Author: jeffwbaird
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Hip-Hop | Mike Champoux — One
Posted by jeffwbaird on March 10, 2013
It’s a rare moment these days when I come across a new emcee whose sound truly transfixes me. Rapping has become such a major fad in our college culture, and as more nontraditional hip-hop acts gain prestige in this community, it continues to saturate this work and turn a genre that once exclusively documented the struggles of urban life into one accessible to all. I’m very proud of the progression of hip-hop and I believe that it’s an adaptive genre by nature, but simultaneously—as an advocate of hip-hop’s finesse and literary qualities—it has made me loathe checking my inbox and staying on top of the trends. There’s a definite lack of awareness and a presence of ignorance in those who self-identify as artists of hip-hop that I can tell upon first listen. These are artists who’ve been drawn to hip-hop because of the perceived ease of constructing a strong where no message or originality is necessary. Tracks have become defined by punchlines and producer’s remakes of industry singles, rarely detailed and rarely bearing any sign of lyrical prowess. I digress, but this morning a Seattle artist named Mike Champoux was brought to my attention, and has provided me with a temporary sense of trust. He’s a multitalented producer and rapper, and is a few weeks away from releasing his first full-length, L.I.F.E., which highlights the introspective qualities of his work. “One” is a beautiful homage and response to a friend of Champoux’s who took his own life, with a melodic and gripping instrumental that has that characteristic Seattle sound that Ryan Lewis has brought to global attention. Enjoy.
Hip-Hop | Maxxx Flair — New York City Raised Me
Posted by jeffwbaird on March 4, 2013
It’s no surprise that the majority of present-day emcees have begun veering towards the strategy of “quantity” as a means of getting noticed. They release new projects at an expeditious rate, more concerned with their name remaining in the headlines then they are with producing work of the highest quality. Rarely do I find an artist who is able to effectively bridge this as well as Yonkers-based emcee Maxxx Flair. Though he creates at a brisk pace, the sound is never compromised. Cue his new project, Wake Up, due this spring, and a new single that he’s sent our way, entitled “New York City Raised Me.” Back with frequent collaborator Snake-Eyes, a Brooklyn-based producer and engineer, we can expect the same level of prowess and lyrical ability on this new tape as we’ve become accustomed to from Maxxx, as is well evidenced by this old-school-style record. Check it out and get ready for Wake Up.
Hip-Hop, Videos | Kyle Lucas & Captain Midnite — I’m Only A Little Crazy, Baby (Haunting Me) [Music Video]
Posted by jeffwbaird on March 4, 2013
Here is the latest video from one of my favorite emcee/producer duos, Kyle Lucas and Captain Midnite. Just off the heels of the Seattle producer’s most recent EP, All This Will Fade, Midnite connects with the Marietta rapper over this fiery track, complete with some visuals that definitely live up to the track’s name (hint: there’s murder, straight jackets, and an insane asylum, among other things). Check the video out below, and if you haven’t gotten their most recent collaborations, you’re going to want to get on that now.
Hip-Hop, Videos | Accent — Everybody’s Crazy (feat. Kinetics) [Music Video Premiere]
Posted by jeffwbaird on February 28, 2013
It shouldn’t come as a surprise to you that I love introspective hip-hop—and man does this new Accent track take the cake. Amidst a genre primarily concerned with braggadocio and glorified false personas, Accent utilizes his singing skills to evoke this powerful jam about “accepting the imperfections that define us, and being proud of them.” The Kid Vision-produced single from his Sight & Sound EP features a verse from frequent collaborator Kinetics—whose internal rhyme-schemes become more impressive by the song—and impressive visuals courtesy of Hickory that highlight the song’s meaning and personal nature, which Accent eloquently described for us:
“The song recognizes that every human has their own unique qualities, yet it acknowledges that those differences between us are what make all of us the same; everyone struggles with their own experiences and identities. The sources of my own pain are very literally expressed here and every word is carefully recited making for a clear projection of the message. I reference my own issues regarding bi-raciality, growing up without a father and being almost obsessed with what I loved about my childhood but I also touch on my capacity for love and the purpose I have for existing. While “Everybody’s Crazy” comes from a sad place in my heart it encourages people to transform the negativity in their histories into a beautiful representation of the strength they have developed from it.”
Hip-Hop, Videos | Thoughts On Drake, “Started From The Bottom” [Video]
Posted by jeffwbaird on February 10, 2013
http://vimeo.com/59303531
Drake’s awareness of the divide between the substantive hip-hop of the underground scene he came up in and that of the mainstream (which he’s currently immersed in) has always fascinated me, and his success is largely due to how he’s been able to perform so well in both realms. But his ideals are changing fast. I fear that we may never get another record as honest, introspective, and meditative as So Far Gone. His first two LP’s highlighted his complexity as an artist as he produced ultimately thoughtful records, inter-spiced with pop jams that didn’t fit the rest of the album’s tone — a trend that is replicated in the majority of major releases in the present day. But with the release of “Started From the Bottom,” Drake has finally given us a single that harshly abandons his beloved idiosyncrasies and fortes—a record where his delivery is so determined to be gruff that it is unceasingly stagnant and unimaginative.
When he was starting out, he knew that in order to gain credibility he had to provide something different, so he presented himself as a beacon of honesty, and as a genuine storyteller—which, for the most part—he lived up to originally. But while he wanted to unite a passionate fan-base around this self-image, he also wanted to attract consumers of pop radio and commercial hip-hop, and it’s no secret that gangsta hip-hop has dominated the mainstream for the past two decades. Drake’s concerns have become less about his originality, and in reality, have turned to the opposite—fitting the portfolio of a hip-hop artist that has led to respect and stardom for much of the current genre-toppers. With his third album, we may finally receive the Drake that told Kate Couric that Lil Wayne was the “voice of our generation,” and whom seems more interested in what the hip-hop community thinks of his childhood than making music he can be proud of.
Drake’s new album is slated to come out this year, and I’ll be waiting to see what kind of a move he makes on his new single, but from where I stand, “Started From the Bottom” is a bold step in the wrong direction. The direction I’ve feared he’s been heading in for quite some time.
Hip-Hop | Tray Jack — Give It All
Posted by jeffwbaird on February 6, 2013
This is a triumphant new jam from 18-year-old Maryland artist Tray Jack, off his mixtape Time Travel which is currently drawing a significant amount of attention over at DatPiff. I admit that I usually exercise a little bit of profiling on young hip-hop artists, as they tend to submit songs with a rawer, less mature sound and structured rhymes. Tray Jack, however, really impressed me with this one. He has a unique and engaging flow, and over this high-quality, radio-relevant beat, shows some shades of a strong personality that emerges more throughout the project and will certainly develop as he progresses. Check out “Give It All” below and be sure to connect with the young emcee on Twitter here.
Free Download: Tray Jack — Give It All
Hip-Hop | Jeff’s Top 10 of 2012 List
Posted by jeffwbaird on January 17, 2013
Back in September when I wrote the editorial “In the Rubble of Hip-Hop…”, I never intended to write a post like this—paying tribute to so many fantastic releases, and the current state of hip-hop. I’ve spent much of the past few years in fear that the kind of substantial, lyrical hip-hop that I cherish so much was on its way out—surely headed to the doldrums, with hip-hop publicly recognizable as one-in-the-same as pop music by the masses. Surprisingly enough, I’ve been proved wrong by a handful of emcees who have gained popularity through creating authentic, powerful music. The majority of the songs on this best of 2012 list (and the impeccable full-length projects that they were selected from—I elected to only choose one song per artist) were released in the final quarter of 2012, and as a result I look back on 2012 as a rather impressive return to vigor for a deteriorating genre. The following songs are just a selection of music I assiduously enjoyed this past year—an amalgamation of hip-hop’s two primary worlds: the blogosphere and the mainstream. Hopefully this introduces you to some new favorites, and helps you feel reinvigorated by this collection of artists we have supporting our beloved genre in 2013. Note: These songs are in no particular order.
10. Captain Midnite — Ashes Rising (feat. Kyle Lucas & OnCue)
I first heard this song back in October when it was released as a single from Captain Midnite’s EP, and was immediately attracted to it. Rarely do I hear a hip-hop song without recognition with such powerful and rich opening chords. I remember hearing that beat drop right before the 1:00 mark for the first time, and knowing right then that Captain Midnite was something special. Don’t let me forget the phenomenal features here by two terrific emcees, Kyle Lucas and OnCue, whose charismatic performances are largely responsible for making this song have the lasting appeal that it has.
9. B.o.B — Where Are You (B.o.B vs. Bobby Ray)
Though I am a longtime B.o.B fan, I have to admit I wasn’t a fan of Strange Clouds. It felt like (and really was) an abandonment of his early sound in favor of the electro-pop style that his new fanbase had grown to embrace him for. Regardless of the unimpressive singles, I got the album on release day and listened through looking for something to catch my ears. Luckily enough I waded through to the album closer, a fantastically unfitting track for this pop-oriented LP. “Where Are You” is an introspective, piano-driven track in which he touches upon many perceived bitter emotions that his friends, fans, and family may have towards him at this point in his career. His acknowledgement of the departure of his sound shows maturity, but it doesn’t really make up for the album being what it is, and doesn’t give any insight to his thought process behind the album’s direction—but it is a reminder of just how talented he is. Hopefully, as the last piece of writing we receive on the album, it also serves as an acknowledgement that the B.o.B of old isn’t gone for good.