Thanks to whom he calls his Big Brother, he made it to the Big Screen. Behind the scenes he was making beats, before becoming a known emcee. So Amazing how living the Good Life can cause 808’s and Heartbreaks. Once his momma Touched the Sky, he lost his power and ranaway. Now he’s back, with more controversy, putting the critics to the test. Introducing the return of Mr. Kanye West.

As one of the most controversial rappers in the millenium, Kanye West is known for producing extraordinary music. On a scale of A-F, his rapping skills are a C. He has his moments, but sometimes he makes no sense. During the cypher session on the Hip Hop awards, he sounded like a senseless second grader. He should just leave the freestyling up to the professionals, and just stick to making beats. He is like another Diddy, sounds good in other people songs but not his own. “We are the Champions” featuring Kanye West, Cam’ron, Beanie Sigel, and Twista was one of his best pieces of work, when he really put it down. Although there are other songs where he’s spitting some good lyrics, he should take notes from some real lyrical artists, like his mentor-Jay-Z.

Every since the death of his mother, Kanye just hasn’t been the same. First he made a fool of himself when he humiliated Taylor Swift, in honor of Beyonce. Taylor was only 19. What was he thinking? After that shocking episode he disappeared, then reappeared with a new and complex attitude. He made his welcome back debut when he opened the BET awards with Power, which was a good thing. But then he came back dressed like the devil at the VMA’s. Not to mention the secret apology he gave Taylor before she blasted him with her song Innocent.

Now Kanye is set to release his next album titled “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy”. The cover of the album explains just how Dark and Twisted he can be. On top of that the man has been accused of taking nude pictures of himself, and selling them to selective women on the internet. Are you serious? Come on now, what happened to Amber Rose? The list just goes on and on with Kanye and it’s not going to stop no time soon. He is just getting started. Remember he said he wouldn’t appear on any more awards shows, but he has been. He already pissed Oprah off when he canceled an appearance on her show at the last minute. Then he did the ultimate and went on the Ellen show. Can’t really blame him though, look what she did to Michael Jackson.

For competition reasons, Kanye is releasing his album the same day as Nicki Minaj’s debut album “Pink Friday”. Who’s going to sell the most copies in the first week, will it be Kanye or Nicki?

So is it safe to say T.I has not learned his lesson? How many more times must he get arrested before he realize he needs to make some serious life changing decisions? He can’t be a father and a husband behind bars. Without going on tours and interviewing to promote his album, no money can be made, and the record sales alone is not enough. On top of that you can’t expect the youth to listen to you, when you are doing the same thing you’ve encouraged them not to do. Just out of curiosity, how does T.I think the high school students he spoke to, look at him, now that he has gotten himself in trouble again?

T.I is the true definition of no hustler, who is truly committed to the game. But which game is more important, the streets or hip hop? Since the death of his best friend, the self-proclaimed king of the south music career also began to crumble. His last two albums T.I vs T.I.P and Paper Trails were at the bottom of the music charts, which proves his record sales indeed dropped. The success of his previous releases differed in high numbers. Even his latest singles “I’m Back” and “We Ride, We Rock, We Stop” doesn’t even measure up to his original sounds.

For the moment it’s not looking good for Mr. Rubberband Man. With all the tension surrounding his criminal activities, it’s hard to focus on him as an artist. As a respected warrior in hip hop, it is quite astounding that one would allow themselves to risk going back to prison, considering he has a wife and six children. Unfortunately, the only one he has to blame is himself, maybe next time he will think twice about what he does in his car, while driving on the road. He could have at least abided by the rules of the wrong if he knew he was going to be doing something illegal. And even if he doesn’t go back to jail, how will he redeem himself? He is going to have to deliver something better than the verse he spits in Drake’s single “Fancy”.

It wasn’t until 2002 when rapper 50 Cent was discovered by Eminem. He became famous due to his club banging hit “In Da Club”, but the ladies loved him for his gangster attitude and his chiseled body. Coming from South Jamaica, Queens of New York, 50 Cent quickly rose to stardom, but his quick rise to fame caused him to fall in an instant.

It is obvious 50 is unhappy with the success of his rap career because why else would he create so much tension between himself and other hip hop artists? All he has done was cause controversy between himself and other rappers, for unknown reasons. It makes you wonder is he in it for the love of hip hop or for the fame!

Every since 50 came into the game he has made more enemies than a man trying to swindle the mafia. He has had more beef battles than any other hip hop artist. His first victim was Murder Inc’s Ja Rule, who became m.i.a after his last album “The Last Temptation”.  50 Cent’s goal was to get rid of Ja Rule, and many were impressed with how Ja allowed him to just come in and take his crown-just like that. From Ja Rule he went to The Game, (a former member of G-Unit), Kanye West, Fat Joe, Jay-Z, Cam’ron, Young Buck, Ghostface, (former member of Wu-Tang), T.I, Nas, Chamillionaire, Fabolous and Lil Wayne. He even has had been with talk show host Oprah Winfrey and boxing champion Floyd Mayweather. His latest beefs include Shyne, who was just released from jail and “The Don” Rick Ross.

After the success of 50’s first album “Get Rich or Die Trying” he built a bigger fan base. But he wasn’t a fan to no rapper other than himself. 50 Cent sold over 15 million copies for his first album, and 11 million copies on the second album “The Massacre”. After that his record sales started going downhill. The third album titled, “Curtis” only brought him nearly 700,000 units and the last album “Before I self Destruct” didn’t even make it to 300,000 in the first week. The only thing 50 seems to have going is he is a smart and educated business man. He learned the ins and out of the business and started his own record label, but most of the artists have departed.

It is also obvious that 50 is not a man of his word. Before the release of his third album he promised to retire if Kanye beat him in record sales. Well, the Westmaster did beat him, but 50 didn’t retire. With all of the enemies he has made he should write a book called, “My Enemies”. And just like there’s a Celebrity rehab for alcohol, sex and drugs, there should also be one for beefing.

The latest beef with 50 cent and Shyne is such a waste of time. This man just got out of prison what could he have done that fast to make 50 mad. But then again he don’t have to be mad to start beef, because he’s the king!

At this year’s Bet Awards Nicki Minaj had the honor of winning an award for best female hip hop artist. The other nominees were Ester Dean, Rasheeda, Lil Kim and Trina. Now, let’s be realistic, who else would have won that award other than Nicki Minaj if there’s no competition?

Rasheeda and Ester Dean didn’t even stand a chance up against Lil Kim and Trina, so of course they weren’t going to beat Nicki. Every since Trina returned to the game she hasn’t been the same. When Lil Kim was released from prison she came out with a single called “Download”. But let’s keep it real, that song would not have made it as far as it did without T-Pain and Charlie Wilson. So once again who else other than Nicki Minaj could have won for best female hip hop artist?

What if Da Brat, Lil Kim, Mc Lyte, Charli Baltimore, Queen Pen, Shawnna, Eve and Amil were in the runnings? Would Nicki Minaj have won for best female rapper then?

Nicki Minaj brags about the million she made off a mixtape. If it were that easy back in the early 90’s when Queen Latifah, Monie Love, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo and Mc Lyte were in the game, they too could have made million-probably more!

Nicki Minaj proclaims herself as the bestest and even rapper Kanye West says she is the #2 best rapper next to Eminem.

For the moment the Young Money prodigy is at the top mainly because of Lil Wayne but also because no other female mc’s are being acknowledged. The ones who are out there have yet to make a comeback. But nowadays it’s not about how hard you can flow its what you are rapping about and how you look. If you put Nicki up against Da Brat, Lil Kim and Mc Lyte no doubt she would be defeated. In giving props to Nicki Minaj she does have skills, but does she have what it takes to be crowned the queen of hip hop, of all time?

Over the past decade many hip hop artists who started out in groups have either gone solo or just aren’t making music anymore. As a solo artist you either quickly rise to the top or slowly fall to the bottom. Some artists are smart enough to learn the game and do what it takes to stay in it, while there are others who are in the game for the love of hip hop rather than for just the money and fame.

However not all rappers who started out in a group have bad luck as a solo artist. Rapper Lil Wayne who began rapping with the group Hot Boys presented by Cash Money became a huge success when he wet solo, but you can’t say the same for Juvenile and B.G.

Cam’ron, Juelz Santana, and Jim Jones aka Diplomats solo careers did’nt have the same affect on the fans as they did as a group. Now that they have reunited maybe other former groups will do the same.

Whatever happened to The Fugees featuring Pras, Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean? Wyclef’s career is still in the making as he is originally a reggae star, but what about Miss Lauryn. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill was a great success but nothing she made thereafter earned her any props in hip hop or as a singer.

Why can’t Jay-Z and Damon Dash let bygones be bygones and join together for a Rocafella reunion? Jay-Z, Beanie Sigel, Memphis Bleek, Amil, Freeway, Cam’ron, M.O.P, DJ Clue, The Diplomats and N.O.R.E all brought a new kind of flavor to the game-not just a nursery rhyme.

I must admit I admire 50 cent as a business man, but as a rapper I can only give him kudos for his first album “Get Rich Or Die Trying”. His first LP was his best and at his rate it doesn’t get no better than that. However as a business man he is definitely on top of his game. With the success from “Get Rich Or Die Trying” he started his own record label called G-Unit featuring himself, Tony Yayo, Lloyd Banks, The Game and Young Buck. The Game left the group first due to a dispute between he and 50. Young Buck was the next to leave also because of 50 and Lloyd Banks has also stepped away from G-Unit Records.

So what’s really good?

Other hip hop artists who should reunite that have parted ways are: OutKast featuring Big Boi and Andre 3000, Tribe Called Quest, Geto Boys, Crucial Conflict, Do or Die, Boogie Down Productions, Junior Mafia, Trilleville and of course now that Mystikal is back it would be a pleasure to see the return of the No Limit crew founded by Master P.

A Dr. Dre album, the Blueprint 3 from Jay-Z, Loso coming soon, the emergence of Drake, a Lil Wayne album, a 50 album and possible new material from Kanye and Jeezy amongst others all add up to one thing,…..a hot summer. The musical bar has been raised and the artist are becoming smarter and taking more control of their projects, and honestly the music has just gotten a little better. Lupe is still highly anticipated and there are a large number of artist buzzing right now. Camron, Banks the free agent, the Clipse, and the list goes on and on. Hip-hop fans can be content for the first time in a while. Scorching mixtapes, classic shows, and heavy collaborations that you might not normally expect are on the rise. (more…)

Hardleg radio has officially took over all across the country. Where are the female rappers? Foxy Brown, Lil Kim, Nikki Minaj, Shawnna, and…., a hundred or so others go hard yet haven’t made a major dent recently in the industry. The better question is where are the female rap fans? Sex sells, but it won’t sell rap albums to the opposite sex, neither will gangsta talk. Conforming to the music you expect out of most male rappers probably isn’t the answer either. Someone might feel like less of a man (right or wrong) if their partner caught them bumping a female’s cd, or might feel like they have to explain themselves. We got love for the ladies, but we’re different.  Are all the ladies wrapped up in R&B songs?, or maybe they don’t like the way their .. (more…)

Fuckery…. trying hard to highlight some of the music industry’s bright spots, yet there is a consistently overwhelming amount of fuckery. Flop here, wack freestyle there, ridiculous beef in between, along with the smoke/swagathons and internet stars.. a bright spot is hard to find. Tight jeans, exquisite hairstyles like women, along with the complimentary accesories and online bickering, the game aint what it used to be. A few rappers have decent wordplay but if you have half an iq you walk away from 90% of today’s music unimpressed. (more…)

Everyone has a myspace account. A lot of people use it to promote their music, but what are you really promoting? Myspace. The same goes for all of these music sites who offer a service free of charge, because they know your fanbase will lead to advertising money for them. Can’t blame them, but you could blame yourself. You won’t see a dime of that money, and the people who check you out are probably gonna end up online for a while checking out other people. What if you had your own site? What if your site was the only way for people to hear your music? You’d make every dollar that you’re supposed to. What if people could only get your cd from you? You’d control the entire money flow of your music. (more…)

So you know a few stars huh?….,You dress like them, go to all the industry functions and could call a few right now huh…..You probably think you’re a superstar yourself don’t you? Who’s coming to your show though? How many people will support your functions? You could kick it with a star eight months, but eventually you have to go back to your life. Having some inside info make you feel special? A d-list artist is always better than an a-list groupie. You can find superstar fans at every industry function. They make sure to overacknowledge every and anyone who looks important. They still brag on the one or two minute accomplishments they have to make them feel special. (more…)