Say what you want about this guy but he tends to support some interesting and worthy causes rather than just peddle whatever product is thrown his way like some cats out there.

When I heard about this, it actually made sense. Waka stay rapping about whupping somebody ass, why not spread the message of beating up bullies? If anybody is going to teach kids to fight back, its going to be this guy.

From All Hip Hop:

Atlanta based Hip-Hop artist Waka Flocka Flame and SEA Brand Clothing company launched a custom Brick Squad Monopoly snapback hat to support Waka Flocka’s new anti-bullying campaign.

The launch party was held at Wish Boutique in Little 5 Points to help bring awareness to the plague of children being bullied in schools across the country. Waka, who allowed his fans to choose a cause for him to support through his #WakaNewYear initiative, will donate 25 percent of all sales from the custom hat to The Pacer’s National Bullying Prevention Center.

Yeah, this FUPM situation makes all the sense in the world. Ain’t gonna lie though, did get a little excited when I saw Creek tweeting pics of this video being shot. Thought it was going to be for a track featuring Kendrick Lamar, but he only makes a cameo here. All good, no complaints.

Are you looking forward to hearing more from FUPM? I know I am.

Previously: FUPM – “Blast Off”

Was lucky enough to see this song through from its conception. Literally, was there when Khujo walked in the door and heard the beat for the first time and got to see the verses recorded over the summer. One of the stronger cuts on Nappy.Org. Which is in stores now.

If you live in L.A. and you see this dude walking your way, just turn around. Because you do not want it with this brotha here.

I tried my damndest to not make light of this news story, but I just couldn’t resist myself. I’m sorry.

But the man in the picture is named Jermaine Vincent Moran and the LAPD are out looking for him so they can charge him with assault. What did he do? He apparently went on slapping spree in downtown L.A. giving it to whoever want it. Women, men, white, black, it don’t matter, everybody’s been catching it.

According to the LA Times:

“Later yesterday afternoon, this man struck for the fifth time, slapping a woman in the head as she walked on the sidewalk at Main and 1st streets,” said Los Angeles Police Department Lt. Paul Vernon on Friday. “This last attack confirmed the suspect’s M.O. and the fact that these several attacks are all by the same person and related.”

Vernon said Moran allegedly pushes, punches or slaps victims unprovoked and without warning as they walk on the sidewalks or through crosswalks in the civic center.

Now like I said, I didn’t really want to make fun of this because on top of that, he’s also punched a woman in the stomach, that shit ain’t cool at all. But, the reason I couldn’t help myself was because this story reminded me of one of my all time favorite skits from The Chris Rock Show that used to come on HBO back in the day. Man, its the exact same thing! He must have seen this episode recently and just decided to go for his.

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8Ball & MJG feat. Big K.R.I.T. – “We Buy Gold”

Everything about this song is perfect shawty. From the title, to the beat, to whose on it. Granted, Ball do still sound a little lazy on here, but the beat is riding so he don’t really have to snap too too hard. He did start going in towards the end though. Other than that, it doesn’t get much better than this.

I don’t know who Ball and G are signed to right now, but they need to go ahead and just let Krit executive produce their whole next album, for real.

I’m hearing its supposed to be a mixtape Ball is working on called Premro. That’s his real name if you didn’t know already, Premro Smith.

BAYATL’s Willie Joe says he ain’t crossing over, but bossing over on this joint. Can’t say I’ve heard anybody flip a Tony Terry sample either before either, cool stuff.

Right before Christmas I appeared on the Michael Eric Dyson show. Yeah. Took me by surprise too. Shoutout to the homie Claudio at Loop21.com for hooking me up with them.

I’m not gonna lie, when they hit me up about going on the show, I was a little antsy. This was the first time I’d be appearing on a radio show or public forum talking about news and politics and what not. I’m usually called upon to talk about music and journalism. But then I kinda had an epiphany once I started talking…I do kinda actually know what the f*ck I’m talking about…I read (and write) the news. I’m good.

But this was very fun. Who would’ve thought that I’d start 2011 sitting on a panel with Dr. Cornel West at Princeton University and then end the year politicizing and pontificating with Dr. Dyson.

I appeared on two different segments with fellow journalist Carla Morant. The shows aired weeks ago, but the producers just sent me the mp3s to share. The first featured us talking about the big news stories of 2011, the second had us giving predictions and talking about the big news stories coming up. When you get a minute (or 20) check out the clips.

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2011 Wrap-Up

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2012 Predictions

Check out this trailer for a new show the homie Nick Love is doing with UNN. ATL Bite Life goes all over the city to putting you up on some of the best and warning you about some of the worst restaurants in the city. Looks cool.

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My favorite song from Translee’s Who Is Translee? project gets a remix treatment. This version features Raheem Devaughn on the hook. Now…I’m about to go back and listen to “The Love Experience” on repeat.

If you are a frequent visitor here, you should know that while I post all kinds of music from street to suite…it’s not often that I post videos with hella guns and drugs in it. The song, yeah…the images? Never really been in a rush to do that. My grandma, little cousins and school teachers inviting to speak to their students be on here…so I try to do that sparingly. In the times that I do though…I try to offer some sort of context or creative critique so…

With this “Thuggin” video, I could be over analyzing, but I think I got what the director was trying to do, on some juxtoposition meets The Butterfly Effect type steez.

Peep how the video opens with a nameless and for the most part faceless guy opening the door, wearing a Scarface jacket. If there’s one thing that ran rampant through the hood more than malt liquor and crack, its Tony Montana. Scarface had everybody thinking that they was gonna get in the drug game and just ball out of control. Of course, alot of guys seemed to either stop watching when it got to the end, or just didn’t care. Any profession, legal or illegal that came with certain death or prison time was not my cup of tea.

But yeah, it opens with dude wearing a Scarface jacket, clear indicator of what his mind is on and the decisions that he has made. Then he’s getting robbed and killed by Gibbs and another masked man. Same fate that Tony met.

Then, through the rest of the video we see Gibbs “Thuggin,” participating in all sorts of illegal activity to make a dollar. After that, the video ends turning his back to the camera, in similar fashion to the “Scarface jacket” guy, except here is Gibbs is rocking an adidas tracksuit and entering a recording booth…for what I’m assuming is meant to represent that Gibbs is either leaving the “Thuggin” life for “Hip Hop” to put it on wax…or still out there doing it and sharing his “real” story of what he actually does every day.

Can go either way. Rap can either save/change your life…or if you aren’t careful bring even more attention to what you are doing outside of the booth in the dark.

But, yeah…looks like the director was trying to show that when it comes to the ghetto experience in America, cats went from idolizing Scarface and paying whatever consequences came with that…to doing the same thing and now rapping about it. Which is so very true for so many.

That’s what I got out of the video. Or at least what I wanted to get out of the video. Didn’t want to feel like I was just watching a drug and gun show.

Props to Jonah Schwartz.

Gibbs and Madlib’s Thuggin’ EP is out now. And don’t forget Gibbs will be in Atlanta (hopefully sans coke and guns) with Dom Kennedy and Juicy J at The Quad on February 2nd. Hosted by Maurice Garland.

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