Praise the Lawd!

Despite Jay Electronica's seemingly sloth-like work ethic which usually produces two or three songs per year, he is being lauded as not only one of the greatest rappers of his time, but perhaps of all time. For people familiar with this force of lyrical ferocity, it is easy to see why many are lauding him with such high praise. It's not only that he makes unbelievable music, but also that he seemingly can't make a bad song and has very little apparent interest in seeking enormous amounts of fame and revels in his continued mythical-like ambiguity. 

Tracks like Exhibit C and the unreal Just Begun should continue to build his mythical status even as he continues to delay releasing any sort of album. What kind of person introduces a preview for a track that is seemingly as great as Dear Moleskine then makes people wait for over half a year with no further mention of it? But is this all part of Jay Electronica's master plan? Is he just sitting on all of this material that he knows is legendary and is just waiting for the right time to unleash it upon us mortals? Are we just not ready for his presence? Excuse the religious undertones that this man evokes, but if hip-hop needed a savior, he would be it. 

Jay Electronica- Exhibit C

Talib Kweli, Jay Electronica, J. Cole, Mos Def- Just Begun

Home Is Where The Dope Music Is

The weather outside is frightful...

I forget what Christmas song that is from but he may have been speaking of Detroit Christmas 2009. Or was that line not meant to apply to a Christmas day which consists of a rain that could be considered a downpour and menacing clouds that shroud the American side of Lake St. Clair while sunlight mocks me from the Canadian side? Perhaps a sign from the Big J.C. to finally put the finishing touches on this health care reform? Without a doubt! 

But despite the weather it has indeed been a merry Christmas and Detroit producer/MC has contributed greatly to the days merriness with his unstoppable song 'Keep Going' which will be on his upcoming summer release titled Album of the Year (Yes, that's really the title). 

Maybe I'm just showing my bit of favoritism for Detroit musicians but I like to think Black Milk can actually have such an audaciously titled album as long as he keeps the album on par with this song. A magnificent song that is distinctly Detroit with it's sporadic dirty drums and oozing chorus. Spread the Christmas cheer!

Black Milk- Keep Going

To Live and Die In Authenticity

After shelving Freddie Gibb's rather awesomely raw mixtape The Miseducation of Freddie Gibbs I've dusted it off and brought it to light again mainly because he's been popping up in all the publications you wouldn't expect to find him in (New Yorker, New York Times, Pitchfork). The situation is similar in all these publications. Hip-hop is dying or is dead, and Gibbs is the man to resuscitate it with his brand of Gary, Indiana gangster rap that manages to stay true to its mid-90's 

roots without being anywhere near nostalgic. 

Now I have my own feelings about Gibbs future success. The very rawness that made his mixtape

often doesn't translate well to a studio album for various reasons (see declining hip-hop album sales

and worried studio executives). But my main concern with articles such as these are their simplistic

views of the hip-hop genre and their constant love of gangster acts like Gibbs. Like I said before, the Gibbs

mixtape is fire, but this doesn't mean that hip-hop hasn't blessed the world with other great music this year.

I can't help but think that publications such as the New York Times and especially the New Yorker

look upon hip-hop with a tinge of fetishization. It seems the only records that are 'real' in hip-hop, 

according to these publications, are the gulliest examples of gangster rap. The more nihilistic the better.

They discount Jay-Z's Blueprint 3 for not being real enough and praise Gibbs for his authenticity

when in reality comparing those two artists, one a young twenty something from Gary the other now 40,

married to Beyonce and trying to move the Nets to Brooklyn, is like comparing apples to oranges.The

truth is their is more than enough room for both in hip-hop. There will always be room for the kid like Gibbs

in hip-hop but as the genre continues to grow as the world's most popular music genre you have to

believe (and desire) that as legends like Jay-Z push 40 they will change their subject matter somewhat.

Or is growth not allowed in this industry? Should Jay-Z go the route of The Who and continue to sing

his equivalent to 'I hope I die before I get old' at his shows into his AARP days. Or in hip-hop does one 

actually have to get killed, like Biggie or Tupac, to be considered TRULY authentic?

The point is, there is room for both in hip-hop as it continues to grow as a genre. There are times when 

I can't listen to The Miseducation of Freddie Gibbs and there are times when I can't listen to The Blueprint 3. 

Each is good in it's own right. Gibbs isn't the end all be all of authentic rappers. While hip-hop continues to grow

it seems hip-hop critics are stuck in the mud desiring a return to the so-called authentic time of the genre

when most of the artists were broke 20 somethings telling ghetto tales. Now that those artists have grown up

they have been discarded by those same critics. You have to wonder: does Gibbs need to save hip-hop

or do publications such as the New Yorker need to change their views of what hip-hop is? I'll put my money

on the latter.

Freddie Gibbs- The Miseducation of Freddie Gibbs

Life After Death

A couple years back I bought a t shirt proclaiming 'Dilla Lives' shortly after the untimely, tragic, and downright unfair death of the legendary Detroit producer. Of course at the time I thought the message was purely sentimental as I endlessly rolled around playing 'Donuts', the album Dilla recorded on his death bed. 

Little did I realize the t shirt would prove to have a more literal meaning. It turns out that James Yancey's collection of unreleased work was so extensive that many of it is just coming to light now on albums such as Q-Tips The Renaissance released last fall and more recently on Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx Part 2, which is already being anointed as a classic. 

J Dilla contributes three beats to Raekwon's tremendously terrifying sequel and the results are three of the better tracks on an album full of great ones. The fact that beats like these are just now getting play three and a half years after his death does two things. It makes me wonder just how many more beats like these he has and further solidifies his position as one of the greatest hip-hop producers of all time. It's clear J Dilla's musical legacy isn't even finished forming even if his time on this earth is over. 

Raekwon ft. Inspectah Deck, Ghostface, Method Man- House of Flying Daggers

Raekwon ft. Ghostface- 10 Bricks

Raekwon- Ason Jones

Us

Brother Ali has many gifts. He's a great lyricist, is comfortable in his own skin which seems to elude even the most popular MC's sometimes, and he has one of the most soulful voices in hip-hop. Unfortunately, Brother Ali is a white albino from Minneapolis which leaves him in hip-hop limbo. Besides his cultish following in Minneapolis, not many really know what to make of this man. But when listening to Us, Brother Ali's latest release, you can't help but think how all those physical and regional differences combined with his unquestionable talent has molded him into one of the leading voices of underground hip-hop. 

Listening to this album is personal. By the end of the album you feel like your inside Brother Ali's world as he spends the entire album describing everything from how he parties, to race relations, to buying a new house. By addressing such a wide range of topics Brother Ali does a great job of avoiding some of the common pitfalls of underground rap. His album doesn't get bogged down by a monotonous theme that so many underground albums fall victim to. If he talks about race relations, the next he's talking about how great life is after the birth of his second child, and then right after he goes into telling the story of a rape victim. This gives the album it's honest feel and buy the end I even forget that he's a white albino from Minneapolis, home of the most God forsaken baseball stadium known to man. Despite the Metrodome sabotaging the Tigers, we still escaped with one and now we leave without looking back. 

Brother Ali- Breakin' Dawn

Brother Ali Us

The Salvation

What a couple of weeks it has been for hip-hop music. Big old names, big new names, and smaller new names alike are all bringing forth really solid efforts. By now most know Jay-Z has released the Blueprint 3 to mixed, but mostly positive, reviews and Raekwon has released Only Built For Cuban Linx Part 2, an album some are already calling a classic. There's been some debate over which is better. Personally, and I know you care about my personal opinion, I love them both. There's something to be said about Raekwon making something that sounds like it's straight out of the 90's and there's something to be said about Jay growing to this point in his career. He really is hip-hop's first grown up star. 

Oh yeah, did I mention Kid Cudi released something too?

I'll post more from all this stuff later, but I figured I should start with something a little more under the radar. I've posted a few things from the young Brooklyn MC that goes by Skyzoo but with all the big releases lately I almost forgot about his upcoming debut album. But to Skyzoo's credit, he has knocked Jay, Rae, and Kid Cudi all out of my speakers (albeit for a short while). 

By unanimous decision 

All of them's telling me 

That it's me who can paint true Brooklyn like Shelton Lee

I ain't aim to make a classic

I aim to say what happens

And if the outcome gets praised then blame the havoc

If the outcome gets praised then blame the tragic

My Lord what a line. Combining 'blame hip-hop' viewpoints with the 'hip-hop needs to be hardcore' and shrugging both off. Skyzoo is lyrically on point throughout this album's entirety painting vivid pictures and reminding me why I first fell in love with hip-hop. 

And in case you were worried about production with the debut, have no fears. Just Blaze has a track, 9th Wonder has 5, go-go's greatest Best Kept Secret has one, and for my Detroit peoples Black Milk owns the track titled Penmanship with that haunting Detroit sound. 

Skyzoo- The Opener

Skyzoo The Salvation

Coastin'

Some West Coast stuff. My listening relationship with Zion I has been a strange one. Back when I was first getting into hip-hop at the start of high school I was heavy into their first release 'Mind Over Matter' and I really like their album 'Deep Water Slang'. Then for whatever reason they just sort of fell off the map for me and I got into some other areas of hip-hop. I kept tabs on them and checked in once and a while but I started to get away from strictly underground music. 

Don't get me wrong I love underground hip-hop as it often provides a vastly different voice from the often hyper-consumption driven mainstream counterpart. But at the same time those kind of 'conscious rap' themes of rebellion and down with the man can get tiresome listening to 24-7. Besides anybody not digging Jay-Z saying 'I'd rather live enormous than die dormant' and has to get their head checked. My point is you need a balance of these seemingly divergent sub-genres depending on mood, time and place. 

But this Zion I song is so good it fits into every mood, time and place. And the video is a beautiful thing as well with all it's sustainable technology and oh so smooth feel. Has to make my man Van Jones proud (middle finger up for Fox News; you're still going against those commies? Really?)

Zion I- Coastin'

Wale In Detroit

What a musically rich night for the D it was last Thursday! I already knew Wale was going to be in town at The Shelter and bought tickets pretty far in advance just to make sure I didn't make the drive to Detroit for nothing, but as I am driving in I catch wind of a Drake performance at the Majestic. Apparently the line for this show was huge and this surprised me a little.  Just goes to show how much Drake has been blowing up lately. The former Degrassi star is everywhere! Unfortunately I was unable to sneak my way into the Drake show after Wale got finished after midnight. Immediately after Wale ended, everyone made fled like shots had been fired to see if they could get into Drake. Almost no one did. 

But Wale did not disappoint. The D.C. ambassador brought a live band with him which makes hip-hop shows infinitely more interesting and the setting was cozy and full of some pretty devoted fans despite an official release from the rapper. This video should give you a better feel for the setting. The Shelter is pretty much the basement of St. Andrew's, a larger venue, and the entrance leads you down an alley and to the back of the building, a very hip-hop setting. (See 8 Mile) In fact, Wale rapped the opening verse of 'Lose Yourself'. A few tracks from Wale below. 

Wale ft. Lady GaGa- Chillin'

Wale ft. Black Thought, Peedi Crakk, Young Chris, Tuphace- Hot Shyt

Wale- Gotta Be Magic

Are You In?

De La Soul is one of hip-hop's most legendary groups not only because they have produced classics such as De La Soul Is Dead and 3 Feet High and Rising but they have also managed to stay together for two decades now. As a result, they are still putting out music and recently they teamed up with Nike for one of their workout releases. It's no secret that hip-hop makes for good workout/inspirational music. Just ask Michael Phelps what he listened to before he swam in the Olympics and he will tell you Weezy. Coincidentally, ask Phelps what he listens to when he lights up and he will probably have the same answer. 

But if you listen to Are You In? while on the Phelps offseason workout plan you may start to feel a little lazy. While not flush with workout references, there are a few instances that may leave fans of De La Soul wondering why they are talking about running so much. And with this being untracked, unless you feel like fast forwarding you will have to deal with it. 

De La Soul Are You In?

Crime Pays

Killa's Back! After a long hiatus during which he apparently thought about retiring from hip-hop all together, Cam'ron released his 6th album to date which qualifies (in my mind) as the first big official release of the year. While a good album, it is incredibly hit or miss. As usual, when Cam'ron connects on a track he hits it out of the ballpark and this is clear in a few songs on Crime Pays, most notably 'Never Ever', 'My Job', 'Silky', and 'Get It In Ohio'. While this amount of strong tracks would usually make for a pretty strong album, Cam'ron loads this single disc to the brim with a total of 23 tracks (18 songs). As a result, Cam'ron has his fair share of misses. But after such a long absence, I'm willing to overlook the missteps. 

Cam'ron- Silky

Cam'ron- Never Ever

Cam'ron Crime Pays

Mother's Day Hip-Hop

Believe it or not, hip-hop has provided the world with some of the greatest mothers day tracks known to human kind. Today I head home for Mother's Day and is my usual question before I set out on the 2.5 hour drive- what am I going to listen to? Well here is the answer, an assortment of my favorite mothers day tracks will start me off on the right foot. 

Nas- Dance

Ghostface Killah (ft. Mary J. Blige)- All That I Got Is You

Tupac- Dear Mama

Jay-Z- Blueprint (Mama Loves Me)

Talib Kweli- Momma Can You Hear Me

Kanye West- Hey Mama

This Ain't No Mixtape

One thing you have to respect about hip-hop is that it is filled with artists that have almost obsessive work ethics. Say what you want about people like Lil' Wayne as sometimes he leaves a lot to be desired but there is no denying two things. First, he is talented and secondly he's a worker. This is evident simply in the seemingly unstopping torrent of mixtapes from Weezy which have featured some of his best work such as in the unstoppable 'Da Drought 3' and 'Dedication 2'. When Wayne proclaimed in an interview with Fader that his daily routine consisted of waking up, lighting up, and heading to the studio until he went to sleep, he may not have been exaggerating. 

Now it seems some (not all) of Wayne's attributes have rubbed off on Young Money protoge Curren$y. Known as primarily a mixtape rapper, he recently delivered his official release appropriately titled This Ain't No Mixtape in case you mistook it for one of the many unofficial releases he rattles off on the introductory track. You have to respect that kind of work ethic and if you do purchase the album here. Lord knows the man has put out his fair share of free work. 

Curren$y- Blown Away

Curren$y- Scared of Monstas

Gone Fishing

The Cool Kids newest mixtape features more of the nostalgia rap that they have become well known for. As usual, the young Chi-town duo come with many 90's hoops and hip-hop references. It's strange how the new thing in hip-hop is getting back to the 'golden age' of the early 90's. Call it post-postmodern hip-hop. Don Cannon is the mixtape DJ on this one so get ready for that gruffy voice and 'THE CANNON-THE CANNON'. 

The Cool Kids-Champions

The Cool Kids- Broadcasting Live

The Cook Kids Gone Fishing

I'm Black In College

If you know me, you know I'm not really into this new guy named Asher Roth and despise his new single 'I Love College' which is so uncreative lyrically it hurts. By far my most hated lyric is:

I am champion at beer pong
Allen Iverson, Hakeem Olajuwon

First of all, I bet Hakeem The Dream would suck at beer pong. His numerous post moves would be pointless. And Iverson would find a way to bring down his team. He would just be playing by himself chucking like there is no tomorrow. What I'm saying is Asher Roth and his single 'I Love College' are just not for me and the concept of a subgenre titled 'frat rap' is just terrifying. 

Luckily, a young artist named Front Page has taken the hit single and put it to good use in his remix titled 'I'm Black In College'. He takes a pretty serious issue and makes it funny which isn't easy. What makes this track all the more enjoyable is it applies so well to my alma mater Kalamazoo College. 

Can I graduate?

Or do you just want to keep me here the rest of my life?

Front Page- I'm Black In College

Heathen

A little while back, I posted a few tracks from Nickelus F in which he rhymed over some Portishead songs. Those songs were what peaked my interest in him, but he has grabbed my attention with his most recent release titled Heathen. A big part of hip-hop is being authentic and despite the increasing commercialism of the genre, it is still almost always grounded in reality and stays away from abstract lyrics that speak of abstract topics. However, while every artist tries to seem authentic, shockingly few are. 

This became incredibly apparent when it was revealed that Rick 'Officer' Ross was a former correctional officer. While I don't think all hip-hop artists have to be held to the reality of their own lives, it seems that if you are going to make personal boasts (as Rick Ross did when he referred to his cocaine peddling days) they should be rooted in some form of reality. Mainly I just love the many awesome photoshop pictures that have come from the Rick Ross correctional officer fiasco. 

Despite many hip-hop fans coming to the shocking realization that many rappers most likely have not led the lives that directly correspond to their lyrics, Nickelus F is incredibly believable throughout Heathen. Albums that are honest are often albums that are very personal. Therefore, it comes of no surprise that the best albums are ones that convince the listener that they are listening to an accurate portrayal of the artists personal life. Maybe image matters after all.

Nickelus F- Be Good

Nickelus F- Prideful

Nickelus F Heathen

Amazing

Wait, is this a Planet Earth video? Apparently Kanye and Hype Williams teamed up to shoot the new video for his song 'Amazing' in Hawaii and what resulted is another great video from Kanye. When most artists release a video at this point in time I usually don't get too excited about it. The era in music in which a great video was essential to go along with a great song are over, but Kanye always seems to come out with something new and original that no one else is doing in hip-hop. Not only is the video something new, but apparently Kanye is also trying to keep his ego in check. Now that would be something really new. Frankly, if he keeps making songs like 'Amazing', he can do whatever he wants. 

Kinda Like A Big Deal

I've been waiting on this one for a long time. I can remember checking the internets almost obsessively for this track this past winter during it's rumored release date, which I think was sometime in November. After rumors that Kanye West had Debo'd this track (which were refuted by Clipse) it finally comes to the light of day with lofty expectations in tow. It won't blow you away on first listen, but it's a great song in every aspect.  Contrary to the Malice Brothers past two albums, this isn't a Pharrell beat, instead Khalil does the production but he keeps the empty drums that were so prevalent on some of the tracks off Hell Hath No Fury. Recession rap this is not.  

It's a blessin'

To blow a hundred thou in a recession 

With no second guessin'

Clipse ft. Kanye West- Kinda Like A Big Deal

Oh and this track is unrelated in almost every way except that Mic Luter is also from Chi-town just like Kanye, but this remix is crazy. I've been looking for an excuse to put this up for a while. Mic Luter murders Lupe's 'Dumb It Down' in almost ever way. 

Mic Luter- Dumb It Down (Remix)

Just A Friendly Game Of Baseball

I've been getting back into searching for some old hip-hop classics that have eluded me and one that I have recently been listening a lot to is Main Source Breaking Atoms. Released in 1991, it is a very politically conscious album before the term conscious rapper was invented and before hip-hop was the enormous cultural phenomenon it is today. Many talk of the golden age of hip-hop with incredibly lofty language, and rightfully so. It seems that almost any album released in the late 80's to mid 90's is a classic. But as a result many discount modern hip-hop as entirely commercial. Certainly the game has changed, but not all of it is bad. With it's broader spectrum, this unique musical genre that grew like wildfire out of the Bronx as recently as the 80's has such a large impact. I could go on for days on this topic, but back to this Main Source album. 

By far my favorite song is 'Just A Friendly Game Of Baseball' which places police brutality in terms of the great national past time. In the song they claim the mythical Babe Ruth is a bigot and that the government are the umpires. It's a great analogy when you think about how sports has infiltrated the justice system in the form of the 3 strikes your out policy. Thank God that Major League Baseball didn't go with 3-2 count that I played with in Catholic League High School Baseball or our justice system would be even more messed up. A 2 strikes your out policy would have been even more catastrophic. 

Main Source- Just A Friendly Game Of Baseball

Main Source Breaking Atoms

Playoff Time!

In Detroit, April is by far the greatest sports month. The Pistons and Red Wings start their playoff runs and the Tigers begin their 162 game season. Not being a big hockey fan, my attention is generally turned to Tigers baseball and the Pistons playoff run. While good old FSN Detroit always tries to capture the excitement of Detroit sports in the month of April with their yearly 'April In The D' song contest, these songs always come up extremely short, which isn't much of a surprise. Last year's song was a hard rock song that featured a lead singer that was far too similar to Mystery from the unstoppable reality show 'The Pick-Up Artist'.

While last years April in the D song was a pop-metal romp with brilliant lyrics describing Detroit as a place where 'the boys are hard and the girls are pretty' this years song is equally as disappointing as FSN Detroit went with a softer indie rock snoozer. If you can watch all 2:37 of this I commend you. If you stick around a little bit, you will see one of the brief moments in which Allen Iverson is actually playing in a Pistons uniform. What a surprise, he seems to be dribbling around with no intention of ever passing the ball

At this point I obviously need  somewhere else to turn to for my April themed sports excitement. Luckily, the NBA is great at marketing and usually comes up with something awesome for the playoff time. Usually, there is some disappointing playoff commercial that markets some Hollywood action movie, but this year Kanye West's 'Amazing' is played over various highlights from playoffs past. While my Pistons find themselves in uncharted territory coming in at the 8th seed, if they can beat the Cavs in the first round there season is a success. Either way, it looks like their streak of playoff runs to the Eastern Conference finals is over. Doesn't matter, Lakers win it all this year and Kobe gets his Shaq-less championship. 

The Funk Man

Del Tha Funky Homosapien is an often overlooked west coast rapper. He doesn't exactly fit with the gangsta rap scene that in many ways defines the west coast, but he has made a career out of being totally unique, which is not as easy as it sounds. However, for all of Del's success (see I Wish My Brother George Was Here) he hasn't exactly flooded the market with music. Therefore, the fact that Del is releasing this album, titled The Funk Man, for free on his website makes this Tuesday all the more joyous. He calls it a 'stimulus package' and I usually am wary of free albums thinking can they really be that good if even the artist doesn't deem it necessary to charge. But sure enough, this album is good and has some great tracks. 

By the way, if you happen to be in the Mitten, Del himself will be performing at the Blind Pig in Ann Arbor on May 5th.

Del Tha Funky Homosapien- Sometimes I Gotta Get Stupid

Del Tha Funky Homosapien- Simple Satisfaction 

Del Tha Funky Homosapien The Funk Man

Road Trip Hip-Hop

I recently drove out to New York City to enjoy my post-college life and a large part of making that 10 hour drive was deciding what to listen to along the way. I already had a playlist of my favorite New York City hip-hop tracks, but needed something a little different for driving through the rocky Appalachians of Pennsylvania. 

Hip-hop in general does not lend itself well to road trips. It's city music and therefore fits in well with city traveling, but I was able to unearth a few that fit well. What's essential is that the track be laid back but not to the point where it puts you to sleep. It's a challenge. 

A real nice song with a long and smooth introduction. This one has a very nice western vibe the could keep you driving through even the most barren of landscapes. 

She Came Along- Kid Cudi (prod. Sharam)

This one is pretty self explanatory. The beat is mesmerizing and keeps you in that driving trance that allows hours to seem like minutes. 

Rollin' (Remix)- Kid Cudi

This is similar to the Rollin' track in that it mesmerizes yet it also motivates. When you destination still seems distant and you think you will never get there, this track will do the trick. 

Ready or Not- The Fugees

Perfect for driving through the countryside. While Del Tha Funky Homosapien had to dream about Sunny Meadows while smoking a little herb, you will be happy to be experiencing the real thing. 

Sunny Meadowz- Del Tha Funky Homosapien

How could the hip-hop hippies of De La Soul not be on this list? The whistles that accompany this song make it unstoppable for joyous road trips. 

Eye Know- De La Soul

Not hip-hop, but one of the all-time great driving tracks. In any setting. Period. 

Pusherman- Curtis Mayfield 

A fine mix of a laid back beat with an uptempo rhyme. Sure to relax you yet keep you up. 

Fat Cats, Bigga Fish- The Coup

A classic track. It's easier to find yourself lost in this song with it's relaxing beat and Common's beautiful lyrics. In my opinion, one of the greatest hip-hop songs ever made. 

I Used To Love H.E.R.- Common

Smirnoff Loves Hip-Hop

Or at least they love the people that listen to it, and they want to get those fine people to buy their liquor. Smirnoff has recently released a few songs to go along with their 'signature series' vodkas. I don't quite understand the pairings, but the concept is to get young artists and pair them with older artists to get a new perspective on a classic track. Now for most musical genres such actions would be enough to label the participating artists sell outs. For whatever reason, this never has applied as much to hip-hop. If someone cries sell out the inevitable response is stop hating. As Kanye claimed in 'Good Life':

 50 told me go ahead and switch the style up

 And if they hate then let them hate and watch the money pile up

True but seeing Nas up there with a Smirnoff bottle still seems strange. Isn't this the guy that almost named his album after America's most controversial word? Chalk it up to versatility. 

This one is definitely my favorite and a remix of this track is nothing new to Nas. However, despite having already done this track on his album It Was Written, he delivers a new and updated version with a different vibe. In case you were wondering, this song goes well with the Raspberry flavored vodka. 

Nas ft. Marsha Ambrosius- If I Ruled The World '09

This next one has Pacific Division paired with Nice & Smooth. Smirnoff gets a few shout outs which I'm sure makes them happy. Reppin' that Strawberry Smirnoff. So Funky. 

Nice & Smooth & Pac Div- Funky For You '09

They Call This (Hip-Hop)

A few Detroit related tracks have popped up recently. This first one is Classified, along with Royce Da 5'9'' and B.oB. aka Bobby Ray. I've been listening to quite a bit of Royce lately, particularly his great album Death Is Certain, particularly the undeniably smooth 'What I Know' that is a perfect track to bump when driving around Detroit. 

But back to this track. I kind of knew what to expect from a Royce and Classified collaboration, as they have done it before on 'Unexplainable Hunger'. Royce's verse on that song was crazy and everyone fit well I thought. But I wasn't sure how the young B.o.B. would fare as his rap style is much more mellow and different in general. But he fares well and does something that is a little different. I love it when artists step out of their usual thing because if they are talented it generally ends up great. 

Classified ft. Royce Da 5'9'' & B.o.B. - They Call This (Hip-Hop)

Another Detroit heavy track. What always has confused me is the immense love Detroit rappers get overseas. Royce Da 5'9'' is way more respected over in Europe than in America. I've heard some Europeans say he's better than Jay-Z, which shows the love he gets over there. The same goes for Guilty Simpson. They can't get enough of it. When I attended Rock the Bells hip-hop festival in Detroit Guilty Simpson performed early in the day and chastised the crowd for not being 'live enough'. He claimed that people over Europe give him more love. Don't get me wrong I love Guilty Simpson, but Europeans are treating him like David Hasselhof. The man is just not primed for super stardom in my opinion. I don't even mean that to be negative as I think a lot of his skill comes from being a more underground artist. I honestly think Europeans just like the image of Detroit as that grimey and dangerous American city. Just a theory. After all, there are no Europeans visiting Detroit. 

Anyways, true to form this is a track from a German production duo called JR & PH7. I can hear some Detroit influence in the beat along with some DJ Shadow, which is a beautiful mixture. It also features Black Milk which creates a nice Detroit duo. 

JR & PH7 ft. Guilty Simpson & Black Milk- Top Rank

Morning Hip-Hop

Something I often thought about while I would make my early morning treks to campus was always: 'Man, I wish I had a playlist of morning specific hip-hop. I'm not trying to listen to this club banger or this heavy conscious thing, it's too damn early'. 

Generally when people think hip-hop, they don't think mornings, they think nights. However, I recently found a good compilation of morning hip-hop songs that have the bravado and motivation aspects that are essential to the jam that will get you going in the morning. Plus, it has a real nice mix of new and classic tracks. 

My favorite has to be Ice Cube's 'Today Was A Good Day'. It's for those relaxing mornings. If you're looking for more motivation try Outkast's 'Git Up, Git Out' or Jay-Z's 'Early This Morning'. 

Good Morning Mixtape

Cam'ron

Killa is back! Remember Killa Season? I don't want to either. But remember Purple Haze? It's albums like that which have built Cam'ron's cultish fan base. Cam'ron has been missing for a while and apparently he was attending to family matters, but he is back with a couple real strong tracks and his album Crime Pays is set to drop in May. 

Cam'ron - I Hate My Job

Cam'ron- Ohio

Mike Milan

Fresh, new and unsigned Mike Milan hails from Manhattan and you can add him to the cast of up and coming young guys that seem to be jumping out of the wood work lately. I downloaded a few songs by him today and I was feeling them all. Then I got to this song 'Watch Me Live' and found perhaps the first Rodney Stuckey reference in a song which addresses the young Pistons guard uncanny ability to get to the rim. Must have been made a couple months ago when Stuck was tearing the Bulls apart for 40, he's been slumping lately. 

I drive in do mine's the Stuckey way

Like the Pistons I gets 'em

Mike Milan- Watch Me Live

Mike Milan- Neon Lights

Word Play

A nice little track from Wale and Curren$y with 9th Wonder production. A real nice beat on this one as 9th wonder always delivers something nice. A perfect song for that 70 degree rolling that I would have done today if my garage door had not fallen off its hinges. 

I can make the clouds jealous I am that fly

Wale ft. Curren$y - Word Play (prod. by 9th Wonder)

Another little tid bit tonight. B.o.B., who recently changed his name to Bobby Ray apparently, released this little singing track recently. The beat is nice and he actually does well with it. I was surprised. 

Bobby Ray aka B.o.B.- Ghost in the Machine

Nickelus F x Portishead

I've had these songs for a quick second, but haven't been giving them that much play mainly because Portishead is really damn depressing and ominous. It's not that they aren't good songs, you just need to be in that mood to feel it. But, with finals looming here, I have had ample time to give these songs plenty of rotation. At least finals have given me a reason to bust these songs out in full force. 

Nickelus F ft. Portishead- Roads

Nickelus F ft. Portishead- Cowboys

The Sky Might Fall

A couple of weeks ago I posted a video that has Kid Cudi's unreleased track 'Sky May Fall' played over the Transformers 2 trailer. Turns out, it was guerilla marketing and the song is not officially the track for the trailer, however there is discussion that it may become official. 

Regardless, the song is dope. And here is the track in full. It sounds like it needs a little mastering and cleanup, but I was really feeling the clip of the song so I needed a little something to tide me over. 

Kid Cudi- Sky Might Fall

Way Cool

Hip-Hop beats can come from anywhere these days, just ask Charles Hamilton. With songs like 'Window Media Player' that rely only on sounds that your computer may make and a hand clap, he now goes over a beat from a show that many Nickelodeon devotees of the 1990's may remember called 'Clarissa Explains It All'. I don't know where the hell this idea came from, but it works. 

Charles Hamilton- Way Cool

Click Click

Despite E-40 almost having Biggie killed, I can't help but love him. Besides, he handled that business with Biggie properly in the end. Plus 'Tell Me When To Go' is still a beast and really was my introduction to hyphy music and Bay area hip-hop as I was too young for Too Short and his freaky tales when it was first released. 

Lately E-40 has been really branching out and seeming to go all over everything. Here he goes over a very fast and loud MSTRKRFT beat and does well with it, although the emphasis definitely lies with the electronic duo on this track. 

MSTRKRFT ft. E-40- Click Click

Sky Might Fall

Kid Cudi has been getting a lot of time on here lately, but don't blame me this man seems to be kicking it into high gear. He also seems to have a knack for creating anticipation for his releases. I can remember watching his trailer for the 'A Kid Named Cudi' Mixtape and endlessly waiting to here a full version of the track at the end.

Well this time he does the same thing but on a slightly bigger stage. His upcoming single 'Sky Might Fall' is in the trailer for the upcoming Transformers movie. Now if you know me, you know I love bad movies (case and point, Alien vs. Predator and ALL the Blade movies), so my excitement for this trailer knows no bounds. By the way, track by Mr. West.

Speaking of Cudi, Kanye and videos, check this crazy video for Welcome to Heartbreak. I don't care if you think 808's and Heartbreak is good or not, this song is an absolute beast and in all honesty one of Kanye's best.

KANYE WEST "Welcome To Heartbreak" Directed by Nabil from nabil elderkin on Vimeo.

Generation Lost

Further evidence of why I hate mixtape DJ's. When B.oB.'s last mixtape came out one of the standout tracks for me was 'Generation Lost' but with the DJ screaming all over it, the track became somewhat hard to listen to. But after hearing a no-DJ version of the track, plus a little crisper production, the track has received new life. Check the video too. He may not have the same budget that Cudi had on his 'Day 'n Nite' video, but it works. When you see a guy biking in the middle of nowhere, give him props. 

B.o.B.- Generation Lost

Day 'n Nite Video

Kid Cudi's first video for his hit song Day 'n Nite has just been released, and while it may be a little bit later than most debut videos, it is worth the wait. A lot of artists rush out their first video to capitalize on early success, but Cudi took his time with this one and got So Me to direct it, the same person who directed Kanye's awesome 'Good Life' video. 

I think this video will really help out Cudi as he gets set to have what is shaping up to be a big year. 

The Diesel

I admit, I used to be a Shaq hater. I thought his entire game was simply he was a physical monster that still couldn't make a free throw. But after seeing a video like this, how can you not love him. The big man has moves. 

Drake

With The Carter III all over the Grammy's and Wayne still dropping tracks like there is no tomorrow, I haven't given him much listen lately, although I did get back into The Carter III for a little while. But Drake, with his mixtape So Far Gone, has provided me reason to listen to Weezy once again as his fellow Cash Money partner joins him on more than a few tracks.

But on this mixtape Drake outshines Weezy. Now the verses that Wayne drops are far from his best work, but Drake doesn't slouch. The mixtape is a strange one, not something you'd typically expect from Cash Money. Drake follows the current trend of going over some recent indie tracks, such as Lykke Li and Stangold, which both are actually pretty decent. 

But the track that I enjoy the most is Drake and Weezy going over the crack beat from 'Ignorant Shit'. Drake adopts that stream of conscious flow that fits well on mixtapes. 

Drake ft. Lil' Wayne- Ignorant Shit

Drake- Unstoppable