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Masta Killa, Made in Brooklyn (Nature Sounds, 2006)
For whatever reason, Masta Killa never got around to dropping his own solo album back when it mattered. His 2004 debut No Said Date was nails though - arguably the best Wu-Tang solo album since forever. Since then he's apparently fathered some children and joined Peta, neither of which I generally recommend.
Continue reading "Masta Killa - Made in Brooklyn: Album Review" »
From the forthcoming Sam's Town.
That summer when I was working in the barbecue industry, 105.7 the Point would play the Killers' "Somebody Told Me" what seemed like once every 15 minutes or so. And since that was what we listened to, except when the waitresses wanted to hear country (that skydiving song was huge), I must have heard it a good 1,000 times that summer.
Admittedly, I kinda liked it the first 800 times it came on. I wouldn't put it on the level of Franz Ferdinand's "Take Me Out," which was my jam that summer, but it's an enjoyable song, provided you can avoid focusing on how retarded it is in theory. At some point, I also picked up the album and ended up mostly enjoying it. There wasn't anything else on it on the level of "Somebody Told Me," but there were some catchy tunes there.
Interestingly enough, the shit hole I'm working in right now will play Bruce Springsteen's "10th Avenue Freeze Out" at least once a day, depending on whether Muzak is set to the '70s or the '80s station, which is odd because I hardly ever heard that song on the radio before, awesome though it certainly is. Supposedly, the upcoming Killers album, Sam's Town, due out in October, will be their take on the classic Bruce Springsteen sound.
Which would seem like an awful idea until you peep this new single, "When You Were Young." This song fucking rocks! They haven't so much aped Springsteen's classic sound, which really would be teh ghey, but they do borrow a bit from the Boss' favorite thematic tropes. Essentially, "When You Were Young" could be described as "Born to Run" meets "Mr. Brightside." But in a good way. If the rest of the album turns out nearly as well, the Killers will have pulled off a major coup.
Stream "When You Were Young" at the Killers' MySpace profile.
Interview by Ashley West-Nesbitt:
Usually when an album gets packaged as a mixtape it's for a reason: the artist wants to make some quick money and the label wants to keep the artist’s name fresh in between albums. Except for underground rappers, most artists don’t put too much time into crafting a mixtape. They're just substitute albums packed with unmarketable hits that only entertain listeners for only a couple of minutes. But when you come across an album like the new much- anticipated mixtape, Cant Sell Dope Forever that brings together both Dead Prez and the Outlawz, -two of Hip-Hop’s most lyrical rappers-on it, it becomes more than a mixtape-it becomes the collector’s item of mixtapes.
Delivering one of the hottest albums of the summer, Dead Prez and the Outlawz break their hiatus from the rap game to re-educate the streets once again. Featuring tracks that deal with drug addiction, the lack of black leadership and other issues in the community, the album combines both groups’ passion for reshaping people’s minds with their words along with their need to spit the black truth perfectly- no white lies on this mixtape. And with guest appearances from Lazy Bone, Messy Marv and newcomers Stormey and Malachi, this new album is certain to please fans while inspiring the streets to be move beyond the standard 'hood professions and to be more proactive about their side dreams. Taking time off from their busy studio schedules, EDI of the Outlawz and new artist Stormey sat down to open up about their latest project and the new movement it's spawning.
Continue reading "Double or Nothing: The Street’s Saviors" »
According to Last Week's Poll
Last week's poll was probably not the brightest idea since I doubt very many people have had the chance to check out the new Roots album, which won't be out for a month still, let alone the time to digest it and decided for certain whether or not it's the worst Roots album evar.
It sounds like at least some of you have though.
Left off the list, obviously, were the obscure first album Organix, Do You Want More? (my personal favorite), and Illadelph Halflife, which I think most people consider the best Roots album. A lot of people also like Things Fall Apart, which only got 15 votes as the worst Roots album evar.
Otherwise, these results remind me of the poll I did back when Fishscale first came out. I maintained that Pretty Toney was a better album, but most people tended to favor Fishscale, probably because it was new. Having sat with Game Theory for a couple of weeks, I've yet to be convinced that it's a better album than the Tipping Point, though I'll admit that album has grown on me a bit in the past couple of years.
If you get really bored this weekend, go outside read these.
The Top Hip-Hop Songs -- Cold Got Dissed Edition
Superfly & the Glory Box: In My Bedroom with the Source
15 Artists to Hear This Summer
So Wednesday a listening party was held for the new Clipse album, Hell Hath No Fury, which is set to be released on October 31st, i.e. Halloween.
They ended up scrapping most of the shit they recorded a couple of years ago in favor of new songs they recorded fairly recently. The album is said to include guest appearances from Pharrell, Slim Thug, the Re-Up Gang, and Roscoe P. Coldchain, none of whom particularly excite me, but what do I know.
Malice, the old one, says it's going to be a classic.
"It's just fitting. Halloween — let the demons loose," Malice said at Battery Studio. "It's a fresh album. There's no way we could use the same album; we're in a totally different place. You can hear what we've been through. It's good to let people in on it. It's been sitting up, and it's good to let the cat out of the bag. The feedback has been good. It's a classic. ... It's going to be reminiscent of classic East Coast hip-hop."
I wasn't crazy about "Wamp Wamp" (still ain't!), but lord knows hip-hop could use a classic album these days, let alone one with an East Coat feel to it.
A few different songs from OutKast's upcoming Idlewild soundtrack album have been leaked so far and none of them have managed to create much of a buzz compared to any of the other lead singles from OutKast albums. They've gone and created an expensive-looking video for "Morris Brown," which would lead me to believe that this is the one they're counting on to hit.
Andre "Hey Ya" 3000 is nowhere to be found in neither the song itself nor the video, included after the jump, which would tend to lend credence to the theory that OutKast is essentially broken up at this point and are only recording under the group moniker because hardly anyone would cop a Big Boi solo album. You see what happened with the Purple Ribbon compilation.
Ironically, both Speakerboxx and Got Purp were nails, and this new single isn't half that bad. If there's an issue, it's that the college marching thing, which has been done before on the Drumline soundtrack and, um, Fleetwood Mac's "Tusk," wasn't incorporated into the song very well and could have just as easily been left out. And the video is just gay.
Stream "Morris Brown."
Hastings Cameron writes:
A few weeks ago, I interrupted Mr. Lif’s nap time to discuss (a) Bill Clinton’s honorary negritude (b), dropping out of college (c), the demographics of underground hip-hop shows, and the heartbreak that led him to record genital hygiene anthem “Washitup!” If you’re in Chicago this weekend, he’ll be performing on an island in a sea of hipsters: Pitchfork: Sunday, 4:20 w/ Aesop Rock. If that sort of thing isn’t your bag, catch his set in a smaller venue sometime – or buy yourself a Def Jux baby tee.
The following is an edited transcript. Some of what’s been cut: shockingly, the Boston native has never been in a room with Benzino, Made Men affiliates, or Dave Mays – nor has he ever gone to a chat room on any website. Don’t worry, he’ll probably still read your MySpace love letter.
It's True
As I revealed in my post yesterday at XXL, P. Diddy’s newest protégé Cassie has a dirty little secret: Her hit single "Me & U," currently the number three song in the country, is all about giving a guy a blow job. No Lance Bass.
If for some reason you've managed to go this long without hearing this mess, you can stream it at Cassie's MySpace profile to hear what I'm talking about.
And here I've gone through the song's lyrics, Elliott Wilson-style and revealed how they're all about polishing a knob. Again, nullus. I was too lazy to do all of that footnoting though, so my comments will just appear in italics between the song's verses.
Verse 1
You've been waiting so long
I'm here to answer your call
I know that I shouldn't have had you waiting at all
I've been so busy, but I've been thinking about what I wanna do with you
Bol Explains: They've been together for a while now, possibly as long as two weeks, but Cassie has been reticent to go down on her boyfriend. Because she's part-black. She's been thinking about it quite a bit though, because all girls secretly enjoy giving out blow jobs.
Bridge
I know them other guys, they been talking bout the way I do what I do
They heard I was good, they wanna see if it's true
They know you're the one I wanna give it to
I can see you want me too
Now, it's me and you
Bol Explains: Cassie has already gone down on about half the guys at school, and word has gotten out. Which of course means that the other half of the guys at school are lined up to take their turn. Unfortunately for them (and isn't this always the case?), she's only got her mind set on one guy's unit. And soon her lips will be as well.
Chorus
It's me and you, now
I've been waiting (Waiting)
Think I wanna make that move, now
Baby, tell me if you like it (Tell me if you like it)
It's me and you, now
I've been waiting
Think I wanna make that move, now
Baby, tell me how you like it
Bol Explains: The prospect of a man's unit in Cassie's mouth finally becomes too much to bear, and so she drops down to her knees and gives her boyfriend what he's been hearing about and waiting to experience for going on two weeks now. She wants to know if it's all he imagined it would be. It probably is.
Verse 2
I was waiting for you to tell me you were ready
I know what to do, if only you would let me
As long as you're cool with it, I'll treat you right
Here is where you wanna be
Bol Explains: You see, some girls will just voluntarily drop to their knees and start blowing a guy, because they understand that this is really all the guy wants out of life, let alone a relationship. Other gilrs like for a guy to order them, and in some cases grab the back of their head and point them in the right direction.
Bridge
Chorus
Verse 3
Baby, I'll love you all the way down
Get cha right where you like it, I promise you'll like it (I swear)
Just relax and let me make that move (It's our secret thang)
Keep it between me and you
Bol Explains: Cassie's boyfriend was concerned that she was going to suck him right up until the point when the poison was ready to come out and then back off, as some girls are wont to do. But Cassie assures him that she has no problem swallowing his load, as long as he doesn't tell anyone.
Fuck, here's another video. (via TAN)
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