February 2nd, 2015
DOWNLOAD MP3 EnriqueIglesias-Bailando.mp3
Summary: Admittedly not hip hop. but hey, get up and dance.
About Artist: Enrique Iglesias a Spanish pop singer who sold more Spanish language albums in the 1990s than anyone else. 15 years after Bailamos come this song Bailando (Enrique’s come a long way lol). Descemer Bueno is a Cuban jazz fusion artist and Gente De Zona is a Cuban reggaeton group.
About Song: This song is off of Enrique’s 10th album Sex and Love (2014). There’s actually four versions of this song, original spanish, english, and two different portuguese versions, all featuring different artists (the english one has Sean Paul on it)
Favorite Part: This song is such a shameless pop song I love it.
I especially like the part in the chorus…
“Con tu física y tu química
También tu anatomía
La cerveza y el tequila
Y tu boca con la mía
Ya no puedo más (Ya no puedo más)”
(1:07)
Other:
Bailando Wikipedia
Descemer Bueno Wikipedia
Gente De Zona Wikipedia
February 1st, 2015
DOWNLOAD MP3 LupeFiasco-BlurMyHands.mp3
Summary: Some uplifting Sunday music.
About Artist: Lupe Fiasco is hip hop royalty from Chicago. Though he’s “fallen off” in recent years, Lupe was blazing lyrical trails back in the mid 2000s. I don’t know that much about Guy Sebastian except that he’s an Australian singer and was the singer on Lupe’s Battle Scars
About Song: This song is the second song I’ve posted from Lupe’s 2015 album Tetsuo & Youth.
Favorite Part: This song doesn’t have the craziest Lupe verses but I really love the gospely hook, Guy Sebastian does a great job.
“Well that’s cool, cause I think you’re number one too”
Other:
Lupe Fiasco Wikipedia
Blur Your Hands Lyrics (via RapGenius)
January 31st, 2015
DOWNLOAD MP3 KeroOne-WhenTheSunshineComes.mp3
Summary: Sounds like John Mayer meet Korea.
About Artist: Kero One is a Korean American rapper/producer based in the bay area. Since 2006 Kero One has been quite successful overseas and has gained recognition in the states as well. I’m a big fan and he has lots and lots of good songs and good albums. The Korean alternative hip hop group Epik High is also involved in this song (on some of the verse I guess). The sweet vocals are courtesy of UK instrumentalist/DJ/vocalist Ben West Beech
About Song: This song is off of Kero One’s 4th album Early Believers (2009). I don’t really know what the song’s about but there is an english version here (not sure if the lyrics are the same).
Favorite Part: I really like the vocals in the chorus but also love the Korean rap. I like the hard consonants and the diction.
Other:
Kero One Wikipedia
Kero One Wikipedia
Kero One Wikipedia
January 30th, 2015
DOWNLOAD MP3 KWash-NothingWrong.mp3
Summary: Ain’t nothing wrong with a little bump and grind.
About Artist: K-Wash is just some remix DJ I found on the internets.
About Song: This song is of course a remix of R. Kelly’s Bump and Grind
Favorite Part: I like when he drops the “Body!” like at 1:05
Other:
K-Wash Soundcloud
January 29th, 2015
PharoaheMonch-PushAudio Player
DOWNLOAD MP3 PharoaheMonch-Push.mp3
Summary: It’s almost Friday. Just Push! #throwbackThursday
About Artist: Is an old school rapper from New York, most famous for his song Simon Says. Pharoahe Monch’s first album, as a solo artist, was a classic “Internal Affairs” (1999). But it wasn’t until eight years later in 2008 that he released his second album.
About Song: This song is from that second album “Desire”. I got to see Pharoahe Monch perform at Rock the Bells in 2007 and I was blown away by his performance of the title track “Desire”. I also really love the remake of Welcome to the Terrordome that’s on the album.
Favorite Part: I like the soul elements of course. I love the horns my Tower of Power, and MeLa Machinko just kills it on the vocals. Pharoahe Monch’s powerful and always political raps are also great.
Also gotta love the George W shoutout at 2:05.
Other:
Pharoahe Monch Wikipedia
Pharoahe Monch Wikipedia
January 28th, 2015
JazmineSullivan-LetItBurnAudio Player
DOWNLOAD MP3 JazmineSullivan-LetItBurn.mp3
Summary: A little sumthin sumthin to get you over that humpday.
About Artist: Jazmine Sullivan is an R&B/Neo Soul singer from Philadelphia. Her most popular song is Bust Your Windows, but all the songs on her 2008 debut album “Fearless” are awesome.
About Song: Jazmine Sullivan just released her third album a couple weeks ago and I’m a big fan.
Favorite Part: I love Jazmine Sullivan’s voice, and this is just a great song. I like that that slow but moving tempo, all the harmonies. I like the parts like at 1:10-1:21.
Other:
Jazmine Sullivan Wikipedia
January 27th, 2015
SeinaboSey-PistolsAtDawnAudio Player
DOWNLOAD MP3 SeinaboSey-PistolsAtDawn.mp3
Summary: ARE. YOU. KIDDING. ME. #facemelting
About Artist: Seinabo is 24 year old black musician from Sweeden. She only started releasing music in 2013 and her original song Pistols At Dawn is an amazing song on it’s own. Lucia and Mickey Valen seem to be two semi-obscure remix producer dude from New York.
About Song: The original Pistols At Dawn is a great song but this remix kicks it up a notch.
Favorite Part: The song starts with some of that real soul that the original has, adds a little electronic pop in the middle, and rides out with the craziness!
The outro reminds me of C2C’s Down the Road
Other:
Seinabo Sey Wiki
January 26th, 2015
CeeLoGreen-WHoEverLovesMeAudio Player
DOWNLOAD MP3 CeeLoGreen-WHoEverLovesMe.mp3
Summary: Short little Monday diddy.
About Artist: Cee Lo Green, the one and only soul machine. Cee Lo is now pretty famous but has had a much longer career than people realize going back to Goodie Mob and Gnarls Barkley.
It should also be noted that Cee Lo is a rapist.
About Song: This is song a little track off of a project called TV On the Radio that Cee Lo dropped on SoundCloud last week.
Favorite Part: I just like Cee Lo’s voice and this is a nice short little tune.
Other:
Cee Lo Green Wikipedia
January 25th, 2015
YG-ThankGodAudio Player
DOWNLOAD MP3 YG-ThankGod.mp3
Summary: Take em to church.
About: YG is famous for his songs “My N*gga”, “Who Do You Love (ft. Drake)”, and was featured on Jerimih’s“Don’t Tell ‘Em. Back in 2009 YG partnered with Ty Dolla $ign to make “Toot it and Boot it”. Ty Dolla $ign is most well know for his song “Paranoid (ft. B.o.B.)”, but also produced Lupe’s “Next to it”(which was awesome). YG created a label, Pu$haz Ink, that includes Ty Dolla $ign and DJ Mustard among others. Big TC, who sings the soulful hook on this song, is Ty Dolla $ign’s younger brother.
Big TC is also incarcerated looking at life in prison for a murder charge. Ty Dolla $ign’s debut album is going to be call Free TC in reference to his brother and to wrongfully imprisoned people everywhere.
The core of Thank God was record from Big TC’s cell. Video below
This song is only one of many great song’s on YG’s 2014 album “My Krazy Life” which was was snubbed by the Grammys. Definitely one of the best rap albums this year. I’m sure YG being a blood had nothing to do with not getting nominated.
Favorite Part: This song is part of a great album with great songs, but this hook still jumped out at me. It wasn’t until much later that I discovered the story behind the song.
Big TC’s voice is just so soulful, so beautiful.
Other:
YG Wikipedia
Ty Dolla $ign Wikipedia
Thank God Lyrics (via RapGenius)
My Krazy Life <-Listen
January 24th, 2015
KendrickLamar-SingAboutMeCoverByGregAudio Player
DOWNLOAD MP3 KendrickLamar-SingAboutMeCoverByGreg.mp3
Summary: This is not part of the regular blog series… just a shitty cover I did in one take.
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.
Other: Original album art by greg ; )
January 23rd, 2015
Tuxedo-DoItAudio Player
DOWNLOAD MP3 Tuxedo-DoIt.mp3
Summary: Hooray for Friday!
Do you love Uptown Funk but can’t stand to listen to it one more time?
About Artist: Tuxedo is one part white soul boy Mayer Hawthorne, one part underground hip hop producer Jake One. They recently came together to form Tuxedo and plan to put out a debut album later this year.
About Song: This really gets at the disco vibe at the heart of Tuxedo. With Uptown Funk getting so much play time I thought now would be a good time to share this track.
Favorite Part: I love that funky disco vibe. Ain’t no reason why this song isn’t all over the radio.
Other:
Mayer Hawthorne Wikipedia
Jake One Wikipedia
January 23rd, 2015
TheophilusLondon-CantStopftKanyeWestAudio Player
DOWNLOAD MP3 TheophilusLondon-CantStopftKanyeWest.mp3
Summary: Oh I really love this one.
About Artist: Theophilus London, original from Trinidad, is an underground somewhat experimental, rapper from Brooklyn. Kanye West needs no introduction.
About Song: This song is from London’s second album Vibes (2014). The cover art for the Vibes was shot and signed by Karl Lagerfeld, famous fashion dude from Chanel and Fendi.
Elements of the song are based on Norman Feels’ You Can’t Stop My Love
Favorite Part: There is so much I love about this song.
The intro “to grow old, in my arms, oh girl” is so beautiful and then layer on that “can’t stop, can’t stop” mmmm. Brings a tear to my eye.
And then in Kanye’s verse when the syncopated drums drop in. I really like Kanye’s line “But it ain’t ralph though” in reference to a rant he had on Sway in the morning.
I like this part in Londons’ verse…
“Please spend the night forever
The silence in my room is louder than kaboom
Let’s skip the north freeze for the southern breeze
The grass is always greener when there’s bumblebees”
The slow flowing outro is also so nice, something about the mix of the flowery parts with that sick drum pattern.
Other:
Theophilus London Wikipedia
Can’t Stop lyrics via RapGenius
January 22nd, 2015
NotoriousBIG-ReadToDieAudio Player
DOWNLOAD MP3 NotoriousBIG-ReadToDie.mp3
Summary: Throwback Thursday
About Artist: The Notorious B.I.G. (aka Biggie) is the one and only immortalized east coast rapper.
About Song: This song is from Biggie’s debut album Born to Die. This version is from a collection of original versions, before executive producer Puff Daddy (aka Diddy) changed them before their final release.
Fun Fact: Though Ready to Die came out in 1994 the song was outlawed in the United States in 2006 due to an uncleared sample. All copies were removed the shelves and a new ‘edited’ version of the album was released removing/censoring the illegal parts.
Favorite Part: This song is a classic and I love the jazzy, tribe-like, boom bap sound of this version.
Other:
Notorious B.I.G. Wikipedia
January 22nd, 2015
Wale-GirlsOnDrugsAudio Player
DOWNLOAD MP3 Wale-GirlsOnDrugs.mp3
Summary: Wale all day.
About Artist: Wale is one of my favorite hip hop artists. He’s from Washington DC and has been doin his since the mid 2000s. There’s a bunch of Wale on this blog.
About Song: This song is off of his Dec 25th 2014 mixtape Festivus. The mixtape is in anticipation of Wale’s upcoming “Album About Nothing” which will feature Jerry Seinfeld and otther Seinfeld related stuff. Wale and Jerry did a cool project with Complex magazine and made this funny video spoofing an infamous call/rant Wale sent to Complex previously.
Favorite Part: Love the Kramer intro, but it’s really the kids singing on the track that I love. Just a solid Wale song
Other:
Wale Wikipedia
