You all know one. He may even be a family member….or co-worker. Let me start by saying there is nothing wrong with being an MC. Hell, hip hop is in dire need of them (good ones, that is). But it seems twitter has created a new breed of “MC”….an annoying one. The kind that constantly updates “at the studio, yo!” or “I’m goin’ in right now on this verse!”.

But wait, it doesn’t stop there. Said rapper will then spam the hell out of your timeline with the worse pitch known to mankind. I know you’ve seen it, it looks something like this: @yourname this shit is hot yo! I got that heat, holla at ur boi. And yes, Mr. Rapper will copy/paste this awesome pitch to everyone he is stalking…er…..I mean following.

Now I’m not here to hate on Mr. Rapper but I would like to help make Twitter a better place. So here are a few suggestions:

• Follow people that already like music in the style in which you do. Don’t spam Common with links to your new single titled “Replacin Dem Hoes”. Do some research, use Twitter’s search, use Google.
• Engage in conversation before spamming the hell out of me with links. Would you walk up to someone on the street and shove your CD in their face before saying “hello”? (well, you probably would)
• Use services like Fairtilizer or Bandcamp. People like to hear the music without having to download first….also a plus if your link doesn’t have flashing banner ads that can cause epileptic seizures if stared at for too long.

Hopefully this helps, if not….I’m not sure what else to say. Google is your friend, anything you need to know is out there. Trust me.

If you’re a Twitter user (like myself), I’m sure you know this guy and perhaps you might even be this guy/gal. You know the dude that constantly claims he needs NO sleep and feels the need to tweet it on a bi-hourly basis along with his “grindin” tweets. Well….I hate to break it to you buddy, you’re not “grinding”. And furthermore, unless you’re a robot (in the literal sense)….you need sleep. According to Wikipedia, adults need 7-8 hrs of sleep (some even argue 6hrs is suffice). Anything less than this is considered “sleep debt”. So how does sleep debt affect our day to day activities? I’m glad you asked:

Sleep debt results in diminished abilities to perform high-level cognitive functions. Neurophysiological and functional imaging studies have demonstrated that frontal regions of the brain are particularly responsive to homeostatic sleep pressure.

When Nas spoke of not sleeping because it is the cousin of death, I’m almost positive he didn’t mean that in the literal sense. So to you Mr. No Sleep….I say STFU and stop sending me download links. I don’t know you…..go that way.

Disclaimer: If I offended anyone then that means the shoe fits…..just sayin’.

I’m sure by now you nerds have been hearing about all the hype surrounding Shyne and the crazy advance he received from LA Reid. First and foremost, I’ll be the first to admit that I used to be a Shyne fan (even when all my friends thought he was wack, I held him down *pause*). While I did think the advance was a bit too much, I wasn’t trippin’…..until I heard the music. Jesus Christ…..I’m not a hater at all but this new Shyne music I’ve been hearing is laughable. It almost doesn’t sound real….I’ve actually caught myself waiting for a DJ to come on and yell “psyche!” *with DJ Clue echo*.

I’m not here to tell you all how bad his new music is, but rather some better investments that could’ve been made. So I give you my top 5 list of rappers that could use a fresh mill (in no particular order):

1. Ab-Soul – representin’ the new West and the TDE crew, IMHO Ab is one of the sickest MC’s when it comes to wordplay, rhyme pattern, and flow. If you’re not familiar yet, please get familiar….ask Google (or here). If this kid had a milli behind him, he could build a sick fan base and help bring real rhymin’ to the forefront.

Fave line: “So I threw on my fatigue shorts and a tee that says Peace not War now everybody eyein’ me. I don’t know if I need an iron or its the irony”

2. QuEst (aka John Q) – reppin’ Florida and doesn’t sound like Trick Daddy or Plies. QuEst highlights are his flow and distinct voice. South Florida is a melting pot and I feel it’s not represented well in hip hop. I will be honest and say I’ve only heard his latest project, but that’s all I need to hear to understand the potential this kid has.

Fave line: “I blast off, you blow up….get the picture?”

3. Wax – A lot of West coast on this list…I know. But Wax is sick. Upon first glance/listen, he will get the Eminem comparisons but thats where it stops. If you listen closely, you’ll understand his lane and see that he has a unique angle, especially being from LA.

Fave line: “My music is way to unsafe for a major. They want it in a box like Digidesign, it all sounds pretty similar like Biggie and Shyne.”

4. Melo-X – Brooklyn native, Melo-X, is a triple threat (DJ/MC/Producer). Always a good look when looking to invest in an artist. Check out his Mustafa project and as well his Maxwell Remix EP. This kid has serious talent. With some dollars behind his brand, the sky would be the limit since his creativity is off the charts.

Recommended listening: Audio Foreplay

5. KnowJuander – Mc/Producer with heart felt lyrics over bangin beats. Just raw hip hop which most would consider backpack rap….but if thats what you call good hip hop then so be it. Another kid that would benefit greatly (and be a better option than Shyne) with some money for marketing, brand building.

Recommended listening: A Kid Love, beta

Disclaimer: This article is not meant to bag on Shyne for his horrible music as of late, but to bring light to talent that’s being overlooked. Inspiration from this post came courtesy of IllPlanet’s post in regards to Shyne.

So last week I started a Twitter contest for all Relatives Abroad listeners to participate in. I have narrowed down the entries to these top 5 and now you, my readers, will decide which listener should receive a free CD. Click inside of the post to vote for the 5 word review you find most creative/funny/quirky….etc.
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