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.              


   

 

Logic is "Under Pressure": What Do YOU Expect?

Logic has to be my newest favorite rapper in the game. When you talk about young rappers coming up who like to carry on the tradition of hard hitting hippity hoppity rhymes with a good blend of new sounds mixed in with it, Logic HAS to be the first one that comes to mind, other than maybe Joey Bada$$ (at least that I currently know of). I was introduced to Logic at the beginning of this year and have to say I was impressed immediately. I mean, how can you NOT like Logic? 

Logic will be releasing his debut album Under Pressure this October 21st under Def Jam and his Visionary Music Group label. He has already given fans a nice amount of free songs this year, some of those include "Driving Ms. Daisy" featuring Childish Gambino, "Everything I Am" ft. Hit-Boy & Audio Push, "Alright" ft. Big Sean, "Finding Forever freestyle", "While You Wait", and "Now" just to name a few. A couple of these songs were rumored to be on an EP titled "While You Wait" that he planned to release before the album, but he reportedly scrapped the project to get the album promotion started. If you can say anything up to this point about Logic, it's that he's a hard worker who enjoys making music not only for himself, but for his fans as well. The album's leading single "Under Pressure" is the first song that he has ever put on iTunes to this day, and that includes 4 other entire mix tapes.

So how can you not love someone who appreciates what he does as much as this guy?  If you love his music it's almost as if you'd never get bored of it. A lot of hating listeners (who I'm not sure why you'd listen anyways) like to say that all of his music sounds the same and he "recycles" lyrics, but as Shakespeare said, "let thy haters hate". Not to mention the fact that the production for his debut will be quite stand out as well. These producers include Hit-Boy, 6ix, C-Sick, and the producer I put in the "5 producers you should know" article last week, No I.D., who will be executive producing the debut.

Yesterday the VMG rapper put out the first single for the album of the same name "Under Pressure" and if I could use one word to describe it, it'd probably just be, oh, I don't know... LISTEN. The song is supposedly self-produced and will actually be over 9 minutes long once the album drops, but it is an incredibly dope song even not being able to hear the finished product. That's all I can say. I have a feeling this album will be a game changer. This kid is the truth and if you aren't going to jump on the Logic bandwagon right now, then it's going to be a long road to the top. Not for Logic, he's practically there once the album drops, but if you aren't there for the ride then all I can say is sorry. Check out "Under Pressure" below.

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


      

      

Jhene Aiko: Hip Hop's Next Super Honey (If Not Already)

Jhene Aiko has kind of exploded since her arrival on the music scene. Since the release of her EP Sail Out at the end of last year, the L.A. based soul singer has been putting out great song after great song pushing towards the release of her album Souled Out coming out this Tuesday, September 9th. Now minus the fact that she is angelically good looking and practically my soul mate (get it? Still, back off), I can honestly say her voice is unlike anything I've ever heard before. I'm not sure if I could make a better voice myself if I could somehow magically make her and Drake have kids, then have Aaliyah and Frank Sinatra have kids, then by some miracle have those 2 kids meet and have kids. But miracle Jesus-voiced babies aside, the come up of Jhene Aiko has been an interesting one, and not at all one you could say you saw coming.

Admittedly I got in on Jhene a little late. The first time I recall hearing her was on the song "Sparks Will Fly" on the deluxe version of J. Cole's Born Sinner album. Now the intro always sucks me in like a tornado with that crazy wavy, bubbly like sounding synthesizer, or whatever the sound may be. But Jhene stole the show on this one for me. As soon as she came in on that hook, it was over. To this day, every time I listen to it I still wait for the hook more than any other part (sorry Cole, respect to you as well, but come on, really?). Not to mention the ending part of her sort of solo singing performance. Anyways, ever since I heard this song, I've been hooked; waiting for the next thing she puts out, and realizing that I'd never really had my attention grabbed by a singer as much as her.

So like any proper rap geek I went back and did some more research. I know an argument that she isn't a rapper could be made, but the fact that she has a history of rapping on tracks ("Real Now," "In Love We Trust" and "Stay Ready," just to name a few) is good enough evidence to me. Not to mention all the features from rappers she's boasted up to this point (Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Childish Gambino, Ab-Soul, etc.). So yeah, fellow rap die-hards, she counts. She can turn a hard rap song into a heartfelt, beautifully pieced emotional ballad with one hook.

So up to this point yes, I do consider her a double threat. But on her debut mix tape Sailing Souls she might have been a bit more one dimensional. She sang a lot on songs like "My Mine" and "You Vs. Them," while going for more of a pop sound on songs like "Popular" and "Higher." Then again she did add some decent verses on songs like "Its Real NOW" and "Do Better Blues." So really form your own opinion on how versatile you think she can be (ok not really, because she does EVERYTHING!).

Her Sail Out EP was absolutely no slouch either. Not only did her features step up (Kendrick, Ab- Soul, Childish Gambino), but the production value of her music sky rocketed as well, boasting beats from Fisticuffs and label head No I.D. Her great song writing is shown on every song, but the personal songs are what seem to gain her fan's attention the most. With talks of ex- boyfriends and love on the songs "The Worst" and "Comfort Inn Ending (freestyle)," she makes all the struggles of loving someone familiar and relatable to girls and women everywhere (and maybe even guys, if you're into that).

Her debut album will definitely be one to watch. Interestingly enough she has no rap features on Souled Out, in fact the only feature at all is the Cocaine 80s assisted song "To Love & Die." Is it safe to say that she may be going for a more personal approach? I wouldn't be surprised to see more personal love songs on the album, but that's my opinion. With Jhene it's hard to say she's more unexpected, but the end product usually results in satisfaction from her fans. I suppose we will only see what's to come from the solo soul singer (say that 5 times fast) here in the VERY near future. The only way to go is up: HIGHER! Check out her new music video for "The Pressure" below.

                               (*I do not own this video or song, or the rights to either*)