#ICYMIMonday: Cocaine Parties in L.A. - @FreddieGibbs; A Niles P. Joint

Not even gonna lie, I was lowkey pissed that I didn’t get to cover Kanye’s No More Parties in L.A., although Rams and Zuríta did a great job.  Fortunately, Freddie Gibbs gave me another opportunity of sorts.  He added to an already packed week in music & music news when he released his version, Cocaine Parties in L.A., as a loosie via his website.  Being that previous collaborator Madlib produced the original, I knew it was going to be exceptional.  His flip of the Junie Morrison original made for a funky 1970’s Blaxploitation type of instrumental that sounded like it would be played at an actual cocaine party in L.A.  Aside from his usual hardcore wordplay that we’ve all come to know and love, Gangsta Gibbs showcased his humorous side when he talked about getting the most out of Black History month by having the Black Delegation (think Chappelle’s Show) trading noted assclowns Stacy Dash & Raven Symone for Adele & Margot Robbie.  

To be honest, this version surpasses the original.  Gibbs & Madlib proved that they're a match made in heaven on 2014’s Piñata and the magic just continues.  I feel like it got unfairly overshadowed by other Kanye news items from last week but it’s definitely deserving of this #ICYMIMonday article.  While it was taken off of SoundCloud, you can stream and download Cocaine Parties in L.A. on the ESGN website.  

Listen: World is My Ashtray - @FreddieGibbs (prod by @Skibeatz)

Freddie Gibbs returns to the mic with a new track, World is My Ashtray.

On this Ski Beatz production Gibbs talks his sh*t on how he's better than your favorite rapper. He's probably right if we're being honest. He also talks his humble beginnings about the come up with record labels and his growth as an artist. I love the boom bap percussion but it's the electric guitar that gives it a live feel. You can buy the song on iTunes or stream World is My Ashtray after the break.

Listen: Golden Rules - @freddiegibbs & @mosdefofficial (@paulwhitemusic remix)

Freddie Gibbs and Mos Def, That right there is a must listen.

It's a big deal when you hear a couple of your favorite emcees together on a track. Nowadays you rarely hear things from Mos Def in a booth. A week ago Paul White released his remix to Golden Rules featuring the talent of Gibbs and Yasiin Bey.

Mos Def rap better than all yall niggaz.

— Freddie Gibbs (@FreddieGibbs) August 17, 2012

We can let you be the judge of that. Golden Rules, Freddie Gibbs, Paul White, Mos Def all after the break.

Review: Grandeur - @ApolloBrown; A Niles P. Joint

Think of producers in Hip Hop as offensive coordinators in football. You have to run an offense that scores as much as possible. In doing so, do you stick with what you're comfortable with and what works? Or do you employ a new trendy scheme for the sake of keeping up with the joneses? These questions arise for all producers, including Apollo Brown. He’s put out a lot of quality music in a short period of time and is back with Grandeur. A litany of underground emcees make guest appearances, jumping at the chance to drop bars over Apollo Brown beats. As per usual with a producer album, you the reader will be treated to a track by track review.

Finally - The title to this intro makes sense to me, as I finally get to hear an album I’ve been waiting on.  You literally hear the needle drop and a round of applause.

Neva Eva (feat. Barrel Brothers) - Skyzoo a& Torae get things started.  They build well around a vocal sample on a head nodding track.  Pay attention, as this becomes a theme on the album.  

What You Were Lookin’ For (feat. Oddisee) - This song floats from the speakers into your ears by way of some lovely strings.  Oddisee was a rapper that i wasn’t familiar with before now but he shows and proves.

Detonate (feat. M.O.P.) - The lead single is still as fresh and sinister as it was when I first heard it in August.  Might be the toughest song on the album.

Brass Tracks (feat. Chino XL & Finale) - Chino XL was one of my favorite rappers when I was a kid so it’s cool hearing his witty and nasally bars again.  Finale provides the thunder to XL’s lightning (who takes shots at modern rap culture on the hook) over violins and snapping percussion.

There’s Always Radio (feat. Evidence) - I’ve admittedly never been a fan of the Dilated Peoples’ frontman’s brand of monotone.  All that aside, he’s spitting over a beat that has similar violins and percussion as the last one.  The former is better than the latter, as this is one of the few missteps on the album.  The beat switch during the outro is cool though.

Still Standin’ (feat. Rasheed Campbell) - Violins appear again here but they're more fully layered.  Rasheed Campbell introduces himself well and gives a lyrical backstory.  He bares vocal resemblance to Q-Tip but is different enough that he will be one to watch for.

The Hard Way (feat. Saga & Ty Farris) - Two emcees who I honestly hadn’t heard of prove their mettle and make an attempt to school the young fuckin’ jerks of the world.  It can be a futile attempt but these guys sound damn good trying.  The trumpets on the hook are almost announcing their arrival to your musical conscious.

Gettin’ By (feat. Rapper Big Pooh & Dynasty) - Brown does an amazing job in chopping samples and it shows here, although I wish I knew the origin of the lovely one used here.  Pooh’s aggressiveness is counterbalanced by Dynasty baring her soul.  This is a dream collaboration between an old and new emcees whose work I love.  Appropriately enough the beat gives off a ethereal aura.

Enemies With Benefits (feat. Ras Kass) - More evidence of Apollo Brown’s production genius can be found here as he takes a Lenny Williams sample that’s been used before (Twista’s Overnight Celebrity by Kanye West amongst others) and freaks it an entirely new way.  He manages to give it a West Coast flavor for regional legend Ras Kass, who’s another childhood favorite of mine that is fresh off a 2014 collaboration album with Brown.  The magic continues.

Walk With Me (feat. Vinnie Paz & Blacastan) - Brown somehow makes a song about relationship adversity (prime material for tenderness) into a head nodding joint.   Vinnie Paz and Blacastan take a gruff approach to what would be a sensitive subject for others.  Everyone involved makes it work.

Not That Guy (feat. Your Old Droog) - This is a somber change of pace song that serves as a cautionary tale.  The snapping snares are still present but the beat’s framework is more melancholy and suitable for the subject.  Droog still has undertones of Nas in his voice and flow but he does a great job speaking on the perils of drugs.

Money (feat. Masta Ace & Wordsworth) - Money is the root of all evil but here it’s the topic of this excellent song which stands out the more I hear it.  The crashing piano keys provide a marvelous playground for the lyrics of the veterans of Juice Crew & Lyricist Lounge respectively.

Who’s That (feat. Maffew Ragazino & Freddie Gibbs) - Brownsville and Gary (Indiana) collide on a malicious track that sounds like it should be played in a dive bar in a dark alley most would be afraid to walk down.  The vocal sample in the chorus ties it all together although take note of the piano as well.  Apollo Brown makes keys the focus of two consecutive tracks but is able to use them two completely different ways.  That’s talent.

In The Moment (feat. O.C.) - This song reunites Brown with O.C. three years after they collaborated on the sublime joint LP Trophies.  They pick up where they left off, as O.C. drops more jewels over a harpsichord-laden beat.  The chemistry is still there and will make you pine for a sequel LP.

Triple Beams (feat. Westside Gunn & Planet Asia) - Apollo Brown takes a popular Wendy Rene sample (previously used by Alicia Keys, Dynasty, and most famously Wu Tang Clan) and chops and flips it into a gritty playing field for this New York and California musical alliance.  He shows a real knack for repurposing samples in order to create gems.

Each Other (feat. Eternia) - We had an article about relationship issues, this one is about straight up breakup.  Eternia tries to answer the question “Why Did He Leave Me?” posed in the sample within the hook.  She looks to provide an excellent alternative to a certain Australian that’s been in the public eye.

Yesman Shit (feat. Sean Price & REKS) - DAMN.  Those blaring horns are some of the hardest I’ve heard in awhile.  They’re perfect for the late great Sean Price, who completes the trilogy of Brownsville guest appearances and spits with his usual tenacity.  He’ll be missed.  REKS holds his own rhyming opposite a legend and will have you open and wanting to hear more from him.  The track overall is a banger and one of the best on a great project.

Checkered Flag (feat. Ugly Heroes) - This is another continuation of sorts, only this time with the indie supergroup Brown is a part of along with Verbal Kent and Red Pill.  Even with a self titled LP and EP this makes you want more.  Mellow yet head nod inducing.  Great way to end the album.

Getting back to the football offensive coordinator metaphor, you see how Apollo Brown gets down.  He sticks with his offensive system no matter what is going on around him.  But the thing is you can’t chastise him for being too stuck in his ways because it works extremely well.  Musically many of these songs are sample heavy seem to be in the same tempo.  But he can take this concept and to it umpteen different ways, and with a plethora of different emcees to boot.  His use of this scheme makes him a kingmaker because he can make anyone shine when they're on his production.  Even better, he makes you want to hear more from a rapper that may have been unknown to you previously because they sounded so good under his beats.  He put me on to a bunch of people that just might be featured on this blog in the coming months.  The only real misstep on this album was the 5th and 6th tracks sounding inordinately similar, which is a tough sell when they're back to back.  But this isn't uncommon on producer albums for whatever reason and therefore can’t be too much of a deterrent.  Grandeur wedges itself into the conversation for best album of the year and further cements Apollo Brown’s status as one of the most exceptional beatsmiths in Hip Hop.

Rating: 4.8 out of 5.

#AOTY 2014 Top Five list by Niles Cavanaugh

The general consensus from my colleagues was that 2014 was a down year for hip-hop.  As usual, I've gotta go against the grain and respectfully disagree.  If you’re talking sales, then yeah you have a point as no one in the genre went platinum.  Contrary to sales, I heard enough quality albums to fill up a top 10 list, with some solid albums as honorable mentions.  Hell, 2014 was better than 2013 when it came to hip hop.  Naturally I had to dig a little deeper as most of rap’s heavy hitters either didn’t have releases or had their projects delayed until next year.  But when I did, I found some gems. Some new jacks got proper introductions, some old heads stayed relevant with some of the best work of their careers, and the collaboration album was prevalent. Here’s my top 5.

5.) J-Live - Around The Sun

Even for a guy who specializes in slept-on MCs, I still managed to overlook J-Live.  The former English teacher from Brooklyn has been active since ’95 and has released four EPs and is on his sixth LP, Around The Sun.  Better late than never, as J-Live puts out one of the most solid albums of 2014 and deserves recognition. This dude is constantly dropping jewels, which I'm sure comes from his background in education. The title track and Eight Minutes sets the tone.  He raps from the OG perspective of someone who’s been around the block and has seen it all. At the same time, J-Live manages to do this without the smug “PULL UP YOUR PANTS AND GET OFF MY LAWN!” type of rhetoric that sometimes plagues veteran rappers. You don’t mind listening and learning from dude because he drops knowledge without preaching, which is something everyone needs in a way that everyone likes to hear it. This is done over classic beats that provide a relaxed ambiance.

4.) Ghostface Killah - 36 Seasons

Ghostface Killah has quietly been putting out the best material of his career as of recently. The Wu-Tang MC always shines despite whatever turmoil his group may go through. However lately, his irreverent lyrics and now-grizzled flow have taken a turn for the cinematic. This new scope fits his style as Ghost has always had a penchant for storytelling and 70’s soul-type beats. Now he’s putting together stories that span albums, complete with characters and guest appearances. For example, AZ and Kool G Rap assist on the opening track “The Battlefield,” along with crooner Tre Williams. Pharoahe Monch guests on Emergency Procedure.  There are also periodic R&B interludes by Kandace Springs along with The Revelations.  This is a group effort in a sense, but GFK is the writer/director of this movie.  He’s essentially using his powers in a new and innovative way and it’s paying off tenfold. Tony Starks shows no signs of slowing down after 20+ years in the game.  

3.) Statik Selektah - What Goes Around

Boston-based producer/DJ Statik Selektah is quite possibly the best beatsmith in the game today. Having earned the respect of the industry after producing golden age-style songs for some of the best underground MCs, it proved easy for him to call in some favors when he needed rappers for his latest offering What Goes Around. Statik Selektah got verses from the likes of Joey Bada$$, Freddie Gibbs, Ab-Soul, Action Bronson, Black Thought, Sean Price, Rock, CJ Fly, B-Real, Talib Kweli, Lil Fame,  Snoop Dogg, Royce Da 5’9”, Dilated Peoples, Sheek Louch, Pharoahe Monch, Crooked I, and Noreaga, along with a slew of newcomers. WOW. The super producer also has the sense to mix veterans with noobs, which creates perfect pacing throughout the album. Pick any of the album’s 20 tracks; there’s essentially something for everyone here. Even better (for my money) is the fact that Statik Selektah has a strong hand in revitalizing East Coast hip-hop supremacy with his vintage sounding (jazzy even) yet fresh production. This dude has the best horns in the business on his beats. You’ve been put on notice. 

2.) Freddie Gibbs & Madlib - Piñata

The decision between my top 2 was excruciating. More on that later. This was one of those albums that I heard of when it first came out but didn’t get to listen to until a few months after the fact for one reason or another. Once I did I found that it was worth the wait. Madlib is one of the best/most respected producers in the game with a deep catalog of underground classics and beautiful beats.  Gibbs has essentially revitalized gangsta rap by himself with his gravely voice and rugged lyrics. It’s amazing that this album has replay value top to bottom despite not having anything radio friendly. You had Deeper which tells a tale of a lover’s betrayal while maintaining an edge. In Real not-so-subtle shots are taken at Gibbs’ former label head Young Jeezy. Lakers has Gangsta Gibbs and Ab-Soul showing love to Los Angeles. Side bar, Gibbs is originally from Gary, Indiana and relocated to LA. Every song has production tailor made by Madlib, who crafts an album that is almost like a neo-blaxploitation movie in audio form. Possible classic. So what could be number one?

1.) Pharoahe Monch - PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)

I flip-flopped between Gibbs and Monch for the longest.  The eventual tiebreaker was this: as good as Piñata is and as enjoyable as it is, it’s at least somewhat likely you'll hear an album with that same vibe in your lifetime. You may never hear something like PTSD, which is a concept album that plays like a science fiction move while also dealing with the under-reported issue of mental health in the Black community. I previously reviewed this album when it was initially released. I’m a big Pharoahe Monch fan and even pre-ordered the album on iTunes. Even months later after the initial hype wore off, this album stood the test of time and had ever important replay value. The fact that it’s a concept album that is very much bound to a storyline didn’t deter from my ability to enjoy the songs individually. Every track is a winner for me but the song that I liked the most (and the one that tipped the scales and made PTSD my number 1 album of 2014) was Rapid Eye Movement, an exercise in lyrical acrobatics that features Black Thought of The Roots trading bars over a secret agent-ish beat. The fact that Monch used his considerable writing talents to speak on a plethora of heavy topics and still made it musically enjoyable was pretty astounding. The wily veteran MC from Queens comes through with the proverbial old man strength (this time in lyrical form) and makes PTSD my pick for 2014’s Hip Hop Album of the Year.