Pete Rock Feat. Jim Jones & Max B.- "We Roll"

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Off Pete's upcoming album "NY's Finest." I could do without Jim Jones, Max B., and the stupid adlibing but this track is smooth a fuck even by Pete Rock standards.

Album Review: "Dream Merchant 2"- 9th Wonder

9th Wonder was a big reason for some of Little Brother's haters as such elitists don't see making beats with stupid snare drums on a computer as being "hip-hop". However, 9th has done alot of quality shit over the years outside of LB including work with Jay, Murs, Boot Camp Clik, and many more. This album is a "producer album" which for me, being a beats>rhymes guy, are usually to my liking (i.e Marco Polo and Jazzy Jeff's '07 releases). How would this album stack up?

1. Mr. Dream Merchant Intro

A collage of rappers saying "dream" then a 70's soul type song about a dream merchant.


2. Shots (Feat. Big Dho & Sean Price)

A good opning track about being real and shooting people. The beat is nice and Sean P kinda kills it. Not sure whats up with the female freestyler at the end though.

3. Merchant of Dreams (Feat. The Embassy, Skyzoo, & Torae)

This beat is pretty typical soul-sampling 9th and the song is about nothing in particular. Skyzoo, a pretty dope BK MC who made a lack-luster album with 9th last year, comes with the best flow.

4. Brooklyn On My Mind (Feat. Mos Def, Jean Grae, & Memphis Bleek)

This came out like a year ago as "Crooklyn Dodgers 3" which I guessed those involved realized was sort of a joke. The beat is good but none of the verses were stellar. It is good to hear Mos Def rap anyway.

5. Sunday (Feat. Keisha Shontelle & Chaundon)

Just sort of a feel good track with some high pitched R&B girl. Chaundon raps for a little but nothing special here.

6. Baking Soda (Feat. Big Treal)

This is a pretty hard 9th Wonder beat but its ruined by an almost comically generic Southern rapper.

7. Reminisce (Take Time) (Feat. Big Remo & The Great Novej)

An okay track about losing homies and pouring out liquor and stuff like that. If I hadn't heard this sample used multiple times before I might've felt this one.

8. No Time To Chill (Feat. Little Brother)

9th brings back the old crew for the shittiest song yet. Actaully, Phonte, in one of his two bad verses, says "Khrysis on the boards" so I assume 9th didn't even do this. However, Khrysis (or whoever's) beat is terrible, and the rapping, especially Pooh's, may be even worse.

9. It Ain't Over (Feat. Jozeemo & Tyler Woods)

Jozeemo (who sounds less like Sha on this one) and Tyler Woods (?) rhyme about defying odds I guess. The beat is ok but if I'm not mistaken this sample was flipped on a One Be Lo track (by Majestik Legend if my iTunes is right). 9th gettin' lazy on us?

10. The Last Time (The D, The Chi, The Lou) (Feat. Royce Da 5'9", Naledge, & Vandalyzm)

I had heard this a while ago and while it's still a bit of a mess, its much less so than I remember it being. Royce Da 5'9"'s verse is very mediocre but Naledge (of Kidz In The Hall) killed it. Not a bad track at all.

11. Saved (Feat. Saigon & Joe Scudda)

Saigon, my favorite rapper in 2007, and Joe Scudda rap about how they have to be saved because life sucks. The beat on this is so boring its almost impossible to really get into this.

12. Milky Lowa (Camp Lo)

9th brings some heat on this as Suede and Cheeba rhyme about cereal and chincillas without losing any swagger.

13. Backlash (Feat. Sean Boog & Buckshot)

Basically a song about coming up in the game. Sean Boog and Buckshot don't come with anything special and the beat is ok.

14. Thank You (Feat. D.O.X. & O-Dash)

Yet another 'look at me now' type song although I guess this one is supposed to be thanking all the people that helped D.O.X. and O-Dash (easily the worst of the two) become nobody mixtape rappers.

15. Let It Bang (Feat. Ness & Skyzoo)

I would normally say that a song called "Let It Bang" should have a better beat but then there was that Papoose song and this might be better than that Scorch beat. Anyway, Skyzoo is less impressive on this than that other track and Ness brought some personality and one-liners but his flow is pretty elementary. A decent song overall.

16. What Makes a Man (Feat. Big Pohh & Buddy Klein)

I'm not sure what exactly makes a man, but Big Pooh and a poor man's Young Buck sure do make a lousy rap song.

17. Special (Remix) (Feat. Strange Fruit Project & Median)

A remix to a track on the SFP album, "The Healing". This is worse than the original though the addition of Median, an acclimed lyricist (but otherwise boring rapper) is good.

18. You Wanna (feat. NBS)

I'm sure a better instrumental would've matched the energy of this song better but its a solid track regardless. NBS, who I've never heard of, sound like they've got some potential.

Overall:

This was right about what I expected from the tracklisting: some soulful beats for a mix of good and bad MCs. It started off strong but for the most part sounded like a bad, Justus League, weed-carrier mixtape.

Best Tracks:

"Shots", "The Milky Lowa"

Album Review: "Getback"- Little Brother

There is a love/hate relationship between the Carolina duo Little Brother and the backpacking, underground hip-hop elitists. For all the people who praised "The Listening" as a rebirth of the Native Tongues, there are plenty of others who insist that they are way more boring and lyrically inferior to, say, A Tribe Called Quest (whom Lupe Fiasco does not like btw). This album is their first without producer 9th Wonder. WILL THAT MATTER???

1. Sirens (ft. Carlitta Durand)

This starts like that song from the new Camp Lo album and I thought it'd be cool if they tried the same beat (even though LB probably isn't fuckin with Lo) but then it keeps changing until the actual beat kicks in. My first impression was that it's not very Little Brother-ish with the synth bass and guitars but its pretty tight anyway. Phonte and Pooh spit some 'fuck you' shit about the industry and stuff.

2. Can't Win For Losing

This beat by Illmind (who did the first one and a few others) has that sort of clunky, southern piano quality which is ok if your into that sort of thing (which I'm not). Phonte raps about who he should "do it"(no homo) for and Pooh raps about Atlantic for the second time in two verses.

3. Breakin' My Heart (feat. Lil' Wayne)

I used to think that people that complained about 9th Wonder's drums were just being anal but the pattern and snare on this beat is awful. Lil' Wayne adds a really dumb verse on a song about hoes.

4. Good Clothes

Speaking of Camp Lo, this beat sounds like one of those big horn loops Ski did for them. Think "Luchini" meets "Black Hollywood," in a good way of course. Little Brother rhymes about, well, good clothes. Also, both rappers start their verses with the rhyme pattern of LL's "I Need Love." Why?

5. After The Party

This is apparently a sequel to a track that 3 people on the internets heard. The beat by Khrysis sounds like some of the beats on "The Minstrel Show" which makes sense since Khrysis is down with 9th (nh). Pooh rhymes about trying to pickup a girl and then the beat stops for Phonte's first couple bars and he doesn't even rap fast or anything!

6. ExtraHard

This song needed a no homo before it started (title) but then Pooh starts talking about cucumbers and turtle necks. Seriously. The beat by Mr. Porter, who I think also did some terrible shit on Pharoahe's album, is crowded and the rhymes do little to make up for it.

7. Step It Up (feat. Dion)

Hi-Tek provides a boring, soulful track over which Little Brother raps about how they have to be classier for the ladies.

8. Two Step Blues (feat. Darien Brockington)

A very average song about getting fired and then partying or something like that.

9. That Ain't Love (feat. Jozeemo)

A definite standout track about phony friends. Jozeemo, who reminds me of Sha (True from the "Prince Amongst Thieves" album) adds a third verse. A nice Illmind beat rounds out an overall good song.

10. Dreams

A song about making it in music with a very solid verse from Phonte about going back to his old block and such. Beat by a budget Just Blaze.

11. When Everything is New

A 6+ minute grand finale if you will. Both rappers, especially Phonte, come correct, but the beat is kind of shitty and the listener is subject to it for six minutes. Not only that, but there's some R&B guy all over this too.

Overall:

If I had to guess, the aforementioned elitists will opt to hate this album. While it was good in spots and bareable in others, there was a good amount of garbage on this.

Best Tracks:

"Good Clothes," "After The Party," "That Ain't Love".

Some Cool Music Videos

Some people attribute hip hop's death to Music Television blah blah blah these are pretty badass.

Here's one that just came out, the video for Kanye's new track "Stronger." The boom bap elitist in me should hate this track with the Daft Punk sample and all but I kinda like it! This video is dope too:

And a classic video. The Puffy, Biggie banger "Victory." This shit is craazy.

PropsOverHere's NBA Mock Draft

Virginia Hip-Hop

Contrary to popular beleif, Virginia is hip hop. After all, Allen Iverson did grow up there...and it's where Mike Vick cousin holds dog fights. Anyway, Virginia is an underrated hip hop scene and here are some of the finest to come out of VA.

Download: Mad Skillz-From Where???

Download: Myalanski & Joe Mafia- Wu-Syndicate

Download: Clipse- Lord Willin'

Download: Ill Biskits- Chronicle Of Two Losers

Props Over Here Presents: Pete Rock Vs. Wu

Download

Given that the Wu-Tang Clan has a legendary producer in the group itself (RZA) and also "in house" producers 4th Disciple, Bronze Nazareth, True Master, and Mathematics, the group members rarely get to work with the game's super producers. To the best of my knowledge, only Method Man and Inspectah Deck have worked in studio with DJ Premier (as guest MCs at that), and only Deck has collaborated with Large Professor. No members (again, to the best of my knowledge) have worked with Dre (until OB4CL drops), Buckwild, Diamond D, The Alchemist etc. However, much of the Wu and its affiliates have blessed a Pete Rock classic, which is highlighted in this 12 track mix.

PropsOverHere's: Top 5 Most Anticipated For '07

Almost halfway through 2007 there has been some dope hip hop released, namely Jazzy Jeff and Marco Polo's compilation type albums. Unfortunately, these albums lack the qualities of a real "classic" album, but then again is there such a thing as a classic album anymore? Here are some of my hopes for one:

5. Havoc- Kush

If nothing else, Havoc's got beats. Some bangers will make Lloyd Banks or 40 Cal or whoever is gonna rhyme along with Hav bareable. I was gonna link to a video of him playing stuff off the album but they took it down. It sounded dope though.

4. Papoose- Nacirema Dream

Papoose has made alot of mixtapes and tracks, some of them heat and some straight garbage, which makes me sort of unsure about the album. It's supposed to be real big budget in terms of producers and guests etc., which I guess is a good thing. Download: Papoose (Feat. Akon)- Ghetto Soldier

3. Royce Da 5'9"- Street Hop

An album by a pretty dope battle rapper with some Premo beats is almost a can't miss. Hopefully the other half of the album (non-Premier half) has some nice beats too, then this albums got a chance to be crazy. Download: Royce Da 5'9"- Ding

2. Raekwon- Only Built 4 Cuban Linx 2

It's not gonna be like the original. Not even close. It may not even come out. I didn't put this at #1 because honsetly a RZA and Dre production lineup isn't what it would have been in '93 or something. And Ghost isn't gonna handle half the rhyming. Download: Raekwon- Kids That's Rich (prod. Pete Rock)

1. Saigon- The Greatest Story Never Told

Well after all the drama and label politics surrounding this release, it better be some bomb shit. Saigon and Just Blaze, who handles most of the production on this, make a pretty ill combo as evidenced by "Dont Do That".

Tragedy Khadafi

Tragedy, the QB pioneer, started his career with Marley Marl and the Juice Crew as the "Intelligent Hoodlum." He has since switched up his name and updated his style as a solo artist and a member of the Wu affiliated Black Market Militia. He is set to drop "The Death Of Tragedy" sometime this year.

Intelligent Hoodlum (1990)

Tragedy: Saga Of A Hoodlum (1993)

Against All Odds (1999)



Still Reporting (2003)

Thug Matrix Mixtape (2005)

Thug Matrix 2 Mixtape (2006)

NBA Finals Analysis

As bad as the Spurs have made Cleveland and my boy LeBron look, and as awful as the TV ratings are in this series, nothing has been more embarrassing than San Antonio's player introductions. While most NBA teams opt for a Just Blaze classic i.e, "Show Me What You Got" or the Cavaliers' choice, "The Second Coming," the Spurs, as if they weren't corny enough to begin with, enter to Unlimited 2's (below) "Get Ready 4 This," the shitty dance song made famous by Jock Jams in the mid nineties.

Is that what they listen to in San Antonio? Anyway, in a league where street credibility weighs as heavily as championship trophies, the Spurs, depsite their titles and whatnot, are teh gheyest team in the league, and therefore lose.