Month: August 2020

When I was a kid I watched a lot of scary movies. Some were scarier than others. Some more movies that I outgrew was an adult and now they’re not scary they’re just silly. Only a handful were so frightening that I’ve never been able to bring myself to go back and re-watch. Poltergeist is one of those it is a movie that shouldn’t have scared me as much as it did but when I was a kid this was probably the scariest movie I’ve ever seen and I had a really hard time going back to it.

But first some context. It’s not talked about because we’re primarily Christian these days but before we discovered Christianity people in my family were basically into witchcraft some of us were Pagan some of us were Wiccan some of us were just in general fascinated by the spiritual realm but not so much church and any kind of you know codified Pantheon or anything of the sort. So I was very much into the occult as a kid as a little kid. Not just movies or dressing up like Halloween but it was our family unofficial family religion it was our belief was that yes there are spiritual forces and you can’t understand them all we believe in ghosts we believed in you know I won’t say monsters but definitely some of the other types of spirits including Angels but didn’t have a clear definition.

So coming into it from that perspective this movie was frightening as a little kid who did believe in ghosts and you know and I’m talking about someone who didn’t believe in Santa Claus or you know UFOs although I’m always kind of going back and forth on UFOs very definitely believe in spirits of all time so this movie Amityville Horror ghost movies in general tend to be more you know if done well they tend to scare me more and if done to cheekily they make me barf and I’m not interested. This was one of those movies that was done well like really well but it’s also well known that it’s pretty Hollywood pretty polished.

One of my sisters was is into the occult stuff as I was took me to a cemetery one time and we walked around late at night and explored all the scary things. Another one of my sisters who was also believe in spirits and the occult her and I kind of had this you know we were kind of in tune to things she was not I won’t say psychic or medium or anything like that but I will say she heard things saucing and and me I was just sort of I felt things I’ve always been able to feel things I can feel evil. I don’t necessarily mean any Supernatural since but I do feel in tune to those kinds of things so I’ve been hesitant with certain kinds of movies because I do believe that there are things we can’t explain about that I really do think that that we go somewhere when we die as a Catholic I am leaning towards what the church teaches but you know there’s other explanations for some of these things.

The first time I watched Poltergeist the movie scared the living shit out of me. As I was watching the movie my parents reassured me that it’s only a movie but my dad was always kind of playful about things so he like to throw a little tidbits like you know this was a true story or you know that little girl died for real making this movie when I later learned that part was actually true it made this movie even more I’ve got to stay away from it.

So I’m an adult now and I’ve seen lots of movies scary movies than this for sure more disturbing movies than this. But now that I’ve faced my fears in other areas of my life recently I went out in full girl mode dress hair makeup earrings into a business did my business bought what I went in for and faced my parents and sisters and everyone else in my family and told them about me transitioning I faced my fears and so I thought Now’s the Time to revisit Poltergeist.

The movie itself well it’s really well done it’s a good acted good written good special effects for the most part believable movie as I’m watching it. Mostly good acting mostly good a story really nothing to complain about. I was immediately taking a bath cuz I had forgotten the whole movie how quickly it turned into a I’m scared that if you will it didn’t hold off it was like okay we’re starting get ready and then it just took off. For some reason I thought there would be more of a buildup. That being said it it had me hooked from start to finish it was a Thrill Ride I had to experience.

Let’s go ahead and talk about the acting Steven Spielberg knows what he’s doing so every character in this movie was a character in this movie in the story they lived they were real to me and that’s good nobody cept maybe the little girl came off as out of place in this movie. Like a lot of horror movies that involve hauntings are ghosts this movie did have a lot of Supernatural elements that coincided with natural phenomena like tornadoes and thunderstorms that were probably by design to mask what was actually happening or to give people you know and alternative plausible explanation as is often the case in hauntings and things of that nature.

The score is perfectly in tune with what’s happening so no complaints there the music sets the mood and does the job it was intended to do. I don’t really think there’s anything I can say other than again Steven Spielberg knows what he’s doing and he made sure it got done.

The special effects is one area people probably like to nitpick the most in movies from the period. What I’ll say is for the most part things look pretty believable and they definitely look dated in some ways but they look you know believable and adequate and other ways, less dated I will say. I don’t want to nitpick but the only thing that did look kind of wonky were a couple of images where the ghost didn’t look very believable but that’s expected from a movie from that time.

What about the chills, the scares, the frights did they hold up?

Absolutely!

Do you remember how I started off saying I watched this movie because I was facing my fears that’s exactly what this was. To me the analogy is like jumping out of an airplane with your parachute and you land safely on the ground but you’re falling in your eyes are closed the whole time and you’re just like okay okay okay until you’re safe. After you’ve done it you can say all right cross that off the list I did it I don’t need to do it again. That’s how it was with this movie I watched it and I got through it and I felt like okay I face my fears but I don’t need to go back I don’t need to watch it again.

I do believe not against the documented or measurable science but I do believe that there are spiritual forces we can’t measure with physical modern technology I believe that and nothing is going to change that cuz it’s things you can’t prove and you can’t disprove. If science ever finds a way to disprove something then I might change my mind. Until then I’m going to say I do believe in spirits I do certainly believe in the afterlife and I probably believe in something akin to ghosts. Of course I believe in the Holy Ghost and so there is that.

How scary is this movie to someone who didn’t have the childhood experience I did? Unfortunately that’s a question I cannot answer. I do think it’s a legit good quality movie that I would recommend everybody experience but it’s another one of those movies that I would say hey watch at your own risk and if you get through it rate and if it dramatizes you then oh well but you know you were fair warned.

I will say that if you watch this and you didn’t find it a little disturbing then you either have no soul or you’ve been desensitized. I know now that I’ve watched it I will say I think this is probably a far more family-friendly horror movie that I thought it was but I definitely consider it a horror movie absolutely.

When I was a kid I watched a ton of horror movies. Some of my favorites were Gremlins, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Pet Semetary, The Omen, Amityville Horror, Tales from the Dark Side: The Movie, Child’s Play and Maximum Overdrive. I didn’t mind if my horror film had a tint of comedy, a dab of politics or a gallon of blood, it was all the same scares, thrills, monsters and ghosts.

Over the years I found myself looking for ever deeper cuts in the horror catalogs. There was one movie I avoid all these years. The Hills Have Eyes. It is by horror master Wes Craven, who’s film Last House on the Left is one of my favorites and People Under The Stairs is one of two I refuse to revisit because it scared me to the bone as a kid.

Why, then, was I afraid to give this particular film a chance? The short version is my mother. Once when I was a teenager I asked her what was the scariest movie she had ever seen. Now my mother grew up on the Nevada dessert in a setting similar to that depicted in the film. Therefore I should have known better than to trust her when she said the scariest film she ever saw was this movie about cannibals called The Hills Have Eyes. She made it out like it was the most gruesome film ever made. To be fair she doesn’t watch a lot of scary movies, so I should have given this movie a chance much sooner all things considered.

Upon first viewing the first thing I will note is I was equally pleased with the film as it existed yet disappointed it wasn’t more shocking than it ended up being. After all I had seen the relatively recent remake not too long ago. Much like the Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake the original has a more down to earth tone. It’s clearly a relic of the time which is to say the Golden Age of Horror.

The movie has some aspects that drum up memories of the Chevy Chase classic Vacation. But those similarities end rather quickly once the violence begins. The characters are largely forgettable on both side. No matter that’s to be expected in this sort of film. Light on the gore by today’s standards it’s full on the suspense, which I rather enjoy in movies from that period.

The movie has a vibe much like Texas Chainsaw and Last House that reminds me of a time when movies were scary just because it isn’t normal to murder ordinary folks for no good reason. We’ve since seen films like the Saw and Human Centipede franchise often desensitizing us, and I mean us as both a society and as horror fans, to the point these early films risk losing some of their shock value.

Fortunately for the horror aficionado such as myself Wes Craven is the master for a reason. He manages to craft a story that not only has you rooting for the heroes but also thrilled to see the kills when they do occur. I won’t say it’s truly terrifying but it got my heart racing a couple of times, something most modern horror films fail to do.

It is rather tame in a world where The Walking Dead is a TV show you watch with your kids. However it still holds up in art direction, cinematography, storytelling, scares and gore. It’s not great acting but it is on par with the time and the characters look authentic.

The remake set out to shock the audience. This movie set out to terrify you and entertain. I believe each served a purpose but all things considered, I will likely revisit this in the not-too-distant future whereas I will gladly leave the remake in the dusty cobwebs of my fading memories.

Overall I would rank this high on my list of horror classics worth investigating. I also mark it down for another check in the win column for the late great Wes Craven. I felt genuine fear for the baby throughout the entire movie. My only complaint was the ending. While a satisfying victory in the end the abrupt stop was kind of jarring.

There’s a handful of movies that transcend their genre and stand the test of time to reach beyond the audiences that they are geared towards at the time of their release. There are also movies that are time capsules, frozen in the state that must be viewed when they’re fresh in order to be properly appreciated. When I missed watching Harry Potter upon its release it was because it came out the same year I turn 19 years old. I didn’t read the books because I wasn’t into it. So I missed the opportunity to grow up with something that was available when I was still younger but not the right age

Upon completing my first viewing 20 years after its release almost I can say this, it has a universal appeal that transcends the time it was released and the intended audience. Fans who grew up with the franchise as kids and growing up with it into adulthood will tell you that it’s fun and magical, maybe even whimsical if that word is in their vocabulary. Adults may be hesitant because it’s a children’s picture not made by Walt Disney Studios, the masters of that style of film. Unlike several pictures out there that attempt to capture the Disney Magic but come across as cheap imitations, I can safely say Harry Potter is the real deal. And I’m glad I enjoyed it because I would have really hated myself if I had watched this movie and couldn’t find anything to like knowing I missed out on it all these years.

As for the movie itself there’s a lot to love: the characters are relatable and interesting, the villain has got a mystery about him that makes him foreboding, and there are enough twists and turns and exciting sequences to get your adrenaline going. And even unlike the pod race scene from the Star Wars movie that predates it by only a couple of years the Quidditch sequence is not unbearably drawn-out nor is it unnecessary to the plot. It doen’t feel tacked on to give the heroes something to do. It’s a brief little sequence that is there to entertain the audience and establish a mythology in this world.

I watched the movie over the course of 2 days, not because as I was watching it I became bored and disinterested, but because it’s long and I didn’t have time to commit to a two-and-a-half-hour movie all in one sitting. So I stopped it at the exact halfway point according to the timeline and finished it today. The first half of the movie certainly has some moments that will entertain and even interject a smile upon the viewer if they are willing to be honest. It does have a couple of moments that make me remember that this is definitely a movie trying to appeal to children and it has a an overall tone that makes it accessible to kids. As a lifelong Nintendo fan I will tell you that being accessible to children does not mean being made for children or exclusively enjoyable by children.

Fortunately for the film, and its fans, I suppose it was released at a time when CGI had developed enough that the special effects in this movie do not take me out of the film: there’s nothing so jarring that makes me go “oh that looks like a PlayStation game not a movie effect.” That’s not to say the effects are perfect just that they’re done in a way that don’t interfere with the storytelling and I can appreciate that.

The film was a bit anti-climactic to say the least. It was definitely a world-building picture establishing the main characters and its mythology while setting up the premise as well as dropping hints at what the greater villain might be up to. That being said the final battle wasn’t entirely without suspense. At least the chess sequence was pretty damn cool!

I like the characters. My favorite is the bookworm, the girl I didn’t register her name but I really appreciated her passion for learning. To be fair it always takes me awhile to learn names. I was kind of a bookworm nerd myself and I was one of the only kids that I knew who enjoy taking tests maybe it was because I was good at them and I guess I liked feeling good knowing I could get an A on the test. It definitely has similarities to other movies at the time especially the aforementioned Star Wars prequel. But I won’t hold that against it as I enjoyed those other films.

Still it’s not necessarily a relic of the time either. I think this movie has something for everybody and longtime fans know that it has a universal appeal. As someone who is only now discovering it for the first time I can say I’m glad I enjoyed it. I look forward to seeing the remaining films in the franchise and I’m only slightly disappointed or even a little sad that I didn’t discover it earlier in life.

Overall I would give it five out of five stars I think the movie is certainly deserving of that. I enjoyed it enough that I imagine I will work it into my regular viewing at some point in time.

I’ve always been a fan of Horror. I wouldn’t say I’m a casual fan but I’m definitely not the type of person who only watches horror. I’d say it’s a high priority but not the only thing I want. Still I watch enough of it that I want more than the typical offering in your usual streaming services.

When I first signed up for Netflix and discovered streaming I was amazed at all of the awesome horror movies they had. Eventually as things have changed with Netflix facing more and more competition the one thing I have noticed as well some of their horror movies have gone down in terms of their available Classics and availability. They have actually done a really good job focusing on horror on the platform and that’s commendable to me it’s the one thing that keeps me coming back to be honest. All it takes is one look at Stranger Things to know that Netflix cares passionately about horror films and fans.

So when I learned there was a streaming service that was nothing but horror focused my first instinct was to write it off as too narrowly focused, to niche. But as social distancing caused by a real world Horror Story– a global pandemic has left me at home fairly isolated– I’ve been looking for more content to stream to view to watch as is most people these days.

The first thing I decided to do was download the app and sign up for the free trial so I could browse through the selection. Now as a fan of the slasher genre I was immediately relieved to find some of the best slashers available right off the bat.

At this point in time they currently have all of the original Paramount Friday the 13th movies, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, a couple of the House on Sorority row type horror slasher films, a mixed bag of modern and old, some of the Halloween films and a handful of others. So far a much better variety of that particular genre than the other streaming services.

I was immediately disappointed at the shallowness of their selection. Being a genre specific streaming service their offerings are very tailored to a certain taste which I definitely appeal to that’s Me I’m Their audience however I quickly realized that they don’t have the numbers but I’ll not let that bother me at this point there’s still plenty to watch.
I was impressed with the 6 hour long Friday the 13th documentary narrated by Corey Feldman who had been a staple in the Friday the 13th series at one point and is an 80s movie icon himself.

In a similar vein to Netflix having a library of catalog titles they do have also a handful of tailor made selections that appeal to their fans which I have not yet had an opportunity to check out but have been impressed that they do exist.

As a service as a whole it will not be enough to satisfy my bloodlust obviously. But I’m very glad that I finally took the opportunity to invest in a streaming service that has a focus on content that does heavily appeal to me. When Netflix was new I envisioned specific Services similar to this service.

I picture to service that exclusively cater to horror fans and had the best horror films you could get. I also envisioned one that had a focus on sci-fi films, anime, a different one that focused on superheroes and comic books the list goes on I thought that would be a good way to go about it if they could get enough content to satisfy individual fans each service wouldn’t appeal to the masses but they have it tailored audience that would be loyal and I think that works probably better with our society’s tastes then the studio model where you have your entire catalog but it’s a little bit of everything which gets boring and tired after a while because you still have to sign up for multiple services.

I understand we’ll never be at a time where you have everything at your fingertips at your disposal and nothing ever expires I’m I’ve accepted that movies and TV shows rotate in and rotate out as long as they rotate in and out quickly that they are constantly giving you enough variety and their Library to keep it fresh I think that works especially for a genre focused service.

What I’m looking for is a service like this that gives me all the best horror movies hand-selected by fans. So far that’s what I’ve seen and I like that. It does work for me better to have a variety a mix of old and new so that you can watch the new stuff and keep fresh if you’re a longtime fan but also explore the Retro classic stuff the origins if you’re a new fan or somebody who wants to revisit old favorites.

My first complaint is probably limited to some of the other streaming services that are out there competing with them but there’s no public domain films and there’s not a lot of the classic horror films the really old ones you know like the Universal Pictures and that realm which is disappointing a little bit to me. It basically reminds me that as Studios push for their own everything catalog service it will take away the ability of services like this to even exist. For example if Paramount launches their own streaming service in the future and withholds all of their Friday the 13th films and the like it becomes even harder for a service like this to get access to the good stuff. That would be limiting us to original content and indie film here and there. To be fair can be some of the best horror movies but it will limit their marketability to bring in new fans such as myself who was hesitant at first.

I also wonder if once social distancing is no longer normal will we go back to our regular lives will I still have a craving for all this additional content? Is this the service or one of the services I intend to keep. I have to decide that.

Now let’s actually look at the content itself.

Not too long ago I watched a movie called Phantasm 2 I had on a DVD and was looking for the first Phantasm to stream and I didn’t find it on any of the mainstream streaming services. I  became disheartened slightly and gave up. I log into shudder for my free trial and lo and behold the basically have the whole series minus the one I actually have on DVD. They have an assortment of Halloween films which is nice and they also have a few documentaries and originals and TV shows that I think are worth checking out, I’m curious to see what those are like.

Again going back to licensing I’m slightly disappointed that they don’t have Friday the 13th the series the TV show or Freddy’s Nightmares the TV show I think this would be the perfect streaming service to house those two permanently but it might not be in the cards.

I will say for me personally that 6 hour documentary chronicling the entire history of the Friday the 13th franchise was well worth the price of entry itself. I have plenty of films in my list to browse and I have plenty of things to discover as time goes on my hope is I can watch what’s there before it goes away and new stuff will arrive in a consistent fashion that will keep me excited for the service.

One thing this service has as far as an advantage over Hulu or Netflix is that horror fans tend to be incredibly loyal and I believe that if there is sufficient content to satiate that taste they will not only stick around but advocate for its success.

Now without getting into Fanboy territory I would like to say there are flaws in the service that can’t be helped likely due to licensing issues. And while my biggest complaint about Netflix is the vast majority of their horror selection does appear to feel like or appear to be low budget indie fare, which I can’t say is necessarily a bad thing, it is limiting. I can’t necessarily say that’s a bonus or plus for Shudder right now. If I’m going to mark it as a down grade for Netflix or a strike against Netflix rather then I have to treat Shudder as fairly as that. On the other hand, if the content is curated by horror fans there is a chance it will attract film makers who wish to bring original content to the service that will appeal to the fan base. Netflix will have it’s occasional hit like Stranger Things or Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, but even those feel far more main stream than the stuff a dedicated service can attempt to produce to lure die hard fans. I suspect this will afford it an advantage in the near future in a similar way as Crunchy Roll has basically proven to be the home for the hard core anime fans.

Only time will tell if the service provides a satisfying selection of content available to me in a manner which justifies the price. For the time being I’m gladly willing to try it out for the trial. And contemplating seeing how things go from there.

At this point I will say that the service has promise and I’m very glad that it exists. I’ve always envisioned a streaming service similar to this I just hope that it remains profitable enough to continue to curate content that will satisfy the taste of those who patronize the service for the duration of this digital streaming world we live in.

Hip Hop, especially gangsta rap, gets a bad rep by some folks. It’s often looked down on by people for different reasons. Some people don’t like the profanity. Others the blending of sounds. There are even those who hate on the genre for no good reason.

There’s a lot of different genres of rap music to enjoy. I personally have a wide variety of tastes. I recently challenged myself to make a playlist that would appeal to someone who might not have a lot of exposure to the art form. I specifically selected songs with a message or artistic merit. I tried to pick songs that are also pleasing to listen to. Of course I also threw in a few songs that are just good to jam to or relax depending on your mood.

Here it is a playlist of rap music for people who don’t listen to much rap music. Enjoy.

1. So What’Cha Want- Beastie Boys

This is a favorite of mine. It’s one of those rare songs where the band actually does a good job blending rap and rock together in a way that doesn’t sound like something Fred Durst would put his name on.

This is one of those great examples you can point to that appeals to the alternative fan, rock fan and a rap fan.

2. Gangsta’s Paradise- Coolio

This is one of those rare gangsta rap songs that doesn’t glorify the genre but also doesn’t discredit it either. Often dismissed for violence, drugs and objectifying women, the genre understandably gets a bad rep. Fortunately this song is a masterpiece. It’s a blend of blues, funk and gangsta rap done in a way that is respectful to the people who lived in that setting while also getting the message across that is often lost in some more hard core songs.

3. Mr. Wendal- Arrested Development

This was the first rap song I ever heard played in school. Our music teacher was enthralled by it. She thought it was so touching a rap song could have such a positive message. I later learned everything front man Speech was doing with that band was to prove hip hop could have a positive message that didn’t get lost in a suburban culture.

4. Regulate- Warren G feat. Nate Dogg

Aside from the angelic voice of the late Nate Dogg being mesmerizing, this smooth blend of bass, synth and melodies perfectly embodies the relaxing nature of the G funk era. This is absolutely a song you can just sit back and relax to no matter what your mood is.

5. One Mic- Nas

The feud between Nastradamus and Hova is not to be taken lightly. I very nearly went with Ether for it’s opening lyric “Fuck Jay Z” but I knew in my heart One Mic was the superior song. This is one of those songs that only comes along once in a generation. Nas is a lyrical poet for sure. Musically it’s one of those tight examples of a rap song that isn’t in your face.

6. Victory- Puff Daddy and the Family featuring Biggie Smalls

Released posthumously as a tribute to B.I.G., the song kicks off the sad No Way Out album right of the bat letting you know a voice from beyond the grave is going to haunt this track as well as the remainder of the record. It has a slow, ominous build up to a Puffy lamenting the death of his closest ally and friend. It wraps with Busta Rhymes being Busta.

7. Killing Me softly- The Fugees

Part R&B, part hip hop, all soul, this is one of those rare rap songs that proves you can have a heart and still bust dope lyrics. This is also the song that put Wyclef Jean on the map. It absolutely deserves credit for that alone.

8. The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)- Missy Elliot.

The misdemeanor debut herself. This slow groove makes you want to forget how awful shit can be sometimes and just let the rain wash your cares away.

9. Shorty Wanna Be a Thug- 2Pac

The kingpin of gangsta rap is no doubt going to make an appearance on a list of best rap songs. This is one of those what I call hidden gems. It’s a song that tells a story about a kid in the ghetto just trying to make ends meat and cement his reputation as a thug but it’s done in a way that sells the genre while putting the listener into a trance.

10. Do You See- Warren G

A smooth blues track infused with hip hop rhymes and some down to earth G funk this is one of those tracks that reminds people life isn’t always great in this country for everyone.

11. Tennessee- Arrested Development

Not as touching as Mr. Wendall but just as profound in many ways. This song tells the tale of an African American who has a dream he is hanging from a tree in Tennessee. It’s not as bad as it sounds. He learns a life lesson along the way.

12. None of Your Business- Salt N Pepa

The fierce, spunky ladies of hip hop rocked the charts with “Let’s Talk About Sex”, blew up your hearts with their ode to HIV and then owned their own sexuality in a male dominated world of misogynistic thugs. They rap about how being loose with the goods is nobody’s business.

13. Now That We Found Love- Heavy D and the Boys

Just one of those happy go lucky, pop rap jams that makes you feel good. Nuff said.

14. Brass Monkey- Beastie Boys

License to Ill is the album that put rap music on the map. It paved the way for many others to come. This is far from the  best track in the set but one of the most well known and certainly danceable beats on the record.

15. It Was a Good Day- Ice Cube

Take the man who rapped “Fuck the Police” a decade early, drop him smack dab into the 90s, strip him of his anger and he releases a mellow track saying hey life sucks but not today.

16. Thuggish Ruggish Bone- Bone Thugs N Harmony

The soul band of rap music these guys make Boyz II Men look like a barber shop quartet. this track does the job well. If you want proof rap music can have a soul this right here is it.

17. Ghetto Vet- Ice Cube

Man is gonna be on this list. This is one of those tracks that paints a picture of a man trying to live his life and gets crippled by a stray bullet meant for someone else.

18. The Message- Grandmaster Flash and the furious five

It’s old school, sure, it’s political okay, but it also needs to be kept alive. That’s all there is to it. You need to hear this song.

19. Renegades of Funk- Rage Against the Machine

Obligatory rap metal for the rock fan. Except it’s actually quite good. Moving on.

20. The Crossroads- Bone thugs N Harmony

Death. Life. These are subjects artists know all to well. Especially black artists rapping about life in the ghetto. It’s that one rare song that makes you forget we’re all gonna die and just take a moment to remember all those who already have passed on.

21. Let Me Ride- Dr. Dre

Probably the greatest gangsta rap album of all time, The Chronic is filled with a number of great songs all worth a listen. This one is about the smoothest, most palatable so here ya go.

22. Dear Mama- 2pac

A love letter to the single mother that raised him. It’s heart felt, it’s powerful and it’s real. It’s also one of the reasons the world still mourns his loss.

23. Funkdafied- Da Brat

My favorite female rapper of all time. I love this woman and this is a perfect example of why you should too.

24. The Next Episode- Dr. Dre

Way back in 1992 Snoop told us all to Chill till the next episode. We did just that and when this song arrived we were not disappointed. This embodies the raw power these men went through. It’s one of those tracks that when played in context it reminds you that the struggle was real for these two. It’s a tall mountain they climbed.

25. A Week Ago- Jay-Z

This is a poetic story on how fast shit can change. Loosely based on his real experiences, Sean Carter releases In My Lifetime Vol. 2 to a world that missed Vol. 1 but didn’t know how much they needed this man’s music in their lives.

26. I Shot the Sheriff- Warren G

Okay nothing but a cash in of a Bob Marley song but still a tune worth hearing.

27. The Gangsta, The Killa and the Dope Dealer- Westside Connection

Ice cube, WC and Mach 10 felt the hole left in the world when NWA broke up and filled that hole with this album that in many ways surpasses Straight Outta Compton itself. That being said this track gets the point across in a way much better than the in your face fuck you to cops that landed them in hot water back in the 80s.

28. Keep Ya Head Up- 2Pac

Probably the last time he shows up on this list. Another reminder of why he is heralded as the greatest Emcee to ever live and breath.

29. Big Poppa- Biggie Smalls

It is no secret I hate Christopher Wallace. He is by far the MOST overrated rapper even in a world with Kanye West floating around. This man did very little to actually contribute to rap music, as proven here with his new york rap track blatantly ripping of Snoop and Dre’s pioneering G Funk sound. Oh well it’s still a good track despite the fact he just stole it.

30. C.R.E.A.M- Wu Tang Clan

The only rap band in history to make cheesy Kung Fu B movies the source material for absolutely amazing story driven rap songs. Too many great things to say about this group, just know it started right here for all intents and purposes.

31. Express Yourself- NWA

I picked the tamest song they had that wasn’t a break dance money grab. End of story.

32. Hard Knock Life- Jay Z

The anthem to Vol. 2 this track says it all.

33. Hail Mary- 2Pac

I lied he slipped one more track onto the list.Released shortly after his death this track is just too haunting to ignore.

34. Mama Said Knock You Out- LL Cool J

The Ladies Love Cool James was a mantra back in the 80s. The man, the myth the legend earned the title GOAT and he got it right here. He takes shit from, nobody, and proves you don’t have to drop F bombs to make a hard core rap track.

35. Summertime- DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince aka Will Smith

Relax. Play this jam and enjoy life. Will Smith was never the king of rap but he was the most appealing to to white people after Vanilla Ice burned out. Aside from that, he made some legit good songs and this is probably one of the best.

36. Pop Goes the Easel- 3rd Base

I put it on here as a joke. An ironic twist of fate as this one-hit wonder uses pop rap to berate Vanilla Ice for being a one-hit wonder pop rap act. Only thing is to this day people remember the name Vanilla Ice and the only thing they know about 3rd base they can’t say in front of the kids.

37. No Shelter- Rage Against the machine

Political Angst. Hard rock guitars. Loud metal motifs. and It’s still rap music. Sorta. Close enough we’ll let it slide.

 

There you have it. Stay cool.