Good riddance!

I'll keep this one short and sweet. For 2010, I'm saying good riddance to:

1, The Aughties in general. I've been looking back over the last ten years. They sucked. Outside of the birth of my daughter, I don't really have a personal moment that felt anywhere near as good. I really, really, REEEEALLY miss the 90's.

2. "I know that's right!!" Please?! I'm begging ALL the women of the world to STOP saying that when you agree with something. What's wrong with saying, "You know what? I strongly agree with what your saying! You couldn't be more on point!" See how simple that is?

3. Swag (and every reference or form of the word). Too many people claim to have it when only about 5% of the world's population possesses it. I know. I've done a study. We had this same problem with "player hater" too.

4. Blindly supporting Barack Obama because he's 'Black'. Seriously speaking, he could've been purple or burnt sienna and we would've voted for him at that point in American history. Yes, his being a non-traditional looking President is a welcome thing...but it doesn't make him a super man by any means.

5. Rap music. AKA hip pop. Yeah, I said it. I'm done. I'll continue to support HIP HOP to the fullest. But not hip pop. It's not fly. It's not fresh. I'm not with it, yo.

6. Reality TV. We need to ban together and stop it all. Jon, Kate, those damn White House party crashers, the balloon parents, Charlie Sheen... ALL of it!! As a matter of fact, I think I'm going to record my crusade and sell it to a network!

7. Laziness, poor planning and unpreparedness. This could be three but they all go hand-in-hand, in my opinion.

8. Bad spades partners. Sorry, Firan. Stick to sound engineering, brother! I mean that from the heart! One love!

9. Doing for others who don't appreciate it.

10. .....................

I'm leaving the 10th open for the Knicks. Their season isn't over yet.

Happy New Year, everyone!

One love...

Bigg Russ

God, please send these people back to us!!

People die. Every last one of 'em. There are some, however, that I feel that God needs to send back. God needs to send these people back for a purpose. No, I'm not talking reincarnation. I'm talking send these people back to their SAME lives, not a new one some time in the future. They need to return to their old bodies with their old ways! They need to come and save their family, their friends and their colleagues from self-implosion!

Allow me to go deeper...

Donda West:

Kanye. 'Nuff said.

Earl Woods:

Let's face it. Tiger's human. He's not Black, he's not White, he's not Thai... Hell...he's a whole 'nother race altogether! That doesn't mean he's got it all together though! When Mr. Earl Woods, Tiger's daddy, was alive, Tiger would never have messed up his ... ESCALADE like that!! Shame on you, Tiger! At least your keeping some people at Cadillac employed.

Christopher "The Notorious B.I.G. aka Biggie Smalls aka Frank White aka Big Poppa" Wallace:

Please. Sean Combs is so messed up over Biggie's demise that he renames himself every 8 months and 21 days. Biggie's untimely death not only caused Diddy grief, it messed up the careers of (*ahem*) artists that he's never even met! How many bands is Puffy gonna make? How many more (*ahem*) singers and rappers will have to deal with a man more intent on making HIMSELF more famous than he already is and the artists he signs?! Anyone seen Red Cafe lately? Yeah ... didn't think so. Biggie needs to return from the dead to make Puff Daddy whole again.

Kurt Cobain:

Dude, your widow is effin' nuts. We need you here to rein in her crazy ass. Ask the Man above for at least a 10-day pass.

Michael "The World's Greatest Entertainer" Jackson:

Honestly, God needs to send Michael back for all of us. At least we had someone to talk about. But specifically, Michael needs to come back and explain to us how Jermaine gets his hair like that! What exactly IS that style and where does he buy his products?!

Again, God, we need answers and solutions down here. Please send these good people back so that the planets will align properly once again.

Next up: People who should've stayed married. :)

As usual, thanks for reading!

Bigg Russ

Songs that mean something. To me.

Nothing much to see here. Simply a list of songs that, at one time or another, have caught me off guard, made me think, protected or saved me from some pretty overwhelming emotions.

What a Wonderful World (Louis Armstrong): Quite possibly one of the greatest songs ever recorded. Simple. Sweet. To the point.

Cloud People (Sweetback): The horns swept me away...carried me, when I most needed it.

I'm Old Fashioned (John Coltrane): This one belongs to me and my wife. Forever.

Sweetest Taboo (Sade): Do I need to explain, really?

I'm Missin' Your Love (Kem): What's the title say? Well...there you have it.

Joy (Blackstreet): I simply cannot listen to this song without thinking of my youngest daughter. Subsequently, getting choked up @ the same time.

I'm sure you've got a list too. Why not share it?

Bigg Russ

10 For Thursday.

1. "This Is It!!", huh? Please. It was that then. 'You' just weren't paying attention and too interested in dragging him down.

2. Now that I've seen the BET Hip Hop Awards, I actually LOVE the VH1 Hip Hop Honors!!*

3. Brian Smith, I really hate you for bring Ugg Boots to America. No, really... I hate you for it. Not only do you have our women looking like idiots, you're giving Eskimos a bad name. And they had nothing to do with it!

4. It's okay, Derek Luke. Don't feel bad. NBC doesn't know a good TV show when they own it. Surface, anyone? Nor do they know when to shut one down when it's past its prime. ER, everyone?

5. I'm rollin' with the Knicks and the Knuggets. That's how it is. That's how it's 'gone be. Kgot it?! Kgood!!

6. H1N1. Humans: 0

7. 50, remember those Jay-Z retirement rumors? You should make that a reality. And I'm not talking about a show either. Wait...scratch that. Keep doing what you're doing. You're making me realize what's good in hip hop. Thanks.

8. I-95 between The Bronx and Philadelphia is gonna be the most trash talkin'est piece of road this side of I-95 between The Bronx and Boston!!

8a. I swear, Girardi, if you screw this up..... &##@#%*#(^$@#@!!!!

10. Funny meter: Afro-Steve Harvey>>>>>> Bald-Steve Harvey.

Smart meter: Bald-Steve Harvey>>>>>> Afro-Steve Harvey

*BET should just produce a weekly show called The Cypher and spare us the other crap.

If I were granted one wish to change any day in history...

My wish is not full of American pride, although that does reside somewhere within the pain I feel every time I think about that day. My wish consists of many parts. The part most important: the wish for a stronger humanitarian effort, which I feel should reside within everyone.

My wish consists of words and prayer for those who died.

My wish consists of words and prayer for those who died ... and are still living among us.

My wish consists of words and prayer for those who are alive ... and won't get a chance to live pre-tragedy. Remember how tough we thought life was? I'm frightened for all our children.

Amazing as it may sound, considering my proximity to the situation, I didn't personally know anyone who died that day. I do know a few people who where there, at that moment, either in one of the towers or on the street, and were able to get away. The changes I saw in them, whether good or bad, were remarkable to behold. I often wonder if the changes I saw in them were reflective in nature. Did I begin to sound like that? Did I begin to look like that? Did I begin to treat people differently because of...? Did I change that much too? Or was I going to become the person I am today regardless?

I wish I could make a wish and see for myself.

As usual, thanks for reading....

Bigg Russ

10 More Points...

1. Please, I'm begging all of you... STOP saying, "I know that's right!!" every time you agree with something someone says! Every time I hear it, I feel like Danny Glover circa The Color Purple!

2. Bigger picture. Capture it. Film or digital. Doesn't matter. So longs as you see it.

3. Ladies...those faux gladiator, flat things you're wearing on your feet are ugly and doing nothing but bad things for your spinal columns. Just thought I'd share.

3a. Those faux gladiator, flat things you're wearing on your feet are just as ugly as those Korean ghetto slippers. You know that's right!!

4. Slick Rick wrote Children's Story back in '88 and rappers are STILL getting convicted of murder?!

5. Ciudad Juarez. I'm NEVER going there. Jesus himself couldn't convince me to go there. Nope.

6. Be happy. It's not hard. Trust me. As hard as you think you may have it, there are hundreds...thousands who have it harder than you.

7. Free health care. It really is that simple. More on this in another blog...

8. I liked Steve Harvey more before the baldy.

9. I like Wendy Willmans more now that she's off the radio.

Long Live Scott La Rock...

On Saturday, August 29th, most of New York City was celebrating the 51st birthday of the King of Pop. In another corner of the city though, a few hip hop pioneers from The Bronx were celebrating the life & death of a fallen DJ.

Just days before a street in Hollis, Queens was renamed in honor of another DJ taken before his time, The Fillmore NY @ Irving Plaza hosted a concert in honor of DJ Scott La Rock. He was one half of the original Boogie Down Productions crew (AKA, BDP) which included KRS-One, D-Nice, and others.

In a story that seems written for an early 80's hip hop movie, Scott La Rock (real name: Scott Sterling) was the social worker assigned to assist KRS (real name: Kris Parker) with his homelessness issues. Upon realizing that they were both halves of what could be a successful whole, they instantly hit it off and decided to pursue a recording contract. Just-Ice, another local rapper who once lived in the same shelter as Kris and already successful in getting a song played on the radio, was instrumental in getting BDP signed to Jive Records (after having previously signing a contract with B-Boy Records). On the way back from signing with Jive, KRS and Just-Ice learned that Scott had been shot and killed in a situation he was trying to diffuse. It was this event which has spearheaded KRS-One's album themes and various movements ever since (i.e. Stop The Violence, H.E.A.L., The Temple of Hip-Hop, etc.).

The bill for the concert was decidedly old school: KRS-One, Grand Daddy I.U., Double XX Posse, Kool Moe Dee (with help from LA Sunshine & Mighty Mike C from The Fearless Four), Lord Finesse, Red Alert and others. Scott La Rock's family was there on hand to witness the event and cut a cake on stage. The cake was made to look like the first BDP album, Criminal Minded.

Unfortunately, due to the various MJ affairs and unnecessarily high ticket prices, the venue wasn't packed. Regardless, the artists did what they came to do and they did it in spades. I've seen many a KRS-One concert and he definitely lost more weight sweating in this one than recent memory can recall. It was refreshing to see him perform songs from his first album that he hadn't done in almost 20 years. Kool Moe Dee and crew NEVER cease to entertain either so it felt good knowing they still got it. As host, Red Alert didn't have much crowd energy to pull from so he did what he could with what he had to work with. All I ask is that they do this again sometime in the near future and in front of a bigger crowd. It was classic hip hop show celebrating a classic album produced by a classic DJ that should be seen my more fans.

Let us get back to what we call hip hop,

And what it meant to DJ Scott La Rock

Bigg Russ

KRS-One

Kool Moe Dee and Crew

Just-Ice, 4Ron, Tre-Dee, KRS-One, Bigg Russ

Tre-Dee, KRS-One

KRS-One, La Rock's Mother, DJ Kool Herc (in sunglasses)

S.O.A.Q., Kool Moe Dee

Tre-Dee, Kool DJ Red Alert, Fred Ones, S.O.A.Q.

4Ron, Kool DJ Red Alert, S.O.A.Q., John Smooth

10 Points

1. Why did Biggie and Common get sued for their performance names when there are so many Lil's and Yung's runnin' around? I'mma change my name to Lil Jay Chuck West One Allah Nasir. I just came up with that. Off the dome.

2. Really, fellas. It's time to pull the pants up and put some slack back in 'em. Cross Colors was better than this bullshit y'all are wearin'. Well...almost.

3. I'm not waiting for Lil Mo's comeback any longer. I haven't given up on Gina Thompson though.

4. Have you seen Denzel's new trailer for Book of Eli? He needs to come kick ass like that in Mt. Vernon!!

5. Speaking of Mt. Vernon, has anyone see the mayor yet?

6. Mayor Bloomberg is 'concerned' about 50 Cent's family day?! I'm a lot more 'concerned' about Bloomberg's 'family', if you catch my drift.

7. The past is the past. Leave it there.

8. Can someone walk to Junior's for me?

9. I'm challenging Joe Budden to a battle. I suck but it may get me just noticed enough to sign a reality tv show deal. I figured it be a lot easier than fathering 8 children.

10. Okay, I've given up on Gina Thompson. Someone let Xcape know I'm losing my patience...

Bigg Russ

Losing faith...

That's me.

I can almost pinpoint the moment it happened. I hope I can put a stop to the slide before I sink too low. I often wonder if my love for humanity is to blame. I sincerely feel sorry for every child dealing with something horrible that's been done to them. I feel anger towards those who impose their will on others without care. I'm surely not perfect but I try my best to RESPECT everyone ... everyday. Why can't others? Why must winning translate into others losing? Can't we all win?!

Hoping that the rest of the world gets it just hurts so much. It's why I buried my head in comics and video games. It has always been better to watch the hero win then to deal with reality. I thought I was strong enough to deal with reality with my crutches...but now I'm not so sure.

Good. Evil. What really is the point after all?

It's driving me insane...

Bigg Russ

A class all our own...

A few months back, some friends and I got together ... on Facebook, that is ... and started to ask, "Hey, aren't we supposed to be having a high school reunion soon?" Long story short, those of us asking were immediately promoted to reunion committee. We laughed, we toiled, we worried, we counted, we pleaded, we got dirty, we questioned our way into what we hoped would be a great, simplistic event where old friends could come together and catch up. What started out as a common 'in the cafeteria' type party soon turned into something much more grand. There now was a pre-reception, a BBQ (complete with wives, husbands, children & extended family members) and a joint-ventured, 'shoe & pumps' after party and birthday jump-up. There just so happened to be an annual jazz festival scheduled on the same day as the BBQ as well which fit right into any one's schedule.

Our one simple question somehow transformed into what should be considered the blueprint for producing an event out of love for one another. The children of a community scattered, came back together for a weekend of love, laughs, tears, music, dance, food, drink and all around joy. Expressing the fact that the community needed this weekend of reminiscing is an understatement. For most of us, the past represents ease and good times. We couldn't wait to escape those walls of learning so that we could be our own bosses. The fact is, many of us now long for those days again when adult responsibility didn't seem so near. The present is unstable but we're all learning to balance as best we can. The future is uncertain... but it is certainly coming and I surely want to see my fellow classmates again very soon. We need to continue to show our children what it means to come together under one banner without negativity and drama. They need to see it and we must do what's right by them or everything we've done is for nothing.

Do me a favor. If you're reading this, smile. Then think about those of us who couldn't attend, especially those who were taken from us too soon. Let 'em know how much you miss them.

Peace, love, happiness and blessings to the Mount Vernon High School Class of 1989.

Bigg Russ

4th Friday Open Mic Nights @ Cimarron Cultural Cafe!

This is a quick shout out to Alicia Williams and the crew over at Cimarron Cultural Cafe (Mt. Vernon, NY)! They produce the 4th Friday Open Mic Nights. Live music, poetry, singing, emceeing, AND food!

Last Friday was very fun and inspirational! I'm going to the next one and would love to see more people support! Check some of the photos!

Also, if you want to know what a 'Cimarron' is, read here. Better yet, hit your local library for something more in depth...

Bigg Russ...

Icon?

Legend?

Neither.

Myth.

Then again, I'm not sure if that even describes to the fullest extent. It is by far the closest my small mind can come to labeling him.

No words I put here will have the ability to convey to you how I feel at this moment. I'm typing through tears...

Mos Def suggests we're living life in marvelous times. Up until the evening of 6-25-09, I would have said times were just great. Now I understand just how less marvelous the world has become.

As a lover of all forms of music, no other solo performer, during my lifetime, has had the level of impact upon my listening habits.

I sincerely love and miss 'every' version of Michael Jackson ... from ABC to Rock My World.

In life, I couldn't believe my eyes and ears.

In death, my disbelief has grown tenfold.

I pray for his fans and non-fans alike. We were better with than without.

R.I.P., M.J.

One love.

Bigg Russ

New Music Monday is back!!

Okay...there's never officially been a 'New Music Monday' but it sounded catchy! Here's a quick list of albums I've heard recently that I think deserve a listen by anyone who calls themselves fan of hip hop.


First up is J. Dilla's Jay Stay Paid. This album holds particular importance to me as a fan of Dilla for a few reasons. One, Dilla passed a few years ago way too early for someone with his talent. I know he's home now but I, as others felt, believed he was only just beginning to reach his potential. Two, the music on this album was compiled by his mom and none other than the Chocolate Boy Wonder, Pete Rock. They literally raided Dilla's 'vault' and put together a collection of music (with a select few emcees) that just keeps ya head noddin' non-stop. My sincere appreciation for Pete Rock's contribution to hip hop knows no bounds. This album only goes to further solidify Pete's place in hip hop's short history. A few of the beats were unfinished so Pete added his touch to 'em. I can almost picture this is what a Tribe Called Quest album might've sounded like had Dilla and Pete worked on the production together exclusively. Some of the other beats were left untouched most likely because they didn't need any work at all, keeping that original, dirty hip hop sound. The stand out track is Reality TV featuring Black Thought of The Jimmy Fallon Show (just kidding). Thought doesn't hold back as he shares his thoughts about reality TV and how it affects the people around him. The song is poignant and doesn't let up for one moment. Even in J. Dilla's passing, hip hop lives through him.



This next man needs no introduction. Even the new school cats know his name. Grand Puba, the front man for Brand Nubian, has returned with his first solo release since 2001's Understand This. Brand Nubian has been taking part of the celebratory resurgence of 90's hip hop. They've been doing shows just about everywhere so it just makes good sense to release new material for original and newer fans alike. There is no doubt about it...Puba is a throwback. Not in the sense of say Kool Moe Dee or Run-DMC but more like Nas or Jay-Z. Puba is definitely old enough to be considered old school...but armed with rhymes that easily rivals anything new on the radio. His style has never been matched and he's been laying down music since the mid-80's as part of his pre-Nubian crew, The Masters of Ceremony. This album has solid beats and more-than-solid lyrics. The stand out track is How Long?, yet another political based track which shows that life truly is deeper than rap. Guest appearances from Q-Tip and Large Professor add to the album's strength. You'll enjoy this.


DJ Green Lantern somehow got Dead Prez to do another album. If there's anything anyone knows about Dead Prez, it's that they don't put out albums often. Dead Prez fans already know what to expect so I won't bother writing this for them. For all of you who don't know who Dead Prez is or what they represent, well... Imagine Public Enemy driving in X-Clan's pink Caddy while listening to N.W.A., Paris and KRS-One on solid rotation. Dead Prez makes hardcore, politically charged rap music. Period. Sure, take a listen if you want to hear something a little different than Ron Browz and Soulja Boy Tell'em. Warning: If you can't stand the heat, then stay outta the muhfucin' kitchen and don't bother coming back to see what they cooked. It won't go down easily.


Honorable Mention: U-God's Dopium. At this point, Wu-Tang is simply Wu-Tang. They've developed their own Wu-sound and U-God's latest doesn't veer far from Wu's classic debut back in '94. Unfortunately, Dopium's guest appearances outshine U-God's performance. Lyrically, U-God simply can't hang with Ghostface or GZA but he hold's his ground like 'Golden Arms' is supposed to. U-God does lose a few points for hanging onto the ridiculously overplayed drug references though. A song entitled Coke, hilariously featuring someone named Slaine of La Coka Nostra (are you kidding me?!), as well as the album's title just screams, "Hey, look at me! I've run out of ideas!" Regardless, this album is true Wu. Love it or hate it.

As usual, thanks for reading...

Bigg Russ

Come with me if you want to live!!

Do you VERY best and stay away from Kettle Creek Outfitter's Corn Chips!! I would even go out on a limb and say stay away from this company all together.

Besides the obvious breath kickin' factor of this wonderful flavor, take a gander at the amount of SODIUM in contained in ONE BAG!

I'm thinking...they're a salt company who wanted to spice up their product with corn chips...but I could be wrong.

And from what I can tell, they're only available at your finer FAMILY DOLLAR establishments. That should set off all types of alarms for ya...

As usual, thanks for readin'.

Bigg Russ

The Curious Case of Funkmaster Flex

This blog is late. Very. But I'm glad I'm typing it now instead of when I wanted to. I wanted to make sure I was being as objective as possible without sounding like an ass. Ya see...I hate Funkmaster Flex. With a passion. My hate is subjective though. I don't hate him enough to take food out of his mouth...but I do hate him enough not to listen to his radio show or give him any props more than he rightly deserves. Let's start from the beginning of why I decided to write this...

A few weeks ago, B.B. Kings Bar & Grill (NYC) hosted the first concert in a series of performances showcasing supposed hip hop legends. I wasn't sure if I wanted to go at first...until I saw who was on the bill. EPMD and Method Man & Redman?! Decision made. It would've taken a nation of millions to hold me back. Plus, I felt they actually got the billing correct this time. EPMD, Mr. Meth, and Redman ARE hip hop legends. As well as Brand Nubian, who were also scheduled to perform. The other acts, Lords of the Underground, Dres (from Blacksheep) and N.O.R.E...well, not so much legends. I didn't care. I was going and no one was stopping me.

I ended up going with a few friends who were just as psyched to see the crew formerly known as the Hit Squad (EPMD & Redman) as I was. I 'just' saw them last year at Rock The Bells '08 but with new albums released by all, I expected a really good show. Well, that I didn't get. What I got was, what I refer to as, Old School Shows In A New School Decade. Here's a short list of the problems:

1. We waited outside on line for two hours....for NO DARN GOSH reason! (There might be children reading this...ya never can tell). We could have easily stood inside while they set the show up.
2. The show began late. Like an hour late.
3. Funkmaster Flex was DJ'ing. Yes, that's a problem for me. He sucks as a DJ. I don't care if constantly demands respect for using vinyl. Big effin' deal.
4. N.O.R.E. was on stage way too long. Plus....he didn't deserve to share a stage with EPMD or Brand Nubian. Lyrcially and artistically, he couldn't carry their collective nut sacks. (Sorry children. This is how upset I am.)
5. A NYC fire marshal decided there were too many 'people' in the building and wanted to shut the show down.
6. Thanks to the persistence of the fire marshal (and N.O.R.E.'s long ass set) EPMD ran through their set in 15 minutes. They were trying to emulate the length of N.O.R.E.'s fame, I think.
7. #'s 4-6 above led to Meth & Red only rocking for about 20 minutes before King's management decided to rudely shut all power to the stage. They probably did that for fear of getting fined by the fire department. I'm not mad at them. I would've done the same thing. What made this a major problem is that Meth & Red did NOTHING from the new album...nor did they peform Da Rockwilder. Da Rockwilder!! ('Scuse me...I need to breathe for a moment...) The song is all of 2:30 minutes long yet I never get tired of seeing them perform it. How they got out of the building w/o performing it is beyond my comprehension...

So, for $30, I got an accelerated show, an abrupt end and no real satisfaction to speak of. At first I chalked it up to hip hop. Ya know....that thing that happens at most rap shows (i.e. family members and people you really don't care about standing on stage for no absolute reason other than to be seen by people who don't know or care about them, the expected and now comical threat to the sound man for not turning up the mic and/or sound levels, the 15 minutes of 'Where Brooklyn At?', etc.). But, I was wrong. I found out shortly after the show was over that this was a Funkmaster Flex produced concert.

Well, kick me in the head! Had I known that, I wouldn't have gone. Why? Because Funkmaster Flex is an abomination. He 'killed' hip hop in NYC after pretty much blowing it up single-handedly. He talks too much. He drops too many 'bombs' over new songs that maybe deserve half-a-bomb, if that. Did I mention that he sucks as a DJ? I've heard from some other concert goers that this isn't the first time this has happened. The truth is, most of his productions (concerts, car shows, etc.) usually end up like trash. I don't doubt it!!

After all these years of concert production, you'd think they'd all go right though. Correct me if I'm wrong, but rappers need but a few things to have a good show: A mic, something to play the damn music on (or a drum riser for ?uestlove, if you can afford him), a few bottles of spring water, a hand towel (if they're old school. They're usually fatter and sweat more) and a hype crowd. If it's one thing we know, the crowd will never let a rapper down...so long as the rapper doesn't let them down. Meth & Red was actually successful in sending the crowd into a frenzy, especially when EPMD and surprise guest (well, not really) K-Solo joined them on stage to perform Headbanger.

It was really just a shame to see all that energy literally go to waste because the production staff just couldn't get it under control. I blame Funkmaster Flex because he shouldn't have been trying to host, DJ and run the backstage all at the same time. Man up and delegate next time, fool. I don't care about your cars or rims or how fly you are because you bought vinyl. Red Alert DJ'ed that night as well...from a Mac...and still out-DJ'ed Flex in spite of all that vinyl muscle!

Whatever. Going forward, I will make sure I find out who's producing a show before I spend my money. Some say I do my homework too extensively. To them I say I'm just being critical of the concerts I attend because I'm paying for them...and I DEMAND a good show. You should never allow yourself to be shortchanged by the entertainment you pay for. Period.

As usual, thanks for reading.

Bigg Russ

Rock The Bells 2009

If you don't know, you better...well...you know the rest.



It'll take a nations of millions to hold me back from attending.

Bigg Russ

This is why I'm hot! Again.

Here's a few shots from the Mims album release party from last week.  More to follow...