“I have a whole lotta people back home that I want to include, but it’s like I gotta do it in a system, some people don’t even know they about to get the phone call. But I’m gon’ be like; “Yo, I know this is random but can you just fly to L.A. within a week?” It’s a real album so it’s a process.”

In the meantime, we await the “Self Made Volume 4” production from the MMG squad, so stay tuned for further updates.

The post Wale Announces Upcoming Go-Go Album appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Q: And you are a rap fan too, right?

Elton: People who mock rap, and say, ‘I don’t like it,’ they should go check out Kanye in the studio rapping. Or Eminem when he’s in the studio. It’s a phenomenon. Don’t knock it until you’ve seen it. It may not be your cup of tea, but don’t ridicule.

Elton has worked with Timbaland and Kanye, but his thoughts on hip-hop seem a little outdated.  His appeal to not “knock it until you’ve seen it”, I guess, would be a healthy message to send to his older generational peers, but–ironically–this quote was given in an interview with TeenMusic.com.

“Musical genius” is a term too frequently used.  In the kingdom of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.

The post Elton John, Late on the Train appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

DMV dwellers were surprised yesterday when #favoritegogoquotes popped up as a worldwide popular trending topic on Twitter. Go-go is one of those genres of music with huge potential but low probability of awareness beyond its birthplace. Easily classifiable as rock, rap, or many other genres, go-go was born out of funk by DC artist Chuck Brown. You might be familiar with his classic “Bustin’ Loose”, which the Neptunes later interpolated for “Hot in Herre” by Nelly. Or the Junkyard Band’s classic “Sardines, Pork & Beans”, a one-hitter-quitter produced by the one and only Rick Rubin, which was also later interpolated by Timbaland for his cut with Missy Elliott and Magoo, “Cop that Shit.” Today, go-go has evolved into a smashing and powerful genre of drums, drums, and more drums; that’s what it’s all about here. It’s the rhythm of an entire city, but go-go gets almost no spins outside of the Diamond District.

Recently, go-go has reached a new level of prominence mostly thanks to Wale, who incorporated the trademark swinging congas, timbales, and rototoms in his go-go-influenced music. Wale’s first success came from hip-hop remakes of old go-go songs that quickly became popular on DC radio, such as “Ice Cream Girl.” With producers Best Kept Secret, he further developed a sort of go-go-rap fusion that seemed all of the sudden less regional, like his single “Back in the Go-go” featuring Pusha T and Bun-B. For more hardcore go-go (if you can handle it), check out the online haven for all things related: GoGoCentral.com.

Maybe one day go-go won’t always warrant an explanation!

The post Go-go Trends on Twitter appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.