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.
About Artist: I don’t know anything about Jared Evan except that he’s from New York and signed to Interscope. Wais P is an old school New York rapper who been struggling against obscurity despite having been featured on Jay-Z’s Vol. 2 Hard Knock Life back in 1998. Statik Selektah is a Boston based producer who I’m a big fan of.
About Song: This song is from back in feb 2013 from the mixtape/album Boom Bap Blues, which was a collaboration project between Jared and producer Statik Selektah. I posted 2 other songs from the album back in 2013 here and here. Apparently there is a Boom Bap and Blues 2 (Still Blue) album that came out in 2014 (which I’m gonna go listen to right now)!
Favorite Part: I really love this whole album, very chill, very nice blending of sounds and styles
About Song: This song is from Ty’s 2014 mixtape Sign Language.
Favorite Part: I know the lyrics are somewhat vulgar but my favorite favorite part is the echoing “stretchin it out” (like at 1:16). Happy Valentines day y’all, may everyone’s life be full of love.
DOWNLOAD MP3 Ludacris-GoodLovinftMiguel.mp3 Summary: I need some real good lovin. About Artist: The one and only Ludacris has been crankin out quality tracks from Atlanta for over 15 years. Definitely a member of the hip hop hall of fame. Miguel is a an R&B singer who broke through in 2013 with his song “How Many Drinks” About Song: This song is from a 6 song EP that Ludacris dropped in December of 2014. Ludacris hasn’t released anything in four years but this Burn Bridges EP is in anticipation of his 2015 album Ludaversal. Favorite Part: This is just a beautiful song. I always thought Ludacris knew how to rap about sex/love (funny as that sounds), and Miguel’s voice is sex reincarnated. Other: Ludacris Wikipedia Miguel Wikipedia
DOWNLOAD MP3 Felly-Fabrics.mp3 Summary: Laaaaiiid back About Artist: Felly is a young 19 year old from LA. I’d compare him mostly to Mac Miller, not only cause he’s white. About Song: This is off of a 2014 project Felly did called”Waking Up To Sirens” (free download here). Felly also produced this track (in his dorm room apparently) Favorite Part: I like the jazzy piano, and it’s just so laid back. Other: Felly Official Website
DOWNLOAD MP3 CeeLo-TaxiCabConfessionsSignOfTheTimes.mp3 THIS SONG HAS BEEN REMOVED DUE TO A COMPLAINT BY THE RIAA. Summary: Could it be a sign of the times? About Artist: Cee Lo Green is pretty famous now from his time on the voice. He also had a hit song Fuck You (aka Forget You). He also was a member of Gnarls Barkley that did songs like Crazy. He also has been a member of Goodie Mob since the mid 90s. He also song the hook for Sugar. He also drugged and raped at least one woman. About Song: This song is from 9 track project that Cee Lo dropped on soundcloud in late January (before removing it a couple weeks later) called “TV On The Radio”. Unfortunately a higher quality version doesn’t exist but…
I posted another great song from this album a few weeks ago Who Ever Loves Me.
This song is the opening track of the album, which weaves in theme songs from different TV shows. This song is focused around the 1970s sitcom “Taxi“. Favorite Part: I like a lot of things about this song. The track is smooth, and Cee Lo floats well over it. I probably like the chorus the best (the faint echo “could it be a sign of the times” 0:49) Other: Cee Lo Green Wikipedia Lyrics (via RapGenius)
About Artist: Mark Ronson is a UK musician/producer. He produced Amy Winehouse’s “Rehab” and has worked with Adele, Christina Aguilera, and Bruno Mars among others. I fist heard of Mark Ronson on Wale’s “100 Miles and Runnin” (one of my top 5 mixtapes of all time). It turns out that Mark Ronson has had a hand in several more Wale mixtapes as well. I then ran into to Mark Ronson on Rhymefest’s “The Man In the Mirror” which is an awesome Michael Jackson tribute project. Mark Ronson also gave a Ted Talk on Music Sampling (which kinda pissed me off but whatever). Most recently Mark Ronson blew up with his and Bruno Mars’ song Uptown Funk, which is a great song despite the fact that it plagued the radio.
Mystikal was once a huge force in hip hop, with songs like “Shake Ya Ass”, “Danger”, “Move Bitch (w/ Ludacris)”, “Bouncin Back” and others. Despite his platinum success Mystikal commited sexual battery (forcing his hairstylist to give him oral sex) and extortion. For this he spent six years in prison from 2004-2010. He’s been trying to come back ever since. In 2010 he had a song I really liked called “Set Me Free“.
About Song: This song is off of Mark Ronson’s “Uptown Special” (2014).
Favorite Part: I just like that Mystikal is back in music and it’s an interesting combo him and Mark Ronson.
About Artist: Ne-Yo is a R&B singer/songwriter who’s had several big radio hits over the last decade. Juicy J in an old school member of Three 6 Mafia, who’s had his career come roaring back in the last several years.
About Song: This song is from Ne-Yo 2014 album “Non-Fiction”, this song got a lot of radio time, but I still like it.
Favorite Part: I don’t know exactly what I like about this song. It sounds just like every other radio song but theres something just good enough about it that I like it.
My favorite part is at 1:09 “she bad, mix the rachet with the classy, ohhh” (I like the harmonies on that ohh and the the noo in the next bar)
If you know anything about hip hop and the Grammy’s you know that the relationship is not good. Many people believe that the Grammy’s does an especially terrible job representing hip hop. Many people might be familiar with the outrage over last year’s Grammys when Macklemore beat Kendrick Lamar for best rap album. I wrote a recap and analysis of white rappers in hip hop that you can read it here. However the history of hip hop and the Grammys is even worse than that. Below is a video from Complex magazine breaking down how the Grammy’s treats hip hop.
Grammy Facts
-Macklemore has more Grammys than Tupac, The Notorious B.I.G., Nas, DMX, Busta Rhymes, KRS-One, Rick Ross, Snoop Dogg, Mos Def, Run DMC, Public Enemy, Big Pun, Young Jeezy, Ja Rule and Kendrick Lamar combined!
-Iggy Azalea has more Grammy nominations in rap categories than MC Lyte, Lil Kim, and Foxy Brown combined!
-The Black Eyed Peas have won more rap Grammys than Gang Starr, Geto Boys, N.W.A., and Tribe Called Quest, combined!
-Drake has the same number of Grammys as Coolio, and Sir Mix-a-Lot, with 1 Grammy.
-A female rapper hasn’t won a rap Grammy in over 10 years. Not since Missy Elliot’s Work It.
-Of the last 92 rap related Grammy’s given, 41 of them have gone to either Eminem, Jay-Z, or Kanye West.
DOWNLOAD MP3 ZionI-Dread.mp3 Summary: Oakland stand up! About Artist: Zion I is an Oakland based duo that’s been making revolutionary music since the mid 1990s. About Song: This song is from their Feb 2015 Sun Moon and Stars EP. This project marks the end of Zion I as they have decided to disband after releasing this EP a few weeks ago. Favorite Part: This is the intro song to the EP and it sets the tone for the rest of the project. I really like the lyrics and I just wanted to post this song in honor of Zion I’s amazing career. Other: Zion I Wikipedia
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.
About Artist: Kanye West needs no introduction. This song also features production from Kanye signee Travi$ Scott.
About Song: This low quality audio file leaked yesterday (Feb 4th) and was taken down off of the Soundclouds and YouTubes late last night. Not to worry though, I got your music right here ; )
Favorite Part: Um what’s there not to like, new Kanye (without Paul McCartney!).
DOWNLOAD MP3 Royal-DevilPt1.mp3 Summary: A little pop R&B About Artist: I have no clue who royal is except that they recently came out with a debut Cycles EP. Their website royalmakesmusic.com is awesome, well designed, and they have a link to download their EP straight from their dropbox. About Song: This is one of 5 songs off of Royal’s debut EP. Favorite Part: I really like the chorus, it keeps getting stuck in my head. The pan flute type thing in the background doing arpeggios is cool too. Other: Royal Official Website
DOWNLOAD MP3 JoeyBadass-PaperTrails.mp3 Summary: Some real hip hop for the hip hop heads. About Artist: Joey Bada$$ is a young (20 years old) from Brooklyn. Joey’s released several critically acclaimed mixtapes and just dropped his debut album “B4.DA.$$” (2015). This song is also produced by longtime veteran, the one and only, DJ Premier.
About Song: This song samples an older Joey Bada$$ song “Unorthodox”, which DJ Premier also produced. This song is one song of off his debut album B4.DA.$$. While the album didn’t get crazy good reveiws, I really really really like the album as a whole and I know lots of other hip hop heads that do to. The album is a great blend of the new younger generation of hip hop with that classic boom bap of the golden era. Favorite Part: I like how this song sounds like an old classic (lots of references to C.R.E.A.M.). More than this song though I just had to put up a track from his album B4.DA.$$ because it’s such a good coherent project. Other: Joey Bada$$ Wikipedia DJ Premiere WIkipedia Paper Trail$ Lyrics (via RapGenius)
