Sunday, October 31, 2010
Monday, October 11, 2010
Phonte
To some of you, seeing this name on the list might be even more shocking than seeing Q-Tip was. But if you’ve ever listened to Little Brother (shout out to Rapper Big Pooh) and/or The Foreign Exchange (shout out to Nicolay), maybe you feel me on this one. Phonte Coleman is not so much underrated as he is underexposed. His talent is undeniable, and I think the industry recognizes that (his fans definitely do), but he has truly chosen the path less traveled in his career. After Little Brother’s deal with Atlantic bombed, Phonte accepted something about himself that most other artists who’ve been exposed to the major label machine never believe or re-connect with – he embraced the fact that his own intelligence, talent and work ethic were all the components he needed to continue to make a living from recording great music. And when you make great music, the real music fans follow you. It’s that simple. Phonte’s choice to remain independent, his refusal to give up his creative license in any way, is a tribute to his passion for music more than a lust for money, fame or accolades. But none of that really explains why he’s easily my favorite MC/songwriter of the past decade. I relate to just about everything the man writes – he is like a window into the soul of the everyday, common brotha’ who is flawed but still sensitive and trying to do the right things in life. If you aren’t familiar, hopefully these top 7 joints will give you an idea of why he is the coldest dude in hip-hop (and R&B) right now…
7. “Speed” from Little Brother’s The Listening
The beginning is all about the grind. Te’ raps about the 9-5 life and struggling to make ends meet and support his son while staying up late nights to perfect rap songs. But even from the jump, it is evident that Little Brother is in the game for the right reasons. The music (home) video for “Speed” definitely loses points for obviously being shot with the Sony camcorder, but it was all about getting the product out – product that brought Little Brother highest accolades from legends like Pete Rock and A Tribe Called Quest.
6. “Next Day” from Little Brother’s Getback (iTunes bonus track?)
This track is kinda hard to find… I’ve heard other websites say it is an iTunes bonus track from Getback, but the only bonus track I’ve seen on iTunes from that album is “The Getaway.” Regardless, once I found the song on the ‘net I instantly searched until I found a free download. This song is a great example of Phonte’s strong storytelling ability, as he raps about the transitions he endured during his career up until the Getback album. Aspiring musicians, or anybody with dreams of doing what they love as their career, will be able to relate.
5. “Brave New World” from The Foreign Exchange’s Connected
Phonte is not really political or preachy when he has a message in his music, but he gives us a glimpse of his social consciousness on this track to let us know he’s paying attention to the world and how it’s growing and changing. At the end of it all, though, he always connects global economies of scale to the plight of the everyman individual. He always suggests that if we all do our part to step it up a little, then the world will be better and we’ll all reap the benefits.
4. “Hold On (Tellin’ Me)” B-side to Little Brother’s “Lovin’ It” single (vinyl)
This track is very hard to find… I’ve also heard that this song is supposed to be a bonus track on the Japanese version of The Minstrel Show, but again I’ve never been able to find where I can buy that album or song (can’t even find it on YouTube, people). It is however available for purchase on vinyl on the B-side of their first single off of The Minstrel Show, and I posted a link for the one place I’ve found it recently. It’s a shame this song is not more accessible because Phonte kills his verse, boasting about how he is one of the illest with the craziest wordplay and metaphors to back it up!
3. “All For You” from Little Brother’s The Minstrel Show
This song is one of the instances where Phonte reveals his flaws and shows a deeply personal side of himself on record. A complicated relationship between parents and children is something a lot of people can relate to, and Phonte (and Pooh as well) lays all of his insecurities out in this very touching and thoughtful song about his parental relationships as well as responsibilities.
2. “Boondock Saints” from Little Brother’s Separate But Equal
This song contains the frustrated but focused Phonte that I promise no MC in the game wants to see in a beef. He cuts down everything corporate, from shifty and shady major labels to the pride and joy of the black community, Black Embarrassment Television. He also challenges the young generation of hip-hop consumers as well as fellow artists in the game to hold our music to higher standard. And he does all of this with some of the most incredible punch lines and metaphors of the new millennium.
1. “Bless the Child” from Jake One’s White Van Music
This is yet another slept on track unless you are familiar with Jake One, but again Phonte is the most deadly when it comes to these obscure, gotta dig in the crates to find it type of tracks, and “Bless the Child” is the best one yet. This is my daily theme song, because he’s simply rapping about approaching every day, every goal or obstacle in life, with the “I will not lose” mentality. He wrecks the “life’s a bitch” metaphor by extending it throughout most of the verse, and the wordplay is pure magic – hard knock life theme music at its finest, like great hip-hop is supposed to be.
**Some Honorable Mentions** (I just couldn’t keep this list to 7; if you were feeling these tracks, you should follow up with these): “Slow It Down” from Little Brother’s The Minstrel Show, “Sincere” from The Foreign Exchange’s Connected, “Can’t Win For Losing” from Little Brother’s Getback
Saturday, October 09, 2010
Bun B
7. Big Pimpin’ from Jay-Z’s Vol. 3…The Life and Times of S. Carter
The fact that UGK even got on this track with Jay-Z was a huge leap of faith. Reluctantly taking that leap to the “commercial” side, however, did not prompt them to sell out. Pimp kept it as southern (Texas) as possible (too blatantly, in my opinion) so no one could accuse him of going pop and not reppin’ right, while Bun delivered the most dexterous feature he’s ever done, leaving Jay-Z flailing in the wind. (If you’ve ever wondered why the second Jay verse is on the video version but not the album, it’s because Jay was trying to catch up and keep from being embarrassed!)
6. Pocket Full of Stones from Too Hard to Swallow
This is a southern rap anthem. Any artist coming from the south will mention this song as being highly influential. Pimp and Bun trade verses about slanging crack rock on the block – a dope hustler’s theme song with vivid storytelling and a gloomy, head-nodding beat.
5. “It’s Supposed to Bubble” from Super Tight
A lot of people think UGK hails from Houston, but if you’ve ever listened to their albums you should know they always show love to Port Arthur, their actual hometown. PA is a little more than an hour’s drive from the H. Nowhere else is that dedication to his roots shown by Bun more so than on this song. Having spent a lot of time in Port Arthur, as well as also being from a smaller city myself that is similar in size and demographics to PA, these verses personally resonate with me, and just plain go hard.
4. “One Day” from Ridin’ Dirty
The first time I popped Ridin’ Dirty into my deck and “One Day” came on, I thought I was listening to my dad’s Isley Brothers record instead. Using the sample of “Ain’t I Been Good To You” by the Isleys was the perfect musical symbol to open this classic album, and an appropriate musical backdrop to the stories of hardship and loss that Bun and Pimp relay on this song. To me, there are only a handful of songs where a looped, un-chopped sample from a song of another genre really sounds great with rap over it – this is one of them.
3. “Wood Wheel” from Dirty Money
This is the “underrated” song that I have to plug at least once on each of my lists. Simple, bass-heavy beat, with a plain but catchy hook – totally unglamorous and ineffectual at the first casual listen, although the beat is an immediate head-nodder. But Bun stuck his foot in it lyrically with nifty wordplay and careful off-beat rhyming, making it one of the best songs that no one ever talks about.
2. “Heaven” from Underground Kingz
This song sees Bun being socially conscious and critical of society’s take on the ghetto, but he keeps it relatable to his core audience. Lines like, “We losin’ the children, we losin’ the youth, cuz you motherf#ckas won’t tell ‘em the truth,” really cut deep and show the side of Bun that can be a completely different type of MC without changing his character at all. This is another important song from UGK that a lot of people have missed.
1. “Hi-Life” from Ridin’ Dirty
Bun B’s verse on this song is simply powerful. It’s emotional, convicting, and addresses some of those ugly truths about life that most rappers in Bun’s position don’t want to talk about. Bun has always talked about the poverty of the ‘hood and the common man’s burden and responsibility toward loving and helping people. Not too many MCs can rap about the drug game, the pimp game, and the rap game and still connect to the listener on a social justice tip too. Bun has done this for years, and that makes him one of the coldest and most versatile rappers to ever bless a mic.
Tuesday, October 05, 2010
Nas
“Analyze This” (3rd verse)
Nas and Jay-Z had their war, (which Nas clearly won) but in a time long before that the two were once friendly acquaintances. The first time Nas spanked Jigga’s a$$ is actually on this record, they were just on better terms. I discovered this song a while back, but I believe it’s out of print because I have never found it on an album or any type of purchasable release; I think it was pressed on vinyl only.
“You’re da Man” from Stillmatic
Many people say Stillmatic was the rebirth of Nas as a dangerous MC. If there is another track besides “Ether” that definitively illustrates that fact, it’s this one. This song is basically a career biopic, as Nas outlines his constant pushback from haters, imitators, and even his own oft-troubled soul. “Wish I could flap wings and fly away, to where black kings in Ghana stay/ so I can get on, my flesh rot away, but that’ll be the day/ When there’s peace, when my gat don’t need to spray, when these streets are safe to play…” A king’s job never ceases.
“Verbal Intercourse” (1st verse) from Raekwon’s Only Built 4 Cuban Linx
Raekwon and Nas have always had a mutual respect and admiration for each other, and have adopted parts of each other’s styles over the years. This track on the Chef’s classic solo debut has the two plus Ghostface Killah going at it. For me it’s hard to say there was clearly a best verse, but I do feel like this beat matches Nas’ voice so his flow is butter on the track. If he could’ve gotten more beats like this throughout his career, y’all naysayers might respect my dude more.
“I Gave You Power” from It Was Written
This entire song is a metaphorical painting of Nas comparing himself to a gun… but in what sense? It’s always intriguing and powerful when art can be interpreted in multiple ways (I don’t know if Nas has ever commented on it or not), because it keeps people talking and thinking. That is a rare feat in rap, which is why this song is so unique. I think it’s a metaphor for the conundrum of being an artist signed to a major label, dealing with the politics and what not…what do you think?
“Take It In Blood” from It Was Written
This is the most underrated Nas song in my opinion; no one ever talks about it but the flow is crazy nice. Granted, the song sounds like a freestyle in the traditional sense (not off the dome, but literally free of style and all over the place content-wise), but there are SO many dope quotables and deep metaphors. This is one of my all-time favorites jams to just ride out to.
“It Ain’t Hard To Tell” from Illmatic
This is the closing song to the arguably the greatest album in hip-hop history. It’s hard enough not to put all of Illmatic on this list, but for me this song defines how raw and fresh the entire album is.
“Live at the Barbeque” (1st verse) from Main Source’s Breaking Atoms
This song from Main Source contains Nas’ inaugural verse, his first appearance on the rap scene. It was immediately labeled a classic cut, and for Nas it’s been on ever since. Imagine this being your first verse you ever spit on wax, and then you follow up with an album like Illmatic, and you’ve got to try to continue to live up to that type of hype – that’s pressure. But Nas has continued to excel and remain true to himself and hip-hop.
Sunday, October 03, 2010
Eminem
7. “Infinite” from Infinite
This is the first track from Eminem’s first album, and it drew a lot of criticism because it closely parallels Nas’ style of rhyming. You can definitely hear Nas’ influence on Em at this stage in his career, but I'm reminded of the widely-accepted opinion about the song “Notorious Thugs” on Biggie’s Life After Death when everybody said that Biggie wrecked Bone on their own style. I always thought that was a bit of an overstatement; in fact, I think Eminem came closer to perfecting Nas' style than B.I.G. did to mastering Bone's. This song is pure lyrical wizardry.
6. “My Dad’s Gone Crazy” (3rd verse) from The Eminem Show
Eminem has a knack for making the last verse on all of his albums stick with you - I don't know if he tries to do this on purpose or not, but I wouldn't be surprised if he does. This verse in particular has always stuck with me because of the first few bars… “My songs can make you cry, take you by surprise at the same time/ then make you dry your eyes with the same rhyme/ See what you’re seeing is a genius at work, which to me isn’t work, so it’s easy to misinterpret it at first…” That’s tough to top as far as opening lines go…
5. “Lose Yourself” from 8 Mile Soundtrack
This song gets me crunk, hyphy, amped, whatever you wanna call it; I love it conceptually, lyrically and musically. It’s the story of Marshall Mathers and Eminem rolled into one, similar to the entire concept of 8 Mile the movie. Just like the character of B. Rabbit, Eminem shows his vulnerability and insecurity when describing his life before becoming famous, but ultimately his drive, killer instinct, and love for hip-hop helped transform those would-be weak points to his primary tools for successful song-writing and relating to his fan base.
4. “I’m Back” from The Marshall Mathers LP
This song includes all sides of Em’s on-the-mic personality – the cutthroat battle rapping, the grotesque and violent imagery, the candid and inappropriate teasing of other celebrities, just any and everything that his imagination can conjure. Yet every line is carefully crafted with a high-level of lyrical skill and cleverness.
3. “Til I Collapse” from The Eminem Show
If there was ever any doubt that Eminem had the utmost respect of his peers in the rap game, I feel like it should’ve disappeared once this song was heard. The beat has that epic feel to it, like the apocalypse is about to come, and Em plays the role of the 4th Horseman. He lists (in order) his favorite rappers while simultaneously shooting the middle finger at any haters, whether they be rapper or critic, who choose to slander his name.
2. “Renegade” (his 1st verse, 2nd on the song) from Jay-Z’s album The Blueprint
Nas was the first person to say it publicly, but we were all thinking it. Yes, Eminem clearly murdered Jigga on his own sh!t. But it’s not surprising because the concept of the song is more suited for Slim Shady than Jay, in my opinion. Em's best conceptual writing is done with him as the underdog, and in this song he retorts against an American society who has labeled him the bad guy rather than taking responsibility for our own lives and children. Artistic freedom of speech at its finest (and most scathing).
1. “Stan” from The Marshall Mathers LP
These verses, this story, is one of the most compelling rap stories ever recorded. I almost want to call it the greatest, but I won't because I don't believe in devaluing thoughtful storytelling through the imposed objectivity of rankings. But the beauty of the story combined with Shady's unique ability to tell it so masterfully and with such ease of expression REALLY tempts me to want to say it is the best story ever told on wax. I'll just say this: there isn't a better one. This solidified Eminem's place in the history of not just hip-hop, but music in general.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyHwM8WP0Z4
Saturday, October 02, 2010
Q-Tip
7. “Electric Relaxation” (from A Tribe Called Quest’s Midnight Marauders)
There are so many great quotable lines that have been recycled from this song – “Honey check it out you got me mesmerized, with your black hair and your fat a$$ thighs…” or “Shorty let me tell you ‘bout my only vice, it has to do with lots of lovin’ and it ain’t nothing nice.” If you love hip-hop, you already love this gem of a jam, whether you're aware of it or not.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERQzl4xDpXk&feature=related
There are so many great quotable lines that have been recycled from this song – “Honey check it out you got me mesmerized, with your black hair and your fat a$$ thighs…” or “Shorty let me tell you ‘bout my only vice, it has to do with lots of lovin’ and it ain’t nothing nice.” If you love hip-hop, you already love this gem of a jam, whether you're aware of it or not.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERQzl4xDpXk&feature=related
6. “Check the Rhime” (from A Tribe Called Quest’s The Low End Theory)
“Industry rule # 4,080, record company people are shaaadyyyy…” The thing I love about this song is its simplicity in expressing a deep truth about Q-Tip, which I alluded to in the intro – being a good rapper begins with being comfortable with your own style, not imitating someone else’s. “Rap is not pop, if you call it that then stop.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRrM6tfOHds
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRrM6tfOHds
5. “Move” (from The Renaissance)
From his 2008 solo release, this song is a strong example of how nice The Abstract Poetic can be when he goes all in. He flows sick to an incredibly soulful and banging Jay Dee-produced split beat. This joint is just vintage spittin’ over a lovely musical backdrop.
4. “Lyrics to Go”, (from A Tribe Called Quest’s Midnight Marauders)
I couldn’t decide if the first verse or second verse was more impressive on this cult classic – the down side of this cut is that his cadence is so basic and static that you can very easily miss the beautiful word play. But focus intently and you will hear why this song is considered one of the best from their catalogue.
3. “Sucka N!gga” (from A Tribe Called Quest’s Midnight Marauders)
I love this song because of the message – I can’t front, that’s really the only reason it made this high on the list. Q-Tip gives a brief but important lesson on the history of the n-word, explaining its evolution from hurtful racial epithet to term of endearment within the younger black generations. Class is in session…
2. “Things U Do” (from Amplified)
This is another crazy lyrical joint, which is somewhat of a rare jewel from The Abstract. Every now and then Q-Tip has to remind us that he is more than capable of spanking a$$ on the mic, and on his solo debut this is the track where he took off his belt.
1. “Excursions” (from A Tribe Called Quest’s The Low End Theory)
Infectious. Mellow. Vintage. Raw. Eloquent. Unforgettable. I can’t think of complete statements that do justice for explaining how this song makes me feel, so I just wrote the words that immediately came to mind. Just give it a listen. And respect the true school.
Friday, October 01, 2010
Andre 3000
The countdown begins. I’ll start by stating the obvious: this was not an easy task. A lot of artists and songs that I love didn’t make the list. At the same time, I’ve given it some careful thought, and I picked what I really consider to be the most personally compelling hip-hop music that I’ve experienced. Do you agree? Am I leaving your favorite out? Let me know.
In lane #1, we have one half of Outkast, the eccentric, eclectic and exceedingly talented Andre 3000. After the release of Stankonia from Outkast back in 2000, a rap verse from 3 Stacks has been a rare and blessed occasion, but his mantra of quality over quantity has only improved his pedigree.
7. “Babylon” (from ATLiens)
Unorthodox verses containing musings on the vices of youth – drugs, lust and love… “They call it horny because it’s devilish…” classic.
6. “Return of the ‘G’” (from Aquemini)
This is the hardest opener from any of the 'Kast albums; you could tell ‘Dre was getting tired of people talking sh!t about his life choices… he clears the air emphatically.
5. “Int’l Players Anthem” (from UGK album Underground Kingz)
The hit song that everybody learned the lyrics to, even non-rap fans, because the metaphors were so cold and the emotions were those we all could relate to.
4. “ATLiens” (from ATLiens)
You have to listen to both of his verses on this song, couldn’t pick just one… this song marks the first major growth spurt in his artistic evolution. One of the best beats in the ONP catalog too, in my opinion.
3. “The Art of Storytellin’ Part 4” (from DJ Drama album Gangsta Grillz: The Album)
Another one of his great stories about a romantic encounter with a woman that leads to a moment of enlightenment, but this one is packed with crazy metaphors.
2. “Gangsta Sh!t” (from Stankonia)
I feel very confident in saying that this is his hardest verse ever. Lyrical, aggressive, metaphorical with a message… purely DOPE.
1. “What a Job” (from Devin the Dude album Waiting to Inhale)
I have a feeling this is gonna be a controversy-starter because I put it in the top position. To be fair, I will admit this is not ‘Dre’s hardest or most lyrical verse, but this is my favorite verse by him because it’s a genuine love letter to both his fans and to hip-hop. Because of this verse, I am cool if he never puts out a solo album or another ‘Kast album – I believe he’s given us his best EVERY TIME he spits, and you can’t ask for more than that.
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