Thursday, May 06, 2010

Throwback Thurs: Wale - DC Gorillaz

I'll be the first to admit, this one definitely got by the goalie until recently. This freestyle, DC Gorillaz, was off of Wale's 100 Miles & Running mixtape that was released in 2007. It's not really fair to say it's a freestyle since it's more of a sample that gets twisted mid-track to reflect Wale's DC flavored, take 'em to church/Go-Go style beat flip at the 2:40 mark.

The sample is from one of my favorite Gorillaz tracks, Dirty Harry. Much credit goes to DJ Danger Mouse on the production of this epic beat that is unique in it's own electro/funk/Hip Hop way.


Always was entertained in sort of a disturbed way with the animated craziness they display with their videos. Sorta fits with their unclassifiably funky sound, emphasizing their independent sounding style.

Wale addresses a serious beef he has with mainstream Hip Hop in that in 2007, it was dominated by ignant dances and foolishness. One the first verse he explains:
"And she don't want to learn, she gon' shake that little ass while they rain with that cash
If I don't make that man there dance
That man there throw Wale on the shelf, and I lose"
Back in '07 that was more truth than fiction, but since then I feel like progress has made and the paradigm of Hip Hop has shifted to a slightly realer and intelligent sound. My favorite line on the track addresses that all too familiar original Nintendo trick...
"I plead with em, the system ain't right
like the first Nintendo, the blinking red light
So, my thought process is all but a cartlidge
when I'm blown I can work proper"
Love it when artists can incorporate pop culture in a witty way like Wale does on this track and very similar to what Joe Budden and Royce da 5'9" are doing almost weekly with their freestyles. Also, a huge fan of the beat transformations mid-track that manage to tie together the first part of the song to the second with one element of the beat, while the other elements flip. Very very well done here, hat's off to Best Kept Secret for orchestrating that...give it a listen y'all...

Wale - DC Gorillaz Hot Sample/Freestyle!!

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