446 lines
18 KiB
Plaintext
446 lines
18 KiB
Plaintext
Section 1 -- One
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HardC.O.R.E. Vol. 1, Issue 7 7/22/93
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**the alt.rap underground special**
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Table of Contents
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Section Contents Author
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---- -------- ------
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1 Contents
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2 Da 411 -
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3 Lyrics - Rap Is an Art dwarner@journalism.indiana.edu
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4 Review - Y'all So Stupid gt7214b@prism.gatech.edu
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5 Lyrics - Drop the Gun Virginia.A.Reed@Dartmouth.EDU
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6 Review - Capital Tax juonsteve@bvc.edu
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7 Article - Atlanta Hip-Hop gt7214b@prism.gatech.edu
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8 Lyrics - Studio Smokers wwhitfie@AFIT.AF.MIL
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juonsteve@bvc.edu
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9 Lyrics - A Walk Through The Masta Ace
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Valley
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Section 2 -- Two
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The C.O.R.E. creed
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We at C.O.R.E. support underground hip-hop (none of that crossover
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bullshucks). That means we also support the 1st Amendment and the
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right to uncensored music.
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I'm audi 5 to my doghouse!
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"I got more rhymes than Madonna gets dick"
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KRS-One : I Get Wrecked
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Asalaam Alaikum from MC Flash X
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Section 3 - Three
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"Rap Is An Art" written by David J. Warner
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Rap is an art that started in the streets.
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Rap is an art of poetry on top of beats.
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Rap is an art, and I start from the heart to take my part.
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That's when I drop a trump card.
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A dope beat and bass that's bound to make your day.
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Word is born, spoken by David J.,
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another rap artist coming fresh on the scene.
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I'm not a wrapper; that's a whole different thing.
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A wrapper's what you put on food so it won't go stale,
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or you put it on a gift for sale.
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You'll notice it's also spelled differently, too.
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It starts with a 'W'. It won't trouble you
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to remember this the next time you talk about
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hip hop and watch me turn the jam out.
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I'm not trying to rule. I'm just playing my part,
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and yes, I am an artist because rap is an art.
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Rap is an art that's bound to last forever.
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Rap is an art, not a commercial endeavor.
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I've heard the commercialized, and I can do without it.
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Some say it's all commercial. Why do I doubt it?
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That's the clan that flashed in the pan,
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went for self for the wealth, and left the talent in a trash can.
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I'm not a factory scab, boy, I'm the artisan.
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You try to do me? I aim like a marksman.
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Takin' out the suckers just like the 808,
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then I set 'em straight, and show 'em how to create
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a dope set of tracks on wax that just kick the facts,
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and papes are made in large stacks.
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They may come close, but yo, I won't sweat,
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'cause if they keep frontin', they still get no respect.
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So why you dis me by sayin' you climbed the chart?
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You ain't got no rap, 'cause rap is an art.
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I know there will be some who still try to dis
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just because I say rap is an art, but they miss
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the point, the idea, or the mark I hit,
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while all of their arguments are full of nothing but
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misconceptions and pre-conceived notions
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that we swear, sell drugs and put bullets in motion.
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Most of us aren't like NWA.
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It's just the stickers on our records made it seem that way.
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I say, "Hey, that ain't the way I play."
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I don't make a dope jam and then throw it away
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with these gangsta gank moves, that ain't my groove.
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I roll smooth, 'cause I don't got nothin' to prove.
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I just drop rhymes, drop styles, and drop the knowledge,
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wreck shop, non-stop, on stage and in college.
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So don't try to check the lighter attribute.
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I may like the Blue Devils, but I'm not David Duke.
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It's funny. When a rap artist sheds some positive light,
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the media doesn't think it's right
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to devote newshole to an equality goal,
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but mention "Cop Killer" and the press starts to roll.
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It's time to band together and show we have heart.
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Without it, rap is sure to fall apart.
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So don't waste time trying to chart.
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Concentrate on the rap itself, 'cause rap is an art.
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Section 4 -- Four
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Martin Kelley
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Review: Y'all So Stupid -- "Van Full of Pakistan"
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Produced by Spearhead X
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Rowdy Records/Arista
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Rating: 3.5 out of 5
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Introducing the Atlanta group Y'all So Stupid. This is the debut
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album from the kids who used to dish the "Bullshit" (one of their
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old performance cuts). The LP is in there as far as I'm concerned;
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as a hip-hop head from Atlanta who has performed with these guys
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around town and seen them grow as artists. However, I think that
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I'm biased in their favor in that respect; as opposed to some of my
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fellow local artists who are biased against this album for that
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very same reason: they have hit nationally while some of us are
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still strugglin' in the BASSment. Now I've got some personal beefs
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(minor) with Y.S.S., but I'm proud of their success just the same,
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and I hope they do very well. I think that the album is good.
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H2O, Logic, and Uncle Buk gots skills and 1/2, wild energy and
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enthusiasm to go along with that. The latter is probably what got
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them the deal; they used to be hyped live but I haven't seen them
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perform since January of 1992 at Georgia Tech's Rapfest '92. Their
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beats are OK, I like some of them more than others. The most
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striking thing though is the consistency of this album. This isn't
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a bad album that has one or two dope cuts and drops into the
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dumpster of bad skits (though there are a couple) and booty tracks.
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Instead this album starts out with "Introduce Me," which does
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indeed introduce the crew and their style. From there, it
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continues at that same level, at the same intensity, at the same
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beats per minute, at the same number of lines per verse, well not
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quite like that. However, I'm hinting at what might keep people
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from considering this a good album... once you've heard one Y.S.S.
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cut you've heard them all so to speak. There's little variation
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from one track to the others, just different rhymes.
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I hope this review isn't confusing you. I still say thumbs up!
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But, that's just my opinion and like I said it may be biased. So
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if you have heard the singles and like them, and want to hear them
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tackle subjects like bootleggin of tapes "Bootleg Breakdown" or
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white girls acting black "Dirt Road White Girl" or gettin' blunted
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"The Plant" or observations on the black community "Family Tree" or
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just plain flauntin' their skills "On and On" then as Dres would
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say "Pick it up!"
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peace, Martay
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Section 5 -- Five
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Alex Reed
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Drop The Gun
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by LX
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Drop the gun, your the one, get it outta my face
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Nobody see nobody hear, there will be no case
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Thinkin' hard about the trigger, and how he might have pulled it
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Thinkin' hard about the hollow tipped bullet
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So put it down, hear the sound as you kick the books
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Feel the pain, heavy chain, it was me you forsook
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Cause when judgement day comes around
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The only thing left will be the echo of the sound
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The sound of shells raising Hell on the floor
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The sound of Mr. Sandman knock-knockin' on the door
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The sound of one as all, and all as one
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The sound of bullets in the air; Drop the Gun
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verse two:
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To fine tune my engine, to hold the nine
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Everything is like a painting, it's all in line
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End of the world, I suppose it's all true
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Now pull back the blade, and so it makes two
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When it comes for your head, move outta the way
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Cause you might get hurt
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In the alley in the back road down
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All they found was the hitman's paydirt
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Drop the gun
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verse three:
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It all comes to mind when you think of the peril,
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Lookin' down the jet black tubing of the barrel
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My heart beats with power, liberty in the South
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You gotta act with your nine, and think with your mouth
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That shot was meant for you so come in from the cold
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Think about what you're doin', you're sellin' your soul
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You go all too fast and fall into the crease
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So put down the gat, cause here come the police
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It's curtains for the G who's in the glass bubble
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The bullet comes around and the bullet means trouble
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Turn around, look down at the man you stung
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Cause now he's dead, really dead, come on, Drop The Gun.
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Section 6 -- Six
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Steve Juon
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Capital Tax - The Swoll Package
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Rating: 4.5 out of 6
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"The Swoll Package" is a slice of cherry pie... good crust on the
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ends but DOPE juicy filling in the middle. For example: "Mista
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Wonka", the 2nd cut, has good rhymes paired with slightly better
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than average beats; the same can be said of Poet Treeman, the 3rd
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to last cut. Such songs could themselves be compared to mashed
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potatoes: tasty, filling, but rather unexciting.
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What redeems this "package" is the unexpectedly good cherry filling.
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Indeed, many of this mid-tape songs blend lyrics and groove so well
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that they are destined to become hip-hop classics. Among those
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that I would choose is the poweful "I Can't Beleive It" and the
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stomping funk of "Can You Dig It". Now it's not enough to have
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good beats and lyrics; ya gotta be able to flow your rhymes or it
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won't work (for more 411 check Isbell's review of Main Source).
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Fortunately, frontman TMD is not lacking in ability; also, his
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vocal pitch and inflection are unique. I do realize that some
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people will find the spoken word choruses dominant on "The Swoll
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Package" annoying. I admit some more variety in this area would in
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future be appreciated. However, it doesn't truly fuck up any of
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the songs. I would even argue that it adds flavor on some cuts
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(Can You Dig It would not be as fun without that shout). It's
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really up to you... if you can't tolerate a few average songs
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(and/or vocal choruses) then don't pick it up. But if you do pass
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on it you are missing some DAMN GOOD cherries!
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Asalaam Alaikum, MC Flash X
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Section 7 -- Seven
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Martin Kelley
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The Atlanta Scene
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This summer hasn't been too kind for Atlanta's Hip-Hop artists
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in the duo or group categories. ...and the nominees for worst
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break-up of a good hip-hop duo or group are: Too Krazy and Tribal
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Science. The winner is... Tribal Science! By a long shot. Too
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Krazy locally known for being the "Big Joshes", they get props from
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Y'all So Stupid in their new album. They have split for what I
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assume can be called "creative differences". Krazy Bam, the lead
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rapper, is now solo and has performed recently at a few Hip-Hop
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shows doing the Too Krazy material without his ex-partner Krayhun
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(pronounced Crayon). Tribal Science on the other hand was
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scheduled to appear together at the same show that Krazy Bam made
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his solo debut. Now the group had canceled their appearance
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beforehand but the very night of that show marked their violent
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break-up. I won't go into details but it is safe to say that
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B-right and Red Baron won't be kissing and making up anytime soon.
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The group had been having many internal problems for a long time
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but they had always gotten over them. This time though I'm
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confident that it is over. The group name may still be used by
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B-right as he is currently working on his own material. It seems
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that all these breakups occur in two here in Atlanta; because last
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year in the early summer two groups who were though to be on the
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bubble of a breakthrough (just as Too Krazy and Tribal Science
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were) K-I-N and Reign of Terror both dissolved around the same
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time. However, their demises didn't take on such volatile
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characteristics as these new break-ups.
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Slightly related to hip-hop, the producer team of L.A. Reid and
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Babyface is rumored to be redefining their relationship. This came
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as a surprise to me since I recently ate lunch with L.A. at a
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N.A.R.A.S. seminar and there was no hint of any problems with his
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relationship with Babyface. But of course, even if there were
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problems, L.A. wouldn't let the car out of the bag so to speak. It
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would be a shame if the team does indeed break-up because they have
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done so much to bring attention to the music scene here in Atlanta,
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and if they should part I'm sure that Atlanta will miss the synergy
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that is created by the team's presence alone.
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I guess I should run down the rumor mill of possible deals for
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the local acts. Gena Si Qua is rumored to be negotiating with a
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few big labels for a deal. You might have heard the name Gena Si
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Qua if you watched last year's Billboard Music Awards as Boyz II
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Men shouted out to them right after they thanked God. The reason
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for this is that they are now managed by Wanya the youngest member
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of Boyz II Men. So you may be seeing a single or something from
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them soon as they are being courted by the majors. An independent
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deal was apparently struck by the Project Boyz and Third Eye
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records and their album is said to be already out. I haven't seen
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it yet but that isn't surprising knowing how hard it is for an
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independent label to get good distribution.
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Please don't blame Atlanta for the bass crazy although we
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probably deserve it. I'm sure all of you have heard the
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"Whoot!..." and "Whoomp!..." versions of "...there it is" and both
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of these Top 20 Pop songs were recorded here in Atlanta (though
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Whoot! is by Miami's 95 South) along with the "Roxanne" of the 90's
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bass craze "Daisy Dukes" by Duice. Billboard has even called
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Atlanta the new Bass capital of America. Thanks a lot! However,
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if you read this report you should know that there is real hip-hop
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here in Atlanta.
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In other news, Snoman is currently recording his solo album
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for Conquest/Ichiban records. You can peep three of Snoman's cuts
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on the Conquest of a Nation compilation album. Snoman ain't
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hardcore or soft and he's not even really on an underground style
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but he definitely is unique and has clever rhymes. I recently
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caught him performing and he had the crowd in control. also, the
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Natural from New York, her single and video "To The" was released
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around November of '92 was recently in Atlanta working on tracks
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for her debut album with none other than the infamous East Coast
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Tribe. B-right and Transcribe are both going to produce tracks for
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the project. I'm not sure what label is going to put it out
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because several have shown interest, but she's got mad skills and
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hip-hop runs in her family. Her brothers are Disco Dave and
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MixMaster Mike from the Legendary Crash Crew and her nephew is
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Nastee from Trendz of Culture. A group called 9mm (pronounced nine
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double M) is getting a lot of local press because they combine
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gangster rap with dancehall. Also getting mad play on Album 88's
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Rhythm and Vibes Show (10 P.M. - 2 A.M. Sunday nights, 88.5 FM if
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you're in town sometime) is an MC that goes by the name of Forty or
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40, take your pick, but he's got skills, a good voice, and nice
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production so I wouldn't be surprised if he does some serious work
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in the months to come. Well that's it for now. I'm gone.
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peace and love,
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Martay
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Section 8 -- Eight
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Walter D. Whitfield (#1) -- Dirty Mack
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Steve Juon (#2) -- MC Flash X
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Studio Smokers (Light That Shit Up?!)
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Verse One (#2)
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Mista Grimm go ahead take another toke
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It's your own business if you choke
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That's how ya roll a blunt, that's how ya roll a blunt
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So light that shit up, cause I don't give a fuck
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Yeah Redman you can feel real high
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But if I smoked the shit I would probably die
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Just don't make me give the shit a try
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If I did do it I'd do it for real
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Not to gain mass appeal
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You know these people are so hypocritical
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That's why I'm cynical
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Dr. Dre said it best, I don't smoke weed or sess
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But now he loves the mess
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He stepped up dedicated an LP to Chronic
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The tape was phat but it still don't redeem it
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Or Dre for not being true
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Now how the hell we know who is the real you?
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Does the real you puff and pass to the next man
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Or did you front positivity for cash in the hand
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Or are you fakin your love for ganja?
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We just want to know where you're coming from
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This is a warning Dre, come correct
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Or we'll snap your motherfucking neck
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Verse Two (#1 and #2)
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#2 - This is how I see it!
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A few dope crews
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#1 - are doing chronic (madness)
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Cause, they think they dope,
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but a joint is a spliff.
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But, Mr.,
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Record, Executive,
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thought it was cool,
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having blunted up rappers
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excuse me,
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niggas for fools.
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so go ahead homie,
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take another hit
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yeah, (brief enhale) the mutha fuckin chronic!!!
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#2 - So convinced,
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#1 - was the jacker to the Jane.
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#2 - a madd new single,
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#1 - plus a little bit a fame.
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dumb stupid kid,
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rollin kinda major
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with a little bit gold
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and a fly skypager
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Verse Three (#1)
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a years gone by
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and everythings changed
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lookin all broke up
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like a house of pain
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now ya through,
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feelin kinda blue,
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talkin bout the one that flew
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over the cookoo's nest
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but look at yo'self boy
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you're a mess.
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record company wont touch ya with a 10 foot pole.
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bitches lookin at ya while your being pimped like a ho.
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from top of the crop
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to the bottom of the pit
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now look at what Mr. Record Executive
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done did.
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turn yo ass out like a two but trick
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and ya still wanna smoke the mutha fuckin CHRONIC!!!
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Section 9 -- Nine
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Masta Ase - A Walk Thru the Valley
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As I walk through the valley of one eighty-seven land
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No matter what state, what city, what town
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I can see there's no place to run, no place to hide
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I could be in the crosshairs of somebody, somewhere
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I wanna ask why...
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But I ain't got time for that
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I gotta keep movin on
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Or be the next one to die
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I walk through the valley of no-man's land
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Sayin peace, slappin fives and holdin up those two fingers
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To the many nine millimeter automatic pistol toting young men
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that roam everywhere
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I wonder what will be the next small incident
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That will cause one of them to pull out
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And spray bullets recklessly in every direction
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Will my grandmother be on her way to the store
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For a loaf of bread and a TV Guide at that very moment
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As I walk through the valley at night
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I'm thinkin, "I don't know that brother walkin across the
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street in the black hoodie, so he may be a threat to me"
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He's thinkin, "I don't know that brother walkin across the
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street in the blue hoodie, so he may be a threat to me"
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What's goin through out minds
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as we reach down into our waistlines
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And pull out the tools, the heaters, the slaps
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the pistols, the gats
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the jammies, the grips with the clips
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All placed there purposely by them
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"Here niggaz, sixteen shooter made specially just for you"
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What goes through our minds at that moment
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when a brother's at the other end of our barrel
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About to catch a hot piece of steel
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And take his last breath
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What goes through our minds
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What's goin through our minds
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As we walk through the valley
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