Every since Lil’ Wayne started messing with the guitar around the Like Father, Like Son days; he had an itch to make a Hip-Hop/Rock album. After seeing the success of The Love Below and Kanye’s 808’s & Heartbreak, Weezy wanted to push the lines even farther. I have to admit I was in the middle leaning to the negative with Weezy’s decision to do this, but after hearing this song, I have to say I was wrong.
OMG © Slik P

SONG OF THE YEAR STATUS.

Download: Lil’ Wayne feat. Eminem – “Drop The World”

It’s that time again. More music is coming out and once again it’s up to your old friend B-Easy to round ‘em up. And thankfully this time it does not include Lil’ Wayne or Gucci Mane (Hey, just to change things up a bit). In this edition we have 50 Cent getting Norman Bates-like with Marshall, DJ Khaled calls some friends and gets fed up, and we get one foot out with Mike Posner. (*clicking through iPod and setting it to Hustle) Let’s get it.

Download: 50 Cent feat. Eminem – “Psycho”
Produced by Dr. Dre
Well, looks like Curtis’ Before I Self Destruct has sprung a leak almost a month before it’s scheduled release. And of course the first song I pick is the one that features Eminem with Dr. Dre on the boards.

Download: DJ Khaled feat. Usher, Young Jeezy, Rick Ross, & Drake – “Fed Up”
Produced by The Runners
By now you should know what a DJ Khaled posse cuts sounds like: Runners on the beat; Akon Usher, Weezy Drake, Ricky Ross, & Jeezy on the track. Hey, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. Khaled’s Victory drops in 2010.

Download: Mike Posner feat. Big Sean & Freddie Gibbs – “Bring Me Down”
Produced by Block Beattaz
I just recently go into Mike Posner and what a good time since his second mixtape One Foot Out The Door just got released. Why did I picked this track? I fucks with Gibbs and Big Sean (Uh, you know what I mean). I ‘ll tell you what I think of Mike “Senior at Duke University” Posner another time.

You know most of us on the nappyafro Staff don’t usually do posts on Saturday right? But why the hell not? Especially when you get new music like this. First we got a CD quality version of Eminem’s “Taking My Ball” off the upcoming DJ Hero: Renegade Edition video game. Then we got three new songs from Drizzy Drake (Even though all sound like there works in process). “Say Something” is supposedly off Timbaland’s upcoming Shock Value 2, “Believe It Or Not” is with Gucci Mane, and “King Leon” solo. Sorry for just posting up songs and running without giving some award winning insight…but it is Saturday night. What do you want me to do?

Download: Eminem – “Taking My Ball”

Download: Timbaland feat. Drake – “Say Something”

Download: Gucci Mane feat. Drake – “Believe It Or Not”

Download: Drake – “King Leon”

The music video to the biggest song of the year has been released. And even though I don’t think music videos don’t hold the same weight as they did back in the day, this is still a good look (I mean they could have just put in LeBron highlights from high school and called it a day). My favorite part: Slaughterhouse standing behind Eminem (Of course).

Finally. All week the net has been buzzing about a new song that features Drake, Kanye, Weezy, & Eminem; “Forever”. It was scheduled to drop Friday but it here 2 days early. Also, sorry about the pic. I didn’t feel like cutting up anything including all the rappers on the song. And besides, the track is for LeBron’s movie, More Than A Game (Check out the trailer here). It just occurred to me that Wayne finally got to be on a song with Eminem…just to get out rhymed! All in all, everybody turned in a good performance. Produced by Boi-1da. If you want more about the story behind the song, check here and here. Update: Added Final/Mastered version

Download: Drake feat. Kanye West, Lil’ Wayne, & Eminem – “Forever”

Download: Drake feat. Kanye West, Lil’ Wayne, & Eminem – “Forever” (Final/Mastered)

I trust you read the title. Now that I have your attention…. Mixtapes. Mixtapes. Mixtapes. I love them as much as the next guy. Cheap, inventive, and it’s an avenue in many cases where artists can cut loose and do some amazing things. We’re in that day and age at the moment where it seems like mixtapes yield higher quality and are more anticipated than the actual album of an artist.

And that is a MAJOR issue.

I’m always hearing about how MC Such N’ Such [As much as I’d love to point out Gucci Mane for this example, I don’t feel he deserves the publicity.] is the truth on the 5 million mixtape variations he’s got out. Indeed, he might be deadly impressive on someone else’s beats or the cut of his verse from someone else’s track; but why do his albums suck so much? How come left to his own devices, powerhouse producers, and infinite features; his album is “okay” at best. Nothing more I hate than a hype train that takes me to a destination I’ve already been to over and over. Frankly, I’m tired of so many rappers nabbing “Best in The Game” statuses based off of mixtapes when they can’t bring it where it truly counts…the STUDIO ALBUM.

I think a lot of this frustration stems from how mixtapes are perceived. I’ll sum it up like this. Movies have trailers to get you amped for a film coming your way soon. They’re cut intricately and are designed to get your ass to the theater so you can drop that money down on the real deal, the actual film. The mixtape is an auditory trailer for the grand feature, I’ll repeat, the studio album.

So imagine when I see a trailer for a movie that should be awesome then I pay my money, sit down, and realize I’ve been duped into 100 minutes of straight bullshit. Of course I’m going to be mad. Same thing for mixtapes. You’ve showcased what you can do and you’ve got my anticipation up. The A&R’s have heard you and you got that label signing and the big album is due soon. Then it drops and for whatever reason, it fails on all accounts to live up to all this hype you bombarded me with prior.

Be honest with yourself as I ask you this question.

How many albums have lived up to the hype based on mixtapes not named Tha Carter 3? And even then, we have those wishing to debate the issue, given that Tha Carter 3’s anticipation had more heat than the oven door.

Used properly and distributed sparingly, mixtapes are an effective hype tool in preparation for what could be a quality album. As much hate as the man garners lately, much of it deserved, 50 Cent’s mixtape run before Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ was perfect. Just the right amount of street singles, freestyles, and showcasing to get everyone ready for an album that took the world by storm; and launched a career.

Another problem I’m seeing with mixtapes is over saturation. So many come out for an artist, it may be viewed as a waste to even worry about the album; especially in the case of track leaks being all over official and unofficial mixtapes. Let us not forget how just like the radio, TOO MUCH of an artist could easily lead to backlash.

Let us not forget that with mixtapes being a cheap alternative and less people willing to pay for music; mixtapes see more money than the actual studio albums and it’s the studio albums that keep your favorite rappers out of the “Where Are They Now” category. [See Gunnas, Young or Kwon, J]. The general populace treats the mixtape with the reverence and scrutiny that the studio album should get. I can ask the average Hip-Hop fan a release date on a mixtape and get solid answers; whereas they’re shocked half the time when an album drops. I repeat, you can spit hot fire like Dylan and have the world talking about you; if the studio album sucks, how good of an artist are they really?

Now, I’m not saying you’ve got to do Outkast numbers; or more recently, Wayne numbers. An album’s QUALITY is not always judged by how fast it flies off shelves. That proverb is as old as my I Declare War CD [Oh, the days when Pastor Troy claimed Augusta] and doesn’t look to change for the foreseeable future.

There are artists being victimized by mixtapes as well when the mixtape is all the fans will deal with. With sales declining across the board and leaks running rampant, now is the best time for artists to focus on creating quality studio works for the masses. Honestly, CD’s and legal downloading need a boost before it gets worse than it is now. I’ll be honest, if the CD is QUALITY, I’ll buy it.

It’s those buys that keep them making albums for the foreseeable future. How supportive are you really digesting every mixtape and downloading everything without giving something back to them to keep them in the game? I’m looking at the Slim Thug fans out there. Boss of All Bosses should have at least got that gold plaque, but I didn’t see anyone shying away from his quality mixtapes, which lead to a quality album.

Artists are getting released out of contracts due to declining sales and we the fans aren’t saving their chances of staying in the spotlight; yet we ask why they don’t get more mainstream love. The label could care less how many mixtapes they move. The STUDIO ALBUM keeps them afloat and the artist in the spotlight that you, as a fan, would want them to bask in. I just see an ass of no-wins involved, because I’m rarely seeing mixtape heavy-hitters with justifiable sales AND/OR quality studio work that was worth the hype.

On the heels of Mixtape Messiah 7 dropping, I’m just asking Hip-Hop fans to realize we have to put in what we take and be realistic about it. If the trailer rules and the movie sucks, the movie failed you. Same for music. Albums are original pieces of work that an artist will be judged by for years to come in terms of sales, quality, and overall staying power. I love them as much as the next man, but it takes more than these underground pieces of art to be considered among an elite crop of Hip-Hop standards.

We as fans deserve more than hype and you should demand more for your dollar and for your ears. While I’d never want to see mixtapes die, it’d be nice for someone to tell me how good someone’s album is in a debate; as opposed to me telling them how sorry an album was then them defending it with the latest mixtape that dropped.

Forgive me. I want more than bits and pieces, I want the whole thing. And as Eminem, Wayne, and possibly Drake are showing; we’re willing to pay for quality. Just don’t leave all that genius where it won’t count in the long run.

I know I ruffled a few feathers this week with my post about Eminem and him never being the GOAT. So I decided to bring a real GOAT out for this installment of Song of the Week. Yeah, I know I buried LL Cool J in a column, but that was coming from a fans perspective. LL used to be my favorite rapper and I hated to see him still hanging around past his prime (take notes Hov). Some of you got it twisted when I said Em wasn’t battle tested, you guys are thinking I meant he must be involved in a “beef” to make his legacy. NO, that isn’t what I meant, but every GOAT has had a battle that made their claim to the throne legit. LL is one of the most battle tested emcee’s out there. He came up in a time where battling was what you had to do. Some of you may not be old enough to remember his battles with Kool Moe Dee, but I can assure you that they were epic. For the record a battle isn’t one sided, a battle goes back and forth and there isn’t always a clear cut winner (ex. Jay vs. Nas). Enough about history, some of ya’ll think I don’t know my Hip-Hop just because I embrace Beezy and liked Deeper than Rap. Notice how everyone on the track brings their A game, even Erick Sermon was on his shit on the production! We have all heard this one, so I’m not wasting anymore time on talking about it..so enjoy this installment of Song of the Week!

Download: LL Cool J, Canibus, Method Man, Redman, & DMX – “4,3,2,1″

Yeah I said it. Eminem will never be looked at as the Greatest of all time. NEVER. This is not saying that he isn’t a good artist, because he is. I am just giving it to you straight, no chaser. Eminem has sold millions of albums, and has made millions of dollars, but one thing he will never be is the G.O.A.T. Why you ask? Look here and let me school you.

To be the best you have to battle the best. Eminem has ZERO rap battles under his belt. Everlast you say. EVERLAST? Even if we do count that one, where does that battle rank on your all time list? If he would have battled Everlast in 93-94 when House of Pain was popping, that would have been different. He took on a rapper turned country singer! Look at the list of people that Marshall has had public beefs with: Brittney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Elton John, Moby, Fred Durst, NSync, Backstreet Boys, Insane Clown Posse, Mariah Carey, Nick Cannon, Nelly, Benzino, the Source, and XXL. Don’t say Ja Rule either, that was a pile on and Eminem just jumped on top of it. Look at the list and show me some real competition. To be the man you have to beat the man, and by the looks of it Eminem likes taking shots at women.

I know some of you can’t wait to get to the end of this to call me everything EXCEPT King Jerm, but think about it, what makes Eminem so special? If he was a black rapper with the same exact lyrics, he would be CANIBUS. No one would care about him and he never would have been this successful. If you don’t think that his complexion has anything to do with it…you are CRAZY. Who would listen to a rapper talk ill of his mom, rap about abusing drugs, and killing people? NOBODY. The man has skills but I don’t see the big deal. Most rappers are battletested, Marshall isn’t, so let his record reflect that. He IS NOT and WILL NOT be the GOAT.

Wow. I mean when you are a married man and someone goes in on your wife…you have to say something. Now I know that Nick Cannon is not a formidable opponent for Marshall, but Nick did kind of throw gasoline on the fire. Shady and all of his antics are back on this one, and it looks like he’s taking a page from his lablemate here. “The Warning” is a fun track, but it does GO IN on Mr. & Mrs. Mariah Carey. All I have to say after hearing this one is that Nick better go and get a good ghostwriter for this one. You check it out for yourself. Why didn’t your boy Marshall go in on Ross? Scared?

Download: Eminem – “The Warning”

This week, other than people falling out of the Top 50, it really wasn’t any movement. The late great J Dilla’s posthumous album, Jay Stay Paid, manage to make the Top 100. By the way, we didn’t actually “review” the album, but SBK (aka SpeakerHead) wrote a insightful piece about it. Check it out here.

By this time next week, Eminem’s Relapse will most likely pass 1 million in sales. In this day and time, that’s incredible. Em still shows he definitely has drawing power. I wonder how Relapse 2 will do. I’m outta here quick. Till next week…

#2 Eminem/Relapse (Last Week: #1) – 141,000; Total: 962,000 (Gold) [3 Weeks]
#23 Beyonce/I Am Sasha Fierce (Last Week: #23) – 16,100; Total: 2,220,700 (2x Platinum) [30 Weeks]
#25 Keri Hilson/In A Perfect World… (Last Week: #27) – 13,600; Total: 327,200 [11 Weeks]
#30 Method Man & Redman/Blackout! 2 (Last Week: #18) – 14,400; Total: 92,400 [3 Weeks]
#33 Chrisette Michele/Epiphany (Last Week: #26) – 13,400; Total: 162,500 [5 Weeks]
#40 Rick Ross/Deeper Than Rap (Last Week: #32) – 12,000; Total: 315,900 [7 Weeks]
#41 Busta Rhymes/Back On My B.S. (Last Week: #22) – 11,400; Total: 87,400 [3 Weeks]
#42 Jamie Foxx/Intuition (Last Week: #39) – 11,100; Total: 957,800 (Gold) [25 Weeks]
#96 J Dilla/Jay Stay Paid (Last Week: NA) – 5,800; Total: NA [Debut]