The Roc is G.O.O.D

Wow, these days it just feel likes behind the scenes Hov' ain't missing a beat. Even while finishing up his tour with the Wifey he is still managing to make power moves. The latest news for the Roc Nation CEO is that he has officially signed G.O.O.D music artist Big Sean to the Roc for management. For Sean, this may have been one of the hardest and greatest decisions of his career. It's totally obvious that Sean models himself after Kanye West. You know, "keeping it true", "having fashion sense", and even capitalizing on shoe deals with Adidas. But leaving G.O.O.D for management had to be a monumental decision in his career.

But let's weight this decision out. In regards to his personal career, this was a great decision. It was clear that although Sean had a lane, he could not separate himself from the shadow in which he stood behind (being that of Kanye) in the way Drake has done in regards to his situation of coming up behind Lil Wayne. This departure breathes new life into Sean's career and places the playing field on level grounds in retrospect, because he is no longer competing from behind Kanye anymore. He can now come out and show how much he is really coming for the throne.

Also leaving G.O.O.D Music's management will allow him to escape the pressure there is to be a G.O.O.D Music artist with your CEO making it difficult to do business with "Corporate America". Not saying that this is Sean's flavor, but when you stand behind someone that claims to be getting crucified, a few nails are "bound 2" come your way as well, eventually. However, now Sean can just focus on the music and prove why Kanye said he signed Sean because he would be the greatest rapper of all time.

Kendrick, We Waiting...

It's been a minute since anyone has heard anything from Kendrick Lamar. He has been steady, doing slight features but nothing major since the collaboration smash with TDE Label mate SchoolBoyQ on the song "Collard Greens". As you can see many fans in the hip-hop world are "dying of thirst" in waiting for the next Kendrick single. The self proclaimed "Return of Makaveli" is leaving all of us in the wing while he does his thing and all we can do is speculate as to when he will be releasing any new material.

Kendrick Lamar has definitely established himself as an artist that is hungry and on the prowl for the crown. He has made a huge wave in pop influence and culture and in the underground hip-hop scene. His control verse was one of the most vintage and prolific hip-hop verses of this era putting a stamp on the type of level Kendrick would like to see the game go to or for some, go back to. As we all know, Kendrick's biggest competition is none other than Aubrey "Drake" Graham who is always busy at work in the studio popping out hit after hit after hit, so it just makes me wonder if Kendrick is just a man of patience or if he is struggling to find that one single right now.

Personally, I fail to believe he is struggling right now, as an early adapter of Kendrick's music, he has always been the type of artist to focus more on making a complete project rather than spilling out material, however I just hope this absence of Kendrick doesn't take away the waves he made with his debut album GOOD KID M.A.A.D CITY. But as always you have to let the greats be great and I'm just thrilled to see what Kendrick has in stored for his fans and hip-hop, but if you could Kendrick, maybe just a snippet....

J Cole to Ferguson

J Cole Visits Ferguson to show support for the Michael Brown killing. It's easy to credit Cole as one of the few artists out here who still feel a need to be an activist in the communities in which they choose to reach. By no means am I knocking individuals who chose not be there for that is there prerogative, but I do find it tasteful that J Cole found it necessary to be among his people for this. Cole is an avid voice for ill politics in America and what the Black experience looks like on U.S. lands. I want you as a viewer to take a look at this conversation between Cole and an interviewer from Complex magazine and tell me if you can feel Cole speaking from his heart. It's beautiful to see that there are still entertainers in the game who believe they can have a huge role to play.

Rap Vs. Hip-Hop

Today there is the constant struggle between listeners as to if they are listening to rap or hip-hop today. The answer for some may just be a subjective rationale, however I personally feel that today's popular rap is just what it is "rap" and not "hip-hop". Rap is the music for the have's of society. Rap is the expression for those who have seen the fruits of life and enjoy a lifestyle that others envy. Not saying that rap music is bad, because it can be good I will have to say that today's rap music to me lacks character and substance. However, for those that like today's rap music, they may enjoy it more because it is something they can relate too.

Hip-Hop however was the expression for the have not. Hip-Hop told the story of the impoverished and left astray. Hip-Hop was and is the voice of the people that feel that they live in a world where the powers that be don't care about the circumstances in which they are left to live in. Hip-Hop told the story of what we consider the lower class of society. Sometimes it could come off really aggressive, but it was rooted in enlightening the people, inspiring them to reach farther than what's in front of them, and constantly taking jabs at the ill politics that plague America. 

Now this is not an article to bash today's music or say that Hip-Hop is dead or what have you. This is just an article to distinguish for some the differences between the two expressions and what they stand for. So that the average listener can know for a fact which one is hitting their ear. If you have thoughts about my opinions on the differences, feel free to DROP YOUR BARS!