Hip Hop is Dead...but Jay-Z is Bulletproof

This last weekend, His Royal Highness of Hip-Hop headlined Cochella 2010. 40 years old, alive and “puttin’ it down.” Why does he deserve the royal title? Because hip-hop died a while back…but Jay-Z lives on. Let me explain…

Nas’s album could not have come at a better time: It was 2006 and hip-hop WAS dead. The cover of the album said it all: Nas, dressed in all black, behind him an armageddon of clouds and crows, ready to drop a grey rose onto the grave of music.

Most of Nas’ complaints had to do with the meaninglessness of modern rap…the crunk, the bling, the hos and the blatantly absent poetry. When Biggie and Tupac lyricized their new-found riches, there seemed to be real meaning brewing underneath- a passion, expressed in service of a higher purpose than just the physical dollar bills and groupies. Or, at the very least, each more superficial hit on sex, drugs and b*&tches was always balanced out by an incredibly deep, almost spiritual, track on the same album. (The same man who wrote “How Do You Want It?” also wrote “Keep Your Head Up" to women.) Oh, yeah, and the tunes sampled were better too.

Only problem is by 2006 Tupac and Biggie were gone and their posthumous releases had dried up. Every other rap star seemed short of adding any meaning to their quick, catchy radio hits. Nelly could never catch up with the legacy that T & B left because even though there were traces of something fresh and (sometimes even) deep in "Country Grammer," he definitely swung into pure bling and "pimp juice" with his next record. (Don't get me wrong, I love Nelly's tunes to dance to or keep awake in my car...just not so much for aural inspiration.) Nas told MTV: “If we don't change, we gonna disappear like Rome.” But “Rome” had already fallen.

Fast forward to 2010 and Jay-Z’s The Blueprint 3, which has everything that today’s albums don’t: Good mixes, meaning AND sales (which in this era of downloads is a considerable accomplishment). Kingdom Come, released around the same time as Nas’ Hip-Hop is Dead, already suggested someone might outlive the plague of shallow rap. But this year, Jay-Z didn’t just survive, he conquered. Hits like D.O.A., Empire State of Mind and Young Forever prove the man’s invincible to any mediocrity in the music industry right now. The words speak, they actually garner feelings. You want to keep listening to the tracks over and over again, so you can decipher all the wisdoms on youth, a city of inspiration and the state of the music industry. He is indeed the King.

By the way, my vote for the line of kings is Elvis, Michael Jackson & Jay-Z….and Madonna as Queen….with Beyonce hot on her tail. Oh, yes, and the latter just happens to be Jay-Z’s wife. So, yes, hip-hop may be dead but Jay definitely isn’t.

Long Live The King!

"Revivals" Pilot Presentation

That Girl is Poison(ed) & My TV Cures

Oh boy. There's nothing like food poisoning to make you appreciate your natural, healthy state.

I made the mistake of eating extra-creamy coleslaw that had been standing out for a while on Thursday and the result was me puking my guts out all of that night and Friday morning.

I realize most Hollywood babes pay for pills to "detox"...but this is one efficient, if not, violent way to get the job done. And to be honest, I'm still feeling the effects, so I'm visiting the cheapest doctor I can find at Citizen's Medical Group first thing in the morning.

But enough about my contaminated body. Here's an update:

1) "Revivals" Screening went great (!!), although I was dodging the mines of stressville for the 24 hours leading up to it. Turnout was better than expected (!!). I wish I could have spent more time talking to people and less time running around like a headless chicken of a producer. But I felt the looove, and most satisfying of all, got so much satisfaction from seeing people have a good time, which is what I hope my entertainment is all about. Now it's time to sit down and package this thing together...

2) "Sacrifice" The Play: http://www.sacrificetheplay.com/ Yes, the dates have changed again but what better way to keep the audience on their toes. I haven't done a play in ages and it's easy to forget how much energy goes into it until you're...well...in it and a week away from the preview. I'm gonna have to put some other stuff aside until we open, and the show's up and running. Otherwise I might end up in a mental institution. Oooh, I wonder if Hollywood's asylums are as good a place to network as Alcohol Anonymous meetings are. Note: I have not been to an AA meeting. I've only heard. I swear.

3) Two recent & happy TV discoveries: Sunday was a good excuse to catch up on stuff I haven't watched: Community started airing a while ago but I had not viewed this gem until today. I LOVE it. I mean, maybe I got a good episode or something but this is totally down my alley of comedy. Clever, fun, a little larger-than-life with its plots and characters. The Brits would approve! And Chevy Chase..sweeet. I'm gonna have to play catch up with this one....

2nd, Justified: If blogs could give a dreamy sigh, this would be it. What a great pilot! Timothy Olyphant and his hat...mmm. My guess is he'll do for the cowboy brim what Mad Men's Don Draper has done for the suit...bring it back into fashion!!

It's official, my actor crushes have all moved to cable. Which is probably a sign of the times. Networks- you have quite the competition! And good. Cause competition breeds quality. Or at least that's my hope.

Until we meet again. My lovelies.

xx

P.S. My birthday is on Wednesday. Random. But true.