Observations From Drake's "More Life"

 

I guess everybody just needs a little More Life in their lives. And it's probably safe to say that Drake knew that. With all of the talks of Drake's newly dropped "playlist", the wonder on social media (mine included) was; why the fuck are you calling it a playlist?  It's all new music, none of it has been previously released, and I'm sure some Drake stans would be writing OVO some angry letters had that been the case, but it was not. Chasing a vibe seemed to be the case, which Drake, as we know, is the king of. Regardless of the transparency of the project, there's still a lot of observations to be made about More Life, and while you should know this is NOT A REVIEW, I do have a couple of points of my own to make about the project. Check them out below.

Drake & Kanye's collaboration "Glow" is probably the best song on the project

https://play.spotify.com/track/28irpKCCK9nn9DZSik2zEx

Due to all of the bullshit that streaming services still cause, I could only put a Spotify link for the song. Anyways, Drake and Kanye truly "Glow" on their collaboration off of More Life. Kanye sounds like classic, pre-insanity, pre-Kardashian, pre-Steve Jobs-genius-level-wannabe Kanye, and he sounds like he's in the moment of the music more than thinking about how he needs to innovate. The wavy production is on point, and with Drake & 'Ye going back and forth with verses and their signature brands of singing over it, "Glow" almost sounds like it could have been recorded in So Far Gone era Drake and 808s & Heartbreaks era Kanye. Now all we need is a proper collaborative title for these 2; So Far Gone Into Heartbreak?  So Far Gone In The 808s?  Eh, we'll think of something.

Drake is still brooding over J-Lo and he really actually sampled her on "Teenage Forever"

https://play.spotify.com/track/6n3HGiq4v35D6eFOSwqYuo

This is actually a pretty decent song considering the circumstances in which it was recorded (supposedly). Drake is clearly singing about his short-lived romance with J-Lo, and although it sounds like he is somewhat hurt over it's end (or he's not hurt at all and he wants to troll people), it's almost hilarious to see him get involved with another A-list celeb and see some drama over it. Even if I'm being callous, this song is another example of why Drake's honesty and ability to put his life into music has fascinated me, but more importantly, kept him on top of the game for years now.

Every song with a feature sounds like the featured artist's song

https://play.spotify.com/track/0xl1w2q4VLojeXp4JfazPL

This is another thing that has bothered me to no end over the last couple of Drake projects; when there's a vibe to be chased, Drake is Usain Bolt. His quest to stay on top looks more like panic and less like genuine craft and ability to mold his signature sound. Don't get me wrong, every project has their highpoints (on More Life they seem to be "Glow", "4422", "Can't Have Everything", and "Do Not Disturb"), but every project also seems to have that song or songs that sound like they should live on the featured artist's project; Young Thug steals Drake's glory on "Sacrifices", and "Ice Melts" practically sounds like it could have been a leftover of Jeffery. U.K. grime rapper Giggs also steals the spotlight briefly on two More Life records ("KMT" and "No Long Talk"). Is Drake trying to pull the Dr. Dre move and use his platform to bring up other artists, or is he using it to expand his brand and fan base?  No matter what the reasoning may be, Drake is certainly reaping the benefits.

Altogether, More Life is a solid addition to Drake's discography and holds a bit of replay value. While the project could be classified as predominantly dancehall and contemporary hit radio music, Drake doesn't stray away from his signature brand of reminiscing and hindsight story telling rapping (though rarely at this point) while giving the world the business over the "right" beat. There's no type of "9 A.M. In Dallas", "5 A.M. In Toronto", or hungry rapping that we normally like to see from Drake, but there are moments on the album where he reestablishes his sound. This critique is me looking for the best in an overall solid, yet underwhelming album, yes, but just because our expectations aren't met, doesn't mean that the album isn't good and doesn't hold value in other markets, or situations. More Life seems more of an attempt at Drake living and trying to give you "more" of his "life", then giving the people more life themselves. Also, is it too late to ask what the hell is up with this ridiculous amount of slang that nobody has heard of before?  Or is everybody just riding the wave and pretending like Drake has been doing this?  Just sitting back and accepting it seems much easier than trying to understand, and I think More Life, though not completely, is a representation of that statement. Now go and "Madiba Raddim" yourselves, and try not to get too "Blem."                    
   

















          

Birdman Vs. Wayne Is Going Too Far

News surfacing earlier today says that Cash Money Records CEO Birdman (Bryan Williams) and rapper Young Thug (Jeffrey Lamar Williams) are involved in a conspiracy to kill rapper Lil Wayne (Dwayne Carter) in an April 26th shooting of Wayne's tour bus. Jimmy Winfrey (also known as "PeeWee Roscoe") fired several shots from a white Camaro to carry out a threat made by Young Thug, who is (obviously) siding with Birdman in his ongoing feud with Lil Wayne. Birdman and Young Thug have yet to be charged with any crimes, though Jimmy Winfrey's indictment involving Birdman and Young Thug includes the following counts (30 total):

"Counts 1-3: Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act

Counts 4-12: Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevent Act

Counts 13-24: Aggravated Assault

Counts 25 & 26: Criminal Damage to Property in the First Degree

Count 27: Possession of a Firearm during the Commission of a Felony

Counts 28-30: Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon"

The following statement was also included in the indictment:

"After Atlanta police discontinued their escort, (Winfrey) and fellow Blood gang members entered Interstate 285 from Atlanta Road in Cobb County in pursuit of the buses occupied by (Lil Wayne's) group. (That's when) the white sports car pulled beside the buses, shots were then fired into the buses from the sports car with a .40 caliber handgun and a 9mm handgun."

This has absolutely gotten blown out of proportion. If the police's hunch is true about Birdman and Young Thug being involved in the shooting of Wayne's tour bus, then it almost seems this supposed "beef" between Birdman and Lil Wayne has gone way too far. To want to kill someone over a disagreement (though the feud seems to be much deeper than mere label disputes) is absolutely ridiculous. With all of the deaths in hip hop (just this year, let alone ever), one can only hope that this situation doesn't get any worse. We can all hope at least, right?     

 
  

 

BET Hip Hop Awards 2014: Award Nominations and My Predictions (Or Wishes, Whatever)

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?