Music 
Music
This section is my place to share info on artists and bands that I like. Below each marquee/picture, you will find a link to the artist's website, or a website that is the most representation of them. If you haven't heard of these artists, and are open to all kinds of music, I strongly suggest you check them out. For those who know me, my musical tastes are centered around hip-hop mainly, but do cover a wide range of tastes, depending on my mood. I have to say that my tastes broadened significantly when I met Kim.
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Click here to see a relatively up-to-date list of what I have in my music collection. This list is constantly being updated.
NOTE:
You will not find any COUNTRY artists on this web page. Country music is the root of all inbreeding.
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Kim and I saw these guys perform during our honeymoon in August, 2002, at the House of Blues at Myrtle Beach, SC. They put on an absolutely incredible show. They are very much like Kid Rock, in that they do their own thing, regardless of what else is going on in mainstream music. If you like Rage Against the Machine, then the easiest way to describe these guys is RATM with no political content and total party attitude.
I first learned of DJ Shadow from a co-worker at a previous job, when he let me check out "Endtroducing". I was already very much intrigued by concept of mixing and 'turntablism', and listening to Shadow's stuff just furthered that passion. Recently, I have come into copies of "Brainfreeze" and "Product Placement" (both with Cut Chemist). What is so awesome about these two albums is that the concept of a hip-hop mixtape is taken one step further; only 7" 45rpm records were used, and those used were very obscure. The result on both is phenomenal, but "Brainfreeze" is my favorite, especially with the 'kung-fu' intro, which is a ferocious blend of electric funk guitar and razor-precise scratching.
I first heard of these guys when Willie's Record Stores were still in business. I picked up a 12" of "Work the Angles", which was actually out about a year or two before their debut album "The Platform". These guys continue to raise the bar, and put out consistently solid stuff. While they are West Coast based, they are part of a culture that is sticking to the values of traditional East Coast sound, leaving behind the language for intricate rhymes, beats and turntable wizardry.
I could go on forever about KRS-One. He is one of my all-time favorite MCs. I first got introduced to him while I was in high school, through his work with Boogie Down Productions on the album "By All Means Necessary". Since then, I have copped every possible recording I can that he has appeared on (including REM's "Radio Song"). His blending of other music genres into hip-hop has made him truly stand out in a market so flooded with overnight 'c-RAP' music. His best work of all is "Return of the Boom Bap", which was coincidentally his first solo release. It features beats and cuts by DJ Premier of GangStarr, as well as production by Kid Capri. If you haven't heard his stuff before, you are missing out on some of the best the hip-hop genre has to offer.
I can't recall exactly how I heard of these guys, but I think it was on a mixtape. They are the essence of bringing new-school back to the old-school. Lyrics are volleyed around by the MCs much like early Run DMC albums. To top that off, they have the eclecticism and creativity of Cut Chemist and Nu-mark on beats and turntables.
I first peeped these guys about a year before their debut album "Hybrid Theory" broke through into the mainstream. I was in one of my moods where I was taking chances on groups I'd never ever listened to before. This was one of the ones that made me grateful I had. Their stuff blends genres better than most bands out there trying to fuse rock, rap, metal, electronica and funk. When they released "Reanimation" (the "Hybrid Theory" remix album), I was again blown away. This album also introduced me to another favorite artist, Motion Man. They've also worked with the X-ecutioners on their album "Built from Scratch"... that in itself is another fierce recording overall.
Formerly known as Tha Alkaholiks, this is another one of those groups like Jurassic 5 and Dilated Peoples, that have more of an East Coast feel to their sound. I heard of these guys when I was in my '2nd' Junior year of college. Their lyrical flows are smooth and seamless, and tend to invoke subtle and sometimes 'off-color' humor. They were first on the scene with a guest appearance on King Tee's "Tha Triflin' Album". They have put out 4 albums, all of which are well worth checking out.
I remember very distinctly how I first heard of Kid Rock. Stereo Trading post was trying to clear out all of their CDs for really cheap, and I got my hands on a copy of "The Polyfuze Method" for a couple of bucks. I remember telling one of my best friends, Jason, all about him. After he heard it, we were both in agreement... this guy was a phenomenon waiting to happen. All of this happened a good 4+ years before he release "Devil Without a Cause", which itself took about another year and a half to break through to mainstream. Kid Rock has always marched to the tune of a different drummer, never giving into the norm in music. On top of that, I've seen live TV performances, and the guy can play every instrument in the band. His stuff fuzes rock, raps, country, and everything in between. His early stuff was primarily hip-hop, and he has now moved to a more mature sound, which is primarily (southern) rock and country. To truly appreciate Kid Rock, you have to give his entire catalog of music a listen.
Kool Keith is one of the most eclectic and enigmatic personalities in hip-hop. His lyrics paint psychadelic and often bizarre images, but his lyrical flows are always top notch. He shrugs off all that is mainstream and does is own thing. I honestly don't recall how I heard of Kool Keith, but he was originally with Ultramagnetic MCs. After a couple of albums with them, he went solo, and has released a phlethora of material. I have most of his catalog, but some of it is just to 'out there' or bizarre for me. He has had many different 'personalities' under which he has release albums: Kool Keith, Dr. Dooom, Dr. Octagon, KHM, Analog Brothers (with Ice-T). His style is not for everyone, and takes a significant amount of listening to truly appreciate.
Run DMC
If you don't know who these guys are, you must have been living under a rock for the past 20 years. Run DMC paved the way for the entire hip-hop industry to go mainstream. They are the forefathers of rap-rock, having paved the way with their rendition of "Walk This Way" with Aerosmith. Run DMC's "Raising Hell" album was my first hip-hop album, which I had on cassette; the tape got totally worn out I played it so much. I remember first getting into them during my freshman year of high school. There was nothing quite like; their sound was different, and it was the first album I had ever owned that had profanity! I have kept up with all of their stuff including their final (and rather lack-luster) release, "Crown Royal".
Rage Against The Machine
I first heard these guys on a movie soundtrack years ago. I recall liking their sound, but never really go into them enough to pick up their music. Well, as my tastes changed, I finally got around to picking up the entir catalog. The best thing about RATM is Tom Morello's blatant disregard for the 'rules' of playing a musical instrument. He has been know to use a screw driver or voltage tester to achieve the sounds heard on RATM songs. My favorite album by these guys is "Renegades" which is a cover set of stuff ranging from classic rock like the Rolling Stones and MC5 to old school hip-hop like EPMD, Cypress Hill & Afrika Bambaata. RATM is in the same league as 2 Skinnee J's, but at the opposite end of the spectrum in that genre.
3rd Strike
I saw a video for "No Light" by 3rd Strike on MTV a couple of years ago. While they aren't anything significantly outstanding, I love the hard guitar licks on their album "No Angel". I believe they toured on Ozz-fest too. Definitely worth checking out if you like something hard and drive, with just a hint of the rap-rock sound. I understand the band has now broken up.
A Tribe Called Quest
Beastie Boys
Dr. Dre
Everlast
Ice Cube
Ice-T
Lenny Kravitz
Public Enemy