Comment On Music, and Society by Trent Reznor!

I will be tuning out of the social networking sites because it's now doing more harm than good."


Well, it was fun while it lasted. According to a lengthy post on the NIN message board yesterday, Trent Reznor is "tuning out of the social networking sites because it's now doing more harm than good in the bigger picture and the experiment seems to have yielded a result. Idiots rule."
It's a shame because Reznor's online persona is one of the most engaging in rock; his interest and participation in the web helped changed his image from a nihilistic angst machine to something more well-rounded and interesting over the last few years

Russell Simmons Lobbies For Gay Rights

As Hip Hop music’s popularity has grown over the years, so has the controversy surrounding the genre. Although most seem to critique Hip Hop for its overt misogyny, homophobic lyrics have remained a constant within the lyrical content of Rap songs. Besides Kanye West, many within the Hip Hop community have remained silent on the matter. However, Russell Simmons has now added his name to the short list of those within Hip Hop who sympathize with the gay community.In a blog written for GlobalGrind.com, republished by The Huffington Post, Russell Simmons explains his deep contempt with the fact that the California Supreme Court has decided to uphold Proposition 8. Simmons is not only bothered by the outcome of this, but he is also furious with how the civil rights of oppressed individuals have been either granted or denied based on the outcome of votes placed in a ballot box. Simmons explains: “If President Johnson had to take a vote, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 would not have passed. If Congress took a vote in 1920, women may still not have the right to vote today. And if President Lincoln went to the polls, blacks would definitely have endured many more years of slavery. We trusted our government to make the right decision and protect the minority, and yesterday we, as a nation, failed.”Simmons then goes on to challenge those within the African American community who are opposed to gay rights. “As an African-American, I urge my own people to take a deep look at our own struggles and not wish them upon anyone else. Simply, civil rights for all is about being connected as humans, united, tolerant, loving and brave.”Although Simmons is disturbed by California’s upholding of Proposition 8, he remains optimistic. “In my heart, I know that marriage equality for every human being isn't a question of if, but only a matter of when. I ask those who feel that giving freedom to others somehow binds you, to please take a good look at what you are standing behind. It is only through opening your hearts will you be able to see that by promoting freedom for all, you are unchaining yourself. I guess I'm an optimist. I have faith in people and our government ultimately to do the right thing. And to my brothers and sisters in California, I'm there with you every step of the way until that day comes...”

HipHop DX

Mic Terror...Im Good.

The Mic Terror is tearing up Chicago, I guess. He is doin his thing and with Fake Shore Drive and M.I.A coin'in him a talent I guess he will be the next to blow right beside GLC, but I am not buying it. Terror is, I assume another Villan in hip-hop, who is not capable of dethroning the villan- aka DOOM, but he is more of a poppy version who is openly embraced by Chicago.

New Single- heres the link: http://limelinx.com/files/ee2eb3e72d09f31495a6d5d1c1e2e623

"Mic T returns with his own interpretation of Drake's smash "Best I Ever Had". And yes, Mic murders it per usual.Off the Phedz (yes the Phedz - Hollywood Holt, Mano, Lee Majorz, etc) upcoming mixtape, Phuck Ya'll With A Vengeance" Fake Shore Drive

Edmonton names hip-hop artist latest poet laureate

Roland Pemberton, the 23-year old hip-hop artist who performs as Cadence Weapon, was named Tuesday as the City of Edmonton's third poet laureate.
"I believe it's a valuable resource to have this post in the Edmonton arts community and I will make the most of this appointment," he said at the city's announcement Tuesday morning.
Pemberton has accumulated high-profile awards and recognitions in his music career. He was nominated for the prestigious Polaris Music Prize in 2006 for his debut album Breaking Kayfabe and has won the Canadian Independent Music Award for best urban artist/group.
His second studio album, Afterparty Babies, was released in 2008. Pemberton is also a DJ and producer and has written a music column for one of Edmonton's alternative weeklies.
Pemberton was raised in Edmonton and still makes his home in the city. His father was the late Teddy Pemberton, a CJSR radio host who is widely credited for introducing rap music to Edmonton. Pemberton's grandfather is Edmonton Eskimo great Rollie Miles, who played for the team from 1951 to 1961.
Pemberton was nominated as poet laureate by Edmonton filmmaker Trevor Anderson.
His initial reaction to the nomination was, "as if", he said, but he reconsidered as he thought more about it.
"I mean I'm an Edmonton guy, I'm a community guy. I talk about Edmonton in most of the pieces, work, I do," he said.
Pemberton said he would like to use his role as poet laureate to change people's perceptions about poetry.
"I'd like to broaden what people consider poetry to be. Basically I plan to do a lot of weird poems that people will definitely not think are poems and I'd like to … maybe make the idea of poet laureate something that people think about," he said.
Pemberton follows University of Alberta professor emeritus Ted Blodgett in the position. Alice Major was Edmonton's first poet laureate between 2005 and 2007.
Pemberton starts his two-year term on July 1

The Problem w/ Hip-Hop (Just Read)

Murder Inc. head Irv Gotti recently spoke on the rhyming skills of Nas and why he felt the lyrical emcee sounded better when he's on "his arrogant sh*t."
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Having worked with Nasty Nas on records like "The Pledge," Irv described his preference to the less complex emcee side.
"I like Nas," Gotti said in an interview. "First of all, Nas is my brother, another one of my brothers. But I personally like Nas when he's ignorant. Whenever Nas gets political or he starts thinking or he wants to change the world, it's good, but I personally like it more when Nas is on his QB, ignorant n*gga sh*t. When he's on [a] 'Made You Look' you know when he's on his arrogant sh*t. When Nas dumbs himself down, he's nicer to me. I tell him that sh*t all the time. Just over a break beat. When he's on some n*gga sh*t, he's nicer." (MTV)
On the other hand, lyrical emcees like Lupe Fiasco have addressed today's rappers and their lack of rhyming skills on tracks like "Dumb It Down."
"You goin' over n*ggas' heads Lu (Dumb it down)," his chorus rapped. "They tellin' me that they don't feel you (Dumb it down)/We ain't graduate from school n*gga (Dumb it down)/Them big words ain't cool n*gga (Dumb it down)/Yeah I heard Mean And Vicious n*gga (Dumb it down)/Make a song for the b*tches n*gga (Dumb it down)/We don't care about the weather n*gga (Dumb it down)/You'll sell more records if you (Dumb it down)" ("Dumb It Down")
Nas has been known throughout his career for mixing advanced lyrics with urban stories of street life.
Despite dropping out of school, Nas developed a high degree of literacy that would later characterize his rhymes. At the same time, though, he delved into street culture and flirted with danger, such experiences similarly characterizing his rhymes. His synthesis of well-crafted rhetoric and street-glamorous imagery blossomed in 1991 when he connected with Main Source and laid down a fiery verse on "Live at the Barbeque" that earned him up-and-coming notice among the East Coast rap scene. (All Music)
Nas was recently chosen to headline this year's popular Rock the Bells international tour.
Rock the Bells 2009 performances by KRS-One, Nas, House of Pain, Reflection Eternal, Damian Marley, Tech N9ne, K'Naan, RZA, Big Boi, La Coka Nostra, Slaughterhouse, M.O.P., Slum Village, Buckshot, Common, Big Boi, Evidence, Alchemist and more. It will be hosted by KRS-One, Supernatural, Murs and Pete Rock. Additional artists to be announced. The North American portion of the tour will run from June 27 to August 9. (Guerilla Union).

Blackout 2 Redman/Method Man +

Redman To Eminem, "I Will Leave [Def Jam] Right Now For Shady" [Video]

http://www.sohh.com/2009/05/redman_considers_joining.html

"Even like Shady, even to have that idea, or Eminem to even have that idea like thinking Redman was gonna be off Def Jam and he coming through is a privilege," Red explained. "Like, I will leave right now and go over there to Shady. I don't care, 'cause they still doing hip-hop and I love it. Anybody supporting it, I'm there. Big up to Shady though, but I ain't off Def Jam yet, f*ck. But I'm there though. I'm still rockin'. Come get me for a record though, let's make it happen." Redman!!

I am wondering a lot how these industry cats are pushing albums, and how they reflect sales, look at Ross-Kanye -Jadakiss and everybody...50 brought it up last year in the Good V. Bad (if you can call it that) battle but I have yet to get a full answer from anyone...

Will research this and get to the bottom of it, but this is a nice vid-talks heavy on dropping a LP, and show some love on May 19...Grab the album!!

Chester French....What Happened?

I am one who stands strong agaist the industry, and proud when I see small acts make it big...or get pulled up to the bigs by someone who is true to there art form in the industry. So, when Pharell grabbed two Harvard grad's and signed them to Star Trek, I said to myself what happened to Roscoe P.
But these two men are perfect for 2009, and should be a standout, at least I thought. It is really shitty that good music doesn't find its way to the top of the billboard charts. I blame marketing all the way. Clipse is another out of the Star Trek camp, who I believe put out a classic in Hell Hath no Fury!

THIS IS A CLASSIC!!!

HiphopDx gave the new album a solid review, 4/5 stars but somehow after Rolling Stones calling them the next Beach Boys, not the best comparison but I would take it, now has called them the next Vampire Weekend...WTF!!
This is a fresh album that snaggs some hip-hop flavor and its fresh-different-and orginal. I am not mad that they didn't get great reviews, or that they didn't sell a mill in the frst week...but the fact that they crash in burn in sales/reviews.

77 (opening in on the charts)
Chester French
Love The Future
6,300
6,342