Ellington

I want to congratulate Frank Melton on winning the Democratic Party primary on May 3. I wish him and the Republican challenger Rick Whitlow well on the impending general election. Maybe both sides can do a mix-tape or something, but please keep the diss songs to a minimum. As a matter of fact, I saw several artists, including Tony B and Kamikaze, at Melton's victory party. It's a beautiful thing when local artists get involved in the political process.

Moving on, there has recently been a mix-tape explosion around the state with several artists and camps putting out their offerings. There are a few notable projects that highlight the market shift of the state from a mix tape and freestyle wasteland to a flowerbed of mix-tape projects. One project that caught my eye is the new one produced by The Pillow Boys from McComb. The project is eclectic and truly Southern street. I don't know when it's coming out, but pick it up when you see it.

There is another hot project produced by Dub G, Tony T and Street Clout Records that is floating around the Gulf Coast. The two most notable mix tape releases, though, are the latest installment of "Street Corner Radio" by DJ Phinga Print and the debut mix tape from the Mississippi Artists and Producers Coalition (M.A.P.). "Street Corner Radio" is hosted by X-it Only and offers some exclusive national artist freestyle as well as local flavor. It's one of the best blends of popular and underground music I have heard in a while. The M.A.P. project entitled "We Are the Street, Volume 1" features some of the hottest songs from artists around the state. Make sure you support these local artists and their projects.

A couple of weeks ago, Florida rapper and SRC Recording artist Grandaddy Souf stopped by Jackson to perform and promote his project "Dirty Old Man." If you don't know Souf or haven't heard his music, you need to cop his underground projects. He ran into a little controversy a few years back when he released the highly controversial song "Savage Journey/ F*%K the Law."

For all you literary types, there is a new book documenting Southern hip-hop. The book, "Country Fried Soul: Adventures in Dirty South Hip-Hop" by Tamara Palmer, opens with a foreword by David Banner. While it has a few good spots, it ultimately is lacking in overall appeal. There are no first-person interviews in the project, only outtakes from other articles. But if you don't believe me, pick it up for yourself.

Lastly, have any of you heard the rumor that Outkast is breaking up? Oh, maybe I'm the only one. Holla.