Author: jeffwbaird
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Hip-Hop | J. Cole — Crooked Smile (feat. TLC)
Posted by jeffwbaird on June 3, 2013
This is the one I’ve been eagerly anticipating, and boy was that with good reason. After dropping a b-side, “Niggaz Know”, over the weekend, Cole lets go of the second single, featuring none other than the two remaining members of TLC. In a message about the song Cole said that he’s kept his features on Born Sinner extremely limited, just getting singers (there are no rap features) to do what he loves them for—which is exactly what you get with TLC’s presence on this track. I said it before, and I’ll say it again, Cole just might out-do Kanye with this one. Not in regards to sales, obviously—but as far as content, this is sounding way more like Kanye’s College Dropout than anything I’ve heard since. Cole has that honesty and ability to articulate everyman struggles in a way that not too many rappers have mastered since young ‘Ye. It remains to be seen, but do yourself a favor and get this track while you wait.
Hip-Hop | Wale — Poor Decisions (feat. Lupe Fiasco & Rick Ross)
Posted by jeffwbaird on June 3, 2013
Wale’s upcoming third album, The Gifted, is gearing up to be one of his most consistent projects to date. While his debut was uneven and burdened by too many crossover attempts, his second was too MMG-influenced and aggressive. The first three leaks we’ve received from this new album, though, have all had that soulful style of Wale’s, which was the signature of his successful early mixtapes. This is the first of two new singles Wale dropped today in preparation for his album’s June 25th release, featuring a smooth Jake One beat and a couple quality guest verses courtesy of Lupe Fiasco and Rick Ross. Gotta love Lupe’s “olly olly oxen free” reference and the way he flips the chorus at the end, and Rozay’s verse isn’t half bad, either. June is shaping up to be a wonderful month for hip-hop.
Albums | Jonny Craig — The Lives We Live (prod. Captain Midnite) [Video]
Posted by jeffwbaird on June 3, 2013
Every once in awhile a producer comes around who really grabs my attention. Generally it’s because they seem to share such similar taste; the kind of producer who essentially makes the kinds of beats I would if I was any good. That for me, recently, has been Captain Midnite, whose stellar solo EP, All This Will Fade, was released on the site back in October. Where Midnite really excels, though, is when he sits down with a single artist and produces an entire project, like he’s done with Georgia rapper Kyle Lucas. In those instances, he is able to create a sound that is the ideal of the studio album—where collectively the work sounds much more impressive than the individual cut. Recently, he has paired up with Canadian-American singer/rocker Jonny Craig, who, after serving as the frontman for a handful of bands, is readying his first solo project for a summer release. The first single, “The Lives We Live”, is another great Midnite track, fit with some impressively soulful vocals from Craig. Check it out, and get excited for the album set to release in the upcoming months.
Hip-Hop | Kid Ink — Money and the Power
Posted by jeffwbaird on June 2, 2013
This kid has been around for awhile, but honestly I was just never compelled enough by what I had heard of him on features to give him a full listen. Last week he released his major label debut in the form of a six-track EP, Almost Home, which features the likes of Wale, Meek Mill, Rico Love, and French Montana, and after seeing that his song “Money and the Power” was getting a fair amount of praise, I decided to check him out. This is by far my favorite song off the project — it has an incredibly upbeat, catchy, and pop-oriented beat produced by N4 and longtime collaborator Ned Cameron, and Kid Ink has enough lyrical chops and charisma to win me over. He also, unexpectedly, has a pretty good singing voice. Take a listen below, and if you’re interested, you can find his full EP on iTunes here.
Hip-Hop | J. Cole — Niggaz Know
Posted by jeffwbaird on May 30, 2013
Cole dropped this one less than an hour ago, and I’m already hooked. I haven’t been as excited for an album as I am for Born Sinner in a long time. Let’s be honest, we all know (Cole included) that his debut was a disappointment, but it’s easy to tell from “Miss America” and “Power Trip” and “Cole Summer” (i.e. everything we’ve gotten since) that he’s back to what he does best. He’s got the lyrical dexterity, wordplay, and reflectiveness that makes for the best hip-hop, and he produces for himself, which always leads to an amazing fluidity in sound. I love Kanye, too—but my prediction is that Cole will bring the better album on June 18.
Cover, RnB | Spenz — Do Me Now (Cover)
Posted by jeffwbaird on May 30, 2013
We hardly ever post covers—so I guarantee this one is something special. My aversion partly has to do with the fact that I place so much value in songwriting, but also because it’s extremely rare to find one in which an artist actually adds something to the original. For most upstarts, covers essentially become replications—just a means of highlighting that they can also fill the space of an overproduced pop instrumental. But, on that rare occasion, I hear one that improves something that was missing on the original, or gives life to it in a unique way. Such is the case here, as Jamaican R&B artist Spenz reinterprets K. Roosevelt’s “Do Me Now”, which—even though it’s taking over radio right now—is underwhelming, given the quality of the Hit-Boy beat he received. Spenz provides that missing energy, smoothes out K. Roosevelt’s more staccato delivery, and adds some soul. You can expect to hear a lot more from this talented new artist in the coming months. In the meantime, keep up with him here.
Hip-Hop | Mac Miller — Objects in the Mirror [Live]
Posted by jeffwbaird on May 30, 2013
In anticipation of his upcoming tour and sophomore album, Watching Movies With the Sound Off, due out June 18 (along with Kanye West’s Yeezus and J. Cole’s Born Sinner), Mac lets go of a video in which he performs a new Pharrell-produced cut from the album. While I haven’t always been a fan, he began to show a lot of growth on Macadelic after his disappointing debut, and this song shows that he’s likely headed in the same direction. It’s easy to forget when you watch “Donald Trump” that this 21-year-old is actually a multi-instrumentalist and a pretty gifted songwriter, too. Can’t wait for June 18.
