This guys blog is not organized well, so there's more reviews than just in the "Reviews" tab (so far, snoop dogg, de la soul is dead, illmatic).
Really appreciate the link faux. I knew SS would come through. Despite the shitty writing, it's fun reading these reviews 15 years later.
This guys blog is not organized well, so there's more reviews than just in the "Reviews" tab (so far, snoop dogg, de la soul is dead, illmatic).
Really appreciate the link faux. I knew SS would come through. Despite the shitty writing, it's fun reading these reviews 15 years later.
Yes, I agree that I don't really hnadle the Category really well. I don't know if I should organized them by magazine or by writers. I mean, Dave Tompkins was brillant weither he was writting for Rap Pages or for On The Go and Dream Hampton sucked, even when she was writting in Ego Trip.
A real terd of a 12" - produced by Nile Rogers, sampling Wild Cherry, and featuring the "rapping" of the original owners of The Source ... Boston dollar bin rubbish for years ...
Hahaha, I picked that up for a quarter on some novelty-rap steez. I didn't know they were the original Sauce dudes, though. That makes it even funnier.
Dude in the Harvard Polo is Jonathan Shector aka Shecky Green. He was a founding member of the Source along with David Mays and is now a professional poker player (he was on espn last week). He also has Game Records and puts out those hip hip honey dvd's... He sold his shares of the mag after Mays and Benzino became buddy buddy in the mid 90's... Not sure who dude was on the left... Also, Brett Ratner was the executive producer of that record.
Nioe! Maybe with a little more back story and intrigue circulating on the net I'll finally be able to get $10 for this on ebay. Actually, my copy is on the original independent label...I didn't realize Sire picked it up. Crazy.
I read through a lot of back issues of The Source and Rap Pages (Vibe too) for a book article I wrote on rap journalism and GOOD LORD, some of the writing is worse than you could possibly imagine. We're talking about shit that makes the average blog commentator sound like Hemingway in comparison.
Isn't that often the case with things that are the work of enthusiastic amateurs, though? .
Oh, no doubt. That's at the root of it, combined with the lack of collective editorial experience at most of these mags. There was good criticism and journalism being done...just not at the rap magazines. That said, if you re-read some of James Bernard's stuff from that era - dude was holding it down but he was more an exception than a rule at MANY of these spots.
A real terd of a 12" - produced by Nile Rogers, sampling Wild Cherry, and featuring the "rapping" of the original owners of The Source ... Boston dollar bin rubbish for years ...
HA! Yeah, I think there's a couple of copies of that at Cheapos this very moment, if any Boston area folks want to check it out. I've never heard it though--the cover just screamed "walk away, son."
Yes, I agree that I don't really hnadle the Category really well. I don't know if I should organized them by magazine or by writers. I mean, Dave Tompkins was brillant weither he was writting for Rap Pages or for On The Go and Dream Hampton sucked, even when she was writting in Ego Trip.
Hey, it wasn't so much a criticism as a matter of fact. I have no idea how I would organize that stuff either
I received a 25-count box of various Delicious Vinyl T-shirts.
Did you just dump them on Jinx74 or did he ask first?
there is NOTHING wrong with rocking 90s hiphop promo tees! NOTHING I SAY!!! okay maybe wearing 15yr old tees is a little strange but at least theyre not all fucked up looking... okay okay maybe my pete rock shirt and some of my rawkus ones but most of them are VG+.
from the March 1990 issue (with Malcolm X on the cover). First off, in honor of the late but great Funken-Klein:
and a scan of one page from their reviews section:
Maybe it's just me but I never liked his style. When Oliver mentioned bad writing I immediately thought about Funkenklein . I never got the point of his column : so ok, you met Jamalski at an industry party, but what's the big deal ?
Maybe it's just me but I never liked his style. When Oliver mentioned bad writing I immediately thought about Funkenklein . I never got the point of his column : so ok, you met Jamalski at an industry party, but what's the big deal ?
This is how I've always felt. Even though he was an industry insider, to me he had often written from a fan's point of view. He was never afraid to admit that at times he felt like an "outsider", being down for the cause but always feeling as if he was one step away of being called Richie Cunningham. You're right in saying that meeting someone like Jamalski was probably no big deal, because one can head to any industry party and "meet" someone. It's all about schmoozing anyway, making the connections, and hoping you can progress towards where you feel you need to be.
Bonz Malone and Funkenklein were on the opposite sides of the same coin, because while both were quick to boast about who they knew or who they were with ("I'm hanging out at the Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E. barbeque"), they were still very humble.
For the last 18 or so years, people have complained about what defines "hip-hop journalism": has it improved, has it had to cater to rock audiences, has it been able to capture the true spirit of the music and the community, or does anyone really know what they're talking about? People are very passionate about it as if the music is family, and I respect that, but at times it takes away the possibility of getting to the true stories because no one wants to share, in fear that the writer is someone from "the other side" trying to take away the spirit of the music and its creators. Funkenklein never did that, at least from the articles and reviews. One thing I always enjoyed about his work was that he was serious and yet was not afraid to be humorous, at his own expense. Maybe it's the inner/wanna-be comedian in a lot of us.
One can easily look at Funkenklein's column and view it as a blog, because it did have that feel. He was an insider, he was an outsider, and the thin line between them made both irrelevant. Did that make him any more special than any other journalist, to some maybe not. But I could have mentioned any other writer and someone would have complained about him or her too.
Comments
Well, actually I have lost the password to the site, I can only log in as a contributor, so don't expect it to be updated anymore...
I have to start a different one here : http://ifihavent.wordpress.com/
Yes, I agree that I don't really hnadle the Category really well. I don't know if I should organized them by magazine or by writers. I mean, Dave Tompkins was brillant weither he was writting for Rap Pages or for On The Go and Dream Hampton sucked, even when she was writting in Ego Trip.
Nioe! Maybe with a little more back story and intrigue circulating on the net I'll finally be able to get $10 for this on ebay. Actually, my copy is on the original independent label...I didn't realize Sire picked it up. Crazy.
Oh, no doubt. That's at the root of it, combined with the lack of collective editorial experience at most of these mags. There was good criticism and journalism being done...just not at the rap magazines. That said, if you re-read some of James Bernard's stuff from that era - dude was holding it down but he was more an exception than a rule at MANY of these spots.
HA! Yeah, I think there's a couple of copies of that at Cheapos this very moment, if any Boston area folks want to check it out. I've never heard it though--the cover just screamed "walk away, son."
I won the Pharcyde "Yo Momma" contest that the magazine conducted in the early '90s.
I received a 25-count box of various Delicious Vinyl T-shirts.
I appreciate the work you've done though, thanks.
Did you just dump them on Jinx74 or did he ask first?
Winning quip (circa 1992): Yo momma is so old she has a Bethlehem Starter jacket.
If I can head out to storage today, I'll scan a few pages and have them up.
and a scan of one page from their reviews section:
there is NOTHING wrong with rocking 90s hiphop promo tees! NOTHING I SAY!!! okay maybe wearing 15yr old tees is a little strange but at least theyre not all fucked up looking... okay okay maybe my pete rock shirt and some of my rawkus ones but most of them are VG+.
I bought out various issues from 1990-1991 for scanning, so they're ready.
Maybe it's just me but I never liked his style. When Oliver mentioned bad writing I immediately thought about Funkenklein . I never got the point of his column : so ok, you met Jamalski at an industry party, but what's the big deal ?
This is how I've always felt. Even though he was an industry insider, to me he had often written from a fan's point of view. He was never afraid to admit that at times he felt like an "outsider", being down for the cause but always feeling as if he was one step away of being called Richie Cunningham. You're right in saying that meeting someone like Jamalski was probably no big deal, because one can head to any industry party and "meet" someone. It's all about schmoozing anyway, making the connections, and hoping you can progress towards where you feel you need to be.
Bonz Malone and Funkenklein were on the opposite sides of the same coin, because while both were quick to boast about who they knew or who they were with ("I'm hanging out at the Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E. barbeque"), they were still very humble.
For the last 18 or so years, people have complained about what defines "hip-hop journalism": has it improved, has it had to cater to rock audiences, has it been able to capture the true spirit of the music and the community, or does anyone really know what they're talking about? People are very passionate about it as if the music is family, and I respect that, but at times it takes away the possibility of getting to the true stories because no one wants to share, in fear that the writer is someone from "the other side" trying to take away the spirit of the music and its creators. Funkenklein never did that, at least from the articles and reviews. One thing I always enjoyed about his work was that he was serious and yet was not afraid to be humorous, at his own expense. Maybe it's the inner/wanna-be comedian in a lot of us.
One can easily look at Funkenklein's column and view it as a blog, because it did have that feel. He was an insider, he was an outsider, and the thin line between them made both irrelevant. Did that make him any more special than any other journalist, to some maybe not. But I could have mentioned any other writer and someone would have complained about him or her too.