KevinNottingham.com » Misc

9/11: We Will Never Forget….

Kevin — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 14:10:48 +0000

Ten years ago today… though it seems like yesterday. Like most people, I know exactly where I was and exactly what I was doing when I heard the news. I remember being at my full time gig, sitting in the office on my computer. A co-worker happened to be watching CNN over the Internet. He said a plane hit the World Trade Center. Living/working in Miami and being so far removed from the scene, it just seemed like another news story to me. It wasn’t until we realized exactly what was going on, that I began to understand the impact.

Though I wasn’t personally affected by the events, 9/11 will be a day I will never forget. There are few dates in recent history where people say everyone knows exactly where they were and what they were doing on that date. KN.com wants to hear your story.

Where were you 10 years ago today? What were you doing when you learn what happened? Tell us your story…

KN.com Is Currently Looking For New Writers

Kevin — Fri, 13 May 2011 22:47:52 +0000

Are you a writer, journalist, or simply a hip hop fan with an opinion? If so, we’d like to see if you’ve got what it takes to join our award winning team here at KN.com. We are currently looking for additional writers to cover album reviews, editorials and interviews. If you’re interested and think you’ve got what it takes, please send a bio highlighting your past writing experiences as well as information about you and at least three clippings to writers@kevinnottingham.com. Our Executive Editor, Arasia, and Editor-In-Chief, Justin will interview you to see if you are a fit!

New Twitter Alias (@KNdotcom)

Kevin — Wed, 04 May 2011 22:08:30 +0000

If you use Twitter to keep up with the posts here on KN, you’ll want to start following @KNdotcom. We created this account today for those that only want the site’s blog feed. @KevinNottingham is still active, but it will be used solely as my personal account. If you want to follow the whole KN crew (to include myself, Arasia, Justin, Thomas and the rest of our writers and contributors), you can follow us at this Twitter list.

President Obama Rules!

Kevin — Tue, 03 May 2011 00:59:07 +0000

We normally like to keep it strictly hip hop around here, but with today’s news of the death of Osama bin Laden and all the attacking lately of President Obama, I just had to share this image. Priceless!

Rest In Peace Pimp C (December 29, 1973 – December 4, 2007)

Justin — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 18:43:34 +0000

Three years ago today, hip hop lost another legend in Chad Butler. Pimp C & Bun B will go down in history as one of the great hip hop duos of all-time. UGK helped give a voice to the south and inspired many. Pimp C provided the balance to Bun’s potent rhymes with his songwriting and production prowess. Sweet Jones was as real as it gets, never afraid to speak his mind. Today, why not listen to Ridin’ Dirty or Super Tight in honor of the late Pimp C? If you’re craving for some UGK, check out the rarities compilation we put together back in April and visit The Trill Connection. Also, help support Pimp’s family by purchasing his posthumous album The Naked Soul Of Sweet Jones which is available now. Rest In Peace Pimp C.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvtZ9fuZv2E

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2B272u8WHU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uijHb5U1pD8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rY3Wrs0kpHM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tD7_Xl-41Mg

Rest In Peace Soulja Slim (September 9, 1977 – November 26, 2003)

Justin — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 19:10:06 +0000

Seven years ago today, Soulja Slim was tragically killed on his way to a live performance. James Tapp, Jr. aka Magnolia Slim had achieved some widespread attention from his time at No Limit Records but was on the brink of a breakthrough. His collaboration with Juvenile, “Slow Motion”, became a #1 hit and could only have led to bigger & better things for the New Orleans emcee. Unfortunately, he never got that chance but his music still lives on. If you’re unfamiliar with Slim’s work, hit the jump to hear some of his best work. R.I.P. Soulja Slim.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blBm2SFpKO8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cA32DVOPmi8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cv_IdffQtss

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0fwflwlDVM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEpSkc73lbw

Rest In Peace DJ Screw (July 20, 1971 – November 16, 2000)

Justin — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 00:57:38 +0000

It was 10 years ago today that the Houston hip hop community lost one of its most important figures, DJ Screw. Robert Davis began his trademark technique of slowing down records in the early 90′s and created what would later be known as “Chopped & Screwed” music. Screw also helped launch the careers of many Houston hip hop staples by having the members of his Screwed Up Click appear on his various screw tapes. Names such as Lil’ Keke, Z-Ro, Mr. 3-2, Trae, E.S.G, Big Hawk, Fat Pat, Lil’ Flip & Big Pokey were all part of the legendary SUC collective. Hit the jump for some of his work if you’re unfamiliar. R.I.P. DJ Screw.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSmMoVf1j_8

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVX9ZFsirjA

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsTil4NMlEY

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMvaxNhh44k

KevinNottingham @ A3C

Kevin — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 16:00:27 +0000

I’m headed out to Atlanta in a bit for a fun-filled weekend at A3C. Justin & Thomas will be holding down the site as usual so it’s not like anyone will miss me… lol. If you plan on being at A3C, make sure you stop by our showcase Friday night from 7pm – 11pm.. it’s gonna be a great show. Aside from that, I’ll be hanging at 9th Wonder’s showcase and the Mello Music Group showcase tonight and will probably check out the OkayPlayer and 2DopeBoyz showcases on Saturday night. Saturday at 1pm, I’ll be speaking at the Next Up! workshop.. so you can hit me up there as well. If you weren’t fortunate enough to get to A3C this year, follow me on Twitter and I’ll keep you all updated on what’s going on.

Remembering Baatin of Slum Village

Kevin — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 20:54:27 +0000

With all the controversy surrounding Slum Village members T3 and Elzhi this past week, as well as the release of the group’s latest album Villa Manifesto, let’s not forget to remember founding member Baatin on the one year anniversary of his passing. Rest in peace….

Thanks For 3 Years!

Kevin — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 16:00:18 +0000

Today is KevinNottingham.com’s 3 year anniversary or birthday or whatever you wanna call it. Three years ago today, on June 22, 2007, KN.com had it’s first post. Never in a million years did I imagine a little personal blog would eventually turn into one of the top hip hop sites on the web. We’ve had our share of drama and run-ins, but we’re still standing strong. Thanks to all of the site’s writers and contributors, past and present. And thank you to our loyal readers who have been with us since the beginning as well as those of you who have recently found us. I had a little something special to give you all for today, but the time quick crept up on me. I’ll get it together soon though. Here’s to another 3 years… or more!

Happy Memorial Day!

DJ Grain — Mon, 31 May 2010 14:41:22 +0000

Happy Memorial Day to everyone from myself and the rest of the staff at KevinNottingham.com. I hope you all are having a safe and enjoyable holiday with family and friends. While the majority of folks are being merry and drinking, our troops across seas are fighting and putting themselves in harms way. So take a brief moment to reflect on the meaning of the holiday, and if you see or know a veteran/soldier let them know you appreciate their service. Most respect to the men and women that never made it back home.

Happy Mother’s Day

DJ Grain — Sun, 09 May 2010 17:57:29 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsES-686fTo

Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers around the world and all the soon to be mothers worldwide. I thought it would be appropiate for me to put up the smooth instrumental from A Tribe Called Quest entitled 4 Moms. Gotta love the moms. Peace.

Wordsmith Shout Out!

Kevin — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 23:14:09 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PN8VcZDRvkA

I told you all before that I love these things, but this video shout out has got to be the most creative one yet… lol. Big shout out to the homie Wordsmith… I see you man!

DJ Grain: The Past Decade As I See It

DJ Grain — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 01:41:06 +0000

As this 1st decade of the 2000′s comes to a close hip hop has experienced many things and has taken on many different faces and the following things stand out to me:

Check for the rest of the article after the jump

-Autotune made a dramatic comeback, but became severely over used.

-There has been a major shift in the hip-hop world from the North to the South.

-CD’s sales dropped by a record amount putting the hurt on the record industry, due to the rise of internet downloading.

-The reign of BMF over Atlanta. (Never in my life have I ever seen a record label that has billboards next to major highways or seen a rap crew that could shut down a club and leave the entire of the floor covered in so much money you could not see the carpet/floor. (Their money some folks through college and helped a lot of folks pay bills)

-Skinny jeans gained popularity in the hip hop world.

-Mohawks became a part of the urban culture.

-The internet has allowed producers and MC’s from around the world to work on entire projects without being in the same studio or even talking, except through email. (Foreign Exchange – Nicolay and Phonte)

-DJ’s have went from being able to scratch on not only vinyl, but now you can scratch using CD’s and mp3′s.

-Blogs have taken their place as a valuable marketing tool that can heavily influence the success or failure of an artist.

-America elected its first African American president Barak Obama.

-The downturn of the economy has caused job losses that have not been seen in decades. The record labels were severely hit and most of the labels now are running with a skeleton staff.

-Beef reached an all time high (T.I. vs Lil Flip, Lil Flip vs All of Houston, Nas vs Jay-z, Young Jeezy vs Gucci Mane, 50 Cent vs Ja Rule, 50 Cent vs All of NY, and countless others)

-Within hip hop serveral genres were created. (Hyphy- West Coast & Snap Music (South))

-We lost many legends over the past decade Pimp C, Jam Master Jay, DJ AM, Grandmaster DJ Roc Raida, DJ Mr. Magic, Michael Jackson, J Dilla, Proof, James Brown, Lou Rawls, and more more. My prayers are to all who lost a love one over the past decade, it has been a rough one.

-Wu-Tang Clan dissolved and reunited.

-Dipset is no more.

Feel free to comment on anything that I may have left off my list.

5 Predictions for 2010

1. New York rappers will slowly begin to unite. (50 Cent has starting to reaching out to several rappers he had beef with)

2. Record labels will continue to fail unless they completely change their business model.

3. T.I., will regain the crown in the ATL

4. Dr. Dre’s Detox will finally drop as well as Big Boi’s Sir Luscious Left Foot.

5. Shyne will return to the game, and make some serious noise with a few mixtapes that will drop in 2010.

Fav MC’s from 2009

Ilyas of Tanya Morgan

Jermiside

K. Sidney

K. Sparks

Cee

Fav Producers from 2009

K. Murdock

G.C.

Brickbeats

Exile

Khyrsis

There are so many good MC’s and producer’s to choose from I could not list them all.

Final Thoughts

This has been a tough year for a lot of folks, we lost a lot of hip hop greats, our country is at war, and people are losing jobs. I wish everyone much success and prosperity in 2010, and leave all the madness behind and look to the future.

Everyone be safe out there for New Years and for our fans around the world that are in the future Happy New Year to you.

I will holla at ya’ll in 2010 and expect things from HipNott Records, KevinNottingham.com, The Movement Fam, and myself.

Merry Christmas!

Kevin — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 11:00:04 +0000

Freestyle Friday will resume next week, as will our regular postings. This weekend, the staff will be spending some much needed quality time with family. We hope each and every one of you have a blessed and safe holiday!

Remembering Pimp C

Justin — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 18:13:52 +0000

It’s hard to believe it has been 2 years since the untimely passing of Chad Butler aka Pimp C. As one half of the duo UGK, Pimp C was a pioneer for southern artists. Along with Bun B, Pimp C created multiple classics like Ridin’ Dirty, Super Tight & Too Hard to Swallow. Their final album, UGK 4 Life, was released earlier this year. Pimp C was diverse with his talent, be it rapping, singing or producing. He always spoke his mind and was always true to himself. Rest In Peace Pimp C, we will never forget you!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Kevin — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 11:04:02 +0000

For me, Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on what you have around you and really appreciate what you have. There are so many things that I am personally thankful for. First off, I am thankful for Hip Hop. 2009 has probably been one of the best years for hip hop all decade. Secondly, I am thankful for all of our writers and staff here at KevinNottingham.com (past and present). Third, I am thankful for those that helped me achieve my dream with HiPNOTT Records. And of course I am thankful for my family, the air that I breathe, my job and my home. But lastly, I am thankful for you… our readers.

Everybody here at KevinNottingham.com would like to give a special shout out and thanks to all of our readers who take the time to stop by and contribute everyday. This place would not be the same without you. Feel free to share what you’re thankful for in the comments…

Remembering Ol’ Dirty Bastard

Justin — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:00:13 +0000

Five years ago hip hop lost one of the most unique artists in the history of the game. Russell Jones aka Ol’ Dirty Bastard is truly a legend. He became one of the most recognizable figures in the Wu-Tang Clan and went on to great solo success as well. For this weekend, we’ll be honoring ODB and showing that although he’s gone, he’ll never be forgotten. Rest in Peace ODB…Wu-Tang is Forever!

Follow us on Twitter!

Sean Deez — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 19:06:26 +0000

Yes, I’ve begun to be a part of the craze. I’ve finally given in and succumbed to the evils of updating my status every so often, letting people know about my life—aspects they’d definitely find uninteresting— and budding in on the lives of others, as well. I just started, and I’m gradually trying to get more followers because it is becoming harder and harder to let x amount of people know about my different pieces of work on different outlets. Moreover, I just want to intrude people’s lives and make them give a damn about KevinNottingham.com if they don’t already. Help promote the cause. Of course, this benefits everyone who is already a part of the community. If we get more readers, we get more reason to keep going and going and going, and we get more support and more attention and more everything. So, if you are on Twitter and feel like spreading the word, some particular articles, or just want to get our names out there, check the jump for the KN staff Twitter lists. Follow us; some of us will probably follow you too. It’s a reciprocal thing.

And feel free to leave your Twitter in the comments….

Follow Kevin + site updates

Raekwon: The Recap

Thomas — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 19:00:27 +0000

In the mist of Jay-Z week we sprinkled in a lot of Raekwon. Probably wasn’t enough for many, but we we dropped some good ish: Who Spit It Better, instrumentals, and OB4CL video’s. Plus, Fred came through with two excellent reviews for OB4CL and OB4CLII and who can forget about the dope interview Addi conducted with The Chef? It wasn’t Rae week, but we represented the Wu-Tang Solider lovely.