Hip Hop Anonymous

Track: Gucci Gucci Artist: Kreayshawn Album: Somethin’...

Mon, 14 May 2012 16:10:58 -0400

Track: Gucci Gucci

Artist: Kreayshawn

Album: Somethin’ Bout Kreay

Favorite Lines:

Oakland City represent/address me as your majesty

Yeah, you can kiss the ring/but you can never touch the crown

B*tch you ain’t no Barbie/I see you work at Arby’s/number 2, supersize/hurry up I’m starving

Gnarly, radical/on the block I’m magical

I’m cooler than the fridge and the freezer/I’m snatching all your b*tches at my leisure

Young, rich, and flash/I be where the cash be

I got the swag and it’s pumpin’ out my ovaries

Comments: Although Kreayshawn is probably somewhat serious about her career, my love for this song is purely based on comedy. That being said, the track is well produced, has a corky but awesome sample and her rhymes are super witty. What’s more she’s a white, female rapper—quite the rarity, in case you haven’t noticed. Although she certainly isn’t the poster child for the NorCal rap scene, I can’t post this without noting that this is an example of ‘Hyphy’ rap, or the unique brand of rap originating in the bay area. More on that later.

Track: Let The Build Artist: Lil Wayne Album: Tha Cater...

Mon, 14 May 2012 15:54:33 -0400

Track: Let The Build

Artist: Lil Wayne

Album: Tha Cater III

Favorite Lines: N/A

Comments: If you want an education in how to drop a beat (and how to let one build, for that matter) this is the track to listen to. Once again Lil Wayne demonstrates that there’s a fine, fine line between genius and insanity. More on that/a forced viewing of the Lil Wayne documentary later.

Track: Femme Like You Artist: K Maro Album: La Good...

Mon, 14 May 2012 15:48:53 -0400

Track: Femme Like You

Artist: K Maro

Album: La Good Life

Favorite Lines:

Quand tu chantes, j’oublie, j’ai plus le moindre soucis
J’ai le mal qui fuit, tu donnes un son à ma vie
Et puis j’sais pas ce qui se passe

Comments: So you knew the French rap was coming, it was just a matter of when. When it comes to my taste in French rap I’m quite the teenie-bopper but I blame that on the fact that I was 15 when I lived there. And when I lived there K Maro was everywhere. He was like Justin Timberlake meets…someone a little more ethnic. Anyways, “Femme Like You” was the Franglais anthem of shower singing French teens from Brittany to the Riviera. Also my rapping skills helped me transform from “Weird Foreign Exchange Student” to “Mlle Popularité”

Track: Bedrock Artist: Young Money feat. lil Wayne, Drake, Nicki...

Mon, 14 May 2012 15:31:39 -0400

Track: Bedrock

Artist: Young Money feat. lil Wayne, Drake, Nicki Minaj, Lloyd

Album: We Are Young Money

Favorite Lines:

And now we murderers/because we kill time

I got her runnin’ back and forth/soccer team

I see me with her/No Stevie Wonder

She don’t even wonder/’cause she know she bad

And I got her playa, grocery bagged

He say I’m bad/he probly right/he pressin me like button downs on a Friday night

I love your sushi roll/hotter than wasabi/I race for your love/shake and bake/ricki bobbi

I’m at the W but I can’t meet you in the lobby

Girl, I gotta watch my back/I’m not just anybody

I let her see the Ashton/I let the rest surprise her

That’s when we disappear/you need GPS to find her

Oh that was your girl? I thought I recognized her…

Comments: This was one of the first mainstream hits from Young Money. I could probably do a whole blog post analysis on the empire that is Young Money Cash Money Billionaires (stay tuned for that)—one of rap’s most dominant cliques. Led by the crazy genius that is ‘lil Wayne, they’ve produced dozens of hits and I’d give just about anything to be a member. Also Nicki’s verse on this track is bomb.com.

Track: Get By Artist: Talib Kweli Album: Quality Favorite...

Mon, 14 May 2012 15:16:18 -0400

Track: Get By

Artist: Talib Kweli

Album: Quality

Favorite Lines:

We go through episodes too/like ‘Attack of the Clones’

Yo, our activism attackin the system, the blacks and latins in prison
Numbers of prison they victim black in the vision
Sh*t and all they got is rappin to listen to
I let them know we missin you, the love is unconditional
Even when the condition is critical, when the livin is miserable
Your position is pivotal, I ain’t bullsh*ttin you

Comments: Talib Kweli is a great example of positive message rap. His lyrics aren’t exactly Will Smith squeaky, but the overall intent is a good one. This track is minimalist for sure, but the beat is good and it’s received a lot of recognition from the rap community.

Tack: B.O.B Artist: Outkast Album: Stankonia Favorite Lines:...

Mon, 14 May 2012 15:07:40 -0400

Tack: B.O.B

Artist: Outkast

Album: Stankonia

Favorite Lines: N/A

Comments: This song has received a lot of critical acclaim from within the hip hop community and was certainly cutting edge when it was released. There’s no doubt that the men of Outkast are extremely talented. The track is incredibly well produced and it’s one of the most impressive ‘fast raps’ I’ve ever heard. In terms of my personal tastes, this song isn’t among my favorites, but no hip hop education would be complete without it, that is for certain.

Track: Mo Money Mo Problems Artist: Notorious B.I.G Album: Ready...

Mon, 14 May 2012 15:02:31 -0400

Track: Mo Money Mo Problems

Artist: Notorious B.I.G

Album: Ready To Die

Favorite Lines:

Comments: The only thing more classic than this track is the ABSURD music video which features a very young Sean “Puff Daddy” Combs and B.I.G himself sporting futuristic, inflatable, neon yellow jump suits and oversized goggles. Oh 90s hip hop fashion. A staple in the VPH, I may or may not have choreographed a dance number to this for the talent show at all girls sleep away camp c. 1996.

Track: Welcome Back Artist: Ma$e Album: Welcome Back Favorite...

Mon, 14 May 2012 14:54:06 -0400

Track: Welcome Back

Artist: Ma$e

Album: Welcome Back

Favorite Lines:

Tryin’ to find a soulmate/you end up gettin’ so tired

I make my money man without the coca/livin’ la vida without the loca

Comments: Ma$e was somewhat of a rapping big shot in the early 90s. Then, he left the game to become a man of God. Most hip hop fans would judge me for liking him period. What does it say about me that my two favorite Ma$e songs are tracks he released after becoming a minister? Also, this sample is sweet—bonus points if you know what it’s originally from!

Track: Hypnotize Artist: Notorious B.I.G Album: Life After...

Mon, 14 May 2012 14:47:00 -0400

Track: Hypnotize

Artist: Notorious B.I.G

Album: Life After Death

Favorite Lines:

At my arraignment/note for the plaintiff/your daughters tied up in the Brooklyn basement

Face it not guilty/that’s how i stay filthy

Escargot/my car go/swiftly, one-sixty

Wreck it buy a new one/your crew run run run your crew run run

Comments: Another classic from Biggie Smalls. The hook is bomb and he’s just. so. smooth.

Track: Rubber Band Man Artist: T.I Album: Whatever You...

Sat, 12 May 2012 13:45:41 -0400

Track: Rubber Band Man

Artist: T.I

Album: Whatever You Like

Favorite Lines: N/A

Comments: We played this song every single day of senior year (high school) on the jukebox in the cafeteria. There may have been some dancing on tables but that is neither here nor there. Really I just wanted this on the blog as an example of T.I because I feel he’s underrated. Sure, at barely 5 feet tall, he’s seen as somewhat of a punk-ass little b*tch in the rap community, but I actually think he’s pretty talented. Now, if he could just stay out of jail…Also, guess where the name T.I comes from? His full name is TIP which stands for Ten Inch…you get the idea. Somehow I find that unlikely given how short he is…

Track: Drop It Like It’s Hot Artist: Snoop Dogg Album:...

Sat, 12 May 2012 13:41:02 -0400

Track: Drop It Like It’s Hot

Artist: Snoop Dogg

Album: Drop It Like It’s Hot

Favorite Lines:

Take a second/matter fact take a full beat/and think before you f*ck a little skateboard geek

Comments: This song is on here entirely for the track’s production value. This represents the production team The Neptunes, captained by Pharrell, at their finest—i.e. dopest. beat. ever.

Track: The Letter P Artist: Saigon Album: Warning Shots Favorite...

Sat, 12 May 2012 13:33:00 -0400

Track: The Letter P

Artist: Saigon

Album: Warning Shots

Favorite Lines:

These punks putting out poems about pimping, pushing, and property

Please, people ain’t prepared to be persuaded by political paraphrasing they printin’ in the papers

Comments: The ultimate in alliterative/witty rap. Saigon also plays himself on Entourage as a rap protege that Turtle disovers.

Track: Party and Bullsh*t Artist: Notorious B.I.G. (Ratatat...

Sat, 12 May 2012 13:24:15 -0400

Track: Party and Bullsh*t

Artist: Notorious B.I.G. (Ratatat Remix)

Album: Ready To Die

Favorite Lines:

I’ve been a terror since the public school era

Comments: This is a classic song and the ratatat remix is sweet. Also a very important song from my college days and an essential part of the VPH.

Track: You Be Killin Em Artist: Fabolous Album: There Is No...

Fri, 11 May 2012 22:45:03 -0400

Track: You Be Killin Em

Artist: Fabolous

Album: There Is No Competition 2—The Grieving Music Mixtape

Favorite Lines:

Don’t gotta worry about her/shorty straight/been chasing her for two days/first 48

She got too much pride/her feet are killing her/I call it shoe-i-cide

Her body nice/face dime/give you that iphone 4/facetime

Comments: I cannot explain, nor will I apologize for my love for Fabulous. This song is hugely underrated by the general rap listening population. That is all.

Track: All Things Go Artist: Chiddy Bang Album: The...

Fri, 11 May 2012 22:38:02 -0400

Track: All Things Go

Artist: Chiddy Bang

Album: The Preview

Favorite Lines:

Say hello to the game/the people know my name/and do they really love us or is this just a a fling?

This that band new spontaneous/dope flow intraveneous

Miscellaneous grinding/better late than never/I’m calling it perfect timing

But we gonna have a little bit of fun/and when it’s all done/you throw your sneaks up and call it a good run

I admit that I would never rather them burn me/I don’t know where I’m headed but I know it’s a journey

Comments: Chiddy Bang isn’t quite underground, but certainly isn’t mainstream. Maybe the only good thing to come out of my time in Philly. Also, very witty, intelligent lyrics and awesome samples.

Track: Swagga Like Us Artist: Jay-Z, T.I. , Lil Wayne, Kanye...

Fri, 11 May 2012 22:11:15 -0400

Track: Swagga Like Us

Artist: Jay-Z, T.I. , Lil Wayne, Kanye West

Album: Paper Trail

Favorite Lines:

I can’t teach you my swag/You can pay for school but you can’t buy class

The single best verse of all time:

Verses autobiographical/absolutely classical/the last thing I’m worried about is what another rapper do

Ain’t nobody hot as me even if they rap they ass off/blast off and have outstanding qualities

Sell alotta records/I respect and salute that/But spitting real life on hot beats I’m the truth at

You kick it like me no exaggeration necessary/living revolutionary, nothing less than legendary

Gangsta shit hereditary, got it from my Dad/flow colder than February with extraordinary swag

Comments: In addition to having the best single best verse of all time, this track is an insane collaboration. Add to that a sweet M.I.A sample and you have a pretty awesome track.

Track: Hey Ma Artist: Cam’Ron Album: Come Home With Me Favorite...

Fri, 11 May 2012 22:08:52 -0400

Track: Hey Ma

Artist: Cam’Ron

Album: Come Home With Me

Favorite Lines:

I’m 18 and live a crazy life/plus I’ll tell you what the 80’s like

Get in the car/don’t touch nothin’ sit in the car/let’s discuss something—either we’re lovin’ or I’ll cya tomorrow

Dropped her off at the L/now I’m flippin the cell/that’s right I had to call up L/Yo L/Whattup?/I hit/What else?/Plus dome/Say word

Comments: I have an inexplicable love for Cam’Ron. He’s not what hip hop snobs would call classic talent, but I think most of the stuff he touches turns to gold. Also, this was part of an epic Thursday night playlist that we had senior year of college. I played a lot of beiruit to this song before heading out to “Big Beers”. That’s why “this is very important”.

Track: Young Forever Artist: Jay-Z & Mr. Hudson Album: The...

Fri, 11 May 2012 22:07:20 -0400

Track: Young Forever

Artist: Jay-Z & Mr. Hudson

Album: The Blue Print III

Favorite Lines:

Just a picture perfect day that lasts a whole lifetime/And it never ends all we have to do is hit rewind

Do you get the picture yet?/I’m painting you a portrait of young

Comments: The Joan Baez song “Forever Young” is a family favorite. The Youth Group version was my high school graduation song and this song came out the spring I graduated from college. It’s also a great sample, and Jay at his best.

Track: 99 Problems Artist: Jay-Z Album: The Black...

Fri, 11 May 2012 16:49:42 -0400

Track: 99 Problems

Artist: Jay-Z

Album: The Black Album

Favorite Lines:

‘Cause I’m young and I’m black and my hat’s real low?/Am I under arrest, or should I guess some more?

I ain’t passed the bar but I know a little bit/enough that you won’t illegally search my sh*t

Comments: Jay-Z is my favorite rapper and this is my favorite song of his. I can rap this entire song. Important things to know about Jay-Z: his nickname is H.O.V.A, we share the same birthday, he owns the 40/40 club and a share of the Brooklyn Nets—which explains why their uniforms will be “all black everything”

Track: Monster Album: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy Artist:...

Fri, 11 May 2012 16:12:00 -0400

Track: Monster

Album: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Artist: Kanye West, Jay-Z, Nicki Minaj, Rick Ross

Favorite lines:

I do the rap/and the track/triple double no assist

First things first I’ll eat your brains/Then imma start rockin’ gold teeth and fangs

Comments: My favorite rap song of the modern era (i.e. all classics aside). Amazing collaboration and also my favorite Nicki verse of all time.