"#1234" by Lupe Fiasco [Lamborghini Angels/ ITAL (Roses)/ Audobon Ballroom]

Lupe Fiasco - #1234 from Alex Nazari on Vimeo.

"It's called being fiscally responsible/
Don't let these lying images up in hip-hop here conquer you/
The TV's not your father fool, that video not your mama/
Try yo best to be a man and the worst to be a monster/"

This video's almost 13 minutes, and features 3 full songs from Lupe Fiasco's "Food & Liquor Pt. 2". But if you like music that expresses social awareness and the demand for change, this project's for you. It does get a little hard to sit through when "ITAL (Roses)" comes on because it's mainly one frame of the kid watching TV. But if you dissect what happens in this video, it has a pretty deep message to it. I seen this as a way of showing the progression of the effects of oversaturated hip-hop music. First it shows kaleidoscopic images of fried chicken, a hot bitch, blunts and various material items that are glorified strongly through mainstream music. I perceive it to proceed into the effects that this form of hip-hop may have on the little black kid, who just accepts everything he's been fed and becomes what he's been exposed to. For the third song I was thinking maybe they were showing the different groups of people who have contrasting opinions on what's being displayed to the youth. But that's just my quick interpretation which could be completely inaccurate from the message that was intended to be shared. Seems like it could mean something deeper than I'm capable of analyzing at this hour of the night lol. Check it out and form your own opinion!

"Bob Seger" by Atmosphere

"I ain't as cool as I used to be, leave me alone/
I'm kinda blurry from the journey man, my speakers are blown/
Truthfully, I'd rather keep it in a zone/
I could maneuver easily, from the comfort of my home/"

 

This song has such a cool vibe. The Minnesota dream team recently released this track without any info regarding a project. Even if it isn't part of an upcoming album, I definitely feel this track. Slug always does the best job at killin' a beat with fairly simple lyrics. Check it!



"Judge and Jury" by Jon Connor

"I gotta answer to God, don't gotta answer to y'all/
Fuck niggas, especially niggas hatin' on blogs/
Fuck a magazine, fuck a review, like I need an excuse/
To do what I gotta do, nigga I don't need a motherfuckin reason!/"

Man I got nothing but respect for Jon Connor. And I'm glad I ain't gotta feel guilty for the 2nd line above, because I ain't got nothin' but love for what this dude's tryna do! This is track 17 from Jon Connor's latest album, Unconscious State, which just dropped yesterday. The video to go along with it is well done, and provides a gritty feel to match the not-give-a-fuck attitude that Jon displays in this track. Check it!

"Air Em Out" by CZARFACE

 

"He don't hear 'em out, he just air 'em out/
He just fuck it up, it's like if really there's a doubt/
The beat will beat 'em down, It's leakin' in ya town/
It's hotter than that summer time heat that's in the south/"

 

This video is fucking G. CZARFACE is the unity of 3 different talented people - Inspectah Deck, 7L & Esoteric. I can't honestly say I'm a fan of 7L & Esoteric, cause I've only heard em make random appearances with JMT. But they killed it alongside the Wu-Tang killa bee. The video's gotta sick mob theme, and reminds me of a classic gangster movie. Which only adds to the entertainment value of this awesome song. Check it.

"King of Diamonds" by Swollen Members

"I'll kill these kids like an abortion, then go sport fishing/
You best abort mission, or you'll need a mortician/
I'm a warped magician, got a heart condition/
But once I start militia'n, you'll be in a hard position/"

Ye yea. Here's some dope Canadian hip-hop for y'all. Swollen Members have been around for a while, and have progressed quite a bit since then. This song from their upcoming album, "Beautiful Death Machine" has that sick boom-bap feel to it. The three man threat comes together to make a sick example of what's yet to come for their tenth album. Check it.

"Scar Tissue [Genre Tribute]" by Alyssa Marie

"So now what, is there something to save?/
Can we just pick up where we left off like nothing has changed?/
When everything about us different, could we take just the love that remains/
And build it up among the rubble we made?/"

This girl is sick. She's an amazing rapper, and a RHCP fan. I actually stumbled upon this by accident, but it ended up being pretty cool. Alyssa Marie takes the instrumental from RHCP's "Scar Tissue" and drops her own lyrics over it. This was a creative idea, and she managed to pull it of without making it seem corny. Even though it's somewhat of a sappy love song, the lyrics were awesome. Check it.

"Skeletons" by Joe Budden ft. Joell Ortiz & Crooked I

"We could talk about pain 24/7 dawg, that's my department/
In the city, blues, cruisin', I'm blastin' that Marvin/
Skeletons ain't in my closet, that's my apartment/
And they like to hide behind thousand dollar fabrics and garments/"

Maaan. I love when Slaughterhouse manages to come through with soft tracks that hit ya hard. This track reminds me of songs like "Rescue Me", "Goodbye", and even "Raindrops". It's missing Royce because it isn't actually a Slaugherhouse track. This song's from Joe Budden's latest album, "No Love Lost", which dropped this past Monday. This album kinda creeped up on me, so I'm not even sure what to expect from it. But if the rest of the tracklist boasts the lyrical level that this track does, it should be an awesome CD. That album cover kinda looks familiar though.

"9 Minute Freestyle" + "Alphabetical Slaughter Pt. 2" by Papoose

"Cheap shots, they sendin' harpoons after us/
Tryna put my name on a courtroom calendar/
You challenging the best, that's a smart move, challenger/
But I gain momentum when y'all lose stamina/
Searchin' for stardom, y'all dudes scavengers/"

The Nacirema Dream is coming! Seems like Papoose has been making an effort to make public appearances lately. That's fine with me. Papoose is a fuckin beast, and you're fucked if you think different lol. This video right here presents 7 different beats for him to spit over, and he pretty much obliterated each and every one of them. Then at the end, he makes an addition to his popular track, "Alphabetical Slaughter" over Nas' "One Mic" instrumental. Based on the past few freestyle videos that I've heard from Pap, I think his upcoming album, "The Nacirema Dream" will join my solid collection of hip-hop albums. Check it.

"Backstreet Freestyle" by Ubiquitous

"I'm signed, it's time to set a couple records, yessir/
The pens have got em all defensive, so I guess I'll be the agressor/
They say you only reap what you sow, so I'll put in effort/
Got Brooklyn under my feet as I speak, so I cook with pressure/"
 

I'm just speaking my mind, but some people may think of this as a bold statement. I don't really like Kendrick Lamar. I'll admit it. I don't really understand what his hype's all about other than the fact that he has a different sound and he presents realistic themes in his music. But as far as enjoying hearing his voice/rhymes, I'm not a big fan. BUT on the other hand, this beat is fuckin cool and I like Ubiquitous. It's not his greatest track, but it's hard to live up to some of his content. Apparently excited to be in Brooklyn, Ubi drops a sick freestyle over the Kendrick beat, with a pretty cool video for just a freestyle. Check it folks!

"Pete's Jazz Voicenote" by Asher Roth

"Man I can barely move, in these embarrassing shoes/
And when I'm staying at the Sheraton, I'm sharing a room/
Like damn, this isn't fair yo, this thing got me fooled/
Bet i'd live up on a mountain with a fabulous view/"

Asher Roth is the shiznit. This man could shit on the whole industry with nothing more than his voice, a beat, and his iPhone. Can't really even hear the beat, but this freestyle is fucking sick. Perfect for a snowy Saturday afternoon. Check it.