Marcus Krzastek Twitter: @marcusKRZ

If you’ve been paying attention, you knew that Big Boi was capable of putting out this album. Although Andre 3000’s half of Speakerboxxx/Love Below is more discussed due to the eccentric direction he took it, Speakerboxxx stands on its own as one of the better releases of 2003. When “Royal Flush” leaked over two years ago (it’s really been that long), the hype machine started up for this release. Subsequent leaks of songs like “For Your Sorrows” and “Shine Blockas” only served to increase the anticipation, with each song finding ways to top the last. A few great songs don’t make a great CD, however, and the onus was still on Big Boi to deliver on the promise the leaks indicated.

To say that Big Boi succeeded is an understatement. Sir Lucious Left Foot isn’t just the front-runner for best rap album of the year, it’s a classic that people will be listening to in ten years. Through this CD, Big Boi has delivered a powerful statement to anyone who attributes Outkast’s success primarily to Three Stacks. From front to back there isn’t a single song that deserves skipping, and even after multiple listens, the only aspect of the album that grows old are the skits (which are actually pretty good). Big Boi attacks the soulful “Hustle Blood” with the same success as he does the frantic “General Patton“, showcasing the lyrical dexterity and sharp punchlines that have become his signature as an MC.

Big Boi – “Follow Us” (Vonnegutt)

While “Daddy Fat Sax” and “Turns Me On” are both great songs, when the first few bars of “Follow Us” hit, it’s obvious that this CD is going to be serious.

“With one stroke of the pen,
I tune in to your satellite radio or FM station,
I’ve been patiently waiting to an end,
Been under construction for two years,
But now it’s ’bout time I double-dutched my way in,
Left-foot, right-foot,
Stepping over biters,
It’s like the game is haunted cuz there’s so many ghostwriters.”

The way Big Boi dances through those lines over the plucking guitar notes that make up the beat sets the tone for the album.  It also showcases Big Boi’s talent for switching up his flow to complement a track. The rap landscape is littered with failed attempts at rock choruses over the past few years, and the fact that Big Boi integrates Vonnegut in this track so easily is a testament to his own and producer Salaam Remi’s talent. Which brings me to the next big theme of the album, production.

Big Boi – “Shutterbug”

If you had asked me at the end of 2009, who the 25 most likely producers to make the hottest beat of 2010 were, Scott Storch wouldn’t have even been an honorable mention. There’s no denying Shutterbugg’s production, however, as it channels Zapp and Roger to create the funkiest beat hip-hop’s seen in years. Big Boi’s ear for beats is on-point throughout the album, bringing the best out of the project’s producers including Lil’ Jon, Mr. DJ (whose credits include B.O.B. and Ms. Jackson), and of course, Organized Noize, who contribute four beats to the effort.

Big Boi – “You Ain’t No DJ” (Featuring Yelawolf)

It’s not just Big Boi by himself on the album, however. He brings in some friends along the way, including Yelawolf on the ridiculously frantic “You Ain’t No DJ”.

“My momma gave birth to a 10 pound, 6 ounce dream,
And god said,
Look for the burning bush,
Now it turned to weeds,
So I jumped in my Chevy when I saw my momma burning trees,
Hard white, I trickle nickle bags,
Ice cold crew shit,
In the booth with blue lips,
In the grave like a tulip,
In the bar like a pool-stick,
808 Toomp Shit, magic mike, poof bitch,
Aint nowhere to rest, nowhere for you to sit,
I stole your couch and I took your truck to move it with,
Sofa (so fer’), any one of you who wanna get to’ up,
Imma tattoo, Kodak you, close up,
Aint no UFO, no, Yeller’s a supernova,
Dogs are barkin’ as soon as that trooper roll up,
30 ought six, momma don’t gotta load up,
‘Cuz I’m from the varsity it may be hard to get narci cola.”

Yelawolf makes sure his hype keeps growing as he battles the beat on “Ain’t No DJ” like he’s trying out for the next season of The Jersey Shore. His raw, rapid-fire flow acts as a perfect complement to Big Boi’s smooth effort, leading to one of the album’s best tracks. Other guest highlights include T.I.’s verse on “Tangerine” (which also features an addicting drum break and Khujo Goodie in a small cameo) and Gucci’s verse on “Shine Blockas.”

Big Boi – “The Train Part II”

Big Boi isn’t just an empty flow, as he demonstrates on one of the album’s later tracks “The Train Part II.”  The track doubles as a fitting follow up to its successor, the best song on the Idlewild soundtrack. On the track, Big Boi discusses Outkast’s contributions to hip-hop before diving into a second verse that delivers an indictment of the current state of the game.

“Look up up and I pray,
Channeling that heavenly energy,
There’s plenty we can say,
See the Anime is winning cuz your punk ass be afraid,
But I spray what’s on my brain to educate and entertain,
KRS he said it best,
I learned from listening to the tapes,
Before iTunes came out and made a CD obsolete,
‘For reality TV would seem to be that big mistake,
Now big brother’s got these cameras deep in each and every state,
While each and every rapper claims to be the heavyweight,
‘Cuz he mention cocaina and ’bout everything he make,
And then wonder why them people try to pin him with that case,
Cuz his blow was dixie crystal pistol play was just for play, fake,
Just for play, play, got them babies,
Believing that bullshit,
I said just for play, play, got them babies,
Fucked up.”

Plenty of people have expressed similar sentiments, but very few have backed it up by putting out an album that raises the bar. Big Boi talks the talk, but he also walks the walk. At 35 years old, Big Boi has laid down the gauntlet for the current crop of upcoming rappers. How they respond is up to them.

I could spend another 1000 words going into every other song on the album and breaking them down, but I’ll stop myself here. The only two things that could have made this album better would have been Jive not acting like donkeys and allowing “Royal Flush” and “Lookin’ For Ya’” on the album as well as a verse from Mike Bigga. Of course, the two songs with Andre 3000 are available online, and I can also enjoy “Flip Flop Rock” and the rest of the tracks that Big Boi and Mike Bigga did together before their falling out (and thankfully, reconciliation). Big Boi has mentioned in interviews that Sir Lucious Left Foot is dedicated to the memory of his deceased father, and it’s undeniable that the ATLien has succeeded in honoring him fittingly.

Minus “Super High,” all of the EP’s tracks were new and most of them featured big named artists.  This provided the fans with a good deal of free content two months before Ross’ album release date. Taking full advantage of the situation, Rick Ross’ team made videos for roughly half of the songs on the project.  When it was all said and done, The Albert Anastasia EP seemed more like a dvd with all. the. videos. it. produced!

By focusing on these free songs instead of album cuts, Ross was able to build anticipation while keeping fans in suspense as to what the actual album would sound like.  As with every music release, however, Teflon Don eventually began leaking to the public. Having said that, Def Jam impressively managed to keep the leaks spaced out enough for fans to digest each. track. as. they. became. available.  This added to the hype and also made Ross’ face a common sight on hip hop blogs for the past month.

Now, with the album in stores, fans have a chance to show their appreciation for the elevated street music that Ricky Rozay is bringing to the game.  “Elevated” because most of the tracks are aimed at those actually getting it in, rather than the broke people out there still trying to establish a hustle.  That being said, all rap fans with an imagination can enjoy the album as Rozay gives us a glimpse into the mindset of a glorified mob boss, the Teflon Don.

The Jay-z and John Legend-assisted “Free Mason” track will undoubtedly make an impact on mainstream radio this summer, as will “Live Fast, Die Young” featuring an impressive verse from Kanye West and the smooth “Aston Martin Music,” featuring Drake and Chrisette Michele.  It’s sleeper singles like these that will pro-long the life of Ross’ Teflon Don and help grow his album sales for months to come.

Rick Ross – “Free Masons” (Featuring Jay-z & John Legend)

Download – “Free Mason.”

As always, Jay-z drops some nice lines on his guest verse, “Bitch I said I was amazing, not that I’m a mason,” ha!  Don’t sleep on Ross’ lyrics though.

Here’s a quick excerpt from Rozay’s first verse:

“New Rolls Royce, guess you made it nigga,
All white neighborhood, you they favorite nigga,
My top back like JFK,
They trynna push my top back like JFK!
So, so I JFK,
Joined forces with the kings and we ate all day.”

A lot of critics would cringe at Ross rhyming JFK with JFK multiple times, but given his flow these lines sound perfect.  Shout out to The Inkredibles on the beat.

Rick Ross – “Tears Of Joy” (Featuring Cee-Lo)

Download – “Tears Of Joy.”

After the opening quote from the Black Panters movement, Rick Ross reflects on his accomplishments in one of Teflon Don’s most motivational tracks.

Here’s Ross’ first verse on the No I.D. produced track:

“Looking in the mirror but I don’t see much,
Still running the streets, so I don’t sleep much,
Watching the snakes, so they don’t creep up,
But the way I’m getting this money, niggas can’t keep up,
You niggas can’t keep up,
Niggas got beef but it can’t be much,
I’m still walking through the crowds like I can’t be touched,
Top back all black, Gretzky puck,
Ice skate, a little later might let me fuck,
Damn, she might let me fuck,
Last night I cried tears of joy,
What Did I Do To Deserve This!
Vacheron on my wrist,
A year ago I didn’t know the bitches exist,
Quarter milli for the motherfucker,
No insurance on the motherfucker!
Ain’t life a bitch?  But you gotta keep her wet,
Keys open doors, so I gotta keep a set,
Everybody know that I’m a lot of people threat,
Biggie Smalls in the flesh, living life after my death,
Yesterday I read my horoscope,
Tell me Lord will I be poor and broke,
Tell me Lord, will I be dealing dope,
I wanna take my momma to the Poconos,
But only Lord knows.”

There’s a lot of motivational street lyrics in there.

Outside of the reflective verses, we see Cee-Lo absolutely kill the soulful hook and drastically add to the song’s replay value.   In a similar fashion, Erykah Badu guides a powerfully orchestrated “Maybach Music III,” the J.U.S.T.I.C.E League ( Rook, Colione, and Kenny Barto)-produced track which completes Ross’ Maybach Music trilogy.

Rick Ross – “All The Money In The World”

“All The Money In The World” shows a rare side of Rick Ross, as he speaks on his family and late father.  As is often the case with emotional tracks, this cut produced by The Olympicks proves to be one of the album’s hidden gems.

Here’s Rozay’s powerful first verse:

“You know geting money..
Becoming a young millionaire…
You can lose sight of the things that’s important to you..
I’d never trade my old girl for all the money in the world,
I’d never trade my daughter Troy for all the money in the world,
I’d never trade my only boy for all the money in the world,
I put my last name first…
I can hear my daddy sayin lil nigga go get ‘em,
Passed in ‘99, cancer all in his liver,
Shit difference is we last spoke your son a lil richer
I’d never rap again if could tell em that I miss ‘em,
Why the fuck I own the world when I can’t share it with ‘em.,
Bust his ass his whole life, just wanna break bread wit ‘em,
Crying in my mansion as I’m holdin on his picture,
It’s a cold and lonely world, I’m flying solo on you niggas,
Being the only boy, definition of a man,
All the money in the world, still not a big enough advance,
All the money in the world, still not a big enough advance,
For me to turn my back on me being the man that I am.”

More personal tracks like this will help Ross build a solid fan base, as  I can see a lot of people relating to this song’s message.  Also, just like Cee-Lo did on “Tears Of Joy,” Raphael Saadiq delivers an impressive chorus that adds a great deal to the song.

Teflon Don marks Rick Ross’ fourth solid album in the last five years ( Port of Miami (’06), Trilla (’08), Deeper Than Rap (’09)).  Get ready for a summer full of Maybach Music!

Favorite Song Off The Album?

Amidst the new material, we find the title track for Gucci Mane’s upcoming album, The Appeal: Georgia’s Most Wanted. While the album doesn’t have a firm release date, Gucci did premiere this trailer before his performance at Birthday Bash.

Fans of DJ Drama’s mixtapes will be happy to hear more of Barack O’Drama’s humor mixed in between songs as well.  This tape’s best DJ Drama interlude comes at the beginning of “Cowards and Soldiers,” where Professor Drama informs failing rappers that this will be yet another year where they get left behind, ha!

The following standout tracks give a good taste of the mixtape’s sound:

Gucci Mane – “Stove Music” (Featuring Waka Flocka and Yo Gotti)

Waka Flocka Flame starts “Stove Music” off hard, and Yo Gotti brings it to a close in proper fashion.  After all, what would a rap song dedicated to the stove be without a feature from Mr. Cocaine Muzik himself?

Here’s Gucci Mane’s impressive verse, dedicated to the trap:

“Rap game in a suplex,
Trappin out a duplex,
Working with the work, I ain’t talkin bout bow-flex,
Fish scale flake, iced out my Rolex,
Call my landlord, cause this my complex,
Standing by the pot, right there where the dough at,
Three months still ain’t bought no clothes yet,
No sofa, no bed or hoe yet,
Everyday all day, staying where the coke at,
Talking to the plug like homie where the blow at,
Georgia where the sun, East Atlanta where the snow at?
A hundred to the lawyer, I ain’t even been to court yet,
Dope like enough, I ain’t hit it with the fork yet,
Stove work good but the AC bullshit,
Thrill head, young bloods waiting on the dope case,
Still stay in Zone 6 smoking on some good shit,
Gucci Mane out and he back on some hood shit,
Knockin at the door and they really don’t want shit,
Feds tapping lines, who you talking on the phone with?
Still cooking up early, five in the morning,
Brick buffet, feed a nigga like Shoney’s,
Price go up, blow up in the drought,
Green coming in, soft white goin out,
Trappin in style, it ain’t never goin out,
Work’s stocked up, we ain’t never runnin’ out,
It’s Gucci!”

That line about Shoney’s was hilarious!

Waka Flocka and Yo Gotti account for four of Mr. Zone 6′s five feature verses.

Gucci Mane – “Normal”

Gucci Mane linked up with Motion Family for the video to this Drumma Boy produced track, where La Flare describes how abnormal his life is.  One of my favorite lines from the tape comes when Gucci speaks on his girl:

“My girl got on piranhas, that’s abnormal…
She’s a snake charmer, anaconda,
Real man eater, like Jeffrey Dahmer.”

Jeffrey Dahmer is disturbing as F#@K!

Gucci Mane – “Long Money”

DJ Scoob Doo has been releasing some entertaining visuals as of late, and this in-studio video is no exception.  Here’s the hook to arguably the catchiest song on the project:

“Jacuzzi on the roof,
Ugly hoes don’t get the time of day,
Cheifin on some teeva, smell the reefa from a mile away,
Pistol in my coup,
Try my troops, you’ll get blown away,
Gucci Mane got long money,
Bitch that’s all I got to say,
Gucci Mane got long money,
That’s what them bitches say,
Gucci Mane got long money,
That’s what them bitches say,
Gucci Mane got long money,
That’s what them bitches say,
I ain’t even got to talk, my money conversates.”

Gucci Mane – “Making Love To The Money”

Gucci Mane personifies currency with this triumphant song about “making love to the money like a sex tape.”

Here’s Gucci’s second verse about his favorite lady:

“I gotta take her everywhere cause these niggas crazy,
Only leave her by herself on special occasions,
I love making love cause she so amazing,
When I bring her to the club, them hoes be going crazy,
Every nigga in the hood wanna fuck my lady,
Can’t wait for me to slip so they can take my baby
She get me out of jams and tight situations,
Love ain’t got no cut off point, it ain’t no limitation,
She got me in that thang sittin on them thangs,
It’s great cause now them hoes don’t look at me the same,
Well fuck it they aint gotta fuck with me at all
I pick my baby up and took her to the mall.”

I’ve included a full stream of the mixtape below, and suggest that you skip to “Koolin,” as its been stuck in my head for weeks:

What’s Your Favorite Track Off Of Mr. Zone 6?

Released in 2009, Tiron’s Ketchup project served as a means to bring listeners up to speed with his music, while also releasing a handful of new tracks.  Now, with his first release of 2010, Tiron gives us a project as artistic and creative as its name, MSTRD.

TiRon – “60901″

Dowload – “60901″

TiRon uses “60901″ to introduce himself to new listeners and a great deal of fans who may not of known about the L.A. emcee’s Midwestern roots.  60901 is the area code for Kankakee, Illinois.  If you’ve never been to the small Midwestern city, hopefully TiRon’s lyrics can paint a vivid picture for you:

“Closer to drama, no daddy’s just baby mommas,
And miles away from Obama’s hood,
And I ain’t grow up in the same neighborhood as Lu,
Or Ye, but niggas did move Ye to get the loot,
Cause the city ain’t a city,
Just a bunch of folks sitting on a shitty situation,
If you are legit, you ain’t really satisfied,
And that’s the norm, watch TV, sit, and fantasize,
Too stuck to even dream, or even have a grind,
Safe to say it ain’t the best place to be,
but I claim it like my own, that’s my city that’s my home,
And I know that once I’m on, I’mma take em round the globe.”

It sounds like relocating to the West Coast was a good move for Tiron and his family.

Tiron – “For Your Smile”

Download – “For Your Smile.”

“For Your Smile” is an obvious female fan favorite, as you can tell from this live footage.  Having said that, I know a lot of guys can relate to the lyrics while vibing out to the smooth beat.  Another track off MSTRD with a similar female appeal is “Ms. Right.”

Tiron – “Boys & Girls”

“Boys & Girls” is perhaps the most creative track off the project, as Tiron explains the slippery slope of dysfunctional relationships.  His sped up rapping over the quick beat adds to the chaotic and confusing story line.

Stream Tiron’s MSTRD mixtape.

If the next album is anything like Ross’ previous releases, Port of Miami, Trilla, and Deeper Than Rap, we can expect a summer full of Maybach music!

The EP, named after an infamous mobster, marks the beginning of Rick Ross’ summer-radio onslaught, as it features all new material minus the boss’ hit single “Super High.”

Immediately following Diddy’s three minute introduction to the project, we get tossed into Rick Ross’ current street records, “BMF” and “MC Hammer.”

Rick Ross – “BMF” (Featuring Styles P)

After hearing the song’s opening line, “I think I’m Big Meech, Larry Hoover,” you already know that this track will go hard in the streets.  Rick Ross continues to win in the music game because his flow and gangsta persona simply have a way of motivating hustlers.

Here’s an excerpt from Ross’ first verse:

“My Rolls Royce triple black, I’m Geechi hoe,
Ballin in the club, bottles like I’m Meechi hoe,
Rozay, that’s my nickname,
Cocaine running in my big veins,
Self-made, you just affiliated,
I build it ground up, you bought it renovated,
Talking plenty capers, nothings been authenticated,
Funny, you claiming the same bitch that I’m penetratin.”

Those are some impressive, chest-thumping street lines.

Part of the song’s appeal also lies in Lex Luger’s powerful production, which we see once more on the EP’s “MC Hammer.”

Rick Ross – “MC Hammer”

“MC Hammer” is the other track off the EP that has really been taking off, due to its street lyrics and bass-heavy production.  Since I broke down the song’s hook in a previous post, which included MC Hammer’s reaction to the tribute, I’ve decided to just include my favorite part of the second verse here:

“I’m thinking money,
Every moment thinking money,
I bust a nut, then I’m back to thinking money.”

Those lines are both hilarious and motivational at the same time, #BAWSE.

Below you can stream the rest of the impressive EP which features artists such as The Runners, DJ Clark Kent, Kool G Rap, Trey Songz, John Legend, Ne-Yo, and Yo Gotti.

Download The Albert Anastasia EP.

What’s Your Favorite Track From The EP?

Despite only being a little over a month since the project’s release date, K.R.I.T. is already looked at as one of the more exciting emerging artists from the South.

HipHopAtLunch.com spoke to Big K.R.I.T. about his recent meeting with Bun B and a possible collaboration with the southern legend.  Also, K.R.I.T. walked us through his thought process behind select tracks off of the K.R.I.T. Wuz Here album.

Getting Bun B on a remix to Big K.R.I.T.’s “Country Shit” track would be crazy!  Hopefully the track will come out sounding like the vintage UGK records, seeing as K.R.I.T.’s already being compared to Pimp C.

Here’s a breakdown of the six tracks that K.R.I.T. spoke about in our interview:

Big K.R.I.T. – “Return Of 4eva”

Since I wrote out the lyrics to Big K.R.I.T.’s first verse in our previous interview, I’ve broken down Big Sant’s verse below:

“Well it’s Big Sant bitch, and I’m a mob type figure,
Coming down on you hoes and you pussy ass niggas,
Forever international, sippin sake with my Asain girl,
My address is the winner’s circle, you can hate me now,
Hotter than my leather in the summer with the windows up,
The word legend never gets said unless you mention us,
My speech is mink, I want it all plus the kitchen sink,
The whip white, time right, money green, pussy pink, (yeahh),
You can Google that, think I’m lying,
Baby choose, I’m  apposed,
Hoe I’m polished just to shine,
Add the blue blockas and gatas, and even Steven can see,
So look at me motherfucker, look at me.”

Big Sant killed his sole feature on the album.

Speaking on The Alumni, K.R.I.T.’s group which consists of Big Sant and himself, K.R.I.T. mentioned that “Return of 4eva” basically “sums up the sound that they’re aiming to bring back.”  If that’s the case, then I can’t wait to get my hands on The Alumni’s debut album!

Big K.R.I.T. – “Viktorious”

The powerful interludes built into “Viktorious,” where Big K.R.I.T. speaks on coming from Mississippi, gave me chills at first listen.  This creative commentary on the song’s purpose coupled with the fast paced rapping helps to vividly portray K.R.I.T.’s frustration to the listener.

Big K.R.I.T. – “Children of The World”

“They want my soul, like my ancestors ain’t enough.
If I can’t trust my own government who can I trust?”

Big K.R.I.T. touches on some less than ideal situations over this impressive sample. “Children of the World” is definitely a fan favorite off of the album.

Big K.R.I.T. – “Something”

Be on the lookout for the official video to “Something” coming soon!

The way Big K.R.I.T. inter-weaved this song’s Al Green sample with his lyrics was not only creative but made the track take on extra meaning.  In his own words, K.R.I.T. was able to “build a story with the sample, making it more personal than just a beat.”

It was interesting to hear K.R.I.T. say that he recorded “Something” in his late-grandmother’s bathroom.  Especially since the next song we spoke about, “I Gotta Stay,” was written in her memory.

Big K.R.I.T. – “I Gotta Stay”

It was sad to hear about Big K.R.I.T.’s grandmother passing away in January, but I’m sure she’s proud of what he’s since accomplished with his music.

K.R.I.T. said that he made “I Gotta Stay” for himself, and that it has special meaning to him whether or not anyone else understands it.  Having said that, emotional tracks like this seem to always appeal to a wide range of people.

Big K.R.I.T. – “Voices”

We’re going to end this article with the final track off of K.R.I.T. Wuz Here, “Voices.”  As K.R.I.T. mentioned in the interview, this song touches on the people who’ve been influencing him over the years and filling his head with suggestions, both good or bad.

This song’s heavy bass and motivational theme have me keeping it in heavy rotation.
 

What’s Your Favorite Song Off The Album?

Jadakiss‘ third installment of his The Champ Is Here mixtape series plays out like a true Pay-Per-View event, complete with fight commentary and skits put together over stock audio of a cheering crowd.  Also, in honor of the boxing theme, DJ Drama, who hosts the tape along side DJ Green Lantern, changed his name to Dram King, ha!

Jadakiss comes out hard on The Champ Is Here 3, with cocky lyrics that show his confidence and willingness to fight.  The first skit even has Jada recalling how he’s been training for this tape by “running five and a half miles every morning.”

There’s a number of quotable tracks on the project, such as “Soldier Survivors,” featuring Nas and Sheek Louch, where Jada says that he’s going to ”treat the track like Rihanna and Chris Brown it.”  Other songs, such as the DJ Absolute-produced “All Falls Down,” show Jada’s versatility as his flow kills the smooth production and compliments the R&B hook.

I’ve broken down the lyrics of a handful of the standout tracks below:

Jadakiss – “Who Shot Ya.”

Before jumping into Biggie’s classic, Green Lantern properly states, “you know you gotta be a certain weight class to fuck with this beat/  No lightweights allowed.”  Living up to that statement, Jadakiss holds his own on the track with impressive lines such as:

“You a coward in jail you could never live.
Nah, you barely living out here,
I’m the reason you breathing
It’s like I’m giving out air,
I got stocks on the block,
And I’m giving out shares,
To niggas that don’t talk, cause they giving out years,
I don’t know you, you ain’t familiar,
And I don’t care who shot ya, cause they ain’t killya,
As far as the word play, I’m a son of a bitch,
These niggas is decent, but ain’t none of ‘em Kiss,
MTV ya’ll know, I’ll punish the list,
Them niggas jury is fake and ain’t none of them rich.”

Jadakiss – “She Likes Me” (Featuring Nicki Minaj)

“She Likes Me” has one of the more interesting collaborations on the tape, as Jadakiss and Nicki Minaj exchange playful lines over the sped up, bass heavy beat.  The Harajuku Barbie wisely decides to use only one of her many voices on this track that’ll surely be heard by Jadakiss’ NYC fan base.

Here’s Nicki’s verse:

“We was at the Heat game, peep game,
Let him see the g-string,
Eve Saint levon size fives, a petite frame,
He like come on Nicki, really why you keep playin,
He said his name was Jada, I said ohh that’s a unique name,
I’ll go and see him out in Yonkers in the back blocks,
He in the matchbox, ballin like the mascots,
He said I’m dead hot, pull up in the brass drop,
I see them hatin ass bitches in the back drop,
That’s why I kiss him right in front of them,
He don’t want none of them,
Even when it’s dark, I be sunnin’ them,
Plus I keep the thing thing mighty tight,
And if he think I like him, then he might be right.”

Jadakiss – Here I Go” (Featuring Yo Gotti)

Yo Gotti joins Jadakiss on the remake of Mystikal’s “Here I Go,” and his southern flow feels at home on the track.  Here’s a quick excerpt from Yo Gotti:

“Black on black Benz, that’s a Bat Mobile nigga,
I got money from Maine to Mobile, nigga,
It go women lie, men lie, numbers don’t,
Niggas get pop’d, testify, but Gotti won’t,
She a five star bitch, at least she thinks so,
That’s a fake bag shorty, I don’t think so.”

Another classic beat is explored in Green Lantern’s remake of Dr. Dre’s “Deep Cover.”  The only other track with a “Green Mix” is ”Slow Down,” where Green Lantern changes up the feel of Fat Joe’s “Slow Down.”  Jadakiss spits one of the funniest lines off the tape on “Slow Down,” with “Bank account like Timbaland, it got fat again,” AH-HAA!

Jadakiss – “Somehow Some Way”

I’ll end this review on a high note, with the smooth “Somehow Some Way.”  This track, purposely left till the end of the tape, celebrates Jadakiss’ victorious verbal onslaught.

Jadakiss reflects with:

“I’ve been in the hood, I’ve been in the traps,
I done shot it out with niggas, I’ve been in the scrap,
I know who my friends are and where my enemies at,
Niggas be sending me threats, I’m just sending ‘em back,
I hesitate to squeeze the day that hell freeze, never,
My mixtapes be better than niggas’ LPs…
Ya nigga, I’ll bless you without sneezin,
Stretch you without reason,
The best that’s out breathin, best,
K-I-dub down,
Ya’ll scared of your hoods, but I love mines.”

Jada spits some serious lines over this smooth track!

At the end of “Here I Go,” Jadakiss breaks into a skit where he recalls watching Money May speak during an episode of the boxing show 24/7.  Commenting on his competition, Mayweather states “these niggas is talented but I’m gifted.  This ain’t something you learn, or go to school, or get a coach for.  You gotta be born with this shit. They can build a staff around you, put a machine around you, but if it aint in you, it ain’t in you.”  That’s the same attitude Jadakiss displays in this tape, as he aims to take on the whole rap industry.

Stream/Download – The Champ Is Here 3:

This tape marks our site’s first sponsored mixtape and comes at the highest point in the group’s career as all of the major labels are offering them record deals.

What’s special about this tape compared to the previous four is its presentation. An hour before releasing the mixtape, fans were invited to watch the group’s movie and chat about it on this custom made landing page.

The short film gives a unique look at the lives of Travis Porter and helps to explain how they used music to make the best of a bad situation. Halfway through the film, the boys put together a hilarious impromptu video for Waffle House, ha!

I was given a quick listen to the tape before it’s release and wrote these posts throughout the day: “Lemme Take You Out,” “I Put On A Show,” ” “Keep Ya Head Up,” “Travis Says,” and “Put It In Yo Mouf.” The tape is an impressive step forward in Travis Porter’s career. If you’ve been waiting to check out Travis Porter, nows the time.

01. Intro (1:10)
02. Proud To Be A Problem (2:32)
03. I Put On A Show (3:07)
04. Feet Ball (3:28)
05. Hotel (4:16)
06. Put It In Yo Mouf (2:20)
07. Secondary Girl (3:55)
08. Lemme Take You Out (Feat. Bryan J) (3:49)
09. Travis Says (2:50)
10. Fan Mail (1:17)
11. Over Again (3:34)
12. Sunshine On Me (3:24)
13. Squirt Checks In (1:31)
14. Mighty Mighty (Feat. F.L.Y.) (4:26)
15. Sumn I Wont Do (Feat. Young Dro) (3:46)
16. Minaj (3:36)
17. Do It (3:38)
18. Swallow The Bottle (3:56)
19. Wassup Witchu (3:58)
20. Bring Yo Team (Feat. Band Geakz) (4:05)
21. Drunk Sex (3:38)
22. Keep Ya Head Up (Feat. Bryan J) (3:17)
23. Scared (3:16)

What’s Your Favorite Song Off The Tape?

To the rapper’s delight, however, the album release date was pushed forward due to the extremely successful lead single, “Nothin On You,” featuring Bruno Mars.  The song has since produced the Atlanta artist’s first platinum plaque.

B.o.B.’s album artwork, conveying the four elements of Earth, Wind, Water, and Fire, helps to show how far his adventures have taken him.  Similar to the art work’s wide variety in images is the album’s wide range in sound.  B.o.B. does everything from rapping, to singing, to playing the guitar in this unique hip hop debut.

It’s been a long journey for the talented artist who’s seen a number of album push-backs and spent years on the infamous “major label shelf.”  The album’s opening line reinforces this feeling, by stating that B.o.B.’s successful career was “just a dream, just a moment ago.”

Let’s get into a few of the tracks that will make this one of the year’s best releases:

B.o.B. – “Bet I Bust” (Featuring T.I. & Playboy Tre)

“Bet I,” with its catchy hook and guest verses from T.I. and Playboy Tre, is one of the few tracks off of the release that can strictly be classified as rap.  The video, released today, shows B.o.B. and his management team celebrating in a manner that I’m sure they’ll be revisiting next Wednesday when the album’s first week numbers are revealed!

T.I. comes through with one of his best verses since being released from jail:

“I’m ballin hard, baseline,
B.o.B. threw the alley oop, bang,
Coming through this thing like James,
In the air off the rim I hang, nigga this King,
Pretend you forgot my name if you wanna,
I’mma come hard like a bona, Don’t I,
Make a nigga wanna re-vamp, turned up all the way re-amp,
Two or three tramp, with ‘em in the Bentley,
Niggas say they doin it like us, you shittin’ me?
‘96, ‘97 in Atlanta didn’t we,
Have more blocks than Mutombo, Dikembe.”

That line about having more blocks than Dikembe Mutombo is pretty hilarious!

Two other traditional sounding hip hop tracks that stood out were “Fame” and “Past My Shades,” the latter featuring Lupe Fiasco.  ”Fame” is a solid track that has B.o.B. comparing his experiences with being in the spotlight to people’s expectations.  ”Past My Shades,” however, could have used a third verse from either of the two emcees, or ideally a final verse where they’d go back and forth commenting on how little people know about them.

B.o.B. – “Airplanes Part 2″ (Featuring Eminem & Hayley Williams)

Hayley Williams‘ catchy hook coupled with the Eminem guest verse automatically made “Airplanes Part 2″ the skip to track upon purchasing the album.  Having said that, B.o.B. holds his own alongside one of hip hop’s titans.  Both of the emcee’s share personal stories with lyrics that explore a series of “could have been” situations.

Here’s Eminem’s guest verse:

“Let’s Pretend,
Marshall Mathers never picked up a pen,
Let’s pretend,
Things would have been no different,
Pretend he procrastinated had no motivation,
Pretend he just made excuses that was so paper thin,
They could blow away with the wind,
Marshall you’re never gone make it, makes no sense to play the game it ain’t no way that’ll you win,
Pretend he just stand outside all day and play with his friends,
Pretend he even had a friend to say was his friend,
And it wasn’t time to move and schools weren’t changing again,
He wasn’t socially awkward and just strange as a kid,
He had a father and his mother wasn’t crazy as shit,
And he never dreamed he could rip stadiums and just lazy as shit,
Fuck a talent show in the gymnasium bitch,
You won’t amount to shit quit day dreaming kid,
You need to get ya cranium checked, you’re thinking like an alien,
It just ain’t realistic,
Now pretend they ain’t just make him angry with this shit,
And there was no one he could even aim when he’s pissed at,
And his alarm went off to wake him but he didn’t make it to the rap Olympics,
Left to his plane and he missed it,
He’s gonna have a hard time explaining to Haley and Laney these food stamps and WIC shit,
Cause he never risked shit,
He hoped and he wished it,
But it didn’t fall in his lap, so he ain’t even hear it,
he pretends that.”

Having a guest verse from Eminem is both a blessing and a curse, as few people have ever come close to matching him bar for bar.

B.o.B. – “Magic” (Featuring Rivers Cuomo)

The hook on “Magic,” performed by Rivers Cuomo of Weezer, and the production provided by Dr. Luke (Kesha, Miley Cyrus, Kelly Clarkson, Flo Rida, Katy Perry, etc) are enough to make this track a hit single.  That’s not to say B.o.B.’s lyrics are lacking, but the real focus of this track was giving B.o.B. a pop radio hit.

I can’t help but envision “Magic” being played as the theme music to a number of Disney movies, ha!

B.o.B. – “Lovelier Than You”

B.o.B. produced a number of songs on the debut album, but the ones that really add diversity to his sound are “Ghost In The Machine” and “Lovelier Than You” (seen above).  It’s singer-songwriter tracks like these that showcase his musical ability and set B.o.B. apart from other emerging hip hop artists.

B.o.B. – Satellite

I’ll end this review with some live footage of the bonus track “Satellite.”  As you can tell from the video, this song is definitely a fan favorite!

With the impressive label push behind him and an outstanding amount of artistic creativity, B.o.B. is a young artist that you’ll want to keep your eye on!

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE TRACK OFF THE ALBUM?

What’s unique to Sean Falyon is his impressive ability to network and get his name around the industry.  As the mixtape artwork states, the Atlanta based emcee literally makes it seem like he is everywhere at once.  Big shout out to Fabian Williams on creating the mixtape’s artwork which carries that theme!

While traveling the country over the past few years, Sean built up quite the rolodex of artist contacts.  This is made known by the wide range of features on the project ranging from Atlanta’s Playboy Tre to Gary Indiana’s Freddie Gibbs.

Although being the emcee’s third project, Sean Falyon “BE” Everywhere serves as a great introduction to Sean’s sound.  Whether he’s taking us on a ride around the city with the GLC assisted “Down,” or reminiscing about going after a member of the finer sex in the club in “Attention” featuring Lloyd, he always manages to leave us with a better understanding of his personality.

The project starts with a hilarious skit, as Sean’s ex-manager calls him out for not “being everywhere.”  Taking the phrase way too literally, he yells at Sean for not chilling in the little girl’s section of the mall and also not being present in the vegetable aisle of the local grocery store, ha!

Let’s take a closer look at a few standout tracks from the project:

Sean Falyon – “What Ya Like”

“I like ‘em zone 6 Atlanta thick so I had to take a trip,
stayed for a couple days, now I live down this bitch.”

I wonder if Sean’s real reason for relocating from Philly to the ATL are the thick women in zone 6, ha!  Either way, after hearing those opening lines I knew that I was going to enjoy “What Ya Like.”

Sean Falyon – “All I Know”

Bone Crusher, longtime friend of Sean Falyon’s, provided the track with its booming hook, and Gangsta Gibbs took us to his hood while commenting on some of the less fortunate people he came up with: “Got some homies that got some sentences they don’t deserve, Probably be me if I wasn’t so superb with words.”

Talking about staying away from folks with ulterior motives, Sean spits:

“Yea they hang around some zeros, comma,
but those the type of zeros that a bank won’t sponsor,
In and out of it, I met a couple impostors,
Claiming I’m the point guard to boost they roster, shitt.“

The Weathermen, who came through with five impressive tracks on the project brought this track together with their smooth production.

Sean Falyon – “Running”

Sean’s talent really comes through on “Running,” produced by Grade A Muzik (Pill’s “Trap Goin’ Ham“), as he describes some of the lows he’s experienced on his path to success.

Here’s Sean’s second verse

“I’m so sick and tired, temperature risin’,
Sufferin’ side effects of me strugglin’, strivin’,
Pockets on the decline from me fundin’ my grind,
Still I run head high like everything’s just fine,
If I stop, break down in tears,
I’ll be wastin’ these years of hard work it took me to get here,
Overlooked mostly by peers,
Brings light to the fact that,
I know that they don’t want me here,
Usin’ my mirror image as my support system,
Mom and Pop not convinced,
so they just kept wishin’,
I let that dream die for a suit and tie,
Clockin’ in and out over 9 to 5,
Picture that for the rest of my life, no dice,
I spent sleepless nights movin’ up in the rank,
A couple tales from a life that I’ve lived and learned,
and patiently stuck grindin’ just to get my turn.”

Sean Falyon working at a 9 to 5 in a suit and tie would be a hilarious site!

Keep an eye out for the, Motion Family directed, video to “Wonderful Life” featuring Playboy Tre and Scar to drop soon!

WHERE IS SEAN FALYON?