REST IN POWER: GODFATHER OF SOUL

James Brown, passes on at age 73.

Definitely not what I hoped to hear about coming home from midnight Christmas mass.

I guess I lied when I said that the last post was going to be it until next year, but this passing is way too monumental for fans of modern music to overlook.

TIS THE SEASON....

What my friends and family will be recieving in their stockings this year

... for the oversaturation of year end wrap up lists. With further perpetuation from F.O.B.B.

But first off, mad props to Krish for doing big things. I'm sure you kept it treal and showed those square-ass square-bears at Rolling Stone that you weren't going to take shit from a bunch of hegemonic white liberals that are out of touch with what music really is. I think this deserves a "T.B.I.B."

So now, to showcase some egotistical shit, thinking that people actually give a fuck about what music made it to my short list this year, allow me to present my albums and songs of the year.

Since I'm too lazy to create a brief synopsis for why I chose each album or song (though I will say that Lily Allen got plus points for showing love to hyphy shit), let me say that each selection obtained repeat status on my stereo and they also left an imprint for me in a year that a great deal of shit wasn't able to do. We can toss out that half-assed halftime report I had, because I think I just made the post to have something to blog about on that particular day at work. The selections aren't ranked either, as I think its a waste of fuckin' time to try to figure out whether or not an album should be in spot 7, 8, or 9.

10 Albums of '06 [1]:

Lily Allen - Alright, Still
Clipse - Hell Hath No Fury
The Coup - Pick a Bigger Weapon
Ghostface Killah - Fishscale
J Dilla - Donuts
The Roots - Game Theory
San Quinn - The Rock
Shinsight Trio - Shallow Night Blurry Moons
Snoop Dogg - Blue Carpet Treatment
Thom Yorke - Eraser

10 Songs of '06:

Cham - Ghetto Story
J Dilla feat. Common & D'Angelo - So Far to Go
Lil Wayne & Robin Thicke - Shooter
Nas & Jay Z - Black Republicans
Oh No feat. Dudley Perkins & Georgia Anne Muldrow - T. Biggums
Project Pat - Raised in the Projects
Ray Cash - Bumpin My Music
San Quinn - Hell Yeah
Traxxamillion feat. Too Short & Mistah FAB - Sideshow
Amy Winehouse - I'm No Good

There ya go, fuck giving an explanation as to why I chose these, I already spent too much time trying to narrow down the lists to ten selections. But one more album needs to be recognized for having the best album title of the year maybe even of all time:

[1] If you're asking yourself, "Only one Bay selection!?" It just goes to show how the area had their good share of songs, but failed tremendously in releasing cohesive albums. Also, attention all Bay rappers: stop leaking your shit and releasing 20 million singles before coming out with an album (Mistah FAB should pay close attention), by the time the album comes out, I will likely become very hesitant to purchase it.

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For those of you that actually frequent this blog or actually care, shit will be changing in '07. I mentioned it in this post, but a new layout and domain looks like it really coming into fruition, along with another contributing writer.

Be on the look out for fobbdeep.com (or whatever domain we get).

I'll be out 'til the next year.

Merry Chrismakwaannakuh!!!

WE'RE #1

"U.S. Has the Most Prisoners in the World Due to Tough Laws"

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Tough sentencing laws, record numbers of drug offenders and high crime rates have contributed to the United States having the largest prison population and the highest rate of incarceration in the world, according to criminal justice experts.

A U.S. Justice Department report released on November 30 showed that a record 7 million people -- or one in every 32 American adults -- were behind bars, on probation or on parole at the end of last year. Of the total, 2.2 million were in prison or jail.

According to the International Center for Prison Studies at King's College in London, more people are behind bars in the United States than in any other country. China ranks second with 1.5 million prisoners, followed by Russia with 870,000...

Commenting on what the prison figures show about U.S. society, King said various social programs, including those dealing with education, poverty, urban development, health care and child care, have failed.

"There are a number of social programs we have failed to deliver. There are systemic failures going on," he said. "A lot of these people then end up in the criminal justice system."

Read the entire article...

RAP O CLAP O

Joe Bataan, representing the Afro-Filipino, average sort of guy, with one of the first hip-hop songs to reach the charts, "Rap-O Clap-O":



If you didnt pick up that November issue of Wax Poetics, make sure to get yourself a back issue. And dont forget about O-Dub's bonus interview with Bataan, cause Oliver's always making sure to show love for the godfather of Latin Soul.

I just found out that Joe Bataan will be doing a show on February 11 in San Jose. Since I will have been relocated up to Northern California by that time, its a pretty sure thing that I'll be watching this performance.

GHOSTRIDE IT

"Pimp My Ride" video game appropriates ghost ridin' the whip. See the clip.

As, Flav would say, "Woooow."

The Bay is back?

Or a regional trend getting played out?

I seen the "get low," but whats the deal with all the other dance moves?

***Bonus track: Rappin' 4-Tay - Charger

A TIME BEFORE FERGIE

Let me begin this by begrudgingly acknowledging that Fergie has now reached such a prominent status in pop culture that she has surpassed the popularity of the group in which she was placed to help market said group. When I was googling an image of the Black Eyed Peas, the picture above was one of the few I could find that didnt have Fergie as the centerpiece, used to sell the group to a mainstream audience. This places the Black Eyed Peas in a position of great irony since they made their jump over the shark when they decided to possessively invest in whiteness and include Fergie into the group (musically speaking of course, cause I'm sure they don't mind all the cabbage they've thus attained).

If you can imagine, there was actually a time when BEP made music that came from the soul and wasn't made to cater to the likes of eleventeen year old white girls. They made head bobbin' music that communicated to us to clap our hands as we listened to the movement from the joints and jam.

I'll hold off on any more of my thoughts and feelings on the musical path that the BEP have now taken, instead I want to focus on a time that makes you think, "Damn, what the fuck happened to them?" A time before they were in such a visible light so as to spark a huge debate about Filipina gender representation in music videos.

Even before "Behind the Front" existed an album entitled "Grass Roots" released under a group that called themselves ATBAN Klan. From Eazy-E.com:

In 1988, a group of hip-hop dancers from downtown Los Angeles called themselves Tribal Nation. Still in high school, a few of the members, inspired by the East Coast rap movement of A Tribe Called Quest, KRS-One and Public Enemy, began writing their own raps in addition to dancing to other people's. They eventually broke off from Tribal Nation to form their own rap crew, A Tribe Beyond A Nation, or the ATBAN Klann. According to group member Will OneX, "A Tribe Beyond A Nation is a state of mind." Simplified the concept is: A Tribe is about staying true to your roots--knowing yourself and Beyond A Nation means to go out and be successful without getting caught up and trapped by it.

Composed of will.i.am (then known by a more militant name, Will One X), Apl.de.ap, and two other cats, ATBAN Klan came at a time in when g-funk and music to drive-by were the hegemonic sounds that were most pervasive in West Coast hip-hop radio. "Grass Roots" would be the only album created by ATBAN Klan under Ruthless records, and apparently they only released about 100 cassettes (which means $$$ for those of you with a copy).

In listening to these tracks, one can easily identify the influence of jazz that many inspired many in the Native Tongues era, although very aesthetically West Coast. The influence of the LA independent hip-hop scene care of the Project Blowed/Good Life Cafe shines through within the tracks. A pleasant vibe reminiscent of a Nonce-ish aura is felt on "World's Gone Mad" and "Rain On Me." "Open Your Mind" showcases the emcees on the braggadocious tip, telling us that their fresh stylistic raps will take us to another dimension. And, "Focus On You," demonstrates one of those classic laid back chillin in the park cuts.

It might just be me, but the thickness of Apl's fresh from the Philippines accent in these joints make his delivery much more ill. Though it might be that Will wrote his verses for him.

I have to give a shout out to my homie DJ Norm Rockwell (of San Diego) for hooking me up with these tracks.

ATBAN Klan - World's Gone Mad

ATBAN Klan - Rain On Me

ATBAN Klan - Open Your Mind

ATBAN Klan - Focus On You

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While some may have already retreated from anything related to the BEP, I say they're missing out. Will.i.am, provided nothing but heat on "Doctors Advocate," and this track he did with Common is amazing:

Common - I Have a Dream (produced by will.i.am) (c/o Nah Right)

Where does all of leave us?

FREE THE BLACK EYED PEAS FROM FERGIE!!!

VERDICT IN THE SUBIC BAY RAPE CASE

U.S. Marine convicted of rape in the Philippines

MANILA, Philippines: A U.S. Marine was convicted and sentenced to 40 years in prison Monday in a landmark rape case that was hailed as a victory for women's rights and Philippine independence from its former colonial power.

In a decision televised live nationwide, three other Marines were acquitted of complicity after a long emotional trial that resurrected controversies linked to the U.S. military presence in the Philippines.

The case has tested a joint military pact which paved the way for U.S. counterterrorism training credited with helping local forces make gains against Muslim extremists in the country's south. Leftist groups have staged regular protests outside the U.S. Embassy, claiming the American servicemen were getting special treatment that undercut the country's sovereignty.

Full article...

Unfortunately and unjustly the three other Marines and the driver were aquitted of their complicity. Not to mention the continued exploits of American imperialism under the Visiting Forces Agreement.

US Marines' Gang-rape of a Filipina: A Violation of a Woman’s Right ...

THE GHOSTBUSTERS... THEY THE POLICE

It had to be done.

I guess FAB gets the prize.

More behind the scenes pictures of FAB's "Ghost Ride It" video shoot on the BART-Siccness forums.