Album Review/Preview: Common-Finding Forever

Click here to listen to the full album preview of Finding Forever on AOL

Common is back with the highly anticipated new album “Finding Forever”. The official first track off the album the “Intro” is a dreamy, old school sounding track with no lyrics that serves to break down your defenses and expectations about what is to follow.

Next up is “Start the Show” which is essentially a testament to how long Common has been in the game and the seasons he has weathered to still remain relevant. He uses this platform to make a statement about his artistic integrity (i.e. “no gimmicks no mimicking”) and about the lack of substance that pervades the popular music scene (i.e. “you sing along with it inside knowing it’s wack”). He even throws a few subliminal jabs that he will probably deny when asked about at a few rappers (i.e. 50 Cent). This serves as a perfect introduction for anyone who isn’t familiar with how long Common has been in the game and a reminder for anyone who forgot how he has been producing heat for longer than 95% of these rappers.

One thing that is completely indisputable about Common’s musical repertoire is that he makes music for “The People”. In contrast to the average popular rap song that talks about driving a $100,000+ car, buying diamonds, living in mansions…this song (which features Dwele) speaks about things the average everyday person can relate to…the “unsung heroes” and their struggles. Common never fails to capture the very real hardships that so many people go through in such an authentic way that makes the listener take pause and actually empathize with people outside of their immediate view, and recognize the bigger social and political issues in the world.

“Driving Me Wild” featuring Lily Allen tells the story of a woman and man who are both chasing a certain image and lifestyle to find personal satisfaction and fulfillment in the wrong places. Nowadays too many people are trying to live like a celebrity…whether it is in trying to pull a rich and famous bachelor like the lady in the first verse…or popping bottles and buying fancy cars like the dude in the second verse…people are pursuing a lifestyle that is not in and of itself a guarantee for happiness. To prove this point…Common points out the seemingly “unbreakable relationships” of couples such as Bobby and Whit and Kimora and Russell to show that money and fame don’t necessarily equate to love and happiness. The moral of the story: love yourself and you will find love in everything. Musically speaking, Lily Allen’s voice perfectly complements the production and they make a great duo on the song.

“I Want You” is a mid-tempo sexy and nostalgic joint about wanting to reunite with an ex lover. Will.i.Am sounds wonderful on the track providing the background vocals and the production is hot! Common captures the regret and longing so perfectly in his lyrics and flow. This is the first song so far that doesn’t have a political or social message and that comes from a more personal place…so it provides a nice break from the heavy and lyrically full songs that precede it.

“Southside” featuring Kanye West picks up the energy with rock infused production. I hate to say it, but the hook on this song and Kanye’s singing is kind of annoying and really takes away from the overall vibe of the song. This is basically a boastful song done on a less superficial level than the average rapper. However, Common and Kanye clearly are a force to be reckoned with when they get on the track together as they seamlessly transition from one to the other. Had they dropped the rock flare and changed up the hook this could’ve been a real hot one.

“The Game” is essentially about Common’s determination and drive to make it in the game. DJ Premier and the different samples add a level of heat to the song and Common comes strong with interesting metaphors.

“Black Maybe” featuring Bilal is another socially conscious song about the extra hurdles that Blacks “people of color” folks face in society. He speaks on how the system is set up to make certain people fail or detract them from a greater and more productive purpose. The groove of the bluesy singing and the subtlety of the African drumming really capture the tragedy of the song.

D’Angelo finally resurfaced long enough to record vocals for “So Far to Go”. Even though he only sings about 6 different words throughout the song, it’s always nice to hear his voice and remember the times when he used to be one of the hottest singers in the game. This is a nice mellow joint about a pseudo-relationship he has with a somewhat special lady that he promises to be faithful to “whenever [he's] in her town”. Common and D’Angelo make a hot pairing and good distraction from the at times eye-roll inducing lyrics.

When I first heard the next joint “Breakin My Heart” at Common’s concert for Yahoo Live Sets, I instantly fell in love with it. He tells the story of how he met and developed a relationship with a young lady. My favorite line in the song is “She said you know I don’t be dating rappers. I said I got my SAG baby card I’m an actor” lol. Gotta love that cleverness. This is a song where he did everything right…the production is fire, the lyrics are witty and funny, and his flow is so infectious. Just to be picky, this song is certainly a regression from the emotional maturity of “Faithful” off the Be album…but I won’t hold it against him.

“Misunderstood” starts off very bluesy and builds in emotional intensity to tell the story of people who get caught up in the shady life. He paints a vivid picture of an ill-fated man who tried live life on the straight and narrow, yet succumbed to the pressures of needing to survive by any means necessary. He gets even grittier in the tale of the emotional trauma of a stripper who did drugs to numb the pain she felt from degrading herself to make a living. On an emotional, lyrical, and production level, this is the best song on the album. This could easily be an incredibly powerful video.

“Forever Begins” closes out the album on a high note with a little help from his father Lonnie Lynn. The drum beat reminds me of a triumphant march from battle which is a fitting way to salute J. Dilla (who the song is dedicated to) and leave the listener with a sense of hope and optimism. Once again he closes out his album with a bit of spoken word from his father that touches on a variety of items that all boil down to legacy…what kind of world are we living in and what will be your contribution to it? This is the kind of song that you can’t help but get contemplative on…and what’s better than making music that stimulates and challenges people’s minds and emotions?

Overall…I have to say that this album is absolutely stellar lyrically and it is soulful in every way possible. I just wrote a post the other day about how most music nowadays lacks substance, and then this album comes along and provides a breath of fresh air. For those who didn’t know…yes- Hip Hop can be soulful, yes- Hip Hop can be intelligent, powerful, creative, evocative, and meaningful. Whether you are a jazz, blues, rock, hip hop, country, or R&B person…the stories and the lyricism are powerful enough to appeal to anyone that can appreciate music with soul and poetry. This album is not easy listening in the sense that you HAVE to actually pay attention to the lyrics to really understand what he is talking about and not totally miss the point. If what I’ve written appeals to you, then I would highly recommend that you pick up this album…if you don’t want to think or you don’t like songs that don’t have dance instructions then I suggest you pass.

What do you think about Common’s album? Isn’t it about time for Common to get that Grammy? Is the album better or worse than what you expected?

Posted by Reecie

Related: Common- Finding Forever Preview

T.I. vs. T.I.P review

 
Shot at 2007-07-03
In Rap, Inner War Can Be a Trap
By KELEFA SANNEH from the NYTimes.com posted on July 3, 2007

T. I. is hardly the first successful rapper to come down with split-personality disorder. Eminem made millions by pitting the tormented Marshall Mathers against the mischievous Slim Shady. Tupac Shakur morphed into Makaveli when he made his final album. Jay-Z briefly retired from rapping to become a record executive known as Shawn Carter. (“Back to Shawn Carter the hustler — Jay-Z is dead,” as he once put it.) Q-Tip begat Kamaal the Abstract; Nelly split his third album into “Sweat” and “Suit” discs; Ice Cube split one album into “Life” and “Death,” another into “War” and “Peace.” Often, successful rappers don’t crumble; they splinter.

So now it’s T. I.’s turn. Last year he released his glorious fourth album, “King”: a thunderous disc full of virtuoso rhymes that became the top-selling rap album of 2006. (Though, to be honest, there was scant competition.) Last week the follow-up, the disappointing “T. I. vs. T. I. P.,” arrived on the Internet, illegal but ubiquitous; the official version arrives in shops today, from Atlantic Records. Fans can choose their cover: a pinstriped T. I. or a sweatshirted T. I. P. But the music is the same, and so is the face, plus or minus a scowl.

This splintering began when T. I. was Clifford Harris, a skinny hustler from the Bankhead neighborhood in Atlanta. As a boy he was known as Tip, which became T. I. P. after he started rapping, and then T. I. after he got a major record deal. In 2003 he released his second album, “Trap Muzik,” which included “T. I. vs. T. I. P.,” the song that gave his new album its title. Even then, T. I., the ambitious hip-hop star, was trying to tame T. I. P., the impetuous kid from Bankhead.

In 2004, just as “Trap Muzik” was exploding, T. I. went to prison for violating his probation (he had been convicted of a drug charge in 1998); thanks to a work-release program, he was back within a few months. And on June 24 he reportedly got into a fight with Ludacris’s manager, Chaka Zulu; T. I. and Ludacris had previously feuded and reconciled, or so it seemed. Apparently T. I. P. just won’t stay gone.

Even so, T. I. has clearly grown more comfortable in his role as a bankable star. Like any rapper aiming for world domination, he has a record label (Grand Hustle) and a budding film career (he played the lead role in last year’s “ATL”). And while his new album includes plenty of rhymes about the good times and bad deeds, it also includes “Help Is Coming,” in which he tries to reassure nervous Atlantic executives. This is the hip-hop equivalent of a PowerPoint presentation: “They say the market share’s down — so? I ain’t affected/Tell the label relax, and they don’t need to stress/Yeah, just cut the check and I’ll handle the rest.”

T. I. is one of the last rap stars standing, a dominant figure at a time when record sales are falling fast and hip-hop sales are falling faster. (Last year no hip-hop album, not even “King,” was among the 10 top-selling CDs.) And like just about every popular rapper since the 1980s, he is both a sign of the times and an anomaly. He is part of a wave of beat-savvy Southern rappers (many based in Atlanta) who have reimagined the genre over the last decade. But he’s also an old-fashioned lyricist, obsessed with verbal density; Pharrell famously said, “He’s like the down-South Jay-Z.”

You might even say that T. I. has triumphed by turning Jay-Z’s style inside out. Jay-Z knew how to hide sound in sense. His lyrics often sounded like plainspoken prose; it was only later that you noticed the hidden rhyme patterns and rhythms. By contrast, T. I. hides sense in sound. His lyrics often sound like singsong chants; it’s only later that you notice the hidden intricacy of the words.

That approach was evident in “What You Know,” a club-crushing hit from “King.” While synthesizers sizzled, he used his raspy drawl to deliver a series of taunts and threats:

See all that attitude’s

Unnecessary, dude.

You never carry tools.

Not even square — he cube.

Listeners transfixed by his entertaining interjections (“O.K.?!”) and exaggerated pronunciation might easily have overlooked the rigorous poetic construction. But that’s a neat little quatrain: four lines, six syllables apiece, each building to an trisyllabic oblique rhyme. Somehow, T. I. delivers supertechnical raps without ever sounding as boring as that last sentence.

That’s why the new album is so puzzling. Compared with the reckless bombast of “King,” this album’s first single, “Big Things Poppin’ (Do It),” sounds pretty tepid. The follow-up, “You Know What It Is,” has a beautifully slithery beat by Wyclef Jean and his production team (which almost makes up for Mr. Jean’s faux-Jamaican patois), but the song is more elegant than thrilling. And it’s hard not to compare it with last year’s “What You Know,” especially since the title includes the same three words.

Thus the personality split: it’s a tool that rappers often use when they find themselves getting too complacent, or too self-conscious, or both. Scrappiness used to be one of T. I.’s greatest assets, and he made his name with brash street tales, many of which revolved around the cocaine trade. (On an early mixtape, he announced, “I got a thick, rich mixed bitch, handling bricks/And a quick-witted slick clique to manage the chick.”) He cleans up nice, but he needs someone to do his dirty work.

So he brought back T. I. P., who takes over “Act I,” as he calls it. That’s where you’ll find those first two singles, as well as “Hurt,” a surprisingly strong Busta Rhymes collaboration (it’s refreshing to hear both of them sounding so belligerent), and “Watch What You Say to Me,” a laid-back (but tough-talking) track with Jay-Z. It’s also where you’ll find “Da Dopeman,” which might be the most depressing song on the album: you can almost hear a sigh as T. I. — sorry, T. I. P. — rehashes a subject he once seemed to relish. This is his first album without Toomp, the Atlantan who produced many of his defining hits (including “Motivation,” “U Don’t Know Me” and “What You Know”), and Toomp’s devastating electronic tracks are sorely missed.

For Act II, T. I. takes over. There are dull collaborations with Eminem (who seems to know how bored he sounds) and Nelly, along with a rote seduction song (“Don’t You Wanna Be High”) and that PowerPoint spiel. Finally it’s time for “Act III — The Confrontation,” in which our two heroes finally come face to face to hash out their differences.

All this split-personality stuff is patently absurd (just try not to smirk or squirm when T. I. P. tries to get T. I.’s attention by yelling, “Meet me at the mirror, man!”), though evidently it’s a common enough response to the impossible demands of hip-hop, which more or less requires its stars — even, or especially, the veterans — to say ridiculous things, and mean them. T. I. is 26, but all the big-name guests on this album are well over 30, and it seems as if he’s already worried about aging gracefully.

At times his high-concept gamble comes close to paying off. When T. I. and T. I. P. square off in the second verse of “Respect This Hustle,” it’s worth the wait. T. I. P. complains that people are talking about him, but T. I. urges him to interpret that as a sign of respect:

T. I.: “Don’t take it personal — people wanna be close to folk/What you think the television and the posters fo’?”

T. I. P.: “Man, I’m claustrophobic.”

T. I.: “Well, you need to see a doctor fo’ it/And I ain’t jokin’ — you close, Tip, and you ’bout to blow it.”

In the end, though, clever plotting and sharp dialogue aren’t enough, especially not without more exciting beats than these. What’s missing, most of all, is the savage glee with which T. I. once attacked his foe Lil’ Flip, unleashing a torrent of insults that effectively ended Lil’ Flip’s career. The album’s three acts make the division too clear; separating the tycoon from the troublemaker diminishes them both.

No matter what happens with this album, T. I.’s career is nowhere near done; he remains one of the best and slickest rappers alive, and even hearing him spin his wheels is a joy. But what comes next? How does the self-proclaimed “King of the South” raise the stakes? That’s one question that the hotheaded T. I. P. can’t answer, and neither can Jay-Z, Nelly, Mr. Jean, Busta Rhymes or Eminem. T. I. will have to figure it out by himself.

—

By far the most accurate review of T.I.

What do you guys think?

Album Review/Preview: Kelly Rowland- Ms. Kelly

Click here to check out the full album preview of Ms. Kelly on AOL

Kelly starts off her album with the semi-hit “Like This“. I actually really like this song and if he she had a better video, it could’ve been a much bigger hit. This is a nice anthem for the ladies for when you want to just go out, have a good time, and feel good. Eve is definitely one of the best female rap collaborators and she adds some heat to the song.

On “Comeback“, Kelly sings about how her loving is so good it’ll have you coming back. She should’ve picked a better chorus since it’s hard to figure out what she’s talking about until you listen to the verses. However, this song reminds me that she has a great voice. Her at times intricate vocal phrasing makes the song interesting to listen to (even if you don’t know what the hell she’s talking about).

“Ghetto” features Snoop Dogg and for the first time in the album, I’m really feeling the vibe of this track. The production is smooth, her voice is mellowed out, and it has a banging laid back feel. I don’t know how she managed to make a song where she says ghetto about 50 times sound anything but ghetto. Snoop was a great person to pick for the track, since his flow matches perfectly with the song. I’d hate to advocate for a song called “Ghetto” to be released as a single, but this could be a hot summer hit for people to cruise to if she released it.

Up next is “Work” which immediately sounds like Amerie’s wack a$$ “Gotta Work Hard”. Luckily for us, Kelly actually has a great voice and manages to sound much better on this production than Amerie did on her song. The song is about how to be with Kelly, you gotta work hard to impress her and make her happy. This is another song where the chorus really adds nothing to the song…she really needs some serious work on her hooks. This has the potential to be a club banger…but I’m not totally sold on it yet.

On “Flashback” Kelly gets emotional and contemplative over an ex. The production and her voice remind of me songs from Brandy’s last album…which isn’t a bad thing. I get the feeling from the lyrics and production that Kelly’s voice is supposed to sound more tender; which brings me to the point that she could use some work learning how to convey different emotional states with her voice. However, this is a nice track that I could see resonating with many people.

On the flip side, “Every Thought is You” is about how wonderful her relationship is with her lover. This is a sweet track where she sings about her love and devotion to her man. The thing that I must comment on about her album is that her songs are all nice…but they just aren’t spectacular. At this point if I bought her album, I wouldn’t think it sucks, but if I were to go on Itunes, the only song I would’ve bought so far is “Ghetto”. She needs to work on adding that “It” factor to every track.

“Show” is a song that definitely brings the heat with Tank guest starring on the track. The chemistry between these two is smokin hot! They sound fantastic together, lyrically the song has a great sensuality, and the production is even hotter. Perhaps Kelly needs another artist to bring out the best in her performance. This song is a winner, but only for the grown & sexy! lol

After a quick interlude, Kelly revisits earlier material on her album with “Still In Love With My Ex“. This time she is apologizing to her current man for getting with him even though she’s still in love with her ex. She admits that he is a great guy, but she can’t get her ex out of her head. People that don’t know how to move on from the past and can’t appreciate the good man they have now will love this song…me on the other hand, it just makes me want to roll my eyes. This song would’ve been better placed after “Flashback”, because it feels misplaced after “Every Thought Is You” and “Show”.

“Love” is a defiant track where Kelly gets the last laugh over an ex that suddenly wants her back. The song is about how her ex couldn’t appreciate her when he had her, and thought he would be so much better off without her…yet found out the hard way that the grass isn’t greener on the other side. I find this track kind of ironic considering that she has two songs on her album about wanting her ex back. However, I think this song will resonate with a lot of people, since most people have been in this type of situation before.

On “Better Without You” Kelly’s singing sounds a little bit awkward; like she’s singing with her jaw wired shut. The song is about how she is better off with her ex, but her voice doesn’t convey that sense of triumph and happiness…instead she sounds melancholy and unconvinced. I think this goes back to how she has very little emotional range in her vocal delivery. This song is a total dud.

Kelly closes the album out with beautiful ballad “This is Love“. She uses wonderful imagery and this is lyrically one of the best songs on the album.

Overall…I think that this a very mediocre effort from Kelly. I say mediocre, because it wasn’t at all bad, but it just flat out wasn’t great either. Kelly has a nice voice, but she lacks emotion and intensity in her delivery…as a result none of the songs are as powerful as they could be. She is at her strongest on the songs where the vibe is intended be laid back, save for the standout song “The Show”. Also, the album is very redundant and entirely too narrow with the material. The songs are either about wanting to be back with an ex, being happy to be done with an ex, or how great her relationship is; in no logical order. This gives the album a very schizo feeling and makes it kind of boring after a while. However, the writing on the album is great (with the exception of a few bad hooks) and the production isn’t too shabby either. This album confirms what people just don’t want to accept, she does not have the star power for a strong solo effort. She certainly has potential, but based on this album, she hasn’t proven that she is ready to step out of Beyonce’s shadow.

What do you think about Kelly’s album? What are the best tracks? Does this album prove that is a superstar or prove that isn’t quite there yet?

Posted by Reecie

Album Review/Preview: R. Kelly- Double Up

Click here to listen to the Full Album Preview of “Double Up” on AOL 

R. Kelly starts off his new album with “The Champ” and it is clear that he has a lot of anger and aggression he is trying to get off his chest. He has been through a lot of drama and fallen in and out of grace over the past few years…but he seems to fail to realize that he brought all of it on himself. For someone to be on trial for child molestation charges…he should be more grateful that he is still getting to do what he wants to do and make tons of money at it; and have less contempt. At any rate…unless you’re in the mood for hearing Kells act like he’s a victim then skip it.

Next up is the song “Double Up” featuring Snoop Dogg. This is essentially the average rap song but with singing. Isn’t Kells 40 years old? Why is  he still talking about picking up women and being out at the club? Grow up man! Snoop adds a verse to the song and I can’t deny that the two have good chemistry…but he isn’t talking about jack either. The singing is very lazy, the production is ok; overall this song is maybe a 5/10.

On “Trying to Get a Number” R. Kelly collaborates with Nelly and manages to make an incredibly corny song. All I’m going to say about this…are they really serious? No seriously…seriously?

“Get Dirty” featuring Chamillionaire is along the same lines of the other songs…clubs, women, drinking, spending money, yadda, yadda, yadda. The production is blazin and it’s not often that we hear a dirty south sound from R. Kelly. I could see this being a real club banger.

R. Kelly channels T-Pain with some computerized vocals on “Leave Your Name”. The song is basically about his answering machine message where he says he will get back to you if he isn’t having sex, smoking weed, not faded, or making a baby. A new low in lyrical content Kells…way to go.

I really like the production and the singing on “Freaky in the Club”…but you know what? This would’ve been a great stepping song if he would’ve put an ounce of effort into making the song have an ounce of substance. Nonetheless, this is a really catchy song and isn’t as bad lyrically as the other songs. I actually like this one…it’s sad to say this on a song called “Freaky in the Club”…but does this mean there is hope for the album after all?

“The Zoo” proves that R. Kelly still has some creativity left. I’m on the fence about whether this song is totally ridiculous or pretty good. I like the production and his singing is cool…but making animal sounds and including sounds of elephants and birds is just f*&kin bizarre! lol.

We all know and love “I’m a Flirt” so…moving right along.

Up next is “Same Girl” with Usher…which gets back to the root of R. Kelly’s strong suit: telling interesting stories. On the song R. Kelly and Usher discover that they are both seeing the same woman. I like the back and forth of the song, the production is good, and they both sound great.

“Real Talk” shows that R. Kelly is a man that just looooves drama. In the song, R. Kelly is going off to his lady defending himself from allegations of cheating. If you ask me…he sounds like he is guilty but just making every excuse under the sun to cover up his actions. The problem with Kells is…he spends half the album talking about how he’s a flirt, player, partier, etc…and then turns around and does a song like this and expects the listener to be sympathetic. The f*&k outta here! Anyways…he sounds really trifling on the song with how he’s cussing the woman out, calling her out of her name…just ridiculous. All I can say is, “I wish a *&^(%$@ would!” lol.

On “Hook It Up”…R. Kelly talks about telling his homie’s girlfriend to hook him up with someone like her. The speaking intro of the song starts off a little suspect, but the song turns it around and comes off on a mildly positive tip. Huey guest stars on the song and he actually contributes a nice verse…I’m shocked! I think this is a song that a lot of people will like.

“Rock Star” features a blazin hot verse from Ludacris and guest appearance from Kid Rock. But damn…how many songs does Kells really need about smoking, drinking, and hooking up? Sh!t is getting beyond monotonous at this point. With that said…the rock vibe of the song is hot!

“Best Friend” features Polow da Don (who should never rap again) and Keyshia Cole. This song is a complete disgrace to R&B music! First of all…R. Kelly really shouldn’t have a song about a man talking to his girl and best friend from jail when he’s on trial for serious charges. Secondly…why in the hell would someone seriously want to sit around and listen to this kind of garbage? Has music deteriorated to the point to where we’re expected to be interested in the fact that the jail-bird’s toilet paper is “cutting his ass”? I mean seriously…earlier when I said “Leave Your Name” was a new low in lyrical content for Kells…I spoke too soon…THIS is officially a new low. 

I’m soooo sick of this album at this point, so I almost threw up a little when “Rollin” came on…because I just don’t know if I can take any more of this b.s. he is trying to pass off as R&B. This song is overkill since he already covered this same lyrical content in the intro of the album. The beat is hot…but this song is so unnecessary.

R. Kelly dedicates “Sweet Tooth” to every kind of woman there is. This song is borderline (and by borderline I’m being generous) perverted.

On “Having a Baby”, R. Kelly finds out that he is having a baby. This song sounds very amateurish and Kells sounds like he is struggling to sing. I’m not really feeling this…Jamie Foxx’s “You Still Got It” is a far superior “baby” song.

On “Sex Planet” R. Kelly gets astronomical lol. I like the groove of the song, and I’ll give R. Kelly a cool point for creativity…but the song gets a little weird in parts. I couldn’t really see myself listening to this song with a straight face…or anybody listening to this song to put them in the mood.

“Rise Up” a song dedicated to Virginia Tech ( I don’t remember R. Kelly doing a Hurricane Katrina song) closes the album. This song sounds incredibly out of place on an album that is primarily about sex, drugs, and partying…but I guess I can’t knock him for displaying some decency and substance. With that said…this is a greatly inspirational song.

Overall…this album is pure trash. R. Kelly is a 40 year old married (albeit separated) man with kids…so he has absolutely no business singing about these immature topics. For this to be his 13th LP…this should be musically genius. Instead…he took the easy way out and reduced himself to singing ridiculous songs that you would expect from rappers like Snoop Dogg. I’m officially revoking R. Kelly’s “King of R&B” crown until he comes out with some real R&B music. DO NOT BUY THIS ALBUM…I assure it is as terrible as I’ve described.

Have you heard “Double Up”? What do you think about the album? Shouldn’t a man of his age and his musical legacy be producing classics at this point in his career? Why don’t people want to grow up in their music anymore?

Posted by Reecie

Bobby Valentino “Special Occasion” Album Preview/Review

Click here to hear the full album preview of Bobby Valentino- Special Occasion (From 5/7 to 5/21)

Right from the intro, I’m in love! I will admit from the jump, I love Bobby Valentino. As a matter of fact, Bobby V is the reason why I started blogging on this site. I didn’t like thehonorable always dogging out his music, so I asked him to let me be a contributor to offer a different musical perspective lol. So anyways…with that said…I’m more inclined to love this album, but also more inclined to be disappointed if it’s not up to my already high expectations. So feel free to take my opinion with a grain of salt or join me in my glee as I experience Bobby V’s new album for the first time (with my fingers crossed that it’ll actually be good!). Now back to the review… I’m always a fan of intros, because it gives the listener something to look forward to with the album…it sets the tone. The intro certainly isn’t groundbreaking and is actually quite similar to his debut album intro, “Some Bobby”…but I like it!

The first song up is the hit blowing up the radio charts, “Anonymous”, produced by Timbaland. Personally, I prefer the Tim & Bob sound and I think the Timbaland production drowns out a little of Bobby V’s swagger, however this is still a hot song. The beat is hot, the writing is great, and Bobby V sounds good.

Up next is one of my personal favorite Bobby V songs, “Checkin Me”. This song was leaked shortly after the release of his debut album and I’m glad that it made the cut for this album. This song is along the lines of “Tell Me”…it’s not quite a club banger, but the kind of song that the ladies will put on while getting dressed for a night out. On the song he sings about a woman that’s checkin him out, that he wants to get with. I like, I like.

Up next on the album is, “Special Occasion”, an interlude. There isn’t much to the song, just him trying to sound sexy and seductive and a fan trying to get with him. lol…This is definitely a song to skip…but damn what a waste of a hot beat! This could’ve been a really sexy slow jam, and I’m surprised he didn’t do more for the title track of his album.

Bobby V teams up with Ludacris for “Rearview (Ridin)”. The song is about Bobby V trying to leave his past and his mistakes behind. Bobby V does a bit more with his vocals with the changing up of the tempo and displaying a wider range. The storytelling on the song is great, the beat is hot…and Bobby V and Luda have great chemistry on the song. I gotta give Ludacris credit as usual for making the song that much hotter with a verse that’s actually relevant and enriching to the song.

On “If I Had My Way”, Bobby V sings about his heartache for not being with the one he truly wants to be with. There is a vibe of sadness and regret in the song…both in the production and in the vocals. On the one hand I gotta give him credit for not actually going out and cheating on his girl…but I don’t get why he won’t just leave his girl if he doesn’t want to be with her. But hey…it’s only a 3 minute song, so obviously there isn’t enough time to get into all that lol.

“How Bout It” continues the slowed down vibe of the album with smooth production from Brian Cox. On the song, Bobby V sings to a special woman that he wants to stop his player ways and settle down with her. Once again I like the vocal layering of the song and the tempo is definitely a B. Cox signature style. This style really complements Bobby V though so I’m digging it. I love this song, the lyrics are sweet…hey everyone has a past, but I like his sincerity.

“Turn the Page” can be seen as picking up where the last song left off. Perhaps the lady in the previous song gave him a chance but now they’re running into trouble? Makes sense to me…anyways…Bobby V pleads for her to stay with him and work out their differences. I’m sure everyone has heard this song, so I don’t need to go into too much detail. It was a pretty decent hit when it came out…and hearing it in the context of the album makes it that much better in my opinion.

On “Home is Where You Belong”, Bobby V sings about his anguish over a love lost. I like to look at an album as telling a story…so in that case, this song is an interesting twist to the previous song. So was Bobby V guilty of dipping out after all in “Turn the Page”? The song is a bit of a confession for him erring in his ways. I also like how he incorporates the intro into this song, giving new context to the intro. The beat is hot plus it really brings out the best in Bobby V’s voice and captures the emotion perfectly. This is definitely a song for guys who are really in the dog house! Even though I usually roll my eyes at songs like this (I mean get it right the first time instead of coming crawling back lol)…I still can’t help but love this song.

Bobby V taps Fabolous for his song, “Let Him Go”. On the song, Bobby V is trying to get a woman to leave her man who is doing her wrong. I’m actually not feeling this one…it sounds kind of lazy and doesn’t really progress the album forward. The beat is okay, but it’s too low on the track so the vocals drown out the production quite a bit; resulting in an amateur and unflattering sound. Fabolous doesn’t really add much to the song, as a matter of fact his verse is pretty dumb. Ummm…next!

The beat on “Only Human” is almost identical to a song on 112’s second album, Room 112, with it’s Chinese influences. Whatever the case, this is a really sweet song about how Bobby V needs his love to stick by him when he’s going through things because he is only human. Awwwwwww! How cute! I mean what woman doesn’t want to feel needed and important? This song makes me smile! However, I do think that a softer and more sentimental production would’ve been more appropriate…I’m still digging it though. One thing about Bobby V that I think no other R&B male artist really does, is he shows a softer, vulnerable, and more humble side in his music . He makes “ideal lover” music that any woman can really appreciate.

“Can’t Wait Til Later” is a sexy slow jam where Bobby V sings about wanting his lover right now. I like how Bobby V never really puts it all the way out there, but still gets his point across. Even when his songs are sexual in nature, they are never explicit or vulgar…he always makes things sound romantic. I’m really digging everything about this song. Now that I’m listening to it though…it kind of calls to my attention that his album is a little light on songs with this sort of content.

“I Was Wrong” is a beautiful love ballad where Bobby V pours his heart out to his lover and apologizes for the mistakes he has made. This song is sweet…I guess Bobby V did a lot of effing up in relationships on this album…but at least he’s sorry! lol.

For this album, Bobby V remade Babyface’s “Soon As I Get Home”. I think he switched up the beat a little too much…the original is much better. I don’t think Bobby V’s voice is on the same level of Babyface’s voice, but he still does a great job. I’m surprised he remade this song out of all the Babyface songs to chose from, but he does a pretty good job and I like the ways vocally he makes the song his own.

The last full length song on the album is “Over and Over” a really sexy number. The beat and the singing are really hot. Just in case you don’t want the album to come to a close just yet…this song is 7 minutes long…maybe a bit overkill…but still hot nonetheless.

Bobby V closes out the album with “Right There (Thank You)”…a testimony of gratitude to those who helped him through the process of making the second album. The outro brings the album full circle and is a nice closer. So…in case you haven’t gotten the picture yet…I absolutely love this album! I loved his first album and I’m very pleased that this album doesn’t disappoint. He touches on a wider variety of topics, he showed a lot of vocal growth, and branching out by working with different produces also made the album that much better. The thing I really like about Bobby V is that he really gives you a good album from front to back and he has a very distinctive style. He doesn’t just go for whatever sound is trendy just to lose any sense of individuality…instead he keeps a nice fluid vibe throughout his entire album, giving you a good sense of who he is as an artist. Although I think Luda did a terrible job promoting Bobby V (Why push his album back so many times to still completely drop the ball on promotion?)…if people give it a chance and listen to it, it will be a big hit. I’m rooting for him, because I think he’s highly underrated, his musical content is great, and he isn’t a gimmick artist…just a bonafide R&B singer. So…if what I wrote above appeals to you and you aren’t completely cynical about my ability to give him an honest review…then definitely go out and buy the album…or at least check out the BET.com preview and decide for yourself.

What do you think about Bobby V’s album? Are you a Bobby fan? Is this album and upgrade or downgrade? What’s your favorite song on the album?

Posted by Reecie

Album Review/Preview: Ne-Yo “Because of You”

 

Click here to check out the full album preview of Ne-Yo’s Because of You

The album starts out with the song, “Because of You”. Ne-Yo ironically channels Michael Jackson to sing about a subject I’m sure we all can agree MJ has no idea about: an addiction to sex. lol. This song is making some waves on the radio, but I don’t feel like this is a particularly strong song to start the album off with. I mean Ne-Yo is back with a highly anticipated sophomore album and this song just doesn’t give you much to get enthusiastic about from the jump.

However, Ne-Yo turns up the heat with a little help from Jay-Z on “Call Me Crazy”. Hov being the consummate pro that he is adds some nice flavor to the track and provides a nice intro for Ne-Yo to come on with the vocals. I like this song, very catchy, something everybody can really groove to.

The production on “Can We Chill” sounds straight out of the 80s…kinda like something I would expect to see on Vanity’s fictional tv show 7th Heaven on the movie “The Last Dragon”. Anyways, on the song he propositions a lady he is just meeting to come and chill with him. The singing on the chorus is incredibly corny. If he was going to try and drag out a note, he should’ve done so in a less monotonous way. To sum up this song: amateur.

On “Do You”, Ne-Yo asks his ex-lover “do you ever think of me”. The beat is really hot, his vocals are okay, but the storytelling on the song is really good. He gets very sentimental on the song as he expresses feelings of regret and remorse. This song kind of reminds me of his hit “So Sick”. If he were to release this as a single, this could be something that resonates with both women and men.

On every sophomore album, artists always feel the need to add a clichéd song about their woes as a celebrity. On the song “Addicted” he refutes the supposed misquotes of him saying he was addicted to sex that surfaced last year. I find that ironic considering that the title track of the album is about him being addicted to sex. Come on Ne-Yo get it together! At one point he tries to channel Prince’s high register and fails miserably at hitting those notes. I’m gonna just chop this song up as a joke lol. Moving right along…

Ne-Yo teams up with Jennifer Hudson on the lover’s quarrel/song “Leaving Tonight”. Ne-Yo opens the song saying that love cannot exist without trust to try and assuage his lover’s concerns about him possibly cheating. That’s when JHud comes in and lays out her case. It seems like she has all the evidence that she needs and if her instincts are correct then his ass is leaving tonight. Ne-Yo counters that she should trust him and he’s not going anywhere. I’m really digging the old school vibe of this song. Ne-Yo and JHud have great chemistry on the song and this is a great collaboration vocally and lyrically. This is definitely a highlight on the album. Ne-Yo should have more faith in his distinctive voice rather than trying to emulate other artists.

On “Ain’t Thinking About You”, Ne-Yo defiantly tells his ex that he is up and leaving her to go out and have a good time. I really don’t know what’s up with the beat on this song, it’s a total distraction from the lyrics and sounds like it’s from a video game. However, Ne-Yo sounds great on the song. It seems like he is getting stronger vocally as the album goes along and showing some growth from his last album. If the beat wasn’t so corny I think this could be a guy’s anthem for when their girl is tripping…but I think if a guy rolled up to a car full of hot chicks playing this song it would raise some eyebrows. lol. With that said, I still like the song.

Ne-Yo switches up his vocal sound to sound like what I’m guessing must be Prince. He goes for an edgier and more rock sound for “Sex With My Ex”. I’m kinda digging the song even though I don’t agree with his statement, “What was mine is always mine” lol. I think some will like the song, some will feel like it’s overkill.

On “Angel”, Ne-Yo borrows the 80s New Wave sound for the production. That’s not necessarily an insult though…Ne-Yo sounds pretty good and the lyrics are pretty sweet.

“Make It Work” is a great song in which Ne-Yo sings about working to make his relationship stronger. He takes a very mature approach to relationships which I can really respect and appreciate. I’m sure this song will make a lot of people feel better about the problems they may be going through in their relationships. This song is also a strong vocal performance from Ne-Yo. This is definitely a winner and certainly a potential single/hit.

Ne-Yo gets a little freaky on “Say It” as he asks his lover to tell him exactly how she wants it from him. Both the production and the vocals are sensual; and Ne-Yo manages to be racy without being corny. I like it.

Ne-Yo closes out the album with “Go On Girl” which instantly reminds me of “Irreplaceable”. On the song he sings about how a shady chick broke his heart even though he was being a good guy. He tells her to “go on girl”. See the thing about making a male version of “Irreplaceable” is that girls can shamelessly sing that song, but I don’t think guys could sing this song without looking super corny. If he had a different beat and maybe didn’t say “Go On Girl” he would be able to catch a pass. lol. This was a poor choice to close out the album with.

On the whole, I would have to rate the album as just okay. It’s not bad, but it’s really not stellar either. Even though I am admittedly not a huge fan of Ne-Yo (not that I’m a hater either), I was hoping this album would convert me into one…and it just didn’t deliver the goods. His songwriting is good, but he just couldn’t make up his mind about what kind of sound he was going for. I’m all for versatility, but I don’t think he was being innovative by going for established sounds like those of MJ and Prince. If he would’ve done more to carve his own niche for himself and really define his sound, this album could’ve been much better. When he does create his own sound, he really does shine. Overall, this cd is still much better than a lot of cds out there, but if it sells will be off the strength of his singles. I’m not going to recommend that you go out there and buy this cd, but I won’t say skip it either. Ne-Yo’s album is in stores May 1st.

Posted by Reecie

Joe “Ain’t Nothing Like Me” (CD Review)

Well, here it is. Official review of Joe’s latest effort entitled, “Ain’t Nothing Like Me.” Mr. Joe Lewis Thomas drops his 6th album. Out of 6, I have 5 albums. Needless to say, it should be apparent that I am very familiar with Joe as an artist as I have followed him since his classic 1997 “All That I Am” album. Since 1997, I have been waiting for Joe to show me something that was original, unique, progressive, and uncharacteristic among R&B dudes in the game. While he had some highlights with albums like “My Name is Joe” and “Better Days” Joe hasn’t been able to place him stamp among the best in the game. It’s rather frustrating because this is an artist whose vocal talent is better than many that’s out. His range, the smooth passion in his voice (no homo), and the ballads are what defines Joe. Unfortunately, the latter has been trumped by Joe’s unwavering demands to try to follow the trend in music and not be his own man! With R. Kelly in the mix, it’s already hard to eat! It is frustrating but Joe is one of those artists that you either Love or Hate. I got love for the dude, just don’t know if his career will ever jump off! With that somewhat morose intro (lol) I will get into the review:

1. “Aint Nothin Like Me”- Tim & Bob production- Joe begins the 1st track of a cd that we’ve been waiting for for over 3 and half years with a beat that Nas used already (a la “You’re The Man). This bothered me. I thought Joe was gonna reinvent himself and come with some crazy production but he ridesa beat that’s over 3 years old. Not really a good look, in my opinion. Anyway, Nas drops 2 verses that are forgettable. If i played this in the whip, i’d probably listen to it a few times only because Joe does have a nice voice. As far as the positives, it’s a sexy track. Not necessarily the best club track but one of those filler jawns that you’d play when you have a house party and what to rub up on a shawty. lol. Nas line where he says “telekenesees” annoys the hell outta me. 3/5

2. “If I Was Your Man”- Stargate Production- This single came out a long ass time ago. Typical breakup to makeup track where Joe is apologizing for the wrongs he’s done and why cant he be her man when he’d give up the world for her. yada yada…No more lies, he’ll do it right this time. Very real situation for many dudes. But nothing original. Beat’s very smooth though. Real grown up feel. My kinda swag! 3/5

3. “I Want Her”- Sean Garrett production- Joe’s on his creep game on this track where he’s telling this female what he can do that her dude can’t provide. A lot ego on the track. ha! All dudes have felt that they could do betta than the next dude especially if they feelin a girl. Joe’s talking about how he gon beat it up right! “If I want you, what is he gonna do…nothin” ha! I like this track cause Joe’s just spittin da real and going for his! Beat’s coo! Around 3:10 of the track, you can feel Joe’s energy and how much he really wants the girl. lol. 3.8/5

4. “Where You At” ft. Papoose- Sean Garrett production- When I first heard this track many months ago, I didn’t like it. Some things dont change. While Pap spit some real talk about how to treat a woman, I just dont like hearing Papoose. He doesnt do it for me as a rapper and I don’t know who made the decision to put him on this track. Somebody’s A&R aint do they job! lol… You know what i dont like about it, the whole, “baaaaby where you aaaaat”….It’s like he’s wining! it’s annoying…and its a wack hook after a while. 2.5/5

5. “My Love”- Bryan Michael Cox production- Okay, so Joe helped me out by giving me a dose of that 90s R&B feel…that jodeci type swag…yeah, this is the energy and soul that Joe was doing back in “All That I Am.” Joe says, “baby would you take my love, its yours. Baby i can read your mind“This track is very beautiful, great production and really shows Joe’s strengths and proves that he is an R&B dude and should stay in that zone instead of tryna thugga thug it out like R. Kelly. Nice lyrics and very sensual! Fellas, go hard wit ya ladies to this track! haha…. 4/5

6. “Go Hard”- Bryan Michael Cox production- This is my favourite track on the album. The first I heard it many months back, I couldn’t wait to hear Joe’s upcoming album. I like the production a lot and I like Joe’s energy and swag on the track.”She looks like a handful, I wanna get a handful.” Joe talks about this gyrl that’s the flyest thing that he’s ever seen and every dude wants her. She’s such a superstar and a dime that Joe talks about leaving his girl for her. Damn! So he’s going hard for ole girl.. 4/5

7. “Ain’t Nothing Like Me” ft. Tony Yayo & Young Buck- Underdogs production- 1st off, f*ck Yayo. Whoever made the decision to put him on this track…any track, should be put in a figure four. Buck is irrelevant on the track. I understand this track is all about boasting about what Joe has versus otha dudes but he coulda proved his points without lackluster showings from Yayo and Buck. Moving on…Joe spits, “I know you got a man, but he aint nothing like me. He might put it down, but he dont put it like me. My hood game, my wood game, my paaaapah maayne” that’s my line right there. lol. I woulda given this track a 4/5 but because of the wack cameos, i gotta give it a 3.7/5

8. “It’s Me”- Stargate productio- Another track where Joe is apologizing for cheating and saying “its not you, it’s me”..nice, sweet teeny-bopper track…Joe says, “if it’s hell i gotta pay, then i’ll go thru the fire” to keep his girl from leaving. Nothing original but okay on the ears.eh!!! expect more from Joe at this point in his career. Production was okay… 3.75/5

9. “Let’s Just Do It” ft. Fabolous- Cool & Dre production- First off, Pharrell had to have slipped Cool & Dre a beat cd on the low cause I soooo do not believe Cool & Dre did this.lol. On the production tip, someone shoulda told Cool & Dre to pick another beat. Anyway, this is a nice two-step club track that you could dance with ya lover. You could do ya diddy bop and just have a grand time on the dance flo’ I like the feel of the track and Joe shines on it! Fab’s flow was too lazy and was too Kan-Jay influenced. expected a lil more from F-A-B-O. 4/5

10. “Feel For You” Very nice ballad. Very nice lyrics and is a slow dance type track. Thank you Joe for delivering something slow and beautiful. “Baby, your love is like a song i like to sing, that’s what I feel for you,” Joe sings. 4.2/5

11. “Just Relax”- Dre of Cool & Dre production- Well, this track either jacks or pays homage to A Tribe Called Quest (a la Electric Relaxation). This whole “this is…this is…” crap from Dre is annoyin…Umm, this track’s okay only because it has that vintage old school hip-hop feel to it! But it just seemed like an unnecessary sample. Eh, probably only get one or two listens from me. 3.8/5

12. “Love is Just a Game“- Joe speaks about the ups and downs in his relationship and what his girl is putting him through after how good he’s been to her. He feels she’s playing games with his heart and he doesnt want to feel like he’s on a roller coaster ride. Interesting production…For all the tracks where Joe is apologizing or wining, this time, it’s the girl’s fault that things are going awry. Nice twist! I’m sure dudes can relate to when they ladies just wildin! lol. 4/5

13. “You Should Know Me”- Ooooh, this track is a banga. “Girl, I will never let you down, you should know me,” Joe sings to his girl that is hearing all this stuff from people and she’s questioning his love and faithfulness. Joe is telling her that instead of listening to folk, that she should know him and that he “would never let [her] down.” This is a very nice track and Joe’s raw vocals shines on this track. This has a very early 90s feel to it and Joe capitalizes on it! I think the topic is very important cause too many women put they men through some crazy ish just to figure out if he’s true to her or not. I can understand wanting to know if he’s true but if his actions are showing it, you gotta let him live and dont play crazy games or listen to people who dont know whats good! 4.5/5

14. “Life of the Party”- Very nice song. Joe speaks about how hurt he is about a failed relationship but hides his pain. To the world he may be the life of the party but they dont know that he tries to drink his pain away. He reminisces about all the great times he had with his ex and can’t get her off his mind. However, he pretends to the world that he’s okay even though not having her around is killing him inside. This is a very mature and real track. Many men do this and don’t admit that they’re hurting when a relationship goes off track. Joe gets real emotional on this and says the world only knows him for what they see on t.v and they dont know the real Joe. 4.2/5

Bonus Track: “What I Like”- Tim & Bob production- Beat’s cool. As always Joe’s talking about a woman, doing the do and giving it to her the way she likes. yada yada. typical Joe stuff. Production has a nice lean to me.. 3.8/5

All in all, i give “Ain’t Nothing Like Me” a 3.78/5. I’m definitely disappointed. There are some highlights but nothing consistent and original from my boy Joe. For someone who’s been in the game for over a decade, I would hope there would be some growth from record to record but Joe’s just caught in a whirlwind still tryna figure his spot in mainstream R&B. Not a bad album…just not a great album! Well, back to “All That I Am”

*absolutely tired…..2:08am….tried to get this done so ya’ll had the review. lol. HM’s dedicated folks but I gotta wake up for work in 5 hours. Hope you enjoy the review. YA BOI!!!!*

~Thesis

Prodigy’s “Return of the Mac”- Mixtape Review

Okay, so I been hypin this mixtape since early January when Ballerina…err…Bandana P dropped several singles: “Return of the Mac (New York Sh**)”, “Mac 10 Handle,” and “Stuck On You.” I felt all three songs, along with their respective videos, were so representative of that true New York gritty, raw sound that has been lost over the years. We heard a little bit of those raw, street ballads when Busta dropped “The Big Bang.” Since then many of our mainstream New York artists have come short of really illustrating what it was that put New York on the map in the first place.

****Disclaimer: Being from Brooklyn (Broooooklyn Stand Up!!!) I sort of have a bias to this kind of steez so pardon me if I come off one-sided. Try and understand that i’ll try and be objective****

Out of all of the 14 tracks on the mixtape (yep…just a taste folks…look out for HNIC 2)…i’m feeling 14 of em…I like all of the tracks for different reasons of which I won’t go into right now cause i’m hella tired and well, i’m just trying to exercise brevity. Here are stand-out tracks that you must listen to immediatement:

1. “New York Sh**”- With Busta previously dropping a song with the same title, I am so glad that Prodigy took the track to a different level and showed that you don’t have to ride the same beat. He put a different flip on New Yawk style and life and I think cats respected that. Using Pac’s, “and all my niccas in the pen here we go again. Ain’t nuttin separatin us from mah Mac 10,” made the song extra raw and uncut. It was also beautiful to see that East Coast/West Coast can still blend to make fine music. This song will never go bland in my book. This is a true New York anthem….roll ya window down and blast this while ridin down Flatbush Ave or Upper East Side… 5/5

2. “Stuck On You”- First off, the production on this track is just headknocka status. This is that “don’t say a damn word and just bop ya head” type joint. P’s flow, story telling, and swag on the track was impeccable. He seemed very comfortable staying in his zone and not trying to be overly lyrical. He stayed in his lane and laced up a nice/smooth chorus. Excellent sample choice. Did I say that the production was insane? 5/5

3. “Mac 10 Handle”- I think the video to this track matched the mood of the track to the tee. His voice on this track was so dark and you could just follow him through his stories of what he wants to do to his enemies. He also explains how bugged out he be while high. Who doesn’t or hasn’t felt bugged out or felt they would do some crazy ish when they were high or intoxicated. lol. Real talk! “SCHEMIN ON YOU N*****” So few words but so potent. lol. 5/5

4. “The Rotten Apple”- In a crazy way i think this track is somewhat poetic. He explains that he is who he is because of his environment and that being reared in New York has made him a schemin, hustlin, cautious type individual. His words, “New York made me this way, I’m all about a buck. My close friends was murdered i bulletproof my truck” What’s so interesting about that line is that you could trace P’s state of mind to Nas’ thought scheme when he said, “That buck that bought a bottle coulda struck the lotto” or when Jay in “Politics As Usual” said, “Ya’ll feel a ni**as struggle, ya’ll think a ni**a luh to hustle behind the wheel, tryna escape my trouble” It’s like one of the beautiful things about emcees is their ability to make you visualize just exactly what they’re going through…P did an excellent job on this song.

5. “Nickel and a Nail”- P explains his whole motivation and steez in the first minute of the track. “Tried my hand on drugs, that shyt wasn’t for me. Compared to these royalties that shyt is like chicken feed. Some chose ball and music was my callin as long as it sound gutta, you’ll hear me all on it.” The 1st verse on the track was crazy…you could just zone out. This track is probably the best on the whole mixtape. He rode the beat so perfectly. P really studied the track and knew exactly how to insert his swag (no Foley) to let ya’ll know he aint slippin. The track had that 70s funk with the horns type style. 6/5 (lol…im wildin…)

6. “Legends”- “Gangsta’s dont die they just turn to legends. All we go thru is hell, what the fu** is a heaven” P switched up the topic and gave homage to legends in the game. There was some, as Honorable would call it, Miami Vice-esque feel to the production. That Rocky 4 type feel when Stallone contemplatin fightin Drago and he speedin in his whip in the night…This is a very introspective track. Again, P remains absolutely consistent throughout the album and he doesn’t fail to show us his story tellin versatility on this track. This track had that soul in it!!! Oh man…don’t let me get my hands on the instrumental. I could play it for hours….while on the herb essence (sssssh…..dont tell nobody). lol 5/5

7. “Stop Frontin”- Yo, this is probably the hardest track on the album because he’s so subtle with his messages and his intentions. Now here at HM, we don’t subscribe to birthing gossip but I swear up and down that Prodigy had a line against Hov or anyone who shitted on him within the past few years. He makes it a point to let them know that he aint that dude to sleep on. “You act like i’m not that ni**a who pop that rounds at ya top hat, blazer, and slacks. F**k up ya suit, send a couple troops that’ll go find ya frinds and get them too. You, know the name. Ni**as call me Bandana. They wanna write me off but my songs is bangers……B**ch Stop Frontin” 5/5

The O’Jays, Barry White and Dramatics sample is absolutely smooth and adds to the groove that P set throughout the whole song and served as a proper closure to the mixtape yet foreshadowed what’s to come from Bandana P. This is what New York has been missin’

~Thesis

…yaaaawn. gnite!

P.S: Here are some otha fiyah tracks worth mentioning…

“Take it To the Top”-  Pretty much P talkin that grimy ish and braggin…basic street/club type track…lotta bravado! 4/5

“7th Heaven” ft. Un Pacino-  Nice beat! Not really one of my fav but it’ll do… 3/5

“Bang On’ Em”-  “Look don’t ask me why Queensbridge can’t stick together. If you don’t know the answer, then you don’t know the ghetto” P really drops some nice lines in this story-tellin’ type track about friends who turned on you and other shyt that can happen in the ghetto. The beat is so soulful… 3.75/5

Nas- “Hip Hop is Dead” (More than Just an) Album Review

 

Click here to listen to full CD preview of Hip Hop is Dead.

With this album, Nas had to prove that his declaration that “Hip Hop is Dead” is not just a clever marketing ploy to stir up controversy to sell more records. One can’t make such a bold statement without having the basis to back it up and without having an album that so goes against the grain of what is current in Hip Hop. The question everyone’s been waiting to answer is, does he succeed or fall short of the incredibly high bar he has set for the Hip Hop community?

 “Money over Bullshit”, the first track, is a defiant call to arms. He incites the listener to, “join me in war” and explains to his opponents that he’s “afraid not of none of you cowards but of my own strength”. Finally, Nas is taking on an authoritative rather than just narrative role in Hip Hop. He’s not just bemoaning the current state of affairs; he’s rallying for a change as he refers to himself as the General. This track makes it clear, Nas is going to forcefully and fearlessly make his case and take no prisoners in the process.

Nas makes it clear in “You Can’t Kill Me” that he’s in a league of his own. He addresses the constant provocation from other rappers with, “Niggas want beef? I want some of that cow too, but I’m in my Princely robe, simply rich.” He’s a successful and renowned rapper with nothing to prove; so there’s no point in debasing himself with silly beef with sub par wannabe rivals.

“Carry on Tradition” is a searing commentary on the lack of respect for those who have blazed a trail for Hip Hop to be force that it is today. He criticizes the adversarial Hip Hop climate with, “f*ck a bum rapper make a career out of dissing.” He calls out the desperate attempt of authenticity with a hilarious line, “You have your man shoot you like in the Sopranos to get in the game.” Nas is commanding people to have deference for Hip Hop legends and not reckless bravado; as well as an increased knowledge and appreciation for Hip Hop history. Nas follows his own lead from “Carry on Tradition”, with his ode to Hip Hop legends in “Where Are They Now”. This song can be characterized as a venerable who’s who of the legends, Nas begrudges, have been forgotten. This song is a shift from Nas’ superior attitude to that of humble rap fan. In stark contrast to the rappers he criticizes, Nas shows that even legends have to show respect to those that came before them. In this song, Nas expands on his role as the Hip Hop General by being a voice of the forgotten ones.

 “Hip Hop is Dead” is a fitting segue from “Where Are They Now”; because Nas makes the case that since the founders are gone or better yet forgotten, then Hip Hop is dead. He makes this point clearly in the line, “It forgot where it started, so we all gather here for the dearly departed”. “Hip Hop is Dead” is not just a criticism of the lack of acknowledgement or even knowledge of where Hip Hop has come from, but an even bigger indictment on how far Hip Hop has veered away from creativity, artistry, and diversity of sound and perspectives. Instead of just being a matter of producing hot tracks, catchy hooks or tight yet disingenuous rhymes; Hip Hop at its best should be rooted in respect for the past and strive to produce something that people can relate to.

“Who Killed It” is a hilarious whodunit spoof that features an incredibly innovative delivery. Once again as a play on his seasoned status, Nas’ flow channels the old man on the block who knows everything that’s happened over the past two decades in the area….get the picture yet? Nas is more clairvoyant and more knowledgeable of the past than the average rapper. The song’s story is a clever metaphor for how Hip Hop’s passing came to be in a surprisingly lighthearted way. On every album Nas brings some amazingly unique flow and/or voice, and “Who Killed It” is that standout song for this album. In a word- Brilliant!

“Black Republican” off the top sounds like a song a heavyweight champion would play as he walks into the ring for a big fight. For Jay-Z and Nas, there is no bigger fight right now than the fight over Hip Hop; as both of them have been brazenly vocal about their disdain for the current state. On one side you have two legends, seasoned vets, Hip Hop heavyweights…and on the other hand you have monotony and substandard yet popular rappers…So who wins the battle? Well I would say that this song knocks the haters and the antagonists on their ass like only a few champs could. For all of those that said that Nas sold out when he signed with Jay, the song proves that they couldn’t have been more wrong. They both came with incredible flows and militant rhymes. Eff Lil Wayne and Baby, can we get a Nas & Jay-Z CD? On “Not Going Back” (feat. Kelis), Nas makes the point that he doesn’t have to prove his street credibility as he’s trying to get to the next level. The next level isn’t about getting more bling or more cars, it’s about striving for wealth, ownership, and beating the system. To expand, the “system” isn’t just the institutional things in place to make it that much harder to get ahead, but the glorified ghetto mentality of blowing money on bull shit for the sake of an image. It’s a direct response to the misguided belief that if you’re not shooting people, not hanging out in the projects, then you aren’t real or credible (Take that Jeezy!) I find it appropriate that he features his wife Kelis on his song…another way he’s defying the status quo in Hip Hop by not being about groupies; but by being a family man and a business man. “Not Going Back” means moving forward by not doing destructive and senseless things to prove his manhood (and might I add things that have nothing to do with being a real man at all). A lot of people should be taking notes from this song!Some people are “Still Dreaming” (feat. Kanye West) rather than getting off their lazy a$$es and making something of their lives is the point Nas gets across. Kanye and Nas are a great combination for this track. The second Nas verse stood out to me for its interesting storytelling. I’ve always thought that Nas was an excellent storyteller and that verse offers proof for my position.

“Hold Down the Block” is a song with gripping stories of street life and how people’s lives get turned upside down as a result of shortsighted pettiness. Nas acts as the wise adviser and offers that one can’t think the same way and expect different results. Continuing on the theme from “Still Dreaming”, the point of this song is to say that success and better living is attainable if you elevate your perspective and divert your focus away from instant gratification and doing things that will get you caught up.

On “Blunt Ashes” Nas ponders, “Did I keep it gangsta or keep it classy”…kinda ironic to ask on a song where he’s reflecting over smoking a blunt. This song is a cautionary tale about the price of fame…the downside of it. What people don’t necessarily know about the glitz and glamour of the celebrity life…is that some these people’s lives are actually mired in tragedy. The song sounds awkward at times because he struggles to stay on beat…but you can’t help but be intrigued by the stories of so many fallen celebrities. This song isn’t a matter of making words rhyme, it’s true storytelling and it’s obvious he did his homework on this song.

On “Let There Be Light” (feat. Trae Williams) Nas calls for unity in the community and unity in hip hop and makes the case again for why Hip Hop is dead. To be perfectly honest, reviewing this album is exhausting, so I’m gonna take a break on this song and let you draw your own conclusions. This is one of the more straightforward songs so I trust that it won’t be to heavily misconstrued.

“Play on Playa” (feat. Snoop Dogg) has a real old school player feel to it. There certainly is not anything groundbreaking or revolutionary on this song…but it’s how funny how they both come off as old macks that still got it but just don’t have their business on the street. Snoop stepped it up for this track and actually doesn’t sound like a clown on this song; he adds a nice O. G. flavor to the mix. Overall, it’s smooth song, but not one to listen to for the lyrical content.

“Can’t Forget About You” is another great nostalgic track. The Honorable asked me, “How can Nas drop an album called “Hip Hop is Dead” and recycle the most commonly used samples in hip-hop and recycle his own music?” To that I say, what better way to communicate a call to return to the past, what Nas fondly remembers as the simpler times than by using classic samples to invoke the same feelings of nostalgia in the listeners? Try and listen to this song and the wonderful use of Nat King Cole’s voice at the end of the song and not reminisce about the good ole days…it’s not possible…which is exactly the point of using production like this. If you listen to this track and still don’t get it…I advise you to find another CD to listen to, because this one is out of your league lol. With that said…there’s a lot I can say about this song, but I’ll just say that Chrisette Michelle sounds beautiful on the song and there couldn’t have been a more perfect choice.

“Hustlers” (feat. Marsha from Floetry and Game) is a banging song that would’ve been more appropriate at the beginning of the album. I would guess that after a song “Can’t Forget About You” which makes it almost sound like he’s hanging up the towel, Nas is trying to make it clear that he’s not quite ready to go yet.

To try and explain “Hope” would be a great disservice to the song, because I can’t do so without leaving out something important. This song makes his case as lucidly as possible. There are no beats to distract the listener from the message, just him spitting over the mic. The song answers why Nas cares so much about Hip Hop, why he feels the way he does, and what is his HOPE for the future.

So the million dollar question is: is “Hip Hop is Dead” just an old man with sour grapes begrudging the mainstream success other rappers have achieved? I think everyone is going to have their own opinion about the answer. I’ve presented his case and I’ll let you draw your own conclusion. What I took away from the album is that the debate isn’t about stupid preferences in production, but about the soul of Hip Hop. It’s about the legacy and carrying on that rich legacy in the future rather than showing contempt for it and defiling it. He offers his insight as well as the solution. Whether you agree with Nas or not, you have to admit that he at least brought the debate to the forefront. If that isn’t a small victory in itself, then I don’t know what is. If you just want to shake your a$$ to mindless entertainment, then pass on this disc. If you’re interested in artistic and innovative storytelling, then this is one you don’t want to miss.

Posted By Reecie…Post your thoughts!

“Official Thesis”- Kingdom Come…

Ahem…So as I prepare “My Thesis” on Iceberg Slim’s latest effort, “Kingdom Come,” I feel a strange air come over me. I don’t know what it is exactly. All I know is that something about this cd, something about Jay’s legacy thus far…something about his appeal to the masses almost charges me to be on my proverbial p’s and q’s when making any judgements on the material. I am still somewhat unsure under what lens I will be basing my scrutiny on.. A die-hard fan of Jay? A hip-hop fan? The objective observer? or the “ominous” hater….Perhaps a little bit of everything will come out at some point. I will expect a myriad of comments either in retaliation to what I’ve written, or rather, plan to write. I will also expect some laudable replies from others…The beautiful thing is that we all love hip-hop…We all love music…and most of all, we are all part of an inextricable force called the “online community.” Good or bad, let it be known in your replies…I’m wit it…..That was my prelude….Here is my “Thesis:”<ahem>

1. Prelude- I am so glad Hov brought back the infamous “Pain in Da Ass” to open up the album…Mr. “okay i reloaded” is back. Seems almost like a rebirth of Jay to bring back what made him so famous back in Reasonable Doubt and volume 1 days…What is most important to me about the prelude is obviously, as a prelude it sets the stage for what Jay wants us to know, understand, and expect from him. He does this ever so well in the 1st few bars and not only does he, almost without effort, paint a vivid picture of the music industry as a whole, but he again explains to people what they should expect from him as a result of this insidious industry. And i quote:

“the game’s fucked up, niccas beats is bangin, nicca ya hooks did it, ya lyrics didnt/ya gangsta look did it, so i would write it if ya’ll could get, being intricate’ll get you wood/critics on the internet are like you should spit it, im like you should buy, nicca that’s good business….”

What’s so amazing about those bars is that Jay put’s it right out on the table for cats to eat. He’s right on telling you that he spits ostentatious for a reason…he’s telling you that if he spits that intricate stuff, it’ll go right over your head. Cats on the internet are telling him to spit that real but it’ll be the same cats who are downloading and NOT following up with a real transaction…So who’s the hypocrite now? While being so ill in painting that picture above, he made it a point to throw jabs at a couple of rappers…i suppose the game was over…i wonder if they knew? Anywho…Although Jay’s flow wasn’t anything amazing on this track and was a lil lazy, his presence and points were definitely felt….From “Prelude” we got a couple of things:

1. he’s got guap

2. he’s not a rapper ( i thought i told you characters im not a rapper…can i live? i thought i told u in 96 that i came to take this shyt and I did, handle my bizz, i scramble like randall wit hiz) Indeed, jay-z is who cats like young jeezy, t.i, lil wayne look up to…he is the poster child of what any rapper could accomplish…i respect that indeed. He’s a Business….MAAAAAN. Understand that!

3. apparently he’s added a slightly playful (almost getting annoying) chuckle to the end of his verses. lol… heeheheheh

My Thesis: 4.5/5

2. “Oh My God” - Well, i’ll definitely say that Justin Blaze murdered this track…It’s definitely that car bumpin sound to make that suburbanite wit the blue bandana look a lil tough in the mean streets of Rosey Lane. Aside from the beat and the initial build-up of the beat and the “good lawd,” Jay didnt really say anything i havent heard before. I have my left earphone on while typing this and nothing major mooooves me….And umm, that “Oh My God Hov” needs to go….Jay rode the track well but doesn’t stand out…the most poignant verse in the whole track is “when you’re 10 years in holla back den.” Pretty much it’s a lil slap to any of these new comers and he’s sayin he’s not really on watchin ya’ll…he don’t believe you…u need more people (get at me Honorable. lol)
My Thesis: 3.5/5

3. “Kingdom Come”The 1st four bars speak for themselves. lol….No need to belabour that point. The song had a lot of nice metaphors and word-play…The memorable “take off the blazer, loosen up the tie, step inside the booth, superman is alive” Though off an old freestyle, it was nice that it made its way into the track…flash gordon when recordin (since he dont write shyt. lol) peter park/spiderman all i do is climb the charts (aww, wasnt that a cute line so all the geeky comic book dudes could have their eyes gleam). lol….Basically this track was just a “big-up” Hov and how great he is and again, wasn’t anything that i havent heard before…Although u know, his swag and the realness of his words always makes it a cool and necessary listen…Oh yeah, damn, how could i forget, that Rick James sample was crazy…good shyt for Justin Bleezy for not using the hackneyed “superfreak” sample and found another part of the song to jack. lol….R.I.P Rick James….so who does that royalty check go to? Teena Marie? lmao….
My Thesis: Based on the creativity of the sample along with jay’s swag- 3.8/5

4. Show Me What You Got uuuugh, that chuckle of his…where did that come from…I dont care what the hell anyone says…This track is major….I’ve been to numerous clubs, lounges, parties and EVERYONE gets up when this track plays….sometimes you just wanna dance and lean (nooo…not lean wit it rock wit it youngins)…u just wanna lean and get ya swag on (new york stand up!!!…brooooooklyn!!!) This is probably one of the best club songs of the year…I mean aside from the southern lean wit it songs and the “chicken noodle soups,” this is an actual OFFICIAL club joint that’s hip-hop…yes Jay delivered another smash hit that no one can deny….he pimp slaps Cristal, he bigs up the relatively unkown Ace of Spades bottle (oh yeah, it tastes mad good ya’ll…i had it last weekend…….syke. lol) I personally think he took a jab at dip set when he said, “makes no difference who i’m BALLIN’ the same/ nicca i am the mike jordan of recordin/ nicca u might wanna fall back from recordin” maybe no one caught that….The hook is catchy as hell….One thing jay knows how to do is make a solid club track…he does it real well and is consistent wit it….his singles have ALWAYS been hot…u cant deny it…
My Thesis:4.5/5- woulda given it a 5 if the video wasn’t a 2006 version of “money aint a thang” and “big pimpin”- be a lil more original hovie

5. Lost Ones- So Dame? u gonna make another hov?I think this track was very coming of age for Jay…i think he was just getting things off his chest and admits that hewas guilty of some of the things that he went through with people. I think people are silly for thinking that he was tryna diss Beyonce on verse 2…i mean damn, he says 23 and ole girl is 25 now…like, think people! I cannot even speak anything ill about verse 3…that’s a personal and tragic event in his life and he eloquently describes how it felt to lose his nephew’s life…The beat went so well with what he was saying and it is a track that I could listen to over and over….Yes, this is a solid track…No crazy flow needed….no metaphors necessary…just speak from the heart, and that my people, he did…
My Thesis: 5/5

6. Do You Wanna Ride Not to bring up any old Jay/Nas isht, but this song reminds me of Nas’ “One Love” on the classic Illmatic…just the whole thing of speaking to someone who is locked up…Although Jay spits a lot of material shyt on the song, there’s a reason for it…he isnt just saying it to say it…but he explains that whatever he’s doing, his boy Emory lives thru it. It’s a cool song about one cat giving props to his boi and letting him know that he hasn’t forgotten him…John Legend blesses the track and i could see playin this track these days with the window down, sunset, city lights…just zone…aaaaah yes, Big homie allows us to zone out on this…anyone who has lost someone or who knows someone who’s locked up can/should relate to this track….i cant hate on this track at all…
My Thesis:4.7/5- Woulda given it a 5 if that whole diet soda line was emitted…something about that line was weak to me…coulda come a lil less lazy with the verses hovie.

7. 30 Something- Hmm……Jay-z pretty much trying to make being older a cool thing and throwing jabs at cats who dissin him for wearin chanclettas, instead of timbs in 150 degree weather (DMX is a hasbeen!). This is a grown-up track….Not a bad listen…just zone out….Nothing lyrical about this track…just telling you what it is and what he do…5 deep in the hooptie like daaaaaaaaaaaaaat? eh…
My Thesis-3.9/5- something about that beat was a lil weak doe…

8. I Made It Nice track segue…him talking about how grown he is to tellin his mom he made it…This track had a very nice groove to it…Nice handclaps. Jay’s flow and swagger was a lil more impressive on this track…how beautiful is it when a son can tell him mom, “one day i get you a home, i didnt know it could possibly be in Rome.” Now THATS real talk….a nice momma track…so necessur!!! I digs it indeed…
My Thesis-4.2/5

9. Anything:…..
My Thesis: This only gets half a bar….”f**k dis song” 1/5

10. Hollywood: This song absolutely had to grown on me…the 1st listen i was like, “another jay and b track?” then i listened to it again and was like, damn, did you hear the hook? then i listened to it again, and i was like, “yo, did you hear what the hell he was sayin and how he was sayin it?” then i listened it to it again and i was like, “yo, the beat change up near the end of the song was amazing” the production on this song is just love….I honestly played this song like maybe 12 times in a row on my usual morning commute last week…it grows on you…i dont care what anyone says…Jay’s flows was nice…but his lyrics were more potent especially when he was speaking on all the different celebrities who were afflicted by the gifts and curses of hollywood and if he would be able to escape the pressures…this song was major…the words, the beat, the flow, beyonce’s voice, the layering…the over vibe….it was insane…u hear that guitar at the end of the track? geeeezuz…..uuuugh, nice watch. lol….i love it!!!
My Thesis: 5/5

11. Trouble: I Need Angelina Joleeeeeeeeeezy Comfort. me 2. lol…Yeah, umm…this aint no takeover but he served dudes….the beat was a lil weak doe…i’ll actually combine the next track with this, Dig A Hole- The track was okay….he was spittin real but it just didnt seem like he wanted the ether cats…its like jay is a boss…if he gonna respond, come hard…goooo in! im tired of these “im gonna look at you from my throne and not pay attention to you.” he needs to body cats…..i dunno, i was expected a body….instead i got 2 left hooks and and upcoming uppercut…..but he did say he was in a lose-lose….oh well.
My Thesis: 4/5 (i may be reaching wit that rating…)

12. Minority Report: CLASSIC…did u hear that line he spoke about rappers makin all that loot and mtv cribs but not doing anything….yo fluck outta here…this song is REAL TALK!
My Thesis:6/5…..yes, 6/5….recognize!!!

13. Beach Chair: Oh man, this beat is so mean….so crazy…the chorus was amazing…it was a nice ending track indeed….Jay’s lyrics and flow was great….he comes so meticulous with what he’s saying and how he’s saying it….that myspace- “my space” line needs to go…other than that, jay really matured on this track and kept it introspective yet forecasting exactly what he’s going to do when he’s not around…jay seems like he’s a family guy and thinks about others and is all about protecting those around him…i felt him on this track and Chris Martin blessed him indeed…lovely!!! zooooone out!
My Thesis:4.98/5…lol..that myspace line annoyed the hell outta me…sowwie

Well, there you go folks, eat this….let it digest and comment….I’M OUT!!!

~Thesis