Legacy Track of the Week: Eminem - Arose
“God, why did you take him? I'm tryna keep his legacy alive, but I'm dying, where's Nathan? Little ladies, be brave, take care of your mother, smile pretty for pictures, always cherish each other, I'll always love ya, and I'll be in the back of your memory, and I know you'll never forget me, just don't get sad when remembering, and, little bro, keep making me proud, you better marry that girl 'cause she's faithfully down, and when you're exchanging those sacred vows, just know that if I could be there, I would, and should you ever see parenthood, I know you'll be good at it, oh, almost forgot to do something, thank my father too, I actually learned a lot from you, you taught me what not to do, and, Mom, wish I'd have had the chance, to have one last heart-to-heart honest and open talk with you” Make no mistake about it, Eminem has likely had the biggest fall from grace in Hip Hop history, as most people agree that The Eminem Show was truly his last great album in his prime - and ever since then he’s made a brand of music that’s almost been intolerable. He went from Top 5 to Bottom 5 seemingly out of nowhere, somehow losing his super powers as if Hip Hop was some kind of game like Space Jam. It seems clear when you look in his eyes that Marshall Mathers used to be a completely different person, and while his transformation over the years has been said to have improved his personal life dramatically, it’s also evident that it had the antithesis effect on his artistry - much to the chagrin of the Hip Hop genre that nowadays can hardly recognize him. Yet perhaps that’s not really fair as lyrically he still has his moments, which is evident in this outro record that touches on his thoughts and feelings regarding family members and his best friend Proof, in a way that almost brings closure to the storylines that we’ve followed for so many years. Rick Rubin had the right idea for this particular record, which is undoubtedly one of the sole highlights on an album that’s otherwise a painful reminder of how far he’s truly fallen.
Eminem ft Ed Sheeran - River
“I've been a liar, been a thief, been a lover, been a cheat, all my sins need holy water, feel it washing over me” This maybe a reach but of all the cringeworthy records on Revival this is actually one of the best of them, in which pop star Ed Sheeran sent over the hook through an email and the rest was MTV TRL history, if only this was twenty years ago. Instead Eminem made another song that he’d never dare make during his monumental run in Hip Hop, in which he reached legendary status by way of being a much different artist than he is today. Even still this is atleast more tolerable than some of the other records, which again isn’t saying much at all.
Eminem ft X Ambassadors - Bad Husband
“How come you can be a lord and a loser? How come, how come, you can be a liar and a good father? A good dad, but a bad husband Why are you a good father? A great dad, but a bad husband” This right here is a complete record from front to back, mainly in thanks to a solid hook provided by a little known band from Ithaca, New York known as X Ambassadors, which lays the framework for Eminem to divulge in some more thoughtful introspection - highlighted by lyrics like “We brought out the worst in each other, someone had to make the sparring end, cause I loved you, but I hated that me, and I don't wanna see that side again, but I'm sorry, Kim, more than you could ever comprehend” that seem genuine and lends itself to one of the best moments on the tape.
Eminem ft P!nk - Need Me
“Some nights I want to run for the hills, it's never easy with you, I cannot reason with you, but your smile is as rare as it comes, what would I do without that? Maybe that's why I come back, oh, what I wouldn't do for you!” I have no words for this other than that it’s a decent pop record that I have little use for… otherwise I’m thankful that this collaboration was at least not as bad as it read on paper.
Eminem - In Your Head
“Hailie, baby, I didn't mean to make you eighty, percent of what I rapped about, maybe I shoulda did a better job at separating, Shady and entertaining from real life, but this fame thing is still the hardest thing to explain” All in all Eminem had a lot to say on this album, yet while the message is far more admirable than it ever used to be, the delivery of the content has left a lot to be desired. Yet this record is somewhere in between, where even though it’s subject matter is significant it’s ultimately the Cranberries ‘Zombies’ sample that leaves the lasting impression, either for better or for worse.
G Perico - Affiliated
“Corporate street *****, that won’t change, put me in a museum and write ‘LA gangsta, but he was gettin’ paid’” One of the highlights off G Perico’s latest album 2 Tha Left, a nice follow up to his previous release All Blue.
G Perico - Everybody
“I'm tryna get rich with everybody I know” Another motivational record off the latest release from one of the West Coast’s rising stars.
G-Eazy ft Charlie Puth - Sober
“It all started with a light glass, now I'm asking ‘how long could tonight last?,’ man, she had an eeh face with a tight ass, if I had a shot less, then I might pass” G-Eazy must be the Drake of Fraternity Rap hands down, and to his credit he stays in that lane and he does it well. An Oakland native his music is all about degenerate drug use and bad bitches, which again to his credit falls right in line with the subgenre of Hip Hop that the area is most recognized for. This one however is again as Drake-lite as you can imagine, and if you’re looking for that brand of music than look no further than this.
G-Eazy - Legend
“I text I want her, then I fly her like Aladdin (woo!), but if she ain't the baddest, then I put her in main cabin (sorry), they follow me at the party, I walk around it, like, ‘Is it me, or did this room just get crowded?’ (fuck off), and they're some sixes up in here, like who allowed in? (who?), she thinks she's got a chance, I really fuckin doubt it” Again G-Eazy coasts on this but he’s legitimately Mike the Situation as a rapper, if that’s what you’re in to.
G-Eazy ft A$AP Rocky & Cardi B - No Limit
“fuck with me and get some money” 🔥🔥🔥 undeniably one of the best radio records of the year, not mad at this one at all.
G-Eazy - Summer In December
“Welcome to LA, the land of opportunity where everybody stay, the girls are pretty, the sun will shine 360 days, but I don't always feel that way, today I need some gray” G-Eazy in introspective mode over a piano instrumental and I’ll let em cook...
G-Eazy ft SG Lewis, Louis Mattrs - No Less
“Cuz you deserve everything and more, you're royalty, a true queen that a king adore, I need you by my side, you the type I bring on tour, let's fall asleep in L.A., wake up out in Singapore” Another one of the stronger cuts off G-Eazy’s third studio album titled The Beautiful and Damned.
G-Eazy ft Son Lux - Eazy
“Dear Gerald, life changed since you dropped your second album, and Me, Myself & I just went 7x Platinum, toured around the world, damn, you really had ‘em, but now you’re 27 and it’s time to be a legend” The outro is a nice concept record in which G-Eazy looks back on his journey throughout the years, and truthfully G-Eazy is seemingly more talented than most.
Taylor Swift ft Ed Sheeran & Future - End Game
“I wanna be your endgame (endgame), I wanna be your first string (first string), I wanna be your A-Team (A-Team), I wanna be your endgame, endgame” Idk if I’m late or not but I’ll make up for lost time by simply saying this is a relative heater and I somewhat enjoy this one.
Taylor Swift - Delicate
“Third floor on the West Side, me and you, handsome, you're a mansion with a view, do the girls back home touch you like I do?” Produced by Shellback and Max Martin this is one of the standouts on Taylor Swift’s sixth studio album titled reputation, which is already 3x Platinum worldwide.
Taylor Swift - Dress
“Say my name and everything just stops, I don't want you like a best friend, only bought this dress so you could take it off…” Taylor Swift seems ready to transition into a more versatile artist, and this time she gets in her sexy bag and does it well, and I hope to see more of this from her moving forward.
K. Michelle - Make This Song Cry
“Bae. I'mma make this song cry, never let a ***** see me cry, I'mma make this song cry, fore I ever let 'em fuck up my eyes!” One of the better records off K. Michelle’s latest album KIMBERLY: The People I Used To Know.
Rapsody - Sassy
“Snow Hill is my home, hour from the beach, small town beef it'll don't get that deep, I grew up wit you and you grew up wit me, throw a few hands and we good next week” more visuals off Rapsody’s masterpiece Laila’s Wisdom
Belly - The Come Down Is Real Too
“Crazy how you lookin' shorty, you pushin 40, like baby, now you lookin' for me, you lookin sorry, no cure for the insecure, but you can share my soul with me since you're missin yours” more visuals off one of the standouts on Belly’s overlooked classic entitled Mumble Rap, a project that instantly made me a fan.