As a kid I was an avid MTV watcher and these were back in the days when MTV played videos. I probably exaggerate how much of my childhood was spent plunked down in front of the TV, but there's no denying MTV's power over me. But this power has gifted me with a spotty musical record--I know Biggie, but only his hits. Same for Ma$e, 2Pac and whoever else. It's given me an inordinate love of Puff Daddy and made me, for years, only really aware of Nas' later work.

In any case, due to this peculiarity in viewing, I had years before I was really exposed to Wu Tang. And although I can happily say that I have at least heard 36 Chambers now, there was a time when my only exposure to the Wu was the video for "Gravel Pit".

It's amazing how cheesy this video is, and also how awesome, but what impresses me more is the interconnectedness of this and the videos for the other singles from the album. There's no denying that The W is hardly Wu Tang's greatest work, but these videos, I think, really condenses the group to their element. The elevator bickering, the time travel, the dinosaurs--Wu Tang is, in a lot of ways, made up of nerds and damned if that doesn't make these videos still fun to watch:

So hip-hop is starting to get political again. Witness Killer Mike and Ice Cube's new joint, "Pressure." Though stitching a stream of powerful images together has become a bit derivative in rap these days, I think these two heavyweights can have a pass on this one.

No justice, no peace, indeed. The angst in this track is well-placed--never forget those who've come before, and how far we all have to go.

So, not so much about hip-hop, but, god, I love this video. It's very existence fills my heart with glee. However, it makes me sad for Puffy, because, damn, no one thought to tell him about Luke Cage when he was a kid? Such a shame: