Not Like Us? Hip-Hop And Politick Can Be A Complicated Mix

Welcome to 51st issue of Backseat Freestyle. This is my weekly hip-hop newsletter I send out every Friday(ish) focusing on one big thing that happened over the past seven days. I also include links (15-25 of them) to what I’ve been listening to, reading and watching. You can check out the archive, here, and read more about me, here. If you’re already a BF subscriber, thank you for your continued support. If you’re arriving to this issue by way of a forward, LinkedIn or social media, please subscribe below. And please share this newsletter with your circle so that they can enjoy it, too; a personal referral is the most fastest way for me to achieve subscriber growth. With that said, let’s get into it….

Front Seat

This is what’s driving hip-hop this week….

I’VE HAD A WORKING DRAFT of this essay ready for months now. Every time a rapper stepped on a stage with the orange creamsicle or published a misguided tweet, I tinkered with my art work and added names to my article, whether that was Fivio Foreign, Benny The Butcher, Teddy Riley or Waka Flocka. But then I didn’t finish the piece. Maybe I was too fixated on the horse race of it all. Maybe I was too nervous watching the polls. Maybe I didn’t want to talk about the MAGA mob on my platform. But the rally at The Garden was the last straw. Obviously, my personal interest is in being Puerto Rican and the offense I took at the comments about the island (having their own historic election tonight!); whether they were intended to be a joke or not, the sentiment was foul considering the lack of resources provided to PR after Hurricanes Irma and Maria. Overall, though, the anybody could get it attitude of it all disgusted me. And then I saw people like Bimmy Antney post his credential to the event and I face-palmed. It’s like they’re all cucks watching along as this dude and his klan disparage their love ones. We gotta make this stop.

This newsletter is dedicated to Brooklyn KA (a dope rapper, an ill hooper, and a good guy. I met him through friends years ago and he lit me up on the court. Was hard not to like him even as he was popping mad shit. My kind of guy.), DJ Clark Kent (we only got close in recent years; when I first met him I was with Andre Harrell and he told me I was with the guy he calls for game so I’m in better hands with Dre than him. Ha. When Clark and I finally worked on a project we clicked right away. That project didn’t really see the light of day; at least in the format we were aiming for. But I got to spend time in the studio with him watching him mix for a set that was suppose to mimic early rap. He was so good. Then he turns to me and asks: How was it? I told him it was way too clean. He laughed and said, you right. They didn’t have the equipment he had. And he locked back in.) and Quincy Jones (I interviewed him once and he was a reservoir of everything. He found out I was Puerto Rican and he went on about the island, Bori artists and his time in PR throughout his life.)

Back Seat

Respect my mind or die from lead shower.

WHEN IT COMES TO THIS PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, I was a single issue voter: F.D.T., word to YG. He’s a threat to women’s reproductive rights, he’s a threat to immigrants wanting to come to this country, and he’s a threat to our economy with his vision of tariffs. And I have a desire for decency to be a part of the 1600 job description. So, for me, things were all very neatly bundled into that one notion: Fuck Donald Trump. Now, I do also like Kamala Harris. She’s the candidate I supported in 2020 during the primary season. I’m into her focus on families and designing policy to make things work better for those households. While I wish there was more distance between her and Biden over how they view Netanyahu’s leadership and our funding toward it, I’m appreciative of her offering her sympathies toward Palestinians; and, of course, her continued support for Jewish folks. 

That’s the thing, though. Running for president is a labyrinthine street to navigate. There’s a broad strand of interests you have to intersect into a working coalition. And they don’t always easily overlap. That’s why elections tend to focus on just a handful of issues. You vote for one or two of those and continue to vote in subsequent elections (local, mid-term) in order to fight for incremental change on the additional issues. 

You got to pay attention to this stuff otherwise you’re gonna get played. And that’s what’s happened with some of our artists in the hip-hop community and extending genres. Nicky Jam appeared at a rally for the indicted person running for president earlier this year and fast forward to the MAGA rally at The Garden, of course, and we all heard the remarks made about Puerto Rico. Sheff G and Waka Flocka have raised pom-poms for Cheetoh Mussolini while he parrots Project 2025 talking points that aim to increase policing in neighborhoods they come from while burrowing into constitutional rights. At least Kodak Black and Lil Wayne got pardons to justify their actions. That makes them more Beltway backslappers than the clout chasers some of their peers have become as they’ve turned their backs on their community. 

Now, I can readily acknowledge the left makes mistakes. Obama rapping Eminem lyrics was cringeworthy. I feel uneasy about Quavo standing next to Kamala Harris in support of anti-gun violence reforms while still rapping about toting guns. But Democrats are an actual political party that works through their complications—and imperfections—in an attempt to govern. 

That’s not what they do on the right. The crook from Queens didn’t work on the legislation nor provide leadership for the stimulus checks during the pandemic; what he did do was delay the mailing of them just so he could put his name on the check. While that was happening, he was also sending hard-to-get covid tests over to Russia while people were dying over here. Additionally, when it comes to immigration, the outline of a bi-partison agreement was coming into place this year before the convicted abuser strong-armed party members on the right to hold off so he could tout that achievement should he win. He’s like the type of dude that takes daddy’s money then pounds his chest that he’s a self-made man. Oh, wait, he is that dude. He literally took his daddy’s money. Then lost it. 

This pudgy, orange-faced, multiple bankruptee has a simple agenda. If you don’t believe me then you can detect it just by who the speakers went after on stage in New York: Black folks, Latin folks, the trans community, immigrants, the Jewish community, women, poor folks, just to name a lot. They’re saying, not like us: Older, white male nihilists. He can’t even nail the classic WASP demo.

But, he managed to lure rappers desperate for attention and a stage. He emphasizes strength exclusively as a masculine trait. And he falsely channels blame’s direction without a plan to fix anything for anyone but his narrow cohort.  You have those acts that I mentioned up top that are distrustful of the government (fair, I get it) and think a career crook will bring…anything to the table. Tuh. He’ll kick the chair out from underneath them before they even get there. (Also, I’d like to see more than dissatisfaction of all politicians or the trite “you don’t get it” as a defense for their support.)

Shouts to GoRilla, Megan Thee Stallion and Fat Joe for not only encouraging others to vote but to vote for Harris and with their comprehensible reasons.

Again, the democratic party may be imperfect, but there's a coordinated attempt to be of service, even if some of your issues aren’t in alignment. I know hip-hop has a lot of anti-authority in its DNA and historically the White House’s relationship with hip-hop has been fraught. Check out Jesse Washington’s documentary “Hip-Hop And The White House” for more. The stakes are just too high for this generation. It’s a baton we grabbed from our parents, grandparents and great-grandparents. We can’t drop the mic yet. There’s a lot of work to do, however uncomfortable that may be.

Trunk (Music)

Music, news, reads, podcasts and videos that I’m checking for this week.

Tyler, The Creator might be the most artistic rapper we have right now (that includes K.dot). He’s very shrewd with his vision and fearless with his approach to execution; that’s not an easy task when you’re star level and have a fanbase to maintain—let alone try to grow (I think Travis, Drake and Cardi worry too much about this instead of just rocking). I would recommend songs but you have to listen to the entirety of CHROMAKOPIA.  [Listen]

Future’s had quite the year just from his own projects. But his best appearance might be on this Coco Jones track, “Most Beautiful Design.” Pluto floats next to the R&B songtress over a London On Da Track number. [Listen]

Speaking of star level, Megan Thee Stallion dropped Act II, the deluxe version of her earlier offering Megan. I think the first version had better breakout records, but the second album is a better overall body of work. The rock-flavored “TYG,” Ying Yang Twins-sampling “Roc Steady” with Flo Milli and lead single “Bigger In Texas” are standouts. [Listen]

Lil Uzi Vert returns with Eternal Atake 2. It’s not as vibrant as the first edition, but Uzi’s talent is undeniable This project, ultimately, feels more mixtape-ish than album quality. [Listen]

The way Gunna’s dealt with his adversity, at least musically, reminds me in a way of Beanie Sigel and T.I. did when they released The B.Coming and Paper Trail, respectively. Wunna has been locked in. “Him All Along” is a heater.  [Listen]

If you've been reading this newsletter for a while now, you know I love how lively the women’s rap scene is. It’s not their year, it’s been their era. For me, Latto might be the most talented MC of the crop while Megan has the best touch for singles; I think GloRilla, though, splits the difference and offers both in abundance (to be clear: all three are dope af). Her official debut album, Glorious, is quite the showcase. [Listen] Related: GloRilla x Speedy is a must-see video.  [Watch]

I fux with this Warriors album by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Eisa Davis. It’s a flip on the movie where the gangs are women and Lauryn Hill portrays Cyrus. I can dig it.  [Listen] Related: The pair did the media rounds; their sit-down with the Ebro in the Morning team was the best of the bunch. [Watch]]

Ab-Soul and J.I.D. connected to great fanfare via “Crazier.” Myself? I think “All That” is the better one, but I’m looking forward to the new album later this week.  [Listen]

Congrats to Nyla Symone for her new show on HIp-Hop Nation.[Info]

One of my favorite lines from Jay-Z is “Priority’s work wasn’t right, so I switched factories.” Says a lot in so little words. That said, The Grammys telecast is moving from CBS to ABC in a big dollar deal. [Info]

Diddy’s trial date is set for May 5th of next year. [Info] Related: Recently I appeared on a CNN digital doc short on the rise of Puff. Presumably, when the trial gets under way they’ll return with the fall. [Watch]

The Hollywood Reporter does a deep dive on Druski. [Read]

SZA manages to get the first interview with Kendrick Lamar post his year-defining battle with Drake. [Read]

Remember Greatest Hits albums? [Read]

Complex highlighted the best years in rap in a very cool post; they also did a separate post on the worst years, but it felt needlessly snarky so I’m not gonna link to that. [Read] 

It’s been a winding journey for 03 Greedo, but he tells The Fader he’s ready to take the straigh path. [Read]

BX the Plug dropped a strong album this year and has one the 2024’s heaters with “Change Me.” To celebrate his album, he and Steve Stoute sat with Gillie and Wallo to drop gems. [Listen]

The New York Times Popcast pod discusses Yeat, whose latest album Lyfestyle debuted at the top of the Billboard 200 last month; in particular they tap into how a splintering audience has made room for less lyrical acts to flourish. [Listen]

I’m about halfway through Megan Thee Stallion’s Amazon doc and it’s more revealing than I thought it would be when it was announced. The headlines are coming fro her admission to sleeping with Tory Lanez, however, the intimacy in watching her discuss losing her parents is endearing. [Watch]

Latto dropped her (very dope) “Brokey” music video and online chatter from men turned into how bragging about bank accounts is untoward. Is that right now? Hmm.  [Watch]

Timbaland and Metro Boomin’ chat as a part of RollingStone’s Musicians on Musicians series. [Watch]

I worked on this over the summer (the interview portion), but it just dropped as a part of the Common and Pete Rock’s tour for The Auditorium, Vol. 1. [Watch]

Veteranz’ Day: LL on Hot; 50 on MWofG; Eve on TBC.  [Watch] [Watch] [Watch]

Doechii’s album is the biggest flex of talent on any project this year. Here, she sits with Dissect ‘s Cole Cuchna to breakdown some of her lyrics. It’s a fun viewing.  [Watch]

Mach-Hommy’s #RICHAXXHAITIAN is such a gem, mixing the Brooklyn aesthetic with Haitian diaspora. Here, he sits with Black Thought for an extended interview. Hope this pushes their long-rumored joint project to the forefront. [Watch]

Backseat Freestyle is written and produced by me, Jayson Rodriguez, independently on behalf of my company, Smarty Art. If you have any comments, feedback or questions, feel free to email me: [email protected]. If you would like to discuss sponsoring an issue of the newsletter, contact: [email protected] and check out the rates, here. And follow me elsewhere:

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Podcast: I recorded a demo of a BF pod and once I get the main thing (this newsletter) back on a regular schedule, I’m gonna go back to flirting with an audio companion.