@__beatboxx__

Welcome to my brand new music blog, a space to explore new and current music whilst drawing on influences of past generations. Music has a special way of making us all feel something; from the elation of that song we just can't get enough of, to the sheer annoyance from the track every radio station seems to have stuck on repeat! I guess thats the beauty of music though, there is never a wrong answer. So, lets talk music... 

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When you wake up to find out Bryson Tiller dropped his new album, True To Self, a month early! 🎧🎶

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STEVE MCQUEEN, 12 YEARS A SLAVE DIRECTOR, TO MAKE LATEST TUPAC FILM 

To those of you who do not yet know, a documentary about the life of Tupac is going to be released this year! If that wasn’t groundbreaking enough, the fact that Steve McQueen (one of my favourite British directors) has been signed up by the late rapper’s family to make the film. What can I say, I’m proud of home grown talent! 

“I am extremely moved and excited to be exploring the life and times of this legendary artist,” McQueen stated.

“I attended NYU film school in 1993 and can remember the unfolding hip-hop world and mine overlapping with Tupac’s through a mutual friend in a small way,” McQueen added.

Two more films about Tupac are due to be released this year, including ‘All Eyez On Me’ & ‘LAbryrinth’, leaving us spoilt for choice!

Tupac Shakur, a tumultuous, outspoken and defying hip-hop artist who was gunned down in the city of Las Vegas amid a five year music career, will forever be regarded as legendary. 

21 years after his death, we stand here in 2017 & prepare for what the screens have in store for us, & I can assure you, McQueen will not fail! 

(Quotes taken from BBC News)

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BOY IN DA COR’BYN

Given all the political hype in the UK at the moment (& the rest of the world to be quite honest) I couldn’t surpass the opportunity to write a combined post about music and politics. 

As the UK draws closer to the general election - 8th June 2017 in case that one isn’t etched in your calendar - Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of the Labour Party, has been campaigning pretty hard by branching out & even allowing Skepta to interview him on current hot topics; I guess you can’t blame a guy for trying! 

Corbyn has used the soaring buzz of the British grime scene to reach out to a niche audience (consisting mainly of youth), a community which, at best, has been known to feel forgotten and shunned by the very leaders who supposedly represent them & stand with them. 

Now I’m not saying that Corbyn’s action’s are going to win him the overall vote as there are many people out there who believe our political system is broken & have given up on a society that they feel disconnected from. That being said, Corbyn is doing more to bridge a gap & appeal to a wider audience than any leader I’ve seen. 

A Tory (Conservative) voter will always vote... Will you?

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TRACK OF THE WEEK Now I'm just going to keep this short, sweet & direct; Futures' "Mask Off" has got to be my track of the week! I've had more of this song in a week than I've had hot dinners... Oh come on, do you not agree?

[middlechildswag]

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Jay b4 Bey 👋🏽

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Rihanna

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They don't come much badder than RiRi

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BASHY: BLACK BOYS #Throwbackkkk

Back in the day when Bashy was known solely as a British grime artist, he released the song ‘Black Boys’ in 2007, iterating the violence felt by black youths from inner-city communities. Within this track, Bashy lists positive black inspirational role models that he felt adolescents so desperately needed during these times.

The song received a considerable amount of backlash from some communities, which in turn prompted many people to support Bashy in a stand against racism. The publicity that this caused got Bashy an invite to the Love Music Hate Racism Rally in 2008, where he performed this song to an audience of 100,000. From here, Bashy was catapulted into the limelight as his career went from strength to strength! 

And well, the rest is history - just like this track. Bashy envisioned the grime scene coming up, being given a wider platform and appealing to a larger audience; something like the grime scene we all know today. This song was released at a pivotal time, and I strongly believe it gave courage to many and paved a gateway for the British grime scene of today. You’ve got to give it to him, this is a classic that should not be forgotten. Thanks Bashy, you should be proud!

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Tupac Shakur | Jada Pinkett Smith

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“Tupac was revolutionary without a revolution,” says Jada Pinkett Smith as she opens up about her late best friend, Tupac Shakur.

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BAS BIO: Too High To Riot 

If you haven’t been listening to this one yet, I highly recommend. This guy has been criticized quite a bit, and deemed an underdog in the big wide world of rap; so lets find out a little about this character.

Bas, born Abbas Hamad to Sudanese parents, spent his earlier life in Paris, where he was born and resided until his family moved to Jamaica, Queens, at the tender age of eight. Bas didn’t start rapping until 2010, and even at that he had zero intentions of ever taking it seriously. Flash forward a couple of Kanye covers and this guy ends up touring with J. Cole! Grasping this golden opportunity helped to guide the adrift rapper into pursuing a career as a performer, and coerced him into releasing two mixtapes which inevitably kick-started his solo calling.

Cole later signed Bas to Dreamville Records, and he soon released his first album ‘Last Winter’. Bas jokingly referred to the album, which was released in April 2014, as “An album from a n*gger who ain’t got a lot of fans yet”. (Hand raises, I’m a fan!)

Two years later, Bas released his sophomore album ‘Too High To Riot’ and this is where I politely ask you to stop listening to me and instead switch on your speakers. 

Bas has been likened to J Cole, but what do you expect, he is his prodigy! Undeniably, Bas does share similar vocal sounds and styles to Cole, but you really hear him come alive on his second album. 

I want to hear more plays for Bas - who’s with me?

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CHRIS BROWN’S PRIVACY: SINGLE REVIEW!! 

He’s done it again, Chris Brown has got all the girls knickers in a twist with his latest single ‘Privacy’ which is scheduled to be on his upcoming studio album ‘Heartbreak On A Full Moon’.

CB has not left any room for the imagination by unleashing his sexually explicit lyrics for the whole world to hear; and it has been received well. This mid-tempo track has a strong bedroom-banger feel to it, quite literally, with an ear-catching beat and eye-watering lyrics that will leave you blushing for a while… (Que over-exaggerated American imitation, “OMG, no! Did he really just say that??”)  

The hit-making singer hasn’t strayed too far from his habitual and critically acclaimed music, though he does mix this one up a little by exercising his talents and rapping the final verse. We are reminded here that the Virginian R’n’B singer has been known to dabble in rap, but has previously been reported to say, ‘I think I would have to progress more as an emcee first … I don’t know if the world is ready for Chris Brown, the rapper’.

 Personally, I fully support the aptitude that CB holds, (I mean this is Breezy we’re talking about!) but I’m not so sure the rest of the world would take him seriously. I mean I don’t know, he could have anything up his sleeve - I’m just saying watch this space!  

So, I hear you all ask, what is he up to now? Well, Chris is currently touring the United States on a 33-date tour with 50 Cent and Fabolous which shall conclude in Los Angeles on 23rd May. I’m sure the fans lucky enough to bag a ticket shall be treated to more debut tracks from his upcoming album! In spite of this, the rest of us will have to wait for the album; no official date has been announced but he has promised it’s ‘coming soon’… Boo!

[90shiphopraprnb]

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Throwback.. Young Nas 🦁

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Big Sean be hitting those lyrics like three pointers! 🏀🎶

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Who are we 'throwing back' this Thursday? BLACKSTREET BOYS!

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FORM 696: IS GRIME A CRIME?

Form 696 may not mean anything to you right now, but I can assure it means a hell of a lot to the grime nightlife industry in the UK, as promoters and licensees in many areas are being asked by the police to fill in “Form 696″ before holding music events which present “DJs and MCs”.

The British government has been asked to usher a response to the controversial police risk assessment, as many fear that it is being used in a “racist” way to target grime artists. However, the Met Police have vehemently denied any underlying racial tensions caused by the form and refute that any specific genre of music is targeted. 

The Victoria Derbyshire programme which is situated in the Midlands, has found that some police forces like Leicestershire Police, still have criteria’s on the form for the ethnicity of attendees and the music genre being played at the event, even though these questions were removed from the original version of the 696 form in 2009 for racially profiling certain groups. Rude and distasteful? Agreed. 

Though Leicestershire Police have stated that the form is under review, no date has been set for an inkling of when it may be updated.

The police have argued that the form gives way to a process that helps to reduce crime and disorder, whilst providing valid information regarding promotions, encouraging local authorities and venues to share information and keep transparency. 

Unfortunately though, grime artists have told the BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire programme that information completed on this form has resulted in last minute gig cancellations.

Even Giggs had his tour cancelled due to police advice in 2010 - can you actually believe that?

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan’s office said: “Our priority is to keep Londoners safe and support a vibrant night-time economy, ensuring that all performances have the most appropriate security and safety plans. 

“We have supported a number of events that bring together the Met, music venues and promoters to try and improve the understanding of when and how Risk Assessment Form 696 should be used.” 

Let’s see how the saga unfolds… 

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**K IS FOR KENDRICK: 8 INTERESTING FACTS**

With the upcoming release of the ‘Good Kid’ rappers fourth album scheduled for 7th April 2017, now is the best time to get to know the international superstar just that little bit better!

1. Kendrick used to rap under the alias of K. Dot.

2. His top 10 rappers are among the elite: Snoop, Eminem, Jay Z, Biggie, 2Pac, Andre 3000, Nas, Method Man, Kurupt & Rakim. 

3. He watched Dr. Dre & 2Pac shoot ‘California Love’ when he was just nine years old!

4. Kendrick wanted to grow up to be a world famous basketball player just like Michael Jordan, until his height stunted his dreams. Then directed his talent into writing lyrics... PHEW! 

5. Lamar was born on 17th June, 1987 - just in case you want to send him a HBD card this year!

6. Listening to Eryka Badu is one of Kendrick’s guilty pleasures... 

7. Dr. Dre tracked him down after hearing ‘Ignorance Is Bliss’.

8. He also went to the same school as Dr. Dre, where he was an A star student.

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I miss the old Kanye?

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Y'all ready for Kendrick Lamar's return album on 7th April? Well if you can't wait that long, he's already dropped 'The Heart Part 4', giving us a snippet of what he's got lined up.