Disco revivalist, turntable tyrants A-Trak and Armand Van Helden, have released their new LP; a glorious 54 minute homage to disco, with classic hip-hop elements laced throughout. The two mighty crate-diggers, otherwise known together as Duck Sauce, have made a big splash as their highly anticipated, full-length studio album Quack has finally reached the wire.

The release marks a notable trend as artists are beginning to move away from shorter EPs and are beginning to offer more full-length projects instead. The long awaited debut LP may be the most appropriately named collection of music in history, as the album’s title reflects exactly what the album is meant to represent; simply quack.

The album is quintessential Duck Sauce– its goofy, groovy, and delivers the insatiable desire to dance like a complete fool. Quack, in this case, is much more than merely the average mallard’s battle cry, but rather quack means unparalleled, good natured folly. It means embracing the crazy, where nothing is out of bounds.

It means busting some fly moves on the dance floor at your niece’s quinceañera, or the street corner, or even the kitchen counter. The album represents a dangerously fresh, frivolous, ultra cool disregard for the rules. It means quite simply not giving one single fuck and having a good time while doing so.

Quack stands as the lighter, whimsical, not-so-serious side of dance music, much in line with Trak and Armand’s philosophy on producing music overall. And furthermore, in the face of this industry’s astronomical expansion into the global limelight, a little lightening up would do us all some good, according to the vinyl veterans.

The LP also offers a sort of historical perspective on the two perennial pranksters. The album rounds together canonic Duck Sauce tunes of old, and pairs them with brand new, in-your-face nu-disco selections.

The dynamic duo’s lead off single from 2009, “aNYway” finds itself rubbing shoulders with newborn inspirations of funk and hip-hop such as “Radio Stereo” and “Charlie Chazz & Rappin’ Ralph.” Similarly, the duo’s club-favored, inescapable sing along jam “Barbra Streisand” matches a Duck Sauce vintage classic with new, sexy styling on tracks like “NRG.”

Duck Sauce’s official debut also characterizes more than just the duo’s production philosophy. Quack paints a cultural mural of a side of dance music that may otherwise be overshadowed by kandi-clan teens at massive festivals where neon tutus reign supreme and the drop is all that really matters.

Quack takes the listener down the hip-hop hardwired alleyways of Brooklyn, into dusty record stores, through buzzing barber shops, and back to the dance floor. The 12-track LP offers a much needed departure from “EDM,” but with a light hearted intention, free of any pompous judgement against the greater dance music spectrum.

Duck Sauce – Chariots of the Gods

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/143562305″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_artwork=true” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

“Chariots of the Gods” opens up the album with a throbbing baseline that grips the listener with wacky scratches and spastic sample work, before spiraling into a stomping disco frenzy.

Duck Sauce – Everyone

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/143562306″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_artwork=true” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

“Everyone” incorporates a little brotherly love as the duo enlist A-Trak’s older brother, Dave1 of Chromeo to lend his silky vocal gift to the tunes snappy pop vibe. Crooning under the guise of Teddy Toothpick, the best dressed man in music lends his production ability and gushing sex appeal to this love-soaked selection.

Duck Sauce – Radio Stereo

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/143565732″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_artwork=true” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

“Radio Stereo,” cropped straight out of the pair’s super successful Essential Mix last year, brings an exhaustive repetition however the track’s appeal does not suffer whatsoever, as the groovy cut keeps your feet moving from start to finish.

A-Trak and Armand van Helden offer Quack as a creative intersection of retro 80’s hip-hop breaks and shuffle inducing disco mayhem. Moreover though, an expectation-free listen to the album in its entirety will prove that Quack is not Random Access Memories, nor is it meant to emulate the artful composition of Daft Punk‘s comeback release a year ago. In fact, Quack may be the opposite.

The 12-track LP begs the question to the global dance music community that if we can’t at least laugh at ourselves, then what do we really have? Duck Sauce doesn’t need Beatport Chart conquering bangers, Duck Sauce is looking for a good time. Because really, that is what this is all about.

Stream the album below, or reach down into your pockets, grab a couple of bucks, and grab your own copy of Quack on iTunes. It may be the best cash you spend all year, because the fun doesn’t stop, and each track on the album is worth more than just one listen. Available now via Fool’s Gold Records, quack is back folks, and the good times are only just getting started.

Duck Sauce – Quack

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/playlists/29685882″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]

Duck Sauce

Facebook // Twitter // SoundCloud

The post Duck Sauce keeps the good times rolling with debut LP ‘Quack’ [Review] appeared first on Just Noise To Me.

Miami based production duo Urban Noize pays homage to OutKast‘s 20th anniversary of being a group with their remix EP project Everlastin‘. Urban Noize explains how they simply wanted to commemorate “the impact they’ve had in music.” Steve goes on explaining, “all while introducing some of their classics in refreshing ways, to a younger generation that may not be familiar to them.”

With Coachella opening it’s doors today, and OutKast booked for 40 festival dates this year, this EP is a perfect way to celebrate and get hyped. The EP is a boundary blend of soulful electro inspirations meshed with the iconic hip-hop veterans’ unparalleled sound.

Stream Urban Noize’s Everlastin’ EP here and enjoy some of your favorite classic rap gems reworked. And for those of you on the front lines at Coachella, enjoy what has surely been the most highly anticipated reunion in hip-hop as they make their festival debut.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/playlists/30162781″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_artwork=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]

The post Urban Noize Celebrates OutKast with ‘Everlastin,’ an OutKast Remix EP appeared first on Just Noise To Me.

Skrillex has not only made his highly anticipated album ready for stream, but has done it in a rather innovative way. By using the iOS and Android application, “Alien Ride“, to release news and music, multiple tracks were made avaliable for avid listeners. What first started out as two leaked tracks through the app, he decided to release it as a whole several hours later. Finally after many festivals and rips, we are introduced to Skrillex’s newest productions. This album features The Ragga Twins, Kill The Noise, Alvin Risk, Chance The Rapper, and many more. In case you would be interested in downloading the application click here, although all the tracks are posted here for your convenience. Enjoy the full album stream below!

Check out his Mothership Tour Dates here and the Zomboy vs. Skrillex controversy here.

Skrillex – Recess [Full Album Stream] | iTunes

Skrillex

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Just Noise To Me

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But I do feel bad. And because I feel so badly, this week’s mid-week mix is 30 tracks large crossing all sorts of genres, but these tracks all have one thing in common. I picked them for you. They came from my heart.

Literally speaking, they came from my SoundCloud feed, but you know what I’m talking about.

These tracks are in no particular order, but I did put my favorite one first. Check it out y’all, and have a hell of a weekend!

https://soundcloud.com/bigrichard-1/sets/big-richs-muh-fuggin-mid-week

The post Big Rich’s Muhfuggin Mid-Week Mix Vol. 2 appeared first on Just Noise To Me.

But fret not, mine lovers of music. I’ve built a playlist that will help lift your spirits and quell your mid-week sorrows. So dry your eyes, stop playing flappy bird in the bathroom and get down to this mix I put together. It’s something I’ll do weekly. It’s my favorite tracks from Soundcloud that have been on my stream in the past week.

There’s no rhyme or reason to what’s on this list. I just added my favorite shit from the past week from the accounts I follow on Soundcloud. Hopefully your taste is similar to mine and you can jam at your stupid desk as hard as I am right now.

This week we’ve got a Fugees remix, some Lana, lots of delicious trap, a Showtek jam in celebration of their 1 million Facebook fans, a Bro Safari remix of MIA’s YALA that is just scrumptious and some other shit. Let me know if you like it, and I guess you can let me know if you don’t like it, too.

This is Big Rich’s Muhfuggin Mid-Week Mix.

Enjoy!

https://soundcloud.com/bigrichard-1/sets/richies-muh-fuggin-mid-week

The post Big Rich’s Muhfuggin Mid-Week Mix appeared first on Just Noise To Me.

The Japanese duo of disk jockeys individually known as Ses and Noxin, collectively known as Watapachi, have been making noise worldwide for some time. I say some time, because I don’t actually know how long it’s been. Let’s call it three years. That’s probably wrong. What I do know is that these masked crusaders of dope ass beats just dropped their new Black Onyx Mixtape and it bumps harder than a fat boy in a club on Saturday night (that’s me!)

While they may be Japanese, Ses and Noxin spent a lot of time in the United States during their youth and picked up an ear for that Western boom bap, which explains why my freedom-loving ears just can’t stop clamoring for more from these two talented young fellers.

Shut your mouth, close your eyes, take off your pants and hit play. Come back later and tell us how much you enjoyed this melodic racket of trap, drum and bass, hip hop and other genres. You probably won’t come back, but at the very least, do take your pants off and jam.

https://soundcloud.com/watapachi/watapachi-black-onyx-mixtape

Check out some more of what Watapachi has to offer on SoundCloud

The post WATAPACHI — BLACK ONYX MIXTAPE appeared first on Just Noise To Me.

Vic Mensa has released a revamp of Disclosure’s “When A Fire Starts To Burn,” including some freestyle verses that are, indeed, fire.

The young Chicago-based rapper has been keeping himself pretty busy lately, working with artists like Chance The Rapper, Eliza Doolittle, and Rockie Fresh. Vic has also just finished touring with the Disclosure boys themselves as a part of their North American Winter Tour and will head out on tour with Danny Brown, making stops across Europe and the US.

Vic Mensa – When A Fire Starts To Burn Freestyle

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/134117305″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_artwork=true” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

Catch Vic Mensa on tour:

February 21st — Koko — London, UK

February 22nd — Coalition — Brighton, UK

February 23rd — Gorilla — Manchester, UK

February 25th — The Academy — Dublin, IE

March 1st — Le Bataclan — Paris, FR

March 2nd — Melkweg The Max — Amsterdam, NL

March 6th — Pumpehuset — Copenhagen, DK

April 12th — The Number Fest — Athens, OH

Follow Vic Mensa:

Facebook // Twitter // SoundCloud

The post Vic Mensa – When A Fire Starts To Burn Freestyle appeared first on Just Noise To Me.

That being said, you don’t need to be in a raging state of anger or frustration to appreciate the New Orleans native’s Never Sleep 2K14. You just need your already-immaculate taste in music and an insatiable urge to bump for about an hour and seven minutes.

Hit play to (attempt to) satiate your need for aural filth. Scroll down for the tracklist, or click here to see what other beautiful noise Kid Kamillion has graciously shared with us on his Soundcloud.

https://soundcloud.com/runthetrap/kid-kamillion-never-sleep

Tracklist:

01. INTRO – mannie fresh [f#CKWITHMEYOUKNOWIGOTIT – jay z ft. rick ross]
02. GET READY – DEBROKA
03. F#CKED UP [KID KAMILLION EDIT] – LIL WYTE ft. three six mafia
04. chinese cola – phat deuce + WE STILL IN THIS B#TCH [ACAPELLA] – b.o.b.
05. ME SO HORNY [WINSTON WOLFE TRVP CUT] – 2 LIVE CREW
06. SEX PANTHER – KID KAMILLION
07. MILLI KILLER – JOHNNY JULLIANO [KID KAMILLION x bangladesh “100” EDIT]
08. PUMP THIS PARTY [vip] – KID KAMILLION
09. BOOYAH – SHOWTEK [PARTY FAVOR RMX]
10. ATE EM – JESSE SLAYTER + SWING MY WAY [ACAPELLA] – k.p. & envyi
11. RUN IT – BENANSIS
12. WAVY “BEATS” – KID KAMILLION + BUST IT open [acapella] – lil wil
13. WAVY – KID KAMILLION
14. HARD DRIVE – SALVA + doin’ it right – daft punk ft. panda bear
15. HA – JUVENILE
16. MICHALE JORDAN [OOKAY RMX] – CARNAGE & TONY JUNIOR
17. GET RICH – TYGA
18. WRECKING BALL [CAKED UP RMX] – MILEY CYRUS
19. BEND THAT AZZ – KID KAMILLION
20. BALLIN’ – KID KAMILLION
21. BUBBLEGUM [LVX RMX] – JACKAL FT. CRNKN
22. TWERK TEAM [vip-instrumental] – kid kamillion ft. mannie fresh
23. ITS LIKE THAT [BREAUX RETWERK] – BREAUX
24. BED BREAKER – KID SISTER [JACKAL “SHAKEDOWN” LOUDPVCK RMX]
25. BOOTY BOUNCE [JESSE SLAYTER BOOTLEG RMX] – GTA
26. STARWIN [BOYS NOIZE TWERK – vip] – BOYS NOIZE + GAS PEDAL [ACAPELLA] – sage the gemini
27. SET IT OFF [TWRK RMX] – DIPLO & LAZERDISK PARTY SEX +“s#it” – future
28. NUMBERS ON THE BOARD [THE REEF BOOTLEG RMX] – PUSHA T
29. DIFFERENTOLOGY [MAJOR LAZER RMX] – BUNJI GARLIN
30. HIT EM – APE DRUMS & JUYEN SEBULBA
31. INSOMNIA [KID KAMILLION BOOTLEG rmx] – FAITHLESS
32. MOVE THAT BUTT – APE DRUMS & 2 DEEP
33. ANGRY BIRDZ – WIWEK
34. MIND CONTROL – CARLI
35. THE CROWD – GTA
36. DON’T PLAY – KID KAMILLION & MONEY P
37. outro – “u.o.e.n.o.” – rocko ft. future [extened chorus]
* SECRET bonus track – CAKE [vip-instrumental ] – KID KAMILLION

From our good friends at Run The Trap.

The post Kid Kamillion – Never Sleep Mixtape 2K14 appeared first on Just Noise To Me.

I didn’t get a chance to watch the Grammys (woe is me), but I did have the absolute pleasure to read about them on the internet. And what a pleasure it was.

In the interest of full disclosure, I too contributed to the explosion of similarly lame opinions that filled our social feeds at an incalculable rate. I was pissed off that Macklemore beat out Kendrick Lamar for any Grammy award, never mind four of them. Oh my god. It’s like Michael Jordan losing four game-sevens in a row. It’s like Peyton Manning throwing four picks on four straight drives. HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN TO US, KENDRICK? WHAT DID WE DO WRONG? WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

I was truly upset that a big panel of people who don’t listen to the same music that I do didn’t give a gold statue to my favorite rapper.

But in retrospect, what’s really surprising about a decision like this? For one, the Grammys have never been about defining genre. Regardless of what you think, or how you feel about the subtleties of Mackelmore’s music, it’s been defined as hip hop. That just is what it is. Macklemore and Ryan Lewis are the first duo to ever have their first two singles reach the number one spot in the Hot 100. Macklemore is the first independent artist since 1994 to have their song go to number one. The song below is the last time that happened.

Macklemore won those Grammys last night for a lot of the reasons you’ve already heard, but mainly because it’s a great narrative. People love a great story, and every organization wants to make great stories. The Grammys are no different. Plus, let’s be honest. With the folks who are voting on these awards, what did you expect? Steely Dan beat out Radiohead, Eminem and Beck for best album in 2001. What a messed up year that was.

I’m not going to go into the details, but it’s plainly obvious that Grammy voters are exerting a large influence in categories where they really aren’t experts. It’s such a travesty, I know. (/s) Yeah, I really wanted Kendrick to win because he sure as hell deserves it, but like I said — the narrative is undeniable for both of them. Kendrick will get his; no doubt about that. GKMC may be a masterpiece, but The Heist isn’t exactly garbage. We’ll get over it. Kendrick will get over it. We all will.

But since all this has gone down, one thing has become truly apparent. There is a sect of hip hop fans who couldn’t be more eager to distance themselves from Macklemore. There couldn’t possibly be any more of an effort from this group to make it apparent that Mackelmore is absolutely NOT a part of the hip hop culture. It’s more feverish and desperate than A-Rod trying to distance himself from his alleged steroid use. So panicked. So desperate.

So what is it exactly that’s so threatening about Macklemore? For one, it’s that he’s white. There is no doubt about that. If it’s fair to infer that one of the reasons Macklemore won all of those Grammys is because he’s white, is it so outlandish to believe that maybe some of the hate towards him is also because he’s a white man finding success in hip hop who doesn’t rap about traditional hip hop things (a-la Eminem, Action Bronson and Mac Miller)? No, it’s not outlandish, because it’s stated plainly.

The top bubble in the above image is an actual message that Macklemore sent to Kendrick Lamar after the Grammys. The bottom bubble is the viral brainchild of somebody I feel inclined to say not-so-nice things about; it was shopped in to show just how important it was to hip hop for a panel of old white people to affirm their musical taste.

Honestly, that’s one of the stupidest things I’ve ever read. Shame on the child who wrote it. This Spin article really worked me up, too. Same with this New York Times article. Let’s not all act as if hip hop is a bastion of cultural pride and honor. Give me a break. I’ll listen to hip-hop until the day I die, but this posturing and moral grandstanding as if Macklemore stole something from the community because he pursued his passion (independently of a label, mind you) and achieved is a gigantic joke.

Exactly what is it that would have made the detractors happy? Should Macklemore have fought tooth and nail for his music to be re-categorized into a different genre? Should he have pursued another profession for the sole cause of not offending hip hop purists? The Spin article I linked to calls out Macklemore for Instagramming his “apology” to K.Dot, bitterly stating that it was only “because every magnanimous stance this guy takes must go public.” What a hypocritical and elitist stance to take.

As if media reports or the musing of artists or the general public aren’t subject to a response from the subject of such great disdain — as if the freedom to express an opinion is a one way street. What the hell is Mack supposed to do? He can sit there on his thumbs as he gets blasted by hip hop fans and the media (in a completely ignorant, angry and disrespectful way), or he can do something to show people that he understands that they might be pissed off by what just happened, and that he identifies with what they’re feeling. WOW, HOW NARCISSISTIC OF HIS WHITE PRIVILEGED ASS. Give. Me. A. Break.

The dude is gonna get nailed no matter what. He should be allowed to defend himself without you putting words into his mouth, especially considering he’s done nothing wrong besides work his ass off for more than a decade to reach the peak of his profession. And he pretty much said what we were all thinking. We’re going to vilify him for acknowledging that? Shuuuuut up. I mean, Chris Brown gets better treatment from the same community. Apparently, beating a woman is a lesser offense than being a successful, non-traditional white man in hip hop.

One of my biggest beefs with the hip hop community is how grossly hypocritical this whole thing is. In a genre with so much filler, so much monotonous bullshit, Macklemore is really your biggest worry? I’m not even going to address the remarks accusing Mack of pushing a “Gay Agenda”. How paranoid are you? You think Macklemore is trying to turn your kids into gays? Isn’t the hip hop community the same community that wants me to believe that their aggressive, violent and misogynistic music won’t rub off on my children? How is that consistent?

Obviously, this fear stems from the Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’ single, “Same Love”. Hip hop purists don’t like Mack pushing his agenda using their music as his tool for propagation. This is where we get into the one-way freedom of speech thing again. Rap music has never been a stronghold for morality. Those artists exist, but they are certainly not the majority. Are we still talking about the same genre of music that has been attacked and vilified by mainstream media for years? After listening to interview after interview with faded rappers, I always thought that hip hop was about expressing your point of view, and telling people about where your from.

Hip hop is all about its freedom of speech and saying what you feel — as long as you share all of the same opinions as hip hop. I’m not saying you have to like Macklemore, I’m not even saying you have to appreciate what he’s making. I could hardly give a damn. But to run around and act like 1) he’s pushing a “gay agenda” and 2) he’s the biggest threat to the state of hip hop is complete and total ignorance. It’s sad, and it’s desperate.

Hip hop is really self-conscious right now and there’s something very off-putting about it. From the community’s need to have Kendrick’s talent affirmed by a Grammy, to their denial and subsequent attacks of Macklemore, there is a loud group that is very committed to controlling the message — Macklemore is not hip hop.

The post Hip Hop is Afraid of Macklemore. appeared first on Just Noise To Me.

Good day, loyal readers. What a pleasure it is to meet you! My name is Richie Martin and I’m the new hip hop correspondent for JustNoiseToMe. I could spend a couple paragraphs telling you about myself, and how my beard is recognized as a sovereign nation by the UN. But instead, I’ll introduce myself in the best way I could possibly think of — with a list of my favorite hip hop albums of all time.

This list is in no way meant to be definitive or even a list of what I think are the best hip hop albums. It’s in no particular order. This is simply a list of the dozen-or-so albums I could listen to forever. However, if something on this list touches a nerve, I more than welcome your anger and bitter commentary. But I’d rather be your friend, so just keep that in mind before you start harassing me, punk.

LET’S GO.

Liquid Swords

GZA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MO1Tmr5S2BQ
There had to be at least one Wu-Tang album on this list. Why Liquid Swords? It’s an honest toss up for me between 36 Chambers, Tical and Only Built 4 Cuban Linx. I picked Liquid Swords because it’s the album that got me into Wu-Tang. I remember listening to them early in my teenage years and just not getting it. Fast forward a couple years to when I started making beats just for shits ‘n gigs and something about GZA’s sound really struck a chord. But really, you could pick any of the initial albums from any member of the Clan of the Killa Beez and I wouldn’t put up a fight.

Speakerboxxx/The Love Below

Outkast

I might get a little bit of hate for this one. I really wanted to pick Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik, but I was four years old when that shit came out. As much as I LOVE everything Outkast has made, my introduction to Three Stacks and Sir Lucious Leftfoot was during the peak of their popularity in the early 2000’s. This album is insanely diverse in its sound and really showcases Dre and Big Boi’s unique (and sometimes crazy) approach to the genre.

The Minstrel Show

Little Brother

Little Brother is a trio consisting of the formidable rhyming duo, Phonte and Big Pooh, with the legendary 9th Wonder handling the production. I’m not sure if there was a bigger influence for me growing up than 9th Wonder. His production is on point from beginning to end on The Minstrel Show. Te and Poo are on a mission to show you how slighted they really are by the lack of recognition they receive, with numerous lines targeted to fans and the media for their consistent recognition of played out bullshit. Regardless of the message (which was received with plenty of criticism), this album is a joy to listen to from beginning to end.

Midnight Marauders

A Tribe Called Quest

I had never dabbled much in the offerings of the Tribe until I made a trip to Rock the Bells, and got to see them perform Midnight Marauders live. It was a surreal experience. Q-Tip’s energy infected the crowd of I don’t know how many thousands of people in a way I’ve never ever fathomed to be possible. Busta Rhymes made a surprise appearance and changed my fucking life. Maybe that’s a little hyperbolic, but immediately following that weekend, I downloaded the entire Quest discography and made my peace with the hip hop gods for denying the word of ATCQ for so long.

Kush & Orange Juice

Wiz Khalifa

This is another choice that might catch me some flack. For one, yes, I know. This isn’t an album, it’s a mixtape. For two, it’s Wiz Khalifa. But again, this isn’t a definitive list of the “best” of anything. As you can tell, most of the selections so far have a story to go along with them, and Kush & OJ is no different. Its release marked what was probably the height of Wiz’s popularity and he absolutely destroyed Twitter for a solid week. This is the soundtrack to what is probably the most memorable summer of my life. If I could go back in time and listen to any album/mixtape for the first time all over again, this might be it.

Blue Chips 2

Action Bronson

I might as well get the other mixtape out of the way. Action Bronson is absolutely my favorite artist right now. He’s got fantastic taste in beats and frequently takes a chance on something you’ve definitely never heard before. He’s a laid back dude with a braggadocio as big as his appetite. Produced by fellow Brooklyn Native, Party Supplies, Blue Chips 2 is a hilarious, graphic and bold project that’s gets more and more fun with every listen. I’d like to apologize in advance for how much I’ll be writing about Action Bronson.

Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City

Kendrick Lamar

Not exactly sure what you want me to say here. I love Kendrick, I love TDE and I can’t wait to see what these guys do in 2014. If only Kendrick was as enjoyable live as he is recorded. But I digress ….

Illmatic

Nas

The first 16 bars of “Life’s a Bitch” were life affirming the first time I ever heard them. Once I learned them, they also had me convinced that I could be a rapper, too. Well, we now know I’m not a rapper. But on a lazy Saturday afternoon cruising down the highway with your windows rolled down, AZ and Nas can still manage convince me that I’m the baddest dude around, if not just for a few moments. For me, Illmatic is THE Nas album, no argument. It’s 10 tracks that perfectly sum up the glory of 90’s hip hop.

Already Platinum

Slim Thug

I’ve lived in Arizona for more than half of my life now, but Texas is and always will be home. When I really started to get into hip hop, nothing was cooler to me than the thought of rappers from MY state getting the recognition I knew they deserved. The title of Slim Thug’s first major release was a daring boast that never came to fruition, but he still managed to create a decent amount of buzz outside the Lone Star State with his syrupy slow delivery and thick Texas twang. Slim has never recaptured this sort of mainstream success, but Already Platinum is still one of my favorite listens.

Let’s Get It: Thug Motivation 101

Young Jeezy

Jeezy’s 2005 release brought trap music to the masses (or at least to the forefront of my mind). The song “Go Crazy” went crazy, thanks in part to a verse from Jay Z, and all of a sudden, suburban high school kids like me were disciples of ATL hip hop. Look, I can’t identify with anything Jeezy has to say, but if it sounds good, I’ll listen to it. I’ve got so many memories of driving around to this album in my best friend’s Explorer, outfitted with a couple of comically oversized subwoofers and feeling like a bad ass. As cringe-worthy as those memories might be, they’re still fun to think about. Plus, this was just a great debut album.

Murray’s Revenge

Murs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7H25vfOM3SU
The only repeat contributor on this list is 9th Wonder, so if you’re not a fan, you may not be pleased. But this list isn’t about you, IS IT? Murs and 9th Wonder did a lot together, but this 2006 release has to be my favorite. The production and rhymes are on point throughout this entire album and reaches its climax with the wonderfully sampled title track. Bob James’ “Nautilus” has been sampled time and time again, but again, this is easily my favorite rendition. The song “Barbershop” is a great concept track that’s perfect for one of those days where you just got a raise, got the car cleaned, got a new pair of kicks on and of course, a fresh new haircut.

Hate any of my selections? Do we have any albums in common? Let me know! I’m excited to be here and can’t wait to hear from you. Cheers!

Honorable Mentions:
The Infamous – Mobb Deep
Doggystle – Snoop Dogg
Diplomatic Immunity 2 – The Diplomats
Uptown Saturday Night – Camp Lo
Ready to Die – The Notorious B.I.G.
Be – Common
Real Talk – Fabolous

The post Say “Hi” to your New Hip Hop Correspondent. appeared first on Just Noise To Me.