"I Only Love My Bed and My Momma, I'm Sorry"

It may not be my favorite flavor of Drake's music, but his new one has a lot of pros. For starters, that beat cooked up by 40 and Boi-1da is straight 🔥🔥🔥. The heavy bottom layered on top of the quiet ebb and flow of the repetitive sample works well. Add to that some sing-songy, repeatable, meem-able bars and it has some replay-ability. In the grand scheme of his discography it's meh at best and certainly not deserving of breaking the single day streaming record once held by Taylor Swift. It's not that I don't appreciate Drake anymore, it's that I liked the rawness of his storytelling of days from the past. Those days seem to be long gone in favor of safer tracks that blend is well with Top 40. If anything, what I learned today was that the music community as a whole is starving for listen-able Hip Hop. I'll second that notion as I continue to play the Hipster who is over Drake since he started selling out arenas role...#GodsPlan

Drake - God's Plan (prod by Noah “40” Shebib & Boi-1da)

"I'm From West Side California, We the Realest State"

It's sad that attention worthy Hip Hop beats are so few and far between nowadays. I long for the days of Dr. Dre, Timbaland, Scott Storch, and Polow Da Don. Whenever their names were on the production credits of tracks, you couldn't hold me back from pressing play and nodding my head along. It didn't even matter if the track was for a rapper, R&B singer, or a random pop artist, there was a good chance I was going to like the track regardless as to whether or not it had words.

Fast forward to present day where Boi-1da and T-Minus continue to wreak havoc on the barren wasteland that has become Hip Hop beats. Sure, the Lil Tunechi verse is 100% fire leading off the track below, but Trill shines because the beat goes hard and takes no prisoners. Mad love to Redbull Sound Select for reeling in YG's new one and including it in their 20 tracks before 2017. Honestly, I need tracks like this to prevent me from going full on EDM and getting too jaded about the state of Hip Hop. Enjoy this one y'all, it's a rare standout production from two of the best...#Trill

YG feat Lil Wayne - Trill (prod by Boi-1da & T-Minus)

"All Summer Sixteen, Playing Dirty Not Clean"

Now that we know Drake's new Views From the 6 will be arriving in April (probably on April 16th since Toronto's area code is 416), it's time to sit back and relax as new music trickles in over the course of the next two months. Following the mo' money, mo' fame, mo' problems, mo' haters rapper career trajectory, it seems like with every passing year Drizzy picks up a new rival. We've seen him and Chris Brown get involved physically and verbally, then there's the ongoing Meek Mill saga (yawn) and lately it's been fellow up and comers from Toronto (Tory Lanez) taking subliminal shots at Drake. Rapping over a beat concocted by Toronto's finest (40, Boi-1da and CuBeatz), Drake takes on all incumbents with subtle jabs. I'm not going to pretend to do a better job than Lyrics Genius at illuminating the beef and subsequent jabs, so if you want to dive deep, head on over to that fine site.

Do I think it's lame that Meek Mill dropped a response (War Pain) to Drake's Summer Sixteen a mere 15 minutes after the song was debuted on OVO Sound radio? Yea, I do. And while Meek may be grinning like a little school girl by proudly flipping Drake's "ghostwriter", Quentin Miller, he's still coming off like a younger brother snitching on big brother because he's jealous of the attention that big brother gets. I digress, it's all pretty stupid anyways. Getting back to the music, the slow beat reminds me a lot of Three Six Mafia's Da Summa from 2009. It's slow, heavy and bangin', setting the tone for tough talk. It's not your usual Top 40 single from Drake, but it will succeed in getting everyone to start talking. And you know what they say, no publicity is bad publicity, especially when you're about to release an album...#SummerSixteen

Drake - Summer Sixteen (prod by Noah “40,” Shebib, Boi-1da, and CuBeatz)

"How Many of Us? How Many Jealous? Real Friends"

It'd be going a bit far to say that Kanye is back to making legendary music, but all signs are pointing that direction. His success has always come from his ability to produce music and tell a story. Keeping that in mind, it's no surprise that he's received overwhelmingly positive reviews for his new single Real Friends.

Songs like Real Friends are a reason why I will always be willing to give Kanye respect. On the track he did what he usually does, pulling together a lot of talented pieces including an assist from Ty Dolla $ign on the verses and Boi-1da on the beat. And while you'll never anoint 'Ye as the greatest rapper of all time, you can't hate on his ability to come equipped with raw emotion when he gets into storytelling mode. Not the rapping about clothes and cars Kanye, the one who speaks about real issues that people can associate with. Maybe common folk don't have to worry about having real friends as much as he does, but it's nonetheless one of those rare down to earth glimpses into his genius...#RealFriends

Kanye West feat Ty Dolla $ign - Real Friends

"Oh My, Oh My What a Wonderful Time"

It's as if The Weeknd was starting to worry that the public perception of him was full-on-pop the way he's been attacking the Hip Hop scene the past week. First it was his collaborations with Future on Low Life and Jeremih on Pass Dat, now it's Travis Scott.

With all due respect to the first two tracks, Wonderful is by far my favorite of the three. It has that type of gritty, bass heavy production that Kanye West fell in love with when he started shouting out Travis. Normally I get annoyed with the use of autotune, but there's something tasteful about the way Travis utilizes it that adds to the value of the track. It's hard to mess with a bangin' beat (shout out to T-Minus and Boi-1da), a couple catchy verses and a hook that listeners can latch onto with ease. Love everything about this collaboration because of how well these two artists' styles work together...#Wonderful

Travis Scott feat The Weeknd - Wonderful (prod by T-Minus & Boi-1da)

"We Be Out in Silicone, Tryin' to Get Our Billions on"

If you're a Drake fan you've spent the past four days running laps around his new paid mixtape If You're Reading This It's Too Late. Evidently that whole Jungle video he released last week served as a prelude to the dark tone of his new mixtape. For those of you looking for a shiny new studio album, this is not that. It's much more grimy and random like his past legendary mixtape. Rather than talk your ear off about the whole tape, I'll simply list a set of pros and cons.

Pros:

• Most of the songs sound like they have been gathering dust for a while. I list that as a pro because we all remember the youthful exuberance of young Drizzy on his come up.
• The vast majority of the album is produced by Boi-1da and 40.
• It's 95% Drake. If you're a Drake fan, you get a huge dose of him in raw, elemental form.

Cons:

• There's a quality or polish that's absent. Again, if you're expecting a HQ, studio sound, you're going to be disappointed.
• There really aren't many collaborators on the album. If you like the typical star power he brings with him, it's absent here.
• There isn't one song on the mixtape I like better than my least favorite song on So Far Gone. It's an unfair comp, I know, but you understand what I mean when I say it.

To that last point, it's taking me a bit to warm up to the 17 song surprise barrage. Coincidentally enough, if you asked me to pick a favorite on the mixtape, it's bringing up the caboose at track 17. 6 PM in New York fits the mold of his previous freestyles that follow the same naming convention (9 AM in Dallas, 5 AM in Toronto). The beat continues rolling on with a hook nowhere to be found. It's one bar after the next, which Drake excels at when he decides to put it on wax. If You're Reading This It's Too Late may be more of a nostalgic favorite than something we'll put on his mantlepiece when all is said and done, but I'm sucker for a good throwback, so you won't see me complaining...#IYRTITL

Drake - 6 PM in New York (prod by Boi-1da & Mike Zombie)

How Bout Now, Views From the 6 is Coming

It's been a minute since Drake has released any album material music, so How Bout Now was a welcome surprise. What I wonder is if there's some sort of irony that the song leaked without permission on the same night that he came up a short on that jumper during UK's midnight madness (below)...

Lack of rim aside, Drake got back to his R&B ways with the help of Boi-1da and Jordan Evans. You might recognize the Jodeci My Heart Belongs to You sample throughout the track which takes on the tried and true "I made it so what's up now girl?" vibe that Drake has been on since he came up. It's hard for me to empathize because I'll never quite be able to put ex-girlfriends on blast like he does, but the spite he has toward those who did him wrong has to be the biggest motivation behind his music. Whatever the case, Views From the 6 will be coming soon enough in 2015 and I'm cautiously optimistic that his music will continue to age in a way that maintains its accessibility...#HowBoutNow

Drake - How Bout Now (prod by Boi-1da & Jordan Evans)

"We Already Got Spring 2015 Poppin''

In case you thought the end of the Raptors season was going to lead to silence from Drake, here comes a subtle hint toward a new album dropping in the next year. What initially had me really excited about 0-100/The Catch Up was the production backing on the track. Both Boi-1da and 40 got in on the track with Nineteen85 and managed to collectively produce a track that succeeds in it's simplicity. Lyrically it stays true to the two personality tracks like Tuscan Leather with braggadocio followed by well thought out, introspective bars. Its these types of tracks that continue to set Drake apart creatively because he's still one of very few who can run with just about any Hip Hop crowd imaginable from thuggish rap to radio friendly Hip Hop. Spring 2015 seems far off, but the fact that we now have a chapter 1 of the next book will make the next 365 all the more exciting...#0to100

Drake - 0-100/The Catch Up (prod by Boi-1da, 40, Nineteen85)

Lil Wayne and Drake Drop First Single Off The Carter V

Suffice to say, the internet ceases to breathe when any Lil Wayne featuring Drake track drops. Add to that fact the buzz that Lil Wayne's Tha Carter V is starting to generate and you've got a track that's white hot. Me, I was just as excited about Boi-1da being behind the production of the track. The verses from the two heavyweights are aiiiight, but the tough talk is a little played out. I'd much rather hear a fun, swagger dripped collabo between the two like She Will or HYFR or even Miss Me. I thoroughly appreciated the tempo change mid-track, so don't sleep on that transition around the three minute mark. I'm sure it'll be the first of many noteworthy tracks from Weezy's upcoming album, so I'm going to remain optimistic despite it not being anywhere close to my favorite collabo between the two...#BelieveMe

Lil Wayne feat Drake - Believe Me (prod by Boi-1da & Vinylz)

"See the Necklace, My Life's a Completed Checklist"

Alright time to get down to the nitty gritty a bit on Drake's new album. Singles aside, there's little doubt in my mind that Tuscan Leather will continue to be the standout track on the album. In a world full of cookie cutters who think inside of the box, Drake went out and rapped over three unique beats in one of the longest album intros that I can remember. Respect to 40, Boi-1da and Nineteen85 for helping weave together three different beats into one track without it sounding too cut and pasted together.

The track is a reminder of why Drake's music reaches so many people. He puts thought into his verses that roll off the tongue and better yet, are repeatable enough for his audience to connect with them. Storytelling and Hip Hop have always gone hand in hand and the artists who ascend to the top of the mountain in Hip Hop are usually the ones who can lead you along a path by filling with anecdotes that listeners can hang onto. Shoot we didn't even know he had a deep falling out with Nicki Minaj til he told us on the track. Being able to open up to millions about something that personal, yet in the same sentence admit that she's always going to be there to ground him is a cool thing to hear. If you haven't listened to much Drake, this song is a good indication of what to expect both delivery and style wise from him. If you like any of the three parts of this track, you'll be able to find a whole slew of tracks by him that will suit your tastes.

Early indications are that Nothing Was the Same is going to sell about 658,000 copies the first week. Will he be reach platinum status by next week? The sheer fact that it's a possibility should say enough...#NWTS

Drake - Tuscan Leather (prod by 40, Boi 1-da & Nineteen85)

"I Had Benzes Before You Had Braces"

"Cake, cake, cake, cake, cake, cake,

500 million I got a pound cake"

Not surprisingly, Nothing Was the Same has started to trickle onto the net as it's September 24th release nears. And you better believe the leakers, they go for Jaws, they don't go for any ordinary Great White. They went straight for it with the red sharpie circled track on the album featuring Jiggaman titled Pound Cake.

I'll keep it real simple by saying if you enjoyed Drake and Jay Z's previous collaboration Light Up, then you'll like their new one. I can't say I like it as much as Light Up on first listen, but it's got enough complex carbs in the verses to keep my attention. In other words, after a few more listens, I'll probably have a greater appreciation for it because a cursory listen to the verses just doesn't do it justice. Add to that the intro is kinda cool and the scratched up remixed C.R.E.A.M. sample that Jigga keeps stuttering will get peoples' attention. All I gotta say is pick your favorite quotable...

Mine -->"My eyes bloodshot but my jet don't lag..."

Not sure what to do with Paris Morton Music Part II, though. I loved the first, but the second is more of an afterthought interlude. Oh well, next track, shout out to Boi-1da on the beat to Pound Cake. 9 days til it drops, get excited...#PoundCake

Drake feat Jay Z - Pound Cake (prod by Boi-1da, Jordan Evans & Matthew Burnett)/Paris Morton Music 2

"All Sweaters Inside of Luggage, You Gotta Love It"

Like a clique who knows they're on top of the game, @drake's fam took to the OVO blog and let loose a freebie that will not be on Drizzy's upcoming album Nothing Was the Same. On the track Drake spits mercilessly over a @boi1da and @VINYLZ beat in a straight pissed off, aggressive manor that continues his tone on Started From the Bottom. I'll admit, I like this one a little more than his previous effort, but the constant verbal barbs and tough talk isn't a direction I had hoped he go toward on his new album. All artists' music evolve and when you're constantly stepped to like he is, I can imagine why he'd want to come at everyone and stick his chest out lyrically.

If you're expecting a 5 AM in Dallas, it's going to fall short of those expectations. I enjoyed the @DICERAW shout out off top, it was a fitting comparison because Drake's tone did have the vigor of a track like Thin Line. Not as entertained was @TeflonTom, who now needs to change his number after the recent shout out. Best part about it, it looks like @JManziel2 has joined the @welcomeOVO revolution recently, sporting a new purple owl on his Twitter profile (below). Game respect game, the lore of Johnny Football continues to grow legs...#Pimpin

Drake - 5AM in Toronto (prod By Boi-1da & Vinylz)

"A Goal is Just A Dream With a Deadline"

For every album there is usually a whole second album's worth of material that never makes it to see the light of day. Or, in the case of the track below, it is re-purposed by someone who is featured on the track and released on a mixtape. Going from generals to specifics, the track Where Were You? by @drake was a throw away track off Thank Me Later that featured former @danitykane member @DawnRichard and @colinmunroe. Check the description below for specifics from Colin's manager on the genesis of the track:

"Where Were You" is a collaboration between Toronto producers Boi-1da and D10 and Capitol Records artist Colin Munroe. The track was originally titled "Whatever Became of You" and was submitted for Drake's 2010 release 'Thank Me Later'. Drake recorded additional features on the track. Although the song didn't make the album's cut, that didn't diminish the excitement for the track."

Cutting to the chase, Colin just released his version of the track last week on his Unsung Hero mixtape. In comparing the two, Drake's original is a lot slower and it would have seemed to fit like a glove with the general mood of Thank Me Later. I could have at least seen it as a bonus track? Either way Colin flipped it and made it his own mid-tempo ballad, which is pretty solid in his own right. It even has a little 80s percussion in it, anybody else hear that?

I'd encourage you to try both out, but if I had to pick one...you know which one I'd choose...#DrizzyAllDay

Drake feat Dawn Richard - Where Were You? (prod by Boi-1da)

Colin Munroe - Whatever Became of You? (prod by Boi-1da)

S/O to Cloudmusiq on the Art

"Till Next Time, My Friend, Farewell, Goodbye"

When @slaughterhouse signed with Shady records, I was excited for a lot of reasons. Many of the reasons had to do with a major label finally throwing some money behind them (long overdue!). Monetary investment aside, I was cautiously optimistic that they would be able to grow their music and expand from being known solely as lyricists. I say cautiously because with a label's investment usually comes radio friendly singles, which have been hit or miss with their creative, but at times abrasive one liners.

Spoken from someone who really enjoys their non-radio tracks chalked fully of swagger laden one liners, I'm really glad they finally did a lyrically thoughtful track. With they help of @boi1da, they managed to produce a new single that will strike a chord with a lot of people. On Goodbye three fourths of Slaughter take to the mic to share deeply personal stories surrounding personal loss. From losing an uncle/mentor, grandma or unborn child, the topic of loss is something everyone experiences at some point of life and I was impressed that they took to mic to tell their stories.

Welcome To: Our House drops in ten days on Aug 18th. I'm expecting a front to back solid effort based on what I've heard so far...#ForecastingAClassic

Slaughterhouse - Goodbye (prod by Boi-1da)
|iTunes

"My Rollie so Racist, All Black Faces"

After making a big splash with his debut album Camp, @donaldglover is back for round two in the form of a new mixtape. The yet to be titled mixtape is supposed to drop next week and will feature the previously released track Unnecessary with @SCHOOLBOYQ and his new one below featuring a verse from @nipseyhussle and production from one of Canada's finest, @Boi1da. Also, it's the first feature I've seen from Boi-1da proteges The Maven Brothers (@zalezy and @BretRyan).

Luckily for us, Donald was nice enough to post the track for download on his website along with an interesting commentary by Big Ghost aka Childish Gambino/Donald Glover imitating Ghostface Killah while providing commentary on new songs...

The lyrics on Black Faces of American Chariot (according to @samspratt the artist who provided the cover art) go hard and send a clear message that the new kids on the block are on some new shit. They're about gaining and keeping wealth instead of spending wealth so their family and future generations can come up. It's an interesting, enlightened message that is clearly aimed at a new school train of thought. I say more power to them, there's a lot of intelligence in that message.

Keep an eye out for that new mixtape next week and if you're like me, you've already signed on to see Childish live this summer on his Camp Tour...#SummerConcerts

Childish Gambino feat Nipsey Hussle - Black Faces (American Chariot) (prod by Boi-1da and The Maven Boys)

Weezy Chops Hov and B Down To Size

When it comes to Hip Hop royalty, generally there's a no-fly zone or heir of invincibility that protects the top dogs from any sort of disses or lyrical jabs. I'm not gonna include Kanye in that group because his temperament as an instigator is downright abrasive, so he attracts a lot of the hate that comes on him. I'm talking about the likes of Jay-Z, Eminem, Dr. Dre, Timbaland...the type of industry vets that have done so much work in the game that in some way shape or form, they've fed everyone they've touched and made very little enemies. Yea, I know this sort of thing has happened before and all remember the highly publicized Nas vs Jay-Z spat back in early 2000, but that never seemed to interest more than a lot of dedicated Hip Hop fans who knew the gravity of the situation.

What has the internet currently abuzz is @liltunchi's more than subtle jab at @s_c_ on one of his new Carter IV tracks It's Good. In general, I think everyone is overreacting and reading a little to heavily into the tea leaves, but I'm finding it interesting that Weezy had the audacity to give a "stay in your lane" shot across the bow at Forbes' top breadwinner of 2011. Sure, everyone is used to the braggadocio that goes along with making so damn much money you use $1 bills as Kleenex, but it sounds like Wayne got a little fed up with the extend Jigga went in bragging about his wealth, especially because it subtly going after Wayne's partner in crime/mentor Baby.

The original line Weezy was responding to was from Kanye & Jay's track H.A.M., which landed as a deluxe bonus track off Watch the Throne. The response came as more of a non-direct subliminal on Wayne's new track It's Over, lines below...

"I’m like really half a billi ni**a, really you got baby money, keep it real with ni**as, ni**as aint got my lady money.” - Jay-Z verse on H.A.M.

"Talkin’ bout baby money, I got ya baby money
Kidnap yo b**ch, get that how much you love yo lady money
I know you fake ni**a, press yo breaks ni**a"
I’ll take you out, that’s a date ni**a - Lil Wayne verse on It's Over

Yea I know shark week is over, but that line was like a stealth killer whale shot to a great white.

Suspected beef aside, @boi1da did his thing on the beat and I enjoyed a rare high profile verse from @therealkiss. Yea and about that feisty @drakkardnoir verse, damn man, did I hear a little anger mixed in there? We'll see if the whole pump your brakes subliminal is received with any response, but my guess is they'll hug it out and life will continue to go on as usual in Hip Hop because they've got too many mutual friends to actually beef. Time will tell...Carter IV drops on iTunes this Sunday, Aug 28th in case the leak hasn't come across your radar yet...

Lil Wayne feat Drake & Jadakiss - It's Good (prod by Boi-1da)

|iTunes

"The Real is on the Rise"

Three months prior to the release of Take Care, we get a nice Sunday gift from the folks over at OVO. The lead single @drakkardnoir's upcoming album will be Headlines produced by @ovo40 and @boi1da. So that's what that tweet two weeks ago meant...

His new single has come in addition to more news this past week surrounding other possible tracks on the album like Free Spirit feat @rickyrozay and The Real Her feat @liltunchi. Even more interesting is the thought of him getting together with other unique acts like @REALDJPREMIER and @flo_tweet on Take Care.

As far as the track is concerned, it's another mix of verses and harmony over a vibrant, tempo-building rhythm provided by @WelcomeOVO members Boi-1da & 40. Honestly, I'm not overly blown away with the track like you'd expect from on a first single, but I'm more than willing to judge the track in a few months when it's part of a bigger picture that Drake's trying to paint. I can understand his rationale for "hating singles" because usually it involves in the artist giving in to the record company in favor of something that will cash in on iTunes. What's great about a track like this is that it'll probably still move more than a fair share of units based on brand name to make the suits happy, but Drake probably didn't have to sacrifice much creatively in his choice of single. In other words, I have no idea why he chose this to be his first single since it doesn't fit the build of what you'd expect, but I'm ok with being patience and judging based on the final project in it's completeness. I don't think a lot of artists have the wiggle room to get away with that, but when you're on top and consistently release quality music, you get the benefit of the doubt when it comes to fans' patience.

Like a paycheck, I'm taking to the bank that there will be a lot more to come that'll probably top this before the October 24th release...#Watch

Drake - Headlines (prod by Boi-1da & Noah "40" Shebib)

Videos of the Week

Couple noteworthy videos of the week. Mixed in a lil sexy, couple interesting and ended with some funny. Give 'em a look and have a good weekend y'all...

Beyonce - Run the World (Girls) Video

Fabolous vs Skip Bayless On ESPN First Take

Yelawolf, Chamillionaire and CyHi Da Prynce in Studio

Kendrick Lamar Impersonating Wiz Khalifa

Boi-1da Speaks on Drake, Forever and More

The Lonely Island feat Rihanna - Ronnie & Clyde Video

Buzz Track: Bizzle feat Jin - Forgive Me (prod by Boi-1da)

Not too many Christian rappers have the ability to get their music into heavy circulation on the blogsphere, but then again, you don't see many of them getting set up with beats by @boi1da. Enter Bizzle, aka The Christian Rapper. He recently released a mixtape in January titled Bizzle The Messenger 3, but you may know him more from when he took some shots a @s_c_ last year...

Pretty ballsy for a Christian rapper to aim for the top in voicing criticism about one of the best, but how else are you going to differentiate yourself from the masses? If you're wondering why he did it, below is a lengthy explanation of why @MyNameIsBizzle went in on Jigga, Kanye, Lady Gaga, Beyonce, etc..

"1. Why I did it? For a few reasons. To those who feel I did it for exposure; who am I? LOL! If you can't answer that, then I'm no good at advertising because I didn't even tell you the product or where you can go to find it. If I wanted exposure, I would have given out my myspace and twitter at the end. =) The truth is, I don't want to be famous, but after watching Christ be disrespected and learning about Jay-Z and a couple of others, I guess my emotions and Love for God got the best of me. I mean, most of you would defend your best friend if someone slandered their name, so I guess you can say Jesus is my best friend.

2. To those who have a problem with me using the N-Word; I apologize for any offense. But I did think it through before hand and decided to include it, because I'm not perfect and I use that word everyday. I felt it would be fake of me to leave it out of the record just so I could look like a better Christian. Being Christian doesn't mean I'm perfect. It just means I'm forgiven and I strive daily to be better and get closer to God.

3. Am I a Christian rapper or just a rapper that's Christian? I guess if there's a difference between the two, you would say I'm a rapper that's Christian. I'm not a Gospel rapper, though I am working on my music and moving in that direction. I'm sure you may hear some older records surface and maybe you should so that you can see how far I've come rather then seeing the word Christian and assuming where I should be.

4. Can Jay worship or believe in what he wants? Yes! This record is not about that. It's not a diss record. It's a "let you know the truth so you can make an informed decision on whether or not you still want to listen to him" record. LOL! It was for those people who heard the record and chose to delete him out of their ipods and jump off the boat when they found out what the destination was. I was also inspired by young singer/actress Tiffany Evans' heart to come out and make the statements she did about Satanism in the industry. It took a teenage girl to speak up when a lot of these so-called hard men in the game wouldn't.

One thing this song did that I didn't expect it to do, was let us know how far we are from Christ. I never expected to see so many "F God" and "F Jesus" comments. It hurt my stomach to read some of those. I'm sure a lot of us didn't know that so many of our peers felt that way. But never the less, God loves them all the same.

Once again, sorry If I offended some of you with the N-Word. I'll work on that. I may be a little rough around the edges but my heart was definitely in the right place. I appreciate all of the love. To my fellow Christians, in no way did I intend to set a bad example for the Kingdom. But people need to see that we too have flaws and that God will accept you with them. Love yall, and God Bless!!!"

Regardless of opinion on whether I think Bizzle was right in being critical, you gotta admire him for standing up for what he believes in despite it going waaaaaay against the grain. If he didn't have any talent no one woulda taken notice, but he went in on it and made a few people give a double take, in a sense reaching out and getting to quite a bit of Hip Hop fans with an equal admiration in his faith and beliefs. Can't personify his movement better than his t-shirt here...

Faith and history lesson aside, his new track with @AYOJIN and Boi-1da goes HARD! Found it interesting that it is self described as That "Change Your Life" Music by Jin on his blog. I've always been an admirer of Jin's lyrical abilities and his I Gotta Love track with @kanyewest will always be one of my favorite Hip Hop tracks. Maybe it's the vindictive side of me, but the perspective and tone Jin has on the track is awesome and is perfectly supplemented with the beat's heavy clap and high pitched sample delivered by Mr. West.

Don't let all the God talk scare you away, it's still quality Hip Hop...#TryItYouMightLikeIt

Bizzle feat Jin - Forgive Me (prod by Boi-1da)

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Kevin Cossom is a Name You Should Know

In a week, I'd consider myself fortunate to find one track produced by Danjahandz, Boi-1da and The Runners. They're three of the best producers in Hip Hop and R&B and when artist go to them for tracks, their sights are usually on a top 10 single on iTunes that will be the basis for why people will want to buy their album. I say all this because three tracks, all sung by @KEVINCOSSOM flashed across the radar. The one below prod by Danja gets top billing with the @boi1da produced demo Change Your Mind coming in a close second. And now that I listen to @therealrunners produced track My Love, I'm starting to have reservations about my rankings because that's a hot track too.

Oh and if you missed it last week, Kevin's new video with @iamdiddy @MYFABOLOUSLIFE made plenty of waves on MTV. Check the video below and iTunes for the track if you were late to the party...

I'm hoping some of the above mentioned tracks aren't all demo tracks and that he uses the to put together an epic debut album. No word on a release date, but we can all hope for 2011 being the year when Jive puts some backing behind one of the most talented up and coming R&B artists.

Kevin Cossum - On & On (prod by Danjahandz)

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