Yay or Nay: Off Key - Jay Beretta

Jay Beretta released his mixtape 'Countdown 2 Takeoff' just in time for the 2009 holiday season. I kind of think he's beyond his years lyrically and like his surname Beretta implies, this high schooler is packing a lot of heat (was that lame?) We hadn't heard from him since the release of his mixtape, but my assumption of him cooking up something new was dead on. I compared him to P.L. once before but with his new song I definitely think he's in his own lane. While Jay Beretta's only a senior, he's definitely not rapping about pep rallies and prom. His new song features Shantee Tyler, Yay or Nay: "Off Key" - Jay Beretta.

How We Do - Street Justice

It's no secret I'm "new" to this Detroit hip-hop scene, I'm definitely a work in progress and this
blog is everything that I've picked up along the way and have gone back in time and "studied". A group I've recently been put on is Street Justice.
 I know a lot of people know who they are, but keeping it real, I didn't. It was one of those, heard of them but never heard anything type deals ... at least until now. Frathouse Music and Whutupdoe.com present: 'Follow the Drip' mixtape mixed by DJ Sicari of 5Ela. Redd, Ketchphraze and Jypsy are something like lyrical geniuses different styles of delivery equally as powerful bars, definitely not a group to take lightly (I think Marcel calling them Michigan's version of Gangstarr is a pretty accurate description). 'Follow the Drip' is the prelude to their album 'Go H.A.A.M' and if that is anything like this ... anticipated greatness.

(Click HERE to download 'Follow The Drip')

While I'm focusing so hard on trying to figure out why Street Justice has been missing in my life, I found out they released their video for one of the joints "Breakin' Rocks" off their upcoming album. The video was shot over a year ago and was directed by Girard Victor (the creative genius behind Ro Spit's "Renaissance State of Mind" and Elzhi's "Deep" videos).

I don't care how late I am (or am I ahead of some others?) ... I like them ... a lot.

* Also peep how ILL Redd's tattoo is! I want that treble/bass clef heart tattooed.

Mixtape: Young Slapz and M. Dizz

So Slapz and Dizz are at it again, today they released the 'We Wasn't Bullshittin' Power Pack'. They're not rapping as a duo this time, two separate mixtape joints, one camp. Shoutout to Nate Hickman on the graphic design tip.

Click HERE to download M. Dizz's 'Another Random Mixtape for Twitter'

 

Click HERE to download Young Slapz's 'High off Oxygen & Wasted off Simply Lemonade'

Mixtape: MosEL

Finals week is approaching and it's about that time to start putting together your late-night Red Bull and textbooks playlist. Well, I have something you may want to take a listen too before you snap your pencils and highlighters in frustration. Meet MosEL, a rapper from Detroit and younger brother of Crown Nation's Quelle. I went to high school with MosEL  and he's actually the reason I know who Black Milk is, he may not remember that conversation but I do. Anyway, if you're into checking credits like I am, you may have seen he produced a couple of joints on Danny Brown's The Hybrid ("Juno" and "Thank God" to be exact). He recently dropped his mixtape "Just Thinking Out Loud," which showcases his own production as well as the likes of Madlib. It's something different and has a pretty good vibe for before the caffeine and sugar highs kick in.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD "JUST THINKING OUT LOUD"

Flashback: "Mass Appeal" - Gang Starr

It was announced today that Guru, one-half of the legendary hip-hop duo Gang Starr, lost his battle with cancer Monday. Today's Flashback video is the first song I ever heard by them, "Mass Appeal."

Mixtape: Ashbury Asston: Thee Movie

Asston Kusher is a name I first heard at last year's 3DaysB4Fame event, a mixtape of his was actually pushed in my hands. Today in honor of his favorite holiday, Tree Rollins released his mixtape 'Thee Movie" powered by DJ BJ and Revive. You do see some familiar features like TGL and JFin, but features don't make this tape (and I'm personally happy about that).
Download: Assbury Asston: Thee Movie Here.

Bad Intentions - Dr. Dre

It's no secret Snoop Dogg loves the ganja. While he was performing in Amsterdam a few years ago, Diddy presented the West Coast rapper with a really, really, big doobie—really. In front of a sold out show, Snoop D-O-Double-G tokes ... and tokes ... and tokes.

Smoke Weed - Cypress Hill

As we all know, weed is not just a Black thing it's a people thing (more commonly called 'Pot' in the suburban areas). Peep some famous smokers below:

Now we know what Kevin was doing Home Alone while his parents were away. In 2004 Macaulay Culkin was arrested for weed possession during a traffic stop in Oklahoma.

He may have set a record after winning 8 Olympic Gold Medals in swimming but shortly after his victory a photo was released of Phelps hitting a bong at an apartment  during his days as a University of Michigan Wolverine.

 

 Ok, this one hasn't been proven, but I do think my homie M. Stewzy has taken a puff or two. I mean have you seen what the woman does with paper and a glue gun? You have to be under some kind of influence to do that stuff. If I ever meet Martha Stewart, I'm asking her to make me fudge and if she has ever took a hit.

 

Good ol' Paris Hilton. I mean who really expected her NOT to have tried the mean green at least once. But she's Paris and she poops diamonds so it doesn't matter. but I wanna know who did she send to the corner store for her 'rillos.

Before Barack Obama, we had Bill Clinton, who many deemed as the closest thing we would probably ever see to a Black president (if only we knew how wrong we were). Anyway Good ol' Billy played the sax, had sex with a secretary in the Oval office and hit a joint or two during his days in Arkansas (though I do wonder if he took a pull of that stuff while he was President, remember how chill he was?)

                                                          
It would only be right if I ended this post with Willie Nelson. Besides being completely open about his weed use, the country megastar has been on the cover of High Times yet hasn't been arrested for a weed related charge (Moonshine? sure. Mary Jane? No). Mr. Nelson is what rappers aspire to be.

Friday - Ice Cube

Every smoker remembers the first time they toked, no matter how high they may have gotten after the fact, they remember everything from seeing the weed being broke down to the cigarillo spliced and sparked. There are plenty of classic weed movies like 'How High' starring Method Man and Redman or Dave Chapelle's 'Half-Baked' but perhaps the most infamous of all is 'Friday' starring Ice Cube as Craig and the Chris Tucker as the beloved Smokey. No matter which movie you prefer, one thing is for certain, don't eff up the rotation: Puff, Puff, Give.

Wake & Bake - Kid Cudi

For the past 12 months more than half of you have gotten excited seeing 4:20 a.m. and 4:20 p.m. appear on your BlackBerry, iPhone and GShock clocks. Well, the day is finally here. April 20, 4/20, basically national toke to you choke day. Now how the day started is a little hazy and many modern day "weedheads" can't even tell you the suggested story themselves.

It's a simple story: In the 1970s some kids, now known to the blowed as the Waldos, were student athletes at a high school in California, and after practice was out at 4:20 they would go smoke. Toss in the befriending of Grateful Dead and exposure in High Times and badd-a-bing we got ourselves a quiet holiday.

Throughout the day, all posts will be related to Mary Jane and her special day, live a little it's all in fun. What better way to kick off the day than with a Wake & Bake.