4th Annual Baltimore Crown

The 4th Annual Baltimore Crown Awards will be held on November 7th.  With categories like these, it should be interesting.

Hip Hop Artist of The Year: 

Battle MC of the Year 

Poet of the Year 

Vocalist of the Year 

Band of The Year 

Best Underground Release 

Graphic Designer of The Year 

Best Baltimore Media 

DJ of the Year 

Studio of the Year 

Producer of the Year 

Photographer of the Year 

Videographer of the Year 

Manager of the Year 

Promoter of the Year 

Best New Artist 

Under the Radar Award 

Best Live Venue 

Best Poetry Venue 

Best Hip Hop Venue 

*Golden Awards are awarded to Artists who ALSO make other contributions to the scene by providing services, outlets, resources, community service (Any Thing That Enhances The Scene)

Golden Mic 

Golden Pen 

Golden Stage Awards 

Special Appreciation 

Special Contribution Awards

Already the voting has started more than a little controversy. As usual.  In the few years that I have been in this scene I have come to realize that what I know isn't all that there is.  I knew about the Baltimore music scene back in 2000 when I met a friend who is a singer.  At that time he basically told me that Baltimore was not the place to be if you wanted to get a fan base and to get noticed.  He said that he and his team didn't bother to do shows in the city because there was no love.  Hmmm interesting.  

It wasn't until 2006 when I met another artist in the city who was getting radio airplay and doing things and traveling that I seen another side of the Baltimore music scene.  The commercial side basically.  I seen how he did the commercial thing and got noticed and signed and was moving and shaking.

A few months later I got to see yet another side.  I was introduced to the Baltimore scene that most of you know.  The 5 Seasons, The Black Hole, Whispers, Penguins, Fletchers, Bedrock......all the little places where events were being put together.   I got to see a unity of sorts.  A movement.  But the thing about a movement is it goes for a little ways and then stops.  It moves and then people get uninterested in the movement, get bored and they move on.  

Now here it is 2010 and I see the same things going on with alot of the same faces and a few new.  There are so many rappers and artists in this city.  My big thing is that if you only see who is in your circle, you aren't expanding your mind.  If I only worried about who and what was going on in my little circle of M.I.B. then I wouldn't know about Byrdland Music Group or Z.O.M.E. or the M.A.B.A. and the list goes on.  I'm not saying you have to work with all the people in the city but damn be aware of your surroundings.  Be aware of others who are grinding and making moves.  You think you are doing things but just maybe compared to someone else you might not be doing as much.


I have seen alot of self proclaimed royalty in the city and I find it funny.  I see alot of people claiming fame because of views on YouTube and the comments left on the videos.  These people think you are the best because that's all they know or all they see.  Is that clicking for you yet??  Hmm ok....The only cheesesteak you ever eat is at Stoko's.  You ate one at another spot one time and it wasn't nothing compared to Stoko's!  So now you making statements that Stoko's is the best.  But you only had food from one other spot.  The only way you can truly say that Stoko's is the best is by going to all the spots and trying their cheesesteaks.  Is that easier to understand?


I say things to get people to think about the things they say.  If you say that someone is deserving of one of these awards then explain why.  I think he/she deserves this award because of this and this and this.  Chin-Yer is trying to make it as fair and deserving award show.  It would be easy to say ok well he/she deserves this award because they didn't win one last year!  Well what have they done this year?  If you don't know what anyone else's is doing how can you honestly say one person is doing more than someone else?  I'm just say educate yourself with what is going on around you.  If all you know is your crew or your little circle then of course all you are going to know and vote for is them.  Be aware of your surroundings at all times.  You may be thinking that you are grinding hard but the next man is grinding and making moves and having meetings that you aren't even aware of.


So the Baltimore Crown this year should be really interesting.  I'm sure there are going to be some surprises and some sour faces.  I'm just glad to be apart of it and get to see people that I don't get to hang around with because we don't move in the same circles!  I'm looking forward to seeing all the poets and spoken word folks!  I need to get to some of their events.  Didn't even know I had a friend who does those events!  See just goes to show you that even I need to expand my mind.


So vote for whoever you feel deserves the award.  Just be sure you are able to give a good reason for why you are nominating them. 


Happy voting!

What Happened To Hip Hop?

As I was driving this morning, they were talking about the BET Hip Hop Awards show that aired last night.  Now I didn't watch it nor did I have any desire to do so.  Why?  Because I'm not a fan of industry hip hop.  Don't get me wrong, there are a few songs I will listen to but if it weren't for the fact that the cd player in my car doesn't work, I wouldn't really know anything about what is being played on the radio.  I do however like J. Cole.  I think that is a talented young man and if the industry doesn't try to control and censor him, he may be one of the few who can bring back real lyrics and real hip hop.

I know that things can't stay the same and they have to progress and move forward but have any of you really listened to any of the lyrics in majority of the songs that are popular?  Gone are the days of telling stories or being political without being militant.  Gone are the days of rhymes that make you say Damn did you just hear that??  Gone are the days of what hip hop was really made to be about.  Now you have cartoon characters and gimmicks that just make you look at the videos and say what the hell are they talking about.

Now I know alot of people are wondering Lisa what makes your fat white ass such an expert on the hip hop scene.  Well I'm not an expert, I'm a fan of music and have been listening and dealing with music since probably birth.  You see my musical ear goes beyond hip hop and R&B.  I listen to every genre there is.  So my range is wide when it comes to music.

Also I have been around people who make music for alot longer than the time I have been in this scene.  10 yrs ago I met someone who had his own group, was touring and had meeting with A&R's.  To this day he is still in the business.  Has a distribution company, has a tv show that he is filming and still recording with industry people.  I have an ex who used to write rhymes and was in NY one day and last his rhyme book on the subway.  The next thing he knew one of his boys told him he heard his lyrics on the radio being put out by Bad Boy Ent.  So I was in the scene before most of the people in it even knew what the scene was.

I just want to hear good music.  I want to hear a story being told that doesn't have the same worn out bullshit lines that every other song has.  Two people can tell the same story but it's all in how they present it that makes you listen.

Industry music has been dumbed down so much.  Don't believe me? Just look at what's being played on the radio.  Pretty Boy Swag, Teach Me How To Dougie, Anything by Waka Flocka......Tell me that the words in any of those songs matter to anyone.  The only reason that music is getting played is because it has a good beat or the kids can dance to it!  Do an experiment. Pick a song that is on the radio, something that gets played every hour on the hour, either look up the lyrics or just listen to the lyrics.  Now play the song and close your eyes and see if you can see the song in your head like a movie.  If you can then maybe you need to be in the movie business because you have a vision that I can't get.

I think there needs to be an education seminar for these young rappers coming up in the scene.  They need to stop trying to sound like Little Wayne, the females need to stop trying to be Nicki Minja and they need to listen to the likes of KRS-1, Public Enemy, Wu-Tang, Run DMC, Slick Rick, Too Short, Salt & Pepa, Mc Lyte, Queen Latifah, Guru, Gangstar, George Clinton and list goes on and on and on.

That's just my personal opinion.  But what do I know?  I'm just a nobody anyway.  Just a lover of music....all kinds!!!