Archive for category Hip-Hop

Album Leak Alert!

You didn’t hear it from me, but…the following albums have leaked:

  • The Dodos – Time To Die leaked, due out September 15th.
  • Twista – Category F5 leaked, due out July 14th.
  • The Dead Weather – Horehound leaked, due out July 14th.
  • Spoon – Got Nuffin EP leaked, due out June 30th.
  • Portugal. The Man – The Satanic Satanist leaked due out July 21st.
  • The Fiery Furnaces – I’m Going Away leaked, due out July 21st.
  • Yacht – See Mystery Lights leaked, due out July 28th.

RockTheBells

It was definitely an experience. I don’t know how to classify it in it’s entirety, but it had great moments. It’s taken me time to figure out how I felt about the festival, but I’ve finally come to grips.

We made it to the festival around 4:15 PM to witness the end of Tech 9ine’s set…which scared the shit out of me.  Maybe I just don’t have the experiences necessary to enjoy his music, but it’s, for lack of a better term, white-trash rap.  I don’t feel like his presence was really fitting for a “Hip-Hop” show.  His rhymes are for shock value and pointless at best.  Sure, the face paint made it entertaining, but the reason I was there, the music, sucked.

We quickly moved on from the Nickelback of rap to Eternal Reflection, Hi-Tek and Talib Kweli’s new project.  Talib has been very open and vocal about his career recently with the new trend of Twitter, so it was good to see what him and the YOTB (YearOfTheBlacksmith.com) crew was doing.  His rhyme scheme was impeccable as usual, but it was obvious that they didn’t want anyone to get a full glimpse of their new album.  It was like a show and tell performance, where he would rhyme for 16 bars then Hi-Tek would play some of his older beats, they would talk over them, and repeat.  I didn’t mind, I just would have liked a like continuity to the music side.  Great job though, and a well deserved spot on the “real” hip-hop tour.

Next, a band that I admire, and wish to have the musical knowledge and know-how these guys do.  The Roots.  For how talented this crew is, the receive about a tenth the credit and recognition they deserve.  Philly’s finest are chameleons on the music scene, with an Emcee, Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter and a drummer, QuestLove, that can literally play any genre, style, speed, or era.  For those who still argue hip-hop is for the talentless, listen.  The band came out with high energy, which should have been reserved for the end of the show, but I’m no concert promoter so I’ll keep my mouth shut.  My opinion:  Best Performance

There was a brief interlude with KRS-One involving some of the best freestyle lines I’ve ever heard, and they weren’t written.  He dropped his towel and would rhyme about that for a minute, and then his partner on stage dropped one of the best lines I’ve ever heard:  “I will show you how to rap so consider me a python, I will shoot  bombs like a Canon or a Nikon (pointing at two different cameras).”  It was ridiculous.  Brian’s Add: Not the right line, but I don’t expect you to remember it after almost 2 weeks.  All I remember is that it was better than that and that it wasn’t about shooting bombs.

BigBoi:  I wish I could say that I have the same respect and praise for Big Boi as I did earlier in his career, but it’s obvious he’s fallen off a bit.  I don’t think he remembers who he entered the business as.  He was the conscious part of the duo, while Andre 3000 was the eccentric part.  Big Boi is now caught up in the “swag” epidemic.  His show was bad.  Just bad.  He can still rap, but he’s lost the ability to entertain.

Finally, Damian and Nas.  We left a bit into this set:  It was getting late, we were hungry, we work in the morning…need any more excuses.  But it was fun.  Both are extremely talented and their upcoming project will require and demand a listen.

Damian and Nas have a new album coming out titled Distant Relatives…here’s a snippet

Overall, the festival was a diet version of last years.  It was great to go for free, but I would have been let down if I had paid.  Hopefully they are able to keep the festival alive, but it needs to be brought back to life.   Best of luck KRS-One.

Drake – So Far Gone

The best thing I heard this weekend while celebrating the independence of our great nation, actually came from none other than Toronto, Canada. I know, you can practically taste the irony, but I was surprised to discover two things upon listening to “So Far Gone” by Drake. The first being my favorite mixtape of the summer, the second being the first sign of some actual new talent in the rap game. That’s right, somewhere, while Soulja Boy was trying to get some through-the-phone lovin, and V.I.C. was getting silly, Drizzy Drake was actually making some pretty good music.

This album was not exactly what I was expecting from Lil Wayne’s newest addition to the Young Money record label, but I liked it. Then I listened to it again and I liked it even more. So Far Gone is an eclectic, yet polished mixtape that shows Drake for the triple threat that he is. He raps, he sings, and unlike many mixtapes, which are comprised of simple beats at best, Drake has created a musically rich album.

While this mixtape is musically appealing, it is somewhat schizophrenic at times. On one hand, you’ve got the smooth singing Drake who talks about relationships in songs slightly reminiscent of 808’s and Heartbreak. These songs are good for what they are, and more appealing to me than Kanye’s attempts at singing because A) Drake has a better voice, and B) He mixes in some pretty solid rap versus in these songs, with a flow that also channels that of Mr. West. On the other hand, you have the cocky, swagger-filled Drake stepping up to the mic on some tracks with his mentor, Weezy F Baby, where you can hear his flow and even the tone of his voice change. (Obviously influenced by the best rapper alive himself). On these tracks, Drake gives a respectable performance, nearly matching Wayne metaphor for metaphor, double entendre for double entendre. Throw in a couple of very tight mash-up type songs featuring Peter Bjorn and John, and SantoGold; add a dash of radio hits for the ladies at Alpha Chi Omega to dance to, and you’ve got yourself a wonderfully diverse mixtape.

I’m not ready to invest all of my money in Drake stock, but this is a guy who has something for everybody. I think Drake says it best in a song with Weezy, “And me doin them shows gettin everyone nervous, cuz them hipsters gon have to get along with them hood niggas”. He’s already talented and now after being taken under the wing of the Birdman Junior himself, Drake has the guidance and resources he needs to make it big.

Highlights:

  • Let’s Call it Off- Mash-Up type song with Peter, Bjorn, and John. Very cool.
  • Ignant Shit- Strong rap performance by Drake, ridiculous verse from Lil Wayne who of course comes in and kills Drake on his own track.
  • (For the Ladies) Best I Ever Had- Radio Single. You’ll be hearing this one in hot, stuffy basements all across campus.

Honorable Mentions: November 18th and Say What’s Real- Both have solid verses.

Rating: 8.0

New Drake – Think Good Thoughts

Alex is gunna give a full and well thought out review of Drake’s mixtape later this week, but I don’t like to wait and think so here is a new track from Drake.

Great Summer Tune

Lead singer of Vampire Weekend, Ezra Koenig joins forces with The Very Best. It’s like a fusion of hip hop, reggae, dance, and pop. It’s a great tune to listen to during the summer. Check it out below:

The Very Best – Warm Heart of Africa (feat Ezra Koenig of Vampire Weekend)

And here is a remix of The Kids Don’t Stand A Chance for good measure:

Vampire Weekend – The Kids Dont Stand A Chance (Chromeo Remix)

K’naan

Soooo…This guy is good. He is right up my alley when it comes to Hip Hop. I recommend you check out his album Troubadour right away. It’s not for everyone though… The album is all over the place which may turn some people off…that and the fact that he’s just a mediocre rapper. It goes from straight hip hop, to rock, to straight pop, back to laid back hip hop. Sometimes the changes happen in one song (see If Rap Gets Jealous.) That song features Kirk Hammett for Christ’s Sake! I dig it and I hope you do as well.

Some of my favorites:

I think this is my favorite track off the album

Very up tempo poppy song featuring Adam Levine from Maroon 5

Laid Back…Great Song

AHH The Power of Twitter – John Mayer on D.O.A.

JohnMayer

QuestLoveI am very excited.

Jay Z – Death of Autotune

I find it funny that I just posted on Discovery, using autotune, yet I really like this track and the video especially. Did Jay Z just become a rockstar…”I could wear black for about 4 years” Watch out Lil’ Wayne “Prom Queen”, there’s a new rapper turned rocker.

Some Dizzee

I don’t know how popular Dizzee is in the states, but he has been one of my favorites since Junior Year of High School thanks to my brother. Here are some of my favorites:

If you missed the collab below then shame on you. Dizzee and Calvin Harris:

And Finally, Dizzee’s new song. I like it. It’s Bonkers as the song describes:

Some New T.I.

This boy is about to be locked up for a year. Check out his latest:

I enjoy this very much. It reminds me a little of Trap Muzik and a Led Zeppelin sample is never a bad thing.