Monday, June 27, 2011

Texas Rapps Flashback: DJ Screw's June 27th

This is it right here, the most famous of all the freestyles from hundreds upon hundreds of DJ Screw tapes. The reworked Kris Kross instrumental sets it off for the likes of Big Moe and Big Pokey to take lyrical flight... 

DJ Rapd Ric, Gerald G, Dorrough, Lil Boosie & Chalie Boy - Parking Lot Pimpin' video

Lil Boosie was truly on fire down here a couple years ago or so. Of course, now he's locked up and this video suffers just a tab bit because of it. But still, DJ Rapid Ric really knows how to do things up right on the professionalism...

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Texas Rapps Flashback: Odd Squad's Fa Sho video

Wow, I didn't know until two days ago that this video even existed. I remember seeing the "I Can't See It" video back when it first dropped, but somehow this video for "Fa Sho" somehow passed me by...

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Riff Raff - Larry Bird video

Here's Riff Raff representing the Northside of Houston, albeit rocking a Southside flow borrowed directly from the likes of Big Pokey and Lil Keke. Still though, Riff Raff delivers a few crafty lines and anyone who references Ernest Givens gets props from me. Plus, the DJ Lil Sprite "slowed-N-Chopped" version goes off...


Thursday, June 9, 2011

Z-Ro - These Days video

Under the radar of many outside of the Gulf Coast region, Z-Ro drops classic songs that resonate deep within the heart of Texas. Kids memorize the lyrics to these songs like psalms and make videos for them as well... 

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Propain - Say I Won't video

When he's not promoting his new steakhouse in Austin, Houston's still-reigning quarterback hero Vince Young is shining a light on his Hiram Clarke compadre Propain... 

Monday, June 6, 2011

Lil T, Killa Cal Wayne & Gutta - Show Y'all video

As I remember it, J. Prince of the Rap-A-Lot Records empire was the very one to coin the phrase "reality rap". On one hand, the term is a cop-out designed to excuse the promotion of rampant drug dealing, imprisonment, and death. On another hand, and this was Lil J's exact point, these are the things that are actually at work in the hood. So why blame anyone for merely wanting to document "reality"?

At any rate in 2011, Killa Cal Wayne has forcibly snatched the baton previously carried by the likes of Scarface and Z-Ro and continues to run cutthroat circles around the track of reality rap. From his base of 3rd Ward Houston, where few apologies exist, Killa Cal Wayne reminds us that yes, we still have a problem and no, the art of expressing the ground-level carnage has yet to run its course... 

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Chalie Boy - G 'til I'm Dead video

Hearne's Chalie Boy just might qualify as the most soulful rapper in the game. His obvious gospel background lends him the leverage to put a world of feeling behind his lyrics. "G 'til I'm Dead" originally appeared on 2008's Return of the Versatyle Child mixtape with guest verses from Lil Boss and Killa Kyleon, while this solo version pops up on Chalie's The Grind Pays Off mixtape released earlier this year...

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Texas Rapps Flashback: DJ Screw's Southside Groovin'

This H-Town classic came out in 2002, two years beyond DJ Screw's untimely passing, on a cd titled Sentimental Value. It featues Point Blank, Z-Ro, Big T, PSK-13, and SPM going for theirs on the lyrical tip... 

Lil J & Sertified - Bars of Death video

Lil J of the League of Extraordinary G'z and Sertified of Die Slow Entertainment do their best South Austin turf talk...

Riddlore? - Back Again

How many years of living in Texas does it take to become a "Texas artist"? Ah, what does it even matter? Riddlore? of the mighty Chillin VIllain Empire might still be aligned with kneeboarding a swell at Venice Beach, but really the same could be pulled off at Port Aransas, at least on a good day. But again, why am I even toying with this California compared to Texas jibber jabber? Just listen to the messages that drive Riddlore?'s raps, as they are fully universal in their quest to make you think above the matrix...