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Indie Report - MP3 News Nas did the rhymes but needed time By Ken Capobianco, Globe Correspondent, 3/7/2002 When Nas emerged on the hip-hop scene a decade ago, with his brilliant ''Illmatic,'' he seemed to be the MC people would talk about as one of the genre's defining talents. Who knew that now he'd be better known for his high-profile beef with fellow rapper Jay-Z than for his microphone skills? (The battle between the two MCs has become so mainstream that it was lampooned in a recent series of the comic strip ''The Boondocks.'') Mostly, the night featured Nas and his three-man crew giving a Cliffs Notes of his career - or, as the rapper said, ''`Illmatic' to `Stillmatic,''' the latter the title of his latest effort. Opening with ''Got Yourself a ...,'' Nas then ran through minute-long sections of songs from his five records as if he were streaming through his own Web site downloads. Songs such as ''Street Dreams,'' ''If I Ruled the World,'' and ''You Owe Me'' bled together with a cast of other joints, and the night never gained momentum. Nas's gift - and he has one, despite the tepid quality of a lot of his work - is narrative skill. He's a storyteller with a keen eye for detail; witness ''Rewind,'' on which he pulls a hip-hop ''Memento'' by reciting a street tale in reverse. Stripped of his greatest power, though, Nas becomes just another rhyme slinger, a thug wannabe with a lot of swagger but no bite. No doubt, the sold-out house was amped and ready to follow Nas wherever he wanted to take it. The tight security measures meant hundreds of people stood on Lansdowne Street waiting patiently to get in, yet the gig started with electric anticipation. The buzz quickly fell out of the room, though: By the time Nas finished the set with the plaintive ''One Mic,'' there was no call for an encore. None - not even a brief flurry of applause before the lights came up. Maybe the anticlimax happened because live hip-hop shows have come a long way, and 50 minutes just doesn't cut it anymore. Maybe it was just because this was the first night of the tour, and Nas will work out the kinks. To improve, all he has to do is watch some live video of, say, Jay-Z's recent tours. © Copyright 2002 Globe Newspaper Company.
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The Foo Fight Drugs
Foo Fighters to play benefit By Sheila Green LOS ANGELES, CA Tuesday 1.22.2002 /netmusiccountdown.com/ -- The Foo Fighters are set to take a break from finishing-off their fourth album, in order to play a benefit gig for the charity organization Musician's Assistance Program (MAP), which helps pickers, strummers and drummers who have developed drug problems. The gig was reportedly newly drug-free drummer Taylor Hawkins' idea. So to congratulate Hawkins the guys will take to the stage of The House Of Blues in Anaheim, California on February 7th. The profits from the one-off gig will go directly to MAP, which has been helping musicians of all persuasions overcome their dependencies since 1992. The Foo's follow-up set to Nothing Left To Lose is set to be released later this year. |
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By Associated Press DETROIT -- Cadillac, the car line most associated with old-money luxury and gentility, is hooking up with Led Zeppelin, the classic rock band best known for hard-driving heavy metal music and debauchery. As part of a new marketing campaign called "Break Through" to raise the profile of Cadillac's newest vehicles, the CTS, XLR, Escalade and Escalade EXT, television commercials will feature the song "Rock and Roll" by the British rock group, General Motors Corp. said Tuesday. It's the first time Led Zeppelin has sold its music for commercial use, GM said. "We wanted the ăBreak Through' campaign to communicate a unified Cadillac message," Kim Kosak, Cadillac director of advertising and promotions, said in a statement. "The music lends a consistent message and tone throughout and also adds an emotional element to all the spots," Kosak said. The "Break Through" theme will be used in the marketing campaign during high profile events like the Super Bowl, Winter Olympics, Academy Awards, Wimbledon tennis and Ryder Cup golf along with other prime-time programming. "The new campaign helps the luxury vehicle buyer understand that Cadillac is back with a bold new product lineup," said Mark LaNeve, Cadillac general manager. Other stunts include wrapping the First Bank Center building in New Orleans with a giant image of the CTS. The wrap, which went up Jan. 18, is 100 feet high and 75 feet wide and carries the message "CTS Cajun Style." It will be seen by the crowds coming to New Orleans for the Super Bowl, Mardi Gras and the National Automobile Dealers Association convention. |
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