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cRap music’s biggest story this week on the internets was the proposed rescheduling of KANYE WEST’s third studio album tentatively titled ‘Graduation’. Instead of pushing the album backwards due to productions delays (read: no buzz) it was reported that the album would be delivered to retail outlets several weeks forward. The date also coincides with the scheduled release of the latest 50 Cent project, aptly named ‘Curtis’. The date falls on the second Tuesday in September. This year that would be September 11th.

Think of the history that date has for Hip-Hop from Public Enemy’s ‘911 Is A Joke’ to Jay-Z’s release of the ‘Blueprint’ on the same day that terrorists attacked New York City. The Twin Towers were like a beacon for me when I was driving north on I-95. They let me know I was almost home. They also represented the height of commerce. When FISTY say that he put quarter water in a bottle and sold it for two bucks he wasn’t lying. There’s is prah’lee some place on the internets where people are discussing the mystic ramifications of releasing these records on that fateful day. Then again, prahlee not. One thing is for sure, ‘Clash Of The Titans’ is a teh ghey film classic, and so is this battle.

Let’s look at a tale of the tape and see if we can predict the winner of this mega-star matchup…

FISTY SCENT is a record selling monster and he represents himself mostly as the MIKE TYSON of rap music. Ornery and unpredictable. The public persona that always wears the du-rag, even when conducting an orchestra, is so popular in the red states you would think it’s the sequel to ‘Birth Of A Nation’. What else would you expect for a guy that has sold a billion million records? KANYE, not so much. KANYE WEST though, has skills on the microphone. In a few years he has upgraded his flow from pedestrian to McClaren S55. That’s like going from Polo bear sweaters to R.L. Purple Label suede car coats.

KANYE has transformed himself into a compelling artist. FISTY appears headed in the reverse direction. Until he saved his ‘Curtis’ album with the summer street anthem ‘I Get Money’, FISTY SCENT was scrambling from the effects of the unfavored early singles. I liked the ‘Amusement Park’ video, but ultimately it was too formulaic and therefore it couldn’t push the single. Meanwhile, KANGHEY has been killing shit on the internets and the television. The ‘Stronger’ video is the joint and ‘Can’t Tell Me Nothing’ is another winner.

I never forget the time I went to see Def Poetry Jam at the Supper Club and MOS DEF introduced KANGAYE as the savior of Hip-Hop music. I thought MOS was shooting hyperbole like a basketball and he was giving this dude props like MAGIC JOHNSON *pause*. Here I am six years later looking through that past prism and seeing what he meant. There is a balance that Hip-Hop must employ to be it’s best. It has to match it’s own desire for conspicuous consumption with a conscious consideration for all the people that don’t have the means. It has to have a witty ignorance. More than anything else, Hip-Hop has to make you inspired to dream about a better life.

I give this matchup to YE TUDDA because he makes the freshest music, and because these ‘College Dropout’ Air Max 180’s are fucking chuuuurch!