"So Hard To Breathe" by B.o.B

"Time flies I guess that's why I'm bugging/

Just yesterday I was rapping with my brother and my cousin/

If you had the stove or toaster on you couldn't use the oven/

We knew that we were struggling, we just acted like we wasn't"

So I’m pretty sure we all know who B.o.B is so I won’t waste any time talking about that but me and Brenton thought this recent song by him was sick. Honestly I found the video a little weird, I get the sinking reference but it’s a little strange to watch. Anyways, the song tells a good message about how the music industry really works despite what people believe. I’m glad B.o.B has made it into the mainstream scene and still kept true to hip-hop. Check it out!

"The End" by Young Noble ft. Hopsin & Lowkey

"I got a harsh life, and now I live on the dark side/

staring in the past just wondering how my heart died/

my mental state moves at a simple rate/

I pour my life out through this pencil and scribble until the pencil breaks/"

So Brenton showed me this a little while ago and I remembered it instantly stuck in my mind. To be honest the big highlight for me is Hopsin dropping his verse but the whole song is sick. All of their lyrics are really on point and I love the beat’s spacey feel. Kind of shit that makes me feel like my mind is connected to everything in the universe. On another note, we were surprised to see Young Noble, who is one of 2Pac’s old boys, collabing with Hopsin and Lowkey. It’s sick to see MC’s from three completely different worlds, from three different career points, getting together just to make some real hip-hop. Just like Young Noble says in his verse, “From sunny California to the bricks of London, nigga everybody strugglin’, everybody hustlin’.” Check it out

"Terrorist?" by Lowkey

"It's like the definition didn't ever exist/

I guess it's all just depending who your nemesis is/

Irrelevant, how eloquent the rhetoric peddler is/

They're tellin' fibs, now tell us who the terrorist is/"

I've always liked this song. The chorus, the dope drums and sample in the beat. Most of all, the ideas behind the song. It's always sick to find artists who stand for freedom and encourage revolution. This track's by UK emcee, Low Key who is known for his lack of support for governments worldwide. In this track he speaks as a man who's been labelled as a terrorist due to the stereotypes against him. He brings out a lot of good points to make you second guess who the "terrorists" in this world really are. Kinda makes you realize how ignorant and inaccurate stereotypes can be, and how little they can reveal about someone. Anyways.... sick track.

KOTD Beatbox Battle: Scott Jackson vs. Ominous

This is not your typical battle. With all of the buzz KOTD has made recently, they've started to take rap battles to a whole new level. This is the first beatbox battle that I've seen from KOTD and it's really cool. This battle is between Toronto's Scott Jackson, and Ominous from Calgary, Alberta. They're both really fuckin' talented, and I think it'd be hard to even decide a winner between the two. Anyways, if you're a fan of more than one element of the hip-hop culture, you'll definitely appreciate this video. Open ya Earz!

"Memory Lane" by Elzhi

"I ain't wanna leave, without hittin' my first blunt filled with chronic leaves/

I choked up and couldn't breathe/

That's the day I missed class, smelling like twist grass/

Ms. Nash kicked me out because I'm not a kiss ass/"

About a year ago, Elzhi released a remade version of Nas' album, "Illmatic". He named his version "Elmatic" and had the beats produced with live instruments by Will Sessions. I downloaded the tape first when it came out, but I hadn't noticed this video until today. It's El's version of "Memory Lane", and the track takes you on a journey through his past experiences in the Detroit hip-hop scene. You may see a few familiar faces within the retro footage that was included in the video. Open ya Earz!

"Hello Walls" by Krizz Kaliko ft. Tech N9ne

“Is anybody listening, it’s like I’m yelling but I’m whispering/
 it’s like it doesn’t even matter, I’m talking fast but its idle chatter/
 if you can feel me hear me out, I got something to talk about/
 I promise I won’t waste your time, heh’ never mind…”

I have to say I’m really chomping at the bit waiting for Kaliko’s new album. He’s previewed so many of the songs ahead of time and every single one has been exceptional. It is gonna be a little disappointing to know half the songs when I get the album but there’s still huge collabs including Rittz, Chamillionaire and Hopsin which I’m exicted for. Anyways, this isn’t even really entirely a rap song but I thought this song was sick and kinda hit me hard in some ways. Let’s say I’ve spent a lot of time in my room staring at the walls and ceilings too, feelin’ pretty low. Tech’s verse in the song is hot too, nothing speedy or super crazy, just very real. I know a bunch of you have felt like I have, have felt like Tech and Kaliko do, and will appreciate this song. I really liked the setting for the video as well and thought the simpleness of it really worked with the song. Check it out.

"Not A Day Goes By" by Brother Ali

"And the best deception is that success is effortless/

Trust me though, it never is, Let me give that more emphasis/

Get up off your ass, go do some work, ain't no reward without movin' first/

If you're not really tryna prove your worth, Quit suckin' life out the universe/"

Whattup world! This video just came out today, and totally surprised me. Not even the fact that it's a new song that I wasn't anticipating, but I was surprised by the different side of Brother Ali. I kinda like the attitude he had in this song, which was amped up even more by the cool video effects and the crazy beat produced by Jake One. The end of the video displayed the title of Brother Ali's next project, "Mourning in America and Dreaming in Colour", which I'm not even sure if this song is a part of. Either way, it's got me wanting to hear the new album, which hits stores on August 13, 2012. Open ya Earz!