REAL TALK: IT'S A BAY THANG
This here is a little example of what I mean by Real Talk....YaY Area Style...
The Bay Today: Fact or Fiction-2004 by T-Kash The Bay Today: Fact or Fiction-2004 By: T-K.A.S.H.
I know, I know, keep it below the belt. But even Davey D can tell you, since my teenage days of karaoke demo tapes and interning for interns at various media outlets here in the bay, there is nothing in this world that matters more to me than the Progression of Northern California Bay Area Hip-Hop Culture. Regardless of the consequences my efforts to mirror that may bring upon me. With that being, it�s time once again for your favorite game (and mine), back by popular demand, it�s FACT!��NOT!��.FICTION!!!!!!!!!!!!
FACT OR FICTION: MASTER P AND �THE NEW NO LIMIT� SOLDIERS ARE OFFSPRING OF THE SECOND BAY AREA HIP-HOP RENESSANCE AND EVEN CLAIMED TO BE FROM THE BAY AREA ON THEIR EARLY RELEASES.
FACT. As early as 1992, Percy, Corey, Vashon, and at that time new born, Romeo Miller were releasing records as The Real Untouchables, which eventually was shortened into the now famous alias, �T.R.U.� Master P openly claimed to be from the Bay Area on various albums such as 1992�s No Limit/In-a-Minute Records release � Understanding the Criminal Mind�, which featured production and lyrics from Oakland Iron-producers E-A Ski and CMT. On song number one, �n----- from cali�, Master P actually recites, �I�m from the Bay so you know I�m straight fuckin wit� dank�, in reference to where he was coming from and the song �Fuckin� wit dank� by Oakland artist M.C. Pooh.
On Master P�s 1995 E.P. �99 ways to die� Silk the Shocker also recites� Mobbin through the east bay, all day, r-i-c-to the h-m-o-n-d in the c-a.� Referring to the Bay�s eastern region and the city of Richmond ,California. This city is where P and at that time his up and coming operation were based. As far forward as 1996, On the classic release �True� By T.R.U.,
The song entitled � Keep it all good� featured one of the most prominent references to date, with a R&B hook that let the world know that Master P and his crew were, and I quote,� The real n----s from the Bay�.
While his native roots to New Orleans, LA are not in question, there is still a majority of fans who still date the tank�s genesis to other successful classics such as the� I�m Bout it � movie and soundtrack, as well as �ghetto dope�, the 1997 release that produced the now world famous track, �Make�um say uggh".
FACT OR FICTION: George W. Bush is the General Manager at 106.1 KMEL
FACT. Clear Channel Worldwide Inc, the company that owns the largest number of radio stations in the country, is also owner of 106.1 fm KMEL, the most popular commercial hip-hop station here in the bay. The vice chair of Clear Channel is a person by the name of Tom Hicks .Tom Hicks is a member of The Bush Pioneer Club. He and President Bush were responsible for giving endowment management contracts of a company called the UT Management Investment Company, or UTIMCO for short. One of the contracts was given to the Carlyle Group, the company that employed George Bush Sr. as well as President Bush while he and Hicks were in good standing financially. Another man, L. Lowry Mays, is the chair of Clear Channel and at one time was on the board at UTIMCO. As for Tom Hicks is also the man who purchased the Texas Rangers from its long time owner and our President, George W. Bush.
With the help of FCC chairman Michael Powell, son of Secretary of State Colin Powell, Clear Channel is major organizer and sponsor of various �patriotic� rallies in which anyone not in agreement with the cowboy philosophy of fighting the war on terrorism is equivilated to the same status. So the next time you turn on the �people�s� station, and you only hear a portion of � BAY LOVE �, and you notice they are the only top 40 station in the bay with JADAKISS� reference to Bush on the song �WHY� being altered to remove Bush�s name ,and frequently at top 40 hip hop and R&B clubs and not a events like Black August , We The Planet, or 9-1-1, Maybe it�s because they were busy��.yup, there you go��..busy.
OR MAYBE GEORGE W.BUSH IS THE GENERAL MANAGER OF 106.1fm KMEL.
FACT OR FICTION: Tupac Shakur was a Bay Area Hip-Hop Artist.
FACT.I know this shouldn�t be up here. But keep in mind people, it�s 04 , not 94. For reasons that are not to imply fault or blame( like when fools were born)some of us just don�t go back that far. So for all of the preteens and newcomers to Bay Area Hip Hop and/or Tupac�s life and legacy, here�s how it goes.
In 1996 ,Tupac Amaru Shakur died as an artist on LA based Death Row Records.
He signed to Death Row Records while incarcerated in prison in 1996. He went to prison in 1995, and while incarcerated, he released Me Against the World, the album the brought us �Dear Mama�. This album featured Oakland artist Richie Rich , and production work by Bay Area Producer Mike Mosely as well as Oakland hip hop group Digital Underground�s Shock G. Tupac was a member of Digital Underground prior to this album on his back releases, �Strictly for my N.I.G.G.A.Z�, and �2pacalypse Now�.
He began his work with D.U. in the early 1990�s when he was living in the Bay Area and working with the Marin City Hip hop group,5150.Prior to that , some of his first recordings were as a member of the now defunct Bay Area hip hop group, Strictly Dope .Not only did the group harbor the late great Shakur, but it also featured membership from local hip hop legend RAY LUV.
*This article originally appeared at www.daveyd.com.
*The 2Pac-Digital Underground pic was found at www.staticfiends.com.
*The pics were added to this article by me.