Month: July 2006

My internet has been messing all the time and I have been unable to write anything. I am about to leave my apartment…The Eminem Blog will take a little pause until I will be settled in London. I’ll keep you all updated. Be sure that I won’t give up my passion for hip hop and for writing…
Next time I will post from England…Thanks to my worldwide readership:)

Ron Patterson/ Call That Love song review
Rating: 4 stars
People who know me well also know that I’m not a big R’n’B fan. Very few R’n’B singers have owned my respect.
However, I discovered an amazing R’n’B artist on a Brooklyn rap website a few months ago. His name? Ron Patterson.
Ron Patterson has developed an original style of his own. The talented artist combines a warm and deep voice with some good instrumentals and a good rhythm . He manages to create a quite magical atmosphere while expressing his deepest feelings.
Call That Love starts on a soft piano melody combined with sweet harmonica and keyboard sounds. How many times have we taken love for granted with a boyfriend or a girlfriend? Love is a fire that needs to be nourished every day. A relationship needs to be based on confidence.
Even though it is difficult, a good dose of faith in your partner is required, even in bad times, in order to make a couple work.
Ron Patterson expresses it very well in his song. His voice has some very emotional accents that he manages to combine with a quite rapid rhythm.
I’m sure I increased your hunger about Ron Patterson. Discover more about the gifted artist here.
Copyright ©2006 by Isabelle Esling
All Rights Reserved

taste this good old school flavor…Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five!

please read this satirical blog dedicated to Mr Sarkozy! I’m sure you’ll enjoy it:)

When leaders like Nicolas Sarkozy start to single out young people from the ghetto and talk about cleaning out ghettos from its « villains » with a karcher, we might question what motivates them most: the will to solve existent problems or to get rid of people with different skin colors and origins.
When both teenagers Bouna Traore and Zyed Benna were « accidentally » electrocuted in Clichy Sous Bois, (obviously trying to escape from the cops), it lead to major riots as a huge form of protestation.
In 2005, France was burning. Many people saw the fire, complained about it, but didn’t really want to look at the cause: a government tries to single out the youths that come from the legal emigration.
Living in a French ghetto means facing racial discrimination in front of employment, for instance, no matter if you’re a graduate or not. Employers just don’t give a fuck. You don’t have the right color, then your CV’s destiny is to end up in the trash.
Living in a French ghetto means to be condemned to live with the lowest sources of income with nearly no escape from your situation.
Living in a French ghetto means to face insecurity and violence on a daily basis. Thanks God, you don’t get shot there as easily as in American ghettos.
However dramas happen. Nobody helps you to get a decent job when you live in the hood. You are « trashy » , so you are supposed to be condemned to live with minimal wages while fat mayors cumulate two or three wealthy jobs.
It looks like Mr Sarkozy created a monster with his demeaning words towards young people of foreign origins.
It looks like some 14-16 year old French white boys and girls spread his ideology, talking about « cleaning up France with Blacks and Arab folks ».
Those young people are not even ashamed to used racist terms to qualify people of different skin colors.
You young morons need to be reeducated if your parents and school don’t do it for you.
You need to learn about French history, and about what happened in the French colonies in particular.
Your ancestors invaded many of those countries you complain about. They used people as slaves in order to make their economy turn. So first, if France used to be prosperous in the past, you owe it to those « foreign » people you despise. Your ancestors mistreated, enslaved, raped those people physically and mentally! Even envisioned it THIS way? If not, then you definitely should, you pieces of scum!
Moreover, many of the people you despise are of French nationality, whether they are Blacks from overseas or kids from people who emigrated in France. Immigrants whose workforce the French government exploited with no remorse after luring them into the country you claim to be yours.
You all need to grow some brains and to revise your own history. Many people don’t have the same color as you, but they have nevertheless the same rights as you. They are French citizens as well as you.
And if you really wanna apply to your racist beliefs, don’t buy bananas, pinapples and any kind of exotic product from abroad. Don’t buy any foreign brand of any kind. Never travel abroad, because anywhere else in this world, you’ll be viewed as the FOREIGNERS.
Screw racism. Parents, take your responsibilities and teach your kids the right way. Don’t encourage discrimination of any kind.
Be what you wanna be, but don’t be one of those brainless racists!
Copyright © 2006 by Isabelle Esling
All Rights Reserved

Rating: 4.5 stars
Obie Trice’s long awaited second album is hotter than July.
It is rich of great lyrical skills and many influences. After introducing himself in Cheers, Obie opens the second chapter of his story.
24’s is a club song in which Obie flows with confidence. Nice and various instrumentals are intelligently combined with ill beats and lyrics.
Obie Trice Ballad is definitely an interesting piece of work. Starting with a slow « Obie Trice- Obie Trice-Obie Trice » refrain in the background, the song slowly draws you Obie’ s life story.
Obie reminds his listeners that he came from the bottom and picture the harshness of hood life. Yes, young black men have it hard in the hood. Obie knows it. He’s been there too.
Catchy beats, guitar sounds, keyboards in the background spice up the well written track.
Cry Now is a wonderfully well written song where realness triumphs against fakeness. You wanted to kill him? Cry Now, enemies. Obie hits you with his words and he does it with confidence. I particularly enjoyed the instrumentals. Trumpets in the background reinforce the struggling atmosphere of Obie’s song.
Everywhere I Go is an intelligent 50 Cent-Obie collaboration that will make you fully appreciate both artists’ talent.
You could barely stay indifferent in front of the instrumental/ vocal jewel called Ghetto in collaboration with Trey Songz. The song has a wonderful gospel/ soul flavor, the vocals are touching and bring this unique black music flavor where rhythm/instrumental/ lyrics and deep feelings meet.
The song introduces into black souls’ pain in the ghetto. Obie will make you acknowledge how hard it is to live in the slums. The Detroit hood is the place where many bloody dramas and discrimination happen on a daily basis.
Ghetto is truly one of the best songs from Obie’s second album. I highly recommend it to all of you.
Also There They Go, that I first reviewed under the title D Town Boys is a great piece of work including Eminem and local Detroit talent Big Herk’s collaborations.
Kill Me A Mutha is a track aimed at annoying people you can meet in the club. Violins, keyboards and rhythmic beats make the track enjoyable.
Obie’s flow is enlightened in Lay Down. Soft violins contrast with Obie’s offensiveness.
Mama featuring Trey Songz is dedicated to Obie’s mom: Eleanor Trice.
Only mothers can see their sons cry. Only mothers know the pain and their kid’s personality. A few years ago, Obie exposed the beef that opposed him to his mom in Don’t Come Down and how he had to experience the hard side of street life in Detroit. Eleanor eventually reconciled with her son and has all reasons to be proud of him.
Violent starts with some dark piano sounds and gunshots. Flutes mixed up with violins and rhythmic beats will make the listener feel the reality of the streets.
Snitch combines Akon and Obie’s talents very well and exposes the problem of snitching that is so typical to the don’ts of the hood.
Globally, Obie Trice did some great lyrical work on his second album.
The only negative side of the CD are commercial tracks such as Jamaican Girl, They Wanna Know and All My Life. I didn’t like them that much.
However, one needs to recognize the great effort Obie Trice has put into his second album. Obie Trice, real name, no gimmicks.
Copyright2006 by Isabelle Esling
All Rights Reserved

Dedicated to my readership
Less than a week left until I leave for London City!
I am very busy right now, so those of you who are regularly in touch with me shouldn’t be surprised if I don’t reply to their emails as fast as I usually do. Between the reeducation hours for my back, domestic and administrative tasks and other little things to handle, my free time is quite limited at the moment.
However, I am excited to live in a big town such as London very soon. Also, I am happy to be able to grab bigger opportunities. I’m leaving with a positive mind and spirit.
Some people have asked me if I left my place with regrets.
My answer is : I won’t look back and I don’t regret anything.
I have very little to lose considering the economical and political situation in France right now.
Many people have told me that I was courageous to go to a country I didn’t know at all and to start an new life there.
Let me tell you what. I don’t feel like I am particularly courageous. I consider that you sometimes have to see where your priorities lie and make some sacrifices if needed.
Sometimes, you have to make decisions in the right direction at the right moment. That’s exactly what I am doing. I want to give myself more chances to succeed and if a little dose of courage is required for that, well then I gotta grab it with no hesitation and go forward.
The fear of breaking habits is something that prevents people from making some real progress in their lives. If you have to make some efforts to adapt to a different life style, then do it! It is that simple!
Why mentally jail yourself with habits that won’t help you to go further?
You don’t need to be courageous for that purpose, all you need is an open minded spirit. For the remaining questions and uncertainties, I’ll raise my hands to the sky like DMX and ask God for directions.
Ok let me go straight to the point: my places like blogit, The Eminem Blog and my space might take a little pause in August until I get settled in London with my sons. I don’t know when I will able to write again on a regular basis. However, I want you to know that it will just be a pause. I have a great passion for writing and for the music. Be sure I will keep writing for you all.
Please keep visiting me, even in my absence. I will keep you updated with life in London as soon as I can.
P.S: I’d be more than happy for any kind of advices regarding British hip hop magazines and about anything hip hop in the UK. Thank you so much.
Copyright © 2006 by Isabelle Esling
All Rights Reserved

Obie Trice, Second Rounds on Me review! stay tuned:)

Rating: 5 stars

« Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows. »
Psalm 23
Many emcees endorse a prophetic role and have some real constructive criticism to offer as social commentators. DMX is one of them.
In fact, emceeing is a hard task and you have to maintain a strong spirit if you want to counter the numerous attacks from your enemies. Moreover, your fight will make more sense if you are a person of faith.
In the name of Jesus, DMX raises his hands to the sky and will open many viewers’ eyes.
Look at my people’s pain. Look at black people’s pain. Look at the whole world’s misery.
There are atrocities committed in this world and catastrophes like the hurricane that devastated Louisiana and AIDS. A strong believer shall fear no evil, even in times of darkness. DMX confidently relies on God.
Electric guitars, catchy beats, violins introduce the beautiful video and DMX gives the younger generations a strong message of faith and hope for the world. The beautiful vocals are inspired by gospel songs.
Walk with DMX through the desert, hear his strong desperation calls, watch the world coming to its own demise. Like the prophet Isaiah, you gotta pray with faith and watch for the Lord’s sign. In times of drought, you gotta visualize the tiny clouds in your mind, before the first drops of rain become a reality.
Faith is always rewarded and DMX transported into the world of spirituality where the impossible can become possible- if you first believe.
Well done, DMX! I recommend this video to all of you hip hop heads. Don’t sleep on it. Watch it here.
Copyright 2006 by Isabelle Esling
All Rights Reserved.

Lord Give Me A Sign…so now you know what I’ll review next!