TR136 signs THE CITY

It’s 2013, yo.... Since The Flyest came back we had to start over and get some of that new money, new connects, new blood, new everything… That global hip hop shit is dead and we decided it’s time to give way for some LOCAL talent (nh) from whatever fucking streets.
ENTER SWEDISH RAP DUO “STADEN”
(nah, nah *throws cigarette on the fucking floor* the name from now on is “THE CITY”, let’s keep it fucking sensible to the global hip hop community).

We heard about some crazy dope, dangerous, gun-toting, scarf-wearing, over the top fucking VIOLENT battle MC out in Vällingby, Stockholm. His name was Kimbo-something and we basically heard he’s ill but he's a fucking menace who shouldn’t be walking the streets, nah, he should be sent out to a nice little facility with complimentary straight-jackets and padded rooms to record his albums.
So we made it out there, to the fucking shithole that is Vällingby. And as the train was coming to a stop… Well, peep the footage:

First thing we see, is a commotion outside the train station. Some wild disturbances and shit, and looking out the window we see this scarfed up dude come running in the train’s direction screaming he’s gonna GET us like it's ON ON-SITE!!! So we weren’t even thinking, we were just like “Yo, we ain’t gonna let him get us!! Let’s drop this motherfucker...” SO WE  GRABBED THE .45’S WE ALREADY HAD COCKED IN OUR POCKETS AND RAN OUT THE TRAIN AND STARTED YACKING AT THIS MOTHERFUCKER. We ran outside and started shooting like *blaow blaow blaow*and that’s when he crumbled right away, he actually started FREAKING THE FUCK OUT, folding, capitulating, waving his arms i.e laying down on the ground crawling on his knees begging for mercy, screaming for us to stop shooting.

We asked him what the fuck he was thinking, why did he do it? He said “WHY THE FUCK NOT?” so The Frankest had to pin him to the fucking gravel while The Flyest kept his scarf dangling over him like, “You’re gonna listen.” Long story short he still had to pass out a few times before he would listen though. After he finally regained coinsciousness and came to his senses we started interrogating him on his background (it checked out) and on his name which turned out to be Kimbo A.K.A. one half of Staden A.K.A. the crazy motherfucker we’d been looking for all along.

So we figured let's see what it is, let’s have him rap then... We wrote a rhyme on the spot and forced him to learn it. He tried to wiggle himself out of the situation, saying “I can’t read, I need my glasses” but we said “You don’t need no glasses, you’re just weak, now read it.” And this is a true story, the motherfucker dried his eyes right there like a soldier and the weeping stopped like that, and he actually kind of killed it with the rapping. He went in like a fucking SAVAGE, turned beast-mode!! And that was it. Seeing mad potential in the homie, we signed him to the brand because we knew this kid was destined to raise the bar in hip hop to where it needs to be.

We told him: “To make it in this business, you gotta have heart and commitment to the game”. We hooked him up with a sponsorship from FILA, we replaced his invisible little gold chain with a nice TR136 medallion on his neck. And we reminded him that most importantly, we let him live.
As we left the scene walking back to the platform, Lil Kimbo stood up and screamed at the top of his lungs: "THE REAL 136 FOR LIFE!!!" in our direction. The Flyest turned around and said: "What's really good tho, baby boy?" causing dude to stumble back down on his ass again. S'all good tho, as a matter of fact, he was right. We'll be supporting this dude forever.

Ever since then, our own champion KIMBO has collaborated and ciphered with names such as Snook, Professor P, Stor, Allyawan and basically anyone that’s done something in the last five years on the swedish chopping block. Whoever made it, it’s thanks to STADEN. And that's just what it is man, Kimbo and his other patna got the industry under complete control right now, don’t EVER fucking question their status in the game unless you wanna wake up with a gun in the face (oh, ask U-God... ASK him).

The video speaks for itself tho, just watch the nigga go man. Just watch:

Introducing Soulkast. French MONSTER

The Real 136 presents...

It's one of those powerful stories man... We caught a peep on this dude (nh) last year in the park, he was doing crazy hand gestures rapping jibberish to us, we couldn't understand what the fuck he was saying but the shit was hardcore! His name was SOULKAST and we said damn, even the name's ill. Turned out dude was french (nh) and we signed dude right there and been working on a project ever since. To make sure we get a hit we even booked a certain legendary producer we know... Haha yeah, we called Premo on the speaker phone and told him we got a FRENCH rapper who's crazy. Premo wasn't listening at first though.
We said "He's hardcore, you gotta hook him up."
Premo said "I don't know."
We said "He knows about the Tape Kingz tape."
Premo said "HE KNOWS ABOUT THE TAPE KINGZ TAPE?"
We said "Yeeeaah man, he knows."
Premo said "Aight, man. I'll do the record."


Soulkast practicing in front of Premo

Sure enough the track came out KNOCKIN', some rapid fire yelling that you won't believe. It's gonna be called "Première Salve" and it's real hardcore... Only problem is that NOBODY KNOWS WHAT THE FUCK HE'S SAYING, but using the infamous Vox technology P already showed you we might get a solution to this real soon... And in the meantime, peep the Soulkast promo. GET READY FOR IT.

The Real 136 taking over the internet

You know we're only getting STARTED in this internet game, you know that right? We already had the streets so for the 2010 it's time to set another market and enforce it (nh)... We're coming for that ONLINE money now. The future is definitely online you know, a whole new world is upon us so you gotta keep up! So we got the blog up, you know, doin' this blog thing... But oh we ain't done: Nah, HOLD ON, hahaha, you actually thought we wouldn't find out about that other shit? That TWITTER shit? *laughs* C'mon son, we know our internet, fuck outta the way:
THE REAL 136 ARE OFFICIALLY ON TWITTER


Hahaha yeeeah man, we're going for it... A lot of OG's, ball players and rappers standing up to salute, slapping "The Real" on their names and all that, word word, we see that. That's what'sup. Shouts to Crooked, Royce, G Rap and them, the list goes on, Redman, Havoc, Shaq, Reks, our very own Lil Yuk and all them representing The Real.... And oh yeah... sorry Joe Budden: TheRealTahiry *laughs* Nah, nah, she just reppin.
Anyway, peep us on twitter cause it's ON.

Straight outta QB, a Blaq summer

So we've been getting A LOT of questions about the recent lack of posts, and well, to our longtime readers, you know, to the fam, just peep this: STOP YAPPIN *laughs* Nah, but we’re still here.

This summer we've been out promoting at... Damn, they're gonna flip out, haha, yeah you know the place, one of the largest most notorious projects in the world: QUEENSBRIDGE. Finally, haha. Had to do it man... At the end of Ain’t Nuttin Changed Blaq Poet mentions ”A Real goon comin' soon to your hood” so y'all better have known already, but anyway it was on from there. We hit the ground running, combining with QB legend Blaq Po, the Screwball fam/ Year Round affiliates, Premier of course, and some of the local hustlers and gangsters and hoodrats coming to see us in person. A lot of fun, standing on corners rapping, snatchin a couple chains, bucking at the punk police, throwin money and yellin from roof tops, all of that. Just living the good QB life.



Shouts to the whole crew out there, especially Poet man, that's just a thorough motherfucker, damn. The Ain't Nuttin Changed remix came out incredible too, tell Preem to release it asap...
The Frankest: "The game is over! Blaq Po and DJ Premier and The Real 136 AKA "Slap your favorite blogger!" We will SLAP THE SHIT out of you motherfuckers, anyone who front on the squad, y'all KNOW WHAT IT IS, 2010 shit you old punk motherfuckers, now get the fuck outta here! Oh oh and oh yeah, for promotional use only!"
*laughs* And that's just the outro man...

Finally, meet Blaq Po:

One of the illest MC's to ever bless QB, been holding it down for 20+ years in the game. Took on a whole borough by himself once, that's automatic respect right there, and he keeps it a hundred, one of the best who ever done it, they wanna give him the crown and he don't even WANT it.
A select few might have heard about his most recent album Tha Blaqprint, produced by none other than DJ Premier. That's right, you heard it from us, the legendary DJ Premier teamed up with Po to make one of the best and most needed rap albums in the game last year. It's straight GUTTER, raw lyrics accompanied by some groundbreaking beats. Listening to the album is like getting hit by a fucking bus, as Blaq Po pointed out earlier.
Cop it on-site!

Nas & Damian Marley on the way. Dr Dre gets shafted half-way

Woooo! BLAAAAAOW! Two months in the bunker but now we're back. Ten men arrived and threatened us, so we had to advance in a different direction for a while, but we ain't scared anymore (as a matter of fact, we're NEVER scared, haha). Time to bubble up and bounce right back.
The Frankest: Yo The Flyest, you think they ready for this one?
The Flyest: C'mon son, you know they ain't ready... but let's do it anyway, ANNOUNCE IT!

"DISTANT RELATIVES" SHOW
Nas and Damian Marley are taking it to new heights this wednesday, july 7. They're gonna perform at a Stockholm AMUSEMENT PARK called Gröna Lund, the same place Bob Marley drew massive crowds to back in the day (70's, 80's). You know we'll be there.


Go cop 'em tickets cause it's on.

DR DRE DETOX PROJECT SHUT DOWN
And oh yeah, to all you Dr Dre bigots out there... Sad day, yo.
The long anticipated Detox album was abruptly cancelled today, as the TR136 team got in the studio this morning and officially gave him the boot. Dre was working on new tracks (album supposedly half-way done) and was devastated to be informed we were putting him on the streets again, but that that disco bullshit he snuck out on the web recently was unacceptable. What the fuck was he thinking going off like that on his own? Anyway it's unfortunate, especially after all we had brought to the project ourselves (put the distribution deal on the table, wrote him a couple hardcore verses, spoiled him with state of the art equipment, etc), but he fucked it up son. Now we just gotta figure out what to do with all this material, all the unfinished tracks from the Detox vaults, the big interview we hadn't published yet and all that... We had it all man... Rappers take note, keep it hardcore at all times if you're down with us!


No Detox for you

ROYAL SALUTE (Mindbender interview)

The Real 136 presents: MINDBENDER SUPREME

By now you know it, we only fucks with the real around here. Meet Mindbender, a Toronto space alien veteran MC. This guy is about to drop a whole fucking planet on your head this year with "Jupiter", as well as the Supreme Being Unit (MB and twin brother Conspiracy) sophomore album "In Space, No One Can Hear You Rhyme", so you know 2010 will be an extra extra extra-terrestial year for this man.
The Real 136 congratulated him. This is the biggest, realest, most extensive Mindbender interview yet. MB addresses controversies, hip hop memories, the love of the game, puts together his DREAM album, talks about rappers and hip hop's future, and much more. ANYTIME YOU'RE READY, CHECK IT:

You know what time it is

 

Sup MB, this is The Real 136 live and direct on the speakerphone. FINALLY connecting with the one and only Mindbender Supreme out of motherfuckin’ Toronto Heaven. This is big right here, don’t even front! I’m The Frankest, and this motherfucker right here is The Flyest. We're The Real 136 and you know we have a worldwide audience so go ahead and introduce yourself.

What up, earthlings and all other creatures tuning in! This is the one, the only, the grand exalted humble magnificent emperor Mindbender Futurama Supreme of the mighty mighty Supreme Being Unit, the most ancient futuristic group of all time, representing live and direct from Toronto, and sending love and wisdom across Canada, to Europe, and everywhere on this puny little blue marble some drunken explorer called Earth! I'm happy to speak to you all through the invisible rhythm showcase special accessory I like to call the sonic soul/skull-connector. These here words are not appearing on a computer screen at this very moment. This already happened in your head, and your eyes are choosing their favorite memory to gaze upon right now... awww, you chose The Real interview with Mindbender! How kind of you.

WORD! Now, on the infamous Philaflava forums you've been a controversial figure for years, basically for keeping it way real to the maximum. We respect it, but a lot of simple-minded motherfuckers don’t know how to deal with it so you catch a lot of heat. I saw a thread where 30-40 people attacked you, and word is they are all now hospitalized. Damn... what happened?

This is the first time I have ever publicly spoken on that incident. They were introduced to their own Godliness by my supernova reflection, but they decided to let their inner Devil drive their body vehicles into the abyss pit of shame and psychotic embarrassment. It was like some hari-kiri clock reached zero. At that very moment, synchronized everywhere around the world, they all got up from their computers simultaneously, and, whether it took hours or days, they all walked to Jigga Gloss's Florida funplex. Then these message board mongrels all stood outside his window, lurker silent, and lined up in single file. Then at the snap of my E.T.-like fingers... they all viciously stabbed themselves in the sphincters. I told them to cut their bullshit out or I would make them, but they didn't believe me.

The Philaflava mansion

A damn shame, yo... Actually we may or may not have acquired footage of that (peep the exclusive in the coming weeks). Anyway, let's get really real: this interview came about out of respect because we see you're one of the realest, coolest, most honorable motherfuckers out there. Going for your dreams is what it's about, and can’t nobody knock it. Listen to the intro to Nas - Nothing Lasts Forever and say word.

Yo, I LIVE by the words Nas said on that record. Honestly, if I could only listen to ONE rapper on Earth, without even thinking about it, my mind/body/soul reflexively says "Nasty Nas" when that question is asked. Nas. Best rapper ever. Fuck the bullshit. GOAT. King of New York. Living Legend. All that good shit. I don't go as hard towards my dreams as I could, cause my dreams are extremely extreme and my way of going is really fucking hard to deal with for the people around me, but I still don't build the dreams of these Babylonian devils, I don't help others get their nightmares manifested. I appreciate anyone who recognizes what I say and do, because it's not the average approach. I wake up this way, and lay down at night in my hyperbaric chamber this way. I don't say "Have A Nice Day". What an empty cliche. All day I say (if not think): "Create Another Beautiful Day In Heaven".

We hear you on that. So you’re a well documented hip hop fiend, artist, journalist, encyclopedia, ambassador, entreprenour, aspiring legend, etc. Basically you’re the most enthusiastic motherfucker to ever listen to hip hop, yeah I said it. So let’s it break down: What is hip hop to you? And what are you to hip hop?

Hip hop is simply my way of interpreting the universe. It's everything I can imagine, as well as everything I have yet to imagine in the future. Hip hop is a nebulous, poly-morphous, intangible word and idea that represents something that some of us share. This thing called "hip hop" can have wisdom, music, money, sex, truth, knowledge, lies, drugs, alcohol, fashion, art, color, culture, information, hatred, love, and/or all kinds of other shit in it. They are sometimes called "elements". But let's clarify one thing: I love the MUSIC of hip hop. I love the beats and the words that the geniuses (and stupid people) know how to pattern to the beat properly (or improperly). Hip hop to me is everything in the world when it becomes self-aware and aggressive and honest. Barack Obama is hip hop, and so is Jay-Z. K-Naan is hip hop, and so is E-40. Drake is hip hop, and so is the internet. Martha Stewart is hip hop, especially when she goes to jail for trying to cheat the system. That's SO hip hop. But in its core, at its essence, I might suggest hip hop is a cultural vehicle for oppressed people to create freedom... by any means necessary.

You’ve been to thousands of shows, huh? You’re notorious for wilding out the most in the crowd and also rapping along to all the lyrics. In fact, last time we came through and performed you knew all our words too, we appreciated that. But anyway, have you ever been to a show and embarrassingly not known the lyrics to a hip hop classic?

I have probably seen a thousand shows BEFORE I was paid to be a journalist for Canada's biggest independent media publication. Then for 3 years, I covered damn near every single major event in this multimedia-saturated little burg called Toronto. I've seen damn near EVERYBODY, and I'm only just getting to the point of being like "I've seen them 5 times, maybe I don't need to see them this time... because I really should be at home preparing to release my new Rich Kidd album." Like tonight for instance, Cypress Hill is playing down the street from me, and in 2010 (or in 20T.O. as we like to call it around here!), Mindbender says "stay home, finish your own albums and prepare your own shows so you can open for Cypress Hill next time they come."

But funny you ask, I was just telling someone a few days ago how during the fifth or sixth time I saw De La Soul, it was at the Harborfront in Toronto, a beautiful waterfront open air venue. They were in a really good mood, and just having fun with people, and I was there, just giddy with joy. I'm a huuuuge De La fan. Da.I.S.Y. Age/Stickabush type-a shit, nahmean? But once, I was just zoning out, having a blast. So what the fuck is up with me turning my head and seeing Posdnous with a microphone at my mouth, while 'The Bizness' was going for 4 bars, without me rapping along to it?! I was just caught off guard. I normally watch and rap along to every word, but sometimes, I close my eyes, on some "lovely how I let my mind float" shit, and this was one of those times. I open them, and Plug Wonder Why is in my face with a mic, there is no lyrics being spit, and the whole crowd is like "ohhhhh! ahhhhh!" (cause everyone in Toronto knows I know the lyrics to damn near everything I love), while I'm like "yoooooo!" I knew the words, I just was totally caught off guard, and I froze when I saw that Pos was in my face all of a sudden. I know the words to "The Bizness", I know Common's lyrics too. The kid in me was just caught off guard for a split second and didn't get it together in time to rhyme. I actually got to see Posdnous after the show, and he goes "I got you!"

We laughed.

Haha, nice. So let’s talk about your career. You’ve been in the game for a long time, dropping one classic album after another. How long have you been at it and how long are you gonna keep on going?

Real musicians never retire. They can even take 10 year breaks like D'Angelo or Lauryn Hill, but they never retire. I will keep making music forever. I hope to die on stage. Or after having sex at an afterparty for one of my concerts, ha. I wrote my first song at age 11, did my first show at age 14, released my first cassette at age 19, released my first CD at age 20, and will do a lot more for the rest of my life.

And that's nice of you to call my albums "classics". I know some people will agree with you 100%, and others will debate you to death about how atrociously wack I am. I feel that actually qualifies my work to be closer to classic. I love extreme emotions. I'd rather be Andy Warhol, and people love or hate my work, and not really have much of a neutral opinion about it. Actually, I'm just getting into a few other artistic disciplines that I feel are just going to make my music a better experience to behold. I'm dabbling in photography, and I've been doing acting for a few years now. I've always been a visual artist as well (I drew the album cover to "Beautiful Mutant"), so being multi-disciplinary is nothing but normal to me. But I'm going to make music until the last day of my life, and then keep making more.

Yeah but that’s a deep catalogue you got there already. A lot of achievements. Anything in particular you’re the most proud of?

Besides this interview, I have barely done ANYTHING with my life. But opening for Def Jux in 2006 was a highlight for sure. I got to share the stage with Camu Tao (RIP), DJ Big Wiz, Cage, Mr. Lif, Aesop Rock, and El-Producto, some of my heroes.

I also performed at Project Blowed in Leimert Park and got respect from Abstract Rude and Aceyalone, which meant more to me than damn near anything. They are also my heroes.

And a third great accomplishment? Interviewing almost everyone I ever wanted to learn from, including Nas, Kanye West, Raekwon, Kool Keith, Kool G. Rap, Method Man, RZA, Ghostface, Prince Paul, Pharrell Williams, Common, Chuck D, Atmosphere, Talib Kweli, The Pharcyde, Jadakiss, Vast Aire, O.C., Heltah Skeltah, Buckshot Shorty, George Clinton and a whole bunch of other amazing artists...

I've had a decent life so far. But it's only going to get waaay better.

No doubt, we got you on that. As for live performances, we hear YOUR shows are fuckin' wild too, man. What are some crazy things you’ve done on stage?

Yeah, I don't gives a fuck. I've jumped into the crowd and kissed women during songs, done dirty dancing with two girls at once (as her boyfriend watched angrily from 3 feet away), poured water all over people, jumped on speaker towers, rapped blindfolded (I didn't steal the idea from iCON!), punched things, injured myself, done random damage. I mostly stay within the edges of the most extreme boundaries. I'm not GG Allin YET. But soon, blood and semen might make guest appearances in my concerts, yikes! I'm working on fire and magic being my two hype men right now, actually. I'm so very serious.

I was possessed by the spirit of Ol' Dirty Bastard when I grabbed the mic to perform AFTER KRS-One and RZA at the Opera House. I went up to KRS, after he just got finished rocking a ravenous room of 1500 people, and said: "I've been waiting 16 years of my life to share a stage with you, and I got cut out of my timeslot (long story). Would you mind if I performed after you, KRS?" And he said "Sure!", so I proceeded to angrily tear the stage a few new assholes AFTER KRS-One had his sermon at one of the most amazing hip hop shows ever seen in Toronto history. I still did the damn fucking thang, I did.

My wardrobe malfunctions are going to be legendary, much less my wardrobe itself. Shoutout to CE, BVD and Ghetto Panda for suppling me with the mad phat gearz for the '10! That gold snakeskin sparkling jacket I'm wearing in the 'P.I.M.P.' YouTube clip is tame compared to what's coming next! Mindbender shows are going to be the godchild of Parliament/Funkadelic when the stars are aligned right!

Rowdy as he wanna be (SBU show, 2010).

NOW, LET'S HAVE SOME HIP HOP FUN. Describe the album you would make if we provided access to the best producers in hip hop (oh, and this is not hypothetical). Should we holler at Premo, man? RZA? Dre? It's on you, what are you gonna do with it?

I would make the BEST FUCKING ALBUM EVER CREATED, I shit you not. Hip hop means ALL music to me, ha ha, sorry.

Aight, let's hear it.

"Mindbender Supreme: Heavenly Love"

Beats by:

Stevie Wonder

(he'd sprinkle everything with live pianos, harmonicas, drums, etc., etc.)

RZA

(First Killa Bee Swarm era/1993-1997 era, with a touch of the 'Supreme Clientele' RZA)

DJ Quik

(Balance and Options era. Funky and colorful West coast G shit)

Kanye West

(Late Registration era... epic like 'We Major', nothing less. I want 3 of them, ha)

Dr. Dre

(Chronic 2000 era Andre. I want a beat like 'Kill You')

DJ Premier

(Jeru the Damaja/early 90's era shit... something like 'Unbelievable' by Biggie)

Quincy Jones

(Thriller outtakes, I'll take anything, Q)

Rick Rubin

(I want a '99 Problems')

DJ Khalil

(heeeeeat. something like 'Kinda Like A Big Deal', oooh yeah)

Saukrates

(Toronto, what?! This guy is the fucking BEST artist you probably never heard.)

Rich Kidd

(Torontooo, whaaaat?!?! Same as above, but double ditto. Wait til you learn.)

Timbaland

(one of those Aaliyah-era quirky ass space slappers. Nothing else!) 

Just Blaze

(one of those big ass banging-ass bangers that makes blood boil. Yes.) 

Just for starters, ha ha... I know I'm forgetting people I love that should be on here...

Dope. And the MCs?

Nasty Nas

(pull out that 'Illmatic' era rhymebook and throw me a pile of bars, dun!)

Lauryn Hill

(I love her and think she's the best rapper ever some days. Sometimes.)

Crooked I, Joell Ortiz, Royce the 5'9"

(Microphone murderers. 32 bars each. Death. Destruction. Demolition. Joe Buddens can just be moral support, go cop us some trees, plz)

Andre 3000 and Big Boi

(would sound awesome with Mindbender and Conspiracy)

The Nextraterrestrials:

(my Ottawa/Toronto rap crew. Best crew to never make history... yet)

KRS-One and Chuck D

(with Mindbender?! Holy exploding head full of wisdom, Batman!)

Shyne/ Saigon/ Styles P/ Boots Riley/ Scarface/ Beanie Sigel

(now that's a reality rap gangsta classic fucking crew track right chea.)

Eminem and Dr. Dre

(a dream come true. Genius gangsta shit will manifest its destiny.)

Pharoahe Monch and Mikah Nine

(probably my two favorite -vocalists- in all rap. Classic!!)

Talib Kweli/Mos Def/Boots/Busta Rhymes/Q-Tip

(a unique session, oui oui.)

Redman/Outsidaz/Eminem

(you god damn right I'm doing this! Zee! Marshall! Reggie!)

DEL the Funky Homosapien

(me and this guy gotta make a record one day! My brother.)

El-Producto/ Vast Aire/ Vordul/ Mr. Lif/ Cage/ Metro/ Aesop Rock

(Def Jux dream come true.)

Maestro/Michie Mee/Kardinal Offishall

(Canadian history crew track right here, boyee!)

Lil Wayne/Kool Keith/Jay Electronica/MF DOOM

(best space weirdo rap record ever!)

Drake

(yeah motherfuckers, I said it. A Mindbender and Drake record would be ILLLLL!)

And that's just on disc one. ha ha, of course it's gonna be a double disc!

Ha ha, you're wildin' out, MB. We're diggin it already. Proceed.

SINGERS (Yeah, cause I love these voices. Fuck it):

Michael Jackson

(Where there's a will, there's a way to do it and not get sued... SHAMON!)

Erykah Badu

(she's from a planet near my home planet. I'd get her to rap, ha ha)

Lauryn Hill

(damn right)

Mary J. Blige

(I'd get her to rap too, and get her to sing some soulful suffering)

Alicia Keys

(some singing and piano playing from her, thank you very much)

Elliott Smith

(I'd sample him, I don't care.)

Jeff Buckley

(Sample him too. 'Grace' is my shit!)

Sia

(Goddess. Sing weird with me.)

Christina Aguilera

(YES, I said Xtina. I LOVES me some Chrissie Aggie, FTW)

Tanika Charles

(you will discover her one day and know what I mean. She's a phoenix rising.)

Stevie Wonder

(yeah, he'd be doing some hooks for me, too... and I'd be in heaven on earth.)

I haven't even talked about how I have to have DJ Q-Bert, DJ Revolution and DJ A-Trak, among other DJs on it... plus DJ Incizion (high school homie) and DJ Cutslinger (my brother). Maybe I should stop there... this budget is getting a little Axl Rose-ish, ha ha.

Mindbender is all about merging worlds, and I think that this record would be CLASSIC. You get me on Universal and it's going down :) 

Ha ha, a boy can dream, can't he?

Oh, no doubt. First step to making it happen... We'll get back to you on this, but let's get to the part our more casual fans have been waiting for. You might wanna light a blunt for this one, while we take a trip back down MEMORY FASTLANE, ya digg?

For starters, can you pinpoint exactly what got you into hip hop?

The year was 1982. Breakdancing by my big brother Dale at Sports World roller rink, and 'The Message' by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. They were some of the very first hip hop ideas to enter my skull and teach me to see and hear the world in a new way. Run-DMC and LL Cool J were next.

What’s your take on G-funk?

Love it. I'm a huge George Clinton fan. I have seen him perform twice. I love funk. I love off beats. I love weird shit. I love creativity. Stretching, exploring, experimenting, fucking up. George Clinton is the motherfucking man, and then some. Fuck that music up. My name is Mindbender. You know I'm gonna like crazy ass shit, ha ha.

When’s the first time you heard Gangstarr? What’s your relationship to Premo?

Uh, first time I heard Gangstarr might have been the video for 'Just To Get A Rep' if not 'Manifest'. It wasn't perfectly sequential how I discovered them... I know I heard 'Daily Operation' before I heard 'No More Mr. Nice Guy' as a full record, and I liked the second one better. But personally, my favorite Gangstarr era is actually 1994, I liked 'Hard to Earn' the most. Primo had his best and most diverse sounding beats on that album to me, and GURU (R.I.P.) was spitting crazy inspired. Truthfully, I was more of A Tribe Called Quest guy, to be honest though. I still love and respect Gangstarr and their legacy, and got to see them open for Rage Against The Machine at Maple Leaf Gardens a long time ago. Ah, that was a fun little riot.

I never really met Primo, but I saw him DJ with Pete Rock, and saw him rock a party insanely (like REALLY insanely) by himself after ManifesTO in Toronto a few years ago. I have extreme respect for DJ Premier, but I also will say that I think he's been resting on his production laurels for the last few years. Besides the Christina Aguilera music he did (which I think is fucking dope as fuck), I haven't been blown away by one of his beats in years... except for that new joint he gave Joell Ortiz, 'Project Boy'. WOW. That's the Primo I want to hear, that 'You Can't Stop The Prophet' type shit. Not just a two bar loop. I love and can criticize all my heroes, it's been a lot of life and music together. I don't even love all MY shit, why would I love all of any one else's? I love Nas to death and back from sleep's cousin's house, but that don't mean I love all his records. He does need to make some shit with Primo again though, ha.

Tell the story of when you first heard Enter The 36 Chambers. How did it change your life?

Yo, I could go ON about that. It wasn't that much, actually. It was a small moment that grew into the life I live now, the path I walk here, and the way I think, totally. My brother Conspiracy brought the '36 Chambers' cassette home, and I took it to the basement of our house, and popped it in. When it started playing I thought: "This is all fuzzy and fucked up. Is this a defective tape?" Then I rewound it again and listened over. I said "Yo, they can't have REALLY let this tape go from the studio with all this crazy sounding shit on it?! Is this really the final version of the album? Did we get a damaged copy of this cassette? There's something really fucking bizarre about this beat, man. Why is it so fucking fuzzy and demo-quality sounding-like on this song 'Bring The Ruckus'?! Do I even like this shit like this?"

It took a few days for it to set in, but once it did, I was never the same person again, on the most elemental, molecular level of life. I wasn't even sure if I liked it when I first heard it. That's how I eventually knew that I LOVED IT.

Mindbender says with bulletproof wallet millionaire authority: The Wu-Tang Clan is the #1 BEST IDEA to ever be created by hip hop culture in the 35-odd years this subculture has existed on earth. They are not only the best group, with the best songs, the best rhymes, and the best beats, but they represent the single most creative and innovative idea to ever come to hip hop and make history. Public Enemy is a close second, and Outkast is a very close third to me. Nas and A Tribe Called Quest get special shoutouts, they are some of the best things New York City will ever offer to world hip hop history. But when it's all said and done... Wu-Tang is here forever, motherfuckers!

Oh yeah: ODB is God.

Name some of the most inspiring rappers to your personally.

Jesus, how long do you want me here? Do you know how much hip hop I listen to? Let's assume all the MCs I named above have already been named... then let's add these random rappers I love, who all have influenced me in one way or another in my life:

BIG LAMONT COLEMAN (Big L is one of my favorite rappers of all time)

Ras Kass

Saafir the Saucy Nomad

Killah Priest

Jay-Z

Beanie Sigel

Freeway

Cassidy

Xzibit

Casual

EPMD

Canibus

Black Thought

Eyedea

Nature

Wasun (Canada)

G Knight (Canada)

Marvel (Canada)

Buck 65 (Canada)

Eternia (Canada)

Adam Bomb (Canada)

Scandalis (Canada)

fuck it, the whole Empire Crew (Canada, son)

Abstract Rude

Graph

Cam'ron

K'Naan

Treach

Ludacris

Corey Gunz

Ali Vegas

Fat Joe

Sean Price

Kurupt

The Clipse

Mobb Deep (peace to Havoc, holding it down)

Lloyd Banks

50 Cent

Poetic

Eazy-E

J Dilla

Proof... I could go on forever.

Oh, go on forever? We said to keep the lists short, but you like to re-negotiate as you go along, huh? NAH, fuck that, we're gonna cut it short right here, THIS BUSINESS CALL IS OVER. *Laughs* Fuckinwhichu. You got some good names on there, we see you. Now let’s get more in-depth, talk about these rappers we mention right here:

Prodigy

Secret King of New York City. Illuminati wants my mind soul and body. Secret society, trying to keep an eye on me. The first song on HNIC 2, "Real Power is People", is one of the best songs to come out of NYC in 10 years. I have 'Juvenile Hell' on cassette. I actually have heard 'Shook Ones Part One'. Mobb Deep is one of the best things to ever come out of New York City. Not all their stuff is equally amazing, but I've been a fan of them since before they were beefing with Dogg Pound. Prodigy is the fucking man, dog.

Dr Dre (DETOX feature next week on thereal136.com)

First gangsta rap hero after Eazy-E. I could talk about Dre forever. I love him. The first moment I heard 'Straight Outta Compton', my brain was permanently exploded and altered forever. Dr. Dre is one of my biggest musical heroes in life, and the day I get to meet him will be a day I never forget. He's made so many beats that blew my mind I can't even begin to talk about it. I love the ideas he brings to hip hop, and I love how he does his gangsta shit. 'Forgot About Dre' is immaculate music making to me. Efil4zaggin truly changed my life as a child: it was a ghetto murder music masterpiece. If that album had Ice Cube on it, there would never be a better gangsta rap LP, period, case closed. Dr. Dre just needs to get more confident in his creations and participate in hip hop more than once every decade, ha ha. I love him forever though, and I jam to him through the ups and downs of his career. I wish he made albums with Freestyle Fellowship and Ras Kass though, ha ha. And I hope Crooked I is on 'Detox'! Peace to the strength of street knowledge.

Crooked I

All things considered, I think he's damn near the best lyricist on planet earth right now. Not quite the best song maker, but the best lyricist, ESPECIALLY out of the new generation of new millenium MCs. I love his merging of gangsta shit and genius shit, I simply love it. Crooked I is my favorite kind of rapper, to be honest: one that is keenly aware of multiple dimensions and realms of reality, and can control how much time and space he spends in each. He OWNS the 'Grindin' beat from what he did on it on the Wake-Up Show ("young jacker/ Gucci hat-tilted gun-clapper/ I'm every artist Suge ever signed in one rapper!" WOW.) and then on '8-11 Part 2' he fucking said: "sit low in your 'Vette/ you can pimp hoes, bet/ but you don't know the secret mysteries of Imhotep/ Jim Crow, can't follow in big bro's steps, kinfolk/ didn't know I'm a sick flow vet?" That's what the fuck I'm talking about! Now drop that 'B.O.S.S.' album, Crooked!

Eazy E

'Nobody Move' was one of the first songs I ever memorized off listening to it over and over alone, as was 'We Want Eazy'. Ruthless Records and Jerry Heller (who I also have interviewed, he's a remarkable man) were some OG's in this rap shit, and they had my respect since I was a child. I love Eazy's voice, it is the best. I love 'Automobile', 'Find 'Em, Fuck 'Em and Flee', and '100 Miles And Runnin'', as well as the first classic mainstream gangsta rap album: N.W.A.: Straight Outta Compton. I have some very controversial views about how he died and what not, and they might involve Suge Knight and Jimmy Kimmel episodes and conspiracy theories beyond the norm. Either way, I love Eazy-E.

Tupac

The most passionate artist of all time, very possibly. I love what he represents as a Black man more than what he said on some of his records. I liked him as a rapper, but LOVED him as a political figure and a revolutionary. I could go on for days about Tupac, but I'll keep it brief: nobody new in hip hop has his devotion or his community spirit, and all these rapper dudes who invoke his name on record need to hush with that mess. Tupac Shakur also got fucked over by the justice system in ways that fools today have no understanding about. I was deep into hip hop when that bullshit rape charge came down on Pac, and he became a pariah. It was such bullshit, and then he went to jail, came out on Death Row, and the entire culture of hip hop music, politics and life was never the same again. Tupac's death is extremely suspicious, and I still sometimes don't even WANT to believe he's dead. I like the idea that he's in Cuba, plotting some resurrection takeover. I also love that song he did, "I Get Around". Tupac Shakur is one of my all-time motherfucking heroes, that's for god damn sure. Panther Power to the people.

Nas

Greatest MC of all-time. I want to hear "The World Is Yours" on my last day on Earth. "Can't Forget About You" is one of the first songs to ever bring me to tears. "The Message" altered me like few other records in life, when it dropped in 1996. "I Can" made me so happy I couldn't express it in words, I can't believe he murked Beethoven's 'Fur Elise' by injecting 'Impeach the President' into it and dropping those eternal jewels onto it. God's Son, f'real. And that song 'Heaven' featuring Saukrates, Jully Black and Agile is one of the best songs of all time, period. Nas murked Jay-Z with 'Ether' and sent invisible ripples through hip hop's subconsciousness with that super-deep elevation of all things competitive, and Nas simply represents the wisdom and vision of the best ghetto griots alive today. I could go on and on about how much I love the rhymes of Nasty Nasir Olu Dara Jones (yes I take it back to the days he was still called 'Nasty'), but I'll just say that QB's finest is truly rap's royal highness. Oh, and 50 years from now, history will look back on that 'N!gger/Untitled' record Nas did and understand how far ahead of his time he was with it (even though it wasn't a perfectly executed concept... it was still conceptually phenomenal and so very bold. You hating? N!gga please). Nas is the King of New York City, and with this 'Distant Relatives' record with Damian Marley, he might just be the undisputed king of the world of hip hop. No head deserves the crown more than Nas.

And don't get me started on how Columbia fucked up what would have been the best double album of all time, if 'I Am' came out how Nas planned it to. Damn homie: rap is outta control.

Slick Rick

Love him. Don't know why he doesn't drop more music. Is it Def Jam's fault? The Warren G/'Behind Bars' remix is one of my favorite jams. Slick Rick's storytelling is unsurpassed. I did listen to more KRS-One than Slick Rick in the 80's, but I still love Ricky Walters, and still have yet to see him perform, actually! I have seen Doug E. Fresh, who is... fresh. But Uncle Ricky and I have yet to make a concert acquaintance.

Drake

The leader of the new school, thank God he's from Toronto. I LOVE the raps this guy comes up with. Seriously fucking amazing new generation rhyme genius. Sometimes, he's better than Lil Wayne with the bars. I know he can go bar for bar with the Jiggamayne and hold his own. He's got a shitload of great songs, and can really sing quite well. I ain't mad at his TV upbringing. That's like getting mad at Will Smith. Fuck this whole credibility shit, Drake don't gotta be from the street to make rap music. He doesn't run his mouth about crimes he never did like some of rap's more popular game-players lately, and his wit is sharper than a muhfucka. Oh, and big up to that song 'Congradulations', that's my sheeeeit. That song is a partial inspiration for my new album with Rich Kidd, word life. Drake is going to open the door for Toronto and Canada, and the rest of the world is going to discover what the hell we been hiding up here and sitting on top of for so long, ha ha. But seriously, I enjoy Drake when he's spitting fireball rap. "with a canvas, I'm the Group of Seven/ I'm the one twice over, I'm the new eleven" and "I should leave earth, nothing left to do here/ every day is Christmas and every night is New Year's!" I could go on an on. I'll just say Drake is a very nice guy in person, and I got nothing bad to say about the homie. He's even checked out some Mindbender music. Another case of "Thank Me Later". One day it will all make sense.

Too $hort

I like $hort Dawg, but I'm not the biggest biggest fan of him. I respect his pedigree (no pun intended) and am glad he's out there doing his damn thang, but... I was more of a Ice-T kinda guy.

Talk about hip hop’s future and your future. How will they intertwine? What does the game need?

New cities, new countries, new languages, new inventions... and WAAAAY MORE WOMEN VOICES AND ARTISTS. New everything! And new ways to see the past creations, too.

The game needs new energy, mostly. New people not afraid to do new things, say new things, go new places. A lot of our heroes are afraid to innovate or break out their images. Not me! I will always be in danger of losing my fans, I probably experiment TOO much, and am never stable enough to keep a large group of people consistently interested (not until I get to the Andre 3000 level, ha.)

My future is to keep picking up new instruments, new songwriting techniques, new ideas, and new levels of commitment to artistry. As well as new rhyme styles, that's for damn sure. I have not yet begun to rap! You think you heard the hot shit? You haven't heard nothing yet!!

Last question. The hip hop community is listening. Is there anything you would like to add?

Toronto is the future, motherfuckers. We got a gang of things here that y'all need to get up on right quick. MCs, DJs, producers, dancers, artists, hustlers, fashion designers, weed carriers, and random mans dem who are the next generation of this hip hop culture that has been subliminally defining life on earth for the past decade-plus.

Canada is the final frontier of hip hop. It started in the East (well, really: super-East of here, as in Africa), went West to Cali, travelled South... and now, it's coming North. It's our time. The last place on the planet to have their hip hop discovered, embraced, enjoyed and heard.

But it's 20T.O. aka 2010, like I said, and I know this city has finally come of age. We can go toe to toe with anyone, for anything. Competing or co-operating, Toronto can match anywhere on the planet with it's hip hop energy and art. I look forward to helping the movement expand, and doing what I can as Mindbender Supreme of the Supreme Being Unit to make Toronto hip hop history manifest its destiny.

Create another beautiful day in Heaven, my fellow creators of life's dreams. And most importantly it's true like how Jesus do: remember that Mindbender Loves You!

YEAH, YOU HEARD HIM, THAT'S WHAT THE FUCK IS UP... AND OH YEAH, get yourselves a copy of that new SBU album "In Space, No One Can Hear You Rhyme" when it gets in stores (some preview tracks). That shit is classic, next level, innovative hip hop music and wisdom for the world. Also, the 'Jupiter' album featuring Mindbender on the rhymes and Rich Kidd on the beats. Don't sleep when that one drops, because from what we hear it's gonna be fucking amazing. This is The Real 136, thank you Mindbender for coming through and keep doing what you do, we definitely see you on the positive tip. Kick that shit for the universe, and consider this a ROYAL SALUTE!

Mindbender Supreme.
The Real 136.
It is 2029 to us, get widdit biiiiitch!!

Yukmouth robbing with a happy ending

Last week our lil homie Yukmouth supposedly was in a grocery store incident you may have heard about. Oh word? Well, you can erease that part, or you gonna run out the whole tape *laughs*
*still laughs*

Let’s tell the real side of the story.


THE BEGINNING OF YUK
You see, this is not a game to us. Yuk was one of our investments back in the day when we started making moves out west. The kid showed promise on the streets, rapping about this and that, stunning crowds with the gold teeth and shiny bracelets we provided him with. He was only 10 at the time and mostly ran errands and delivered messages, but also he would appear on westcoast radio to kick prodigal rhymes now and then. As young as he was, he was a fucking sureshot.
We penned him a hit song, Ain't Nothin 2 A Bo$$, and backed him financially for a video. Brought some fly ass freaks to the set, put some money in his pocket and let him raid a small jewelry shop we were doing business with. It turned out spectacular, one of the best videos of the new millenium. Check it for yourself, to this day it's STILL all over the fucking youtube because there's a message involved.

THE DECLINE OF LIL BOY YUK
So basically, we paved the way for lil Yuk Shine (his kid alias) but he couldn't comprehend things right. From day one we used to tell him: the guys that fly straight are the guys that make it in this business! And he just wouldn’t hear it. Soon the moves behind our backs came, with him going the Luniz route, associating with the blue and white, and worst of all he took over the crackshop at 110th like we specifically told him not to. That's moving in on Suge Knight's territory. So while we were away doing this takeover thing out in NY, leaving Yuk unprotected (pause) in Cali, kingpin Suge found the rapper and threatened him.

THE GROCERY STORE INCIDENT
NOW, for the incident last week, let’s stick to the FACTS.
We had to leave town again for a few days, because we had a big speech at Princeton, lecturing students about how to be successful. So we called up Yuk and told him to go to the grocery store and pick up some things for the party when we get back. Suge must have got word of it, and started plotting an assault on Yukmouth once and for all. He and some ride or die Death Row goons hid behind the ice cream section because they KNEW the motherfucker had a sweet tooth. And sure enough Lil Yuk came walking with his basket and they trapped him and surrounded him as he was reaching for a ice cream cone. Suge grabbed ahold of him by the collar and pushed him up against the wall, causing Yuk to pass out and it was over with. They commenced to pick jewelry and other valuable items from his person (estimated to a total value of $92,1 K).

BREAKING NEWS:
It's been resolved. We took care of the situation before it got really out of hand. Basically we invited them both to our office and smacked them around for a bit. We told them to better make peace. Yuk obeyed immediately, but Suge needed some more talking to before we all could come to an agreement and it's been cool after that. He even started babbling about starting up a Death Row 136 branch or something, but we said "chill". Anyway it's over with. Peace

Battered and bruised, and reunited

Some of the greatest that ever did it... Rest in peace to the legends

The TR136 studio back in the day (Biggie on left, Pac on right)

Damn, yo... SHIT... Damn... We had it all, man.

March 9th 2010
Thirteen years ago we lost one of the greatest.

Feels like only yesterday we were standing beside the 17-year old Christoffer, our boy on the Brooklyn streets who would later be known worldwide for his raw lyrical ability, his flow and his big frame, by the more marketable “Notorious B.I.G.” or simply “Biggie”. In his short career he made it, and everybody got to hear his story.

There’s only one little detail people seem to forget.
The Real were deep into management back then. We had it all, man… That kid Christoffer, this lil academic dude Pac, the golden boy Lamont (not to be confused with the weasel Bishop who was cut from the Detox project recently), and a few other cats on the come up. The label was on and poppin’. Meanwhile, Puff Daddy was sneaking around in the clubs. We had a bad feeling about this penguin looking motherfucker from the get go, but he nestled his way into Biggie’s crew offering a girl named Kim for Biggie to have fun with. The rest is history.
The Real 136, we did it for hip hop and for the streets. Puffy on the other hand was a money hungry ho and kept yapping about business opportunities, how The Real could have both american coasts on lock if we sent Pac out to the west. The boy Suge would be the acting boss out there according to Puffy’s economic plan, having formed Death Row Records with Dre earlier. This is where it took a turn for the worse. Without our permission, Puffy attacked the Death Row camp and forced Pac to write vicious rhymes towards his old homeboy Biggie. It was a terrible situation for all involved, and everyone know how the story ends.
Again, the rest is history.
R.I.P. to the legends man, all the players in the game we lost too early.

Learn from this, y'all. Keep the street violence to a minimum. Take it from somebody who knows. Like Havoc said in Beef when he was scared of Tru Life: “it should be about the music”. That being said, The Real 136 ain’t no suckers. If you step to us on a personal level, you’re done. Just know that. We’ll fucking bury you... How you think Puffy got the idea to smash a Cristal bottle into Steve Stout's big cabbage? Ask Ma$e, he knows what it is (don’t EVER fuck with us).


The new TR136 studio in 2010... (something missing)

The Realest Productions.
Westside. New York. Haninge, the whole 136.
You know what time it is...
Oh yeah, and it don’t stop...

PEACE

U-God cut from project. breakdown in the booth. RZA confirms

Some of you may have heard about the U-God incident at our office recently. YES, he has been banned from the compilation project... He wasted our fucking time and made a complete ass of himself.


Quick recount:

First of all, he was late to the appointment. Supposedly he'd been ringing the bell for a while but we didn't hear nothing so who's to say? Finally the homie BIG C opened the door by chance and was not prepared to see Golden Arms standing before him so in self-defense he caught the rapper in a headlock and stuck him in the snow outside and kept him there for a good minute to cool him down. His legs were kicking around upside down in the snow with the head all buried, but as soon as we realized it was U-God we came out and broke it off, BIG C let go of his neck and we brought him inside the office.

U-God had come to lay down a verse on a hot track we had prepared, it's part of the new super project we’re working on (thanks for the help Rakim, DJ Premier, M.O.P, Ice Cube, Nas, Kanye West, Prodigy, Naughty By Nature, Fat Joe, Rapper Big Pooh, Crooked I, Eminem, 50 Cent, Kool G Rap, Slick Rick, Demetrius Capone and the rest of the crew out there). But from day one U-God was being difficult, asking for new ghostwriters and failing to comprehend any instructions. We had considered cutting him from the project earlier but RZA kept calling asking us to do him this one favor.
So from the get go, U-God was still annoying as fuck on this day. We had water bottles prepared on the table but he came in there on some diva shit, requesting a cup of hot cocoa instead. We told him no, just to sit down and stay quiet until we’re ready to interview him. We finished smoking our blunts while he sat in silence. Then we asked the first question, “Why do people consider you the weakest in the group?” But he didn’t listen, he was too busy searching his pockets, and now the hand started going inside his jacket -- REACHING FOR A GUN? -- The homie BIG C took no chances, moving in the room on some Jet Li shit and knocking U-God out cold with a swift kick to the chest. It was over with. Later, upon waking up U-God informed us he'd only been searching for a note, RZA had prepared some talking points for him or whatever and he just couldn’t find it. And now he refused to speak without it.
“Alright, forget the interview", we said. "Just go in the booth, kick that shit and get the fuck out."

U-God got in and grabbed the mic, but then he hesitated.
We asked through the glass. “You brought a verse right?”

He hesitated once more, it looked like BIG C would have to wreck shit again. That’s when U-God blacked the fuck out. He started screaming frantically from out of nowhere, the shit didn’t even rhyme (the fuck?) but his hands were flailing around and he seemed really into it. He kept screaming and screaming, and soon we realized he was recreating the emotional scene from the intro to Tearz on the first Wu-Tang album. It wasn't even a verse, and we just looked at each other like what the fuck, U-God? We had to stop him right there.
“The fuck is the matter with you?”



The homie BIG C grabbed the rapper in the booth and dragged his screaming ass out of the studio. That’s the last we saw of him. Then we got RZA on the phone on told him of the pathetic display, and RZA agreed: “He shot himself in the foot.”

So that was it. At the end of the day, U-God is a mediocre rapper and we decided to let him go. He is cut from the project and banned from our offices indefinitely. We have enough MCs to go ‘round anyway, so look for that album real soon. Also, peace to the RZA.

Mindbender co-sign

The Real 136 is notorious with connections to Prodigy, Wu-Tang, Pac, Naughty By Nature and Premier to name a few. As of today, add Mindbender to the list.



On the Philaflava forums (sup Gloss) a heated debate broke out about the top blogs in the game. As to be expected The Real 136 came up, and props were given by none other than the Mindbender Supreme. This is what he had to say: "your one is way better (than basically any blog out there, keep representing that real hip hop and by the way let's do an interview one of these days, holler at the alien rapper)"

Mad shouts to MB, we got you, and as for the interview let's make it happen.

U-god shook by robbing, snitched on RZA. Calling out the black sheep of the Wu

“RAW, I'm a give it to ya...”

We all heard it.

And we all know it was a god damn lie. Dude ain't givin' it raw (nh), on no album. That’s why RZA tricked him and took a big slice out of his monthly hand-out from the Wu-Tang trust fund.

Then U-God tried to sue, then he lost. Fucking dumbass.

A lot of fucking explaining to do.

Yo U-god, listen up. We want that interview, report to our office tomorrow... Haha, don’t be scared, s’all good. Just check that attitude at the door, cocky motherfucker.

G.O.D interview coming up, ya digg? Be on the fucking lookout!

Slaughterhouse Stockholm show review

Slaughterhouse is touring Europe, and you know how real it gets. The Real 136 was invited, and as promised here's the review:



Stockholm. January 23rd. Y'all know what it is.

The crowd was wildin’ before the show even started. Mad bottles flying, suckas brawling over nothing. The Real had to handle security and we threw people out just for livin, you know how we do.

Anyway, onto the show.

Like the album, it started with Sound Off and the MCs got onstage one by one. Royce got on first and completely WRECKD it, then Joell came and MURDERD it and Crooked BURID it on the third. Last Joe B came out with a special singing number instead of rapping (it was hilarious), and the show was off to a great start.
The big homie Ortiz had the most energy, gotta hand it to him. He spit the verses and jumped around with a passion. Sadly though, Royce on the other hand was definitely having an off night. He was losing his voice throughout and after a while it got real bad, meaning no chance of a live Gun Harmonizing. UNACCEPTABLE. But for tonight we let it slide.



They did most of the album tracks and also Fight Club, Woodstock, Onslaught and a few solos. Joell flipped out during Hip Hop, stepping on a pair of sunglasses that Budden dropped when he was headbanging. Royce had mad troubles with Boom due to the voice but was backed up by the realer kids in the crowd. Joe did his best with Pump It Up and finally Crooked came strong with motherfuckin' Boom Boom Clap.

To represent their origins each MC also performed a local cover track. Joell did it for Brooklyn with Hypnotize, Royce repped the D with The Way I Am, Crooked put it down for the west with Nuthin But A ‘G’ Thang, and Budden attempted Hip Hop Hooray by Naughty. It was a fun segment, displaying the great diversity of this unlikely supergroup.

Towards the end, the soundman started messing with Joe Budden’s head. When it was his turn to rap, the mic made stupid sounds and his voice sounded like a chipmunk. It was fun for the crowd but Budden crumbled, throwing a teary-eyed fit at which point the soundman turned off his mic. Then someone in the crowd even snatched if off him.


They tried to take his mic but Joe fought to get it back

Here's some fanboy footage we found, with Royce losing his voice at 0:46 and Joe B arguing with the soundman at 1:28 (clip starts loud)

In closing, too bad about Royce's voice and the soundman and parts of the crowd. But regardless, the show was off the motherfuckin' hook!