Friday, June 26, 2009

Finally the Good Food


So late on this mixtape, but best know I had it Dee-Elled and on repeat the day it came out. As presented on 2dopeboyz.

Charlie Hilton -

Good Food

Fact: Charlie Hilton's production is nothing if not epic. Through his patience with all the emcees lacing verses for his motion-picturesque soundtrack, he's created a blogosphere underground who's-who guide.

Whether it's brandUn DeShay, XV, Show TuFli, Frank Ramz, Marky, or QuESt, there's definitely connections made and showcased here from track to track. And somehow CH#2's production is still the main feature. Every time. Epic, I said. Download this and get your iTunes more blog cred. Charlie Hilton is next up if tapes like these keep getting made.

... but do take my word for it.

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Forever the King of Pop


Beautiful track was lain in the recent aftermath. Props to Game for getting it together on such crazy short notice.

The Game - Better on the Other Side (Tribute to MJ feat. Chris Brown, Diddy, Polow Da Don, & Boys II Men)


While it kinda bothers to hear Chris Brown all over the chorus, everyone had their problems (MJ obviously included) and the world has to take in the whole picture of a troubled human being and try to respect someone's contributions positively to the world that they tried to make. So I can deal.

Every site and show in the world will be throwing out tributes and whatnot constantly for the near future and they really should. MJ is definitely not my generation of music, but I just checked last night and I got 55 songs from the king in my iTunes. And they've all gotten constant run. The man, musically, was unequivocally a genius. His voice, trademarks, dancing, composition, vision, and presence was irrefutable. He literally ushered in the era of mainstream, comercially-viable black artistry. It's impossible for us who weren't there to truly understand, but he started in the music industry as a child in the '60s. And he somehow transitioned that into his youth and adulthood leading up to literally being the single biggest music figure in the world in 1982 with Thriller. The biggest artist in the entire world. Only the Beatles and Elvis could even touch his level of success and influence.

Yes, everyone knows and has even told all the jokes. The allegations of child molestation, the facial reconstruction, the skin disease destroying his complexion, his prescription drug addiction, the marriages, everything surrounding Neverland Ranch, and even the erradic appearances with his own children. But what the majority of us can't speak to is the mental and physical abuse he himself took from his father as a child and all the tolls being a cultural icon since the age of 6 enacted upon him. We can never understand his mental state or world view from being one of the most recognizable and polorizing people in all of humanity. It's impossible. He was never for a moment in his formative years a normal human being. He never had an ounce of the privilege of privacy, subtlety, normality, or anonymity that we enjoy daily. That's why I pray in his passing that we can try to respect and not demean his legacy. He had serious issues, as we all do, and while we may not have enacted his alleged sins, we have no right continually harp upon, tarnish, and judge who we think he was and what we think he did. At least don't throw it all out perpetually into the world.

Michael Jackson somehow was able to funnel every bit of his soul into a body of music that no one in the coming age will ever be able to touch again. He is an historic treasure that was exposed to the world from the age of 6 to the age of 50. He took a very interesting and controversial journey through those years. But no one can deny his impact. He was given the title as "King of Pop". And he will forever be that. He was just about to restart his performing career with 50 already sold-out shows in London in the coming months. We, the world, are the ones who missed out.

... put 'em both together and you got yourself a super spork.

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Monday, June 22, 2009

New Wale


Who could possibly get most of Slaughterhouse, all of State Property, Talib & Jean, Bun B, Black Thought, and a disposal of singers and other rappers to boot for one project??? An apparently very patient Wale.

Wale -

Back to the Feature

Pretty much anyone who cares about rap was waiting for this one. Will it be the critics' darling like The Mixtape About Nothing? Probably most definitely not. But it's a lot of rap that you need in your collection.

Wale's proved he can push a concept joint like almost none other, but here he just wants to feed the fans a collection of dudes rapping like their lives depend on it. Collabos between writers can only push the product in positive ways. I even like what I hear on this tape from a few rappers I usually don't care too much for. What's crazy is how easily Wale still manages to standout regularly. The host emcee could have gotten lost in the fray of guest appearances on literally every single song, but Wale's rhyming style is so distinctive and enticing that you're practically waiting for him on every track.

Now my one complaint. 9th Wonder. Back when dude was with Little Brother, I thought he could literally do no wrong. Their sound was so defined that I swore and abided by it. It just worked some other kind of perfection to my ears. But on here ... some of the beats feel stale to me. I hope you don't hear it the same, but I can't help it. 9th is renound for having an unbelievable amount of compositions at his disposal, but on this project you can pretty much understand why. Some don't seem to have gotten much individual attention besides some conveyor belt treatment. There's the soul sample and the drums and ... yeah.

But don't let that detract you. If the tape fits your mood, that's the last of your worries. And the MCs shred every bar something unholy. They had to. This is a Wale tape.

... put 'em both together and you got yourself a super spork.

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New Bobby


I've been waiting for this mixtape.

Bobby Ray -
B.o.B vs. Bobby Ray


You should know that Bobby music is essential to me. But I just gotta say thank ya Jeebus for B.o.B's camp coming through with the "No DJ version" immediately. Artistic music needs to be released artistically. Gucci and Wayne and Khaled can keep their drops cuz there ain't nothing to miss. But on stuff I listen to, if it ain't DJ A-Mack then I ain't having it.

But anyways ... while most alter-ego records (see "T.I. vs. T.I.P." & "I Am ... Sasha Fierce") lack any real purpose or execution, Bobby has the talent and variety in his sound to deliver. You got that down south B.o.B soul food next to that rock-tinged singing Bobby Ray record. There's a difference. And both are entertaining. Cop it. Still listening through as many times as I can to catch my favorite joints. Only time you'll ever hear me big up an OJ Da Juiceman track ("I Am the Man"), though. You can write that down. For certain.

... put 'em both together and you got yourself a super spork.

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Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Lust for Life


Who knows if they're samples or Charlie re-did the Drake beat. I mean ... I could prolly just ask him ... but I haven't written an entry the whole summer, so that shows you how lazy I've been. Either way, they're both fire. I wrote up a piece on Drake awhile back and since then he's legitimately exploded on the scene. Just saw him the other night with Jamie Foxx on the new Conan Tonight Show (which I'm extremely impressed with so far). But you know what ... I ain't really feeling Drake anymore.

Drake - Lust for Life
Charlie Hilton - Smart to Talk to God (feat. brandUn DeShay)

I know it's blasphemous to say nowadays since he's still publicly brand new, but all the adoration surrounding him bores me. His music is definitely welcomed by me on the radio; I'm all for that. But people are talking foolish now that he's the best out like he's doing anything different than anyone else ... which he's not. He's got his own thing going, but he isn't pushing any boundaries (good or bad) that haven't already been pushed by Phonte, Lil' Wayne, or Trey Songz. He's nice, but ain't that nice.

But who cares. Both these tracks are nice.

... put 'em both together and you got yourself a super spork.

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