Source: RR

With the Fourth of July weekend upon us I can’t help but to reminisce on those long summers as a young’n running the streets of Atlanta causing mayhem. For any individuals in Atlanta at the time they can remember the soundtrack that accompanied those “HOTlanta” summers. Majority of songs found on that soundtrack were usually dance tracks with heavy use of 808’s. Remember going to a cookout hearing Kilo Ali’s “Show Me Love,” or how about down at Cascade skating to KP and Envy’s “My Boo.” The list of artist who contributed to the bass era that rocked Freaknik and the city is too long to mention in this article. I just wanted to take the time to acknowledge an era in hip hop (yes hip hop) that wasn’t taking seriously but for us ATLien’s it was very serious. Whether you were rag topping, bankhead bouncing, doing the get out or just grinding on the first gyrating young lady you saw this was a time full of fun and adventure in Atlanta. This is a shout out to all the unsung heroes of bass music. You guys will never be forgotten. Before Gucci Mane, T.I., Young Jeezy, Shawty Lo and others we had our bass heroes who kept us dancing and having a good time. I salute you SHAWTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Here are just a few of the songs that molded the Atlanta party scene doing that time.

Download audio file (02-Hear-What-I-Hear.mp3)

Download audio file (06-Tootsie-Roll.mp3)

Download audio file (07-2-Much-Booty.mp3)

Download audio file (08-Cant-Stop-the-Rock.mp3)

Download audio file (09-Get-Retarded1.mp3)

Download audio file (15-Shake-Whatcha-Mama-Gave-Ya.mp3)

June 27, 2011 the hit television series Unsung profiled (apparently Brooklyn’s first son) Big Daddy Kane. Now if you’re looking awkward at the previous statement “apparently Brooklyn’s first son,” I can explain. I was born in 1984 so I came up on the rap music of the nineties. Back then when the expression was used “Brooklyn’s first (or only) son” it was usually attributed to The Notorious B.I.G. or Jay-Z. The only thing that I knew about Big Daddy Kane was “Ain’t No Half Steppin’.” Never knew that this was the guy who influenced both Jay, B.I.G. and a list of others. Never knew of his heavy influence on rap doing his era and the influence he would have on the next era of MCs. Watching Unsung Kanes peers pretty much credited with bringing “swag” to rap. Not only was he a beast on the microphone he was a sex symbol. Guess you could say fellas wanted to be him and ladies wanted to be with him. I always knew Jay-Z held Big Daddy Kane in high regards but didn’t know-that in a way-Jay would have to credit Kane with giving him that chance, don’t u think? Hell I thought Kid N’ Play popularized the high top fade but nope….thats our boy Big Daddy Kane. Did you think LL Cool J was the only one to lay his heart out on a track to females? Naw Kane was on it as well. For your viewing pleasure here is the episode of Unsung I feel everyone should watch. Whether you may have have forgot or if you never knew nothing about Big Daddy Kane, such as myself, GET FAMILIAR. KNOW YOUR MUSIC HISTORY PLEASE!

Never thought about an Estelle/Rick Ross collaboration but I’ve been humming this tune for a couple weeks now. Too be honest wasn’t to thrill by previous singles Estelle has released the past months but this is definitely it! Needs to be downloaded on any summertime playlist.

Killer Mike has blessed us with an album of epic proportions (no that is not an exaggeration) that is needed in anyone’s album collection this summer. “Pl3dge” is not just an album for people from the south; its an album that can be embraced by everyone. Everyone from that young cat in Zone 6 to that O.G. chilling on the stoop at any brownstone in New York. Great thing is that Mike-like always-finds the perfect balance of being a conscious rapper and still given himself to the streets that love him so much. Like one of Killer Mikes’ followers on twitter said: “thanx 4 makin niggas think when u rap and still keppin it gangsta!” GOOD WORK MIKE! (below is a link to the mixtape that came before the album)

While on the internet the other day I came across Mary J. Bliges video for her recent single, “Someone to Love Me.” Though this wasn’t my first time viewing the video I found myself watching the video as if it was my first time checking it out. Looking at Ms. Blige bop along to the beat with a swagger that rivaled that of P. Diddy’s and Lil’ Wayne’s I couldn’t help taking a trip back down memory lane and realizing why she was given the title “Queen of Hip Hop Soul.” Once again observing Mary with her b-girl swag on a thousand I thought about the impact she’s had on the hip hop community. I thought about all the rap artist whose songs were injected with a strong dose of estrogen when Mary did her thing on their song; in addition, I think of the incredible remixes she’s done with hip hop artist (most famously “I Love You” w/ Smif-N-Wessun) throughout her career. With the release of What’s the 411 in 1992 Mary claimed her spot in music history & etched out a lane that many female artists has tried to follow afterwards. Before her Grammy award winning collaboration with Method Man I first caught Mary exchanging verses with Grand Puba on the What’s the 411 remix. Many people site that particular collaboration as her “break” which made the hip hop community heavily embraced her as their own, as their little sister if you will or as some have playfully said their “Auntie Mary.” Not too long after the release of What’s the 411 album we were hit with What’s the 411 remix album. On this album Mary hooked up with some of raps elite which further cemented her title as “Queen of Hip Hop Soul.” On there she had memorable collaborations with Craig Mack, Heavy D and my favorite the “Real Love” remix that featured the late, great Notorious B.I.G. From that point on Mary J. Blige has gone on to work with raps veterans (Jay-Z) as well as raps rookies (Drake). The aforementioned “All I Need” with Method Man is still a classic and is even credited with being the song that introduced rap/R&B marriage that flooded airwaves in the 90’s going into the new millennium. You have to ask yourself would Jay-Z’s “Can’t Knock the Hustle” been as epic without the beautifully, depressing croon of Mary on the hook? Would “All I Need” been a Grammy award winning song without the help of her raspy voice? Would you have liked Ghostface Killah’s “All That I Got Is You” as much if Mary didn’t come in at the end and mirror the same story Ghost rap about only through song? Some even question did Mary aid in the exposure of Smif-N-Wessun to an audience that wasn’t familiar with their “Bucktown” roots. Whether you agree with those ideas or not one thing is for certain; despite the list of female entertainers that has come and gone since ’92 Mary has been there and isn’t going anywhere. She has built an incredible resume just off of remixes of her songs. Those songs have featured the cream of the crop in rap music such as LL Cool J, Lauryn Hill, Mr. Cheeks, Foxy Brown, Keith Murray and the list goes on. Even as a feature on rap artist songs (Mobb Deep, DMX, Fabolous) she has been a “beast” and lived up to her title as “Queen of Hip Hop Soul.” Later this year Ms. Blige plans on releasing “My Life II: The Journey Continues” and I’m sure it will be another one that not only the R&B world rocks to but the hip hoppers as well. ALL HAIL THE QUEEN!

Eminem is now the most “liked” living artist on Facebook after overtaking Lady Gaga for the distinction. Slim Shady currently has over 28,883,000 ‘likes’ on the website, as opposed to Gaga’s 28,872,000, and he is currently averaging over half a million ‘likes’ a day, according to Famecount. If he keeps going, he will soon surpass Michael Jackson as the most ‘liked’ artist on Facebook overall, since the King of Pop currently has 29.1 million ‘likes.’

 

Make sure that you follow @ContactAtlanta on twitter and check them out at www.ContactAtlanta.com !

I really enjoyed this one!!!!