Word in the rumor mill is that Jay Z just bought all of the rights to Tupac's unreleased material ($384 million worth supposedly, this includes unreleased and unfinished songs, verses, demos, writings, scripts, poems, and more). Now if anyone has the money to do this it'd be Jay Z (or Dr. Dre, and it'd certainly make more sense for Dre to buy the material), but the question is what interest does Jay Z have in buying Tupac's unreleased material?
So before I get in depth about thoughts on this subject I have to say that rumors are not true, as confirmed by a representative from Roc Nation. However, Jam INC's Jeff Jampol (who oversees Tupac's estate) did confirm that there could be some new unheard Tupac material circulating soon. How soon this will be is unsure, but the 20th anniversary of Tupac's death approaches (though it's next September, 2016) and supposedly Pac has new clothing coming out, as well as a Grammy museum showcasing Tupac's writing, and even a biography deal is being finalized for a "very serious writer" to put out a new Tupac biography.
All of this is exciting no doubt, and though the rumors of Jay Z buying Tupac's unreleased material may be far fetched, there is no denying that Mr. Z certainly has the money to buy Tupac's material if he really wanted to. Rumors of a 2016 album of Tupac's unreleased material titled And Now I Rise boasting such features as Snoop Dogg, Nas, Drake, The Dream, DMX, Beyoncé, and Jay Z were also being put out, although the rumors were confirmed false by Billboard. Interesting, to say the least. If you could see anyone buying Tupac's unreleased material today, who do you believe it would be and why?
For me it'd make sense for Dr. Dre to buy Pac's music and finish off what he and Pac had started with Death Row Records in the 90s, even if they didn't get along very well up until Dre's departure from Death Row. Can you imagine a mastered Dre beat with unreleased Tupac verses and even a hook? With all of the stuff that Dre has in the bag that nobody's heard (way too much stuff that nobody's heard), there definitely has to be something that would fit Tupac's vibe. It'd certainly be a challenge for Dre to fit a beat around a verse as opposed to the opposite normal way of someone writing to a beat, but it'd also be a nice blast from the past and maybe even a new challenge that Dre could take on.
But anyways, even with the news being untrue, there's my two cents on the matter. Who do you think should buy Tupac's unreleased material and why? Feel free to give me your answers on Google+ or twitter (@SuperNovaRover). Tupac probably has enough unreleased material to make 5 more albums knowing how hard the man worked during his time on our planet Earth, and probably for good reason seeing as how much he "predicted" things with his eerie lyrics. The sad part is his material from 20+ years ago still probably sounds more ahead of its time than Rae Sremmurd's. Can someone please tell me why they're rapping? Anyways, let me know your thoughts on the subject if you'd like.
Sunday, March 29, 2015
Friday, March 27, 2015
Late To The Game: Canei Finch's "Morning Music" EP
It can be incredibly hard to keep up with everything that is going on in the hip hop world all at once, so every now and then I will stumble across something considered old (in the hip hop world of course, this could range from 1 day to 1 year and any time in between) but still incredibly dope. I have a feeling I'm going to be making a regular thing out of this, as a rap blogger you like to think you're on top of everything rap music, but sometimes things just slip by you without you even noticing, and in this case, Canei Finch's Morning Music EP was one of those things.
Now if you haven't heard of Canei Finch, you're probably not alone in that matter, but you will definitely get to know him very well if he keeps up at what he's doing. His Morning Music EP was not my first introduction to him, but it's hard to base how you feel someone will sound off of one song (Kendrick Lamar's "West Side, Right On Time"). I knew the guy was a dope producer just from listening to Kendrick's song, you normally get that sort of feel from a beat you listen to and can't get out of your head (it's as if everywhere you go, no matter what you're doing, you find a way for that song to keep the pace of your day up), but looking across other blogs and finding out this guy had put out an EP of not just all songs he produced himself, but also RAPPED over? I saw a music video for his "The Morning Song" song and instantly had to have more.
(Not a bad feel to wake up to, right? *I do not own this video, or the rights to it*)
It's funny the things you can find just scrolling through hip hop blog sites bored out of your mind. And they say curiosity killed the cat... ha! Apparently before the cat died it found some pretty damn good music as well. Canei Finch was a guy that I had no idea about, and I regret not knowing sooner. The persona you get from listening to songs from your favorite artists and reading the parenthesis saying "prod. by" etc. etc. is practically a ghostly one. When you hear a beat that's so awesome you can't help but get it stuck in your head don't you wish you could figure out who made that beat? Someone deserves credit dammit! Anyways, Canei Finch is an example of one of those people. This EP has 90s influence dripping off of it like mayonnaise on a Philly cheese steak sandwich (or something like that, I don't know I'm not from Philly), and the sound is something oh so familiar yet refreshing to hear. "The Morning Song" just makes you want to get up and go do something with your life! I know I feel empowered already (even though it's 1 A.M. currently, inspiration has no clock), and Canei Finch should give you enough inspiration to go out and do things like he does, whether it be rap, produce, both, or whatever sort of battles you have to get through in your day. Music is the best remedy for those battles, that's for sure.
Now if you haven't heard of Canei Finch, you're probably not alone in that matter, but you will definitely get to know him very well if he keeps up at what he's doing. His Morning Music EP was not my first introduction to him, but it's hard to base how you feel someone will sound off of one song (Kendrick Lamar's "West Side, Right On Time"). I knew the guy was a dope producer just from listening to Kendrick's song, you normally get that sort of feel from a beat you listen to and can't get out of your head (it's as if everywhere you go, no matter what you're doing, you find a way for that song to keep the pace of your day up), but looking across other blogs and finding out this guy had put out an EP of not just all songs he produced himself, but also RAPPED over? I saw a music video for his "The Morning Song" song and instantly had to have more.
It's funny the things you can find just scrolling through hip hop blog sites bored out of your mind. And they say curiosity killed the cat... ha! Apparently before the cat died it found some pretty damn good music as well. Canei Finch was a guy that I had no idea about, and I regret not knowing sooner. The persona you get from listening to songs from your favorite artists and reading the parenthesis saying "prod. by" etc. etc. is practically a ghostly one. When you hear a beat that's so awesome you can't help but get it stuck in your head don't you wish you could figure out who made that beat? Someone deserves credit dammit! Anyways, Canei Finch is an example of one of those people. This EP has 90s influence dripping off of it like mayonnaise on a Philly cheese steak sandwich (or something like that, I don't know I'm not from Philly), and the sound is something oh so familiar yet refreshing to hear. "The Morning Song" just makes you want to get up and go do something with your life! I know I feel empowered already (even though it's 1 A.M. currently, inspiration has no clock), and Canei Finch should give you enough inspiration to go out and do things like he does, whether it be rap, produce, both, or whatever sort of battles you have to get through in your day. Music is the best remedy for those battles, that's for sure.
Monday, March 23, 2015
Rap Concepts YOU (The People) Love
Sitting and listening to your favorite album as an entire project can be a truly delightful experience and can almost feel rewarding. Sometimes you may even get rewarded by your favorite artist by them adding a hidden track (who doesn't love a secret track not listed on the album?). But one of the best things an artist can do is associate another character you can relate with (whether it be Randolph on Logic's mix tapes or Kenneth Kaniff from Connecticut, hopefully you don't relate to Kenneth so much). These concepts, or "personas", especially when carried on from project to project, are always awesome to hear and can almost bring you back to times when you thought your favorite artist was better (whether you like to admit it or not), and when times were much simpler.
Mr. Easy Wider - Wiz Khalifa mix tapes
The cool voiced DJ Mr. Easy Wider was always funny in Wiz Khalifa's mix tapes efforts, including such highly acclaimed tapes as Flight School, Kush & OJ, and more. Taking on the role of Wiz Khalifa's very exclusive radio DJ, Easy Wider prepared you for the next track like nobody else could, and the end of Wiz's track "Never Ever" was a fine example of just that.
Eminem - Ken Kaniff from Connecticut
This is an easy one, especially for Eminem fans. Ken Kaniff made his first appearance in a skit on Slim Shady LP of the same name, and on your first listen of any skit, you normally skip right over it and move on (that is, if you're looking to get to the music), but the first couple of seconds of this skit definitely draws your attention more than the average one. The creepy voiced crazy fan (though he has Eminem's phone number so he's probably a close friend) goes on to call Eminem and the rest is history. This is certainly not the last you hear of Ken Kaniff though, as you can hear him take over the end of the song "Wicked Ways" off of Eminem's Marshall Mathers LP 2.
B.o.B - DC Young Fly (No Genre 2 mix tape)
Another rather hilarious run of skits that occurred more than once were the DC Young Fly skits on B.o.B's No Genre 2 mix tape. B.o.B is always thinking outside of the box and is as creative a mind as hip hop gets, and he even showed a bit of his funny side on these skits featuring DC Young Fly (still not entirely sure who he is or why he is somewhat famous other than this, guess I'll be doing some more digging soon, probably not though). Who knows how these skits came about, but could we see more of DC Young Fly and B.o.B collaborating in the future? I guess we'll have to wait to find out.
Any/Every skit on Kendrick's Good Kid Maad City
(*I do not own any of these videos, songs, or the rights to them*)
Good Kid Maad City doesn't so much fit the realm of concepts I was going for creating this article, but you have to marvel at the creativity and the picture that Kendrick paints with not just the ending song skits, but Kendrick's story telling throughout the album even more than that. You could almost compare Good Kid Maad City to B.I.G.'s Ready To Die in that sense, the comparisons in each actually resonate more than you even know. Each and every single song tells a story and leads into the next chapter almost effortlessly. Kendrick was quoted in an interview with Stephen Colbert (the very last Colbert episode ever, you can find the interview online anywhere) as saying "I don't like to call myself a rapper, I'd rather call myself a writer because I am telling stories in my music." It's certainly hard to argue with Kendrick in that sense, he just may be the best story telling rapper in the game right now, and with To Pimp A Butterfly killing the game right now, it's certainly hard to argue that any one artist can come up with a concept as good as Kendrick.
Concepts in albums/mix tapes occur way more often than music fans can even say they notice, and when you do notice it's almost like you're finally noticing the story that comes along with the music. Some artists are better at keeping the scheme going than others, but when you hear each artist do it their way it's almost like you're getting a piece of them along with the music. This is why I believe albums remain to be much more sacred and coveted than random free drops or leaks; you're not getting a random free song out of context, you're getting an entire body of work, basically the much more pleasing, less reading, audio version of a good book. Keep reading (sonically) my friends, and enjoy the story.
Mr. Easy Wider - Wiz Khalifa mix tapes
The cool voiced DJ Mr. Easy Wider was always funny in Wiz Khalifa's mix tapes efforts, including such highly acclaimed tapes as Flight School, Kush & OJ, and more. Taking on the role of Wiz Khalifa's very exclusive radio DJ, Easy Wider prepared you for the next track like nobody else could, and the end of Wiz's track "Never Ever" was a fine example of just that.
Eminem - Ken Kaniff from Connecticut
This is an easy one, especially for Eminem fans. Ken Kaniff made his first appearance in a skit on Slim Shady LP of the same name, and on your first listen of any skit, you normally skip right over it and move on (that is, if you're looking to get to the music), but the first couple of seconds of this skit definitely draws your attention more than the average one. The creepy voiced crazy fan (though he has Eminem's phone number so he's probably a close friend) goes on to call Eminem and the rest is history. This is certainly not the last you hear of Ken Kaniff though, as you can hear him take over the end of the song "Wicked Ways" off of Eminem's Marshall Mathers LP 2.
B.o.B - DC Young Fly (No Genre 2 mix tape)
Another rather hilarious run of skits that occurred more than once were the DC Young Fly skits on B.o.B's No Genre 2 mix tape. B.o.B is always thinking outside of the box and is as creative a mind as hip hop gets, and he even showed a bit of his funny side on these skits featuring DC Young Fly (still not entirely sure who he is or why he is somewhat famous other than this, guess I'll be doing some more digging soon, probably not though). Who knows how these skits came about, but could we see more of DC Young Fly and B.o.B collaborating in the future? I guess we'll have to wait to find out.
Any/Every skit on Kendrick's Good Kid Maad City
Good Kid Maad City doesn't so much fit the realm of concepts I was going for creating this article, but you have to marvel at the creativity and the picture that Kendrick paints with not just the ending song skits, but Kendrick's story telling throughout the album even more than that. You could almost compare Good Kid Maad City to B.I.G.'s Ready To Die in that sense, the comparisons in each actually resonate more than you even know. Each and every single song tells a story and leads into the next chapter almost effortlessly. Kendrick was quoted in an interview with Stephen Colbert (the very last Colbert episode ever, you can find the interview online anywhere) as saying "I don't like to call myself a rapper, I'd rather call myself a writer because I am telling stories in my music." It's certainly hard to argue with Kendrick in that sense, he just may be the best story telling rapper in the game right now, and with To Pimp A Butterfly killing the game right now, it's certainly hard to argue that any one artist can come up with a concept as good as Kendrick.
Concepts in albums/mix tapes occur way more often than music fans can even say they notice, and when you do notice it's almost like you're finally noticing the story that comes along with the music. Some artists are better at keeping the scheme going than others, but when you hear each artist do it their way it's almost like you're getting a piece of them along with the music. This is why I believe albums remain to be much more sacred and coveted than random free drops or leaks; you're not getting a random free song out of context, you're getting an entire body of work, basically the much more pleasing, less reading, audio version of a good book. Keep reading (sonically) my friends, and enjoy the story.
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
To Pimp A Butterfly (Track By Track) Review; Kendrick's Conscious, Funky Transition
How many rappers are out there that could truly break the internet with a single song release? When Kendrick's "i" hit the internet people were confused, general reactions were "oh he had been gone for so long and this is what he comes up with", or something along the lines of disappointed. But I've tried to make this point as clear as I could a couple times now, and other music listeners should do the same when hearing a "first" single off an album; one song taken out of context does not define the sound of an entire body of work, especially when the body of work is truly a story in itself, like that of Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp A Butterfly. Fans had no time to build any sort of anticipation for this album (or they did and just couldn't wait to leak it), so Kendrick decided to give us all an early Christmas present and release it a whole week before it was expected. Now with earlier than expected releases they tend to be let downs, but going back to the previous question (or argument in a sense), there is a choice selection of rappers who don't let many people down; Kendrick Lamar is on this list 9 times out of 10.
"Wesley's Theory" is the beginning of a story that we've all been waiting to hear for so long. Starting the story in the middle like a Tarantino flick, Kendrick flips hip hop on its ear and funks it out in a proper way with a George Clinton and Thundercat feature. The message of this track seems to hit home on a couple of points; the "we should have never gave you niggas money" point is a funny Chappelle's Show reference (Rick James BITCH!), but it could also point to how Kendrick believes people in society view black people. Is Kendrick trying to prove a point by satirizing points that have been made? You could only tell after a few listens.
The "For Free? Interlude" is another interesting piece of heavy jazz influenced music that also seems to flip a view of society. With a fun, fast paced piano riff and a couple of nice jazz horns, Kendrick explains "this... dick... ain't... FREEEE" to a woman. Who would have thought this was possible? This is awesome if you ever have had to deal with bull from your woman, but the interlude on your first listen doesn't add up to much other than Kendrick showing hate towards thotty women.
If there was any track on this album that got hype more than any other, it was "King Kunta." Even before people knew anything about the album, "King Kunta" was being talked about in interviews with Pharrell, where he described the track as "unapologetically black and amazing," and you have to agree with Pharrell when you listen. The funk sound stays true in "King Kunta", and Kendrick and his go-to producer Sounwave kill it as usual with a bouncy sounding bass line and some every day observation with a mix of venting from Kendrick. "King Kunta" is unlike any song you have probably heard in the last 20 years; it's blend of consciousness and a funky beat make it so listenable that you can't help but have the message seared into your brain. Kendrick's goal, if any indication of his music (at least "King Kunta" and "The Blacker The Berry"), is getting put out to the masses, and that's half the battle of creating change.
Kendrick really likes to change up the sound of songs midway through, and his history ("Sing About Me, I'm Dying Of Thirst", "Cartoons & Cereal", and now "Institutionalized") of doing this is proven. Whether it be to curve your attention or to change the perspective of the story being told, it's always hard to tell why it's being done at first, but his angles always seem to follow the plot of the story in the end (after all, he is a self proclaimed "writer", and rightfully so). "Institutionalized" begins with a slow, wavy beat in which Kendrick starts on with his higher pitched voice, but then the beat transitions into another drum beat of the same type, but a little slower paced, almost made for you to pay attention to. "Shit don't change til ya, get up and wash yo ass," Kendrick's grandma said to him, and that right there is the point of this jam. Kendrick's grandma warned him of this time coming, as she did of the hood, that he uses less wisely than (we all) he would like to say he (we all) really does (do).
"I remember you was conflicted. Misusing your influence - sometimes I did the same" - a saying that continuously makes more sense as this album progresses, you can only keep listening to figure out what it leads up to. "These Walls" is a true reflection of self. Kendrick was in a vulnerable state making this song it is very easy to tell, and the saying "if these walls could talk" has probably never been used as a finer example. "These Walls" is Kendrick looking into his walls like mirrors, and seeing not only himself, but every flaw, every scar, every problem he has ever encountered, and maybe even every person he has hurt or murdered (allegedly) and having them staring him right back in the face. Now (besides the murder part, hopefully) how can you not relate to that?
Kendrick also remixed Eminem's "Kim" believe it or not. No that was definitely a joke, but Kendrick certainly isn't joking on his song "u", again taking a perspective where he is talking to himself via song. "Loving you is complicated", he cries in a menacing yell, and for him to point out a side of himself that only he would know with such detail is something that damn near no other rapper, let alone any other man would go as far to do. The beat switches up again halfway through this one, and it's hard not to feel the pain in his voice with every word he utters over the slow, sad sounding horn that could cause a heavy heart even on your brightest day.
Transitioning properly from downer to upper, "Alright" is a bumping track that we know Kendrick has the ability to make and make sound amazing (though To Pimp A Butterfly is a concept album as a whole, it's hard to make every track bump trying to fit the concept of the story). "Alright" is the song that balances out every bad feeling and down emotion you get from the album, and the sampled beat is such an uplifting tune that you can't help but jig a bit when it hits.
Kendrick's "For Sale? (Interlude)" is such a fluttery, beautifully demented transition, so unexpected you couldn't even guess at what came afterwards. Whether Lucy is a girl, the drug (which it very well could be by the sounds of this song), or Lucifer (much speculation online that Kendrick is referring to the devil as Lucy), this interlude has an "enticing" sound to it that is surely nail on the head in terms of the concept. No conspiracy theories here (or maybe so), but it sounds like Kendrick is talking about the devil in the details (the industry maybe?).
If you're looking for an example of why Kendrick is one of the best lyricists in the game, the first verse on "Momma" holds some credibility. The first verse is insanely scheme filled, where Kendrick follows one rhyme scheme the entire time, but the second verse is where you see Kendrick is learning from his experiences in life and the industry; "I know everything" he so boldly claims throughout the second verse, from the hood to the industry he feels like he's been through it all, but only to come home and realize he has to re-learn everything he once knew. It seems the struggles of the fame mixed with not seeing his family/friends is getting to Kendrick as he vents so beautifully in this song, and what better way to realize where you screwed up than to vent to your "Momma"?
"Boom boom," Kendrick says confidently throughout the next track "Hood Politics." "Boom boom" of course by definition meaning "not up to one's par or standards" (At least I'm assuming so, who really knows?). I surely didn't expect to learn any new lingo from this project, but as enlightening as Kendrick is I can't be surprised. Kendrick continues to say that the rules stretch "from Compton to Congress", which is another bold statement, but almost make sense to a point. "Hood Politics" is the mix of levels on how things work, and both (Compton & Congress) seem just as lethal and violent as the other.
"How Much A Dollar Cost" is another big one in the line of thought provoking musical poems that Kendrick blessed us with on To Pimp A Butterfly. Featuring a moving piano with some raw drums and claps, Kendrick paints a picture as well as he ever has on the different situations in which a dollar is needed. James Fauntleroy brings an atmosphere to the hook that only he could in an almost ghostly manner, as if you were just realizing that dollars truly mean nothing to our existence, and Ronald Isley fatalities the point (on some Mortal Kombat shit) on the outro of the song.
"Complexion" is such a smooth song (with added DJ spins that create a different touch to the track) on race that it damn near rocks it's point home and puts you to sleep with it's message. That way you wake up and NEVER FORGET IT (OHHHHHHHH NOOO HE DIDN'T!!!). Kendrick tries (and succeeds) in proving the point that "complexion don't mean a thing." Another beat transition towards the end of the track allows Rhapsody to give his side of the story, in which he hammers home, yet cool and effortlessly.
"The Blacker The Berry" we all know already so I won't elaborate any more than I have to besides the fact that the beat KNOCKS. Putting this song out as a single is especially surprising considering the content, mentioning such things as the Black Panther Party and Trayvon Martin, but going back to Kendrick's message, this of course was all part of the plan in getting people thinking clearly and maybe even acting on the issues that have been brought to light over the past year or so. Do you believe it worked?
Immediately the 90s west coast feel is evident when you first hear "You Ain't Gotta Lie." The bass line makes you bop and the message is (what seems to be) for anyone who has to "lie to kick it." The hook seems to be from the point of view from a girl (and if any guy has been through it, they know a girl who likes them is awesome) and is almost reminiscent of the first time you hung out with that girl you had a huge crush on, but the song could also take the point of view of Kendrick sending a message to rappers trying to sound good or look cool (you ain't gotta lie, you ain't gotta try so hard). "You Ain't Gotta Lie" seems to be another track that has multiple meanings to it, which makes Kendrick one of the most relevant, hard hitting rappers in the game today.
We all have already heard "i" as well so I won't do much of a review on it, but I will say the message to the song that is Harvey Dent to "u's" Two Face is timeless. If anyone is feeling down they could probably listen to this song and feel better (at least you'd hope), but they could definitely listen to it while they were feeling on top of the world then feel like they were on top of the entire universe. No matter how annoying "i" has gotten to be to you, you can't deny it's message and that it has helped people through some tough times in a time when suicide is at an all time high.
"Mortal Man" is the finale of the fireworks. To get Kendrick at his most vulnerable, his most thought provoking, and almost at a stage where he's contemplating everything he's done, doing, and about to do, "Mortal Man" is that song. As imperfect as it gets is the best way to describe this song. "Mortal Man" is practically everything everyone wishes they could admit to themselves and that's only the first part of the song, not to mention the ending is simply brilliant. Having a conversation with Tupac about his views compared with Kendrick's is what every single rap fan (let alone Kendrick fan) DREAMS about. The Tupac audio is probably from an old interview, though I couldn't tell you for sure, but to sit and listen to Kendrick and Tupac have a conversation (and to have it sound like an actual conversation) is literally a dream to many (including Kendrick), and an incredibly well thought out, well rounded, and a downright eerie way to end this album.
To Pimp A Butterfly. Has it sunk in yet? Have you sat and listened enough to understand the message truly? Do you feel as dumb listening to this album as I have so diligently in the past 12 hours? These questions are questions that we don't need answers to right now. These questions we definitely will not get answers to right now, but if you paid enough attention to the album, you would understand that the point is not to get all of the answers to every problem the world sees right now. Ferguson shootings, Trayvon Martin's death, the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, or whatever our issues may be, the point is not to get the answers so quickly to our problems, because how can you really get an answer to a problem that is still unknown? The first step is identifying what the problem really is, and Kendrick had no problems identifying his issues with himself and the world today on To Pimp A Butterfly.
"Wesley's Theory" is the beginning of a story that we've all been waiting to hear for so long. Starting the story in the middle like a Tarantino flick, Kendrick flips hip hop on its ear and funks it out in a proper way with a George Clinton and Thundercat feature. The message of this track seems to hit home on a couple of points; the "we should have never gave you niggas money" point is a funny Chappelle's Show reference (Rick James BITCH!), but it could also point to how Kendrick believes people in society view black people. Is Kendrick trying to prove a point by satirizing points that have been made? You could only tell after a few listens.
The "For Free? Interlude" is another interesting piece of heavy jazz influenced music that also seems to flip a view of society. With a fun, fast paced piano riff and a couple of nice jazz horns, Kendrick explains "this... dick... ain't... FREEEE" to a woman. Who would have thought this was possible? This is awesome if you ever have had to deal with bull from your woman, but the interlude on your first listen doesn't add up to much other than Kendrick showing hate towards thotty women.
If there was any track on this album that got hype more than any other, it was "King Kunta." Even before people knew anything about the album, "King Kunta" was being talked about in interviews with Pharrell, where he described the track as "unapologetically black and amazing," and you have to agree with Pharrell when you listen. The funk sound stays true in "King Kunta", and Kendrick and his go-to producer Sounwave kill it as usual with a bouncy sounding bass line and some every day observation with a mix of venting from Kendrick. "King Kunta" is unlike any song you have probably heard in the last 20 years; it's blend of consciousness and a funky beat make it so listenable that you can't help but have the message seared into your brain. Kendrick's goal, if any indication of his music (at least "King Kunta" and "The Blacker The Berry"), is getting put out to the masses, and that's half the battle of creating change.
Kendrick really likes to change up the sound of songs midway through, and his history ("Sing About Me, I'm Dying Of Thirst", "Cartoons & Cereal", and now "Institutionalized") of doing this is proven. Whether it be to curve your attention or to change the perspective of the story being told, it's always hard to tell why it's being done at first, but his angles always seem to follow the plot of the story in the end (after all, he is a self proclaimed "writer", and rightfully so). "Institutionalized" begins with a slow, wavy beat in which Kendrick starts on with his higher pitched voice, but then the beat transitions into another drum beat of the same type, but a little slower paced, almost made for you to pay attention to. "Shit don't change til ya, get up and wash yo ass," Kendrick's grandma said to him, and that right there is the point of this jam. Kendrick's grandma warned him of this time coming, as she did of the hood, that he uses less wisely than (we all) he would like to say he (we all) really does (do).
"I remember you was conflicted. Misusing your influence - sometimes I did the same" - a saying that continuously makes more sense as this album progresses, you can only keep listening to figure out what it leads up to. "These Walls" is a true reflection of self. Kendrick was in a vulnerable state making this song it is very easy to tell, and the saying "if these walls could talk" has probably never been used as a finer example. "These Walls" is Kendrick looking into his walls like mirrors, and seeing not only himself, but every flaw, every scar, every problem he has ever encountered, and maybe even every person he has hurt or murdered (allegedly) and having them staring him right back in the face. Now (besides the murder part, hopefully) how can you not relate to that?
Kendrick also remixed Eminem's "Kim" believe it or not. No that was definitely a joke, but Kendrick certainly isn't joking on his song "u", again taking a perspective where he is talking to himself via song. "Loving you is complicated", he cries in a menacing yell, and for him to point out a side of himself that only he would know with such detail is something that damn near no other rapper, let alone any other man would go as far to do. The beat switches up again halfway through this one, and it's hard not to feel the pain in his voice with every word he utters over the slow, sad sounding horn that could cause a heavy heart even on your brightest day.
Transitioning properly from downer to upper, "Alright" is a bumping track that we know Kendrick has the ability to make and make sound amazing (though To Pimp A Butterfly is a concept album as a whole, it's hard to make every track bump trying to fit the concept of the story). "Alright" is the song that balances out every bad feeling and down emotion you get from the album, and the sampled beat is such an uplifting tune that you can't help but jig a bit when it hits.
Kendrick's "For Sale? (Interlude)" is such a fluttery, beautifully demented transition, so unexpected you couldn't even guess at what came afterwards. Whether Lucy is a girl, the drug (which it very well could be by the sounds of this song), or Lucifer (much speculation online that Kendrick is referring to the devil as Lucy), this interlude has an "enticing" sound to it that is surely nail on the head in terms of the concept. No conspiracy theories here (or maybe so), but it sounds like Kendrick is talking about the devil in the details (the industry maybe?).
If you're looking for an example of why Kendrick is one of the best lyricists in the game, the first verse on "Momma" holds some credibility. The first verse is insanely scheme filled, where Kendrick follows one rhyme scheme the entire time, but the second verse is where you see Kendrick is learning from his experiences in life and the industry; "I know everything" he so boldly claims throughout the second verse, from the hood to the industry he feels like he's been through it all, but only to come home and realize he has to re-learn everything he once knew. It seems the struggles of the fame mixed with not seeing his family/friends is getting to Kendrick as he vents so beautifully in this song, and what better way to realize where you screwed up than to vent to your "Momma"?
"Boom boom," Kendrick says confidently throughout the next track "Hood Politics." "Boom boom" of course by definition meaning "not up to one's par or standards" (At least I'm assuming so, who really knows?). I surely didn't expect to learn any new lingo from this project, but as enlightening as Kendrick is I can't be surprised. Kendrick continues to say that the rules stretch "from Compton to Congress", which is another bold statement, but almost make sense to a point. "Hood Politics" is the mix of levels on how things work, and both (Compton & Congress) seem just as lethal and violent as the other.
"How Much A Dollar Cost" is another big one in the line of thought provoking musical poems that Kendrick blessed us with on To Pimp A Butterfly. Featuring a moving piano with some raw drums and claps, Kendrick paints a picture as well as he ever has on the different situations in which a dollar is needed. James Fauntleroy brings an atmosphere to the hook that only he could in an almost ghostly manner, as if you were just realizing that dollars truly mean nothing to our existence, and Ronald Isley fatalities the point (on some Mortal Kombat shit) on the outro of the song.
"Complexion" is such a smooth song (with added DJ spins that create a different touch to the track) on race that it damn near rocks it's point home and puts you to sleep with it's message. That way you wake up and NEVER FORGET IT (OHHHHHHHH NOOO HE DIDN'T!!!). Kendrick tries (and succeeds) in proving the point that "complexion don't mean a thing." Another beat transition towards the end of the track allows Rhapsody to give his side of the story, in which he hammers home, yet cool and effortlessly.
"The Blacker The Berry" we all know already so I won't elaborate any more than I have to besides the fact that the beat KNOCKS. Putting this song out as a single is especially surprising considering the content, mentioning such things as the Black Panther Party and Trayvon Martin, but going back to Kendrick's message, this of course was all part of the plan in getting people thinking clearly and maybe even acting on the issues that have been brought to light over the past year or so. Do you believe it worked?
Immediately the 90s west coast feel is evident when you first hear "You Ain't Gotta Lie." The bass line makes you bop and the message is (what seems to be) for anyone who has to "lie to kick it." The hook seems to be from the point of view from a girl (and if any guy has been through it, they know a girl who likes them is awesome) and is almost reminiscent of the first time you hung out with that girl you had a huge crush on, but the song could also take the point of view of Kendrick sending a message to rappers trying to sound good or look cool (you ain't gotta lie, you ain't gotta try so hard). "You Ain't Gotta Lie" seems to be another track that has multiple meanings to it, which makes Kendrick one of the most relevant, hard hitting rappers in the game today.
We all have already heard "i" as well so I won't do much of a review on it, but I will say the message to the song that is Harvey Dent to "u's" Two Face is timeless. If anyone is feeling down they could probably listen to this song and feel better (at least you'd hope), but they could definitely listen to it while they were feeling on top of the world then feel like they were on top of the entire universe. No matter how annoying "i" has gotten to be to you, you can't deny it's message and that it has helped people through some tough times in a time when suicide is at an all time high.
"Mortal Man" is the finale of the fireworks. To get Kendrick at his most vulnerable, his most thought provoking, and almost at a stage where he's contemplating everything he's done, doing, and about to do, "Mortal Man" is that song. As imperfect as it gets is the best way to describe this song. "Mortal Man" is practically everything everyone wishes they could admit to themselves and that's only the first part of the song, not to mention the ending is simply brilliant. Having a conversation with Tupac about his views compared with Kendrick's is what every single rap fan (let alone Kendrick fan) DREAMS about. The Tupac audio is probably from an old interview, though I couldn't tell you for sure, but to sit and listen to Kendrick and Tupac have a conversation (and to have it sound like an actual conversation) is literally a dream to many (including Kendrick), and an incredibly well thought out, well rounded, and a downright eerie way to end this album.
To Pimp A Butterfly. Has it sunk in yet? Have you sat and listened enough to understand the message truly? Do you feel as dumb listening to this album as I have so diligently in the past 12 hours? These questions are questions that we don't need answers to right now. These questions we definitely will not get answers to right now, but if you paid enough attention to the album, you would understand that the point is not to get all of the answers to every problem the world sees right now. Ferguson shootings, Trayvon Martin's death, the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, or whatever our issues may be, the point is not to get the answers so quickly to our problems, because how can you really get an answer to a problem that is still unknown? The first step is identifying what the problem really is, and Kendrick had no problems identifying his issues with himself and the world today on To Pimp A Butterfly.
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
Alexander; Hip Hop... Play?! (Video)
If you tuned into Sunday Morning on CBS news this past Sunday, March 8th (which I don't expect you to, but do as you will), you probably saw something a little out of the ordinary when they reported about Alexander. You wouldn't be wrong in the assumption that this was about the historic president of the U.S. in the late 1700s, but this certain Broadway play has a different spin on it. See the news coverage on it below.
(Even if you're not a history buff [besides hip hop] you can't deny this isn't interesting. I do not own this video nor the rights to it.)
This is amazing. Histories collide (not so much hip hop history in terms of actual rappers or certain eras, but actual rapping that takes place with great writing) in Lin Manuel Miranda's take on Alexander Hamilton in his soon-to-be-coming-to-Broadway play Alexander. Miranda (a 2008 Tony Award winner for his musical "In The Heights") was quoted in his interview with CBS news as saying "The hip hop narrative is writing your way out of your circumstance," which could not be more true. That is unless, you grow up in a hood and to this day still rap about guns and drug running (more power to you then, please don't hurt me). But my question to you is this; would you ever (besides the writing aspect, maybe not so much Alexander, but this era more than any, almost) in your wildest dreams associate Alexander Hamilton with hip hop?!
That's why this is so amazing. Visionaries such as Miranda and many like him find ways to use hip hop for good, and to grab your attention positively instead of shunning it. Miranda is opening up eyes to a completely different audience of people (fans of theater and fans of rap alike) and he's even teaching you about Alexander Hamilton during all of this! Miranda is attacking theater on 2 different fronts and whether or not you watch it, you have to have respect for the guy for having the balls to go there. Miranda doing this = taking hip hop to new heights. This is what Hip Hop Unlimited is about!
This is amazing. Histories collide (not so much hip hop history in terms of actual rappers or certain eras, but actual rapping that takes place with great writing) in Lin Manuel Miranda's take on Alexander Hamilton in his soon-to-be-coming-to-Broadway play Alexander. Miranda (a 2008 Tony Award winner for his musical "In The Heights") was quoted in his interview with CBS news as saying "The hip hop narrative is writing your way out of your circumstance," which could not be more true. That is unless, you grow up in a hood and to this day still rap about guns and drug running (more power to you then, please don't hurt me). But my question to you is this; would you ever (besides the writing aspect, maybe not so much Alexander, but this era more than any, almost) in your wildest dreams associate Alexander Hamilton with hip hop?!
That's why this is so amazing. Visionaries such as Miranda and many like him find ways to use hip hop for good, and to grab your attention positively instead of shunning it. Miranda is opening up eyes to a completely different audience of people (fans of theater and fans of rap alike) and he's even teaching you about Alexander Hamilton during all of this! Miranda is attacking theater on 2 different fronts and whether or not you watch it, you have to have respect for the guy for having the balls to go there. Miranda doing this = taking hip hop to new heights. This is what Hip Hop Unlimited is about!
Friday, March 6, 2015
Why Kanye West Is A Decent Person (And Not The Psycho You Make Him Out To Be)
Rants. Music rebelling racism. Angry outbursts. "Selling out" in his music. "Selling out" by entering the fashion industry. There are a lot of things you could hate Kanye for, the list is endless, but I believe there is more to Kanye than meets the eye (and ear). Behind every psychopath (or whatever you claim Kanye to be) there is a reason for their methods, and there is a reason for why they act the way they do. For all we know Kanye really is just an insane egomaniac that is only driven by the success of himself, but the fact that he is now married with a child tells me that his motives are either changing, or not so much what people have made them out to be. In this post I am going to prove to you that Kanye West is not the psychopath that the media, and even the people make him out to be.
If you've been keeping track of Kanye's craziness as of late (even if you're not a Yeezy music fan, you have to admit his shenanigans with the media are always interesting), there's been a lot of stuff to keep track of (even for Kanye): the first of these doings is the release of the new Yeezy Boost from Adidas. Kanye's Yeezy shoes have been a staple and a must have in any sneaker head's collection since their inception, but Kanye is giving his newest release a different feel. Now being backed by one of the biggest shoe companies in the world (Adidas), Kanye is aiming to be able to put out the Yeezy Boost for everybody for purchase, and not just the "higher-class" individuals that you see wearing them in paparazzi photos (rich people). Kanye even took it a step farther with the release of the Boost, doing so much as to show up to fans' houses and work places to give them their pairs personally. If I was into those weird looking Adidas', I'd sure be happy if Kanye showed up to give me my pair.
Look at the excitement on these fans' faces. Whether you want to believe it or not, this made Kanye's day too.
Other inspiring things Kanye has been doing of late is doing things like speaking publicly, the most recent being Oxford University (the reason for this being that Oxford University is apparently baby North West's future alma matter). Kanye is noticeably changing his attitude and doing good things with it, and it shows in a few quotes he gave from his latest speech at Oxford (which Yahoo! has reported). See below:
(On his ego)
"One of my biggest Achilles heels has been my ego. And if I, Kanye West, the very person, can remove my ego, I think there’s hope for everyone."
(On his reputation with the media)
"People say I have a bad reputation. I think I've got the best reputation in the building. They want you to have a reputation of tucking your black nail polish into your pockets and sitting in the corner of the class, and not fighting for your ideas out of fear of being ridiculed. ... That's one of my favorite ones… to be called crazy."
(On Materialism)
"Time is the only luxury. It’s the only thing you can’t get back. If you lose your luggage – I’m not gonna say the obvious brand of luggage that I’d normally say because I’ve got a meeting with them soon – if you lose your expensive luggage at the airport, you can get that back. You can’t get the time back. It feels like people do everything in life to get this BMW, this Benz, to get this town-home, to get 2.5 kids exactly. One of them has to be small, y’know! And you’re looking for this moment where you sit in your BMW after all the work you’ve done and all the accolades you get, and you somehow think you’re gonna get that level of joy that my daughter had when she received [her favorite toy]."
Has that sold you on Kanye yet (hopefully not shown the "sold out" Kanye but hopefully SELLS YOU on how decent of a person he really can be I mean. Anyways, has it)? Some people cannot get it through their brains that Kanye is a kind, helping person who doesn't attack paparazzi in his free time just for fun. If my words can't convince you, then maybe you can check out his Breakfast Club interview with Power 105.1 and that will convince you that he is uhm... "human" (although he slanders his ex Amber Rose in the interview, but Amber went at Kim in her comments on Twitter, Kanye has to protect his wife in that case). I believe there is hope for Kanye West, and I feel like I've said this before, but just because we see someone as insane in the news (or in normal people's case, hear crazy rumors about them) doesn't mean that these people are actually insane themselves. Check out Kanye's Breakfast Club interview below.
(*I do not own this video or the rights to it*)
If you've been keeping track of Kanye's craziness as of late (even if you're not a Yeezy music fan, you have to admit his shenanigans with the media are always interesting), there's been a lot of stuff to keep track of (even for Kanye): the first of these doings is the release of the new Yeezy Boost from Adidas. Kanye's Yeezy shoes have been a staple and a must have in any sneaker head's collection since their inception, but Kanye is giving his newest release a different feel. Now being backed by one of the biggest shoe companies in the world (Adidas), Kanye is aiming to be able to put out the Yeezy Boost for everybody for purchase, and not just the "higher-class" individuals that you see wearing them in paparazzi photos (rich people). Kanye even took it a step farther with the release of the Boost, doing so much as to show up to fans' houses and work places to give them their pairs personally. If I was into those weird looking Adidas', I'd sure be happy if Kanye showed up to give me my pair.
Other inspiring things Kanye has been doing of late is doing things like speaking publicly, the most recent being Oxford University (the reason for this being that Oxford University is apparently baby North West's future alma matter). Kanye is noticeably changing his attitude and doing good things with it, and it shows in a few quotes he gave from his latest speech at Oxford (which Yahoo! has reported). See below:
(On his ego)
"One of my biggest Achilles heels has been my ego. And if I, Kanye West, the very person, can remove my ego, I think there’s hope for everyone."
(On his reputation with the media)
"People say I have a bad reputation. I think I've got the best reputation in the building. They want you to have a reputation of tucking your black nail polish into your pockets and sitting in the corner of the class, and not fighting for your ideas out of fear of being ridiculed. ... That's one of my favorite ones… to be called crazy."
(On Materialism)
"Time is the only luxury. It’s the only thing you can’t get back. If you lose your luggage – I’m not gonna say the obvious brand of luggage that I’d normally say because I’ve got a meeting with them soon – if you lose your expensive luggage at the airport, you can get that back. You can’t get the time back. It feels like people do everything in life to get this BMW, this Benz, to get this town-home, to get 2.5 kids exactly. One of them has to be small, y’know! And you’re looking for this moment where you sit in your BMW after all the work you’ve done and all the accolades you get, and you somehow think you’re gonna get that level of joy that my daughter had when she received [her favorite toy]."
Has that sold you on Kanye yet (hopefully not shown the "sold out" Kanye but hopefully SELLS YOU on how decent of a person he really can be I mean. Anyways, has it)? Some people cannot get it through their brains that Kanye is a kind, helping person who doesn't attack paparazzi in his free time just for fun. If my words can't convince you, then maybe you can check out his Breakfast Club interview with Power 105.1 and that will convince you that he is uhm... "human" (although he slanders his ex Amber Rose in the interview, but Amber went at Kim in her comments on Twitter, Kanye has to protect his wife in that case). I believe there is hope for Kanye West, and I feel like I've said this before, but just because we see someone as insane in the news (or in normal people's case, hear crazy rumors about them) doesn't mean that these people are actually insane themselves. Check out Kanye's Breakfast Club interview below.
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