T.Q.D: T.Q.D's Corner

Unlike many who self-proclaim to be “your favorite rapper’s favorite rapper”, it should be noted that Kool G Rap was given (emphasis on ‘given’) that nickname first.  Anyone who appreciates delivery and innovative rhyme technique and isn’t a fan of Kool G Rap, either doesn’t know Hip Hop history or doesn’t appreciate it.
His influence on Hip Hop can be plainly seen in folks like Big Pun, Biggie, Jay-Z, Nas, Treach, Raekwon, Mobb Deep, Pharoahe Monch, Eminem, Scarface, among many others.  Besides rhyme technique, he also specializes in story telling.  I’ve often argued that very few can touch him in that department. 
Even with his obvious and vast influence on Hip Hop as we know it, he decades later remains without even single gold plaque.  If ever there was an argument that respect and influence don’t equal sales, he would be exhibit A.
On July 20th, Kool G Rap turned 42.  In honor of his [...]

Hello everyone,
Usually T.Q.D’s Corner is a chance for me to wax nostalgia about Hip Hop days gone by.  While I certainly will resume that next month, this month I am taking a moment to talk about The Appetizer EP Vol.2.  Basically, this is a series of “lost tapes” songs that won’t find a home on a full length, but are deemed worthy of sharing anyways.
The first volume of The Appetizer EP series were simply the songs that didn’t make the cut when I was recording my album Clench, Grit Breathe.  Volume 2 is composed of songs that were created during a 5 month period immediately after the album was finished.  I planned on having this EP focus on rapping with new delivery techniques and not so much emphasis on personal stories.  Life had other plans, so my subject matter changed as well.
Without further ado, I’d like to break down The Appetizer EP Vol.2
“Roll The Dice”:  I have a strange feeling this relationship [...]

This album holds a special place in my heart, but probably not for the reason Tim Dog intended.
For the uninitiated, Tim Dog is a rapper from the South Bronx, who began his career in the late 80s and debuted in 1991 with the album I'm discussing: Penicillin On Wax.  Once upon a time, he was given the nickname "the 5th member of Ultramagnetic MCs", because he performed live with them on many occasions and has collaborated with members from time to time over the years.  Now that we got that out of the way, let's get in to the album.
Penicillin On Wax documents Tim Dog's disdain for certain elements that were going on in the world of Hip Hop at that time (some of which still exist today).  More specifically, he was a New York rapper unhappy with the influx of generic gangsta rap (specifically he calls out the post-Ice Cube version of N.W.A. and DJ Quik a lot) coming from the West Coast having lots of commercial success, while many other rappers from the East went unnoticed.  [...]

Welcome to the latest installment of T.Q.D's Corner.  This edition will be the sequel to a previous post I simply call, "What were people thinking?".  The first installment discussed 5 albums by legendary Hip Hop artists that are much better, in my view, than they are given credit for.  On this second installment, we will revisit 5 albums by certified legends that I think are not all they are cracked up to be.  This list was hard to narrow down.  About 20 albums come to mind when I brainstormed this list (ask me for the rest later), but since I'd rather explain instead of simply list, I've kept parts 1 and 2 short. 
Before we get started, let me say that I don't necessarily think these albums are weak (though in some cases, yes).  Their placement on this list means they are highly regarded by critics and the masses as classics, which I believe to be far from the truth.  And of course as always, I'm not afraid to have an opinion, so feel free to disagree.  [...]

I was recently chatting with my friend Hater Dave about 90s Hip Hop and was inspired to cook up this installment of T.Q.D's Corner.  We briefly talked about Young Black Teenagers, who are living proof that attempts at being clever can backfire rather easily if one isn't careful.  Let's start from the beginning.
Young Black Teenagers were an early ‘90s New York Hip Hop crew who sound very much their time period.  The best description of their style would be equal parts Leaders Of The New School, Das Efx, and Fu-Schnickens.  They were discovered and signed by Hank and Keith Shocklee from The Bomb Squad (see: Public Enemy).  The group members were Kamron (who you may remember as Jamal from House Party 2), First Born, DJ Skribble (who is probably better known for his days at MTV), ATA, and Tommy Never (who left after the first record). 
The story sounds normal so far, but what's the big deal?  Well…all of the members of Young Black Teenagers were [...]