Observations From Kanye West & Kid Cudi's KIDS SEE GHOSTS

First off, I want to start by saying that I am not here to support Kanye West in any way shape or form outside of music. I am only here for the musical aspect of things, so far it has been Pusha's album, and now, because I find Kid Cudi to be one of the most influential and inspiring artists of the last decade, I have a contract in my brain that says I will absolutely and unequivocally support anything Kid Cudi puts out musically after Man On The Moon I and II. Kanye, if you somehow, find some "by the ways of God, premonition-like" way to read this, seek help. For you and your loved ones. You may think it helps you, but at some point, you will no longer be able to control it.

Anyways, the relationship has been well documented between these 2 G.O.O.D Music artists for about 10 years now, seeing as Cudi was a key inspirational crafting point in the making of Kanye's 2008 4th solo album 808's & Heartbreaks (the album some may some say is Kanye's best... just kidding, it's only me that says that), playing a huge role in most of the album's production, melodies and harmonies as a whole (Cudi has also detailed working with Kanye and Jay Z on The Blueprint 3 in past interviews).  Kanye has always been the best example of "paving your own lane" when it comes to personality (hot take) and creativity as a whole, especially music. Now Cudi on the other hand... how does one describe Kid Cudi's musical ear and sound?  Kid Cudi is like if Pink Floyd and David Bowie somehow mixed together and had a psychedelic baby born on LSD and somehow already possessed the ability to play the piano. Now put these 2 musical entities together... and it creates the stuff of myth. Children are proven to experience more paranormal activity than the average adult, but on Kids See Ghosts... I think Kanye and Cudi made it possible for adults too. Check out my observations from Kids See Ghosts below.


Live Instrumentation That Gives It A Jam Session Feel



As if there was any question to if the project was going to be musical, Kanye brings the beats to Cudi's blues. All throughout the project, melodies on top of melodies are layered intricately and just perfectly enough for each contributor to do their part and not steal too much shine away from their partner... and Lord knows both are capable of doing so. "Freeee (Ghost Town Pt. 2)" intros with some heavy pounding drum kicks that sound like a nightmare reoccurring from 2010-2011; a nightmare brought on from the imaginative portraits that Cudi would paint throughout his writing in the Man On The Moon series.  This song is especially great because it takes you back to a time where old school grunge bands would show footage of themselves during their Behind The Music documentary's just jamming it out in the garage with the band, still figuring out their sound (besides those "ray of sunshine" like background vocals that Ty Dolla $ign provides, which are almost ghostly... ohhhhhh.. I get it!). The introduction guitar along with the progressing drums in the album's final track "Cudi Montage" sound like the perfect blend of a grungy Nirvana-era guitar, then somehow flips into a hardcore hip hop album cut that Jay Z could talk his shit over (remix idea, maybe? Oh dammit... nevermind. Forgot about Kanye and Jay's current status).


Cudi Haunts This Album With His Presence, And It's Absolutely Gorgeous, Terrifying, And Brand New, Yet Somehow A Blast From The Past

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

Okay seriously crazy theory here... Is this a secret ode to Cudi's Man On The Moon series?  Is this a follow up WITHOUT BEING A FOLLOW UP?!  Haunting is the epitome of Cudi's presence throughout Kids See Ghosts, whether it be giving a beautiful yet somehow paranormal singing voice ("Feel The Love"), some all-seeing, all-knowing, prophetic types of song writing ("4th Dimension", and I mean just LISTEN to that introduction to Cudi's verse... talk about creepy!), some talks of being "Reborn": which, I mean come on, the song title is already saying something in itself; like dying and being "Reborn" as this new creature (and Cudi is clearly Unicorn status, by the way), and playing the guitar to what sounds like courting death (that grungy Nirvana sound)... almost as if he's leading you to a battle you know you can't win, an unsettling oath that is less like death and more like fulfilling prophecy; coming back stronger than ever before and leading your troops to victory in a battle more epic than the final Harry Potter movie ("Cudi Montage"). Seriously though, Cudi; we didn't think you'd take the whole "Reborn" thing as such a method actor!  It's like closing your eyes, hearing a movie and imagining it yourself as the soundtrack to darkness unfolds. Cudi himself adds more than vocals, production, or verses could all do put together, and this is why he's (in my opinion) one of the greatest to ever do it; his ambience creates more of a feeling than pure rapping could ever do; he's not just haunting you with his singing, he's creating a soundtrack to the madness in our minds.                
              


















                  

Observations From Kyle's Light Of Mine

It seems as if Kyle's burst onto the scene has been quite sudden, but the Ventura, California artist's comeuppance has been far from sudden, to those paying attention at least. After Rolling Stone named him as "one of the ten artists you need to know" in 2015, that same year Kyle released his second mixtape Smyle to some mild success, although he didn't achieve widespread recognition until the release of his single "iSpy" featuring Lil Yatchy in December of 2016, which peaked at #4 on The U.S. Billboard Hot 100. Though widely known for his abilities to make catchy hits seemingly tailored for the Hot 100 and girls around the world alike, Kyle can easily bar down your favorite rapper over goofy, yet melodic production that highlights his angelic vocals, which can be misleading as Kyle has a speech impediment, which at this point in his career seems to have added more to his amiable personality and rap style. Because Kyle is so known for his "hip pop" style, it was widely expected that his debut album Light Of Mine was going to consist of the qualities that he is best known for; feel good, sing-along songs that you can both sing like Usher and rap like Busta along to (though neither example used is anywhere near the personality on record I'd use to describe him); so did Kyle's light shine brightly or burn out into the dark?  That's what we're here to discuss; check out some key observations from Kyle's debut Light Of Mine.


Light Hearted Hits That Make You Groove


Hits aren't usually something that catch my attention since I'm usually one for more personal/harder hip hop album cuts, but Kyle brings that light hearted R&B heat all throughout Light Of Mine. The opening track "Ups & Downs" starts off with a very high pitched and tweaked voice that discusses what sounds like the party plans of a depressed introvert, but once it gets into the song, it sounds like the complete opposite of depressed with the essence of an early 2000's dance hit, and the swag of Lil Uzi Vert in a dress on steroids. The absolute best song on the album "Babies" featuring the lovely Alessia Cara sounds like that dumb, catchy pop hit you can't get out of your head, yet you love it and can't help but replay it for the 5th time in a row on your aux chord. "Babies" is one of those songs that if ever featured on an edition of "Tiny Desk Concert" or somehow MTV brought Unplugged back, you would swear it'd be the best version of any song to hit the web that week (get Thundercat on the bassline for that one, and you have yourself a performance).



Kid Cudi Influence Is Evident, But Kyle's Far From A Knock Off


Kyle can't pull off the legendary hums the way Cudi can (I swear those things could summon Phoenix's and magical creatures out of secret realms of the universe), but he gives his best impersonation on "To The Moon" (another way he pays homage to Cudi, especially knowing Cudi's discography), and it's still a pretty damn fair one at that. Despite that lisp he was made fun of for in school, Kyle has some pretty amazing abilities when it comes to throwing and forming his voice to fit different musical styles; the hook on "To The Moon" (unless it's vocal effects) sounds almost exactly like a Cudi hum, and in the beginning of "Zoom" he gives a nice little mumble hum that sounds very reminiscent of an early 2010's MOTM Cudi. The sound, theme, and writing approach in the album's final track "Clouds" is almost a direct inspiration draw to Cudi's talks and writing about self loathing, depression, and using the so-called 'Clouds" to feel better... and besides, who couldn't use a few clouds to bring them back to the top of the world anyways?  Kyle isn't impersonating his idol, he's doing something even cooler and more creative; finding ways to pay homage in his music without biting styles.


(*I do not own any of the audio or images posted, or the rights to them*)

Kyle falls just short in the rapping and emceeing aspect of things that I liked so much about Smyle, but he makes up for it in areas that require expert melody-making and song craftsmanship. The features throughout Light Of Mine add just enough to still keep it Kyle's album with a few nice surprises (plus Kehlani is super hot and is a queen of the melody game, as well as Alessia Cara), and each one adds their own perfect bit of DNA to each song, respectively. The album is not for the hardcore rap fans by definition, but if you're looking for a fun and much more positive listen, Light Of Mine could maybe bring some light to your life too with it's exciting musicality, above average guest features, and glowing personality.             








             












              

ICYMI: Mac Miller Releases 3 New Songs

In case you missed it, earlier yesterday Mac Miller took to YouTube, and all other streaming services to release 3 new songs.

The 3 new songs - titled "Buttons", 'Small Worlds", and "Programs" - sort of came out of nowhere for the Pittsburgh rapper, and only a brief 2 weeks after it was reported that Mac was arrested and charged with a DUI and Hit and Run after hitting a power line pole and crashing his car in the San Fernando Valley of California.

One can only hope that Mac is not hitting rock bottom again after it was confirmed that Mac and his girlfriend of over a year, singer Ariana Grande, called it quits.  Although in some cases with musicians (especially one as creative as Mac) bad things happening can mean for some inspiration on the music making front,  Mac's history with drug abuse may worry some fans as to how the rapper has been dealing with the break up. Prayers up for Mac and his health.

Check out the 3 new Mac songs below.








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







      

Pusha T Responds To Drake With Scathing New Diss Track, "The Story Of Adidon"

Only a few hours ago (around 9 P.M. EST), Pusha T took to Twitter to release his newest Drake diss track, "The Story Of Adidon", and... Drake better be coming with the heat after this one.

One line in the song Pusha claims "if we all go to hell it'll be worth it", and with the information he drops in this new record, that just may very well be the case. Push brings what seems like EVERYTHING to light about Drake, including a LONG LOST CHILD that Drake supposedly had with former porn star Sophie Brussaux, Drake's mother, Drake's producer's (Noah "40" Shebib) battle with Multiple Sclerosis (and here's the kicker... tomorrow, 5/30 is MS DAY!!!!), and the cherry on top; you see that artwork above?  Oh yes... that's Drake in blackface... according to Pusha, the photo is from an unreleased photoshoot Drake did with photographer David Leyes for an old clothing brand; if there's anything that will turn the people on ANYONE, and for good reason; it's someone painted in black face.  Hey Drake, you got some splainin' to do.

How Drake counters a blow like this, I do not know. But I will keep you posted on how it plays out. Listen to Pusha's new diss record below, and check out Vulture's breakdown of the track and the disses included in that link.


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
















         

Observations From Pusha T's Daytona

When Kanye so carelessly started spewing away every little "dinner talk" thought that came to his mind on Twitter a mere month ago, the rest of the world got excited about what he was saying (mostly the music talk), but there was a little voice in the back of everyone's minds that was keeping them from getting their hopes up. So many genre shifting releases in a matter of a couple months is enough to get people excited, and possibly even shift the tide back in the favor of the emcees who favor crafting albums over carelessly throwing out music to appease fan's music quota. Pusha T is one of those exceptions to hip hop. Though the Bronx emcee's history of spitting lyrical game (and by game I mean "drug money" game) has far outweighed his hit making (or let me rephrase, "pop" hit making) abilities, Push has always found a way into relevance in hip hop, and with Kanye behind the boards of your album (no matter how much hip hop hates him right now), nothing but good can come from it in terms of the sound of the actual music. So does Pusha push a ton of weight on his newest release Daytona?  Or does he hit the bricks and fall tiresome?  Let's discuss a few observations from Pusha's newest release.


Blunt Honesty That Hip Hop Is Missing



A good portion of Pusha T's time on Daytona is spent boasting the money earning ways, whether legal or illegal, to listeners. Push returns with an eagerness to provide what hip hop has been missing without him over gritty tracks like "If You Know You Know", an attention demanding sample that somehow gives all the attention to Pusha, his patterns and his flow style taking center stage with lines like "where were you when Big Meech brought the Tigers in?, 'cause I was busy earnin' stripes like a Tiger's skin."  Pusha's full persona is put on display throughout the album, with talks of past lessons of drug deals, changing personalities and jealousy of the evils of money, all to play in the car to scare off the kids horsing around on the street, and at the same time, earn the respect of the scary dudes that hang out on your local corner. 'The Games We Play" sounds like the soundtrack to an episode of smuggling some 100% pure Colombian Bam Bam on Narcos, giving that hard, yet, groovy feel that spreads awareness that it can be fun to dance to songs about drug dealing... but we should all be aware that it's out there, and it's much scarier than a sample that Kanye chopped up.


Is There A Lesson?  No, But It's Damn Fun To Get Lost In The Sauce



Pusha is unique in not only his skills, but his entire persona as a rapper/past drug dealer. On "Come Back Baby", Push plays the teacher to the students, but without entirely forcing the "game" onto his listeners. All throughout Daytona, Push aims for a sound that sounds like that of a poor man's Jay Z (which is definitely a compliment); he preaches to you the horrors and the harsh realities of the street life, while making it a fun listen to bump in the whip or the system.  On the second part of "Santeria", the samples bleeds through the speakers like the blood of lost cartel casualties and fatalities; the fruits of the hard earned labor are appreciated, but the lessons of the haunting aftermath stay with us like the ghosts of project's past. In other words; it's cool to know about the details of drug dealings and murderers, but it's even cooler to know that there are repercussions of what those drug dealings bring, and if the rumors are true of the cover art being Whitney Houston's bathroom during her drug addiction (seriously, look it up if you can find out the meaning behind the cover art), then it seems Push is really pushing that narrative home with these evils that drugs bring.


Hard Rap Brought Back To It's Roots


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

Push has never been looked at as a gatekeeper of hip hop, but most of the time people pay attention to what he has to say. He uses Daytona as a means to get some things off his chest, whether it be Birdman and Wayne's troubles, dissing Drake (refer to the last post for more details on that), or rap's current state overall. The frustration of the current state of hip hop burns throughout Daytona, and some of that pent up frustration could probably be heard throughout a line or 2 in every song on the album.  Though a short album, Push does a good job of keeping it poignant and precise in the 7 tracks given, which is commendable and frustrating in itself; commendable for not using album filler, yet  frustrating for not being able to hear more of what Push has to say about things. Push uses the opening lines of the scathing "Infrared" to share his thoughts on the current state; "the game's fucked up niggas beats is bangin, nigga ya hooks did it, the lyric pennin' equal to Trump's winnin', The bigger question is how the Russian's did it, It was written like Nas but it came from Quentin, at the mercy of a game where the culture's missin', when the CEO's blinded by the glow it's different, believe in myself and the Cole's and Kendrick's, let the sock puppets play in their roles and gimmicks", which lead to much more, including lines on Birdman, Wayne and Drake.  Some people may look at Push's honesty in these lines as hate towards the current stars as a now so-called "old head" of hip hop, but how could it be hate if he's fighting for Wayne's case, just as his label boss Rick Ross did on his 2017 track "Idols Become Rivals?  No, Push is not looking for attention on the entirety of "Infrared" (though most of the Drake disses could be seen as such), he's merely using hip hop what it has been meant to be used for since it's inception; speaking from his heart, and saying what he believes needs to be said at the end of the day, whether people like it or not.                                   






              











          

Pusha T Disses Drake On New Album Daytona, Drake Immediately Responds (Song & Instagram Post)

Pusha T has caused quite a stir in the last 24 hours with his latest album release Daytona, which released last night at midnight (technically, May 25th). The new 7 song album from Push is entirely produced by Kanye West (who we won't get into with his ridiculous comments as of the last few months, hip hop has disowned you Kanye), and features a slew of classic coke-rhymes, but the most noticeable lines from the album are what people are speculating to be Drake diss lines.

In the final song of the album "Infrared", Push essentially dedicates an entire song to Drake, targeting things such as his label boss's issues with his own label ("oh now it's okay to kill Baby, niggas looked at me crazy like I really killed a baby, salute Ross 'cause the message was pure, he see what I see when you see Wayne on tour, flash without the fire, another multi-platinum rapper trapped and can't retire, niggas get exposed, I see the cracks and I'm the liar?, shit I been exposed I took the crack and built the wire, now who do you admire?" etc.) what Push refers to as "inflated rap sales" ("your rap songs is all trying my patience, them prices ain't real without inflation") and past ghostwriting rumors ("how could you ever write these wrongs, when you don't even write your songs").

Drake then responded a mere hours later with an Instagram post, appearing to be a invoice directed at Pusha, titled "For Professional Services Rendered, for Promotional assistance and career reviving."
Which, makes sense if you listen to the track Drake's OVO Sound Twitter account posted at around 6 PM tonight (May 25th), titled "Duppy Freestyle", which is an immediate response to Pusha, and where in the finals lines of the song Drake raps "tell 'Ye we got an invoice coming to you, considering we just sold another 20 for you." You can call Drake anything you want, but dammit is the man prepared for battle when it comes back around to him.

So what do you guys think?  The hip hop world has seemed to speculate some Pusha-Drake beef for quite some time, considering many believed Drake to fire shots at Pusha on his loosie track released pre-More Life, "Two Birds One Stone".  Drake seemed a little TOO prepared for the smoke Pusha had coming for him, responding less than 24 hours later on Instagram, AND in audio form in the new song, "Duppy Freestyle" (which by the way, what the actual FUCK does that mean?).  Does Push go back at Drake?  Does Drake respond back after Push comes with more smoke?  Keep your eyes glued to social media over the next few days and we'll probably all get to find out.  Drake is as calculated as anybody in rap now when it comes to diss tracks and responses (if not more calculated), but Drake is not messing with another Meek Mill in proven emcee Pusha T. We'll see what happens, as both rappers have albums to promote (with Drake's coming in June), so who knows how crazy things could get. In the mean time, check out the invoice from Drake to Pusha above, and check out Drake's response record below.


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








              

Will Smith Returns With New Freestyle Video, New Music Coming Soon?

Earlier this afternoon (May 23rd), Editorial Director of Culture and Content at TIDAL Elliot Wilson took to Twitter to give hip hop fans a glimpse of what could be some new content from the Philadelphia legend.

Wilson shared a video of a new Will Smith freestyle, which spanned just under a minute and a half. Will spits some old school style bars, trademarking his signature wit, funny punchlines and some surprising multi-syllabic rhyme schemes. Does this mean we're getting some new music from Big Willy (Boy does it still feel uncomfortable calling him that)?  Nothing is confirmed yet, but check out the freestyle here in this link, and stay tuned for more new Will Smith music news.

(*Link in above sentence*)

     

ICYMI: New Music; Buddy - Trouble On Central

5 days ago (May 10th) Buddy took to Twitter to release a new track.

The track, titled "Trouble On Central", is the second song of 2018 that the Compton rapper has released, with the first being "Black" featuring A$AP Ferg, which released back in March. Supposedly Buddy is set to release his major label debut with RCA Records this summer, and it appears we're right on track with the previous 2 singles.

After his much slept on 2017 E.P Magnolia, Buddy's return with "Trouble On Central" really brings back the 90's west coast vibes, with the beat sounding very much like Doggystyle-era Snoop. It wouldn't be surprising to hear if Snoop is a heavy influence on Buddy's music. You can listen to Buddy's new single below, and probably expect a project in the coming month or months.


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




 

I Got Some Insider Information From Someone Who Attended Royce Da 5'9's Book Of Ryan Listening Session; Here's What To Expect (Interview)

Earlier yesterday, Detroit wordsmith Royce Da 5'9 held a listening session at sneaker store Burn Rubber in Detroit for his long talked about, highly anticipated next studio album, Book Of Ryan. Although it's set for a May 4th release, lucky fans got a chance to hang out with Royce, check out some dope sneakers, and listen to the album. I spoke with @Rakabash on Twitter, who is from Detroit, and got the exciting chance to attend the session, and listen to the album first hand.


How many people would you say were in attendance?

"I'd say 50-60 people were in attendance."


Can you give an account of what it was like meeting Royce/how it was when he showed up?

"I was at Burn Rubber before it opened. Royce showed up an hour and a half late. He came through the back entrance because we were anticipating him coming through the front. All of a sudden, I hear thunderous applause, and Royce is standing in front of the sales counter holding a microphone. The sales counter became a makeshift podium to address the fans. When he arrived, he was very friendly and talkative. Kino (Royce's manager) was also there. Royce wore a big ass encrusted watch that was sparkling!"

Does the album, from what you heard, hold any general theme?  Since many speculate with a title like Book Of Ryan, it will be autobiographical in a sense.

"It does have an autobiographical theme. Royce pays tribute to his father by both talking about him at his worst as a cocaine addict and praising him for committing himself to rehab to kick his addiction and address the domestic abuse he committed to Royce's mother. "Strong Friend" is the song that is most emotionally gripping. He talks about the person who you think is the most headstrong because they are the breadwinner should be checked on just as much as a person who is emotionally fragile. Royce's honesty, sometimes brutally, is reminiscent of Death Is Certain. His vulnerability on so many songs is fascinating as well. He admits to being a womanizer, an alcoholic, arrogant, etc. You understand the motivations behind his actions.

That's amazing, they say music can be therapeutic, and it sounds like Royce used this album as a crutch of sorts. So let's talk about the production; you said it was very musical, in a sense where instruments of all matter play a huge part in it, not just some synthesizers and 808s of course. Did he discuss who handled production on most/all of the album?  Was it the usual in house producers like Mr. Porter, or did he reach further out for broader sounds?

"Streetrunner did 'Summer On Lock', Key Wane produced 'Woke'. He mentioned DJ Khalil, although I don't know which songs he produced. He mentioned Mr. Porter as an executive producer, he did produce a song for Book Of Ryan, possibly more than one."

That's great about Mr. Porter, he deserves his shine.  Jay Elec didn't call him the greatest producer of all time for nothing. So you talked a little earlier about the Eminem feature, titled "Caterpillar". What should people expect from that one? The vicious one two punch of Bad Meets Evil going back and forth?  Competitive bars?  Any highlights?

"Royce has the first and second verse. Em spits a long ass verse but it sounds like the equivalent of Em having 2 verses combined. It sounds like it was recorded after Revival was released and reviews were in. The beat is straight boom bap, it's very "hip hop" to the core.

Very interesting, so in a sense, was Em attacking criticism as he was recently on the "Chloraseptic Remix", or did he have a different agenda to his verse?

"He was lyrically shitting on people disrespecting his style and wanted to show people where so many got their style from. It wasn't really aimed at Joe (Budden, who many people believed the "Chloraseptic Remix" was originally aimed at for his criticism of Revival), but at rival emcees who forgot that Em is the caterpillar- meaning he made his mark on music. I didn't get the sense that he was defensive about the flack from Revival like he was on the 'Chloraseptic Remix'".

Okay, one last question, and I'll let you get out of here. Do you believe Book Of Ryan furthers and promotes Royce's longevity as an emcee, as well as an artist, and not just in the rhyming aspect, but in terms of making great music with replay value?

"Absolutely. a lot of people might be taken aback by how much he sings on this album, however, the themes on so many songs on this album are mature and sophisticated, and go beyond the cookie cutter usually associated with rappers who sing. Because it's an independent release, it's not going to get the push that it deserves, but this is Grammy album of the year material. Much of the album owes a lot to Symbolic 1 and Denaun Porter. Book Of Ryan will make inroads towards showing people he's more than the guy who knows Eminem. He's the guy who can write a collection of songs that draws from his own demons that will be inspirational in to those who hear it."

Sounds like Royce's demons are going to need some help hiding again after we get to finally hear Book Of Ryan. You can go to Rakabash's Instagram (@Rakabash) to see Instagram live videos from the listening session, and in case you missed it, Royce released a bonus track off of Book Of Ryan featuring new Shady signee Boogie, which you can listen to below. Book Of Ryan releases officially on May 4th.


(*I do not own this audio, the image, or any rights to either*)  

     

      

 

 

   

    

    






 
















     

Observations From J. Cole's KOD

Another second year, another album drop for the emcee from Fayetteville, North Carolina. I say second year because in the last 4 years, Cole has dropped 3 albums including the recently released KOD, starting with 2014 Forest Hills Drive in 2014, then 4 Your Eyez Only in 2016. It seems as if every project Cole releases has an underlying message that isn't necessarily caught off of the first listen, and if the abbreviations for the album's title mean anything (KOD- Kids On Drugs, King Overdosed, and Killing Our Demons) then the rest of hip hop was in for a rude awakening in the subject matter. But did they awaken rudely?  You might be able to say that those who make a certain subgenre of rap were. Did Cole come with that "real shit" again to spark the rap game back into the great state that it was previously?  Cole is usually one to boast the MHHGA saying more than most (make hip hop great again).  BUT DID COLE COME WITH NO FEATURES?!  Let's discuss in my observations of Cole's KOD below.


Tackling Drug Use Like No One In Hip Hop Today Is Doing
J. Cole - Once An Addict
(*Since listening to the Cole album isn't allowed on YouTube without a YouTube Red subscription, I'll have to post the Apple Music song links, so bear with me y'all*)

When so often today drug use is glorified and used to promote a good time among other rappers (most with "lil" in their name), Cole took this concept and flipped it on it's ear. The cover of KOD (mostly the writing at the top, though the cover art serves it's own purpose as well) serves as a disclaimer to listeners diving in to the album; "this album is in no way intended to glorify addiction." While this may seem alarming at first, and it should, the subject matter throughout most songs remains to be the struggle with addiction and drugs through not only Cole's life and career, but hip hop as well. Songs like 'The Cut Off" sound almost exactly like a description of hip hop's youth today, with "kiLL edward" (who is almost certainly Cole himself, used as a representation of today's hip hop landscape) singing the literally carefree hook; "gimme drink, gimme smoke, get me high, let me float, I'm a cloud, coming down, put me down, gentle now, gimme drink, gimme dope, bottom line, I can't cope, if I die, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know." The intimately personal "Once An Addict (Interlude)" details Cole growing up with addiction in the household with his mother's battle with alcoholism, and Cole's fear for letting his mother know his real thoughts on the matter. If an intervention could be put into song form, then "Once An Addict" is that cry for help for Cole's mother's case. He uses songs throughout KOD not to glorify drug and alcohol addiction, but to shed a light on the matters and just maybe; see what it's like to live a day in the shoes of an addict.


Discussing The Obsessions Of Today's Hip Hop Youth
ATM - J. Cole

While Cole's album comes with most of the qualities that the average Cole album would, it's unique in the aspect that Cole approaches the subject matter almost as a parody. On songs like "ATM" and "Motiv8", Cole steals the stapled "Migos flow" (for lack of a better term, also considering that's what it's become known as today) and uses it almost as research to set the example for what hip hop's standards are for music today. "Photograph" is comical in the idea that it's subject matter is actually true, while the repetitive "motivate" hook on the song with the same title ("Motiv8") almost seems to make a mockery of other hooks made by other rappers made today, using background adlibs to stress the "get money" part of the equation, plus the bridge's lyrics (or, "post" bridge, since it's right after the hook) can be interpreted as shots at today's landscape as well; "too many times, I swallowed my pride, I'm crackin' a smile, I'm dying inside, my demons are close, I'm tryin' to hide, I'm poppin' a pill, I'm feelin alive, I'm feelin alive, I'm feelin alive, I'm feelin alive, I'm feelin alive, I'm feeling alive, I'm feelin alive, I'm feelin alive, I'm feelin alive, I'm...". It's as if Cole was so intrigued by today's hip hop landscape and what the hotter artists discussed in their lyrics that he is using it as either "motivation" to help the record sell, or he was using it as research; a wake up call to show other rappers what they are sounding like, and I don't believe Cole has ever cared about selling records.

Political Views & Ideas That Could Push The Agenda            
Window Pain (Outro) - J. Cole

Now from the looks of social media and people's opinions about Cole, nobody wants to hear Cole get political, but Cole has never shied away from doing so while speaking his mind and getting things off of his chest. Discussions of the mass shootings that have plagued the U.S. ("Window Pain [Outro]"), as well as addiction and what it does to people throughout the entire album ("The Cut Off", "Once An Addict", "FRIENDS", etc.) are the kinds of things that keep Cole at the top of the list of relevancy, and top of the list of rappers who fight for what is right; this is why everything Cole drops is a breath of fresh air whilst the rest of hip hop (most of the music getting promoted anyways) is struggling to keep it's head above alcoholic and promethazine filled waters. Now to step away from the "preachy" aspect of the music; though the themes and messages throughout can be depressing and dark, Cole's album is delightfully fresh in that it presents (in a way) solutions to the problems that it also brings to the table with just as much, if not more force. In every raw song's problem also lies it's solution, or at least, steps towards those solutions, and though the road looks bleak for some going ahead, there is still hope towards Killing Our Demons, with those Kids On Drugs. Unless, of course, the King Overdosed, then... we might just be doomed.      

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!    

So... It's Kind Of Been A CRAZY Week In Hip Hop So Far (News, Thoughts, Speculation, And More)

In case you've some how been living under a rock for the last 3 or 4 days, this week has been absolutely crazy concerning hip hop, and some of the biggest names involved in it today. And because there is so much to tackle in so little time, I'll save y'all the introduction and get right to the good stuff. First thing's first (rest in peace Uncle Phil... just kidding, but we'll get to that guy in a sec)...

Kendrick Lamar Wins Hip Hop's First Ever Pulitzer

                             (Photo credited via The Pulitzer Prizes Twitter [@PulitzerPrizes])

Where's a Ron Burgundy meme when you need one?  Because this is kind of a big fucking deal. This last Monday (April 16th), Kendrick Lamar was announced as the first EVER hip hop act to win the acclaimed and highly coveted Pulitzer Prize Award, which if you don't know, Huffington Post describes/defines as an award "for distinguished musical composition by an American that has had its first performance or recording in the United States during the year."  Kendrick is recognized as the first "non-classical or jazz artist" to win the award, but lets not beat around the bush here; Kendrick is the first HIP HOP artist to win the prestigious award EVER. Period. Although some would argue that TPAB is far more deserving of the award (like me) because of it's outstanding concept as an overall body of work and the important reoccurring themes, some (like me as well) are exuberant in the fact that Kendrick Lamar is the first ever hip hop artist to win an award of such importance. When Kendrick wins, hip hop wins.

Kyle Supposedly Dropping "Debut" Album?

                         (The supposed cover for Kyle's debut album, titled Light Of Mine)

In more exciting hip hop news, goofy Ventura, California rapper Kyle announced that his debut album, Light Of Mine, will be dropping on his 25th birthday, May 18th of this year. The first two singles ('To The Moon" and "Playinwitme" featuring the wonderful Kehlani) have been pretty well received from fans so far, but knowing Kyle and his ever-changing style, the first 2 singles give no inclination or evidence as to what the album will sound like as a whole. It's too hard to tell what the album's title could mean, and based on Kyle's ability to out bar your favorite rapper on one song then sing them to sleep on the next, it's too early to tell what kind of sound we'll be receiving from him.

Drake Dropping New Album Scorpion In June

After the release of the Scary Hours EP which included the wildly successful hit "God's Plan", Drake followed it up with an even bigger smash hit anthem for the ladies, "Nice For What", which many have said is Drake's best song in years (it was me... I said it). "God's Plan" spent a staggering record 11 weeks atop Billboard's number 1 spot, but that's not even the craziest part; with the number 1 debut of 'Nice For What" on Billboard, Drake actually became the first hip hop artist in history to REPLACE HIMSELF for the number 1 spot with another song. So leads us into the anticipation for Drake's new album, which in case you missed, is called Scorpion and will be arriving in June, though no official date has been given just yet. Knowing Drake's history of pre-released songs right before albums, "God's Plan", "Diplomatic Immunity", and "Nice For What" will give us absolutely no idea of what the album will sound like as a whole, so what are your expectations for Scorpion?  Do we think Drake keeps with his R&B roots and drops more ballads for the women?  Or do we think Drake attacks again with more aggressive bars aimed at everybody who even mentions his name?  Personally, I believe a name like Scorpion doesn't exactly call for cute filtered Snap Chats and Instagram captions, and am really hoping Drake is coming for people's throats in the rapping aspect again (how amazing would it be to get another "A.M" song added to the list?)  No, scorpion's do not take Snap Chat selfies or Instagram pictures of themselves for likes... They sting. It's in their nature.

J. Cole Drops KOD Out Of Nowhere And It's The Album Old Heads Have Been Waiting For

In case you somehow missed Twitter trending topics and the Internet absolutely blowing up over the last 18 hours or so, J. Cole released his surprise album KOD at midnight last night, and boy does it not disappoint. In case you have yet to listen to it, I won't give too many details away, although I have to say that this extra voice that Cole is adding certainly makes for an interesting concept, and almost makes for "hip hop parody" if you will (no Weird Al, not THAT kind of parody). Be sure to check that out if you haven't already, it's very good, but you guys already know I don't need to vouch for Cole. Also, regular viewers, expect an "Observations" review article coming from me with a week or so!

Kanye Tweets/Album Rumors?

Kanye has also been going H.A.M. on Twitter as of late. Over the last week or so, Kanye has been tweeting inspirational messages to his followers, but the inspirational messages are not what people are choosing to direct their attention at (though the tweets have hundreds of thousands of retweets and likes). The most noticeable tweets are the ones above; not only did Kanye announce that his album would be coming on June 1st, he also announced that a mere week later (June 8th) he would be dropping a collaborative project with Kid Cudi, titled after him and Cudi's supposed collaborative group name, Kids See Ghosts (everybody just STAY CALM!). But that's not even the last of it; Kanye also went on to tweet release dates for G.O.O.D. Music label mates Pusha T and Teyana Taylor's albums!  Now it's too early to tell if Kanye is for real or if he's just blowing smoke, so until anything comes out, I wouldn't get your hopes up, 'Ye fans, although the tweeting is a start. If it continues, maybe it starts a huge promo run for G.O.O.D Music?


I shouldn't say that's ALL for this week (because holy overwhelming that's a lot to take in), but it's almost safe to say that this week in hip hop can't get much bigger... knock on wood.     








    



















        

TDE Announces "The Championship Tour" With Hilarious New Promo Video

Earlier this afternoon, TDE posted a new video to their YouTube channel which announced a HUGE tour that includes every artist signed to their label.

Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q, Jay Rock, Ab-Soul, SiR, SZA and Lance Skiiiwalker will all be hitting the road starting this May, for a total of 30 shows that will hit 29 different cities, including 2  dates in Canada (Vancouver on May 4th and Toronto on June 12th). The tour seems to be hitting primarily the west coast, including 3 shows in Texas and 4 shows in California (where the Ohio dates at y'all?!), though there are multiple dates set for New York as well. How else could Kendrick keep his King Of New York title *(Cue angry west coast hip hop heads)*?  Check out this hilarious 80's work out montage style video below, which shows all the dates at the very end of the clip. Is TDE coming to your city this summer?


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

J. Cole Announce New Album "K.O.D.", Dropping April 20th

Earlier today, J. Cole cleared his entire Instagram page to share a whole page of purple artwork. He then returned to Twitter a mere couple of hours ago (4 PM EST) to make some huge announcements, the first being his holding a special event in NYC, which many speculated was an intimate listening session for some new music. And as it turns out, the speculation was correct...

(View images below)

Sources on Twitter who attended the special event say Cole held a listening session in NYC for what appeared to be 10-12 brand new Cole songs, with one source saying the album's supposed title, KOD, has 3 different meanings; Kids On Drugs, King Overdosed, and Killing our Demons. Cole also announced the albums release date for this Friday, April 20th.

A few other lucky people who attended the event also shared that Cole's new music featured a certain song that aims at a certain type of rapper, though no other information was given. Could Cole be back to aim at mumble rappers?  Is Cole attacking the current landscape of hip hop once again?  Time will only tell, and it won't be much longer until we get to find out.      

 

Royce Da 5'9 Drops First Book Of Ryan Single, "Stay Woke"

After riding the success of PRhyme 2 for a mere month (not even), Royce Da 5'9 returns even hungrier than before, this time with a new single, "Stay Woke".

The song finds Royce spitting more lyrical miracles and insane metaphors and entendres ("You can't fathom thinking deep enough to sink the abyss, you think you Pac I'm thinking of sinking your Demetrius Shipp"... like WHAT?!) over some sophisticated, opera-esque production (courtesy of the monstrous Illmind and Frank Dukes), featuring Ashley Sorrell. The song will be featured on Royce's long awaited album Book Of Ryan, which now finally has a release date; May 4th. Listen to "Stay Woke" below.


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