whatchu know bout the south?

....aight, so maybe daily..but definitely weekly...i'm gonna start giving y'all personal favorites from southern born artists....try to give y'all a few under the radar gems..won't JUST be rap...but i was raised on Face/UGK/Outkast/Dungeon Family....i'm gonna try to blog more in general, but here's somethin that i'm sure you've heard at some point in your life from my 2nd favorite duo of all time...UGK..."Hi Life"

...both these dudes are in my personal top 10...Bun B was my first influence to really wanna pursue the pen. he was a cat who had the same drawl i had, spoke the vernacular that i was raised on and he was super slick. Pimp C....is freakin Pimp C...unapologetic, always spoke on situations as he saw them, helluva producer, and although he was far from wordy, he has more content and truth in his lyrics than most MCs that have done and will do this. God bless the dead.

...Ace Cash Express.....thirstiness...long, but the payoff's worth it..ha

Peace.....peep, I vacationed from Memorial Day to the 7th of this month, right? (14 months at Amtrak, nigga wuuuuuuuut?) On May 29th, the Friday before I left, I went to Ace Cash Express on Kennedy St to get my responsible father on and send my daughters' mother some paper so my kids can eat, have a roof over their heads and cool shit like that. I've done this shit via my debit card countless times without issue, but on this particular day, dude that works at the joint charges my checking account twice. Nothing looked abnormal when I was in the store, but when I got home and checked my balance...there was a nice bit less than there should have been.

But hell, everybody makes mistakes...so I'm not too upset. I call my bank and let them know what popped off and see if they can just simply remove the duplicate charge. That doesn't work, so I call Ace's cust. service number and tell them the situation. The lady i spoke with tells me that the charge has shown up twice in their system, calls the store try'na get in touch with dude who made the mistake so he can refund the money, but he doesn't answer the phone. She tells me that I'm gon have to wait until Monday to do something since whoever has authority at her office is gone. I call from the airport Monday and they tell me that I have to go to the store to physically pick the bread up, which makes no sense to me, especially considering the fact that I'm bout to be outta town for a week. Plus, I got rent to pay....so that only adds to the frustration that's beginning to build.

Fast forward through a dope vacation and I'm back to work in DC June 8...soon as I get off work, I shoot to the store to get things handled. The cat who messed up originally was off that day, so there was a chick working. I give her my information and she starts off hella wrong...

"Why didn't you come last Monday?"
I was on vacation outta town
"Well, why didn't you come Tuesday?"
I was on vacation all last week, I just got back here last night

Now, I'm playin it cool because I know that she wasn't the one that actually fucked up, but in my head I'm dead ready to tell her..."yo, broad...you askin too many mufuckin irrelevant questions right now, what's pertinent is that I'm here today...so get off that goofy shit, get on the phone and do your job." Fortunately for her (and me), I've been try'na convert to a more peaceful and patient way of thought and action (plus I've learned God rewards patience)...so I don't hook off on her.

Ol inquisitive ass tells me that it's gonna take 20 minutes for her to get in touch with the people she needs to in order to take care of the shit. I turn on the iPod, sit for a few...then I call my bank for about the 3rd or 4th time since the start of the whole thing...they tell me that my issue has been processed and my account will be credited by the end of the day...which was dope...and it actually happened (God rewards patience). So now, I'm sittin in the joint ready to double up and Ol inquisitive ass hangs up the phone to tell me everything's straight...

"I finally got on the phone w/ the person I was trying to reach and I have what I need to give you your money. Thanks for your patience."
No problem at all. It wasn't your fault, so it's cool. Preciate it.
*joking*
"Now, when I was on the phone they told me that the rule is since I'm doing this refund, you have to give me half of it."
*not laughing*
...Well, I don't know what they told you, but somebody lyin.


"Ha ha, I was just joking, I'm sorry. I should be more professional."
No sweat, it's been a long day...I'm not trippin.

"Seriously, I'm gonna write you a check and you can cash it."
*still not laughing*
...Ummm

"Ha, I'm really being unprofessional today. I shouldn't play with your money like that...so, I'm gonna give you this money order so you can cash it."
*blank face*
You know? You oughta hit one of these comedy open mics on U Street, you might have a future...

Finally, after all the stupidity was finished and she puts the damn money in my hand. *sings* WORK IT OUT....di- didn't he work it?...WORK IT OUT...di-didn't he work it?

(praise break over)

I'm ready to shake, but ol babe is still talkin...topics ranging from apologizing for how unprofessional she was....how she hates this job and is mad that she's been working there as long as she has, to how she's a naturally silly, fun-loving person and some more shit...opening up to me like I'm fucking Diane Sawyer or somebody. I'm not a rude dude (don't say shit), so I lightweight engage the conversation...answer the various questions she asks, and look up from my phone on occasion to show that I'm listening ..suddenly shit starts getting weird....

"I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have done all that joking, but I'm very playful. Do you watch Family Guy?"
*da fuck?*
......ummm, yeah. Great show.
"I love Family Guy and Adult Swim... you watch Adult Swim?"
yeah, lotta funny stuff on there

"You live in DC?"
Yup.
"Where?"
Northeast

"So, you're not from here?"
Nah, just moved here from St. Louis last year to take a job

"Do you have family here?"
no.
"That's really impressive. You must be very independent to be able to do something like that........."*she proceeds to ramble on about irrelevant shit...*
Thanks. Just doing what I gotta do to provide for me and my family.
"Family? You have kids?"
Yup, two girls...
"How old are they?"
2 and 1.
"Awwww, then you probably have a wife, too."
I actually don't.
"REALLY? Well can I see some pictures?"
I'm actually gonna get outta here and go home.
"Oh, OK. Well, it was nice talking to you...I'd love to see you again....could I have your number?"

(I'm NOT making this shit up. I promise. l m a o)

Now, in my mind I'm laughing because some part of me felt this coming, but because of all the hassle I've had to deal with behind this shit...I was bout ready to treat her. I play it cool and try not to hurt her feelings, tho...

I actually have a girlfriend, sorry, babe. You stay cool, tho.

Chick's face fucking DROPPED when I told her that shit. She was looking like she was gon attempt suicide that evening or some shit. She was looking like one of them ran through broads on Maury Povich that find out that nann of the 14 niggas she invite on the show are the father of her kid. She was looking like LeBron would look if he walked in on Delonte stainin his mom.....She was looking like..........fuck it, you get it. That shit was hilarious, tho. That's what her ass get.

someone you should pay attention to if you don't wanna continue being a loser... Emperess

...if you read this shit, you'll clearly see that i don't update often. i'm a shitty blogger. whatever. however, i don't have you wasting your time on no bullshit when i do post...so with that said, if you're unfamiliar...get acquainted with my homie Emperess, super dope MC, photographer, and some other superhero ass shit that she probably ain't at liberty to talk about. and i designated myself as her official groupie, but we ain't gon talk about all that...a link to a taste of her essence (no homo) and her gangsterdom is right below. listen, nigga. "A Verse a Day Keeps the Posers Away" starting June 21st. PAYOW.



follow her on twitter
i don't use tumblr, but you might
myspace

...nigganess for 2010, vol. 1.

let me start by saying that I'm in NO way advocating, supporting, or a fan of Nicki Minaj's work. i'm also full aware that i'm a tad late with this, but i got kids, a career, a girlfriend and other important shit...so, here we go.





in my opinion, ol babe can actually rhyme fairly well. she's not Jean Grae or Digga, and i personally know a couple females that i think would bust her ass lyrically, she's cool, tho. but as a champion of common sense, what the hell is chick's problem? as i said before, i'm not a fan of Nicki Minaj's...by ANY means, but really, my opinion of her doesn't even correlate here. if i was a chick try'na come up off rap right now (ESPECIALLY in Baltimore...a place i hate, which also happens to be a place from which i can't think of an MC of any real note ever surfacing), i wouldn't be mad at what Nicki's doing. NOT. ONE. BIT. in all seriousness, when is the last time a female has REALLY been relevant in the mainstream? somebody can step in and let me know if i'm lying, but Eve was the last woman to rhyme and be a seriously player. if one wanted to stretch, it could be said that Kim fit the bill when she dropped that album before she went to jail, but that's all that comes to mind...and even THAT was fly-by-night. so for the first time, in a while, if not ever...a femcee/female rapper/whatever the hell you wanna call her, is one of the 5 most talked about acts in hip hop.

with all that said, i'd be glad chick is out here drawing some attention to females. whether it's trash, lacking of substance, super commercial, gimmicky or not. at this stage, a bad look is definitely better than none. word to Joe Budden. that shit rings all the more true considering the fact that there has always been such a limited space for women in the genre. so if you in the position of trying to get on, why be mad at or go at her? what real rationale would justify that? you wouldn't even have nobody to pull that goofy shit with if she wasn't in the spot she was in.

as somewhat of an up and coming MC myself, i completely understand the hunger and the questions of how somebody i think is wack got to their position. that don't make dumb ass shit like this OK. it just don't. you took time to sit down, write and then stand in front of somebody house w/ prolly a Flip camcorder or some shit to diss somebody who don't know who the fuck you are. that's like a bitter one armed nigga that be bullying 9 year olds for they basketball at the playground try'na yell at LeBron from his mother's 17" TV when the Cavaliers are on. purposeless. yeah, you got some youtube views (big FUCKIN whoop), but that's it. she's not going to say your name, come battle you, or any of that other shit. so while she's doing whatever the hell she's doing that don't involve you, you're still in Baltimore using the relatively infinitesimal bit of notoriety you've acquired to give her free promotion. hence, there's no real progress or gain in any of this shit for you. another thing, if i felt like i was THAT talented and her success bothered me THAT much, i damn sure wouldn't be shooting videos in a fucking gas station lot that i probably caught the bus to. i'd be try'na perfect my own shit. that way, if the day ever comes that my name and my weight in the game are significant enough to really knock her out the box, i'd have free reign to do it. "make sense, don't it? now make dollars." -Jay-Z

in closing, get about yours and quit worrying about hers. you'll go a lot further than that on location set of The Wire. peace and love. be blessed.

-Fleetwood

...i'm fucking back

...i don't know how consistent i'll be, i have HELLA shit to do these days, but recent events definitely have me under the inspired act. let's get shit crackin. high fives for violence.

...so un-Fleet-like

i know you prolly think I'm shootin game
But the truth is babe
I'm diggin you
And we can do whatever you tryna get into
Your convo
Got my heart racin like OJ in the bronco
Sista, you a killa..incendiary as a cinder..a knockout, your brain & beauty's such a perfect combo
Let's
Put our chemistry to the test
hands on
Connect like elec-trons in a covalent bond
Tryna get my grown man on while the slow jams blow
And showcase to you all the shit that F stands fo
Well...........not quite all, but anyway, I'm tryna chill
I ain't frontin, I'm fareal
You can capture me, and enslave me with your sensuality
It ain't a fallacy
We can exercise fantasies and burn calories
Find your heartbeat
Wit my fingertips and feel your soul flutter

If the addiction is fatal, I ain't rehabbin
Your essence leave a faint fragrance of cocaine every time we get it crackin
So it's fair to say, I'm fiendin for you badly
Give a nigga fever...foreplay to finale

Dig it
I'm try'na make it vivid
To the point that it's a dream that we constantly relivin
Take you where bliss is
Together we can share forever every minute

Til it ends
And your voodoo make me want it one mo gin
Work my root wit your touch
For which I'ma glutton...the satisfaction give me a rush
More significant than lust
Fuck if it's devil's pie, I'm eating everything from the filling to the crust

Brown skin lady...shine like the black star
You are
Let me share your luminous light
While we steal kisses like thieves in the night
I fail to fathom a definition or an explanation
For the feeling when you begging me, ".......faster" between respirations

I'm try'na give you pleasure til your fingernails
Rippin skin, and your legs quiverin measures on the richter scale

Disappointment won't be an issue...

....cypher outside WPFW..Flex Matthews, Blak King, yours truly, the homie Renell...and another cat who was ill but i never got his name...

we're dope.

...big shit for St. Louis area muzik...Bryant Stewart's "A Perfect Change"

...aight, it's pure coincidence that this is my first real in depth take on something music related...but the music itself ain't a fluke. if you've followed the STL rap scene since Nelly put the city on the map with Country Grammar, you will see what's been by and large a buncha shit that sounds the same. there are quite a few MCs that hold the city down skill-wise like Vandalyzm, Tef Poe, Corey Black, Black Spade, Wafeek, et al. but these cats have all been doing their thing in and outside the area for a while.

...what we as a city lack in my opinion (i say 'we' as a St. Louis resident of 6 years), is a wave of younger artists to carry the flag and put their own imprint on music. enter the youngin Bryant Stewart. MC/vocalist/hustler. dude's been doing his thing, improving and sharpening his craft for a while, and he is now presenting his first mixtape, entitled "A Perfect Change". before i end this long ass intro and actually give you my take on the project, i'd like to say that this is probably the most refreshing thing i've heard from a STL artist in a looooong time. so now that we past formalities....

the tape (or EP in my opinion, same diff. tho...) begins with "Wake Up Call (I Go Hard)", which is one of the more hunger driven tracks on what is predominately a project with a real chill vibe about it. Bryant flexes not only solid lyrics, but a rather polished singing voice as well. "Homemade" paints a picture of the St. Louis music scene and one man's ambivalence toward it. real smooth joint. "i wouldn't change my latitude//or my longitude, cuz that coordinates the place where i gained my gratitude" - the boy kinda goes in. "Tip Top Flow" is followed by one of the highlights of the project, "Flashing Lights". here, Bryant speaks poignantly on the materialism our culture is so magnetized by. dope subject matter fused with truthful, witty lyrics. another personal favorite comes a few tracks later on "Blame It On the Game". hungry verses with an assist from Dj Corbett. as a lyricist and a fan of that art, i believe Bryant best exhibits that aspect of his game on this joint. just listen. the tape closes with "Appreciation", a humble shout out to those who show love, and a stiff jab to the naysayers. he gets busy here, too.

i've watched this cat's music grow for a few years now and i have to say, i am very proud of what he accomplished on this tape. i ain't gon yap how it's the dopest shit ever, but as an overall artist and songwriter this cat ahead of the typical 19 year old by a considerable margin. he stays true to himself ,what he believes talks and speaks honestly about issues that need addressing without being preachy - a trait some artists never master. i definitely can co-sign this project as one worth checking out and this brother as one worth looking out for. click and DOWNLOAD here.

...aight..so i don't wanna do it, but everybody else has...and some people just sound like dumbasses, so here we go.

In the last couple of weeks, I know everybody's heard about this Eldrick Woods situation. Dude got caught up with a side piece, wife allegedly beat on him, he dropped 7 figures to keep the chick, yadda, yadda, etc. Whatever with that.

I'm not here to talk about dude's personal life at all. All I can say is that karma is very real, I've been in that position and made the wrong decision as far as temptation goes and it's a helluva road to walk. The onus of gaining that trust back and having to look your lady in the face after the fact is daunting to put it lightly. But a dope thing about life is that as long as you have it to live, you have opportunities to make amends for most bullshit you do. Hopefully, he learns from this, is able to improve, and enrich his marital and family life.

On some g shit, when I first heard about the whole situation, all I could do was shake my head. Not for the fact that he got caught up, but for the fact that the media and the easily distracted people who listen to that bullshit were about to assassinate his character. As long as we've known of Eldrick and his heritage, dude's never been the type to take a stand as far as race goes. At points, it has appeared as though his ethnicity is something he represses and tries to distance himself from as much as possible. He's taken a considerable amount of flack from pressed, probably envious people who have their vantage points on the topics of race and him as a person. Though I've pondered whether or not he's ashamed of his race, I've always taken dude more so as a cat that just wants to do what he loves, get his money and go home, which is something I don't find fault in. That notwithstanding, I knew that he was going to be treated as a 'nigger' in the eyes of this finicky machine that is the American press.

We've seen coverage of this issue as though dude's murdered somebody. Granted, the decision to cheat was a bad look, bet, I got that. But damn, how many men and women, celebrity and non-celebrity, have committed infidelity in their lifetime? Like I thought. But it's really corny how prominent folks of color get slandered and slaughtered in this country for the mistakes that they make. I understand the history of oppression we have and continue to suffer to a great extent and the fact that one's spot in 'their' crosshairs will only become larger as a person's pocket or stature increases, and although I know the answer and it's reason, I still must ask - why are the mistakes of our people vilified and amplified? This is certainly not the most sexually immoral shit ever done by a celebrity. Google Woody Allen and Soon-Yi Previn. That disgusting shit with Antoinette Davis prostituting her 5 year old daughter didn't get 1/3 of the burn this story's getting. Where the fuck are the priorities of the folks who delegate what's news right now? C'mon, son.

Before i wrap my lunch up, all these women (*sigh* especially black women) throwing dude under the bus, shut the fuck up. "Shouldn'ta be fuckin that white girl", "that's what he get for acting white", etc. Wrap it up. There's a plague of women who have no idea how to even keep a mate right now, so a lot more of y'all ought focus on self and family as opposed to passing judgment on that man and his preferences. Don't get me wrong, I love my sisters with everything I have. God gave the world it's greatest gift and resource when he created y'all, but those of you kicking that shit...Matthew 7:3-5.

In closing, let Eldrick be. Dude's a human being that fucked up. Don't throw rocks on no spiteful, envious shit. Shit ain't no business of yours or mine no way. Hold your head, Tiger. I see you, nigga. *scroll for fist pumpage*

..some of the funniest intentionally/unintentional shit i've ever seen

watch the lil boy's facial expressions throughout the shit