Month: January 2006

Do you listen to rap music because Eminem and Snoop Dogg are « cuties »? Because you’re star struck? Because rap is « so popular » and all of your friends listen to rap?
Or do you listen to rap music because you ‘re a true hip hop head, because you do not only love how the music sounds, but because the culture in which this music was born has a meaning to you?
I am proud to belong to the persons you’d qualify as « hip hop heads ». I do listen to mainstream and underground hip hop artists, from old school to new school rappers. I love the music and the culture.
D12’s Bizarre claims in his « Hip Hop » song, « Hip Hop is a way of life ».
Yes, hip hop is something you live out every day when you’re into the culture. It doesn’t mean to be dressed in urban clothes and walk around swearing all the time, thinking you are cool. Many middle classes kids act that way, but cannot claim to relate to hip hop culture.
Rap music has a meaning. It was born from black folks’ pain. It symbolizes the rebellious fight of ghetto people for more equality, peace and justice. To be able to relate to rap music and to understand the true meaning of hip hop culture, you must have lived in the ghetto, been close to those who suffer and experienced their pain. Otherwise, you might understand the words, but they remain a fiction for you.
Rap music haters often object that the lyrics are offensive and violent. Oh yes, they actually are. Did you ever search the meaning behind that offensiveness and violence?
It is the voice from hell you comfortable people don’t wanna hear about! A hell created by governmental and police discrimination. The voice of the poor and underprivileged. A voice some of you would like to be shut down.
Walk a mile in their shoes and you will understand what rap and hip hop are all about.
Rap music and hip hop culture are part of me. I wake up with rap music every day. The hip hop attitude is my way of life, I have the spirit of an emcee inside of me and I will keep defending hip hop, no matter if the music or the culture are « in » or not.
Don’t care if rap music is popular or not. Don’t care about bling bling rappers. Do care about the meaning behind the words coming from the mouth of a true emcee. They will teach you the true meaning of life.

Damian Knight…expect some hot Detroit sounds…stay tuned, folks:)

Don’t you hate tabloids? Hailie’s name is mispelled in this article.

EMINEM’s estranged mother is thrilled the rapper is re-marrying his wife KIM because she hopes family life will help end the rift between them.
DEBBIE NELSON, 50, admits her rap star son is secretly helping her pay medical bills as she fights lymphoma and now she’s hoping Eminem, real name MARSHALL MATHERS, has mellowed out and will welcome her back into his life.
Nelson says, “I thank Marshall for helping me stay alive… I want to be around to see my granddaughter, HAILLIE, grow up. That’s what keeps me going.”
But Nelson admits she hasn’t seen the 10-year-old since Eminem severed ties with his mother after a public slanging match in 2000.
She adds, “Now that he’s getting his life back on track with Kim, I’m hopeful that someday we’ll be able to reconcile and move forward, to get beyond all of the hurt and bitterness.”
That hoped-for reconciliation will have to wait until after Eminem re-weds Kim on 14 January (06) because the rapper hasn’t invited his mother to the ceremony.

Dirty like the D, like the Dirty Dozen or like Detroit emcee Malikai?
Detroit underground emcee Malikai will come up to you with an apocalyptic and hardcore vision of the world and of the Detroit hood in particular.
Malikai’s raw instrumentals and hardcore lyrics are here to make you feel uncomfortable on purpose.
To those who would be tempted to criticize Malikai’s negative lyrical content, I’d like to say: since when is an artist supposed to talk only about beauty and happiness? When you have lived in the streets of Detroit, you are more likely to draw a picture of ugliness and desperation. So let the comfortable people from the suburbs make their happy raps and let a D-boy be a D-boy and tell the things the way they are.
The D town obviously inspired Malikai.
Pop That Work That is a very dark sounding track with a techno background and some catchy beats. Malikai is ready to spit his venom and comes up with a harsh P.I.M.P style.
Do What I Wanna Do is as offensive as Malikai’s first track. The track is all about the dirty details of hood life. « I do what I want while you do what you can » raps Malakai. Pimping and drug selling are the easiest way to get money when you live in the hood. Enter into Malikai’s dirty world, let the dark keyboard sounds and beats guide you… open your ears and feel…unsafe.
Cain’t Fall Off is the confident track of a soldier handled on a dark musical background. Cain’t Fall Off will teach you about the harsh struggle to make some « cheddar » in the hood where only the strong survive.
Jack Move That is written in a lighter note on a rapid rhythm despite the rough Detroit hood environment. Get that money and keep fighting in your dangerous area where guns can put an end to your life in no time.
The rhythm of the song is enjoyable and Malikai masters his flow delivery well.
Malikai found most of subject matter in the Detroit hood. Some of you might not like it, but he describes ghetto reality in its ugliness. He belongs to the real D-boys who won’t write their music just to please you.
As Dirty as the dirty murder Mitten can be, Malikai’s music is pure reflection of the hardcore drug selling and pimping Detroit ghetto reality. Hustling is a matter of survival in a dark daily landscape made of violence, drug deals, hustlers and dirty money.
Musically, Malikai has sought some inspiration in Dirty Glove Entertainment artist’s music. Definitely gangsta and Detroit dedicated, Malikai’s music is available here.

Do you remember the Detroit underground emcee who collaborated with Proof on Promatic?
Probably yes…Dogmatic is featured on the Sick Notes website…I suggest that you have look at it…Also, I will add it to the hip hop links on the Eminem blog.
If you never heard of Dogmatic, it is a golden occasion to discover the talented emcee! Go to the “artists” section and discover some info and pictures of the talented emcee…

that I wanted to share it with all of you. It summarizes and symbolizes the man’s passion for his music…a mic is all he needs lol
Hope you will like it:)

Early years
Earl Simmons aka DMX was born on December the 18th, 1970, in Baltimore, Maryland.
Only child of a single mom, DMX would soon move to the Yonkers, New York with his aunt. DMX would soon show talent as an emcee.
DMX’s music is characterized by his raw voice combined with some dark subjects matters. DMX is raw energy, he can get offensive and go deep at the same time. DMX’s music is a constant contrast of light and darkness.
While X Gonna Give It To Ya shows more rage and DMX’s offensive, videos like I Miss You aimed at his grandmother is very spiritual and deeply touching.
His music can be described as « good rhytmic noise » that won’t probably leave hip hop lovers indifferent. DMX combines light and darkness in his music and he is one mainstream emcees who can be praised for their realness and the beauty of their music.
In the early 90’s DMX was signed to Columbia Records. His first album, that came out in 1992, was called Born Loser. His first album didn’t bring the expected success, so DMX wanted to come up in a rougher way.
DMX started collaborating with many hip hop artists such as LLCool J and Ma$e.
In the late 90’s, DMX Joined the Ruff Ryders label.
Career and Court trouble
DMX’s next album, It’s Dark And The Hell Is Hot came out in 1998 under the Def Jam Records label. The album, which went 4 times platinum, sold over 4 million copies.
Shortly after the release of his album in 1998, DMX was confronted by trouble: unjustifiably accused of raping a stripper in the Bronx, he was cleared of all charges by DNA evidence.
DMX’s second album, Flesh Of My Flesh, Blood Of My Blood was completed at the end of 1998. The album went triple platinum.
DMX started touring with Jay Z, Redman and Method Man in 1999.
Unfortunately, new obstacles would soon occur in DMX’s life.
A warrant for his arrest was issued in Denver, because the police thought he was involved in a stabbing. However, the talented rapper would be cleared of any charges later on.
Accused of assaulting a man who harassed his wife afterwards, the charges against DMX would be dropped again.
But misfortune kept following DMX. In Summer 1999, his uncle and manager was shot in the foot in a New Jersey hotel. The police found a purse containing his wife’s ID at the scene’s shooting at decided to investigate DMX’s home and obtained a warrant to investigate.
The police found some arms and cocaine pipes. The police filed charges for animal cruelty, weapons, and drug possession against the rapper and his wife.
At the end of 1999, DMX’s third album, And There Was X, was released.
His single « Get At Me Dog » quickly became a major hit.
DMX’s third album was a major success: it sold over 5 million copies.
DMX’s next album, The Great Depression (released in 2001), would offer a more introspective view of the artist, who had just solved his legal problems.
The Great Depression would be followed by Grand Champ in 2003 (yes, the album with the dog on the cover).
Grand Champ is a well handled album that contains the dynamic hit « Where’s The Hood At ».
In 2003, DMX announced his retirement from the rap game. However, he changed his mind and is currently working on a new album.
DMX, the actor
DMX started his acting career in 1998 with the movie Belly in which he played with Nas and Method Man. He played the role of Tommy ‘Burns’ Bundy in this drama.
In 2000, he starred in an action/ adventure film called Romeo Must Die.
He then played in another action/ adventure movie, Exit Wounds in 2001.
Caddle To The Grave was the next move in Earl Simmons acting career in 2003.
In 2004, DMX starred in Never Die Alone. Never Die Alone was based on Detroit novelist Donald Goines’ book.
Interesting facts about DMX
-as a kid, DMX was hit by a drunk driver
-Rapper DMX has his dog killed by a motorist tattooed on his back with the words One Love Boomer.
-DMX barks and growls while rapping
-DMX wrote an autobiography called E.A.R.L: Ever Always Real Life
DMX belongs to the contemporary hip hop legends. Check him out if you haven’t done it yet. His raw, hardcore, dynamic, real and spiritual style will certainly amaze you.

Police seek information on person who wounded Eminem protege Obie Trice on the Lodge.
George Hunter / The Detroit News
SOUTHFIELD– Police and family members of rapper Obie Trice were trying to find out why someone shot the Detroit native and Eminem protege as he drove home from a party early Saturday morning.
Trice, 28, was driving his sport utility vehicle on the northbound Lodge Freeway with his girlfriend in the passenger seat when, about 1:10 a.m. Saturday, someone in another vehicle shot him in the head, police said.
“The shot came through his back window,” Michigan State Police Sgt. Mario Gonzalez said. “He was struck in the head, but the bullet just grazed him.”
Trice managed to continue driving, Gonzalez said. “He got off the 10 Mile/Evergreen exit, then (Trice’s girlfriend, whose name was not released by police) flagged down a Southfield police officer, who contacted EMS.”
Trice was taken to Providence Hospital, where he was treated and released Saturday morning.
Trice’s grandmother, Delois Askew, said the rapper was shaken up by the incident.
“He’s doing fair, but he’s naturally quite upset,” Askew said. “It’s a puzzle why anyone would want to do this. Was it just a random incident, or did someone go after him? That’s what we’re trying to figure out.”
Police are also looking for clues, but so far the investigation has revealed little, Gonzalez said.
“We have very little to go on,” Gonzalez said. “We’re asking anyone who may have been on the Lodge at that time and saw the incident to contact us, because right now, we just don’t have much information.”
Askew called it a miracle that her grandson survived the shooting.
“It’s very unusual to get shot in the head and live,” Askew said. “It’s just a blessing he wasn’t hurt really bad. I’ve talked to his mother twice (since the shooting) and I talked to his other grandmother, and we’re all trying to figure out why someone would do this. He’s a happy-go-lucky fellow who tries to be friends with everyone.”
Trice records on Eminem’s Shady Records label. He recently released a new single, “Wanna Know.”
Eminem produced Trice’s 2003 debut album, “Cheers,” which went platinum, and Trice’s second album, “Second Round’s On Me,” which is expected to be released this summer.
Trice had a bit part in Eminem’s hit movie, “8 Mile.” Trice also stars in “Life Goes On,” a movie that is set in Detroit. The film is scheduled to be released Jan. 9 at the Sundance Film Festival.
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call the Michigan State Police at (313) 456-6600.
You can reach George Hunter at (586) 468-7396 or ghunter@detnews.com.

DMX and Detroit underground emcee Malikai…
Malikai makes some straight hardcore hip hop…expect him to get dirty…stay tuned, folks:)