If you told me six months ago that I’d be featuring a song by T.I. as hip-hop track of the week, I probably would’ve laughed at you. But I’m really digging the verse he contributed Not Lost, one of my favorite tracks from B.o.B’s “No Genre” mixtape. Not Lost features an infectious chorus, and three nice verses about staying strong in the face of adversity. Click below to listen to B.o.B’s Not Lost:
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And proceed through the break to follow along with the lyrics. (more…)
I normally don’t post nostalgic hip-hop songs that talk about some past golden era of hip-hop. I guess I’ve just got tired of them, as it seems like every emcee these days makes a throwback track. But I made an exception for this week’s track of the week. Celph Titled & Buckwild’s Miss Those Days is an ode to hip-hop from the ’90s, and is a good example of the duo’s direction in their new throwback album “Nineteen Ninety Now.”
Something about this track just makes me feel relaxed, and the theme hits well for me this time of year, as everybody starts to reminisce about the end of the decade. Click below to listen to Celph Titled & Buckwild’s Miss Those Days:
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And proceed through the break to follow along with the lyrics. (more…)
It was very difficult picking out just one featured quotable from Eligh’s “Grey Crow” – as the album was filled with dope lyrical and quotable tracks. But I picked this one because it is a song about future intentions, which I found very creative. When I’m A Dad is a song about things Eligh plans to teach his children when he becomes a father. The track touches on things that happened to Eligh as a child, and how they will influence the type of father he will be. Click below to listen to Eligh’s When I’m A Dad:
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And proceed through the break to follow along with the lyrics. (more…)
This week’s underground hip-hop track of the week is Eligh’s Love Ov My Life, one of my favorite tracks from his new album “Grey Crow.” While it’s a little cliche these days to talk about hip-hop as a woman you’re in love with, this track really hits for me both musically and lyrically – and is one of many relaxing tracks on the new album. Love Ov My Life features verses by fellow Living Legend Luckyiam, and vocals by Paris Hayes. Click below to listen to Eligh’s Love Ov My Life:
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I started cracking up the minute I heard this, because I agree with pretty much everything Esoteric says on I Hate Flying. The song, which features a hilarious story about a bad airplane experience, stands out as one of the best tracks on 7L & Esoteric’s “1212.” 7L’s chorus samples lyrics from Jay-Z’s Ignorant Shit, a track from his “American Gangster” album, while Esoteric’s three verses manage to cover everything we all hate about flying. Click below to listen to 7L & Esoteric’s I Hate Flying:
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And proceed through the break to follow along with the lyrics. (more…)
One of the big things I love about the current evolution of the hip-hop industry and business model is the new way tracks are released to the public. In preparation for their albums, both mainstream and underground hip-hop artists leak multiple songs to the blogs and websites. It is a great way to preview an album and to get free music. The tracks below are some of my favorite songs and quotables through June, 2010. Most are available for FREE download, and many have the lyrics posted:
The Roots’ upcoming album “How I Got Over” is probably my most anticipated album of the year. Dear God 2.0 is the second leak from the record, which is scheduled to drop in late June, and features Jim James and Monsters of Folk – serving as a remake of Monsters of Folk’s original Dear God. If you like this, check out the upcoming album’s title track How I Got Over. Click below to listen to The Roots’ Dear God 2.0:
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And click the following link to download the track for FREE: Download
Talib Kweli’s Papers Please is the third, and undoubtedly the best, hip-hop response to the Arizona immigration bill that I’ve come across in the past couple of weeks. It’s nice to see the hip-hop community getting involved. If you like this, check out Toki Wright’s By the Time I Get to Arizona 2010 and Chuck D’s Tear Down That Wall. Click below to listen to Talib Kweli’s Papers Please:
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And click the following link to download the track for FREE: Download
Big ups to the cats from Thizzler On The Roof for sending this over. The Doorman Song is a brand new track from Mystik Journeymen (Sunspot Jonz & Luckyiam), off the upcoming retail version of “Return 2 The Love.” The track features fellow Living Legends crew member The Grouch, and is produced by San Francisco-based producer BOAC. Click below to listen to Mystik Journeymen’s The Doorman Song:
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And click the following link to download the track for FREE: Download
I was taken aback a little by this track, as it demonstrates what I feel is a big evolution in Random’s sound and rhyme style. If this is what we can expect from Big Ran’s upcoming EP with producer EOM, “Language Arts,” then we have a lot to look forward to. You can also download Random’s Pain in my Heart for FREE here.
