Digital DJPool Music for DJs

Young Joc: New Joc City

"You Might Have Fooled The Rest, But You Can't Fool Me"

Let's face it. Our culture has made a mockery of itself. Hip hop has been replaced by greed, glamourz, and glitz. Dollar signs have taken place over blood, sweat, and talent. If this were 1992 Yo! MTV raps would not play Yung Jocs record, he would receive no mic checks in the source, and his record would thankfully fly under the radar. But this is not 1992. This is the "Bling Era" of 2006 and label reps are roaming the streets to find someone who sounds just as clone-ish as the next man. Hooray for hip-pop.

True, people are sick and tired of reviewers who moans and groans. But there is too much music out there that makes us grow bitter towards raps direction. We're being cheated and we deserve better. I remember when going to the clubs was special. "The Choice Is Yours;" "DWYCK;" "They Want EFX;" "Hip Hop Junkies;" and "Rampage;" were singles that made you get funkier than underarms at a sly stone concert. Today we get, "It's Goin' Down," which is catchy, but the lyrics are so monotonous and predictable that it puts you to sleep. The song is accompanied by a dance that only mad people do. It reminds me of Damon Wayans character, "The Gread Adventures of Handi-Man," from his In Living Color Days when he's retardedly flying through the sky, fists clenched in the air with a quirky grimace on his face. By the way, What a TERRIBLE host at the BET Awards. On the song "It's Him," Yung Joc describes himself as a pimp, hustler, drug dealer, and killer. How cliche is that?

Honestly, there are a handful of artists I love from the south that brought a conscious, spiritual, and artistic expression to hip hop. Groups such as The Geto Boys, Outkast, Goodie Mob, Little Brother, and the Cunninlynguists are too few and too far between in our mainstream culture. But Joc's album takes no risks, is far too easy to follow, and his flow is too droning. It does have it's moments like on the radio friendly, "I Know You See It," but that is about it. His attempts at social commentary is commendable but underwhelming on "Picture Perfect." Since Diddy touched it, people will buy into it because Diddy is one hell of a business man. I just don't understand how he is a celebrity for not putting out anything seminal, since his days working with Biggie. Go figure. New Joc City is worth one listen, maybe...but there are bigger and better hip hop records out there.