A Very Thin Line

Larry Dixon
Compare/Contrast Essay
9/25/07

A Very Thin Line
Spoken word poetry is vastly becoming more popular with the fifth installment of Russell Simon’s Def Poetry Jam airing on HBO. Also with the rise of local open mic nights at your local bar and the popularity of MySpace, spoken word artist are making a name for themselves. It appears that the conventional way of just writing poetry is fading away. Not so, just because some poets do not choose to perform their work doesn’t mean that they are not working. It seems there is a very thin line between writing poetry and being a spoken word artist.
A poet may be considered as a creative writer. He/she chooses a certain style of writing to call their own. Most poets usually have some sort of writing background relating to or dealing with literature. Including creative writing of short stories or essays. They may work as a bookkeeper or in a publishing company. It seems that poets express themselves best through writing. Many stem from loneliness, stress, or depression. These people are introverts. Many genuine poets don’t like the spotlight or sharing their work with the rest of the world.
A spoken word artist is a natural performer. Yes, they often may write poetry to get a foundation of what they really love to do, perform their work. Spoken word artist often “Freestyle” or make up the words as they go along while performing. They seem to love the spot light and being the center of attention. With today’s technology it’s easy for a spoken word artist to record his or her own CDs and sell them at their shows. These people are extraverts. They often have strong personalities and are very outgoing.
Poets are “Old School” writers that may have been influenced by great poets and writers of the past. This may include Edgar Allen Poe-1809-1849. An American poet, critic, and short story author, Poe’s most famous works include “The Raven” 1845. He was one of the leaders of the American Romantic movement. Best known for his stories of mystery and macabre, Poe was an early practitioner of the short story consisting of detective and crime fiction. He was also credited with contributing to the emergence of science fiction. Langston Hughes- 1902-1967 was an African-American poet, novelist, playwright, and short story author. His more recognizable works include “A dream deferred” 1951. Hughes life and work was enormously influential during the Harlem Renaissance. A strong voice in the civil rights movement and published many books, short stories of fiction and non-fiction alike. Maya Angelou- 1928 to present. Hailed as one of the great voices of contemporary literature Angelou’s more recognizable works include the book “I know why the caged bird sings” 1969. Angelou read her poem “On the pulse of morning” at Bill Clinton’s inauguration. It was only the second time in U.S. history that a poet was asked to speak at the inauguration of a president. The first was Robert Frost at President Kennedy’s. It seems that today’s poets may be intrigued by the poets of past. This may be to try and achieve the height of success that they reached in their careers. The ultimate goal would be the Nobel Prize in literature. Conventional poets seem to use conventional methods for entertainment. Such as, reading a good book or listening to music. Maybe jazz or the blues is what they can relate to the most.
Spoken word artists are “New School” entertainers. They love to perform on a stage in front of an audience. They may have attended a performing arts school, and love to sing or dance. They are socialites and may have been influenced by Rhythm and blues or hip-hop videos. Let’s take some Hip-Hop artists for an example. Tupac Shakur- 1971-1996 Artist, actor, and poet. Tupac viewed by many as the greatest rapper ever was the son a Black Panther and activist. The author of “The rose that grew from concrete-1999”a very well-crafted book of early poetry by Tupac. Tupac was known to write poetry and then turn the poems into songs. The Notorious B.I.G. 1972-1997 is considered by many as the greatest rapper ever. Big was known for his ability to freestyle his raps off of the top of his head. A mastermind of his dark embodied story-telling lyrics about street life and drug dealing. A lot of rappers emulated Big’s style including another Brookyn born rapper named Jay-Z. Jay is known to be a great freestyle rapper. Keeping as many as 12-20 songs in his head at a time. Jay has been known to complete great albums such as “The Blueprint 1999”in just a week’s time. On the other hand Nas Hip-Hop’s street poet got critical acclaim for his 1991 debut album “Illmatic” a classic LP representing street life in a most poetic form. Nas is known for being a bookworm and intellectual rapper and often refers to some great writers and poets in his songs. It’s funny how we can tell the difference is these rapper style and music by Tupac and Nas being poets, and B.I.G. and Jay-z being more like spoken word artists. The rappers themselves also could tell the difference too with Tupac and B.I.G’s famous beef ending with both rappers dying at gunpoint. And Jay and Nas’ more recent feud about who’s the King of NY rap eventually ended with both rappers resolving their differences and working together. This all ties in together with writers and performers but in a different time and culture. The same is with poets and spoken word artist. A lot of people think they are basically the same thing but in reality they are worlds apart.
A poet is a person who actual writes poetry. This is usually influenced by a culture and intellectual tradition. Some consider the best poetry to be timeless and universal to some extent. It should address issues common to all humanity. Spoken word is a form of artistic performance in which lyrics or poetry is spoken over a musical or acapella background. This form of performance poetry grew popular with poetry slams and competitions.
It seems that the Hip-Hop culture of yesterday is gone. Original artists that were also writers and poets seem to be fading away. The new “Bling-Bling” rappers seem superficial in this new Millennium. Only concerned with money, cars, and women the lil’ Waynes are popping up everywhere now. It seems the more conventional rappers, such as KRS and Rakim are fossils and fearing extinction like dinosaurs. An average hip-hop fan over the age of thirty doesn’t seem to have any good music to listen too anymore. Keeping him/her stuck to listening to antiquated albums of hip-hops past. Keeping the entire new dirty south rap for the young kids. It seems like yesterday we had great artists like A Tribe Called Quest, Run-DMC, and Public Enemy. They had me writing raps, dancing, and proud of my heritage. Now we’re stuck with the likes of Cash Money, Lil’ Jon, and the Yin-Yang Twins which makes me ashamed to be the same race as these people. Maybe we can get back to our roots one day and teach our kids about pride and education. Reading books and stop watching so much television and internet. Then we could get our children too actually like the read and write stories which is fun and creative. Not just playing video games and updating their MySpace page. .

The Mixtape ERA

The day of the mixtape... I guess we can blame 5o Cent for this mixtape craziness. Artist have mixtape release dates now. In the beginning it was to my understanding that a mixtape was a combined effort of different HOTT artist and songs put out by a dj's choice to give fans a clue on hot tracks they may not have had the chance to hear or maybe would not have even purchased.Dont get me wrong I love Hip Hop, especially free Hip Hop but with this day and time it makes me alittle skeptical. Me my own opinion is the artist are wearing themselves thin. Its not only but so much that hasnt been said already over the years, but along with that some of these mixtapes the artist comes out with to get fans ready for an OFFICIAL ALBUM drop are way hotter, better, and more raw than the real label ALBUMS. For instance, a few years ago Busta Rhymes I Bullshit You Not mixtape was way better than the Back on My Bullshit LP he dropped. In fact I still play the mixtape because to me it was almost classic, but the LP barely 3 mics. Another artist with the same problem include Jadakiss. Hott hott mixtapes but mediocre Official releases. All Im saying is make better decisions on the free music you put out, if not you are killing your own careers.

Raekwon – Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…Pt. 2 Deluxe Edition

The exclusive iTunes release will be available on August 17th featuring 2 new songs + 4 additional remixes + 6 videos from the original album which are: “New Wu,” “House of Flying Daggers,” “Surgical Gloves,” “Canal Street,” “Have Mercy,” and “Catalina.”

1. Never Matter To You (feat. Bun B)
2. Rock Stars (feat. GZA & Inspectah Deck)
3. About Me (feat. Game) (Remix)
4. New Wu (Remix)
5. Broken Safety (Remix)
6. Penitentiary (Travis Barker Remix)

The GAME- Brake Lights Mixtape

Love GAME, love everythings he stands for in HipHop, but lately the mixtape music I have been getting from him has been well below the high standard I and himself have set over the years due to all the quality albums, early mixtapes, and mixtape appearances he gave HipHop. With his latest offering he again disappoints me. After seeing all the guest features, I thought why would GAME put this out for free. Then listening to it I found out why. Only a few well thought, time taken, tracks. Plus his voice sounds as if his throat was burning from too much of that Cali Crucial. He misses alot but Im glad for the honesty. He knew he could do better. And for that I stay true to waiting for another Platinum CD.

Religion

I may offend some people but that is not my intent. Religion is something that i along with others my age were raised with. Waking up Sunday morning and putting on your Sunday best and going to receive the word. As i got older i seen on TV or read in the newspaper how religion was being used for everything from choosing a candidate for office or deciding who was worthy to win a Super Bowl. As we speak there are wars being fought in Africa due to religious beliefs. Entire tribes being wiped out in the name of God. I have a hard time believing my God or any for that matter would approve of such behavior, but it has been going on since the very beginning of time. I voted for Obama so for that i am damned to hell according to some zealots. People will blow themselves up in a crowd of innocent people in the name of Allah. I am not singling out any one religion because i think you can go down the line and find issues with all religions. I think the biggest problem with religion is not religion but the people in it. People can take anything and make it fit their cause. We all will answer to our maker one day. By T

C.N.N's The War Report 2

Capone and Noreaga recently signed to Raekwon’s record label Ice Water Inc. The War Report 2 looks to duplicate the success of Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… Pt. II, the only commercially successful throwback rap album in recent memory. Raekwon, who appears on three songs, actually acts as executive producer on WR2, lending CNN his excellent ear for street ballads.

1. Pain (Produced by The Alchemist) [video coming soon]
2. Bodega Stories (Feat. The L.O.X.) (Produced by Scram Jones)
3. Dutches vs. Phillies vs. Bamboo (Feat. Raekwon) (Produced by Scram Jones)
4. My Attribute (Produced by Dreddy)
5. Favor For A Favor (Produced by BT)
6. Hood Pride (Feat. Faith Evans) (Produced by Neo Da Matrix)
7. The Reserves (Feat. Raekwon) (Produced by Tha Bizness) | Video
8. With Me (Feat. Nas) (Produced by Buckwild)
9. Live On, Live Long Pt. 2 (Dedicated To Tragedy Khadafi) (Produced by SPK)
10. The Oath (Feat. Raekwon & Busta Rhymes) (Produced by Hazardis Soundz)
11. Brother From Another (Produced by Kyze)
12. Thug Planet (Feat. Imam T.H.U.G. & Musaliny) (Produced by Tony Heathcliff) | Video
13. Scarface (Produced by Araab Muzik)
14. The Corner (Feat. Avery Storm) (Produced by M3)
15. Obituary (Produced by DJ Green Lantern)

Back to his roots welcome back Joey Crack....

Fat Joe had been missing for years in the music industry. You may have seen him, but as far as quality albums he was nowhere to be found. Considering his hottest albums were 1998's Don Cartagena ( which they said was written by the late GREAT BIG DOG PUNISHER) and then he found PUNS rhyme book for 2001's J.O.S.E. After that he hit us with half done single sprinkled albums, FOR 10 YEARS!!!!! In the process also making us think he left that New York Gritty rhyme scene, for the scenic, plush weather and life of MIAMI.Well he did... But now the only rapper to still get the Suge Knight effect, comes back to his roots. With great detail to the music/production side, and a new found inspiration ( or ghostwriter) for lyrics, Joey Crack has finally satisfied HIS fan base as well as his non believers and nay sayers. Shit is real for that 90s hiphop with this one. I knew you had it in you Joe, dont stray again, ever. Pun would be proud, but still looking for his loot.[MAC03]!!!! 4.5/5 Welcome to th DARKSIDE!!!!

Jay-Z Illuminati And Devil Worshiping Talk

The other day a Jay video came on tv, my step daughter (19) visiting us from Chicago says, I hate Jay-Z. I ask her why, and she say the he's practices Illuminati and devil worhiping. I'm like huh so i had to reseach this myself. There has been gossip and rumers for the last couple of years around the country that Jay-z is involved in all of this illuminaty stuff. the way he hold up the pyramid sign, dissecting his lyrics like he's a devil worshiper. This was so funny to my, i'm like Black people are God fearing people we don't worship the devil, that's crazy. No way the jay-Z i grew up with and love his music is a devil worshiper. and Jay put's the rumors to rest on his verse from Rick Ross' Teflon Don cd! what's your thoughts?

"Nig*as couldn't do nothing with me, they put the devil on me/ I would have preferred nig#as squeeze the metal on me/ Rumors of Lucifer, I don't know who to trust/ The whole world wants my demise, turn the music up.

Hear me clearly if y'all nig%as fear me, just say y'all fear me/ Fu*k all these fairy tales/ Go to hell, this is God engineering/ This is a hail mary pass ya'll interfering"

Cop that New Rick Ross 4 1/2 Mics

I read and interview somewhere with Rick Ross a couple of weeks ago and when asked why do you always say Maybach music, Rick Replied. “A Maybach is the most expensive car, the best that you can buy, so when I say Maybach music I don’t mean the car, I mean this is the best music that you can get out there, the best.”


1. I’m Not A Star (Produced by J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League)
2. Free Mason feat. Jay-Z & John Legend (Produced by The Inkredibles)
3. Tears Of Joy feat. Cee-Lo (Produced by No I.D.)
4. Maybach Music III feat. T.I., Jadakiss & Erykah Badu (Produced by J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League)
5. Live Fast, Die Young feat. Kanye West (Produced by Kanye West)
6. Super High feat. Ne-Yo (Produced by Clark Kent & The Remedy)
7. No. 1 feat. Trey Songz & Diddy (Produced by Danja)
8. MC Hammer feat. Gucci Mane (Produced by Lex Luger)
9. B.M.F. (Blowin’ Money Fast) feat. Styles P (Produced by Lex Luger)
10. Aston Martin Music feat. Drake & Chrisette Michele (Produced by J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League)
11. All The Money In The World feat. Raphael Saadiq (Produced by The Olympicks)
12. Audio Meth (Produced by The Runners) [iTunes Bonus Track]

In stores July 20th.

Football players and white women, what’s that about?

Ok, being a long time Cincinnati Bengals fan. I’m watching the Ochocinco show on VH1 last night. I had to stop watching it in the middle because this guy has 85 women to choose from and all he’s picking is these skinny white little girls. What’s up with that? Why is it only football players that think skinny white girls are gold? Even with basketball some have some since like Magic, Dr. J, and Shaq, but with football players you can forget it they think these cave broads are the cream of the crop, why? If I was famous and a millionaire you can best believe I’m gonna have some fine ass sistas on my side like New-New, Alicia, Gabriel type women. Full bodied and beautiful even the best exotic Spanish broads from the islands with bangin bodies fat asses and big titties, not pale white with bodies of a teenage boy. On the field Chad’s my boy but I can’t mess with his personal choices in women, no thank you.

Laz

A reason Ny/ Eastcoast hiphop faded away

Back in the day you would get excited when you went to a Record store (remember Waxie Maxies)to cop a new cd, tape, single , or maxie single(the one with all the remixes and instrumentals). I remember how even back then I would open up my new tape to see who produced the tracks( yes even that young I would be so excited about just the beatmakers) as well as who your favorite MC had featured on it. Back then it was nothing to have 2 or 3 big features on an album or the so called "posse cut", where all your favorite rappers were on one tracks killing it and you and you boys would ride to the music each one fo you a different MC. Me, first I was Big Daddy Kane, then Grand Puba, then Nas, Tupac never left me,LOL. To me that was the Golden Age of Hip Hop. Everyone was showin love to the other, supportin cats records then...
It seemed to disappear over night. It became who was the King of Ny. Money, Corporate America with big business took over my beloved Hip Hop and turned friends into enemies, and allias into war combatants. As smart as we were and are how is we could never change or break that cycle of blindness. Must of been all the bling and ice that came into the picture. Too late now. Real Hip Hop is alive but on life support, and regular rap has his grip around the cord ready to pull the plug.-MAK

Retirement for MC's by T.

The Rolling Stones are on tour...Tickets sold out. This is not uncommon for most if not all genres of music besides my beloved Hip Hop. An older (experienced is the word i prefer to use) artist, group what have you from another genre can tour until they are in wheel chairs but once Hip Hop artist reaches a certain age they are considered old and obselete. Is it the machine (record labels, suits)that decides this or us as consumers? I'm 36 and most of the acts i grew up on don't put out music or if they do you only know about it through happen stance. Is there an age when a rapper needs to hang up the mic. I say no. There is no age limit on hip hop. If you can rhyme you can rhyme. I hear the hole "you can't sell drugs all your life" arguement but I don't look or listen to rhymes are real life stories. They are movies to me (verbal street opera's if i can quote Tony Starks). The good ones can tell a story abd you can see it. It has nothing to do with age. If anything they get better as they age with constant practice. It takes years to become a master in the Kung Fu arts and you are always learning and honing your craft. Why can't hip hop be the same. Your take...."T"

The Roots - How I got Over/ Classic?

Ok, I'm feeling The Roots new Album/ How i got over. I keep listening to it to see if there are any flaws, but i can't find any. I may be biased because i am a long time Roots fan. Don't get me wrong their last couple of cds were ok and some not so ok, but this one takes it back to the the eairly Roots of the 90s "Distortion of Static" and "Proceed". Loving it!

Laz