Go straight to 0:29 to see D Double hold it down for East London whilst in New York with Earz, Jammer & Footsie. Then fast forward straight to 2:35 when Earz starts spitting to hear D Double catch further wreck.
D Double's classic goonish, lemon inspired lyrics destroy the beat, his Bin Laden & Free Mason references are nothing short of genius. With the recent release of his latest single 'Street Fighter' D Double has solidified his status as one of the top Grime MC's in the game. Bluku bluku.
It's got Wiz Kalifa in, and it's got the word 'sativa' in the title. I like Wiz Kalifa's laidback demeanor and as it happens I am well acquainted with sativa. Rick Ross definitely has the best verse, he drops in saying, 'I'm getting money, no Illuminati' which is pretty funny. The beat is spectacular: feel good, Miami drug, sunshine music. Turn it up.
Roc Marciano, former member of the Flipmode Click has performed a supernatural feat , he has made an album where he's made every beat, killed off every song, had very few guest appearances and made a complete album that is dope down to the artwork, this album desrves your money.
Roc Marciano raps like a raw Queens thug and the beats are classic New York banger with a hint of Madlib roughness. He sounds like Raekwon/Prodigy from Mobb Deep. His nonchalant, drug infested rhymes are hypnotic, humourous and memorable.
Marciano has managed to capture a mood of what it's like to be a thug on the corner in Queens handling your business, in a certain time and place and age. The album is like an ill New York drug movie, like that one with Camron in 'Paid in Full'.
The album of 2010 for me, the two tracks below are my anthems.
I don't really talk about much current, commercial music on this blog it's mostly about slightly older stuff and obscurer ish. But there's been a recent spate of new, commercial rap songs that I really like and I'd like to share with you.
'Mezmorized' features the lazy, Pitsburgh drawl of Wiz Khalifa, whilst undoubtedly not the best rapper, the beat is an airy g funk haze of the catchiest variety. The subject matter is right up my alley; smoking weed with other peoples girlfriends in nice cars, or in Wiz's words, 'Takes nigggas hoes and smoke hella trees with em'.
He paints a picture of a world I wish to inhabit:'Bitches holding weed, rollin trees with their pretty feets up'. The girls Wiz rolls with are of the flyest variety, 'she don't smoke, just hit it once while she light it'.
'Continue to smoke and remain g as fuck, polo socks match my polo hat', the Polo reference had me buggin' out cause if you know me you'll know I'm slightly obsessed with Ralph Lauren apparel.
'I be blunted with my diamonds and my big chain...'. Wiz Khalifa's nonchalant misogyny, arrogance and materialsim have me sold '. , the track captures a dream world where you can ride around with pretty women in your expensive automobile smoking drugs all the time. I wish.
Similarly whilst J-Cole, the latest signing to The Roc isn't necessarily the best rapper, it's something about the ridiculous beat, the energy and the amazing video that has me feeling this track.
He's a bit like the mutant offspring of Drake, Joe Budden, Juelz Santana & Jay Z. He sounds like Drake but you can hear the influence of Juelz Santana and Jay Z. Notice he's got the Andre 3000 sample in the track, 'Who else want to fuck with Hollywood Cole', perhaps a nod to one of his favorite rappers. The video is very, very nice and was shot in J Coles' home town in North Carolina, where Little Brother is from.
He's also on this track with Talib Kweli, Jay Electrronica & Mos Def...where he gets outshined: Jay Elec kills it with the Coming to America references and sophisticated descriptions of his art, 'Black Elohim Annunaki Rap...' and Mos Def gets deep, coming with the ill flows and deep references about 'ley lines' and the 'black power grid', young J Cole gets out outshined some what.
I guess the significance of me posting this kind of music, is that for the first time in a while I don't feel that bad about a lot of new music that I'm hearing, because for a long time I've felt very strongly about the quality of new rap music coming out of America. This year Roc Marciano, Jay Electronica, Wiz Khalifa, Rick Ross and Curren$y have saved rap for me. I don't even think Drakes that bad, at least he fucking rhymes and makes sense and has some sort of flow unlike other sucessful rappers who have none of these attributes. (Wocka Flokca?)
Whilst Jay Electronica's form of Afrocentric, sci fi rap is very ill he hasn't come with more than a few songs and a mixtape, he needs to deliver an album. Drake is nothing but a sweet boy and J Cole, Wiz & Currensy don't seem to have the content or lyrical diversity of an Elzhi or Raekwon. Rick Ross is a very good rapper, his track with Jay -Z - 'Freemason' is a very clever song, and it's catchy as fuck, John Legend sings the hook! But Ross seems only capable of talking about cocaine, cars, money, weed and women on most of his other songs.
I'll be interested to see if what these newbies are capable of, Jay Electronica is looking promising but what about the rest?
