“Exhibit C” Might Be The Greatest Song of All Time
This probably reads like hyperbole but it’s not: Jay Electronica’s “Exhibit C” is one of my favorite songs of all time. It’s been six months since I first heard it, I pretty much listen to it every single day, and I’ve listened to it about 100 times. I usually get bored of songs I love after 50 listens or so. I am still not bored of “Exhibit C”. Yesterday, on the walk from the train to the office and on my walk the train to my house, I bumped that shit while mouthing the lyrics (II) the entire way. I didn’t care if people passing by wondered why I was having a silent argument with myself. I was in the zone.
I love this song like no other song I can think of. It captures the spitfire mentality that I live for. It’s the mentality of the guy who stands perfectly still and is totally quiet while everyone is wilding out. Everyone expects the guy to just go berserk, but he just waits for his moment. It’s like that episode in The Simpsons when Marge hires the Mafia to help sell her pretzels while the Springfield Investors hire the Japanese Mafia to fight back. The mobsters all start fighting on the Simpson’s lawn and Marge tells Homer they should go inside. But Homer warns, “But Marge, that little guy hasn’t done anything yet. Look at him! He’s gonna do something and you know its gonna be good.” As the door closes behind Homer he hears a “Hiiiiya!” The little guy had indeed done something good but Homer missed it.
Listening to “Exhibit C” is like getting to see the little guy do his Hiiiiya! kick. I keep a playlist on my mp3 player with some of my favorite songs of the spitfire nature, songs where the rapper is obviously out to just show you just how much of a beast he is on the mic. The playlist included tracks like Big Pun’s “Beware” (Pun lived for spitfire songs), UGK’s “Murder” (Bun definitely was trying to prove something with that one), DMX’s “Its Dark And Hell Is Hot” (perfect way to open an album). I love all those songs but “Exhibit C” blows them all away. Maybe I love this song so much more because of the current disparity of lyrical rap today. Hardly anyone seems to be out to prove what a beast they are on the mic anymore.
After Just Blaze song first debuted the song (or least most of it) on Shade 45 around Thanksgiving, I used to listen to the song four or five times a day. Nowadays, I listen to it at least once a day without fail. Even days when I don’t even think about listening to it, I end up hearing it anyway. Like the other day when I heard it while watching the trailer to The Boondocks season three. In fact, a couple of weeks ago I actually hadn’t listened to the song all day, but then I went down to at the Rap Radar anniversary party and was shocked to hear the DJ play it. I was actually trying to politic with a friend of mine at the time but had to cut the conversation short just to scream the lyrics in the club. I know that was a rude thing to do, but that’s my jam![1]
Sometimes I wonder if Jay Electronica and Just Blaze went into the studio saying to each other, “Yo, lets make the exact kind of song that Incilin will love.”
What’s not to love about the song? The beat is an absolute banger (Even though I get offended when other people rap over it). After the brief intro right up to where to the sample ends with “Cross my heart” the beat sounds like the theme song to the grand opening of Madison Square Garden. Just Blaze does a flawless job of hyping up the intro. The opening lyrics actually reveal more about Jay Elec biography than most of his other songs combined. Jay spits his heart out. No hook is necessary. The whole “They call me Jay Electronica” part is a lyrical orgasm (II).
And that’s why I’ve decided to cop the shirt below. I haven’t paid a dime for music in years but I still support dope music. I’m rocking out with this one. You should too.
[1] I was fuckin pissed when I found out Jay Elec had actually been in the building. I swear I did not see him at the party. That might be a good thing though, I might have had a stan moment right there.
Yes, He Did.
Okay. I was wrong. My dad was right. Yes we can. Yes he did. This is major.
Fabolous: There Is No Better Biter
I haven’t listened to Fabolous and DJ Drama’s There Is No Competition 2: The Funeral Service just yet, but I’ve grown annoyed with Fabolous. See, I downloaded it a few days ago but didn’t get a chance to listen to it. Last night, when I finally got around to uploading it into my mp3 player, I quickly looked over the tracklist. From what I had heard, Fab was pretty much spitting over every beat you’d expect Fab to spit over. That’s a mixed blessing because it means Fab is spitting clever punchlines while being his boring, predictable self. Anyhow, I noticed the last track was “Exhibit F”.
Obama The Clinton
A few weeks ago, historian Howard Zinn died. After his death, I wrote a post commenting on Zinn and his influence on me but I also began rereading portions of his book, A People’s History To The United States. I skipped around but eventually I settled on reading Chapter 24, “The Clinton Presidency” and I began to notice a disturbing amount of parallels between Zinn’s criticisms of Clinton and my disillusionment with our current president. Below are a few excerpts from “The Clinton Presidency” from Howard Zinn’s A People’s History To The United States. Tell me if you notice the parallels. All italics and bold mine.
Shyne Aint ‘Po
I know I’m late, but that’s only because it took me that long to get over the shock that Shyne—of all people—got ANOTHER seven-figure deal. This is the third seven-figure in Shyne’s career. And like the first two, it will end poorly. There are three reasons I think that: 1) Shyne was never a great rapper 2) If “All My Life” is any indication, Shyne has gotten a lot worse as a rapper 3) Being a gangsta doesn’t make you a rapper. I know there are a lot of success stories in hip hop—and hip hop fans loves to hear, see, and tell those stories—but Shyne is not one of them. Don’t believe the hype.
Monday Night Mixtape Vol 4: SHUT THE FUCK UP!
Incilin says: SHUT THE FUCK UP!
What were they thinking? We Are The World 25 is so awful that the great Jay Smooth has abandoned his blog IllDoctrine. Whose idea was it to have a rapping choir? Who decided LL Cool J should spit a 16? Did Nippsey Hussle really throw a gang sign during the video? Thankfully Jay and Eminem decided not to have anything to do with the record in the end.[1] Despite the fact that I hate the song, I can’t help but remind everyone of the post-9/11 All-Star remake of “What’s Going On.” Although that song was pretty corny–plus it had verses from Ja Rule, Nas, and Fred Durst?!?–it wasn’t the end of hip hop. Just like We Are The World 25 isn’t the end either. It’s just another sad chapter.
More thoughts on “We Are The World” later, but for now enjoy 10 dope songs that dropped last week. The highlight comes from Sean Price (P!) who tells everyone to: “SHUT THE FUCK UP!” Why didn’t Price get invited to the We Are The World session? Cause he’s from Brownsville, that’s why!
Download: Monday Night Mixtape Vol 4: SHUT THE FUCK UP!
[1] Jay recently explained his reasoning behind not doing the song saying; “I think “We Are the World” is like “Thriller” to me. I don’t ever wanna see it touched.” Hey Jay, I would say the same about The Blueprint.
RIP: Big L
Lamont “Big L” Coleman
May 30, 1974 – February 15, 1999
Who knows what could have been?
Yo ever since I was young, I ripped mics and I killed beats
And I’m known to milk freaks and hit em on silk sheets
No dame can give me a bad name, I got mad fame
I’m quick to put a slug in a fag brain
I be placin snitches inside lakes and ditches
And if I catch AIDS, then I’ma start rapin bitches
I’m all about makin papes kid
I killed my mother with a shovel just like Norman Bates did
My old man in the past, stuck me up without a mask
Then his ass cold dashed with my cash fast
Fifty G’s is what the creep stole; so the next day
knocked on his door and shot his granny through the peephole
That’s the type of shit I’m on, word is born
Got it goin on, from the break of dawns to the early morn’
You know my style I’m wild, comin straight out of Harlem pal
It’s Big L, the motherfuckin Problem Child
Monday Night Mixtape Vol 3: WHO DAT?
So what I knocked the Saints victory in my last post? And so what if I can’t help but mention that Peyon Manning was illegally blocked from behind by a Saints player during Porter’s interception TD return? (Just watch the replay, at :06 seconds it’s pretty obvious). Drew Brees’ son is still an adorable little guy, who has his father’s eyes (II), and looks pretty gangsta with those ear muffs on. So big ups to all my drunks on Bourbon Street living it up!
This week we’ve got a couple of lyrical beatdowns, a couple of freestyle worthy beats, and a couple of songs that should have never been recorded. Enjoy!
Monday Night Mixtape Vol 3: WHO DAT?
Also, did you know the “Who Dat?” chant originates from minstrel shows?
WHO DAT?: How Anthony Hargrove’s Injury Won The Superbowl For The Saints
Anthony Hargrove (left) celebrates after the Saints recover an onside kick.
First and foremost, congratulations to the New Orleans Saints for winning their first Superbowl, props to Drew Brees for playing a flawless game, and respect for Sean Payton for making such gutsy calls. The Saints deserved to win. As Jay Electronica tweeted: “Victory. History. Destiny.”
Unlike most Superbowls, despite rooting for one team I didn’t mind whoever won. I love Peyton Manning (II), plain and simple. I’ve never seen another other quarterback as cerebral and calculated on the field. He plays football exact same way a neurotic, obsessive, geek like me would play if I was a football player. So I was rooting for the Colts. But New Orleans as an organization and a city has suffered so much they deserve some sunshine, so I aint mad at all.
However, I am still a Manning stan. So here’s my conspiracy theory: Anthony Hargrove was faking his injury. Most people will point to Manning’s interception as the moment the Saints won the game. They would be right, but Hargrove’s injury is what made it all possible.
Throughout the game, whenever the Colts offense was stalling and it seemed like the Saints defense was ready to make a stop, Manning would go no-huddle on 3rd down and burn the Saints. After the Saints took the lead and completed a 2 point conversion, Manning had the ball on the 30 with 5:42 seconds to go. This was the do or die drive for the Colts. On the entire drive Manning went no huddle, and he marching right down the field. After a 5 yard pass to Wayne, and an incomplete pass to Collie, it was 3rd and 5th. Most likely, Manning would have gone no huddle and kept the Saints defense off balance. But Hargrove was injured. Rather than call a play, an injury timeout was called. The injury timeout gave the Saints a breather, a chance to regroup, and it gave Gregg Williams a chance to call a blitz. The very next play, Manning saw the blitz, rushed the pass, and was intercepted by Porter who ran the ball back for a touchdown.
Hey, props to Porter who played that ball perfectly and the Saints defense for bringing a blitz but I can’t help but think none of that would have been possible if it wasn’t for Hargrove’s injury. Both quarterbacks played at a very high level, but it came down to which one would blink first. Manning blinked, and the Saints never looked back.
RIP Big Pun
Christopher Carlos Lee Rios aka Big Pun
November 10, 1971 – February 7, 2000
Peace to one of the best to come out of the Bronx.
Big Pun – Resurrection (prod. Sean C & LV)
“It’s hard work baby! I just lost a hundred pounds, I’m tryin to live, I ain’t goin nowhere I’m stayin alive baby.. That’s my wife, I paid for them titties, Get your own, your own, ya heard? Niggaz wanna fuck my wife, niggaz wanna take my life but it’s so haaaaaard..”