Sunday, November 1, 2009
Friday, October 23, 2009
NEW PIECE GETTING THE GRAFFITI FEVER
This is a first of many for the winter season..hooked up with some NYC comrades and about to set shit off lovely.
koolsphere.blogspot.com
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Friday, October 2, 2009
REST IN PEACE DJ. MR. MAGIC NYC RADIO LEGEND!
Mr. Magic, an important figure in the world of hip-hop radio, debuted in 1983 on WBLS-FM in New York City with the first exclusive rap radio show to be aired on a major station. Billing itself as Rap Attack, Magic's show featured Marley Marl as the DJ and Tyrone "Fly Ty" Williams as the show's co-producer. Magic's reign on the New york City airwaves lasted six years and was instrumental in broadening the scope and validity of hip-hop music.[1]
During the mid-80s there was a rivalry between Mr. Magic and Kool DJ Red Alert, who hosted a weekly show on WRKS-FM. The feud also played out between proxy rap groups, the Juice Crew and Boogie Down Productions (see The Bridge Wars). The Juice Crew - headed by Mr. Magic's on-air assistant, DJ Marley Marl - was named after one of Magic's aliases, "Sir Juice."[2]
As confirmed by DJ Premier, Mr. Magic died on the morning of October 2, 2009,[3] from a fatal heart attack
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
NEW SONG "CREATIVE CONTROL" FEATURING RHONA BENNETT TO BE ON "INTEGRITTY"
It's a wrap! The album is finally done! I was fortunate enough to get the lovely and talented Rhona Bennett from En Vogue to get on the final track for the album "Creative Control". She just finished her upcoming solo album "The Anticipation Of R&B" so most def go check that out when it drops. We previewed it at her listening party Downtown Los Angeles, below are some flicks from the event, I busted out a lil canvas for her in celebration of such a dope project.
Integritty, 19 bangin joints, this album is real gritty, so now we'll be bobbin and weavin thru the industry to see who can handle this classic masterpiece correctly.
So stay tuned......
koolsphere.blogspot.com
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Friday, September 18, 2009
NEW VERBAL THREAT ALBUM BEGINS!!!
It's been a minute waiting on the completion of Kool Sphere's solo album Integritty. We're finally there with this classic masterpiece getting mixed arranged and mastered!
With that being said...Kool Sphere and M.C. Reppond are officially back in the building! Verbal Threat will begin a new album starting this weekend entering into the studio officially in Hollywood. History in the making right now straight up!
koolsphere.blogspot.com
ATTENTION CLUB PROMOTERS
We are starting to book shows in the Los Angeles/Orange County/NYC areas looking for club promotors to assist in setting up shows. hit up koolspherecrew@gmail.com
koolsphere.blogspot.com
koolsphere.blogspot.com
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
GRAFFITI OUTLINE
Finally getting sum downtime as "Integritty" gets the final "final" mixdown, shits bangin! Was working on a outline for my boy's site and decided to throw in sum real basic colors.
koolsphere.blogspot.com
Friday, September 4, 2009
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
100% CO-SIGN! JAY-Z TLKS COMPETITION
(sohh.com)
Hov also said he felt rappers like Nas and Eminem are more on his level.
"Not really that competitive, because the competition isn't based on real competition," Jay said in the October 2009 XXL Magazine. "I mean, Game, I'm his f*ckin idol. If you ask him and he's being truthfully honest with you it's just based off his insecurities and, for the most part, pretension. That type of competition doesn't do anything for me. It's almost like someone trying to set you up, and everyone knows they're to set you up, and everybody. It's just dumb. It's not in the spirit of competition, because he's not competition for me. He's not. Not then, not ever -- he'd have to improve considerably. Competition for me competition is Nas, Eminem. Like Jim Jones? That's ridiculous to me. So how do I respond to that? I can't win. If I win, then they'll be like, 'See. Now chill. You're a f*ckin' bully.' And if it manages to throw a haymaker from the West Coast, then it's like 'Oooooh.' It's not even fun. Like, before I did it, because I would diss anybody. Now who has time to do this sh*t everyday? But before, when I was running after the little fat n*gga from Mase's camp, I was doing anybody. Anybody said anything. If I thought you said something. When I was running in the streets, I wanted all that type of activity. Nobody wanted nothing. Now everybody's a tough guy." (XXL Mag)
koolsphere.blogspot.com
Hov also said he felt rappers like Nas and Eminem are more on his level.
"Not really that competitive, because the competition isn't based on real competition," Jay said in the October 2009 XXL Magazine. "I mean, Game, I'm his f*ckin idol. If you ask him and he's being truthfully honest with you it's just based off his insecurities and, for the most part, pretension. That type of competition doesn't do anything for me. It's almost like someone trying to set you up, and everyone knows they're to set you up, and everybody. It's just dumb. It's not in the spirit of competition, because he's not competition for me. He's not. Not then, not ever -- he'd have to improve considerably. Competition for me competition is Nas, Eminem. Like Jim Jones? That's ridiculous to me. So how do I respond to that? I can't win. If I win, then they'll be like, 'See. Now chill. You're a f*ckin' bully.' And if it manages to throw a haymaker from the West Coast, then it's like 'Oooooh.' It's not even fun. Like, before I did it, because I would diss anybody. Now who has time to do this sh*t everyday? But before, when I was running after the little fat n*gga from Mase's camp, I was doing anybody. Anybody said anything. If I thought you said something. When I was running in the streets, I wanted all that type of activity. Nobody wanted nothing. Now everybody's a tough guy." (XXL Mag)
koolsphere.blogspot.com
Monday, August 31, 2009
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Monday, July 20, 2009
Vintage Gangstarr
After checking preme's blog, I was takin back to the good ol' days when Gangstarr's Step In The Arena dropped. This clip was from when they were on a Dutch TV show promo0in the album..show;s you what real was...
koolsphere.blogspot.com
koolsphere.blogspot.com
Friday, July 17, 2009
GET THE KOOL SPHERE MIXTAPE ON AMAZON.COM NOW!
http://www.amazon.com/Unreleased-Archives-Explicit/dp/B002G684HW/ref=pd_rhf_p_t_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1247847281&sr=1-3
A new release from Kool Sphere of the group Verbal Threat. This album is a mixture of unreleased tracks that were made while working on Verbal Threat's The Golden Era, and Kool Sphere's debut album Integritty dropping later this year.
Unreleased Archives will be available digitally soon..cop a advanced copy here
http://cdbaby.com/cd/koolsphere
A new release from Kool Sphere of the group Verbal Threat. This album is a mixture of unreleased tracks that were made while working on Verbal Threat's The Golden Era, and Kool Sphere's debut album Integritty dropping later this year.
Unreleased Archives will be available digitally soon..cop a advanced copy here
http://cdbaby.com/cd/koolsphere
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
NEW KOOL SPHERE "CONTRAST" FREE DOWNLOAD
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
NEW KOOL SPHERE ON ITUNES!
NEW KOOL SPHERE ON ITUNES
This link will automatically open your itunes to the Kool Sphere page. cop that now!
Thursday, July 2, 2009
OPEN LETTER REMEMBER THE TIMES..
Thanks for the reply, Sphere. Yeah, they are great memories. I didn't write ever, but going to school in Bayside and living in Northeastern Queens, I saw a lot of writers while I was growing up. I was too young to be a part of it. I'm 29 now, started reading graff at age 7 or 8. From about 1987 to 1994, I caught the end of the trains and the whole highway era. I saw stuff by you, Cro, Saint, Sent, Ghost, Gato, Duel, Red, Duran, K-Pro, Smog, Dera, SEOD, SO, Neo,Stane, Dead, Vor, JA, Kite, Chille, PJay, Cope, Lost, Mirage, Tretal, and some others; too many to mention.
By the time I got to to Cardozo high school in 1995 and was old enough to do it, the graff world seemed like a fucking disaster, overrun with full goons that wrote as if their arms were broken. Now, don't get me wrong; I never wrote, nor am I a graff expert or some great artist. But the crispy style that the TMR and RIS guys from Queens had was vastly different than the junk that came out of NE Queens post-highway era.
The stuff that guys like you, Mirage, Stane, Duel, Dead, and Vor put up used to make the hairs on the back of my head and neck stand up. I'd drive to the Bronx just waiting to see the blue Mirage blockbuster with the feet on the Clearview. That comeback that you and Saint did on the 'Dozo handball courts.. there was one time I was just standing there admiring it, like I was frozen.
Again, I didn't write; but you guys' stuff really meant a lot to me growing up.
Thanks for the memories.
By the time I got to to Cardozo high school in 1995 and was old enough to do it, the graff world seemed like a fucking disaster, overrun with full goons that wrote as if their arms were broken. Now, don't get me wrong; I never wrote, nor am I a graff expert or some great artist. But the crispy style that the TMR and RIS guys from Queens had was vastly different than the junk that came out of NE Queens post-highway era.
The stuff that guys like you, Mirage, Stane, Duel, Dead, and Vor put up used to make the hairs on the back of my head and neck stand up. I'd drive to the Bronx just waiting to see the blue Mirage blockbuster with the feet on the Clearview. That comeback that you and Saint did on the 'Dozo handball courts.. there was one time I was just standing there admiring it, like I was frozen.
Again, I didn't write; but you guys' stuff really meant a lot to me growing up.
Thanks for the memories.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
KOOL SPHERE UNRELEASED ARCHIVES MIXTAPE
A new release from Kool Sphere of the group Verbal Threat. This album is a mixture of unreleased tracks that were made while working on Verbal Threat's The Golden Era, and Kool Sphere's debut album Integritty dropping later this year.
Unreleased Archives will be available digitally soon..cop a advanced copy here
http://cdbaby.com/cd/koolsphere
HOLLIS QUEENS STREET TO BE NAMED AFTER RUN DMC
The New York City Council approved a new bill today (June 30) that a major thoroughfare Run-DMC JMJ Way, in Hollis Queens, will be named after legendary rap group Run-DMC.
The bill, which was introduced by Deputy Majority Leader Leroy Comrie (D-27) passed today during the Council’s Stated Meeting in City Hall.
Once Mayor Michael Bloomberg signs the bill into law, the corner of 205th Street and Hollis Avenue will officially be renamed after the pioneering Hip-Hop group.
Joseph “Reverend Run” Simmons, Darryl “DMC” McDaniels and the late Jason “Jam Master Jay” Mizell grew up in Hollis, a borough of New York immortalized on tracks like “Hollis Crew” "Raising Hell," and the holiday anthem “Christmas in Hollis.”
They formed Run-DMC in 1982 at the behest of Simmons’ older brother Russell, who went on to form Rush Artist Management and the legendary Def Jam record label, with Rick Rubin.
The group went on to accomplish a number of first’s for Hip-Hop culture.
Run-DMC was one of the early act rap acts to perform on American Bandstand, the first rap group with gold, platinum and multi-platinum albums, the first rap group to receive a Grammy nomination, the first rap act to appear on the cover of Rolling Stone, the first rappers to make a video appearance on MTV and numerous other accomplishments.
Run-DMC was officially inducted into the Rock &Roll Hall of Fame on April 4, 2009.
“Given their historic accomplishments, Run D.M.C. is a tremendous source of pride for the Hollis community I represent,” Council Member Comrie told AllHipHop.com. “Their dedication and hard work has inspired countless others and they have given back generously to this community. Most recently, Mr. McDaniels donated numerous memorabilia for the establishment of the Hollis Hip Hop Museum, which is located in the Hollis Famous Burger establishment on 203rd Street and Hollis Avenue.”
The accomplishment also marks the first time a major New York City street has been renamed after a Hip-Hop group.
Council Member Comrie also stated he hopes the move will help revitalized the Hollis, Queens community with new business.
“I have chosen the 205th Street location because it is in proximity to the museum and also is the site of a famous mural of the group’s late member, Mr. Mizell. It is my sincere hope that this street renaming, combined with the museum, will help to economically revitalize this particular neighborhood as a potential tourism attraction.”
-from allhiphop.com
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Sunday, June 21, 2009
STUDIO SESSION
As we're laying down the final touches on the new album "Integritty", I had my djay, LD Technicali, work on some scratches and cuts to line everything up perfectly. M.C. Reppond came thru to twist an L and oversee the process giving hints on the Verbal Threat album about to get started as well. Just a quick glimpse into the lives of some real dudes doing real hip-hop properly..staying true to the format and the streets.
koolsphere.blogspot.com
koolsphere.blogspot.com
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
MOS DEF DROPS SOME KNOWLEDGE!!
Now you've heard me on similar topics discussing the state of hip-hop and some accountability. In 2009, there is none! You can basically do what you want with no repercussions...that means, claim you are the beat rapper, diss legends in the game with no problem, do a nursery rhyme sing along rap that will top the charts..etc...
Well, in this interview, Mos Def addresses the topic of people giving certain rappers the title as the greatest rapper alive. I completely cosign what money says. I think it's about time more mc's in the game speak up on topics like this and get things back to how they should be. We used to have respect people! Listen and learn.
Well, in this interview, Mos Def addresses the topic of people giving certain rappers the title as the greatest rapper alive. I completely cosign what money says. I think it's about time more mc's in the game speak up on topics like this and get things back to how they should be. We used to have respect people! Listen and learn.
Monday, June 15, 2009
OLD BLACK BOOK PIECE (COMPLEX)
I came across one of my comrads photo albums online of some pieces we did over the years and bugged out when I found this. This was some old blackbook piece I did and totally forgot about it. Luckily for me, ZONE WST tooka flick of it and kept it in the archives. Big shout out to Wild Style Technicians the graffiti crew/clothing line. wildstyletechnicians.com some real dudes that keep this shit respectable. Yo the summers here yall!
koolsphere.blogspot.com
koolsphere.blogspot.com
Friday, June 12, 2009
DJ PREMIER RARE PLAY 20TH ANNIVERSARY MIXTAPE (verbal threat)
Came across this with Verbal Threat on the trck list for a free download of some classic Primo joints...
1. Intro Rare Play
2. The D&D Allstars - 1, 2 Pass It
3. Blahzay Blahzay - Danger (DJ Premier Remix)
4. Crooklyn Dodgers '95 - Return Of The Crooklyn Dodgers
5. Sauce Money - Against The Grain
6. Special Ed - Freaky Flow (DJ Premier Remix)
7. Biz Markie - ...And I Rock
8. Teflon - Comin' At Cha
9. Rass kass - Goldyn Chyld
10. Kool G Rap - First Nigga (DJ Premier Remix)
11. Big Daddy Kane - Any Type Of Way
12. Craig G - Ready Set Begin
13. Royce da 5'9" - Ding!
14. Teflon - Showtime
15. Verbal Threat - Reality Check
16. Royce da 5'9" - Hit 'Em
17. Rakim, Kanye West, Nas & KRS-One - Classic
18. KRS-One - Criminal Minded '08
http://www.mediafire.com/?yym2jj2zzjy
koolsphere.blogspot.com
Auto -Tune debate
My views on the game are still very dated unfortunately compared to today's standards. So you'd obviously know my stance when it comes to this whole Auto-tune debate. Personally I thought Jay-Z doing a single Death Of Autotune was genius. It not only shows that he still controls the game in a big way, but also the fact that he has respect still for hip-hop as a whole. a lot of the newer cats are complaining now, "Ohh Jay is taking food out of rappers mouths by that song..and let these young dudes eat etc etc"
Shit gets old man..That's the problem with what's going on right now. Everybody in rap music wants to be a movie star and instead of raising the bar and doing some next shit, er-body wants to copy the next man's shit that's currently hot. Still to this day I can't fully figure out why the rappers/groups that stayed true to hip-hop are always the ones with the least record sales and notoriety. It's really out of control whats going on right now from the lack of talent in today's music..to the payola that keeps these wack rappers music on major radio/video..and nothing seems to change. In the good ol' days you had real mc's stepping up and ending careers when things needed to go down. KRS-1 and Pm Dawn for example..with Kris literally throwing homeboy off the stage saying your wack..dude was never able to recover and career ended immediately. Nowadays if that same scenario was to happen..the industry would turn things the opposite way..and label KRS a "hater" with Pm Dawn been the victor.
It's a sad scene all the way around. It's been over a decade now with pretty pathetic rap music dominating the whole genre with people having the nerve to do write ups claiming some of the new generation to be labeled as the best rapper alive etc...There's no accountability! There's no repercussions! right now it's open season to do anything and say what ever you want. It's the mighty dollar that runs this game.
so in closing..I send out a BIG thank you to Jay-Z for putting the hit out on Auto-tune for which I hope it dies a violent death never to return. do the game a favor and step your music up!
Just my 2 cents..
-Easy
koolsphere.blogspot.com
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Ropes to Riches: Cowboy Claims $232M Lottery Win - ABC News
I don't wanna sound like a hater but this is some bull shit! "That buck that bought the bottle could have struck the lotto" Next time I'll listen to Nas. LOL
Ropes to Riches: Cowboy Claims $232M Lottery Win - ABC News
Shared via AddThis
Ropes to Riches: Cowboy Claims $232M Lottery Win - ABC News
Shared via AddThis
Friday, June 5, 2009
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
DJ PREMIER'S TOP LIST OF PRODUCERS
Once again another allhiphop.com feature:
DJ Premier aka Preemo is the standard by which all Hip-Hop producers strive to be. The notion is absolute, like it or not. From his innovativeness to his uncompromising style to his tour of duty – Preem is it. He’s done it all from his professional debut in 1987 with Gangstarr to his modern work with Christina Aguilera and the innumerable acts in between.
Only a select few can match the repertoire that Preemo has cultivated over the last 20 years. But, this is an intro about those beat maestros that Premier loves and respects. Understand, Premier is no child so his influences and Top 5 is reflective of his background.
Without further delay, DJ Premier’s Top 5 Dead or Alive…
LARRY SMITH
“Larry Smith is a producer that used to work with Kurtis Blow, Run DMC with “Rock Box” and all that. He did a lot of the Whodini records. Very, very, very good producer.”
[Early in his Hip-Hop career, Smith crafted songs for Kurtis Blow and Grand Master Flash and the Furious Five, rap’s early super stars. He later produced Run DMC’s first two albums, their self-titled debut (1984) and King of Rock (1985). Additionally, Smith wove a string of hits for Whodini, including their 1984 debut Escape with hits like “Friends.” – source AllHipHop.com]
“Jam Master Jay” – Run DMC (Produced by Larry Smith)
“Freaks Come Out At Night” – Whodini (Produced by Larry Smith)
MARLEY MARL
“Marley Marl is my idol of Hip-Hop. He’s like the James Brown of Hip-Hop.”
“At Your Own Risk” – King Tee (Produced & remixed by Marley Marl)
QUINCY JONES
“Quincy Jones is a no-brainer too. He did movie soundtracks back in the 50’s and 60’s when he was a young cat and all the way up until he produced “Thriller” for Michael and all that. He broke the code of music theory and created his own lane on how to count and start on the “2” and not always on the “1.” You gotta watch him to know when to change up, because he’s so unorthodox with his production and his talent as an artist.”
“Summer In The City” - Quincy Jones (Sampled by Pharcyde and Black Moon)
“If I Ever Lose This Heaven” – Quincy Jones (featuring Minnie Ripperton) and “I’m Gonna Miss You In The Morning (featuring Luther Vandross and Pattie Austin)
JAMES BROWN
“James Brown is just super ill.”
James Brown Master Mix With Various Samples
“The Boss” – James Brown (sampled by Nas and Ice-T)
RICK RUBIN
“Rick Rubin is a major, major reason – no disrespect to Russell, because we know Russell’s that dude… Rick Rubin did a lot of them beats that transcended…hard reality of production. And to be a founder of Def Jam Records when it was Def Jam…before it got soft and watered down. Signing groups like Public Enemy and the Junk Yardband. Showing that they can sign a Go Go act. All the way to all the old Beastie Boy records when they used to have the purple label. When MCA and Berzootie and Jimmy Spicer. Even with Russell and Jazzy Jay with the record Def Jam. LL Cool to be the first official artist that they signed with “I Need A Beat.” T La Rock “Its Yours” on the Party Time label which is really the official first Def Jam record ever. That’s how far back it goes so shout out to Rick Rubin too.”
“Give It Away” - Red Hot Chilli Peppers (produced by Rick Rubin)
“Rock The Bells” – LL Cool J (produced by Rick Rubin)
Preemo Bonus – GEORGE CLINTON
“On some real s**t, I gotta make it six. George Clinton, Parliament Funkadelic, Booty’s Rubberband, Eddie Hazel, Parlet, the Brides of Funkenstein. He [George Clinton] was James Brown spaced-out – on some other s**t. James Brown was spaced out anyway, but George Clinton living is just the epitome of funk and all that other s**t.“
“Paint The White House Black” George Clinton – featuring Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, Flavor Flav, Yo-Yo, MC Breed, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Kam and others
“One Nation under a Groove” - George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic (1978)
DJ Premier aka Preemo is the standard by which all Hip-Hop producers strive to be. The notion is absolute, like it or not. From his innovativeness to his uncompromising style to his tour of duty – Preem is it. He’s done it all from his professional debut in 1987 with Gangstarr to his modern work with Christina Aguilera and the innumerable acts in between.
Only a select few can match the repertoire that Preemo has cultivated over the last 20 years. But, this is an intro about those beat maestros that Premier loves and respects. Understand, Premier is no child so his influences and Top 5 is reflective of his background.
Without further delay, DJ Premier’s Top 5 Dead or Alive…
LARRY SMITH
“Larry Smith is a producer that used to work with Kurtis Blow, Run DMC with “Rock Box” and all that. He did a lot of the Whodini records. Very, very, very good producer.”
[Early in his Hip-Hop career, Smith crafted songs for Kurtis Blow and Grand Master Flash and the Furious Five, rap’s early super stars. He later produced Run DMC’s first two albums, their self-titled debut (1984) and King of Rock (1985). Additionally, Smith wove a string of hits for Whodini, including their 1984 debut Escape with hits like “Friends.” – source AllHipHop.com]
“Jam Master Jay” – Run DMC (Produced by Larry Smith)
“Freaks Come Out At Night” – Whodini (Produced by Larry Smith)
MARLEY MARL
“Marley Marl is my idol of Hip-Hop. He’s like the James Brown of Hip-Hop.”
“At Your Own Risk” – King Tee (Produced & remixed by Marley Marl)
QUINCY JONES
“Quincy Jones is a no-brainer too. He did movie soundtracks back in the 50’s and 60’s when he was a young cat and all the way up until he produced “Thriller” for Michael and all that. He broke the code of music theory and created his own lane on how to count and start on the “2” and not always on the “1.” You gotta watch him to know when to change up, because he’s so unorthodox with his production and his talent as an artist.”
“Summer In The City” - Quincy Jones (Sampled by Pharcyde and Black Moon)
“If I Ever Lose This Heaven” – Quincy Jones (featuring Minnie Ripperton) and “I’m Gonna Miss You In The Morning (featuring Luther Vandross and Pattie Austin)
JAMES BROWN
“James Brown is just super ill.”
James Brown Master Mix With Various Samples
“The Boss” – James Brown (sampled by Nas and Ice-T)
RICK RUBIN
“Rick Rubin is a major, major reason – no disrespect to Russell, because we know Russell’s that dude… Rick Rubin did a lot of them beats that transcended…hard reality of production. And to be a founder of Def Jam Records when it was Def Jam…before it got soft and watered down. Signing groups like Public Enemy and the Junk Yardband. Showing that they can sign a Go Go act. All the way to all the old Beastie Boy records when they used to have the purple label. When MCA and Berzootie and Jimmy Spicer. Even with Russell and Jazzy Jay with the record Def Jam. LL Cool to be the first official artist that they signed with “I Need A Beat.” T La Rock “Its Yours” on the Party Time label which is really the official first Def Jam record ever. That’s how far back it goes so shout out to Rick Rubin too.”
“Give It Away” - Red Hot Chilli Peppers (produced by Rick Rubin)
“Rock The Bells” – LL Cool J (produced by Rick Rubin)
Preemo Bonus – GEORGE CLINTON
“On some real s**t, I gotta make it six. George Clinton, Parliament Funkadelic, Booty’s Rubberband, Eddie Hazel, Parlet, the Brides of Funkenstein. He [George Clinton] was James Brown spaced-out – on some other s**t. James Brown was spaced out anyway, but George Clinton living is just the epitome of funk and all that other s**t.“
“Paint The White House Black” George Clinton – featuring Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, Flavor Flav, Yo-Yo, MC Breed, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Kam and others
“One Nation under a Groove” - George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic (1978)
Thursday, May 21, 2009
MORE UN-RELEASED VERBAL THREAT TRACKS FROM THE ARCHIVES
verbal threat - great story
Keeping you up to date with things..getting joints out the archives while my engineer works on finishing the final mix on "Integritty". There will be a new Kool Sphere site coming shortly where new songs will be debuted and news on the new project.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
NEW KOOL SPHERE "THE CROSSROADS" ON ITUNES !
Click the itunes button to get the Kool Sphere feature on Fabio Musta's mixtape CD "Passport" and while your at it cop the whole CD!
koolsphere.blogspot.com
Monday, May 18, 2009
EXCLUSIVE KOOL SPHERE FEAT. AZ (ALLHIPHOP.COM)
KOOL SPHERE FEAT. AZ "BLUE COLLAR MC'S"
First leak off debut album KOOL SPHERE "INTEGRITTY" ALBUM
BLUE COLLAR MC'S..CHECK IT OUT!
Friday, May 15, 2009
Allhiphop.com's Secret Wars (Rakim vs EPMD)
I just read this article on allhiphop.com and this is the type of read I'm interested in. Instead of these fake highly publicized feuds in rap music where beefs are manufactured to inflate record sales..we go back to the essence where reps were on the line..and dudes still had the respect to subliminally lay out a diss just for it to be known between both rappers and the hardcore listener.
Secret Wars is a new limited series on AllHipHop.com. The series delves into some of the not-so-public battles that were waged quietly in the streets or behind the scenes. Not every MC war becomes a full-fledged battle. There are countless accounts where rappers took shots at one another without actually naming names. Some shots are obvious and feuds become widely known. Some are not so obvious, going way over the heads of average listeners. Often lines or bars are incorrectly perceived as shots leading to unwarranted return fire. This is secret wars: Eric B. and Rakim vs EPMD.
----------------
Secret Wars is a new limited series on AllHipHop.com. The series delves into some of the not-so-public battles that were waged quietly in the streets or behind the scenes. Not every MC war becomes a full-fledged battle. There are countless accounts where rappers took shots at one another without actually naming names. Some shots are obvious and feuds become widely known. Some are not so obvious, going way over the heads of average listeners. Often lines or bars are incorrectly perceived as shots leading to unwarranted return fire. This is secret wars: Eric B. and Rakim vs EPMD.
----------------
It was 1986, when the streets were knockin' heavy to the hit debut single from Eric B and Rakim, "Eric B For President" and its flip-side "My Melody" which played in heavy rotation for over a year strong. Eric B Rakim's single came out at the right time and had quite an impact on hip-hop overall.
The boom-bap beat and funky baseline in "Eric B For President" was so intoxicating it made listeners move their necks and shoulders in a way that arguably started, but certainly propelled a dance craze called "the wop". Rakim's delivery was extremely laid back and his voice was almost completely monotone. He single-handily brought lyricism and thought provoking metaphors to the game. He also manifested a new revelation, that rap could be respected in the streets without yelling and cursing. In fact if you think about the rappers that never cursed or cursed the least over time, Rakim is right up there with the likes of Young M.C.Fresh Prince and the . Toppled with his 5 percent knowledge, clearly Rakim came to the game to "show and prove."
In 1997, Eric B and Rakim followed up with "I Got Soul" and a separate single called "I Ain't No Joke." Just as the year prior the two songs became hits which solidified their ranking amongst the greatest. They shot their first music video for "I Ain't No Joke" where many saw them in the flesh for the first time ever. The song was up-tempo with horns sampled from James Brown accompanied by Rakim's laid back flow. "I Ain't No Joke" gave you reason after reason as to why Rakim is to be taken seriously. To anyone considering biting their style, Rakim concluded the 2nd verse with this warning:
Your offbeat DJ, if anything he play,
Sound familiar, I'll wait til E say Play 'em. /
So I'ma have to diss and Bro
you could get a smack for this, I ain't no joke. /
Eric B and Rakim soon after dropped their first album "Paid In Full" leading to a very successful year with a string of songs playing all over the radio including its title track. Meanwhile an emerging unseen duo called EPMD was beginning to hit the airwaves. Their song "It's My Thing"7 Minutes of Funk" was done over the then classic break-beat " by Whole Darn Family, (later used again by Jay Z and Foxy Brown on the song "Ain't No Nigga"). Both E and PMD went back and forth over the beat and some noticed that both, mainly PMD, had somewhat the same laid back monotone flow as Rakim. However vocally, not lyrically. Ultimately comparing them to The R lyrically would be like trying to compare The Lox to Notorious B.I.G., you just can't. Likewise EPMD's lyrical flow was more simplified but they were just as confident, slick, and sarcastic. On the flip side to EPMD's single was a song called "You're A Customer," which boldly pointed out the distinction of EPMD being the "stars" and anyone who brought the record as merely a "customer". Credit them for introducing that level of extreme confidence and as for the fans, they just ate it up and became customers as the duo anticipated. The song contained a very simple yet highly contagious beat and base riff that gave you "goose bumps when the baseline thumps". The now classic track was a real treat for Hip-Hop (later used to remix Jodeci's "Can I Talk to You"). In "You're A Customer" Erick sparked it off in the first verse with lines like "Remember this line you're in a danger zone, I figured you would, now leave me alone," while PMD boasted in the following verse:
I have the capability to rap and chill,
Cold wax and tax MC's who tend to act ill. /
It's like a digg'em smack,
Smack me and I'll smack you back. /
So the controversy began. Was this an answer to Rakim's line, "You could get a smack for this"? Hip-Hop had its first official smack fest. At the time there wasn't a die hard listener that would say different. I can personally reflect on the time with additional knowledge stemming from my days producing Video Undaground". The show interviewed E (Erick Sermon) directly and the topic of these shots was addressed from his perspective.
Video Undaground host, Smitty Dawgs, was with Erick Sermon in the studio years later when Erick recalled, "That line was not directed to Rakim or anybody in particular, but everybody was coming at us like why y'all dissed Rakim?" Nevertheless an explanation really didn't matter at that point, it had already become an outbreak in Hip-Hop. The fact that it was perceived as a diss meant everyone expected an answer regardless, especially from the self-proclaimed God, Rakim. There would be some time before there was an answer. Meanwhile EPMD continued their agenda by releasing their follow up single "You Got's To Chill" as well as their debut album "Strictly Business" in 1988. Throughout 1987 - 88, both sides were riding high on their success and promoting their albums to the fullest; both realising multiple singles and videos.
Very late in 1988, Erick B and Rakim returned with the sophomore album titled "Follow The Leader" and as expected Rakim answered both of them in the title track with this:
Stop buggin', a brother said digg'em, I never dugg'em
He couldn't follow the leader long enough so I drug 'em. /
Enter danger zone, he should arrange his own
Face it, it's basic, erase it, change your tone. /
In only two bars Rakim addressed Erick's danger zone, PMD's digg'em smack, the fact that their rhymes are basic and that PMD or perhaps both should make a change from the monotone style Rakim is noted for. There were more shots taken in the song that could have been directed at the duo, but these were the bars that pretty much came at them specifically. Erick Sermon told Video Undaground exclusively, "It was crazy after that, his camp was amping him and our camp was amping us." Everyone wanted the forming battle to reach the point of naming names. Ultimately since they never went at Rakim in the first place they ended up addressing the subject without going back at Rakim directly. In 1999, EPMD dropped the sophomore album titled "Unfinished Business". The first single was "So What You Sayin'." In that song PMD came with this:
People 'round town talking this and that,
on how we sound like The R, and our music was wack. /
Dropped the album Strictly Business and you thought we would fold,
30 days later, the LP went gold. /
Ironically the follow up album "Unfinished Business" went gold in just 10 days, a true milestone for hip-hop back then. According to Erick, after that both sides finally met and it was all cleared up. One has to wonder how ugly it could have gotten if they went into a full-fledged battle. Who knows if a career would have ended early but so it is, the shots came to an end without casualties.
--The End
--The End
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
NEW AZ RELEASE "LEGENDARY" COMING SOON
AZ..one of the last true m.c. lyricists left in the game is still doing it big and releasing a new album! I just peep a joint off it "Get Money", and as expected money comes slick with the word play. It's been a long time since a worth while release has been worthy of some hard earned dollar..and i'm fully endorsin duke! cop that!
And stay tuned for the debut single KOOL SPHERE feat. AZ "BLUE COLLAR MC'S" coming soon!
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
VERBAL THREAT "ANXIETY" LOST SESSIONS UNRELEASED....
Yeah as things are winding down on getting "Integritty" mixed mastered and arranged..I've been going thru some old lost tapes of never heard before sessions form Verbal Threat. In the midst of recording "The Golden Era", we recorded over 40 tracks and narrowed down the final track listing to 17. Periodically, I will add some finished and some unfinished songs that never made it out the Verbal Threat studios. Below is a joint "Anxiety"..just Kool Sphere & Reppond doing that VT shit, flipping some piano styled beat blazed out feeling the session.
Any skilled graphic designers with professional CD cover styles get at me, I'm in the process of designing this CD cover...koolspherecrew@gmail.com
Monday, May 4, 2009
FINAL STAGES OF KOOL SPHERE PROJECT
-Lil Dap (Group Home) Kool Sphere working on new track for upcoming release-
We're in the final stages getting over 30 bangers narrowed down to around 15 or so for the final track list. Sticking to a formula that certifies raw hip-hop straight up and down. Get ready!!!
To be up on all exclusives and special promotions..submit you email/contact info to
KOOLSPHERECREW@GMAIL.COM
(we do not spam..only info pertaining to kool sphere & verbal threat)
Friday, May 1, 2009
KOOL SPHERE ALBUM UPDATE!!!
It's been a minute since there's been a update....
KOOL SPHERE's DEBUT SOLO ALBUM "INTEGRITTY" COMING SOON!
FEAT. RAP LEGENDS AZ, KOOL G RAP, SMOOTHE DA HUSTLER, LIL DAP GROUP HOME, SMILEY THE GHETTO CHILD, BRONZE NAZARETH.....
This project has exceeded expectations and new developments will be announced..this is just a update..more surprises to come.
KOOL SPHERE will also be appearing on a Graffiti Writers Mixtape hosted by DJ KAYSLAY as well as KRS-1.
KOOL SPHERE's DEBUT SOLO ALBUM "INTEGRITTY" COMING SOON!
FEAT. RAP LEGENDS AZ, KOOL G RAP, SMOOTHE DA HUSTLER, LIL DAP GROUP HOME, SMILEY THE GHETTO CHILD, BRONZE NAZARETH.....
This project has exceeded expectations and new developments will be announced..this is just a update..more surprises to come.
KOOL SPHERE will also be appearing on a Graffiti Writers Mixtape hosted by DJ KAYSLAY as well as KRS-1.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Thursday, April 2, 2009
New Babygrande release Fabio Musta feat. Kool Sphere and others...
Support my man right here some solid production
Friday, March 27, 2009
UN-RELEASED "KOOL SPHERE" FROM THE ARCHIVES!
Yeah man..alot of new developments in the production of the new solo album droppin later this summer. We're looking at a solid dope creation of traditional hip-hop live in effect. Some of my best work to date..I will give more info on the collaborations at a later time..for now I will be adding joints for your listening pleasure that didn't make the final cut but classics in their own right. Update: Find me on twitter.com/koolsphere
Kool Sphere
"NY, NY"Monday, February 9, 2009
REALITY CHECK FINALLY ON ITUNES !
I'm slowly getting back to getting things back online..will get some new un-released joints up on here that I've been bangin out the studio. Just recorded a new classic Verbal Threat track last week..This year will involve a Kool Sphere album as well as a Verbal Threat reunion getting things back on track. Stay tuned................
Get "Reality Check" here-->
Get "Reality Check" here-->
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Monday, January 12, 2009
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
KOOL SPHERE LIVE SHOW & INDIE FILM SHOWCASE NYC
http://www.evite.com/pages/invite/viewInvite.jsp?inviteId=HAKYZZHKXATWCBZJPXFZ&li=iq&src=email
Sunday, December 28, 2008
FREE VERBAL THREAT MIXTAPE
http://mixtapetorrent.com/verbal-threat-dj-premier-remix-mixtape#comment
http://www.zshare.net/download/53409886de6777f6/
Classic mixtape on tour with Guru/KRS1/Kool Keith never officially released free download to close out 08. Your welcome..your all welcome!
http://www.zshare.net/download/53409886de6777f6/
Classic mixtape on tour with Guru/KRS1/Kool Keith never officially released free download to close out 08. Your welcome..your all welcome!
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
ALLHIPHOP.COM BIG DADDY KANE VS RAKIM 1988
You can't know where you are going if you don't know where you have been. Overused cliché or not; this statement holds insurmountable weight in regards to Rap music. Think not? Think again. You have the batch of your new school artists that swear they are bringing something new to the table but it's all been said and done before.
The being heavily draped in chains a la Mr. T game, talk to Slick Rick. Selling millions on your debut album as a teenager is peace but LL Cool J did that when the money wasn't even there like that. Your record is number one on the video countdown show? Try being number one when the networks weren’t even featuring any people of color.
Look no further than the throwback gear everyone is wearing now. We say all of that to say this: the past will always dictate Hip-Hop’s future. And there is no better time than to pay tribute to the old school than on this twentieth anniversary of 1988.
1988 was an incredible time for Hip-Hop. As fans, we were spoiled with classic after classic. In the last eleven months, AllHipHop.com revisited these seminal albums with our Class Of ’88 series. We took a track by track look at It Takes A Nation Of Millions, Paid In Full, Strictly Business, Tougher Than Leather, Power, Lyte As A Rock, In Control Volume 1, took it to the R&B side with Guy and had KRS-ONE speak on those times socially.
But with those impeccable LPs came impeccable MC’s. At the top you had Big Daddy Kane and Rakim. The Brooklyn Knight of rappers had the flair and overlapping rhyme schemes that begot Jay-Z. Representing The Nation Of The Gods And The Earths, Rakim singlehandedly changed way Hip-Hop rapped and gave birth to Nas.
To say who the better rapper through their entire careers was would be futile, as both artists had too many triumphs to count. But as a closer to the Class Of ’88 series, we asked all those involved with the aforementioned classic albums who was iller during 1988, Kane or Rakim. We could have asked any jamoke but those that were asked were rocking alongside both of them, so who better to give an on site analysis? Yeah we know; you don’t have thank us.
Chuck D.: Rakim and KRS-ONE changed the game of rhyme, with their phrasing. They introduced a style of rhyme that changed Rap forever. Ra’ is truly the God rapper and KRS-ONE is the most feared rapper of all time. The most skilled rapper of all time, I think is Big Daddy Kane. That’s only because Big Daddy Kane could deliver on speeds. Its one thing to rap fast but it’s another thing is to rap on something fast and Kane can do it fast, slow, powerful and dance. Sh*t, he can do it all [laughs].
With choosing Rakim or Big Daddy Kane, there is a difference between being evolutionary and being revolutionary. Rakim is revolutionary; he invented something that wasn’t there before, same thing with KRS-ONE. Kane took what was there and did it better, same thing with Jay-Z. Big Daddy Kane and Jay-Z are evolutionary. Rakim, Kool Moe Dee, Melle Mel, KRS-ONE; they are revolutionary. They did something that wasn’t done before.
Ice T.: I’m going to say this because I’m really split. Kane and I became really close friends out the gate and I never really heard anyone rap like Kane as fast as he did. But when I made my first record all I heard in Harlem was Rakim. Every car was playing Rakim and I looked at these n****s like who the f*** is Eric B.? So damn, s**t, I think actually Rakim.
I think Rakim to me but at the same I think Kane’s power came later. I think Rakim was earlier. I think they have an equal amount of power, I just think to me coming from L.A. and walking through Harlem making an album, and hearing his record blasting I was hearing “I came in the door” out of every single car, it blew my mind. Like okay, I can dig it.
DMC: Big Daddy Kane; the reason why I say Big Daddy Kane was Rakim had good records. But everything that Kane said was dope. He was a more of a reflection of everyone while Rakim was the God. Rakim was the great know it all that you climb the mountain you go speak to get specific knowledge. Kane was sexy. Kane was street. Kane was funny. Kane was Rap. Rakim was the epitome.
Rakim was The Bible but Daddy Kane was the word; the gospel. Rakim was specific, while Daddy Kane was everything. Lyrically Kane was better. Rakim wasn’t funny. I got to give it to Daddy Kane man. But you know who’s better than both of them? Chuck D., he had the voice and the flows!
MC Lyte: It’s all according to how you look at it in terms lyrical content they were both monsters. However in ‘88 a new regime had come in and Kane was part of that new regime. If you are talking about that year it would be Kane. If you are talking about overall, I don’t think a decision can made between the two.
Both are grand at what they do however I remember being moved in the crowd, and clapping to this with Rakim much earlier. If you are going to talk about that moment in time, Kane was killing it. He was more real to me than anything else.
Erick Sermon: I’m biased on that. Throughout all my interviews I’ve always said the reason why I rap is because of Rakim. I can’t answer that question even though Kane immaculately dope on the microphone but Rakim is why I rap.
Parrish Smith: That’s impossible to choose [laughs]. I’m not one of these artists to yell out any name on the phone. I’m looking at “Make Them Clap To This,” and then I go to Kane with “Raw;” that’s hard! That’s not an easy one.
We always went on before Big Daddy Kane, we was in Joe Louis Arena it was sold out. We thought one night we could get him and we can have Kane perform us. We asked Kane what he thought and he said “Ya’ll think ya’ll ready, okay go ahead.” So Kane went on before us.
He came out in a hot tub bubble bath and Scoob and Scrap was on their game not missing a step. He made it very hard for us to get down. So we went after Kane and after the show and we were like we are going back to performing before you. That’s the type of presence Kane had on the stage.
But with Rakim song wise, it was a different ball game. So performance wise you got to bring KRS in. Stage wise KRS gets the trophy. With the lyrics between Kane and Rakim it’s a dead heat. With the stage performance KRS ONE no questions asked.
Marley Marl: Those are my two favorite rappers for that point. I think back then Kane had the edge. Rakim was dope but since I worked with both of them I could tell that Kane had a little edge on him; content wise and everything. Rakim was sick representing for the Gods, with his lyrical content was deep; a little deeper than the average rapper.
But if you weren’t into that; you would get lost. If you weren’t a 5 Percenter – I know what he was talking about because I grew up with 5 Percenters, I already knew the lingo he was using; he was preaching Islam. But if you weren’t into it, you could miss it. He had the ill flow. But Kane changed Rap, Rakim didn’t.
“Raw” changed Rap. Before “Raw” there were no records going that fast. That’s what made Rakim want to rhyme fast! I know I pulled the switch on the golden era to make Rap change. I know what song caused the change.
“Raw” was that song, after that Rap changed. Everybody wanted to go fast, started rhyming fast, started putting noises in their records. It’s just that Juice Crew had it hard; Juice Crew had too many haters because they were so great. So they not going to give the Juice Crew their full props like they supposed to. For sure Kane changed Rap.
Eric B.: Rakim is my business partner and Kane is like my brother. What I’m saying is at the end of the day, Kane had a different style than Rakim. It’s like saying who you prefer, Michael Jordan or Magic Johnson. Both are dangerous at what they do. I never compared them because it was two different avenues that they were going down.
Kane would come with an aggressive strong then smooth operator style. Rakim was strong and aggressive but coming with a street vibe and teaching of Islam, even though Kane threw stuff in there too but it went over people’s heads. It was two different styles.
Until people started talking about it, I never thought about it. We were never in direct competition until people started talking. Then they were saying Kane made a record, then they were saying Rakim made a record. I’m like what record was that? I’m still trying to figure out where I was at? A lot of people say that Kane and Rakim had a beef but the truth is my father used to be at Kane’s house and hang out with his father. I would go to Queens and pass by Kane’s house. My brother was a road manager for Kane too.
If they had battled or been in a cipher together I think people would have still been split in that decision. People that like Kane like Kane. People that like Rakim like Rakim and they not going to change.
It would have been a stalemate. Both of them are dangerous at any time. It’s not like I’m trying to avoid the question, but what I feel from being around both of these dudes are dangerous at any time with a microphone in their hand. I’ve seen Kane rap off the top of the head and keep going and Rakim just has rhymes he forgot about. The original “My Melody” was dam near an hour long. We had to cut it down because it so long.
Big Daddy Kane: Um well what would be the best way to put it? It would be like Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson in his prime. I think it would be the type where you are dealing with that one professional that is great at one thing he does versus a technician who knows many different styles and has a whole lot of different skills.
Craig G.: I would only say Kane because Kane touched different areas. As far as straight spitting, I got to give it to Rakim because “Lyrics Of Fury.” But Kane was smart enough to know that rapping wasn’t the only thing as far as being an MC.
As far as charisma and swagger and what have you so I have to give it to Kane in that regard. But me being the type of rapper I am, I would say Rakim for the pure force of spitting. But Kane had that too, but Kane can take you somewhere else as far as different moods. That’s a well rounded MC to me.
Teddy Riley: Rakim is the most skillful rapper of all time. I think that back then he was the best. It was Rakim.
Ice Cube: Dam back in 1988, I would have to put my money on Kane. I feel Rakim was the God MC, but I felt Kane was at that time was more like a battleship as far as an MC. Man that’s a hard one, but I’m going to have to give it to Kane. Kane’s metaphors to me were very clever. Rakim’s metaphors were very visual. Rakim’s rhymes made you feel like you going across the universe. Like you were riding a camel across the desert, and you see a prism in the middle of the desert. It had this wide scope.
Big Daddy Kane was more like you didn’t want to battle him. Both of them are great emcees but it’s hard to compare. It’s like comparing Joe Louis to Muhammad Ali; both of them were great for what they were there for. Big Daddy Kane’s stuff felt like jumping out of a Cadillac, his thing had a more pimp flair to it. I have to give it to Kane.
D-Nice: Dam. I’m so biased with it because Kane is my man. I don’t know man. I’m rolling with Kane. I’m a Rakim fan but Ra’ made you think but Kane made you feel like oh sh*t did he just say that? Paid In Full was crazy, but how many songs did Ra’ rhyme on with that album [laughs]?
Kane was the entire package. I’m sure a lot of people went with Ra’ but I just looked at it differently because in 1988 I sang along with Kane. I was with Kane when he wrote the lyrics to “Ain’t No Half Stepping” on the train to Brooklyn; his stage presence too. I’m going by everything; Kane on the stage was a beast! He wasn’t afraid to dance and it was still hard Hip-Hop. I’m rolling with Kane.
KRS-ONE: Kane because Rakim has laid down some of the greatest lyrics of our day but Kane is an MC’s MC. You’re not going to get Rakim dropping the mic and picking it up and tipping his hat to audience. You’re not going to get Scoob and Scrap. That’s the one thing with Kane is where I do that Reggae sh*t, Kane will do that dancing sh*t. So when I think of an MC, I think of The Furious Five. I don’t think just of your rhymes, I think of your whole showmanship. Your outfit, what you put on, how you delivered your show, how you interact with your DJ.
Real skill and real talent as an MC, there has to be historical moments where you had to show your skill and there have to be witnesses to your skill. Now I have witnessed Kane’s skill. Now Rakim is my n**** from day one, I’ll take a bullet for that n**** no doubt, that’s my dude. But Kane I’ve watched rip sh*t, I’ve watched Rakim rip sh*t too; I’ve even joined him in ripping of sh*t but I watched Kane. Like here’s a good example, Rakim is a humble man. Kane is humble like KRS is humble [laughing].
Like if told Kane yo, your sh*t sucked last night and we have a show tonight, Kane is going to try to take me out! That’s what I respect that sh*t, warrior to warrior. He don’t give a f***. Like with Rakim, I don’t see him in that category. I don’t see him trying to upstage a n****. Rakim is more about f*** this rhyme sh*t, I’m going to put a bullet in you.
So I would say Kane, but I think the list is biased. One thing I was pitching to B.E.T. the other day was that they should have an unlistible list. There should be a list of people that could never be on a list. This gives some air to the whole idea to who was the best in a certain era. In ’88 KRS-ONE was clearly the best MC, straight up and down I’m not f***ing with it, that’s it. But if you leave me out, I would be on the unlistable list in 88, why do I say that because in ’88 I was battling and nobody else in that category was battling.
I was battling six, seven MC’s at the same time, and ripping shows and putting my albums out and had the Stop The Violence movement rocking at the same time. So I don’t put myself in that category. So when I enter that equation, the standards go up because you can’t call yourself an MC and have a wack show. You might be a dope MC, or a dope rapper on a certain level but when you put people like KRS in the equation, Kane in the equation, you put Busta in the equation, you know even people like DMC in to be honest with you over RUN; when you put them in the equation the sh*t changes dramatically!
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
EARLY MORNING INSPIRATION
Happy Holidays to you and yours first off..
As I'm trying to wind down after a real crazy month...I've been doing some light touches on some new tracks as the 2008 catalog gets professionally mixed. The film I was involved in Jack & Jules will showcase January 23, 2009 in New York City. I will be flying back to attend the screening as well as most probably performing. We are working on that right now. If that all goes down, I will debut brand new exclusive tracks off my upcoming album never heard live before.
Tuesday AM: As I whipped thru the early morning L.A. mist in the caddy, I bypassed my usual solo catalog to listen to some alternative lyrically stimulating hip-hop. I don't have time now a days to search out and find new talent that's making the cut, so I relied on past reputation and came up with GZA's "Protools". I let the CD bang out the system, windows up, leather goose zipped, cold like a New York winter morning, until the track "Paper Plate" came on. Up to this point the tracks have been consistently solid with good beats and lyrics so ahead of it's time you usually have to listen to them twice just to catch what The Genius is saying.
Now.."Paper Plate" has a very simple basic beat, which I believe GZA purposely chose for this diss song to 50 Cent..Because there are no real distractions..your forced to listen closely the rhymes and the seasoned delivery. So many mainstream rappers with their half ass diss records have no idea as to properly orchestrate an effective diss. He dissects 50's career down to a science..breaking down song titles, career moves, and so on..one of my favorite lines went something like "That Ye-yo your slanging, the fiends have bought it, too many cuts on it, coke heads they don't snort it" Obviously a shot to Tony Yayo of G-Unit.
I'm not like most underground mc's who hail 50 and them as a reason for hip-hop's disgrace..I feel that there are other reasons for the downfall for which I won't get into right now...I think 50 and his crew has done well in doing good hip-hop with that gangsta style as well as doing commercial joints making millions of dollars. I ain't mad at that. I'm just saying..GZA really laid down the law on this track and although a couple months old..I still think deserves proper recognition. A hip-hop diss record properly done straight up and down. I tip my yankee fitted to GZA for doing shit correctly...say word.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
CLASSIC JOINT VERBAL THREAT FEAT. KOOL G RAP
A little history lesson in the world of hip-hop. Behind the scenes working on Reckless Eye-Ballin
As Reppond and I were working on The Golden Era classic album (yet to be released)..I executive produced the album talent wise. As we began to bring our vision to life..I decided the perfect fit on a collabo would be Queens legend Kool G Rap. My whole upbringing in hip-hop music centered around G-Rap as I was coming up in Queens. "Road to The Riches" and "Wanted Dead Or Alive" made a gigantic impact on me. And not surprisingly, the Kool in Kool Sphere came directly from his influence. I first used it in front of my tag name when writing graffiti then later incorporated it as my identity in the rap game.At that point in time I was pollying with producer Bronze Nazareth from Wu-Tang right after he worked on RZA'a album. I envisioned a dark NYC styled griddy street track that would compliment the styles Kool G Rap and Verbal Threat at the same time. Once Bronze hit me with the masterpiece he was working on, I knew we had a timeless classic.
Once Reckless Eye-Ballin got mixed and mastered we arrived back from NYC working with Dj Premier on Reality Check. We knew he had a dope side A single with the beat from Preme, but were undecided on the b-side.
We kept going back and forth as to what track was going to make the cut. We were down to either Reckless Eye-Ballin with G-Rap, or Weight Watchers produced by Wu-Tang's Mathematics. (On a side note, although Reckless Eye-Ballin made the final cut, that Weight Watchers joint is seriously head bangin!)
So we ran with the Reality Check/Reckless Eye-Ballin single..Fat Beats did the distribution and we got crazy responses especially from overseas. Shortly after that we returned back to NYC to shoot the video for Reality Check and the rest was history....
Verbal Threat Featuring Kool G Rap "Reckless Eye-Ballin"
Sunday, November 30, 2008
DECEMBER IS HERE 2008 COMING TO A CLOSE
What a year..nothing really monumental to recall off hand. A lot of hype, and some big disappointments but what else is new. As I look ahead at 2009, what do we have to really look forward to in hip-hop music? I would love to see respect come back to the game and a code of ethics enforced. Am I crazy?? The answer is yes I guess.
In my opinion you look at shows like TRL and RapCity all going off the air..it's a result of garbage music being forced out, and the majority of real listeners are fed up. It's apparent more than ever that corporate America is behind the scenes controlling hip-hop and not giving balance to the game as a whole. I remember tuning into Yo MTV Raps or Video Juke Box and getting the opportunity to see real hip-hop music in effect, from the real deal, underground, to commercial styles all mixed up giving balance. But now..money is being pumped into the projects like T-Pain, Lil Wayne type styles etc, leaving no room for more legitimate styles of hip-hop to get any airtime.
So what does that leave for 2009? Is there really going to be room for legit hip-hop to have a space in the game. Don't get me wrong..I know real shit is going down and getting released..I'm just talking about seeing and hearing real hip-hop on a large scale. I'd like to see a Gangstarr re-union to crack off 09 for starts..and see real producers like Dj Premier, Alchemist, Pete Rock, Large Pro, etc etc..getting some real shine and working with real mc's putting out quality work and getting some heavy airtime. We need the real cats to finally speak their minds and talk about what's really going down.
Instead of mc's speaking their minds..it seems like they're happy just to be able to have a album coming out. It's sad but true...I heard a incredible new Jada banger I'll put below that is off the meters. I personally think he should have done it solo but you gotta do what you gotta do nowadays to get the rest of the game to open their freakin ears nah mean? Well either way..peace out to 08 and raise your glass for hopefully a more substantial 09.
On a side note: Kool Sphere's "Dream's Don't Die" album is being mixed right now, and I will be meeting up with my man DJ LD from Technicali to be laying the final cuts and scratches down to make things official. Once everything is back, mixed and in place, I will decide on how I will present out previews and shit. Below is a example from the upcoming album...
Kool Sphere "All City" featuring M.C. Reppond
Have a happy Holiday if I don't get back on here and we'll see what time it is.
Friday, November 14, 2008
NYC GRAFFITI EVENT "COME IN PIECE
Come in piece and represent for a good cause. a lot of dope canvases will be up for auction including a Kool Sphere joint pictured in a previous blog down below.
As for a update on the solo project...we are in the final stages now with me recording 2 joints tomorrow in the studio in preparation of a final mix going down on the catalog. Some real classic joints laid down on some real shit.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
KOOL SPHERE IN JACK & JULES MOVIE TRAILER
The new trailer for Jack & Jules I appeared in. This gem will be coming out soon. I should be working with the same director on some more films in 2009. I'm in the final stages of the new solo album. I have about one more track to record this week. Then will be working with this vocalist on one of my singles to hit the hook up proper. I will be collabing with Dj LD to workin on some cuts to spice of some joints as well. I have a couple ideas for the album title that I will unvail as well..I will put up some voting options for some feedback. (you might wanna pause the music player below to hear the video)
Friday, October 31, 2008
DONATED CANVAS FOR GRAFF BENEFIT
Pieace piece..I mean peace. I've been steading puttin in work in the studio so I need a break for some down time. Fam hit me up about this X-Men crew graff benefit goin down in Bklyn...and was asked to donate something in for the cause. It'd been a minute since I got busy so I put a little something together. Spray paint and some paint markers...
Aside from the daily stresses of life..(I actually had a urge for a cigarette) I haven't smoked in a loooong time. And proud to be a non smoker. It's just crazy how that shit sneaks up on you. I grew up in a time and a place where cats relaxed by buying a quart and a pack of Newports from the corner bodega. You can't beat a iced cold quart on a hot summer NYC day boyeee. I'm reminiscing too much now. On my way out I'll hit chal with a gem from the archives.
-kool sphere "lo-profiled"
Aside from the daily stresses of life..(I actually had a urge for a cigarette) I haven't smoked in a loooong time. And proud to be a non smoker. It's just crazy how that shit sneaks up on you. I grew up in a time and a place where cats relaxed by buying a quart and a pack of Newports from the corner bodega. You can't beat a iced cold quart on a hot summer NYC day boyeee. I'm reminiscing too much now. On my way out I'll hit chal with a gem from the archives.
-kool sphere "lo-profiled"
Saturday, October 25, 2008
SOLO PROJECT
About to spend a full day in the studio re-recording previous joints laid out in the pre-studio. Officially got 19+ bangers that I'm narrowing down to around 10 joints to get out to industry. 2009 will be a new beginning. I may leak a snippet soon on something...we'll see. Came across some old footage of one of my idols in the game. Do the knowledge.........
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
BEST RAPPER ALIVE ?
Why even bother at this point in the game. Every reputable figure involved with hip-hop can agree that this has been the worst music ever coming out in hip-hop. It's a complete joke that people are even considering "best rapper alive"..has Rakim died? Kool G Rap died? Wise Intelligent?, Krs1? Nas, AZ, Ghostface, Raekwon, GZA ?? I wasn't aware all those hip-hop legends passed??. let's get a moment of silence then. Get the fuck outta here! Every year I get closer and closer to walking away from hip-hop due to the reckless management of the genre as a whole. I will have to put up a poll for the real people to vote.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Thursday, September 18, 2008
LL COOL J EXIT 13 JUST DROPPED
You know I'm going to have to co-sign my man who put Queens up on the map. It's hard to believe LL came on to the scene around 1985 and never looked back. I mean..he never lost touch and kept banging out single after single..year after year..now it's 2008 and he's still doing it. Below is a little sample for all the haters that don't think L can still bring it..LL Cool J Exit 13 in stores now!
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
NELLY DISSES ICE-T? ? ?
There's a little buzz going on right now about a debate I had on here in regards to the whole Ice-T / soulja Boy crap..and now it seems Nelly is weighing in on his opinion. Now yall take a watch and give your opinion on this..Like I said earlier..as I mature in this game as a artist my opinions may change..and they may not. I finally agreed that hip-hop must progress and not stand still, so we can't have that golden era music back. But at the same time..I'm completely NOT down with dissin pioneers in the game to make a point. Now to some degree I can agree with Nelly saying that it is a new day and hip-hop is constantly moving and changing with the times..I won't deny that. It is more evident than ever that this genre is geared more towards the kids who want a gimmick, a dance, a catchy hook to put on their ring tone..and there obvious reason??....they are the ones going out and buying the cd's, the mp3 downloads, the ring tones etc etc..But on some real shit..How can Nelly go at Ice like "Look in the mirror..Ice-T is old type of talk. I'll say it again and again..Ice is from a era where you had to earn your respect to get in this game. You had to come correct every time and deal with a very critical audience. And although money has a dated opinion..he's sticking up for what he believes in. And this is Integrity and Respect in hip-hop music. Which I firmly believe in as well..I also have to take into consideration the 2008 mind state of what's going on...it's a thin line..
You peep the clip and tell me what you think. All I'm sayin at this point is I'd like to make a official call out to Ice-T on what to do at this point.
Ice-T is a don, a gangsta, a certified pimp, and old school legend..now he's pimping the TV industry with a solid role on Law & Order making crazy dollars. Ice, what you need to do is follow suit with the game right now and take it to your advantage. Hip-hop is run by dudes with paper behind them. You can be the flyest rhymer on sight , but with no paper........good luck.
So Ice..I'm calling on you to do the following...........
1. Get your money together which won't be difficult..
2. Call up Dr. Dre and cop a couple tracks
3. Maybe even join forces with 50 Cent..(he's on that so called gangsta shit)
4. Get a fly video shot with Dr. Dre on production
5. Enlist some west coast dudes selling units (Dre, Snoop, The Game, Ice Cube)
And put out a record. I guarantee with that formula you'll be back in the game correctly forcing people to fall back. (and don't forget to keep Dj Evil E on the cuts!)
I'm willing to only take 15% of all sales...haha..but on some real shit that formula is possible and would do the game some good. Ice-T "Power" a real hip-hop classic.
You peep the clip and tell me what you think. All I'm sayin at this point is I'd like to make a official call out to Ice-T on what to do at this point.
Ice-T is a don, a gangsta, a certified pimp, and old school legend..now he's pimping the TV industry with a solid role on Law & Order making crazy dollars. Ice, what you need to do is follow suit with the game right now and take it to your advantage. Hip-hop is run by dudes with paper behind them. You can be the flyest rhymer on sight , but with no paper........good luck.
So Ice..I'm calling on you to do the following...........
1. Get your money together which won't be difficult..
2. Call up Dr. Dre and cop a couple tracks
3. Maybe even join forces with 50 Cent..(he's on that so called gangsta shit)
4. Get a fly video shot with Dr. Dre on production
5. Enlist some west coast dudes selling units (Dre, Snoop, The Game, Ice Cube)
And put out a record. I guarantee with that formula you'll be back in the game correctly forcing people to fall back. (and don't forget to keep Dj Evil E on the cuts!)
I'm willing to only take 15% of all sales...haha..but on some real shit that formula is possible and would do the game some good. Ice-T "Power" a real hip-hop classic.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
NEW PERSPECTIVE
So after a looong well deserved weekend in Las Vegas with the fam..I'm back in effect, fresh in the flesh with a new perspective. I consider myself a hip-hop connoisseur..with old school traditions right..I was never a djay, but I followed hip-hop from the 80's to the present, always paying attention to what was going on with the groups and artists I followed.
I became the anti-rap activist playa hating commercial rappers since the mid 90's to...let's say...last week lol. And I think I finally realized that, things aren't going to change. You must adapt to what's going on and realize that you can't go back into time. I remember a interview with Nas a couple years back..saying he won't do another "Illmatic" because he's not the same person he was back then..and life is a progression..you proceed forward not in reverse...he also rapped a verse about it on his new CD "They pray please God let him spit that Uzi in the army linen
That shorty doo-wop rolling oo-wop in the park reclining" (for those that don't get it he's saying that fans from the old school are praying that he takes it back to illmatic days with lines like that off his classic CD)..but those days are gone now. It is a reality that was very difficult for me to swallow but I think I have finally come to terms with it.
Now just to clarify..
I'm not saying that real hip-hop is dead..I'm saying that the music that I loved coming up as a youth hearing it on mainstream radio will never happen again on mainstream radio. Case in point..I was driving with my girl today who is 10 years younger than me..I had Sirius satellite radio on and all of a sudden Public Enemy's NIGHT OF THE LIVING BASEHEADS comes thru and my face lit up..getting goose bumps..remembering the feeling I got hearing Kool Dj Red Alert on 98.7 Kiss FM debuting those joints! or freakin Dj Chuck Chillout on WBL kickin S rockin those live ass joints. So my girl is looking at me like I'm crazy. Like how could they play this on mainstream radio back in the days and have a audience? (trust me she knows the deal with hip-hop..just from a newer perspective)And she's right..how could they have gotten away with this? Because it was new..rebellious music. Djays on the air eager to break new records with new artists coming out from all over the place. A time where you had to step your game up lyrically..had to have a dope beat to even be considered...now today..all of those old school traditions are deader than disco.
Now any dude with a computer is a rapper/producer..watching mtv,bet,vh1 as a influence as to what hip-hop is..not realizing that what is being played is the furthest from the truth. And the cats old school and new that have the format down as to doing hip-hop correctly are completely shunned because the big video shows and FM radio don't want any part of them.
So when you hear people say things like Soulja boy ,Lil Wayne etc are killing hip-hop..they essentially are..not like they're doing this on purpose, its because they are successful at hip-POP and sell millions of records. So as a result..if you make music in hip-hop that doesn't sound like that..your assed out homey straight up and down. that was my scattered rant for today that went all over the place but I think you will get the gist of it.
Final case in point..new records that have recently dropped or about to drop..
AZ "Undeniable" and GZA "Protools"
are new CD releases that are real hip-hop real talk straight talk..instead of following the same ol' wack trends..be a trend setter and check these dudes out!@
Ksph side note: AZ proves you can do marketable music correctly flippin ill vocab keeping street cred fully intact!
I became the anti-rap activist playa hating commercial rappers since the mid 90's to...let's say...last week lol. And I think I finally realized that, things aren't going to change. You must adapt to what's going on and realize that you can't go back into time. I remember a interview with Nas a couple years back..saying he won't do another "Illmatic" because he's not the same person he was back then..and life is a progression..you proceed forward not in reverse...he also rapped a verse about it on his new CD "They pray please God let him spit that Uzi in the army linen
That shorty doo-wop rolling oo-wop in the park reclining" (for those that don't get it he's saying that fans from the old school are praying that he takes it back to illmatic days with lines like that off his classic CD)..but those days are gone now. It is a reality that was very difficult for me to swallow but I think I have finally come to terms with it.
Now just to clarify..
I'm not saying that real hip-hop is dead..I'm saying that the music that I loved coming up as a youth hearing it on mainstream radio will never happen again on mainstream radio. Case in point..I was driving with my girl today who is 10 years younger than me..I had Sirius satellite radio on and all of a sudden Public Enemy's NIGHT OF THE LIVING BASEHEADS comes thru and my face lit up..getting goose bumps..remembering the feeling I got hearing Kool Dj Red Alert on 98.7 Kiss FM debuting those joints! or freakin Dj Chuck Chillout on WBL kickin S rockin those live ass joints. So my girl is looking at me like I'm crazy. Like how could they play this on mainstream radio back in the days and have a audience? (trust me she knows the deal with hip-hop..just from a newer perspective)And she's right..how could they have gotten away with this? Because it was new..rebellious music. Djays on the air eager to break new records with new artists coming out from all over the place. A time where you had to step your game up lyrically..had to have a dope beat to even be considered...now today..all of those old school traditions are deader than disco.
Now any dude with a computer is a rapper/producer..watching mtv,bet,vh1 as a influence as to what hip-hop is..not realizing that what is being played is the furthest from the truth. And the cats old school and new that have the format down as to doing hip-hop correctly are completely shunned because the big video shows and FM radio don't want any part of them.
So when you hear people say things like Soulja boy ,Lil Wayne etc are killing hip-hop..they essentially are..not like they're doing this on purpose, its because they are successful at hip-POP and sell millions of records. So as a result..if you make music in hip-hop that doesn't sound like that..your assed out homey straight up and down. that was my scattered rant for today that went all over the place but I think you will get the gist of it.
Final case in point..new records that have recently dropped or about to drop..
AZ "Undeniable" and GZA "Protools"
are new CD releases that are real hip-hop real talk straight talk..instead of following the same ol' wack trends..be a trend setter and check these dudes out!@
Ksph side note: AZ proves you can do marketable music correctly flippin ill vocab keeping street cred fully intact!
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
KRS-1 AND SOULJA BOY DISCUSS GENERATION GAP IN HIP-HOP
Now I must say..once again KRS-1 proves that he is arguably the best rapper in hip-hop. Now when I say the best rapper in hip-hop..I'm not only referencing his classic records, classic videos, trend setting abilities, live show experties, career ending tactics, the preservation of hip-hop,..(I can go on and on) he then takes a intelligent stance towards addressing the whole Soulja Boy issue and dropping knowledge to him at the same time giving him respect as a youngster coming up. I myself feel schooled in this being that I was very negative about this type of new rap killing the game..this cat needs to be mentored on things and KRS took that stance..enjoy the clip.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
SHOTS FROM JACK & JULES FILM NYC
AUG 2008:
After some time off outside the booth recording..just finished working on this film in NYC called Jack & Jules. I rocked a couple joins for the soundtrack as well as playing a supporting role. It was mos def a dope experience and looking forward to be getting in more indie films as time goes on. Was able to hook up with my old school boy Snatch Cwk and KC Oner Tbc to get down on some piecing. We ended up doing a nice little collabo in Greenpoint Bklyn. I'll post up some shots when I get time. Now back to bidness..Been banging out tracks for the solo album..up to about 14 tracks pre-recorded already..I just finished another collabo with a legend on the mic for I looked up to money in the early 90's as a real mc representin the Bklyn hardcore. I'll let out more info once I'm about to release the single. So play like Daily Operation's last song and ....."Stay Tuned"....
After some time off outside the booth recording..just finished working on this film in NYC called Jack & Jules. I rocked a couple joins for the soundtrack as well as playing a supporting role. It was mos def a dope experience and looking forward to be getting in more indie films as time goes on. Was able to hook up with my old school boy Snatch Cwk and KC Oner Tbc to get down on some piecing. We ended up doing a nice little collabo in Greenpoint Bklyn. I'll post up some shots when I get time. Now back to bidness..Been banging out tracks for the solo album..up to about 14 tracks pre-recorded already..I just finished another collabo with a legend on the mic for I looked up to money in the early 90's as a real mc representin the Bklyn hardcore. I'll let out more info once I'm about to release the single. So play like Daily Operation's last song and ....."Stay Tuned"....
Monday, June 23, 2008
ICE-T VS SOULJA PART 2
INFO COURTESY OF SOHH.COM
Veteran gangsta rapper Ice-T has released another video aimed at Soulja Boy in response to the Southern rapper's YouTube clip, making no apologies for starting the beef with the 17 year-old hip-hopper.
In his latest video, Ice-T explains that his original comments were made only after being asked his feelings on the state of hip-hop and on Soulja Boy.
Ice-T admits that as a rap legend he shouldn't have talked down to the teen but says he still believes Soulja Boy's music is garbage.
"Hip-Hop has to last forever and it ain't gonna last with you doing that superman bullsh*t man," Ice-T said. "That sh*t is whack, trust me." [Watch Below]
He goes on to say Soulja Boy never should've responded.
"When I dissed you, there's no ramifications you know," he said. "You can't hurt my career cause I'm caked out, there's nothing you can do to hurt me."
The beef began after Ice-T blamed Soulja Boy for being responsible for the death of hip-hop.
Soulja Boy then made his own video response questioning Ice-T's career choices.
"This n*gga Ice-T old as f*ck!" Soulja Boy said as he laughed into his web cam. "This n*gga old enough to be my great grandfather. I Wikipedia'ed this n*gga, he was born in 1958. [He] claims he's from the West Coast, n*gga you were born in New Jersey, dawg. Who is Ice-T, dawg? How you gonna make a song called ["Cop Killer"] and 35 years later your ass playing the police on TV, 'Law and Order'. This ain't no beef."
Despite the criticism from Ice-T, hip-hop megastar Kanye West spoke out on his blog in support of Soulja Boy.
"Soulja boy is fresh ass hell and is actually the true meaning of what hip hop is supposed to be," he wrote. "He came from the hood, made his own beats, made up a new saying, new sound and a new dance with one song. He had all of America rapping this summer. If that ain't hip-hop then what is? N*ggas always talk about the golden age but for a 13 year-old kid, this is the golden age!!! Keep this sh*t fresh and original.... ain't no f*ckin' rules to this sh*t and that's what real hip hop is to me."
____________________________________________________________________________________
NOW I CAN SEE SOUJA'S POSITION BEING YOUNG, BROKE, COMING UP TRYING TO GET PAID AND SUDDENLY GETTING SUCCESS..AND HATS OFF TO HIM. BUT I ALSO SEE ICE'S SIDE AS WELL WITH MORE MEANING. I DON'T THINK IT'S A ICE-T VS SOULJA BOY BEEF. IT'S A REAL HIP-HOP VS COMMERICAL POP BEEF. AND THE SAD THING IS SOUJA BOY IS CONSIDERED HIP-HOP BY THE NEWS MEDIA. I THINK THAT'S WHERE TO FRUSTRATION BEGINS. EVERYONE IN HIP-HOP MUSIC IS SCARED TO UNITE IN REGARDS TO BRINGING ACTUAL TALENT BACK TO THE GAME. ITS EITHER ONE OR TWO CATS THAT SPEAK THEIR MIND..THEN THE ISSUE QUICKLY DISAPPEARS. THEY SAY THINGS MOVE IN CYCLES..WELL I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THE LEGIT HIP-HOP CYCLE TO COME AROUND FOR A DECADE NOW! I MEAN GZA VOICED HIS OPINION LIVE ON STAGE REGARDING SOUJA BOY AND 50 CENT. BOTH 50 AND SOUJA FIRED BACK. THEN............? NOTHING. WHERE'S WU @? NOBODY HAS EACH OTHERS BACK ANYMORE. NOW WE HAVE SOUJA LAUGHING IT OFF WITH A VIDEO RESPONSE TO ICE CALLING HIM OLD AND OUTDATED ETC. WE NEED UNITY IN HIP-HOP! EVERYBODY IS TOO SCARED TO SAY SOMETHING FEARING RECORD SALES WILL BE EFFECTED. I'M SEEING TIME AND TIME AGAIN OLD SCHOOL LEGENDS GETTING DISSED BY THE YOUNGER GENERATION AND EVERYBODY'S TOO SHOOK TO SAY SOMETHING! AND NOW WE GOT KANYE CO-SIGNING SOULJA AND A INTERNET BUZZ QUESTIONING ICE-T BEING A LEGEND. ARE YOU FUCKEN KIDDING ME!??? HERE'S A LITTLE HIP-HOP 101..ICE-T IS AND ALWAYS WILL BE A HIP-HOP LEGEND! TREND-SETTIN RHYME FLOWS, GANGSTA RAP STYLES,,AND THE CROSSOVER FROM RAPPING TO ACTING. GET IT TOGETHER YALL! SHIT..THIS SHIT CONTINUES I MAY HAVE TO GET UP IN THE BOOTH AND START REPRESENTIN FOR THE VETS WHO KEEP GETTIN SLEPT ON! TO BE CONTINUED!
Friday, June 20, 2008
REAL HIP-HOP -vs- HIP-POP COMMERCIAL RAP
NOW I'M SURE YALL HAVE HEARD ONE OF THE LATEST BEEFS THAT IS GETTING MEDIA COVERAGE..IT'S THE STATEMENTS MADE BY HIP-HOP VETERAN/LEGEND ICE-T AGAINST COMMERCIAL RAPPER SOULJA BOY. ICE RECENTLY WAS QUOTED IN THE MEDIA AS SAYING "FUCK SOULJA BOY EAT A DICK" WITH SOULJA RESPONDING CALLING ICE OLD AND OUTDATED. I ALSO REMEMBER THE SAME TYPE OF WORDS BEING SAID BETWEEN WU-TANG'S GZA AND SOULJA BOY EARLIER IN THE YEAR.
IN MY OPINION..SOUJA IS THE "POSTER BOY" FOR WHY HIP-HOP/RAP IS IN THE TOILET. NOW I CAN'T SPEAK ON IT TOO MUCH BEING THAT I HAVEN'T HEARD ANY OF SOULJA'S MUSIC. BUT IN THIS DAY IN AGE WITH HIT SONGS LIKE "EY BABY EY BABY" & CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP" RUNNING THE RADIO AND VIDEO CHANNELS..YOU CAN'T HELP BUT SYMPATHIZE WITH THESE DUDES VIEWS.
MY PERSONAL OPINION IS...I FEEL HIP-HOP HAS BEEN IN NEED OF HELP IN MASS MEDIA FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS. FOR SOME ODD REASON THE MORE YOU ARE TRUE TO HIP-HOP CULTURE, THE MORE MASS MEDIA WILL IGNORE YOU. NOW IN 2008, HIP-HOP IS BEING RUN BY TEENAGERS WHO DON'T WANT TO HEAR A MESSAGE OR IN DEPTH LYRICS WITH BANGIN BEATS. THEY WANT TO DANCE AND SING LYRICS WITH A GIMMICK. IT'S A DIFFERENT TIME NOW AND I UNDERSTAND THAT. WHAT I'VE BEEN HOPING FOR YEARS..IS THAT SINCE HIP-HOP MUSIC (YOU KNOW WHAT I'M NOT GOING TO USE THE TERM "HIP-HOP" BECAUSE FOR THE MOST PART HIP-HOP IS DEAD SO I'LL CALL IT RAP) SINCE "RAP MUSIC" HAS BEEN SO HORRIBLE FOR SUCH A LONG TIME, THAT THE FANS WOULD FINALLY GET SICK OF THE CRAP RAP GOING DOWN AND DEMAND THAT REAL HIP-HOP TAKE BACK OVER THE GAME. WE'RE NOT QUITE THERE YET..BUT WE'RE SLOWLY GETTING CLOSE.
WE HAVE RAPPERS LIKE ICE-T, GZA, AND DON'T FORGET MONIE LOVE (TAKING A STAND AGAINST YUNG JEEZY A WHILE BACK SAYING HIP-HOP IS DEAD FOR THE MOST PART) STANDING UP FOR REAL HIP-HOP MUSIC REFUSING TO TAKE THIS SHIT ANYMORE. WE NEED MORE OF THIS TO HAPPEN! GETTING THE VETERANS BACK IN THE MEDIA, AND TAKING OVER HIP-HOP AGAIN IS ESSENTIAL!
TAKE A LOOK AT THE CD COVER OF ICE-T.."POWER"! SUCH A CLASSIC. I REMEMBER WHEN IT FIRST DROPPED..ME AND MY MAN COSE WE'RE ROCKING PIECES IN BLACKBOOKS BACK THEN LISTENING TO POWER OVER AND OVER AGAIN..GETTING US AMPED UP AND RECITING THE LYRICS AS WE WERE WRITING GRAFFITI. SUCH FOND MEMORIES OF THAT CD. I REMEMBER WHEN I FIRST CAME OUT TO L.A...ME AND REPPOND(VERBAL THREAT)ROCKED A SHOW AT THE VIPER ROOM AND MET DJ EVIL E ICE-T'S DJAY (WHO IS ON THE COVER) MONEY GAVE US MAD LOVE FOR KEEPIN IT REAL AND STILL TO THIS DAY STAY IN CONTACT. THAT'S A FRIENDSHIP BUILT ON MUTUAL RESPECT FOR REAL HIP-HOP..REAL DUDES DOING REAL MUSIC.
IN CLOSING..PEACE TO THE MC'S AND DJAYS THAT REPRESENT REAL HIP-HOP STANDING UP FOR OUR CULTURE AND SPEAKING OUT!@ OBVIOUSLY NO ONE ELSE IS GOING TO DO IT SO IT MIGHT AS WELL BE THE PIONEERS. NUFF RESPECT TO ICE-T,DJ EVIL E, RHYME SYNDICATE, GZA, MONIE LOVE, AND OF COURSE THE PRESIDENT OF HIP-HOP KRS-ONE! LET'S TAKE THE GAME BACK!
-KOOL SPHERE-
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
NEW INTERVIEW
Interview on leaksource:
How'd you get into the game?
I got into hip-hop initially as a graffiti writer/breaker in Queens NYC. As time went by I got more into mc-ing listening to Kool DJ Red Alert on the radio buggin out on the music he rocked. Run Dmc, Kool G Rap & Polo, BDP, Big Daddy Kane had me wide open!
How'd you hook up with Reppond?
I had fam out in California...so when things would get hectic in NYC, I would fly out to Cali to get away and get my mind right. In that whole process I went to school out there and met Reppond. We actually met in the lunch room..he was walking by my table rapping out loud a Grand Puba verse and I finished the rhyme as he sat down..we both bugged out that we were both up on Brand Nubian. From then on we both started Verbal Threat and tried to get as much studio time as possible.
(kool sphere krs-1 mc reppond backstage on tour)
You still working on a Verbal Threat release?
After completing "The Golden Era" project..things didn't go as we wanted in regards to getting the album out correctly so things are on hold for the time being.
Any idea when we'll be seeing a VT release?
Not sure as of right now. In the meantime my emphasis is on my solo project and putting things together
How'd you hook up with DJ Premo and Kool G?
We did a show back in like 2003 with Pharrell from The Neptunes in Hollywood at The Viper Room and Preme was in attendance. We didn't know he was there at the time and we did a live remix of a Group Home track..after we brought the house down Premier came up and propped us on our performance. Ever since then we would run into each other from Cali and NYC and different events. Finally in between 05-06 we matched schedules up and got into the studio. The rest is Reality Check history and making a timeless classic. Working with G was a collab I wanted to have go down since the start of the album. I myself was responsible for all the collabs on The Golden Era, so with my connects I approached G-Rap on getting on the album and he was with it. I also brought Bronze Nazareth from Wu-Tang into the mix and things worked out sick.
So I heard you've been working hard on your upcoming solo album, any chance we'd be seeing more from Premo, Kool G, Wu, and others?
Yeah..right now I'm in the early stages but progressing nicely. I just finished wrapping up working on this indie film in NYC and took out time with Premier's people working out a deal for my debut solo single. I'm looking to lock that down by mid summer so all's looking good so far. I'm taking my time with putting this solo album together being the executive producer and all that so I think it's a safe assumption that I will have Bronze back in the mix and Kool G. I may have some surprise collabs as well keeping it under wraps for the time being.
As for your solo, any idea when that'll drop?
Time will tell. I'd like to get it out by the end of the year but I'm taking my time with everything without rushing..making sure that all deals go smooth staying calm, kool, and collected. The record industry is suffering right now with sales at a all time low so I'm more concentrating on the creative aspects and worrying about the business side after I get a good feel that the Cd is almost complete.
Finally, thanks a lot for your time, have you got anything to say to the fans? and shoutouts?
Thanks for all the support and dedication to what we're doing. Hip-Hop as a whole has been in a steady decline for almost a decade now with real artists getting the shaft and no talent fly by night cats getting rich off of catchy nursery rhyme jingles. It's extremely frustrating trying to stay motivated when real legitimate hip-hop is not getting the attention it deserves. Support the dudes that are really doing things correctly before this whole genre gets pimped out completely and left for dead!
A BIG shout out to DJ PREMIER who keeps it real even at his legendary status staying humble and bringing real hip-hop to the radio on Sirius Satellite Radio channel 40 Friday nights! Peace to my man M.C. Reppond and everybody that has supported Verbal Threat in our pursuit to bringing real talent back to the game!
How'd you get into the game?
I got into hip-hop initially as a graffiti writer/breaker in Queens NYC. As time went by I got more into mc-ing listening to Kool DJ Red Alert on the radio buggin out on the music he rocked. Run Dmc, Kool G Rap & Polo, BDP, Big Daddy Kane had me wide open!
How'd you hook up with Reppond?
I had fam out in California...so when things would get hectic in NYC, I would fly out to Cali to get away and get my mind right. In that whole process I went to school out there and met Reppond. We actually met in the lunch room..he was walking by my table rapping out loud a Grand Puba verse and I finished the rhyme as he sat down..we both bugged out that we were both up on Brand Nubian. From then on we both started Verbal Threat and tried to get as much studio time as possible.
(kool sphere krs-1 mc reppond backstage on tour)
You still working on a Verbal Threat release?
After completing "The Golden Era" project..things didn't go as we wanted in regards to getting the album out correctly so things are on hold for the time being.
Any idea when we'll be seeing a VT release?
Not sure as of right now. In the meantime my emphasis is on my solo project and putting things together
How'd you hook up with DJ Premo and Kool G?
We did a show back in like 2003 with Pharrell from The Neptunes in Hollywood at The Viper Room and Preme was in attendance. We didn't know he was there at the time and we did a live remix of a Group Home track..after we brought the house down Premier came up and propped us on our performance. Ever since then we would run into each other from Cali and NYC and different events. Finally in between 05-06 we matched schedules up and got into the studio. The rest is Reality Check history and making a timeless classic. Working with G was a collab I wanted to have go down since the start of the album. I myself was responsible for all the collabs on The Golden Era, so with my connects I approached G-Rap on getting on the album and he was with it. I also brought Bronze Nazareth from Wu-Tang into the mix and things worked out sick.
So I heard you've been working hard on your upcoming solo album, any chance we'd be seeing more from Premo, Kool G, Wu, and others?
Yeah..right now I'm in the early stages but progressing nicely. I just finished wrapping up working on this indie film in NYC and took out time with Premier's people working out a deal for my debut solo single. I'm looking to lock that down by mid summer so all's looking good so far. I'm taking my time with putting this solo album together being the executive producer and all that so I think it's a safe assumption that I will have Bronze back in the mix and Kool G. I may have some surprise collabs as well keeping it under wraps for the time being.
As for your solo, any idea when that'll drop?
Time will tell. I'd like to get it out by the end of the year but I'm taking my time with everything without rushing..making sure that all deals go smooth staying calm, kool, and collected. The record industry is suffering right now with sales at a all time low so I'm more concentrating on the creative aspects and worrying about the business side after I get a good feel that the Cd is almost complete.
Finally, thanks a lot for your time, have you got anything to say to the fans? and shoutouts?
Thanks for all the support and dedication to what we're doing. Hip-Hop as a whole has been in a steady decline for almost a decade now with real artists getting the shaft and no talent fly by night cats getting rich off of catchy nursery rhyme jingles. It's extremely frustrating trying to stay motivated when real legitimate hip-hop is not getting the attention it deserves. Support the dudes that are really doing things correctly before this whole genre gets pimped out completely and left for dead!
A BIG shout out to DJ PREMIER who keeps it real even at his legendary status staying humble and bringing real hip-hop to the radio on Sirius Satellite Radio channel 40 Friday nights! Peace to my man M.C. Reppond and everybody that has supported Verbal Threat in our pursuit to bringing real talent back to the game!
Monday, June 2, 2008
TOOK A BREAK TO GO ROCK A PIECE
IT WAS TIME TO TAKE A BREAK FROM THE STUDIO AND GET BACK TO THE FOUNDATION...MET UP WITH MY MAN DUEL RIS AND ROCKED A LIL PRODUCTION AT THIS GRAFF EVENT FOR CAP MPC...HOSTED BY ZC HOT CREW. HOPEFULLY WILL BE ROCKIN SOME MORE JOINTS THIS SUMMER.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
FRESH OUT THE VT ARCHIVES
A MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND GIFT OUT THE VERBAL THREAT TREASURE CHEST....
verbal threat - b-side (un-released)
Sunday, May 18, 2008
KOOL SPHERE GRAFFITI CANVAS "FRESH" FOR SALE!
THIS 18X24 INCH CANVAS HAS BEEN IN SPHERE'S PERSONAL COLLECTION SINCE IT WAS CREATED JULY 2000. (DONE WITH AIRBRUSH AND PAINT MARKER) IT IS NOW AVAILABLE TO PURCHASE ONLINE FOR $200. FREE SHIPPING SERIOUS BIDDERS CONTACT - NYSEGUYEDDIE@HOTMAIL.COM
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
KOOL SPHERE DEBUTS IN UPCOMING INDIE FILM!
Starring: Ruben Bansie, Sara Lauren Adler, Donald Rizzo, Tere Martinez, Vanessa Hidary, Zach McGowan, Yael Silverman, Kool Sphere, Alex Lozano
Screenplay By: David Tianga
Directed By: David Tianga
Produced By: Stefanie Walmsley and Joey Perron-Kozar
Plot Outline: "Jack & Jules" is the first installment of the 6 part short film series that follows Julian's spiritual journey around the globe. His adventures take him to Ecuador, Spain, the Philippines, and India, and like many great stories... it all begins in New York.
"Jack & Jules" follows NYC high school senior Julian Martinez as he must decide to either fulfill his immigrant mother's dream of sending him to college or follow the teachings of his hero Jack Kerouac and go ON THE ROAD to discover life for himself. With the help of his artist girlfriend Jackie, who is herself dealing with personal obstacles that she must learn to embrace, Julian hopes to find the inner strength to set out in search of his identity.
Julian Martinez is the new face of America, a first generation South American whose culture and home life directly conflict with his desire for identity in a modern American subculture. Will he venture out to forge a new road in his soul or will he quell his burning and succumb to his family's expectations along the path to college? This poignant short film explores and exposes the universality of the American Dream in all its inherent beauty-- as well as its shortcomings.
"Jack & Jules" is the first installment of the 6 part short film series that follows Julian's spiritual journey around the globe. His adventures take him to Ecuador, Spain, the Philippines, and India, and like many great stories... it all begins in New York.
"Jack & Jules" follows NYC high school senior Julian Martinez as he must decide to either fulfill his immigrant mother's dream of sending him to college or follow the teachings of his hero Jack Kerouac and go ON THE ROAD to discover life...
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
KOOL SPHERE CWK GRAFFITI VIDEO CLIP
KOOL SPHERE CWK DUEL STANE AND ZONE GETTIN BIZMARK OLD SCHOOL STYLE
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Monday, May 5, 2008
COLD CHILLIN' WITH BIG DADDY KANE
AFTER A WEEKEND OF COLD CHILLIN..KSPH IS RE-FOCUSED AND FORMULATING THE NEXT PLAN OF ATTACK IN THE STUDIO. UPDATES COMING SOON....
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
KOOL SPHERE / VERBAL THREAT VIDEO PROD. DJ PREMIER
QUICKLY APPROACHING 300,000 VIEWS ON YOUTUBE! IT'S FUNNY HOW REAL HIP-HOP CAN GENERATE SUM BUZZ WITH ABSOLUTELY NO PAID PROMOTION.
AINT' NO 1/2 STEPPIN
NOTHING BUT CLASSICS HAVE BEEN GETTIN BANGED OUT THE BOOTH!RIGHT NOW KOOL SPHERE HAS BEEN WORKING LATE NIGHT SESSIONS IN THE STUDIO LAYING DOWN PRELIMINARY JOINTS.
"I PLAN ON RECORDING LIKE 30+ SONGS AND NARROWING EM DOWN BY THE TIME IT'S READY TO PUT THE ALBUM OUT."
THERE'S SOME SURPRISE PRODUCERS ALREADY GETTING INVOLVED..BUT THATS GOING TO STAY ON THE LOW FOR THE TIME BEING..BUT BEST BELIEVE - WE'RE COMIN WITH THAT REAL! -
UPDATED NEWS: "I JUST GOT BACK FROM WORKING ON A INDIE FILM TAKING PLACE IN QUEENS NYC..NEXT I SHOWED UP AND RIPPED THIS "VIOLATORS" EVENT IN MANHATTAN,..NOW I'M 100% AMPED AND BACK IN THE STUDIO JUST CONCENTRATING ON MAKING CLASSICS. I'M PUTTING IN MAD WORK RIGHT NOW..STRAIGHT UP."
kool sphere - reputation
kool sphere - reputation
Monday, April 28, 2008
KOOL SPHERE BEGINS NEW SOLO PROJECT
BACK IN EFFECT KOOL SPHEREREPRESENTIN' QUEENS...
KOOL SPHERE STEPS IN THE ARENA TO MAKE UP FOR LOST TIME. BRINGING BACK THAT EARLY 90'S FLOW..IT'S THAT REALISM THE GAME HAS BEEN LACKING FOR SO LONG.
THIS PAGE WILL FOLLOW THE PROGRESS OF THE SOLO CD IN IT'S BEGINNING STAGES....
kool sphere - pocket knives
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
