New Rap Music
It’s been a long time. Some of these are older than others.
Chalie Boy – “Bumpa Grill“
from I’m Here (Mixtape, 2010)
The success of Chalies’ “I Look Good” is a blessing and a curse. It got him a deal and probably a decent amount of loot but being such a lightweight and summer record it’s pretty safe to assume that he’ll be burdened with a one hit wonder branding, which couldn’t be further from the truth (this is often the case with hip hop – ask Biz Markie and the Geto Boys). If nothing else it’s a big part of the reason we’ve been hearing booming Moe/Pat style hooks on post-snap records like “Hit Dat Hoe.” But the thing about both those guys and Chalie is that they were not just hookmen in the traditional sense. They were rappers first. His freebee street album I’m Here is a little bit everywhere, some great spitting, some straight up R&B/pop records and a lot of hybrids. He could probably carve a niche for himself a The-Dream style singer/songwriter mold which would be a good look professionally, but almost a let down musically. It’s when he hits that hybrid moment that he’s at his best, but I’m not sure how much of a market there is for that right now.
Ms. No Tonsels – “Fuck My Face“
If retweetabilism is any indicator “Fuck My Face” is well on its way to up to be the 2010 “Smell Yo Dick.” Except it’s actually a pretty good song. Or at least it’s as good as a song called “Fuck My Face” can possibly be. Strip club shit. Ms. No Tonsels(sic) is something like a cross between old style Trina sass and new school Nicki Minaj robot rap. This is record that needs a Ludacris verse on the remix. A tip of the hat to David the Shrimp for mentioning this record and then asking for a “hat tip” in this post.
Lil Wayne f/ Eminem – “Drop The World“
from Rebirth (Cash Money/Universal, 2010)
Glaring late pass on this one, even though the album just dropped last week. “Drop The World” is a good record, notable not so much for two past their prime legends sharing a track (Wayne sounds good on this, Eminem is doing that thing where he flows so rigidly that he tramples the beat) but for maybe being the first prog-rap beat. In four minutes Surf Club’s runs through about a half dozen changes from snap rap minimalism turns to synth guitar excess and angelic choirs. It also borders prog rock thematically, what with the talk of planet smashing and rebirth. And Prog seems like the most logical extension of grandiose direction mainstream rap has been taking lately, see: “Forever.” There also is something about SC’s style that is simultaneously amateurish and very polished. Maybe they are industry dudes imitating bedroom beatmakers? That would be a pretty marvelous example of backwards hustling. And yet they make it work. I haven’t listened to Rebirth yet and I hope I never have to.
Supplya f/ Jazze Pha – “Pull Dat Thang“
“Hate U (Remix)” was just the warm up. It’s time for the full scale revival of pillow style Atlanta bass to begin.
Black Milk – “Keep Going“
from Album Of The Year (Fat Beats, Coming Soon)
“Why do you hate underground rap?” is one of the most common formspring questions I’ve been ignoring. Without getting into the semantics of “underground” vs “backpack” rap, the simplest answer is DRUMS. All caps, not lower case drums, or handclaps or snaps. Good rap needs DRUMS. A lot of the backpack rap of the 00ts is missing that and is basically unlistenable because of that one glaring fault. Thanks 9th and all the Dilla biters that missed the point. But Black Milk has finally got this figured out, so even though he doesn’t possess the best rap voice and the hook on here is a little on the annoying side, it all works. So does this, actually.
Audio Push – “I Got Girlz“
YT – “Lemonade“
A quick check in with jerkin beat prodigy J Hawk. The jerkin movement still exists, outliving the New Boyz’ titular hit, but the rapping is almost uniformly bad now. That the absolute worst rappers on the scene are the ones getting deals while the better ones have just sort of languished. This probably speaks to a deep industry conspiracy. Maybe one of my more tin foil hattish peers can investigate. Whatever the case J remains one of raps most promising producers, having laced both these cuts. “Girlz” chops up actual breaks and “Lemonade” is musique concrete. Basically. Hopefully dude survives the inevitable Jerkin bubble burst. He was bragging about producing for E-40 on twitter a few months back, which would be a great look.
Mitchy Slick f/ Mac-90, Ric-Nutt, King Triv, Ise-B, Meat Face & Gangsta E – “He’ll Shoot“
Mitchy’s Yellow Tape compilation is real solid and as usual being ignored by everyone but the people who already know that Mitchy Slick usually makes real solid music. It’s all rugged and ocassionally mournful gangsta rap. Cricet, who is ungooglable, handles production here and it sounds like electro Dilla if it was run through a 2001 era Dr. Dre filter. Also a guy named Meat Face raps on this, so there’s that.
Droop-E & Hot of the DBz – “Exhibit C Freestyle“
I’m hesitant to acknowledge the deluge of “Exhibit C” freestyles, because none of them are seeing Jay’s original. But this seems worth mentioning if only for an update on Droop-E, E-40’s son ternt producer ternt rapper. Droop has been pretty quiet on the mic, when we last heard from him he was headed into Lil B (or Slug) emo rap territory. Here he’s on some baby Ras Kass root of all evil shit at first, before switching up to goofy punchlines. He seems to be emulating Kanye at some points, in terms of both structure and delivery. I can’t definitely say I prefer this style to his “your girl blows me like a nintendo cartridge” punchline phase. Still that solo album should be crazy if it ever actually happens. Hot from the DBz isn’t really equipped to ride this beat.
February 8th, 2010 at 12:08 pm
You are wrong: Playboy Tre’s “Exhibit C” freestyle is superior to the original.
February 8th, 2010 at 12:17 pm
“Thanks Dilla”
lol wut? i dont quite get this part. dilla had some of the hardest drums ever.
February 8th, 2010 at 12:37 pm
This is true. But his followers have the tendency to imitate the limpest aspects of beats. They turn off quantization and don’t have strong enough beats to justify it. I’ve elaborated in the post as now is not the time for a war with Dillaites.
February 8th, 2010 at 12:41 pm
Oh nose. I smell Dilla argument. TOO SOON
February 8th, 2010 at 12:46 pm
an a-town bass revival is all i wish.
February 8th, 2010 at 12:50 pm
Good to see you back with one of these.
I agree with most of what you said about DRUMS in hip hop but I don’t really like the DRUMS on these BM productions that much. Not sure why…the sound okay (in terms of quality) but they’re just not interesting enough? I used to like how he used the space between his drum beats…but something like Keep Going sounds too busy. Having said all of that, I’m a fan of Black Milk.
““Hate U (Remix)” was just the warm up. It’s time for the full scale revival of pillow style Atlanta bass to begin.”
Oh. My.
February 8th, 2010 at 12:53 pm
Recent stuff I’ve been liking is all kind of guilty pleasures. The Jay-Z mix of Snoop’s “I Wanna Rock”. Wiz’s “SmokerFace” track… really guilty.
That B.o.B mixtape is very tame.
This Lemonade track I can get with.
February 8th, 2010 at 1:48 pm
I agree with your comment about the DRUMS, but it seems to be inconsistent with a lot of the rap music you post on here. The single biggest problem with current southern rap is that the drums just don’t knock hard enough, even if you’re listening to it on a system with a killer sub. Zaytoven is one of the biggest offenders, and I actually like most of his beats.
February 8th, 2010 at 2:32 pm
The problem with a Ludacris remix verse on that Fuck My Face at this point is that it’d probably be some earnest rap about lyrical skillz
That new track which features Turf Talk and Laroo by the Bay cracker with the same name as teh lame soft rawk group who made More Than Words is pretty cool too as far as new rap music goes.
February 8th, 2010 at 2:40 pm
I think with southern rap at least the non-knocking drums comes down to just a lack of proper mixing and mastering, which I think comes down to the nature of the modern lowbudget free mixtape. Sometimes it sounds like Zay just exports a beat from whatever program he uses 5 minutes after finishing it and sends it straight to Gucci who’ll spit on it and then a month later it’s thrown on a mixtape with no second thought. I think with the more high budget southern releases you’ll find far more even mixes. I mean compare the mix from basically any State vs. RD song against a song from Writing on the Wall and it’s a world of difference.
February 8th, 2010 at 3:22 pm
yeah the DRUMS on the gucci album are pretty big
February 8th, 2010 at 3:23 pm
rap + live/live-sounding drums do not sound good together
February 8th, 2010 at 3:42 pm
It’s worth noting noz listens to rap on a boombox with blown out speakers so he kinda has no idea what he’s talking about when it comes to drums. I think he just doesn’t like drum breaks.
-e
February 8th, 2010 at 4:43 pm
The fuck are you talking about blown out? That’s a mean system.
and what modern “backpack” rap record actually rocks breaks? Most of these kids are just rocking the same limp open kick they snatched off an old Pete rock record. Or roots “don’t see us.” Except, you know, black milk which you would have noticed if you actually listened to the audio.
February 8th, 2010 at 4:46 pm
Candy lady remix = DRUMS
February 8th, 2010 at 5:19 pm
Theres something very wrong in Okayplayer-land when 9th Wonder has a larger following than Black Milk. Hex Murda’s post-stroke tweets >> 9th Wonder’s ouvre.
February 8th, 2010 at 5:24 pm
as i was reading this, i was thinking…”man, noz is really right about the DRUMS”.
AND IT IS the DRUMS. Problem area illuminated.
February 8th, 2010 at 5:38 pm
Thanks, great new rap!
For the record, though…I think Bumpa Grill originally came out in like summer 2006? And it used the Lil Keke sample for the hook. I hope he makes some loot off of this, he has a great voice.
February 8th, 2010 at 7:30 pm
What’s up with 9th Wonder and David Banner doing an album together though? I’m happy to see both those dudes winning but who’s gonna rap? I can’t imagine 9th will be a strong enough presence to hold down a slapping Banner track & Banner over 9th’s beats? I’m mystified.
February 8th, 2010 at 9:16 pm
Ms. No Tonsels is greater than Nicki Minaj
And Jazze Phe can never come wack as far as I’m concerned… kills the pillow talk shit
February 8th, 2010 at 10:01 pm
Where can I get the Fuck My Face clean edit for my little cousin’s bar mitzvah?
February 8th, 2010 at 10:04 pm
http://www.zshare.net/audio/720577465111ab40/
February 8th, 2010 at 11:20 pm
That Mitchy tape is solid, I just wish there was more of him on it. I think like 90% of the songs had 5 or more rappers on it or something. Also, whats up with Mitchy only being on two of those SAS Stoney Jackson tracks?
February 8th, 2010 at 11:28 pm
You are not a fan of MEAT FACE, then?
February 9th, 2010 at 12:23 am
Yea No Tonsilz up in ere!!!! FUCK MY FACE.. Thanks
February 9th, 2010 at 2:08 am
I think the DRUMS problem is more Madlib’s fault than Dilla’s.
February 9th, 2010 at 6:24 am
Wouldn’t Primo have to take some blame for the weak drums epidemic too, since he went into overdrive with those stiff snares after You Know My Steez? Those same stiff snares then became 9th Wonder’s trademark drum sound on everything bar Instigator by M.O.P, which is easily his best beat ever, btw.
That new All $tar & Burn One Alright song is pretty lush too.
February 9th, 2010 at 7:18 am
Black MK has had the DRUM game on lock for quite some time now, actually. His DRUMS always knock.
February 9th, 2010 at 1:27 pm
I have a feelin Chalie will never release an album. Or if he does it will be full of radio crap. Welcome to the majors!
February 9th, 2010 at 2:17 pm
yeah but maybe all this web buzz can land him a show in norway?
February 9th, 2010 at 4:53 pm
“first prog-rap beat.”
see Edan-Making Planets
February 9th, 2010 at 10:03 pm
New All Star (Alright) is smooth man, he’s been killin it
Agree on the Black Milk argument…need to check that Mitchy Slick tape
February 11th, 2010 at 5:51 am
“yeah but maybe all this web buzz can land him a show in norway?”
lol
February 26th, 2010 at 1:28 am
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