see I’m a hustlers hope, not its pipe dream ,so when they speak of success i’m what they might mean…

few fights few stick ups

Lil Wayne The Suffix

The Washington Post Remix?

Evil Monito x Commonwealth

I’ve never been myself, but is The D tha real? Man dude is about that!!!

Santana x Ghostface X Lindsay Lohan

JUST BLAZE & SAIGON….

LIKE MOST KIDS IN THE �90s, Brian Carenard grew up on a steady diet of streetlife fables from all his favorite rappers. Unlike most kids,though, Brian was listening from the other side of the looking glass.By the age of 15, he was already in jail for attempted murder, where he had the pleasure of watching emcees get rich glamorizing the very choices that destroyed his own life. As you can imagine, it left a bitter taste in his mouth. For the rest of his seven-year bid,he committed himself to reading voraciously and teaching himself how to rhyme, readying himself for the day he could tell his side of the story.Finally,in the year 2000,he hit the streets reborn as the rapper Saigon, bearing the antidote for a poisoned hip-hop nation.While his impeccable street credentials earned him a place at the table, his drive to transcend that past quickly set him apart. Combining intricate, thoughtful wordplay with the bravado and backstory to match the hardest thug rapper, he quickly rose through the ranks of the mixtape circuit. After flirting with several majors, Saigon landed in the hands of super-producer Just Blaze, as the first artist on Just�s new Fort Knocks label. We caught Saigon hanging with Just Blaze at the legendary Baseline Studios, where Just helped build Jay-Z�s Roc-A-Fella empire. It was well past 2 a.m., but they were just getting started, plotting how to make history one more time, and show us all a deeper truth beneath the desert of the real.As you work on this project,what classic hip-hop records are your points of reference?

Just Blaze: I keep coming back to AmeriKKKa�sMost Wanted and Illmatic. Illmatic for that rawness and that New York boom bap, and AmeriKKKa�s Most Wanted for the emotion, the anger, just the force of it. You felt that Ice Cube had something to say. He was pissed about the conditions people were living in, and the Bomb Squad�s production had that same revolutionary drive. I�m trying to figure out how to combine those elements.

Saigon: I like Death Certificate, actually. That�s my sh*t, because it was gangsta but it was still conscious. He had songs like �Be True To The Game� that made sense, instead of like Chuck D said, rhyming for the sake of riddling. Of course Illmatic, and Wu-Tang�s first album because of the simplicity. It showed that less is more. All the mistakes on that album that they kept, that made it perfect.

Just Blaze: Yeah, there�s crazy mistakes on that album, like, I think, on �7th Chamber� you hear the tape machine still winding up. It was so dirty,straight out of � literally � out of somebody�s basement. The best music comes when you can keep that spontaneity. Whenever producers ask me for advice, I tell them if you spend more than 20 minutes on a beat and your head�s not nodding yet, it�s not worth it. Like Jay-Z�s �P.S.A.,� I made that beat in five minutes, in my headphones while we were mixing another record. I made �You Don�t Know� in less than 15 minutes, and �Roc the Mic� in less than five. And with a lot of my stuff, like Erick Sermon�s �React,� the version we released was my two-track rough mix with Erick�s vocals from a karaoke machine. I wind up preferring that first rough mix for a lot of my records, and I�m trying to keep it raw like that on this album whenever I can.

Saigon: That rawness and freshness, that�s what we want to re-create.Saigon, if this were your interview, what would you ask Just?

Saigon:How is it possible you never drank alcohol before? [Laughs.] Don�t you get curious what it feels like to get drunk,when you�re in the club and see everybody having a good-ass time?
Just Blaze: Well, my experience is a little unique,because usually when you�re 14 or 15 there�s a lot of peer pressure to get drunk and prove something to each other. But at that age I was already deejaying at 21-and-over night clubs,where everybody around me was past that stage of saying, �Yo, you should drink. We have to get drunk.� And they assumed I was, too.I never made a conscious decision not to drink.It just never happened.And since then I�ve seen so many situations where people get out of control;I don�t need that. The last thing I need is some Bruce Banner thing where all the rage comes out and I start wilding out, or I wake up in bed next to the lunch lady from the high school cafeteria.Plus, I find people have a certain respect for you when they see you make that choice.

Saigon: Yeah, you have to respect that discipline and willpower.

So does he have you convinced? Are you ready to stop drinking too?

Saigon: Hell, naw! I need to drink sometimes or I�ll go crazy. I don�t drink a lot, but I could never have fun in a social environment without alcohol.

Just Blaze: Man, you talk a lot when you drink, though! Like crazy, I�ll be trying to DJ in the club, and he�s just straight �babababababa� for like an hour.

Saigon: I have a lot trapped in! If I don�t drink, I can�t let it out. I�ll just be standing there looking at people and not talking to anybody.Just Blaze: It�s cool, though, because they say the truth comes out when you drink, so it lets me know he has a genuine love for what we�re doing.Just, if this were your interview, what would you ask Saigon?

Just Blaze: Okay, this is something we were just talking about in the studio. Almost every rapper now, their story is some variation of this: Came from the street, did some dirt, may or may not have done some time,realized that rap was better or at least an easier hustle, and switched to that.What differentiates you from that pack?

Saigon: What differentiates me is these rappers make it sound like that life is cool,and keep talking about how �real� it is. But for me, what�s really real is how I lost all my childhood because of one mistake with a gun. I lost damn near seven years of my life from that bullsh*t they rap about, so I�m here to tell kids there�s nothing cool about that gangsta life they glorify.All these people glorifying it, these kids rapping, they�re in the studio all day and at the industry parties all night. If they were really out there in the streets every day, risking their lives and risking their freedom, they would know it�s nothing to glorify.

Just Blaze: And out of all the real hustlers I knew personally,even the legendary dudes who hustled uptown, the only ones who made it out were the ones who stayed quiet about it. All the dudes who had to get flashy and let the world know what they were doing…

Saigon: They always get taken down in the end.Exactly. So you know these rappers are not serious. My grandmother always told me the dogs that bark really don�t bite. It�s the one lying in the cut that you have to worry about � the quiet one who�s observing, analyzing and scheming. It�s the same way in prison. You hear about these infamous criminals like Tut, who they claimed got Tupac shot, and you would think these dudes are gorillas. But when you actually see Tut, he�s got spectacles on, he�s all clean,walking around with a briefcase.Just Blaze: They have briefcases and glasses in jail? I thought glasses could be used as a weapon. Like I know you can�t have CDs in jail, right?Saigon: Nah, you can�t have CDs. You can only have tapes, even though you can use a cassette as a weapon, too. You can use everything as a weapon, really. They let you have canned sodas in there… you can break all that stuff down to make a weapon.

Just Blaze: Oh, you can get cans in there? They buggin!Saigon: The thing is, they want weapons in the jail. They need sh*t to happen every so often so they can flex their muscles and show who�s in charge.Just Blaze: And if a few of you kill each other off, that�s just more room for the next prisoners. It just keeps that flow going.Most �conscious� artists are fenced off by the industry in a corner where they can only reach the proverbial backpackers. Are you guys hoping your place in the game lets you reach beyond that with your message?

Just Blaze: Exactly. I realized a while ago that I�m in a unique position, because I�m one of the few people on the mainstream side that also gets a backpacker pass. I realized I needed to use that. If you could take the sensibilities of the backpacker side, which can be slightly more thoughtful and creative, and combine that with mainstream accessibility, you could merge them into something greater and break down those barriers. We want to make music that is saying something and still reach the street. We want to take things back to the time when one kid could be blasting �Straight Outta Compton� while his man was on the corner blasting �Rebel Without a Pause,� and it didn�t look crazy. If you try to make a mainstream record like �Fight the Power� now, people think you�re crazy. There hasn�t been a place for that in the mainstream since then. But right now with what Kanye�s doing, Common getting hot again and Styles P talking about being black and proud, there are signs that people want something different. At least I hope that will happen, because I can not listen to any more crack raps.

Saigon: That�s been my purpose since day one. Of course we�re gonna sell records, we�re in the business of selling records. But I want to be remembered for more than that. Thirty years from now, when we look back on who did what in hip-hop, we�re gonna see that 50 Cent made a song about �Candyshop, come lick my lollipop.� Meanwhile we were trying to open doors in people�s minds and better the conditions for our people in the hood.

and it feels so beautiful, put it in a rhyme cuz it sounds so musical…

grindin gettin our shine on

Bigger and Deffer…already!! Coming soon people, coming soon.

Dupont Menage…goin the Lupe route, tracks added soon, ‘06 is ours!

It is hella good to see Jay Dee is out of the hospital, but new product already? Damn my work ethic just got a shot of inspiration. I heard dude has been doing shows in a wheelchair and what not so obiviously life threatening conditions don’t stop dude.

dallas penn

Holla Back NYC?

Tru Warier? Man who is Ron Artests barber, and could someone get the bul in an english class? Don’t tell me Ron is about to get back on his, I’m a music ceo jawn. Talk about questionable career moves.

The Rap Up

no way you’ll never make it, come with the weak shit i’ll take it, step into my zone mad rhymes’ll stifle ya…

yeah

NAS Interview from Scratch Magazine:

Scratch: You and DJ Premier have done some great songs together. Which is your favorite?

Nas: “N.Y. State of Mind” will always be my favorite. I vaguely remember the session. It was in the wee hours of the night and his comfort zone for recording was like mine. It was just the homies in his lab coming straight off the block. He used to come pick me up in his car for the sessions because I didn’t have a car back then. He’d stop in the ‘hood and pick me up and that night I really, really found my way with how Premier works. When I was getting in the game in ‘94 a lot of producer niggas wasn’t street niggas. Large Professor was more [academic], Pete Rock’s style was way more soul, Q-Tip was eclectic. So Premier was the only street dude other than my boy L.E.S. that dressed like me, talked like me, acted like me. It was such a relief to work with somebody in this business that was a normal ass nigga. And by that time he was already a proclaimed member of Gang Starr, but still humble.

Your first line for “N.Y. State….” started, “Rappers I monkey flip’em with the funky rhythm I be kickin’/Musician, inflictin’ composition.” Rather than rhyme about rhymin’ you spoke about music. Why?

It was definitely the track, the track told me that and, of course, my background. My pops [Trumpet player and blues man Olu Dara] does music, so obviously without a question I’m going to look into music more. He wrote music, I saw how you compose a song is mathematics so I definitely saw another side of music because of my dad.

You have co-producer credits on “Life’s A bi*ch,” “One Mic,” and “Get Down.” What was your actual involvement in each track?

The only reason I co-produced on “Life’s A bi*ch” is bringing my father there to play trumpet. That was my first album and I don’t remember what I might have added, but I credit L.E.S. with all of that. He did all of that. “One Mic,” I basically put the whole thing together, I brought the record to sample and told him where I was going, but Chucky Thompson made it sound the way it needed to sound. I also did “Suicide Bounce” on Street’s Disciple and the Rakim joint [”U.B.R (Unauthorized Biography of Rakim)”], I programmed the drums on that and added the sounds. It’s not like it’s a big deal. I don’t think I could fu*k with none of thee niggas [on production]. If I feel like doing, I’ll do it, but I don’t want to be a producer. I just play with it sometimes.

Do you remember which machines you used for your beats?

I used an SP1200 for the Rakim joint, an ASR-10 for “Suicide Bounce” and an MPC for the drums to “One Mic.”

What do you like about working with your other co-Ds, Salaam Remi, L.E.S., and Large Professor?

I like working with Salaam because he reads my mind musically and lyrically. He’s right there with me as I’m writing it. L.E.S. was there on my first album so that’s family, and I got love for Large Pro because he put me on.

So did you pay $2 Million for a Neptunes beat?

That’s a crazy rumor. I talked to Pharrell about creating a record that would go with the rumor. An issue with me has always been beats. I don’t like using what everyone else is doing.

So we got you and Premier together at HeadQcourterz, formerly D&D studios. A lot of your classics were made here. What can we expect on this album?

Premier wasn’t on my last album but he is gonna be on this one without a question. I’m excited because this cover is getting me and him to have more conversations. We talked about doing an album together and some of the listeners want to rush the sh*t-I wanna rush it,too-but I just want to pull pieces from all kinds of different people for this next puzzle because a lot of people think sh*t got easy, that I quit, because they see a brother’s married and think I ain’t on the grizzly. The sh*t is ill because everytime I listen to music these dudes is saying something about me, so they always wanna pull me back in. They never let me chill. I don’t showboat on the cover of Ebony saying I got married or tell you what I did for Katrina [victims] or what I did for Queensbridge. But dudes is forcing me to come out and speak on things that you shouldn’t have to speak on if you that dude. It’s gonna be fun, though.

Ok, so with all this peace talk is “Ether 2″ coming? “Don’t Body Yourself” seemed like a tease.

To Jay-Z’s credit, I respect him lyrically. And to 50’s credit, I respect him lyrically, but not on a level of Jay. 50 will never be on a level of Jay so it’s kind of a shift for me to switch up and do something comical, even though to MC is to have fun. But you can’t just leave all that sh*t out there ’cause if you let it stay too long they think they got one on you.

You have a lot of history with 50 cent. Is this more personal than your average rap beef?

What’s crazy is that the nigga never gave me a phone call after he blew up, and as much as he was around me I never knew how angry he was. I used to have him with me and I’d see him get mad at the crowd back then, but I liked his determination. I thought it was something that would go away once he made it happen. I’ve seen him do things you can’t come back from. Once you deal with telling the cops something, you can’t come back from that. And I saw it years ago. And I had a lot of love for that dude. I ain’t gonna lie, even today I wish I could get on the phone with the nigga and laugh about how you was with the Trackmasters, Jam Master Jay, and in videos with Onyx on hockey sticks, now look where you at. Any nigga that can come up deserves it, but I don’t respect how he gonna be mad at everybody. I read an interview where he dissed his grandparents. I think he need to know that there’s real niggas out here he can clique with and he don’t gotta think it’s him against everybody. There can be redemption.

I can’t keep track of who is beefin’ with who anymore. There needs to be a flowchart.

What 50 Cent does not understand is that Tupac was real. And I don’t mean the way hip-hop niggas, industry niggas, or Internet niggas say real. I mean mind, body, and soul warrior real. Pac was younger than we are now and you still got a nigga like 50 trying to imitate him when he ain’t gotta do that. When Biggie and Pac died they were younger than all of us! And 50 Cent’s name will never be amongst real niggas and that’s killin’ him right now. But the baddest niggas have to humble themselves sometimes. From Jesse James to Jesse Jackson, the baddest dudes have to come to some humility in they life. Humble yourself.

What was it like working on “We Major”?

Kanye is one of the elite producers in the game and just getting on his album meant a lot to me. I think someone like him takes his craft seriously. He says it was an honor to work with me and it was an honor for me, too.

He joked that he had to get permission from Jay-Z to do it.

I never thought about it. It never came up. We all love music, let’s just make music. That was just me and Kanye gettin’ down.

There were reports on the Internet that Def Jam put in a request for you to do an album with Jay-Z and Kanye.

Nothing like that was presented to me by Def Jam. I wanna participate at this point in something that is going to challenge me and push me. My listeners know that I have challenged and pushed, and something like that would be the ideal kind of thing. Something like that, I think it’s inevitable that people would want that. The only other thing people want more than that is for Biggie and Pac to come back and rock together.

So is this your last album for Columbia?

This isn’t even coming out on Columbia. I’m out of Columbia. I’m up. I got outta that. I wanna try somewhere else for a while.

There was a lot of buzz about your appearance at the Jay-Z concert before you did it. Did you know about that?

I’d been hearing that real strong. I been hearing that since the R. Kelly show got cancelled at the Garden. I wasn’t even in town and people thought I was going to show up.

So you actually did it. How did it happen? Who called who on the batphone?

It was just overdue, man. It wasn’t about who called who, I don’t remember honestly. It’s always good to get another notch in your belt in life. How many beefs do you know are squashed? Grudges….in the street or in business. How many people get over war? Any time you can squash a beef and move on, you lead by example for others to follow in a positive way. It was one of the greatest things I’ve ever done. Given the reaction, I definitely think some work could go down now.

You should do “A Million and One Questions 2006,” since everybody wants to know what you and Jigga are doing.

I totally agree. That’s a hot title. I might have to steal that title from you. I don’t want to speak for Preemo but he’s been important to both our careers and he’s the cat that when me and homie got together to talk, his name came up. And that was before I spoke to Preemo for this article. So this was destined to be.

4 different sets its a fabolous thing, one white one gold like fabolous chain…

we are family

The New White Flight

Mobb Deep Survival of the Fittest (video)

Cut the crap…the Indianapolis Colts offense is real. I watched them against the Bengals on Sunday afternoon, and put on a display on how to efficiently run an offense. I’d like to see them in the Super Bowl this year, because they’ve had good teams the past 3-4 years, but couldn’t get over the hump (patriots).

The Evolution of Ron Artest

Talib Kweli Beautiful Mixtape Vol 1

Pharrell is all fired up. Solid interview if I must say sy. Dude seems like hes really about more than BAPE and jewels. Its a good look.

U copping an XBOX 360 tomorrow? I’ma be cool on it and wait til that PS3 drops.

Don Cannon, the person responsible for Jeezys “Go Crazy”, speaks on who he is, how he got into the game, etc.

i like the whopper f-ck the big mac…

f-ck outta here violet

5 things that you may think are “weird/different” but I am about in a major way:

1. I think Top Gun is the greatest movie of all time.

2. I think M.A.S.H. is the greatest television show of all time.

3. I think 3rd Bass made some dope ass albums at the beginning of the 90s (front on that production if you want).

4. I could eat friend chicken and macaroni and cheese everday. For real.

5. and sweet potato pie (only if my mom makes it).

F-ck it I just had to get that out my system, speak on it if you must…

Big Daddy Kane vs Jay Hova…

Bubba Sparxxx speaks his mind on all things Purple Ribbon, alcohol, and race relations. Its actually an interesting read, that YOU should check out.

Arizonas BEST: 2005

Good riddance to a bad thing? I’ve been to that spot twice and enjoyed myself w/o getting shot (thank god). At the same time I’m sure the buidling will be turned into new condos within 4-6 months due to it being so close to U St. and what not. Gotta love n-ggas and gentrification.

Jumpoffs best hoop related rhymes…pardon the future!!!

you fakin the funk, talking that extra hard junk, you probably a punk

neek

Kamoji COP SUPER CHAMPION FUNZONE from FOURSTAR. Best skateboarding video in a minute. You’ll thank me later.

Producers, DJs, and crate diggers what are your favorite breaks? That Love Break is a sure fire winner for me.

Less 20 ft. jumpers more pull up 17 footers…get a mid range game niccas!!

Mista Blackberry Molasses

Housing prices are on the decline? Say that twice…I’m in the hunt for a one bedroom condo in the shaw/u st./16th st. area and if the prices are affordable I’m tryin to get somethin hella nice. Fall prices fall because I can’t afford to move home to Phoenix. Damn.

Here about all things related to the Touch the Sky TOUR here.

The Greatest (Hip Hop) Songs You Never Heard via [The Fader]

Wheres the Love?

Captain Bee speaks that real. Damn this sh-t is hella on point.

i’m a peaceful rolls royce drivin black john lennon…

to the end…

Crazysteezyo

Is it me or does Lupe Fiasco understand the importance of using the internet in every way possible as a marketing and/or promotional tool? Check out dudes Righteous Kung Fu spot and get me his revenge of the nerds vol 1 and 2.

Sublime fans get @ this. Site has a grip of sublime bootlegs for your viewing pleasure.

The Rub DJs get more shine. I’ve seen them play individually as well as together and dudes are nice. I’m not super into the mash up game, but I respect their ability.

Commonwealth has pictures from the BBC/Ice Cream store opening. Lots of bling and it looks like an afterparty/performance from Skateboard P as well (on a side note I’m tellin y’all don’t sleep on pharrells chic).

An A to the L joint

Where have you been Smif N Wessin?

Get your Washington D.C. eating on something major. I think I’ve been to 3 of those spots and they are expensive as sh*t cool. Some of those are so mixed in with politics when u walk in the door it makes u sick. Either eay if you want some better spots to eat in D.C. get @ me.

i’m in a mindstate to escalate, when all rappers participate its fate for rap to elevate….

on deuce tre

The RZA is focused. Please let Cuban Linx 2 be the banger it deserves to be.

Baltimore has been doing their thing lately, whether it is the club music thing bubbling with the hipsters or their street/skatewear scene getting overdue recognition. Now it seems that Gentei is blowing up so I’m sure everything related to that store will be highly regarded. Are they throwing parties yet?

Nelly and co. Grillz

I’ll be here on Saturday night, hope it cracks.

The No Child Left Behind Act is some bullsh-t. I tutor kids 3 days a week that are basically told, your school performs poor so you get 50 hours of tutoring before we begin to take funds away from your school. Mind you this is elementary through high school so I’ve tutored 16year olds who can’t read to 7 year olds that can’t speak engligh. It sucks.

Big 12 College Hoops fans read here.

Pharell actually living up to the name skateboard p.

lyrically versatile, my rap definition is wild, i wrote graffiti as a juvenile…

stay fly

Parental Mistakes

Rhymefest says a bunch of wild sh*t. Dude is trying to get it started.

Stax-era Isaac Hayes? Cop it.

College Basketball Preview…damn this is that time of year. Hoops on 7 days a week, and all I gotta do it work, get on turntables, and post illegal albums.

I don’t want to grow up I’m a hip hop kid!!!

Why the nerds hate 50 Cent yet continue to love Kweli and Zion I.

Concrete Loop

Being that it is time for college basketball, you should be visiting College Basketball on a daily, damn near hourly basis.

its ferocious when broke n-ggas get focused…

kids thats rich

Nah Right

Scott Langton

Jay Z Ignorant Sh*t

Being that my brother and I were raised on a teachers salary all I really have to say is teachers deserve more than a $3,000 raise, BUT it is worth it.

DJ Clue The Cherry Lounge

Naruto Mania

If you didn’t already know, its going down in France and has been for a while.

Lakai U.S. Tour There are no pics of actual skateboarding, but it gives you a good idea of what life on tour is about.

T.I. & Jeezy might really be on ot something with this planned tour. Its really a good look for T.I. being that Jeezy basically came in the game and stole dudes thunder. Like for real people Jeezy made the record T.I. has been trying to for years.