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[domliddle]

WWF Aggression - Wrestling and Hip-Hop Collide

For those who have little to no interest in wrestling (who are reading a blog post with "wrestling" in the title), WWF's Attitude Era can be summed up broadly as follows: the company tried to appeal to kids and nearly went under, so they tried to appeal to teenagers and reaped the benefits.

Run by a load of middle-aged white men, the company never seemed to 100% know what exactly its new audience was. The demographics in the huge ratings skewed more towards teenagers, so the watchword was "edgy". What that entailed was blurring the lines between heroes and villains, as well as drinking, swearing, and lots of other things that weren't around during the time of Hulk Hogan. Not on camera, anyway.

But the company was not as savvy as today when it came to understanding its audience. Anything beyond the core content was highly revealing of this clumsiness. It ranged from D-Generation X hawking spot pads to the Wrestlemania Rage Party, with the bizarre sight of a drunk Shane McMahon rocking out to legendary rapper Big Pun.

In terms of music, the general trend for that white teenage male demographic was nu metal. This manifested itself in Fred Durst appearing in the video games, and the D-Generation X band's incredible rendition of "America the Beautiful". Needless to say, there was an indelible link between the genre and hip-hop music. There was also an edgy quality to hip-hop after gangsta rap's peak, and an increasing white audience from Eminem's peak run.

Hence, WWF Aggression.

Released at the height of the attitude era, the album is a fascinating blend of rappers seemingly picked at random, with the most tenuous links to the brand possible. It is very much a product of its time; personally, it reminds me a great deal of "Chef Aid", the South Park album from the same time. In both the album was comprised of a mish-mash of artists that would otherwise have never been on the same compilations, with the branding rather than the content being the sole hook for consumers.

Each track was allegedly themed around a particular wrestler or team. There were no name producers, save for one track. The rappers varied greatly, from West, South, East and everywhere else, from those lesser-known to household names. For maximum crossover, some wrestlers used these as theme music once or twice. Was it any good, though?

1: Run-DMC: The Kings (D-Generation X)

"My catalog got a long list of hits in the stores/And for you sample-happy suckers out there breaking the laws/Rather hit you where it gets you, bring you up on a charge/You'd be better just to let a lawyer know from the start"

The start is arguably the centrepiece; the only one that the wrestlers consistently used as theme music, and attached to DX's Mcmahon-Hemsley heel run.

At this point, despite being genuine stars in their prime, Run-DMC were no longer culturally relevant. As the 90s arrived, they were lost in the shuffle, and compared to the more sample-leaning hip-hop that was becoming popular, their stripped down approach with the occasional foray into rap-rock was dated.

Their attempts to integrate with 1993's "Down With The King" rang hollow; the title track was a big hit more for the creative hands of Pete Rock & CL Smooth than anything else. The abundance of guest rappers and producers from the time, coupled with the complete change of look, made it obvious that they were desperately trying to gain a foothold. But, the lows of "Crown Royal" were yet to come, and as the most obvious purveyors of rap-rock from the hip-hop side of things, the union made sense.

It's not a bad song, although it is just the two rapping over a slightly edited version of the DX theme (which will be an, er, theme).

But the bloody hypocrisy of that line, considering their most well known song was them rapping over someone else's song. It also looks bitter considering their own failure to adapt to sample-based hip-hop.

Anyway. A strong start.

2: Kool Keith & Old Dirty Bastard - Wreck (Mankind)

"Nobody seen the girls pee on the mattress/Who was the actress when we had to take a leak?"

A bizarre union of two of the most genuinely unpredictable rappers ever, with ODB ranting in between Kool Keith's mental raps. Absolutely zero to do with wrestling, never mind Mankind, unless you count ODB screaming the word "Fight". But a genuine hip-hop curio and a compelling song in its own way; no song with these two is going to be boring.

3: Method Man - Know Your Role (The Rock)

"So you want a piece of The Rock? Make you crumble/In these Wrestlemanias, kid, we Royal Rumble"

I will stand by this song as brilliant in its own right. Method Man is one of the most underrated rappers ever, and his own wit and lyrical dexterity shines over an incredible track by actual big name producer Rockwilder (he of Christina Aguilera's "Dirty", among many others).

Method Man is also a genuine wrestling fan, and it shows. His own desperate need to crowbar a WWF reference into every bar powers this song, and makes me wish the rest of the album had the same energy. This was also released as a single, with a video of The Rock driving around while some women stand in a run-down apartment block and gyrate.

Unfortunately, The Rock himself was not a fan. He did use it as a theme the once for a throwaway TV match, but it would never usurp his own perfectly-suited theme.

4: Snoop Dogg & WC - Hell Yeah (Steve Austin)

"When I say, "Hell" - you say, "Yeah"(c'mon) Hell - yeah (c'mon) hell - YEAH"

Snoop Dogg is the only actual wrestler on this album, so you know things will be good. It's not, but never mind. The biggest name on the album simply provides a hook (to put it generously) for his cousin to do his typical double-time flow about fighting people. This is basically Austin's own theme with rappers on, but still manages to have nothing to do with wrestling.

5: Redman & Rock - No Chance In Hell (Vince McMahon)

"You don't want what we got in store/Keep your mother-in-law indoor when we walk outdoor"

It stands to reason that Method Man's mate/awful film co-star and big name in his own right, Redman, would turn up. Along with (not The) Rock from the Boot Camp Clik, a weird pairing.

It's a dull song, unfortunately, with a bad track and the rappers going through the motions. They do say "No Chance In Hell" a bit, though, so it counts.

6: C-Murder & Magic - I Won't Stop (Gangrel)

"Call me the reaper, you won't live to tell/Call me Gangrel, I'm straight out of hell/I need blood, I'm lookin for a victim/The Brood, I'm with 'em"

Master P's cousin and his mate rock up, and do a good job considering. They're not the greatest rappers but for their own work it's alright; being used to hear them over tinnier No Limit tracks, it's at least a departure from the norm. Plus, there's at least a couple of tenuous references to the subject.

7: Tha Eastsidaz - Big Red Machine (Kane)

"The way I DDT these fools, I'm bound to catch a case/Seven foot three with a tombstone that sit about ten feet/Undertake'm to another street"

I've never rated Goldie Loc or Tray Dee, who seem to turn up on random songs by other west coast rappers on account of being Snoop Dogg's mates. It's a good effort though, and it's memorable to hear Goldie Loc "Tombstone Pile-Drop" foes over what is essentially Kane's unchanged theme music.

8: R.A. The Rugged Man - Break Down The Walls (Chris Jericho)

"Crazy, crusty, ugly, my mother doesn't trust me"

Just not a good song, unfortunately from another pick for the most underrated rapper ever. The man whose legendary verse on Jedi Mind Tricks's "Uncommon Valor" will legitimately go down in hip-hop history simply rants about being a bit violent, and there's not much to say.

9: Bad Azz & Techniec - You Ain't Hard (New Age Outlaws)

"New Age Outlaw, opposite Southpaw/Big water balloon balls and barroom brawls"

The beat is based on the first riff from the Outlaws' actual theme. Bad Azz & Techniec don't seem to have realised there even is one, rapping off-beat for the whole thing. Not one to live long in the memory.

10: Ice-T - Pimpin' Ain't Easy (Godfather)

"Godfather's in the house..Grab yo' bitches"

Very on-brand. So much so that the Godfather used this as his theme for a bit, with Ice-T turning up to perform in person at Wrestlemania 2000. It's simply Ice-T rapping about pimping over a slightly edited version of Godfather's theme. Unique in that it actually sounds like an updated wrestling theme, rather than somebody rapping about killing people over an edited version of the original song. I am dying to know what the Godfather and Ice-T's mysterious "beef" was, though. Probably that Ice-T had to come and watch Head Cheese.

11: Mystikal & Ras Kass - Game (Triple H)

"I got mo' anger than you got in yo' whole body in one arm/And that's a threat to Triple H, three times the harm"

An absolutely bizarre pairing picked seemingly at random, they go off in their own styles over a hilariously muzak-sounding version of "My Time". Good to hear he of "Shake Yo Ass" fame threaten Triple H on his own theme. Ras Kass is always good, but it is at its core another song where people rap about murder over an edited wrestling theme.

12: Mack 10, K-Mac, Boo Kapone & MC Eiht - Big (Big Show)

"And to the female fanbase that consume/You gotta be, willin to give up the womb to see my room/So if you're bout that and in your mouth I can burst/Then meet me backstage and have some rubbers in your purse"

In an era of hip-hop where misogyny was not only rife but a popular staple, it's not surprising that a lyric as stomach-churning as that would end up on a wrestling album. A slight change from Method Man rapping about the Rock doing a People's Elbow for his adoring fans.

That pretty much sets the tone. If that lyric wasn't "of its time" (always a go-to excuse for rampant misogyny) enough, you can hear Boo Kapone rapping about leaving people Limp like Bizkit, or kids going crazy for him like Pokémon.

The Big Show actually used this theme a couple of times pre-Wrestlemania 2000. It is at least hilarious to picture him walking out stony-faced as Mack 10 raps about bursting in people's mouths.

13: Meeno - Ministry (Undertaker)

"I'm known as the King, dead man walking/Fear no man, and I live in a coffin"

Despite not being sure if he's alive or dead, Meeno, or to use his full name, Dame Grease Presents Meeno, gives this one a good go. It's still a man rapping about killing people over a wrestling theme, so there you go. A fitting end.

_____________

It's a bag of shite that will go in one ear and out the other, but the actual content is appropriately moot. It's a strange crossover that didn't sell as well as planned, arguably because it didn't appeal to its core audience. It's not for hip-hop fans either, as it's essentially an album of bad novelty songs, with some interesting pairings at least.

WWE would go on to do this far better with "Forceable Entry", a mix of Nu Metal and Metal Metal that included some genuine wrestler themes - Steve Austin's "Glass Shatters", for example.

Wrestling fan demographics have changed dramatically in the intervening 25 years, and WWE have gotten much better at catering theme music to current trends. Streaming being standard also means that songs will be generally released as soon as they're used by the wrestler.

Unfortunately, this means no more albums with a couple of wrestlers' themes bundled in with a load of bad hip-hop (to use the term generously) songs. Still, at least the Method Man one's good.

[domliddle]

"Don't Sweat The Technique" is Eric B and Rakim's "Techno Pop". One of the most influential groups of any genre looking for ideas as their time comes to an end, with the genre having finally passed them by.

Rakim was itching to branch out on his own, with Eric needing his meal ticket to stick around. Eric's involvement in this album's production, as with their previous ones, was subject to controversy; this time it was Large Professor whose work was credited to Eric B, echoing what happened on Kool G Rap and DJ Polo's "Wanted Dead Or Alive".

The production itself is indicative of this, built on a range of jazz samples, and sounding more fleshed-out musically than "Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em". In fact, it sounds a lot like Large Professor's work on "Breaking Atoms".

It was this album that best indicates the passing of time since "Paid in Full". Arguably the most famous track off "Breaking Atoms" is "Live At The Barbecue"; well-known for an incredible debut verse from ("Nasty") Nas. His style was concise while also evocative, and was hugely influenced by Rakim's work. He was not the only big name of the so-called "Golden Age" who was, but in releasing what is still hip-hop's most heralded album, he ushered in a new age for the genre.

"Don't Sweat The Technique" is a great album, but also an indicator that the point had been made over the last 3 albums. Rakim wanted to go solo in order to expand his scope creatively, but Eric B was more reluctant. Thus, the album consists of a couple of songs already heard from film soundtracks, some different takes on subjects of varying quality, and some simple breakbeat tracks reminiscent of previous work.

The album begins with "What's On Your Mind" from the House Party 2 soundtrack; a soulful pop song about love that screams "airplay", and works well enough at that. It's at least better than their turn on "Friends" by Jody Watley. "Teach The Children" is a vague attempt at a socially-conscious track, with a middling beat and bad chorus. Forgettable stuff; the next track, "Pass The Hand Grenade", is much better; a song reminiscent of "Lyrics of Fury" or "Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em". It's a breakbeat with Rakim excelling in his comfort zone, creatively telling everyone what a great rapper he is.

"Casualties of War" is a complete change from this; Rakim speaks from the POV of an American soldier in the Gulf War, experiencing the death of his comrades, feeling conflicted about his role in the war, and suffering with PTSD afterwards. He never sounds like he's stretching himself, and it's a hard-hitting song that ranks as one of the group's best. "Rest Assured" is back to normality; musically it's another track that's fleshed out, with crashing drums and soul samples, but it's business as usual for Rakim.

"The Punisher" is one of the duo's most bizarre. A good beat, filled with cowbells and jazz samples, is complemented by Rakim's unique rap. His screaming delivery is unlike anything he's done before or since, and goes completely against the carefully-crafted persona of the perpetually unmoveable, chilled-out deep thinker. It's difficult to justify lyrics like, "KILL 'EM AGAIN! AGAIN AND AGAIN! AGAIN AND AGAIN!" but even if the album feels like the duo coasting, this will live long in the memory. It's also an early entry in the horrorcore subgenre that a certain white Rakim devotee would repeat to great acclaim later on (not Cage; the other one).

Whoever sequenced the album deserves a raise, as that display is followed by "Relax With Pep", a song about him being relaxed. This and "Keep The Beat" are another couple of songs that follow the formula: okay beats, great raps by Rakim about the same topic. After that, Rakim comments on the experience of disadvantaged black men living in the US projects. Calling such a song "What's Going On?" is always going to create unreachable expectations, and as things stand, it's...okay. The rap's good enough, the beat isn't.

Next is another already-released song, "Know The Ledge" - previously "Juice (Know The Ledge") off of the Juice soundtrack. This is the high point of the album, and one of the duo's best in any book. A simple, pacy but jazzy beat has Rakim rapping from the POV of a schoolboy that turns to dealing drugs. It's a cautionary tale in the vein of "Children's Story" - the boy gets caught up in the glamour of crime, before being murdered at the end. Rakim never sounds preachy in what is an interesting take on a familiar theme. One would think that Dr. Dre heard this and missed the intended irony, demanding that Rakim rap about these same themes later on.

"Don't Sweat The Technique" is a great, jazz-infused beat with Rakim telling people what a chilled-out great rapper he is. "Kick Along" closes the album with a stylistic (if not lyrical) shift, with Rakim rapping over a fast beat and not sounding stretched at all.

The album as a whole is competent; but it's dull in a way that makes one think it was lucky that things ended here. A year afterwards, Rakim worked with the Bomb Squad's Gary G-Wiz on "Heat It Up". Eric B's next work was the amusing "Still Paid"; basically an attempt to carry on regardless. Not to defend it, but there have been many worse producer-rappers. A year after that, Rakim re-established his reputation with "The 18th Letter", proving that while he still had it, the group couldn't have continued after this logical end.

[domliddle]

Potentially Great Albums. Eric B & Rakim - Follow the Leader

"Follow The Leader", Eric B & Rakim's 1988 second coming, is not a good album.

The duo had four albums before they went their separate ways - while most agree that "Paid in Full" was their magnum opus, from there it gets a bit more difficult. The other three have their own great parts, and their own flaws. Both "Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em" (1990) and "Don't Sweat The Technique" (1992) had broad underlying themes both musically and lyrically. They were demonstrably different from the duo's other works, and polar opposites of each other; there was a sense of artistic development in both cases without sacrificing their own consistency.

Therefore, Follow The Leader is recognisable as somewhat of a transitional album, sitting comfortably between the duo's debut and the more mysterious yet aggressive "Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em".

So why is it still loved, even quoted by some as an improvement on Paid in Full?

As it starts with the title track (Follow the Leader, obviously), it's plain to see that they are both in their prime; the beat is magnificent and perfectly fits Rakim's umpteen brilliant lines. This is where any doubts were dispelled. From there, we go straight into "Microphone Fiend"; a brilliant song that caters perfectly to Rakim's lyrical strengths. It employs a broad theme that allows him to deviate from braggadocio and metaphor into something more, without seeming forced. The beat is also perfect, different to the opener and employing a rhythm that allows Rakim to twist his words around it in different ways. "Lyrics of Fury" is the third track in a row to be one of their most praised; a raw, simple breakbeat that Rakim destroys.

So what's the problem? Well, from here, it falls off a cliff.

"Eric B. Never Scared" is nothing out of the ordinary. A good DJ interlude over a good beat. The problem is that it's over 5 minutes long - aside from the title track, the longest of the lot. Eric B's showcases are, at first, an important part of he and Rakim's albums. However, the track becomes repetitive at, if I'm being generous, 3 minutes in.

It gets worse though. I would contend that "Just a Beat" is the absolute worst song across the duo's entire work. It is simply Eric B, warped voice and all for some reason, talking nonsense before a nice beat comes in. His warped voice then reminds you that it's "a beat", in case you hadn't worked that out, and continues to do so throughout the whole thing. Thankfully, it's a bit shorter than the previous one.

"Put Your Hands Together" is strange. It begins with a minute-long piano piece - one that is actually great, but at odds with the rest of the album, and serves to needlessly drag the song out. When the actual thing starts, it's good - nothing surprising, simply Rakim rhyming over a good, stripped-down funky beat about how great he is in front of a crowd.

"To The Listeners" begins with a pretty awful beat, and someone whispering repeatedly about how it's "To The Listeners" and not the people smelling or tasting the album. Rakim's alright on this, but nothing more. In fact, he sometimes sounds off-beat, and raps too slowly to mesh with it.

"No Competition" is a good song. Not bad at all, and more braggadocio over a faster beat that sounds like Follow the Leader's little brother. "The R" is a song that I've never got - apparently ghost-produced by Mark the 45 King, so expectations are high. It's not bad, but clashes musically with the rest of the album, and Rakim himself. Compared to how raw the rest of the beats sound, it almost dominates the song - not catering to Rakim's strengths.

"Musical Massacre" is also great - probably the best of the lot aside from the opening 3 tracks. There's no unique theme lyrically, and the beat is fast and raw - fitting with much of the album's high points.

The ending is what saves the album. Actually, no it's not - it's the instrumental version of the worst beat on the album, appropriately titled "Beats for the Listeners". I wouldn't even have this as a bonus track.

So, judging from the above, not a great album. But I believe something great could have been made from what's there. So let's rearrange things.

Other opinions are available.

1: To The Listeners - cut down

I have to include this song. Therefore, let's begin by cutting the opening loop (and whispering) down - it's not really a song that needs to showcase the beat. Have one 4-bar loop, before Rakim comes in, and one verse - perhaps the actual opening one, or picking at lines that suit a broad, introductory song. Either way, as a stripped-down, slow interlude of a song, it's better placed to open the album.

2: The R - Extended Remix - cut down

Like I said, "The R" wasn't my favourite song on the album. However, I believe the 45 King's extended remix is a perfect opener after the intro. Strip down the opening part a bit, and cut straight after the "what happened to peace?" sample, and you have a good song. The rest of it can come later...

3: Musical Massacre

My main problem with "Follow the Leader" is that it promises so much - I don't think I've ever seen an album of any genre quite so frontloaded. Therefore, "Musical Massacre" is the perfect follow-up; different to the previous vibes, switching it up without giving away the absolute best. A fast, frenetic display that shows the variety on board. I imagine this as best with "The R"'s ending sample cutting straight into this without a beat.

4: No Competition

Same principle as the previous one - great without being the best.

5: Microphone Fiend

It's now necessary to deviate from the two similarly-minded songs, and at the same time throw one of the duo's best moments in. So here it is. Perfectly placed to break up the album.

6: Put Your Hands Together - cut down

The piano bit needs to go, unfortunately. But it's a smooth song that follows "Microphone Fiend" relatively well, not being too jarring.

7: Eric B. Never Scared - cut down

Well, obviously. Cut it down to 1:30 at the absolute max, and you have an interlude to break up the album. Take it simply as that, and instead of a bad song, you have a good buffer between the previous two relatively smooth tracks and...

8: Lyrics of Fury

One of the album's three great openers. Placed perfectly to remind any of the listeners how great the duo really is, in case they'd forgotten.

9: The R - Extended Remix

Another musical interlude. I love musical interludes. "Paid in Full" was helped a great deal by how Eric B's showcases broke up Rakim's - I would argue that one isn't enough on here. Technically there are 3 musical interludes on the album, but let's forget those exist. Cut in after the first half of the song cuts - starting with "Peace!", and it serves the purpose of giving the album a start-to-end correlation. It would also need to be cut down towards the end.

10: Just a Beat - with a rapper

Picture that. Who'd put Rakim on an Eric B. beat? Ridiculous. I think the levity of the song would at least allow for a grand verse or two from Rakim, broken up with scratching on the start and end.

11: Follow the Leader

To me, this is the perfect end to the album. It's a fantastic song, but one which is best suited to a roaring conclusion. In the end, the listener's last impression becomes that of the duo at their peak. Somewhat different to the quiet fart that is "Beats for the Listeners".

Ok, I understand - creative decisions are a small part of an album's tracklist. Record companies will obviously prefer an album frontloaded with the album's prime cuts. For me to argue that the above would make a better album is not only a matter of opinion, but also entirely moot. Granted, telling the reader that the article is moot at the end is the written "Beats for the Listeners (For the Readers - lolz)". But the great album was in there - with this minor shuffle, I feel that the album stands up as well as Eric B. & Rakim's others.

Disagree? Let me know in the comments below. Oh hang on, nobody's reading this. Don't let me know, then. Keep it all bottled up until years later you go on a blind date and vent to them about how "Beats for the Listeners" is actually a masterpiece.

Bonus Rubbish

- The Piano part of "Put Your Hands Together" could potentially serve as the backbone of a great song in its own right. As long as the mixing was right (as in, not Rakim being drowned out), and the rest of the song was similarly grand, it could serve as a great centrepiece for the album.

- Another thing that "Follow the Leader" would've benefitted from is a thematic song. The duo's other albums always have at least one track that steps out of braggadocio, keeping things relatively fresh. "Paid in Full" had the title track, "Let the Rhythm Hit Em" had a few, and "Don't Sweat the Technique" had a couple. The closest one is "Microphone Fiend" - a brilliant track, obviously, but one that doesn't deviate from Rakim being a good rapper. Said theme would only need to be broad, but it would help make the album seem less dry and repetitive.

- There's a great history of labels forcing changes and cuts to a song in order to make it suitable for single release. So here's where the original version of "The R" comes in - quite mainstream, grander-sounding than the other tracks, and a good introduction to the group. If you buy it and are interested, the real version's on the album.

[domliddle]

[domliddle]

Liquorice River claim to take you ‘on an aural journey fuelled by bitter nostalgia and sardonic sentimentality, stopping off along the way at junctions of 60’s psychedelia, glam, dub, folk, indiepop, krautrock and interludes of both a cinematic and electronic nature’ and tonight, their debut...

[domliddle]

Trapped in the '90s Part One: Re-assessing Crunk & Snap

You will hear many fans of hip-hop's golden-age (or those 'trapped in the '90s, if you believe Nas) moan about the state of the genre today. While today's Pitbull-induced hip-house revival is shrug-inducing in the extreme, it could be far worse. Snap music's dominance, for instance - a truly mind-boggling success story.

While snap's southern predecessor, crunk, had precisely zero emphasis on lyrical content, that was the point - it harked back to hip-hop's genesis in that rocking a party was of prime importance. It was also individual and had an identifiable 'sound' to it - mainly due to Lil' Jon and few others being at the helm of the movement. 

Many bought into it - the strange fit that was Snoop's 'Step Ya Game Up', for example - but the sound was rarely watered-down or compromised for the sake of a few extra spins, because the unusual and divisive nature of the music was news in itself.

Snap, however, had no such excuses.

It would be remiss of me to dismiss Snap music entirely, as it too had a point to it, in a sense. When people were bored of crunk, and it had become over-saturated to a point, the music was in a sense, the opposite of its predecessor. While the basic, and sometimes offensive, lyricism remained, the music was minimalist and simple as well. 

The genre never achieved the worldwide fame that crunk did, with a smattering of exceptions. While anyone could (and did) point to crunk as a low for hip-hop without being interested in the genre as a whole, snap took a little bit more thought.

The misogyny, violence and homophobia generally remained - but those songs that fought their way to the front were not based on shock value, but repetition. Boy, was there a lot of that. Many described Crunk as lowest-common-denominator music mainly due to the widespread anger at the often offensive lyrics - but Snap was the dictionary definition. The songs were of no importance whatsoever - the point was for the song to catch on.

Songs were stripped down to be as basic as possible, usually with the aforementioned 'snap' percussion, little in the way of tune and the same tempo for any song. All were usually based around a repetitive chorus, sometimes attempting to start a trend or dance move (see: any moderately successful snap act, ever). Some caught on, and some didn't.

Soulja Boy is, in 2013, snap's lasting legacy, and easily the most successful proponent of the music. His 2007 hit 'Crank That' did catch on, and crossed over into the mainstream. It ticked every box sonically, incorporating a simplistic beat, repetitive lyrics and an associated dance. He's still going, and is an indicator of the genre's polarizing simplicity.

While some got down with crunk, most rejected snap music - the fact that hip-hop fans generally rejected it meant that there was no credibility in a snap collaboration. Nas's much-talked about lyrical references summed up attitudes generally. 

In terms of the south's dominance of the late 2000's generally, Lil' Jon helped introduce Pitbull to the mainstream - the man who spearheaded hip-hop's jumping on the dance bandwagon, and who went from bass, to crunk, and onto dance. As many will attest, there's lasting success for a rapper that continues to evolve and adapt. Maybe we should be grateful that snap didn't.

[domliddle]

The Slow Death of Rap Battles

Rappers often get justifiable criticism for making entire songs based around out-rapping or beating up imaginary foes. It's been done to death, and it's incredibly safe for a genre that used to be based around the worst being called out for their laziness and lack of skills.

Sadly, rap battles and battling have gone from the center of the art to being somewhat of a curio; they're bad for business, which is what the Jay-Z centred hip-hop in 2013 is all about. Networking, expanding your user base and attempting to rile as few as possible by sticking to the script. 'Pop' is often a term thrown at non-credible, unskilled hip-hop, but the genre gaining the same financial aspirations as pop music has done no good at all.

Take Jay-Z again, for instance. A businessman far before a musician, he gained plaudits for attacking MC Hammer, of all people. Why? Hammer is not only symbolic of a popular hip-hop that exists far outside the sphere of real credibility, he is the king of easy targets. The days of rap battles between prominent rappers, based on technical ability, are long gone. It's just not profitable, although the main reason is Biggie and Tupac's continuing influence, long after their death.

Battling made a comfortable transition onto wax, with KRS-One's "South Bronx" and "Still #1" being prime examples of feuds being settled in an entertaining way. In the 90s, however, it was seen differently; the lasting legacy of Tupac and Biggie's feud was that it had escalated beyond wax. In truth, there was big business behind both rappers, and the dodgy dealings of Death Row and Bad Boy could fill encyclopedias. Jay-Z and Nas have had the only really notable war on wax since, and that was deaded long ago for the greater good (the financial one).

So what's with Kendrick Lamar? Actually, though it's changed somewhat, beef has come back into fashion, with Tyler The Creator's Eminem/Cage routine doing big business, and people finally starting to get bored of commercial hip-hop's uttterly safe excesses. It is obvious that in a stagnating genre, controversy creates cash; but Lamar's lines on "Control" were as safe as can be. He dissed a number of prominent rappers and explained that "I got love for all of you". Bearing in mind the fact that his collaborators in the song were included in the jabs, there is nothing to it. 

It has created some freestyles of varying quality, but all with the startling lack of logic demonstrated by Jay-Z's one-man war on all things Hammer. More of an advertisement for a rapper already in high standing than a comeback for battling, unfortunately. 

[domliddle]

Rakim's Aftermath venture was mostly a waste - but not entirely

Rakim's brief stint at Aftermath was indicative of the disappointment that many would come to feel with the label for years afterwards. Come the approach of the millenium, Dr. Dre (and Aftermath) was top of the genre. The label's initial work, "Dr. Dre Presents...The Aftermath", was uneven to say the least, and left many skeptical that there was a future to speak of for this risky venture. Certainly, "Been There, Done That" and "East Coast/West Coast Killas" are as important as curios can be, though the rest of it was pretty awful. Mel Man's "Shitting On The World", for instance.

The anticipation for Dre's second solo work, however, built up until the release day. The good doctor stayed relevant not only through his proteges, but also by re-tweaking his sound a little. Piano-led beats returned to the forefront, and his work started to sound less and less like the man behind "The Chronic". The squealy synths and general love of weed remained, despite the mix generally being a lot cleaner and sober. With the momentum in terms of critical and commercial acclaim, and quality rappers young and old on the label, Aftermath could do no wrong.

There was skepticism, or at least reservation, from the start. Rakim was a decidedly East-Coast rapper, more lyrical than the rappers Dre had been used to. Aside from that, there was obvious reason for anticipation; the acclaimed Pete Rock and DJ Premier had worked with him to great effect in the 90s, and there was no reason to think that the versatile Dre couldn't tweak his sound to fit "The God".

The entirely Dre-produced album, "Oh My God", was talked up repeatedly until it fizzled out in the manner of, well, Detox, before Rakim quit the label in 2003. None of the work was officially released, and it now exists only in pieces on youtube. The idea that there were "creative differences" was recently confirmed by Rakim - the idea that Dre wanted him to talk about killing people is more surprising than it sounds. 

Rakim already tried this, on 1992's "Don't Sweat the Technique", and it was an uncomfortable attempt at updating his themes. In the same way that changing Eminem's style wouldn't have worked, this was a bad idea. 

However, Rakim's time at Aftermath yielded some great stuff, even, for me, some of his best work. I won't bother to link to any of these, anyone reading this can look it up.

  Welcome 2 The Hood

An unreleased Dr. Dre production, this is only of any value if you've never heard Rakim before. You can already guess the theme from the title; Rakim sounds like any other rapper circa-2000. Rakim's familliar steady flow is a plus, but Dre's beat is dire as well. Makes me thankful 'Oh My God' wasn't released.

After U Die

This, on the other hand, is one of my favourite songs from the R. A great theme, often discussed in hip-hop but never as well as this, and technically excellent. Dre's beat is also worthy of praise, although the same sample was reused on 'Legend of the Fall-Offs' on Busta Rhymes's dire Dre-produced album. Skip that, get a listen to "After U Die".

Addictive

Rakim on a DJ Quik beat is something few would've expected; even fewer would've anticipated it being worth listening to. This is invisible "Truth Hurts"'s song though, and it amounts to an okay song with a great sample until Rakim turns up.

The Watcher 2

Jay-Z is one of those rappers who, when confronted with the need for new concepts, will just say "sod it, let's redo another one, people'll buy it". Thus, Blueprint 2, Blueprint 3, etc. This is one of those curios that turned out reasonably well - over a re-jig of the original's beat, Dre, Rakim and Jay-Z spin a song that isn't bad at all. Dre's multi-syllabic rhymes mark his verse out as Rakim-written, while the man himself goes with one of his best verses yet. A bit of a mess, but still fun.

RAKIM

His contribution to the 8 Mile soundtrack was a sign of things to come. Great lyrics and brilliant flow, over a Denaun Porter beat that's pretty crap, to be honest. The focal point of Rakim's songs has never been the beat, but the lyrics and his versatility in terms of flow; this sums that up. Ignore the beat, and you'll get a great song from the legend.

  They're all worth a listen, especially After U Die. Alicia Keys's odd sequel to "NY State of Mind", named "Streets of New York" is also worth a listen. Produced by DJ Premier and featuring Rakim alongside Nas, it's a throwback to '90s New York hip-hop with Alicia Keys thrown in for good measure.

[domliddle]

WWE Which Championship Again?

The World Championship. The (insert promotional name) Championship. The Heavyweight Championship. Whatever the tag, the top title should be what everyone aspires to, regardless of the promotion involved. Championships are what give wrestling meaning – the idea that grown men and women rolling in pants can amount to credible, even exciting competition, is entirely down to the top title. Without this, there is no explicit hierarchy, giving way to the kind of start-stop booking WWE has become infamous for recently.

The greater the value of the title, the better. Over the years, as WWE has swallowed up the competition, more and more titles with different lineages have been created. TNA has, to a degree, followed suit, but the genesis of WWE’s current title spread can be traced back to the brand split.

I was never a fan of this, and I’ll go on about that another time. But after WCW’s demise, WWE felt it necessary to retain the titles whilst ditching others, leading into the split. The Hardcore title, for instance, was dumped in favour of having titles on the two brands that, essentially, represented two parallel divisions of equal lustre. The idea was eventually expanded into ECW standalone run.

The Intercontinental title was parallel to the United States title. The two couldn’t really work on the same brand, but as second-string championships, they worked well as litmus tests for star quality, whilst helping to give a wrestler the extra ‘push’ in the same vein as the defunct ‘King’ title. The majority of WWE and WCW’s big stars have held these titles before their elevation to the bigger stages, as well as a few who didn’t make the grade.

Two titles remove this function entirely, and simply serve to make the champion another face in the crowd. Take, for example, Wade Barrett’s recent Intercontinental Title reign; he rarely appeared on TV. A big fish in a small pond, he appeared on WWE’s supplemental shows wasting time rather than mixing with the stars. Cesaro’s US Title reign was forgettable; a great performer who deserved the reign, he was nevertheless underused and poorly booked whilst he held the belt.

 The promotion’s main prize has suffered the same problems, in that the idea has remained split in two. The World Championship, with its lineage in WCW, simply runs alongside the WWE Championship. This serves to create two separate divisions from the top to the bottom, and two top grapplers who can’t acknowledge the existence of the other.

Or not. Take Raw the other week. A great show in general, and another star was created in Daniel Bryan. A segment that initially seemed odd, where WWE Champ John Cena was permitted to pick anyone he chose to oppose him at Summerslam, was beneficial in the end. It certainly served as a better feud-creating angle than some of the other stuff on the show.

The roster was required to stand on the stage, all eagerly awaiting Cena’s pick. From the Great Khali to 3MB, all hoped for Good Guy Cena to give them their chance. Oddly enough though, World Champion Alberto Del Rio was there at the very front. Now clearly, though Del Rio and Ziggler are over, and are often the focal point of things, they’re not on the level of Cena, or Punk.

Which begs the question; in a promotion where there are two second-string titles, what is the purpose of the World Title? The WWE title is evidently more prestigious, and it is currently what passes for the star-making titles of old. But what of the US and IC titles? The US title, like the useless Tag Titles, is essentially decoration, added credibility for the brilliant Shield. The IC title is passed from mid-carder to mid-carder, like a latter-day European Championship. Look to the Divas title; fought over as if it’s the only reason the eponymous Divas compete in WWE, it has the sort of prominence that the male titles ought to.  

 My point is this: titles need to be dropped in order to allow people to care about the action in the ring; to return some sense of consequence to proceedings, and perhaps alleviate the ever-looming problem of start-stop booking. One main title, one star-creating mid-card title. Even the tag titles can be dropped, in a promotion with two or three meaningful challengers. Where’s 1998 when you need it?

(I’m not advocating the return of the Disciples of Apocalypse to challenge the Shield, but in a world where the Ultimate Warrior appears to be on the verge of a return, why not?)

[domliddle]

Hip-Hop Snobbery & Glastonbury

Hip-hop snobbery is a general, and at times understandable phenomenon. In the popular conscience, it's still associated with violence and a number of negative stereotypes. It doesn't help that the most popular rap music is still that that continually perpetuates these stereotypes, thus forming a strange cycle.

Lack of meaningful content, rapping unfavourably comparing to singing - there are many reasons cited for hip-hop's percieved irrelevance when good music gathers. But like any established musical genre, there is great, good and then bad. 

The snobbery about hip-hop at Glastonbury, and whether it's allowed there or not, is well-documented. Liam Gallagher(I'm guessing it was him. One of them)'s strop was not out of attention-seeking character, but was still a surprise. The rhetoric of hip-hop not belonging at an established music festival that crosses genres anyway was not only harmful, but laughable in its complete absence of reason. 

What amazed more is that people sided with the berk. In the end, Jay-Z's singing 'Wonderwall' was a laugh, despite masking a performance that wasn't great. So what this year?

Public Enemy were flying the flag for hip-hop this year, though some of that snobbery still pervades. Danny Baker - normally someone of reasonable logic - incredibly tweeted that "bloke BBC have put on now rapping at audience and pointing his finger is plainly not another Mick Jagger."  This is in reference to Nas, admittedly long past-it but recognised as one of the genre's greats, and one of the few purveyors of a classic rap album in 1994's Illmatic.  So why did he compare unfavourably to the rapidly ageing Stones, who trotted out a familliar act with little of it permitted to be televised?

Logic states that Public Enemy, media fanfare aside, stole the show. Without the crutch of Flavor Flav for comedy balance, Chuck D needed to put on a hell of a show as frontman. He made it look easy, riling up a crowd that didn't seem interested at times, and in doing so showed the energy of 10 Jay-Zs. 'J-Hova's endless backing rappers that, incredibly, drowned him out and made you forget whose performance you were watching, were unnecessary here. Chuck easily carried things along, and the group (including the legendary Davy DMX on bass) were masterful. 

More of the same next time, please. Less snobbery, though.

[domliddle]

Raw - A New Dawn or a False, um, Dawn?

A lot happened on the WWE Raw show the night after Payback.There were changes aplenty, perhaps indicative of a bit of long-term thinking upstairs. 

Alberto Del Rio’s turn, for instance, had been begging to happen for what seemed like eons. But the man is not naturally a face, and carried out the role with the blandness of 30 Paul Londons. As a heel, he’s not the Rock, but is far better suited to the role, and is evidently more comfortable.

The entrance of CM Punk was unexpected, and represented another swift turn. Again, while Punk is a great heel, the always fans cheered him- always a great sign for any wrestler. Taking issue with Del Rio, and thereafter telling Heyman that he wasn’t needed, he’s made the switch to good guy territory. Whether it has legs remains to be seen; but if the fans can forget the angle with Undertaker’s urn, then anything’s possible.

Mark Henry’s imminent retirement caused a huge buzz, remarkably.  After the conclusion of his feud with Ryback, signs seemed to point towards him taking leave. Which was what made the opening angle of the show so funny.

Cena came out and blathered on about something or other (Incidentally, I can’t be the only one that finds “The Champ is Here” grating - as a trademark phrase, it lacks just about everything. Including originality), before Henry unexpectedly made his entrance.

It was superb. There was a genuine atmosphere as Henry said goodbye to the fans, acknowledging their chants of  ”Sexual Chocolate” and even “One More Match” (why?!). His subsequent turn, and slam on Cena, provoked a hell of a reaction. What could’ve easily been a stumbling start to a high-profile feud, was handled well.

Daniel Bryan’s match with Orton was great until the quick finish. It was sensible though, and Orton showed some class, even if Bryan wasn’t happy. Let’s hope all is well.

In terms of changes that didn’t need to be made, and weren’t - The Shield continues to dominate. Without wanting to jinx it, it seems like WWE knows what they have on their hands, and will continue to book the group as a force to be reckoned with. My one issue? Far too much Mcmahon presence. This feud isn’t about them, and it ruins the group’s aura somewhat when placed against an owner who is not even in-ring. It also takes some sheen off the already pointless Vicky Guerrero. As a concerned owner, powerless to stop the group - like Bischoff in the early days of the nWo angle, before that went awry - he would have a place. Otherwise, no; as a part-timer, HHH shouldn’t be getting TV Time in important angles such as this.

This overegged Mcmahon pudding also extended to AJ Lee’s title win - what had the potential to get her even more over and raise the Divas division beyond a mere sideshow, was mucked up when Stephanie Mcmahon halted the momentum of both Lee and Kaitlyn. It made Kaitlyn look powerless without the aid of Mcmahon, and AJ Lee’s victory a waste of time. 

At this time, I’d mention Sin Cara’s loss to Curtis Axel, but what is there to say? The Miz’s feud with him serves no purpose, and a victory over Sin Cara doesn’t help anyone anymore. A well-booked cruiserweight division could be an idea, as long as it doesn’t turn into another glorified home for jobbers. 

Finally, the main event; quick but good, and Del Rio’s run and subsequent attack by Ziggler was another well-handled bit. Punk vs. Lesnar though? Whether he’s the right opponent for Punk remains to be seen, but the general idea of Punk vs. Heyman is excellent, and it ought to be a great feud.

In general, it was a mix of great ideas and the same old stop-start. We’ll see what wins out, and fingers crossed and all that. The returns of Christian and Rob Van Dam could certainly go either way.

[domliddle]

It's Real. It's...Damn Real!

Or...Is there any point to TNA's unveiling of UFC/Film Star Quinton "Rampage" Jackson?

Promotions often overestimate fans' tolerance for a watered down product - wrestling on their laurels, if you like (sorry). Inevitably, in an age of declining buy rates and increased competition from all sides, the big three must begin to seek out new audiences. It's a sound idea, but rarely executed in a way that satisfies everybody.

While WWE remains the top dog by a long shot in terms of pro wrestling, it's being crushed by the better-promoted and, whisper it, more "legitimate" UFC. This question of pro wrestling's "legitimacy" isn't necessarily important - but when competition rears its head, a company has to react positively. One could argue that, in creating a buzz surrounding Jackson's arrival, TNA have done just that. 

His entrance was a mixture of the good and bad. Mike Tenay constantly reminded viewers that the company had created headlines across the globe - preaching brilliantly to the converted - throughout the program. When Rampage made his entrance, he oozed all the personality you'd expect from an MMA fighter stepping into a pro wrestling arena for the first time. In the worst part, Taz reminded us several times that Jackson was "legit". 

Everyone knows by now that wrestling isn't real. But the promotion that's putting on the show has to keep up the pretense in order to provide some suspension of disbelief, and some entertainment. So if Jackson is legitimately tough, in relation to who? 

Picking up the microphone, he was immediately drowned out by a rabid Atlanta crowd - not a great sign, considering he carried on anyway. Angle's entrance was better, and the confrontation between the two so-called "legit" fighters at least gave Jackson a reason to be there. It wasn't as tense or electric as the commentators reminded us it was, but the best had been made of a bad situation.

So where does this leave TNA, and Jackson, a year down the line? In terms of similar occurrences, one points to Ken Shamrock's mixed success in WWE - where great ring work was offset by blandness and the need for the unhinged "World's Most Dangerous Man" tag.  Brock Lesnar recently returned from UFC, with the break being the shot in the arm that the character needed.

Of course, the nadir of the MMA/Wrestling crossover is the Brawl for All. If it's difficult to explain in kayfabe what sets "Rampage" apart from everyone else, it's nigh-on impossible to decipher the point of the 1998 boxing tournament that left careers in a heap with several injuries. 

The speculation had been rife as to the identity of TNA's free agent - the nearest thing to a big free agent seemed to be Rob Van Dam. As little sense as that would make, would it be any worse than hiring a 'legit' fighter with no pro wrestling experience?

TNA is clearly attempting to branch out in terms of its appeal, and it can be difficult for a company to serve every kind of fan at one time. One wonders, though, if as well as its numerous cast-offs, the company has inherited WWE's short-term approach to booking. 

[domliddle]

WWE Vintage, a character-building experience.

‘John Cena is not a nice guy - let’s not mistake him for that.’ - Tazz.

I caught WWE Vintage today. It’s sometimes odd, occasionally interesting and often anything but vintage. Mr. Perfect’s match with Stone Cold was quite something, as was Booker T and Goldust’s tag match with Christian and Chris Jericho. It also featured early matches with involving Cena and Lesnar, both with their roles reversed and their physiques a hell of a lot more normal than now. 

Cena’s match demonstrated a few things - though he was still bland and devoid of ring presence for someone playing an obnoxious rapper, he was over even then. Fans were right behind him against Rey Mysterio, despite him playing heel and carrying out all the requisite heel spots. Since then, he’s gone backwards in the ring (he was noticably more mobile then), but on to greater things generally. 

It’s a general rule that the more vague a character, the better. For instance, The Rock was cool, Austin was unflashy, and the Ultimate Warrior just was. The more details, the worse and less believable things often get, otherwise you get wrestling plumbers, Roosters, and worst of all, Katie Vick.

In contrast to TV and Film, where what TV Tropes calls “Flanderization” starts to take place, with characters becoming parodies of their notable characteristics, wrestlers go the opposite way. Cena has gone from an the Doctor of Thuganomics to nice-guy Cena, who’ll still rap every so often but is too nice for any of the other stuff. The Rock has lost any sense of cool in duplicating this character progression, with a 2013 character that suits people who see his films, but not wrestling fans. 

Lesnar, on the other hand (it was the ring-breaking match with the Big Show, incidentally), has adapted and changed as the best characters do. After building up long-term momentum and with some great in-ring performances, Lesnar left in 2003 after a terrible farewell match with Goldberg. After pursuing mixed martial arts - with some success - he returned with this taken into account. The power wrestler introduced a more MMA-influenced repertoire and changed his style a little. Mercifully, he also got Paul Heyman back on board to do the talking for him. 

A good example of good character writing is the obvious Hulk Hogan - who only altered things when absolutely necessary (and rarely, if ever, changed things up in-ring) and never got bogged down in the details. The 1996 heel turn happened just as the act was turning stale, and he has coasted ever since - largely on nostalgia.

On the other hand, there’s Kane. He entered the WWF as a foil for one of the all-time great characters, and there hasn’t been much need to change him since. Starting off rarely talking, and then through a voice box, the character has (with some necessity) become more humanized, and more vocal, as time goes on. His unmasking - a big deal that shouldn’t even have been alluded to in the first place - was a disaster, and his appearance changed constantly during the ’00s. 

It’s a point best observed in contrast to the Undertaker, who has rarely, if ever been involved in anything comic. Any changes to the character have remained slight and essentially irrelevant, and even his ‘American Badass’ rebranding was a massive success, retaining the same character at the base and allowing for an additional comeback - of the ‘Deadman’ - down the line. The current guise of ‘Mean’ Mark Calloway is the result of evolution, rather than revolution, and a will to acknowledge the character’s age.

Kane 2013 is a good result of a character that has gone all over the place in recent years. “The Big Red Machine/Monster/Dentist” has lost some of his lustre, but remains a more versatile character than the one who arrived nearly 16 years ago. His dispute/partnership with Daniel Bryan is brilliant watching, and great work from both. 

It is the same slow evolution as ‘Taker’s that has allowed Cena to transition slowly, and believably, from obnoious heel to good-guy face. It demonstrates that with patience, and sometimes without, convincing big-name stars can be built for the company to rely on.

[domliddle]

Hello there. This blog may be paying dues (read: unused) for a while, but at least the debut post shocked the world.