ReviewSTACKS.com – Rap reviews, features and commentary

Someone explain to me why ageism is an issue in rap? I don’t see it.

[Stolen from The Rap Up; thanks to Rizoh]

I’m not one for advocating one side over the other so when Solar responds I’ll be sure to post that too. Until then, sobering words.

Good to see a few things: 1. Charles Hamilton – part of me thought he had died. 2. Charles’ sense of humor – part of me thought that might have dislodged due to punches a la upset woman. 3. A new mixtape, Normalcy. Give Chuck another chance? DOWNLOAD.

Thanks to my brother from another blogging mother, Ivan, over at Hip-Hop Is Read, I lined up an interview with Minneapolis’ own Brother Ali the day after he, Evidence and Toki Wright, played Canes in San Diego while on the Fresh Air Tour – a show that I’ve got more than enough reasons not to forget. Hit the jump for some Q&A with the Good Brother on playing in San Diego, his touring plans and some music he’s looking forward to hearing.

– The show at Canes was fantastic, all three of you guys absolutely killed your sets. How do you like playing San Diego?

Brother Ali - I’ve performed in San Diego before; probably four or five times. There is always a lot of really good energy there and aside from it being a beautiful place, the people are always really good to us.

– Is there anyone you’ve found or listen to that’s from San Diego?

Brother Ali - Yeah, Kahlee, a San Diego rapper. Read more…

Raekwon the Chef. The man has been cooking up lyrical flavor for 16 years and with the release of Only Built For Cuban Linx 2 he takes us right back to the kitchen – and it’s stocked. Rae’s original Cuban Linx album, released a whopping 14 years ago and known as his masterpiece, brought the rap audience back to his original Wu-roots as he, yet again, painted pictures of the grimy street-life that New York has to offer.

The album begins with “Return of the North Star” which features Papu Wu. The track serves as an introduction to the album through the taped dialogue that is played talking Raekwon’s reputation. The track’s title is a little less subtle. Read more…

I got lucky enough to bag Phoenix’s own Random for an electronic sit down to discuss, well, whatever I wanted. Now, it’s been a while since my last interview, and when he challenged me a bit to toss some heavier-than-average questions out I bit at the chance. Firm in his beliefs, articulate and well grounded, the RAHM Nation emcee was a fantastic interview. Now let’s hope our readers hold their ADD in check for long enough to make it to the last question.

– What do you bring to hip-hop’s table? – be it musically, personally, whatever.

Random – I try to bring honesty and purity…I guess those are kinda cliché at this point but I feel like those are my strong points. There’s no character or marketing image I have to uphold; I’m just me. I rap as the guy most rappers are deep down inside but are too insecure to let out.

– Who are your influences?

Random – More than ever these days, it’s not who influences me, but what. I’m inspired by what I see everyday on the news and firsthand. Things are rough out there and even rougher for kids. Musically, I’d say Marvin Gaye, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, Journey, Bob Marley, Michael Jackson, KRS-ONE, Rakim, Nas, 2Pac, LL Cool J…pretty much anyone who refuses to conform to what the “norm” is. Other non-musical influences include Martin Luther King, Malcolm X and Spiderman.

– What are you trying to accomplish as a rap artist?

Random – I just wanna tell my story man. If I set a goal for myself and accomplish that goal I would probably quit or get lazy after that. I have small goals that I pick up along the way; they’re like ‘Achievements’ on Xbox games…they’ve ranged from recording at a major studio (unlocked), putting music in stores (unlocked), being able to fund my music career WITH my music career (unlocked), to getting my music into a video game (unlocked – peep www.casterthegame.com). I just want to be able to speak to people and allow them to relate to where I come from and where I am. I think what I say can help someone, somewhere and I want people to be able to say, “I feel him.” And make a little money on the side, haha. Read more…

There’s nothing that the public adores more than a wedding, especially when it comes to celebrities. Because after the orchids, lace, Bentleys, paparazzi and champagne are gone the bushwhacked reality of celebrity is always spawned out of recently wedded bliss. Divorce, custody battles, cheating, strippers, spending sprees, bankruptcy, Celebrity Rehab, babies and more were born and bred out of the (mostly) half-thought machinations of the celebrity mind for the general public’s delight and total consumption.

All that being said, what if for one night only in a perfect universe, we could play cupid to our favorite rap and R&B artists? They’d be the Pinocchio to our Geppetto, minus the growing nose and Jonahesque adventures in the gastrointestinal workings of a whale. We’d get to play matchmaker – and the result? Some of the coolest fictional babies ever thunk up. Pop the lid to witness the diaper changing, baby food feeding, breast pumping madness that we call Hip-Hop Babies.

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