Month: April 2008

Two tracks from D 12’s brand new mixtape are currently available. I had the chance to listen to Biggest G, that features Akon, thanks to D 12 lover who posted a link on the comments section.
Good news, dear readers. You’ll be able to download You Never Know, thanks to Da Shady Spot:)

Maybe more hidden from the public’s eye, former NWA member Arabian Prince aka Professor X is nevertheless a very valuable emcee.
Let Arabian Prince introduce you into his world…his alias Professor X will teach you a dance lesson.
Something To Dance is a a very rhythmic track made of an inventive and rich musical background. It has the typical NWA flavor, yet it is an original composition of Arabian Prince’s own.
With his instrumental knowledge, Arabian Prince handles his beats with an amazing dexterity, while the keyboards’ funky flavor will increase your thirst for a powerful dancefloor demonstration.
Panic Zone combines an astute use of oriental and electronic sounds, mixed up with scratches. The song is truly a pleasure for your ears. Arabian Prince’s dark voice gives the track its full “Panic Zone” dimension. He’s taking over with pride. Follow his crazy rhythm.
Electronic instrumental knowledge is compulsatory in NWA’s world. Arabian Prince knows how to do it. Syllables dance while your body evolves on the dancefloor. You can’t resist to this!
Curious to hear a little bit more from Arabian Prince?
The 2006 released Statix track will allow you to appreciate Arabian Prince’s full mastery of electronic beats. His dark, cosmic voice will certainly seduce you. Move along with him, let the music take entire possession of your universe.
Discover more about the talented artist here.
Copyright by Isabelle Esling
All Rights Reserved

Author Donna Kshir (pronounced Shear)recently teamed up with MMA world champion Mark Bailey to write his life story, but writing Bailey’s life story wasn’t their only mission. Bailey was abused as a child, as he revealed to Kshir in “My Life’s Fight as told to Donna Kshir.”
Bailey’s turbulant and violent childhood later turned into an adulthood plagued by drinking, crime, and more violence, ultimately leading to prison. Kshir tells the story of the life Bailey lived before he found God, and how he turned his life around to become a MMA world champion fighter.
Bailey is well known in the ring, as he participated in over three hundred fights, held the World Fighting Championship title twenty-seven times, is a five-time shoot fighter of the year and has won over five hundred and fifty grappling fights. Kshir adds, “Bailey’s greatest honor was being a 2007 MMA Hall of Fame inductee.”
As revealed by Bailey on his myspace, for each book purchased a portion of the book sales will go towards domestic violence to help stop women and child from being abused. To help fight the fight “My Life’s Fight as told to Donna Kshir” is currently available online at amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, and target.com.

The Miami hip hop group carries a solid passion for hip hop. LFMG’s enthusiasm spreads like a pandemic virus, with their contaminating rhythmic tracks and their well thought rhymes.
Hip Hop 101 gets started on a quite dramatic violin background that is enhanced by a hip hop dedicated spirit. Words flow with a well mastered dexterity. Listen to the emcees’ beautifully handled rhymes, let them take you away for a ride into a world in which syllables do matter. The flow delivery is impressive too. I totally loved the track!
Mega Man is built on some intentionally repetitive words. Cadenced drum beats work together with keyboard sounds. Let the talented emcee create their Mega Man blast.
Chiefin’ Til Da Day is constructed on a softer musical background. Again, the group’s wonderful flow delivery needs to be underlined. The song is embued with a definitely Rastafarian spirit. Happy 420 for the marijuana friends!
Dayz Turn To Nights is introduced by some massive tuba sounds, followed by some rhythmic drum beats. Symphonic violin sounds will soon take over the whole instrumental background accompanied by some soft male vocals, creating an overall romantic atmosphere. Again, the emcees are totally convincing in their way of handling lyrics and flow delivery.
Discover more about LFMG’s impressive performance here.
Copyright by Isabelle Esling
All Rights Reserved

We live in a society in which the words “being real” or “keeping it real” are often mistaken. So many phoney people claim to be real, when they are not- like those wealthy suburban girls claiming to be “hip hop” who are hanging out with a few black males in order to get their ghetto credibility, for instance. This is just one example among so many others…
Most of us claim to have the highest sympathy for people who speak out their minds, pour out their hearts, who keep being true to their ideals. But are we ready to hear the very truth from somebody’s mouth, more strikingly when this truth is shocking and reveals the hidden scars of a discriminative society?
The truth, to keep it real, is that most people are NOT. Most people hide behind hypocritical concepts such as political correctness. Most people are afraid of the shine of veracity, because it points out their blatent hypocrisy.
Regarding slavery or any other bloody scars of the black diaspora, many people prefer being kept in some kind of comfortable blindness that allow them to escape from any guilt feelings.
Yes, Nas dares to come up with his Nigger album. He dares to use a real and heartfelt speech…he is one of the hip hop artists who shows the uttermost respect to black culture and music.
Nas is a man who has earned high regard in the world of hip hop.
Today I’d like to honor an artist whose speech and instrumentals manage to talk to my soul each time I listen to his music.
There is no need to be shoked about his upcoming album title. Rather listen to what God’s son has to say to his street disciples.
This is ghetto talk-no place for empty speeches- just REAL talk.
Open your ears: there is a huge difference between listening to hip hop and a deep understanding of its very meaning and culture. Beware!
Copyright by Isabelle Esling
All Rights Reserved

It is entitled Be A Nigger too…it is provocative on purpose…no political correctness, Nas is playing with the variations of the N word.
Be attentive at the truths the skilled artist points out!
Listen to his song here.

Apparently, the rumor seems to be true…looks like it will be out soon.
It is called The Return Of The Dozen.
Credit to D12 lover for the pic!

Global rating of the product: 4 stars
WATCH JERICHO AND THE EBURNEANS IN CONCERT:
*April the 26 th, 2008 at Belleville, Paris, 35 bd de la Villette Paris
*September the 19th, 2008 at l’Inattendu, 20 rue du Pré St Gervais Paris

Jericho and The Eburneans do cultivate a positive life philosophy: it is called regg’apt (for reggae aptitude). Jericho’s positive, down to earth attitude is visible in his every day life.
In fact the musician resembles very much the man I encountered in Paris last February, he’s no different: an artistic soul who loves life in its various dimensions.
Not only do Jericho and his fellows teach you a positive vision of life, the talented artists will also recall the African diaspora’s history.
A short introduction allows the viewer to focus on the 5 musicians
Jericho and The Eburneans DVD is made of three songs:
-A Tes Côtes (At Your Side) is based on a trumpet, drum, keyboard background. The song is an emotional lesson of black history that any white man of good will should accept to listen to. As painful events of racial discrimination, deportation, humiliation are mentioned, an intertwined black and white history reveals the scars of a black diaspora that was forced to abandon its culture and traditions to be accepted, intregrated into a society whose wealth comes from their sweat and tears.
You don’t know. Only Jesus would know what balck folks have been through for centuries.
-Madame is a good rhythmic sounding track. Despite its humorous accents, it also point out real social problems, like the obvious difficulties of a jobseeker in a mondialized world. Like it or not, mondialization has an impact on a country’s economy.
-Moultry is a very cadenced track that totally enlightens the drummer’s talent. Follow Jericho’s gangsta tale…feel the emotions of a man on the run.
If you like reggae music, Jericho and The Eburneans are exactly what you need. True fighters with a positive spirit, skilled musicians, Jericho and The Eburneans will probably manage to captivate your attention.
Don Marques’ good bass play needs to be underlined too. The blind musician manages to enrich the group with his specific touch.
What else could I say? Come and see Jericho and his crew live in Paris!
Copyright by Isabelle Esling
All Rights Reserved

I just received Jericho’s live concert DVD…so expect a review of Jericho and The Eburneans very soon…stay tuned:)

As a German native speaker (most of you know me as a French citizen, yet I grew up bilingual near the German border, communicating in German with my grandmother and being introduced to German culture at a very early age), I am very pleased to invite my readers to a crazy verbal ride into German hip hop thanks to a group called Minority Soldiers.
Representing the industrial region of the Ruhr, actually hailing from Duisburg, Minority Soldiers are a dynamic group who perfectly know how to make astute wordplays in German.
With the Zeitbombe Jasko Majoe, Minority Soldiers will drop their rhythmic timebomb on the world. Escalating level after level, the skilled artists are ready for some serious musical competition.
A harsch electronic sound in the background reinforces the group’s battling mood. Minority Soldiers are taking over with an enthusiastic conquerror spirit, leaving a devasted landscape behind them.
You will probably enjoy the winner track.
A powerful violin background combined with some good drum beats lead you into the OP 48 song. What does OP exactly mean? Simply “Operation Deutscher Hip Hop”. The whole song is a dynamic anthem to German hip hop, that opens up on a new era for hip hop in Germany.
A good flow delivery makes the song very much enjoyable.
Am Start ( At the beginning) starts on a soft melodic background. Again, Minority Soldier will allow you to enjoy their verbal fluidity and creative skills in German.
Live out a hip hop that is inspired by heartfelt feelings.
More about Minority Soldiers can be found here.
Copyright by Isabelle Esling
All Rights Reserved