Keys the rapper, The Problem, The Beast. A drink of water.

Who is Keys? Well... remember the  infamous "Nicki Minaj Diss" over the Soulja-Boy beat She Got A Donk? Which got her 2 million views on YouTube? and then an official video on Worldstarhiphop.com? Ah.....NOW you remember! Well she is much more than a YouTube disser....And she doesnt take ANY sh*t nor does her "Spartan" followers! (Shouts out to them) Keys a Baltimore native is drink of water to a dying breed of female rappers. I remember the first time I heard the Nicki Minaj diss, I wasn't instantly impressed. It wasn't until I listened to her Freestyle on BET's  The Deal (on YouTube) and the majority of her lyrics were HISTORY based did I stop and say... "wow, I haven't heard material like this in ages" I was nowhere near disappointed when I listened to her Mixtape Infiltration, in which she rhymed over the beats of (Lil Wayne, Drake, NaS, Lloyd Banks & The Party Boyz to name a few)  It helps that Keys cites KRS-1 & Lauryn Hill (legends) as influences. It certainly show's in her lyrical delivery.

Now I will attempt to not badger Minaj too bad, i must admit her style is catchy as well as her delivery, but
I often wonder what makes Nicki Minaj's slueth of fans so angry? Is it that Keys is more talented and poses a threat? OR is it just sheer ignorance and disgust for opposition? I would hate to think it's a little of both, yet i've yet to read or hear a credible reason to why Keys catches flack. In the 80s, Keys style and approach would have been praised heavily. Don't believe it? Chronicle the career of Roxanne Shante and her claim to fame. Battle rap was pretty much came with territory. It seperated the talented from the lack there of. Yet here in 2010, the radio airwaves happen to be FLOODED with dance songs & less than memorable lyrical content. Even the veterans must dumb down their content to garner attention. My how the times have changed. I would like to know what MC Lyte & Queen Latifah and even Roxanna Shante herself feel about up and coming rapper Keys.  I think there was a statement made when Minaj refused to address Keys diss and later went out with subliminal shots. Is she afraid of being upstaged? I say put the two in a ring and let them freestyle it out. But wait..... Minaj doesnt really....um....freestyle! :-/  I think it's so cliche to say "i dont respond to disses" IF indeed you have talent and are content with that, then kill the competition. Jay-Z & Nas did it.... Foxy Brown & Lil Kim have been doing it for YEARS (too many actually) ...it's music! Since when do we limit expression in it?

Whatever the case may be, Keys is here and doesnt seem to be leaving anytime soon. So we should all prepare for a revolution!  By the fire she ignites in her flow there is certainly no beating so JOIN her in revamping a culture that has been dying for far too long! Spartan salute!

What you need to hear from Keys:
Hit Em'
Butterflies N- Bellies
Go Off
Hello Good Morning Freestyle
Sponsor

(The first of MANY Keys blogs!)