Take A Bow

Take a bow, the night is over
This masquerade is getting older
Light are low, the curtains down
There's no one here
(There's no one here, there's no one in the crowd)
Say your lines but do you feel them
Do you mean what you say when there's no one around (no one around)
Watching you, watching me, one lonely star
(One lonely star you don't know who you are)

I've always been in love with you (always with you)
I guess you've always known it's true (you know it's true)
You took my love for granted, why oh why
The show is over, say good-bye

Say good-bye (bye bye), say good-bye

Make them laugh, it comes so easy
When you get to the part
Where you're breaking my heart (breaking my heart)
Hide behind your smile, all the world loves a clown
(Just make 'em smile the whole world loves a clown)
Wish you well, I cannot stay
You deserve an award for the role that you played (role that you played)
No more masquerade, you're one lonely star
(One lonely star and you don't know who you are)


Say good-bye (bye bye), say good-bye

All the world is a stage (world is a stage)
And everyone has their part (has their part)
But how was I to know which way the story'd go
How was I to know you'd break
(You'd break, you'd break, you'd break)
You'd break my heart

I've always been in love with you
(I've always been in love with you)
Guess you've always known
You took my love for granted, why oh why
The show is over, say good-bye


Say good-bye (bye bye), say good-bye
Say good-bye

Cookies or Comas

Jean Grae. Cookies or Comas. The mixtape. I will not steer you wrong. To say this girl has lyrics for days would be borderline disrespectful. The punchlines. The metaphors. The all-encompassing rhyme spitting phenom that is pure..Jeanius. I just had a listen at datpiff.com and I'm ready for more. I fux wit Jean. When she's not dropping the most random thoughts from the mind in 140 characters or less- she's dropping jewels on her blog. This latest mixtape is a testament to her talents, witticism and way-the-fuck-out-thereness. Her reflective answer to Kanye's Blame Game was a sweet surprise. And if you need smelling salts to revive you after listening to Killing 'Em featuring Pharoahe Monch- don't feel bad. I damn near passed out when it hit me in the eardrum; for the MC Lyte sample alone. Wow. I didn't even peep 'til just now how those two admissions allude to the very title of her mixtape, but I'm telling you the truth, People. And the last track? Ho Lee Shit. Download it now. Thank me later. This is Jayne Neverow and I endorse this message. Peace.

"a super jerk, call me Clark Kent at sperm bank, with girl mags,
I'd be like SPIT if I burned tags,
I burn flags, burn, man, not books or bras, Fam.
Swing bars, multiple partners, Tarzan,
marzipan, that's it no reference, no depth shit,
Breathe and let the bars stand." ~Track 1. Casebasket

Taxi

Been rockin' this one on repeat for a minute now. It's so melodic. So hypnotic. So effin' true. Enjoy..

Taxi - Ski Beats ft. Mos Def & Whosane

En garde…bang bang it’s a war of the hearts
We could either make love or we could spar
Either way we hollerin’ out “Good Lord!”
Either one won’t solve the problem at all
Spent the first half tryin’ to get it on
Spent the next half tryin’ to get gone
“What’s wrong?” “Nothin’ at all…”
Watch ya head girl, that lie is too tall
Don’t go, eff it do what you want
I’m out the front door, I’m waitin’ on ya call
Forgot it took place, rememberin’ it all
Feel like forever, the moment’s so small
Your eyes soft, you go hard, your kiss warm
Your cold heart, fresh frost
Tryna melt it off
Bags packed at home, lookin’ lost
Trippin’ out, endin’ up where you start
Carousel at the merry-go-park
Pretty horse, let me off
Shed a tear but I’m too tired to mourn
I…do it tomorrow, when ya gone
And ya can’t see me at all
Boulevard, love and hate, we at the cross
Buckle up…rough course…TAXI!

Free As a Bird

Free as a bird,
it's the next best thing to be.
Free as a bird.

Home, home and dry,
like a homing bird I'll fly
as a bird on wings.

Whatever happened to
the life that we once knew?
Can we really live without each other?

Where did we lose the touch
that seemed to mean so much?
It always made me feel so...

Free as a bird,
like the next best thing to be.
Free as a bird.

Home, home and dry,
like a homing bird I'll fly
as a bird on wings.

Whatever happened to
the life that we once knew?
Always made me feel so free.

Free as a bird.
It's the next best thing to be.
Free as a bird.
Free as a bird.
Free as a bird.

Lost in the World

Imagine a world of chaos and a woman determined to write about it.  He said he was the headache and the aspirin.  He didn't lie. People always say they don't know whether they're coming or going.  I'm always doing both and yet, I remain totally cognizant of that fact.  It's a choice.  I know that now.  I chose the headache and the aspirin.  The poison and the antidote.  The torment and the salve. The crux: Stay or go?  I never know.  But win or lose- I'll write it all. 
It's not often I hear lyrics that sound as if they were ripped covetously from my brain.  But every now and then...

You're my devil you're my angel
You're my heaven you're my hell
You're my now you're my forever
You're my freedom you're my jail
You're my lies you're my truth
You're my war you're my truce,
Your my questions you're my proof
Your my stress and you're my masseuse.

Lost In The World - Kanye West

Six Days Remix

This one has always been a strange favorite lurking in my music collection.  Surprisingly, it has very little to do with Mos Def's involvement with this tune. The song haunts me.  The sentiment that tomorrow may bring the worst- but it may be better than we we're dealing with today...that's deep.  Hope is such a fantastic thing. It really is.  Especially in times of war. Plus, the very first line uttered sounds a lot like Gil Scott Heron, but I can't be too sure.  Anyway, enjoy the video and lyrics.  Maybe you'll feel me on this one and maybe you won't.  You still can't take anything away from it, though. Peace.

Six Days Remix - DJ Shadow featuring Mos Def

I get a feeling there's gonna be a riot

I don't read the newspapers, because they all have... ugly prints.

Bring it ON!
Bring it ON!
Bring it on cuz there's gon be some shit tonight!

At the starting of the week
At summit talks you'll hear them speak
It's only Monday
Negotiations breaking down
See those leaders start to frown
It's sword and gun day

Tomorrow never comes until it's too late

Come come come come come with it (x2)

You could be sitting taking lunch
The news will hit you like a punch
It's only Tuesday (What time is it? )
You never thought we'd go to war
After all the things we saw
It's April Fools' day (What time is it? )

Tomorrow never comes until it's too late
Tomorrow never comes until it's too late

[Mos Def]
Tomorrow is another day
Today is another bomb
Tomorrow is another day
Today is another bomb
Tomorrow is another day
Today is another bomb
Tomorrow is another day
Today is another
(Boom boom ba ba ba ba boom ba ba ba ba boom ba ba ba ba ba) (x4)

Fiyah!!!
Lick off a
SHOT!
Escalation
Never Station
Generation
Separation
Situation
Dissipation
Shot!
Another shot another shot
The tender make the pressure pop
The heart is cold the gun is hot (Shot)
I'm not sure if they done or not
I'm not sure if they wanna stop
The gun is cold the blood is hot (Shot)
(Sha Sha Sha Sha Sha Sha Shot)
The hearts are weak the guns are not

You hear a whistling overhead
Are you alive or are you dead?
It's only Thursday (What time is it? )
You feel the shaking on the ground
A million candles burn around
Is it your birthday? (What time is it? )

Tomorrow never comes until it's too late
(Get tomorr' on the phone Tryna be smart Get tomorr' on the phone)
Tomorrow never comes until it's too late (I need to see tomorr' Tryna reach tomorr')
Think tomorrows come .
I think it's too late

ANOTHER DAY!


Boom boom ba ba ba ba boom ba ba ba ba boom ba ba ba ba ba

Tomorrow is another day (x2)

Bring it ON!
Bring it ON!
Bring it on cuz there's gon be some shit tonight!

No Business Like Show Business

"Kid, ya gonna be large!!!"

                                             

Underground.  Underestimated. Undervalued. Golden Era.  Those are the words that come to mind when I think of EPMD. Never in the history of Hip Hop has there been a duo who stood the test of time like these two. And yet, I still don't feel like they get the proper credit they deserve.  Last week, I was blessed with a live performance by them at the Knitting Factory- and it was everything I expected from this legendary pair.  Eric Sermon and Parrish Smith have always literally been about their business.  Check the resume: Strictly Business (1988), Unfinished Business (1989), Business As Usual (1990), Business, Never Personal (1992) Back in Business (1997) Out of Business (1999) We Mean Business (2008).  And nothing has changed.  They still  make it their biz to command a crowd without being extra. They give the people what they want. No theatrics. No pyrotechnics.  Just dope beats and lyrics coming out of Long Island, NY.

Of course they did what they do best. Rough Rugged and Raw.  Eric and Parrish launched into Please Listen to My Demo and the hits didn't stop coming.  Backed by the equally legendary DJ Scratch on the turntables, they ran through their catalog of singles that hits just has hard as it did back in '88 and beyond.  There's something about how the beat to Strictly Business starts up that just takes you somewhere.  I looked around at the sea of faces and watched as they recited every lyric in sync with them.  A part of me was waiting for LL to jump out during Rampage, or even Redman for the Headbanger but it wasn't even necessary.  They held it down- just the two of them. Going line for line on joints like You Gots To Chill, Crossover, Jane and So Wat Chu Sayin', they haven't lost their touch.  Not by a long shot.  That effortless flow and the easy way they exchange verses comes from years of really knowing one another and knowing what works. They are tried and true crowd pleasers because they've mastered that formula. And they understand how important it is for that brand of Hip Hop to remain relevant.  The Green Eyed Bandit kept it a hundred when he said onstage that he's not a broke ass hater.  Make no mistake. It's just that most of what you hear nowadays is wack.  That's how he launched into Da Joint. And I quote, "It's not about me fallin' off. I'm good. It's not that I don't have money.  Matta fact...I make a million bucks..." Ooh wee...that was hot.

Still, it would have been nice to hear the classic Gold Digger before they departed. Or even the lesser known It's Going Down off the Juice Soundtrack- just for the die hards such as myself.  I mean...they were among the patrons gettin' stuck up by Blizzard in the bar at like 11 in the morning.  Ha! Remember that?  Shout out to my peoples, Dinco D who I saw up in there. I'll be back in the building next month to check his performance with Leaders of the New School  and Son of Beserk.  All in all, it was a really good show. They closed with Just Like Music off Eric's solo mission and everyone left satisified. It made me realize that when it comes to Eric and Parrish Making Dollars, I'll always make it MY BUSINESS to show love. 

Now press play...

Sleep to Dream

All my life I've admired people who have dreamed about flying.  Mostly because up until last week, I truly couldn't relate.  It seemed that those people had a mental freedom that I lacked. They weren't afraid.  Perhaps before last week, I couldn't fathom soaring above it all.  But in the dream, that's just what I did.  Everything looked small.  Like those intricate little villages you see around Christmas time with miniature trains chugging through them.  I sailed through the sky with wind enveloping me and coasting me along.  I didn't fall.  I didn't falter.  I just flew through and above clouds without a worry in the world.  I know better than to think it may happen again. I don't even need it again.  If it does, great.  If it doesn't, at least a I touched that feeling of being completely free and unencumbered.  Light as the invisible feathers that carried me through an element that I'm totally unacquainted with.  It was beautiful. Maybe in waking life, I've risen above something I was incapable of before. Who knows? Sleep brought me a new treasure other than much needed rest. When I awoke I was looking into a  familiar face. Another dream began. I'm awake now though and like Fiona- I don't go to sleep to dream.  

I tell you how I feel, but you don't care
I say tell me the truth, but you don't dare
You say love is a hell you cannot bear
And I say gimme mine back and then go there - for all I care

I got my feet on the ground
And I don't go to sleep to dream
You got your head in the clouds
And you're not at all what you seem
This mind, this body
And this voice cannot be stifled by your deviant ways
So don't forget what I told you
Don't come around, I got my own hell to raise

I have never been so insulted in all my life
I could swallow the seas to wash down all this pride
First you run like a fool just to be at my side
And now you run like a fool
But you just run to hide, and I can't abide

I got my feet on the ground
And I don't go to sleep to dream
You got your head in the clouds
And you're not at all what you seem
This mind, this body
And this voice cannot be stifled by your deviant ways
So don't forget what I told you
Don't come around, I got my own hell to raise

Don't make it a big deal, don't be so sensitive
We're not playing a game anymore
You don't have to be so defensive
Don't you plead me your case, don't bother to explain
Don't even show me your face, ''cause it's a crying shame
Just go back to the rock from under which you came
Take the sorrow you gave and all the stakes you claim -
And don't forget the blame

I got my feet on the ground
And I don't go to sleep to dream
You got your head in the clouds
And you're not at all what you seem
This mind, this body
And this voice cannot be stifled by your deviant ways
So don't forget what I told you
Don't come around, I got my own hell to raise

Meet Virginia

You want honest? I can be honest. This past weekend I experienced what can only be described as a near nervous breakdown. Or perhaps a minor meltdown of volcanic proportions. I was fit to be tied. I don't know why. Maybe I do. Shit, sometimes life just...gets to you. Either way, I know I'm not alone when songs like this can be written. I can't be the only one relating to the words. My daddy may not wrestle alligators. And my mother never worked on carburetors. But this much is true. My confidence is tragic. My intuition is magic. And there once was a time when I only drank coffee at midnight. I don't care who you are in this world or what success you have tasted- at some point or another, you just might look in the mirror and meet Virginia. I know I did.

Meet Virginia - Train

She doesn't own a dress
Her hair is always a mess
If you catch her stealin'
She won't confess
She's beautiful.

Smokes a pack a day
Wait that's me, but anyway
She doesn't care a thing about that, hey
She thinks I'm beautiful.

Meet Virginia

She never compromises
Loves babies and surprises
Wears high heels when she exercises
Ain't that beautiful?

Meet Virginia

Well she wants to be the queen
And she thinks about her scene
Pulls her hair back and she screams,
"I don't really want to be the queen!"

Daddy wrestles alligators
Mama works on carburetors
Her brother is a fine mediator
For the residents.

Here she is again on the phone
Just like me; hates to be alone
We just like to sit at home
And rip on the president.

Meet Virginia

Well she wants to live her life
And she thinks about her life
Pulls her hair back and she screams,
"I don't really want to live this life!"

She only drinks coffee at midnight
When the moment is not right
Her timing is quite
Unusual

You see, her confidence is tragic
But her intuition magic
And the shape of her body...
Unusual.

Meet Virginia
I can't wait to
Meet Virginia,
Yeah.

Well she wants to be the queen
And she thinks about her scene
Well she wants to live her life
And she thinks about her life
Pulls her hair back and she screams,
"I don't really want to be the queen!
I, I don't really want to be the queen!
I, I don't really want to be the queen!
I, I don't really want to live this..."

Think you know

I find it ironic that one of the most serene and calming songs came from such a frenetically paced and agitating film, but it did. I always loved how the guitar perfectly accompanied Billy Corgan's droning lament. But the lyrics never meant much to me. 'Til now.


Think You Know by Djali Zwan from the movie Spun

Goin' home
can't escape
it won't break

No harm
is worth
what I can't take

So you think you know
think you know the way
So you think you know
think you know my shame

Even though I
still care for you
Its not half of
all I could do

So, so you think you know
think you know my ways
So, so you think you know
think you know my shame

Now it's late
I'm not afraid
to let you know

I'm hurt
to burn
to let it show

Rivers come and
Rivers go
Straight from my hell
to my aching soul

So, so you think you know
think you know the way
So, so you think you know
think you know my shame

Even though I
still care for you
It's not all I
could ever do for you

Just so, just so you know
Just so, just so you know
Just so, just so you know
Just so

The 37th Chamber of Starks

Let's get this out in the open right now. This Bug has crazy, shameless love for Ghostface. You feel me? It wasn't always that way, but it's like that- and that's the way it is. I remember when I first saw the Method Man video, I wondered (undoubtedly like everyone else) who was that masked man with the dual Shinobi swords at the end? Was he on the run? Was he hiding a nasty Buck 50? What the hell was he all about? Well, by the time I heard him rhyme on Da Mystery of Chessboxin' I was more than intrigued. And by the time he and Raekwon paired up for the legendary Purple Tape- it was a wrap. I was sold. The dude is a beast. I don't think there's a gray area with Tony Starks. You either feel him or you don't. It's up to you. I'll just run down my reasons why I think the god is worth his weight in gold like that eagle he occasionally brandishes on his wrist.


An Air of Mystery
Ghost might have hidden his face from the public when the Wu first came out, but he also kept the skills under wraps for a hot second, too. Honestly, I wasn't feeling him completely when I first heard him spit. It took time for him to grow on me. His lyrics didn't always make sense (more on that later) but they started to sound iller every time I heard him. In a twist of genius, he gradually peeled back the layers of his persona to a point where I wondered ' What the hell does this dude look like anyways?'




The Passionate Thug
I don't know if anyone else has noticed- but Ghostface has feelings too. Since the first album, Ironman we've been consistently hearing about how he's gotten his heart broken by some snake-in-the-grass chick that he thought the world of until she did him dirty. Check the resume: Wildflower, Child's Play, Never Be the Same Again, Back Like That. You do the math. Don't get it twisted, tho. He does not seem to consistently get his heart torn. As a matter of fact- he sounds like he does more than okay with the ladies. "Pretty Tone in the house. You betta hide ya bitch." One thing is undeniable. When his heart is in it, he let's everybody know. And he loves the kids. Wu Tang is for the chirren!


He's a Tastemaker
The self-proclaimed "Wally Champ" has a style all his own. You can see it in his gear as much as you can hear it in his lyrics. Your boy stays "veloured down like the Sheik of Iran". He doesn't care what's trendy; he sets the trend. Big dookie rope chains. Rhinestones. Shiny bathrobes. Furry ski hats. Multicolored Clarks. He does his own thing. "Catch me by the pool in my Tony Stark slippers!" Such a colorful character. You gotta respect that. Plus it's drippin' like it's Marble Cake...Haha!

His Cover is Blow(n)
It's out in the open. Ghostdeini fronts for no one. He has made countless references to let you know that he doesn't just get high from the 'regs'. "Chop the dough. Sprinkle li'l snow inside the Optimo." Not convinced? How 'bout, "All up in the Parrot. Nose numb, real as they come." Yeah, it used to be tough to admit that one of my favorite emcees was a self admitted coke user- but he gets some kind of points for putting it out there, no? No. I guess not. But I still got love for the cat the way you love that drunk uncle of yours who shows up every Christmas. He may never quite get right, but your Momma and everyone else still accepts him, right? The love is authentic even though he's not perfect. I'm sure Ghost is no different from a lot of people in the industry- he's just more forthcoming about those habits. How many niggas you know brave enough to do that?


Who Said Art Has to Make Sense?
Sometimes, I truly believe not even Ghost knows what he means when he drops a jewel. I've said this before. He has lyrics that still has me wondering what the fuck he meant to this day. And some of them are over 10 years old. At the same time, when he's ready he paints a picture like Picasso. Disjointed. Strange but oddly beautiful. It all comes together when you take all it in from a different angle. Listen to 260 or Josephine if you don't follow my meaning. Once again, he tells a story with craftiness and clarity in way that only he can deliver. You actually have to dissect his lyrics line for line. And even then you may still be confused. Case and point: Mighty Healthy. Collectively, I have no idea what this song is about. Yeah, I can connect dots and deduce that he's talking about how ill he is- but does it make sense on the whole? Hell no. Still, you can't front. The shit is bangin'.







The Boy Does His Numbers
Aight, I can't write this entry without 'knowledging the god' on his sexual prowess. So all you insecure dudes and uptight chicks can scroll down until I'm done. Agreed? Cool. Sit this one out.
He said...and I quote: "Sexcapades take place. We fuck in 48 shades." Now, as far as positions go... that's about 43 more than what's common for the average. I'm just sayin'. And his confidence is what makes his appeal surface. It's arrogant but somehow he gets away with it. "Bitches think that I'm Dominican slash Half Indian." And if that's not enough proof, there's always "Dick made the cover now count...how many veins on it." Damn He's nasty! But don't take my word for it. Just give a listen to Stapleton Sex or the Freekin' You remix by Jodeci. Yes, it's crass. It's downright lewd. But being bold carries with it its own sexiness when done correctly. All day like Harry Belafonte...



The Crowning Jewel
"Talkin' bout Dear Ghost, You da only nigga I know- like when the cops come, you never hide ya toast..." Mannn, Listen! When I first heard Supreme Clientele- I felt blessed. Hip-Hop at its very finest. Every track is a classic in its own right. The Ironman cartoon theme song. The valiant horns of Apollo Kids. The hilarious crackhead skit with Woodrow. "Suzy, throw it out the window! SUE!" Just the fact that he did a party joint like Cherchez LaGhost and still came off hard is a testament to his talent and versatility. The entire album laid to rest any assumptions that he'd suffer from the dreaded "sophomore jinx". He more than lived up to the standard he set with his first release, he superseded it and raised his own bar. That's why efforts like Fishscale, Big Doe Rehab , The Pretty Tony Album and that wack Theodore Urban team he put together are forgivable in my book. I have to give it to him though. Every time I see someone haulin' ass in a movie like Carl Lewis, I hear the sounds of Run in the background for some reason. "Hop fences, jump over benches! When you see me comin' get the fuck out the entrance!" Oooowee! That shit is so tough. His energy is wild.



Your boy is hittin' like a spike bat. He's on some ignorant shit at times but you can't deny how deep he is. He's sort of an anomaly. He's passionate about a life that's not always so nice and decorated. You can tell he's seen and lived through some ugly episodes but he's still able to articulate the tragic beauty of it all. Listen to Motherless Child or All That I Got I You. Check the last verse on Impossible. It's one of the sincerest and most heartbreaking verses I've ever heard in Hip-Hop without question.





Yo, I can't say much more. As I said before, there is no gray area with him. You either feel him or you don't and I do. This Bug will rep for Ghostface Killah all day. 'Nuff said.

"Since the face been revealed, game got real."

Runaround

Once upon a midnight dreary,
I woke with something in my head.
I couldn't escape the memory
Of the phone call and what you said.
Like a game show contestant with a parting gift
I could not believe my eyes
When I saw through the voice of a trusted friend
Who needs to humor me and tell me lies.
Yeah, humor me and tell me lies
And I'll lie too and say I don't mind
And as we seek so shall we find.
And when you're feeling open I'll still be here
But not without a certain degree of fear
Of what will be
With you and me,
I still can see things hopefully

But you, why you wanna give me the run around
Is it a sure-fire way to speed things up
When all it does is slow me down

And shake me and my confidence
About a great many things.
But I've been there, I can see it cower
Like a nervous magician waiting in the wings
Of a bad play where the heroes are right,
And nobody thinks or expects too much,
And Hollywood's calling for the movie rights
Singing, "Hey babe let's keep in touch.
Hey baby, let's keep in touch."
But I want more than a touch, I want you to reach me
And show me all the things no one else can see.
So what you feel becomes mine as well
And soon if we're lucky we'll be unable to tell
What's yours and mine.
The fishing's fine,
And it doesn't have to rhyme
So don't you feed me a line

But you, why you wanna give me the run around
Is it a sure-fire way to speed things up
When all it does is slow me down

Tra la la bamba dear, this is the pilot speaking
And I've got some news for you.
You see my ship still stands
No matter what you trouble,
There ain't a whole lot that you can do.
Oh sure, the banner may be torn
And the wind's gotten colder.
Perhaps I've grown a little cynical.
But I know no matter what the waitress brings,
I shall drink in and always be full.
Yeah, I will drink in and always be full.
Oh, I like coffee and I like tea.
But to be able to enter a final plea,
I've still got this dream that you just can't shake,
I love you to the point you can no longer take.
Well alright, okay, so be that way.
I hope and pray that there's something left to say

But you, why you wanna give me the run around
Is it a sure-fire way to speed things up
When all it does is slow me down

Oh you, why you wanna give me the run around
Is it a sure-fire way to speed things up
When all it does is slow me down




"Run-Around" Blues Traveler

Fantastic Indeed...

Dude was cool. A bit strange though. Weird, if you may. An enigma even. Now that I reflect on it I could sense that his spirit was exhausted or maybe frustrated like he was over his Earth visit and ready for the next chamber. Even then his days were numbered. But aren't all of ours. Bless Baatin! - via Facebook

There's always one in the group. The one who is different. Just slightly off center. They can't help but stand out. When I heard about Baatin from Slum Village passing away, I immediately thought of my favorite line of his from Fall In Love. "F*ck this rap sh*t. I listen to classical." It seemed to embody how removed he was from all things worldly or tangible. He had a Hip-Hop soul... and his wasn't for sale. It's most apparent in the video for Tainted. It saddens me that he battled with demons of a mental sort. But I've always said that most genius is touched with a bit of madness. I truly believe those who appear troubled or unstable simply operate on a different frequency than most of us. I remember learning that he left SV to concentrate on getting healthier- and in the interim the group wasn't the same without him. They were missing something. His eccentric and honest delivery, his trademark turban, his refusal to assimilate to the industry bullsh*t. Without him, Slum Village became average to me. To first lose J Dilla and then Baatin must be an incredible loss to the remaining group members. My heart goes out to them. A loss in the Hop Hop world is felt tremendously because of how important true contributions are. Like the GZA said, "This language is so captivating...When we lose a rap n*gga, the news is devastating." The beginning quote is by one of my old childhood friends who had the honor of working with Baatin some years ago. It was so genuine that I had to repost it. None of us are promised another day here and I don't believe our work is done when the spirit goes back to the essence. It's just that it can no longer be housed in the body when it's time to move on. Perhaps Baatin knew just when that new journey was to begin in another world. At least he left the earthlings with some incredible music. I'll miss him.


Ay, it's like a ritual
You been invited. Let the mortal body stimulate the place
With the grace, nevertheless, I stress
Let the music put a smile on your face
As for the ritual, when it comes to spiritual excellence
You know I always leave you with the taste.
I know you like it hard to the core.
That's what you ask for, you achin' for the best
Hurtin' like a sore. It's like a ritual.
Conversation with the Most High make you wanna cry.
I wonder why, you wanna get to paradise
But that itty bitty part of you don't wanna die.
So pay attention to my word, cuz it's the truth.
Meditation ease the mind, and brings the youth
It's like a verse you could never read out of a book.
Droppin' the line in your mind like a fish hook.
Word is birth, yo I do it till the break of day
Pay attention to your art, never go astray.
Word is bond. - Thelonious by Common ft. Slum Village