Author: jeffwbaird
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Hip-Hop | Sol —Jump In (prod. The Zillas)
Posted by jeffwbaird on July 16, 2013
Though I’m sure we will all enjoy the new perspective that his recent trip around the world afforded him, I’m very thankful Sol is back to making music. Armed with another beautiful, up-tempo, horn-laden backdrop provided by The Zillas, Sol shows that he hasn’t missed a step while away, garnering a large amount of momentum as his new EP Eyes Open nears. Take a listen below, cop it on iTunes, and get ready for what I wholeheartedly expect to be another great project from this talented Seattle emcee.
Cover, Pop, RnB | Spenz — Do Me Now [Music Video]
Posted by jeffwbaird on July 5, 2013
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1x6zgOlAqy4
I am proud to premiere the raunchy, NSFW visuals for Jamaican R&B artist Spenz’s “Do Me Now”, a reinterpretation of the popular Hit-Boy-produced song by K.Roosevelt that we premiered back in May. As I mentioned before, it’s rare to find an artist who really understands how to improve upon an original, which is exactly what Spenz does, with his smoother, more soulful delivery and strong ear for melody. Look out for more from this talented singer as he readies his debut release due out this November.
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.
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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.
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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
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MRm2-EL6xo
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.