REFLECTION & REASON

The first album from Nasir Bin Olu Dara Jones--"Illmatic"-- was released on my 16th birthday, in 1994, and it remains my favourite hip hop album of all times. In fact, Nas remains my favourite rapper of all times. As far as I'm concerned, he'll always reign in that genre of music because of who he was to me growing up, and who he continues to be in the industry. An intellectual, yet humble, yet powerful musical soul. Yesterday the hip hop community lost two of its young contributors: Miami's XXXTentacion and Pittsburgh's Jimmy Wapo. My dedication to keeping up with hip hop has waned over the years so I'm unfamiliar with the music of the 20 and 21 year olds, respectively. Regardless, I hate to see the words "rapper killed" or "rapper shot" and know that it automatically casts negativity and doubt throughout the industry. Paranoia. Social unrest. Internal evaluation. Hardly an expert in the genre and barely a seasoned purveyor of hi...

When I hear good music , I realize it has the ability to take me out of the audio experience, and into a visual wonderland. The way the instruments collide, the movement of the bass and rhythm, and the overlay of the artist's voice create another dimension of experience. When I hear good music , it inspires dialogue, it motivates creativity, and reveals storylines to me. As an author, I thrive on receiving new lyrics, and intricate sounds. As a music-lover, I appreciate receiving new creations and allowing them to transport me beyond the CD. Beyond the liner notes. When I hear good music , I realize that there's nothing else in the world that can tell a story, and explain an emotion or personal journey, like music can. Tyrese is an actor, and has the gift of storytelling , so as a songwriter, his talent is evident with the way this musical plot moves and develops. It is more than just an album, it is an experience. If Tyrese Gibson 's 5th studio release " Open Invitati...

How can I not like this guy? I'm admittedly a bit late jumping on the Drizzy bandwagon, but I'm definitely on it now that I picked up his " Take Care " album. For years I only semi- paid attention to his lyrics, his stories, and his relevance, but like everyone else in this city, I was proud of him nonetheless. Proud of what he represented. Proud of his mannerisms and the way he carried himself. Exceptionally proud that every time I stepped into the U.S. over the last two years because their top hip hop stations and clubs were downright over-saturating the airwaves with this guy's hits. Proud is probably an understatement. We take our people real seriously, don't we? I remember when Kardi was on Jay Leno a few years back performing his hit " Dangerous ," I damn near had tears in my eyes! Didn't know the brother personally, but I knew the environment from which he came, and the great footsteps he was taking on behalf of all of us. Even in sport...

"This is my moment, I just feel so alive..." ~Nicki Minaj Like her or not, you can't deny that this is an historical moment in time for female MCs, hip hop music, and the music industry in general. Rapper Nicki Minaj is making so many statements right now in the entertainment world both visually and lyrically, that her importance in this moment is one worth mentioning. With the release of her debut album Pink Friday in November of 2010, Nicki ended her first year "officially" on the scene as the first artist EVER to have 7 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 charts simultaneously . With the help of Trey Songz, Jay Sean, Sean Kingston, Lil' Wayne, and her 3 solo tracks, she managed to break this record at the beginning of her career. Not only have her collaborations been consistently hot, but the album is dope, too! It carries a feeling of growth, of fun, and a renewed sense of musicality as Nicki confidently takes her place as the next best thing. Onika Tanya M...