The Ransom Report VI: #AOTY18 (words by Charles Ransom Polk)

Good evening my friends and (mostly) haters! 2019 is here already! Time really does fly. We’re all one year older, and we move one year closer to the end of Mr. Spray-tan-man’s Presidency (Fingers crossed). This is the time for those good old New Years resolutions. What are yours? Mine are to have my Bank account balance, relationship with God and my knowledge all increase in 2019.

2018 was quite the year in music. With that being said, I’ve listed my top five albums. We'll start with some honorable mentions mixed in there for you all to hate and disagree with me on. Here we go, the Dr. Is IN:

Honorable mentions (these albums were iight but not john blaze s**t) J. Cole KOD, Lil Wayne Carter V, Lil Baby & Gunna - Drip Harder (There you go Ron), Conway Blakk Tape

Ok now to the top five albums of 2018.

5) Jay Rock - Redemption

A lot of y’all may have slept on this album. Well I’m the alarm clock. I’ve been a fan ever since I first heard him on Money Trees from GKMC (you know, Kendrick’s BEST ALBUM BY FAR?). I’m a big comeback/redemption (no pun intended) story guy so when I heard he was in a really bad accident and almost died I was even more interested to hear his new joint. He’s always sounded battle-hardened, but on this album he gives the term a whole new meaning. Whether it’s alongside Future on King's Dead or Absolutely holding his own with K Dot on Wow Freestyle. The man can rock with the best. Also, GO LISTEN to the title track, Redemption with SZA. If it doesn’t hit you square in the chest, you the tin man. PERIOD. If you need a amp- up song for the gym/whatever, look NO further than Win. Round of applause, Jay.

4) Cardi B - Invasion of Privacy

Not gonna lie, for some mysterious reason or another I LOVE CARDI, and it’s not because I find her attractive (quite the opposite). Personally she’s WAYYYYY too ratchet for my taste. Still I LOVE her, she’s the type of chick I’d love to hit the bar/booty club with after. She seems like a ton of fun to act up with, and she’s REAL. She’s been the exact same way since she first popped up on Love and Hip Hop. Gotta respect that. To be honest I didn’t mind the album. I was loving that old school 3-6 sample on Bickenhead (and y’all know I LOVE me some old 3-6 mafia/Project Pat). I was getting my bachata on all summer to I Like It that song was FUEGO to me. Be Careful sounded like a super ratchet Mary J. Bilge ladies anthem in 2018. This wasn’t an all time great album but to be honest it was very well produced and sequenced, and it was a great mix of her strengths. Keep up the good work Bardi.

3) Pusha T - Daytona

There’s an old saying “less is more." In the era of bloated album tracklists on streaming services to inflate sales, the quality/quantity ratio is at an all time low. With that being said, King Push delivered a lean, mean killing-machine of an album. It’s brevity is matched only by its viscerally. He attacked with sharp lyrics and the best Kanye West aka the modern day Uncle Tom’s production in YEARS. That’s the ONLY props you’ll see me give him, and you all know why. From If You Know You Know to What Would Meek Do, Pusha Ton puts on a clinic. Then there’s Infared the track that proves that beef is chess NOT checkers to Push. To Aubrey, it was obviously the other way around. I’ll always want Push on Pharrell/Neptunes beats, but this s**t was extremely hot. In a different year it might have been my favorite album.

2) Nipsey Hussle - Victory Lap

Another album that you may have slept on since it dropped very early in 2018. I’ve been a Nipsey fan for almost a decade (since the Bullets Ain’t Got No Name series). He’s the rare case of an artist consistently making forward progress on his albums. This was his debut album, and that’s because he TOOK HIS TIME AND DID IT HIS WAY. He waited until he got the right deal with a major label (people don’t know but he’s a very sharp business man). He carefully selected the producers, engineers and artists for his album.That process results in a ultra hi-def cinematic representation of his life and times. From his West coast version of Hate Me Now on Rap N****s to the soulful Million While You Young to the Hard Knock life sampling Hussle and Motivate, Neighborhood Nip achieved a rare feat: an album that was worth the long wait and then some.

1) Meek Mill - Championships

I don’t think there’s been an artist worthy of back-to-back album of the year distinction since Joe Camel made The Dynasty then the Blueprint in ‘00-‘01. It’s SUPER tough to do. But cot dammit Meek did it. He had the album of the year in ‘18 with Wins and Losses. Coming off a prison stint with his future in the balance and the spotlight squarely on him, he absolutely nails it again. My last Ransom Review was about this album so I won’t say the same stuff again, but the bottom line is this project was great on all 3 levels of album grading: Sound, Content and Lyrics. Just go listen to the album if you haven't already. Sure there were one or two misfires on there, but no artist is perfect. Hey @Carretta24, to think I once called meek “Basura!" You were right. Very rarely am I wrong about an artist, and even more rarely am I happy I was wrong about an artist. No album was better overall in 2018. Dassit

There you have it, my musical class of 2018. I can feel the hate and disagreements from all the way up here at the top. Like the Emperor in Return of the Jedi said “Good! let the hate flow through you!” until next time, I wish (most of you) all a happy and blessed 2019!

Mr. Ransom

Black Panther Soundtrack Review written by @Best_ofda_Worst

What's up family! I am so excited for this new Black Panther movie to finally premiere. Not only is Black Panther a dope superhero, but he means so much to my little brothers out there who don’t see much of themselves in fiction. After all, representation is important. At long last, they have someone to pretend to be. They can use his ideals of courage, bravery, and honor (you know all that good stuff) to be heroes themselves, or at least have fun. They can image being someone cool or for Halloween.

I already plan on seeing this movie this entire weekend from Friday to Sunday. Had I been alive for the premiere of Coming to America, I would have done the same. I know this movie is going to be great but I'm not here to talk about my movie expectations when we already have the album. To be honest, from start to finish this is the bomb. For whatever reason this soundtrack sounds better when you listen to it for the first time.

For instance, I wanted to skip the first two songs. At first listen the self-titled track was just okay to me. All the Stars with SZA and Kendrick Lamar  was the lead single before the album released. At this point I wasn’t impressed. Sidebar the video is amazing (Go ahead and check it out. Your melanin will thank you for it). From here, we go to X. It was at this point is where the project turns up.

The Ways isn’t my favorite song on the album. After a couple listens I usually skip it. This time I  gave it another listen and it's not bad. It grew on me but still not something to run home about. Maybe after I see the movie, I'll appreciate this song more. Otherwise, it's meh song on an otherwise great album. The rest of the movie soundtrack is  🔥🔥🔥. My favorite songs are Paramedic! and Seasons but that can easily switch up to Bloody Waters or King’s Dead. Speaking of King’s Dead, you know the song with Kendrick, Jay Rock, and Future? I think Future out rapped Jay Rock….Hear me out.



I'm not one of those hip-hop purists. You know the ones who think that every song needs to be super lyrical or all have that same boom bap percussion. I prefer my music to be fun. This song in particular is not one of those tracks where we focus on the lyrics because honestly listening to the song you will get lost in the beat and the hook. Back to why I think Jay Rock was out rapped by a “mumble rapper.” Recently BET started doing this thing where the have different rappers read lyrics and not list the name or artist who wrote it. And on a scale of 1-5, they have to rate the lyrics. If they read Jay-Rock’s if you read Jay-Rock’s lyrics what would you give it?

I've been ready, my whip been ready

My b*tch been ready, my clique been ready

My sh*t's been ready, my check's been ready

My shot's on full, that's Armageddon

I got pull, I hope y'all ready

With that being said, King’s Dead is one of the best on this album. Jay Rock’s verse is the most mediocre and yet is still dope. This fact proves to me that nowadays, lyrics aren’t everything in a rap track anymore. It is possible to make an amazing song and not really say anything. Keep that in mind someone disses a so-called mumble rapper. Especially if that rapper is making classic music. Shoutouts to the genius behind the song Freak Hoes and March Madness.

Long story short, this is an amazing album. With the exception of one song that's okay, I love all of the tracks. My only wish is that there were more AfroBeat songs. I mean this movie is about an African Nation, why not have African music? Seasons does have Sjava singing in Zulu, but I feel like there should be more. All in all, I give this album an 8.5 of 9. This album is dope. Go ahead and give it a listen @ me if you want to debate me. That comment section below is just for you too.

Review: untitled unmastered. - @kendricklamar; A Niles P. Joint.

I feel like after you drop one of the most critically acclaimed albums of the last few years, you get a grace period and don’t have to release anything for at least three years if you choose.  Kendrick Lamar begs to differ.  After LeBron James took to Twitter to ask the TDE brass (Top Dawg specifically) about releasing some of Kendrick’s hidden catalogue, untitled unmastered. dropped as a surprise release late last Thursday.  When I say “hidden catalogue” I’m referring to songs that were performed at the Grammys and on the late nite talk show circuit that had no official releases.  While every rapper has loads of gems locked in a vault somewhere that are usually only speculated about, Kendrick & TDE turned the drafts from the seminal To Pimp a Butterfly into a cohesive project.  

The first thing you’ll notice about this album is that none of the songs have any actual titles, instead using numbers and dates of when they were made.  So on untitled 01 the first voice you actually hear is Bilal’s, being lusty on the intro as the instrumentation builds.  Over a simple yet prominent bassline courtesy of Terrace Martin, Kendrick visualizes judgement day and pleads his case to God as to why he should see the pearly gates.  The chant “Pimp pimp, hooray!” is first used on untitled 02, in which K Dot struggles with his Compton upbringing clashing with his newfound success over a wailing saxophone riff and a rattling piano.  The lengthy second verse is very much a celebration of his team’s prosperity.

untitled 03 was originally on The Colbert Report and has Kendrick getting advice from an Asian, Indian, and Black man.  In the end a white record exec rolls through and declares his intention to capitalize on Lamar’s rap talents anyway.  Bilal shows up again and provides the hook.  It isn’t as good as the live version but is still compelling.  The shortest track on the album is untitled 04 but is still well-layered and features sultry vocals from SZA and somewhat surprisingly, Jay Rock in a rare singing appearance.  Despite being under two minutes, it packs a punch and is still satisfying.

For what it’s worth, untitled 05 is my favorite track on the album.  Every time you listen to it, you’ll find another intricacy in the music that stands out but still melts into the song as a whole.  Anna Wise’s buttery vocals on the hook really make the song for me, but a rumbling bassline and theatrical horns can’t be overlooked, especially the wily saxophone by Terrace Martin.  Pianists will also be able to appreciate this one as Robert Glasper tickles the ivory.  Lyrically Kendrick is at his most ravenous and rambunctious on the first verse.  Punch and Jay Rock round out the song nicely with their guest spots.  Adrian Younge & Ali Shaheed Muhammad form a dynamic producer duo for untitled 06.  It’s got an easily accessible topic (self confidence) and gives off a smooth jazz vibe that sounds like an Esperanza Spalding joint, which is dope.  Cee-Lo drops by and infuses the song with his signature falsetto.  

You get a three for one deal with untitled 07.  In the first part, Kendrick declares that the material possessions of the world are meaningless and urges the listener to “Levitate.”  While I generally hate modern percussion trends in hip hop, I have to admit that Kendrick makes it work here.  On the second part, he throws down the gauntlet and sends thinly veiled shots at rival rappers over uncomplicated production.  The third and final part is a recording of him arranging the vocals in untitled 04 in the studio with producer Taz Arnold.  It’s a great example of K Dot’s talent in the song making process.  The album ends on an upbeat note with untitled 08. Even though the song talks about the Black community’s fiscal struggles.  The subject matter is serious, but the beat is certified funk and would fit in at any cookout this summer.

Usually when an artist or group releases a collection of rarities or songs that didn’t make the album, it’s more of a niche type of thing meant only for the diehard fans.  But Kendrick Lamar and TDE’s “scraps” are better than a lot of albums you’ll here.  This speaks volumes of how talented Kendrick and his camp are.  It’s an all star effort, with big name producers stopping through to play a single instrument on songs.  All of these songs came from the TPAB and while they don’t have the same cultural impact as last year’s instant classic, they still form a cohesive and concise album of their own.  It’s good enough to earn the same end of year accolades and Grammys as its predecessor.  This is nothing short of remarkable.  While it’s too early to claim this as Album of the Year, it makes a strong case in its artistry and craftsmanship.  Kendrick Lamar came in on his day off and dropped a gem.  untitled unmastered. earns him an even longer grace period. I doubt he takes it though.

Rating: 4.9 out of 5.

Purchase untitled unmastered. on iTunes here

AOTY 2012 Revisited - Good Kid: mA.A.d City

"Lord God, I come to you a sinner. I believe that Jesus is lord...." This simple prayer lead by Maya Angelou lays out the foreshadowing that is Good Kid m.A.A.d City, a short film by Kendrick Lamar.

I've never heard an album paint an entire tale in the space between my ears the way this did.  I remember where I was the first time I heard this. It was October 2012 and me and my roomate held a listening party in our dorms. We had two sets of Logitech speakers and a splitter because he was a producer and I DJ. So we invited all our friends to our room for our own listening party. Kendrick was an up and comer but when he gave us The Heart Pt 3 the day before the album dropped, I knew this was something I shouldn't miss. I knew Kendrick was dope; what I didn't know is he was special. Let's get into it.

This project was received very well and made comparisons to Nas' Illmatic which I could argue is the Greatest Hip-Hop album of all time. It was done with little promotion to the few singles they had. Impressive. When I first heard this young man from Compton (Section.80)  I had no idea what caliber artist he would eventually become. Before this album I thought he was a smart, very concious spitter signed to Aftermath and TDE. This was a winning combination because he wouldn't get too much label pressure and would essentially be able to make the album he wanted to make. That didn't jeopardize the art and that is what hip-hop is about. Each song was placed intricately with skits both serious and funny to accompany the music. No matter how much time passes I'll always remember the narrative. A young boy finding his path in life balancing relationships with family, friends, women and struggling in his pursuit of manhood in the Mad City that is Los Angeles. His mom want the van back, his dad wants Domino's, his homies looking for trouble, and Sherane might just be too. I swear you have to listen to every song in order to really get the album. The Art of Peer Pressure, Money Trees featuring Jay Rock, Backseat Freestyle, and Maad City featuring MC Eiht stood out the most to me. Each song telling a crazy tale about a day in the life of Kendrick Lamar. Music is supposed to make you feel but sometimes I felt like I was passenger in the seat next to him. This could have easily been the soundtrack to any John Singleton movie. Some days I feel like it could have been the soundtrack to mine (or Tre from Boyz in the Hood). Read the original review in it's entirety here.

Sidebar: I didn't really start liking my ex until she rapped Backseat Freestyle start to finish in my ear. I thought that was the sexiest thing someone has ever done to me.

#IME Editor's Picks Week of 11-29

Hope you all enjoyed your Thanksgiving weekends. Mine was full of food, a little bit of overtime at the job, family, and massively overwhelmed with music. I swear everyone and their mother dropped a mixtape either Thanksgiving day or black friday (more on that later). I guess I have to push back my album to another time. I joke, I joke; I kid, I kid. Anyways I have to inform you that I spend no time listening to these projects from the heavy hitters in their entirety this weekend. Let me show you what I have had in the space between my ears.

song on repeat: Soliloquy - Isaiah Rashad

For the longest time I sat patiently waiting for Jay Rock's TDE release. We got that a little while back where I had the pleasure to review it. Rashad offered his vocals on Wanna Ride for his elder statesman.  If I were in charge of the batting order I'd say Isaiah Rashad is on deck to bat next. Been a little bit and I went to listen to Cilvia Demo the project that made me like him in the first place. Although it was short Soliloquy is the hardest track on the project and still has replay value to this day. Listen to Soliloquy below.



Throwback: Funny How Time Flies - Intro 

Thanksgiving with family is always a fun time to reminisce. Whenever I'm with Nick, cuz always passes me the stuff from the barber shop CD's that we haven't heard since we were kids. Today's throwback is courtesy one of those tapes we found in his mom's glove box. Funny How Time Flies by Intro was what I used to listen to before track meets to calm myself down pre-race. I'm surpised this never made the Yam Crammer playlist. Anyways lets go back to 1995 and listen below.



Under the Radar: Da Rocinha 3 - Sango

Okay, my favorite producer dropped the third installment to the Da Rocinha series. It pains me that Sango is someone I would call under the radar. Dude is too talented and all your favorite artists have probably begged him for beats, I'm serious. Doesn't ever let himself succumb to anything but the sound he wants and I really admire that. I always wanted to review a producer tape but that's something we'll tackle in 2016. For now just vibe out to Da Rocinha 3 below and remember where you heard him first. Sidebar: If you ever get the chance to see one of his sets live, please do. His time at Trillectro '14 was lit.



Album of the Week: All Love Lost - Joe Budden

Joe Budden is far from conservative and maybe that's left a bad taste in a lot of fans mouth (or ears for that matter). Frankly, you all are sleeping on the man, just like I have for a long time. The Jersey City spitter dropped All Love Lost a few months back. Didn't have much time to review the project but I must say Joe Budden is such an artist. He unlike many others really gives you a piece of himself. Sure you might be able to catch his antics with his women on reality television but you won't really begin to fathom how deep he is without listening to his albums. Joe Budden is a little sarcastic and funny sometimes but he abandoned Helmet jokes on All Love Lost. Listen to Love I'm Good of that album and see for yourself after the break.

Editorial Review: 90059 - @JayRock

First and foremost I must say I'm disappointed. I'm disappointed that Top Dawg didn't release Jay Rock's sophomore album, 90059, much sooner.

WE RAN 2013 WITH OUT DROPPING 1 ALBUM. I WONDER WUTS GONE HAPPEN IN 2014 WHEN I DROP 6.. THEY NOT READY 4 THIS #TDE #HiiiPoWeR TAKE OVER

— dangeroo kipawaa TDE (@dangerookipawaa) December 22, 2013

I remember when they first announced the tweet above. Unfortunately it never came through as we had to wait til this year to get Kendrick and Rock's projects. Fortunately for the fans, the wait was well worth it. 90059 begins with Necessary. Super west coast sounding introduction to the album that takes the first 40 seconds before Rock commences by the dropping of bars. The project as a whole is basically the story of Rock and where he's from if you didn't get that from the title. I think his story telling abilities is above average and the first track is a great example.

Easy Bake is next up. It leaked in late August. The song has a A side/B side feel. Side A Rock trades bars with Kendrick Lamar on the same verse after they each did one solo. I like how Jay Rock changes his the tone of his voice depending on the mood of the song throughout the album. Part two is interluded with Rock the radio personality as DJ Turn-Up on WTOP Radio. You can tell that was influenced by the WBallz Interlude from the classic Doggystyle by Snoop Dogg (or Lion whatever he calls himself these days). The beat drops and SZA joins the gents caressing the music with her lovely voice. Rock returns to the song with slick wordplay and witty punchlines.

"Show you why they hate more niggas than Uncle Ruckus. Rollin' up that boondock, some call it moon rock..."

Track three is Gumbo and my favorite on the entire album. The production was laid down nicely and Rock is articulate. Gumbo was the second single the released before the album dropped. I especially liked verse two and how he shows us where he's is coming from. It ends on a less serious note where one of the homies was singing the catchy hook in the whip. That leads into a funny conversation about Mrs. Johnson and her gumbo (not sure if that was an innuendo). Wanna Ride features Isaiah Rashad. Isaiah does well singing a catchy hook. It just hurts my soul he didn't bless us with a verse himself. Jay Rock does more than enough to hold the song together perfectly. Rock plays Captain Save-A-Hoe in The Ways. This features Sir, the first of three assists from non-TDE artists (we'll get into that later). He raps about a young woman hanging around her peers who engage in the activities a harlot would (I laughed so hard typing that), and how it's rubbed off on her. Now that's the Art of Peer Pressure huh? No matter, Sir and Rock still gonna have fun when shawty and her friends roll through. Telegram (Going Krazy) follows up. This is probably the most boring track here. Not a skip entirely because the hook sang by Lance Skiiiwalker was catchy. Lance Skiiiwalker in this project serves opposite Jay Rock like an alter ego. The brother is multifaceted and talented. This precedes the self titled 90059. That was the third single released about a month before the album. Lance Skiiiwalker makes another appearance. This time belligerent and drunk. Sound familiar? 

Painted by John Wallace

Vice City is the Black Hippy posse cut we've been waiting for since pressing play. They focus their verses on their vices as these guys like to talk about. The growing wealth, fame, and women have an effect on how their life is now. Kenny's hook between verses from ScHoolboy Q and Ab-Soul is tough. This is easily another fan favorite and I'm surprised it's not on the radio. Ab-Soul hangs around singing the Intro to the next song, Fly on the Wall. The mood changes again and Jay Rock is joined by Rap Legend Busta Rhymes. If Kendrick is the caterpillar turned butterfly, Jay Rock's analogy is the fly on the wall. I could explain but this is a really introspective song you should hear for yourself. Busta really sheds light on the simile and mentors Rock. Where throughout the album Rock spilled his guts on multiple trials of his life, his mentor provides a different perspective on morality. I was really impressed with the delivery. He even talks about how they met and found a way to make it rhyme. He even adds another jab on the ongoing discussion about rappers writing their own lyrics.

The second to last song is Money Trees Deuce. This was the first single and I was so excited to hear it when it first released as the original was my favorite song on GKMC where Jay Rock stole the show. If I could compare it with the original I'd conclude that like all things the sequel is never as good as the original. Let me explain. As far as content and verses from Rock, this one far surpassed the first. The hook sang by Anna Wise and Kendrick on the original was catchier and the beat by DJ Dahi was waaaay better than the sequel. That's not to take away from Flippa and JProof's production, because this wasn't supposed to be super produced where you'd lose focus of the lyrics unless you were really paying attention. The song fades out with Rock giving words of encouragement we all could use. The flow and story are very similar and Money Trees Deuce still impressed and retains that ever important replay value. Winding down, the album ends with The Message. This definitely wasn't Grandmaster Flash or Melly Mel. He could have ended the album with Money Trees Deuce and the way it faded out would have been perfect. The Message isn't horrible but wouldn't be missed if left off. It raps up everything he said in the last ten tracks like the conclusion of a fourth grader's public speaking assignment. Vic Smitty sings the hook where I'm also unimpressed. It sounds more harsh than it is; however it's still not good or bad, just wouldn't be otherwise missed.

Although a bit annoying as a fan the promotion was great for the TDE vet. For the most part I think he's the most slept on act out of their stable. The pre-order and release of his album was the most interesting I've ever seen. There literally wasn't a projected date. Just after a certain number of fans ordered, they'd release it in it's entirety. He didn't have too many singles out which is important when you are trying to bless the public with new material. The album was 11 tracks. Fairly short in time but he doesn't waste it. Aside from the outro everything he said  needed to be heard. I was duly surprised to see Parental Advisory and Pay For It featuring K. Dot and Chantal didn't make the final cut. Who knows, maybe that will be on a deluxe version. All in all 90059 is the zip. It's the story of where he's from. I'd to call it the middle ground of Kendrick's Good Kid Maad City and YG's My Krazy Life. I guess that's what it is to be Jay Rock, the blood from Watts, Los Angeles. The question used to be where is Jay Rock? Now it's where's he going? 90059 gets 4.4 of 5 stars on the Ramsey Rating Scale. You can listen to 90059 in it's entirety below after the break.

Listen: Easy Bake - @JayRock featuring @kendricklamar & @Sza

Jay Rock season is fast approaching. Per Top Dawg, the more preorders the faster the date for his upcoming album 90059.

Jay Rock debuted his new track, Easy Bake on Shade 45 with Sway. The song features labelmates Kendrick Lamar and Sza per the tracklisting. Below is the radio ripped version. Enjoy.

#IME Week of 6/21 - @SZA @samgellaitry @thankyouangelo

Album of the week: Z by SZA

So this week I was messing around on TDE's soundcloud especially after Jay Rock dropped Money Trees Deuce. The very next song was Sobriety by SZA. After listening I imediately revisited Z by SZA. Many may say it doesn't hold the replay value I think it has but I think it takes a really serious dive in to feel this. The tracks that stood out all contained features by some of the hottest emcees out. Examples are Babylon with Kendrick Lamar, Warm Winds with labelmate Isaiah Rashaad, and Child's Play featuring Chance the Rapper. Queen dropped a #RoyalThrone Review awhile back in case you wanted to revisit it yourself. Listen to Babylon with Kendrick Lamar below.


Song on repeat: Pong by PYRMDPLAZA & Childhood by Sam Gallaitry

Have you ever just sat down and listened to instrumentals? Me too. There's something about listening to production. If you're anything like me you like listening to just producer's solo projects like Flying Lotus or Statik Selektah. As I said earlier I was surfing soundcloud searching for these two tracks I shazamed (is that a word?) at a show at Rough Trade Brooklyn a few weeks back. If you've ever rode shotgun with me you know I like this genre of music that PYRMDPLAZA and Sam Gallaitry put out. I'd like to see hip-hoppers use these kind of elements in their music one day. Listen to Pong by PYRMDPLAZA and Childhood by Sam Gellaitry.



Indie track: Alive by Angelo Mota featuring Siimba

A little while ago I touched base on this song so you can read that here. The past week I've revisited it enough to notify you it was in my ears. Production was superb, Mota and Siimba showed out lyrically. Alive is part of Angelo Mota's new project, Crystal Avenue. He's holding his album release show at SOB's tomorrow. If you're in the Manhattan area check it out. You can stream that in it's entirety below.

Watch: King Kunta - @KendrickLamar

"This is the blackest, most west coast song off the album." Issah Umar

He was right. Kendrick Lamar dropped his latest visual for King Kunta last night. The video and song fit perfect; although if you watched it on mute you would swear this was a Snoop video from the 90s. Throughout the video K. Dot runs the city with the whole crew including Jay Rock. Looks like discount and liquor stores in Englewood to me (I'm flexing because I just got back from LA. I'll be honest). Watch King Kunta by Kendrick Lamar below.

Watch: Parental Advisory - @JayRock

TDE's Older brother Jay Rock dropped a new visual for Parental Advisory.

As per his style you know it was really really gritty just like the single was. "Out here" in the front yard drinking, smoking, and lifting weights in his hometown of Watts, CA. You can watch the video for yourself below, Enjoy.

Listen: Pay for It - @JayRock featuring @kendricklamar & Chantal

How much do you know about Jay Rock?

"He's the other guy on TDE. His verse on Money Trees was ill. He was on that whatchamacallit song right?" My point exactly. He's been in the game for awhile now formerly part of Strange Music founded by Tech N9ne. "Oh Yeah" you all say huh? Well Top Dawg is keeping their promise when they say all 6 of their artists are dropping an album in 2014.

WE RAN 2013 WITH OUT DROPPING 1 ALBUM. I WONDER WUTS GONE HAPPEN IN 2014 WHEN I DROP 6.. THEY NOT READY 4 THIS #TDE #HiiiPoWeR TAKE OVER
— dangeroo kipawaa TDE (@dangerookipawaa) December 22, 2013

Anyways, this is Jay Rock's second single released in the past couple weeks (Parental Advisory being the first). The track is titled Pay for It which features labelmate and hip-hop's King Kendrick Lamar and the hook is sang by Chantal. Preaches a good story. I suggest you listen, and for Pete's sake please pay attention to Jay Rock. Enjoy after the break.

Ab Soul - "These Days" album review by Niles Cavanaugh

So this is how I had an existential crisis while attempting to review Ab-Soul's newest album These Days... for the past couple of weeks.

Going even further back, I was always intrigued by the idea of Ab-Soul as an MC. I caught onto him around the time his second independent album Control System was released. That had a number of good songs, but my mind was blown at the lyrical dexterity he showed on the track ILLuminate. I was slightly disappointed when I didn't get that same feeling with the rest of the album. It was solid, but not captivating. It's also worth mentioning that the four members of TDE supergroup Black Hippy each have their own shtick of sorts. Kendrick Lamar is the regular kid in a violent environment. ScHoolboy Q is the former gangster turned party animal. Jay Rock is the (still active?) gangbanger that can be found in all red. Soulo's thing is apparently conspiracy theories and skepticism heightened by marijuanna and DMT. I personally aren't into conspiracy theories so some of the themes used in his lyrics generally won't connect with me. I also wanted to hear him over more varied beats, as he falls into the modern-day hip-hop pit of using trap beats (almost think dark synths and that ever-present snare drum) but with much more lyrical skill and varied content than your average trap rapper.

So coming into These Days... I was cautiously expecting progression and grown from the Carson, CA spitter. Maybe turn down the almost paranoid theories in his lyrics while simultaneously turning up a more varied beat selection. And it started off well enough. It opened with God's Reign featuring TDE's first lady SZA on a hook that's hauntingly lovely. Soul was very introspective lyrically and clearly wanted to set the tone early. This was easily one of my favorite tracks.

Then we run into a conundrum that has been brought into the world by the advent of social media and new promotion tactics. The next three songs Tree of Life, Hunnid Stax and Dub Sac had already been released via TDE's SoundCloud in previous months. Hunnid Stax featuring label mate ScHoolboy Q, was released fairly recently as a way to get people hyped for the album. The other two were posted months ago. While still all solid tracks, it just feels like they copied and pasted songs onto the album in a rush to get it out. I've said it before and I'll say it again, if you hear too many songs on an album before it drops, it changes how you process the overall project. So even if these three songs were all good, I still got a "been here before" type of vibe.

The next song is actually new and one of the best of the album. World Runners has Soulo channeling his inner Kid Cudi with a spacey vibe, albeit with more rapping. It also features a surprising Lupe Fiasco and his frequent collaborator Nikki Jean on backup vocals. Unfortunately the next three songs are lame. Nevermind That features some dope guitar work on the beat but also is very MMG-centric, even featuring the disgustingly over saturated Rick Ross. TWACT is a party jam featuring a DJ Mustard beat that I think is mediocre. Just Have Fun is the best of the three, a trippy drug journey, but it's still underwhelming. It's like we had to pay for the quality of World Runners with three subpar tracks in a row, as is the industry. Kendrick Lamar's Interlude features a similar jazzy beat by Terrace Martin which is bogarted by K Dot, hence the title. It's companion piece to Ab-Soul's Outro on Kendrick's Section 80 a few years back. THIS IS THE TYPE OF BEAT I WANT TO HEAR SOULO ON!!! It's outside the box and old school. I feel he could have a West Coast rakim-lite type of career if he went more down this route. This is one of my favorites. It's followed by the somber yet spectacular Closure which has Soulo singing for the most part and assisted by Jhene Aiko. I'm not mad at this instance of rapper singing at all. A very necessary change of pace type of track which is followed by Sapiosexual produced by J. Cole. This song was made for the clubs and radio and it shows. Hard. Not amazing. It then flows into another exceptional yet previously heard track Stigmata that has one of my new favorite MC's Action Bronson and also Asaad. It's heavily influenced by The Cross by Nas, although more layered instrumentally. I almost don't care that this song was released already, I still love it. Feelin' Us includes a very smooth vibe and a Jay Rock sighting (or hearing for that matter), which is always welcome. RaVaughn (Ne-Yo's latest Motown and Compound Ent. Signee) sings the hook which adds to the cooled out ambiance of the song. Easily one of the tops songs on the album and also a candidate for a single & video. Ride Slow is the penultimate song, a "spooky," as Soul puts it, song that also includes Danny Brown and Delusional Thomas. At over seven minutes long, it's bloated but still solid if you can sit through it. Speaking of bloated, the album concludes with W.R.O.H. which clocks in at 23 minutes. It's actually a misleading time since it contains a song of regular length that serves as a good finale. it then goes silent and leads to a recorded battle of sorts against Daylyt. This could have easily been a bonus track on a deluxe version or something and doesn't serve much purpose here. I wasn't all that interested in it in the grand scheme of things but it was kinda cool.

So, Ab-Soul delivered a solid album. One thing you'll notice is this album has A LOT of features. I feel like Soulo is good to the point where he doesn't really need that many guest artists. That seems to come with the territory of most modern-day hip-hop albums on major labels. My main conflict is this: Ab-Soul is extremely skilled and talented. Some say he's the best on his label, but around 60% of the time when I hear his own songs, I can't help but want more. I kinda got what I wished for on this album lyrically at least. He stepped away from the conspiracy theories a little bit and made an album that was lighter on terms of lyrical content at least by his standards. I couldn't help but feel sometimes he was trying to somewhat replicate ScHoolboy Q's vibe in hopes of reaching the same (commercial) success. That doesn't necessarliy work because like I said before. These are two different MCs with two different personalities, but what if this was just another side of Ab-Soul that we haven't seen previously? Additionally, I always griped about his selection of the same type of trap-ish beats. I hoped to hear him on more jazz-inspired or sample-heavy beats, but what if that's not him? What if he's doing exactly what is right for his skill set and abilities as an artist and I'm constantly wanting Soulo to fit into my criteria for what a dope MC is? Yeesh. Anyway this is a good album. Not spectacular, and too many cooks can spoil the broth sometimes in terms of guest appearances, but this is a good step forward and knowing Ab-Soul, he can build from this and continue to grow.

Rating: 3.85 out of 5.

Opinion - My Krazy Life by YG album review by Niles Cavanaugh

"So this YG album I have to review sucks kind of.  Beats all sound the same."
"Well it's probably made to sell."

That was a conversation I had with my homegirl Jazzy about My Krazy Life. When Ramsey assigned it to me he described it as the gangbanger perspective to the same Compton Kendrick Lamar spoke about in his debut album.  Listening to it on the long and taxing drive home from Cherry Hill, I found that Ramsey was right about it.  This album tells a story, albeit loosely, of a day in the life of a Tree Top Piru Blood in Compton.

Being that West Coast hip-hop has been on an upswing the last couple of years (especially with ScHoolboy Q dropping Oxymoron a couple weeks ago), I was intrigued by this concept. As I listened on my trip home, I was sorely disappointed.

My Krazy Life does loosely tell a story of a day in the life of a blood in Compton, or Bompton if you choose. Lyrically and content wise, you aren't being sold a false bill of goods here. The subject matter is somewhat repetitive but makes sense. Smoking drinking, partying, fighting shooting, hanging out with your set f*ckin chicks are apparently what happens in a typical day for a blood around the way. I have no issue with that because you can tell YG isn't bullsh*ttin' listeners in any way shape or form. He's just speaking on what he knows on songs such as BPT or the blood-coded Bicken Back Being Bool. He also frequently uses interpolations of throwback West Coast hits in his rhymes. While he may not have the same lyrical technique and flow finesse as The Game, any of TDE, Fashawn, Crooked I, Murs, or any other left coast MC out there, YG still speaks in authentic language and comes from the heart in most of his raps. He's not going to be in anyone's top 5 dead or alive list, but tolerable lyrically, albeit average.

The main trouble with My Krazy Life is the beats. If you're going to be an average newcomer newcomer in a hip-hop scene that seemingly sees thousands of releases per week, you have to be carried by top-notch production if you don't have the necessary wordplay to stand out. YG doesn't have that. Out of a possible 17-18 songs (depending on the edition you purchased) the aforementioned DJ Mustard either solely produced or at least had a hand in produced or at least had a hand in producing 12 of them. The beats stay true to the album's California roots but largely get repetitive and boring after awhile. I understand that you want any album to have a consistent vibe when it comes to production, but almost all of this sounds the same. In an interview with Hip-Hop DX review, DJ Mustard compared the album to Dr. Dre's classic The Chronic. while that album had a consistent vibe and formula, you could at least tell the songs apart. I got the feeling that the beats were like a modern day g-funk soundtrack of an old video game or something. Combined with the subject matter that's standard at best, you aren't looking at anything Earth shattering.

There are a few gems here, don't get me wrong. I Just Wanna Party is pretty good and comes with a double assist by ScHoolboy Q and Jay Rock. Really Be shows that YG can avoid getting completely eaten alive by current California hip-hop king Kendrick Lamar. 1 AM is too short yet solid, and Sorry Momma is the best song on the album. It's an introspective joint co-produced by Terrance Martin and DJ Mustard that survives an appearance by new guy Ty Dolla Sign. Even the bonus track Bompton has replay value. Overall this album has a lot of filler, and like Jazzy implied, this album was seemingly made to sell. There's an obligatory Drake appearance on Who Do You Love? and the radio smash My N*gga (or My Hitta as heard on the radio) sounds like your average irritating hit hip-hop song of today. The original features label boss Young Jeezy and fellow new act Rich Homie Quan. The remix on the deluxe edition features Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, and Meek Mill. Clearly this was built for spins and nothing else.

Overall, this album fell short of the expectations that I had. While it does show a gangster's view of Compton, it ultimately sputters once you realize that gangsters don't do much and seemingly don't leave the neighborhood in which they reside. Put these stories over mostly bland beats, and you don't have much of a memorable album. It doesn't compare to good kid, m.A.A.d city or Oxymoron because it lacks the rich production and lyrical diversity to keep up with it's peers. This album will have and audience though. Fans of a new school radio rap will find it catchy. People from Compton and like areas in Cali (shoutouts to Tori who also put me on the album) will be able to relate to some of the culture and references and therefore embrace it. At the end of the day, My Krazy Life sounds like other albums before it and will eventually sound like other albums after it. It won't go down as a classic, or make my top 10 of 2014. It'll just kind of something that happened. It was an album that was made to sell and it shows.

Short backstory: hailing from Compton, YG is a Tree Top Piru Blood who is signed to Jeezy's CTE World/Def Jam. He released a number of mixtapes and frequently collaborated with producer DJ Mustard starting in 2010.