These words moved me.
Yeah, we just "reviewed" the same artist, same album last week.
But, my man put his pen game down better than most authors out right now.
So fuck it.
Just sit back, spark something or pop a top, cue the album & vibe with what you're about to read.
Words by JohnnyCage202
I'm not here to argue, debate, or bicker. I'm here to tell you the truth...
The truth is, "Trap Muzik" set the bar for the younger generation's next great emcee.
The truth is, "Trap Muzik" is what "Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101" was emulating.
The truth is, "Trap Muzik" marinated in the authenticity and ridiculous wit "The Carter 2" was trying to attain.
The truth is, "Trap Muzik" is the most introspective, realistic, intelligent, and articulate presentation of the life a hustler since "Reasonable Doubt"...
But make no mistake about, this was not the memoirs of a man who sold his soul to the game and chased money at all costs. For every "I never prayed to God, I prayed to Gotti. That's right it's wicked. That's life, I live it" from Jay, there's the polar opposite "Just think of us as chameloens, adapting to situations. But accusations of stealin'? Burglarizin' ya houses? Man you just hurtin' my feelins" from Tip. You can actually picture the guy holding the door open for an old lady with a .45 on his hip and like ten years in his pockets...
Put yourself in the shoes of a gifted man who feels his talent is wasting away and wants to see more from his life than drug dealing. Put yourself in the shoes a rookie rapper who watched his hard work and painstaking effort go to waste with his debut album. You got the shoes on? You laced 'em up? Now listen to "I Can't Quit" and tell me you can't hear this man's hunger and perseverance give every word an extra kick. Listen to how he meticulously crafted his verses and chose such a simple and honest deliverly to make it sound like he's just sitting across the table from you. I'm not from 8 Mile and I never threw up my mom's spaghetti, but I know all about the 1/2 determination and 1/2 "I don't give a f k" attitude that comes along with "As long as it's somebody up in heaven who keep blessin' the G, T.I.P'll still be blessin' CDs. So haters you can see these! Cuz I'm back now with something to prove. Everything to gain, pimpin; nothing to loose..."
Before Mr. Wall officially took the title, The People's Champ was T.I.P; they loved him, he loved them.
"I'm well known in the hood like the dopeman's phone number.
Roll anything I can throw some 24s under.
N s talk bad bout the man, but I sure wonder:
Why the dopeboys f k wit 'em and the h s love him?"
They f ed with him because he was them. If they had talent to rap and the amazing gift to craft rhymes, they would've rhymed like Tip. When they came back from seein' their P.O. tired and agitated, and they don't feel like agruing with their little brothers and tellin' 'em to stay in school, they put on "Be Better Than Me." To that one dirty kid in the back of your class (you know, the kid you'd feel guilty about joking on becuase you knew his situation was f ed up), Tip spoke to him too. "Never be ashamed of how you live or where you from, 'cause when you stack a mill, n z will see how far you've come." You'd think the dude did nothing but read Kipling before goin' in the booth. He personified the frustrations and hope of the common man, but nothing seemed forced...
"Trap Muzik" was balanced. For every "24s", "Look What I Got", and "Bezzle" that gave you the material highs of a dealer, there was and adequate and graphic depiction of the emotional lows. Tip wasn't the dude to point the fingers at everybody and blame it all on society. "T.I. vs. T.I.P" and "I Still Luv You" showed you a man who not only had no problem taking full responsibility for his foolish actions.
If Jay's father could rhyme and could answer Hova's "Where Have You Been?", it would most likely sound like Tip's last verse on "I Still Luv You":
How could I criticize my daddy on that last verse?
Lookin' at my own dirt, n a you got some nerve.
But be that as it may, I got some s t to say;
It's been a secret, I can't keep it for another day.
I got a lil' girl, not just two lil' boys
And that's been killin' me inside, eatin' me alive.
And I can't find the words, nor the nouns or verbs
To express what you deserve. Girl, you worth the world!
But I'm a man and I ain't perfect, if you hear me out,
I'll tell you what had happened, when, why, where, and how.
Me and yo mama met, we kinda kicked it off,
But we wasn't 'posed to have a baby, we was just chillin' out...
On the one hand you wanna lean on him for ditchin' his daughter, but then on the other hand your proud of the guy for finally accepting his responsibilty...
There was no wasted verse on "Trap Muzik". There was no half song or ridiculously cheesy radio single. "No More Talk" was a lyrical blast to every individual who continued to doubt his skill, and a scolding to every rapper who continues to market mediocore rhymes to the hood. "If you ain't bussin' bout nuthin, then we ain't equal. You just cussin' for nuthin and poisonin' people, and it's embarrassing laughin' at all of your songs." [Dre 3OOO] "The South got sumthin to say!" [/Dre 3OOO]
At things that begin must come to an end. If you live a life of crime, there are two garunteed endings: death, or jail. "Long Live The Game" is Tip in his best element, story telling, but there is no happy ending. The shine of his '96 Impala or the steel in his lap offered no help with the Feds on his tail. Dying at the end of the song, Tip joined the eery ranks of "Ready To Die" and "I Am" with the violent ending that fades to a haunting silence. You hear the choppers fly over and you can picture the crime scene of just "another dead n r" that probaly wouldn't even make it on the news...
I'm gettin tired of typing this, and I know the majority of you won't read all of this anyway, but listen to "Trap Muzik" now and listen to how it still holds up with any album released after it. I said "Trap Muzik" was classic when it dropped, and that people wouldn't realize who good it was until years later. When XXL first reviewed it, they gave it an "L", in true plea coppin' fashion, they re-reviewd it and gave it a "XL" this past summer...
It's classic. I'm tellin' ya like I always have...
JohnnyCage202
T.I. - Trap Muzik
Added bonus....highly slept on and a definite precursor to the above album. Seemingly hard to come by as well so get it while you can.
T.I. - I'm Serious
This joint has been leaked as the advance. Thirteen tracks. I've had it for over a week & it sounds like some b-grade material or whatever. It's got a few cuts but I haven't actually been able to give it a thoro listen. Listen & judge for dolo.
T.I. - The K.I.N.G. [Advance][2005][GroupRip] Fresh Link
And, admitted, I'm about to hop on this man's bandwagon. The self-titled album was high quality R&B. It didn't have the typical formula that's so heavily copied; instead it was somewhat of a sonic listening experience.
Van Hunt - Acoustic EP
Van Hunt - Napster Sessions
By request (and still up from the previous time it was upped)
Van Hunt - Van Hunt
And here's an ill little Christmas collective. Already said I'm not a big fan of Xmas albums because they seem too much like they've been put together in the studio. But with Keys on board & his ear for what's hot, I actually gave this a strong listen and enjoyed it. Check for a tracklisting, dl and enjoy...oh yeah, I'm definitely vibing to the Mary J./Angie Ma collabo and I ain't even from NYC lol.
VA-DJ_Keyz-Spend_The_Holidays_with_Keyz-(Bootleg)-2005
Oh yeah...Neilthe206King had been gettin at me for a minute to find this joint for him. I thought it was pretty much impossible. Well...FINALLY. Here it is. Stay tuned for more 90's/early 2000's mixtape classics.
The Five Deadly Venoms of Brooklyn Mixtape By Tony Touch, P.F. Cuttin', Mister Cee, Evil Dee and DJ Premier
Part 1 Part 2
And just a tip...somebody save this besides me. Saying this album is hard to find is a pure understatement. Take it from someone who's had to search for it on three seperate occassions.
Dame Grease Presents Live on Lenox
• Respect due to JohnnyCage202, Slayer & everybody else who chipped in to make today's joint today's joint.
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(But I must say it's not that bad...I been going back diggin up old dusty ass tapes lol.)
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Salute!
Gotty™
Stray Shots
Lyfe Jennings - Live At The House Of Blues 2005
Beyonce - Speak My Mind - 2005
PW is most
Donell Jones - Journey Of A Gemini (Advance)
VA-Ludacris_Presents_the_DTP_Family_Affair_ Mixtape_Compilation-2005
DJ Keyz & DJ Envy present Fabolous - NY Transporters
Dave Matthews Band - Weekend On The Rocks 2005(2CD) [Retail][2005]
A-Hollyhood_And_Young_Jeezy_Presents_Young _Jeezy_And_The_Hittmen-Bootleg-2005
VA-Get_Rich_Or_Die_Tryin-OST-2005
NWA And The Posse (1987)
Ice T - Rhyme Pays
Eric B. & Rakim - Paid In Full
Mad Lion - Real Ting
KRS-One - D.I.G.I.T.A.L.
Ill Bill - Howie Made Me Do It
Prince - The Rainbow Children
Howard Hewett-The Very Best Of
Jimi Hendrix - First Rays Of The New Rising Sun
Part 1 Part 2
The Police - Every Breath You Take: The Classics
PW is www.redlightglow.com
The Brothers Johnson - The Best Of The Brothers Johnson
PW is strawberry
Eric Sermon - Double Or Nothing
Ohio Players - Funk on Fire The Mercury Anthology
Part 1 Part 2
PW is rollercoaster
