A Heavy Contribution...

I have a lot to say about Heavy D...

...but literally can’t get it all to flow properly. I've started, stopped, edited, deleted, etc… I'm so frustrated at myself right now because I usually can't shut up about things that mean something to me. Yet now... I feel mentally scrambled.

All I can say at this point is that I’m extremely sad over his passing because I love hip hop. I love it so much because while I was living with an abusive step-father, rap music was one of my escapes. It was my favorite escape because it helped me realize who I was.

I was paid in full.

I was tougher than leather.

I was bigger and deffer.

I was straight out the jungle.

I was a smooth operator.

I was a rebel without a pause.

I was a 100 miles and runnin’.

I was a brand new funk.

I was three feet high and rising.

I was one for all.

I was all souled out.

I was still number one.

I was strictly business.

But above all else… I was from money earnin’ Mount Vernon. I had more bounce. I had my own thang. I let it flow. I was in the mood for love. I was flexin’. I was dedicated. I was mr. big stuff.

I was big tyme and living large.

And the dude living right across town made sure I knew it.

In ten days, I expect to complete my 40^th year in this form. Had it not been for Heavy’s contribution to my mental and emotional peace 20 years ago, I have no idea where I would be right now.

Thank you very much, Dwight.

~ Russell Merritt

Bring That Beat B@ck!!

320: Bring That Beat Back

It's P.E. What more do you need to know?

Bigg Russ

The Next 24 Volume IV...Mix CD Presented by Twix and New Era

320: The Next 24

Don't judge me. I haven't heard it but it's literally been shrinkwrapped since 2002...until now. Someone DL it and let me know how it sounds. LOL!

Bigg Russ

The Highest Form of Insult Is...

Kool Herc is sick and in need of surgery. The problem is, he doesn't have health insurance.

Here's a list of solutions:

• Jay-Z
• 50 Cent
• LL Cool J
• Def Jam
• Eminem
• Interscope
• Live Nation
• Jive Records
• Lil Wayne
• Baby
• Master P.
• Dr. Dre
• Will Smith
• Ludacris
• Puff Daddy/P. Diddy/Diddy/Sean Combs/Jack of all Trades, Master of None
• Russell Simmons
• Lyor Cohen
• Dame Dash
• Ice Cube
• EMI
• Sony
• Universal
• Warner Music Group
• E-40
• Salt-N-Pepa
• Snoop Dogg
• Guerilla Union
• Outkast
• Those mofos' who shot Biggie, Tupac, Freaky Tah and Jam Master Jay (If there was EVER a time to repent, it's now.)
• Jimmy Iovine
• Bert Padell
• Hot 97
• Funkmaster Flex
• DJ Khaled
• Ed Lover
• Viacom
• Sirius/XM
• Nas
• Kelis (C'mon. She's made more money off Nas' money than she did with R&B.)
• Violator Management
• Geffen Records
• Sylvia Robinson
• Queen Latifah
• The RZA
• The GZA
• Inspectah Deck
• Raekwon The Chef
• GhostFace Killer
• Method Man
• (U-God not listed on purpose)
• Rev. Run
• Cablevision
• The National Basketball Association
• Shaquille O'Neal (He still owes us for making OTHER athletes rap.)
• The Source
• Will.I.Am
• Wyclef Jean
• Dizzee Rascal
• MC Solaar
• Redman
• EPMD
• Vanilla Ice
• Ice-T
• Kid Frost
• Cypress Hill
• Gucci Mane (I'd only look at you 1/2 slanted after this.)
• Emmis Communications
• Clear Channel Communications, Inc.
• The Roots
• Fat Joe
• Cam'Ron
• Rick Ross
• An umpteen number of talentless, video 'women' (I kept that clean. Here's a hint: 'We don't love 'em though!')
• Soulja Boy
• KRS-One
• Nelly
• Teddy Riley
• Jermaine Dupri
• De La Soul
• John Singleton
• F. Gary Gray
• Bishop Don Magic Juan
• The Christopher Wallace Foundation
• Ciroc
• Patron
• Grey Goose
• Hennessy (Hell, they should donate a wing of their corporate offices to Kool Herc.)
• Remy Martin
• St. Ides
• Phat Farm
• Cross Colours (In spirit...)
• Lee
• Girbaud
• Nike
• Addidas
• Fila
• Dr. Jay's
• VIM
• 125th Street (From Broadway to Park Avenue.)

If I haven't made my point perfectly clear, PLEASE let me know and I'll do my best to provide more solutions.

Consider me a hypocrite but I find it EXTREMELY offensive to ask the FANS of hip hop to donate to Kool Herc's bills when we haven't been made privy to what ails him. And since the REAL fans have been 'donating' to hip hop for years via mis-managed contracts (Hey, it ain't MY fault if you were so hard up on 'getting a deal' that YOU didn't read your contract.), bad music, unsolved murders, contradictory messages, false feuds and other such nonsense I don't feel we should ante up ONE MORE RED CENT until those who've eaten for YEARS off US put their bling where their mouths are.

Kool Herc, get well soon. You're in my prayers.

Thanks for reading...

Bigg Russ