…hitting you with some Southern hospitality

This week’s throwback song is a classic from one of my favorite rap groups. Their music transcends race and genre. They’re style is incomparable. Their artistry is unquestionable. And it all started with this little song giving homage to their home (and my home, they even name drop the street I used to live on). I give you Big Boi and Andre 3000 with…

…wishing you peace, love and soooouuuullll.

Where's the Scramble Board?

These are some cool pics I took yesterday. This train was papered to look like the legendary Soul Train. It was to commemorate the Soul Train Awards that were taped in Atlanta earlier this week. I got off to take a picture and the train pulled off. So I waited around for almost an hour for it to come back buti it never did. : (

Another picture of the Soul Train.

…wants to write Atlanta a better theme song (but I need your help).

The New York Skyline

I am not a Jay-Z fan. I mean not at all. And before you ask, I love hip hop. I’m just not really into Jay-Z.

I love Nas, and even though they’ve stopped beefing years ago this may be part of the reason. Plus, Jay-Z’s music has progressively sucked every year since he’s been in the game. (Yeah, I said it.)

Oh but then I heard this song. (Click on the link I’m still a beginner geek.)Empire State of Mind.

I love this song. I love everything about it. The music. The lyrics.  The production. I’m totally and completely obsessed with it. And I’m not a Jay-Z fan. At all.

I love that its a beautiful tribute to their home. I live in Atlanta and our song “Welcome to Atlanta” just kind of falls flat. It really doesn’t compare. And I love Ludacris and JD, but really when you compare:

“Welcome to Atlanta where the players play and we ride on them streets like every day”

to “Empire State of Mind”

“Welcome to the melting pot,
Corners where we selling rocks,
Afrika Bambaataa sh-t,
Home of the hip hop,
Yellow cap, gypsy cap, dollar cab, holla back,
For foreigners it aint fitted they forgot how to act,
8 million stories out there and their naked,
Cities is a pity,  half of y’all won’t make it,

And

3 dice cee-lo
3 card monte,
Labor day parade, rest in peace Bob Marley,
Statue of Liberty, long live the World Trade”

I’ve gotta give it to the Big Apple. The storytelling on “Empire” is so vivid, it takes you on a ride through the five boroughs.  I’ve never been to New York, but I feel like I have after I hear that song.

That being said I’ve taken it upon myself to help us draft a better anthem here in Atlanta. This is a music mecca. There are a lot of great things to sing about here. Lets come together and write a song people. Leave your comments. Give me your ideas. Who should record our song? What aspects and features of our great city should we include? What genre should we make it?  We can take the best ones and make a song.

I’m serious people. New Yorkers are always talking about how its better up there. This time they’re right. Lets make it happen.