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.

#ICYMIMonday: @PRhyme_Official Deluxe Version (@REALDJPREMIER & @Royceda59); A Niles P. Joint

The whole point of In Case You Missed It Monday (which is now known as #ICYMIMonday) is to explore albums that I either didn’t get to hear or heard but didn’t get to write about when they initially came out.  With that being said, I’m glad we got PRhyme Deluxe as it gives me a chance to right one of my wrongs since I’ve been with WTM.  I mean really, Royce Da 5’9” and DJ Premier form a group (PRhyme) and release an album and I don’t cover it immediately?  Adrian Younge is involved too?  What the hell was I thinking?  I’m ashamed of myself for letting it slip.  Fortunately a deluxe version gives me a reason to not only revisit it but also check out some

of the new tracks the duo cooked up for the occasion.  Being that there are a plethora of guests, it’s only right that I comb through it track by track.

PRhyme - It’s triple inception as the song title matches both the album and the group.  Royce, using a flow that alternates between hushed and blaring, talks about his recovery from alcoholism (which comes up a few times on the album) and warns against losing focus on your craft due to chasing women.  Good way to start.

Dat Sound Good (feat. Ab-Soul & Mac Miller) - The instrumental gives me a Cali vibe which makes sense with Soulo’s presence.  I’ve never been a Mac Miller fan and still aren’t but he doesn’t ruin the song.

U Looz - This is one of my favorite songs on the album despite being merely a minute and a half long.  Royce comes with his usual hard hitting bars and Preem is in his glory cutting and scratching.  Wish this was longer.

You Should Know (feat. Dwele) - This is possibly the best on the album.  The guitar is simple yet oh so relaxing.  Co-collaborator Adrian Younge’s fingerprints are omnipresent on this one.  Dwele gives just enough on the chorus in the midst of cut and scratched samples.  

Courtesy - Mary wrote about this video not too long ago.  The song still holds up and the organ is delightfully murderous.  

Wishin’ (feat. Common) - The beat is amongst the most intriguing as it starts slow, speeds up, then slows down again.  Common proves that he’s still the king of the Chi with his guest verse.

To Me, To You feat. Jay Electronica - This instrumental sounds like a comic book villain’s lair.  While he’s sharp on the entire album, Royce may be at his best lyrically here.  Jay Electronica makes an appearance that apparently wasn’t engineered as well (it sounds hollow) but is still strong as far as bars go.

Underground Kings (feat. ScHoolboy Q & Killer Mike) - This is actually the second time Royce rapped over a beat that used the Run DMC sample.  This time it’s more uptempo and he has assistance from Q, who has never sounded better and Killer Mike who strengthens his resumé as Atlanta’s finest.  

Microphone Preem feat. Slaughterhouse - You knew that Slaughterhouse would show up at some point and they make for a great posse cut over some sharp ass drums.  On the original version that came last year, this was the final track and worked great in that capacity.  All tracks after this one were made for the deluxe version this year.

Golden Era feat. Joey Bada$$ - It almost seems too perfect/tongue-in-cheek that Primo, Adrian, Royce and Joey would make a song called golden era.  As fate would have it, they do an excellent job making a new track that has old school aesthetics in both words and music.

Wishin’ II feat. Black Thought - It’s explained on the intro that Black Thought was supposed to be on the original version but dropped out after The Roots’ manager Richard Nichols died.  He makes up for lost time and beats the shit out of the beat, continuing an undefeated streak of slaying guest appearances.  

Highs and Lows feat. MF DOOM & Phonte - I covered this song when it came out last month.  It’s still a banger and more importantly fits into the grand scheme of this deluxe version.

Mode II feat. Logic - Both of these dudes truly go beast mode in a track that spans seven minutes of pure lyricism.  Royce never lets his foot off of the gas and Logic finally impresses me as he uses his own flow and holds his own.  This is a great way to end an album.

For years, Royce seemed like he was on the cusp of success and DJ Premier showed a knack for bringing the best out of emcees that might get overlooked otherwise.  It’s fitting that they found each other as Royce delivers on every ounce of his vast potential on every single track.  Preem gets the chance to lace the finest rappers from New York, Philly, DC, Atlanta, Cali, Chicago, NOLA, Jersey, & North Carolina with his world famous production acumen.  Having Adrian Younge assist with the beats makes the cipher complete.  This deluxe version doesn't feel like a money grab, instead functioning as an addendum to an already great work.  The new bonus tracks fit right in with the year-old ones in a harmonious way.  Christmas came early for the culture.  If you haven’t done so already, treat yourself to PRhyme Deluxe, whether it’s your first time or you're coming back around.

Listen: Couldn't Tell - @StaikSelekt feat. @BlackThought (Written by @Natural_Nation)

Today's selection is an previously unreleased loosie called Couldn't Tell. A dope collaboration between The Roots' very own Philadelphia raised wordsmith Black Thought and Boston producer extraordinaire  Statik Selektah. Statik Selektah dropped this unreleased song awhile back on his SoundCloud. The track comes to us from the sessions from his 7th studio album, Lucky 7. The beat gives us a classic hip-hop boom bap sound. At first it seems as though Thought is giving us story of guy meets girl gone wrong, but by the time we reach the second verse the direction has changed. Lyrically of course Thought is always on point and this song is no different. He brings his signature laid back style and great voice to yet another record. Check out the track below and give a listen to Statik Selektah's latest album Lucky 7. Enjoy.

#InCaseYouMissedItMonday: Music For My Friends - @Skyzoo; A Niles P. Joint

I slept on Skyzoo for way too long, even when I had every reason not to.  Dude had an appearance on Sean Price’s second album, put out countless critically acclaimed albums and mixtapes, dropped a dope ass song I discovered on SoundCloud (Spike Lee Was My Hero featuring Talib Kweli,) and formed the Barrel Brothers with Torae and put out a great album last year.  Every time I got put on to any of the aforementioned, I always told myself “This Skyzoo cat is type nice, I gotta check out more of his stuff.”  And every time due to my own procrastinating ways, I stupidly put him on the back burner.  I almost did the same this summer when he dropped Music for My Friends.  But I stopped screwing around and finally give the Brooklyn emcee a good listen.  My intuition was rewarded because he dropped something quite remarkable.

This album is a concept record of sorts inasmuch as it shows how Skyzoo viewed the world in his younger years when he was coming up with his friends, hence the title.  There are interludes given by his childhood pals between songs that really add to the ambiance.  Instead of going as a straight up storytelling project, it instead aspires to capture moods and feelings of the time.  Suicide Doors sets the tone as Sky spits complex raps over crashing percussion and a jazz trumpet.  Jazz is a common stylistic theme as Sky is a jazz aficionado and uses live instrumentation in his songs.  Everything’s For Sale effectively uses a Jay-Z interpolation in the chorus to create the framework for a song about youthful aspirations.  These turn into slightly dark considerations on See a Key (Ki’) by way of thoughts of the drug game.  A guest verse by Jadakiss is well-placed.  

Money Makes Us Happy is my favorite song on the album.  It’s impossibly swanky yet doesn’t skimp on substance as he ponders the prevalence of money and it’s correlation to happiness.  Bilal provides a smooth ass hook and Black Thought slays yet another guest appearance without overshadowing the host.  Asking Bodie for a Package features Skarr Akbar and takes its theme from a vocal sample from The Wire without making it into a novelty song.  Things I Should've Told My Friends is more somber fare than anything else on here but it’s necessary for the climax of the album.  Apollo Brown laces the beat as Skyzoo gets introspective on the state of his friendships.  As a finale, Falling out the Sky is a triumph.  It sounds like it was recorded with a live band and I can picture it being performed as such.  It ends the album on a positive note without straying from the theme and is one of the best feel-good songs of the year easily.

Born in Crown Heights and raised in Bed Stuy, Skyzoo portrays the everyman around the way.  He’s not overly sappy yet doesn’t try to go a hardcore route.  He portrays himself as a regular neighborhood guy which makes his music very accessible.  His wordplay requires a few listens and rewinds but the theme of youthful dreams and aspirations is something everyone can relate to.  While the previously listed songs are only the standout tracks after a dozen listens, they could be interchangeable as the album maintains an even keel thematically and musically.  There are no bad songs on this project.  Having mostly all of the beats slathered in jazz gives each track a very home-y feeling when you listen.  There’s a warmth here you don’t get with many releases this year.  Overall I’m glad Music For My Friends was my first introduction to a full Skyzoo project.  The quality and tone ensures that I won’t sleep on his music again.  You’ll feel the same way once you listen.

Pain & Perseverance: a mix by @FEELZ_

Pain & Perseverance.

I always love any chance I get to write a thought piece. I'm just glad I get to link that with my first love, music. Kafele came to me a few months back asking was I attending the Million Man March. I wasn't sure but he proposed we used our talents to curate a mix for the people. So with this platform and his skills behind the wheels of steel I couldn't refuse. With this mix we'll revisit old jams to contemporary songs that represent our struggle and what it means to be black and in America. So we empty into our nation's capital for the 20th anniversary of the Million Man March enjoy these tunes. Our cries over time have been reprised in protest and also in music. Join us in a trip from Jay-Z and Lupe Fiasco to The Roots and Mos Def. This was an amazing way to combine the two, and as always, Justice or Else! Below is the mix and a track listing containing a synopsis of its relevance to the mix written by Kafele Thomas.


Room 306 - Mickey Factz

"You know we are kings and queens/mistaken for the enemy/You know we will overcome/We won't stop 'til the race is won"

The story of Pain & Perseverance begins with the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Many people point to this event as the beginning of the dissolution of the Civil Rights Movement. After the assassination of many prominent African American leaders, the movement dissipated due to a lack of centralized leaders.

Minority Report – Jay-Z ft. Ne-Yo

“Then it wasn’t on the nightly news no more/Suddenly, it doesn’t matter to you no more"

Hurricane Katrina was a tragedy for America as a whole, but especially devastating for the black citizens of New Orleans. Due to decades of redlining and discriminatory housing practices, blacks in New Orleans were forced to live in the lowest lying neighborhoods such as the 9th Ward. When Katrina hit, those neighborhoods were the hardest hit and unfortunately the least cared for. Media coverage was specifically naming African American citizens as “looters” and “refugees”, when they were simply people trying to survive after their countrymen abandoned them. This built up to Kanye West’s penultimate moment and one of the most important events in TV history “George Bush doesn’t care about Black people.” Even though we can all agree “Kingdom Come” was a dud, I think this is low-key one of Jay’s best tracks. You can hear his pain and disgust. Hov has never been a rapper who shows his emotion through his rhymes so the rawness of the track really pops out at you.

Don’t Feel Right – The Roots

“When the fridgerator’s nekkid and the cupboard’s is bare/People gotta strip nekkid and stick’ em up in the air”

Black Thought has always been an MC who always is in tune with current events and uses his music as a social tool. Don’t Feel Right describes one of the biggest issues affecting the black community – the lack of opportunity. Institutional racism keeps African-Americans segregated in communities with low property value, a small amount of jobs, poor schools, and crumbling infrastructure. The old saying “If I can’t work to make it, I’ll rob to take it” is one of the unfortunate laws of life in the inner city, which is the story of the next track…

A Tale of Two Citiez – J. Cole

“I look around like ‘Do you wanna be another nigga who ain’t ever have things? Guess not/ Last night, we pulled up on a nigga at the light like../ ‘Nice watch.. Run it."

Cole’s story shows how “If I can’t work to make it, I’ll rob to take it” sucks all people forced into these communities to play the game, whether willing participants or not. Cole tells the story of being broke in the hood and realizing that dire situations bring out the worst in people. Cole’s boy got jacked for his watch in the first verse, but by the end of the song Cole and his boys are the ones pulling the stick up moves, due to a lack of opportunities to get out of the hood the legal way. The rules of street life are messy and bloody, which in turns creates the biggest media farce of our time “Black on Black Crime”

Blacker the Berry – Kendrick Lamar

“You sabotaged my community making a killing/ You made me a killer/ The emancipation of a real nigga”

K. Dot’s track is raw anger. He lashes out at America for putting the African-American community in the lose-lose game that it’s in and also his fellow brothers for perpetuating violence. In the track Kendrick refers to himself as a hypocrite for being mad at white America at large when black men and women kill each other every day. “Black on black crime” is a nonsense term that permeates through society as an excuse for why black people haven’t received our inalienable rights provided to us by the Constitution. Throughout history, violent crime often occurs in poor communities and crimes are committed by those who live in close proximity. Since most black people have been institutionalized into ghettos via the government and banks via predatory loans, most violent crime in the inner city is committed by those of the same racial background. “Black on Black crime” is the same as “White on White crime”, or “Asian on Asian crime”, but unfortunately, only one ethnic group gets that tag from the media.

Freedom Ain’t Free – Lupe Fiasco

“Say that we should protest just to get arrested/ That goes against all my hustlin’ ethics/ A bunch of jail niggas say that’s highly ineffective/ Depart from Martin/ Connect on Malcolm X tip.”

Lupe’s track that samples the classic Pete Rock jam T.R.O.Y shows how the “American Dream” sold to us is fool’s gold. Not only does it leave behind many Americans behind, but America is built on resources from poor countries full of black and brown people via globalization. The realization that to fund the pockets of the 1%, billions of people are being shut out of prosperity to keep the machine running is disheartening. This track came out right after the Occupy Wall Street Movement and showed the violent response by the police to protesters and the trampling of our rights to assemble. The cold hard evidence that the powers that be aren’t interested in improve the lives of many is the root of this track’s feeling of futility and hopelessness.

The Pessimist – Wale ft. J. Cole

“Got a pocket full of lint again, but it make no difference to me/ Fallin’ out with my friends again, but it makes no difference to me/ Goddamn, I’m hopeless/ Oh man, I’m hopeless”

The Pessimist is the build-up of all these issues. The feeling of hopelessness and despair is soul-crushing. Wale points to how so many different things are holding him back and not knowing how to find the silver lining. Life as a black man in America often feels like everyone is aiming at you and trying to kill you and your success. Your own community might throw shade at you for being one of the few to make it out of the hood, while you are facing institutional racism and a lack of acceptance by mainstream America unless you agree to fully assimilate into their culture. Cole’s line in the hook “still I pray” speaks to the church as a sanctuary for blacks throughout our history. The ability to pray for a better day shows our perseverance through all this pain we endure.

Don’t – Juicy J

“They talk about peace/but how that’s gon’ be/ when police leaving young niggas dead in the street”

Juicy J’s track Don’t is short, but powerful, especially coming from a supposed Commercial artist like him. The track speaks to the overflow of anger at police brutality and how as Martin Luther King Jr. stated “Riot is the language of the unheard”. In Baltimore, Ferguson, New York, Charleston, Los Angeles, and countless other cities and towns throughout America, black people are often looked at as menaces and terrors for how we dress, act, and talk. We’re always followed in stores, stopped unnecessarily by the police, stared at when we’re somewhere we’re “not supposed to be”. Our mothers warn us about interactions with the police every day when we leave the house as children not knowing whether we’ll make it back in safely. America’s innate fear of the black body causes tension and hostility that builds up and boils over during these senseless killings.

Animals – Dr. Dre ft. Anderson.Paak

“Please don’t come around these parts/ And tell us we’re a bunch of animals/ The only time they wanna turn the cameras on/ Is when we’re fucking shit up”

During the protests this summer, media coverage and social media was filled with people from outside the African-American community judging us for our anger. A lot of these people forget that America was founded off of violent protest (Boston Tea Party, anyone?). The issues that go on in the inner city aren’t spoken about and addressed by the mainstream media, but when the riots occurred that was where all of the media focus was. This only serves to perpetuate the stereotype of violent scary nature and that an angry black populous is something for White America to be very afraid of. Most of the media and talking heads, don’t care about the systemic issues plaguing our community, but are only interested in the reaction for TV ratings. It speaks to America’s obsession with addressing the symptoms of the disease of racism, rather than focus on a cure to eradicate it.

Mr. Nigga – Mos Def

“They say they want you successful/ but then they make it stressful/ You start keeping pace/ and they start changing up the tempo”

Mos Def in his classic, witty way describes how even when a black man manages to use his abilities to be one of the few to escape the perils of the ‘hood, he is faced with a world who doesn’t accept him. If one doesn’t conform to mainstream America, he is combated with multiple micro-aggressions every single day. From media persecution, not being able to sit in first class, eat at fancy restaurants, or drive luxury vehicles without being stared at like you don’t belong, even with the “American Dream” achieved, we aren’t accepted.

Foreclosures – Rick Ross

“The white man call us stupid niggers/ We spend it all, nothing for our children”

“Foreclosures” by Rozay is the other side of the tale “Mr. Nigga” told. In the black community, we have a culture of materialism. Because we’ve never been able to achieve proper wealth, we spend our money flossing. We take pride in jewelry, cars, and, clothes more than stocks, bonds, and real estate. Financial education is severely lacking in our community, so that when we finally do hit our payday and get money, there’s a good chance that it will disappear just as quickly due to poor decisions. We’ve all seen the statistics on athletes and musicians blowing their fortunes. This stops us from building generational wealth that can further advance our communities.

Murder to Excellence – Jay-Z & Kanye West

“Only a few blacks, higher I go/ What’s up to Will/ Shoutout to O/ That ain’t enough/ We gon’ need a million more”

Jay and Ye dropped a gem speaking of learning to love ourselves and achieve our greatness. Very few blacks have been able to hit the heights of Jay and Ye and Hov laments that the more success he achieves, the fewer of his people he sees at that stature. It really speaks to the exceptionalism that one has to reach to attain that level of success from one of our communities. Unfortunately, the cards are stacked against many of us. Many black children are told as kids that we need to work twice as hard to get half as much, due to the circumstance of the world we live in. Belief in one’s self and trusting your ability to succeed and persevere to rise to excellence should be commended.

Alright – Kendrick Lamar

“And we hate po-po/ Wanna kill us dead in the street fo’ sho’, nigga/ I’m at the preacher’s door/ My knees getting weak and my gun might blow, but we gon’ be alright”

K. Dot’s track speaks to the ability to look at the darkness of life, stare it in the face, and walk boldly ahead. Through all the adversity and pain, we’ve still managed to accomplish so much. There is a lot to take pride in from our community. Our culture has persevered through out countless assaults and is a living, breathing testament to our ability to withstand and remain firm. I left in Kendrick’s poem because although it’s a personal story, I feel it relates to all of us in our search for understanding and a place to belong in this world.

Hood Now (Outro) – Lupe Fiasco

“What do you do when it’s so unequal/ Wear Michael Jordan’s with your tuxedo’s/ It’s hood now/ It’s hood now/ Yeah, yeah it’s hood now”

 Lupe’s track is fitting to close with. We’ve left an undeniable mark on not only pop culture, but America as a whole. Our ability to make lemonade out of the sourest lemons ever created is to be celebrated. Although fought a long, exhausting fight.. a fight where we’ve been knocked down repeatedly, we’ve never been knocked out. We’ve taken haymakers, got back up, and kept on swinging. Chipping away at the roadblock of racism in our way with jabs and hooks. Every generation before us has weakened it and left our mark on this world and it’s our duty to continue the fight.

Listen: Wha Happnd @PassportRav & @smokedza

Time and time again I always shoot praise to the Jersey emcee Rav P, preverted since '83 (hey, that rhymed. Can I be a rapper yet?).

The praise doesn't stop in 2015. He ended the year with a track featuring Black Thought from The Roots and began this year with a Smoke Dza feature on his new track Wha Happnd. Classic Beast Coast boom bap production by a Rav regular, Trac-Qaeda. I always love tracks with no hook, gives artists a chance to show their skills and both emcees did with flair. See Wha Happnd for yourself via audiomack below.

Opinion - PTSD by Pharoahe Monch album review by Niles Cavanaugh

They mad cause they cant stop me/Cause I said F*ck swag I got moxie/Lyrical ecstasy, I got that oxy/-contin poppin they can't carbon copy or mock me." - from Bad MF

To me personally, it's always refreshing when a veteran MC throws down the gauntlet in today's hip-hop climate and comes out with a hard hitting song with top notch lyrics and a quality beat. It's like a village finding out that the town volcano once thought to be dormant is ready to erupt. In this case, it's season Queens emcee Pharaoh Monch who is back with a vengeance with his current offering PTSD - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Monch has had a peculiar career. In a market where rappers release albums every two years (if not every year) and pad the time between official releases with a plethora of mixtapes and guest appearances, Pharoahe Monch (born Troy Donald Jamerson) is more willing to take time and craft each album at his own pace. Despite being active since 1987, Monch has only released three albums as a member of Organized Konfusion and four solo albums. Even PTSD was orifinially supposed to be an EP with the lead single Damage being released in September 2012. Instead the album was reworked and released in April 2014. While I'm always eager to hear the most material possible from a lyricist of Monch's caliber, I also understand that the brisket takes 15 hours to cook is more satisfying the the hot dog microwaved in 60 seconds.

PTSD was completely worth the two year wait. It acts as a companion piece to his 2011 album W.A.R. (We Are Renegades named after his label). Certain themes such as poverty, gun violence, Black experience and struggle, and dystopia by way of oppressive government are common threads that pull together both albums. PTSD however deals with a couple of new extremely important themes: mental health and drug addiction in the Black community. Monch weave a loose yet coherent narrative through 17 tracks.

The Recollection Facility is an album intro that introduces the concept of a facility that will extract traumatic memories, thus fixing the patient’s life.  

Time2 sets the tone for the rest of the album.  It introduces the protagonist who is suffering from PTSD and also deals with everyday problems and plants a seed by mentioning prescription medication he takes and their side effects (which was inspired by Monch’s real life experience with asthma medication.)

Losing My Mind features Denaun Porter on the hook (formerly of D12) and continues the somber mood.  It really talks in depth on the topic of Black mental health and the erroneous and common way that mental health is “... more or less an issue for white families with wealth.”  This a deep and vital topic that hasn’t been explored in hip hop very much and is being introduced by way of a larger narrative.  

Heroin Addict  sees Monch channelling his inner Hendrix over guitar riffs.  Only a minute long, it serves as a bridge of sorts to the next song.  Kind of wish this was longer but it serves its purpose.

Damage brilliantly uses an LL Cool J interpolation in the hook and is the third of songs Pharoahe Monch has made that are told from the point of view of a bullet.  Even if you haven’t heard the previous installment, you should be thoroughly impressed with this chapter.  This was the first song released from the album, back in 2012.  Told you Monch takes his time.

Bad MF  asks the question ‘Who put these p*ssies on top?/Playing that p*ssy music/ Call it p*ssy pop.’  This is grandiose braggadocio that is a cornerstone of any rapper’s arsenal at some point.  While it doesn’t connect to the story, it serves as a lead single and has the most mass appeal and has a bombastic beat crafted by Lee Stone worthy of being blasted from any car stereo.  Flagship song of the album.

The Recollection Facility Pt. 2 is another interlude.  This one sees the disembodied voice at the recollection facility reminding the character that his dreams ‘cannot change reality’ and urges him to wake up, which sets the table for the next song.

Rapid Eye Movement is my favorite song on the album and is similar to Bad MF only instead of telling you that he’s a dope MC, Monch shows you why with lyrical dexterity rarely seen over what I can describe as almost a secret agent 007-ish beat.  Lee Stone does it again on the boards.  It also features Black Thought of The Roots who almost steals the show again (as he usually does) and matches Monch’s lyrical acrobatics.  W.A.R. Media chief of staff Satori Ananda told me how dope this song was months ago and it totally lives up.  Again, this song doesn’t necessarily fit into the overall story, but it doesn’t take away from the vibe or cohesiveness.

Scream returns to the story and uses a rock inspired beat.  In an interview with Shawn Serato of Rap Genius, Monch mentioned that some of the album’s musical elements were inspired by legendary bands such as Led Zeppelin and King Crimson.  This is especially noticeable here.  It’s almost shocking how complex lyricism can match such eclectic influences in the production, but Pharoahe Monch seamlessly pulls it off.

Sidefx is an interlude that mocks oft-seen medication commercials which advertise a cure for some sort of common ailment yet have a barrage of horrifying side effects.  In this case, it’s a steroid inhaler for asthma.  Since the album mentions prescription drugs at different points, this small skit ties in rather well.

The Jungle compares living in the hood with living in a jungle.  While this isn't new ground for hip hop and has been used by other emcees before, it hasn't been done for an entire song and is actually very effective in explaining the ills that come with living in the hood and fits in with the overall themes and ambiance.  Witty metaphors have a deep and socially conscious meeting in this almost surprisingly well-crafted track.

“Broken Again” features Pharoahe Monch singing on the hook.  Normally I’d hate to hear this.  Rappers and singers lately seem to try to cross pollinate in each other’s fields to mixed results.  But when it comes to the album and story, it actually fits in and I don’t mind it at all.  It isn’t convoluted or overly sappy and paints a harrowing picture of heroin addiction.  Masterfully done all around.

“Post Traumatic Stress Disorder” continues with the previous trend of rapper singing.  I’d say it’s redundant to a degree having two songs with similar vibes back to back.  BUT this song advances the story so I guess it’s cool.  Whereas the last song was filled with melancholy despair, this one offers a small glimmer of hope.  Also, I failed to mention previously that Monch doesn’t have a horrible or grating singing voice by any stretch of the imagination so him singing hooks isn’t that bad.

D.R.E.A.M. features Talib Kweli and is easily the most upbeat and happy-sounding song on the whole album.  This features an Otis Redding sample and has potential as a possible single and video.  Its rare where you get a feel-good and radio-friendly song with a relevant guest appearance that is also lyrically uncompromising and thematically substantial.  Kweli continues his hot streak that started last year and fits in smoothly on an album that doesn’t otherwise rely on guest appearances.  Probably my favorite track.

The Recollection Facility Pt. 3 is the final and most grim of the interludes, which is saying something.  The disembodied voice says that 10 years have passed and the protagonist is sentenced to life imprisonment for free thinking in a dystopian society.  Yeesh.

Eht Dnarg Noisulli is literally The Grand Illusion spelled backwards.  The Stepkids assist on the hook.  It serves as a nice wrap up to the album, tying together all of the themes previously explored.  It’s like a Sparknotes for the album.  Despite pretty bleak and heavy themes, the song is still lovely sounding mainly due to the airy dreamscape of a beat.  They really finish strong with this one. Except...

Stand Your Ground is the obligatory bonus track that is found on almost all hip hop albums.  It doesn't have anything to do with the story of the album.  It was released last July as a response to the horrible verdict in the case of George Zimmerman murdering Trayvon Martin in cold blood.  It’s still very good and serves as a call to activism of sorts.  Monch sums up feelings that many people had about the case when he says “That could have been my brother.”  Serves as a complimentary piece musically and lyrically to the album despite not being directly connected to the story.

There you have it.  I've been waiting on this album for quite some time and it lived up to all of my expectations.  I actually wound up taking awhile to write this (school and work obligations dried up my pool of free time) and when I came back to listen to it a month and a half later, the album still resonated.  If anything, it got better the more I listened.  It dealt with important social issues that not only don’t get talked about much, but also did it in story form.  Often with albums, you can rearrange the tracklist mentally to improve the flow and spacing. PTSD doesn't need that at all.  And it’s not even because of the narrative, it’s just wonderfully paced.  That includes the interludes and bonus track.  To be honest, the heavy topics and mostly somber tone won’t be for everyone.  This is the antithesis of turn up music.  It’s a very deep album and if you’re not willing to really think about lyrics outside of crappy Fabolous-like punchlines, you may want to sit this one out.  The only other possible issue was that some of the strongest songs (Damage, Bad MF, Rapid Eye Movement kind of, and Stand Your Ground) aren’t the ones that are a direct part of the story.  But in the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t matter.  Pharoahe Monch created an innovative piece of art.  It’s this year’s “Because The Internet” for the boom-bap set, only with no drop off during the last third.  All killer no filler.

Niles Rating: 4.75 out of 5.

In My Ears: Week of 5/11/14 - Ramsey

This is the inaugural "In My Ears" Segment. This will be a weekly session split between the writers of WTM. All of us have different ears and maybe you can see what fills the space between them. I guess I shall begin.


Album of the Week:
This week I've been listening to NWTS by Drake. Call me a sucker all you want but Come Thru and From Time are still on my iPhone for a reason.

Song on Repeat: A song I've found of repeat this week has definitely got to be Flight of the Navigator by Childish Gambino. This track hits home because it's actually a eulogy. Catchy beat, but the words are Glover's ode of his fallen friend. I guess I can relate to him as of recently (Rest in Peace King Darius Fletcher, We Love You Brother).







Throwback Jawn: Alright, this is the one I've been excited to announce. This week's throwback is What's the 411? by Mary J. Blige. This is maybe one of the first projects I can recall listening to with my Dad as a child. I mean everyone had that sit down with their Dad when he finds his old vinyl and cassettes but I remember when this was still on the radio for two years straight back in '92. Real Love, Reminisce, You Remind Me, Love No Limit, all will forever be classics.


Indie Track: This weeks Indie track is a no brainer for me. Achievements by Arinze, Rav P, Queen Ella, and Black Thought. You can read my write up on it earlier this week right here. Nothing more needs to be said just listen.