Hip Hop's Lost Relics

Let's rock!!!

If you grew up in the 90s, and didn't watch Legends of the Hidden Temple, then please consider your childhood null and void. That said, along with the funny team names, ubiquitous temple guards, and Olmec's weird catch phrases, the best part of the show was finding out about whatever treasure those retarded kids had to retrieve in the temple. It was always some feather, or a helmet or an item that we wouldn't bat an eyelash at today. That got me to thinking... If there was a 'Hip-Hop Legends of the Hidden Temple' what would some of the treasures be? Yeah... What are some of hip-hop's lost relics? Hit the comments if you think I missed something. *cue mystical, eerie music*


Drake's Blackberry

One of the most memorable tracks of 2009 was Drake's 'Say What's Real' off his So Far Gone mixtape. Drake waxed philosophical about being 'real (whatever that means) in hip-hop over Kanye's 'Say You Will'. At the end, Aubrey spits this gem:

Understand, I can get money with my eyes closed / Lost some of my hottest verses down in Cabo / So if you find a Blackberry with the side-scroll / Sell that motherf*cker to any rapper that I know

So... Where is Drake's famed lost Blackberry with the side-scroll? Has it been lost in the sand? Has some random Mexicano picked it up, erased everything and signed up on TelCel's Blackberry plan? Or has (insert rapper here) come up with it somehow and used the verses for his own diabolical purposes? We will never know...


Busta's dreads

For those of you who started listening to rap after 2006 (year?), Busta Rhymes did not always have a dark caesar with the grain. As a matter of fact, the first man of the FlipMode Squad used to look a whole lot crazier. Along with a knack for brightly colored bubble jackets, leather overalls and random exclamations on tracks, Bussa Buss was known for those locks. Flowing wild, much like his personality on wax, the dreads were put to rest in a now missing video promoting his 2006 album The Big Bang. To be honest, the locks are probably in some compost heap out in South Dakota by now, if not re-attached to some child's head via Locks for Love...


DMX's sanity

Contrary to popular belief and his sad position today, DMX was That Dude in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The dog had 5 platinum albums under his belt and was singlehandedly holding Def Jam up by its bootstraps at one point. Somewhere along the line, the miracle rock known as crack made its way into X's life, and the man's sanity has been lost ever since. A failed BET series, numerous arrests that would make COPS look like Law and Order, and 8 kids later, DMX and his sanity are nowhere to be found. I wish Drag-on was the lost one instead...


Juelz Santana's bandana

Among the pink Timbs and furs, swag splashers and skull apparel, there was a Dip Set fashion statement that flew under the radar yet over our heads at the same time. That, my friends, is Santana's bandana. What looked like a large paper towel crown draped over the head of a tall midget was actually the generic bandana that was synonymous with back pockets. Santana's bandana almost never seemed to fall out of its oddly-angled place, regardless of how many spastic 'A-YOO's' he threw out in his verses. Now that Juelz isn't Dip Set (is he or isn't he? This label BS needs to stop), the bandana has gone by the wayside.


The G-Unit Piece

Fresh off the success of his debut album 'Get Rich or Die Trying', 50 Cent had signed The Game and Young Buck to his G-Unit imprint. Curtis had buried Ja Rule into the dirt and like most fighters, needed a notch on his belt to make his victory complete. Thus birthed the G-Unit piece, complete with platinum and diamond encrusted EVERYTHING, and the spinning center. Of course we know that very piece was snatched at some point, with numerous people coming up as the owner (see above). The original chain's whereabouts are now unknown...

Any more pieces of hip-hop you think should be included? Use that little box below the post, please!

Nas & Damian Marley - As We Enter (Music Video)

As Nas and Damian 'Jr. Gong' Marley prepare to release their album 'Distant Relatives,' I can't help but think about other rap & reggae combinations that did the deed. Their video for 'As We Enter' shows the darker, grittier side of both artists, while jumping over a springy beat. The black on black wardrobe with the post-apocalyptic scenery pays a little too much homage to Jay-Z, but the track is so dope, you don't pay any attention to it. Back to my original point. Rap & Reggae, especially coming from a New York perspective, was heavy back in the 90's and early 2000's. As a matter of fact, both Rap and what we call Dancehall came from the olden art of dubplating. Maybe Jr. Gong and Nasir can bring that trend back. Check out the video for 'As We Enter' and some of my favorite Rap/Reggae clashes...

Dear Cam'ron & Jim Jones

via MissInfo:

“Minya, it’s Jimmy….I’m sitting in the passenger seat of this car right now. I want you to talk to the driver real quick.”

“Ok, Jimmy.”

[brief pause] “What up, Min. It’s Cam…”

Jim Jones: “It’s 2010, and this is something I gotta get off my chest…You’ve known us from back when we didn’t have what we have now, so you remember, that above all, me and Cam, we still brothers. And we’re building on getting back on track but first, I apologize for being a rude brother, for saying things publicly without first trying to handle them privately. I apologize for not leading by example because what I didn’t realize at the time, I was venting but it wasn’t all about me. There were other people whose dreams were also part of this movement. So by not leading by example, they were left stranded too. The way I handled our business issues was with emotion, and it got totally f–ked up. That’s what selfishness does….”

Cam’ron: “There’s nothing really Diplomats-related to show you yet. We all have our own obligations right now, our own projects. I have this Boss of All Bosses Pt. 2.5 mixtape with Vado and DJ Drama dropping soon. But yes, me and Jim have been speaking, we’re working out the mechanics of this, and looking at our options right now. If it makes sense, it can happen.”

Back in 2004, I was in high school, still somewhat young in my understanding of hip-hop and rap. That said, along that time, the movement that was moving was Dip Set. You, Cam and Jim, served as the soundtrack to basketball games, tomfoolery in hallways and homework. When the rumors came in around 2007 that you two weren't speaking, it was like seeing the Power Rangers get into an argument: slightly devastating. That said, the news relayed by Miss Info was a highlight to my day. I blasted 'I'm Ready' and 'Come Home With Me' in my room as I remembered the tall tees, jerseys, fitteds and ridiculous jewelry that you guys donned during your run at the top. Of course, the look will be different now. Even so, it's refreshing to see some unity come back. That doesn't mean the news comes without its issues.

First of all, why did it take the two of you so long to reconcile? Maybe it's the fact that both of you were too wrapped up in your own individual success to realize that your strength came as a group. I suppose both of you started feeling the dent in your sales, regardless of hot singles (would it be cliche to yell 'BALLIN' right now?) or illegal dealings outside of rap. Second of all, where's Juelz?? A Dip Set reunion wouldn't be complete without Santana on deck, and you both know it. As a matter of fact, I'd definitely say that Juelz is doing a lot better than both of you at the moment. He has a hit single out and a lot of buzz for 'Born to Lose, Built to Win' (or whatever it's called), while you two have two sub-par underselling albums under your studded belts. You guys would have to truly bury the hatchet and apologize to Juelz for doing him dirty, ALONG with offer up a few hundred stacks to get him to come on with the movement. Third of all, this is only the 3rd or 4th time that you guys have alluded to a reunion and have come up with either nothing or a new beef to squabble over. While it's great to see you guys are cool riding around town together, until I have substantial proof that Diplomatic Immunity 3 is on the way, I will continue to be the skeptic. Besides, I'm looking forward to Boss of All Bosses 2.5 and Slime Flu much more than I am anything Jim Jones-laced these days. At least we can reminisce...

Beemer, Benz or Bentley vs. Nissan, Honda, Chevy

In the days of old, when no one hopped on each other's beats like that, this wouldn't have happened. But, alas, this is the blogosphere, and no instrumental is safe. Lloyd Banks and Juelz Santana finally came out with the visuals for 'Beemer, Benz or Bentley,' but a few days after Joell Ortiz and Jim Jones (Dip Set seems like they're becoming the hip-hop mercenaries) did the same for 'Nissan, Honda, Chevy.' Do I smell some contention? I hope not, because while I'm inclined to give the nod to Banks and Juelz since it was originally their song, Joell & Jimmy's video was a tad bit iller, as is the concept. Not sure who's to blame either: the artists, the labels or idiotic producers who don't lock down their instrumentals. Regardless, both videos do their respective tracks justice. Which one do you guys prefer??

Freestyle Friday (1/29)

What's up people? I know I've been slacking on these, but you know since it's Friday, the freestyles must flow. The first one is from Big Sean. Normally I wouldn't bat an eyelash at the mention of Big Sean. Then I saw the beat he was going over, Gucci's 'Supa Dupa Lemonade' (guilty pleasure), and decided to give it a listen. No, Big Sean isn't the 2nd coming of lyricism, but he did the beat justice. He actually surprised me. The second cypher is from Juelz Santana and his Skull Gang crew. Un Kasa puts together some bars, and then a bunch of cronies friends put something on wax, before Juelz (4:10) spits a nice little verse about his conquests. I hate when songs and freestyles put a bunch of wack people between the good rappers. It's a waste of time. Regardless of the crew, Bandana Santana does his thing. Check the freestyles and keep it locked to Dear Whoever...