Common f/ Kanye West & Last Poets – “The Corners“
from BE LP (Interscope, 2005)

The long awaited BE has been touted as Com’s return to the playful lyricism that heads loved his masterpiece Ressurection, before Erykah Badu turned him into a male Macy Gray. And “The Corners” (i think) is set to be the first single.

As far as lyrics go, Com’s not exactly blowing any wigs back on this one, if this came out in ‘95 it’d be one of his least interesting joints. But let’s be honest, any hip hop head in his right mind would take this over 2003’s limp wrist avant garde opus Electric Circus. Anything that’ll get him to stop rocking stupid hats (see above).

And Kanye definitely stepped his game up on this one. Homie’s been on some lazy shit lately and I’m glad to see he’s saving the heat for Common and giving Brandy and Game the duds. Either that, or he finally got that drum cd from No ID.

Also, the Last Poets make a welcome appearance. While I don’t necessarily subscribe to the popular theory that they (or Gil Scott Heron or Watts Prophets or whoever) had any direct impact on the evolution of hip hop, they did make some very powerful records that are worth checking out

I think this quote I found on google really sums up Com’s approach to making music: “ Like Run-DMC, Common has made a career out of a fresh synthesis of hip-hop and rap.…. ??

UGK – “Pregnant Pussy“
from Banned EP (Bigtyme Records, 1992)

Recorded during the Too Hard To Swallow sessions, Banned consists of two (and a half cuts) that were scrapped (and probably rightfully so) by Jive at the time. “Pregnant Pussy” stands out as what I’d consider the most hilarious and beautifully vulgar rap songs ever recorded. And trust me, I’ve heard my fair share of very obscene hip hop. I don’t think anything I could say would adequately prepare you for what you’re about to hear.

The EP’s other full cut, “Mutha Ain’t Mine” is pretty tame in comparison- just your standard issue coat hanger abortion raps. Cop the CD from amazon.

FREE PIMP C!

…Cocaine Blunts & Hip Hop Tapes, the radio show returns tonight at 8 PM EST – listen live online at gwradio.com. Show will be preempted at 9ish for the ever so high priority GWU athlete date auction.

Too Short – “Paystyle (Boy Scout Remix)“
from Paystyle 12″ (Jive, 1996)

A very weird Cocktails era remix from Short Dog. “Paystyle” is one of those Short cuts where he forgoes rapping about bitches in favor of rapping about rapping about bitches. And since we all know rapping about rapping is so very east coast, what would complement that style more than a token east coast remix? (see also: the primo remix of “in the trunk”, as featured over at can i bring my gat?)

The title is a little deceiving – it’s not just any boy scout on the remix, but THE LAST boy scout of them all. That’s right, Flipmode Squad no-hit wonder Rampage The Last Boyscout was commissioned to put his touch on this bay area banger. Who knows what kind of marketing genius at Jive was like “yeah this song is tight, but I think it needs an east coast remix to push it over the top – let’s get that Rampage guy, I think he knows Busta Rhymes”. But Rampage (with the accompaniment of DJ Boy “no homo” Wonder) actually flips it nicely – bringing that echo-y horn style that the Bay hadn’t heard since Souls Of Mischief tried to make new york sounding records three years earlier.