Many hip-hop heads lost their mind when DJ Premier and Royce Da 5'9'' announced that they would work together on an album, under the moniker PRhyme. Premier is the legendary producer who helped produce Illmatic, and 5'9" is one of the few MC's who can go toe-to-toe against Eminem. When the self titled album was released on December 9th, it was a pleasant listen for the first time, but became pretty boring after multiple listens.
PRhyme boasts some of the features of any project this year. Ab-Soul, Mac Miller, Dwele, Common, Jay Electronica, Schoolboy Q, Killer Mike, and Slaughterhouse all lend verses on the nine-track album. 5'9" aggressively raps over the gritty, sample and scratch heavy production from DJ Premier. Most of the album is just straight spitting, with very stripped down, basic hooks on a few songs. The project clocks in at about thirty five minutes, but doesn't really leave the audience hungry for more.
I wouldn't say this is a bad album, but there isn't a lot to it. While 5'9" raps with vigor, his flow sounds about the same throughout the album. DJ Premier is a gifted producer, but the issue with using a single producer for an entire album is that there is little diversity in sound, and after a few listens PRhyme gets boring. There's little direction or theme behind the album. One of the most disappointing tracks on the album is "To Me, To You" featuring Jay Electronica. The song is over five minutes long, and gets bogged down by the same gritty production from Premier and flow from 5'9" that's in the rest of the album. After three and a half minutes of 5'9" rapping, Jay Electronica steps in, but the engineering job for Electonica's verse is horrendous. It sounds as if he's rapping ten feet away from a $20 mike surrounded by mattresses. You can give PRhyme a listen here.
Monday, December 15, 2014
Sunday, December 14, 2014
End Of The Year Posts
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Check Out Joey Bada$$'s New Music Video "No. 99"
Joey Bada$$ is gearing up to drop his debut album. After releasing the singles and accompanying videos of "Big Dusty" and "Christ Conscious", Bada$$ released the third single with one of the coolest videos he's made: "No. 99".
The video shows Bada$$ as a vigilante named "Badmon". Between battles with the police and media coverage, Badmon and his crew incite protests across Brooklyn. The song features Bada$$ flexing his lyrical chops over a bombastic production by Statik Selektah. Bada$$ spits flows against the government and police alongside images of Eric Garner and Micheal Brown. The video ends on a touching note, with a dedication to Bada$$'s cousin Junior B, who tragically passed away on December 6th.
Along with the video, the Brooklyn rapper dropped the album cover and tracklist of his debut album B4.Da.$$ listed below:
The video shows Bada$$ as a vigilante named "Badmon". Between battles with the police and media coverage, Badmon and his crew incite protests across Brooklyn. The song features Bada$$ flexing his lyrical chops over a bombastic production by Statik Selektah. Bada$$ spits flows against the government and police alongside images of Eric Garner and Micheal Brown. The video ends on a touching note, with a dedication to Bada$$'s cousin Junior B, who tragically passed away on December 6th.
Along with the video, the Brooklyn rapper dropped the album cover and tracklist of his debut album B4.Da.$$ listed below:
- Save the Children
- Greenbox (Introlude)
- Paper Trail$
- Piece of Mind
- Big Dusty
- Hazeus View
- Like Me (Featuring BJ the Chicago Kid)
- Belly of the Beast (Featuring Cronixx)
- No. 99
- Christ Conscious
- On & On (Featuring Maverick Sabre and Dymeond Lewis)
- Escape 120 (Featuring Raury)
- Black Beetles
- O.C.B.
- Curry Chicken
- Run Up On Ya (Featuring Action Bronson and Elle Varner) (Bonus Track)
- Teach Me (Featuring Kiesza)
Pre-order the album here, or wait for it to be released on January 20th.
Sunday, December 7, 2014
Listen to PARTYNEXTDOOR's New EP "PNDCOLOURS"
PARTYNEXTDOOR has had a fantastic 2014. From touring with Drake to releasing one of the best albums of the year, he's been owning this year. And to finish it off, the signer/producer released a new EP entitled PNDCOLOURS.
The EP was released alongside a world tour announcement (sadly no stops in Louisville). The four track EP contains the smooth, hazy production and semi-autotuned singing PARTYNEXTDOOR is known for. PNDCOLOURS contains features Ca$h Out and Travi$ Scott, which is odd considering the only other featured artist that PARTY has had on his records has been Drake. The song with Scott, called "Juss Know" showcases the two artist harmonizing in a higher pitch than both artists, and sounds completely different than either artist. Needless to say, the EP is fantastic, and you can cop it for free here.
The EP was released alongside a world tour announcement (sadly no stops in Louisville). The four track EP contains the smooth, hazy production and semi-autotuned singing PARTYNEXTDOOR is known for. PNDCOLOURS contains features Ca$h Out and Travi$ Scott, which is odd considering the only other featured artist that PARTY has had on his records has been Drake. The song with Scott, called "Juss Know" showcases the two artist harmonizing in a higher pitch than both artists, and sounds completely different than either artist. Needless to say, the EP is fantastic, and you can cop it for free here.
Friday, December 5, 2014
Cash Money Records is in Trouble
Cash Money Records is one of the most well known record labels in hip-hop today. Led by CEO's Birdman and Slim, Cash Money has an extensive roster that includes big names such as Lil Wayne, Drake, Nicki Minaj, and Tyga. While Cash Money Records have produced a stream of popular music in the last few years, they have been having a multitude of problems recently. With the parting of many artists to lead artist Lil Wayne stating that Cash Money was holding his latest album hostage, Cash Money Records is in hot water.
Troubles began in late October when Tyga starting tweeting about his discrepancies with his label, stating that they had been delaying the release of his sophomore album. He then sat down with Vibe and told them that he didn't get along with Drake or Nicki Minaj, even calling Drake "fake". The Toronto rapper then threw some petty shade at Tyga by liking Tyga's ex-girlfriend's pictures on Instagram, which is probably the stupidest way in the world to throw shade. Tyga fought back by hiring Drake's ex-girlfriend to star in a music video with Tyga, which is also pretty petty. It appears the Tyga was finally let off of his label, as he tweeted that his next album would be released independently. This is the third artist to leave Cash Money Records in the last few months, as rapper Busta Rhymes and singer Jay Sean have both left. But unlike Tyga, Rhymes and Sean both said that they left the label on good terms. Lesser known rapper Lil Twist also expressed his disdain with Cash Money's management team, but Twist appears to still be on the label.
But yesterday, Lil Wayne revealed he's also at ends with the label. He took to Twitter to say that he wants off of Cash Money and that his soon-to-be-released album Tha Carter V has been held back by the label and won't be released. This came as a complete shock, as Wayne was one of the original members of Cash Money, and they seemed to be on great terms. Tha Carter V was supposed to be released on October 28th, but was pushed back to this Tuesday.
Truly, I have no problem at all if Cash Money crashes and burns. Almost all of the music Cash Money has produced in recent years has been tacky and unoriginal. Lil Wayne hasn't put out a solid project since Tha Carter III. Nicki Minaj's last albums have sounded more like pop albums than rap albums, and her singles "Super Bass" and "Starships" are a disgrace to hip-hop music. Her soon-to-be-released album The Pinkprint sounds as if she's getting back to her hip-hop roots, which is a definite plus, but leaving Cash Money as well might help her further distance her more recent work from her previous projects. And Drake has focused much more time on his personal OVO label than on Cash Money. I have to agree with Tyga, because I think Drake is pretty fake. Being on Degrassi before becoming a rapper definitely doesn't mean you're "Starting From the Bottom" and at the rate of artists he's cosigning, "No New Friends" is just a blatant lie. Cash Money has done a terrible job promoting their lesser known artists. But with a roster that includes Limp Bizkit, Paris Hilton, and Austin Mahone, the world would be better off if Cash Money Records closed.
Troubles began in late October when Tyga starting tweeting about his discrepancies with his label, stating that they had been delaying the release of his sophomore album. He then sat down with Vibe and told them that he didn't get along with Drake or Nicki Minaj, even calling Drake "fake". The Toronto rapper then threw some petty shade at Tyga by liking Tyga's ex-girlfriend's pictures on Instagram, which is probably the stupidest way in the world to throw shade. Tyga fought back by hiring Drake's ex-girlfriend to star in a music video with Tyga, which is also pretty petty. It appears the Tyga was finally let off of his label, as he tweeted that his next album would be released independently. This is the third artist to leave Cash Money Records in the last few months, as rapper Busta Rhymes and singer Jay Sean have both left. But unlike Tyga, Rhymes and Sean both said that they left the label on good terms. Lesser known rapper Lil Twist also expressed his disdain with Cash Money's management team, but Twist appears to still be on the label.
But yesterday, Lil Wayne revealed he's also at ends with the label. He took to Twitter to say that he wants off of Cash Money and that his soon-to-be-released album Tha Carter V has been held back by the label and won't be released. This came as a complete shock, as Wayne was one of the original members of Cash Money, and they seemed to be on great terms. Tha Carter V was supposed to be released on October 28th, but was pushed back to this Tuesday.
Truly, I have no problem at all if Cash Money crashes and burns. Almost all of the music Cash Money has produced in recent years has been tacky and unoriginal. Lil Wayne hasn't put out a solid project since Tha Carter III. Nicki Minaj's last albums have sounded more like pop albums than rap albums, and her singles "Super Bass" and "Starships" are a disgrace to hip-hop music. Her soon-to-be-released album The Pinkprint sounds as if she's getting back to her hip-hop roots, which is a definite plus, but leaving Cash Money as well might help her further distance her more recent work from her previous projects. And Drake has focused much more time on his personal OVO label than on Cash Money. I have to agree with Tyga, because I think Drake is pretty fake. Being on Degrassi before becoming a rapper definitely doesn't mean you're "Starting From the Bottom" and at the rate of artists he's cosigning, "No New Friends" is just a blatant lie. Cash Money has done a terrible job promoting their lesser known artists. But with a roster that includes Limp Bizkit, Paris Hilton, and Austin Mahone, the world would be better off if Cash Money Records closed.
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
Review: The Neighbourhood's "#000000 & #ffffff" Is One of the Most Unique Projects of This Year
Indie rock band The Neighbourhood gained a lot of popularity last year following their smooth single "Sweater Weather". How would a band capitalize on this popularity? Definitely not by releasing a Don Cannon and DJ Drama hosted mixtape filled to the brim with rap features. But that is exactly what The Neighbourhood last week, by releasing the unique and unprecedented mixtape "#000000 & #ffffff".
#000000 & #ffffff (also called Black and White) sounds like the weirdest and possibly worst project ever made. A California rock band who's known for making breezy hits teams up with hip-hop producers DJ Drama and Don Cannon to make a mixtape featuring only rap artists, such as Danny Brown, French Montana, Casey Veggies, and even new comers Raury, OG Maco, and Dej Loaf. Despite the insanity of this project, its one of the best mixtapes released this year.
It would be hard to call this mixtape a rock mixtape. The production moves away from the previous breezy, Cali-influenced sound that The Neighbourhood is known for, and sounds much more hazy and atmospheric. Black and White sounds like it was created by the Weeknd instead of a rock band. But this new production style blends perfectly with the topics that The Neighbourhood sings about on this mixtape, which range from hate, lust, betrayal, and all other sorts of issues The Neighbourhood has had with women. Lead vocalist Jesse Rutherford says that the mixtape is "a diary of songs that are inspired by our thoughts while on the road. It exposes our anxiety, rejoices in our achievement and expresses our ability to create whatever the f*** we want." The mixtape is as diverse as it is unique. The song "When I Get Back" featuring G-Easy sounds like much of the previous songs that The Neighbourhood has released, while the song "H8M4CH1N3" featuring Danny Brown sounds like a creeping threat filled with oriental chords. And the song "Jealousy" featuring Casey Veggies and the 100s contains a wailing saxophone, a sample of Lil Wayne's "A Milli" and ends with an outro from the 100s that sounds like its being shouted down from an alien on an UFO.
Few artists can take their music in completely different directions and have it be a success. But that's exactly what The Neighbourhood did with this mixtape. Besides the obnoxious intros from Don Cannon and Dj Drama, this mixtape is refreshing and awesome. Download the mixtape from the link above.
#000000 & #ffffff (also called Black and White) sounds like the weirdest and possibly worst project ever made. A California rock band who's known for making breezy hits teams up with hip-hop producers DJ Drama and Don Cannon to make a mixtape featuring only rap artists, such as Danny Brown, French Montana, Casey Veggies, and even new comers Raury, OG Maco, and Dej Loaf. Despite the insanity of this project, its one of the best mixtapes released this year.
It would be hard to call this mixtape a rock mixtape. The production moves away from the previous breezy, Cali-influenced sound that The Neighbourhood is known for, and sounds much more hazy and atmospheric. Black and White sounds like it was created by the Weeknd instead of a rock band. But this new production style blends perfectly with the topics that The Neighbourhood sings about on this mixtape, which range from hate, lust, betrayal, and all other sorts of issues The Neighbourhood has had with women. Lead vocalist Jesse Rutherford says that the mixtape is "a diary of songs that are inspired by our thoughts while on the road. It exposes our anxiety, rejoices in our achievement and expresses our ability to create whatever the f*** we want." The mixtape is as diverse as it is unique. The song "When I Get Back" featuring G-Easy sounds like much of the previous songs that The Neighbourhood has released, while the song "H8M4CH1N3" featuring Danny Brown sounds like a creeping threat filled with oriental chords. And the song "Jealousy" featuring Casey Veggies and the 100s contains a wailing saxophone, a sample of Lil Wayne's "A Milli" and ends with an outro from the 100s that sounds like its being shouted down from an alien on an UFO.
Few artists can take their music in completely different directions and have it be a success. But that's exactly what The Neighbourhood did with this mixtape. Besides the obnoxious intros from Don Cannon and Dj Drama, this mixtape is refreshing and awesome. Download the mixtape from the link above.
Monday, December 1, 2014
Review: "Ferg Forever" Needs Some Polishing
Ever since A$AP Ferg released his debut album Trap Lord fans have been hungry for more. Ferg emerged from the cloud of A$AP Rocky and the rest of the A$AP Mob with his own unique sound and has been gaining a lot of popularity on his own. Ferg's been on a few songs in the last year, such as Ariana Grande's "Hands On Me", Big K.R.I.T.'s "Lac Lac", and A$AP Mob's "Hella Hoes", among others. So when Ferg announced that he'd be releasing a mixtape entitled Ferg Forever on Black Friday, fans were ecstatic. But sadly, this mixtape is pretty hit-or-miss.
Ferg Forever features verses from Big Sean, YG, MIA, SZA, A$AP Nast, among others. Production is handled by a variety of producers, notably Big K.R.I.T., Clams Casino, Mike Will Made It, Childish Major, and Stelios Phili. The 19 track mixtape is hosted by DJ Drama, who constantly (and obnoxiously) acts as a hype man on the mixtape, usually by introducing a song. Ferg experiments with a variety of flows, production styles, and themes. This experimentation is the downfall of Ferg Forever.
Songs on the mixtape range from trap-heavy to 90's R&B influenced to personal to even a reggae song. This inconsistency just sounds awkward, as Ferg tries to also add in his darker, club banger sound that Ferg used heavily in previous projects. The majority of the production is airy and trap heavy, which when coupled with Ferg's flow, sound like cheap and cliche. Ferg's delivery is all over the place. On many of the trappy tracks, Ferg's flows get progressively more and more aggressive until it sounds like he's screaming, such as on "Dope Walk". And on slower songs with a message, Ferg abandons almost all technical skill and sounds like he's just rhythmically talking, like on "Talk It" and "Commitment Issues".
There are still many good songs on Ferg Forever. "Fergsomnia" featuring Twista, features steller verses from both, and sounds like an anthem. "NV" with fellow A$AP Mob member A$AP Nast sounds like a cool battle rap. "Real Thing" has a very nice, flowing beat and a great hook from SZA. Ferg Forever has a few shining stars, but overall the mixtape needs work.
A$AP Ferg's first album, Trap Lord, was one of the best projects released last year, with a great tone and balance. But Ferg Forever is all over the place, and sounds like a cheap mixtape. Many artists, such as Mac Miller, Big Sean, and Big K.R.I.T., go back to mixtapes to experiment musically, with tremendous results. Unfortunately Ferg Forever is a step back for Ferg. Hopefully, Ferg can firm up and polish his next release much more than this mixtape.
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