Dear Kanye West

Kanye's lucky he makes good music (no pun intended) Name another artist that could insult America's sweetheart on national television, then sell his label to her label...

via Yahoo!

14-time Grammy-winner (and 30-time Grammy nominee) Kanye West's independent record label G.O.O.D. Music, has been signed to an exclusive long-term worldwide label agreement with the Island Def Jam Music Group (IDJMG). The announcement was made today by Kanye West, Barry Weiss, Chairman & CEO of Universal Motown Republic Group (UMRG) and Island Def Jam Music Group (IDJMG) and Steve Bartels, President & COO, Island Def Jam Music Group.

The artist vs. the labels. The artists vs. the labels. The artists vs. the labels. That's all we've heard since the New Music Cartel banded together to instigate the 'blog era' in hip-hop. The entity of internet users, companies and artists all in a constant tug of war with the 'Big 4' labels. The internet has allowed for artists to circumvent the distribution tactics of the 'Big 4' by giving artists the means to do it themselves. I suppose that's a cardinal sin with record labels. Who gets over on the consumer is actually the consumer's choice: whether they'll pay 99 cents on iTunes or head to YHTN or 2Dbz or the dearth of other blogs and websites dedicated to sharing music.



#deathto

For hours we could discuss labels clamping down on artists for doing just that. Sicking the RIAA on consumers and artists, removing profile pages and songs, shutting down websites, and adding more restriction to the way the artists operate; all at the expense of means to control how we get our music. Another can be made Lupe out of you and your music can take a cozy seat on the shelf. Even so, artists (and their teams, cliques and sets) do enter in these agreements voluntarily. They want to get paid for their work while controlling it on their journey to the top. Sometimes, they allow their music to get out, sometimes they get extremely aggy and go on Twitter rants. Depends on the artist...

The 'here and now' age sees to it that a rise to stardom is an impatient and difficult one, no matter how talented the artist. Forget Universal and Def Jam. Diddy has enough people in Bad Boy's graveyard to prove that a label can do with you what they want. Yet rather than scale Everest on foot, MCs can take the slightly off-balance, green-eyed helicopter known as the label. The ever-borderline drunk pilots run such a good game in the brochures or on magazine covers, so MCs usually don't have a problem handing over their intellectual property. Can you blame guys like Saigon for staying onboard for that long, even when a label has complete control over your artistic freedom?

Kanye, you know this. You're in a position of power compared to the labels, given all your impressive tenure. They have to bow out to you. Banking on success over failure in music is the labels' business, and you've done it well. Twitter retweets itself stupid when you tweet. From performing at the Democratic National Convention to doing a BET Cypher, straddling the line of rapping to the masses and the internet-savvy comes naturally. Who else has performed at Facebook and Twitter? With GOOD Music's appearance under Def Jam, the blogosphere/internet and labels have reason to coexist. Your imprint has already entranced the labels by spawning the career of grammy-winning John Legend. Those GOOD Friday tracks endeared you to the internet, while KiD CuDi, Big Sean, and Cyhi Da Prynce, endeared your name to it.

Bringing GOOD Music to the masses on Def Jam makes that link official. Yes we've seen internet-borne artists from other imprints link with labels. Drake and Nicki are prime examples of that, yet Cash Money Records had already existed on a label at that point. To boot, internet and blog savvy seem to be driving GOOD Music's first official albums under Def Jam. A good deal of Finally Famous has hit the web, and the same will be true for Fear of God II, Royal Flush II, Watch the Throne and To Be Continuum.

Still the question begs, why Kanye? Does hip-hop actually need the labels, or can artists do without them? Curren$y is doing pretty well for himself without major backing and jokes about it in songs. SlaughterHouse makes decent bank on their records, too. So do we really need that link? Isn't this what hip-hop has preached about for years? (insert lyrics here) The results, while promising, are mixed to say the least. Drake was in the limelight, getting around (YMCMB's label)'s iron fist to some degree with his deal, but even he can incur the wrath of the labels. On the other hand, Wale and J. Cole are having trouble catching on via labels, despite internet fanfare. Ross has a hand in it, but on a lesser scale with Meek and Pill. They have a different following altogether, and Maybach Music is signing so many acts, it's hard to tell who even has a chance to drop.

To me, the merits of your transaction boil down to another age-old battle in hip-hop: the album vs. the mixtape. In the Golden Era and beyond, having an album out meant you made it. Having an album was the equivalent of a hot stock ready to explode. Even if you only had one, an album gave the artist recognition and fame, however short-lived. These days, putting out an internet mixtape is like putting out your hand to shake; everyone does it. Yet, mixtapes today are generating more buzz and acclaim than albums. Lately the mixtape is like the incredible foreplay, while the album is the anti-climactic climax. Given Big Sean's first-up status, he'll be the inaugural internet-borne artist (sorry Drake, you were on Degrassi) to debut on a major label. His mixtapes upload like hotcakes, but will your blessing and quintessential power move sell albums? I'm guessing yes, simply because we're coming to a big impasse in the industry. You've forged a new bridge, it's only right you be able to cross it...

Kanye West - All of The Lights (Remix) (ft. Lil' Wayne, Big Sean & Drake)

Kanye West - All of The Lights (Remix) (ft. Lil' Wayne, Big Sean & Drake)

Huge props to Karen Civil for letting this one loose, even though I had to rip the audio myself so you guys could download it. Everyone (and by everyone, I mean the internets and Twitter) said that Drake killed his verse, and now we get a chance to hear it. The remix to Kanye's 'All of The Lights' is pifftastic, splendiforous, and a bunch of other made up words for awesome. The only weird part about this track is Sean's use of onomatopoeia. He has a unique flow that works sometimes, and other times seems out of place. No worries, though. Wayne and Drake do enough heavy lifting to counteract Sean's snafu. Check out the remix and have a happy Monday, people!!

EDIT: Apparently, 'Ye has a verse lined up for the remix as well. Be on the lookout for an 'official' version...

Kanye West & Mos Def - Blue Note Jazz Club Freestyle

Kanye West & Mos Def - Blue Note Jazz Club Freestyle

No Freestyle Friday this past week. Sue me. Apparently, Kanye and Mos blessed the Blue Note Jazz Club in NYC on Saturday by crashing Lupe's show. The Robert Glasper Experiment backed them up with a soulful, acoustic Dilla beat. Kanye goes off the dome and speaks on why he hasn't begun touring yet, his ties to Illuminati and random vices that have held him back. Mos more just flexed his lyrical muscle and shouted out the crowd. All in all, that would've been a nice way to end any Saturday night. I really wish there was video footage of this, but the audio does the trick just fine. Check out some GOOD Music...

Kanye West - Christmas in Harlem (ft. CyHi Da Prynce & Teyana Taylor)

With Selita Ebanks on my arm, hell, I'd be in the Christmas spirit year-round...


Kanye West - Christmas in Harlem (ft. CyHi Da Prynce & Teyana Taylor)

Now, before I get into the semantics of this track, let me say this: I had yet to find out what exactly it was that Teyana Taylor was famous for until I heard this song. I knew she was involved in music in some capacity, but not that she was capable of holding a tune, much less an entire chorus. I wonder if that makes Kanye's cosign that much better, because everyone he's worked with in the last few months has elevated their game. G.O.O.D. Music accolades aside, Ye' decided to spread some Yuletide cheer in the mold of Run DMC by releasing 'Christmas in Harlem'. I suppose it's Harlem simply because of Teyana, but ignoring locale, this is a pretty nice track. It's cool to see Yeezy bringing back the holiday-themed track. Let's just hope he doesn't bring back Horrorcore too...

Dear Hip-Hop Collectives

via Billboard.com

Another "Jay" has been added to the Roc Nation roster. It was announced yesterday (Nov. 12) that New Orleans rapper Jay Electronica signed with Jay-Z's personal imprint, joining acts J. Cole and Willow Smith at the recently formed label. And to celebrate, Jay-Z threw a lavish party at New York club The Box that neither Jay E, nor anyone else in attendance, would soon forget.

The event -- which kicked off at about 10:15pm and drew head-turning guests like Beyonce and Omarion -- was a three-ring circus that included sexy burlesque dancers, an aerial gymnast, a Russian hula-hoop master and a girl whose "talent" was having men shoot arrows at balloons that were strategically positioned over her privates. But despite all the eye candy, the Jays still managed to steal the show.

Jay-Z, decked out in a sharp black suit, took the stage and told his guests about his "goal to reintroduce magic back into hip-hop, the love, the wizardry." With that, Jay introduced "Mr. Jay Electronica, the official Roc Nation signee" to the thunderous applause of the audience.

I'm going to go out on a limb in saying this, but it's always been true: Hip-hop is a team sport. From it's inception, rappers have been getting down with crews as a way to not only gain an opportunity in hip-hop, but for a chance to stay relevant and rake in that cash. Crews like the The Sugar Hill Gang, The Furious Five, Juice Crew, Run DMC and N.W.A. and others began the trend of group dominance, but it wasn't until the mid-90s, when hip-hop started becoming corporate, that rappers began finding strength in numbers.

Groups like Death Row, Bad Boy, the Wu-Tang Clan, and Leaders of the New School, based around record labels, showed that a good team could dominate the airwaves better than any one person. Posse cuts were rampant, with tracks like 'Bring Da Ruckus' and'Scenario' giving listeners a maelstrom of flows, lyrics and ideas from different rappers to sink their ears into. The Bad Boy Family, with its huge stable of artists like Biggie, The LOX, Faith Evans, Ma$e, Criag Mack, 112 and others made it so that if you weren't down with a specific team, you weren't getting any play. Towards the end of the 90's teams like Ruff Ryders solidified that tenet, going platinum on behalf of Yonkers. Even the early 2000s saw teams thrive, with the Diplomats, Cash Money and G-Unit dominating the re-emerging mixtape circuit.

Enter 2010, and we are having another resurgence of groups. The middle of this past decade was lukewarm in terms of hip-hop's reach, and for good reason. Headliners were the name of the game, as solo artists looked to regain some of the posture that being in groups had taken away. Ironically, a handful of those solo artists are nowhere to be found, while groups are coming back. Take a look at the most popular songs of the past year or so. $50 says that they came from a Roc-a-fella, Cash Money/Young Money, GOOD Music, 1017 Brick Squad or Slaughterhouse Artist.

Lil' Wayne started it. By signing Nicki Minaj, Drake and a host of other up-and-comers, it made the market a little bit harder to break into. The Young Money label has thrived ever since. Even if their group releases have been sub-par, the solo releases under that imprint have come out to tremendous publicity and accolade. The same can be said about Kanye West's GOOD Music imprint. Before the summer was over, most people couldn't name an artist on that team besides Ye, Common and Big Sean. A few months later, with the signings of Pusha T and Cyhi the Prynce, Ye has put together a formidable starting 5. Even Ye's big homie Jay-Z has taken part in hip-hop's arms race, signing J. Cole, Wale and now Jay Electronica. Today, success in hip-hop is just as much about who you're rapping with as it is what you're rapping about. By being part of a team, you give yourself more access to resources such as producers, studios, features and better promotion. Just ask artists who are unaffiliated how many units they honestly see themselves pushing and it will become clear.

This team-building in hip-hop doesn't come without it's caveats. First of all, it's evident that among these teams, there is always a star player. For Young Money it's Wayne, for GOOD Music it's Kanye and for Roc Nation it is Jay-Z. These designations open the group up to a power struggle, especially when the student can be, or is, better than the teacher. When it comes to label dynamics, no matter how talented one is, the bigger name always gets the press. J. Cole, Wale and Jay Electronica, while they will get a good deal of the spotlight, will always be under Jay-Z. Drake and Nicki Minaj will always be Lil' Wayne's younger siblings (ironic, considering his status and Baby's 'son'). Pusha T will now be considered Kanye's protege, even if he's been in the game longer. What happens if the subordinates are unhappy with that position, a la Juelz Santana circa 2006? Will it be a situation where their musical career is siphoned off to the highest bidder, or will they just have to find their own way out from Big Brother's watch?

The hip-hop arms race is clearly a result of labels being hesitant to take chances on one person. Artists are quick to latch on to a 'movement' in the hopes that it will take them to another level of success. The problem is, how to balance one's individual aspiration with the success of the team. Every team in hip-hop history has broken up because of egos and money, and nothing more. How do artists know whether they are in it for the right reasons? Better yet, if they aren't, how can they work together? Busta Rhymes, Ice Cube, Young Buck and Beanie Sigel are all examples of artists who were excommunicated because their wishes outreached that of the group. Will the groups of today be destined for that same fate?

My final concern with you, oh great hip-hop collective is whether this era of collaboration will last. As much as I have my questions, there is no question as to whether hip-hop music has thrived because of it. One look at the success of Kanye's GOOD Fridays is enough proof. Ye brought together artist upon artist upon artist to make some of the biggest records of the past year. Will that be the formula for success in the near future? Whatever the case, it seems like the hip-hop collective is back and will be for a while. As commemoration for the hip-hop collectives of the past, check out some of my favorite posse cuts in hip-hop history (not in chronological order):

Hot 97 Freestyle - Kanye West & Pusha T

Hot 97 Freestyle - Kanye West & Pusha T

Honestly, I would've waited until Freestyle Friday to post this, but this freestyle was 2dope. I suppose due to tenure, Funkmaster Flex's show has become the new stepping stone into relevance for hip-hop nowadays. Today, Flex offered the airwaves to Kanye West, and (essentially) hip-hop's million-dollar man, Pusha T. After a quick chat session, Pusha and Ye spit two VICIOUS writtens, that had the trio cracking up mid-line. Though I'm a bit disappointed at how many of the G.O.O.D. Friday tracks ended up on the album, Ye's definitely going all out to push it. And Pusha... (psshhhh) No words. Just check the freestyle...

Kanye West - The Joy (ft. Pete Rock, Jay-Z, Charlie Wilson, Curtis Mayfield & KiD CuDi)

Kanye West - The Joy (ft. Pete Rock, Jay-Z, Charlie Wilson, Curtis Mayfield & KiD CuDi)

Okay, so it's another GOOD Saturday Friday track from Kanye, this time with a sultry Curtis Mayfield sample. Ye and (I'm assuming) Pete Rock sped the first verse up for the chorus, then put it over a slowed down, minimal beat. Kanye raps about the ills of his sex life, ironically after pictures of his nether regions leaked onto the interwebs. Jay puts together a better than average verse, while CuDi and Charlie sing. I liked that Pete Rock got to close out the song with that funky riff in the background. Also, I'll be honest. The past two GOOD Fridays have been a bit boring to me. I guess a roster like this on a track can't help but pique one's interest. Doesn't hurt that the track is good...

Child Rebel Soldier - Don't Stop!

Child Rebel Soldier - Don't Stop!

In 2007, Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco and Pharrell recorded a song called US Placers, under the group name Child Rebel Soldier, which set the internets ablaze. The beat, by Skateboard P was a minimalist piano and snare-laced instrumental where the three waxed philosophical about the ills of their combined riches, dropping rhymes like dimes (10 e-points to whoever knows that reference). Now its 2010, and up until yesterday that was the group's only known recording, and a project standing in the Detox-mold, maybe never to be released. Lo and behold, Kanye has not left the CRS faithful down in his GOOD Friday series, dropping a track with one of the funkiest beats I've laid ears on in a while. Reminiscent of mambo and salsa music, Don't Stop features CRS going, as we say, dumb. P actually raps again, and he sounds refreshed from not having spit a bar on wax in a while. Lupe (the best verse in my opinion) then jumped on, riding the beat and fitting more words and wordplay in one line than a lot of songs. Ye gets the beat switch-up and does it justice with a few hilarious punchlines. All in all, I'm trying to hide my excitement for this project (apparently, you can't like something without being a d*ckrider), but this track is great. Check it out and enjoy a GOOD Saturday...

Kanye West - Christian Dior Denim Flow (ft. KiD CuDi, Pusha T, John Legend, Lloyd Banks & Ryan Leslie)

Kanye West - Christian Dior Denim Flow (ft. Kid Cudi, Pusha T, John Legend, Lloyd Banks & Ryan Leslie)

I find it hilarious when the entire blogosphere reacts to one happening, especially when it concerns something that essentially is the lifeblood of the business (yes, blogging is a business now). Leaks used to be throwaway tracks and stuff that you would release 10 years into your career for the diehard fans to eat up. Now, leaks pretty much power the hip-hop landscape, and naturally artists get angry. Kanye wasn't too pleased earlier this week with the leaks and turned the idea of GOOD Fridays into a Sad Wednesday with an announcement that he would be halting his free leaks on Fridays. Lo and behold, three days later, Mr. West unleashed a track for the Friday faithful. This time he brought CuDi (liking him less as a rapper since the Wale tiff), Pusha, John Legend, Lloyd Banks and Ryan Leslie (who apparently raps now?) along for the ride and turned them all into Dior whores over a dark, looming beat. All of them kill it, too. It's ironic that Kanye started getting all that flack when he canceled his series, but now every blogger has this up (including mine). Ahh well... Just another day in the neighborhood. Check the newest GOOD Friday track...

Kanye West - So Appalled (ft. RZA, Jay-Z, Pusha T, Swizz Beatz & Cyhi The Prince)

Kanye West - So Appalled (ft. Rza, Jay-Z, Pusha T, Swizz Beatz & Cyhi The Prince)

Another Friday, and another Kanye track for the fans. This week, Ye brings Jay, Swizz, Pusha T, the RZA and newcomer Cyhi the Prynce for a whack at a darker type of beat. The song 'So Appalled' made its first appearance on a Big Mike mixtape, then was unleashed on Hot 97 by DJ Camilo. Kanye makes a few jabs at MTV, as well as some slick punchlines and braggodocious verse with some introspective thoughts too. The premise of the song is the things in life that just make one 'appalled' or just completely offend each of the MC's featured. If I had to pick one verse, it would definitely be Pusha, though. The younger Thornton needs to be on your radar if you weren't already a fan of the Clipse MC's work already. He has a way with words that belies his persona as your average coke-pusher. If there was any GOOD Friday track I've dug, it's this one. Check it out and keep a lookout for 'Watch For the Throne'...

Kanye West - Lord, Lord, Lord (ft. Mos Def, Swizz Beatz, Raekwon & Charlie Wilson)

Kanye West - Lord, Lord, Lord (ft. Mos Def, Swizz Beatz, Raekwon & Charlie Wilson)

Didn't post last week's GOOD Friday track (or the week before that, I think), but this week I'm on my job. Kanye waited until the wee hours of the night to release this cut. Mos Def, Swizzy, Raekwon and Charlie Wilson joined him for this smooth, jazzy cut. I'm not sure what Swizz was thinking with this verse, or what he was talking about, nor am I clear about what the song was about, but it sure sounds good. I think this track just deserves a few more listens. I suppose Yeezy has calmed down a bit with his original fervor. Whatever the case, this is definitely a track to vibe out to and relax. Check it out and stay tuned for more GOOD Friday tracks...

Dear Kanye (re: the VMA's)

I didn't watch most of the VMA's. The Washington - Dallas game had my attention because it was as captivating as an opening game as I've ever seen (word to DC). That said, I tuned in to MTV's yearly ode to the music video late, only to catch one thing: your performance Ye. I Youtube'd Taylor Swift's performance, and it was lame at best. She tried to make an underhanded acceptance of your antics last year (which I thoroughly lambasted you for), which came off sounding preachy and quick to capitalize on a year's worth of free publicity. You rose above her by not even directing any attention to her, or allowing MTV to pan to her anorexic-looking behind. But that's neither here nor there. Taylor's performance sucked because it was bad. Your performance, on the other hand, was masterful.

Rather than come back with a Taylor Swift apology song or try to make amends for what some would perceive as an off year for you, you decided to thumb your nose at all the douchebags, *ssholes and what have you. Now, that may sound ridiculous on the surface, but when taking a look at the performance as a whole, one can't help but think you're one of the best musicians out right now. First of all, you came out there dressed in a bright red suit. At first I was clowning it, thinking about Eddie Murphy in Delirious, but then looking at the stage from the aerial view, your aim (pun intended) was obvious. Ye, you were the target, the red dot that everyone had been aiming at over the past year because of your antics. Visually, that made the 'Runaway' performance a symbolic spectacle. Ironically, the song is about you poking fun at yourself for 'finding what (you) don't like the most' in everything and broadcasting it. That message hearkens back to your town hall-esque meetings at Rolling Stone, Twitter and Facebook where you're trying to make music from a position of happiness rather than sadness. I suppose one of those positions is one where you can poke fun at yourself and the people who've been chucking darts at you over the past year. You made yourself the target for yourself and for everyone else.

The second reason the performance was dope was that you brought out Pusha T. Plus, it seems as if the younger Thornton brother has something to prove, much like you do. Of all the heads you have lined up on GOOD Music, Pusha is my favorite. He's got the charisma, attitude and BARS for a nice crossover, though most of white America let out a collective 'Who's that?' when he stepped on stage. It was one of the only highlights to what I heard (better yet, read, thanks to Twitter) was a pretty lame MTV Video Music Awards.

SIDENOTE: The VMA's are officially dead, by the way. There really was no reason for half of the show aside from the performances. Chelsea Handler (who is comedic gold on her show) fumbled through three hours of celebrity jokes and a Rick Ross ride, and still couldn't get a genuine laugh from the dead-silent crowd. MTV completely lost its appeal when she jumped into a hot-tub with the Dirty Jersey crew, and died when she came out 'pregnant'. RIP to MTV.

Your performance was trill for one more reason: it means hip-hop is the IT now. Along with Drake, Eminem and Nicki Minaj, your feature on MTV, a (canonized) world stage, was a testament to the idea that rap music is here to stay. Ye, you solidified yourself as a heavy-hitter again with the this performance and kept it oh-so-funky with Taylor Swift by not even mentioning that squeaky-clean pop martyr. While she tried to milk last year's folly again, you were looking a year ahead to a gang of awards. Regardless of America's sweetheart, Ye, you were masterful last night, putting an emphatic exclamation mark on one hell of a statement to the music industry over the past few months. Your next album is sounding damn near classical, and we have no clue what's even going to be on it. That's enough holding your pocket, though Ye. Let's hear a few more GOOD Friday's before we crown you again, though somehow we might not even need it after that performance...

Justin Bieber x Kanye West x Raekwon - Runaway Love (Remix)

Justin Bieber x Kanye West x Raekwon - Runaway Love (Remix)

Say what you will about Justin Bieber's place in pop music and his diabolically squeaky-clean image, the young man knows his hip-hop, evidenced by interviews and numerous cosigns. Plus, the young man sounds like a damn cherub. Add his charms, a verse from Rae and Ye, and an interpolation of the Wu classic 'Wu-Tang Clan Ain't Nothing to F*ck With', and you have one hell of a crossover hit. Kanye was always a Bieber fan, but the Raekwon cosign was a pleasant surprise. It's refreshing to see that musicians aren't above accepting other types of music or other musicians, regardless of genre. To all of you 'hip-hop' purists saying Rae is selling out by adding Bieber, please go fall into a woodchipper. It's sad that people can't show flexibility without stans getting their panties in a bunch about 'real hip-hop'. Take the chewsticks out of your butt, turn off your Atmosphere album, and figure out why you're mad, while the rest of the world rocks out to this trill Justin Bieber chorus...

Kanye West - Monster (ft. Jay-Z, Rick Ross, Bon Iver & Nicki Minaj)

Kanye West - Monster (ft. Jay-Z, Rick Ross, Bon Iver & Nicki Minaj)

I couldn't let the day pass before I posted this. As brief as this post might be, just know that words can't describe the heat rocks coming from this track, slated to be on the album Kanye tweeted about earlier today. He and Jay are apparently working on a five-track album entitled, 'Watch The Throne'. They brought Nicki Minaj along, and she DESTROYED her verse flow-wise, while Bon Iver sang an eerie chant at both the beginning and end. Rawse was a nice person to start rapping after that, but it was best that he got out of the way and let the heavyweights do the heavy lifting. And the beat, of course done by Yeezy, is impossible to not knock to. In fact, If this doesn't make you bop, please check your pulse. Keep on the lookout for more news for 'Watch the Throne', and enjoy the track!!!

Ye tweeted:

Kanye West - Power (Remix) (ft. Jay-Z & Swizz Beatz)

Kanye West - Power (Remix) (ft. Jay-Z & Swizz Beatz)

What does it take to really remix a song? Lately, it's just been a bunch of artists going off on the same beat. I guess that's why Kanye decided to rip a Swizz Beatz-produced interpolation of Snap's pop classic, The Power, along with bringing Jay along for a whack at the original version. The result is one heck of a remix. Ye reverts back to his slick-talking ways for a long verse, which hits you perfectly with the beat. I couldn't stop nodding my head. I'm sure you won't either. There's still no release date for 'The Album Formerly Known as Good Ass Job', but with gems like this, we can't be too upset with the man. Shouts to Miss Info for this one...

The Census: No One Man Should Have All That Power

PREAMBLE: For those of you who haven't been following the blog since last year, I had a section on it called 'The Census'. The premise behind it was that I would present an issue, then pose a question in a poll, where you, the readers would have the opportunity to vote on it for a week. Unfortunately, the voting got a little sparse, so I canned it... Until now. The Census is back, but now, rather than voting on it, I simply implore you, friends, to chime in in the comments section. One of the reasons I started Dear Whoever was to have an open forum for dialogue on what's going on in the world today. Some of that dialogue takes place through my letters, but I would love it if my readers got some time to voice their opinions. So here goes... This is the first round of the new, kinda improved, Census. Enjoy folks...



I guess the title is a little misleading, considering Justin Bieber is merely a teenager (didn't stop the Power Rangers, though). At the same time, he's not exempt from the rules that govern the social media frenzy that has everyone glued to their computers and phones now. And while we're on the topic of being glue to one's phone, please take a look below to see the kind of influence and power that we give to one man. Justin Bieber retaliated against a failed Twitter hack by tweeting that person's phone number to his 4.5 million fans (source). The fan, Detroit teen Kevin Kristopik, went on to receive over 26,000 texts ranging from laughter to outright hate. His cell phone bill is estimated to be upwards of $5000, given he doesn't have unlimited texting. Cell phone fees aside, is this the kind of society that we live in? Do the frivolities of celebrities enamor us that much that we kowtow to their every beck and call. Truthfully, what did any of those 26,000 text messages do for the people that weren't Justin Bieber. My guess is little to nothing. So I suppose the question is, how did we allow someone to gain that type of influence over people? The same thing happened to the 'chosen one,' a random Twitter user that Kanye West decided to follow. Steven Holmes had to delete his Twitter to get away from the promoters, social media hawks and random bystanders contacting him because of some supposed 'relationship' he had with Kanye. Is it just me or has social networking gotten a little too crazy?

That's what happens to your phone when you mess with Justin Bieber's Twitter...


So tell me people, where do you stand on the power of social media and how much influence we place in the hands of celebrities through that medium? Do we give stars too much pull in our lives? How is it that Justin Bieber can get thousands of fan(atics) to barrage a phone and Kanye can cause a person's social networking experience to crumble? Where do we draw the line between harmless online fun, and jeer-worthy groupthink? Please, please, please throw some comments below. I'd love to hear what you guys think!

Kanye West - See Me Now (ft. Beyonce' & Charlie Wilson)

No relation to the song... I just really like this GIF.


Kanye West - See Me Now (ft. Beyonce' & Charlie Wilson)

Welp... Another Kanye track has hit the interwebs, and every musically-affiliated blog and blogger has rushed to post it, not mentioning anything about the song other than the fact that it's here and that Beyonce and Charlie Wilson is on it. Dear Whoever is different. We like the discourse that goes along with the song itself. Kanye's 2nd leak off 'the Album Formerly Known as Good Ass Job,' is an upbeat anthem to the changes that happen when one has been in the industry as long as Ye, Bey and Chuck. Bey does a hefty amount of cussin (if you call cussin throwing out the n-word), Charlie does his trademark swooning, and Ye has two verses ripe with punchlines and wordplay and that original Kanye-esque cockiness that made everyone love him i nthe first place. I can't fade it. Ye's album is going to be pure piff. I dare anyone to say differently based on what's leaked out. Everything, including this leak sounds beautifully constructed, and/or divinely inspired. Please check out the leak, and support blogs that actually blog, not post. *gets off soapbox*

Kanye West - Power (Music Video - UNCENSORED)

I've had this since last night, but I really wanted to wait for the uncensored version, simply because a song this good can't be censored, lyrically or visually, in the case of the video. Kanye revisits the whole motif of power and how easily people are drawn to it in the video with a photo-esque display of lavishness. The theme seems to be somewhere in between Egyptian luxury and a sick Kanye West fantasy. Either way the scene is spectacular. From the gradients and shading to how the people move in place, this video (I don't even want to call it a video anymore) look like it's from the most divine brush ever created. I can't stress how hyped I am for Ye's album. I really think it's going to be game-changing, especially if it comes equipped with visuals like this one. Check out the uncensored version of Kanye West's 'Power'...

PS: In reference to the dude that Kanye singled out and followed on Twitter, all the people mobbing him should be ashamed of themselves. I really think this is one huge, sick social experiment that Kanye is playing on the 'social media generation' to show how easily they give people power. Then again, who am I to guess? *takes off conspiracy theorist hat*

Dear Kanye West

It takes a lot for someone to 'change the game'. By that, I mean someone operating in a way that goes against the grain of the time, and makes everyone else reconsider and reevaluate how they're going about their business. When someone changes the game, the status quo takes a hit. Not necessarily a hit that will rearrange everything, but just enough for the rest of the world to take notice. Over the past 4 years, blogs have begun a steady coup of the hip-hop game. Whether through internet labels preparing digital-only releases or the online mixtape phenomena, blogs now have a considerable amount of control over who's 'next' or who's time it is to shine. Chances are, if you've got a huge blog following, then you have pull in the hip-hop industry. That said, it's gotten to the point of over-saturation, where there are so many rappers on the scene, that no one knows who to listen to anymore! Go on any hip-hop blog today, and you'll find a different cast of characters than you did the previous day. That's not a bad thing; it's simply the state of the industry. It's hard for people to stand out. That is why your recent tour of... everywhere, is so mind-blowing, Kanye.

Over the past week, you've visited the offices of Twitter, Facebook, Rolling Stone, at each, speaking on not only the state of the music industry, but your own state. The way you presented yourself was damn near classic, Ye. You were professional, coming dressed in a simple black suit, black tie and donning the 'cool guy' sunglasses so we knew you weren't a corporate drone like the people in the audience. All of the speeches you gave were impeccable. I've yet to hear an artist admit that the places where most get their musical inspiration from are dark, morbid, depressed ones. That you want to bring your music out of joy and hope is a breath of fresh air for the industry. In fact, it's a rarity that you spope on it at all. Artists are notorious for keeping their personal lives chambered after they blow up (their first works may be raw and emotional), so to have you being open about the feelings that went into 'Good Ass Job' (apparently that might not be the album title anymore) is incredible.



A huge point in these visits was when you mentioned being a truth-teller in your music. I find that so groundbreaking. Everyone says that their album is the truth, but few artists actually purvey truth in their music, whether personal or public. 'Truth,' as most artists use it is a way to say you've lived something, not necessarily that you've learned from it or grown as a person (or artist) from it. Kanye, we can see such growth from you in these videos. Whereas last year, you had your mouth glued to a Henny bottle and your hands to Amber Rose's butt, now you seem to be as clear as day. Back to the music, though. The verses you spit at these places were too dope. 'Chain Heavy' had the makings of a track that would ruin the jewelry industry, 'Mama's Boyfriend' tells the story that every child with a single mother will vibe with, and the third one (no title, I suppose) has introspection written all over it. If those three songs are any indication of your album, this should be one of the greatest musical works in a WHILE. I guess when you write from a position of contentment, everything you put out there flows so much better. There's no need to gloss it over with auto-tune or unnecessary features. Labels and whoever else can't put the brakes on your work because you're doing it from such a good place that it automatically sounds good. People can feel the difference in your the beat, your words, your delivery and everything in between.

Kanye, if these sightings signal anything, they show that personal semantics, intimate theatrics, and simply going to the people are the way things should be done. The days when a person could showcase their talents from behind a keyboard are slowly dwindling (ironic that I'm writing this on a blog; sue me). It's not enough to shoot bloggers and tastemakers (I really hate that term, but that's a different blog post) press releases, leaks, random freestyle videos, and mixtapes. As a musician, you have to show why your work is the best, especially in hip-hop, where everyone claims they're the best. You're taking the game away from the computers (though you visited two social networking sites) and back to the (hypothetical) streets. It's very grass roots-esque, and different from anything we're seeing today. Your efforts seem duly poised to change the game Ye. Whether the album is a Good Ass Job (you see what I did there?) or something beyond that, we'll see in September...

Pusha T - Bidding War (The Ghost Of Christoper Wallace Freestyle)

Check your pulse if you're not compelled to say EUGHCK! at least once daily...


Pusha T - Bidding War (The Ghost Of Christoper Wallace Freestyle)

Pusha T is releasing a solo mixtape. Go ahead, let that one marinate. In fact, I'll say it again... Pusha T is releasing a solo mixtape (recovers from heart attack) on September 14th, the same day as Kanye, CuDi and Big Sean. Not that the elder Thornton brother doesn't deserve his own showcase, but Pusha's always been my favorite. EUGHCK has become a mainstay in my vocabulary, and Pusha's rhymes don't disappoint either. Whatever the case, Miss Info hinted (not so subtly) that Kanye was going to be on board for Pusha's project. It sounds almost too good to be true, just like Pusha's freestyle over Jay Electronica's 'The Ghost of Christopher Wallace'. It's called 'Bidding War,' which may be an apt title if the younger Thornton's solo foray goes like I think it should. Check the new track...