bits and pieces

from SOHH.com:

It's official, the second annual Hip-Hop Super Conference and Expo will be taking place in New York on March 12th-15th, 2002. According to a press statement, the "'all-business' conference (with no parties) focuses on solutions, featuring experts from major entertainment companies who provide training, education and privileged information for participants in all areas of the music business." Last year's event featured over 10,000 participants and Hip-Hop notables such as KRS-One, Doug E.Fresh, RZA, Shyne, as well as industry execs from Wendy Washington (Sr. VP, Publicity, Universal) to Johnnie Walker (Sr. VP, Prom, Def Jam).
Next year's conference will feature over fifty major workshops and panels covering all aspects of Hip-Hop music and culture, including Law, Sound Engineering, DJing, Emceeing, Management, Journalism, Film, TV, Financial Planning, Fashion and Marketing.

I HAVE to go to this. I'm trying to find info right now to see how much registration is. Then I'll take time off work. Then I'll buy a plane ticket. Then find a couch to sleep on in NYC.

So last night at therapy will be my last session until mid-January. She's going to Argentina for 6 weeks. Though I will send weekly e-mails (e-sessions, as she calls them) and we'll have one phone session about half-way through. December 20th at 6pm. I'm writing it down in case I forget later.

Today on my lunch break I think I'm going to shop for a winter coat at Sym's. I have a fall coat, and a sub-sub-zero coat, but nothing for the other 80% of Chicago weather.

Where the fck you get heart from?

Let's review.

According to Webster's:

ghet·to
n. pl. ghet·tos or ghet·toes

1.A section of a city occupied by a minority group who live there especially because of social, economic, or legal pressure.
2.An often walled quarter in a European city to which Jews were restricted beginning in the Middle Ages.
3.Something that resembles the restriction or isolation of a city ghetto: “trapped in ethnic or pink-collar managerial job ghettoes” (Diane Weathers).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And now I go to a staff meeting. How terribly exciting. Though I do believe we're going to draw names for the holiday gift-giving.

I'm a teacher, c'mere, lemme teach ya.

(For future reference, don't quote Memphis Bleek if you're looking to be taken seriously.)

Hip Hop is an art form that includes deejaying [cuttin' & scartchin'] emceeing/rappin'.
breakdancing (bboying) and grafitti art.
Read more at Davey D's site.

Of course, nowdays most folks don't deal in graf and bombing, or in breaking or bboying. Which is a shame, but just being real. So when someone says "hip hop" they probably mean equal focus on the DJing/producing as well as the rapping/MCing. Versus a straight-up rapper who's talent is words and lyrics and delivery and if their beats sound decent, it's a nice after-thought but not the main focus. Personally, I'm more of a hip-hopper.

Now, let's list some examples of folks who might be categorized as "hip hop" incorrectly.

Mary J. Blige aka the Queen of Hip Hop Soul.
Bless Mary -- I love her. But she's not hip-hop. She's an R&B singer. Some of her singing is done over hip-hop beats, which is why she was fresh and different and innovative.
Pink
NOT hip-hop. A singer. Last album was basically R&B, with some hip hop influence.
Destiny's Child
same as above. While on the subject, using samples does NOT automatically make something hip-hop. Having a rap verse on your song does NOT make you hip hop. That's just plain ole genre-blending.
Craig David
Love him. Not hip hop. R&B, with some great remixes done by hip-hop and 2-step producers.

If the person is just straight-up singing the whole time, they are NOT hip hop.

Limp Bizkit
NOT hip hop. Not even rap.

Many things labelled "rap-rock" are actually people yelling over rock music, versus singing over rock music. Beware of imitators. Rage Against the Machine and Red Hot Chili Peppers could possibly be described as rap-rock, though I would perhaps just call them genre-blending rock bands.

(Side note: NSync's song 'Pop' is also not hip-hop or hip-hop related. It's 2-step garage.)

Now, let's give some examples (these are all statements that people have said to me, except I've made them musically (and culturally) correct):

"Timbaland is currently a hot hip-hop producer who's also bringing that influence to R&B singers such as Aaliyah."

"Method Man is my favorite MC (rapper) in Wu-Tang Clan."

"Britney Spears new pop single is a lame attempt to use hip hop beats and capitalize on the genre-blending phenomenon. Everything since 'Say My Name' and 'There You Go' seems watered down."

"Nikka Costa is a great R&B/soul singer with some funky instrumentations." (Notice the lack of mentioning 'hip hop' or 'sounding black', a phrase which should generally never be used).


Perhaps I shall print this off as a pamphlet and hand it out to inquiring minds. I have conversations related to this subject at least once a month. And in the weirdest of places -- elevators, bookstores, record stores, staff meetings, parties.....
I can also add an insert defining such words and phrases as "bling-bling", "rocking ice", "breaks", "crunk", "playa haters", etc. etc. since I get asked those questions a lot too. Not that I totally mind. I'd rather have white folks coming to me and asking questions -- it's my job, after all. For the most part, as long as people genuinely want to know something, and aren't just asking a question as some way of demanding validation, I have no problem breaking things down. I sort of am still recovering from dating someone who genuinely wanted to know things, but her tone was always uber-defensive seemed to indicate that I had to justify my answer. I think I'm better now.

Is shrimp your favorite food?

I have a new coat.

No, really, I do have a new coat. This isn't like that "new scarf" I have.

It's very snazzy and warm and sleek and down and waterproof and has a removable lining and it retailed for over 200 dollars but I paid NOwhere near that.

And now it's nearly 3 pm on a Wednesday, which means my day is almost over and the week is half over. Tonight I will probably work on not one, but TWO mixtapes -- for Mr. ridleymae and for Little Miss wearemany.

Why do you keep asking me about work? I don't understand why you're so obsessed with my brother Mac. I told you I don't want to talk about it.

And just to reinforce myself, there are seven characteristics to sounds waves: frequency, amplitude, wavelength, velocity, phase, envelope, and......damnit. oh yeah, harmonic.
(I'm learning! Look, Ma, I'm learning!)

"Lies make the baby jesus cry" -- the_passives

( this is for MelRo. )

Hi! I'm Poster McPosts-A-Lot!

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