Every time I see a Miami artist (Rick Ross, DJ Khaled, etc.) do a video for a song with a Runners beat, I can't help but feel like I'm observing a higher quality version of Grand Theft Auto. It's like, the kids who were playing it finally grew up and get to act it out.
These guys live strange lives to be sure. Miami rap is weird. Cheers to beards, though.
Also, what the fuck is DJ Khaled talking about? I want to meet this guy's ego so bad. I'm sure it will be the most oppressive thing I'll encounter in my life.
Scarface has the slow flow that I love. This is a blessing and a curse: dude's albums are rarely strong from beginning to end, but there's always some gems.
Same goes for his most recent effort, M.A.D.E.. Lots of filler, and a bit of killer. I'd like to share some of it with you now. Check out Git Out My Face, I'm sure it will brighten your Friday, especially if you have to deal with haters all week.
Anyone wanna give me an invite to waffles? If you've got one, you know what I'm talking about. Hook it up, will ya? Hit me in the comments or somethin'. Thanks in advance.
So I'm going to start doing a "Throwback Thursday," (clever, I know), on which I post an old video or song or something from the past. On this, the inaugural Thursday, I present the titular track from Westside Connection's brilliant 1996 album, Bow Down. I can't even count how many times I've listened to this CD.
...It was on permanent rotation for what must have been years. To be enjoyed while drinking a malt beverage from a paper bag.
I'm long overdue in posting a link to Plenty White. It's not just another hip-hop blog... or is it?! Anyway, my approval stamp has been stamped, as if it was really even necessary.
The first video here is Baby Bash f. Sean Kingston, "What Is It", a catchy club tune that I couldn't resist posting. I'm not sure what's going on with the anti-iPod theme though: saturated, color changing backgrounds with black and white clubbers in front? Perhaps they should have just made everyone a silhouette.
The second video only appeals to me insofar as it reminds me of 1996 and 1997 in southern rap music, back when bedroom-booty rap started to break into the mainstream. Here's Mike Jones and Hurricane Chris with "Drop and Gimme 50." Hilarious song. Hilarious video. Let's all laugh together and shake our fannys.
I also got this: Dangermouse remixing Nas, "It Ain't Hard to Tell"--a softer addendum to today's post. But wait! How could the day be complete without some new Lil Wayne? Here's Yung Berg featuring Lil Wayne & Brisco, "Bitch Please".
Props to Pandatoes, Nahright and others somewhere out on the far reaches of the hip-hop interweb.
Solid album. I got my leak today and I'm all about it: RZA's beats are on point and the lyrics flow nice. Very early NYC sounding, not exactly gritty, but much more Jeru/Pete Rock style I'd say. I love this kind of stuff: it's real hip-hop and it's a return to form for RZA, at least. I heard a lot of complaining coming from within the Wu ranks, most of them running along the lines of "RZA likes guitars too much." My only response to that is: suck it haters, RZA won, you lost. This album will get critical acclaim--even with that dumb cover.
So RZA's good, but as far as the group goes, well, there will never be another 36 Chambers; never another Wu-Tang Forever.
You can cop a leak here if you've got a torrent client and stuff. Great album.
I'm not going to do a whole obit on Pimp C. I'm only going to say that he was legendary, and one of the best who ever did it in the south. He opened a lot of doors for a lot of people, and it's sad that he's gone. He was angry, and he was all about the music--he was a uniter, as they say. If you haven't ever listened to old UGK, do yourself a favor and pick up their early 90s stuff. It's amazing.
The only other thing that I've got is a single song. I think it's appropriate to post this today, because it is certainly my favorite verse ever by the Pimp. Have a listen to Crooked Lettaz f. Pimp C - Get Crunk.
Pusha, one half of the Cliipse, decided to toss up a little video on the Re-Up Gang blog in response to Lil Wayne's interview in this month's Complex Magazine. After the obligatory self-promotion at the beginning, it's clear that Pusha is mad.
I'm troubled by this because I love Weezy, but I also happen to love Pusha and the Clipse. These are probably the two best lyricists in hip-hop, and it looks like they've got real beef, now. Most beef in rap, however, usually blows over, simply because there's too much money to be made when people work together--and as we all know, controversy drives sales, just ask Kanye and 50 Cent.
The most significant part of Pusha's monologue is all of the gun talk. It's a bit frightening, and when coming from his mouth in this context is also a lot realer than rapping about hollowtips. Let's hope that no real shells start flying.
It's no secret: I love Spank Rock. From his high pitched voice to his humpty-esque style, the guy is amazing. He completely reimagined the Miami Bass genre, regionally popular almost 20 years ago, and brought it to an entirely new crowd of ass-shaking hipsters in 2006 - 2007. Last month's EP, Bangers & Cash would definitely have made my top 10 of the year, had it been more than six tracks long.
In any case, there's videos. The newest of which just dropped today, for the song "B.O.O.T.Y." is amazing, and a nice follow-up to the incredibly vulgar, cartoony "Pu$$y". They're both here, but with the caveat that the lyrics are definitely NSFW, and the video for "Pu$$y" is probably not safe anywhere.
I love everything about this. The bass is absolutely overpowering, and combined with Spank's frantic pace, it becomes a total assault on the senses--just listen to the siren cranking in the background. Shit's going down. These songs were designed for only one purpose--Okay, well, maybe two: the dance floor and the strip club. Check out "Pu$$y" below, but be sure to hide the kids.
Gee, I wonder what was on Spank Rock's mind when he put together this little EP. Wowzers. I can't wait for more from him.
I'm about to put you on to the Girl Talk slaying mix-mash-man known as Easter Egg. This is something like A-Trak's Dirty South Dance, but not exactly: it has ADD, is on Adderall, and doesn't know how to stop--which is fine, considering it is a dance mixtape and as such, demands chaos.
Get your copy of Hipsters & Wiggers Vol. 1. Download, rinse, repeat. I should mention, this is a bona fide mashup: you're going to get about 60 or 70 different tracks and artists, compressed down into an hour of listening. Just see if you can stay seated.
I meant to post this video after it ended up in my mailbox, but sort of forgot about it for a week. Thanks to Jessica for putting me on to this.
Track is called "Laid Back in the Sun," and reminds us all that Keith is the godfather, he's been doing the spaced out shit since before Your Favorite Rapper ever laced up his first pair of Tims--even Lil Wayne. Weezy was in diapers when Keith was rappin' about doo-doo and men from Mars.
This is the most hardcore song I'm ever going to post on my blog. You should probably be waving a really heavy gun if you plan to listen to it. God, I love Daz Dillinger--still gutter after, what, 15 years of making rap? Can't take the hood out of dude. Song's called, "Only on the Left Side,"off the soon-to-be-released album of the same name, and it's hardcore. So hardcore that it makes me wanna break out some Westside Connection and reminisce--the early 90s LA scene really produced some amazing voices, just listen to the way Daz controls the mic. Bullets to your head.
Wow. What an adrenaline rush. For something more festive, and a bit lighter, check out Gorilla Zoe f. Neighborhood Superstars & Block - It's Christmas. Jingle bling, indeed. I'll never understand why rappers feel the need to make Christmas songs, but it's been a tradition for sometime now, anyone remember David Banner's, "The Christmas Song"? Equally insane.
Also, there's a new single out off of Birman's forthcoming Five Star Stunna, I Run This. Nice beat, nice flow.
Other shit to read today would include the Lil Wayne interview over at XXL, where he reveals, for the 1,226th time, that he is completely mental. All hail the dreaded syrup-sippa. Also, I'm curious, does anyone else wonder about how long Weezy will be keeping his locks? I'm of the opinion that they will probably be attached to his noggin until they grow into a floor-scraping Sadhu mess.
New Kid Sister video featuring none other than rap's one and only Ego With Legs, Mr. Kanye West. As eskay puts it, I can't believe 'Ye even showed up for the video.
I love this girl, but am upset to see her working with Kanye--I guess that's just Chicago love. Ah well, "Pro Nails" is still great, but it ain't no Switchboard. Download that and proceed to bump.
