Blue Scholars - “Coffee & Snow”
By Eric | January 3, 2009
Damn, tell me this sh*t doesn’t make you feel all warm and fuzzy….especially if you’re from the East like myself. Damn, I miss those days of shoveling snow on an hourly basis..yeah, right. One thing’s for sure, Sabzi’s beat for this joint is Fiiiiiiiya!!!!
Topics: Let's Talk About.....(Review Series) | 2 Comments »
“Picks Of The Litter” (Eric’s Top 100 Tracks Of ‘08) 50-41
By Eric | January 2, 2009
Admittedly, I’ve never been the biggest Atmosphere fan, and the hia collection of YouTube videos (and I mean collection, shit!) to promote “When Life Gives You…” didn’t really convert me in to a true-blue fan either. However, the duo of Ant & Slug churned out a good…..REALLY good album with their ,08 release, “When Life Gives You Lemons, Paint That Sh*t Gold”. While I wouldn’t exactly designate Atmosphere as “trend setters”, these cats are very innovative and have set out to carve their own path to truly push the envelope of what has become acceptable within the limits of a “traditional” Hip Hop album. And let’s face it, the outward appearance of these two isn’t considered exactly “Hip Hop” either, but fu*k it, who cares? “When Life Gives….” was probably in my top 15 releases of the year thus far, and I’ve never even owned an Atmosphere record besides “Seven’s Travels”, which my Wife (then Girlfriend) sent me in a “care package” when I was deployed in Iraq. Now, that was a pretty dope album as well as it provided the background music to alot of good memories that I took along with me following my term in the Military.
“Me” just so happens to be my favorite track from the album. Ant provides Slug with a beautiful sound scape for Slug to unveil his self-depreciating, reflective lyrics that perfectly describe his past while rapping in third person. It’s almost as if Slug is looking at himself in the mirror, revisiting a time line in his life that he would rather mend than regret. “Me” is super mellow and cooled out, mainly in part to the soothing guitar lick and the heavenly vocals that stray in the background. A word of advice, even if you aren’t the biggest Atmosphere follower (much like me), be sure to give “When Life Gives…” a listen, you won’t be wasting your time!
49. “Chill”-Dela f. Large Professor & Meemee Nelzy
If there is one thing that occurs within underground Hip Hop every year, there are supposed “Great” albums that, when released, surely weren’t deserving of half the hype they received. On the flip side of the coin, there are always the less-hyped acts that drop surprises. You can add “Dela” the later list as “Changes Of Atmosphere” dropped outta’ nowhere and was extremely really refreshing.
Hailing from France, similar to the Jazz Liberatorz, he connected with a slew of American artists to shine over his soulful productions. “…Atmosphere” had a mellow jazzy vibe with deeply textured beats, think “Main Ingredient”, yet remaining innovative and distinctive. Dela showed his love for Pete Rock on the Large Pro assisted “Chill”, which is one of the best Pete Rock produced beats that the Soul Brother #1 never did!! I really loved the whole album, the production was just so slick and the range of guests, from Blu to Talib Kweli really sparked my interest as well. “Changes…” was a truly fine display of talent from an International cat, that really proved that Hip Hop has turned into a worldwide affair!!
48. “God Is In The Building”-Killer Mike
Yeah, yeah, yeah…we’re all aware of the drama surrounding Big Boi and Killer Mike…errr…there was “drama” I should say (it seems that the tension between the two has ceased). However, the real focus needs to be on Killer Mike’s “I Pleage Allegiance To The Grind II”. Now don’t get it twisted, I’m as big of an “East Coast head” as you’ll find, outside of Outkast and a few others, I’ve never been a huge fan of “Southern” Hip Hop….especially with the most recent flood of B.S. emerging from that part of the map. However, Killer Mike nailed it with this release, touching on a wide array of subject matter over trunk rattling beats that rattle your ribcage.
“God Is In The Building” is as eerie as it gets. Over the same sample that PMD (of EPMD) popularized with the “Rugged N Raw” remix (that also featured Das Efx, I believe), Killer Mike went for broke with a little assistance from an angelic hook that paired up nicely with the tone of the sample. It doesn’t matter where you’re at or where you’re from, be sure not to let Killer Mike’s “I Pledge Allegiance….” fall upon deaf ears. “God…..Is….In…..Me”…
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“Da Incredible Rap Team”? Ummm, not so much on this album, but still most of the time the results were very, very good. Most die-hard B.C.C. fans never thought the day would come when a 3rd album from this dynamic duo would ever drop after the very wack “Magnum Force”, which dropped nearly 10 (!) years earlier. The Boot Camp Clik are one of the few crews from Hip Hop’s Golden Era that managed to comeback in this decade with some good material without sounding like some old washed up veterans.
Heltah Skeltah are still a dope combo that hasn’t forgotten how to keep it lyrical and energetic. There’s still an unmistakable chemistry between Ruck (Sean Price) and Rock, and that “chemistry” took center stage on the Marco Polo produced heater, “Insane”. On “Insane” , “D.I.R.T.” unleashed ill bombs in succession and there’s just so many quotables on the track that it’s hard to keep up with all the dopeness. The only thing that really hindered this release was the production that seemed to slow down near the end of the album. However, for the majority of “D.I.R.T.” the production was fairly good and sat well for the rough and rugged vocal stylings (yet sometimes very comical) of Heltah Skeltah. A definte “must check” for 2008.
Uhhh…I got a quick question? Why in hell is no one even mentioning L.E.O.’s “Spiritual Intelligence”? You see the little fine print in the the lower left hand corner in the pic to your left? That’s right, produced by Large Professor….11 tracks….the whole album…produced by the one and only Large Pro! Okay, I know that statement may not hold alot of weight in light of Large Pro’s less than impressive “Main Source”, which found itself amongst the pages of subpar reviews, but still. Trust me, I know just as much about L.E.O. as you do and the first question that I had after listening to this album is “why didn’t Large Pro keep some of these beats for his own sh*t?”.
While L.E.O will suffice on the mic, he’s no Nas and lyrically he’s just average in my opinion. But the beats on this joint for the most part are….Wow!! I still can’t believe that this album earned next to no ink, even if it’s solely based on it’s production merits. “Mother Of God”, even though the lyrics may contain a lil’ bit too much religious dogma for my taste, was crazy nice!! Large Pro dropped some of the finest production that we’ve heard from him in years and the Nas featured hooked is icing on the cake. In cased you missed out you can still DL “Spiritual Intelligence” HERE (via GrandGood…only 985 downloads? WTF???). I STILL can’t believe that Large Pro didn’t keep some of these beats for “Main Source” (shaking head)!?!
45. “Verbal Heat/Rapid Fire”-Percee P vs. Oh No
In 2008, it seemed as if Oh No also tried his hand at remixing Percee’s ‘07 release “Perseverance” once again! This coming after Oh No’s big brother Madlib handled the original production on “Perseverance” and then gave it another ‘go round in the winter of ‘07 and remixed the project himself. However, plain and simple, this sh*t was banana sandwich!!! Oh No’s beats and sequencing seemed to cater to Percee’s aggressive, rapid fire delivery, whereas the pairing of Madlib and Percee seemed to come off as “awkward” at times. Oh No’s production on this effort is top-notch, the bass thumps and there are moments where I felt as if I’m listening to some of the Bomb Squad’s earlier production. Matter of fact, I’m sitting here listening to this album in my headphones as I’m typing this and I’m just pissed at myself for not listening to the album more than what I already did!! Of all the efforts Oh No has put out, this has gotta’ be his crowning moment thus far and I’m a HUUUUGE fan of his debut, “The Disrupt”. Great stuff, Peep it HERE.
In 2008, “Tronic” was the true testament to Black Milk’s maturity as an emcee and a producer. In this past decade of listening to Black Milk (yeah, back in the BR Gunna dayz), for the first time I can hear “Black Milk” coming from his tracks, in other words not so much J Dilla influence. With “Tronic”, Black Milk displayed his new found love for synthesizers/keys that were filled with texture and warmth. The way he layered his beats on this album was very impressive, particularly on some of the “outros” that took the track to it’s close (”Without U”). “Hold It Down” may have been the only track on the album I didn’t really care for, the rest of “Tronic” was downright enjoyable!
Throughout the majority of the album, Black Milk had enough going on in his music to never lose your attention, for the most part-just like “Try”- the production is busy and hectic (think “Bomb Squad” or J-Zone). Black also seemed to step up his pen-game a bit, to the point where I thought he had a ghost-writer on a few of the tracks….I mean, he REALLY stepped it up on the M-I-C. With this album, Black’s delivery is definitely more aggressive, as shown on “The Matrix” where he fit in alongside Pharoahe Monch and Sean Price without being placed in the Eminem’d (see: “Renegade”). Black Milk is pretty much a battle rapper throughout much of “The Tronic”, with various insertions about his life in the “D” and politics thrown in for good measure. And while I’ve seen on various spots that “Try” is considered to be the weakest track from the album, I consider it to be the best….even if short, lyrically, than the remainder of the content on the album…it’s still “Tronic’s” most danceable and most importantly…FUN track.
43. “Emo Coaster”-JustMe & Cas Metah
It’s been nearly 3 years since the original Scribbling Idiots duo brought you their debut collaboration. Well in 2008, the wait was over. JustMe & Cas Metah were back and “Unemployed”, their 2ndfull-length project together and it’s just what you enjoy from these (Scribbling) idiots: Witty battle rhymes, thought-stirring lyricism, and the sarcastic raps you love and expect over jazzy, boom-bap production. This side project also featured the rest of the Scribbling Idiots crew and beats from Scribbling Idiots, Muneshine, Vintage and more.
“EmoCoaster” was an up tempo little ditty, detailing “a day in the life” of an underground artist, complete with tales of not getting paid after a show, primary income from “merch” (merchandise) sales and the general pitfalls of being an independent trying to carve out a name for yourself. “Emo…” also boasted stellar production from fellow Scibbling Idiots alumnus Theory Hazit. “Are Unemployed” is yet another good “Christian” rap album that has joined the likes of Poems’ “Blooming Sounds” as a solid release that should not be missed just because it isn’t exactly “hardcore” per se.
The GZA…GENIUS!!!! GotDamn!!! Dude came full circle with “Pro Tools” right? Let it be known, when this leaked mid-summer…well….let’s just say out of all the albums that I..umm…previewed, this was one of the most pleasant surprises. Not to say that I’m not a fan of the GZA’s body of work (Liquid Swords=CLASSIC), but outside of Ghost and the most recent Wu album, I tend not to get too excited about anything emerging from the Wu camp anymore. However, GZA gave me a big “Fu*k You” with “Pro Tools”!! This album was without question his best album not named “Liquid Swords”, the lyrics were sharper the production was bangin’ (with a few small exceptions) and if I were rating this album I’d give it an easy 8/10.
The true gem on “Pro Tools” was “7 Pounds”, which was produced by….you’ll never guess…Black Milk!?! I know, an odd pairing no doubt but it passed the test with flying colors. The only beef that I had with the track is that at 2:41 it’s entirely too short, especially when taking into account that it’s the highlight of the album. Juk, Jukka, Genius…take us the F*ck outta’ here!!!!!!!!
41. “Sidewalk Jazzin”-Kev Brown & Oddissee
Out of sheer curiosity, I downloaded ThinkLoud’s “Uncommon Perspectives” from the now defunt, “Konstant Revoloution, and you might as well go ‘head and add this album to my “list of pleasant surprises” for the year. This complilation of sorts included 16 tracks of exclusives, remixes and previews from the Thinkloud label that provided you with a preview to some of their upcoming releases for 2009. Whether it’s the third album of houseartist Lars vom Dorf (which this CD was packaged with as a “sampler) , a see behind the sound of Dub-Hop project Kobolski or maybe to even introduce you upcoming neo-soul artist like Miles Bonny (who drops the smooth “Sing Your Song” or Reggie B this album featured a wide array of talent.
Also along for the ride on this sampler are Maryland’s own Kev Brown and Oddisee who delivered an idea of their sound from ThinkLoud’s “Sidewalk” EP via one of the dopest cuts of the year “Sidewalk Jazzin”. With “Sidewalk Jazzin” Kev & Oddisee not only revisited Hip Hop’s “golden era” lyrically but also with the Native Tongue-ish’ production. Also, take a look at “SMAGRADEN”, where Jeannine & Laszlo showed up with a nice progressive, abstract neo-soul track. Even though some of the artist delivered lyrics in their own “native tongue” on the tracks, you won’t ever get lost in the shuffle as the majority of the album featured incredibly dope production to keep you tuned in….even if you can’t interpret some of the lyrics. Definitely worth checking out. if only for “Sidewalk Jazzin” and the “Intro”, which featured and ill guitar lick and is one of the illest beats this year…..too bad, it’s less than two minutes long and is just an “intro”. Since this album is a “sampler” per se, I don’t mind hooking you up with a “shared link”….ENJOY!!!
Topics: Year End Lists ('08) | No Comments »
“Souled Out”-ill poetic f. Eternia & Reef The Lost Cauze
By Eric | January 1, 2009
Ill Po: “I woke up without a hangover, and with that blessing starting off my new year, i figured it’s my obligation to pay it forward. So here’s a free song:
Me, Reef, and Eternia got to tour Europe last fall, and dead in the middle of a tour we got to record in a really nice studio. So when not watching the Xzibit “restless” DVD, we went in and dropped some verses over a beat i’d brought with me.
Hope your New Years was good!!
“Souled Out”-ill poetic f. Eternia & Reef The Lost Cauze (Click To DL)
Topics: Let's Talk About.....(Review Series) | No Comments »
The Best Of 2K8 (10 Albums To You Need To Hear Before Year’s End) #5
By Eric | December 31, 2008
“Suburban Sprawl”-Donwill & Suhburb (Click To DL)
Next up, we have this crazy, distorted, noisy album that arrived earlier this summer virtually outta’ nowhere as a free download, no less. Donwill, 1/3 of underground favs Tanya Morgan, along with producer suhBurb has released one of the most musically “sound” albums in 2008 with “Suburban Sprawl”, a project that was believed to have originated in early 2006. According to Donwill:
“suhBurb would send these 15 minute long mp3 beat tapes to us and they would flow like an album. I remember the one that originally sparked the idea was the “Brazil Beat tape” (sounds like a porno now that i think about it) and when i had heard it i liked so much of it that i jokingly suggested to him that i would just write verses, two track it and release that. A few emails, AIM conversations, phone calls and years later and we are both proud to present to you “Suburban Sprawl”.
Donwill also added: “Some of you may have heard the demo’s of the songs from “Suburban Sprawl via (Donwill & Illyas’) “Beat Thieves 2″. Some are featured on “Mixing In Action” and some were passed on by me to my several sets of second ears either out of boredom, frustration or i just wanted a critique on what they sounded like. The thing to understand about the demo’s of these songs is that those were the sketches that i submitted to suhBURB. The versions in the linked .zip file are the fully realized final creations. Loud, distorted, tinny, crunchy or strange; call it what you may but the one word that sums the collective body of work up best is intentional. Not enough people challenge themselves while making music, let alone the listener. After all there is no grand prize or award for making it to the end of an album, only an opinion and hopefully a glimpse into the time the artist spent between inception and release. This is our snapshot, hopefully the images are focused enough for you to see what we captured.”
Man, this collective effort between suhBURB and Dowill was bananas! I don’t know who this suhBURB cat is and I’d never even heard of him prior to the release of “Suburban Sprawl”, but who ever he is…he is hella’ talented! The production on this album is Radiohead meets Jimi Hendrix meets J Dilla, but most importantly it’s original. Don’t be mistaken, Donwill is a proven emcee in his own right, but “Suburban Sprawl” was a very pleasant surprise as it received heavy rotation on the Ipod throughout much of 2008. If you have been sleepin’ on this release as well, be sure to peep it.. Also, I won’t hesitate to say that “Surburban Sprawl” was also one of the better listens of 2008. Also see below where Donwill and suHburb break down the album, bit by bit:
“Night Time”
01 - The Tiki Torch
Donwill: this was one of the first beats I got for the project and I fell in LOVE with it but I never found words that matched the energy of the track, so I left it bare. But since the album is about me and suhBURB sharing total creative space his instrumentals are just as important as my vocals which is why it stands alone. I have no idea why it’s named ‘The Tiki Torch’, you’d have to ask ‘burb about that one…
SuhBURB: I think this is a Chambers Brothers sample? The drums were retarded and I couldn’t leave it alone. I had originally cooked it up for spec boogie as a remix beat for another track we did together – that still hasn’t seen the light of day, I think – but it kind of got lost in the shuffle. The name is left over from the original track, which kinda sounded like some party in the jungle shit.
02 – Sittin’ at the Bar Demo
VERSE 1: man listen isn’t women within criticism/ it’d be different if they didnt try to be so temptin/ cant still let hoes, tempt me with stilletos/ pedicured to the ones with the paint peeled toes/ like i aint get close to taken her outta her clothes/ know she wrong hittin on a man who faithful and yo/ cant keep a man so she out to lease another womans/ claim its for the sex only but distressed she runnin to him/ she dont ask or assume its really somethin she dont wanna know/ that way she dont feel like she bein a hoe/ maybe thats what turns her on tho forbidden fruit/ in the open tellin lies about her hidden truth/ sippin juice and vodka talkin bout nothin in particular/ got it all wrong she aint hardly how i figured her/ this is where i get off peace, see ya later VERSE 2: man listen isnt women within criticism/ its a given if you speakin then you tryna get with em/ not necessarily true, see what society do/ a simple conversation turns to inuendo then *POOF*/ now its like im in the wrong guys and girls cant get along/ cant just be friends, gotta see or show a thong/ gone head girl im grown, beyond being sex prone/ dont mistake idle chatter for you gettin hit on/ they got us all confused when they say that dudes/ know three kinda women, no appendix to the rules/ that every girl we know we either tryin, cant or wont cut/ thats fairly accurate until you fall in love or grow up/ but yall in luck you know what? heres a little secret/ if i say hi to a woman its because i feel like speakin/ just polite was raised right in fact i got a woman/ whats the screwface for all i said was how you doin
Donwill: Tanya Morgan songs have to come from somewhere and this is one of the original demos that I forwarded to the guys after weeks of ’should I keep this for myself’ contemplation. The song actually went thru a few mutations, the demo version then became the ‘VPND’ version that I was gonna just keep on suburban sprawl but it was one of those situations where not giving this song to the group was definitely for the greater good, and I’m sure a lot of people out there agree. I think the idea for the song actually came from the experience of being at a bar in Adam’s Morgan (DC STAND UP) and my random convo being mistaken for holleration.
SuhBURB: This is my Dilla tribute. I remember the day I figured out how he did the Jackson 5 flip that The Roots used for Can’t Stop This and losing my damn mind. The idea that you could chop a sample and speed it up without changing the pitch – and at the same time making the rhythm of it swing more and more – just fascinated me. And as much as I love that the full TM version of this is what they open their shows with, I really like Don’s demo version more, especially since I had a chance to finish the beat to my liking here.
03 - Baltimore Bitch
Donwill: The underlying theme of this project is ‘I don’t really give a fuck about your opinion, thanks’ and in applying said theme I was wondering what was one of the most jarring things I could do to people who love to box you in, that resulted in this song. The vocal samples in the song come from two other songs on the project (I’ll leave the figuring out up to you) I actually like Baltimore club/house music and all of its many variants for the most part, that shit goes hard.
SuhBURB: All this new club stuff – Baltimore house, baile funk and even reaggeton – hits a chord with me. It’s deceptively simple, with the 4-on-the-floor beats and little vocal samples, but there’s a real power to it that a lot of more “serious” music is missing, in my opinion. This is me trying to respectfully honor that style and aesthetic. I want to make this into a full song for the remix that Che and Don are going to do, complete with air-raid sirens, gunshots and a rewind or two.
04 - Diwadiwadonald
dedicate til im dead in a crate/ and hauled off yall lost a livin and breathin great/ so lets celebrate like its 1999 again/ pray i write a rhyme my pen collectin dust and gathering/ bear the weight of the world, the fate of me and my girl/ debate the pay or the toil of makin watched pots boil/ just like a shots recoil i aint wastin no energy/ him famous, the infamous don f kennedy/ upon the bullets entry he, fled the life he led/ bled every word he said gushin forth from his head/ hand and heart, scan the charts son you’ll find none like him/ crawl before you walk, stumblin to run and bite him/ mc’s is teethin on the three ring or composition ruled/ (im) opposite the rule, following the path of them fools/ im self made, self taught, demons self fought/ out to pay myself first so the album self bought/ felt caught between a rock and hard place, rockin at a hard pace/ (like) rock hard in a broads face huggin on the first date/ a wolf in sheeps clothing, vintage jeans need sewing/ flippin nike boxes open, scuffless kicks that aint been broken in/ flyest thing flowin next to delta beverage service/ why you aint go first? yeah dog i know you nervous/ if i was you i would be too, im disgruntled and dont like you/ no tellin what i might do…
Donwill: This song was actually named ‘Im’a win’ but I changed it. The name of this song comes from my love of watermarks. You will actually hear the ‘Diwadiwadonald’ watermark featured on a few songs throughout the project, simply because I like how watermarks sound. They are so fucking intrusive, especially when you are listening to some shit you really like. But when done correctly they are MAGIC… I’m not gonna tell you what watermark I’m imitating here but i will say the downloaded and burned copy of this cd etched that damn watermark into my brain for ever, to the point that when I play the purchased version of the album I miss them. this particular watermark is placed to cover a mistake that i made and didnt wanna fix.
SuhBURB: This is probably one of the oldest beats that Don picked for the album. Like a lot of my work, it had gone through a couple incarnations before he got his hands on it, and the details didn’t really come together until I was mixing the album. It’s a real ‘producers revenge’ mix: the drums are dumb low, the sample is distorted to shit, etc. etc. Doing this and a lot of the other beats on here, I was starting to get really tired of how my samples were sounding. I started making beats from a love of jungle and drum & bass, and the immense loudness of the music fascinated me. This, in a backwards way, tries to get at that.
05 - Salsoul
yo… don’t expect too much, play lifeless and just/ let em roll over, not sober cus I’m punch drunk/ staggered by blows, flaggin down woes, taggin up toes/ a dead man walkin, you can tell by the pose/ just a deer in the headlights, froze to get his head right/ but reaction time undermines his safety and his insight/ sounds grim right? nope, the outcome is miraculous/ stumbled back home after sustaining some damages/ handle this effortless, kill a beef or let it live/ so you can milk it endlessly and use it as a sedative/ peddle piss as lemonade and only fools will take it/ but for those who taste test less the sip, smile and fake it/ cus ain’t nothing sacred, achin joints and head from fightin life/ not rhymin its rock climbin tryna reach that higher height/ firefight the shit you call hot for the sake of something different/ water to a grease fire, decide if help or hindrance
Donwill: alot of these songs are supposed to have cuts on them, this is one of them. we’ll get it right next time tho….
SuhBURB: For the longest time I thought this song was about drunk driving. It’s not, obviously.
06 - Fly Me feat. Von Pea
VERSE 1: i gets busy and then keep puttin work in/ you tried to apply but didnt get the position/ ditched the pot to piss in, for one to bed a bitch in/ just understand when this ends we make our own pensions/ its the chairman of the boards ((SUHBURB))/ say word, and the team is lessondary so you know its superb/ yall sprawled out zonin, im appalled yall dont know him/ off the wall nigga go in! “yall some chiropractors holdin/ back catalog” know in fact, data logs showin that/ im involved so it got kinda bogged under stacks/ but its back now/ and as long as im in town with down time im jottin down rhymes/ plottin soundwise on how to stop them frown lines/ i let yall tell lies, you the hottest yeah right/ just get in line behind, we redesign the grind/ see in due time ill be reapin whats mine CHORUS: yall sprawled out sleepin we so sub urban (repeat x 2)/ yall sprawled out sleepin but he’s suburb/ fly me! VERSE 2: i cant feel ya, and id kill to/ ya such a cool brother to know, but so other than dope/ i tried i really did, mc get busy did/ the same jam it was just as lame damn/ link with me im tryna break the chain fam/ we wont shake the industry up but we can shake hands/ make plans G.O.T.H but black dont make up a fan base/ they aint sleepin you need to wake up/ no doze wont help no flows ya pose it shows/ ya no pro, but ill get you in the show/ only to come and watch not to come and try to flow/ bring some mixtapes to throw… word/ ill be over here with the talented, maybe try the clarinet/ go and be an engineer or something more challengin than this/ this is easy but you, you make it seem to be/ the hardest thing in the world, i aint tryna be evil b/ im just sayin
Donwill: when von heard this song he pretty much told me he was on it and wasn’t taking no for an answer. I think he literally sent me his verse in the same day as he got the demo. I consider this song the title track of the album. It’s kinda like those songs that people used to do dedicated to their dj and it sports that cool ass trademark suhBURB watermark that he puts on all his beat tapes. God I love watermarks…
SuhBURB: Good God, I love this song. If this albums production ethic could be summed up in one track it’d be this one. Everything’s wrong: the drums are enormous, to the point that they’re getting compressed. The sample is split between the two channels and distorted to hell. That fucks the vocal up. Don’t Don and Von sound like they’re stuck in the middle of the beat, rapping to you from a distance? And hell, at least Don is rapping at full volume. Von’s quietly dishing out some of the meanest shit I’ve ever heard in a verse; “you such a cool brother to know, but so other than dope.”
For a genre that’s got such a diverse sonic palette as hip-hop (regardless of what’s said over them, beats are made from ANYTHING, as long as it’s dope), there’s a real monotony that has sway over the way songs are mixed. It makes sense, if you’re listening to rap music, you probably want to clearly hear rappers, not have their part subservient to the track. I guess I just have a disdain for convention.
07 - Guilty
dirty with it, hard livin, take whats not given/ god given right to exist could be a curse in this/ skin im in no position shouldnt even be given/ faded as rainbow, rainin where the sun go?/ aint about to show no weakness whats that about?/ (get) outta line and challenge mine im knockin all them teeth out/ heavy metal barely balanced, tuggin on my waistline/ cant settle caged in, cant take more im/ close edge, nose dove, free fallin, hit the ground/ spazzed out, shots fired, woke up in lock down/ never thought id kill until driven to murder/ looked fun on menace, jackin rides just to order burgers/ for them nissan trucks, right in the drive thru/ but thats an interlude on icecube this my life dude/ might do life dude, no death penalty/ sittin in the holdin cell and wait for them to sentence me/ every minute, every second pass like a century/ the shit get real b/ be cause theres no peace as well/ cause my heaven could be yo hell/ now think about that/ i might have love in the streets but none in the house/ cant come in the house momma wanted me out/ and the man of the house didnt make her his spouse/ say im just like that nigga she cant stand my mouth/ and i cant stand lookin like a charity case/ so i take mines make a way whatever it takes/ heavy metal, federal scams, or peddling base/ niggas make deadly mistakes and i take em away/ and this game aint for play but i do it to play/ big boy toys homie whip the escalade/ live savage just to be in the ranks of the civilized/ bad as it sounds im just tryna survive
Donwill: Okay so as Ilwil, me and Ilyas have a billion unreleased songs just sitting on his computer wasting their collective lives, these lyrics belonged to one of those songs, 2 of those songs actually. The first half of the verse is from a song where we portrayed opposing sides of a persons duality, I was of course the surface/exterior and he was supposed to portray the thoughts/interior of said individual but for some reason that never came into fruition. The second verse comes from an outtake of a song we did for this guy in Cincinnati (we actually recorded a whole album with this guy but that’s a WHOOOLE ‘nother story) the verses just happened to be in the same notebook and when I was looking for verses to go on this beat it just so happened that these two synced up perfectly to display the duality that me and Ilyas were gonna try and convey on the original song.
SuhBURB: This is one of, if not my absolute favorite Donwill verse. I’m still pretty geeked that it’s on one of my beats.
08 - Night Time
VERSE: i cant front i give up man i swore off rap/ an abusive love affair where she aint give back/ get crack, get stacks, get capped is the formula/ no big named cosigns they all just ignorin ya/ my worst critic biggest fan, moonlighting’s classic man/ bled, sweated, cried givin birth to every word (damn)/ my pleasures yo pain, my treasure disdained/ different ears two brains, hope niggas views change/ this game so strange finnicky and fickle/ when you hot frontin dudes beg to do songs with you/ thats cute at worst and irritating at best/ why i dont talk much? im just avoiding the stress/ swerve for you get served from bein on my nerves/ get the fuck out my face if you cant help me get heard/ im purgin all demons so, holler if you see me yo/ thats why i deal with fam and nothing in between it yo! REFRAIN: we dont need em, we dont need em, we dont need em, and you dont either (repeat x 4)
Donwill: This song is a diss track to the industry, fans, my label, myself and damn near everybody who ain’t blood or don’t remain in constant contact with me. harsh i know but sometimes as an artist you get like that, at least i do. If you have spent any amount of time with me and you have engaged me in a conversation about the music business you will know exactly what I’m talkin about cus I am not hesitant to speak at length on how I feel about it at all.
SuhBURB: One of the many Madlib-influenced beats on here, in case you haven’t noticed. Enormous drum break + a chopped sample and voila! Don had a big part in how this track sounds; he asked me to run the sample chop by itself at the end and have the “we don’t need ‘em” chant run acapella. I think it makes the track.
09 - All RIght
Donwill: This song is in direct response to Night Time. This song is about just what it says it’s about, being okay with everything around you. Its about acceptance. It had a lot more words originally and there was even a loud screaming cursing rant that went through out the song but suhBURB saw fit to remove that from the final mix for whatever reason. There is a whole ‘nother version of this song with Che Grand doing a completely different hook that I have demo’d up but Che told me to scrap his contribution so I was forced to take matters into my own hands. This may be my favorite song on the project.
SuhBURB: I won’t lie; I borrowed this synth riff from one of the demo songs in Fruity Loops. It’s a real departure from the rest of the album sonically and I was glad to have an excuse to break out some of the goofy jungle drum programming I love so much.
10 - Slipknot
mc’s yall wanna get on, chill with who you shit on/ the music is a business now the art is almost gone/ and fans yall turn the hits on, crank it up and listen/ the music it defines you, yall relate to the song/ you ever stop and think about the fatal flaw that you makin/ its a demand for that man, fans standin and waitin/ but since you cant stand his jams you determined to make him/ out to be some fallacy, callously you forsake him/ but then he, starts his mission impedes ya residence/ through ya radios and tv’s, ladies and gents/ they televise genocide worldwide, my eyes wide shut/ id spy but i keep my mind tied up/ me slip not, but thats beside what i was sayin/ yall wanna go with this then follow me with no delay and see/ in actuality, with a little elbow grease he could be, you or me
Donwill: This song almost got left off of the project by accident. I think suhBURB was tired of mixing and remixing and me being all GmailNazi about the songs and just kinda forgot to mention that I never sent him the session for the song. Luckily my memory isn’t as bad as his. A lot of my songs question/analyze the industry and its many personalities, this is another of them.
SuhBURB: I had some of the demos for this album sitting on my computer, in folders separated by the names of the songs. A friend saw the folder for this track and nearly disowned me on the spot. It took a lot of convincing and a couple minutes of her searching my hard drive, but she left reassured that I do not, in fact, have any music by the masked metal band.
11 - The Words
hard to take it serious when its a parody apparently/ and paper begat paper but between the two its tearin me/ sometimes i sit and stare at me, darin he to speak/ karats glarin so who’s carin if im panderin the weak/ and im handling the beef between my inner and my peace/ by havin dinner with a freak because then i aint gotta think/ used to be aint got a thing but now the register is ringin/ pile the presents in the jeep and fly to beaches on the weekend/ that’ll teach my inner demon to quit speakin while we eatin/ maybe keep em all from being crippling and so misleading/ cant believe the boat that we in, loved puttin words together/ now i see it like ‘whatever’ its a million things better/ i wouldnt give up this position but i know the people listening/ agreein with the critics when they say that somethings missin/ i dont feel it no more, its just another job now/ writin hits or grocery lists, its just words to jot down
Donwill: If I’m not mistaken suhBURB kinda told me I had to rap to this beat, didn’t really have a choice in the matter. The demo version of this song has all kinda ranting and raving on the intro and outro that kinda helps set up the verse. It loosely relates to slipknot by kinda delving further into the psyche of a nigga who just kinda raps for the paycheck on that formulaic be safe and in the box shit…
SuhBURB: Can you hear me listening to Graduation here? I think this is a Lucinda Williams sample, or something.
12 - Dead Ass
VERSE: dead man walkin shoulda been castrated/ got her mad at men regrettin you the nigga that she laid with/ child created, you dont pay it no attention, in yo image molded/ hold it dog you trippin on yo blood, thats some cold shit/ notice how they look at you now when you come around/ throwin scowls and turnin you down, constant run around/ that child aint choose you for his dad and vice versa/ but yo chose yo baby momma punk ass, now think it over/ so that bitch get on yo nerves, naggin, whinin/ cheatin even slashed yo tires/ them yo problems find yo way around em for the greater good/ come correct and handle yo business like a player should/ yo time and money that precious? you cant share it?/ lets just hope that kid dont inherit yo mean ass spirit/ here it is a mirror to yo face, the words to this song/ yall be killin me, get over yo’self, you know you wrong REFRAIN: and if you bitchin as you listen its cus hit dogs bark/and you aint helpin by not finishin the shit yall start/ it aint no pampers to piss in, while you new car whippin/ dog you trippin, and definitely need an ass kickin/ you a dead beat, dead ass and im dead serious/ missin out on a once in a lifetime experience/ i aint talkin bout the money dog spend some time/ spend some time (repeat x 2)
Donwill: This is another one of those revitalized Ilwil songs. The original version was recorded in some hustle and flow ass home studio setup. We literally recorded onto reels and got the rough mix on cassette and this was long after digital recording setups became the norm. Regardless I thought the subject matter was too good to just be archived and never head again. I promise a lot of that Ilwil material is too good to just kinda be sitting around the way it is. the demo to this song also has some loud cussing rant about men not being fathers to their children.
SuhBURB: I am prone to massive creative blocks with beatmaking. This comes out of breaking one of those streaks, just staying up really late and playing with drum breaks until something comes along. To the probably disgust of purists everywhere, all the sounds on this track were downloaded from the Internet as mp3s. I neither have nor have any idea what records they’re from.
13 - Maybe
VERSE: you dont know what its like dude, when friends dont like you/ and you keep smiling anyway continuing the cycle/ hoping one day some way but one means or another/ the niggas that you tightest with will understand each other/ cus yall cats like brothers, done done it all together/ but you stressed cus yo dad’s health is bringin fam togther/ and they leave you to see thru feelings you dont wanna have/ dont even holler at you like yo phone went dead/ and all you got is the pen, god and blood aside/ so you write prayers for dads health and take it all in stride/ but you just aint feelin it, close but so far/ can barely pay rent, kick it and keep gas in yo car/ wish you never came back sometimes/ wish you never was born sometimes/ driven by passion so day jobs they just seem tedious/ can barely get past the mediocre cus its eating ya/ long stretches got you layin low, yo people yo aint seein em/ they think they done with em, nothing you can do to please em/ so yo soothe ya’self and do what moves yo own spirit/ jot a verse like this and wonder if you’ll let em hear it/ should i? REFRAIN: maybe, maybe not ( repeat x 
Donwill: Imagine living in a city you didn’t really wanna be in and finding out your dad has cancer. Couple that with growing apart from your friend group due to just growing up and being broke as hell. Well aside from living in a city I don’t really wanna be in (no diss at all Cincy, I love y’all. just had to GO) not much has changed but I sincerely wrote this verse and buried it, didn’t intend for anybody in the world to hear it. But some of the best moments are found in that space between honesty and sincerity so I decided to include it on the project. and if you were wondering me and the friends mentioned in this song are doing just fine 
SuhBURB: The deeply personal nature of this verse pushed me to mix it the way I did. Don’s laying some heavy shit on the line here and I wanted it to sound like the song had the same kind of weight. I’m trying again to get a sense of distance between the track and the listener, like you’re hearing it even though it’s not being played for you.
14 - Audio Visual
VERSE 1: audio visual for every individual/ precedents we kill em and the president we kill him to/ burnin bush but i aint tryna get political, just say some fly shit to make all the party people move/ rockin gaudy sequined jewels fresh new exclusive shoes/ def like im old school but still on that new improved/ decoy b-boys weak ploys we destroy/ speak for the ones who live it yep we they voice/ trendy ass hipsters on down to the felons/ got a lil bit of everything and thats why we sellin/ sit and scratch what im spellin in my college ruled, college schooled/ held a job or two but raps what i gotta do/ follow who? yeah right fuck a fad/ red carpet is the target, flick it up for the mags/ man we diggin in yo stash on that debo shit/ for them funds an them fans yep we want it CHORUS thats word, you see what im sayin? on the mic there wont be no delayin ( repeat x 2) VERSE 2: i thought i told you cats im not a rapper/ but im still better than you fake actors/ if i wrote it or not thats not factor/ im flyer than alot of yall and thats what matters/ on to a new chapter yall lame/ runnin in place stuck in the same mind frame/ im tryna live my life make it on my own/ yall up in the club actin sexy and grown/ we need respect shown, im tryna make a difference/ do some good on earth for the time that i visit/ if its permitted change a life or two/ and still look good in my high heeled shoes/ pretty brown eyes and looks that can kill/ and i stay on ya mind cus my style is ill/ petite five feet and a half inch maybe/ sassy shay’s a sexy lady
Donwill: This song was originally gonna be me and Jack Davey (of the group j*davey) trading verses. I’m not even sure if she remembers or knows about this but yeah, that’s what was planned. That didn’t happen and the song ended up kinda just laying around for a while. I tend to always ask random people on to my songs, the only rule is that you can’t be a recording artist. There is something about the way a person who isn’t a trained or practicing vocalist sounds during playback that I love. One day out of boredom I asked my girl at the time to drop write a verse and id coach her on how to recite it. For some reason I remember helping her write the actual words but she says that it was all her. She is probably right, as usual.
SuhBURB: Apparently the distorted vocal on this kept the album from getting a push from Loud Minority/IM. Growing up on my parents R&B (shouts to KBLX Oakland San Francisco San Joseeeee) and the hip-hop I could find for myself, it took me until I went to college to really get into rock and roll. One of the first things that really struck me about a lot of it was the willingness to distort vocal tracks for effect. In rock, it’s usually done on similarly rough or strident songs, but the beat here is so lush that I think it makes for a nice contrast.
15 - The Champ (LP Version)
VERSE 1: and honestly a part of me barely believes in modesty/ be callin me to walk into the job and give em my two weeks/ or not to speak at all just say fuck it and turn my grind on/ but i snap out of it/ everytime i turn my lights on/ this cant be life, not mines at least/ feel like an actor in a movie or im undercover deep/ remove the covers if you sleep, my nigga time is of the essence/ im not gettin any younger in the rhyme so much invested/ man i bled it, sweated bullets, gotten better, made improvements/ not pathetic but the effort made it evident i do this/ gimme credit for the music, suffered debits all inclusive/ and i bet it broke some dudes but it just altered my enthusiasm/ hard to climb or move a mountain, harder if you doubtin/ got a fighting spirit deaths the only thing that take it out him/ we gone make it yall, man we already there/ its our time this time, man we own this year, yeah BRIDGE (repeat x 2): is the hard work workin? the memorizin verses?/ was energized at first when, i wasnt sold or purchased/ before the shows and cosigns, the videos and downloads/ i wanted props for my rhymes and now i feel like thats old/ rappin is hard work its rehearsing to be perfect/ fightin to break surface and stay above unearthed with/ the radio and soundscans, marketing and promo/ im prayin that we found fans and hopin that we find more VERSE 2: you can have it if you want it, is you really tryna get it?/ show and prove in xxl, but can i really fit it?/ know the truth is that i excel, especially when i spit/ over loops i make ya neck swell from noddin to the rythm/ don, will he flop, will he make it, will he fall off/ to book a show from the job he gotta call off/ and i even tryna ball all crazy/ just puttin in some work until this notebook pays me, come on….
Donwill: The words to this song were originally on a Tiffany Paige song named exclusive rights. I had demo’d it up and one day she called me up to tell me that my verses had got bumped and she was gonna feature Scienz of Life on the track. Me and Tiffany have a great working relationship and John Robinson aka lil sci is the homie so I wasn’t trippin at all, shit I fuck with the whole shaman work family. But that left me with three very unused verses and since I don’t tend to write an excess of verses I found a home for them here. and yes that is an actual mistake i made, not rehearsed, most of these songs were keep the first take recordings
SuhBURB: This came out on Beat Thieves, didn’t it? I’m really prone to going back to beats after people have had them and changing things. This is one of the few opportunities I’ve had to actually put out my changed version. It just worked out that Don’s verse perfectly fit the double time drum I had found, and then it was just natural for me to throw the bassline in there. I tend to grin like an idiot when I play this.
16 - Funeral March
Donwill: This was the first song I recorded when I decided to do this project. It was to serve as a eulogy to myself as read by my mc alter ego, deep huh? Right lol. thats why on diwadiwadonald im talkin about my death. I decided pitched it down for the hell of it. This song actually… wait a minute this is the bonus. What the hell am I explaining the bonus track for…
SuhBURB: I still want to do a video treatment for this and have Don rapping out of his casket.
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FINALLY!!! Merry X-Mas!!! W.T.R/Sneaker Politics present: “Preservation” mixed by DJ Ragz (Jazz Addixx)
By Eric | December 24, 2008
When They Reminisce/Sneaker Politics present: “Preservation” mixed by DJ Ragz (Jazz Addixx) (CLICK TO DOWNLOAD)
Ahhh, the sweet smell of victory!! A long an arduous project (nearly three months in the making!), “Preservation” (mixed by DJ Ragz) is finally here!! A big thanks goes out to DJ Ragz for all his countless hours of dedication and attention to detail, St. Mic for tightening up the sound quality, Shiro for the cover art and Derek at Sneaker Politics for his input as well! Most importantly, thank you to all the contributing artists featured on “Preservation” who gave me the “OK” to pursue this project!
“Preservation” is something that Ragz and I are extremely proud of, I hope that you, the listener, will appreciate it as well! “Preservation”, simply put, is a compilation of sorts that I put together in order to highlight some of my favorite artists over the last two or so years. The amount of time and effort that Ragz and I dedicated to this project truly shines through on “Preservation”, as I stated last week: “This ain’t just your regular mixtape”! St. Mic sums it up perfectly with his opening bars from the “Intro”: “This is a dedication, to preservation/For authors in this art form/Seekin’ elevation…”. The sound quality is perfect, the tracks are ridiculous and Ragz’ cuts are as sharp as a razor’s edge. “Preservation” plays more like a cohesive “album” than a mixtape…ENJOY!!!
DJ Ragz: “Im really amped to be a part of the “Preservation”. There really is some dope hip hop out there and I really feel that this mix helps you learn about artists that are still making great music. All of these artists gave us approval to use their songs, so if you like what you hear, go support that person’s project. Big ups to Eric for directing this project and being flexible at the same time. This mix was treated like an album so we spent time to bring you a quality project. Please help us get the word out and tell a friend about it. It will be your part to preserve this art!!”
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“The “Mullet” Scratch!?
By Eric | December 21, 2008
Dj Ragz Mullet Scratch from Brian Ragonese on Vimeo.
I mean…yo, I’ve heard of the “transformer”, but the what’s up with this cat in the mullet?? Ha Ha! Dj Ragz killin’ it over Naughty’s “Written On Ya’ Kitten” (Remix), lovin’ the digs courtesy of Sneaker Politics. The crazy thing about this short clip is that Ragz keeps on takin’ it with no regards to the mullet whatsoever. Be sure to peep (Free DL) the “Preservation” mixtape mixed by Ragz on X-Mas Eve!
Topics: Let's Talk About.....(Review Series) | 3 Comments »
W.T.R. presents “Picks of the Litter” (The Top 100 Tracks of ‘08) 60-51 aka The “Preservation” Edition
By Eric | December 20, 2008
Taken From: Sene’s mixtape/compilation “Elevator Music”
Highly slept on, Sene delivered a major knock-out blow in 2008 with the extremely funky “Stoopid”. A track that finds Sene calling out all those triflin’ girls with “the Butterfly tats, tatted right above (their) butts”, who also “gold dig with their greedy friends, givin’ into needy trends”. Throw in W.T.R. favorite Blu on the hook: “Get a lil’ sample of Love but ya’ just go..” and you’ve got a bonafied winner that is bound to get your neck-snappin’ and ass movin’. A member of the coveted “Next 1000″ from URB magazine, this Brooklyn native is only gettin’ started. Utilizing dope, jazzy samples and hard drum breaks, Sene has a bright future ahead of him…..and with a voice like his, it’s not hard to believe that his cat was born to emcee!
59. “Right Here”-Samon Kawamura f. Oh No
I downloaded this album from “HHB” a few monts ago, after seein’ it pop up in Dart’s “For Doz That Slept” column in his weekly review series…I figure, if Dart’s givin’ me a headz up I know it’s gotta be decent. In short, this Tokyo-born, Berlin-based producer & turntabilist’s sophomore LP “The Unfold” does not disappoint. Chalked full of faraway grooves and subtle, eargasmic undertones that keep the album fluid, Samon also scooped up quite an impressive line-up for this compilation of sorts. “The Unfold” also featured appearances from some of the underground’s finest to include Kev Brown, Aloe Blacc, Ta’Raach and Oh No. The beats are the highlight of this album, as witnessed from the superb head-knocker “Right Here” were Samon gives Oh No a taste of his own medicine. “Right Here” is 3 minutes and 33 seconds of whiplash-inducing drums and strings, a track that bares a striking resemblance to some of Oh No’s fine production tactics that he’s garnered much props for. Plus, anytime anyone sprinkles a track with some of M.O.P.’s vocal antics it’s always a winner in my book. “Right Here” hits it’s apex near the 2:20 mark as the music goes from frantic to soothing…if that’s at all possible and the Pete Rock outro is a nice little added touch that pays homage to one of Hip Hop’s legendary beatmakers of all-time. Be sure to check this album out RIGHT HERE (props musical schizophrenia!), no pun intended. “Unfold” is a very cohesive, enjoyable piece of work from a little-known producer who may not be “little known” for very much longer. Oh, be sure to peep the Aloe Blacc (one of the most talented, underappreciated cats in Hip Hop) track “Try” as well……smooth as hell!
After last year’s release “Pure”, I wasn’t really sure if Buff 1 would be able to match the quality that one of 2007’s biggest surprises delivered, with his highly anticipated follow up “There’s Only One”. Holy Shit!!! Buff’s second attempt was fu*kin’ AMAZING!! It was almost inevitable to not group this release along with all the hype that surrounded fellow Detroit resident Elzhi’s solo debut “The Preface”. However, after listening to “There’s Only One” constantly for the past few months, I’m here to let you in on a lil’ secret. Three things are very apparent when comparing Buff’s solo effort and Elzhi’s debut:
1. Most of you already know that Black Milk handled the production duties on “The Preface”, and even though Black does contribute one track to the album (”Never Fall”), the production team of the Lab Techs (who handled all but one track on “There’s Only One”) trumps Milk’s usually outstanding work….BIG TIME!! If these cats aren’t in high demand after the spine tingling beats featured on this album, then the Hip Hop industry is insane!!
2. All in all, there’s really no comparison between the two (”Only One” & “The Preface”)….”There’s Only One” is the better album, POINT BLANK, there’s really no discussion.
3. Even though Elzhi may be the wittier of the two emcees, Buff 1 is right up there with my favorites in Hip Hop right now. As sad as it is to admit to some, there’s only two emcees (now three, if you include Buff) in the game who’s lyrics I can memorize after listening to their albums in full for just a few times, those “two” being Jay Z and….are you ready for this??…the Game!!! Buff is one of those emcees whose lyrics and delivery are extremely easy on the ears. All in all, a wonderful follow-up that only improves on it’s debut, easily one of the top three releases of the year thus far….if not the best, we shall see?
57. “Killing Me” Fundament/Shinogo f. Muneshine
Ahhh….Canada’s in the house 1nce again! A month or so ago DJ Ragz IM’d me with the MP3, “Killing Me” stating: “Dude, you gotta’ hear this ish’..instant classic!”. Without much hesitation I dl’d the track only to nod away in total agreement with 1/2 of the Jazz Addixx. Fundament, aka Tim Stuart killed it over this Shinogo produced track. An airy, Ill Poetic meets 14 KT-type of backdrop, Shinogo laid the perfect groundwork for Fundament to offer his take on the material things in life. I can guarantee you, a couple back-to-back spins of “Killing Me” and it’s hard not to fall in love with it, especially with an all too catchy hook that goes: “I want the cars, the keys, the cash, the weed, the pads, the steez, the schwag….”. Also, not to be outdone fellow “Canuck” Muneshine joins the party in his quest for “The booze and the bars/The beauty with the boobs and booty that’s large”. Don’t get it twisted, this isn’t your typical, run of the mill “get money” joint. Fundament, Shino and Muneshine all added their own individual takes on subject matter that’s been run into the ground somewhat, and in the end made it come out super fresh!! Also, major props to both Fundament and Muneshine for their respective “drops” on the “Preservation” mixtape. “From T Dot to CA/MTL to VA all day…Let’s get it!
56. “Story Be Told”-Nieve and Cook
First things first, you remember A.D.O.R. of the Pete Rock produced classic “Let It All Hang Out”, right? Well, you can’t tell me that emcee Nieve doesn’t sound EXACTLY like him. What’s the relevance you ask, nothing really..just thought it was a nice little factoid. Matter of fact, “Away With Words” is a “nice little album”. Sporting a jazzy/soulful/mellowed out vibe, “Away With Words” will more than likely fall between the crevices of the countless releases that will never garner much attention…but it should NOT be slept on…this album is real nice. It never fails to put in a positive state of mind, similar to the feeling I get when I listen to Theory Hazit’s latest joint “Lord Fire” and Ohmega Watts’ “Watts Happening”. “Story Be Told” reminds me alot of Braille’s “Many Stories” that I bumped the hell outta’ when “The IV Edition” first leaked, mostly in part to the belted, breezy hook thanks to Cook Classics’ always fresh production. Also, don’t sleep on the Nomak remix of “Chronic Intoxication”, another joint that could have made this list as well.
55. “In Ya’ System”-Primo The Cinematic
“Easy Mo Bee” lives on!!! One listen to ridiculous production that is Primo The Cinematic’s “In Ya’ System” and it’s easy to see where this comparison arises. “In Ya’ System” features that “crazy, robotic, futuristic type sh*t” that Craig Mack was talkin’ about near the start of the Mo Bee classic “Flava’ In Ya’ Ear”. Not just on the production side of thing, Primo The Cinematic is own some ol’ next sh*t lyrically as well. Born and raised in the city of wind, Primo-now a Virginia resident-has never lost his Chi-Town roots. A wordsmith by nature Primo’s “Contemporary Classic” is one album you NEED to check out this year if you have $10.00 burning a hole in your pocket. Hell, even if you don’t, “Contemporary Classic is well worth the hard-earned dough! Get this, 31…yes, 31(!) tracks deep, Primo’s “In Ya’ System” is just one of many gems featured on the double album. A big thanks to Ragz for putting me on to his fellow member of the Embassy Click. Get the album NOW on Itunes
Money by Primeridian, Rashid Hadee, Pugs Atomz. from Pugs Atomz on Vimeo.
54. “Money”-Rashind Hadee, Primeridian & Pugz Atomz
“I jus’ get it my waay”, gotdamn this track knocks!! Produced by Tall Black Guy, some of Chi-Town’s finest connect for this “gotta’ get money/by any means necessary” anthem. Flipping the all-too-familiar “Substitution” break over a thick bassline, producer Tall Black Guy scored a huuge winner on this “Get Money”-type anthem (see Fundament’s “Kiling Me” above). W.T.R. favorite Rahsid Hadee wastes no time digging into the subject matter that fuels this anthem: “Money fallin’ from the sky/No, it don’t grow on trees/But it can grow on me/And my hands can be the branches and this can be the leaves/Keep it comin’ full circle/3-60 degrees…” Man, this track is one of the biggest sleepers of the year as it’s grown on me like a bad fungus. “Money” is yet another track that features “one of those” hooks that you’ll be hummin’ to yourself over and over. Oh, don’t sleep on the lyrical performances of Pugz and Primeridian…”Gimme tha’ 20’s, tha’ 50’s, tha’ hundreds…”
53. “Dedicated”-Katalyst f. Diverse
“What’s Happening” was second album from the Australian hip hop artist, Katalyst (aka Sydney based producer Ashley Anderson), a fairly nice follow up to Katalyst’s award-winning debut album, “Manipulating Agent”. “What’s Happening” was released by the little known, Invada Records. The album also featured guest vocalists from the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia - including Stephanie McKay, J-Live, Steve Spacek, Diverse Katie Noonan (george), Magic Dirt’s Adalita and Beautiful Girls’s Mat McHugh. But, it’s “Dedicated” that featured underground favorite Diverse that totally outshines any track on this album and all but a select handful of tracks that dropped this year. Even though, if you wanna’ be picky, “What’s Happening” dropped in the summer of 2007. So what? I guarantee you that you’ve also been sleeping on “Dedicated” as well. A very introspective and very personal track, Diverse rides this smooth Katalyst production effortlessly. Despite the very heartfelt lyrics, “Dedicated” has the potential to be a breaker’s anthem, due in large part to the crazy breakbeat. Tell me those horns on the hook aren’t on some mid-nineties sh#t? GREAT….GREAT track!!
52. “Telepathy”-Ilyas (of Tanya Morgan)
Man, I gotta admit I became quite a bit of a Tanya Morgan “STAN” in 2008, going so far as to track down much of whatever they’ve laid down over the last few years (don’t sleep on “Moonlighting”!!). The trio of Tanya Morgan had already delivered some of ’08’s best work with the release of their EP “The Bridge”. Also of note, DonWill and producer Suhburb’s collabo “Suhburban Sprawl” was an unexpected surpise as well that reeked of originality and dirty, distorted production (in a good way, of course). I know that this collaborative effort between members DonWil and Ilyas leaked on DJ Low Key’s site earlier in the year but for reasons unknown it’s got lost in the sauce amongst the 300 GB’s on my spare hard drive and I’ve just recently put it in the mix. Clocking in at 31 tracks deep, IlWil’s “Beat Thieves 2″ was a roller-coaster ride of eclectic production and quality lyricism that is very welcome in Hip Hop’s landscape. One of the most impressive qualities of Tanya Morgan is that they’re not afraid to make fun of themselves, never taking themselves to seriously and that’s a rarity today. However, Ilyas’ “Telepathy” is just the opposite, an honest ode to the female sex and the attraction between male-female from Ilyas’ perspective over THUMPING production! Honestly, if you would’ve have asked me a few weeks ago, I’d have placed this amongst my top five singles of the year….however, I’ve bumped “Telepathy” to death over the last few months and the slew of dope releases of late has bumped this one down a few notches. Still, don’t sleep on this talented trio and in the meanwhile, give “The Bridge” a listen while you’re at it!!
51. “Rock It Number Nine”-MetaForm
Damn….”It’s been a long time/I shouldn’t have left you/Without a strong beat to step to….”. Move over DJ Shadow and your so-called masterpiece titled “Entroducing”, there’s new blood on the block that’s begging to be heard. Out of virtually nowhere appeared producer MetaForm’s instrumental opus, “Standing On The Shoulders Of Giants”, piecing together layers and textures of samples and familiar breakbeats that make you say “damn, he dug that up?” I first heard this album on the way home from work in early ‘08 and I’ve been nearly speechless after each and every listen, and this is coming from someone never been one to stay in tune with an instrumental album in it’s entirety without straying off into “la la land” (A.D.D.’s a bitch!). DO NOT let the cover art mislead you, “Standing On The Shoulders…” is quite possibly the most complete instrumental Hip Hop album that I’ve ever heard (outside of 14 KT’s “The Golden Hour”), even with the less than favorable tiny little tidbits of Drum & Bass thrown in for good measure (not too much though).
All that I can tell you about MetaForm is what I’ve gathered from his Bio, so below is just a nice little “copy and paste” from his site:
“From the ashes of Razed High, the multi-instrumentalist, vinyl villian and gadget scavenger-hermit, Hai-Ding, broke the confines of the West Coast and morphed into a formidable musical force now secretly migrating between L.A., San Francisco and Tokyo. Under the moniker Metaform, his anonymity, coupled with a divine knack for gleening the essenceof countless genres has both positioned him as an act to be reckoned with, as well as enhanced the mystery of his identity.
Metaform paints a portrait of the seedy underbelly of east and west by blending live instrumentation and structured samplings to hone his skills. Sequestering himself in the Boom Box (his modest home studio with an array of toys), Metaform redefines “street” and takes genre-bending to dizzying heights. Pick your poison. “Standing on the Shoulders of Giants” pays homage to ear candy soul classics and folds in healthy doses of just the fix you need.
Garnering praise from XLR8R, URB, CD Baby and DJ Magazine, Metaformdelivers. This new release is a cocktail with flavors of RJD2, Iggy Pop, Underworld, Thomas Fehlmann, and DJ Shadow. Those with ears like fine tooth combs may also dream of where Metaform could be heading and thus drool at the prospect of future releases blending Anticon-esquefractured hip-hop beats with the experimentalism of Animal Collective and the beauty of Home Video, Mum or some other smokey-lounge act.”
….Hmm, interesting…now let’s get to the good stuff beginning with the album’s opener “Rock It Number Nine”. Man, what a great way to start an album, most of you will recall the “oooh, ahhh” sample from the Young Gunz’ “We Choose” which appeared on their album “Tough Luv” (which, I thought was a pretty darn good album) and you’ll also recognize the xylophone from Nas’ “One Love”. At only a minute and a half long, “Rock It…” is a short but extremely sweet track that will bring a smile to your face every time you hear it. You might as well go ‘head and throw another all-too-short track, the 55 second “The Telephone” in that same category as this whiny sample leaves you yearning for more. However, the true gem on “Standing On The..” is “Crush”. The track opens with some soothing female vocals over swift, boom-bap drums, but near the .08 mark is when the “oh shit” moment commences as the smooth guitars elevate the track to another atmosphere. The guitar sample was the same lick that made Rappin 4-Tay’s (yeah, Rappin 4-Tay!) “Playaz Club” at least tolerable and surprisingly I’m not sure why this sample hasn’t been utilized even more since 1995. Whatever the case, be sure and check “Standing On The Shoulders..” out, I promise that you’ll walk away satisfied!
Topics: Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
The Best Of 2K8 (10 Albums To You Need To Hear Before Year’s End) #6
By Eric | December 19, 2008
Cop Tha Connection’s “Trapeze”
“Take It Higher” prod. by Vans Cal
By now you’ve already probably at least had a taste of my favorite track that appears on “Trapeze”, “Take It Higher”. Produced by Vans Cal-who, seems to be quite a mystery to me, being that there is little information available via the ‘Net regarding this immensely talented producer-…”Higher” is an eerie, creeping masterpiece. The track nears it’s apex at the 2:23 mark, or at the start of Smoovth’s verse, when Vans Cal elevates the track to another level with a blistering horn sample as Smoovth turns it up an notch in the lyrics department as well, peep:
“Tired of Bein’ Tired/A live wire/Higher than a church choir, praise Messiah/Nobody like liars/Ashes ta’ ashes, toss em’ in the fire/Burn em’ up/Calypso connect/Yep, turn em’ up/It’s gonna’ take more than rappin’ ta’ murder us..” So, you see where I’m goin’ with this? Smoovth’s pen skills may not be the most impressive grouping of lyrics that you’ve ever laid eyes on, but when laid on a hot piece of wax this cat is FIRE!! One thing that both Smoovth and Hus are guilty of is having a dope voices that are both a perfect match to the ridiculous production that provides a solid backbone to “Trapeze”. Another respectable aspect to tha Connection is that they have carved out their own little niche, whether you listen to “Food”, “Connect” or “Trapeze”, there’s no denying that this duo has their very own sound and identity. Although, at times I can hear a young Mobb Deep (at least, up until “Murda Muzik”) influence within both of the aforementioned emcees.
27 (!) tracks deep, “Trapeze” features a plethora of heaters to choose from. While, “Take It Higher” will always be my personal favorite, it’s picking the second place winner that becomes quite a chore. “Short Milk”, Smoovth’s dolo joint, is yet another AGQ-laced winner that finds Smoovth basically kickin’ one long freestyle and “milkin’ these cows the best way he knows how”. Funny thing, when I contacted tha Connection to use a cut for the W.T.R./Sneaker Politics mixtape, I asked for the full version of “Short Milk”. Being that “Short Milk” is only a little less than 2 minutes in length, I asked Smoovth if I could get my hands on “the full version”. Shortly thereafter, Smoovth hit me back stating “aaah, that’s (”Short Milk”) just a short, lil’ gem”. A “short, lil’ gem”, huh? That’s a fairly accurate term statement that is also applicable for the majority of the tracks that fuel “Trapeze”, as a select few of the tracks included on the album are over 3 minutes long.
A few more favorites worth the mention are “Thunderball”, another eerie Vans Cal-laced heat rock, the KG Boom produced thumper “Rock A Boat” (damn, that Greg Nice sample is like icing on the cake!), which in order to be fully enjoyed has to be played in a good set of headphones or a boomin’ car stereo and the remix of “Venerable Leash” which features one of my all-time favorite usages of Lonnie Liston’s “Visions Of A New World”. Hell, why stop there? “She Says Nothin” (prod. by Vans Cal), “Understand Us” (prod. by DJ Kryptonite), “Theme Song Of Foul Play” (again, Vans Cal, I’m tellin’ you this cat is ill!!!!), “Eleven” (umm…guess who?) and “Sincere” are all nice as well. For an album that’s 27 tracks long, “Trapeze” is well worth your hard earned down in today’s recession.
In my humbled opinion, the sky’s the limit for Hus and Smoovth, keep in mind these are some young cats with alot of good years left in em’. I don’t know how in the hell they came in contact with some of the (at least, prior to this release) no-name producers whom all added to the dopeness that is “Trapeze”, but they must have some damn good contacts. While tha Connection may not be for everyone, if your looking for the next Nas, Big or Jay keep on searchin’. However, what you will find in tha Connection and “Trapeze” is two hard working emcees that continue to climb the uphill battle that many artists face when also attempting to garner some sort of notoriety, or “to be heard”. Well, “Trapeze” is playin’ and I’m listening and lovin’ it!! The hunger and drive that Smoovth and Hus continue to display is gonna’ eventually pay huge dividends sooner or later. Even though the title of the album is “Trapeze”, this 27 track long-play most definitely ain’t no Circus, but rather a well put together album that feel into my top 10 favorites of 2008. Enjoy!!
Topics: Most Played For The Week, Uncategorized | No Comments »
…It’s About That Time: W.T.R./Sneaker Politics presents “Preservation” mixed by DJ Ragz (Jazz Addixx)
By Eric | December 18, 2008
….A long time in the making, “Preservation” the mixtape will FINALLY drop Christmas Eve!!! This ain’t no fly by night mixtape either, Ragz (along with St. Mic’s tidying up) has knocked this one outta’ the park. Of course, I’m biased, but I’m crazy amped for everyone to hear some of my favorite tracks over the last few months from some of my favorite artists (thanks again to all who contributed) thrown in a blender and mixed down by one of the best DJs in the biz. Who said there’s no such thing as Santa Claus?
Topics: Let's Talk About.....(Review Series) | 1 Comment »
Black Milk-”Bounce” and Bonus Tracks
By Eric | December 18, 2008
“TRONIC could very well be the best end-to-end production job you’ve heard all year…He practically lives inside the beats.” - PitchforkMedia.com
“TRONIC takes Black Milk’s sound and rhyming ability to levels that now appear limitless. This is an early entry for any of the multitudes of album of the year lists soon to appear.” - Okayplayer.com
“No longer human, he’s a creature of sovereign instinct with synthesizers, samplers, and conductor’s wands for limbs. This is what RZA wishes new RZA sounded like.” - CokeMachineGlow.com
“With the near year on the horizon, it could be safe to say that TRONIC will be on the best-of-list when looking back at the albums released in 2008. You want my advice? Get this album and turn the volume up loud, but before that make sure you have a neck brace” - Vapors Magazine
The Songs:
As 2008 comes to a close, Black Milk, the incredibly raw and innovative producer/emcee from Detroit, is making the rounds on Best Of Year Lists with his unstoppable album TRONIC. On the latest single “Bounce,” Black Milk takes us deep into the center of his futuristic production factory with a Knight Rider-like bass line layered with waves of swelling keys.
Directions for listening: Press play and let your na