On a similar tip to the Outkast post, just a little compilation of Marshall being funny, being angry and generally tearing your favourite rapper a new one:
The title track from his first album/mixtape/demo - not sure what to call it as they only pressed a few hundred copies - sounding more like philosopher-Nas than nutjob-Shady. Apparently he hadn't gone crazy yet in '96, but you can hear the delivery's there.
Rock Bottom (Slim Shady LP)
Never been one for depression, but this is the perfect song for wallowing in self-pity. You can feel Marshall's pain on this one!
Role Model (Slim Shady LP)
Dre beats perfect & punchlines seldom hit harder.
Remember Me (Marshall Mathers LP)
Ideal for angst-ridden teens, Sticky Fingaz kills it.
Marshall Mathers
Title track on the MM LP. Em at his best: venting about all the bullshit.
Drips (The Eminem Show)
Pretty disgusting, but definitely the best safe sex PSA I've ever come across!
Yellow Brick Road (Encore)
One of the all-time best story-telling raps i.m.o., over one of his better beats. Says more in five minutes than most rappers over the course of a 16 track album.
...Though he did kinda fall off on that last record. To be fair, he did say:
"full of controversy until I retire my jersey,
'til the fire inside dies and expires at thirty"
and no matter what Hov says, thirty is kinda old in rap terms. Still, can't say I wouldn't look forward to another LP.
Outkast are perenially cool, so I thought why not go on a little audio-trip down memory lane:
Talk about inspirational: a coupla months ago, listening to this song motivated me to get off my lazy ass and go get a job...which I kinda hate - but that's not the point.
Seems like whenever the Dungeon Family get together in the studio, they have an all-out jewel-dropping session...and I'm an avid jewel-picker-upper.
"We just, shoot, game in the
form of story raps now (yeah)
It's like that now, it's like that now!"
So Fresh & So Clean (Stankonia)
Wanted to avoid overplayed singles, but this one's still going strong for me after the 1st few hundred listens, so I had to show some love.
Big Boi - Reset (Speakerboxxx)
Mellow as a buddhist monk getting transcendental.
Dre - A Life in the Day of Benjamin Andre (The Love Below)
Another great example of the art of storytelling. Genius.
Hollywood Divorce (Idlewild)
Albumwise, not their best work, but had its highlights like this gem.
"Tenth grade, the way was paved
for me and Dre to create
like Dr. Frankenstein of arts and craft
Now could we make a a a difference
Antwan Patton and Andre Benjamin.."
...as of now, just waiting on that comeback album.
Talk about inspirational: a coupla months ago, listening to this song motivated me to get off my lazy ass and go get a job...which I kinda hate - but that's not the point.
Seems like whenever the Dungeon Family get together in the studio, they have an all-out jewel-dropping session...and I'm an avid jewel-picker-upper.
"We just, shoot, game in the
form of story raps now (yeah)
It's like that now, it's like that now!"
So Fresh & So Clean (Stankonia)
Wanted to avoid overplayed singles, but this one's still going strong for me after the 1st few hundred listens, so I had to show some love.
Big Boi - Reset (Speakerboxxx)
Mellow as a buddhist monk getting transcendental.
Dre - A Life in the Day of Benjamin Andre (The Love Below)
Another great example of the art of storytelling. Genius.
Hollywood Divorce (Idlewild)
Albumwise, not their best work, but had its highlights like this gem.
"Tenth grade, the way was paved
for me and Dre to create
like Dr. Frankenstein of arts and craft
Now could we make a a a difference
Antwan Patton and Andre Benjamin.."
...as of now, just waiting on that comeback album.
No worries, not a dodgy mashup mixtape I'm plugging, but rather Stretch Nav and myself showing love to a couple of producers we hetero-jockride by uploading a few tracks. I picked the 'Ye tracks and ma man supplied the Digi Snacks:
Supercat ft Meth - Scalp Dem
why RZA's music can be sometimes described as eerie. In a good way though.
More RZA/reggae collaborations...this time with Lex Diamonds and Bounty Killer. Original has Killarmy and a choice vocal snippet from Full Metal Jacket.
Raekwon, Masta Killa, Streetlife, Inspectah Deck - Execute Them
From the Killa Bees Swarm album.....the Chef, Masta Killa, Streetlife and Inspectah Deck. Beat is crazy...digi sounds.
Lord Superb and Solomon Childs over some RZA soulful chamber loops.....more Wu killabees talent, off 02's Killa Beez The Sting album
Think this was supposed to be on the Kill Bill 2 soundtrack...more Wu collabos.
"...My beats travel like a vortex
through ya spine to the top of your cerebrum cortex
make you feel like you bust a nut from raw sex..." - Bobby
Jay-Z - This Can't Be Life
Always best to start from the beginning and this, 'Ye's 1st contribution to the Roc, to quote him on the Dropout, helped start the resurgence of the "soul sound".
A few years down the line and dude's spitting on mixtape tracks like this. Nice track, but to be honest, in '03 I was thinking dude NEEDS to just stick to making beats.
T.I. - Doin' My Job
Also in '03, Kanye contributed this track to T.I.'s breakthrough "Trap Muzik". Great song from a great album.
Slum Village - Selfish
Sick drums and a great John Legend hook on this one. I have great memories of this track, as it was my theme music at my best mate's high school leaver's party...got superdrunk, threw up, was thrown out of the club and passed out in the back of someone's pickup truck. Good times :)
Mobb Deep - Throw Your Hands
The Mobb do like to keep it all the way gangsta and here Kanye does a good job of hooking them up with a track that can be both danced to AND mean-mugged to. No mean feat.
"...If y'all fresh to death, then I'm deceased
And this one here, is a heat rock
Spit like a beat box, the way the beat rocks
New version of Pete Rock..." - K.West
Only just came to the realisation all my Zshare links go down after 2 weeks, so everything I've uploaded thus far's gone now. Anyhoo, sucks ass but suffice it to say will be using Divshare as of now (click on the logo to d/l).
Not posted for a minute, so to catch up here's a bunch of songs with little relation beyond their dopeassedness:
The Game: My Bitch
Leaked a few months ago, this is 1 of several Dre tracks recorded for the Dr's Advocate that got pulled. Shame, the beat's sick & Game kills the track, dedicating a verse apiece to 50, Hov & Suge...& what bitches they are.
Rick Raws: Trilla
Ricky Rawss (usually rhymed with Bawss) doing what Ross does here. New collabo with Cool & Dre that sounds like any 1 of the cuts from his debut last year...wich isn't a bad thing as I've developed an affinity for duke & his manass beard.
Teriyaki Boys: Large ft Pharrell
Teriyaki Boys: What Time Is It ft Primo
Thanks to Nigo's Bape money & connections, The Teriyaki Boys' 2005 album "Beef or Chicken" - what a title! - had some quality producers, including Pharrel & DJ Premier on my favourite tracks.
I Can't Feel My Face: The Bad Side
Weezy & Juelz over a killer beat that Santaza struggles to keep up with, but Wayne more than does justice to.
8Ball & MJG: Ridin High
Boss-basic southern-bounce track that NEEDS to be cranked up to full volume. 1 for your Cadillac.
O.Trice: Cry Now
More trunk-volume music. The beat is immense & Obie's flow is impeccable on this one.
Will.I.Am: I get it from my Mama
Far from a guilty pleasure, I really don't like this song...but it just won't stop playing in my head! Thought I'd share my pain.
Jay-Z: In My Lifetime rmx
Great pre-Reasonable Doubt track, reminiscent of "Dead Presidents" & "Regrets".
Busta ft ODB: Where's Your Money
Great track that probably would have made it onto "The Big Bang", but it kinda captures a similar mood to Goldmine
Primo makes hip-hop sound so easy...
Great track. 9th Wonder brings the soul & Smitty's delivery - somewhere between Scarface & Beans here - is heartrending stuff.
Ghostface recorded this Beatles-sampling track a few years back & I think it's served as inspiration for a cover of "While my guitar gently weeps" on 8 Diagram.
Classic Nore, just pure energy! Have to big up Swizz Beatz here. Sounds just like all the other hype club bangers he's produced, but I do tend to like them, so I can't complain.
Finish off with a classic. A fitting conclusion for me personally...
"Today I didn't even have to use my A.K.
I got to say it was a good day."
Not posted for a minute, so to catch up here's a bunch of songs with little relation beyond their dopeassedness:
The Game: My Bitch
Leaked a few months ago, this is 1 of several Dre tracks recorded for the Dr's Advocate that got pulled. Shame, the beat's sick & Game kills the track, dedicating a verse apiece to 50, Hov & Suge...& what bitches they are.
Rick Raws: Trilla
Ricky Rawss (usually rhymed with Bawss) doing what Ross does here. New collabo with Cool & Dre that sounds like any 1 of the cuts from his debut last year...wich isn't a bad thing as I've developed an affinity for duke & his manass beard.
Teriyaki Boys: Large ft Pharrell
Teriyaki Boys: What Time Is It ft Primo
Thanks to Nigo's Bape money & connections, The Teriyaki Boys' 2005 album "Beef or Chicken" - what a title! - had some quality producers, including Pharrel & DJ Premier on my favourite tracks.
I Can't Feel My Face: The Bad Side
Weezy & Juelz over a killer beat that Santaza struggles to keep up with, but Wayne more than does justice to.
8Ball & MJG: Ridin High
Boss-basic southern-bounce track that NEEDS to be cranked up to full volume. 1 for your Cadillac.
O.Trice: Cry Now
More trunk-volume music. The beat is immense & Obie's flow is impeccable on this one.
Will.I.Am: I get it from my Mama
Far from a guilty pleasure, I really don't like this song...but it just won't stop playing in my head! Thought I'd share my pain.
Jay-Z: In My Lifetime rmx
Great pre-Reasonable Doubt track, reminiscent of "Dead Presidents" & "Regrets".
Busta ft ODB: Where's Your Money
Great track that probably would have made it onto "The Big Bang", but it kinda captures a similar mood to Goldmine
Primo makes hip-hop sound so easy...
Great track. 9th Wonder brings the soul & Smitty's delivery - somewhere between Scarface & Beans here - is heartrending stuff.
Ghostface recorded this Beatles-sampling track a few years back & I think it's served as inspiration for a cover of "While my guitar gently weeps" on 8 Diagram.
Classic Nore, just pure energy! Have to big up Swizz Beatz here. Sounds just like all the other hype club bangers he's produced, but I do tend to like them, so I can't complain.
Finish off with a classic. A fitting conclusion for me personally...
"Today I didn't even have to use my A.K.
I got to say it was a good day."
Another Nice track is the Sylvers' Only One Can Win. Dilla lifted the hook for my favourite track from my favourite instrumental album (& I don't even generally like instro albums): Two Can Win from "Donuts".
On Donuts, Jay Dee also sampled Rubber Band, more famously used by Cool and Dre for "Hate It or Love It". I give Curtis a hard time, but the first verse on this is some pretty powerful introspective ish. Feels kinda like a 2pac verse:
Speaking of whom - this is about as creative as my segues get! - probably my favourite 'Pac song, which samples In All My Wildest Dreams by Joe Sample (how apt), is "Dear Mama". Though not for want of trying, few songs have captured so well the feelings pretty much everybody has for their Moms. Great video too:
Another great sample on a 2pac song is from What You Won't Do For Love. Originally a Bobby Caldwell song, I've put up my favourite version of this, by Roy Ayers (absolute legend!). Due to his incarceration and unfortunate death, I'd imagine there are as many 2pac videos that don't feature him as there are that do, but his presence on the records is just as powerful. "Do For Love" is a great animated video that really captures the spirit both of the song and of the man:
Another track on the more mellow tip is William Devaughn's Be Thankful For What You've Got In all honesty, until about 5 minutes ago I'd always assumed this song was by Curtis Mayfield - who isn't a bad guy to sound like anyway. Luda used it on the supercool "Diamond In The Back", which I think is impossible not to like - unless you got no soul that is!
Back to marvelous Marv for T Plays it Cool from the "Trouble Man OST". Proof he didn't even need to sing to create a mind blowing song. Jazzy Jeff updated it with some scratches and hip-hop drums on A Touch of Jazz. Sort of song I would breakdance to if I knew how to spin on my head.
Kool and The Gang - probably my favourite jazz/soul/funk/disco/r'n'b/allthatgoodstuff band - had their excellent Summer Madness (feels like sipping lemonade laid back in the shade) sampled by Jeff & the Fresh One on pretty much the ultimate summer tune, Summertime. It was also used by Aaliyah on A Girl Like You feat Treach from Naughty By Nature which is "cooler than a polar bear's toenails" to quote Big Boi. More recently Punjabi MC sampled it, by way of Summertime, on Raat Da Na Bole - crazy track. Long may it be popular amongst the sample-happy, if only to keep Kool & co. seeing the royalty cheques. They deserve it.
To finish off, a supersick joint that NEEDS sampling! Gloria Gaynor (I will survive) is absolutely incredible on Casanova Brown & the beat bangs. Until I've honed my MPC skills sufficiently to do it justice, I can picture Just Blaze or Pete Rock maybe doing something with this track. Most important though is that I hear Ghostface rap over this here beat before I die. Can picture the Wally Champ rapping the B'Jesus out of this joint. Need to get in touch with his A & R peoples, maybe bring me in as a creative consultant for this one.
Seeing as I haven't put up any of his tracks, had to show love to Isaac Hayes, being the supercool cat that he is. He has a great line on his Wu-Tang collabo I Can't Go To Sleep:
"Don't get mad...'cos it ain't that bad..."
No matter the situation soul children, truer words were never spoken.
On Donuts, Jay Dee also sampled Rubber Band, more famously used by Cool and Dre for "Hate It or Love It". I give Curtis a hard time, but the first verse on this is some pretty powerful introspective ish. Feels kinda like a 2pac verse:
Speaking of whom - this is about as creative as my segues get! - probably my favourite 'Pac song, which samples In All My Wildest Dreams by Joe Sample (how apt), is "Dear Mama". Though not for want of trying, few songs have captured so well the feelings pretty much everybody has for their Moms. Great video too:
Another great sample on a 2pac song is from What You Won't Do For Love. Originally a Bobby Caldwell song, I've put up my favourite version of this, by Roy Ayers (absolute legend!). Due to his incarceration and unfortunate death, I'd imagine there are as many 2pac videos that don't feature him as there are that do, but his presence on the records is just as powerful. "Do For Love" is a great animated video that really captures the spirit both of the song and of the man:
Another track on the more mellow tip is William Devaughn's Be Thankful For What You've Got In all honesty, until about 5 minutes ago I'd always assumed this song was by Curtis Mayfield - who isn't a bad guy to sound like anyway. Luda used it on the supercool "Diamond In The Back", which I think is impossible not to like - unless you got no soul that is!
Back to marvelous Marv for T Plays it Cool from the "Trouble Man OST". Proof he didn't even need to sing to create a mind blowing song. Jazzy Jeff updated it with some scratches and hip-hop drums on A Touch of Jazz. Sort of song I would breakdance to if I knew how to spin on my head.
Kool and The Gang - probably my favourite jazz/soul/funk/disco/r'n'b/allthatgoodstuff band - had their excellent Summer Madness (feels like sipping lemonade laid back in the shade) sampled by Jeff & the Fresh One on pretty much the ultimate summer tune, Summertime. It was also used by Aaliyah on A Girl Like You feat Treach from Naughty By Nature which is "cooler than a polar bear's toenails" to quote Big Boi. More recently Punjabi MC sampled it, by way of Summertime, on Raat Da Na Bole - crazy track. Long may it be popular amongst the sample-happy, if only to keep Kool & co. seeing the royalty cheques. They deserve it.
To finish off, a supersick joint that NEEDS sampling! Gloria Gaynor (I will survive) is absolutely incredible on Casanova Brown & the beat bangs. Until I've honed my MPC skills sufficiently to do it justice, I can picture Just Blaze or Pete Rock maybe doing something with this track. Most important though is that I hear Ghostface rap over this here beat before I die. Can picture the Wally Champ rapping the B'Jesus out of this joint. Need to get in touch with his A & R peoples, maybe bring me in as a creative consultant for this one.
Seeing as I haven't put up any of his tracks, had to show love to Isaac Hayes, being the supercool cat that he is. He has a great line on his Wu-Tang collabo I Can't Go To Sleep:
"Don't get mad...'cos it ain't that bad..."
No matter the situation soul children, truer words were never spoken.
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