From A Young G's Perspective.

The Original Dom Kennedy

2011-03-10T18:55:00.002-05:00

Brand new Dom Kennedy mixtape, just dropped today. FutureSex/DrugSounds is still one of my favorite mixtapes of the past few years. If you're not up on Dom, here's your chance to listen to one of the more talented up-and-coming rappers in the game. I haven't listened to this tape yet, but if it's anywhere near as good as FS/DS, that would be a WIN.

Dom Kennedy- The Original Dom Kennedy

Throwback: The Notorious B.I.G.- "One More Chance"

2011-03-09T17:56:00.003-05:00

Seeing as today marks the day Biggie was taken away from us (R.I.P. May 21st, 1972 - March 9th, 1997), I felt it was only fitting to make today's throwback in his honor. To this day, I still believe Biggie was the greatest MC of all time. His lyrics, flow, delivery, and tone of voice were all top-notch, and the man made hits for days. All this on top of the fact that he delivered a classic album (Ready to Die), and a near-classic as well (Life After Death), it makes it hard to dispute the man's greatness and the impact he had in such a short amount of time. "One More Chance" is just one of the many amazing songs in his catalogue, but I always seem to come back to this one because of the iconic image of him sitting on the staircase, plus the overall legendary aspect of the song.

The Race

2011-03-08T18:35:00.002-05:00

Finally... a song off of Wiz's album that I can bump. I love the kid's mixtapes, but some of the stuff I've been hearing of late has been a little too commercial for my personal taste. Wiz claims "The Race" is his favorite song off the album, and although I haven't heard his new LP, I'd say he has good reason to make this statement- it's a real smooth beat, akin to something you might hear on Kush & OJ, so give it a listen...

Wiz Khalifa- "The Race" (props to nahright.com for the DL link)

Act II... Coming Soon

2011-03-07T17:52:00.003-05:00

Although we still don't have a release date for Act II, Jay Elect decided to release a promo video for his upcoming highly anticipated mixtape. If the music reflects the effort that it appears he's putting into this project, I have no problem waiting a little bit longer until it drops. 'Til then, enjoy this visual of the making of what is assumed to be one of the songs on Act II.

Push A Ton

2011-03-04T16:26:00.006-05:00

With only a few weeks until Pusha T unleashes his Fear of God mixtape, he's making a full court press in terms of getting the word out about his new venture with G.O.O.D. Music. Complex Magazine (which I'm convinced is one of the top publications in the world, now) did a comprehensive preview of the mixtape, which I couldn't be more excited about. With features and production from Pharrell, 50 Cent, Rick Ross, and Kanye, this could end up being one of the top releases of the year. You can check out the preview here.

Here's another leak off of Fear of God called "Cook It Down," which uses the instrumental of the Bun B and Drake-assisted song, "Put It Down." Be on the lookout for the 'tape to drop on March 21st.

Pusha T- "Cook It Down" (props to nahright.com for the DL link)

Throwback: Jadakiss- "We Gonna Make It"

2011-03-03T14:04:00.003-05:00

I hate to go on a rant right now, but just listening to this song really brought somethin outta me. They just do not make jams like this anymore... everything is so manufactured- as NaS would say, "No Ideas Original." These days, it's basically grab Alex Da Kid or Lex Lugar to produce the track, and add some sing-a-long hook, and who cares about the content.

This right here though, is absolutely timeless... probably my favorite Jadakiss song, and a banger of a beat from The Alchemist, who I still think is way too underrated as a producer. I apologize that the video is censored, but if you want to check out the explicit version, I'm sure you can find it laying around the internet somewhere.

*by the way, pretty hilarious that Jalen Rose makes a cameo appearance from 3:03-3:06 lol

Throwback: Shyne- "Bad Boyz"

2011-03-01T19:39:00.003-05:00

Before he got locked up, Shyne was without a doubt one of the most hardcore MCs in the game. His story is classic- legendary DJ, Clark Kent, discovered him freestyling in a barbershop. Clark noted how unique Shyne's voice was, and how it was so similar to that of the late Notorious B.I.G. "Bad Boyz" is one of the most gully songs you'll ever hear, with Barrington Levy doing his "jamaican wail" all over the track, and an incredibly sparse beat that leaves room for Shyne to get as raw as possible.

Rich & Black

2011-03-01T13:32:00.004-05:00

Nasir Jones left a lot of people disappointed, including myself, when he failed to make an appearance on Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. 2. After all, NaS and Rae teamed up for one of the greatest Hip Hop songs of all time, "Verbal Intercourse." Many yearned for a "Verbal Intercourse 2," and in many ways, "Rich & Black" serves as just that. While it may not be the lyrical display that "Intercourse" was, "Rich & Black" does present two of Hip Hop's finest MCs doing what they do best over an incredibly dope beat. Be on the lookout for Raekwon's new album, Shaolin Vs. Wu-Tang, which drops on March 8th.

Raekwon feat. NaS- "Rich & Black" (prod. by Sean C & LV) [props to 2dopeboyz for the DL link]

OFWGFTA

2011-02-26T12:24:00.002-05:00

Odd Future is a hip-hop collective based out of California who are everything that the rap industry is not. That is where a lot of their appeal comes from, though. A lot of the subject matter is darker, almost a la a 90's Eminem at times, but their delivery is definitely up to par with other young artists. Tyler, The Creator is the originator of the Odd Future clique.

Impressively enough, all of his music and videos are produced and directed by him. After being introduced to his music, I took the time to research some of Tyler and OFWGFTA's back catalog and I was impressed by the music as well as the message.

He recently released a video for his new song Yonkers, and made the Odd Future television debut on Jimmy Fallon with Hodgy Beats not long ago, wiling out and performing the song Sandwiches. The Yonkers video is wild, with an obscurely dark side, but it is done incredibly well. The attention the video has received is just evidence of the potential Tyler has to really break out. He recently signed to XL Recordings for a one album deal, keeping full creative control of Goblin, due out in April. Check out the video and links for a couple songs below.

Yonkers

Sandwiches ft. Hodgy Beats

AssMilk ft. Earl Sweatshirt

Rock Life, Every Night

2011-02-19T14:38:00.002-05:00

This video had me captivated for the whole five-plus. The use of the flashing lights and colors throughout the video was pretty epic. I have to admit that I didn't know what to expect when the video first began, but I must say I am not disappointed with what Kanye West and Hype Williams put together. The visual for the song, off Kanye's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, also features appearences from Rihanna and KiD CuDi.

Word Around Town

2011-02-16T17:27:00.004-05:00

Dr. Dre's young co-sign strikes again. This time, Kendrick Lamar recruited the help of Gucci Mane on the hook to revisit a former track. Through his lyrics, Kendrick addresses the materialism of life on the track Vanity Slave Pt. 2, embracing the positives and the negatives.

"Found my swag, but lost my roof."
-Gucci Mane

Speaking of Gucci, I am looking forward to hearing the work that he is supposedly doing with Wiz. In other relevant collab news, we can expect a project featuring both Kendrick and my man J. Cole, who is said to both produce and rap on the mixtape.

Vanity Slave Pt. 2

That's Really Raw

2011-02-16T17:20:00.003-05:00

I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't a sucker for a smooth Pharrell hook. That's exactly what P creatively gives us on a new track from Tyga that he fully laces with a bumping Neptune track. The rapper, hailing from Compton, peppered the track with a few other Cali rappers, and he couldn't have chosen better. The Game and Snoop give this Young Money rapper's track a harder sound that we might not be used to from the dude who came out with Coconut Juice.

Really Raw

Perfectionists

2011-02-16T13:10:00.002-05:00

Say what you will about Rick Ross, but over the past 2-3 years the guy has been one of the most consistent rappers out there. Trilla had jams, Deeper Than Rap was a step up, and Teflon Don essentially sealed the deal that the man is one of the hottest rappers in the game. Although his flow has undoubtedly improved, the one area where he consistently outshines the competition is beat-selection. With "Perfectionists," it's no different... The Alchemist steps behind the boards and laces Ross with an absolute heater. Rozay and Meek Mill trade bars over what I think is probably the dopest song out right now.

Rick Ross feat. Meek Mill- "Perfectionists" (prod. by The Alchemist)

For The Ladies

2011-02-15T20:22:00.003-05:00

I guess I'm just in one of those moods. Check out the awesome J. Cole track off his most recent mixtape, Friday Night Lights. I can't wait for this kids debut album, due out later this year. The song features a verse from none other than Drizzy Drake, and you can check out the video below, as well.

In The Morning

Train Lights

2011-02-15T13:02:00.002-05:00

I definitely deserve a late pass with Gilbere Forte', but if the kid keeps releasing music like this, I will absolutely put more time into his music. "Train Lights" is one of the best songs I've heard in 2011, thanks in large part to the production supplied by Bink!, one of Roc-A-Fella's go-to producers back in the day. Bink! produced three songs on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, and most recently produced Kanye's song, "Devil In A New Dress," and Rick Ross' song, "Cigar Music." That said, Gilbere holds it down on the track and spits some dope lines.

For more info, check out his twitter page here.

Gilbere Forte'- "Train Lights" (prod. by Bink!) [props to 2dopeboyz.com for the DL link]

Throwback: DJ Kay Slay- "Too Much For Me"

2011-02-15T12:52:00.003-05:00

Back in 2003, Kay Slay teamed up with NYC-based rapper Loon & Amerie to release a single called "Too Much For Me," off of his compilation album Streetsweeper Vol. 1. The song was hot, but it went way under the radar and a lot of people missed it for one reason or another. I remember seeing it on MTV (back when they used to play music videos), and thinkin' that the song was hot (and it didn't hurt that Amerie was lookin real nice in the video). If you've never seen it, check it out- there's a good chance you'll find yourself humming it for the rest of the day.

Happy Belated Valentine's Day

2011-02-15T00:45:00.004-05:00

Considering the holiday, I decided it would be a perfect time to revisit some great music. If you haven't heard it, U-N-I's A Love Supreme 2.0 is an excellent combination of RO Blvd's hard=hitting, progressive beats and Y-O and Thurz's delivery that has an almost old-school appeal.

A Love Supreme 2.0

RIP

2011-02-12T12:34:00.002-05:00

Travis Barker just killed another track. While I am looking forward to Watch The Throne, the single H.A.M just never did it for me. I felt like it was missing something but with Travis gives the track a new energy by throwing down his drums over the original. While I still can't say I enjoyed it more than That's My Bitch, it's definitely an improvement.

H.A.M

She In The Mood For Jet Infused Music

2011-02-12T12:04:00.002-05:00

The JETS and Taylor Gang link up once again on a (2)dopeboyz production. The track has Ski Beatz on the boards and McKenzie Eddy on vocals. Her hook is almost hypnotizing and it mentally prepares you for Wiz and Curren$y's verses. The song is the single to her A Prelude mixtape, but was originally featured on Pilot Talk. Check out the footage from the "Making Of" below.

McKenzie Eddy ft. Curren$y & Wiz Khalifa - Silence

Kick, Push, Coast

2011-02-12T11:48:00.002-05:00

I don't know how I haven't heard this track before, but it's a great example of a young Drake. He still has the skill, but it's interesting to note his sound before the Young Money touch.

I couldn't pass up a remix of a classic Lupe track that could hold me over until the release of his album LASERS on March 8th. Is it to much to ask what a current-day collab between these two artists would sound like?

Lupe ft. Drake - Kick, Push Remix

Label Politics

2011-02-04T13:06:00.001-05:00

For a while, I had been anticipating Big Boi's first solo album, Sir Luscious Leftfoot. With that said, I was more than disappointed to hear that the album would not feature any songs with Andre 3000 as originally planned, including Royal Flush with Raekwon.

Sadly, Big Boi recently signed with Def Jam for his solo album, and Jive Records refused to let any of the Three Stacks features recorded to make it to the final album.

Big Boi, being the man he is, wouldn't let a great track like Lookin' 4 Ya be taken away from the fans. Even though he was blocked from having this track on the album, he let light of day anyways. The track is dope and also features Sleepy Brown on the chorus. Peep the song below, and you can check out the album tracklist here.

Big Boi ft. Andre 3000, Sleepy Brown - Lookin' 4 Ya

Bonus: Big Boi ft. Andre 3000, Raekwon - Royal Flush

Unexplainable

2011-02-04T13:04:00.000-05:00

Sometimes it amazes me to see some of the features different artists can pull off. There are artists like Yo Gotti that don't really do much for me. Impressively though, he was able to pull three of the biggest young rappers in the game right now over his Look In The Mirror Remix.

Wale comes in first for a couple of sick bars preceding Yo's verse. J. Cole and Wiz Khalifa tear it up next and their verses flow together pretty well. Overall, it's not an awesome or unique song that has me posting this, but what a couple of features can do for a track that I probably wouldn't give the time of day otherwise.

Yo Gotti ft. Wale, J. Cole, Wiz Khalifa - Look In The Mirror Remix

Yadidimean

2011-02-04T12:57:00.002-05:00

At this point I guess it could be considered a guilty pleasure, but I do love me some E-40. There is something about his unorthodox delivery that I feel because you will never hear him sounding like any other artist. Combine that with his endless Bay Area slang game and somehow me makes the most complex lines just flow off his tongue.

I haven't heard much of his (two) new album(s), Revenue Retrievin' (Day Shift/Night Shift), but it seems like it's not up to the caliber of some of his older material. I became a fan when I was introduced to him sometime before My Ghetto Report Card was released because I remember my anticipation for that album. To this day, I still keep it in rotation.

On that note, one track I did enjoy off the Day Shift featured both Too Short and surprisingly 50 Cent.

E-40 - Bitch (ft. Too Short, 50 Cent)

Hola Hovito

2011-02-04T12:54:00.000-05:00

I recently came across a remixed version of Jay-Z's Song Cry. DJ Green Lantern created the remix track that uses Chris Brown's Deuces track and chorus along with Hov's lyrics. The two songs work well together, and it sort of gives Song Cry a different feel.

Jay-Z - Song Cry (Green Lantern Deuces Remix)

Make It Rain

2011-02-04T11:06:00.003-05:00

Not a big fan of Travis Porter, but I can't say I've listened to much of their music. One thing I have heard often is their instrumental to the track Make It Rain.

Some of my favorite young rappers brought their talents to the track. Wale, B.o.B and Chip Tha Ripper all take the track to the next level. I'm working on getting a version with all three of the artists on one track, but for now, you can enjoy each of them separately.

Wale - Make It Rain Freestyle

B.o.B - Make It Rain Remix

Chip Tha Ripper - Roll That Weed Bitch

I'm The King

2011-02-04T10:58:00.003-05:00

As you may have read in previous posts on AYGP, The Game is set to release his next album, The R.E.D. Album, sometime this year. Many of supposed tracks have been leaked, and failed to create the kind of buzz I'm sure The Game was hoping for, so the album has been wrought with delays.

With some time until the release, he has released a two-disk mixtape with DJ Skee called Purp & Patron, as well as The Hangover. While I have yet to listen to them in their entirety, one of the tracks I'm The King does it for me, and could be the first single to the actual album.

The Games lyricism sounds effortless. He works the track well, gives us a nice little hook, and I definitely enjoyed the overall product.

I'm The King

I Wish A Tiger Would

2011-02-04T10:51:00.005-05:00

If Pac Div wasn't enough, U-N-I have been bringing the heat over on the West Coast as well. I recently revisited A Love Supreme 2.0 which I recommend if you want a taste of what this duo can do. Y-O and Thurz bring us some a little bit of storytelling chronicling addiction in their newest release Muddy Jane.

The track is set to appear on their upcoming mixtape, Kings Keep Marching, out February 15th. While this track is definitely on a more serious tip, I'm sure we can expect plenty of bounce from their next release.

Muddy Jane (ft. BJ Da Chicago Kid)

Damn If I Lose

2011-02-04T10:44:00.004-05:00

I don't remember the last time I liked a track with Jim Jones (see: We Fly High), but for some strange reason I don't mind him on this recent Lloyd Banks track.

When he started his comeback to the spotlight with Beamer, Benz, or Bentley I was seriously skeptical. Still rocking the raspy voice, one guest verse on Christian Dior Denim Flow and a Start It Up I might just be convinced.

Fly Like The Wind (ft. Jim Jones)

Shady 2.0

2011-02-04T10:28:00.004-05:00

If there is one thing I need more in my life, it's a bit of Slaughterhouse. Thankfully that is something I can expect with their recent official signing to Shady Records alongside Yelawolf, a match that was made in hip-hop heaven.

I can not explain how much I enjoy seeing these four talented lyricists team up and absolutely demolish tracks. The combination of these very different artists over a wild piano track by Mr. Porter works well even without any sort of hook on the track Sun Doobie. The tracks Put Some Money On It with the LOX and Back On The Scene have also been leaked and are definitely not to be ignored.

The group is set to release their Slaughterhouse EP February 8th.

Sun Doobie

Have You Feeling So Thirsty

2011-02-04T10:22:00.004-05:00

Sticking to the West Coast kick, some of you may have heard of the producer and artist Terrace Martin. He's worked with the likes of Snoop Dogg and recently collaborated with two other young talents in the industry.

First is Kendrick Lamar, the kid with the Dr. Dre co-sign, who sounds at home over the beat. The second goes by the name CyHi. The most recent G.O.O.D. Music signee has made his appearance on plenty of recent Kanye tracks. While at times he leaves me unimpressed, this track shows a bit of his potential.

Definitely a track I'll be playing before heading out this weekend.

Thirsty

See The Options Really Open

2011-02-04T10:13:00.004-05:00

Finally got a bit of new music from the West Coast group Pac Div. This beat is out of control and the track is definitely something I've had in rotation lately. This will have to hold me over until the release of their newest mixtape Mania!. All of this will eventually lead up to the release of their debut album, Grown Kid Syndrome, where I hope they really come with it.

Your Fucking Song

I Can Only Make Only Hits

2011-02-04T09:47:00.004-05:00

With late last years release of MBDTF, we have all been exposed to a ton of Kanye. The man has been releasing music left and right for the majority of November and December. He teased the fans with the G.O.O.D. Friday releases, giving out three of the best tracks off his album before it was even released. When his album dropped it quickly became one of my favorites of the year.

I recently came across the track Eyes Closed featuring easily one of my favorite artists John Legend. Since we didn't see this on MBDTF, I have to assume it's a leftover. Some of you might remember a few lines from the G.O.O.D. Music cypher performed for the BET Rewards. Regardless, I'm glad the track got to see the light of day. Kanye really brought it lyrically, and showed us a softer side with on the first verse

Eyes Closed

G.O.O.D. Music Cypher

This The Top, Oh Yeah, The Tippy

2011-02-04T09:43:00.005-05:00

With his album, Rolling Papers, coming up, there has been a whole lot of Wiz being released. One of my favorite recent tracks is one that wont appear on the album. I have to admit that the autotune is a bit over the top at times, but Big Screen is a hypnotizing track that didn't end up making the Flight School mixtape. The melodic track is everything you would expect from Young Khalifa Man.

“Got me drinking out the bottle, Living for today aint thinking about tomorrow”

Big Screen

Throwback: Busta Rhymes - Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See

2011-02-03T17:26:00.002-05:00

Busta Rhymes has been making some recent contributions to hip-hop, most notably on Chris Breezy's Look At Me Now track, where Chris tries his hand at rapping. Busta starts his verse by telling Chris "let me show you how to keep the dice rolling when your doing that thing over there."

It's amazing the resilience you see in older rappers like Busta Rhymes and Jay-Z for example. Busta is still spitting in the same fashion he was in 1997 when When Disaster Strikes dropped. The track Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See was the lead single off the album eventually was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Solo Rap Performance.

The sampling for the song came from Sweet Green Fields by Seals & Crofts and is transformed into the tribal-centric video that was inspired by Eddie Murphy's Coming To America.

2011 Music Festivals: Ultra Music Festival

2011-02-02T14:32:00.005-05:00

If there is one music festival to attend this year, Ultra is it. There are few events like it in the world- almost every top electronic DJ will be there. With five different stages, and headliners like Tiesto, Deadmau5, David Guetta, Armin Van Buuren, Carl Cox, Moby, Kaskade, Laidback Luke, and many others, this year's show is sure to be one of the best festivals of the year. The party goes from March 25th-27th in Miami, and you can check out the full lineup here.

However, the one drawback of this year's show is that it is not happening the same week as Winter Music Conference. In the past, WMC worked in conjunction with Ultra so when ultra was over, WMC would host various DJs at clubs such as Mansion, Liv, and Space, among others. Some DJs have voiced their displeasure about this, most notably Axwell, Steve Angello, and Sebastien Ingrosso, a.k.a Swedish House Mafia. Rather than play at Ultra this year, they've decided to host their own 12-hour long show called the Masquerade Motel, alongside Calvin Harris, Duck Sauce (A-Trak & Armand Van Helden), Dirty South, Pete Tong, Max Vangeli, and an21. It's sure to be an incredible experience, and the mafia never fails to entertain.

Throwback: Papoose- "Alphabetical Slaughter"

2011-01-28T16:18:00.006-05:00

Let's rewind back to 2004-2006 in NYC... Saigon was droppin' mixtape after mixtape, and was gearing up to release his debut LP (which is dropping February 15th of THIS year), and a Brooklyn-born MC named Papoose was killin' the scene as well. Pap used to hustle mixtapes outside of NYC-radio station, Hot 97's, office building. DJ Kay Slay got a hold of one and was impressed by the kid's talent. Papoose ended up signing a $1.5 million deal with Jive, but his album The Nacirema Dream was shelved indefintely due to "A&R hell"- essentially, disagreements over the album. Below, I've posted what is Pap's essential song, "Alphabetical Slaughter." He goes through every letter, A-Z, and "breaks it down for you."

I'm On My Level, Yeah...

2011-01-28T16:14:00.003-05:00

Yesterday, a new song and accompanying video leaked off of Wiz's upcoming CD, Rolling Papers. "On My Level," which features O.G. legend, Too Short, is a hot little jam in the same vein as a lot of Wiz's previous material- "I take one shot to the brain, and I order three more shots, I'm goin' in...". All in all, I'm definitely feeling it and lookin' forward to hearing more from Young Khalifa.

2011's Most Anticipated Albums- #4: Take Care

2011-01-27T10:45:00.004-05:00

If I have to inform who Drake is, you've probably been living under a rock the past two years. Needless to say, everyone knows the kid is on fire. His debut album, Thank Me Later, was certified platinum and spawned numerous singles including, "Over," "Miss Me," and "Find Your Love," all of which were "successful" (get it?). So when Drake announced that he had already started working on his new album, Take Care, people started talking about what improvements the kid from "Degrassi" could make on his sophomore effort. Drake, himself, has said that he didn't get to put the time and effort into his first album that he wanted to. This time around, he's looking to change that. Drizzy's already hit the studio with his go-to producers Boi-1da, and Noah "40" Shebib. And rumor has it that he's reached out to DJ Premier, Q-Tip, and 9th Wonder as well. The album should be fire, but we're probably gonna be waiting on it for a minute since no release date has been announced.

To hold you over, check out one of my favorite songs off of Thank Me Later... "Fireworks."

New York In The House, I Dare You To "Walk It Out"

2011-01-26T13:31:00.003-05:00

Back in 2009, Blaq Poet, a Queensbridge-based MC (which also happens to be home to NaS, Mobb Deep, and Ron Artest among others), released an album called, Tha Blaqprint, on DJ Premier's label Year Round Records. It didn't sell particularly well, but that was never the point- it received solid reviews and went under the radar as one of the better releases of the year.

His video for "Ain't Nuttin' Changed," the first single off of the album, is about as Hip Hop as it gets. You got dudes from his hood, Poet kickin' rhymes, and of course DJ Premier cuttin' and scratchin' on the decks... you just can't top that.

We In The 25th Hour, It's Now Or Never

2011-01-26T13:29:00.002-05:00

Not gonna lie, I definitely have a "late pass" when it comes to REKS, but the little bit that I've heard from him has been dope. To be completely honest, I don't have too much info on him but I plan on coppin' his album, Rhythmatic Eternal King Supreme, which dropped today. With production coming from DJ Premier, Pete Rock, The Alchemist, Nottz (of Dre's label Aftermath), Sha Money XL (of G-Unit), and Sean C & LV (of Diddy's crew, The Hitmen), this is pretty much a must-buy. REKS shot a video for his single (?) "25th Hour," which is produced by preemo. The beat is too serious, and he drops some nice bars as well.

Throwback: Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth- "They Reminisce Over You"

2011-01-25T17:45:00.004-05:00

Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth's "They Reminisce Over You," also known as "T.R.O.Y.", is one of the greatest Hip Hop songs of all time. Pete Rock's funky horns, along with C.L.'s lament about a lost friend makes for what Pitchfork Media ranked as the #35 best track of the 1990s. "T.R.O.Y." always finds its way onto lists like "top tracks of the 1990s," and the "best Hip Hop songs of all time," and for good reason. There are few songs that can give a lasting impression, but this one is undeniably classic.

2011's Most Anticipated Albums- #5: Cole World

2011-01-25T17:42:00.003-05:00

When J. Cole came onto the scene with his two critically acclaimed mixtapes, The Come Up and The Warm Up, people began to wonder who was this fiery, young MC from North Carolina. Having been featured on numerous songs the past couple months, the man has made a name for himself as one of the brightest up-and-coming stars in Hip Hop. He unfairly gets compared to Drake, but to his credit, he's made a lane for himself- he isn't trying to be the cool mainstream rapper/part-time R&B crooner. Instead, he's shown a lyrical dexterity that hasn't been heard from a young MC in quite some time.

A few months ago, Jay-Z signed him to his label Roc Nation and his debut album, Cole World, is slated to hit stores in March. With production from No I.D., Salaam Remi, The Neptunes, and Danja (Timbaland's protégé), Cole World should be one of the highlights of 2011. Below is the video for "Who Dat," which is the street single for his album.

Throwback: Camp Lo- "Luchini"

2011-01-21T14:56:00.002-05:00

The Bronx duo known as Camp Lo, has released quality music over the years- most notably their 1997 debut album, Uptown Saturday Night. Upon release, it was widely acclaimed, and has since gained a cult-like status. Ski (now known as Ski Beatz), who is known mostly for the cuts he produced on Jay-Z's Reasonable Doubt, produced the majority of Uptown. Even if you've never heard of Camp Lo, you've most likely heard "Luchini." It's been featured in TV shows like "Entourage," and numerous commercials as well.

2011's Most Anticipated Albums- #6: Act II/ROC Nation Debut

2011-01-20T23:57:00.003-05:00

If there is one man who could single-handedly resurrect lyric-driven Hip Hop back into the mainstream, it could be Jay Electronica. The man is a poet, almost prophetic with the way he "paints the picture." His first mixtape, Act I: The Eternal Sunshine (The Pledge), was unlike anything Hip Hop had heard in years when it came out back in 2008. But then he released the Just Blaze-produced bangers, "Exhibit A," and the reigning underground Hip Hop song of the year, "Exhibit C." When "C" dropped, all the Internet blogs went crazy... not only was the beat absolutely bananas, but then you've got this guy kickin' rhymes like, "so now I'm back spittin' that he could pass a polygraph, that Reverend Run rockin' Adidas out on Hollis Ave., that F.O.I., Marcus Garvey, Nikki Tesla, I'll shock you like an eel electric feel Jay Electra" .... ridiculous. Jay has been working closely with Just Blaze and Diddy on his next highly-anticipated mixtape, Act II: Patents Of Nobility, and recently signed a deal with Jay-Z's label, Roc Nation, to release his debut album. I'm excited to see what this man can do with a platform such as Roc Nation, because even with the most limited sources imaginable, Jay Elect can make music of the highest quality. Below is the preview for his song "Dear Moleskin," which was supposed to come out a while ago but still hasn't been released.

We Don't Believe You, You Need More People

2011-01-20T12:40:00.003-05:00

You probably haven't heard of Slim Da Mobster, but it's a name should get familiar with. Hailing from South Central, L.A., Slim signed with Dr. Dre's Aftermath record label back in 2009, and has been ghost-writing for Dre's upcoming album, Detox. Like many Aftermath artists that have come and gone before him, I expected Slim to bite the dust just like Bishop Lamont and Rakim. However, two years later he's still around, and it appears that we have the first song (at least first I've heard) from Dre's newest protégé. I consider it a near miracle that this song is out because Aftermath is notorious for making music and never releasing any of it.

Slim Da Mobster feat. Xzibit- "Don't Believe You" (prod. by Nottz) [props to nahright.com for the DL link]

2011's Most Anticipated Albums- #7: Fear of God/G.O.O.D. Music Debut

2011-01-19T20:28:00.005-05:00

In my humble opinion, Pusha T is one of the best MCs in the game. Alongside his P.I.C., Malice, the Clipse have released some excellent albums including Lord Willin', Hell Hath No Fury, and Till The Casket Drops. Pusha's dropped some of the hottest lines I've ever heard, most notably, "I move 'caine like a cripple," off of their 2002 hit song, "Grindin'." When news broke that Pusha would be signing a solo deal with Kanye's label, G.O.O.D. Music, I rejoiced as did many Hip Hop fans. Imagining Pusha rapping over Kanye beats, as well as the standard productions from The Neptunes, is an incredible prospect. Although no release dates have been mentioned, we do know that Pusha will be releasing a mixtape in the coming months called Fear of God, and his as-of-now untitled solo album should appear soon after. In the meantime, enjoy the G.O.O.D. music cipher from this past B.E.T. Awards featuring Pusha, Kanye, CyHi Da Prynce, Big Sean, and Common.

Clap Ya Hands If Ya Tired Of Hearin Gun Shots

2011-01-19T20:07:00.002-05:00

As February 15th approaches, I'm getting more and more excited about the possibility of Saigon's The Greatest Story Never Told becoming a classic Hip Hop album. Every track I've heard off of the album has been excellent, and now we have the soulful, "Clap." Armed with triumphant horns and a Faith Evans-laced hook, if this song is any indication of what's to come, we're in for a treat.

Saigon feat. Faith Evans- "Clap" (prod. by Just Blaze) [props to nahright.com for the DL link]

Throwback: Jay-Z- "Anything"

2011-01-12T12:44:00.003-05:00

"Anything," is definitely one of my favorite Jay songs. When you hear it, it's obvious that it was produced in the same vein as "Hard Knock Life," with both of their samples coming from musicals (Oliver! for "Anything," and Annie for "Hard Knock Life"). This song actually wasn't on any of Jay's albums, it was released on Beanie Sigel's 1999 album, The Truth. I would love it if Jay made another sample-heavy album with producers like DJ Premier, Pete Rock, and Bink!. Blueprint 3 had some cool samples, but its focus was to build something for this day and age. I have a feeling that for that to happen, the stars would have to perfectly align, but one can only hope. For now, take a listen to one of the more underappreciated Jay-Z songs.

Shaolin Vs. Wu-Tang

2011-01-11T23:42:00.002-05:00

One of the albums I foolishly left off of the "2011's Most Anticipated Albums" list is Raekwon's Shaolin Vs. Wu-Tang, which is the follow-up to his near-classic Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. 2. For whatever reason, Rae has gone under my radar of late, and I completely forgot about what should be one of the best releases of the new year. Earlier today, Funkmaster Flex premiered the title track off of the album and it is fire. This shit right here is tough as nails- exactly what you'd hope and expect from a member of the Wu.

Raekwon- "Shaolin Vs. Wu-Tang" (props to illRoots.com for the DL link)

H.A.M. (prod. by Lex Luger)

2011-01-11T00:49:00.004-05:00

Here it is... the first single off of Jay-Z and Kanye's collaboration album, Watch The Throne. To be honest, I'm a little disappointed. Anytime you hear that the two of these guys are gonna team up, you expect some music that's gonna slap you across the face, but this is just 'eh.' And Lex Luger... people seriously need to get off this dude's jock, cause this is just getting outta hand. His beats are OK, but not hot enough where he should even be in consideration to be doin the first single for a project like this. Not hatin', just sayin'. Regardless, don't let my opinion stop you from checking this out, it's definitely worth a listen, just not quite as hot as I hoped it would be.

Jay-Z & Kanye West- "H.A.M." (prod. by Lex Luger) [props to illRoots.com for the DL link]

You Just Got To Be, The Best Thing For Me

2011-01-10T18:51:00.003-05:00

I've always listened to a wide range of music, but of late, I've probably listened to The Black Keys more than any other band, MC, rapper, or DJ. The Keys have been around for a while, but I first started listening to them due to their Blakroc project, as well as the songs they contributed to the soundtrack of Eastbound & Down. Their combination of Blues and Rock & Roll is something the music world has been missing lately. It's great to see them getting some mainstream press, most recently with their performance on Saturday Night Live. "Just Got To Be" is one of my favorite Keys songs, so give it a listen.

Magnetic Man

2011-01-10T18:17:00.002-05:00

Dubstep has really blown up over in the U.K., and here in the U.S. its following is getting larger and larger. Skream, Benga, and Artwork have been at the forefront of this movement. I wrote about Benga a few weeks ago, and you can check that out right here. Together, the three Dubstep maestros have joined forces to create a super-group called Magnetic Man. Their debut album came out back in October, with a sound that is very different than their usual thick sub-basslines. By incorporating more elements of 2step and drum & bass into their music, they've almost created a new genre of music- or at least a subgenre of Dubstep. Below, I've posted the video for their second single, "Perfect Stranger," which has been in heavy rotation for the past couple weeks.

Throwback: The Game- "Dreams" (prod. by Kanye West)

2011-01-09T23:11:00.003-05:00

As I said in the "most anticipated" list with regard to Game's career, he's had his ups and downs. However, one of those ups would have to be the single, "Dreams," off of his debut album, The Documentary. Kanye produced it, providing Game with one of his typical, soulful backdrops. The song is fire, and I still bump it quite often.

MTV Cribs: Wu-Tang Clan

2011-01-09T22:37:00.002-05:00

Since the previous Behind the Boards focused on Wu-Tang, I decided to continue the trend with my favorite MTV Cribs episode. Back around 2000, the Clan led viewers through their mansion in Los Angeles, and it was absolutely hilarious. You'll see just about everything- dice games on pool tables, push up contests, method man passed out on the couch, freestyles, and more. Enjoy.

Behind the Boards Pt. 8: RZA

2011-01-07T19:02:00.002-05:00

Of all the producers I've written about for the "Behind the Boards" series, this one might have been the toughest. RZA, the abbot (leader) of the Wu-Tang Clan is without a doubt one of the best Hip Hop producers of all time, and has executive-produced some of greatest albums ever including (but not limited to), Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx..., Wu-Tang's Enter the Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers, and GZA's Liquid Swords. RZA's sound is completely unique- he usually resorts to sampling, but unlike other sample-based producers, his style has a very "Eastern" sound to it. RZA, along with the rest of the clan, grew up watching Kung-Fu flicks such as The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, and Shogun Assassin among others. He has since gone on to work in film- he put together the score for Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill Vol. 1, and is directing his debut film called Man with the Iron Fist.

WARNING: THIS LIST IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART, ALL THE BEATS ARE HARD... IF YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF JUSTIN BIEBER/BABY KITTEN SOFT, I SUGGEST YOU READ ANOTHER POST

1) Raekwon- "Incarcerated Scarfaces"

Raekwon's 1995 album, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx..., is one of the best Hip Hop albums of all time, and one of my top 10 favorite albums ever. RZA produced every song on the album, and each one positively contributes to the overall package. I can honestly say that there isn't a single song that I would consider to be "filler material," and I usually just let the album play out all the way through. "Incarcerated Scarfaces" is one of the hardest beats of ever, and the drums are just ferocious. I dare you to listen to this song and not mean mug... it's impossible.

2) Wu-Tang Clan- "Protect Ya Neck"

Considering this as one of the standout tracks on Enter the 36 Chambers just goes to show how good this song is. Every song on 36 Chambers is fantastic, if not legendary, and this one might be top three. Wu-Tang brings a raucous energy to this track, and it always gets the crowd hype.

3) GZA/Genius- "I Gotcha Back"

GZA's Liquid Swords, is another classic RZA-produced album. "I Gotcha Back" is filthier than Gary Glitter in Thailand- it's absolutely despicable to think any two people could make a track this hard.

"Kids are slingin' in the lobby, little Steve and Bobby, gettin' paid but it's a life-threatenin' hobby. Yeah, they still play hide and seek... the fiends seek for the crack, and they hide and let the cops peep."

4) Raekwon- "Ice Cream"

The third single off of Cuban Linx..., RZA laces the beat with a ghostly-sounding piano loop, and Ghostface and Method Man make contributions to top it off (pun intended). This is probably one of my top 3 songs off of Rae's album. Meth's hook is too dope, the way he relates women to different flavors of ice cream is hilarious- "one love to my chocolate deluxes, keep ya nails done... one love to my butter-pecan 'ricans for callin' me papi."

5) Wu-Tang Clan- "Gravel Pit"

The second single off of Wu-Tang's year 2000 album, The W, "Gravel Pit" is the kind of jam that makes everyone wanna go crazy in the club. As RZA says in the beginning of the track,"leave ya flowers at home, leave ya children at home." He gives you fair warning, because this song is definitely hype.

6) Method Man- "All I Need"

"All I Need" won Method Man and Mary J. Blige a grammy award for "Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group" in 1996. It is the perfect combination of Wu-Tang grime and mainstream appeal, which is most likely what led to its success.

7) Ol' Dirty Bastard- "Shimmy Shimmy Ya"

There will never be another Ol' Dirty Bastard. The man was 100% real... nothing about him was an act, everything you saw and heard from him was truly authentic. ODB had the most unique and identifiable personalities in Hip Hop until his death in 2004. "Shimmy Shimmy Ya" may seem like typical nonsensical rambling, coming from the king of nonsensical rambling, but the song is hot.

8) Raekwon- "Criminology"

"Criminology" is another all-time great Wu-Tang track. Ghostface's verse is considered by many to be one of the greatest Hip Hop verses ever, and the beat is infectious. This is definitely a standout on Cuban Linx..., which is impressive considering how many phenomenal tracks there are on that album.

9) Wu-Tang Clan- "C.R.E.A.M."

"Cash rules everything around me, CREAM, get the money... dolla dolla bill ya'llllll"

Everyone and their mother knows the hook from this song. You may even know it even if you've never heard the song before in your life. A certified Hip Hop classic right here. There's not much else to say, so enjoy...

10) Wu-Tang Clan- "Wu-Tang Clan Ain't Nuthing Ta F' Wit"

If there was ever one song in the history of music that could literally start a riot, this is it... "If you want beef, then bring the ruckus... Wu-Tang Clan ain't nuthin' to fuck wit'." This song defines what the Clan is all about- gettin' rowdy, and destroying any competition that comes in their path.

Honorable Mention: Wu-Tang Clan- "Bring Da Ruckus," Wu-Tang Clan- "Triumph," Ghostface Killah- "Buck 50," Ghostface Killah- "All That I Got Is You," GZA/Genius- "Liquid Swords."

Throwback: Big L feat. A.G. & Stan Spit- "Holdin' It Down" (prod. by Pete Rock)

2011-01-07T13:58:00.003-05:00

I'm gettin' stacks while you askin' people, do you want fries with that?

This quote is just one of the many ill lines that Big L blessed us with during his 24 years on Earth. It's unfortunate that so many talented musicians in the world of Hip Hop have passed on. Obviously everyone knows about Biggie and 2Pac, but let's not forget about Jam Master Jay, Big Pun, Ol Dirty Bastard, Proof, and J Dilla among many others. Big L was shot to death in own neighborhood, rumored to be the result of a longstanding drug feud between his brother and a rival gang member.

That said, L's life should be celebrated for the excellent music he made while he was alive. Lifestyles Ov Da Poor & Dangerous, and The Big Picture are both great albums and I urge you to give them a listen if you haven't already. Some other tracks to check out are his legendary "98 Freestyle," "Ebonics," and "Put It On." Below, I've posted the official video for "Holdin' It Down," but unfortunately it's censored, so to get the full effect I recommend you search for the dirty version.

2011's Most Anticipated Albums- #8: The R.E.D. Album

2011-01-07T01:27:00.003-05:00

The Game's career has been full of ups and downs. His debut album, The Documentary, was one of the best-produced Hip Hop albums I've ever heard. Yet, his previous albums have lacked the cohesion and focus needed to back his claim as one of the best MCs in Hip Hop. I guess the one thing that is most disappointing, is that there is no doubt that he has the talent to create a classic album.

That's where The R.E.D. Album comes into play. Rumored to be co-executive produced by Dr. Dre and Pharrell, hopefully they can help put the pieces of the puzzle together and create a truly special project. Expect production to come from the good doctor, The Neptunes, Cool & Dre, Timbaland, Bangladesh, Just Blaze, and Kanye among many others. So far, none of the tracks that have been released have caught on, forcing the album to be continually pushed back. Below, I've posted a link to what was the first street single, "Krazy," and the video for the Cool & Dre-produced "Shake." Both are pretty underwhelming, but give them a try.

The Game feat. Gucci Mane- "Krazy" (prod. by Timbaland)

Complex, which is by far one of my favorite publications, recently released a list of their top 25 most anticipated albums of 2011, which you can read right here.

2011's Most Anticipated Albums- #9: Lasers

2011-01-06T14:51:00.002-05:00

Lupe Fiasco is without a doubt, one of the most gifted MCs in Hip Hop. However, like many MCs that favor substance over style, his latest album Lasers was shelved by Atlantic Records without a release date in sight. However, after over a year of push-backs, Atlantic has announced that Lasers will hit store shelves on March 8th. Lupe's word-play and storytelling is truly ahead of the pack, and it's great to see him get a chance to continue to show the world his immense talent. "Kick, Push," "Gold Watch," and "Streets On Fire" are always in rotation, and if you haven't listened to his first two albums, that should be on your to-do list. Three songs have been released to promote Lasers, including the Neptunes-produced "I'm Beamin'," "Shining Down," and his most recent single, "The Show Goes On." For now, enjoy the video for "Paris, Tokyo," off of his last album, The Cool.

Throwback: Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Dogg- "Lil Ghetto Boy"

2011-01-06T14:21:00.004-05:00

Dr. Dre has released numerous classics throughout his career. Everyone knows his hit songs like "Still D.R.E.," "Nuthin' But A 'G' Thang," "Dre Day," and "The Next Episode," but one of his greatest songs tends to get overlooked. "Lil Ghetto Boy," off of his first album, The Chronic, is one of my all-time favorites. The beat is absolutely incredible, and the story that's told about getting stuck in the hood is legendary.

Throwback: Q-Tip- "Vivrant Thing"

2011-01-05T10:31:00.002-05:00

Q-Tip, the frontman of "A Tribe Called Quest," is without a doubt a Hip Hop legend. With "Tribe," they managed to release three of the greatest albums of all time with People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm, Low End Theory, and Midnight Marauders. If you haven't heard these albums, you're missing out on some of the best music ever made. For example, Rolling Stone named Low End Theory as the #154 greatest album of all-time, on their "500 Greatest Albums of All Time List." As a solo artist, "Tip" has released three albums to acclaim and success. His 2008 album, The Renaissance was rated as one of the best of 2008, and received a grammy nomination for "Best Rap Album." However, my favorite Q-Tip song is his 1999 single, "Vivrant Thing," which was co-produced by J Dilla. It's extremely funky, and never gets old.

2011's Most Anticipated Albums- #10: The Greatest Story Never Told

2011-01-04T18:04:00.005-05:00

It's been a long time coming for the upcoming release of Saigon's album, The Greatest Story Never Told. It has long been one of my most anticipated albums, right up there with Dr. Dre's Detox, and it's lookin' like it will drop in stores on February 15th. Hopefully they mean it this time, but I'm still keeping my fingers crossed that it won't get pushed back (again). You may remember Saigon from his cameo appearances in Entourage, when Turtle tries to manage his career. Sai is much more than a gimmick, or spin-off of a TV show... he's talented enough that Just Blaze signed him as the first artist to his record label, Fort Knocks. "Just" oversaw the album, and produced 9 of 16 songs. With additional production from Kanye West, Buckwild, and Red Spyda among others, and features from Jay-Z, Swizz Beatz, Q-Tip, Marsha Ambrosius, and Faith Evans, The Greatest Story Never Told is sure to be one of the best Hip Hop albums of 2011. Check out the link below for the title track off the album (which is fire), and the tracklist below...

Saigon- "The Greatest Story Never Told" (prod. by Just Blaze) [props to illRoots.com for the DL link]

Tracklist:

1) Station Identification (Intro) feat. Fatman Scoop (prod. by Just Blaze)

2) The Invitation feat. Q-Tip & Fatman Scoop (prod. by Just Blaze)

3) C'mon Baby feat. Swizz Beatz & Jay-Z (prod. by Just Blaze)

4) War (prod. by Scram Jones)

5) Enemies (prod. by D. Allen)

6) Friends (prod. by Just Blaze)

7) The Greatest Story Never Told (prod. by Just Blaze)

8) Clap feat. Faith Evans (prod. by Just Blaze)

9) Preacher (prod. by Just Blaze)

10) It's Alright feat. Marsha Ambrosius (prod. by Kanye West)

11) Believe It (prod. by Just Blaze)

12) Give It To Me feat. Raheem DeVaughn (prod. by SC)

13) What The Lovers Do feat. Devin The Dude (prod. by Red Spyda)

14) Better Way feat. Layzie Bone (prod. by Just Blaze)

15) Oh Yeah (Our Babies) (prod. by Buckwild)

16) Bring Me Down (prod. by DJ Corbett)

Throwback: Slum Village- "Raise It Up"

2011-01-04T10:43:00.004-05:00

I've always thought Slum Village was way too underrated. Their first album Fan-Tas-Tic Vol. 1, is an underground classic, and the follow up, Vol. 2, is excellent as well. J Dilla (who back in the day was known as Jay Dee) was long considered to be one of the best producers in the Hip Hop world before his untimely passing in 2006. Never to be outdone, T3 and Baatin always brought the rhymes to properly support Dilla's thick basslines and slightly off-kilter drums. If you're not familiar with them, I urge you to do a little research because you won't regret it. In the meantime, I wanted to leave everyone with one of my favorite SV jams from back of the day- "Raise It Up."

The Making of 6'7'

2011-01-03T18:07:00.003-05:00

Shondrae "Bangladesh" Crawford has been tearing it up ever since he produced Lil Wayne's smash hit, "A Milli." He has since gone on to do records with Beyonce, Kesha, Gucci Mane, and he is currently working on Pusha T's new solo album. However, a lot of people don't know that he got his start as Ludacris' go-to producer for his first album, Back For the First Time. Most notably, he produced the now legendary single, "What's Your Fantasy," and the cult-favorite, "Ho." Most recently, he produced the lead single "6'7'" for Lil Wayne's upcoming album, Tha Carter IV, and it's a certified banger. While he was in the studio, he shot a video showing the making of Weezy's newest single. It's always cool to see the process of putting together a chart-topping song, so take a look...

This Time I'm Really Goin' Off, Fireworks

2011-01-03T17:36:00.002-05:00

Although it took a while to grow on me, Drake's album, Thank Me Later, has since become one of my favorite albums of 2010. One song in particular has struck me like no other, and that would be the album intro, "Fireworks." The lush piano chords, along with Alicia Keys' beautiful voice really helped set the mood for an absolutely beautiful song. A few months ago, a U.K.-based remixer named, Deadboy, created a House edit of "Fireworks" that really does the song justice. I've been bumpin it non-stop lately, and I urge everyone to give it a listen... you may find yourself doing the same.

Let It Ride

2010-12-24T17:37:00.000-05:00

Billionaire Boys Club

2010-12-15T23:08:00.002-05:00

Since the age of 17, Pharrell has been living a dream. It was at this age when he wrote a verse for Teddy Riley to use for Wreckx-N-Effect's 1992 hit-song, "Rump Shaker." The song went double platinum, and Skateboard P's career has been off and running ever since. Together with production partner, Chad Hugo, The Neptunes have won numerous grammy's, produced multiple #1 hits, and have an estimated net worth of $155 million. Recently, The Selby, posted photos of Pharrell at his pad in Miami. The place looks absolutely incredible, and it's definitely fair to say that the fruits of P's labor paid off.

Pharrell's Miami Loft

Coming Out With Gunz Blazin'

2010-12-14T15:44:00.002-05:00

Fresh out the pen, it appears Wayne is wastin' no time to start promoting his upcoming album The Carter IV. Earlier today, Funkmaster Flex premiered the first single off the album, which is called "6'7"." Wayne and upcoming battle-MC, Cory Gunz, spit fire over a rawkus Bangladesh-produced beat. The result is one of the hottest songs to come out in a while. Unfortunately we only have a radio-rip for the moment, but hopefully the CDQ version will be out soon.

Lil Wayne feat. Cory Gunz- 6'7"

Emerging From The Depths

2010-12-13T23:31:00.004-05:00

Deep within the abyss of Aftermath's studios, some of the most talented producers in Hip Hop work every day to create music worthy of the Aftermath/Dr.Dre-approved name. Many of the world's greatest producers- Scott Storch, Hi-Tek, DJ Khalil, Mel Man, Mr. Porter, and Mike Elizondo among others, have all worked under the Aftermath umbrella. The label's newest signee, Dawaun Parker, has put in a lot of work on recent albums, most notably Busta Rhymes' The Big Bang, and Eminem's Relapse. On the side, Dawaun has been workin on an EP of his own called The Decision. With the exception of Kanye, Pete Rock, and to a lesser extent, Pharrell and J Dilla, I'm always skeptical of producer-rappers. For whatever reason, something doesn't seem to translate properly from working behind the boards to gettin' busy in the booth. That said, Dawaun's first single, "Lost," is pretty dope and is absolutely worth a listen for the production alone. Dawaun and Dr. Dre take care of the production, and to his credit, Dawaun sounds legitimate with the mic.

Dawaun Parker- "Lost" (co-prod. by Dr. Dre)

Better Late Than Never

2010-12-13T11:55:00.002-05:00

The Clipse has long been one of my favorite Hip Hop groups. Even though their last album, Till The Casket Drops, didn't quite live up to expectations (sales-wise or critically), it was still better than the vast majority of albums released in 2009. To be fair, the album did have some jams- "Door Man," "Popular Demand," and "Never Will It Stop" knocked real hard. However, one of my favorite songs was the last song on the album, "Life Change." The beat was so dope, and rather than talk about their standard coke-dealings, Pusha and Malice came with some introspective lyrics that really showed how much they've grown as artists. A year later, which is incredibly late by most standards, we've now got the official video for "Life Change," which features Pharrell and Kenna. The vid is pretty cool, and the song is fire so check it out.

OutKastic

2010-12-12T13:30:00.002-05:00

Thanks to my brother Andre, I really got into Big Boi's Sir Lucious Left Foot album this summer. It may have not been everything I expected and hoped, but Big Boi did his thing. Maybe 80% of the songs are too creative and well-produced to press the "next" button on them.

Here is the video for the song The Train Pt. 2. It was recorded in 2008 when Big Boi had unexpectedly linked up with the Atlanta Ballet for the production of Big. The track features Sam Chris on the chorus and is somewhat of a sequel to the original The Train, which featured Scarface, Sleepy Brown, and obviously Andre 3000, from Kast's underrated project, the Idlewild album.

The Train (ft. Sleepy Brown, Scarface)

The Train Pt. 2

Testify

2010-12-12T13:21:00.002-05:00

I can never pass up posting a mash-up done as well as this. The dude, Xaphoon Jones, who is better known for producing for Chiddy Bang, put this together, mashing up Kanye West's Touch The Sky featuring Lupe with Radiohead. It is a welcomed Kanye-centric break from finals and my steady rotation of My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.

Kanye West vs. Radiohead - Testify

Put A Little Dub In Your Step

2010-12-12T13:20:00.002-05:00

For those of you who are looking for a little something different to listen to, let me introduce you to Benga. Benga is one of the premier Dubstep artists from Croydon, South London, and alongside his partner in crime, Skream, he's helped bring Dubstep out of the dark corridors of South London and into the mainstream. I've become a pretty big fan of the genre due to its fusion of Hip Hop, House, Two-Step, Grime, and other types of electronic music. Recently, Benga teamed up with British singer Katy B to remix his song "Man On A Mission," giving birth to new version known as, "Katy On A Mission." The song and accompanying video are a great introduction to one of the fastest growing genres of music.

Forgot About Dre

2010-12-11T20:40:00.001-05:00

Everyone knows that Dr. Dre's Detox album has attained a nearly mythical status due to its numerous delays since 2002. Year after year Dre has promised that the album "was coming soon," but finally, it looks as if it is ready for release in February of 2011. For the skeptics that are saying, "yeah right, I've heard that before," you would probably be right except for the fact that we now have the official video for the first single, "Kush." When I first heard it, I was rather underwhelmed. My thought process was, The Chronic had "Ain't Nuthin' But a 'G' Thang," as a first single 2001 had "Still D.R.E.," and Detox has "Kush?" It just didn't live up to the classic status of the first singles from his previous albums. That said, the song has really grown on me and I've caught myself bumpin' it multiple times the past few days. The video is dope, and hopefully Detox won't disappoint.

He's Baaaack

2010-11-19T17:35:00.004-05:00

The first signs of B.o.B's next mixtape have come to light. He recently released the video for the song Beast Mode that is set to be on his No Genre mixtape, which will be released December 7th. I hate to say it, but I may be more excited for this than I was for the album. Don't get me wrong - the album was dope. I even purchased it, but there is a certain freedom Bobby Ray is granted on mixtapes versus albums that he has always utilized to his fullest potential.

Beast Mode

Lemme Hold Dat Beat

2010-11-18T23:21:00.004-05:00

There is a trend in the industry to release freestyles for the fans for free through the internet. I think this could be one of the smartest movements in the music industry. You need to understand that listeners are downloading the majority of their music online for free. So why not satisfy them, keep them interested, and release some music for free.

Trey Songz is one of the newest artists to do this. On a track with Fabolous, he goes in over Right Above It. While this song is decent, nothing beats him going over Gucci's Lemonade a few months ago. Here's a taste of the best songs off his #LemmeHoldDatBeat tape.

Lemonade

Right Above It ft. Fabolous

And the mixtape: #LemmeHoldDatBeat

Jay Squared

2010-11-18T21:10:00.005-05:00

Who would have thought that one of the most recognized of recent underground rappers and one of the most recognized hip-hop artists of all time would mesh so well together. Despite Diddy's best efforts to get Jay Electronica to his side over the past year or so, Jay-Z swooned the artist into recently signing with Roc Nation.

From this epic signing comes the duo's first product, Shiny Suit Theory. This song is just a great four minutes of hip-hop, blending the styles of two of the most talented people in the game. It also features the musical stylings of The-Dream and Charlotte Gainsbourg. This blend of raw underground skill and an established commercial medium has a lot of potential for the future.

Jay Electronica ft. Jay-Z, The-Dream - Shiny Suit Theory

Bonus: Jay Electronica ft. JFK - The Announcement

All Day

2010-11-18T14:54:00.002-05:00

Girl Talk has just come out with his new album, All Day, the fifth album from this widely known mash-up artist. The album is a seamless play of 372 overlapping samples that did not disappoint. While the energy of the tape is consistent throughout, the variety of samples does well to keep your attention.

The best part about this album is that it came out of nowhere, but it seems that he has been working on it since his last album. Even with no previous news of this new Girl Talk project or rumors of it's release, the internet went nuts upon it's release.

Girl Talk told MTV:

The big feature of this album is giving samples a little bit more breathing room. There are segments on the new record that are extremely detailed and cut-up and, you know, 10 samples will go by in 10 seconds, but I feel there's less of a focus on that compared to previous albums. I'm really interested in the rate of change but sticking with the same source material for a bit longer. It's a little bit more patient, mostly because I've spent just about every day working on it, editing it, going over each segment. It's been a full-time commitment.

You can take full advantage of this capitalization of copyright and sampling laws below.

Girl Talk - All Day

Music On The Highest High

2010-11-15T20:28:00.012-05:00

The duo U-N-I out of LA just released a video to one of the tracks off their album, A Love Supreme 2.0. The track was featured on their previous release, A Love Supreme, and the rest is the album is equally as dope. If you haven't heard anything from these west coast rappers, take a listen to the album, which features the likes of Bun B, Miguel, and Fashawn.

Download Windows

Devil In A Red Dress

2010-11-13T12:37:00.003-05:00

If you have heard Kanye's Devil In A Red Dress already, you can expect a final album version with some fresh verses. Until then you may appreciate the freestyles utilizing this awesome track. J. Cole and Joell Ortiz are two very different rappers, but they are both very talented lyricists and give the track their own individual feel.

Joell Ortiz - Devil In A Blue Dress

J. Cole - Villematic

Cudder Is Back

2010-11-09T15:49:00.003-05:00

Got myself a copy of Man On The Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager. My initial reactions have been very positive, with my immediate standout track being Ashin' Kusher. I know this is going to be in rotation for a while it's great lyrics from Scotty over a sick beat. While I would love to share tracks from Cudi's sophomore studio album, I know they would immediately be removed by the RIAA.

Whether you support the artist or save yourself some money, get your hands on a copy. Until then, you can enjoy this dope Cudi freestyle. He goes in off the dome for an On Da Spot freestyle and has fun with it, which are both something you don't see a lot these days with "freestyles."

On Da Spot Freestyle

Runaway

2010-11-09T15:31:00.002-05:00

If you haven't checked out Kanye West's Runaway video, you might want to. This 35 minute long video features the track for which it is named, but it does not stop there. The video plays through the story of Kanye and his run-in with a fallen Phoenix and successfully utilizes other tracks from his upcoming album My Dark Twisted Fantasy to tell the story.

The video is entertaining to say the least and gives a great preview of what we are in store for come November 22nd, when Kanye releases his fifth studio album. From the tracks I have heard so far, the production is insane.

Singing The Blues

2010-11-09T15:19:00.004-05:00

You may know the name Bruno Mars from this summer's radio hit by B.o.B, Nothing On You. This young singer broke onto the scene through a popular feature, but his recognition is not undeserved. He recently released an album Doo-Wops & Hooligans, and while I've heard several songs that I enjoyed, nothing stood out to me like Liquor Store Blues.

This track was one of the digital singles released to promote the album and featured Damian Marley. They could not go wrong with this collaboration.

Liquor Store Blues

Black & Yellow

2010-11-09T15:07:00.005-05:00

Hasn't even been half a day since my last post on Wiz, but I can't go without sharing a Rick Ross remix of the song which I figure is unofficial and well as a few decent freestyles over the track.

It seems like plenty of people have been flowing over this, but the only ones that remain in my playlists are from Wale and Donnis, both going at the beat very differently.

Wiz ft. Rick Ross - Black & Yellow Remix

Wale - Mike Tomlin

Donnis - Black & Yellow Freestyle

I Wanna Know Your Name

2010-11-09T12:29:00.002-05:00

This song could be in the running for my favorite song of the year. Pharrell linked up with Swedish House Mafia to create some pure fire on the house groups first single, One. This track takes it to another level. The house offerings of SHM alongside Pharrell's crooning fits together flawlessly in an almost mesmerizing way.

Swedish House Mafia ft. Pharrell - One

I wanna know your name... or, better yet, stand there and just do that.

Young Guns

2010-11-09T12:17:00.005-05:00

"Ironic you've been sleeping on the one that you've been dreaming 'bout."

The issue I sometimes have with posse cuts is that because of the star power the track has, artists tend not to go off as if they would on their own track or a track they are on with just one other artist. No matter the length and importance of your feature, artists need to understand that these tracks are showcases.

I definitely enjoyed the newest installment of G.O.O.D. Fridays. The track is called "Looking For Trouble" and has a line-up of Kanye, Pusha, Cyhi, Big Sean, and J. Cole. What first caught my interest on the track was the Cole feature. He is set to release his latest mixtape soon, but I'm glad he took the time to get into Kanye's weekly music movement.

Both J. Cole and Big Sean went off on this track. Not to take away from any one else's performance but there is a clear difference in these artists energy levels. You can see for yourself below.

Kanye West - Looking For Trouble (ft. Pusha T, Cyhi the Prynce, Big Sean, J. Cole)

“I don’t know what it is [when it comes to features]. What it comes from is fear, that’s why I go so hard [on guest spots]. I’m a real competitor. It’s just a fear of somebody besting me and dominating me with a better verse. Not every song is like that, but on a song like ‘Looking For Trouble’ it is. It’s that spirit of hip-hop: Let’s see who can come the best. I don’t know if I’m going to have the best verse, but I know ain’t nobody just gonna kill me.”
-J. Cole

Not Just A Fluke

2010-11-09T12:05:00.005-05:00

I try not to love or on certain artists because of affiliations or common enemies, but the G-Unit situation has always been interesting to me. I was definitely into 50 when he was doing it big, I still regularly listen to The Game and Young Buck who I think are both talented artists, but with Lloyd Banks, I figured my interest had died with my last memory being The Cake off Rotten Apple.

With the resurgence of his popularity this summer with the joint Beamer, Benz, or Bentley, I figured it was just a small shot at something of a comeback - like 50 Cent has been trying to do for a while now. I may have been wrong, though. Since then, I have been hearing a couple real nice tracks that he put together, including a feature on a G.O.O.D. Friday track. You can be the judge for yourself with these tracks.

Finish Line

Celebrity (ft. Akon, Eminem)

Start It Up Remix (ft. Kanye, Swizz, Ryan Leslie, and Fab)

Free Wiz

2010-11-09T11:52:00.004-05:00

It was bound to happen, but Wiz was busted in North Carolina for possession. I couldn't pass up any opportunity to blog about Wiz, but you can check the full story here.

In honor of Wizzle Man getting locked up, I wanted to share a track I recently discovered on an unofficial Wiz mixtape. The track is a mash-up of a couple Notorious B.I.G. verses over Kanye's say you will, with Wiz doing his best "Biggie flow." You can also check out another pretty cool mash-up with Wiz and Biggie here.

Wiz Khalifa ft. Notorious B.I.G. - Say You Will

Vizzy Zonin'

2010-10-05T23:31:00.004-04:00

If you haven't heard of XV, you might want to do a little research. The young rapper from Wichita, Kansas combined with the powers at Warner Bros. recently re-released and remastered Vizzy Zone, XV's most recent mixtape, which has a couple of mixtape gems to say the least. The tape also features the likes of Mike Posner, Talib Kweli, and Bun B for starters. And what other rappers do you ever get to hear from Kansas? Grab the mixtape and check out the video for Mirror's Edge.

Download Vizzy Zone

The Blues

2010-10-03T19:31:00.003-04:00

Recently heard a new collaboration between G-Unit's two fallen angels, The Game and Young Buck. These two artists once teamed up in a track called Hate On Us about a year or so ago, and it definitely shows a bit of growth.

I think both of these artists are great lyricists who are making their respective marks on the industry. While Young Buck continues to work on his mixtape series, The Game has been releasing several mixtapes in preparation for his new album, The R.E.D. Album.

Check out both the collabo tracks as well as a link to The Game's newest mixtape, Brake Lights.

The Blues

Hate On Us

Brake Lights Mixtape

The Game - Hustlin' (Champions) off of Brake Lights

Sticking Around

2010-10-03T18:19:00.005-04:00

After everything Chris Brown has gone through under the scrutiny of the public, it's almost a surprise that he is still around and producing relevant content.

No doubt he is still a talented performer. When you take a song that has already reached popularity and remix track with plenty of guest verses, you're bound to have a decent song. While I do enjoy this Deuces Remix, I have to say it is because of each artists individual performances than the track as a whole. I feel like its almost pieced together with the assumption that it would turn on great with names like Drake, Kanye, and Andre 3000 among others. Chris Brown himself barely has a presence on the track, but what are you going to do besides enjoy.

Chris Brown ft. Drake, T.I., Tyga, Kanye West, Fabolous, Andre 3000 - Deuces Remix

G.O.O.D. Friday Continues (Thankfully)

2010-10-02T16:07:00.004-04:00

As many of you know, Kanye has been releasing a song every Friday for the past month and a half or so, and dubbed the day G.O.O.D. Friday. He's vowed to release a song every Friday until the release of his new album, which is still untitled. However, a little controversy struck earlier this week when one of the songs on Kanye's album leaked online. This kinda stuff happens all the time, but the song was unfinished and unmixed- clearly not intended to be heard by anyone outside of 'Ye's studio. Naturally, Yeezy got pissed that after a month and a half of giving away free music, someone would hack into his email/harddrive and post a song that a) didn't belong to them, and b) was clearly not meant to be heard, yet. Kanye threatened to put a halt on G.O.O.D. Friday, but out of the kindness of his heart, he's graced us with yet another song to bump. Enjoy.

Kanye West feat. Kid Cudi, Pusha T, John Legend, Lloyd Banks & Ryan Leslie- Christian Dior Denim Flow

Me And The Devil

2010-10-02T10:41:00.003-04:00

There are very few artists out there as timeless as Gil Scott-Heron. The man's legacy is set in stone, yet after all these years he's still putting out new music. He really is completely original, to pigeon-hole him into a genre of music really wouldn't be fair. His spoken-word is totally unique, case in point with the classic "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised." His poetry has led many to consider him to be "the godfather of rap," but to be honest, he's simply a genius. Last February, he released his first album in over 10 years, titled "I'm New Here." It got great reviews and had a very eclectic sound, drawing on influences from his old, spoken-word days, Hip Hop, Alternative, and just about everything under the sun. The lead single off the album was "Me And The Devil," a dark, almost hypnotizing song that quickly became one of my favorites of the year. The video is incredible, and I felt it's one that everyone should see. Be sure to check it out below, as well as the song "New York Is Killing Me" feat. NaS... great song.

I'm Better Than You

2010-10-01T21:26:00.003-04:00

One of my favorite up-and-coming MCs, Mickey Factz has been doing his thing, albeit very quietly, for the last couple years or so. Back when I was in the middle of doing the "Who's Next?" series, I fully intended to include Mickey on the list. It's so unfortunate that this dude isn't more well known- the man can spit. If you're not familiar with him, he just released a new mixtape that you NEED to check out, called "I'm Better Than You." A bold title for sure, but he does his best to back it up. Do yourself a favor and download this, you won't regret it.

"I'm Better Than You"

Sidenote: Just A Thought

2010-10-01T19:29:00.003-04:00

Every generation has a time period in Hip Hop that they refer to as "the golden age." Sure, most people refer to "the golden age" as the mid to late 80s with Eric B. and Rakim, Kool G Rap, Big Daddy Kane, KRS-One, and a slew of other dope MCs. But for me, there was nothing like the early to mid 2000s when Roc-A-Fella was really killin' it, with Just Blaze and Kanye working behind the boards. There was a slew of Roc-affiliated artists who benefitted from great production, like Freeway, Young Gunz, Beanie Sigel, and even Memphis Bleek had some hot songs (check out "Like That," and "Is That Your Chick" if you don't believe me). But the group that benefitted most from the Roc-A-Fella co-sign was The Diplomats, who today are generally referred to as Dipset. I used to love Dipset back in the day. Diplomatic Immunity was my shit, I'd bump that 24/7. There were so many classic cuts, and it was amazing to turn on BET (haha, yeah I know) and see the video for "Dipset Anthem," which was pretty epic. Even years later, "I Really Mean It" is still one of my favorite songs ever.

However, when news broke a few months ago that Dipset was getting back together, I actually wasn't too optimistic about it. It's been a while since I heard a Dipset affiliated song that I thought was hot. And I'm not talkin', "oh yeah, this is pretty cool," I'm talkin', "wow, this is fire." I guess the thing that worried me the most about a Dipset reunion wasn't whether or not the chemistry was still there, but if these guys still had an ear for great production. Back in the day, The Heatmakerz, Just Blaze, and Kanye would hook them up with some gems, but lately, the majority of songs I hear just sound like throwaway mixtape tracks. No disrespect to Araab Musik, but he is not even close to being on the same level that those guys were circa 2003, and he's clearly in a different league by today's standards. However, this morning when I logged onto nahright.com, I saw a pic of Jim Jones, Cam, and Juelz standing in the studio with Dr. Dre. "The Capo," a.k.a. Jim Jones had posted it on his twitter, along with the caption "Just finished our 1rst session with Dr Dre incredible." Upon seeing this, I thought maybe things will truly be different this time around. As opposed to being cheap, and working with a bunch of bootleg mixtape producers, maybe they'll actually go out and get the production that they deserve. There are few albums I'd like to see more than a new Dipset joint, if it's done right. There's no reason why they shouldn't reach out to work with great producers. Feel free to comment on this if you like, but I just had to get that off of my chest.

A Glorious Return

2010-09-28T13:53:00.004-04:00

Well, another summer came and went, and I didn't post a single thing. FAIL. Anyways, I'm back on the grind, and it's time for me to step my blog game up. Musically, the next few months look to be quite promising with Kanye's new album, Pusha T's solo mixtape, the Jay-Z/Kanye collabo EP, Mos Def signing to G.O.O.D. music, and way too many other great projects to mention.

Anyways, I decided to kick things off a little differently. For those who don't know, or have been living under a rock for the last couple years, House music is starting to come back in a big way. A-Trak, who's known for winning DMCs World DJ Championship at age 15 (!) and for being Kanye's tour DJ, has been working with American House DJ, Armand Van Helden, under the name of Duck Sauce. You may not recognize the name Armand Van Helden, but you've probably heard at least one of his songs, most likely 1999's "You Don't Know Me." Together as Duck Sauce, they've been putting out House music in the vein of the old French/Disco style from the 90's. If you haven't already checked them out, I urge you to do so as they've been releasing some quality music.

Today, they released the video for their song "Barbra Streisand." There are a ton of cameos including, Kanye West, Just Blaze, Pharrell, DJ Premier, Yelawolf, ?uestlove, among others.

Duck Sauce "Barbra Streisand" from Mr Goldbar on Vimeo.

Also, be sure to check out Uffie feat. Pharrell- ADD SUV (Armand Van Helden Club Mix), it's a "banga"

Yeezy On His Grind

2010-09-06T15:09:00.004-04:00

After what seemed to be a long hiatus from music that included a lot of rumors and antics, Kanye West, arguably one of the greatest entertainers of our time. He raps, he produces, and now he is delivering quality music to us every Friday. Many people have already heard the radio a buzz with Power, the Power Remix, and the hard-hitting Monster.

This Friday, though, he brought us a track produced by Bink! that is reminiscent of Kanye's soul samples in a track called Devil In A New Dress. These tracks are great to hold us over until Kanye's 5th studio album, ~~Good Ass Job~~ Dark Twisted Fantasy.

DJ Premier was cited as saying, "Well, first of all, if you look at all of Kanye West's output, he actually did a lot to bring back sampling and make it cool again, even though he's more of a mainstream artist...but his new album is strictly hard beats and rhyme. He's totally done with electro. You're gonna be surprised what you hear." Definitely looking forward to that album, but in the meantime, I'll enjoy whatever I can get my hands on.

Devil In A New Dress

EPIC

2010-08-06T17:31:00.000-04:00

No Shots at BP

2010-07-27T18:02:00.004-04:00

Summer used to be a time of rest and relaxation. Sadly growing up has forced me to get a job and really cut the time I try to spend on here. Can't be making excuses, though, so why not throw up a track while I'm here.

This is a real smooth track with Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys on the chorus. On the song, Oil Money, brought to you by Freddie Gibbs, he is accompanied by fellow young artists Chip Tha Ripper and Chuck Inglish of The Cool Kids, as well as the veteran who will never miss a feature opportunity, Bun B.

Oil Money

Joining Forces

2010-07-10T21:52:00.002-04:00

There was a great KiD CuDi collabo that I recently heard called All Summer. He was recruited by Converse to make this awesome track with Rostam Batmanglij of Vampire Weekend and Best Coast.

Also, if you haven't heard the few tracks that have been released from KiD CuDi's new album, check out Erase Me and REVOFEV.

All Summer

It's Time For Bravery

2010-07-04T03:04:00.004-04:00

I was checking out the website today and noticed two things...

1. Mr. Evans and I haven't poster anything since last month. Granted we are only four days into the month, but that still means our last post was almost two weeks ago.

2. The last post I got around to was about J. Cole, Roc Nation's first official artist. The one thing I can say is this kid's pen game is ridiculous. His lyrics are endless, and you can tell that he has been putting in the work. Recently I really got into his second and most popular mixtape, The Warm Up. Many argue that J. Cole has more potential talent and potential than fellow up-and-comer Drake, and this mixtape definitely gives Drizzy a run for his money. After listening to this mixtape through a few times, it's hard to argue that this isn't a Cole World.

Just like one of my favorite roommates back at Boston College, this lyricist hails from Fayetteville, North Carolina. His goal, through his delivery, is to put the Ville on the map, and only few can argue that he isn't doing just that. There is no doubt that J. Cole is a talented rapper whose performances and lyricism, if they prevail, will keep this kid around for a while.

This mixtape gets me excited about this young artist, who has the ability to change the game. Check out his newest mixtape, The Warm Up, to understand what I am hearing. If you get more curious like me, download The Come Up, the mixtape from 2007 that started it all.

Download: The Warm Up

J. Cole's 2009 Mixtape that will serve as a prelude to his freshman album due later this year.

Bonus : The Last Stretch

This is a great track that J put out a year after the release of The Warm Up over Diddy's Angel.