Video: Kanye West - Blood On The Leaves (MTV VMA Performance)

My favorite joint aka one of the bright spots for me off of that album I don't really enjoy.

Get More: 2013 VMA, Artists.MTV, Music, Kanye West

Kanye's Black Skinhead video, dope and disappointing at the same [damn] time

Kanye just dropped an interactive video for Black Skinhead. From a technological perspective, it's awesome. You click play on the splash page and from there you can toggle the speed at which he raps using a slider in the upper right corner of the screen.

I don't think I've ever seen an artist (hip-hop especially) do this before. Kanye took the functionality built into the web and released his video straight to the InterWebs, it's a great idea/move. This video could never work on television in the same way it does on the web. And who runs home and watches videos on TV anymore anyway (sorry teenagers, I'm grown)? So that's the dope part of the video. The disappointing part of the video is the actual video itself. It's Kanye CGI'd to look like the Incredible Hulk (he's jacked with a shimmery chain on - the graphics guy/people did a kick-ass job) and posturing/running around in the video. I mean, I get it... This is "ARTISTIC". It definitely is but it's also pretty damn boring too (on some ole' "blavant garde" type shyt). Or maybe I'm just not artistic enough to appreciate the video fully, which could definitely be the case (just like it was/is with Yeezus as a whole).

Check it out for yourself though. You can watch the full video at KanyeWest.com.

Kanye West, "White Dress"

Out of all of his multiple personalities, this is one of my favorites lol. He's semi-channeling his 808's style here, minus the autotune. This one's off the "The Man With the Iron Fists" soundtrack. This isn't an official video but I actually like the treatment.

Happy (G.O.O.D.) Friday!!!

"In the past if you picture events like a black tie, what's the last thing you expect to see..."

That's me and a few of my buddies (the CEO of the Enoch Pratt Free Library system being the lovely lady in the picture) at the Pratt Contemporaries' Black and White Party in late January. I couldn't help but think of that Kanye lyric when I looked at the picture. "Black excellence, opulence, decadence..."



[Jay-Z:] Bloody murder, murder murder [x4]

[Kanye West:]
The paper read murder, black on black murder
The paper read murder, black on black murder

[Jay-Z:]
This is to the memory of Danroy Henry
Too much enemy fire to catch a friendly
Strays from the same shade, nigga we on the same team
Giving you respect, I expect the same thing
All black everything, nigga you know my fresh code
I’m out here fightin’ for you, don’t increase my stress load
Niggas watchin’ the throne, very happy to be
Power to the people, when you see me, see you

[Kanye West:]
And I’m from the murder capital, where they murder for capital
Heard about at least 3 killings this afternoon
Lookin’ at the news like damn I was just with him after school,
No shop class but half the school got a tool,
And I could die any day type attitude
Plus his little brother got shot reppin’ his avenue
It’s time for us to stop and re-define black power
41 souls murdered in 50 hours

The paper read murder, black on black murder,
The paper read murder, black on black murder again
Murder again...

Is it genocide?
Cause I can still hear his momma cry, know the family traumatized
Shots left holes in his face, bout piranha-size
The old pastor closed the cold casket
And said the church ain’t got enough room for all the tombs
It’s a war going on outside, we ain’t safe from
I feel the pain in my city wherever I go
314 soldiers died in Iraq
509 died in Chicago

[Jay-Z:]
I arrived on the day Fred Hampton died
Real niggas just multiply
And they say by 21 I was supposed to die
So I’m out here celebratin’ my post demise
If you put crabs in a barrel to insure your survival
You gon’ end up pulling down niggas that look just like you
What up blood? What up cos?
It’s all black, I love us

[Kanye West:]
The paper read murder, black on black murder,
The paper read murder, black on black murder again
Black on black murder again
Black on black murder again

[Jay-Z:]
It’s a celebration of black excellence
Black tie, black Maybachs
Black excellence, opulence, decadence
Tuxes next to the president, I’m present
I dress in Dries and other boutique stores in Paris
In sheepskin coats, I silence the lamb
Do you know who I am Clarice?
No cheap cologne whenever I “shh-shh”
Success never smelled so sweet, I stink of success
The new black elite, they say my black card bear the mark of the beast
I repeat, my religion is the beat
My verse is like church, my Jesus piece, now please, domino, domino
Only spot a few blacks the higher I go
What’s up to Will, shoutout to O
That ain’t enough, we gon’ need a million more
Kick in the door, Biggie flow
I’m all dressed up with nowhere to go

[Kanye West:]
Yea it’s all messed up when it’s nowhere to go
So we won’t take the time out til we reach the T O P
From paroles to hold G’s, sold keys, low keys
We like the promised land of the OG’s
In the past if you picture events like a black tie
What’s the last thing you expect to see, black guys
What’s the life expectancy for black guys?
The system’s working effectively, that’s why
I’ll be a real man, take care of your son
Every problem you had before this day is now done
New crib, watch a movie
Cause ain’t nothin’ on the news but the blues
Hit the mall, pick up some Gucci
Now ain’t nothin’ new but your shoes
Sunday morning, praise the Lord
You the girl that Jesus had been saving me for
So let’s savor this moment, and take it to the floor
Black excellence, truly yours

Lyrics courtesy of AZlyrics.com and an even cooler explanation of the lyrics over at RapGenius.com.

Video: Kanye West - Amazing

This isn't really one of Kanye's better videos but I've always liked the song, and I liked the video because of the panoramic shots of Hawaii. For some reason I find those shots inspiring (read: makes me want to travel). I woke up this morning wanting to listen to the 808s album and that's what inspired this post.

Throwback! Bobby Blue Bland - Ain't No Love In The Heart of the City

I probably heard this before Kanye sampled and sped-up a snippet of this song but I'm sure the reason I like it so much now is because of that sample. Lots of times people complain about the use of samples and how it shows a lack of creativity from today's producers, but I actually think that the use of samples can help those of us who didn't grow up on the music get introduced to it and gain an appreciation for it. It just takes a little effort from the fans of this relatively new genre of music called hip-hop to go and do the research to find out where the samples come from and investigate the artists that created the originals.

And just in case you were under a rock from September 2001 until about February of 2002, here's the Kanye-produced "Heart of a City (Ain't No Love)" off Jay-Z's "Blueprint" album:

Mysterious "Watch The Throne" Email

Yesterday I received the following message in my inbox suggesting that I pre-order Jay-Z & Kanye's "Watch the Throne" album.

HUH?

The same album that had a single drop long long ago and then nothing!

The same album that Kanye ran off at the mouth about on New Year's Eve saying it was dropping "in one week"?

Now, I'm supposed to get this in my inbox and pre-order the album with no word about it from Jay or Kanye in months and no "second" single to listen to? Yeah right. I guess this was a true test of my Jay-Z/Kanye STAN status. I'm glad I failed. Apparently the album has a release date of August 2 which is less than a month away. We'll see. As for the pre-order, drop another single fellas and I might consider it.

One of my favorite Kanye verses ever

A friend just made me think of this song and it reminded me that this was one of my favorite Kanye features at the time this came out and the more I think about it, this might be one of my favorite Kanye verses ever. He's got some slick lines in here ("switch my girls around like 3-L-dub) and a few lazy ones ("family in high places like Jesus niece") but overall the tone and content of his verse suit the song and his flow fits the beat well.

Uh! And don't be tryin to come around my girl actin like Mr. Friendly
And steal the spotlight like Mr. Bentley
I spotted her like Spud McKenzie
And for them fake boobies I payed them Benjies
Get your own, I got Paris he got Nicky he tried to get 'em a clone
He said yeah you know you got extra hoes
And everything you do is extra cold
From the Polo fleece to the Jesus piece
I got family in high places like Jesus' niece
Can I please, say my piece
If y'all fresh to death, then I'm deceased
And this one here, is a heat rock
Spit like a beat box, the way the beat rocks
New version of Pete Rock!
But for that Benz I get CL love
So I switch my girls around like 3L-dub
I'm callin..

The reason so many people loved Rick Ross's verse on "Devil in a New Dress"

Honestly, this is a simple answer, it's the production. But in my opinion, there's more.

First off, the Bink! produced track (Mike Dean is also listed as a co-producer) is definitely one of the top 3 songs on the album (I'd throw "Power" and "All of the Lights" or "Gorgerous" in there as well). Secondly, Bink! did an excellent job of taking the sample from Smokey Robinson's "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" and interspersing the low guitar chords in the beginning of the song and then bringing in the serious guitar chords later. Part of me wants to think that Kanye may have gotten the original beat from Bink! and then made some tweaks to it with Bink!. Nevertheless, I'm sure Kanye could hear this track being played in a stadium ("stadium status", anyone?) and with that heavy guitar in there for the second half of the song, it would definitely appeal to the pop/rock crowds. Like Dave Chappelle (not me!) once said, white people love some electric guitar.

Chappelles Show
Electric Guitar, Drums or Electric Piano Pt. 1
www.comedycentral.com
Buy Chappelle's Show DVDs Black Comedy True Hollywood Story

"It speaks directly to the soul of the white person, they find it irresistible." LOL!

Back to the topic (no J. Cole)...

Let's take the beat as the foundation for the song and then consider how the beat and verses are arranged. First off, the song is 5 minutes and 52 seconds long! Not cut for radio and long enough for the average listener to surmise that there's some sort of skit, interlude, or section where the beat just plays (I'm not sure of the proper musical/technical term for this) bridge. Kanye raps for the first 2 minutes and 50 seconds after which we hit the bridge.

From what I can tell and based in my very rudimentary knowledge of music composition, the bridge in this song serves two purposes. The first is to give the listener a better appreciation for the beat up to this point. And I don't mean appreciation in the sense that we should be impressed but an appreciation in the sense of what instruments are being used and those that have now been taken away during the bridge. The second purpose is to get the listener ready for the beat to come back but this time, with some serious guitar chords incorporated into it. The chords are actually brought in during the bridge (at about the 3 minute 12 second mark). The chords are brought back in and slowly drums are brought back into the beat and then the next thing you know...


This leads me to the point of this post. Ross's verse is nothing special lyrically. I've definitely heard better from Mr. Rozay and for those of you that still don't respect Ross's lyrical ability I submit to you Exhibit A, "Solemnly Swear" and Exhibit B, "Valley of Death". The latter of which I think may be Ross's most lyrical song ever, inspired by Curtis Jackson no less. As for his verse on this song, honestly the only gem in there is "when it comes to tools n*gga I'm a Pep Boy". And that is by no means an overwhelming piece of lyricism. Granted, maybe the "double-headed monster with a mind of his own" and "making love to the angel of death" lines are deeper than I can see. Yet-and-still, I don't think this is a stand-out Ross verse by any means and I'm a Ross fan. In the end, I think that the bridge helps Ross out tremendously and his delivery is what makes his verse memorable. Not to mention, Ross's verse also brings in that other fanbase/target market Kanye's trying to capture, the "streets". Whether you want to accept it or not, Ross's appearance on the song gives the song some "street credibility".

Overall, Bink!'s production, Kanye's verse, the bridge and Ricky Rozay's voice, delivery, and ad-libs (ughh!) combined with the beat and arrangement of the song makes the song special. It's definitely one of my favorites from the album.

BONUS COVERAGE: If you'd like to check out various samples used on the My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy album, check the video out below:

[Probably NSFW] Who taught you how to have a diva moment? ... YEEZY TAUGHT ME!

I just saw the clip below from Russell Simmon's new "reality" show. The clip was labeled as Amber Rose having a "diva" moment? Well, what a surprise? She went from being an aspiring model to dating one of hip-hops most popular stars and she *somehow* either turned into a diva, had a diva moment, or has been a diva all along. None of the 3 would shock me but I'd gamble my money on the guess that since she started modeling Amber has probably wanted to be a "diva" but just didn't have the resume (don't all women have at least a little diva in them anyway though) and Kanye was her ticket to enable her to be a real diva if she wanted to.

And boy oh boy did she hit a home-run! She caught Kanye post-break-up/post-engagement and aesthetically she's one of those women whose sex appeal and general appearance would make most men want to holla (read: hit that). And even though she seems/seemed quite quiet she has that intriguing look/edge to her with the short hair and the fact that she posed half-naked in magazines for a living (yeah fellas, THAT edge).

Amber seemed to just play the role of Kanye's armpiece for a long time. This isn't surprising as Kanye probably has to be the bigger diva in his relationships (no shots I love Kanye but let's be real here). She didn't talk much, she was just there, looking fashion-forward, trendy, voluptuous, and flyy just about all the time. But even as Yeezy's armpiece she always had this aura of mystery about her, probably because she was so quiet. You know they say you have to watch out for the quiet ones. And once I heard Cassidy's lyrics on his Ego Remix I started wondering if Amber Rose was just another allegedly reformed hoodrat that hit the jackpot. At this point, I'm not saying that she is at all because I don't know her (in other words, this entire post is conjecture and/or my perception which could definitely be wrong). But I will say that after watching this video it seems like the fame (and money by the way because she was allegedly given a six or seven figure amount to not talk about her relationship with Kanye) she gained from being Kanye's girl *MAY* have gone to her head a bit. Or maybe I'm missing something and if so, ladies please explain it to me.

What I find most interesting about this video is that Amber Rose said she likes a "manly man". Presumably this implies that she likes guys a little less "metro" and a little more "street". At least that's how I interpreted it. And if that's the case, no offense to Ye Tuda but how did Kanye fit that description? Like seriously, how did Kanye even come remotely close to that description?


The diva moment is something I think every woman has every once in a while. Some of you ladies have more than others because you listen to too much Beyonce and watch too much Basic Broads of... Real Housewives shows and think you can pull off the same shenanigans. So for Amber Rose to have one isn't out of the realm of reality by any means at all, but it did seem a little extra. But I guess being extra is part of what makes it a diva moment.

It's just one of those songs....

... that makes me HYPE!


Kanye & 'nem laced this one!

Question, is Charlie Wilson signed to G.O.O.D. Music? I know Pusha T is but I didn't hear anything about Charlie Wilson being signed. Not to mention Charlie's on the "bonus" song I'm including below...


Mos Def obliterated that joint (seriously, go back and listen again). Lupe reminds me a lot of Mos because they stay over your head (pausejustincase). The kid Big Sean on the first track is kinda nice at times too. Now that I think about it, G.O.O.D. Music has a pretty dope line-up:

• Kanye Tuda (pop-rap)
• John Legend (R&B)
• Common (conscious rap)
• Pusha T (street/coke rap)
• Big Sean (I'm not quite sure yet but he seems like his nitch will be similar to Kanye's)
• Kid Cudi (emo rap)
• Charlie Wilson??? (old-school "crooner")

Not to mention Kanye can enlist pretty much anyone outside of Cuuuuuurtis and Taylor Swift to hop on a track.

These joints and more avaiable on Kanye's blog. Oh yeah, I got one more I'll present without comment...


It's a shame that Kanye is such a polarizing figure because it forces those who choose not to like him to give him less credit for his talent than he probably deserves. He's brought it all on himself through some of his actions but if dude were quiet or just less arrogant and obnoxious at times he'd probably be held in a lot higher esteem across the board.

Musically, Kanye has grown from a sample-driven producer to an all-around artist. He's not a musician in terms of playing an instrument but his creativity and vision for putting together music is something that not very many people have. I don't like everything he does outside of the booth but when it comes to making good (errrr G.O.O.D.) music, he's a beast. I won't go as far as my boy KCW and say he's the "Marvin Gaye of our generation" which is a bit much but he's definitely one of the best hip-hop producers of our generation.

Video: Kanye West - Power

I'm not sure if this is the full video because it's only a verse but the video is definitely on some next-level ish with the visuals.


Kanye oftentimes makes himself an easy target because he's at times arrogant, always out-spoken, and isn't afraid to be different. The latter two I don't mind so much, lol. But one thing that's consistent is that he pushes the limits of what people expect a typical rapper to be. He makes GREAT music and gives you something fresh every album in terms of his sound or his style of rapping. He makes the best videos of any rapper, perhaps ever.

This video doesn't fit the lyrics of the song necessarily but if you understand the point he's making in the song and you understand what the visuals in the video represent you can see that Kanye's trying to tell you something a little deeper than just what the words mean. It's a dope video and I'm sure it'll be controversial or at least cause lots of discussion in hip-pop circles (yes, I wrote "hip-pop").

There's also an uncensored version on vimeo that's definitely not safe for work, lol.

Why do I enjoy corny stuff so much? Seriously, why?

Maybe it's because I'm a goofball with a corny sense of humor, just maybe.


Apparently, Aziz Ansari (pictured above with Kanye Tuda) is a HUGE fan of Kanye West and a huge fan of hip-hop. It appears that he actually knows Kanye personally.


The above video isn't really hilarious to me, but the one below is, don't ask me why lol.


This guy really is going to drop a mixtape based on the character RAAAAAAAANDY he portrays in his stand-up routine.

Why Serena, Kanye, and Lil Mama Matter More Than You Want to Believe

Exhibit A: Serena Williams outburst at the U.S. Open


Serena's outburst was just about as uncalled-for and even more disrespectful than Kanye's decision to jump onstage and pull a "Kanye". Normally, Serena is very well-spoken and tactful both on-and-off the court. I'm always impressed by the intelligence, composure, demeanor, and classiness of the Williams' sisters which is why this strikes me as an unfortunate aberration for Serena. Of all the things I could imagine her saying I would have never thought she'd swear to God that she'd shove a tennis ball down the line judge's throat. That's harsh, lol. Could I see her calling a line judge or umpire stupid or straight up wrong about a call, YES. Shoving a ball down someone's throat is so Ving Rhames slash R. Kelly of her (you'll get that one eventually), lol. Outside of that I was equally disappointed in the post-match interview where you could see on her face that she knew she was wrong for having done it, but was too prideful to admit she was wrong, apologize, and take the heat. I'd have respected her a lot more in this shytuation if that were the case. But as far as I know she has yet to formally apologize or make a statement and that's pretty disappointing. There are a lot of young Black girls that look up to Serena and Venus and I think by not coming out and making a statement saying that it was wrong and people shouldn't react this way, she's doing a disservice to those young girls that look up to her. YES, she has a social responsibility to do this! I don't care what anyone says.

UPDATE: Serena has apologized.

Exhibit B: Kanye West storming the stage (again) at the VMA's

Watch the video here

First off, this focking guy! Seriously! This is the second time Kanye's pulled a stunt like this so there's really no excuse whatsoever as far as I'm concerned. Apparently he was sauced up off Hennessy the whole night and I'm sure that had something to do with it. But nevertheless, even off a fifth of that yak he's got to know he can't pull a stunt like that TWICE! Maybe the pressure of Amber Rose's increasing celebrity is getting at his insecurities? But realistically, homie is biting the hands that feed him. Does Kanye not know that some of the same people that listen to country music's Taylor Swift are also buying his records as well? He's not moving that many units solely of the bruhs and sistahs out here, let's be real. Not to mention that outside of record sales, fan-bases, and pop culture attention whoring, Kanye was FLAT OUT WRONG for jumping onstage like that! And not just WRONG, but CLASSLESS (read: without class, tact, or respect). For a man who tends to think so highly of himself in terms of his level of sophistication and the "finer things in life" he enjoys (Amber Rose, included), he sure knows how to act indignantly obnoxious (read: like a fucking spoiled bratty azzhole). Beyonce should have grabbed his dumb-azz by the ear and pulled him offstage (sidebar: I swear Beyonce is acting more and more like an old, wise and all-knowing Black woman nowadays than ever. Sasha doing the performing, singing, and videos though, lol). Funny thing is, I wasn't surprised one bit by what Kanye did. That's actually the sad part. Kanye is a great producer, an on-the-verge-of-great rapper, and a pop icon. If that's not enough for him to let his "big ego" go limp for a minute and humble himself and realize that God has given him things a lot of us will never see then he should at least have some respect for his fellow artists, musicians, and fans of not only himself but Taylor Swift. This was the biggest display of azzhole-ishness from Kanye thus far and the unfortunate part is that I'm sure there's more to come. Blame on the a-a-a-a-alcohol Kanye. Good luck with that.

Oh yeah, Kanye has apologized, unlike Serena. To his apology I say, WOMP!

UPDATE: Video of Kanye apologizing on Jay Leno 9/14/09 (courtesy nahright.com)

Read about it here

This one is the least offensive of these incidents. In fact, it wasn't offensive at all, just out-of-place. The people that were enjoying the Jay-Z and Alicia Keys performance surely cared nothing about Lil Mama and may have only known her (if they knew her at all) from America's Next Best Dance Team (or whatever that show is called). Mama's situation was one in which no matter how siced she was that the Jay and Alicia performance was crankin', she needed to keep her "Lil" azz in her seat.

It was a disrespectful move in the sense that you don't get onstage with two (arguable) legends (definitely one legend at the least in Jay-Z) uninvited and try to steal the spotlight. I remember when 50 Cent did this while Kanye and Jay-Z were performing in NYC a while back and I thought all hell would break loose. It turned out that Jay-Z handled that shytuation with the same class and swagger that he handled this one. Jay actually embraced 50 when he did it and he ignored Lil Mama, which was probably the right thing to do no matter how many of us wanted him to pluck her Lil azz off the stage. Or better yet, Alicia or Bey could have handled the light work in this case considering Beyonce and/or Alicia's thighs are thicker than Lil Mama's entire body.

In the end, I'm sure she regrets attention whoring what she did and she has even issued an apology (see Serena, an apology). But the truth is, nobody really cares because she's not a star. And this feeble attempt to steal two gigantic star's time in the spotlight will only make it tougher for her to achieve that stardom she apparently seeks. In short, Lil Mama lost. And she'll probably stay losing because of this shytuation. It's one thing to be famous, and it's another to be infamous.

Exhibit N: As in NIGGER/NIGGERish

My issue with each of these incidents is that they involve a semi-famous or ridiculously famous Black person doing some shyt they know they had no business doing. Serena KNOWS she has no business telling the judge she's wants to shove the tennis ball down her throat. Even in the heat of the battle Serena knows not to say something like that (out loud). So in the end what *some* people will see is just another young Black girl with fame and money but no home training and the ability to revert to a "ghetto girl" if put in the right/wrong situation. And yes those people will see it that way even though Serena and her sister's track record of intelligence, and classiness are fairly well documented/photographed/video'd. Of course it isn't right and of course there are tons of people that won't view her that way. But *some* people will and *some* young Black women will be pre-judged because of it. With great fame comes great responsibility, socially. Even if you don't want it (à la Charles Barkley).

Similarly, Kanye's second time jumping on stage and having an outburst not only shows that he's either "apeshyt" (as he likes to say) or has no self-control, class, or respect for other artists. Is he that much of a narcissist? We all know Taylor Swift can't touch Beyonce with a 10 foot pole (pause) when it comes to the two videos in question. And for the record, I'm not even a big Beyonce fan but I respect what she's accomplished as an entertainer and businesswoman. But for Kanye to go and grab the microphone from Taylor Swift and interject the way he did was completely classless and tasteless. Correct me if I'm wrong, but Beyonce is big enough to handle her own. And Kanye taking up for his big sister in law is less impressive to me than him bringing Amber Rose everywhere dressed like she wants to get it on every 5 minutes. And considering Kanye's done it once before he should have known to stay in his seat, no matter how much Hennessy he drank prior to and during the show. Speaking of, bringing an open bottle of Hennessy to an award show and drinking straight from the bottle is classless in-and-of itself, especially when you're the alleged Louis Vuitton Don. Let alone doing it with a woman accompanying you as captivatingly (I know, it's not a word) sexy as Amber Rose on his arm (even if she condones or encourages it). Using his own words against him as well as Jay-Z's, it seems that Kanye must have dropped out of college because he realized he could pay for school but he couldn't buy class. Donda West isn't just rolling over in her grave, she's doing the worm. Imagine that.

I won't touch on Lil Mama again other than to say that what she did could also be argued as another example of a young Black person acting an azz and trying to get some attention for it. It was just lame.

In the end, all of these incidents are deeper than just someone making a mistake or bad decision that makes he/she look bad. In a sense, it makes us ALL look bad and it makes us all look like...


...that is, in the eyes of *some*.

Live Listen: Blueprint 3

I'm writing this as I listen to the Blueprint 3 for the first time. So take this with a grain of salt if you will as my opinion may change after a few more listens.

What We Talkin' About (feat. Luke Steele)

I'm feeling the beat and Hov's rapping like he's got some stuff to get off his chest to the haters. He's dropping some slick lines in there too which includes those barbs he was throwing at Dame and Jaz-Ho in those concert a capella rhymes. Not that this is one of them but I liked this line...

"You stuck on being hardcore, I chuck the deuce up!"

Hov went in on this shyt. If the beat to this song was like "What More Can I Say" people would probably love it a lot more than I think they will when they hear it.

Thank You

Heard this earlier today. I liked it. Let's see how I really feel though, lol. This joint also has a beat that I think could be better. Jay is on-point with the lyrics (which looks like it's going to be a theme, but that's not a surprise) but this beat leaves something to be desired. Maybe it's too simple for me. Maybe less will be more in a few more listens. Last verse on this song is killer.

D.O.A.

SKIP! I already know how I feel about this one. I like it better than the other "pre-Sept. 11" releases/leaks I've heard so far.

Run This Town

*Pictures Rihanna in the video while fast-forwarding to Yeezy's verse.*

Seriously though, Rihanna was looking OFFICIAL in the video. Much like the "Forever" verse, if you write down and read Yeezy's verse on this track you will see why I say he's been dropping some MAJOR verses lately.

Empire State of Mind (feat. Alicia Keys)

This was the first joint I listened to when I "found" the album earlier. I haven't listened to the album all the way through yet (obviously) but this is going to be one of my favorites if not my favorite. I already know. Beat is sick, Hov's verse is mean. Keys' does what she does...LET'S GO HOV!

I'm in the zone right now. I'm also wishing a D.C./P.G. artist would make a track similar to this. No shots Wale.

"I made the Yankee hat more famous than a Yankee can"

"If Jeezy's paying LeBron I'm paying Dwayne Wade!"

This is gonna kill on HOT 97 "up top". WATCH!

Real as it Gets (feat. Jeezy)

I was excited to see that Jeezy was on the album so I've been looking forward to this track. Jeezy kicks this one off and doesn't sound horrible which is a WIN for him. When you think of Jeezy and Jay on a track you probably think "Lord I hope Jeezy don't sound too bad". If it was just Jeezy you take it for what it is as far as rhyming ability, but throw him on a track with someone like Hov and you just hope he doesn't sound so bad that you like the song less, lol. Sorry Jay (Jenkins). Jay's second verse is something serious.

Hov's the audio equivalent of braille. That's why the feel me..."

Overall, I like this joint.

On to the Next One (feat. Swizz Beats)

Off the title, I'm thinking this is a veiled diss toward Mashonda. Swizz, if you're like me as much as people say you look like me then you're better than that, lol. Let me listen first though before I draw that conclusion.

Swizz got the party vibe going....SHOWTIIIIME!

This.Shyt.Is.Gonna.Rock.In.MIAMITHISWEEKEND! LET'S GO! This joint just siced me!

"No I'm not a virgin, I use my cahonas"

"Ya'll should grow the eff up, come here let me coach you!"

"Meanwhile had Oprah chillin in the 'jects...MJ on cellphone, Obama on text...Ya'll should be worried bout what Imma do next!"

Off That (feat. Drake)

Heard this one already too. Not very impressed by this and I maintain that Jay did not want to take the chance that Drake would out-rhyme him if he let Drake have a verse. Did you notice Jay's absence from that "Forever" track? Too much young hunger on that track for him to take the risk of: 1) being out-down by Drake, Wayne, or Yeezy, or 2) letting Marshall get another killer verse off on a song with him. Especially w/the phrase "Em murdered you on your own ish" easily retrievable from our subconscious. Not that I believe Em murdered Jay-Z on that song because if you go back and listen to "Renegade", he really didn't. Anywho, I like the point Jay's trying to make in this song but I'm just not feeling the beat like that. 2 minutes in...SKIP! I'd rather take my chances and see what J. Cole does on the next joint.

A Star is Born (feat. J. Cole)

Only Jay-Z could get the top two freshmen in the game on his upcoming CD (Drake and J. Cole). Yes, I know who Kid Cudi is, WOMP! Ok, maybe Yeezy and Weezy could also get them, but you get the point.

What Jay is doing on this track is so effing SMART. Gotta respect this dude's intelligence. Second favorite track so far even before I hear J. Cole.

Hearing J. Cole come in on the last verse reminds me how Memphis Bleek used to sound. It was kinda eerie actually. Notice how I said "used to"?

Venus vs. Mars

Heard this already but want to hear it again. Shyt is dope! I can see a dope video coming for this one already. Starring Cassie because of the shaved hair line. Or better yet, starring the girl with the two bee stings. Let Kanye direct it and Amber Rose play the leading lady role. Jay doesn't even need to be in the video actually, just let the lyrics narrate.

Already Home (feat. Kid Cudi)

For the record, I think Kid Cudi is decent/alright. I'm not excited about him like I am about Drake and J. Cole though. My favorite Kid Cudi song is "Welcome to Heartbreak" which should tell you something considering it's Kanye's song and Cudi's just featured on it. "Day N Nite" is cool and I like it but it's not "Simba" or "Successful".

Anyway, I'm feeling the beat on this joint off the break. BUT, not really feeling Cudi's singing so much. Let's get past this pre-verse chorus and get to the raps already!

Ok, I'm feeling a little meh about this song now. I liked the beat at first but now it's kinda wearing thin. And the Cudi chorus isn't really helping.

"H-O-V, I got my own lane already!"

Ok, the last verse redeemed this one for me. Won't be on my list of favorites from the album though.

Hate (feat. Kanye West)

I heard this one this morning and I was definitely feeling blahzay about it. Yeezy is still holding down his verses on these joints with Jay though, that's for sure. I like the idea of them going back-and-forth but not feeling the overall flow they're using. The whole "aaaayer" sound gets old. I'm glad the song is relatively short.

Reminder

Heard this one before and wished that Jay didn't waste the solid lyrics on this subpar Timbaland beat. This sounds like some shyt I could make on my casio joint at home (if I had one). Timbaland and Dr. Dre are both over-rated at this point if you ask me. Especially Dr. Dre. Sorry West-coasters and Dre loyalists. The Doctor is sounding more like a Nursing Assistant these days, with the exception of that beat he did for Em's Mariah Carey diss.

So Ambitious (feat. Pharrell)

Pharrell's singing already. FML! This guy and his friggin' singing! The beat is mean though Pharell, perhaps that's what you should stick to. And right when I'm vibing to the beat, Pharrell comes on singing again, GAWD!

I know I like the song overall but I don't necessarily like Pharrell's singing. I definitely like the message of the song and I'd imagine Pharrell's singing on this joint might grow on me. *MIGHT*

Young Forever (feat. Mr. Hudson)

As soon as the beat comes on I realize this song sounds exactly like I thought it would, some futuristic ish. This song is a perfect example of how I think Kanye has rubbed off on Jay-Z. The first time I heard about Mr. Hudson it was on Yeezy's blog. This beat sounds like a pre-"RoboCop" beat from Kanye's last CD. Seriously, put this track on 808s and Heartbreak and make it Kanye feat. Jay-Z and well, there you have it. That isn't to say I don't like the song because I think I do...I think.

OVERALL:
After my first listen I'd say the CD is decent/ok maybe even good. Jay's verses are sharp for the most part but the production value on this CD just isn't where I think it could be or where we're used to seeing it from Jay-Z. But now that I think about it he's been going in a different direction with his production since Kingdom Come (maybe even The Black Album). If Jay would have used Kanye, Swizz, 9th Wonder, and the J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League exclusively for production on this album I bet it would have been way better to me off the first listen. But what do I know other than what I'd like to hear?

And speaking of production value, that is a big part of why I think Rick Ross has the best album so far this year in mainstream hip-hop. His choice of beats and his lyrics are both solid. Jay has dope lyrics (better than solid, by far) but his selection of beats leaves a bit to be desired. Yes, I said that Officer Ricky's CD is better. At least in terms of the overall sound/flow of the CD.

But again, this is my first listen. Based off this you might not think Jay-Z is my favorite rapper ever and I think he's the G.O.A.T., but it's like Jay and 50 say, the bar is set higher for them. Wrong or right, that's definitely the case even though I could NOT give less of a shyt than I do about anything 50 Cent does musically at this point. Funny thing is that I'd argue the bar is set just as high for Kanye at this point but even with an AutoTune'd CD, he delivered.

Forever: Kanye & The Rest of Them Dudes

For real, Drake should just let Kanye have the "Forever" track they dropped yesterday. Yes, I know its for LeBron's documentary soundtrack! Yes I know it's Drake's song. But Kanye OWNED everybody on that joint. Eminem gave Yeezy a little bit of competition but Kanye owns that track. And Drake's verse on the original is definitely better than his verse on this release.

For those of you that are confusing Marshall's fast flow with him having the best verse, get your mind right. Although the homie DP thinks that Em owned the track (and makes a very good argument on his blog), I think that his post about this track shows exactly why I feel Kanye owned everybody on it. Try this...

Read everybody's verse.

Then read Kanye's again.

Then listen to the song again.

I rest my case.

Video: Drake - Best I Ever Had

"I have just been sittin' in this cell thinkin' what I coulda done to make my first video ground breaking" -- Drake "Goin In For Life" (Comeback Season Mixtape)

Ummmm, FAIL!


First impression...Tig Ole Bitties.

What is up with Drake and his cardigans?

Funny thing is that in the face Drake looks old enough to be a HS bball coach.

What does basketball have to do with this song and vice-versa?

"When you're out there and they put that 'D' on you. Take that 'D'!...And you all know good and well what we can do in 2 minutes" <-- WOMP!

I'm not sure what Kanye was trying to do with this video but I definitely didn't expect anything like this. This video is made for 106 & Park where nobody really cares if the video correlates to the content of the song. Drake, I expected better!

And the fact that there are probably lots of other people out there that expected better may end up being the biggest challenge Drake has to face. Living up to the hype. Lyrically, Drake is dope and nobody is denying that. But at this point he's been put up on such a pedestal it's probably going to be hard to meet most people's expectations. If this video were from someone you'd never heard of who wasn't getting radio spins without a deal or selling out venues across the country off the strength of a friggin mixtape, this *might* be a good look for a first video. But for Drake, it just won't cut it.

If you ask me, Kanye set Drake up on this one. I would not have signed off on this joint if I was Drake.

"This effing job can't help him, so I quit YA'LL WELCOME!"

"Lock yourself in a room doing 5 beats a day for 3 summers/That's a different world like Cree Summers/I deserve to do these numbers!"

"Loss my momma, loss my MIND!"

"Where I wanna go, where I wanna be? Life is much more than runnin' in the streets"

"Should've finished school like my niece, then I probably wouldn't use my piece"

"I won't be taking no days off, till my spaceship takes off"

If you don't like this song you are CRAZY! In hindsight I have gained a new appreciation for GLC's verse. I'm glad they finally put this video out there because it was one of the best songs on College Dropout.

"Grammy nominated, hotel accommodated, cheerleader prom dated..." - Kanye West

Two Words - Kanye, Mos, Free!!!


This song is a CLASSIC!

Visuals in the video > Kanye verse > Grittiness of the video > Mos verse > Freeway's mouth movements when he's rapping > Freeway's verse