HustleGang-HellYouSayinftIggyAzaleaTIYoungDro Audio Player
DOWNLOAD MP3 HustleGang-HellYouSayinftIggyAzaleaTIYoungDro.mp3
Summary: Alright gets get this blog goin again.
About Artist:  This join is a collaboration from compilation mixtape by DJ Whoo Kid, DJ Skee & DJ MLK, called SXEW Vol 1. which was released in early February. The tape is in anticipation of the South By South West music festival. The mixtape has  lots of good, bump in your car, bump in the club songs, mostly existing songs that are hot right now with a little remix twist on them. Hustle Gang is the name of T.I’s crew, to which Iggy Azalea recently signed (Hustle Gang = Grand Hustle basically).  Iggy Azalea is one of my fav’s an happens to be from Australia. Young Dro is also a part of that crew. T.I. is the king of the south and while his commercial peak seems to have past he is still a big name in Hip Hop.
About Song: This song has tags on it (sorry) but even though it’s poor quality it still bangs! This song is an example of one the ‘originals’ that’s on this tape and it’s probably my favorite track from the compilation.
Favorite Part:
Solid beat with awesome verses from T.I and Iggy Azalea.

Other:
Hell Ya Saying Lyrics (via RapGenius)
Iggy Azalea Wikipedia
Grand Husttle Records
T.I. Wikipedia

Beyonce-DrunkInLoveftJayZ Audio Player
DOWNLOAD MP3Beyonce-DrunkInLoveftJayZ.mp3
Summary: Happy New Year! Here’s to 2014 A Year of Love!
About Artist: Beyonce just keeps getting better. How does she do it? I have no idea.
About Song: This song is off of Beyonce ‘surprise’ album that she just dropped. Already this songs is dominating the radio. Jay-Z pretty much sucks on this song but the hook and the baseline are just sooo good.

Favorite Part:
I like the chorus, just Beyonce’s growly voice and the super sick base line on this track.

Reminds me of the raw fcking power of just being in love.

Other:
Beyonce Wikipedia

PushaT-WhoIAmft2ChainzBigSean Audio Player
DOWNLOAD MP3PushaT-WhoIAmft2ChainzBigSean.mp3
Summary: I’m having trouble finding time to post but here’s a good banger. Speakers Required!
About Artist: Pusha T is/was one half of the duo the Clipse. While he’s been in the game a looong time he is just now truly embarking on his solo career. 2 Chainz is the ‘from another planet’ all over the radio rapper, and Big Sean is someone who hit the scene around 2009 and has rolled with Kanye on hits like Mercy, Clique and that Marvin and Chardonnay song.
About Song: This is off of Pusha T’s debut album My Name is My Name. I Really like this album and there are 3 or 4 songs I could have posted here. I haven’t liked a big sean verse in a while but I think he has the best verse here. You definitely need speakers to appreciate this song

Favorite Part:
Big Sean’s verse (2:15)

Other:
Pusha T Wikipedia
Big Sean Wikipedia
2 Chainz Wikipedia
My Name Is My Name Album Wikipedia
SLR 2 Lyrics (via RapGenius)

JanelleMonae-ElectricLadyftSolange Audio Player
DOWNLOAD MP3JanelleMonae-ElectricLadyftSolange.mp3
Summary: 4 DAYS UNTIL JANELLE MONAE!
About Artist: I’ve been wanting to post some Janelle Monae for a looong time now, like since August. Her recent album (her second) titled “The Electric Lady” is soooo goood. I’m absolutely obsessed with it, and have since become obsessed with Janell Monae, she is absolutely the best.
About Song: This is just one of many great songs that I’ll posting from the album here. Just listen to it. Power Up Power Up!
Favorite Part: 

Other:
Janelle Monáe Wikipedia
The Electric Lady Album Wikipedia

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)

Other:
Lupe Fiasco Wikipedia
SLR 2 Lyrics (via RapGenius)

Wale-LoveHateThing Audio Player
DOWNLOAD MP3Wale-LoveHateThing.mp3
Summary: #Summer2013 is a recap of the songs that made the summer of 2013 one of the best ever. My favorite song off of this album was Gullible (ft. Cee Lo)
About Artist: Wale is another artist that I’ve like from way back. This album the Gifted wasn’t 10/10 but it definetly didn’t dissapoint and was nice change from his Rick Ross MMG type songs that he’d been doing. My favorite song off of this album was Gullible (ft. Cee Lo)
About Song: This was one of the singles off of the Gifted though I gotta say Gullible (ft. Cee Lo) was my favorite.

Favorite Part: 

I love the beat on this song. It’s just a good song to blast out your car.

Other:
Wale Wikipedia

Me near the front watching Wale in NYC this summer.

Lorde-Royals Audio Player
DOWNLOAD MP3Lorde-Royals.mp3
Summary: #Summer2013 is a recap of the songs that made the summer of 2013 one of the best ever. Sorry for putting a pop song up here (and one that’s so mainstream too)
About Artist: Lorde is a 16 year old Kiwi who came out of nowhere to have this huge summer hit. I didn’t realize the song would be so huge but a couple weeks after I heard it I started hearing it Everywhere.
About Song: Don’t know anything about it except that it was a huge hit and I like it. S

Favorite Part: 

Just a good song.

Other:
Lorde Wikipedia

BoB-HeadBandft2Chainz Audio Player
DOWNLOAD MP3BoB-HeadBandft2Chainz.mp3
Summary: #Summer2013 is a recap of the songs that made the summer of 2013 one of the best ever. B.o.B had a summer hit yay
About Artist: B.o.B might be the most musically talented diverse hip hop artist in the game right now. I’ve lovin him for a long time and while he’s mainly gotten radio play on some of his more popier songs, it was great this summer to hear him blowin it up on the radio in a straight up hip hop track with 2 Chainz. 2 Chainz is from Georgia and while he’s been around forever he’s only recently gotten famous. While not too lyrically inclined his unique style and personality has taken him a long way.
About Song: HeadBand is the first song off of BoB’s highly anticipated third album Underground Luxury, which will be more hip hop focused. The album isn’t close to being released but my hopes are sky high.

Favorite Part: 

I love the beat on this song. It’s just a good song to blast out your car.

Other:
B.o.B. Wikipedia
2 Chainz Wikipedia

KanyeWest-GuiltTrip Audio Player
DOWNLOAD MP3 KanyeWest-GuiltTrip.mp3
Summary: #Summer2013 is a recap of the songs that made the summer of 2013 one of the best ever. Yeezus was one of the great albums of the summer, my favorite track on the album was ‘I’m In It’ posted previously here.
About Artist: Kanye West is my favorite. While he is known mostly for his personality the music he creates is always interesting and often unparalleled. He’s not afraid to try new things and yet somehow consistently creates really great music.
About Song: This is heavily samples the classic hip hop track Chief Rocka by Lords of the Underground, though I guess technically it feautes Pusha T’s Blocka which samples Chief Rocka. This was the last song from Yeezus that grew on me,.
Favorite Part: 

I guess I just like the first verse

“Maybe it’s cause she into Leos
And I was into trios, plus all the trips to Rio
Couldn’t have helped, it’s gettin’ cold
Better bring your ski clothes, peeking through the keyhole
The door locked by myself and I’m feelin’ it right now
Cause it’s the time when my heart got shot down
Blocka, blocka, blocka-blocka, blocka
Pour a little champagne, cranberry vodka   <-The rymthem on cranberry vodka is dope
Feelin’ lied to like parents never said you adopted
Your feelings like Zulu, then nothing is a Shaka
I hit her with Jamaican dick, I’m the new Shabba
She lookin’ for her daddy, call me Big Poppa
On to the next saga
Focus on the future and let the crew knock her
Star Wars fur, yeah, I’m rocking Chewbacca  <- Love the Star Wars reference
The one Chief Rocka, number one Chief Rocka”

Other:

Kanye West Wikipedia
Yeezus Wikipedia
Guilt Trip lyrics (via RapGenius)

KanyeWest-Bound2ftCharlieWilson Audio Player
DOWNLOAD MP3 KanyeWest-Bound2ftCharlieWilson.mp3
Summary: #Summer2013 is a recap of the songs that made the summer of 2013 one of the best ever. Yeezus was one of the great albums of the summer, my favorite track on the album was ‘I’m In It’ posted previously here.
About Artist: Kanye West is my favorite. While he is known mostly for his personality the music he creates is always interesting and often unparalleled. He’s not afraid to try new things and yet somehow consistently creates really great music.
About Song: This song off of Yeezus was the last one on the album and stands out in style because it is more a throwback classic ‘hip hop’ Kanye song as opposed to the experimental electronic stuff that made up the rest of the album.
Favorite Part:
I really like the old school Kanye feel of this song. And while the rhyming scheme is super simple I really like some of the lines…

First Kanye has these ‘punchlines’ that he uses at the start of each verse that I’d like to talk about

“All them other niggas lame, and you know it now
When a real nigga hold you down, you supposed to drown
Bound” (0:15)
This phrase “When a real nigga hold you down, you supposed to drown” is one I’ve struggled with. I really like the interpretation that when love is real it can be overwhelming and overpowering. I also recognize the violent domestic abuse undertones about men keeping keeping ‘their woman’ in place, and the idea that love/relationship is supposed to be painful for the woman. The two sides of this verse, one representing a positive intense love and the other an unhealthy relationship, really grabbed me and made me drawn to it in a dark way that I can’t explain.

“Close your eyes and let the word paint a thousand pictures
One good girl is worth a thousand bitches” (1:37)
This line is a little less dark. I really like the first part about closing you eyes and letting words paint pictures. The second part, like the fist punchline above, is problematic from a feminist perspective, enforcing this good girl bad girl dichotomy.

Other random lines I like

“They ordered champagne but still look thirsty
Rock Forever 21 but just turned thirty” (0:40)
I like how he says thirtey lol

“Uh, this that prom shit
This that what we do, don’t tell your mom shit
This that red cup, all on the lawn shit
Got a fresh cut, straight out the salon, bitch” (1:12)
I like the picture he paints of being younger and playing beer pong on the lawn”

I also like the second verse where he talks about being in the beginning of a relationship and just taking it a couple weeks at a time.

Other:
Kanye West Wikipedia
Yeezus Wikipedia
Bound 2 Lyrics (via RapGenius)

KanyeWest-BloodOnTheLeaves Audio Player
DOWNLOAD MP3 KanyeWest-BloodOnTheLeaves.mp3
Summary: #Summer2013 is a recap of the songs that made the summer of 2013 one of the best ever. Yeezus was one of the great albums of the summer, my favorite track on the album was ‘I’m In It’ posted previously here.
About Artist: Kanye West is my favorite. While he is known mostly for his personality the music he creates is always interesting and often unparalleled. He’s not afraid to try new things and yet somehow consistently creates really great music.
About Song: This is a track off of his sixth studio album ‘Yeezus’ which dropped the same day as J. Cole’s Born Sinner. Kanye said that lot of the Yeezus album was expression frustration and you can definitely here that in this song.

Favorite Part: 

I love the Strange Fruit Sample, and then when the horns drop at 1:08.
The intro is really one of my favorite parts the whole piano and the
“I just need to clear my mind now
It’s been racin’ since the summertime
Now I’m holdin’ down the summer now
And all I want is what I can’t buy now
Cause I ain’t got the money on me right now”
Plus the song just really captures a story and emotion of a breakup like that.

Other:
Kanye West Wikipedia
Yeezus Wikipedia

KanyeWest-NewSlaves Audio Player
DOWNLOAD MP3 KanyeWest-NewSlaves.mp3
Summary: #Summer2013 is a recap of the songs that made the summer of 2013 one of the best ever. Yeezus was one of the great albums of the summer, my favorite track on the album was ‘I’m In It’ posted previously here <– CHECK IT OUT.
About Artist: Kanye West is my favorite. While he is known mostly for his personality the music he creates is always interesting and often unparalleled. He’s not afraid to try new things and yet somehow consistently creates really great music.
About Song: This track was the first song off of his sixth studio album ‘Yeezus’ which dropped the same day as J. Cole’s Born Sinner. This song grew on me and while I’m still not crazy about the beat the lyrics say things that for whatever reason other rappers don’t say.
Favorite Part:
This song is all about the lyrics and message for me. I don’t care about the beat so much. CHECK OUT THE LYRICS HERE. Highlights…

“Y’all niggas can’t fuck with Ye
I’ll move my family out the country
So you can’t see where I stay
So go and grab the reporters
So I can smash their recorders
See they’ll confuse us with some bullshit
Like the New World Order
Meanwhile the DEA
Teamed up with the CCA
They tryna lock niggas up
They tryna make new slaves
See that’s that privately owned prison
Get your piece today” (2:00-2:22)

This song prompted the ACLU to create to create a RapGenius account to explain and comment on the line about the CCA (Corrections Corporation of America)

Other:
Kanye West Wikipedia
Yeezus Wikipedia
New Slave Lyics (via RapGenius)

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.

The bass line throughout the song.

The adam and eve apple concept.

Other:
Born Sinner Wikipedia
Kendrick Lamar Wikipedia
J. Cole Wikipedia

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…”

Other:
Born Sinner Wikipedia
Miguel Wikipedia
J. Cole Wikipedia