First, year end wrap up lists don’t make sense when the year is yet to be over. Blogger’s must have ADHD, as everyone feels like they need to be the first one on the block to post the latest mp3, album, news, etc. Year end lists don’t seem to be excluded from this general rule. I’m guilty of this too, but I have since realized the error of my ways.

Second, Oakland native, Ise Lyfe with a new slaptastic joint titled “Bad Word Bounce”. Ise mixes revolutionary but gangster lyrics with a minimal bass heavy beat from Will Bracy.

According to Ise, “”I wrote this song for two reasons… to address all the wack disposable music that’s being put out there, and well… put a hard step forward in a doper direction for real music. Below is the the first shot from my upcoming album, Prince Cometh. More to come. Stay tuned.”

Third, Bam and Phatty sent this track to me a couple weeks ago, but I never got around to posting it. A celebratory track, just like the original, with Bambu over the “Roc Boys” beat:

Bambu - Cake in ‘08

No better time to put this track up than now. This post will be my last until 2008, and I wanted to give a big thanks to all the loyal readers (all 3 of you) who’ve been with us since the transformation into FOBB Deep. 2007 was a good year, we hope to make next year greater.

And before I forget, a huge congratulations to the first family of Pilipino American Hip-Hop, Bam and Krish, and a welcome to baby Khalil.

To life. Mazel Tov, it’s a celebration, snitches.

I’ll be out until next year, Merry Chrismakwannukah!

-Ninoy Brown

Sometime this past summer, I remember reading a couple threads on the Siccness forums about a coalition of Bay Area rappers coming together for a “stay in school” PSA. With the political history of the Bay, it’s not that surprising when folks are willing to step up when it comes to addressing issues within their hood, but it still is inspiring when they do. Richmond native, Kontac, brought together familiar names and faces to the Bay Area youth to create a pro-education tool, a song aptly titled, “Stay in School”.

Dem Hoodstarz, E-40, Mugzi, San Quinn, Jacka, Cellski, Keak Da Sneak, Mac and AK, Erase E, Battle Loco, and Kontac unite as Bay Area Rappers Care:

I’m sure some uppity conservative type has already been preparing a letter to complain about “gangsta” rappers not being the right role models for the youth and that this will be a worthless project. To them I say that nihilism does even less to resolve the conflicts that exist. You complain when rappers talk about what they saw growing up, and you convey skepticism when rappers spread a direct positive message, so what is it that you want?

Much power to Kontac, keep doing your thing.

*Related: Beanie Sigel films anti-violence PSA

Doorknockers on Gettin Educated and an ill clip with Roxanne Shante describing how she found a loop hole within Industry Rule #4080.

-Ninoy Brown

Months ago a good homie introduced me to this dude. A Magnolia resident, from NOLA, who was suppose to be the truth. I gave Jay Electronica a listen and was blown away by the intricate wordplay and calculated flow. With conspiracy and third eye, spatial lyrics mixed with gutter story telling, its as if Robert Anton Wilson and Carl Sagan somehow crawled into the body of Prodigy.

Right now, I should be finishing up a paper, but I’m waiting until 3 am, since I tend to work best in the middle of the morning. To add to my justified procrastination, the same homie who first introduced me to Jay El just put up a wild piece on the man. It appears I’m not the only one avoiding academics, check out his interviews with Badu, 9th Wonder, Sa-Ra, Just Blaze, Guilty Simpson, etc., in which he got the artists to discuss working with Jay El.

For those that have yet to expose themselves to the future:

Jay Electronica - A Prayer for Mike Vick and TI (aka San Pelligrino with Lemon)

Jay Electronica - Jay Electronica

And if you overstand the science, check out Andres’ archives for more.

-Ninoy Brown

Remembering that Hip-Hop is more than music and extends beyond the boundaries of our own American bubble, kids from the poorest regions of the world can still identify with its gritty roots. Tuy Sopil, born a political refugee, made his way to the good ol’ L.B.C. at a very young age and due to racial tensions had no choice but to take to Cambodian gangs. Because of crime, drugs, long struggles with the legal system, and no help from the Bush administration, Tuy spent almost 10 years in and out of prison and was eventually deported back to Cambodia leaving behind his family and son.

Although tragic and sad this, loyal Fobbdeep reader, is where the story only begins. Tuy having been exposed to B-boying while in the states knew that he could start anew in his motherland and having lived with the personal struggles of poverty his whole life, decided to make good on his chance at redemption. He started the “Tiny Toones” B-boying club, a dance group that takes in youth (often orphans who are conflicted with drugs and/or HIV positive) from one of the poorest slums in Cambodia and teaches them the science of the original Hip-Hop dance. Here the kids gain a positive role model and a constructive hobby that ultimately stresses the importance of their education. Peep game for yourself:

TinyToonesCambodia.com

If that ain’t the news to be glorifying, I don’t know what is. So I say to you Bill O’Reilly, avid supporter of Hip-Hop (You mad!), take that you Mark-Ass-Beatrice.

P.S. Some good breaks from my personal collection…

War - Slippin’ Into Darkness

Monkees - Marry Marry

and one for the Bay slappers…Bay Funk!

“Mad’s Secret” - Foxy Girls in Oakland

-Mad Himself

Sometimes I wish I was born a few years earlier. I would have been able to afford more Cross Colours threads, and I would have been old enough to experience a renaissance of West Coast hip-hop–mobile DJ crew battles in the Bay Area. I was born a few years later. And instead, I got stuck with raves.

As to why this scene doesn’t get more shine is beyond me. Though the scene was directly inspired and innovated from what other first and second generation immigrant kids were doing in the Bronx, the influence it had on kids like me, hip-hop culture, and DJing accross the globe is arguably just as great but almost never recognized.

Thankfully, Professor O-dub has a mini-blog that would do a better job that I in reflecting the significance of Filipino American mobile DJ crews. I hear there’s something within of the world of academia that might come out of it, too.

-Mark

Don’t stop believing

So… Cam’ron reaches out to Journey making what is perhaps the greatest sample usage of an arena rock song. Then Journey reaches out to the Philippines to find their new lead singer.

Legendary rockers Journey have hired a Filipino fan to front the band after parting ways with Jeff Scott Soto earlier this year.

The band discovered Arnel Pineda, from Quezon City in the Philippines via YouTube, when they saw footage of him singing Journey songs in his homeland with his band The Zoo.

Props to the “Steve Perry of the Philippines“, Arnel. Represent for your folks. I know there’s a bunch of Filipino uncles that just heard this news and are anxiously awaiting their chance to perform “To Be With You” as the new lead singer for Mr. Big.

And if you’re thinking that singing cover songs is a joke, think twice about ever rockin’ “My Way” on the karaoke in the Philippines. This ain’t no game.

-Ninoy Brown

 
This is in regards to the “Go” of Baby Bash the hip-hop artist. FOBBDeep and its affiliates, in no way, endorses violence against babies, bashing anyone innocent, or Goth artist stage names.

I was having a very typical night. I was sittin’ VIP at the club sippin’ on Merlot noticing a dime who was dancing like a cyclone… I mean, she was doing it all night long: moving her body like a cyclone (a mighty cyclone). 

Then I was interrupted by someone hollaring “Yee!” and “Yadadada!” as if it were still 2006 in the Bay. It turns out that it was a part of the song. Baby Bash has a remix to the cyclone song where he turns up the notch on his Bayness. Is he, like, from Marin or something?

Could any diehard Baby Bash fans Are there any diehard Baby Bash fans that can confirm the consistency of Mr. Bash’s representation of the Bay? Granted, he is from Vallejo where he performed with N2Deep at various high schools, but can anyone confirm the sincerity of this Houston-grown artist’s new proclamation of Bayness? 

Let’s follow the song and digest this. Bay-centric mannerisms mentioned in bold: 

[T-Pain:] Weerreerreerreerreerreerreerreerreer… Oh! 

Sorry if I incorrectly spelled the onomatopoeic representation of cycloning. T-pain, holla back. 

[Baby Basher:] Remix. Chop it up, chop it. LJ! Alreaday. What izz it? Gorrilla Joe… Hurricane Chris… Yee! T-pain, what izz it, mayne? Lil Jon, ahyadadada! 

Dang yo. This intro sounds like a scene from Treal TV. Note, the spelling of “is” is actually “izz,” thus, it is pronounced with a hard “e” just like the word “Theez.” 

[Chorus] 

[Baby Basher:]
She hooked up like a tow-truck
Got the flow sowed up
Boppin, yeah, was poppin
Mayne, gotta keep that purple rolled up 

Booty-bounce-bopper shout out: 10 points. Plus, Bash got grapes. 

Fresh off that leather
Candy wet and [censored]
Welcome everybody, to the weka-weather channel
She gon’ swang, she gon’ swerve it
She gon’ cook it, she gon’ serve it
Bust a button like its nothin’
We gon’ sweat it, got it hurtin’
And if it aint spot lights
settin sparks offa smashin’
She wanna fly album
Get that boy Baby Bashin (Yee!)
Hotter than the Philippines
Sharper than a guittine 

Any mention of the Philippines in pop culture that isn’t racist, heterosexist, or in reference to sex-trafficking is pretty damn Bay to me. Basically, there’s too damn many Filipinos in the Bay to repeat the dog-eating myth. 

You aint up on that ringtone game?
Then, tsa! Then you’re killin’ me 

Men saying “Tsa!” is only acceptable when you’re in California. This is very Bay, I think. 

Better get it while its hot
And you could bubble you can shine
And bet your bottom dollar
She gon’ bust it every time 

[Chorus, sprinkled with various unnecessary "Yee's!"]   

As for the ubiquitous “Yee’s”–they’re almost completely unnecessary unless you’re trying to act real Bay-like, which is ironically very Bay-like. Male disclaimer: don’t even try to hollar “Yee” when you’re slow-grinding to a freak song. You’re not supposed to be that excited yet. 

I haven’t done enough research, but I’ll go ahead and give Baby Bash the FOBBDeep Bay Area Player Pass. But less so for the “Cyclone” remix and more so for this: 

Attention, Hyphy Movement: Baby Bash… just… might… go. 

-Mark

He’s free now

A little late on the blogging tip cause I’ve been dumb busy with academia, but this is definitely some depressing news for Hip-Hop. The news can’t go unacknowledged.

I’m pouring one out for one of Houston’s legends, Chad Butler.

The track that learned me about Underground Kingz: “Protect & Serve”

RIP

-Ninoy Brown

Spice 1, shot & critically wounded:

Legendary Bay Area rapper Spice 1 was shot in Hayward, California during the early morning hours of Monday (December 3), but details regarding the incident are sketchy.

The rapper’s manager, Six, confirmed the shooting to BallerStatus.com, but said despite rumors, Spice is still alive and in critical condition at an unspecified hospital.

According to Six, Spice was shot twice, once in the chin and another time in the chest, which just missed his heart by inches.

“Yes, it’s true,” Six told BallerStatus.com. “Right now, we’re asking for everyone to keep Spice in their prayers.”

Spice 1 is being treated at an area hospital, unknown due to the circumstances of the shooting. Despite being in serious condition, Six says he is expected to pull through.

Read on…

Damn, prayers go out to Robert Green. Let’s hope for a quick recovery. The Bay doesn’t need to lose another of its legends.

One of my 7th grade English assignments was to recite a poem in class. I recited these words from Spice 1 (without the explicitness, of course):

Spice 1 - Welcome to the Ghetto

Can’t forget about the most classic uses of alcohol metaphors in a rap song:

“187 Proof” (video link)

-Ninoy Brown