I'm about to be lowkey from the blog scene for the next couple of days, I'm going to be too busy getting my weight up. Before I go on a slight hiatus, here's latest joint from Weezy in the mixtape circuit. The Drought is Over 6 features "Red Magic" featuring The Game, and other tracks with Officer Ross, Lil Boosie, Swizzy, and his feature off 808's & Heartbreaks "See You In My Nightmares". Click the link below for the download link and full tracklisting. Happy Turkey Day!
1. The Reincarnation
2. I’m A Monster
3. Red Magic feat. The Game
4. Nina
5. Best Thing Yet
6. First Place Winner feat. Swizz Beatz
7. Gorilla
8. Louisianimal feat. Lil Boosie
9. Down Here feat. Rick Ross
10. My Office
11. I Feel Me (Produced By Mental Instruments)
12. Put Me In The Game
13. Different Girl feat. Nu Jerzey Devil
14. Blinded
15. Forever feat. Chris Brown
16. See It For Myself
17. Tell Everybody That You Know feat. Kanye West
18. Whatever You Like feat. Jae Millz & Young Gutta
19. Shootout
20. Dick Pleaser feat. Jae Millz
21. Street Life
22. Drought Is Never Over
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Mixtape Madness: Lil Wayne - The Drought is over 6: The Reincarnation
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Mixtape Madness: Charles Hamilton - Intervention
Charles Hamilton is back with his 7th offering in the Hamiltonization Process. He teams up with DJ Skee as usual, and Real Talk NY. Click the link below to download and see the back cover.
As Seen On: OnSmash
Dope or Nope 11/25: New Common & Kanye West
Common feat. Kanye West - Punch Drunk Love (produced by The Neptunes)
The dynamic duo behind Be and Finding Forever is back with the Neptunes produced "Punch Drunk Love" off of Common's upcoming Universal Mind Control LP. I haven't peeped this track yet, but Common + Ye is the formula to dope hip hop music. Click the full story to hear the track and continue reading.
This, and many other joints on the album are produced by The Neptunes. From what I heard at the concert back in September, it's a great album. Click here to read the Common concert rap up. Universal Mind Control will be in stores December 9th.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Seeing is Believing - 11/24: New Busta, Keri Hilson, Lil Wayne Vids and Kanye's Performance!
On today's edition of Seeing is Believing...
Busta's "got bass", Lil' Wayne "turns on" Keri Hilson, Slim & Fab talk "Good Lovin'", and Kanye's "Heartless" AMA Performance.
Click the full story below to peep the vids!
Busta Rhymes - I Got Bass
Busta gets back on his bullshit with his latest video "I Got Bass". He branded himself as a rap artist with the most unique and animated video's and he sticks to his reputation. Surprisingly, Bus-a-bus made a video for "I Got Bass" before "Arab Money". After several pushbacks, B.O.M.B. (Back on my Bullshit) will be out in March of 2009.
Kanye West - Heartless (AMA Performance)
Kanye and his tail peform "Heartless" at last night's American Music Awards. The creative 808's & Heartbreak is in stores today! Got 808's?
Keri Hilson feat. Lil' Wayne - Turnin Me On
The Lil Wayne assisted "Turnin Me On" is the third single off her upcoming album. Keri's debut album In a Perfect World will be in stores December 9th, and it features production by Polow Da Don (who produced this joint), Timbaland, Danja, and others.
Slim feat. Fabolous & Ryan Leslie - Good Lovin'
Slim's follow up single to his debut solo album Love's Crazy features production and an appearance from Ryan Leslie. Fabolous also drops by to deliver a verse on this joint.
Girls, Girls, Girls: Chick of the Week 11/24: Claudia Jordan
I came across a poll today for who's the hottest "gossip girl" meaning female blogger/radio personality. Some of the candidates were Miss Info, Jen the Pen, Luscious Liz, and Claudia Jordan. Apparently Claudia Jordan stood out the most to me, hence this weeks CotW entry belongs to her. Claudia Jordan co-hosts Foxxhole, Jamie Foxx's Sirius talk radio show with none other than Jamie Foxx. Peep the full story below for more pics and info on my chick of the week.
Aside from co-hosting Foxxhole radio, Claudia Jordan has appeared in ads from Coors Light, Visa, and Pepsi. She's made numerous TV appearances and she's one of the many lovely "Deal or No Deal" ladies.
Dope or Nope 11/24: ...Featuring The Game
Two new joints with guest spots from The Game. First, is the long awaited collabo with Lil' Wayne titled "Red Magic", and next is Joe Buddens first singe "The Future" featuring The Game. Click the full story below to get these joints!
Lil Wayne & The Game - Red Magic
The ones who brought you "My Life" off of L.A.X. are back with "Red Magic". Dope track off of Weezy's millionth mixtape Da Drought is Over Pt. 6.
Joe Budden feat. The Game - The Future
My boy Matt sent me this joint today. Seems like the latest trend in hip hop is for rivals to reconcile their differences and unite over wax. That's definitely a good look since the hip hop community is lacking unity and beef is a marketing scheme. This is the first single off of Buddens upcoming album Padded Room in stores February 24th.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Album Review: Ludacris - Theater of the Mind
Ludacris gets cinematic with his latest release Theater of the Mind. Some of the biggest names co-star on this project, and features a variety of A-List producers. After months of hype, is Theater of the Mind worth the money or are you better off getting it on bootleg?
4/5
Over the past eight years, Ludacris has had a progressive career. From his debut LP Back for the First Time, Ludacris branded himself as a lyrical, humorous, fun loving emcee (hence the name Ludacris). Luda’s personality and charismatic delivery granted him instant acceptance in the rap game. Five albums later, Ludacris is still relevant and has not showed one sign of struggle in his career.
Ludacris gets thematic on his latest effort Theater of the Mind. For the movie themed album, Luda labels guest appearances as “co-stars” and productions as “directed by”. The album opens up in traditional Ludacris fashion with someone talking over an instrumental and Ludacris spontaneously starts to spit with no hook. He welcomes his audience to the album starting his verse with “Lights, Camera, Action…” over a rapid-drum beat directed by The Runners. The following track “Undisputed” would’ve been suitable for an intro as well. The track features Floyd Mayweather as he plays Luda’s trainer motivating Ludacris to deliver hard hitting punch lines. Luda goes in with lines like “Makin my fans catch the holy ghost at my shows like ya grandma at church/and the fat lady's singin - it's over for you rappers/can't none of y'all bust, you're just sacs full of semen”. 
Ludacris links up with former rival T.I. for another unlikely appearance on “Wish You Would”, a follow up to “On Top of the World” off of T.I.’s Paper Trail. The two collaborations prove that when beef is reconciled, it can result in good music.
Theater of the Mind is one of Ludacris’ most well balanced albums. For the ladies, Ludacris dropped his lead single “What Them Girls Like” featuring Chris Brown and Sean Garrett. The intention of the track was to get the ladies attention and appeal to the clubs, but it is one of weaker tracks on the album. The second single “One More Drink” is the albums mandatory T-Pain feature. The club friendly track talks about the effects of too much alcohol and how you perceive women. Unlike “What Them Girls Like”, “One More Drink” is commercial, but still a cold track. Swizz Beatz delivers “Nasty Girl”, with an unimpressive appearance from Plies. On Usher’s “Yeah”, Ludacris rapped “I like a lady in the streets, but a freak in the bed”, which Ludacris sticks to on “Nasty Girl”. Another track for the ladies “Contagious” features Jamie Foxx and a smooth neo-soul styled instrumental surprisingly produced by Scott Storch.
For the streets, Ludacris teams up with Rick Ross and Playaz Circle on “Southern Gangster”. Ving Rhames narrarates the track similar to BET’s “American Gangster”. The track is more suitable for Rick Ross since Luda’s attempt to get “gangsta” seems unnatural.
The album comes to a close with pure hip hop tracks. Ludacris and Lil Wayne address the issue of hip hop dying on “Last of a Dying Breed”. Lil Wayne drops a favorable verse with a frantic delivery as he spits lines like “Hip hop ain’t dead, it just had a heart attack/but you see I keep it pumpin’, and I got that heart back”. DJ Premier makes a production appearance on “MVP” with his signature production style. Ludacris makes the mistake of saying “He’s the first southern rapper on a Premo beat”, when artists like Cee-Lo and Scarface have worked with DJ Premier in the past. The most hyped appearance on this album was the Nas and Jay-z featured “I Do It for Hip Hop”. Nas and Jay-z together have made “Black Presidents” and “Success” which leads to higher expectations for this track. Instead, it features a bland instrumental but it’s redeemed by solid verses from Jay and Nas. The album ends on a conscious note with Ludacris’ collaboration with Common and Spike Lee coincidentally titled “Do the Right Thing”. Ludacris drops his positive wake up call to the people.
In conclusion, Theater of the Mind is a versatile LP. Whether Ludacris is rapping about drinks, envy, or his love for hip hop, he manages to make above average music. Theater of the Mind is Luda’s most substantial effort, and a little more fun than Release Therapy.
To Sum It Up In One Word: Theatrical
R.I.P. MC Breed
Michigan rap artist MC Breed passed away this morning. Details are still developing, but his death has been confirmed. In September, he experienced Kidney failure, and was placed on life support. He was later released due to improvement. He mostly known for the 90's hit "Ain't No Future In Yo Frontin'" and his guest appearance on 2pac's "Gotta Get Mine"
Source: AllHipHop
Album Review: Kanye West - 808's & Heartbreak
Kanye drops his breakthrough album 808's & Heartbreak just in time for the holiday season. While the release of this album was rather unexpected, the question is will fans find 808's & Heartbreak boomin' or heartbreakin'?
4/5
In early 2004, a producer-rapper emerged from the Chi with distinctive, soul sample production and realistic song content. College Dropout discussed everything from religion, to college, to slow jams. The album's successor, Late Registration followed the school theme, but also showed Kanye’s progress as a producer. Instead of sticking with the soul-sample sound, Kanye went for more of an orchestral vibe with the album. After years of controversies and outspoken moments, Kanye dropped Graduation which outsold competitor 50 Cent, and showed consistency in his career.
Early in Mr. West’s career, he laid out the blueprint of his album titles; College Dropout, Late Registration, Graduation, and Good Ass Job. About a year after Graduation, Kanye announced he will be dropping an album this year, and decided not to go with the Good Ass Job title. Kanye named the album 808’s & Heartbreak to represent the drum sound on his latest project, the unfortunate loss of his Mother, and the disengagement of his fiancé Alexis Phiffer.
Ye took a different approach with this album. It is full auto-tune, and very limited rapping. The album begins with “Say You Will”, which sets the tone for 808’s & Heartbreak. The booming 808 and the piano laced production shows an emotional sound to Kanye as he expresses his dislike for dishonest women. The follow up track “Welcome to Heartbreak” would’ve been the perfect intro for the album. On the Kid Cudi assisted track Kanye compares material accomplishments to priceless life experiences which equates to heartbreak.
The albums second single “Heartless” is one of the rare tracks that feature rap vocals. The flute driven instrumental features Ye confronting a cold hearted woman saying “How could you be so, Dr. Evil/You bringin’ out a part of me that I don’t know”. The next track “Amazing” has a guest spot from Young Jeezy and features a tribal type of sound similar to the lead single “Love Lockdown”. One of the standout tracks, the synthesized “Paranoid” has an eighties vibe to it, and is followed up with the mediocre “RoboCop”. While the album version of “RoboCop” features additional strings and other efforts, the combination of auto-tune, sirens, and strings is a bit disastrous.
Another sub par track on the album is “Bad News”. The dark sounding track is one of the moments on the album where the auto-tune begins to sound abused. The excessive use of the auto-tune continues on the Lil Wayne collab “See You in my Nightmares”. Overall it’s a favorable song, but after 9 straight songs of auto-tune, it starts to become an annoyance. The album comes to a closing with the mandatory dedication to his late Mother Donda West. “Coldest Winter” is a farewell to his beloved Mother where Kanye does a remake of Tears for Fears “Memories Fade”.
Overall, 808’s & Heartbreak is a great album. The production is genius and shows Kanye’s versatility and progression as a producer and artist. Though “RoboCop” and “Bad News” are my least favorite on the album, Kanye makes up for them with musical tracks like “Paranoid” and “Welcome to Heartbreak”. Also, the use of the auto-tune becomes a problem towards the albums closing. A couple of auto tune-less tracks would’ve been ideal but it could’ve resulted in an inconsistent sound. I can see 808’s… not being accepted by everyone, but a real musician takes risks. Common did it with Electric Circus, Andre did it with The Love Below, and Cee-Lo did it with St. Elsewhere. Since Kanye is at his peak in his career, this would be a good time to drop an experimental album. Upon the first listen on the album, you find yourself thinking “what am I listening to?”, but after two to three more listens, it becomes infectious.
To Sum It Up In One Word: Heartful
Friday, November 21, 2008
Dope or Nope 11/21 - New Young Buck
Young Buck feat. Young Jeezy - I Got It
Some new shit from Buck since his departure from the Unit. His new album Rehab is due out this January. If his post G-unit career is anything like The Game's, then this will prove that life after the Unit doesn't equal irrelevance.
Takin' Em Back - 11/21
Notorious BIG feat. Puffy & Ma$e - Mo Money, Mo Problems
I swear this joint brings back memories. This was when Bad Boy reached it's zenith. It even gave Puff the alias as the "Shiny Suit Man". Watching the video today it is a little cheesy, but it's one of the most memorable hip hop videos from the 90's. Speaking of Puff, he recently gave T-Pain his royalties for the auto-tune, which will be thoroughly used on his next album (sigh). Also, Bad Boy will be dropping the Notorious Soundtrack and movie in January.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Dope or Nope 11/20: S.L.U. vs. S.F.U.
Jim Jones feat. Lil Wayne, Twista, & Jay-z NOE
The long awaited response to "Swagger Like Us" is finally here. S.L.U. featured heavyweights T.I., Jay-z, Kanye West, & Lil' Wayne; "Swagger From Us" fails to live up to the lineup. "Swagger From Us" features Jimmy, his protege' Jay-z sound-a-like NOE, Twista, and ironically Lil' Wayne.
Another miss on this track is the mediocre production on the track, handled by Chink Santana. By unanimous decision, Swagger Like Us takes the cake for being the better "swagger" track, but am I the only one who's tired of this "swagger" epidemic?
NearClassics: Talib Kweli & Hi-Tek (Reflection Eternal) - Train of Thought
One of the most underrated emcee's dropped a near classic LP with Dj Hi-Tek. Eventhough it was released 8 years ago, the album still sounds on point til this day.
From the early stage of hip hop Rapper and producer duos have been responsible for putting out some of the best music. From Eric B. & Rakim, to Gangstarr, these duo’s showed consistency in production, content, and chemistry. To add to that list is Reflection Eternal, better known as Talib Kweli & Hi-Tek. Kweli, an outstanding, underground lyricist from Brooklyn links up with Hi-Tek, a soulful producer from Cincinnati; and the rest is history.
Train of Thought was the group’s debut album, prior to that Kweli and Mos Def formed Black Star (whom Hi-Tek frequently made beats for). The album opens up with a comical impression of Nelson Mandela done by none other than Dave Chappelle. Next is the lead single on the album “Move Somethin’”, while “Move Somethin’” didn’t move much, the album’s second single “The Blast” really kicked things off for Reflection Eternal. The smooth and jazzy instrumental, along with the background vocals chanting “Kweli” resulted in a flawless track.
Hi-Tek continues to deliver soulful production on tracks like “Love Language”, “Good Mourning”, and the nostalgic “Memories Live”. Coincidentally, Kweli raps about the state of hip hop on “Too Late”, which grew to be one of the most popular topics in hip hop over the years. Another amazing track is the bonus cut “For Women”. Kweli shows his storytelling excellence on a track that features four stories about the struggles of women from different generations.
In conclusion, Train of Thought is one of the most slept on albums of the new millennium. The album is a product of the Rawkus records era in hip hop that lasted a little over half a decade. Rawkus records are still active now, but this is one of their best albums when Rawkus records were in its peak.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Dope or Nope 11/18: New Dj Drama & Nas!
Dj Drama feat. Nas, June Summers & Smoke DZA - Yacht Music
A smooth, lyrical track by Nas brought to you by DJ Drama. I'm not sure what this will appear on, maybe a Gangsta Grillz album Pt. 2 (shrugs). I like this though.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Seeing is Believing 11/17: New Jeezy, Snoop, Jadakiss, & Rihanna Vids!
On today's edition of SiB:
Jeezy shows his idea of a "Crazy World", Alchemist mixes Snoop, 1/3 of the Lox, and 1/2 of Clipse for his latest experiment, Justin Timberlake joins Rihanna in Rehab, Jay-z & Coldplay get "Lost", and Gym Class Heroes are "Guilty as Charged".
Young Jeezy - Crazy World
One of my favorite joints off The Recession. The video lives up to the track title, giving it an Armageddon vibe.
Alchemist feat. Snoop, Jadakiss, & Pusha T - Lose Your Life
"Lose Your Life" is featured on Alchemists' digital EP The Alchemist's Cookbook which drops tomorrow. One of Hip Hop's most underrated producers hooks up with Snoop, Jada & Pusha T for this banger. Animated vids are dope by default.
Gym Class Heroes feat. Estelle - Guilty As Charged
Gym Class Heroes collab with Estelle for this blaxploitation inspired video off The Quilt. The Quilt is in stores now!
Rihanna feat. Justin Timberlake - Rehab
Another hit off Rihanna's double platinum Good Girl Gone Bad. This joint features Justin Timberlake and production by Timbaland. I swear Rihanna gets better with time.
Coldplay - Lost+ feat. Jay-z
Believe it or not, I fucks with Coldplay. If you haven't heard the Jay/Coldplay Mashup Viva La Hova, click here to get it.
Girls, Girls, Girls: Chick of the Week 11/17 - '96 Lil' Kim
Before the infamous VMA titty jiggle, Lil' Kim had another highly provocative image that will always be embedded into our minds. Aside from this unforgettable poster/album cover, Kim's vicious, sexual style of rhyming made her irresistible.
Today I got my copy of the latest KING Magazine which features Naturi of 3LW paying homage to Lil’ Kim, whom she plays in the upcoming Biggie bio flick “Notorious”. Back in the 90’s Lil’ Kim was one of the top female rap artist, who was known not only for being BIG’s protégé, but her outstanding sex appeal. One of the most unforgettable promo pics in rap is the poster for her debut LP HardCore which features a provocative shot of Lil’ Kim with her legs open. In the colorful “Crush on You” Kim still looked good with various different styles showing various levels of sexiness.
The new Lil’ Kim can still get it, but the pre-plastic surgery Lil’ Kim was much better. 50 said it best when he said "I thought Lil' Kim was hot, 'til she start fucking with her nose".
Friday, November 14, 2008
Takin' Em Back - 11/14
Jay-z - Dead Presidents
One of my favorite Jay tracks ever! The rhymes, the beat, and the Nas sampled hook is all classic. I don't agree with the Jiggaman saying Nas was using his voice wrong cause "The World is Yours" (where Jay got the sample from) is one of the illest hip hop joints.
Mixtape Madness: Lil Wayne - Dedication 3!
It's finally here!
It's been a while since we heard an official mixtape by Weezy. Since the release of Tha Carter III, Wayne was lowkey on the mixtape scene, but holding it down with the guest appearances.
Lil Wayne teams up with DJ Drama for the third installment of the Dedication series. Dedication 2 is some of Wayne's best material, and if Dedication 3 is anything like it it'll be another contribution to Wayne's reign.
Lil Wayne also plans re-released Tha Carter III, but not like a typical re-release. Instead of featuring a couple of new tracks and modifications, Wayne is going to do completely new material, and it will be titled Tha Carter III: Tha Rebirth. Tha Rebirth is expected to drop later this year.
News: Kanye Strikes Again, 50 Cent Not Ready To Self Destruct
Kanye West Arrested in England
Kanye West is currently in England doing the international Glow in the Dark Tour, and was arrested after an incident involving a photographer outside of a British nightclub. Though Kanye was arrested and detained, he was later released without any charges.
In other Kanye news, it appears that 808's & Heartbreak has leaked. Since Ye was salty about "RoboCop" leaking, hopefully he decides to move the album up a week since it leaked a almost two weeks prior to the release date. 808's & Heartbreak will be in stores November 24th!
50 Cent's Before I Self Destruct Gets Pushed Back
Fifty's fourth album Before I Self Destruct was scheduled to be released December 9th. However, it will now be released in early 2009. 50 had this to say about the album's delay "Times are hard. Everyone is trying to make the most of what they have. I want to give my fans something extra for their hard earned dollars. They'll get a free bonus when they pick up the album." A film sharing the same title of the album will be included in the deluxe version of Before I Self Destruct, and recently added was another DVD titled "Two Turntables and a Microphone: The Life and Death of Jam Master Jay"; a documentary about Jam Master Jay, who helped start Fif's career.
The album delay is questionable since Before I Self Destruct was said to have been completed already. We may have another Curtis on our hands.
Click Here to Peep the Full Story!
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Dope or Nope 11/13: New Chamillionaire!
Chamillionaire feat. Ludacris - Creepin'
Peep Chamillionaire's first single off his upcoming album titled Venom. This joint features an impressive appearance by Ludacris. I've never been a fan of Cham's but I'll up those for my viewers who are.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Mixtape Madness: Charles Hamilton - Sonic the Hamilton Mixtape
Monday, November 10, 2008
Girls, Girls, Girls: Chick of the Week 11/10 - 2 For 1...
Cassie & Lauren London
This is probably my favorite CotW entry thus far. My old schoolmate and my future wifey collab for this sexy spread for Sean John Ladies. Diddy did good pickin these two for the face of the ladies line of Sean John. My question is, who would you pick first? It's a true win/win! Click the link below to view more pics.
Friday, November 7, 2008
Kanye Friday: Old, New, Interviews, and More!
In honor of the upcoming release of 808's & Heartbreak, I'm bringin' you a segment called Kanye Friday. There's been a slew of Ye material that hit the net today, and it's all here. From the video of "Heartless", to his "Love Lockdown" performance at the Europe VMA's, to the weekly throwback joint of the day. Click the link below to check out the latest and the greatest with Kanye to the...
Kanye West - Heartless
This video randomly hit the net today for Ye's second single. I'm feeling the art direction Kanye & Hype took with this video, contributing to Kanye's artistic videography. It reminds me alot of Pac's "Do For Love" video.
DJ Khaled feat. Kanye West & T-Pain
It's no "Good Life", but it'll do. It just shows what happens when you put Kanye with a bunch of Florida niggaz.
Love Lockdown Performance at the MTV Europe Music Awards
Peep Kanye's performance from last night's MTV's Eurpore music awards.
Kanye Video Interview in Singapore
Kanye sits down in Singapore to discuss classic music, artist development and of course 808's & Heartbreak. Very interesting interview, peep the vid below:
Takin' Em Back 11/7: Kanye West - Thru the Wire
Since this is Ye Friday, I'mma take you back with one of my favorite Kanye joints off of the classic College Dropout. Compared to his current music, it's a huge difference but a true artist switches it up, but keeps the quality of the music up to par. I'm not going to front, I miss the "soulful" Kanye days, but we'll see what all 808's & Heartbreak has to offer.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
NextUp: KiD CuDi
Meet KiD CuDi, a fresh, innovative artist who hails from Cleveland. His undergound track "Day N Nite" has created buzz for him over the past couple of months, and his mixtape A Kid Named Cudi (download link inside) landed him a deal with Good Music and two a features on Kanye West's 808's & Heartbreak LP.
Since '07 there has been a wave of fresh new emcee's emerging onto the hip hop scene. Some of those names include, The Cool Kids, U-N-I, Charles Hamilton, and more. The emergence of these new artists even received recognition from XXL Magazine in this month's issue. Newcomers Wale, Asher Roth, and Ace Hood graced the cover, but one artist who stands out is Cleveland rapper KiD CuDi.
Two months ago, I attended the MTV VMA's. During the show, there were short segments with artists performing with Travis Barker on the drums and DJ AM on the 1's and 2's. I heard this unknown artist performing and me being ignorant I only half listened but later found out it was a new dude named KiD CuDi. Shortly after, I hear this track that sounds fresh and new. I had to use my app from my iPhone to let me know what song it was. The result was KiD CuDi's "Day N Night", therefore I had to see if he had any other material as dope as that single.
It turns out I'm not the only person feeling "Day N Night". Jim Jones made his own version of "Day N Night" emulating the rap/sung flow that Cudi delivers on the track.
Kid Cudi - Day N Night
Kid Cudi's mixtape presented by 10Deep, A Kid Named Cudi caught the attention of Kanye West which resulted in his signing to GOOD Music. Listening to Cudi's mixtape it's easy to see that he will be a perfect fit for the label. While some newcomers spend years trying to find themselves musically, Cudi seems to be comfortable with who he is as an artist. On "Embrace the Martian", he request the respect and acceptance from listeners but uses an extraterrestrial reference. Cudi expresses his confidence in being unique on "Save my Soul" where he raps over Gnarls Barkley's "Who's Gonna Save My Soul". The young mc spits "I don't even hear what other niggaz talkin' bout, call me a hipster/as long as you're a listener"
Listening to A Kid Named Cudi, you can grasp what his musical influences are. The Outkast influence is obvious on "Down & Out" and "Whenever" where he flows nicely over two Kast instrumentals. Kid Cudi also puts his own twist to Neptunes "Spaz" on "Cudi Spazzin'" and can even be heard spitting over a Dilla beat on "Cudi Put".
Not only does he spit, he also sings on tracks like "50 Ways to Make a Record", "Heaven at Nite" and "Man on the Moon". With a wide range of sounds on his mixtape, Kid Cudi manages to stay distinctive and balanced with the overall music vibe. Check out his mixtape below and post a line or two on your thoughts.
Seeing is Believing 11/6 - New 50, Jim Jones & Gnarls Barkley Vids!
In today's edition of Seeing is Believing...
50 Cent wants everybody to "Get Up", Jim Jones & Friends "Pop Champange", and Gnarls Barkley is the "Mystery Man"
Click the link below to peep the vids!
50 Cent - Get Up
The official first single for 50's Before I Self Destruct album dropping December 16th. The first 15 seconds of this video remind me alot of "In Da Club" but eventually you see hip hop's biggest villian playing the role of a hero in this "I Am Legend-like" video.
Jim Jones feat. Ron Browz & Juelz Santana
Ron Browz's "Pop Champagne" single now belongs to Jimmy for his new Pray IV Reign album due out December 9th. I can see this joint takin off (to my knowledge it's huge on the East already) and being a club banger. Be careful though, too much champagne popping might lead to a nigga moment.
UPDATE: Gnarls Barkley - Mystery Man
I'm huge fan of Gnarls Barkley! I bumped into Cee-Lo twice and I have yet to tell him how sick the music is. The first time you will find them eccentric, but after a couple of spins you can't help but love it. "Mystery Man" does not appear on The Odd Couple, but it will appear on the Who's Gonna Save My Soul EP, which features this new track, live performances, and remixes of "Who's Gonna Save My Soul". The EP will be out next Tuesday, the 11th.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Album Review: Q-Tip - The Renaissance
A Tribe Called Quest front man Q-Tip, is back with his second solo LP The Renaissance. In the 90's, the hip hop audience loved Tribe's jazzy style of rap music. While hip hop continues to change musically, will Q-Tip be able to revive the art with The Renaissance?
4/5
It's been almost 20 years since Q-Tip has been an active MC starting out with the legendary A Tribe Called Quest. After five albums over the course of eight years, Tip leftPhife and Ali Shaheed Muhammad to drop his debut album Amplified. With "Vivrant Thing" and "Breathe and Stop" serving as lead singles for the album, it made Q-tip the most successful solo artist of A Tribe Called Quest. After the release of Amplified, Q-Tip stayed out the limelight appearing on various underground projects.
Q-Tip returns with his breakthrough LP The Renaissance. While Tip's first solo album had a huge commercial single, The Renaissance took a different approach. The albums lead single "Gettin' Up" is a smooth, piano sampled track sounding opposite of Q-Tip's older singles.
Another difference from Q-Tip's previous album is that it features only one J Dilla track while the last was produced almost thoroughly by the late great producer. The Renaissance's soulful funky production was handled by Q-Tip himself. The one Dilla contribution "Move", is the albums most commerical track. Tip kicks off his verse with "I'm just a brother man, descendant of the motherland; I fuck with blackberries, dymes and butter tans" as he raps over a funky Dilla instrumental, which samples "Dancing Machine" by the Jackson 5.
During the middle of the album Q-Tip addresses troubled relationships. On "You" rhymes about confrontational women and how the end result is typically their fault. Similar to "You", "Fight/Love" discusses conflict in relationships, and features a hook by the soulful RaphaelSaadiq. The mellow beat, Q-tip's relaxed flow, and Saadiq singing on the hook compliment the track extremely well, making "Fight/Love" one of the best tracks off the album. As most rap veterans do, Q-Tip has track addressing the current state of hip hop. "Dance on Glass" starts off as anacapella track, but the beat comes in with a DJ Premier-esque type sound.
Overall The Renaissance has a soulful vibe. Based off the features alone you can perceive the type of feel the album will have. The album features no rap appearances, but features RaphaelSaadiq, Norah Jones, Amanda Diva, and D'Angelo who appears on the motivational "Believe". "Believe" contributes to the albums great closure, but the final track "Shaka" tops it off. "Shaka" is an ode to Q-Tip's younger bro, where Tip spits "My brother Shaka would've wanted me to do it like this...so raise your glasses for the loved ones in your life"; over a beat with production style similar to A Tribe Called Quest's "God Lives Through".
My closing statement is that Q-Tip proves his relevance thus having almost 20 years in the game. While some artists fail to stay relevant after longevity, Q-Tip delivers with an outstanding album. Aside from the lyricism and flow, the production off The Renaissance is reminiscent to the signature A Tribe Called Quest sound, and at some points you find yourself anticipating a verse from Phife. This album will definitely be enjoyed by ATCQ fans like myself, and will also appeal to new listeners.
To Sum It Up In One Word: Funkdafied
Seeing is Believing 11/05: New Luda & Jadakiss R&B Collabo's
On today's edition of Seeing is Believing...
Ludacris & T-Pain need "One More Drink", Jadakiss & Ne-Yo like ladies "By Their Sides"
Click the full story to peep these vids!
Ludacris feat. T-Pain - One More Drink
Luda's second single off the upcoming Theater of the Mind album dropping November 25th. On this T-Pain featured single, Ludacris raps about how alcohol can effect your judgement with the ladies. I can drink to that!
Jadakiss feat. Ne-yo - By My Side
Not to be confused with "By Your Side" off Kiss of Death (what a sick track). Kiss links up with Ne-Yo for his first single off of the now titled The Last Kiss album (formally known as Kiss My Ass).The Last Kiss will be out December 9th.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
History Has Been Made!
Barack slains McCain 338 to 159 electoral votes making Barack Obama the not only the 44th, but the first black president of the United States! This event makes history and also paves the way for all African Americans and minorities. No one thought they would see this happen, but it did and it's now Obama's turn to reign supreme.
Dope or Nope 11/4 - New Jay Elect
A fresh, new track from Jay Electronica produced by Just Blaze. Weeks ago there was streaming footage online of Jay & Just Blaze working in the studio and it resulted in dope music. Still no word on when Jay Elect will drop his debut album, but it should be nice.
If you missed my NextUp blog on Jay Electronica, click here to peep it.
The Big Day is Here - Election Day '08!
After months of hype, propaganda, and debates, election day is finally here. I strongly encourage all registered voters to go out and vote today. This is a historical election with potentially the first black president. Let your opinion be heard and remember every vote counts.
"America surprise us, and let a black man guide us" - Nas
UPDATE: Speaking of Nas, 2dopeboyz up'ed this joint "Election Night" which is another dedication to Barack Obama and this exciting day.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Dope or Nope 11/03- Another 808 Track
Kanye West feat. KiD CuDi - Anyway
This is the fifth joint to leak off the 808's & Heartbreak album by Mr. West. I heard that he was salty about the leak of Robocop which was unfinished. I say he push the album up to stop tracks from leaking on a weekly basis. I'm not listening to this joint because I don't want to spoil the album (gotta keep it exclusive). With tracks leaking off the album, or you more hyped or less?
Girls, Girls, Girls: Chick of the Week 11/03 - Rihanna
This weeks chick of the week is Rihanna. I can't even front, this chicks came a long way from when she first started off. No matter what style she has she still look sexy as hell and can definitely get it! 
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Lupe's Special Announcement...
For over a week there's been a rumor that Lupe Fiasco will have an announcement on Halloween. Right when Halloween hit, many people (including myself) waited patiently for the big announcement, and the news is...
LupEND will be a 3-disk album! It's 3 albums in one and the END in LupEND is an acronym for the disk titles Everywhere, Nowhere, Down Here. I guess that's what Lu meant when I asked him if it's his final album and he said "we'll see" since its a 3 for 1. Peep the video below of his announcement of LupE.N.D.:
I must admit this is risky seeing that some of the greatest hip hop artist (Nas and Jay-z) created double albums and it turned out to be one of their least favorable albums. On the other hand, a real artist takes risks and tries new things. If this is Lupe's final album I'm sure he will make a dope lasting impression.
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