Co-creator of a small site called 2DopeBoyz.com — you may have heard of it — Meka has been scribing professionally for several years, with his work appearing everywhere from BET to XXL. When the LA native isn’t causing trouble in the streets of New York, he’s enjoying life as a part-time quasi-DJ. If you take anything he says here too seriously, that's a you problem.
Legends Of The Fall-Offs: Dwight Grant Edition
What came up must fall the fuck off.
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I’ll probably get shot for this. Eh, I had a good run.
Dwight Grant is equal parts brilliant lyricist and deranged psychopath. I still never understood how a guy with that much talent would have his career see more blanks than Helen Keller, yet a combination of blind faith, bad business decisions and personal mistakes has left the gifted emcee on a downward spiral in ways that is both disheartening and expected.
I still think of Dwight as that monster, prototypical lyricist ever since he outshined Dice Raw, Malik B and Black Thought on his formal introduction, The Roots’ “Adrenaline,” over a decade ago. When he signed to Roc-A-Fella it was as if the stars had aligned perfectly for him; the label was in its infantile stages of dominating hip hop, and Dwight bolstered a lineup that had, well, two musically inferior compatriots in Amil and Memphis Bleek, arguably becoming one of the better acts on the label. His debut album, The Truth, was a magnum opus that featured production from a pair of then-unknown in-house producers, Kanye West and Just Blaze, and his subsequent albums all but validated he was “next.”
But, as they always say, it was all good just a week ago.
We all saw a glimpse of Dwight’s psychosis during Jay-Z’s episode of MTV’s Diary series when, after brief spat between Jay and some jealous partygoers, Dwight jumped into the crowd Ron Artest-style to attack the alleged disrespectful patron. Things all started to fall apart, however, after Dwight was nearly convicted of attempted murder in 2004 and, while locked up his former label was infamously split apart between its two head honchos, leaving Dwight as a man without a home.
I guess no beer and no TV make Homer something something being in prison and watching your family bitterly dissolve their relationship (leaving you as the proverbial creepy, molester uncle nobody wants to invite to family get-togethers) did something to Dwight that no man should have to experience. With apparently nobody in his corner, Dwight has lashed out at any and everybody within arms reach, spazzing on everyone from Drake down to the guy he actually shot. Meanwhile his musical output has suffered to nigh Prodigy-after-“The Takeover” levels, teaming up with rap’s court jester 50 Cent to diss his former boss, and claiming that he was cheated out of millions of dollars, all the while coming across as a scorned, bitter lover the whole time.
I don’t know if Dwight will ever regain that valiant, lyrically pervasive form again. But seeing as how most young rappers from the hood revert back into old curmudgeons, I highly doubt it at this point.
“Bread & Butter” is still my shit, though.
“and claiming that he was cheated out of millions of dollars”
^ i don’t think that’s a claim, but fact that’s being suppressed…that dude Choke No Joke even spoke on it…
keep that vest handy meka…
Nice post Meka. Yeah Beans was the shit! He was the reason Jay felt comfortable retiring… guess Jay ain’t ready to retire… again!
I was talkin bout that with my homey. Beans says Dame stole 10 million dollars from him. I just kinda think that number is exagerated. Beans was never worth 10 million even with State Property clothing. Not saying Dame isn’t known to be unscrupulous… but we’re talkin bout a dude who only went gold once…
I think it is unfortunate cause Beans is a beast on the mic and was arguably the best artist on the ROC behind Jay and Kanye. But instead of hitting the studio Beans is coming off like a whiny bitch these days blaming everyone for his own problems. It’s Jay and Dame’s fault he didn’t succeed, not the fact he did a bid and when he came out he didnt put out a very good album?? Cmon man, that R-Kelly single didn’t fit dude’s style. 50 played him like a pawn thinking he could use him to bait Hov into an epic beef . There was talks of him going to G-unit but 50 abandoned ship on that. And going at Drake was pointless also.
Wish dude would just hit the booth and bless us with a mixtape or somethin. He’s still capable of eatin niggaz…
” lights one and turns the Truth way the fuck up*
Speak on it yall!
I Can Feel It In The Air
Why does Meka always feel the need to call rappers by their given names? What’s your real name Mek? And you KNOW he wrote that blurb about himself in the top right corner just cause of the use of the word “quasi”
Oh man I never comment but Meka has been using quasi since his HHDX days in about every post. It used to be his thing but now its quasi played out (see what I did there Mek haha). But on the real bring back Slap Boxing w/ Jesus son b/c that was classic material.
*applauds Meka*
You have redeemed yourself from that emo blog you did the other day..
This is coming from someone who has worked with Beanie Sigel…
Beanie’s problem is that he is too focused on the concept of family. All you have to do is listen to his music – watch his interviews. He was putting his Rocafella “family” in front of his own at times. And so he got taken advantage of as we recently saw 50 do.
He had a real family at home who he should have been thinking of before he shot ol boy in the ass. It all went down hill from there. Jay-Z don’t even love himself let alone one of his employees. I wouldnt risk my life or freedom for many people in this world – but i suppose Beans has always yearned for a father figure whether it was Ace Capone/Siddique/Jay or Dame..
Beans was raw from the first word. “I hope you got an extra mic, and a fire-proof booth, cause you know Im known to melt a wire or two…” He outshinned Jay-z multiple times (“Its On”, “Change Up”, “Guess Whose Back”, anything off The Dynasty album featuring B.Sigs) during Hov’s best years (99-03), something only Eminem, Bun B & Scarface could do, once each.
The Truth was an great album and one of the top 10-15 best freshman albums in hip hop history.
The B.Coming wasnt really a great album but rather an icreadible collection of tracks with some great support verses from the various guest. Two of my favorite songs on my ipod to this day are “Feel It In The Air” & “Bread & Butter F/ Sadat X” came off this album.
If we never get another bit of classic material from Beans we will still always hold him in high regards. Those of us “80′s- early 90′s babies that will remember him along with DMX, Juvenile, and WC.
More bangers from Beans that havent been mentioned…
Remember them Days
What ya life like
Roc the Mic with Freeway
Don’t Stop with Snoop
Obe Shot Deal with Redman
Ghost & Beans: Toney Sigel A.K.A. the Barrel Brothers – Classic!
“Ghost & Beans: Toney Sigel A.K.A. the Barrel Brothers – Classic!”
Thats another Banger…Heres one more…
It’s a Problem with Jadakiss
Yall know Heavy D produced Feel it in the Air right?
i ain’t gonna lie…i know nothing of Sigel’s discography…except the radio songs…
@ harlem
that’s some real sh^t you typed…salute
I’ve been a Bean stan since the beginning. Dude just raw with the flow. I wish Beans and Face would do an album. Every track they were on together was solid. I pray for dude. Hope he gets back to the real hip hop and lets the bullshit go. Shame to lose a talent like his, so early, to some bullshit.
More essential Beans tracks that haven’t been mentioned:
- The Truth
- Die
- Stop, Chill
- What Ya Life Like
- Nothing Like It
- I Don’t Do Much
- Man’s World
- Mom Praying
- Still Got Love for You
- I Can’t Go On This Way
- Change
- Oh Daddy
- Lord Have Mercy
- It’s On
- Dear Self
- The Day
- Rain
- Hypnotic (Bleek’s track, ft Beans and Jay)
- Have Mercy ( Raekwon ft Beanie Sigel)