Get Off My Lawn

In part one of this special episode J (@HipHopTaliban) takes a look at HipHop's greatest album, Ice Cube's Death Certificate, on the classic's 25th anniversary. The episode is an audio companion to J's multimedia article at GreatestHipHopAlbum.com.

In this episode J (@HipHopTaliban) and East Coast Dre (@Andre Cole) tackle HipHop's growing generational divide, with a focus on the recent beef between legendary HipHop producer Pete Rock and new school rappers Young Dolph and Lil Yachty, and how the revelation of boxer and serial abuser Floyd "Money" Mayweather's illiteracy is both a reflection of and a cautionary tale against what's happening in HipHop. Plus we deal with alpacas, Obamas, extra credit, The Magnificent 7, Tarantino, Digable Planets, and surprises and disappointments from the BET HipHop Awards.

Just how many things can three old angry HipHop heads hate on in one podcast? In this episode Andre Cole (@andrecole) and Dr. Adolphus Belk Jr. (@abjrphd) join J (@HipHopTaliban) to look at 1994 and wrap up their investigation of when HipHop went off the rails. And along the way we get a laundry list of things the fellas hate, including, but not limited to, instructional dance, Juvenile, Bill O'Reilly, Regulators, Slavery, the death of Freddie Gray and much, much more. All of this along with an in-depth look at the Rich Homie Quan/Lil Kim debacle on the VH-1 HipHop Honors show. Did Quan actually do Kim a favor? 00:07:35 — Kim, Quan & VH-1 00:51:06 — 1994 02:11:36 — The DNC, Michelle Obama, Slavery, Freddie Gray, & Justice

In this episode J (@HipHopTaliban) gives his thoughts on Kanye's latest album; rappers rappin like robots; tracking down Pete Rock & CL Smooth; the romanticization of the Golden Era by old heads; the peddling of poison 40oz at a time; and a tribute to a funk legend! 00:05:49 — Kanye & Robot Rap 00:28:40 — Pete Rock & CL 00:40:01 — HipHop Spellcheck 00:48:30 — Peddling Poison 01:58:00 — Bernie Worrell

In this episode J (@HipHopTaliban) and East Coast Dre (@AndreCole) tackle an array of HipHop topics, including why so many MCs are averse to paying taxes, a new You Big Dummy candidate emerges from the winter spat between Neil Degrasse Tyson and B.o.b., Water in Watts, and we introduce Oldtron, Defender of the HipHop Universe. 00:07:26 — Photoshootin' 00:14:13 — Watts Water 00:29:48 — You Big Dummy 00:46:54 — 2016 vs. 1991 01:17:35 — Introducing Oldtron 01:41:50 — Taxin' 02:02:16 — De la Soul, "Nuff Said"

In this episode J (@HipHopTaliban) and East Coast Dre (@AndreCole) pay tribute to Malik Taylor, aka Phife Dawg of A Tribe Called Quest, with the first ever Phifeography — an examination of every verse ever spit by the the 5-Foot Assassin on ATCQ’s 3 classic albums. We also discover one of East Coast Dre’s dirty little HipHop secrets! 00:19:10 — Weatherman Tribute 01:33:45 — Hit me on the hip 01:49:59 — Hot Sex, Lies, and Videotape 02:47:30 — Phife and Dilla

Can HipHop shape political consciousness and social awareness? The studies say no, but my old Africa medallions say yes. Even if we accept that HipHop has that power, it damn sure doesn't seem as though it's being exerted today. Andre Cole (@andrecole) and Dr. Adolphus Belk (@abjrphd) join J (@HipHopTaliban) to take a look at the (alleged) power of HipHop to raise a generation of rebels. And they say you can't fight City Hall, but you can certainly use it to get a punk park employee in hot water! 01:43:29 — J & Da Mayor 02:02:10 — Political 3 - Three songs that shaped us

On the heels of his arrest in South Africa for overstaying his visa and trying to pass a "World Passport," and his announcement that he is retiring from the music biz, we wonder aloud if Mos Def/Yasiin Bey is the Matt Cassel of HipHop — a guy whose career had some brilliant early moments that he could never manage to live back up to. Plus, the OG iPod makes its return, serving up 5 randomly selected songs for J (@HipHopTaliban), East Coast Dre (@AndeCole) and MJ (@MJXM) to review. And we get schooled on snowblowers, refrigerators, sewer taxes and the wacky world of New Jersey homeownership. 12:20 - Too$hort - The Ghetto 22:35 - Run the Jewels - Run the Jewels 40:00 - Killer Mike - Monster 48:28 - Sticky Fingaz - Thug Like Fingaz 01:04:32 - BDP - Ya Know Tha Rules 01:17:50 - Mos Def 02:14:30 - Jersey Real Estate

In part 2 of our multi-part investigation into what went SO wrong with HipHop, when it happened and who was responsible, Andre Cole (@andrecole) and Dr. Adolphus Belk (@ abjrphd) join J (@HipHopTaliban) to take a look at 1993, the year HipHop began to take a definite turn (for the worst, depending on your perspective). And along the way we also take on Fatherhood and Fat Gooses ... ooh ooooooh!

The best laid schemes of Podcasters and men often go awry. And that has been the case over the past few months. In this episode J (@HipHopTaliban) explains the reason for the unexpected hiatus and lays out the plan for 2016. We take a look at the Biggie Blockbuster Mash-up and send a tribute out to a fallen HipHop friend.

In this Episode East Coast Dre (@AndreCole) and MJ (@matthewjxmalady) aka Thurgood join J (@HipHopTaliban) to discuss whether HipHop is still palatable to the middle-aged members of Generation X. Based on the eight volumes of smooth jazz remixes issued by Hidden Beach Records, the answer may be "no." Forget the Whip It Nae Nae, the most impressive dance move is the Moonwalk Mos Def performed as he retracted the battle challenge he issued to the entire HipHop universe. We also acknowledge the enduring popularity of lemonade. 07:54 — Lemonade 42:27 — HipHop Unpalatable? 01:23:19 — The Mos Def Moonwalk

History is written by the winners. Apparently biopics are written by the billionaire as the NWA movie, Straight Outta Compton, produced by Dr. Dre and Ice Cube, minimizes and marginalizes the contributions MC Ren made to the seminal rap group. Despite having writing or co-writing credits on 32 of 43 songs on the most significant NWA/NWA-related albums, the movie treats the Villain in Black like a central casting extra who just happened to be along for the ride ... and free Raiders' gear. And we also look at the reshaping of Dre's image, the blatant omission of any acknowledgement of his violence toward women, and MC Ren's reprehensible response to Dre's most violent assault. 01:13:09 — Dee Barnes

This episode represents the first in a multi-part series exploring the question, When did HipHop go from a predominantly creative outlet for artistic and cultural expression to a commercial tool wielded by jackasses for the glorification of ignorance, pathology, and conspicuous consumption? Using, the Billboard Rap charts as a guide, J (@HipHopTaliban), East Coast Dre (@AndreCole), and Professor Adolphus Belk Jr. (@abjrphd), examine HipHop music, Month-by-month, year-by-year, from the Golden Era to the Trap — Along the way, identifying a list of suspects to later be charged with the high crime of attempting to kill HipHop! Listeners can follow along with the discussion by downloading a pdf document containing 26 years of Rap music charts HERE. We also say a fond farewell to West Coast Dre and pay respects to Sean Price. 26:32 — 1989 - 1990 43:15 — 1991 51:18 — 1992 01:09:32 — RIP Sean Price

In this episode J and Dre check out some current selections from some apparently popular rappers, and try to determine whether Rich Homie Quan, Young Thug, Gunplay, and Future are even speaking English! Considering the content, most of the lyrics are probably best left undecipherable. Also featured are reviews of selections from Rawkus stalwarts Company Flow, Daz Dillenger and Kurupt Young Gotti, Demigodz, The GZA & DJ Muggs, and some unexpected fire from Fresh "Will Smith" Prince & DJ Jazzy Jeff. And this episode's You Big Dummy candidate is perhaps one of the most blasphemous rap songs ever made. English? — 17:50 Company Flow — 47:49 Tha Dogg Pound — 56:23 DJ Muggs & GZA — 1:08:04 Demigodz — 1:13:18 DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince — 1:19:36 You Big Dummy (King Los) — 1:31:24

Somewhat unintentionally, another part of the Native Tongues Collective finds itself in the Get Off My Lawn crosshairs as Dre and J debate when exactly A Tribe Called Quest officially peaked out and then fell off in a brand new segment ... yeah, that's the name! A HipHop legend attempts to dethrone O.T. Genesis as the you Big Dummy World Heavyweight Champ. We learn some things about the death of a soul singer that we wish we could unlearn. And J goes Linda Tripp on his local Ford dealer and HAM on his fellow moviegoers. Plus old man reviews of music by Ghostface Killah, Young Roscoe, Jean Grae, Mr. Akil, and Weezy F. Baby. Ford Fiasco — 08:26 BHN — 24:23 Ghostface Killah — 1:06:10 Young Roscoe — 1:17:36 Jean Grae — 1:27:14 Lil Wayne — 1:38:52 Mr. Akil — 1:51:30 You Big Dummy (Tupac) — 2:00:18

While some real-life old grown man business delayed this episode by a few weeks, like the Geto Boys, the Get Off My Lawn Podcast can't be stopped! In this episode J and Dre tackle the HipHop-specific question of "How old is too old to be attending rap concerts?"; Pass some much needed performance wisdom on to a HipHop legend; Scratch their heads over Sprite's bizarre choices for a HipHop Mt. Rushmore; debate the best rental car to use to go wizarding; and wonder what the Hell a soft piano solo and delicate crooning are doing in the most popular rap song of the day. Plus, old man reviews of music from Clockwork Indigo, Mystic, Jadakiss, Dub C, and the Jigmastas. And somebody owes someone a watermelon. How old is too old for HipHop shows? — 14:01 Drake in Sprite's HipHop Mt. Rushmore? — 1:00:28 Clockwork Indigo — 1:06:05 Mystic — 1:14:27 Jadakiss — 1:22:21 WC — 1:33:22 Jigmastas — 1:42:03 Wiz Khalifa — 1:50:51 Arrested Development — 2:01:30

J & Dre discuss De la Soul's Kickstarter campaign and the star-studded launch of the Tidal streaming service. Are these new music business models or a way for artists to dupe loyal fans into subsidizing their ventures. Plus, special guest @AndreCole reps hard for the NYC, threatening to reduce the number of hosts by 50%. Reviews of music from Heavy D, classic Blackmoon, turntable wizardry from MixMaster Mike, and remixes from A Tribe Called Quest and Pete Rock and CL Smooth. The first You Big Dummy award is given out to a most deserving candidate. And how to tell the difference between a B-boy and a B-man!