South Side Sounds and Thoughts
I’ve been watching a lot of music videos lately. It seem’s like the South has completely taken over the musical landscape right now. Save a few artists like Jay, Nas, 50 Cent, and The Game, its pretty much all about Southern artists rise and eventual fall.
With that in mind, and because it’s Friday, and because I just don’t give a fuck, and because I’m from the South (bigups to Alabama and the good Westside of ATL-Adamsville, just call me The Adamsvillain) I’ve decided to lay out my random thoughts on anything related to Southern rap. I have no idea where this is going, however, I’m gonna take shots, I’m gonna be nice…just wait ’til you see my thoughts…
…I’m gonna beat that…you know the rest.
Panama Jackson Presents Ridin’ Dirty Down South: Thoughts, Words, and Gold Teef
-I don’t give a shit what you say, Outkast’s ATLiens is a better album than Southernplayalisticcadillackmusick. Southern…is a classic and all because it put ATL on the map and really created that playa ideal that we associate nowadays, but ATLiens just had the fiyah!!! I’m making a stand on this one!
-Who in the SHIT thought it was a good idea to make screwed up VIDEOS???? Now I realize that with Houston’s resurgence onto the music scene screwed music is making an impact for whatever reason (cuz trust me I don’t get why folks feel it…unless you’re sippin’ on sizzurp or high as the fuck in which case I totally get it) but SLOWED DOWN VIDEOS????? That’s just dumb.
-Who is Mike Jones?? Exactly.
-You know, I was an instant fan of the Ying Yang Twins song “Wait”. Regardless of your feelings on them, this song is fuckin’ great. Is the content filthy? Yes. It’s nasty as it wants to be, yet its undeniably ingenious and the simple beat just makes it that much more effective. Couple that with the hot video, and I still won’t buy the album. BUT, I will continue to watch the video and dance to it in the club.
-Puffy’s group Boyz N Da Hood’s video for “Dem Boyz” actually DID remind me of NWA for some reason like all of the print media has been claiming. I couldn’t believe it. And for some reason or another, I’m actually a fan now. It’s a damn shame how easy a reference to NWA can make me an instant fan. I just might need help.
-Can somebody please explain to me the allure of Pitbull?? I really don’t get it.
-Lil Jon is really starting to spread himself thin. Either that or you can tell who he really respects by the beats he’s giving away. He did a track on Amerie’s underimpressive new album, the title track “Touch” actually, and the beat is just sloppy and clearly a throwaway. It sounds like the watered down “Yeah” which was already watered down with some shitty song on Mario’s album.
[***Sidenote: Though this doesn't really fit here, Amerie's new album is just...boring. She really set us up for the okeydoke with "1 Thing" then created a hollow ass album with soulless songs and her attempting to sing. If you think she can actually sing, then you probably think Michelle from Destiny's Child can sing, in which case you are the worst judge of talent outside of the guy who found Pretty Ricky. Who, you ask?? Exactly.***]
-Speaking of Pretty Ricky, they are some group from Miami. They have this video that I’ve seen once. And I shit you not, this is the most confusing group EVER. The group name is Pretty Ricky, I think, but there are 4 prominently displayed, similarly dressed individuals in the video. Now they start of singing, so I thought it was a singing group, but then they all break off into shitty raps…all of them. So I don’t know if they are even actually singing, or if they’re a rap group, and if any of them is actually Pretty Ricky. The worst thing is that the music on the song is actually pretty good, too bad they suck more ass than a chimpanzee in Hollywood chillin’ on Sunset at 714am.
-Nearly every state in the South has had some artist make major moves on the national scene thus far except South Carolina, Alabama, and Arkansas. Hell, even Kentucky got in on this with Nappy Roots. I might be a little biased, but I’d say that Alabama needs to be the next spot to blow. Actually, Alabama did have them two dudes whose name escapes me but they had some album about cadillacs, pimpin, and bein’ dirty…ya know from the South.
*thinking about how dumb that last statement was given that’s what everybody down South does*
Aww, skip it.
-Goodie Mob’s implosion and the subsequent shitty solo albums (save CeeLo’s) provided by the members have made me listen to Soul Food on repeat for months. That album was a sleeper classic.
-Speaking of Cee-Lo, the song “I Get Around” was one of the best songs to come out in a long time.
-Is Virginia really the South for music purposes?
-You know, Bubba Sparxxx’s Deliverance album was seriously slept on by the masses. Now I’ll admit a fat white boy rapper named Bubba gives me pause too, but dude has some skills and is able to ride Timbaland’s beats almost as well as Magoo. And Timbaland completely crafted an album for him beatwise that made it a worthy listen.
[***Another Sidenote: I just mentioned Magoo. I think Magoo sucks as a rapper. However, he was magic over Timb's beats as far as his flow, though his lyrics made me want to slit his wrists with plastic spoons and telephone cords while squirrels watched Under the Cherry Moon.***]
-Is it just me or do you think that if Andre 3000 didn’t have Big Boi to keep him grounded, Andre would release an album with dogs howling at the moon and the shit would still be good?? Maybe its just me.
-I don’t know how he did it, but Lil Wayne became one hell of a rapper seemingly overnight. It’s like he grew out his hair and learned how to ride beats. His delivery is sick as hell on his album. Though I do really think he blew it with the horrible prison video for “Go DJ.” I mean good God, Lil one…why not make that the video it should have been that would be lighting up MTVJams. Nope…we got a prison.
-David Banner has always been a good producer. I knew he was going to be somebody when I heard the Crooked Lettaz album Grey Skies featuring him and his partner in rhyme, Kamikaze. It’s a shame they didn’t stick together cuz Kamikaze was actually pretty good, but David Banner was better. And he had the beats…so sad jojo.
-Hmm…is T.I. really the King of the South?
-How can anybody not love Trick Daddy? Dude makes entertaining songs, great videos, and has hella personality. Somebody needs to get him his own reality show.
-Every now and then I listen to the lyrics on some songs that I like from certain Southern artists. It’s usually not a pretty sight. Such goes the case with Bonecrusher’s first verse on “Neva Scared.” My god, This might be the absolute worst verse of all time. Hell, it ain’t even really a verse. He has like 4 whole lines…of pure shit. It’s nothing but gibberish and he sounds likea gotdamn fool. Just take a gander one day and you’ll want him to just perish…
…PANAMA SAYS JUST PERISH.
-Mannie Fresh is one entertaining ass dude. He can’t rap worth a damn and will tell you so. But I swear, he makes some entertaining music and videos. I just love that “Conversations” video. Hell since it dropped I can’t stop telling folks to perish. I saw this dude walking towards me the other day and the outfit he had on nearly prompted me to tell him that. The only thing stopping me?? I had on a pink shirt.
This is getting long so I’ll end it with this one…
-Youngbloodz “Damn” is the best song to come out of the whole crunk phase we’re in. And that dude Sean Paul is A-town to the heart. I mean if you EVER want to know what an ATL native is…that is it. From the speech to the slang to the swagger and style…
…he makes me proud.
>Though this doesn’t really fit here, Amerie’s new album is just…boring. She really set us up for the okeydoke with “1 Thing” then created a hollow ass album with soulless songs and her attempting to sing. If you think she can actually sing, then you probably think Michelle from Destiny’s Child can sing, in which case you are the worst judge of talent outside of the guy who found Pretty Ricky. Who, you ask?? Exactly
LMAOROFL….HAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAH….LOL
Is SCREWED a type of music? Pleae young man (under 30), educate my ass (30). Thanks!
You’re always giving your opinion- like somebody asked you- LMAO!
You should call your blog- Let Me Tell You What I Think…
But this was ridiculously funny! I just don’t get how you can NOT see the magic that Pitbull emits. I know you’re laughing and thinking, “Whatever Tee, you are probably one of the ones who thinks Michelle from Destiny’s child can sing, who wants to listen to you?” Well, you’re right. She sounds good to me! LOL! So maybe I don’t know good singing when I hear it, but uh I DO know that when I hear PITBULL, I get all warm inside as he tells me EXACTLY what he wants to do to me in Spanish, the language of love no less.
AND THEN he rides over those booty shaking beats that are intoxicating and EVERYTIME I hear him saying, Oye Loca, Ven Ba Ca (or whatever) I want to go immediately to him and strip. I’ll do whatever he wants me to. LOL!
I love Pitbull!
GO MIAMI!
LMAO at the Mike Jones comment! I was just saying how that snippet they always show on MTV of his video gets on my NERVES! He almost sounds like he has some type of mental disorder when he raps. He just sounds slow. It’ horrible…. and how many times can one person say their own name?!
Kajuana, have a seat. Screwed is a type of music native to Houston Texas, made popular by one, DJ Screw, where records were slowed down and played to give that laid back slow feel of H-Town. It’s just your favorite record slowed down AKA chopped and screwed.
RIP DJ Screw.
And Ms. Tee: Wow…I guess I just didn’t know the effect that Pitbull had on women. Ironic, I still don’t because you did say Michelle can sing. However, I still love you anyway. LOL!
This post was hilarious…thanks for making me laugh out loud yet again at work. I had to get up and close my door, but I am sure they could still hear me laughing. Alright, here are my comments…
1. I have lived in Texas and I am not feeling screw…sorry to hate, but man. It is so frustrating if you are trying to sing along. I will stick with go-go. (LOL)
2. Mike Jones…LOL I don’t know either. But I know I am tired of hearing his name.
3.Pitbull is a bamma to me. Sorry to hate Kajuana!!
4. I think Michelle can sing…I suggest you listen to her gospel album if you haven’t heard it. Her voice is unique but I think she’s got some talent. Open your mind Pookie!!
5. Andre 3000 is out there. We all know that. I would love to hear some of the ideas that he throws out there that Big Boi rejects. That would be hours of comedy. (you should do a post on that one.)
6. T.I. is the self-proclaimed king of the south. I am not sure how that works exactly. I guess if no one else has dibs on a title, and people go along with it, you can be whoever you want to be. Right Panama?
7. Sean Paul is a true ATL representation…I love to see him walking around the streets of the ATL. It brings a smile to my face.
Ok, since this is not my blog, I think I should stop writing…
Panama:
Thanks for the musical termonology lesson.
Hey Pookie:
I didn’t say anything about Pitbull. I think that was Ms.Tee. As a matter of fact, I have no idea who this Pitbull person is.
Pitbull sucks.
I loves me so T.I.
Sean Paul swagga is SEXY AS FUKK.
When Mike Jones talks he looks like he has a mouth full of cotton balls. Did he get shot in the jaw too?
Panama, thank you, thank you, thank you for talking about Pretty Ricky before I coulg get to them. Who in da hell had the idea to name them PRETTY Ricky? ALL dem negroes are ugly as fukk and the one with exactly 8 shitlocks in his head is the worst.
Lil Weezy is the shit! Have you heard the Squad Up mixtapes? If not, get ya hands on one. Boy is doin the damn thing.
One more thing – Can you please add Fat Joe to the list of East Coasters handlin the biz?
What up killa,
‘bama in the house. no, not a bama, as in an alabama dude. now, you KNOW i was waiting for you to drop one like this…
1) yeah playboy, i disagree w/ you vehemently about atliens vs. southerplayalistic. sure, atliens had elevators and them out in space beats, but southernplayalistic was better if for anything ALL of the stuff that you named. i dont even have to make the argument. LOL
2) i like michelle’s raspy delivery, and i do think it fits with destiny’s child (who needs another kelly?), so i guess i’m gonna like amerie’s album, huh?
3) dem boyz in the hood straight, maybe a lil bit overhyped, but good.
4) T.I. king of the south? that would be a RESOUNDING yes. who else you gon’ make the argument for?
big boi? not a solo artist and speakerboxx was unremarkable.
andre3000? yeah, as soon as he added the ‘3000′ to his name, he took himself outta contention.
scarface? too old and irrelevant at this pt. i mean dude has dropped classic albums, but how many folks you know that got the diary? plus, the irrelevant thing is the key to disqualify him. skills wise, he bangin’ but you cant make the argument for him for the same reason you cant make it for kool g. rap bein’ the illest.
i figured i’d write the most on scarface since that’s the name that heads be throwin’ out ‘cept they dont have none of his albums LOL!
oh yeah, and i’ll take t.i.’s “doin my job”, lyrically, conviction or otherwise against any of the other southern folk worth mentioning.
5) lastly, the alabama crew doin’ they best and utterly subpar southernplayastic rehash? that would be ‘Dirty’
6) yeah, bonecrusha’s verse was ridiculous, but it was followed up by killa mike’s (big ups to morehouse) admirable, but overly ambitious verse, “she indiscriminate with punishment” wtf? and plus, T.I.’s verse mighta been one of the best of the year.
J.Kwest aka BDG:
1) I like Southernplaya, however, you know this because we’ve argued about this at length…I still think ATLiens is just a better album. I like it more so therefore I’m proclaiming it the best.
It was written!!!
2)No, you wont like Amerie’s album because not only can’t she sing, her beats sound like your niece and my nephew were playing around on a Playskool Piano and drum set together and made an album.
3) I’m just feeling them for the NWA vibe.
4) I really don’t know who to call the King of the South. T.I.?? Off of three albums, one of whicih you dont own?? And let’s be real, Urban Legend is just alright not hot. Trap Musick was hot, but has the same problem as Luda, great lyricist, half assed songs beatwise. And you’d take “Doin’ My Job” over say Luda’s “Number One Spot” ??? Hmm…maybe…but I ain’t convinced.
5) Thanks.
6) My beef ain’t with them other two, it’s only with Bonecrusher for duping us with loud raucous vocals that made me hype til I realize all he actually said was “Atteeeeeeeeeeeeeenchun”.
I‚Äôm going to contradict myself when I say this but on the real, Trick Daddy‚Äôs CD was crazy slept on! Especially ‚ÄúYall Ni@@as Keep Fu**in around!‚Äù Personally, I believe every hood needs one real, real, angry ass song to play when you‚Äôre leaving the job, the club or someone just pissed you off in general!! That joint will have you KRUNKTIFIED by the time you hit the expressway for real!!!! ‚Ķ‚Ķ‚Ķ‚ĶBubba Sparxxx’s Deliverance Cd and skills are SO SLEPT ON that he needs to be OFFENDED!!! I‚Äôm sorry but I‚Äôd listen to his flow over crazy azz helium suckin‚Äô Eminem any day! Hmph! Oh and I‚Äôll let you know when I find out who the hell Mike Jones really is. Holla! ~ Ms. Blaize
Hey….. No honorable mention for Petey Pablo???~ Blaize
here to co-sign on the goodness.
first off, i love Screw – but only Screwed R&B *shrug*
Kang of the South? considering it’s a made up title, i’ll have to nominate Bun B right now. everytime i hear his voice (3 Kings, Trap or Die, etc) i am mesmerized at his flow, tone, delivery and lyrics.
Aquemini>ATLiens>southernplayalisticwhatever.
don’t front on Luda – he can be corny but when’s the last time you ever felt like a rapper was having fun?
Bubba Sparxx? agreed. Lil Weezy? not feeling his east coast style shift.
and Urban Legend is the most consistent southern album this year.
mmmmm, sean paul. don’t you know he could get it ALLL?! speaka of the A, i met some young yella nigga at the club last night visiting from ATL. *r0wr* and that’s ALL i got to say about THAT.
you’re pretty on point as far as all of these are concerned. although i’d have to say “i smoke, i drank” (or whatever it’s called) is neck and neck with “damn” with title of ‘god’s gift to crunk.’
p.s. i BLUSHED when i read about what Pitbull does for ms. tee, yo! but all b.s. aside if that nigga was in my face talkin that Toma shit, he’d make it.
“I can’t believe I read the whole thing….” Oh. Yeah.
Pretty Ricky & the Mavericks nigga. Don’t forget the Mavericks. I ain’t seen the video but I fuck with the song when it comes on the radio.
I just realized I forgot to answer your is T.I. the King of the South question yesterday. Oops.
Amerie is nothing, she just happens to have a sick-ass LOYAL producer. And subsequently the hottest single of the spring…that too.
Weezy locked himself in a room for 2 years with Hov’s entire catalogue. He was always a dope lyricist (Aries is right, the Squad Up freestyles are the truth) but he recently added some swag a la Hov. (Just call me Bleek nigga!)
I’ll catch you on IM about that T.I./King of the South bit, too long for the comments section.
And “Damn” is the veritable hot shit of the crunk movement. I saw them niggas perform it in some backwards ass club in Macon, GA, yes, MACON, Ga. And I was happy as could be, go figure. Remember ‘85′ though? That was my shit.
I’m out, and I reserve the right to use this comment as my latest entry.
Oh, and one last shot-out for T.Double and everyone who remembers him back when he was Trick Daddy Dollars.
*sigh* One of the things that has chased me out of the South and has me running for the proverbial hills is this damn “dirty south music.” Oh Good Lawd… please. I haven’t listened to the radio since I’ve been here bec. I can’t take it. Ryan Cameron, and whatever other radio personalities are all lost on me… I have no clue who any of them are, though I hear their names rattled off daily. *shrug*…
One of the reasons I’m hightailing it back to NYC. LOL… this wack-ass music. *shudder* And you’re right… it’s EVERYWHERE… it makes my head hurt. I love Ludacris though… but Usher? TI? Lil Jon (though his beats are infectious… like a communicable disease)? Please… WHERE IS THE NYC repped on the airwaves… we’ve got to make a comeback… this is getting ridiculous!!!
Xquizzyt1… in the words of the illustrious Goodie Mob.. “If you dont like where I stay, fly away… fly away”
It kills me how people down Southern music when MOST of east coast shit is *yawn* borrrrinnnggg. Without Jay-Z and a SELECT few others, yalls shit would be in shambles. The majority of the music/albums mentioned on here WOULDNT be heard on the radio… but, ehh nevermind. Don’t like southern music? Fine, your loss
Anyhoo, that’s not why I’m posting… in fact, I’m STILL lmao @ “howling at the moon”… and I can’t stop. You are a DAMN FOOL!!!
Peace and Love to al in the name of the Most High.
Yo,Im in Jacksonville,Florida and here the big thing is Dancehall right now..Seriously its starting to look like a little Jamaica amongst the black sections of town with the influence of rent-a-dread mentality in the black community here. But on the ’southern crunk’ although to me the real southern music is like 90’s rb, scarface, bone thugs and their nerfarious weed carrying off spring, yo mama’s murky sounding church tapes and set it off mixed..Anyway have any of you ever wondered why Scarface never touched Dre’s Xxplosive/Bag Lady beat ? Wouldnt he murder that bitch ? Anyway I like Screw and Chop music..When the music is just slowed down its Screwed but when you continously hear strategetically placed skips in the music to like double the snare or certain words then its screwed and chopped..Ive been on some lean twice and listened to screw and truthfully all those things make the music sound just as normal…Like its going normal speed..Its crazy but anyway the best screwed and chopped song to date has to be Ice Cube’s Today was a good day style.
Well bless be and may all prosper through good ways and blessings.
Amerie and Lil Jon…Ekkk!…deadly combination. *I think I’m scared of the album now* lol.
Well, am I a hidden Amerie fan? Yes. Do I think she can sing worth a damn? No. Do I think Michelle from DC can sing to? GOOD God No! LOL. But I still like Amerie and continue to listen to her *shrug*. Actually, I have no analogy for why I do…I just do. But when I think about it further…maybe I listen to her out of pure boredom. B/c quite frankly I find myself getting pretty tired of seeing the same ‘ol wanna be Beyonce chicks (appearance wise and/or talent wise) funk-ing up the industry all the time…and in my opinion she’s not one of those chicks. Just looking at her hair color alone I can tell she ‘at least’ meets 1 out of 2 of these charactersitics. But hey, that’s just me. lol.
Oh and I didn’t know that David Banner did work with and was friends with Kamikaze? Is that Kamikaze as in…”Spirit 94, North Carolina represented” Kamikaze. Mmm? That’s new news to me.
And Sean Paul’s dialect reminds me of E40’s. I think of him as the E40 of the South. Sean should come out with his won slang dictionary like E did. Shit, I’d buy it. LOL!
And as for Pitbull and Mike Jones. PURE WACK’DOM, sorry. I will never EVER own one of their albums. LOL!
@Dayrell…no Kamikaze from David Banner fame is not the same Kamikaze (aka Kaze) from North Carolina…I am assuming that the Kamikaze you are referring to is the same one that is currently working with 9th Wonder (who remixed his Spirit of 94 album). The other Kamikaze was one half of Crooked Lettaz with David Banner back in 1996-1997…they were signed to Penalty Records and came out with the album Grey Skies (I believe that was the name of it). But they went their separate ways after that album, and David Banner was producing for a number of southern artists before he got signed by Steve Rifkind (formerly of Loud Records) and came out with “Like a Pimp”…the rest, you already know…
Oh ok. Thanks Maverick!