"Belly"

I got a recent got a copy of VIBE magazine and was reading a story about the 10th anniversary of the film "Belly" with NAS and DMX among others. This was to be Hype Williams masterpiece and the project that would take him from music video director to major movie director. The critics slaughtered this movie and claimed it was all flash and no substance.I remember going to the movies to see this and thinking that it was ok not bad,but ok.After reading the VIBE magazine article, I rented this movie from Blockbuster( i couldn't find a copy online)and I must agree.I was one of the worst movies I've ever seen storywise..it looks good and DMX is killer...NAS is a weak actor. The Jamaican dude is good,I remember him from SHOTTAS,which is worlds better than this.Anyway, If you have a couple of hrs to blow and absolutely nothing else to do, give it a try, you may like it....I wanted so bad to like it..it just didn't do it for me...I recently seen ads for "Belly 2" starring GAME...maybe if I get some free time to blow, a little cutie and some Cirroc..I might give that a watching.

Trae vs. Mike Jones

By now I'm sure you've heard about the altercation between Trae the Truth and Mike Jones(who)Mike Jones(who)...well you get the picture. Anyway these 2 got into it backstage at the Ozone Awards and from the looks of it Mike Jones came out on the losing end. Now i wasn't there,but if a picture is worth a thousand words, then the pictures say that Mike Jones got mashed on I saw video of both men after the altercation and one was calm and collected and the other was hot and throwing threats left and right( I'm sure you can guess who was what).But the question comes up that who is an Ambassador to a particular city,who speaks for the community and who gets to decide that. Now Trae has been all over the news lately in Houston for doing very positive things in the community and getting praised by no less than the mayor himself, so I understand him as saying he is HOUSTON right now, Mike Jones on the other hand sold a gang of records and bought the music world's attention back to H-Town after the first wave of LilKeke, Geto Boys/Face and SUC/DJ Screw(RIP)...The only constant nationally in between that time was Scarface and UGK....but anyway, who really reps a city..the guy selling lots of records or the guy making an difference in the community...can that be the same person? Whats your take.....BTW..I hope these brothers can work thru this and keep H-Town relevant..Ive met both of these cats and spent a little time with them and left with good impressions on both...both were humble and very accommodating to what i was trying to do.

Dumb down the music

Recently,I was talking with a MC about the state of lyrics in the music today. Now this artist is a beast on the MIC and he was basically saying that everyone he talked to from radio to labels to promo people were telling him that he was dope and the best thing that they've heard in a while, but maybe he should cut back on his lyrical content a little to get people to accept his music better....huh?.....I thought the whole purpose of this shit was to be the best on the MIC...point blank/period...Now this same person was saying that when DJ's or people in general listened to his mixtapes, they would go on and on about how tight he was lyrically and why he didn't spit like this on his other songs..He's confused to say the least..so am I...I remember when Jay-Z stated that he had to dumb down the lyrics to get people to accept what he was saying...Is this where we are now....making dumb music?

DSR.......what the hell happened?

DSR was the brainchild of local music mogul George Lopez and produced the artists Tum-Tum and Big Tuck.....at least these were the 2 that stood out..theyre both still doing big things..Big Tuck is holding it down with "Aint a Stain on Me" and Tum-Tum is killing the mixtape game and has the "Dallas Girl" single which is blowing up, but I dont know what happened to the whole movement, which was huge in dallas and growing across the south in general...the big record deal, the major label videos and MTV and then ......nothing. Those boys was killing the mixtape game and had a real movement with dedicated fans and people really riding for them..DFW needs another DSR and we need one bad...all cities blow up around a movement..Houston had Swishahouse and SUC...St Louis had Nelly and the ST. Lunatics...NY had "the ROC' and "Dipset" among others..Cali had " Death Row and the Bay had the Mac Dre "Thizz" Movement...Philly had the soul singers and that whole Neo Soul vibe going...Florida/Miami got Rick Ross/Plies/Flo-Rida and We the Best...ATL got JD and SO SO Def/LaFace/USDA/DTP/GrandHustle and the list goes on...DFW ...where is the next DSR...George Lopez, are you listening.

Dallas 2008=Houston 2005...but does the movement have legs?

2008 has been a good year for Dallas artists as far as local airplay and recent signings...the radio competition is fierce in the DFW market and the radio stations have responded by playing a shitload of local talent like we've never seen before...from Lil Wil to Lil Shine to Lil C to Damm D to Fat Pimp to the "Halle Berry" boys to just about anybody with a dance and a good hook, ....but can it last and where are the CD sales and momentum to create a bonified "STAR"..thats right although there are lots of artists getting their shine nowadays, where is that breakout national artist that will have everyone saying that Dallas has arrived...is it you or you or maybe you. Play and Skillz where ya at?...these producers probably have the best chance to blow up an DFW artist to the level I'm referring to based on their long list of hits for other mainstream artists(..btw that Lil Wayne/T-Pain joint is sick). DFW we need a "STAR",then and only then will the rest of the country say that DFW has arrived.

What does a rapper look like?

I was listening to this new kid "Asher Roth's" mixtape called "The Greenhouse Effect" hosted by DJ Drama and Don Cannon.He has a song that asks this questions and it got me to thinking,What is the correct dress or look that a artist has to have to be considered a "rapper"...is it sagging pants or backpack?,an oversized tee or grill and do you have to mean mug or can you smile sometimes.I know why some of these steroetypes exist..hell I'm from the hood...you have to mean mug sometimes just to let people know that you not having no nonsense, especially around people you dont feel comfortable with or dont know.As far as the clothes go, I'm not so sure...the sagging has been going on forever,so that nothing new,just something that the media has picked up on and some people use now to make a fashion or thug statement......remember the line from devin the dude....."man you aint a rapper ..stop lying...where's your gold and your diamonds.."What does a rapper look like?