Haylow's Blog: Hip Hop . Sports . Politics . Culture: 5/1/08

5/19/08

Saul Williams: List of Demands (Reparations)

Another great Nike commercial with an even better song. Now I'm sure I don't need to be promoting Nike, but it turned me on to this Saul Williams track which is real fresh. What makes the concept funny is I don't think the people at Nike actually took a listen at what Mr. Williams is saying in this song, or even cared to even think what it is about. You think I'm bullshittin, huh? Well, watch the video or download the song, and sing along. I don't think Mr. Phil Knight will care too much for this message.

I want my money back. I'm down here drowning in your fat. You got me on my knees praying for everything you lack. I ain't afraid of you. I'm just a victim of your fears. You cower in your tower praying that I'll disappear, I got another plan, one that requires me to stand. On the stage or in the street, don't need no microphone or beat. And when you hear this song, if you ain't dead then sing along. Bang and strum to these here drums til you get where you belong.

I got a list of demands written on the palm of my hands. I ball my fist and you're gonna know where I stand. We're living hand to mouth! You wanna be somebody? See somebody? Try and free somebody? I gotta list of demands written on the palm of my hands. I ball my fist and you're gonna know where I stand. We're living hand to mouth! Hand to mouth!

I wrote a song for you today while I was sitting in my room. I jumped up on my bed today and played it on a broom. I didn't think that it would be a song that you would hear, but when I played it in my head, I made you reappear. I wrote a video for it and I acted out each part. Then I took your picture out and taped it to my heart. I've taped you to my heart dear girl, I've taped you to my heart and if you pull away from me you'll tear my life apart..

I got a list of demands written on the palm of my hands. I ball my fist and you're gonna know where I stand. We're living hand to mouth! You wanna be somebody? See somebody? Try and free somebody? I gotta list of demands written on the palm of my hands. I ball my fist and you're gonna know where I stand. We're living hand to mouth! Hand to mouth!

Ecstacy, suffering, Echinacea, bufferin. We aim to remember what we choose to forget. God's just a baby and her diaper is wet.
Call the police! I'm strapped to the teeth and liable to disregard your every belief. Call on the law! I'm fixin' to draw a line between what is and seems and call up a brawl. Call'em up now! 'cause it's about to go pow! I'm standing on the threshold of the ups and the downs. Call up a truce! 'cause I'm about to bust loose. Protect ya neck,'cause, son, I'm breaking out of my noose.

I got a list of demands written on the palm of my hands. I ball my fist and you're gonna know where I stand. We're living hand to mouth! You wanna be somebody? See somebody? Try and free somebody? I gotta list of demands written on the palm of my hands. I ball my fist and you're gonna know where I stand. We're living hand to mouth! Hand to mouth!

Download Saul Williams- List of Demands (Reparations)

5/16/08

Produced by: Shondrae 'Bangladesh' Crawford

I wanna highlight my man Bangladesh (no homo) who is one of those producers who don't have a Huge catalog, but he has some CLASSIC bangers. Here's just a few you might know...

8 Ball & MJG - No Drama

Kelis - Bossy

Ludacris - What's Your Fantasy

but this is the one you REALLY want! THE 2008 SUMMER TIME ANTHEM!!

Lil Wayne - A Milli (Main, Instrumental, and Acapella)

And someone made a cool lil video too! It'll take you about 15 seconds to realize its not an ACTUAL video, but it's WAY better than those video slide shows most people have.

NOTE: To all the mixtape emcees and producers that get acapellas and put they're own beats over em, I think this is one that you gotta leave alone...I don't think this one can be outdone!

5/15/08

Common - The Light '08 (Prod. By Just Blaze)

One of the greatest emcees of all time collabs with one of the greatest producers of all time. a MUST HAVE! Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but this is the first time these two have made a track. (I think the lady from Floetry is on the hook, too)

Click here 2 Download

5/12/08

WNBA. The 12th time's a charm.

As we approach the 12th WNBA season, its great that the NBA has been willing to bankroll it for as long as it has, but I can't help but to feel just a little hypocritical. I've always been an advocate for athletics on all levels, and I'd love to support the league, but GODDAM!! Gimme SOMETHIN to look forward to! Now, I'm not one to completely write off the league, like most NBA fans, because I think it's great that a woman can earn a living playing basketball, and her career doesn't end with the NCAA tourney (sorry for Cheryl Miller, she peaked about 10-15 years too soon), but it seems like they're alot of things that make the WNBA...u know... the WNBA, and unfortunately, a lot of the problems are things that they can't control.

Here's a list of some of the things that are wrong with the WNBA:

1. It starts during the NBA playoffs. I don't know who's bright idea that was

2. Candice Parker can only play on one team, and she can only play one game a night.

3. It always seems like the Championships involve the Conneticut Sun. I think they played Sacramento one year. I wonder what those ratings were like.

4. The NCAA Championship, WNBA Draft, and Season Opening Tip all happen in a two month span. WTF?

5. Dawn Staley, Shamique Holdsclaw, Cynthia Cooper, Sheryl Swoops...they gotta retire sometime.

6. you PLAY basketball in the summer, and WATCH basketball in the winter. That's the way it's always been. The NBA Season is damn near 9 months, After watching a 3 month playoffs dragged out, the last thing I wanna see is more basketball...ESPECIALLY if it's WNBA Basketball.

7. They got those new promos, that say exactly how people feel. Maybe the players shouldn't be saying those things about themselves.

8. Karl Malone's daughter looks like a female version of Karl Malone.

9. Best-out-of-3 Finals...c'mon now

10. Rebeca Lobo

But wait! It's not all bad! I got some sure fire ways that'll make the WNBA the envy of sports fans abroad...Here they go:

1. You've heard it before, so I'll say it again...LOWER THE RIM! Womens basketball around the world should have an 8 ft rim.

2. While you're lowering the rim, shorten the court. Thee WNBA court looks like its the size of a football field. Softball has a smaller field, and that works out fine for them. PLUS, The ball is already smaller, so it makes sense.

3. 8 Teams...4 East coast, and 4 West Coast teams

4. Playoffs are a 1 loss tournament, similar to NCAA

5. Do they still use that orange and white ball? If so, use a brown ball. They look like the globetrotters...well, the ball does.

6. Play the season DURING the NBA season. Theres enough off days in the NBA calender. Year round sports DON'T WORK!

7. Have Co-Ed Games once a week.

8. Fix the games to have a NY and LA finals

9. stop focusing on fundamentals, and DON'T act like you won the WNBA finals after a dunk! Act like you've been there before (because you have. a couple times.)

10. Make sure Lisa Leslie doesn't retire...and make sure she has children in the offseason. The league can't have her sit aut another year!

Trust me! Follow my lead, and the league will pop off!! David Stern, GET AT ME!

5/10/08

Akon - Senegal

This is a joint you wouldn't expect from Akon, since what most people know about him 'Smakin Dat' or on some 'I Wanna F*ck you' ish...but he has a couple jems that have a positive, or realistic perspective about what's goin on in HIS hood, This is one of my favorite joints, (which I'm pretty sure he recorded before 'Locked Up', because when I heard the song, I remember him having one single out, and it wasn't 'Locked Up') and heres a "Yeah Right" story...I actually met him back then, and told him how much I liked the 'Senegal' song, and he was extremely grateful. He was a real cool cat...we were in a room playin the radio, and the thing I remember is him feelin EVERY song that came on.
If you've ever doubted Akon (and we all have at one point), Download this song, it may give you a new perspective.

Download this joint

5/9/08

Get up on that Tabi Bonney!

I'm not up on D.C. Hip Hop at all, I haven't been out there since I was in elementary school, but YO! I like this Tabi Bonney ish. He's got a cool style, and to be honest, the lyrics aren't the greatest, but there's definitely replay value, and guaranteed you'll be walkin down the street singin these hooks! The beats are on point, and I love the videos. Peep the videos...then the album (not necessarily in that order).