An Imaginary Conversation With KRS-ONE.

ARCEE: I’m joined now by the legendary KRS ONE. Some artists take offense to the title legendary. Do you?



KRS-ONE: What a great opening question, Arcee. It’s apparent you’ve spent a considerable amount of time preparing for our conversation. You’ve done so because I am a legend. To consider me anything less would be the real offense.


ARCEE: It becomes more and more difficult to teach kids about the history of hip hop with each passing generation. The average 17 year-old hip hop fan was born in 1991, 5 years after Criminal Minded hit shelves. When you put a record out, are you still talking to the average hip hop listener, or to an older core audience?

KRS-ONE: I’d rather not answer that question. So I’ll answer another one. Can a 17 year old who doesn’t listen to KRS ONE be a fan of hip hop? No. Because I am hip hop. If you’re listening to hip hop, you’re listening to KRS-ONE.

ARCEE: But what if that kid has never heard of you or your music? Is he still listening to you?

KRS-ONE: Let me put it another way. Right now, you have the opportunity to ask hip-hop any question you’d like. Because you are speaking to Hip Hop. I, KRS-ONE, am hip-hop. If Hip Hop were a box of crayons, the only colour would be KRS-ONE.

ARCEE: Ok, my bad. Well Hip Hop, my peers and I have grown old of hearing about your four elements: graffiti, b-boying, emceeing and dj-ing. While there is no question that these elements are the foundation of hip hop, is it possible that we need to let go of such a literal interpretation in order for the music to advance?

KRS-ONE: I could answer that question. But the truth is, Hip Hop doesn’t answer to the media. It would actually be more hip-hop of me to cancel the interview and walk out of here.

ARCEE: But if hip hop doesn’t answer to the media, I’d never be able to conduct an interview.

KRS-ONE: That’s precisely why you’re imagining this.

ARCEE: Oh.

ARCEE’S QUINTESSENTIAL HIP HOP 2007

Every year, I hear people complain about the state of Hip Hop. And every year, multiple artists release quality music at a rate the average consumer can’t keep up with. Nowadays, I wait until the end of the year to figure out which albums I want to own. I just let it marinate all year. God forbid you should actually go out and buy an album, but just don’t act like we never told you.

J-Dilla/Ruff Draft Re-issue (Stones Throw)
Clever of Stones Throw to re-issue this previously impossible to find Dilla project as part of his posthumous legacy. Without a doubt, a Dilla classic. Learnings: Never mix a record called Ruff Draft. It loses its charm.

Kanye West/Graduation (Def Jam)
For every hater telling me to get off Kanye’s balls, I will. Once he makes a wack record. Until then, I’m riding. The best album of the year. Definitely essential.

Devin the Dude/Waiting to Inhale (Rap-A-Lot)
I remember I heard this record twice briefly and I didn’t love it. But everyone who loves real rap music has a responsibility to support Devin’s career. Oh, potheads.


Pharaohe Monche/Desire (SRC)
One of those records that will undoubtedly disappear into the annals of hip hop, never to be seen or heard of again. Unless you buy it. Which you should, it’s a solid effort from one of hip hop’s most gifted lyricists.

Black Milk/Popular Demand(Fat Beats)
It’s debatable whether or not Black Milk is the heir to Dilla’s throne. What is not debatable is this music on this record. Dude can rap too.


UGK/Underground Kingz (Jive)
RIP Pimp C. Nothing but that professional gangsterism on wax, fools! I know more than a few people that would call this the album of the year. But, like all double albums, it should have been a single.

Jay-Z/American Gangster (Def Jam)
I liked Kingdom Come. But I love American Gangster. Your man Hov gets props for making better underground records than most underground rappers.

Little Brother/Get Back (ABB)
Phonte is officially my favourite emcee in hip hop. How can you not love a rapper who says ‘cucumber melon facial’ with a straight face? Incidentally, Pooh is no slouch on this record. Neck and neck with Kanye.

Common/Finding Forever (Universal)
Another installment in the legacy of Lonnie Lynn. Common has officially been making records you must own for over 12 years. Must be that Armor All flow. Never gets rusty.

Ghostface Killah/The Big Doe Rehab (Def Jam)
Without a doubt, the illest soloist out the clan. Ghostface proves why RZA needs new ears. After seven albums, I think I’m actually beginning to understand him.


Scarface/Made (Rap-A-Lot)
I can’t say this new record is better than The Fix. Hey, you can’t always top yourself. But “Boy meets girl” comes pretty close.

Peanut Butter Wolf presents
B-Ball Zombie War
(Stones Throw)
Definitely my favourite ‘various artists’ album of the year. Guilty Simpson with Doom and Dilla. MED and Just Blaze, plus unreleased Jaylib. To top it off, it was free on stonesthrow.com.

The Dilemma

Have you ever wanted something so bad you never considered whether or not it was right for you? Well, herein lies my dilemma.

My most recent obsession has been trying to track down a pair of vintage Cazal 607 glasses for a reasonable price. Most people probably recognize Cazal 607’s as the glasses DMC (of Run DMC) made famous back in the 80’s. But everyone and their mama were rocking Cazals or a Canal street knockoffs back then. Ebay was out of my price range. Most stores didn’t know what I was talking about. But craigslist finally led me to a pair, which the owner was gracious enough to let me try on. I put the Cazals on. And the magic just wasn’t happening. They’re pretty bold. And my face is pretty round. Anyhow, I didn’t end up copping them because it felt like I was trying too hard. Now I’m having second thoughts. Help a brother make a decision.

Should I cop these Cazals?

Yes Or No.

Place your vote to the right.

Luther Burgers for All!

Contest update: Wow I'm in the lead (Two votes! yessss, thanks mom), and I didn't even vote for myself, unlike some other people ahem... lol. Vote for the cutest Freq, to your right! Just some fun ish for you and us. We like fun. It should go without saying but, ladies only please ;) (not like we'll know).

I've got to big up one of my fav MC's period. Marvel. He passed through last night to let us know bout his album "No Streets" (I highly recommend). Dude is another one of these talented Canadian cats that so few know about. I wish we could do more that just write about and play these joints, people have to hear these cats. I feel like Canada is a wasteland for "urban" music. Would artists like Saukrates, Jully Black, Mathematik, Rochester be bigger if they were from the States? Hmmm. Well, we'll just keep carrying the torch for the dopness that is here and spread the word as best we can. Man like Kardi, do you thing!!

Here's some crazy ish. OK I'm not a health nut, I have the occasional Big Mac or fried chicken, but check out this list of heart attack inducing meals put together by Forbes magazine. These are real meals people, how bout the Philly Taco, a Philly cheese steak wrapped in a slice of pizza! All you need is to deep fry that bad boy, mmmmmm. This is the best, named after the late great Luther Vandross, the Luther Burger is a bacon cheeseburger served between two Krispy Kreme glazed donuts. OMG! Obesity problem, what obesity problem? Check the rest of the list.

Remember to check us on the web at our various other locales, the links are to the right, just like the voting, hee hee.

- Inzane.

blog, blog, blog...

Just replace real, real, real with blog lol! What up Real Freqs, yes you, if you're a regular listener then you're a Freq too. Welcome to our Flow 93.5 blog. What to say, What to say, hmmmm...

Last nights show, our usual underground type heat, new joints from Wu-Tang, Cassidy, Little Brother, etc, etc. But lets talk about before the show. From time to time we do interviews they're usually recorded before the show, so we come in a bit early. Yesterday myself and Arcee came in at 9 to do an interview with Peanut Butter Wolf, Stones Throw Records head man. Stones Throw is probably the biggest independent Hip Hop label left. You might remember them from such records as, Jaylib, MED, Oh No, Madlib and the re-release of Jay-Dee's Ruff Draft, so dude has a wealth of knowledge and man like Arcee was eager to pick his brain.

PBW

Now doing interviews, especially over the phone is always crap shoot, it's 50/50 they actually call. We've already had our share of non-calls, it's maaaaaad annoying! So we're there, on time, set up, we're good to go. Waiting, waiting, waiting. It's 9:15, so I put in a call to our man who set it up, "yo, he ain't called", reply "Ok I'm on it." Cool. Waiting, waiting, waiting. Text time, "what up?". Waiting, waiting, waiting. Man I left my house early and am missing Monday Night Football for this? Arcee is like, dude I could be doing anything else! Waiting, waiting, lets just say we're still waiting. I know dude is a busy man but, let people know what's up. Cancel, re-schedule whatever! Hey, it's his first time so we'll give him a pass for now. Just don't get into the Jazzy Jeff books, or should I say his "manager", there's someone we will never attempt to interview again that's but, another story.

Granted we are not Funkmaster Flex, or Tim Westwood. But spreading the word is spreading the word. If we're taking the time and effort to help promote you and what you're doing, no matter how big or small the market is, as an artist that has put in work to get to where you are, you should respect that time. Things happen, yes, but put in a call, you got assistants and whoever that can call if you can't. Whatever, I'm just venting cause I could have used the extra "couchful bliss" time at home.

I did get a call this morning from the rep here apologizing, so that's nice, (Thanks Jay we know you're trying) we'll try it again next week.

Need more Freqs? Here's what you do:
1. Missed a show? Want to hear it again? Go here.
2. What else are we interested in? Check our Real Freq blog here.
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And keep checking us every Monday right here on Flow baby! Oh sorry, the New Flow, yeah!

- Inzane.