Tag Archives: Kanye West

RPHH Presents: Top 10 Projects of the Year

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First off, rather than create a separate list for mixtapes and albums I figured I’d just pick the 10 best projects and make a list so for anyone that missed out on any of these, there wouldn’t be an overwhelming amount of shit to catch up on. Also, this is a list based mostly on my own opinion, in fact since I’m writing it, it’s entirely based on my opinion. So if an album or tape isn’t listed that you feel should be on here, too fucking bad. I did, however, address a couple records that didn’t make the cut and explained why below so before you flip out that Life is Good isn’t on the list, look at my explanation as to why.

WHAT DIDN’T MAKE THE CUT –>

Nas – Life is Good – It’s not that this album sucked, in fact, “A Queen’s Story” is one of the best songs ever in the extensive catalog of Nas. But what keeps this album off the list is how badly it drops off after the first 6 songs. Not to mention, the majority of the solid tracks leaked before the album, so when I finally get a record, and only 1 or 2 songs I haven’t heard are actually good, it doesn’t help keep the energy up for the whole record. If this shit was an EP of the first 5-6 songs it would be #1 on the list, but the boring shit on the second half just made me fall asleep and I’m not putting this on the list just because everyone loves it mostly because it’s the first halfway decent thing Nas has dropped in a decade.

The Alchemist – Russian Roulette – The fact is, this album was on the list, until the Jeezy tape dropped. I didn’t plan on putting the Jeezy tape on this list until I listened to it for a week straight and realized that it really did deserve a spot. And so because of that, something had to drop off, and unfortunately it was this amazing effort from Alchemist which is part instrumental/part dope collaborations. Left field albums are always a favorite of critics and this was no different, and for good reason. The production alone was magnificent, and with assistance from Fashawn, Big Twins and Guilty Simpson, it easily makes this record one of the most slept on of the year.

 

TOP 10 OF THE YEAR –>

Freddie Gibbs – Baby Face Killa

The diversity alone of Gangsta Gibbs makes him one of the best rappers in the game today. Simply put, he’s a rapper’s rapper. He can outflow anyone and everyone, and his maturity and style is such that he can go in over any type of beat, whether it’s laid back, hyped up, or a curve ball from Madlib. On this tape, Gibbs really showcased how versatile he is, as he tackled new styles while still staying true to what he’s best at, rapping. The intro alone is one of the hardest tracks of the year, with the first verse setting off the tape in a way that makes you wanna duct tape your neighbors until they tell you the combination to their safe. Sprinkled all throughout this smoke filled tape are jewels like “The Hard”, “Krazy” with Jadakiss and Jay Rock, the auto-tuned “Bout It Bout It” with Kirko Bangz, and quite possibly the most smoked out track of the year which easily gets my vote for hidden gem of the year, “Boxframe Cadillac (83 Deville Mix)” with Z-Ro. Too many rappers make an album filled with the same shit for 17 tracks, Gibbs delivers a collection of songs with something for everyone and he brings his A game on every track.

Maino Presents – The Mafia

I spoke at length on this project already but basically these guys are like the new Diplomats. You got Maino at the head, PUSH! as the MVP and the others fall perfectly into place on this tape filled with hood anthems and bars on bars on bars. This is what New York rap is supposed to sound like. The beats are hype, the verses are filled with rawness, emotion and truth, and the result is a project that you can play from start to finish without getting bored or needing to skip a single song. Whether it’s the introduction to the Mafia where everyone sets the bar incredibly high, the deepness of “Bury Me a G”, the hypeness of “Black Batmobile”, or the harsh truth’s of the PUSH! solo joint “Black Mask”, every track is up to par. PUSH! is easily the next up in New York as his honesty and originality are such a breath of fresh air in a rap environment that’s gotten too one dimensional. His talents are put on display on this tape and alongside the rest of Maino’s Mafia, this is the album that’s gotten more spins than anything else for me this year.

Troy Ave – Bricks In My Backpack 3: The Harry Powder Trilogy

It’s amazing to see the growth of Troy Ave since his first Bricks tape, where he gave us the rawest street raps possible, to a second tape filled with hopes and dreams of a sky that had no limits, to what he delivered on the third installment which displays an incredibly maturity and really functions as more of an album than just another mixtape. As he begins the tape reminiscing on past rhymes, the air is chilled and the blunt is sparked, the room begins to fill up with the scent and sound of powder. Then as the tape moves forward, street anthems emerge, over the top boasting comes about on “Coke-A-Mania”, and risks are taken on tracks like “Snow” and “Super Cool”. Troy isn’t just making street music anymore, he’s making complete songs that hit all styles of hip hop, and he does them all with confidence and skill. “R.N.S.” is hyped as fuck, “Merlot Pt. 2” is proof that sequels can absolutely be a step up even when the original is already dope, and “Red Cup” remains the absolute best summer anthem since Jazzy Jeff and Fresh Prince almost 20 years ago gave us “Summertime”. Troy closed out the Bricks in My Backpack trilogy in the best way possible, proving that with time and motivation, growth is possible as he raised the bar each time to deliver more and more of that gettin’ money music to an ever-growing fan base.

The Weeknd – Trilogy

It’s beyond impressive that The Weeknd managed to sell almost 100K units of this considering it was 3 previously released free mixtapes with only 3 new bonus tracks attached but that speaks to how absolutely amazing this music is. House of Balloons is still the pinnacle, but Thursday is also a gem, while Echoes of Silence has hints of brilliance sprinkled throughout, even if the overall project suffers a little bit, mostly due to not living up to the perfection that is the first two (especially House of Balloons). Basically this is new wave R&B that oozes sex in every way possible while giving us crooning for days and powerful production, and after being remastered it’s clear why this is some of the best music to drop in years.

Chris Brown – Fortune

Put all your personal opinions of Chris Brown, the man, to the side, this is a great fucking album. From start to finish this record is sequenced perfectly, has hyped up club anthems (“Turn Up The Music”, “Don’t Wake Me Up”), straight up boom bap (“Mirage”) and plenty of songs for the ladies in between that still are dope enough that as a guy you aren’t embarrassed to admit you love this shit, even a joint like “Stuck on Stupid” which every mafucka has to admit they can relate to. If there was an album of the year award it would have to go to this, as even though the mixtape game was on fire this year, the proper retail album gem is easily Fortune. The artist Chris Brown has proved time and time again his ability to make great music and this album takes it to a whole other level.

Kendrick Lamar – good kid, M.A.A.D. city

Before this album dropped, I didn’t see the appeal of this young Compton MC. I had listened to section.80 and some other mixtape and just couldn’t get into his whole style. This record though, it made me realize just how much talent this kid really has and how complete of an album he was able to make. It helps that the record is basically a narrative from start to finish, but with gems like “Swimming Pools” and the epic Just Blaze anthem “Compton” along with the beautiful “Poetic Justice” track featuring Drake. This is a great album, and anyone who appreciates good music should recognize what Kendrick has done here. It may not be something you blast in the whip regularly, but when you play this straight through it’s like watching a movie that is captivating for the full duration. This record proved that you can still make thought provoking conceptual music in 2012 and it’s appreciated and for that Kendrick Lamar has achieved well deserving success with his proper debut album.

The Man With The Iron Fists – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Yup, a soundtrack made the list. Combining both old school soul with real raw rap and a marriage of both with Kanye’s beautiful “White Dress”, this is the first amazing soundtrack we’ve gotten in hip hop in years (50’s “Get Rich or Die Tryin” soundtrack was probably the last). Whether it’s the reunion of the Wu-Tang on “Six Degrees of Boxing” or a solo joint from affiliate Killa Sin, or even covers of old soul songs like “I Forgot To Be Your Lover”, this eclectic mix of music forms the perfect background to a movie that more than lived up to its hype, and showcases the influence of RZA throughout the years. Wu-Tang is all over this, along with some of the biggest names of today like Pusha and Freddie Gibbs, and the diversity of the tape makes for a journey of sound that only RZA could compose, complementing what was an incredible directorial effort in the movie.

OC & Apollo Brown – Trophies

Every underground artist believes they are gonna reinvent the wheel by rapping multi-syllabic nonsense over boom bap production, OC & Apollo Brown actually made a great record by doing just that. If you like Flocka or Rick Ross then this album probably isn’t for you. But if you like to call back to the days of tims and hoodies, and you want something that actually sounds good and features a razor sharp lyricist working with one of the most consistent producers in the game right now, then this album is for you. It’s start to finish raw raps, with knowledge and storytelling at the highest level, and enough proof to remind you why O.C. is one of the best to ever do it. You can only go to the clubs at night, so when you need to ingest a heavy meal of hip hop, this is the album that meets that requirement.

2 Chainz – Based on a T.R.U. Story

Say what you want about 2 Chainz, but he makes catchy fucking music. “No Lie” was one of the best singles this year, Nicki Minaj dropped her best (only good) verse since “Monster”, and “I’m Different” was just the right amount of simplicity to work. “Yuck” was just plain dope and introduced an album full of what is now commonly referred to as “brilliant ignorance”, highlighted especially on “Birthday Song”. 2 Chainz is arrogant and isn’t winning any “lyricist of the year” awards, but he has a great personality and the result is an overall solid debut. And when you get a guest verse from Scarface, you know it’s something special, as 2 Chainz is able to run the gauntlet of not just easy ignorant club anthems but also truly deep music that opens your mind.

Young Jeezy – Its Tha World

This tape only been out for a week, how can it possibly make a “best of the year” list? Simple, because it’s really that good. From the jump, Jeezy once again gives evidence as to why he’s the best at making intros. Then you got “Knob Broke” which sets off the tape on some crazy hype shit. Gems all over this project, and surprisingly a lot of straight up solo tracks. The guest spots work well, as 2 Chainz drops a verse on the club-ready “R.I.P.”, and 40 Water blesses “All The Same”. The hypeman work of Lody on “How It Feel” is epic, and you already know that “Get Right” is a fucking anthem. Coming off one of the best albums of his career, it’s only right that Jeezy delivered another dope mixtape, and while this has been on repeat for a week straight I doubt it’s coming out of the deck anytime soon, thus giving it a deserving spot on this list.

It’s Gonna Be a Short (Cruel) Summer

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Most anticipated album of the year? Yeah probably. Aside from the follow up to Rick Ross’ best effort yet, the G.O.O.D. Music label’s debut compilation album has been much discussed ever since it was initially announced (as are most Kanye projects) and so now that the dust has settled and the album is out the critiques begin. In a year that’s seen multiple disappointments, from the aforementioned Rozay album (not saying it’s bad, cause it’s dope, but it’s too long with about 3-4 tracks of filler that should have been cut), to the D12….I mean Slaughterhouse album, and now with the destruction of The Weeknd’s best song for a rerelease which is apparently a reworking of his masterful trilogy, the only thing to fall back on (aside from still hoping for the Cousin Bang and Killa Season 2 movies) is Cruel Summer.

So is the album any good? I mean yeah, it’s good. The real question is, what were you expecting? It’s always best to go into any Kanye project with zero expectations. Since his debut, the man has not exactly followed protocol or adhered to standards, he’s set his own. This is the same artist who dropped a classic, I mean for real a CLASSIC, in 2004, and then followed it up the next year with a completely different sound. Oh but Late Registration was still fire right? Sure, but why stick with that formula when you can change it up again for Graduation? And of course, following what some still call his best album he went completely past left field and into the parking lot for 808s and Heartbreak. So even expecting a sound similar to My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy or Watch the Throne for this album will only cause confusion and disappointment.

First off, this is not a Kanye album. This is a compilation of different artists and sounds put together by the musical genius himself, so it’s incredibly diverse and as usual, very different from whatever else is out there. I’m not one for song-by-song reviews but basically if you’re looking for an album full of “Mercy” and “Clique” it won’t happen. The bangers were released already, that’s why they’re singles, while something like “Sin City” or the beautiful “The One” are album cuts. “New God Flow” is the song of the year, with the added Ghostface verse pushing it over the top, and as hilarious as it was, removing Kanye’s call-and-response to himself was the right move. The rest you gotta check for yourself, but make sure you go in with an open mind and remember that this is the same man responsible for completely changing his style multiple times, and creating 5 classic albums in the process.

In all honesty this has been a weak year for hip hop. I personally didn’t like the second MMG effort although following a lot of great reviews I think I may have skimmed through it rather than really listened to it. I covered the Slaughterhouse mess already and I should have known that Rick Ross couldn’t follow up a truly flawless album with anything less than a semi-disappointment. And nobody wants to hear Nas in 2012 other than unemployed college students and 35 year old auto mechanics so save that Life is Good shit for someone who can tolerate 70 minutes of “back in the day I wore British Knights”. With nothing on the horizon for the end of the year aside from what could be the return of the classic rap soundtrack and an album from the most consistent member of the Wu-Tang, this G.O.O.D. Music disc might be all we got to take us into 2013, and like most Kanye albums it’s probably a good thing we have so much time to digest it as it usually takes a minute to really get everything he’s doing on an album. Genius don’t take one spin to realize.

Oh and speaking of genius, there’s no way that Ghost and Rae essentially spitting back to back on Cruel Summer is a coincidence, that’s gotta just be more of the brilliance of the greatest artist of our time.

Watch the Throne…See the Progression

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Recently an article penned by fellow RepPittsburghHipHop writer Rami Bensasi discussed the underwhelming album from two of rap’s greatest artists ever, Watch the Throne. While I respect the effort and opinions laid forth in the article, I couldn’t help but disagree with just about all of it. Rami is an incredible writer and I see where he’s coming from, but I have an entirely different view of not only what Jay and Kanye have done for hip hop, but what they continue to do to make rap one of the most influential and amazing cultures we have today.

To start, it’s 2012. What that means is that the messages of rap’s early days are dated and the culture itself has progressed to a point far beyond the street corners and cardboard boxes laid out for breakdancers. Graffiti is a recognized art form and turntables have been replaced by dual iPod stations and laptop playlists. The internet is the new record store and the mp3 tweet has replaced standing on the corner handing out a mixtape. It’s only natural that the music has changed to reflect that. What’s also changed is the structure of hip hop in the business sense. No longer must an artist perform endlessly while handing his demo to everyone he sees, hoping to secure a record contract for maybe one album which may or may not get shelved depending on what the label feels like doing that quarter. Now artists have the ability to form their own labels, create their own distribution, and get their music directly to the people. Labels are still instrumental in converting an indie startup to a cultural phenom, but the majority of big name artists today got their start pushing their own product in their own lane.

Jay and Kanye made an album full of million dollar lyrics and lavish lifestyles. Yup, that’s right. Because in 2012, unlike in 1992, having a gold chain doesn’t mean a goddamn thing, but having multiple companies and private jets does. This SHOULD be celebrated. Russell Simmons isn’t operating out of a small office anymore, he has a multi-level building with penthouse suites and is sought out for his valued opinion on various social issues. Hip hop has gone from an underground art form to the face of pop music, and in the process it found a way to make a whole lot of money. That’s literally thousands of jobs for a group of people who once struggled to get off the streets and into a McDonalds. Again, this should be admired, and should be what everyone strives for.

Did Watch the Throne produce a couple of hit radio singles? Absolutely. And that’s what any successful artist knows is crucial in staying relevant and maintaining any type of push and success. Wale dropped a great album and sold like 5 copies. Then he followed up by signing to Maybach Music, dropping a couple hot singles, and then an album which has been revered by critics. Contrast that with Jay Electronica, who’s easily one of the most conscious and positive rappers out there, who can’t get a release date because Jay-Z says his album, while amazing, doesn’t have a single. Just look at Slaughterhouse to see what not having a single gets you; three dead weight singles and their album gets pushed back with the promise of a mixtape prior to the album just to try to generate some type of hype for lyrical hip hop that no one wants to hear.

It isn’t Jay and Kanye’s responsibility to do anything other than what they want to do, which is clearly to make great music. I’m honestly sick of people claiming rappers have a responsibility to their fans to make positive rap, they don’t. They make the music, we listen to it. That’s as far as it goes. If they rap positive and we buy it, good. If they wanna be ignorant and we buy it too, good. Either way it’s money. Rap has always been about expressing yourself and Jay and Kanye have done that in the way that they want to. If that means ripping the roof off a super expensive car and driving it around recklessly with white women then that’s awesome. Trust me, if Das EFX could have done that they would have, but in 1992 the best they could do is gather up everyone in the hood and film them rapping in the sewer.

It’s amazing how far rap has come since its inception, and to continue to strike down its accomplishments by complaining it has no substance anymore is to ignore the powerful influence it has and the income it has produced for those involved. A thousand dollar check meant something at one point to an up and coming rapper, now it’s a million dollar check. That says a lot about how far rap has come. And just like in 1989 rappers were flaunting their gold chains and new cars, rappers today are flaunting their multiple watches, cars, boats, and companies. It’s a culture of not only knowledge but celebration of success and progression, it always has been, and the fact that two of its most successful artists can make an entire album filled with genre-bending music boasting about their worldwide ventures just shows how far rap has come in a few short decades, and how rather than yearn for a return to a past time of struggling rappers getting fucked by their labels that we should instead focus on great it is today to be a part of rap. Hip Hop doesn’t need saving because it’s stronger than it’s ever been, all it needs is more recognition for its continued accomplishments and respect for its top players.

Rappers! Stop promoting drunk driving!

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Hot 97′s Peter Rosenberg urges rappers to stop glorifying drinking and driving in their songs. He specifically calls out Wiz Khalifa and Kanye. What do you think? Is it the rapper’s responsibility?

“My brother in law was killed May 15th because of a drunk driver. I am not trying to talk shit and dis artists I admire. I am just holding my friends, colleagues, and favorite artists accountable.” – Peter Rosenberg, Hot 97


Review: “Watch the Throne” Jay-Z and Kanye West

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The kingdom is in peril. Confidence has been shaken: “Tears on the mausoleum floor/Blood stains the coliseum doors,” raps Jay-Z on the opening couplets of “Watch the Throne,” his new collaboration with Kanye West. “Lies on the lips of a priest/Thanksgiving disguised as a feast.”

That’s a lot of drama for so early, like starting a movie in the middle of a chase scene, especially when contrasted with vocalist Frank Ocean, whose gentle, emotional tenor wonders on the nature of faith and unsound hierarchies. “No church in the wild,” he sings, and with it the listener enters a bejeweled realm, one filled with musings on the spoils of riches and the chaos that accompanies it. This tension between worshiping the spirit and celebrating the bounty drives “Watch the Throne.”

The long-gestating project, released exclusively on iTunes Monday morning at 12:01 a.m., combines the strengths of two of the most acclaimed rappers of the last two decades, Jay-Z and West, who have worked together often but never on a collaborative full-length album, and couples them with some of today’s most respected producers, including the RZA of the Wu-Tang Clan, DJ Premier, the Neptunes, the Jugganauts, Swizz Beats and Q-Tip.

The result is a cocksure, fiery, smart, if problematic, collaboration that showcases the pair’s distinct lyrical skills, their way around a metaphor and an ability to execute both a grand narrative and the details that turn it into truth. Musically, the production is captivating — especially West and RZA’s odd, syrupy beat on “New Day” — even if a relative lack of structural variety within the songs makes the record feel a little longer than it actually is.

Thematically, the throne of the title contains multitudes, based on the context of the lyrics surrounding it. The record questions faith while clinging to heritage and family, places this moment in an historical context, wonders on the mystery, power and confusion of the gilded life — while rolling around in amulets.

The album’s highlight, and an instant classic, is “Made in America,” a solid, slow-paced Frank Ocean-teamed jam about the American dream that reveals the main difference between West and Jay-Z: humility. Above a weirdly magnetic synthetic beat and dots of pretty piano clusters crafted by producer Sak Pace of the Jugganauts, Ocean begins by gently listing a string of saints — “sweet king Martin, sweet queen Coretta, sweet king Malcolm … sweet baby Jesus” among them, and West offers a verse that starts off humble, but by the end he’s bragging about his power and slamming his critics — while Ocean sings “We made it in America.”

In contrast, Jay offers a tender, descriptive recollection of his family life: “I pledge allegiance to my Grandma/For that banana pudding, our piece of Americana” From there he commits to building a family, not to shoving fistfuls of money in doubters’ faces. Jay’s perspective tethers West throughout the album, even if both constantly describe their good fortune in ways that would furrow Mother Teresa’s brow.

On “… in Paris,” we follow the pair as they invade the couture capital, and then justify their arrival: “Hidden behind all these big rocks,” raps Jay-Z, “I’m shocked too/I’m supposed to be locked up too/If you escaped what I’ve escaped/You’d be in Paris getting … up too.”

Over the course of the album, West and Hova name-check with cultural equanimity, shouting out both Too Short and Larry Gagosian, bragging on their Rothkos and Basquiats, offering a nod “to the leader of the Jackson 5,” to Dale Earnhardt, Plato and Malcolm X. Interwoven are brand-name endorsements of Hermes, Audemars Piguet, Margiela and Gucci.

It’s an impressive list of acquisitions, but would it have hurt them to toss off the names of a few worthy charities with as much enthusiasm, perhaps highlighting the power they have to spread their fortune? It must be a drag having to carry such a heavy wallet.

“Your life’s cursed, well mine’s an obscenity,” says West on “The Joy,” the last of the bonus tracks on the deluxe version. After walking through the showers of gold-leaf verbal confetti that’s rained down on the listeners over the last hour, it’s hard to find much sympathy for his plight, even if we respect the talent and hard work that got him to where he is.

But ego can be blinding.

“Who gon’ stop me?” they both rhyme on a song of the same name, and you can hear the famous last words of countless kings and despots as they accrue power. America was made after revolutionaries said “no” to the throne, and history tells us that if an assassin doesn’t get you, something else will. Henry VIII, recall, died of gluttony and gout. But on “Watch the Throne,” the two kings prove much more nimble and disciplined, displaying a confidence that suggests they’re not going anywhere.

- Review by Randall Roberts, LA Times (click here for original post)


History Has Been Made

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It all started with Napster. The ability to download music for free over the internet completely changed the recording industry and after a few years of Kazaa and Limewire we’ve finally settled on sites like MegaUpload and RapidShare to take care of our musical needs. It had become standard that 1-2 weeks before an album was officially released that it would leak online, with some using that as a way to determine if they wanted to buy it or not, while others just enjoyed the ability to get music for free.

 

Then on August 8th everything changed.

 

As of 11:59pm on Sunday August 7th there was still no sign of Jay-Z and Kanye’s Watch the Throne album anywhere on the internet. Regardless of the fact that at 12:01 it was readily available (and I ain’t talking about on iTunes) this was still the first time that a major label release did not leak before it officially dropped. Forget watching the throne, it’s time to watch the record labels. This historical moment will no doubt be noticed by all the companies who for years have been beating themselves up over how to prevent their product from hitting the streets early. The solution may have been found, and to think it came from two rappin’ ass rappers, a move that could change the record industry forever.

Clearly the plan of exclusively releasing the album to iTunes before retailers could stock physical supplies was the key. I wouldn’t be surprised if future album sales are all done this way, with iTunes and Amazon getting exclusive rights and then retail stores having to wait for the CDs to arrive. It’s pure genius, you can’t leak something that doesn’t exist physically. I read that tracks weren’t even e-mailed, they were handed over on hard drives. Shit I wouldn’t be surprised if someone hand delivered the songs to Apple. And it worked, no leaks. The end of the record store may be rapidly approaching.

We have to look at this as a good thing, for multiple reasons. First, it’s progression. Granted I’m the last person to be happy about no longer being able to guarantee that at least a week before something drops it’ll be up in my speakers but you had to know it was only a matter of time before someone somewhere figured out how to beat the leak. And it’s not like this is preventing the access to free music, we just gotta wait a little bit longer now. Secondly, out of all the genres of music (although hip hop is probably the biggest victim of leaks) it was two rappers who made the best business decision in the music business since we entered the digital age. They changed the game for everyone. Who would have expected that about 20 years ago when hip hop still had close to zero respect in the general music culture?

Whether you like or hate the album, either because you know you’re supposed to like or hate it to fit into whatever group of people you align yourself with, you can’t deny the fact that these two artists did something no one has even been able to do before, prevent their album from leaking early. While the content itself will be picked apart and debated for months to come, history has already been made as Jay-Z and Kanye took on the internets and won and they got to release their album the way they wanted to and when they wanted to. Clap for them.


Another Sad Day for Record Stores

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So once again the independent “mom and pop” record stores, you know the places you spent time in about 15 years ago before Napster eliminated any reason to ever purchase music ever again, are heated over the fact that Jay-Z and Kanye’s Watch the Throne album will not only be exclusively released to iTunes but after that, physical copies will only be available at Best Buy for a couple of weeks. Aside from the pure genius of that marketing plan, these small stores are justifiably bothered by the fact that anyone who actually does pay money for music in 2011 will most likely scoop that shit up at Best Buy rather than wait 2 weeks just to support the community shop. This is yet another crumbling brick in the wall these stores have put up trying to save a form of media that has essentially already died out.

The plan itself is brilliant. I can only imagine that Jay and Kanye are getting some sort of kickback for allowing Best Buy exclusive rights to sell the physical copies, and why not Best Buy? They are the largest electronics chain in the country and this whole campaign only serves to further promote what’s already one of the most anticipated album releases in the entire history of hip hop. While indie shops are desperately holding onto what is now the equivalent of a cassette tape, a company like Best Buy is making a smart business decision by reeling in those who do still buy CDs to go to their stores and perhaps buy some other shit in the process. What exactly is the problem again?

This is no different than when Wal-Mart sets up shop in a new town and the residents get all pissy because their small businesses will be hurt. Yeah that’s probably the case. The 2-man shop down the block that has been struggling anyways and is already selling merchandise way overpriced will be driven out of town and replaced with a huge company that will employ hundreds of people and deliver goods to consumers at a much cheaper price. Yeah, that’s so terrible.

People often forget that the music business is just that, a business. And one of the greatest if not the greatest business-minded musician today is Jay-Z, so of course he’s going to make a move like this which will only benefit everyone, oh except for those small no-name record stores, which honestly, ain’t shit in the large spectrum. If they aren’t already out of business they’re about 2 years away from it and I highly doubt Jay or Kanye really give a fuck about what some small record store has to say about their album. It’s their album right? So they can do whatever the fuck they want with it, including selling exclusives rights to push it.

I understand the other side of this, that the stores have been around forever and have those rare gems you’d never find at Best Buy, with employees that actually care about music and enjoy talking to you for 30 minutes about different artists and giving suggestions and all that and yes it’s sad that they’re slowly having to close their doors because digital media has taken over. But once the car came along, who the fuck rode a horse anymore? Rather than bitching and whining, these stores be focused on what they’re gonna do when they’re ultimately forced out of business because the day will come when it’s either time to switch the brand up or go under. Honestly though, none of this shit matters at all to me since I’ve just been clicking refresh on certain sites waiting to see that link anyway, I mean who the fuck pays for some shit that’s readily available for free?


Is Finally Famous the 2011 College Dropout?

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Ok now I know this is a pretty big claim, and in no way am I saying that Finally Famous, the album from Big Sean which right now is easily an album of the year candidate, is as good as College Dropout, or as influential, or that Big Sean has even close to the level of talent that Kanye does. What I’m saying is that while listening to Finally Famous one can’t help but notice many similarities to Mr. West’s epic masterpiece of a debut, not that it should be any surprise since reports say that Kanye was in the studio with Big Sean for a large part of the recording process. Whether or not you agree with the bold claim, one thing is for certain, Big Sean lived up to his record label name by dropping good music.

I don’t know about yall, but I honestly didn’t expect this album to be that good. After hearing some rather suspect lines on the “All of the Lights” remix and basically considering Big Sean to be a bootleg Yeezy, expectations weren’t all that high. But upon hearing Finally Famous it was clear that this kid has the ability to not only rhyme, but out together actual songs as well as properly sequence an album. The result is a damn good product that will most definitely be getting spins for months to come.

So how does it compare to College Dropout? For starters the feel of the album is very similar. It’s refreshing, it’s young, it’s wide-eyed, it exerts this feeling of a rookie artist ready to take on the game with more heart than most on the come up. Big Sean sounds hungry and focused, not letting a single note go to waste as every bar is carefully crafted and every song seems hand-picked leaving no filler (save for that Lupe joint).

As far as direct song comparisons, “Dance” is easily this album’s “New Workout Plan” while “So Much More” as the official closer, with its length and shout outs at the end is clearly a callback to “Last Call”. “High”, while another track that could have been left off, touches on the “Get ‘Em High” feel that Kanye brought to College Dropout while the epicness of “Never Let Me Down’s” music is felt on “Don’t Tell Me You Love Me”. The last example is what separates these releases greatly however. As Kanye touched on a variety of subjects, bringing consciousness as well as ignorance all wrapped up with personal touches to the table, Big Sean is more of an on-the-surface rapper, with exceptions like “Memories Pt. 2” and “So Much More”.

Again, the comparison between the two albums isn’t meant to say that Finally Famous is as good as College Dropout or that it even comes close, but the overall feel of Big Sean’s debut in 2011 recalls the breath of fresh air that College Dropout left us with. Shit both albums were even preceded by mixtapes of the same name. Whether or not you agree with the similarities, Finally Famous is a great record and that’s really all that matters, G.O.O.D. Music delivered us good music, and as hip hop fans we should have just be happy and enjoy.


OT Spotlight: All of the Lights (Infuze & Rex Riot Dubstep Remix)

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In a break from the norm, we’re bringing you the first dubstep remix to be posted on this site:

Kanye West – All of the Lights (Infuze & Rex Riot Dubstep Remix)

All of the Lights (Infuze & Rex Riot Dubstep Remix) by Infuze

Youtube Link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAqcGbH2foA


Introducing Infuze and Rex Riot:

Infuze is a producer hailing from NYC who wears many hats from
professional studio engineering to film composition. He is currently heavily focused on Dubstep production and is making some serious inroads this year. With DJ support from 12th Planet, Flinch, Figure, Hellfire Machina, Reid Speed, and Proper Villians, and with tracks forthcoming on some of the biggest labels in the business both in the US and the UK later this year (still a secret), Infuze is a name you will not be able to avoid.

www.infuzemusic.com
follow @infuzemusic
soundcloud.com/infuze

 

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Rex Riot is a native to the DC area who got his start in electronic music production in the late 90′s. Since then his work in sound design, rock and metal recording, and pop/hip hop production has drastically shaped his solo music. As a result, the music of Rex Riot boasts a unique combination of unconventional (and often bizarre) instrumentation and timbre while staying catchy, engaging, and accessible.

www.rexriot.com
follow @rexriot
soundcloud.com/rex-riot


The Dynasty of the Roc

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Every few years it seems like a crew of artists takes over hip hop. For a while it was Death Row Records, with their legendary roster including Dre, Snoop, Pac and to a lesser degree, Tha Dogg Pound. But then Pac died and the flashy suit era began. Then before he could even really blow up, Biggie died, and for a couple years we ain’t really know who to look up to until a young hustler who already sounded like a seasoned vet introduced us to a slew of talented artists including both MCs and producers who were ready to revolutionize hip hop and push it through to the new millennium, enter the Roc.

The deal alone with Def Jam was epic, Jay and Dame got Russell to agree to distribute their product but with Jay still running his own company, Roc-A-Fella Records. With that the roster started to grow, as Memphis Bleek became official, Beans was scooped up immediately after his appearance on that Roots album, and in-house producers Just Blaze and Kanye West started handling the bulk of production for the Roc-A-Fella camp. And while The Dynasty wasn’t the best collection of material (Amil’s solo album was better, for real), it set the wheels in motion for some of the strongest releases to drop over the course of the next few years as Roc-A-Fella Records became THE dominating force in hip hop, and strangely enough the best decision made in all that time, was a decision of retirement.

Before the minor retreat from the King of New York we got Philadelphia Freeway from the menacing force who beasted the fuck outta “1-900-Hustler”. Freeway combined the rawest elements of street rap over some of the flashiest Just Blaze production. He spit grimy ass shit on straight up club tracks, including the epic monster of a track “What We Do” with both Jay and Beans knowing damn well they had to show up after the Philly Freezer ripped the whole track apart in his opening sermon featuring some brutally honest truths like “if my kids hungry snatch the dishes out ya kitchen”. He truly did “bring the hood to your front porch” as he says on “You Don’t Know”, one of the realest joints on an album almost entirely produced by Just Blaze, except for like two joints that Kanye did. Speaking of ‘Ye, “Turn Out The Lights” was way ahead of its time from a production standpoint, only shows that Kanye was always revolutionizing the game even before anyone knew it.

But then The Black Album dropped. Hov’s swan song was not only epic in and of itself, but it clearly made everyone else on the Roc step up cause when the king steps down, someone’s always watching the throne (hmmm, sounds familiar). So first we got M.A.D.E., easily Bleek’s best album and one of the Roc’s better efforts in its later years, featuring all the finest in Just Blaze beats, more guests than even Rick Ross gets on his albums and a consistency that give it incredible replay value. I don’t think I really gotta mention The College Dropout but let’s just say that Kanye seems to be doing alright these days. You had the Young Gunz Tough Luv which was highly slept on but full of real raps from the kid who Jay stole his latest flow from, including a couple verses from Jay who, after retiring, had some of the best verses of his career on both Bleek and the Gunnaz album along with his ridiculous contribution to Kanye’s debut.

The Roc-a-Fella camp was responsible for a solid 4 years of incredible hip hop, starting with The Dynasty and following through until about the time that Bleek dropped an album that only had one good joint, the Jay-Z solo track. But by that time Jay and Dame had gone through their bullshit and Killa was clowning Hov’s sandals-and-jeans attire. But before the breakup we got some of the best music from some of the hungriest artists (and my favorite movie of all time, State Property, which itself spawned two incredible compilations). While they may be long gone, Young Chris is still releasing heat on the regular, Free still got bars, and Beans will forever be one of the most underrated of all time. And we’ll always have the memories of a stage full of future legends throwing the diamond up, it’s the Roc!