Speaking of talking shit, last column I mentioned the Lifesavas show at Neumo's on the 31st, and it's come to my attention that the show now also features Diverse, the dope Chicago MC, and the legendary X-Clan--sissies!!!
Hey, is it just me or is Roc-A-Fella trying to sign everybody right now? In the past week, it's been announced that Dame Dash has snapped up both mixtape beast Grafh and Mr. Superthug himself, N.O.R.E. Question is, with the bedraggled music industry and an already bloated roster (not to mention all the rumors around that former franchise player Jay-Z has started his own label with the Warner Music Group--thanks to former Def Jam honcho Lyor Cohen), is this successful label trying too hard to insure its longevity? Can we just see some albums from M.O.P. and Dirt McGirt (PKA Ol' Dirty Bastard), for chrissakes? Still, it's funny to me that despite Dame's scrambling to sign everybody, he still had the sense not to sign the Dip Set's lyrically challenged capo Jim Jones--guess he hasn't completely lost it yet. Speaking of the Dip Set, looks like the lukewarm response to Cam'Ron's singles for his next album, Purple Haze, has him stalling until he comes up with another surefire hit.
Cam's labelmate Kanye West isn't doing so bad (despite the requisite backlash)--his dog, former Tribe Called Quest fifth wheel Consequence, just dropped the terrific Take 'Em to the Cleaners LP, which succeeds largely because it's absolutely chock full of West's production and somewhat improved raps. The word is Kanye also signed Columbus, Ohio, spitter Copywrite and, the rumors still persist, fellow Chi-town alumnus Common. Hey, now wait a goddamn second... Kan-ye, Con-sequence, Co-pywrite, Com-mon? There might be some Da Vinci Code-type shit going on here, folks. Stay Tuned.
