Yesterday marked the beginning of the congressional hip-hop hearings. It was fascinating to read both the live blogging as well as the transcripts, but the treat came today with the release of the videos on YouTube. One of my favorite artists, David Banner--philanthropist, sex-icon and back-flip performing rap fireball--really gave it to the panel. He's eloquent, informed, and as usual, dead on with his commentary.

And hey, if you think he knows how to speak before Congress, you should check out some of his rap videos--the guy is multi-talented! Here, for your consideration is his video for the smash hit, "Play," in which he whispers for four minutes about cunnilingus.

I can still remember seeing him perform at Pershing Auditorium years ago. With my press pass I was right up at the stage, and his energy flowed out into the crowd as he effortlessly performed calisthenics from flips to push-ups. The guy is great: he never betrays the southern hip hop credo, has given back to the community, and has made music that straddles the line between gritty-southern bounce and socially conscious. It's strange that he has yet to be embraced by the mainstream: at Pershing he was only the opening act--his 20 minutes on stage was much too short.

Update: After watching the Play video a few times (I haven't seen it in at least a year), I think it's safe to say that this is the dirtiest rap song of all time, even beating out classics like "Put it in Your Mouth" and "My Neck, My Back." Man, David Banner is raunchy.

brett at 03:06 PM on September 27, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (2)

I finally got around to taking pictures of the new apartment at 16th and F street. Don't ask me about why I moved, it's a tremendously long and stupid story that is still unfolding.

That's my bedroom. It's gigantic. There's a lot of nice features to this house besides the massive bedroom with walk-in closet and fireplace, though. For example, there's the 2000 square feet of total floor space, the balcony, south-facing windows, massive kitchen, new appliances... the list goes on. Plenty more pictures on Flickr.

brett at 05:47 PM on September 17, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (2)

ATL's Diamond has finally dropped her own mixtape. After two albums and a few years with Crime Mob, it looks like the 19-year-old is poised to drop a solo album, and in the process, ascend to claim the Queen of Crunk crown. Do I really even need to say how giddy I am that crunk music isn't dead yet? It was close, but Bitch Muzik definitely proves it's alive and well.

This girl can't even buy beer legally (born in 1988!), and yet her mixtape--MC'd by Don Canon, I might add--is fantastic, packed with beats that belong in a dark, smoky club. Bitch Muzik really sets her apart from a lot of the other buzz in Atlanta lately, namely Soulja Boy. But FYI: this is no snap music, this is grimy southern heat with some real dark soundscapes. My favorite kind of music. Check the torrent here, though you should know, this ain't for everyone. Props to Jessica for the heads up.

... and speaking of her age. Just compare and contrast these two photos of her, taken probably 3 years apart. Maybe four. Changed a bit since 17, no? I wonder if she's single.

brett at 02:23 PM on September 17, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (2)

I just landed two big interviews for the month of September. Keep your eyeballs peeled, because in the upcoming issues of the Omaha Reader I'll have a piece on not only Del the Funkee Homosapien, but also on the legendary Redman.

These should both be fun interviews, considering the characters. I've been a big fan of both these dudes for a while now, so just chatting with them should be a blast.

brett at 12:07 PM on September 10, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (3)