Nas- "What It Is" Snippet Pt. II

A while back I posted an awful new song by Nas called "What It Is." Well, it's resurfaced months later and, well, its good! DJ Khalil lays down the real beat for the track and plays it here at some kind of computer beatmaking convention.

Nas What it is first listen Dj Khalil
by Bounce2dis

Info On The New Roots Album

It looks like I have something new to look foward to. Two days ago, Entertainment Weekly reviewed what they had heard of the new Roots, Rising Down. The album is set to drop April 29 with rumored guest appearences from Lupe Fiasco, Common, Mos Def, Q-Tip, Styles P, Wale, and more. Here is the first leaked track off the album, "75 Bars (Black's Reconstruction)"

Album Review: "NY's Finest"- Pete Rock

Almost two months have come and go this year without a single worthwhile release, which will make this, set to drop next tuesday, the first. I have been anticipating this album because I'm big into the whole producer album thing and Pete Rock beats at least garauntee musical quality, though Soul Survivor II showed us all that they don't garauntee entertainment value. This suspense is too much!



1. Pete Intro


Just some clips of people saying shit


2. We Roll (Feat. Jim Jones & Max B.)

I posted this song on the blog four months ago and have bumped it ever since. In regards to Jim Jones, anyone could rhyme over this and I'd still enjoy to some degree. Other, newer producers just don't make them like this.


3. 'Till I Retire

This came out on the 12" with "We Roll" but I never checked it. It's eerie and spacey for a Pete Rock beat but still good. You could assume the subject based on the title, but its basically saying that he's still nice and will be until he retires. To be honest, all I was thinking about during his verses was who his new ghost writers are.


4. 914 (Feat. Styles P & Sheek Louch)

iTunes says that I added this 12/27/06. While I still really like the song, I have to believe that Pete has made enough tracks in the last year plus to fill an album with fresh material. Anyhow, Pete flips the "Ain't No Half Steppin'" horns, naturally in a more tasteful fashion than the other million producers who have done this in the past. Styles and Sheek do their thing reppin NY and whatnot.


5. Questions (Feat. Royal Flush)

Royal Flush (serious!) fields questions and answers in rap form (I'm sure this has been done before, right?). Anyhow, I expected this to be shit considering he probably hasn't made anything worth listening to in eleven years but it was hot. Another darker kind of beat, maybe Pete Rock's new style?


6. Best Believe (Feat. Redman)

Fuckin banger. I'm not even a big Redman fan but he jumps on the crazy horn beat and murders it. The only negative here is LD who handles the second verse. They couldn't get Redman to do two?


7. Ready Fe War (Feat. Chip Fu & Renee Neufville)

After a minute and a half intro about the word "bomboclot", my worst fears were confirmed, a Raggae track. Chip Fu, who used to rap, just does some Jamaican wailing shit like one of those Marley kids or something. Even Pete Rock raps in a Jamaican accent.


8. Don't Be Mad

The point of these albums is to have Pete Rock beats and good rappers over them, no? Well this is a Green Lantern beat with a Pete Rock solo. Not that its awful, but I'm sure the beat would have been better had the Soul Brotha himself handled it, and his rhymes are more difficult to digest in mass.


9. Bring Y'all Back (Feat. Little Brother)

The loop is like a tuba or something but it sounds pretty decent especially when the strongs kick in. Joe Scudda raps on this in addition to LB but they all fail to say anything of interest.


10. The Best Secret (Feat. The Lords of the Underground)

It's almost funny at this point when the guest rapper pops up. I don't think I've heard a post-'94 Lords track and I must say, they are really fucking bad nowadays. The secret is out I guess.


11. That's What I'm Talking About (Feat. Rell)

The less than amusing piano loop with the shaker hi-hat things isn't doing it for me. This Rell guy ruins it with all his fucking singing anyway.


12. The PJ's (Feat. Masta Killa & Raekwon)

Pete takes his recycling to a new level. I got this on that Nature Sounds compilation May, 2006. This track is still as great as it was then. It's like smooth, soulful, and grimey all at once. Can't go wrong with Rae and Masta Killa either.


13. Made Men (Feat. Tarrey Torae)

Not much to write about this. Just boring. Is Torrey Torae just Torae or somebody else completely?


14. Let's Go (Feat. Doo Wop)

A short, messy track. More interesting than the last couple at least.


15. Comprehend (Feat. Papoose)

I'm not sure what to even make of Papoose at this point but I can't say that I'm impressed with anything here. The serious piano beat doesn't suite Papoose very well. Or maybe Papoose just can't ride the beat one or the other.


Overall:

This one was all over the map. The first six songs were great but then the rest was mostly skippable. I want to say that I was dissapointed, but I'm taking for granted the songs that I've already heard which I like alot. Oh, and where was C.L. Smooth for this? They had to rustle up the fucking Lords of the Underground instead? Come on.


Best Tracks: "We Roll", "The PJ's", "Best Believe"

DITC Making a Comeback?

The legendary Diggin' In The Crates crew has some big things planned for 2008. Among the rumored projects are a new Show & AG album, an AG and OC album, a Grand Puba (Of Brand Nubian) solo produced by Lord Finesse, and a DITC album. Here is a new track from AG and OC produced by Showbiz: 2 For the Money.