Tag Archives: Young Thug

Top Songs May 2019

02 Sunday Jun 2019

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May was the best month in a long time…

Suga Free ft. Kokane – Hole in My Heart

How could top song of the month be anything besides Suga Free the Pimp? This veteran in the game really turned up the pressure on the simps with The Resurrection and let them know he has no plans of taking his foot off the gas any time soon. Arguably my favorite/best album of 2019 so far.

It’s always a JOY… when Suga Free blesses us with a new album full of heaters.

Is that Suga Free moshing at 1:23??

Like the homie Icebergsweater said, the whole Suga Free album slaps. Another great production by L-Finguz, who it seems like pretty much produced this entire album save for a song or two, I love the beat and the flourishes of talkbox thrown in. As my boy Onmirestig points out, L-Finguz is having a big year, producing the lion’s share of this album and a bunch of joints on the new Mistah Fab album as well and probably a bunch of other stuff I’m overlooking at the moment. At some point soon I want to sit down and put together a list cataloging all of the L-Finguz productions from this year.

On a related note, I’m usually not a huge Vlad TV guy but his most recent interview with Suga Free is non-stop entertainment, because it’s Suga Free, and even Vlad can’t get in the way of that. Even just the introduction itself is hilarious, where Suga Free is like ‘Nice to be here, right on’ and ‘I get to meet the man behind the magic’ to Vlad and it’s a mix of friendly, intimidating and somewhat troll-y all at once, or when Vlad is asking him about the secret to success in pimping and Suga Free takes a long pause and then just asks ‘Why?’. It’s also a 14-part interview so you have to really carve out some time to sit down and watch it. The shirt he’s rocking for it as wild too.

P.S. I heard there’s a new Kokane album out? But I haven’t seen it anywhere yet. And are we really supposed to get a joint album from Suga Free and Kokane? Based on this song that’s definitley going to be one of my most anticipated albums so fingers crossed it comes into fruition.

CML – Demons 

If it wasn’t for Suga Free, CML/Lavish D/King Lavish D/Lav etc. (what should we call him now??) was probably my other most listened to artist of the month.

King Lavish D is keeping his foot on the gas. Lav is more consistent and focused than ever in 2019. I don’t know how he does it but Lav is the master of creating these simple flows and rhyme schemes and making them sound dope… (i.e. this song, Speak My Mind, U Feel Me, etc.). Nice hard beat from Royce on The Beat.

“The gang cold nigga, you a ho nigga, free D-Steez we got hella poles nigga, we demons in the field we got hella souls nigga, everybody pimpin’ we got hella hos nigga.”

On a side note I see that Lav’s chain collection is continuing to grow with this Big Bank Hank chain. I haven’t seen that Waldo chain in a while. I kind of want one of these Bank’d Up ENT hoodies/sweatsuits but I’m not sure if Lav would let me or if they’re even for sale they’re probably just for his crew.

My one small gripe here is that the production/mix sounds kind of off and doesn’t do the song justice when you put it on full blast maybe they can give it a quick remaster since it just came out. Cash Money West needs to give Lav some serious investment for production etc. Another thought here is we have so many collabs with Detroit rappers reaching out to Bay rappers like all the songs with Philthy Rich I feel like it’s time for some of the Detroit heavy hitters to come to Sacramento and start putting Lav on those.

Speaking of Lav and Philthy I feel like last time around I overlooked how hard Dead Presidents with Cash Click Boog and Prince Dreda goes. Boog’s verse on that is sick. I always thought Boog was from Detroit but I just learned apparently he’s from Richmond? I’ve got to post a couple of songs from his new album The Streets Ah Vouch up here soon.

Coach Joey x DamJonBoi – 7 Mile Zoo 

My only break  The Bay and from Suga Free for the month was to post some heat out of Detroit by this newcomer DamJonBoi, but everyone knows that The Bay and Detroit are like cousins anyway. This dude DamJonBoi is a monster, he’s getting some buzz right now and not only does he rap he also makes a lot of these beats too on his own songs and for other artists like Mozzy and FMB DZ. His song ‘Capers‘ is blowing up and he has a lot of other heaters on his new ‘The Number 20’ project like the Barry Sanders intro and RIP Icewood. ‘Uncle Elroy‘ is an older song by him but that bangs too.

Coach Joey aka Jospeh McFashion is doing his thing here as a Motor City version of DJ Khaled except with better taste and putting some dope collaborations together with some of the D’s biggest movers and shakers instead of say Jay-Z and Nas or Beyonce for the umpteenth time and without the Weight Watchers endorsement money or book deal.

“RIP my nigga Woo, niggas lying in their songs but on the stand telling truths, in the D it’s a zoo, raised in the Zone my first words was sowuu”

Lmao @ “Fuck these hoes I just want some lambchops to tell the truth, Red Zone in this bitch Joey pulled up in a coupe, lil blood like Klay Thompson with the chop he can shoot”. I kind of feel where you’re coming from about the lamb chops sometimes Jon Boi.

I love the ‘Red Zone’ name. Clearly DamJonBoi is from 7 Mile and he’s a Blood he’s not making it much of a secret; but I’m unclear on where he stands on the rest of the Detroit rappers that we all love like Peezy, FMB DZ etc. Because on the one hand he’s doing songs with DZ etc. but on the other hand I’ve seen him and Sada Baby throwing shots back and forth at each other online so not sure what the situation is.

A lot of times when producers start rapping the verses aren’t as good as their beats but Jon Boi is killing it in both departments.

 

Mistah FAB ft. CML, Philthy Rich – U Feel Me?

Front Row Fabby linking up with King Lavish D and Philthy for this absolute banger.Was about to post ‘taking a break from Bay beef for a day’ and post a different song today but then I was hyped when I saw that the video for U Feel Me came out a couple of hours ago since I’ve been bumping it all week. Weirdly it appears on both Fab’s new ‘Gold Chains and Taco Meat’ album as well as CML and Philthy’s ‘Political Ties’ project but it slaps so I don’t mind hearing it on both. The song/concept is so simple but just goes so hard. It reminds me of Lav’s ‘What Else’ i.e. the pattern of saying ‘What Else’ and then a short line being repeated over the course of the song/rapping a short line and then asking ‘U Feel Me?’. Not sure who handled the beat for this one but it knocks.

Everybody here is good and their resumes speak for themselves but Lav steals the show which I feel like is becoming a common theme lately. I love the ‘Stepped out of prison going brazy’ line. The ‘I’m a Livewire like Shady’ part was an unexpected surprise since I thought Lav funking with Shady back in the day was how his original feud with all of the One Mob guys started (as my boy Onmirestig explained) but as we’ve seen, you never know what to expect in these ever-shifting Sacramento/Oakland politics; enemies can become allies quickly and vice versa.

I always figured Mistah FAB was friendly with Mozzy and they’ve done a bunch of songs together (including with Philthy Rich on the same track) back when everyone was still  friends so I’m not sure if this appearance is a statement on where he stands by Fab or if he just wanted to get two of the hottest names in the game right now on a track he knew was going to be a banger. I’m going to assume the latter because I feel like Fab is too friendly and positive of a dude for that type of beef.

How about getting a mega-mix of this one where they add Suga Free and let’s say… Cookie Money, and ALLBLACK why the hell not?

P.S. I got a chance to bump Fab’s new album ‘Gold Chains and Taco Meat’ (what a name lol) a couple of times on a long drive this week and as usual you can count on Fabby to deliver with at least a couple of bangers; so far I like U Feel Me, Hey Baby, Time 4 U, and of course Playa Shit at the end with Suga Free and Too $hort.

Suga Free – Here’s to You 

At age 50, Suga Free is rapping better than almost anyone else in the game and showing the squares whose boss.

Suga Free ft. Pomona M Drey, Deuce Mack, Blacktovan – For My Niggas 

Image result for dancing smiley dj gif

Mistah FAB ft. Juan Love – Time 4 U 

 

Not sure who Juan Love but I also liked this one off of FAB’s album, it almost sounds like a song that like DJ Mustard would make for some industry plant that you’d hear on the radio but with FAB doing it so it’s actually good.

Preddy Boy P & Strakavelli ft. Dolla Dame – Stay Dangerous 

Saw this on Onmi Restig this is just so smooth.

I love the honesty from Preddy Boy P when he’s like ‘Some of my day ones have switched on me, some of my bitches jumped ship on me. I remember being down on my dick homie, that’s why I never leave the house without the stick homie.

The ‘I don’t entertain gossip, go to the source, I knock a nigga down just for the sport’ line is so cold.

Great hook from Strakavelli and the Dame Dolla verse is nice, especially when he reminds us that Anchorage is in Alaska.

‘They tryin tell me play it safe and put the gun down, when these niggas killing over crumbs now.’

DB Tha General – Oakland in My Soul 

Cool little joint by DB over the Souls of Mischief beat. I always loved this beat. I wonder what DB The General thinks about the Philthy/Mozzy beef since I feel like he doesn’t like any of these guys. I think at one point him and CML were cool/did a couple of songs together but I don’t think they’re actually simpatico anymore either. DB should start a consulting service on beefing with Bay Area rappers and getting through it, like those prison consultants who advise rich people who need to learn how to survive a year in minimum security prison.

Mistah Fab – Hey Baby

The intro for this one (separate track) with Snoop Dogg talking about plays rolling up to his mom in traffic and saying ‘heyyyy baby’ to his mom was just a LIT-TLE wierd but overall the song itself knocks. The beat is dope I feel like it could be from the hyphy era. I like this positive-aura Fab; ‘We gettin’ money havin’ fun say Hey Baby’ or ‘A hey baby get his money and don’t bother folks’ or ‘Hey baby’s full of positive energy, but hey baby’ll still slide on his enemies.’ Alright, actually I guess the part about sliding on his enemies isn’t super positive but you get what I mean. Also, did FAB start saying ‘Hey Baby’ as like a gretting but then by mid-song started referring to himself as ‘Hey Baby’ in the third person?

Young Thug ft. J Cole, Travis Scott

I’m laughing about how out of place this one looks with the rest of this list. But I’m not going to lie I kind of enjoyed ‘The London’ and was bumping it a whole bunch over Memorial Day weekend. This is probably the first time I’ve ever mentioned Cole in my two-three years of doing this site, I don’t have anything against him I’ve just never gotten into him before and have never really seen the hype/why so many people are so I honestly don’t know much about him, but I did like his verse here. Is it just me or does it almost sound like he’s going with a little bit of a Tupac flow/voice on this? I could have lived without the Travis Scott hook they should have just given the hook to Thugga. I’ve been less into him as of late but it’s good to hear some new music from Jeffrey. I kind of wish he just kept rapping like he was when his verse started instead of shifting to the singing because he was going hard in the beginning. I don’t know, overall, nothing crazy but it was/is a nice little summertime jam to throw on I liked it overall.

By the way I feel like they kind of ripped off Maine Music/TEK with that spider artwork

Lil AJ ft. Shoddy Boi, Young Bossi 

Saw this on Onmi Restig; The always-dependable Lil AJ linking up with Young Bossi and Shoddy Boi from Akron. As always another solid, workman-like effort from lil AJ whose like the PJ Tucker or Draymond Green of Bay rap; not getting all the shine but getting the rebounds, playing defense and just doing the dirty work for the team to win. We all know about the Bay to Detroit connection and even the Bay to Kansas City, but how about The Bay to Akron/Ohio? I remember the Jacka was always doing tapes with Ampichino and now we have these guys linking up. I don’t know whose who of the two Ohio guys to be honest because I haven’t seen them before but I love the ‘It’s the mob you can’t hang with us you too square, third-person trapping I don’t pull up I send my dudes there’ line.

Cash Click Boog ft. Yatta – Gang in Here 

Need a somewhat inexplicable late pass for this one but was blasting this non-stop the last couple of days. How was I bumping a ton of Cash Click Boog at the end of last year and didn’t realize what a monster this is? I was posting about 200 Proof and Fuck With Me and somehow overlooked what’s now by far my favorite Boog song. I was blasting this full volume with the windows down last night for my little night out on the town and let’s just say it definitley passes the whip test. I don’t know whose beat it is but it’s just so HARSH. Basically the way I came back across it now was after I heard Mozzy’s ‘Free Yatta 2’ I typed in Yatta on Youtube to listen to some of his old stuff and then saw this again. I love how they got Yatta’s verse from prison on video instead of just having it phoned in. “I didn’t miss the store bitch I’m straight in here, I ain’t rolling shit up I’ll catch a fade in here.”

Anyone know when Yatta is getting out? I couldn’t find much info about it online.

DamJonBoi – B. Sanders Intro

DamJonBoi – Capers 

DamJonBoi – RIP Icewood

A couple of those aforementioned DamJonBoi slaps from his new project.

“Since he playing half crazy give his ass the whole clip.”

“50 niggas in the club that’s how we bomin’ ”

“Blow the finest cookie nigga this shit loud, I’m in the Zone but they smell me on Mile, jump in the water with them sharks you might drown, go crazy walked in this bitch yeah it’s on”

Top Songs October 2018

07 Wednesday Nov 2018

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I’m so late yet again bruhs… here’s my top 10 songs for October… I’m cheating here too because I’ve got about a dozen songs again this time

Kodak Black – Zeze 

This had to be number one for October. Or basically a tie between this and the Peezy/Cash Kidd song for 1A/1B.

From original article…

Zeze finally came out and it had your host walking into Midwestern travel plazas and Quaker Steak & Lubes going ‘Bum bum bum bum bum’ and pretending to play the steel drums all weekend while I was on a road trip.

The song with the highly-flammable steel drum beat that Kodak has been teasing in snippets where he’s dancing in his sensibly understated lavender church sweater for the last month or so finally came out, and I’m thankful to say that not only did it live to see the light of day unlike other fire snippets that never lived to see the light of day like ones from Kevin Gates or Ya Boy Big Choo, it also lived up to the hype. The D.A. Doman beat could cure a lot of the world’s problems, you get a simple but incredibly catchy hook from Kodak, and solid verses from Kodak and Offset. An all around solid effort on all levels and certainly a song of the year contender for me. Also my favorite Kodak song I’ve heard since probably some time last year.

My only real gripe is Offset’s lazy ‘in the middle of the field like David Bekcham’ line because it just sounds dated at this point and David Beckham wasn’t even really a central midfielder in the first place, he couldn’t have said someone more current/central like N’Golo Kante or Tanguy Ndembele or someone and rhymed soemthing with that? But hey c’est la vie.

Peezy ft. Cash Kidd, Big Rizz – Duckin’ Wreck 

Peezy is out here living his best life right now. Seriously this guy is like a fine wine just getting better and better with time (Pause! Pause!). Peezy has emerged from being a consistent, reliable performer in the Detroit scene to now making a strong case for being at the very top of it (although I’m also partial to be FMB DZ but they’re almost a 1a and 1b to me at this point). I saw the homie Ray Garraty post Duckin’ Wreck the other day and couldn’t wait to check it out. I usually post my favorite line or two from every song but in this case the entire verse just went so hard that I couldn’t even pick out one line and wanted to post the whole thing…

“We ain’t ducking wreck we want all the smoke; in a Hellcat fresher than a bar of soap. Sippin’ syrup out the pint like I caught a cold, catch a nigga down bad he thought he saw a ghost. Heard he said he was a shooter and he keep a stick, still livin’ with his mama, drivin’ a piece of shit. Get your head knocked off you ever make the list, you ain’t fuckin’ with my son, boy get off my dick. Bentley trucks and G-Wagons riding down Ocean, rose gold dog tag off the diamond choker. Never played in no Finals but I’m buying trophies, I’m talking chains full of diamonds with the matching Rollies. Balling on these little niggas I was made to flex, you  can’t do it like me you better save your checks. Knockin’ niggas off the board like I’m playing chesss, Team East, Ghetto Boys, nigga fuck the rest.”

On a side note, as someone who drives a piece of garbage for a car, I usually don’t feel great when rappers call people out for driving cheap cars, but in this case I can definitley feel where Peezy is coming from when he says “Heard he said he was a shooter and he keep a stick, still livin at his mama’s house driving a piece of shit” as the guy across the street from me still lives with his mom and parks his garbage car in front of my house every day even though there’s a whole plethora of spots outside of his parent’s house. Although in fairness I don’t think he calls himself a shooter like whoever Peezy is talking about.

Young Thug ft. T-Shyne – Real in My Veins

My favorite song off of Jeffrey’s ‘On the Run’ EP. This whole project was great I definitley listened to this a lot more times than Slime Language. Upon first listen the Elton John-assisted ‘High’ was an easy favorite but after a few more listens Real in My Veins emerged as the crown jewel of the tape. I don’t know much about T-Shyne but I really liked his verse here and upon further research it looks like he features Max B on his album so he’s good in my book. I have to listen to that next. I love Thug’s chorus ‘I’ve got real running through my veins’ and the message, and I love the part where T-Shyne says ‘I called my dad and told him that we made it.”

Rod Wave – Way Up 

Man I’ve really been sleeping on this guy. Nice song and video from Rod Wave out of Tampa, as if Florida needed more good artists. This was on his Hunger Games 2 album that came out a couple of months ago but the video just came out a few weeks ago. I remember this guy was talking about Rod Wave a year ago. 

I slept on Hunger Games 2 for way too long. It’s too early to say but the tape is a borderline classic in my opinion, you can listen to the first 6 tracks over and over again with no skips and it stays flammable the whole time.

Young Thug ft. Elton John – High

So this happened. When I first saw this my initial thought was that this looks like one of those collaborations that sounds like it should be really good but will inevitably end up being bad/disappointing, but it actually did end up being good. It sounds like it would be a wierd combination, but then again, I can picture Sir Elton having a decent amount in common with Thugga.

Kevin Gates – Discussion

The opener off of Gates’ excellent ‘Luca Brasi 3’ project which had a couple of songs featured here last month and keeps producing more and more gems the more times I listen to it. I love the intro of Gates talking about wanting to get back from jail to see his kids and the hook goes super hard.

Kevin Gates – Great Man 

LOOK IN THE MIRROR, AND I SEE A GREAT MAN!

I started writing this top 10 before the video for this song came out but it looks like now it has a video which is blowing up. The song is great on its own accord; Gates is really baring his soul here and showing what elevates him above the run of the mill artist but the video adds a nice additional layer of depth to what he’s saying. This is the type of song I would listen to every morning at the gym, if I wasn’t too lazy to go to the gym.

Mozzy – Run to the Mansion 

Dope song by Mozzy and my favorite off of Gangland Landlord. People who read this blog might be surprised because for whatever reason I just haven’t really written about him/mentioned him much but gun to my head Mozzy is one of my favorite current rappers and if I had started this blog say 2-3 years ago instead of in the last year and a half there would have been about 50 Mozzy articles in a row on it. For whatever reason I haven’t been bumping him as much lately but Gangland Landlord was good and I have to get back into his recent stuff and check it out again.

“We got the drums for the hammers/they need the drugs in Atlanta/they got my youngin’ in the slammer/he carry guns on the campus/they be on the run for a murder/they just gon’ run to the masion”

The album outro, ‘Tear Me Down’ was really good too.

Rod Wave – Tomorrow /Rod Wave – Praying Grandmothers 

Two more Rod Wave bangers I’m hella late on. This guy definitley has a gift. Incredible voice, great charisma/a lot of soul, and dope songs. He should definitley be a bigger star and maybe he will be soon.

Quando Rondo – Kiccin Shit 

Always down for some new Quando Rondo. Always melodic AF. I didn’t realize he was a Crip until this song.

42 Dugg, Peezy, EWM Kdoe, Bagboy Mel, Cash Kidd, EWM Buck – STFU

More heat from Peezy/Cash Kidd & co. Great group cut. I’ve been meaning to post this one for a while after seeing it on Sislafami a while ago and I’ve been bumping it a whole bunch again this month so I figured this is as good a place as any to mention it.

I’m not sure who’s who in this video besides for Peezy and Cash Kidd obviously but I like the first guy he’s got charisma and some good bars, “I got 100 on this bitch I don’t miss often. Back to back Cats I don’t miss walking” and I love when the third guy says “If they ain’t got no money have them take it out the church offering”

“Got it out the mud I ain’t never did a scam nigga, RIP to all the fallen soldiers, free the fam nigga, shut the fuck up if you ain’t got 100 bands nigga.”

On an interesting side note, at least to me, I’ve noticed a couple of times now, like here in Peezy’s line ‘Got it out the mud I ain’t never did a scam nigga’ line, it seems like there’s a clear hierarchy amongst people engaged in criminal activity, with dealers/robbers etc. clearly being above people doing scams in the pecking order and looking down on them.

Top 10 Songs November 2017

28 Tuesday Nov 2017

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The last month or so has had more good new music than any I can recall in a long time, so this top 10 list is stacked; I couldn’t even pick out an official #1 since there were so many good candidates. We really got a veritable cornucopia of new slaps for Thanksgiving, hopefully December is just as kind to us.

Joseph McFashion ft. FMB DZ – On Go

Detroit’s FMB DZ is starting to really blow up right now and clocks in with a late entry for one of the top songs for November 2017. Here he demonstrates why, doing some of his finest work over this SMOOOOOTH beat. I love the flow and the great lines coupled with all the Detroit-specific references…

“Oh you need a job nigga? Come and sell that cling cling. One spot 3 cell phones and they all ring, If it ain’t about no money bitch it don’t involve me. Had to change my number, weird hoes tryna stalk me, gotta keep that stick can’t let a nigga chalk me”

“Niggas really soft, FMB you fuckin with the boss, I be playing golf, down my way I be ducked off, at Asian Cornbeef tell them I need some more duck sauce, go to Au Corant ask them boys how much my Buffs cost”

Cam’ron – Lean 

One of many highlights off of Cam’ron’s new album ‘The Program’. From the original article…

“Rather than an ode to the purple, slumber-inducing concoction, ‘Lean’ is literally a rap song over a beat sampling the 1972 classic ‘Lean on Me’ by Bill Withers. I guess this should come as no surprise since Cam’ron has mastered this type of song and rapping over these types of samples more than any other artist, whether it was Journey’s ‘Don’t Stop Believing’, ‘Oh What a Night‘ by the Four Seasons talking about the night he got shot in D.C. and drove himself to the hospital, or improbably rapping about IBS over the all-too-short ‘Any Way You Want It’, or one of my all time favorite Cam efforts, his take on Rose Royce’s ‘I Wanna Get Next to You’

Killa is rattling off lines like he’s in the midst of a lengthy, multi-decade prime here…

“I grew up with Big L, all I knew was ebonics; jealousy, crack, greed, homicide and chronic, where niggas catch a body change their name like the Sonics. It was hot like Phoenix, I used to look up at the Lenox Ave sign, on my heart, and pledge allegiance.”

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Top 10 Songs October 2017

28 Saturday Oct 2017

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PC Tweezie – Really

Tweezie brings back that throwing ‘bos in the club type music and takes the crown for top song of October with ‘Really’…

“PC Tweezie opens strong and makes his presence felt right away, pummeling the opening verse, “I was really in the trenches with them wolves, I really tote a .30 hit the gas if I get pulled. I’ll really beat your ass run up on you like a bull, I’m really getting fat them hos say I’m getting full.” I love everything about this verse –  The hit the gas if I get pulled line just sounds badass AF, while in the days of rappers talking about their nose rings and desinger messenger bags it just feels refreshing to hear PC Tweezie rap about doling out a good old-fashioned beating and literally taking food off of other inmate’s plates. Lastly, I definitely respect that his hos are admiring his weight gain, because usually when I put on some extra pounds I end up just getting fat-shamed into jogging so he definitely has some serious clout.

In possibly my favorite rhyme of ‘extension’ and ‘extension’ ever, Tweezie deftly deploys it in two different usages and some pretty evocative imagery that shows he’s absolutely not fucking around: “I really keep a 40 glock that came with the extensions, I’m quick to bat a bitch and drag a ho by the extensions.” (Made even better by the ‘I’m silly’ ad lib right after).”

A big added bonus here is the headlines on the newspaper graphics in the video i.e. “Tensions Rise in Local Prison” with the byline “PC’s First Day in Lockup Didn’t Go So Well for the Other Inmates”

Ball Greezy ft. Mike Smiff, Kase 1, Major Nine – I Deserve it All 

Some more Florida smoothness from Ball Greezy and co., via Rapmusichysteria , the undisputed expert on Ball Greezy and Florida slaps in general.

From Rap Music Hysteria…

“Like Kodak Black, who combines new-gen meme literacy with older rap styles, Ballgreezy stands between movements but remains outside them, continuing in a post-jook mode while softening its Dionysian edges with grown-man world-weariness. At times he resembles one of the mournful songmen of today; this might be the case, and yet Greezy was crooning before Wayne and Kanye broke down the R&B doors and liberated moping for the kids of today.”

Ball Greezy kills it with a heavy but resilient verse, half rapping, half singing…

“Niggas wonder why Greezy don’t smile… I’ve been through the ups and downs, the back and forths the round and rounds. A real food stamp baby, born and raised in Little Haiti, I can’t lie the streets ain’t been the same lately. Niggas don’t keep it G no more, see they don’t make ’em like me no more. Red and blue lights behind me, where the heat gon go? Surrender or shoot it out? I heard they don’t care about you and I. I’m tired of even living like this. How the hell do you raise kids like this.

“They told me that I would never ever be shit, now my watch and my chain make them seasick”

Que ft. Sada Baby – 90s Baby

From my previous post…

“For whatever reason, I have to admit I’ve been sleeping on Que and have never really gotten into him/checked out much of his stuff. I guess I had heard OG Bobby Johnson back in the day and wasn’t super into it/didn’t see what all the hype was about and then kind of forgot about him. But let me be the first to say, I’ll be DAMNED if his Class Clown EP isn’t a great project with some nice slaps on it. Paramount amongst these was ’90s Baby’ which I’ve been playing over and over again all month. “I’m a ’90s baby, I keep a little .380, it’s hard to tell it’s on me, that boy thought I was naked,’ Que warns potential foes who may be debating whether or not to run up on him.  Even when he’s by himself he’s never lonely because he has his little .380 with him. Delving deeper I’m not sure what being born in the 90s has to do with keeping a hidden .380 but either way I love this song. ‘He got beside himself, and got to talking reckless, he must not got the memo that me and my niggas PETTY!’ Que continues. As one of the pettiest people you’ll ever meet, I can definitely get behind this type of message.

‘He said he don’t fuck with me, well nigga vice versa… said when he see me… said he was gon do what, to who my nigga? How? You just a class clown.” I like the idea of just telling people that don’t like you ‘vice versa’ and I love how ultimately dismissive it is, ‘To who my nigga how? You just a class clown.”

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Gettin Thuggish and Ruggy, I Love Me

18 Sunday Jun 2017

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Young Thug – Do U Love Me 

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I think it’s a bit too uhhhh let’s just say ‘risque’ to garner mainstream radio play and truly become the ubiquitous ‘Song of the Summer’ for 2017 I think Thugga’s ‘Do U Love Me’ is a pretty worth usurper of the crown (‘I’m the One’ is safe for now, if only because Thug is making art at a level so advanced it’s beyond the realm of some philistines to comprehend). Does it get any more luxoriously summery than this amazing London on the Track, dancehall-infused beat with Jeffrey pushing rap to it’s outermost limits and crooning over it to his heart’s content?

The chorus is so epic I wish they founded a way to add into the song a couple of more times, like in the middle where we go for quite a while without it – ‘L-O-V-E, do you love me? Poppin’ bubbly, in the tubby, smokin’ musty, I love me’. I love the message too, because despite Thug’s well-known voracious appetite for all kinds of polyamorous encounters, he reminds us that at the end of the day, no matter how many romantic admirers you may have lusting after you,  what’s most important is that you love yourself.

There’s a lot more that I want to write about ‘Do U Love Me’ and Beautiful Thugger Girls in general but I feel like this album is so ridiculous (in a good way) that I need to fully immerse myself into it more before I can even feel qualified to talk about it at length. There are a lot of mysteries here to unfurl, many of which we may never find the answer to, for example, like Miguelito from DJ Booth mused, “I’m real curious what getting “thuggish and ruggy” means specifically in this context.”

P.S., just wanted to add in, I never thought I’d live to see the day where Thug, Snoop Dogg, Lil Durk, and Young Chop all appear on the same track.

Kodak Black – Painting Pictures (Album Review)

06 Thursday Apr 2017

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Kodak Black – Painting Pictures

Given that the only narrative arc with as much scope to it as Kodak’s elevation of his status into both a local folk hero and a veritable cult hero a la a Gucci Mane or Boosie to his rapidly growing legion of fans is the constant specter of legal troubles that has haunted his young career so far, its fitting that rather than with lyrics or a catchy chorus, his debut album Painting Pictures begins with just a stark, minimalist medley of clips from the news of newscasters reading off headlines mentioning his indictments, house arrests, parole violations, no contest pleas, etc. “You know I’m a hot boy, but I never lose my cool, the streets on fire, that’s why I’m riding with a tool,” he raps over the understated, twinkling production from Ben Billions after this on the excellent, minimalist album intro “Day for Day”, who produced many songs on this album. He reminisces on lost friends, both to death and incarceration, like his childhood friend Cool, who he has already done a separate song about (Free Cool). You get a sense of the heaviness he has already felt on his shoulders at a young age from these losses as well as from the pressure on him that he feels (whether internal, external, or both) to succeed for those around him, “I ain’t tryna see the pen I’m tryna make it shake, neighborhood hero I’m the one who gon save the day, chosen one; my folks depend on me to make a way, I do it for my niggas locked up doing day for day.”

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