No time to delve into the logistics. I’m pressed for time, already tardy for a train tunneling into the West Village. In brief, I have a fairly massive article in today’s LA Weekly–the longest one I’ve ever written. 3,000 words, 47 commas, four hyphens and one mention of Domino’s “Getto Jam.” The piece focuses on the Golden Years of LA hip-hop, the city’s fall from grace during the ’00s and the four rappers (Knux, Bishop Lamont, Blu and Pacific Division) who are helping to make me no longer embarrassed of my hometown. Is that a possibly Sisyphean task, when you consider that Los Angeles is responsible for both Paris Hilton and Neil Strauss’ The Game? You be the judge.
LA Weekly: Has the LA Hip-Hop Plague Finally Passed
17 comments
Jah! says:
September 25, 2008 at 9:45 pm (UTC -7)
Great article, very thorough and stuff. But seriously, what’s your fascination with the Knux? I just can’t seperate the dude from Big Boi, a second rate one at that. I mean they’re ok, but songs about cappucinos aint rap to me. Especially west coast rap. Peace! Bishop Lamont is pretty meh too. Come to think all these new L.A. rappers are pretty meh compared to the older stuff, not as much bite. Not greta analysis admittedly, but undeniably it’s the truth dude.
Tray says:
September 25, 2008 at 11:56 pm (UTC -7)
It’s been a long time since I heard the Cappucino song, but I’m pretty sure it was one of those lame “Ice Cream” ripoffs, you know, where you compare women to a food product. Though I agree that even used in that way, cappucino just isn’t very hip-hop. But yeah, they are all pretty average. I’d trade all these dudes’ careers for Rosco P. Coldchain’s debut album. Also, you know the whole PUA community is going to come down on you and be like, how dare you diss our Bible, would you like it if we made fun of the Torah, etc. etc.
Slav says:
September 26, 2008 at 12:29 am (UTC -7)
i agree with the Jah! about The Knux, but I’ll give them a chance (and not because XXL gave them an XL rating), but because I respect your ridin’ for them as hard as I ride for Pac Div.
“Cappucino” is a catchy, fun song, but that doesn’t change the fact that these two guys wear skinny jeans are hipster fruit cups that I just can’t relate to at any level.
Bishop Lamont is a mystery. Pac Div and Blue are the most talented and have the staying power, not to mention that ‘magic’.
Diz, in my opinion, has the most infinite of all these guys’ potential.
karl says:
September 26, 2008 at 9:57 am (UTC -7)
weiss, you’re in nyc? you got the low down on anything cool in this rainy city this weekend?
Grey says:
September 27, 2008 at 7:28 am (UTC -7)
Very educational article. I enjoyed it a lot. I quoted it in my Catalan blog. I guess you don’t even know what Catalan is but this is the link:
http://llufesitifes.blogspot.com/2008/09/jeff-weiss-i-el-rap-de-la.html
douglas martin says:
September 27, 2008 at 10:34 am (UTC -7)
i’m not going to hate on any of these guys, but NO CROOKED I? crooked, in my opinion, is not only one of L.A.’s most skilled lyricists, he’s one of the world’s most skilled lyricists.
Berto says:
September 27, 2008 at 7:19 pm (UTC -7)
Really good reading, I’ve been sleeping on Bishop Lamont til now.
thoreauly77 says:
September 27, 2008 at 10:30 pm (UTC -7)
excellent piece jeff. truly. i hope people get all the classic references slipped in there. i particularly enjoyed the pieces about bishop and blu. keep up the good work.
Passion of the Weiss says:
September 28, 2008 at 6:08 pm (UTC -7)
Thanks for the very kind words, guys.
Douglas: Crooked I isn’t in there because he refused to return three of my e-mails asking him to participate in the piece. An obviously very savvy PR move on his part.
douglas martin says:
September 29, 2008 at 5:51 am (UTC -7)
well, that’s shitty of him.
rewface says:
September 29, 2008 at 1:36 pm (UTC -7)
great article.
for a long time i’ve been looking forward to a resurgence of west coast hip-hop channeling dilated peoples, jurassic 5, and early BEP, and hopefully these artists are a start.
cappuccino was a pretty hot song, but i’m crossing my fingers that the knux’s album won’t sound like the cool kids EP- blegh.
pac div’s sealed for freshness blendtape was thoroughly enjoyable, though.
i’ll believe bishop lamont on detox when i start believing detox will ever actually exist, but he’ll have a few hits, most likely.
and blu – well, i’m glad you mentioned blu. he can do no wrong imo.
Zilla Rocca says:
September 30, 2008 at 8:10 am (UTC -7)
Not to be a blatant asshole, but what exactly do you all like?
Passion of the Weiss says:
September 30, 2008 at 8:59 am (UTC -7)
For the record, “the not very hip-hop” argument is the worst logic I’ve ever heard to dismiss a song.
DocZeusX says:
September 30, 2008 at 9:58 am (UTC -7)
Personally, I kind of adore “Cappucino” and it’s Outkast flavored remix. To complain that’s it’s an Ice Cream rip-off is kind of missing the point. It’s philosophically completely opposite of that song. It’s about not getting any pussy.
Tray says:
September 30, 2008 at 1:59 pm (UTC -7)
“Not to be a blatant asshole, but what exactly do you all like?”
Well as I hinted at, I have high hopes for Coldchain (they say he’s working with Premo)… I wouldn’t say that anything terribly good came out this year. Even the ABN album only had about 5 really good songs. The “not very hip-hop” argument – well for example, I spend a lot of time in Whole Foods, so I would be interested in music about Whole Foods, but I don’t think I’d listen to a rapper rap about Whole Foods. It’s just not very hip-hop. Cappuccino is a good song, but I’m not really interested in hearing much more in that vein.
Scuba Steve says:
September 30, 2008 at 3:57 pm (UTC -7)
This is completely unrelated to this thread, but Weiss when are you going to give us the next installment of “Beards, Blazers & Glasses”? I just got my asymmetrical haircut and I need something to listen to while I tune my fixie (wow that was a poor effort…).
Passion of the Weiss says:
September 30, 2008 at 11:44 pm (UTC -7)
When I have the time to do justice to a concert I go to. It could be a while. Things are hectic.