Chinx Drugz (feat. French Montana, Rick Ross & Diddy) - Ima Coke Boy (remix) (2013)

this was a great song. Now it’s a great remix. The 2K13 “Shot Caller”?

ASAP Ant - Coke & White Bitches (ASAP Worldwide, 2012)

I never expected this Marino boy to snarl, but Ant absolutely gnaws away at this surprisingly Neptunes-esque production supplied by G14. Seeing as clothing was his initial hustle, I’m not sure how long Ant has been rapping, but on the couple tracks that have leaked thus far, he certainly seems to know what he’s doing. The lyrics are your usual trap fair, but it’s actually the lack of the ASAP aesthetic which make this track stand out. It’s certainly refreshing to hear a New York rapper going over these bareback, keyboard-driven beats again. 

Music video is dropping soon.

The Throne - Otis (Def Jam, 2011)

I think this video speaks volumes to me about Tumblr’s counter-culture aesthetic. It’s the first music video off of the most anticipated album of the year, and not a single person posted it on my dashboard in the past 24 hours. Not even to say anything bad about it. Is that because it’s particularily uninteresting or because the video’s too happy and fun to really hate?

I didn’t like Otis when it first came out. It was only the second song to be revealed from the album, and it felt like Jay and Ye’s present to the old heads, yo. You know, our mortal enemies. Yet as time went on, the combination of Jay and Ye’s back and forth (they finish eachother’s bars!) and that bassline had won me over. Much like the video for Lil Wayne and Rick Ross’s similarly-named-after-a-deceased-singer John converted many people into fans of that piece of shit, this video turned me into a believer.

The energy’s just so positive; based, even. The fact they they’re deconstructing a Maybach in front of our eyes while winking to the camera is absolutely hilarious to me, too; it pretty much addresses most of the critics’ complaints without uttering a single word. Arrogant, smug, cash coming out of their asses (pause). Yep, that’s pretty much the foundation of this album, and they know it.

s/o to Aziz Ansari for appearing to cheese for those all too brief three seconds.

Max B - Money Make Me Feel Better (2011, Amalgam Digital)

I haven’t ridden the wave (pause) too loyally in the last year or so; in 08/09, Biggavel’s music was all I was listened to aside from Brick Squad, and the peak of my listening experience came when I was felt myself becoming a victim to alcoholism, no lie. Max B’s strained-vocals, the sheer struggle found within his own drunken crooning, perfectly complimented long nights of binge drinking and photobook-memories (ayo?). When I kicked that habit, I sorta fell out of listening to Max’s music - I still considered myself a loyal follower of the Wave God (word to RNT), but listening to his music brought up memories of hugging the porcelain throne and leaving pictures of past wifeys soiled with more than just tears (NULLUS). I think I’ve already recounted too much of my own personal experiences though, and I’ll just get to the subject at hand (no homo).

Vigilante Season was set to be his Amalgam debut at the tail-end of 2009, but right before it could see release that Holiday season, Biggavel ended up catching a case and getting locked up for, presumably, the remainder of his life. As blunt as that may be, and as disparaging as it sounds, you can’t look at it that way; the man left behind so much great music in his four on the mixtape circuit, producing more potential hits than most rappers do in twenty years and collecting a cult fanbase that these blog rappers salivate for. With Vigilante Season, finally set to drop on March 29th, Max’s legacy will be further solidified with his true debut album, and if this song is any indication, it’ll certainly be respectful of the Wave.

Produced by eternally-underrated former-super producer turned local legend, Dame Grease, Money Make Me Feel Better isn’t the best collaboration the duo have done, but that’s a tall feat considering the huge amount of output the two released in their time working together. Dame creates a pretty uplifting beat for Max to flow to; full of jingling bells and a synth-line reminiscent of Lil C’s trademark style. Though it has a little bit of a Southern influence to it in that sense, it retains its raw New York essence; rinsing over those oft-polished sounds with a gritty layer of Northeast gutter swag.

Max himself is in true form; it’s hard to tell when this was recorded, as the sorrow heard in his voice on his last Public Domain effort (PD6) is absent here, his wino-flow still sounding broken but more so in a celebratory manner (and not nearly as heartbroken as he sounded on I Don’t Wanna Go Back”). He’s still going in on Jimmy, and the subject matter is classic Biggavel; life fucking sucks, but money cures all ailments.

A.G. - I’m A Beast (Fat Beats, 2011)

While everyone focuses on Roc Marciano, Marcberg, and whatever Roc intends to release as the follow up to that brilliant debut, A.G. is silently making moves just as interesting and entertaining on the low. A.G., known by many as the D.I.T.C. spitter who spent most of his career riding with producer Showbiz, is a true veteran in this game, having spent more than a good twenty years in this game; he’s been rapping longer than most of us have been alive. You’d never believe that from the hunger in his voice though; you’d never guess this old cat has been scraping at the bottom of the barrel in hip-hop for so long yet there’s no resentment to be found in his verses.

Everything’s Berri is a terribly underrated concept album in the same vein as Roc Marciano’s Marcberg, a companion piece both conceptually and chronologically considering there’s a song called Marcberri on the album which is nothing more than Roc (A.G. excluded from his own album) rocking over one of the excellent Ray West beats to the same effect and impact that was found on his own debut. Despite being recorded at essentially the same time (it’s hard to really say whether A.G. was inspired by Marcberg or if he both he and Roc were giving imput to one another on their own individual projects since both play so seamlessly together) as Marcberg, A.G. didn’t find the same Pitchfork reviews and critical acclaim that Roc did; in fact, a lot of heads didn’t even seem to understand what was going on in Everything’s Berri, an album that’s admittedly weird especially if you grew up with A.G. (something I certainly didn’t). A.G. is still rapping like he’s a young man, just in a different time; this is still the same rugged cat that used to fuck around in the Bronx with dirty broads, glocks, and selling crack rocks. Even if he’s an old man, A.G. channels the energy of a thirsty young hustler who has everything to prove on Everything’s Berri.

Berri TV is his next album, scheduled for release in the early half on 2011. I’m A Beast is its first single; on this track, AG brings up a number of popular rappers (Drake, Nicki, Hov, Dipset), and mentions where he was when they were still in the early stages of their development, providing an OG’s view while never criticizing any of them or taking any shots. It’s so refreshing to hear a rapper of A.G.’s age and status namecheck his successors without the usual bitter this ain’t real hip-hop! banter. Mike The Martyr’s production is just as excellent as the production Ray West provided on Everything’s Berri; a throwback to the golden age of hip-hop with a modern flair. Never once does this attempt to be something it’s not; it might sound right at home next to The Infamous or Cuban Links, but it’s assuredly 2011.

That’s A.G.’s greatest assett; he may not be the best rapper from a technical aspect, he may not have the dopest flow, but he’s an old cat, doing what he loves, and doing it well; and he has something to say, something these other fourty year old cats don’t. It may not be positive, but he’s still kicking knowledge. Now if only Ghostface could get ahold of these producers..

Ghostface Killah - 2Getha Baby (Def Jam, 2010)

The first single from Ghost’s latest album receives the visual treatment a month after the Apollo Kids was released, and two months after anyone had the slightest bit of interest in the aforementioned album. I’ve never commented on it myself, at least not in full-detail; and I don’t ever really intend on it. Frankly, that’s not because the album is disappointing - it’s exactly what you’d expect from a Ghostface release. That’s the problem though; it’s the same formulaic album he’s been releasing since Pretty Toney, sans 2009’s critically-maligned Ghostdeini.

I was a fan of Ghostdeini myself, as it seemed almost like natural progression for Ghost, and it was a nice retreat from the same-ness factor that made his Big Doe Rehab album a bit dull. Ghost has always been big on soul, and R&B’s played a bit factor on his career, so hearing him dedicate an entire album to both of those genres was refreshing. Apollo Kids finds him retreading the exact same stuff he’s done since he signed onto Def Jam though.

It’s certainly not bad, by any means; Ghost is still a contendor for that GOAT-spot, and the production is alright, albeit unspectacular. On this particular song, Ghost rhymes over a faux-RZA (no Snoop) beat that does nothing to diversify itself from the rest of his catalogue. The problem is, this doesn’t seem like a step towards consistency; it feels like regression. Unlike most of Ghost’s songs that sound exactly like this, 2Getha Baby lacks any song structure whatsoever, coming off very rushed, much like that Wu-Massacre project. That’s the biggest problem with the sound behind Apollo Kids; it just feels like it was made in a couple days as a way to help Ghost get out of his contract (which would certainly be beneficial to him). 2Getha Baby has three Ghost verses, all of which range between 25-30 seconds before going into the sampled-chorus yet again. It feels like a drive-by of forgettable Starkology; the only time anything piques my interest it when he talks about Jimmy Neutron. That’s the Ghost I came to hear.

Frankly, this album a year nonsense has Ghost played out. He needs to take a couple year break, and come back with something else. Unfortunately, he’s not doing that, as he’s working on Supreme Clientele 2 and another album at this very moment. I guess he hasn’t learned from this generation of rap’s workaholics that you can burn yourself out very quickly.

Raekwon - Butter Knives (Ice H20/EMI, 2010)

This Bronze Nazareth produced track sounds like it could fit on the original OB4CL without anyone batting an eyelash; it’s really that reminscient of RZA in his prime, although the bassline is more in similar in tone to DOOM. Although OB4CL2 was a majestic triumph for the Wu, it still felt like a modern-update of its predecessor more than a true sequel. Rae is on his supreme-runner shit here; as violent as gritty as any other rapper alive, more animated than any 40 year old rhyme slinger should be allowed to sound. Now that Ghost is slowly falling into his comfort zone and letting it consume him, Rae is the most relevant member of the Wu - hopefully he can keep that Iron Flag waving on Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang.

Mobb Deep - G.O.D., Pt. III (Remix) (LOUD, 1996)

I always loved The Phantasm when I was a kid, and between this remix and Master P’s Pass Me Da Green, hip-hop only made me love it more. We need more raps songs that use this sample nowadays; I miss those Angus Scrimm flows.