Hip-Hop eXcellence

Slaughterhouse set it off

2014-11-14T21:25:00.000+01:00

Fairly new track. And no, I'm not sponsored by Shady Records. Which is too bad...

Count on Preemo to bring a classy old-school beat! And that's exactly what Slaughterhouse needed to shine, in my opinion. When Em recruited 'em (pardon), I quickly found out that the guys are no pushovers, every one of them is a competent rapper and writer at the very least. I wanted very much for them to become a fav. group of mine, but... Despite Shady backing, it seemed to me that they're going in the wrong direction, and maybe that had something to do with Em - I would think that he was behind the mainstream sound of "Welcome to Our House", the group's first "big" studio album. Probably going by his experience, but the thing is, whatever his haters say, none of his own albums was as commercial and/or mainstream sounding like the aforementioned SH album. I just couldn't connect with the music... The guys rapped great on it mostly, of course, but I only found 2 or 3 tracks on it that I listened to repeatly, and even those aren't on my playlist nowadays.

So, this was just what I needed from them! Absolutely great track off of the upcoming Shady XV. Check out Slaughterhouse: Ya'll Ready Know!

"I learned that money can't buy happiness

But I decided I'd rather do all my cryin' in the Corvette"

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Shady made me post today

2014-11-11T17:20:00.000+01:00

So, long time no see, whatever, yadda-yadda-yadda...

My type of audience (if I have any) probably already knows that Shady XV is gonna' get released soon (november 24, to be eXact). For those that don't: it's a double album celebrating 15 years of Shady Records. One of the albums is sort of a "greatest hits" from various artist who have worked with Shady over the years, the other contains new material from the current roster.

Now, today we got some dope stuff from Eminem and co. First, the Shady CXVpher (cypher, stylised), which is an epic thing in itself, but I'm not gonna' feature that, because this blog is about songs. :) Just search youtube for "Shady CXVpher" or "Shady XV Cypher", and check what you can find. (The whole stuff is 18 minutes long.) Slaughterhouse, Yelawolf, and Em all go in real hard, although acapella, which may be weird for some, but the focus really shifts on the bars this way. All are great, but Eminem is... just crazy.

The other thing we got is a song, namely "Detroit vs. Everybody" by Eminem, Royce da 5'9", Big Sean, Danny Brown, Dej Loaf and Trick Trick. It's great. The music is fuckin' great. Royce is great. Eminem is King. Trick Trick just talks a little outro, and the other three I can't tell from each other :D, but none is bad; well, the one right before Em is mighty weird, but gets a pass for now... :D

So, behold "Detroit vs. Everybody", and wait patiently (or less so) until the album(s) drop!

Can't quote anything, 'cuz I've heard the goddam' track only once yet... :D

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Got the guts for a deep track?

2014-08-25T20:00:00.000+02:00

Eminem just released a new song, featured in Denzel Washington's new movie - The Equalizer -, or at least its trailer. Aaaaand what's even more important: something called "Shady XV" will come out on Black Friday, which will be November 28. Some sources speculate it's a new album. I was mad happy with these news for a few minutes, then it dawned on me that it's a suitable title - and 15 years in the biz is suitable time - for an anthology type album, like Curtain Call, but maybe a double album or something like that. With three or four new tracks for good measure. Whatever it is tho', it's still great news. :)

***Update***: Stumbled upon new stuff since I wrote the post.
Seems I was right in my assessment. According to a Billboard's article, "Shady XV" will be a double album. One CD of it *will* be a "greatest hits", but the other will be entirely new material from Em and his currently associated acts: Slaughterhouse, Bad Meets Evil, D12.
So, not as great as a "proper" new album, but I'm still eXcited. :)

About the track: it's a really deep, honest self-study from Em, and somewhat, maybe largely uplifting by its end. It's really similar to Not Afraid in that sense - he even states in the lyrics that he'd rather make Not Afraid 2 (you just did you crazy old blonde devil!) than another We Made You (come now, I like that track a lot too!)
Yeah, so without analyzing it further - I just listened to it a couple of times myself; need a few more -, I think I can conclude that it's a song about conquering your own inner fears. And it's beatiful - adding to that is Sia's chorus, which is written from Em's point of view too. So, have a listen!

"The legend of the angry blonde lives on through you when I’m gone"

Em just never ceases to amaze. Not too long ago he wowed the world with his insanely technical lyrics and flow on Rap God, and now here is a number that's much more straightforward, even simple, maybe - but it takes you back, makes you think, makes you empathize with him, gives you motivation. So there is that. Let's hope he continues to rap until his voice gets funny. :D

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I am for real, Ms. Jackson!

2014-08-18T20:30:00.000+02:00

Outkast is an interesting little duo. If I wanted to define their style in as few words as possible, then I'd say it's funky hip-hop. But they - André 3000 and Big Boi - really like to experiment, and fuse a lot of other genres' elements into their music. They took directions that I wasn't happy with, and I became disinterested in them, but we can't deny that they're one of the most successful hip-hop acts, with multiple Grammy awards in their inventory.

Anyway, back to 2000 yet again! The song is Ms. Jackson. It's about differences with one's baby's momma's momma. But everybody liked it for its nice piano melody, catchy hook and its awesome music video - in which animals rap, sing, and bob head along with the track in a run-down house that's about to fall apart, in the middle of a storm.

See it for yourself!

"You can plan a pretty picnic, but you can't predict the weather"

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Gangster rap made me act like a maniac

2014-08-12T20:30:00.000+02:00

Looking back at my posts on this blog, it surprised me a little that I haven't featured D12 yet. Time to rectify that. :)

(Bizarre is one sexy beast, ain't he?)

How to best describe this song? Hmm, I got an idea! This kind of music is...

"This kind of music, use it, and you get amped to do shit
Whenever you hear some shit and you can't refuse it
It's just some shit, for these kids, to trash they rooms with
Just refuse whenever they asked to do shit
The type of shit that you don't have to ask who produced it
You just know, that's the new shit
The type of shit that causes mass confusion
And drastic movement of people actin' stupid"

Yes, you guessed it - it's FIGHT MUSIC!
(Shitty censored video, but couldn't find an uncensored one. :/ Still a great track in this form too tho', so if you don't already know it, just check it! If you like it, you'll listen to the album version anyway sooner or later... :))

"You'll never stop me, I'm top speed as you pop me"

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Wu-Tang Day

2014-08-11T20:30:00.000+02:00

The Wu-Tang Clan is a hip-hop supergroup consisting of east-coast emcees, if an introduction is needed. I don't think it is on this blog, unless you just randomly stumbled upon it. :)

I'm going to share a huge summer hit from them - it was 2000's summer if my memory serves. What a great time-period that was for rap! :)
Now, back to the stone age, bitchez! :) Check out "my" Gravel Pit:

"On your radio, blowin' out yo' watts"

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Don't be mad!

2014-08-07T20:30:00.000+02:00

I already featured 2Pac here, with a hard-ass diss track. This time it's gonna' be a much more serene, calm song, which happened to be a big favorite of mine - still is, by all means. And of course it is; that's why I'm posting the songs I'm posting. :D

This has been a "calm down, relax" track of mine for a long time. Because of its title, chorus and the soothing piano melody. Lyrics were secondary for me in this case, although of course it helps that they're good, and delivered well, as expected from Pac. It's about people, friends changing (for better or worse), he himself changing, and understandig that. Hell, going by this, this track could be "Changes", which is another great one, I'll probably put it up someday too. :)

'til then, "I Ain't Mad At Cha":

"I guess change is good for any of us"

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Taking the High Road

2014-08-06T20:30:00.000+02:00

Fort Minor is basically Mike Shinoda from Linkin Park, collaborating, on some level, with Styles of Beyond. As of now, they only did one album under that name, sadly, because it's kinda' great.

The album - titled "The Rising Tied" - has a consistently good standard quality throughout, and a few standout tracks. One of these is "High Road", featuring John Legend, whom I really like since Django Unchained (Check out "Who did that to you?", if you're unsure!). Too bad it never became a single - I think it could've been a hit.
Anyway, FM have a new, fresh, modern sound in hip-hop (still, despite the fact that the album hails from '05). In a good way. I'm oldschool above all else (with my taste in music), but this - among a few other acts - shows that "new school" can be done right. (If you don't know FM yet,) Don't expect the typical new techno, dubstep infused trap and crap style trash! :D This is real rap on real music.

Have a listen! (official upload - thank god!:))

"Keep talkin' while I'm walkin' away!"

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X spots the mark (sic!)

2014-08-05T20:30:00.000+02:00

Mr. X to the Z is a long time fav. of mine. Everybody knows him, if not for his music, then for stuffing cars full of tv-s (legally) on MTV.

One of his best songs - if not THE best - is "X", off of his best album, Restless, from 2000. That song is one of my 'anthems', I bet you can guess why, looking at my name. ;)
An epic, oldschool beat with a typical westcoast sound, produced by Dr. Dre, Mel-Man and Scott Storch. And of course X spits great on it. :) It was a huge summer hit back in 2001, when my love for rap was newfound. It certainly helped in cementing this genre as my main interest in music for later years.

Ladies and Gents - Xzibit: X

"Hennessy, rock, plenty of ice, make it a double"

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Are you My Old Droog, Nas?

2014-08-04T20:30:00.000+02:00

A couple of months back, an EP came out by a largely unknown artist, and blew up the internet. Well, at least the hip-hop "quadrants" of it. It was called "Your Old Droog EP". The reason for the hype was that Your Old Droog (~friend) sounds eerily like Nas. Everyone believed it was him at first, trying to let the creative juices flow this way, as an underground, upstarting artist, without expectations, and meddling by a record label.

About two weeks later the hype died down, mainly because some people (in the music business) have claimed that they met the dude and he wasn't Nas. :D A lot of folks still won't believe it's not him tho', until they actually see Droog rappin'. Seems like we'll know the answer about a month from now, according to the pic above.
Whatever the weather; Your Old Droog sounds like a slightly pitched down Nas, that's for sure, and his techniques are very similar too. The EP is great, with absolutely old-school, funky, jazzy beats, and the dude flows really fuckin' great, with complicated rhyme-schemes and whatnot, and writes well too. He doesn't sound like a guy just starting out - he's already really skilled.
Anyway, if he's not Nas, I'm sure the whole thing was great marketing for his music, and he seems to understand it by his not reacting to it in any way, like a revealing post on a page or a video. Anyway, the mystery will be revealed on Sept. 3rd. Unless he performs wearing a mask or something. :D

Check out one of my fav. tracks from the EP - Gunsmoke Cologne!
(Actually, I'm just listening to my other fav, and I think it's even better. So Your Old Droog def. gonna' make another appearance here. ;) Ah well, I'll tell for you eager ones, that it's "You know what time it is".)

"Fuck your posse cut, I make you level with my vocab"

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A Great Kind of Dizaster

2014-08-02T20:30:00.000+02:00

Recently, I really dug into the battle rap world of today. I've found quite a few battle rappers I can sympathize with, but my favorite turned out to be Dizaster.

This dude:

Man, I gotta' say that despite I know him (his style and skills to be precise) only since about a half year back, I already consider him a legend. He's a good freestyler in the age of written battles. And very fuckin' technical with his writtens, full of complicated rhyme schemes, kinda' like Eminem.

Check out how he does unprepared - search for Dizaster vs Math Hoffa on Road To Total Slaughter; and how he eats his opponent alive when prepared - perhaps his most talked about battle from 2012, Canibus vs Dizaster, KOTD. I'll trust in your youtube-search abilities; I don't want to populate this post with a lot of embeds.

Instead, I'll put up his (only?) song. This is what it would sound like if he'd make an album. A lot of people tells him to, and he seems to think that he needs to do it sooner or later. Listening to this little oldschool sounding track here, I'd say it's better be sooner. :)

"YEEEAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!"
(from his battles, not the song :D)

Ill Minds

2014-08-01T20:30:00.000+02:00

Hopsin recently released the latest installment in his annual "Ill Mind of Hopsin" series. The first three of them was comical, "battle rap"-like underground stuff - he was not nearly as known as he is today then. The fourth was still on the funny/bashing lame rappers side, but with a much higher production value - practically it was a music video. But since the fifth, he has taken on a serious, sincere approach.

Continuing that "tradition" is Ill Mind 7. It's a really personal track. It's thought provoking. It's mostly about his recently found doubt in his faith. That's all I'm sayin' about the theme - you'll find out for yourself anyway. The beat under the rap is subtle, yet powerful, drum heavy. I like this guy equally for his production skills and lyrics, flow.
People constantly say on certain sites that he's corny. Well, if these kinds of subject matter are "corn" to you, then I suggest stickin' with rappers that sound something like this:

"I shootcho' friends with my 9mil, nigga'
I fucked yo' bitch on friday, nigga'
I'll kill yo' ass too, it's my day, nigga'
You iz nothing just a bitchass nigga'"

This shit isn't "corn"; it's gangsta', right? Yeah right... :D

Anyway, I digress. So here's the track! It cought me by surpire for the first time; it's deep. Wasn't sure how I felt about it, but I really like it now after a dozen or so listens. Not to mention he's got a few great thoughts about mindlessly following a religion, which are similar to my thinking on the subject...

"A lot of folks believe it though, but I’m not surprised

Humans are fucking dumb, still thinking that Pac’s alive"

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No rhyme or reason to my posting

2014-07-31T08:30:00.000+02:00

Okay, so, since I "operate" again, it's time to share something from my favorite artist.
Some of you may have guessed already: my subject today is The Rap God, a.k.a. Eminem.

I loved MMLP2 to bits mostly. I'm not even getting into it, 'cuz then this post would be long, and it's still not the concept. Anyway, the following song, Rhyme Or Reason is in contention if I have to select a favorite song from the CD. He just raps his ass off on a retro beat, for five minutes. I can also relate to his seemingly newfound "feelings" for his father. That aside, it's absolutely a fun track - suitable for parties but still hardcore rap.

Give it a go!

"Misery loves company - please, stay a minute!"

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Let's do this, B*tchez!

2014-07-30T20:00:00.000+02:00

High-time to start this blog again!

And with none other than a track from N.W.A., whom I feature for the first time here. "A Bitch Iz a Bitch" is a bonus track from the 2002 re-release, and it's an Ice Cube vehicle.

Nothing much to add - it's oldschool, it's funky, it's late 80s, it's mysonogistic a little bit - rappers are just playin', ladies, you know they love ya' ;) -, it's a tune you can bump your head to.

Here goes:

"Yep, you probably are."

So yeah, I'll try to post as much as I can. In the meantime, you can like the blog's Facebook page, so you'll never miss a post - well, you probably can that way too, but you know, it sounds good. :D Right here:

O-Trice is back!

2012-04-06T20:00:00.000+02:00

And I gotta say that Bottoms Up is growing on me. It wasn't as great as Cheers os Second Round's On Me at first, and I may well stay with this opinion, but considering that Dre and Em contributed little to the production in contrast to earlier albums, it's close in quality. It's kinda' "new school" and "old shool" at the same time musically, but maybe more "new" than the other two album. But Second Round had a newer style overall than the brilliant Cheers (still the best for me:), so it's natural - time goes by, things change. But I gotta say that if this was the average quality of "new school", than hip-hop would be a much better "place" right now.

So, I picked out one of the songs I liked instantly. It's produced by K&Square - he (? :D I know nothing about him/her/it. :D) produced 3 songs on the album, and I liked all three right at the first listen, so I'll keep an eye on... Him/her/it. :D

So, enjoy Ups And Downs, from Bottoms Up, by Obie Trice:

"...if they knew music we'd be up much farther"

Some new stuff for today

2012-04-04T20:00:00.000+02:00

The net's buzzin' about Kendrick Lamar and Dr. Dre's "The Recipe" since it's debut on Monday.
Now, I don't like Kendrick by default. Throw rocks at me, but to me he usually sounds awfully like Lil Wayne, at least the few "raps" I've heard from the latter. He (Kendrick) is okay lyrically at least, but has a similar weird, annoying (for me) voice and... "whiny" style, altho' not to the same extent.

The beat: everyone thought it was going to be Dre's, but it's not, it's produced by Scoop Deville. Dre admittedly added his "magic" to it in mixing tho'. Some people instantly love it, sayin' that a classic West Coast sound can be heard through it, others hate it - I was not too impressed by the first time I heard it, now I'm getting addicted to it. I have to say it's a good track from an artist I don't even like really. :D I'm starting to like Kendrick's spitting too, but Dre's is better for me, in spite of the fact that he was always more a producer than a rapper. Although he tries too hard to sound "new", like Em did on Relapse. He's still good tho'.
What's really addictive in the beat - at least to me - is the repeated sample of a woman singing - when I think of the song, that's the first thing that comes to my mind - it integrates so nicely into the beat, it must be Dre's touch. :)

But have a listen yourself; this blog was never meant to be a "rambling" one with long-ass posts, just music and my comments in a few lines. :)

Women, Weed, Weather

(The Recipe of Cali lifestyle:)

'Kay, let's get this show on the road again!

2012-04-02T20:00:00.000+02:00

Or on tracks.

Since I'm coming with Eminem's "8 Mile". I really like this song - I think it's almost on par with "Lose Yourself" on the movie's soundtrack album. I love how the train's noises are part of the beat, they integrate seamlessly into the music. And I think every single person can relate to the lyrics - well, maybe those who had an easy life since birth cannot... It even inspired me to write a short story, which I got a lot of positive responses to. (Again, it's in hungarian, so no point linking it here.)

So, Eminem: 8 Mile:

"I am no longer scared now, I'm free as a bird"

Nobody likes 50 Cent

2012-03-24T20:00:00.000+01:00

Hey, HE SAID THAT, before you start thinkin' about shooting me. :D

As I may have been already saying on this blog earlier (not too sure), I kinda' half-like 50 Cent. He made too much pop-like songs, like Candy Shop, etc... Those are whack. And he can't really rap on those either, but there are a few good enough tracks on his albums that make up for the crap ones.

Like this one here, which was a bonus song on his debut album, Get Rich or Die Tryin'. It even has a video. In this one, he definitely can rap. :D But this was before he got too famous... Check it out - Life's on The Line:

But that's okay, 'cuz he likes ya anyway... You happy?

Dissin' Thursday

2012-03-22T20:00:00.000+01:00

Now, here comes a legend. His first appearance on this blog. I think when someone says "legend" in rap circles, everybody thinks about 2Pac and Biggie, or Eminem. The last of these three has been already featured here, so I'm going for the first, simply because I like him better (I like Biggie too tho').

I had a hard time chosing a video (or song) from Pac, but at last I decided on Hit 'Em Up, essentially the biggest diss-song of all-time. This song was one of the pillars that supported the "war" between the so called "east side" and "west side" of the rap world (and the USA, geographically) in the 90's. Pac (and the Outlaws) spits some venom in this one, mostly aimed at his former friend, Notorious BIG, but a lot of others got a few words, including Puff Daddy (he wasn't always P.Diddy, or just Diddy, youngsters:), Junior M.A.F.I.A., Lil' Kim...

I also love what Em did with this song in his beef with Everlast, but that's going to be another story. In the meantime, enjoy Hit 'Em Up by 2Pac:

"Grab your Glocks when you see 2pac

Call the cops when you see 2Pac

Who shot me? But your punks didn't finish

Now you about to feel the wrath of a menace

Nigga I hit em up!"

I'm watchin' ya'll!

2012-03-20T20:00:00.000+01:00

Remember "The Watcher" from Dr. Dre's 2001? You know, the one with the Eminem hook?

It's got a part II, namely on Jay-Z's album, Blueprint 2. This one's produced by Dre too. It's essentially the same, but still sounds different. Still AWESOME! :D

The Em hook got replaced with 'I don't know who', and extended with a bridge from some chick before it. It has a verse from Jay, Dre, and Rakim, in this order, and all three does a good job. I usually listen to The Watcher and The Watcher Pt. II after one another. :)

Here it is:

"When the beat bangs it'll drive them insane" - Dre

Spazzing out

2012-03-19T20:00:00.000+01:00

I started listening to Army of the Pharaohs sometime about last summer (2011). It's a supergroup similar to Wu Tang, there are a lot of members. If you want more specific data, do your research! :D It's "led" by the Jedi Mind Tricks.

I have their "The Unholy Terror" titled album, and I gotta' say it's solid work. There are some great skill on it both in production, and in rapping. My favourite track on it is undoubtedly this one, called Spaz Out:

Now, I'd like some reheated pizza...

Madness?!

2012-03-18T20:00:00.000+01:00

Time to get this show on the road once again.

Here's an artist who's been featured here pretty recently. He's featured now again, just because he has a new song/video. I'm just trying to get used to it. I think it's good... in it's own, MAD kinda' way.

Madness?! THIS IS HOPSIN!

Hell, I'm waitin' on his album, Knock Madness. Not because of this song - somehow I think this is gonna' be the odd one out...

The Formula of Good Hip-Hop

2012-03-13T20:00:00.000+01:00

I won't waste too many words now, cuz' I'm busy with my Formula 1 themed, hungarian site. The season opener is on this weekend, so I have a lot to do. Let's honour it with The Formula, by The D.O.C.!

Real old-school stuff, this one's from 1989!

It's sad that this man had to lose his voice after a car accident, as I heard. Well, he didn't lose it, but it changed... There's going to be another one or two songs here from his same album! :)

Once again, Dre has something to do in this, cuz' he knows the Formula. :)

Back to The Roots

2012-03-12T20:00:00.000+01:00

I'm a fool for not being interested in The Roots earlier. Last year's Undun was my first ever album from them. And I've found it beautiful. That's an unusual word for describing a hip-hop album, but I can't help it, it's beautiful. Musically, conceptually. And yet, the raps are good, the lyrics are "hard". It was my fav. album around the end of last year; I've even written a review of it on one of my hungarian blogs.

All I'm sayin' is, if you're unfamiliar with the story of Redford Stevens, get Undun, and listen to it *well*!

On of my fav. tracks from it: Stomp. (In a great live performance.)

"Put the barrel in your mouth, blow the devil a kiss..."

Pants-sagging Sunday

2012-03-11T20:00:00.000+01:00

Hopsin-time!

This is a really awesome song of his. Great production, great rap, great chorus, great video. What else do you need? :) It's really weird that he isn't too famous yet, maybe there's some truth in his "Illuminati" themed lyrics. "Real artists get shelved, and whack ones get famous." (From another fav. track of mine from the same album - RAW. {that's the album's title})

He reminds me (and I'm not alone with this) of the early - MMLP era - Eminem. Clever, serious lyrics, mixed with psychotic ones :D, with good humor, good flow, and callin' out everyone he thinks whack. Like Lil' Wayne, Drake, Soulja-boy... The kind that Em made peace with, because he thinks - he's wrong there - that he was only mad at them 'cuz of his prescription-drug influenced mind. Pure luck we got Hopsin to take his place on that front! :)

I really hope that this guy will "blow up"!

Enjoy this great piece!

"I'm probably the sickest motherfucker who don't get recognized..."

Big truth there!