I’m reaching back a bit and showing my age here but, “I remember when…” Luda was Chris Lova Lova on Hot 97.5 in Atlanta, and I’m not saying that from reading, I was in ATL then. I remember him announcing he was working on something with Timbo then he played it and wow. “Phat Rabbit” was comedy rap but it was evident that dude had talent. Here we are 12 years, 7 albums, and 11 platinum plaques since then, talking about his latest album.

Intro
Produced by Xcel
I’m typically over intros’ on albums. There was a time I liked to hear the artist set the table for the album but after everyone started doing it, and failing, I just got to a point where I’d rather them just get into the music. This intro however, I wished were longer. The beat is dope as hell and as an indication, this one is for the 12’s. Luda’s frenetic flow is at home over the Southern bounce of this Xcel beat. Not to mention that the call/response hook of “Now the ladies, they aite but they ain’t hittin’ on nothin’ do my fellas run this muthafucka ( helllll yeaaaaaa)/Now the fellas, they aite but they ain’t hittin’ on nothin’ do my ladies run this muthafucka (hellllll yeaaaaaa)” seems very appropriate based on the title.e.e.e.e.e.e.e.e..

How Low
Produced by T-Minus
The lead single off the album exploded onto the scene. He did this at the BET awards, and I remember being impressed by the song, his flow and stage presence on this one. This is def a club banger…strip or dance, take your pick, either club will do. Shout out to Body Tap, Strokers, Blue Flame, and of course, Magic City.

My Chick Bad
Featuring Nicki Minaj; Produced by The Legendary Traxster
Second single, and it appears we have a problem on our hands with this album. Not only has Luda set his sights on the club/strip scene HARD this time, he’s executing this with precision. The Legendary Traxster offers up simplistic head nod excellence on this track. I can hear ANYONE rapping on this beat easily. I do expect a few remixes of this track.

OK, I thought I’d pretend that I wasn’t going to mention my girl Minaj being on this song. Y’all know how I feel about her, so do I really need to say anything? OK, carry on.

Everybody Drunk
Featuring Lil’ Scrappy; Produced by DJ Montay
This song isn’t bad at all, a lot slower than the previous offerings and I think that is what turned me on it. We still get the southern bounce but it’s placed after two blazing songs and a incessant intro. It’s like trying to hit a John Tudor change-up after 3 straight Nolan Ryan fastballs. Still, I can see “Miracle” doing her thing to this one on stage.

I Do It All Night
Featuring Shawna; Produced by B Crucial & Tony Dinero
I’m not much up on the hip hop drama and backstory on a lot of things, but apparently, Shawna and Luda were going to do this entire album back and forth. Between then and now, she ended up “Disturbing the Peace” and leaving Disturbing the Peace. It’s a shame to, because her appearances on this album, starting with this song, are shining moments. To further cement the transition to slow songs after the heat of the first 3 songs, this one is offered up in the 5 slot. This is a pretty cool song, worth checkin’ out.

Sex Room
Featuring Trey Songz; Produced by Kajun
There are a few, very few, flat out sex raps that I like, so take my thoughts on this one with a grain of salt. It’s a cool sound and while there isn’t any beating around the bush on this one, no pun intended, this song is pretty elementary as far as lyrics and interest go. So, if you like overt slow sexual raps, this may be right over your alley.

I Know You Got A Man
Featuring Flo Rida; Produced by Infinity
I’m happy to hear the tempo pick back up with this song. I like the way Luda flows a little slower on this beat and changes his inflection for emphasis on his flow this time. What’s even more interesting than that is the fact that I don’t hate Flo Rida’s flow. Matter of fact, I REALLY like it. What in the hell…but yea, dude did a good job on this one. I would have liked to hear a chick flow in response to the fellas to complete the song rather than just being on the hook, but I can’t hate this song at all.

Hey Ho
Featuring Lil’ Kim & Lil’ Fate; Produced by Khao
Yes indeed, we have another club/strip club murderer on our hands. The hook may incite a riot and some spike in alcohol abuse and slapping incidences, but I’m sure there will be an dramatic increase to the number of women that dance and ignore the word “Ho” being chanted when this one comes on. Lil’ Kim goes hard for the ladies asserting that they cheat better than men, and she’s right. I could go without Fate’s verse and just got longer offerings from Kim and Luda though.

Party No Mo
Featuring Gucci Mane; Produced by Bangladesh
This beat is no “A Millie” by any means. In all seriousness, outside of the deep bass, I don’t like the track. The hook is terrible and it’s essentially a bland offering. Problem with that is that Luda really brought his A game lyrically on what is, essentially, a throw away song. He saved it from being a skip with lines like “Ya got mo’ dough, then homie ya gon hafta show me/You never say it rains like Tony Toni Tone/My Chevy’s outside and it’s sittin’ on Kobe’s/And I keep the hood with me like Obi OneKenobi”.

B.O.T.S. Radio
Featuring I-20 & Shawna; Produced by The Runners
I’ll let the cat out of the bag on this one right now, I-20 killed this song hands down. He went with straight bars, no metaphors or extra reliance on similes and wordplay, just flat out lyrics that work and flow. Luda and Shawna do good jobs, but he really set this song off. Musically, it just sounds like an extended intro or interlude that never really takes off. It goes with the concept of the song though so it works.

Can’t Live With You
Featuring Monica Produced by Khao
I have a feeling, that with Monica’s own project coming out, and the radio friendly vibe of this song, this will be the next single if there is a next single. There’s something off or flat about the hook on this one. Everything else is a nice song and is basically a blueprint of how to make a good song that is radio ready.

Feelin’ So Sexy
Featuring Shawna; Produced by Gaggie
We already discussed how I felt about overt sexual rap songs right? Ok…this is another. As you were.

Tell Me A Secret
Featuring Ne-Yo; Produced by Swizz Beatz
Um, a Swizz Beat? This song is damn near an R&B track. I’m impressed he can do something like this. Now unlike the previous songs sex raps on this album, I dig this one. The smooth laid back flow of Luda’s delivery, the beat, and Ne-Yo’s singing on the hook really make this a good song.

My Chick Bad (Remix)
Featuring Diamond, Trina and Eve; Produced by The Legendary Traxster
LADIES. Why you wait for Luda to coordinate this shit? The beat, as discussed, dopeness. The ladies flow and arrangement, insane. How is it that my flat out fave song on the album is the chicks version? I don’t know, but Diamond set it up nicely. Trina comes on and does Trina, you know what you’re getting here. Eve shocked me with not only her appearance on the album, but her verse. She finishes this one off nicely. Dope remix.

Sexting
Produced by The Neptunes
By definition, this is “Phat Rabbit 2010″. This song is a parody of Tiger going to sex rehab and the message he left one of them chicks about taking her name off her voicemail. Now, it doesn’t go along with the album sound like, at all. But it’s a really fun song and is a LOT more creative than the sound would make you think.

Bottom Line:
The title of the album is a bit misleading I think, but the fact that Luda features so many features on this album (15) and doesn’t lose in the expected quality of his music is a win. If you look at his record sales, he’s been fighting the battle against the download phenomenon as is languishing as everyone’s favorite underrated rapper. While his Conjure mixtape left a bad taste in our mouths, this album is definitely the right night cap for your evening. From the crib, to the club, the the car, the crib, it takes care of you quite nicely.

nappyPicks: Support the South’s secret weapon

Download: Ludacris – “Sexting”
Download: Ludacris feat. Diamond, Trina, & Eve – “My Chick Bad (remix)”
Download: Ludacris feat. Pitbull & Ciara – “How Low (remix)”

DJ Khaled has let it be known who he was and what he was trying to push from the gates. “We The Best”, “Listen”, “We Global”, “I’m So Hood”, along with other phrases. One thing you can say about Khaled is this, he puts on for his city and the whole South. Who else can get Jeezy, T.I., Luda, Rick Ross, and Weezy on a track at one time with no problems? This is Khaled’s fourth studio album, with each album being better with release. I wonder what kind of strings Khaled will pull this time to claim that Victory.

Intro
Featuring Diddy & Busta Rhymes
Khaled doing a dialogue for the intro to his album. If you are one of the people that hate on this man for whatever reason, you might want to skip this.

All I We Do is Win
Featuring Ludacris, T-Pain, Rick Ross, & Snoop Dogg; Produced by DJ Nasty
The first song off the album sets the album off. T-Pain doing what he does best…hooks and Luda proving that he is at the top of his game and it’s time for people to take notice. My boy Ross comes through and SMASHED his verse. Snoop also recited a verse pretty well. WAY TO START THE ALBUM OFF!

Put Your Hands Up
Featuring Young Jeezy, Rick Ross, Plies, & Schife; Produced by Schife
Now this one for my GOONS! I think I busted an audible nut when I saw this. Plies, Jeezy, and Ross? WHAT? This song right here…FLAME! Ross is really on his shit right now. This song didn’t disappoint at all. BANGER!

Fed Up
Featuring Usher, Young Jeezy, Rick Ross, Lil’ Wayne, & Drake; Produced by The Runners
The first single off the album, and how could you go wrong with that line up? This song HAS to be a hit. Look at the features. Do I really have to say this song is HOT? You should already know. But what stood out was Usher’s verse at the end. Check it out for yourself.

Victory
Featuring Nas & John Legend; Produced by The Inkredibles
John Legend knows how to make a song, and God’s Son comes through spitting some of that stuff that made you remember why he is one of the top MC’s ever. DAMN. I guess being behind in child support will make you spit some dope shit.

Ball
Featuring Jim Jones & Schife; Produced by Schife
Certain beats work for Jimmy; this is one of those beats. Niggas hate on Jim (B-Easy) but Capo does the same thing that Gucci does, so why can’t he get any props? BUMP THIS SHIT! “I got these bitches dunking dicks like Sheryl Swoopes, when they see me pull up to the spot in several coupes.” JIMMY!!

Rockin’ All My Chains On
Featuring Birdman, Bun B, Soulja Boy Tell Em’, & Schife; Produced by Schife
I have to tell you that this production on this album has been DOPE! This beat here…FLAME! Bun B jumps on the beat and did his usual damage. I really think the beat overshadowed all the artists on the track. But the song is worth listening to either way.

Killing Me
Featuring Bounty Killer, Buju Banton, & Busta Rhymes; Produced by The Runners
Busta got in touch with his inner Jamaican and got with some Dancehall icons, Buju Baton and Bounty Killer, to make this club banger. I can see some women dancing seductively to this.

Bringing Real Rap Back
Featuring Rum; Produced by The Runners
DJ’s have a way to sneak their new artists on albums like this. This dude sounds real raw, on some Plies shit, but a little more realer. I’m interested into hearing more from this dude.

Bring The Money Out
Featuring Nelly, Lil’ Boosie, Ace Hood, & Schife; Produced by Schife
Dang Nelly, you on a song with Boosie and Ace Hood? Not saying that’s a bad thing, you would think he would rap with someone in his age range. All that aside, I really like Boosie’s and Ace Hood’s energy on this song. If Ace keeps it up, he is going to be a problem.

On My Way
Featuring Kevin Cossom, Ace Hood, BallGreezy, Desloc, Piccalo, Ice “Billion” Berg, Bali, Gunplay, Rum, & Young Cash; Produced by The Runners
I guess this is Khaled letting the whole crew get off on this song. One again Ace Hood is really going HARD!

Rep My City
Featuring Pitbull & Jarvis
After I reviewed a Pitbull album, I had a different respect for him. This song is one of that will change your mind about him. He is more than the dance songs that he gets credit for. This song shows you why PItbull is called “Mr. 305”.

Bottom Line:
I have to say that Khaled kept the progression with this release. From top to bottom, this is a solid release. You have nice production, killer features, and the final result was a really good release. The good thing that Khaled did on this one was to scale it down and have 12 good songs, instead of 12 good songs with 5 or 6 alright songs. Khaled was correct when he titled this one Victory. KHALED WON!

nappyPicks: This whole joint RIDES.

Download: DJ Khaled feat. Young Jeezy, Rick Ross, & Plies – “Put Your Hands Up”
Download: DJ Khaled feat. Nas & John Legend – “Victory”
Download: DJ Khaled feat. Birdman, Bun B, Soulja Boy Tell Em’, & Schife – “Rockin’ All My Chains On”

The Philadelphia born rapper returns with (what I’d like to say) his first official release since his departure from Roc-A-Fella records. Freeway dropped his first two albums with Roc-A-Fella: his highly acclaimed Philadelphia Freeway in 2003, followed by Free At Last in 2007. Now, the emcee has chosen to go with powerful independent label – Rhymesayers Entertainment. Some might shake their heads, but I find this as the perfect fit for Freeway. Rhymesayers will do their best to accompany their artists needs (producers, tours, etc.), and most importantly, let them make the music they want.

Freeway has always had a talented list of producers on his albums (Kanye West, Just Blaze, & Bink! to name a few). However, I felt his last album didn’t have enough chemistry and was off-balance. This time around he turned to the up and coming producer Jake One. This isn’t the first time they collaborated with each other… first, on Free At Last and again, on Jake One’s White Van Music. All three of their previous tracks have been fire. Hopefully this album will be the same, and give people that incentive we need.

1. Stimulus Intro
Featuring Beanie Sigel; Produced by Jake One
We get a preview of what the album is going to sound like in the first thirty seconds. Jake One lays down a nice track with a perfect mix of drums, strings, and pianos. Beanie Sigel lets the beat build, and then drops a hot verse. Freeway finishes the intro reminding us how well they sound together. Too bad this is the only track Beans is featured on. Nevertheless, this is still a great way to start the album.

2. Throw Your Hands Up
Produced by Jake One
The record starts to bang on the amplified “Throw Your Hands Up”. This is the perfect beat for Freeway, and of course he’s not going to disappoint us on a track like this. Here are a few of my favorite lines, “We’re bringing ya original flava, raised off De La, kept Black Moon in my boombox playa. Back in the day, I use to steal that nigga Rakim’s style when I flowed & I didn’t say may I”. Another quotable, “I remember when I was first trying to be a rapper guy, like Pharcyde, the labels kept on passing me by. Nowadays, when I hit them with the flow again, they like there he go again – the dopest Ethopian”. True rhymesayer!

I also love the props he gives to the legends: Gang Starr, Naughty by Nature, Pac, Big, Tribe, Black Sheep, Leaders of the New School, De La, Black Moon, Rakim, Wu-Tang, Pharcyde.

3. One Foot In
Produced by Jake One
Another banging beat from Jake One. Freeway recalls on his way into the game, and how he still has one foot in the streets (the other in Hip-Hop). Nothing too significant here on a lyrical view, but Freeway’s flow makes it work, “I feel sorry for your mother, he missed the kick, I feel sorry for the punter”.

4. She Makes Me Feel Alright
Produced by Jake One
We’ve all heard the Rick James’ “Mary Jane” sample a handful of times. Nevertheless, we haven’t heard it from Jake One and unsurprisingly he finds a way to make it work. He definitely knows how to mix the sample in with the strings & drums. Freeway has some nice lines, but the beat is what really stands out.

5. Never Gonna Change
Produced by Jake One
“It’s like the Biggie Warning” are the first words on the track, and that’s exactly what it is. However, this song is Freeway’s version. He showcases some great storytelling that fits with the beat. On a production note, the beat is nothing less than amazing. This time around he shifts the drums around, and Freeway does a great job adjusting to them.

6. One Thing
Featuring Raekwon; Produced by Jake One
Jake One doesn’t stop bringing the heat, and this sample couldn’t get any better. Freeway starts the track and does his thing, but the highlight of the track is Raekwon. The Chef completely murders this shit. When was the last time Raekwon put out something, and it wasn’t fire? This is by far my favorite track on the album.

7. Know What I Mean
Produced by Jake One
This is the shortest song on the album (excluding the intro). The beat is good, but it falls short compared to the rest of the album. Freeway drops some decent lines, but nothing that stands out. I’d still rate this as an above average track though.

8. The Product
Produced by Jake One
Freeway compares himself to everyone’s own choice of drug. To this point of the album, that’s exactly what this record has been to me – a drug I can’t resist. He has some nice comparisons here, “I can make you act right, just put me in the crack pipe, everybody want to see you back on the mic, you need a… energy boost, you need some smack in your life”.

9. Microphone Killa
Featuring Young Chris; Produced by Jake One
Fellow Philadelphian rapper Young Chris joins Freeway on this up-tempo beat. Freeway spits some nice lines, but once again the track’s highlight comes from the guest appearance. Young Chris takes no time to body the track, “Microphone killa, no Cam’ron, bomb like land mine, I don’t ask shit, I demand mine”. Freeway should really thank Beans, Chef, and Young Chris for bringing some of their best stuff to the table.

10. Follow My Moves
Featuring Birdman; Produced by Jake One
If you haven’t heard, Freeway supposedly signed with Cash Money Records as well. And having Birdman on this album doesn’t make it hard to believe. Birdman sticks to his formula about money, cars, & weed, and Freeway follows. I felt that Freeway could’ve done better on the mic, but at least he didn’t get outshined this time around.

11. Sho’ Nuff
Featuring Bun B; Produced by Jake One
Freeway keeps it in the Dirty South for one more track. Jake One does a nice job on the beat too. Is it just me or does this beat sound like it will fit perfectly on a UGK album? Freeway does his best to keep up with Bun B, but it’s not the easiest thing to do against a Hip-Hop veteran. This is a nice track to ride out to.

12. Freekin’ The Beat
Featuring Latoiya Williams; Produced by Jake One
Things start to really slow down on the soulful “Freekin’ The Beat”. However, in a way the lyrics stay rugged. Freeway takes on a different approach of freekin’, and gets down on the beat. His lyrics do a fine job of making you think he’s speaking on a female. If you’re not a good listener, you might even think this is a love song. Hip-Hop needs more concepts like this.

13. Money
Featuring Omilio Sparks & Mr. Porter; Produced by Jake One
Jake One seems to get back on pace with a nasty set of drums. Freeway spits first recalling his past hustles to earn a dollar. Next, Omilio Sparks spits on a related point of view, and lets us know what his main purpose is money (Porter is on the hook). Freeway finishes it up on the third verse, and tells us how he’s in the same type of struggle as much of the economy is. This is a song the album needed to fit its title.

14. Free People
Produced by Jake One
“Free People” is another song about how the recession is hitting a lot of people hard. Jake One throws on a nice smooth beat Freeway can spill his thoughts over. This goes out to all the people lost right now with no money, job, or hope.

15. Stimulus Outro
Produced by Jake One
It’s to the part of the album were you can tell it’s nearly done from the sound of the beat. Freeway responds to a few fan letters and lets us know why he named the album The Stimulus Package; “It’s the reason why we named our album Stimulus Pack, all the fans givin’ us love and we givin’ it back. I’m not going to hate on the state of Hip-Hop; in fact, all I’m here to do is give ya real rap”.

Bottom Line:
Two months into the year and I’ve only listened to two albums. The first was In Search Of Stoney Jackson which featured superb production by Madlib. Then, Jake One hits me with The Stimulus Package. I can only hope that the production for the rest of the year is even close to these two records. Not only was Jake One on top of his game, but Freeway shaped this album for the people without losing that “Philadelphia Freeway” touch. In conclusion, this is a banging album that NO ONE should pass on. Furthermore, the album comes with a free instrumental download that is a gift considering how hard this album bumps.

On a side note, Brent Rollins designed the album’s creative artwork and packaging. This alone is a good reason to buy the album. He also designed Blackaliscious’ Nia, Mos Def & Kweli’s Black Star, Spank Rock’s YoYoYoYoYo, Gang Starr’s Full Clip & Moment In Truth, Evidence’s Weatherman LP, Boyz N The Hood logo, and a handful of other great art. Click here to get an example.

One more thing, Jake One & Freeway got selected to perform at this year’s Paid Dues Festival in Los Angeles. If you happen to live in that area, I highly recommend catching this year’s show. Peace.

nappyPicks: “Stimulus Intro”, “Throw Your Hands Up”, “She Makes Me Feel Alright”, “Never Gonna Change”, “One Thing”, “Microphone Killa”, “Money”, “Stimulus Outro”

Download: Freeway & Jake One feat. Raekwon – “One Thing”
Download: Freeway & Jake One – “She Makes Me Feel Alright”

Anybody that knows my preferred preference when it comes to the genre of Hip-Hop/Rap music knows I care more for the underground scene than the mainstream/commercial that dominates radio and television. Underground Hip-Hop/Rap has always had a special place in my heart, maybe for the fact that many of the artists and music are relatively unknown to the masses and you get a good feeling have known about said artist before they reach that higher level in their career or possibly because most of the songs are just of better quality in terms of production and lyricism, and still hold the culture and art above the money and fame. I believe the latter reason holds to for an artist like Statik Selektah who obviously still views Hip-Hop/Rap as an art as evident in his music, which preserve an authentic feel of “real Hip-Hop” that is seemingly missing in most of the music the genre’s most celebrated artists. 100 Proof (The Hangover) serves as Statik Selektah’s 3rd studio album with Spell My Name Right (The Album) (2007) and Stick 2 The Script (2008) preceding it. Statik Selektah is a proclaimed student of the game, having taken influence from the likes of DJ Premier and Pete Rock as heard in his production, and he usually uses his albums as a chance to pair artists together with tailor-made beats. Statik’s first two offerings have been those of superb quality in comparison to albums from his peers in the industry. In a time where quality Hip-Hop/Rap is needed more than ever, does Statik deliver on this strength of his alcohol-based album title…

Inside A Change (Intro)
Produced by Statik Selektah
The “Intro” whose song title borrows from the 2009 Rik Cordero indie film Inside A Change, serves to interpret the album title 100 Proof (The Hanger) as the narrator talks about human relationships as being either toxic or nourishing similar to the effects of alcohol (depending on choice). Along with some dramatic production value, Statik uses this track to put the listener in the proper mindset for the rest of the album.

So Close, So Far
Featuring Bun B, Wale, & Colin Munroe; Produced by Statik Selektah
Things start off on the right foot with a motivational track built off some mellow, jazzy production from Statik Selektah as Bun B and Wale deliver lyrics focused on better days and how they can seem close within reach but still far from realization. Vocals from Colin Munroe prove to be fitting for both the mood and message of the song.

Critically Acclaimed
Featuring Lil’ Fame, Saigon, & Sean Price; Produced by Statik Selektah
Just as things seem to be mellow and calm Statik turns up the heat with this track, which proves to be a certified head-nodder. The hard-hitting drums combined with the energetic sample provide the perfect backdrop for featured guest Lil Fame, Saigon, and Sean Price to drop lyrical bombs on as each emcee spits with something to prove.

Night People
Featuring Freeway, Red Cafe, & Masspike Miles; Produced by Statik Selektah
For a producer as diverse as Statik Selektah, matching artists with production comes easy as he creates a soulful composition for Freeway and Red Cafe to drop bars over. Philadelphia Freeway comes correct as usual (Stimulus Package coming soon) as he sounds very comfortable on Statik’s production with Red Cafe dropping a quick verse of equal quality. The hook sung by Masspike Miles completes the song and gives it a feel that could easily be heard on the airwaves (If radio was brave enough to play a song like this… Thanks Sirius/XM).

Follow Me
Featuring Smif N Wessun; Produced by Statik Selektah
Things take a turn with this track as the mood of the album get dark and sinister from fitting production as Statik combines pulsing synths, strings, and piano keys for a horror-styled beat. Smif-N-Wessun proceed to deliver rhymes that are suitable but far from memorable, which can be said about this track overall. The production on this track is average for a producer with the track record of Statik Selektah, and comes of sounding like something you could’ve heard from AraabMuzik for Cam’ron on Crime Pays or the Diplomats post-Diplomatic Immunity.

Do It 2 Death
Featuring Lil’ Fame, Havoc, & Kool G Rap; Produced by Statik Selektah
Statik picks things back up following a misstep with the previous track as Lil’ Fame returns with Havoc and Kool G Rap joining the list of guests for some authentic street rap. The production from Statik is fitting on this track all three emcees deliver fitting rhymes that serve their purpose. Not too much to say about this track other than it being a solid offering.

Come Around
Featuring Termanology & Royce Da 5’9”; Produced by Statik Selektah
When I heard this track on Shade 45 and heard it was off Statik’s new album my interest and anticipation grew even more. Getting back to the laid-back, smooth production that was heard in earlier tracks, Statik delivers a fantastic beat for Termanology and Royce Da 5’9” to let loose on. Fellow Boston representative Termanology delivers a respectable verse, but it’s Royce who steals the show with his metaphor-driven verse backed by a superb flow.

Drunken Nights
Featuring Reks, Joe Scudda & J.F.K.; Produced by Statik Selektah
Statik proceeds to slow things back down with this track themed about nights spent with a bottle as the closest companion. Statik keeps things smooth with a jazz-styled beat that fits nicely with the rhymes from guests Reks, Joe Scudda, and J.F.K. Much like “Do It 2 Death” this track ends up being another solid offering on the album, not really standing out much from it’s purpose.

Life Is Short
Featuring Consequence; Produced by Statik Selektah
On this track Statik picks up the pace and hooks up with G.O.O.D. Music’s Consequence for a song detailing how life is too short to not enjoy it while you can. Cons uses his verses to tell about his own life indulgences and why you won’t catch him letting life pass him by. This is a good track that brings some life back to the album after the slow-paced previous track.

100 Proof (Interlude)
Featuring J.F.K.; Produced by Statik Selektah
Ten tracks into the album, this track serves as the halfway mark with J.F.K. speaking some words of wisdom over some vintage Statik Selektah production. This track reminds me of something that could have been heard from DJ Premier on Group Home’s Livin’ Proof album.

The Thrill Is Gone
Featuring Styles P & Talib Kweli; Produced by Statik Selektah
Getting back to the program we hear what I think is the best song on the album as Statik provides some trademark production in which we hear Styles P and Talib Kweli drops gems about the industry’s ills and problems of the world. The pairing of Styles and Kweli wouldn’t seem typical but it works quite well on this track. The scratched Biggie vocals on the chorus serve as a nice completion to this album’s highlight track.

Get Out
Featuring Skyzoo, Rapper Pooh, Torae, & Lee Wilson; Produced by Statik Selektah
This track features some basic production from Statik as well as some of rap’s most potent lyricists in Skyzoo, Rapper Pooh, and Torae as they speak about their journey away from the street life to something better. While Rapper Pooh and Torae drop good verses, Skyzoo displays exactly why he’s one of the nicest up-and-coming rappers to be on the watch for. Lee Wilson provides a suitable hook on the job that does its job.

Laughin
Featuring Souls Of Mischief; Produced by Statik Selektah
Statik gets back into his regular form on this track with some lively sampled production suited for 90’s-famed rap group Souls Of Mischief who don’t sound like they have lost a step since their “93 Til Infinity” days. This track sounds like one that would have been perfect to start off the album but fits nicely here as a refresher for the listener with SOM droppin’ some well-placed verses.

The Coast
Featuring Evidence, Fashawn, & Kali; Produced by Statik Selektah
Even though Statik Selektah represents the East Coast as a native of Boston, he hasn’t forgot about his brethren on the West Coast that are holding it down for Hip-Hop. Statik provides some nice, subtle production as Cali veteran Evidence and Left Coast rookie Fashawn along with Kali properly represent their home state.

Fake Love (Yes Men)
Featuring Reks, Kali, Termanology, & Good Brotha; Produced by Statik Selektah
This is the kind of track that’s so necessary right now for the Hip-Hop industry and should serve as a guide for a new rappers trying to get in the game or building a name. Backed by some mellow production from Statik, the featured artists speak on one of the most dangerous factors to an artist in “yes men” who agree to whatever and are foreign to constructive criticism. Next to industry rule #1080, should be this song for artists to take notice of for their careers.

Eighty-Two
Featuring Termanology; Produced by Statik Selektah
Fittingly this track serves as an acknowledgment to Statik Selektah and Termanology’s born year, which sees Term rapping about his growth as a youth to his current status as well as the things he had to go through to reach said point. Statik keeps the mood consistent with from the previously tracks with more smooth production that keeps your head nodding before you realize how short the track is.

Walking Away
Featuring Kali & Novel; Produced by Statik Selektah
Statik decides to finish off the album with a more serious themed track backed by some piano driven production that hears Novel and Kali speaking about several issues that they’re facing in life and knowing when it’s time to walk away from those issues in hopes of a better situation. I think this is a good way to end the album as it gives a sense of closure and completion for the listener and all that has been heard.

Bottom Line:
Keeping the same formula that brought him successful results on his first two albums Spell My Name Right (The Album) and Stick 2 The Script, Statik Selektah produces another quality album that showcases his ever improving production skills and knack for matching it with the right artists. Listeners who are in the crowd of those that prefer lyricism and production value over club hits and dance tracks are who this album is for and it shows as Statik isn’t trying to make it to #1 on 106 & Park or have the hottest song in the club. Statik is a producer/DJ that recognizes and acknowledges the music that influenced him and is focused on making the same kind of the music that will hopefully influence other young listener the same that listen to his music. Once relatively unknown for his producer role and more on the mixtape circuit as a DJ, Statik Selektah is quickly evolving into one of the top producers in the game equipped with the skill and talent of diverse productions to match a plethora of rappers. As long as Statik continues to produce quality albums, I don’t see a need for him to change the formula that has worked three consecutive times in his favor.

nappyPicks: “The Thrill Is Gone”, “Critically Acclaimed”, “Come Around”, “So Close, So Far”, “Eight-Two”, “Fake Love (Yes Men)”, “Life Is Short”, “Night People”

Download: Statik Selektah feat. Freeway, Red Cafe, & Masspike Miles – “Night People”
Download: Statik Selektah feat. Styles P & Talib Kweli – “The Thrill Is Gone”

With the Fro’s crew busy with new projects constantly coming up, I thought it might be fit for a member to step in and provide some support and relieve some of the workload that has built up over the past months and also to PROPERLY review the albums considering I had a feeling they were going to get a FFWD. With this said I bring you 3 reviews. So as the year comes to an end, what can we really gather from this year? Although 2009 has had its flops and bangers, it’s also had its shining moments as lyrical and creative albums begin to get exposure. Slaughterhouse has been greatly involved with this movement (Possibly the year of the Slaughter?). But among this each member has also released their solo projects. So please enjoy as I bring you ¾ of the Slaughter as I review Street Hop, Escape Route & Mr. Pig Face Weapon Waist. First up was Joe Budden’s Escape Route. Second was Crooked I’s Mr. Pig Face Weapon Waist. And lastly, here’s the highly asked for review of Royce 5′9″’s Street Hop.

Gun Harmonizing
Featuring Crooked I; Produced by Emile
This track originally appeared on Royce’s The Revival EP, but Royce has included fellow Slaughterhouse member Crooked I to add to the track. This beat is great for allowing Royce and Crooked to flex their lyrical muscle (pause) as Royce “Gun Harmonizes” for the hook. Royce goes in on the beat but Crooked I steals the show

I split your wig from far away like a long arm barber
Then lift your weight like a strong arm robber
Put that on Moses, I rely on my ride
As sure as Satan’s tongue lyin to God, everybody dyin
It’s like you standin in a circular firing squad
Singers for hire I find him a job
You see the gauge baritone, the revolver’s a tenor
Way the shots spin your body I’ma call ‘em “The Spinners”
Call ‘em “Earth, Wind & Fire”, put you beneath the earth, wind and fire
Feel the fire that burnt Richard Pryor

Check for this!

Count For Nothing
Produced By Nottz
Right from the beginning any Hip-Hop head should know that Nottz sampled Biggie’s “10 Crack Commandments”. Like the previous track this one was also taken from The Revival EP. I’ll be honest, at first listen I didn’t really enjoy the song, but months later I can’t believe I didn’t like the track. Royce adapts to the production greatly as he cleverly uses the sample, goes in and even plots to take out his own group. Great song.

Soldier
Featuring Kid Vishis; Produced By Frequency
Alright I don’t know about ya’ll but I’m not feeling the hook AT ALL. Frequency does however do a decent job on the beat as Royce does his thing, however Kid Vishis just doesn’t stay up to Royce’s level but delivers a decent verse. Its alright.

Something 2 Ride 2
Featuring Phonte; Produced By DJ Premier
The 2nd single of the album is what we’ve all wanted, Royce over a Premier beat. The beat is as the title puts “Something 2 Ride 2” as it sets the mood of the song as a “flashback” state of mind. My one complaint about the song is although the beat produced by Premo was a great one, it just doesn’t have that DJ Premier kind of “feel” to it. Regardless, this is an above average record.

Dinner Time
Featuring Busta Rhymes; Produced By Quincey Tones
I can see why Royce picked Busta for the feature as the beat would be hard to flow over for most normal rappers. But my complaint with Busta on this one is that Royce practically shits on him as he murders Busta on the track. Also the track suffers from not having a hook as Busta talks through the song between verses. The cut had potential to only be pulled down by Busta’s annoying talking and below average lyrics to a solid track.

Far Away
Produced By Emile
At first I thought this track was set up for disaster with Royce doing a love song, that not being the complete case. Royce is assisted on the chorus by the infamously hated Auto-Tune, surprisingly Royce pulls off the tool unlike many rappers. This song was actually an enjoyable listen as its pretty catchy and the beat is pretty smooth

The Warriors
Featuring Slaughterhouse; Produced By Streetrunner
UH-OH! Voltron unites to murder a track. The beat produced by Streetrunner proves to be simple but is great in giving the Super Friends the ability to go in lyrically. As most Slaughterhouse tracks, the song is full of quotables as each member provides great verses but Joell Ortiz steals the show with his second verse

Anyone who feel they could see me is in dire need of a eye exam
My mind expands wider than the fanbase of a fire band
And what I release from my diaphragm
sticks to you, like the wrists of Spiderman
Fool a average listeners what you liars
can do but you will die a scam
When I die they will retire my entire hand
for years of scripted whoop-ass, makin intruders try a can
I guess the moral of the story is Joell’s victorious
And e’rything’s all gravy like Notorious

Dope Song!

…A Brief Intermission (Skit)
Produced By David Cross
Its just a skit….SKIP

New Money
Produced By Streetrunner
Listening to the first 10 seconds of this song I could have sworn we had a classic on our hands. But as soon as the beat actually starts my dreams come shattering like a falling star. Royce does his usual stuff but the hook on this is just HORRIBLE….I’m tempted to give you a SKIP on this one.

Shake This
Produced By Premier
Here is that Premo sound I was asking for the first time around. Premo delivers that NY sound that we all know him for. Royce bounces back greatly from “New Money” and delivers a solid track. Check it out!

Gangsta
Featuring Trick Trick; Produced By Raf Moses
Damn, we got another solid track on our hands. I didn’t expect much from this track when I first saw that it featured Trick Trick but Royce keeps Trick to a minimum by just having him talk over the beginning and end of the track, but Royce keeps it gangster. The beat is pretty smooth and the whole Gangsta throughout the song is a pretty nice touch. Another great song

Mine In Thiz
Featuring & Produced by Mr. Porter
This song is a little on the fence. The hook is horrible but the beat sounds like something I would have heard Missy or Busta go over in a way. Not liking Royce’s flow on this one. Average song at best to some of you

Street Hop 2010
Produced By Nottz
Here is the final track that was on The Revival EP. Never really enjoyed the way the song started off but Nottz has his idea in mind as the beat actually kicks in. The beat is very slow paced giving Royce plenty of room to rhyme over. I think it’s me but I think I hear some elements of the song from “Woodstock Hood Hop”. Did I mention this song is very slow paced?

Thing For Your Girlfriend
Featuring Kay Young: Produced by Mr. Porter
At first I thought this whole thing was a skit. But then Kay Young comes in with a pretty smooth beat produced by Mr. Porter. The relationship with Kay Young with fans is either you love him or hate him. I personally don’t mind him on the hook. With this said Royce gives him a whole minute and a half to do an intro hook before he steps in with a verse. It’s a nice detour from all the gangsta going on. Nice song

On The Run
Produced By Emile
The track starts off with a little skit, the beat kicks in and its another smooth beat. Royce goes into his story telling flow. This track is very nice as Royce paints a picture with his words and we have a nice soulful hook (Although uncredited). For some reason when I listen to this song I am reminded of Eminem’s “Stan” for some reason (Not to the severity that “Stan” was but yeah). Another solid track.

Murder
Produced By Frequency
Damn. This beat is great. And what’s with all these smooth beats towards the end of Street Hop? Not that I’m complaining because they’ve all been pretty good. But damn…I’ll just let you guys listen to this song. Great track!

Bad Boy
Featuring Jungle Rock Jr; Produced By Streetrunner
So we go from murder to this….I feel if Royce kept Jungle Rock Jr. to the hook (That includes all the talking he does in the background of the song) and “Bad Boy” wouldn’t be repeating through most the song it would have been a decent song. That’s not the case though…the beat isn’t bad and Royce’s verses is what you expect from him. The track could have been A LOT better.

Part Of Me
Produced By Carlos Broady
The production is great but suffers from the same problem all the songs on the album suffer from. Great track as Royce is in his story mode flow. Check for this one.

Hood Love
Featuring Bun B & Joell Ortiz; Produced by DJ Premier
Royce hooks up with Joell and Bun B as they all deliver over a smooth Premo beat. Bun B in the last couple years has stayed consistent in delivering quality verses in all his features and this isn’t any exception. Joell ends off the song but doesn’t disappoint after following Bun B. The final track to a great album.

Bottom Line:
Nickel-Nine delivered a great album with Street Hop and the trend of great albums has continued to go through in 2009. I want to say Street Hop is a CLASSIC so bad and give the album a 5 Star rating, but realistically a couple songs hold the album down. Royce came out at the beginning swinging with some hard gangster shit, struggled a tiny bit in the middle and ended the album with smooth joints that did the job. One of the better albums that has been reviewed this year.

DJ LP Picks: The whole album is worth listening too. GO OUT THERE AND SUPPORT REAL HIP HOP

Download: Royce Da 5′9″ – “Shake This”
Download: Royce Da 5′9″ – “Far Away”

Any Hip-Hop enthusiast, “Hip-Hop head”, or casual listeners should almost immediately recognize the name Rakim in connection with the genre of Hip-Hop music and its history. Rakim’s trail in Hip-Hop music is one that can be traced back to the Golden Age of the 80’s when the music was said to be in its truest and rarest form. As a duo with DJ Eric Barrier, the two made up the team of Eric B. & Rakim in releasing one of the most storied and influential Hip-Hop albums of all-time in Paid In Full, as well as other memorable albums that followed (Follow The Leader, Let The Rhythm Hit ‘Em, Don’t Sweat The Technique). Like most good Hip-Hop groups (Little Brother, Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth, Gang Starr, etc.) all things must come to an end eventually and that end came in 1992 for Eric B. & Rakim. But from that end came a new beginning for Rakim in the form of a solo career with two releases in 1997 (The 18th Letter) and 1999 (The Master) that saw moderate success with hits like “When I B On The Mic”, “The Saga Begins”, “New York (Ya Out There)” and “It’s Been A Long Time”. Just like the DJ Premier produced track it has been a long time (ten years in fact) since we last heard and saw an album from Rakim and now in 2009 we have his third solo release entitled The Seventh Seal. In describing the album’s title Rakim stated, “I’m using it metaphorically in Hip-Hop hoping to kill the old state of Hip-Hop and start with the new.” building off the number 7’s significance and influence from the Bible. Any extended period of time between releases for any artist has the possibility to have positive and negative results (see: Raekwon’s Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… Pt. II, Royce Da 5’9”’s Street Hop), it’ll be interesting to see if a ten year span has brought on rust or recovery for The God MC Rakim.

How To Emcee
Produced by Slyce
If Hip-Hop was a college or school institution it’s pretty clear to say Rakim would be a professor with a Masters degree in the subject as he rhymes on the chorus (“I could show you how to emcee like I got a degree”). With the Hip-Hop landscape turning to the Pop scene and being more driven with lyrically inclined rappers, this is a type of song that is greatly needed. Lyrically Rakim comes correct with the bars in displaying to listeners why rappers (won’t name any names) have been emulating his flow and delivery since ’87. The production provided by Slyce is sufficient with an old-school feel but comes off sounding too bouncy and playful for Ra’s rhymes and the song’s subject matter.

Walk These Streets
Featuring Maino & Tracey Horton; Produced by Needlz
The second official single that had listeners thinking it was a track from Rakim & Dr. Dre’s Oh, My God sessions when it first premiered back in October. In saying that Needlz does his best “Dre” impression on the beat (which sounds similar to “Been Through The Storm” on Busta Rhymes’ The Big Bang album) in giving Ra an introspective backdrop for him and Maino to deliver tales of the trials and tribulations of the street life. Maino was a good selection for a feature on this track as he gives vivid descriptions of the life that has played a major part in his life (Jadakiss is somebody else that I could have heard easily on this track spittin’ a verse). The chorus sung by Tracey Horton gives life to the track and bring it full circle in matching the feel of the song. This was a good pick for the album’s 2nd single, which should have some nice visuals to accompany it soon.

Documentary Of A Gangsta
Featuring I.Q.; Produced by Y-Not
In similar ways to Ludacris’ “Southern Gangsta” on Theater Of The Mind, Rakim presents to listeners the life and times of a gangsta in documentary style like BET’s American Gangster series. Ra basically displays his storytelling skills on this track in telling about the moves and mindset of a gangsta in the streets. The beat by Y-Not is perfect production for the theme and feel of this song. In many ways this is the track that Luda wanted to make on his album as it presents the topic in a more convincing way.

Man Above
Featuring Tracey Horton; Produced by Nottz
As you could guess from the song’s title this track is about Rakim’s daily conversations with God in regards to the things going on around him in the world and in the hood. Nottz delivers a nicely produced beat as Ra he speaks about keeping the faith even when things aren’t looking their best and not falling into the traps that surround. On this track Rakim is able to deliver some conscious lyrics and a message without sounding too preachy, which is something that not too many rappers can claim to do (except Brother Ali). Once again Tracey Horton comes through in providing the hook for this song in a superb way that adds to the track.

You And I
Featuring Samuel Christian; Produced by Samuel Christian, J. Wells & Lorenz
While Rakim might be talking about a significant other on this track, I really believe that he’s speaking about Hip-Hop in the figurative when he speaks about the chemistry and bond that him and this other person shares until the end. A song of this topic has been done many times before and Rakim puts together a nice version for his catalog. Samuel Christian (who supplies the singing on the chorus), J. Well, and Lorenz give this track a nice dark, sinister sounding backdrop that fits well with Ra’s flow and delivery.

Won’t Be Long
Featuring Tracey Horton; Produced by Jake One
As Rakim stated at the beginning on this track in summarizing the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “How Long, Not Long” speech, this song is built off those exact words in being titled “Won’t Be Long”. Rakim’s lyrics follow suit in speaking about perseverance and determination in whatever it is that you’re focused on achieving and accomplishing. Jake One’s production on this track is subtly presented with his signature bass (that sounds kind of 80’s) that serves well for Ra’s rhymes as well as Tracy Horton on the chorus again.

Holy Are You
Produced by Nick Wiz
This is the album’s lead single and the song that let everybody know Rakim was on the return with an album after ten years of waiting. Nick Wiz uses an unorthodox sample and builds a hard-pounding street beat over it that sees Rakim in prime form with lyrics and rhymes. When this song first appeared back in July it let listeners with doubts know that Rakim hadn’t lost a step over the span between his last album.

Satisfaction Guaranteed
Produced by Neo Da Matrix
Just as “Holy Are You” reassured listeners about Rakim’s skill and ability on the microphone, that’s where the basis of this track’s topic lies. Over some nicely sampled production by Neo Da Matrix, Rakim lets listeners know that his rhymes and music equals instant satisfaction. For most Hip-Hop aficionados Rakim delivers exactly what they’re searching for and feel is a missing part of Hip-Hop music today.

Workin’ For You
Produced by Jake One
While “You And I” was indeed about Rakim’s relationship with Hip-Hop, this song speaks about Rakim’s relationship with his woman. Jake One samples William Bell’s “I Forgot To Be Your Lover” for some feel good production as Rakim talks about how he’s working and doing what he can to provide for his lady. Rakim delivers some good lyrics in regards to the subject matter about loyalty and faithfulness to his other side. They say that every Hip-Hop album has to have a track dedicated to the ladies and luckily Rakim takes the better route with that choice instead of going for the cliché track heard on most albums.

Message In The Song
Featuring Destiny Griffin; Produced by SWJ
On this track Rakim talks about the one thing that is present and can be heard in his tracks regardless of the subject matter and topic, and that being a message. As heard so far through this album Rakim has touched on different topics from relationships to religion to street life, and on all of those tracks he offered lyrics with something to be learned and gained in listening. This is something that more rappers need to be focused on doing in their music instead of it just being the same cliché topics of drugs, women, partying, etc. with no real substance. SWJ provides Rakim with some great sampled production as his daughter Destiny Griffin supplies her father with a nice chorus.

Put It All To Music
Produced by Poppa Pillz
The sampled beat produced by Poppa Pillz immediately gives this track a 90’s Hip-Hop feel and Rakim uses it to his advantage as he speaks about putting everything of all subject matters to music. His analysis of using music to deal with problems and how music has a place with everything in life is something that I can relate to as a listener. Rakim sounds most comfortable on this track than on any other track on the album most likely because of the smooth production provided.

Psychic Love
Produced by Nick Wiz
In getting back to the tracks for the ladies, Rakim uses the smooth production from Nick Wiz to speak about love and his affection for a certain lady. This can be seen as a more seductive track than the previously heard “Workin’ For You”, and ultimately it works for Rakim and doesn’t come off as much of a stretch for him in terms of the theme and lyrics. It’s great how an emcee like Rakim can do a track like this and still keep it away from the area of sounding clichéd.

Still In Love
Produced by Nick Wiz
For those listeners that were curious as to how Rakim might feel about the current times of Hip-Hop music and the genre in its declining state, this track serves as your answer to that question. Ra speaks about how he still has love for Hip-Hop even though things aren’t as they were when he was in his prime delivering albums in the 80’s and 90’s. With enjoyable production as heard from Nick Wiz it’s easy to see why Rakim still has a love for the game while others are claiming “Hip-Hop Is Dead”. Like Cormega said on Born And Raised, “Hip-Hop ain’t dead, it’s just tired of the drama” and with music like this that statement from 2006 can be retired as its evident that Hip-Hop is in no way deceased.

Dedicated
Produced by Nick Wiz
After 13 tracks Rakim decides to finish off the album on a sincere note in dedicating the track to his mother and speaking about what she truly meant to him and his life. He talks about his heartbreaking experience in losing his mother and the times their bond together ever since his birth. Nick Wiz provides a nice beat that fits with Rakim’s lyrics and the song’s topic. This was a good way to end off the album as it nicely brings things to a close in allowing for listeners to start to listening experience again back at the first song.

Bottom Line:
In being ten years since his last album release with The Master I was like a lot of fans and listeners is not being quite sure about what to expect from Rakim with a new album especially in 2009 and the current state of Hip-Hop. A part of me was excited to finally be hearing some new music from The God MC after being satisfied with his two previous releases, but the other part of me was concerned about Rakim possibly changing up his style to better conform with the ways of the music industry of today. Luckily my concern was nothing more than a worry as Rakim proved that he hasn’t lost a step with The Seventh Seal and ultimately reassures listeners that he’s still one of the nicest emcees in the game regardless of the ones (Jay-Z, Lil’ Wayne, T.I., Nas, Drake, J. Cole…) that have come after him. There really aren’t any tracks on this album that are below average or sub par for an emcee like Rakim as many of them range between good to great. Throughout the album Rakim delivers lyrically on every aspect from lyrics to flow to delivery to subject matter. The only thing that holds this album back from being even better is the production that’s heard. While it’s always great to give new and lesser known producers a platform to showcase their skills, it would have been nice to hear something from the established producers that Rakim has collaborated with on past albums like DJ Premier, Pete Rock, Clark Kent, as well as including a song or two from his work with Dr. Dre during their Aftermath period together. Knowing that this isn’t Rakim final album it can be certain that we’ll eventually hear music from those sessions and music from some of Ra’s previous collaborators. Overall, Rakim sees the same success with The Seventh Seal that Raekwon saw with Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… Pt. II and Royce saw with Street Hop in delivering an enjoyable album despite years spanning between releases… Let’s just hope it’s not another ten years before the next Rakim album is released.

nappyPicks: “Walk These Streets”, “Holy Are You”, “Message In The Song”, “Put It All To Music”, “Documentary Of A Gangsta”, “Psychic Love”

Download: Rakim – “Holy Are You”

Download: Rakim feat. Maino & Tracey Horton – “Walk These Streets”

Given the current state of Hip-Hop music in 2009, a resurgence of “real” Hip-Hop music and return to the lyricism as heard on classic albums of the 90’s has been seen with recent releases like Raekwon’s Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… PT II, KRS-One & Buckshot’s Survival Skills, and Marco Polo & Torae’s Double Barrel. Since his debut in 2006 with the 9th Wonder assisted Cloud 9: The 3 Day High and follow-up mixtapes including Corner Store Classic and The Power Of Words, Skyzoo has undoubtedly noticed the declining state of Hip-Hop music and has been on a mission to bring things back to the way they once were. This is evident with an album titled The Salvation, as the term “salvation” by definition is the saving of humanity from death or eternal damnation. With this album Skyzoo is set on saving listeners and the genre of Hip-Hop from death via untalented artists with limited skills and abilities on the microphone (I won’t go into names here… everybody has their own list). With producers along the lines of 9th Wonder, Just Blaze, Black Milk, Illmind, Nottz, and Needlz, and the credible history of Skyzoo as an intellectual, lyrical emcee, this album looks good on paper to be a success, but in the end does that translate to a quality product.

1. The Opener
Produced by Cyrus The Great
In relation to the album title, the opening track starts off with a gospel interlude followed by some piano playing the leads into some piano driven production by Cyrus The Great. The production plays its role as Skyzoo immediately lets listeners know what they’re getting with this album in the form of lyricism and a return to real Hip-Hop music. This track is a good introduction to the rest of the album that follows.

2. Return Of The Real
Produced by Just Blaze
Speaking of a real to Hip-Hop music, that’s exactly what this track is about as stated by the song title. Skyzoo enlists music producer extraordinaire Just Blaze for this track as he delivers with one of the most energetic beats on the album. After a trademark Just Blaze introduction, Skyzoo gets right into it over the head-nodding beat in speaking about how he’s one of the last few lyricists remaining in the game and is destined to bring the realness back to the genre. This is a track that definitely knocks on the system, as Skyzoo does a good job on his intentions with his convincing lyrics and flow.

3. The Beautiful Decay
Produced by 9th Wonder
This track stood as the first official single for the album with an accompanying video released a few months back that provided excellent visuals to compliment Skyzoo’s lyrics describing the inner city life in a positive manner by name it “The Beautiful Decay”. 9th Wonder supplies Skyzoo with one of his signature soulful beats that fit his lyrics and flow like a glove and sound like something you might have heard from their sessions back on the Cloud 9: The 3 Day High project. This is an excellent track that shows Skyzoo in his zone in speaking about city life and its surroundings.

4. My Interpretation
Produced by Best Kept Secret
On this track Best Kept Secret provides some airy flowing production as Skyzoo gives his interpretation of “getting lifted” with his head in the clouds on his journey to the top. The soulful production once again fits nicely with Skyzoo’s rhyming, as he doesn’t sound one bit out of place with his vivid descriptions and portrayal.

5. Popularity
Produced by Nottz
Getting back to the energetic sound that was heard a few tracks ago on “Return Of The Real”, Skyzoo recruits Nottz behind the boards of this track as he supplies some bouncy production while Skyzoo proceeds to let listeners know why he’s one of the most popular emcees on the rise in the game and doesn’t show any signs of being stopped. Being the type of rapper that Sykzoo is, this is the closest you’re going to get to hearing a potential commercial song receiving radio play, and honestly a song of this kind is one I wouldn’t be opposed to hearing compared to the likes of “You’re A Jerk” or “Money To Blow”.

6. Like A Marathon
Produced by 9th Wonder
9th Wonder returns to the scene with some more soulful production for Skyzoo to deliver some words of inspiration to those on the road to pursuing their dreams. “Like A Marathon” is clever wording which ultimately translates to never giving up and quitting as life and the roads to our goals can feel similar to running a marathon. It’s quite clear to see how Skyzoo and 9th were able to put together a quality project in three days as their chemistry is unlike many other emcee/producer pairings. This track is another gem to be found on the album that listeners are sure to enjoy and relate to with their own lives.

7. The Shooter’s Soundtrack
Produced by Cyrus The Great
After six tracks this is the first track on the album that I’m not really feeling and probably won’t get many repeat listens from me. Cyrus The Great provides some nice production on the track but it sounds dull and gets repetitive after a while of listening. From Skyzoo’s lyrics (which aren’t his best delivered and sound a bit boring like the production) this track is meant to be the soundtrack for those in the streets living the crime life. Ultimately compared to the previous tracks heard, this track sounds more like it was meant and would fit better on a mixtape than an album. The skit/interlude of Skyzoo and his girl’s phone conversation does well in setting up the scene for the next track but sort of goes on too long.

8. Under Pressure
Produced by 9th Wonder
9th Wonder comes through again, this time utilizing the same sample (“Walk On By” – The Undisputed Truth) used by J Dilla on his Donuts album cut “Walkinonit” to a good degree for the production on this track. Skyzoo takes note from the sample’s song title in dropping lyrics about being under pressure in a relationship while doing what’s necessary and providing for both, but realizing that it can no longer work in the end. This is another good song of relatable virtues and values that are realistic in the lives of many going through relationships and difficult times.

9. Penmanship
Produced by Black Milk
In a recent Q&A session (“Ask Skyzoo”) with Skyzoo on 2dopeboyz, he replied to a question that there were two producers that he had to have on his debut album being Just Blaze and J Dilla. As heard on the previous track “Return Of The Real”, he was able to accomplish ½ of his goal with a Just Blaze produced track, but unfortunately due to the untimely passing of J Dilla he wouldn’t be able to have a track produced by the late great Detroit legend. Insert music producer Black Milk who in his own right is one of the best up-coming producers in the game and becoming a Detroit legend in his own right. Having some similar qualities of J Dilla to his name in terms of production and sound, Black Milk provides Skyzoo with the closest rendition to having a Dilla produced joint on his debut album. Black’s production consists of a pulsing organ riff backed by off-beat drum programming that might throw some listeners at first, but is head nodding none the less. On the track Skyzoo gets down in delivering lyrics pertaining to his lyricism and tight pen game. This song reassures listeners that Skyzoo is no here today gone tomorrow type emcee, and his lyrics are some of the nicest out of the rest of the next generation rappers.

10. Dear Whoever
Produced by Illmind
From the previous up-tempo track, Skyzoo decides to slow things down a bit with “Dear Whoever” in which he rhymes lyrics in the form of a letter addressed to past girlfriends (no one in specific) that he went through the same circumstances with. Speaking about being in a relationship where he lowered his guard and put all of his feelings out in the open for his significant other, only to realize that them being apart was better for them than being together. Illmind’s soulful production on this track fit comfortably well in complementing Skyzoo’s lyrics and the track’s subject matter. This song seeming so personal from Skyzoo’s lyrics is a gem to be found on the album.

11. For What It’s Worth
Produced by Eric G.
After a brief interlude of wise words from the late great Tupac Shakur, we’re hit with one of the most heartfelt tracks on the album. Eric G. beautifully samples Dee Dee Bridgewater’s “My Lonely Room” as the perfect backdrop for Skyzoo to deliver lyrics about living life for what it’s worth in the time given while battling between making a living on the block within the drug game or facing the struggles of the legal life to reach dreams. When Skyzoo is in his element of tracks describing life’s trials and tribulations he is one of the realest emcees behind the microphone. In the case of where that’s seen with “For What It’s Worth”, it stands as one of the best tracks on the album.

12. The Necessary Evils
Produced by Needlz
Those who have been following Skyzoo’s career since his start in 2006 through the various mixtapes he has released will recognize this track from his 2007 mixtape Corner Store Classic. Needlz produces a dark, sinister sounding beat for Skyzoo to deliver lyrics about the necessary evils of the street life that seen as everyday living for those involved. Much like the previously heard “The Shooter’s Soundtrack”, this track doesn’t standout in comparison to some of the other strong production found on this album and feels out of place on this album since it was previously featured on a mixtape from two years ago. This is another track that won’t receive much play from me and is one that could have been left of the final track listing.

13. Easy To Fly
Featuring Carlitta Durand; Produced by 9th Wonder
This song features the only guest appearance to be found on the album with Carlitta Durand supplying the hook in gracious vocal styling. 9th Wonder supplies soulful, floating production that fits well with the song’s topic as Skyzoo drops lyrics about a girl that he’s trying to take away from her current bad situation into a better relationship with him. Topic wise this track hold’s the same weight as most of the female tracks we’re used to hearing on rappers’ albums, but the track’s production and guest feature give it an edge from falling totally into the cliché standing.

14. Bottom Line
Produced by Eric G.
Off his fantastic production heard on “For What It’s Worth”, Eric G. returns with some more soulful sounding production on “Bottom Line”. On this track Skyzoo spits lyrics about being on your grind in whatever you do and how it comes so easy if the grind is something you’re consistent with. This is a good track to be heard and stays in tune with most of the soulful tracks heard throughout the album.

15. Metal Hearts
Produced by 9th Wonder
Mr. Douthit returns for the last and final time on the album with some lively, soul production in sampling Barry White’s “Never, Never Gonna Give Ya Up” to good results. Skyzoo uses the nice composed beat to speak about his dedication and devotion to the grind in doing whatever is necessary to see success at the end of the day.

16. Maintain
Produced by Nottz
Skyzoo brings things full circle and ends off on a similar note and mood that was heard on “The Opener”. With the sound writing on the paper in the background, he speaks maintaining in life and in the music industry. Talking about making it to a point that not many people taught they would be him at in delivering an album and having a record deal after three years of diligence and never quitting in the process. This track does a good job in closing our the album on a peaceful vibe that gives listeners the idea that Skyzoo has finally made it to the point in his career that he has been striving for.

Bottom Line:
Many people outside of the underground Hip-Hop scene might not be well familiar with Skyzoo as an artist and his works, but one thing is sure after listening to this album and that is that Skyzoo will be a name that people all over will be familiar with in due time. With an album dubbed The Salvation, Skyzoo’s intentions of bringing the rap game back to its respectable nature of quality music and strong lyricists are evident, and he succeeds in doing that with this album. Skyzoo is an emcee that isn’t afraid to go against the grain of popular dances and trendy gimmicks in providing listeners with the quality, “real” Hip-Hop that has been a missing element for so long now. While he isn’t the only one on this quest and making the necessary steps with an album of this kind (see: Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… PT II, Double Barrel, Slaughterhouse, The Ecstatic, etc.), Skyzoo definitely makes the movement strong with the addition of his debut album. During a time where artists’ albums sound more like compilations with guest features just for the popularity of a name (ex: Lil Wayne, Drake, Jay-Z, etc.), Skyzoo realizes that his is his show and uses the platform to showcase himself to listeners with only one guest appearance on the whole album. Aside from a couple of choice songs that threw off the flow and cohesiveness, The Salvation is a prime example of good Hip-Hop that so necessary nowadays. Much like Hip-Hop albums in the 90’s featuring one of two main producers, this album has that feel cohesiveness, as most of the tracks are able to flow easily into each other. With some further work, Skyzoo is on the verge of releasing a classic album in given time. Those searching for quality Hip-Hop outside of the blitz of commercial radio albums and singles should look no further than Skyzoo and The Salvation. When it seems like too many rappers “forgot how to be real and remembered how to be wack”, it’s good that Skyzoo is vice versa.

nappyPicks: “The Beautiful Decay”, “Like A Marathon”, “Under Pressure”, “Dear Whoever”, “For What It’s Worth”

Download: Skyzoo – “The Beautiful Decay”

Download: Skyzoo – “Return Of The Real”

More Than A Game tells the story of now NBA superstar LeBron James and his fellow teammates during their high school years at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio. It follows the team’s journey of trials and tribulations to the eventual success of a high school basketball national title in 2003. With every documentary that depicts the story on film, there’s an equal telling of that story through music. 8 Mile had it with Music From And Inspired By The Motion Picture 8 Mile, Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ had it with Music From And Inspired By The Motion Picture Get Rich Or Die Tryin’, so it would only make since for a film as strong as More Than A Game to have one. The purpose of a film’s soundtrack should be to present the essential elements of the film and essential tell the story of the film without watching the actual movie. The soundtrack should make the listener feel as though they have seen and experienced the movie through listening. Both soundtracks to 8 Mile and Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ do a great job of this (the former more than the latter) and if listeners are hesitant to seeing More Than A Game with the fear of it being more Crossover and Like Mike and less The Basketball Diaries and Hoop Dreams, hopefully listening to this soundtrack will sway their decision.

1. Drop It Low
Ester Dean featuring Chris Brown; Produced by Polow Da Don
As the first track you hear on the album, you immediately get a bad feeling about listening to the rest. From the title of the song you could already get a feeling as to what this song is about and how it would sound. Featuring typical production from Polow Da Don, Ester Dean sings about dropping her booty low (original huh??) and a return of Chris Brown to the music scene after his incident with Rihanna. Given the story of the movie and how it looks to be, I don’t really see at all how this song relates or got included other than a commercial single for the young crowd to dance to.

2. Forever
Drake featuring Kanye West, Lil Wayne & Eminem; Produced by Boi-1da
A song that everybody should be well familiar with by now as it’s an official single for the album with an accompanying music video released last week. Boi-1da continues with his current streak in providing some bouncy production for all four emcees to deliver everything from average to stellar verses on. While Drake, Wayne, Ye drop good verses, the show is obviously stolen by Mr. Mathers who obliterates his verse with fantastic wordplay, precise delivery, and even flow switching to top it off. This was a quality selection to be included on this album.

3. King On Set
T.I. featuring Young Dro; Produced by The Smash Factory
A song from the self-proclaimed King of the South before his current jail stint that features fellow Grand Hustle member Young Dro dropping rhymes atop production from The Smash Factory that fit well the aforementioned rappers. A song that sounds like it could have fit on T.I.’s King album, features T.I. donning his fast flow while Dro take his time in defining the word “king” and how it applies to him. This track obviously fits LeBron more in present times with his “King James” moniker more than it did during his high school days.

4. Stronger
Mary J. Blige; Produced by Polow Da Don & Hit Boy
This time around Polow Da Don delivers much more meaningful production along with Hit Boy as they supply a beat for Mary J. Blige to deliver in classic MJB style. As one of the album’s official singles, this song perfectly fits with the theme of the movie of individuals standing together as one to over come struggles and hardships. This song truly gives you the feeling of the movie without having seen the preview beforehand.

5. History
Jay-Z; Produced by Kanye West & Kenoe
This song was previously released back in November ’08 around the time of Barack Obama’s election as President of the United States in which Jay-Z performed at the President’s Inaugural Ball. In regards to that event this song fittingly serves as Jay cleverly refers to “history” as his child after searching and finding his wife “victory”. Kanye and Kenoe provide a historic sounding backdrop for Jay to deliver inspirational verses on a song that fits well with the historic legacy left by LeBron and his teammates at SMSV.

6. Top Of The World
Rich Boy featuring Chili Chil; Produced by Rich Boy
After a few inspirational tracks, Rich Boy brings the energy back to the album with this self-produced track. Rich Boy’s beat is the trademark hard thumping southern production that suits him so well, as he delivers lyrics letting listeners know why he’s one of the young rappers in the game moving towards the top and why his gold selling debut album Rich Boy was no fluke. Chili Chil provides the hook on this track that makes the song complete and gives you a feeling of the fight and push within Lebron and his teammates during their quest of a national title.

7. I’m Ballin’
Soulja Boy Tell ‘Em; Produced by Hamsquad
Upon reading the song title and featured artist you should already know what to expect from this track. With production from Hamsquad that fits Soulja Boy Tell ‘Em’s typical style, he proceeds to drop lyrics concerning his economic status as the song title implies. Nothing really special with this track other than the fact that Soulja Boy and Gucci Mane are starting to sound like the same person on tracks with the identical flow/style, subpar lyrics, and limited content matter. Once again other than commercial purposes, I don’t really see why this track was included on this soundtrack, and it’s status serves more towards LeBron in his current status more than how he was during his high school days before endorsements and contracts.

8. We Ready
Ya Boy; Produced by Harvey Mason, Jr.
After the previous lacking track, this track brings things back up for the soundtrack featuring Ya Boy dropping lyrics in regards to being ready for the challenge and task at hand, which for LeBron and his teammates was obviously winning the national title. The production from Harvey Mason, Jr., who executive produces the soundtrack and produced the film, is done in fitting battlefield style that connects well with the song’s topic and the lyrics delivered.

9. Go Hard
Hayes; Produced by Jerome Harmon
Continuing with the theme of persistence and determination, Hayes delivers a track in motivational style about pushing on and not stopping when met with opposition. The track’s production from Jerome Harmon, who also contributed to “Venus vs. Mars” on Jay-Z’s The Blueprint 3, is a synth filled, organ driven beat that pushes and supplements Hayes’ lyrics and subject matter to a higher level.

10. Frozen
Jared Evans; Produced by Jared Evans
This track features artist Jared Evans both behind the mic and behind the boards as he delivers lyrics over subtle production about being stuck or “frozen” in a place of misfortune and adversity while trying to make it through. The track connects on a level with the movie and how the team must have felt when things just weren’t going as they expected or wanted them to.

11. If You Dream
Tank featuring Tyrese, Toni Braxton, Jordin Sparks, Omarion, Faith Evans, JoJo, Charlie Wilson, Tamar Braxton & Steve Russell; Produced by Harvey Mason, Jr., Durrell ‘Tank’ Babbs & J. Valentine
A truly inspirational song in terms of song topic/title, lyrics, and production, featuring an all-star casts of R&B/Soul artists to bring the album to a close. The piano driven production on this song perfectly match the topic of never quitting and giving up on your dreams to accomplish your goals in the end. This song is probably the best match on the album in terms of capturing the movie’s story and plot in a single song, and it does a great job in delivering that aspect. This song alone should make any listener eager to go see More Than A Game in theaters.

Bottom Line:
In terms of doing what a soundtrack is supposed to do in complimenting the film, Music Inspired By More Than A Game does that efficiently. While there were a couple tracks (“Drop It Low”, “I’m Ballin’”) that felt out of place and didn’t really relate to the film’s story, a good number (“If You Dream”, “Stronger”, “History”) of them conveyed that story with great results. Listening to this album gives you a feel and understanding of the trials and tribulations that LeBron and his teammates had to deal with on their way to the top in being the best high school basketball team in the nation in 2003. Those that continually hate on LeBron James as an accomplished NBA basketball player can truly see the passion, hard work, and dedication to the thing he loved most in the game of basketball and hopefully get a better understanding of everything that he overcame in the process to becoming one of the best rising stars in NBA history from his high school journey. The often sports related quote “there’s no I in team” is best exemplified with the More Than A Game documentary as it shows as a team they could take on the world and accomplish that which couldn’t be achieved individually. How basketball movies like Hoop Dreams, Sunset Park, Coach Carter, and The Heart Of The Game served as inspiration for those with dreams of one day making it to a career the NBA, More Than A Game continues that tradition for kids all over with posters of LeBron, Kobe, and Wade over their walls. Get to theaters and see More Than A Game as well as picking up this soundtrack even if your aspirations lay elsewhere other than basketball. This is a documentary and soundtrack that provides inspiration and motivation to dreams of all kinds.

nappyPicks: “Forever”, “Stronger”, “History”, “Top Of The World”, “If You Dream”, “Go Hard”, “King On Set”, “Frozen”

Download: Tank feat. Tyrese, Toni Braxton, Jordin Sparks, Omarion, Faith Evans, JoJo, Charlie Wilson, Tamar Braxton, & Steve Russell – “If You Dream”

Alright, if you’ve been to the forums, then you know that I’m not the biggest Kid Cudi fan. He’s just too different. I mean, can you even call what he does Hip-Hop or rap? Plus, what is his appeal? The man can rap, but he’s not running for “Best Rapper Alive” anytime soon, and his singing is mainly monotone talking. Damn. Was I really the right person to review this album? I figured I’d take it since Chew pretty much dished this one to me. And anyway, the cover for this album looks cool, it looks like one of those special artistic albums that hardly even come out anymore. Plus, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like “Day ‘n’ Nite”, and “Make Her Say” has got to be some of Kanye’s best production ever. Still, can Cudi make a fan out of me? Let’s experience The End of Day.

*Act I: The End of Day
Explanation: Kid Cudi here is dreaming; in his dreams he can do anything he wants to do, and he is happy. The first part of the CD.

1. In My Dreams(Cudder Anthem)
Produced by Emile
This intro immediately caught my attention. “Here in my dreams…” Cudi sings. His singing still hasn’t really caught me as being good, but it’s a catchy song with a very cinematic beat behind it, and it really sets up the album and starts it up on a very good note. You could play this song, sit back, and relax with the synth and the violin like sounds in the background. I’m impressed! After two verses, Common comes on as the narrator of the album, spitting some poetry, introducing the story of a young man who believed in himself, “The man on the moon…”. Great song, gets you in the mood for the album.

2. Soundtrack 2 My Life
Produced by Emile
Alright, this is about as close as we get to actual Hip-Hop on this entire album, and it’s good. I mean, like I said before, Cudi is not going for best rapper alive anytime soon, but he’s got enough skill to keep it fresh at the same time. The song is basically a biography of his life and how this album/song is the “Soundtrack 2 His Life”. The beat on this is nice; the production is spacey and street at the same time, so it really does fit Cudi’s style very well. The songs on this album have a weird, kind of cinematic feel to them. Overall, great track, on of my top tracks of the album..

3. Simple As…
Produced by Plain Pat
The sample of “A…B…C…” and “1…2….3″ was a little weird at first, but then when Kid Cudi jumps on the track, he straight up kills it. I mean, again, I wouldn’t exactly call this Hip-Hop, but it’s great. The hook is infectious; this guy can’t sing, he makes infectious hooks basically by talking! It kills me. Anyway, this track is hot! At the end of the track, Common comes on and basically introduces us to the next section of Cudi’s life: the Rise Of The Night Terrors.

*Act II: Rise of the Night Terrors
Explanation: Suddenly, Cudi must now deal with a horrible intrusion into his dreams; the night terrors have entered his dreams, and are showing him flashbacks to the dark times in his life. Note: This is my favorite part of the album.

4. Solo Dolo (Nightmare)
Produced by Emile
This song is very spacey and bare bones, and first I didn’t really like it because I thought it went on for way too long, but I started to like it after awhile. Cudi sings(?) about how throughout his life, he was alone and he was: “Mr. Solo Dolo”. Like I said, when I first heard this, I was thinking: “SKIP!” But, it grew on me after a couple listens, and I like it now. It’s a good, but not great, track.

5. Heart Of A Lion (Kid Cudi Theme Music)
Produced by Free School
I laughed when I heard the title, but this is a great song! I guess at this point in the album, Cudi has realized that he can handle these night terrors, and is standing up to make sure they don’t stop him from realizing his dreams. Cudi’s back to rap on this one, and his flow on this high speed track really impresses me. The Kid’s got skills! Also, the infectious hook on this one had me putting this on repeat a lot. This is definitely without a doubt one of my top songs off the album; when someone has doubts about Kid Cudi, just point them to this song. Not only is it his theme song, but it’s also good for pumping you up, trust me. Excellent song.

6. My World
Featuring Billy Cravens; Produced by Plain Pat & Jeff Bhasker
Ok, this is my favorite song off the whole damn album. This one song instantly made me a Kid Cudi fan. This song is like “Solo Dolo” and “Heart of a Lion” mixed together. In saying that, I’m saying that Kid Cudi is talking (call it rapping if you want, but there is NO FLOW AT ALL) about how he felt as a child. Not gonna lie, the parts with Kid Cudi are a little drab, mainly because he’s talking to us in straight up monotone right here, but then Billy Cravens comes on and just kills the hook, because his singing is amazing on this track. It’s weird cause it’s just one sentence: “This will be my world”, but it’s AWESOME!! Plus the story Kid Cudi has to tell is deep: how he spent time as a child in his room, on the moon, dreaming, and how it was only place he really felt safe. Damn good track!

*Act III: Taking a Trip
Explanation: Still haven’t figured out the exact meaning of this section, but if I had to make a ballpark guess, I’d say its all about taking drugs. So Kid Cudi I guess wakes up from his Night Terrors and starts to take drugs…? I mean the lyrics really fit that explanation, but I’m not exactly sure.

7. Day ‘n’ Nite (Nightmare)
Produced by Dot Da Genius
This is the song that made Cudi an international star. I’m not gonna spend a lot of time on this track because we’ve all heard it by now. Well, when I first heard it, I didn’t like it. I mean, the man is TALKING! But that hook is hot! So is the really spacey production that is provided by Dot Da Genius. Real good shit, but you already knew this. Good choice for the first single also, by the way.

8. Sky Might Fall
Produced by Kanye West
Wow, it’s kind of hard to believe that Kanye only produced 2 tracks off this entire album! This track he did a really good job on, despite the fact that he brought his synth-like Graduation sound to the track. Unsurprisingly, that sound fits perfectly here on the album. Cudi, I assume, is very high right now, talking about how the sky might fall, but he’s not worried at all. His singing on the track is actually good, I like this track a lot. ‘Ye’s production helps to assist this song from being just OK to Great.

9. Enter Galactic (Love Connection Part 1)
Produced by Matt Friedman of ILLFONICS
This on some 80’s/pop/Michael Jackson tip (R.I.P. King of Pop, we miss you!). This song is about taking ’shrooms with your girl! No, I’m not lying. Cudi’s singing here is also great, he’s started singing more I suppose because as the album goes on and he begins to conquer his fears, he is more willing to show us the real him instead of hiding behind a rapping facade.. At least that’s my guess. The beat’s on point, the singing is great, the lyrics are…eh? But all-in-all, good song.

*Act IV: Stuck
Explanation: Well, again, I’m not exactly sure what is going on here, but it’s basically I assume that Kid Cudi is stuck between his dreams and reality(?). Here, you see a lot of different tracks from what we’ve seen earlier, and that, plus the less spacey sound on this compared to previous tracks, tells me that this is a realistic part of Cudi’s life. Of course, this album is all about Cudi accomplishing his dreams, so I guess it all fits.

10. Alive (Nightmare)
Featuring & Produced by Ratatat
I can’t tell exactly if Ratatat is doing the hook or if Cudi is, but either way it’s good. Ratatat showed up with the beat; it makes me want to check out some of their stuff. Cudi also showed up for this one. At first, I didn’t really like this song overall, but the hook and the beat grew on me as time went on. Overall, a solid track off the album.

11. Cudi Zone
Produced by Emile
This basically Kid Cudi in his own little world again. The track never really grabbed me, which is weird because it sounds very similar to the other tracks. I’m not skipping this one, but at the same time, it’s not one my favorite tracks, it almost feels a little bit like filler to me. Average track.

12. Make Her Say
Featuring Kanye West & Common; Produced by Kanye West
The second single off the album, this basically Cudi showing off his lyrical chops alongside lyrical heavyweights Common and West. He holds his own, and the refrain: “She said she want whatever she like/But she gotta bring her friends/And we can have one hell of night/And a day” is simply genius. ‘Ye sampling is straight up the best sample of the year IMO; the acoustic version of “Poker Face” by Lady Gaga (Don’t see the appeal!) is superb, and fits the song perfectly. Overall, this is an excellent song, definitely one of the album’s highlights, at least production wise.

13. Pursuit of Happiness (Nightmare)
Featuring MGMT & Ratatat; Produced by Ratatat
This is supposed to be the third single off the album, and this one didn’t really grab me either. The rock style of this track doesn’t really seem to fit with the rest of the album, and Cudi seems a little bit off on this one. Once again, not a skip, but it’s one of the lower parts of the album in my opinion.

*Act V: A New Beginning
Explanation: Kid Cudi, upon realizing that his dreams are just dreams, has realized that he had the ability to put his dreams into reality, and the end is simply a new beginning…I think.

14. Hyyerr
Featuring Chip Tha Ripper; Produced by Crada
Nah, I’m not feeling this one at all! I’m sorry, SKIP!!

15. Up, Up, & Away (The Wake & Bake Song)
Produced by Free School
Damn, what is up with these titles?!? This is a great way to close out the album despite the fact that there is no cohesion between the previous track and this one. Here, Cudi is basically realizing that no matter what happens, he’ll be “Up, Up, & Away” because no matter what, there will always be obstacles in his path, and he’ll overcome them anyway. That’s the deep version of it anyway, haha. Anyway, this is a great track. At the end, Common comes to basically say what I already told you in the explanation, except that Cudi has a new enemy to face, the machine and the ghost within. Sequel, anyone?

Bottom Line:
Well, when you’re wrong, you’re wrong: this was actually a great album. I mean, everyone knows I’m a Jay-Z stan. I still think The Blueprint 3 is album of the year (haven’t heard that Raekwon yet, it’s probably better), and I’ve been bumping it like crazy; it’s at least better than Deeper Than Rap! But Kid Cudi’s album actually made me listen to something other than BP3, because it was that good. Everyone was telling me Kid Cudi was on that new shit and it was good, and I guess I was too close-minded to see what the possibilities were with an artist like him. Granted, can he sing? Hell no! Can he rap? A little, but he’s no Rakim. So what exactly DOES Cudi bring to the table? He’s unique, he can make VERY infectious hooks, and he brings an epic feel to every track he’s on. This whole album felt like damn movie! Like I said, when you’re wrong, you’re wrong. Kid Cudi’s debut is a breath of fresh air and should be a great start to an even better career.

nappyPicks: Cop the whole album! Only one slip up on the whole thing and we should definitely support artists an innovative as Kid Cudi.

Download: Kid Cudi – “Heart Of A Lion (Kid Cudi Theme Music)”
Bonus: Kid Cudi – “I Hear Them Calling” (Not On Album/Produced by Eminem)

This was probably the most difficult album review that I’ve had to write during my tenure at nappyafro. Having previously written this album review in full with what I thought was an unbiased view led me to revisit it and start anew. Even though the initial review I composed offered a detailed view of the album, I needed to further distance myself as a Jay-Z fan before I would really be able to fairly judge its value and significance. Distancing myself as a Jay-Z fan in being able to properly review this album, which meant forgetting my adoration for classic albums (Reasonable Doubt, The Blueprint, The Black Album) and overlooking my distaste for disappointing albums (The Blueprint2: The Gift & The Curse, Kingdom Come, Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life). I had to go into this album review with a fresh mindset clean of all of Jay-Z’s successes and shortcomings, and view this album on its own terms without comparison to any previous albums. Enter The Blueprint 3, an album that has recently been the most anticipated by listeners since Lil’ Wayne’s Tha Carter III and Eminem’s Relapse. It’s easy to understand the reasons for such anticipation, as it has been almost two years since Jay-Z’s previous release (American Gangster) and this album follows undoubtedly one of the best albums in his catalog (The Blueprint). Being the final album in the Blueprint trilogy, Jay-Z has gone on record in saying this album is the definition or blueprint of the “new classic” and should be viewed as such in being the new model for rap’s younger generation of rookies and stars, and being focused on the music and instrumentation side of things. It shouldn’t be compared or viewed in the same light as the original Blueprint album, which is labeled the “old classic” but viewed in the perspective of the digital, Auto-Tune heavy music industry we reside in during today’s times. The world “blueprint” as defined by Webster’s dictionary is something serving as a model or providing guidance. In terms of Jay-Z as an artist, few could argue that his career doesn’t meet the criteria of said definition. Over the years his superior and classic status albums have served as models and sources of inspiration for countless artists (both up-and-coming and established). The Blueprint displayed his life foundation and development from soul music being present in his childhood, The Blueprint² showed his exploration of various genres and musical taste… So where does The Blueprint 3 stand?

1. What We Talkin’ About
Featuring Luke Steele (of Empire of the Sun); Produced by Kanye West & No ID
Jay-Z has always been known for having strong opening tracks (“The Prelude”, “Can’t Knock The Hustle”, “A Million and One Questions/Rhyme No More”, “The Ruler’s Back”) that set the tone for the rest of the album and the rest of the tracks that follow. He seemingly understands the importance of making a good first impression in knowing that it’s important to catch the listener’s attention at the start, which will hopefully encourage them to listen until the end. Immediately you notice the change with the lush, advanced sounding production provided by duo of Kanye West and No ID who handle a majority of the album’s production and set the tone. The song initially grabs the listener’s attention but soon wears thin in terms of production value becoming dull and boring after a while. Most people are familiar with some of the lyrics on this track from the acapella “freestyles” Jay had been performing at shows in the past two months, which garnered some hate and ruffled the feathers of The Game and Jaz-O (“Talking ‘bout gossip, I ain’t talking ‘bout Game…Even Jaz made some scraps, he could’ve made more but he ain’t sign his contract”). It’s kind of contradictory though as by even mentioning you’re not talking about insert name here, you’re ultimately still talking about them by referencing their names. Sure diss tracks and harsh words towards Hov have come from Jaz, Game (The Game), Dame (Damon Dash), and Jimmy (Jim Jones), but at this point in Jay’s career and the success he’s seeing it’s rather pointless to even acknowledge the fact. None of these individuals could really greatly affect his career and he’s just playing into their hand to bring attention to their dismal careers from being mentioned by a bigger star. Other than this Jay stays true to the song title in explaining why he’s still one of the most talked about figures not only in the genre of Hip-Hop but around the world (just ask Oprah, lol). This is a passable opening track to the album, but it’s far from the level of some of previously mentioned opening songs that truly did the job of capturing the listener’s attention.

2. Thank You
Produced by Kanye West & No ID
Listening to this track you get the feeling that it should have been placed towards the end of the album possibly as the final track in closing out the album. This song could be thought of in the same light as the Mary J. Blige collaborative effort “You’re Welcome” in possibly being a concert show closing song, which sees Jay thanking fans and listeners for their continued support over the years as well as boasting and flaunting his financial stability and lavish lifestyle. Jay delivers some well-crafted verses, but the most intriguing has to be the third verse in which he compares the dismantling of his rivals and competition to the destructive events of 9/11. While some have called foul and claimed he was out of line for making the comparison to such a tragic event, I don’t think what he did was done in a disrespectful manner but said rather creatively. Not too many other artists could have presented and broken it down in the same manner that Jay did in this verse. The sampled production provided by the Chicago duo has finale type of feel to it but at the same time I sounds similar to Dr. Dre’s production heard on the Kingdom Come album. The drums and horns presented in the song are comparable to those in the song “30 Something” while the audible sampled voice/talking in the beat’s background give it a similar feel and sound to “Gold Watch” off Lupe Fiasco’s The Cool. While it’s a good track that can start to get boring after a while from the lackluster beat and Jay’s casual flow, but I still find this to be one of my favorite tracks on the album as I did when I first listened to it.

3. D.O.A. (Death Of Auto-Tune)
Produced by No ID
This is the well-known first official single of the album that has garnered both praise and criticism from critics and listeners alike. No ID hooks up Jay with a creatively sampled beat that allows him to lyrically attack Auto-Tune users and enthusiasts alike while keeping the listener’s heading nodding along the way. This was one of my favorite tracks when it was first released as it built great anticipation for album and showed Jay getting back to the aggressive style that many thought he veered from. People have been saying this song shows Jay “bullying” or “hating” on younger artists and those using the software plug-in for all the wrong reasons (Ron Browz, Webstar, etc.) but as he stated in defense, once something becomes a gimmick (i.e. Wendy’s Commercials) it’s time to move on and I think this song and his way of thinking are justified. While Jay isn’t the first one to speak out against the ills of Auto-Tune, it’s good to see a song like this being pushed and played on a mainstream level. Commend him and Kanye (of all people) for thinking up a song idea like this and following through with it against the popular trend.

4. Run This Town
Featuring Rihanna & Kanye West; Produced by Kanye West & No ID
The second official single of the album has brought along both praise and controversy (Freemasonry, the Devil, etc.) similar to “D.O.A.”. When this song was initially released I was a bit disappointed in comparing it to the previous single, and once the video leaked the accompanying visuals decreased my disappointment level. The song embodies the topic matter and complement the rebel marching production from Ye and No ID. Jay delivers braggadocio lyrics about how he, his record label, and label mates are running the industry, which is nothing new and has been recognized by now. Kanye does the same with a punch line heavy verse filled with comedic and intense lines that sounds like the Kanye of old from The College Dropout days. Rihanna provides a simple yet effective chorus much to the degree of T.I.’s “Live Your Life” that does it’s just job and nothing more. The more recent focus of this track has been listeners claim of Kanye outdoing Jay on his own track, but honestly I don’t think that happens here. Sure Jay’s verses aren’t spectacular and mind-blowing, but Kanye’s verse doesn’t really shine that much greater. I think the punch lines present in Ye’s verse (“She got an ass that’ll swallow up a G-String/And up top, uh, two bee stings”) are reason that people think he murders Jay on this track, but ultimately he just comes off in having a more clever and cunning verse, not one that’s better. When it comes to murdering Jay on his own track that position is still one solely owned by Mr. Mathers on “Renegade” and this track doesn’t see any of that type of lyrical homicide taking place.

5. Empire State Of Mind
Featuring Alicia Keys; Produced by Shux, Co-Produced by Jane’t “Jnay” Sewell-Ulepic & Angela Hunte
“Hey ref SUB… come on out Nas, you’re in Alicia” (boos and jeers from the crowd among the angry and puzzled faces). If this song was a Monday Night Football game or the NBA Finals that would be the scenario that played out upon the release of this album. The original plans for this album called for the third collaboration effort between Jay and Nas (“Black Republican, “Success”) and it was one that many people were looking forward to but unfortunately for unknown reasons Nas was replaced by Alicia Keys on the final track listing. Does the song suffer from the replacement? Not at all! As the song title indicates (a nice play on “NY State Of Mind”) Jay tells you about the city he loves and call home. If you couldn’t recognize by the New York Yankees fitted over the years (“I made the Yankee hat more famous than a Yankee can”) Jay reps his city to the fullest and knows it quite like no other in speaking about his time in the drug game running through various boroughs, how he has become one of NY’s most historic figures and the influence the Apple (city) can have on a young Eve (woman). This song basically serves as an ‘ode to his city much like Kanye’s “Homecoming” and Alicia provides the soulfulness on the track’s chorus and bridge that take this track to the next level in their first collaboration together (hopefully not the last). Nas would have fit perfectly on this track along with Alicia Keys and it would have served as a nice homage to the classic Illmatic track, but you certainly can’t be mad at the final results from the applied change. The song essential becomes one of the best on the album and posses the stadium status necessary to make it a New York anthem.

6. Real As It Gets
Featuring Young Jeezy; Produced by The Inkredibles
In listening to this track it feels like one that was intended for a Young Jeezy album and comes off as Young Jeezy featuring Jay-Z instead of the other way around as if Jay is reaching to appeal to a Southern audience that is currently infatuated with the likes of Jeezy, Gucci Mane, OJ Da Juiceman, and others who have the draw. The Inkredibles provide some epic but undistinguished sounding production that caters more towards Jeezy than Jay, which sees them speaking about how they’re some of the realest rappers in the game and how listeners shouldn’t look further than them to find it. I don’t know if that’s an accurate declaration when looking at others rappers that span the entire genre and the jaded rhymes at times from the two don’t do much to convince the listeners otherwise. While this song sounds like it’s on the wrong album, it’s still a good one that delivers and serves its purpose.

7. On To The Next One
Featuring Swizz Beatz; Produced by Swizz Beatz
The first time I listened to this song it gave me a “Really Jay??” expression on my face. Being the first time in since Kingdom Come (“Dig A Hole”) that Jay and Swizz have linked up for a track and about 10 years since the last time it was successful (“Jigga My Nigga”, Vol. 3: Life And Times Of S. Carter), it comes off as disappointing. The production provided by Swizz Beatz is in typical fashion as it has that signature bounce that he’s known for but given his history in knowing what he’s capable of he could have came a lot better. In terms of lyrics Jay holds up his end of the bargain in speaking about how he’s always forward moving and never caught being in the same light as everybody else. With a better beat the results could have been better and matched the track’s potential from these two collaborating.

8. Off That
Featuring Drake; Produced by Timbaland & Jerome “Jroc” Harmon
This was the track that started it all in regards to the leaked BP3 tracks produced by Timbaland and saw people’s interest and promise for the final album decrease. I’ll admit that when I heard this song after it leaked I was with the majority of listeners who felt that this track was real disappointing for Jay’s standards and limiting Drake to just hook duty was a big letdown. Timbaland provides Jay with some of the Techno-infused production that he has recently become known for and while it’s catchy it can becomes dull over time. Timbaland can be hated for his production on this track but credit is due as he’s one of the few music producers that isn’t afraid to try new things that eventually see others following months and years later. This is Jay’s track to address current trends (Audemars Piguet, Cristal, Rims, Timberlands, “Making It Rain”, Oversized Clothes/Chains, etc.) that he feels a “R.I.P.” is necessary. Topic wise it’s very similar to the previous track where Jay states the facts about how stays ahead of the game and boasts that he’s still proficient in his “trend killing” abilities. We’ll see how many of these get added to the list with Throwback Jerseys and such (Probably a good majority…but I don’t know about Timbs Hov, that’s so NY). This track had the potential to possibly better with a verse from Drake instead of just featuring him on the hook, but we’ll have to see if that collaboration happens on Drake’s Thank Me Later debut album. I wouldn’t be surprised if this ends up being the third single from the album (Since it was rumored to be the 2nd before “Run This Town”) as it would work well in the club.

9. A Star Is Born
Featuring J. Cole; Produced by Kanye West & No ID
Even more anticipated than Jay working with Drake was his collaboration with his label signee J. Cole. So many people were ready to be disappointed when it was initially seen that Cole was nowhere to be found on the album but feelings changed when the official track listing was released. Kanye and No ID provide some subtle production that doesn’t overpower the emcees and allows the lyrics to shine for the listeners. Jay’s uses his verses to commend and celebrate those in Hip-Hop music who have become stars over the years in their careers (Eminem, DMX, Wu-Tang Clan, Kanye, T.I., Outkast, Mobb Deep, Snoop Dogg, etc.) and who are due to become stars in their own rights (Drake, Jeezy, J. Cole, etc.). He also talks about his rise to fame from the corner to the crown of the rap game while figuratively passing the torch to the rookie who delivers an effective verse and holds his own on the track with Jay. This song and J. Cole’s verse remind me of Kanye’s track “Touch The Sky”, which introduced the world to Lupe Fiasco and stands as the defining moment in his career from which it took off from. J. Cole is destined to become a major force in the music industry in some years and stand as one of the top figures of the new generation of rap music, this track further solidifies that point and shows that Jay knew what he was doing when he made him the first member of Roc Nation.

10. Venus Vs. Mars
Produced by Timbaland & Jerome “Jroc” Harmon
The final leaked Timbaland track that featured more laid-back production from Timbo this time around compared to his other two offerings. As the track title implies, Jay goes men vs. women (read: Jay vs. Bey) on his verses in using some clever play on words for the comparisons (Biggie/Pac, Blackberry Bold/Sidekick; “Me I’m from the apple which means I’m a Mac/She’s a PC she lives in my lap”). This is Jay’s “grown folk” track seeing as how there hasn’t been one on the album until this point and it’s one that could see some play in the clubs for its relaxing, laid-back feel.

11. Already Home
Featuring Kid Cudi; Produced by Kanye West
This is another collaboration that people were anticipating in seeing Jay hook up with another one of rap’s next generation stars on the rise. Kanye goes for dolo on this track in handling the production by himself, providing a lush beat that sounds like it could have had a home on his College Dropout or Late Registration album. Kid Cudi is left to the same fate as Drake in being brought on to just handle hook duty on this track and he does so in fitting fashion with it being not too much but just enough. Even though this track seems more fitting for Kanye or Cudi, Jay is able to make it work for him to a successful degree.

12. Hate
Featuring Kanye West; Produced by Kanye West
On this track Kanye goes solo again on the production side of things but provides some rhymes along with it this time around. The beat on the track sound like something that was done in the style of 808s & Heartbreak and for that fact fit Kanye more than it does Jay. This song isn’t too much stronger than “On To The Next One” in that it was one that could have been left off the album for better results. An average track and at best it just doesn’t work as a Jay track as much as it does for a Kanye track in looking like Jay was just following suit to Yeezy’s style and technique. The lyrics on this track basically follow suit to the song title with Jay and Ye talking about the topic of hate and haters with them copping a similar flow to LL Cool J’s “Going Back To Cali” in the first few bars of their verses respectively. This is the shortest track on the album so it’s one that listeners don’t have to sit too long through.

13. Reminder
Produced by Timbaland & Jerome “Jroc” Harmon
When Timbaland’s tracks leaked people were asking where the “bounce” was from him that he provided for Jay on tracks like “Dirt Off Your Shoulder” and “Big Pimpin’”, well this track is the track that they were searching for. Compared to the other two Timbaland produced tracks on this album this stands as one of the better ones as the bouncy beat allows Jay to spit lyrics that basically remind listeners of who he is and what he has accomplished in the industry (10 #1 albums in a row… make that 11 with BP3). At this point in his career a reminder of these facts isn’t really necessary and if so you need to go back 13 years and catch up. This is a good track that brings the level and tempo of the album back to a steady pace.

14. So Ambitious
Featuring Pharrell; Produced by The Neptunes
Thought we weren’t going to hear from The Neptunes on this album, but you know that’s mandatory since The Blueprint². The subtle production provided by The Neptunes on this track has a similar sound and feel to Common’s “Punch Drunk Love” heard on Universal Mind Control and ultimately it’s sort of lacking for The Neptunes’ production value. However Jay utilizes it to deliver a motivational track about how he never gave up his dreams and ambitions when others said he couldn’t and the opposition was stacked against him… and a little sneak jab to Mr. Dash (“Old buddy, oh buddy!”). Pharrell supplies the chorus on this track in his usual falsetto style and if you know him this track’s topic is one that he is familiar with.

15. Young Forever
Featuring Mr. Hudson; Produced by Kanye West
As the title implies you should have guessed that you would hear Alphaville’s “Forever Young” in some shape and form and it appears courtesy of a sample in Kanye’s production work. Serving as the album’s closing track, this album has a similar feel to “Beach Chair” on Kingdom Come with its spacious production and Jay’s lyrics of reflection. Jay’s lyrics talks about staying young and never growing old, and how he will forever be Jay-Z (A play on his nickname “Young”) and won’t change from who he is regardless of the years that past. The chorus sung by Mr. Hudson basically takes from the original Alphaville track as he gives off a similar feel to hearing Chris Martin of Coldplay (You know Jay wasn’t going back to that after Ye accused him of biting on “Big Brother”… but we know the real story). While this track has a similar to feel to “Beach Chair” it is unfortunately not as strong production wise or lyrically. However it does a nice job of closing out the album on a calm and peaceful note.

Bottom Line:
15 tracks later and 8 years since the original, The Blueprint 3… is a really good album. Leading up to the 9.11.09 9.8.09 release there was much anticipation for this album in seeing how it ultimately would fare against the now classic The Blueprint album and in that regard it falls short of what that album achieved with classic status. But as Jay stated with this album he wanted to create the “new classic” and refrain from it being compared to the “old classic” (The Blueprint) in allowing it to stand on its own apart from the rest of the Blueprint trilogy. With that being the focus of creating something “different” and diverse from the rest of the albums in his catalog he achieved that as The Blueprint 3 is unlike any other album he has released lyrically and production wise. That doesn’t mean the results are a total successful from it being different. With this album he showed more diversity sonically in terms of production value and provided a platform for the rap’s next generation to be ushered in. By now it is understood that Jay-Z has matured/grown older, moved away from the street life that he used to be involved in, and isn’t the same Hov that was once heard on Reasonable Doubt. In working to present an album that’s diverse I think it succeeds in doing that while it might be a little too different for hardcore Jay-Z fans’ standards. Some songs on this album sound as if they were intended or would be better placed on other artists’ albums, which kind of shows Jay as reaching to appeal to other audiences and what’s deemed popular by Hip-Hop’s younger audience. But this album offers a good mixture of tracks with something to be found enjoyable by listeners of all types. In regards to its ranking with the other two albums in the Blueprint trilogy, it tops The Blueprint² but fails to surpass The Blueprint. Some mediocre tracks prevent this album from being labeled a classic but it still warrants a purchase from casual listeners and hardcore fans alike. Whether physical or digital, make sure you pick up a copy of BP3 when it’s released cause when it comes to bootleg copies… we Off That!

nappyPicks: “D.O.A. (Death Of Auto-Tune)”, “Run This Town”, “Empire State Of Mind”, “A Star Is Born”, “Reminder”, “Already Home”, “Venus Vs. Mars”, “Thank You”, “Real As It Gets”, “Off That”