It's been a long time, since I left you

without a strong rhyme to step to
think of how many weak shows you slept through
time's up - sorry I kept you

That's how folks used to do! Eric B. and Rakim, from Paid in Full. Fitty isn't fit to carry Rakim's mic for him. Candy shop = candy ass!

Sorry - occasionally the weak state of Hip Hop (at least what's slathered all over radio and MTV) gets me all rant-ish. Yeah, we got Jurassic 5 and the Roots, and the Beastie's are kinda sorta still keeping it tight, but back in the day, when I was a white boy in Columbus, GA rockin' the shell-toes and disecting Run-DMC's King of Rock and LL's Rock tha Bells - the good stuff was everywhere. It was the radio and YO! MTV Raps. MCs had skills, the beats were hard and clean and everything didn't sound like a Korg Triton demo patch. Just watching Big Daddy Kane come out and lay waste to a bunch of young guys on the VH1 Hip Hop Honors was enough to remind me that yes, mainstream Hip Hop used to be more than bling and cookie-cutter beats and mumble-mouthed so-called rappers. At least Common is finally getting some.