I've decided to revive my New New series on another new-ish artist. I mean, he's been around a minute, so I'll just claim that he's new to me to cover my bases. And his name is Wafeek. Try and forget that name.
In actuality, his first mixtape was released in 2006, but he didn't get much shine off of it. I guess neither the mainstream nor the blogosphere had much of a lane for an indie artist from St. Louis. Nelly has been the only notable hip hop influence from Missouri and even he wore out his welcome in recent years. But I think Wafeek can keep the fans he gains as long as he stays away from the roids and body oil for album cover photo shoots. Has there ever been a more masculinely insecure attempt at a cover besides Brass Knuckles?
Wafeek -
The Aristocrats Mixtape
Feekee & The Flux Capacitor
After a few years in between, Wafeek came back with a new pair of mixtapes. Now I must have just been sleeping on the posts about him, because his first return venture was The Aristocrats Mixtape which was exclusively pushed and promoted by The Smoking Section, which is my personal second favorite rap blog after 2dopeboyz. And I didn't even cop that free download until I accidentally stumbled upon his newest project earlier this year which featured some awesome Kanye 808s remakes. And I know darn near every tape this year had some Kanye ode, but this one seriously stands out above the rest right up there with Charles Hamilton's super long-titled one. Wafeek goes in with no sense of abandonment, aided by the undeniable forces of autotune. Yet he doesn't use it as a crutch like every single Yung Burg or Weezy song dropped within the last year. He uses it as a selective weapon. He uses it creatively. He uses it in context. He uses it when it sounds good. That's why autotune probably won't just kinda die off after The Blueprint 3 drops. It'll fall off the hooks of the mainstream singles, but it has a legitimate lane where it can sound good, and Wafeek explores that lane and thrives in it when he chooses to use the hated plug-in.
But what really sticks out to me about Wafeek's music is that he effortlessly breaks the mold on the subject matter he touches. I listen to a ton of CDs and mixtapes that I enjoy sonically, yet the rappers don't lyrically stand out in talking about anything that everyone else hasn't covered. Wafeek takes his concepts there and keeps your attention. Whether it's a crazy balance of self-deprecation mixed in the same bag as unconscious braggadocio or a less than comfortable dissection of racial relations or the heart-wrenching detailing of a girl discovering something on a computer, Wafeek isn't scared to go there. To me, it's the anti-SHow TuFli thing that I've been talking about. While I enjoy TuFli's mixtapes, I don't feel him pushing any real boundaries or separating himself from any strong-headed emcee. Wafeek's tapes are enjoyable and then even further up their replay value by being crazy original stylistically and conceptually from song to song. Some individual standouts to me in that way are "Instant Gratification" off the former tape and "Day in the Life" off the latter tape.
So I'm impressed. I really hate when I discover people super late. I wanna be there from the opening bar of someone's career, but that's not often possible. So I just gotta pick up on Wafeek from right now and go with him for the rest of his future music catalogue. Hopefully you will, too.
... but do take my word for it.
Showing posts with label New New. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New New. Show all posts
Sunday, August 16, 2009
New New-ish: Wafeek
Friday, February 13, 2009
New New-ish: Drake
Now I wanna preface this by saying that Drake is about 2 or 3 years removed from being new, but he's flown just enough under the radar that the vast majority (including me) wouldn't know any different. But upon listening to pretty much any of his material, you can feel him immediately as an intense rapper with natural singing ability. I'm not talking Kanye singing. I'm not even talking Mos Def singing. I'm talking could-be-a-straight-R&B artist singing. Like a Trey Songz type dude, but backwards.
Speaking of Trey, they do plenty of songs together. Weezy, too, so listen to it for that if you have to. He doesn't have a for real album yet, but he's got three real strong mixtape efforts. The latest of which came out last night like CH's.
Drake -
Had no idea, but just checked Wikipedia and he plays somebody on "Degrassi: The Next Generation". All I know is my sister watched that show and if my sister knows a rapper that you don't, then you're in trouble. WHAT!? He was in Charlie Bartlett, too? I loved that movie ...
Plus he's Canadian. Which I'm pretty sure automatically guarantees that you're a crazy talented emcee no matter what. Except for Kardinal Offishall. He sucks. Oh no ... Joaquin Phoenix isn't Canadian is he ... ?
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Wah-Lay!
I'm always ... intrigued (careful word choice) to hear the sound when a new music scene is on the come-up from a city on the map not previously represented. While it was a little before my prime, in the mid '90s, Atlanta hip hop came out hard with a sound only capable of being described as Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik with groups such as OutKast, Goodie Mobb, and Parental Advisory in the early years defining their specific genre. Unfortunately, crunk became an offshoot of that as newer Atlanta acts became prominent in the mainstream. But it was something we hadn't heard before. And that's important, no matter what form it takes.
Houston is a more recent example. Children got to see before their very eyes the insanely huge, though temporary, celebration of the Chopped-N-Screwed and candy-painted movement of Texas with the inexplicable rise to fame of Slim Thug, Mike Jones, Paul Wall, Lil' KeKe, and others around 2005-ish. While I personally prefer to look at H-Town's richer history of the Geto Boys, Devin the Dude, and more recently Chamillionaire, no one can doubt the epic nature that distinctive sound took on the rap game for a little while.
Now the Washington, D.C. area is hoping to carve its niche in the hip hop universe on the shoulders of one man. Wale. Not "whale" as I ignorantly thought initially. But the magician/matador-like "Wah-lay"! I quote Phonte (pioneer of the NC sound!) way too much in my explanation of enjoyable and important rap music, but it applies here, too.
"Dope beats, dope rhymes. What more could y'all want?" (c) Phonte
It's a Calculus II-worthy formula that should be taught in kindergarden classes the world over. Wale prevails in his adherence to this formula. And if you're ever going to be formulaic, wouldn't this be the one you'd like to be classified under?
Before listening to the above tape I would never have believed anyone could pull off an ode to Seinfeld, regardless of genre. But Wale sets up each track as a Seinfeld episode experience in that they're methodically yet simply labeled "The [insert reason why it's relevant] Song". It's a beautiful concept that's beautifully utilized to poke fun at himself. Take for instance "The Cliche Lil' Wayne Feature" that was previously known as "Nike Boots (Remix feat. Lil' Wayne)" to earlier fans. That takes guts and humility to call yourself out as such. My personal favorite title is "The Roots Song Wale Is On" as he isn't even afraid to bill his song cementing his underground cred as thoughtfully funny on elaboration, either.
Wale takes chances in crafting his soundscape, but it's so second nature to him that the end product is consistently dope. He incorporated blatant go-go sounds as an ode to his hometown as well as live band orchestration, real drums, and heavy pop remixes, all while approaching his lyricism differently and successfully depending on the track he's adding to. His lyrics are constantly double-take worthy but never do you feel overloaded. If you're not in a thinking mode, he makes the flow just sound good so you can nod out to it.
Get up on Wale before that first official album drops. If not, you'll already be behind. And you'll have to be tutored in the fact that a single man is making rap relevant locally in America's capital. And his name ain't Barack Obama.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
New New-ish: GemStones
No, he didn't make the XXL list cuz he's kinda less new-ish than a bunch of other cats, but you need some GemStones in your life. Well, if you're into that kinda jewelry or whatever you can have that, too, but you really need the rapper formerly known as "G to the -emini".
Normally, famous rapper tag-a-longs suck pretty monstrously. Not here. GemStones to Lupe is no Tony Yayo (always love to shout him out!) to 50, Young Dro to T.I., D12 to Em, or Memphis Bleek to Jay. Dude's a ridiculous spitter and has a voice to boot. Reminds me of Tyler, for real. Not saying I'm Lupe or anything, though, swear! I ain't that nice ... yet.
He sings his cornrows out on Lupe's "Just Might Be OK", "He Say She Say", "Pressure", and "The Emperor's Soundtrack" on the debut Food & Liquor. So take away the early Fahrenheit mixtapes and the public's heard Gem for just as long as the other Chicagoan. But it wasn't until he got his own Fahrenheit 1/15, Part 5: Untamed Beast that everybody got to actually hear what he brought to the table lyrically. And it was something else.
But by the time you got to fully digest all the punchlines of the beast, The Cool came out with three more features and Part 6: The Testimony of GemStones dropped as well. And dude was completely different. Not that he was ever bad, per say, but he got inexplicably better. And this video of the intro of his second tape's intro pretty much explains it.
GemStones mixtapes -
And I gotta give you this super exclusive bonus GemStones cover. I promise on my life you can't find this anywhere else in the world.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
New New: Cory Gunz
This dude is on something else lyrically. It's been said by retard rap analysts that the word "lyrical" really doesn't mean anything, but you listen to dude and tell me it's not the very first descriptive term that hits you.
Cory Gunz Mixtapes -
It never hurts to have hip hop in the blood. Like B.o.B and Charles Hamilton, Cory finally got big time shine by being included on XXL's "next up" cover. I believe it. The craziest thing to me is that dude was set to blow like none other by being featured on the original version of "A Milli" long before Tha Carter III ever made it to the masses. But Wayne done completely cut him out of it. Everybody's got reasons for why, but I'm very confident it's very simply because Cory's verse was better. Wayne's got too much of an ego to let a lesser known commodity kill him on his to-be redonkulously big street single. Check this YouTube vid of the original verse and it's short video with it.
"Illie in the mind, really with the nine, millie when I rhyme, silly anytime,
Fine, chilly gitty on da grind, [gritty] on a dime, Penny on the line,
Plenty's in me, any guineas with em bigger than a mini and remind I'm..."
Try saying that normally without tripping. And he rides the beat something silly with it. That's that Eminem on "Gatman and Robbin'" type flow, shout outs to Jon Payne. You're allowed to be a street rapper and still take pride in what comes out of your pen. The collective world is looking at you 50 Cent, Plies, Lil' Scrappy, Uncle Murda, Jeezy, and every single other self-proclaimed "hustler rapper".
If that's not good enough, he took an extra stab at "A Milli" with Jadakiss. And I wanted to throw up his back-and-forth with Charles, too. It's good when lyricists push lyricists. Always. Weezy couldn't take the heat, so he pushed Cory out of the kitchen and turned down the thermostat.
And he rest his case. Next up.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
New New: B.o.B
Straight jacking artists from the XXL list, but I'm gonna highlight my favorite guys you possibly haven't heard of yet due to their newness in the game. New new for you you. (c) Killer Mike
B.o.B is a guy that really, really impressed me. You can immediately place him as an Atlanta native from his Southern drawl that Andre has taught me to appreciate so much. And the guy spits with all kinda vigor utilizing his distinctive voice. And while his lyrics are definitely on point, the most outstanding feature about him to me is his insanely clever sense of humor and willingness to infuse it in any and every manner possible through his songs and interludes. While I only have one mixtape to go off of in my opinion of, it cleverly cemented my opinion rather quickly. And shout out to the hilarious Playboy Tre' for lacing decades of rap hilarity in the already mentioned interludes.
Dude's musicality is absolutely through the roof. And I just gotta add these two tracks that are not on the tape to prove it. These are frickin' dang near classic cuts on first listen to me.
B.o.B:
Thursday, October 2, 2008
The Wiz
Something new is all I ask of any rapper. I don't expect every release to be the new Rakim, to reincarnate Illmatic, or to be half the quality of any OutKast release, but at least bring something to distinguish yourself.
And that's how you do it. Come with a techno-influenced banger before Kanye even thought up "Stronger". No, you shouldn't, but Wiz did. And you specifically gotta come original like that if you're out of Pittsburgh, not exactly known as a rapper hotbed at the moment. Make no mistake, as long as you can put it to something, swagger/money/party rap can survive. It's when you get recycled the hundredth time by your own dang self that it gets frickin' boring and redundant. Anybody got fifty cents I can not borrow?
Hip Hop started as a braggadocio rhymes to dance tracks. I ain't forgot that yet. I got nothing against the mainstream. I got something against the untalented stream.
That's why Wiz Khalifa stands out against other rappers of a slightly similar style. I'm all good with you telling me why you're better than somebody. Just make sure you tell me why you're better than everybody ... better than everybody! Then make a mixtape called Star Power (downloadable link) to try and prove it. That's why I'll let you pass even if you put out a second-trick pony in your follow-up techno single.
But it's still good! So say yeah.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Charles The Hamiltonization Process
One of my favorite rappers out right now is Charles Hamilton. He's relatively new in the sense that he doesn't have a formally released "album" out, but he's got free mixtapes galore. His internet dominance can be viewed Flash-style on the website iamnotcharleshamilton.com. Every two weeks comes a brand new mixtape with a completely new concept. And each is worth downloading if you're willingly interested in someone wanting to make hip hop a more creativve process altogether, but one who still comes hard on the mic.
His first release is ironically called Death of the Mixtape Rapper (downloadable link!). This tape can take you by surprise in its seemingly contradictory approach. It's titled that yet he's pushing a line of mixtapes ... and he's claiming to be a force outside of industry influence yet his lyrics don't seem to tend to far from the mainstream tree ... but that's exactly the point. Charles opens his musical opus with this intentional ode to the new brand of uninterested, money-hungry "rappers" that come out with a mixtape on a daily basis. This album is more inclined to prove a point than to creatively blow your mind (that aspect is reserved for later). Charles shows that he can out-swagger the swaggeriest, even before the posse cut of the millennium dropped. Even if it only serves as a way to ease commercial fans into his music, its effective and impressive.
His second is called And Then They Played Dilla (downloadable link!). This one's a nod to the unfortunate fact that to the collective rap world, the musical genius of mega-producer J Dilla has only come to be appreciated after his untimely death. But Charles doesn't just rap over an old Jay Dee beat tape to pay his respects, he does what Dilla would do! He respins sampled Dilla instrumentals into his own beats, and then rhymes over them. So a futuristic approach to classic sounds is made. You can't beat contradiction!
So if you claim to be a fan of rap music, then you better be up on this guy before his Interscope-released debut sees the light of day. Or else you'll have a lot of catching up to do.
And what's better than a rapper who's unafraid to make Sonic the Hedgehog culturally relevant again? That takes me back to those 16-bit video game days long before I knew the relevance of 16-bits due to the C++ programming class I'm currently taking!
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