January Mix! (2013)

Big bear tomorrow. No time. Dope Mix. Enjoy :)

Download January Mix 13!

Big Boi - In The A ft. T.I. & Ludacris

Here's another set of visuals for Big Boi's last album, Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors, where the Outkast member enlists some of the more successful ATleans of the last decade or so. If this track ever goes on at the club, I'm just going to start busting out my own conducter moves. 

Long Live A$AP's Listenting Party

Being that ASAP Rocky just dropped his album a week ago, I feel it's right to boast the rising star some more and show his genuine personality through his listening party. This video clip just reinforces my belief that "that Pretty Muthafucka" has to be one of the coolest dudes out there and that his major label debut is most definitely making my 2013's end of year list. If you haven't yet, do yourself the favor and buy  Long Live ASAP. 

Good Kid MAAD City Production

Over the last week or so I've come across these two videos that showcase the talent behind the production for last year's "Album of the Year". I found them very interesting and entertaining and feel anyone who knows a little bit about what goes into actually making a hip hop beat will feel the same. Truly gives you more appreciation for an album that could stand alone on Kendrick's lyrics.

First, watch the LA producer/rapper, Terrance Martin, (also responsible for Section.80's outro track) incorporate Latin Jazz drums into track #11 off GKMC:

 

Next, watch The Bizness craft a flawless beat from scratch without the need of a sample. This is the intro track off GKMC where Kendrick brings Sherane, his first fling, into the picture and speaks of getting set up:

All we need next is Hit-Boy's "Backseat Freestye":

Now that I have a real visual of Sherane (2:30), I can see how young Kendrick mindlessly walked into that situation.

Hip Hop Quotables: Old Tigallo! Old Tigallo! Old Tigallo

So I just got back from lunch with a home girl from high school and one of the topics we discussed was the male and female dichotomy when it comes to relationships. With this conversation stuck in my mind even after departing with my old friend and returning to my home, I played the one and only track off GetBack where Phonte and Rapper Big Pooh allow 9th Wonder to handle the production (being the first album that the trio turned into a duo). This track I'm speaking of, titled "Breaking My Heart" (ft. Lil Wayne), deals with the opposite gender desires as Phonte's verse is about a woman whos man cheats on her and in return the woman leaves to her mother's place. The song turns into a conversation between the mother and daughter where the mother advises that as long as her man is not physically abusive and does well, then he's worth keeping around.

"Momma was like 'baby now I hate to see your tears, 

but I've been witcho' daddy for 'bout 35 years

and in my day I had to turn a blind eye to cheatin' 

but i ain't never had to wear no black eyes from beatins 

As long as he doin right by you and your kids

How u goan' expect that man not to be he is'"

  

While these few bars obviously exhibit Phonte's lyrical ability and exceptional word play, the line I deem today's "hip hop quotable" is the one below.  

"'Cause a woman's life is love, a man's love is life"

 Wise words from the mother counceling the heart broken daughter.

This line, along with countless other Phonte quotes, has stood out to me for years. Whenever I see these young ladies rushing into marriages or homies just wanting one night stands and B.U.D.D.Y.s, Phonte's voice rings in the back of my head. It's somewhat true that men are afraid to settle down with a woman because of the fear that their freedom is being stripped away. Not saying that men prefer to remain single instead of starting families, but it is definitely a more thought out decision to settle down for the male than it is for the female. Just as Phonte puts it with the line above; women's lives revolve around nurturing their relationships and finding that significant other, while males are more in love with the idea of freedom and roaming the earth without a leash on (arf! arf! arf!).

But remember, "everything ain't what it seem, every lady ain't no hoe and every bitch ain't no queen, every nigga ain't no dog, and every nigga ain't no king!" These are just mere observations made by a young man trying to make sense of this world.