2007 Hip-Hop Rap Up

While everyone else was ranting about hip-hop being dead/commercialized/too-pop, I spent most of the year completely in-love with it.

Canadian Top 5 Fav:

• Pull Up-Rochester// Boi-da is a monster on this track, Rochester pulls off the energy live as well
• Hell In A Hand Basket-Crown A Thornz// Bone-chilling hook gives me goosebumps
• T.O/O.T-Point Blank// Infectious Canadian anthem
• Don't Holla-Tona & S Roc// FINALLY.
• DueceDuece-Paper Chaser// This song makes me pop my collar..yesssir

The biggest disapointment for me was Wu Tang, Beanie Sigel and KRS ONE but I was surprisingly satisfied with Freeeeeeway!

Best concert of the year wasn't even a concert..it was Large Professor. The crowd didn't even know who he was-it was a surprise-but he played Live at the Barbeque.

Songs of the Year

• **Outkast- Art of Story Telling P4When DJ Ev Starr first played it on The Masterplan Show, that Andre 3000 verse had callers going craaazy. That verse, and the "Player's Anthem" verse made 3000 one of my fav lyricists all over again.
• **Can't Tell Me Nothin-Kanye WestThis song was the reason I made some of the moves I made in 2007. Line for line, it's easily one of Kanye's best EVER.
• **C'mon Baby-SaigonSOOOOOO much better than the remix, Saigon KILLED it. Too bad "the greatest story" will never be told. Just Blaze, you get a white-girl thumbs up for this. Too bad the video bombed.
• **Ignorant Shit-Jay ZI feel like everyone had their own "OH THATS MY SONG" on American Gangster. Mine was easily Ignorant Shit..G'head Jay Z, show em Beyonce didnt take away your swagger.
• **Little Girl Gone-Lil Wayne/Devin The DudeWhile I thought this was the weakest of Lil Wayne verses on his 483093tracks this year, I still liked the track. Can't go wrong with Devin The Dude. Dream collab.
• **War-Kardinal Offishall/Marco PoloDJ Miss Kittie and I were stopped at a traffic light in Manhattan BLASTING this, and the car next to us rolled down their windows, nodding their head. That sums this track up. Beat is bananas, Kardi's energy kills it. I love Canada.
• **Sound The Alarm-Black MilkMaybe because I have the hip-hop taste of a 17 year old boy, that I love the aggression of this single. I didn't like the album as much as media hyped it up, but thought this track was fiiiyah.
• **Man's World-Guilty SimpsonPlain and simple, I like the raw emotion/honesty.
• **Push-Pharoahe Monch Sidenote: If you haven't seen him LIVE, do it. do it. do it.The whole album was one of my favs, but this song stands out to me with the horns + Showtyme.
• Honorable Mentions: Long Way To Go- Joe Budden, Hip-Hop- Joell Ortiz (RMX),Gutted-Beanie Sigel, Can't Forget About You-Nas

Shawn Jackson Review

Shawn Jackson

First Of All



By Tara Muldoon



In an era where everyone appears to be a rapper, it takes more then a dollar and a dream to be respected as a new artist. Enter the cocky and brilliant Shawn Jackson, the California bred MC who openly knows his role: “I’m not really tryin’ to bring hip-hop back — that ain’t my responsibility.” Instead, he raps like he doesn’t need the credibility and it works. “Strategies” featuring Guilty Simpson is a huge boom-bap track and lead single “Feelin’ Jack” is a banger. First Of All has the perfect variety of lyrical content, humour and production. This is easily one of the best entrances I have witnessed from a hip-hop artist. It’s refreshing to know he has the best kind of talent — so raw he doesn’t even have to try. (Tres)







I interviewed Mr Jackson about how it all feels.



Feelin' Jack- Shawn Jackson




T: "Feelin' Jack is such a hot video, break that down.

SJ: Ah the director gets all the credit for that. Actually, one of the girls in the video leaked that vid before it should have been.

Tara: Who is your current business team?
Shawn Jackson: Believe it or not, Tara, I manage myself.
T: Really?
SJ: Yeah, it's good and bad. I like having that control.
T: I can imagine, but doesn't it get to be a bit much?

SJ: Not really, I'm definitely not new to this game. I've been in it for a long time and I'm pretty used to it- in fact, I did a track with JD Era from your side of the world with Frank and Dank a few years go.
T: Damn, I haven't heard it. What else can we expect from you?

SJ: The same ethic and cleverness, just more in full force.

T: Can't wait!