2006 belongs to Papa Reu

OK maybe not but this album is great!


Global warming is my shit; its like 50+ degrees in Chicago in January, which is a serious what-the-fuck but it means semi-spring, which is perfect for Papa Reu's warm weather thump. Dropping next week, the not-quite-smooth carribeanized vox behind "Tight Whips" awesome hook is not yr sister's Akon. His rapping is serviceable and workmanlike but usually personal and sounds honest; the key though is his pop ear, his croon, the ragga-inflected twinge that I love about all American pseudo-carribean pop, but it's definitely a rap release - "we're gonna keep it a little gangsta... a little ragga ragga..." The best of the best:

Street's Calling feat. Curren$y
Sub-Timbaland bongo double-time thump over dark-textured synths, Barrington Levy-daubed hook, asserting stick-up kid attitude, murrrrderrah bloody murrrrderah. ooh WHOA-Oh-oh. Streets' anthem.

Mr. Goodbye
Oh and HERE is where the clouds part and the sun cuts through the cold. Bright, faintly warm sparkling cool-breeze production and Reu is Mr. Goodbye, loving and leaving, vocal hook cutting in and out a la "Oh Boy," breezy February pop a la "No Better Love," and Reu refuses to settle down - "I'm in and I'm out the door." Because sometimes you just know that you don't have anything else in mind, there is no future in that room, tugging the blankets away from her to keep warm until finally throwing them off, taking a swig of listerine spit in the sink, and he's gone, a fresh start.

Hold On feat. YZ
Yes, that YZ!

Classic sub-Poor Righteous Teachers shows up for the CONSCIOUS REGGAE TRACK except its totally hip-hop with smooth strings and horns, real talk about AIDS and drugs and poverty and telling people to hold on - to maintain, because "they don't care how we live up in the ghetto" - key chorus lyric.

Ridin' Old School
I rewound this like 15 times on my way from work the other day, bouncing a little two step waiting for the EL, puffy jacket unzipped to let the cool breeze in, free from the climate-controlled recycled air and cardboard dust, fixing my hat brim to keep it straight ahead, saucony's (Papa Reu is wearing wing tips but then he's not taking public transportation) tapping the worn wooden platform. "You ever spend $5,000 on some shit...and when you get thru with it, its worth 80, 90, 100,000 fucking dollars?!" Smooth keyboard bounce with that smooth croon: what H-town album would be complete without a tribute to cars, and one that sounds like love rather than a laundry list of puns about how the trunk pops!

He's All That I Want
Big bright horns, weird wacka wacka noise, and then hook girl Zoe singing about how her man is all that she wants, but he's running the streets. If you like Akon hooks but not Akon songs this might be the album for you - existential hustler turmoil about love, the thematic flip to "Mr. Goodbye."

Highway feat. Boo
Oh shit story time - uh so this sounds like Ak's "Outta State" with, like, that weird sound from Daft Punk's "Around the World"?! "There's only one way and it's gonna be the highway...no plane no train, I prefer it in the rain..." ever since 9/11 fucked up the airport smuggle.

Life & Music feat. Cazual
"Seventy-five alive is when I came out." Personal where-I'm-from cut: shy kid at parties with cute small funk stabs in the chorus, talks about building from singing hooks to songs, and this is of course the key: dude isn't just a solid rapper, but a good songwriter. I donno who does the beats on this but the hooks are all Reu, the concepts, the songs, and the production could easily have been misused and abused. Reu's "Thug Hall" is obv a gimmick-'genre' (really the only song that sounds like that is the uptempo regga-ish "Twist Your Cap" which is cool but not really a highlight) but his real 'genre' is rap, and what that means is that he can cannibalize other shit at will - R&B crooning, pop atmosphere/hooks, dancehall inflections and language, Houston culture; he's even successful stretching out into introspective shit - "My Dog" about his best friend is so heartfelt-sounding, croaking sub-Scarface about strong bonds and loyalty. First great rap album of '06.

Rap

B-legit - Gotta Buy Your Dope From Us

I like this rap song

DUETS

OK I'll admit Weekend at Biggies is pretty funny, and it's hard to lose being a cynic about capitalist exploitation! BUT. This doesn't really sound like exploitation to me. How can you hear Biggie's kids co-signing and not go "awwwww...."? You can't. This album radiated a respectful aura and didn't get the attention it deserved. The truth is it has some great songs on it, though not the ones you might expect. SO!

Crime the first: "It Has Been Said" Eminem, hang it up. The verse you wrote for Diddy killed your own. Also, your beats are awful. Compare this to "Dead Wrong" and get depressed.
The second: "Whatchu Want." Get rid of the harpsichord setting on your casio! I can and will continue to hate on nu-Jay, too. Listen to this Biggie freestyle, and notice how concerned he is with details, concrete objects. Then listen to Jay mythmaking again like he has on his past 398 verses, and you see why I think Jay needs more show-don't-tell.
Crime the third: Trendy guest rappers!!! Juelz, Slim, Wayne, T.I., I love you but why are your songs so average.
Fourth: "Living In Pain." So epic! It tries really hard, anyway. Mary! Pac! Biggie! Nas! Too good to be true? Yes.
Fifth: "Hold Your Head." Why is Marley's acapella about a street murder, and Biggie's verse from "Suicidal Thoughts"? Second, Em did this beat, right? Fuck that. Switch it up goth-master. Serg sez you stole yr gothstyle from Alias anyway.
Sixity SIX: Songs I can't even bother to trash, like "Ultimate Rush" and "Wake Up Now."

But really, there is a dope album hidden here! The DJ DILZ DUETS EP!!!

1. "BIG Live in Jamaica"
Keep this, because I like a good crowd ambience.
2. "Spit Your Game"
Part of the Swizz revitalization, this shows how well dude can make old New York bounce. Hot horn sample, off kilter chops and drums, Big's voice freaked right for the chorus. Twista's verse is part of why this album is so reverential, at its heart, rather than exploitative. Plus, best Big verse to rap along with ever. HOT.
3. "Get Your Grind On"
This reminds me of that "Heavyweights" track with 8ball, but with Biggie in his place. Fat Joe's verse is hard, living the high life with that NY 80s drug baron mythos/history. Freeway's chorus is stress over tense strings. And of course Pun.
4. "Living The Life"
One of the reasons Big was so dope is how he loved the glossy beats, how real he could make blockbuster-smooth R&B pop-shit sound. This is one of those cuts, smoove Bobby V. hook and Luda in celebratory living-the-life guest verse mode. I especially like when Bobby echoes Luda on "Mo shows than Oprahhhh!" I think Snoop is on this somewhere too.
5. "The Greatest Rapper Interlude"
Sorry this is just the cutest shit ever.
6. "1970 Something"
At first I thought this was an oddly-matched acapella for this beat but it's grown on me. I do still sometimes wonder what happened to the fuck-it rude bwoy menace from the original. Game has a hot verse; he always sounds so endearingly enthusiastic about being on an actual rap album, like he knows he lucked out hooking up with Dre and 50 and it's time to prove himself worthy on his own two.
7. "Nasty Girl"
Another one of those smooth widescreen R&B pop beats Biggie ripped so well. I do wish Jazze Pha hadn't smoothed the bass so far back in the mix, that shit should rattle out in front, thumping down the block so people can hear you roll by summer evenings down the strip. It's one of those basslines.
8. "Beef"
This is decent, a little boring, esp. since we know the original Biggie verse so well by now. Hey I didn't say this was a 5 mic redux! I also really, really want Mobb Deep to stay relevent.
9. "My Dad Interlude"
OK so she's reading from a script, but it is charmingly believable! I bet she really thinks those things.
10. "Hustler's Story"
Album centerpiece here, with Akon's sweet psuedo-carribean croon and those big dramatic horns over martial snare roll, existential chorus about the paper chase. Big Gee is a great choice for this, sounding like he could be as old as Scarface, a voice that drips, bleeds with emotion. Speaking of Scarface, he will. Not. Fall. Off. Ever.
11. "Mi Casa"
Because all Biggie albums need a sex rap, and this beat has hypnotic vibraphone conveying non-sugary coolness that your girl said is unexpectedly inviting. Last night. In my bedroom.
12. "Little Homie Interlude"
RIP
13. "Just a Memory"
Stop-start horns, cocked pistols, broken glass - someone broke the budget on these sound effects. Nah I'm playing, we need this last because ending on a hard track is a good way to remember his sicka-more-style: sicker than yours. Clipse do fine.
14. "Love Is Everlasting"
Awwww maaaa.

everything that glitter ain't fish scale

At least the cover is funny.

I donno why everyone is so excited about this album; all the hype leading up to it sounds like a blandification of what's made Ghost worth hearing. "Be Easy" isn't even as good as the beat Pete Rock did for Northern State; GFK's also teamed up with overexposed MF Doom on "Charlie Brown," which is about how hip-hop is dead and boring, probably because Doom puts it to sleep with by-numbers loops now.

It's not all bad news though; lowered expectations = some satisfaction, at least on this sampler. "Back Like That" is decent, sounds like a Bulletproof Wallets outtake. "Big Girl," is better and it sounds like a Pretty Toney outtake; it's like Ghost singing/rapping along with the clock radio on his kitchen counter and splashing the suds from his hands while doing the dishes. But best of all:

Ghostface and Raekwon - Kilo (Produced by MoSS)

"All around the world today...." Going back like a playful Cuban Linx: Ghost can't feel his face from the coke, sampled children's song about the metric system, size of a kilo (1,000 grams dude) has got Ghost's project all outta order. "....the kilo is the measure." Sniff sniff a la "Knowledge God." Slight reggae funk-beat, Rae kicking a short street-sounding verse with his workman flow and weighty seriousness to balance Ghost's goofy coked raps. Little horn samples blurt in-and-out dramatically. THE RETURN OF TRAP HOP!? Kidding.

The best things about this leak is that all the songs sound like other Ghost albums! This album will prob go quadruple styrofoam. Jay's really killing them at Def Jam isn't he.

Since When

I've never been a fan of the CunninLynguists. For the most part they made music that that I found to be bland as fuck. I'm actually surprised that I'm going to post about these dudes because I've never given a fuck about their music. They got a new record dropping on Tuesday called A Piece Of Strange. Well kids on messageboards have been saying some shit like this is the best album in a long time and just because people are saying this about cunninglynguists I was curious to find out what kind of retarded bullshit they were listening too. Now I don't think it's the best shit ever but this record is surprisingly good and worth at least giving a listen. CL decided to get cute with the concept, each song is a part of a story, motherfucking chapters forming albums full of magic and wonder!(go here for more on the story) When I heard about this I was a skeptical because it sounded like it had some jesus tones and I hate that shit. Yeah that shit is there but it's not like that retarded Chamillionaire song about how I'm lost because I think god is a waste. Anyways the production has definetly stepped the fuck up on this album. XXL said it “evokes vintage UGK and Dungeon Fam" which is pretty obvious when you hear Deacon referencing classic ugk and goodie mob lines on songs. I'm posting up "Since When" which is one of the more hype tracks but it gives you small feel for what these dudes are doing on this one. The themes and tones of the album are pretty diverse and it's definitely some interesting shit.

since when

Still I Stay Strapped With A Waterproof Gun

South Park Mexican - Mexican Radio

I never really was all that into South Park Mexican, him being a molester didn't really get me all that pumped to peep his shit either. In fact I'm pretty clueless about any of his other records. The only reason I even started listening to him was because of a friend of mine came over one day with a cd telling me I had to listen to this joint, Mexican Radio just to hear how dude says the chorus. I have to admit it is pretty great. The beat just crawls along slow as fuck as SPM comes with his weird sedated froggy delivery. The song really isn't about mexican radio but it's spaced out feeling it reminds of driving down I-10 in west Texas just leaving El Paso jamming some jacked as fuck mexican radio that wasn't all dance dance and trying to stay awake as I make the next 200 miles to Fort Stockton in the middle of the night because staying in Van Horn is not an option. Last time I stayed there roaches came out of my sink, black shit came out of the shower, and I've still got a warrant for me in that shit town so motherfuck Van Horn and Culberson County.

Also here's a little bonus version just in case the original is a little to rapid fire for you.

Mexican Radio (Screwed & Chopped)

Ghostride The Whip

E-40 - Tell Me When To Go video ft Keak Da Sneak

Do or Die

Penance for not recognizing early Do or Die initially: Do or Die's 2005 album D.O.D. was slept on a lot, mostly because they released the underwhelming Kells-assisted single "Magic Chick" (actually, save this track for Kells' double-time verse, worth hearing. Once.) For a group that's kept it consistent since "Po Pimpin'" its too bad how little attention they get; folks forget they went platinum in the mid-90s! Mike Jones homage in "Still Tippin" and high-profile Chicago assists aside this flew under the radar in '05 so what track would be better to discuss than "Church," an atypical cut with nearly-as-underrated DJ Quik?

Do or Die feat. DJ Quik - Church

OK so actually "Right Here" or "Chain of Command" or "Wa Da Da Dang" (this one is HARD) which are more DO OR DIE gutter Chicago G tracks might make more sense, and really those are the best reasons for you to check the album out; dudes are definitely kill cuts on their own, with other Chi-town locals or (at most) with Twista, who was always like the 4th member anyway. Kanye and Kells should steer clear because you can't just manufacture a hit like that when dudes are at their best aggressive and hungry and I don't hate the smoove R&B tracks but I'm totally tired of them now. Why must those tracks fill up the last third of hardcore Chicago rap releases!? Twista, fix this in '06 k? Check D.O.D. here.

And of course:

RIP Martin Luther King Jr.

Rob/Icarus alerted me to this quote from the letter from the Birmingham jail. Read:

"I must make two honest confessions to you, my Christian and Jewish brothers. First, I must confess that over the past few years I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate. I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro's great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen's Counciler or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate, who is more devoted to "order" than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says: "I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I cannot agree with your methods of direct action"; who paternalistically believes he can set the timetable for another man's freedom; who lives by a mythical concept of time and who constantly advises the Negro to wait for a "more convenient season." Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection."

People Under the Stairs fan art

New PUTS album in April! I will check for it. O.S.T. is great, dudes put on a hype live show too. On a warm San Franciscoooo niiiight.

"Electro Cute" by emynd & Bo Bliz

Well, Dave accidentally convinced me to post this on here by claiming elsewhere that "trendy dance musics penetrate." Frankly, don't know if I would exactly call this mixtape "trendy dance music," but it is chock-full of electro/freestyle/bmore/dancehall/and-other-130bpm-goodness that will be sure to set your party off.



"Electro Cute" is the cleverly titled creation by two of Philly's finest party DJs--emynd and Bo Bliz. The mixtape is a carefully crafted 70 minutes full of electro classics and rarities, focusing on Pretty Tony Butler and Baltimore Club Music. It's got a trunkload of original blends that will melt your face and isn't like anything you've ever heard before.

Surriously.

But, don't take my word for it.

Peep the first twenty minutes for yourself and then go peep the snippets at the website and COP THAT ISH for a measly $7 (if you're in the continental US)... or just click below:

It's all fun and games... until it ain't no game anymore.

-e

My Truck's A Weapon

So I finally got ahold of this Truckstop record, The Payback EP. I'd been trying to find this shit since I discovered the now defunct Truckstop website a few years back. Truckstop is a project started by Sebastian Laws and Scotty Hard. These two along with Nosaj were responsible for New Kingdom which if you've been reading somanyshrimp for a minute you may remember a shitty post or two about them. By way of google I found out this small label, Wordsound, put out their EP and they were still selling it on their website. Few clicks and I ordered that shit with a quickness. Truckstop is all about distorted vocals and smashing the fuck out of beats. I'm such a fucking sucker for distortion. It always makes me want to turn shit up even louder just so it gets even more fucked up.

Coast To Coast
I'm going to upload this again just because I think this song is fucking badass and represents everything that I think makes Truckstop so great. This slow and menacing beat just stomps through in a drunken slop of static and raps. Just crank this shit and yell the lyrics at people you don't know, good times I tell you, good times.

Flying In My Dreams
The slowest track on this EP with it's cb radio mic raps, Low buzzing bass and distortion that makes me think dudes don't even have connectors for their equipment. They just got frayed wires with fucked up pieces of copper twisted together and covered with old shitty electrical tape that's too gummed up to bother fixing.

I suggest you cop this shit because dusty raps have a warm place in my heart. Shit it's only 6 bucks, well worth it.