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HardC.O.R.E. Vol. 1 Issue 5
Section 1 -- One
HardC.O.R.E. Vol. 1, Issue 5 4/3/93
Table of Contents (featuring...Guns 'n Lyrics)
Section Contents Author
---- -------- ------
1 Contents
2 C.O.R.E. info
3 R.Stone - Ice-T mc78+@andrew.cmu.edu
4 Review - Onyx juonsteve@bvc.edu
5 Article - Sellout U14864@UICVM.UIC.EDU
6 Lyrics - Go For Your Guns Kool G. Rap
7 Lyrics - Throw Ya Gunz Onyx
8 Article - Nothing commercial? juonsteve@bvc.edu
9 Update - Hip-Hop Exchange juonsteve@bvc.edu
10 Closing
Section 2 -- Two
The C.O.R.E. creed
We at C.O.R.E. support underground hip-hop (none of that crossover bullshucks).
That means we also support the 1st Amendment and the right to uncensored music.
I'm audi 5 to my doghouse!
"I got more rhymes than Madonna gets dick"
KRS-One : I Get Wreck
Asalaam Alaikum from MC Flash X
Section 3 -- Three
ICE-T'S DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
In Rolling Stone, by Alan Light
reprinted without permission by the Mack......
A six-month struggle between the world's largest media conglomerate
and the world's most controversial rapper reached a climax when Warner Bros.
Records, a division of Time Warner, announced on January 26th that it
was severing ties with Ice-T and refusing to release his new album,
_Home Invasion_. The Split illustrates the threat record companies feel
following last summer's protests over Ice-T's song "Cop Killer" and
points to the probable death of hard-core rap on major labels.
"Warner Communications has come up with he conclusion that they cannot
deal with black anger," says Ice-T, who plans to release _Home Invasion_
on March 23rd on his own label, Rhyme Syndicate Records, to be distributed by
Priority Records." The cops managed to scare this labelinto being afraid to
allow people to do what they want to do." (Ironically, Priority's
manufacturing and shipping are handled by CEMA, the distribution arm of
another major music corporation, Capitol-EMI.)
But while conventional wisdom holds that Warner Bros. simply dropped
Ice-T from its roster, the official statement that the break was "by
mutual agreement" seems closer to the truth. According to Ice-T, he wrote
Warner Bros. a letter several weeks before the decision, asking for
release from his contract because he felt that the company was damaging
his integrity by asking for excessive compromises on the new album.
Though Ice agrees that he was probably being pushed until he asked to
leave, he claims to feel no animosity toward Warner Bros. "If you've
got stock that sells for $1000 a share and all of a sudden it drops to
$600 because there's some guy talking crazy," he says, "you tell that
guy to get the fuck out of there."
The saga began last fall, several months after Ice-T pulled "Cop
Killer" from the album Body count, when he submitted the tapes for what
would have been his sixth album on Sire, a division of Warner Bros.
Since the "Cop Killer" controversy, all rap lyrics are now subjected to
intense scrutiny by labels prior to release: Warner Bros. refused to
release albums by Paris and Kool G Rap and DJ Polo in the last several
months because of concern over inflammatory tracks.
Ice says a Time Warner "crisis attorney" reviewed the tapes for _Home
Invasion_ and requested that he drop one track, "Ricochet," for the line
"got sticky sneakers from the blood of a shot cop." (The song had
previously been released as a single to coincide with the 1991
Ice-T/Denzel Washington movie of the same name.) Ice was also asked to
reconsider lyrics on tow other tracks.
"The never said, 'Change it,' but they said they could be hot spots,"
says Ice. "Like 'We Don't think it's nothing, but the police could make
it into something.'" He agreed to drop "Ricochet" and alter the other
lyrics but suggested waiting until after the November elections to
release the album.
In the meantime, Ice recorded several new songs that were added to Home
Invasion. When it came time to shoot a video for the first single,
"Gotta Lotta Love," Warner again objected to a line. "I wrote,
"G-A-T-E-S, and you better wear a vest,'" Ice explains. "They said,
'Damn, that't about [former LAPD chief Daryl] Gates, we might get in
trouble,' so I changed that, too."
By this time, the album had been delayed until February. In January,
Ice submitted cover art that depicted a white youth listening to
headphones, surrounded by the violent fantasies he is imagining. Warner
Bros. Records approved the art, but someone in Time Warner' executive
division turned it down.
Ice was on tour when he got a call saying the cover had been rejected.
"I couldn't believe it," he says. "This was the first time I really got
mad." Still, he was willing to make one last compromise, offering to
put the album out with a plain black cover. When the label requested a
new design instead, Ice and his manager, Jorge Hinojosa, wrote the
company asking of Ice could be let go.
"We said, 'Ice-T's career is based on integrity,'" says the rapper.
"The minute people feel that Ice-T is not doing what he says, there'll
be no more movies, no more nothing, 'cause then Ice will be a joke."
The company quickly agreed to the idea of ending the seven- year-long
relationship. Warner Bros. spokesman Bob Merlis says, "[Ice] was
disgruntled, we knew it, and we didn't feel comfortable asking him to do more."
The _Home Invasion_ tapes and cover were returned to Ice, and he was
released from the two albums left on his contract. Ice-TV, the talk
show that he had taped for the Time Warner subsidiary Home Box Office,
has been shelved, though Ice has already been paid for the show.
So Ice-T leaves Warner Bros. with five gold records, a completed new
album, and a cash settlement reported to be in the high six figures.
And for now, his feelings about he media giant are, at least publicly,
positive.
"Warner Bros. was a good ride," says Ice-T. "The made ma famous and
put me in a position where I can start my own business. And they never
rally disrespected me; they just go into a jam. For me personally, this
is the best thing that ever happened."
If Ice-T emerges from this deal unscathed, up-and-coming hard-core
rappers may not be so lucky. His departure shows protestors that if
they push stock-holders and attack the corporate image hard enough, even
the biggest companies will back down. There is widespread concern that
the hit will be felt hardest by artists without Ice-T's high profile.
"It affects the next Ice-T's and Ice Cubes out there," says Bryan
Turner, president of Priority Records (home of N.W.A. and Ice Cube and
now Ice-T's distributor.). "That's sad--it's impacting on creative
expression."
"As a businessman, I understand [Time Warner]," says Russell Simmons,
whose Def Jam Records first brought rap to major labels when it signed
an agreement with CBS in 1985. "But any art dealers that don't support
and protect their artists shouldn't be in the business. The artistic
community shouldn't stand for it--the police didn't."
Many insiders, though, feel that rap's return to independent labels
will ultimately prove healthier for the music.
"I'm very happy that corporate America is willing to divest itself
of a $750 million industry," says Bill Stephney, a co-founder of Public
Enemy and the president-CEO of the new Stepsun Music Entertainment
(distributed by Warner through Tommy Boy Records). "But I've always
though the relationship between hip-hop and major labels was an
untenable situation. You've go artists calling white people 'devils' on
white-owned corporate labels--it makes no sense."
"When it gets to the level of PR, sales and dollar figures," adds
Turner, "if you were looking at it that way, how could you not agree
with [Time Warner]?"
Stephney concludes that while rap's return to independent labels
could ultimately be a positive change, it will require a new attitude for
the music to survive. "Indie labels must develop political wisdom, which
they haven't been willing to do," he says. "They need to stand strong
and be savvy about defending themselves. Warner Bros. hasn't pressured
[Stepsun] so far, and I don't think we'll be compromised, but if we feel
that we are, we'll have to leave them."
Regardless of its implications, the immediate winner in the Warner
Bros/Ice-T divorce is undoubtedly Ice-T. "I completed the arc within
that particularly system," he says. "At this point they could give me
the suit, the executive position, the TV show, but to do that you've go
to change how you talk.
"Right now, we're in the middle of an educational war," Ice adds.
"And there's no time to have people like myself, who other people consider
soldiers, being told what to say. I ain't with that. I'm moving on."
Section 4 -- Four
Review - Onyx : Bacdafucup
By MC Flash X
Review scale :
6. Phat - Ten years from now this shit'll still be so dope!
5. Funky - Ownership is the difference between a mack and a mark
4. Fine - If your pockets are fat get it, but don't panic if you don't
3. Fair - It has some potential hits, and at least it doesn't stink
2. Flat - Somebody explain to me why this person even tried?!
1. Flunk - The ultimate diss... PM Dawn sounded better
Beatz : It falls very exactly between Fine and Funky, which will be
explained
Lyrics: Very Funky, but six outta six for explicitness. If you are in
the least bothered by bitch/ho/nigga lyrics, skip this one
Rating: Overall, it gets a funky, but not as high a Funky as Geto Boys
Side One: Side Two:
*Bacdafucup Onyx is Here
Bichasniguz Slam
Throw Ya Gunz Stik'N'Muve
Here'N'Now Bichasbootleguz
*Bust Dat Ass Shifftee
Atak of Da Bal-Headz Phat('N' All Dat)
*Da Mad Face Invasion Da Nex Niguz
Blac Vagina Finda *Getdafucout
*Da Bounca Nigga
Nigga Bridges
As you had probably already guessed, Bacdafucup is just a short intro, not a
full length song, but it has a nice background and sets the tone well.
'Move back motherfuckers, the Onyx is here
Bacdafucup, bacdafucup'
Then we roll straight into Bichasniguz, which isn't saying much, and doesn't
have the best beat of the whole tape, but overall is a fine cut, and won't
have you reaching for FF. Another good 'Intro' to Onyx.
'Bichasniguz I'ma have to pull your skirt up
That's the word up, you're gettin hurt up...
Move back motherfuckers, the Onyx is here
My name is Sticky Fingers I'm the nigga in your nightmare
Forget the crowd cheers, I live off fears
It's the beast in me'
Co-incidentally, Sticky Fingers is my favorite rhymer off the group. His voice
has a ruff but smooth edge and his lyrics always seem to be on point even when
the beat or the crew aren't.
Anyway, without further adeiux, Throw Ya Gunz is in the mix. Since I got the
lyrics here, why say any more? Except that it is PHAT, lyrics, beat n all!
Here'N'Now is another one of those Fine songs, the songs that make people say
'All Onyx songs sound alike'. Once again, it's not bad, it doesn't stand out
on the cassette though.
'The niggaz can't get it, the niggaz ain't got it
I been a bald head since the age of 10
Cause I'ma ruthless crook, and I'm wanted in Brooklyn'
Anyway, the short spot 'Bust Dat Ass' is actually worthy of note cause it has
a bassline that probably would've worked for a whole joint and the call and
response is pretty damn funky.
But anyway, onto 'Attack of Da Bal-Hedz', another standout cut. It has a great
funk feel spiced with some ill style horn samples and some lyrics I just love.
'What's the matter with my brain
I can't think clear, oh it's the hair
Run and get the razor gotta make it disappear
There! Now I got an open mind'
How can you front on lyrics like that? And then the next full song, Blac
Vagina Finda, just keeps it rollin.
'I'm just one, stinky, kinky, slim not slinky
Fiddle with your clitoris pop your pussy with my pinky...
The perverted motherfuckers is at it again
Fuckin with a skin, fuckin with a skin'
I'm gonna skip reviewing the rest of side one and side two with one
exception... for two reasons. One, only one other song really stands out to
me. Two, to reimphasize my point that while this album is not wack, and no
song dips into wackness, it just doesn't vary enough. Still a good tape
though.
Anyway, I will just quickly mention Slam, because as one witty ALT.RAP soul
just said, it does. As for the lyrics --
'Slam, says Onyx, says Onyx
Let boys B-Boys...
I come across with the pure,
Unsure, unaldurated, uncut, raw,
disgusting, busting, you wanna touch it too hot...'
Et cetera. I guess on rereviewing this tape, average is about all I can say.
But if you heard 'Throw Ya Gunz' and liked it I would recommend this tape.
PEace yo!
Section 5 -- Five
Subj: Who's The Real Sellout?
"You're a sellout!"
"Why you sold out?"
"You have fallen off, damned sellout!"
Accusations like this are thrown throughout the Hip Hop community. But
who is truly a sell-out? Is a hip-pop artist a sell-out? Is a gangsta
rapper a sell-out? The best way to determine whether or not a person
actually is a sell-out is to first, define the meaning of the word
"sell-out."
To me, a sell-out is someone who either:
A) Pretends to be down but doesn't know jack about true hip hop,
B) Establishes a true hip hop base, and abandons it for mainstream
success,
C) Promotes and foments ideas that are dangerous to the Hip Hop
community and rap fans as a whole,or,
D) Is a blatant hypocrite.
By using this criteria, a sell-out can have more than one definition.
For example, under (A), a person like Marky Mark can be called a
sell-out. His "rap" roots only trace back to the Stank Kids on the
Block, and when he fronts like he's a hardcore artist, he's only selling
himself, and his talent (and lack thereof) to the highest bidder (Calvin
Klein, anyone?). Arsenio Hall fits in this category as well, because
he never demonstrated an appreciation for true hip hop, just what happens
to be popular at the moment. He proved his ignorance of hip hop when he
failed to acknowledge that Heavy D has an entire album out.
Under (B), an artist like LL Cool J can be classified a sellout. He
came out as one of the hardest rappers around, and he flexed with the
best of them. Unfortunately, LL wanted to go pop. And the more he
tried to cross over, the softer his songs became, culminating with one
of the worst songs in history, "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf",
performed, of all things, for a DISNEY compilation. LL was too
"pop-ular" to shoot the video for "H.E.A.L Yourself", and his
contribution was easily erased. It's one thing to cross over (Heavy D
is the best example) and keep your base, but it's totally different when
an artist feels that he is moving "beyond" Hip Hop, when it's Hip Hop
that's accelerating past HIM. Run DMC is another example, and when they
performed "Ghostbusters" and "Wrestlemania", that signaled the end of
their underground influence on Hip Hop. Fortunately, LL and Run-DMC are
coming full circle, and are preparing to show the world that although
they may have fallen off, they are not to be slept on. From what I've
heard so far, the circle is now becoming complete.
I would classify an artist like PM Dawn under (C) because true, his
music was never "down" to begin with, his attitudes are dangerously
"Uncle Tom." An artist that has an audience like his should not go
around accusing Blacks of being lazy, shiftless and opportunistic
welfare bums, because SOMEONE out there might take him seriously. In
his case, he's not selling out Hip Hop, he's selling out his own RACE,
and that is infinitely more dangerous. Maybe KRS 1 should invite ol'
Prince Be to a seminar on knowledge of self and the Black community.
Maybe then, Prince Be could learn some respect for his forefathers and
foremothers.
Under (D), artists who violate their own philosophy are classified. In
this case, their music may or may not come into question. For example,
Rakim, probably the dopest lyricist this side of the universe, is a
hypocrite for endorsing St. Ides. Why would a so-called "muslim" and a
member of the 5% Nation promote poison that's only being sold in the
Black Community? I would also place Hammer here, because he promotes
Christianity while having Black women shake their butts in tight biker
shorts. If an artist is going to promote a philosophy and try to teach
others, he should at least lead by example. Female artists who shake
their butts for videos fall in here, too... especially Oaktown's 357.
They want people to take them seriously as artists, yet they strut
around half-naked pouring honey all over each other. These sisters are
selling out Black women as well as selling themselves.
Hopefully, we can find ways to rid hip hop of the sellouts, because all
they do is compromise a powerful art form. And until we do, we all have
to keep our eyes open, because the sellouts are everywhere.
Peace,
The Minister of Rage
Section 6 -- Six
Lyrics : Go For Your Guns Kool G Rap and DJ Polo
Verse One:
Niggaz in the street that I diss right
You better get this right
These days what the fuck is a fist fight
Pitch and puttin niggaz in headlocks
When I can lick off shots
and put they ass in a box
Cause if you steppin to me tryin to throw a right hook
Bitch is lookin to get your motherfuckin life took
Cause I can't wait to be a niggaz fate
So while you lift weights
I'm liftin lite-ass nickel plates
So if you wanna misbehave nigga
I'll have to kick it to the motherfuckin grave digger
Yeah motherfucker you heard it
Dude wanna let walk talk shit nope you talk your ass murdered
Niggaz are bein the Karate Kid
But I'll be in prison doin a motherfuckin body-bid
So you can take all that Rocky shit home
Sylvester Stallone ain't shit against Al Capone
Cause I ain't got no patience or energy
For motherfuckers and punk-ass suckers that wanna enter me
Step up and play me like I'm soft
Bitch I don't knock motherfuckers out
I'm knockin motherfuckers off
Leavin the scene like Machine Gun Kelly
Two to the head about four cross the belly
Steady givin niggaz the runs
Fuckin clam put your fists down and go for your guns
Verse Two:
You punk-ass niggaz better hop or chill
Cause my glock can kill twenty motherfuckers with boxer skills
That's how I put a niggaz head out
The murder scene needs more than Visine to get the red out
And I don't give a fuck if you know Judo
Cause I'ma blow your motherfuckin ass to Pluto
And when I blast the trey niggaz pass away
Puttin the glock to your silly clown ass you gay
So all you niggaz with the jokes
(Is everybody ready?) Well dibbida-dat's all folks
Cause nigga you don't want the nine to go (boom)
Niggaz like Tyson woulda died a long time ago
Run out of luck with a slump for you sucker ducks
No more percussion be another motherfucker bucked
Gettin all rumps in stuffed up boots
Hell no, I'm givin motherfuckers burial suits
Your little T.K.O was A.O.K.
My way is R.I.P., niggaz are D.O.A.
Dead on Arrival
So nigga you better come with your gun if you want survival
>From the Mac-11
It throws out real fast so the motherfuckin track severed
I ain't kickin niggaz buns
If it's a bitch I'ma wetta you better go for your guns
Verse Three:
Rollin up on niggaz wearin wigs
Cause I gotta cig for you nigs and all you motherfuckin pigs
Kool G Rap's a bad decision
Fuck front page I'm puttin niggaz on television
I got heart kid if you want we can throw it out
But you ain't got no heart motherfucker when I blow it out
Straight out your back
Cause you got attacked by the mack let's see you black belt dat
Bitch'll bein doin some pushups, and get ambushed up
And put in a box all squooshed up
So motherfucker be a learner
Cause I can't hit or wrestle a niggaz without pullin out my burner
So when a motherfucker to fight
You fuck around with G and you'll be fightin Death tonight
So you don't wanna get loose G
Cause I'm givin more flat lines to niggaz than loose-leaf
So come on Bruce Lee
Yo I'ma show you who the motherfucker is with all the juice G
So if you wanna intimidate
A nigga like me, great, will make your fuckin head disinigrate
I'm sendin niggaz to Bedrock
Look out for the red dot
Or get your motherfuckin head shot
Niggaz are dialin 911
You little bitch niggaz go for your guns
Section 7 -- Seven
Lyrics : Throw Ya Gunz Onyx
Intro:
Take em up, take em up, bring em up dead
Shine em up, shine em up, shine a bald head
One cut, two cut, three cut, four
Your, mind, is on the ground
Onyx! (echoes)
Verse One:
It's time to get live, live, live like a wire
I set a whole choir on fire
Rolled up on the grill shot skills skills
In a frill, the crowd dissed me, they gettin crispy
Ha, ha hah hah, and we do it like this
(undecipherable)
Cause they can burn in hell shit for all that I care
You need a bald head the dreads dead as they fear
Stick up assassin, shockin new reaction
These fuckin niggaz shoulda made the whore madder
Onyx is wreckin shit, slip slide step quick
Slip on a clip (undecipherable)
The shit they write is black and white, but mines got mad color
Ain't that right, my bald brothers?
Word up, raise it up, we're rollin with the crew that don't give a fuck
So throw ya gunz in the air, throw ya gunz in the air
Buck buck like you don't care
Verse Two:
Uh-oh, heads up! Cause we droppin some shit
On your (undecipherable)
Keep your eyes open in the fight, I'ma swell em
The hardcore style, rowdy n wild, hits I'ma sell em
To all competition slide back then listen
I'm kickin all that, shit to the doormat
Claimin it's domain cause mad pains
Blood stains, long range got gats!
Crazy clips, I sink ships, cuttin faces like a pirate
I've never caught a flood, for the mad shit that I did
Heard, you got the word so observe
I shatter and splatter bodies that blows to buck nerves
Open, I always leave my barrel smoking
Throw ya gunz in the air
And buck buck like you just don't care
Just throw ya gunz in the air
And buck buck like you just don't care
Just throw ya gunz in the air
And buck buck like you just don't care
Just throw ya gunz in the air
And buck buck like you just don't care
Verse Three:
Ahhh, I hate your fuckin guts, and I hope that you die
Sticky Fingers, the name, and my life is a lie
Cause I'm havin a bad day, so stay out of my way
And what the pistol packin people say you better obey
Just in the nick of time, I commit the perfect crime
Rip my heart, from my chest, throw it right into a rhyme
Don't feel pain cause it's all in the mind
And what's mines is mines, and what's yours is mine
Don't fuckin blink or I'ma rob your ass blind
Onyx, is rippin shit, I got the tech nine
So what the farmers got boy buck buck buck buck
It's like a catastrophe, fuckin with me G
I'm a bald head with a kinfe, I want your money or your life
So, so, so, so?
So throw ya gunz in the air
And buck buck like ya just don't care
Just throw ya gunz in the air
And buck buck like you just don't care
Just throw ya gunz in the air
And buck buck like you just don't care
Just throw ya gunz in the air
And buck buck like you just don't care
Outtro:
We're the motherfuckin Onyx
And we don't give a flying motherfucking fuck
Ay yo DS man we gonna come get you out of jail man
Fuck that, yo DS we coming man, we got the bail
We got the bail, we gonna break you out man
Fuck that, yeah, we the fuck up out of this bitch
Section 8 -- Eight Article : Nothing commercial
Just thinking about something ironic, as I was listening to Naughty by
Nature's 'Hot Potato'. Freddy Foxx says 'Yeah, nothing commercial about
this'. Anybody else see the irony? 'Hot Potato' is one of the ruffest
cuts on there, so it won't get played on the radio. But Naughty by Nature
is the group that brought hip-pop fans into the fold of nasty rap with
their debut, which increased the <white> market and desire for ruff and
rugged hip-hop. So by saying it's not commercial, he is indicating that
on the underground, the DL, it will be large, which is exactly what the
<white> market wants and why NbN debuted at number three it's first week
on Billboard. Any thoughts on this? If enuff comments are received Re:this
article, I will post a followup on the article including them.
Section 9 -- Nine Hip-Hop Exchange Update
Just taking a quick second to remind everybody that the Hip-Hop Exchange as
proposed by DJ Tagline is active and in full effect. We have three active
members, with a total of six, many of whom are just getting involved. I
would like to encourage those out there who have a song they want to get
but can't find to contact me, as I have become a sort of middle man. I can
hook you up with others in the exchange who can supply you a tape with that
song, in return for something from you they are looking for. As I have
discovered, this works very well, and the more people that join, the larger
the potential hip-hop library!
Section 10 -- Ten
Closing
That's all for now. The next issue may be a little more in depth, but I think
this one turned out OK. Let me know what U think of course... I am alwayz
here. Thankz again to Tyrone Ellison and Michael Carnevale for their dope
contributions, and I'm audi 5000!
