The last Jay-Z post for a bit

Okay, so I know I've been talking a lot about Jay-Z recently, so this will be the last one in a while. But here some excerpts from the interview he gave XXL about The Blueprint 3. My favourite parts:

On attacking "gimmicky" Auto-tune use:

A trend is a trend. I follow trends. I set trends. Now, when a trend becomes a gimmick, it’s time to get rid of it. As far as hip-hop. Like, when they were saying “bling bling” on CNN, it’s time to never say that word again. It was just about the aggression of everything. I saw everyone, ’cause it was successful, following one path. You turn on the radio, and that’s all you hear. I’m not saying I hate T-Pain. What I’m talking about is a trend that’s becoming a gimmick. And if we continue down this path, we’re going to open the door for another genre of music. Same way when rock was doing hair metal it opened the door even wider for hip-hop to come through and put rock music in trouble for 10 years and more. Right now, there are a lot of indie bands coming out, which is making rock more exciting: the MGMTs and the Kings of Leons. You keep messing around, making generic music, people are going to start turning off one at a time. And if these guys [keep] making great music, guess what? [Fans are] gonna go to them. If you look back in the history of music, that’s what happens all the time.

On being conscious of his position as someone who stretches the subject matter in hip-hop:

Whether Kingdom Come was your favorite album or not, “30 Something,” you have to deal with that subject matter [in that song]. If [the target audience is] 15 to 25, that’s too narrow. What am I going to listen to at 26 and beyond? That’s a quarter of my life. That’s such a small slice of the pie. We have to expand the genre. I would love to listen to hip-hop all day. Of course, now there are other things making their way into my CD changer or iPod, because of the lack of material. It doesn’t speak to me. Everyone is speaking to the kids, thinking that’s the key to success. The sad part of it is that all these [rappers] saying it are 30 years old, at least. Sometimes 35. It’s misleading. It’s that lack of growth that will keep us in a certain place.

I think that, as long as the heart is in it. Because even if you miss it, it’s art. Like, Kool Keith, he may not sell any records, ever. But I think his type of art is needed, and there are people who follow his music.

On making "D.O.A. (Death Of Auto-tune)"

It really just happened in the studio. We were just having a discussion about the game and music and where everything is going. So No ID plays this track, and Kanye jumps up. Actually, Kanye gave me the idea. He jumps up and is like, “Man, this is hard. This is against everything.” I don’t know if he knew where I was going to take it, but he sparked the idea. I came back the next day and did the record.

 Super keen yes. A bit more here.

Dr Dooom - God of Rap

I've got mixed feelings about this. Keith's first Dr Dooom album is one of my favourites, I hope this new album doesn't tarnish the legacy but this first song isn't doing anything to allay my fears. Out 23/9.

Dr Dooom - God of Rap

Bobby Digital - You Cant Stop Me Now (video)

Wu-Tang created a mythology. I think that's what makes their stuff still worth checking. That combination of kung-Fu, chess, sci-fi and street makes it so colourful and fun to listen to. Like Kool Keith.

Live show: Dr Octagon & Kutmasta Kurt 22/01/08

I actually did end up going! The show was at The Metro Theatre which is pretty crusty inside. It's like a cross between the uni bar at Utas and an abandoned warehouse. Everyone was checked for weapons as they came in the door so I felt like I'd been transported to an American school.

The show started with a DJ playing competently but uninspiringly the kind of music which would have been good to listen to at home but wasn't suited for a show. That was ok though because there was only about 5 people there at that time including the sound guys. I spent most of the time talking to another guy who was there on his own.

Aceyalone was up next and he was pretty much what I'd expected. Not really my style of hip hop but he freestyles like he has adhd. Unfortunately most of the people there (including me) didn't know much of his music so even though he was very energetic it lacked the hyped vibe he was going for. One of his biggest skills is his complex rhyme patterns which I don't think translated very well to the live show. His hooks often aren't very catchy which held back his show. He played Freestyle Fellowship stuff, something from Project Blowed and heaps of stuff I didn't recognise.

Kutmasta Kurt and his fake beard came out after Aceyalone and he did a short set before Keith joined him. Kurt, aka The Funky Redneck, got everyone going. He played a good range of his own and other music, talking things up and doing all the things a DJ should do.


Kurt was joined by Dennis The Menace who was Keith's hypeman and then shortly after by Keith himself. Keith was fantastic, he came on, the crowd went bananas and he got into it. It looked like he was enjoying himself. He tried to tell us that he had always wanted to be a singer and screeched into the microphone for a bit. He played a few songs from Ultramagnetic days but the highlight for me was when they played the skit before Blue Flowers, "Oh shit, there's a horse in the hospital!" Then they went straight into the song and everyone in the crowd went crazy.


The blight on the evening as far as I was concerned came after that. They played 3-4 songs from Sex Style and Spankmaster and Keith chucked out pornos into the crowd. It was an intensely uncomfortable thing and it was a bit frustrating to spend time at a concert staring at the floor.

Once they'd moved on from that they did choruses from about 10 of his songs. The whole crowd sang along and we had a great time with it. He did Halfsharkalligatorhalfman, Earth People, Housing Authority, Test Press, Apartment 223 and others I can't remember any more. My only disappointment was that he didn't do the whole version of Housing Authority but I knew when I went that I wasn't going to be able to hear everything I wanted.

I can't say that I had the best time 'cause that bit in the middle sucked but it was great to see Keith. He's a very wacky dude but hip hop could probably do with more guys who aren't obsessed with being tough.

Kool Keith should keep it real, he should rap about space and mars

I'm not smoking blunts and looking for jazz records at the Roosevelt...I'm drinking water and wondering whether I should go to see Dr Octagon (aka Kool Keith, Dr Dooom, Keith Korg, etc) and Kutmasta Kurt next Tuesday OR leave that one and go to see Cypress Hill and Pharoahe Monch in February or possibly turn to a life of crime to feed my addiction. This is not a problem that I would have faced in Hobart since none of them would have toured there and I'm not yet hardened enough in my Sydney ways to not care. I saw The Roots last year and it hurt when Xzibit (and I think Ice Cube?) toured and I couldn't go.

I've heard that Kool Keith is one of the best live acts in hip hop. On the other hand, Cypress Hill are also touring veterans with a decent catalogue. Pharoahe Monch is insane and I'd love to see him live. I think I'll go and see Kool Keith because to not go isn't really an option. However, this doesn't mean it's all resolved, I'm still in internal turmoil. Woe is me!






How could I not see that live?