Wow look at you RiRi...takin' a page out of Phil Collins's In the Air Tonight with your new track Cold Case Love (off her new album Rated R).
This track has a real One Republic sort of feel with the sorrow-filled organ and strings filling the instrumental. You could say lyrically this is the "I don't know why we just suddenly broke up anthem"...ya know where things abruptly end out of the blue and afterwards you feel like you're trying to sort through the clues to find out why...but all you're left with is questions and lack of closure? I do...
It's very subtle, but as the song progresses elements are added to the beat. Starting with initial organ backdrop, throw in some strings after the first verse and then BAM! outta the blue at the 3:45 mark, you have that In the Air Tonight style, cascading drum that injects energy into the song, accentuating the finish of the lyrically emotional roller-coaster-esque song.
Very well done, my hat is off to your Justin Timberlake and Rob Knox for writing producing such a great track. Give it a listen folks, this one has that timeless to feel to it and will eventually be regarded as the standout track on her new album.
Every now and again Juelz drops a track that blows me away and puts him right back towards the top of my list of favorite rappers. He's definitely got that witty swag about his verses, similar to say Fabolous or even what Drake is now showing us. He really does tend to step his game up whenever he get's to rap over great beats. I'll give you three of my favorites that serve as lesser known examples of great Santana verses:
1. All I gotta say is the Heatmakerz are fools for the following beat. Earlier in this decade they did some some of the most unique sampling on their beats and produced some crazy stuff, mostly for Diplomats. This is a shining example too, sort of a booty shakin anthem and Juelz is the ringleader. Check it out:
2. I'll adamantly deny ever being a fan of anything Jim Jones, but he seems to bring out the best in Juelz, so I cope. Needless to say the deep bassline and haunting organ make this track infectious. Oh yea did I mention Juelz's Hall of Fame verse...do yourself a favor and fast forward to it.
3. Ah back in the day when all was well in the Dipset neighborhood...Cam and Juelz did some classic ish back in the day, no denying that. And this stadium jumpoff beat is simply more evidence of that. I may even like Juelz's verse on this one better than Emotionless, it's that classic.
Anyways, back to the heat rock at hand, here's Juelz's new high energy single title Mixin' Up the Medicine. I tell ya what, there's just somethin' about the southern, country Alabama dialect on this chorus that YelaWolf delivers that is fresh. Do yourself a favor and play this one at the next party you go to and watch everyone start chanting the chorus by the 3rd hook. Lords know I will be practicin' what I preach...can't wait to get this on wax. Check it out:
Oh and by the way, Kane Beatz you are officially on my radar...my antennas is up...I see you especially on this track (props to Smoking Section for the assist).
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Here's a bonus joint from that aforementioned crazy white tatted Alabama rising superstar with flow known as YelaWolf. Give his new track a moment of your time if you would...
Slaughterhouse at The Silo in Reading, PA Nov 13th
Let me start this from the beginning. A couple weeks ago, I was asked by a couple friends if I was interested in going to see Tech_N9ne in concert. My first reaction was that I was interested in seeing his show, but until the day of the event was on the fence about going. I was interested because over the past decade or so he has released a lot of really out there, push-the-boundaries of Hip Hop type music with his rough-around-the-edges dark sounding tracks and choppy, in-your face fast vocal delivery.
Those are three of his milder tracks lyrically, which is why I posted them instead of a few of my other favorites that may not be as appropriate lyrically. I intentionally posted his track Blown Away too because it is mostly a diss record about how there aren't any good performers in Hip Hop and some of the big Hip Hop acts have a sense of entitlement because of their records' monetary success even "when their stage show is horrible" - Tech N9ne. Reagardless, those three tracks give a good enough representation of his unique sound.
In general, it's hard not to be supportive of Tech N9ne because he has truly made his own success. He's one of those artists who has always fought an uphill battle because "the industry" (record execs, the suits) didn't think the mainstream would like his music. Nine albums later (all independently released), he's more popular than ever and continues to have a very dedicated underground following. I'd suggest you school yourself on his story by reading this excellent article detailing why aside from Kanye and Jay-Z, he made the most money in Hip Hop touring in 2008.
Despite my affinity for his music and overall story I was still torn on attending the concert since it was out in the middle of nowhere about a half hour away and I would probably have to leave straight from work to get there on time.
...that all changed when I realized I had made the biggest rookie mistake ever. I didn't even bother to check who the opening act was for Tech N9ne. So about 3 hours before the concert started, I checked it out only to find that Slaughterhouse (best rap group in Hip Hop currently) was set to open for Tech N9ne. It was one of those rare moments in life where expectations were surpassed (kind of like this) and you were left feeling like you had bought that $1 power-ball ticket, fully expected to not win, then found out that same ticket you are holding is worth a whole lot more than you had thought.
Fast forward to the concert, which a concerted effort was made to be at well before any act was supposed to hit the stage because I was NOT going to miss Slaughterhouse. When I first walked into the Silo , I felt like I had entered a Juggalo convention and felt as out of place as a white kid could feel amongst other predominantly white people. I'll admit, I went through a phase in High School where I got a kick out of some of the crazy music that ICP produced, but I could only take so much of the violent, insane lyrics and it just got old. Still, I began to have a weird "this is about to be a train wreck" feeling because Slaughterhouse and Glasses Malone especially don't cater to this type of crowd.
When Glasses Malone hit the stage, he came out blazin' to one of his characteristically West Coast funk infused beats:
I didn't know he had signed to Cash Money Records, but evidently his upcoming album to be released in February titled Beach Cruiser is going to be released under that label with production coming from none other than DJ Toomp. Excited about that, but in general I felt bad for Glasses at the concert because (as you could tell by the crowd reaction in the video above) he definitely wasn't performing to a group of people that could appreciate his style Hip Hop. I'll be lookin' for that new album in February G Malone, glad I got to meet you after you performed.
Moving on to the much anticipated Slaughterhouse, who within one group brings together a regionally diverse combination of Hip Hop (Detroit, Long Beach, Brooklyn, Jersey) and fuses it together in such a high energy, engaging and witty way that you would swear they all were cut from the same cloth. Speaking of the regional pride each one of them brings to the group, here are each one of the members of Slaughterhouse paying tribute to where they came from by doing a quick rendition of a classic Hip Hop track from their home city:
Joe Budden Naughty by Nature Jersey Tribute with Slaughterhouse
Royce da 5'9 Detroit Tribute with Eminem's The Way I Am with Slaughterhouse
Joell Ortiz Biggie Hynotized Brooklyn Tribute with Slaughterhouse
Crooked I Ain't Nothin But A G Thang West Coast Tribute with Slaughterhouse
Apologies on the sound quality, the bass was a little much for my camera to handle...clearly. Still, Slaughterhouse rocked their set playing high energy favorites like Sound Off, Woodstock, The One, and even a Joe Budden led rendition of Pump it Up. To top it off the four lyricists made themselves accessible after their set at the merch booth (hence the up close and personal group photo above), openly greeting and taking pics with any and everyone. Basically everything you'd want and more than you would expect from four of the most underrated MCs in the game. True salt of the Hip Hop earth, passionate creators of independent Hip Hop. Despite their style differing from Tech N9ne's I can definitely appreciate their unrelenting passion for the craft of Hip Hop because they refuse to change their ways to make money like so many other acts in Hip Hop now. Looking forward for more to come from Joell, Royce, Crook, and Joe...you set the bar high with the first album, I hope you all stay the course in doing your thing and remaining uncompromisingly dedicated to keeping it 100 and setting an example for Hip Hop to follow.
That leaves us with the main attraction, none other than Kansas City, MO's proudest inhabitant, Tech N9ne. Rather than trying to explain the hype and energy surrounding his entrance, I'd just press play below:
Yea he came out blazin' with his legendary machine gun flow. On a smaller scale it was sort of like Lil Wayne's entrnace to his show I went to earlier this year with the eerie lighting display. He came out looking like a killer with the white face paint and trademark 9 shirt. To go with his look, his stage show followed suit because he murdered the stage....absolutely killed it.
He performed like a seasoned vet who had been in the game for over a decade and I was impressed with how his other two sidekicks (Krizz Kaliko and Cutt Kalhoun) supported his act and seemed like they were actually a very necessary element of his stage show. For example, when he goes back and forth with Krizz on the track:
Welcome to the Midwest
I found it real surprising how well Tech was able to sample Dean Martin's song Sway and make those dramatic strings in the background of Dean's song fit with his HorrorHop feel. My favorite track he performed may have ended up being Caribou Lou, which is definitely one of the more a jump around style party track that will have you chanting the lyrics and mixing drinks like you're back in college.
Caribou Lou
From the jerky manor-isms to deep, wavering ghostly vocal tones, he set the stage for the crowd that showed up. He's like the Hip Hop King of the Misfits...a true outcast that has been able to inspire even the most death metal, goth stereotype into taking a liking to Hip Hop. Sure the lyrics can be more vulgar then Eminem and there's just as many drinking, smoking and sexual references scattered about his lyrics to scare the living daylights out of any parent currently raising a teenager...but that's his demographic. You gotta get in where you fit in and I've got a lot of respect for Tech doin' it by his lonesome, while also managing to inspire his lonesome following.
What the average person will miss and fail to understand is how his music has actually matured to a point where it sounds like he's using his clout and taking to that pedestal as the "Hip Hop King of the Misfits" to use his voice to now make more down to earth music that can appeal to the masses as well as the misfits. Yea everyone wants to be left alone and this beat could definitely get some love on the radio actually. Unfortunately, Tech stays true to his roots and throws in a little extra vulgarity just to be sure that he stays true to his roots and ensures he will never be that guy on the radio. I really think he would quit if everyone knew about him and liked him, it's just like that. Without further introduction here's his new song (can't really call it a single since there is no much thing in his life):
Leave Me Alone
"Where i'm at right now, I ain't got no tolerance for somethin stupid, or hatred, or envy. If you bringin any one of those, How bout, Leave me alone. They pray i'll free fall any day, Well I don't need yall anyway. Negativity give me nay ya finna hear me say. Just leave me right here with my henny, say my chicks an plenty pay. Your boy Tech done blown, an still rep the home, but now I just wanna be left alone. They wish death and my flesh and my chromosomes slept my songs, they need a little bit less Patron. - Tech N9ne (first verse)
Overall, I enjoyed the show that Slaughterhouse and Tech N9ne put on...and I feel like the my message in the title about Hip Hop taking note wasn't just a feeble attempt at a newsworthy headline, I meant it. You can tell that Tech N9ne appreciates his fan base and truly cares about the quality of his show. There's no mailing it in during his act because he really likes the niche he's created in Hip Hop and takes pride in leading that group. He's the CEO of his own Strange Music record company and would you believe that Snoop Dogg is only two weeks older than Tech N9ne? You don't see a 38 year old Snoop jumpin' around all crazy in middle of nowhere PA trying to inspire the local teenagers to keep their hands up for an hour and a half do you? No you sure as hell don't and Snoop is also not making the same $$ as Tech N9ne touring...I rest my case...do yourself a favor and find some Tech N9ne songs like Midwest Choppers, Now It's On or even It's Alive(which he says my full name at the 3:21 mark of the song...no lie listen to it). I'll leave you with DJ Chill cuttin' up some Tech N9ne favorites:
You'll have to fast forward a bit to find the new verse, but it's clearly marked. Here is the verse if you're curious what you're missin' out on by not watching the video:
Man I'm the one, and you should let the boys know too, Show them fellas every single thing I showed you, I'm here feelin' like 50 back in 02, And erbody sayin I'm the man.....so true, But what does it take to feel secure? A place with wooden floors, space to put awards, Couple of parking spots, maids to do the chorus, The cars you always wanted, the women that you adore, Well I got it, I got it, I wonder if I'd be happy without it, I doubt it, I try not to really think about it, I made it, but I'm still playin' like I'm bein' scouted...til I'm outed, Gametime b****, I know you're proud of us, King James ish watch me throw the powder up, This OG got my whole suite clouded up, And I betcha I'll be outta time fore I'm outta luck They ain't rootin for me, They ain't clappin for me, I'm always sayin' can't somebody just be happy for me I really hate to tell you I told you so, so I bite my tongue...but you know you know" -Drake
Fierce...that's about all the adjective needed to describe that verse.
...but before I could get to watching the Buckeyes dismantle the Nittany Lions in person, I took a trip up the block to see Kisean Anderson (you knew that was Sean Kingston's real name right) do his thing in concert.
Going into the concert I had very reasonable expectations for the concert...yea he's got some songs I like, but his music and everything that goes into his songs didn't really strike me as something you'd necessarily "look forward to in concert." And as a result, I had a good time. He played most of the songs I wanted to hear (but he did leave out Wrap You Around Me, which is currently my favorite off his album Tomorrow) like Me Love and Fire Burning to go along with:
I'm at Warfeat Lil Wayne....
...the timeless Beautiful Girls
and of course his new heat rock and personal favorite Face Drop
All in all a pretty small crowd and fairly lackluster when it came to bringing the energy in supporting the artist, which Sean could definitely tell (since he went through the motions, which is mostly what we deserved as an audience). Still I can't complain, I had low expectations and a relatively fun time. I do wish he could have conjured up maybe just one encore song, but again, it's not like we were chanting his name begging for one. It was sorta like an amicable break up at the end of the night where we had fun but both sides were better off just turning around and continuing their lives without one another...you got me?
Either way I wanna extend a Happy Veterans Day out to all. I myself have plenty of friends and family who have held down the country through their tireless work in the armed forces. I would have been remiss if I hadn't given them a Lil Weezy style shout out in the title (which by the way wasn't meant to be belittle our Veterans' efforts in any way with meaningless rap lyrics). Just seemed fitting and convenient that Sean chose to play Weezy's verse in I'm At War in an attempt to personify the struggles of love...but seriously there are a lot of people really at war and they deserve the love and respect beyond what little words I can offer to support their effort.
Here's some more new J-Derulo produced again, by J.R. Rotem, aka the wingman to Jason's new-found success. Can't hate though, Mr. Whatcha Say deserves it because he's been chillin' out on the mainstream success horizon for more than a few hot minutes, mostly writing huge hits like the new IYAZ - Replay song (video below)
Anyways, here's the new uptempo ballad where Jason again reminds us how good of a writer he is...oh yea then there's the obvious vocal talent too, love the acapella ending. Check it out...
Wow...I would be doing everyone on earth a disservice by not pointing out this live collabo of epic proportions. The most notable was Bono ripping off a 10 sec quasi-freestyle at the 4:30 mark as if summoning the Hip Hop energy that Jay-Z was giving off.
Pretty cool that Jigga could infuse a shot of Hip Hop into such the revolutionary, classic song that is Sunday Bloody Sunday.
Interesting comparison of songs here, all having the same sample, but from three different genres (contemporary rock, techno, hip hop), all made at least 7 years apart (1984, 2002, 2009). Over the years the "Baby you're all that I want, when you're lying here in my arms..." has become a timeless lyrical sample garnering instant pop culture recognition mostly because the original track done by Bryan Adams was such a pop/rock success.
I think I gained more of an appreciation for the original track when I first heard DJ Sammy and Yanou's techno version. Personally I would put it in the top 10 contemporary techno songs of all time and adamantly believe they did the original Bryan Adams sample justice, taking it to another level popularity wise by expanding the likability to another demographic (trance/house/techno).
Fast forward to the present, where the unstoppably dynamic duo of Jim Jonsin (producer) and Pitbull (artist) are now trying to migrate the sample to Hip Hop. The version I'm posting seems like an unfinished version and it remains to be seen whether Pitbull will be able to get the sample cleared, but nonetheless, it's a solid effort and is destined for radio/club success if he decides to make it a single.
GWDJ Verdict: If I were forced to pick a favorite, I would go with DJ Sammy's version with Bryan Adams's original,classic version as my second choice. Ranking Pitbull's version 3rd shouldn't at all discount how great of a track it is, I think his version is also extremely club friendly and just as addictive as the previous two versions. I had to give the nod to DJ Sammy because of how iconic his version turned out.
Here's your chance to vote, Who Do You Think Rocked it Better?
Just as I was about to anoint Wale as the second best new comer of the 2009 Freshman Hip Hop Class (behind Kid Cudi), B.O.B. sends a shot over the bow with this track titled I Feed These Streets.
The track is loaded with such a backwoodsy southern swagger, it's addicting. People are starting recognize that there hasn't been someone who has been able to pull off the same southern drawl and coherent lyrics since T.I. Anecdote 1:
"Therefore I handle flows With that Atlanta soul Even my gramma known that I got that antidote I'm so exquisite with these lyrics I immaculately spit it Even though I'm from the South I got that grammar tho'
Make no mistake, this does go hard in the deck, don't let the bluesy chorus throw you off. It's going to take a monster effort to surpass Cudi's Man on the Moon album as the best effort of 2009 class, but I do believe B.O.B. has the right energy mixed with lyrics to challenge him. I'll elaborate on my thoughts about Wale in my upcoming album review of Attention Deficit, but for now let's let Bobby Ray enjoy the limelight with this above average effort that momentarily monopolized my eardrums and put the rest of the Hip Hop world on the back burner this week. B.O.B. - I Feed These StreetsHooottttt!!!
You may not have heard, but Lil Weezy just Plaxico'd himself into a 1 year prison sentence this past week for a NY gun charge:
"Lil Wayne pleaded guilty to felony gun possession in a Manhattan courtroom on Thursday (October 22) stemming from a July 2007 arrest following his first headlining concert in New York. The rapper will be sentenced to one year in prison as a part of his plea deal and must also give up his passport. Wayne quietly told the judge yes when asked if he understood the terms of the plea he was making." -MTV News
"Wayne will be sentenced in February 2010 and is expected to serve eight to 10 months, assuming good behavior. He must also appear in court in December for a parole update." -MTV News
Man, just when he was really starting to reel in the glory for the Carter III, he's now going upstate for the greater part of a year. Needless to say, NY gun laws are OFFICIALLY no joke after this sentence.
Even though I'm not particularly looking forward to it, we'll at least get to see a new side of Lil Wayne before he goes to prison when he releases his debut "rock" album titled Rebirth.
When asked to comment on the CEO of Young Money heading to do his fair time, Drake said:
“I’ll just do what I can to keep the whole Young Money/Cash Money team going, and I just want to play my part as a team member and keep the brand strong until the boss gets home.” -The Rap Up
It goes without saying that Timbaland is one of the most influential producers of the past twenty years. He's helped spark the careers of so many artists like Justin Timberlake, Ryan Tedder (One Republic), Bubba Sparxxx, Missy Elliot, Keri Hilson, Aaliyah...the list goes on. He's continually produced radio and club anthems, while many of his slower jams you probably continue to sleep on. Oh yea, don't forget his recent dabbling into rock/contemporary with this underrated hit, as well as this slightly overplayed classic.
The two most noticeable examples are from Timbo's song with Justin Timberlake that you may have forgotten about, Lovestoned and a song on his upcoming album titled Ease off the Liquor.
The first song, Lovestoned, starts off with an upbeat, mid-tempo, booty shakin' vibe that coerces your hips to move...I'm serious, listen to it standing up, you're powerless. But as the song fades toward the 5 min mark, the tempo slows considerably into a much softer, melodic, strings (violin/guitar riff) dominated backdrop that provides Justin a canvas for his strikingly simple, but often overlooked lullably/interlude. In my opinion, the song becomes interesting stylistically when Timbo is able to seamlessly transition a track from one beat to another in the same song...almost providing a lyrical cause and effect between the two personalities of the song/interlude. Despite the song being 7 minutes long, you feel like you've just listened to two different songs, but in reality, you've just taken in a longer "story" than you're accustomed to hearing from a "usual" track.
Give it a listen since you haven't heard it for a while:
Lovestoned has always been one of my favorite Justin tracks, mostly because there's literally no ice, it's blended together so well. Now fast forward to today, where I've spotted another track that seemingly continues on forever because of the Timbo again, adding/taking away an element of the beat to create a whole different vibe to a track. This time he manages to coin another booty shakin' anthem dominated by a rolling bassline and in your face, characteristically loud percussion, to go with a dash of crazy synthesizer. The song evolves into a call/response theme as he bounces back and forth with SoShy (pictured below):
YEA, I agree, she's good looking. Anyways, back to the lecture at hand...toward the 4 minute mark, the bassline evaporates into what becomes a salsa dancers dream of beat featuring trumpets and what appears to be a Mariachi inspired, guitar riff. Pretty cool in my opinion, two styles mixed in one, all within a 6 minute span, combining two different (albeit both uptempo) vibes. Check it out, off Shock Value 2:
Think about it, what other songs can you think of are able to mesh together or seamlessly continue two tracks that are related lyrically into one...as if providing a second chapter to the same story, but remaining uncompromising to the length of the song?
Ok other than Stairway to Heaven, I'll give you that one...and yes that is partially why I like that Timbaland is managing to bring that style, which was created over 30 years ago, to Hip Hop.
Wait did I just compare Timbaland to Led Zepplin? Yes, it was intentional...
And since Justin and Timbo were on the menu for this post, please don't forget your Carryout....
You'll notice, he didn't do any jumping around when he performed Successful and you gotta admit, it's pretty cool to see both Hov and Drizzy on the same stage. Hopefully there is a lot more of this to come as I eagerly count down the days til the highly anticipated Thank Me Later, which is slated for a Valentines Day 2010 release...
Off 50's upcoming album, Before I Self Destruct. If you look at the tracklist of his new album, there's definitely a on paper to be excited about with a track by Timbo, three by Dre, one by Storch, as well as a Primo cut.
Unfortunately, 50 has set the bar a little too high for himself in saying:
“I'm excited. The new album Before I Self Destruct is out November 23rd, I had a longer period of time to make this album, so I think this is the one fans could say is better than Get Rich Or Die Trying.”
Needless to say, I'm not giving him a snowball's chance in hell at selling over 13 million copies. But, take it for what it's worth, the track is well put together with a couple hot verses...hopefully Em keeps this up so that Relapse 2 won't be as big of a flop as Relapse. Dre absolutely carried the weight on this track with the dramatic strings throughout the song. Check it out:
Since then apologies have been made, physical scars have healed and although much of his fan base has eroded due to his violent act, I predict that America will continue to be the forgiving country it has always been and slowly warm up to CB's music again. He'll continually be haunted by his mistake (as he should be) and be fighting an uphill battle with public appeal...
With that being said, both Chris and Rihanna are now turning to music to vent about what went down. The first instance of this will be when you hear Rihanna's new single Russian Roulette, which is extremely vivid depiction of the struggle that anyone goes through in a domestic violence riddled relationship. The chorus tells it all:
"And you can see my heart beating You can see it through my chest And I’m terrified but I’m not leaving Know that I must must pass this test So just pull the trigger"
The theme sticks with you in a very honest, I've been there sort of way and I'd argue that although she's accurately comparing staying in a battered relationship to rolling the dice by playing Russian Roulette, the brutal imagery with the gunshot at the end of the song may be a little much for the younger demographic of her fans. Just sayin', I was a little taken aback the first time I heard it, but hopefully it has the desired effect of shedding some light on domestic violence...give it a listen:
On the other side of the fence, we have CB, who is doing his best to get back in the game with a hot first single with Captain Cameo, none other than Weezy F. Check the video if you haven't seen Transform Ya:
Put it this way, he did what he needed to do to get himself back on the radio with the track(I mean honestly even if people hate on him, they'll make the excuse that they like it because of Lil Wayne, let's be honest). The second single is him putting in his time with an "I want you back and I'm willing to rebuild from the ground up" effort with his song Crawl.
"Everybody sees it's you I'm the one that lost the view Everybody says we're through I hope you haven't said it too
So where do we go from here With all this fear in our eyes And where can love take us now And we've been so far down We can still touch the sky"
Needless to say, it's a slow to mid-tempo ballad that shows his softer side. He's always done a great job at crafting slow jams, so this is right up his alley and will definitely have some radio appeal. He's 1 for 2 in my opinion on singles on his new album Graffiti with this single being the less successful of the two. Check out Crawl:
As a bonus, here's a continuation of his song Crawl as he continues to lament the end of his relationship with his song So Cold, saying:
"If you ever see her If you ever meet her If you ever get a chance to sit down, talk to her Then tell her it's so cold It's so cold, it's so cold Here without her And tell her I miss her Tell her I need her Tell her I want her I really want her to come back home, back to keep me warm Tell her I'm sorry, I'm really sorry Can you forgive me? Please forgive me And come back home, keep me safe and warm"
Check out the track, it's a much better effort at a single as Polow lays a picturesque piano beat to set the vibe for an "I'm missin you" "I'm so lonely and cold" type track.
Needless to say, both young artists are using the experience as an emotional springboard for their new albums. As a result, we as fans get an out pour of emotionally charged music from two extremely talented pop stars. I'm betting both albums will end up being one of their best and I hope that as we fans benefit from their inspired work, they will also grow and continue to mature musically and in life through all this...
Add to Toomp's beat two top 10 members of the Hip Hop Freshman Class of 2009 and you've got yourself a decent battle for best song. Give them both a listen...
GWDJ Verdict:While neither will surpass the massive radio play the original song by the Verve got, I do believe Wale's version of the track will become a notable single and get his and Colin Munroe's name out to pop culture. I really liked B.O.B.'s verse on his version of the track, but Wale's verses are very well put together and in general I believe Wale > B.O.B., but both are rising stars that are soon to be household names. Wale/Colin/Toomp did the sample justice and I personally can't press next every time the song comes across the iPod.
Who in the world is One Call you ask? Well if you went with new boyband, you're right and even better they're formed with...yep you guessed it, ex members of boybands. I know, you can't even make something that crazy up right?...haha.
Anyways, this track is a picturesque lullaby that has Darkchild's hand prints allll over it. I'd argue you could have plugged in just about any R&B act here and the song would have been great, but I also don't want to take away from the powerful vocals provided by One Call. The do an excellent job of painting a picture of looking out for that girl that you know has lost perspective and just needs to take a deep breath, step back and relax, knowing that you're there for them and they're not alone in whatever they are going through. Guys you know what I'm talkin' bout, that feeling you get when you see a girl close to you get really overwhelmed by something in their life...almost to a point where you feel like saying, "yo slow down B, there's no good reason to stress, it'll all eventually work out, life's too short to waste it worryin' about what could happen especially when you'll always have me in your corner." Unfortunately that message oftentimes falls on deaf ears and a some continue to fear they're gonna crash and aren't willing to let you take a hold of the wheel because they don't want you to get hurt and be a part of collateral damage as a result of the crash ...
...but that's neither here nor there, either way don't sleep on this one, One Call does the slow jam justice by giving the track the emotional depth it needs to hit home with the audience.
Now that everyone is fully aware of Jason Derulo's potential and have done their absolute best to ware out his hit Whatcha Say on the radio, as it currently sits at the #4 single on Billboard, just ahead of Run This Town by Jay-Z (to give a little perspective).
Anyways just in case you were sick of the original version and crave the organic, piano/acoustic feel of songs because it strips away the production and shows true talent, here's J Derulo's spirited "candlelight" version of Whatcha Say. Although JR Rotem did much of the legwork in producing a beat that is cocaine to radio waves, I would argue this version does more for his credibility because he gets to show off his vocals more. I also really enjoy the fact that they found a way to keep the sample in the acoustic version, so that it maintains that high quality feel, but is different enough that you feel like you're getting something different and in some ways better.
With Timbaland's Shock Value 2 set to be released on November 23rd, there is a lot of good music to be excited about in the near future. We have a Fray, Daughtry, Keri Hilson and Chris Brown, One Repblic and most notably a Drake collabo to look forward to on the album.
We've been mostly teased with snippets, but now there are two really quality tracks floating around that deserve more than a few listens. The first being the first single, titled Morning After Tomorrow that showcases a disgustingly well put together beat by Timbo and the up and coming, sexy French artist SoShy (yea I know, heads up Keri Hilson). Give it a listen and please mind the beat ride out at the end...ridiculous what Timbo can do with that Beaterator...
The second track has been out for a while now, but recently a higher quality version found its way on the net, so do yourself a favor and pay some homage to Timbo's creativity with this rolling, booty shakin, percussive massacre...with a lil Teddy Pain on the top...
The track I'm most excited about (for obvious reasons) is the collabo with Drizzy Drake titled Say Something. Drake is definitely on more of an R&B tip with this track and it's weird hearing him on an attention grabbing beat. I'm not sure if I like it as much honestly, it's kinda like mixing peanut butter and salmon...great separately, but together...man I dunno. Jury is still out on this one, I'm not writing it off yet and I'll probably end up liking it, but for now, take the 2 min snippet for what it's worth.... Timbaland feat Drake - Say Something (prod by Timbaland)Collabo of the Month!!!
And just cause I'm feelin' generous, give Timbo's collabo with Shakira and Lil Wayne a listen. This track was initially slated for Shock Value 2, but now it's supposed to be Shakira's second US single despite it being conspicuously missing from her album?? Guess that was probably planned to get people to buy the Deluxe Edition? Anyways give it a listen... Shakira feat Lil Wayne & Timbaland - Give It Up To Me (prod by Timbaland)Hootttt R&B!!!
What made me most upset when I witnessed Drizzy tear his knee up on stage was that I was not going to get a chance to see him craft a "Philly" version of his Say U Will Freestyle that eminently fades into one of my favorite and most introspective tracks of him, Say What's Real.
Anyways here are three different renditions of said Freestyle. It's a shame that the whole video of his Homecoming concert in Toronto is nowhere to be found anymore on the internet because I will gladly admit spending 45 minutes of my time watching it in it's entirety.
Say U Will Freestyle in Toronto at his Homecoming Concert
