Listen: Park Avenue - @AgdaCoroner feat. @ActionBronson & @RocMarci; A Niles P. Joint

It’s oddly specific that this week saw two tough Brooklyn emcees release songs named after famous streets in NYC.  Both are dope, but this one carries a very different tone.  I first became aware of East New York’s AG Da Coroner from his memorable verse on an older Action Bronson mixtape.  Via his Instagram, he’s been promoting his debut album Sip The Nectar via hashtags and we finally have the first single.  Park Avenue is guitar driven (think 70s rock) and features the aforementioned Bronsolino and Roc Marciano as co stars.  The instrumental reminds me of a rock song that Martin Scorsese would use in one of his crime epics, specifically in a montage that includes people eating, counting money, and beating the shit out of someone for said money.  If they make a video for this song and none of those things happen, it’ll be a travesty.  It’s the hardest thing out in this young year.  Check it out after the break and be on the lookout for Sip The Nectar (along with a review from WTM) coming soon.

Listen: 42 (FORTY DEUCE) - @YourOldDroog; A Niles P. Joint

Last week, I wrote about a song that captured the feeling of Old New York.  This week, I ran into a song that literally talks about NYC back in the day.  Your Old Droog of Coney Island blesses us with 42 (FORTY DEUCE.) The song relates tales of the 42nd Street of yesteryear.  Despite gentrification that rendered the city touristy, Droog still retains his grime and street cred.  He remembers the city for what it was and still thrives in how it is now.  Enhancing the old school/nostalgic vibe is a beat by Marco Polo (co-produced by YOD) that samples the 1986 classic I Can’t Wait by Nu Shooz.  Do yourself a favor and close your eyes and vibe out to this song.  You almost feel like you're on the Deuce amongst homeless people, stick up kids, prostitutes, hot dog vendors, and porno theaters.  It’s a version of NYC that I guess people probably shouldn’t miss but as I’ve said before, goddamn it had character.  Listen to 42 (FORTY DEUCE) after the break.

Editorial Review: Elephant Eyes - @Omen

Chi-town's Omen shakes up the game with his latest solo offering, Elephant Eyes. 

We already know he's signed to J. Cole's Dreamville label and been featured on a lot of Cole's earlier work. After all this time, Elephant Eyes is his first studio album. The project covers a lot of themes we all could relate to. Young brother with Daddy issues journeys through a life headed for stardom. How does it effect him or the people around him? How's the love life? How does he fit in our generation? Is he going to be great or just another piece to a bigger star's puzzle? Let's get to it.

In my opinion, Elephant Eyes doesn't really kick into the swing of things until track four. Every track has a theme and is essential for the story, but it's really just built up to the climax where he really debuts his skills. Omen really spends his time in Elephant Eyes trying to find his place in this hip-hop world.

Motion Picture kicks things off. His own produced track paints Omen in a bar reflecting. It's safe to say that is the setting of the entire project. Love Drug breaks down the story of the millenial. We've become the "show and tell" generation as my mother says. There's no mystery to us because we has a sick addiction to social media. Omen isn't afraid to attack our abuse of attention. CJ Hamilton talks his sh*t off the hooks. He represents the vanity of the young boys and girls of today. His twitter name at the end of the song is sad but true. Hilarious nonetheless.

Same Jezebel. One verse. One bridge. One hook. Not much to love or hate here. A place holder that's too long to be an interlude. The self title comes next. They say elephants remember everything, so does Omen. He recalls a past love and explains why they didn't work and how she calls him elephant eyes, rough breakup too. There's a skit at the end of the song that leads into Father Figure. I broke down the song in my editor's picks a few weeks ago. Same plight of a lot of young brothers without their father in their lives. It's kind of reminiscent to J. Cole's Breakdown from the Sideline Story.

One of my favorite projects on the album is Sketches of Paranoia featuring Bas. A little bit before listening to the album I watching Omen, Bas, and Cozz on Hot 97's Ebro in the Morning. They talked about their perspective careers and how most of their production and features were in house. That explains why he chose to keep his labelmate on this song. Omen talks about trying to remain humble in his new found stardom, while battling his vices. Bas joins with a story about a man in jail and his relationship with his son.

A rap album isn't complete without a collaboration with an R&B singer. Sweat it Out enlists the talents of labelmate Ari Lennox. This slow jam samples the string section and chorus from Justin Timberlake's Set the Mood Interlude from FutureSex/LoveSounds. Her voice is so unique to me. It sounds different on every song but she really just sounds like her. Zuri said she heard an Erykah Badu influence on Backseat. I can hear hints of that in this song too. Omen's verses tell a tale of lusting for a girl that isn't his. It happens sometimes (but I wouldn't know anything about that).

The next track Foolish Pride takes us from calm, cool, collected Omen and his childhood transition to who he is today. Not exactly a troubled kid but a tested one. Anyone who's transferred to a new school knows the anxiety that follows. It's short but essentially it's a reprise of his verse on J. Cole's Enchanted on Friday Night Lights. The song is followed by a monologue from Rocky Balboa and an interaction with his son and living in his father's legacy. The skit is tailor-made for the next song Big Shadows. He's essentially just a young emcee who came up with J. Cole and doesn't want to be seen as his protege. Ironic because J. Cole is featured on the next song, Things Change. The Ron Gilmore production serves as another climatic point in Elephant Eyes. The duo transcribe their rise to fame and how it effects the women in their lives. I love this beat. It's so smooth, but still upbeat. This is great song to ride on the parkway, run on the treadmill, or mediate with. The project concludes with Zion. Like the sample from Lauryn Hill, Omen pays tribute to his love on this track. This man on the road isn't afraid to settle down. "Nothin' makes a man feel better than a women. Nothin' make a man feel better than a Queen with a crown that be down for whatever."

I really like Omen. His skills as an emcee and producer are really polished. He does a great job manipulating his voice with the melody of the music from his singing on the hooks even down to his outright rap verses. Although he's a name we are just now starting to hear on the grand scheme of things he's been around for a long time dating back to features on The Warm Up. As Dreamville grows I expect to see growth from Omen too. Elephant Eyes took a little bit to kick up but like wine all good things are worth the wait. Elephant Eyes gets 4 of 5 stars on the Ramsey Rating Scale. My favorite songs are Sketches of Paranoia, Sweat it Out, Zion, and Things Change. There are only about two skips but even they serve a purpose. The second part of the album holds the bulk of the meat in this sandwich. Listen to Elephant Eyes after the break.

Listen: B's & H's - @JheneAiko

Jhene Aiko drops a new song titled B's & H's earlier this week.

The title is short for B*tches and H*es if you didn't get the acronym. The song is straight out of any of your exes text messages (or maybe just mine). Anyways, Jhene always impresses with her songwriting prowess that many of us could feel on a personal level. This one is about that aint sh*t ex still preying on you and his other women. The production is cool. Lots of strings and guitars until the ritardando changing the mood with heavy bass and synthesizers. Listen to B's & H's after the break.

Listen: Abide - @SirElijahBlake & @MrCarmack

Word on the street the follow up to Shadows & Diamonds is here.

Last week LA singer-songwriter, Elijah Blake dropped a new mixtape Blueberry Vapors. One listen through I actually like it better than his album. I felt the same way about his Drift EP as well. I wouldn't diss him and call him a mixtape artist but as time has gone by everything he puts out gets better and better. He's not afraid to explore new sounds as he enlists EDM/Trap DJ Mr. Carmack to produce Abide for this project. The synths with his R&B/neo soul voice mesh well. I need you to feel this.

Listen: Work - @Rihanna featuring @Drake (Prod by @Boi1da)

In the past Rihanna has always impressed me with her workload. She usually drops an album annually and on one occasion two in a year. As of recently I thought she was turning into the new pop Frank Ocean.

That was until this morning she released a new song called Work. On this Boi-1da produced song she gets an assist from the north north, in Drake. The duo croon over this synth heavy, riddim beat. It's exactly what you'd expect from these two. My sources say her new album, Anti, may even drop this week making this the longest gap in between albums since her 2012 LP Unapologetic. Listen to Work featuring Drake below.

WTM Webisodes: Interview with @keysera_; A Niles P. Joint

Here at WTM, we’ve been supporters of Keys Era since day one, with multiple features, reviews and accolades. An interview was always on our wish list, which we finally got recently in Philadelphia. The good people at the October Gallery were gracious enough to accommodate us as I finally got to chop it up with the lyrical terror from Chester (PA). Watch the interview after the break.

#ICYMIMonday: Moments of Weakness Live by @sidsriram (Written by @Natural_Nation)

Based in California this incredibly talented and soulful artist has had my ear since I have been in college. In this video, Sid Sriram gives us a live rendition of his latest song Moments of Weakness. Whether it's his vocal incorporation of classical Hindustani music or the calming tone of his voice this live version has become my new favorite Sid Sriram tracks. Sid has one of those voices that makes you close your own eyes as he sings, it's buttery and enticing. So, in case you missed it here is the live version of Moments of Weakness with the original recording below. Make sure to look out for his upcoming project Insomniac Season and check out some of my favorite tracks and covers listed below.

@Natural_Nation's favorites:

-Entropy

-Superstar

-Winter Mind

-Sagetron

-Life Round Here

Watch: Stay Mad - @LyricJones feat. @roguevenom

We have a new visual from Lyric Jones for her latest single Stay Mad featuring Rogue Venom. In the video, they drop ill lyrics while doing the laundry and grocery shopping, all while people in the back ground stare looking mad. The song itself is full of  smart & witty bars that make you see the confidence in these two ladies. “Verbal weaponry/ I have tendencies to rap harder than most.”  It's no wonder they choose everyday places to film the video, since it lets their lyrics speak louder than the scenery. The quality production by Dirty Diggs falls in the realm of boom bap, which the ladies definitely delivered on.

Stay Mad comes from Lyric Jones' most recent project, GEMS From The Cubicle featuring Planet Asia, Tristate, Rozewood & Daniel "SkyHigh" McClain.  Peep the video after the break.

Review: Malibu - @AndersonPaak

Brandon Anderson Paak aka Anderson .Paak released his sophomore album Malibu last week. The Californian is not new to the music scene. His soulful, raspy voice was featured on a few tracks on Dr. Dre’s Compton last year. He also released an EP called Venice in 2014. Boy, this guy loves California. The artistry is evident as Paak make the whole album flow as a full body of work. Let’s get into the tracks.

The Bird - Super slow and soulful and takes you to a dream state. Mama was a farmer, papa was a farmer. This first track lets you know that you’re about to go down the rabbit hole. So enjoy the ride.

Heart Don't Stand a Chance - The first of many love songs. He refers to her heart being under siege because of his ways of persuasion.

The Waters (feat. BJ the Chicago Kid) - The waters that he is stepping into is the waters of stardom. The different waves that it brings are unusual, but with each on he washed and learns another lesson. 

The Seasons / Carry Me -  The two part title matches the two part song. The tempo starts off faster but almost halfway through he slows down to talk about his past, in particular his mother.

Put Me Thru - Jazzy and upbeat. We start to see a change in rhythm and  style, a stark change from the first two tracks.

Am I Wrong (featuring ScHoolboy Q) - Disco soul sound that you can get down to. He chose a dance beat to dance around the subject of the connection between dancing and sex. Clever. SchoolBoy Q also drops a few bars after the first two verses. 

Without You (feat. Rapsody) - The typical “can’t live with ‘em and can’t without em” song. The track has two perspectives the man’s played by Paak and the female’s perspective is played by Rapsody. She spits about  the man being a product of the relationship he was born out of, while Anderson says the life that a woman lives makes the woman in the relationship. Interesting stuff here. 

Parking Lot - The seductive lyrics contrast with the electro sounds. It revolves around a mystery girl that seems to always stay elusive to him.

Lite Weight (The Free Nationals United Fellowship Choir) -  I haven’t decided exactly what Paak refers to in this track. It seems like an addiction. To sex? alcohol? maybe both. The verses repeat themselves and the chorus is sung by the Free Nationals choir.

Room in Here (feat. The Game and Sonya Elise) - “I got a bullet in my heart and she’s the shooter” who knew that the Game was so sentimental?  He opens up about  stalking  a girl on Facebook and looking through her pictures (good to know girls aren't the only ones that do that!

Water Fall - The interlude (or “interluuube”) is pretty explicit; two minutes of sensuality. 

Your Prime - He really wants this girl to come back to bed with him. How do I know?  He only says it about 27 times. Hey, I guess persistence is key.

Come Down - Talks about the high that he blames on his friends, but he doesn't exactly want to come down. 

Silicon Valley - Paak shows his audience that he isn’t shallow. He tells the woman who hide their insecurities behind cosmetic surgery, clothes, and make up  their heart is what he really looks for in a lady. 

Celebrate - That’s exactly what he does. His town, his family, his progress, his life: all of it get acknowledgement in this track. It’s a real feel-good song. 

The Dreamer (Talib Kweli and Tinman Family Choir) - From “I wanted them Nikes, mama got me Lugz” to “I’m a product of the tube and the free lunch” the album finished with an ode to the struggle. Kweli sends a message to all of the dreamers to make theirs struggle into something beautiful, like he did.

This is R&B. To be honest, I probably wouldn't hear many of these songs on the radio, and I mean that as a compliment. It’s not the watered down soul that fits the pop sound of the mainstream radio. I hope for Anderson .Paak’s sake I’m wrong, because he deserves to be heard. Overall this guy has a crazy good voice, and this is an artistically deep album.

rating 4.0 out of 5.0

Watch: Forever and a Day - @A1_Mostdope feat. @ApolloGamble; A Niles P.Joint

MostDope had a great 2015 and honestly I wouldn’t have blamed him if he took off the first half of this year to recharge and relax.  Instead, he hit the ground running and started work on his sophomore mixtape, which at press time is still 0untitled. You’ve gotta love this kid’s ambition and drive, if nothing else. He released a video for the (possible) first single Forever and a Day recently, which features fellow A1 member Apollo Gamble. 

He goes extra thematic in this one, making the song and video all about heartbreak & relationship strife.  They talk about an often ignored period between puppy love and serious relationships where you want to get serious but your natural instincts at that age pull you different ways.  In an age where rappers make up fairy tales on wax re: street life that they don’t live, it’s refreshing to see two young ass men make themselves vulnerable musically.  There’s more authenticity here than you’ll see from most budding emcees.  Be on the lookout for Gamble too, as he has Frank Ocean-like talent in singing and songwriting.  Check out the video for Forever and a Day after the break and check back with WTM for future coverage on A1’s upcoming releases.

Listen: Revolution - @justshaadbreaux Prod by @bijxnamir (written by @writteninink__)

Hailing all the way from Atlanta, nineteen-year-old artist ‘shaad. releases his new song Revolution. With ‘Revolution.’ being the sixth installment in ‘shaad’s series of music that’s been dropping since June of last year, he brings something new to the table with his newest song.

‘Revolution.’ picks up where ‘N.’ left off, now with ‘shaad. becoming a one-man army and taking the battle against social issues head on. With ‘shaad’s, what I like to call lyrical acrobatics, he definitely brings a new wave to music with just his lyrics alone. With cutting edge production by Toronto native Bijan, ‘Revolution.’ is equivalent to those fast and exciting nights in Vegas. Filled with twists and turns, ‘Revolution.’ fills the void that has existed in music for so long. Take a dive into the madness that is ‘Revolution.’, enjoy.

written by: Yasin Ingrum

Review: Entitled - @Torae; A Niles P. Joint

Recently, some emcees have taken to crowdsourcing websites to help fund the completion of their albums. Coney Island emcee Torae joined those ranks this past fall when he set up a Kickstarter to fund his sophomore solo album Entitled to the tune of ten stacks.  I knew of him from his Barrel Brothers collaboration album with Skyzoo and his Sirius XM show The Tor Guide. Since I’m cheap and hadn't funded an album before I was hesitant. But in the end I had to practice what I preached, as I tell my fellow WTM staffers and anyone else around me to “invest in hip hop.” The culture doesn’t continue without dollars behind it. Torae hit his goal and the album was funded and delivered to me late last week. Since production is key on this album, I’m going track by track with producer credits.

Introview - In a clever skit/album intro, Torae is on a job interview with a random company during which all he can think about is rapping.  Instead of becoming a corporate drone, he opts to be an emcee.

Imperial Sound (feat. Saul Williams; prod Praise) - The horns are incredibly triumphant and upbeat, which makes for a great first song.  Tor is sharp as he sets it off with gusto.  Saul Williams delivers some profound words towards the end as only he can.

Get Down (prod. Pete Rock) - This is the first single, which I covered upon its release in November.  It retains replay value and works as a more subdued companion to the previous song.

Clap Shit Up (feat. Phonte; prod. Nottz) - Torae spits the toughest bars on the album on this track.  When you get laced by Nottz and have Phontigallo as a guest, you're pretty much mandated to go hard.

Let ‘Em Know (prod. Jahlil Beats) - To be completely honest I thought this would be the weak point of the album as Jahlil Beats has never impressed me.  But it fits within the framework of the album and might be the most car stereo worthy of the 16 tracks.

Override (ft. Jarell Perry & Roni Marsalis; prod. E. Jones) - After a short skit where he lightly chastises his friend for street harassment, Tor gets into his “95 LL” flow and makes an airy romantic type song for the ladies.  It’s cool but it runs long with both a spoken word piece and guitar solo at the end.  

Crown (feat. 3D Na’tee; prod. Mr. Porter) - At first I thought this was about simple rap bravado but it gains depth as it’s more on the Black power tip.  Na’tee proves one to watch with her bars about innocent Black folks turned hashtags.

R.E.A.L. (prod. Praise) - Realness is the topic here as Tor discusses the perils of the rap game, amongst other things.  The sample laden beat, strings and all, is reminiscent of mid-2000s New York rap, which was a fun time for the genre.

Coney Island’s Finest (prod. Apollo Brown) - Anybody who talks glory days of their hometown (me and Ramsey do this with Neptune) can appreciate this song.  Torae talks about his own rise in the rap game and frames it with the success of Coney Island’s best basketball players, especially the Marbury clan.  Apollo Brown continues his hot streak behind the boards.

Troubled Times (feat. Mack Wilds; prod. !llmind) - First things first, I love the drums here.  The title is telling as this is about the darker side of life.  Mack Wilds is one of the most talented/underrated artists in all of R&B and proves immensely talented on the hook.

Together (feat. Kil Ripkin & Shaquawna Shanté; prod. Praise) - This isn’t a bad song but it covers the same ground sonically as track 8, only this time with guests.  Both are equally as good, although this has more musical depth.

Entitled (feat. Teedra Moses; prod. Eric G.) - The title track is the third song in a row featuring a singer on the hook and fourth overall.  None are bad at all they're just all of the same ilk, which seems vaguely redundant.  In my opinion it’s the best of the bunch as Eric G. crafts a superior beat which is complemented by Teedra Moses.  

The eNd (prod. MarcNfinit) - Let me be clear as I say that this song is fine as far as the instrumental and overall flow go.  The subject matter can be divisive.  Torae laments the use of “the N word” in everyday vernacular.  If you agree with him, you’ll enjoy it.  If you disagree, it will be a hard listen, no matter how well done it is.  

Shoutro (prod. Khrysis) - As a cool concept, Torae has his album notes as a track.  I kind of wish this beat was used elsewhere as Khrysis once again does a stupendous job, but it works for what Tor is trying to do.

Saturday Night (prod. DJ Premier) - The first of two “bonus tracks” features the legendary Preem creating an Asian type of instrumental for Torae’s story about a food delivery gone wrong (no spoilers!)  It’s excellently made, as Torae shows his creative range.

What’s Love (feat. Pharoahe Monch; prod. Praise) - This may be the best song on the album.  Praise flips the same sample from The Dynamic Superiors that Kanye used for Beanie Sigel years ago, but in a new and innovative way.  Torae does well but Monch steals the show with a loose yet thorough lyrical exercise in alliteration using the letters from the word love.

I’m glad I invested in this album as Torae spent every penny he received on getting top notch producers and guests.  There isn’t a bad beat anywhere on this album.  My only gripe, which I mentioned before, is that some of the tracks become repetitive as the sonic themes were used more that once.  Also having both of the strongest tracks on the album as bonus tracks was an odd choice.  It’s like in baseball where you have a good roster but the batting order is off kilter.  Regardless, this is a solid album to start off 2016.  Any future emcees looking to make an album via crowdfunding could learn from Torae as he got the most bang for his buck with Entitled.

Rating: 4.4 out of 5

Editor's Picks: Week of 1-17-15

Album of the Week: Perfectly Imperfect - Elle Varner

This weeks album of the week for me serves as a slight throwback. It's funny what you find when you click shuffle on your phone. Perfectly Imperfect by Elle Varner was number five on my R&B AOTY 2012 if you've been riding with us that far back. I know everyone is wondering where Frank Ocean is but I could use a little Elle Varner. Songs like Refill and Only Wanna Give it To You featuring J. Cole will do that to you.



Song on Repeat: Father Figure - Omen

It's Lit! I think I've been saying that everyday for the past week. I'm still on a high of excitement because my God-daughter was born last week. I've been prepping for an Elephant Eyes review in the next coming week and this song just came on for me, and again, and again. I don't relate but my boy grew up without his pops so this is a song I've heard him spit without ever once going to the studio. Deep stuff. Look out for the review next week.


Throwback Jawn: You got me - The Roots & Erykah Badu

On the way to Philly for some business earlier this week Things Fall Apart was the playlist. When in Rome right? Sometimes it's good to listen to the classics and remind yourself why you listen to hip-hop in the first place. The Legendary Roots band, legendary spitter Black Thought, and legendary vocalist Erykah Badu on the same song. Music really was amazing back in the day. Take a trip with me.



 Underground: Seduction - Samad SaVage

Issah passed this young brother to me. I heard the instrumental to Electric Relaxation but slightly adjusted in the percussion. After that he immediately had my ear. The Montclair emcee shows great song structure, originality, and just sheer bars. Dude's got talent. "You know what this song is about bro?" Issah asks me. "Nah I missed it wassup?" "Abstinence." I'm impressed because he spits about his lifestyle instead of the trend of today: Money, Cars, Clothes, Hoes. There's more to the world than that huh? Listen for yourself below.

Listen: All I Need - @NonameGypsy feat. @SPZRKT

If you’re not already familiar with Noname Gypsy’s music, you can find her featured on tracks with the likes of Mick Jenkins, and Chance The Rapper. She is slowly building a buzz on the hip-hop scene. She had a bunch of tracks on her SoundCloud that have since been deleted, and can now be found on random YouTube and Soundcloud pages.

Noname Gypsy recently released her first single All I Need off her upcoming & oft-delayed project Telefone.  Since becoming a fan of Noname Gypsy it's good to know that the she's making progress towards a complete body of work. Like the song title suggests “Love is all I need.” The tranquil love song is filled with smart lines that jog your memory of past or present love. Accompanied by SPZRKT’s mellifluous voice, this song sums up the feeling of when you get used to talking to your boo every night on the phone.  “You remind me to love myself for the principle for the kid inside, til the end of time.” Noname's love interest keeps her childlike wonder about the world alive while reminding her of the things that she loves about herself.

You can check out the song after the break. Be sure to look out for Telefone coming soon, as well as my review.

Listen: Who's Gonna (Nobody) remix - @chrisbrown & @OGKeithSweat

As if the original wasn't enough?

Chris Brown recruits Keith Sweat for his remix to Who's Gonna (Nobody) from his Royalty album. The original sampled the latter's legendary song of the same name. This is easily one of my favorite tracks on the album already but the remix is definitely shot it straight into my "Get the Drawers" playlist. Ladies and Gents do me a favor. Sit back, relax, crack open that bottle of vino, and press play.

Listen: Good Lava - @EspeSpalding

Good Lava is the newest single from Esperanza Spalding's upcoming album Emily's D+ Evolution. The jazz sound is still there in the background of her music, but the rock and funk is becoming more and more evident. While her first single, One, had a similar electric feel, it has more consistency within the song than this one. In Good Lava it's as if the guitarist performed a solo as she sings her own solo over it. At first it seems discordant, but then as you listen to it more you realize it actually works pretty well.
The video is trippy. Like lava, it takes different shapes and makes different images. She has a kaleidoscope vision of different 1970's style patterns and surprisingly adding in some ancient statues that depict powerful female figures on an assembly line. Even though the video is at times confusing and makes you feel like you're on acid, you can't really take your eyes off of it. That's some good lava. Check out the video below.

Listen: Stressin' - @ChelseaReject

Two weeks ago Chelsea Reject release some new material.

This is the first we've heard from her since CMPLX. On this OnGaud production the Brooklynite crushed a new song titled Stressin. Interesting beat selection from Reject. She's not afraid to attack trap beats as well as the boom bap that's popular in her region. Listen to Stressin and look out for a new EP in the spring from the Duckdown product.

Review: These Things Take Time by @ChazFrenchhh (Written by @Natural_Nation)

Am I the only one who hears J.Cole when they turn on Chaz French? When I say that, I mean their voices strike a resemblance to one another. I also draw a slight connection to J.Cole because Chaz French's sound sits freshly in between much of the hip-hop I've been hearing this past year. It seems to be divided into only two categories: Trap and the 90's with some artists sprinkled in between. But, maybe that's just me and as similar as their voices may sound, Chaz has a sound and feel of his own. A sound unique and interesting to hear from the DMV area. I am most certainly an instant fan.

These Things Take Time is a project that gives you a good snapshot of who Chaz is as an artist. Including features by Eddie Vanz, Saba, 368 Music Group artist Phil Ade , and Lito Walker Chaz brings us a follow up to Happy Belated. This album does tell a story, but not one with a beginning a middle and an end; just a piece. You can tell he's still introducing himself to his fans and it reads in the title itself. For someone's second piece of work, it's very telling to use a title like "These Things Take Time." Its a recognition of his blessings and an appreciation for the process, a humility and patience not seen in everyone. The first track the album opens with sounds like a voicemail from his mother warning him of tough times ahead. It opens up to a light beat filled with organs, probably reminiscent to his times he spent growing up in the church. Although the lyrics come from a place of struggle it's a great starting vibe. Below you can look at his video for Remember, track number two on the project.

It's clear that Chaz wanted to relay a story of hardship and perseverance. You can hear a bit of both in all 14 songs. Questions in particular is inspirational and self-reflecting. On this up-tempo track he touches on questions many of us get asked on a daily basis and questions that we probably ask ourselves when we're alone at night. But, it's all a part of the journey. We all get confused and we all fail.The ONLY important part is how we turn everything around, how hard and how swift the comeback is. Adding on his mother's voice, he ends the song with a message of support.

Ready, track number six, has a sound separate from all of the other 13 songs and features DMV rapper Goldlink. The beat has a smooth/ electric feel not found on the rest of the mixtape but it works...really well. Chaz's flow on this song is more melodic than anything else, which today is often referred to as sing rapping. I can see this is a staple in rap that doesn't seem to be going anywhere any time soon, which is fine with me. One of my all time favorite singing rappers being Slick Rick. Yes you guys, this did exist before Drake. Just throw on a track by Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. Don't Forget About Me leads directly from the song before 2 Good 2 Be True. His mother leaves the song echoing not to forget about her. Point blank period I love when male artists do songs about their mother. Whether its a verse, a bridge, or the whole song, it is always so telling of the artist themselves. And when the relationship is that of love, it is always great to hear it come through in their music.

The last song that I want to feature is track ten, called Songs For Us. It resonated with me immediately. It was easy to receive because that is the wave I am currently on, we were simply vibrating at the same frequency. The message that I took from the song was to to focus on yourself and get yourself right. There is no need to worry about anybody else. Once you have yourself in order everything else is so much more simple to navigate and that goes for people, places, and things.  

 The album closes with We Made It. It's a tribute to his journey, childhood, his children, his family, losing a loved one, being homeless, partying and drinking (this is not to be confused with the We Made It freestyle that came out last year.) These Things Take Time delivered in both production and lyrical content. Its clear that Chaz French is one of those artists who do not define themselves by any one sound or genre. He does what feels right in the moment and that comes through in his music. I don't want to give too much of the details away because I really want everyone to listen. But, make sure to check out the music video for  Remember and if you want to listen to some other dope artists from the DMV area you can check out the independent label founded by Raheem Devaughn and Andre Hopson 368 Music Group. Much peach and love. 

Rating 4.5 out of 5

Listen: Gun Boy Interlude - @RANREED feat. @BILLDANZEMOP & @FAMEMOP; A Niles P. Joint

You’re never supposed to judge a book by it’s cover, so the same goes with songs and single art. 

But eff it, the photograph used for Gun Boy Interlude perfectly correlates with the aura of the song. It takes you back to the griminess of pre-Giuliani NYC where a ride on the iron horse (decorated with graffiti) could result in getting robbed at gunpoint. That version of New York largely doesn’t exist anymore, but leave it to New Jersey veteran rapper/producer Ran Reed to bring back that feeling. This is menacing no-frills hip hop at it’s finest, filled to the brim with threats that seem anything but idle. Adding credibility to the old New York feeling is M.O.P. who tag team the second and third verse. The Brownsville duo of Fame and Bill Danze personify the gritty & hardcore elements of New York for which hordes of people wax nostalgic, almost inexplicably. While the Rotten Apple was dangerous back in the day, it had a character that was sanitized for the sake of the almighty dollar.  Ain’t nothing gentrified about this song though. Check out Gun Boy Interlude after the break.

Listen: No More Parties in L.A. - @kanyewest featuring @KendrickLamar

Just when we thought G.O.O.D Fridays were back we get new music on Monday. I doubt anyone is complaining.

Last week the question was Kanye West back? I think it's safe to say this song is the answer. We heard the snippet of this song on the end of Real Friends. I always say the best songs don't have hooks. K West and K Lamar trade 16's (or 64's rather) over the Madlib beat. Kanye is known to not rap his best verses over beats that aren't his own but he blesses this one. He explains what happened to him over the years too. "I was uninspired since Lauryn Hill retired. And 3 Stacks, man, you preach it to the choir" "I know some fans said I'd never rap like this again, But the writer's block is over." He names drops a few old people in his life including Amber and his good for nothing cousin again. Who the kids gon' listen to? Kanye West after the break, feel this.

Watch: @Rapsody on NPR's Tiny Desk Concert; A Niles P. Joint

If you know her work, then predicting that Rapsody will wind up as 2016’s undisputed best emcee isn’t farfetched. For those living under a rock that missed her numerous solo projects or star making appearance on Kendrick Lamar’s Complexion (A Zulu Love,) you have another chance to get familiar.  North Carolina’s premier emcee made an appearance on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert Series.  Flanked by her band The Stormtroopers and her producer/Jamla label head 9th Wonder, Rapsody performed Godzilla, The Man, and Hard To Choose for an intimate crowd of NPR staffers.  Clearly she’s got the ability to connect with a small audience, now watch her blow up and rock stadiums and festivals sooner than later.  You heard it here first: Rapsody is taking all of the belts in hip hop this year.  Check the video after the break.

Listen: Big Shadows - @Omen

I most definitely dropped the ball by missing Elephant Eyes, Omen's debut album in July 2015.

After listening to Revenge of the Dreamers II, I most definitely had to take the trip back in time to Omen's project. J. Cole does a great job of not stepping on toes and providing the platform for his artists to shine on their own. Omen has been in the picture for a long time dating back to The Come Up days and earlier than that. However, he doesn't wanna be seen as Cole's protege. He scripts that tale in his song, Big Shadows. "Remember Spliff Star? remember Memphis Bleek? remember all them side kicks that ain't what's meant for me" Listen to Omen shine on his own below. You can expect a review of Elephant Eyes in the near future.

Review: Nothin Personal by @Cody_Macc

Cody Mack aka Cozz has just dropped his first album with Dreamville records. The south central native was signed with J.Cole’s label  two years ago. While it has been a slow rise for him, he is not stopping any time soon. Here's my review of Nothing Personal:

Wake Up Call: Macc definitely wakes everyone up on this one. It’s a pretty aggressive start to introduce his whole album. I guess its so we know what to expect.

All Eyez on Me:  “look at me now”. He talks about the things he has accomplished at the tender age of 20. but it didn't come easy. 

My Side (prod Meez & D2): One of the shortest tracks on the album, and it includes a couple of refrains too. So not much flow, but there  is a good beat.

Grey Goose: This is a slower track.  Filled with random declarations.I guess that what happens when you have too much grey goose. 

City of God (featuring Boogie): “I did my job now I’m living bigger”, trying to make it to something that  feels like heaven.

Choice Today: Hey reflects on the choices that he made. some were good, some were bad. But all of them were choices that lead him to where he is now.

Grow (featuring Correy C):  “I’m tryna fight a pain that I can’t endure”. this track is a good follow up on the previous one. As he talks about how he isn't where he use to be, but he isn't where he wants to be yet.

Who Said: This one has a heavier  in-your-face-beat. This is more of a club banger than anything else.

Tabs: To be honest, this one is not my favorite.  The song revolves around the girls that come with the money. Sure no one wants a gold digger but your going to “leave her ass in the parking lot”, really? This song was actually on Revenge of the Dreamers II as well. Not sure why it's on his solo project and the Dreamville collaboration album.

Tell Me: This one follows the theme of women again, but  not another gold digger. one woman in particular, that he wants all to himself. 

GWBW: Good weed, back woods.  Slower rhythm with a little bit of a 90’s feel too, something for you to groove to.

Bonnie and Clyde (featuring FreeAckrite): Is she a ride or die?  Don’t let the title fool you, This isn't  a romantic track like Beyonce’s version. This is more of interrogation and test for the girl rather then a reminder that they are in this together.

Guiness (prod. Metz + Mike Almighty): “Every day I live my life like its holiday." I’m not sure why he calls it Guiness. He only says that about twice in the song. He declares war on the current rap culture, saying that he is going to take it over.

While this album isn't my favorite, That doesn’t mean everything here is bad. There are some real bars in some of the songs like  choice today and grow. Honestly to me he’s young, so he has time to have experiences harness that into real soul loving hip-hop. I don’t see that in this album, but I do see the potential for it.

Rating 2.8 out of 5

Listen Grenade Theory/ $3,000 Advice - @mickjenkins feat. @themind (prod by @thempeoplemusic)

Word on the street is Mick Jenkins is cooking up a new project after a stellar 2015.

After dropping Wave(s) last year people are expecting the Chicago emcee to really break out this year. He kicks off this year by giving us two songs on a new project he's working on called Sip! It's essentially a collaboration with producers THEMpeople and theMIND whom we've seen on Wave(s).

lol this aint no project. its just a sip... two songs. thats it. enjoy. #thehealingcomponent #spreadlove https://t.co/ER47kiO6eB

— The Water[s] (@mickjenkins) January 7, 2016

Mick Jenkins has a healthy obsession with water huh? Anyways listen to Grenade Theory and $3,000 Advice after the break.

Review: Better Daze - @MURS & @9thwonder; A Niles P. Joint.

Streaming services have been instrumental in bringing back many a cancelled/ended series back from the dead. This not only pleases loyal fans but also brings a whole new audience into the fold. You might think I’m talking about a Netflix series but (bait and switch!) I actually mean SoundCloud. Hip hop luminaries Murs & 9th Wonder teamed up three years after releasing their 5th collaborative album, tellingly titled The Final Adventure. They revived their series at noon on New Year’s Eve with Brighter Daze, releasing it on SoundCloud so their fans could stream it for free. I’m a 9th Wonder fan but for some reason I never checked out his collabo albums with Murs, whom I’ve enjoyed on guest appearances. Thus, I fall into the category of the new audience when it comes to this series reboot.

The Battle is as good of an intro as any, with Murs rapping for two minutes straight over a horn-laden beat that could serve as a perfect backdrop for eating tacos at an authentic Mexican restaurant in Cali outdoors. The horns return on God Black/Black God which as you could guess has pro-Black themes throughout. In the last third of the song, the beat switches and 9th flips a sample of Sound & Color by the Alabama Shakes. It’s sonically genius as the North Carolinian beatsmith usually samples vintage soul but here he found a gem in a song that came out in the same year.  Murs gets to show off his storytelling chops on How To Rob with Rob which tells the story about his aborted brush with crime.  At this point, I’m befuddled as to why it took me so long to get into Murs.  Dude’s got the goods lyrically.

The next two tracks, Lover Murs and Get Naked, get sexual but still don't lose Murs’ wry wit.  9th does a good job at slowing things down instrumentally to set the mood while Problem lends a verse on the latter. The Shutters, by contrast, is much more solemn in tone and more traditional in structure.  Reuben Vincent takes the second verse but Bad Lucc really steals the show. Wait…Back It Up shifts the ambiance entirely with what is the most fun/singable hook on the whole album. The flute steals the show instrumentally. The subject of breakups/divorce comes up in If This Should End. Murs displays a great ability for making himself vulnerable with a sensitive subject without being whiny or sappy. He explores the intricacies of a topic that isn’t covered much in hip hop in a poignant & approachable manner.

Speaking of tough topics, Walk Like a God takes on religious themes. The host and Propaganda have good bookended verses but Rapsody continues her ascent to the top with an honest and thoughtful take on religion that also manages not to be preachy and dry. Otha Fish revisits failed romance but in a different way than the earlier track.  It’s pretty impressive that he could make two songs using similar material but have both be unique and listenable. We get the obligatory posse cut in No Shots which has Mac Miller and a bunch of friends show up. The beat is minimalistic and Miller actually provides a decent yet short hook. At the end of the day it’s Murs’ house and he outshines everyone with his bars. It’s a little bloated but it works well enough as a penultimate song.  Murs SuperStar is a great finale. 9th creates a beat around a distorted piano loop that you’ll swear you heard in a dream. Murs complements the track with reflective lyrics that also manage to triumphantly look towards a bright future, hence the album title.

The only issue I have with this album is the timing. It was released both too early AND late for Album of the Year consideration as it came out with 12 hours to spare in 2015. No matter, it’s an excellent project that runs the gamut of emotions and life experiences. Everybody could relate to something that Murs talks about on here. Most interesting is that while he has a rap style that some may consider emo, he is still very much West Coast at heart and in the references in his lyrics. 9th Wonder once said that “Soul is universal, dude” and that is proven correct as his beats fit perfectly.  South and West collide in a way that most might not think possible. But it works exceptionally well.  Like any rebooted series, part of me wishes I was a fan of the Murs/9th Wonder collaboration from rip. This just means that I can go back and listen to their last five albums to play catch up. Better Daze will turn new listeners into fans while surely pleasing the core audience. 

Rating: 4.9 out of 5.

Listen: Real Friends/ No More Parties In LA - @KanyeWest featuring @KendrickLamar, @tydollasign (prod by @madlib)

Last night I was finally able to listen to Kanye West's new track, Real Friends featuring Ty Dolla $ign. This also included a snippet of another song titled No More Parties in LA featuring Kendrick Lamar (prod by Madlib) added on to the end of the track.

Now, I've never known Kanye to be the type to lackadaisically drop music on the internet...he's always been more of the elaborate type. But, from all the things I was hearing and reading there seemed to be a common theme. "Kanye is Back." My first thought of course was..."where did he go?" The man has been coasting at the top of the game ever since his rise to kingdom with College Dropout. Now of course I'm not stupid. I know that what people mean to say is that his original sound is back. However I think the original blanket statement is to deny Kanye of all of his progress. It does not acknowledge the other parts of him and his music. Like, ANY of us are only one way or have only one side. How great can an artist really be if they do not experiment and change?

(Artwork from Goodmorning music video)

All that being said this IS a return to the sound of his earlier work. Immediately I picked up on the similarity to Good Morning, the very first track on his third studio album Graduation. Kanye fans who have been around from the beginning will be happy to hear a familiar sound. The content was annoyingly relatable. Not just because I suck at communication but because many of us are getting to a place where time is becoming scarce. Even for those that we care about. The snippet at the end No More Parties In LA sounds promising with a feature by Kendrick and a sample from Ghostface Killah's Mighty Healthy. Honestly I think real recognizes real and Kendrick's latest album is going to have a few artists going back to their roots. Overall let's just say who ever ends up wining the PowerBall in the next week may be blasting Real Friends a little sooner than they'd like too. Take a listen.