G.

Notes on The Legend of … The Chancellor



1) The Address (Introduction)

Written by G., Produced by G’z Up, Engineered by Mental Grafik & G., background vocals by Oh!Mega



I wanted the album to feel like a year of university study. This first track sets the tone as it mimics a freshman orientation address from the school’s chancellor. The flow and cadence resemble a speech. This opening track also serves as an allegory for the hip-hop game. In a literal reading, I, as the recently appointment chancellor of “Hip-Hop University,” propose a series of change to recapture the esteem we (the university) once had. This is a somewhat obvious metaphor for hip-hop music. The unashamedly untalented one-hit-wonders that have littered hip-hop in recent year are represented by the “students in past who graduated [that] shouldn’t have.” I propose a rising of the standard, begging my fellow hip-hop heads to no longer accept mediocre music.



2) In Good Standing

Written by G. & Ohene, Produced by Alyse AK DJ Kaz, Engineered by Ohene



Kaz and I met over the internet. After about a year of admiring each other’s work from afar, we finally decided to collaborate. This track accentuates my legal background (I hold a law degree from the University of Pennsylvania and am barred in the State of New York). The civil rights struggle is a common topic in hip-hop, as it should be. However, I wanted to present a unique perspective by discussing the legal implications of civil rights. The flow mimics an opening statement in a civil rights litigation lawsuit. At first I thought only my attorney colleagues would find this track enjoyable, but so many non-attorneys commented on it during its internet leak, I made it the first official single of the original release.



3) Gnosis

Written by G., Jon the Baptist, Ohene, & Random, Produced by Ohene, Engineered by Ohene



The winter of 2005 – 2006 saw Ohene, Random, and I releasing The Rapademics (Re-Release), The Call, and The Chancellor respectively. While maintaining a strong RAHM Nation following, each of us also developed a more narrow fan base that gravitated to each of our unique sounds. This cause some strife amongst the camp, as our resources and staff stretched thin. That summer marked my last in Philadelphia, as I accepted a teaching assistantship at Virginia Tech. Many rumors circulated around the underground about RN’s eventual break up. However, we hashed things out and all agreed that moving forward as a united front was in all of our best interests. Furthermore, we identified other artists, jealous of success, as the source of the rumors. “Gnosis” is our announcement that we are back and stronger than ever (newcomer Jon the Baptist also join us). In my verse, I directly address those underground artists who tried to come between us. They remain nameless, because ultimately, they are unimportant. “Gnosis” means knowledge of spiritual matters.



4) The Manuscript (Interlude)

Written by G., Produced by DJ Vintage, Engineered by Ohene, Additional Vocals by Oh!Mega



I met DJ Vintage at a show at which he and Ohene performed. After the show he invited us to his apartment to hear some more of his work. Impressed, we left with a beat CD. Trying not to intrude too much on the relationship Vintage was trying to build with O, I selected for my project only one of the several excellent tracks he passed us. After some initial confusion, we eventually rapped and straighten everything out, so the track remained on the re-release. This interlude adds more to the back story. The Chancellor discovers he is near death and vows to finish a book on which he had been working, knowing he would not live to hear any of his detractors criticizing his work. This is the approach I took to this project. Several of tracks on this album are high cryptic, and I knew this would attract some negative reviews because it is human nature to claim to dislike something that is difficult to understand. However, I did not let such concerns influence the writing. The verse portion of this interlude is an example of this. Several lines are not immediately discernable. I will partial translate to clarify this point:



“See what I see, my cryptic easel” – In painting, the easel is not the art itself, but merely a tool for creating the art. Here, I am saying then even my tools which I create my art are cryptic. Therefore, the art itself will of course be that much more indiscernible.

“I attack ya’ll shaft with b****** langs” – The human brain is almost 100% mediated through language. In fact, scientists have found that when a person does not know what a word means, sometimes that person literally does not hear the word. In this line, I am saying that even when employing non-standard English (b****** languages), my words attack the ear (shaft) so vigorously that it is impossible to even hear all that I am saying.

“I fight the plain that excite the plains” – In this final example, I am explaining how I represent the antithesis of the mundane hip-hop that has captured much of middle America.



Of course, there are many, many more examples of this premise that I, for the sake of brevity, will leave to the listener to decipher. Although, I do not expect my listeners to ever really understand everything. In the last line I say, “You’re not suppose to relate to me, I’m a genius.” While I was being genuine when I spoke those words, I did not say them to be arrogant. I was merely referring to the fact that I spent the better part of my life perfecting my craft and putting in countless hours a day thinking exclusively of hip-hop. A person who devotes most of their time to chemistry, government, or education, for example, should not be expected to understand hip-hop to the level I do no more than I could enter their field with my lack of training and be considered an expert. I realize that should a position could be detrimental to the marketing of this album, as fans often could relatibilty as a reason for liking a certain song, but I thought it was important to focus on long term goals such as preservation of the art, as oppose to short term goals such as record sells.



5) String Theory

Written by G., Produced by Random Beats, Engineered by DN3



While watching a doc*mentary on the mathematic theory on universal unity known as “String Theory,” I became intrigued. I had been search for a theme I could explore that would be unique to hip-hop. Again, I did this not to be elitist, but to widen the horizon of what was possible in hip-hop. The basic premise of string theory, as I understand it, is that each natural element is connected dimensionally. However, it was the science fiction of string theory that I found more attractive. Dr. Henry Gates and others pondered the possibility of interdimenstional travel using “strings.” This gave me the back story for this song. I imagined that our dimension must be the most artistic, given the relative ease with which we seem to make artistic advancements as oppose to scientific ones (much about the natural world remains a mystery to us). So I further imagined we must have a parallel universe that focuses solely on scientific advancements. In this world, our counterparts have mastered space travel, time travel, and medical cures. I also noticed that much of art comes from pain. Artistic movements are never lead by the privileged. So finally, I imagined a world in which pain, as in turn art, was minimized.



6) Martyr

Written by G., Produced by Prolific, Engineered by Ohene



Prolific called me after I appeared in an article in Murder Dog Magazine about underground hip-hop. I mentioned in the article that I was originally from New Orleans, as was he. So he sent me a couple beats for the project. This song is my pleas for African Americans to join me in support of a free and autonomous Palestine. This song was original written from the Palestinian perspective, using “we” instead of “you,” but then I realized that was presumptuous. So instead, I drew out the parallels between the plight of the African American and the plight of the Palestinian, in the hopes for a future in which the world’s people of color are united against colonization, racism, and tyranny. As before, the flow adopts a lecture-like tone so that it does not hide the message.



7) Fallen (Committed)

Written by G. & Ohene, Produced by Random Beats, Engineered by Ohene, Additional vocals by Ohene



This song explored the plight of an unrecognized genius. Psychologists define depression as not a lack of touch with reality, but being too much in touch with reality. The well adjusted person believes that he or she will win the lottery, enter the ranks of professional sports, or become a movie star. The depressed person knows the truth: it is highly unlikely that any of these things will happen. In song, a battle takes place in my unconscious, with a part of me believing I am a misunderstood artistic genius while another part of me wishes to just give in to my detractors. The flow mirrors a doctor’s interview of a patient that has been committed.



8) Fallen (Suicide)

Co-written by G., Produced by Ohene with Ohene on keyboard, Engineered by Ohene, Additional Vocals by Oh!Mega



This song continues the previous. However, the tone is much darker. Much like Van Gogh’s “The Scream,” this is my plea to society to recognize the talent I know to be in me or risk my mental health negatively affecting future works. The line “like The Twilight Zone, the all animal faced,” is a reference to the show’s episode in which it was shown that true beauty in an ugly world is criticized for its lack on conformity. I use this reference to imply that my music is beautiful, but if all the listener knows is simplistic, misogynistic, crude, violent rap, that beauty is unrecognizable because there is no reference point. This second verse also reference Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come” and R. Kelly “Suicide” to point out that love can keep one going even in the darkest of hours.



9) Hatred: The Family Rap

Written by G., Produced by Prolific and DN3, Engineered by DN3



The title is meant to be ironic, a play on the neosoul group, Kindred: The Family Soul. Usually neosoul is thought of as the province of love with rap is the province everything but love. However, at it’s core, “Hatred: The Family Rap” is a love song. At time of it’s writing, I had been married for six years and had know my wife for eight. And even though we deeply love each other, everyday of marriage is a beautiful struggle. We argue one day and laugh the next, cry together one day and cry about each other the next. But we never let the tough times pull up apart. I thought that perspective on love was not being told. Just about ever song on the subject of love describes utter bliss or love’s end. I wanted my listeners who were in love (or at least hoping to be) to know that it is OK to move into an uncomfortable space but not move away from love. This song was perhaps the toughest to record because it was so person, but I asked my engineer not to correct technical flaws in my flow if they help communicate my emotions.



10) Faculty Meeting

Written by G., Journalist, Ohene, and Random, Produced by Ohene, Engineered by Ohene



I met Journalist in 2001, but label obligations prevented us from working together (he was then committed to Motown). We had actually lost touch for a while, but a mutual friend gave me his new number, and she cut this long awaited collaboration. Because I thought their lyrics would compliment Journ’s, I invited fellow Philadelphians Ohene and Random to the track. The decision was made pretty early to record in what I like to call “Wu-Tang style,” just each emcee following behind the other with no hook or topic in common. Being the only non-Philly representative, I knew I would sound like the odd-man out. Therefore, I chose to display my skills by being more creative than poetic. In my verse, I co-opt the personalities of great painters throughout history: Salvador Dali, Vincent Van Gogh, Frieda Kahlo, Romare Bearden, and others.



11) Black Alumus In The Hour Of Chaos (Interlude)

Written by G., Produced by G., Engineered by G.



This interlude is an ode to Public Enemy’s Black Steel In The Hour of Chaos, updated to reflect the struggles African Americans face in academia.



12) Pennelope

Written by G., Produced by Random Beats, Engineered by Ohene



This using an amorous relationship as an allegory for a school career (specifically a law school career). “Pennelope” represents my law school, University of Pennsylvania. My inspiration for this song, aside from my obvious discontent with my experience at Penn, was something KRS-One often says in his college lectures. He usually explains to students that education is more like a service which one purchases, and as such, upon completion, a receipt should be issued instead of a diploma. I though about my own experience and concluded that education was more like a bad marriage, because the first year you’re so in love, and as time goes on you become more cynical until you eventual get “divorced” and are forced to pay “Alimony” in form of student loans. Although I say true to the theme throughout, the flow remain rapid.



13) Wait, Mr. Chancellor (Remix)

Written by G. & Oh!Mega, Produced by Ohene & G., Keys by Ohene, Engineered by Ohene

On this track, along with “Tainted Love (Wishing On A Star)” from Random’s The Call Re:Mixtape, I got the opportunity to work behind the boards on the production side as well. Of course, I was humbled by the musical genius that is Ohene, but I was glad I was able to contribute to the track. The 60s track “Please, Mr. Postman” by the Marvelettes inspired this song. I’ve always like the song, as reinventing it was one of the first concepts I developed for this album. Little did I know three years later it would become a clichéd sample. However, I kept the track because my version is vastly different for any other. First of all, my version contains no samples or interpolations. Ohene built the track from the ground up with his Motif. The vocals are original as well. I had Oh!Mega write and sing the lyrics, then I sampled her voice. Second of all, the subject matter is original. My song addresses that too often ignored audience of twenty-somethings and thirty-somethings in committed relationships. Almost every song on the radio is geared toward singles. I wanted my colleagues in commitment to have their own soundtrack when a temptress comes their way. The flow on this song perhaps where my Southern roots shine through most.



14) Double Meaning

Written by G., Produced by Ohene, Engineered by DN3



This song started off as a freestyle. One day I noticed that the word griot was made of the letter “G” (my name, of course) and the word “riot.” So I filed that thought away until the day came where I got to work it into a freestyle at a radio station in New York. Everyone in the studio and all the callers were going nut over the line “Saying G not a griot might start a riot.” I then decided to plug that line into a song and surround it with several other double entendres. And thus “Double Meaning” was born. At end of the song, I give a partial explanation, but there are dozens of other double meanings I left for the listener to discover. The flow on this song is conversational, as I wanted to create the feel of me just telling the story, not rapping it.



15) Conclusion? (Outro)

Written by G., Background vocals by Oh!Mega, Produced by Ohene, Engineered by Ohene



As the title implies, this outro leave the fate of The Chancellor unanswered. I wanted to leave the listener with something to which to look forward on my next album.



16) Random Thoughts (Bonus Track 1)

Written by G., Produced by Ohene, Engineered by DN3



This song is just a compilation of all topics I wanted to address on this album but couldn’t fit on other songs. Here, I address, albeit briefly, the Iraq war, flaws in higher education, the mismanagement of the CIA, and the DC sniper, among other things. The flow is stream of consciousness.



17) Reflections of Ramadan (Bonus Track 2)

Written by G. & Oh!Mega, Additional Vocals by Oh!Mega, Produced by Problem Child, Engineered by Mental Grafik



Problem Child is dope, young up-and-coming producer and emcee. We met through Ohene and eventually he joined the RAHM Nation roster as well. Righteous, founding member of Elemental Law (another hip-hop group with which I am affiliated), introduced me the Mental Grafik, who was one for first engineers from around the way with Pro-Tools in his home studio. So by the time he recorded me, I had mastered it. I wrote this song during the holy month of Ramadan. During Ramadan, observers must not only abstain from food and drink, but impure thoughts as well. So I wanted to write something that reflected my spiritual journey.



18) Ironic (Bonus Track 3)

Written by G., Additional Vocals by Oh!Mega, Produced by Prolific, Engineered by Ohene



It is well doc*mented that hip-hop and law enforcement do not mix. I have often heard both revolutionary and gangsta emcees claim to care nothing for the life of any police officer, even if that officer is Black. In this song, I wanted to test the truth of that statement. So I painted a scenario in which a man from a neighborhood that is both neglected and harassed by the police is forced to choose between young, beautiful Black female cop to which he is attracted and his street loyalties to white mobsters that threaten her life.



My over all approach to this album was to be didactic. While the songs are at times fun, head nodding, danceable or lyrical, I want my listeners to take a life lesson away from each song. Of course I am flattered when my fans label me a lyrical genius, but when they tell me a song of mine revealed a universal truth of which they were previously unaware, that is far more coveted a compliment.



Peace.