Raekwon Breaks 100,000 In Sales

Raekwon the Chef sold 101,000 copies of Only Built 4 Cuban Linx Pt. II so far (and this number doesn't include the number of iTunes purchases that were made because Soundscan is a piece of shit out-dated system). This is pretty impressive considering the state of the hip-hop industry right now. Between everybody illegally downloading music every day and teenage girls driving the industry to create bullshit music, Raekwon has really beat the odds here. Not to mention he sold these copies independently through his own label. I think Rae's gonna be doing just fine this year monetarily because he's making more money in profit per CD sold than most rappers and he is selling out huge crowds on his European tour right now. I'm glad this album has been a success for Rae. He put in over four long years of hard work to make this happen and he didn't sell out for one second.


Peep his new video with Beanie Sigel for their track "Have Mercy" off of Cuban Linx 2. (This is my least favorite song on the album, by the way.)

Ghostface Is Playing Games With RZA

Be sure to read the article on AllHipHop.com regarding Ghostface Killah's lawsuit against the RZA for $158,000 in money owed for music made in the '90s. Ghostface claims he didn't get his fair share and that the RZA shouldn't receive 50% for each song.

Ghostface is fucked up if RZA's information is correct. RZA made all the beats for Wu-Tang up until 1997. He produced every beat, found every sample, EQ'd every rapper after they recorded their lyrics, mixed down every track, mastered every album and came up with most of the concepts for most of the songs. How in the hell is the RZA not entitled to 50% of everything??? This lawsuit from Ghostface is seriously fucked up and I lost respect for him based on this article.

Be sure to peep it!!!

http://www.allhiphop.com/stories/features/archive/2009/09/29/21956222.aspx

Willie The Kid "Tell 'Em" Video

There is just something about La The Darkman's younger brother, Willie The Kid, that I've been feelin' for the past couple of years. He ain't the illest lyricist, he ain't the illest flow, he ain't the illest delivery, but this kid has a style that is mad smooth. I just like to listen to this mutha fucka spit. Check out his video for the track "Tell 'Em". Classic Willie The Kid right here...

Money Mixtape (Vol. 9)

Aight, I finally finished my "Money Mixtape (Vol. 9)" after it took me over a month to find 22 dope tracks to put on it. Peep the track list below and let me know if y'all want a copy of it. Hit me on AIM (screen name: WatchCityHipHop). For those of you who don't know who J. Cole is yet: 1. y'all need to get familiar real quick 2. this dude is the truth 3. he's the only new rapper this year that has truly impressed me 4. unfortunately Jay-Z signed him, so he'll never drop an album (especially if Jay-Z feels threatened by his talent).

Big up to the illest virtual crate digger out there, Khamal, for supplying a good portion of these tracks. 

Money Miz - "Money Mixtape (Vol. 9)"

1. Bloody Samurai (Black Knights ft. Dexter Wiggles & The Van Seijen) [RZA]
2. Milli Vanilli (Ras Kass ft. Killah Priest)
3. Killa Bee Swarm (Almighty ft. Timbo King, 5-Star, Killah Priest & Bronze Nazareth) [Bronze Nazareth]
4. 50 For The People (Joell Ortiz) [Frequency]
5. Tito Santana (Joe Budden ft. Wale) [9th Wonder]
6. Gun Harmonizing (Royce Da 5'9") [Emile]
7. Ain't Nuttin Changed (Black Poet) [DJ Premier] 
8. Gun 4 Gun - Remix (Killah Priest ft. NaS & Kurupt) [Teknizzle]
9. All I Ever Wanted (Crooked I)  
10. Empire State of Mind (Jay-Z ft. Alicia Keys) [Al Shuxx]  
11. Not Your Average Girl (Ghostface Killah ft. Shareefa) [Scram Jones] 
12. Bang Bang (La Coka Nostra ft. Snoop Dogg)  
13. Throw It Up (J. Cole) 
14. ALC Theme (Alchemist ft. Kool G. Rap) [Alchemist]
15. Nahh! (Chino XL) [Focus]   
16. Back To The Topic (J. Cole)
17. The Opener (Skyzoo) [Cyrus Tha Great] 
18. The Search (Drake ft. Saukrates)
19. Debo The Game (Sticky Fingaz)   
20. Critically Acclaimed (Lil Fame ft. Saigon & Sean Price) [Statik Selektah]
21. Forever & Always (M.O.P.) [Statik Selektah]
22. Welcome (J. Cole) [J. Cole]   

Hip-Hop New Releases - 9/29/09

The following is a list of new hip-hop album releases for Tuesday, September 29:


Canibus & Keith Murray: "The Undergods"

Ghostface Killah: "Ghostdini The Wizard of Poetry in Emerald City"

Mack 10: "Soft White"

Skyzoo: "Salvation"

Various Artists: "More Than A Game" (Soundtrack)

Warren G: "The G-Files"

THROWBACK CLASSIC - Week of 9/28

With the release of the new Big Pun DVD "The Legacy" this week, I gotta throw Pun some love on my Throwback Classic post. I don't even have to write about how ill Pun was 'cause y'all already know. "Off The Books" was one of the first big tracks he was on that really put him on the map back in the '90s. His verse was crazy. Check it...

Why Is It So Hard To Make A Mixtape???

I've been making mixtapes primarily for myself and my friends since 1992. Back in the '90s I was on some old school shit when it came to putting together a mixtape. For one, it was really a cassette tape (unlike the more modern mix CD or now iTunes playlist) and for two, I would keep it real ghetto and steal tapes from my parents or grandparents and put scotch tape over the two square holes on the top edge of the tape so I could dub over whatever was originally on the tape. Anybody who doesn't know what I'm talking about here simply ain't a true hip-hop head.

In high school, I would get those 120 minute blank tapes and make the illest two hour mixtapes that my boys and I would all bump in our whips everywhere we went. In college, I had Technic 1200 turntables and I would plug my mixer into a stereo and record mixtapes live while I spun the records on my turntables. I used to think I was so ill when I was fuckin' with my turntables. They actually replaced my computer on my desk in my dorm room.

Now in the age of iTunes and play-lists, I simply throw roughly 20-22 tracks on a play-list, rename the tracks so they organize into the same folder and make sure that the list is no longer than 1 hour and 20 minutes (so the play-list can fit onto one blank 80 minute rewritable CD). Now with the beauty of iTunes, play-lists, mp3s and computers, making a mixtape should really be easier than ever for me.

WHY, then, IS IT SO FUCKING HARD TO MAKE A MIXTAPE NOW????????

I'll tell you exactly why: BECAUSE THERE'S A SERIOUS LACK OF QUALITY HIP-HOP RIGHT NOW.

I've been trying to put together a new collection of 22 tracks for my "Money Mixtape (Vol. 9)" and it has been 2 months and I still don't have enough quality tracks. My criteria is that the tracks have to be fairly new (released within the last 6 months, but preferably in the last 2 months), have bangin' beats (meaning that they're good ridin' music for your whip), have some ill lyrical content and flow, and not be any of the songs on heavy rotation on the radio.

I'm two tracks shy right now, but my problem is that most of the songs I have are practically old now 'cause it's taking me so long to find enough good shit to put on this mixtape. Plus, I wouldn't even have half of the tracks if it wasn't for my boy Khamal who is my hip-hop supplier. This dude can find gems in the fucking desert.

Bottom line: There's way too much bullshit out there and not enough real hip-hop. What kills me the most is that artists who are supposed to be underground, put out the worst "wannabe commercial" shit ever. They're not good at commercial shit because they're underground, so why the fuck don't they stick to what they're good at instead of trying to sell-out? These mutha fuckas don't even know how to sell-out properly. Shiiiiiiiiiiitttt.

What the fuck is my ass supposed to do???

P.S. That mixtape picture above is the illest thing ever. Inside the mixtape is a USB memory stick and the mixtape is just the packaging for the memory stick. That shit is mad cool, I have to admit.

KRS-One Droppin' Knowledge on Def Jam

KRS-One recently got interviewed outside of the VH1 Hip-Hop Honors tribute to Def Jam (taped this week but airing on October 13th @ 9:00 PM) and gave us his opinion on the label. I agree with him on everything he said here. Def Jam was an incredible label over the years giving us mad talent including: LL Cool J, Run DMC, Method Man, Redman, DMX, Joe Budden, Ruff Ryders, Rocafella Records (with Jay-Z, Beanie Sigel, Memphis Bleek), and now recently Ghostface Killah and NaS, to name a few. The issue is that they also ruined some of these artists.

Look at Joe Budden for example. How could you shelf that kind of raw talent??? They completely fucked him. If you look at his first album, he had tracks like "Pump It Up" and "Fire" with Busta Rhymes. Those tracks are not Joe Budden tracks. That kind of hip-hop is not what he was built for. Look at LL Cool J getting fucked by them recently just because he's older (don't get me wrong, I'm not that big of an LL fan, but it's still fucked up). Look at Ghostface Killah's new album "The Wizard of Poetry". This dude had to come out with a completely R&B oriented album in order to sell some units for Def Jam. Look at Method Man & Redman not getting the fucking promotion that they deserve. Look at them making Jay-Z their president and then bullshitting the media about his termination when they realized he sucked at being President. Look at NaS making a crossover album with Damien Marley (not that there's anything wrong with NaS doing this, but let's be real his sales weren't up to par recently so they need him to do something different, something that is not pure hip-hop).

Def Jam's line up of artists now is laughable. They've got Young Jeezy, Fabolous, Rick Ross, Mariah Carey, Kanye West, The Dream, Amerie, Chrissette Michele, Jerimih, Rihanna, Ne-Yo, The Killers, Fall Out Boy and Bon Jovi. WHOA!!! DID I JUST WRITE THAT BON JOVI IS ON DEF JAM????? Yes I did. Go to their web site and check that shit out. This isn't a hip-hop label. It's a music label. I can't knock them for their business strategies. Who am I to know how to make money in the current condition of this fucked up music industry? All I'm saying is that Def Jam has done more to hurt pure hip-hop than to preserve it. They are a "for-profit" company and that's the bottom line. Can I hate them for that? Absolutely not. Can I hate VH1 for celebrating their label as hip-hop's savior over the years? Yes I can.

Peep KRS-One droppin' knowledge below...

Onyx - New "Black Rock" Album Trailer

Onyx is supposedly dropping a new album that has a heavy Rock & Roll influence, but from what I hear so far it sounds pretty dope. Check the trailer below to hear some of the cuts from the upcoming album. They called that shit "Black Rock" (like the onyx stone and like they're black doing rock)... SMH.

Big up to Khamal for the info here.

Attack of The Hip-Hop Sequels!!!

Raekwon just put out some serious bait for all the Shark Biters out there. With the success of Raekwon's classic sequel "Only Built 4 Cuban Linx Pt. II", it seems like several other '90s hip-hop artists are trying to capitalize on some sequel buzz. So far I've heard of the following album sequels set for release later this year or next year:

Capone-N-Noreaga: "The War Report 2"

Noreaga: "N.O.R.E. 2" (not to be confused with the unofficial release S.O.R.E.)

Fat Joe: "J.O.S.E. 2"

Cappadonna: "The Pillage 2"

Of these upcoming releases, I'm most excited for Cappadonna's "The Pillage 2". DJ J-Ronin (@J-Ronin on Twitter) just tweeted that Cappadonna has completed five new tracks for the album that are produced by True Master. This could finally be Cappadonna breaking his spell of dropping diarrhea albums since his debut. Let's be real, Cappadonna has one of the greatest verses of all time on "Winter Warz". He just needs to make that magic happen again.

I'm also looking forward to CNN's "The War Report 2" because these guys have a lot to prove since they've sucked for the past decade. The only thing I'm concerned about is that Tragedy Khadafi is currently doing a jail bid and the sequel really can't be done properly without him.

Fat Joe's "J.O.S.E. 2" is gonna suck because that dude has sucked since Big Pun died and couldn't ghost write his shit anymore. Not to mention, his first single for the album "Porn Star" featuring Lil' Kim is the biggest piece of shit since I hit the toilet this morning. It's a fuckin' exact copy of Lil Wayne's Lollipop. Straight trash people. Don't get me started on Joey Crack TS, this dude seriously sucks at rapping and should just give it up at this point.

Anyway, I'll keep y'all posted on any more hip-hop sequel albums I hear of. Regardless, ain't nobody fuckin' with Raekwon at this point. The man made history this month. E.A.D.S.

Money Mizzle

Ghostface - Wizdom of The Week 6

This mutha fucka Ghostface is a lunatic. This shit got me cryin' right here. I'd love to meet the mother of his kids. On dogs.

Peep his new wizdom of the week...

Raekwon & Miss Mimi On G-Unit Radio

YO THIS IS FUCKIN' CRAZY!!!

Raekwon was on G-Unit Radio with Miss Mimi his week and some caller from Texas called in to ask Raekwon if he remembered beating the shit out of him fifteen years ago. This shit is mad funny right here. Raekwon is a fuckin' animal.

THIS SHIT IS A MUST-HEAR PEOPLE...

THROWBACK CLASSIC - Week of 9/21

As I sit here drinkin' a fuckin Coors Light Vented Wide Mouth can of beer, I just realized that I forgot to post a THROWBACK CLASSIC this week. (By the way, the fuckin' "venting" thing is pure bullshit and the only reason I'm drinkin' a Coors Light is 'cause the economy is fucked up over here in NY and I ain't payin' $24 for a 12 pack of Heineken.)

Since Ghostface Killah is releasing his new album "Ghostdini Wizard of Poetry In Emerald City" next Tuesday, I think it's appropriate to post his track "Cherchez La Ghost" as this weeks THROWBACK CLASSIC. I got the full Wizard of Poetry album from my supplier Khamal last night and I'll post a review in a couple of days. The album's content is entirely about women and every track (except for "Stapleton Sex") has an R&B singer on the chorus. Initially, I was on some "what the fuck?" shit, but after hearing the album it's not bad. DON'T GET ME WRONG, I'M STILL ON SOME "WHAT THE FUCK?" SHIT WITH GHOST RIGHT NOW, but it's not as wack as I thought it would be. I mean let's be real here, it's fuckin' Ghostface. That dude is cooler than Mohammad Ali, Barack Obama and Air Jordan Fusion's combined!!!

So check this video below. Ghost and U-God get busy with a lot of ripe bitches. And don't miss the WCW heavyweight championship belt they be sporting throughout the video...

HOSSIP (Hip-Hop Gossip/Rumors) 9/23/09

Aight, this just might be some big shit right here. Drake's new music video for his track "Forever" featuring Kanye West, Lil Wayne and Eminem on the soundtrack to LeBron's new documentary suggests something serious, specifically during Eminem's verse at the end of the song. While Eminem rhymes, all four members of Slaughterhouse are standing behind him. Slaughterhouse has nothing to do with this track, yet they stand firm behind Eminem, bobbing their heads while he spits his verse. The rumor mill is on fire right now because apparently Royce Da 5'9" has made up with Eminem and squashed their beef. The industry is buzzing that Slaughterhouse is in talks with Shady Records right now to sign a deal and release a new record next year.

This could definitely be some shit. All four of the emcees in Slaughterhouse are lyrically ridiculous. I personally thought their debut album was rushed and underwhelming, but they still have four heavyweight emcees who can spit their balls off on tracks. This could be huge if they sign with Eminem and get some big names on their album. They just have to make sure their production isn't gay (which is highly likely) and then we're good.

I'd post the video right here, but YouTube is fuckin' gay right now and won't allow embedding. Be sure to look it up though and watch this shit for yourselves. Eminem fuckin' murdered the other three on this track by the way (not that he would ever get outshined by those jabronies anyway).

Hip-Hop New Releases - 9/22/09

The following is a list of new hip-hop albums released on 9/22/09:

Beastie Boys - "Hello Nasty" (Remastered)

Brother Ali - "Us"

Cory Gunz - "Heir To The Throne" Mixtape [DJ Drama & DJ Head Dibiase]

Esoteric - "Saving Seamus Ryan"

John Forte - "Stylefree The EP"

Run DMC - "Greatest Hits"

Termanology - "Time Machine (Hood Politics VI)"

Kurupt & Roscoe - "The Tekneek Files"

Raekwon's Take on Kanye West

Peep this clip of Raekwon gettin' interviewed by L.A. Leakers this week. You know the Chef thinks Kanye is a fruity pebbles eatin' kinda mutha fucka...

Ghostface "Stapleton Sex" Video

Yo, Ghostface's new album "The Wizard of Poetry In Emerald City" drops on September 29th and this is a internet only video that was leaked from it. The track is called "Stapleton Sex" and is straight up grimey. Ghostface is a fuckin' beast here people and he ain't even in the video.

Check this raunchy shit out...

Hip-Hop New Releases - 9/15/09

The following is a list of new hip-hop album releases for Tuesday, September 15, 2009:

M.O.P. - "Foundation"

Kid Cudi - "Man on the Moon: The End of Day"

Capone - "Revenge is a Promise"

Noreaga - "S.O.R.E. (Still On The Run Eating)"

KRS-One & Buckshot - "Survival Skills"

Q-Tip - "Kamaal The Abstract"

Big Pun - "The Legacy: The Best of Big Pun"

Drake - "So Far Gone"

Trick Daddy - "Finally Famous: Born a Thug, Still a Thug"

THROWBACK CLASSIC: Week of 9/14/09

In 1997, "Soul In The Hole" a basketball documentary about an aspiring basketball coach Kenny Jones came out. The soundtrack was pretty ridiculous, featuring tracks from the Wu-Tang Clan, Dead Prez, Big Punisher, Sauce Money, DJ Premier, Xzibit, Mobb Deep and Common (to name a few). One track that stood out among a heavyweight track listing was the title track "Soul In The Hole" performed by the Wu All Stars. The Wu All Stars consisted of Timbo King, Shyheim, Killa Sin and Tekitha. This track is one of my favorites from back in the golden era. Killa Sin is the last rapper to spit on this track and, for those of you not familiar with him, he's got to be one of, if not THE, most underrated rapper of all time.

Killa Sin is a member of Killarmy and has been in and out of jail his whole career (currently serving 4 bullets for several weapons charges), which has curbed his ability to put out a much anticipated solo album. He's sited as being involved in the altercation where Ma$e had his jaw broken and also being involved in a situation where several of 50 Cent's affiliates were robbed (shortly after 50 Cent released his track "How To Rob" that Ghostface and Raekwon didn't especially care for). His flow is pretty amazing. Pound for pound, Killa Sin may have the best raw flow of all time. I'LL PUT THAT SHIT ON MY LIFE!!!

P.S. Killa Sin personally hooked up me and my brother with a free copy of the Play Station video game "Wu-Tang: Shaolin Style" after we dropped about $2,000 on Wu-Wear garments at the Wu-Wear store in Staten Island about 8 years ago.

Peep this video for "Soul In The Hole"...

Ghostface Wizdom of the Week 4

Ghostface Killah is droppin' his new album "Ghostdini: The Wizard of Poetry in Emerald City" on September 29th. In preparation for the album's release he has been putting out video clips called "Wizdom of the Week" where he drops knowledge about bitches and shit. Hahaha. This dude is off the nipple!!!

Check Ghostdini droppin' more knowledge than that dude B-Nice...

Obama Calls Kanye a "Jackass" - Classic

I know this news is old but I found the video footage from CNN of Obama calling Kanye West a "Jackass". Kanye really is a fucking idiot. He has the only black president in history calling his black ass a jackass. He has to feel like shit for this one. Stupid, buck tooth, mutha fucka.

Raekwon Signs The Original Purple Tape!

Yo peep this video of Raekwon the Chef at a record signing earlier this week. Some dude came through with a mint condition, original, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... cassette tape for Rae to sign. God damn, I wish I still had one of those!!!

Yo, and can somebody tell me why all the illest rappers are fuckin' left handed??? Method Man, Joe Budden, and now I just noticed Raekwon too!!! Shiiiiiiiiiiittttt.

KANYE IS A TOOL SHED

Yo big up to my man B-Nice on these pics here. This dude Kanye is a fuckin' hack. Straight up!

Money Miz's Top 20 Hip-Hop Albums

The following is a list of my top 20 favorite hip-hop albums of all time. What I look for in an album is lyrical skill and flow, delivery, charisma, consistency of production, number of times I have to skip a track (preferably none), skit/interlude creativity, and how groundbreaking the album was at the time it was released. If it ain't raw, it ain't for me. I will probably miss a few really ill albums, but just because they ain't on my list doesn't mean I don't think highly of them. There's a few albums I had to cut from my list that should be mentioned as all time bests such as: The Fugees "The Score", Reflection Eternal, Dead Prez "Let's Get Free", Dr. Dre "The Chronic 2001", Raekwon "Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. II", Cormega "The True Meaning", Outkast "Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik", and Eminem's first two albums (among a few others). Unfortunately, I had to narrow my list down to 20 so I had to make some difficult choices. Aight, feel free to comment about my list. Just keep in mind that my opinion reigns supreme over mutha fuckas everywhere!!!! So fuck all you haters!!! Hahaha.

20: Jay-Z: "The Blueprint"



19. Dr. Dre: "The Chronic"



18. Snoop Dogg: "Doggy Style"



17. Outkast: "ATLiens"



16. Busta Rhymes: "Extinction Level Event"



15. Jay-Z: "Reasonable Doubt"



14. Killah Priest: 'Heavy Mental"



13. NaS: "Illmatic"



12. Cormega: "The Realness"



11. Jedi Mind Tricks: "Violent By Design"



10. Killah Priest: "The Offering"



9. Big Pun: "Capital Punishment"



8. Mobb Deep: "The Infamous"



7. NaS: "It Was Written"



6. GZA: "Liquid Swords"



5. Ghostface Killah: "Supreme Clientele"



4. Wu-Tang Clan: "Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)"



3. Raekwon: "Only Built 4 Cuban Linx..."



2. Ghostface Killah: "Ironman"



1. Wu-Tang Clan: "Wu-Tang Forever"

Willie The Kid "The Fly" Mixtape

Most hip-hop heads I know don't even know who the fuck Willie The Kid is. He's been around on the mixtape market for a couple of years now, gettin' down with DJ Drama and his Aphilliates imprint. A rather unknown fact about Willie is that he is the biological brother of Wu Family member La The Darkman.

These two brothers have been smashing the mixtape season with some ill tracks in the last couple of years and Willie has just released his newest mixtape "The Fly" with DJ Drama.

Willie The Kid (www.Twitter.com/TheRealWillieTheKid) is far from the best rapper I've ever heard, but there is something about his style that really draws me into his music. He has a very calm tone and smooth flow, coupled with the same type of slickness that Sonny Cheeba from Camp Lo had. His delivery is precise and he is partnered with one of my favorite Wu-Tang Family members.

Willie The Kid released an official studio album last year called "Absolute Greatness". The album was solid and worth checking out if you're into real hip-hop geared to the newer hip-hop audience of this decade.

Check the link below to download "The Fly" Mixtape...

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=JV3VTE65

Raekwon "Walk Wit Me" Music Video

Check out Raekwon's new video for his track "Walk Wit Me" produced by Scram Jones off of Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. II. Rae's been puttin' in work lately kid!!!!!

THROWBACK CLASSIC - Week of 9/7/09

Aight, so despite having to deal with mutha fuckas like my boy Khamal callin' me biased, the Throwback Classic of the week this week is Raekwon's "Incarcerated Scarfaces". At Hip-Hop & Bullshit I gotta rep that real shit and seeing that Rae dropped his second classic this week, I have to show y'all the single that really made Rae stand out as a legend. Peep the Wu-Wear clothes in this one. (My brother and I used to travel to Staten Island hard back in the day to get draped in Wu-Wear!!!) This shit was crazy...

HipHopDX.com Review of OB4CL2

Check the link below for HipHopDX.com 's review of Only Built 4 Cuban Linx 2. It's like they stole the words right out of my mouth!!! They said a lot of the same shit I did in my review below, but even better. It's a great read.

http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/reviews/id.1258/title.raekwon-only-built-4-cuban-linx-ii

SEAN PRICE - Ruck Down Records

Yo, I know I'm a little late with this one but Sean Price is gettin' ready to release his new mixtape "Kimbo Price" and his new retail album "Mic Tyson" later this year. He also decided to take over Duck Down Records and kick Dru Ha out of the building!!! Check this video for the new Ruck Down Records below. The end of the video includes a music video for his single "Ruck Down". Be sure to check www.RuckDown.com for updates on his new shit.

SEAN P!!!!!!

ALI VEGAS - What Happened To Him?

What ever happened to Ali Vegas? I mean, I know exactly what happened to him - he's steadily released mixtapes and albums on the low over the past decade. BUT, what the fuck happened to this kid blowin' up? His first album that was never officially released was mad good. This dude came in the game with NaS and AZ both vouching for his ass. He had an ill flow and was really about to carry the torch for Queens in the late '90s, but then the Firm broke up and the Commission never came to fruition. So dude went solo and signed with Tommy Matolla's Sony Music Group and got shelved for 10 years. During his time being shelved, Ali Vegas' style changed dramatically. He began rhyming (flow and delivery) more and more like Jay-Z as opposed to the signature styles of NaS and AZ. Regardless, Ali Vegas is yet another example of an ill emcee who just got fucked by the industry and even some of the players in the game. At this point, I've lost all hope for a real dope album from this kid, but I'll always check for dude when I see gems like this released online. Peep the new video below:

REVIEW - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. II

In 2005, Raekwon announced that he would be releasing a follow-up sequel to his undisputed 1995 classic "Only Built 4 Cuban Linx..." It's been reported that Rae's long-time friend and fan, Busta Rhymes, had a major influence in getting Raekwon to attempt the impossible. The impossible being to get back in the studio and recreate the same magic that he, Ghostface Killah and RZA cooked up in 1995. Busta essentially convinced Raekwon that hip-hop NEEDED this. The situation was dire and Raekwon was obligated to put on his surgical gloves and go to work.

For the educated fan with a high hip-hop I.Q., we realize that making an album in 2009 that is superior to Raekwon's original classic is virtually impossible. The game, the field, the rules, and the players are now all very different. 15 years ago, songs like "Glaciers of Ice," "Incarcerated Scarfaces," and "Criminology" were in heavy rotation on hip-hop radio stations and their videos were all over BET's "Rap City" and MTV's "Yo! MTV Raps". Rae and Ghost single-handedly commercialized selling crack and the struggles that coincide with that type of lifestyle. In addition, they fabricated a unique slang vocabulary that incorporated the teachings of the 5% Nation of Islam and its Supreme Mathematics and Supreme Alphabet. Couple this unique rhyme style with the RZA's dark and heavy hitting production and, well, you all know what happened 15 years ago: THEY CHANGED THE GAME.

In 2007, XXL magazine stated that "Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. II" was the 6th most anticipated album of the year. Raekwon dropped two singles "Baggage Handlers" and "State of Grace" produced by J Dilla and RZA respectively. These tracks got my nipples hard to say the least. They were really the first tracks that Raekwon released since his debut album that were reminiscent of his cookin' crack days where he famously received his nickname of "Chef". Between 2005 and September 8, 2009, Raekwon went from being signed to Dr. Dre's bullshit label Aftermath (bullshit because he signs artists only to shelve them so he can work on his Detox album which has taken him 47 years to create, SMH) to putting Cuban Linx 2 out on his own label ICEH2O. Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. II has been pushed back numerous times and has gone through many transformations in the process. All of this (push backs, label changes, Dr. Dre's bullshit, and the cutting of many RZA beats) has made me very skeptical of how this highly anticipated album will ultimately come out.

I have listened to this album on repeat roughly three times per day for the last week (BIG UP TO MY SUPPLIER KHAMAL!!!!). After soaking it all in and really analyzing the significance of what this album represents, I strongly believe we have another hip-hop classic on our hands. (It should be noted I have the 22 track leak version right now which doesn't include the two bonus tracks that had sample clearance issues. I'll have that version next week.) I'll be the first to say that this album is not as good as the original. It is not on THAT level. What I will say is that it's the best hip-hop album I have heard this decade and probably the best release I've heard since Ghostface Killah's "Supreme Clientele".

Raekwon definitely took the challenge of making another hip-hop classic very seriously. You can tell that his priorities had nothing to do with large numbers of record sales, radio spins or commercial success. Instead, Raekwon's priorities here had everything to do with his legacy as one of the greatest hip-hop contributors of all time. Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. II is an album that will be critically acclaimed and stand true over the course of time.

The album begins in classic Wu-Tang fashion with an old school kung-fu sample that goes straight into one of J Dilla's best beats on "House of Flying Daggers". For anyone who hasn't seen the movie that this track was named after, it's a must-see film (one of the best of all time). This track is basically a posse cut with Inspectah Deck, Ghostface Killah and Method Man. House of Flying Daggers sets the tone for the rest of the album, which is hard, raw, gritty production accompanied by even harder rhymes. I'm not going to dissect every song and every rhyme in my review, but what I will say is that this is one of the most consistent hip-hop albums I've heard in as long as I can remember. There are only two tracks on the entire 24 track album that I don't really care for and that is the Erick Sermon produced "Baggin' Crack" and the Ice Water produced "Have Mercy" featuring Beanie Sigel. I think these two beats are particularly weak in comparison to the rest of the album.

Ghostface Killah came through in usual Ghostface fashion: Impeccable. On "Cold Outside" he rhymes about the struggles of the world and his frustration is expressed emotionally in his delivery. He ends his rhyme stating that rappers should all go on strike in order to make more cash. On the Necro produced "Gihad", Ghostface tells a story of getting head from a girl his son is dating only to get caught by his son who pulls a gun out on him. The story ends with Ghostface knocking his son out, teaching him a lesson about "hoes" and then sending his son to the bodega to get him a 40 oz. Only Ghostface could pull a rhyme off like this!!!

Alchemist literally murdered the beat he produced for the track "Surgical Gloves" and Raekwon simultaneously killed his verses. It is one of my favorites on the album. J Dilla's "10 Bricks" is truly a "Wu-Tang" style beat and it features Ghostface Killah and Cappadonna. You really feel like you are listening to the Wu-Tang of old with this track. The sampling style parallels the RZA from the '90s and is done very crisply. Inspectah Deck is featured on the RZA produced "Black Mozart" and spits like the Deck of the '90s. Overall, all producers and featured dart spitters absolutely brought their A-games to this album. I think everyone involved respected the level of importance this project represents for hip-hop.

There are two immensely serious things that I found to be missing from this album. The first is that RZA is not the main producer. If RZA is able to create beats the way he used to, then we all missed out on something that could have been truly magical. Although Raekwon was remarkably able to create a very consistent feel throughout this album, it's just not the same as having RZA produce the whole thing. I should state, however, that RZA himself is not the same producer he once was (I guess he ain't as dusted as he used to be when makin' beats) and it may be a good thing that he wasn't the only producer. RZA was the executive producer and I believe his vision took this project to a level that it needed to reach. The second serious thing missing from this album is a classic verse from NaS. I don't personally give a fuck about NaS or his divorce from that piece of shit Kelis. I don't care what he had going on in his life. If Raekwon calls you to recreate something of epic proportions in hip-hop, then you fucking do it. Period. He had 4 years to make it happen and he flaked on Rae tremendously. For me, this is unforgivable.

Despite this album missing a couple things, overall it is one hell of a piece of work from a 40 year-old vet who proved that he still has the skills and staying power to hold down hip-hop in its era of decay. I can basically listen to it straight through with no skips and I haven't gotten bored once. The album has left me with a sense of satisfaction I haven't felt since the '90s. THERE IS NO BULLSHIT OR FLUFF ON THIS ALBUM. It's a modern-day classic from a legend who stayed true to his fans and to hip-hop and represented lovely.

Money Miz gives Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. II a 4.5 $s out of a possible 5 $s.

Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. II

This shit is the best thing to happen to hip-hop in 10 years. I'ma review it this weekend. Stay tuned. I don't wanna review it right now 'cause my judgement is clouded 'cause I'm obsessed with it. So I'ma let this shit die down and then make a quality review. Check back this weekend. "Riga-Tone" killed his verses. WORD.

THROWBACK CLASSIC - Week of 8/31/09

Since Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. II just leaked, I think this week we gotta show a video from the original classic. This joint is called "Glaciers of Ice" and Rae & Ghost straight up started the whole flossin' and stuntin' phase of hip-hop on this album. This song also put Wallabee Clarks on the map in the hip-hop world. RZA's production was off the wall on this joint (he was always dusted during this period and made his best beats back then). Peep the video, this shit is classic!!!