The N...

When I first heard about the the title of this album in the summer I couldn't wait for it to drop. I know everyone was talking about Jay's return but this album is what the game needs right now, not Jay preaching to "little niggas" about how he is getting his grown man on at age 37. Preaching is something that is rarely felt throughout this album which NaS said he was going to avoid in a radio interview earlier this year, but that doesn't mean the listener isn't going to get an ear full from Nasir's mind. One of my favorite tracks where NaS speaks on some real shit is on the song "Carry on Tradition".

"Deep rooted through slavery..self hatred, the Jewish stick together, friends in high places/ we on some low level shit, WE DON'T WANT NIGGAS TO EVER WIN... see everybody gotta label, everybody's a rapper but few flow fatal it's fucked it all started from two turntables"
-NaS

Production wise I wasn't really blown away. Was really expecting Premier to make an appearance but I'm sure NaS and him will hook up in the future. As for the bad, will.i.am needs to stick to the Fergie shit, you aren't fooling anybody with you samples. I could take the "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" jack on "Hip Hop is Dead" , but jackin the drums from "I Ain't No Joke" and keeping the same beat pattern on "Who Killed It"..lets be a little more creative. The cut's on "Can't Forget About You" fuck the song up so bad. His tracks just sounds like test runs with random "bells n whistles" here n there.

As for the good, Scott Storch killed it on "Play on Playa", that beat was made for Snoop and he rides it so beautifully..dont you agree? Speaking of Kanyezzy, people may be hatin on him as of late but let's be real, the dude can make beats. He serves up two tracks for the cause, "Still Dreaming" and "Let There Be Light" which both have great percussion samples backing the melodies. But the track the takes the cake is "Black Republican" produced by L.E.S. BEAT OF THE YEAR! just listen...

I've got 3 tracks to hold you down until the release next Tuesday (19th).

Black Republican - Nas feat. Jay-Z

Let There Be Light - Nas feat. Tre Williams

Play On Playa - Nas feat. Snoop Dogg

Lil Wayne tells Jay-Z, "I'm better than you"

In the newest issue of Complex, Weezy F. Baby lets loose on several topics:
Jay-Z:

"I don’t like what he’s saying about how he had to come back because hip-hop’s dead and we need him," Wayne said. "What the fuck do you mean? If anything it’s reborn, so he’s probably having a problem with that. You left on a good note, and all of the artists were saying, ‘Yo, this is Jay’s house. He’s the best.’ Now he comes back and still thinks it’s his house. But we fucked bitches in your bed already. It’s not your house anymore, and I’m better than you."

Thinks he's better than Jay-Z:

“Who don’t? [to friends in the background] Ay-yo, am I better than Jay? [friends laugh and nod]. I ain’t got nothing to do with who he is. I’m better than him, though. I’m 24 years old… The dude’s like…? It’s scary. I’m 13 years deep with five albums and 10 million records sold.”

The Clipse and Pharrell:

”I don’t see no fucking Clipse. This is a fucking legend you’re talking to right here. How many years them n---as been around? Who the fuck is Pharrell? Do you really respect him? That n---a wore BAPE and y’all thought he was weird. I wore it and y’all thought it was hot. What I gotta go in the store and say, ‘I like these colors but I can’t buy them because other rappers wore them?”

Picture of he and Baby kissing:

“I don’t fault nobody for misunderstanding. I don’t understand a lot of shit. Baby walked in the crib one day and was like, ‘Everybody’s doing this black mob shit. When I see you n—-s, this is what we’re gonna do.’ And that’s why you’ve probably got a picture of me because I stuck with everything that man said. But every n—a’s done that. I’ve done kissed [Juvenile and B.G.]. No homo. Pause.”

Is this the same Wayne who once said in an interview with Ozone Mag, "My top five [rappers] are Jay-Z, Jigga, Hova, Shawn Carter, and Biggie." and declined to even name himself in their company? Dude has definitely changed his tune in two years.

Back to Black

In my previous post I wrote about English soul singer Amy Winehouse and decided to listen to her latest album Back to Black and was left wondering why is she unknown on this side of the Atlantic. Maybe the delay is due to her public problems back home such as alcoholism, drug abuse, and an eating disorder. I originally wasn't going to make an article on her but after hearing Beyonce release her 5th single off of her 10 track album B'Day I just felt like exposing a new(er) artist.

This is Winehouse's second album and has a more soulful feeling rather than her previously jazz influenced album entitled Frank. Producers Mark Ronson and Salaami Remi provide the production on Back to Black and bring an amazing sound from the 50's and 60's to back vocals of Winehouse. The only bad thing I have to say about this album is the length, 11 tracks at a run time of just under 35 minutes. But maybe thats what makes the album good, its not overdone.

I selected two tracks that stood out to me...

Back to Black- Amy Winehouse

Wake Up Alone- Amy Winehouse

Tell your friends!

Ghost Is Back with More Fish

But before the meal let me introduce myself. I'm not going to give a bio or anything but I'm a DJ here in Atlanta by the name of DiBiase ( like Ted ), who just has a love for music and exposing new tracks/artist to people.

Ghost is back with that Peruvian White for the second time this year at the request of Def Jam. After listening to this album I have to say this is the best that Pretty Toney has been since Clientele. I selected two tracks that stood out to me to share.

Josephine- Ghostface ft. Trife Da God & The Willie Cottrell Band

Josephine was produced by Hi-Tek and features The Willie Cottrell Band, who were used extensively on Hi-Tek's latest album. Take a listen to this story.

You Know I'm No Good- Ghostface ft. Amy Winehouse

When I first heard this track I wondered " who is that singer they sampled?". So after a little research I found out that singer was 23 year old Amy Winehouse from England. She might be an alcoholic but she has an amazing and very mature voice for her age, takes you back to that Detroit sound. Check out her video "You Know I'm No Good". But the person we should be thanking for this fusion is British born DJ/Producer Mark Ronson. Oh yeah I almost forgot about Ghost, well.. another story is told.

Classic: Shorty On The Lookout

So exam time has given me a lil time to procrastinate and revamp the website. Of course if there ever was a face of this blog it would have to be the "biggest rap stars in yo apartment complex" - Little Brother. Exam time has also given me a lil time to recruit some more writers as well as think up a few new ideas for the blog. My latest would be the posting of old school tracks that I just can't shake. My first entry...

I found The Listening when I got to college in 2004, though I had heard of Little Brother for some time. I could really post the entire album because from top to bottom, the album redefined my views of hip hop. Having said this, "Shorty On The Lookout" is one track that is what we college students need right about now with exam time comin up. Dope beats, dope rhymes... that's hip hop! My favorite part of this track is the beat switch at the 4:23 mark. If you haven't heard this song, I hope this opens up a new door for ya, and if you have, let's go back to when LB was just three cats outta Durham who were on the come up.

Shorty On The Lookout - Little Brother