MOOD MUSIC

i've decided i'm going to bless you guys with all different kinds of music that i'm in the mood for. whether its some new shit, or something old that i completely forgot about, i'm just throw the shit up here, and hopefully you can feel me on this...one of the first songs of this year that has really tickled my fancy is this "Unthinkable (i'm ready)" track by alicia keys. now, i know this didnt come out this year, but i've taken a liking to it and i wanted to share it with you. alicia is in a class all her own, and i feel she can only compete with herself. she really out-did it this time..

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TASHY'S THROWBACK OF THE WEEK

you cannot forget about good music, no matter how old it gets, and i've decided i'm going to throw it back for you guys once a week. i'll start this week with a Big Pun track, marking not only his death this month, but acknowledging his contribution to the world of hip-hop. i'd also like to make mention to Big L and J.Dilla from Slum Village who both also past away in this month. May their music stay alive through its listeners.

Anticipation in 2010

SOOOOOO MANY NEW PROJECTS going on this year, with so many artists slated for comebacks and re-appearances, 2010 will hopefully mark a great year in music. Some things that i am looking forward to include the 2nd album that Eminem has promised to us following the first "Relapse" album from 2009. i cannot WAIT for this new Method Man, Ghostface and Raewkon project, in which the group has been appropriately been named Shaolin Monks (haha, fuckin classic). This will also be Sade's return the the album making business in about 10 years! Young Jeezy's "Thug Motivation 103" is among the most-anticipated. i know i am DYING for Usher's Raymond vs. Raymond. i've always said he's done his best work with a heartbreak, and this time should be no different. these are just a few that should be popping up in the first quarter (cross your fingers). i'll be back soon and let you know what else will be coming up!

BEST of '09

its been a while, almost 3 damn months since i've written anything. i've been busy preparing some content and more of a vision for this blog. i hope to update it at least every other day, i have too much to say to not be on here every day! i want to reflect a little bit on 2009 in terms of music. on my radio show on DTFradio.com, i have a "Tashy Takeover Topic of the Week" and i was anticipating the day that i could ask "what were YOUR top 5 favorite album of the year?" while i had to think about this question for a bit before answering, by listeners had no problem answering without thinking twice about it. mind you, at this point there were a couple of album that had just dropped, including the Snoop Dogg "Malice in Wonderland" as well as the Alicia Keys "The Element of Freedom" which were probably left out just because we didnt get enough time to listen before making our decisions. i'm going to just run down the list of albums, in no particular order....

Eminem- Relapse

Drake-So Far Gone

Mos Def- The Ecstatic

Beyonce-I am...Sasha Fierce

Rihanna- Rated R

Rick Ross-Deeper Than Rap

Jay-z-Blueprint 3

Ghostface Killah-Ghostdini: The Wizard of Poetry

Fabolous- Loso's Way

Asher Roth- Asleep in the Bread Isle

Maxwell-BLACKsummer's Night

3 Months

its been 3 months since i picked up a pen and wrote something. i'm not sure how i feel about this but i'm gonna share it with you, i'm at a breaking point in my life...so i'll share with u both of the things i wrote..one after another...i hope my change in vibe doesnt bug u out...

never was this part of the plan

i was done giving myself to this certain young man

i feel stripped, broken, way beyond repair

but never was my mind in dispair

you wasn't there, good thing for that

and to be honest, i will never fuckin take you back

won't look back, i ask myself who i was

who i am, i let me be defined by my choice in a man

realizing now i'm acting as you always wanted

perhaps its because you wasn't worthy of flaunting

me and every dimension i possess

nor did you deserve a place to rest

i thank you for now as i feel stronger

more hungry than ever, time is very clever

its the most natural healing remedy

but there seems to be no 'scrip for me

if time's in a bottle, i'd drink the whole fifth

follow it with a dutch filled with piff

i'll get by, matta fact, already have

Just leave now, i'll call you a cab

and shortly after getting that out...i wrote this...

seems like repetition

to get passed a certain point of recognition

can't read em, they either hitting or missing

the point between ignoring and listening

the medium that we communicate on

should be as arousing as me tickling your palm

moving up your arm while you lip the words to my favorite song

the fence is up, we on the same side

and if you wanna get over, you know i'm gon climb

we will reach the top alone, just hold my hand on the way down

break ground

its like i've been here before deja vu

but it feels different standing next to u

i'm acting all brand new, no demons just convictions

just some rules that outline my vision

of what things are and not should be

or what was or what could be

its the moments in which time doesn't exist

we resist, just to tease ourselves before we kiss

understanding you are not me, but as we

we can be

RECENT SHOWS

Finally getting back into concert mode!!!! I was in atlantic city this past weekend for KTU's Freestyle Free For All. now i know a lot of you 80's babies out there are gonna ask me what the hell i know about freestyle right??? well, your right, i wasn't brought up on the music, but i was put on several years ago and i haven't been able to stop listening ever since. It has been a dream of mine to go to one of these freestyle concerts, with a full line-up of heavy hitters, and straight two-step till i can't no more. the concert was everything i expected and more, the crowd was older as we seemed like the youngest ones there, besides the kids that got dragged to the concert by their parents. its funny because i ddint grow up in the era where this music was poppin, so i have a certain misconception about what all of these artists look like. to say the least, they sure dont look like they did in the 80's, but they definitely sounded like they did then. Debbie Deb, Rob Base, Stevie B, The Cover Girls, Lisa Lisa all blessed us with classics such as "It Takes Two" "Spring Love", "Show Me" and "I Wonder If I Take You Home." they all sounded exactly like the tracks. anyway, the fans of this music are straight die hard, they know every word and every dance they were doing back in the day, and they weren't afraid to let everyone know. my henny and cokes tasted real good to the sounds of the 80's, this music is timeless.

I also got the opportunity to go an "underground" show, if you will, which featured a few friends of mine: Oxy Morons, Prophit and Children of the Night. while i've been to their shows a number of times, i have been slackin lately and with the occasion of being off of work, it was only right to attend. the show began with a couple rock cover/original bands, i walked in while they were doing a rock version of "Empire State of Mind" which was truly tolerable but i would love to not hear that song for a really long time, or the Blueprint 3 for that matter, but thats another story...The next band, called Tres Bueno took the stage, and started to play the beginning of "Jesus Walks" which definitely got us hip-hop head's attention. After the tease, they began to sing songs about booger sugar which i can only guess means coke haha, it was quite amusing. They then went on to do a rock version of soulja boy's "Crank Dat" where they sang his lyrics awfully fast to a head-banging beat. The crowd reacted surprised but accepting of their humor. Oxy Morons then took the stage with a montage of new songs as well as some older ones that i've fallen in love with from earlier this year. two brothers and their mutual friend make up this group of music that i can only explain as a montage of hip-hop, ska, punk and rock. the ladies love these guys as they pair their lyrics with some smooth singing that seranaded the audience. Next up was Prophit. This guy is a straight crowd pleaser. his hard hitting songs paired with intricate lyrics keeps you intrigued as you try and feel his energy. its pretty easy considering he's always getting the audience involved in his performance. at one moment i looked back to see what the crowd was looking like, and all i saw was people smiling realizing how hard he goes every time hes on stage. He spit a freestyle that was full of clever punchlines taking a couple stabs at certain things which was a side i hadnt seen from prophit yet. Up next, Children of the Night. They stayed true to their 100% mixtape performing classics such as "Cartunes" and "Real Smoov" and they also gave us a good taste of their new LP that is hopefully coming out soon CUZ I NEED THAT! the change in sound from their first mixtape to the next will surely be different, as ive gotten to hear some of their new stuff which can onlybe described as very dark, but i guess its suitable for Children of the Night. they ripped the stage as they always do, if anyone is interested in going to these shows, u gotta hit me up, i'll def put u on. having gone to most of their shows throughout the summer, i can only say that they are getting better and better, as everyone will with time, and these are def some of the up and coming artists that ya'll should look out for

DEAR HIP-HOP

i always knew that when i started writing and rhyming that i would definitely have to do a "Dear Hip-Hop" track. its only right to give back to your inspiration, and with that said, here is my letter to Hip-Hop...

Dear Hip-Hop, 

Lyrically you reach the epitome

of what it means to be

to be incredibly

physically strong, to handle

all these songs

speaking the epiphanies 

too much of it is real to me

O coward conscience?

How dost thou afflict me?

Dear Hip-Hop, 

how did u claim me?

years later you tamed me

made me

the person i am

the person i wanna be

the compositions understand

why i smoke tree

why i wanna be alone

and when i wanna bone

when i need it to stop

or wish is was faster

all the punchlines followed by giggles and laughter

all the flows so sick someone call me a pasteur

i think ive died and gone to heaven

oh no its only the 7th 

bar

homie i was just chillin, drinkin

i was gon get right back

can't wait till you ask for me on the track

make some beautiful music of my own

oh Hip-Hop, why did you give me a home?

let me roam, i'm never alone

with these buds in my ear

nothing i fear, clouds left, now its clear

i know 2009 gon be my year

DA ART OF STORYTELLING

now while many emcees try to master the art of storytelling, i can only think of one person who was a damn master...SLICK RICK of course! this dude was the king of storytelling, so i decided to explore my own story...i dont ask you to understand it or even like it, i just ask that you listen to my story...

So indecisive, clouded my life is

ended a chapter, the words i'll miss

page 3080 i bump the speakers and ride

my rearview mirrors, i cant even figure

out the corner of my eye my mind replies,

"how do i look back and drive at the same time?"

my recent experience so unkind

i try and swallow what pride i have left

and know that a sane life is one with no regrets

fuck a mid-life crisis, who said 50

is the only time in life i can be iffy

take is to '04, i already OD'd and widthdrew

how many 17 year olds you know been through

not being able to put the money in the account

thought you was my friend? oh no a miscount

it comes with the job, either get arrested or robbed

oh? and those regrets i was talkin about

yeah i got one

i would have taken the hit and let you run

all i know is i'm the only one who 'fessed

now both our worlds are a mess

i hated Mary Jane, that bitch betrayed me

no longer were my days high and carefree

like the drugs, the money was addicting

i knew i shouldnt, but one more 20 wont hurt

i had to stop, step out of my zone of comfort

i think now i would never quit

but my p.o. stayed watchin me piss

8 months i went, then she called my name

she said "Tashy tash, can you come out to play?"

followed by, "i know you didnt forget..."

i said "what to roll the blunt i gotta get it wet?"

of course i remember, break it up, i got the dutch

here i go in the old routine smoking joints and such

now i'm back in, i dont feel its a sin

if anything it was something my life was missin

but back to the story, i needed to prove myself

do it alone, so i can lose myself

i applied, got in, and there were no more questions

NY was my destination

days pass, the questions arise, was it the end of my rhyme?

have i been defeated? NY i feel cheated

this tunnel so dark, eyes cant adjust

another date with NY is a must

i forgave him, granted him another chance

knew i wanted him to be my man

i took a bite of the big apple

fell into a deep trance, i was romanced

he asked with a hand, "Would you like to dance?"

i stressed the "yes" and took a deep breath

"This is a high you will never forget"

pop & lock, two-step, laugh till we cry

"Oh you gotta man?"...."Yeah, i'm in love with NY"

now 3 years later things couldnt be greater

school work done now i gotta chase that paper....

FREAK NASTYYYY

i tried my hand at a lil kim inspired piece, i wanted to see how nasty i could get without blushing hahah...here i go...

 

My lips you kiss

wish it was my hips you miss

as they sway from side to side

maybelline stay on the lash of my eye

tryna find that guy

to make my eyes lose track

make my shirt throw back

make my ass clap clap

but if its another acuerdo

will you love me in the morning?

make you go round

till you cant help but go down

got the chocolate melting quick

go thru withdrawal from my shit

tellin me "yo i got 5 on it"

i wanna split it

spill my guts and hit it

now i'm lit

oh no he started with the clit

and its starts to blow my mind

promiscuity always a crime

stay away from the grime

all the while i grind

i rise

see yourself on my eyes

as you gaze thru the haze 

that makes your heart feel wise... 

CONCERTS/SHOWS

I'm so excited to talk about the concerts i've been to in the last year. Honestly, i was never one for live shows because i've always associated shows with things like Summer Jam where there is absolutely NO intimacy between the audience and performers. anyway, before i get into that, i'm going to start where i really started to fall in love with live shows. it was october 2008. a couple of my girlfriends suggested we go to the Jay-Z and Lil Wayne concert. i had no reservations about this, but at the same time i had no expectations about the show. i'm thinking, 'aight, i know all of Jay's songs and Lil Wayne got some bangers, it couldn't be a bad time.' Ne-Yo and D-Block opened up for the show, Ne-Yo knocked it out the park with his fly songs complimented by even more amazing dancers. D-Block killed it too, but i did feel their set was super short, i know i could have listened to them all night. Now, i'm there and its time for Jay to come on, Lil Wayne took the stage prior but honestly i could have done without his performance because he seems like he's always heavily intoxicated and being sloppy doesn't make for a good show. Needless to say he was rapping lying down on stage, and when i say rapping, i mean he was mumbling in the mic. ANYWAY, Jay comes out, and starts with his collage of songs with Memphis Bleek and then went into bangers such as "Roc Boys", "Show Me Watch You Got" and the forever classic "Can I Live." DJ AM made an appearance and began to play throwbacks like "Can I Get A.." Beyonce made a cameo appearance and told everyone if they liked it then they shoulda put a ring on it. Jay then finished the concert by shouting out people in the audience. I believe its because this was my first time seeing Jay-Z that i really realized the catalog that this guy has. there was not a song that didnt come on that didnt make me feel like the first time i heard that shit. and all i wanted to do was scream the lyrics so he knew that i straight co-sign with his every lyric and rhyme. Regardless of perhaps liking some songs over others, i really applaud Jay for being able to not only keep us hooked for so long, which is damn near impossible nowadays, but he ALWAYS leaves you with wanting more. this was the beginning of my fetish with seeing people live, i wanted to fall in love with hip-hop again

Next was Boyz II Men. a definite throwback, i randomly googled to see if they even did shows anymore, and it turned out that they were going to be at B.B. King's. Let me tell you, out of all their songs, "Motown Philly" is seriously one of my favorites. THEY OPENED THE SHOW WITH THAT SONG! it was the perfect way to start off the show, it got me so hyped which was good because it was towards the end of the show where they went through their archive of ballads where everyone starts to wind down. These guys are even more amazing live than they are on their albums. i think singers have it so much harder than rappers because they are forced to sound exactly how the album does, and if not, they are deemed a fake. Boyz II Men are truly the definition of entertainers, not only do they sound amazing, but the pain and joy that you felt when you heard their music was obviously present at the concert, being that it was in a smaller venue, you had the best seat in the house anywhere. they sang their hearts out to "Mama", "End of the Road" and "Water Runs Dry" just to name a few. They went back to their Motown Days as we listened to the classic tunes paired with old school moves. there is something about singing that really touches my soul, when someone can move you with only a sound, a noise, a note, that's real talent. 

The next concert i went to was the I AM Tour with Beyonce. now i dont know if its just me, but i think Beyonce is one of the baddest bitches in the entertainment biz. this chick is so versatile its ridiculous, she can easily rock to an R&B beat with a song like "Dangerously In Love", she slams upbeat dance tracks like "Get Me Bodied", she murders jazzy joints like "Ego" and just recently she went to the house side of things with and Michael Jackson inspired beat with "Sweet Dreams." of course Jay made his cameo, which made me think about how amazing it must be to be on stage with your significant other who shares the same love of performance. but enough about him, her concert was a damn timeline of her entire career up until now, even with a Destiny's Child tribute where all of her dancers rocked out to the songs as Beyonce had a wardrobe change. i went with one other friend, we have a mutual respect for Beyonce so it definitely wasn't just a concert, it was an experience. There was a point where she was lifted off stage and suspended in air over the audience as she basically "flew" to the other, smaller stage in the middle of the floor audience. now, i know that Beyonce is a master when it comes to choreography, but i always wondered if we were in a club situation, if Bey could do her thang. they start playing reggae, and she starts singing "You dont love me and i know now"...tell me why this chick starts doin the dutty wine like ive never seen anyone before. this was the defining moment for me, she really is a bad bitch. the whole concert was everything i expected and more, she was definitely someone "i had to see before i die." 

thats what i got for now...i'm coming back soon with the brooklyn hip-hop festival, a couple jam sessions with The Roots, and i'm super excited about this upcoming Major Lazer concert....catch ya soon....