I actually need some help from anyone who’s listening out there (especially if you’re from The Bay), I need some NEW Bay Area/West Coast hip-hop. Well, really any smooth flowing MC. I’ve been lacking on hip-hop lately and can’t seem to find anything new I like. But good thing, Gift of Gab is bringing out on a new album. He’s actually one of the reasons I started this blog.
In the lead track off his upcoming album, The Next Logical Progression, “Protocol” feature one sexy little lady with some spice, Samantha Kravitz. She leads it off for Gift to throw in those classic lines of his. Seriously, what MC nowadays can flow like this I’d really like to know (I know they’re out there).
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In the music that got me blogging about music series, we’ve gone from the Midwest all the way to Japan and all along the West Coast. Now, we focus on one of the most influential hip-hop areas around, The Bay Area.
As small as The Bay Area is compared to any other area I’ve covered, it’s definitely rich with the best hip-hop around. I could’ve made a top 25 bay area groups, but that would’ve been a little much. This top 5 (or so), however, is some of my favorite hip-hop groups of all time. There’s no doubt that the Bay Area is the heart of my hip-hop listening.
[audio:Lady-Dont-Tek-No.mp3,If-I-May.mp3|titles=Lady Don’t Tek No,If I May]
When I first heard Lifesavas around five, six years ago, I liked ’em so much I had to find anything else like ’em. That group was Libretto or so I thought. For all these years I thought Libretto was a group, but now that I researched a little, I find out the ‘group’ was actually just one person. I guess it just shows what I thought a group could do one man pulled off.
What he pulled off would be the funkalicious album, Ill-Oet: The Last Element, back in ’04. Libretto’s also releasing some new singles soon, but until we can get our hands on them we’ll stick with his first album.
Ill-Oet: The Last Element has the quality of a Lifesavas album with two exceptions. Lyrically, Libretto doesn’t stack up to what Vursatyl & Jumbo, the two MC’s of Lifesavas, can do. Libretto’s Ill-Oet: The Last Element also doesn’t have the consistency that each Lifesavas LP does. He may not have the amount of hits that Lifesavas does, but he does have a few. Check out the two best, “Last Drop” & “Volume” – the latter actually features Lifesavas, and see what impressed me so much by this one-man band.
[audio:Volume.mp3,Last-Drop.mp3|titles=Volume (feat. Lifesavas),Last Drop](Download Link in Full Article)
I haven’t heard anything that breakthrough in hip-hop lately, so I thought I’d dig through my collection and find something noteworthy. Blackalicious, along with the rest of the Quannum crew, were a main reason for my first interests in hip-hop. Their West Coast, laid-back vibes made me rethink what hip-hop was all about. Nia may have had some killer tracks, but Blazing Arrow created a vibe that marked the Blackalicious sound.
Blazing Arrow may not be the most acclaimed album of its time, but it had a strong following and pushed hip-hop forward across The Bay. Gift of Gab put out some cunningly crafted rhymes, but without the backup of Chief Xcels beats, his words wouldn’t have flowed so freely. I put up some of the best from the album, but its entirety is well worth a listen.
If you’ve got anything fresh that reminds you of these two, post it up in the comments below.
On a side note, in case some of you’ve notice my site has been down for a couple of days. I’ve resolved the issue with my host and hopefully this shit doesn’t happen again. It was a pain in the ass, and I’m hopin’ for some smooth sailin’, at least for a while.
[audio:MakeYouFeelThatWay.mp3,4000Miles.mp3,BrainWashers.mp3|titles=Make You Feel That Way,4000 Miles,Brain Washers](Download Link in Full Article)
I’ve been a long time fan of the Quannum collective, but never got into Shadow’s work past Entroducing. Recently, the DJ Shadow team contacted me about featuring a new remix project – a compilation of remixes done by Shadow’s fans – so I thought this would be a good chance to check out more of his work… well, kinda…
Initially going through the album, I thought that most of the DJ’s did a decent job at putting their own spin on Shadow’s music, but none really stood out. There’s some that caught my ear but failed to keep my attention.
So I thought I’d turn to you guys. I’ve posted a couple of tracks on here for you to listen to and hopefully give some feedback on. If you want to listen to the full album it’s posted over at solesides. Hopefully we can find the track(s) that carry this album forward. I’ll post my thoughts in the comments below after I get a few more listens in.
[audio:BuildingSteam.mp3,WhatDoesYourSoulLookLike.mp3|titles=Building Steam With A Grain Of Salt (NiT GriT Mix),What Does Your Soul Look Like Part 2 (economics Version)](Download Link in Full Article)
Today I was reminiscing about past summers and favorite pool-side songs, when I remembered one of my favorite groups from college, Latyrx. What the hell ever happened to those guys They had two exceptional albums and then split ways. Originally, my favorite of the two was Lyrics Born over Lateef (the Truth Speaker), but as time progressed and careers developed the tables turned. Lyrics Born has shifted more to a pop sound, which is all in good, but not my thing; while Lateef has hooked up with the likes of Z-Trip, Chief Xcel and Blackalicious, which is much more my thing.
Wherever they are now, what they did then was truly and will always be in my sentiments. Cloud 9, along with Lady Don’t Tek No, The Bumpin’ Contraption, Balcony Beach and a whole shit load more, have truly altered my thoughts of music and what to consider as good hip hop. Take a look at Latyrx’s works and pay tribute to ’em by commenting below… yep, that’s how you it.
[audio:Cloud9.mp3|titles=Cloud 9](Download Link in Full Article)
I wanted to feature another song from Lifesavas’s latest album, Gutterfly: The Original Soundtrack (2007), but I already featured “No Surprise” a while back, so I wanted to go with something from their first album, Spirit in Stone. I haven’t been listening to these guys as much lately, mostly because they haven’t come out with anything new for a while, but this feature, as well as many other tracks by ’em, are a must have for any hip-hop head.
So, I was debating between two songs from Spirit in Stone – one with a better beat, one with the a better storyline – and unlike my usual self, I went with the lyrical selection. Sorry “It’s Over“, maybe next time, this one goes to “Hellohihey” for its well crafted story and witty dialogue. The song portrays an egotistical MC, played by Vursatyl, who thinks he is God’s gift to hip-hop. Typical rapper right… well, the story comes together in the end with a humble closing, which is refreshing to hear amongst all the misogynistic rap coming out these days.
[audio:Hellohihey.mp3|titles=Hellohihey](Download Link in Full Article)
If all the best artists collaborated in one song… well, this would as close as it gets. Comprising of all the MC’s from the Quannum collective, including Lyrics Born, Gift of Gab, Lateef the Truth Speaker, etc plus they managed to get Jurassic 5 to feature, as well! It may be a little dated, just over 10 years old, but the damn thing still could be considered ahead of most hip-hop today. With a simple, yet funkalicious beat produced by DJ Shadow, Cut Chemist & whoever else, it’s another keeper for the collection. I’d point out my favorite parts of the track, but there are so damn many!… okay, i’ll point out one – go to 3:12 (love the voice, love the rhym). Give a shout out to your favorite part and as always tell me what ya think…
[audio:Concentration.mp3|titles=Concentration](Download Link in Full Article)
Blackalicious consists of an MC, Gift of Gab, who’s best known for abstract & intellectual lyrics. Accompanied by Chief Xcel, DJ for the group who does a great job blending Gift of Gab’s groove stricken voice into his own funkified & hypnotic beats.
If I May is off Blackalicious’s first album, Nia. The song has, like usual, outstanding & rich instrumentals by Chief Xcel. Gift of Gab unfolds his unique talents, as well, but where this song differs is from the two featured acts: Lateef the Truth Speaker & Erinn Anova.
[audio:IfIMay.mp3|titles=If I May](Download Link in Post)
Another group from the well-respected Quannum label, Lifesavas may not be as well-known as some of the members on the label, but they sure are just as good. Lifesavas is a fine mix of hip-hop, funk and R&B. The two MCs mix exceptionally well together with Shines funkified, soulful sounds. Vursatyl has a smart & crafty delivery, supported by Jumbo’s groovy & soulful sound. Lifesavas is considered more fun & free will than my usual selection, and this is exemplified in No Surprise.
[audio:NoSurprise.mp3|titles=No Surprise](Download Link in Post)