not 94, neither will it ever be.

We must keep pushing the genre by finding new and exciting sounds…if that means getting in with some eletronica or whatever I’m all for it. Then again I was born on the very point the 80’s began so I do have a soft spot for all things 80’s and I don’t agree the 80’s or 90’s for that matter corrupted music of today.

Record labels cashing in on what was “hot” in the ’streets’ did.

8. Nahshon Says:

I’m gonna come at this from the psychological perspective of Kanye. He’s not doing this for the progress of the music. He’s attempting to remain a step ahead and to the left of his perceived competition in order to maintain his air of superiority/swag.

He has proved that he can sample electronica…he shouldn’t try to reinvent himself with that.

I gotta agree about hiphop being a collage of sounds and styles. Valid point. But in this situation I disagree with that choice.

9. esbee Says:

You may have a point, there nahson but do you actually think ye doesn’t wanna progress at all with hip hop? I understand his ego and all but I actually think at his core he’s trying to do his best to expand the genre or at least create the room for freedom of expression…

10. Johhny Notville Says:

Kanye > 50
end of story



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