6/9/2009: PART 18 It’s Obama’s Fault! The other day I was watching the news and an interesting story ran that President Obama took his wife on a date using the Marine 1 Helicopter for the short flight from DC to New York. “What a waste of taxpayer’s money!” One conservative yelled out. As another cried, “GM is going into bankruptcy, and Obama & Michelle are having steaks in the village.” You know, after a little over 100 days, I tend to agree. So here is a little list of a lot of other meaningless things that we can blame Obama for:   My wife walked out on me. It’s Obama’s fault, why does he have to be so good to Michelle in pubic? The black dropout rate & incarceration rates are still at an all time high. It’s Obama’s fault, he was supposed to give us reparations. Judge Sotomayor will soon be confirmed to the Supreme Court. Hispanics are still taking our jobs! It’s Obama’s fault! I shot some nigga because he tried to charge me $11.00 for a dime bag.  It’s Obama’s fault! He gave the banks a bail out, what about the neighborhood drug dealer? I couldn’t get a haircut the other day. It’s Obama’s fault! He should pass a bill to keep barbershops open on Mondays. My father said I was accident. It’s Obama’s fault! He wasn’t born soon enough to be an example to my father. My girl pumped her arms up and she’s stronger than me now. It’s Obama’s fault! He shouldn’t let Michelle bear her arms. She could get stoned for that in some muslim countries.  I can’t blame being unemployed on racism anymore. It’s Obama’s fault. He shouldn’t have the best job in the world based solely on his qualifications. Every nigga on my block got a Cadillac now. It’s Obama’s fault! He shouldn’t have given GM a bailout and made them liquidate vehicles. It ain’t special no more! My Obama Chia Pet Afro won’t grow. It’s Obama’s fault! He stole all of the seeds inside so that they couldn’t just pimp his name with black figurines. My pastor can’t preach about Jesus anymore. It’s Obama’s fault! Everybody treats him like he’s the second coming of Christ. That goddamn Barack Obama, what will he do next? Rhymefest's next blog entry coming this Friday!

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5/26/2009: PART 17

Crack Parents of the 70s, Crack Babies of the 80s & Club Kids Now  1970s After Vietnam, many black soldiers came home addicted to heroin and alcohol, a habit which many of them formed in the jungle just to keep them sane during the 24 hour gun battles. This became big business for the neighborhood drug dealer yet reeked havoc and was the beginning of a crisis for many of our communities around the country. The days of Black Panther Black Power were out of the window. Many black folks traded in that powerful Afro for a relaxer, a la Superfly or The Mac. Couple this with the social welfare programs that dictated the more children you had, the more money you could get from the government, as long as the mother remained single with no man living in the home and yes social workers made surprise visits to ensure the men stayed away. It was the beginning of a recipe for the crack boom of the 80s. Misguided fatherless children under the care of welfare mothers with no education trained each other in street survival tactics.   1980s Crack was the new thing at the time and many young black men were becoming millionaires, getting their communities, girlfriends and neighbors hooked. The newborn 80s babies would often have to be raised by grandma while momma battled her crack habit and daddy was still MIA. As artists like LL Cool J, Public Enemy & Eric B. & Rakim combined with Nancy Reagan’s “Just Say No” campaign railed against drug abuse, their message seemed to fall on deaf ears, seeing as though her husband Pres. Ronald Reagan was rumored to be the one who opened the hood to crack and many of those artists were financially backed by the biggest dope dealers in the hood.   1990s The children of the 90s were children and grandchildren of the 70s welfare queens and crack 80s babies. While the grandmothers were becoming the matriarchs trying to hold the family together, and the mothers were battling their own demons, the internet and technology exploded, becoming the guide for the kids. Children literally sat in front of TV all day, and their attitudes, fashion, and goals were shaped by popular culture. Couple this with a shift in drugs from crack to pills (exstacy, speed & prescription), and you have an oversexualized self-centered generation X.   Now Now Generation X has grown up and they are mothers and fathers who because of their understanding of hip-hop and “young culture,” live a sort of eternal childhood. Many mothers party with their daughters and keep up with all the new ghetto dances and because they are the self-centered generation, it is still all about them and rarely their children. However, despite these challenges, we do see black fathers making a comeback and picking up the slack a little more than generations past. Because of technology, our attention spans are shorter so the music has become faster with more of a robotic sound (autotune), It seems as though many children now are quick to put members of the older generation in their place, not being afraid to call them old, wrong and stupid to their face. I wonder what type of parents our children will become?

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5/19/2009: PART 16 Destroying Black Radio or Protecting Performer’s Rights? You Decide.   It’s funny how the things that you’re passionate about can be nonexistent one day, but the next consume your existence. Recently, I was introduced to an issue on performance artist’s rights. A bill entitled HR 848, sponsored by Rep. John Conyers passed through the Judiciary Committee last week to ensure that radio stations pay American artists performance royalties whenever their songs are played. Currently digital radio, television and film pay performer’s royalties to artists and the only countries that don’t include North Korea, China, Iran and the U.S. But all other foreign radio stations pay artist perfomer’s royalties. Seems fair right?  Well it is.    You’d be surprised how when the power structure rears it’s head to fight against fairness, how effective it can be at convincing people that the opposite is true. Cathy Hughes, owner of Radio One (which includes over 50 stations), Al Sharpton and Tom Joyner are using the radio as the pulpit to fight against paying artist performing royalties claiming that it will destroy black-owned and gospel radio stations. They are calling it a “tax” against black radio, when in actuality, it is a small annual royalty fee that all radio, regardless of race will be required to pay to compensate artists for their work that is being used by the stations to generate ad and sponsorship revenue that they make billions off of each year. There is no smaller business than an independent artist. Seeing as though most artists are not Mariah Carey, Kanye, or Jay-Z, these royalties will do great good in helping them provide for their families, pay for healthcare and other life necessities in order to continue to bring the world great music. Isn’t it a shame that although “Respect” by Aretha Franklin is played on the radio, only Otis Redding receives compensation because he is the writer and she receives nothing. It is true that currently, BMI & ASCAP provide the writer’s royalties every time their songs are played on the radio. The performers often die broke because they don’t receive anything. This is one of the reasons James Brown couldn’t rest in the last years of his life and ended up performing even through his illness just to pay his bills.   I recently traveled to Houston, TX and spoke with Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee another supporter of the bill whom I know personally would not do anything to hurt black businesses. Despite all of the positive work that she has done in the black community and for minority business owners such as Cathy Hughes, it baffles me how these same people roused emotions to the point where the Congresswoman received over 4,000 calls accusing her of “selling out.” I’m learning so much about how the politics of capitalism works. When you don’t want to be fair, you accuse the other person of unfairness.   True indeed, artists need radio to help promote their projects as well as open them up to new audiences but at the same time, radio would be nothing without music to play. As they do concerts where they charge the community for tickets, as well as collect ad and sponsorship revenue for their own private gain, so should the performing artist be compensated for their beautiful voices. For more information visit http://www.musicfirstcoalition.org and contact your local representatives and senators to tell them you support HR 848 The Performance Rights Act.

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4/21/2009: PART 15 Ask Rhymefest    1. How can you tell if an emcee has lost touch with what's real? You pose a very interesting question seeing as though I was just speaking with someone about the same issue this morning. Just because an artist is commercial, hood, or pop doesn’t mean they are not being sincere. Just because another artist may speak about conscious issues doesn’t mean they are being sincere. Honestly, Scarface is gangsta but he relates to me on a human level concerning his lifestyle. Common may speak about social issues but also makes songs about having threesomes (“Go”). Ultimately, I don’t know that it matters how in touch the artist is as a person. Either you enjoy the music and it has meaning for your life or it doesn’t.   2, From your perspective and experience how realistic is it that artists are sometimes force fed tracks (whether its due to relationships, marketing ploy or any other avenue that may jeopardize the integrity of the artist)? Or do you think that artists don't even care about their "ear for beats" and choose whatever? Major label artists are always force fed specific producers. At the end of the day, the label wants to go with recognizable names in order to garner the trust of the listening audience for an unknown artist. What a solution may be for you, would be to find the hottest untapped talent in the city and begin forming a relationship that grows into gaining respect from the majors.   3. Scale of 1 to 10. How would you rate your ability to tolerate stupidity? I have a very low tolerance for ignorance although I’m learning most people are ignorant and my impatience only hurts me.   4. Why does it seem like the music industry avoids emcees from Detroit? The music industry is not avoiding anyone, it is up to you as an artist to put yourself in a position where you’re desired by the people. They determine who is chosen not record labels. Stop looking at major labels as your savior and look to your own ability to lead through your talent. If you can’t inspire people to raise you up among the pack neither can a record label, BET or your local radio station.   5. With the current state of the game, how do you stay motivated to keep doing what you do? How do you define success, musically or otherwise? What keeps you going?  What advice would you give to a somewhat discouraged (with the state of the game) up and coming lyricist that loves good music? First of all, you need to determine why you do music. Are you trying to make a million dollars or express yourself and be heard. If you’re actively trying to be a millionaire then there are certain things that you need to do. Lyricism is not one of them. If you just love hip hop, then there are plenty of ways to express yourself via social networking sites, local shows and youtube. My personal success is defined by knowing that my music can be the theme song of people’s lives. Whether it’s 3 or 30,000, songs like “Jesus Walks,” and “Bullet” have taught me that it is possible to alter the course of people’s lives through music. As long as I’m able to do that, I’m successful.   6. Do you have any plans, or have you considered releasing your mixtape acappellas?  I'm thinkin' a fan-produced "The Manual: REMix Tape" would do very well... That’s a good idea and I will take it into consideration.   7. Is your song “R.N.Q.” that you did with DJ Premier still going to be on El Che?  If not, why not?  Cuz that joint is CRAZY. Although I love RNQ, I don’t see it officially making the “El Che” album because people have already heard it. “El Che” needs to be brand new and exciting from top to bottom, don’t you think?   8. Last year I think songs for El Che leaked, It was about 10 songs & you said you were scrapin’ the album & startin’ over. What will happen to those songs? Is "Angry Black Man in an elevator” still on El Che? Will "Stolen" & the others still see the light of day or will you make an official itunes El Che with these joints on there?  You may see “Angry Black Man on an Elevator” feat .Lil John on one of my upcoming projects however songs like “Stolen” weren’t as well received as I thought they would be so you may have to live with just the You Tube video for now.   9. Dream Collaboration? If you could do a song with any artist right now (not counting Michael Jackson) who would it be? Devin the Dude.   10. Do you feel that R&B is more dead today than Hip Hop Is? R & B is alive and well my friend. There are rarely any hip hop songs that survive without an R & B song. Look at all the rappers that are trying to make hits by taking 90s R & B songs and flipping them (a la Plies, etc.).   11. What are some of your thoughts on what the internet has done for hip-hop culture? The internet has leveled the playing field. Whereas the average artist trying to make it doesn’t need major radio play and a million BET spins before they are accepted. Embrace the internet, grow your online fans and you’ll find in success in your music.   12. What exactly can I do to get better breathe control? Exercise and cardio. Stop eating hog mogs and pig ears and hop on the elliptical machine. You should see improvements in no time.   13. Who are your top 5 and why? There are too many artists for me to have a top 5. How can I possibly put Rakim over Eminem, or Eminem over Nas. These people have all contributed great works to hip hop and we can appreciate them for different reasons.   14. Do you feel that such factors as fashion, record sales, and popularity seem to have a negative affect on Hip-Hop? No I don’t however, whenever your favorite past time goes corporate, it loses a bit of the magic.   15. Who is one of the up and coming rappers that you see a lot of potential in and want to work with? B.o.B, I really like melody and his lyrical flexibility.   16. Do you think the commercialization of hip hop has helped the art form or do you think commercial hip hop should be left to "die" so that only those with real love for the art would participate? Nothing commercial can be left to die as long as we live in a capitalistic society. If you care art, then support it and be prepared to spend your life fighting for it.   17. In the Intro, El Che is referred to as an "iconic revolutionary"...I may be assuming a lot here, but how do you see yourself as an "iconic revolutionary" in this rap game? This is a good question and thank you for asking. In a world where everyone is concerned about how much they are getting for their services. I care more about the service than I do about the compensation. My aim is not to create a multimillion dollar corporation, but to inspire minds and change hearts. This is a lifelong task that often goes thankless but I am ready and willing to endure.  18. Will there be anymore free music? Yes, I enjoy releasing free music. It allows me to be creative without the pressure of “What was his first week like.”   19. Is there artist creativity in mainstream Hip Hop of today? Yes, perfect example, Kanye West, Outkast and Lil Wayne.   20. Are there any non-hip hop artists you'd like to work with? I’ve always wanted to work with JK from Jamiroquai. The Streets (from the UK), Nina Simone and Nat King Cole.   21. Has the economic downturn affected the music industry at your level? If so, how? Yes, everyone is less willing to take risks. Especially on artists who are not known for selling millions of copies.

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4/14/2009: PART 14 I Keep My Money Where The Jews Be  I received the following letter from a Jewish fan on Myspace and wanted to share his concern about one of my lines from “Exodus 5.1” from “The Manual.” First you’ll see his letter, and then my response. Let me know your thoughts.   'Fest-  I wanted to let you know that I'm a big fan of "The Manual." I really enjoy the mixtape, and have been listening to your music for a minute now. However, I had an issue with one of your songs off of the above mixtape. When I first heard "Exodus 5.1," I loved it. I thought it was a track with very poignant subject matter, an INSANE beat...everything that you'd want in a dope Hip-Hop song.  However, I had an issue with this line: "I keep my tool right where the jewels be/and keep my money right where the Jews be."  I just wanted to get clarification about that line. I don't want to assume anything about it, but as a Jewish person, I was wondering what your intent was with it. You're an intelligent person--that's obvious from both your music and your interviews. I know that you didn't intend to offend anyone with that line. However, I was offended by it. It's not necessarily the line itself, but the stereotype implicit within it.  I wanted to start an open dialogue with you in order to get this issue cleared, as it's been troubling me for quite some time now. If you get a chance, can you respond? I'd like to get your perspective on the lyric.  PEACE Def   MY RESPONSE: First of all, I'd like to thank you for being a fan, which for artists like me, can be very hard to come by these days. I also appreciate your interest in lyrical content when it comes to hip hop. To answer your question about the line in Exodus 5.1, I'd first like to say that many of my closest friends are Jewish. Mark Ronson and Scram Jones who produced the entire Manual mixtape just to name two. Also, a few months ago, I just left Israel where I was visiting Tel Aviv and East Jerusalem which is considered the Palestinian territory. So, my interest in Jewish Culture and Issues is more informed than many people may know.   The history between blacks and Jews in America, is very extensive and complex. Did you know that Jewish people helped fund the founding of the NAACP, as well as the SCLC (Dr. King's organization)? However, we've also had an antagonistic relationship, that needs to be discussed as well. Now the line in Exodus 5.1, was simply truth according to my experience. I am signed to Allido records, which is owned by a Jewish person (Mark Ronson). As well as J. Records, which is owned by a Jewish person (Clive Davis). So my checks have been written by Jewish people. By the way, my lawyer is also Jewish. So to me, that line represents my reality, not a stereotype.   I wouldn't consider it offensive if someone said, "I keep my money where the blacks be," in fact, I hope that will be a reality one day. To be intelligent, business minded, and viewed as such by the world, is not racist or offensive, it's a compliment. One that I wish my people could have bestowed upon us instead of lazy, shiftless, sex-crazed and criminal. Let me know your thoughts.   El Che  ASK RHYMEFEST: The Blog Entry for next week, will feature a series of questions that I will answer. You have until Monday, April 20, 2009, 6:00 p.m. to send your question to rhymefestassistant@gmail.com. Your question can be about anything.

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4/9/2009: PART 13 The Manual: Hopping Out of the Music Business? El Che’s Review…  I know my latest entry is a day and a half late, but it took that much time for me to honestly and constructively evaluate my own project “The Manual.” With a powerful intro titled “Who Is Che?” I am convinced that not all great things on albums have to come from just the music itself. This intro really prepares the listener for the experience that they are about to dive into. Funny, intelligent, and ferocious. “Damn, this is like playing the lawyer and the witness.” But let’s continue shall we?   The first song “The Coolness,” is a joint I wanted to do, long before I thought of the idea of doing a Golden Era Pre-Album. I just always thought that the drums on the old MC Lyte “Paper Thin” were dope as hell. My favorite songs on the album are “Party 4 Free” which was at the beginning of the CD at first, until Konee Rok and Shadowkat persuaded me to put it further down, which I think now was a mistake, because people seem to be gravitating toward that song in particular. “Think About It!” even though I never know what the hell Sadat X is talking about, it always sounds so good. How many rappers can do that? “Pulls Me Back” because of its visual and emotional narrative. I’ve heard a few fans say that they love “Goin In” featuring Queen Latifah, even though they feel as though she burned me on my own fucking song. That’s cool with me, I’d rather get schooled by a legend than one of these new little radio friendly arrogant niggas.     Listening to “The Manual” helps me to realize more of who and what I really am as an artist. Underground, mainstream, cult-like, and maybe not even an artist at all. So many things wrapped in one. It’s no wonder most people can gravitate to an action figure like 50 or a smooth-Don like Jay-Z, or the dope dealer like Jeezy. These artists usually represent one message to their listener. Rhymefest while not wack, may indeed be too complex.   Interesting to note though, before “The Manual” was dropped, I released both “Supersonic (Chucky Cheese)” and “Exodus 5.1.” In one day, the CH diss, garnered 15,000 downloads. “Exodus”, which is a far better song to me garnered only 6,000. I’m learning quick that ya’ll mothafuckas love drama.   Scram Jones who produced and helped to direct the majority of the album’s flow has one of the most bi-polar ears in music. He’ll start one song, stop it, and just flip to a whole nother track and say “Let’s do this one.” In the middle of recording that track,  he’ll stop and say “No, we should be doing this one.” You would think that it would be annoying, but I like that type of pace because it keeps the mind constantly moving as to not feel boredom. He’s so talented, that my admiration of him cannot be put into words. Here is a white boy that raps, DJs and produces better than a lot of people who only do one of those things. Every night before we got started, he and I would actually freestyle battle to warm up. I must admit, he caught me out there maybe once. My most manliest moment on this album, I would have to say is my verse on “Deals a Deal” feat. CL Smooth and Haffa. “A deals a deal/a mans a man/ your words your word/ and you gone know where I stand,” describes me as a person best. Actually, between “Man in the Mirror” and “The Manual,” I am really considering not making records to sell anymore. Yes, that’s right. Hopping out of the record “business” and just making music to give away. In my current situation with “El Che,” I honestly don’t know when it’s going to drop. There is so much red tape concerning J. Records and what they think will be profitable and when. You, the fans, shouldn’t have to wait for that. So in the spirit of revolution, I will never keep you waiting as long as you have been for more Rhymefest music.  Out of five stars, I give “The Manual” four and a half.

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3/31/2009: PART 12 If You Want To Hide Something From a Nigga Put It In A Book  When I initially began this journal, I started off by saying this would be for the 10 earthlings who still practice the lost art of reading. And while I must admit that my comments at their peak have reached 61, I think most of them just came for the Subway Beat Down Scene and not the actual words that were printed. I understand how reading can make most people sleepy, however your brain is a muscle, like any another part of your body that must be exercised in order to become strong.   Social Networking sites are not efficient aerobics for the brain. In fact, they may be just as mind-numbing as television. A book that I just finished reading is Blue Rage, Black Redemption: A Memoir of Crips Co-Founder Stanley Tookie Williams. Before that, I read The Watchmen. Before that, I read Heart of a Woman by Maya Angelou. So has my 10 year old son.     Recently, I did an Original Vs. Game on Twitter where I was comparing books, hoping that my audience would be able to hang with me. Not Edgar Allen Poe or Shakespeare, easy shit: 48 Laws of Power vs. The Secret, Art of Seduction vs. Art of War but all most of ya’ll niggas knew was 48 Laws Of Power, and could only remember three of the laws, but raved about how dope the book was. Today I asked my son, what did he think was the best way to people to start reading? His reply was, “It’s easy, make the pictures move.” HE’S A FREAKING 10-YEAR-OLD!!! So right here and now, I am opening the floor to suggestions on the best way to renew this generation’s love of reading. Hell, let’s start a Hip Hop Book Club! I’m down. El Che

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3/24/2009: PART 11 Last night, I was watching The First 48, a show I usually don’t have time to watch, but on this particular night it had me glued to my seat. A young mother of two was faced with the decision of revealing the location of her alleged murderous boyfriend or being charged with a crime and losing custody of her children. It made me question what do you tell to whom and for what reason? The term snitching in today’s culture seems to be very broad, maybe in fact too broad. While we know that police brutality exists and the judicial system is tilted against blacks and browns, many of our enemies are the same ones promoting the “no snitch” code (real talk).   In this environment, how do we determine which is the lesser of the evils? If someone harms a family member, what is the line between street justice, allowing the judicial system to handle it or a little of both? If the police are unnecessary to approach about crimes in our community, why don’t we know of any community organization that serves the village style justice many of us would seem to prefer. (For example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfmAfujW28A&feature=email) Who mediates justice for the single mom whose daughter has been molested by the neighbor downstairs? Who does the fifteen year old whose bike has just been stolen by the local gang turn to for help? It’s very easy to say, “don’t snitch,” but how many of us have been faced with real decisions like whether to call the police on the man who beats the mother of his children daily. Yes, in most cases historically, the police have been the enemies of our neighborhoods, in many cases, even the instigators and agitators of the systemic violence. I know personally, that in Chicago, some police officers ascribe to the gang culture that they are supposed to protect us from. The community, however, has failed in policing itself, so now what?   There are some exceptions to telling the police about crimes committed. #1: When you are an accessory to the crime and you get caught, it may be kind of foul to snitch for your own benefit. A legal system that rewards one person and penalizes another for the same crime is not just. #2: Relationships have to be taken into account, when being faced with being a rat. If it’s your mom, child, brother or spouse, that becomes a personal decision that can’t possibly be judged or controlled by standard rules. #3: If at all possible, you can mediate the situation without even having to involve the police. Creating a community group that polices itself is the most preferred way. Agent provocateurs a.k.a. FBI Informants (snitches) of this type of community policing, are not acceptable. The local drug dealer who peddles poison to children may be on his own. Ultimately, until your favorite rapper, church pastor and community organizer is ready to unify, and literally whoop some ass on the street, the police may be the only option. To say stop snitching, and to not give an alternative to the enemy from within is not good enough.   MP3: Dr. Cornel West & El Che Discuss Snitching: (Click here to download with Zshare)   El Che

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3/17/2009: PART 10 Double Penetration: Women in the Entertainment Industry   About two weeks ago, someone on Twitter asked me which female rappers did I like, which I found to be a fascinating question. I couldn’t name any off the top of my head. I had to scroll through a list of women throughout rap’s history from 1989 until now just to come up with a list of seven strong. “Only seven?” Yes. The talented seven. I won’t name them here because that will only cause a bigger debate. What I will say is this question brought me to a larger thought about women in the entertainment industry period. If you are a young lady planning on diving into the field of modeling, acting, singing, or rapping, BEWARE! In my experience, most roads of fame and fortune for women starting from the bottom lead to a more perverted and twisted bottom  The entertainment industry is controlled by two types of men: catty jealous gay men and money hungry sexual predators. If, like the women in the Flavor of Love Type Reality Shows, you are willing to be used up physically, spiritually and mentally and still be able to let your talent shine through, then maybe, just maybe, you have a chance. In my travels I have noticed that a lot of famous R & B singers that you see on TV and hear on the radio, are either fucking their managers, their lawyers, their producers or the rapper that put them on. Point being, somebody had to get fucked. Oh, right before they got fucked in their contracts. Not to say that most men don’t get fucked in their contracts as well. It’s just that most women receive the double penetration. Also, I’m not saying that some women don’t go in knowing full well what to expect and accepting those terms of agreement before embarking on their shallow quest.   I encourage most young ladies to continue making the number of women in universities outnumber men. Become doctors, lawyers, engineers and CEOs. Just because you’re cute doesn’t mean you have to model. Just because you have a voice, doesn’t mean BET can’t live without you. Just because you can dance, doesn’t mean you have to be a video vixen. All of us, from the worst gangster rapper to the most conscious rapper, including myself, are guilty of the exploitation of women in this industry. I was on set during a casting of a music video, and saw women brought in, put in a line and sized up verbally in front of everyone. “Naw, her ass ain’t big enough, number seven you can leave.” “Her titties ain’t right, number five you can leave.” “She’s not pretty enough, number three you can leave.” All of these women were beautiful to me, but damn, some girl was driving home, thinking, “my ass wasn’t big enough, my titties weren’t right and I’m not pretty.” In my “Brand New” Video with Kanye, I specifically requested a dark skinned beautiful woman by the name of Bria Myles: http://www.briamyles.com/.  I am proud to say I did not try to sleep with her. Also, one of my good friends is a porn star actress by the name of Sinnamon Love: http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewAlbums&friendID=162236. I am proud to say that I never tried to sleep with her either. But I do have tremendous respect for her, because at least she’s not in denial about what she does or her motives for doing it. Before I give the impression that the industry is all doom and gloom, I will say that there are a few glimmers of hope that should continue to inspire young women of talent and integrity everywhere. When I met and spent time with Queen Latifah, it was one of the greatest moments of my life. She noticed me in the audience from an onstage interview she was giving for BET. She stopped in the middle of the interview and said “Hey Rhymefest.” No later than 24 hours, we were in the studio together. During our studio session, I asked her one important question, “In life do you feel like you’ve made it. Are you happy?” She turned and looked at me with a pause before she said, “I have the same family issues that everyone has, but other than that I live my life clean and fulfilled everyday. I work hard and party hard. I don’t let people take advantage of me and I keep good lifelong friends around me. Yes, I am very happy.” I love her. I leave you with this, “Goin’ In” from my upcoming project The Manual.      Rhymefest Ft. Queen Latifah - 'Goin In' (Produced by Dub Sanata) Click here to download the song with Zshare El Che

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3/11/2009: PART 9 It is vital that you take 15 minutes out of your day and listen to the conversation between Dr. Cornel West and El Che. We discussed drug culture in hip hop, Curtis Mayfield and you. (click here to download the file with Zshare) El Che

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3/5/2009: PART 8 Another Subway Tragedy – Rhymefest Responds 1- Correction: In Tuesday’s blog I said that the man was older in comparison to the teens. I never suggested that he was an elderly man, his actual age was about 30 – 33. Most likely if he were a senior, no one would have simply stood around and watched. I think that’s interesting. 2- People ask why didn’t I do anything. I did. I turned the video in to the police department because it is their job to round those boys up and execute justice. I don’t believe in that no snitching shit, if you see a crime, report it. 3- “Rhymefest jumps in fight, Rhymefest throws two teens over the rails, they die.” – now what? 4- This was New York subway rush hour. No one around helped. Maybe you were one of the witnesses? 5- Two weeks ago, I posted two links regarding corporations that fund our political process and our overall freedom as Americans. Site #1: http://www.goodguide.com/contributions and Site #2: http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/index.php. I got two responses. So now that I have reposted them let’s see how many comment regarding their substance. Or next week, I’ll just post “old lady gets punched in the face by a bear” and a live video. It seems as though that is the only way to get most people to read and comment. 6- How many people have ever seen a woman get beat in the middle of the street and never helped her? How many of you have seen parents abuse their children and never ran to the child’s defense? I recorded the video to turn into the authorities. I posted the blog for public self-analysis. This was a very interesting social experiment. Many of you look to the celebrity to jump in and save the day. Few people commented about what they would do in the same situation. 7- Another Subway Tragedy – Rhymefest responds:   Che

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3/3/2009: PART 7 We All Watched Last night, two friends and I were riding a New York Subway to a studio session with Lil’ John. As we approached our stop a group of about five black teens (ranging in age from 12 – 14), got into a verbal altercation with an older African man. As their voices escalated, no one on the train really knew what they were arguing about, all we knew was that it was becoming more aggressive. My partner who was with me looked at the white people across from us, and said “People like them make it bad for us.” I interjected and said to the white people and to my friend, “They don’t represent me! And none of us knows what’s really going on so there is no need to defend our blackness in lieu of their ignorance.” We all watched. When we reached our destination and the doors of the train opened, everyone exited and the beef spilled out too. We all watched. At least two of the teens were like “Come on, man, let’s go. Forget this dude!” The African then looked around at all of the exiting passengers as he loudly proclaimed, “I am from Senegal and what they don’t know is that I am already a dead man and have nothing to lose.” One of the teenagers then said, “Fuck you and fuck Africa, nigga!” as he threw the first punch. We all watched. The African grabbed his arm after the punch connected. That’s when all of the boys began punching, pushing and kicking the African. The sound of boots scuffing against a man’s skull. The savagery of five young cubs attacking an old lion. One man against five young men. The train began to depart and the brutal attack continued. Some passengers kept heading toward the exit, most of us stood there and watched. I could’ve helped. I know I could have broken that fight up. I could’ve asserted my “grown ass man” authority and I know those boys would’ve stopped. But like many of the passengers, I failed because I watched. Which brings me to this, I’ve decided from now on, no matter the risk, no longer can I afford to stand by and watch. I will cash in the currency of heroism for justice and I suggest that we all try to do the same. That’s the only way that our children will learn right from wrong, seeing as though many of them don’t get those lessons in the home. Yes, I know what some of you are thinking. “Why risk your life or health for someone else’s battle?” Answer: I risked my life and health by standing there watching, the least I could’ve done was be proactive in trying to mediate the attack. No longer, can any of us afford to stand by idle and watch. Not only did I watch. BTW, I videotaped it, just so ya’ll can know I’m not lying. Rhymefest a.k.a. El Che

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2/24/2009: PART 6 Laptop MusicHow did you receive the last piece of music you’ve heard? Did you buy a CD and bump it in your car all the way home, were you in the club dancing up on a hot-ass chick like, ‘Oh shit, what’s that the DJ just throw on!’ Or did you download it for free on your laptop, listen to 15 seconds of it going bink bink boink through your weak-ass speakers before you deleted it from your drive and your life forever. I admit the first time I heard Kid Cudi’s “Day N’ Nite” it was through my weak ass Mac book. I was like ‘man this aiiight.’ Honestly I made it 59 seconds through the song before it got cut and deleted. Later in the week I found myself in a high brow New York night club and the same record got thrown on I lost my mother fuckin’ mind (In a good way). ‘What the hell is this it kind of sound like that song I had on my computer the other day, but better! Did they remix it?’ I had to even ask the DJ whether it was a newer version. To my surprise, it wasn’t. It was the same song I listened to two days ago on my weak ass Mac book. Conclusion: half of the people I know listen to songs off their laptop with no skull candies or professional head phones. How in the hell can you decide if a song is really good or bad like that? Are you that good of a music critic that you don’t need bass, the correct amount of treble, or the mids arranged correctly? Do we really believe we can hear a song and say yay or nay? How many times has it taken more than three listens before you came around and said, ‘Man that’s pretty hot!’ I honestly feel as though laptop listening is disrespectful to music unless your computer is connected to a bigger pair of speakers or you wear headphones as you preview new music. Some great music is all about the beat or the sound that you can’t hear through your weak ass PC. Some songs have vocals that pan from left to the right speaker that create a sort of magical surround sound. I’ll keep this short and sweet, don’t cheat yourself out of great music by using your weak-ass laptop as a crutch to hear all the newest music quicker. I’m interested on hearing your thoughts.

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2/18/2009: PART 5 The Present is a GiftThe other day I received a MySpace message from a fan informing me that they tattooed four bars from a verse I spit on their arm. The song was “Never Can Say Goodbye” featuring Talib Kweli from the Man in the Mirror dedication album. At first I was flattered that someone  would think anything I said was worthy enough to permanently sear into their skin. But then after I read what the actual tattoo was I realized that these words were not mine to own. I consider myself a vehicle to deliver a message. No matter how many records it sold or what radio decides to play it, the delivery must be made. When people give me props on how dope of a lyricist I am I take it in stride and quietly give credit to the creator, God. Nothing pisses me off more then these arrogant, swagger happy, self indulgent rappers who think that they are the actual gift to the people. This attitude is mostly why a lot of them end up financially broken and spiritually depressed in the end. Anyone who possesses the power of words has a duty to wield their weapon with care. For example, if from here on I chose to only rap about how much money I made or how many girls I fucked and what kind of car I’m driving I would be ignoring the reason I was given this opportunity to begin with. Because of how I have used my weapon of words I’ve been blessed to be able to have policy meetings with heads of state, visit Israel in the Palestinian territories, be the only rapper who won a Grammy before their debut album dropped, and most importantly support my family. My label opened a budget for me to make a new album titled, El Che. If I changed the formula of delivering the message (raw and uncut) these opportunities would cease to exist. So to the ten humans who still practice the lost art of what earthling call reading, I leave you this: whether you’re an author, singer, engineer, doctor, etc. realize that your gift is only given to you to share with the world. Once you take credit for it and use it for selfish purposes you have begun the process of your own demise. (zshare link: http://www.zshare.net/audio/5577466465bceba9/)  "Yesterday is history/tomorrow's a mystery/so all we got is the present/and that's a gift to me."

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2/10/2009: PART 4 El Che The Man  Today I would like to announce to the world that all conscious rappers are not made alike. Because Kanye may dress, act, or rap a certain way---doesn’t mean Common adheres to those same interests. Because Talib Kweli talks about his duty to his family life doesn’t mean he can’t have as good a time in the club as Gucci Mane.  Today before we drop my mixtape and album, I would like to formally tell you who El Che formerly known as Rhymefest is as an artist and a person. 1- Although I am articulate in many respects, I also understand that some people in this world don’t respect the power of words, and at that point other actions may be necessary.   If attacked, I do believe in fighting back. An eye for an eye. 2 - While I respect all religions, and grew up Christian, I converted to Islam at 15. However, I can be honest in saying I struggle daily with practicing the tenets of my faith. (“Fortune and discipline are the only things that can avoid catastrophe, but discipline is the only thing that you can never run out of.” - Nick Fury)  I strive to be disciplined in the eyes of my creator.   My view of failure is that it should be embraced in order to strengthen my successes.   I welcome life’s challenges, and accept the good with the bad.  I am a high school dropout who never expected to be where I am today.  To have a Grammy, be able to support my family, travel the world, and sell at least 100,000 records is considered extremely successful for a young man from a not so good side of town in Chicago, IL.   Revolution to me means definitive change with something that you’re passionate about.  I’m passionate about the minds and spirits of young people. I’ll still kick it with shorties on the block, and lend my time to grassroot community centers.  I have recently traveled and spoken to youth in eastern Jerusalem (Palestinian territory), Australia, and even assisted in forming urban policies with heads of state in Great Britain.  I will be speaking to the youth at the Nation of Islam’s Savior’s Day convention at the end of this month, as well as having breakfast with Minister Farrakhan. You all are invited to come.    Because I know firsthand the issues that plague our communities, my music tends to reflect this consciousness.  Although at times it may seem like I’m just as fucked up as some of the negative things I describe, it’s because in some ways I am. I strive to be more disciplined.   Personally, I know that I’m underrated. I know that many fans were cheated out of being able to experience Blue Collar and The Man in the Mirror: Michael Jackson Dedication Mixtape, because some people in the hiphop media don’t view me as marketable as those who douse champagne on their homeboys.  But this year—we will not be ignored. El Che is a movement.  You can choose not to run it in your magazine, or not to play it on your TV station, but you will not be able to ignore the fact that it exists, as you will be asked about it.  This month, I will release El Che: The Manual, the prelude to the  forthcoming June 2009 release of El Che.  Tomorrow I will release a full tracklisting of El Che: The Manual.  For now, take this as a gift Exodus 5:1 (El Che: The Manual). (zshare link: http://www.zshare.net/download/55412079a4c8671f/)

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2/6/2009: PART 3 Straight Talk: Homophobia in Hip Hop  homophobia |,hōmə'fōbēə| noun an extreme and irrational aversion to homosexuality and homosexual people.  First and foremost, I am a heterosexual black male who believes that strong family and love is the base for any effective revolution. Recently, I’ve been receiving criticism for what is viewed to be homophobic rhetoric.  Upon reading the definition of homophobia, I honestly don’t feel as though my speech has met those requirements.   I do not have an extreme aversion to people who live their lives opposite of what my belief system may be. This may sound a bit cliché, however that is one of the greatest things about living in America.   Specifically, in self-examining my diss record toward Charles Hamilton, I’ve ascertained that the bigger issue was not homophobia, but misogyny.  Where I come from on the south side of Chicago, one of the worst things you can call a man is a girl or anything that represents one. Gay, sissy, fag all represent feminine characteristics in men. From everything I know of Charles Hamilton, he is not homosexual; but the traits that he exhibited, that led to my lashing out at him were in my opinion feminine.   When I speak about the tight and pink clothing which is not just worn by Charles, but other male artists, this is also a style that doesn’t necessarily represent homosexuals but women. I can’t deny I was raised with an old school value system. Blue is for boys; pink is for girls. Don’t get me wrong, I have a lot to answer for concerning my misogynistic statements over the last few years—and even the future ones in songs that have yet to hit the market. But what is most interesting is that in all of the correspondence I received, not one person brought this up as an issue.   Dr. King once said, “An injustice anywhere is an injustice everywhere.” However, we see in myself, and every other rap artist the words nigga, baldheaded hoes, black bitch—we even have an old school jam, “Yo Mama’s on Crack Rock”. All of this goes uncontested by the mainstream. But the moment an artist says “You should do what we do/stack chips like Hebrews” (Jadakiss, All About the Benjamins) or “The white man gets paid off of all of that” (Kanye West, All Falls Down) the censor button is immediately pushed.   Yes. I called Charles Hamilton a faggot. Multiple times. At this point, there is no more beef. He did what he did, I said what I said, and he is acting appropriately by not responding.  As far as I know, his sexuality is not in question, just his personality and character.

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2/3/2009: PART 2 Because of the lyrical content in my most recent songs "The Coolness" and "Supersonic (Chucky Cheese)" I've been receiving a lot of correspondence from fans.  Below is one of the letters I received, and I'd like for you to share your opinions:Fest,I love your stuff. Absolutely love it. "Blue Collar" was and is one of my all-time favorites and when it comes to Chicago it's you, Common, Kanye and Lupe. That song you did with Samantha Ronson, "Wanted"? Gave me chills. Your music is usually socially-conscious - "Devil's Pie," "Stolen," you name it. And I've loved it. But I'll never understand the homophobia built into your rap.I understand the need to toss around "gay" every now and again, sometimes it just plain fits. But when you put out a track (even a diss track) where every other word is "gay," "fag," "faggot," "homo," and every other pseudonym you can find for a homosexual, it makes me question the fact that I even listen to you in the first place. I feel like Lupe in "Hurt Me Soul" - like a hypocrite I continue to play your music (most of it is just so damn good) even though every part of me cringes when I hear those words come out of your mouth. Half of your album resides in my "iTunes 25 most played" even though my record collection is over 9,000 songs.And then I heard the Hamilton diss track. Don't get me wrong, it seems like your "beef" (my guess is you wouldn't even call it that, because that would imply a disagreement between two full-grown men) is well-founded. And some of those lines were hot. Alright, fine, most of them. But really? All you can do is call him a faggot over and over again?I'm not gay - I can't go a day without smiling at a cute girl - but my little brother is. And I preach my music taste to him all day long and the kid has absorbed some of my fantastic music taste. But how do I explain how talented a rapper you are, how revolutionary your rap really is, when you're throwing out words like that?Maybe you aren't really homophobic (being from inner-city Chicago though, it seems easy enough to imagine you grew up surrounded by homophobia), and maybe it's just the easiest thing to throw in a diss-track. I hope you've got more talent than that though, I know you do.You aren't the only rapper with homophobic lyrics. The problem is that most of those other rappers like to talk about degrading women, doing drugs, making money, and killing people who piss them off. You, on the other hand, tend to talk politics (with an occasional nod to the material world and cheatin' on a girl). How can a guy so forward-thinking and progressive in many ways be so closed-minded and conventional in others? I expect it from the rest of the rap world - it makes sense coming out of the mouths of Dipset and T.I. - but it confuses me every time I hear it come out of your mouth.Apologies for the long letter, chances are you'll never even read this yourself. But I hope you do, and if I feel resourceful enough maybe I'll give Allido a call and see if they'll give me an email address you'll actually read. I'm curious what your perspective is on this, and as much as I'd like to say I'll never listen to your stuff again, I know that isn't true. I'll be the first one pirating a copy of "El Che" when it leaks and buying it when it finally gets released on iTunes. However, I'm certainly having a harder time recommending your music, and that's a terrible thing. Sincerely, Ezra M.

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1/27/2009: PART 1 Greetings to the ten people who still practice the lost art of what earthlings call reading. From henceforth you shall be known as my comrades. And I, as your informer, shall report to you every week the goings on of this culture we call hip-hop.    Generational Respect - Hip Hop Then & Now    The controversy that Lupe Fiasco brewed up last year over his dismissiveness of A Tribe Called Quest's Midnight Marauders seemed like a fluke. I never expected anything like that to happen again.    However, with the advent of newer artists that are finding success within hip-hop, this sentiment seems to be spreading. Rarely, if ever, do we hear a newer artist give props to let's say an EPMD or MC Lyte. For them, hip-hop begins at Tupac and Biggie and works its way down.    Some would say, "Give ‘em a break, Fest! some of these guys are 18-20 years old! Far too young to remember the golden years of hip-hop!" To that I would reply, once you decide to make this your profession, if you are to be taken seriously-it is your duty to understand rap history.    I cannot become a black doctor and feel as though Charles Drew is irrelevant. "Aw, that nigga just did the first open heart surgery!! We got lasers now, nigga!! Fuck yo scalpel!!" Kobe Bryant couldn't be like. ‘Fuck Dr. J!!’ So why should any of us today not have KRS-One's Criminal Minded in our arsenal of knowledge?    That being said, rappers such as The Game have given credit to his greatest inspirations like NWA and Eazy-E, who were pioneers of the type of rap he represents. While on the other hand, many of the so-called hipsters seem to have a grasp on the stylish elements of the music they create, with no historic reference or even appreciation for its rich culture. I guess actually listening to music these days takes too long.

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