Albums, Hip-Hop | Macklemore – Same Love
Posted by J_Salzer on July 18, 2012
New Macklemore is always a treat, especially when paired with a beat crafted by his counterpart Ryan Lewis. But this….this is more than I could’ve expected from even Macklemore, my favorite artist in the game. In Same Love, Mackelmore gives his opinions on same sex marriage. With the huge steps being taken towards the equality of gays. While listening to this song, I couldn’t help but feel proud of the direction hip-hop is headed with Ben Haggerty at the helm. He takes on the hypocrisy of church and state in this song, and couldn’t do it in a more respectful, poetic way. Read Mackelmore’s full statement on the song after the jump. Wow, what a guy.
Hip-Hop, Mashups | Can’t Hold The Wild (Mackelmore vs. Steppenwolf) – DJ 21azy
Posted by J_Salzer on June 2, 2012
I’m not usually a fan of mashups; I can’t stay on task for too long, and have trouble paying attention to all the different noises and having to pick up different songs and all that jazz. But DJ 21azy’s mashups have always been an enigma to me. For some reason, they keep me interested. He always seems to pick my favorite songs, and all of his mashups have the perfect mood. “Can’t Hold the Wild,” is no different, effortlessly combining Macklemore and Steppenwolf, DJ 21azy creates a mashup perfect for kicking off your summer.
Freestyle, Hip-Hop | XV – Stone Cold (Recipe Freestyle)
Posted by J_Salzer on May 30, 2012
Vizzy drops off this little freestyle to show his pride in his city. Coming from the state of Kansas as a rapper must be hard, so it’s nice to see Vizzy showing love to his roots. I love when artists take pride in their city, Macklemore, Mac Miller, Wiz Khalifa, and many others have released songs dedicated to their cities. This is supposedly a freestyle, but in todays game, I feel like the word “freestyle” is thrown around pretty loosely. Sound off in the comments or get at me in the chat box(@J_Salzer) with your thoughts on the topic of freestyling and it’s place in music. No download yet, but be on the lookout for this posting being updates soon with the DL link. Downloads were enables as I was writing this post. That’s a good look.
Hip-Hop, Videos | Macklemore & Ryan Lewis – Victory Lap [Music Video]
Posted by Grubeats on April 10, 2012
[do action=”youtube” videoid=”ZSJBtq5VQZA”/]
One day after hearing Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ new track, “Victory Lap”, featured on the XXL 2012 Freshman Mixtape, the Seattle duo drop the corresponding visuals. Along with being the most talented artist of his class, Macklemore’s story is one of the most interesting. Aside from the already rare accomplishment of making it as an Irish rapper in Seattle, WA, Mr. Haggerty has overcome all types of adversity to make it to where he is today. At 28 years young, things have finally begun to come to fruition, selling out arenas across the country to being named a freshman of the year by one of the most credible sources in hip-hop (Note: I cringe when saying that, but they got one thing right in selecting Macklemore for 2012, despite their other questionable finalists). All independently.
Although their careers are still very young, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis accomplishments are worth recognizing; hence, the motive behind of this track. Compiling live footage from various performances over the past 11 years, this video gives us a brief look into the prolific journey of the independent rap/production duo. Watch the video and enjoy the Whoo Kid-less version.
DOWNLOAD: XXL Freshman 2012 Mixtape
DOWNLOAD: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis – Victory Lap
Hip-Hop | Macklemore – Victory Lap
Posted by J_Salzer on April 9, 2012
There’s nothing that brightens up my day more than new Macklemore. Ben Haggerty is here to stay, and so is Ryan Lewis. The man tells stories, his music is unlike anything else out right now, and that’s what makes him special. If anyone disagrees, feel free to sound off in the comments and let me know, because I’ll back Mackelmore up to death(flame war). Ryan Lewis, the other half of this faboulous duo, can do no wrong. Every beat he crafts allows Mack to easily paint vivid pictures in our minds. Victory Lap is Macklemore’s piece off of the “XXL Freshman List Mixtape,” and it outshines everything, in my opinion. Grab the whole thing here, and take a listen to Macklemore’s track below.
Food For Thought: Macklemore is the difference between RAP and HIP-HOP. He’s an artist, not a rapper.
Albums, Hip-Hop | Sol – Yours Truly [Album Review]
Posted by Grubeats on February 2, 2012
Feast your ears on Seattle’s newest hip-hop prodigy (well, new to my ears at least). What name comes to mind when you hear “Seattle Hip-Hop”? For an east coast native like myself, Macklemore was the easy answer. After opening my ears and mind to the 23 year old Sol (pronounced “Sawl”), I’ve learned Macklemore & the rest of the Seattle hip-hop scene is in very strong company.
Recently releasing a trio of EP’s titled “Dear Friends”, Sol dropped his first highly anticipated LP, Yours Truly, on January 20th. Quickly escalating up the iTunes charts, the indie album claimed the number one spot on the hip-hop charts and number four on the worldwide leader board. Although this was not the first time I had heard of Sol, it was the first time I really gave him a chance. His confident, yet reserved demeanor corresponds with his musical message and the music runs deeper than the recognition it may receive.
Yours Truly is an artistic representation reflecting Sol’s life, beliefs, experiences, and trials & tribulations of making it in the music industry. Listen through in full and you may find yourself painting scenes of to a movie (popcorn rap sold separately). Authentic bars, organic stories, and versatility, track after track. In addition, the project is presented as an album should be presented. Each song transitions into the next retaining a level of fluidity, there is balance, and a variety of sounds. Each song is a part of the bigger picture. The first time I listened, I found my ears increasingly fixating the deeper into the project I traveled. It’s one of those albums that is always better when you listen in full from beginning to end. Below is my personal reflection of each individual song (yes, I understand your thoughts and opinions may differ) along with a lyric or two that represent the song best.
—-CONTINUE AFTER THE BREAK—
Mashups | DJ 21azy – Intro to the Otherside
Posted by dshaq on January 15, 2012
I honestly thought this song would never be able to be remixed better than the one Macklemore did with Fences. I don’t know if it’s better but its pretty close to it. Not only does DJ 21azy give us a phenomenal remix, he adds Macklemore’s live version of the Otherside verses to add more emphasis and emotion. It’s almost life changing…I’ll let you decide ha. But honestly give this a listen and get blown away. Applaud him by liking his Facebook and following him on Twitter
Download: DJ 21azy – Intro To The Otherside