Observations From Nas' Nasir

I started writing in 2014, 2 whole years after Nas' last studio release. Nas has been one of the artists I've wanted to tackle an album review on for quite some time now, as it's been 6 years since his last full length solo LP, Life Is Good in 2012. 6 long years going Nas-less for hip hop, though what he's been doing in those 6 years is very much left up for debate (unless you saw his Rapture episode on Netflix, dude was buying condos and hosting parties left and right). Fans might've gotten excited when he was featured on DJ Khaled's "Nas Album Done" in 2016, only to be lead on like a fat kid at a Weight Watchers buffet. 6 years in hip hop without an album is quite a feat in today's scene, considering artists are dropping albums monthly and randomly at almost any time, though Nas has never been one to follow the scene of trends. The title of Nas' 11th studio LP is his real name; Nasir. But is it a reflection of himself?  Check out my observations below to find out.


Social Activism That Gets People Talking


Nas has shown his capability and willingness to speak on social issues throughout his career, and Nasir is no different.  On the opening track, "Not For Radio", the explanation is given for the track's title in it's brutal honesty on the state of the world and police killings that have taken place over the last few years. "I think they scared of us, yeah", the hook belts out, but not before Nas drops his signature jewels like a fumbling robber (that's a bar, keeping that one). Diddy also makes a surprising appearance on the introduction of the track, doing as Diddy does best; talking shit before another rapper goes in and backs it up.  The emotional "everything" featuring Kanye West and The-Dream is another candid take on shootings in the U.S. and worldwide; "dark boy don't you cry, there's too much life left in those eyes, don't you let that face go waterfall, don't you learn to love your scars and all, dark boy don't you die, they're just human let them lie, you just know your world and speak your truth, let them come to you for your love and your heart", etc.


Too Short, Not Enough Material/Hardcore Rapping Nas

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

I know Kanye and everybody was sticking to the general "7 song" theme with these album releases, and it worked well for a generally fun and vibey Kids See Ghosts project, but Nas is much more dense a rapper to only include 7 songs on a project for, especially on his first album in 6 years. Don't get me wrong, I like short albums just as much as the next guy, no filler is a great concept for albums, but as talented and as knowledgeable as Nas is, you expect to hear more stories of the hood while sipping champagne and dining in the finest restaurants... that's just the Nas way now!  Anyways, that hardcore old school emcee spittin' type of Nas that we like to see is pretty hard to come by in the 7 songs provided on Nasir, but if there's any song that he uses for his moment to talk his shit and spit bars over, it's "White Label". Over a crazy brass/deep piano sounding key (not sure what that sound is that's used honestly), Nas again effortlessly and wisely boasts his lyrical muscle over a beat that sounds tailored for him, like a Versace suit at a Hennessey party. "Cops Shot The Kid" is a different take on a party anthem, (as Nas boasts in one of the opening lines, "I don't wanna hurt nobody, we just came here to party"), using it to describe a casual night out minding your own business before police come in to stir the pot. Could this be the way to the people's minds and critical thinking?  Talk about police brutality in a absolute bop that would get nonstop plays?  Nas is thinking next level with this type of strategy.


Though it's a somewhat dense project from a legend with years worth of material both in his head and on wax, it's weird to say that you almost wish for a few fillers?  There aren't many ways you can compare Nasir to Life Is Good, but the latter did appear to have more songs that you could let loose to (or what some would refer to as "filler", though it was far from filler). Nasir is seriously mature, but almost too serious, lacking moments that make you juke and jive in a happy go lucky way, though providing thought provoking tunes on the current state of the U.S. that make you nod your head. The difference is Nas' dedication to staying true to raw honesty in hip hop, and though it's appreciated from the heads (like me), you sometimes wonder what Nasty could do over a Metro Boomin beat (as weird as that just felt to say... there's some truth to it). But as they say, if it ain't broke, don't fix it; Nas delivered a solid (but frustratingly short) project that will probably take months to dissect; which is what makes him one of the greatest.            
 

         
       
















            

Kanye Announces He's Producing Nas' Next Album, Dropping In June

About an hour and a half ago, Kanye took to Twitter again to announce some more news about what is sounding to be like an amazing year for him and his G.O.O.D Music crew.

Kanye announced around 7:30 EST all of the album he would be helming this coming June; the previously announced Kids See Ghosts joint album with Kid Cudi, as well as Teyana Taylor and Pusha T's next solo albums, but he then announced the next album that he would be executive producing; the long awaited Nas album. Nas' last album of course was 2012's Life Is Good, which dropped over 6 years ago. Nas has yet to comment on Kanye's claims, so we will see if Kanye's claims hold true. If true, it's looking to be a huge year for G.O.O.D Music.

Who's excited for new Nas?  Fingers crossed for this one!    

Observations From Dave East's Paranoia; A True Story

With the decision to release an album's worth of material that he deems as an "EP" right off the bat, Dave East is moving with a different strategy than some would expect him to. With more appearances at social events, promoting, and East doing more interviews than average (like this one with The Breakfast Club from August 22nd), it seems East is ready to put himself out there full force, and with the backing of Queens, New York rap legend (and also head of East's label, Mass Appeal Records) Nas, it would appear that East has all the right tools to be put in a situation to win, and maybe even bring New York rap back to the forefront. East's promotion methods of dropping an EP (which feels like a full length LP) before an album is reminiscent of a pop rapper, which East is the furthest thing from, but this method poses the question; does East want his product to sell more than he wants it to represent his city, and ultimately himself?  The final product was able to give East fans the answer they were looking for. Here are a few key observations from East's gritty new project, Paranoia; A True Story.

Accessible New York Rap


When hip hop heads think of rappers having an "underground sound", it generally means that this particular rapper is probably not cut out to make radio hits, but when a rapper/artist is defined as a "mainstream artist", it would normally indicate that said artist is making the most of his/hers money on the charts; East cannot be boxed into either category. While the potential for radio hits is there, East's sole purpose in rap currently lies in bringing back a gritty sound to New York hip hop. On the heavy title track, East pairs up with South Carolina born, Atlanta bred legend Young Jeezy for a very boom bap, bombastic track that finds both emcees boasting the fruits of their labor, the growth involved in the transition between drug dealing and making music, and yet is embedded in the "paranoia" that remains in living such a dangerous street lifestyle for so long. Nas gives his young Mass Appeal protégé a proper introduction on "The Hated", which East fuses a creative story-telling premise with using his past as fuel, and a hunger to strive for more. If East showcases anything in these 2 cuts alone, it's his willingness to pay homage to past New York rap, as well as his wishes to keep the deeply rooted narrative alive.

More Inspiration, Less Saltiness


Paranoia; A True Story is filled with stories from the point of view of ignorant adolescents in the hopes of dropping knowledge on how to better yourself and properly escape a past of darkness and hopelessness. Throughout the album, East speaks of the troubles, trials, and tribulations of the streets with a gritty story-telling ability comparable to Nas (which makes the co-sign make that much more sense), and a voice comparable to the likes of Game, Jadakiss, etc. (which we'll touch on in a minute). On "Found A Way", East vents over some angelic piano chords reminiscing on the hard times in life, ("I had to sacrifice for this life, I found a way, got sick and tired of wearing the same clothes, I found a way"), reminding people that through the struggle, reward can be found, and on the "Kairi Speaks" interlude, East offers a refreshing take on how having a daughter can change your views on the world; another reward found through sacrifice.

A Genuine Voice With Nothing To Hide

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

Comparing East's voice to the very distinctive vocal talents of seasoned veterans like Game and Jadakiss I know is a stretch, but if you really listen to East, you can hear the scratchiness and grittiness that he offers on every single track (which is a help to his story-telling talents). East's vocals at first appear to be naturally standoffish, but when listening closer to tracks like his "Kairi Speaks" skit, you soon understand that that's just the way the man speaks. His voice has a tendency to make it hard to identify the differences between when East is really rapping and flexing, rapping with an edge, or pouring his heart out on tracks, but on the more open and emotional tracks on the project (specifically "Found A Way" and his voice when talking to his daughter on "Kairi Speaks"), he has a lighter way of going about speaking, and maybe even showcases some underrated singing talents, which would be interesting to hear on future Dave East projects.

As history has it (in most cases), mixtapes before albums, EP's before albums, or even "albums" before albums (much like the case here, though blogs are reporting it as an EP) are signs of a much broader goal than simply getting your music out into the public. With all of the Dave East promotion we've seen the past few months (as discussed before, social events, interviews, etc.), it's not hard to tell that East is pushing to get his name out, move units for Paranoia; A True Story, and ultimately his yet to be announced debut album (?). No stories or news has been announced on whether East is in fact dropping another album to officially call his "major label debut", so the smart money says that Paranoia; A True Story is in fact the official debut for the Harlem rapper. With that being said, East gives a solid body of work that allows him to show all of himself; vulnerabilities mixed with a gritty, grimy New York rap style round out his debut perfectly enough to not be overbearing, and allow the fans to be anxious for what he has to offer next. East's hard and rugged underground rap style plays heavily into his persona, but a future on the radio is certainly not far fetched because of his underrated ability to create melodies. If Dave East sticks with the fear and Paranoia of being just an average rapper, then it certainly wouldn't be surprising to see him come back even stronger, and harder than before.      

                                   









          

Dave Chappelle Is Back, And His Return Is Giving Me Life

On Wednesday nights from 2003-2005, I remember barging into my sister's room sometimes unannounced and sometimes invited; but either way I was going to watch the coolest and funniest show on television. Though I was too young at the time to realize the impact that David Khari Webber Chappelle would have on my life, every Wednesday night at 10:30, which was well past the time I should have been awake as a budding 10-11 year old, I stayed up and watched Chappelle's Show with a piqued interest. The hip (hop) music, the brain of a scholar (though he didn't attend college), and an unmatched comedic energy kept me zoned in every week to see what crazy antics Dave and friends were up to.

Then abruptly, and viciously, it stopped.

I tuned in to 3 more Dave-less episodes (during the monologues, at least) that became known as "The Lost Episodes" and it felt like there was a void in my life. With all 3 episodes airing a week apart, after each airing, I felt the countdown to oblivion piercing my heart like a dagger. The man who subconsciously taught me about racial equality, schooled me on real hip hop, introducing me to legendary hip hop acts like Black Star, Common, DMX, Erykah Badu and COUNTLESS others, and made me think more than any television show I've seen while touching on issues of the world and making me laugh at the same time... was gone. And I didn't understand why.



Fast forward to 2014; Dave's hiatus is painfully reminded by sprinkles and samples of appearances on late night television and the occasional music festival (though it's better to have a little bit of Dave than none at all), but then it's reported that one of the most thought provoking and lyrical emcees to ever touch a mic, Nas is headlining NYC's Radio City Music Hall music festival hosted by... Dave Chappelle?!?! It was not a dream. The wishes of Dave's return were still not entirely fulfilled, but an event of this magnitude gave the people, me especially, hope.

And then it came. In late 2016 rumors hit of 3 (!) brand new comedy specials coming exclusively to Netflix towards the end of the year, and not seeing them drop before the close of 2016 almost made my heart sink. Why was he toying with our emotions?  Does he not know what he means to us, and comedy as a whole?!  Oh he definitely does.

Regardless on if he knows or not, I wanted to use this platform as a way of thanking Dave for coming back and giving me, and a very large number of other people, life again. Thank you for (partly) introducing me to this beautiful mess we call hip hop, and thank you for being the most brilliant, hilarious, and thought provoking mind I've ever seen. In a world where everything seems to be a mess and there's never an end to the negativity, you make fun of how ridiculous everyone acts and it makes me smile almost more than anything else can. Even though I've made that little message clear in writing before on here, I couldn't say it enough times. Now while I'm off to go cry laughing at Dave's Netflix specials again, you can enjoy a recent interview (March 21st) Dave had with Jimmy Kimmel below.


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










 

             

Born Sinner Dropped 3 Years Ago Today

"Imma drop the album same day as Kanye, just to show the boys the man now like Wanya."

Yep, that's right, Born Sinner, arguably the album that put J. Cole on America's (and probably the world's) radar as one of the most competitive emcee's out dropped 3 years ago today. When Cole announced that he'd be dropping Born Sinner the same day that elite hip hop artist Kanye West would be dropping his album Yeezus, he put the hip hop world on notice, because that kind of confidence was something hip hop was missing at the time (and though Cole is confident in his rhymes, you wouldn't get that cocky vibe just from listening to the man talk in every day conversation). Anyways, Born Sinner was a solid effort that got mixed reviews from critics after it's release, but we're not here to focus on that. Here, I'd like to focus on some highlights of the album that make it so great, and maybe even drop some jewels that you might not have known.

Villuminati


"It's way darker this time" was the perfect sentence to start off this album, and "Villuminati" was not only a perfect way to continue Cole's 'Ville influenced song series, but also the perfect song to start off the much darker Born Sinner album. On "Villuminati" Cole was coming for the game's throat, and though he didn't mention anyone in particular (in terms of dissing), he certainly showcased why he deserves to be at the top with his superior punchlines, flow, and conscience mind.

Let NaS Down

    
One of Born Sinner's most stand out tracks is the venting track "Let NaS Down", where Cole explains being let down by himself in making a song that didn't impress his idol, Nas. You can tell just by the way he talks in explaining the song in the interview above that Cole worshipped Nas as a young aspiring emcee, and he was devastated by Nas' critiquing of his first single off of his first major label debut, (Cole World: The Sideline Story) "Work Out". Cole would not give up because of this though, and went on to add "Let NaS Down" onto Born Sinner, and even eventually earned Nas' approval by getting the legendary emcee to feature on a remix of the song.


Also, here are some exclusive facts about the album that maybe you didn't know before, credit goes to @OnlyHipHopFacts on Twitter.

        

        

       










 
Happy Birthday Born Sinner!

Okay Bishop Nehru, You Have My Attention

If there's any one artist I've been on the lookout for new music from lately, it'd have to be Bishop Nehru. I've heard a decent amount of buzz surrounding the Nanuet, New York rapper, because Nas and MF DOOM collaborations and cosigns just do that sort of thing for you. The 19 year old has put out 2 pretty amazing tracks the last couple weeks that just need to be heard.

The first release immediately caught my attention, the Pacific Ocean level wavy release "$acred Visions". Nehru produced this track himself, which also garners some attention; an emcee spitting lines like "wanted cake, but they ain't help make batter" also produces the tracks that he later destroys?  This one will have you moving your head back and forth during the verses and turning up during the hook. Great verses, a catchy hook, and a hypnotic beat; "$acred Visions" has it all (maybe even "first single" potential). Check it out below.



The second of Nehru's recent releases is just as much a banger, and twice as much a flow-flexing show of skill. Nehru released "It's Whateva" about 4 days ago, and this time with an accompanying visual, so it seems Nehru is prepping release for his upcoming mix tape MAGIC:19, which is set for release on June 3rd. It'll certainly be exciting to see what Nehru's bringing with his new tape, because it definitely sounds like Nehru could be one to challenge the standards of hip hop, and maybe even change them with his clever wordplay, and dope music. Check out the video for "It's Whateva" below.


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







       

4 Beats Of J. Dilla's Rappers Have Reused

It was 10 years ago yesterday that immortal producer J. Dilla passed away, and though he's been gone for 10 years (already), his spirit and his music will undoubtedly live on forever. Dilla is certainly one of the most influential hip hop producers of all time, so great and raved about that it's almost hard to argue that he was underground anymore (considering he's been shown respect by hip hop legends, including Dr. Dre, Phife Dawg, Q-Tip, and even rappers of today such as Kanye, Common, etc.). So on the anniversary of his death, we shall celebrate his life and influence on todays generation, with 4 beats of his that rappers have reused.

Wiz Khalifa - Name On A Cloud/Wussup


Dilla was the king of the vibe, and his beats always created an atmosphere which made you want to bob your head, rap your ass off, or even smoke a doobie (in the above rapper's case, the latter is probably the most believable). Wiz jumped on Dilla's "Runnin" instrumental originally used by the Pharcyde and put his own little twist on it. Knowing Wiz he wanted to create a vibe for his fans to burn one to, do you feel he did the beat justice?

Nas - The Season


It's dope as hell to hear Nas over a Dilla beat, if ANYBODY. The jazziest rapper over the jazziest beats, it only makes sense for this to have happened (we certainly need more Nas over Dilla). Nas (and known collaborator AZ) went over Dilla's "Gobstopper" instrumental and certainly did it justice with that dope Nas flow we've all grown to love, and lines like "Nas, a Dilla beat, a fly soliloquy." Two of the greatest.

Beedie The Beat Bully - Won't Do


It seems Beedie hasn't done much to make a name of himself in awhile, but back in 2011 he made some waves by going over Dilla's "Won't Do" beat. Beedie was part of a wave of rappers that were coming out of Pittsburgh in the late 2000s/early 2010s, but hasn't quite made the name that he'd like to for himself, unlike his other successful Pittsburgh alumni Wiz Khalifa and Mac Miller.

Joey Bada$$ - Two Lips

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

Joey Bada$$ went over a classic Dilla instrumental, and for a good cause. The "Two Lips" instrumental was given to Joey Bada$$ by the J. Dilla Foundation to make a song over it, and sell along with some limited edition tee shirts. All proceeds went to purchasing music lessons and instruments for underprivileged kids.

Long Live JayDee, Dilla Dawg, James Yancey... long live J. Dilla!     




     



     








         






   

#TBT Whatever Happened To Kevin Rudolph?!

"Let it rock, let it rock, LET IT ROCK!!!" This was one of the JAMS of 2008 (yes 2008, it's been that long), and I just bugged out remembering that this song actually existed. Bugging out being a good and bad thing; good thing because Kevin Rudolf was admittedly a guilty pleasure artist back in the day who bended the genre with his heavy guitar influenced music which included some huge rap features, but bad because PEOPLE ACTUALLY LISTENED TO THIS BACK THEN!

Kevin Rudolph didn't have the longest tenure in music (and to be honest I'm unsure if he still makes music), but the time he spent on top was time that people enjoyed. I was just leaving middle school going into high school when "Let It Rock" dropped, and you couldn't pass a hang out spot without an iPod blaring some "Let It Rock", or having Mr. Rudolph "welcome you to the world"! Rudolph gave a crisp new rock feel to an already rising popular hip hop genre, and boasting this new blended genre were big names like Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, and even Nas jumped on a song on Rudolph's 2008 (pretty sure it's his debut) album In The City.

But is it bad that people listened to this back then?  Obviously hindsight is 20/20, so if you listened to Rudolph back then, would you use the excuse that "everybody was listening to it"?  Does a "hip hop head" lose their credibility if they bump some Kevin Rudolph?  HELL no.  "Guilty pleasure music" shouldn't be a thing that exists, because if you liked listening to this music back then, then you don't have to explain shit.  So shut up, quit thinking so much about it, and sit back and bump you some (for my era) classic Kevin Rudolph, included are 2 of his biggest hits below.




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


                  

Rappers Michael Jackson Should Have Collaborated With

This may be a stretch, but to me it seems hip hop has become more soulful in the 2010s. While hip hop has it's flaws, its strengths are shining through stronger than ever because of its artists that refuse to compromise. Because of this, artists are making some of the most next level music of their careers, plus simply rapping over an instrumental doesn't always do the trick anymore; people want to hear melodies, and even some singing. Which is why I dedicated a post to this topic; Michael Jackson was indeed the King of Pop. If there ever was a master entertainer, and someone to have on your song just to say you HAVE THEM ON YOUR SONG, it would have probably been Michael Jackson. I mean, the guy's added soul to pretty much any song he's been a part of. There are only a few rappers who I feel I could honestly say deserve a Michael Jackson feature, so I decided to name a few here, and (tried to) include one of their more soulful jams, so you could try to picture what it'd sound like for these rappers to collaborate with MJ. Here we go!

J. Cole - Note To Self


In terms of soul, Cole showed the most on his latest album, 2014 Forest Hills Drive. On songs like "Intro", "Apparently", and especially the outro "Note To Self", Cole showed not only a decent singing voice, but a soul that would make church goers look like sinners. Cole pours his heart out in some of these songs, and Michael Jackson would only cap off this souled out track with some angelic background vocals, or maybe even a solo (who knows, it's up to you to decide!).

Kendrick Lamar - Sing About Me, I'm Dying Of Thirst


It should come as no surprise that Kendrick made this list as a "could have been" Michael Jackson collaborator, his music drips soul and his latest album To Pimp A Butterfly is the greatest example of this statement. Michael could have thrown his two cents in on many Kendrick tracks; imagine him on "These Walls", "Kush & Corinthians" off of Section.80 instead of BJ The Chicago Kid (although BJ is amazing) or even the Good Kid Maad City extra "Now Or Never" featuring Mary J. Blige. But the ever-so-perfect collaboration would have to be Michael on Kendrick's "Sing About Me, I'm Dying Of Thirst" because come on; can't you just hear it?

50 Cent - 21 Questions


So this was a tough one, but I had to include 50 Cent simply because of the (little known) fact that Michael Jackson said that he wished to collaborate with 50 Cent before his passing (it's true, look it up). It's really so tough because all of 50's songs are so tough, most include a banging beat with some hard rapping, not something you'd normally hear Michael Jackson on, so 50's classic "21 Questions" seems to be the medium. Could you imagine Michael Jackson on the hook instead of Nate Dogg (R.I.P to the true hook king as well) though?  I guess you'd never know.

Nas - Bye Baby


Nas is practically the perfect rapper for a Michael Jackson collaboration, I mean could you think of anyone more deserving?  Nas is top 5 dead or alive (debatable, although I believe he is) and quite possibly owns the longest reign at the top, with a career spanning over 20 years. Nas has got the sound for MJ too; spanning from songs like "You Wouldn't Understand", "Reach Out", and "Cherry Wine featuring the late and great Amy Winehouse (R.I.P), and those are just on his last album, Life Is Good. Nas is perfect for a Michael Jackson feature not just because he makes soulful, heartfelt jams, but because he spits the truest and most realistic stories in his rhymes; Michael Jackson would cap off the feeling of a perfect collaboration.

The idea of Michael Jackson collaborating with a rapper might sound crazy to some, but it really shouldn't, especially in 2016. The range of collaborations we've seen over the years has really skyrocketed, even if you think about strictly award show/television show performances (Grammy's or talk shows). I mean Eminem collaborated with Elton John for a performance, wouldn't that put to rest any limitations you have on other possible collaborators?  Mixing genres is a beautiful thing not just because of the great music that can come out of it, but because it shows that different kinds of people can accept each other, no matter what their tastes may be. The power of music is infinite.     



       





                     
 




         

Billboard Listed The 10 Greatest Rappers Of All Time

Recently Billboard listed the 10 greatest rappers of all time, and while I don't necessarily agree with their list (then again who agrees with anyone else's list anymore), I do respect the fact that they laid out these 10 rappers to go along with reasons why they believe these rappers belong on this list. Check out the list below.

10. Lil Wayne
9. Kendrick Lamar
8. Ghostface Killah
7. Lauryn Hill
6. Andre 3000
5. Nas
4. Rakim
3. Eminem
2. Jay Z
1. Notorious B.I.G

 Seeing Lil Wayne being on this list is a surprise, though it's probably due to his incredible run from around 2009-2011. Every other rapper seems to properly hold a place on this list (whether it due to their lyrical abilities, their influence on today's hip hop, or another reason), but what do y'all think of the list?  Let me know what you think of the list in the comment section below or on Google+.      

Nas' Illmatic's 21 Year Anniversary (3 Must Hear Tracks From The Classic Album)

I was seriously 4 months old when this album dropped and I think it's amazing. This is hip hop to it's core, period. Yeah, sure, Illmatic has been talked about since it came out, got 5 mics in The Source and is rightfully deemed a classic album (and it earns this right, almost undebatable unlike other albums that have came out where everyone wants to argue if they're classics or not), but many people don't realize the influence it has had on hip hop since then. There are countless rappers who say that if it weren't for Nas' Illmatic then they wouldn't be rapping (Kendrick, yes, Kendrick Lamar is one), and it would be blasphemous to say that rappers today did not draw some inspiration from Nas and Illmatic. If you disagree, then, well, I would just have to prove to you why Nas is one of the most flawless lyricists of all time. Class is in session.

It Ain't Hard To Tell

Today's hip hop differs so much from that of the "golden age" of hip hop, a lot of it worse than it is better, and even thought I'm only 21, just by listening to a song like "It Ain't Hard To Tell", you can definitely tell that Nas was out for blood on his critically acclaimed debut. Where is the hunger to be the best for rappers today?  I certainly can't see it (at least in most of the rap dudes played on the radio), you'd expect these guys to want to show why they've "earned" their spot on the radio, or these gold and platinum album sales. It's too hard to tell that if it's the difference in how big battle rap was in the streets of New York compared to how it is now, but that could be a strong case for it. Anyways, Nas shows his true skills on the mic AND makes you dance with this absolutely amazingly produced Large Professor track.

Memory Lane (Sittin' In The Park)

   
Story telling created, originated and perfected by the best there is to do it. It's debatable whether Nas is the best story-telling rapper ever, you could probably put B.I.G. and Tupac up there with him, but you know every time Nas has a story to tell, you listen, and you get every detail about the entire story. Life in Queens is rumored to be a struggle, but Nas makes it sound like a coming of age tale in this addictive boom-bap jam. "One Love" also could take the cake as another fantastic story told by Mr. Nasir Jones.

N.Y State Of Mind

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

If you needed a reason to get pumped up, get hyped, or was looking for a song to make you feel some type of energy (not drain you of it, keep calm Drake), then "N.Y. State Of Mind" is that track. Whether you're waiting to pull that next bank heist (hopefully just on "Grand Theft Auto 5"), you need some pump up music for your next game or need it in the gym to get that next set of reps knocked out, Nas' "N.Y. State Of Mind" is the song for you (not to mention it features more great story telling in the first verse, hopefully Nas didn't get in trouble for any sort of debauchery he spoke of in this song, rappers really should be more careful of their hustle). This songs drums still kick like crazy and sound great in the whip if you want to bump, and of course you can thank the legendary DJ Premier for that.

So here's to Illmatic turning 21!  I'll be damned if I'm not allowed to buy it a drink, it deserves that and much, much more. My introduction to this album was as late as could be, it had to be around 2012 when I first bought it (had to see what all the hype was about) and since then I've played "It Ain't Hard To Tell" at least once a day, no joke. The word "classic" is thrown around so much and so often that it's hard to even tell if it means anything anymore, but if it still had any pull or credibility talking about music, then Illmatic remains a classic in the way it revolutionized beats, rappers and their story telling, and in the way it has pushed the envelope and will continue to for many more years to come. Whose in favor of Nas ending his career on an Illmatic 2?  I can dream.           





























    

Did Jay Z Really Just Buy Tupac's Unreleased Material?

Word in the rumor mill is that Jay Z just bought all of the rights to Tupac's unreleased material ($384 million worth supposedly, this includes unreleased and unfinished songs, verses, demos, writings, scripts, poems, and more). Now if anyone has the money to do this it'd be Jay Z (or Dr. Dre, and it'd certainly make more sense for Dre to buy the material), but the question is what interest does Jay Z have in buying Tupac's unreleased material?

So before I get in depth about thoughts on this subject I have to say that rumors are not true, as confirmed by a representative from Roc Nation. However, Jam INC's Jeff Jampol (who oversees Tupac's estate) did confirm that there could be some new unheard Tupac material circulating soon. How soon this will be is unsure, but the 20th anniversary of Tupac's death approaches (though it's next September, 2016) and supposedly Pac has new clothing coming out, as well as a Grammy museum showcasing Tupac's writing, and even a biography deal is being finalized for a "very serious writer" to put out a new Tupac biography.

All of this is exciting no doubt, and though the rumors of Jay Z buying Tupac's unreleased material may be far fetched, there is no denying that Mr. Z certainly has the money to buy Tupac's material if he really wanted to. Rumors of a 2016 album of Tupac's unreleased material titled And Now I Rise boasting such features as Snoop Dogg, Nas, Drake, The Dream, DMX, Beyoncé, and Jay Z were also being put out, although the rumors were confirmed false by Billboard. Interesting, to say the least. If you could see anyone buying Tupac's unreleased material today, who do you believe it would be and why?

For me it'd make sense for Dr. Dre to buy Pac's music and finish off what he and Pac had started with Death Row Records in the 90s, even if they didn't get along very well up until Dre's departure from Death Row. Can you imagine a mastered Dre beat with unreleased Tupac verses and even a hook?  With all of the stuff that Dre has in the bag that nobody's heard (way too much stuff that nobody's heard), there definitely has to be something that would fit Tupac's vibe. It'd certainly be a challenge for Dre to fit a beat around a verse as opposed to the opposite normal way of someone writing to a beat, but it'd also be a nice blast from the past and maybe even a new challenge that Dre could take on.

But anyways, even with the news being untrue, there's my two cents on the matter. Who do you think should buy Tupac's unreleased material and why?  Feel free to give me your answers on Google+ or twitter (@SuperNovaRover). Tupac probably has enough unreleased material to make 5 more albums knowing how hard the man worked during his time on our planet Earth, and probably for good reason seeing as how much he "predicted" things with his eerie lyrics. The sad part is his material from 20+ years ago still probably sounds more ahead of its time than Rae Sremmurd's. Can someone please tell me why they're rapping?  Anyways, let me know your thoughts on the subject if you'd like.     








            

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.                



   











   



   

Rapper You Need To Know: Dosage

A lot of times here on Hip Hop Unlimited I might discuss a rapper that already has a ton of shine, but maybe one that I hadn't really given the time of day until now. You could argue that this is one of those times, though the rapper I am about to discuss has an interesting story that doesn't include as much mainstream success. If you've ever heard a feature verse that was so incredibly dope, though you'd never heard of the rapper before once in your entire life up until that point, you might say I experienced this listening to just 2 tracks with this guy. The mystery surrounding Dosage (at least for me) is something I wish I could understand. Why don't we have some more dope music from this guy?

If you haven't heard of the Philadelphia bred rapper, Dosage is an up and coming (or was an up and coming) emcee who has tons of talent that somehow hasn't panned out into mainstream success quite yet, although he's gotten a couple of cosigns from Lupe Fiasco, and was also a guest on Lupe's 2010 "Stepping Lasers" tour which also included B.o.B. He's got a very strong, distinct voice that commands attention, and when you hear his bars you can't help but wonder what's next. And so comes my first time hearing Dosage...

                                         (Dosage's verse starts at exactly the 6 minute mark)

This song could be an attention grabber due to the amazing beat and all star cast (All City cast I suppose you should say), but the first time that 6 minute mark hit, I felt like I was listening to the next great rapper. Obviously the kid had to have proved something to be featured on a Lupe Fiasco song, not just 1 but 2 ("Friend of the People" off of Lupe's mix tape of the same name as well). "Friend of the People" is a great display of Dosage's range (and rage, perhaps) as a rapper and shows off a lot more of his personality than you hear on his "I'm Beaming (Remix)" verse. Listening to both of these songs, however, you don't get the best feel for what "Dose" (my new nickname for him) is really about. So this meant I had to do some more digging, of course.

Dose has a total of 4 mix tapes listed on DatPiff (though none are listed as official releases), one of which being a tape by the name of It, released in 2011. It certainly is what you thought it was (or not), a mix tape made up of entirely Nas instrumentals, and the intro to each track includes a snippet from the movie (hence the name "It"). Being new to Dose this tape is certainly an easy way to get into him, you hear Dosage rap over Nas classics like "Hate Me Now" and "It Ain't Hard To Tell", and it certainly is a great sign to hear up and comers paying homage to some of the greats such as Nas.

His next tape however, 3d11, is a step up from It as it includes more original material over original production. His lyrical prowess and his flow reach an all time high, and it's hard to argue that he doesn't hit his peak when you hear tracks like "Which Way", "LVLA", and the old school sounding "Notorious Remix" which features production from DJ Jazzy Jeff (yes, that DJ Jazzy Jeff). In some of his tracks you can hear a bit of a rock influence it sounds like, and this is pretty noticeable on the track "3D11", which stresses Dosage's 3 D's to live by: dream, drive, and determination.

So to sum this up, you definitely need to deed your day by dosing up a dose of Dosage's dopeness. He caught my ear listening to just 2 tracks, and now I'm wondering what I'm going to hear next from the guy. Though he doesn't go by the name "Dosage" anymore (I've found him on Twitter and Sound Cloud as "Dayne Jordan"), he certainly does give you a dope dose of emceeing (too much? Alright then) and a big portion of his tracks actually feature production from DJ Jazzy Jeff, so that's a reason to look into him. The only wonder now is what is Dosage really doing?  His last full length release dates back to 2012 (2 mix tapes that year actually), and he's only putting out songs on Sound Cloud about once every month or so. One can only hope he gets what he's trying to do right, and doesn't turn out to be the next Jay Electronica.    

"Studio" Remixes: The Complete Collection (So Far)

We all have our guilty pleasures, and being a regular listener of hip hop, the ones that come around can take any shape or form; for me, my guilty pleasure of late definitely has to be this gosh dang Schoolboy Q song "Studio." The guilt in me comes because I'm not a big fan of Schoolboy Q's entire catalog at this point, or even the "Studio" song as a whole, but I cannot STAND to hear that beat and not lean, jig, boogie, insert dance name here, etc. Studio is a banger as I've said in the past, and there are very few beats that come around that can make just about ANY rapper or singer sound good when they record over them (hell, if I had a chance I might even throw some auto tune on and pour my heart out). So I decided to take a look at the approaches that different rappers and singers have taken over this particular beat; introducing, the complete collection of "Studio" remixes (so far). (*Disclaimer: I do not own any of these videos, songs, or the rights to any of them or the artists*)

Schoolboy Q - Studio (Remix) ft. Nas

This remix I actually did an entire article on awhile back. Why?  Um... because Schoolboy Q "Studio" Remix ft. NAS that's why!  Is there really anything else I have to say?  Oh, well, besides the fact that Nas mentions not only leaving his label Def Jam, but he also hints at having a new album AND having a new single dropping soon!  Mr. Jones, please define "soon" though, because this dropped just about a month ago and we've heard NOTHING so far. I guess real G's move in silence. We'll find out soon enough I suppose.

Cyhi Da Prynce - Studio (Remix)

Cyhi is still somehow considered one of the most underrated rappers in the game, and his "Studio" remix is more proof to that statement. Of course being signed to GOOD Music it's hard to argue that it isn't difficult to stand out, but Cyhi has been paving his own way into stardom with great mix tapes like his Ivy League series and most recently Black Hystori Project. This remix comes from a mix tape hosted by DJ S. Whit and DJ Base, which consisted of exclusive tracks from Coz, Bas, Bizzy Crook, and more.

Consequence - Studio (Remix)

If you don't know Consequence, it's probably because you don't watch "Love & Hip Hop New York" (which isn't necessarily a bad thing). Cons has built a decent reputation even before that point, but his favorite thing to do recently is jump on remixes, and it shows with this one. I'll admit though, on this remix he got my attention with these lines: "So there's a goldmine livin on my hard drive, unreleased masters that might just get you hard time, I got vocals from Pharrell, two tracks from 'Ye, demos from Dilla before he passed away." Being an unreleased music fiend I have 4 words for you Cons; PUT EM OUT ALREADY!

Chinx Drugz - Studio (The Yaymix)

 Chinx Drugs takes a stab at the banging beat on the official "Yaymix". If you're new to Chinx Drugz like I am, he is a member of the French Montana led group Coke Boys, and not having heard much of him before, I must say he lays down a decent verse on this remix. I can't say I'm a fan of the Coke Boys (or anything French Montana), but if I could point out something about his verse that stood out to me, it's probably his quick flow.

Plies - Studio (P-mix)

Plies takes a different approach to the placement of his verse on his Studio "P-Mix", instead of opening up the song with his verse, he takes the normal guest verse route and goes after Schoolboy's first verse. Honestly I can't say I'm feeling Plies' remix of the song, mostly in part of barely being able to understand what he's saying in his verse. I haven't listened to enough of Plies to form an overall opinion, but based on this song I probably wouldn't want to go back and listen to more of his music.

Chris Brown ft. Trey Songz - Studio (Remix)

This is definitely a different twist to Schoolboy's hit song, this time Chris Brown and Trey Songz decide to jump on the beat, and Breezy even customizes and remakes the hook himself. I've really never listened to Chris Brown regularly, but this remix definitely does RnB fans justice, and obviously the beat is always going to be enough to make bass heads tremble. The artwork for the song is also really cool, the way they got both of their faces mixed together into one so perfectly is great, but it's also hard not to notice the "TRGA BRZY" label. Do the two RnB juggernauts plan to release some sort of collaborative project together soon?  Only time will tell I suppose. Anyways, the 3 mixed together (although I personally didn't hear much of Trey Songz on the track) are a perfect blend, and a great tool to get your girl in that certain type of mooooood (*deep radio DJ voice*, I could definitely be a talk show/radio host given the right voice tools).

So that is a brief collection of "Studio" remixes made up until this point (if I've forgotten any other good ones let me know), which one is your favorite?  If there is anyone else who you'd think could make this beat sound any better than it already does (which could be a very hard thing to do at this point) who would it be?  Let me know your answers to these questions on Twitter or Google+.
 

 

 
 

What are your rap DREAM COLLABORATIONS?

I'll admit, Shady XV has got me feeling all types of dreamy and wondering what to expect from it, and admittedly some of these thoughts have expanded into bigger ones. Things like when are they releasing a track list, who's going to be featured on the album, and why are they making me wait are just a few questions I had at first about the anniversary compilation. But then I got to thinking about bigger things, outside of Shady, outside of compilations, anniversaries, or any sort of other reasonable rap theories. So the same questions I asked myself, I ask you, rap readers; what are your DREAM rap collaborations?

So obviously there have to be a few terms and conditions to what these dream collaborative tracks will consist of, and I've come up with 3 possible song types defining what type of track I personally would like to hear (although you can come up with your own, these just happen to be 3 song types I could think of at the moment): story telling tracks, lyrical onslaughts, and party songs. Now normally you would think there would be a bit more of a broad selection of types of tracks, but if you REALLY got to hear what you wanted to hear, would it really matter?  My point exactly. Now if you're still confused on the details or the ramifications of these mythical dream tracks, allow me to give a few examples of what I would like to hear on my very own "If I died and could make songs in my own personal version of afterlife" playlist.

Eminem + Nas / Storytelling Track

This song would be absolutely insane. I honestly have to ask... WHY HASNT THIS SONG BEEN MADE YET?!?!  Both of these emcees are practically the lyrical masters of what they do, and the weirdest thing to me is that Eminem & Jay-Z have been on a song together (once, as far as we know, "Renegades"), Eminem & The Notorious B.I.G have been on a song ("Dead Wrong"), and Nas has been on a song with Jay-Z ("Black Republican", "Success", also including multiple other tracks with other rappers), and hasn't been on a song with B.I.G, but apparently was in discussions with Biggie about a Tupac diss track back in the day that never happened. So it probably doesn't add up "statistically" to fans or any sort of logical way like that, but the history of each emcee is highly storied, which only makes sense for them to tell a story on this song!  But of course how can you make a Nas/Eminem collaboration without adding in their trademark lyricism and legendary flows into the picture?  You certainly can't. And that is why this collaboration needs to happen.. like... NOW!

Slaughterhouse + D12 / Lyrical Onslaught

This "dream collaboration" might have been a result of thinking about Shady XV and the possibilities of what will happen on the compilation album, but does that make it any less exciting to think of the possibilities of it?  I'd like to think not. Your attention span would have to be an extra 10 times bigger listening to this song (that's IF all of the remaining D12 members agree to get back together), but it certainly would be one for the ages. This song would be (including Eminem) a 9 person vocabulary-flexing track that you would have trouble ignoring even if you weren't a fan of Eminem, Slaughterhouse, or D12 (although you'd probably avoid it if you didn't like any one of the rappers included, in that case, I say good riddance, who needs you anyways!). The best thing about this "dream collab" is that our dreams could possibly become a reality when it's time for that Shady XV compilation album to drop. An "alleged" track list of the album leaked not too long ago, and the list included a track of not only Slaughterhouse and D12, but also Shady label mates Eminem and Yelawolf as well!  I wouldn't get too excited until an official track list is given, but the idea of this collab is certainly a possibility.

Kendrick Lamar & J. Cole / Story Telling + Lyrical Capabilities

Maybe I had to include these guys just because I'm still obsessed with the idea of this album happening (and it will, I have faith), but honestly, is there a better pairing in hip hop today than these 2?  When you have the possibility to make a perfect track, starting from lyrical capabilities (two of the best) leading to story telling abilities (again, two of the best), while also thinking about social power and speaking on issues (AGAIN, two of the BEST), and also thinking about just making good music in general (do I have to say it again?), who REALLY is better than these 2 right now?  Putting them on one song together would blow up the internet, let alone an entire album (which we've discussed before, do I really have to come back to this discussion?  Doesn't matter, I'm willing to anyways). We've seen tiny little previews of what these two can do together (production on songs from one and hooks on songs from the other), but the fans will always crave more, and I can almost say that's a fact, because I'm a contributor to the discussion!

So these are just a few of the examples of collaboration ideas that are constantly on my mind that would blow the music world up (and step up its game particularly if you ask me, another reason why I need to be an "idea man" for those guys over at Interscope, but that's a discussion for another day). Some other dream collaboration ideas I've recently come up with are Drake & Big K.R.I.T (Houston influence would play a big key with a slow, bumping track, you'd definitely need subs for that one), and even something like an ASAP Mob and TDE collaboration might not be too bad (the discussions of a TDE and Slaughterhouse battle came up in an interview with Ab-Soul recently). The ideas are certainly endless, and this is where the real fun comes into play!  I want to hear about your wildest and biggest dream collaboration tracks. Be sure to give me the type of song you believe it would be (again, no limit to the types I've listed, you can mention your own type of track), and the reason you believe your collab would be so awesome. Make sure to hit me up on twitter (@SuperNovaRover), Google+, or even just leave a comment on this post detailing your dream collab. I can't wait to see the ideas for this one!  





      













             

Joey Bada$$ is Living With A "Christ Conscious": What I Personally Expect From His Debut

There are many heavily slept on hip hop acts that really don't get the shine they deserve until the point and time comes around when a project drops. I'm saying this not only as an avid observer of hip-hop, but as another example of one of those sleepers (as much as I hate to admit it myself). Joey Bada$$ has been all over the internet since about 2012, and he really got big after his acclaimed mix tape 1999 dropped in June of the same year. Joey has built a following of loyal fans based on his "trapped in the 90s" style and his impressive lyrical capabilities, which is even more impressive because of his incredibly young age of 19 (that's right, born in 1995, I'm starting to wonder what I'm doing with my life). Joey's debut album B4.DA.$$ is set for release in early 2015, and I'm having good feelings about it even as new of a fan as I am, and I'm about to tell you why.

Joey Bada$$ is keeping the real hip-hop alive (this is me speaking as an old time, OG type of old man who discusses hip hop as "it was only good back in the day." I've never actually done it myself, but I'll assume it's a lot more fun to do than to listen to). His sound is unlike many other rappers that you'll hear today, and my first guess is because of his New York influence (I'd also like to go on record to say that Joey's sound reminds me so much of Nas). Now I'm not going to get into what New York has done for hip hop (even though it's practically the mecca and the birth place of it all), you can research that on your own, but being an up and coming rapper from New York, there is definitely more pressure on your music and your sound than the average rapper, mostly due to the legendary history of New York hip-hop.

Now I mentioned that I'm a fairly new Joey listener myself, my interest peaked when I first gave his 2013 mix tape Summer Knights a listen, and I was certainly impressed. It doesn't get more hip-hop than tracks like "Word Is Bond", "95 Til Infinity", or "47 Goonz", and I'll admit "47 Goonz" makes me feel like I have the street cred to go out and do some dirty deeds myself. Not to mention the elite production featured on this tape, including one track from DJ Premier, another from Statik Selektah, and one from DOOM. And this track isn't on the tape, but Joey also went over a beat from the legendary J Dilla (I don't know how you become cool enough to do that at age 19, or get the qualifications to do so, but obviously Joey is cool enough). Joey is a refreshing product of the 90s. A very young one, but certainly refreshing, yet familiar on his take on life in the streets. And no matter how hard I try, I can NOT get this song's beat out of my head. If I get reminded of it, it's over.

 By far my favorite Joey track (at least until "Christ Conscious" came out). All of Joey's music seems to have that "sitting around the house and chilling, maybe I'll do some laundry" type of vibe to it, although I personally can listen to it doing practically anything. Anyways, what do I expect from Joey's album you might ask?  Aside from some more story-telling and personal songs, I'd say a bit of the same of what he's already put out. Normally this would be a bad thing, for anybody else a change of pace is good, but for Joey, staying true to his sound is what his fans need. You could go as far as saying it's what HIP-HOP NEEDS. To be able to say that the 90s (which to many is the golden age of it all) can still live through an emcee as young (and not to mention downright talented) as Joey Bada$$, I think the old heads can still live with a bit of hope. There is no word on who will be producing Joey's debut album, although I wouldn't be surprised to see some from heavyweights like DOOM and DJ Premier, and the producer that handles most of Joey's beats, Kirk Knight (give or take a few more names). So until that day comes, enjoy the supposed first leak off of B4.DA.$$, "Christ Conscious", and the music video accompanying it.

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

Is there a NEW Nas Album on the way?

Nowadays (at least for rappers' sake) rappers are very, VERY quiet up until they feel the need to make the news for something. That news could be for a guest verse, a highly anticipated remix, an upcoming tour, a new perfume (hopefully not for this guys case, but do you Nicki Minaj). Or the news could be leading up to something even bigger than all of those:  a new album. And Nas felt the need to break the news to us in a new sweet remix of Schoolboy Q's popular banger "Studio". Check it out below.

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

Now not only can I say that this song is sweet because of that crazy beat that bumps on any speaker system, I can also say (Schoolboy can too, it is his song) that a legend was in a good enough mood to bless this beat as well!  Boy, it's crazy how far skill can go matched with a little bit of luck isn't it?  (For Schoolboy's sake, not Nas.) I mean as successful a run as Schoolboy has had so far with Oxymoron and the even better success that his single "Studio" has seen (multiple rappers freestyling over it, including multiple remixes), he's probably feeling pretty good right about now going into working on his next album (Schoolboy is hoping for a 2015 release, but he says things can change).

But our focus right now is on this supposed Nas album!  In this remix Nas states that the album is already done and the single is very close to dropping (are you excited yet?), but he also states some other rather odd news that is probably safe to say nobody was expecting. The line "last album on Def Jam and I got so many options" sticks out to even the most novice Nas fan. So what does this mean?  Does Nasty Nas go to another label to release (possible) future albums or does he stay independent?  With the success rappers see staying independent today, this theory isn't too far fetched.  Although it is Nas, I mean come on, its practically his choice if he wants a new label. At this stage in his career it's hard to tell (it "ain't" really, for him) what he wants to do, although the passion in his last Life Is Good album shows that he still has a lot of stories to tell us. Stay posted for further details, more to come as this story develops!  











       

G-Unit and the Comeback: What Should We Think?

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!   

Less is More: Why Musicians (Rappers) MAY Put Less Songs On Albums/Mixtapes (My Theory)

In a hip hop world where mix tapes seem to run the mill of the music nowadays, from a rapper's perspective, this is the last thing they could ask for. As an artist surviving solely on the sales of your music, I ask what is the point of releasing free music?  Well, as fans lets try to figure this out. Do we really even appreciate music how we're supposed to anymore?

Being the unique style of music that hip hop is, generally speaking, its hard to find another genre that puts out as much free music on a regular basis. Somehow mix tapes have found a way to not only be the rise of artists, but also the fall of them at the same time. However you may see it, or better yet, how the artists may see it, certainly changes the strategy of being a successful artist. My mindset on being a rapper, with multiple views of course, follows: "watch out for the mix tape coming soon, with the album coming at the end of the year." This strategy, if you notice the marketing, can definitely help. Giving your fans a sample or a gift for being patient and waiting, or just being nice and saying thank you are reasonable explanations for this strategy. Building hype for yourself is not a bad thing to do, unless of course, your expectations aren't met. But whose expectations?  The fans of course!

The second strategy is much more simple, less work involved and usually is the strategy used by the biggest artists in the game, or the ones who have nothing to prove to you, if you needed to be blunt about it. Nonetheless, still an effective strategy if you've proven yourself, an example of a statement here: "look out for the album coming at the end of the year." That's all it is. Simple, effective, a very easy way to make your fans mad of course, but if it's worth the wait, it's worth the wait. Only the biggest superstars can resort to this strategy successfully. The likes of Eminem, Lil Wayne, Drake, Kanye, Jay-Z and Nas are really the only immediate rappers that come to mind when you think of  rappers having no reason to release a mix tape. In a sense, they have nothing to prove, and putting out free music can only hurt their reputation as an artist, or what they stand for.

I mention artists who do and do not do mix tapes because they are almost two completely different types of artists. The ones who sell records don't normally touch the free music idea, and the ones who do mix tapes normally either just do them for fun, or build up excitement around an important project. With albums it's always been known as a completely different story, every artist has their own approach to recording and song selection. An album will most likely have a theme or a story backing it up, while a mix tape will just be a collection of random songs recorded with no specific goal or theme. But, as things stand today, many people view no single song worth being paid for when you can download any album, let alone any song you want from an album.


So why is it music listeners today are so picky?  I believe it is because we have the choice to be. We very easily and almost unnoticeably take our favorite artists' music for granted, and get bored much quicker and easier than we should. The attention span of today's class of fans is much smaller because of the easy access to any and all music. With downloading, although it seems harmless to the average fan, it can hurt an artist heavily. Money is made when they sell their music; albums, singles, no matter what it may be, hard copy or digital. Our getting free music is a blessing to us, yes, but does not define being a true music fan. Buying an album you get a story, with real artists you're buying a piece of their life or how they felt at a time, you're buying someone's feelings that lie inside their head. You're buying someone's ideas, someone's pain brought into light. Does this sound like something you'd give away for free?  We'll end this discussion with Eminem venting his frustrations with these people.

     



(*Disclaimer: I do not own this video, nor do I own the rights to it*)