It’s a year since I returned from my fantastic journey to Hong Kong and one can only dream of going on such an extravagant indulgent spending holiday again.

Personally a lot has changed for me in the past year and I think overall it has made me stronger and increased my hunger to succeed. That’s why although the sun is out, I’m going to be focussing on improving, my portfolio, this web site and other projects I have going on.

Including the development of my previous post titled ‘Southsea’. I will be able to let you know more about the project very shortly. In the mean time. STW business cards and Southsea Leisure Island stickers are available for order. Drop me an email and I’ll get one out in the post for you. That’s elio[at]stillthewhizz.com.

The mess of a working man.

My revitalised Takashi 2’s. I’ve worn the living daylights out of these trainers and they were starting to look a bit tired before I put some Aqua laces in from my High Hair’s.

Preview of ‘poster’.

I’m trying to give it a chance but it’s utter rubbish.

When did the state of Hip Hop get so bad? For those of you who aren’t fans of the genre I can understand your dislike as the music we’re exposed to now is of such poor quality it’s embarrassing. Yes, I am embarrassed to say I like Hip Hop and I have to reword it by saying - “oh I like concious Hip Hop, not that gangsta rap you hear now…” And doesn’t that sound pretentious?

Was there a better year for Hip Hop than 1999? The year of release of the mighty, Mos Def’s, first solo album Black On Both Sides. Mos is yet to eclipse the heights of that album. This is the year we also saw the release of Q-Tip’s first solo effort following the split of A Tribe Called Quest. Many wondered whether he could recapture the sound of Tribe and he didn’t let his fans down. Also in 99, Common was in the studio adding the finishing touches to his finest ever album, Like Water for Chocolate. Who could forget ‘The Light’ released just a year later? The Roots also join the class of ‘99 with arguably their greatest album to date, Things Fall Apart.

You can blame the mainstream for destroying Hip Hop and whilst I continue to enjoy the work of the artists listed above, you can’t help to yearn that they would return with albums not just to equal their 1999 work but to eclipse it. With The Roots, Mos Def and Q-Tip all set to release albums this year, 2008 could be the year that Hip Hop was saved. Some nine years after it was in it’s glory.

Raphael Saadiq feat. Q-Tip - Get Involved

Greatest, finest - monkey man.

I’ve been fortunate enough this year to see some of my favourite hip hop acts; the Roots, Mos Def, Common and now Kanye West.

I was bouncing to Kanye beats even before he dropped The College Dropout and it was the song, Two Words, that really made me sit up and take note. I’ve always bought his music and been a fan but never as much as I admired other MC’s. That was until Thursday.

Kanye at the o2. I’m sure most of you have read reviews or heard good things about the concert, but honestly the guy totally exceeded himself. A true professional, top performer and for me, now one of the greatest MC’s. He may not rhyme as well as the others but I struggle to think of many other MC’s who could get a age-range of what looked like 10-60 bouncing on their feet.

Watch the video. It’s the first time he’s actually been able to sing most of the song dedicated to his mum 2 weeks after her death.

Encore for Kanye, you are a true hip hop legend.

The song, the video and the artist.

Jim Noir>>

What an artist, what an actor, what an MC. Without a shadow of doubt, Mr Smith is up there with the very greats in Hip Hop. Two weeks ago to the day I flew out to Dublin to see Mos Def perform. It certainly wasn’t the cheapest of concerts I’ll ever go to and at one point it looked as if I travelled all the way for him not to turn up. Two hours late - he was fantastic.

I’ve now been fortunate enough to see two of the biggest acts in the hip hop game and I can only recommend going to see Mos if you’re a true hip hop fan. If you’re anywhere near Manchester on the 16th November, Mos will be at the Warehouse Project. Tickets are £15 and frankly if he puts on the performance he put on in Dublin it’ll be worth every penny.