Kid Cudi - Immortal

Mr. Ranger is drops yet another single off his third studio album, Indicud. We can expect this GOOD Music release to hit the shelves April 23rd, unless he continues to have issues with his label. Either way, I can't say I wouldn't love to have another Cudder album in my life.

February Mix 13'

No real major albums this month but we still got some new singles from the likes of J. Cole, Drake, Asher Roth, and Chance the Rapper (who's been putting in work lately). Additionally several artist, such as Kris Kassanova, CyHi the Prince, KRNDN, and Dee-1, dropped some respectable projects. Nothing too amazing but still some new music to ride to. Enjoy!

Download February Mix 2013!

Slept On: Flatbush Zombies

Very simply put, these posts will be me paying respect to artist(s) I unfortunately sleep on at first but as I eventually give them a shot, I kick my self in the ass for initially passing them up. Let's hope I keep these posts to a minimum.

This time around I will be paying homage to the Brooklyn trio, Flatbush Zombies.

If you're like me and have waited till 2013 to listen to this group for the first time, I urge you to download their free mixtape, D.R.U.G.S. which dropped last July. They've previously worked with A$AP Mob and I recently saw a THC interview where the production crew stated they were looking to produce some beats for them. That would most definitely be something I'd love to hear.

Throwback Thursday: Digable Plannets - Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like That)

For this week's throwback I've decided to go with the east coast jazz/funk trio. Digable Planets is most definitely one of my favorite old school groups and if their Vinyl wasn't so rare and priced at $300!!!! then maybe I would have this album on my wall. This track is actually from their 1993 debut, Reachin' (A New Refutation of Time and Space) which I highly suggest anyone to buy a copy if they don't own one (I might even possibly slap someone for just merely downloading it). Track 1-14 are straight GOLD! 

ASAP Rocky and Danny Brown on Katy Griffin

So it all begins back when Noisey did a "Back and Forth" with ASAP Rocky and Danny Brown (which in case you haven't watched yet, go watch now! These two deserve their own reality TV show). Amongst their various topics of conversation arises the, "Would you fuck an older lady?" question. With this conversation in place, Katy Griffin's name comes up and both rappers agree they would smash. Katy Griffin finds out about these "Back and Forth" videos and decides to bring them up in her own talk show and states "I would pull a train". Just when you think it can't get anymore odd, Katy Griffin actually books the two dope rappers to come onto her talk show...

J. Cole - Truy Yours EP

Looks like my favorite rapper is gearing up to drop his sophomore album, Born Sinner. In preparation to get his fans ready, J. Cole has graced us with this 5 track EP. Along with the 5 dope tracks, he has written this small note to the music hungry consumers:

It’s time.

I appreciate you giving me the time I needed to grow, experiment, and find the direction for my 2nd album.. And I have.
Along the way I’ve recorded at least 4 albums worth of material, lots of it being unfinished demo versions waiting to be polished up, some of them are great songs and important stories that just won’t make the album (either they don’t fit Sonically, don’t fit Theme, or there’s just not enough space) .

Tonight, I want to give you a few of these songs because you deserve them. It’s hard as fuck for me to keep all this music from you for so long, so I know it’s been hard for you to wait. Thank you for your patience. Vibe out to these songs in their raw form, no polish.. just a lot of my soul..

The wait is over.

Truly Yours,
Born Sinner

PS- 1st single coming this week. The album is hands down my best work yet. Can’t wait to share.


Unlike all them fair weather fans out there (*cough* SAM! *cough*), I support my boy Jermain no matter what he does. Listen to this interview and tell me this man let the limelight get to him.

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.

Mixes: Second Half of 2012

Sorry for the long 6 months of inactivity. Now that I'm a college grad with more time on my hands than ever, it's time to get back to my hobby of sharing music with the world. 2012 was a great year! Here are the last 6 months of music!






Download July Mix!





Download August Mix!







Download September Mix!

 

  "She let my man pop for passes to Rock the Bells. These hoes is mad wicked, I wonder what she do for some Jigga tickets"

Download October Mix!

Download November Mix!

Download December Mix!

Happy New Years!

May & June Mixes

The last two months were filled with rap drama (Chris Brown vs Drake, Weezy vs G.O.O.D. Music & Peter Rosenburg), Release dates (Kendrick Lamar - October 2nd, A$AP Rocky - September but it got pushed back recently), and a whole lot of dope new hip hop.

For Example:

Get More: Joey Bada$$, Waves, Music, More Music Videos

"... and they told me not to be so complex, dumb it down to accomplish articles in Complex"

Man this kid is dope... 17 year old Joey Bada$$ is more advanced in his rhymes and style than most rappers in their mid 20's who have been mastering their craft for years now. Like many other young rappers today, the Brooklyn native is building from the ground up and bringing his homies along for the ride (Pro.Era Crew). His music is so deep in true hip hop roots that hip hop heads become nostalgic when listening to him. Download his debut mixtape, 1999, and see for your self the hype thats been building around the teen for the last several months. Joey's got next!

Besides the younin' on his grind, other releases worth listing are Currensy's Stoned Immaculate, Meek Mill's Dream Chasers 2, Ab-Soul's Control System, Dom Kennedy's Yellow Album, and Big KRIT's long awaited debut album, Live From The Underground.

One day I'll get the consistency down. Until then, late monthly mixes will have to do. Here are the mixes for the last two months:

May Mix & June Mix

April Mix 2012

Women + Weed + Weather = Cali (The Recipe)

What a month for singles. Kendrick Lamar, ASAP Rocky, Nas, G.O.O.D. Music, Wiz Khalifa (although that shit was weak), etc. Looks as though summer is filled with promising albums!

With work, school, and vegan/vegetarian tamales taking over my life, it has become harder and harder for me to even find time in the day to blog as much as I'd like too. There are even days when I find it hard to riffle through the surplus of music constantly coming out.  But Hip Hop is still my first love and these monthly mixes will live on!

Since 4/20 is Christmas to Stoners, I found this video appropriate.

Ya'll know the deal! DB&B!

Download April Mix 2012

March Mix 2012

March always tends to be an exceptional month for hip hop. Last year's March mix was probably my favorite mix of the entire year and this year it is following in the same path. It might just be that summer/spring feeling but regardless there's not a second through out the mix that I'll consider skipping.

Cream of the crop this time around are Miller's two joints, LRG's endorsed Add-2, and the diamond in the rough track/video by Cesar Luciano (who?), with Big Krit's 4EverNaDAy being another honorable mention. Download, Burn, and BUMP!

Download March 2012

February Mix 2012

Better late than never I guess... Great mix and I wish I would've gone into logic and actualley mixed this one but who knew growing up would really result in a lifestyle that allowed for little free time. Regardless, this is a mix that will be played until I'm 6 feet deep. Download, Burn, and BUMP!

Best song of the month goes to... Brother Ali - I'll Be Around feat. Phonte & Stokley Williams.

Download February Mix 2012

Hip Hip Quotables: Momma's Momma

Hip Hop Quotables are just another piece to this site that adds ignition to the reader to keep coming back. While tunes can create a positive mood to the listener through simply melodies, it is lyrics alone that make or brake an artist. These posts focus on the level of deepness an artist reaches to the listener. Whether it be the additional confidence a certain line brings the fan (AKA swag), or on a more essential level, the maturity a few words brings the person, music is filled with life lessons.

In this case, my initial inspiration/Facebook quote is J. Cole's line off "I Get Up". The North Carolina native reiterates Hova's line, "9-5 is how you survive, I ain't tryin' to survive, I'm tryin' to throw my momma in rides!" (2:57). This line alone is inspiring to the typical ambitious fan who's trying to make it out of the vicious cycle we're all born into. Being a momma's boy, I know I owe more than just the world to the person who gave me life. Luxuries and a life of success isn't enough for just me; this life is also meant for the person who taught me the most fundamental lessons...

Now to take it to an even further level, I not only want to please my closest friend, but my best friend's best friend. Kendrick Lamar speaks about showing his mother's mother a stress free good life. "... movin' grams like relocating your momma's momma" (1:25). While Cole's line was more straight to the point, Kendrick's line is more aspiring and poetic. He not only delivers a success driven point, but does it through word play. He uses "movin' grams" as in a measurement of the drug that's being sold and 'Grams' as in a nick make for his beloved grandmother. This metaphor not only parades that his mother will see his success first hand, but the person that granted his mother life will see that success as well.

If you want a track filled with HHQs listen to ROTC (Right On Time Conscience) in its entirety. It's most defenitly a thought we all go through. Lets all pray to the gods that this Cole/Lamar album sees the light of day.

Brother Ali - Shine On (Prod. Jake One)

Being that I'm currently working the slave shift at a restaurant, this song hits me more than anything that's dropped in the last month or so. If story telling in music was a sport, Brother Ali would be the offspring of Jordan and Kobe. Pretending to be an employee might just be my new ice breaker the next time I'm out on the hunt. Best of all, there's visuals to go along with the well written/produced single. Brother Ali's Bite Marked Heart drops Valentine Day, AKA Gillermo's Birthday.

Kendrick Lamar & School Boy Q Interview with Peter Rosenberg

Here's a great interview for all the Hiii Powered intellects out there. Being a Kendrick fan, I've watched countless interviews on the revolutionist and I must say, damn some of these questions they ask are repetitive. In this case, Peter Rosenberg holds one quite interesting interview. This time around you get a chance to hear Mr. Lamar speak about his ability to get a buzz amongst the brainless masses even though he puts out classic, food for thought hip hop, his struggles to master and perfect a sound in music, the irony of him touring with Drake, and other thought provoking questions/answers. On top of everything, Rosenberg kind of calls out School Boy Q for his "Drinking and Driving" anthem (which features one of my new favorites, ASAP Rocky).

You Can't Be Serious: Blu Gets Interrupted

It's a sad day in hip hop when when one of you favorite emcees gets stopped in the middle of his performance only to be told his show is weak. While the fan is obviously under the influence, I can't say i don't agree with him (although I would never do what he did). The fact is that Blu is not a great performer. The guy is one of the best lyrically, but he definitely does not live up to the notion of "M.C. means Move the Crowd". And I could say this from first hand experience from seeing my top 5 favorite Emcee a few years back at Berkley's Hip Hop in the Park. Without much stage presence, he sort of just strolled around the stage passively reciting his lyrics and occasionally forgetting his own heart felt written lyrics (no joke he actually started a song over because he messed up within the first 6-8 bars). I love my boy Blu, but if he's looking for longevity, he's got to make some changes.

On a brighter side, check out one of Blu's hidden gems.