Finding Max B.

By Carolyn Baxter aka Kulcha
Max B. Was not the most widely known rapper and far from the best. But he
was cute, something new, and different on the rap scene. He was finding his way and no one knew what to expect from him, which was exciting. It’s funny how Rap music has a double standard. No not when it comes to Woman (Let me not get started on that)But the standard that if you are a REAL gang-star meaning you do what you say and say what you do, The Industry backs away from you…Yet in the musical scene rappers rep this crime and that crime and as we all know aint ‘’bust a grape’’ let alone a cap. Guess that is why most Rap is ‘’sweet R+B with a few lines of some body speaking calling it rap.
The Poet Miguel Pinero said it best ‘’I had to keep doing Bad to write Good’ Truer words were never said when it comes to writing about the street because the street changes, yet stays the same…if that makes any sense. (You’d have to come from there to what I mean) Being a person that has served my bids and done my dirt. I have learned a few things.
1. You do your dirt by your lonely and 2. Everywoman I know that was locked down…it was due to, or because of a man. Even if it was just emotional like in my case my man was a square and I didn’t want to hurt him.. or listen to him. So I went with others as a leader and a follower. Depending what was up. Maybe that works in reverse to when it comes to a man?
It really stinks for an artist like Max B who was just finding his voice to have this situation of a Murder Beef to befall him, Most people don’t ‘’Look out’’ if you need 100 bucks more to make ya rent ..Let alone a ‘Murder Beef’’.People head for the hills along with the fake ass Music exec’s .Half of which cant even keep their Chains around there neck. So ya know when Real street Trouble rears it’s know ugly head. The Disappearing act is in Effect!
I think Max B is street savvy enough to know enough that ‘’greed’’, And That second, thought after everything is done and other peoples B.I.G mouth, will get you every time. Now you can’t go by what you read But...If they say they found 30K DAMN that’s the worst! So after the smoke clears no matter what happened. You mean No one got paid?
DAMNNNNN!
That is almost like a Max B rap in itself. The pressure the music industry puts on an artist to get Chips to contribute to their Career is Criminal in itself. It’s Like Yo!…If I had that much Scratch,…would I be looking for you to Produce me?…or ’’Just a Distribution deal?
Both situations are seeking the artist to have Mega Bucks just to be an artist. Now I can speak from experience, being an artist an a ’’Criminal’’ is a great combination. It always give you fodder for many a good story to express., in a variety of forms…It’s just that it is hard to do BOTH at the same time. And Trust me the kinds dough the music industry is talking about to get behind an artist these days….You have to do both at the same time. Kind of rough booking a promotional tour for an artist that is Locked down. Talk about ‘’Double standard’s’!
I am hoping for the best for my Homie Max B, as he is The ‘’Original Harlem’’ all the way Live. I am expecting the best also when it comes to our Renegade Brotha. Hopefully if we keep him in the limelight, on the web, and in discussion. People will not forget a Man that was just about to blossom into a full fledged Professional Rap artist. With many ’’Original’’ stories to tell.
I have learned from the street many things that keep me alert and sane in the square world. The elements that I can apply to the square world from the street are 1. Its never to late to re-invent yourself and 2.The Best Revenge is success. and only Max B. knows which Demons to apply that to, all the Best to Max B.
Keep Max B out of Jail Now!
Carolyn Baxter’s New Hip Hop Book Platinum Dreams Lead Reality@ Amazon.com is the First Rap book of Real street /Prison stories mixed with Poetry as a Tribute to the Great rappers of our time. Baxter is a Published writer in the Screen actors Guild/a spoken word/rap artist/BARD College Scholar.
Myspace.com/cellblock2
authorsden.com/carolyncbaxter
Cornbreadgritsanpolitics.blogspot.com

Imus an Snoop in Bed on Welfare?

It’s always annoying when People who do not listen to Rap or Create Rap write about it. Good or bad. It’s always off the Mark in a sensitive way. Basic understanding, political understanding, lack of a Creative purpose for Rap, And for whom. Or just a Flat-out Put down. Like Earl Ofari Hutchinson. When Imus Put down The Woman’s Basketball Team. That was Flat out Racism, no two way’s about it. He’s done, gone, out of sight. But the fact that the ‘’Hater’s are trying to relate ’’Snoop’’ Dogg to him is just a Lame attempt for Right wingers.. The Liberals? To have a toe hold on rap,To Rap Bash. Using the after stink of Imus’s remark to start a buzz to Motivate, what was done to rap before It went Global .Imus and Snoop would make strange bed fellows indeed. If it weren’t for there abundance of differences.
Fist off Imus Remarks killed Revenue for the station. Snoop dogg Generates revenue. clothing, footwear, the food and beverage industry, his blunt rappers, can be seen in every corner store and Bodega‘s(what’s left of them) on the Road gas stations with the Subways attached. You can get a sandwich, have a Banana flavored blunt, roll up, all with one stop. One shopping. Other than the monetary plus and minuses between Imus and snoop.
If you don’t Like Imus you can turn Him off. People don’t have to pay as he speaks. Where as ‘’Snoop’’ People actually go and seek out his music and pay for it, or pay to listen to a download.’’Ringtones’’included.
His remarks about woman are also Not directed at a’’ particular woman‘’. Like this basketball team or that person per say. Therefore a woman would have to take a derogatory remark or statement ’’ personally.’’ ‘’Hoes’’ do exist. ‘’Bitches’’ do exist. And the times I’ve meet them, I knew it! especially in Prison. Every other person was one or the other. Censorship is a serious matter. The right wingers in the Bush administration have take so much away form People. From affirmative action, to monitoring your phones, the internet, The fact that warrants don’t have to be enforced in many instances to arrest a Person. Just to name a few. All in the name’’To defend Homeland Security‘’. Free Speech is about all we have left.. Where will it end ?When Bush is in Your Bed saying ‘’What’s for Dinner hon?’’
When Snoop was in Court on trial for Murder. His Momma was sitting next to him. He needed her support. she was there positive, dignified and supportive of her son. Also Snoop is married to a Black woman and has 3or 4 son’s that look just like him ,and is a good father who has made donations to groups and is supportive of his sons well being and their football team. school etc. A positive image for a Blackman. For one Moment Let’s assume ‘’Snoop’ stopped cussing. What would happen? He wouldn’t be able to eat or support his family…’’Snoop’’ on Welfare …Not Likely.
So what does that show ?it shows that in Real life, ‘’Reality’’ not the world of commercially controlled Record sales. He is respectful of Black woman. He’s surrounded by. The Black woman that are in his family and circle, I don’t think They would Tolerate that kind of ‘’Putdown’’. He’d be sleeping on the Couch, and might get a fat lip to boot. The Genre of ‘’Gangsta Rap’’ wouldn’t be ‘’Gangsta ’’Rap if it didn’t have explicative Language included. That’s part of It’s draw ,It’s freedom of young teen’s around 15 to 18 or so. His target Market is somewhere between Fantasy and H.S. Graduation. At that age Most people are still under a repressive Family Rule’ i.e. your still living with mom and dad. Your still a Minor for the most part so hearing cuss words, and being able to say them when listening to music with your peers is extremely Liberating. I know it was for me.
I asked a friend of mine who is a Rap basher what is about Rap he didn’t like. Which were all the Thing’s that make ‘’Gangsta Rap’’ Gangsta Rap. The Loudness when you pull next to a stop light and someone is ‘’Bumpin’’ their Favorite track the Cuss words. The ’’saggin’’ pants The whole style of ‘’Hip-Hop’’ he said. I don’t Like it for the ‘’Young People’’ he said. I informed him that he is not the keeper or speaker for all ’’ young people.’’ He said they speak about ‘’Bad’’ thing’s .Then I gave him an option would you rather you kid’s hear about bad Thing’s or Do ‘’Bad ‘’Thing’s ? If I had heard about the street, The games, the Hustles Instead of Being on the street ,Living it. I would have been fore warned. It might have saved me a six year sentence in Prison. So to coin a Phrase that dropped with the Beginning of Rap ’’ Don’t Believe the Hype’’
Carolyn C Baxter is a widely Anthologized Poet/Spoken rap artist she received a Literary Scholarship from BARD College and a Natl. Endowment of the Arts Grant for her poetry in Songs from a free Space Her second Book Platinum Dreams Lead Reality is non Fiction short stories of Rappers, Hustlas, pimps and playas that have lost their lives in the street or in Jail. She speaks at H.S. and Colleges on Urban Crime and Violence.