KNOW YOUR HIP HOP HISTORY.KEITH MURRAY.

A lot of new generation teenagers are involved in the Hip Hop movement of today, like Nas once said,''Hip Hop Is Dead'' and what the youth of today associate with and call Hip Hop is more of the shadow of something beautiful and original that once gathered faithful disciples around the world, just like the Mafia, though it still exist till date, but it had its glorious days when men like Al Capone, Lucky Luciano, Bugsy, Meyer Lansky, The Gambino Family and The Commission ruled the streets of America, Yeah! Hip Hop had its glorious days too, when men Like Keith Murray, Redman and Erick Sermon  rolled as the DEF SQUAD! Those were the days, Niggas were ruling the streets with complex vocabulary deliveries,spitting out flames from their vocal cord that light up the Hip Hop world, Yeah! I ask you know, If you know Hip Hop, do You Know KEITH MURRAY? If not, Its time to study your Hip Hop history.

The year was 1994, ''The Most Beautifullest Thing In This World'' is the name of the track and the title of the Album, the world was amazed at this young man spitting rhymes with high velocity that shocked every Hip Hop disciple. Birth name and stage name Keith Murray, this dude was one of the rappers who made the 90s 'The Golden Era of Hip Hop', with his highly intelligent lyrical compositions, Keith Murray was living ahead of his time at just 20 yrs of age, Murray was spitting so hard that you had to be intellectually balanced to grasp the essence of his flows, listening to his raps back then, i can boldly affirm that if Murray had pursued an academic degree he would definitely have ended up being a Professor, his lyrics were not the regular street talk you hear in rap music, this dude was in a zone quite metaphorical, no rapper in the game can beat his metaphoric placement of rhymes on beats till date , check out his opening on the song ''The Most Beautifullest Thing In This World''

'' Y'all mythological niggaz is comical
The astronomical is comin through like the flu bombin you
And embalmin in your crew too
With the musical mystical magical, you know how I do
With word attack skills and vocabulary too
You're through, I'm inter-planetarian like Doctor Who (who who?)
So Who! (who?)''

If you go on YouTube and watch the Video of this song, it starts with a short session of him freestyling some grammatical flows. As far back as 94 Mr Murray was already dropping what we Hip Hop heads call ''science'' little wonder legend has it that he already battled BIG DADDY KANE  before he become famous. Keith Murray had a unique voice that made his rap delivery 'delicious' and on every track he was featured, he killed it.  A member of the legendary trio Def Squad Keith Murray holds his ground in the Hip Hop hall of fame as one of the most outstanding rapper and lyricist of the game, am not here help Google or Wikipedia do their work, am all about the survival of Hip Hop history, so if you really want to know more about Keith Murray, Google him, go on YouTube or VEVO and you will meet the man, for those of you that already know him, you can refresh your memory by watching some of his videos, dont forget the hit track with R Kelly '' Home Alone'' as you search. You can also find Murray on Twitter  on @KEITHMURRAYRAP . Get familair  with the Hip Hop Legend, the rapper that  '' Walk emcess like Jesus walk the waters''

ITS TIME TO BRING BACK THE 90's

We should all agree that hip hop had its most creative and most successful periods in the 90s, this era saw the beauty behind genuine creativity of talented rappers like Dre Dre, 2pac, B.I.G Nas,Naughty By Nature, Wu Tang Clan, Cyress hill, House Of Pain, Kriss Kross, Da Brat, MC Lyte, Rage, Queen Latifah, Yoyo,Missy,Timberland, Snoop Dogg, Warren G, Dogg Pound, Main Source, Tribe Called Quest, Coolio, Das Efx, Onyx, Fu-Schnickens, Jay Z ! The list goes on and on. These were the years rap music finally gained worldwide attention and rap went from "Ban rap music" public protest to BBC playing "If i ruled the world" by Nas, rap entered the Guinness Book Of Records and sadly rap got so big that it influenced a territorial dispute between the east coast and the west coast in the United States.

In all this, One main question needs to be asked, what made rap gain such notable influence in this era often referred to as the golden age? rap music exist officially since 1979 with acts like the Sugar Hill Gang with the song "Rappers delight" Kurtis Blow's "Christmas Rapping " Spoonie G's "Spoonin' Rap" etc, and the early and late 80s saw the entry of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Ice T, Run DMC, Melli Mel, LL Cool J, Erik B & Rakim, NWA, Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince, Big Daddy Kane, Too Short, Cool Moe Dee and host of others but with  all this powerful names and talent making this era hot like fire, hot enough to heat up a young school boy like me far away in Nigeria,the 80s was still nothing compared to the blossom of  the 90s with the G funk era,the Death-row dynasty, So So Def  domination, the Bad Boy take over, and the closing of the 90s curtain by Roc-A-Fella Empire, Wow! 10 years of remarkable music and events that shaped the history of hip hop into what it is today. This leads me to further questioning, is rap still RAP MUSIC? is hip-hop still what it was in the 90s?

Today hip-hop has given birth to Sub genres like Alternative hip hop – Conscious hip hop – Experimental hip hop  – Homo hop – Hardcore hip hop – Horrorcore – Instrumental hip hop  e.t.c  and another form called Fusion Genre which consist of Country rap – Hip hop soul – Hip house – Crunk – Hyphy – Jazz rap – Merenrap – Neo soul – Nu metal – Rap opera – Rap rock – Rapcore – Rap metal – Cumbia rap, bla! bla! bla!, Whew! What happened to just hip-hop pure and undiluted ? No doubt the industry is massive now, a thousand more rappers, a hundred more labels, bigger contracts and wider audience BUT! for the true hip hop believer, there are few songs released in today's hip hop world that can be considered a classic and a handful that can be compared to any of the legendary works of the 90s, now its just about the hype of the moment, fad music i would say, in the 90s  we kept rap albums like trophy's, today we only have the latest release because previous albums fade with the trend of the time of its release.

This is the hip hop we know now, hip-hop artist are more concerned about their public image than the quality of their music, with the advent of new sound programmers,advanced music production methods and all the new technologies and awareness in the world, still the greatest rappers in history  Tupac and Biggie are from the 90s, the era when creativity was the soul of composition, when gifted minds with genius IQ who could have been successful lawyers, doctors, engineers, professors if they had focused on academic education opted to follow their talent and became rap icons. that was the 90s.

Its time to bring back the 90s or we might as well see the end of a beautiful music called hip hop, its gradually eroding into different sub genre and fusion genre, soon it will evolve into something completely different, then we shall have no choice but to give it a new name to suit its new meaning. This is me Ese A.K.A Belushi! a mind educated and fashioned by hip hop culture from teenage sharing my opinion of this beautiful spoken poetry known as rap music, like we say back in the days, "word is bond".

TWENTY EIGHT RAPPING YEARS OF RAKIM. A HIP HOP ANCESTOR

He is fondly called Rakim tha God MC and he is idolized by Hip Hop heads around the world, definitely one of the greatest and most influential rappers in the history of Hip Hop music.William Michael Griffin Jr. AKA Rakim has been active as a rapper since 1985, many of the rappers of today where unborn at that time, so you can imagine how far this man has come, he came in the game with a classic verse when dropped ''Paid In Full'' back in 86/87 with his then partner  Eric B, the song is considered to be the greatest rap song of all time, and if that is hypothetically wrong, i can confidently say that it is the greatest rap song of the 80's and one of the most influential rap music after the Sugar Hill Gang's ''Rappers Delight'' and Grand Master Melli Mel's ''The Message''.

Rakim has bagged numerous Hip Hop awards and honours, he set the standard for a new generation of rapping pattern by breaking out from the old school method of rapping uniformly on beat bars, his delivery was first of its kind, smooth and laid back with deep poetic connotation, unlike other rappers before him that usually deliver their lyrics with high energy, Tha God MC kills it without shouting or applying energy, this was the birth of a new method of rap which is prevalent in today's Hip Hop.You will therefore understand me when i call him a living ancestor, this man paid his dues and it was paid in full, there is no Hip Hop lover that cannot recite the lyrics of the track ''Paid In Full'' for me, it was the first rap lines i was familiar with along with LL Cool J's ''I Need Love'' and am sure there are millions of us that got involved in rap music because of  that song.

Tha God MC remains one of the rappers that refused to sell out to the commercialization of Hip Hop music, he keeps it real till date and still gets love and admiration from people who know his worth, i would not put any rapper in the industry over him not even Nas that i consider the greatest rapper of all time, Rakim is a God, his style gave birth to 99% of rappers of the 90's. If Hip Hop was a planet, Rakim would be a continent inside it with alot of countries. I give credit to who credit is due, but giving credit to Rakim is not even enough, i personally think a sub-genre of rap should be created and called ''RAKIM FLOW'', that laid back jazzy rap pattern delivered with the raspy voice that trademarks his every verse, Yes! He is living legend as far as Hip Hop is concerned. The Legendary Eric B & Rakim, when you hear those names you already know '' THIS IS A JOURNEY INTO SOUND'' Like i always say, am not here to represent Google, so Google the man if you really want to know more about him, go on YouTube or VEVO  and see his contribution to Hip Hop.

KNOW YOUR HIP HOP HISTORY.. DIGABLE PLANETS

Do you know Hip Hop music or you Just listen to it?  Its not enough to have a whole lot of rap songs on your phone or IPod and be slamming them with Beats By Dre headphones and think you are Hip Hop 100%. Have you ever heard of  Rap group DIGABLE PLANETS? Do you only listen to Hip Hop music of today? Lol! If you do, its like living and not knowing your ancestral history,  if you now listen to Kendrick Lamar, Rick Ross, 2 Chainz, Big Sean and the rest of the new industry famous, then you dont know where they are coming from.You are eating a meal without getting the real flavour. I bring to you one of the foundations of Hip Hop Music.

Digable Planets is one of the early rap groups of the 90s that championed the cause for Alternative Hip Hop, mainly known for their fusion of jazz into Hip Hop music creating a smooth and cool blend of the two genre of music, this made their style absolutely unique from other rap songs during an era when Gangsta rap was prevalent in the Hip Hop community. The group consist of  Butterfly,Doodlebug and  Ladybug Mecca  the female emcee in the group, and together they were exceptionally remarkable as a team, matching the unique sound of their music with their cool and laid back rap style, this ingenuity won them a Grammy award in 1995 for best rap group, i would note here that during this period of rap music it was ''easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rapper to win a Grammy'', so you can imagine the quality of music that this group was giving their fans. 

I personally was in love with their song ''Where Am From'' but they were popularly known for the track '' Cool Like That''  Its a sad thing the group disbanded and that was the end of a great Hip Hop movement but their legacy lived on through the advent and success of THE FUGEES, who were a trio of  two guys and a girl like Digable Planets,they enjoyed massive popularity soon after DP faded out. Hip Hop Lovers who knew Digable Planets will forever respect their art and the legacy they left behind for Hip Hop music. Today, Hip Hop has been broken down to various sub genres but we give credit to Digable Planets for being bold enough back then to venture Hip Hop into new horizons and was successful. Go ahead, Google them,watch them on YouTube/VEVO and and get to know the history of Hip Hop and the warriors who took it to the mainstream.  

CHECK OUT THE LATEST ON QUEEN THE PROPHET. THE HYPE IS ON.

Queentheprophet’s Twitter feed continues to be very revealing. A few days back, DJ Yello tweeted confirmation he was "coming out of retirement for one track with QTP". DJ Yello long-time hip-hop veteran has multiple mixtapes available on Dat Piff via Street Diamond DJ’s.

It was also visible via Twitter that Queentheprophet will be a guest on the Nikki Rich Show 4/19/13 (nikkirichshow.com) @msnikkirich and QTP’s latest release “Wizard of Oz” has been in rotation on Nikki’s show the past week or so.

One of the more noticeable happenings was her bio was changed and now includes an indication of affiliation with Hell Razah’s United Hoods of America, Ghetto Government movement. QTP offers no other information other than Battlegrownd Entertainment #OPERATIONREVOLUTION is in support of GGO. QTP & Razah very similar with matching Heaven & Hell themed graphics, although nothing has been confirmed there very well may be a track collaboration from the two.

QTP did confirm though that she will appear on a track this summer with George Yung @kinggeorge427 (Doberman Gang, DBG 427 whom QTP was the 36^th member). Yung is also scheduled to release the “Death of George Yung” Mix Tape before June. George Yung is the co-founder of the Doberman Gang and can be found attached to multiple projects on Dat Piff & uTube. QTP (Yung’s former Manager) credits the creative process and production supervision of “Wizard of Oz” to Yung. QTP also has confirmed that she will appear in the HART Magazine “I Love New York” edition scheduled to be released 4/25/13.

Razah better known by his stage name Hell Razah, is best known as a member of Sunz of Man, an early affiliate of the Wu-Tang Clan.

Razah is rumored to have suffered a brain aneurysm in April 2010. He was quick to recover and continue recording. He came to adopt the moniker Heaven Razah. @heavenrazah

Star of the New Esquire Network’s first documentary film, Freestyle 101: The Movie¸ alongside NY battle MC Iron Solomon and LA art-rapper Open Mike Eagle. The film is a 90-min look at art and struggle in hip hop, using freestyling as an analogy of living life on the edge. It also stars Ice-T, RZA, The Game, Fat Joe, Del, Mobb Deep, MOP, Cypress Hill, Sean Kingston, Prodigal Sunn, RA the Rugged Man, and many more. Freestyle 101: The Movie will hit film festivals, the web, VOD, and elsewhere this summer.

Heaven Razah, Razah Rubiez, El Raziel

Born (1976-10-01) October 1, 1976

Origin Red, New York

Genres: Underground Hip-Hop

Years active 1994–present

Labels: Baby Grande Records Nature Sounds

Hell Razah Music Inc.

Legion of D.O.O.M.

Wu Music Group Associated Acts Sunz of Man, Black Market Militia, T.H.U.G. Angels, Maccabeez, Blue Sky Black

UTube: youtu.be/8tN29r31CLk

soundcloud.com/chron-smith1/born-and-raised …

datpiff.com/Hell-RazahVarious-Artists-Return-Of-The-Renaissance_hosted-By-Djbigmaulik-mixtape.458058.html…

coast2coastmixtapes.com/mixtapes/mixtapedetail.aspx/return-of-hell-razah…

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SALUTE THE FEMALE PRODUCER! Interview With A Rare Gem That Inspires Her Generation.

LADY TRAUMA

It is said that what a man can do, a woman can do better, this saying can be applied to this enigmatic female music producer from Cleveland Ohio, USA who decided to venture into a world mainly dominated by men, not only did she stood her ground, she has become a force to reckon with in the production circle. The Entertainment Commission has decided to share with you our encounter with this eccentric producer to let you know that some women got more game than men in the game. Lets meet LADY TRAUMA

T.E.C: Thank you for granting this interview, i had to come into your world and share it with other people who are also curious to know how a female can be in a position majorly dominated by men,when we hear the word producer, a man usually  comes to mind, but amazingly you are a lady, tell us,who is the Female producer?

LT:  I am Lady Trauma, I love music and I am so passionate about it! Out of everything there is in the world besides God Music means that much to me. I began producing at the age of 13 maybe 14 and I haven't looked back since.


T.E.C: What expired you to become a music producer?

L.T: Honestly I never saw myself producing. I was a drummer before anything..always beating on school desks and tables mimicking Timbaland beats or playing at church or my set in my basement. I ended up at Sam Ash one day a few days before Christmas and something told me to go over to the beat machine section..and the rest is history!


T.E.C : How long have you been producing professionally ?

L.T: I have been producing professionally for about 5-6 years

T.E.C: What are the challanges you face being a female producer ?

L.T:  I don't really face any challenges at least not yet. I feel like i've made a name for myself and people accept me and what I do. I think it all stems from people hearing about me by word of mouth so they know what it is beforehand


T.E.C: Who is your role model in music production ?

L.T: My role models are Stevie Wonder, Missy Elliott and Timbaland..those are my top 3, always and forever!! All of them are innovators and that I strive to be! At the end of the day I want the world to remember me for being innovating and not imitating and that's what each of them embody!


T.E.C: Have you worked with any major artist?

L.T: Well I produced for MGK (Machine Gun Kelly)   right before he got signed to Bad Boy but other than that I haven't worked with a major artist just yet but I believe that it will be happening really soon


 T.E.C: Can you name some artists you would like to work with?

L.T:  My top pick is Missy Elliott ! That is my dream and i'm not letting up until I make it come true! Also Pusha T, Kanye, Musiq Soulchild, India Arie, Stevie Wonder etc I just want to work with people who make GREAT music!


T.E.C: How competitive does it get for you being a female holding your spot in a  male dominated business?

L.T: Honestly its crazy because there aren't any other producers besides Missy in the industry so I gotta make sure I come correct and stay correct to let these men know I mean business..and I plan to let me music speak for me and my work ethic!


T.E.C: Most producers eventually become artist, do you see yourself becoming an artist someday?

L.T: Whats funny is, ,I was a rapper before I even thought about producing! lol But once I got more into my production I threw rapping to the wolves and stuck to my production. I don't regret it one bit!


T.EC: Now a bit more personal,Whats your zodiac sign?

L.T:  I am a Leo baby! Got the lioness tattoo on my arm and everything lol

T.E.C: Nice to know we share the same zodiac sign. Describe a day in the life of The female producer:

L.T: My day is very simple: Eat, Take a Nap and make music!! I don't go anywhere at all I just work on my music all day everyday! Im that dedicated!


T.E.C: Whats your favourite colour ?

L.T: Black and Blue I cant decide

T.E.C: Are you a religous person ?

L.T:  I LOVE GOD thats one thing that you can't take away from me!! And even though I grew up in the church, I really didn't develop a true relationship with HIM until I got shot. When I laid on the ground dying and I asked God to let me live and he did..I was like OK I really truly know that your real, I gotta tell everybody..I gotta get to know you more! Im still a work in progress but God is definitely the head of my life!


T.E.C: Name three artist in your hall of fame

L.T: Missy, Whitney Houston and Stevie Wonder

T.E.C: Whats your message to other girls aspiring to be producers:

L.T: If you're gonna do this DO IT!! Don't half ass it DO IT!!  We have a lot to prove so make sure you bring it..study, practice then study and practice some more!!!  I swear that's all I do is listen to every artist I can find dating back to the 30's, I watch tutorials on Youtube or documentaries. I want to know all there is to know and then some so I can apply it to my work. I have grown immensely in the 13 years i've been producing and its not just because i make beats its because of everything else I do. Listen!! Train your ear..man its so much. Producing is not as easy as people think it is but I my message is to NEVER GIVE UP!! Go For it!


T.E.C: Thank you for your time.We like you to give a special shout out to the special people in your life so they know you where truly here

L.T: S/O to my parents cause without them I wouldn't have got the chance to start producing and for introducing me to music!


IF YOU NEED THOSE BANGING BEATS, YOU NEED A PRODUCER OR YOU ARE CURIOUS TO MEET OR KNOW MORE ABOUT THIS LADY STANDING TALL IN A MAN'S WORLD. THEN CHECK OUT THE INFORMATION BELOW ON HOW TO REACH LADY TRAUMA. TO THE LADYS READING THIS, BE INSPIRED.

Lady Trauma
Trauma Muzik
440-381-0809
www.ladytrauma.com
www.soundcloud.com/ladytrauma
www.twitter.com/ladytrauma

RISING HIPHOP LADIES VOL.1: MEET QUEENTHEPROPHET

The Greatest Rappers Alive. Vol 6

Proudly the most successful white rapper in the world, this highly controversial man has conjured both love and hate in the eyes of the public, with twenty three years in the game, seven studio albums, six EP albums, five compilation albums, one soundtrack album, five video albums, thirteen Grammy awards, an Oscar award for ''Best Original Song'' and an outstanding one hundred and sixty one other awards, i cannot talk about greatness and not mention this prolific songwriter and record producer, EMINEM!

Mr Eminem gained mainstream attention in 1999 after he was discovered by Dr Dre in 1998, it is said that Dre found Eminem's Demo on the office floor of  Interscope Geffen A&M's chairman Jimmy Lovine, he hooked up with Eminem and together they made a mind blowing team with Dre as his producer, they released his first commercially successful album ''The slim Shady LP'' that went triple platinum before the end the year. This was just a tip of the iceberg as the year 2000 saw the release of ''The Marshall Mathers LP'' and there was another BOOM! in the hip hop scene, this album sold 1.76 million copies the first week, beating Snoop's ''Doggystyle'' record of seven years and beating Britney Spears Album as the fastest selling solo album in the U.S. In spite of Eminem's notoriety for taking verbal shots at some celebrities in his songs, the world could not but love his outstanding lyrical delivery sharpened by years of freestyle battling in rap competitions while trying to find his identity as a rapper in a world where the game is dominated by blacks.
 
Hip hop culture was undeniably re-branded when Slim Shady made his bold entrance into the rap hall of fame, changing the notion that rap is a ''black thing''. We give it to the black rappers for the notable publicity they gave this genre of music but we give it to Em for taking rap to a whole new level, with a a million more white folks embracing the music after Eminem made it clear to them that if they thought Vanilla Ice's success was a fluke, he was the truth, ''White men can jump''. He has virtually murdered every beat his voice was on, weather on his own track or being featured or with his former group D12, Em goes in with his multisyllabic rhyming method, a master of the act of complex rhyme schemes, it is impossible not to recognize or distinguish Eminem's voice on any track. Little wonder he is often declared as the king of hip hop and top on the list among the greatest musicians in history, with over 100 million records sold worldwide. it will only be natural for me to join the popular opinion  to state here that Eminem is respectfully one of the greatest rappers alive. If you dont believe me, ask 50 cent or Dr Dre lol.

TO BE CONTINUED

The Greatest Rappers Alive Vol 5.

Twenty four years in the game, fourteen studio albums, two live albums,six compilation albums, four mix-tapes, one remix album, seventeen Grammy awards, twenty nine other awards, husband to the most celebrated RnB diva in the world Beyonce Carter! father of the youngest female in the world to be featured in a song Blue Ivy Carter!and one of the richest black entertainer in the world, Ladies and gentlemen please raise your hand in salute to this hip hop general,''capo di tutti capi''  H to the Izzo! Hov! Hovi! Jay Hova! Jigga! S dot Carter, Yeah! JAY Z!

The master of flow, considered the greatest MC of all time by MTV, Mr Carter made a historic impression in rap music in 1998 when he released ''Hard Knock Life'' the ghetto anthem that won the hearts of millions of hip hop lovers around the world, with the chorus sampled from the very interesting 1982 musical movie ''Annie'' Jay Z was able to reignite the emotions behind the movie by sampling Annie's voice from the moive, this also won him the attraction of kids as they were naturally drawn to the sweet melody of the song.

On the rap part, Jay finished it! he left nothing, the beat was lyrically murdered as he kept dropping flows and rhyming slowly, and i quote from the song ''droppin some of the hottest verses rap has ever heard'' Yeah! Jigga came in the game not as a player but as a ruler. Over the years he has kept his fans faithful, as much as haters love to hate Jay Z they just cant decode what makes him above hate, the more you beef him the more rich and famous he gets,and he proved it once again in the just concluded Grammy awards when he took home three awards, and when the haters got nothing else to say, they start saying he is in the secret society the ''Illuminati'' LMFAO! ''HATAZ'' wont you rather be ''Illuminati'' and be rich than be ''Noluminati'' and be broke and gossiping successful people? how come no one calls P Diddy Illuminati? or Master P or Russell Simon? All ''Hatinlunatic'' should better recognize greatness and ''bow down to a nigger that is greater''. I don't need to say much about Jay's achievement, his reputation precedes him, but i sure would state here that JAY Z is one of the most successful rappers ever, automatically making him one of the greatest rappers in history.

TO BE CONTINUED

The Greatest Rappers Alive Vol 4

"Nasty, Nas the Esco to Escober,now he is Nastradamus'' Just in-case you notice an extra glorification of this man, dont blame me,i got so much love for this dude! When we talk about the art of rapping not just entertaining people with vocal delivery on beats, i mean "Rhythm And Poetry" (RAP), Nas has  proven to be an eccentric lyricist and a poetic philosopher with paranormal abilities to create images in our minds with his unique voice giving the impression of watching a movie when listening to his songs, i confidently state that Nas is a spontaneous combustion of vocabularies stored in a human body, all he needs to prove this is "One Mic". With twenty three years in the game, thirteen studio albums, three collaborative album, two compilation album, one EP album, three mix-tapes, fifteen Grammy award nominations, like Snoop, Nas is one successful black entertainer underrated by the Grammy "Insiders", confirming my judgement that they credit commercially successful albums rather than critically successful albums.

The Greatest Rappers Alive Vol 3.

SNOOP  D.O. Double G! Yeah! That's the man, i cant go on talking about great rappers without mentioning this charismatic black man who came into the game with a unique style that is still unrivaled, even with the amount of rappers that has emerged in the game trying to shadow his rhyming  technique, Snoop's soft and laid back style of rapping has continued to bless the hearts of hip hop lovers around the world. With a Solid twenty three years in the music business, eleven studio albums, seventeen compilation albums, twenty mix-tapes, one EP album, forty eight various awards and sixteen Grammy nominations! Uncle Snoop is one of the rap artist i personally suspect is intentionally boycotted by the "insiders" of the Grammy's, Over the years i have seen Grammy awards meant for Snoop Dogg given to musicians that cannot match Snoop's creativity nor compete with the overwhelming  respect and adoration he gets from fans, this brings me to the conclusion that the association responsible for selecting the awards  the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) does not understand rap music and its basics, my guess is that they are a bunch of  "Old School" folks who still cant get the real "vibes" of hip hop, and i would frankly suggest future Grammy award nominations should be conducted on the bases of public opinion rating and not secret ballot system. I would throw more light on my opinions about the Grammy awards in subsequent publications for now let me get back to Big Snoop Dogg or Snoop Lion.*Roars*

After a successful entry into the music industry in 1992 collaborating with Dr Dre on The Chronic Album, Snoop catapulted into super stardom when he released his first solo debut Doggystyle in 1993, selling 802,858 copies the week it was released and over five million copies as at 2012, this album is considered to be one of the most important hip hop masterpiece in history and definitely the most remarkable album of the 90s staying as the fastest selling artist/album for seven years until the release of Eminem's "The Marshall Mathers LP" in 2000.The success of this album influenced rap music in a very tremendous way and it is Snoop's highest selling album ever.

All through the years gone by, Snoop Dogg  has remained relevant in the hip hop scene and also been among the favorite artist featured by many other musicians, what can i say? Everybody loves Snoop! I doubt if there is any rap music lover that was not influenced by his music and his enigmatic personality not to mention his popular "izzle speak" that has been copied by millions of people around the world.Yes!, Snoop is one of the most influential rappers in the world making him one of the greatest rappers alive and that's for "Shizzle my Nizzle ".

TO BE CONTINUED

The Greatest Rappers Alive Vol 2

Dr Dre! O Boy! Calling Dre a rapper these days seems inappropriate, The Doc has transcended from being a rapper to something like a god in the music industry, often disregarded as a talented rapper by true hip hop followers for his very active use of ghost writers, he remains a hip hop GIANT.  This man's contribution to rap music can only be described as legendary. From N.W.A to Deathrow to Aftermath, Dre has been on top of  the industry like the sun. Over twenty eight years in the game, over one hundred million records sold as a rapper and producer, six Grammy awards, a successful business empire worth over $270 million and credit for the successful careers of Snoop Dogg, Eminem, 50 cent ,The Game and recently Kendrick Lamar, it is undeniable if i say that hip hop without Dre is like hip without the hop!

Already a notable name in the streets of America in the late 80s as a rapper and producer in the most remarkable group in rap history "Niggaz With Attitude" Dre went from being just any other name in the game to being a household name world wide when he teamed up with his newly discovered artist Snoop Dogg in december 1991 to record "Deep Cover" the soundtrack for the 1992 crime thriller and action packed movie Deep Cover staring Laurence Fishburne, shortly after this movie was released, Dre and Snoop dropped  "Nuttin' but a  'G' Thang" BOOM! and the hip hop bomb exploded, an explosion that shaked every continent,from the Americas to Europe to Africa to Asia, the song was making the young and old sway to the smooth G Funk sound and the vocal blend of Dre and Snoops's voice, rap story was never the same again as this release marked the coming of the global acceptance of this genre of  music, anti rap advocates and those protesting against rap music were faced with  new challanges as they started hearing this song frequently on radio stations and even had to face their own home battles as their children fully embraced rap music and constantly played it in their homes. I must say i had my own fair share of the heat from my pops who at this time dint understand what rap was about and tagged it as "Nonsensical Jargon" I would like to see the look on his face when i tell him  jargon's made Dr Dre over $270  Million richer, LOL! 

Dre might not be a "supa dupa"  writer but no one can take the expressive power and the aggresive vocal delivery from this great mastermind who altered hip hop music with the first Chronic album and has continued to influence almost every rap music released to date. This Genius has kept our heads ringing, he has been there and done that and the aftermath of all this makes him one of the greatest rappers alive.

TO BE CONTINUED

The Greatest Rappers Alive Vol 1.

Yo! There is no better way to start this Journey than presenting the "Greatest Of All Time". With over twenty eight years in the game, thirteen studio albums, numerous awards including two Grammy awards, there is not doubt that L.L Cool J is a hip hop Veteran. In 1987, Ladies Love Cool James released the first rap ballad in history "I need Love" and the world stood still in marvel at his captivating laid-back rhythm and rap flow that forever remains a classic in the hip hop world, this song defied the limits of country borders, racial discrimination and rap music condemnation in a time when rap was still considered a music for thugs and lowlifes, his tale of love in the song was so soft and appealing that rap critics almost forgot it was a rap song. This gifted Rapper/Actor set a new standard for rap music and he is highly credited as one of the pioneers of  hip hop that attracted thousands of music lovers around the world to hip hop culture and made them pay more attention to rap music. I must admit this song was one of the first rap lyrics i ever recited,Yes! Its was a hit too back in Nigeria even when rap was still struggling for an identity in Africa. Till date, L L keeps rocking the mic not distracted by his successful acting career, he kept his fans loyal through the 90s with hits like "Around the way girl" "Hey lover" and "Doin It" while the millennium came with sensational songs like "Headsprung"  "Control Myself " feat J Lo and "Baby" feat The Dream. With a new album  titled Authentic and a smooth track like "Take it" feat the legendary Joe, I can authentically say that Mr Smith is one of the greatest rappers living. L L Cool J is "Something like a phenomenon". Word!

TO BE CONTINUED.