What is Music to You?

Music is everywhere and is everything. No matter who the person is or where they're from, music has impacted them in some way.  It is interesting to see what music is to certain individuals so I went around north Portland and asked the most RANDOM people I could find to ask about their views towards music.  To some it meant a lot and to others it didn't; to some it was that one song and to others it was many songs. Music is so diverse...just like its listeners....

Teach Me How to Dougie

Music that people can have a synchronized dance to helps unify and bring joy to people from all over.  It’s so funny to see the reactions from people when "Teach Me to Dougie" comes on by Cali Swag District. "Teach Me to Dougie" has exploded over the last couple of months, and whether I am in my car, house, party, or club, I could count on somebody to hit the dougie when the song is played.
Soulja Boy was the first to successfully start the trend in catchy synchronized dance music in September of 2007, with his hit single "Crank That (Soulja Boy." Since then, others have came out with their own versions of catchy dance music like "You’re a jerk" by New Boyz, and Catdaddy by the Rej3ctz.

Many people have criticized (including me) this style of music and say it is giving hip-hop a bad name. However, I disagree in some ways. Let’s be honest, how serious can you take these artists who put out songs like this? I mean this has almost become a different genre of music in itself, so I don't even like to call it hip-hop. Nonetheless, it’s fun to dance to and people always have a good time when they actually learn the dance (or think they have learned the dance).The bottom line is, it’s fun to do.

My mother even tried to "jerk" when "You’re a Jerk” came out. It was too funny, she was horrible, but we all got a great laugh out if it. When I asked her about it she said

“I think it is great that people who never met each other can be united by a dance that everybody knows,”

“Teach Me to Dougie" is arguably the biggest synchronized dance of all time.  I’ve seen Celebrities, athletes, and entertainers enjoy the song and publicly display their “dougie” skills on camera. NFL stars have hit the dougie in the end-zone after scoring a touchdown and NBA players have dougied during player introductions.  NBA rookie John Wall hit his own version of the dougie in his very first home game by tying in his “John Wall dance” and it instantly became a YouTube sensation.

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My 12 year old little brother even caught on to the Dougie hype. This just proves that it doesn’t matterwhat age you are or how good you are at it, the goal is to just have fun doing it.  Check my brother Brandyn Waterford out gettin’ his version of the Dougie on.

Video by Phil Waterford

OMG Tour

Usher has been one of the best R&B artists of all time. He dates me back to my middle school days of listening to "U Got It Bad" and "U Don't Have To Call," Usher has been through it all with me and he someone who I follow more than just on twitter, but on tour as well. How many artists can you think of that have been hot for over a decade? Not many right? Usher is a true artists and if you haven't seen him perform you are truly missing out.Here is a map of his current tour "OMG." He is currently on the east coast right now but makes his way to the west coast next month. Check it out.



View Follow Usher on OMG Tour in a larger map

The “N” word in hip-hop. Where do you stand?

One of the most ongoing controversial debates about hip-hop is the use of the N word.  Hip-hop critics have been complaining for years, but most hip-hop artist refuse to change the way they do music. In black culture, the N word is used so frequent that it has become generally become part of everyone’s vocabulary. Black leaders have been trying to start a movement to stop the use of this word without having to forego the First Amendment, yet there has been little to no success in doing so.

I asked several people who relate to the black as well as the hip-hop culture how they feel about the word. Trey Williams, age 22, said: “That word doesn’t mean what it once did, and has evolved over time. Harrison Jones, age 34 said: “I say it and don’t even think twice about it, I think rappers are just doing the same.”

It is true that when artists say the N word in their music, it is not meant to hurt or offend anybody. It has become a part of the culture and is not used in a derogatory way it once was.  However, it still remains a very controversial topic.




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Hip-hop artists like Chamillionaire and Jim Jones have both made attempts to drop the N word completely.

Chamillionaire dropped “Ultimate Victory,” an album that was cuss and N word free in 2007.  The Album peaked at number 3 for the U.S Billboard top rap albums. Chamillionaire told the Associated Press: “I never cursed all that much anyway, but he N-word was a different story: “I’ve always used the N-word.”




Photo by Mediatakeout.com




Jim Jones said after Obama was elected for President, he decided to replace the N word with the word Obama. The examples he gave offtheave.com were: “What up, my Obama?” “Yo, did you see them Obamas last night?” “Now that’s a real Obama.”

Most artists acknowledge the influence the N word may have, but refuse to stop putting it in their music.

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According to the Associated Press, platinum artist 50 cent defended hip-hop by explaining “rappers are telling stories based on their own gritty streets.”

“They forget that the art form is a mirror and what we’re writing is a reflection of where we grew up. They can be interpreted as glorifying it on some levels but they’re trying to capture a particular feel. I’ve made it this far without having to compromise myself, Ain’t no changing what I’m doing now,” he told The AP.

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Twista also told the AP: “It would have to pay something real strong to make me change the way I do my music. I’m gonna keep saying it because I know I’m just making good music.”

Photo By Rob Howard

In an interview between Oprah Winfrey and Jay-z, they discussed this issue.

“Oprah:  When I hear the N-word, I still think about every black man who was lynched--and the N-word was the last thing he heard. Is it really necessary that you put the N-word in your music?



Nothing is necessary," he explained to Winfrey. "It's just become part of the way we communicate. My generation hasn't had the same experience with that word that generations of people before us had. We weren't so close to the pain. So in our way, we disarmed the word. We took the fire pin out of the grenade."

Jay-z then went on to add: "It's difficult to teach racism in the home when your kid loves Jay-Z," he said. "It's hard to say, 'That guy is beneath you' when your kid idolizes that guy."

Word's I Never Said. Lupe gets real political.

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Lupe Fiasco has never been one to shy away from his personal views, but his newest single “Word’s I Never Said,” off his latest album “Lasers” is arguably his most controversial song he has ever made. Lupe has always been one of the rare artists who speak out on real life issues, but he gets REAL POLITICAL on this track. He attacks virtually everything and anyone involved in politics from the war on terror, calling it a “bunch of bullshit just a poor excuse for you to use up all your bullets,” to Glenn Beck from Fox News, and radio host Rush Limbaugh calling them both racist. Oh yeah, and President Obama, admitting he didn’t vote for him in 2008 and doesn’t plan on it in 2012 (“Gaza Strip was getting bombed, Obama didn't say shit/that’s why I didn't vote for him, next one either/I’ma part of the problem, my problem is I’m peaceful and I believe in the people”).

The track was produced by Alex Da Kid and according to MTV.com he said: "It's politically charged, it's controversial, and it's Lupe being honest about his opinions on society.

 Lupe starts off by tackling issues such as: 9/11 conspiracy theories (“9/11 building 7 did they really pull it?”), budget cuts/education system (“your child’s future was the first to go with budget cuts/If you think that hurts then wait here comes the uppercut/the school was garbage in the first place/that’s on the up and up”) and TV news (“If you turn on TV all you see is a bunch of “what the f-cks/dude is dating so and so, blabbering bout such and such/and that ain’t Jersey Shore, homie that’s the news/and these the same people that supposed to be telling us the truth”).

He then goes on about the religious conflict between Islam and Judaism, predatory lending practices by banks, and the risks of using manufactured goods in America.

This may seem like a Lupe rant but he does urge his listeners to be proactive in search of solutions.

“Complain about the liquor store but what you drinking liquor for?/Complain about the gloom but when’d you pick a broom up?/just listening to Pac ain’t gone make it stop/if you don’t become an actor you’ll never be a factor.”

Lupe is complimented by Skylar Gray as she sings the powerful hook (“It's so loud inside of my head with words that I should have said, as I drown in my regrets, I can't take back the words I never said"). 

When listeners were asked how they felt about this track the answers seemed to vary.

Danie Remy said “I think it is great that we have musicians getting involved in politics.”

Meghan Kirk said “it is an excellent example of trying to be in a leadership role, however, I do not think they are all qualified.

Derrick Rodgers said “Lupe is real for this one.”

What do you think?

Beats vs Bose: Battle of the Heavyweights

For any music lover, choosing your headphones is a big decision.  The right headphones can change the way you feel and listen to music. I know for me when I purchased my Solo Beats by Dre I started listening to my iPod a lot more. The Solo Beats by Dre and I are soul mates; we’re a match made in heaven.  Which headphones are your soul mate?


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 Purchasing headphones requires research and knowledge of what you are buying so I gladly did that for you. It is no question that Beats by Dre and Bose QC 15 are the best in the business. When comparing there are specific things to look at:

-sound quality

-comfortability

-price

- noise canceling

-style

-reviews

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The Studio Beats by Dre are the biggest in size of the three. They difinatley win for style points (along with the Solo beats) and come in numerous colors. They are built like an actual speaker and using the them is a club like experience. The bass is ridiculous and the overall sound quality is great. The biggest problems with the Studio Beats are they leak a lot of sound. In essence, what makes the headphones good is also its downfall. With that much power and sound it’s almost impossible for the noise cancelling to be extremely effective. They are also the most expensive headphones on the market, at $349.95 and require batteries.



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The Bose QC 15 are the best for overall sound quality and comfortability, but they are without a question, the ugliest.  The Bose fit over your ear perfectly and are the most comfortable headphones I have ever experienced. They come in one color, grey, and are very plain.  For some, this might not even be an issue but for others style may play a big part in their decision.  The noise canceling is amazing and the sound has a great blend of bass, treble, and clarity of the music. They are a little pricey at $299.95 and similar to the Studio Beats, require batteries.  



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My personal favorite is the Solo Beats by Dre. The technology is not as advanced as the Studio Beats or the Bose QC 15’s, however, the sound quality is the best for the price.  At $199.95, they’re $100 less than the Bose QC 15’s and $150 less than the Studio Beats. The sound quality and noise canceling are great.  When comparing the sound and noise quality with the Bose and Studio Beats it falls short, but you get what you pay for and in the end they still rank as one of the best headphones out there right now. They also are the best looking, come in the most colors, and are the perfect size.  They are very comfortable and one of the best things about them is that they do not require batteries.


Everybody has a preference, and hopefully this will help your decision to buy headphones. Here are my rankings:

1. Solo Beats (best quality for price)

2. Bose QC 15 (best overall quality)

3. Studio Beats (most powerful)

RIP Nate Dogg

I thought it was only appropriate to attribute a blog post to Nate Dogg aka one of the most well known artists from the G-funk era in hip-hop. Nate Dogg was known for his successful collaborations with artists like Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Warren G., Dr. Dre, 50 Cent, Game, and 2Pac.  Nate Dogg (Nathaniel Dwayne Hale) passed away on March 15, 2011.  Nate had dealt with previous health issues leading up to his death; according to TMZ he had survived two strokes in 2007 and 2008.  Yahoo News explained that his death was due to the complications from these past strokes.

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Snoop Dogg posted on Twitter "We lost a true legend in hip-hop and R&B. One of my best friends and a brother to me since 1986 when I was a sophomore at Poly High where we met. You will always be with me forever and a day. You put the 'G' in 'G funk', you put the '1' in '213' and you put your stamp on everybody you ever did it with. I miss you because I am so sad but so happy I got to grow up with you, and I will see you again in heaven, because you know the slogan about 'all doggs go to heaven."  

50 Cent's: twitter read “I just landed nate dog is dead damn. GOD BLESS HIM R.I.P he meant a lot to west coast hiphop. Iv always been a fan of it. I wrote the chorus to 21 questions I needed nate to sing it for me. He had a way of making everything feel hard.”

According to OK News Warren G said: “It means a lot, you know, because this is something that's being done for a person that we really love. It's deeper than music, that's a brother to us, to me and Kurupt and Snoop and Daz ... it's really deeper than that," he said. "I mean, like, I'm not a psychic or a genie or a gypsy or anything, but I know deep down in my heart he's around us, he's with us ... he's with us in spirit. Everything we do, he's a part of it."

Game released a tribute song to Nate Dogg less than 48 hours after he died called "All Doggs Go to Heaven (R.I.P. Nate Dogg)"