midterm revision

Review

A salary or reality? That’s the question artist Kritik solves in his performance entitled “Money or Respect.” New to the hip-hop scene, Bryce Martin, also known as “Kritik” is attempting to take the game by storm. He has been performing in talent shows and at open mic sessions in the Bethlehem area for the past several weeks. Being born in raised in Teaneck, New Jersey, Kritik is an artists that deals with issues in society along with those within himself. He creatively reflects his feelings into his writing giving a feeling of connection with the artist. Money or Respect is a piece attempting to enlighten the world of the dichotomy between salary and reality in hip hop right now at this moment. He uses numerous metaphors and various types of wordplay to get his point across intellectually, giving the listeners something to think about. Since the work is about the current state of hip hop, it is very relevant to Hip Hop today. Kritik talks about the measures some individuals in the industry go for money, and how it is not uncommon for the artist to compromise their personal feelings and points of views to do so. All in all, the piece is decent, i give it a 7/10. I see the potential that Kritik has, and can foresee him becoming a popular artist in the Lehigh Valley in the near future.

Midterm

ON THE SPOT 16 from class (Name)

Peep the name on the ID, fly B
Cuz my fresh is the best yall way behind me
who you know rock shirts and ties daily
nobody yall swag missing like Caylee
catch the kid prada kicks, polo sweater
look at how I dress, cant nobody do it better
i aint a g, keep it real, why lie?
i get fresh to death, not live a life of crime
catch me in Macys, buyin polo by the rack
Not on the corner, buckin shots, slingin crack
not for me, thanks I'll pass
i'd rather shop till i drop, gucci for the cash
Jersey born, thats where I reside
I stay with the swuad the team gets fly
Fresh for life, I play no games
Please believe, I'll always live up to my name

A letter to Professor Johnson

Kashi,
I really dont know what you're doing to me, but since the beginning of class, all that's been on my mind is hip hop. The time that was usually spend doing nothing is now nothing but tagging in my book and writing songs, 16s and poems. The more I learn each class about the history of the culture, the more I want to make myself a bigger part of it. I'm even trying to lean to beatbox like you asked us to. I'm trying to get nice by the show so we can shut the house DOWN lol. The more classes go by, the more I appreciate the decision I made to join. And dont get me wrong, im not the type of dude to ass kiss or none of that, so all yall reading this that got that on ya mind can fall back and hit your head on something sharp; i just give credit where credit is due.

Thanks Kashi
-Bryce

WAKE UP

I say its time to wake up, economy's in a recession
we better shape up, or it'll end in a depression
mothers leaving babies early, children thing their grown
got people flossing cars and jewels, before they own a home
hows that make sense? dont even try it cuz it doesnt
Just listen to my 2 cents, and maybe we'll recover
to the guys gettin fly, whose bread dont stack sky high
spend your cash on what you need, just to get you buy
to the thugs on the block, livin that G'd up lifesyle
Find a job in something else, if you enjoy your life out
of the pen, cuz wen you in, you have no type of rights
what type of man wants another tellin him wen to sleep at night
i know me, never slippin, dressed up freshly
bit of a short temper, snap quick if you test me
but my head's on straight, bow pointed to the horizon
got a million people with me, like the white dude from verizon
but back to the topic at hand
momma come back to your baby, he's your number one man
do the right thing, dont go the same way as brenda
thats a person, not a letter, no return to the sender
To the fam from BK, livin in the PJs
Eating off of food stamps, and shelter giveaways
Dont give up, I know you'll see some better days
Dad'll get a rais, Mom'll get paid
For the cooking and the cleaning, occupation maid
so we've spent time sleeping, time to wake up
get our life lines going straight, like a shape up

My input on recent classes

I really liked the Danny Hoch movie we watched.... he has a different type of delivery of his material that we havent seen before and i think its pretty cool... i even went as far as going back onto youtube to look for some more of his stuff... i liked all of the other artists we saw also... seeing the size of the culture and its popularity and history makes me want to become a part of it... i dont know what you're doing to me Kashi, but since the beginning of this class all ive been able to do is write, tag, and try to learn how to beatbox lol... im excited to see what else you have in store for us...