Dear Spotify, Bring Your Arse To The States!!!

Since Imeem, among other music streaming sites, are no longer running, I've been on the hunt for the new place to extend my taste in music. I'm not a big iPerson, so suggesting iTunes, an iPad/Phone, or any other iNut-riding software or Internet tool won't work.

There are a couple dope sites and such to check out with that Imeem feel.

8tracks is one I use frequently because it has a creative gimmick to its purpose: come up with at least eight songs for a playlist. The playlist has to have some sort of title or theme to it (even if it is Brian Lehrer's Cooking Mix or Randy Moss' Post Pattern), and I have the freedom of uploading songs from my music collection or adding music other people uploaded to 8tracks. If I stick to just eight songs, it's like having an 8-track on your computer, minus the protruding cartridge.

Another site I like for music sharing and streaming is [INSERT DRUM ROLL]

*adds extra line for dramatic effect*

MySpace! Believe it or not, and amidst the crappy press it got for being Creepsterland, this site is great for sharing music for artists and listeners. It's easy to create playlists, add music, and with the new layout (which Facebook is trying to mimic btw) is easy for folks to share. Although Bandcamp and SoundCloud are good sites for artists to use to socialize with their fans as well as add music, MySpace is just as good. Plus, almost every band uses it, so to the folks I know that snub MySpace on the regular need to fall back, as journalist and bloggers quickly search "[insert artist or band] MySpace music" before anything else.

But back to the topic at-hand.

Spotify is another music sharing and streaming site that has the online and offline option. It's like iTunes, minus Apple's "i" and tunes, Pandora, LastFM, and Imeem, wrapped in one green bow. You can upload your own music, listen to others, make playlists, buy music, play the artist radio, go mobile, tweet it, Facebook it, among other things. Oh, and IT'S FREE! Sounds too good to be true, right?

Well, for those in the US of A, it does. Clicking on the "Get Spotify" icon will lead you to this. That's right, a shrugging heifer and information about how they want to have ALL music available on the site for ALL countries or nothing at all.

The researcher and journalist in me went digging for more info on Spotify, finding out that it's a wrangling with Warner's music label. According to TechCrunch back in the summer, despite the app availability on Symbian, Droid and iPhone (and now Windows 7 Phone) Warner does not want Spotify to air out their artists' music for free.

Sounds familiar? It should. Warner and YouTube had the same issue because Warner didn't want YouTube posting their artists videos for free. The difference between the two scenarios is that YouTube had balls, and pulled all of Warner's artists off their site and moved on! And of course, because no label wants to be excluded from press, Warner came running back to make a deal with YouTube.

Now why Spotify won't grow some is beyond me. There is no reason (other than money, and if that's the case then forget coming here) Spotify is not able to do the same for their site as YouTube and generate States users. This software has already won tech awards for their services and has 30,000 of America's musical elite using their site (including Pitchfork, which brought me to Spotify in the first place), so why is it not available for the PEOPLE???

So Spotify, bring your arse to the States! We've suffered without you for long enough. We want the same luxuries as France, Spain and Sweden too! We have even shown you love for the 30,000 people you serve already, why not multiply that by a milli or two?

I hope these questions don't go unanswered, and you find your way out of other people's iPhones and into my laptop soon.

Signed,

Me.

The Illuminati Strikes Back!

It seems like "the machine" can get a little sens-y-tive! *cues inner child, waves hips side to side*

After years of conspiracy theories surrounding the success of music stars, and a rapid increase in the past year, rappers like Kanye West, Jay-Z, and Rick Ross have made public responses about swirling rumors of their membership to the club of the All-Seeing Eye.

There have been many of posts siting symbols of various secret societies in music videos, performances, and public photos - from angled shots to the peace sign. Most of these are composed as montages of symbols and lyrics made by musicians, politicians, and celebrities associated with freemasonry and the Illuminati.

Like this one:



At first, it seems rappers kept quiet to these allegations. Well, it's something that is supposed to happen, as it is a secret society. In other words, they can't say they're in the Illuminati. But recently, they have fired back at allegations by poking fun at it.

In my review of Rick Ross's album Teflon Don, he recruits Jay-Z and John Legend in a song called "Free Mason." This song is filled with references to signs that the New World Order conspiracy is true, and sarcastic remarks of them being involved. Their main argument? That they have become successful from working hard for what they got. Jay's one-line killer is this one here: "Bitch, I said I was amazing... not that I'm a Mason," cleverly verbally illustrating the type of ammo theorists use to tie him and other musicians to the secret societies. Hear the song for yourself:

Rick Ross, "Free Mason" Ft. Jay-Z by gardnerz

Recently, there has been an outcry of suspicion in the video/painting "Power" by Kanye West, where the various images align ever-so-nicely with images associated with the Illuminati. Take this one for example from Media TakeOut:

This close-up of Kanye standing in the hallway of the building, and the two warriors touching swords complete the image of the freemasonry.

Another suggestion of Illuminati symbolism in his video is a little more complicated, and quite frankly involves math that I don't want to do. Luckily, thanks to the oh so skeptical Internet users, someone has already took the time out to form another tie from Kanye West and his new visual to the All-Seeing Eye.

Aside from the angles pointed out in the close-up, there is another angle pointed out in the entire photo. Here is the same shot but panned out:

See, they even drew-in the Eye just to make their point. Kinda weird, isn't it?

Other images from the video include the act of blasphemy with the two women (a way to get in the society), the goat-women who look just like Baphomet, the god in this group, and the imagery similar to the dollar. I am not just making this up on my own, people, this is just reports of what I've seen floating around the Web.

I would much rather have you watch the video, and see if you find these images:

The troubling thing about this is that I haven't talked about ALL allegations of famous people in secret societies! Now, I'm merely reporting what I see and what I've heard from everyday people. I have yet to include my opinion in any part of this piece. But doesn't this freak you out? I can tell you that I surely am!

Last Week on Tumblr...

For those that may not know, this blog has a sidekick!

When I'm not posting reviews, commentaries, and such, I am posting small music tidbits on Tumblr, titled Bubble Gum Pop Rap Lite. Almost anything has been posted on this site, from neat music articles to singles from great artists. Every week I'll give you a taste of what I've come across on the radio, in the news, and online. Enjoy!

Posted July 17th: A link to a new site on how to be a good party-goer called Stuff DJs Hate, and ALL EIGHT album covers for Arcade Fire's Suburbs.


Posted July 16th: the new scoop on 80s group Devo, and for all the Lil' Wayne heads, a list of what he's been up to in prison.

Posted July 15th: Sleigh Bells joint "Straight A's" (BEWARE, IT'S LOUD! REALLY REALLY LOUD!) Like M.I.A-loud, but it actually works.

Posted July 14th: the list of all the artists dropping an album on September 14th. Why? It includes labelmates Kanye West, Consequence, Kid Cudi, plus the '10 comeback kids The Walkmen, among many more!

Posted July 13th: an Invincible and Waajeed collabo "Detroit Summer", exclusively premiered on Hot 97 a couple days after my blog on her! Also a picture of the greatest prank of the year!

Posted July 12th: the original sample to Q-Tip's "Let's Ride" and one of the greatest songs from my personal favorite guitarists "Giant Steps" by Joe Pass. Also posted is the link to Pitchfork's new search for writers!

Last Week on Tumblr...

For those that may not know, this blog has a sidekick!

When I'm not posting reviews, commentaries, and such, I am posting small music tidbits on Tumblr, titled Bubble Gum Pop Rap Lite. Almost anything has been posted on this site, from neat music articles to singles from great artists. Every week I'll give you a taste of what I've come across on the radio, in the news, and online. Enjoy!

Starting with July 10th: I found one of the coolest posters floating around the Internet! Also on that day, I finally changed my ringtone to Drake's "Thank Me Now" (who did NOT show up at the Car and Bike Show I went to in Atlanta, I was so hurt!)

Posted July 9th: This was the day officer Johannes Mehserle caught a involuntary manslaughter verdict for MURDERING an arrested young Black man by shooting him in the back of the head! So in anger, I found this song by Rebel Diaz and BRWN BFLO called "Who You Shootin At?" Also posted was a funny JPEG on Chart-Topping Musicians (dissed the hell out of Nickelback in the process!)

Posted July 8th: The visuals to Nikki Lynette's "Civil War", as well as Roxanne Shante on why she left the rap game.

Posted July 7th: A tune from Jean Grae's last mixtape before retirement where she gives XXL a piece of her mind. Plus, for all you "Nasty Boys," the video from Janet Jackson's steamy performance at the Essence Music Festival!

Posted July 6th: Prince's opinion on the current state (and the future) of the Internet, and an oh-too-familiar yet revolutionary album cover of Bilal's latest works.

Posted July 5th: A link that'll get you ALL SIX of Charles Hamilton's new mixtapes!!! That is all.

Posted July 3rd: A booming system unlike any other, news on a possible ?uestlove, Raphael Saadiq, and Amy Winehouse band, and classic video footage on how to do the Bird from the ever-so lovely Purple Rain!

The New Breed(s): Jean Grae

I know a lot of readers will see this and think "you're a couple years behind with this," but I am placing this woman among NEW breeds because she has been something that people are just NOW noticing - a true rebel. Jean Grae is so rebellious, she'll rebel against her own hiphop community to better herself.


I was in a meeting two years ago with my Hip-Hop Congress folks (I miss you all btw), and we were talking about our all-time favorite female emcees. I said MC Lyte, but the guy next to me insisted on saying Jean Grae was better than her. I was infuriated! When I asked him why, he said "No disrespect to MC Lyte, but Jean Grae has something that the Lyte lacks, and that's a backbone." I thought to myself that was a bold statement since MC Lyte is the epitome of badass emcees, hands down. He went on "yeah, MC Lyte started the women with attitude sort of style, but Jean Grae has taken that style to a whole new level. Dudes may have been afraid to battle MC Lyte, but dudes are afraid to even be in the presence of Jean Grae. The only one is probably Talib Kweli." At the time, he was right. Every dude that has collaborated with her didn't outshine the femcee.


This femcee is especially the future of all of hiphop because she is by far the most self-made AND well-known self-made musician of our time. Jean Grae's style of rhyme is totally prepared for battle, like if anybody had a problem with her should be ready to be rump roast! Her punchlines are deadly, making you feel as if you're fighting Mike Tyson after his release from prison in '95. She has rhymes you must listen to, as they are intelligent and strategically placed for you to think and figure out what exactly she is talking about. She is perhaps the most complicated femcee to decipher out of these new emcees.


Lyrically, she's the kind of girl you don't tread lightly, as she has an attitude that'll take you by storm. Yet, she whisks you away in beautifully written stories dealing with life and being a woman. Although her battle rap style rhymes carry heavy weight, so does her ability to tell stories about her life. She has told stories of just about everything from a woman's perspective - from being the only female on her label to late-night quickies and abortions. From her album she did with 9th Wonder called Jeanius, her song "My Story" had to be the most chilling yet telling story about going through abortion and having a miscarriage. She says


I was a failure at that too, bailed from the rap, then but fate took me back in.
Sin is a tattoo my fingers attached with.
Twenty-seven with three kids that I never met.
What if I was Catholic? Wonder if they hate me? 
Thinking how their mother could ever murder?
Well take me hell


She has the ability to take listeners on a ride that is both emotional and intelligent, something rarely seen in hiphop nowadays.


It's not only her lyricism that is rebellious, by nature, but her personality. She has given everyone the middle finger (metaphorically, but would be cool if she literally did) - even her own community. She faced a lot of scrutiny in 2004 when blasted XXL for blasting her in the "Negro Please" section of their magazine in regards to an interview with Fader magazine about postponing her wedding because her dad had cancer. In an Allhiphop.com column, she basically told them to "fuck off." You would think that was over, but she still had it out for the magazine in her last mixtape in 2008 Evil Jeanius, in which she says "And how the fuck I get a Negro Please / when speaking truth? / Apologize on your Negro knees (fucker)" on the track "Even On your Best Day". In 2008, Jean Grae posted a classified on Craigslist for songwriting needs and collaborations claiming "I figure, if everyones gonna make money offa me, why not make it directly to the people who love this shit anyway?" She surely knew how to push her label's buttons.


Although she claimed retirement, she has never left the rap scene. She's been featured with several hiphop artists such as Talib Kweli, Joell Ortiz, and Jay Electronica, on top of working on a new album, according to Talib Kweli. She will also be featured on Ski Beat's 24 Hour Karate School.


Jean Grae takes the Sista with Attitude "category" and multiplies by a trillion, making her a hybrid femcee of our time. But her personality and ability to have you listen isn't something listeners sleep on... at all. Overall, to me she's like a Sour Patch: first she's sour, then she's sweet. As long as Jean Grae doesn't stop Jean Grae, she will be on top of the hiphop world in no time.

The New Breed(s): Invincible

She's the kind of femcee that steps far beyond the title. That's how ahead of her time she is!

When I first saw her perform, I thought to myself "this dude is awesome!" because looking at her and listening to her in a small, dim-lit venue, and already drunk, I wasn't prepared to hear a woman (especially a crossed-dressed woman) to spit that hard and that real! That night she not only came with the rhymes, but also a philanthropy. During this performance, she had a backdrop of her docu-music-video "Locusts" playing as she was rhyming with disturbing city images of her hometown Detroit. She has been backed by Talib Kweli, Black Thought, Slum Village, just to name a few hiphop artists that know she can flow. Trust me when I say Invincible is the future of hiphop, HANDS DOWN.

DISCLAIMER: Although I place her in a new breed of femcees, that doesn't mean she (or any other femcee) is limited among or by their gender. Her image and her lifestyle says enough (see picture). She isn't just about empowering the female identity, but about empowering everyone! Invincible comes with rhymes about everyone's struggle, steering away from sexuality and materialism and everything else a woman talks about, in an attempt to blast on the scene tiptoeing with EVERYONE who rhymes right now. Like she said "I'm striving to be one of the best period / Not just one of the best with breasts and a period" (said on "Looongawaited"). She steers away from being limited as a female emcee by spitting something everyone can relate to. Instead of talking about feminism or flaunting her sexuality, she's educating people on international issues in every way an emcee can in addition to her own special methods.

What sets her apart from other female emcees in the hiphop world is her lyricism. She spits nothing superficial, let alone ladylike, yet her content is classy and thoughtful. The origins of Invincible's lyricism is clearly Detroit-bred, but her thought process is so beyond an 8-Mile emcee. She can break down metaphors like you put on socks, it is THAT easy for her. Take "People Not Places" off her album ShapeShifters, she says:

Settlements spreading like cancer and toxic sewage polluted the roads
Now full of checkpoints
I superimpose the truth and it shows
(see full lyrics and explanation here)

On a song that deals with the displacement of the Palestinian people, most people wouldn't expect such lyricism from the average emcee, as they expect a focus on talking about the issues. But Invincible isn't your average emcee; she has the ability to balance a deep rhyme scheme and a crazy flow with intellectual content broken down for everyone.

Her musicianship steps beyond just rhyming; she is also a filmmaker. Actually, she has a docu-music-video for just about every song! She stepped on the scene and caught the eyes of millions when Current TV aired her first docu-music-video "Locusts" on gentrification in Detroit. The amazing thing about it is that she didn't make the video alone, but with a Detroit youth group called L.A.M.P (Live Arts Media Project), where these kids do a yearly project researching current events and making CDs and videos based on their findings. They're basically the 'hood's youth CNN! Aside from her film work with L.A.M.P, she has worked with Beatnick & K-Salaam, and Iqaa the Olivetone. Her most recent docu-music-video "The Revival" looks at three generation of hiphop, in particular women in hiphop. This video, which you see below, takes you on the We-B Girlz European tour featuring Roxanne Shante, Bahamadia, Eternia, Stacy Epps, DJ Shortee, and Invincible. The documentary aspect of it includes Roxanne Shante and Bahamadia trading stories on what it was like at their prime in the music industry and what it is like for up and coming artists Stacy Epps and Eternia (who is responsible for the logo at the top of the first piece in this series) to grace the same stage as two previous generations of hiphop.

THE REVIVAL from EMERGENCE Media on Vimeo.

Invincible not only carries Detroit, but the world on her shoulders, with her supreme lyrical skills and in-depth ability to educate the masses. When, not if, she blows up, she can be the most dangerous emcee, excuse me femcee, in America because we all know how tough it is to be an educator for the minorities and do it without permission (just being real for a sec). Not only will she murk these emcees, but not murk these emcees in a skirt. She does it in her own style. To BUY her music, because we should support good music, peruse her site for all of her works.

Where The Femcees Are: The New Breed(s)

I once argued with a man (a very drunk man) about women in hiphop, and how the times have called for a new kind of female emcee. He told me that hiphop, just like the rest of Black music, resists change and to change music will harm an already conformant community. He said, "the reason why we are so conservative is that we're afraid to fall. Think about it: in fact, I went to the liquor store, and an old lady walked out heading to her car. I went it, got my stuff, and when I left I saw the same lady standing by the curb looking down. I ignored her and went to my car, but when I looked again she was still there. So I asked her 'are you ok ma'am, do you need help with something?' Real talk, she said 'I'm not stepping off this curb, I don't wanna fall and bust my ass.' So I helped her walk off the curb and into her car, and watching her drive off made me think of everybody who tries something different and fails, how embarrassed and alone they are. A lot of us are afraid of change because we are afraid to fall, fail, be embarrassed and stand alone." Since that talk in February, I have always remembered the conversation, verbatim.

The story he told bridges a cold gap between the question and answer of where all the female rappers/emcees (or femcees) really are. Being in a community that is currently stuck between superficial lyricism and neo-conservative ideologies, a lot of amazing musicians and artists have been forced to stand alone and be seen as a failure or a flop, as people in the community are afraid to stand by them and break away from the pack. A lot of Black female musicians in particular have taken a different approach to hiphop, and music in general, just to be shot down or ignored by their own people. Artists from Santigold to Jean Grae have been told to shape into a mold of what Black music "looks like" - the four main categories of Black women in the media, specifically music: the Fly Girl, Sista with Attitude, Lesbian, and Queen Mother (read this article by Cheryl Keyes for more info). Basically, the Fly Girl is the woman who thinks being overtly sexual is empowering and flaunts lyrics of materialism, the Sista with Attitude feels success lies in the means of harming other, lyrically or what have you, the Lesbian can only talk about her sexuality, and the Queen Mother is the woman who speaks on saving the children and the Earth in an impersonal manner. These four types of women can rap or sing about these things however they want, as long as they stay in their own category and make it appealing for the general audience.

However, there are women in the music industry, especially hiphop music, who ignore the fear of being alone and personalize the music created by a complacent community. These women are generally considered weird, lame, and out of place, but I feel these women bring a new breath of life to the art form of music. There are plenty of women today that have broken the four archetypes women have been given in music. There is Janelle Monae, one of the funkiest and craziest soul singers/songwriters out right now, as well as Miss Jack Davey of J*DaVeY, who should be included in this group but is only exempted because of she's in a band, but this singer/song-writer/rapper has an edgy way of being sexual, sensual, and an independent woman. Another artist to break the mold is up and coming R&B rocker Brittany Bosco, a woman with a sound that roots as deep as the early, early, early blues era with a tinge of electronic soul. Even when we look at already established musicians like Erykah Badu, who stripped in front of a Dallas crowd for her new video without notifying anyone. Most of the music community, even her so-called fans, claimed to not "get it" and ultimately turned their nose up at the video.

But, we're not going to making this about all Black music. For now, this series is just a look at femcees who are changing hiphop. I say new breed(s) because in actuality it is next to impossible to categorize anyone, but for the sake of the music industry, the three featured women in this series don't fit, and purposely REFUSE to fit, any of the old categories femcees used to fit. I will even go there to say that these three women, Jean Grae, Invincible, and Nikki Lynette, are femcees that will be leading the hiphop community soon.