In a world where artists want to draw attention to their music, it seems it's getting harder and harder to do so these days. Whether it be a name drop on a song, a crazy beat that gets the people moving and dancing, getting a legend to feature on your song, or maybe even just getting somebody who's hot at the moment. All of these things can help, as long you get the people talking. Guest verses always seem to do the trick, is it the idea that outdoing somebody on their own song is so interesting? Or is it that the two artists on the track have a history of making fantastic music together (a case could be made for Eminem and 50 Cent, Jay-Z and Kanye, or even collaborations of artists fairly new to each other like J. Cole and Kendrick, choose your favorites) and just work well together? Whatever the case may be, here's a small list of rappers, and what they charge for a feature. (Quick note: all of these verse prices are rumored, not actually confirmed, although Kendrick and Jay Z's are said to be fact.)
Kendrick Lamar - $250,000 per verse (on average)
If you ask me, this is pretty fair for a Kendrick verse. Depending who you are this could be absolutely ridiculous or this could be pocket change, I suppose it depends who is asking. According to Kendrick's recent verse history (or history on verses ever, Big Sean, Eminem, Young Jeezy, etc.), this seems pretty fair, especially considering the attention your song will get just from having the NAME Kendrick Lamar on your song, and that's without people even hearing the song.
Lil Wayne - $100,000 per verse (supposedly)
This is pretty reasonable considering Lil Wayne was the biggest name in hip-hop (or almost all of music, arguably) between the years of 2008-2012, give or take a few years. You honestly couldn't go somewhere without hearing his name or music, you couldn't go to a blog without seeing a post about him, and no matter who was putting out a song during this period, it's almost as if, if your music was good enough or if anyone cared about what you did, you had a Wayne guest verse. And coming from someone who wasn't a huge Wayne fan or never really has been (me), I have to say it was kind of annoying. But I do have to respect the reception he's gotten from fans, and he does occasionally have the power to get me hooked on a song, whether it be his or someone else's. So is $100k worth it now? I couldn't honestly tell you, but at a certain point in time (2008-2012), you wouldn't be alone if you thought it was.
2 Chainz - $100,000 per verse (confirmed, 2 Chainz said in BBC Radio interview)
Okay, now this particular price I have to say is a bit much considering what you get. I'm not normally one to knock an artist or his music, but 100 G'S FOR A 2 CHAINZ VERSE?! If you've bought a 2 Chainz verse in the past, did you ever consider what you're actually getting when it comes down to it? Did you think to anticipate? I know this sounds like I'm knocking 2 Chainz and everything he stands for, but I must admit I have the upmost respect for 2 Chainz. Granted I'm not a regular listener to 2 Chainz' music, but in my opinion, with a 2 Chainz verse all you get is some energy and a hook added to your track (if Chainz were a half way decent man he'd at least write the hook for you). So depending the approach to this song, maybe 2 Chainz is the answer. That's probably not something you'll read ever again, but if your goal is to make a party banger with a catchy hook, who else to go to but the Chainz man? Money well spent (I suppose).
Jay-Z - $1,500,000 per verse
1.5 mil. for a Jay-Z verse. Honestly, I'm not sure how to feel about this. Die hard Jay-Z fans everywhere probably say that's about right, or it's "well deserved," but compared to some verses I personally had heard off of Magna Carta Holy Grail or Watch The Throne, I can't say I think this is worth it. To be honest, compared to ANY Jay-Z I've ever heard, I don't know if this is worth it. Coming from an ignorant Jay-Z listener, don't take my opinion seriously. I know he probably does deserve this payout for a verse (or not, because you know, phone deals, owning the Nets and a sports agency now), but I haven't heard anything that personally catches my ear enough to say he deserves this payout. Then again a lot of people say Reasonable Doubt is his best work, and I haven't heard any of that either. So he probably does deserve 1.5 million a verse, I would just expect him to go all "We Made It freestyle" on it with Jay Electronica every time out just for the sake of doing it.
So there's 4 rappers who have made their verse charges public. Now the reasoning for no other rappers talking about their charges remains to be seen (although I see no real consequence to making it public, besides maybe some fan hate/debate), but it certainly is an interesting topic of discussion. I myself would love to know the cost of Eminem, or maybe the cost of an old head like Rakim, Kool G Rap, or to see if a Snoop verse is worth it (anymore at least). If you have any knowledge on what other rappers charge for a verse, let me know in the comment section, Google+, or on twitter(@SuperNovaRover), and if you think it'd be worth it. I'd love to hear any other amounts, no matter how ridiculous or how much a good investment you think they may be!
Sunday, September 28, 2014
Friday, September 26, 2014
Rah Digga says Iggy Azalea Isn't Hip Hop: Is She Right?
Iggy Azalea has built a reputation as one of the biggest names in pop today (at this moment right now, actually). Her music is practically everywhere, you'll hear it on radios, in the club, the bar, wherever you go you're bound to hear Iggy. You're also bound to hear any and every bit of news that surrounds Iggy (is there really an Iggy sex tape somewhere? Whoever has it, just do us all a favor and put it out, bless your heart). In this great thing we call hip hop, one thing that differentiates it from other musical genres is the freedom to express your opinion and have it seen not as hate, not as competition (sometimes), but as exactly that: a mere opinion. Although when it comes to publicity, especially for someone whose opinion might matter, it may mean more than just a "mere opinion".
Rah Digga came out to an interview with This Is 50 radio to talk about Iggy and how she feels about her and her association with hip hop, and had this to say: "Iggy Azalea, I can't get into her, because it's just not real to me. There is a white girl from Australia that spits in an Australian accent, and her name is Chelsea Jane. That I can get into. Teach me Australian hip hop culture. Don't come to America and try to convince me that you're Gangsta Boo. Personally, I don't consider her hip hop. I listen to her album. Everything that I hear on there is everything but that. And I feel like hip hop is hip hop."
So is Rah Digga hating on Iggy? At first glance you might say yes, but she does have a point. By definition (yeah, we're getting into the unwritten hip hop rule book on this one) Iggy isn't necessarily hip hop, but as far as new Iggy fans go (new meaning The New Classic Iggy fans, and not before that, although some "fans" probably didn't even buy the album) Iggy would probably be the closest thing to an influential woman figure in hip hop (unless you think Nicki Minaj is a real influence, but that's debatable).
Iggy isn't necessarily defined as inside-and-out hip hop. She has a history of being able to rap, and keeping up with the big boys even, but the deciding factor (to me, at least) is this The New Classic album. I didn't listen to the album so I can't say I gave Iggy an honest opinion on this post, but with singles like "Fancy" ft. Charli XCX, "Work", and "Change Your Life" ft. T.I., to some she could have a voice for rapping, but you really wouldn't know unless you heard her actually rap. Luckily, that's what I'm here for.
This would be considered my "counter point" to you Ms. Rah Digga (all respect due of course, I loved you on Talib Kweli's "Art Imitates Life" song)! Saying Iggy isn't hip hop is a stretch to me, but defining hip hop as a whole is a completely different argument. In that case, Iggy isn't hip hop at all, but the girl can definitely rap given the chance. Rah Digga might not have heard the best of Iggy to give her an honest opinion, so you can't knock her for that. But I would like to hear what the people think! Does Iggy have true rapping ability? Let me know in the comment section, on twitter (@SuperNovaRover), or on my Google+ page!
Rah Digga came out to an interview with This Is 50 radio to talk about Iggy and how she feels about her and her association with hip hop, and had this to say: "Iggy Azalea, I can't get into her, because it's just not real to me. There is a white girl from Australia that spits in an Australian accent, and her name is Chelsea Jane. That I can get into. Teach me Australian hip hop culture. Don't come to America and try to convince me that you're Gangsta Boo. Personally, I don't consider her hip hop. I listen to her album. Everything that I hear on there is everything but that. And I feel like hip hop is hip hop."
So is Rah Digga hating on Iggy? At first glance you might say yes, but she does have a point. By definition (yeah, we're getting into the unwritten hip hop rule book on this one) Iggy isn't necessarily hip hop, but as far as new Iggy fans go (new meaning The New Classic Iggy fans, and not before that, although some "fans" probably didn't even buy the album) Iggy would probably be the closest thing to an influential woman figure in hip hop (unless you think Nicki Minaj is a real influence, but that's debatable).
Iggy isn't necessarily defined as inside-and-out hip hop. She has a history of being able to rap, and keeping up with the big boys even, but the deciding factor (to me, at least) is this The New Classic album. I didn't listen to the album so I can't say I gave Iggy an honest opinion on this post, but with singles like "Fancy" ft. Charli XCX, "Work", and "Change Your Life" ft. T.I., to some she could have a voice for rapping, but you really wouldn't know unless you heard her actually rap. Luckily, that's what I'm here for.
This would be considered my "counter point" to you Ms. Rah Digga (all respect due of course, I loved you on Talib Kweli's "Art Imitates Life" song)! Saying Iggy isn't hip hop is a stretch to me, but defining hip hop as a whole is a completely different argument. In that case, Iggy isn't hip hop at all, but the girl can definitely rap given the chance. Rah Digga might not have heard the best of Iggy to give her an honest opinion, so you can't knock her for that. But I would like to hear what the people think! Does Iggy have true rapping ability? Let me know in the comment section, on twitter (@SuperNovaRover), or on my Google+ page!
Thursday, September 25, 2014
Jay Electronica's Album Delay (Also A Brief Case For Why You Should Pay Attention, My Theory)
If there is one thing that compares to Dr. Dre's mythical Detox album (update: not considered "Detox" anymore) in the rap game today (or maybe even the entire music game, probably not but you know) it is probably Jay Electronica's debut album, Act II: The Pledge. This album has been talked about on and off since about 2010, and many Jay fans (some not even Jay fans, rap fans in general) have given up hope on the long-awaited debut. In any other case, I'd say it's hard to argue with the fans that have given up hope. But in this case, to me it's a little different, and let me explain why.
Jay Electronica might be the biggest tease on earth at this point, but it'd be smart to bear with him and see what he has to offer. I'm not saying be a Jay "Stan" and wait for every single release to drop (nobody has that kind of time anyways), but to pay attention to what he does, because when he does do something, it is more than likely a game changer and records like "Exhibit C" and "Better In Tune With Infinite" prove it. The problem is it's hard to tell when we can expect a new record from him, but I'd almost explain him as the Dos Equis man of hip hop (He has a following of fans, without releasing any music [Dos Equis guy voice]. Right? Anybody?).
And that is what I believe the twist with Jay Electronica is, it's an ear/desire to make good music mixed with a fear of releasing bad music (that and the mix of Jay's drug use holding him back, as he said recently in an interview attending the BET Hip-Hop Awards). Jay is such a "game changer" that he wants people to see the difference in him and your every day average rapper. You'd be blind or deaf to say there isn't a difference, but based on today's standards of music (especially rap today, and the mix tape era) and it's listeners, people just don't have the patience to wait. With the availability of music today, whether it be free or not, Jay is asking a lot in what he wants from his fan base. Or is he?
What makes Jay different from the rest of the rap pack? No I didn't say ratt pack (sorry Logic fans), but if people really cared and maybe you were forced to ask me of my opinion, I'd say it's that Jay is trying to do something different, yet bring rap music back to a simpler, more enjoyable period in time. Jay is pretty old (just turned 38 a few days ago actually) to be considered the every day average XXL freshman, so for him to appreciate the old rap and mix that with his brand of music making, that probably wouldn't give him the every day average "young rapper trying to make it" persona (especially the young part). So the generational gap in not only beliefs, but style comes into play. Not to mention his rumored affiliation with Nas (rumors of his ghostwriting for Nas are insane to me, but a co sign from Nas would NEVER be a bad thing, in fact quite the opposite). And being signed by Jay Z and having your music produced by the legendary Just Blaze isn't a bad case either (has anyone ever noticed the weird "Jay connection" with Roc Nation? I mean Jay Z, J. Cole, Jay Electronica, seriously what's the deal?).
So should you be interested in what Jay Electronica's next move is? I say yes. My explanation would probably be a mix between "his music is great and differentiates from the pack" to "I can't describe the fascination with the aura around him." So needless to say I'll be waiting for the next release from him, but the problem is being able to tell when that release is going to be. The man has played his cards pretty close to the chest at this point, so he only draws more interest with that aura already placed around him. An example of this is how often he puts out music. All of his music seems to get a fantastic response from fans, but is that because he so seldom releases music, or because it is really that good? The fan boy in me can't tell the difference between the 2 (a reason being I've been fascinated with the idea of Detox and it not being released since I first heard about it, I'll go as far as putting Guns N Roses' Chinese Democracy into the equation). All I can hope for for Jay fans everywhere is that you (we) get some sort of answer soon, but the fact that he is performing at the B.E.T Awards in October is certainly a good start.
Jay Electronica might be the biggest tease on earth at this point, but it'd be smart to bear with him and see what he has to offer. I'm not saying be a Jay "Stan" and wait for every single release to drop (nobody has that kind of time anyways), but to pay attention to what he does, because when he does do something, it is more than likely a game changer and records like "Exhibit C" and "Better In Tune With Infinite" prove it. The problem is it's hard to tell when we can expect a new record from him, but I'd almost explain him as the Dos Equis man of hip hop (He has a following of fans, without releasing any music [Dos Equis guy voice]. Right? Anybody?).
And that is what I believe the twist with Jay Electronica is, it's an ear/desire to make good music mixed with a fear of releasing bad music (that and the mix of Jay's drug use holding him back, as he said recently in an interview attending the BET Hip-Hop Awards). Jay is such a "game changer" that he wants people to see the difference in him and your every day average rapper. You'd be blind or deaf to say there isn't a difference, but based on today's standards of music (especially rap today, and the mix tape era) and it's listeners, people just don't have the patience to wait. With the availability of music today, whether it be free or not, Jay is asking a lot in what he wants from his fan base. Or is he?
What makes Jay different from the rest of the rap pack? No I didn't say ratt pack (sorry Logic fans), but if people really cared and maybe you were forced to ask me of my opinion, I'd say it's that Jay is trying to do something different, yet bring rap music back to a simpler, more enjoyable period in time. Jay is pretty old (just turned 38 a few days ago actually) to be considered the every day average XXL freshman, so for him to appreciate the old rap and mix that with his brand of music making, that probably wouldn't give him the every day average "young rapper trying to make it" persona (especially the young part). So the generational gap in not only beliefs, but style comes into play. Not to mention his rumored affiliation with Nas (rumors of his ghostwriting for Nas are insane to me, but a co sign from Nas would NEVER be a bad thing, in fact quite the opposite). And being signed by Jay Z and having your music produced by the legendary Just Blaze isn't a bad case either (has anyone ever noticed the weird "Jay connection" with Roc Nation? I mean Jay Z, J. Cole, Jay Electronica, seriously what's the deal?).
So should you be interested in what Jay Electronica's next move is? I say yes. My explanation would probably be a mix between "his music is great and differentiates from the pack" to "I can't describe the fascination with the aura around him." So needless to say I'll be waiting for the next release from him, but the problem is being able to tell when that release is going to be. The man has played his cards pretty close to the chest at this point, so he only draws more interest with that aura already placed around him. An example of this is how often he puts out music. All of his music seems to get a fantastic response from fans, but is that because he so seldom releases music, or because it is really that good? The fan boy in me can't tell the difference between the 2 (a reason being I've been fascinated with the idea of Detox and it not being released since I first heard about it, I'll go as far as putting Guns N Roses' Chinese Democracy into the equation). All I can hope for for Jay fans everywhere is that you (we) get some sort of answer soon, but the fact that he is performing at the B.E.T Awards in October is certainly a good start.
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
Royce Da 5'9 & DJ Premier's "PRhyme": Why You Should Be Excited
It seems Royce Da 5'9 is taking it to the next level with this one. Earlier this week a short video surfaced of DJ Premier joining alongside Royce rapping in a video over what you could only assume was some choice Premo production. People of the internet were rather excited about what this could possibly mean, but since then no further details were released...until now.
PRhyme is going to be a full length Royce Da 5'9 LP with DJ Premier taking the reigns handling production. It's hard to tell where Premo is going to take the production with on this one, whether or not he chooses to sample certain artists or keep the sampling to a minimum. He did have this to say about the album recently; "I've never sampled just one artist, I'm known for my reputation and my creativity. I wanted it to be my traditional thing where I sample everything I find, but I am really proud of how the project came out and Royce is one hell of a pusher." From the sounds of this it seems there is a minimum of sampling from Premo, but time will tell what we see in terms of production on the album.
PRhyme will boast some MONSTER features, however. It is confirmed that the project will feature Dwele, Killer Mike, Common, Ab-Soul, Schoolboy Q, Mac Miller, of course his fellow group mates Slaughterhouse, and Royce and Premo even managed to grab Jay Electronica for a feature. Are you excited yet?! PRhyme has not been given a release date yet, but is rumored to be put out before the end of the year.
The route the Slaughterhouse members have been taking for their music releases has been an interesting one to say the least. Crooked I's last release Apex Predator was put out about halfway through last year, Joell Ortiz's House Slippers saw a release a bit more than a week ago, while Joe Budden has plans for his EP Some Love Lost in November and the release date for the album All Love Lost has yet to be determined.
Being that it is almost October already, so far it seems like these releases from Joe and Royce will spill into next year, while Slaughterhouse as a whole will supposedly be featured on the anniversary project Shady XV and also have their album Glass House coming (no release date given) as well. So far it seems next year will be a very exciting year for Slaughterhouse and Shady fans alike, but all you can do now is wait. Check out the teaser video for Royce and Premo's PRhyme below.
(*I do not own this video, or the rights to it, Royce Da 5'9, DJ Premier, or PRhyme*)
PRhyme is going to be a full length Royce Da 5'9 LP with DJ Premier taking the reigns handling production. It's hard to tell where Premo is going to take the production with on this one, whether or not he chooses to sample certain artists or keep the sampling to a minimum. He did have this to say about the album recently; "I've never sampled just one artist, I'm known for my reputation and my creativity. I wanted it to be my traditional thing where I sample everything I find, but I am really proud of how the project came out and Royce is one hell of a pusher." From the sounds of this it seems there is a minimum of sampling from Premo, but time will tell what we see in terms of production on the album.
PRhyme will boast some MONSTER features, however. It is confirmed that the project will feature Dwele, Killer Mike, Common, Ab-Soul, Schoolboy Q, Mac Miller, of course his fellow group mates Slaughterhouse, and Royce and Premo even managed to grab Jay Electronica for a feature. Are you excited yet?! PRhyme has not been given a release date yet, but is rumored to be put out before the end of the year.
The route the Slaughterhouse members have been taking for their music releases has been an interesting one to say the least. Crooked I's last release Apex Predator was put out about halfway through last year, Joell Ortiz's House Slippers saw a release a bit more than a week ago, while Joe Budden has plans for his EP Some Love Lost in November and the release date for the album All Love Lost has yet to be determined.
Being that it is almost October already, so far it seems like these releases from Joe and Royce will spill into next year, while Slaughterhouse as a whole will supposedly be featured on the anniversary project Shady XV and also have their album Glass House coming (no release date given) as well. So far it seems next year will be a very exciting year for Slaughterhouse and Shady fans alike, but all you can do now is wait. Check out the teaser video for Royce and Premo's PRhyme below.
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
Kendrick Lamar Says "i" Love Myself: An Explanation Of His Genius
Were you part of a few (probably) million people in the world this morning at 8 am sharp slowly twiddling your thumbs waiting what seemed like your entire life for this new Kendrick track? In this regard (obviously) you wouldn't have been alone. It's been almost 2 full years since Kendrick's (debated) classic album Good Kid Maad City dropped and the people are more than ready to jump back on the Kendrick horse and see what he has to offer us next, although this new single might not have been what Kendrick fans had in mind.
Rumors circulated that the sample for said song would be instantly recognizable, and those rumors certainly had that part right. Producer Rahki took a page out of the Isley Brothers book and went all "Who's That Lady" on us. Now if you don't know Rahki (like me), he certainly isn't new to the rap production game, but he's new to the spotlight. He is known as being uncredited for co-production on a banger from Eminem's 2010 Recovery album, "Won't Back Down" featuring singer Pink, but he also has full credit for beat production from other stars like Game, 50 Cent, Curren$y, Ab-Soul, and has even produced for Kendrick before on GKMC.
But back to the lecture at hand. The internet is all over the place about what to think of this new Kendrick: a lot of people are glad that he's back to releasing music again, while others were expecting a lot more from a lead single from the Compton emcee. But if you know the deal with releasing music nowadays (especially from monster artists such as Kendrick), you'd understand exactly what Kendrick is doing. He is now considered "elite" in this thing we call rap, maybe even music as a whole, and that's where this new Isley Brothers-sampled jam comes into play. Kendrick wants to release great music to be known to all music fans around the world, not just hip hop heads like you and I. This song is a nice, catchy radio-friendly change of pace that could catch anyone's ears.
The approach is explainable, though. Going back to this "elite" argument, he definitely is, and he knows it. By this statement I mean he knows exactly how to use his power. When you think of the true elites in the game and the strategies they use to release their music, for example the Eminems, Kanyes, Waynes, Drakes, etc., they all use this EXACT same strategy when starting to push for an album release. Eminem with that at-first insane sounding "Berzerk", Kanye with the questionable "Black Skinhead", and even Drake with "Started From The Bottom". Do you notice the trend? Artists NEVER play it safe on the first single, and you should NEVER base your opinion on what you believe the album will sound like on 1 SONG.
So do I love this new Kendrick? No. Will I play it over and over again to figure out exactly what his plan is? Of course I will. And so will you if you listen to Kendrick's music. Although if you're planning to listen to "i" to try and figure out what the entire album is going to sound like based off of this 1 song, you're (we're) probably wasting your (our) time. Kendrick has too many things planned for this new album for us to hang our heads on the first single (rumors circulated of Kendrick working with Pete Rock on the new album, and maybe even some DR. DRE PRODUCTION?!?!). So I say sit back, relax, and enjoy the takeover, because we'll be seeing it shortly. I'll be posting a link to SoundCloud for the official audio on my twitter (@SuperNovaRover) shortly.
Rumors circulated that the sample for said song would be instantly recognizable, and those rumors certainly had that part right. Producer Rahki took a page out of the Isley Brothers book and went all "Who's That Lady" on us. Now if you don't know Rahki (like me), he certainly isn't new to the rap production game, but he's new to the spotlight. He is known as being uncredited for co-production on a banger from Eminem's 2010 Recovery album, "Won't Back Down" featuring singer Pink, but he also has full credit for beat production from other stars like Game, 50 Cent, Curren$y, Ab-Soul, and has even produced for Kendrick before on GKMC.
But back to the lecture at hand. The internet is all over the place about what to think of this new Kendrick: a lot of people are glad that he's back to releasing music again, while others were expecting a lot more from a lead single from the Compton emcee. But if you know the deal with releasing music nowadays (especially from monster artists such as Kendrick), you'd understand exactly what Kendrick is doing. He is now considered "elite" in this thing we call rap, maybe even music as a whole, and that's where this new Isley Brothers-sampled jam comes into play. Kendrick wants to release great music to be known to all music fans around the world, not just hip hop heads like you and I. This song is a nice, catchy radio-friendly change of pace that could catch anyone's ears.
The approach is explainable, though. Going back to this "elite" argument, he definitely is, and he knows it. By this statement I mean he knows exactly how to use his power. When you think of the true elites in the game and the strategies they use to release their music, for example the Eminems, Kanyes, Waynes, Drakes, etc., they all use this EXACT same strategy when starting to push for an album release. Eminem with that at-first insane sounding "Berzerk", Kanye with the questionable "Black Skinhead", and even Drake with "Started From The Bottom". Do you notice the trend? Artists NEVER play it safe on the first single, and you should NEVER base your opinion on what you believe the album will sound like on 1 SONG.
So do I love this new Kendrick? No. Will I play it over and over again to figure out exactly what his plan is? Of course I will. And so will you if you listen to Kendrick's music. Although if you're planning to listen to "i" to try and figure out what the entire album is going to sound like based off of this 1 song, you're (we're) probably wasting your (our) time. Kendrick has too many things planned for this new album for us to hang our heads on the first single (rumors circulated of Kendrick working with Pete Rock on the new album, and maybe even some DR. DRE PRODUCTION?!?!). So I say sit back, relax, and enjoy the takeover, because we'll be seeing it shortly. I'll be posting a link to SoundCloud for the official audio on my twitter (@SuperNovaRover) shortly.
Saturday, September 20, 2014
Hustle Gang's GDOD 2 Review
Grand Hustle has been slipping a bit on its rap cred, or its "street credentials" if you will. Well maybe not so much it's street cred, but more for it's pull in the rap game and their rights to say that they're still a juggernaut label, or a force to be reckoned with. T.I. isn't quite the hip-hop heavyweight he once was when it comes to selling records, or even being a top 5 emcee in the popular opinion. So that leaves the rest of the label: Iggy Azalea, B.o.B, Trae Tha Truth, Travi$ Scott, Young Dro, etc., to help carry the load in sales, and "street cred". Their first G.D.O.D mix tape saw a bit of success, but could they keep it rolling with G.D.O.D 2?
Now before this review gets going I HAVE to ask: why is it Grand Hustle is the only label that's had the time or desire to release any type of compilation project? With all the talent of other rosters that people would pay serious (or probably more, granted many people don't pay at all these days) money to hear like Shady Records (even though they're in the midst with Shady XV), G.O.O.D Music, Roc Nation, Young Money (though I believe they recently did it too?), why is it that Grand Hustle is the only label that has had the balls to do so? Could it possibly be for fear of incredibly high expectations? Surely not a far off notion. Anyways, back to this review thing.
Any project worth hearing has to have an intro that keeps you wanting more, and Grand Hustle did not too shabby with this one... "Welcome To My City" is that king-me type of banger that you love to bump in your 6-4 (word to Big K.R.I.T) riding around your... well... your "city". A sweet beat that includes some banging 808s and horns that are fit for a king's arrival, this song is a great way to start off any project. Not to mention the hella-catchy hook.
The general differentiation between albums and mix tapes you might normally say is substance vs. free bangers, and that's exactly what this tape is all about. Songs like "Brand New Choppa", "UM HMM", "What You Gon' Do Bout It", "Ain't Both (MLK)", and "I Do The Most" solidify a nice round up of bass-filled tracks that can become best friends with your car speakers. I don't listen to much of Young Thug myself, but hearing him on the hook of "I Need War" with T.I. does it some justice, and adds a bit of energy to the track. "By Any Means" with Watch The Duck (haven't heard of him until this tape, interesting name to say the least), T.I., Spodee, and Shad Da God adds a different vibe to the tape, but the crazy, gibberish-spewed hook is hard to understand and takes away from the song a bit, although its quite hilarious to hear if you like hearing fast talking "rappers" who mix groaning with a nice hit of crack. Check out this track if you want a laugh.
One thing that bothered me about this tape was the lack of B.o.B verses. Ol Bobby Ray has to be number 2 in line behind Tip in terms of who pulls the most weight, and to me he's the best rapper on Grand Hustle lyrically. Not only that, but 1 SONG with Iggy on it?! What's the deal there? You would think you'd try to get the biggest star in pop today on your mix tape more, ESPECIALLY if she's on your label! Not sure what the deal is there, but Iggy's sold out a bit to me anyways. They like to call it longevity, or versatility, but she's gone pop and strayed away from her rap roots a bit it seems.
Altogether a decent tape, but definitely one for strictly party use or car bumping. Lacking a bit in versatility, you don't hear a lot of RNB songs (minus "Champaign Room"), or straight "hip hop" songs where these guys like to show their ability, so it's a bit one dimensional. Highlights are the decent production, and appearances from practically EVERY relevant Grand Hustle rapper still around (Young Dro especially, it's nice to hear he's still got some skill on tracks like "Who We Is [OG]", and Trae Tha Truth is underrated as well, he's always reminded me of Bun B). So if you're looking to numb your body and your speakers a bit as well, give GDOD 2 a listen yourself, and make sure your speakers are heavy!
Now before this review gets going I HAVE to ask: why is it Grand Hustle is the only label that's had the time or desire to release any type of compilation project? With all the talent of other rosters that people would pay serious (or probably more, granted many people don't pay at all these days) money to hear like Shady Records (even though they're in the midst with Shady XV), G.O.O.D Music, Roc Nation, Young Money (though I believe they recently did it too?), why is it that Grand Hustle is the only label that has had the balls to do so? Could it possibly be for fear of incredibly high expectations? Surely not a far off notion. Anyways, back to this review thing.
Any project worth hearing has to have an intro that keeps you wanting more, and Grand Hustle did not too shabby with this one... "Welcome To My City" is that king-me type of banger that you love to bump in your 6-4 (word to Big K.R.I.T) riding around your... well... your "city". A sweet beat that includes some banging 808s and horns that are fit for a king's arrival, this song is a great way to start off any project. Not to mention the hella-catchy hook.
The general differentiation between albums and mix tapes you might normally say is substance vs. free bangers, and that's exactly what this tape is all about. Songs like "Brand New Choppa", "UM HMM", "What You Gon' Do Bout It", "Ain't Both (MLK)", and "I Do The Most" solidify a nice round up of bass-filled tracks that can become best friends with your car speakers. I don't listen to much of Young Thug myself, but hearing him on the hook of "I Need War" with T.I. does it some justice, and adds a bit of energy to the track. "By Any Means" with Watch The Duck (haven't heard of him until this tape, interesting name to say the least), T.I., Spodee, and Shad Da God adds a different vibe to the tape, but the crazy, gibberish-spewed hook is hard to understand and takes away from the song a bit, although its quite hilarious to hear if you like hearing fast talking "rappers" who mix groaning with a nice hit of crack. Check out this track if you want a laugh.
One thing that bothered me about this tape was the lack of B.o.B verses. Ol Bobby Ray has to be number 2 in line behind Tip in terms of who pulls the most weight, and to me he's the best rapper on Grand Hustle lyrically. Not only that, but 1 SONG with Iggy on it?! What's the deal there? You would think you'd try to get the biggest star in pop today on your mix tape more, ESPECIALLY if she's on your label! Not sure what the deal is there, but Iggy's sold out a bit to me anyways. They like to call it longevity, or versatility, but she's gone pop and strayed away from her rap roots a bit it seems.
Altogether a decent tape, but definitely one for strictly party use or car bumping. Lacking a bit in versatility, you don't hear a lot of RNB songs (minus "Champaign Room"), or straight "hip hop" songs where these guys like to show their ability, so it's a bit one dimensional. Highlights are the decent production, and appearances from practically EVERY relevant Grand Hustle rapper still around (Young Dro especially, it's nice to hear he's still got some skill on tracks like "Who We Is [OG]", and Trae Tha Truth is underrated as well, he's always reminded me of Bun B). So if you're looking to numb your body and your speakers a bit as well, give GDOD 2 a listen yourself, and make sure your speakers are heavy!
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Big K.R.I.T's See Me On Top 4 Review
Big K.R.I.T's new album campaign is officially kicking off, and what better way to excite your fans than to put out a mix tape before hand to build the anticipation? THERE IS NONE. If that was your answer then good for you. Want a cookie? Well too bad, I'd like one too, but we all got quite the treat when this wonderful mix of Krizzle dropped in the early afternoon yesterday. Yes ladies and gents K.R.I.T is back at it again, and thankfully enough it seems not a thing has changed for the incredibly underrated Mississippi-bred rapper.
I mean really though, I'd like to take a second and say if you're sleeping on K.R.I.T, then shame on you. BAD! You should know better than that! Anyways, back to this body of work. K.R.I.T has always been one to show his roots through his music, and See Me On Top 4 is no different. His southern brand of trunk banging, drum thumping music is always very pleasing to the ear for whoever takes the time to listen, and the bangers have "no chill" (as the kids say nowadays) on this project. Songs like "Ridin Dirty", "Ridin Low", and "Shook Up" bring that brand of heavy, strictlyforyocaddys type of bangers that K.R.I.T knows so, so well and really makes better than anyone else in the game right now.
But if you know K.R.I.T, you know that he certainly isn't one dimensional. He shows his range on songs for the ladies like "Mind F*ck", a cleverly-titled slow jam where K.R.I.T simply wants one thing that he establishes on the hook; "let me f@#! your brains out." He also addresses other topics, like the "broke" life and the struggle on the almost inspiring jam "Never Going Back". The talks of hustling and the struggling life in the streets take over this song and he establishes very clearly that he's "NEVER GOING BACK" on the hook of this one. I must say when I heard this I thought to myself "LETS DO IT KRIT!" The struggle is different for everybody, and I might not have grown up in the streets, but we all have our struggles no matter what our background, so don't judge me!
K.R.I.T's hustle never slows down as you know, and he shows that his producing ways haven't slowed down either having produced 13 of the 22 tracks on the tape. He even shows a little bit of "stepping outside of the comfort zone" on a freestyle on Lil Wayne's "Believe Me" instrumental. The rest of the production on the tape was handled by Jim Jonsin, Slade Da Monsta, WLPWR, Scott Storch, and more.
So this definitely turned out to be a pretty nice surprise for fans altogether. It's pretty safe to say that K.R.I.T practically never disappoints. I mean really, NEVER disappoints. The only thing I can honestly say I had to complain about on this tape was the tags and the talking over every record, but that comes with practically every mix tape. It was really sweet, and almost a blast from the past to seemingly hear this entire tape flow from song to song, almost as if the entire tape was 1 song in itself (Nate Dogg anyone?). The features on this project weren't too shabby, but we didn't see many of them. It's hard to say whether or not you expect that from K.R.I.T, although I'd like to say I enjoy solo K.R.I.T a bit more anyways. K.R.I.T handled a huge portion of the production on this one as usual, but switched up the pace a little bit by adding some help this time around. Is this a sign that his album will include more outside production? I guess we'll find out when Cadillactica drops in November. Check out a stand out cut from the tape, "Drinkers Club" featuring Juicy J, Rittz and ASAP Ferg below.
(*I do not own this song, or the rights to it or any of these artists)
I mean really though, I'd like to take a second and say if you're sleeping on K.R.I.T, then shame on you. BAD! You should know better than that! Anyways, back to this body of work. K.R.I.T has always been one to show his roots through his music, and See Me On Top 4 is no different. His southern brand of trunk banging, drum thumping music is always very pleasing to the ear for whoever takes the time to listen, and the bangers have "no chill" (as the kids say nowadays) on this project. Songs like "Ridin Dirty", "Ridin Low", and "Shook Up" bring that brand of heavy, strictlyforyocaddys type of bangers that K.R.I.T knows so, so well and really makes better than anyone else in the game right now.
But if you know K.R.I.T, you know that he certainly isn't one dimensional. He shows his range on songs for the ladies like "Mind F*ck", a cleverly-titled slow jam where K.R.I.T simply wants one thing that he establishes on the hook; "let me f@#! your brains out." He also addresses other topics, like the "broke" life and the struggle on the almost inspiring jam "Never Going Back". The talks of hustling and the struggling life in the streets take over this song and he establishes very clearly that he's "NEVER GOING BACK" on the hook of this one. I must say when I heard this I thought to myself "LETS DO IT KRIT!" The struggle is different for everybody, and I might not have grown up in the streets, but we all have our struggles no matter what our background, so don't judge me!
K.R.I.T's hustle never slows down as you know, and he shows that his producing ways haven't slowed down either having produced 13 of the 22 tracks on the tape. He even shows a little bit of "stepping outside of the comfort zone" on a freestyle on Lil Wayne's "Believe Me" instrumental. The rest of the production on the tape was handled by Jim Jonsin, Slade Da Monsta, WLPWR, Scott Storch, and more.
So this definitely turned out to be a pretty nice surprise for fans altogether. It's pretty safe to say that K.R.I.T practically never disappoints. I mean really, NEVER disappoints. The only thing I can honestly say I had to complain about on this tape was the tags and the talking over every record, but that comes with practically every mix tape. It was really sweet, and almost a blast from the past to seemingly hear this entire tape flow from song to song, almost as if the entire tape was 1 song in itself (Nate Dogg anyone?). The features on this project weren't too shabby, but we didn't see many of them. It's hard to say whether or not you expect that from K.R.I.T, although I'd like to say I enjoy solo K.R.I.T a bit more anyways. K.R.I.T handled a huge portion of the production on this one as usual, but switched up the pace a little bit by adding some help this time around. Is this a sign that his album will include more outside production? I guess we'll find out when Cadillactica drops in November. Check out a stand out cut from the tape, "Drinkers Club" featuring Juicy J, Rittz and ASAP Ferg below.
(*I do not own this song, or the rights to it or any of these artists)
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Logic is "Under Pressure": What Do YOU Expect?
Logic has to be my newest favorite rapper in the game. When you talk about young rappers coming up who like to carry on the tradition of hard hitting hippity hoppity rhymes with a good blend of new sounds mixed in with it, Logic HAS to be the first one that comes to mind, other than maybe Joey Bada$$ (at least that I currently know of). I was introduced to Logic at the beginning of this year and have to say I was impressed immediately. I mean, how can you NOT like Logic?
Logic will be releasing his debut album Under Pressure this October 21st under Def Jam and his Visionary Music Group label. He has already given fans a nice amount of free songs this year, some of those include "Driving Ms. Daisy" featuring Childish Gambino, "Everything I Am" ft. Hit-Boy & Audio Push, "Alright" ft. Big Sean, "Finding Forever freestyle", "While You Wait", and "Now" just to name a few. A couple of these songs were rumored to be on an EP titled "While You Wait" that he planned to release before the album, but he reportedly scrapped the project to get the album promotion started. If you can say anything up to this point about Logic, it's that he's a hard worker who enjoys making music not only for himself, but for his fans as well. The album's leading single "Under Pressure" is the first song that he has ever put on iTunes to this day, and that includes 4 other entire mix tapes.
So how can you not love someone who appreciates what he does as much as this guy? If you love his music it's almost as if you'd never get bored of it. A lot of hating listeners (who I'm not sure why you'd listen anyways) like to say that all of his music sounds the same and he "recycles" lyrics, but as Shakespeare said, "let thy haters hate". Not to mention the fact that the production for his debut will be quite stand out as well. These producers include Hit-Boy, 6ix, C-Sick, and the producer I put in the "5 producers you should know" article last week, No I.D., who will be executive producing the debut.
Yesterday the VMG rapper put out the first single for the album of the same name "Under Pressure" and if I could use one word to describe it, it'd probably just be, oh, I don't know... LISTEN. The song is supposedly self-produced and will actually be over 9 minutes long once the album drops, but it is an incredibly dope song even not being able to hear the finished product. That's all I can say. I have a feeling this album will be a game changer. This kid is the truth and if you aren't going to jump on the Logic bandwagon right now, then it's going to be a long road to the top. Not for Logic, he's practically there once the album drops, but if you aren't there for the ride then all I can say is sorry. Check out "Under Pressure" below.
(*I do not own this song, or the rights to it*)
Logic will be releasing his debut album Under Pressure this October 21st under Def Jam and his Visionary Music Group label. He has already given fans a nice amount of free songs this year, some of those include "Driving Ms. Daisy" featuring Childish Gambino, "Everything I Am" ft. Hit-Boy & Audio Push, "Alright" ft. Big Sean, "Finding Forever freestyle", "While You Wait", and "Now" just to name a few. A couple of these songs were rumored to be on an EP titled "While You Wait" that he planned to release before the album, but he reportedly scrapped the project to get the album promotion started. If you can say anything up to this point about Logic, it's that he's a hard worker who enjoys making music not only for himself, but for his fans as well. The album's leading single "Under Pressure" is the first song that he has ever put on iTunes to this day, and that includes 4 other entire mix tapes.
So how can you not love someone who appreciates what he does as much as this guy? If you love his music it's almost as if you'd never get bored of it. A lot of hating listeners (who I'm not sure why you'd listen anyways) like to say that all of his music sounds the same and he "recycles" lyrics, but as Shakespeare said, "let thy haters hate". Not to mention the fact that the production for his debut will be quite stand out as well. These producers include Hit-Boy, 6ix, C-Sick, and the producer I put in the "5 producers you should know" article last week, No I.D., who will be executive producing the debut.
Yesterday the VMG rapper put out the first single for the album of the same name "Under Pressure" and if I could use one word to describe it, it'd probably just be, oh, I don't know... LISTEN. The song is supposedly self-produced and will actually be over 9 minutes long once the album drops, but it is an incredibly dope song even not being able to hear the finished product. That's all I can say. I have a feeling this album will be a game changer. This kid is the truth and if you aren't going to jump on the Logic bandwagon right now, then it's going to be a long road to the top. Not for Logic, he's practically there once the album drops, but if you aren't there for the ride then all I can say is sorry. Check out "Under Pressure" below.
Friday, September 12, 2014
Jhene Aiko's "Souled Out" Album Review
Has there ever been a singer who has demanded as much attention as the lovely Jhene Aiko? You have your Rihannas, your Beyoncés, your Lana Del Reys and your Lordes, but Jhene has been doing things her own way since the day she emerged onto the music scene. From her acclaimed EP Sail Out, even dating back to her debut mix tape Sailing Souls, Jhene has seemingly been the perfect blend between soul singer and rap feature, and everything in between. In her previous projects, Jhene had attempted to find a voice. Not that she's needed to hearing how great it already is, but in terms of her music, she needed to find herself. Was Souled Out really the answer that she and her fans were looking for?
The Jhene that everyone got to know so fondly was on display early in the opening track "Limbo Limbo Limbo". The deep, metaphorical and somewhat trippy songwriting takes flight with lines like "falling from high buildings till she, was numb from the feeling, really", and continues throughout this track. If there were a song to bump on this album, it's safe to say "Limbo Limbo Limbo" is that track. Hard drum kicks are accompanied by a smooth, yet bumping bass line that round out her voice very well in a different way Jhene fans might not be so used to hearing. Listening to the intro track you don't get a very good feel for what to expect on the rest of this piece of work though.
"W.A.Y.S" is a great return to form for Jhene, the second track falling in line after "Limbo Limbo Limbo". This track is a dedication to her brother Miyagi who passed away from cancer back in 2012, and a reminder to herself to "keep going" as she says throughout the song. The background strings in this song really make it stand out along with the movie theater-like bass line that hits about 25 seconds in. Jhene said in an interview not too long ago that "W.A.Y.S" stands for "why aren't you smiling," which is a tweet that her brother Miyagi sent out not too long before he passed away, and it stands as a phrase that keeps Jhene going to this day.
The lovey dovey Jhene is as alive as ever on this album, with multiple songs that discuss such things as a past love, or her fears of trusting someone in a relationship. The song "Brave" is a message to any guy who happens to be "brave" enough to get in a relationship and go all in with her. The intro guitar in this song creates the type of "I've been crossed too many times before" vibe that Jhene vents through her poetry. The song "It's Cool" sets quite a different tone, however. In this cut she talks about how easy is it for her to fall for someone, or so it seems, and she confirms so in lines like "and I'm not even gonna front, at first I was just tryna fuck, but you have got me so in love." "You Vs. Them" is another dreamy love song that differentiates the time she has to split between the industry and her loved ones, an her discussion on how hard it is to choose between the two.
A very weird thing I felt I had to point out on this album is that 2 of the songs ("Blue Dream" and You Vs. Them") were 2 completely different songs in the past with different beats. Has any other avid Jhene listener noticed this? The song "Blue Dream" has the same lyrics as a previous song of hers titled "My Afternoon Dream" that has a different beat, and the song "You Vs. Them" is a song of the same title and lyrics, but has a completely different beat behind it. Look it up if you don't believe me, I just found this odd. Maybe it came down to a few last minute decisions before the album had to be turned in? Who knows.
Her "Pretty Bird (freestyle)" is a nice touch to round out the album. This song includes a banging beat that sounds like it'd be more for rapping, and she gives it a shot on this one. Her poetry is evident on this song and you can feel what she's saying as opposed to hearing it. I liked the ending featuring Common as well, another great poet who can put things into words very smoothly and almost effortlessly. He does the same on this song as he does Kid Cudi's "In My Dreams" intro on his Man On The Moon: The End Of Day album.
One of the most stand out songs on this album has to be "Promises" featuring Jhene's daughter Namiko and deceased brother Miyagi. Jhene has stated in an interview that this song is dedicated to her daughter for whenever she misses her and wants to hear her voice, and she even goes as far as to put Namiko on the hook the first time around! It's pretty cute to hear her messing around with the microphone at the very end of the song as you hear Namiko say "echo" along with some microphone static. Hearing this song and not being moved by it you have to have a heart of ice. It's as simple as that.
A nice refreshing vibe Jhene gives is on the song "To Love & Die" featuring her group singing mates Cocaine 80s. Her love of Tupac and the west side movement shows on this song near the end: "which side, this side, you should switch sides, on that acting like a bitch side by the way, you need to switch sides right away, we can live forever maybe die today. Love side hate side never in between, that's what we stand for y'all fall for anything, west side west side by the way, live forever for love or you can die today." The message on this song seems to be that you should live by the love, as well as die by the love (I don't know how you do both, seems you'd just end up getting hurt in the end... oh... *has an epiphany*). Jhene is clearly living by the love and it shows in her music.
And that's Jhene Aiko's Souled Out. Jhene has received a lot of criticism for her songs sounding the same or having a lot of the same topics in her songs, and she does have many love stories to tell on this album, but altogether this is not a bad album at all. Top notch production from the best in No I.D., Fisticuffs, Dot Da Genius and Key Wane find a way to mold beats around her voice and give it a feel that is refreshing, yet familiar to Aiko diehards. It was interesting to see her go for less features and more of a personal sound on this one, perhaps in the future she dabbles with more features? Time will only tell, and Jhene will have a lot of it to last in the industry if she can keep making honest music that touches people of all kinds.
The Jhene that everyone got to know so fondly was on display early in the opening track "Limbo Limbo Limbo". The deep, metaphorical and somewhat trippy songwriting takes flight with lines like "falling from high buildings till she, was numb from the feeling, really", and continues throughout this track. If there were a song to bump on this album, it's safe to say "Limbo Limbo Limbo" is that track. Hard drum kicks are accompanied by a smooth, yet bumping bass line that round out her voice very well in a different way Jhene fans might not be so used to hearing. Listening to the intro track you don't get a very good feel for what to expect on the rest of this piece of work though.
"W.A.Y.S" is a great return to form for Jhene, the second track falling in line after "Limbo Limbo Limbo". This track is a dedication to her brother Miyagi who passed away from cancer back in 2012, and a reminder to herself to "keep going" as she says throughout the song. The background strings in this song really make it stand out along with the movie theater-like bass line that hits about 25 seconds in. Jhene said in an interview not too long ago that "W.A.Y.S" stands for "why aren't you smiling," which is a tweet that her brother Miyagi sent out not too long before he passed away, and it stands as a phrase that keeps Jhene going to this day.
The lovey dovey Jhene is as alive as ever on this album, with multiple songs that discuss such things as a past love, or her fears of trusting someone in a relationship. The song "Brave" is a message to any guy who happens to be "brave" enough to get in a relationship and go all in with her. The intro guitar in this song creates the type of "I've been crossed too many times before" vibe that Jhene vents through her poetry. The song "It's Cool" sets quite a different tone, however. In this cut she talks about how easy is it for her to fall for someone, or so it seems, and she confirms so in lines like "and I'm not even gonna front, at first I was just tryna fuck, but you have got me so in love." "You Vs. Them" is another dreamy love song that differentiates the time she has to split between the industry and her loved ones, an her discussion on how hard it is to choose between the two.
A very weird thing I felt I had to point out on this album is that 2 of the songs ("Blue Dream" and You Vs. Them") were 2 completely different songs in the past with different beats. Has any other avid Jhene listener noticed this? The song "Blue Dream" has the same lyrics as a previous song of hers titled "My Afternoon Dream" that has a different beat, and the song "You Vs. Them" is a song of the same title and lyrics, but has a completely different beat behind it. Look it up if you don't believe me, I just found this odd. Maybe it came down to a few last minute decisions before the album had to be turned in? Who knows.
Her "Pretty Bird (freestyle)" is a nice touch to round out the album. This song includes a banging beat that sounds like it'd be more for rapping, and she gives it a shot on this one. Her poetry is evident on this song and you can feel what she's saying as opposed to hearing it. I liked the ending featuring Common as well, another great poet who can put things into words very smoothly and almost effortlessly. He does the same on this song as he does Kid Cudi's "In My Dreams" intro on his Man On The Moon: The End Of Day album.
One of the most stand out songs on this album has to be "Promises" featuring Jhene's daughter Namiko and deceased brother Miyagi. Jhene has stated in an interview that this song is dedicated to her daughter for whenever she misses her and wants to hear her voice, and she even goes as far as to put Namiko on the hook the first time around! It's pretty cute to hear her messing around with the microphone at the very end of the song as you hear Namiko say "echo" along with some microphone static. Hearing this song and not being moved by it you have to have a heart of ice. It's as simple as that.
A nice refreshing vibe Jhene gives is on the song "To Love & Die" featuring her group singing mates Cocaine 80s. Her love of Tupac and the west side movement shows on this song near the end: "which side, this side, you should switch sides, on that acting like a bitch side by the way, you need to switch sides right away, we can live forever maybe die today. Love side hate side never in between, that's what we stand for y'all fall for anything, west side west side by the way, live forever for love or you can die today." The message on this song seems to be that you should live by the love, as well as die by the love (I don't know how you do both, seems you'd just end up getting hurt in the end... oh... *has an epiphany*). Jhene is clearly living by the love and it shows in her music.
And that's Jhene Aiko's Souled Out. Jhene has received a lot of criticism for her songs sounding the same or having a lot of the same topics in her songs, and she does have many love stories to tell on this album, but altogether this is not a bad album at all. Top notch production from the best in No I.D., Fisticuffs, Dot Da Genius and Key Wane find a way to mold beats around her voice and give it a feel that is refreshing, yet familiar to Aiko diehards. It was interesting to see her go for less features and more of a personal sound on this one, perhaps in the future she dabbles with more features? Time will only tell, and Jhene will have a lot of it to last in the industry if she can keep making honest music that touches people of all kinds.
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
Is there a NEW Nas Album on the way?
Nowadays (at least for rappers' sake) rappers are very, VERY quiet up until they feel the need to make the news for something. That news could be for a guest verse, a highly anticipated remix, an upcoming tour, a new perfume (hopefully not for this guys case, but do you Nicki Minaj). Or the news could be leading up to something even bigger than all of those: a new album. And Nas felt the need to break the news to us in a new sweet remix of Schoolboy Q's popular banger "Studio". Check it out below.
(*I do not own this video, song, or the rights to them*)
Now not only can I say that this song is sweet because of that crazy beat that bumps on any speaker system, I can also say (Schoolboy can too, it is his song) that a legend was in a good enough mood to bless this beat as well! Boy, it's crazy how far skill can go matched with a little bit of luck isn't it? (For Schoolboy's sake, not Nas.) I mean as successful a run as Schoolboy has had so far with Oxymoron and the even better success that his single "Studio" has seen (multiple rappers freestyling over it, including multiple remixes), he's probably feeling pretty good right about now going into working on his next album (Schoolboy is hoping for a 2015 release, but he says things can change).
But our focus right now is on this supposed Nas album! In this remix Nas states that the album is already done and the single is very close to dropping (are you excited yet?), but he also states some other rather odd news that is probably safe to say nobody was expecting. The line "last album on Def Jam and I got so many options" sticks out to even the most novice Nas fan. So what does this mean? Does Nasty Nas go to another label to release (possible) future albums or does he stay independent? With the success rappers see staying independent today, this theory isn't too far fetched. Although it is Nas, I mean come on, its practically his choice if he wants a new label. At this stage in his career it's hard to tell (it "ain't" really, for him) what he wants to do, although the passion in his last Life Is Good album shows that he still has a lot of stories to tell us. Stay posted for further details, more to come as this story develops!
Now not only can I say that this song is sweet because of that crazy beat that bumps on any speaker system, I can also say (Schoolboy can too, it is his song) that a legend was in a good enough mood to bless this beat as well! Boy, it's crazy how far skill can go matched with a little bit of luck isn't it? (For Schoolboy's sake, not Nas.) I mean as successful a run as Schoolboy has had so far with Oxymoron and the even better success that his single "Studio" has seen (multiple rappers freestyling over it, including multiple remixes), he's probably feeling pretty good right about now going into working on his next album (Schoolboy is hoping for a 2015 release, but he says things can change).
But our focus right now is on this supposed Nas album! In this remix Nas states that the album is already done and the single is very close to dropping (are you excited yet?), but he also states some other rather odd news that is probably safe to say nobody was expecting. The line "last album on Def Jam and I got so many options" sticks out to even the most novice Nas fan. So what does this mean? Does Nasty Nas go to another label to release (possible) future albums or does he stay independent? With the success rappers see staying independent today, this theory isn't too far fetched. Although it is Nas, I mean come on, its practically his choice if he wants a new label. At this stage in his career it's hard to tell (it "ain't" really, for him) what he wants to do, although the passion in his last Life Is Good album shows that he still has a lot of stories to tell us. Stay posted for further details, more to come as this story develops!
Sunday, September 7, 2014
BET Hip Hop Awards 2014: Award Nominations and My Predictions (Or Wishes, Whatever)
It's getting to be that time of year again, the time when your favorite rappers get snubbed for an award, and when they give way too much recognition to an artist that doesn't deserve it, and of course the time of year in which seemingly every year an award category is made up in which nobody cares about. Of course I'm talking about none other than the BET Hip Hop Awards. With Uncle Snoop hosting this year there's bound to be some entertainment, but sadly enough you almost expect disappointment in there somewhere. Not because of Snoop of course, but because it's an award show (nowhere near as bad as the Grammy's for rap, but still) and someone is bound to be angry over something. At this point it's just not knowing what it could be. But I'm not focused on that right now because recently the award categories have been set, and I NEED to give my opinion on (what I believe to be) the most important categories, who should win each, and why. (Note: again, these are my personal views and opinions on who should win, no matter how biased or stupid the reasoning might be.)
Who Blew Up Award:
Iggy Azalea
Migos
Rich Homie Quan
Schoolboy Q
YG
Young Thug
Iggy. What's next? Oh am I supposed to elaborate? Is there any elaborating needed for this particular category? Not really. Not only did Iggy's lead single "Fancy" get certified double platinum by the RIAA, but she BROKE BILLBOARD RECORDS as the first artist since The Beatles (yes, those Beatles) to have their first two Billboard entries hit number 1 and number 2 simultaneously. Did anyone else on that list even have a number 1? Doesn't matter, moving on!
Hustler Of The Year Award:
Dr. Dre
Drake
Jay Z
Rick Ross
T.I.
What exactly are the details on this award? How does one become the "Hustler of The Year"? I suppose only a hustler would know. This award strikes me as odd, but noticing the common denominator in this list would be that most of them have become successful entrepreneurs. Not saying that I can detail piece by piece what Rick Ross and T.I. have done so importantly entrepreneur-wise this year, but in my opinion this one comes down to Dre and Jay. And Dre wins of course, I mean come on, 3 billy for selling a headphone line? Does it get more "Hustler" than that?
Best Collab, Duo, or Group:
Eminem ft. Rihanna - The Monster
Future ft. Pharrell, Pusha T and Casino - Move That Dope
Jay Z ft. Justin Timberlake - Holy Grail
Schoolboy Q ft. BJ The Chicago Kid - Studio
YG ft. Young Jeezy and Rich Homie Quan - My Hitta
This one might be a bit closer than some other categories. Being the Stan that I hate to admit I am, I'd like to see Em take this one home, and Rihanna is huge everywhere, but I certainly could see either Jay Z or Schoolboy Q win this one as well. That Studio jam had me bumping it since the video came out, and I didn't even listen to much of Oxymoron. Same goes for the Jay and Justin song; didn't listen to much of the album, but the song bumps. Props to the producers on both of those cuts, but if I’m picking a winner in this category, I’ll go with Schoolboy Q and the Chicago Kid.
Best Live Performer:
Drake
Jay Z
Kanye West
Kendrick Lamar
T.I.
T.I. being on this list confuses me... I mean I can't knock the guy, nor can I compliment him, but the other four performers on the list I have seen (or could see) people vouching for. Drake has been the people's pick for some odd years now, Jay Z is Jay Z, and Kendrick Lamar is Kendrick Lamar, and Kanye creates an aura around his performances that can't be matched by anyone. Now the arguments that Jay and Kendrick are themselves might not be the best points, but there are MANY people who would do unspeakable things to see Kendrick (including myself) as well as a legend like Jay Z (who knows how much longer he has left?). But my pick has to go to Kanye on this one, simply because the mere pictures I've seen of his performances (creepy metal masks, bringing a faux "Jesus" on stage, many people say its like Kanye is looking in a mirror, hilarious right?) are unlike anything you could see anywhere else.
Lyricist Of The Year:
Drake
Eminem
J. Cole
Jay Z
Kendrick Lamar
Nicki Minaj
This category is one of my favorites I'll admit. While I do like a good club banger I can party or bob my head to, the other half of it to me is lyrical capabilities. I enjoy sitting back and listening to some of the crazy metaphors Eminem can put together, as well as Kendrick's lyrical capabilities and Cole's great punch lines. I really couldn't tell you why Drake is on this list, he makes great music that people party to and vibe to even by themselves, but there's no way he matches up lyrically with Em, Kendrick, Cole, or even Nicki for that matter. My pick here is obviously Em, but if he doesn't get it (for some VERY odd reason) I see Kendrick taking this one home again.
Producer Of The Year:
DJ Mustard
Drumma Boy
Hit-Boy
Mike WiLL Made It
Pharrell
Timbaland
Interesting list here. Every one of these producers had at least one (probably more) smash hit that you couldn't go a day without hearing on the radio. My personal favorite was Hit-Boy's masterful production on Drake's "Trophies" banger that came out at the very end of 2013. It seems that Pharrell and Timbaland are always in the running for best producer of the year, but as much as I hate to do it I have to go with Mustard winning this one. Too many hits. Jeezy's "R.I.P", B.o.B's "Headband", Ty Dolla Sign's "Paranoid", YG and Drake's "Who Do You Love?", and that's not even scratching the surface.
Album Of The Year:
Drake - Nothing Was The Same
Eminem - Marshall Mathers LP 2
Rick Ross - Mastermind
Future - Honest
Schoolboy Q - Oxymoron
Yo Gotti - I Am
In terms of sales, this list isn't the most impressive. Only two of these albums have gone at least platinum, (Nothing Was The Same doing so for Drake and Shady's Marshall Mathers LP 2 has gone double platinum) but all of these albums are critically acclaimed obviously (or else they probably wouldn't be in this conversation). Although in the past 10 years or so, album sales haven't really been the greatest for any hip hop artist other than Eminem, Drake, Kendrick or Nicki. In fact, they are the only hip hop artists to receive a platinum plaque for their efforts in quite a few years (I thought I read at least 10 somewhere, I don't remember at the moment). But regardless of sales, I don't see anybody but Eminem or Drake taking this one home. The years both of them had were incomparable to anyone else.
I'll stop with the predictions right about there, although there are many more awards and nominations to get to, the ones I listed just seemed the most important (to me, at least). Check out the rest of the awards that will be given and their nominees below.
Best Hip Hop Video:
Drake - Worst Behavior
Future ft. Pharrell Pusha T & Casino - Move That Dope
Iggy Azalea ft. Charli XCX - Fancy
J. Cole ft. TLC - Crooked Smile
Nicki Minaj - Pills N Potions
Wiz Khalifa - We Dem Boyz
Made You Look Award (Best Hip Hop Style):
A$AP Rocky
Jay Z
Kanye West
Nicki Minaj
Young Thug
Best Hip Hop Online Site:
AllHipHop.com
Complex.com
HotNewHipHop.com
NecoleBitchie.com
RapRadar.com
WorldStarHipHop.com
Best Club Banger:
Future ft. Pharrell Pusha T & Casino -Move That Dope (Prod. by Mike WiLL Made It)
K Camp ft. Lil Boosie, YG & Too Short - Cut Her Off (Remix) (Prod. by Will-A-Fool)
Migos - Fight Night (Prod. by Stack Boy Twaun)
Wiz Khalifa - We Dem Boyz (Prod. by Detail)
YG ft. Jeezy & Rich Homie Quan - My Hitta (Prod. by DJ Mustard)
Young Thug - Stoner (Prod. by Dun Deal)
Video Director of The Year:
Benny Boom
Chris Robinson
Director X
Dre Films
Hype Williams
DJ Of The Year:
DJ Drama
DJ Envy
DJ Khaled
DJ Mustard
DJ Scream
Best Mixtape:
Action Bronson - Blue Chips 2
Fabolous - Soul Tape 3
Migos - No Label 2
Rich Homie Quan - I Promise I Will Never Stop Going In
Wiz Khalifa - 28 Grams
Best Featured Verse:
B.o.B - Paranoid (Ty Dolla $ign ft. B.o.B)
B.o.B - Up Down (Do This All Day) (T-Pain ft. B.o.B)
Drake - Who Do You Love (YG ft. Drake)
Kendrick Lamar - Control (Big Sean ft. Kendrick Lamar & Jay Electronica)
Pharrell - Move That Dope (Future ft. Pharrell, Pusha T & Casino)
Track Of The Year:
Cut Her Off (Remix) - K Camp ft. YG, Lil Boosie & Too Short
Move That Dope - Future ft. Pharrell, Pusha T & Casino
My Hitta - YG ft. Jeezy & Rich Homie Quan
Studio - Schoolboy Q ft. BJ The Chicago Kid
Worst Behavior - Drake
Impact Track:
Common ft. Vince Staples - Kingdom
Lecrae - Nothin
Lupe Fiasco - Mission
The Roots ft. Patty Cash - Never
Talib Kweli ft. Abby Dobson - State Of Grace
People's Champ Award:
Drake - Worst Behavior
Future - Move That Dope ft. Pharrell, Pusha T & Casino
Iggy Azalea - Fancy ft. Charli XCX
Wiz Khalifa - We Dem Boyz
YG - My Hitta (Remix) ft. Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, Meek Mill & Rich Homie Quan
I also remember reading that Murda Mook and Snoop D-O double G plan to bring battle rap to the show. What else could this possibly mean besides them taking the contestants from Total Slaughter and putting them in the cyphers? No confirmed details yet on who will be included, stay posted on those details, assuming they will be released as the date nears closer. The BET Hip Hop Awards are coming October 14th! Whose ready?
Who Blew Up Award:
Migos
Rich Homie Quan
Schoolboy Q
YG
Young Thug
Iggy. What's next? Oh am I supposed to elaborate? Is there any elaborating needed for this particular category? Not really. Not only did Iggy's lead single "Fancy" get certified double platinum by the RIAA, but she BROKE BILLBOARD RECORDS as the first artist since The Beatles (yes, those Beatles) to have their first two Billboard entries hit number 1 and number 2 simultaneously. Did anyone else on that list even have a number 1? Doesn't matter, moving on!
Hustler Of The Year Award:
Drake
Jay Z
Rick Ross
T.I.
What exactly are the details on this award? How does one become the "Hustler of The Year"? I suppose only a hustler would know. This award strikes me as odd, but noticing the common denominator in this list would be that most of them have become successful entrepreneurs. Not saying that I can detail piece by piece what Rick Ross and T.I. have done so importantly entrepreneur-wise this year, but in my opinion this one comes down to Dre and Jay. And Dre wins of course, I mean come on, 3 billy for selling a headphone line? Does it get more "Hustler" than that?
Best Collab, Duo, or Group:
Future ft. Pharrell, Pusha T and Casino - Move That Dope
Jay Z ft. Justin Timberlake - Holy Grail
Schoolboy Q ft. BJ The Chicago Kid - Studio
YG ft. Young Jeezy and Rich Homie Quan - My Hitta
This one might be a bit closer than some other categories. Being the Stan that I hate to admit I am, I'd like to see Em take this one home, and Rihanna is huge everywhere, but I certainly could see either Jay Z or Schoolboy Q win this one as well. That Studio jam had me bumping it since the video came out, and I didn't even listen to much of Oxymoron. Same goes for the Jay and Justin song; didn't listen to much of the album, but the song bumps. Props to the producers on both of those cuts, but if I’m picking a winner in this category, I’ll go with Schoolboy Q and the Chicago Kid.
Best Live Performer:
Jay Z
Kanye West
Kendrick Lamar
T.I.
T.I. being on this list confuses me... I mean I can't knock the guy, nor can I compliment him, but the other four performers on the list I have seen (or could see) people vouching for. Drake has been the people's pick for some odd years now, Jay Z is Jay Z, and Kendrick Lamar is Kendrick Lamar, and Kanye creates an aura around his performances that can't be matched by anyone. Now the arguments that Jay and Kendrick are themselves might not be the best points, but there are MANY people who would do unspeakable things to see Kendrick (including myself) as well as a legend like Jay Z (who knows how much longer he has left?). But my pick has to go to Kanye on this one, simply because the mere pictures I've seen of his performances (creepy metal masks, bringing a faux "Jesus" on stage, many people say its like Kanye is looking in a mirror, hilarious right?) are unlike anything you could see anywhere else.
Lyricist Of The Year:
J. Cole
Jay Z
Kendrick Lamar
Nicki Minaj
This category is one of my favorites I'll admit. While I do like a good club banger I can party or bob my head to, the other half of it to me is lyrical capabilities. I enjoy sitting back and listening to some of the crazy metaphors Eminem can put together, as well as Kendrick's lyrical capabilities and Cole's great punch lines. I really couldn't tell you why Drake is on this list, he makes great music that people party to and vibe to even by themselves, but there's no way he matches up lyrically with Em, Kendrick, Cole, or even Nicki for that matter. My pick here is obviously Em, but if he doesn't get it (for some VERY odd reason) I see Kendrick taking this one home again.
Producer Of The Year:
Drumma Boy
Hit-Boy
Mike WiLL Made It
Pharrell
Timbaland
Interesting list here. Every one of these producers had at least one (probably more) smash hit that you couldn't go a day without hearing on the radio. My personal favorite was Hit-Boy's masterful production on Drake's "Trophies" banger that came out at the very end of 2013. It seems that Pharrell and Timbaland are always in the running for best producer of the year, but as much as I hate to do it I have to go with Mustard winning this one. Too many hits. Jeezy's "R.I.P", B.o.B's "Headband", Ty Dolla Sign's "Paranoid", YG and Drake's "Who Do You Love?", and that's not even scratching the surface.
Album Of The Year:
Eminem - Marshall Mathers LP 2
Rick Ross - Mastermind
Future - Honest
Schoolboy Q - Oxymoron
Yo Gotti - I Am
In terms of sales, this list isn't the most impressive. Only two of these albums have gone at least platinum, (Nothing Was The Same doing so for Drake and Shady's Marshall Mathers LP 2 has gone double platinum) but all of these albums are critically acclaimed obviously (or else they probably wouldn't be in this conversation). Although in the past 10 years or so, album sales haven't really been the greatest for any hip hop artist other than Eminem, Drake, Kendrick or Nicki. In fact, they are the only hip hop artists to receive a platinum plaque for their efforts in quite a few years (I thought I read at least 10 somewhere, I don't remember at the moment). But regardless of sales, I don't see anybody but Eminem or Drake taking this one home. The years both of them had were incomparable to anyone else.
I'll stop with the predictions right about there, although there are many more awards and nominations to get to, the ones I listed just seemed the most important (to me, at least). Check out the rest of the awards that will be given and their nominees below.
Best Hip Hop Video:
Future ft. Pharrell Pusha T & Casino - Move That Dope
Iggy Azalea ft. Charli XCX - Fancy
J. Cole ft. TLC - Crooked Smile
Nicki Minaj - Pills N Potions
Wiz Khalifa - We Dem Boyz
Made You Look Award (Best Hip Hop Style):
Jay Z
Kanye West
Nicki Minaj
Young Thug
Best Hip Hop Online Site:
Complex.com
HotNewHipHop.com
NecoleBitchie.com
RapRadar.com
WorldStarHipHop.com
Best Club Banger:
K Camp ft. Lil Boosie, YG & Too Short - Cut Her Off (Remix) (Prod. by Will-A-Fool)
Migos - Fight Night (Prod. by Stack Boy Twaun)
Wiz Khalifa - We Dem Boyz (Prod. by Detail)
YG ft. Jeezy & Rich Homie Quan - My Hitta (Prod. by DJ Mustard)
Young Thug - Stoner (Prod. by Dun Deal)
Video Director of The Year:
Chris Robinson
Director X
Dre Films
Hype Williams
DJ Of The Year:
DJ Envy
DJ Khaled
DJ Mustard
DJ Scream
Best Mixtape:
Fabolous - Soul Tape 3
Migos - No Label 2
Rich Homie Quan - I Promise I Will Never Stop Going In
Wiz Khalifa - 28 Grams
Best Featured Verse:
B.o.B - Up Down (Do This All Day) (T-Pain ft. B.o.B)
Drake - Who Do You Love (YG ft. Drake)
Kendrick Lamar - Control (Big Sean ft. Kendrick Lamar & Jay Electronica)
Pharrell - Move That Dope (Future ft. Pharrell, Pusha T & Casino)
Track Of The Year:
Move That Dope - Future ft. Pharrell, Pusha T & Casino
My Hitta - YG ft. Jeezy & Rich Homie Quan
Studio - Schoolboy Q ft. BJ The Chicago Kid
Worst Behavior - Drake
Impact Track:
Lecrae - Nothin
Lupe Fiasco - Mission
The Roots ft. Patty Cash - Never
Talib Kweli ft. Abby Dobson - State Of Grace
People's Champ Award:
Future - Move That Dope ft. Pharrell, Pusha T & Casino
Iggy Azalea - Fancy ft. Charli XCX
Wiz Khalifa - We Dem Boyz
YG - My Hitta (Remix) ft. Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, Meek Mill & Rich Homie Quan
I also remember reading that Murda Mook and Snoop D-O double G plan to bring battle rap to the show. What else could this possibly mean besides them taking the contestants from Total Slaughter and putting them in the cyphers? No confirmed details yet on who will be included, stay posted on those details, assuming they will be released as the date nears closer. The BET Hip Hop Awards are coming October 14th! Whose ready?
Saturday, September 6, 2014
5 (Or Maybe More) Producers You Should Know (If You Don't Already)
Producers really do not get the props they deserve and I can show you right now; think of your favorite hip hop song; whoever raps it, if there is anyone featured on it, or even if they put out a music video for this song. Now can you tell me who produced that song? If you can, then that's pretty damn cool, I salute you. You are one step closer to being a rap nerd like all the rest of us (whether you like it or not). But if you can't, haven't you ever wondered about a song you love enough to figure out who made that beat, who his/her mother is, his/her favorite cereal, and where he/she resides? Okay, maybe those last 3 details aren't something you absolutely HAVE to know, but producers affect your favorite artists and how their music sounds more than you know. Luckily I'm enough of a rap nerd for all of us to know a few pretty good producers that you definitely need to know, if you don't already.
Scoop Deville
This first guy caught my attention awhile back during Kendrick's Good Kid Maad City campaign, having produced an extra for that album; "The Recipe" featuring Dr. Dre. Without seeing the production credits, my first thought was "damn that's a Dre beat." All the familiar drum kicks, and a nice melody to compliment the beat. But of course this guy gained even more attention when the above monster dropped earlier this year.
No I.D.
Okay, if there's any song that can rightfully be called a "monster," this is the one to claim the title. When "Control" dropped nothing was the same (props to Kendrick for that line, you clever dog), truly. It created hype for almost EVERYBODY involved; all rappers mentioned by Kendrick, rappers not mentioned by Kendrick, etc. etc. But someone who didn't really get the shine they deserved (after all he did MAKE the beat) was No I.D. This guy is insane, he produced Nas' 2012 hit "Locomotive" (this song is as hip hop as it gets) off of his Life Is Good album, he will be on Jhene Aiko's upcoming Souled Out album, and most notably he will be executive producing Logic's upcoming debut album. His name is Dion (No I.D. backwards), which is also cool.
Boi-1da
If you don't know who Boi-1da is, then shame on you. This guys' beats KNOCK. Just about every single one of them you'll bob your head too, and he has quite the decorated resume. This list includes Eminem's "Not Afraid", Drake's "Headlines", "Best I Ever Had", "Miss Me" and "Over", and Nicki Minaj's "High School." His list of hits is a small one, but a pretty damn good one in the quality of those hits, although you don't see him producing for many others outside of Drake's camp due to the fact that he is signed to his "OVO Sound" label. What bigger song of his to include than "Forever" remix though?
SounWave
This song... this song needs no explanation. Personally my favorite hip hop song of all time at the moment. This song will remain my favorite song of all time indefinitely. Is it biased to put this song as the example to display SounWave's work? Maybe. But I can't listen to this song and be mad, sad, or any type of other emotion that isn't happy. My life's soundtrack aside, SounWave has quite a resume already, having produced not only this beautifully composed masterpiece, but also having done Kendrick's "Bitch Don't Kill My Vibe," "Maad City," and Schoolboy Q's "There He Go." SounWave is part of a team of super producers called Digi+Phonics that also includes producers Tae Beast, Dave Free, and Willie B. The more you know, right?
Cardiak
This guy might be a bit lesser known, but is just as great as anybody else if not better. Cardiak stole my attention by producing for Joe Budden on his A Loose Quarter mix tape back in 2012 on bangers like "Cut From A Different Cloth" and "All In My Head." Since then he has cemented his status as a big name in the producing game and has produced for Slaughterhouse many times, and he is also probably going to have a hand in Slaughterhouse's upcoming album (no release date yet given). And if that isn't enough, check out his "making of" video for Eminem's "Groundhog Day" beat off of Marshall Mathers LP 2.
That's only 5 of some of the best producers in the rap game right now. I could go all day if that's what you really want, I mean I am a hip hop nerd. If none of those satisfy your interests, try looking into Hit-Boy, Jahlil Beats, Canei Finch, Illmind, Araab Muzik, Harry Fraud, I.D. Labs, Big Jerm, Alex Da Kid, 40, KeY Wane, the list could go on. While you're looking up these beat beasts remember that they are responsible for just about half of any rap song you've enjoyed. If there isn't a beat, rap just comes down to A cappella free styling. Not to mention the fact that they really do make us bob our heads. A beat without a rap is still a beat, and a rap without a beat is still a rap, but when you break it down and start to see how the 2 come together, you appreciate great music that much more.
Scoop Deville
No I.D.
Boi-1da
SounWave
Cardiak
This guy might be a bit lesser known, but is just as great as anybody else if not better. Cardiak stole my attention by producing for Joe Budden on his A Loose Quarter mix tape back in 2012 on bangers like "Cut From A Different Cloth" and "All In My Head." Since then he has cemented his status as a big name in the producing game and has produced for Slaughterhouse many times, and he is also probably going to have a hand in Slaughterhouse's upcoming album (no release date yet given). And if that isn't enough, check out his "making of" video for Eminem's "Groundhog Day" beat off of Marshall Mathers LP 2.
That's only 5 of some of the best producers in the rap game right now. I could go all day if that's what you really want, I mean I am a hip hop nerd. If none of those satisfy your interests, try looking into Hit-Boy, Jahlil Beats, Canei Finch, Illmind, Araab Muzik, Harry Fraud, I.D. Labs, Big Jerm, Alex Da Kid, 40, KeY Wane, the list could go on. While you're looking up these beat beasts remember that they are responsible for just about half of any rap song you've enjoyed. If there isn't a beat, rap just comes down to A cappella free styling. Not to mention the fact that they really do make us bob our heads. A beat without a rap is still a beat, and a rap without a beat is still a rap, but when you break it down and start to see how the 2 come together, you appreciate great music that much more.
Friday, September 5, 2014
Jhene Aiko: Hip Hop's Next Super Honey (If Not Already)
Jhene Aiko has kind of exploded since her arrival on the music scene. Since the release of her EP Sail Out at the end of last year, the L.A. based soul singer has been putting out great song after great song pushing towards the release of her album Souled Out coming out this Tuesday, September 9th. Now minus the fact that she is angelically good looking and practically my soul mate (get it? Still, back off), I can honestly say her voice is unlike anything I've ever heard before. I'm not sure if I could make a better voice myself if I could somehow magically make her and Drake have kids, then have Aaliyah and Frank Sinatra have kids, then by some miracle have those 2 kids meet and have kids. But miracle Jesus-voiced babies aside, the come up of Jhene Aiko has been an interesting one, and not at all one you could say you saw coming.
Admittedly I got in on Jhene a little late. The first time I recall hearing her was on the song "Sparks Will Fly" on the deluxe version of J. Cole's Born Sinner album. Now the intro always sucks me in like a tornado with that crazy wavy, bubbly like sounding synthesizer, or whatever the sound may be. But Jhene stole the show on this one for me. As soon as she came in on that hook, it was over. To this day, every time I listen to it I still wait for the hook more than any other part (sorry Cole, respect to you as well, but come on, really?). Not to mention the ending part of her sort of solo singing performance. Anyways, ever since I heard this song, I've been hooked; waiting for the next thing she puts out, and realizing that I'd never really had my attention grabbed by a singer as much as her.
So like any proper rap geek I went back and did some more research. I know an argument that she isn't a rapper could be made, but the fact that she has a history of rapping on tracks ("Real Now," "In Love We Trust" and "Stay Ready," just to name a few) is good enough evidence to me. Not to mention all the features from rappers she's boasted up to this point (Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Childish Gambino, Ab-Soul, etc.). So yeah, fellow rap die-hards, she counts. She can turn a hard rap song into a heartfelt, beautifully pieced emotional ballad with one hook.
So up to this point yes, I do consider her a double threat. But on her debut mix tape Sailing Souls she might have been a bit more one dimensional. She sang a lot on songs like "My Mine" and "You Vs. Them," while going for more of a pop sound on songs like "Popular" and "Higher." Then again she did add some decent verses on songs like "Its Real NOW" and "Do Better Blues." So really form your own opinion on how versatile you think she can be (ok not really, because she does EVERYTHING!).
Her Sail Out EP was absolutely no slouch either. Not only did her features step up (Kendrick, Ab- Soul, Childish Gambino), but the production value of her music sky rocketed as well, boasting beats from Fisticuffs and label head No I.D. Her great song writing is shown on every song, but the personal songs are what seem to gain her fan's attention the most. With talks of ex- boyfriends and love on the songs "The Worst" and "Comfort Inn Ending (freestyle)," she makes all the struggles of loving someone familiar and relatable to girls and women everywhere (and maybe even guys, if you're into that).
Her debut album will definitely be one to watch. Interestingly enough she has no rap features on Souled Out, in fact the only feature at all is the Cocaine 80s assisted song "To Love & Die." Is it safe to say that she may be going for a more personal approach? I wouldn't be surprised to see more personal love songs on the album, but that's my opinion. With Jhene it's hard to say she's more unexpected, but the end product usually results in satisfaction from her fans. I suppose we will only see what's to come from the solo soul singer (say that 5 times fast) here in the VERY near future. The only way to go is up: HIGHER! Check out her new music video for "The Pressure" below.
(*I do not own this video or song, or the rights to either*)
Admittedly I got in on Jhene a little late. The first time I recall hearing her was on the song "Sparks Will Fly" on the deluxe version of J. Cole's Born Sinner album. Now the intro always sucks me in like a tornado with that crazy wavy, bubbly like sounding synthesizer, or whatever the sound may be. But Jhene stole the show on this one for me. As soon as she came in on that hook, it was over. To this day, every time I listen to it I still wait for the hook more than any other part (sorry Cole, respect to you as well, but come on, really?). Not to mention the ending part of her sort of solo singing performance. Anyways, ever since I heard this song, I've been hooked; waiting for the next thing she puts out, and realizing that I'd never really had my attention grabbed by a singer as much as her.
So like any proper rap geek I went back and did some more research. I know an argument that she isn't a rapper could be made, but the fact that she has a history of rapping on tracks ("Real Now," "In Love We Trust" and "Stay Ready," just to name a few) is good enough evidence to me. Not to mention all the features from rappers she's boasted up to this point (Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Childish Gambino, Ab-Soul, etc.). So yeah, fellow rap die-hards, she counts. She can turn a hard rap song into a heartfelt, beautifully pieced emotional ballad with one hook.
So up to this point yes, I do consider her a double threat. But on her debut mix tape Sailing Souls she might have been a bit more one dimensional. She sang a lot on songs like "My Mine" and "You Vs. Them," while going for more of a pop sound on songs like "Popular" and "Higher." Then again she did add some decent verses on songs like "Its Real NOW" and "Do Better Blues." So really form your own opinion on how versatile you think she can be (ok not really, because she does EVERYTHING!).
Her Sail Out EP was absolutely no slouch either. Not only did her features step up (Kendrick, Ab- Soul, Childish Gambino), but the production value of her music sky rocketed as well, boasting beats from Fisticuffs and label head No I.D. Her great song writing is shown on every song, but the personal songs are what seem to gain her fan's attention the most. With talks of ex- boyfriends and love on the songs "The Worst" and "Comfort Inn Ending (freestyle)," she makes all the struggles of loving someone familiar and relatable to girls and women everywhere (and maybe even guys, if you're into that).
Her debut album will definitely be one to watch. Interestingly enough she has no rap features on Souled Out, in fact the only feature at all is the Cocaine 80s assisted song "To Love & Die." Is it safe to say that she may be going for a more personal approach? I wouldn't be surprised to see more personal love songs on the album, but that's my opinion. With Jhene it's hard to say she's more unexpected, but the end product usually results in satisfaction from her fans. I suppose we will only see what's to come from the solo soul singer (say that 5 times fast) here in the VERY near future. The only way to go is up: HIGHER! Check out her new music video for "The Pressure" below.
(*I do not own this video or song, or the rights to either*)
Wednesday, September 3, 2014
Flying Lotus & Kendrick Lamar Say You'll "Never Catch Me" And Its Hard To Argue
Well uhm... where to start with this one? Normally when you stumble upon some new Kendrick it isn't just ANY other day, of course. It's one of those days that you can tell is going to be a good one. Maybe not like Ice Cube good, or maybe it could be that good, I don't know I'm not Ice Cube, but it's a pretty damn good day nonetheless. Now Kendrick has the power to draw attention to even a guest verse, which not many people can do nowadays (minus maybe Drake, but who draws more attention? I thought to myself and couldn't come up with an answer honestly), so obviously I was one of the many whose attention it grabbed immediately. Having never heard of this Flying Lotus before, however, curved my interest even more than normal.
Now we all know Kendrick (hopefully, if you don't I have nothing to say to you), but I wanted to know a little more about this Flying Lotus creature. The fact that he says he has more songs with Kendrick certainly is an interesting starting point. Flylo had this to say (cool nickname huh?): "We've been working on stuff together. I went on tour and he recorded to a bunch of my songs. I don't know if he's gonna use them or not, but he recorded a bunch of stuff, which is why there's no Captain Murphy album yet. He took all my beats!" Now I'm not entirely sure what Captain Murphy is or what it entails, but Mr. Lotus is planning for his album You're Dead to release on October 7th of this year.
But Flying Lotus has a pretty interesting story outside of just one Kendrick featured single. He has apparently also produced a lot of the bumper music for the Adult Swim commercials in between shows (in case you don't know what bumper means, basically it means commercials, if you watch Adult Swim it would be the black commercials with sayings and phrases across them). In 2012 Steven Ellison (his real name) began rapping under the moniker Captain Murphy, based on the Sealab 2021 character that uses the same name. He has produced for a few big names already, one of those being Mac Miller, and rumors surfaced of him collaborating with Erykah Badu for her next album.
So maybe not the most known path taken to musical success, but he's certainly already on the right path. His album You're Dead will carry features from Kendrick, Snoop Dogg, and Herbie Hancock, and will certainly be one to look out for. Just hearing this Kendrick song I can already tell it's going to be a more different vibe than we're used to hearing, hopefully refreshing. And obviously Kendrick isn't one to shy away from different, so I like this song already, not only because its great, but because this could possibly mean new solo Kendrick is DANGEROUSLY CLOSE. Stay glued to your PC's. The game could be blowing up shortly. Listen to the new collab between the two below.
(*I do not own this song, video, or the rights to either*)
Now we all know Kendrick (hopefully, if you don't I have nothing to say to you), but I wanted to know a little more about this Flying Lotus creature. The fact that he says he has more songs with Kendrick certainly is an interesting starting point. Flylo had this to say (cool nickname huh?): "We've been working on stuff together. I went on tour and he recorded to a bunch of my songs. I don't know if he's gonna use them or not, but he recorded a bunch of stuff, which is why there's no Captain Murphy album yet. He took all my beats!" Now I'm not entirely sure what Captain Murphy is or what it entails, but Mr. Lotus is planning for his album You're Dead to release on October 7th of this year.
But Flying Lotus has a pretty interesting story outside of just one Kendrick featured single. He has apparently also produced a lot of the bumper music for the Adult Swim commercials in between shows (in case you don't know what bumper means, basically it means commercials, if you watch Adult Swim it would be the black commercials with sayings and phrases across them). In 2012 Steven Ellison (his real name) began rapping under the moniker Captain Murphy, based on the Sealab 2021 character that uses the same name. He has produced for a few big names already, one of those being Mac Miller, and rumors surfaced of him collaborating with Erykah Badu for her next album.
So maybe not the most known path taken to musical success, but he's certainly already on the right path. His album You're Dead will carry features from Kendrick, Snoop Dogg, and Herbie Hancock, and will certainly be one to look out for. Just hearing this Kendrick song I can already tell it's going to be a more different vibe than we're used to hearing, hopefully refreshing. And obviously Kendrick isn't one to shy away from different, so I like this song already, not only because its great, but because this could possibly mean new solo Kendrick is DANGEROUSLY CLOSE. Stay glued to your PC's. The game could be blowing up shortly. Listen to the new collab between the two below.
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