Mr. Glass is back!

Mr. Glass is back! Thats right I am back and this time I have a permanent home! I know this blog has still been getting good hits and I love that, so for those of you who have been asking me to "crank the blog back up" well heres your wish come true! With the release of my new book (thats right guys this blogger is an author!) comes the launch of my brand new blog! Over at ManOfGlass.com or SirGlass.com which ever one suits you best! So hit them up and start checking there for the newest posts by Mr. Glass!


So for all of you who loved Hip-Hop Alive! Make sure you bookmark my new site, I promise you you will be seeing the stuff you loved about hip-hop alive, with much more on the new site! Not to mention, I have become way more polished of a writer! So if you want to continue to support Hip-Hop Alive! do so over at the new site(s) ManOfGlass.com or Sirglass.com!

Much Love!

Mr. Glass

Tha Dynasty is Here!

IT's FINALLY HERE!

For all of you who fell in love with Hip-Hop Alive! I have great news! My new project is finally up & running! Its my new blog/site called Tha Dynasty! Its gonna prove to be better than HHA! ever was! Trust me! I got 3 of my closest homies on board with me this time! Its gonna be dope! So make sure you check us out, add us to your favorites, and drop us a line!!!!!

ThaDynasty.wordpress.com

Mr. Glass

Valentines Day!

Since it's Valentines day I figured I would do my first post on some R&B! The fact is I actually like R&B more then Rap, but I just haven't done any reviews yet! Theres just something about how R&B can go from being soulful, to a love song, to hardcore. Theres just something about how R&B expresses every emotion, and a good R&B singer can express all of them to the extreme! They can make you cry, laugh, smile, and pissed off! Thats just not something that Rap can achieve the same way. I mean whether its old skool R&B like Marvin Gaye & Luther Vandross, or if its new skool like J. Holiday!

Today I'm reviewing J. Holiday's "Back of My Lac'" ! This is 1 of 2007's Top R&B albums! What better album to review on Valentines Day! This is an album that the ladies love! But this is also a great R&B album, that show's the change in R&B! So Happy Valentines Day! Hope You Enjoy!

I'm dedicating this post to my girl, Rachel, baby I'm sorry we cant hang today! But I know you'll have a Happy Valentines Day!

J. Holiday -"Back of My Lac'"

J. Holday is a great new R&B singer, with his debut album "Back of My Lac'" he really set the bar for other R&B artists as well as for himself. It was as high as #5 on the Billboard music charts which is great considering its his debut album! J. Holiday is a Washington, D.C. native, and being signed to Angel Records in 2006, J. quickly teamed up with R&B producer Dark Child to but out "Be With Me" and set to work on his album! When his album finally released in 2007, there was already a ton of hype surrounding it! Partly because of his hit single "Bed", but also partly because people where ready for a new type of R&B singer thats more like the Old Skool guys with a New Skool twist! Someone who isn't all about dancing (in fact I don't think J. Holiday dances at all in his videos!) Someone who could help restore R&B, and get it out of this Pop phase its been starting to gravitate towards! J. Holiday certainly did that with "Back of My Lac'"! The Cd was originally released with 14 tracks, but they have recently released a Deluxe Edition that includes 3 extra tracks. The Deluxe Edition of "Back of My Lac' " is the album I am reviewing.

The CD starts off with the title track of the album, "Back of My Lac' " is a soulful smooth song. Its about all the struggles hes dealt with and how he deals with them. How when he gets stressed out he sits "In The Back of My Lac', Smokin My Dro, Sippin My Yac!" It sets the mood for the album very well and is a great insight into who J. Holiday is! "Ghetto" is the next track, its about J. Holiday's views on the Ghetto. Being a Washington, D.C. native he lives in one of the worst ghetto's in America. This song is about how the Ghetto never changes. How its full of good times, and bad times, but basically never changes. He says "I know cause I've been there!" when hes talking about the issues in the ghetto. The song is for everyone who's grown up oppressed, or in the ghetto. Its kind of an anthem! About how life in the ghetto really is! The next track is in titled "Thug Commandments". It's a very soulful song about the rules of being a "thug" or the "Thug Commandments". The rules of how to act and behave in the Ghetto, and in life in general! About what people should be doing. It's a great song to lift you up, and a very good song to listen to if your on hard times. Now the next track is the smash hit "Bed". Everyone has heard this song at least once! Its a great song for the ladies, or for a romantic night with you and your woman. It's a very slow, smooth love song! It's about him and a woman, and how he wants "To repay you for the week that you've been through." It's about how hes going to make love to his woman, and "Put you to bed". Very few songs can talk about the subject of sex or making love, with the same mentality that this one does. It's not sleazy or trashy or disrespecting to women. It's about how hes going to make love to his woman, not sex, but LOVE! This is one of the best songs off this album! Thats why it was such a hit! This song is defiantly what J. Holiday is about, Old Skool, mixed with New Skool! Theres not much more I can really say about this song except its great!. "Betcha Never Had" is the next song from the album. It's got a slightly different temp from the previous song, a little more fast paced! Its about how he can tell that "you ain't neva had it like that." About how hes going to show the woman something shes never done before. Or give her something shes never had! Next on the album is "Laa Laa" is a slow song thats about smoking weed! Haha its about how hes gonna teach his girl how to smoke, and relax. Now I'm not into the whole drug thing because there just not for me, but this is still a good song. It's about how hes going to show her a good time! Get her high, get her relaxed, and then make love to her. "Come Here" is another love song, but different then the others. Its more about the sex part then making love. He's telling the girl to "Come Here" and get closer. Its a song for the ladies, about what he wants to do to them, and how he knows the want to "come closer." Next is "Be With Me" the first single off the album. This is defiantly my favorite song. Its about how he knows that "you should be with me" its for the ladies big time. He is talking about how she needs to stop being with the other guys, and stop seeing him as just a friend or some guy. How he needs her, and she needs him. She needs to be with him, and not some other guy. He says "its killing me, why you trying to act like you don't see what I see." He knows that shes looking out for herself, but how she needs to trust him and give him a chance. And guys I know we have all had this situation before! Where you've known a girl who you should be with but for whatever reasons shes afraid to give you a shot! Thats why I love this song because EVERY guy can relate to this! "Suffocate" is next, and it's also one of my favorites (haha I guess I should just say now his album is one of my favorites!) It's defiantly a love song about how he can't stand to be away from his woman. How much he truly loves her. Now ever guy has also felt this before too and relate! About how a girl can make you lose your breath when shes talking to you, and when shes away from you! How it's impossible for you to be without her! It's got to be one of the best love songs ever in my opinion! "Fatal" is also a lot like "Suffocate" its a good track to fallow it also. It's about how he is "dieing" without her. How he misses her so much that its killing him inside! It
s about how he knows hes been wrong, and hes sorry for the fights, and he changed. Its a song apologizing to the ladies. How he needs a second chance because he's messed up and it's killing him inside and he just wants her back. I know I have felt this way before, and so has every guy. Play this song for your woman if you ever are in "the dog house" and then apologize to her. This is a great song that shows how a man needs a woman! How he'd do anything to get her back. "Without You" is next on the album. It's about how he meet up with a girlfriend from the past. How hes changed, how he wants to apologize for anything he ever did to her. How he needs to get it off his chest. How he messed up and hes sorry, because his life is "Nothing" without her! He wishes he could "go back in time to time, to the first time, and get it right". There is just something about this song that every man can relate to, even if you didn't lose the girl, you can relate to how there is that one woman who you are nothing without her! The next track is a song about how he has changed, its called "Pimp In Me". It's about how he can't be his old self because he needs her to much! The pimp in him has died, because he loves her to much! He can't mess this up because it will be the stupidest thing he could ever do! It's a great love song that shows how much a man loves a woman, and how he can change for her. How she has made him a better man. It's a very smooth, love song. It's also one of the best R&B beats I have heard in awhile! It's a refreshing change from other R&B songs that are all about being a pimp. This one is actually about a guy becoming faithful, and loving a woman! "Thank You" is the next song on the album. It's about how he is thanking her for letting him have her, and do what she wants him to do to her. How he wants to thank her for the time they've spent, and the love shes given him. How he wants to repay her by "bending your back till the morning comes." It's a love song that's similar to "Bed". It's about making love, not fucking! About how he respects his woman, and how he wants to repay her for everything shes done for him! Now this next track is a great one! It's a slightly faster paced, more rock or jazz based track! It's called "Fallin" and it's about how he misses her, and needs her back. Because he's fallin and can't get up without her! How he misses everything they had, how he has changed! It's about how he's in love with her, and he needs her back before he goes crazy! This is a great song about how losing your girl can drive you crazy! He's pleading her to take him back, because he knows they can't be done! Play this for your woman to show how much she means to you! "A Love of Your Own" is the first bonus track on the deluxe edition. It's about how the sooner she gives in to love, the sooner she will have a love of her own! "I Know Love" is the next bonus track it's about how he knows what love is, and that she can't pretend like she don't love him. How he knows there going to have their "ups and downs" but that their in love and they cant just go giving that up! It's about how he's willing to make it work, and she should to. Because he knows love is a struggle but that its worth it! The last track on the album is "When You Get Home". It's got a similar theme to "Bed". It's about how after a hard days work he just wants to love her. He just wants to repay her! How when she gets home he's going to treat her to some "Loving"! It's about how he is going to take care of his woman, and all she has to do is relax and let him make love to her! It's got kind of an old skool beat, which is good! It's a great track to wrap up thew album!

Overall I would give this album a 4.5 out of 5 stars! I honestly believe its one of the best R&B albums I have personally heard! Thats why I am putting him on the "Artists To Watch For In 08" list! He has got to be one of the top R&B artists out there right now. And this was only his debut album! I can wait to see what he does next!

Track Listing:

1. Back of My Lac'
2. Ghetto
3. Thug Commandments
4. Bed
5. Bethca' Neva Had
6. Laa Laa
7. Come Here
8. Be With Me
9. Suffocate
10. Fatal
11. Without You
12. Pimp In Me
13. Thank You
14. Fallin'
15. Sooner You Get To Love
    
16. I Know Love
17. When You Get Home

Take A Listen:

Bed



Suffocate


Fallin'




Artist: J. Holiday
Album: Back of My Lac'
Label: Angel Records
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Mics
Notes: Debut Album, R&B, Valentines Day, For The Ladies, Artist To Watch In 08, Top R&B Artist!

Afrofreque, Fresh Soul Frequencies

Here at Hip-Hop Alive! I try to show you guys every side of the Hip-Hop game, not just the mainstream type of Hip-Hop, but also the less known underground, fusion, and soul types of this Genre. I love being able to hear unique blends of Hip-Hop and other genres (Gym Class Heros). I also just love bringing you guys new twists on the style like The Cool Kids, or Colin Munroe. See for me Hip-Hop is all about expressing yourself and going against the mainstream. Doing what you want and how you want, and getting it out to the people. Hip-Hop is supposed to be 100% original!

Thats why I want to let you guys know about this unique group I got wind of the other day. They go by the name of Afrofreque. They are a Hip-Hop/Funk/Soul/ type band. They have a very unique sound and style. I love the fact that they remind me of The Roots, but just barely. You cant really compare these two groups too much or you will be underestimating the true originality of this Austin, Texas based group. They implement a smooth set of samples, and original beats, along with nice hooks, and a mix of reggae sound as well as positive conscious lyrics to there music. In that way it's hard to honestly classify this group or link them to any other and I think thats what makes them great! They really are a fresh new twist on Hip-Hop!

The Group is headed by MC Tigre Liu and consists of band members Fumi Sugawara, Micheal Hale, Claude 9, John Siebenthaler, and DJ Resinthol. They are from Austin, Texas. Their recently released Debut Album is intitled "Fesh Soul Frequencies". It features 10 orginal tracks, that are all unique and creative in their sound. Tigre Liu is also a very good rapper, with a smooth flow. proven by lines like "And thats a word for yo motha maine/Pass it on to your brotha maine/ My advice will be simple and plain" and “Audio frequency, breathing life into your section / Austin Texan, imagine my complexion as a smooth emcee / Roughneck and enough to glide through any city.”

Fresh Soul Frequencies:
Track Listing
1. Illumination (5:12)
2. Natural Fact* (4:42)
3. Ice Age* (5:06)
4. Whatcha’ Gonna Do* (3:10)
5. Cool Breeze (6:10)
6. Born Soul (6:49)
7. Wildstyle (4:29)
8. Furthermind* (3:21)
9. Comin’ to the Surface* (5:45)
10. Smooth & Sweet (4:25)

The first song is intitled "Illumination" and it is a great song! It starts out with some unique funk sounds, and then MC Tigre Liu starts his flow. Its about how the music can Illuminate your soul! Trust me their music can do just that! The flow is sick on this song, defiantly not expected from a group like this. Also the mix of funk sounds, and techno style samples make this a great song! Overall this album is very good! "Cool Breeze" is another very good song, along with Ice Age. I really think everyone should take a listen to this group. They are defiantly one of the many reason I love Hip-Hop. They bring a unique and individual sound and style to the genre which is what Hip-Hop should be about, instead of bitches and hos!


Afrofreque - Live | Hip Hop | Soul
Website | MySpace | FaceBook
Fresh Soul Frequencies at GigaCrate.com

This group is defiantly going to be added to my artists to watch for in 2008! (along with Colin Munroe since I forgot to put that in my last post, sorry!) I really think they stand a chance of becoming very popular over the next year! For the overall rating of the album I think I might give it a 3.5 out of 5 mics, they unique sound and style defiantly help get it this rating, although I think they defiantly have room to improve their music. I cant wait to see how they do!

Artist: Afrofreque
Album: Fresh Soul Frequencies
Label: Earthbound Music
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Mics
Notes: Artist to watch for in 2008!, Fresh new sound!

1000 HITS! Plus New Music!

Ok guys first things first! Hip-Hop Alive! Has gotten over 1000 hits! Thats in less then 1 month! Thats craziness! Word of mouth must really be getting around! All I can say is thanks to everyone who has been supporting me and the Blog. Now lets keep spreading the word and posting the link and doing link exchanges, and continue to sign up for the feed! THANKS PEOPLE!

Now onto some music......sorry that its taking me so long to get some more CD reviews done...I promise to pump out quite a few over the next few weeks I've just been really busy lately!

I want to tell you guys about some new artists I have recently got to take a listen to. The first is a young rapper known as A.T.M. He is a young rapper out of Brooklyn N.Y., A.T.M. stands for "After The Money" which for those of you who need some explanation....means that he is after the money! He got his start in rapping at age 10, and has been putting out tracks over the past few years. He also has been ghost writing for other artists for awhile now.

Now A.T.M. is a good young rapper, with a nice flow, who reminds me a little of Fabolous. He has a nice flow, and easily makes good R&B style tracks, most of his songs are remixes to top R&B hits. He makes good vibes with his music. I really like him....but...I don't like the fact that all he has out right now are remixes, and he only averages about 1 verse per song.....I think he needs to work on putting out some more original content out there. He is currently unsigned, and that might have something to do with it. Just some advice for A.T.M. try to get with a producer or something and at least make a demo or mix tape....that will really let people get a feel for who you really are as an artist. Other then that though I really like his style and flow, and I hope he makes it and I can see him put out a hit record some day, because I think he can do it!

Check him out on his MySpace

also download his music here:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

Now onto another artist: Colin Munroe. Now he is not a rapper, hes more of a producer/R&B singer. He has produced many of Canada's Top Urban Hits. Colin is a Go-To guy in Canada's Urban Music scene. He has finally decided to pursue his music career on the artist side as well as the producer. He has recently inked a deal with Award-Winning Super Producer Dallas Austin, to put out Colin's debut album "Don't Think Less Of Me" sometime here in 2008. Colin has a unique sound, not your average R&B sound, more of a mixture between a Emo Rock Singer, and an R&B Singer, with a bit of an accent.

Munroe has made a remix to Kanye West's "Flashing Lights" in titled "I Want Those Flashing Lights" It's gaining ton of buzz, and even Kanye himself has posted it on his website. (I am working on getting an exclusive interview with Colin for you guys)

Colin's Debut LP will be released sometime in 2008 and right now I can't get a hold of any of the songs for it, but I will try to soon. You can however download "I Want Those Flashing Lights" here. Anyways I really like Colin's unique sound and style, and for a Super-Producer like Dallas to sign on to this project makes it obvious that Colin is a superstar in the waiting. I can't wait to see his debut album, and get back to you guys with more info about it. Make sure you check the video out and download the song! Check out his MySpace!

Anyways I really think you guys should check these 2 guys out ASAP! They both are promising young artists. I hope to get you guys some more exclusive content real soon. For now thats all I got. I have to go to the Basketball game now, and hopefully I don't get kicked out of this one! Haha check back soon!

Mr. Glass