DOWNLOAD MP3 DJPremiere-2LovinUftMiguel.mp3
Summary: I was so obsessed with this song last winter and it is long overdue to be posted on the blog.
About Artist: DJ Premiere is hip hop royalty and is one half of Gang Starr. Miguel is one of my favorite singers.
About Song: This song is track that didn’t make the cut of Miguel’s album Wildheart (2015).
Favorite Part: I love Miguel in general but this upbeat track was in rotation for the better part of this entire year.
Other:
DJ Premiere
Miguel WIkipedia

DOWNLOAD MP3 WyclefJean-HoldingOnTheEdgeftWalkTheMoon.mp3
Summary: I’m holdin on the edge.
About Artist: Wyclef Jean is hip hop royalty as he is one third of the immortal group the Fugees.
About Song: This song was in the queue right before the blog went dark past February. In early 2017 I had several songs of off Wyclef’s “J’ouvert” in rotation.
Favorite Part: “Invincible emotion,
look alive look alive.
Surrender to the ocean,
you could dive you could dive,
but you waitin for the, just waiting for the,
one moment you could,
fall but you might fly so holdin on the edge,
for dear life.
Take a dive take a dive.

Other:
Holding On The Edge Lyrics

DOWNLOAD MP3 HER-2.mp3
Summary: A lil revenge story.
About Artist: H.E.R. is an artist who’s identity remains anonymous. She has release two EP’s HER Vol 1 and HER Vol 2.
About Song: This song is off of a Vol 2 B-Sides release that dropped last week. I’ve missed posting on gregshiphop so much. Feels goods to be back.
Favorite Part: I love slow sexy slyness of this revenge tale. Cheaters get what’s comin to them.
Other: H.E.R. – Wikipedia

DOWNLOAD MP3 DJKhaled-ShiningftBeyonceJayZ.mp3
THIS SONG HAS BEEN REMOVED DUE TO A COMPLAINT BY THE RIAA.
Summary: All of this winning.
About Artist: DJ Khaled is the hype man turned successful social media entrepreneur who is now hosting the royal couple on their new track. Beyonce is everything, and Jay-Z still raps… 21 grammys he’s a savage, 12 solo albums all platinum.
About Song: This song dropped the day after the Grammys where Beyonce was nominated for album of the year for Lemonade, and gave an amazing performance.
Favorite Part: I love…

“All of this winning, I’ve been losing my mind”

“21 Grammys, I’m a savage n*gga
21 Grammys, I’m a savage n*gga
…12 solo albums, all Platinum, n*gga”
Other:
Shining Lyrics

DOWNLOAD MP3 Jidenna-Bambi.mp3
Summary: The Chief drops tomorrow!
About Artist: Jidenna is a member of Wondaland Records which is Janelle Monae’s crew.
About Song: This song is a track of off Jidenna’s long awaited, and many times postponed, debut album “The Chief” which is out tomorrow February 17th 2017. I’m giving it a first listen right now I and I gotta say it’s freshhhh.
Favorite Part: I love the mellow vibes. This song really typifies Jidenna’s style, though he goes in hard on some other beats. I also really love the lyrics of this one.
Other:
Jidenna Wikipedia
Wondaland Wikipedia

DOWNLOAD MP3 AndersonPaakTheDreamerftTalibKweli.mp3
Summary: Don’t stop now, keep dreaming!
About Artist: Anderson .Paak is a California artist who stays at the cutting edge and had a great 2016 releasing his third album “Malibu” in January 2016.
About Song: This song is the outro track of the album.
Favorite Part: I love the music, the funky baseline, the choir, the whole concept of the song (and of the Malibu album for that matter).
“I’m on my fifth brew and my rent’s due
Sixth and west roof
I can see it all
Hold on to my hand, that’s my little dude
Look at Kenzo, swagging like his paw
One for the occasion and get ya good suit
Fuck your reservation
Bitch, I brought ’em all
Look at where you came from, Californication
Since a little baby skating in boogie boards
And raiding your cookie jar, my radio analog
I wanted them Nike’s
Mama got me Lugz” (0:38)
Love the hook, I’m a product of the tube and the free lunch.
Other:
Anderson .Paak Wikipedia
The Dreamer Lyrics (via RapGenius)

DOWNLOAD MP3 DJKhaled-HolyKeyftBigSeanKendrickLamarBettyWright.mp3
THIS SONG HAS BEEN REMOVED DUE TO A COMPLAINT BY THE RIAA.
Summary: Back to the rap.
About Artist: DJ Khaled had a great year, taking his celebrity to the next level, and releasing a widely acclaimed album “Major Key” (2016).
About Song: This song was the 3rd single from DJ Khaled’s “MajorKey” (2016). This song features a first verse Big Sean, a second verse by Kendrick Lamar, and some awesome vocals by Betty Wright.
Favorite Part: I love the chorus, Betty Wright Kills.
“Niggas over stressing, we under investigation
Every day off to the races, can’t fuck with you if you racist
Beat your ass until you purple
They can’t even tell what your race is
Doctor King meet Dr. Dre
Except this doctor lost all his patience” (1:25)
“So what you look up to?
Fame and fortune, bitches, Porsches
Sources with designer thing
Brand endorsement joining forces with sorcerers signing me
Law enforcement their forces, tortures us with violent speed
Fuck your boss’s employment my joy is to see all you bleed” (3:05)
The outro is also one of the best part with the beat and Betty Wright riding out.
Other:
Holy Key Lyrics (via RapGenius)
DJ Khaled Wikipedia
Kendrick Lamar Wikipedia
Big Sean Wikipedia

DOWNLOAD MP3 TiRonAyomari-PoliticsAsUsual.mp3
Summary: The crazy politics of 2016.
About Artist: I don’t know much about TiRon & Ayomari but I found them on Bandcamp years ago and they’ve been on gregsiphop.com a couple times in the last 7 years (one of their songs was one of the first 15 songs ever posted).
About Song: This song came out in 2016 and spoke to the dystopian feel the hungover the end of 2016. Watch the music video here
Favorite Part: This song helped me process Trump’s win and keep some perspective on how terrible and corrupt politics and presidents have always been. I like the montage of political speeches that run throughout the background, but I also really love the verses which are both pointed an beautiful.80
“Turn the wheel, turn the wheel
Don’t believe in Somethin real, somethin real
Plug in Sit back & relax Welcome to the trap” (2:21)
Other:
Politics As Usual Lyrics (via Bandcamp)

DOWNLOAD MP3 ChildishGambino-TheNightMeAndYourMamaMet.mp3
THIS SONG HAS BEEN REMOVED DUE TO A COMPLAINT BY THE RIAA.
Summary: Instrumental break
About Artist: Childish Gambino (aka Donald Glover) is an amazingly multitalented individual. I’ve been obsessed with him for years and his new TV show Atlanta is now one of my favorites.
About Song: This is an instrumental track of off Childish Gambino’s recent album “Awaken My Love” (2016). This album is so different than any other music he’s put out. While not all of the songs are instrumentals there is little of the rapping that has been the staple of his music output to date. I really really really like “Awaken My Love”.
Favorite Part: I love the vibes of this whole album. It blows me away that Childish Gambino stepped into this new musical space for the first time and made something so compelling. I also love the guitar on this song is by Garry Clark Jr, who I really need to check out more. The guitar on this song sings so beautifully and the song fits perfectly into the album.
Other:
Garry Clark Jr (Wikipedia)
Awaken My Love (Wikipedia)

DOWNLOAD MP3 Drake-SummerSixteen.mp3
THIS SONG HAS BEEN REMOVED DUE TO A COMPLAINT BY THE RIAA.
Summary: Lookin Lookin for Revenge.
About Artist: Drake is… I don’t even know what to say about Drake. He hasn’t been on gregshiphop.com since 2009. There are lots of Drake songs I like, and lots that I hate. The other candidate for this post was Hotline Bling (which I love) but since this is a 2016 wrap up I went with Summer Sixteen.
About Song: I was going to put this song up in June but for some reason it just stayed in the unfinished blog post drafts pile. I don’t think that Drake has put out his best stuff as of late, I think some of his recent singles have been kind of annoying. But I really really loved Summer Sixteen and before 2016 comes to an end I wanted to put it up here (even though it came out in January).
Favorite Part: “Tell Obama that my verses are just like the whips that he in They bulletproof” (0:30)
Other:
I know this song was famous but I couldn’t let 2016 end without any Drake this year.

DOWNLOAD MP3 SamCooke-ChainGang.mp3
THIS SONG HAS BEEN REMOVED DUE TO A COMPLAINT BY THE RIAA.
Summary: Not hip hop, but a great song.
About Artist: Sam Cooke is one of the kings of soul. Though he was murdered in 1964 at age 33, he had over thirty top 40 songs in the last seven years of his life. Sam Cooke’s music gave way to the likes of Al Green, Curtis Mayfield, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Otis Redding, and James Brown.
About Song: I listened to this song growing up but was reminded of it recently when a clipe of it appeared in Donald Glover’s (aka Childish Gambino) “Atlanta” TV show (which is one of my favorites).
Favorite Part: I love Sam Cooke’s vocals (which is why he was such a sensation in his own time). I love music of this era and was a huge motown fan growing up. I’ve also been thinkin a lot about mass incarceration since watching “The 13th” on Netflix.
Other:
Sam Cooke Wikipedia

DOWNLOAD MP3 JohnLegend-OverloadftMiguel.mp3
THIS SONG HAS BEEN REMOVED DUE TO A COMPLAINT BY THE RIAA.
Summary: A new classic. John Legend and Miguel make me melt.
About Artist: John Legend is singer/songwriter/piano player with a voice of god. He is one of my favorite singers, his voice just melts me. John Legend was first made famous by Kanye West, and had a hit freshmen album in “Get Lifted” (2004). Miguel is another R&B singer who I’m also in love with.
About Song: This song is a track off of John Legend’s 5th album “Darkness and Light” which came out on December 2nd 2016.
Favorite Part: I love how simple the song structure is. I love how sparse the intro is and how the song slowly builds as it progresses. I also am in love with John Legend and Miguel’s harmonies. I’m always a sucker for duets and to me this is one of the best. The song is so subtle and so beautiful.
Other:
John Legend Wikipedia
Miguel Wikipedia

DOWNLOAD MP3 AmerigoGazaway-SmokeSumthin.mp3
Summary: B.B. King meets UGK.
About Artist: Amerigo Gazaway is one of my favorite mashup artists. He’s been on gregsiphop.com before for his mashups of Mos Def and Marvin Gaye. Amerigo Gazaway really bring the concept of the mashup to the next level.
About Song: This song is a bonus track off of Amerigo’s “B.B. & The Underground Kingz – The Trill Is Gone” (2015). Which I highly highly highly recommend if you like this track. This song is a mashup of blues guitarist B.B. King with Texas rap legend duo UGK.
Favorite Part: I love this whole project, the concept of B.B. with UGK just works and Amerigo does an awesome job. This track sums up the whole album really well.
Other:
The Trill is Gone (Bandcamp)

DOWNLOAD MP3 AndersonPaak-MightBe.mp3
Summary: 1 Track. 4 Songs
About Artist: Anderson .Paak is rising west coast star puttin out all the right vibes. Phil Ade is an DC area rapper who I first featured on gregshiphop.com back in 2009. The Game is an LA rapper who been in the game for a while now (no pun intended). Xscape is an old R&B group from the 90’s.
About Song:I am absolutely in love this this track. Below are four songs that all use the same track. I love all of these verisions…
Anderson .Paak – “Might Be” (2015)
Phil Ade – “Xscape” (2014)
The Game – “Do It To You (ft. Trey Songz)” (2016)
Xscape “Who Can I Run To” (1995)
In January 2016 I heard The Game’s “Do It To You (ft. Trey Songz)”. That reminded me of this Anderson .Paak version from September 2015. I really liked the Anderson .Paak version which at the time reminded me of the Phil Ade’s song “Xscape” (2014). Of course the original is by Xscape and is called “Who Can I Run To” (1995).
Favorite Part: Love the track and I love all of the versions…
Anderson .Paak – “Might Be” (2015)
Phil Ade – “Xscape” (2014)
The Game – “Do It To You (ft. Trey Songz)” (2016)
Xscape “Who Can I Run To” (1995)
Other: ^^^ Listen to the other versions ^^^