Day 7 Of What I Thought Was Hot This Year 2014

Hip Hop Album: J Cole: 2014 Forest Hills Drive

 

 

When it comes to young dudes who were the guys who should be carrying the torch J Cole is at the top of the list. Going past the hype and how it was the number one album, the album is good. I’m still a fan of all the beat choices but i say that about Nas too, it’s something that happens I guess. Nice to see the brother is staying to true to himself and giving the listeners something to hold on to.

Hip Hop Song: Rick Ross: Rich Is Gangsta

From the time the beat drops to the last words Rick Ross says this song kills it. I got the Mastermind album and enjoyed it. This song was one of the three standout songs to me.

Non Hip Hop Album: D’Angelo: Black Messiah

 

This album came out of nowhere, I went to a site one day and saw the Amazon link, went there and there were no comments or stars. I had to go back and read the review to make sure someone was trying to sell a mixtape or some group of unreleased songs from Voodoo. It was the real deal and it was different. Different in a good way, the way you’d expect someone like D’Angelo to give the world.

Non Hip Hop Song: Rae Sremmurd: No Flex Zone

This song is straight foolishness to highest of highs, yet it’s so crazy that it sticks to your ribs. I think everyone kn ows someone way out of the demographic range of this song that sings the hook all the time. I don’t even know anything but the hook and for that the song has done it’s job. Trust me it’s not a good song but because it’s kids being kids and it could be a lot worse like some grown ass 30 something trying to make this his single I gave it love.

Swagger Wagon Get Hate For Being To Close To The Truth

 

Apparently “Black Twitter” is upset over the video for a new ride from Toyota called the Swagger Wagon. You can see the video below but still here is a quick description, a middle class White family is rapping about the car and everyone is dancing like chicks on Youtube doing those Souljah Boy and Doug E dances. Even on the Youtube page you can read people talking about how embarrassing the video is and or how white people suck. Personally I think the video is pure satire like that Korn video back when Diddy had Hip Hop acts wearing those shiny suits. I also think people upset haven’t been watching television lately because there are many commercials doing the same thing as Toyota in regard to having Hip Hop all in the mix.

If this video doesn’t looks right to you it could be because there are no half naked big booty woman and the men aren’t throwing cash at the camera. There isn’t anything different from this video or song, since it is truly a whole song, than what I can hear from established signed artists. Is the song too G rated? I can tell you artist rap about items all the time, Run DMC gave the world “My Adidas”. The average rapper can have sell anything just from a phrase, hook, a scene in a video or the album cover, so why not take the same approach like Toyota did if you want to sell your product? To say the song sucked and the bars were weak is meaningless when people are quick to tell you Iggy Azalea got bars and Trinidad James and Tyga are top ten MCs. If you are considering calling the song and or video trash you have to hold that same judgment for any video BET throws out there. We can’t call a car company out for making a mockery of Hip Hop but allow actual artists to do the same thing with no criticism/given at all. It’s easy to play the race card because the people in the video gave the whitest of white people act for the commercial. It’s not about race, and if “Black Twitter” really gave a damn they’d acknowledge the problem starts at home. If there is anger towards Toyota there also should be anger at every record label and radio station and BET as well as any websites promoting the same ignorant garbage music that gets played every hour on the hour of every day. If I worked for Toyota I’d put a statement out saying the song sounds no different than what’s on the radio. Who’s going to argue with that? From the beat to the hook down the lame singing it was all straight from any song on airwaves now. I understood the May J Blige Burger King song about chicken thing, but when you’re blasting “Bugatti” by Ace Hood or “Maybach Music” by Rick Ross it sounds foolish to be mad about a Swagger Wagon. Toyota showed people just how stupid the average Hip Hop song is and even the fans if the biggest complaint is about white people.

Day 9 Of What I Thought Was This Year 2013

Hip Hop Album: Daz & WC: Westcoast Gangsta Shit

Here’s something that the East and West have in common, a traditional sound. Ues West Coast has evolved over the years and yet still there is a stereotypical West Coast “sound” associated within Hip Hop. Of course that’s not a bad thing at all, in fact Westcoast Gangsta Shit embodies that sound. Daz has always been one of the West Coast ill producers and WC gets respect off top since his Madd Circle days, so when these two icons connect it’s a nothing but a good thing. There really isn’t any rust on these two legends, there are however lack of current slang and just vibe. Of course that is what happens with many old school artists who aren’t teaming up with current artists.

Hip Hop Song: Big Sean: Control

Be honest, if it wasn’t for that Kendrick Lamar verse no one would give a damn about this song. BUT that verse exists and it does so on this Big Sean song and that makes this song one on everyone’s top whatever list of 2013 in the world of Hip Hop.

Non Hip Hop Album: Charles Bradley: Victim of Love

Charles Bradley is a true talent that deserves the love he gets right now in his life. This second album Victim of Love continues to keep the soul funk fest going with ease. Not sure who Charles Bradley’s audience is on a massive level but one thing is for sure, they have to be loving this album.

Hip Hop Song: Blood Orange: You’re Not Good Enough

Pop music seems to be falling deeper in this love affair with the 80‘s. Blood Orange is a prime example with “You’re Not Good Enough” sounding like they came from a Prince show and wanted to be like him. By no means is that a bad thing because this song is very catchy.

Day 8 Of What I Thought Was Hot This Year 2013

Best Hip Hop Album: Black Milk: No Poison No Paradise

The Drums, the sample chops, the flow….. It’s all there as if it never left. No Poison No Paradise is another great album from Black Milk. The sound of Hip Hop Detroit Hip Hop is in this brother’s hand without a doubt.

Best Hip Hop Song: Jay – Z: Jay Z Blue

Another favorite song off the Magna Carta Holy Grail album, the album isn’t on my list but these songs are. What’s cool about this song, pass the touching fact he ( Jay) addresses how it is to be a father and how he doesn’t want to fail\ at being a father, is the why B.I.G is a major part of the song. The message isn’t as heartfelt as it should be, I mean let’s be real if this was The Blueprint album this could be a tearjerker of a song. With that said Jay still gets his point across well.

Non Hip Hop Album: Gregory Porter: Liquid Spirit

Liquid Spirit is a strong album. The mellowness is put up against the powerful vocals of Gregory Porter and it sounds so much older than some 2013 release. Not a song wasted on silliness on this album, this is some old school love blah blah blah stuff here. I say that in a bad way bit it truly is a good thing, to hear the multiple aspects of love is lost in the music these days. Even the cover songs sound original just because of the way they’re brought to the listener on this album.

Non Hip Hop Song: Amel Larreiux: Afraid

It feels good hearing new music from Amel Larreiux. A little more bounce than I was expecting but still sounds familiar to me. I haven’t gotten the album but this is a great first single to run with.

Day 6 Of What I Thought Was Hot This Year 2013

Hip Hop Album: Tony Touch: Piece Maker 3: Return of the 50 Mcs

First off unless I lost count there aren’t 50 MCs on this album, unless something happened to the rest of the album. This is a throwback album for sure and that’s not a bad nor good thing, just a nice thing. A peirce of Hip Hop that was fistoric was brought back to the game and that is the legendary 50 MCs. There really isn’t a weak link on this album, you do wish more new artist showed up to bring the game full circle, but this is still a great album never the less.

Hip Hop Song: Wale: Love Hate Thing

From the start when you get the feeling of nostalgia of Marvin Gaye “Love Hate Thing” sticks with you, the hook alone will stay trapped in your mind and on the tip of your tongue. To be fair I really don’t listen to much of Wale’s music but this song does sound good.

Non Hip Hop Album: Ralph Alessi: Baida

Jazz can be that cool funky heart pounding thing that gets your blood flowing or that calming sweet release that sweeps you away to a secret peace. Baida is the latter for sure and it’s a pleasant ride the whole way through. The slow burn isn’t for everyone and I’ll admit I play this and other slow albums in cycles myself.

Non Hip Hop Song: Bilal: West Side Girl

It’s always good to hear anything from Bilal, even if you don’t get where it’s going when you first hear it. This is not a grow on you song at all, this is a nice song that just sticks with you. Not sure when thealum will drop but it’s cool to just hear from a talented man who brings that heat.

Black Ceezar: Jay – Z: Birth Of A Brand Part 1&2

Jay-z is truly what Hip Hop was and is supposed to be, from underground indie artist to someone everyone everywhere just knows by name if not by face. He gets love in the hood and within politics and business circles. He has a vast catalog of gutty shit joints and just as much if not more charts topping radio songs. No artist before and even after Jay-Z has mastered the tight rope walk like Jay. These two mixes touch on this facet. The first mix is Jay-Z the chart climber radio dude, spanning from 96 to 2013 click here. The second mix is Jay-Z the what locked mixtapes down and just kept Jay-z in the top five MC’s talk for almost two decades click here.

Birth Of A Brand (Radio)

1. Intro
2. Can’t Knock The Hustle
3. Can’t Knock The Hustle remix
4. Hard Knock Life
5. Can I Get A
6. Niggas In Paris
7. Nigga What Niiga Who
8. Izzo
9. Girls Girls Girls
10. Girls Girls Girls remix
11. Dirt Off Your Shoulder
12. Girls Best Friend (blend)
13. 03‘ Bonnie And Clyde
14. Song Cry (blend)
15. Change Clothes
16. I Just Wanna Love You
17. Excuse Me Miss
18. I Know
19. Lost One
20. Ain’t No Nigga
21. Money Cash Hoes
22. Big Pimpin
23. Tom Ford
24. Empire State Of Mind
25. 30 Something
26. Roc Boys
27. Encore

Birth Of Brand (Street)

1. Intro
2. Dead President 3
3. Dead President 2
4,. Where I’m From
5. Heart Of The City
6. 1-900- Hustle
7. D’ Evils
8. Go Crazy verse
9. In My Lifetime
10. Politics As Usasul
11. Takeover
12. Threat
13. No Hook
14. Public Service Announcement remix
15. Brooklyn Finest
16. So Ghetto
17. Show You How To Do This Son
18. Heaven
19. People’s Court
20. It’s Like That
21. Pre- Game
22. A Million And One Questions
23. Allure
24. Freind Or Foes 98‘ remix
25. It’s Murda
26. You Don’t Know
27. Dear Summer

And the challenge has been issued

 

Kendrick Lamar has been one of the few real Highlights of the new dudes spitting right now and now he has officially claimed the crown for this era of MCs. By my account the only MC even close to matching him on the pop rap radar is J. Cole and he was called out as well on the record as well as the host of the song which Kendrick went off on, “Control” by Big Sean. So who will step up to the challenge of stepping up your bars? I’ve already heard a few New York MC’s took issue with the “King of New York” comment but so far nothing from Kendrick peers. The problem is rappers will go out of their way to make a diss track or some slick remark on a song and not take to heart that the point is that MCing is about being on top of your game, if Jay – Z didn’t show the world anything he showed Hip Hop how to make club bangers and radio friendly songs and still be sharp with your bars. Will this have an affect on the game? Not really, even unsigned artists are content with the less said is better approach rappers have become accustomed to.

 

Hearing a new dude say step it up is refreshing because if some older dude said it the verse would have been tossed to the side as just more hate from bitter dudes who had their time. The cool thing is the fact that Kendrick is popular so MTV and pop sites picked up on the song just as fast as core Hip Hop heads did and now the “controversy” is out on pop culture. is this a verse of the year verse, don’t know, hell I don’t know how deep people hunt for great verses because almost any Black Thought and Joe Budden verse is worthy of that title. With that being said I hope the focus on the verse on the song does fade to back as just a way to get attention and the message doesn’t fall on deaf ears. I don’t care what the topic is just have bars when you spit.

Black Ceezar: Summer Treat 3

 

The third Summer Treat mix, click here and enjoy

 

1. Kool & the Gang – Summer Madness
2. Dj Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince – Summertime
3. Macklemore and Ryan Lewis – Can’t Hold Us
4. Kelis – Milkshake
5. Skee-Lo – I Wish
6. The Pharcyde- Passin Me By
7. 2pac feat. Digital Underground – I Get Around
8. Naughty by Nature- Hip Hop Hooray
9. Phyllis Hyman- You Know How To Love Me
10. The Temptations- Treat Her Like A Lady
11. Lisa-Lisa and Cult Jam – I Wonder If I Take You Home
12. Shannon – Let The Music Play
13. II Hype – Entouch
14. Eric B. & Rakim – Eric B. Is President
15. Tom Scott – Today
16. Pete Rock & CL Smooth – T.R.O.Y. (They Reminisce Over You)
17. Mary J Blige – Real Love
18. Audio Two – Top Billin’
19. 50 Cent – I Get Money
20. Justin Timberlake – Summer Love
21. Aaliyah ft. Timbaland – Are you that Somebody
22. Snoop Doggy Dogg – Gin And Juice
23. R. Kelly Feat. Jay-Z – Fiesta Remix
24. Mase feat. Total – What You Want
25. LL Cool J feat. Total – Loungin’ (remix)
26. Bernard Wright – Who Do You Love

Black Ceezar: Summer Treat Pt 1

 

 

It’s Summer and that means music that represents Summer and still keep it hood. This mix goes across the board from pop to some rap and some Hip Hop. Feel good music for the  Sumer so  click here and enjoy the mix

 

1. Daft Punk – Get Lucky
2. Bruno Mars – Treasure
3. Passion Pit – Little Secrets
4. Electric Light Orchestra – Mr. Blue Sky
5. Common – Blue Sky
6. Jay – Z & Kanye West – No Church In The Wild
7. Maroon 5 – One More Night
8. Q – Tip – Breathe & Stop
9. Nelly – Hot In Here
10. Black Star – Brown Sugar remix
11. Ludacris – Stand Up
12. Justin Timberlake feat. Jay- Z – Suit & Tie
13. Sly, Slick and Wicked – Sho’ Nuff
14. The Emotions – The Best Of My Love
15. Bruno Mars – Locked Out Of Heaven
16. Pharrell – Frontin
17. Mobb Deep – Quiet Storm
18. Faith Evans – Love Like This
19. Mary J Blige feat. Jadakiss & CL Smooth – Family Affair remix
20. Foxy Brown – Oh Yeah
21. Tribe Called Quest feat. Leaders Of The New School – Scenario
22. Lauryn Hill – Lost Ones

 

Thursday Review Ep2.: Lil Wyane: I Am Not A Human Being 2

This week’s review is the latest release from Lil Wayne I Am Not A Human Being 2.

I’m also doing something new where I say a few lines from Hip Hop songs before the start of each show to show that having bars is essential to being a MC. Enjoy this week’s podcast and feel free to leave your comments. Click here to listen to the Podcast.

[audio https://s3.amazonaws.com/ThursdayReview/thursday+review+ep+2.mp3 ]

Show Notes

Opening Lines [00:00]
Theme Music [00:20]
The Summary [01:21]
Song Of The Week [17:36]
Recap and Contact Information [23:32]