Category Archives: Rap

Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Music Calendar, Rap

Today: Bruce Springsteen meets Bob Dylan for the first time in 1975 – 37 years ago


Photo by Ken Regan

Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen meet for the first time backstage during the Rolling Thunder Revue tour in New Haven, CT.

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Russell Tyrone Jones (November 15, 1968 – November 13, 2004) was an American rapper and occasional producer, who went by the stage name Ol’ Dirty Bastard, ODB, Ason Unique, Osirus, Rainman, and Big Baby Jesus. He was one of the founding members of the Wu-Tang Clan, a rap group primarily from Staten Island, New York that first rose to mainstream prominence with their 1993 debut album Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers).

After establishing the Wu-Tang Clan, Ol’ Dirty Bastard went on to pursue a successful solo career. However, his professional success was hampered by frequent legal troubles, including incarceration. He died in late 2004 of a drug overdose, two days before his 36th birthday. Prior to his death, Ol’ Dirty Bastard managed to record his third solo album, which has been repeatedly delayed and as of 2012 has not been released.

C.R.E.A.M. (Wu Tang Clan)

Album of The Day:

Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) (1993)

Steve Huey (allmusic.com):
Along with Dr. Dre’s The Chronic, the Wu-Tang Clan’s debut, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), was one of the most influential rap albums of the ’90s. Its spare yet atmospheric production — courtesy of RZA — mapped out the sonic blueprint that countless other hardcore rappers would follow for years to come. It laid the groundwork for the rebirth of New York hip-hop in the hardcore age, paving the way for everybody from Biggie and Jay-Z to Nas and Mobb Deep. Moreover, it introduced a colorful cast of hugely talented MCs, some of whom ranked among the best and most unique individual rappers of the decade. Some were outsized, theatrical personalities, others were cerebral storytellers and lyrical technicians, but each had his own distinctive style, which made for an album of tremendous variety and consistency. Every track on Enter the Wu-Tang is packed with fresh, inventive rhymes, which are filled with martial arts metaphors, pop culture references (everything from Voltron to Lucky Charms cereal commercials to Barbra Streisand’s “The Way We Were”), bizarre threats of violence, and a truly twisted sense of humor. ... read more @ allmusic.com

Other November 13:

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Blues, Rap, Rock, Video

Video Premiere: The Baddest Man Alive by Black Keys and RZA

From The Black Keys’ Facebook page:

World Premiere: “The Baddest Man Alive” a music video by The Black Keys & RZA for RZA’s new movie The Man with the Iron Fists.

…and what a great track it is, AND what a bad (meanin’ good) video!

From Paste Magazine:

The rockers and RZA teamed up to record a sultry track that combines the best of both rock and rap worlds. The video for “The Baddest Man Alive” pays homage to the kung-fu film that it accompanies. Audiences see The Black Keys and RZA sitting at a table in a restaurant when, all of a sudden, they all begin to battle each other. Throughout the fight sequence there are small clips from The Man With The Iron Fists on different surfaces. The bloody aspects that audiences can expect to see from the feature (it was produced by Quentin Tarantino, after all) make their way into the video, including RZA ripping someone’s arm off. (Read more at Paste)

– Hallgeir