Tag Archives: Curtis75Black

Def Jammin’ With Curtis75Black


^don’t front like you didn’t see babyface making bedroom eyes at you…

See, this how I was introduced to L.A. Reid. A part of a group called The Deele, looking like 6 vampire pall bearers in all black. He didn’t even hum a note as far as I know and it didn’t take long for the group to be overshadowed by Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, who was already a blazing song writer giving a lot of his hits to Bobby Brown. No one seemed to truly care about anyone else, yet when LAFACE was formed, it seemed to be a logical choice. TLC, OUTKAST came through with a firestorm and made a name for themselves but we all knew this was a R&B flavored label.  

Def Jam was Hip Hop’s Motown. The grassroots of what made our legends who they are. We seen all of them blossom throughout the decades and become Icons. There was so many changes of the guard within the castle that we all knew one day the new king would be someone with just a name and no real connection to Hip Hop. That’s where Mr. Reid comes in. I had a look of someone blatantly opening up my Arizona Tea and drinking it right in front of me when the news hit that LA was the new chief !! When I heard Jay-Z was coming to the team also, I knew this shit was even worse since he never did any real CEO work at Rocafella. More so the labels “cash cow” who had no choice to drop every year because who else was gonna hold it down – Amil ? Yet in still, I felt at least there would be a balance, hoping to GOD that Shawn Carter would hold it down not only for the Vets but for the new talent of Hip Hop coming thru. At least I was half right.

Def Jam turned from the longest running Hip Hop label (Damn Right Y’all) to a regular pop station club. Wack ass Artists like The Dream started taking Exec spots while the likes of R&B acts are getting the most exposure. The only 2 Hip Hop acts that thrived was Rick Ross and Young Jeezy !! Even The Roots and Nas who were supposedly signed by Shawn Carter before he left didn’t get much press, let alone videos !!

“Why did one straw break the camel’s back? Here’s the secret: the million other straws underneath it – it’s all mathematics.” – MOS DEF  

I guess that happened when LA Reid thinking Shyne was a 2PAC figure signed him to a crazy deal while he was banished to Belize. This one hit wonder (No Hit, if you ask me) who did a 10 year Bid, came out of Prison sounding like he was on his knees for 9 of them or suffering from a bad case of Bronchitis was a getting a deal while the likes of Redman was nowhere to be found and Method Man was doing guest spots on CSI – New York. Rhianna cd flopped even when it’s sold for pennies but of course, the budget needs to be recouped.   Pardon me if I cried tears ofJoy when this rumor hit. It’s the only logical choice. We barely have label support as is and it’s fucked up when the flagship artist gets no push while having a very good project. Maybe the changing of the guard needs to go back to the 1st two. Some people who did it for the love of music, not with lining their pockets. Kick these incoherent asses out and start fresh…We can only dream

-Written By Curtis75Black

Has The ‘Net Made Hip Hop Soft?

***I stay trying to give cats some shine, no? Introducing the homie Curtis75Black (NOT, REPEAT NOT IN THE PICTURE DIRECTLY BELOW!), a fellow rap fanatic/Hip Hop elder representitive, & he has something(s) he wants to talk about. So, without further ado, on with the proverbial show. It’s all you, c75…***


^gtfoh. No, seriously, get the fuck outta here…

There was a time when a rapper could be a rapper. Talk all the shit he or she wanted to and feel the repercussions of it. There was a time when a rapper got called out, every fan and peer took notice, listened to or read said quote, or peeped the track, waiting for a decent response from the emcee getting aimed at in shooting range. It was the climate. You had no choice. Your credibility is on the line!

In the age of Internet websites, bloggers, Twitter and other cyberspace BS, said rapper has it’s own PR team! Fans now jump on comment sections and put their two cents in the argument. Sometimes dissing the aggressor better the artist. Websites act like players on payroll, discrediting emcees instead of keeping a level head. Basically, if the rapper is hot nowadays, he or she really doesn’t have to respond to a diss. As corny as it sounds, that’s Hip Hop as we speak. Jay-Z, Nikki Minaj and whomever else that’s hot or in personal favor, gets caught in the wrath of a barrage of lyrical tirades & don’t have to brush off shoulders. Their Stans will do it for them. I can’t recall the last time an emcee put on the gloves to spar. Now you get video responses where a emcee will sit in front of a camera and express their displeasure for the act, like they’re President or a CEO of company.

What has become of Hip Hop? Where are the BALLS on the emcee? Has the Internet and prestige really watered down our emcees or just given the fans a bigger voice to be heard and express themselves as the fans they are? I liked how Keys went at Nicki Minaj, no holds barred, full of lyricism, something we, as fans, always claim we want on a consistent basis. She points out stuff we all mentioned on sites and regular convos. For Nikki Minaj to be put on a Diva Pedestal without even a debut CD out–just doing guest spots here and there while signed to Young Money–doesn’t make any sense. I also would expect a sense of pride, being she’s from Queens, New York, home of the most legends of every borough that trail blazed, as well as held their own in confrontations during their careers. She should take off the wig and let it be known who the fuck she really is! I guess not though. No one had to tell MC Lyte a thing!

Rappers are babied! Fans want them that way, Bloggers on the payroll make them that way. Hip Hop, probably because of 50 Cent, has everyone (even if they have a legit beef or just want to squabble) looked at the same way: air time seekers. The fact that LL and KRS both answered younger emcees 10-20 years after their last battle proves what these future kings and queens haven’t got enough of to get the torch truly passed to them: Heart.

Written By Curtis75Black
@Curtis75Black on Twitter.

^that’s curtis75black…

READING & WRITING PRESENTS: Curtis75Black…Distant Relatives


May 18, 2010 came and went just as quick as a young teenager getting his 1st nut off. New music arrived but did that change anyones perception that Hip Hop is Dead ? A project heavily salivated, crazily downloaded track to
track on every Hip Hop site (Leakage), Distant Relatives – Damian “Jr Gong” Marley & Nas has finally arrived. According to the web comments, this is a “INSTANT CLASSIC”, better than anything that has dropped since Illmatic. Clearly Hip Hop’s finest work. A great collaborative effort. Now would Hip Hop support it ? I copped my copy off Itunes the day it dropped, what about you ?

Not to leave any other Hip Hop artists hanging, I also brought through out the year:
Dopeman Music – Scarface
Fornever – Murs & 9th Wonder
Left Back – Little Brother
Wu Tang presents Wu Massacre
As well as a few throwback classics from the 90′s. These including with the other music I picked up in 2010 listed on the last drop dealing with this subject, you see, I don’t slack up too much.

Hip Hop fans has always been fickle and elitest to a fault. Peeps will praise one artist and hate on others for doing the exact same thing 1 year prior. More so hating the artist than the music, a hit could be a track played in every club, heard on the radio
constantly and video seen everyday depending on who’s the artist and a sellout move of it’s the next man. Kinda goes with the territory. Hopefully, you’re on the right side of the fence. Hopefully peeps are acknowledging your music so you won’t be ignored if you drop a classic project full of substance and vigor, this generation is something else. With our major outlets off air, ( Rap City, Yo ! MTV Raps, The Box, 103.5 The Beat in Miami ) hearing what you need to hear than what they want to stuff down your throats is a effort in itself. Bloggers and Websites are now the stations that use to be. The problem with that is they have personalities also and like what they like. Them not feeling you is just like not paying the radio stations: you won’t be heard, so you have to dig deeper for that fire.

As far as Damian and Nas go, this project is more than stellar. You can tell just from the names of the songs, they came with a set plan which is Radio play. With the lack of profanity, disrespectful lyrics, and a overabundance of smooth production with Damian bringing his touches to the boards a vocals bringing positive subjects, they should be able to get regular play in elevators. A true DJ can mix practically every song in a club and the peeps should be rocking along with ease. Right now, I can’t say I have a favortite because every track brings it’s own pulse but “Strong Will Continue” touched me the most. I almost shed a tear when Nasir mentions his newborn son. Tight work from true artists.

Written by Curtis75Black

READING & WRITING PRESENTS: Curtis75Black…”Tony Montana, Jr”


I remember being in the 4th grade up in The Bronx being forced to do school plays and Christmas Recitals by my teacher. Singing Frosty the Snowman was never the highlight of my day and repping Wizard of OZ was complete Bullshit since the roles were limited plus all the characters was white but that’s another story. Growing up back in the 80′s, the parameters were real! You crossed the line and stepped on a toe, you got your ass whipped. The school, nor my parents didn’t play that. School dances, there was no grinding basically because we was all breakdancing but you should understand where I’m coming from.

Nowadays, lil elementary kids who could be my kids are putting on their own rendetion of Scarface!

I sat back and wondered “Who in their right mind thought this would be something kids should participate in?” Hip Hop cd’s we listened to back in the day got ran over by bulldozers and this is acceptable?!

I’m sort of jealous because there was no way in HELL our parents or school would’ve played this shit !! An uproar isn’t even the half of it. Just a look from them for even suggesting it would’ve told us our answer. It’s really a trip watching this because eventhough not a father, I can understand why so many parents have gone crazy watching this. It’s even more hilarious listening to the parents give ovations to this performance like they’re watching Hamlet.

-Written by Curtis75Black