My man B.A. took the time to type down the lyrics to this Rasul masterpiece called “U R”. This is easily one of Rasul’s brightest moments as a poet and lyricist. “U R” is pure emotions, colorful pictures and images of pain and joy. It also describes Rasul’s state of mind during a time when his mind wanted to leave everything behind and roam through the world – hence some of his last days in Germany before he went to Canada. This song was part of his album “Opium Vol. 1″, the beat is courtesy of Monroe:

Inspired by Jay-Z’s book, I tried my best to decode Rasul’s lyrics here. It’s not always easy and I had my struggles transcribing every little bit of meaning (as many of Rasul’s fans have), but here’s my effort to help everyone out there understand, that these references are not random rhymes but well contemplated links to his Rasul’s influences and waste knowledge.

Rasul – U R

(Who am I? Ask Yourself the same question. You should. Let’s find out the answer.)

I am the lost soul of Metropolis gold,
I’m Muhammad in the cave every bit of prophecies untold,
a train of thought thats stopping your flow, the split second,
the barrel of a gun when the opposite folds,
I’m the pain that you already hold,
the storylines that’s a legend like Chistopher Wallace‘s soul,
I’m Shakur going out of control,
I’m the rhythm & the blues that Elvis solemnly stole,
I’m the rifle in Malcolm‘s palm,
I’m the stare of an infant looking at his handsome mom,
the groove of an outstanding song,
the false pride when your national anthems on,
I’m so wrong with the odds I quote, the very gods I know,
I’m so wrong with every bar I wrote
’cause I am what you made me,
a product of my environment, my world is crazy
Read more…

This might be one of the realest pieces (besides his music, of course) Rasul ever wrote. This testament of being an artist gives very detailed insights into the mind of the late great brother and his definition of what he always tried to be. I found this on Bloggerhouse.net, a site Rasul was contributing to during his early days in Canada. I guess he had a lot of stuff to get of fhis chest and this was in a period when he didn’t talk to many of us for a while. He would go through these phases to contemplate and regather and then be back on the block, fresher and more focused than before. This comes courtesy of Eric from Bloggerhouse.net. Thanks!

Shared thoughts Vol.3: I Am
(Original version written by Rasul and posted on Bloggerhouse.net on 21Apr07)

As long as I can remember, I’ve always been an artist! Think absentminded, an alienated melancholic constantly roaming through the realms of consciousness, always looking but never finding. Think disillusioned to worldly matters, dismissive to manly responsibilities which would have had satisfied my peers and parents, an unlucky author searching for corresponding adjectives and relative pronouns, dissecting tongue and language for unprecedented perfection. I write! I write to revisit the garden of my memories, ducking the never ending blows of depression that haunt me in my sleep. I write for undefined therapeutic reasons, write because this is all I know; write because this is all I am. But more than anything, I am Hip Hop! I’ve abandoned being just a fan a very long time ago, realizing that besides my heritage, my complexion or political beliefs, this is the only notion, the only true component I can thoroughly represent. “Ollie And Jerry” taught me to move, “Run DMC” taught me to use my brain while I’m moving; “Rakim” taught me that every motion meant poetry and “De La Soul”, well, they taught me that I’m a valid part of the movement. More than anything, I am Hip Hop. When KRS uttered those words of mass confusion in the beginning of the 90′s I subconsciously questioned his ulterior motive and felt insulted in my pride. Not fully comprehending the teacher’s message in a bottle, I refused to accept that one single individual could carry the cross on his back and embody the fundaments of an entire generation. Call it his uneasy premonition, a blind foresight of what a Sodom and Gomorrah our culture will turn into, how irredeemable substance will be replaced by duplicated formulas and industry dictatorships; how artist will become marionettes to their own forsaken expectations and how mixtapes will serve as replicas to magically woven albums. Or maybe, well maybe KRS had simply lost his mind! Read more…

Here’s part 2 of some of the most inspiring and thought provoking words from my man Rasul. I’m trying to keep the few written pieces he put together and spread them, because I’m deeply convinced that his opinion on so many hip hop related things are essential for people to get into hip hop and understand hip hop in its full potential. Besides that, it’s just great to read the thoughts of kinfolks, right?

Shared thoughts Vol.2: Rasul’s top 10 most underrated albums of all-time
(Original version written by Rasul and posted on MySpace.com/KingsAndCrookz on 24Mar07)

Top Ten List Part 2 (Most Underrated Albums Of All Time)

I’ve failed my brethren. I’m not as fast as some have obviously expected but I’m back with another one. Shout outs to my boy AP-Rock blessing things with his view of things. You will find some of his suggestions on this list and it shows, how much of an influence this music and culture of ours is to many people all across the globe. For those of you I’ve challenged (to write your piece of excellence), shame on you… I know I’m great, but I didn’t expect you to be that much of quitters. You have not fulfilled the task!!! But anyway, here comes my list of the most slept-on albums of all time. How do you define that, “slept-on”? Well, for once those were albums that only a chosen few checked for by the time of their release. Plus, their depth and charm were only understood and completely appreciated years, maybe decades later (and I will comment on every album explaining why I think the majority didn’t jump on’em right away). I know I will be walking a thin a line here, but I’ve been around and I believe to have gathered opinions and tastes of many through various encounters. I mean, you meet people with the same interests (backstage at the show, studio, etc.) and you have conversations about their favorite artist, albums and songs and hey, I’m trying to pass on some valuable jewels and make you understand where I come from. It’s not going to be easy but I’ll give it a shot (Note: there is no particular order here)… Read more…

As you all know one of my greatest influences and mentors (Ali Rasul) passed away about 10 weeks ago and I’m still thinking about the man almost every day. Not being able to speak to him hurts, I miss all the stories we used to share and all the wisdom he passed on. It hurts even more to know that I’ll never be able to learn from his words again. In an effort to save the few written essays he ever published (besides the lyrics to his albums of course), I will repost some of his blog entries on his MySpace site and other blogs and websites from around the world. If you’re looking for inspiration, some good music or an in-depth look at the state of the art, this is a must-read.

Shared thoughts Vol.1: Rasul’s top 10 albums of all-time
(Original version written by Rasul and posted on MySpace.com/KingsAndCrookz on 22Dec06)

Here we go folks! I don’t know how many top ten lists you have devoured by now but to understand an artist, you certainly have to understand his influences. I’m on my Myspace Ish giving you some insight behind the myth. So I figured, I give you my top ten list of musical chairs, starting today with my ensemble of the greatest Hip Hop Albums of all time. There are no significant criterias behind this, just me trying hard to remember which album shook my understanding of music – in this case Hip Hop – the most and made me think hard about who I am and what music truely means to me…

Ok, the list will have no particular order. I cannot deliver a number or a ranking for music that has changed my life and no, there is no particular reason to do so ’cause every single album has touched me in a different way.

Read more…