Slam Harder!

A couple of years ago I saw a video on MTV with a group I had never heard of before. I got hooked straight away. The hard style, the raw approach and sound was very different from what I had heard up to that date. I downloaded their record (this wasn't illegal at the time) and found more tracks in the same style as the one I'd heard on MTV.

That rap group was Onyx. That song was Slam Harder.



Another reason why they got my attention was because I recognized the first rapper in the video, Fredro Starr. He's done many acting jobs and has appeared on TV as well as in films. Sticky Fingaz, the third rapper in the Slam Harder video is also an actor. I'd seen him on the Conan O'Brian shows among other tv programmes.

Today, Fredro Starr and Sticky Fingaz are the only ones who's left in the group, and now they're back with their new track Black Rock.



I'm going to need to find their whole discography I think. You should do the same!

Live!

I just found this video of T.I.'s performance from the MTV Video Music Awards 2006. I've pretty much been looking for it since that night when it took place.

It's a smashing act. T.I. brings his protege Young Dro to the stage, as well as a massive child choir and as usual, DJ Drama stands behind the turn tables. This makes it probably one of the best live performances I have ever seen.

There is a difference in live Hiphop and studio made tracks. In live acts rappers have to try so much harder and make a bigger effort to please the audience. The voices can be completely different to what you hear of the record, as all energy is put into making themselves heard over the roaring crowds. And that just what I like about it. It's completely unpredictable. You cannot expect what to hear, except for one thing. Rap artists always gives it all when on stage.

And this live performance has got all of that, and so much more.

T.I. feat. Young Dro - Shoulder lean & What you know

And the winner is...!

On Sunday night, the whole film industry had there eyes on London, as the BAFTA awards took place. The music industry however, put on there tuxes, ties, shiny shoes and top hats, to attend the American Grammy awards.

Just like the BAFTA awards had one winner sweeping the floor with the competition in Slumdog Millionaire, the Grammy's had one of there own. Lil' Wayne demolished the competition by taking four Grammy's back to his crib, slaming his door in the face of the few critics that possibly could be out there. He won the categories for Best Rap Album with 'The Carter III', Best Rap Song with 'Lollipop (feat. Static Major)', Best Rap Solo Performance with 'A Milli' and Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group alongside T.I., Jay-z, Kanye West and M.I.A with their hit 'Swagga like us'.

There is really nothing to argue about in this. 2008 was Mr Carter's year. Besides releasing the brilliant album 'The Carter III', he has collaborated with pretty much every artist ever born, and probably a few who yet have not seen daylight.

Atlanta rapper T.I. is the one I can think of to have been the best challenger to Lil' Wayne. His Paper Trail would any other year have won Best Rap Album. But Weezy made record breaking 10 tracks from 'The Carter III' to my iTunes playlist, while T.I.'s Paper Trail just made 9. This pretty much says it all.

However, T.I.P. did not cry over this. Instead he at the awards teamed up with Weezy and the rest of "The Rap Pack" to tare the roof down with the Best Rap Performace By A Duo Or Group.

T.I. feat Jay-Z, Kanye West, Lil' Wayne and M.I.A - Swagga like us