Radio Ro Blog

My thoughts about who #1 is in the industry varies. If you are talking about who is the hottest through having the top of the charts, the most songs on the radio and selling the most, of course you would have to say Lil Wayne.  And I am not taking anything away from the lil nigga. But I do think he is overrated. He spits very clever similes and metaphores but as far as making sense line by line, I gotta give it to my nigga Jay. He may be lacking slightly right now because of the shallowness of the game and the requirements of the entertainment industry to sell a record, but he is by far the most creative and thought provoking MC, in my opinion. Others that are on his heels are NAS, Kanye, Jadakiss, and Outkast as well as others but I just believe that he spits that shit. Gotta go wit a winner.... Just check out his second verse of this song, "Hovi Baby".

My dream collaboration would be a combination of two duos. I would want to hear Outkast and Blackstar. That would be a monster combination. I say this because the song would definitely be creative and not what you would normally hear.  Secondly, it would be lyrically amazing because each member of each group are lyrical geniuses. 

There are a lot of albums that are highly anticipated for the end of 08 going into 09. I think mostly everyone has been waiting for Dr. Dre's Detox album for like ten years now. The return of Eminem is also intriguing because he normally takes over when he drops an album. The Blueprint 3 by Jay-Z and Kanye's Heartbreaks and 808s looks the most thought provoking albums of the upcoming year.

 

I personally am looking forward to Common's new album, Universal Mind Control. This album is produced by the Neptunes versus Kanye so im interested in how the whole album will sound. I think they are trying to bring the whole 80s hip hop sound back. Common albums have always been thought provoking yet the production has just recently caught up to his lyrics. I'm definitely eagered to see what he has for his fans this time around.

 

First you have to break down the true definition of a lyricists. It's not just a rapper who rhymes words and have catchy cliches. A lyricist conveys a message so strong that it becomes a movement that effects the masses.

 

Some of the greatest lyricists of all time are Rakim, KRS-1, and Big Daddy Kane to name a few. Some of the the best in this day and age were the late 2pac and biggie. Those that are still around today are Jay-Z, Common, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, and Lupe Fiasco.

 

The best lyricist today, in my eyes, is Nas. His latest album, "Nigger" is definitely a testament to true lyricism. This is a follow up to his last album, "Hip Hop is Dead" which also created the most controversy of that year throughout the hip hop community. The "Nigger" album was the most anticipatedhip hop album of the past year and didn't disappoint. With racial tension at a high as of late, Nas touched on sensitive subjects and shed light on the current state of society

 

When it comes to lyricists, Nas definitely is the current flag bearer of our generation keeping the hip hop culture and society on their toes as it relates to current events.

I think hip hop has a very strong influence on our youth. Hip hop is the voice of the young people today. If you want to know about fashion, language, etc, just look at what's going on in the hip hop culture.

 

I do think that the negative influences of hip hop are more exposed than the positive but it is slowly becoming more balanced. The whole mantra that thugging is cool is very overrated. As hip hop is maturing and growing up though, more of the youth are becoming responsible by voting and getting educated about AIDS. Artists are taking their influence more seriously these days which helps the youth prepare for adulthood. They still can have fun but their priorities are in order first.

 

Hip Hop is a lifestyle. It is something that is in you from birth. You can not just pick hip hop off the street and do it well. People can recognize the difference between  someone who lives the culture versus someone who just wants to make a quick buck off the music.

Rap is something that anyone can do. All it is, is rhyming words together. What separates the two is that hip hop connects the people to the music. You can relate to hip hop music where as you just listen to rap and get nothing from it. 

 

There are a lot of rappers in the world but few hip hop artists.

 

This week's video is:

 

 Common - i used to love H.E.R.

 

 

This week's video is:

 

Q-Tip - "MOVE"

 

 

I think it was a good idea that went the wrong direction. The premise was good but the show is too heavily influenced on who's doing what for BET at the time. Its not about who is really deserving of the awards, it's more of a popularity contest.

 

For instance, Wayne wins Lyricist of the year....LYRICISTS...Wayne can spit but we all know he ain't saying nothing about nothing. Especially against the likes of Nas, Lupe, Common, etc. That's where the show leans to favoritism. 

 

Now they do a good job of mixing a relevant award or two in there like the "I am Hip Hop" award that goes to legends in the game and their tribute performances but that's where it ends.

 

As I stated, it's a good idea that needs to be redirected on the right path. 

The "Lyrical Lessons" album is a strong follow up to what we started with the "Resurgence". We wanted to continue to lay the ground work on what, we consider, quality hip hop is. The definition of "Lyrical Lessons" is basically showing rappers the way to make good music that's saying something without compromising who the artist is.

 

We keep it simple by making the album only 10 tracks but it is timeless lyricism from start to finish. Joe Louis produced the majority of the album with J-Dubb assisting with, what I feel, are two classic hit singles. The only features are Joe louis on two tracks, "Till the end of time" and another track yet to be finished.

 

We assure you that if you liked "16 Bars-The Resurgence", you definitely will enjoy "Lyrical Lessons".

 

I think the most challenging thing was finishing the first album, "Heavy Rotation".  We was on a crazy time schedule to knock that album out. We had to do 13 songs in 3 days at one point. And at the time, we didn't have the luxury of punch-ins so we had to do each song the whole way through without mistakes.

 

 Looking back now, it wasnt the greatest quality but it was that sense of saying we wanted to do something and not letting excuses get in the way of our goal. It was a big success underground and people still talk about it to this day. We are very proud of it because it was the foundation for what you see and hear from the Ro today.

 

 

Yes the long awaited Radio Ro Video Blog is here, and this week, we are hitting you with Episode 1 "Lyrical Lessons" with Dpp  and AJ Sensation.

 

Brought to you by Beezy:

 

 

Stay tuned, as I will be adding the Video Blog 1 (Bloopers) from this video, also more Video Blog episodes coming soon!

 

 

 

Ok so nobody always gets it right the first time... well at least AJ doesn't lol. Watch this blooper clip that was cut from the original Video Blog 1 (Lyrical Lessons) and see how AJ mixes up his gangsters..

 

 

Good Stuff and stay tuned cuz I will keep em coming!

 

 

Our style is unique lyrically but we try to stay in the realm of conscious rap. We are inspired by Kanye West, Common, Blackstar, Jay-Z, and the Clipse to name a  few. We are lyrically driven artists who love artists that can state their points creatively with words.

 

We do frequent soulful instrumentals  because we have strong family ties to early R&B and soul tracks through our various up-bringings. Still we relate to people in an original way that separates us from the pack by our life experiences and the ways we view them. It's new and fresh idealogy that we bring to the table.

My favorite performance was at The Pageant in St. Louis. We had an opportunity to perform during another local talent's set. It was our first real exposure in a concert setting. I was nervous but it was more of anticipation rather than fear. We performed "The Theme" produced by J-Dubb which was released on our Rotationists Mixtape  Volume I.

 

Being on stage with all eyes on you and seeing the crowd react to your lyrics and movements was an adrenaline rush. I knew we had something special because we had no buzz at the time and no one knew of us but yet we rocked the crowd instantly. It felt like we made an impact that night which has driven us to get better after every performance since then.

 

I want to start my 1st blog ever by saying thank you to all of the fans, family and friends that support the Radio Ro. This is our blood, sweat, and tears we are puttin on wax as well as on this website. We appreciate your feedback!  Get ready for the Radio Ro to KICK THE DOOR DOWN in the 08 and 09. Dowload 16 Bars The Resurgence of Hip Hop. Trust that you will love it from start to finish. Lyrical Lessons coming soon. Stay tuned for a concery comin to a town near you. We are going to have an official Website Release party sometime in November Details coming soon. 

 

                                    This is your local neighborhood AJ Sensation

Well folks hope you've enjoyed our blogs so far, which if the stats are right, they are the highest read articles on the site. So we are gonna bring even more to the table with our video blog. 

Once or twice a week, we will post up a video so you can see us up close and personal, talkin about hip hop and everything else under the sun. Filled with crazy suprise guests and pure unadulterated foolishness, you'll be itchin' for your fix weekly.  You will be able to find them in the blog section, and also in the videos section as an archive of episodes.

Coming next week, so stay tuned!

OBAMA 08, period

 

The RadioRo are advocates of voting since we were eleigible to vote. This issue is so important because if more people would've voted a few years back, we wouldnt be in the state we're in now as a country. The time is now, CHANGE is here, and the RadioRo supports Obama.

 

"That One 08", puntos

 

                                                              

More and more, we are beginning to see hip hop and politics come to the forefront of music, artists talking about real issues and encouraging the listening audience (many black youth) to put faith back into the system and vote for the change so many have been waiting for.

 

Rappers tend to love him -- or at least the basic idea of a black man in the White House. They understand him, they can see his dream for the future and his positive campaign, and overwhelming success is unrivaled by any other in history.  Pro-Obama rap songs and references are arriving in droves, and online video endorsements are arriving just as quickly, from "Yes We Can" a song put together by Will.I.Am featuring John Legend, all the way to hip hop stars, Young Jeezy and Nas with "My President is Black.

 

Ludacris with his contriversial "Politics" praising Obama, calling Hillary a bitch, saying John McCain should be in a wheelchair, not the White House, and declaring that President Bush "is mentally handicapped."

 

A remix of Ice Cube's "Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It," mentions Barack on which Scarface raps: "I hope that Barack could pull the troops from Iraq."

On "Black Republicans," a song from Lil Wayne's mix tape "Da Drought 3," guest Juelz Santana raps: "I'm feelin' like a black Republican / Naw, I can't call it / More like a black Democrat runnin' 'em out of office / Young Barack Obama, I'm all for it."

 

Three 6 Mafia's "Last 2 Walk" includes the couplet, "There's a whole lotta room in the front of the Range / Like Barack Obama said, yeah it's time for a change." 

 

Common, a rapper from Obama's home base of Chicago, has invoked the senator's name repeatedly, as in "The People," in which he declares: "My raps ignite the people like Obama." On a remix of the Jadakiss song "Why?," Common wonders: "Why is Bush acting like he trying to get Osama? / Why don't we impeach him and elect Obama?"

 

And in a recent freestyle, Jay-Z -- who is always using analogies to cast himself as hip-hop's microphone commander in chief -- concluded: "I'm signing off as the hood's Barack."

 

Its true that Barack inspired us all, and it shows in our music, ideas, and our actions.  I hope that because of this, we can strive to be a better people, I hope we can stop killing each other, and I hope... i just hope we can take an hour out of our day on Nov 4th and make it to the polls and vote for the change that we so desperately need.

 

We all have projects that are either finished or being worked on at this moment:

DPP: My album, "My Life on A Track" is actually finished but im still creating music that may go on it on not. My album is a look into my life from when I started rhyming till now. Alot of storytelling and personal expression of my inner most thoughts.

 

AJ the Sensation: His album, "Couch Time" is still in the process of being completed. It is on a theraputic theme of his life situations. Very conversational so you can easily get into it.

 

Beezy: "Burning Bush" is an in your face look at trials and tribulations that a person can go through and a testiment of how to rise from the ashes. A truly awe inspiring album.

 

Rotationists: We all are working on a compilation called, "The Saviors". It will showcase all of us individually as well as a unit. Its more of just classic Rotationist's songs compiled together to make you feel good about music.

 

RadioRo: "Lyrical Lessons" is next to come from the Ro. AJ and DPP combine again to make a follow up to "Heavy Rotation". This album is a show of hip hop at its finest. Truly a gem.

 

That's just a taste of what's in store from the RadioRo. We will also keep you posted of upcoming live shows as well.