PropsOverHere's 1st Annual High-School Hoops All-Star Team

Over the past few weeks, I have been paying close attention to the high school basketball all-star game circuit, scouting out some of the future stars of the collegiate and, in a year or so, pro game. Here is what I consider to be the all-high school team, along with a brief scouting report on each player full with an arbitrary NBA comparison. (Note: I've yet to see Chi-town prodigy and player of the year Jabari Parker play, which explains his conspicuous absence from the team.)

Archie Goodwin / G / Senior

Scouting Report: Goodwin has the size and skill set of a prototypical two guard. He is a slasher first and foremost with a very quick first step and elite athletic ability that allows him to finish well above the rim. The future Kentucky Wildcat could slide into the Doron Lamb role in Lexington should the sophomore decide to declare for the NBA draft.

In a Word: Athletic

Pro Potential: J.R. Smith

Andrew Wiggins / G / Sophomore
Scouting Report: Although he turned 17 just two months ago, Wiggins is already the best guard at the high school level. The Canadian high schooler has more than ideal size at 6'7" and is a dazzling offensive player, possessing incredible shot-making ability and scoring instincts that are well beyond his years. He is constantly in attack mode which leads to turnovers and forced shots but, again, he is just 17. This young man has superstar written all over him.

In a Word: Star

Pro Potential: Penny Hardaway

Shabazz Muhammed / F / Senior

      Scouting Report: Muhammed is a 6'5" player with a big man's mentality, making him the most intriguing prospect in the class of 2012. The future UCLA Bruin possesses awesome athletic ability, a nice left-handed shooting stroke, and an infectious toughness and intensity. A mid-range scoring machine and highlight reel finisher, Muhammed also has all the tools to be a terrific defensive player at the next level.
In a Word: Powerful
Pro Potential: Michael Finley





Kyle Anderson / F / Senior
Scouting Report: Anderson, who will co-star with Muhammed at UCLA, is the most versatile player in his class. Standing close to 6'9", Anderson looks like an NBA small forward but plays with the tempo and unselfishness of a point man a la Scottie Pippen or Lamar Odom. Much has been made of his slow-motion, under control style, but he has sneaky athleticism and an impressive offensive arsenal that make him an all-around playmaker to be reckoned with. Expect him, Muhammed, and fellow all-american Tony Parker to restore glory to the UCLA program.
In a Word: Smooth
Pro Potential: Jalen Rose



Nerlens Noel / C / Senior
Scouting Report: Regarded in some circles as the best prospect in the class of 2012, Noel has undeniable potential, but he also has a ways to go before he reaches it. Nerlens has a 7'4" wingspan and is a fluid and explosive athlete, making him a great shot-blocker and an exciting finisher around the basket. Naturally, he has drawn comparisons to Anthony Davis, the similarly slight, shot-blocking big man who Noel will replace at Kentucky, but Wildcat faithful will soon find that, at this stage, Noel is more DeAndre Jordan than a game-changer like Davis.
In a Word: Bouncy
Pro Potential: Tyson Chandler

PropsOverHere Investigates: Was Iverson's Crossover on Jordan Even The Best by a Sixer?

Yes. However, a decade before Iverson famously shook the GOAT, another Sixers rookie from Georgetown (can't make this shit up), David Wingate (above), broke MJ's ankles and scored an acrobatic and-one. Below is the exclusive PropsOverHere footage of Wingate's crossover circa 1987 as well as Iverson's from '97. Watch both and decide for yourself.

This Week In "Rappers With A Bun B Feature"...

Marcus Manchild! Me neither. What's Bun B's going rate for a verse these days, $250 and a cup of sizzurp?

The Rookie Of The Year Is Back At It

Get some.

Welcome to my Wheelhouse Party

Here is Cormega announcing the formation of a new group consisting of himself, Action Bronson, Roc Marciano, and Saigon. Oh, and Large Professor is producing for them. Given my level of stannery for everyone involved, this is the best hip hop related news I've heard in some time.

PropsOverHere Presents: The Best of 2011 Awards

      As I do every year around this time, I've returned to recap the year that was in rap music. Now usually this is where I talk about how terrible a year it's been for hip-hop, but this wasn't the case in 2011. As I've mentioned a few times over the course of the year, 2011 has been one of the best years this decade as far as the quality of new music. In honor of a great year in hip-hop, I've decided to switch from a countdown format to an award show-style post in which I'll recognize some of the year's best performances. So without further ado, here is PropsOverHere's 1st Annual Best of the Year Awards.

Rookie of the Year
The Nominees:
Meek Mill- The Philly native burst on the scene after signing with Rick Ross' Maybach Music Group and hit big with bangers like "Work" and "I'm A Boss".
Action Bronson- When he wasn't being a gourmet chef, this MC earned some respect from hip-hop heads in 2011 with his Ghostface-eque delivery and wordplay.
Big Sean- Despite my negative review, Sean's debut album received much critical acclaim and was a bona fide commercial success.
Maffew Ragazino- This New York City lyricist came out of nowhere to deliver some great tracks in '11 including on of my favorites, the soulful "Decepts On The L Train".
And the winner is.... Action Bronson
This guy impressed me early in the year with the terrific The Program EP and continued to deliver lyrically on tracks with Ghostface, Asher Roth, and Ragazino among others. I'm looking forward to hearing more from him in the future.

Guest Verse of the Year (The Bun B Award)
The Nominees:
Nas on Mobb Deep's "Dog Shit"
Best Line: "Freedom is a virtue/Ni**as hangin way past/They're parole curfew/Blowin' on that purple/Know my street ties/Beef-wise/I let three fly/Over ya head/Welcome home P/Let's get this bread."
AZ on Wu-Tang Clan's "Legendary Weapons"
Best Line: "Breezed on the D's when they tailed on the pike/Around the same time I exhaled on the mic/The name AZ ring bells on sight."
Freddie Gibbs on Curren$y's "Scottie Pippens"
Best Line: "Stay runnin' the rock just like I play quarterback for the Eagles/Randall, Donovan, or Michael/'Fore I picked up this mic/I was hittin' licks with some lords and did dirt with plenty disciples."
Elzhi on Phonte's "Not Here Anymore"
Best Line: "See a little nervousness/And a frown/'Cause you know deep down you know you ain't nice just a little courteous/You just runnin' game/Ni**a, we the fuckin' tournament."
And the winner is...Freddie Gibbs on "Scottie Pippens"
No one can contest with Nas' imagery and lyrical poignance, but I had to give this one to Gibbs for his delivery and for the energy he brought to that track, which was the best on Spitta's Covert Coup mixtape.

Duet of the Year
The Nominees:
"Ghetto Dreams" by Common & Nas- The lead single from Common's The Dreamer, The Believer features two hip-hop heavyweights on top of their game. While Nas is one of the all-time masters of the guest verse, the best moments had to be Common rhyming about his ideal woman, "Butt naked in the kitchen flippin' pancakes/She ain't trippin' off the dough that her man makes."
"Otis"by Jay-Z & Kanye West- On one of the biggest songs of the year and another lead single, Jay and Kanye trade verses over an extra-choppy Otis Redding sample. Jay-Z begins the braggadocio with the opening line, "I invented swag" and, not to be outdone, Kanye raps about his "Otha, otha Benz" among other things.
"Martians Vs. Goblins" by Game & Tyler The Creator- The Game and Odd Future's Tyler The Creator team up for the sinister banger that also features Lil' Wayne, but only on the hook. As if he hasn't gotten enough shit this year, both artists attack LeBron James in their verses as Game raps about fucking his mom and Tyler advises his haters to "fall back like LeBron's hairline."
"Choices" by Asher Roth & Action Bronson- In what has to be the best rap song by two white kids in decades, Roth and Bronsolino both drop a killer verse over a funky instrumental. By far the best part was Asher Roth's flow in his first couple of bars that include clever lines such as "Under a submarine/Bare as the kitchen cupboard be/Californication/Agent Mulder/David Duchovney."
And the winner is..."Otis" by Jay-Z & Kanye West
This and "Ghetto Dreams" are dead even in my book but I gave the nod to Jay-Z and Kanye for the way their verses complimented each other making it more of a "duet" in the true sense of the word.

Mixtape of the Year
The Nominees:
Purp & Patron by Game- Game teamed up with DJ Skee for two mixtapes in anticipation of The R.E.D. Album, but Purp & Patron was the stronger of the two thanks to great production by Nottz and Dre as well as appearances from Wiz Khalifa, Lil Wayne, and Rick Ross.
Elmatic by Elzhi- With the help of the Detroit rock group Will Sessions, Elzhi masterfully re-created Nas' classic debut album, Illmatic.
Semester Abroad by Kidz In The Hall- Long before the release of Occasion, Naledge and Double O put out some album-quality material on this mixtape such as "So Amazn" and "Moments", two of my favorite songs this year.
Covert Coup by Curren$y- Curren$y and Alchemist provided hip hop fans with some solid listening material on 4/20. In addition to the aforementioned collaboration with Freddie Gibbs, "The Type" featuring Prodigy was another standout.
And the winner is...Elmatic by Elzhi
Where a lot of MCs would have jacked the beats from Illmatic and freestyled over them, Elzhi and Will Sessions actually re-crafted the timeless album and put their own unique spin on it. The way Elzhi remakes the songs to reflect his own life experiences is brilliant as is his lyricism and delivery throughout the tape.

Verse of the Year
The Nominees:
Elzhi on "It Ain't Hard to Tell"
Best Line: "Robberies of liquor stores/Tricks and whores/Reality sick as yours/So I blow trees stronger than Sycamores."
Game on "Mama Knows"
Best Line: "But that ain't stop me/Pretending I was Apollo from Rocky/Workin on my dip game/Now nobody wanna box me"
Nas on "Nasty"
Best Line: "Maserati/Bumpin Biggie the great legend/Blastin/I'm after the actress that played Faith Evans."
Kanye West on "The Joy"
Best Line: "This beat deserves Hennessy/A bad bitch/And a big of weed/The holy trinity."
And the winner is...Kanye West on 'The Joy"
Kanye's verses on the Pete Rock-produced bonus track on Watch The Throne were pure genius and some of the best rapping of his career. I actually went back and forth on which of Kanye's two verses on this track was actually the verse of the year because either could have won. He flows perfectly over Pete's slow, soulful instrumental and drops hilarious and well-thought-out bars throughout his verses.

Producer of the Year
The Nominees:
Big Jerm- I don't know much about Big Jerm but he did some stellar work on the boards this year for Wiz Khalifa and his Yinzer counterpart, Mac Miller. His beat for Wiz, Curren$y, and Big Sean's "O.T.T.R." was one of the best instrumentals this year.
Big K.R.I.T.- The rapper/producer made a splash this year in both areas but his beat-making stood out as he produced the hit "Country Shit (Remix)" with Bun B and Ludacris as well as T.I.'s new single "I'm Flexin'".
No I.D.- No I.D. had a hand in the two best-produced albums this year, Jay-Z and Kanye's Watch the Throne and Common's The Dreamer, The Believer which he produced in its entirety.
Double O- Double O's musical creativity was a major factor in all of the great music that Kidz In The Hall dropped in 2011 including a nominee for best mixtape and best album.
And the winner is...No I.D.
This one was sort of a no brainer. Between Hov and Kanye's "Primetime", the entire Common album, and the best moments from Big Sean's debut album, Chicago legend No I.D. had by far the greatest impact of any producer in 2011.

Beat of the Year
The Nominees:
"Ni**as in Paris" produced by Hit-Boy & Kanye West- Despite the simple, minimalist melody, this became the most popular beat of 2011 thanks to the banging percussion and heavy bassline, not to mention the hilarious "Blades of Glory" movie samples.
"Martians Vs. Goblins" produced by Brody Brown, Lamar Edwards, & Laranee Dopson- This might be the busiest instrumental of the year but Edwards and Dopson of 1500 Or Nothin and Brody Brown pull it off exceptionally well. The main attraction here is the heavy synth bass al a Dead Prez's "Bigger Than Hip-Hop" but listen closely and you can hear violins and choirs and a whole host of weird noises that help make this one of the best, most unique beats of the year.
"I'm A Boss" produced by Jahlil Beats- This Meek Mill anthem was right up there with "Ni**as In Paris" as far as the most freestyled-over beat of 2011. Jahlil Beats provides the track that combines what has become the signature MMG sound with what sounds sort of like the old NBA on NBC theme song.
"Ghetto Dreams" produced by No I.D.- In what was the standout moment for the producer of the year, No I.D. uses an off-tune piano sample, hard snare drums, and a horn section that would make Pete Rock blush. To top it off, the hook makes use of scratches of both Nas and Common, the track's two artists.
Honorable Mention: "Mama Knows" produced by Pharrell,"Tupac Back" produced by Mike Will, "Gotta Have It" produced by The Neptunes & Kanye West, "Anti Freeze" produced by Swiff D, "Player of the Century" produced by Double O, "Born In The Trap" produced by DJ Premier, "The Motto" produced by T-Minus.
And the winner is..."Ni**as in Paris" produced by Hit-Boy & Kanye West
It was close between this and "I'm A Boss" but you can't go anywhere these days without hearing the bass from "Ni**as in Paris" blasting out of someone's car window. I even heard the panel members of ESPN's "Around The Horn" singing this beat during a commercial break and most of those guys are 50 year old white men.

Album of the Year
The Nominees:
Watch The Throne by Jay-Z & Kanye West- The much anticipated collaboration between two hip hop giants lived up to and exceeded my expectations.
The R.E.D. Album by Game- Game's fourth album was hit or miss but had a number of terrific songs including "Mama Knows", "Ricky", and "Heavy Artillery" featuring Beanie Sigel and Rick Ross.
Occasion by Kidz In The Hall- Definitely one of the most fun albums of 2011, Occasion was chock-full of party anthems.
The Dreamer, The Believer by Common- The legendary Chi-town rapper-producer duo of Common and No I.D. reunited for what has to be Common's best album in at least ten years.
Honorable Mention: Take Care by Drake, Sideline Story by J. Cole, Greatest Story Never Told by Saigon, Give Me My Flowers While I Can Smell Them by Blu & Exile.
And the winner is...Watch The Throne by Jay-Z & Kanye West
Even though all of these were very solid albums, none of them really stood a chance against Jay-Z and Kanye's epic masterpiece. Watch The Throne was brilliantly produced from start to finish and featured some of Jay and Kanye's finest work on the mic in years. This is not only the album of the year, but the best album in the PropsOverHere era.

Song of the Year
The Nominees:
"Ni**as in Paris" by Jay-Z & Kanye West- The second single off of the album of the year set the hip hop world on fire.
"Nasty" by Nas- Nas' newest single displayed his incredible flow and lyricism and proved that the wiley veteran is still on top of his game.
"I Do" by Young Jeezy, Jay-Z, & Andre 3000- In a track that's immediately reminiscent of Outkast's "International Player's Anthem", producer M16 flips the "Overnight Celebrity" sample with a Southern flavor that's fitting for Young Jeezy. As far as I know, this is the first time that rap legends Jay-Z and Andre 3000 have been on a track together which gives this one some bonus points even though their verses weren't particularly good.
"Ghetto Dreams" by Common & Nas- Two legends team up to rap about bitches over a nasty No I.D. instrumental.
Honorable Mention: "Mama Knows" by Game, "Pour It Up" by Kidz In The Hall, Bun B, & David Banner, "Enemies" by Saigon, "Dreams Money Can Buy" by Drake, "Otis" by Jay-Z & Kanye West, "O.T.T.R." by Wiz Khalifa, Curren$y, & Big Sean, "Anti Freeze" by Pac Div.
And the winner is..."Ni**as in Paris" by Jay-Z & Kanye West
With respect to Nas and Common, who continue to get shafted, I can't justify calling anything else the song of the year. No song has been so widely accepted from the hood to the burbs maybe since "In Da Club" came out, and that shit went quadruple platinum.

Artist of the Year
The Nominees:
Curren$y- Spitta killed it in 2011 putting out a bunch of solid mixtapes including Covert Coup, Weekend At Burnies, and Verde Terrace, all of which are definitely worth a listen.
Kidz In The Hall- Starting with "So Amazn", Naledge and Double O put out a lot of great music this year including the terrific "Brain Candy" series and the full-length album, Occasion.
Game- Game had a prolific and successful year, dropping two great mixtapes with DJ Skee and one of the best albums of the year.
J. Cole- The up-and-comer and Roc Nation signee had a very solid debut release with The Sideline Story and his "Any Given Sunday" mixes included gems such as "How High" and "Unabomber".
And the winner is...Game
Though all of these candidates were deserving, Game was the rapper that put out more good hip hop music than anyone else this year. His Purp & Patron and Candy Corornas mixtapes were two of the best this year and the much anticipated The R.E.D. Album far exceeded my (admittedly low) expectations.


So there you have it. Congrats to the big winners and props to all the artists that helped make 2011 a great year for rap music. See you all next year.

Album Review: Kidz In The Hall-"Occasion"

Kidz In The Hall are one of my favorite new groups in hip-hop but I wasn't enamored with either of their last two albums, The In Crowd and Land of Make Believe. Despite their underwhelming releases since signing with Duck Down, I'm excited to hear this album because Naledge and Double O have been on a roll recently with the "Brain Candy" series and this album's pair of infectious singles, "Break It Down" and "Pour It Up". Does Occasion meet my high expectations or will the Kidz let me down again?

1. Real Life

An upbeat intro with heavy bass kicks, 808's, and synths out the ass. Naledge provides his signature braggadocios raps to top it off. So far, so good.

2. Occasion

A very mainstream sounding party anthem of sorts. I could see this getting some spins on the radio but then again I haven't listened to the radio in years.

3. Break It Down

This was the first single off the album and with good reason. The brilliant use of the Guns N' Roses "Sweet Child O Mine" sample and thumping bass line make this one of the best songs to drop this year.

4. That Good (Feat. Esthero)

Speaking of mainstream sounding, this could just as easily be a Maroon 5 track. In my opinion these kinds of songs were the downfall of those last two albums but that probably has more to do with my propensity for '94 boom bap than anything. Or maybe this is just really gay.

5. Make It Up Tonight (Feat. Sulaiman)

Another song about going out and getting fucked up which apparently is the theme of this album.

6. Crash Dummy (Feat. Killa Kyleon)

Double O really went all out on this album. It's not even that the beats are so great but they all have crazy bass and drums and like twelve different synths that come and go at different times.

7. Pour It Up (Feat. Bun B & David Banner)

I listened to this on repeat when it came out and I still can't get enough of it. The bouncy instrumental is incredible and Naledge compliments it with one of his best verses evar. David Banner and Bun B, who was conspicuously absent from both the Drake and J. Cole albums, make guest appearances.

8. She's Smokin

Double O slows it down as Naledge hollas at his shorty. Maybe it's because I just reviewed Take Care, but this actually sounds like a Kidz In The Hall version of one of those Drake songs but with a robot auto-tune effect instead of the muffled, singing-in-a-tunnel effect. You know what I'm talking about.

9. Player of the Century (Feat. Freddie Gibbs)

Another slow-paced track, this one inspired by old school South beats complete with a chopped-and-screwed chorus. This was fucking great.

10. Star (Feat. Tabi Bonney & One Chance)

More raps about drinking and bitches over blaring trumpets. Not terrible but not a standout by any means, especially with the number of songs on this album that sound like this. However, it should be noted that Naledge manages to drop Bill Cartwright and Mookie Blaylock references in the same verse. Props.

11. Won't Remember Tonight (Feat. Marsha Ambrosius & Anton Genius)

Double O provides more horns for another one that could easily get lost amongst all these other songs about partying.

12. Friends

Another pop song, this one with a bizarre chorus. As much as I like the Kidz In The Hall in general I just can't get on board with shit like this.

13. Walk On Air

Basically the same deal here. It's a shame because Naledge spits fire but I can't appreciate it because I don't like this kind of music.

14. I Swear (Feat. Vic Spencer)

This is more like it. Naledge kills it over what kind of sounds like a louder, noisier version of Drake's "Fear". And I'll fuck with anything that sounds anything like that song.

15. Pledge (Feat. Curren$y & Mikkey Halsted)

This one has been out for a while now but it's a good one. There were a few tracks on the Semester Abroad tape that I liked more but I guess they chose this one because its got Curren$y on it.

16. Here Now (Feat. Anton Genius)

This isn't bad, but as far as upbeat synth tracks about how they "made it" go, this is only like the fourth best one on this album.

Overall: Occasion definitely had its moments but it didn't live up to the quality of the first couple singles and some of the other music they've put out in the past year. As long as they make alternative, pop sounding shit there's just no chance that I'll be able to completely get into a Kidz In The Hall album. That said, throw this shit on at a pre-game and you're good to go. I guess that's the point.

Best Songs: "Pour It Up", "Break It Down", "I Swear"

Album Review: Drake- "Take Care"

Since he gave us Thank Me Later last summer, Drake's fame and hype have only grown exponentially. Thanks to a bunch of collaborations with famous singers and "I'm On One", Drizzy has become a fixture of top 40 radio stations and one of the biggest artists in the game. Does his second album live up to the top billing or is it another commercial flop?


1. Over My Dead Body

Drake drops some choice bars on this piano-led intro in the same vein as "Fireworks",  the Thank Me Later opener.

2. Shot For Me

Like any number of Drake's R&B songs but with finger snaps. I think even the grown and sexy would have to admit that this is pretty gay.

3. Headlines

I called this hot garbage when it came out but its beginning to grow on me. Come to think of it, I didn't really like "Over" the first time I heard it either.

4. Crew Love (feat. The Wknd)

This is just an uncomfortable clash of terrible music. Every artsy kid that's into this sort of thing should be smacked.

5. Take Care (feat. Rihanna)

I have to question this one being both the title track and the Rihanna feature. I think I could compose this beat if I sat at a piano for ten minutes. I have a feeling that this will kill it in the club regardless but the duo that gave us "What's My Name" leave some to be desired here.

6. Marvin's Room

I'm sure you've heard this before but it's Drake crooning about girls over a beat that's being played backwards or something.

7. Buried Alive Interlude

This was just odd. Drake must have stepped it up to adult drugs for this album.

8. Under Ground Kings

This is tough but I'm still waiting for Bun B's verse. Maybe he'll hop on the remix.

9. We'll Be Fine (feat. Birdman)

Speaking of Bun B, this sounds just like that one song they did on So Far Gone. Nevertheless this is one of the better songs thus far. In case you were wondering, Birdman doesn't even rap he just talks at the end. Bonus!

10. Make Me Proud (feat. Nicki Minaj)

A great club banger that's even better if you cut it off right before Nicki Minaj gets on it.

11. Lord Knows (feat. Rick Ross)

Drake enlists the help of the new, unlikely duo of Rick Ross and Just Blaze. This is a bit over-the-top and theatrical even by Just Blaze standards but i'll take it any day. The beat drops for Rozay's verse which I suppose had its moments.

12. Cameras/Good Ones Go Interlude

I don't know why they made this an interlude. As far as I'm concerned this is much better than the rest of Drake's slow jams on this album. To that point, the second part of this is another god awful R&B song.

13. Doing It Wrong

Maybe these R&B songs wouldn't be so terrible if they didn't all sound exactly the same? Seriously, I thought this was just a continuation of the last one.

14. The Real Her (feat. Lil Wayne & Andre 3000)

Pretty much the same deal here except Three Stacks lends the third verse and shows Drizzy and Wayne how it's done.

15. Look What You've Done

Its been about 30 minutes since the last rap song and I'm starting to fade in and out. From what I can tell this was a love song over some elevator music.

16. H.Y.F.R. (Hell Yeah Fuckin' Right) (feat. Lil Wayne)

I'm not a fan of synth beats like this but at least it's a departure from the pillowy soft R&B music.

17. Practice

Drizzy's take on Juvenile's classic "Back That Azz Up", one of my grade school favorites. Who would've known back in '99 that Lil Wayne would be the biggest rap star in the world and Juvenile would be...well fuck if I know what he's up to. 

18. The Ride

Drake raps (well sort of) over a soulful beat and vocal sample that's reminscent of "Poppin' Tags" or something off of The Blueprint. However Jay-Z, who was on Drake's first record, does not make an appearence much to my dismay.

19. The Motto (feat. Lil Wayne)

This one took a few listens to get used to what with the crazy bassline and 808 drums but Drake and Weezy pull it off nicely. Possibly the most memorable song on the album.

20. Hate Sleeping Alone

Appropriately, here is the least memorable song on the album.

Overall: As expected, Drake's sophomore album was a mixed bag. For every good song there were two or three slow, mundane R&B songs where Drake whines about college chicks or bourgie chicks or what the fuck ever. Also, the assumed best song on the album ("Dreams Money Can Buy") wasn't even on the album. Weak.

Best Songs: "Over My Dead Body", "The Motto", "Lord Knows"

Album Review: J.Cole- "Cole World: The Sideline Story"

J. Cole went from an anonymous light-skinted kid on NahRight to one of the most highly anticipated young artists in the game, because that's just how easy it is to become a famous rapper nowadays. He also signed with Jay-Z, who I suppose has some clout in the music industry. I actually think that Cole is a talented kid with a bright future, even if his style is so indistinguishable from his rapping peers (Lupe, Drake, Big Sean, etc.) that you would think Jay-Z created him in a laboratory. Anyway, as I said in the conclusion of my Big Sean review, bring on the J.Cole album!

1. Intro

The album starts with the piano playing and J. Cole states that he is "coming for what I'm owed", whatever that means

2. Dollar And A Dream III

Admittedly I've been sleeping on J. Cole's mixtapes and shit so I've never heard part one or two. The piano from the intro transitions into this song on which J. Cole spits inspired raps about his life. This may be boring musically but the content makes it work well as a more literal introduction, being that it is the first real song.

3. Can't Get Enough (Feat. Trey Songz)

The single with the Reggae flip and Trey Songz. This isn't normally the kinda shit I'm into but it might be the most tasteful Trey Songz feature of all time.

4. Lights Please

This song has to be at least a year old at this point, but it's probably his best-known song and it still knocks so I'm not mad at him putting it on the album.

5. Interlude

In the intro J. Cole says he's gonna tell the story of the day he got signed. The first part of the story, in which he gets pulled over by an undercover and thrown in jail, is told in this interlude.

6. Sideline Story

This album is getting points already for using the intro and interludes to supplement the album, which is rarely done anymore. This track flips the piano from the last interlude into a funkier version of Consequence's "Disperse", which is pretty great to begin with. I loved every second of this.

7. Mr. Nice Watch (Feat. Jay-Z)

This much-talked about Jay-Z feature appropriately sounds like a Timbaland track from the late 90's, not a good one either. J. Cole is clearly better at making deep, introspective songs than showy, braggadocios shit like this and Jay-Z recycles his laziest flows from Watch The Throne. In fairness, this is better than I'm making it sound, it just should be much better.

8. Cole World

This is kind of a banger but the beat is just a clusterfuck of weird noises and J. Cole doesn't sound quite right rapping over it.

9. In The Morning (Feat. Drake)

Another older one, from that Friday Night Lights tape. Again I can see why he or the studio or whoever wanted to throw this on here since it's a well-received Drake feature. They should've thrown "How High" on here too, just for good measure.

10. Lost Ones

A somber ode to aborted babies or some such. I wasn't totally following along to be honest. Whatever the case, this is one of the album's more boring moments thus far.

11. Nobody's Perfect (Feat. Missy Elliot)

When I heard this slow, Southern-sounding beat I thought this would make for a great Bun B feature, but shockingly this album doesn't have one. Instead, speaking of late 90's Timbaland, it's Missy Elliot on the hook.

12. Never Told

J. Cole sort of conversationally raps over a slow, stripped-down instrumental. Think something from 808s & Heartbreak meets any number of Drake songs that fit exactly what I described in that last sentence.

13. Rise And Shine

This one begins with an incredibly apt Jay-Z clip, where he says he's gonna sign the kid thats out there eating Apple Jacks and coming for his spot. Then the appropriately triumphant-sounding beat kicks in with a heavy bass and choir like something Weezy mistakenly passed on for Tha Carter IV. 

14. God's Gift

Another skippable track. Sounds a lot like anything by the Cunninlynguists.

15. Breakdown

This starts off sounding like a Premo beat but ends up being more like everything else on here if not for the drums. Even without the choppy loop, this is still one of the best songs on here, as Cole compliments the jazzy instrumental with meaningful raps about staying strong through hard times.

16. Workout

This single was dumbed-down and disappointing but I guess it really isn't that bad. Musically there are no egregious synths or drums and the fake Roger Troutman is a good touch.

17. Nothing Lasts Forever

A piano-laced tribute to the one that got away that's very reminiscent of Ye's "Blame Game". Maybe not as good, but still.

18. Daddy's Little Girl

The album goes out with a whimper thanks to another Drake-esque song about teenaged girls that can take shots to the face.

Best Songs: "Lights Please", "Sideline Story", "Breakdown"

Comments: Yawn. I still think that J. Cole is a very good MC and this album confirms that if anything. That said, Cole World had a serious shortage of bangers and one too many piano-led, introspective songs that all sort of meshed together. "Blow Up", for instance, would have been a welcome addition to this album instead of one of the other re-hashed songs they used. Still, a solid debut release.

Backpacks On Packs On Packs: PropsOverHere's Rock The Bells Recap

    Normally I'm not into seeing concerts, but when I heard about the all-star cast of 90's rappers performing at Rock The Bells in New York City, I decided it would be worth it to make the trip. I was planning on documenting the events in real-time but I clearly overestimated mobile blogging technology. So instead, two and a half weeks later, here's a brief recap of what I saw in nine hot, exhausting hours at Governors Island.

Black Star
Rating: 4.5/5
Breakdown: Black Star was the first performance on the event's main stage and lived up to the top billing. After pleasing the huge crowd with "Astronomy (8th Light)" shit got real when "RE: DEFinition" dropped. My favorite moment had to be when they did "Children's Story" to the Slick Rick beat, because that's how lame I am. It can't be easy being the first big performer at a highly anticipated event like this but Black Star set the tone for the rest of day.

Black Moon
Rating: 4/5
Breakdown: Black Moon was also fucking great, doing Enta Da Stage with a live band and a guest appearance by Tek & Steele. After teaming up with Black Moon for "Black Smif-N-Wessun", the duo performed their own classic, "Bucktown", which might have actually been the fan favorite. I remember being impressed by Buckshot who still kills it live despite his advanced age.

Mobb Deep
Rating: 5/5
Breakdown: Havoc and P rocked the crowd with The Infamous plus just about every other Mobb Deep song you'd want to hear, including "Quiet Storm", "It's Mine", "G.O.D. Pt. III", and "Drop A Gem On 'Em", which they entered to. The one questionable moment came when 40 Glocc did his west side dedication that only served to piss of the partisan east coast crowd. Appropriately, "Shook Ones Pt. II" as the finale received the craziest fan reaction of the day.

Raekwon & Ghostface
Rating: 4.5/5
Recap: The only negative about the entire day was that Rae and Ghost were scheduled twenty minutes before Nas, so everyone had to choose between two can't-miss performances. I got nice and close to the stage for this because no one was trying to see Childish Gambino who was on before them. Luckily, the three songs I saw before heading over to the main stage were "Criminology", "Incarcerated Scarfaces", and "Ice Cream", all of which were as great as I could have imagined.

Nas
Rating: 5/5
Recap: All of the performances I saw at Rock The Bells were incredible, but this one was historic. "New York State of Mind" was as hype as expected, then AZ came out for his legendary verse on "Life's A Bitch" and the duo did "Mo Money, Mo Murder". Then Pete Rock came out for "The World Is Yours" and faced off in a DJ battle with Premier in what was one of the coolest moments of the day/my life. In addition to Illmatic, Nas did some of his earlier joints that probably hadn't been performed live in eons. He brought out MC Serch for "Back To The Grill" and Akinyele and Fatal for "Live At The Barbecue", both of which were insane.

Overall, Rock The Bells was incredible. Scheduling fuckups caused me to miss most of Liquid Swords and Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, but what I did see was more than enough to make it a success. The venue was great, the atmosphere was awesome, and the performances couldn't have been better short of Biggie coming back and doing Ready To Die.