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Showing posts with label review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label review. Show all posts

Saturday, March 26, 2011

TIME - Overgrind 2 : The Critic - 2011 Download & Overview



01 On My Way (Prod. The Alias)
02 I'm Giving In (Prod. TIME)
03 The Truth (Prod. TIME)
04 Nowhere Fast (Feat. Cashmere D & AJ Vash) (Prod. TIME)
05 I'm So Appalled
06 Carefree (Prod. The Alias)
07 Symmetry (Prod. TIME)
08 Get Mine (Prod. TIME)
09 6 Foot 7 Foot
10 Winning (Prod. TeflanDon)
11 Organic Relaxation
12 The First Step (Prod. TIME)
13 Hate Love (Prod. TIME)
14 Lord Lord Lord (Feat. AJ Vash & Wes Duce)
15 Fly (Prod. PLAN)


Overview
Fuck an overview. Form your own thoughts. That is all. Enjoy.

Monday, March 21, 2011

Wiz Khalifa - Rolling Papers (Album Review)


1. When I’m Gone
2. On My Level (Feat. Too $Hort)
3. Black And Yellow
4. Roll Up
5. Hopes & Dreams
6. Wake Up
7. The Race
8. Star Of The Show (Feat. Chevy Woods)
9. No Sleep
10. Get Your S**T
11. Top Floor
12. Fly Solo
13. Rooftops (Feat. Curren$Y)
14. Cameras


When I'm Gone - This is cool. The beat is nice. I don't like the hook at all. I think this may be the first time I ever cringed when hearing a Wiz hook. It doesn't really feel like an intro. It's not bad but it's not really good either.

Get On My Level - I know this song is old but I never bothered to listen to it because it features Too Short (Can you blame me?). This has a cool little vibe. I love the synths Jim Jonsin uses. The hook is nothing special but it works. The verses aren't anything special. I can listen to this one, though. Right after I remove Too Short's verse.

Black & Yellow - Double Platinum.

Roll Up - I take back what I said about the intro. THIS is the first Wiz hook that made me cringe. I understand why the song exists but, damn, this shit is corny. It will probably sell just as much as Black & Yellow.

Hopes & Dreams - This beat is dope! I don't really care for the hook but it's not trash. I like everything else about the song. Smooth vibe. 

Wake Up - Another StarGate beat. I'm going to go cry in the corner now. What the fuck is this? I guess they had him make a pop album. He has used the same flow on every song thus far. Yeah, this pretty corny.

The Race - I heard this before the album and is the only song from the album that I like so far. Smooth track. Great production and a dope hook. Definitely a stand out.

Star Of The Show - Let me start by saying Chevy Woods is pure garbage. This sounds like a 40 (Drake's producer) beat. The hook is okay. Honestly, it sounds like he's trying too hard on this one. Either that or he's not comfortable with the music. It's lacking emotion.

No Sleep - This is garbage. I knew he was going to make some pop shit but not a pop album. I am highly disappointed. 

Get Your Shit - This beat sounds dope but it's ruined by another cheesy, pop, hook. Again, he's using the same flow. This beat is nice, though.

Top Floor - I can't stomach this shit anymore. I literally feel sick. This guy has so much talent but he chose to sell out.

Fly Solo - LOL. "Same song to a different beat." He knows he's making bullshit. This is one of those generic pop rock songs. 

Rooftops - This track features Curren$y so hopefully it won't be pop. This hook sucks too. Curren$y delivers a solid verse which, besides "The Race", may be the highlight of the album.

Cameras - You know this is going to be pop as soon as it comes on. This is SUPER pop. This is garbage as fuck. 

Overview
I can't believe it. I knew his sound was going to change but I don't think the change in any artist's sound has ever been THIS drastic when going from underground to mainstream. This shit is absurd. He went from a weed rapper to a pothead pop singer. This album has NO soul whatsoever. None of this is real. Like he says on "Fly Solo", "Same song to a different beat." That's all this album is. You can argue that his old shit was the same way but at least they were rap beats. At least the hooks were good. This is watered down GARBAGE. The highlight of the album is "The Race" and by highlight I mean the only song worth listening to. The album has great (pop) production and that's where the positive things to say about the album run out.


Friday, March 11, 2011

The Original Dom Kennedy (MIXTAPE Review & Download)


01 INTRO
02 PLAYAS PUNCH
03 GOODBYE
04 THE HOMIES
05 TURN ME OUT
06 BET YOU WANT ME (NOW)
07 DESIGNER SH_T
08 CAN'T LET GO
09 CDC feat. Casey Veggies & cARTer
10 N_GGA 4 LIFE
11 ON THE WAY HOME
12 [BONUS] WHEN YOU SEE LOVE


Intro - The intro is a just some talking. A story.

Playas Punch - This is the definition of west coast production. Smooth with a funky bassline and some smooth synths. This was a short track. Just a verse but it was pretty dope.

Goodbye - On here he's spitting some real shit. Talking about the grind and how you have to start from nothing to get to where you want to be. I don't really care for the hook but it's not bad. Overall a solid song.

The Homies - The production on here is definitely west coast. I like the shot at Funk Flex because him taking a shot at Pac after his death was a bitch move. He's talking about his homies. This is a cool track but would be better with a real hook.

Turn Me Out - This is a cut for the females. It has a cool vibe and I like the beat. I like the verses but, again, I don't really care for the hook. By the end of the song the hook grew on me. Dope track.

Bet You Want Me (Now) - This reminds me of some Drake shit for some reason (not a bad thing). It's the beat and tempo of the flow. I really like this one. This is dope as hell. My favorite track so far.

Designer Shit - This beat is too dope. I like this a lot too. This just took over as my favorite track. I don't even have much to say. It's just a dope ass song.

Can't Let Go - OK Dom. No singing for you. This is wack. You sound like Diddy, bro.

CDC feat. Casey Veggies & cARTer - I think this is supposed to be some "A Milli" shit. It's cool. This guy Casey Veggies sucks. cARTer sucks too. I don't even know which is which but everybody except Dom was pretty wack on this one.

Nigga 4 Life - This is dope. He's spitting some real shit on here. Pac talking on the hook. I like this track too. Kind of inspirational.

On The Way Home - This sounds like Kid Cudi if it was his first time behind the mic. I'm not feeling this at all. He's rapping too old school or something. I don't know what the hell this is supposed to be.

When You See Love - This is cool. Smooth track. I like it. The hook is dope.

Conclusion
Dom is nice on the mic and he proves that on this tape. It's not Lupe level lyricism but it's good. He's just spitting everyday shit that people can feel. My main gripe is the lack of hooks but I can't be too mad because he mentioned it himself in one of the verses, stating that his focus was on "rhymes". It's definitely a nice project. It doesn't seem incomplete or anything. I just hope he has a full fledged album in the works because I want to hear him on some different shit. You can tell he didn't really have a particular aim for this tape as the subject matter stays the same on most tracks but it is good for what it is. Worth a spin so check it out at www.DopeItsDom.com

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

T.I. - No Mercy - Album Review & Download

Welcome To The World Ft. Kanye West & Kid Cudi - This beat is dope as hell. I like the hook as well. Tip's rapping isn't bad but it isnt anything we've never heard before. His first verse is cool but I don't think this song is intro worthy at all. It's not bad but intros have to be epic. I wasn't expecting Kanye to have a verse. This is, afterall, the intro to T.I.'s album. I like his verse but Clifford should have rocked both verses himself. Again, this song isn't bad, just not intro worthy.

How Life Changed Ft. Mitchelle'L And Scarface - I like this beat but I wish it would've been used by someone else. T.I. has entirely too many songs with this same emo dope boy subject matter. You haven't sold dope in years nigga. We honestly don't care anymore. This is one of those tracks with a hook your label comes to you with when you're struggling to fill your album out. It's not bad but it's that same ol' shit. I probably won't listen to this one again.

Get Back Up Ft. Chris Brown - I think this is his single. This shit is beyond cheesy. Everything about this song sounds recycled. I'm going to skip this one riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight........ wait for it............... NOW!

I Can't Help It Ft. Rocko - This beat is cool. I like the drums. For some reason it feels like Tip has rapped on all of these melodies before. None of this sounds new. It's all so "soft" sounding I guess. I really don't know how to explain it but none of this is really catching my ear. Just like the others, the song isn't bad, but it isn't good either. I enjoyed Rocko's verse more than Tip's. 

That's All She Wrote Ft. Eminem - I like the melody of the hook but I don't care for the lyrics. This is another one of them soft ass beats that I was talking about. No knock to Dr. Luke I just feel like Tip shouldn't be on stuff like this. Honestly Eminem and Tip have no business doing songs together. Remember Touchdown? Exactly. Eminem's flow on this literally gave me a headache. He's trying ENTIRELY too hard for these lines. That "buy-polar" line? Let's be serious. Here's Tip's second verse and here's where I skip to the next track.

No Mercy Ft. The-Dream - This sounds like an Eminem beat. This hook is atrocious. Well, I do like the "let me go" part. Now that the verse came on it doesn't sound like an Eminem beat anymore. It sounds like "Dial M For Murda" (google it). This subject matter is tired especially coming from T.I. This nigga is not even trying.

Big Picture - This hook is TERRIBLE. WOW! I don't care for the beat either. DJ Toomp you are on with plenty of resources. Get those Fantom guitars out of here. Skip.

Strip Ft. Young Dro And Trey Songz - This is okay. So far it's what I would go with for the next single. It still sounds like a generic rehash of one of his old songs but whatever. You can tell that his mind was somewhere else when he was making this shit. Either that or he doesn't have it anymore. Young Dro you're going to have to change your flow one day. 

Salute - This is pretty wack too. The beat is cool but that hook and just the whole concept of the song are terrible. This nigga don't have left to talk about. 

Amazing Ft. Pharrell - WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS?! I know Tip said he was addicted to pills but I didn't think he was getting high enough to where shit like this would sound dope to him. This shit is terrible. It's like they tried to remake "Grindin" but ended up just making noise.

Everything On Me - The production on this album started off good but it's been falling fast since the first few tracks. This is terrible. I give up on this nigga and I honestly want to cut the album off now but I have to finish my review. I'll just skip this trash so I can get through it faster.

Poppin' Bottles Ft. Drake - You got a Drake feature and didn't get him on the hook? Tip you are failing right now. You aren't even close enough to pull your grade up to a D-. The beat is dope but that's about it. Drake's verse was cool. The song overall is VERY forgettable. Tip should have bought some hooks instead of doing them himself because they're terrible.

Lay Me Down Ft. Rico Love - I guess stupid sounding beats are cool now. I see where they were trying to go with it but I don't know how the clubs are going to react to this. This one has a 50/50 chance of doing well.

Castle Walls Ft. Christina Aguilera - This sounds like an Eminem song. It's not bad I just don't think it fits Tip. I like his subject matter on this but I won't be listening again.

Overall this album is some generic bullshit that Tip/Atlantic rushed to try and make some money real quick. If T.I. doesn't find some inspiration when he gets out his rap career is going to be over. Albums like this won't cut it AT ALL. This is WORSE than T.I. Vs. T.I.P and is easily his worst album. I hope he gets it together but I won't be holding my breath. 

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

My Beautiful Dark Twisted Conspiracy Theory


Okay this blog covers a few things. First, my theory of why the album is all over the place. Second, my theory of why everyone thinks this is the greatest thing since sliced bread. My third and final point will be revealed when I get to it so go ahead and continue reading.

I don't believe that this is the same album ass Good Ass Job. I think Kanye was focusing on his movie more than the album. I believe that he made a few songs (the ones in the movie) to go along with it. During this time I think Jay was in the studio a lot with him hearing the records for Good Ass Job. I think they secretly decided to take whatever songs he had ready GAJ and use them for the collaboration album Watch The Throne. So, the GAJ songs are gone and he's left with only the songs from the movie for his next album. Jay-Z and Kanye are no longer label mates so WTT would have probably been put on hold until Kanye released another album. He had one album left in his Def Jam deal before MBDTF so I'm thinking that he took the songs from the movie and made a few more to go with them in order to fulfill his contract.

Cue GOOD Fridays. Kanye "fans" worldwide rejoice after learning that their lord and savior will be dropping a new song every Friday until the album releases. He proceed to drop some of the most lackluster songs I had ever heard from him. The best thing about any of them we're the Jay-Z features sans "Don't Look Down". Most of them had nice beats but they were ruined by wack features. Why is Ryan Leslie rapping on ANYTHING? Then you have songs that just sound like pure bullshit ("See Me Now"). At this point I thought dude was losing his mind or something but looking back it was the beginning of him creating the rest of his album. By the way, "So Appalled" might be the biggest waste of a beat EVER.

Only the songs that were featured in the movie actually fit the concept. The album as a whole is all over the place. It features great production but the subject matter and consistency is almost nonexistent. The best song, in my opinion, is the intro ("Dark Fantasy"). I still have NO CLUE why "Don't Look Down" wasn't included on the album. It was EASILY the best GOOD Friday song and it actually fit the theme of the story VERY well.

Fast forward to the album leaking. The hype begins. People are rejoicing in unison on internet forums everywhere. You can't go anywhere without reading "This might be the best album I've ever heard!" or some other dumb shit like that. This isn't even Kanye's best album. Actually it's his worst. That brings me to my next point which is why the album is receiving so much hype.

Kanye fans are loving the fuck out of this album for one reason and one reason only. He's rapping. Most of the people who hated his last album 808s and Heartbreak seem to overly love this simple ass album. Like I said before he isn't really talking about anything on here. The rest of his albums actually have substance and subject matter. 808s was much more personal and had music you can feel. This is just a commercial rap album with no real direction.

My final point is that it seems to be people who don't know music well that are hyping this album up beyond belief. If this is the best album you ever heard in your life you literally would've had to been born yesterday (the day it dropped). It seems that whenever I talk to someone who loves music as much as I do that they feel the same way about the album while all the casual listeners are in love. You can't possibly listen to any other genres of music if you proclaim this as great. It's just not possible. You kids need to listen to some metal, jazz, soul, or something.

This all just fits in with the way Hip-Hop is right now. Fans are forcing themselves to like everything their favorite artists make. I know rap sucks right now but damn. There are too many people dropping half assed material. I expect more from you Mr. West. I also thought you had smarter fans but I guess not.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Currensy - Pilot Talk 2 (Album Review & Download)



Airborne Aquarium - I like this from the moment it comes on. The beat is crazy and Currensy comes off with a lot of energy which is rare for him. It's the same old Currensy subject matter of marijuana, bitches, old school cars, kicks, and, of course, JETS fool but you already know that before you listen. He raps straight through with no hook on this. This is a dope intro.

Micheal Knight - This was the first single from the album. The beat has an old school feel to it but it's very smooth. Again Currensy comes off with a nice high energy flow. When I first heard this song I didn't care for the hook and I feel like Currensy's hooks are his main flaw but listening again I like this hook and it fits the song well. He kicks some player shit for a couple verses on this one and the beat rides out. Perfect fit for the perfect late night driving song. The video fits the vibe of the song perfectly.

Montreux - This beat is nasty (that's slang for "very good"). Once again the flow is on point. I am pleasantly surprised. This is a short track with no hook but it works. This album is sounding good so far.

Famous - This beat grabs you from the moment that it starts. The sample is super smooth (I'm thinking Sade). I guess I can say it now. Currensy has progressed a lot since Pilot Talk. He switches his flow up on this riding the beat effortlessly. This track has two verses and a very smooth hook (YES!).

Flight Briefing (Featuring Young Roddy & Trademark) - This track starts off real smooth. Currensy starts rapping to just the sample. When the drums dropped in it threw me off for a second but I caught back on quick. The "hook" is a "flight attendant" talkin about smoking on the plane and what not. I'm not feeling Young Roddy. Don't really have much else to say about him. He wasn't OJ status but his style isn't polished. Trademark is OK. He's better than Roddy but I still don't care for him. This track would've been better with different features or none at all. They kind of ruin it.

A Gee - I got halfway through this song before I remembered I was supposed to be reviewing it. This track is real hypnotic. I was visualizing the picture Currensy was painting on the first verse. The hook isn't the greatest but it doesn't ruin the song or anything. He goes in the second verse as well. I'm feeling this joint a lot. I don't have the production credits but whoever produced it did their thing on this. They bring some piano in right before the last hook and have it playing throughout the rest of the song.

Real Estates (Featuring Dom Kennedy) - Damn, the production on this album is top notch. It sounds very industry but the blend of old and new school makes it stand out a lot. Currensy goes in on this as well. The hook is on point. Very smooth. Next up is #NT's own Dom Kennedy. This is the perfect type of track for him. He goes in as well. I like this song a lot. This album is shaping up to be a sleeper.

Silence (Featuring McKenzie Eddy) - I wasn't expecting this at all. Its a smooth piano and bass track with a very smooth singing hook. It only has one verse but the singing at the beginning and end give it sort of an interlude feel. That's not a bad thing at all. It changes up the feel of the album for a bit.

Hold On (Featuring Young Roddy & Trademark) - I don't really care for this beat. It's not bad but that guitar gets annoying pretty fast. I like the hook and how the beat changes up on that part. And here's Young Roddy to remind me why I didn't mind the song having a bad beat. Because I'm never going to listen to it again. The only reason it's still playing is so I can be fair to Trademark. His verse is cool he just has a really simple flow and lyrics. In my opinion he keeps the same rhyme scheme for too long.

Fashionably Late - I don't care for this beat or hook either. It sounds like a poor attempt at copying The Neptunes. The entire beat isn't bad now that the verse comes on. It's the horns. Fuck this song. Skipped.

Highed Up - I like the beat on this even though it is kind of weird. Currensy falls off with the flow a few times on here but it's not that bad (RZA/Silkk LMFAO). This is a cool little track. I like the hook at the end.

O.G. (The Jam) (Featuring Fiend) - I don't really care for this beat. It sounds like some old No Limit shit that would've been given to Big Ed. This song sucks but I'm listening to hear how Fiend (of No Limit fame who I think produced the song) comes off. This nigga is still stuck in the 90s. His verse is terrible. Wow. I understand that him and Currensy are probably friends but damn.

Michael Knight (Remix) (Featuring Raekwon) - Currensy keeps his original verses from the song and adds Wu-Tang Legend Raekwon to the mix for a third verse. Why does Raekwon's verse sound like he recorded it on a cell phone? I don't really care for his verse at all. He went off on a tangent talking some gangster shit that had nothing to do with the song.

Overall the album is pretty solid especially since I wasn't expecting much. It starts off very strong and kind of falls off towards the end. It is definitely a good look for Currensy, in my opinion, as this is his best album to date. He just has to keep growing as an artist and he'll be fine. This album could've been much better with only a few slight changes. Young Roddy and Trademark should not be heard on here. Fiend's verse was VERY forgettable as was Raekwon's. Dom Kennedy did his thing as well as ol' girl McKenzie Eddy. I'll definitely be putting most of these tracks on my MP3 player. Check out the album and review. Comment and let me know what you think.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Why Nicki Minaj Is Going To Outsell Your Favorite Artists


This chick Nicki Minaj completely switches it up on her debut album Pink Friday. I gave the leak a listen last night and for those of you who think it's going to be another rap album, think again. She came left field wit some pop shit. In a good way. Her album is LACED with hits. I mean LACED. She has a joint with Will.I.Am that is basically the female version of Usher's OMG. I don't know if she writes her own singing stuff or not but it works. It's a different sound too. You know it's pop when you hear it but it doesn't sound generic at all. Females across the nation are going to eat this shit up! Nicki is going to take over your local KISS (pop) radio station for the entire winter. She might have enough for spring as well. If they market this right and release the right songs she could EASILY do Rihanna (Good Girl Gone Bad) numbers.

If I were them I'd let it rock and drop half of the singles planned. THEN, since Wayne isn't on the album, do a couple remixes with him, add couple new songs, and re release the album after 6 months or so.

Maybe I should consider marketing. LMFAO!

Sunday, November 7, 2010

J. Cole : The Write Up (My Thoughts On His Career)


*DISCLAIMER*

This is just my review of J. Cole as an artist. It is very detailed thus it is not a short read.

The new General of the Internet Soldiers (as cosigned by Joe Budden) seems to have some of the most annoying fans in the world. Yes, J. Cole can rap. A lot of people can rap. This guy makes some of the most boring music I've ever heard. His topics range from rap to north carolina, to his weak ass struggles, to the hood, to college, and finally to the degree that we ALL know that he received from college (because he mentions it in EVERY song). 

He's been signed since 2007. He still has no buzz outside of the internet. He's basically the non emo, less lyrical version of Joe Budden. He's already getting the same treatment that Joe did except his album got to drop and it went gold. If you pay attention you would see that Jay mentions Drake more than he does his own artist. J. Cole is the perfect proof that rap ability is damn near meaningless when it comes to making good music. Even some of his fans say he needs a lot of work with making songs. A label is not going to be able to sell records based off of your lyrical ability. It just doesn't work like that. What? You thought it was still the 90s? 

Let's break down his sound. It's simple. J. Cole is a poor man's Kanye West (College Dropout era) with watered down subject matter/beats/hooks and VERY minimal songwriting ability. From the beats to the rhyme patterns it's all old 'Ye. I don't see how you can just look past the blatant style biting and from an unworthy artist nonetheless. The first thing you have to do Mr. Cole is stop doing those 24 and 32 bar verses on every song (they're fine in moderation). You're not that nice, sir (no one is). Next, you have to actually finish your beats. Third, you need to buy some hooks until you learn how to write them.

People like to compare him to Drake which is honestly a joke in my opinion. Drake was signed 2 years after J. Cole and already has a platinum debut album while Cole is wondering if his album will ever receive a release date. People will say "He's a better rapper." but is he really? Punchlines are not the only way to be lyrical. Drake may not be the most lyrical but he definitely gets his point across is a manner that isn't hazardous while operating heavy machinery. Cole seems as if he's trying so hard to impress the listener that he's actually not saying much at all. It's the exact same thing he said in his last verse and the one before it. Let's just say he is the better rapper. Who is making the better music? 

I'm all for lyricism but what happened to being complete? Jay-Z is a complete artist. Nas is/was a complete artist. Lupe is a complete artist. Even Joe (Budden), when he's not on those weak ass J Cardim beats, is a complete artist. They're all lyrical yet they know how to construct songs that don't serve as audible Ambien. At the end of the day music is music. A lot of music doesn't even have lyrics so you can't say something is good just because of "good" lyrics. If all you care about is lyrics you should hit up some local poetry readings. Leave music to the musicians. 

Don't worry, all hope is not lost. He just needs guidance but that innocent college boy rap isn't going to get him anywhere. He might want to get the fuck away from Jay too. Jay is that nigga musically but he isn't the best judge of talent (Bleek) or character (Beans). Besides I think if Cole were to go independent he could have a nice little career on some underground shit. Being on a major isn't doing anything but hindering him.