Review: EVERYTHING IS LOVE - The Carters (words by @RamseySaidWHAT)

A few months back I almost dropped a piece covering Beyoncé's spectacular Coachella set. I still may release that in a different format someday. To take an excerpt from that piece, I'll make an analogy. Beyoncé is to Lebron as MJ is to MJ. I'll explain that later. For now we have a review to do. It's funny I've never reviewed anything by Beyoncé. Partially fear of the hive, partially because I didn't want to compete with every other site EVER and their reviews. THE CARTERS presents EVERYTHING IS LOVE, let's get to it.

The project opens up with SUMMER. I want you to imagine you're at the beach listening to this. Close your eyes. Let Bey serenade in your headphones. This is their love song to each other. Jay pulls up smoothly with a story of a summer night with his family. Don't stay in this fantasy too long because APES**T sounds dramatically different. I recently listened to the Migos demo of this. I've said it before and time and time again I always remind people: "Adaptation is the key to longevity." Their ability to adapt to today's trap sound will always keep them in conversation. Not my favorite in the world but this will ring in car speakers all summer. It is what it is. Besides Jay has been doing well on trap beats for awhile now (example: La Familia, I Got the Keys with Future). Also, these guys really rented out the Louvre to shoot this video.

The tenor melodies and harmonies are fire on BOSS. This track is what I call real music. Beyoncé floats here. They start with the chorus, then add a brass section, then add piano. Then take a section away bar by bar. This is excellent. This is when the real shit talking begins. Subliminals enter the playing field here. Get used to it too, it's gonna happen throughout.

"Till them invoices separate the men from the boys. over here we measure success by how many people successful next to you."

Afterward Beyoncé follows up with some black excellence of her own. whips for everyone, generations full of brown Forbes listers, you know the usual.

NICE is a Neptunes beat if I ever heard one. Before the first lyric is sung this production screams Pharell. If you're wondering why Lemonade isn't anywhere but tidal this should clear things up for you. Not for nothing Pharell is the only person in the music industry that can't sing and it's okay for him to falsetto over anything he wants. He's the only pass. Just think of his voice as another instrument. It's also nice to have this feature without it being listed. Makes for a nice surprise. 713 is very obviously an ode to Houston without googling the area code. In fact we get the low down on how the power couple really got to meet, how he almost lost her, and how he went full Melo mode to get her back (more on that later).

I think FRIENDS is the best track on the project. It had the most subliminals and lines to be read through. I think the only way to get a friend is by being one. This song reinforces that lesson. This beat and 808 kick is too tough. Queen B's autotune makes this car speaker certified. This has to sound crazy live.

The kardashians too. “Put niggas on a t shirt.” “Ain’t going to nobodies nothing if me and the wife beefing” regarding the wedding pic.twitter.com/8pXk8Sc1CH

— JC (@RamseySaidWHAT) June 19, 2018

Only Beyoncé and Jay Z can find a way to flex on a song clearing the air on some things. HEARD ABOUT US has instagram captions for days. So famous I don't wear a suit to court. Cuba and Aruba in the winter. I can't lie I'm pretty jealous of those kind of problems.

BLACK EFFECT begins with words of wisdom from an older woman before an R&B sample blends through. Then a punchy kick drum rings your headphones. This is my favorite hook on the project. If Black Excellence was a song this is it. The project closes out with LOVEHAPPY. It's flat out beautiful. This is the most hip hop beat here. "I had to move the whole family west but its whatever. in a glass house still throwing stones, Hova Beyzus, watch the throne." I seen a bunch of Kanye to Kim "get the nudes" memes probably stemmed from this line. Their chemistry to turn the first verse into a conversation where they upstage each other was clever. Hov even took a bar from the Common classic H.E.R "Y'all know how I met her, we broke up and got back together." Great mood to close out a project. Sometimes you can tell when Bey is really into what she's singing and she gets into this growling voice. I love it.

To be frank The Carters were talking greasy throughout the project. Beyoncé the emcee made an appearance with the singer and autotune crooner. I think these guys are the only ones who could do well with a surprise release. I had a complaint about them doing another tour without new material since their therapeutic revisit of darker times in 4:44 and Lemonade respectively. In fact they made some references, double and triple entendres the way only Hov and Bey can. You can tell this project was put together fairly recently regarding subject matter and such. I was pleased to see Jersey based Nija Charles had writing credits on a few songs on this project. try not to compare this to Twenty88 or any other collabs to this point. Short albums is the new trend that I foresaw on 5 Reasons Your Album Flopped. I enjoyed it thoroughly and I think it'll be in rotation all summer. It doesn't sound like what we would have thought a Jay-Z and Beyoncé album would ten years ago. Still this is an amazing piece. I wish they would have kept Shining on tuck this whole time because that would have been a wonderful lead single for this, but DJ Khaled. Anyways, EVERYTHING IS LOVE is everywhere now and by now I'm sure you've listened. Let's see how it stands the test of time.

Review: Begin - @LionBabe Review (written by @AQueens_Crown)

Meet Lion Babe a funky soulful duo based out of New York. 

Coming together after they met at a party, the pair is made up of singer Jillian Hervey (Vanessa Williams' daughter) and producer Lucas Goodman. Signed to Interscope following the release of their first single in 2012 Treat Me Like Fire. Later releasing their self-titles debut EP in 2014. They recently released an album Begin. Here are some thoughts on a couple of tracks.

Whole       

            A strong almost dark song about being to real for this man.

Jump Hi (featuring Childish Gambino)       

           It's reminiscent of any classic J Dilla beat. This was the only song with a feature on the project. Reaching for the stars then Gambino comes in and lays down some bars of his own.

Wonder Woman

            Watch out a wonder woman is coming through taking on all that comes her way.  Pharrell Williams wrote and produced the song and even leads some vocals.

Impossible

             You can’t break her down its impossible. Fast paced drums in the beat reminding me of a timberland beat.

           

Stressed OUT!        

            Stressed out with things going on in your life. Take a break and enjoy the little things.

          

Where Do We Go"

            Dance hall 80s disco vide. This is the song that demonstrations the essence of Lion Babe. Funky, Fresh, music that isn’t heard on the charts most days. Yet still carries a spirt of freedom that can't be contained by the charts.          

Got Body    

             Celebrating all different body types. In an age slowly beginning to praise all the different body types more instead of a photo shopped copied image. Serving as a voice to let people know that there is nothing wrong with your curves, love the things that make you.

Everyday Life          

            The beat is slow down and gives an airy feeling. She sings about not worrying about the mistakes in the past because

Treat Me Like Fire

            The original single that started off their start as Lion Babe.

Little Dreamer

            Soft ballad about dreaming big. Mermaids, Lost Boys, and Raindows the things you dreamed about when you were little. But as an adult she still holds on to these dreams.  

The whole album brings funk and soul mixed together in a new context. Hervey’s vocals are similar to Erykah Badu signature voice but she brings her own flavor to it. Her lyrics showcase an independent thinking women fearful of no person and determined to live out her dreams. Goodman’s production gives the Hervey’s the perfect stage to let her voice take off. His use of techniques mastered by producers like J Dilla, and Flying Lotus showcase his ability to add a modern twist on things down in the past.I see the duo rocking it out at all the stages this summer, getting the crowd jumping and dancing.

In My Ears: Editor's Picks week of 12-6-15

Throwback Jawn: Unbreakable - Michael Jackson featuring The Notorious B.I.G

I woke up early this morning and put my phone on shuffle. The King of Pop is always a wonderful way to start your day. I promise you're favorite has drawn some kind of influence from this man. Everyone will always debate Thriller and Off the Wall being Michael's best albums. That's no debate but my favorite (there's a difference between the best and favorite) has definitely got to be his 2001 offering, Invincible. Not gonna recap the whole album but the first track featured a posthumous verse from Biggie himself. Come on, just not fair. Listen to Unbreakable by Michael (not Janet this time) Jackson below.



Song on Repeat: Tink - Treat Me Like Somebody

Throughout the week I found myself listening to a friend's freestyle to this so much I went back and listened to the original. Over, and over, and over. It also doesn't help my ex covered this in a poem she performed a little while ago. Feel free to call me a sap, I am one. Now, for those of you wondering why Tink was featured on XXL's freshman list this year listen and see why below, Treat Me Like Somebody.



Under the Radar: Syd - Smile More

Last week Syd the Kid of The Internet dropped some music on her own. It's always fire hearing from her. In Smile More she really shows off her jazzy voice in this one. I can see myself 40 years old dancing with my wife in our living room to this. Listen for yourself below. Oh sidebar, shoutouts to the Internet's Ego Death with the Grammy nod this year, well deserved.



Projects of the Week:  BUSH - Snoop Dogg (Lion, whatever) & Alina Baraz & Galimatias - Urbana Flora

Earlier this year when we interviewed Joe College we spoke a little off camera about our favorite projects of the year thus far. He mentioned this one by Snoop I think a lot of people missed out on. Start to finish BUSH is pretty dope. My favorite track is California Roll which enlists the talents of Pharell and Stevie Wonder. Nothing but net. This week I also took the time to listen to Alina Baraz. You're probably asking who is that. It's okay, I was too. I don't know much about her but her project with Galimatias is an awesome listen. This one was a referral by a friend who knows my ear well. We sat in her apartment and listened while sipping some vino. Anyone who knows me knows I like new age R&B with a synth and bouncy production. It's almost eerie. This needs to be listened to through speakers not headphones. Let me know what you think. Listen to California Roll and Urbana Flora in it's entirety below.

Watch: WTF (Where They From) - @MissyElliott & @Pharrell

It's good news to hear Missy Elliot has new material. It's great news to see a visual behind her audio.

Last week was the return of Missy Elliot. I was curious to see what crazy sound she'd have since we've last heard from her. I expected her return to include sounds from Jersey Club DJ, Producer, and Rapper Jayhood. Instead she enlists the help of one of the best in the game, Pharrell Williams. Listen to Where They From after the break.

Kendrick Lamar Preview - @Best_ofda_Worst

"Lord God, I come to you a sinner and I humbly repent for my sins……"

Kendrick Lamar by "Rolling Stone"

These were the first words spoken on Kendrick Lamar’s Good Kid MAAD City. With favorites such as Money Trees and MAAD City people claimed that it is with this album that has invigorated hip-hop with comparisons to great works such as Lauryn Hill’s Miseducation. Classic after classic song, all being tied together through skits in between, the album felt like more of an audiobook rather than visual story, where the listener was in attendance in that van with Kendrick and the homies. It can be said that no one expected such a great work from Kendrick at first. Regardless it was greatly loved by fans, critics, and general hip-hop heads alike. Believe it or not that was a little more than two years ago.  Present day we have not heard much from Kendrick other a few singles and a features. What has been released has caused some waves with his message of self love on I, his intoxicating feature on Flying Lotus’ Never Catch Me and of course his inflammatory verse, that shook up the whole genre of rap on Big Sean’s Control. Fans and listeners have been waiting for Kendrick’s next album with little patience and high anxiety. The question is, what can be expected?

Previously with GKMC, His EP, mixtapes and singles, they kind of alluded to the fact that Kendrick would be telling the story of his life and then we heard it on his album. With this new album we haven’t heard much from Kendrick lyrically, but from going from his interviews he has told us that this album will be more “raw” than what it has ever been before. Rumors has it that it has some elements of section .80 and Good Kid MAAD City, as well as beats produce by Dr. Dre and Pharell this album could potentially outstanding production wise.  As far as songs go you definitely will hear “I” but I fell like the single will sound better on the album than it does as a single as did Swimming Pools. Both are commercial records but Swimming Pools had a new feel to it once it was heard on the album compared to as a standalone track. Within the album it was part of the story and included a part two that wasn't heard on the single. I also feel like there might some trippy tracks on the album as well such as his performance on the Colbert Report which you can peep below.

The Colbert Report
Get More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,The Colbert Report on Facebook,Video Archive

With a song like that I can see how I could fit on the album. All in all this album will be greatly produced with lyrics to match of course there will be those who compare it to the first and say GKMC was better but I feel like this new album will be more focused on sending a message than just be a story on Kendrick.  

Watch: It Girl - @Pharell

Pharell might be the only guy in the industry who can't sing and it's perfectly fine.

Skateboard P has done it again. I really like this visual as it incorporates a vintage 90's video game with an anime feel. Without any further wait, It Girl by Pharell below. Peep after the break.

Watch: It's on Again - Alicia Keys, Kendrick Lamar, Pharell

Below is the visual for It's on Again, the lead single for The Amazing Spider-Man 2 Soundtrack featuring the likes of Alicia Keys, Kendrick Lamar, and Pharrell. The soundtrack is scheduled to release April 22nd, where the movie will be in theaters on May 2nd. You can purchase the single now on iTunes. Check out the video after the break. Enjoy!

Wrapping Up the Grammys 2014

After watching the awards and the updates on my Twitter timeline last night, many people had mixed feelings about the Grammys this year. It's safe to say I feel the same way.

The big winners of the night include Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Daft Punk, Pharrell Williams, Lorde, Bruno Mars, Imagine Dragons, Justin Timberlake, Rihanna, Alicia Keys, Jay-Z, Tasha Combs, Tye Tribbett, Mandisa, Adele, amongst others. The Grammys have always been interesting because of the process artists go through to get a nomination. If you think about it Kendrick Lamar's GKMC came out in October 2012 and it is now January 2014 where it is nominated.

Many people made cries of racism towards the awards show. Although I personally feel otherwise it is a plausible argument. Three of the four rap categories were not televised. Not only did that anger some of the viewers but Macklemore was disappointed himself. On his instagram he flashes text messages between him and Kendrick about him being "robbed."

Here are the links to both screenshots:
http://instagram.com/p/jpWPTQQK4z/
http://instagram.com/p/jqXYYAwK_y/

He also got on Hot 97 for a phone interview this morning with Rosenberg and the Morning Show (see below). The only televised category in the genre was Best Rap Song.


Daft Punk ran away with four Grammys last night including AOTY and Record of the Year, with Random Access Memories and Get Lucky with Pharrell respectively. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis took home a very controversial Best Rap Album and Best New Artist. Hov won twice last night but both with the help of Justin Timberlake with Suit & Tie and Holy Grail. Justin also won Best R&B song with Pusher Love Girl. Lastly Pharrell Williams left the night with Producer of the Year award. There was no arguing it pushing smash hits like Get Lucky and Blurred Lines with Robin Thicke and T.I.

The best moment of the night is when the winners of best rock performance, Imagine Dragons performed Radioactive. What made it so special is when K. Dot comes out of the mashup spitting m.A.A.d city over the beat. Twitter was at an uproar. No sooner than I could tweet "They need to get in the studio and make an mp3 of this," Imagine Dragons released an iTunes version of their remix to Radioactive featuring Kendrick Lamar himself. It even got Taylor Swift off her feet.

I don't think the voting for awards was the flaw in the annual awards ceremony. I think the faux pas in the system is the genre of music categories. I grew up raised that Rap isn't a category of music. Rap is a verb, it is the process. Hip-Hop is the genre of music and frankly I would not consider Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Hip-Hop artists. That is not to take away from their talents and recognition. They are just Pop artists to me and many other members of the industry would feel the same way. The same goes for Justin Timberlake and R&B to me. I don't think Pusher Love Girl was the best song the his (amazing I might add) album let alone better than the other nominees. What confuses me in every other category instead of this one Timberlake was considered Pop. Why was this song classified as rhythm and blues? One last question, What is Urban contemporary music? All the nominees for that genre were either Pop or R&B. Are you telling me that there aren't people in rural areas that listen to Rihanna, Fantasia, or Mack Wilds?

All in all, the Grammys were incredible. There are some (major) flaws in the system but we have to realize the flaws rather than point fingers because our favorites didn't win. A grammy award never measures your success as a music artist (it helps), but there are plenty of amazing artists that never won a grammy like Diana Ross, Brian McKnight, Led Zepplin, Snoop Dogg, Notorious B.I.G, Tupac Shakur, The Beach Boys, Nas, Queen, Chuck Berry, Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Bob Marley, Run DMC, and Busta Rhymes. All of them are legends in their own right. So when you are disappointed that Kendrick didn't win last night despite seven nominations, just remember the Baha Men are Grammy award winners for Who Let the Dogs Out and the before mentioned legends are not with hundreds of nominations between them all.

Your Editor,