It's sad, but there has been a direct correlation between Pimp C's passing and my affinity for southern Hip Hop. Songs like Big Boi's new one featuring Pimp C's vocals make me realize that more than ever. I've never been a big Gucci Mane fan, but even his sleepy raps didn't detract from the novelty of hearing Daddy Fat Sacks on the same track with Sweet Jones again. Don't get too excited about an unreleased verse, all you're gonna get from Pimp C is a quick sample. Nonetheless, his energy and brash delivery is infectious and gives the track a needed boost from the start.
If you're counting at home, this is now three praise worthy single from Big Boi in the past month. They'll all be on his upcoming Boomiverse album due out later this week. Needless to say, there's still eight more tracks we've all yet to hear on the full length album, so feel free to join me in getting stoked for it's release on Friday...#InTheSouth
First off, the irony isn't lost on me that the two posts leading up to a million hits on this blog are The Chainsmokers and Drake tracks. The two of them combined have fueled an immense amount of daily reflection that has kept the wheels turning on this steady whip of a blog. Let's not discount those who have fallen too because even though we're going on 8 years since Pimp C passed in his sleep, his influence on my love for Southern Hip Hop back in high school can't be understated. Times change, people change, music changes, but there's always been an emotional component to artists' music that resonates with me. I spend too much time classifying music in hopes of putting it in a nice, neat container that will be easy to understand, but the underlying point is that music I write about moves me. I could spend just as much time, if not more, writing about music I don't like, but I literally don't have the resources to write about music that doesn't resonate with me. If you want that, you wouldn't come back here on a daily basis, you'd go to another blog that has the means to be much more critical and thorough.
What I'm trying to say is...thanks! For listening to me wax poetic two paragraphs at a time every night and giving the tracks that move me a chance to find their rotation into your music source. It means a lot and although it's taken five plus years to hit a goal I set out for on day one, the repetition of constant reflection has been just as beneficial to me as it has been for those of you who ended up pressing play below.
end_reflective_rantMoving on to the new 40 produced track below that will presumably land on Drake's upcoming Views From the 6 album. Despite the fact that the Pimp C verse has been recycled a few times, hearing his tough, calculated tone on a new Drake track was refreshing. The Amber Rose cameo at the beginning was appropriate given the context of the track, but Drizzy put in work with the sing-songy raps that got him to where he's at today. Seamlessly going between hook and verses is what he does best and he showed it on Faithful. While there's no firm release date on his new album, the best guess to date is April (this month). We'll see if the three leaked tracks this week have any impact on that, but my guess is we'll be getting a new package in the mail sooner than later...#Faithful
Drake feat Pimp C - Faithful (prod by Noah "40" Shebib)
Straight up, the world is a better place to live in when @BigBoi is putting out new music. Sure we'd all appreciate a new Outkast album, but settling for a solo album from Sir Lucious Left Foot is not a consolation I'm willing to live with. It just so happens, that consolation season begins on November 13th when Big Boi is scheduled to drop his new album Vicious Lies And Dangerous Rumors.
You may remember Big Boi quietly releasing a new track called She Said OK about a month ago, which was supposed to be on the new album. The track was OK, but didn't sound like lead single material. I can say for a fact now that the track below will instead serve as the lead single for his new album. I'll let @BIGKRIT introduce the track below and explain how he became a part of it...
What do I think about the track you ask? Not even tryin' to gas you all up, Gossip is going to end up being one of my top 10 favorite tracks when 2012 wraps up. Off top, the in your face UGK sample is hype as hell. Simply put K.R.I.T. murdered the beat and his shortened verse was on point like butterfly knife. Taking it a step further, if anyone else butBig K.R.I.T. attempts to recycle a Pimp C verse, I'll probably end up going ape shit. It was cool to hear @BunBTrillOG pitch in a verse at the end, serving as the icing on the proverbial Hip Hop classic cake.
I don't care what type of music you like, if you can't wild out a least a little bit to this thick slice of country Southern pie, then you need to hit that x on the browser in the top right hand corner of this window and promptly never come back...#ThatsMyWord
Big Boi feat Big K.R.I.T & UGK - Gossip (prod by Big K.R.I.T.)
I've always been a hesitant to embrace posthumous releases, but the obvious exception would be for anything Chad Butler related. Having ruled the South with their characteristically slow delivery and no holds barred lyrics, Pimp and @BUNBTRILLOG will always be regarded as two of the biggest opinion and style leaders musically in Hip Hop. They blazed a path their own way with audacity and swagger that Hip Hop had never experienced from the Lone Star state.
Sure in a perfect world, @bigkrit woulda found a way to collab with Pimp C prior to his passing, but the world isn't perfect unfortunately, so we as Hip Hop fans will have to find a way to appreciate Pimp's style that lives on through King Remembered In Time. The track below up the ante on Pimp's upcoming album Still Pimping that will drop on July 12th.
Also, if you're a fan of the shirt pictured above, feel free to cop it here for $26 + Shipping. Man if only Hip Hop could keep up this constant flow of great tracks every month I'd have an easy job picking what to post like I have this month. Enjoy it while it lasts folks...
Pimp C Feat. Bun B & Big K.R.I.T. - Grippin' on the Wood |Cop It
Interesting collaboration between three of my favorites all time that will serve as the lead single to Pimp C's upcoming album The Naked Soul of Sweet Jones due out October 5th. It's always touchy when an an iconic artist passes away and albums/songs are released after their death. Case in point here, where Pimp C passed away in his sleep in Dec 2007 due to sleep apnea and now three years later an album of his is coming out.
Regardless of the artist, it's easy to throw out names like Biggie and 'Pac in comparison, to me it always comes off as somewhat forced when the deceased artists' verses are cut and pasted over new beats. If Drake would have made it out before Pimp Chad's passing in 07, I would probably be doing cartwheels over this track and hyping it as the greatest thing since @justinbieber. I found it interesting too when J. Tinsley of TSS polled the opinions of other respected bloggers on the track and found it to be mediocre with hardcore UGK fans on one side and those in favor of Drake on the other. First off, mad respect for being disciplined enough to not listen to it and wait for the album to drop. There are things in life hold myself accountable to that kind of discipline, but listening to music is not one of them. As such, I'm torn because I consider myself both and can see both sides. On one hand, I can't see Pimp C rhyming over such a new age, sorta pop sounding track in comparison to...well...everything he had done in the past. It's like his verse went hard over a radio track and caused a bit of a mismatch as a result.
On the other hand the tag team of @drakkardnoir and @boi1da manage to make an upbeat, head nod worthy track with a catchy hook that will probably manage to find it's way on the radio. I could have definitely gone for more of a full verse from Aubrey, but I'm betting the last thing he would ever want to do is outshine a deceased legend on his own wax. If that was the case, golf clap for classiness.
Dissenting opinions aside, I think it's safe to say that Bernard went to town on his verse and stole the show. I think that's what made UGK so dynamic because you had @BUNBTRILLOG who can sound great on both pop/radio tracks and also the grimy, Texas joints that Pimp was known for and they did together as UGK. Take it for what it's worth, it's an admirable effort on a track that is fighting an uphill battle with polar opposite fan bases and when you take into account the fact they were never able to all get in the studio together.
Pimp C feat Bun-B & Drake - What Up (prod by Boi-1da)
| Download
With all this new @bunbtrillog circulating around Twitter of late with his upcoming album Trill OG's release coming in a matter of days (Aug 3rd), I've been giving his past material a couple spins of late. I must say, good idea to join Twitter a few weeks before your album drops. To be Frank, Earnest...or Bernard in this case, I can't see any combinations of tracks that will live up to his last album II Trill album he dropped in 2008. I had always been a UGK fan in general, but hadn't fully bought in on a whole album's worth of material from either Pimp C or Bun-B prior to II Trill.
The track below is one of the better efforts from that album and never got a chance to shine within the mainstream despite the fact could be called Back That Ass Up Part II. Same ingredients, upbeat booty shakin' 808 bass, swag infused southern lyrics and a chorus devoted to poppin' it on the dance floor. Just listen to it, at the end of the hook at the "Pop it for pimp" part, the strings are the exact same at Back That Ass Up...must be why it was listed as a sample, freakin' pecans I know. While I'm at it, might as well give a shout it to the creator of this freaknasty beat, Mouseonthatrack. He's got that dope, Mou-mouse-drop-the-track-that'll-make-you-bust-it-back intro to most of his tracks like Lil Boosie feat Yung Joc- Zoom, Lil Boosie feat Young Jeezy - Better Believe It, and my personal favorite Lil Boosie feat Lil Webbie & Foxx -Wipe Me Down.
This track, Keep it 100, Swang on Em with @LUPEFIASCO and If I Die Tonight with Lyfe and Young Buck all contributed to an album that far exceeded all expectations and was a big reason why I raved about this album back in '08 on my song list, listing it as a top 5 album of that year. I was bummed out to not see any @mouseonthatrack on his new album, but a @IMADEITINC track to go with a couple @boi1da and @DRAKKARDNOIR collaborations make up for it well.
Great song to add to the weekend playlist for a college party...#justsayin...it fits in well with that crowd...Trill OG comin' next Tues...
Bun-B feat Juvenile Lil Webbie - Pop it For Pimp (prod by Mouseonthatrack)
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The Rap game is High School and life's a hall-way"
To be honest, I've been guilty of pressing the snooze button one too many times on Big K.R.I.T.. I've seen multiple blogs I follow post stuff of his, yet I've continued to pass on his music. But...that all changed immediately after one listen of his track Hometown Heros...which then turned into 5 consecutive listens as I experienced that competitive phenomenon on my iPod I like to call "The Takeover". It happens rarely, maybe once every 2-3 months, but it happens when I come across a song that I haven't heard yet that blows away everything I've recently added to the iPod. The scenario results in a fixation on said song because no matter what song(s) follow it, they fail to match the complete awesomeness that the recently Taken Over song brings.
Hailing from Meridian, Mississippi, he has an undeniable Southern Swag to go with a laid back, polished flow that reminds me stylistically of a young Pimp C with the passion you heard from a young T.I. I'm not tryin' to gas you up by throwin' out two of the South's most legendary artists in the comparison because of the immense respect I have for for Chad and Clifford. If you ain' know, K.R.I.T. stands for "King Remembered in Time", presumably an attempt at foreshadowing a career destined to stardom. As an intro to him and how he goes about making music...and when I say making, I mean writing, producing and rapping all by his cot damn self...
There is no mistakin' @bigkrit's deep southern drawl and quiet confidence as he speaks about paving his own way in the Hip Hop game. Clearly flattered and slightly bashful on the comparisons to legendary artists like Pimp C, there is absolutely no doubt he respects the artists that came before him and you've gotta admire his goal in trying to resurrect that "Soundo of the South" and "soulful passion of the golden era".
What stood out to me when I listened to his tracks and interviews was his passion for his own music, which speaks for itself. If you haven't heard his latest Mixtape titled K.R.I.T. Wuz Here, I would click on that link and download it for free or cop it on iTunes if you appreciate his grind and want to support him. I'm tellin' you, your music collection would be impressed by your new addition...
I'll start with his track Hometown Heros, that set it all off for me and is much of the reason I made this post. Before I speak on it, check out the video brought to you by Creative Control.
I gotta tell you as low budget as that video is above, it was perfect in capturing the vibe of the track and giving the visual Hometown feel. You don't need to have all the money and jewelry and video girls to make a respectable video for a track, sometime a down to earth, sorta grimey video without a whole lot of crazy editing is perfect for a track.
The intro from the track comes from Friday Night Lights, y'all remember that part? Sets the tone for the track as he spends the whole track very methodically storytelling about speaks on his struggle that brought him to where he's at. The fact that he produced this track is crazy, that "King City...King...King City...third...third coast reppers in a Mississippi sippi land" chopped up hook is addicting. From the build up on the verses as he hits second gear after a few bars, to amping up the intensity, swagger and overall energy of each verse leading up to the hook that by sound pays homage to screwed and chopped music in its own way....it all just fits together to form a great track. At this point it doesn't look like it'll fall off any of my iPod playlists soon and between this and Got Your Back by @Tip and @misskeribaby, I now have two tracks for locks in my top 10 of 2010. I can't stress how great this track is man, and as icing on the cake, @yelawolf's verse on the remix is top notch as well, adding a little bit more greatness to an already classic track.
Give it a listen...
Big K.R.I.T. feat Yelawolf - Hometowm Hero (remix)
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If you're not in the mood for a serious, introspective track and prefer something to ride out to, give Country Shit a listen. The first verse is why everyone is comparing him to Pimp C, read the lyrics below:
“I told ‘em aww man, hold up
What you know about it,
Candi cars, superstars,
rubber bands in my pockets,
A couple broads for the poppin,
If she ridin then she boppin,
B**** I’m selling if you shoppin,
If you need it, then I got it,
If I want it, then I cop it,
If you don’t like it n***** top it,
Why you worried about mine, hoe,
What’s off in your wallet?
I was riding my screw sh**,
Rims chop choppin,
Top droppin,
Throwing bread crumbs,
Crows start flockin,
Knockin pictures off the wall,
We sit tall, but we still crawl,
We still shoot, we still score,
We still win, so we still ball,
We still hood, so f*** them laws,
I got nuts and I got loot,
If you can’t see the king in a n***** like me,
Undoubtedly,
Well f**** you too.”
If you can't picture Pimp C when you hear that verse, you haven't listened to his lyrics, Texas slang, southern drawl or delivery. This one goes hard for all the country folk ridin' slab, chunkin up deuces, rollin' round backwoods wit a pocket full a stones....
As a final bonus cut, check out his track Viktorious, also off his newest Mixtape K.R.I.T. Wuz Here. On the track, he definitely "goes in" on the verses, rapping fast over a steady piano beat that adds a little bass at the end. This track is how you make your presence felt with that in your face delivery that takes no prisoners.
Look for a lot more of K.R.I.T.'s material to be posted on this blog as I've gained a great deal of respect for his talent and what he brings to the Hip Hop game...someone outside of Atlanta that has a deep south sound. @yelawolf and @bigkrit are doing wonders for expanding the reach of Hip Hop in the south now that Alabama and Mississippi can boast two legit rising stars. Lots to be excited about stay tuned folks....
I've always been a fan of Texas Rap and the whole chopped and screwed music scene, make no mistake. From the days of the S.U.C. (Screwed Up Click) with the forever under-appreciated DJ Screw, to UGK (Bun-B and the late Pimp C) who held the torch until the more well known Mike Jones, Chamillionaire and Paul Wall arrived. Matter of fact, let's take a mid-post DJ Screw appreciation break..
Fast forward to today...where you have producers like Mr. Lee who have evolved the original screwed sound, while still maintaining the slowed, heavy pass of the beats. See example 1, and most notably example 2. Despite the sound moving forward the beats are still simple, heavy and slow, remaining true to the sound that preceded it.
Always been a fan of Slim Thug who brings it on the track, but as usual Luda steals the show...give it a listen...
The picture above sums up 2009 about as well as an 1000 words I could come up with. For me, I will remember this as the year of Drake...where he went from an aspiring actor to a can't miss Hip Hop rookie. While it's still waaay too early to call him one of the best (seeing as he hasn't even released a full studio album yet), his So Far Gone Mixtape will go down as one of the most memorable Hip Hop compilations that weren't initially meant to be sold.
As far as Cudi, he produced a similarly inspired album with Man on the Moon: The End of Day, which in my eyes was the best studio album of the year. His out-there style and the way he went about creating the album was such a breath of fresh air that he deserves his share of dabs & lbs from the Hip Hop community in my eyes.
Other notable observations from 2009:
When its all said and done, Timbaland may end up having the most successful album with the goldmine of singles on Shock Value 2 he still has yet to release.
You could argue Pitbull had so many club tracks with a long shelf life that he's become the most well-known and radio-friendly artist in Hip Hop. Flo-Rida fans would argue against that and probably have a valid point...either way South Florida is officially the home of club friendly pop rap.
50 cent, although now much more relevant in film and other media like video games, did an adequate job with his Before I Self Destruct album. He still will never be able get back to the level of Get Rick or Die Tryin' without the Dr. Dre crutch though.
It was a sad year with one of the most respected and my personal favorite rap groups, UGK releasing their last true studio album (since Pimp C passed away in early December 2007).
Fabolous came back strong with Loso's Way, again reminding me he's probably still in the top 5 in Hip Hop (with Juelz, Drake, Lil Wayne and Crooked I) with producing catchy, creative one-liners.
A new super-group in Slaughterhouse was formed, bringing together four of the most underrated talents in Hip Hop. I still maintain their role in Hip Hop is and will always be underrated.
Jay-Z dropped another classic, platinum album...ho hum.
Eminem attempted what's amounted to an unsuccessful comeback thus far to rap with Relapse and Relapse Refill . While I say unsuccessful that's completely objective because both albums still sold and are selling pretty well despite even Em admitting to the albums being tainted because he was still working the drugs out of his system and going through withdraw. Em I see your recent work with Weezy on Drop the World and Forever...those were glimpses of you in your prime...keep going toward the light man.
Wale burst onto the scene with an innovative sound on his album Attention Deficit, as well as Asher Roth with Asleep in the Bread Aisle. Both albums were one of the better released this year and show why this 2009 Hip Hop Freshman class may someday go down as one of the more stacked groups of young artists to make it.
Clipse will ALWAYS be the most undersold Hip Hop tandem in the game...their new album Til the Casket Drops is really worth a listen...QUIT SLEEPING ON THEM EVERYONE!!!
We hoped, like every year for Dr. Dre's Detox, but again...didn't get it. Rumor is it'll be out in 2010...wait...haven't we been saying that since 2004?
Most notable (in my world at least), we saw a cream of the crop of producers assert themselves as the best this year. R&B producer of the year, hands down, Darkchild with Polow Da Don and JR Rotem right there. Hip Hop was dominated by Jim Jonsin this year, but DJ Khalil emerged as my favorite new producer to join the likes of The Runners, Danjahandz and Timbaland.
If 2010 is any near as exciting music wise as 2009, it's gonna be a good year.
), I've been giving his past material a couple spins of late. I must say, good idea 
.
