Wale – “BASEhead“

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Wale picks up on the rolling double time flow that folks like Meek have been popularizing in Philly. For a short while it seemed like Wale would be stepping in as a remote member of State Property. Or at least Young Chris’ new Lil Neefy. So it’s no surprise that he’s been paying attention to rap trends in the City of Brotherly Gun Similes. He’s snapping too. This is produced by someone or someones going by the name Basshead which is strange because there’s virtually no bass on the record. Just church bells and 8 bit blips. That drum programming seems a little complex for a NES game though, I wonder if Basshead is rocking Nanonloop or something similar.

Kurupt f/ DJ Quik, Terrace Martin & Snoop Dogg – “Bounce, Rock, Skate“

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from Streetlights (Penagon, 2010)
So Kurupt still hasn’t quite figured out how to hold down a solo album, no news there. Too often on Streetlights he either falls into the trap of mathematical hypothetical lyrical spit or that of his recent completely confusing directional obsessions. “I’mma take the top and put it where the bottom drop / then I’mma reverse it and make the bottom touch the top / see this what they all call the top spot / then I’mma show the top where the bottom stop.” That’s an actual quote, sounding like a particularly twisted game of Simon Says. Anyway, the real Streetlights highlight goes to his Blaqkout partner demolishes this bonus cut, delivering purposely clunky insults with calm malice. “You’re the color of money / and your weed looks like autumn / and the pockets on your jeans look like they did when you bought ‘em.” (more…)

I reviewed Cuban Linx Dos for NPR. It is good but not as good. You probably already know all the expositiony stuff that I wrote in the review but you don’t know how many parents named their newborns “Raekwon” in 1995.

Dinosaur wheels. This isn’t on my Cuban 2. Why must I cry?

DJ Quik & Kurupt – “Do You Know”
from Blaqkout (Mad Science, Available June 9)

Early leaks from the anticipated (by some) Blaqkout have seen Quik stepping out of his traditional genius music summertime slaps mold to take a more eclectic approach. Because he’s an artist, not a gangsta, remember. (For those keeping score: “9X Outta Ten” was a successful experiment, in a Prefuse 73x”Grindin” way, but the two outta three that followed weren’t as effective. Maybe he should stay out of the world music crates.) Well “Do You Know” is more what you’d expect from the duo, on the laid back top down tip. These are the types of beats Quik should be lacing Kurupt with, but if the LP splits down the middle between styles it’ll probably be enough of a success to be better than most summer albums.

Freddie Gibbs – “Summa Dis“

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Freddie Gibbs f/ Devin The Dude – “Stray“

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from The Miseducation of Freddie Gibbs (Mixtape, 2009)

Gibbs is from Gary, Indiana and we all have been sleeping on him for too long. The Interscope refugee seemingly salvaged a bunch of tracks from his aborted major label debut for this, yet another album-as-mixtape track. Gibbs is a spitter from the Twista school, but seems to draw on more of a southern demeanor. Hopefully one of these A&Rs ODing on overpriced t-shirts will take note and pick him up again. It would be a shame to see him get Ray Cashed. I’m thinking “Stray” is some Waitin To Inhale era Devin, given the Pitchfork parental advisory warning levels of women hating on the hook “Stray” was on Devin’s Landing Gear but sounds a lot better here: “I can’t stand stupid bitches.” Pretty to the point. (more…)

Raekwon – “Cocaine Blunts“

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from Blood On The Chef’s Apron (Mixtape, 2009)

Coincidence, homage or shark tooth biting? Whatever the case, it’s a pretty great song.