Chemistry Experiment: Best Hip Hop Duos

The other day, as I was “working,” I came across a meme someone posted to a social media site.  This is a regular occurrence for me because I use social media to break the monotony of my days.  This particular meme displayed the faces and names of four hip hop duos.  It was pretty clear that the person who crafted the meme wanted people to rank the duos in terms of lyricsl prowess, overall skill and chemistry.  The groups of emcess included, in no particular order: Nas and AZ, Redman and Method Man, Raekwon and Ghostface Killa, and Styles P. and Jadakiss.  Each duo undoubtedly brings a unique element to the table, but there is one duo that stands out to me above the others.  Below, I will discuss my thoughts.

Redman and Method Man:

It is no secret that Red and Meth are two very talented emcees who have authored some truly classic music together.  Individually, each emcees is respected and Method Man is one of the only emcees who can  say that he out-rhymed the late, great Notorious BIG on a track (Refer to “The What”).  The one thing I like most about this duo is their willingness to have fun on the microphone.  Although they are both super talented, I never had the sense that either emcee took himself too seriously.  My favorite Red and Meth song is “How High.”

Styles P. and Jadakiss:

These two emcees are two of my favorites.  Because they are in a group together, I have heard them on so many tracks over the years.  Jadakiss is the more well known of the two emcees, but quietly, in many circles, Styles ia actually regarded as the better emcee.  With so many hits under their belts, it is very difficult to choose just one song.  However, if I had to choose one song, that song would be “We Gonna Make It.”  I still remember where I was and what I was doing when this song was released. 

Raekwon and Ghostface:

Rae and Ghost are undeniably two of my favorite emcees.  They embody what the golden era of hip hop sounded like.  They also have a very interesting chemistry when they rhyme together.  You can almost see Rae finishing Ghost’s lines, and vice versa.  These two are truly in sync with each other, and I think that can be attributed to the fact that they are good friends outside of the booth.  It is nearly impossible for me to choose just one song that encompasses all that this duo is, however, if I had to choose a song,  it would be “The Heist.”  Both Rae and Ghost are at their best on this track.

Nas and AZ

Escobar and Sosa.  Of all of the duos listed above, this is the best one to me.  They collaborated numerous times over the years and each time was pretty magical.  Nas is arguably the greatest hip hop artist ever.  And, in many circles, AZ is considered the most underrated emcee ever.  My favorite Nas and AZ song is “Mo Money Mo Murder.”  This song is the prequel to many of the gangster inspired stories that were told during the 90s and early 2000s.

Peace

Terrorist at the Gate: Charleston, South Carolina

Historically, churches, especially in the African American community, have stood as pillars of safety,faith and forgiveness.  Our churches have always welcomed people from all walks of life.  Many people who have committed all types of crimes and who have done some of the most reprehensible acts known to man have found a safe haven in church.  I have traveled to many churches during my time on this earth, and I can honestly say that I have never felt unsafe at any of these churches.  It did not matter how sketchy the neighborhood, or how dangerous the city.  People, even criminals, rarely attack rivals anywhere near a church or other sacred building.  Certain lines should never be crossed. 

So, when I heard about the deaths of nine people at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church ("EAMEC), I was shocked.  I thought, “there must have been some mistake in reporting.”  Like, maybe, just maybe, the victims were killed near a church (like maybe a few miles from a church).   I just could not believe that these innocent victims had been killed, in cold blood, inside of a church.  If you have been following my blog the past few years, you know that I have not written a blog post in a while.  This is not because I have not wanted to write; rather, it has been that I have not had the time.  After reading about this terrorist attack, however, I felt compelled to write something.  Maybe writing this blog post is my selfish way of releasing some of the emotions that have been circling in my mind the past two days.  The emotions have ranged from shock, to anger, to prayerful, to disheartening.   

Terrorism has been defined as the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, especially for political purposes.   Let’s be clear: the act that Roof perpetrated was an act of terror, which makes him a terrorist as far as I am concerned.  His attack was steeped in hate for African Americans.  Now, this deep-seated hate that runs through Roof’s blood really is nothing new to this country.  We have seen and heard this hate on many occasions during the history of the United States.  However, in recent history, I cannot recall a situation in which a church was attacked in this manner.  In 1963, more than 50 years ago, during the height of the Civil Rights Movement, four young girls lost their lives when 16^th Street Baptist Church was bombed.  Now, over 50 years later, and through the passage of countless laws, countless lives lost fighting for equal rights, we are right back to September 15, 1963.  There is an old adage that “history repeats itself.”  That should be changed to [bad] history repeats itself because that is what we just witnessed. 

Some folks may not be familiar with the history of EAMEC.  EAMEC has been a staple in Charleston, South Carolina since 1816, making it was one of the oldest African American churches in the United States.  It has endured many hardships, including being burned to the ground, being destroyed by an earthquake and even being banned by the state.  None of these obstacles, however, have stopped EAMEC, but the latest obstacle is the most difficult to understand to date.  I find it very ironic that Roof perpetrated his crime at one of the oldest African American churches in the country, and just days before Juneteenth.  Instead of readying for a celebration of Juneteenth, many people are mourning the loss of innocent lives.  I believe this is too ironic to not have been planned by a larger group.  This idea, of course, is unfounded at the moment, but I believe the truth will be uncovered.

The Act is one of the most cowardly, heinous crimes I have ever heard about.  The 16th Street Baptist Church bombing was terrible and unfathomable.  But, this crime is different because of the manner in which it was carried out. Imagine, for a moment, that a person plants a bomb at a church.  Imagine that person arming the bomb and setting it to explode at a certain time.  Now, imagine a person knocking on the door of a church, and then waiting on the church people to let him in.  Then, imagine this person joining a small, intimate prayer group.   Next, imagine the friendly interactions between the church members and the stranger.  Imagine the looks in their eyes and the love they showed to this stranger.  Then, imagine him looking each victim squarely in his or her eyes and seeing the terror and fear in their eyes as he pulled out his weapon.  Then, imagine him shooting each victim, in close range, inside of the church.  I cringed again as I described the scene that unfolded on June 17, 2015.

This act was premeditated, callous, intentional and unwarranted.

Racism still exists, and in some parts of the country, displays of racism are a normal part of life.  That being said, I do not know why some people are so afraid to talk about race.  This case was clearly a hate crime and race was the motivating factor for the act of terror.  According to survivors of the attack, Roof made multiple racist remarks during the commission of the crime.  Other individuals who know him spoke up about his use of racist language towards African American people and about his comments regarding starting a race war.  It truly is sad that you have people who hate other people simply because of the color of their skin.  As far as we have come as a society, we still are nowhere near a society free from the “isms,” including racism, sexism, and classism, to name a few.

Per usual, I went against my better judgment by watching the bond hearing this afternoon.  Roof looked just as cowardly as I thought he might look, but the statements made by family members of the victims were chilling.  Listening to them sob, but still tell Roof they forgave him, let me see how far I have to come in my faith.  Considering the severity of the crimes committed, I do not know many people who would have been uttering words of forgiveness that soon after the commission of a crime.  Maybe, after the wounds had some time to heal, maybe then, thoughts of forgiveness would creep in.  When I watched the bond hearing, all I could think about was Samuel Jackson’s role in “A Time to Kill.”  All that being said, I admire the strength and faith displayed by the family members of the victims.  

Lastly, some people were up in arms because his bond was set at a million dollars.  The presiding judge only had jurisdiction over the gun charges, not the murder charges.  Those charges will be addressed at a later time, but there is no chance that Roof will be getting out on bail. 

This act of terror has impacted millions of people.  The City of Charleston lost some great people who did not deserve to die.  You only hope that Roof, who has confessed to killing the victims, will get what is coming to him.  I sincerely hope he does not take his own life before he can be brought before a jury of his peers and punished to the fullest extent of the law. 

Peace

King of Storytelling

I often find inspiration for blogposts from random moments of my life.  The other night, I was listening to one of my Youtube stations when I came across Fabolous’ song, “I Miss my Love.”  Now, this song is one that many people do not know about because it was the last track on his album, Loso’s Way.  Admittedly, I overlooked this gem for many years, and it was not until a few years ago that I listened to the track.  Upon listening to the track, I realized that Fabolous is capable of telling an amazing, compelling story through his music.  That thought prompted me to think about the best storytelling songs of all time.  But, I have tabled that idea until a later date.  I plan on writing a collaborative blogpost for that topic so more than one perspective will be represented.  However, I could not wait to discuss my thoughts regarding the greatest storytelling artist of all time.

If you know me, or have read any of my blogposts regarding hip-hop, you know that I am an old school hip-hop fan.  By old school, I do not mean music from the 1970s or 1980s. Instead, I am referring to the Golden Era of hip-hop that occurred from 1992 to about 2003.  During that period, artists released classic albums full of great songs.  This time predates today’s era when an artist can become famous by releasing one catchy single.  During the Golden Era, artists such as Biggie, Tupac, Nas, Jay-Z, Mobb Deep, Talib, Common, Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, Scarface, De La Soul, Redman, Outkast and many others battled for rap supremacy.  As the artists battled for the top spot, they were a lot more creative with their rhymes.  I think the sense of competition brought out the best in these great artists and made each of them think outside of the box for creative ways of telling their respective stories.

Reasonable minds can differ regarding who holds the storytelling crown.  Some might say Biggie Smalls was the best to ever do it and he certainly can make a claim for that title.  Others might contend that Slick Rick holds the title and his song, “Children’s Story” is one of the most well-known songs of all time.  Despite the stiff competition, the best storyteller, in my opinion, is none other than Nasir Jones.  When I thought about great hip-hop storytelling songs, I immediately recalled about three of four of his songs.  Then, after I had a few moments to think about his expansive collection, I realized that it was a no-brainer for me.  His collection of storytelling songs is unrivaled by any hip hop artist.  Below, I will briefly discuss five of my favorite Nas storytelling tracks. 

5.         Fetus.  This song is dope on so many different levels. Nas tells the story of being born through the eyes of a fetus.  He actually goes through the nine-month process, including arguments he heard his mother and father have from his mother’s womb.  This is easily one of the most creative songs—of any genre—that I have ever heard.

4.         Rewind.  If you have not heard this song, please check it out below.  This song is even more creative than Fetus.  Nas actually tells the story in reverse order.  I have no idea what inspired this kind of creativity, but it is certainly appreciated.

3.         I Gave You Power.  In this song, Nas tells the story of being a gun.  If you have not heard the song, you might be thinking that he is in some way glorifying violence.  That thought could not be further from the truth.  The imagery and underlying themes in this song are second-to-none.  This is definitely one of my favorite hip-hop songs ever.

2.         Blaze a 50.  In this song, Nas raps about meeting a mysterious woman so beautiful she would make “Bobby leave Whitney.”  Then, she plans this elaborate plan for the two of them to kill her rich husband and then escape to paradise with all of his money.  You will have to listen to the song to see how this story ends.

1.         Undying Love.  The imagery of this song is amazing.  This story does not have a happy ending.  In fact, it is a tale of deceit and murder.  But, the way it is told will leave you feeling as if you just left a movie—albeit a very short one.

What is your favorite hip-hop storytelling song? 

Peace

Changing of the Guard: Who Has Next?

It is truly a treat to watch my favorite basketball players compete on NBA courts.  Because I enjoy the game so much, I sometimes forget that my favorite player is not twenty-one years old anymore.  As many people say: “Father Time is Undefeated.”  It was difficult watching Michael Jordan when he played for the Washington Wizards because that player was not who I was accustomed to seeing.  He was no longer the freak-of-nature with a 48-inch vertical.  Instead, he was a ground-bound player who relied on instincts, superior footwork and experience much more than sheer athletic prowess.  That transition seemed to happen overnight because I still remember him making the game winning shot against the Utah Jazz to solidify his sixth NBA Championship.

Recently, Kobe Bryant—who is notoriously stubborn—has talked more and more about his basketball mortality.  I watched his interview with Ahmad Rashad last night and his comments regarding “life after basketball” signaled to me that one of the NBA’s greatest stars is almost done competing in the NBA.  Even the current king of the NBA—Lebron James—who is seven years younger than Kobe—has discussed his basketball mortality.  Hearing him speak about his mortality is even more of a shock to my system because he started playing in the NBA when I was still a student at UNC-Greensboro.  But, if I think about it for a moment, I have been out of college going on eleven years this May.   

From Jordan to Kobe

With every generation in the NBA, there is usually an unquestioned leader—usually the best player in the NBA.  During the 90s, this title belonged to Michael Jordan.  He won at the highest level and dominated the sport like no player—before or after him—ever has.  Most of the great players in the NBA have wanted to “be like Mike” at some point.  But, even the GOAT eventually had to relinquish the keys to the NBA.  There were plenty of guys who wanted the keys, but only one guy snatched the keys—and his name is Kobe Bryant.  He outlasted his contemporaries from the NBA draft class of 1996, which included Allen Iverson, Ray Allen, Steve Nash and Stephon Marbury.  Now, Kobe is finally at the stage of his career where his body is failing him.  He is looking more and more like the ground-bound Michael Jordan who played for the Wizards. Although Kobe never really relinquished the crown; Lebron James snatched it a number of years ago.

From Kobe to Lebron

I remember watching a very young Lebron James battle with an in-his-prime Kobe Bryant.  Although Kobe usually had the better team, it was clear that Lebron was coming for the top spot.  Honestly, I believe he has had it since at least 2009, but some believe he did not snatch the crown until he won a championship.  Either way, Lebron has had a truly magical career and was the top player in the famed 2003 draft class—just like Kobe Bryant in his draft class.  The draft class of 2003 featured Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, and Chris Bosh.  It is weird seeing these guys transition into the last years of their respective primes.  I believe Lebron can hold the title for two to three more years as long as he does not have any major injuries.  But, there is a new crop of talented players who are pushing him for the top spot.

From Lebron to . . .

During the past few years, people have made the argument that Kevin Durant would be the next player to own the NBA.  However, this year, he has dealt with some injuries and Russell Westbrook has emerged as a legitimate MVP candidate, which has caused some people to wonder if he is even the best player on his own team.  In my opinion, Kevin Durant is clearly the best player on his team, but he does not have the tenacity and nastiness that Westbrook possesses.  If Lebron can hold on to the top spot for two or three more seasons (which is possible), that would make Kevin Durant twenty-nine or thirty years old.  By that time, a guy named Anthony Davis will be approaching his prime, which is a truly scary thought.  That being said, Kevin Durant might be destined to be Clyde Drexler 2.0.  By that I mean that he will always be considered the second-best player in the NBA.    

If we discuss the other young players who have a chance to become the number one guy, we have to mention James Harden, Kyrie Irving, Russell Westbrook, Stephon Curry, Anthony Davis and Demarcus Cousins. Any of these guys have the potential to become the top guy, but the question that remains is—who will snatch the keys?  Only time will tell, but we know for certain that a change in the guard is on the horizon.

Peace