Breeze - L.A. Posse

I dont care what nobody says this was my joint back in the day. My had it all charisma, energy, lyrics, flow and dance moves.

4th Deadly Verse Wu Tang-Triumph

This joint had me and Dre at CD Connect at midnight to scoop it. Check INS, Rae, Ghost, and U. Especially Ghost after GZA spit.

3rd Deadly verse KOOL G RAP & DJ POLO - MEN AT WORK (lyrics)

This is the original Big Pun I pride myself on being able to memorize records but I could never get this down.

Second Deadly Verse (Chino XL - It's All Bad (1996) [HQ]

One of the cats that got lost in sauce (the original Eminem).

1st Deadly Verse

A few months back my friends and had an extended debate about the greatness of various mc's. Jay-Z or Kanye, Eminem or Lil' Wayne and by the end everyone stuck to their guns and continued to embrace the lyricist of their choice. We decided we should make a list of that wordsmiths choicest cuts to display what we saw in them. Then we were to give examples of those who make up our musical blueprints and set the standards by which we measure all others. This was the preeminent lyrical influence of my youth. LL was my fave for the longest but Rakim was the spittter I admired most. He was clever, dense, and an amazing writer. The layers of rhymes that he used to occupy a verse were unrivaled. Beyond that he was an MC with a name that closely resembled my own. Growing up there were no Rashid's that were prominent and I definitely could not find my name in a novelty shop. So when Ra came I felt an instant connection. His verses were rehearsed his cadence was imitated. Here is the verse that blew my my mind.

Stevie Wonder - UNTITLED SONG SNIPPET (Unreleased)

This is the legendary snippet mentioned in the previous post. I know this has been posted and re-posted a million times. But enjoy it just the same.

Money, Power, Respect.....

I have for years wished I had the money/influence to make dream projects happen. I long to produce a viable vehicle to showcase the Eddie Murphy that I love to watch. I wish I could produce/write the perfect Marvin Gaye project whether it be film or theatre. Lastly I wish I could give my musical heroes a shot in the arm to turn their careers around. My first order of business would be to let Questlove head up the project. So many talented artists release projects that lack vision,direction or that umph that came with their early/prime work.

For those who are unsure of his qualifications to spear head a legendary project. Check his resume. Ahmir Khalib Thompson (born on January 20, 1971), known professionally as ?uestlove or Questlove (also known as BROther ?uestion, Questo or Brother Question), is an American drummer, DJ, music journalist and record producer. He is best known as the drummer for the Grammy Award-winning band The Roots, which is now the in-house band for Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. He has produced for artists such as Common, D'Angelo, Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, Bilal, Jay-Z, Nikka Costa and more recently, Al Green and John Legend. He is a member of the production teams the Soulquarians, the Randy Watson Experience, and The Grand Wizzards. Add to that Common, Maroon 5, and Pharell just to give you a glimpse of his diversity.

My friend Dre and I discussed this over Christmas break, that certain artists ought to seek him out and humbly place their musical trust in him. Prince immediately comes to mind, as one who could benefit from the Questo touch. Quest is a die hard Prince follower as evidenced by his Rollingstone Prince playlist. He could provide Prince with that funk that has all but disappeared over the last four releases. He along with Prince could find the sonic fountain of youth and really produce some fantastic music. Prince is still a phenomenal musician, his guitar work, writing and showmanship remain intact. The heartbeat of a band is the drummer and whether he's drumming or is using John Blackwell something is missing from the songs.

The Michael Jackson estate should hire Questlove in an executive producer capacity. Here he could be used to edit/finish those projects that Michael was unable to complete with his untimely passing. He could select producers that fit the vibe and vision of the demo's and help to round out the sound. Jackson recent releases lacked that glossy warmth that comes with a Quincy Jones production. Rodney Jerkins is talented as are the hodge podge of producers that contributed to the posthumously released "Michael". With Quest at the helm he could help to recreate that magic that MJ fans are longing for. He hinted at this with remix of Pharell's In My Mind entitled out of my mind. According to his Myspace blog while creating the rarely heard redux, Pharell would offer short musical quips to guide the drummer. This song should sound like Debarge meets DJ Premier or something to that effect. The end result was a project that surpassed the original.

Finally legend has it that Stevie Wonder has some 5000 songs in a vault, turn them over to Questlove. Wonder set the bar so high in the 70's that no artist has been able to surpass it, including himself. I believe that he takes so long between projects because he is trying to create that masterpiece to rival his early work. While his fans are waiting on a release of new work he could release previously unreleased material to satisfy them.( By them I mean me. ) Every other year allow Quest to cull 10-12 songs for a compilation. This will give a window into the mind of a genius that we rarely get to peer through. Also it allows him to have a part in the process instead of all these things coming out after he dies without any say so. The snippets released last year gave glimpses of the brilliance that could possibly lie on the shelves. The below link is to wet your appetite.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmoIz9k0eCE&feature=player_detailpage

The Shidscars.

My brother from another already did his list so please check it out. The Shidscars are an award not recognized by any governing film bodies or reputable agencies. The opinions offered and awards given reflect the notions of Rashid Sartorial Taylor

• Action Film of the Year(Traditional) :Knight & Day
• Action Film of the Year (Alternative) : Scott Pilgrim V. the World
• Apocalyptic Film of the Year: The Book Of Eli
• Comedy of the Year : Dinner for Schmucks/Date Night
• Best Remake: True Grit
• Best Performance by an Actor: Christian Bale in the Fighter
• Best Animated Film : Toy Story 3
• Most Thrilling : Unstoppable
• Best Biopic: Social Network
• Best Heist Film :The Town
• Best Film Not Named Inception: Shutter Island
• Chick Flick of the Year: Eat Pray Love
• Best Picture: Inception
• Most Disappointing: Faster
• Most Surprising: Kick Ass

For The Record

I was re-reading The 50 Greatest MC's by Kool Moe Dee and he made a point that a great song is not always a great record. So that made me think for a second, because we often use the terms interchangeably but they are completely different. For my own understanding and definition a great song is a lyrical/ musical gem that can be interpreted and reinterpreted time and time again. It does not have to be wonderfully producedThe example that immediately comes to mind is Yesterday by the Beatles. This song has remade by everyone from Marvin Gaye to En Vogue and always sounds good.

On the flip side a great record in my estimation is a great product, where the sonics, lyrics and vocals serve each other. Before you know it you are caught up and singing along whether you like the record or not. Ice Ice Baby anyone. Not that I didn't like it but it was the first time I realized that I sang along even when I did not want to. In my next post I will list those that I find to great songs and great records. What is your definition? What are your examples? Or is Kool Moe Dee wrong? Notice I said Moe Dee not Rashid. ;) Uno

Catch Up

Catch Up: Okay I know every year that certain flicks are going to get by me around September/October, Wall Street, Legends of Guardian , and The Social Network all missed for various reasons. Today thanks to a snow day I got a chance to catch up on the latter two. Legends of the Guardian was a wonderfully majestic film. The creatures looked so life like that I was checking my mantle for feathers. It moved slowly and I dozed off a few times but once it hit its stride it worked. They found a way to have owl battles that were convincing, which is not easy.

This was merely an appetizer for the entree that was Social Network. This film was another masterpiece by cinematically deft director David Fincher. Fincher built the tension from the opening scene, showing Zuckerberg's drive and fragile ego that made him a true success. The viewer is taken on a voyage of deceit, debauchery and the money making potential of a revolutionary idea. For those who haven't seen this film pick it up and settle in.

A Change Is Gonna Come

I don't make New Years resolutions, but at the the beginning of this century I resolved to be. Be better, be vigilant, be loving and so on. With each passing year I have also decided to focus on personally developing the various aspects of Shid. 2009-2010 was to embrace my sartortial side and the above picture is a sample. This year is going to be spent cultivating relationships of healing and renewal. This blog was initially intended to connect with those that I separated from by distance. Through my spiritual connection I hope to be a tool. Use me.

Something New

It has been three + years since I have published anything on this site . Dre revitalizing his has inspired me to do the same. Here I will post the burning questions I have. Hopefully they will be answered.