From cold winters to hot summers...
i got the intellect and the tech
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Styles P - Good for more than just Good Times
Styles P is best known for Good Times. You know, the song that starts... i get high, i get high, i get high...also known as the song Manny Ramirez used to come out of the dugout to. Anyways, the man has a ton of other dope songs. Let's take a look at some of the other tracks on his solo debut, one of my personal favorite albums, A Gangster and A Gentleman.
My favorite Styles song. Probably the best song Lil Mo has ever been a part of. The beat is ridiculous and Styles rides it perfectly. To me, it is very important that rappers wrap up verses in recognition of the hook that is about to come. See Tupac in I Get Around - he ends basicilly every verse with the lyric I Get Around. Why? Cause that is a tight way of wrapping up a verse. Anyways, Styles does a nice job here, ending verse 2 with "daddy go and get that cash"/ that's what my honey holla out every time i hit that ass.
The song tells the story of Styles hustling with a woman whom he is also romantically involved. This tale is by no means new, see Biggie's Gimme da Loot, however, Styles version takes it a step further by discussing the dynamics of the romantic relationship of the hustlers in crime.
1) She can sleep with another dude/ she gon' tell me where the safe at, the coke at, how to rob his mother too
At first I thought this meant she definitely cares about Styles more than previously mentioned "other dude" but it could also mean she is just telling Styles so he'll empty the safe and fill her pockets...
2) If I kiss her than her heart will melt/ you don't understand how much work she carryin in the garder belt
Previously rapped in verse 1, this lyric proves her true feelings for Styles, yet only reveals Styles appreciation of her work ethic. Let us continue...
3) And she said "daddy get that cash" / she knew i would but she didn't know i would skip that fast
So yes, like just about every other rapper, Styles stays too hard-bodied to fall for - or at least admit he has fallen for - his boo.
Despite the typical ending, Daddy Get that Cash, is anything but, and is well worth a listening.
In the 90's you had to have kids singing the hook on at least one song - see Hard Knock Life - so keeping in line with the theme of Daddy Get that Cash, Styles puts out another dope song about getting guap, this time with kids instead of Lil' Mo on the chorus. Either way works for me really.
This may be the creative triumph of the album. Styles anthropomorphizes and has conversations with his gun, his knife, his money, and his weed. As the story unfolds, Styles realizes despite his love for his weapons and hatred of the power money holds over him, all he wants to do is smoke and write a verse. As for me, I'm glad he did.
This song is a classic pairing of Pharoahe Monch and Styles. Dope beat, dope rhymes, what else y'all want?
Bonus Styles tracks:
The most divisive Styles song of all time. You either love the beat or think it's garbage.
Another classic pairing.
Random song, I just love the beat and the simplicity of the hook.
Now this has to be the best Akon song of all time right? First of all, it is about being in prison and Akon's whole essence is rooted in the fact that he is a former convict, hence the name A-kon and Konvict records. Second of all the beat is ridiculous. Third of all, if this isn't the best Akon song than it has to be Soul Survivor, I mean that one's got Jeezy on it, so you make the call.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Fly Society: New Orleans Native Finds Life After Lil' Wayne
Editor's Note: Well literally the same day I posted this Curren$y dropped a new mixtape, Super Tecmo Bowl, his 5th in the last five months. Check it out here. I won't have an opinion on it til the end of the week. One.
Curren$y the Hot Spitter was a longtime member of Lil' Wayne's Young Money imprint. However, after never seeing a release date in sight nor ever capitalizing off the success of his only single, Where Da Cash At, Curren$y sought after and was granted his release. Now on his own, the New Orleans native has created the Fear and Loathing in New Orleans mixtape series, releasing one new tape each of the last four months. Today, we are going to take a look at the fourth installment.
First thing of note to me was the names of the tracks: Sky Barz, Lost in Transit, Stealth Technology, and Intergalactic Society. These tracks, coupled with the title Fear and Loathing, make me wonder what effect Curren$y may have had on Lil' Wayne getting hooked on the styrofoam cup and believing he is a Martian. What happened on that bus with Weezie that got both of these guys thinking they are other-worldly? Who knows, but whatever the reason, it is certainly for the best.
Fear and Loathing is a solid mixtape. I always thought Curren$y had a good smooth voice and now he has the right selection of beats, and lyrics to match. I always appreciate humility and honesty in rap and Curren$y is the first to tell you the first verse he ever wrote was 5 minutes full of crimes he never committed and girls he never talked to.
On the side: Is every first verse a kid writes a run-on of braggadocio lies? Curren$y's line reminded me of the first line of Aw Naw, my first song was like 48 bars with no hook, which in turn reminded me of the first verse I ever wrote, which was something about liking girls as much as pizza.
Spitter goes on to rap about taking dates out in a Lambo he borrowed from a famous rapper friend but tells her not to worry, the Chevy in the drive is his, plus he'll be in his own Lambo soon. Fear and Loathing makes me think he may be right.
On the side: The mixtape has 3 references to the Celtics. He calls them as his prediction to win (or make? I'm not sure) the finals, he shouts out Jesus Shuttlesworth, and he says he's the truth like Paul Pierce. Legit.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Someone should sample that...
So yesterday I got some old David Ruffin music to check if there was anything worth sampling on the record. Well turns out Kanye West (and DJ Kayslay) already beat me to it. Here is Common Man, which was turned into the Jay-Z classic Never Change - and the song Double Cross which became Double Crosser by Papoose. Lastly, we have I Believe to My Soul by Donny Hathaway which became I Got Love by Nate Dogg. Classic. Enjoy.
Never Change - Jay Z
Bonus: Both Joell Ortiz and Papoose, amongst others, sample A Change is Gonna Come by Sam Cooke. Which beat do you think is better? I got to go with Papoose but as far as lyricism I think I got to go with Joell and Immortal Technique. What do you think?
If you recognize any samples in any hip hop songs hit up the comment section and let me know.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
