Legacy Track of the Week: Young Chris - Calling All Girls
“From the PR to the DR, to the Asians and Malaysians, I’m just playin they just hatin, vacation in Jamaica, smoking Cali somewhere private I’m just whylin, pick an island St Maarten, St Thomas, I said depending how I’m feelin go Brazilian, or I can go with somethin cuter in Bermuda…” Young Chris absolutely smokes this instrumental and that’s really enough said… although since nobody else in Hip Hop media will speak on it I'll go ahead and say more... Chris from the Rockafella era has officially one of the most impeccable MC flows of all time, and that's not even a hot take -that's real facts - and the truth is in The Network 4, available for download now.
Young Chris ft D. Jones - Tell the Truth
“Played it like Deion in his prime, when I had the corner, tried to out sell Coca Cola when I had the soda” Off of this hook alone this should be a street certified classic… but you know how the rap game works when it comes down to MCs who can actually really rap smh… if Gucci had this hook there’s no doubt this record would be outta here.
J.I.D. - Hereditary
“I guess it's hereditary, baby, why you playing with my heart? It's heredity girl you was just playing from the start, yeah, but if you let me explaaainnn” One of the best records off The Never Story from Dreamville’s own J.I.D., this one produced by Officials is a smooth groove from start to finish, where the Atlanta spitter trades in his tongue twisting raps reminiscent of Kendrick for infectious melodies reminiscent of Drake - and it all makes sense considering whom J.I.D. originally intended the record to be for. Nonetheless this definitely works and thus far it looks like J Cole found himself an artist that’s prime to make a dent in this game before long.
J.I.D. - Hoodbooger
“Boy, I be happy with nothing, imagine me if I got it, say if my nine stop busting, imagine me with the shotty, I been pushing this Pontiac, imagine me in the 'Rari, bumpin ‘God's Whisper’ by Raury, probably be with a shorty, it's probably Tuesday night, she probably pull up at Follies, I probably pop me a, nah, she probably pop her a molly, and then she just a hood booger, probably claim she exotic, the only thing that's exotic is all this weed in my pocket, but she fine” Produced by 808 Blake this one is a ride and the hook is official… apparently this one was listed on J.I.D.’s prior release off Dreamville that was titled DiCaprio and came out in early ‘15.
Devin The Dude ft Tony Mac & Lisa Luv - Are You Goin My Way
“Hey lady… is your best friend late… I see your kids walkin round with a bag full of groceries, I know you don’t know me… but are you goin my way?...” Devin The Dude is back with a brand new album titled Acoustic Levitation, and this one with help from Tony Mac & Lisa Luv is nothin but grown folk soul music and I for one am extremely thankful for it.
Devin The Dude - Acoustic Levitation
“Acoustic levitation huh…. Complete separation huh… acoustic levitation huh… please take me away from…” The title track is a ride… if you loved Devin The Dude’s previous offerings (specifically his magnum opus in the Just Tryin to Live album) then you definitely need to press play on this without any hesitation.
Nicki Minaj ft Drake & Lil Wayne - No Frauds
“What type of mother leave her one son over a stack?, lil boogie down basic bitch thinkin she back, back to back, oh you mean, back to wack? ‘Back to Back’? Me and Drizzy laughed at that” Nicki definitely clapped back at Remy this past week, and although the majority of Twitter will disagree (simply because they were all in the other way and there’s no turning back) this one is definitely a banger and a solid diss record in it’s own right. Nevermind that Drake & Wayne are on it and offer very little, Nicki did everything that she was supposed to be on this record, and at this point the Twitter critics who say otherwise should just relax...
Nicki Minaj ft Lil Wayne - Changed It
“Yeah, Carter time, I put bling on for the time, she changed her ringtone to one of mine, I changed 23s to 45s, Lil Tune like autotune, I get in her throat and she harmonize, she get the D and ooh la la la, and when she leave, I kumbaya, I whip it up with the left hand, I don't fuck with the yes man, I get younger by the second, I don't rust like Def Jam” Typical Young Money record that’s nothing crazy but good enough to get noticed… per usual however the auto tune basically ruins it.
J.I.D. ft Quentin Miller - M.O.M.
"We bought them tickets ourselves, rented them whips by ourselves, now" You can literally hear Drake's voice, delivery, and whole persona in these Quentin Miller bars and it's hilarious, yet even still this is a cool record (originally labeled under the umbrella of Spillage Village off their Bears Like This Too Much project) that just got the video treatment - and considering this dropped alongside The Never Story the timing really couldn't be better.
J.I.D. - Somebody
“Born to win but born a sinner, and that's word to Jermaine, cold flow, Cole World, but we living the same” All J Cole references in Hip Hop are worthy of recognition and this one is simple but effective… (although the best one is still Bas verse in Dopamine - “See Cole he might pop in and go Beast Mode, the new East Coast…” #Dreamville
J.I.D. - LAUDER
“Let's get it poppin', they're pulling pistols on apostle Paul, so paid the piper or meet the sniper the legend of the fall, I knew in diapers you and I was nothing alike at all, I do or die, you do it to die, I'm really making calls, you couldn't kill it and take it out of me, the ideology, this the odyssey, I'm Odysseus, you gotta follow me” Speaking of Cole this one is produced by Jermaine himself, and it’s definitely in the same vein as Kendrick as it will take multiple spins for this one to finally resonate, and when it does you’ll have a lot to absorb.
Westside Gunn - Shower Shoe Lords
“Madonna sucking Basquiat dick up in the spot, hundred round drums, fuck around and get chopped, starin' at the turquoise Marilyn, told my little ***** to bag 20's, it's imperative” Crazy production by Daringer and this is heavy…
Westside Gunn ft Action Bronson - Dudley Boyz
“Victory, my life is like a breakfast at Tiffany’s, M5 sounding like a symphony, these people jealous cause no motherfucka sick as me, I bag .330, 40 homeruns, 137 RBIs, 50 stolen bases hold this facelift” Produced by Alchemist this instrumental is perfect for both Westside Gunn and Action Bronson, a collaboration I hadn’t thought about - yet now realize is just what I needed.
Young Chris - All I Need
“You’re all that I need I be there for you, if you keep it real with me…” Chris remakes the Method Man/Mary J Blige classic and although for his standards he’s in relative cruise control, this delivery over this instrumental (an all time classic and one of RZA’s best) is too perfect to ignore.
Young Chris ft Pnb Meen - Live by the Code
“Rather see me down and out, want me out in the dark, but I can’t force em to get that malice out of their heart” Solid album cut that embodies the Young Gunna in every way
Young Chris - Lineage
“I can’t believe I birthed this handsome young star in the making, my creation, shout out your momma for keepin faith and…” Young Chris over the Song Cry instrumental (Just Blaze)… game over…
Young Chris ft Freeway & Omillio Sparks - Dope Game
“Brought up in the dope game, dope boy fresh, momma did her best, streets did the rest…” A nice posse cut with about ⅜’s of State Property that definitely delivers, as over gritty production Philadelphia Freeway sounds as hungry as ever on this.
Talib Kweli & Styles P - Last Ones
“Recognize greatness, tenacious, gracious, I can design the new matrix, I can look Dr. Strange brain look basic, MCs on the dinner menu and I ain’t ate shit” Hip Hop is alive and well…
2 Chainz ft Ty Dolla $ign, Trey Songz, Jhene Aiko - It’s A Vibe
“Now I said I'm from the corner of the ATL (yah), where we got that clientele, avoid paper trails (right), broke so many bales down that I'm shell shocked (bow), a hell Glock, sold rocks by the mailbox (ooh)” 2 Chainz continues to roll out hits under a new partnership with Spotify, all off which is to provide anticipation for his 4th studio album, set to be released sometime this year under the title Pretty Girls Like Trap Music.
Murs ft Curtiss King - Lemon Juice
“Why you gotta put your lemon juice in my game? Why you gotta squeeze that lemon juice in my game? Hold up, homie, why you gotta get in my way?” Produced by Seven this one sounds good as the intro to Murs new album titled Captain California, another addition to Murs well respected underground catalogue.
Your Old Droog - You Can Do It! (Give Up)
“Came a long way from doin' songs in the basement, rhymin on public access, lawyers close the deal, accountants do your taxes, always had dreams of goin to the top, 10 years later and you still ain't popped” Certainly one of the stand out records on Your Old Droog’s new album Packs, this one narrates three different stories of failure and disappointment that I’m sure most of us could relate to.
Your Old Droog ft Chris Clack - Just an Interlude
"I don't be into the news baby, I just break the rules baby, I'm fly with my jewels baby" Produced by EI RTNC, this interlude is definitely worth a spin or two thanks to the instrumental and nothing more.
Hurricane Chris - Bang Bang
“Step in the paint I’ma pin your shit to the backboard, I’m don doda you can get murdered that’s no problem, my cousin Kiki just came home go read about em, this Pine Valley my lil whoadies gon come see about em” More than a decade since he last achieved commercial success, Hurricane Chris is still out to prove he’s not a one hit wonder - and for what it’s worth people should know he didn’t only have A Bay Bay - that hook he gave Mike Jones back in the day was nothing but pure flames as well - yet even still he’s back with a brand new album titled King Cane, and while it leaves a lot to be desired this is one of it’s best offerings.
Nicki Minaj - Regret In Your Tears
“Regret in your tears, know you taste 'em, cause you know I don't chase, I replace 'em, don't rush, take time, take some, I just wanted memories, tried to make some with you… now I gotta erase some with you” a Nicki Minaj/Meek Mill breakup record… good enough for TMZ and Nicki’s fanbase but that’s about it
Frank Ocean - Chanel
“My guy pretty like a girl, and he got fight stories to tell, I see both sides like Chanel, C on both sides like Chanel” I’m sure there’s already been a thousand think pieces written about the above quotation, but although this is certainly a genuine Frank Ocean solo record… it’s not half as good as the Slide record with Calvin Harris… even with the bisexual undertones that the internet era can’t get enough of.
Devin The Dude ft Tony Mac - By
“Enemies, I’m a get my cream, long rides ain't shit to me, I'm, finna get behind the wheel, get the fuck up outta here, bye” Another ride off Acoustic Revelation… definitely one of the surprise releases thus far in 2017
Devin The Dude - Do You Love Gettin High
“Do you love gettin high… touching the sky… do you love smoking the weed… are you just like me???” Light up and enjoy…