My first reaction when I heard "How I Could Just Kill a Man" the first single from Cypress Hill's self-titled debut album, on Yo! MTV Raps was one of shock and awe. Instantly, I knew it was like nothing the world ever heard before, but it was going to be huge and classic. I clearly remember marveling at the cartoonish-ness of rappr B-Real's nasally whine and lyricist/hype man Sen-Dog's responses juxtaposed against hardcore subject matter. Yet, the lush sound layering and rich beats of DJ Muggs were straight funky. Were they making a parody of gangsta rap or what? To understand how much these guys stood out, consider the list of Class of 1991 that have been reviewed here up to now and the styles of music that were in heavy rotation. All of a sudden, here comes a crew where one rapper sounds like how a pimp might if he were a Looney Toons character, and another one who sounds like an actual cartoon, Tennessee Tuxedo, yet they look like they'd just as soon carjack you as perform for you. Then those weird vocals are rolled out over a kitchen sink of samples, including "air raid" texture of Hank Shocklee's Bomb Squad, James Brown drums, and psychedelic guitar samples. Oh by the way, Cypress Hill's rappers were Latino, so their verses are interspersed with Spanish slang. While they certainly weren't the first Latino hip hop act, they were certainly the first to be this cutting edge and popular.

To put the album in context, it is important to understand what was going on in America at that time. The video of the Rodney King beating was released to the media on March 2, 1991. Cypress Hill and its first single, "How I Could Just Kill a Man" dropped later that August; however the LA riots would not occur until nine months after. Placed against that backdrop, the album makes a lot more sense, and you can hear the warning cries in it. You can also understand why Cypress Hill broke through and was so popular. True, NWA struck first with SoCal gangsta rap, but by this time they had started to break up and go their separate creative ways. Also while NWA's subject matter was similar, their tracks were much more raw and stripped down.

Probably the most iconic and influential song on Cypress Hill is "How I Could Just Kill a Man". I recall feeling really conflicted listening to this song, because the lyrics were so violent, but the beat knocked so well I couldn't keep from head-nodding. As Oliver Wang's spin-off blog, Soul Sides Sliced, points out, all the elements in this song are very sonic. The hi-hats aren't flat taps; they're so thick-sounding you think the sticks are slicing through the cymbals. DJ Muggs also uses the old technique of panning (moving an audio track from the left to the right so as to sound like it is physically moving) on his scratch tracks. It isn't quite as obvious on the stereo, but if you listen in the headphones it is much more pronounced. Soul Sides Sliced refers to it as a "wacked-out dentist's drill" sound. I doubt there's any hip-hop fan past or present that couldn't answer the call and response when on the chorus, B-Real's whiny slow call of "Here is something you can't understaaand" and hype man Sen-Dog's run-on response "How I could just kill a m an!" The narrative invites the listener to sit down and um, partake of some herbs, while Cypress Hill explains to you who they would shoot, why, and that you might do the same thing if you were in their shoes. They also make a classism play to rich people "up in the hills" while they're in the hood dodging bullets.

One of the high water marks of a hip-hop song is when a verse is sampled and used for a hook. A year or two later, Redman would loop and stutter B-Real's verse "Time for some action" for a hit song of the same name, which also became a classic two years later. Second in the Cypress Hill trilogy of hits is "Hand on the Pump." Again the sample loops pull you in out of funkiness and curiosity. How DJ Muggs came up with looping an obscure hit from the 1950's song "Duke of Earl" for a hip-hop track I'll never know, but that is the very essence of hip hop after all -- taking what you find and making something totally new. Again Cypress gets sampled by Redman and Method Man on one of the greatest beats ever, this time repurposing the "Hand on the Pump" chorus as the closing line of "Da Rockwilda." If you listen closely, you hear Junior Walker and the All-Stars' "Shotgun" on the fade, as a tongue-in-cheek play.

Others may argue, but I think "Phuncky Feel One" is the third standout here. It is a '90s update and homage, literally and figuratively, on the essential James Brown sample. Its electric guitar "chika chika" however, isn't a JB track, but is beefed up to sound like one. It is as close as Cypress Hill comes to a party track where they brag on their rhyming skills. The bridge uses Fred Wesley and the JB's "More Peas," which was same sample used in Showbiz and AG's "Soul Clap."

Despite having two decent singles from their second album, 1993's Black Sunday, "Insane in the Membrane" and "Ain't Goin Out Like That," Cypress Hill's sound and image got hijacked by its newfound audience of suburban white college kids. They also practically became poster children for the Legalize It/NORML movement, which was also largely a white-led effort. These two facts sank Cypress Hill's street cred and cost them their core audience. Since Dr. Dre's The Chronic had obliterated the rest of the music industry earlier in 1993, Cypress did not stand a chance by taking the creative direction they did.

Still, very few hip hop albums can claim timelessness and enduring influence. Cypress Hill the album will rock a party or club today as strongly as it did 20 years ago. This is a testament to its innovation, influence, and place among the Class of '91.

Cypress Hill Cypress Hill [Amazon][iTunes][Spotify]

My latest post for SoulBounce.com's Class of 1991 album retrospective...

2nd review I wrote for Class of 1991 series on Soul Bounce.

This week I watched the documentary Marathon Boy, about a six-year-old distance running prodigy in India named Bhudia Singh. I couldn't help but see the corollary between the life of this boy and that of Tupac Shakur. Initially, there is this blissfully pure part of Bhudia's life after he's rescued from the slums by his adoptive Indian parents. He is precocious, innocent, and thriving -- until they discover his uncanny gift for running long distances. As word of Bhudia's giftedness grows, he becomes metaphorically and physically swallowed up by the crowds, the media, his family, and the government, who all seem to want a piece of his fame. To listen to 2Pacalypse Now, is to listen to 2Pac in his purest form -- long before the crowds and stardom swallowed him up.

It is important to note that when this album came out, 2Pac was not yet "Pac" the revered prophet of the hood. It was his breakout performance in Ernest Dickerson' 1992 film, Juice, that made the world sit up and take notice of Shakur. While 2Pacalypse was his debut album, and spawned a Top 30 hit in "Brenda's Got a Baby," indeed it is an album without a true single.

The leadoff track, "Young Black Male," sounds chopped and screwed with its slurred samples of Ed O.G. and the Bulldogs' "I Got To Have It" and Ice Cube's "The Product." It is grimy and rustic with a tight snare reminiscent of something by Pete Rock. While the beat is slinky, 2Pac's flow is rapid fire. His urgency betrays the message, however, because there really isn't one. He rambles on about big booties and the like, then the track falls off into what sounds like the crew cutting up around the mix board laughing.

Things get down to business on "Trapped," an honest expression of the frustration of constantly being harassed, threatened, and oppressed by the police. While Digital Underground's Shock G intones "Nuh-uh they can't keep the black man down" on the hook over a church organ, 2Pac reflects on how a fight he was in wasn't worth it: "As I look back in hindsight/the fight was irrelevant." How many gangsters have you heard admit that? More importantly, it contains some of the most honest lyrics on violence I've ever heard: "...shoulda put my gun away but all I heard was the ridicule/chicks saying damn homie's dissing you."

"I Don't Give a F--k," while no doubt a shocking title at the time, gives us a peek into Pac's DNA. Since he was the son of members of the Black Panther Party, it isn't just a random rant when he raps "F the FBI, F the CIA, F the B-u-s-h." He knows firsthand what he's speaking of. He calls out the hypocrisy of being followed in a store simply because he's black.

"Soulja's Story" is Pac's first venture into a storytelling rap. Right away, you pick up on the similarities to Notorious B.I.G.'s "Warning" both in concept and cadence. This time 2Pac's first verse gets the chopped and screwed treatment, which just comes off gimmicky, well before Pro Tools and Auto-Tune. The plot is a cautionary tale about a guy who feels he's forced into the hustler life when there are no other options or support from home. However, he has a younger brother who aches to follow in his footsteps, and ends up getting locked up. Big brother then hatches a plot to break little brother out of jail. What's genius about this song is, instead of speaking only as the big brother, 2Pac assumes the older and younger brother's voices in first person.

Now, any song that samples Shabba Ranks' "Pirate's Anthem" will get five mics from me on principle. "Violent" is no exception. The track substitutes "violent" for "pirate," but the beat is still as infectious as the original. Notice again here, 2Pac isn't claiming to be violent in order to rob or sell drugs but rather to speak out and stand up for himself. He repeatedly uses terminology reflective of the Panthers such as: "They claim that I'm violent, just cause I refuse to be silent/these hypocrites are havin fits, cause I'm not buyin it/Defyin it, envious because I will rebel against/any oppressor, and this is known as self defense." Hearing Chuck D's unmistakable baritone "They claim I'm violent!" on the chorus feels like an affirmation of Shakur's position.

If you accept this premise, then it won't be a surprise to hear 2Pac move into a full-fledged spoken word addressing America on "Words of Wisdom." The melody is a very cool jazz groove, driven by Fender Rhodes piano riffs that bounce over a hi-hat sample as the beat. This one gives a nod to both Gil Scott-Heron's "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" and the Nation of Islam documentary The Hate that Hate Produced.

2Pacalypse Now should definitely be in any hip-hop connoisseur's collection, but more importantly it should be in every 2Pac fan's collection. If your frame of reference for 2Pac begins with All Eyez on Me, you don't know him. You haven't heard 2Pac's soul, the one that was pure, uncut, and innocent that, like Bhudia Singh, existed before the fame.

2Pac 2Pacalypse Now [Amazon][iTunes][Spotify]

My latest album review for SoulBounce.com's "Class of 1991" series.

YASSSSS!

From the comic genius that is Rich Juzwiak....

Thursday, October 6th, 2011 | Posted by LeVar Thomas

The Wu-Tang Limited Holiday 2011 Headwear Capsule Collection

For the upcoming holiday season, RockSmith and Wu-Tang Limited have linked up once again to create a capsule collection. Designed and produced by Rocksmith, the Wu-Tang Fall/Winter Headwear Collection pays homage to the iconic imagery and color story of the city where it all started, NYC.

In a new season of design by RockSmith and Wu-Tang, we get a collection of snapbacks and camper hats featuring thickly stitched letters spelling out Wu-Tang Forever, C.R.E.A.M and the trademark Wu-Tang “W” among other designs.  The hats come live from the crime side, the New York Times side so stay tuned for the upcoming collectables available at select retailer’s worldwide.

Be sure to check out stupidDOPE on Twitter & Facebook.

Signed, LeVar Thomas

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Chris Brown – Look At Me Now (REMIX) ft. Lil Wayne & Busta ...

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« Craig Redman “Protagonist” Exhibition @ Slam Jam Milan Alain Silberstein iKrono Watch »

Movin on your left!

40th anniversary of "Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas"...

If the trailer is any indication, this is going to be truly powerful. Kudos to the sisters who shared their truths in this film and to Bill Duke for making it.

01. Intro
02. Common - Invocation
03. M.O.P. - Ride
04. Alkaholiks feat. Xzibit - Killin’ It
05. Diamond D feat. Don Barron - MC Is My Ambition
06. Refelection Eternal feat. Mos Def & Mr. Man - Fortified Live
07. Street Smartz feat. Godsunz - Verbal Murder
08. Sir Menelik feat. Grand Puba & Sadat X - 7XL
09. Gangstarr - You Know My Steez
10. Rakim - It’s Been A Long Time
11. Common - Hungry
12. Non Phixion - Promo
13. Mr. Live feat. Tony Bones - Placebo
14. L. Fudge feat. Company Flow - What If
15. Mos Def - Universal Magnetic
16. Mista Sinista - Word Play
17. AK Skills - One Thing Or Another
18. Organized Konfusion - 9X Out Of 10
19. DJ Babu - Scratch Session
20. Indelible MC’s - Weight
21. Sir Menelik - Nightwork
22. Defari - People’s Choice
23. RZA - Twelve Jewelz

h/t to UpNorthTrips.com

“All children are artists,” Pablo Picasso famously said. “The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.”

As adults, I think we often forget how creative we are, and were. I taught a cartooning class last year to my daughter’s second grade class. When I asked the class who liked to be creative, every single kid raised their hand … enthusiastically.

I was reminded of this when I taught a series of doodling workshops at the Do Lectures a couple weeks ago in Wales. Doodling is the simplest form of prototyping and idea exchange. People kept coming up to me before each class to warn me that they couldn’t draw and weren’t very creative.

We rolled out a huge sheet of butcher paper and, with a couple lessons and a little coaxing, everyone really got into it (even the ones who doubted themselves). Attendees have been sending me their doodles ever since, including this wonderful sketch note from attorney and author Neil Denny.

As Hugh Macleod once said, “we were all given the same box of crayons in kindergarten”. Yet somewhere along the line, many of us convinced ourselves that we’re not creative, particularly in a business context. That thinking limits our full potential.

Rediscovering how to doodle is one of the quickest routes to unblock creativity. My friend Sunni Brown gave this wonderful talk at TED on the power of doodling, which came out last week.

(Marketoonist Monday: I’m giving away a signed print of this week’s cartoon. Just share an insightful comment to this week’s post. I’ll pick one comment by 5:00 PST on Monday. Thanks!)

PREVIOUS: social media chatter

BROWSE SIMILAR CARTOONS IN: creativity, management

5 Comments

1. 

   April says:

   October 2, 2011 at 11:41 pm

   Another interesting thinker in this area is Lynda Barry. Delightful post, Tom.
   I love the idea alchemy that happens so quickly with a few internet clicks; in order to process interesting info (like this) my instinct is to leave a comment… AND to doodle through the key ideas in my journal. Next webpage breakthrough: sketch note friendly comment fields?

   Reply
2. 

   Priz says:

   October 3, 2011 at 2:54 am

   Death by Power Point; the pain continues!

   Reply
3. 

   Kid B. says:

   October 3, 2011 at 5:27 am

   Brilliant and how timely! We are gearing up for long range plans and ‘how to drive meaningful innovation for our consumers’. I’m printing this cartoon to leave inside my LRP folder. …..And, I’m also going to take my son up on his offer to experiment in our backyard with putting baking soda and vinegar in a plastic bottle to make a little explosion (Oh, and now for the legal jargon—please note: “We are professionals. Do not try this experiment!!”

   

   Reply
4. 

   Angela says:

   October 3, 2011 at 6:26 am

   I’ll add someone else to that list: Gordon MacKenzie. In his “Orbiting the giant hairball” he describes an experience similar to yours. Teaching elementary school classes, he asks the kids “who else here is an artist?” In 1st grade, everyone is. By 6th grade, the artist has pretty much been critiqued out of these kids. Hard to convince yourself, again, that you are creative.

   Reply
5. 

   Alistair says:

   October 3, 2011 at 6:34 am

   There’s also the fear of ‘brand’. That only the creative souls in the Marketing department can do any of the creative work, so if you want something submit your request to them, add it to their ever growing to-do list and wait. Balderdash – have a go at it yourself, but for petes sake check over the brand guidelines and let them sign it off.

   Reply

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I just love this guy's work...a bright spot in my day.

I see why Primo likes Termanology. Rico STaxx is nice too.

Warm up for the always-anticipated BET Hip Hop Awards Cypher. Featuring Gilbere Forte, Chris Sutton (Sprite’s Hot 16 Winner), XV and Jay Rock. For my money they could show an hours worth of cyphers and skip the awards, ya know?

Soul Food

In The Mood For Soul Food: Create A 'Picture Perfect' Bisque

TCleaves  |  10/01/2011 at 12:00 PM  |  Comments (1)

 

Kitchen Soundtrack: Eric Roberson feat. Phonte "Picture Perfect"

It's that time of year where the seasons and landscape transition from bright and lively hues to more relaxing and earthy tones. This is also the time where singles look to make lasting bonds that will carry throughout the remainder of the year. Yup, that's right it's Cuffin' Season. To celebrate the dawn of this year's season we offer up a dish and a song that blends the crisp flavors of summer with the warmth and comfort of autumn and a newfound partner: Picture Perfect Shrimp and Sausage Bisque.

Just like a comforting meal, Eric Roberson and Phonte's "Picture Perfect" takes you to a place that reminds you of all things perfect in love -- much in the same way a good bisque reminds you of Mom's perfect hand in the kitchen.

This is a light yet hearty meal that is easy to create and will surely guarantee a return visit by your new boo. The ingredients are simple enough for even the novice cook to master, and complete cooking time comes in around 35 minutes.

Picture Perfect Shrimp and Sausage Bisque

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup salted butter
2 cups light beer
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 medium bell peppers, chopped
3 stalks of celery, chopped
1 1/2 cups water
1 pound smoked sausage, sliced
2 cups frozen sweet corn
1/4 cup sugar
4 tablespoons parsley flakes
2 1/2 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
1/2 tablespoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 pounds raw large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Salt and black pepper to taste

Start by making a basic roux with the flour, butter, and beer. Brown the roux to a "Picture Perfect" golden yellow color. Once the roux is done, add the onion, garlic, bell pepper, celery, and water to the roux and stir. You may add more or less water to make your bisque as thin or thick as you like. Brown the sausage in a separate pan. Add the sausage to the roux along with the frozen corn, sugar, and spices. Simmer for 5 minutes then add the heavy cream while stirring constantly. Let simmer for 15 additional minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the shrimp and allow to cook until pink and opaque. Serve topped with Parmesan cheese.

Serves 4-6

Click here for a printable version of this recipe.

Tags: Cuffin' Season, Eric Roberson, Phonte, recipe, Shrimp and Sausage Bisque

Have you achieved all of the writing goals you set for yourself on January 1st? Are you happy with the progress you've made so far this year? Is there more you'd like to achieve before the year is through?

September 23rd is day #1 of the last 100 days of 2011. What daily writing goal are you willing to commit to starting on September 23rd (or on any day you choose to begin) for the next 100 days?

Your writing goal can be:

• The number of minutes or hours per day that you're going to write
• The number of words or pages per day that you're going to produce
• The number of scenes or sections per day that you're going to complete

Consistency is the key to success when pursuing a long term goal. Don't be afraid to experiment with the amount of time, or content, that you're committing to in order to discover the amount that challenges and stretches you, without putting you into overwhelm

I've designed a 100 Day Writing Challenge tracking sheet that you can use for this, or any 100 Day Writing Challenge. I've printed my sheet on card stock so it will last 100 days.

You can also use the 100 Day Challenge to build your author's platform or promote your book. Your promotional goal can be:

• Do 1 to 3 things every day to promote your book (interview, article, networking, etc.)
• Write 100 blog posts in 100 days
• Post daily to Twitter and Facebook
• Create an opt-in offer, and drive traffic to it daily to build your email list

Depending on what your writing or promotional commitment is, you can put a check mark in the day's box; the number of hours, words, or pages you've written; or the number of promotional tasks you've done. Since my commitment is to work an hour a day on an ebook I'm writing, I'm going to put a check mark in the box for an hour's writing, and the number of hours I wrote if I went longer.

There are three ways you can do a 100 Day Writing Challenge.

1. The Positive Reinforcement Method: In this writing challenge, you only keep track of the days you write. Every day you meet your goal, put a check mark in one of the boxes. If you miss a day, it's not recorded on the sheet in any way. In other words, if you wrote seven of the first ten days then the first seven boxes would have a check mark in them, and then whenever you wrote next you'd put a check mark in day eight. So the challenge sheet would keep track of 100 writing days, no matter how many days it took you to achieve this.

   PROS: Since you're only keeping track of your successes--of the days that you write--this method gives you a powerful dose of positive reinforcement. If you can't write every day, let's say your commitment is to write three days a week, then this can give you a sense of accomplishment over time. You'll see how those three days add up over the weeks and months that you're working on a project.

   CONS: Since you're not keeping track of how many days you missed in-between writing days, it could have been one day, or it could have been five days. You want to be careful to stay consistent and make an effort to write every day (or however many days you're committed to) so that you don't lose momentum.

2. The Box a Day Method: In this writing challenge, you fill in a box every day whether it's with a check mark to show that you wrote, or an X to show that you didn't write. So your 100 Day Writing Challenge will take 100 days, no matter how many of those days you actually write.

   PROS: By keeping track of how many days you write, and how many you don't, you get a real sense of your writing habits. You also have a visual incentive to get you (and keep you) writing. If you see that you've missed two days in a row, you're more likely to write on that third day than if you weren't keeping track.   

   CONS: If you see that you've missed more days than you feel comfortable with, it could have the effect of discouraging you. If this should happen, throw the tracking sheet away!

   It's important that you find a writing practice that works for you. Whenever you try something new, look at it as an experiment. After playing with it for awhile, ask yourself: "Is it helping and inspiring me, getting in my way, or not having much effect at all?" Be honest about what doesn't work for you, and be willing to let it go in order to find what does work.   

3. The 100 Days or Bust Method: To complete this challenge, you must write for 100 days straight. This means that if you miss a day, no matter how far along in the challenge you may be, you have to start all over again at day one.

   PROS: This will kick you into gear! I've done it. Once you've had to start over a couple of times you will do ANYTHING to complete your commitment for the day. If you're not feeling well, you'll do it. If you have company, you'll do it. If you get into bed and then realize you haven't written, yet, you'll get out of bed and do it. It's an amazing learning experience, and habit builder.   

   CONS: The larger your commitment, the less this works. There will often be days when you're about to go to sleep and realize you haven't written, yet. On those days, you may be able to push through and write for half an hour, or even an hour, but I doubt you could push through and write for three hours. And yet... this challenge might be just the incentive you need to get you to start writing earlier in the day. As always, do whatever works for you. 

The last thing to consider in a 100 Day Writing Challenge is the word that sits alone at the bottom of the challenge tracking sheet--Celebrate!

Before thinking about how you'll celebrate the completion of the challenge, think about what you'll be celebrating. Yes, you'll be celebrating:

• 100 days of writing
• a new (or stronger) habit of productivity
• the completion of the book you're working on (or, at least, completion of a substantial portion of it)
• new insights and understanding about your writing process

But what does this mean to you? How will it make you feel? How will it change how you see yourself? How will it change how others see you? How will it change your business?

Take the 2 or 3 strongest results from the questions above, and list them to the left of the word, "Celebrate," on the bottom of your tracking sheet. Then, to the right of the word, list how you would like to celebrate the completion of the challenge--and make it a celebration or reward worthy of your accomplishment. Make it something you want and are looking  forward to, something worth writing for.

Use this challenge to meet your writing goals for 2011. To inspire and prod  you. To challenge and encourage you. But most of all--to get you writing!

If you have any questions about the 100 day writing challenge, let me know.

Download the 100 Day Writing Challenge Tracking Sheet.

__________________________________

This is a do-it-yourself writing challenge.

If you'd like some support over the next 100 days to blog more consistently, come join me, and hundreds of bloggers, for the 2011 S.H.I.N.E. Online Blogging Challenge. It's going to be lots of fun, as well as highly productive.

If you'd like some coaching and support around writing, blogging, product creation, platform building, or promotion to finish 2011 off strong, I offer new clients an introductory hour-long coaching session for $50 (that's $75 off my normal $125 hourly rate). You can get more info here.