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The most lyrical rapper: STRICKNINE CURARE



Artist: STRICKNINE CURARE
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In the bubble gum world of  Hip Hop, one artist stands out from amongst the crowd. His voice is like none other in the game, and the sense of urgency by which he raps is  unheard of. This artist goes by the name of STRICKNINE CURARE. From the moment you press play and hear his flow, you are engulfed into his world. His subject matter is real, his delivery is unmatched, and the lack of gibberish topics discussed when he raps will quickly be noted.

Official Website


He comes from the Atlanta neighborhood of Sylvan Hills. Having once been on the wrong side of the law, he has recently been thrust into the role of community activist and mentor, along with using Hip Hop as a medium to reach troubled youth. He is now using his lyrical ability to reach kids and young adults who may be headed down the wrong path in life. He is trying to save them from making some of the same mistakes that he did along his journey.

If his name is under your radar, then it won't be for long. He is churning out song after song, in what can only be described as game changing fashion. These records are going to be systematically released to the public starting in June of 2015. It will immediately be followed up by a mixtape in July. His claim to fame is that he will collaborate with almost any artist that has drive. Once that happens, mediocre rappers soon step their game up, because after being in the studio with him, they know that there is no half-stepping with this guy.

His name is a combination of two of the most deadliest substances known to man, but in small doses, are highly medicinal. This symbolizes the fact that although his upbringing and life story may have started off  rocky, he has matured and been able to conquer his demons. He would like to impart that to anyone willing to listen, and even those who are not willing. His voice forces you to take note.


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Do Lyrics Matter in Hip Hop anymore?

Dej Loaf

In today's Hip Hop scene, there is more of an emphasis placed on swag than on actual substance. "Songs" the rappers can get away with making nowadays, would never have been tolerated even 15 years ago; and the art form was already on the decline then. A genre of music that was built upon lyrics, no longer demands that it be a priority when a record is released. But why is that?

With the invention of the internet and social media, it is extremely easy for anyone to create a buzz. All you have to do is make up a silly dance and then make that dance go viral on Instagram or Twitter. You can even create a stupid 7 second clip on Vine. If you know the secret of internet marketing, then you can get thousands of views for music that is not even good. This is when the major record companies come flocking. I cannot say that I blame talentless artists for doing it like this, though. How else would they get a record deal. They can quickly get signed. The problem though, is that most people that do it this way are relying on swag. This formula will only allow an artist to release one, or maybe two singles at most. After that, the buzz is gone, they have signed away their publishing, and they have to resort to going to jail to try to stay relevant. Another problem; most have no street credibility, so that is not the answer.

Here is a shortlist of talentless rappers that have a shelf life of one more song, if that:

  • Waka Flocka Flame
  • Rae Sremmurd
  • Migos
  • Dej Loaf
  • Iggy Azalea
  • French Montana

I have come to the realization that lyrics are not as prevalent in music today because too many rappers have been given a pass. There are not enough real critics like me willing to tell the truth about these fools. Lying about selling dope should not qualify you to rap. It does not help that radio loves to make money off the music, knowing very well that they are not dealing with real artists. Back in the day, KRS-One rushed on the stage of a commercial mainstream hip hop duo by the name of PM Dawn. He proceeded to push both of them off the stage and kick a freestyle. That may not be as easy to do nowadays because they pay the bodyguards very well these days. Those are the real G's. The dudes that protect these soft rappers; putting their life on the line for a fly by night, wanna be gangsta, who is jazzy at the mouth.

What's the takeaway?

If you want to last more than a year and a half in the rap game, you need to step up your lyrics. You may laugh and say, well these one hit wonders are getting paid. While that might be true, the money won't last. They'll do some stupid shit like go and by a Bentley, or think they are actually hard, and get robbed and shot in a trap. Actual lyricists are still making an income 20 and 25 years after their mainstream buzz has died. Brand Nubian, A Tribe Called Quest, Poor Righteous Teachers, and Special Ed are just a few that come to mind. If I have done my homework and judged correctly, most of my audience is reading this because they thought I was going to condone of not having lyrics. That could not be further from the truth. I hate 99 percent of all hip hop that has come out in the last 15 years. I will never give a pass for any of it. If you are unaware of the rappers that I just mentioned in this same paragraph, then you have some homework to do. Go step up your bars! If you are a wack MC that likes the people I called out on the list, then that is awesome. I own this blog, so I couldn't care less what you think.


Kanye West and Kim Kardashian NEED each other!


When the world first heard that Kanye West was dating Kim Kardashian, most people were not shocked. After all, they had a mutual need for each other. Kim needed to line her bank account with the newest sucker who would fall for a silicone ass, and he needed a beard to cover up the fact that he was gay. It seemed to work out for the both of them. The only thing is, Kim Kardashian may have met her match. Most people would assume that she was the diva and he was the thug, but in my opinion, it is exactly the opposite.

     Let's look a little closer.

  1. Kanye West is a major fag
  2. Kim Kardashian only has talent in the bedroom
  3. Kanye and Kim compete as being divas

Kanye West is forced to hide the fact that he is gay.

In a macho field like Hip Hop, the gay stigma can ruin a career. This is why Kanye reluctantly started a relationship with Kim. I suspect that it was orchestrated by his publicist, or some high ranking illuminati member or handler that is in his pockets, and needs to stretch his career out a little while longer. I am going to prove my theory point by point. Hopefully, I will be labeled a hater, because I really do hate both of them. That would be awesome! As Arsenio Hall used to say. "Let's get BUSY"!

1.  Everyone with eyes can see that Kanye West is not a real Nigga. He is feminine as hell, with his tiny shirts, skinny jeans(sometimes leather), and tight sweaters. He has been romantically linked to


-John Legend(singer)
-Ricardo Tisci(designer)
-Frank Ocean(singer)

He never really appears to be that into her. The reason is that he is NOT. It is a hookup of convenience; like when a gay mayor of a large southern city takes a wife, just to be politically correct. The only problem, is that his dumb ass actually got her pregnant and had to get married to her. OG's on the street have come to the conclusion that he has got to be the stupidest motherfucker of all time. Kanye, you turned a hoe into a housewife. That is a major violation of the social order. You actually thought that marrying a whore would take the "gay" aura off your person?
It's your swag and sissy attitude that always shine through. You can't shake it off with a "beard". And you picked Kim Kardashian of all people? I could see smashing her, but wifing Get the fuck outta here!


2.  Kim Kardashian became famous for making a pornographic sex tape with Brandy's brother. Then she got slutted by Reggie Bush. After that, she hooked up with Chris Humphries; and now Kanye West's dumb ass. She is a monetized nutbucket. She clearly has evidence of gay escapades on Kanye West, but instead of him paying her off quietly, he has chosen to join her in matrimony, suffer through a marriage he does not want, and divorce her in a few years, so he looks like the pimp that made Kim K a baby's mama. Epic Fail! Her net worth has increased by 30 million dollars since marrying him, while his has stayed the same. After it is all said and done, he will be paying huge amounts of spousal and child support. Her mother, Kris Jenner, has coached her well.


3.  Kanye West and Kim Kardashian are competing divas. The pic at the top of the screen shows him revealing more cleavage than she was during a photo op. Sources say that he gets very upset when the paparazzi snap photos of her and ask her questions, without involving him. He is known to stop speaking to her for days on end.  Here is a divalicious video of the two interacting:

Rae Sremmurd - The newest Gay Hip Hop group

Rae Sremmurd,

The newest gay Hip Hop "artist" is a duo consisting of two brothers from Tupelo, Mississippi. Their vocals sound like pure garbage. I'm not referring to the quality of the technology used, but the lyrical subject matter and delivery. Like 99 percent of "rappers" to have come out within the last 15 years, their talent can be totally duplicated by anyone with excess studio time. I hope I will be accused of being a hater, because that is exactly how I feel about this group. I hate them with a passion. Luckily, I own this blog, so I don't give a fuck about what anyone has to say about my opinion.

First of all, they sound exactly like Young Thug, another gay Hip Hop "artist". Who the hell is he to try to aspire to sound like? After letting Birdman(The Pope of Hip Hop), fuck him in the ass, Young Thug started getting a little buzz. I guess they are interested in that themselves. I've digressed. Let me stay on the newest gay group in Hip Hop.


I don't really know anything about Rae Sremmurd, and don't even care to. At first glance, I can see they are gay as hell, so that is what I will focus on. Just look at those gay ass pink Timberland boots he has on in the pic that HE posted. Do you realize how far out of your way you have to go to find some pink Timberland boots. Most women would not even wear those. Secondly, what the fuck do they do to their voices to make it sound so gay? It has a gay twang that will make anyone cringe.

If you haven't guessed, I do not agree with the gay lifestyle making its way into Hip Hop. When I was growing up, the worst thing for a rapper to do was to come off soft and effeminate. This group reminds me of a group that came out in 1991 by the name of PM Dawn. Like Rae Sremmurd should be,  they were properly classified as alternative. I will never accept this as urban music. They are way too feminine.

Look at one of them throwing up the baphomet sign below. That's a clear indication that they have taken the oath and pledged their assholes to get fucked by multiple homosexuals in the music industry and have "sold their souls". Soon, someone close to them will die; or maybe even one of them.


Look at those manicured dreads. They are hideous! I even saw a picture of them and it showed those little gay seashells in their hair. People with real dreads don't do shit to theirs but wash and oil them. One of these motherfuckers has his locks in a bob, and the other one's just look like shit. These guys are so feminine that it is scary.

What is the takeaway from this?

I'll give these clowns an 8 month shelf life. They will be consumed and spit out very quickly. There is just not enough talent for them to make an album with any lasting hits. A year from now, we will wonder why they even got any airplay at all. Their fans will soon graduate from the eighth grade and go to high school. I hope I can reach a young person who thinks this shit is cool. What is cool about a pair of sibling faggots? Here's a gay interview from the two. I don't like them, but I will use some of their popularity to fuel my blog.

Peace out!






Why every music artist should turn off the radio

For a musician, constantly listening to the radio may do more harm than good. This is especially true when actively engaged in the creative process. If an artist listens to the radio too much while cutting an album, it can deal a death blow to a promising career. There is only one exception to this rule and that is if the artist is listening to his or her own material.

The main problem that occurs is that the artist will most likely be heavily influenced by whatever he or she is listening to. This may prevent them from cultivating a style of their own or even maintaining one that they have already created. Musicians may start sounding like what is being played on the airwaves, and that is never a good thing when trying to stand out from the crowd. They may find themselves repeating certain phrases and lyrics from others. Without intentionally doing so, they will sacrifice their creative juices for the sake of fitting in to the latest sound of their genre.

Think of a revolutionary artist that when you first heard their material, had music that did not sound like anything you had ever heard before. In your mind, try to recreate the mood that you were put into. Try to remember what you were doing at the time. This particular impact is what the independent artist should be striving for. It cannot be achieved without a style that is original. As a connoisseur of hip hop, the Wu-tang Clan comes to my mind. Remaining true to the history of hip-hop, their sound was so unique, it was impossible to ever accuse them of "style biting"(copying).

So what is the takeaway from this discussion? It is simply to turn off the radio while working on new material. It is to focus on crafting your own sound, and not just chasing a fad. The music industry is so fickle, that if you do so, then by the time you are ready to promote your music, there will be a new flavor of the month. You want to be that flavor. Rapper Ice Cube said it best with lyrics from his classic song with the same name as this article, "turn off that bulls***, turn off the mother f***ing radio".

Does Hip Hop Still Exist?

Yes
Hip Hop does exist, but you have to know where to look to find it. By the end of this article, you should have an idea of where it is lurking. It has been totally removed from the urban radio playlists. If you are anything like me, the first thing you do whenever you go into a new city is scan the radio dial for the station playing rap music; that is if you don't have satellite radio. You may hear something that resembles a long lost cousin of Hip Hop, but it probably won't be the same thing. You will probably hear what's hot in that particular region. But it still won't be Hip Hop. Let me first differentiate the between Hip Hop and Rap. KRS-One said it best with the lyrics "Rap is something you do, Hip Hop is something you live". 

 There you are, I finally found you
The secret hiding place of Hip Hop is in the college radio. This is really not a secret, but many people still don't know of its existence. You see, a requirement of many colleges is to have their own radio station. The goal of these stations is not to make a profit, therefore, the programming tends to be a lot more honest. What I mean is that, substance is held to a higher priority than swag, which dominates commercial radio. There is a higher emphasis placed on lyrics and topics. Growing up in Atlanta in the late 80s and early 90s, I discovered this secret. There were at least 4 stations that played Hip Hop, but you had to stay up very late at night to hear it. Now the programming can be listened to online, so that is not much of a barrier.

One great example of college radio at its best is WREK(91.1), Georgia Tech's station in Atlanta, Ga. Along with playing almost all genres of music, on Thursday nights, between 9pm and 11pm, you can hear real Hip Hop on the WREKroom Renaissance show. This is where you can hear Hip Hop from the 70s through now. You will hear artists such as STRICKNINE CURARE. If you are a true student, be sure to have your pen and pad handy to take notes. My favorite segment of the show is when they play a song, then play the original track that it was sampled from. You would not believe how many old school R&B and Funk acts that gave birth to a generation. More examples of those tracks can be heard on Electric Boogaloo, the Funk-based show that comes on directly afterwards.

Thank me later
Now that you know the secret to finding Hip Hop, make sure you apply it. I gave an example of the Atlanta scene, however, this is true for any major city. Do a google search for "college radio in[your city goes here]". You shouldn't be disappointed. Shoot me an email if you want to know even more secret locations of where Hip Hop is hiding.

The HUSTLONIAN is a Hip Hop Know-it-all, Urban Culture Historian, and Master Blogger.
You can reach him at hustlonian@gmail.com
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hustl-O-nian






When did Hip Hop become so gay?



If you are anything like me, you are in your thirties, grew up on Hip Hop, and have a love/hate relationship with it. With that being said, I recently watched the 2014 BET Hip Hop Awards. Like every previous year, I watched with the anticipation of a 10 year old kid awaiting a roller coaster ride at the county fair; and like every year for the past 10 years I have been deeply disappointed. Let me just say that with this blog, I don't have to be politically correct. I don't care who I offend. This is how I feel, and if it hurts, well you know the saying, "The truth hurts"! I have never formally stated this, but it's no secret. There are a hell of a lot of homosexuals in the rap music industry. The pants have gotten tighter, colors have gotten louder, and public displays of affection between black males have gotten more prevalent.

I don't have anything against gay people, but I absolutely hate that lifestyle. It has no place in Hip Hop. When I was young, the worst thing in the world you could be was a "sissy". What in the world happened? When has this become the thing to be? This was not supposed to happen. I am a conspiracy theorist and I know that homosexuality has been placed on the Black race as a way to kill us off and we have wholeheartedly bought in to it. Why guys who rap about street life would sell out their race is beyond me. I fully anticipate a backlash of people who disagree with me and call me a homophobic. They are absolutely correct. I will never buy into this, and I will never cease to call them out.

A.P. Brooks Interview - Author of SKIN: A Matter of Race in America

A.P. Brooks Interview - Author of SKIN: A Matter of Race in America.



It was a lengthy journey for A.P. Brooks, author of SKIN: A Matter of Race in America, to bring her masterpiece to fruition. Nine years to be exact. Was it worth the wait? Absolutely! Her target market is adolescent African American boys and young men. In her words, she states that we have forgotten our place in history, and that can hinder how we view ourselves. It is her mission in life to bring back that missing link. Her book has been a life changer for many people of different races. During her primary research, she decided to do a timeline of Blacks and Whites, and compare their parallels throughout history. One of the most impressive things about the book by A.P. Brooks, is its massive bibliography, comprised of a whopping 13 pages. This is a must read for anyone that considers themself a member of the human race.

Hip Hop: The History of Urban Culture

The Roots of Early Black Music - Before Hip Hop Existed
This discussion is going to look at how the art form known as Hip Hop, or Rap music was born, and its relevance to the modern day Hip Hop Culture. While many use the terms Hip Hop and Rap interchangeably, there is a difference. Rapping(MC-ing) is just one of the four essential elements of Hip Hop. The other three are DJ-ing, Breakin'(Break Dancing) and the art form known as Graffiti. While there are many theories about how Hip Hop originated, I will focus merely on the musical aspects, of MC-ing and DJ-ing. Perhaps the other two can also be explored by someone with in depth knowledge.

The story begins with us exploring the first Black person to ever record a song. He would also become the first Black artist to sell over a million copies, and tour the country as a star musician. His talents were discovered, recorded and exploited by a label by the name of Victor, the parent company of Columbia Records, an offshoot of RCA. They have evolved, changing names, buying out other labels, being bought out themselves, but they still exist today in some form or fashion. The recording artist was named George Johnson, and his first single dropped in 1891, just after the invention of the phonograph. He was the first Black person to ever be recorded on wax. The actions of his recording company would go on to set the stage for the horrible exploitation of Black music that has been taking place on a grand scale ever since. Click here to hear "The Whistling Coon".
Years later, the world would get it's first listen to a rap song, though the term was not yet invented, so the record was actually billed as Gospel. The year was 1937, and another groundbreaking tune produced by a group called the Golden Gate Gospel Quartet hit the airwaves. It was the first rap song recorded by a group. It featured rhyming lyrics over a repetitious bassline. Click here to listen to "Preacher and the Bear". I don't know if it is just a coincidence that the rhyme scheme bears such a close resemblance to the first modern rap song to reach platinum status, "Rapper's Delight", by the Sugar Hill Gang. The latter, though nowadays widely ridiculed by hip hop purists as corny, would prove the commercial viability of Hip Hop Music. The New York scene would dominate the first decade of the art form, and would become known as it's birthplace. Are you beginning to see how all Black music is related in one way or another? Allow me more time to tie up more of the loose ends

The Social Conditions Just Prior to the Emergence of Hip Hop
While the war in Vietnam was taking place, the social project of Affirmative Action was just starting to get underway. The men that did not go to war were the first "Guinea Pigs". There were countless numbers of Black men that got a piece of the pie and decided to run as far from their community as possible. At the same time, blue collar jobs like those in the factories were diminishing, due to the availability of cheap labor overseas, along with the fact that robots were starting to take the place of human workers in this country. Almost overnight, the middle class neighborhoods, where the Black community laid its head, turned into slums. This was not isolated to New York. All urban centers nationwide felt the effects. Many fathers either abandoned their families, got "lost" on drugs, became victims of Black on Black violence, or went to prison. This caused a shortage of men in the community. Enter the surrogate father of young Black males: Hip Hop.

In the mid 70s, Black America was going through a great period of transition. Soldiers had just began returning from a war(Vietnam), and for the first time in the history of this country, veterans were not looked upon socially as heroes. Many Black servicemen found that they were not only discriminated against on the battlefield, but also once they returned home. Some Black were even ridiculed by members of their own race, who could not fathom why anyone Black would have gone to fight in the first place. Even though the draft was in full effect, there were quite a lot of Black men of fighting age that either fled to Canada, erased themselves from society, or simply refused to register. These were all out attempts to keep from going to war. Many also turned to Islam and other religious sects, in an attempt to draft the dodge. The influx of returning soldiers also brought back with it thousands of men who had developed a heroine or cocaine addiction in Vietnam. They returned to a community that looked very similar to the war torn country that they had just left, included many of their peers community who had also picked up their very own drug habit here at home.

The Modern Era of Hip Hop
Lets skip forward a few decades. For my discussion about Hip Hop, I will start off by hinting at my age without formally admitting to it. Let's just say that I was born under the same star alignment as the art form known as Hip Hop. In 2014 the music that I have had a love/hate relationship with over the course of my life, turned 40 years old. What seemed to appear from nowhere in the public parks of The Bronx(New York), has influenced all facets of society, even making its way into the ipods of nursing home residents(watered down versions, but Hip Hop nonetheless; check out "The Wobble"; my 60 year old mother knew about the song even before I did).

One of my earliest and fondest memories of Hip Hop is that of me as a young teen, having to wait until my parents were away before I could play Hip Hop. It was the first genre of music that I knew of to contain profanity, so I was naturally drawn to it. I tricked my parents into buying me a couple of records that they thought were harmless. They would have never done so if they knew the albums contained cursing. Back then, it was not widely known that some rap contained four letter words, and the industry had not yet begun placing "Explicit Lyrics", or "Parental Advisory" stickers on Hip Hop yet. The secret only lasted a few years though. I remember having to hide those newly printed albums from my parents. I will say, however, that the early artists did not curse just to be doing so, but mostly did it to drive a point across. I forgot to mention the fact that a few years prior to rap music being available in cassette tape format, it was only available on vinyl, which was even more difficult to conceal. Although I'm sure it does exist somewhere, you would still be hard pressed to find any form of the culture represented on 8 Track tapes, which were popular during the mid to late 70s. Musical technology has undergone many changes right alongside Hip Hop. Many would argue that the music itself influenced the change in musical formats in the first place. Tapes were much cheaper to produce than vinyl records, and boomboxes were becoming a must have, just like ipods and mp3 players are today.

The same way that the art form and platform have changed, so has the way in which it has been marketed and sold. Once its power was discovered, a way to capitalize on its monetary value had to be developed. I will get into that a little later.

There are countless theories on who invented the modern style of Hip Hop. Many claim to know the roots, and have their opinions of who the first DJ(Disc Jockey), or MC(Master of Ceremony) was. It is my opinion that the invention cannot be placed solely on one person or group. It was a culmination of social climate, various cultures of the Black Diaspora, and the necessity of a social outlet for young Black youth.

One of the earliest disc jockeys to come into prominence was DJ Kool Herc. In 1974, when he first started setting up shop at South River Park, a section of the Bronx that bears the same name, he was the first turn table artist that many teenagers of that era recall witnessing. He developed a style that used two turn tables, with the same record playing simultaneously. His craft involved isolating the drumline or breakbeats of each record, in a pattern that could be appreciated by the crowds. Modern rapping was not yet available on vinyl, so the records of choice would have been Disco, Soul, and Funk. Of the three genres mentioned, Funk would play the dominant role. One of the pioneers of Funk, The Godfather of Soul, James Brown, may also be the Godfather of Hip Hop. His "Funky Drummer", a beloved urban anthem, contains one of the most sampled breakbeats in the history of Hip Hop.

Reaganomics - The Crack Era and it's influence on Hip Hop (Just say no)
We cannot fully comprehend Hip Hop without discussing the contribution of the drug Crack Cocaine. This is neither glorification nor condemnation, but the cold hard truth. The first time I had ever heard of crack was by way of Hip Hop. Believe it or not, it was an anti-drug video by a legendary group known as Whodini. The song was "Growing Up" and featured mainstream America's first glimpse at a crackpipe. The year was 1986, and the video featured Lawrence(known then as Larry) Fishburne. When crack hit the streets of Atlanta, I was in the sixth grade. By 1990, when I was in the 10th grade, I had seen most of the generation just prior to mine own fully embrace the drug, much like marijuana is smoked today. At the same time, I saw my peers starting to become wealthy. I remember this dude named Tory. He wore a new pair of Air Jordans to school everyday. Jordans costed over $100 dollars even back then. It quickly got around school that he was selling drugs, or "rolling". I wanted to be just like him.

A few years ealier, Nancy Reagan, wife of then President Ronald Reagan, launched a campaign called "Just Say No". It was aimed at conquering the drug problem in America. She declared a war on drugs, but in the Black neighborhoods, it was more like a war on the youth. The Atlanta Police Department famously created it's own drug task force called the Red Dogs. Instead of helping to cease the problem, they helped to propagate it by taking payoffs. This allowed "kingpins" to take over entire neighborhoods, and the Red Dogs were the bodyguards. The most notorious officers were two Caucasian policemen named Reebok and Pacman. They were known for chasing drug dealers though neighborhoods. It was widely known that if you made them run after you, and they were able to catch up, then you were going to get a major beatdown. They both were convicted of corruption and served federal time in prison.