Legacy Track of the Week: The Lox - Move Forward
"Bathroom rap and classroom rap, shit on ***** and teach 'em they ain't master rap, I blast the gat if hip hop is a lost cause, lot of mumbling rappers, DJs with the aux cord” The Lox over Premier… and Premier absolutely murders thisss 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 this was a fire combination then and it’s a fire combination today - and you’re favorite mumble rapper needs to hear this
Lupe Fiasco - N.E.R.D.
“Artist gettin' robbed for their publishing, by dirty Jewish execs that think his alms from the covenant” This record is tough, as it’s a clear response to J Cole’s Everybody Dies record released a week earlier (N.E.R.D. cleverly stands for No-one Ever Really Dies, and it’s spit over the same instrumental), nonetheless the story that came from it is nothing short of pathetic. Instead of the media focusing on the high level of artistry and the friendly competition between each artist - where for the record that point was apparently completely ignored - all the attention went to misguided claims of anti semitism? really? for the lyric above? And for a simple mention of ‘jewish dirty executives’ the song was actually removed from soundcloud????? Clearly there’s an issue of consistency here (has Peter Rosenberg and DJ Booth ever heard Hip Hop before??? the selective outrage has never been more ridiculous) and in the end I’m glad this moment occurred because it exposed the absolute lunacy that permeates throughout Hip Hop media.
The Lox - What Else You Need To Know
“Yeah, I came from the ghetto so I like shit rough, so I sorta spazzed out and threw that chair at puff, we had beef with the ROC, I was riding with the strap, HOV, Sigel, and Free could have all got clapped” The Lox is back with a brand new album and this one is super tough… this is a trip down memory lane that every fan of Hip Hop needs to hear.
The Lox ft Mobb Deep - Hard Life
“Top down in the winter time, If you on the boom list then it's dinner time, horse head in your bed just so send a sign, this is dope right here ***** get in line” A Lox collaboration with Mobb Deep is a classic combination, even in 2016, and on this record Jada spits flames and they all do their numbers. Ultimately when you have legends on the track you can never hear enough verses…
The Lox - Filthy America
“The system is designed to burn me, not learn me, my arresting officer is related to Mark Fuhrman, throw the noose up on the tree, that's how they do here, I ain't see a black ***** get acquitted that came through here, and I ain't do fear, so all I ask the court is that they move me to a new jail, every two years” The title track of the new album is a nice concept record and The Lox go in on it… where ultimately Sheek, Styles, & Jada share their last words in front of the judge before their life sentence… produced by Pete Rock this is another timeless record...
The Lox ft Fetty Wap & Dyce Payne - The Agreement
“Good sweatsuit, pair Air Force, don't forget your ID for the airport, first time in first class, throw your shades on, I sip mimosa, play some Marvin Gaye songs” I can do without the Fetty Wap hook but this has a real good Jada verse on it that shouldn’t be overlooked by all the mediocrity around it.
T.I. - I Believe
“Columbus day you believe a holiday, what about Capone and Doc Holliday, Lucky Luciano John Gotti day, Bumpy Johnson and a Larry Hoover day, Happy Meech day Happy Tooki day, Happy Hitler day sound stupid hey, that’s cause hypocrisy more American than democracy, far as I can see the constitution wasn’t for folk that look like me and that’s what I believe!” TIP has officially found a new lane in 2016 and it’s definitely a good look for the Rubberband Man, nonetheless his newfound dedication to politics definitely seems to be a genuine one, and it’s given the Atlanta legend a wide range of content that has only made his raps more potent. Here and throughout the Us or Else: Letter to the System album, TI speaks to the hypocrisy of America and it’s real… there’s simply no way to dispute the overall message and he should applauded for taking it there in his music (while meanwhile other legends like Lil Wayne fade further into oblivion).
T.I. ft London Jae & Translee - Letter to the System
“Man i just got out of prison trying hard as fuck, and it seem like it’s a green light on anyone with my skin type, get pulled up before a tail-light and get shot, know what dat feel like? man it real life” See above… (and vibe to the hook!)
T.I. ft The Dream - Picture Me Mobbin
"I'm a hold it down for the block, triple white maybach, on my 2pac picture me mobbinnn" Here’s a more conventional TIP record off the new album (put towards the back of the album because it doesn’t really work with the concept) yet all the same I’m not mad at this at all...
Juelz Santana ft Jadakiss, Method Man, Redman, Busta Rhymes - Ol Thang Back
“I came in grimy, Puff made me shiny, put 'em both together, a protege of the 90's, grew up, put that bullshit behind me, started making ***** demises untimely” It’s a good week for Kiss fans and this is just a early Christmas gift for Hip Hop period. Take in that classic artwork as well.
Masta Killa ft Method Man & Redman - Therapy
“Yo I gotta be around this music, it's therapeutic, like my first blunt of the day to start the movement, I'm sittin' in the room with a view, there's always room for improvement, so I grab my coat and go and prove it” Tical 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Wale - Heisman Watch
“This Allen Ive' at an Ivy college, they can't check me, I don't practice, my class too hard” Wale sports references up and down a smooth instrumental. Not as smooth as Cormega used to do it tho
Mario - Let Me Help You
“Girl, let me help you, I know you can do it on your own” A promo single for his new album slated for next year titled Paradise Cove
Chris Brown ft Gucci Mane & Usher - Party
“Bitches dancin' naked in my livin' room, she straight out of college, just turned 22, girl, get your money up, I ain't even mad at you, got you all on me, makin' these ***** catchin' attitudes” The second single released off Chris Brown’s highly anticipated 9th album titled Heartbreak on a Full Moon, this record isn’t particularly good, but at least the choreography and video is lit...