Saturday, November 22, 2014

Hip Hop Grew Up



Twenty years after dropping one of the rawest debuts in the history of rap, the Wu-Tang Clan is set to release their sixth official studio album, A Better Tomorrow, and from the tracks I’ve heard thus far I have to admit I’m not all that hyped. This is coming from someone who will defend just about every Wu-Tang release, including the U-God solo albums, so the fact that I’m already disappointed in what I’ve heard from the Wu Generals is proof that something is definitely up here. To me, Wu-Tang is supposed to either grimey or soulful, whether it’s gritty drums of “Bring Da Ruckus” or the Wizard of Poetry Ghostface Kilah rehashing a Delfonics classic and just spitting bars over the entire track. What I’m hearing recently though is more live instrumentation and fewer samples. But should any of this be a surprise?

Look, the 90s have been gone for a long time now, and the fact is that most of the artists from back then are gone too. Longevity is not common in rap. How many artists from 20 years ago are still making music that’s seeing placement on the major blog sites? Even artists that are releasing tracks are mostly written off as having fell off or go completely ignored by everyone other than their extremely loyal fanbase. The Wu is still thriving though, and perhaps the change in their sound is not only a reason for their continued relevance, but also a reflection of the fact that they aren’t in their 20s anymore.

Anyone who’s paid attention to the Wu should have seen this transition taking place (and since most people don’t anymore, I’ll break it down real quick). From the radio show with a live band a few years ago to RZA’s expansion into other genres of music, the Wu-Tang haven’t been doing 36 Chambers type music in a minute. But then again, at 40 years old, these guys aren’t in the staircase daily anymore. They have families now. Anyone whose parents hated the music they played as a kid can relate to what is most likely happening here. Instead of computer generated beats, a true musician, at some point in his life, becomes more about enjoying the feeling the music produces rather than making a hit single. And if you still wanna tour and do shows for as long as you physically can, the sound of a live band makes for a more involved experience with who you’re sharing the stage with. Playing off the largely improvised movements of a guitar, bass and drums allows the artist to not only interact with the audience on a more personal level through a truly unique show, but it allows the artist to interact with the people he’s doing the show with more and thus it creates an incredible energy throughout the whole venue. I’m not saying live bands are better, but the difference is one that an older musician can most likely appreciate more than a young artist on the come up trying to focus on getting the crowd hype.

A few years ago Big Daddy Kane dropped an album with a live band, and while it didn’t have the impact of his first two albums (not even close, most probably aren’t even aware of it), it was a good record, full of tight bars from one of the greatest of all time along with a backdrop soundscape of full-sounding lush instrumentation. Also an elder in the game, Kane isn’t ever going to see radio play again, and the days of ladies throwing themselves on stage at show are long gone, so most likely, as someone who clearly loves music and wants to keep working in his profession, Kane found a band and made a project for the other grown folks in rap. Therefore it shouldn’t be a surprise that the Wu-Tang also are at the point where they would prefer to put their words to something other than an mp3 track.

The fact is that hip hop is a young man’s game and always has been. But for as long as hip hop has been around, it’s still very new in that we are just now seeing what the first generation has to offer as artists removed from the spotlight of the game. So while the average teenager won’t normally step foot into an unknown, small, quiet venue to see an old jazz musician freestyle on the instrument he spent his life mastering, artists like Big Daddy Kane and Wu-Tang have become in a way just like those jazz musicians. They’re continuing to be professional musicians, but on their own terms, and at their age, being able to love what they do for a living and enjoy it with an intimate crowd of a hundred or so is probably more satisfying than working overtime to sell out large venues with thousands of faceless people, many of whom just wanna get fucked up and party.

Saturday, May 10, 2014

Crill Gates - Broken Bonds and Burned Bridges (REVIEW)





DOWNLOAD: http://www.audiomack.com/album/vmg/broken-bonds-burned-bridges

The false conception about street rap is that it’s just criminals broadcasting their felonies without any real depth or beneath the surface talk about the realities of the game. Crill Gates proves that theory is far from true as his newest tape Broken Bonds and Burned Bridges is some of the most personal rhymes put on record in recent years. Through a soundscape of accessible production and incredible sequencing, Crill doesn’t waste a single track, verse or bar on this tape, providing guidance for those coming up, relatable quotes for those who have seen the life, and his own tales of the ups and downs of the life that many rappers will glorify but few will take you on a true journey through.

The first track alone is a clear indication that this is not the average coke rapper talking numbers and bodies as Crill provides not only a biography but a confessional on “Forgive Me For My Sins”. Up next is “Criminal Enterprise” which is fantastically reminiscent of Jay and Bleek’s “Coming of Age” as Crill spends the first verse teaching his protégé how to work, and as Blizzy Blanco proves himself on the second verse, Crill then hands the game over to him on the third. Immediately following this brilliant conceptual songwriting, Crill Gates digs deep and delivers a heartbreaking story of loss on “Mother’s Pain”.

Hip hop used to have the Triangle Offense of Budden, Fabolous and Paul Cain. It now has Crill Gates, Wink Loc and Rob White (a/k/a PUSH!) and “Dark Knight”, with its immediate throwback to 50 Cent’s “Thicker Than Water” is pure raw, uncut dope as all three drop verses that will no doubt require multiple playbacks not only to catch every line but to have time to let all that greatness from one song sink in. “Bonds & Bridges” highlights various famous accounts of backstabbing and contains lessons regarding trust as Crill acknowledges the game isn’t all gravy, while “Family Business” finds Preme Da Prez joining Crill over smooth drop top production. The “Rich Forever” 3mix is every bit as epic as the Rick Ross original, and showcases that Crill Gates is able to make a known beat his own with haunting lines like “homie beat the body so he copped out to possession” that make it absolutely clear that he is not just fabricating tales for entertainment, he’s really been in the trenches where every night could be your last.

“This is War” sounds exactly like the title, as the sample belts out creepily over the beat while the VMG artists spit fierce bars, and while “Street Confessions” showed up on Crill’s last tape, Gates Way to Hell, it is every bit as welcomed on this as PUSH! absolutely bodies the track and Crill more than holds his own with more lines that prove the authenticity in his raps. Finishing up the tape, “Can’t Love Just One” is layered with an amazing piano sample and a beautiful and catchy hook from Broadway and is a perfect way to wrap up what is a solid and cohesive project from Crill Gates.

Maturity and growth are everything. On Gates Way to Hell, Crill Gates let it be known that he was cut from a different cloth, but on Broken Bonds and Burned Bridges he has proven himself to be a well developed and versatile artist. He has grown so much in just the last year, and while his first tape was a solid effort, this is a huge step up as he has gotten way more personal in his bars and has songs that are not just a collection of verses but amazing stories which make you truly feel what he’s saying. Whether you spent time in the game or not, this tape has something that everyone can relate to, and it’s without question one of the finest releases of the year, and a praiseworthy accomplishment from Crill Gates. 

Sunday, February 23, 2014

Blizzy Blanco - Son of Anarchy (REVIEW)



Killa Kounty Kartel been making waves for a minute and if you’ve been sleeping then it’s time to wake up. Crill Gates already blessed us with greatness through his tape, Gates Way to Hell, and now Blizzy Blanco steps up and further proves why this crew is not to be left unnoticed as his powerful effort, Son of Anarchy, is a fine display of street lyricism along with epic production which work well together to paint a vivid picture of the life of a hustler.

Wasting no time, Blizzy jumps right into “The Underdog” and gives us a short bio of who we’re being introduced to over a smooth soundscape. The powerful production slides in on “Progress & Profit” which features a catchy hook and a brilliant concept, lessons that everyone should learn. Not slowing down for even a second, “The Beginning” finds guest Mulan delivering an uplifting hook over a stadium ready beat while Blizzy dreams about greatness with a humble confidence.

One of the early highlights on the tape is the “Off Safety” 3mix. Slick gun talk and boastful bars as Blizzy easily hangs with the original USDA artists on this gem and honestly makes you forget for a minute who even originally made this joint. The Killa Kounty Kartel guests start showing up on “Men of Mayhem”, which is easily another highlight as all three deliver some of the slickest verses with quotables all over the place. “Crunch Time” once again finds Crill Gates paying the 2 guard to Blizzy’s always on point flow all over a horror movie beat with haunting keys.

What’s great about Son of Anarchy is that there really aren’t any skippable tracks. As each track finishes and you feel like the next one has to slow down the tape at least somewhat, Blizzy just keeps delivering bangers, as is evidenced by “AMC” being no less hype than “Crunch Time” or any of the tracks preceding it. But as every true man has a heart too, “Without” is a track that touches on the topic of females, as Blizzy reflects on a woman he loved and lost.

And just like that, having put your ears through a fine sampling of great street rap accompanied by amazing production and a slew of Killa Kounty Kartel guests, all showcasing why this crew simply can’t be ignored, Son of Anarchy concludes, but not without a couple bonus gems. Blizzy holds it down on the Outro, delivering knowledge along with a manifesto of sorts, complete with encouraging samples from Shawn Carter to allow those to grow with Blizzy as he sees the large picture in life. “The Underdog” remix allows Don Gang and Molotiv Blizz to shine over the same beat that Blizzy blessed earlier. Finally, we get “Dirty Harry” which is just a straight up raw track over a beat that is reminiscent of “I Shot Ya” with the same grittiness and solid rapping.

Overall, Son of Anarchy is a great tape. If this is any indication of what Killa Kounty Kartel has to offer then do not sleep on these guys. With Crill Gates setting the tone, Blizzy Blanco has only stepped up to further prove that this is a solid collective of great rappers who definitely deserve some shine and are carving their own lane in the street rap game with brilliant narratives over epic production culminating in great music. 

Download: Blizzy Blanco - Son of Anarchy


Sunday, January 5, 2014

ALBUM REVIEW: Guerrilla Alliance - Empire of Fear



At this point, Guerrilla Alliance should be a staple in your hip hop education. Vega X and Macabean the Rebel have been blessing the masses with knowledge and eliminating the fake fraudulent false rappers for a couple albums now, and Empire of Fear is yet another gem in their catalog. As they continue to progress in their quest to inform those who are still sleeping on the realities of the world, their music only keeps getting better. Once again they have crafted an album full of raw rhymes and dark production that will have you exploring lost caves in search of the truth.

After a neck breaking intro, Guerrilla Alliance waste no time as their tear apart “The War Scroll”. Next up is a tribute to their fallen friend, Vee Eye, and following that is the first of many highlights on this album as the beat for “Ghost in the Machine” fades in and lyrical exercises commence. Joining VX and Mac on “Alliance of Peril”, Lone Ninja is just one of the many guests who contribute greatly to Empire of Fear’s deep bench of role players perfectly positioned to help Guerrilla Alliance spread their message. “Megiddo” and “Omerta” are both Guerrilla Alliance staple tracks which are perfect examples of exactly how Vega X and Macabean shine together and provide music that makes you think as well as beats you in the head with knowledge.

Where this album really kicks into overdrive is on “Scimitar” as Highdro and Tehutimo both contribute ridiculous verses and Vega especially shines over a beat so hard it will make you wanna smack an old lady square across the face for no reason at all. “Eye 4 An Eye” with Block McCloud and Black Earth with Rasul Allah7 only further the climb this album takes with more great guest features and a feeling that something big is on its way. Then, if the epic samples and even more epic beat of “Predatory Spiritualism” aren’t enough to have you slammed against the wall like those old Maxwell cassette tape commercials, Chief Kamachi rolls through and blazes through the song to provide more support to the Guerrilla Alliance team.

You knew the best was yet to come and “Ordo Ab Chao” is exactly that. The beat alone is a furious journey that feels like a battle happening right in front of you, Macabean and Vega both come as correct as possible and do the solid production justice and just when you think you’ve been defeated by an army of machete wielding soldiers, the great Canibus launches into a verse that sounds like it’s 1997 all over again and he’s hungry to break into the game. Say what you want about Canibus, but he absolutely bodies this track.

Sometimes labeled as conspiracy theory rap, what Guerrilla Alliance accomplishes with Empire of Fear is providing a musical soundscape that combines both the book heavy thought provoking raps about the Illuminati and battlegrounds comparable to the movie “300” with classic hardcore production and overall great rhyme skills. The verbal styles of Mac and VX are very different but they complement each other perfectly, and both make the beats their own as they tackle the cathedral like production. Having heard “Guerrilla Warfare” as well as Vega’s solo records and various mixtapes, it is safe to say that Empire of Fear is Guerrilla Alliance’s greatest project thus far and absolutely needs to be ingested and digested and kept on repeat to catch all of the brilliance contained within.