Alex Hunter Twitter: @PGsfinest301

I first heard Kendrick spit on his video for “Compton State Of Mind,” the LA emcee’s version of Jay-z’s “Empire State Of Mind.” I was impressed by Kendrick’s real life view and “average joe” perspective (ironically the name of one his songs covered later in this post).

With O(verly) D(edicated), Kendrick’s second project, we’re given a deeper look at this everyday perspective, as we listen to all the good and bad of being a young kid growing up in Compton.  Kendrick’s not a super gangbanger or somebody flipping birds, but rather a kid facing everyday problems such as dealing with females, seen on “She needs me,” or drowning problems out with his two favorite vices on a track called “P&P 1.5”

Kendrick Lamar – “Ignorance Is Bliss”

In this song, Kendrick describes multiple levels of ignorance.  The first verse describes a kid committing a drive by and murdering a rival gang member.  Here’s a quick excerpt:

“I’mma back him down like Shaq with this black .223 in my hand,
Better pray that this choppa jam like a radio single man,
Police radio signals sayin that a 187 land on your corner,
Coroners comfort your mama,
Mama he’s dead, the next morning,
I toast it up with my homies,
We drink and smoke marijuana, want us to change our ways? uh-huh,
You see this game we play, come from,
Uncles that raised me in Compton…”

Kendrick does a good job of explaining where the “ignorance is bliss” mentality comes from while putting it into real situations, the place where this type of mindset can be most dangerous.  Also, the production from Willie B provides the perfect melancholy backdrop for Kendrick’s story telling.

Another standout track, “Average Joe,” presents the perfect epitome of who Kendrick Lamar represents.

Kendrick Lamar – “Average Joe”

“Who is K.dot?
A young nigga from Compton on the curb writing raps next to a gun shot,
On the corner’s where the gangsters and the killers dwell,
The fraudulent tend to disguise and get unveiled,”

Kendrick opens this song by painting a vivid picture of where he had to grow up.  He follows that picture with a quote from his mother, “In the midst of staying neutral and discreet, my mama said your judged by the company you keep.”  With this song, he’s clearly stating that he’s neither a drug dealer nor some super gladiator on the block, rather he’s the kid from that drug PSA who takes the long way home just to avoid the dealers on his block. Overall, this track finds a way to make Kendrick feel relatable to the listener, while providing a great message that doesn’t come across as “preachy.”

Despite the large number of rappers who relate to and rap about the current stoner generation, Kendrick decides to go the opposite direction and make a smoking song about not smoking, a paradox right?  Well he accomplishes it with “H.O.C.”

Kendrick Lamar – “H.O.C.”

Produced by Drop, the beat on “H.O.C.” sounds like it could have been a leftover from Kush and Orange Juice and immediately sets the track’s tone.  Kendrick raps about not smoking weed and in the chorus repeats “I don’t even smoke, I don’t even smoke.” He goes on to state that people used to think he was high because of his calm demeanor, “teachers thought I was smoking stress but didn’t know my eyes were low because of genetic defect.”

One of the most unique productions from the project is a song called “Cut You Off”, produced by Taebeast.

Kendrick Lamar – “Cut You Off”

“Cut You Off” sees Kendrick Lamar commenting on the different aspects of his life that need to be to cut off in order for him to become a better person.  Kendrick starts the second verse with, “I’m trying to learn something new/  Im trying to surround myself with people that inspire me/  Or at least inquire similar desires to do what it T-A-K-E to reach the T-O-P.”  The final verse even sees him commenting on family gossip with, “if your blood weren’t running through my veins, I would probably cut ya’ll off too.”

Kendrick Lamar’s music is lyrical, real, and ironically positive all at the same time. He has a great ability to put himself into very real situations, whether that be the temptations of a fine woman and good liquor or trying to survive in the jungle that is Compton without resorting to a criminal lifestyle. While some rappers try to be conscious or tough, Kendrick Lamar is just trying to be himself. Kendrick explains it best with, “I don’t do black music, I don’t do white music, I do everyday life music.”  A quote inspired by Eminem, but one that holds true in this case.

Stream the whole project below:

Favorite Track?

Twitter: @raimonnemar

I “pair” wine and beats, not wine and cheese. If you’re looking for someone to tell you about how the spice of a pepper corn steak perfectly matched the spices in a particular Zin, you’re in the wrong place.

You’ll hear me compare wine varietals to genres of music, how the context of time affects both wine and music, or even how a rumbling baseline was similar to tannins that floated over taste buds. My real goal is to keep it fun!

So how do you pair wine and beats?

For the first pairing I’m going to make it easy for you, as I’ve already cracked this bottle and played this track for a group of friends. We all decided that Donwill’s “Shake it Easy” and2007 Murphy-Goode The Fume – Sauvignon Blanc went hand in hand.

The first thing I do if I’m trying to match a bottle and a song is to put the song on and let it get me into a mood. “Shake is Easy” featuring Peter Hadar is a great for setting the mood and makes you sit up and listen from the second you press play. “The Fume” was also great right out of the gate. I love wines that are approachable, the kind of wines I know my non-wine drinking friends will love as soon as they’re poured and this was one of then. “Fumé”, or “Fumé Blanc”, a term coined by Robert Mondavi in the 1960’s, has been adopted by many California Sauvignon Blanc producers. It literally translates to “smoke” in French, and pays tribute to the great Sauvignon Blanc producing region, Pouilly-Fumé.

Donwill is the kind of emcee who is easy on the ears. You won’t hear him yelling or talking so brash your niece and nephew has to leave the room. You also won’t hear him get so complicated with his flow or delivery that you need a thesaurus or “dumbing down” his lyrics so that 5 year olds can sing along.

This wine and beats pairing hit the sweet spot. Enough about what I think; Listen to “Shake it Easy”, take a sip, and see if you agree.

Ashley Kershaw Twitter: @AshCash1

Visit Motion Family’s website.

Marcus Krzastek Twitter: @marcusKRZ

Renaissance Gangster is a successful mixtape in many respects and is extremely focused on building two central themes.  The first is DJ Burn One’s haunting production, which accompanies every song, creating an almost ethereal backdrop for the mixtape.  The second is that Starlito is high and plans to stay high.  What makes this CD work is that those are two concepts that fit incredibly well together, with Starlito’s hazy flow mingling effortlessly with the production to create a remarkably cohesive sound.

Outside of “Alright,” which true to its sample is one of the standout tracks, “January Wright 2.0″ shows Starlito’s talent for crafting a song.  The first verse, especially, demonstrates Starlito’s effectiveness when he’s lyrically on point.

“I got bitches, they got bitches,
Some of em realer than some of these niggas,
Some of  ‘em booze, dont none of ‘em snitch,
And they fuck with me and all my homies,
Fuckin’ with me and all of my homies,
Trust me you don’t want it,
We gonna squeeze,
And you gonna leak,
And there’s gonna be a ceremony.”

Reading the lyrics alone doesn’t provide an accurate glimpse at how Starlito fits the bars into the beat, making the awkward structure work.  It’s verses like this that show why Starlito is worth paying attention to.  There are plenty of rappers with similar styles and content but very few who share his musical intuition.  Listening to this mixtape, that’s the thought that stuck with me.  Starlito just flat-out knows how to make the most of a beat and song.

Unfortunately for the mixtape, moments like the aforementioned don’t happen enough.  Starlito is sometimes too quick to coast on his talent, and a few verses come off lazy.  They’re still fine to listen to, but they don’t deliver on the promise showcased in other parts of the mixtape.  This inconsistency is what keeps this mixtape from becoming a break-through moment for ‘Lito.  Despite this, as someone who had only given Starlito limited attention previously, I’m definitely looking forward to what he comes out with next.

Ashley Kershaw twitter: @AshCash1

HBO has done it again, but this time with Kid Cudi.

This Sunday, February 14th, Cudi makes his acting debut on “How to Make it in America.” The series takes us on a journey through the lives of Ben Epstein and his ace, Cam Calderon, as they try to make a name for themselves in the New York fashion scene.
Here are the top 3 reasons to check it out:

1. The Entourage team (Mark Wahlberg, Stephen Levinson, Rob Weiss and Julian Farino) are executive producers on the show, and directed the first three episodes.

2. Hip hop music all day: Entourage’s music supervisor, Scott Vener, is overseeing this project so the music selection will be crazy. Cudi x Scott x DJ Green Lantern teamed up for the How to Make it in America mixtape, featuring Jadakiss, Lupe, Kenna, and Nipsey Hussle. Check it out here.

3. Kid Cudi, aka Scott Mescudi, plays Domingo in true hip hop fashion in the first episode when he leaves his boy at a party to get it poppin’ with some supermodels.

Check out the making of “How to Make it in America,” here.