Who says Hip-Hop is Dead? RESPECT. will be giving away two tickets to see Biz Markie, Big Daddy Kane and the rest of the Legendary Juice Crew in St. Montclair, New Jersey at the Montclair’s Wellmont Theater. The Juice Crew, which are Queensbridge-based artist were founded in the mid-to-late 80’s. The crew consists of Hip-Hop greats such as Big Daddy Kane, Biz Markie, Kool G Rap, MC Shan, Craig G, Marley Marl, Roxanne Shante and Masta Ace.

The Juice Crew, helped launch the careers of Big Daddy Kane, Biz Markie, Roxanne Shante’ and Kool G Rap. Now all the artist are coming together to collaborate and perform some of their greatest and chart topping hits in Montclair! So if you want to be a part of history in the making and see The Juice Crew, you MUST do the following:

• Follow RESPECT. on Twitter (if you don’t already)
• Retweet the tweet that RESPECT. puts out about the concert.

It’s really that simple! Just in case you need a refresher of whom The Juice Crew is and their mastery lyrics, below is a little taste of what you’ll be missing out on if you don’t go and TWEET!

The concert will be held on December 30, 2016 at 8pm at the Wellmont Theater, 5 Seymour St. Montclair, NJ 07042.

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The post RESPECT. is Giving Away Tickets to See Biz Markie, Big Daddy Kane at the Legendary Juice Crew Reunion! appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

The Genesis:

Rap music is arguably the most influential genre of the last 30 years. This culture born from the slums of the South Bronx in the mid 70’s has transcended its original target demographic and is now pop culture to some instead of Hip-Hop culture. As everyone should know rap music started with the D.J. It was all about the D.J. that could make the crowd move during the park jams of the 70’s and 80’s.  The M.C. which originally meant Master of Ceremonies would come about and their main purpose was to hype up the DJ and represent their crew.  Over time the M.C.’s role would become more significant as competition arose between crews. Soon enough as we moved towards the mid to late 80’s and 90’s M.C.’s had obligations to write clever rhymes that entertained their audience. The standards were set and Lyricism was an integral part of being a rapper.  Aspiring MC’s of eras in the past battled to see who would reign in lyrical supremacy.

Lyrics are more important in Rap music than any other Genre. Although a rapper’s voice is extremely important in engaging their audience, traditionally there is an emphasis on utilizing words to convey your message in rap. In rap music you are always listening for potential “jewels” definition that an M.C. may drop when he “spits”. Lyrics in rap have taken many forms and many different creative styles. From utilizing witty metaphors to convey your point commonly known as “punch lines, or using your storytelling abilities, or you might be extremely creative with innovating new multi-syllabic rhyme patterns (an ability that was mastered and fore-fathered by rap legends Rakim and Kool G Rap). A unique kind of style is when an artist is not lyrical in the traditional sense but can evoke emotions through their words i.e. Tupac. These different styles usually honed on a street corner resonated with an urban generation during the Golden Era of Hip-Hop then went on to be adored by the rest of the planet. These individuals served as news reporters for the rest of America and spoke on the realities that go on in poverty-stricken urban environments. It’s magnificent that during the late 80’s and 90’s individuals who were the uneducated, downtrodden and forgotten turned their negative surroundings into beautiful artwork through their use of nouns and verbs.

Millennium Musicality

As the new millennium progressed, lyricism started to fade slowly from the genre. It seemed more apparent as time went on that it was actually not mandatory to be lyrically progressive to make hit records. Lyrics actually started to hinder a rapper getting a Number 1 hit so Simplicity became the phase. Towards the end of the decade though a new theory arose in rap music. This theory was spearheaded by Kanye West due to the fact that although he is a lyrical assassin in his own right he paid just as much if not more attention to overall production, melody, and experimentation on a body of work then he did lyrics. Kanye executed this to perfection but started a new trend in the process. Upcoming rappers no longer had to hone their skills on street corners,in battles, and cyphers in order to gain their respect. The emphasis became more on the “musicality of their work”.  A new era of rappers started actually  singing in order to get a more melodic feel on their records. Popularized by Drake, rappers no longer have to rap consistently for all the records on their album. Interludes have become love ballads, half of rappers albums are less lyrically inclined and more melodically inclined. Experimentation with EDM and other genres have become the standard in rap. Everyone is striving to be on a high level of “true artistry” as if rap prior to this innovation was not true artistry. The lyrical rapper is starting to be seen as an annoyance if he’s not experimenting with abstract sounds like a Kendrick Lamar.  On an Interview at Power 105.1 published in July 2014 when discussing the state of New York Hip-Hop, rapper French Montana stated “all the lyrical rappers I know are broke”Link here.

Real Talk:

This genre is rap MUSIC, so obviously melody and experimentation is extremely important. It’s actually Ironic that the early M.C. wasn’t the star of the show and was just a prop used to accompany the sounds of the DJ. During this era M.C.’s are accompanying the sounds of the producer more than they’re focused on being lyrically impressive. It’s almost like Rap went backwards in a sense. Artists like Future, Asap Mob, Travis Scott, Kanye (at times), Young Thug, and much more, serve as some of the current front men of this wave. Although at times they may have some bright spots, they are not necessarily trying to break new ground lyrically. This is a problem because we’re forgetting about the essence of this rap thing. In the past lives were changed from stories that were told “She’s 12 years old and she’s having a baby, in love with a molester who’s sexing her crazy”- 2Pac. Awareness was brought on the poverty-stricken conditions that was endured “ Because the streets is a short stop, either you slinging crack rock or you got a wicked jumpshot”-Biggie Smalls. We were impressed by a young fire spitter that spoke with wisdom well beyond his years “I switched my motto; instead of saying f**k tomorrow, that buck that bought a bottle could’ve struck the lotto”- Nas.  We were in awe of the lyrical dexterity of a blonde kid with severe drugs and family issues “But I’m debated, disputed, hated, and viewed in America, as a mother f***in drug addict like you didn’t experiment?”- Eminem

While I also hate the rapper who’s all about technicality but has no creativity when it comes to songwriting and making music, I also love the rapper who captivates an audience with just their words. Rappers are today’s preachers, orators, poets, and motivational speakers. As Minister Louis Farrakhan stated in an interview with Power 105.1’s The Breakfast Club “You rappers are the new leaders” “The biggest preachers don’t have as many followers as one rapper” link here.

We absolutely need our street poets in order to preserve our culture. The words are important!

PEACE!

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The post Rap Talk: Lyricism vs Musicality appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

“Whenever putting together a project I try to keep the grit of Raekwon’s ‘Only Built 4 Cuban Linx’ and Mobb Deep’s ‘The Infamous’ in mind” says 22 year old ChillxWill when discussing his new Almighty album with RESPECT. Mag’s Dread Solo. “When crafting the album I was trying to make sure you knew my story by the end. It is hand styles on trains at 2:00am. It is my story. Also, I recorded the whole album on 2″ tape to get that warmth, and vibration in the bass.” The album is critically acclaimed, and has been stirring up an ill buzz for the Tacoma, Washington emcee, and latest artist under Ill Adrenaline Records. He is apart of the BKR$CLB (Bakers Club) posse and works closely with Raz Fresco, who is simultaneously making big moves on the scene.

Almighty is now available on cd, cassette and digital download (two bonus records w/ purchase) with Underground Hip Hop and Fat Beats. Oh, but you’re a wax junkie? Place your vinyl order now at Chopped Herring Records.

Be prepared for a visual time machine taking you back to that grimy mid-90’s golden era we all miss – laced in vintage Fila, herb lit in Brooklyn project hallways and 40 ounces. With a drum pattern identical (or very similar) to Mobb Deep‘s 1996 classic Drop A Gem On ‘Em and a dusty bass line – it’s the perfect marriage. ChillxWill is taking you on a trip down memory lane in 2015. Though the original Warning record off this album is sharp, the remix by Mpadrum is raw and seemingly more suiting for this video. Below you can stream the whole album for free, with hopes that maybe it opens your eyes to a full purchase. Enjoy:

The post ChillxWill Returns W/ New Visual For “Warning (Mpadrum’$ Remix)” + ‘Almighty’ Lp Stream appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Masta Ace introduces the anti-industry theme swiftly, speaking directly to an artist who’s just barely cognizant of how much he’s getting swept up in the high life before Craig G comes in with a breathless series of stunning lines: “If B.I.G. was alive, would they say he fell off / since down South is getting more shine than up North? / … / They smile in your face, release some sort of statement / Start beef with your friends when you out on vacation.” G Rap ups the ante even further though, sounding just as advanced now as he did at his peak: “The dominant culture, corporations robbin’ like vultures / Dead philosophers they carve in the sculpture / We get the broken promises, momentary exposure,” calling attention to the continued lack of respect for hip-hop outside of its opportunity for a cash grab. Cormega bats cleanup here, spitting with even more ferocity here than on the original, clearly mad as hell: “Uncle Toms want to please the master / Fear of dominant strength so they keep you passive…/…/Basically I’m a pre-gentrification New Yorker in persona and performance / You can trace the style but can’t replace the aura.”

The post Premiere: Cormega feat. Masta Ace, Craig G., & Kool G Rap – “Industry” (Juice Crew Remix) appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Montreality caught up with Kool G Rap out in Brooklyn. The rapper discusses wanting to work with Eminem, the state of New York hip-hop and also shares the story of his first meeting with 50 Cent.

The post Video: Kool G Rap Montreality Interview appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Nardwuar, our favorite Canadian, caught up with Fabolous for another one of his meticulously-researched and nonchalantly hilarious interviews. They discuss strip clubs, the origin of Fabolous’ multi-syllabic rapping style, the ladies of Seattle and more. Watch below and pay attention: Nardwuar isn’t some forgettable, gimmicky interviewer. He really puts in work.

The post Video: Nardwuar vs Fabolous appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Phoniks is a producer from Portland who recently dropped a nostalgic album of remixed 90’s hip hop tracks called Basement Vibes. All of the gems that made the cut were already equipped with some of the best production of the 90’s, but Phoniks skillfully remasters them with in a way that is nothing short of flavorful and impressive. What could be better than a collected of classics with a dash of soul, jazzy horns, smooth saxophones, deep bass lines, and fresh samples? In truth, it’s hard to imagine how Phoniks was even capable remaking rap classics in a way that wasn’t corny or untasteful, but as you will hear, the new sounds on Basement Vibes are very welcomed.

01. mathematics – mos def (phoniks remix)

02. communism – common (phoniks remix)

03. these eyes – jay-z (phoniks remix)

04. take you there – pete rock & cl smooth (phoniks remix)

05. c.r.e.a.m – wu tang clan (phoniks remix)

06. fast life – nas & kool g. rap (phoniks remix)

07. kick in the door – biggie smalls (phoniks remix)

08. the world is yours – nas (phoniks remix 2)

The post New Mixtape: Phoniks “Basement Vibes” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.