Madlib is on point and in focus bringing with him his usual assortment of samples only a true loop digger could find. With the help of a large group of talented and hungry MC's, this is exactly the type of album that true underground hip hop fiends salivate over. If you are in this group I would recommend that you wear a bib when you listen to the record. There's a lot more to say, but that's the long and short of it. Hit that more link if you need further exposition/explanation or if you are just the curious type.
...I doubt anyone would ever say that Madlib doesn't have too many side projects.
While I have always appreciated many of these, sometimes I start to wonder about the man's focus. For instance how when in the middle of an ill Quasimoto track all of a sudden the music will stop and be replaced by something sounding like a 1950's television ad. His acid-jazz projects are intriguing, but sometimes I don't always love every track on the album; the Beat Konducta series has moments of brilliance that come with many "you gotta be high out of your mind" moments that my lifestyle doesn't particularly vibe with. That said, when Madlib gets behind the boards with 100% focus to produce a no-nonsense Hip-Hop record, you had best hold on to your shit because your mind will be blown. For fans of Stones Throw Record's most prolific artist, I'm not telling you anything that you don't already know (and perhaps to all ten of you out there - only ten because of site traffic not because of Madlib's insane talent - I may be oversimplifying things a bit) but for everyone else Madlib has blessed the Hip Hop fan with a number of classic albums like his collaboration with MF Doom as "Madvillain" on Madvillany and his collaboration with th...
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...hants - hmmm...chants??? I'm seriously tempted to make this my ringtone.
Bark Like A Dog Ft. Phats Bossalini & Montage One - I get the George Clinton vibe. But it's a waaay out there. Although the lryics are on point as SAS list out their favorite MC's in the game (Best hooks go out to Nate Dawg and T-Pain).
Two Pistols Ft. Mitchy Slick - Normally it's had for me to get into some gun rap (as in, "I'm going to shoot you" but they mean in the lyrical sense and just use a lot of real life violence/gun metaphors to explain themselves). But this one is saved by some nice quotables, for instance:
Corny like Carson Daily
This is your Last Call
Put a gun straight to your head
Hate to blast y'all
Outro - We don't want to be left behind. All we want to do is just blow your mind one more time.
I think the outro says it enough. Consider my mind blown.
Track 12 (“SkyPager”): The song began with an introduction that lasts ten seconds. The real lyrics started at 0:10. I was really confused about this song. There were short intermissions of a computerized female voice talking about the “SkyPager.” I had wondered if the SkyPager actually paged the rapper’s imaginary people in the sky, or if it was actually a brand of pager. Sadly, I think it was used to reference some type of problem in the inner cities. Overall, I did not appreciate this song and will not listen to it
If there was one defining characteristic to hip hop in 1997, it was the jiggy factor- an aesthetic of unapologetic flash, fashion and glamour that ruled everything around us and made hip hop life nice and organized. Of course, for each movement there always exists a counter-movement; for each yin there is a yang; and for each designer-label clad champagne sipper, there must be an uncompromised figure lurking in the shadows, ready and willing to reclaim rap from the penthouse to the pavement. Embracing this return to the anarchy, enraged and raw, Def Jam Records presents 1998 as the Year of Pandemonium. The human embodiment of such exhilarating and unadulterated chaos exists in none other than Ruff Ryders/Def Jam's very latest lyrical sensation, DMX. "I love to write rhymes," says the Yonkers-born MC. "I love to express what real niggas feel, what street niggas feel. They need to be heard. They need to know there is a voice that speaks for them, and I am that voice." Within the tumultuous annals of hip hop's dog-eat-dog history, second chance opportunities are few and far between. However, every now and then the experienced and distinguished bark of a particularly cagey canine re-emerges from rap's chaotic kennels, representing the triumph and perseverance inherent in true greatness.
Chance the Rappers mixtape “Acid Rap” is Chance’s second mixtape ever released premiering in April of 2013. A different kind of rapper Chance is seen as unique in a genre that today is predominantly dominated by auto tune and the same background beat in every song. Acid rap has incomparable beats to many rap mixtapes because the beats used by Chance are just so uncommon and odd; not to mention Chances sound is different it is said by many that one either likes or dislikes his voice there is no in-between. Alongside with the uniqueness of Chance himself and the mixtape, Acid rap is a social commentary on what is wrong in society more specifically the constant anxiety of the “Man” watching. Acid rap by chance the rapper is an incredibly unique album with new surprises
Chang, Jeff. Can't Stop, Won't Stop: a History of the Hip-hop Generation. New York: Picador, 2006. Print.
Originating from the streets of Harlem comes a song that, initially, did not gain much fan fair, but went viral on the internet after comedian, Filthy Frank, made a ridiculous dance video of it (Knopper, 2013). Thousands of copycats created different version in unexpected environments such as skydiving or underwater(Allencastre, 2013). The song is called Harlem Shake by DJ producer, Bauuer. These videos popularized a underground, electronic, dance music (EDM) genre known as “trap”. A genre that attempts to bridge popular EDM synths with southern hip hop influences. Baauer evolves this genres by bringing a much more electric element to the sound so hip hop may not be a genre that comes to mind when listening to the track. This short essay will attempt to analyze this piece of music from an instrumental point of view by naming the different instruments used, discussing pitch. The paper will also discuss duration, tempo, timbre, dynamics, texture and silences at different parts of the song. Through its structure and mood, I will attempt to create a story and give meaning to this music. Indeed, overall, this music is a story that represents the prolonging, desensitized, gang warfare that infested the Harlem district of New York during the 1920s.
Looking at Rick Rubin's 30+ year career, the number of great records he put out is innumerable. Rick Rubin is the co-founder of Def Jam and is one of the key figures behind the rise of hip hop. His approach to
Typically when we immediately think about modern hip hop and rap, we immediately de-fine it as a creative mode of expression laden with influences from its African-American roots. Of course, generally speaking, that much of it is true; although the true origin of Hip Hop isn't precisely known, according to Dr. Renford Reese and Becky Blanchard, Hip Hop scholars col-lectively hail the South Bronx in 1970's New York as the birthplace of Hip Hop. Over time, Hip Hop became a cultural phenomenon. As abrasive, succinct, and diverse as each form of expres-sion (emceeing, breakdance, graffiti, and more synonymously, rap music) gets, however, Hip Hop emanates such a contemporary appeal amongst the masses. Ultimately, Hip Hop culture embodies the inextinguishable
In the year 2015, when “To Pimp a Butterfly,” hit the charts, the whole country shook. This record was a grand, jazz influenced meditation on self worth, and it had all the components to immediately be titled rap album of the year by many. This near flawless execution of an album features pieces such as “Momma” which is an unrelentless storm of pure emotion that describes his experience of returning to the neighborhood that he grew up in to face the harsh realities of his old home. Another great piece from the album, “The Blacker the Berry”, which drives deep into your soul with the heavy, aggressive drumline, and the sharp vocal performance from Kendrick, while dealing with
"The 10 Best Songs Produced By Kanye West." Rap Dose RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Apr. 2014.
Since the beginning of Hip-Hop, a cycle of retaining what was being portrayed and making it new again has occurred. Many of the things that goes on during different time periods are often linked directly back to Hip-Hop and many people might not notice. Every generation of Hip-Hop has evolved into a new form of progression as it has now become more a global culture. It has influenced elements that define our culture:things like: dancing, fashion, politics, and even music in other genres. Through this evolution, it has indeed changed the way the world has seen it. I intend to explain the evolution in full, from its early stages to the giant industry it has become.
Shakur, Tupac. "2pac - Tupac I Don't Give A Fuck - YouTube." YouTube. N.p., 18 May 2007. Web. 1 May 2013. .
Ogg, Alex, et al. The Hip-hop Years: A History of Rap. Trans-Atlantic Publications. Amazon.com. 4 Mar. 2001. pp. 5. 10 Mar. 2001. http://www.amazon.com/exec/ obidos/ASIN/0752217801/ref%3Dase%5Fbboyscomhiphopcu/107-7732669- 9666131.
This is made of songs that I grew up on that my Mom played when I was a kid. This features rock, soft rock, and rock pop artists like Billie Joel, Elton John and the Beatles. This playlist lets me get out all my sadness and reminisce on old memories I had back home and with my family. At the end of the day, I turn on my “Doom” playlist. This is a special one. It consists of the entire discography of my favorite artist of all time: MF Doom. The “Doom” playlist includes dozens of hip-hop instrumentals and my favorite album of all time, Madvillainy. Madvillainly is a social critique on humanities lack of empathy and the dichotomy between good and evil. This playlist is significant to me because it initiated my love for music entirely. With its deep concepts and ideas, this playlist allows me to reflect on my day and remember my roots of music appreciation. I then fall asleep, and repeat the cycle day after
Hip - hop is a melange of lyrical stimulation filled with the meticulous metaphors, tales from the ‘hood, and the ruthless truth sayings about the social and economic injustices in the “land of the free”. ( Belle, 2014). This movement which started out as a subculture in the South Bronx has now developed to become an international phenomenon, i.e. it has been taken over by mainstream media and can no longer be deemed a subculture. Over the years, since this movement started, many developments have occured for hip - hop to to attain the international recognition it now
I grew up listening to some of his gems such as “Scratch” and “Wanton Spirit”, albums that transpire all his charming spells and elastic expressiveness grounded on hard-bop and post-bop styles.