All Summer 16

It's been a minute I know but lets not get into way I've haven't released any new material lets get right into this blog.....

I've been sitting back looking at the rap game and I must say 2015 was a very interesting year. From Ghostwriting, to Twitter Fingers,  to Drake releasing a diss/club anthem and just like you I was glued to the blogs waiting for new music. I just like you were entertained by the memes and the level 5 slander Meek brought on himself but while all that was going on I asked myself a serious question and I'm sure some of you have asked yourselves too....

So I must ask.....

HOW LONG WILL WE (GENERAL POPULATION) CONTINUE TO LET DRAKE GET BY WITHOUT CRAFTING A CLASSIC ALBUM?

I've came across this question while analyzing the entire Meek/Drake disagreement. Please do not get me wrong Drake has given us good album and several number one records but is that good enough? On the song "Summer Sixteen" Drake mentioned how he used to want to be on Roc-A-Fella until he turned into J. 

But has he really turned into J? 

The whole Meek/Drake "beef" can easily be compared to the Jay Z/Nas "beef" 

I know some of you don't remember so allow me to take a scroll down memory lane. In the summer of 2001 Jay Z was the headliner of the world famous Summer Jam Concert. This is when he performed the hits within his catalog and within those hit he decided to premier a new song titled "Takeover". While in this song he takes shots at Nas and Mobb Deep letting it be known that he was the King Of New York. Now not only did Hov preform the song he decided to up the wager and display Prodigy of Mobb Deep on what we all know now is the "Summer Jam Screen" 

Now this very similar to what Drake did to Meek over this past summer of 2015

The only difference between what Jay Z did and what Drake has done is right after Summer Jam of 2001 Jay Z released "The Blueprint". A hands down classic and some may argue that The Blueprint is Jay Z's best album to date (That's a debate that I'll save for a later date)

The point I'm trying to make is following all the shit talking and boosting Jay Z did in 2001 during Summer Jam he backed it up with a classic album. Now with Views From The 6 just around the corner I'm saying that this album also needs to be classic. If this album is anything short of a classic, if this album is anything short of Drakes "Blueprint" all his hard work in 2015 will be irrelevant. 

This is Drake's chance to show other rappers I'm the new Jay Z and OVO is the new Roc-A-Fella. 

So I'll ask before I go.....

If Views From The 6 is not a hands down hip-hop classic does Drake have the right to call himself the new Hov?

If Views From The 6 is is not a hands down hip-hop classic does Drake have the right to stand next to or even allowed to be mentioned in the same breath as the greats?

We have given Drake 6 years since his first studio LP and still not one classic album, how long will we allow subpar material from someone people call "This generations Jay Z" 

Share your thoughts and comments 

Written by @Rell_Mac

  

Mailbox Money Review

Welcome to 2015 and welcome to First Class Blogs

Mailbox Money

Time has finally come and we got new music from Nipsey Hussle. Following his mixtape "Crenshaw" which dropped last year Nip is back to feed the streets with quality street music. Along side DJ Drama, Nipsey has shown he can make dope records from songs like "Drop Coupes" and "Summertime In That Cutlass" Which were featured on his last project.

 Mailbox Money is a solid mixtape/album but it does have its flaws.

Grab a seat.

The tape starts out with a very solid intro titled "Killa" which gives off a vibe of where the tape is headed. Great bars, top tier flow, and amazing beat selection. Nipsey is one of those artist where he's not going to give you the most outstanding lyrics you'll ever hear but they hit and they hit hard. Speaking from the eyes of a street guy who's seen a lot and has a vision Nip gives you motivation to become something great.

"Now I gotta different goal cuz I reached all my old ones, I be feeling like someone reached out and chose us" 

Nipsey gives you street talk, uplifting motivational one liners, and of course slick shit talking. Songs like "Count Up That Loot" is an infamous "let me talk my shit" record. The flashy Benz, Rolex, Cuban Link bars of course, but also facts to back them up. Throughout this song he mentions how he's indie and has accomplished things major label artists can't. He touches on how his previous tape "Crenshaw" sold for $100/copy and sold out its first day. He also mentions how he plans to replace Russell Simmons and being the poster child for the music industries new business model.

"I'm Birdman in blue Chucks watch my fucking shoes, I'm Suge Knight I'm J Prince I'm like fuck the rules"

The issue with this project is the features, they're ok they just aren't meant for this tape. The only solid feature is Rick Ross he delivers bars, shit talking, and charisma. As far as the rapper features I'm disappointed in the Dom Kennedy feature, he lacks the overall tone of the tape. Another feature that I feel that should be removed is the Trae Tha Truth feature. Trea doesn't match the tone and flow from the first verse from Nipsey and in my opinion makes me not want to listen to the song following the first verse and hook. If Nipsey replaced the rap features with other artists and/or wrote another 16 bar verse to add to the songs where the other rappers were it would make the tape that much better.

Songs that stand out are

"Thats How I knew"
"Count Up That Loot"
"Between Us"
"A Miracle"
"50 Niggaz"

Youtube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnlWd6u_968

Overall Nipsey touches on several topics on Mailbox Money. Current events, the Crenshaw outlook on life, the advances of being indie, and of course flashy rapper talk. A solid 8.5/10. Will I continue to listen to Nipsey Hussle music? Yes. Do I support the route he's going? Yes! I would say this is definitely something that should be in rotation because the music is great and has replay value. A great way to start 2015 and also a great way to see how the climate of the music industry is going.

You can purchase Mailbox Money for $1000 via Proud 2 Pay 
http://iamproud2pay.com/products/mailbox-money-digital?variant=1026202573

or you can download the music for free at Datpiff.com
http://www.datpiff.com/Nipsey-Hussle-Mailbox-Money-mixtape.675450.html
Thanks for reading, I'll be in touch....

Written by Rell Mac 

Twitter: @Rell_Mac

IG: Rell_Mac

Pull Strings Like Gepetto

Yesterday I came across a video a very powerful video. This video was featured on one of my personal favorite blog sites and I feel like my audience needs to watch this video as well. 

I've read books, articles, and seen several documentaries about the topic at hand but I want to share this video with yall because it speaks volumes.

This video is sad but yet true. We focus on "Turnin Up" so much that we forget about this large picture (Loaded Lux v)

Sit back and pay attention.....

Willie Lynch letter "The Making of a Slave"

To read more about Willie Lynch and the making of a slave

Click here ----> http://www.iupui.edu/~blacksu/PDF%20Documents/Documents/WillieLynchLetter.pdf

Here's another eye opening video 

Click here ----> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuclOHS-tGk

Written by Rell Mac (@Rell_Mac)

Throwback Thursday

With March 9th right around the corner, majority of the hip hop heads know what artist today's Throwback song is from.

Christopher "Frank White" Wallace

Not only with March 9th just a couple days away. Rick Ross released a song titled "Nobody" which is a remake of BIG's song "You're Nobody (Til Somebody Kills You)"

Enjoy your Throwback Thursday song

Notorious BIG "You're Nobody (Til Somebody Kills You)"

YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lm0sJN2eBVg

RIP BIG

May 21st, 1972 - March 9th, 1997

Written by Rell Mac (@Rell_Mac) 

Follow back or we aint friends...

The power of the "Follow" button is more dangerous than you think. In today's society it dictates if we're really friends.

So not true my nigga

You ever been minding your business and get one of these mentions "You gon follow back or nah (side eye emoji)" and it leaves you looking at your phone like....

It happens everyday in the mean streets of Twitter my nigga. 

Or how about this. You ever have someone follow you, unfollow you, then follow you again? Have you thinking "My nigga I seen it the first time, I just aint following back" 

I've unfollowed some of my close friends via twitter and Instagram. Not because we're not friends anymore, simply because I don't care for the nonsense you post.

These social media outlets are great tools for networking, marketing, and entertainment. I personally choose the people I follow for different reasons. Some people are creative with the 140 characters they're giving and makes twitter entertaining, others I follow to network with and possibly do business with in the future.

So when one of your high school classmates who you haven't seen or heard from since after prom choose to follow you they automatically think you have to follow back. NO MY NIGGA I DONT. When you don't follow back they think "you're fake" "you've changed" or simply "you're no longer friends with them" Not the case at all. Why can't it be because you're not entertaining enough or you haven't earned a follow back.

Let me give you an example

You can be on twitter roughly 2 hours a day, 7 days a week. Now that's 14 hours a week, and within those 14 hours you see the same person getting RT'd onto your timeline and you think he/she is entertaining. You might follow that person. Now is that person required to follow you back, no because you haven't earned that follow back.

Earn your followers

If you're the funny person on twitter/IG be the funniest person you can be to entertain your followers. If you're the positive message person, be the most positive motivational person you can be. You can't assume just because I've seen you around the way and we spoke that I'm obligated to follow back.

Stop taking this "Follow me back" shit personal. You can be the best person in the world and go to church every Sunday. Your post are about church and you always post the word. If I'm on twitter/Instagram for ratchet entertainment purposes I'm not going to follow you back because I'm not here for that.

Stop letting that "follow" button dictate if we're friends or not. It's never that real my nigga.

But keep it real my niggas if a cute girl start following you, you follow back fast as fuck. Won't let that opportunity slip thru your hands, NOPE!  

Written by Rell Mac (@Rell_Mac)

Throwback Thursday

Welcome back.....

With Rick Ross releasing his sixth studio album next Tuesday March 4th, its only right today's Throwback Thursday song comes from the M.I Yayo rapper.

Rick Ross "Luxury Tax" feat Lil Wayne, Young Jeezy, and Trick Daddy

YouTube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOuQVV-4yU8

Written by Rell Mac (@Rell_Mac)

Fellas, your girl secretly hates your friends

Fellas you ever tell your girl your going to wing night with your friends? 

Here's how the conversation may go

Her: "Hey babe, what you got planned later?"
You: "Shit me and the fellas might go to (insert local bar) for wing night
Her: "Ohhhhhh what time?"
You: "Idk probably like 7:30-8 ish"
Her: "Can you be back by 11, so I don't have to sleep alone?"
You: "Yea....."

So after you stroll in the house drunk at 1:30am on a Tuesday she wake up the following morning pissed at you and hating your friends. Don't get me wrong she loves your friends when y'all all decide to go out and grab a few drinks all together. They're the best then, she starts to use the slang and lingo y'all all use to fit in and be cool. When it's just you and your friends and she hears "fun" in the background she hates it and she hates your friends.

In her mind she's the only one who can bring joy and excitement into your life. When you're out with your friends in her mind she's thinking "Da fuck is so fun? They probably with some bitches out drinking" Don't front ladies that's how yall think.

Meanwhile it's you and 4 of your partners out drinking, slandering each other, watching the Heat vs Pacers game, and flirting with the coke head bartender so y'all can those happy hour specials an hour longer.  And fellas you know your girl secretly hates your friends, that's why we walk in the restroom when she calls. You can't let her hear niggas laughing and having a good time.

Or how about this, you're sitting on the couch minding your business bullshitting on your phone. You come across a funny post one of your friends post and start laughing, she instantly gets pissed. "Fuck you over there smiling and laughing at?" You must be entertaining your little Instagram bitches" Is something your girl will say. That's when you have to explain to her and breakdown why you're laughing. You'll say something like "Maine (Short for Jermaine) posted some funny shit on IG, here look" by this time it's too late. It's no longer funny, and it's not funny because she didn't see it first. If she had seen the post first it would have been a knee slapper.

Meanwhile fellas we encourage our girls to go out with her friends but they never do because those bitches are never on good terms. One is always broke and/or can't find a babysitter. One never has any clothes and the friend with the nice clothes is tired of lending her shit. So because she doesn't have friends guess what my nigga YOU CANT HAVE FRIENDS. Or if you do have a lil crew she hates those muthafuckas to the core. So every time you tell her you and the crew about to go out and do something, you could be helping a nigga move out his apt. She'll still be pissed. Always remember she's gonna be pissed and upset because she hates those filthy niggas you call friends.

She hates your single friends because she thinks you're living vicariously thru them. So in her mind you're out chasing bitches when in reality you're playing 2K with a $50 bet on the line. You're out here gambling trying to scramble some of your money back because she wanna be Quintab when yall go to the movies talking about "He got moneyyyyyyyyy"

Your girl hates your friends in relationships too. She hates them because she only sees the nice things he does. Seeing them out on dates at Capital Grille and first thing your girl says is "Why you never take me to Capital Grille?" Your boys girl post pics on IG of Edible Arrangements and its not her birthday or Valentine's Day, oh you gon hear about that shit when you get home my nigga. 

It's a lose, lose situation fellas, she hates all your friends there's no getting around it. So enjoy those wings and shots of Patron during wing night, it'll make you fall asleep faster when she's giving you an ear beating. 

Written by Rell Mac @Rell_Mac