Introduction...

This is just a passion for me. I can write for days about nothing. And then take two minutes to think of everything. I dont know where these thoughts, poems, verses, stories, novels and ideas come from sometimes. But they are there, ALL the time and in abundance. The thought process is easy. The concepts are creative and interesting. The hardest part is getting it all on paper or typed. This is about Expression, Discussion, Opinion, Fact, Talent, Knowledge, Experience and Truth...


Music is the motivation and passion behind creation,
Of everlasting rhymes and statements that take passion time and patience,
I make accurate lines and statements that last like a fine fragrance,
Use to rhyme in momma basement with in mind that ima make it,


Just a little of what I do. An opener to this whole blog step.

Music Sofa: Musically Motivated Mindset

Those three words, Musically Motivated Mindset, are the meaning of the way I think about alot of things. So much of my mindset has developed from the influence of Music. Think of how Music has influenced your life. Think of how many different cultures and trends Music has raised. As you read this Im sure you can think of more than ten things in your life or in your recent years that has either changed or been created from a song or genre of Music. Im not talking about new dances, that's simple to count out. Im talking about the fashion. I mean clothing you never heard of one week being the most sold item everywhere from the mall to Amazon.com. One video, an apperance on 106 and Park, a popular movie apperance or just spotted at the store of a certain brand and BOOM! Those pair of jeans that were $10 at Wal-Mart or Marshalls are now $110 at Up Against the Wall and Journeys. Though some of those clothing styles tend to fade away, some stick around for years! Shoes mostly, look at the popularity of Shell toe Adidas started from RUN DMC. Chucks always been fly with some khakis because of the west coast hip hop influence. And I dont know who kicked off the Air Force One trend. But after Nelly and the St. Lunatics dropped a track about them, I didnt see a plain black or white pair for like a year! Now Im mostly a hip hop person. Though I do venture out into many different genres and I will say that the influence of rock and roll, alternative and punk have changed the game as far as the fashion world. Skinny jeans, though I personally dont agree with them, have a tight grasp on fashion in every aspect of the word. Music definitely plays a key role in a large amount of hair styles. Ive seen a few Lady GaGa, Nicki Minaj and Rihanna immitators out there. The dark ceasar with the part is still somewhat popular but the game has thrown in all kinds of designs and lines. As you can see the evidence is clear of what Music does to fashion.

Now, lets talk the talk. The way people speak has definitely been affected by Music. If I go on without mentioning E-40, I'd be disrespecting this blog. I mean he seriously made his own dictionary. You may not speak like him, may not have even known he has a dictionary. But you have at least heard him on a track or two and you know he has a unique style. How is that influence if we dont use it? He is one of those artist that bring a different dynamic to the game. Just because you bring it doesnt mean it will change the world. At the same time just because it doesnt change the vast majority, it changes something. He made it out to be different, unique and mix things up. But he wasnt the only one. Outkast for example came so different that most almost didnt respect it. They came with a style that combined their layed back southern personalities, with a Westcoast California type rhythmic flow. They soon changed their style to the flow you hear today which still is a huge influence on the "lingo and swag" of todays listeners and fans. My most favorite in the class has to be T.I. Nobody has the southern gentleman slash gangsta rap persona like that dude. He made it ok to speak in an intellectual way and not have to fight your southern draw. Dudes and chicks alike were tryna put "the draw" in their speech. I myself have had to tell a few chicks that they are "not New New" and need to stop. Its all love though. lol

But in the greatest aspect of all, Music has influenced so many young people to persue their dream and fight tooth and nail until you get to the top. Even though my next example is more of an actor, I dont know one person that doesnt love "Blame it on the ah-ah-ah-ah-ah alcohol". Thats Jaime Foxx. This man literally came from NOTHING. The true slums down in Dallas Texas in a part of a city that the whites and blacks still remain seperated by a set of train tracks. He did a lot more than Music and is recognized for the movies and The Jamie Foxx show. But he is truely a musical genius and definitely an inspiration and role model to the young people. Another example that you can do and be anything you set your mind and heart to. There are so many more stories I could put out there. So many artist came from garage bands to sold out concerts. From selling crack to selling multi platinum albums and some to their own record companies.

Music was the first thing that let me know I am worth what I make myself out to be. I have other inspirations and different people as idividuals that gave me input on how a man should be, what a man is, what they see in me and those that pushed me toward my goals. But Music...Music is one true love that has never turned me down. Never lied to me or cheated on me. When Im mad, so is Music. When I horny, so is Music. Music is the one thing that can bring me to tears just with words because Music always knows what to say. Music has changed feelings and thought in life without even trying. How many songs are there that can come on while you are making love and make you go crazy? How many songs have said exactly how you feel about the person you were with even when you didnt know how to say it yourself? Wedding songs that bring brides to tears. Funeral tunes that make even the toughest man cry for the deceased. Songs about mothers and children that make you go home and just hold them and miss them if you cant. I'm deployed as I currently write this and there are song I listen to out here that make me go from proud to be in the military, to ready to fight, to I miss my girl and most of them just make me miss my son.

Music is not just a pass time. Its not just something you throw on because you bored. Im pretty sure if thats why you cut it on you wont be anymore. Music to me, is a way of life. Its influence is infinate to what it has done and changed. There are those who may argue that most Music these days destroy the mind of the youth and our country. But its NOT the Music. Its how that person was raised. I heard EVERY SINGLE ALBUM and majority of the stuff no one has really heard from the rapper Eminem. I have never slit a girlfriends throat or takin any kinda drugs in the form of a pill that werent perscribed. I dont make fun of homosexuals nor do I hate my mother. But I do know how people who have been threw some of the same things he has feel. I know how someone who has lived in the slums majority of their life feels. Thats not to take away from those people. Ive never walked in Eminems shoes. But he told me how it would be and the lyrical geniuus over the beat made me feel like I damn near was there. He is one of my favorite artist. To discredit him and others like him because of the content, and not focus on the actual skill and TRUE influence is a crime to me!

All in all I LOVE MUSIC. There is no other way to put it. There is nothing more that I want than to see artist after artist, from rap to rock, from school talent show to Madison Square Garden, to continue to bring hit after hit, album after album, year after year. Life is short, music is forever.

-LoKo

This is who I'm doing it all for. My music never reached such a passionate level with extreme content until this little boy was born into my life. I love you Benjerman Korey! Nothing stands over that fact!

The Sofa: Music Rating

Music is always on my mind. I'm always thinking of how it sounds and what I get out of a song/album. So in my random wondering, I came up with a system for rating music. More specifically, Hip Hop. This system can be used for an album, mix tape or song. Simply using the words Hip Hop themselves. I made up different meanings for each letter, meanings for acronyms or for a word made from the letters...


Music Rater: HIP HOP


HH- this rating means this artist/song/album STANDS for hip hop. (as inHH is an abbreviation that stands for hip hop) Iconic or chart topping music!


Hip- this rating means the artist/song/album is on the current flow of mainstream hip hop. They are with end the trend or direction hip hop is going at the current time. (this can be a good or bad thing.)


Hop-  this rating means the artist/song/album is a "leap" ahead of the average. Outside the box.


Pop- this rating means the artist/song/album is something anyone from your grandmother to your little sister can nod their head and dance to. A club banger or family reunion hit.


OH- this rating means the lyrics this artist/song/album brings to the game are unmatched and out of control (in a good way)


HOPP- this rating means I "hopp" you don't make anymore songs/albums/tracks/statements/children/appearances (as far as music goes anyway)


PP- this rating means "popular plays" which is another way of saying the artist/song/album will only be noticed or played because of the authors popularity, not talent. But also those that had songs that stayed on top of the charts for Weeks/Months.


These ratings are not limited to the meanings that have been presented. I'm just trying a new fun way to discuss and rate the Hip Hop we hear today. So, rate on!

On the Sofa: Big Willie Style

This was a review I did on my boys site http://www.bestinthemix.com/. Check it out. Hip Hop reviews and opinions. Pure hotness!!!

How many of ya'll remember "Big Willie Style", Will Smiths first solo album, dropping back in 97'? Personally I was nine and still falling in love with hip hop. Mom dukes was definitely not cool with the raw sounds that pumped out the speakers on Biggie Smalls "Life After Death" or Capone-N-Noreagas "War Report." She thought Missy Elliots "Supa Dupa Fly" was a little vulgar and Busta Rhymes "When Disaster Strikes" was way too much for her. So at the time Will Smith was positive, clean, influential and had some bangers already nodding heads on the radio. Now if you want to talk street and say "Oh, he aint hip hop, thats pop music," you can do so. You wanna go into "Oh, he's an actor. He dont know the real." You can do that as well. But if you're here to talk hip hop, if you're here to talk good music with lyrics that speak truth and hold value...now we in discussion.

Not every man from the hood sold dope. Not every man from the hood went to jail. Nor do we all have tattoos, been shot, been pimps or didn't finish school. That doesn't take away from the truth of the matter that you know where you came from no matter where you go. This album must be reviewed with all these aspects in mind. Plus the fact that he is from West Philly isnt somethin you can just look past.

Now, lets talk numbers. First of all, Will Smith received two Grammy's from the same category for tracks on the topic album! He is the only artist in HISTORY to do so. That fact alone stands as a landslide victory to some great artist. The album as a whole was certified 9X (thats nine times!) platinum by RIAA or Recording Industry Association of America. I mean really...9X!? I personally dont know or follow too many of the platinum ratings. But honestly, I've never heard 9. Heard double and triple, but hell, what is the term for 9 anyway? *LOL* Individual songs from this album broke records and went far beyond what many can't even stand up to. The single "Men In Black," though not released as a single in the U.S., stayed at number one in the U.K. for a month. That made it the 6th biggest single in 1997.

Hip Hop Rater

HH- Say what you please, and many will say it, but Will Smith MAY not be a rapper persay. But he stands with the best of them on this album.

PP- This albums tracks STILL come on the radio this very day. Enough said.

You know what, I can shower yall with facts all day about the man. The Grammys and awards, the charts and the movies but at the end of the day, this album is a true classic. Not enough attention in my eyes. The radio hits were glorified and played world wide. But I listening to the album again for the first time since like 01' there are too many tracks that those who never heard it would never even know about. Half of what they listen to is thrown out the window and doesn't compare next to said tracks. If we are talking creativity, go to track four, "Candy". Bein real and telling people how it is, track seven "Dont Say Nothing." He has something for the ladies besides "Miami" and thats gotta be track five, "Chasing Forever." Theres plenty more to compare and argue points with but you'll only know if you check it out. I'll leave that up to ya'll.

P.S. MIB3 comin' out this summer. Im just sayin'.

THANKS for joinin' me on the Sofa

Poetry and Hip Hop

Welcome to The Sofa. This post has a very interesting discussion to be....well, discussed. I have been approached by some bloggers and asked some questions about my content and chioce of direction within some of my posts. Not the album reviews. Not the personal presentations and dedications. No the focus and questionable entries happened to be the poetry. I have been criticized on the fact that I have created a hip hop blog site and decided to put poetry on some of the posts. I was asked about the connection of the two? Why I chose to place my on poetry up there instead of actual poets? And even was asked do I consider myself a poet, or a rapper. These types of questions I OBVIOUSLY could just laugh off. I could EASILY make a dis track as well. Or I could simply put a post out showing how upsetting the wuestions were and get all emotional. But then that would just take away from my site. That would completely defeat the purpose of the educating factor that this page, and great web pages that glorify hip hop, wants to promote.

Let me first start by saying poetry has a tremendous influence on hip hop. Whether or not the two have the same specific qualites, they are alike more than they are different...

Poetry-  is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning (wikipedia)

Hip Hop-is a form of musical expression and artistic subculture that originated in African-American and Hispanic-American communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx (wikipedia)

Even by definition you can get a few similarities. For starters there is the fact that they are both forms of art. (yes kids, music is a form of art) They also posess the quality of both being a way of expressing feelings or thoughts. Im hoping those with questions are begining to see the true connection and importance even of the prescence of poetry in hip hop. And for those who arent quite there yet. I have a few examples of the truth in the NEED of poetic skill in the hip hop category. And please understand, this is not to take away from any other genre of music.

Everything from metaphors similies and personifications are used and expressed in hip hop. Most of all puns or play on words are used. Its just the smae in poetry. The poems tend to lean more toward fantasy and reality seperation of even connection. Hip hop tells true stories and referances events that are connected to the artist. But still the same format and end result. You know the truth and can almost place yourself in each word and occurance with each sentence.

As to the question of why I have chosen to put my own poetry up...? I like to think Im pretty good at it. There is really no a reason. THANKS for joining me on the Sofa.

                                                       Start to finish                                                      

Started off rackin leaves but ended up sellin trees. Started off runnin the ball but ended up runnin keys.
Started off prom queen ended up dope fiend. Started off talented had a kid at fourteen.
The cycle starts small ends up goin to hell. Cuz he starts wit stealin candy, then cars, then to jail.
Then bail, same trail, end up back in jail. Then a gang, then drama, end up hangin in a cell. 
She starts off just dancin then paid for the panties. Back stage, back alley, end up loosin sanity.
Starts snortin lines ends up shootin up. Starts with a quick hump then pregnant dead in a dump truck.

Starts tough starts rough and ends up the same.
He touched, he humped and niether one knows your name.
Where to start the blame how do we start to correct.
Been tryin to figure this out ended up with nothin yet.
Start raisin our boys so they end up in college.
Start raisin these girls send em to college with no mileage.
Start off with knowledge end up creatin a genius.
Teach a boy to think with his brain not with his penis.

Start with readin fairytales end up creatin a author!
Teach a girl to be a woman gotta support our daughters!
Gotta start creatin fathers gotta raise real mothers!
End up with stronger families takin care of one another!