The web was hit with a real gem yesterday morning, an entire 27-track instrumental tape from Kanye West, supposedly found in Jensen Karp's (worked with Kanye early in his career) garage. Karp had this to say about the tape: “I was stumbling through my garage, searching through old storage bins, when I came across some old beat CDs from my days as a signed Interscope rapper. I was shocked to find that two of them, both given to me in ‘01, had the name Kanye West on them. These two CDs, which I believe are the oldest Kanye beats ever released. I think this collection of early Kanye beats shows you where he came from, even if it doesn’t necessarily sound like ‘Kanye’ now. He kept at it and became the incredible producer he is today. I remember he even had to leave the studio sessions early, so he could make the last train back to his mom’s house. He’s come a long way, and I’m proud to have been around, even if for just a second at the start.”
Of all the things to find in your garage right? The tape consists of some pretty catchy, slapping beats that you could almost imagine Pharrell, Snoop Dogg, or an artist of that caliber recording stuff over. Some have a real pop feel, almost like the tracks you hear put out as the first single, while others are backed by some hard brass and banging drums, this tape has a nice all around sound to it for sure. Check out the tape below, and let me know if you enjoyed it. Kanye fans rejoice, and if you're feeling froggy see if you can rap along and keep up with the pace!
(*I do not own this tape, video, or the rights to them*)
"Check your Snapchat" is a phrase I hear more often than I'd like to admit. I was just like any other middle aged old man (though only 21 years old now) when I first heard of snap chat taking over popular culture in 2013, even though it seems much longer ago than a mere 2 years (less than that, probably). "Another day, another stupid fad that will disappear in a year, so what, I'll pass", I thought.
Won't last long anyways. Now today hits, 2015, and Snapchat video has given people a look at their favorite celebrities and things in a way never seen before. Is it too much to say that I feel more cultured than ever before because of the live updates Snapchat gives people from countries all over the world? The NBA playoffs, the World Cup, and right now if you tune into the latest updates you can see people celebrating Kings Day in the Netherlands, and even updates from Cape Town in South Africa. So what relation does this have to rap? Check out my thoughts.
I follow B.o.B on Snapchat and watch pretty much every one of his updates that he gives. Is it unhealthy hero worship? Maybe so. Will I stop doing it? Hell no. You never know what you're going to see, could it be B.o.B smoking a blunt laughing with a couple of hot biznitches? Or could it be Bob working in the studio on some new material that we might be getting a sneak preview of? It could also even be a sweet view of South Beach looking like Harvey Dent up in the clouds (if you follow labelnogenre on Snapchat and you've seen the latest update you understand). You're practically right there in front of B.o.B as he gives you updates on what he's doing, where he's going, or if he has some funny stories to tell (or funny rants like the BAE Niykee Heaton, will you marry me? You don't have to answer now babe). Logic is also known to have a Snapchat that you can follow and watch what he's been up to, he used to give clips of his shows while he was on tour, but the tour must have ended since it's been awhile since he's posted any.
The fact that these artists and celebrities (I don't know any more besides B.o.B or Niykee Heaton that have given their name out, though there are probably many more) are cool enough to give their Snapchat names out shows how much they appreciate their fans, and want to keep them in the loop with what they're doing. How long has is been since the last B.o.B project dropped? Had to be 2013, maybe the beginning of 2014? You might be itching for that new music but at least you know he's working when you watch that newest Snapchat update. I don't want to defend these artists more than I should, but honestly how cool is it to see them in a normal, everyday type of setting that other people have to go through (by the way, watching B.o.B wait for his bags at United Airlines is one of the funniest and most relatable things you could see a rapper do.)?
So if you're like me, and thought Snapchat was stupid the second you heard of it, a part of you is right. The part of me that hates how much I use technology today is the part that hates it, but the thought of getting news and events that you wouldn't normally see anywhere else from your favorite artists is the cool part. Like... seriously. Where else would you be able to see B.o.B listening to beats and smoking blunts in the studio? Breaking out a video camera is too time consuming nowadays. Now all you have to do it unlock, click, hold, upload. Snapchat is breaking new grounds in the "behind the scenes" portion of not just rap, but eventually all music. Now can Dr. Dre put out a Snapchat name so we can see what the hell he's been up to?! If only.
I was seriously 4 months old when this album dropped and I think it's amazing. This is hip hop to it's core, period. Yeah, sure, Illmatic has been talked about since it came out, got 5 mics in The Source and is rightfully deemed a classic album (and it earns this right, almost undebatable unlike other albums that have came out where everyone wants to argue if they're classics or not), but many people don't realize the influence it has had on hip hop since then. There are countless rappers who say that if it weren't for Nas' Illmatic then they wouldn't be rapping (Kendrick, yes, Kendrick Lamar is one), and it would be blasphemous to say that rappers today did not draw some inspiration from Nas and Illmatic. If you disagree, then, well, I would just have to prove to you why Nas is one of the most flawless lyricists of all time. Class is in session.
It Ain't Hard To Tell
Today's hip hop differs so much from that of the "golden age" of hip hop, a lot of it worse than it is better, and even thought I'm only 21, just by listening to a song like "It Ain't Hard To Tell", you can definitely tell that Nas was out for blood on his critically acclaimed debut. Where is the hunger to be the best for rappers today? I certainly can't see it (at least in most of the rap dudes played on the radio), you'd expect these guys to want to show why they've "earned" their spot on the radio, or these gold and platinum album sales. It's too hard to tell that if it's the difference in how big battle rap was in the streets of New York compared to how it is now, but that could be a strong case for it. Anyways, Nas shows his true skills on the mic AND makes you dance with this absolutely amazingly produced Large Professor track.
Memory Lane (Sittin' In The Park)
Story telling created, originated and perfected by the best there is to do it. It's debatable whether Nas is the best story-telling rapper ever, you could probably put B.I.G. and Tupac up there with him, but you know every time Nas has a story to tell, you listen, and you get every detail about the entire story. Life in Queens is rumored to be a struggle, but Nas makes it sound like a coming of age tale in this addictive boom-bap jam. "One Love" also could take the cake as another fantastic story told by Mr. Nasir Jones.
N.Y State Of Mind
(*I do not own these songs, or the rights to them*)
If you needed a reason to get pumped up, get hyped, or was looking for a song to make you feel some type of energy (not drain you of it, keep calm Drake), then "N.Y. State Of Mind" is that track. Whether you're waiting to pull that next bank heist (hopefully just on "Grand Theft Auto 5"), you need some pump up music for your next game or need it in the gym to get that next set of reps knocked out, Nas' "N.Y. State Of Mind" is the song for you (not to mention it features more great story telling in the first verse, hopefully Nas didn't get in trouble for any sort of debauchery he spoke of in this song, rappers really should be more careful of their hustle). This songs drums still kick like crazy and sound great in the whip if you want to bump, and of course you can thank the legendary DJ Premier for that.
So here's to Illmatic turning 21! I'll be damned if I'm not allowed to buy it a drink, it deserves that and much, much more. My introduction to this album was as late as could be, it had to be around 2012 when I first bought it (had to see what all the hype was about) and since then I've played "It Ain't Hard To Tell" at least once a day, no joke. The word "classic" is thrown around so much and so often that it's hard to even tell if it means anything anymore, but if it still had any pull or credibility talking about music, then Illmatic remains a classic in the way it revolutionized beats, rappers and their story telling, and in the way it has pushed the envelope and will continue to for many more years to come. Whose in favor of Nas ending his career on an Illmatic 2? I can dream.
Awhile ago, my curiosity was peaked when Yelawolf came out with a new jam that was supposed to premiere on one of Sons' Of Anarchy's shows (not sure if the show is still going, I'm pretty sure it isn't, shows you how much I pay attention to that). It was called "Till It's Gone" and it was so different from anything I had heard in hip hop, it was damn near some smooth country blues with some great flows recorded over it. I hadn't heard of any more Yelawolf since this song had came out, and Yelawolf was never the artist to stick in my mind to the point where I wondered what was next from him, but every time he puts out a song I try to pay attention.
His newest leak "Best Friend" boasts a feature from non other than Slim Shady himself, and is set to appear on his newest album Love Story due out next week (April 21st). I hate to admit that Eminem is what drew me in to this song, but by the end of it Eminem wasn't what drew my attention the most about it (even though Em has a very "Em" verse, pretty much the only way to describe it at this point). Yelawolf (from what I've heard from him up to this point, which is not very much) has the ability to fuse great rap and song writing with old southern rock n roll and blues. This is such a different vibe to jam to and much more refreshing than your average rap release. It's like Yelawolf is the perfect artist to make thought provoking, soul searching music and make it sound like you're walking out into the sunset with a guitar strapped around your back, cigarette in hand and the world ready to use as your oyster (don't judge what I see when I heard this, just my imagination at work). Am I incredibly late to how dope Yela is? Most definitely. Am I going to keep ignoring how dope Yela is? Absolutely not. Check out "Best Friend" below.
If you haven't heard of Rawkus Records then you're certainly missing out on some hip hop GEMS. The hip hop label Rawkus Records was founded in 1996, and even though their hip hop domination didn't last for long, they certainly brought up big names that are still giants in the game even today, such as Mos Def, Talib Kweli and Hi-Tek, and they've also had multiple legendary names record to their production, such as Common and Pharoahe Monch, but probably the most notable rapper to make music with them is Eminem. When it comes to Eminem's career, obviously he is seen as one of the most decorated rappers ever, but not many people know about his (more so) underground stuff. Which is why I'm here to shed light on these things (being the rap nerd that I so claim to be). What contributions did Eminem give to Rawkus? You're about to find out (*Funk Flex bomb drop noise*).
Eminem's hardcore fan base (Stans) would know more than anyone, but before Dr. Dre and Aftermath Records, before D12, and before Shady Records was even a thought, Eminem recorded some pretty bombastic rhymes for Rawkus in the mid to late 90s. This to me seems like the perfect Eminem; very hard raps while still remaining hilarious, and Em rapping over some catchy boom bap production (which has always been a question to many, Em can rap hard and sound even better over the right production).
("I liked the shit you did with Rawkus too, that shit was fat." = Stan's complimenting Eminem's earliest work.)
Doesn't this sound more like the hungry, battle rap-ready Eminem? The high voice may have been more annoying to some, but Eminem is practically the rap game Joker; absolutely hysterical in his rhymes and can make you fall on the floor from laughing, but if you mess with him (diss him), he will MURDER you.
I found this track interesting and had to look into more, and when I did I was hooked. You could ask anyone who calls themselves an Eminem fan, whether that means they've been listening since Infinite or the Slim Shady EP, whether that means they love Relapse and Recovery or they don't, Eminem's work with Rawkus Records is some truly special stuff, and it surely seems like Em is still pretty salty about them not making any offers to sign him, as made evident on the Marshall Mathers LP 2 bonus track "Don't Front." All we are left to wonder is "what could have been?" Surely Rawkus is kicking themselves for not seeing the potential Em had (that is, if they still exist).
So that's the post on Eminem and his little known (again, not to Stans', because they know everything Eminem) Rawkus Records stint. It's definitely something interesting to know if you like to dig into rappers' pasts and like to know how they really got to where they are at (in other words, if you're a proud rap nerd). Plus if you're a Stan (or know about any of Eminem's diss track history), you know that Eminem does not take others' disrespect very lightly, and he actually goes at Rawkus on a track on Marshall Mathers LP 2. Check out "Don't Front" below (you hear the diss around the 2:48 mark).
(*I do not own these songs, or the rights to them*)
Hip hop is universal. I've preached this sort of thing countless times, always have, always will. Some things begin to sound like a broken record, no matter how differently these things are said, but depending how you hear these things, they certainly have the potential to hit your ear differently, and maybe even persuade you in some type of way. The father of crunk music dripping southern swagger and diamond encrusted necklaces can only say the same things so many times and have people still want to hear it. You like to believe artists have the ability to grow and branch out of their usual subject matter, but after so long you start to wonder... is what their saying becoming a universal language, or is it played out? Ludacris' latest album might have hit your ear a bit different than his past efforts.
The "Ludaversal Intro" is probably the biggest stand out of the album, though it'd be wrong to say the album goes downhill from here. Luda starts off the album as good as he possibly can with this intro, and his flow on the song is absolutely ridiculous. It's pretty safe to say that if you ever doubted Luda or thought he had lost a step, "Ludaversal Intro" is the track to prove you wrong.
Luda keeps the spitting coming like hot fire (Dylan) on the intro and other tracks like "Beast Mode" and "This Has Been My World," but Luda also switches it up and instills some life lessons in some tracks, the biggest stand out being "Grass Is Always Greener." This track keeps a steady paced, snap-ya-fingas type of vibe that would probably bump pretty well in the car. Ludacris has always been known as the poster rapper for turn up music, but tracks like "Grass Is Always Greener" and "Ocean Skies" show that Ludacris is very capable of making you think, even though he chooses to take that route less often than people might like.
Ludacris has been known as one of the funniest rappers of his time, and you can't help but get a good laugh out of his "Viagra Skit." Luda goes on to call the Viagra people about his "hard problem" during the skit, and to his luck a very lonely woman answers and drives over to help Luda out with his problem. It cuts off at the part where the lady asks "where the drank at", but I think we all know what happens after the fact. Obviously the lady got her drank and was very happy.
A Big K.R.I.T feature is always one to boast and bump, and Ludacris did just that on his K.R.I.T-assisted track "Come And See Me." This is the Ludacris that old fans love to hear, his descriptiveness talking about his cars and his women has always been able to catch fans' ear, and the thump of the bass in "Come And See Me" along with a couple of K.R.I.T verses helps to do exactly that.
(*I do not own these songs, or the rights to them*)
Ludacris keeps the features to a minimum on Ludaversal, and it's kind of a welcoming back feel you get from Luda's music on Ludaversal, although the features he boasts (K.R.I.T, Miguel, Usher) fit in very well with the sounds of each song, and as a whole on the album. Hearing Luda and Ursher on a track again brings back great memories of club and booty bouncing jams, although they both do a great job of giving fans more of a jazzy feel on their track "Not Long."
So is Luda back? That feeling that you get listening to a Ludacris song; you know, the getting hyped up over a fast beat with some banging drums, Luda's light speed flows and wordplay and the head bobbing and trying to keep up with the words; you can only get that feel from a Ludacris song. The beats are top notch, the lyrics are just as appetizing and catch your ear as fast as ever (you have to keep up with him, though that's where the fun lies), and Luda still has things to talk about. Ludacris has become a staple in the game, and even when you think he's down and out and ready to throw in the towel and give up, he shows you that he's still able to keep up with todays young guns. Yes I believe that Luda has become universal, and his latest effort is one that every fan of him, old and new, can respect. Some new music can be refreshing, yet give you that same old feel that you got the first time you heard the old music.
MOOOOVE BITCH! GET OUT THE WAY! STAND UP! WHEN I MOVE YOU MOVE! JUST LIKE THAT?! WHATCHU GONE DO?! ACT A FOOOOL! Ludacris makes that kind of shit that makes you want to get up, ask that hot chick you've been staring at all night to finally dance, fight, and maybe even make sweet lovin to your chick (whom you probably got dancing to a Luda song). Ludacris has been such a monumental name in hip hop for so long that people almost forget about the (arguable) classics that he has released over the last 10 years, and mostly because too many people are focused on his "falling off", or his "not being able to make music as good as old," or his constant involvement in the Fast & Furious movie series, though it has kept his career alive to some degree. But fuck all of this, and I say this because it swerves people's attention from where it should be placed, and that's Luda's music. Here, in light of Ludacris' latest album Ludaversal, here are Luda's 5 most recognizable songs, songs that even people who aren't fans of Luda have to love.
Roll Out (My Business)
This is my personal introduction to Ludacris, his Word Of Mouf album means more to me than it does the average listener simply because this is not only my introduction to Ludacris, but one of the first albums included in my introduction to hip hop, and boy is it grand. The attitude he brings on not only this song but the entire album is something you could only wish you'd live with, and Luda also brings some funny, witty wordplay, along with fantastic flow that keeps you engaged for the entire album.
What's Your Fantasy
On a more sensual (not really though, more of a rough, thug nasty) note, Luda crashed MTV and the internet with "What's Your Fantasy", a Shawnna assisted, fast paced, dirty, fore play inspired jam that we all got so used to hearing from Luda (more so the fast paced flow and witty lyrics, not so much the sexual vibe). "What's Your Fantasy" lived on Ludacris' indie debut studio album Incognegro, which was released in 1999. "What's Your Fantasy" gave you the vibe that Ludacris had something to offer to rap, but nobody really knew quite what it was at this point so early in his career.
Move Bitch
The hilariousness of Ludacris is certainly cemented like freshly dried pavement in his song "Move Bitch". The parody rap train followed soon after this release, you could almost say that "Move Bitch" started the parody vibe in rap songs that garnered so much attention in the early 2000s, it almost makes it seem as if it's made to be completely serious and succeeds at it, yet so many people hear the song (even today) and can have a good laugh. How many songs can you say you hear today that are successfully able to tackle both? This proves Luda's underrated ability at being able to build a concept.
Get Back
Another hilarious music video accompanying a pretty hard song from Luda, "Get Back" is another one of those songs that makes you want to just start swinging on somebody whose "all in ya ear", as Luda so eloquently puts it. Luda is looking like the black Popeye in this video with his ridiculous Tiny-sized arms (oh yes, that was a Crash Bandicoot reference for those hip enough), though tiny is as ironic a word to use as it gets.
Runaway Love
(*I do not own these songs, videos, nor the rights to them*)
My last pick for Luda's catchiest tracks might not hit the ear as well as some of his other smash hits, but in terms of real, personal content that hits home, "Runaway Love" is Luda's "Dear Mama." Luda wasn't known as that rapper that always had a message in his tracks, but the raw, real feel that "Runaway Love" gives is so eye opening that even rap haters have to just sit and listen to the hard hitting story that Luda is getting across with such detail, just as he explains little Nicole's abusive stepdad and her friend Stacy. You have to have a heart of stone to not have the message in this song affect you some type of way.
So often in hip hop (or music, period) we get incredibly comfortable with the presence of certain artists in our life. It's a calming comfortable, almost as if these artists hit a type of musical purgatory, you don't listen to anything new they put out, yet you can't live without remembering the awesome music they're so greatly known for in your past. It'd be criminal to say that Ludacris has hit this purgatory, though how else can you explain his career as of right now? It hurts me to say that Luda has fallen off, but if I said this I'd be incorrect in that statement. Maybe people don't quite see Ludacris' music as they once did, maybe people believe Ludacris has fallen off, or maybe Ludacris just doesn't have the appeal that today's artists do, but if there's one thing that we owe Ludacris, it's another chance. His newest album Ludaversal has recently released, and I believe we owe Ludacris the chance to see if he's still got it, because you remember "Get Back" and the affect it had on you.
