Who Should Win The Best Rap Album Grammy? (Why This Year Is Different + An In Depth Look At Each Nominee)

This has to be the most excited I have EVER been for the Grammys. Every year some bullshit rapper is nominated (and more often than not, wins) simply because they have the most exposure, they're played on the radio most, or because the "academy" feels they are fit enough to win. Just because you totally care about my opinion (actually because I felt like doing it, not necessarily the former), below I'll list each of the nominees (besides Nicki Minaj, because admittedly I haven't listened to her album, and just... no) and a case for why they have a chance to win, or not.

2014 Forest Hills Drive


Alright so if you keep in contact with me on Google+, you probably know I preach how great 2014 Forest Hills Drive is almost on the daily. But in all seriousness, FHD is Cole's best work to date. FHD really does have every type of song; the sincerity Cole showcases on FHD ("Intro", "Apparently", "Love Yourz") is only topped by his incredibly clever punch lines, his hunger to prove he's one of the best rappers out ("Fire Squad", "G.O.M.D"), and his one of a kind story telling ("Wet Dreamz", '03 Adolescence"). I hate to pick favorites, but if I had to choose, I believe next to Kendrick, Cole is the most deserving of this Grammy.

If You're Reading This It's Too Late


I have to admit that I didn't give If You're Reading This It's Too Late the real attention I initially should have. In my opinion, Drake's sudden release of an album with no given release date was a red flag (and later figuring out what the release date meant didn't help the case of the album). Drake's urge to be taken off of Cash Money due to Birdman vs. Lil Wayne forced Drake into a rough spot; making loads of music (including the not so great Future collaboration What A Time To Be Alive) to free up his contract under Birdman and Cash Money to become a free agent. It has even been said by Drake and others that this project is practically a mixtape; why else would Drake make the sign "How's my mixtape?" in order to get reception from fans?  While there are some good songs on IYRTITL, the entire project is one made up of merely party songs, and is in no way shape or form Drake's best project, let alone the "album" of the year.

To Pimp A Butterfly

       
Kendrick Lamar (besides J. Cole) might be the most deserving rapper that has yet to win a Grammy for best rap album. Let's forget that Kendrick crafted practically the anthem of 2015 (above), let's forget that Kendrick brought the jazz influence back to hip hop (George Clinton & Ronald Isley features on the album) and practically forced the rest of hip hop to do something innovative; does the message he is trying to send not hold relevance over any time period?  Were rioters not on the streets after black men and children were being shot for unjust reasons chanting Kendrick's "Alright"?  It's clear that Kendrick really doesn't care about winning that Grammy (or he probably does and is hiding it), but for once; wouldn't it be cool to see someone win that deserves to?

Compton: The Soundtrack

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

What can be said about Compton that hasn't already been deeply investigated and already said?  In terms of effort, this is the absolute best album of the year (it is the Good Doctor, after all). Dr. Dre found the best rappers, the best singers, and the best producers to collaborate with. Dre knows how to craft the perfect song, and Compton is the perfect example of him doing so. I didn't understand how someone could blatantly call an album of all original music a soundtrack, but listening to Compton, I understand. Dr. Dre doesn't just make albums, he sucks you into the world he's trying to create and doesn't let up until his story is finished. Compton not only raised the bar for rappers and pushed them to be the best rapper they could, but for musicians and pushing them to make the best music they could make. For so long Dr. Dre has had an agenda to bring hip hop into the limelight and make it respectable among other genres of music, and with Compton, Dr. Dre pushed hip hop that much further.

At the beginning of this post when I said "this has to be the most excited I have EVER been for the Grammys", that is because no matter who wins the Grammy for Best Rap Album this year, everybody wins. Hip hop wins (and hopefully Nicki doesn't win because she's not pushing the agenda as much as the aforementioned rappers). Last year hip hop became the most streamed genre of music in the world, and just about 4 days ago it was revealed by Musixmatch that hip hop is the genre with the highest vocabulary. It's unavoidable at this point hip hop haters; we're coming for that number 1 spot. Does this mean that we need to dominate the Grammy's in order for you to realize this?  Probably not, but still, keep your eyes peeled on the MOST INFLUENTIAL musical genre, and what they'll do at this year's Grammy's. Message.                          
             





     

Game's Biggest Beefs

Who in God's name would even remotely think it was a good idea to mess with Game?  I mean, don't people know at this point?  This guy Stitches is apparently living up to his name (not the giving part, mostly the getting, thanks to Game's manager according to some Instagram footage of Stitches getting knocked the FUGG OUT). I mean I suppose at this point Game's got a price on his head, it's like anybody who wants a piece and (somehow) gets one gets some sort of reward; the reward and the respect of having people not wanting to mess with you. But according to Game's history, there aren't many people who have fucked with him and succeeded. Here's 3 of Game's biggest beefs.


Stitches


I don't know if I'd say this is one of Game's biggest beefs, but it's certainly the most recent. The video above is a mash up of all the Instagram posts from rapper Stitches, who claimed that security would not let him into a club because Game said not to let him in. Stitches waited until Game came out, then walked up to Game and his crew and supposedly got knocked out by Game's manager, Wack 100. When will people learn not to mess with Game?  The only thing I have to say about this guy is that he looks like a meth'd out ICP member. If he wanted his 15 minutes of fame, they definitely started a few days ago, he better make good use of them.

40 Glocc


Game certainly has a thing for making his beefs public; the video above shows Game beating the crap out of rapper 40 Glocc. I'm not exactly sure where this beef stems from (possibly a G Unit fallout, apparently 40 Glocc is a former G Unit member), but it has been going on from 2012 all the way up to now. Game ended up losing this one ultimately though, because 40 Glocc sued Game for $4.54 million in a lawsuit and won.

Lil Durk

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

This so called "beef" is confusing; apparently it originally started out as beef between Lil Durk and Tyga (reason unknown), so Tyga PAID GAME to come out and diss Durk for him and handle his light work (of course, I mean it's Tyga, what else do you expect?). There is also video of Durk and his crew approaching Game in the club and talking something out, you can clearly hear "let's take it outside" in the video, which only leads you to believe that they fought, though Durk says that the beef was squashed.

With the reputation Game has, he's obviously not a guy you'd want to mess with, though a lot of people are saying that Game talks about a lot of things that happened that aren't true (i.e. his exaggerating beefs and the stories that go along with them). Either way Game is certainly a guy that remains in headlines, both because of his music and his making headlines due to his fights ( you'd think dude would take on Mayweather considering his confidence and the way he handles everything).





    
     








































   

3 Dope Samples On Beats

Sampling has taken over as one of the most effective forms of producing in hip hop. In fact, it might actually be safe to say that it's part of the creative process in which hip hop was created upon. Hip hop was started from producers and DJ's creating their own music from previously made music, taking older music and flipping it into a catchy drum beat that everybody can groove to in an urban form. Am I dropping knowledge now (just agree with me, it'd make me feel good)?  Anyways, I thought it'd be a good idea to go back and find 5 dope beats that include samples (which can very easily be done considering the amount of samples on beats nowadays). We'll just consider this piece "5 Dope Samples On Beats, Vol. 1".

Game ft. Kanye West - Wouldn't Get Far


I heard this song for the first time in a VERY long time last year and my God I downloaded it and played it until I couldn't anymore. The samples included in Game's 2007 hit include Creative Source's "I'd Find You Anywhere" (which makes sense considering the lyrics in the hook) and "Long Red (Live)" from Mountain. Creative Source was a big R&B group from the 70s with many funk and disco hits, so it's wouldn't be surprising to hear their samples on other big hip hop jams. In other words, you wouldn't get far without hearing them sampled by another hip hop star.

Lupe Fiasco - Mural


It's amazing the amount of songs this sample has been in, but I figured the most relevant and recent song using it would be Lupe Fiasco's near 9 minute onslaught "Mural", released from his album that came out in January of this year Tetsuo & Youth. The sample included in this song is the song "Huit Octobre 1971" by Cortex, and can be found in Wiz Khalifa's "Visions", MF DOOM's "One Beer", and many, many more.

Drake - Draft Day
https://soundcloud.com/octobersveryown/drake-draft-day
(*I do not own these videos, songs, or the rights to any of them*)

Interesting way I found out what the sample was in Drake's "Draft Day"; NBA 2K15 (and they say video games are bad for you, the nerve of old folks). Lauryn Hill's classic "Doo-Wop (That Thing)" is featured in NBA 2K15, and towards the end the familiar singing is heard that Drake puts in the beginning of "Draft Day".

So there's 3 dope samples on beats. Hip hop producers are some of the best in the world at flipping old songs into catchy or banging jams that hip hop fans love (that's probably why they do what they do). Samples can be found on nearly any and every hip hop song nowadays, it's actually harder not to hear a song that's sampled. It's definitely interesting to hear a familiar old classic in a beat, so here's Geoffrey's suggestion of the day; go out and buy some physical copies, peep the production credits and pay homage!         

Kendrick and Cole Bring Christmas Early

If you've been online in the past 24 hours, you know that Cole and Kendrick both came out with songs... Now normally this would be just fucking slap you in the face awesome, but with Kendrick going over one of Cole's songs and Cole going over one of Kendrick's songs... now this raises some suspicion, especially on Cole's "Black Friday" song.



WHAT DID HE JUST END THAT SAYING?!?!

"When you and K. Dot shit dropping, bitch never, they can't handle 2 black niggas this clever, but this February bet shit get scary when I fuck around and drop"...  FLATLINE. Of course it ends in the most trolling way possible, what else did you expect?  But what does this mean?  Does this kill every fans (and pretty much hip hop as a whole) hope for a Kendrick and Cole collaboration project to drop?  I say absolutely not, and here's why; there are methods to the madness. There's no way Cole and Kendrick drop these 2 songs (over each other's beats mind you) on the same day and name them the same thing and not have it mean SOMETHING. But, it comes down to Cole's line... what's dropping in February?  Keep your eyes peeled, and enjoy Kendrick's remix of Cole's "A Tale Of 2 Citiez" below as well.


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











   

Rick Ross Says He's One Of The Biggest Ghostwriters In Rap

Oh the irony; Rick Ross came out in an interview with Time magazine recently and discussed his newest album Black Market (set for release on December 4th) and also said something else that definitely sparked some interest. Ross came out to say that he is "one of the biggest ghost writers in the rap game. Check out some quotes from his Time interview below.

How did your time in the headlines shape the direction of the album?

It most definitely made it a more personal record, it made it a more—I don’t want to use the word serious, but more a topic-driven record. I had a lot of time to just sit by myself, so I had a lot more things I wanted to address. That’s what I did on this LP. I spoke on different things. One of them goes by the name of “Ghostwriter.” I finally wrote a record telling the way it feels for me to be a ghostwriter, and not only a ghostwriter, but one of the biggest in the rap game. Because of my own personal success I’ve always been able to keep that in the shadows. On this record, I just felt it was so current. It was needed.

Ross then got asked about the Meek and Drake beef and what ghostwriting means in hip hop.

Ghostwriting was a big topic this year with the feud between Drake and Meek Mill. Do you think that having someone write rhymes for you is necessarily at odds with being an authentic artist?

It depends on really the point you’re looking at. If you’re a battle rapper on the block, the emcee battle challenger, not writing your rhymes could really hurt you. When you’re an artist where maybe the focus is really the talent and the different things you bring to the game, I believe it’s more understandable. Someone who may have another vision or just ideas that are priceless versus someone who’s like, “I’m basing my entire career off the words I’m finna tell you right now over this 30-second period.” I’m not speaking to anybody in particular, but let’s say for instance if you was DMX and had a ghostwriter, it’d maybe change the [perception] versus if you was will.i.am. I think that’s more about the music, the records.

I know I'm not the only one who thinks it's ironic that Ross is suddenly making a claim that he is "one of the biggest ghostwriters in rap" all of a sudden, but his claims do make the question inevitable; Does having a ghostwriter lower your value and authenticity as a rapper?  I believe it does, although Ross does have a point that there is a difference when it comes to artistry, and then as a battle rapper (where you're supposed to "earn your keep" as an emcee who writes his own rhymes).  It'll be interesting to see what Ross has to say on his "Ghost Writer" track on his upcoming album Black Market, set for release on December 4th.       

3 Awesome Episodes Of Snoop's GGN YouTube Show

I know I'm a little late to the game with this one, but Snoop Dogg's popular YouTube series GGN is coming to late night television!  Revolt picked up the show to appear every Wednesday night at 10:30 PM EST (the show apparently started on November 11th). Are you as excited as I am?  Snoop brings his incredibly amiable personality (and also conversation fueled by mostly weed) to TV; this is actually a lot cooler than it sounds (if that's possible). So to celebrate, I've compiled 3 awesome episodes (although there are many, many more) of his GGN series on YouTube.

Interview with Seth Rogen


This is awesome; the biggest smoker rapper and the biggest smoker actor coming together to rejoice and smoke cross joints while laughing at Seth Rogen's amazingly famous cackle. Snoop and Seth discuss how Rogen got into acting, (including his friendship with James Franco) plus other interesting topics.

Interview with Michael Rappaport

 
This episode with fuck your head up; Michael Rapaport witnessed Snoop and Tupac meet!  Snoop and Rapaport discuss the night that Snoop and Tupac met (also Snoop admits that Tupac was the one that got Snoop into smoking blunts, and they even had a freestyle battle against each other the night of the Poetic Justice wrap party). Legendary stories in this one for sure, the kind that you could listen to for days.

Interview with G-Unit

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

Absolute GEMS dropped in this interview. Snoop brings on 50 Cent and the rest of G-Unit to talk about what hip hop used to be, and compare it to what it is now. Who better to discuss these things than this group of people (more specifically Snoop and 50)?  They hit the nail right on the head with this conversation, and 50 Cent sounds as intellectual a person he's ever sounded in this interview.

So there's a few dope conversations (because Snoop doesn't interview people, he's very good at conversing with people and making it seem like less of an interview) that should hopefully get you excited about what's to come on Snoop's cable edition of GGN. But what else could we expect?  Probably more weed smoking and (hopefully) Stormy Fronts back on to give us such an awesome view of the weather. Only time will tell, my eyes will be open for the cable edition, and yours should be too! 

    







         

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+.      

Sorry For My Tardiness: Dom Kennedy

With hip hop there are so many different (most of the time) talented acts that it can be overwhelming at times to keep up with the newest and hottest. It's amazing how often I get introduced to a new (or sometimes not new at all) artist/rapper that I haven't ever heard before. I love when people bring these artists that I've been sleeping on to light for me, and I'd like to be the guy to bring these artists to light for others. Introducing my newest segment, "Sorry For My Tardiness".

And when it comes to Dom Kennedy, the statement "tardy to the party" would certainly make a lot of sense. Being a Los Angeles born and bred rapper, there is almost certainly a particular sound that Dom Kennedy should hold standard to, and he does just that. When you hear "After School", you'd think that you were driving right down Crenshaw Boulevard while it's packed full of cars.

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

Every Dom album sets a tone like you were living in South Central LA; cruising down the street in a candy painted 6-4, hittin' switches and drinking St. Ides 40 oz.'s living the life in 80-90 degree weather. Bass booming, speaker jumping music is Dom's forte, and it's pretty evident when you listen to projects of his like his albums II: From The Westside, With Love (2011), Get Home Safely (2013), and By Dom Kennedy (2015).

My personal favorites from Dom so far have to be "South Central Love", "Dominic", and "After School", which can all be found on Get Home Safely, but Dom also has a couple of sleepers on his newest By Dom Kennedy album which came out earlier this year ("Posted In The Club" is how the kids say, a "wavy banger").

So Dom Kennedy is definitely a dude who's music holds a lot of replay value. You can listen to it when you're partying with your friends, driving to work, or it even qualifies for that "just chillin' and doing laundry" music (I've said this before but I still believe this is a type of music that should be acknowledged). Dom embodies the Cali lifestyle perfectly, which is warm weather, "bad bitches", good drinks, and a good time. You can't listen to Dom's music and not feel like it's summertime, which is probably why Dom aims for summer releases with all of his music (it certainly makes sense). So if you need to take a load off, pop a cold brew and relax, Dom is the guy to add to your playlist.   












       

5 Best NBA Live Tracks

A great thing about hip hop is it's influence on the NBA, and vice versa. You can get on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter and see your favorite NBA players posing and taking pictures with your favorite rappers any and every day. But when it comes to rap and basketball colliding at it's absolute finest, you can't do much better than some exclusive NBA Live tracks. This is one thing that you just don't see in gaming anymore, does anybody else remember when rappers used to write exclusive songs for NBA video games about playing ball and how awesome basketball is?  No?  Anyways, in case you don't remember, here's 5 tracks from the greatest video game franchise ever ("ever" meaning "of my childhood"), NBA Live.

Chingy - Right Thurr (NBA Live Remix)(NBA Live 2004)

WHO REMEMBERS CHINGY THOUGH?! NBA Live fans would not only remember Chingy, but they'd also remember that Chingy took his greatest hit and remade it into an exclusive NBA Live 2004 track with all new lyrics about basketball!  The hook was legendary; "I'm bout to shake and bake ya right thurr (right thurr), from the 3 point line, I don't curr (don't curr), I'm bout to shake and bake ya right thurr (right thurr), cross over, make the whole crowd stir (crowd stir)". Chingy and his lyrics were made famous by the early 2000s trend of slurred words and accents, but if you were to ask me about how wrong his English were back in the day, I'd respond simply; "I don't curr."

Fabolous - It's In The Game (NBA Live 2003)

My absolute favorite NBA Live exclusive track goes to Fabolous. Is there a more cool rapper in the game, even to this day?  12 years later and the guy is still rocking the freshest NBA throwback jerseys (check his Instagram) and making them seem as in style as ever. Fabo set the tone for NBA Live 2003 with this perfect intro (which might also be my favorite NBA Live intro video ever). What better song to use for the NBA Live franchise when it was at it's peak?  E-A Sports... IT'S IN THE GAME!

Nomb ft. Anthony Hamilton (NBA Live 2005)

Now I'm unsure if this track is actually an NBA Live exclusive, but given the impact this song had on my NBA Live experience (life), I could not care less. Being born in Carolina and taking pride in it growing up wanting to ball like Jordan, this song had special meaning. I mean, whose more known for basketball than those Chapel Hill boys?  Nobody I tell ya! Favorite lyrics; brand new sweater, brand new leather, everything brand new no matter the weather, DVD play-a, CD change-a, spinnin through the kac', dudes kickin in the back, fresh white tee, pinky ring gold blow, fresh white sneaks, whole team gettin dough, who hot as this, the (?) is kit, I rock my wrist, the block is lit." When people ask you who came up with "it's lit"... you better tell 'em Nomb did it first!

Chamillionaire - Grind Time (NBA Live 2006)

Seems like more often than not, some of the bigger one hits wonders of this era ended up making their way onto an NBA Live soundtrack. Chamillionaire was known obviously for his ginormous 2005 hit "Ridin Dirty", but I suppose after that old Chamillionaire seemed to blend his way into the crowd of rappers that didn't last. Chamillionaire's short lived reign aside, "Grind Time" was certainly a jam you could use to pump yourself up on the court, or in the weight room.

Joell Ortiz - Mean Business (NBA Live 2005)

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

Okay, so probably another track that wasn't exactly made exclusively for an NBA Live soundtrack, but is still one of the harder tracks to make a soundtrack, and is definitely a funny throwback if you look at Joell Ortiz's career then and now. The then solo emcee was probably just looking to make a name for himself rising out of the underground scene around this era, what better way to get your name out there than have a song make an NBA Live soundtrack?  There weren't many back then, that's for sure. I stumbled upon this gem playing NBA Live 2005 not long ago (yeah I still play it, judge me if you want) and couldn't help but marvel how Joell went from that, to Slaughterhouse. Crazy thought.

So there's a list of some NBA Live songs that were a part of my life growing up with the now struggling to sell NBA Live franchise (it's sad to see honestly, considering how they reigned over NBA 2K in the late 1990s/early 2000s). NBA Live for 90s kids is what NBA 2K is for kids today, though I believe people appreciated games more back then. We didn't appreciate it then, but looking back for NBA Live players, it was always amazing to see rappers and artists make exclusive tracks for these video games every year. NBA Live was rounded out every year with some sweet new dribble moves, new and updated dunks, Franchise modes, and most of all; some of the greatest video game soundtracks ever made. Don't sleep NBA 2K players, don't sleep!  


 

    




















      

Songs That Make Me Feel: Vol. 1; Joe Budden

So I've wanted to incorporate this little mini section into the blog for awhile; Every day I'm somehow reminded of some old(er) hip hop that reminds me of an exact feeling I had at the time of it's release, whether that feeling be love, hate, depression, power, or anything and everything in between. Joe Budden (being the mood god himself) has always been highly touted as the one NOT to listen to when facing life's struggles, such as depression or a relationship (also, see Drake for "relationship issues 101"), because who knows, you could actually probably (not) risk committing suicide listening to such real and honest music.

Budden has been putting out music that tells his (often depressing) life story for his entire 13 year career, and by the looks of the tweets on his timeline, he takes pride in what he does. Who better than a player that knows his role in the game?  Budden takes you places, into almost entirely different worlds with the press of a play button, and those places can lead you to end up in many, many different other places; an ex's house, on the floor of a bathroom, in a club throwing one's on a stripper, Joe's range has truly broadened, especially over the last 5 years or so.

On "Different Love" (off of his 2014 EP Some Love Lost, prelude to his 2015 solo LP All Love Lost) Budden was at his absolute most emotional. Budden got to talking about past relationships and his seemingly usual way of sabotaging them, along with problems of family and friends. Some of the biggest stand out lines from this emotional masterpiece include the following; "So I don't ever say what I can't do, if he can be happy with life then nigga I can too, while Jose wanna die, ain't tell nobody but eyeing his eyes feel I should probably identify, I said every day he lives with pain and wanna end it, something's wired wrong in your brain you gotta mend it, had a bad break up and let it expose dude, but if she was getting you high then she would get you low too."

Powerful. Some of the most meaningful lines I've heard in rap in a minute, and Joe's cadence tells it all throughout this track, because every line is not only heard, but felt. It just goes to show that your biggest enemies couldn't make you feel anywhere near as bad as you could yourself. Joe's battle with depression has been known throughout his entire career, and has been made known mostly through his music. We actually probably have Joe's music to thank that Joe is still here with us today; if Joe didn't have his raps and music to vent through, then would he still be here?  That's some crazy food for thought for you right there. In case you haven't heard this amazing emotional journey of a song before, then you can check it out below.

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








            

Hey Meek... You Might Want To Stay Off of Social Media For Awhile (Wale interview, Meek instagram post)

Meek Mill and Wale make news again... and not in a good way (surprise!). Meek took to Instagram today to fire back at Wale for some comments he made in an interview with Power 105.1 about MMG and Meek, and Wale was not bashful speaking about the very much publicized (and meme'd) beef between Drake and Meek Mill. Here's what Wale had to say;

“I honestly feel like [Meek] brought a pencil to a gun fight," said Wale. "You can’t compete with somebody who has those types of relationship. I’m telling everyone who thought Meek lost just off the strength of losing, it doesn’t matter what he made, he could have made ‘Ether 3.0’, the opinions of the people would have been that of the kid from Toronto waxed him. Drake went to Apple and my man went to Funk Flex–and there’s nothing wrong with Flex–but we talking about Apple, breh.”

Interesting comments, they seem honest enough, especially considering all the flack Meek has gotten during the Drake beef drama (all the diamond, and now pencil emoji's fans/trolls have littered Meek's Instagram posts with), though Meek took these comments to heart and started spewing off of the dome (which is probably how he got himself into all of this so called "beef" in the first place). Meek's response to Wale's comments can be seen below;

 "U not MMG NOMORE! This why u can't get my number you a hoe! ???? and u dead cracked right now @wale foh nuttttt! I wasn't even mad at you Fam u got some real issues with yaself and you jealous! Broke rapper! I don't speak on Mmg in interviews unless it's good! U a clown ... We don't wanna hear you nomore Fam! Go jump off a roof like u been tryna do chump! He not MMG IM MAKING THAT CALL ... He been tryna call me saying Rozay owe us money... He don't owe me shit and if he do I'll get it later .... Go that away!"

So... I guess you could say they're working it out. Naw... probably not. Wale's original interview with Power 105.1 can be seen below.

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

 

Fuck Future: Feeling In Music Is Not Gone Yet (My Review on the Current State Of Hip Hop)

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.           

         




   

 







      

I Can't Stop Listening To Michael Christmas' 'Shadows"

I know this dude has been on the come up for a second, I know this guy has been featured on other blogs during his current come up, but I never knew this guy had a sound that was so addicting. As far as Michael Christmas goes, this is the first song of his I have heard, but if his newest album What A Weird Day is going to sound anything like this song, then you better believe I'm tuning in for it.

If you don't know about Michael Christmas, he has another album out by the name of Is This Art? that released in 2014 with no huge named features, so it seems he is looking to earn his own come up, a strategy that would earn my respect any day. His newest album What A Weird Day is set for release on October 23rd, and will feature some big names like Mac Miller, D.R.A.M., Logic, and more. His latest single I'm currently raving about (Shadows, produced by Logic's own producer 6ix) is available on iTunes via free download if you pre order the album. You can listen to "Shadows" below.

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

Paul Wall's Slab God Album Review

It's been 10 years since Paul Wall dropped his classic "Sittin Sideways" hit, and a lot has changed since then. Eminem dyed his hair black (then back to blonde again), Lil Wayne became a hot commodity in the later 2000s and early 2010s, and then Drake suddenly became the (not so official) face of what people thought of when people thought of Houston's hip hop scene. As much as that may or may not be true, Paul Wall took a few years off from the mainstream music scene, but stayed making music for die hard listeners. He made a point for his newest album Slab God to be a big release when it hit; do you think it's measured up to it's hype?

Paul starts off the album on a slow, chilled out note with "Swangin in the Rain". Some heavy bass, jazzy piano and quick high hats help this track set the tone for the rest of what's to come on the album; heavy hitting, slow moving (heavy "drank" and syrup inspired) bangers that make it easy to move to. Other stand out tracks of this nature are the Curren$y and Devin The Dude assisted "Crumble the Satellite", "Ridin Homie" featuring Houston's own Trae The Truth, and "R.I.P Act" featuring C. Stone. Paul featured a wide variety of rappers while staying true to his Houston roots.

   

Mr. Wall has never been one to NOT shine on these hoes, either. "Shine on Fo's" is a great example of Paul's shining and his ever so enviable glistening lifestyle. The grills, the girls, the syrup and the jewelry all come along with that Houston rapper lifestyle, and Paul makes it sound as good as it ever has on Slab God. You can also hear about Paul's "checklist" of fancy things on the song "Checklist" (who would have thought?).

Paul also pours his heart out into a couple of songs on Slab God. On "Steady Mobbin", Paul discusses a fallen comrade and you can tell by the start of the song which direction Paul is going to take the song in; "This for all the fallen soldiers in the game. Sip in peace. We gone ride for your memory. We steady mobbin." Paul also gives quite a chilling, yet thought provoking line on shootings and the people's perceptions of them; "I wonder if it was worth, whatever they were shooting fo', and to be honest if the cops would had did it we'd be protestin' and lootin' bro." Surely makes you think, doesn't it?  "R.I.P Act" is also a nice, slow, soulful jam dedicated to a fallen comrade (or former girlfriend, it's hard to tell).

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


So overall, Paul Wall's album proves that he just might be the true "Slab God". Slab God bangs, has some great features that fit in well where they're asked, and makes you want to "swang" with some "Muddy Cups on Sunset" and "Shine On Fo's" (I thought I was pretty damn cool already, I might just have to move to Houston and check out the scene). Houston's rap scene remains somewhat underground (maybe not underground, but not so much commercial), but Paul's album proves that not only is Houston's hip hop scene timeless, but it proves that Paul Wall is another one of those rare rappers who's music can withstand the test of time.   
   




    









 

Throwback Thursday: I Guess Ja Rule Was Okaaaaaay

Does anyone remember that Ja Rule actually existed?  No?  Well then this post might actually blow your mind. Ja Rule once was a successful rapper in the early 2000s (an era that I'm particularly fond of), and had a couple of really big hits with some star studded features (some big RnB singers Ja had featured on his albums were big names like Jennifer Lopez, R. Kelly, and Ashanti multiple times). Respect is due where it is earned, and it'd be wrong of me to shun Ja for some great memories Ja has created for me through his music.

(this one brings back fantastic memories, even though at the time being so young it's hard to believe now that it was Ja Rule that was making me jig)

I'm a huge Eminem fan (I believe I've stated before), so for me to even mention Ja's name is like summoning Voldemort, but I can't deny the fact that Ja had some soulful hits back in the day. It's unfortunate that Ja's career had to be shortened due to 50 Cent and Eminem's dismantling of him in the early 2000s (come on now, you know it's true, everyone on Shady AND on G Unit got involved), but when Ja made music and didn't get involved in beef with anybody, he always did pretty damn good for himself. Ja had 2 albums that topped the U.S. billboard 200 (Rule 3:36 in 2000 and Pain Is Love in 2001), he earned 4 Grammy nominations and even had six top 10 albums under  his belt.

Is a Ja Rule comeback possible?  Who knows, but what we do know is that Ja is keeping his name in headlines, even today. Earlier this year his beef with 50 Cent was reignited when the 2 started going back and forth on Twitter and Instagram over a comment Ja made when a fan asked a question about the feud on Twitter. Not only exciting beefs being reignited, but apparently in May of this year, Ja made his first known attempt at business and entrepreneurship by partnering with Billy McFarland, the CEO of Magnises, (a credit card service company) to become the "creative head and spokesman" of the company. Will it work out for Ja?  Only time will tell, but until then, we can sit back and enjoy some of his biggest hits, some being the perfect blend of RnB soul singing and a strong hip hop voice.

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