Tampa Calling

In the hip-hop community, no one really wants to be labeled a hater. While I don’t hate Lil Wayne, I am far from a fan. I respect the fact that he has put out more music than any other major hip-hop artist in the last five years and probably has the best work ethic of any rapper not named Tupac Shakur. But is doing your job really worth the iconic status he seems to have achieved? I’m going to have to say no. So at the risk of earning the not-so-superlative hater label, I present to you my Top 3 reasons why a dead Biggie Smalls is better than a living Lil Wayne.

Lil Wayne has been successful but is he really a worthy successor?

Coattails

Sean Combs might be the owner, but Christopher “Biggie Smalls” Wallace, better known as the Notorious B.I.G., is responsible for the Bad Boy Entertainment empire. The considerable wealth Combs amassed thanks to Mr. Wallace’s efforts funded his Sean John clothing line and propelled Puff Daddy to stardom. Diddy got a Grammy for his No Way Out album that featured Biggie on five songs. He also gave Lil Kim, the most popular female rapper of her time, her start.

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Brown got caught up in an domestic violence episode involving an unidentified woman (possibly Rihanna, his girlfriend). The two may or may not have gotten into an argument in their car, she got out, and things escalated from there. Here’s Billboard’s official story.

Besting the likes of Lil Wayne and Coldplay, the tandem of Robert Plant and Alison Krauss surprisingly won five statuettes at the 51st annual Grammy Awards last night. Their country-esque Raising Sand took Album of the Year and “Please Read the Letter” bagged Record of the Year. Lil Wayne took home three awards. Here’s a more detailed account.

In answer to Stephen’s earlier question, no, I don’t really care about the Grammys. I probably haven’t watched that particular music awards show (or really, any of the current music awards shows) in who knows how long. But I figure this year, I’ll tune in just to see if I actually know or care about the nominees. I’m also kinda curious about this year’s performances, there being a huge amount of them. A few are possibly bailing out already according to E!’s live red carpet coverage — Chris Brown probably, Rihanna definitely; the rumors are that Al Green or Justin Timberlake will replace them. And Boys II Men are up for two Grammys. I didn’t even know they made a comeback! My bad.

8 p.m. U2, uninspired. Bono looks fat.

8:05 And here’s Whitney Houston looking good, looking real real good. Best R&B Album: Jennifer Hudson. She is in awe of Whitney, obviously.

8:09 Dwayne Johnson = The Rock. In case you had no idea who the fuck they were talking about. And how is he a credible music presenter?

8:13 Justin Timberlake introduces and joins Al Green with Keith Urban and Boys II Men (who lost Best R&B Album to Hudson) for “Let’s Stay Together.” Was this performance on the Grammys performance schedule? NO. Pretty nice for an impromtu.

NEWS FLASH: Chris Brown’s in trouble, sought in connection with a felony battery. Maybe that’s why he wasn’t available for tonight’s performance? And Rihanna isn’t there from embarassment? On a side note, Rihanna was supposed to sing “Live Your Life/Disturbia” as the second performance of the night, Brown was supposed to sing “Forever” later on. Brown and Rihanna were both nominated in the pop collaboration with vocals category, Brown for “No Air” with American Idol champion Jordin Sparks; and Rihanna for “If I Never See Your Face Again” with Maroon 5. Brown was also nominated for male R&B vocal performance for “Take You Down.” Read the rest of this entry »

A simple poll today. Do you care about the Grammys, airing tonight?

For an event whose most-cited moments include Milli Vanilli’s 1990 Grammy for Best New Artist and the Bob Dylan soy bomb dancer, we’re guessing probably not.

Vote below the jump.

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I usually don’t give a shit about the Grammys but must admit I was thrilled to find this email in my inbox this morning. I have been gushing about M.I.A. for some time and it seems mainstream audiences didn’t get around to her killer, genre-hopping, world-flavored, lady gangsta single “Paper Planes,” and the equally awesome album Kala, until the song was used recently in the Pineapple Express trailer. Perhaps exposure on the Grammys broadcast — somebody still watches, right? — will increase her profile. M.I.A. is one of the most exciting and brilliant young artists on the global stage. She should be playing arenas not tiny little sold-out clubs on Frenchmen Street, which was the case this year at New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.

Here’s my review of Kala, which topped my Top 10 Albums of 2007 tally.

“Paper Planes” went No. 1 on my Top 30 Songs of 2007 list.

Here’s the press release:

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If, like me, you just couldn’t bring yourself to watch last night’s Grammy Awards broadcast — I was at Skipper’s watching Dr. Ralph Stanley perform — you’re probably aware by now that “Hancock [Stole] Grammy Album of Year.”

You might have also heard that tabloid-fave Amy Winehouse gave a whacked-out acceptance speech after winning for record of the year. Watching it on YouTube, she clearly appears shocked but I wouldn’t call her behavior strange. The British soul singer — after being mauled by bandmates — thanks mum, incarcerated hubby Blake and gives props to London. Sounds pretty normal to me.

Sunday music links:

• “Rehab” singer (and current patient) Amy Winehouse allowed into U.S. — but “chooses to stay home.” She’ll perform at today’s Grammy Awards show via satellite.

• Atlanta prog-metal quartet Mastodon has teamed with Slipknot and others for the Rockstar Energy Mayhem tour, which comes to Ford Amphitheatre in Tampa on July 29. Here’s my review of Mastodon’s performance last year at the State Theatre.

• Synth-pop standout Ladytron announce new release, tour dates: “(February 8, 2008 – Los Angeles, CA) – LADYTRON are set to release their fourth full-length album, VELOCIFERO, on June 3, 2008 through Nettwerk Music Group. The band will tour North America with dance punks Datarock, hitting 31 cities between May 20 and July 4″ including Czar in Ybor City on June 11.

• Martin Scorsese to follow his Rolling Stones concert film Shine a Light with Bob Marley documentary. My interview with Ky-Mani Marley will run in the Creative Loafing that hits newsstands Feb. 14.

• Beastie Boys, R.E.M., Phil Lesh, 311, Matisyahu, Thievery Corporation, The Roots, Gov’t Mule, Ani DiFranco and many more to play Langerado Music Festival: March 6-9 , Big Cypress Indian Reservation, near Ft. Lauderdale.

• How can you take a music award show seriously when it’s never honored Neil Young, The Who, Led Zeppelin or The Kinks? And does anyone really want to sit through what will likely be three or four acceptance speeches by the gifted and gratingly arrogant Kanye West? Not me. While millions veg through another Grammy snooze-fest I’ll be at Skipper’s Smokehouse witnessing a performance by bluegrass legend Dr. Ralph Stanley (scroll down). Which could also prove to be a snooze-fest, but at least it’ll be a lot briefer than the Grammys and not feature a gloating (or griping) Kanye.