It was well over a decade ago that I first heard 99 Problems by Ice-T. It was in my A Level Art class at school, and one of the guys let me have a listen.It was from Ice’s Home Invasion album, and he was suddenly popular with the metal crew in school because of his Body Count album. That’s what led a lot of us to rap music.

Anyway, fast forward a few years, and 99 Problems hits my stereo again, courtesy of Mr Jay-Z (the similarities in their rap names aren’t lost on me!). Where Ice-T had a real old-school vibe, Jay-Z’s version employs big drums and crunchy, distorted guitar goodness.

Jay-Z’s is also much safer than Ice-T’s. For my money, Ice’s version takes the gold medal for lewdness and sheer brilliance. Whose version do you prefer?

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The hot topic in rap this year has been the use of the word ‘Nigga’. After turning a blind eye to gangsta rappers using the word since, um, forever, the industry has suddenly decided to take offense. Is that a delayed reaction or what?

Onstage this week, the rapper Nas claimed that his next album will be called Nigga. From a marketing point of view, making such a controversial claim is bound to draw attention. Shame his record company didn’t agree, isn’t it?

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Here’s what’s currently ringing America’s bell folks: 17 year old DeAndre Ramone Way, otherwise known as Soulja Boy and his runaway hit Crank Dat.

All the buzz is focused around the rapper’s dancing style rather than the song itself. Is this guy damning himself to become the next Macarena?

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Walthamstow’s finest rapper, Lethal Bizzle returns today with new single Police On My Back. We have only one piece of advice for you guys: turn up the volume and en-joy!

It’s riotous, loud, stupid and fun! No-one is going to claim Bizzle is the best thing in rap, but the man deserves credit for creating one of those rare gems that actually puts a long-lasting smile on yer face.

In truth, this should be the kind of anthem for people who’ve never had the police on their back, but want to pretend for a minute that they did.

You all know the story – 50 Cent has threatened never to release another album if Kanye West’s new CD outsells his. The full 50 Cent quote is:

Put it like this, let’s raise the stakes. If Kanye West sells more records than 50 Cent on September 11, I’ll no longer write music. I’ll write music and work with my other artists, but I won’t put out any more solo albums.

Well, so far Kanye West’s in the lead sales wise. I have to say, I believe that Kanye deserves this more – he’s charismatic, he’s passionate, he’s an interesting character. 50 Cent on the other hand doesn’t interest me at all. He’s another by-product from the Dre/Eminem school of rap, but he neither matches or surpasses either of his mentors.

Kanye’s taken rap music to a new place, he’s made it interesting again. 50 is still punting out old style gangsta rap that the mainstream has been getting bored of.

so I’m betting on Kanye West to win, and I’m hoping ‘Fitty’ upholds his end of the bargain by not releasing any more albums. That’d suit me just fine.

Tell me in the comments who you’re hoping will win…

It’s shocking to hear in this day and age that artists are still getting screwed over by record companies.Actually, it isn’t shocking at all, but you’d think that Dr Dre might have had a bit more business sense.

I mean, Dre’s solo albums have been high water marks in the evolution of hip-hop and rap. They’ve also given some of the biggest names in rap their big break. Snoop Dogg on The Chronic and Eminem on 2001.

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Wow, it finally happened. Rap has sunk to such an all-time low that the artists themeselves admit to being crap and that people will buy their ’shit’ regardless….

Mims – a rapper I’d never heard of before today – sets this out quite clearly at the beginning of his single, This Is Why I’m Hot:
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