Song of the Day: X Gon’ Give It to Ya (by DMX)


DMX

So, after weeks of waiting we finally got the trailer for the Deadpool live-action film set to release on February 2016. I’m sure that people will be flocking to Youtube to look up two songs that were featured during the trailer. The latest “Song of the Day” comes courtesy of the second song in the trailer and a classic hip-hop track of the early 2000’s.

DMX was what one would call a giant of hip-hop when he first entered the scene in 1998 and dominated the hip-hop landscape in the next five year with five albums that debuted No. 1 in the charts. His presence and charisma was such that even Hollywood even came calling and DMX starred in several action flicks. It’s from his 2003 film Cradle 2 the Grave that our featured song comes from.

“X Gon’ Give It to Ya” was part of the soundtrack to Cradle 2 the Grave. Whether one actually thought the film was any good would be up for debate. Now the song itself was a hit and continued to cement DMX as the hardest and most recognizable voice in hip-hop at the time. Other rappers made more money. Others were more socially aware. Yet, when it came to just an all-out lyrical assault on listeners DMX still reigned supreme.

X’ Gon Give It to Ya

Arf arf, yeah, uh, yeah (Grr)
Yeah, uh (Grr)
Yeah, don’t get it twisted
This rap shit is mine, motherfucker
It’s not a fuckin’ game
Fuck what you heard, it’s what you hearin’ (What you hearin’)
It’s what you hearin’ (Listen)
It’s what you hearin’ (Listen)
It’s what you hearin’ (Listen)

X gon’ give it to ya (What?)
Fuck waitin’ for you to get it on your own
X gon’ deliver to ya
Knock knock, open up the door it’s real
With the non-stop pop-pop of stainless steel
Go hard gettin’ busy wit it
But I got such a good heart
That I’ll make a motherfucker wonder if he did it
Damn right, and I’ll do it again (Yeah)
‘Cause I am right, so I gots to win
Break bread with the enemy (What?)
No matter how many cats I break bread with
I’ll break who you sendin’ me (Yeah!)
You motherfuckers never wanted nothin’ but your life saved
Bitch, and that’s for the light day
I’m gettin down, down, make a nigga say “freeze!”
But won’t be the one endin’ up on his knees, bitch please!
If the only thing you cats did was came out to play
Stay out my way motherfucker

First we gonna rock, then we gonna roll
Then we let it pop, don’t let it go (What?)
X gon’ give it to ya, he gon’ give it to ya
X gon’ give it to ya, he gon’ give it to ya
First we gonna rock, then we gonna roll
Then we let it pop, don’t let it go
X gon’ give it to ya, he gon’ give it to ya
X gon’ give it to ya, he gon’ give it to ya

Ain’t never gave nothin’ to me
But every time I turn around
Cats got they hands out wantin’ somethin’ from me
I ain’t got it so you can’t get it (Yeah!)
Let’s leave it at that ’cause I ain’t wit it (Yeah!)
Hit it wit full strength, I’m a jail nigga
So I face the world like it’s Earl in the bullpen
You against me, me against you
Whatever, whenever, nigga, the fuck you gon’ do?
I’m a wolf in sheep’s clothin’ (What?)
Only nigga that you know that can chill
Come back and get the streets open
I’ve been doing this for nineteen years (What?)
Niggas wanna fight me? Fight these tears (What?)
I put in work and it’s all for the kids
But these cats done forgot what work is (Uh-huh!)
They don’t know who we be (Lookin’!)
But they don’t know who they see, nigga!

First we gonna rock, then we gonna roll
Then we let it pop, don’t let it go (What?)
X gon’ give it to ya, he gon’ give it to ya
X gon’ give it to ya, he gon’ give it to ya (C’mon)
First we gonna rock, then we gonna roll
Then we let it pop, don’t let it go (C’mon)
X gon’ give it to ya, he gon’ give it to ya
X gon’ give it to ya, he gon’ give it to ya

Ayo where my niggas at?
I know I got them down in the game
Give ’em love and they give it back
Talk too much for too long (What?)
Don’t give up, you’re too strong (What?)
Dog to the wow wow hunnies (Yeah!)
Shoutout to niggas that done it (C’mon!)
And it ain’t even about the dough
It’s about gettin’ down for what you stand for, yo

First we gonna rock, then we gonna roll
Then we let it pop, don’t let it go (C’mon)
X gon’ give it to ya, he gon’ give it to ya
X gon’ give it to ya, he gon’ give it to ya (C’mon)
First we gonna rock, then we gonna roll
Then we let it pop, don’t let it go (C’mon)
X gon’ give it to ya, he gon’ give it to ya
X gon’ give it to ya, he gon’ give it to ya (C’mon)
First we gonna rock, then we gonna roll
Then we let it pop, don’t let it go (C’mon)
X gon’ give it to ya, he gon’ give it to ya
X gon’ give it to ya, he gon’ give it to ya (C’mon)

C’mon
Uh, uh
C’mon

Song of the Day: See You Again (by Wiz Khalifa feat. Charlie Puth)


SeeYouAgain

While still looking to finish up my review of the latest entry in The Fast & The Furious franchise I thought it best to just put up the song which has led to many a-filmgoer trapped in a box of their emotions and feels.

Everyone by now knows how the release of Furious 7 has a tinge of both sentimentality and bittersweet emotions as this was the final film filmed by Paul Walker before his untimely death in late 2013. The shadow of Walker’s death had cast a shadow over the film. Whether people thought the film was good or not became a sidenote as the filmmakers, actors and everyone involved gave Paul Walker a moving final tribute by film’s end.

“See You Again” brings back Wiz Khalifa who also contributed what would become the theme song for Fast and Furious 6 with “Ride or Die.” This time Wiz has Charlie Puth doing the chorus. The combination of Puth’s heartfelt vocals and Khalifa’s rhymes made for a moving musical tribute to one of the founders of the The Fast & The Furious franchise and to a close friend to all involved in it.

See You Again

Charlie Puth)

It’s been a long day without you my friend
And I’ll tell you all about it when I see you again
We’ve come a long way from where we began
Oh I’ll tell you all about it when I see you again
When I see you again

(Wiz Khalifa)

Damn who knew all the planes we flew
Good things we’ve been through
That I’ll be standing right here
Talking to you about another path I
Know we loved to hit the road and laugh
But something told me that it wouldn’t last
Had to switch up look at things different see the bigger picture
Those were the days hard work forever pays now I see you in a better place

How could we not talk about family when family’s all that we got?
Everything I went through you were standing there by my side
And now you gonna be with me for the last ride

(Charlie Puth)

It’s been a long day without you my friend
And I’ll tell you all about it when I see you again
We’ve come a long way from where we began
Oh I’ll tell you all about it when I see you again
when I see you again

(Wiz Khalifa)

First you both go out your way
And the vibe is feeling strong and what’s
Small turn to a friendship a friendship
Turn into a bond and that bond will never
Be broke and the love will never get lost
And when brotherhood come first then the line
Will never be crossed established it on our own
When that line had to be drawn and that line is what
We reach so remember me when I’m gone

How could we not talk about family when family’s all that we got?
Everything I went through you were standing there by my side
And now you gonna be with me for the last ride

(Charlie Puth)

So let the light guide your way hold every memory
As you go and every road you take will always lead you home

It’s been a long day without you my friend
And I’ll tell you all about it when I see you again
We’ve come a long way from where we began
Oh I’ll tell you all about it when I see you again
When I see you agai
n

27 Days of Old School: #23 Mama Said Knock You Out (by LL Cool J)


260741-600x600

“Just like Mohammad Ali, they called him Cassius
Watch me bash this “

This song came out in early 1991 and went through like wildfire through pretty much the final half of my senior. One must realize that LL Cool J was a major presence in the rap I listened to growing up during the 1980’s. But as wont kids then and now, we listened to what was big at that time and it was mostly gangsta rap that dominated booming systems in the late 80’s.

LL Cool J was beginning to fade into the background as N.W.A. and Ice Cube and the rest of the West Coast gangsta rap scene was ascending. Yet, it was foolish to count out LL who people should’ve learned by then as a survivor of the rap game and he came out hard and strong the single off of the album of the same name: “Mama Said Knock You Out”.

In anime, there’s a character trope called “gar”. It’s a term reserved for anime characters so manly that they eclipse all males for as far as the horizon. This song was just that. It made LL Cool J reach the level of “gar” and the accompanying video helped in making it so. It was a shot to the new rap youngbloods and old-standing rivals (song was literally taking shots at Kool Moe Dee). The song also shoots down critics who have been calling LL as washed-up and a has-been. He sure told them all in the hardest way possible.

So, coming in at #23 and starting the stretch run to #27 is LL Cool J coming in so “gar” with “Mama Said Knock You Out.”

27 Days of Old School: #10 “Jackin’ for Beats” (by Ice Cube)


IceCube
“Ice Cube, will take a funky beat and reshape it
Locate a dope break, and then I break it”

The first time I heard this song it was on the plane trip from San Francisco to Washington, DC. I was part of a high school civic studies program called CLOSE-UP. It took high school students (who can afford the fee of, at that time, 2000 dollars) from all 50 states to attend a 5 day learning tour of the nation’s capital and learning how the Federal government worked. Let’s just say that even as a high school senior I was already passed the idealistic stage and onto that cynical stage.

“Jackin’ for Beats” was part of Ice Cube’s Kill at Will album and it was the CD I brought onto the plane with me and it literally became the soundtrack to my trip.

This song is literally nothing but sampled beats from other songs and remixed together to form a unique funky beat and bass sound for Cube to drop his lyrics on. Ironically, the lyrics to the song was Cube talking about him stealing (jackin’) beats he thought was cool and funky and using it himself but making it better because he’s Cube.

Below are the songs whose beats were sampled to make up this song and I have a feeling there’s probably a few more that people haven’t been able to figure out.

“If it Don’t Turn You on (You Outta Leave it Alone)” by B.T. Express * “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World”, “The Payback”, “Funky President” & “Funky Drummer” by James Brown * “I Know You Got Soul” & “Hot Pants. . . I’m Coming, I’m Coming, I’m Coming” by Bobby Byrd * “Bop Gun (Endangered Species)” by Parliament * “Sing a Simple Song” by Sly & The Family Stone * “Big Ole Butt” by LL Cool J * “So Wat Cha Sayin'” by EPMD * “Ashley’s Roachclip” by The Soul Searchers * “Bon Bon Vie” by T.S. Monk * “Psychedelic Shack” by The Temptations * “Hector” by Village Callers * “More Bounce to the Ounce” by Zapp * “Big Beat” by Billy Squier * “Buzzsaw” by The Turtles * “The Haunted House” by Disney * “Welcome to the Terrordome” by Public Enemy * “The Humpty Dance” by Digital Underground * “100 Miles and Runnin” by N.W.A.”

27 Days of Old School: #9 “I Got It Made” (by Special Ed)


Special_Ed_I_Got_It_Made

“I talk sense condensed into the form of a poem
Full of knowledge from my toes to the top of my dome”

It was 1989 and MTV was already something I was watching on a daily basis, but there was something missing from their daily music video rotation. They were criminally lacking with hip-hop videos. So, into the void was BET.

Where MTV was more about dance, pop and rock music videos, BET was all about R&B and hip-hop videos.

I will get all “grumpy old man” and say that I definitely enjoyed hip-hop the way it was during the 80’s and as late as the mid-90’s. For me things in that music scene just ended up becoming too commercialized. Not saying there’s no gems and gold in the trash I here now, but the hip-hop artists back in the my day were pure lyricists. Sure, their rhymes were still all about machismo and bragging about how they’re the best, but they had skill in doing so. I will put it up there that No. 9 on the 27 Days was one hell of a lyricist and he did so at the age of 16 (15 depending on when one thought the track was recorded).

I am talking about Special Ed and his hit track “I Got It Made”.

AMV of the Day: Ride or Die (Redline)


Redline

“I look better on your girl than her outfit.”

So, another month of all things horror and dark has passed. Time to detox from that month by putting up a new AMV that’s all about fun and extreme action.

The latest “AMV of the Day” is simply called “Ride or Die” and I must say that it’s probably one of the best anime music video’s I’ve ever seen. I have to say that it’s on par with another AMV profiled earlier this summer with “RadioAkshun” in terms of editing and syncing up the lyrics of the chosen music with scenes from the anime.

The anime itself is breathtaking to watch and I’ll be profiling it soon. Redline works almost perfectly with the theme song from this past summer’s Fast & Furious 6. One rarely finds AMVs that uses hip-hop songs to great effect but this video’s producer and creator, Kyssifur, choosing 2 Chainz and Wiz Khalifa’s “We Own It” was quite a genius move.

Ok, less talking and back to watching this video on loop. It’s just that much fun and awesome.

Anime: Redline

Song: “We Own It (Fast & Furious)” by 2 Chainz and Wiz Khalifa

Creator: Kyssifur

Past AMVs of the Day

Song of the Day: Passin’ Me By (by The Pharcyde)


Something quick and nostalgic for the latest “Song of the Day”.

I rarely put up hip-hop songs as “Song of the Day” since I rarely think back fondly on most of them, but this one I do think back and remember fondly. It’s one of those songs that just brings back memories of simpler days.

The track “Passin’ Me By” by the hip-hop group The Pharcyde came out in in the Spring of 1993 off of their full-length album, Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde and gradually rose up the charts that season until it reached hit status. The group never had as big a hit as this track though it will continue to consistently make good to very good records since. I think what resonated to me and many fans of this song wasn’t just the beats but the lyrics themselves. It’s a song about young crushes and infatuation ranging from one’s schoolboy days to young adulthood. It’s those very same lyrics which continues to make this song as relevant now as much as they did in 1992-1993 when the song came out.

Passin’ Me By

Now in my younger days I used to sport as shag
When I went to school I carried lunch in a bag
With an apple for my teacher ’cause I knew I’d get a kiss
Always got mad when the class was dismissed
But when it was in session, I always had a question
I would raise my hand to make her stagger to my desk and
help me with my problem, it was never much
Just a trick, to smell her scent and try to sneak a touch
Oh, how I wish I could hold her hand and give her a hug
She was married to the man, he was a thug,
His name was Lee, he drove a Z,
he’d pick her up from school promptly at three o’clock
I was on her jock, yes indeedy I wrote graffiti on the bus
First I’d write her name then carve a plus,
with my name last, on the looking glass,
I seen her yesterday but still I had to let her pass

She keeps on passin me by…

When I dream of fairytales I think of me and Shelly
See she’s my type of hype and I can’t stand when brothers tell me
That I should quit chasin’ and look for something better
But the smile that she shows makes me a go-getter
I haven’t gone as far as asking if I could get with her
I just play it by ear and hope she gets the picture
I’m shootin for her heart, got my finger on the trigger
She could be my broad, and I could be her (nigga)
But, all I can do is stare…
Back as kids we used to kiss when we played truth or dare
Now she’s more sophisticated, highly edu-ma-cated
not at all over-rated, I think I need a prayer
to get in her boots and it looks rather dry
I guess a twinkle in her eye is just a twinkle in her eye
Although she’s crazy steppin, I’ll try to stop her stride
Cause I won’t have no more of this passin me by

And I must voice my opinion of not even pretending she didn’t have me
Strung like a chicken, chase my tail like a doggie
She was kind of like a star, thinking I was like a fan
Dude, she looked good, down side: she had a man
He was a rooty-toot, a nincompoop
She told me soon your little birdie’s gonna fly the coop
She was a flake like corn, and I was born not to understand
By lettin her pass I had proved to be a better man

She keeps on passin me by…

Now there she goes again, the dopest Ethiopian
And now the world around me be gets movin in slow motion
when-ever she happens to walk by – why does the apple of my eye
overlook and disregard my feelings no matter how much I try?
Wait, no, i did not really pursue my little princess with persistance;
And I was so low-key that she was unaware of my existance
From a distance I desired, secretly admired her;
Wired her a letter to get her, and it went:
My dear, my dear, my dear, you do not know me but I know you very well
Now let me tell you about the feelings I have for you
When I try, or make some sort of attempt, I symp
Damn I wish I wasn’t such a wimp!
‘Cause then I would let you know that I love you so
And if I was your man then I would be true
The only lying I would do is in the bed with you
Then I signed sincerely the one who loves you dearly, PS love me tender
The letter came back three days later: Return to Sender
Damn!

She keeps on passin me by…