From the Dec 16 – Dec 22, 2004 issue

Music

My Philosophy

by Larry Mizell Jr.

YEEAAH. Lil' Jon has come a helluva long way since he was rocking clubs as a DJ and working for Jermaine Dupri as So So Def's first A&R. He's almost single-handedly responsible for the crunk explosion that's upended hiphop's power structure, prompting magazines like Vibe to print stupid headlines like "East Coast Rap--Who Cares?"(didn't the rag learn from its "East vs. West" instigating years ago?). Jon's had one hell of a year, being famously spoofed by Dave Chappelle, collecting checks and racking up production credits for everyone from Young Buck to Mobb Deep, dropping albums from his own artists Lil' Scrappy and Trillville, and releasing his energy drink Crunk Juice, as well as his own sophomore album of the same name. Last but not least, the man got hitched recently in Puerto Rico. That said, the Undisputed King of Crunk brings his amped-up theatrics to the Moore Theater December 17. Byrdie opens up--and that's a real good look for Byrdie, in what's been a year of real good looks for one of Seattle's best.

But if you're looking for something a little different that same night, check the 5th Element Beatbox Battle that SCIONtific Records is throwing over at the Vera Project. The best vocal percussionists in the area will be duking it out for $500, a SHURE SM58 and a chance to record with RA Scion on his next LP; also featured will be performances from RA Scion, Otha Major, and razor-tongued 206 veteran H-Bomb, among others.

So I'm listening to the retail version of Cam'Ron's much-delayed Purple Haze... and I admit, I wasn't that excited at first--because I've been sitting on the advance for months already--but I gotta say, he tweaked it nicely in time for the release. The addition of a couple Kanye West productions helps immensely--see the soulful "Down and Out." Here, Cam is at his cocky, jaunty best--his smirking, borderline moronic wordplay somehow never fails to put a smile on my face. You got pets?/Me, too, mines are dead, doggie/fox, minks, gators, that's necessary/accessories, my closet's Pet Sematary.

The most bizarre thing about Cam, however, is not his lyrics, his bizarre slang (see "piff"), nor his love of the color pink: It's the fact that somehow Cam and his Diplomats fam have become a weird, post-modernist in-joke to scads of hipsters who likely don't give a fuck about hiphop whatsoever--as well as to legions of dyed-in-the-wool b-boys and girls. Whatever the case is, if you need you a Dip Set fix, cop that shit--it's as ignorant as it gets! Oh, and it looks like Haze would be one of the very last LPs released on Roc-A-Fella, also, as Def Jam has officially bought out Jay and Dame's hit factory for a reported $10 million. Interesting, especially seeing as recent Roc signees Noreaga and Joe Budden were both formerly on Def Jam. Back to square one, I suppose--a feeling familiar to all my fellow blue-staters out there.

hiphop@thestranger.com

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