Have you ever noticed that word “b*tch” is probably one of the most used words in hip-hop culture. A lot of outsiders claim that the culture is highly disrespectful towards women. But I believe that just like any other culture hip-hop only reflects our society. Any culture is just a photo camera; it takes pictures of reality... How can you blame the camera? How can you blame the cameraman? MCs are cameramen...they take pictures. So why do they expect to take a picture of  a beautiful scenery in the in the middle of "the slams"? 

   I must admit that a few years ago I used this word myself. When you hear the same offensive word or phrase all the time, it becomes less and less offensive to you. On top of that some women think that this word represents some kind of "female empowerment". But what do people mean using this word? Have you ever thought about it? When a woman says “I'm a b*tch”, she means “I'm strong enough to be a one-chick army, and I don’t need anybody to hold me down. I don’t even know how to count on someone else”(Note: this anybody/someone else is a man). But is it really so? I beg to differ! If our society could read between the lines, it would hear “I need your help ...I need your love...I'm so tired of all the drama in my life...I need peace...I need the father in YOU my brother...”. It's just a cover of a grown woman on a little girl that was hurt long time ago and she is running from all the pain that life and love can bring. She uses this cover cuz she lost her trust in men; she tries to be a man and a woman at the same time. She wants to be strong enough to survive...to protect herself. It reminds me of the final rap-battle from the "8 Mile" movie...when Eminem "dissed" himself to win the battle. He said what his rival would've, so he left his rival speechless and won the battle. The same strategy takes place here:"The best defense is a good offense". A girl thinks,"Okay, so Imma call myself a b*tch, Imma act like a b*tch, Imma put on that "bulletproof vest" and everything gonna be aight..." But what's really dangerous about this situation...is that if in the beginning she acts LIKE a b*tch, later she eventually acts AS a b*tch. She loses herself in this game called "defense". Yes, she wins the battle but she loses the war...she loses herself. I believe that female power consists in "forgive, let go & move on". Female empowerment has nothing to do w/ this word. Female empowerment is about rising above the prejudices, discrimination, offense, and other "crap" like that. In the words of Margaret Thatcher,“Being powerful is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren't”. 

     The same goes for guys who use this word...all they show is that they lost their faith in women aaand themselves. That's right!!! I said, "Themselves". If he deals w/ a woman whom he considers to be a "b*tch", "p***y" or "h*e" he shows (implicitly) that he thinks that he is worthy of this kind of woman. If he respected himself and thought that he deserved someone better, he would be w/ a good woman, and not w/ a ... 

    So I’m finally strong enough to admit that I’m a woman and not a b*tch. Word to the haters: "Take me as I am or have nothing at all!"

I used 2 wonder why ladies didn't make a remix on Swagga like us. I guess the situation has changed, cuz Ms. Mary J. Blige is back with a new version of this song; and she killed it. The formula the Queen of hip-hop soul (Mary) + a dope music video director (Anthony Mandler) + hot beat from a gifted producer (Darkchild) really works. She's the one! How can u doubt it?

Mary's new album Stronger hits shelves and online November 24th.

Who's gonna Run This Town tonight? Jigga. He's back with a new video directed by Anthony Mandler. Mr. Mandler has also directed the D.O.A. video. The video is epic and spectacular just like hip-hop must be. So who said that Hova is outdated? The Roc is in the buiding...

The album is set to be released on September 11, 2009

What is a music legend, a star? Have you ever thought about it? Well, all people have their own definitions. We crown new cats every day, but do they really deserve it? I believe that a star is someone who came to the game, made a difference and stayed in this game forever. And Whitney Houston is definitely a true star. She’s been through a lot of ish in her live, but it made her only stronger and now she’s reminding ‘em haters who is who. We’ve already heard some tracks so far. I Look To You was highly anticipated by me cuz I heard Kellz singing it on youtube some time ago. And we all know that he is music genius regardless what some people may say. The album has been named after the song. I must confess I’m in love with songs that were written by males for females. They always reflect a special emotion. Another song by the two legends is Salute. It’s a beautiful anthem of a woman who is strong enough to leave Mr. Wrong and wise enough not to blame him (cuz it takes two to tango) and now she is saying, “Salute!”. But Swizz Beatz surprised me the most. I hate it when a producer sticks to the same trick and his music sounds the same. Well, Kasseem Dean has always been far from being cliché… but Million Dollar Bill is something unexpected. The new sound is off the chain, on top of that Alicia’s backing vocal and lyrics add something very special to this song. This is definitely one of the most anticipated albums of this year. So haters fall back cuz realness is coming back. And it’s not about record sales, platinum plugs or hits. It’s a classic, baby!

I just love his voice! He sends chills down my spine! Talent!

The album hits shelves and online August 28th.

They say that all of us play different roles every day. We are human beings at home, but we do everything to be superhumen in public. It is so true when it comes to celebs. Everyone is so quick to judge them that they created another reality. Everyday we hear a new superhuman song on the radio. They try to convince us that there are perfect people. But only the realest people are strong enough to face their own fears and to talk about it. One of those people is Mr. John Jackson a.k.a. Fabolous. Loso’s way has already proved that it’s a solid album. Everyone has his or her favorite song on this album… Mine is Stay. It’s one of those songs that states that wounds make us ugly, but scars make us beautiful. What doesn’t kill us makes us only stronger. And even though our daddy walked it out on us, it’s only an opportunity to become better people. At first it hurts as hell, but at the end of the day you realize what’s real and what’s fake.
Another anthem of victims of the single parent household is Slaughterhouse’s Rain drops f. Novel. The quartet shows us the darkest childhood memories. This kind of song always explains how come we are so rough sometimes. If you listen attentively, you can hear that abandoned kid’s voice that says, “Daddy, where have you been?”
But what I really love about these songs is that their authors are living proof that every heartbreak is a true blessing, cuz it gives us an opportunity to grow.

And a lil' bonus from Novel

Slaughterhouse and Losos's Way in store now

Real talk by the one and only Chris Rock! This man is a real philosopher hiding behind clown's mask; so his jokes make a lot of sense. 

On June 5th we officially heard Jay-Z’s D.O.A. This track definitely has what it takes to be a classic one. It sounds like good ‘ol Don’t believe the hype by P.E., cuz auto-tune is the new hype. All of a sudden some industry people decided that if they use this plug-in, they can sell anything. Really?! Ok, I admit that T-Pain, Kanye, Ron Browz and maybe few more people know how to create something dope with the help of auto-tune (sometimes lol). But what happened to diversity? Why should every song sound the same? Diversity has always been nourishment for hip-hop. Producers amused us with a lot of unbelievable creations. And now rappers sing about crap… Music is viewed as a product; industry forgets that it is an art first of all. And art is supposed to express the world. So why are people so mad at Mr. Carter? Cuz he takes us to the roots? Cuz he ain't afraid to have an opinion? Cuz he can say anything he wants to? Does it make him old fashioned? Nah. It makes him mature. I’m only 21, but I’m so tired of this so called glamour: money, cars, clothes, girls, bragging, party and bullshit. D.O.A. is exactly what this industry needs so bad. Underground/old school sound from the one and only No I.D. plus a witty massage from Hova means a real track. And it’s not a hit, it’s a classic joint. If I’m wrong, then why do people still discuss it? 

Do u remember your first love? I sure do remember mine. I remember that day so clearly. I turned on TV… and there he was…“I'll be missing u” by Puff Daddy. It was the first time I'd met hip-hop… in 2000. That 12 years old girl couldn't even imagine how that infatuation would change her whole life. He was just a beautiful stranger. At that moment not a lot of people knew him here... A year later we were so exclusive. It was just us against the world, me and hip-hop. He was so fresh, new, uncompromising and rebellious, touching. He was talking to me as if he had always known me… intellectual thug… I didn’t even have to talk. I just listened to him saying what was on my mind. Eventually, rap stole my heart forever. Metaphors. Slick-ass tongue. Street slang. Hot accent. Cockiness. Deep lyrics. Streetwise. Smart ass. An angel with a scared heart. He knew everything about my world. We'd been through the same ghetto rain, but it didn’t break him. It didn’t kill him, so it made him only stronger. He had all the answers to my questions. At that stage of development, hip-hop had those real old school messages and a brand new sound. He was such a perfect criminal minded gentleman with such a promising future. He fought unjust system and promised a "new society of realness". He was a menace to society, cuz he spitted nothing but reality. But all of a sudden everything changed. Hip-hop started turning into "pop". “Rhyme” became more important than meaning. Nowadays it's all about going platinum, being rich and beautiful. We don’t feel each other anymore. Did we finally grow apart? Hell, no. It's just karma. And this girl is a certified bitch. What goes around comes around, what goes up must go down… y'all know the song. So I'm gonna stick around and wait 'till he comes back to his roots… our roots. Look around...There is a new generation of hip-hop nation. We wait for the right moment getting deeper, more mature and more hip-hop. This is where I be. I'm waiting for the day when music comes back to 2Pac’s famous message I'm not sayin' I'm gonna change the world, but I guarantee I will spark the brain that will change the world. Welcome to “I used to luv him”!