New Rap Music
Plies – “Chef“
It seems like Plies has been gone forever. Maybe it was because he was so prolific on his DMX two albums a year tip for so long or because he’s not really dropping mixtapes like that, but it doesn’t even seem like dude is a significant rapper right now. Sure there was his limp verse on “Wasted” (now upgraded? to OJ) but otherwise he’s been suspiciously quiet. Maybe he’s crafting his masterpiece. “Chef” isn’t that, but it’s a nice enough teaser single and a good return to form. He raps about drugs and stuff.
Wale f/ Gucci Mane – “Pretty Girls“
from Attention: Deficit (Interscope, Coming Soon)
I guess I’m obligated to weigh in on this one, being the intersection of two of our favorite rap memes. The thing about Wale is his rigid flow and enunciation is taylor made for a go-go beat. Whether he realizes it or not his hard pronunciation style is a direct descendant of the Fat Rodneys and Stinky Dinks. Gucci is more slithery on this beat, like he isn’t really sure what to do with it. A friend of mine was recently bemoaning Gucci’s attachment to this song as a shallow attempt for Wale to expand his southern audience. I suspect it’s more an attempt to win over his hometown. Gucci is a bigger star in DC than Wale will ever be. On the street case study: this song was blaring from a nearby radio the other night. A girl in her late teens passing by started freaking out and singing along, thinking it was the Backyard version. Then the rapping started and she immediately shifted demeanors, looking like her dog just died. Word is A:D has been pushed back. Hopefully this is to give him time to record more songs that loop up classic go-go records, but realistically they are probably just holding out for a Cat Power hook or something.
Doe N Reezy – “Girls“
from Clams Casino – Oh Jam (MIxtape, 2009)
Another song about girls. Here Clams Casino links with Berkeley’s Doe N Reezy with a cut from his new production showcase mixtape Oh Jam. As with Lil B’s “I’m God”/”Devil” twofer before it, the New Jersey producer is stretching the limits of grimy and underwater cave productions on “Girls”. (I want to believe that this is truly his entire production set up, but I’m assuming he’s using a computer as well. It’s 2009 after all.) Who could’ve guessed that hyphy, for all of its futurist leanings, would evolve into such a blurred low fidelity. But it’s fitting, considering most of the music coming from these new west coast weirdos are mostly exchanging hands as low res myspace rips. Producers like Clams are just maximizing the medium. This is the part of the post where I get nostalgic for tape trading. Limeshare is the new Maxell.
iLLiE – “Telekinesis”
iLLiE – “Oh Noo (Here We Go Again)“
On a similar note, Illie recently added a half dozen or so new tracks to their myspace, continuing to establish them as so much more than jerk crazers. As I mentioned before, the group takes a more lyric minded approach than some of their peers, drawing on the Blowed/Pharcyde/3MGs/etc side of LA. The “Telekinesis” beat sounds like the Timbaland score to a Super Nintendo RPG. (Fuck is my prose too Pitchforkian?) It’s the opposite of the Clams Casino approach and maybe demands refinement. Their blog refers to it as a “rough cut” so hopefully a fully mastered version will follow. “Oh Noo” falls more on the boom bap/emo rap side of things, honestly if you told me this song was recorded by a lesser known Living Legends affiliate ten years ago I would believe you. I’m sure some of my more confrontational fruitflies will call me a hypocrite for my selective supportive of retro rap but the interesting thing about Illie is their ability to can swing the pendulum back and forth from futuristic (no J-Money) shit to the throwback vibe. Their best work finds the midpoint between the two. Other tracks up on there are equally promising, particularly “Relax” and “So Far Gone” but Audio Hijack was bugging out on me so I was only able to grab these two. They also have great blog tags: “illie, kill, lil, MUSIC, NIGGA, obama, peace, pie, telekinesis, tight.”
Lil B – “Street Dreams“
Lil B – “Robbin For Crack“
To paraphrase my main mane mayn: you already know, man. (via Digital Dripped)
DJ Spinna f/ Breezly Brewin & BMS – “Making Your Way In The World“
from Sonic Smash (High Water, 2009)
New Breeze is always welcome. The last Juggerknots’s album was pretty underrated, they made some production leaps that probably alienated some of their core but wasn’t quite far enough to attract anyone else. Anyway, it’s weird that this chorus is about 2008. If they couldn’t rerecord it they should have just edited it out or done like J Prince does on the Z-Ro in prision albums and overdub someone else saying “Nine.” The little distorted freak out bonus beat at the end is a totally post-Dilla. If he did nothing else, I’m glad Dilla’s weirdness is now inspiring guys who spent the past 15 years rocking nothing but rhodes piano beats are suddenly making music that sounds like Black Dice or something. Even if it’s just on interludes. Better than another damn Roy Ayers loop.
Freddie Gibbs f/ Pill – “Womb 2 The Tomb“
from midwestgangstaboxframecadillacmuzik (Mixtape, Coming Soon)
These two need to form a rap group.
P. Dukes – “Easy Money 2 Outro“
Young Buck – “Bury Me Alive“
Mick Vegas is a great rap producer. He’s sort of where Justice League were at a few years ago. Just looping up funk music but not sacrificing that southern impulse. I’ve never been a big fan of Buck, but he does what he needs to on here. Dukes on the other hand is one of the more overlooked ATLien mixtape dudes of recent years. Hopefully his Easy Money 2 tape will rectify that. (via Blvd St.)
Young Dro – “So Long“
from Lo Life (Mixtape, 2009)
I almost wish Dro had gotten kicked out of GH instead of Alfa. This is one of two and a half good songs on his otherwise fruity loopy swagged out mixtape.
August 10th, 2009 at 6:18 pm
yea mayn u alreddy kno wuss good wit dem Lil B tracks dey thowed.
Freddige Gibbs iz a str8 fiend mayn he killin it.
De new Dro is fiyah mayn. “Life Is A Movie” got me sayin maynnn hol up
August 10th, 2009 at 6:30 pm
You posted that Plies track again instead of Wale, Noz.
August 10th, 2009 at 6:31 pm
jesus, that p. dukes track is dope, keep us updated on when the easy money 2 mixtape drops
August 10th, 2009 at 6:57 pm
Thats gibbs and pill record is BANANAS!
August 10th, 2009 at 7:15 pm
all these songs suck homie……soem of the beats are allrite but comenow….put some more boosie up
August 10th, 2009 at 7:25 pm
“Street Dreams” is gorgeous, someone needs to put together a best of Lil B tape.
August 10th, 2009 at 7:32 pm
love that “street dreams” beat
August 10th, 2009 at 7:45 pm
I’m all for evolution in rap music but your’re fuckin crazy if you’d rather hear black dice shit than someone rapping over a roy ayers loop. in fact i wish more southern rappers would repossess jazz samples and freed them from the NYC-centric connotation.
August 10th, 2009 at 7:46 pm
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August 10th, 2009 at 7:58 pm
I’m intrigued by this clams casino dude. . .I should check out some more of his music.
August 10th, 2009 at 8:43 pm
I had no idea Plies was M.I.A.. He’s on the radio all the time here in the Yay, and it drives me crazy. Gucci I can kind of see, but even you would have a hard time defending Plies. His popularity aside, the dude is GARBAGE, and fuck it if that makes me an elitist.
August 10th, 2009 at 11:11 pm
i fuck with plies. felt da realist was slept on. “me and my goons,” “all black” are seriously menacing. “plenty money” should be a huge hit (”BIG FACE HUNDREDS”)…on top of that, he can do those truly sad “life is hard” tracks pac used to do. if you think plies sucks and is one-dimensional blah blah, check out “gotta be” and “family straight”. that shit is real.
and shit, all of those songs are on da realist. i just don’t like when he does his goofy-perv songs, but oh well
August 11th, 2009 at 1:39 am
does anybody else picture z-ro’s voice reading maynholup’s posts out loud when you read them? because i kinda do
August 11th, 2009 at 1:41 am
Maybe I haven’t heard enough Plies, but that is one of the best Plies songs I have heard. Wait, are you suggesting that P Dukes is a more appealing rapper than Young Buck? I’ll never understand the lack of respect for Buck from critics/bloggers.
August 11th, 2009 at 1:41 am
lol @ wale lookin for a cat power hook…
August 11th, 2009 at 1:59 am
his verse in “wasted” is kinda perfect in the way it’s all droopy-eyed and slurry. oj doesn’t really fit the track i don’t think, he’s just a bit too jarring. plus “i don’t wear tight jeans like the white boys/ but i do get wasted like the white boys” is sort of an amazing lyric
August 11th, 2009 at 2:50 am
Breeze + BMS on a sitar beat = Indelibles flashback. But yes they should have done something eith that hook.
August 11th, 2009 at 3:07 am
I’ve been a big fan of the stuff Mick Vegas has done for G. Mane but, wow, the beat on that Young Buck is crazy.
August 11th, 2009 at 3:17 am
lil b, lil b, i just can’t get enuff of that.
August 11th, 2009 at 3:40 am
lil b’s ad libs are disgraceful, for the most part. his lyrics are so lame. “i’m god” could’ve been a classic song if he’d maintained the hot lyrics of the first few bars. his voice is cool enough and the almost reluctant flow does him favors he deteriorates into babbleonian bullshit and doesn’t execute it to my liking.
dro >>>>
August 11th, 2009 at 3:41 am
Alright I’ll check out some of those album tracks from “Da Realist.” Most of what I’ve heard are his multiple creepy sex tracks. He seems to have like six of them as concurrent singles. The last one they started playing out here, about getting dome, is just unlistenable. I never understand those songs, like, who are they trying to reach? Dudes? I don’t wanna hear Plies rap in detail about making a girl suck his dick, for three minutes. And I can’t imagine many women getting turned on from that shit. At all. Ugh.
August 11th, 2009 at 3:51 am
Man I stand somewhat corrected. “Gotta Be” is a powerful record. He still makes a lot of trash, but that shit is just heavy.
August 11th, 2009 at 6:57 am
There some incredible production on “da reallist”
August 11th, 2009 at 7:25 am
Solid bunch of tracks, that Plies joint is hot, fuck the haters. I wonder if the up and coming producers are consciously trying to move away from the Just Blaze/Kanye West overproduction of the early 00s. Whatever they’re thinking, I’m into it, rap is best over minimalist beats. Speaking of, who produced “Robbin’ for Crack?”
August 11th, 2009 at 9:57 am
Man, Young Dro fucking sucks this year…
August 11th, 2009 at 11:53 am
Some1 pleez explain de hate on Dro. I ont git it.
Also mayn de bess uv de new Lil B trackz iz def “Times Blue” dat sample mayn iss thowed Yung D used it a while back dis year an he wrecked it mayn
August 11th, 2009 at 5:51 pm
gotta agree with jesse serwer big time. obviously i love Buck more than the next fan due to city allegiance, but shit, i’ve always though he had a great flow, charisma, etc. as far as gangster rappers from the south go, what’s wrong with him?
August 11th, 2009 at 8:52 pm
Co-sign everybody who fucks with Plies…his verse on Wasted is the only reason I listen to that song…that and the hook….Plies>>>Gucci…even tho I did like Writin on da wall…also gotta hear “Somebody” “Runnin my momma crazy” “Worth goin fed fo”…the list goes on…the thing about Plies albums is they all basically have the same formula= 4 “girl” songs, 4 “real” songs, and 4 “goon/stuntin” songs. Now usually that would be bad…but the thing is, he arguably keeps getting better with each album…to put it in perspective NY rap elitist only want music for your ears…Plies(and Gucci to an extent) make music for the soul..you’ll actually feel a certain way about their shit outside of “ohhhh nice line”
August 12th, 2009 at 2:20 pm
I’m fine with Freddie on his own. Miseducation is the best rap I’ve heard this year, bar none. “GI Pride”? “Flamboyant”? “Cold, Cold World”? “What It Be Like”? And who else is rapping over “93 ‘Til” in 2009? He’s one of those guys that shows off in the first verse but makes his songs about something in the 2nd and 3rd – I’d hate to see him give those verses away.
August 12th, 2009 at 7:50 pm
WHERES THAT COKE AT MAN, GET YOUR MIND CORRECT!
August 13th, 2009 at 11:37 am
That “Street Dreams” beat has some element of that beanie sigel “Change” track
waterfront h2o rep it
August 13th, 2009 at 12:14 pm
Pitchfork reviewed that Wale/Gucci track. It was two paragraphs long, and dude didn’t mention Gucci even once.
August 17th, 2009 at 8:19 pm
Pitchfork reviewed the Gucci Mane-less version.
August 17th, 2009 at 9:30 pm
who did the beat on ‘chef’?
October 1st, 2009 at 8:51 pm
[...] 10) Young Buck – Bury Me Alive As long as Buck stays angry and hungry like this, it’ll be 50’s career that’s buried long before Buck’s (via Cocaine Blunts). [...]