Observations From Rapsody's Laila's Wisdom

Ever since Kendrick's groundbreaking 2015 (possibly) magnum opus project To Pimp A Butterfly, the name Rapsody has been ringing bells and making ears perk up around hip hop blogs and internet publishers alike. Not a lot is known about the Snow Hill, North Carolina femcee, though she has made comparisons to many of rap's elite in her intricate rhyme styles, flows and patterns (many call her the female Kendrick), and she has gained respect from the likes of hip hop giants, even signing to Jay Z's Roc Nation record label in 2013. Since breaking off from her fellow North Carolina bred rap group Kooley High (or at least, putting them on hold), Rapsody has made a name for herself as a true gatekeeper and torch bearer of the original elements of hip hop, while living by one motto; "culture is everything."  As suspect as it is to trust another random rapper that has suddenly risen from the ashes of a culture that uses memes, SoundCloud, and an overdose of the 808 drum bass to profit off of (and probably buy syrup and re-up on Xanax, for the new young ones)... putting our trust in Rapsody for the future of hip hop for empowering women and competitive lyricism (for EVERYONE, not just females)... well, I'd probably say our trust is in good hands. here's a couple of dope observations from Rapsody's Laila's Wisdom.


Rapsody Brings Back 90's Boom Bap, Refined



Very much like her friend from Compton, Rapsody holds the roots of hip hop very near and dear to her heart. A certain comfort and smoothness is heard all throughout Laila's Wisdom, like having the T.V. on for the dog while you're not home; though Laila's Wisdom is far from background noise. The production plays a huge roll in complimenting Rapsody's ability to connect to the audience with familiar love stories, cockiness meeting confidence, and a regular Joe (or maybe, regular... Joanna?)  attitude that is perfect for the drive to work, folding laundry (which is a compliment, if you've read any of my past work), or chilling and having the boo thang over for a night cap. The transition from the Anderson .Paak assisted '"Nobody", to the soulful offering from BJ The Chicago Kid, 'Black & Ugly" (Rapsody's line "black and ugly as ever, but still nobody fine as me" seems to hit home a little harder now, more than ever), all the way down to the head bobbing trip that is "A Rollercoaster Jam Called Love" and afterwards, the nostalgia is present in this one, and if we're lucky, Rapsody will continue to make the boom bap the bar (no pun intended) with her street smarts.


A Failed Love Story Turned Triumphant


(*I do not own these songs, or the rights to them*)

There's a reason that some inspiration's flames burn so bright, and in Rapsody's case, that inspiration (or part of it, anyway) seems to come from tragic, lost love stories. In "U Used 2 Love Me", a heart wrenching poem of how things used to be start off the tune, from a painful, auto-tuned out voice that transitions effortlessly into Rapsody pouring her heart out on how things used to be. The second part, however, transitions into her knocking onto a lover's door (for the aptly titled track, "Knock On My Door"), and detailing her love and affection for her neighbor in a deep and intricate manner that tells a story of a tragedy that once wasn't a tragedy. Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all, and Rapsody uses that newfound knowledge and experience to vent on reminiscent tracks like 'A Rollercoaster Jam Called Love", "U Used 2 Love Me", and "Knock On My Door". Rapsody's inspiration isn't all found in past love though, as made clear on bar-filled exercises like "OooWee", "Power" (which features another noteworthy Kendrick verse), and "You Should Know" featuring an always entertaining Busta Rhymes. Rapsody's biggest flaunt comes in her ability to showcase emotion in ways now uncommon, and actually rap pure bars filled with punchlines, and wordplay.

Whoever Laila is, she has dropped one giant nuclear bomb of knowledge on Rapsody, who by the sounds of Laila's Wisdom, is eager to share her lessons with the world. Rapsody takes it back with a retro, yet refreshing sound that breathes life and the art of rapped poetry into the current hip hop landscape, an interesting twist like Oliver. Rapsody puts her best foot forward, unafraid to shine light on her life and allow her fans to understand and grow with her, while also showcasing writing talents in metaphors, wordplay, and love letter-esque concepts that tie together a story, though still in progress, beautifully.              












                           

A B.I.G Birthday: My Top 5 Notorious B.I.G Tracks

Arguably one of the best, unarguably one of the biggest to ever do it, today we celebrate the birthday of the one and only Notorious B.I.G. The ups and downs of such a life and career cannot begin to be documented in just one post. His momentous influence on hip hop still stands today and his lyricism and flow almost stand unmatched by anyone. Born and bred in the mecca of a very large portion of hip hop roots, Brooklyn, New York, from which has produced other gigantic names in hip hop such as Jay-Z, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, and many more. But enough of all this hoopla, here are in no specific order my top 5 favorite tracks Big Poppa has blessed us with.

1. Unbelievable
Okay, so this song is simply great. Everything about it from the beat to B.I.G.'s flow, is just remarkable. His stylish, wordy vocabulary makes it almost seem as if he could keep one actual flow going the entire song.

2. Dead Wrong (ft. Eminem)
What isn't there to say about this song that you couldn't say about a serial killer?  And who better to join Mr. Smalls than the always descriptive, "don't bring him around you mother" Eminem?  A truly fantastic song by all means. The beat, lyrics, and flow all get an A+ in my book.

3. Microphone Murderer (Freestyle)
Okay, so this one might not count as an actual song to most, but as Biggie says, "spit yo game, talk yo shit." That might not have made sense, but nonetheless, I love this mix. What we have here is the actual basement freestyle from the man himself with the rapping over the instrumental from the movie "Notorious." I find in this particular freestyle that B.I.G's powerful voice shows very thoroughly here.

4. Notorious Thugs (ft. Bone Thugs-n-Harmony)
This one has a quite different feel to it, but there is no reason it shouldn't make my list. Starting off with a chilling piano going into those vocals we all got to know and love from Bone Thugs, Big has no problem expanding his range and sound and it shows in this cut. What I love most about this song is its range. You can chill to it, party to it, or even get a nice pump up out of it if you need it.

5.Victory - Puff Daddy (ft. Notorious B.I.G & Busta Rhymes)
Even though this isn't necessarily a Biggie track, he surely claims this song like a proper emcee does. With more of his endless wordplay and rhythm, he destroys this track punch line after punch line. I personally love this beat, and Busta's constant energy throughout the hook just adds that much more. With Biggie delivering what are allegedly his last verses ever recorded, this video also stands as one of the most expensive music videos ever made, or at least at that time, with a production value of over $2.7 million.


Well that about sums it up in this edition of paying homage to "the real life Frank White." No, I don't even know who Frank White is or even if he's a real person or some sort of movie character. But we do know Notorious called himself this at times, at least multiple times in the last song. Anyways, thanks for reading, and feel free to let me know your favorites Biggie verses in the comment section below. We must keep the spirit alive. Brooklyn!


(**Disclaimer-- All the video links above were taken from Youtube. I do not own any of these videos, or the rights to them.**)