About Artist: DJ Green Lantern has been doin mixtapes for years. Dead Prez is a socially conscious duo who’s been doin their thing since the mid 90s. Immortal Technique is a rapper known for his revolutionary lyrics, who’s been holding down his corner of the hip hop world since the late 90s. Saigon is a rapper signed with producer Just Blaze. I know Saigon raps about his time in prison but I don’t think he’s into social justice rap as much as Dead Prez and Immortal Technique
About Song: This song is something I used to bump back in 2007 about George Bush. Even in the era of Obama this song still seems relevant. The USA is still the USA. This song samples DJ Jazzy Jeff’s He’s the DJ I’m the Rapper.
Favorite Part: I loved hating on Bush. Hating on Obama just isn’t as fun.
DOWNLOAD MP3 ChildishGambino-SouthernHospitalityPartnaDem.mp3 Summary: Dirty South Reborn About Artist: Childish Gambino, aka Donald Glover, is a multitalented dude, writing for 30 Rock, acting on Community, and rapping as Childish Gambino. About Song: This song is off Gambino’s 2014 “S T N M T N”. STN MTN is a DJ Drama Gangsta Grillz mixtape, which is a famous series of mixtapes that the legendary DJ Drama has made. The whole mixtape is about Gambino’s upbringing in Georgia. This is the opening track from that tape (but I cut the intro out of this track). This track is one of several medley tracks that pay homeage to souther rap. The first part of this song is over Ludacris’s Souther Hospitality, the second part of the song is over Rich Kid’s and Young Dro’s My Partna Dem. Favorite Part: I love Gambino, who has a strong emo rapping side, can get down on some dirty beatz.
The second coming / jesus line at 2:58 is pretty good lol.
This song is a quick first take cover I made of Kendrick Lamar’s masterful “Sing About Me, I’m Dying Of Thirst” (produced by Like of Pac Div).
I originally just wanted to save this song to my Soundcloud account but when I tried to save it I got the following message….
“Our automatic content protection system has detected that your track, “———- ——“, may contain copyright protected content and we’ve blocked it from being published on your profile.”
It feels shitty to be told a small piece of art that you made with love, in appreciation of a great song, is illegal and shall be blocked. Fuck You Soundcloud. How can you supress culture like that?
Lucky for me I pay for my own web host and, at least for now, that web host will still let me host this mp3.
Favorite Part: You have listen to the original song (I don’t do it any justice). The gunshots at the end of the first verse is one of the most power pieces of music that I know.
About Artist: Mick Jenkins is a young 23 year old rapper from Chicago. He released his first mixtape in 2012 and is just now gaining a wider audience after his 2014 mixtape The Water[s]
About Song: This is a song from Mick Jenkins’ 2014 mixtape The Water[s]. It’s a really great mixtape with track 14 Martyrs being the most famous. The sample for the beat actually comes from a cover of Toxic by Britney Spears.
Favorite Part: I like how slow and jazzy the track is while Mick Jenkins goes in real hard. He really paints a picture with his lyrics that goes great with the music.
JCole-GetFreeColeWorldftMajorLazerAudio Player DOWNLOAD MP3 JCole-GetFreeColeWorldftMajorLazer.mp3 Summary: Too real. I just want to get free. About Artist:
J Cole is a younger-ish rapper who has a diehard following and has been very well established ever since he signed with Jay-Z and released his blockbuster debut album Cole World: The Sideline Story in 2011. He is known for his lyrical ability and the way he weaves stories and scenes with his words. Major Lazer is a DJ goup anchored by the one and only Diplo
About Song: This song is just single that dropped in 2012. I recently saw a friend post it online and gave it another listen. It feels as real as it ever felt. Too much truth in this track : (
Favorite Part:
Major Lazer does an awesome job on the track, I really love the hook. The track is really really great… but the best part is J. Cole’s lyrics. The truth in his words are so powerful.
Tupac-DearMamaJPeriodRemixAudio Player DOWNLOAD MP3 Tupac-DearMamaJPeriodRemix.mp3 THIS SONG HAS BEEN REMOVED DUE TO A COMPLAINT BY THE RIAA. Summary: Tupac reworked by the master J Period.
About Artist: J Period is a master producer who has done some of my favorite projects including The Messengers, that Abstract Q-Tip classic, and just recently The Legacy of James Brown.
About Song: This song is off of a yet to be released project “Holler is You Hear Me Remixed” which will be a mixtape inspired by the upcoming Broadway musical about Tupac called Holler If You Hear Me (really not sure how I feel about that :/). This song take Tupac’s 1995 Dear Mama and blends it with Sting’s “Shape of My Heart” (also used in Nas’ “The Message” from ‘It Was Written”)
Favorite Part: Tuac’s lyrics are timeless and the tone of this music really fits with this one.
PhilAde-HappyRoyalFamRemixAudio Player DOWNLOAD MP3 PhilAde-HappyRoyalFamRemix.mp3 Summary: Been missin Phil Ade’s flow. (Old song I know) About Artist: Phil Ade is a DC rapper who I really got into into 2010. About Song: This song should have been posted months ago. Not much to say about it but it’s a great flow on a catchy pharrell track. Try to enjoy like you haven’t heard the original a million times
Favorite Part:
Phil Ade’s flow just keeps. on. going.
LupeFiasco-Thot97Audio Player DOWNLOAD MP3 LupeFiasco-Thot97.mp3 Summary: Lupe is baaack! …and yes he can still rap. About Artist: People may think Lupe has fallen off but I beg to differ. After his 2013 track SLR 2 which I posted on GregsHipHop last summer I would say Lupe his back from his more experiment electric grunge rock stuff to back to spittin that lyrical fire that he is so famous for. Lupe Fiasco is a old timer in the game by now and is respected as a lyrical genius with classic albums Food and Liquor and The Cool under his belt. About Song: This title of the song is a play on the New York radio station Hot 97. It is part of a recent slew of track’s that Lupe has release online with the hashtag #Drogas. This is my favorite one of that batch so far.
LupeFiasco-SLR2 Audio Player DOWNLOAD MP3LupeFiasco-SLR2.mp3 Summary: #Summer2013 is a recap of the songs that made the summer of 2013 one of the best ever. Lupe gave this response to Kendrick Lamar’s diss track “The Control” About Artist: Lupe Fiasco is an icon in the Hip Hop landscape hailing from Chicago, known for his amazing lyricism and representing the ‘positive’ side of hip hop cutlure.. About Song: This summer Kendrick Lamar spat what many perceived as a major diss to almost all other rappers in the game on a track called Control (with Big Sean and Jay Electronica). The internet response was huge with many funny memes, intense debate, remixes and responses. My favorite was this Lupe Fiasco response. It makes me so happy to see Lupe back actually rapping AND spittin it soooo hot.
Favorite Part: Well surprise surprise it’s all about the lyrics. Lupe’s lyrical style changes throughout copying/mocking the trademark style of lots of different rappers.
Highlights below…
“Lu the boy, too Bruce Leroy to destroy <- Lu is just getting started Doo doo beat like two T-boys with one freak one me But I can DP like it’s three more Three rewards for me or me or me or me or me or me Team me is like meat eating animals meeting a meteor Dinosaurs, I’m fine with all kinds of wars <- starts building Knives and swords, lions, tigers bitin’ boars Lightening striking Viking hordes <- building more…. Fighting heightened, violence soars <- ahhh [German-sounding nonsense] <- ahhhhhhh lol That was Adolf, reacting to my new shit Translation: how come he can’t be as evil as Lu get? Well that’s cause you ain’t Lu, bitch” (1:12)
“I ain’t matchin’ them in platinum But I’m rappin’ like I’m flames Like smackin’ them in the back of him and my antonyms is on ‘cain <- Niiiice And my heroin is on metaphors and my metaphors is on brains < – Ohh ya My left foot is in LA but my right foot is in Spain Now we all heard what he said, but what he said means we dead And that shit is insane” (2:20)
JCole-ForbiddenFruitftKendrickLamar Audio Player DOWNLOAD MP3 JCole-ForbiddenFruitftKendrickLamar.mp3 Summary: #Summer2013 is a recap of the songs that made the summer of 2013 one of the best ever. Born Sinner was one of great albums this summer with Power Trip, Trouble, and Crooked Smile, Niggaz Know being some of the great songs on the albums. About Artist:J. Cole was a freshman in the rap game not that many years ago but with his diehard following he continues to climb to new heights. J. Cole is known for his storytelling style and quality albums. Kendrick Lamar, new king of the west coast, stayed hot this summer with songs like How Many Drinks, Robin Thicke’s Give it 2 U, Bitch Don’t Kill My Vibe (with the Jay-Z feature) and his diss track Control (ft. Big Sean and Jay Electronica). About Song: Crooked Smile (ft. TLC) should probably hold this spot since it was a Born Sinner track that got considerable airplay but I just like this song was better. Forbidden Fruit is the third single off of Born Sinner but we’ll see how successful it is.
Favorite Part:
The intro with Kendrick singing “oh no” at 0:09.
JCole-PowerTripftMiguel Audio Player DOWNLOAD MP3 JCole-PowerTripftMiguel.mp3 Summary: #Summer2013 is a recap of the songs that made the summer of 2013 one of the best ever. The lead single off of ‘Born Sinner’. Check out the other three Born Sinner songs Trouble, Niggaz Know, and Forbidden Fruit that I posted(sorry I didn’t like Crooked Smile enough to post). About Artist: J. Cole was a freshman in the rap game not that many years ago but with his diehard following he continues to climb to new heights. J. Cole is known for his storytelling style. Miguel is a an R&B singer who also hit the stage in a big way this summer with songs like Beautiful, Come Here and How Many Drinks. About Song: While this single was released in Febuary the Born Sinner album was released the same day as Kanye’s Yeezus on June 14th. This summer was really a summer of great albums and Born Sinner was one of them.
Favorite Part:
Nothin in particular stands out in this song. I do like Miguel’s “Would you believe me if I said I’m in love…”
JCole-Trouble Audio Player DOWNLOAD MP3 JCole-Trouble.mp3 Summary: J. Cole at his best About Artist: J. Cole is about 4 years in as a mainstage artist after being the first artist to sign to Jay-Z’s Roc Nation. He has a large hardcore following and this song might show why. He’s got the lyrical chops and can really tell a raw story in his songs. About Song: This song is off of J. Cole’s sophomore album Born Sinner and I can’t for the life of me understand why it’s not a single yet. Favorite Part: Yes, I’m a sucker for gospel singing in hip hop but I also love J. Cole’s story telling and his delivery in lines like
“But I’m back on track, jumpshot wasn’t that good
Couldn’t sell crack but I rap good” (2:31)
I can’t lie though the woman singing in the background around 2:46, and the choral chorus and Especially that outro I do love.
DOWNLOAD MP3 BustaRhymes-TwerkItRemixftNIckiMinaj.mp3 Summary: WOW. Don’t worry about who the artists are just turn those speakers alll the way up. About Artist: Busta Rhymes, Nicki Minaj, Pharrell. About Song: This track dropped June 6th and is a remix of a Busta Rhyme’s only version that dropped as a single in early May. Favorite Part: Holy f-ing shit this song is so good. I can’t believe Pharrell does the Daft Punk album and then has this goin at the same time. The beat is sooo sick. And Nicki Minaj finally brings it so good in this song. And Busta rydin the beat all Jamaican like that. This song has all the pieces and I love it!
DOWNLOAD MP3 JCole-NiggazKnow.mp3 Summary: It’s been a minute but I’m back and I got some GREAT songs in the pipeline. About Artist: J. Cole is a fairly recent newcomer to the game but has already become of the most respected rappers around. His debut album Cole World, released by Jay-Z’s Roc Nation, was met with critical acclaim. I’m not a the biggest J. Cole fan ever but he is definitely legit and I would agree that he is one of the best doing his thing right now. About Song: This song is a bonus track off of J. Cole’s upcoming sophomore album Born Sinner (due out June 18th). This song really proves why J. Cole has the hardcore fan following that he has. J. Cole’s lyrical ability, and personal raw story, is on full display on this track. And he produced the track? dayyum. Favorite Part: I just like how J. Cole tells a story in his verses. The chorus is good and soulful, but his line after line after line type verses are what really make this song something great.
