Tag: Jay-Z

Categories
Music

Rodriguez – Sugar Man (The Goldfish Remix)

Often we become so comfortable with our opinions and cognitive biases that our thoughts become escape and coping mechanisms for our weaknesses. Through these mechanisms we become addicted to defining things that happen in our lives and consequently create a world in which those definitions become horse blinders for our perception of life and it’s events. For example, a person who only see’s the world through darkness or sadness will never be able to fully understand another perspective because everything in their mind starts at sad and dark and then defines itself from that perspective.

A lot of these problems arise from people forgetting that we are first and foremost creators. The world is nothing but a projection of your thoughts – life is a movie of your thoughts. We create what happens based on the aggressive and receptive principals, laws of attraction. Where you chose to direct your aggressive energy will in turn create those very thoughts and because you’re manifesting those thoughts you will also receive like energy in return. I’ve struggled with this so much in my life but as I focus on meditation and looking at life from the view of energy, vibrations and frequency I’m noticing the contradictions in my actions as well as those around me that could be detrimental to progress. Unfortunately, it’s not possible to play both sides. Jay-Z once said “I’m like Che Gueverra with bling on, I’m complex.” Some would argue he’s confused. You can’t live the darkness and then go around saying you’re about the light. Another much more inspired line from Jay in his earlier times sums it up nicely…

Leave my friends in a circle pouring out Henny
For Jesus is Heaven bound so how I’m gon’ receive anything y’all pour to the ground? 
Next time throw it up…” – Jay-Z

In this age of gluten-free everything and world changing health awareness we can’t forget mental health and the power we have as creators. An unhealthy mind can do more damage than most recognize and in this world of marketing you can’t just sit there in arrogance thinking it hasn’t been corrupted in one way or the other. Mindfulness is essential to that health because…

“The mind is a wonderful servant, but a terrible master.” – Robin Sharma

Meditation is the answer here, don’t be your own Sugar Man. Enjoy.

Categories
Music

La Roux – Let Me Down Gently (Playless Club Mix)

As we sit here letting the matrix manipulate us into giving up our freedoms for the illusion of security we foolishly tell our selves we’re celebrating our independence. Yet how many of us know what July 4th, 1776 was really about? I’m not going to sit here retelling the great American story or preaching to you about what it means to stand up to oppression. I won’t do that because some of us have been slaves so long we wouldn’t even understand freedom, much less know that we want and need it. I won’t do it because our diets are so GMO fueled, our water flouridated, our culture so dumbed down that I probably have 10 more seconds before both the reader and writers A.D.D. kicks in and we have to go to the next website or skip to the next song. I will say this though, we’re at a one of the most important cross roads in our history …

The takeover, the breaks over  ni$&@…” – Jay-Z

This country only bares a faint resemblance to what it was designed to be. What was once the result of rebel forefathers creating the Constitution, perhaps the greatest blueprint against tyranny is now a land ruled by corporate interest and other forces better left untold.

Adversity makes men, and prosperity makes monsters. – Victor Hugo

In the great Roman empires they used entertainment to keep the people distracted and their mental hygiene in shambles. Go do some research on how long you use your “smart” phone everyday. Despite incredible odds, many of us have taken the red pill and bring challenge to this cheap version of the greatest country the world has known. So a new wave of obedient to “Dreamers” is needed to support both the current state and future of the system. That’s why the borders are opened up right now, to feed a new generation of dreams the blue pill…

I throw these Maybach keys, I wear my heart of my sleeve. I know that we the new slaves, I see the blood on the leaves…” – Yeezus

So as we go to our BBQ’s and drink our minds away with high-fructose corn syrup, caramel coloring, MSG, genetically modified hops “beer”…

Killin’ ’em, honey how I make the pain improve…” – King Louie

And gluten that suppresses the same vigor for life fight that created this holiday in the first place, remember that we’re not celebrating the day when everybody laid down because we thought the people in charge had our best interest at hand and would take care of things for us. We’re celebrating the day we stood up and fought for our God given right to take care of things ourselves. We’ve been spoon fed for so long that we’re afraid of everything now. We’re afraid of any form of conflict, we’re afraid to fight and we want the establishment to dictate the easiest way out because that’s what we’re use to hearing…

Let me down gently, that’s what I think I need
But when you let me down gently, it still feels it hard…”

It will always be difficult because that is the nature of growth. It’s through the bumps, noise and hard work that you get to the beautiful. The easy way out will always lead to more of the same. Enjoy.

La Roux – Let Me Down Gently (Playless Club Mix)

Categories
Music

Rainbow Arabia – Without You

Man I tell you, once you find yourself you realize there’s no going back things get weird…

Odd times took your mind
And I’m still here by your side…”

The crazy thing about it, the thing that all your friends, loved ones and family will have a hard time dealing with is letting go of who they knew you as before.

People don’t like change, they fight it with all their might, even when the change is good. I mean think about all the sexist men who tried to fight the women’s suffrage movement or the people trying to stop Gay rights right now. Throughout history there have always been people so scared of change that they do anything to stop it. If such resistance can be so universal why wouldn’t resistance to change be just as complicated on a smaller, more personal level.

Is it and I’m finding that growth and progress isn’t always welcome.

You can get addicted to a certain kind of sadness… – Gotye

Something amazing can come to your life and because you’re stuck in a pattern you subconsciously try to push it away. It’s one of the most depressing things about human nature man and when you catch yourself doing it try to step away, take a deep breath and try to fix it. So much good can go bad like that.

Sometimes part of the reason why you make good friends is because you find people who are in exactly the same place you are. But then life happens and then each persons personal progress moves at it’s own pace. That can create conflict but it shouldn’t because friends are not just for when it’s convenient and it’s not about always having someone be where you are, it’s also about meeting people where they are.

I’ll say it again man; The crazy thing about it, the thing that all your friends and family will have a hard time dealing with is letting go of who they knew you as before. I find myself born again right now, ready to fly but almost like clockwork I have to keep dealing with the past. Love bought me to a new place and love is going to keep me going, but I just wonder why the two worlds keep trying to coexist.

Idiots knock you down, cut you up
Bruise your heart, sharp tongues criticize, 
Tell you friendly lies, 
Empty you’re so dumb…”

At the end of the day, follow your heart and believe in your path. Our journeys are as unique as our DNA’s and sometimes through the wonders of the Universe you find people that are truly meant to go on the journey with you.

Don’t listen to your crew, do what works for you…” Jay-Z

You gotta hold on to those but those are rare. Everyone else is on their journey and if there’s love you show it, help and progress together but you’re own personal journey man, that’s sacred. Don’t let anyone distract you from that. Enjoy.

Rainbow Arabia – Without You

Categories
Music

EMPT Classics: Say Goodbye to Hollywood

No I’m not leaving LA but I was curating the music for a latin restaurant called Paladar Latin Kitchen this morning and I came across one of my al time favorite songs – La Fama by Hector Lavoe. The song is about Fame and all it’s complexities, a salsa classic. In this world, when you chase something its very important to fully understand what you’re dealing with. There’s nothing wrong with playing the game but if you don’t know how things truly work you will inevitably fail or even worse succeed and be destroyed in damaging ways.

If success took a shot at you, what are you gonna do now? How you gonna kill it, you gonna be unsuccessful?”

Anyways, it reminded me of an old post I wrote back in the early days of EMPT that I felt like sharing again, enjoy.

Originally posted January 29th, 2010

_____

Apologies to all our readers, I’ve been out in LA this week and haven’t had the time to post. You can’t blame me, it’s hard to think about blogging while driving down Pacific highway or walking around Venice beach, it’s just not gonna happen. Nevertheless, I woke up early because I didn’t want to leave you guys hanging. I did a post back in our early days about the complex nature of fame and success, given that SoCal is probably the pinnacle of this I thought it would be cool to bring that back, enjoy.

I saw a recent interview with Kanye in which he was justifying his narcissism by proposing that he is two people, Kanye West the product and Kanye West the person.

I have the right to talk in third person because I’m me as a person, but also I’m a walking brand.”

Interesting. Everyone see’s Kanye West as arrogant and self-righteous, I see him as someone coping with some very important issues we all have to deal with. I think Mr. West is developing into a master of consumerism, a master or a victim – it’s a very thin line. Either way, the one song from 808’s & Heartbreak that I’ve actually willingly listened to is Welcome to Heartbreak, a very authentic song which truly captures the bittersweet aspects of his recent success.

Dad cracked a joke, all the kids laughed,
But I couldn’t here him all the way in first-class.
Chased the good-life, all my life long,
Look back on my life, all my life gone,
Where did I go wrong?”

Kanye West – Welcome To Hearbreak (Featuring Kid Cudi)

This song falls in the same realm of Eminem’s Say Goodbye to Hollywood, Lily Allen’s The Fear, Hector Lavoe’s La Fama, Jay-Z’s Success, The Beatles’ Drive My Car and countless others.

I don’t know what’s right and what’s real anymore. I don’t know how I’m meant to feel anymore.”

Lily Allen – The Fear

The consistent theme in all of these songs is the juxtaposition between success in the public eye and the abandonment of self through extreme levels of sacrifice.

I don’t wanna quit, but shit, I feel like this is it
For me to have this much appeal like this is sick
This is not a game, this fame, in real life this is sick
Publicity stunt my ass, consume my fuckin’ dick
I love my fans but no one ever puts a grasp on the fact i’ve sacrificed everything I have
I never dreamt i’d get to the level that i’m at, this is whack
This is more than I ever could of asked
Everywhere I go, a hat, a sweater hood, or mask
What about math, how come I wasn’t ever good at that
It’s like the boy in the bubble, who never could adapt, i’m trapped
If I could go back, I never woulda rapped
I sold my soul to the devil, i’ll never get it back
I just wanna leave this game with level head intact
Imagine goin’ from bein’ a no one to seein’,
everything blow up and all you did was just grow up emceeing
It’s fuckin’ crazy
Cause all I wanted was to give Hailie the life I never had
But instead I forced us to live alienated, so i’m sayin’…

Eminem – Say Goodbye To Hollywood

I never went to my econ class in college so I don’t remember much but the one thing I did pick up was that the real cost of something is what you have to give up to get it. A concept I’ve really have to come to grips with lately, because even when you win big in this world you’re still losing something. That said, ambition is a complicated subject, one needs to be fully aware of who one is and what one wants before devoting to a particular end. The way to do that is by being brutally honest with yourself, a task not many are willing to undertake. In the words of Hector Lavoe:

Porque yo soy La Fama, soy aquel que la gente reclama pero nadie puede compreder… 

Anyways, this is way too complicated for my hungover state right now. Just what I was feeling at the time, enjoy.

I use to give a fuck, now I give a fuck less. What do I think of suc-cess? It sucks, too much stress…”

Jay-Z – Success

Categories
Mash-Ups Music Remixes

RRod – With The Suit & Tie On (Marvin Gaye vs. Justin Timberlake feat. Jay-Z)

Here’s the thing. Both Marvin Gaye and Justin Timberlake are two of my favorite musicians in the whole world. I stand by that statement for. Ever. JT’s debut album was one of the first CDs I owned. It wasn’t the first one, okay? Shakira holds that spot, but only because I found that CD first. I’m an honest and loyal supporter of Mr. Sexyback. As for Marvin Gaye, do I really have to say a lot? He’s the king of soul and the king of my heart.

You can imagine my happiness when I came across this.

I’m really picky about mash-ups. In fact, I’m so picky that I’ve only ever written about one, and it happens to be this Captain Cuts remix. It’s hardly even a mash-up because it’s so new. That being said, you can trust me when I say that what we’re dealing with here, is a lovely collision of two masters and their soothing sexy voices.

Damn it. I have to finish writing my thesis, but this song has my heart and mind in another dimension of fantastical sexy ruminations. Neither of these men, or RRod for the matter, have any idea that I need to be productive right now, but hey. There’s no harm in imagining yourself to a more sensual place, even if the place you’re physically in is not that sexy. I mean, I am sitting in a cafe sipping happy hour Black Chocolate Stout, so things could definitely be worse.

Take your suit and tie off and get it on.

RRod – With The Suit & Tie On (Marvin Gaye vs. Justin Timberlake feat. Jay-Z)

Categories
Music

Jay-Z — Open Letter

The game controls you. Every choice you make, every corner you try to hide in, and every possible outcome of your life, but not in the way you think. High level control is deep rooted, it comes in the form of values, norms, culture, institution and the perception of need. It takes hundreds of years to fully develop, it’s invisible.

An enemy at the gates is less formidable, for he is known and carries his banner openly… For the traitor appears not a traitor; he speaks in accents familiar to his victims, and he wears their face and their arguments, he appeals to the baseness that lies deep in the hearts of all men. He rots the soul of a nation, he works secretly and unknown in the night to undermine the pillars of the city, he infects the body politic so that it can no longer resist. A murderer is less to fear. The traitor is the plague.” – Marcus Tullius Cicero

Think of yourself in the purest form and you will realize that you need nothing. However, there’s no business in self-realization. Make a man believe he needs and you’ve created a constant desire to want, to consume. There are many layers to control and for those not attuned to the truth, the trap can last a lifetime.

They monitor your e-mails and they are legally allowed to.  But, once you’re in the public eye and you are getting too far ahead of yourself, they yank the chord, or, for this matter, we shall say: chains.

The martyr cannot be dishonored. Every lash inflicted is a tongue of fame; every prison a more illustrious abode. — Ralph Waldo Emerson

Jay-Z was recently on vacation in Cuba, a communist regime that goes against nearly everything this country stands for.  But, more importantly, Mr. Carter has been in the public eye a LOT lately for his strategic business moves and master-like chess plays.  Something that the “leaders” of this country don’t have the mental capabilities to comprehend.  You don’t have to be smart, you just have to be unplugged and realize that you are living in a construct that can be bent at every which way, otherwise, you are just another sleeper following the system/prison rules that you were born and brainwashed into.

You awoke out of nowhere the day your mom gave birth to you, yet you don’t remember anything before that?  Is it a coincidence that you are born lost?

Recently Jay decided to expand his company’s operations into the sports management world. Remember, change is the only constant in the world, contrary to what anyone says humans are truly limitless and the universe is completely moldable. To be stuck in your ways is exactly what they want, predictable, following, stagnant people. Jay-Z has always understood this and it has been reflected in his music, it’s only natural he would continue that development other aspects of his life. The true masters (not the leaders) of the universe found a discrepancy here, and it had nothing to do with the conflict of interest of him having ownership in a NBA team, because as Jay illustrates in one of his lyrics on “Open Letter“, the free world is one giant constant conflict of interest:

This communist talk is so confusing
When it’s from China, the very mic that I’m using…”

As a player in this Matrix, Jay-Z has taken things into his own hands immediately, shouting “freedom of speech” to awaken some of us up, and placing his “Open Letter” out through the one median they will never be able to control: his music. The sly and cunning will never speak out of hand, they will always hide their true intentions for the sake of diplomacy…

Place your iron first inside a velvet glove.” – Napoleone Buonaparte

But a true passionate artist, the person who cares for truth will undoubtedly express themselves and fight for the truth. It’s emotional and not always the best strategic move but remember this is all a construct and the traitor is nothing but a fearful and weak. Reality is the true power and when you understand that you man up, expose the weakness with absolutely nothing to fear.

If only he wasn’t self-centered in his agendas and were really leading the resistance we would really be on to something. But then again, sometimes success can make one believe the illusion is real and it takes a direct hit to wake a sleeping giant…

The world’s under new management
The new role model, fuck this Zoolander shit”

Jay-Z — Open Letter

Categories
Music

Treat My First Like My Last & My Last Like My First

I’m just, tryin to stay above water y’know
Just stay busy, stay workin
Puff told me like, the key to this joint
The key to staying on top of things is treat everything like it’s your first project, know what I’m saying?
Like it’s your first day like back when you was an intern
Like, that’s how you try to treat things like, just stay hungry” – Notorious B.I.G. Interview

I love hearing Biggie say that, it never fails to remind me how important it is to stay fresh, active and always pushing. Have you ever noticed how people always put their best foot forward in the beginning but when they get comfortable you’re left with a mediocre version of what you initially met. It’s amazing how we have the nerve to wonder why a boss might be unhappy or why a lover may lose interest.

The key is to treat everything like it’s your first project…”

Stability and routine are important aspects in the pursuit of happiness and success but repetition can kill you if that’s all you do. For example, remember that first time you went for a run after slacking for a while? You were dying but pushed your way to finish line and now that same run is no problem and you do it everyday. That’s good and all but if you don’t push yourself to feel like you did that first day every now and then you’re getting nowhere fast. You gotta find a way to put a little extra into the things you do because it makes all the difference. I mean if you’re going to do it just to get by what’s the point really? Also when you give something everything you have and it doesn’t work out, you don’t have to think twice about it. So don’t be afraid to show a little passion, go the extra mile or be exhausted after that workout. Always remember what the first time felt like and indulge in that feeling of newness and challenge, it will make your try harder and give more every single time and that’s where it’s at.

Anyways it’s Friday folks! I have all my boys coming to pre-game the evening, the weather in New York City is autumn bliss and there’s nothing but good music in the background, time to be unstoppable. I’ve been listening to the following collection of songs all morning and will probably continue to do so all day so I thought I’d share that with you, enjoy.

Alex Winston – Velvet Elvis (Crystal Fighters Remix)

Kavinsky – Nightcall (Feat. Lovefoxxx)

Jay-Z & Kanye West – Niggas In Paris (VOODOO FARM DUBSTEP REMIX)

Chip Tha Ripper – The Truth

Birdy Nam Nam – Jaded Future

Pompeya – 90 (Korablove Remix)

Clubfeet – Last Words (RAC Maury Mix)

Subscribe to our newsletter

Categories
Music

Sample Saturday – Isaac Hayes et Jay-Z: Can I Live?

We invite you to, somethin epic y’all know?
Where we hustle out of a sense of hopelessness
Sort of a desperation
Through that desperation, we ‘come addicted
Sorta like the fiends we accustomed to servin
But we feel we have nothin to lose (everything to gain)
So we offer you, well, we offer our lives
What do you bring to the table?”

I was twelve years old the first time I heard Can I Live. Jay-Z’s lyrics were superb, the album was a glimpse into the mind of an ambitious yet at the time mildly successful hustler with dreams of overcoming harsh socio-economic conditions and making the most out of his opportunity. Reasonable Doubt in general was an introspective journal, a raw look into the often neglected internal conflicts of life in the underworld.

 Whoever said illegal was the easy way out, couldn’t understand the mechanics and the workings of the underworld…”

The album addresses the pressures of youth in the ghetto, morality, dreams, realities, materialism, inequalities and the inherent challenges of overcoming such conditions. The concepts and ideas are presented with an elegance and clarity that makes it worthy of best selling author. By no means did I live a hustlers life but I grew up around all of it. It was in my vision, in my family and constantly making me question and challenge my path. From a young age the duality of my life would have me shaking hands presidents one day and  around drug dealers, hustlers and rebels the next – “Laughing hard happy to be escaping poverty, however brief…” 

This album dissected concepts that I vaguely understood but fully related to and it rocked my world. It was my coming of age, it was poetry, it was Jay-Z at his absolute best.

My mind is infested with sick thoughts that circle like a Lexus,
if driven wrong it’s sure to hurt you
Dual level like duplexes…

The two verses are classic. Everything is represented – confidence, struggle, success, failure, confusion, growth, ambition, I mean it’s so loaded that till this day I’m impressed by the Jordan-esque zone Jay was in at the time…

When it boils to steam, it comes to it
We all fiends, gotta do it, even righteous minds go through this
True, the street schooled us to spend our money foolish
Bond with jewelers and watch for intruders
I stepped it up another level, meditated like a Buddhist
Recruited lieutenants with ludicrous dreams of
Gettin’ cream, “let’s do this!” It gets te-di-ous
So I keep one eye open like C-B-S
You see me stressed right?!

Both verses lead up to one of my fondest memories as a young, the epic question that summarizes his hunger, his will and desire to finally get his chance. It was three words –

Can I Live?”

I swear to you the first time I heard that my eyes watered up. I’d never heard such a musical progression combined with words of frustration and hope like that. I thought about everything I wanted, everything I was doing and I froze… Have you ever wanted something so bad that you’re willing to put everything you have into it? You work day and night for it but you still haven’t quite got it, all you what is a chance to show yourself, your moment in the spotlight, your moment to live?

Looking back now it was a combination of a lot things that made me feel that way. One major factor was Issac Hayes mind blowing incredible arrangement. When you’re young everything is new to you and with all the music that I’d heard in my life up to that point I’d never experienced such an epic moment as when those horns come in on the chorus. Jay enhanced that 10 fold with three words and it’s a moment I’ll never forget. I’ve recently started to understand just how great some of the best rappers are as song writers. We tend to overlook that for whatever reason but listening to the original it’s hard to imagine the song without Jay on it and that serves to show just how well he connected with that instrumental. Classic all around, enjoy.

I’d rather die enormous than live dormant…”

Jay-Z – Can I Live

Isaac Hayes – The Look of Love

Rocafella y’all…

Categories
Music

Ghostface Killah: “Watch The Throne” (Album Review)

With the exception of the Q-Tip produced That’s My Bitch we posted a while back, you may be wondering why we haven’t even mentioned Kanye & Jay-Z’s self-proclaimed “sophisticated ignorance,” and well the reasons are just to vast to get into. However, my boy Nate sent me an hilarious/amazing review by one of “Wu-Tangs elite” (dude that impersonates Ghostface) that pretty much says it all…

1. No Church in the Wild (ft. Frank Ocean) – Thought the beat was kinda average at first to be honest wit yall. But the shit been growin on me. The fact that Jay brought back one of his most boring flows…the same one he used on Pray off American Gangster…didnt help nothin tho. Yeezy drops his least EMPHASIZED bars in a minute n gets the green light from Jiggaman to bring autotune back. I dont kno what hour in the day this shit was recorded but it sounds like some 5 AM shit. In the end tho… both them niggas got the job done n start shit off on the rite foot nahmean. The victim of Breezy’s high pitched goon squad attack did his thing too.

2. Lift Off (ft. Beyonce) – I almost aint wanna even comment on this shit son…. I dont even kno what to say bout it yo. This shit sounds like the anthem the fairies in Ferngully would use to go to war against evil humans to or some shit b. This shit is like Shia LeBeouf in song form yo. Lissenin to this shit is like havin ya ears penetrated by a million microscopic dicks namsayin. Shit sounds like niggas doin aerobics on a magical cloud of daisies. How many meadows did Kanye cartwheel across before he decided to make this beat? Seriously yo…. Jus how many lily pads did the nigga skip across the pond on before he got inspired to make some shit like this? Definitely one a the worst songs Jay ever been involved in…thats includin those lame joints off Vol 3 wit Amil n Mariah or the worst songs off Kingdom Come….EVEN the Timbo joints off Blueprint 3. Like this joint is SOFT son. Guess thats why Jay only spit like 5 n a half bars on it. Its like the song Yung Berg would play before he goes n commits his latest string of L’s. Shit is jus terrible son…especially since it took like 6 niggas to produce this muthafucka.

3. Niggas in Paris – If you can ignore the homoerotic title the shit actually aint bad son. I prefer it once the beat changes up tho. It starts off soundin like some shit them Young Money niggas mighta left behind in the studio one day. Like I swear I can hear Gudda Gudda gettin his mediocre on in the background for the first 2:43 minutes. But then shit gets dramatic n its all good yo. it aint really the monster track niggas made that shit out to be tho.

4. Otis (ft. Otis Redding) – First off they need to not be actin like Otis Redding is a “featured” artist on this shit. Since when do niggas sample a dude n then call that shit a feature. Son aint even been alive for like 40 years b. Otis Redding is my dude tho…so dont get that shit twisted son. That bein said…this shit still goes nahmean. Folks been divided on this joint for a minute…but that aint stop the dozen hasbeen ass niggas who hopped on this shit from strugglin the fuck out on it (Im lookin at you DMX).

5. Gotta Have It – This shit probably the least Neptunes soundin beat the Neptunes ever produced yo. Not sayin thats a bad thing tho. Im glad they aint bring no bongos or space sounds to this shit g. Niggas is jus tradin bars on some back n forth shit n basically talkin bout the usual shit they do. Kinda jus a filler joint nahmean. It probably wont be the next single or nothin…but its still a ill joint namsayin. This shit also got The Godfather of Soul’s voice all over it…but they aint put “featuring James Brown” on the tracklist for some reason. Guess they missed that one.

6. New Day – “Me n the RZA connect”….thats a nice little quasi-hook rite ther namsayin. Sorry yo…this aint the 36 Chambers RZA…but it aint the “fuckin ridicalish” aint had a meal in a hot minute soundin RZA neither yo. It basically dont sound like a RZA joint at all son. He aint bring out the pointy ass rings n get on his BONG BONG shit or nothin but the god did his thing namsayin. Shit has Kanyes fingerprints all over it still tho.

7. Thats My Bitch – I aint the biggest fan a this shit rite here yo. It aint horrible or nothin but I remember when this shit was unleashed at the end a last year n it still aint grow on me like that. Its got all that retro hip hop shit happenin on it but I aint feelin the end results like that. Not sayin its wack….but I be skippin this joint usually.

8. Welcome To The Jungle – If Jay gon insist on usin this niggas bullshit ass beats still…the least he can do is make sure that Swizzy dont go near the booth yo. Ayo Snoop Budden…nobody gon need to hear you gettin ya “One hand in the air if you dont really care” on durin the hooks to no joints ever ever ever again son. Jus go back to contaminatin whats left of Alicia Keys n stop cashin in those favors niggas owe you to get on these high profile joints you malnourished ass lookin muthafucka. Son been urinatin wackness on these songs for years now b…. so can we jus acknowledge that the nigga got no business actin like he kno how to put together a hook now n stop lettin this whippet lookin muthafucka get near a mic?

9. Who Gon Stop Me – Now THIS shit is a problem yo. When it started the god was like ok cool….you kno…I was enjoyin it….the bassline was soundin like a lion growlin n shit. There wasa ill mood to it. Im diggin the joint namsayin….but then it starts really transformin into a monster after a couple minutes….n its like yo…we got a serious contender for best song on the album now. By the middle it sounds like niggas is drivin Lamborghinis around in the studio n drums is hittin like automatic weapons. I love this track son.10. Murder to Excellence – Another ill joint. Not a lot I can say bout it tho son. If you heard it you kno its jus a solid track namsayin. Like a lotta these songs its got a change up in the beat halfway through. If I had to guess Id say its probably Wyclef’s favorite song on the album tho.

11. Made In America (ft. Frank Ocean) – First of all son….Lionel Richie called from 1986 n said he wants his song back yo. Word. Sade jus holla’d on twitter to say this shit is soft as fuck namsayin. I think Elton John wants to conceive babies to this joint b. Drake said he gon soak in his lotion pool to this shit rite here for like a week son. I think Wiz Khagina is scissorin wit Amber Rose to this shit rite now as we speak yo. I heard this shit gon be used for the next Gwyneth Paltrow movie too. I dont kno how the same nigga that did Who Gon Stop Me had anything to do wit this shit but apparently he did nahmean. This shit sounds like two niggas hang glidin over the ocean together at sunset holdin hands son. I think this is bout to be on Yung Berg’s yoga playlist. I cant fuck wit this shit at all b. This shit is like audio lesbian comin out my speakers son.

12.Why I Love You (ft. Mr Hudson) – Its almost like they knew they couldnt end the album on that Made In America shit. Contrary to the title n the fact that it says “featuring Mr Hudson” on this muthafucka….this shit goes hard yo. Mr Hudson does his thing too son. I fucks wit this joint forreal forreal. Might even be my favorite tomorrow.

Bonus tracks:
13. Illest Motherfucker Alive – Ok now…when you call a song “Illest Motherfucker Alive” you really gotta live up to that shit son. This shit kinda almost lives up to the name of the song…but it aint that special yo. But Im not mad at it. Actually if Made in America n Lift Off made the album I dont kno why this shit is jus a bonus track namsayin. I think Breezy’s cousins are singin at the end a the song tho.

14 H.A.M. – This joint is still ass. Id rather listen to a whole Tyga mixtape son.

15. Primetime – This shit cool namsayin.  Aint like my favorite song on earth or nothin….but No I.D. aint go n “Timbaland” these niggas wit no bullshit ass beat at least. Son always comes through wit sumthin decent or better. This shit better than decent tho nahmean.

16. The Joy (ft. Curtis Mayfield) – This shit shoulda been a official track on the album b. I dont care how old it is now…I still love this joint. I guess they aint wanna give they fans all this old shit…which is cool namsayin. But…AGAIN yo… if Lift Off gon be on the album anyway…you might as well jus swap that wit some old shit that AINT softer than Game’s emotions b. N they put Thats My Bitch on the album anyway so maybe there aint no real excuse for makin this shit a bonus joint. But why these niggas got “featuring Curtis Mayfield” on this shit?  I think Jay n Ye better cut that shit out before it becomes a trend for these lame muthafuckas to start havin “featuring (insert dead artist here)” on they joints too b.

Word yo. The album might got some filler n a couple joints thats jus beyond wack…but its still a pretty tight project son. Niggas produced the shit outta this muthafucka b. This aint jus some shit where dudes looped up a beat n banged out some drums on top n called that shit a finished product namsayin. Nah yo…niggas put some work in to get this shit done par. Tone appreciates that type a artistry tho nahmean. But it aint like its all fancy tricks n aint no real magic happenin under all the bullshit smoke n mirrors n shit namsayin. Niggas straight went HAM on summa thses tracks son…but not on the HAM joint tho. Another thing I appreciate is that niggas tried sumthin original n new. Plus they aint flood this shit wit guest appearances from they artist rosters n turn it into the Firm album. Hate it or love it…its probably gon be like that rare joint where niggas memorize all the lyrics to it after a week either way. Anyways I give this shit a solid 4 Zeus slaps namsayin.

Aight peace.

Via: Big Ghost

Categories
Music

Kevin Casey’s Sample Saturday – Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes et Jay-Z

One of my good friends Pete Walsh, who has assisted me in many-a-Sample-Saturdays, hit me up late Thursday night with this entire entry written out in a BBM msg.  One of me and Pete’s all-time favorite verses, Scarface/3rd verse/”This Can’t Be Life”, was the perfect representation to real life for him, so this week is his…

Amidst the everyday hustle and grind of life it can sometimes become easy to forget what’s truly important and what really matters. We are all guilty of becoming consumed by work, social events, and the desire to reach the top…so much so that we sometimes lose focus on what makes life so great. This week a close friend of mine tragically lost his brother. Upon hearing the news, I was instantly grounded and everything else I had going on suddenly became so infinitesimal.  I reached out to my brothers (both biological and adopted) and let them know that I loved them and would always be there for them. I can’t even fathom the pain and hurt that the family is feeling now, but I hope that my friend can find some comfort in the fact that he has so many people in his corner looking out for him and praying for him.

I couldn’t help but go home and throw on “This Can’t Be Life” after hearing the news. I have always loved Scarface’s verse in this song, and on this particular listen the lyrics hit so close to home that I was overcome with emotion. The combination of ‘Faces raw emotion mixed with Kanye’s soulful production make this one of the most sentimental verses in hip-hop history. I encourage everyone to take a minute out of their hectic lives and reach out to the ones they cherish and let them know you love them.

Amen.  This IS life.  Peep 0:17 in “I Miss You”.

Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes – I Miss You

Jay-Z ft. Beanie Sigel, Scarface – This Can’t Be Life

Subscribe to our newsletter