Music

To rappers from a rapper...simply write your own rhymes as much as you can if you are able. Ghostwriting, or borrowing lines, or taking suggestions from the room has always been in rap and will always be in rap. It is nothing to go crazy over or be offended about unless you are someone who postures him or herself on the importance of authenticity and tries to portray that quality to your fans or the public at large. Then we might have a problem. Some of the most pivotal moments in rap have been ghostwritten verses. This leads to a bigger point. Rapping is not an easy thing to do. It's takes years of work and trial and error to master some of its finer points. Respect from other MC's comes in many formats. Sales, live performances, realness etc but the one thing that is the most...
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When I was asked to write an open letter to you, I thought about the hundreds of texts and emails that I have sent to you on holidays and on Sundays, when I ask you to say a prayer to thank God for each other. Every day, I wake up thinking about how much I love, admire and cherish each of you. I gave birth to two of you, but I have four incredible daughters. Writing this brought to mind all the ways you guys have been such a blessing to me. When I’m feeling sad or not-so-cute or maybe a little sorry for myself, and you all include me in your group chat and tell me how hot I still look or how cool I am. Maybe you send me a crazy YouTube video. What actually works best is a cute photo of my grandchildren. I remember slumber parties after my divorce, when we watched old movies and...
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Dear Nicki Minaj, I own AllHipHop.com. AllHipHop has been historically uber supportive of the rapper Nicki Minaj. That’s YOU, homie! When I say historically, we can take it all the way back to when you had to stand in line to get into parties or those grimy underground videos you once pumped out on the streets. You know, that period of time before Lil Wayne and Young Money. Along the way, something changed. This isn’t the change everybody wants to talk about though. No hate there. AllHipHop had published an old image for some reason or another some years ago. You remember the one of you licking a lollipop and evoking the now-classic image of Lil Kim in all of her crotchiness? Of course you remember your version of that image, because you asked us to take it down through a member of the...
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David Bryan/ Keyboardist/ Bon Jovi band Dear David: It’s been a few years since our paths have crossed and I had the pleasure of interviewing you. Hope this email finds you doing great! I’m writing to you today not only on a personal note, but also on behalf of my Israel advocacy group GA-GA for Israel and the 1,300 signatories below. It’s recently been reported that there are external pressures on the Bon Jovi band to cancel its upcoming October concert in Israel and to join the boycott against it. And so, I am writing today to appeal to you, to Jon Bon Jovi, and to your entire band to remain steadfast in your decision to perform as scheduled, despite the detractors, and to follow in the courageous footsteps of Elton John, Alicia Keys, the Rolling Stones, Lady Gaga, Barbara...
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When you love someone who suffers from the disease of addiction you await the phone call. There will be a phone call. The sincere hope is that the call will be from the addict themselves, telling you they've had enough, that they're ready to stop, ready to try something new. Of course though, you fear the other call, the sad nocturnal chime from a friend or relative telling you it's too late, she's gone. Frustratingly it's not a call you can ever make it must be received. It is impossible to intervene. I've known Amy Winehouse for years. When I first met her around Camden she was just some twit in a pink satin jacket shuffling round bars with mutual friends, most of whom were in cool indie bands or peripheral Camden figures Withnail-ing their way through life on impotent charisma...
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I used to sometimes like visiting some of the blog sites to see what new things are happening in the world! Things like cool photos, current events, etc. But nowadays it seems like there's a competition with sites on "Who Can Tear Someone Down the Most." The stories are going from cool and creative to pure drama. Even the comment sections are beginning to get out of control and people are using the platforms to exercise a false sense of power. People sure do have a lot of courage when they are anonymous. It's like a "Who Can Say the Nastiest Comment Game." I click onto some of the comments from something as fun as an Instagram post that you're sharing with your fans, and a person finds a way to turn a positive post into a negative. I think to myself, "I could pick this person apart so...
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Dear Kelly There's a good chance you'll never see this note, seeing as how you're busy being awesome at life: churning out hit singles, killing it on "Ellen," raising your gorgeous kid. But I'm writing in anyway, because being picked on for your appearance is so universal — and your response to it is such a thing of beauty — that I feel compelled to write. I'm glad Fox News host Chris Wallace apologized for telling you to "stay off the deep-dish pizza for a little while." I'm glad radio goofball Mike Gallagher apologized for asking Wallace, "Have you seen Kelly Clarkson? Holy cow, did she blow up." I hope British blowhard Katie Hopkins locates the better angels of her nature and realizes her jabs at you are neither witty nor relevant. (Not holding my breath. Doubt you...
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Dear Taylor, You don’t know me and why should you? One of us is a global superstar and the other a writer and journalism graduate so the chances are we most likely will never meet. Yet, while casually surfing my Twitter feed, the other day I discovered some saddening and surprisingly personal news. This came courtesy of yourself, a superstar singer, who has announced to your legions of fans that your mum, Andrea, has been diagnosed with an, as yet, unspecified form of cancer. In a heartfelt statement to them via your personal Tumblr you wrote: ‘The results came in, and I’m saddened to tell you that my mom has been diagnosed with cancer.’ You and I are actually the same age, 25, and despite our lives being polar opposites I know exactly how it feels when your beloved mother tells you...
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Dear Taylor Swift, It's the face we choose to make when we get to an autograph line. Little girls are lined up with posters and guitars with our names on them, anxious to tell us about their upcoming talent show. We're walking with our security and our team hurting and broken about the pain inside but the second we turn that corner, we have to put our lives on hold for the sake of the lives in the crowd. We're not being fake... not lying about what's going on... merely doing what we have to do to be who we're called to be. Like you, I "came out of nowhere" (in the music industry) as many blogs and reviewers have said. Though I've been singing my whole life and playing (semi... ha-ha) payed gigs since high school, I didn't get a record deal until I was around 18. I was signed to (a...
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Dear Mr. Bourdain, My name is Hannah Hayes, and I consider myself a pretty big fan of yours. I have all of your books lined on top of my crappy, leaking refrigerator between two Martinelli’s Gold Medal apple juice jugs. I think your thoughts on vegetarians and hollandaise sauce are genius in its purest form. I even made sure that my college radio show wasn’t scheduled for Monday night this semester so I wouldn’t miss a second of your show, No Reservations. Food and money Related Articles ESSAY: Long-distance eating ESSAY: Equal Parts Adventure and Inspiration ESSAY: Cupcake Beginnings ESSAY: The Modern Day Woman’s Culinary Dilemma ESSAY: The Thought That Counts ESSAY: Defrosting a future of food Dig in: Essays on food So I think you could understand why I was taken aback to...
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