Hip-Hop, Rap | Justin Timberlake – TKO (Remix) [J.Cole, A$AP Rocky, Pusha T]

Posted by on December 1, 2013

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If you missed it a few days back, the Justin Timberlake “TKO” remix is one for the ages. Featuring three of the hottest young emcees (young of course being used relatively as Pusha T is 36) the song puts a more “hood” spin on the original JT Experience track. In my personal and professional opinion I like J. Cole’s verse the best, and no, not just because he responded to Kendrick. Cole’s wordplay and idiom game was on another level and I suggest you guys check out the full annotations over on Rap Genius.

Stream and download this beauty for free and let me know who you think went the hardest on their verse!

Cover, Hip-Hop | PropaneLv – Crooked Smile (J. Cole Cover)

Posted by on June 5, 2013

A couple days after J. Cole released the second single off his upcoming Born Sinners, hip-hops cover king comes through with a Crooked Smile cover. Lv barely touches the TLC vocals on the hook and adds his raspy and relatable verses. Lv’s debut project Varsity Blues is coming this fall.

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Download: PropaneLv – Crooked Smile (via Lv’s Facebook)

Hip-Hop | J. Cole — Crooked Smile (feat. TLC)

Posted by on June 3, 2013

J.Cole-Crooked-SmileThis 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.

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/95228090″ params=”color=ff6600&auto_play=false&show_artwork=true” width=” 100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

 

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Hip-Hop | J. Cole — Niggaz Know

Posted by on May 30, 2013

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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.

Hip-Hop | Mac Miller — Objects in the Mirror [Live]

Posted by 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.

Hip-Hop | J. Cole – Truly Yours EP

Posted by on February 12, 2013

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It’s been awhile since we’ve last heard any new material from J. Cole, so in light of that he just released this 5 track EP of unreleased material. This is what he had to say:

I appreciate you giving me the time I needed to grow, experiment, and find the direction for my 2nd album.. And I have.
Along the way I’ve recorded at least 4 albums worth of material, lots of it being unfinished demo versions waiting to be polished up, some of them are great songs and important stories that just won’t make the album (either they don’t fit Sonically, don’t fit Theme, or there’s just not enough space) .

Tonight, I want to give you a few of these songs because you deserve them. It’s hard as fuck for me to keep all this music from you for so long, so I know it’s been hard for you to wait. Thank you for your patience. Vibe out to these songs in their raw form, no polish.. just a lot of my soul..

The wait is over.
Truly Yours,
Born Sinner

He also announced that his album “Born Sinner” is ready, claiming it’s his best work yet. The first single is set to release this week. Until then, sit back and listen. You can download the full EP and preview the last 4/5 tracks below!

DOWNLOAD: J. Cole – Truly Yours EP

Hip-Hop | J. Cole – 2012 (Prod. by J. Cole)

Posted by on December 21, 2012

Cole weighs in with his 2 cents on the Mayan calendar (even though CNN is claiming the living Mayans don’t believe we’re all going to die after all).  Lil Cole was on his Mr. Cleo shit back in ’08 when he recorded this gem, sitting, plotting for this exact day.  Here’s what he had to say on his blog about the track;

If the world ends tomorrow, damn. I would be mad as shit for 2 reasons. First, I’m not with my family. That would suck.
What would also be wack is if I never got to drop this song.

Summer of 08?. Mark Pitts meeting had happened a month ago. He said he fucks with me, but he not talking about signing me. Ok. Fuck that. I’ma make my new shit so stupid that the next time he meet with me he gonna HAVE to sign me. Same summer I made Grown Simba and started The Warm Up with a “fuck it” mentality. A few special songs I made that summer haven’t dropped yet. This is one of them.

2012

Some of the most fun I ever had making a record. Alone in my room, making the beat, writing the raps, Jammin to this.
Here we are, Years Later, and right on time. Enjoy

– oh yea. Shout to the spanish nigga that came through and played the percussions. To the cool ass horn player that laced me, I forgot his name. This was my first Quincy Jones moment. Shout to Lil Cole. Shout to Aristotle. Shout to YOU.

#COLEWORLDNOTWINKIES