The Future

Im just very excited for the future of the genre. Here are a few projects i'm REALLY looking forward to, and you should be also.

1. Chico and the Man
The album from the group Chico and the Man, consisting of Tonedeff and Kno of the Cunninlynguists. Kno on the beats and Tonedeff on the vocals, it should be an amazing listen. Check out the song "My Lady" that the duo released in 2007 for a taste of what's to come.

2. The Dreamer, The Believer
Common's new album, supposedly entirely produced by No I.D., due in November of 2011. Check out the single "Ghetto Dreams" featuring Nas and produced by No I.D., its a banger.

3. Detox
The album I have been waiting for FOREVER. Everyone has been waiting for this album, and at this point the expectations are so high that it will never possibly live up to the hype. The singles aren't very good so far, mainly because the good Doc doesn't provide the beats for either of them. Hopefully he provides all the production on the version that gets released.

4. Life is Good
The new Nas album, with D.J. Premier, Dr. Dre and the RZA as possible producers. The first single "Nasty" produced by Salaam Remi is already released, and it's pretty hyphy.

5. My copy of the Cunninlynguists newest album Oneirology on vinyl to come in the mail.

That is all.

Review: CunninLynguists- Will Rap For Food (October 2001)

The CunninLynguists are a Hip Hop group currently consisting of Kno, Natti, and Deacon the Villain,
with Kno hailing from Georgia and Natti and Deacon from Lexington, Kentucky. Throughout the years, the Lynguists's lineup has changed a little bit, but Deacon and Kno have been the two sailers of this ship since the beginning. The two met at a party in Atlanta and instantly hit it off. They recorded this album on no budget, and with no label. Kno provides nearly all of the beats on here (and on all CL albums), which is why Cunninlynguist's albums in general have a very consistent sound throughout, something we don't see a lot in this genre anymore. Also, Kno is my favorite beat maker of all time, so don't be surprised that I love the instrumentals on this disc.

The Cunninlynguists started off with this album, and were then signed to QN5 music, an indie record label ran out of New York City by rapper Tonedeff (who will get a review soon enough). This label to this day is still their home. Shortly after the release of this album, Florida MC and lablemate Mr. SOS joined the group, but he departed from the group after the release of the group's second album, Southernunderground, due to his inability to wash the dishes in the QN5 cafeteria (in reality, "creative differences" were cited as the reason for SOS's departure). After Mr SOS left the group, they soon recruited a new member, fellow Kentucky MC Natti (of the group Kynfolk), creating their current lineup. So that would make the CunninLynguists a trio now, yes, but at the time this album was conceived, it was just Deacon and Kno, so shut up and get over it.

This album is suprising because it doesn't sound even remotely like a modern day "southern" album, even though it was released in 2001. It sounds more like an East Coast affair, but you may find that these guys have a sound similar to that of Outkast, but i personally prefer these guys more. Sadly, this album is out of print, so you likely wont be able to find a physical copy of it anywhere. Anyway, lets get on with it.

1. Will Rap For Food
Normal rap album intro, but at least it's mildly entertaining.

2. Lynguistics
The string filled beat is excellent, and Deacon and Kno pass the mic back and forth very well, filling the great instrumental with consistenly entertaining punchlines. "Our rhymes are like an anaconda serpent's clutch". Brilliant! And at less than three minutes, this track can be replayed over and over without getting old or using up much of your time. This song is basically perfect.

3. Mic Like a Memory (Feat. Kory Calico)
And just like that, the mood of the album shifts dramatically from happy go lucky to depressed as hell. A Common vocal sample opens the song off, leading into Deacon spitting a verse about various obstacles in his life, and the lines about his deceased sister were especially touching. Kno spits a similar verse about his obstacles, talking about his parent's past drug use and how rap eases the pain in his life. The beat is perfectly melancholy, and yet when the trumpet hits, one can imagine a slight glimpse of hope in the future. Guest Kory Calico spits a mediocre verse but the song survives and ends up as a consistently entertaining track.

4. So Live!
The beat on here isn't provided by Kno, and frankly, you can tell. It's a little too bouncy and not quite as masterful as a normal Kno instrumental. The punchlines thrown around by Deacon and Kno are still pretty good and entertaining, but this is the one song on the album that i usually skip, because i just can't get over the fact that Kno didn't produce it. Also, out in the world somewhere there is a 12'' vinyl with this song and Thugged Out Since Cubscouts on it, and if you have $50 to shell out, it would be a worthy purchase.

5. Hey (Interlude)
Just more proof that Kno is a master beatsmith.

6. Fukinwitchu
The beat on here is a little more laid back and simple, allowing the rhymes to take center stage. But don't get me wrong, the beat is still really good. The chorus, consisting of vocal samples scratched together reminds me of a simpler time in hip hop, and the Eminem vocal sample was nice to hear too. Deacon and Kno's lines are actually really funny on here. I found myself laughing repeatedly during the course of this song, even if some of the lines will offend some of the more sensitive listeners.

7. Aint No Way (Feat. Anetra and Mr. SOS)
Guest Mr. SOS leads this song off with a proficient verse, but the string led beat once again is really good, except on this particular song i found that the beat overpowered the verses a little. It's still a good song merely because of the production work though, and Deacon brings more to the table than Mr. SOS so it isn't bad by any means. In fact, it isn't too bad at all.

8. Missing Children
The CunninLynguists bring it back to the more serious side on this song, and as a result, you end up hanging onto every word. The storytelling ability of Deacon The Villain is simply extraordinary, and the beat is beautiful. Deacon's verse about his sisters death is once again very touching, and you find yourself feeling a strong sympathy for him and all he's had to go through to set an example for his little brothers and attempt to make something of himself. This is really good. The beat switching up at the end was a nice touch as well.

9. Midnight (Interlude)

More proof that Kno is a better producer than you and i will ever be.

10. Thugged Out Since Cub Scouts (Feat. Jugga the Bully and Mr. Raw)
This is brilliantly played out, with each artist spitting hardcore verses about how thugged out they were as children. "In the lunch line, what you thinking dawg? I'll stab you dead in the eye with a lincoln log."
BRILLIANT! Kno's beat is a banger, the lyrics are absolutely hilarious, and this song makes a beautiful mockery of overly violent gangster rap. This is a masterpiece.

11. Kno's Diggin (Interlude)
EVEN more proof that Kno is a brilliant producer.

12. Halfanimal
Kno brings the most commercial sounding beat on here, but it's still a banger, so no complaints. According to Kno, this beat was also the only one on this album created without a sample, so i'm also a little impressed. The fun yet slightly repeteive instrumental allows Deacon to fool around and deliver punchline after punchline, and they're consistently entertaining throughout the entirety of this song. Also sampling Nas and Eminem vocals as the chorus was a pretty good idea. Not bad at all.

13. Family Ties (Feat. Anetra and Cashmere the Professional)
Wow these guys both despise their parents. Like, a lot. The stories of their broken childhoods and irresponsible parents are not only convincing, but they're told in such a fashion that leaves me hanging onto every word that Deacon and Kno say. Even i found myself despising Deacon and Kno's parents after this one. Cashmere the Pro holds his own on here as well, and if you're looking for quality underground stuff, he's a great guy to look up.

14. Dirty South
An instrumental, and an ironic one at that, because this sounds like NOTHING that would ever come out of the South.

15. Mindstate
The song starts off with an Inspectah Deck vocal sample, and since i'm an avid fan of Wu-Tang, this song immediately grasped me. The string laced beat is entirely different from "Lynguistics", and is actually somewhat depressing. However, the instrumental perfectly allows Deacon and Kno some ample space for inner reflection, which is something that a lot of hip hop lacks. This was really solid.

16. Takin' The Loss (Feat. Jugga The Bully)
The chorus is stupid, but the song is pretty good. The words get a little lost in the beat though, so for that reason, this song is only okay. This song had the potential to be amazing because Kno's beat is pretty good, as are the lyrics. But the mix of the track needs work.

17. Not Guilty
A simply amazing instrumental, provided courtesy of Kno. Listen to this a few times before moving on to the next track, trust me it's worth it.

18. 616 Rewind (Feat. Celph-Titled, Tonedeff, Kashal-Tee, and Sankofa)
Deacon and Kno recruit 4 of their MC friends to spit some bars over this Deacon beat (that's right, the other MC in C.L. can produce as well), and the results are fantastic. The name of the song is derived from the fact that there are 6 rappers spitting 16 bars each, and it's so good you want to rewind it. Get it? But yeah, this song is ridiculously good. Tonedeff, the Cunninlynguists label boss and friend rips this up, proving he is a brilliant rapper in his own right. His flow is almost too fast, but i still love it. Deacon and Kno bring some brilliant lines of their own, "I'm no nice Mr. Rodgers sued my ass for copyright infringement." What a brilliant way to end a debut album.

In Conclusion: This album is like nothing you would ever expect from a southern group. Deacon and Kno consistently shine lyrically over amazing Kno instrumentals, with an occasional feature from their very talented friends. And the best part is that the Cunninlynguists only get better from here, i promise.

So What?: Go to Amazon or iTunes right now and buy this album in its entirety. Will Rap for Food is quite possibly the best album to ever come out of the South, and that is quite the compliment. Plus, these guys still struggle to make ends meat, so please give them your money, if only to ensure that an amazingly talented group is still able to release music.

I Just don't have time.

I'm sorry but today i just don't have any time for a full post or review.
So i'll just leave you with the list of my top 5 groups, in no particular order, and my favorite song by the group. If for some reason you've never heard of them, go listen to some of their stuff while you eagerly await the next post.

Cunninlynguists- "Lynguistics"


Wu-Tang Clan- "Triumph"


Gang Starr- "Who Got Gunz"


Outkast (Pre 2004 only)- "Return of the G"


A Tribe Called Quest- "Scenario"


-Daniel

Review: Wu Tang Clan- Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) (November 9th, 1993)

The Wu Tang Clan is my favorite rap group of all time, hands down. So am i a little biased towards this album? Of course i am. But am i going to write about it anyway? OF COURSE I AM.

The Wu Tang Clan is a group of 9 MC's originating from New York, consisting of The RZA, The GZA, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, Masta Killa, Ol' Dirty Bastard, U-God and Method Man. In the early 90's the RZA had a vision to create a supergroup of the best New York MC's, and he followed through on that vision. He contacted both of his cousins, GZA and Ol' Dirty, and they formed a mini group, however the RZA's roomate, Ghostface Killah, soon wanted in, and the group expanded. The RZA contacted his friends from around Staten Island, and GZA contacted some guys from Brooklyn, and the next thing we knew, the Wu Tang Clan was formed. The Wu Tang Clan gathered in The RZA's basement, anywhere from 2-7 MC's at a time in the tiny basement studio, and banged out a 12 track album, with every track produced by the RZA. This album created the careers of 9 talented MC's, one of the best beatmakers of our time, and inspired hundreds of rappers even a decade after its release. But does it still hold up today? Let's find out.

1. Bring Da Ruckus
The album starts off with a classic kung fu sample that leads into a hard RZA beat, and a brilliant lead off verse from Ghostface, followed up by a classic Raekwon verse. The chorus simply consists of Rza screaming "Bring da Ruckus!", and then Inspectah Deck proceeds to tear up the instrumental next with my favorite verse he drops in his entire career: "I rip it, hardcore, like porno flick bitches, i roll with groups of ghetto bastards with biscuits", and then GZA bats cleanup and sounds as good as expected. If this was your first introduction to the Wu Tang Clan, you would instantly understand why they took over the 90's rap scene.

2. Shame on a N***a
Starts off with another Kung Fu Sample (Man i miss those), and then ODB and Method Man proceed to rip up another fantastic RZA beat. The beat's change during the beat is awesome too. Raekwon pops up for a minute too but he doesn't make as significant of an impact as Dirty and Meth do. This was really good.

3. Clan In Da Front
This is GZA' solo shot. This song starts off with the RZA reading off his list of Facebook friends over a sick beat, but then the beat switches to the actual beat for this song, and its an undisputed classic. The GZA spits with wonderful lyricism, meanwhile doing it over a filthy RZA loop. This is about as good as it gets.

4. Wu Tang: 7th Chamber
Starts off with a semi-interesting interlude between Raekwon, Method Man, and Ghostface Killah, however it's so slang filled i only understood about half of all the words that were said. Then, a simple, yet mesmerizing beat takes over your brain. Pretty much the first "Wu Tang Possy Cut", and its pretty damn good.

5. Can It Be All So Simple
Ehh, its alright, but this is my least favorite serious song that the Clan has ever put out. The beat is just too boring, which is surprising because this is the only bad beat on the entire disc.

6. Da Mystery Of Chessboxin'
The beat is almost perfect. Its one of my favorite hip hop beats EVER. U-God leads it off well, and Inspectah Deck rips the beat into pieces. Raekwon holds his own, and ODB entertains really well, but the show stealer on this gem is Ghost, who brings his A game to the booth. Masta Killa makes his only appearance on this track as well, and he impresses in the first verse we ever hear from the guy. But Ghost wins. Great song.

7. Aint Nothin' to F*** Wit
The song you've all heard, and it still holds up to this day. The beat is dirty and pretty good, RZA brings his old flow to the table and the Rebel INS tears it up again, but that shouldn't be much of a surprise to anyone. Method Man holds his own as well. Classic track in most hip hop heads opinions but its not as good as some other songs on this album.

8. C.R.E.A.M.
C.R.E.A.M. = Cash Rules Everything Around Me. Get it? good. Now that we got that out of the way, lets continue. This is by far the most famous song in the Wu's catalog, and for damn good reason. The beautiful piano driven beat is a monster, and Raekwon and Inspectah Deck consistently hold your attention with their tales of their street struggles. Brilliantly done. The video is pretty cool too, because Method Man has his old school fro, and it's pretty entertaining  to see.

9. Method Man
The skit before this song is actually pretty hilarious as Meth and Rae go back and forth talking about torture for a while. Then the old school beat hits and Method Man plays around for a few minutes. As far as Wu-Tang solo cuts go, this isn't bad, but it's not quite at "Clan in Da Front"'s level. A couple more verses on here and it would've been better, but then the title wouldn't make much sense now, would it?

10. Protect Ya Neck
The first single, and the first song to feature all members of the clan (sans Masta Killa). It was the first single for damn good reason. Although some of the verses sound a little amateurish compared to the Clan's more modern output, this is still really good. The beat is great, and all of the lyrical swordsmen bring it on this one. This is considered a classic song by most critics, and i am inclined to agree..

11. Tearz
This is a serious Wu Tang song done right. The opening interlude is a little annoying but necessary as it sets the premise for the song. I really dig the sample because it sets the song up perfectly, and the beat is REALLY good even if it sounds a little super-mario esque. Ghostface's verse is really good; you can hear the raw emotion in his voice, and the RZA gets pretty emotional on this track as well. "How can i say goodbye? It's always the good ones that have to die."

12. Wu Tang 7th Chamber Pt. 2
Simply a remix of an earlier track, and it isn't quite as good. Thats all i really got.


In Conclusion: This album is a classic for good reason. The RZA's grimy beats still sound amazing to this day, and the clansmen all bring it lyrically, because at this point, they were all really hungry MCs. This album definitely holds up well over time, and i was pleasantly surprised at how filthy these tracks still sound. If you enjoy rap at all, especially hardcore eastcoast rap, then this is the most logical place to start.

So What?: This album was an inspiration to hundreds of rap artists and spawned the careers of 9 great MCs. You need to have this album somewhere on your iPod or your computer. Seriously. It's that good.

Favorite Tracks: "Bring Da Ruckus", "Shame on a N***a", "Clan in Da Front", "Da Mystery Of Chessboxin'", "C.R.E.A.M.", "Protect Ya Neck"


-Daniel

Review: Kanye West- Graduation (September 11th, 2007)

For the second review, once again i decided to go with a pretty commercially popular album, but one that has a lot of critical acclaim along with it too. Everyone has heard of Kanye West. He started out as Jay-Z's go to producer and Roc-a-Fella's in house producer in the early 2000's, and he was largely responsible for the sound of Jay's classic album, The Blueprint. He was finally able to convince his boss and the label to allow him to rap, and ever since then a star was born. In 2004, he dropped The College Dropout (an album he had been recording on his own for over 4 years), introducing himself to the masses. The album sold over 400k its first week and has since gone 4 times platinum, meaning we would hear a lot more from Mr. West in the future. Kanye started up his own label, G.O.O.D. Music, and signed Consequence, GLC, and Common. He then began work on his second album, Late Registration, released in 2005, to just as much critical and commercial success, going platinum once again and earning 5 mics in The Source. This brings us to his next effort, 2007's Graduation. 50 Cent decided to get a little cocky, and challenged Kanye to a sales competition of their two albums, threatening to retire if he lost. Of course 50 Cent lost, and of course he didn't retire, but hey, it was a good story right? But at the end of the day, publicity doesn't matter if the music isn't any good. So without further ado, my answer to the question "Is it actually any good?"

1. Good Morning
Kanye's beat is laid back and relaxing, but it's still pretty good, and the vocals during the chorus are a nice change of pace as well. Lyrically Kanye has never been considered as one of the greats, but this song isn't bad lyrically at all. In fact, i found myself really enjoying this. The music video isn't bad either, for those of you that care.

2. Champion
Short, sweet, and to the point. The beat isn't bad at all, and i find myself really digging the sample, even though it could get a little annoying. But this song is short enough to prevent that from happening. Kanye was quoted as saying that this album would have a lot more synths involved on the production, and he's kept up with that promise on the first two tracks at least.

3. Stronger
Yes, everyone and everyone's sister knows this song. But is it any good? Yeah it is. Sampling Daft Punk is pretty lame, but the execution isn't bad, and the other aspects of the beat rock. This is just classic Kanye just babbling over a beat for four minutes, and he fails to deliver another verse where there was definitely room for one, but i digress. Not bad, but i wouldn't want to listen to this every day.

4. I Wonder
The slow piano combined with the synths makes for a really nice beat, and even though Kanye adopts an unorthodox flow, this still ended up being okay, but it doesn't compare to Stronger at all.

5. Good Life (Feat. T-Pain)
This song would have been just fine without T-Pain, thanks. Kanye brings nothing to the plate lyrically, and the beat isn't good enough to save this song. It's fun, sure, but from a Hip Hop head's perspective, this isn't any good. It was entertaining when Kanye adopted a classic 50 Cent line though.

6. Can't Tell Me Nothing
This was released as the first single, and wasn't really appreciated at the time. However, this is my favorite song on the album so far. The beat is pretty epic, the samples are always fun to sing along to, and Kanye delivers one of his better lyrical performances so far. Nicely played.

7. Barry Bonds (Feat. Lil Wayne)
The beat's change-up during the chorus is the single positive aspect of this song. The beat is lackluster, Kanye says nothing important, and Lil Wayne is his usual self, meaning this song is very skip-worthy.

8. Drunk and Hot Girls (Feat. Mos Def)
In a move that foreshadowed Mos Def's signing to G.O.O.D. Music, Mos Def appears on this. He doesn't actually spit a verse, but his vocals are actually pretty good. Kanye's beat is abnormal for him atlas, as is the lyrical topic, but i pretty much liked this song. Kanye West can make the worst topics and make them mildly entertaining. I wouldn't recommend this for everyone though, so be wary.

9. Flashing Lights (Feat. Dwele)
Officially my new favorite song on the album. The beat is majestic, the lyrics are on point, and Kanye actually tells a story on this one, so color me impressed. Great track.

10. Everything I Am
This song has scratches from freakin' DJ Premier. DJ PREMIER! I love it. The scratches are good, the slow paced, piano laced instrumental is really good, and Kanye gets a little serious on this track. This one will probably appeal to a few of the hip hop heads, more so than any other track on this album.

11. The Glory
Kanye supposedly gave this beat originally to Common during the 2005 sessions for Common's album, Be, but Common decided not to use this beat after all, allowing Kanye to grace this wonderful beat. Not a bad song, but not the best this album has to offer either.

12. Homecoming (Feat. Chris Martin of Coldplay)
The beat is a monster, both upbeat and instantly memorable, and Kanye's reminiscing rings through very well. Another standout track, even though you've probably heard this one on the radio.

13. Big Brother
Kanye spends this whole song toasting his "big brother" Shawn Carter, and it isn't half bad. The beat is slightly lacking, but Kanye's verses keep me intrigued more than the beat ever could. This song is interesting and mildly entertaining, but not in the usual way.


In Conclusion: Kanye West's Graduation is a pretty damn good album. The chipmunk soul is gone, replaced with samples of 80 disco records and synth fueled beats throughout. Kanye really stepped up his delivery on this one; he genuinely sounds excited to be rapping. Sure there are some lackluster efforts on here (cough cough BARRY BONDS cough cough), but in general, the stupendous tracks far outweigh the crappy tracks.

So What?: Buy it in a store, in iTunes, or wherever else music is sold. You'll love it.

Favorite Tracks: "Good Morning", "Stronger", "Can't Tell Me Nothing", "Flashing Lights", "Everything I Am", "Homecoming", "The Glory"

-Daniel

Review: Kid Cudi - Man on the Moon: The End of the Day (September 15th, 2009)

I'm going to start the first review of this blog's history with one of a fairly new, yet majorly popular new rapper. I'm talking of course about Kid Cudi. He released a subpar mixtape that people speak of as legendary but frankly, it sucks. However, when i heard a few of the singles from his new album on the internet, i was intrigued, if not a bit impressed. So i decided to pick up a copy if his debut album for myself with a 20 dollar bill i found lying on the ground. I listened to it that first day 3 or 4 times all the way through and i haven't listened to it very much since, because i wanted to sit back and listen to it again with fresh ears so i don't sound biased. Anyway enough about me, let me get to the man of the hour, Kid Cudi. 

Kid Cudi was born and raised in Cleveland Ohio, and everybody knows that cleveland sucks (With the exception of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony), which is probably why he doesn't repeatedly mention that he likes his hometown like every other rapper on the planet. Near the end of high school he began rapping accapella in front of his mirror, and while he was at college he teamed up with a producer by the name of Dot Da Genius,  who supplied CuDi with beats to rhyme over, one of which eventually became the beat of the hit single, "Day n' Night."

Well that crappy mixtape i was talking about earlier? Yeah it somehow ended up in the hands of none other than Kanye West, who has a crappy taste in music at times. I mean he had Paul Wall on his album (even though the song itself is pretty good, Paul Wall still sucks). Anyway, Kanye thought it was legit, so he signed the kid to his label, G.O.O.D. Music. Soon after, Kid Cudi was featured on Kanye's autotune aided album, 808's and Heartbreak, which introduced Cudi to the masses. Cudi then released that hit single, which i will get to later, and BAM, now we have this album, Man On The Moon: The End Of The Day. Lets do this.

1. In My Dreams (Cudder Anthem)

I guess you can call this an intro, but it doesn't totally suck. CuDi is singing on here, like the whole time, which sorta pisses me off but whatever. The beat is somewhat majestic and a little sleepy, but it sets the tone for the sound of the album, however it tends to lean more towards the side of sleepy. Thats all well and good, but then Common comes in and talks unnecessarily.

2. Soundtrack 2 My Life

Yes, all of you have heard this song, and yeah it's pretty good. Even though the beat is extremely simplistic, it still rocks, and CuDi rips it apart accordingly. The first few lines are probably Cudi's most quotable. "I got 99 problems, and they all bitches, wish i was jigga man, care free livin, but im not Shawn, or that Martin Louis, im just that cleveland n***a rollin with them brooklyn boys". This song is one of the reasons i remember purchasing this album, and trust me, you will not be disappointed with this joint, although i find myself not loving it like i used to.

3. Simple As…

Starts out with some freaky sample of people saying "A,B,C,1,2,3". Get it? simple as A,B,C! Yeah i didn't think it was funny or clever either. This beat is just too boring, consisting of just drums and an annoying ass sample. Sure Kid Cudi sounds fine, but i fell asleep after listening to about 30 seconds of this. Oh and there's Common again, failing to say, or do anything of substance! yay! PASS.

4. Solo Dolo (Nightmare)

The beat sounds like some weird oriental harp or something, and sadly this becomes a recurring theme on the album; boring beats. Sure the vocals on this track aren't too bad, but i don't even know what a "Solo Dolo" is. Even if he's getting introspective with his lyrics, that doesn't make the song any good. Skip this one too.

5. Heart of A Lion (Kid Cudi Theme Music)

This song definitely picks up right where "Soundtrack 2 My Life" left off. Sure, CuDi got a no-name producer for this track, but this beat isn't too bad, and when the beat goes for a bit of a walk during the chorus,it's a much appreciated change of pace. The half sing/half rap thing continues, so this song only ends up as merely alright in my book.

6. My World (Feat. Billy Craven)

This song was produced by Kanye's righthand man, and you can tell by the annoying "quacks" that laced this instrumental just as they did in the MUCH more entertaining "Run This Town". This song was borrrrrring. skip it.

7. Day n' Night (Nightmare)

Okay, if you haven't heard this song, you need to get out more. This song got an assload of airplay, but the song deserves it. The beat is deep and mellow, and even though it is a bit repetitive, it's still pretty good. CuDi grabs the beat and rides it fairly wel, spitting some actual deep lines for a radio friendly song, even though i bet he was baked when he recorded this. Still a dope song anyway (get it?).

8. Sky Might Fall

Now this song actually was produced by Kanye, and to be honest you can't really tell. There's no chipmunky soul sample or anything! The bass on this beat is crazy though, and it bumps hard in your car. The chorus is pretty good, which is also a recurring trend of this album, however this is a trend that i hope continues for a while. Definitely a quality track.

9. Enter Galactic (Love Connection Part 1)

I can't tell if he's saying "inter-galactic" or "enter galactic" but i assume the latter, considering the title of the song. The beat kind of sounds like something you would hear at a coffee house with some techno influence. This beat sounds more fit for Common's talents, but hey, its a passable track i guess.

10. Alive (Nightmare) (Feat. Ratatat)

This song is produced by the man who stars along CuDi on this gem of a track, Ratatat. The chorus, once again, kicks serious ass, and the two MC's beast this this track up and down. The beat is again simplistic, and this time like "Soundtrack 2 My Life" the simplicity actually works, creating one of the better tracks on the album.

11. Cudi Zone

The beat gets all techno in the beginning, but then it comes back down to earth and we start to hear Kid CuDi, who rhymes solidly over this track. The beat also wanders a little bit during the chorus which i really enjoy. This song is the first song with a lame ass chorus, from a lyrical standpoint "My mind sounds like wooo-oooo". yeah it sounds just as bad as it reads.

12. Make Her Say (Featuring Kanye West and Common)

This song samples Lady Gaga, as i'm sure you can all tell from the outset. Kid Cudi and common sound very good over this ode to the ladies, but Kanye West absolutely steals the show by rhyming in such disgusting detail about a hypothetical sexual encounter that it just makes me laugh. The only person who can out-rhyme kanye about a sexual affair is Ghostface Killah, but Def Jam has seemed to have forgotten about that amazing man, but hopefully he'll move labels soon. Well thats an argument for another time i guess.

13. Pursuit of Happiness (Nightmare) (Feat. MGMT and Ratatat)

Another production credit to Ratatat and another good beat. The beat is extremely simple again and a little trippy, but in a fantastic way, which paves the way for Cudi to rhyme endlessly about drugs. In the end he seemingly overdoses on weed. I'm just about 100% percent sure you can't do that no matter how hard you try, but its a fantastic song anyway.

14. Hyyerr (Feat. Chip tha Ripper)

This is the kind of beat i was waiting the ENTIRE album to hear, heavy on the soul sample and delicious instrumental in the background. Chip tha Ripper adds a quality verse, but CuDi definitely spits the better one. Just one more time, this beat is really good. I got a nice vibe from this track. Well done.

15. Up Up & Away

This beat seems too celebratory. After an entire album of depression, drugs, women and lonely childhoods, CuDi emerges seemingly unscathed. How do you get from such a crappy mood to such a great one? Lets assume drugs until proven otherwise. As for the actual song? its not too bad despite that one complaint, but the beat isn't hard enough for my tastes. Oh, hi again Common.

In Conclusion: Well this is definitely better than i remember it, even though the first half of the album consists of some of the most boring instrumentals i can ever remember hearing. The choruses on almost all of the songs work well compared to most rap songs of the day, and even the one song that has an awful chorus is still a solid track regardless. I am slightly reminded why i bought this album in the first place, because even though all the kid rhymes about is how sad he is and how much he smokes, you have to respect him for not just taking the easy way out and rhyming about breasts.

So What?: A lot of people are going to like this album, but i personally don't. It's too depressing and too radio friendly to consistently make my playlist. But ALOT of people will like this album, so give it a spin yourself and tell me what you think.

Best Tracks : "Soundtrack 2 My Life", "Heart Of a Lion", "Day n' Night", "Alive", "Make Her Say", "Hyyer"


-Daniel

Welcome!

This is the first ever post of the newly established hip hop blog "Dusty Drums and Soul Samples". I established this blog to hopefully create excitement around the genre that i love so deeply: Hip Hop. Based on the title of the blog, you can guess that i'm a big fan of old school hip hop, and you would be correct. Nothing floats my boat like some hard drums and a great sample dug out of the crates.  This blog will feature track by track reviews of old school albums, new school albums, albums that i love, albums that i don't quite love, or any other album in between that i deem deserving of a review. I also plan to post some of my favorite music videos, singles, or any other rap related news that i feel deserves to be commented on. Anyone reading this blog can send me an email at dustydrumsandsoulsamples@yahoo.com, requesting an album to be reviewed or a video to be posted, etc. Feel free to comment on any post, because it's nice to know that my work isn't going unnoticed. I'll start by leaving a link to the new album of my favorite rap group, Cunninlynguists. Please support the artists by buying this album. I will eventually review it of course, but in the meantime give it a spin and tell me what you think. Enjoy.

http://cunninlynguists.bandcamp.com/

Seriously. It's really good.