DOWNLOAD MP3 JohnWest-LovelyftPushaT.mp3 Summary: Some easy listening R&B About Artist: I never head of John West but apparently he’s signed with Def Jam. His sound mirrors that of a Robin Thicke which might pan out well for him considering how Thicke has done. John West is set to release his still unamed debut LP this summer. Pusha T, from Clipse, is rapper with a really banger street sound so this song is clearly not his usual thing. Try clicking Push T on the black bar below to see other Pusha songs on gregshiphop. About Song: This song is a great spring song. It light and laid back, just some easy lovely listening. Favorite Part:
I love the piano and the guitar arpeggios with John West’s pleasent voice
DOWNLOAD MP3 RockyRivera-LaMadrinaBalladOfGriseldaBlanco.mp3 Summary: Power to Women. About Artist: I found a short bio of Rocky on facebook which I think lets you know what she’s about pretty well.
Rocky Rivera is a Hip-Hop journalist by day, MC by night, who found international acclaim by winning a Contributing Editor position on MTV’s docu-series “I’m From Rolling Stone” in 2007. After lacking inspiration in the literary world, she decided to finally pursue Hip-Hop as a participant, not only as an observer, and began to fill the void with thought-provoking music that you can dance to. (Think Lauryn Hill meets Public Enemy with West Coast beats) A dynamic perfomer who’s shared the stage with artists such as Zion-I, Blue Scholars, and Pacific Division, her all-lady crew consisting of DJ Roza and emcee Irie Eyez display a daringly different side of Hip Hop you have to experience to believe. Noted music critic Jeff Chang, author of Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop: A History of the Hip Hop Generation writes “My whole career has been about getting people to hear the stories that need to be heard, and I think her story really needs to be heard
I gotta say, I love what she’s about and can’t wait for her upcoming Pop Killer Mixtape! About Song: This song takes the beach side sound of steel drums and puts a dark twist on it to talk about the real life Miami drug lord Griselda Blanco. Favorite Part:
First, I love the steel drums, I love Rocky, I think is song is just a peak of more to come! Other: Rocky Rivera Facebook Rocky Rivera Official Site
DOWNLOAD MP3 PushaT-Raidft50CentPharrell.mp3 Summary: Pusha T + 50 Cent + Pharrell = Killer Trio About Artist: Pusha T is one half of the Clipse, who is just starting his solo career by recently signing with Kanye’s GOOD Music. I have always loved Clipse, they were one of the first hip-hop groups I ever heard and am really excited about Pusha T’s solo career potential. 50 Cent is… well 50 Cent. 50 isn’t what he once was as an artist like in 2003 when he lived on the radio but 50 still pulls in a ton of money from the industry through his various business ventures. Pharrell is one of my favorite artists. He is one half of the Neptunes which produced this track, and a third of N.E.R.D. Pharrell’s music isn’t limited to hip hop and his musical creativity is amazing. You can thank Pharrell’s for the awesome for the awesome mood that the beat sets for the song. About Song: This new hip hop song is off of Pusha T’s first solo mixtape which just now dropped called Fear of God. Fear of God has been greatly anticipated and while I haven’t listened to it yet because it just came out yesterday, I’m sure it’s awesome! Favorite Part:
I love the vibe of the song. Pharrell really sets the tone with the piano loop and the super cool hook. Nothing particular stands out in the rap verses but Pusha T does outshine 50 a little. I like the boat theme that Pusha plays with around 2:30 Other:
DOWNLOAD MP3 PacDiv-YourFuckingSong.mp3 Summary: Turn up your subwoofer and enjoy this classic Pac Div! About Artist: Pac Div (Pacific Division) is a Hip Hop trio from LA. I first heard of them back in 2009 when I saw them open for B.o.B and Kid Cudi and they were one of the best live performers I’ve ever seen. The three of them are very young and their kid like energy really comes through in their performance. At the time Pac Div was realeasing their second mixtape Church Legeaue Champs but now have gotten to their fourth mixtape Mania! which is a great mixtape for you speakers. About Song: This new hip hop song is from Pac Div’s mixtape Mania! I like this song because it has a great bass beat (like all Pac Div songs) matched with a fun and clever flow. I just love to turn the volume up on this one and let the song takeover. Favorite Part:
I love the bongo type drums (0:06) and the vocals/horns (0:53)
“You’ll be another statistic my nigga freakonomics” 0:27
“Ya this is her favorite song, just like its her favorite thong back thens he saiud no to drugs, now she say lets hit the bong I be like you smoke too much, she be like you joke to much Turn your ass around and get your fingers and your toes to touch” (1:11)
I really like the little bongo noise at 1:17 and 1:22
DOWNLOAD MP3 JohnsonJonson-ListenBaby.mp3 Summary: Just a quick and fun instrumental track About Artist: Johnson and Jonson is made up of Johnson Barnes (better known as Blu) and a DJ named Mainstream who’s last name i Jonson. Blu is famous for his breakout debut album Below the Heavens. This duo isn’t at all well known but the production quality from Mainstream is so good and Blu can rhyme as good as anyone. About Song: This song is off of this mixtape called “Powders and Oils” the tape is really laid back and is very musical (which of course I always like). This song is just one of a couple instrumentals that I really like. I’ve been stocking up some really good instrumentals, and while I don’t usually post them here, I thought I’d start putting a few up. Favorite Part:
This is just a quick instrumental that I like, not much to it.
DOWNLOAD MP3 SwizzBeatz-TopDownftNas.mp3 Summary: New York’s Finest (Nas) + Horns About Artist: Nas is one of the great NY rappers. He used to be in a contest with Jay-Z for best NY rapper but it’s hard to say that Nas didn’t lose that one. That being said Nas is still one of the most respected 2nd or 3rd generation rappers. Swizz Beatz came up with DMX and Cassidy but has managed out live the both of them as he is one of today’s premier producers producing dozens of hit singles. Swizz Beatz also has been in the public eye more lately as he recently married, and is having a child, with Alicia Keyes. About Song: This hip hop song is part of Swizz Beatz weekly release of songs called Monster Mondays (a ripoff of GOOD Fridays, me thinks so). This song originally didn’t have Nas and was featured in Grand Theft Auto, Nas really brings this well produced track to a song worth listening to. Favorite Part:
The Horns…of course.
And Nas brings that gritty New York feel to it. Other: Swizz Beatz Wikipedia Nas Wikipedia
DOWNLOAD MP3 SkiBeatz-SuperDuperBadftRugzD.mp3 Summary: Big Speakers Only! This beat bumps! About Artist:Ski Beatz is a producer who started out as a member of Original Flavor which was one of the first groups to feature a young Jay-Z. Ski Beatz then went on to work with the newly formed Roc-a-fella records to produce Reasonable Doubt, Jay-Z’s debut album. Ski faded for time after in the early ots but is back producing upcoming artists Joell Ortiz and Jean Grae as well as having produced all of Curren$y’s Pilot Talk. Check out other Ski Beatz songs on gregshiphop.com here About Song: This track is off of Ski Beatz’s debut solo album 24 Hour Karate School. It came out in September after being pushed back due to clearance issues. The album was also going to include more features from Jay Electronica, Wix Khalifa and Cam Lo (all of whom he’s done production work for) but had to remove some tracks again because of legal reasons from the label. Regardless the album is really really good. It kinda reminds me of BlakRoc the production is awesome and has a really simple but solid style. This song is just one of the many songs that I really like off of the album, which I frequently listen to all the way through. Favorite Part:
This song is all about the rockin bass. If you only have headphones don’t even bother listening. This site’s Hip Hop usually airs on the side of more lyrical songs (or songs with crazy instrumentations) but this is some a little different Other: Ski Beatz Wikipedia
DOWNLOAD MP3 Fashawn-MannyPacquiaoprodbyPhonix.mp3 Summary: Fashawn’s Higher learning his best mixtape. About Artist: Fashawn is an underground rapper from Fresno California. He is one of Hip Hop’s most underrated much like his collaborators Blu, Exile and others. His debut album Boy Meets World was a great album but this tape is even better. Fashawn definitely deserves more respect for the consistently high quality music he makes. About Song: This song is off of Higher Learning 2 which dropped yesterday and let me tell you THIS TAPE IS TIGHT. I highly recommend downloading it as it has another song that I posted on this site, Strange Fruit. This song clearly samples We Are the Champions by Queen but Phoenix did a great job on the production. Favorite Part:
I love the production. There are a lot of good lines but my favorite might be… “Never wanted to wear cleats,
just wanted to run the turf” (1:19) Other: Phoenix Producer Wikipedia Fashawn Wikipedia
