Nas - Daughters (Official Video)

Unfortunately, hip hop is vastly lacking when it comes to upbeat intellectual songs nowadays.

Leave it up to Nas to change the norm once again with his new track "Daughters."

Not your average single, but then again, Nas has  never been your average rapper.

Check out the new video and tell us what you think!

No Church In The Wild - Video Review?

Since being released earlier this week, the video for "No Church In The Wild" has caused major uproar, mainly because it doesn't feature Jay Z or Kanye West anywhere during the five minute plus timeframe.

Instead, it seems to represent an underlying theme that is becoming more and more prevalent in the music they've made together recently:

                          question religion, humanity, and everything surrounding it.

Directed by Romain Gavras, this video is extremely political and controversial, and quite frankly I could probably write a 20 page essay examining the theories/ opinions surrounding this detailed piece of art, but I'll keep it simple and summarize the main points that come to mind.

The video opens with a man holding a Molotov cocktail in his hand, it's apparent there's many supporters willing to fight this war with him.

 He then launches the flaming bottle at a barricade of police, and a riot ensues.

Jay Z's verse has the eerie lines:

"lies on the lips of a priest/ Thanksgiving disguised as a feast..."

Then he goes on to ask:

 "Is Pious pious cause God loves pious? 

Which seems to reiterate the ongoing "myth" that Jay Z doesn't believe in man made religions, some go as far to say he's involved with the Illuminati.

 Interestingly enough he compares himself to a God at the end of the verse:

"Jesus was a carpenter, Yeezy he laid beats/ Hova flow the Holy Ghost, get the hell up out your seats, PREACH" 

During the mayhem, clips are constantly shown of Greek God Statues, and as the riot in the video displays more violence, the statues are shown covering their eyes, almost as if to say "not even Gods can support this madness anymore."

On the back of one of the helmets belonging to a riot team member, is P94, which ironically enough can be quickly translated to Precinct 94 in Brooklyn, NY, fairly close to where Jay Z grew up and also well known for having the Pope visit in the mid 70s.

Following his visit, a street next to the precinct was named after him.

In the video, the rioters are fighting against the "enforcers" who are wearing P94 helmets quite often.

Why the number, there's got to be some significance behind it right?

Is this another "not so hidden" symbol blatantly denouncing government/ religion as a whole?
 
Kanye's lyrics go further into detail concerning the possible formation of "a new religion," and the destruction of religions as our society understands them.

"We formed a new religion, no sins as long as there's permission/ and deception is the only felony." 

The new religion seems to be centered on subjective reality, the idea that everything is ego driven, or in other words, each person should embrace his/ her beliefs and that's all that really matters. (research Thomas Nagel if you want further detail)

What do you think this video represents? Am I reading too far into the lines? Does Jay Z really think he's God or a God? Has he completely lost faith in our society and government regulations?

Or is he simply leaving a bunch of "clues" out there for fans like myself to purposely discover?

Being the keen business man Jigga's shown to be, knowing that drama sells, and will continue to in the foreseeable future?

I'll stop selling dreams now and let everybody formulate their own opinion........ enjoy the video.

OTIS Video - Jay Z and Kanye West

Who destroys a brand new $375,000 Maybach?

Well apparently Jay Z and Kanye West do..........for fun.

The superstar duo recently released their video for the hit single "OTIS" off their long awaited "Watch The Throne" album. The album shattered previous I Tunes records (the album was only released digitally) last week and easily debuted at #1 on the Billboard chart with an estimated $436,000 copies sold in it's first week.

In the video, Jay and 'Ye take blowtorches and chainsaws to the expensive whip, literally "blowin' the roof off."

They then hop in the converted Maybach for a joyride with some sexy models around an empty parking lot with an American flag waving in the background.

It's easy to see that these two rap icons are truly living the American dream.

The whole world seems to be dealing with negativity if you turn on your local news stations, so it's nice to see that somebody out there is still having fun with this life.

Video link is below.... what do you think about the album itself StopSellingDreams readers? Worth the wait or overrated? Let's debate!!!!!!

Blow My High Video Premiere - K Street

Some of the most memorable and successful music videos haven’t involved luxurious cars, cruise ships, and expensive jewelry, but rather a deeper look into an artist’s personal life.

K Street’s new video for his hit single “Blow My High” achieves just that as the Boston bred emcee brings viewers back to a mid 90s type of vibe with shots of his illustrious city and scenes of him and fellow DC FAM member Suits the Role Model laying down their lyrics in the studio,.

Add to the video a young version of K Street listening to tracks as a child, then fast forward to a scene with the present day artist getting ready to record his next hit and you have the perfect recipe for proving to Nas another reason why Hip Hop is far from dead.

“Blow My High” is a dynamic track that showcases the upcoming artist’s versatile flow and is bound to be the next feel good jam of the summer out in Boston, so Jammin' 94.5 DJ's better have their rotations ready.

The fast paced rhythm of the song compliments K Street’s creative punch lines and charismatic delivery to perfection, as he breezes over the beat, delivering elaborate prophecies of him conquering the rap game with a Jay Z -like hustler’s aura surrounding him.

K Street’s major inspiration for this hit single was his struggle with bridging the gap between pop and hip-hop without losing his cherished street savvy.

However, don’t you dare make the mistake of trying to call it “hip pop.”

The single has already captured the ears of clubbers and street hustlers alike, while allowing DC FAM’s prodigal son to stay true to himself and his urban persona at the same time.

“Blow My High” further proves that nobody, haters and executives alike, will ever blow K’s musical high or shine.

Call his style on the track suede, because the ambitious rapper has already mastered what most rappers refer to as swagger.

Old School, New School You Need To Learn Though...

Being a photojournalist and lover of ART, I am always compelled to partake in the latest and greatest of the beloved subculture of Art which we know as "music".

Whether it be alternative, rock, pop, hip-hop, R&B or even spoken word, it always moves me to see new found talent find its way in a pool amongst a host of giants, superstars and Mega-Talented artists.

Since there is nothing new under the sun, it's interesting and spectacular how truly creative, gifted artists can still find a way to make their material new and fresh for the times.

When I think back to my pops, and my grandfather, I think about how each of our respective generations view the other generations music and to a certain extent we are at ends but we still appreciate certain aspects of it.

After seeing my generation become the "older heads" now, its interesting to see how my perspective has gone from the young, hipster to becoming "the Old man" telling the new young kids to turn that racket off.

As I become the old head I do however have to wonder what's wrong with this new generation? When did it stop being COOL to be a veteran? It seems like that is all you hear now a days from youngsters wet behind the ears disregarding those that paved the way.

I would never discredit any person that came before me, but now it seems the "new school" gets a kick out of dissing anyone older than them. How can you diss"respect" someone that paved the way for you? Its okay to be competitive and think you are the best, but where does any new school person have the right to disrespect someone older.

For example, I am a photographer, a pretty damn good one at that, but why in the world would I disrespect world reknown, sensational photographers such as Annie Leibovitz or Gordon Parks to make a name for myself?

In the past, I recall Lil Wayne saying some remarks about Jay-Z and I wondered, "um, the audacity?" Now you have Lil B The Based God & Tyler the Creator, (who??? yeah I know) apparently taking shots a Kanye West?

Seriously, this new school mentality is insanity to me. Nasir Jones would never diss Rakim, Jay-Z would not take shots at Big Daddy Kane, and 2Pac nor BIG sure would come at Ice-T or Run DMC sideways just to make a name for themselves.

The respect has been earned by these legends and pioneers of the game and should definitely be given that due respect. This respect should be given especially since these artists successfully performed in an era completely different from today's Internet based industry driven by greed more say than passion and the love of the art.

To be clear, I'm not knocking any new school artist grinding and doing their thing, but let's be honest, these new cats have a long way to go before they can box with the throne. To these new guys trying to make a name for them selves, the solution is simple. Stop talking down on pioneers that did it better and longer than you, just make great music for the next 20 years and then after that, make your comments accordingly.

Decoding Jay-Z

“Question your reality and you might just discover your dreams along the way.” - ME

Shawn Corey Carter is one of the most successful businessmen of our generation.

However, the majority of our society recognizes him as his rap name alias, Jay- Z.

His long anticipated recent autobiography “Decoded” is literally the story of the American Dream and how a poverty stricken, confused young man from the Marcy Projects in Brooklyn defied all expectations and never gave up on his dream, even if it meant going through hell to reach his version of heaven.

“Decoded” is broken down into four different chapters revolving around his coming of age and leading up to current day issues.

In each chapter, he dissects several of his song’s lyrics so the reader can get a better understanding of the actual meaning of the song and his inspirations for recording it.

The epitome of the classic rags to riches story, Jay-Z is on another level and the small sample of his real life endeavors he reveals in “Decoded” is something one may think they’d only see in movies.

He has 11 number one albums, his own clothing line, a private jet, recently bought his wife Beyonce her own private island, has maintained one of the most successful independently funded record companies of all time, and played a major role in helping our country elect President Obama, whom he speaks with frequently and has already committed to playing an even larger role supporting Obama in the next presidential election.

Not bad for a poor young man from a single mother family, who felt heartbroken after his father walked out on his family and three other siblings when he was eleven years old.

After his father walked out on his family, Jay-Z was extremely upset and felt like if he his own father didn’t want him, who would?

But instead of allowing himself to give up, he followed the advice that he can faintly remember his father telling him at a young age, beware of all of your surroundings and question everything, even the obvious.

His style of rhyme writing is much like his tumultuous life in general, he jumps around from style to style, goes off on tangent on numerous occasions, and uses half rhymes to create what is arguably the most versatile and complex flow the industry has ever seen.

From chart topping singles like “Big Pimpin,” to social commentary dissecting the flaws in our society like “Meet the Parents,” Jay Z can ignite the club dance floor and make you contemplate life’s obstacles all without even breaking a sweat.

Initially, Jay Z didn’t want to be a legend, he just happened to become one.

From meeting Bono of U2, to hanging out with former President Bill Clinton, having a sit down meeting with Michael Jordan, and even proving Noel Gallagher of Oasis terribly wrong when he was quoted saying “No, I’m not having hip hop at Glastonbury,” and that Jay Z had “FUCKING no chance” of pulling off the performance.

Not only did Jay Z headline at the world renowned Glastonbury Festival, he entered the stage with a guitar draped over his shoulder and performed Oasis’ mega hit “Wonderwall.”

Although Jay singing isn’t quite the most appealing sound, the crowd went wild and the single for “Wonderwall” automatically started flying off charts after the performance, proving the fact that Jay had transcended the gap between hip hop and other genres of music.

He made Gallagher eat his words while proving that he’s way more than a rapper, but rather a visionary artist.

Oddly enough, Jay Z’s rap career officially began when he heard a young man named Slate freestylin’ on the street corner while hordes of people surrounded him as they bobbed their heads and danced to his rhythmic pattern of flows.

An observant young Shawn Carter felt his calling and as he states in “Decoded” when describing the life altering experience he thought to himself:

“All he had were his eyes, taking in everything, and the words inside him. I was dazzled. That’s some cool shit was the first thing I thought. Then I COULD DO THAT!”

From that night on Jay Z began jotting down rhymes whenever and wherever he could, eventually developing such a niche for rhyming that he eventually no longer had to write his music, it began flowing freely off his tongue whenever he heard a beat.

One thing I find phenomenally interesting about his fine piece of literary work is the fact that he’s completely honest to his readers and holds nothing back.

He takes credit for the incredible achievements he’s attained for himself, his family, friends, and our society in general.

However, the most commendable thing he does is pinpointing his many flaws, fessing up to dealing a ridiculous amount of crack cocaine in the late 80s and early 90s.

Those decisions are something that he’s not proud of, but he felt at the time were his only way out of poverty and into the music business that he desired to one day become extremely successful in.

He even confesses to the assault charge that was brought against him in 1999 stemming from an altercation with former friend and record executive Lance “Un” Rivera who had allegedly leaked Jay Z’s album “Volume 3…. Life and Times of S. Carter.”

When he addresses the situation in the book, he admits he lost control and regrets that his temper allowed him to disappoint his fans and supporters.

“I realized that I had a choice in life. There was no reason to put my life on the line, and the lives of everyone who depends on me, because of a momentary loss of control ….. I vowed to never allow myself to be in a situation like that again.”

“Decoded” is more than just the story of the evolution of an amazing artist and the growth of hip hop, it’s the story of a young man who’s become a mature adult and one of the most idolized musicians in the world.

The book is a must read for hip hop fans and entrepreneurs alike, nobody has embodied the American Dream more than Jay-Z during our generation.

King Of Hip-Hop??

2Pac, B.I.G., NaS, LL, Andre 3000, Eminem, Nelly, Lil Wayne and T.I. may all have some questions for the new XXL cover (out on newstands Sept 15) as they all have sold multi-platinum albums, and I don't mean collectively. I only mentioned these above names because at one point in time, these relative artists all released albums that sold at least 2.5/3.5 million copies which in today's market is almost impossible to do. Now if we are speaking solely based on lyrics then I would name a different list all together.

To be King, means you are the best, the top and the ultimate at a given point. Some people would say that their favorite rapper is the best, but what makes someone the best? Isn't being the best subjective? Who determines this "best of all?"

If we are going off of records sales and net profit then Jay-Z would probably be best. Beat production: Jay-Z usually has top notch production with beat makers, Just Blaze, Kanye West and Premier to name a few. A business man, he made the most money in a fiscal calendar year, more than Diddy and 5o Cent to be exact.

If we are going on relativity and influence to pop culture, I would have to give that one to Jay-Z as well. Jay-Z has literally changed the game multiple times to proclaiming what was cool and what was not as well as setting it in stone until the God MC proclaimed something else to take its place. "I dont wear Jerseys, I'm 30 Plus...Give me some crisp blue jeans and a button up!"

Sports jerseys, Crystal and Autotune sales have long since dimished, but I do admit to have been seeing people wear all black lately. HA HA. Jay-Z has also had back to back consecutive number 1 Summer smashes to put in your whip and make you wanna cruise an extra block just so you could repeat a song. (Ignant Ish, Dear Summer, DOA, the list goes on and on. Honestly, it seemed like when I was DJing back in the day, every time I would get inspired to make a new mixtape for the people, I would be motivated by a new song Jigga dropped. "Oh man, that's hot, I gotta make a new mixtape for the streets..." (It's true I am a fan of Jay-Z, but I also have Pac, NaS, and Kanye on constant rotation) so I have to give credit where credit is due all across the board.

Wait! Pac, Nas, Kanye, T.I., Common, I mean don't these other rappers have this same influence and credibility? I am really trying to figure out what makes Jay-Z the best or any given rapper for that matter. Some people could say LL Cool J is the G.O.A.T (Greatest Of All Time), or maybe Rakim? Some say, 2Pac or B.I.G. And the new school kids may say Lil Wayne.

Honestly, I think what makes someone the best is their ability to stay relevant to the times, consistence with their number 1 albums sales, a profitable money-maker for themselves as well as those around them and of course your peers acknowledging you as the king or best to go along with everything else.

I don't know if Jay-Z is the best but I can break down why your favorite rapper is NOT.

I'll start with Lil Wayne. Lyrically, he can stand own his own. When F. baby is on his mixtape weezy grind, his rap skill is astronomical, but sometimes weezy tends to go too far off with the alien talk you know with him being a martian and all. Plus Lil Wayne has been in the game for about 12 years but he has only since become relevant to mainstream in recent years.

Ask a new school believer of weezy wearing skinny jeans, what Lil Wayne's first album? They will probably tell you something made in the 2000's like The Carter 1. Ha ha ha, What about 500 Degrees and Lights Off? These were both great albums but didn't quite hit the mainstream core of success, meaning Lil Wayne doesnt have enough consistency or longevity being and STAYING on top; he's still to new to the "kingdom" if you will.

NaS. Probably has the best hip hop album of all time with Illmatic, but since he is a lyricist and not a rapper per se, he doesn't try to appeal to the mainstream and sometimes loses most main-streamers with his I-read-too-much am too-socially-conscious and too-smart-for-you dumb and average listeners. Luckily, I'm one of the smart ones...Or else I would have missed out on some of the classics Nasir Jones put out that most people missed the memo on.

Andre 3000. Bar none a beast, but never can stand alone because he always comes as a 2headed dragon with him being in Outkast which is a group.

Eminem. This is a touchy subject. Why? Because he IS white. I think Eminem is great, but I think some people put him on a pedestal and some people throw stones at him because he is white. So in all honesty, Em will never be judged fairly on his ability to rock the mic either by him being given a handicap(+) or a crutch(-). Not to mention does anyone remember Obie Trice? A black Eminem; an black average rapper?

2Pac/B.I.G. No matter how you put it, these two artists were definitely way ahead of their time but died way to soon in their career to determine how good or bad they would be. We will never know what life after death would truly be for Notorious or whether Makaveli would come back in 7 days to bring us more rapture; just always left wondering?

You're only as good as your last album, and B.I.G. had 2 albums and Pac, although he had 5 compared to someone such as LL Cool J with 13 or Jay-Z with 11 is almost impossible to judge based off of averages alone.

LL Cool J. Why Is LL Cool J not the GOAT? He has 13 platinum albums. The Ladies still love Cool James, and he is still relevant to the times. So what is he missing? Well, the fact that he is "missing" something that we can't quite put our finger on, and since it is solely based on this ability NOT to be able to determine what he is missing to be the Goat, keeps LL from being the GOAT.

After all of this criticism, I could be way off base and your favorite rapper could be the GOAT, but since being the best IS subjective it doesn't matter what I think or anyone else for that matter as long as you pay your &13.99 for your favorite artists album and pop it in your itunes to enjoy, that rapper is the GOAT! SSD on who's the best and just make sure you support YOUR local goat!

Weird Science 2009: Digital Girl Remix

It looks like the 80's really did a teach us a valuable lesson. Those that remember the teen flicks of the 80's such as, Weird Science, 16 Candles, and Ferris Bueller's Day Off, will remember that the director John Hughes (R.I.P.) really tried to implicate the possibility of communication and technology becoming a reality by teasing us with cool inventions not yet available at the time.

I remember as a child watching Weird Science thinking, that would be a great idea to be able to create a hot girl by making her on a computer. Look no further than 2009. Without a doubt, the form we know as social networking has taken over as the new mass medium form of communication period. With sites such as e-harmony, match.com and the advent of Myspace, Facebook, Twitter, Instant Messenger, ichat, BBM, Text, e-mail, smartphones, and web-cams, you may not need to put a bra on your head in order to find a girl. These sites are indeed a digital menu, meaning you can choose what you are looking for and voila, that magicial person appears in front of your computers monitor.

Jamie Foxx obviously is no stranger to digital media, marketing and social networking and I'm sure he also watched the John Hughes films growing up. Foxx, has released a new video and single from his latest album Intuition called Digital Girl (Remix). The song Digital Girl (Remix) features The-Dream, Kanye West and Drake. The Video is very futuristic and colorful, and I think John Hughes would be proud of what he started if he were here today.

Jamie Foxx - Digital Girl Remix ft. The-Dream, Kanye West And Drake

*video courtesy of http://www.worldstarhiphop.com/videos/

Earlier in the month, I posted a new song from Jay-Z's forthcoming album Blueprint 3 called Run This Town featurng Rihanna and Kanye West. With this new song and video, it seems as if Jay-Z is trying to assert his claim as Hov, the God by showing that "my teams too strong for yall".

Frankly, Kanye West and Rihanna stand alone as stars in their own right, so the three of them quite possibly could do what they say set out to do which is put The R...O...C. on the T...O....P. Here is the Video from the ROC conglomerate. Jay-Z's Blueprint 3 is set to drop September 11, the same day his original Blueprint album dropped 8 years ago. Let's see if the God MC still has the glow! As always, only time will tell.

Jay-Z - Run This Town

View New Video here

*Video Courtesy of www.WorldStarHipHop.com