Whenever someone says ‘s Big Pooh can’t rap, point them to this track. To be fair, food is probably easy to rhyme about, but there’s no denying Big Pooh does it well. Mix in a tasty Madlib beat, and the result, like “Wooden Wall Silverware” from the , is undeniably delicious.
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This is a powerful track, musically and lyrically. Introspective, honest, and thought-provoking, “Just Like Me” starts with a droning piano, building in intensity until the first verse crashes into a haunting saxaphone sample like a cresting wave. The lyrics, delivered with modulating velocity, spare no punches in depicting the harsh realities of gang life. Crazy good.
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Here’s the first video from Reconstruction, the upcoming collaboration between rapper and Ohio crew The Third. The horn sample lends this track a melancholic vibe, over which the emcees rhyme about the struggles of the rap game.
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Just some straight, grimy funk for your Friday afternoon.
“! Blow your horn!” That’s how would dynamically signal his favorite horn player to take another stinging sax solo — and never once let his boss down. ‘s jabbing workouts in the midst of “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag” and “Cold Sweat” made him a household name among ’60s funk fans — not bad for a kid fresh out of college who got the gig primarily because coveted his brother ‘s drumming chops.
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Here’s ‘s (pictured) shimmering remix of Cut Copy’s “Blink And You’ll Miss A Revolution”, from the band’s new album, . Listen for the ‘Yeah!’ vocal sample starting at 0:56 – is that Talib Kweli?
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More breezy, rock-these-tunes-on-your-sailboat music for your earholes, this time courtesy of The Cool Kids, Maxine Ashley, and Pharrell (on the production tip). For me, the highlight of “Summer Jam” is the bossa nova-inspired hook, which sounds like distilled sunshine.
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Co$$ is an LA-based emcee whose debut album, Before I Awoke, dropped last month. Making waves for his unique, cerebral style, which effortlessly ““, Co$$ was named the most by that city’s Times in 2010. This track, “Pot Ash”, seems an excellent introduction to Co$$’ aesthetic, and the oblique, jazzy beat is just beautiful.
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, an emcee we featured on 4080 back in 2008, was interviewed for an about Muslim Canadians using art to explore their identity and religion. In the article, The Narcicyst (real name Yassin Alsalman), echoes the sentiments of countless activists and rappers who have used hip-hop to fight injustices and push for change:
“We learned from the African American community on how to be vocal about our experience artistically,” Alsalman wrote in an e-mail explaining the development of what is known as Arab hip-hop. “… before hip hop and the Arab world met, we were silent. Now our generation is speaking out more than ever.”
A powerful read, for sure.
Last weekend, the first track from Common’s upcoming album was leaked. Called “Ghetto Dreams”, it’s produced by No I.D. and features Nas. For me, this track really hinges on its beat, which seriously bangs; the thumping kicks and staccato piano stabs (which are basically ideal for rap music) serve as the perfect palette for Common and Nas’ verses. It’s too bad the hook is so lame. Overall, though, it’s a promising sign of what the new album will sound like.
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Thievery Corporation’s newest album, Culture of Fear, was released last week. Here’s the title track, featuring Mr. Lif:
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