Hip Hop Blogs

Got my site back

Thank you Typepad for keeping it safe all these years

Fix up, look sharp

Until I can get the bug shook out of my regular blog template, I've reverted the site to a temporary template that will allow Michael and I to post without seeing error messages.

If there are any MovebleType geniuses out there who know how to troubleshoot for broken tags, and want to help us out on this one, let me know.

Thanks.

Our Theme Song - "We're Famous"

I met my Hip Hop Blogs co-defendent, Micheal the other night to take in a game at the Garden. We were blessed with a spot in the ultimate VIP area - a skybox. A catered and open bar skybox, of course.

There's nothing like that type of exclusive overhead view in the world's most famous arena to put some swagger back in you. So, while we both still have that feeling, let me debut the Hip Hop Blogs Theme Song for 2006, and one of my favorite verses in rap music - "We're Famous", by El-P.

The Hits

"I chin-check, I don't spel check
My best of list is too heavy for your Dell specs"

Hip Hop Blog Button

I know, I know. Being a hip-hop blogger is so 2005. The hot newness are the Black gossip blogs which get to be hip-hop and not at the same time.

However, there are still some of us who don't mind existing under the rap music banner. If you're one of those people, there's a new way to show your colors. Add this button to your blog:

And make it link directly to the Hip Hop Blogger Group on Yahoo! (You should consider also joining the group)

The button id's you visually, and the link will help id you in search engines like Google and Technorati. Some people are planning a hip-hop blog awards and adding this link/image will automatically make you eligible (I think).

Hashim and Elliott Wilson (LHIOB)

Just came back from my interview of Elliott Wilson at the XXL Magazine headquarters...

The talk will appear on Media Chin-Check soon, if I can just convince the new SOHH intern to transcribe it for me. If you're not familiar with Elliott's public feud with me and other hip-hop bloggers then check out how the Internet drove him nuts, and his recent change of heart concerning us no-name geeks.

Here are some quick behind the scenes notes before I forget...

- My plan was to pick his brain about current big issues in hip-hop, since other bloggers have already covered stuff about the drama with all his rivals. Because I'm not really a skilled interviewer I wasted my time with break the ice questions (so, how does it feel being the subject and not the writer?) and  boring stuff about his new CD, XXL Raps.

- Elliott has said his recent rants were not about all bloggers, but specifically aimed towards myself and Jimi Izrael for smack talk that brung his wife into the picture. Being the good blogger that I am, I dug up his editorial from late 2004 where he writes this about his net critics:

"You Internet geeks aww skeet skeet all over your computer...You keyboard pushers need to get your mama to take that Dell computer back."

In other words, his issues with "us" ain't about me, and isn't recent. Again, Elliott's answer will be on Media Chin-Check.

HHB Fantasy Basketball League 2006!

It's that time of the year again!

The basketball season is returning and there are a boatload of storylines to follow. The East is wide open, and so is the West, but I got my money on a Pacers vs Spurs finals.

Last year we had a fantasy league on Hip Hop Blogs where we offered a prize to the top team. Little did I know, but what I did was illegal and against Yahoo's league rules. I didn't help that I announced it on my  blog and public email list.

This year there's no prize except braggin rights. Who's the best handicapper? I don't mean to brag but...I could live off my skills in Vegas.

Hashim, Bol, and Kris Ex - LHIOB

So many emails, so little time. I should be working on the blogger poll and the SOHH anniversary relaunch (10 years and counting...), but this old "beef" with Kris Ex is still all people want to holla at me about. So I'm gonna address the lingering issues here, then leave it alone.

1. To those indusrty cats who are emailing me details about Kris Ex's personal life and professional failures - shame on ya'll. Seriously. Not even Bol wants to deal with you dudes. And I don't do slander or report salacious rumors. I'm a hip-hop blogger, not a hip-hop journalist.

2. No I didn't create that page about Kris Ex, redirect the URL, or help with that press release. I had homeboy's URL and deleted it, hoping not to spark conflict, and because I'm benelovent and merciful. Bol picked it up, and hilarity ensued.

3. Yup, the "beef" is sqaushed. I punked out, afraid that Kris Ex might try to Stanley Crouch me. He already got aggy over my review of his 50 Cent book, and tossed homophobic slurs at me, which is Crouch's step 1 and 2. I'll still blog about his work with humor and intensity, but won't do or say anything personal towards him.

4. Hey, stop forwarding my private emails! Hey, stop relaying my private IM conversations! Be upfront about your relationships and motives. (I feel like Adiso when Fahiym was lurking in the background, unannounced).

5. I'm absolutely not salty about the slight in Vibe. Ok, yes I am.

Hashim Salutes XXL Magazine

This whole week on Media Chin-Check I focus on XXL, hip-hop's #1 magazine, by default.

Hashim's Hiphop Links Newsletter

Everyday I come across websites, videos, photos, music, news and random weirdness about hip-hop. What I find only makes it onto this site if I feel I can write more than 2 sentences about it. All the one sentence stuff goes into my new Hiphop Links Daily Newsletter.

I've been doing this for a minute, but now I'm making it easier to share. There's three ways to keep up- email, your cell phone, and of cource a webfeed (RSS or ATOM). The newsletter will also appear on the right side of every post on this site.

Update: you can see a page with the links directly here.