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*)

Multi Talented Rappers (Actors, Ball Players, Etc.)

Sometimes you hate to see your favorite emcees do anything BUT rap, but it can be a cool thing to see them appear in your favorite TV show, play in the celebrity game at NBA All Star weekend, or even make business deals (focus on your music though guys, *cough cough Dr. Dre, Jay Z, Diddy, etc.). Rappers rap for a living (hence the term "rapper") but this is a new day and age. I put together a small list of some rappers who could probably do other things with their careers and be pretty good at them.

Dizzy Wright - basketball player

Sorry for the crappy picture quality, unfortunately this is how all pictures shown in this post will appear (#TechnologyStruggles). Anyways, Dizzy Wright was quite the baller in his high school days, and he could have even played at UNLV but bad grades prevented him from doing so.

2 Chainz - basketball player

Twooooo Chaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiinzz! This dude is just funny period. The last thing you think of when you think of 2 Chainz is smart, intelligent mind building rap (or smart, intelligent, mind building anything), but Chainz was actually a college basketball player, and even graduated as a 4.0 GPA student in only 3 years at a 4 year school (attended Alabama State University on an athletic scholarship, believe it, it's true).

Common - Actor

Common is an easy choice as one of the stand outs because he is very hot right now, especially after coming off winning a Grammy for best original song ("Glory" ft. John Legend). When you think of conscious, thought provoking rappers, Common is the epitome (where do you think the name "Common" originated from? Common Sense of course! [His original rap name]). Common is always in the conversation when it comes to rappers who use their voice effectively, and his role in AMC's original series Hell On Wheels only adds to his already impressive resume of talent.

Childish Gambino - Actor/Comedian

Childish Gambino is the most interesting character on this list (literally a "character"). Gambino has made quite a career as a rapper with his mix tape releases and his debut album Because The Internet, but the "Gambino" I personally got to know wasn't Gambino at all. Donald Glover (his government name) started out as a comedian who even got a couple of stand up specials to air on Comedy Central, and his hilarious takes on race and everyday observation sold me more than any music of his could. Not only does Gambino rap AND do stand up (or did do stand up, no rumors on if he still does or if he will return) but he also has a great resume of acting, and even has appeared on the television show 30 Rock multiple times, and wrote for the show for 3 years (from 2006 to 2009).

Seeing any type of celebrity tackle as many careers/topics/activities as they do could make any person's head spin. When I think about what I'm doing and then compare it with what Jay Z's day might consist of, I start to feel pretty bad about myself (but then I remember I'm just a hip hop writer). But anyways, you should never limit anyone by the way they appear to you. Talent is never fully measured by ones interests, ones career, or even ones demeanor. Sometimes you can tell how great someone is destined to be just by the way they talk to you. If this list isn't even a slight example of what it means to make the sky the limit (or the galaxy [Hip Hop Unlimited], this is what we do now, come on) then maybe you should re-evaluate what you make your limit. The people on this list did, and look at them now.              


   

 

Is Will Smith Returning To Rap? (Interview)

Rumors have recently circulated that the freshest prince of them all could possibly be returning to music very soon!  This is exciting news!  So exciting in fact that I may have to, how does one say, get jiggy wit' it?  But seriously, the rapper of "Getting Jiggy With It", "Miami", "Wild Wild West", "Parents Just Don't Understand", and countless others is trying to make a comeback!  Hopefully you all feel as good about this as I do, but if not, oh well because here are some details on the actor (but really, rapper) from Philly's return.

Will's performance on "The Late Show" with David Letterman was followed by some friendly back and forth between Will and David, but the thing that stood out the most was David asking if Will was interested in doing any new music, and Will answered back with "whenever there's a microphone (around) it really gets me excited." This would lead you to believe that Will is feeling inspired and wanting to rap again, but if that doesn't do it for you then this next interview bit certainly will.

                                    (*I do not own any of these videos or the rights to them*)

Will Smith in the studio with KANYE WEST?!  Will should have known that this itty bitty little bit of information was going to blow up the internet, but the way he is talking about music lately he seems to be excited enough to put some work in. Could this possibly mean a new album from the Fresh Prince?  Could this mean Kanye production?  Does Will have any wishes to work with any current artists in the game?  I suppose we'll find out when that time comes... be on the look out for more news on Big Willy's (I know, such an awful, just wrong nickname) return to rap.   














   

Juicy J Blue Dream And Lean 2 Review (also Announces New Album)

I been workin hard!  Every day!  To give the people the posts they deserve (sorry I'm a tad loopy after listening to this Juicy tape)!  Juicy has been working very hard as of late with the release of his newest mix tape Blue Dream & Lean 2, and now the Three 6 Mafia OG has plans for a new album to be released this July!  But Juicy's album is not the focal point right now, because right now I want to talk about his latest mix tape release Blue Dream & Lean 2.

Juicy starts out the tape on a very high (no pun intended) note with "Stoners Night."  If you drink a lot and enjoy blazing some of that green that Wiz Khalifa (whom is sampled on the hook) and Juicy J himself are so fond of, then "Stoners Night" is probably a stand out track on this tape to you. It's low, down, dirty, and it's bass heavy. You get similar feels from tracks like "Smoked Out Dabbed Out" and the Wiz Khalifa assisted "Whole Thang".

  
Juicy keeps the party vibes going as usual all throughout Blue Dream And Lean 2, but also changes up the party sound a bit and substitutes it with a bit of venting on "I'm Sicka". This Mike Will Made It produced track details Juicy expressing his hate towards dudes that pretend to be ballers and pretend to be rich (even has a line in the hook that sounds like it could ultimately be aimed at label-mate Wiz Khalifa; "pussy buying ass nigga, lying ass nigga, you married a hoe and you a side nigga." It's very unlikely that this line was aimed at Wiz, but listening to the line you certainly would think it was when you put 2 and 2 together.

Juicy vents a bit more on "Throw Dem Racks", a track where Juicy basically tries to prove the point that men and women are all alike in the fact that the money changes them, and the hook is no silent jab; "throw them racks, watch how they react, watch them break their back, throw that ass back, they act a fool for them damn racks."  "Already" is another slick turn up track featuring the currently hot Rae Sremmurd that has laser like vibes when the melody first hits and of course features some hard hitting drums that would knock in the car.

One of the stand out tracks on the tape (though not because of the track itself) is "Don't Trust", the reason being that Juicy announces his next solo LP in the intro of the track, THC: The Hustle Continues. He goes on to say that the album drops in July, but he could get really high and drop it sooner?  This, ladies and gentlemen, is the beauty of free music (and apparently weed, thank you Blue Dream strand). A new Juicy J album is indeed in the works and is apparently coming out in July or sooner!

Juicy is continuing his reign of southern party music with his newest release, and is showing no signs of letting up any time soon. Is there anything better than an old rap OG not only STILL putting out music, but STILL having the ability to put out dope music as well?  You almost have to think Juicy's music would be nothing short of dope considering how much dope he has been smoking (I personally can't tell if it's Wiz's influence on him or if Juicy is still partying hard, though it's probably a mix of both). This tape is simply a warm up for Juicy's newest release THC: The Hustle Continues, set to drop in July and will be no shortage of dopeness for sure.

        





 

Are Eminem and Lil Wayne Nearing Their Downfall?

This saddens me. There aren't many things musically that can really make me sit back and think "damn", but if there was one thing, this would be it. You could ask anybody and they'd probably have the same answer, seeing your favorite artists crumble and fade into obscurity is one of the most heart breaking things you could see (and seeing one attempt a comeback and fail miserably is even worse). I grew up when Eminem was ruling the charts and the news headlines, and all throughout my high school years all you heard anyone play on their phones or iPod's was Lil Wayne (dude practically made a remix to every rap song made from 2008-2012). But reign's come to an end for everyone unfortunately, as hard as it is to admit, even for the biggest Stan. Times are a changing as much as old heads don't want to admit it, and though some good music is still coming out today, seeing the ones you grew up with fall is never easy. This discussion is not for just 1 specific artist however, because this argument even hurts me to be a part of, let alone begin the conversation; and that's because Eminem and Lil Wayne are nearing a close on both of their careers. I'm as big a Stan as it gets, but the similarities between the current state in both Eminem's and Wayne's career are eerie.

Now when I say there are similarities between Eminem and Lil Wayne your first reaction is probably a big fat Chris Griffin "WHAAAAAAAAAAAT", but once I explain these similarities things should make more sense. The similarities between Eminem and Lil Wayne's music are few and far between, but in terms of the state of both of their careers now, it's almost uncanny (though a fan of neither rapper would admit it), and the comparisons lie mostly in both rappers' latest projects, Shady XV and Sorry For The Wait 2.

The first question I asked myself in this comparison is simply "does either rapper have the ability to come up with great concepts for songs anymore?"  Now the comparison between mix tape and album is definitely a completely different concept when it comes to the types of songs and actual concepts, but I'm only using each rappers' latest body of work seeing as they'd be the most relevant. Anyways, when it comes to Wayne's Sorry For The Wait 2, it's not hard to tell that he doesn't have anything to talk about. The concepts behind the songs are the same Wayne rhymes that we've been hearing since about 2009; lots of lean, bitches, robberies, money and choppers. You'd appreciate hearing Wayne grow a little bit in his time as a rapper (or more importantly his time in the industry), even though a lot of fans like when their favorites don't change. The biggest issue with Wayne seems to be his concepts and content have not changed a bit.

Eminem's case, though not far off from Wayne's, is different, however. In his latest release Shady XV, though a compilation album, contained 3 brand new Eminem records that showed a different side to Em that no one had ever seen before. In the song "Fine Line", Eminem discussed how he came up and the difference between that time period and what it's like for him now, and it's almost shocking to hear from the Detroit emcee. Rap listeners (even his most die hard fans) got so used to hearing Eminem being a controversial rapper that talked about "Britney Spears needing to get her clit re-pierced and I can see her tits from here" types of stuff that this new subject matter is almost scary. A threat from Eminem to retire?  Many people would celebrate the day that it finally came, but as many as there are that say they would love it, there are probably three times as many people who would wipe their eyes with their Eminem shirts while listening to "Stan" and staring at pictures of him online. Like it or not, there are still Eminem fans out there, but like Wayne, sometimes Em has a problem coming up with concepts for songs. Are they bored with what they're doing?

(Eminem at times seems to rap just to rap, which you can't hate, but at the same time you want something more. Is he really running out of things to talk about?  His song "Fine Line" is a good point that he can be conscious at times, though.)  (*I do not own these videos, songs, or the rights to any of them*)

Wayne is in the same boat when it comes to bars and being able to rap; he certainly can still rap well, but what does it mean if he's not saying anything in these raps?  Another big thing that isn't hard to point out on Wayne's Sorry For The Wait 2 is that he has seemingly auto-tuned out the fact that he can still use his actual voice to rap (see what I did there? Oh, puns). Wayne has a very distinct voice that almost anyone can recognize, yet he chooses to chop it up and robot himself into some (at times) very unclear raps (at least it seems like it's auto tune, that can't be Wayne's regular rapping voice). This can get annoying for any regular rap music listener that isn't on lean on a daily basis.

Voice is certainly something Eminem's fans have worried about for quite awhile now as well. If you listened to Eminem from 95 and on you got used to it, and when Recovery came out you probably didn't like what you heard. Slim Shady came up on the high pitched parody-type of rapping voice that everyone loved, and when he changed this around 2002 for his album The Eminem Show it was a nice change of pace, but after Recovery people got fed up with all of the yelling. Eminem toned down the yelling again with Marshall Mathers LP 2, however, and many fans were very happy with this change (though some hardcore fans always find something to hate about the music, typical). Eminem doesn't seem crazy into auto tune like Wayne seems to be lately (or ever), but like Wayne, voice isn't exactly something that Eminem had perfected on his first try.

So hopefully this post points out some similarities in Wayne and Eminem and how their careers aren't so different (we're not so different, you and I, *cue Dr. Evil voice*). You certainly hope that Eminem and Wayne's careers both aren't on the downward spiral that they seem to be, but if they are you know they'll both go out with a bang, and seeing as Eminem has mentored Slaughterhouse and Wayne has mentored Nicki and Drake into the game, you certainly wouldn't expect either of them to leave the game completely (possibly executive producing albums, Eminem's history of producing, both could be great studio presences, etc.) Nothing is for certain as of right now though, so keeping your eyes and ears open is the name of the game it seems for both, arguably 2 of the greatest to ever do it.  



  

 

 

     

   

So... This New Drake Mixtape (Album) Actually Exists!

Lord knows people love them some Drake (see what I  did there?), and they just got some new music from the 6 God himself. I didn't want to believe these rumors when I had first heard them, but things slowly piled up and it looks like there is in fact a new Drake album! And what better time to drop it than on the 6 year anniversary of his legendary So Far Gone mix tape?  There isn't one that's for sure.  This new surprise album could be because of a number of things, and I want to detail them a little bit right here.

So... the title to this project (If You're Reading This It's Too Late) definitely says it all. There is no question that Drake is taking Wayne's side in this whole Wayne vs. Birdman battle and who knows why. It could be because Drake is tighter with Wayne than he is Birdman, could be because he finds Wayne's situation unfair, it could really be for a number of things, but it definitely sticks out due to the very poorly planned and handwritten album cover (which you can see below).

Oh yes it seems that Drake is definitely involving himself in the Wayne vs. Birdman drama, and it's clear whose side he is taking. Now many questions arise with this newest release, the first one being is this the album that Drake was originally planning to drop in 2015?  Headlines (there's another one) are saying that this album (or mix tape, though he is selling it on iTunes, so technically it constitutes as an album) is only a prelude to his originally planned Views From The 6 album set to drop later this year. Some of these songs definitely slap, but it's easy to say that some of them could just be throwaways that Drake had wanted to use just to get a new project out to clear himself from his Cash Money Records contract, in which he was signed to make 4 albums.  If You're Reading This It's Too Late could pass as an album for anyone else but for Drake it's light work and it's evident that he is moving on from what once was with Birdman and Cash Money Records.

So what does this mean for Drake's future?  Does this mean that he is completely done with Cash Money and is joining alongside Wayne wherever he decides to go?  How will this effect Drake's Views From The 6 being released, if at all?  And will Nicki join alongside Drake and Wayne and decide to leave Birdman with presumably nothing?  Too many questions to answer right now it seems, so until we find out the answers I'd recommend you sit back and enjoy yourself some new Drake!  The project can be bought on iTunes or streamed on HotNewHipHop, DJ Booth, or mostly any other hip hop blog, and you can check out a short film Drake released shortly before the album called "Jungle" below.

                   (*I do not own this video, or the rights to it, or any images used in this post*)

    














      




 

Kendrick Lamar Is Doing Things Bigger Than Music

It's been an incredibly, unbearably, excruciatingly long 3 years (almost 3 years, trust me, I've been counting) since Kendrick's last full length studio album. Good Kid Maad City was (and still is) a landmark in hip hop history and not only Kendrick's fans, but hip hop fans in general have been waiting for Kendrick's next move. How is Kendrick going to follow such a "classic" (I use quotations because the term "classic" is heavily overused and underappreciated)? What is Kendrick going to talk about on the new project?  And how much does Dr. Dre have to do with the new project?  All of these are questions that I can hopefully answer for you right now (besides Dr. Dre, who the fuck knows what he's doing).

Kendrick's newest single "The Blacker The Berry" is a statement. Period. Not only does this song have a message that unfortunately still has to be stressed today, but it couldn't have dropped at a better time. The Grammy's are widely known to be very white-biased and white music friendly (though Kendrick snagged 2 of them this past weekend) and Kendrick knows that. So allow me to explain the genius of Kendrick Lamar while (hopefully accurately) predicting the direction his still untitled next album will go. Oh, and in case you haven't heard it yet, check out "The Blacker The Berry" below.

                                               (*I do not own this song or the rights to it*)

So... what did y'all think?  It seems the main point Kendrick is looking to send home is that blacks and black music should be taken seriously. For too long black music has been shunned, shrugged off, and not given the props it deserves, and Kendrick is attacking this issue head on. But why now?  Why put out this song shining a spotlight on white entertainment and everyone in/supporting it?  Bingo; the Grammys. Even though Kanye attacked that already (if anyone chooses to listen to him), Kendrick is doing it the more effective way. Kendrick is putting it into his music and letting his voice be heard by allowing fans to be able to discuss what he says over a hard beat and some creepy, yet fitting vocals. I mean come on, its second nature for hip hop fans to discuss what these artists are REALLY saying over these records (*guiltily raises hand*). This right here... is Kendrick's socially conscious version of "Control."

To call Kendrick the new Tupac would be a stretch, but not because Tupac is too big of a comparison for Kendrick to handle. It's because Kendrick is attacking issues in his own way. Menacingly. Terrifyingly. Quietly. There's not a more effective way to do it. Make the music, draw the masses in, let them debate and *THINK* about what it means, then sit back and marvel at what you've done. This might be a bit of a black and white statement (not to be ironic), but Kendrick is silently making people smarter. And "i" love it.








    

Grammys (Kanye's Drunken Antics) Recap

Oh Kanye Kanye Kanye....why do I love you so much?  This is a simple answer; your media persona is priceless. It's literally like...impossible to ignore. I don't even listen to your music as much as I'd like to say I do, but when it comes to "Kanye on TMZ" I just can't ignore clicking. In case you haven't heard, the Grammys were yesterday (I really hope you knew this), and Kanye had returned for the first time in 6 years (since the Taylor Swift incident, but apparently it's cool because Kanye and Taylor are tight now), and in true Kanye fashion (in multiple meanings of the word). The red carpet was obsessed with Kim's crazy dress as usual and of course the man himself never disappoints when it comes to his wardrobe (at least doesn't disappoint rich people, or sponsors for that matter). But the focus wasn't on Kimye's wardrobe, or Kimye as a whole for that matter; because Sunday February 8th was Kanye West's night and he made sure people knew it.

First off, this happened. Kanye just about had a (probably drunken) flashback and walked up on stage like it was his job and ALMOST told Beck who he believed deserved this award. Of course afterwards during the Grammy after party Kanye was interviewed along with Kim and Khloe Kardashian and spewed his true thoughts on the matter, but at least this time he didn't snatch the mic. Baby steps Kanye. I hate to make this comparison, but Kanye is a real modern day Charles Manson. His thoughts get heard no matter what, he makes sense to some but is crazy to most, and his following is probably a bunch of crazy psychopathic murderers (no I'm kidding of course on the murderers part, my true beliefs on being crazy don't define one person, they define what these people think of this one person, not everyone is going to be on the same page all of the time, not saying Charles Manson is a great guy of course, but crazy people like to try and change the way things are).

So that was really funny, and Kanye at any award show draws any type of attention no matter the case, I find this hilarious because most people will hate it and say he's a jackass and is too opinionated for his own good, yet the Grammys and E Entertainment Network continues to invite him and give him the time of day to show up. What does that say?  I'm too into other things at the moment to give this a full breakdown (or else I really would), so until the next post enjoy Kanye's Grammy after party comments along with Kim and Khloe in the interview below. No matter how crazy Kanye seems to be (or at least looks to the public) you certainly can't deny that he brings up points that others are afraid to. I couldn't find the full Grammy after party interview online, but it shouldn't be a hard Google search if you'd really like to see it.

  









        

Oh Yes I Did: Comparing Rappers' Styles To The Beatles

Okay so before I get going on this post I feel like I should explain myself to any Beatles fan, old hard rock fan, or any old head music fan for that matter: this post is in no way comparing the accomplishments, the influence, or the threshold that the Beatles have held on music to ANY other artist of the last 50 years (even more than that, actually). There is no comparison to them even in the slightest. Their accomplishments and influence is unrivaled, no artist or band has had such a lasting impact on music for generations (and generations to come) as much as the Beatles have. John Lennon and Paul McCartney remain 2 of the top 10 greatest song writers of all time (I'd even put George Harrison up there with them, though he'd probably disagree), and numbers will never lie. However, I would like to use this post to simply point out the comparisons and concepts that may mimic the Beatles (in rap you say?  It can't be done!  Don't belee me juuuu watch). If anything, this post will show the continued influence the Beatles have on music (yes, even rap, a lot of rappers are smarter than you think and they do in fact respect their elders). So read on and enjoy the comparisons of writing styles in rap vs. the Beatles.

Quotable lyrics: "And if God was a human it'd be yours truly watching horror movies with some foreign groupies thinking this décor suits me, I do drugs get more loopy, I'm in tune to ancient jiu jitsu's spirituals it's blissful, looking out as far as eyes can see, I'm glad that me and this elevation could finally meet, I think I'm JFK's final speech, they try assassinating all of my beliefs."

The easiest choice (to me) would be easy mac with the cheesy raps. If his latest album Watching Movies With The Sound Off or his latest mix tape Faces says anything about him, it's that he has truly transformed himself as not only a rapper, but an incredibly diverse artist. It takes many drugs to reach a level where you feel making a song like "The Star Room" is acceptable to rap culture (which it's not, and that's what makes it great). The best thing about this song isn't even the quoted lyrics above: it's the fact that Mac's alternate personality Delusional Thomas takes over with crazy lyrics that you could only truly understand on drugs, and maybe not even then. Mac is known to take on many personalities in his raps, other than the usual rapping Mac Miller there is Delusional Thomas and Mac even has a producing side to him that he's named Larry Fisherman. It is said that only geniuses get bored with their lives and make up alternate personalities for themselves, and this certainly makes sense with Mac Miller given his musical history; Mac in 2010 compared to Mac in 2014 is almost a completely different artist.

The Beatles' "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds" might be a tad for the more experimental types:  the song writing is questionable, but the picture it paints for you is incomparable to almost any other song ever written. Actually, it's probably safe to say that the only songs that could ever come close to it in terms of imaginative song writing would just be more Beatles songs. I'd say if you wanted to listen to this you certainly shouldn't do it sober, you'd have to be on something stronger than alcohol or weed to truly be amazed by this song (and probably sit there debating what the hell John is really talking about), but even sober you can't help but sit and marvel at how the hell this guy John Lennon came up with this. Mac Miller and John Lennon may not have been writing about the same concepts when you compare "The Star Room" to "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds", but it'd be hard to argue that they weren't under the influence of the same thing.

Big K.R.I.T probably isn't the first guy you think of when you think "imaginative song writing" or "genre changing music" (second one is debatable), but his latest album Cadillactica is certainly one that could change your perspective on him as an artist. In case you haven't gotten the concept of Cadillactica, I'll fill you in; long story short, K.R.I.T created his own planet and the music on this planet is fucking insane. The beats on this album are almost futuristic (although it includes those bumping bangers you love K.R.I.T so much for), and it fits so well because not only did K.R.I.T evolve himself as an artist, but he stepped up his game by replying to "Control" by basically saying "fuck you, I reside on my own planet with no other artist." Game changing rap, this is, young sky walker.

The Beatles were so ahead of their time at one point in their careers that they got bored with being so good. They got so bored of being good in fact, that they wanted to make a concept album describing what it's like to be the average band (hard to describe average nowadays, at least during this time period it was average). Although the Beatles were never considered average, could it be possible that the Beatles are really the first band/artists to make a concept album?  Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is widely considered the first "concept" album, the main reason being because the Beatles were not being themselves; they were taking on a different persona as a completely different band altogether. This "concept" album concept (mind = blown) is still used today, and is definitely what you could say K.R.I.T used to make Cadillactica, and the double personas concept is applied to Mac with Delusional Thomas, and even one of the greatest hip hop groups in history (debatably) used to describe their personas in their lyrics, D12 (Eminem as Slim Shady, Proof as Dirty Harry, etc.). Are you seeing the way the Beatles maybe paved some ways for hip hop yet?

It's pretty damn hard to observe music nowadays and not see/hear something that the Beatles didn't inspire. Like, seriously. If you're a youngin like me (the fresh, crisp age of 21, in my prime I might add), then you might not have really understood the impact that the Beatles have had on music until now. Hopefully you have too because the Beatles' fingerprint on music is in stone and it shall forever be, but the point is that their influence hits home for every genre, not just rock. The influence of the Beatles lies in all of rap music, not just the examples I shared, and some of these artists don't even realize how inspired they've been by the Beatles, which is the amazing part, because that's the impact and the altitude of which the Beatles have had on music altogether. The Beatles even rhymed in some of their work, you could practically say the Beatles were rap pioneers (not really, but in a sense)! The point here is that if you think you know music, you probably really don't know music until you've started at the roots of the ever growing tree that music is; The Beatles.      

   


         

    
      


     

Kanye West Is Making Songs With A Fucking Beatle

I once read a twitter user say "Kanye is so amazing because I've listened to every Kanye album from College Dropout to Yeezus, and I still don't know what a Kanye song sounds like."  Which now that I think about it, couldn't be more true. I haven't always favored Kanye's music (or anything Kanye for that matter, his attitude on things is always entertaining though), but I have had phases in my life where I just "can't get this damn Kanye song out of my head."  In 2007 when "Stronger" came out I was 13 going on 14 years old (I say this because if there is any Kanye song that resonates with me so much it's "Stronger", or "Heartless" for that matter, both stick out to me and I have memories of). These songs stick out to me obviously because I grew up with them and I was sensitive to what I heard around me, I may not have actually liked them, but I heard them a lot and got used to them. I never thought of Kanye West as a rap giant, and never really thought he would turn into what he has today, so I brushed these songs off. Kanye West may not be making the music that everybody wishes he would make, and he may have lost a few fans along the way, but there is no doubt that Kanye is doing something that no rapper has ever done before.

Admittedly, when I heard about this Kanye West and Paul McCartney collaboration I certainly scratched my head. I thought I was reading another one of those web sites that just made headlines for hits on their site, a "TMZ" if you will, one of those sites that isn't even about giving people the truth, more so some exciting bullshit that probably has a very little amount of truth to it and just wants to make you click. When the song came out I kind of ignored it at first (not only because I thought you had to buy to listen, just seemed like more of a publicity stunt than music), but then one day I decided "what the hell, it's Kanye West and Paul McCartney, let's see what the buzz is about."

 Can you honestly say you got what you expected?  I have mixed feelings about this one. It might be better to not put this song in context to all of Kanye's other music because it sounds completely different, but if you're a Kanye fan who has listened to every album you might expect this to sound a tad different (or not, going back to the "I still don't know what a Kanye song sounds like" argument). It's not a terrible song and it has a decent message, but my question is what is Paul McCartney's incentive to do this?

In case you haven't heard a quarter of the Beatles (Paul McCartney) is executive producing Kanye's entire next album, which leaves many scratching their heads. The old heads wonder why Paul is doing this seeing as he's a fucking Beatle, he has literally done it all and could die right now as one of the top 10 most influential figures in music history. Kanye could gain a ton of respect from other fans and have a completely different type of audience opened up to his music, but what is it (if anything) that Paul gains from doing this?  Is Paul looking for a way back into the limelight?  Does Paul want to cross the genres in a way that no one has ever done before?  Or is Paul just broke and looking for money?  The questions become more and more bleak with every detail being revealed about Kanye's next album (set to drop later this year, though no release date has been given).

It's too hard to tell so early what these 2 are planning to accomplish, but apparently they want to change the way people see music, or at least that's what you hope for with these latest releases. There's not much to say about Paul McCartney that isn't already common knowledge at this point, if you don't know anything about the Beatles or what they've done I'd say that you are too sheltered to understand the magnitude of what Kanye is attempting to do. The funny thing about it is that Kanye and Paul not only have this "Only One" song out, but they also have another collaboration that includes Rihanna that was released not too long after "Only One" came out, and you can check that one out below. Be sure to let me know your thoughts on Kanye's plans with Paul fucking McCartney below or on Google+.

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

Artist To Look Out For: Cyhi The Prynce

So how many people have heard of the gawd (don't judge me, I'm on this saying now, I feel hip saying it) Cyhi The Prynce?  Nobody?  A lot of people?  Well he is just so awesome sauce that you almost want to dip beats in him and let him flow like water. He's all natural baby. I know all of these food references are pretty corny but you get the picture. Anyways, if you haven't heard of Cyhi you're about to get a nice introduction. Cyhi The Prynce is the best emcee you've never given the light of day. Being signed to Kanye's GOOD Music label, it's pretty easy to get outshined by names like Kanye, Big Sean, Pusha T, 2 Chainz, and others to name, but if you're Cyhi the Prynce, you're going in the right direction for sure, and let me tell you why.

Cyhi The Prynce, born Cydel Young in Stone Mountain, Georgia, is a conscious rapping, thought provoking sleeper pick for one of the hottest up and comers in rap right now. If you haven't heard about him, he's certainly done good things with tracks on his mix tapes, such good things in fact that Kanye felt the need to sign him to his GOOD Music label, and he has featured on a multitude of GOOD Music artists' projects, such as Kanye's highly acclaimed My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy album and even made some appearances on GOOD Music's compilation album Cruel Summer. I didn't know this until I did some research, but a funny story about Cyhi is that Beyoncé herself actually recommended Cyhi to Kanye to sign him to his label. That's quite a cosign and certainly puts pressure on Cyhi to be great, but if anyone can handle pressure (besides Logic, get it? Never mind) it's Cyhi.

Cyhi's solo projects have been practically albums, and his Ivy League mix tape series has proven to be some of his best work as an up and comer. Ivy League Club and Ivy League Kick Back are arguably Cyhi's best projects as a whole, with some exciting features like Big K.R.I.T, Big Sean, Chris Brown, Schoolboy Q, Yelawolf and more. His flow and lyricism is one of a kind, his clever bars are matched by very few in the game today, but his ability to make great songs of all kinds is what gets the people's attention the most. Check out his song "Bachelor" below.

Cyhi is certainly dope and he makes great music, but the most interesting thing about him is that he hasn't yet put out a debut album, and being under Kanye's GOOD Music label you'd expect him to get some creative control. Cyhi has a lot of fans that are dying for his next project, whether it be another mix tape or an album, though an album is what fans have been waiting for from him for quite some time. It's hard to think that people will get bored with him before he starts to really build a buzz (that is if he already hasn't), but his lack of putting out music as of late isn't helping the case. Check out Cyhi and his mix tapes if you get a chance, and you can find his latest release "Credit 'i' Deserve" below.

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





        

Ranking J. Cole's Albums Worst To Best

Cole World!  If you're a rap fan you've heard a Cole song, and if you're a Cole fan you've DEFINITELY heard at least a whole Cole project before, whether it be one of his fantastic albums or one of his critically acclaimed mix tapes. I find it funny that people honestly compare the two and say that his albums are better than his mix tapes, or his mix tapes are better than his albums (which is the more common argument) when in reality you're almost getting 2 completely different Coles entirely. The creative energy, hype, and hunger as an artist changes entirely when you compare your debut mix tape to your debut album, although unfortunately if your a Cole mix tape fan, you'd be disappointed when I say that we are not here to discuss his mix tapes. This post is strictly for albums: Cole has had 3 major label efforts, each one sounding more different and experimental than the next. Now if you could rank them from worst to best, how would that order go exactly?  That's what we're here to find out. Below, ranked worst to best, along with (arguably) the best song from each album, are J. Cole's 3 albums, ranked.

Cole World:  The Sideline Story

Cole World: The Sideline Story is J. Cole's confusing, yet promising burst onto the music scene. Mix tape Cole fans fell in love with an honest, lyrical, story-telling poet that showed more promise than any emcee that anyone had heard in quite awhile, yet The Sideline Story left a lot to be desired for die hard Cole fans. The Sideline Story is an album that shows every side of Cole that you love to see; the shit talking, the gritty talk of the hood and growing up and becoming a man, along with love and handling pregnancy at a young age. Cole is clearly still hyped at this time because of the recent Roc Nation signing and the bragging rights that come along with saying he's got a Jay-Z cosign, yet the industry's contribution to this album is clear with singles like the Kanye-sampled "Work Out", (which ended up disappointed Nas as Cole talks about later, but we'll get to that in time hip hop nerds).

Born Sinner

Cole's second effort Born Sinner showed a much hungrier, yet experimental Cole than anybody was used to seeing. Cole's rhymes are at the absolute top of his game with his lyrical, compacted flows and clever punch lines, though the song making ability wasn't quite there yet. You can tell that Cole is destined for greatness with this effort, if The Sideline Story didn't do it for you than Born Sinner certainly gives you a good Cole fix in terms of bars, and his respect for the greats is shown on an entire song dedicated to Nas titled "Let Nas Down". Nas even jumped on a remix to the song later to show how much respect he had for Cole and what he was doing for the game. If that's not being given the green light, than what is?  No seriously, I'll wait. Regardless of legendary features, Cole's sophomore effort was good, but you could certainly tell there was something missing, and that there was a part of Cole that fans weren't getting.

2014 Forest Hills Drive

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

Here it goes:  prepare yourselves for this one. 2014 Forest Hills Drive is the best Cole album to date. If I personally could dream up a Cole album myself with all creative control in terms of production, lyricism, flow, writing skills, song topics, etc., this would be the album I'd choose for Cole to make. This is Cole's Illmatic. I can't even believe I just said that. Now many hip hop heads will get uptight about mentioning any Cole projects with Illmatic, or any projects at all for that matter, but in all seriousness, Cole's 2014 Forest Hills Drive is the best rap album to hit since Good Kid Maad City. It is at least the most complete rap album since then. 2014 Forest Hills Drive has everything a rap fan wants, everything a Cole fan wants, and even more. The emotion emitted in tracks mixed with the controversy and thought it provokes is an absolute perfect blend and it embodies everything you envision a perfect story to be, and the music itself hasn't gotten nearly the recognition it deserves, the only reason being Cole has put out no singles for it. Cole has already been certified Gold by the RIAA, but the recognition is not in the numbers, it shows up in the appreciation for his fans and his conscience voice towards violence in America. Cole has showed up to random fans' houses to sign memorabilia and hang out with them, tweeted people about surprise concerts (and obviously showed up to venues to perform), and he even used his supposed "promo" for the album on Letterman to perform his song dedicated to the victims of Ferguson, Missouri, "Be Free."  Is Cole the new Tupac?  Actions speak louder than words, and Cole's words speak volumes, yet somehow his actions remain greater. Cole's 2014 Forest Hills Drive not only is the best rap album since Good Kid Maad City, not only was it the absolute best of 2014, but it embodies everything Cole represents as not only an artist, but as a person. 2014 Forest Hills Drive allowed me to appreciate music properly again.

Being a J. Cole fan obviously you get a mixed bag between projects (the difference being albums and mix tapes, though I don't truly believe this, I am going off of what the masses believe), but in terms of Cole's albums you truly can't ask for better progression. If the process of growing and becoming a better artist is evident in any rapper, it's J. Cole. The creative process has never been one to give Cole problems, because when you're a real person with real problems and show it through your music, you grow even more. The emotional connection Cole has gained with his fans grew times a thousand with the release of 2014 Forest Hills Drive, and that's after they already had a strong enough bond to love  everything he does. It'd be criminal to ask what Cole has planned next after a momentous release like 2014 Forest Hills Drive, but if you're a fan you can't help yourself. It's always exciting to see what Cole has in store for his fans, and if there is a peak moment in Cole's career, it is now. The fans appreciate everything he does because he gives to them, and they give back to him by showing loyalty. Once Cole gives, it is your opportunity and privilege to appreciate what he gives to you. Truly Yours.                



   











   



   

Who's On Your Rap Label? (A Point System Game)

I have a dream... well, I constantly have daydreams of what my perfect rap label would be like (if you were expecting some inspirational MLK shit there, sorry if I disappointed). There are literally so many rappers with so many different types of skills that it's insane to think about what they could all do together (or with different collaborators, you remember my "who are your dream collaborations" article awhile back? this is almost of the same vein). Too many times have I thought about how limited some of my favorite rappers are because of their label, or because of whose in their circle, or even because of who they frequently collaborate with. You never know what could have happened with some artists if their career paths may have went differently, or if they do in the near future (butterfly effects aside). This post is for those like me that think (probably waaay too much) about how things could be if they were different. All I want to know is this:  who's on your rap label?

Now before we start the game I have to lay down some guidelines:  first up is the point system. I tried to make it as simple as possible in terms of what rankings each rapper got, the best rappers get a 5 point ranking while the worst get a 1, and so on. A 5 point ranked rapper is what you would want to lead your label:  in terms of selling records and being the fan favorite, this is your go to artist. A 1 point artist isn't necessarily just a label filler, they could be whatever you want them to be, it is YOUR label after all, although to make it challenging I have given each label a 12 point limit per label, though there is no limit to how many rappers/artists are on your label.

Next up are the label tags (or in NFL terms, the "franchise" tags). These tags basically define what each rapper is and how the public sees them (or at least how I see them, you may see them differently, all I ask is that you follow the guidelines). Some rappers/artists will get tags that others won't because it is all based on how unique that rapper/artist is musically, but these tags include; Chart Topper (CT), Lyrical Miracle (LM), Fan Favorite (FF), New Artist (NA), Party Music (PM), Thought Provoking (TP), Story Teller (ST) and Original Gangsta (OG). The only guidelines I have for the tags is that every label have at least 1 Chart Topper (CT), 1 New Artist (NA), and one Original Gangsta (OG). Every other artist is up to you, there is no limit to how many of each.

The last rule is that there are to be no label heads involved on your label, obviously because you would be taking their place. So this means Eminem, Jay Z, Nas, Diddy, Lil Wayne, Dr. Dre, Kanye West, T.I., Rick Ross and Birdman will not make the list. The rest of the rappers, however, are all fair game. I only define label heads as the MAJOR labels (Shady Records, Young Money, Cash Money, GOOD Music, Roc Nation, Mass Appeal, Grand Hustle, Bad Boy, Maybach Music Group), so labels like Drake's OVO and B.o.B's No Genre would not make this list. Whatever you believe the guidelines should be, they have been set and to play the game you must follow them (it's supposed to be a fun challenge as well, I hope to readers follow the guidelines and play the game fairly). Anyways, below is a list of most every rapper that qualifies to make the list, along with their tags and point totals next to them.

5 Points                                                                                                     4 Points
Kendrick Lamar (ST)(CT)(LM)(TP)                                          Logic (ST)(FF)(TP)(LM)(NA)
J. Cole (ST)(CT)(LM)(TP)                                                         Lupe Fiasco (TP)(LM)(FF)
Mac Miller (FF)(TP)(PM)(LM)                                                  Big Sean (PM)(LM)
Tyler The Creator (LM)(PM)(FF)                                              Meek Mill (PM)(LM)
Drake (ST)(PM)(FF)(CT)                                                           Young Jeezy (OG)(ST)(CT)(PM)
Nicki Minaj (LM)(FF)(CT)                                                         Fabolous (OG)(FF)(PM)(TP)
Big K.R.I.T (FF)(PM)(TP)                                                         A$AP Rocky (FF)(PM)
Slaughterhouse (LM)(FF)                                                           Schoolboy Q (PM)(FF)
                                                                                                     Ab-Soul (FF)(TP)(LM)
                                                                                                     Common (OG)(ST)(TP)
                                                                                                     50 Cent (OG)(PM)(FF)(CT)
                                                                                                     Pusha T (LM)(PM)(TP)

3 Points                                                                                                   2 Points                        
Andre 3000 (OG)(ST)(LM)(FF)(TP)                                          Joe Budden (ST)(FF)(LM)(TP) 
Big Boi (OG)(PM)(FF)                                                               Crooked I (LM)(TP)(FF)            
Bun B (OG)(PM)(LM)                                                                Royce Da 5'9 (LM)(TP)(FF)
Dizzy Wright (NA)(PM)                                                             Joell Ortiz (LM)(TP)(FF)
Yelawolf (ST)(LM)(TP)(PM)                                                     Nipsey Hussle (PM)
Tech N9ne (LM)(FF)                                                                  2 Chainz (PM)(FF)
Ludacris (OG)(PM)(FF)                                                              Rittz (ST)(TP)(LM)(PM)(FF)
Earl Sweatshirt (LM)(PM)(FF)                                                   Cyhi The Prynce (TP)(LM)(NA)
Wiz Khalifa (PM)                                                                        Mick Jenkins (NA)(PM)(TP)
B.o.B (LM)(PM)(TP)                                                                  MGK (PM)(LM)
Juicy J (OG)(PM)(FF)                                                                 Ty Dolla $ign (PM)
Game (OG)(ST)(PM)(TP)                                                           Young Thug (PM)
Curren$y (PM)(FF)(TP)                                                              Rich Homie Quan (PM)
Nelly (OG)(PM)(FF)                                                                   DMX (OG)(PM)(FF)
Wale (PM)(TP)                                                                            Trinidad James (PM)(NA)
A$AP Ferg (PM)                                                                          Lil John (OG)(PM)(FF)
Asher Roth (LM)(PM)(TP)                                                          Kirko Bangz (HS)(PM)
Jay Rock (NA)(ST)(PM)(TP)                                                      Usher (HS)(FF)(PM)
French Montana (PM)                                                                  Omarion (HS)(PM)
Kid Cudi (TP)(FF)(PM)                                                               Tyga (PM)
Joey Bada$$ (ST)(NA)(TP)(LM)(PM)                                     Snow Tha Product (NA)(LM)(PM)(TP)Childish Gambino (PM)(TP)(FF)                                                 Rihanna (HS)(CT)(PM)
Jay Electronica (NA)(ST)(LM)(TP)                                             King Chip (PM)(TP)
Chance The Rapper (PM)(TP)(NA)                                             Skyler Grey (HS)
Freddie Gibbs (FF)(PM)                                                               Jeremih (HS)
Action Bronson (PM)(TP)(LM)                                                   T-Pain (HS)
Twista (OG)(FF)(LM)                                                                  Trey Songz (CT)(HS)
Talib Kweli (OG)(ST)(TP)(LM)(FF)                                           Chris Brown (HS)(CT)                       
Mos Def (OG)(ST)(TP)(LM)(FF)                                                 Riff Raff (PM)(HS)                           
YG (PM)                                                                                        Mick Jenkins (PM)(TP)                     
Future (HS)(PM)                                                                           Lil Flip (PM)                                      
Project Pat (OG)(FF)(PM)                                                            Chingy (PM)                                       
Anthony Hamilton (HS)                                                                Akon (HS)                                          
Kevin Gates (PM)(TP)(NA)(IDGT)(SMH)                                  Kurupt (OG)(LM)(PM)                      
Iggy Azalea (CT)(HS)(PM)(FF)                                                   Bow Wow (PM)(FF)                          
Jhene Aiko (HS)(ST)(TP)(PM)                                                     Paul Wall (PM)(FF)                           
Lil Kim (OG)(LM)(PM)                                                                Chevy Woods (LM)(PM)
Busta Rhymes (OG)(LM)(PM)                                                      Obie Trice (OG)(LM)(TP)
Jadakiss (OG)(LM)(TP)                                                                 Tuki Carter (PM)(NA)                    
Trae The Truth (PM)(LM)

Now with the absolutely humongoid, gigantic, mammoth, Andre The Giant-esque list I just gave you (with the exception of a few, let me know if I left any names off or if there are any others that you would include in your label), you should definitely have fun putting together your label. Now I want to see what the people come up with!  Honestly I can't even tell you who I'd put on my label with the point limit at the moment, it may even take me a couple days before I can come up with my list. But just remember the guidelines/rules, and just have fun with it, it's all about the discussion!  We can talk over who you put on your label and why on Twitter (@SuperNovaRover) or Google+ when you make your decisions, you important label heads you. Now go and do big things with your artists.


                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  








 

























     

Jay Z Talks Of The Race Relations In Hip Hop

Too often in hip hop it seems that race is brought into the picture, even today. Has hip hop not advanced past a point where the love of it can be shared with people of all colors, sizes and shapes?  It's deeper than color and the people that don't realize it right now will never realize it (I feel like I've said a lot of this before, but it's a big enough point to be reiterated). The great thing about hip hop is that it starts a conversation that many people are afraid to touch, because rappers just do that stuff. Like, every day. Whether it be through song lyrics, documentaries, or just plain old interviews, nobody can really stir the pot or create a conversation like a rapper can. Which is fucking awesome because who else would have the balls?  Jay Z probably has the most credibility out of anyone to say what he chooses or how he feels about what hip hop has done, because come on now, look what it has done for him (and what he has done for it). It's like listening to Bill Gates tell you how to be a billionaire, you can't say you wouldn't at least listen to what he has to say.

Recently, multi millionaire Shawn Carter had a sit down conversation with Oprah's OWN network and discussed the 50th anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery marches led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and he had quite the opinion on what hip hop and it's spokespeople have done for many different cultures of people since it's inception. Check out what he says below.

If I were to ride a unicorn over a rainbow leading to a sea of gold one day, then today would be the day I belly flopped in some gold water. I never thought I'd ever agree with Jay Z on anything at all, seeing as we have nothing in common about pretty much anything, but his views on hip hop definitely have to bring up an interest you saw in him when you first heard him (if you're an old head who loves classic Jay Z). His comparing rap and it's "creating a common bond in people of all colors" type of talk is something a hip hop head just loves to listen to, especially from someone of Jay Z's stature because he normally doesn't bring that type of attitude into interviews anymore. Can you honestly say that you think great music and hip hop culture when you think of Jay Z anymore?  He's way too focused on the Brooklyn Nets, phone company deals, and conquering the world to even give this the light of day, which is why it makes this interview ten times more awesome to listen to. You can't forget where you came from, and Jay Z definitely hasn't (at least not yet). Let me know what you think of Jay's comments on Google+ or Twitter (@SuperNovaRover).