A Tribe Called Quest

MARCH

March's 'Who To Know' reaches way back to one of the true pioneer groups in hip hop. A Tribe Called Quest dropped their first album in 1990, entitled "People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm." Needless to say, this doesn't make them the first group to ever pick up a mic, however the way they changed the game and helped bridge the gap from a Run DMC type sound to what we now recognize as modern day rap, puts them on the top of a very short list of true innovators in the history of hip hop. The Tribe consists of rapper/producer Q-Tip, emcees Phife Dawg and Jarobi White, and DJ/producer Ali Shaheed Muhammad. Together, A Tribe Called Quest has created some of the most iconic beats, rhymes, and hooks of all time. "Bonita Applebum" and "Can I Kick It" still ring out in clubs and before concerts, around the world. Samples from those very beats have been recycled many times over, just as the Tribes signature style has been emulated by nearly all who have come after them.

(Bonita Applebum - A Tribe Called Quest)

Unfortunately, the legacy of A Tribe Called Quest was not absent controversy. After a while, a fissure began to develop between the two strongest personalities in the group. Q-Tip and Phife Dawg, who had been friends since they were little kids, started to resent one another; a problem that ultimately bled into their music and on-stage chemistry. It'd be difficult to find a rapper or producer with any level of worth, who does not cite A Tribe Called Quest as one of their main creative influences, and it's sad to see such an iconic group fall to such petty differences. If you're interested in finding out more about the break up, I encourage you to watch Michael Rapaport's critically acclaimed debut documentary, "Beats, Rhymes, & Life." I've seen it myself, and thoroughly enjoyed it. However, for this particular blog, I would rather gloss over the tragedy and focus on the artists, themselves.

(Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest - Official Trailer)

Q-Tip has arguably the best flow in the game. With a truly unique voice, both literally and metaphorically, Tip has laid down some of the most ridiculous verses I've ever heard. Since the last Tribe album, Q has pursued a successful solo career, lending his vocal and production talents to the likes of Kanye West, Jay-Z, The Roots, and Talib Kweli among others. He has also released several solo albums, most recently "Kamaal/The Abstract" back in 2009. With plans to drop his fourth album, entitled "The Last Zulu," sometime this year, and an upcoming appearance on the highly anticipated G.O.O.D. Music album, "Cruel Winter," Q-Tip fans have a lot to look forward to in 2013. 

Although Q-Tip is probably the most popular rapper in A Tribe Called Quest, let's not forget about Phife Dawg. In what reminds me a lot of the Andre 3000/Big Boi relationship, Phife is every bit as talented as any other rapper from that era, but doesn't get all the credit he necessarily deserves due to his position in the shadow of Tip. However, much like Big Boi, Phife Dawg is responsible for some of the groups best verses. "Microphone check, one, two, what is this!" is one the most famous opening lines in all of hip hop, never mind among the Tribe Called Quest library of music. 

(Buggin' Out - A Tribe Called Quest)

Finally, the other two members of the Tribe should not be forgotten simply because they haven't been involved in any controversy lately. Jarobi White, the on again off again hype man, concept writer, and producer for A Tribe Called Quest, served as a positive influence for the group. Doing a lot more spirit raising than anything else, Jarobi is/was well liked by every member of the group, an important role as things often got too serious with Q-Tip and Phife Dawg constantly butting heads. In fact, it was Jarobi who first introduced Q-Tip to Phife Dawg back when they were kids. So if you like A Tribe Called Quest, you can thank Jarobi White for making it happen. Strangely enough, Jarobi left the group to pursue a culinary career, a dream he continues to strive for to this day. Watch Jarobi display his culinary talents at August in New York.

(Jarobi's Kitchen)

Last, but certainly not least, is the groups DJ/Producer, Ali Shaheed Muhammad. Perhaps the most affected by the drama of the breakup, Ali was torn between trying to stay neutral and being forced to take sides. By far the most quiet and reserved member of the group, Ali mostly hung out in the background, avoiding the spotlight that came with being in one of the biggest rap groups of all time. The Muslim faith is very important to Ali, who frequently feels discriminated against for his religion and African American/Native American heritage. After A Tribe Called Quest, Ali formed an R&B supergroup with Raphael Saadiq and Dawn Robinson of Tony! Toni! Tone! and En Vogue respectively. The group saw mild success, but never established themselves as the premier product in R&B. Check this interview with A Tribe Called Quest's silent assassin on the turntables.

(Ali Shaheed Muhammad Interview)

XV

FEBRUARY

It's amazing how many trends link all of today's talented up and coming rappers together. We are finally at a point in time where kids who grew up on real hip hop are coming of age and exploding onto the scene with their own unique style. Rappers are also taking advantage of the huge internet presence in hip hop by uploading a bunch of high quality music videos to sites like youtube and vimeo. This obviously lends to the talents of artists with more charisma and character. Finally, the growing movement of honest, introspective lyrics in rap is coming back with a vengeance. Hip hop went through a long period of gangster rap where emcees would talk about how many people they killed or drugs they sold. Before this time, hip hop was a type of folk music coupled with soul, where rappers could talk about their hardships and the struggle rather than how much money they have or how many women they get. Granted, this content never completely disappeared from the main stream as rappers like Nas and Kanye West have kept it alive throughout the years. It seems inevitable that with all of these new school rappers coming out like Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, and Childish Gambino, it is only a matter of time before the realness takes over the radio once again.

XV embodies all of the above. His lyrics deliver an undeniable relatability that allow the listener to immediately connect to his songs. If you make a skin deep track, people may like that one song. But if you pour your heart and soul into it, people are going to like the person behind the song. That simple truth can go a long way. XV gained national attention with his mixtape Everybody's Nobody, subsequently signing a deal with Warner Bros. Records in 2010. Since then, he has put out seven mixtapes rounding out an astonishing collection of 19 total mixtapes since 2006. He has released a plethora of music videos as well which show off his personality, a winning combination of humor and originality. Completing his multifaceted approach to hip hop is his outstanding on-stage ability. His energy at shows grabs the attention of the crowd allowing rock all sorts of venues. Often playing the part of the opening act, XV handles the tough situation masterfully. There are few scenarios more difficult than opening for another artist as the entire crowd is waiting for someone else's performance. If you are not the best, you can lose a crowd quickly. Good thing XV is the best. His debut studio release with Warner Bros. Records is set to drop in early 2013 entitled The Kid With The Green Backpack. I expect great things from XV in the future. His body of work certainly demonstrates an unparalleled drive and determination that is sure to take him far in this competitive industry. Check him out!

(XV - Awesome)

(XV - The Kick)

Big Boi

JANUARY

January's "Who To Know", the first of 2013, is Antwan Andre Patton a.k.a. Big Boi. After beginning his rap career in high school as one part of the legendary duo, Outkast, Big Boi has pursued a solo career earning critical acclaim and a wide new variety of fans. Lyrically, he hasn't lost a single step, still flawlessly blending his smooth delivery with some of the most complex and brilliantly crafted rhyme schemes ever heard. However, this is not to say he hasn't changed it up a bit as well, recently dabbling in the electronic/indie rock scene, working with the likes of Phantogram and Little Dragon. He has also begun experimenting with more synth heavy beats of late, which has proved to be a perfect match for his voice. While Outkast fans the world over sit and wait for the two wordsmiths to reunite, solo work has done as good a job as possible to hold us over until then. While Andre has resorted, in large part, to being a guest feature, and a damn good one at that, Big Boi has spent his post-Outkast days putting out top shelf albums.

In 2010, he dropped Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty. Although Andre didn't appear on the album, nor will he according to his current stance on an Outkast reunion, he contributed to the production effort along with Outkast regulars Organized Noize and a few new faces. Big Boi's solo debut was met with a large amount of critical acclaim. Claire Suddath of Time described it as "an amalgam of beats, chants, and raps mixed together with exacting precision." Pitchfork Media ranked it as the number 4 best album of 2010, and Vibe ranked it in the 8 spot on a similar list. Singles like "Shutterbugg" proved, beyond a doubt, that Big Boi was more than capable of achieving massive success despite the absence of his counterpart; one of just many statements made both explicitly and not with the popularity of Sir Lucious.

But why now? What makes Big Boi the January 2013 selection for the "Who To Know" segment? The answer is simple. In December 2012, Big Boi, in my opinion, topped his debut with the release of his sophomore solo album, Viscous Lies and Dangerous Rumors. This album brings with it a wide variety of genres and guest features. The project dives into the fields of electronic, indie, and of course, hip hop, calling on newbies and veterans alike to round out the masterful release. Among the more unexpected guest contributions are Little Dragon, a downtempo/electronic band out of Sweden, Phantogram, an indie pop duo from Saratoga Springs, New York, and Wavves, an American surf rock band based in San Diego, California. Some of the more likely collaborators included T.I., Ludacris, Kid Cudi, and B.o.B. Kelly Rowland, Sleepy Brown, and Bosko also lend their vocal talents in spectacular fashion. In fact, throwing Kelly Rowland on a track is pretty much a sure way to get me to buy your album; not that I need much convincing when Big Boi's involved. Big Boi's creative approach to the album brought the best out of everyone involved, properly showcasing each individual skill set without allowing a single entity to be drowned out by the others. Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors is definitely a must buy, as is Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty. And yes, Big Boi was a shoe-in for January's "Who To Know".

(Mama Told Me - Big Boi feat. Kelly Rowland)

(In The A - Big Boi feat. T.I. and Ludacris)

Flying Lotus

DECEMBER

Producers are the perpetually-forgotten backbone to all that is hip hop. Let's be honest, most of the music on the radio is not popular due to the lyrical prowess of the rapper. Instrumentals have become more complex than ever before, encompassing synth, bass, and live instruments, creating beats that range from electronic party music to thought provoking ballads. Aside from producer-turned-rappers, like Dr. Dre or Kanye West and those who shout their name out on every beat, like DJ Khaled, producers remain, in large part, anonymous. Hidden behind the scenes by the very nature of their profession, producers simply do not get the credit they deserve, as they are the driving force behind every track you've ever heard.

Steven Ellison, aka Flying Lotus, is more than just a hip hop producer. His complex soundscapes reach unheard of depths as they provoke strong emotion and deep thought. His music videos embody the inner workings of FlyLo's mind. A visionary for symbolism and metaphor, his underlying intelligence bleeds through on every note and frame. When a track ends, you snap back to the reality of the world around you, but while it plays, you find yourself lost in the hypnotic flow of high quality production mixed with truly unique and inspired melody. Luckily, with four studio albums, the most recent of which, entitled Until the Quiet Comes, released in September of 2012, there is a plethora of Flying Lotus tracks to dive into. The complexity of his music only further lends to the replay value of each album as time and time again, you find new reasons to love each song.

Recently, Steven Ellison began rapping under the stage name Captain Murphy. Before releasing his first mixtape, entitled Duality, Ellison kept the fact that he was the man behind the then-anonymous stage name a secret, gaining popularity in large part because of the mystery surrounding the project. This is in no way the reason for Captain Murphy's success, mind you. For Ellison, hip hop does not seem like some side project, but rather just the next chapter in the ever-evolving sound of FlyLo. His signature instrumentals help carry the songs, while his unique, almost sinister style adds a whole new element to the artist's repertoire. His background in production helps a great deal when adding a multitude of effects to his voice, as the pitch changes make each song sound more like a conversation than a regular one-man verse. Flying Lotus is music in its purest form, and he is only getting better.

Check out the two video's below, the first featuring Elijah Wood, who is quickly becoming one of my favorite people in Hollywood. After the success of Lord of the Rings, Wood has done indie project after indie project. His role in Wilfred has made him a cult favorite and after making an appearance in the impressively artistic video for "Tiny Tortures," he has solidified his place in indie fans' hearts around the world. The second video is  "Putty Boy Strut," another track off Until The Quiet Comes. In sharp contrast to "Tiny Tortures," this video is 100% animation. The beautifully spectacular storyline remains a constant, however. To steal from the top comment on the video by YouTube username XephyrPanda, "Notice everything 'sentient' moves to the rhythm but the haywire robot doesn't. The robot realizes that this order they're (in) is bad and starts enjoying chaos, but none of those in order know how good the chaos is. Once they're forced out of their order and into something they perceive as bad, beauty is born from their collaboration and unity. But there was one robot at the end still going to the beat, and he'll bring the order back, and then it will be torn down again. The cycle of life." I probably should have attempted to explain that in my own words, but it was so eloquently stated, that I don't think I could have said it better myself.

(Tiny Tortures - Flying Lotus)

(Putty Boy Strut - Flying Lotus)

Talib Kweli

NOVEMBER

The past couple of months, the "Who To Know" profile has been on an up-and-comer. Kendrick Lamar is getting all of the attention he deserves while Blu and Exile remain one of the most underrated rapper/producer combos in the game. This November, however, the "Who To Know" will feature a true veteran. One who is still making big moves despite already being considered one of the most talented and legendary lyricist in all of hip hop. A man who has time and time again given back to the young up-and-comers of the game. A man who, in one way or another, is connected to virtually every single artist that has ever been featured on this blog. That man is Talib Kweli. From the Black Star days to his upcoming album release, Talib Kweli has been one of the most highly respected figures in the hip hop. He even had a hand in the creation of this blog. It is for this reason that the "Who To Know" for the month of November is dedicated to Talib Kweli.

(Black Star)

The first verse I ever heard by Talib Kweli was from the Black Star song, "Definition." Now before you start giving me flack for not jumping on his earlier stuff or picking a song that wasn't a single, let me explain something. Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star came out in 1998. That means I was only eight years old at the time. Therefore, I had to do some back tracking to hear the melodic flows and lyrically dense verses of Black Star. I wish I could tell you that I was the only 3rd grader blasting Mos and Talib out of my home stereo speakers after school, but unfortunately that wasn't the case. Nevertheless, the result was the same. I, like so many other rap fans throughout the years, became hooked. Black Star did not only entertain people in a way that the majority of rap at the time could not. It raised the standard for what real hip hop could sound like, thus forcing the listener to demand more out of the artists they listen too. This has only been done a few times over the history of rap and its impact is not to be taken lightly.

(Prisoner of Conscious)

Since the Black Star days, Kweli has gone on to release five studio albums, the most noteworthy and critically acclaimed of which being Quality and Eardrum. During this time, he released iconic tracks like "Get By," "Back Up Offa Me," and "Give 'Em Hell." Talib's sixth solo studio album is set to drop November 20th, entitled Prisoner of Conscious. The highly anticipated album will feature the likes of RZA, Busta Rhymes, and Kendrick Lamar. This album will feature a new approach for the perpetually conscience rapper. Instead of speaking directly to the social issues of the world, Kweli plans to make songs "that are more focused on life and what people are going through, and dealing with the social conditions in that way." The title of the album is a play off of Prisoner of Conscience, an album by Nigerian reggae artist, Majek Fashek. The reason for the spelling switch should be fairly obvious so I won't spell it out.

(Push Thru - Talib Kweli feat. Curren$y & Kendrick Lamar)

(On a more personal note, Talib Kweli has influenced me immensely. Originally, I started blogging in order to get some opinions off my chest about the current state of hip hop. I had considered taking it more seriously, but even if I did, it wasn't going to be for a while. My plan was to build up content for a while and then, maybe, start telling people about it. Anyway, to get to the point, I wrote up a piece on Talib Kweli entitled "Talib Kweli: The Most Connected Man in Hip Hop," nearly a month ago. I had just set up a twitter for the blog and sent out a tweet saying "Is @TalibKweli the most connected man in hip hop? Read all about it at #RealRadio" with a link to my blog. This, of course, resulted in a spike in traffic on my site, but more importantly, it influenced me to start taking the blog more seriously. I hadn't even told my friends about it and one of my idols in hip hop, a man that I just wrote a story about, had presumably read my post and decided to share it with his fans. The only reason I assume he actually read it, or at the very least skimmed through it, is because if it had been an article bashing him, he probably wouldn't want to retweet that to his fans. Even if this is not the case, the result is the same. I've continued to post new content on the blog, trying to keep each post as honest and educational as possible, I have begun getting featured on other blogs and forming connections with those bloggers, and I don't plan on stopping any time soon. So if you like anything you've read on this site, thank Talib Kweli for, without even realizing it, pushing me to do this. Thank you.)

Kendrick Lamar and Black Hippy

OCTOBER 

It won't be long before his claim in The Heart Pt. 2, that "most of ya'll cats just don't know Kendrick," becomes a falsehood. In fact, that time may have already come. Releasing radio hit after hit, Kendrick Lamar is gaining popularity among the average listener/consumer. However, the rap community has known about this rising star for a while now. In 2011, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, and Game publicly passed the torch at a concert in Los Angelos, CA. Kendrick was visibly choked up at the ceremony which further shows his passion for hip hop and the pride he takes in his work. He has also received high praise from Hip Hop legends like Ice T, who said in an interview on Adam Carolla's podcast, "Now you got new rappers like Lupe Fiasco, T.I., there's a kid out of LA, Kendrick Lamar. I like spitters. I like people that have content and they really go in." Kendrick was named among the XXL 2011 Freshman Class, along with fellow up-and-comers like Yelawolf, Cyhi Da Prynce, and Big K.R.I.T. So it is undeniable that Kendrick is destined for glory.

This month's "Who To Know" is not only focused on Kendrick, however, but also on his crew. Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, Ab-Soul, and School Boy Q together go by the name of Black Hippy. The name refers to a growing movement of west coast hip hop focused not around gangster rap, but instead around introspective, honest rap. Think Tupac's "Changes" as opposed to "California Love." Talib Kweli states in an interview conducted on his tour bus that "the move that (Kendrick Lamar) and his crew are making - the Section 80 and the Black Hippy shit - is unprecedented. It's impressive because for him to be that fucking lyrical and be that focused on the music and his crew still be that tight. And just to see the change in the trend; it's so different then how the west coast used to be." Each artist is making waves by landing prestigious guest spots, performing big name venues, and pumping out new material. Drastic differences in style, differentiating both between each other and between themselves and everyone else, leads to captivating content every time they collaborate; which lucky for us is a lot.

(Ab-Soul X Kendrick Lamar)

(Kendrick Lamar X Curtains X School Boy Q)

(Jay Rock X Kendrick Lamar)

(Jay Rock X Ab-Soul X Kendrick Lamar X School Boy Q)

Blu & Exile

SEPTEMBER

Our first installment of Who To Know is a rapper/producer combo out of Southern California that go by the name Blu & Exile. Rapper, Blu has one of the smoothest deliveries in the game and his voice flows so perfectly over Exiles production that it's as if they share the same mind. They released their first studio album, "Below the Heavens" in 2007. The album features lyrical intensity and seemingly bottomless runs on some tracks, such as "Simply Amazin'", while featuring brutal honesty and laid back story telling on others, like "In Remembrance of Me". He is arguably the best in both fields.

After taking a long break from each other creatively, Blu & Exile hooked back up for "Give Me My Flowers While I Can Still Smell Them" and have done some big shows together including the real-hip-hop heavy festival Rock the Bells in 2011. Blu has been a feature for some notable artists including masters of the underground, The Roots. Undiscovered tracks have been popping up all over the place and it seems inevitable that Blu will eventually get the recognition he deserves. This 'SoCal residential lyrical monster' is definitely someone to watch out for.

(Simply Amazin')

(In Remembrance of Me)

(Guest Verse for The Roots - The Day)