gucci + diplo (FREE mixtape download)
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What more can I say? A free Gucci Mane mixtape from Mad Decent impresario Diplo. Rap Lyrics Database Now Online
The first public searchable database of rap music lyrics from past 20 years. Experts applaud this comprehensive, easy-to-use resource for serious research or fun searches
“This is a gold mine for anyone who wants to determine the educational, social and creative influence of hiphop.” — Marcyliena Morgan, Founding Director of the Hiphop Archive at Harvard University
“For the first time, we now have the ability to cross reference key terms and identify trends in rap lyrics that persist over the last two decades.” — Bakari Kitwana, author of The Hip-Hop Generation, CEO of Rap Sessions
WHAT: Rap Lyrics Database ( http://www.blackyouthproject.com/byp-presents/raplyrics/ ) — A one-of-its-kind cyber storehouse that lets rap and hiphop fans, youth, scholars, and teachers search through all the lyrics of Billboard Music’s top rap songs from the last 20 years.
“The Black Youth Project’s Rap Lyrics Database is an important new tool in the arsenal of hip-hop research,” says Bakari Kitwana, author of The Hip-Hop Generation and CEO of Rap Sessions. “The insights it virtually places at the fingertips of hip-hop aficionados, casual listeners as well as those who study hip-hop and street culture is unprecedented. For the first time, we now have the ability to cross reference key terms and identify trends in rap lyrics that persist over the last two decades. With this important new addition, Dr. Cathy Cohen and the Black Youth Project move us deeper into the matrix of Black youth culture.”
“The Rap Lyrics Database is a rich resource for anyone interested in knowing what is important to urban youth,” said Professor Marcyliena Morgan, Founding Director, Hiphop Archive at Harvard University. “One can search the top hiphop recordings of the last 20 years to reveal trends in lyrics that reflect various attitudes and crises among our youth. Searches like “teacher,” “education,” “prison,” “justice,” “death,” etc. result in graphs and lyrics that suggest that the best MCs addressed the major issues affecting their communities. This is a gold mine for anyone who wants to determine the educational, social and creative influence of hiphop.”
WHO: The Rap Lyrics Database is part of the Black Youth Project’s new website — http://www.blackyouthproject.com
WHY: “We’ve heard so much about what rap music does and says. See if what you’ve heard is true. Discover that rap music is a critical medium that needs to be researched just like jazz, classical music—and you can do it here.” — Leigh Richie, Website Coordinator for Black Youth Project
WHEN: NOW
Canadian Rapper, Page to perform in the Kingdom of Bahrain
Page will perform and be a celebrity guest judge at hip hop competition in Bahrain
MARINA CLUB, BAHRAIN DECEMBER 03/ 2009 - Page will be performing classics like “ballin is my hobby” and new material from his upcoming mixtape “Things Young People Do” (TYPD) and his smash hit single “I’m Still Fly”. Page will also be judging the kingdom’s largest hip hop competition to select from thousands of aspiring rap artists.
The organizers of the event were excited to invite Page to this event due to the rising success of his career. They also heard about his current collaborations with a few notable artists such as Trina, Brisco, Bobby Valentino, MIMS and Drake and felt he would be a great contribution to the panel. He will also be judging amongst one of Bahrain’s new artists ‘Hotline’ and a few more rising stars.
Page is looking forward to this opportunity because he will be performing for his fans but he is even more excited about directing a few rising stars during the judging and bringing one lucky winner closer to their dreams.
The competition is open to both men and women over 18 years of age who have the skills to compete amongst each other. Amongst the ten finalists one will be chosen to win a few prizes including a deal with Smoke and Mirrors records.
Drizzy is here…
What are you bringing to the table for 2009? I want to make music for people to listen to. But I also want them to believe in someone who is somewhat of an underdog, establishing a lane for myself, and getting to the point where other artists can be compared to me: “Oh, that sounds like a Drake type right there.” I want to get to the point where I’m a name that people use to describe something new.
No other Canadian rapper has rocked a room of 20,000 like you did at the Air Canada Centre with Wayne. I was just proud of my city. And, to be completely honest with you, I was nervous. Not about forgetting my lyrics, or tripping, or anything like that. But up until that moment I could never be sure if I had any fans in my own city – 20,000 people is a lot of people to win over, and even if one-quarter don’t like me that’s still intimidating. But it ended up being a great night. Wayne definitely noticed the city was behind me, because I got the same reaction from the Toronto crowd that he would get from the audience in New Orleans.
How does ‘So Far Gone’ compare to the previous mixtapes? Well, people started hearing my music as soon as I started making it, so I really was growing. Southern Smoke was a very early project that reflected my interests at the time – I was into the Roots, Little Brother, Mos Def and other great hip-hop music. Then I started to understand the value of a hit record, and became more interested in melodies than a track of overwhelming lyrics. Comeback Season started leaning toward songs that were fun. Now I’m confident enough to convey a personal message, reflecting what’s going on in my mind, like a timeline of my personal life.
How have the changes in your personal life been reflected in the lyrics? I’ve always been very honest about my emotions, but things haven’t drastically changed, since I have a new emotion to express in every song. “Every Girl” is just having fun and talking shit with a bunch of dudes; “Replacement Girl” is me giving a piece of myself to women that pay attention. I’m speaking to both genders: the guys who want to have fun and feel fly, and the women who want to know what we think.