August 5, 2011

The IPhone story

So this summer my family decided to vacation in the U.S. We wanted to explore New York and Washington D.C. mostly, but figured we'd stop in Virginia as well. New York was as amazing as ever. After a day of exploring, it was clear to me that the best place to buy an iPhone would be from Harlem. So I jumped on an up-town bus tour, and got off at the corner of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King blvd. and immediately began scanning the area for what I was looking for: hustlers. Now, I wouldn't call myself cheap, but I am thrifty. I can smell a good deal from miles away, and I consider my knowledge of "the game" to be immaculate, hence I don't get hustled. Upon finding my group of hustlers, I confidently strode up to the one with the biggest set of grills (read: dentures with diamonds) and asked if he was "dealing" (correct slang when dealing with hustlers lets them know that you know the game) iPhones. He shifted his eyes and closed his hands, but nodded very discretely.

Seems I was in luck.

He took me to an average-looking Honda and opened the trunk. Half-expecting to be a trap, my eyes lit up at the sight of an iPhone box that appeared to be new. I reached in and grabbed the box, opened it and pulled out the glistening iPhone which shone brilliantly amongst the grills of fellow hustlers. I pictured myself stroking the glassy surface ever-so gently.

Quickly, the grilled hustler brought me back down to reality and demanded five bills (one bill is $100). I bartered for $400, threatening to deal with another hustler. Reluctantly, he agreed. I believe I laid my game down pretty well.

Leaving the barbecue (pun: there were so many grills) with my smashing new iPhone, I went back to the hotel. The rest of my vacation was a blur I thought I'd only vaguely remember with the aid of photos. However, it appears as if my cockiness may have caught up with me.

I was just enjoying a placid afternoon of single-player Jenga, when suddenly my iPhone informs me that I have one missed call. I check the number: "unknown". Strange? Somewhat. I pushed the thought aside and continued setting up the Jenga. The iPhone rang. "Unknown".

My fingers trembling, I answered the phone.

For seconds that seemed like minutes there was a long pause.




Then a voice. A New-York-grills-in-your-mouth voice spoke.


"You're moving with your auntie and uncle in Bel-Air".

Without hesitation I whistled for a cab, and when it came near, the licence plate said “FRESH” and it had a dice in the mirror. If anything I could tell that this cab was rare, but I said "Nah, forget it. Yo Homes, to Bel-Air!" I pulled up to a house at about 7 or 8, and I yelled to the cabbie, "Yo Homes, smell ya later." I looked at my kingdom, I was finally there, to sit on my throne, I was the Prince of Bel-Air.

June 29, 2011

AWAR - Nuclear (prod. by Alchemist)


I don't know who this cat is, but it's a dope track.
Whoever rule the kingdom, you get your palace crashed
You muhfuckers DOOMed like I'm rockin a metallic mask
- AWAR

Album cover + tracklist: Kendrik Lamar - Section80

JULY 2ND!! I'm definitely gonna cop this when it drops. If you're still sleeping on Kendrik Lamar it's time to wake up!

Tracklist:
1. Fuck Your Ethnicity (prod. by THC)
2. Hol' Up (prod. by Sounwave)
3. ADHD (prod. by Sounwave)
4. No Makeup (Her Vice) ft. Colin Munroe (prod. by Sounwave)
5. Tommy's Song (Her Evils) (prod. by THC)
6. Chapter Six (prod. by Tommy Black)
7. Ronald Reagan Era (His Evils) (prod. by Tae Beast)
8. Poe Man's Dreams (His Vice) ft. GLC (prod. by Willie B)
9. The Spiteful Chant ft. Schoolboy Q (prod. by Sounwave, Dave Free)
10. Chapter Ten (prod. by THC)
11. Keisha's Song (Her Pain) ft. Astro Bot (prod. by Tae Beast)
12. Rigamortis (prod. by Willie B, co-prod. by Sounwave)
13. Kush & Corinthians (His Pain) ft. Bj the Chicago Kid (prod. by Wyldfire)
14. Members Only (prod. by Tommy Black)
15. Ab-Soul's Outro (prod. by Terrace Martin)
16. HiiiPoWeR (prod. by J. Cole)

Ghostface Killah, Sean Price and Trife Diesel - Laced Cheeba

This is off the upcoming Wu-Tang compilation, Legendary Weapons. It's the follow-up to the Chamber Music project that most people thought was better than 8 Diagrams. This drops July 26th. On a side note, Rae said a new Clan album is in the works!

June 27, 2011

RZA ft. Reverend William Burke - Robbery (prod. by RZA)


^ Lol great picture huh? Some new RZA for Wu Wednesdays!

Video: Rick Ross ft. Lil Wayne - 9 Piece [Remix]


9 PIECE! STRAIGHT EIGHT BALLS. MJG, BITCH I GOT 8 BALLS.

Method Man on NY Ink, gets a Killa Bee tat

Wth... Now Freeway reviews Cars 2

Even though I have no idea why these keep poppin up, I gotta say this is pure entertainment. Freeway digs deep into Cars 2, even talks about shit he learned from the semi-retarded tow truck hahaha.

KRS-One reviews Bad Teacher

Yea, I don't know either. He claims it's a good movie and it's actually positive for teachers (like himself).

Video: Freddie Gibbs + Statik Selektah ft. Smoke DZA, Chace Infinite - Keep It Warm For Ya


One of my favourite tracks off this EP. It was filmed while they were doing the UStream thing.

June 25, 2011

Lloyd Banks ft. Pusha T - Home Sweet Home


Shit, lately I've been practicin my gas face
Cause that's what I'mma give em when they land in last place
- Banks
This turned out to be a pretty solid album, minus a bunch of wack RnB tracks. I deleted all of them but kept the good shit. 

June 24, 2011

Album cover + tracklist: Freddie Gibbs + Statik Selektah - Lord Giveth, Lord Taketh Away EP

This is that 24-hour album that they recorded the other night. Shit already leaked! Statik's been killing it for me, so this is definitely gonna get a listen tomorrow. Peep the tracklist:

1. Intro ft. Slaine
2. Lord Giveth, Lord Taketh Away
3. Rap Money ft. Daz Dillinger
4. Affiliated ft. Reks, PUSH! Montana
5. Wild Style ft. Termanology, Fred The Godson
6. Already ft. Trae Tha Truth
7. Keep It Warm For Ya ft. Smoke DZA, Chace Infinite (this was the shit I heard on the UStream. Believe me the beat is ridiculous.)
8. Fallin [Bonus] ft. Termanology
9. Crushing Feelings [Bonus]  

June 23, 2011

Video: Shaun Boothe - Let Me Go


Get em, Shaun! He's promoting a mixtape called Waiting Room, so this track might be on it.

Drake - Trust Issues

I'm only posting this for blog hits! #SELLOUT bahahah

Timeless Truth ft. Sean Price - True Grit (prod. by Roc Marciano)


I don't know who these guys are, but this shit goes hard. And Roc producing is somethin new to me.

Video: Reks - Kill 'Em


This is weird. But listen to Rhythmatic Eternal King Supreme if you haven't! Hip hop in it's purest form!

J. Cole announces album title and release date

Cole tweeted that the album's gonna be called Cole World: The Sideline Story and it's droppin on August 27th!

Video: Vakill - Armor Of God (prod. by Jake One)


Off Vakill's new album Armor Of God, which is droppin soon!
No industry flow active can hurt me
The upper echelons about as effective as Proactive to herpes
Vakill

Video: Co$$ - Pot Ash (prod. by Exile)


Off that Before I Awoke album.

Album cover + tracklist: Co$$ - Before I Awoke

The first time I heard of Co$$ I downloaded this mixtape he put out with this producer dude named Numonics. It was a dope project, so I started putting Co$$ on my radar. So this is his debut album, called Before I Awoke. I wanna listen to this soon but I've got a lot of shit to listen to before this, so we'll see what happens. Anyways, the tracklist is after the jump. There's some Exile production on there that is prolly worth checkin out.

Talib Kweli on The Colbert Report, performs "Cold Rain"


tk on tcr by yardie4lifever2

Pretty good interview! Kweli gives some insight on what is rap (he says it's more folk music than folk music... I never thought about it like that) and talks about what it means to be a so-called conscious rapper. He then performs "Cold Rain" off Gutter Rainbows

Live UStream of Freddie Gibbs and Statik Selektah recording a 24-hour EP

This is nuts. Gibbs and Smoke DZA just went in to record a track on this ridiculous Statik beat. I've never really seen the studio process like this, in it's rawest form. This past hour they spent half of it just sittin around with the beat playing, and then the hour half laying down some verses. DZA had his shit memorized and goes up and spits it all in one take. Gibbs writes his verse down in his iphone, then goes up and spits. Cause his flow is crazy he has to do it a few times, but they play the end product afterwards and it sounds incredible. Link is below.
Live UStream of Gibbs and Statik

June 22, 2011

Album cover + tracklist: Vakill - Armor Of God

If you like word play and punchline rap then Vakill is for you. This guy already has two real solid albums under his belt, so you know he's gonna deliver on this too. Check the tracklist after the jump. I'm really digging the fact that he's got Jake One production this time around. 
EDIT: I posted the wrong tracklisting the first time. This new one I got from the Molemen site, so it's good. 

June 21, 2011

I want this...

It's DOOM's first album, Operation: Doomsday re-released as a 4LP box set. Comes with the album, instrumentals, b-sides, and remixes. Also has a dope looking lyric book. /nerdgasm.

Video: Madvillain - Accordian


Slip like Freudian, your first and last step to playin yourself like Accordian
- DOOM

June 20, 2011

Video: Trae Tha Truth ft. Wiz Khalifa - Gettin' Paid


This was one of the first songs I posted on this blog. It took me this long to realize how wack Wiz is on this. Video is meh, but at least there's a Bun B cameo.

Why araabMUZIK is dope!


On my last araabMUZIK post I got sooooo many comments and questions from my thousands of fans asking why I'm listening to araabMUZIK. Well, fans, it's cause of the above video and many others like that. This guy is a beast on the MPC. Yea he relies heavily on samples, but still, you can't tell me the way he works the MPC is not incredible.

June 16, 2011

Album cover + tracklist: araabMUZIK - Electronic Dream

I got into araabMUZIK by watching him work the MPC on youtube. The shit he does is crazy. Like incredible. I know he makes beats for the Dipset crew but I'm gonna check out this instrumental album first. Peep the tracklist:

1. Electronic Dream
2. Streetz Tonight
3. Golden Touch
4. Free Spirit
5. Underground Stream
6. Make It Happen
7. Lift Off
8. AT2
9. Let It Go
10. Feelin So Hood
11. Lost In A Maze

Ghostface on Wu tattoos, the Clan staying relevant, and Wu Love


Tim Westwood interviews Ghostface while he's out tourin with the Wu in the UK. Ghost talks about his next album, how he's bringing it back to the Supreme Clientele sound, he mentions that there's a new Clan album in the works. He also starts talking about how people have Wu-Tang tattoos.
I don't see Bad Boy, or Cash Money, nahmean? No disrespect to them like that, I'm just sayin I ain't seen none of these other groups tattooed on these motherfuckers. It's only a W. A fuckin bird!
Word to Ghost.
I every disappointment is a blessing, but things happen for a reason and sometimes God works in mysterious ways, nahmean? And sometimes he'll hold you to let other shit reveal theyself. And then when it all fades away, here go the motherfuckers that always been there, that was always the truth.
Also in this interview: A quick Goodie Mob cameo, Ghostface holds a mic a whole time for no reason and Tim Westwood says "baby" to Ghostface a disturbing number of times towards the end.

Video: Kool Keith ft. Megabone - The Game Is Free


So "Megabone" is apparently 4 dudes who can't rap. Great. This is off Keith's upcoming album Love & Danger, which I'm sure no one knows is coming out.

Maybe Life Isn't Good for Nas

Word is that he might change the name of the album to something else. Maybe it's that Kelis spending money child support that's got Nas down.

Kanye West - Mama's Boy

So I was gonna post this "new" Kanye song called "Mama's Boy" that hit the interwebz recently, but now Ye's come out and said that the acapella version of the track was stolen/leaked and laid on someone else's beat. Ye put out this statement:
The version of the Kanye West recording “Mama’s Boy” that arrived on blog sites earlier this week is entirely bogus and unsanctioned, and violates the artist’s creative intentions. As is often the unfortunate case, an unknown party or parties got a hold of Kanye West’s vocal track and added their own soundbed to it, effectively and falsely releasing it as a Kanye West track from the My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy sessions. The result in no way resembles the final song Kanye West intended his fans to hear, and he is deeply disappointed that one of the most personal, meaningful and special songs he has ever written would reach people in this way. Needless to say, measures are being taken to identify and prosecute the persons responsible for leaking this material.
That sucks. So in light of this I'm not gonna post it, and hopefully Kanye finishes the song soon and we get to hear what it was meant to sound like. 

June 13, 2011

Ghostface Killah ft. Jadakiss - Run & The Remix ft. Comp (prod. by RZA)





How could you not fuck with this? Also, this dude Comp drops a pretty decent verse even though he's got a pretty fucked up hand (google that shit).
They got me runnin' and I weigh about three hunnid
Drawers stuck in my ass, gun under my stomach
And I don't even know why they chasin' me for
Cuz I'm dirty like the corner in the bathroom floor
So I run through the alley, when I come through the block
Runnin' so fast, you would think I'm chasin' the cops
Right in broad daylight, in the middle of winter
I can't go to jail, my mother cookin' chicken for dinner, DAYYUM!
 - Comp

June 6, 2011

Nas - Queens Get The Money


Anyone who thinks Nas still can't bring it needs to listen to this track and SHUT THE FUCK UP. I posted the lyrics after the jump, because Nas is "over they heads, like a bulimic on a see-saw." *dead*

Jay-Z on what makes a classic track

Rolling Stone has an article written by Jay-Z on the nature of a classic track and how they come about. What's interesting is that Jay says if it takes too long to make a song, he scraps it. Kanye, on the other hand, could spend months on a track until it's become perfect. Two different approaches to making some dope ass music. 

P.S. I only picked that picture of Jay cause it made me lol. 

June 4, 2011

DJ Spinna's 10 favourite sample flips

This is a really sick article. DJ Spinna talks about his favourite uses of a sample in some popular songs from the 90s. They lay the article out well to, cause you can listen to the song that used the sample and you can listen to the song that was sampled. He talks about Black Star's "Little Brother", Pac's "I Get Around" and Pete Rock and CL Smooth's "T.R.O.Y."

June 3, 2011

Album cover + tracklist: Curren$y - Weekend At Burnie's

Curren$y keeps puttin in work. This album's gonna be entirely produced by Monsta Beatz except for a few tracks. Peep the tracklist:
1. #jetsgo (prod. by Rahki)
2. Still ft. Trademark Da Skydiver, Young Roddy (prod. by Monsta Beatz)
3. She Don't Want A Man (prod. by Magnedo7, co-prod. by Havoc)
4. One Life (prod. by Monsta Beatz)
5. You See It (prod. by Monsta Beatz)
6. Televised ft. Fiend (prod. by Havoc)
7. This Is The Life (prod. by Monsta Beatz)
8. On G's ft. Trademark Da Skydiver, Young Roddy (prod. by Monsta Beatz)
9. Money Machine (prod. by Dirk Pate, Monsta Beatz)
10. What's What (prod. by Monsta Beatz)

May 28, 2011

Big Boi's "The Crown Life" documentary


I think I might've posted the trailer for this a while back, but I'm not sure. Anyway, it's a documentary about Big Boi's life and career prolly around the time he dropped Sir Lucious Leftfoot. From the youtube page:
The short film lets audiences into Big Boi's life as he performed during the 2011 Grammy Awards weekend; inside his studio, Stankonia, as he prepares for his latest projects; and an evening out on the town in his hometown of Atlanta with stops at his favorite spots to unwind.

May 27, 2011

Video: Diddy and his homies just clowning ("Call me Swag")


I don't know wtf this is... but it made me lol.

Erick Sermon ft. Rick Ross - Ain't Me


Some new Erick Sermon featuring Ricky Rozay.

Video: Kendrick Lamar - HiiiPOWER


I can't stop listening to this song.
This is physical and mental, I wouldn't sugar coat it
You'll die from diabetes if these other niggas wrote it
See also: Kendrick Lamar - HiiiPOWER (prod. by J. Cole)

Album cover + tracklist: Bad Meets Evil (Eminem + Royce Da 5'9") - Hell: The Sequel

Yo if "Fast Lane" is any indication how this project is gonna turn out... it's gonna be sick! Tracklist and production credits here. Can't wait for that Bangladesh cut!

1. Welcome 2 Hell (prod. by Havoc)
2. Fast Lane (prod. by Supa Dups)
3. The Reunion (prod. by Sid Roams)
4. Above The Law (prod. by Mr. Porter)
5. I'm On Everything ft. Mike Epps (prod. by Mr. Porter)
6. A Kiss (prod. by Bangladesh)
7. Lighters ft. Bruno Mars (prod. by Eminem, The SmeeZingtons, Battle Roy)
8. Take From Me (prod. by Mr. Porter)
9. Loud Noises ft. Slaughterhouse (prod. Mr. Porter)

Raekwon ft. Busta Rhymes, Game, Pharrell, DJ Khaled - Rock N Roll [Remix]


I almost didn't wanna post this cause of that fool Khaled droppin his tags.

Lords Of The Underground - Prove It


Some new Lords Of The Underground, in anticipation of their new project with Marley Marl. This is off some mixtape called Digital Dynasty 16.

Wu-Tang Clan (RZA) - Only The Rugged Survive


So apparently the Wu has a new album called Legendary Weapons comin out through E1 Music, the same people that dropped the Chamber Music album that everyone was sayin was a better Wu album than 8 Diagrams. This is a RZA only track on the album, but you can expect most Clan members to be on the album. Production's handled by Noah Rubin, Fizzy Womack, and others.

May 22, 2011

Pharoahe Monch ft. Jean Grae, Royce Da 5'9" - Assassins


Monch, Jean Greazy and Royce come together to lace a crazy track for Monch's latest album, W.A.R. (We Are Renegades). Straight lyrical madness from all of em.
 I'm on point like Chris Paul,
You on point like an Atlantic City hooker that licks balls
I'm bout to flip in this bitch like Dominique Dawes
and shut shit down like a car when it stalls
I am the deadliest rapper, you claimin' that you flow like water
but really ya'll niggas Evian backwards
- Royce

This might not be Monch's best album, but it's still hot.

DMX - Get Your Money Up (prod. by Swizz Beatz)

DMX - Get Your Money Up (prod. by Swizz Beatz)

Some new DMX over a Swizz Beatz beat... It's not bad.

Video: Curren$y ft. Fiend - Blood Sweat and Gears (prod. by Alchemist)


A sick track off that Curren$y + Alchemist EP, Covert Coup. You can download the full EP for free from here. Honestly I could post every song from it, it's so dope.

Video: Reks ft. Styles P - Why Cry (prod. by Alchemist)


No white Reks in this one.

Video: Killer Mike ft. Big Boi, T.I. - Ready Set Go [Remix]



May 19, 2011

Video: Elzhi - Halftime


This is off Elzhi's Elmatic, his tribute to Nasir's Illmatic. I'm gonna make a post about Elmatic real soon.

Video: Snoop Dogg - The Way Life Used To Be


Another visual off that Doggumentary album, which I still haveta listen to!!!

Video: Vakill - I Came For You


You don't know Vakill?? Dude's got punchlines for days.
Speaking of blessing
When i spit it
It's hard to address it like God's sneezing
This is off his upcoming album, Armor of God.

May 16, 2011

Album cover + tracklist: Random Axe - Random Axe

Random Axe is Sean Price + Guilty Simpson + Black Milk. All dope emcees in their own respect. Expect the album to be filled with hard beats and the swag you'd expect from the 3 of em. Drops June 14th, tracklist after the jump.

Album cover: KRS-One + Freddie Foxxx aka Bumpy Knuckles - Royalty Check

Two of rap's legends are tryin to stay relevant by coming together for a collabo album. If the production is on point, this should be pretty sick!

May 15, 2011