Scrolling through Netflix's "Recommended For You" category is a lot like life, and in that sense, it can anger me a little bit. I come across an old war hero documentary, then the next title is an old action movie with B list actors, then the next thing actually happens to be a pretty big animated movie that just got out of theaters; but I didn't go and see it for a reason. Dammit Netflix, YOU THINK YOU KNOW ME?!?! The time I spend wandering aimlessly through Netflix's endless list of fuckery is time I could spend being more productive elsewhere, but who wants to do that? Well this time, Netflix is actually inspiring me to be productive (cue flying pigs). The Art Of Organized Noize is the latest must watch documentary that I absolutely must discuss.
So in case you haven't heard of them, Organized Noize are a production group based out of southwest Atlanta, and they have worked with mega stars like Outkast, Future, Ludacris, Goodie Mob (Big Gipp, Cee-Lo Green, etc.), TLC, and more, and the documentary actually includes interviews from some of these artists discussing their come up and the influence that Organized Noize had on them.
(*I do not own this video, or the rights to it*)
Many claim that Organized Noize had such an impact on hip hop today that they're responsible for the sound and how it has evolved today, especially in Atlanta. Their use of live instruments in their music transcended the average hip hop sound and how it was perceived, and ultimately has pushed other artists to keep that true aspect of instrumentation in their music, even today.
So if you know your Southern hip hop or you want to get to brush up on your Southern hip hop history, The Art Of Organized Noize is for you. The come up of one of the greatest production groups of all time (arguably) is discussed, and they even get a little bit into the come up of who many people hail as the greatest hip hop duo of all time in Outkast. There are plenty of all star appearances and interviews to entertain you (including an interview with Diddy), and the archived footage shown would put even the biggest Outkast, Goodie Mob, or Organized Noize fans in awe. So if you're a southern hip hop rap nerd, you need to watch The Art Of Organized Noize,out on Netflix right now!
There is a give and take in any good relationship; relationship meaning a status you hold with someone (or in this case, someTHING) in your life. There's always going to be someone or something that gives you a different perspective on life (or anything, for that matter). Variety in life means choices, such as different types of hobbies, or different kinds of people you associate yourself with, for example; there's the guy that has to make everything a competition, that guy who you could call your brother and open up to about anything, then there's those partiers that are just too fun not to hang out with, and maybe every now and then you'll encounter that person that just makes you feel cooler than the rest of the block. Such is hip hop; introducing the year of variety.
Drake owned 2015. In fact, if we name this year like people do the Chinese new year, then 2015 was the year of the owl. Despite the (not what anyone would call setbacks at all because, domination) setbacks that Drake encountered (Meek Mill beef, ghostwriting accusations, the "contract" struggle on Cash Money, and being in the middle of the battle of Lil Wayne vs. Birdman), Drake still managed to have the biggest year in hip hop (again). If You're Reading This It's Too Late was Grammy nominated, his collaborative album with Future What A Time To Be Alive was at one point the biggest album in the world, and his annoyingly catchy "Hotline Bling" became #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 list. Oh, and ever hear of a diss track becoming Grammy nominated? Also this year, Drake's Meek Mill diss "Back To Back" was Grammy nominated for "Best Rap Performance". October's Very Own did it again; the year of the owl.
(Because I didn't want to share a Drake and Future song. Also, this song represents what 2016 could bring. For those looking for change.)
Although the Grammy's are yet to happen (not until 2/15), hip hop heads can rejoice at the notion that this year's "Best Rap Album" nominees are (arguably, not really though) some of the most deserved. To say J. Cole's 2014 Forest Hills Drive has gotten all the attention it has deserved would be criminal, and the same goes for Kendrick's To Pimp A Butterfly and Dr. Dre's Compton; The Soundtrack (Dre could probably do without winning considering the movie's success as well) . Lupe Fiasco's Tetsuo & Youth might be the most slept on album of the year, while fans might also be angry that Mac Miller (GO:OD AM), Earl Sweatshirt (I Don't Like Shit, I Don't Go Outside), Big Sean (Dark Sky Paradise), The Game (The Documentary 2), A$AP Rocky (At. Long. Last. A$AP), and Future (DS2, 56 Nights, Beast Mode) didn't get the nods they thought they deserved. Also, Travis Scott, Rich Homie Quan, and Rae Sremmurd (as much as I hate to admit) all had huge years.
(Kendrick was one of the biggest contributors to bringing back the "music video with a concept")
What else did I miss that's worth talking about? Marvel did an incredibly dope thing called "Marvel Hip Hop Variants" with their very own super heroes remaking classic album covers (you can see a gigantic list of those covers here http://hiphopgoldenage.com/list/35-marvels-hip-hop-variants/), and Stretch & Bobbito finally got their just due with Radio That Changed Lives! If there is one piece on hip hop that needs to be seen from this year, the Stretch and Bobbito documentary is that piece. Old unreleased freestyles and interviews from the likes of legends such as Eminem, Jay Z, Nas, Fat Joe, and more surface in their documentary, and if you're one that likes "diggin' through the crates" as the old heads say, then this is your thing.
In terms of coming up, a lot of names could be put on this list. Michael Christmas, Boogie, and Mick Jenkins immediately come to mind, but it'd be wrong to say that there aren't several more artists that could blow up in 2016. Rap took a turn for hilarious, ridiculous fun when Run The Jewels put out their mega-cat-remix album Meow The Jewels made up of 90% cat sounds. The Game got into more beef and legal problems (surprise), and Grantland staff writer Shea Serrano also released his very successful book "The Rap Yearbook", which chronicled the biggest rap song of every year from 1979 to 2014, and also illustrates how hip hop is the product of multiple musical genres mixed with the poetic word expressing the oppression that blacks have faced throughout U.S. history.
(*I do not own any of these songs, videos, or the rights to them*)
Was 2015 the year of the wave riders (which Drake and Future so often got accused of being, although I can't say I disagree)? It could be argued that this is the case, certainly. But I think 2015 turned out to be much more than that. Not just because there were too many dope projects that dropped and made us all jig in our own way, but because you created a sort of relationship with every rapper you heard this year. Some rappers pushed you to do big things because of their competitiveness and work ethic (Eminem, just because he works on his craft, Kevin Gates because he doesn't get tired), some rappers opened themselves up to the world and were accepted (Kendrick), some rappers made you want to party until the world ends (Future, Rich Homie Quan, Rae Sremmurd, etc.), and some rappers just made you feel like you were fresher than the rest of the block (Fabolous). The year of variety happened so fast because people were looking for the next thing instead of enjoying what they already had (which makes an argument for 2015 being "the year of the wave rider"), but here's to hoping 2016 stops that trend. A flood of music forces the listener to move onto the next thing faster than the brain can process, so why would artists want to ruin the impact of the music that they just put out? Anyways, here's to an incredibly bumpy, roller coaster year for hip hop and hoping for a more consistent one, yet just as entertaining.
I know too many people that speak about their issues with no real human emotion. Too many times I've seen cases where people "cut you off" because of a minor disagreement, or a small fight that means nothing in the grand scheme of things. People grow up, they lose friends, they may no longer speak to family members because of a fight, and don't really care if they do or don't speak to people who have been in their lives for the entirety of it. What that says about these certain people is no matter, but I've always believed that the people in your life who truly mean something will always find a way to stay in it, and these people always hold relevance in your life.
The same exact thing can be said about music. It's amazing how people forget the power that music holds over one's life, it's a known fact that music changes people's perception of the world, and perception is everything. Allow me to say that again; perception is EVERYTHING! How you perceive something is how you see it, and if something allows you to change your perception on something you see, then that can mean an array of different things (though we won't get into that). Perception is how you see something that scares the living shit out of you, how you see someone you've loved your entire life, how you see your goals and your future, or it can be something as simple as what a song means to you.
This past Wednesday, Joe Budden's very much anticipated album All Love Lost leaked, and if you were a fan scrolling through one of your favorite hip hop blogs looking for new releases, you could have scrolled right by the album stream and thought nothing of it, but I've always taken a liking to Budden's music and his ability to rap (beats on ALL are crazy, though some people will argue that Budden talks about depression/past relationships too much). I pressed play on the "All Love Lost Intro" and was immediately sucked into the world of Joe Budden, but the song that truly made me feel was "Immortal."
On "Immortal", Budden talks of his past drug addiction and getting through it, and if you know about Joe Budden, you know he's abused drugs for almost his entire career. Things like pills (from what Budden mentions is many, many types of pills including Percocet, and he even mentions some heroin use at points in his career) are things Budden abused constantly. But there is a line that makes you think in the song, and though hearing the line itself doesn't hit the ear right, Budden sounds so sure in a line leading up to the hook; "you can't kill something that's ready to die." This line is heavy in it's own right, but that line is followed up by a steroid-like strength hook (probably the wrong expression to use in this case, but oh well); "they say I'm in my own way, own way, and that's fine, I'm just living my own way, own way, like I can't die, they can remove my heart, my soul, might take it's toll, the air I breathe and the ground below, but no way, no way, let 'em all try, that's how it feels to be immortal, immortal, that's how it feels to be immortal, immortal, and that's how it feels to be immortal."
There's too much I have to say about that particular song, but Budden's entire album (All Love Lost) is something that hits you "right in the feels" as the kids say these days. Now what does the rest of hip hop have to combat that with? Listen to this.
(*I do not own these songs, or the rights to them*)
Hmm... I don't uhm... Fuck up some... commas? Excuse me for not being as hip as I'm supposed to be (and granted I don't listen to any Future on the regular, and for good reason), but how does one "fuck up some commas"? I'm curious, really, more than anything. What is the attraction to this? Fuck up some commas that most hip hop listeners do not have to "fuck up." "Trap niggas" is definitely a title that people wish to attain; right? It's so relatable to people to listen to "blow a bag" nowadays, huh? I believe people have forgotten what quality hip hop music sounds like (something that you're able to listen to timelessly, and able to relate to forever).
So... what do I think? I think the hottest rappers in the game right now should not be the hottest rappers in the game right now. Do you see yourself listening to Future's Dirty Sprite 2, 56 Nights, or even his Drake collaboration What A Time To Be Alive next year? How about 10 years from now? Do any of those projects still hold weight? The incredible flood of hip hop music that has taken over this millennium needs to stop, and now (and not just Future, a lot of one hit wonders are killing hip hop, that goes for Rae Sremmurd, Bobby Shmurda, Migos, and almost the entire sub genre of "trap music"). I find it amazing that "Slim Jesus" is one of the most talked about acts in hip hop right now. What meaning does music have if you don't see yourself listening to it in the future (no pun intended, though I believe he chose the wrong name)? Fix rap by putting out quality music, and not by putting out loads and loads of albums and mix tapes that will mean nothing in a year. Fix it by competing with the best, not because you want to make your money, but because you want to be BETTER than the best. If you're not rapping to become the best, then what are you doing it for? Those are my thoughts on the current state of hip hop.
It's getting to be that time of year again, the time when your favorite rappers get snubbed for an award, and when they give way too much recognition to an artist that doesn't deserve it, and of course the time of year in which seemingly every year an award category is made up in which nobody cares about. Of course I'm talking about none other than the BET Hip Hop Awards. With Uncle Snoop hosting this year there's bound to be some entertainment, but sadly enough you almost expect disappointment in there somewhere. Not because of Snoop of course, but because it's an award show (nowhere near as bad as the Grammy's for rap, but still) and someone is bound to be angry over something. At this point it's just not knowing what it could be. But I'm not focused on that right now because recently the award categories have been set, and I NEED to give my opinion on (what I believe to be) the most important categories, who should win each, and why. (Note: again, these are my personal views and opinions on who should win, no matter how biased or stupid the reasoning might be.) Who Blew Up Award: Iggy Azalea Migos Rich Homie Quan Schoolboy Q YG Young Thug
Iggy. What's next? Oh am I supposed to elaborate? Is there any elaborating needed for this particular category? Not really. Not only did Iggy's lead single "Fancy" get certified double platinum by the RIAA, but she BROKE BILLBOARD RECORDS as the first artist since The Beatles (yes, those Beatles) to have their first two Billboard entries hit number 1 and number 2 simultaneously. Did anyone else on that list even have a number 1? Doesn't matter, moving on! Hustler Of The Year Award: Dr. Dre Drake Jay Z Rick Ross T.I.
What exactly are the details on this award? How does one become the "Hustler of The Year"? I suppose only a hustler would know. This award strikes me as odd, but noticing the common denominator in this list would be that most of them have become successful entrepreneurs. Not saying that I can detail piece by piece what Rick Ross and T.I. have done so importantly entrepreneur-wise this year, but in my opinion this one comes down to Dre and Jay. And Dre wins of course, I mean come on, 3 billy for selling a headphone line? Does it get more "Hustler" than that? Best Collab, Duo, or Group: Eminem ft. Rihanna - The Monster Future ft. Pharrell, Pusha T and Casino - Move That Dope Jay Z ft. Justin Timberlake - Holy Grail Schoolboy Q ft. BJ The Chicago Kid - Studio YG ft. Young Jeezy and Rich Homie Quan - My Hitta
This one might be a bit closer than some other categories. Being the Stan that I hate to admit I am, I'd like to see Em take this one home, and Rihanna is huge everywhere, but I certainly could see either Jay Z or Schoolboy Q win this one as well. That Studio jam had me bumping it since the video came out, and I didn't even listen to much of Oxymoron. Same goes for the Jay and Justin song; didn't listen to much of the album, but the song bumps. Props to the producers on both of those cuts, but if I’m picking a winner in this category, I’ll go with Schoolboy Q and the Chicago Kid. Best Live Performer: Drake Jay Z Kanye West Kendrick Lamar T.I.
T.I. being on this list confuses me... I mean I can't knock the guy, nor can I compliment him, but the other four performers on the list I have seen (or could see) people vouching for. Drake has been the people's pick for some odd years now, Jay Z is Jay Z, and Kendrick Lamar is Kendrick Lamar, and Kanye creates an aura around his performances that can't be matched by anyone. Now the arguments that Jay and Kendrick are themselves might not be the best points, but there are MANY people who would do unspeakable things to see Kendrick (including myself) as well as a legend like Jay Z (who knows how much longer he has left?). But my pick has to go to Kanye on this one, simply because the mere pictures I've seen of his performances (creepy metal masks, bringing a faux "Jesus" on stage, many people say its like Kanye is looking in a mirror, hilarious right?) are unlike anything you could see anywhere else.
Lyricist Of The Year: Drake Eminem J. Cole Jay Z Kendrick Lamar Nicki Minaj
This category is one of my favorites I'll admit. While I do like a good club banger I can party or bob my head to, the other half of it to me is lyrical capabilities. I enjoy sitting back and listening to some of the crazy metaphors Eminem can put together, as well as Kendrick's lyrical capabilities and Cole's great punch lines. I really couldn't tell you why Drake is on this list, he makes great music that people party to and vibe to even by themselves, but there's no way he matches up lyrically with Em, Kendrick, Cole, or even Nicki for that matter. My pick here is obviously Em, but if he doesn't get it (for some VERY odd reason) I see Kendrick taking this one home again. Producer Of The Year:
DJ Mustard Drumma Boy Hit-Boy Mike WiLL Made It Pharrell Timbaland
Interesting list here. Every one of these producers had at least one (probably more) smash hit that you couldn't go a day without hearing on the radio. My personal favorite was Hit-Boy's masterful production on Drake's "Trophies" banger that came out at the very end of 2013. It seems that Pharrell and Timbaland are always in the running for best producer of the year, but as much as I hate to do it I have to go with Mustard winning this one. Too many hits. Jeezy's "R.I.P", B.o.B's "Headband", Ty Dolla Sign's "Paranoid", YG and Drake's "Who Do You Love?", and that's not even scratching the surface. Album Of The Year:
Drake - Nothing Was The Same Eminem - Marshall Mathers LP 2 Rick Ross - Mastermind Future - Honest Schoolboy Q - Oxymoron Yo Gotti - I Am
In terms of sales, this list isn't the most impressive. Only two of these albums have gone at least platinum, (Nothing Was The Same doing so for Drake and Shady's Marshall Mathers LP 2 has gone double platinum) but all of these albums are critically acclaimed obviously (or else they probably wouldn't be in this conversation). Although in the past 10 years or so, album sales haven't really been the greatest for any hip hop artist other than Eminem, Drake, Kendrick or Nicki. In fact, they are the only hip hop artists to receive a platinum plaque for their efforts in quite a few years (I thought I read at least 10 somewhere, I don't remember at the moment). But regardless of sales, I don't see anybody but Eminem or Drake taking this one home. The years both of them had were incomparable to anyone else.
I'll stop with the predictions right about there, although there are many more awards and nominations to get to, the ones I listed just seemed the most important (to me, at least). Check out the rest of the awards that will be given and their nominees below. Best Hip Hop Video:
Drake - Worst Behavior Future ft. Pharrell Pusha T & Casino - Move That Dope Iggy Azalea ft. Charli XCX - Fancy J. Cole ft. TLC - Crooked Smile Nicki Minaj - Pills N Potions Wiz Khalifa - We Dem Boyz Made You Look Award (Best Hip Hop Style):
A$AP Rocky Jay Z Kanye West Nicki Minaj Young Thug Best Hip Hop Online Site:
AllHipHop.com Complex.com HotNewHipHop.com NecoleBitchie.com RapRadar.com WorldStarHipHop.com Best Club Banger:
Future ft. Pharrell Pusha T & Casino -Move That Dope (Prod. by Mike WiLL Made It) K Camp ft. Lil Boosie, YG & Too Short - Cut Her Off (Remix) (Prod. by Will-A-Fool) Migos - Fight Night (Prod. by Stack Boy Twaun) Wiz Khalifa - We Dem Boyz (Prod. by Detail) YG ft. Jeezy & Rich Homie Quan - My Hitta (Prod. by DJ Mustard) Young Thug - Stoner (Prod. by Dun Deal) Video Director of The Year:
Benny Boom Chris Robinson Director X Dre Films Hype Williams DJ Of The Year:
DJ Drama DJ Envy DJ Khaled DJ Mustard DJ Scream Best Mixtape:
Action Bronson - Blue Chips 2 Fabolous - Soul Tape 3 Migos - No Label 2 Rich Homie Quan - I Promise I Will Never Stop Going In Wiz Khalifa - 28 Grams Best Featured Verse:
B.o.B - Paranoid (Ty Dolla $ign ft. B.o.B) B.o.B - Up Down (Do This All Day) (T-Pain ft. B.o.B) Drake - Who Do You Love (YG ft. Drake) Kendrick Lamar - Control (Big Sean ft. Kendrick Lamar & Jay Electronica) Pharrell - Move That Dope (Future ft. Pharrell, Pusha T & Casino) Track Of The Year:
Cut Her Off (Remix) - K Camp ft. YG, Lil Boosie & Too Short Move That Dope - Future ft. Pharrell, Pusha T & Casino My Hitta - YG ft. Jeezy & Rich Homie Quan Studio - Schoolboy Q ft. BJ The Chicago Kid Worst Behavior - Drake Impact Track:
Common ft. Vince Staples - Kingdom Lecrae - Nothin Lupe Fiasco - Mission The Roots ft. Patty Cash - Never Talib Kweli ft. Abby Dobson - State Of Grace People's Champ Award:
Drake - Worst Behavior Future - Move That Dope ft. Pharrell, Pusha T & Casino Iggy Azalea - Fancy ft. Charli XCX Wiz Khalifa - We Dem Boyz YG - My Hitta (Remix) ft. Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, Meek Mill & Rich Homie Quan
I also remember reading that Murda Mook and Snoop D-O double G plan to bring battle rap to the show. What else could this possibly mean besides them taking the contestants from Total Slaughter and putting them in the cyphers? No confirmed details yet on who will be included, stay posted on those details, assuming they will be released as the date nears closer. The BET Hip Hop Awards are coming October 14th! Whose ready?
50 Cent, along with Eminem, led an era of hard hitting, chart topping, heart stopping rap. Maybe not so much heart stopping, I just thought it sounded cool to rhyme. Now I don't want to sound old, but this is the 50 I miss. Not just 50 Cent, but being backed by as powerful of a group as there was back in their heyday, G-Unit was the group to take out of the number one spot for a decent number of years in the early 2000s. Now it seems they want to recapture the times that they once enjoyed at the top...but is it too late for them to do so?
The hip-hop world has been abuzz with a number of G-Unit tracks leaking as of late, all remixes up until the most recent track "Come Up." Their track record since the beginning of the year has led to remixes of Chris Brown's "Loyal," YG and Drake's "Who Do You Love," Future's "Move That Dope" and a few more. The crowd reaction up to this point has been pretty good, but will they be able to keep up the buzz in time for their projects' release this year?
Yes, I said projects' as in plural, supposedly the Unit has plans for not only a comeback album, but also a mix tape to come shortly before the album as well. The first place they really made noise with their reunion if you remember was during Hot 97's Summer Jam of this year back in the beginning of June. They took the attention of over 50,000 people in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and even though many fans believe the rest of G-Unit to have just been "hype men" to 50 Cent during his performance, they certainly stole the show from a very star studded line up that included other names like Nas, Nicki Minaj, Drake, Lil Wayne, Jhene Aiko, and many more.
Game has also voiced his opinion on the reunion. He recently stated in an interview this year that he thought the reunion was "cool" and is "very happy for them," especially for his still long time friend in the group, Young Buck. He also said this about the reunion in an interview with Power 106 FM; "With all the money he got, he (50 Cent) don't need music no more. He's giving Banks, Yayo, and definitely Buck, because that's my partner, a chance to get back out there and do shows and make more money. G-Unit the name will pack a building and they get to split that up and I think that's cool. That was my first and only thought about it."
So it sounds as if Game is happy for the reunion, but probably doesn't want anything to do with the group after his and 50's falling out awhile back. I'm sure if the fans had a choice, Game would be there with all of them sharing the glory, but if we know Game is going to do one thing, it's voice his opinion rather clearly. So what do you think of the reunion? Do you think it's for real, or is it just another scheme for 50, Yayo, Banks and Buck to get together and make more money off of each other? I'd personally love to see them share more success together and make good music once again, but the opinion of the masses is what counts! Let me know what you think of the reunion on Twitter (@SuperNovaRover) or Google+ (Geoffrey Guy). G-g-g-g-g-g-g- u-NIT!
