New Rap Music
Pill – “Glass”
from 4075: The Refill (Mixtape, Coming Soon)
Pill went and got himself a budget. The 4th ward representative turned gray lady golden boy’s latest video explores a lot of the same themes that “Trap Going Ham” did, but the track itself is more sober. Suddenly it’s not about the madness of the hood, but the pain. “Trap” was a cool record but “Glass” is more indicative of what makes Pill a likable emcee – thoughtful, reflective and slightly spiritual. Not just go ham madness.
Project Pat & Juicy J – “Twerk“
from Play Me Sum Pimpin Pt. 2 (Mixtape, Coming Soon)
I’ve been listening to a lot of mid-90s M-Town tapes as of late, inspired both by a sudden blog revival and a four month late tape order from Tommy Wright’s ebay store. One thing I’m noticing is how much of an influence New Orleans bounce was having on Memphis at the time. The idea I got when I was interviewing these dudes a few years ago was that it was a simultaneous evolution. To hear the tapes speak (and tapes do speak) Memphis was more informed by New Orleans than the other way around. (And then Atlanta stole from both! I kid, but I don’t.) Juice’s old Vol. 9 tape is about halfway to being my Bounce For Relief compilation – a slowed down “Get The Gat,” etc. That influence trickles down to “Twerk”, from the “twerk dat ass” refrain to a full fledged Triggerman breakdown. But one of the great things about Three 6, even on those early tapes, is that they never let their influences overpower their sound. It ends up a loose hybrid between late 90s Cash Money and early 00ts Hypnotize. They are really having the best year ever, by the way. (A version of “Twerk” with Webbie was floating around a while back. I guess this is the official mix.)
M.O.P. – “Stop Pushing“
from The Foundation (E1, available 9/15/09)
Reading Complex’s 100 Greatest Click Thrus list it occurred to me that my disinterest in modern rock music stems from the fact that very little of it actually rocks. You might say New York hip hop has been suffering from the same affliction. On early listens I’m not as in love with The Foundation as some people, but it has it’s. And it’s still M.O.P. so it’s naturally rugged. Even when they are soft, they are rugged. If Billy Danze were to cry at the end of Titanic that moment would be a more manly moment than most men have ever experienced. Nullus at all of this, I think. I’m dissapointed by the absence of a “Downtown Swinger ‘09.” And can old rappers please stop naming their albums Foundation?
Lotto – “Make That Ass Jump“
Well the Jerkin’ kids might just extend their own trendlife by combining the two biggest production trends of the decade: chipmunking autotune. Lotto flips “Lollipop” at +20 her. (via Digital Dripped)
DxFresh f/ Kool – “Get Freaky“
More DD Jerk watch. (My jerk watch go tick tock sign me, Jhawk.) This is like the sixth jerkin track to take the sexual conquest checklist route.The specter of “Freaky Tales” hovers over the movement. Also DxFresh needs a DxNext. Because the names are similar.
Yo Gotti f/ Trina, Gucci Mane & Lil Boosie – “5 Star (Remix)“
The ascension of “5 Star” to being something close to an actual hit has been a weird one. Like DG Yola or Playa Fly, Gotti is one of those peripheral So Icey affiliates who played a role in the crews formative years, collabing with Gucci pretty frequently, but hasn’t been reaping the benefits the way OJ, or even Wacka, has been lately. There are about a dozen songs in his very deep catalog that are more suitable for radio, so who knows why this one actually caught on. Having a posse cut remix was wise, the variety of rappers opens up an otherwise claustrophobic beat. Everybody does well enough with it. Weirdly I think Trina has my favorite verse with an Etrade kicker. Boosie gets minus ten points for a Drake name drop. I’m still waiting for a proper, non-remix Gucci/Boosie collab. When it does happen the south will instantaneously burst into flames.
Stanza – “Amilliondollars“
from Do Not Listen EP (Internet, 2009)
Maurice put me up on this guy a few weeks ago. He raps well about being broke and has a great ear for production.
Marc DeCocoa – “My Trigga”
DeCocoa returns with an incredibly hard track but he really gets over on the sudden weirdness of his punchines: I will step on your gizzard! My cock stay semi hard! I’ll fuck around and spray eggs in your sister! I’m bad, you sugar! It’s the sort of eccentricity that a lot of post-Wayne rappers have tried to synthesize. But genuine weirdness can’t be faked. This reminds me a little of some of Lil B’s harder tracks and that actually makes sense, given their parallel histories as bit players in the snap and hyphy movements, respectively. The lo-fi video is equally bizarre, with parts shot in a uhaul parking lot, a gun wielding mime and some of the most absurd improvised dance moves of all time (@3:16!). (via Blvd St.)
Lil B – “The Bible“
And here’s the based God himself touching his zen in psycho spiritual mode. The bible is so crazy.
Jody Breeze – “Uptown Freestyle“
Jody goes at Jeezy. He rhymes “bitches” with “bitch and” and accuses Jeezy of taking his style from Gucci. So I guess the dream of Boyz In Da Hood being the southern NWA is officially dead? I might could enjoy an instrumental version of that Drake tape. Maybe I will just play this John Cage interview record over it or something.(via Muzikfene)
September 17th, 2009 at 8:56 am
Does Lil B have a mixtape or something with all these songs on em “the Bible”, “he””, “heaven” and that other song where he’s goin off, can’t remember the name, you’ve made me interested in him…but I don’t plan on going thru 100 myspace pages to hear his shit…i never go to myspace
September 17th, 2009 at 9:02 am
The streaming player for 5 Star Remix plays “Twerk”.
September 17th, 2009 at 9:25 am
Cosign frustrations at old rappers and their album names. Brand Nubian, Geto Boys, and M.O.P confuse my iTunes like crazy.
But wait, doesn’t Breeze dissin’ Jeezy help MAKE them the southern NWA? I mean, it’s no “No Vaseline,” but hey.
September 17th, 2009 at 10:38 am
“But wait, doesn’t Breeze dissin’ Jeezy help MAKE them the southern NWA? I mean, it’s no “No Vaseline,” but hey.”
Haha. I guess you’re right?
I don’t think Breeze can fill Cube’s shoes in even the weakest analogy.
September 17th, 2009 at 10:51 am
Lil’ B needs to make more songs like The Bible and less songs which sound like Mindbender Futurama.
Ride Wit’ Them Thangs by Boyz ‘N’ Da Hood ft. Wayne is one of the great lost mixtape tracks of this decade.
September 17th, 2009 at 11:02 am
wouldn’t Jeezy be the group’s Cube since he left 1st?
Anyway disagree on Pill’s sobriety being a good look. The charm of 4180 was his incredibly energetic and sometimes joyous celebration of the trap, especially apparent when he would rap over “Single Ladies” or “Diamond Girl.” It was slightly uncomfortable but a lot of fun. This focus on the pain of the hood is pretty good, but it’s something a lot of rappers have already done, and many of them have done it better.
September 17th, 2009 at 11:17 am
I’m loving that “World is a Ghetto” sample flip on the M.O.P. joint. Thanks for the heads up on Stanza. That’s some truly good stuff.
September 17th, 2009 at 11:24 am
marc decoca- sick as fuck. finally something diffrent….its not weirdness..its origionality….lo fi origionality will allways eclipse hi def byters..songs just a lil too long id say.
September 17th, 2009 at 11:30 am
who produced “the bible” ? great beat.
September 17th, 2009 at 11:42 am
that pill song goes fuckin hard, that dood got that raw street rap, hes comn along really nicely in the game, 1nce again i cant stand the b trak, hes jus so full of shit i barely made it through, honestly tho i have noticed his spitting has improved, and i know its every rappers job to act like they r the fucn messiah, but i dunno its jus not workin 4 me,
but wers tha drum beat? they turnd it so low haha
September 17th, 2009 at 11:51 am
yea i agree with poon.. no more lil b till he drops an album at least
September 17th, 2009 at 12:47 pm
That Marc DeCocoa is hilarious! “I’ll prod you like cattle!” Stanza kind of sounds like Kanye, but a better rapper.
Also, keep them Lil’ B posts coming.
September 17th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
marc decoca is the shit. in my opinion him, alley boy, and montana da mac are the three tightest up and comers in atl right now
https://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=batch_download&send_id=715580284&email=3757587f8a4846d37cbcb3468758c9b1
September 17th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
damn yousendit still exists?
September 17th, 2009 at 3:26 pm
hope “play me some pimpin 2″ will be as good as the first one.
September 17th, 2009 at 6:35 pm
that new pill song is raw, reality rap at its finest.
im going to the freddie gibbs and pill show tonight at the roxy, i wanna be one of them ppl who said i saw them in concert first.
September 17th, 2009 at 7:41 pm
fuck de haterz “The Bible” iz wun uv de bess songz i heard in a minute mayn. im only really checkin fo Ro, B, Gibbs, an Dro at dis point mayn
September 17th, 2009 at 8:26 pm
Shit, I’ve also been listening to those Legendary Lady J tapes.
September 17th, 2009 at 8:43 pm
yousendit has re-emerged as the most convenient uploader, getting its money from ads and throwing out small limits and counters… a gig a day for free users is not bad
September 17th, 2009 at 11:18 pm
nice to hear trina on that yo gotti remix. da baddest b**tch goes hard as hell to this day
September 17th, 2009 at 11:37 pm
You should interview Lil B
September 17th, 2009 at 11:51 pm
No Blackroc?
Everything Jay wishes BP3 was.
September 18th, 2009 at 1:03 am
Rick Ross still ghostwriting for Trina
September 18th, 2009 at 8:25 am
Reading Complex’s 100 Greatest Click Thrus list it occurred to me that my disinterest in modern rock music stems from the fact that very little of it actually rocks
Well, that and the fact that more or less everything has been done in rock at this point and the rock from the past decade which has been great/state of the art has been metal, which is almost too easy to overdose on as it’s a genre without much personality where the vocals are little more than a texture of the overall effect.
September 18th, 2009 at 11:32 am
yea everything has been done in rock…i been tryin to tell people this for years…..i think rap has a couple(only a couple) alleys it aint gone down yet…but most rappers r afraid to go out the box
September 18th, 2009 at 12:41 pm
I agree with Joseph. Someone get an interview with Lil B already.
September 18th, 2009 at 8:53 pm
Really enjoyed the Marc DeCocoa track. What are those little words in the center most of the shots?
Yes, interview Lil B..
.:!!B-Town!!:.
September 18th, 2009 at 9:27 pm
Y’all, stick to rap. When you start saying things like “rock has nowhere else to go,” you sound out of touch and old.
September 18th, 2009 at 10:10 pm
Hello Fellow Hip Hop Heads,
I covered “Run this town” by Jay…I want REAL feedback about my cover/remix
http://www.youtube.com/amightylion
Let me know!
September 19th, 2009 at 11:25 am
kidbristol: enlighten us…what hasnt been done in rock??? since your so in touch and young
September 19th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
trap.. your version sucked more then the origional, which i didnt think was possible. u asked fo rreal feedback . you got it.. lets go
September 19th, 2009 at 1:55 pm
MOP still sucks just as much as Onyx.
Don’t even know why ya wastin ya time with that Lotto shit… so fucking lame. Same goes for “Get Freaky”. This jerk shit is played. Just seems like a non relevant trend that won’t stick around long seeing how repetitive and just plain sucky it is.
Where the fuck you gettin’ all this lil b man? I second the idea of interviewing him. He’s always talkin about how he’s gone through so much in his life and how shits such a struggle… I’d like to read about that and his emergence in interview form for sure.
where the polls at man? not thinkin bout bringing em back anymore?
Jody Breeze cut is dope.
September 19th, 2009 at 6:04 pm
yea that whole yelling over the track shit is whack to me too…besides the beastie boys that is….mop is basically thugged out beasties…i never saw what the big deal on those guys was….
September 19th, 2009 at 10:12 pm
wow the decoca track is amazing. check the info box on the youtube page for the video:
“A very violent imitation of life
Location: Six Flags drive in Atlanta, GA
Marc Decoca and his White Horse Croonies will exhibit a fierce collage of ratchettness and art throughout the poverty stricken Westside. “
September 19th, 2009 at 10:32 pm
MOP still sucks just as much as Onyx.
mop is basically thugged out beasties
no and no.
September 20th, 2009 at 12:38 pm
“this is gas”
hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
September 20th, 2009 at 12:44 pm
yea i agree bding…onyx sucks more…just not by much
September 20th, 2009 at 1:23 pm
i don’t know what you’re hearing on those albums, but for me, it is certainly more than just yelling. they do all the same stuff as many of your favorite NY rappers/groups, just with more energy.
so, no, we don’t really agree.
September 21st, 2009 at 4:34 am
Haha… by “with more energy”, you mean annoying ass yelling on every track.
No variation… MOP is just very… mediocre.
September 21st, 2009 at 9:55 am
MOP has perfected angry rap. Their live show is fucking amazing.
September 21st, 2009 at 6:18 pm
Their live show is fucking amazing.
Speak.
September 22nd, 2009 at 7:14 am
Uh, how tall is Marc DeCocoa, exactly?
September 22nd, 2009 at 1:43 pm
lol more energy…whatever dude they just yell on the mic..thats whack…..more then my fav ny emcee??? rakim???kool keith?? doubt it
September 22nd, 2009 at 7:50 pm
more then my fav ny emcee??? rakim???kool keith?? doubt it
it’s worth rereading what i originally wrote: “they do all the same stuff as many of your favorite NY rappers/groups, just with more energy.”
that says nothing about doing more musically than a rakim or kool keith other than their energy level. i make no claims about them being “better” than artists like that.