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.
Electro, Mashups, Trap | ETC!ETC! & Brillz (New Jack Swoop)
Posted by mimada on March 8, 2013
This has been one of my favorite trap tracks for a while now but ETC!ETC! & Brillz somehow managed to make me want to boogie even more to this now with their upgraded remix of Swoop. I’m a sucker for hip hop and electronic mashups, what can I say. What really gets me going about this one though are the hints of Bell Biv Devoe’s Posion. Takes me back to the good ol’ days…
Abstract Hip-Hop, Chill | Bedroom Beats #1
Posted by W8 on March 8, 2013
FREE DOWNLOAD: Mosch – Coelho (Simp Remix)
Above is a cool visual that is mixed well into the remix by Simp. Watching it makes me wonder… if we lived in a dimension where time was set to 18,000fps, would we even know the difference? haha, trippy. Anyways, ’til this day I’m still constantly jaded by having a musical taste that revolves solely around simplified beats that are no greater than hip-hop instrumentals. Twisted vocal samples, mingled with subtle sonic arrangements that aren’t so repetitive is all I need. That said, let’s hear some.
A superb new track from Affelaye, previously known as Joe Martin. All I know is that his productions are by far some of the cleanest, well put together beats I’ve heard. Listen below.
FREE DOWNLOAD: Affelaye – Never Felt Real
More after the jump.
READ ON >>
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, Pop, Videos | Hoodie Allen – Fame is for Assholes (Video)
Posted by J_Salzer on February 18, 2013
Call me an asshole, but I wouldn’t mind being famous. Either way, Hoodie Allen is doing it right. Hoodie goes back to the Leap Year rapping days on this, and I love it. Chiddy does his thing as always, and drops a few sweet bars. Crew Cuts drops in two days. See you then. I don’t know what happened to our hip-pop tab, but this is definitely hip-pop, so just pretend that’s what it says.
Hip-Hop | Asher Roth – Dude (feat. Curren$y) [Prod. Blended Babies]
Posted by LoffyG on February 13, 2013
As many of you know today is Ash Wednesday (hopefully you didn’t give up hip-hop for lent), so it’s only right that we get a new release from the “dude” Ash Roth. He recruits fellow rapper/chiller Curren$y to accompany him on this Blended Babies production. After hearing the beat drop I knew Ash & Spitta were gonna go in on this one, the production fits their style perfectly. Enjoy this track because we probably won’t be hearing much from Asher as he is about to embark on his European tour!
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.