Nas – MinBane

Opinion: 21 Savage is lucky if his relevant in a decades time…

““I don’t feel like he’s relevant,” he said over the call. “I just feel like he got a loyal fan base. He still makes good music.” The comment then prompted the co-host to ask 21 to define relevance. “Mostly connected or appropriate to what’s being done to be considered,” he then said in response” (Aron A. – ‘ 21 Savage Faces Backlash After Claiming Nas Is Irrelevant’ 14.11.2022, Hotnewhiphop.com).

Today 21 Savage shows what ignorance or hubris does to a person. It isn’t the first or the last time, a younger generation is downplaying the legends. That has happened as long as we can remember. There has always been a competition between the “New School” and the “Old School”. Still, in the case of 21 Savage… it isn’t even a battle, but just plain stupidity.

21 needs to chill and reconsider himself. If it wasn’t Drake or Metro Boomin he wouldn’t even have records hitting up the charts. It isn’t like he has a track-record or such a unique catalogue of records. No, his just another one of this generation and he should reconsider his own stance. Because, the same words can be pinned on his easily.

While Nas on the other hand has made quality music since the 1990s. He has classics like Illmatic and Stillmatic in discography. While he has other albums that supreme too like God’s Son and Life is Good. So, it isn’t like he haven’t made good music over the years. Now in the 2020s he has released 4 albums, three albums in the series of Kings Disease and Magic. These 4 albums are proving his relevancy and ability to make records for the time.

While 21 himself needs to reconfigure his own status. He is the one that could easily become irrelevant. Not like he has classics or albums that are discussed in the manner of which Nas is. Neither has he the cadence or flow, which will be timeless. I remember better the J. Cole feature on his track, than his own bars. That’s how I am seeing 21 and I cannot be alone.

Nas isn’t only a legend, but his someone that can go tour and sell-out shows. He has built up his own record label – Mass Appeal and he can re-invent himself. That’s why his using Hit-Boy for the production and it works.

21 himself would be lucky if he ever gets a career or the longevity of Nas. Nas has proven his skills and dropped gems all these years. While 21 has a more troubled time and I cannot even say one of his albums are classics or supreme. His just another of them popular rappers who comes and goes. 21 will have few years in the lime-light before dimming out of nowhere. That’s just how the game goes.

While Nas will be imprinted in the art-form. He has not only built up a name and has records that shows his craft. No, Nas is what 21 Savage wishes he himself could be. 21 should aspire to have a career and dropping such prestigious projects. Instead, 21 is downplaying and disregarding Nas for what he actually does. Nas can only be here because he has a following and people enjoy the content he produces. That’s why his relevant and is in a unique place.

A place that I ever doubt the likes of 21 Savage will have in 2 decades time. 21 have only dropped official releases since 2015 and is 7 years in the game. His nowhere near or has the versatility as Nas has over the years. Yes, Nas has two decades in addition to 21 Savage. That’s why 21 Savage should aspire to emulate or even try to get where Nas is today. He should study or try to understand what Nas has done over the years.

Instead, 21 is acting like his all that and his “it”. When his on a joint album and has needed support of other artists or heavy hitting production of Metro Boomin to be banging. Therefore, 21 Savage should consider his stance. Though we know he won’t back down or do such. He won’t loose face and retract his words.

Nevertheless, 21 Savage needs a miracle to be as relevant and as big as Nas is in 2 decades time. That’s just a fact… Peace.

Opinion: Don’t sleep on Fashawn

The Fresno’s own King has dropped another album called “All Hail the King” fully produced by Sir Veterano. This a new project and it sort of came out of nowhere. I picked this one up in the same manner, I picked up “Boy Meets World”. Ironically, both was distributed through The Orchard/Sony Music and released independently.

Now, Fashawn is on the Fresh Yard Records. He has gone away from the record label of Nas Mass Appeal. That was a short stint and “The Ecology” was really the only real project dropped on there and “Manna” if it was released there. It didn’t really matter in the grand schemes of things.

Fashawn did more with the collaboration with Murs “This Generation” than with the last project. It is positive that his dropping independently and on a Cali label. His going home and it’s looking fresh for him.

It is the fun boom-bap with a bang. There isn’t a moment of silence or hectic mess. The new album got 9 bangers and they are hard hitting. It is like the return and we all should just salute the King. This is what Fashawn needed and his proven his skills over the years.

It is hard to know why the “Boy Meets World” and “The Ecology” didn’t hit up the charts. The rapper should have gotten more than tokens of respect. Fashawn, the F should be put higher. I felt he was the underdog and Kendrick Lamar got all the glory. The dropped the same time and he got under the radar.

Fashawn should get credit. He got the skills and the ability to poetically craft a song. On this album he has the steady beats and the production behind him too. I wish he had a bigger label and a more solid distribution. He should have been a major force and not for the ones who knows about him already.

Fashawn is a King in his own right. He deserves the throne and has the bag of work too. It is not like his some son-of-gun with no skills or finesse. No, this man has the capabilities and should be recognized. I am just sad that the deals and record industry isn’t giving him his dues. It is good that the Fresh Yard Records has signed him.

Santiago should be crowned, but not by like me. He should be in the main act at the Madison Square Garden and such. Tours with him as the act to see and the ones who gets internationally known. His name should shine and now his back to where he was years ago.

Fresno’s F deserves so much more. This album, which was released recently should be blasted. Songs played on radio and put on playlists on Spotify/Tidal etc. Fashawn is slept on and it’s about time that changes. Peace.

Opinion: Lil Nas X is free to express himself

That Montero Lamar Hill aka Lil Nas X dropped a new video (Montero – Call Me By My Name)) – where he killed the devil and that shouldn’t harm your faith. His an artist and a musician who is free to express it the way he feels. That he sells a shoe with blood is just his prerogative. Just like 50 Cent sold water with vitamins. That was his business and now Lil Nas X has his gimmick.

Let’s be clear. I am a Christian and I don’t care what Lil Nas X does. He can do whatever he feels and is free to drop whatever he see fit. Yes, he shouldn’t be blasphemous and mock anyone’s faith. However, what I have seen of the music video. It wasn’t really all that. His just doing him and fine by me.

If we are reacting and shocked by this. Then we are forgetting about Madonna, Marilyn Manson and so many others who has used Christianity in their videos. There have even been films where main character has used the cross in a sexual manner. So, its not like this is new and it’s just a way to cause a stir or a controversy.

Lil Nas X is getting that. He is causing all the issues and the conservative is spearheading this. Like this is a destruction of society and Christianity too. Not like “Like A Prayer” or Nas’s “Hate Me Now” did it. Neither will song. They will just be controversial part of his discography.

This sort of art piece and music video isn’t for everyone. Neither is the deemed Christian music for others either. There is a time and place for everything. It is not like Lil Nas X was screwing his significant other on the altar or trying to force his belief system on anyone. He just made his entertaining piece and you decide if you want to watch it or not. Not like his forcing anyone to care or watch it.

It is just his controversial piece and his getting people to talk about him. Lil Nas X is winning this way. Not that everyone should listen to Jerusalem, Creed or Skillet. No, that is for the ones that likes that. However, there is a different crowd for that and not the ones following Lil Nas X.

Art reflects its times and the perspective of the ones composing it. The artists is free to make his pieces and do it. There been so many using Christian symbolism and even scripture without being directly Christian. Even Yelawolf was filming his video with Eminem in a Church. Where he was speaking of the Trinity and it didn’t make the world shake. Nevertheless, Lil Nas X does with his piece.

Clearly, it is a “cultural” nonsensical war. If your a person of faith like myself. You will not eat the horse-shit and accept it as an attack on it. If God is as great as the scriptures says he is. Then, I don’t fear a artist, but I fear God. If the powers of the almighty is as grandeur as the holy texts say he is. Then anyone can mock and ridicule it, but he will decide in the end our fate. That is how I see it. We all live accordingly to our conscience and believes. I will not feel targeted or insulted by Lil Nas X.

He just expressed himself and can do so. The ones saying its bad for the kids. Let the parents act like a parent. If the kids see it. Talk to the kids and let them understand it. Just like anything else they can see and browser on the internet. That is what you do and you use your parental guidance as well. That is not the role of Lil Nas X. Just like it never was Eminem’s role to raise me as youth either. Still, I listened to his music and bumped Xzibit and others too.

So, no… Lil Nas X isn’t damaging my calm or my faith. It takes more than a music video and some lyrics of his. This will not leave me into temptation and lack of faith. Instead, it will only let me reflect on it and move on. Like anything artistic should do.

Please, this selective outrage isn’t doing anyone any good. You are not showing your faith either. Just that your limiting someone’s freedom to express themselves. That serves no one any good and only shows your lack of tolerance, which is ironically counterproductive. Peace.