Sunday, December 30, 2018

30-Day Hip-Hop Song Challenge Days 28-30


Catching up again.

Day 28: "Favourite track by an artist from New York".

Oh, that's hardly fair-- I have so many...

How about...



KRS-One-- "Never Give Up"

But some of yawl ain't trying to hear this, though...

Day 29: "Favourite track by Travis Scott".

Sorry--don't have one.

Day 30: "Favourite outro track to a project".

I'm coming up empty. Crap.

Why I Choose To Buy A Fresh Yule Tree

This is not this year's tree but one we did awhile back that my son themed: Autumnal Frost tree.

Since I was a kid, the holidays were usually sporadic as it seemed my mother couldn't decide if she wanted to celebrate them or not. I remember seeing her give away a large bag of ornaments once. On another hand, I do also remember her making a rather large display of white branches and lights and buying two tiny live potted trees to place next to this, and my presents were underneath on her glass coffee table.

But one thing I wholeheartedly remember is that when she did indulge in a tree, it was always fresh. I asked her once why didn't she get a fake one? Surely it was more practical to keep one to have when you needed it? (I was a kid, what did I know.) Her look of disdain and answer of "Eww, no" pretty much clammed me up.

I couldn't argue with the wonderful smell, though, and lying underneath to look up at the branches. It's still my favourite thing to lie beneath the tree once it's up.

As an adult, I got my first real big tree when I moved into my third apartment with my son. I remember how fresh and green it smelled, and a bit like oranges. I remember being happy to carry this tradition on for my boy. Technically, my first real tree was a potted one that I had in my second apartment, and we enjoyed her, but could not think of where to plant her afterward since we lived in the middle of the ghetto and I didn't drive. Ugh. I should have taken her to the park or something...

I digress.

I only bought a fake tree once and it was due to the fact I'd been hospitalised and wasn't released until Xmas Eve-Eve, so I hadn't much time to find a fresh one. I reluctantly grabbed a white $10 tree from Family Dollar and used that for a few years until it got really grody... I decided it was time for a fresh one again.

When Peace came to live with us at Tha Cat Lair, we began buying a fresh tree from our local Home Depot. I loved the energy shift in the home when we did. I remember Peace asking why we didn't get a plastic one, much like I had when I was a kid. I answered the same as my mother did, LOL.

Prolly not with this face, though. (via giphy)

I did wonder, though, if it might not be more eco-friendly to have a fake tree. And I did what I do best next to what I really do: I researched it.

I found that plastic trees are actually not eco-friendly or sustainable. Faux trees leave a rather large carbon footprint--twice the size of a real tree. According to the Carbon Trust, a fake tree would have to be kept and reused for about ten Xmases or Yules to keep its environmental impact lower than that of a real tree. Plus a fake tree is kind of foul burnt in a landfill. A real tree can be recycled into mulch or something. I hear you can recycle or repurpose fake trees, but not sure how.

So, this is why I continue and it's my clowder's preference to go with fresh trees. Do your own research-- go with what's right for you--make up your own mind for next year. Happy tree shopping!

Thursday, December 27, 2018

30-Day Hip-Hop Song Challenge Days 24-27


Got caught up in holiday cooking and merrymaking...

Let's continue, shall we?

Day 24: "Favourite track by an artist that deserves more recognition".
I'm...gonna leave myself out of this, LOL.
Hmmm....

Who could I put here?



A.B.Y.S.S.-- "Queen"

This artist needs more recognition, period.
Oh, BTW-- she's my prima. Hope to work with her sometime.

Day 25: "Favourite track to turn up to".

Yeh... we don't do that in this department.

Day 26: "Favourite track with a dope sample".

Lemme see...




Das EFX--"They Want EFX"

This is so simple yet totally amazing.

Day 27: "Favourite track by an artist you don't usually fxck with".

TBH: if I don't fxck with them, why would I have a favourite?

But I think I got one.

It's old-school, though.



Ice Cube-- "Wicked"

I wasn't a huge fan but I fell in love with this for some reason.


Sunday, December 23, 2018

30-Day Hip-Hop Song Challenge Day 23


Taking advantage of a lull in stuff to post this...

Day 23: "Favourite track that is over 8 minutes long".

Yes, this group...again.







Digital Underground-- "Good Thing We're Rappin"

When I heard this-- I mean, really heard this for the first time, I was laughing my ass off.

Saturday, December 22, 2018

30-Day Hip-Hop Song Challenge Days 17-22


Hey... I know, I know. Falling off. But I've been very busy with the holidays and with prepping for a show I just did. Back on track now...

Day 17: "Favourite track on your favourite mixtape".
I got nada. (via Giphy)

Day 18: "Favourite track by Kanye West".

Does something you kinda sorta found funny in passing count?




Kanye West-- Gold Digger

Thought it was sorta kinda funny once upon a time. Haven't listened to it since it was a thing.


Day 19: "Favourite freestyle".




The Real Mike Wilson--Freestyle For Issac Simon

Hey. I support mah peeples.


Day 20: "Favourite track with more than three features".

C'mon, sun... how could it not be this??




A Tribe Called Quest-- "Scenario"

Dude--this shxt has three featured people but like mad verses. Bending the rules.




Day 21: "Favourite simp track".

Okay... WTF. From what I understand this is:

--Simp (v): To intensively and confidently express your emotions through talking it out, listening to music, social media, etc.


Or:

--A man who puts women on a pedestal when she clearly doesn't deserve it. He thinks all women are victims and they barely do any wrong. He usually does this to gain favor with women aka try to have sex with her.


Or...


--(S)uckas - (I)dolizing - (M)ediocre - (P)ussy -- Basically someone who gives redundant and over the top attention to women that are of far less value than the attention or praise given. Usually the recipient of this praise is knowing of this and is taking full advantage knowing this fact.....Thus the term "sucka" is the main attribute and usually the results in the pending downfall of this kind of man. 

Uhmmm...wow. "When it rains it pours", huh? All I hear is "I can't write about anything emotional because if I do, mah boys and errybody gonna think I'm soft and on top of that I don't get no pussy myself so I'ma hate on the dude who does, and you know what else? I'm briny as fxck about it, so I say the dude is a sucka for some random bxtch and whipped and keep on writing a bunch of misogynistic basic shxt and that's that cuz that's the way of the Real Man™."


Actual picture of the people who think like this.
I'm-a need something to go with this salt...

...there ya go. (via tenor)

FOH.


Anyway...




I...guess it's this...?   

Eminem-- "Crazy In Love"

It's extremely relatable. Totally nails the toxic relationship and gets visceral. And it meets all of the above stupid criteria.



Day 22: "Favourite track from the 90s".

Awh, man...

I listened to a lot of stuff and cannot pick a fave so I'm just gonna go with this:




Cypress Hill-- "Insane In The Brain"

IDK. I liked shxt that was different--Cypress Hill were definitely that; even if some of the trappings they rhymed about were typical, their sound was not.

Sunday, December 16, 2018

30-Day Hip-Hop Song Challenge Days 15-16




Hey. Guess I really am doing these two at a time, LOL

Day 15: "Favourite interlude".
I know it's an intro, but eff it-- using it anyway.




"Torture Intro"

Day 16: "Favourite track that gets you pumped up".

I'm not sure I have one for specifically that purrpose...

...except maaaaaybe this.



Run-DMC--"Raising Hell"

I legit listen to this if I have a gig up to a few minutes before I have to go on. I've been doing this since I started rhyming.

I told DMC once that I did this, and he said to me that he thought that was  "inspiring".

Friday, December 14, 2018

Can We All Just Get Along? IDK, Yawl.



I saw a post on Facebook once that basically said that female rappers need to collaborate instead of coming for each other.

Cute, but...
(via Giphy)


I don't see this happening more often because

A) this stupid Highlander mentality that there can be only one successful female rapper at any given time is too entrenched in the culture

No. There is room for us all.
(Even though I love this guy, Adrian Paul, come through!)
(via Giphy)


B ) said attitude is exacerbated by their teams, managers, labels, and entourage; they encourage beefs like they are organic and to draw more attention because conflict sells

C) said attitude is held onto by female rappers, especially ones who are going hard on the sex appeal. (Girls. You're all pretty. Cut it out. ✂)

D) too many fxcking cliques and elitist, exclusive attitudes

...like these heaux.
(via SOS Safety Mag)


E) too many artists being derivative--and I use that term very facetiously--of other artists who did that shxt already. "Take that chix' style. She ain't doing nothing." "You need to do what So-N-So N'em is doing." Why do that? There's already one of So-N-So N'em. Do we need another?

Do that shxt.
(via Giphy)


F) Because of all this, the female artists don't trust each other anyways
Pretty much.
(via Google)



Most of these broads are freaking marionettes told what to say and do. Some of them can't even write--they just sell what is written for them well enough to dupe the consumer. Their stylists mold them visually into what was the so-called successful model--irony being that labels think female rappers are too high-maintenance and their beauty budget cannot be sustained.

They walk, walk, walk and they peck, peck, peck.
(via Giphy)
They then abandon what made people love them by presenting the "real" them and lose their fanbase a few years into their careers.

Personally, I enjoy and welcome working with other women... it's just that we are seldom on the same page or I tend to be on the outside looking in. People dunno how to take me.

But truth... I don't see this shxt changing, as much as I would like it to. The female rapper who lacks depth is pushing us all towards becoming an endangered species.

Thursday, December 13, 2018

30-Day Hip-Hop Song Challenge Days 12-13

I'm...failing. LOL

Day 12: "Favourite track by an artist from the DMV".
I got bupkus.



Day 13: "Favourite track by Kendrick Lamar".

 

"Pray For Me"

Tuesday, December 11, 2018

30-Day Hip-Hop Song Challenge Days 10-11



Y'know... I just noticed that "challenge" is spelled wrong in the picture...?
You had one job, Interwebs.
(via tenor)


This day calls for "Favourite track by a 2016 2017 (adjusted for year) Freshman List Artist".

::goes to look::

Yeh....no.
Heard of a few of these artists, and...no.
Don't have one at all.
Fail for today!

...so here's something else.



De La Soul-- "Say No Go"

Might as well do Day 11 while I'm here...

Day 11 calls for "Favourite R&B track".

What the hell...
Uhm....

I mean, from what era??

UGH

Eff it-- here's some Prince.
(Don't get pregnant.)




Prince-- "Somebody's Somebody"

Sunday, December 9, 2018

30-Day Hip-Hop Song Challenge Days 8-9



I guess I'm gonna be doing these two days at a time...?

Okay, yesterday's prompt was: "Favourite track by an artist that doesn't make music anymore".

Hmmmm....








Digital Underground-- "No Nose Job"

I'm prolly biased because I just listened to this the other day giving my daughter a crash course (I'm kinda known for doing this Lairside, LOL).


Day 9 asks for "Favourite track for when the weather is nice".


Is it jerky to put my own here?




ThaGataNegrra-- "Iced Tea and Selfies"


I mean, it's pretty summery. At least that's what it evoked for me when I first heard the instrumental.

Saturday, December 8, 2018

Open Letter To Whichever Con, Venue, or Event Is Guilty

Dear Anime Cons, Pop Culture Cons, Venues, And Other Geeky Events:
I posted this on IG once. Some broad tagged her g/f  with"WTF is she on? LOL"
I answered: "Another level. Next!"
📸credit: L.I.T. Photography


Yeh, so, I'm not visually Japanese or passable for Japanese.
I can't pass the Paper Bag Test or be part of the Blue Vein Society.

I don't have the fabled "good hair".
I'm not size 4. I don't have the ecchi body.

I don't do accurate full-on cosplays because I *am* my own cosplay.
I may not be your idea of kawaii, but frfr: Kawaii isn't *supposed* to be purrfect or the conventional beauty.

I'm not as nerdcore as I'd like to be (haven't found the right producer who has the stones to work with me on it).
I don't have the social media numbers of some of my colleagues.

Yes, I *am* a hip-hop artist.

This doesn't mean I am inappropriate, scary, that ALL my material is riddled with violence or curses or the N-word every three words, or I cannot be "family-friendly". Sure--I do have some stuff with profanity or provocative subject matter because life ain't Mr. Rogers Neighbourhood, but you will *never* hear me purrform any of it at a family event.

Awh. Loved this guy.
(via Tenor)


I am in my own lane, on the same highway as other people of my ilk. I know that some of you have overlooked me for something "safer", something more aesthetically pleasing...more Japanese. I have been in talks with some of you only to be ignored, and see other acts be chosen instead, who get away with using hip-hop in their music influences, and I am no worse than they are. (Yeh. I saw that.)

I totally did.
(via gifs.com)


I may not be any of the things above, but I am professional, I am good at what I do, and at least I'm not visually uninteresting.
I don't think I should be mushed aside because I am not any of the above. I was still relevant to your event. It's not as if you didn't have acts there.

ThaGataNegrra isn't a gimmick, and is just barely an alter ego. This is what you get all the time. I may not be as visually loud when I'm going to Walmart or whatever, but those cat ears may as well be grafted to my head because that's me. ALLA. DAMNED. TIME.

Again: The kawaii is real, not some shxt I made up to seem interesting or appealing.
The geekiness is real, not geek chic like some prominent female rappers I could name.

The ears are worn because channeling totems, not because they cute. If that were the case you'd only see me with them onstage and in pix (Catch me at Shoprite and see if I'm fxcking kidding).

I come to you because where *else* am I going to be appreciated? Certainly not with what you assume is "my kind" musically. But it's like everything else: it's okay if someone not as heavily melanated is doing it. Straight up-- if I could pass the paper bag test...you would be all over me.

Deal with that for a minute. Marinate in it.


A lot of you "nerdy" promoters are fxcking guilty of this harsh fact. Don't think I don't look at your pictures of your events. I do.

I have been lied to numerous times by promoters to deter me from participating in events-- any thing from "The dj doesn't have a mic" to "we don't have the space".

I have been straight ignored by photographers at events for whatever reason.

I've heard some people were afraid I'd outshine them so they didn't book me, which...what the actual hell? REALLY?

In some cases, I'm pretty sure my name has been smeared and rumours spread to cast doubt on me. If you listened or entertained any thoughts that they were true, for even one second, you are an asshole. Yeh--I *said* it. You should have come to me and asked yourself.

Yawl cannot have it both ways. Do *not* smile in my face then stab me in the back. At least have the decency to let me see the knife coming.

That said, I'm gonna thank those who took a chance on me and wasn't scared off by anything. I know that has changed now for a lot of you. It is what it is. I'll live. As I've said before, I don't expect you to get me now.

Maybe you'll see me again. Maybe you won't. Still going to be me with or without you.

Friday, December 7, 2018

30-Day Hip-Hop Song Challenge Days 6-7


Hey... late posting this. Ugh. Preoccupied with rehearsing (read: saying the words over and over in my head). May as well do two days and get it over with...

Prompt for Day 6: "Favourite track by Drake".

Uhm...how bout none?
No, srsly-- I don't have one.

Prompt for Day 7: "Favourite track that uses Auto-Tune".

Not sure I have one of these...
Wait--this kinda counts:    

Far East Movement-- "Like A G6".

N4N, when I first heard this I couldn't stop listening to it. Aaaaallll that 808.


Wednesday, December 5, 2018

30-Day Hip-Hop Song Challenge Day 5





Here we are at day five...

Today's prompt calls for "Favourite track by an artist from Atlanta".
Well, it doesn't say "artist that *lives* in Atlanta, so I can't pick my brother... but guess what--?

Gonna post his song ANYWAY.



Razi (aka PoppaRazi)-- "The Feeling"


Okay, down to business...

Here's the real entry.





OutKast-- "B.O.B."

Tuesday, December 4, 2018

30-Day Hip-Hop Song Challenge Days 1-4




So, it's three days into December, and I attempted something similar last year. I thought I'd try something a little more specific to my genre, so here it is: the 30-Day Hip-Hop Song Challenge. It's a year old, but eff it.

I'm prolly gonna fail a lot of this because I just haven't been paying a lot of attention lately to my genre as I'm not too keen on what direction it's taking. Weird, I know. But it's like family. You are a part of it, but you don't have to be down with whatever they're doing.

Come to that, I'm not sure I can do all of this at all. But then, it wouldn't be a challenge, would it?

I'm doing days 1-4 to play catch up. And apologies in advance if you get double posts on Fridays, because I have regular blogs scheduled.

Day One: "Favourite intro track to a project".

Ugh. Uhm...




De La Soul-- "Intro", "3 Feet High and Rising"

IDK. This is just the goofiest intro ever. It has an amazing level of "WTH?!" factor going for it, which is what makes it so endearing.



Day Two: "Favourite track on your favourite album".

That's hard. What even is my favourite hip-hop album?

I think I can pick one of my favourites. I'm warning you: most of these are like Golden Era af because that's my fave time. And prolly weird af too...







Beastie Boys-- "Shadrach", "Paul's Boutique"

I wore this album out. I had tracks that I loved more than others, but this one was definitely one of my faves. So many people slept on this album.





Day Three: "Favourite track of 2017  2018 so far".

(I did say it was a year old.)

Also hard. Like I said, haven't been paying attention...

Okay--you're gonna think this is a cheat but it really isn't.



  The Real Mike Wilson--"Blk Jesus"

So effin' what he's mah boy. This track here kills a lotta shxt out there. Deal with it.


Day Four: "Favourite remix to a track".

Here's one.




Naughty By Nature-- "Uptown Anthem"

I guess you could technically call this a remix, since the original mix did not have that "naughty" sample in it. IDKY, but that one tiny thing made this track better to me. It gave it a bit of purrsonality.