On Frank Ocean, and Why 'Gay' Shouldn't Even Matter Anymore

I know I wasn't the only near-sighted person to almost have a seizure trying to read this.

BBQ's aren't my really forte. You can invite me to a barbecue, though. I might go. But most likely I'll think about going, and either go hang out with my closest friends or bury myself in books and reruns of Chopped. It's not that I don't enjoy the prospect of grilling food with family, friends, and an assortment of complete strangers. It's that small talk gets boring. 'Where are you working?' 'How's your mom?' 'Are you going back to school?' 'How about those Yankees?' 'You see what Mitt Romney did last week?' 'What was Evelyn thinking on last week's episode?' There are always some topics that get breached constantly in loose small talk.

This Independence Day, among the hordes of hamburger-fancying twenty-somethings, the subject at hand was Frank Ocean's heartfelt message to accompany his upcoming album Channel Orange. There were toasts to Frank's liberation, to his prowess as an artist, and to the open-mindedness of Odd Future for accepting his status. Frank Ocean was the man of the hour everywhere without being anywhere.

For a loose interpreter wary of Frank's (in addition to OF as a whole) knack for picking archaic language and rosy prose over strict meaning, such as myself, I found everyone taking Frank's letter as a coming out with mixed feelings. Nowhere in the letter did the OF crooner say the word gay, bisexual, or anything related to sexual orientation. He just said he loved a man. I think in this day and age, no thanks to Anderson Cooper, everyone is jumping to find a revolutionary idol of sorts: someone who, for them, can represent everything positive about a marginalized group and serve of a bastion of the group's accomplishment within the greater majority. The letter gave hope and shouting rights to fighters of sexual liberty. That it happened on Independence Day only served to amplify the fact that a post-sexual society is on the horizon, but not here yet.

One of the things I ponder a lot is whether we're even really in a post-racial society. Yeah, my President is black and my Lambo is blue. But since the man's taken office, there's been more working against him than for him. Birthers, Tea Partiers, Mitt Romney, and Bible Belters will say that nothing about their hatred for Barry O has to do with race, but the undercurrent is too great to ignore. I think as long as the construct of race still exists in that it can be used as a basis for anything other than physical identification, we're not in a post-racial society. In the same way, as long as society keeps mentioning 'gay' or 'straight' or 'bisexual' or 'bath salt users' as a delineation, instead of a trait of the greater person, we're not past sexual preference as an issue.

It's like the old saying, 'It's not what they call you, it's what you answer to.' Frank Ocean's sexuality shouldn't even be an issue. If there wasn't a name for a sexual preference or any stigma attached to it, would it be an issue? In this day and age, where flashes in the pan are the norm, it suffices to say that there'll be another celebrity to come out of the closet and everyone will laud their bravery at barbecues and in between meetings and at happy hours. It will become the small talk of that week, and that person's status will be debated hotly because sexual preference still is a taboo topic. Not in a post-sexual society.

In this post-sexual society I imagine, your spouse will be your spouse, male or female. People won't shudder at two fathers, and there won't be a 'down low'. The words 'transgender' and 'transexual' won't mean anything anymore. Two women utilizing in vitro fertilization will be widely accepted. Post-sexual society will affect more than sexual preference, too. No one will give a damn about abortions, or womb rights, or being pro-life or pro-choice. Just like the M and F you cross out on forms, anything related to sex will become an afterthought. If we don't even mention it, it will cease to be important. It might even become one of those 'don't touch' topics like politics or religion that polite, civilized people scoff at in public (that's another post in and of itself) and hold strong opinions about behind closed doors. Who knows? The only sure thing is that Frank Ocean loved a man. Any person with a father, brother, uncle, cousin, mentor, or friend can say the same. I think that's the first step to sexuality not mattering: letting love be, regardless of who or what the target is. Lord knows we loved Frank Ocean's music before.

Dear Record Companies

From West Indian block parties to underground ciphers, piracy has always been around...

via The Register:

The music industry is sticking to a self-valuation that has been rejected by various courts and has now been described as “absurd” by a New York judge.

Judge Kimba Wood has handed down an opinion in the LimeWire damages case that challenges the industry’s belief it could be owed more than the entire global GDP for one year.

After LimeWire lost the case last year, the trial moved into the damages phase, with hearings starting next May. In an opinion (pdf) [1] published ahead of the damages hearings, Judge Kimba Wood revealed that the record companies, seeking statutory damages against the music-sharing service, are seeking damages predicated on the “number of direct infringers per work” – leading to a damages claim of as much as $75 trillion dollars (according to Wikipedia, total global GDP is around $69 trillion)".

You know an industry is in the middle of a flux when it grossly overvalues itself and insists that the rest of humanity respect its inflated self-image. It just so happens that this overvaluation is a constant staple of the music industry, where fickle fans, new technology and constantly changing winds make an accurate understanding damn near impossible. The music industry continued that trend over the past two weeks when a gang of you record companies decided to hold Limewire accountable for $75 trillion over its enabling of file-sharing. I almost gagged when I saw that figure. $75 TRILLION?!?!?! Since when has the music industry been worth more than the entire world's GDP? Seriously... I like music, and I'm sure the rest of the world does too, but not that much.

And to boot, you're suing Limewire of all companies. If you guys really had your hand on the pulse of the music industry, you'd know Limewire was played out after my 9th grade year (2002, if you must know). Additionally, if you were really paying attention, you would've been up on the online music grind from jump, so that you could've had a stake in it. Torrents, sharing websites and iTunes beat you to the punch and now you're on the outside looking in, trying to bust the windows. Now that you're behind the curve, it's like you're trying to put a four-alarm fire out with a water gun. Hell, now the blogs are running the game, giving away your artists' music (at least in hip-hop; can't speak for every genre) and all you guys can do is shut down onSMASH for a couple of weeks.

If your preposterous claim against Limewire is a sign of anything, it's that the little man always has a one-up on the corporation because the corporation is too focused on the profit rather than the product. That you guys are finally getting your day in court is too little, too late, and the judge handling your case proved that when he called your claim 'absurd'. As a matter of fact, that's just the first in a long list of words I have for your general greed and lack of insight into your own business. Either way, I and the rest of the bajillion Generation-Y music fans will somehow find a way to download music around your egregious blocks to fair distribution of music. Are you going to threaten legal action against all of us? Probably. God save the poor sap who gets nabbed with that law suit. Will it work? Probably not. Maybe you should take notes on the new wave instead of trying to cram your way in after the lights have come down.

Dear Lupe Fiasco

Buy Lasers HERE

It's been well over 3 years since your last album, The Cool. That album was a dedication to hip-hops obsession with... well, being cool. It painted a picture of the game and what's cool as being these destructive, yet enticing entities, that would tempt even the most righteous among us. I suppose that is one of your appealing traits as a rapper: your ability to reveal what we celebrate in this 'game' for the detriment it is. When it was revealed that Lasers would finally be released, I rejoiced, not only as a fan excited for new Lupe, but also because it would be a far cry from your usually pithy tone. No longer would the listener not be subject to the thought of how much we're losing. We're lasers, not losers! We don't have to be all melancholy about the way hip-hop is going! We can protest in front of Atlantic Records and get your album released! We don't have to let the labels decide what we have to listen to! That's what I thought Lasers would champion. It turns out we were wrong. Lasers was a disappointing reminder that no matter how much 'we' push, there's a huge chance 'we' won't get what we want. And you were the first person to learn that, Lu.

I won't get into the fact that you derided the album after it leaked or have been lambasting your own effort. That's for you and only you to live with, given the high standard of work that you usually hold yourself to. As a listener and fan, that happening is a bit disconcerting. Even if you weren't doing that, the album still doesn't live up to the height. It starts with a rousing piano solo on 'Letting Go', then delves into an abyss of half-baked choruses and muddled verses. You spoke a lot about war on this song and did a lot of introspection, but not in a palatable way. It was almost like you were writing an angry letter to yourself about everything that grinds your gears, but the letter had no direction and no point.

Lasers continues with probably the best song on the album 'Words I Never Said', a powerful political statement reminiscent of the Lupe we know and love. The song was persistent, unyielding, and unashamed, reminiscent of what I imagine you wanted the album to sound like. You definitely threw that in second so that you could get it off your chest, and then the album takes a nosedive from there. Between 'Till I Get There' and 'I Don't Wanna Care Right Now' the pop-esque instrumentals seem better suited for Flo-Rida than you. Hell, he might as well have been on one of those songs. This is clearly where Atlantic had their way with you. The Trey Songz feature couldn't have been more misplaced, and the track, 'Out of My Head', had the depth of a Jersey Shore reunion. Given how easily you tended to speak about love on your other albums, this was a huge disappointment. You rapped in circular monosyllables, all about superficial things and not the romantic minutiae that endeared you to the fan (think 'Sunshine'). I felt horrible bopping my head to the song. You and Trey could've definitely collaborated and come up with a better song, though I'm not sure Trey has the capacity to go 'deeper' anymore. Even so, 'The Show Goes On' saved Lasers from the dreaded 'halfway point pause-and-never-play-again curse'. Its uptempo vibe brought the listener in and while you didn't RIP your verses, it was hard not to like them.

After that, the album takes another nosedive. It seems like you were sleepwalking through those next two tracks featuring MDMA, and it was hard for me to keep awake during them. You talked about the future constantly, but had a flow sounding like it was stuck in the mud:

They like 'how come you don't rap that' / Cause that's a backtrack / and I ain't tryna back back

Really, Lu? We're taking it back to preschool? This is coming from the guy that wrote 'Dumb it Down'. What happened to digging deep for conceptual greatness? What happened to challenging the listener? What happened to the type of tracks that make you rewind them dozens of times just to catch one line or metaphor or punchline? It seems like you're faking the funk, or just simply f*cked the funk up. 'State Run Radio' got some brownie points back, but the irony of the track was hilarious considering the puppet strings pulling you throughout the whole album. 'Break the Chain' and 'I'll Never Forget You' were snorefests. By the time I got to 'All Black Everything', I had had enough, regardless of how good a song it was. The damage was done. You had successfully shown how 'conscious' hip-hop could have its manhood taken from it and served on a platinum plaque.

Ultimately, Lupe, Lasers failed because you failed to paint the vivid picture that your manifesto for the album did. Rather than champion 'substance in the place of popularity', you got a #1 spot on the Billboards with what was your least substantive album. Rather than 'think (your) own thoughts', Atlantic spoon-fed you 9 concepts and you choked. Lasers wasn't the revolutionary work of art you promised, and no matter how much you downplay your involvement, it's your album. I'd rather you take ownership for this and come back harder with LupEND or Friend of the People or whatever your next work is (you never know now with you, especially with your precarious label situation). To say this was a bad album is a bit much, yet I can't give this one my stamp of approval. It'd not only be going against my better judgment, but your own words. So, Lupe, enjoy your platinum plaque. Like I said, ironically your best-selling album was your worst content-wise. Lasers or losers, this album proved that it is possible to win and lose at the same time. If that's not enough reason to come back with a vengeance, then this should be your last album just like you said 2 years ago, Lupe...

Dear Rick Ross (re: Bugatti Boyz)

Quick!! Without thinking, who was the last solo artist to go platinum with Diddy and his Bad Boy Records? If you said Biggie, try again. If you said Ma$e, you're still wrong. What about Black Rob, Cassie (*uncontrollable laughter*), Mario Winans or Carl Thomas? Still wrong. If you answered none other than Atlanta's own Yung Joc, then (*bells and whistles*) you are correct. Ironically, none of these artists, including the ones that cam after Joc are in any state of popularity in hip-hop. As you look down the roster of artists that Bad Boy has taken on, it's hard to find anyone sans Biggie, Faith Evans, Ma$e and 112 (all of whom were in the same era) who were able to levy their success to anything not Diddy-related.

The Complete Bad Boy Graveyard Family (and their last known wherabouts):
- The Notorious BIG (deceased)
- The LOX (removed from Bad Boy; now called D-Block to moderate success and have since reconciled with Diddy)
- Craig Mack (unknown)
- G-Dep (somewhere sucking a crackpipe)
- Ma$e (deciding between church and state)
- Shyne (now an orthodox Jew)
- Elephant Man (deported to Jamaica)
- Cheri Denis (unknown)
- Faith Evans (at a Weight Watchers near you)
- Mario Winans (I don't want to know)
- Da Band (defunct; now a punchline)
- 8-Ball and MJG (making music under different label imprint)
- Cassie (on MediaTakeout's first page)
- Boyz in Da Hood (defunct; Jeezy saw the light before it was too late)
- Gorilla Zoe (still on Bad Boy; buzz still is non-existant)
- Danity Kane (defunct; Dawn: now Dirty Money, Aubrey: now lesbian)
- Day 26 (defunct)
- Red Cafe (still on Bad Boy; album still pending)
- Dirty Money (now Diddy-Dirty Money; appear as backup singers on "Last Train to Paris")
- Janelle Monae (recently signed to Bad Boy; 1st album on label released)

Now, that list is by no means exhaustive. I state this fact to illustrate one point, and one alone: Signing up to work with Diddy is the equivalent of putting a (very close) expiration date on your career. Every artist that isn't dead, doing music on their own, or in another facet of show business is now a page in hip-hop obscurity. That said, Ricky Rozay, you look like you will be the first artist EVER to break the Biggie-Bad Boy Curse.

Ross, it's no secret that your larger-than-life persona is a complete fabrication. We've known this fact since 50 Cent went on one of his trademark offensives. Even so, you've been able to counteract these lies with what would be a very good career in hip-hop, by most standards. Four albums, a hefty amount of street anthems, and a number of legal run-ins after your 'Port of Miami' debut has had your pockets looking as obese as you are. With the way hip-hop is becoming more and more minimalist on an underground level, it's refreshing to see that you're thriving economically (or so you would like us to believe). That said, this new 'Bugatti Boys' initiative with Diddy looks like you're going to be doing a lot of the writing footwork, regardless of the fact that Diddy's name will be all over it.

When you first began working with Diddy, the parallels between yourself and Biggie were undeniable from a physical standpoint: two fat SOBs who can rap really well about being drug pushers, street violence and lavish lifestyles. On the surface it's almost as if Diddy struck the lotto twice. However, when looking more closely at you, Ross, it's easy to see why Diddy needs you more than you need him.

Diddy had nothing before he had the Notorious BIG, and even Biggie he had to push into stardom. Biggie never wanted to be a crossover hit. When looking at the albums he was alive for (not the ones Diddy muffed up), the Notorious BIG can be split into two personas: the older, Don Dada-esque Mafioso persona on songs like 'Warning' and 'One More Chance (Remix)' and the younger, gritty, damn near sadistic, Biggie on tracks like 'Gimme the Loot'. Diddy had to convince Big numerous times that the latter of those two was not conducive to selling, even if hardcore hip-hop fans supported the effort. In your case, Ross, you already have the backing of most hip-hoppers, who, even though they throw salt on your name because of the C.O. situation, acknowledge your prowess and presence on the mic. As your career has grown so has your well-constructed 'Bawse' persona. You didn't need Diddy to cultivate your radio-friendly side because you already were on the radio.

The endeavor you're embarking on with Diddy should be nothing more than a fun activity to pass the time between your next album. Any other affiliation with the artist formerly known as Puffy should be strictly personal, not professional (you saw what happened to Cassie). Additionally, it's clear that at this point in his musical career, Diddy is looking for nothing more than a crutch with which to promote himself. To work with P. Diddy, all you have to do is be hot at that moment and remotely marketable. You, Ricky, fit that standard perfectly, and Diddy has hooked you in.

What separates you from all of the artists I listed above is the fact that you already have an established career. Perhaps it's not as illustrious, or impervious to criticism as is Puffy's, but you certainly can put a case together for being in a better position than he. Whether its the extremely tight Miami circle of DJ Khaled, Trina and company, or any other affiliations you have, you can fall back without fear of losing your buzz. Not Diddy. Sean Combs is a spotlight hog

SIDENOTE:This letter is no judgment on Diddy as a person. Although some of his business practices are on the unethical side, his prowess for finding opportunity is ridiculous. Ross just happens to be next on that list.

who sadly, needs to be featured with someone else to be recognized in hip-hop. In all seriousness, when was the last time you saw a song that just had Diddy? No features, no 'and the Family'... Just Diddy? The fact that you're going to make music 'with' him is proof in and of itself. You'll be fine afterward, though. As long as you don't make Bugatti Boyz more than a passing fancy, you should remain the Bawse, and not another Bad Boy Family member that never makes it to the reunion...

P.S.: Clearly Jay Electronica's signing to Roc Nation didn't rub Diddy the wrong way. Just shows how quick he is to associate with someone when they're hot.

Dear Walkmans

via The New York Times:

Sony is sending its cassette tape Walkman into retirement in Japan as demand for a music player that was ground-breaking in its day dwindles to a tiny niche in the era of digital technology.

Sony stopped Japanese production of the portable music player in April and sales will end once the last batch disappears from stores, company spokeswoman Hiroko Nakamura said Monday.

Sony has sold 220 million cassette Walkman players globally since the product's July 1979 debut that changed lifestyles by popularizing music on the go. More than 30 years later, the cassette Walkman has been rendered an anachronism by MP3 players and iPods. Demand for cassette players in Japan is now largely limited to elderly users. But Sony will continue production of the cassette Walkman in China to accommodate users abroad, including in the U.S., Europe and some Asian countries, Nakamura said.

It is a sad day in music technology. As we enter the day and age where EVERYTHING is on the internet, the media we used to inject our music on is becoming thing of the past. As with the traditional vinyl record, 8-track player, VHS and Betamax, every media format has its dying day. For you, oh great Sony Walkman, with your cassette tapes, that day is upon us. Built in 1979 to a throng of no one (people were still convinced 8-tracks could catch on), you enabled people to take their favorite recordings with them wherever they went. They could use your format-able cassette tapes to record whatever they wanted, from long riffs by jam bands to four hour-long radio blocks with their favorite rappers. Walkman, hip-hop, and music today, would be nowhere without you. You single-handedly began what we call filesharing today.

In the 80s you were synonymous with youth culture, as beat-dwellers were lost in their headphones everywhere you could be taken. My mother said you were the reason my generation would go deaf, though ironically I heard everything you blasted in my ears. Your convenience was unparalleled. Whereas record players and 8-tracks needed an absurd amount of space, all you needed were two double A batteries and a pair of headphones to turn a routine walk to the gym into a personal concert. I can't tell you the last time I've used one of you, but I'm sure in some dusty basement, you're there, just waiting to play 'The Chronic' or 'Illmatic' for some unwitting soul who would never know your magic otherwise. Yes, we dropped you in lieu of CD's and newer versions of your namesake, but your original form will be remembered the most. Walkman, you will be sorely missed as we move into an era where removable media is forgotten and iPods thrust their sound waves into our eardrums. As a child of the 80s (90s really), I'm sad to see you go by the wayside, but happy to have known you, even if half of my cassettes got recorded over by accident...

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...

Dear Outasight (re: Never Say Never)

(DOWNLOAD LINK BELOW)

I may not always act like it, but I do get tired of rap at times. Not in the sense that I can't listen to hooks, punchlines and verses, but more in the sense that the musical sensibilities of hip-hop tire me sometimes, especially when people are putting out similar music. That's where artists like yourself, Richard Andrews (better known as Outasight) come into play. A Yonkers native is a singer/songwriter/rapper/musician, your musical talents are like a melting pot of jazz, soul, folk and hip-hop. What ends up happening is that you sounds unlike any artist I've heard over the past few years. Notice, I'm slow to put you in a genre, because you straddle so many lines without taking away the integral essence of each. That said, your newest mixtape, 'Never Say Never' (in collaboration with LRG) is just a piece of the smörgåsbord that you offer. The tape starts out with an upbeat chant called 'Complicated,' regaling in the complications of your early life, rife with your trademark singing voice and verses to break it up:

A prep school graduate with a C-average, but I never seen average / I would talk all night bout being Outasight , but I never kareem’d magic / Till I put the words to bed, and woke up the action, and canned the laughter / I ain’t trying to make a stand, I’m trying to fill up the rafters...

You then move on to the title track, 'Never Say Never,' an inspiring, mid-tempo, sing-songy riff about believing in yourself (who does that anymore?). In all honesty, it sounds like you made this mixtape for people to start their days to, evidenced by some the rosy acoustics and snare-heavy beats behind them. The tracks go on, with an ode to inebriated nights in 'Dizzy', a jump-worthy Freddie Gibbs (I'm slowly becoming a fan) feature in 'Near the End', and a bass-laced love track called 'Dear Heartache'.

Dude, you really have a penchant for making mixtapes that sound like albums. When I listen, I almost never am tempted to hit skip, for fear that I might miss a bright musical note sprinkled gingerly about one of your tracks. You really sat down and thought about how you wanted to construct this tape. It goes on to have a feature with XV that is impossible to not nod to in 'Lush Life' and a gospel-sounding anthem in 'Believe'. Yet the highlight for the mixtape in my opinion was your track 'Twenty-Something'. You described the pitfalls of being 1/4 done with life in this era as a pressure-filled one, rife with uncertainty and unfair expectations. It hit me right in the heart and I had to repeat another 3 times, before finishing the mixtape.

Outasight, you've successfully melded three genres with little correlation, while writing songs that capture the mindset of a wandering, yet intuitive generation. No, I'm not saying you're the equivalent of the Beatles (word to 'My Generation), but if I were to pick a recent artist that's made music that could stand the test of time, you would be one of the top candidates. In today's industry, music shelf life is about two weeks, with most songs' popularity outliving that of the artists. You, however, are making music that will always have a place in my playlist. Outasight, your music always seems like it comes from the most genuine and earnest places. Maybe that's a function of the beats. Maybe its your ability to sing, harmonize and rap on the same track that gives you flexibility to express yourself. Maybe its the glasses. I don't know. What I do know is that works like 'Never Say Never' don't come around often. You can charge that to a number of things, but doing so would only take away from just sitting back and enjoying the music. Kudos on a dope mixtape and I'll keep my eyes peeled for an album. Oh yeah... And huge #shoutouts to the Notherground fam. You and those fellows are doing great work on the interwebs...

Kardi - Joke (Produced by Dru Classic)

Kardi - Joke (Produced by Dru Classic)

The weirdest thing to me right now about hip-hop is the fact that everyone takes themselves so seriously in hip-hop, yet most rappers out right now have too many inconsistencies in their being. Either they don't live the life they lead in their rhymes, are complete copy-cats or mistake their weirdness for being unique. That's not to throw salt on anyone's game. It's more just a simple statement of the state of hip-hop. I guess that's why I replayed Kardi's 'Joke' about 4 times. A lot of rappers are laughable in their approaches and for that, we have to laugh at their jokes. Whether it's stupid gimmicks (Wiz's steeze is getting old), bad flows (everyone copying Big Sean's punchline flow) or simply lying on wax (coughcoughRawsecoughcough), the jokes are rampant these days in hip-hop, and Kardi provides the punchlines over this jumpy beat...

Dear Wyclef Jean

via TIME:

Hip-hop, more than most pop genres, is something of a pulpit, urban fire and brimstone garbed in baggy pants and backward caps. So it's little wonder that one of the form's icons, Haitian-American superstar Wyclef Jean, is the son of a Nazarene preacher — or that he likens himself, as a child of the Haitian diaspora, to a modern-day Moses, destined to return and lead his people out of bondage. Haiti's Jan. 12 earthquake, which ravaged the western hemisphere's poorest country and killed more than 200,000 people, was the biblical event that sealed his calling. After days of helping ferry mangled Haitian corpses to morgues, Jean felt as if he'd "finished the journey from my basket in the bulrushes to standing in front of the burning bush," he told me this week. "I knew I'd have to take the next step."

That would be running for President of Haiti. Jean told TIME he is going to announce his candidacy for the Nov. 28 election just days before the Aug. 7 deadline. One plan that was discussed, loaded with as much Mosaic symbolism as a news cycle can hold, called for him to declare his candidacy on Aug. 5 upon arriving in Port-au-Prince from New York City, where he grew up after leaving Haiti with his family at age 9. "If not for the earthquake, I probably would have waited another 10 years before doing this," Jean says. "The quake drove home to me that Haiti can't wait another 10 years for us to bring it into the 21st century." Jean sees no contradiction between his life as an artist and his ambitions as a politician. "If I can't take five years out to serve my country as President," he argues, "then everything I've been singing about, like equal rights, doesn't mean anything."

It's a rarity that the terms celebrity and philanthropist are used in the same breath without some sort of qualification. See, celebrities, while they may lend their faces and names to good causes usually aren't the best about practicing what they preach. They may donate a few thousand dollars or a few hours to a charitable cause, but at the end of the day go back to their lives of excess and indulgence. That said, there are a few stars who truly make strides in giving rather than receiving. Bill Gates, for example is constantly finding new ways to hand over his Microsoft fortune to the less fortunate and convinced other multi-millionaires to do the same. Brad Pitt is a huge contributor to the ongoing relief effort in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, building alternative energy houses with the capability to withstand another breach of the levies. Even rappers are getting into the business of giving, with Ludacris and T.I. making strides to educate children in their hometown of Atlanta. Yet and still, the most intriguing philanthropic effort today, is more political than anything. Wyclef Jean, you are running for the President of Haiti. Just say that... President of Haiti. It sounds nice, but there are a lot of issues that come with having that title.

Clef, by being elected as the Commander-in-Chief of the Republic of Haiti, you take over a country with 30-40% of the government's budget in foreign aid. That means you'll have essentially no money to work with. Your country is the poorest in the Americas, yet 1% of the island controls 50% of the wealth. Add to that, the fact that the country is among the most corrupt in the world, and you're inheriting the fixer-upper of municipalities. Oh yeah, and the earthquake. It's been over six months since the 7.0 earthquake that ravaged the capital city of Port-Au-Prince, and there's been little if any significant progress in repairing the already fragmented infrastructure of the countryside. It's as if the worst possible tragedy happened to Haiti at the worst possible time. Wyclef, if you do end up getting elected, then you've got your work ahead of you. The reason I'm not lambasting you and calling you out on a fame-hating tirade, is because there is no way you could be running for the presidency for the fame, Clef. With the state of Haiti as it is, you're going to be doing a lot more work than partying, when it comes down to it. To be the President of Haiti, with no political experience whatsoever, you have to love Haiti. Besides the name, there's not too much pomp that comes with the position. To fulfill the duties of the office, you've got to do more than just be in the office, Clef. Now, I'm not saying I'm an expert on the political state of Haiti, but to anyone watching the news, there are a lot of hurdles and red tape keeping you from succeeding, Clef. I'm confident that you have the heart, and the ears of the people. Hopefully you've got the political savvy to make good things happen. Put all the controversy of your Yele' Foundation and any sideways accusations behind you, and just focus on the good of the country, and you should be fine. Pras doesn't have to back you, but if he sees good work on your part, his opinion won't matter, and neither will anyone else's...

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...

J. Cole - Problems (Unfinished)

J. Cole - Problems (Unfinished)

I hate (to the upteenth power) posting unfinished songs and leaks. Not only does it lessen the value of the track when it does come out, the track usually has a lot of rough stuff on there. In this case, J. Cole's latest track to hit the interwebs doesn't even have a chorus (there's supposed to be a singer on it), and there's a random screeching sound where the chorus should be. That doesn't erase the fact that the song is incredible even unfinished. 'Problems' talks about just that, problems. From bill collectors, to drugs to the police, to Tiger Woods'plight, Cole hits all the bases in a (hopeful) ballad about everyday struggle. The track sounds very endearing. Supposedly, 'Problems' isn't even the name, though that's what most people are calling it. I guess that's the price you pay when a track is unfinished. I'm not complaining, though. Good music is good music. Check out Cole's first leak, and quickly, because it's not guaranteed this'll see the light of day again...

Dear J. Cole

Today I got the chance to go to a concert in Philadelphia. Philly doesn't have many concerts, or at least many good hip-hop ones. So with that in mind, any good accessible concert needed to be attended with the quickness. Cole, as soon as I heard you were performing in Philly, and for free at that, I had to attend. I copped the tickets that day, and waited patiently to see if your performances live up to your music. That's a hard feat in today's rap game. Not every rapper can perform. You've got guys who just stand there waving their hand (coughcoughDrakecoughcough) and rapping. You've got guys who can't keep up with their own lyrics. The only good performers I can see today are Jay-Z, Lupe, The Clipse and Kanye. The rest just don't entertain as well. You came on stage to 'We On', and got the crowd pumped, even though most of them didn't know the lyrics. Then you made a great move by bringing Freeway out, especially because we're in Philly. The crowd started pulsating, they were screaming so loud. I swear you could hear it on my camera. Free made everyone get rowdy with 'Roc the Mic' and 'What We Do', and then you moved on to 'Who Dat' and had everyone involved. Closing out the show with 'Young Simba' was a good move, too. One thing, though... Why was your set only 27 minutes long? There were definitely more tracks you could've performed, instead we got a little under a half an hour of performance compared to an 45-minute Jazzy Jeff and Skills set. Not that I'm complaining (after all, it was free), but heads were standing there for 4 hours waiting for you. Regardless, 'twas a good show. You could've been utterly robotic with everything, but turned out a good performance. Now, if only Philly can get some more marquee shows out here...

J. Cole - Premeditated Murder

J. Cole - Premeditated Murder

Is it too early to say that I'm otherworldly hyped for J. Cole's album? I don't think so.. So I'll say it now: I AM RIDICULOUSLY, OTHERWORLDLY, OUTLANDISHLY HYPED FOR COLE WORLD!!!! (breathes) Now that we've got that out of the way, I must say that it's crazy how good J. Cole is. Cole goes by the quality over quantity standpoint when it comes to his music, and it works perfectly. His music never sounds rushed, it never sounds like he's half-assing it, nor is it ever under the standard that we're used to. Cole is so methodical. It's never 'I'm going to flood the market so people think I'm the best'. It's ALWAYS 'I'm going to deliver the best and most consistent product so people know I'm the best'. That mindset is clear on this new track 'Premeditated Murder,' where Cole states he knew he was going to kill the game, hence the title. Lyrically and musically, the track is pifftastic, in case you didn't gather that. Did I mention I'm hyped for Cole World? Check the loosie out and maybe you will be too..

The Kid Daytona - Over the Hill (Prod. by 6th Sense)

The Kid Daytona - Over the Hill (Prod. by 6th Sense)

I've been telling heads about the Kid Daytona since... actually since I started this blog. There's no reason to lie. I'm pretty excited about where Daytona's been and where he's going in the future. That future includes a new mixtape in collaboration with LRG, entitled The Interlude LP., slated to drop later this summer. For now, I guess we're stuck with the first leak from the new LP, 'Over the Hill'. It's produced by 6th Sense, so you know there are going to be a lot of acoustics and a vintage sound to it. The snare drum does soooo much for the beat. As for the lyrics, to say that Daytona ripped the track would be an understatement:

My ego could, fill the hole at Ground Zero
Roll around, windows down, 10-20 deelow
Psshhh!! They still sweatin' me though
These niggas whole style resemble the fro on Tito... SQUARES
And I'm the heir to the chair that's golden
Velvet rope on, softer than Greg Oden

It's just punchline city on this track. Daytona hasn't released any new music in a while, so I'd suppose this is verbal backup coming from the Bronx MC. I'm interested to see what other producers and features this LP is going to have on board. Regardless, the Kid Daytona is making moves, and good ones. Check out the first leak from The Interlude LP...

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...

Wale - More About Nothing (Trailer)

Wale - Workin'

If you've noticed a sheer lack of Wale across the interwebs, don't adjust your Google Reader. The DC MC went on a mean hiatus for the past month, and explained why in this video. Wale is preparing to drop a follow-up to his critically-acclaimed, and surprisingly apt mixtape 'The Mixtape About Nothing'. The new work is going to be called 'More About Notthing'. Folarin even leaked a track from the new tape, called 'Workin', which describes exactly what he's been doing. Can't say I'm not pleased that the DC representer is back on his grind. Check out the promo trailer and the loosie to go along with it...

Curren$y - Pilot Talk (Trailer)

Besides a few paltry mixtape reviews, my music intake has decreased dramatically... And I finally realized why! 90% of rappers are BORING. No, that's not to take away from the music, lyrics and hard work of the artists I listen to. Yet, I'm not sure if I'd have fun conversing with a lot of these cats outside of the context of music. Curren$y provides an excellent example of a rapper who's mantra is the minutiae of everyday life. Spitta is preparing to release the album Pilot Talk (FINALLY), and rather than leak songs every day and do random, boring interviews answering the same questions, he's decided to go another route with his marketing. The New Orleans MC, and BlackRoc signee tapped Ferris Beuller's Day Off to delineate what the album is going to feel like. And if this trailer is any indication of his inclinations, Pilot Talk should be a piff sandwich with a hefty side of dope sauce. I suppose it doesn't hurt to have Creative Control in his corner, but you have to admit, Curren$y is a hilarious dude. I can't wait to hear Pilot Talk, which drops on the 13th. Check out the trailer and experience the constant musical high that is the Hot Spitta...

i-sound Transformable Earphones

Earphones are a necessary evil for those of us who want to take our music with us, but don't want clunky headphones to weigh us down. Earphones are cheap, provide good sound quality and are portable. Yet, one of my pet peeves about them is how easily that misshaped earphones can fall out of one's ear, or just provide bad sound because of their placement. The good people over at Yanko Design picked up a new way to create earphones, which puts a simple cord loop on the earphones so that they can wrap around your ears and hold the earphone in your ear. It's the simplest of tweaks, but it does so much for the design. It's a shame Sony or one of the big electronics companies didn't come up with this idea. This could easily replace those crappy molded plastic earphones that itch and make your ear hurt after a while. Check out some different views of the i-Sound Transformable Earphones...

Dear RIAA (re: Piracy)

5 years ago, I would've laughed.. Now I shudder, because it really could get this bad

via Information Liberation:

While they may never be able to truly defeat piracy and drive it from the lurking depths of the internet, copyright protection attack-dog organizations like the RIAA and MPAA have long dreamed of the day when they would no longer have to pay for their own copyright enforcement. Now that dream is on the verge of coming true, thanks to the Obama administration. After countless lobbyist dollars from the music and film industry and a brief "public review", the administration rolled out its vision to fight piracy yesterday afternoon. U.S. Vice President Joe Biden -- whose blunt speech has sometime left him in trouble -- did not mince words.

He states, "This is theft, clear and simple. It's smash and grab, no different than a guy walking down Fifth Avenue and smashing the window at Tiffany's and reaching in and grabbing what's in the window." The sound-byte comparing downloads to stealing jewels from New York City's finest jeweler quickly lit up the web. Bob Pisano, interim chief executive officer at the Motion Picture Association of America praised the VP, "It is especially critical that the United States has an effective framework for protecting creative content online and enforcing intellectual property rights in the digital environment."

According to the Obama administration, the RIAA, and MPAA, the world economy is pretty much doomed if we don't start prosecuting pirates at home and abroad. Without such a crackdown, businesses will go bankrupt the coalition argues. Biden states, "Piracy hurts, it hurts our economy."

The White House press release was full of buzz phrases, but short on details. It did however indicate that the U.S. government may increasingly monitor filesharing networks and BitTorrent sites and assist media groups in their prosecution/threat letter efforts. It speaks of improved "law enforcement efforts at the Federal, state and local level." The biggest effort, though, will be devoted to cracking down on piracy websites in the U.S. and overseas. The administration was short on details of how exactly it would convince piracy-loving nations like China to change their ways, but it did say it would try to do so by "being as public as we possibly can" about infringement.

This is a hard letter to write... As an avid music fan, I find myself always finding new music. The problem is when I want to own it for myself, and don't feel like dropping $14.79 (it's never on a round number, is it?). I remember in elementary school, we used to record over tapes, in middle school, we burned CD's, and in high school we used Kazaa & Limewire to download loosies. Now, I get my music through other means, that shall not be revealed at this time. Regardless, those three eras in my life were pervaded by something that is finally coming for its day in court: music piracy. You, the RIAA, have been waiting forever for the government to back you up on this whole copyright thing. To me, though, this has failure to adapt written ALL OVER IT.

RIAA, you never were down with the digital revolution, and now you're paying the price. When Napster first came out, and every person under 16, without a job and the subsequent funds to purchase music suddenly had said music at their fingertips, that should've been a sign for you. You should have seen it coming. The internet was young, and full of little loopholes and ways to impress your idea on a small population of users. Instead of innovating around this new technology, you tried to stifle it. You called every aging rock star who needed a booster check you could find, and made sure they spoke out about Napster and illegal downloading. When filesharing sites became the norm, rather than encourage music labels to embrace the new norm and try their hand at it, you had Congress fine teenagers millions of dollars for downloading a couple hundred songs. RIAA, you're the worst type of managing entity, because you only take action when you see your bottom line dropping. And it's sad, because the music industry is always going to be in a state of flux if you don't solidify it with fair and balanced rules on filesharing. Honestly, I think that you guys are lying about how much money you're losing. For all of the talk about how much piracy is messing with your wallets, I don't see you guys rushing to drop any figures or for your participating companies to drop any artists.

By all accounts, aside from yours, the music industry is alive and well. There is a vibrant and ever-expanding online presence from the music industry, with blogs, online publications and Twitter making big moves for artists and labels. Yet and still, you seem to focus more on what you're losing through music piracy rather than what you could gain through the new technology at your fingertips. There have to be at least two halves of an idiot in your entire organization who can find a way to placate the artists and labels being pirated, without discouraging fans or even making the problem worse. It's not that hard... If guys like Curren$y can be thriving in the industry without labels and your backing to keep their music private, why can you find a compromise or common ground that we can all agree on. No, I'm not going to say that illegal downloading and music piracy is right. However, of all the things to nitpick about and waste your time over, this should be at the bottom of the list. The fact that the government has to help you clean the mess up is even more indicative of your organization's inefficacy. To say that you're behind the curve is an understatement at this point. Then again, Obama does seem pretty serious about this new initiative. Guess I'll keep re-finding torrents until his boys come knocking on my door...

Dear Drake (re: Thank Me Later)

I wish someone could have put me in front of a magic crystal ball a year and a half ago when I was playing 'Comeback Season' and 'So Far Gone' into the ground. In fact, I wanted to post this in a week, when 'Thank Me Later' officially dropped (#shoutout to the internet for leaking EVERYTHING nowadays), but the ringing in my ears was reason enough for me to keep writing. You see, Drake, I'm a rare fan. I've been listening since 'Comeback Season' first dropped. Before that, I'd only known you as Jimmy Brooks from DeGrassi, as most people did. After hearing the last bar on that mixtape, I didn't think you were hip-hop's savior, but just another rapper; a good one, albeit. There was something so, so organic about 'Comeback Season'. You really sounded like a rapper who was struggling to find his sound, his place in the industry and a mate, things I could relate to. Upon listening to 'So Far Gone', it was evident that you had stumbled onto something bigger. You were suddenly the Golden Child of hip-hop, able to cross the bridge that hadn't been traversed since the days of 'Get Rich or Die Trying': a sound that the hip-hop heads and labels could agree on; music that not only got you nodding your head, but thinking about the lyrics; an artist the caliber of Will Smith, who could bring together the galvanized nature of hip-hop. Hell, you even said it on 'Ignorant Shit':

Me doin' a show is getting everyone nervous / cause them hipsters gon' have to get along with them hood niggas

That was 2009, the year everyone found out about you... And the year the Drake of old would be 'So Far Gone'. Enter June 2, 2010. I entered my Twitter account as I do most weekday mornings to find that 'Thank Me Later' had been leaked. T'wasn't the biggest surprise in the world, considering 3/4 of the album was already in circulation on the blogs. Drake, I'll make no secrets about it. I obtained 'Thank Me Later' through less than legal means. As a huge rap fan, my impatience outweighed the need to pad your wallet. That said, it sucks to see what you've worked hard for 3 years for, just fall through the cracks 2 weeks before you were ready for it to drop. Yet and still, in this day and age when little is held in confidence, you should be somewhat happy that it leaked so close to the release date, and that it was a limited leak. Even so, I was still surprised to find how much sh*t heads (including myself) were talking about the album. I thought people were 'fans'. I thought I was a fan. Upon my first listening to the album, I thought 'Damn, this isn't the Drake I expected. This sucks!!!'

That was pure folly on my part. Drake, after my second listen all the way through, I commend you. 'Thank Me Later' wasn't a swagger-laced ode to money, power and women, though it spoke of it heavily. It also wasn't full of love songs, though love was a major theme in it. The excesses, triumphs and perks of fame were prevalent, though they seemed to be more of a bane than a spoil to you. Drake, 'Thank Me Later' sounded like an ode to a simpler time in your life. So much of the album is about the changes you've endured not only personally, but in terms of your surroundings. As the chorus to 'Over' says, there are so many new faces around that at some point you have to say 'Who the f*ck are y'all??' 'Thank Me Later' is one of the most honest, sincere and ingenuous albums I've heard in a year or two. Whereas people (including myself) were looking for more of the same Drake from the past year, it seems like you've reverted to the Drake right before 'So Far Gone,' focused yet limber, idealistic yet cynical. It's actually a really good look for you. It's not the vapid existence I've grown to loathe over the past year, though it's not the naive Drake whose love is given freely and taken for granted. In terms of a sound, the album is one of the cleanest I've heard this decade. Every beat sounds wonderfully mastered and there aren't stray sounds or white noise that detract from the instrumentals. The way acoustic instruments and digital synthesizers are used together is damn near masterful.

'Thank Me Later' has depth that not everyone can appreciate. When I say that, I mean the heads who dislike the album aren't seeing it through your eyes. They want the glamorized, glitzy 2-bit punchlines that Lil' Wayne instilled in you. They can't grasp the introspective nature of some of the songs. It's as if you're trying to give the listeners a glimpse into fame through your eyes, but they're so jaded by the fame that they hear an artist bitching and rapping about things that are irrelevant to them. Drake, I'm by no means saying 'Thank Me Later' is one of the classics. In fact, I'd still say 'Comeback Season' and 'So Far Gone' have a little more *umph* to them. Sometimes it did seem as if you were revisiting themes and lacking punchlines. However, for an album, and a debut album at that, it's hard to do much better than you did, especially with the weight and expectations of all of hip-hop riding on your coattails. 'Thank Me Later' has radio tracks already and has tracks that one would only listen to by themselves. People will knock their heads to it, and certainly buy it. It might not go platinum, but it will probably be the best-selling album of the year, unless Kanye & Eminem go bananas on their offerings. I won't offer up any #dopetracks for this review considering it's a letter, but if I had to pick one, 'Thank Me Now' is the strongest track on my opinion. It's ironic that the track that signals 'Thank Me Later' is 'Over' is the one that sounds the most like a new beginning. I guess all we can do now is listen and wait. Kudos for a dope album...