Southern Cross Sundays: Sophomore Slump

Whats going on people. Its Sunday which means its my day to contribute to the AFA blog with whatever I want. Today I want to talk about the "sophomore slump." Ever since Ive been listening to HIP HOP I've noticed that for many of my favorite rappers, album number two is not always as dope as album #1. Its not always the case as Redman held It down with three solid albums to jump off his career. Nas in my opinion did a good job with his second effort. Some say "It was written wasn't as dope as "Illmatic," no shit. If you compare his second album to his first you'll miss all of the good things that album #2 has to offer. Many people criticize Cannibus' first album for being weak and a complete let down. I disagree. I think Cannibus' first album was very good in fact. It had a lot of versatility, dope lyrics, interesting concepts. However His second album, though it may have had slightly better beats. Every song was the same thing over and over.

I think the Sophomore Slump is a combination of many things. Number one is that when the first album is so good, people will expect certain things from the second. Instead of just treating it as a fresh new project, they see it as a continuation of the first. Another key factor in the Slump is that all the hunger driving the first album is genuine. Its a hunger that has had a whole life to develop. The hunger for the second effort only has time to develop between albums and its also not genuine in that its corrupted with expectations to meet the success of it's predecessor. Thus making some of the content forced and unauthentic.

With that I leave you with what in my opinion was the most disappointing "Sophomore Slump." Yeah Baby, by Big Pun...R.I.P. I hate to say it, but Capitol Punishment is arguably one of the best albums ever. It had everything that I as a fan wanted to hear in an album. It was in my opinion some of the best rhyme delivery in hip hop. I remember waiting for that second album to come out. I just knew it would be regarded as the, "Best Album EVER!!" Though it had some good points, it was far from that. Very Disappointing.

Oh well, Ill take Yeah Baby over any album distributed in todays Hip Hop mainstream.

By Quest, The Rising Sun
www.myspace.com/risingsunquest
www.soundclick.com/risingsunquest

Saturday Night Fever

So it's Sat night right...
I'm up too late mixing down phenetiks joints for the 4th....I think, day in a row.
Please stay tuned, for some big news is on it's way.

AFA Friday Flicks: "BAM"

So I was on IM with my man KANO (who btw ... has a really dope vinyl figure out right now) & he hits me with this dope link on youtube ... its some hillarious audio from the Jerky Boys.
This MC is the dopest evah! rofl lmao






Credits:
"Bam" by Jerky Boys ©
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Sorry its not a flick but whatever ... Its funny as hell. Next Week we will feature Mos Def. Just you wait and see what I got for you.

Snare

"BAAAAM ... cradle rock style!"

AFA Friday Flicks: "The Landlord"

So in keeping with the AFA style and sense of humor, I had an idea. How a bout a weekly post highlighting a funny video some other random thing that caught our attention out there on the internet ... we all know & love.

It might not be "Hip Hop" but its this week's hottest viral video. Oh, and in the ghetto ... we all gotz dem lanlordz just like this son!
Here is this week's AFA Friday Flick: "The Landlord"





Credits:
Actor: Will Ferrell
Actor: Adam McKay
Director: Adam McKay
origionaly posted on the site Funny or Die
Enjoy
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booyakasha
SNARE

The Evil Dee show

The basic rundown of the show last night was , It was dope. If you couldn't make it out there you really missed a dope event. The AFA was definitely reppin strong.The event was held at the monkey bar in Danbury. Their were like 4 DJ's set-ups and lap tops at each one. The game has changed!!!

DJ Circumference and I held it down for a good 30min plus of solid material. much love to Circumference for makin it one of my favorite performances of mine. we rehersed for a short amount of time but everything came out as planned. Spaz rocked a joint with me, and my freestyle was definately on point. The crowed was definately into it and I repped AFA throughout.

After my set Cee Reed held it down for another half hour. Giving the people a good dose of what the AFA has to offer. With special guests Matikhan and Mic Ripz the set was full of dope rhymes and lyrics for the people to get down wit.
Much love Cee Reed for reppin AFA aswell.

Along with a bunch of Dj's their were undercover breakers scattered throughout. Napalm was definitely doing his thing as always. While the DJ's dropped the break beats heads were just stepping to the floor doing their thing. My boy Wos definitely held his own in the circle and he and Napalm collaborated on the floor for a spontaneous routine. Then outta nowhere we had DJ Circumference show his stuff on the floor.That cat does it all! If that wasn't enough my boy Cee Reed got into the mix proving that he also is well versed in the art of the b-boy. So you know I had to rep. I blew um all out the water when I approached the center of the floor and simply crossed my arms in a b-boy stance. With a glaring stare to all the onlookers I gained my respect....lol Yea right. Anyway, Much love to all the b-boys reppin.

You already know that with all the MC's in the cut that out on the patio we had to bring it back to the old school cypher. Straight up we had cats doing it up on the freestyle tip wit my man Circumference on the beatbox. It brought me back to being on the block on a chilly night just rockin on the corners.

Oh, their was also a merch table where this cat Mastro was tagin up graff on caps for the people. He had a real dope setup there. I saw people getting some real fresh quality caps. Its all hip hop baby!!

Basically, the vibe was a very good one and everybody was having a great time.
When Evil Dee went up to do his thing he only fueled the fire that was already burning. Much respect to him for coming through and chillin wit us, as on of us. He announced that if you were here for that radio bullshit. Your in the wrong place. His set was as he put it, a journey through Hip HOP. He was sure enough right.

I don't remember exactly what he set off with but damn!!! I'm talking rappers delight, mass appeal, sound of the police, passing me by, don't sweat the technic, luchiano, shook ones, You got what I need. The list goes on and on and on. I mean, you gotta love it when you hear the man say " lets rock to one of MY old school beats" an then he drops "BUCKTOWN" shit was crazy. looking around I can see everybody basically taking a journey back in time to when hip hop was real to us. I coulde't stop jumping, throwing my hands up, and reciting the words to my favorite jams. We had Hawl Dig jumping up reciting T.R.O.Y., Cee Reed and two tall blonds bugging out to KRS 1, Dirt E Dutch just in his own world dancing to the old, old school record. Like some 70's soul shit. I could tell he wanted to make a beat..lol Much love kat. It was just too live in the motherfuckin house. Then Evil Dee said it was time for the last track. " I'm gonna exit the way I came into the game," Then he drops what else, Who Got the Props!! What!!

What can I say, we all had a great time. I'm happy to have shared that with many of my AFA brothers. Its clear to see we grew up loving the same music. And just when I thought the night couldn't get any better. 2:30am right outside the Monkey Bar their was a hot dog stand equipped with chili. It was on! My peoplez would agree that those ware some top notch dogs right there.

Peace to those who were able to make it out. Roc One, Cee Reed, Dirt E Dutch , Hawl Dig, Matikhan, Spaz, Jay of Not For Nothing, Protoge, Wos, Henchmen, Abstract Trax, Napalm, Jus Mula, Russ, Germ, DJ Circumference, Mastro, all the Dj's, breakers, performers, Evil Dee and company, hip hop lovers in the crowed makin it so live. The hot dog guy in the HDP Mobil.
Thanks T NOC for holding this event. Cant wait to do it again.

The Rising Sun Quest