2 High 2 Die; Danny Brown & Action Bronson

The Ogden Theater hosted the 2 High 2 Die tour featuring opener Trash Talk as well as headliners Action Bronson and Danny Brown. Trash Talk is a punk rock band from Cali, which was really confusing to hear that type of sound at a hip hop concert. The lead singer jumped in the crowd and sang (although I use that word lightly) on top of banisters as well as hung from railings. Most of his performance choices seemed to be antics to get the crowd hype, because in reality, nobody knew or gave a fuck who he was.

Action's DJ came out and played a ton of techno and pop music. I swear at that moment I checked my ticket to make sure I was at the right concert. However, it was R. Kelly's "Bump N Grind" that brought out the Queens native. This was my third time seeing Bronson and I was amazed at how he surprises me and makes his performance unique every single time. He always does different material and jumps in the crowd, but his confidence and stage presence is flawless and he always puts on an amazing show. Bronson's set seemed so short and the crowd chanted for his return.

Danny Brown has one of the best DJ's in the industry right now. He knew exactly what to play to get the crowd hype and in the right mood for Danny's comic voice and outrageous lyrics. Danny Brown took a few songs to warm up, he seemed exhausted from a hectic tour schedule or perhaps smoking "blunt after blunt after blunt after blunt". He did eventually turn up and I was more intrigued than ever by his individuality and unique sound. The black Brad Pitt as Danny likes to call himself, shut the house down with his wild hair and tongue hanging from his mouth. giving us a sample of new tracks from his album Old, that has a release date for September 30.

Cud Life Tour: King Chip, Logic, Juicy J, Tyler the Creator & Kid Cudi

Monday night at Red Rocks Amphitheater was the Cud Life Tour and the lineup was insane. It was my first time at this venue and it was absolutely breathtaking. The theater is a rock structure and open air, but what was spectacular was how impeccable the sound was. King Chip opened the concert and gave a strong performance. Although, a lot of the audience members were offended by the Raider's vest he wore (Coloradans take their Broncos very seriously.)

Logic was next and what really stood out in his performance was his deep passion for hip hop. He explained that he had been rapping for nine years prior to being taken seriously in the industry. Logic was truly inspiring telling us that no dream is too big and every dream is possible. My only critique of his set was his DJ. This dude was completely over the top, shouting over his songs with his gelled hair and random throwback jersey. He didn't understand his role as a DJ and he also didn't seem authentic from a hip hop standpoint. I couldn't help cracking up at the act he was so clearly putting on.

Juicy J took the stage next and was one of the major highlights of the evening. He did 36 Mafia classics as well as his bangers off his new album Stay Trippy. A veteran in the game, Juicy J knows exactly how to put on a good show. He was engaging, he was charming, he was hype and he gave a great all around performance. Before leaving the stage, he promoted his $50,000 scholarship that he is awarding to the best twerker. Ladies, send a video to WSHH if you're interested.

Tyler the Creator took the stage with Earl Sweatshirt and Jasper Dolphin. Huge blown up letters spelled GOLF across the stage with a weird blown up face in the middle. Taco, the DJ, summoned on the Odd Future members by doing an interpretive dance before the gang jumped from behind the letters. However, Tyler was not satisfied with the crowd's reaction and therefore attempted the grand entrance again. Once on stage, I was totally blown away by Tyler's performance. He introduced himself and his friends as well as each song never assuming the crowd knew anything about his music. And after energetically jumping around the stage rapping his songs, he would dryly say afterwards "that was cool" as if he hadn't just wilded out moments earlier. He truly interacted with the crowd, calling attention to people who weren't acting crazy or weren't "nasty" as he put it. Simply, Tyler was brilliant. Not only is he challenging and even mocking the norms of hip hop, but he is validating the weirdo inside us all. He had real human reactions on stage, to his friends, his DJ, the audience, and it was refreshing.

Schoolboy Q was a no show, which was very disappointing, however, Cudi gave a lengthy performance that lasted until 1am. With a moon like structure on stage, Kid Cudi emerged right from the center of it with a space suit on doing "Unfuckwittable" from his latest album Indicud. He also performed my favorite tracks from the album "Girls" and "Brothers" as well as "Just What I Am" with King Chip. What really had the crowd going crazy was his performance of "Mr. Rager"as well as his Man on the Moon hits "Up Up & Away," "Soundtrack to my Life" and his final song "Pursuit of Happiness." I had seen Cudi live in 2010, just a year after being featured on XXL's annual Freshmen list and I couldn't even believe this was this same person. In 2010, he wore a plain orange tee and couldn't even stand up straight from all the drugs he was on. He literally transformed into a star onstage with his huge smile and hilariously good dance moves. And in my opinion, with a much more developed sound.

An Evening of Throwbacks: Too Short, Eve, E-40, Ice Cube & Ludacris

It was an evening of throwbacks. Last night at the Fiddler's Green Amphitheater, KS 107.5 brought the All Star show featuring Too Short, Eve, E-40, Ice Cube & Ludacris. Warren G was part of the original lineup, but much to my dismay, was not in attendance. The venue was packed to the brim, with lines spanning multiple blocks at every entrance. DJ Fellie Fell got the crowd hype for the one and only Too Short. The Oakland rapper had every middle-aged women up in there twerking to "Blow the Whistle" and "What's my Favorite Word" while also performing some of his more recent material such as his verse on Wiz Khalifa's "On My Level." Too Short certainly has a purpose in hip hop, but like his music, his performance was mediocre.

Eve followed Too Short and was undoubtedly the star of the show. Not only the only female rapper on the roster, but also the only act hailing from the East, Eve murdered her set performing straight up classics. "Let Me Blow Ya Mind," "Who's That Girl," and "Satisfaction" had the crowd going bananas, rapping every word alongside Eve. Her performance was so incredible, I'm wondering if an Eve comeback is in order...

E-40 took the stage next and gave a solid performance of his decades of hits. "Tell Me When to Go," "Sprinkle Me,""My Shit Bang" were all part of his set and Too Short joined E-40 for "Rapper's Ball."

Ice Cube was as charming as ever, giving a tribute to West Coast legend Nate Dogg and performing tracks from one of my all time favorite movies: Friday.  Although, the highlight of the evening was Ice Cube crip walking across the stage! Ice Cube also schooled the crowd by talking about the the Golden Era of Hip Hop a.k.a. the 80s. He introduced his DJ who was in fact a hip hop historian and he proceeded to play 80s hip hop that was iconic in hip hop's development. It was amazing to witness the hip hop classics "Check Yo Self" and "Today was a Good Day." Cube left the stage by proclaiming that "Denver has better weed than LA" and the crowd went crazy.

Ludacris closed the show and really showcased his premiere performance skills. He was constantly playing with the crowd, encouraging competition between sections, testing the crowd's knowledge of his early records and enticing the beautiful women to come back to ATL with himself and his band. Speaking of his band, Ludacris featured a dope band who with Luda's introduction performed individual solos showing off their skills. "What's Your Fantasy," "Move (Bitch)," and "Money Maker" were true throwbacks and all part of his set and it felt so good to reminisce.

Made in America & All its Glory

I'm still recovering from the epic weekend that took place. Made in America, in only its second year in effect, was absolutely incredible this year. Created by Jay Z himself, the caliber of the artists during this two day festival was unreal. In patriotic outfits, tens of thousands of people gathered in Philly on Benjamin Franklin Parkway to witness live performances from the Underachievers, Wiz Khalifa, A$AP Rocky, all of Black Hippy, Miguel, Solange, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, 2 Chainz and of course the one and only Beyoncé Carter.

A$AP was the first hip hop performance of the festival and I doubt Jay will be asking this Pretty Mothafucka back. The crowd was so hype to see him and he strolled in twenty five minutes late and finished five minutes early. Although his performance (of barely five songs total) was impeccable and really livened the crowd, it left everyone unfulfilled. Especially considering every other performer was extremely punctual and performed full 45-90 minute sets. A$AP Nast accompanied Rocky, although we all really wanted Ferg to show up.

Emile Sandé, a British recording artist and songwriter, was one of the most charming acts of the festival. Her energy radiated through the crowd as she urged the audience to sing along with her whenever they could. Her smile was contagious and her voice was really beautiful. Following Emile was Public Enemy and days later I am still in awe of that performance. Seeing Chuck D and Flavor Flav was really life changing. Aside from being able to witness classic hip hop at its finest, Chuck D spoke on the atrocities of the Trayvon Martin Trial, he spoke on the lack of funding in the Philadelphia Public Schools and he spoke on the convicted cop killer Mumia Abu-Jamal. I was blown away by their performance of greatest hits and how they effortlessly interwove their social commentary. They also donated a portion of their profits from the festival to the Philadelphia Public Schools. Much respect to Public Enemy, still fighting the power in 2013.

Directly following Public Enemy was 2 Chainz on the smaller Liberty stage. It was so hard to transition from such an authentic hip hop experience to music that is so shallow in every aspect. 2 Chainz did his thing, he performed his radio hits and some new tracks from his upcoming album. If it's possible, the new songs were even more outrageous and lyrically inferior than ever before. I was so moved by Public Enemy, I couldn't even turn up to club bangers like "Birthday Song" and "Bandz a Make her Dance," it just felt so in genuine and gimmicky.

Queen Bey closed day 1 of the festival and her performance was flawless. Performing a 90 minute set with costume changes, full dance routines, and amazing visual and light production, the crowd of men and women equally screamed and sang along to some of her most popular hits. Her dancers were incredible as was her all female band. The only disappointment of her set was her performing "Crazy in Love" solo. Jay Z had openly walked through the crowd prior to Bey's set, but despite almost everyone throwing up the Roc sign, Jay did not accompany his wife. "1+1" was just beautiful, as her pianist killed the keys. Beyoncé performed the video routines to "Run the World (Girls)" and "Single Ladies." And she closed with her heart melting ballad "Halo."

Day two started off with the Brooklyn duo: the Underachievers. Their debut mixtape, Indigoism, was not only dope, but people really started to respect the upcoming Flatbush natives. Big ups to Jay for selecting such a talented and underground group keeping the Made in America lineup extremely diverse. They performed a lot of tracks from Indigoism which is very remnant of 90s gritty rap with some 60s pshycadelic influences. The group finished off their performance with tracks from their new mixtape Lords of Flatbush. The also two humbly stayed around after their set to take pictures and greet fans.

Solange took the Liberty stage next and gave a vocally stellar performance. I'm not very familiar with her music, but I did enjoy her performance. Black Hippy blazed the main stage and Jay Rock, Ab-Soul and Schoolboy Q gave incredible and brief performances before headliner Kendrick took the stage. Jay Rock spit fire, Ab-Soul was entrancing with his sick flow, while Q brought the energy to another level with "Hands on the Wheel" and "Collard Greens." Kendrick gave a strong performance. He interacted with the crowd and had a real sense of confidence that I hadn't seen from him before. However, the live band remixed his dope hip hop beats into straight up rock production. For tracks like "Fuckin' Problem," where the beat is iconic and carries much of the song, it exposed how weak Kendrick's verse actually was. I am usually always a fan of live bands, but his band sounded nothing like his album and I couldn't enjoy his performance in full.

Miguel followed Black Hippy and gave a vocally mediocre performance. He was charming and performed his hits, but he did not sound as good live as I hoped he would. Wiz Khalifa gave a great performance and brought out his new wife Amber Rose as he paraded her around the stage and sang to her. Wiz is certainly a solid performer, but I just can't get down with his new material. Am I the only one missing Kush and OJ days?

Macklemore and Ryan Lewis drew a huge crowd around the Liberty stage. I was eager to see Macklemore live because he has been getting so much recognition lately. However, the only hip hop aspect of his performance was when he brought out Schoolboy Q. I always dig an artist who is outspoken and righteous (as Public Enemey so eloquently showcased the day before), but his performance was corny and straight up wack. I'm hoping the hype surrounding Macklemore will subside soon and we can actually give awards to real rappers.

Despite some lame acts, Made in America was breathtaking. With David Blaine performing spur of the moment magic tricks, to Jay Z casually walking through the crowds and the huge range of talented artists, the entire weekend was a hit. Each artist had their own stage time and that is usually my biggest critique of music festivals, that too many major acts conflict each other. But during Made in America there was no waiting, but there was also no competing performances. Be on the lookout for next year's lineup, because if this was only year two, I can't even imagine what's in store for next year.

Boston Rapper Avenue; Keeping that Real Talk Rap Alive

I had the pleasure of sitting down with Boston rapper, Avenue, where he shared the struggles of growing up in the inner city, the transformation of his own rap style, and his thoughts on the current rap game. Already one of the most recognized rappers in Boston and on the roster to tour alongside Kid Daytona and Phil Ade, there is certainly no question that Avenue is one to watch. 

Check out the exclusive interview below:

Where are you from?

I’m from Boston, South & lower part of Roxbury to be specific. I pretty much lived there my whole life. I grew up there, seen a lot of crazy things. Mainly the things you always see growing up in an inner city community.  With me rapping I feel like I gotta welcome those people that are so close minded to the environment in which we grew up in Boston. I feel like that’s my responsibility. I’m definitely influenced by drug dealing, murders, single parent homes. I feel like ultimately my goal is to open people’s minds up to things that go on in these inner city areas.

When did you start rapping?

I been rapping for years playing around. I thought I was taking it serious for about two years, but I’d say for about a year I’ve been taking it real serious to the point where I’m like okay I can really finally do something and turn it into something.

Who inspired you to start?

I was at Merrimack College and I removed myself. Prior to that I was putting out videos and stuff like that which was getting a lot of hits on YouTube and people were talking about it. And that was just me playing around. I finally stepped back and sat down with a local producer, Scotty. I sat down with him for a few months and remapped my whole insight on music. He had me watching movies, reading books, listening to older hip hop artists that I’ve always heard growing up but I wasn’t able to always dissect their stuff and able to relate to it at the time.

Who’s influencing your style now?

Definitely Nas, It Was Written is my favorite album. I can listen to it and feel like I’m from Queensbridge, like his description, his ability to tell stories, and his lyrical abilities can’t be matched by anybody. Because he really placed you there and you really felt like you were him when you listened to his music.

What are your thoughts on the current state of the game?

With all the different genres in hip hop right now there’s a good blend. You got the artists who do the turn up and then you got the artists who do more real talk, then you have the spoken word artists and the R&B/rapping artists. I feel like right now is the most unified era of Hip Hop. There’s not too much rap beef going on, not a lot of diss records flying out, everybody’s staying in their lane, getting their money and supporting each other.

What’s your story? What are you trying to say?

Right now, I’m more so doing the story-telling thing. I’m mixing up stories, not making up, but mixing up.

What separates you from other artists in the industry?

That’s a tough one, but I would say me telling real life stories. It’s being done, but it’s oversaturated to the point where its not actually 100 percent real. I start “the Interlude” off by saying (Words Speak Life EP) “How am I suppose to stay focused when my mother’s still on section 8?” and that’s just real talk, that’s just real life situations that I’m still going through while I’m trying to get on.

What’s been the highlight of your career thus far?

I would say the Boston Cypher in 2010 (which appeared on WorldStar Hip Hop). That was people’s first glimpse of me taking music serious. But I would definitely say the release of my tape [Words Speak Life]. The amount of people that fuck with the tape was crazy. I was shocked and surprised at the support level and the amount of love I got for the joints that were really about me.

What are you working on now? & what’s up next for you?

Right now I’m working on my Chandelier View Tape. The concept behind the tape is crazy. As a kid people always ask you what do you wanna be when you grow up,  and you have this plan and as you get older you realize things start to change. I’m pretty much walking people through my life from the age of two to being twenty-two and the situations I go through: losing friends, relationships, idolizing people that I want to become or idolizing people that I’ve surpassed. There’s no official release date for it yet, but we’re looking at either August or September.

Who do you want to work with in the future?

This R&B artist signed to OVO, Party Next Door. I’m a huge Pusha T fan, I’m a huge Kendrick fan, so definitely them. And one of my favorite artists of all time, people always laugh, but Young Chris from the Young Guns, that’s my dawg, I like his flow. Ill mind, Pharrell definitely, Sixth Sense, Just Blaze, cuz Blaze is ill and I love 40.

Give a shoutout:

Shoutout to my management team, my man Rasheen Walker and Brenden Boyd. Society Original products team, and Shoutout to Tim Larew who’s been helping me behind the scenes.

Hailing from the Boston streets myself, this interview meant a lot to me. There haven’t been many rappers to emerge from the Bean, but with Ave’s story-telling flow and raw spirit, I know it’s only a matter of time before he makes it big. Stay on the lookout for his upcoming EP The Chandlier View, which will be dropping soon. In the meantime, Avenue released today a mini mixtape titled Summer of '91 which features six dope tracks.

Also check out his YouTube channel: Avenuegf & his latest video "I Love My" below.

Under the Influence Tour

Tuesday, July 23^rd, the Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre hosted the “Under The Influence Tour” featuring headliners A$AP Rocky and Wiz Khalifa as well as Joey Bada$$, Trinidad James and B.o.B. The lines were jam packed at every entrance hours after the concert started and even outside the venue, the smell of weed was potent as ever. I caught the end of B.o.B’s set where he performed his radio hits such as "Nothin’ On You,” “Airplanes” and “Magic” before leaping off the stage and finishing his performance in the lawn seats at the top of the theatre.  

A$AP followed his performance and although I have attended several of Rocky’s shows, his growth as a performer and artist was truly evident. He was accompanied by a live band who executed his sick beats perfectly. A$AP started off with “1 Train” and it was great to see him and Joey perform the cypher-like song together. His album titled track “Long Live A$AP” was next and the dope visuals were projected as part of the performance. “Wild for the Night” brought the entire crowd of children, middle-aged adults and everyone in between on their feet and the energy continued to grow as A$AP Ferg and Trinidad James came out for the epic “Work Remix.” Continuing with his features with Ferg, the two performed their newest single “Shabba Ranks.” Brilliantly, A$AP serenaded the crowd with his hypnotizing voice on “Purple Kisses” only to finish off strong with the song of the year “Fuckin’ Problems.” I was able to see A$AP early on in his career, prior to his debut album, so it was great to see a new level of performance from him while maintaining a mix of LiveLoveA$AP gems as well as his newer album hits.

Wiz finished off the show and the buzz backstage was that this was his greatest performance of the tour thus far. His set began advertising his line of Converse sneakers while describing his rise to fame and individuality as an artist. He opened with “Bout Me” and performed hits such as “Work Hard,” “Up,” “Taylor Gang” and of course “Black and Yellow.” Wiz shouted out his wife Amber Rose who surprised me with her kindness and humility as well as bringing out Taylor Gang members Chevy Woods and Ty Dolla $ign. The show finished off by bringing all the artists from the evening on stage solidifying the incredible lineup of the tour.

“Under the Influence Tour” is definitely not a show you want to miss. Check out some of the live footage from the tour below.

Magna Carta... Holy Grail: The New Era of Hip Hop

When Jay Z's Samsung commercial first aired, it announced the release of his newest album and 12th solo album, Magna Carta... Holy Grail, available for Galaxy owners exclusively on July 4th and then for the general public on July 8th. It took me some time to listen to this album and not judge it too prematurely, but I've finally come to a consensus. This album has an all star production team with Pharrell, Hit-Boy, Swiss Beats, Timbaland, The-Dream and No ID just to name a few. With that kind of team behind you, it is no surprise that the production is absolutely incredible and also the highlight of the album. Jay does have flow and certain tracks do bump, but lyrically it is nowhere near the caliber I expect from him.

"Somewhereinamerica" is my favorite track and his bars are lethal. 

Might crash ya Internet

And I ain't even into that

When I was talking Instagram

Last thing you wanted was your picture snapped

Feds still lurking

They see I'm still putting work in

Cause somewhere in America

Miley Cyrus is still twerkin'

Other highlights of the album are "Tom Ford." The beat is sick and it's definitely a song to rock to, but it doesn't even sound like he's trying. A few years ago Jay would of demolished a beat like this. Frank Ocean kills the vocals on "Oceans" and Hov has a great line on the track: "On the holiday, playing 'Strange Fruit'/ If I'm-a make it to a billi, I can't take the same route." The rest of his verses are so mediocre. Whether it's bragging about famous artwork in his crib or the stress of the paparazzi, there isn't much that hasn't already been said. It could be lack of inspiration or simply the fact that he has been putting music out since 1996, but either way this album lacks his normal creativity.

I listened to his classic albums (Reasonable Doubt, Blueprint 1, The Black Album & American Gangster) in preparation for Magna Carta to drop and more than this just being a sub par album, it is the marking of a new era in Hip Hop. During Reasonable Doubt and Ill-matic days MCs bodied tracks with minimal features and fairly simple production. Nowadays albums are filled with features, solo tracks are rare and the beats are superior. Although I am loving the mastery of production, I'm missing the revolutionary verses. Jay Z has already established himself as a legend in the game and an incredibly successful business man, but this album feels more like a gimmick and a power trip than Jay actually wanting to put out real art. I love and respect Jay Z, but I'm not giving him a pass just because he's Jay Z. He made unbelievable music, but it's just not real anymore.

The absence of Kanye on Magna Carta as well as the absence of Jay on Yeezus had some people asking questions. Perhaps Watch The Throne 2 is the near future...

Big K.R.I.T. and Action Bronson headline at the Middle East

Thursday evening in Boston, people wrapped around the Mass Ave block waiting to see Queens rapper Action Bronson and the king remembered in time Big K.R.I.T. The show sold out days before the actual concert and the place was packed with hip hop heads rocking to Biggie, Wu-Tang and Hov. Action Bronson took the stage first and had the Middle East basement jumping performing hit after hit from his Blue Chips mixtape as well as his verse on "1 Train". AB dapped up the crowd and moved around the venue. His performance was live and he really pumped up the crowd for KRIT.

Bronson left the crowd on a high and Big KRIT elevated that energy to a totally different level. Magically, KRIT was able to perform some of his more upbeat hits such as "Sookie Now" off of Return of 4eva and "What You Mean" off of his debut album Live From the Underground. He turned the crowd all the way up but then was able to dive even deeper in his set by performing some of his reflective tracks. "REM," "Money on the Floor, "Only One" and "Multi Til the Sun Die" are so honest and relatable that the crowd just went crazy. One of the reasons I love KRIT so much is that he speaks truth. His songs connect to real life, real problems, real thoughts and in such a genuine way it feels like he understands my struggle.

I was so glad to have been able to express to KRIT how much his songs mean to me. And just as genuine as his performance was, he was just as humble in person. A true King, I'm hoping with this next album he'll get the respect and recognition he deserves. If you haven't already, purchase his album Live from the Underground and download his latest EP K.R.I.T. (King Remembered in Time.)

June 18th: Cole Vs. Kanye

Today was a big day in the hip hop world. Two of the leadings MC's in the game right now dropped albums: Born Sinner and Yeezus. Due to the leaks of both albums I was able to take the time to really listen to each one. I had my doubts about both artists. I loved Cole in his Friday Night Lights glory and I highly anticipated his debut album Cole World- The Sideline Story. I was left very disappointed and since then I have never been able to rock with him the same. With Kanye, I was able to hear the first four songs on Yeezus at the Governor's Ball. Hearing him do some of his early tracks and his new songs in the same performance, his sound is incredibly different now, and at first I rejected his new direction. However, after really listening, and all hip hop lovers know real hip hop is so complex that it requires multiple listening sessions and time to devour the rhymes and flow, I came to some conclusions.

Born Sinner is a solid body of work. Highlights of the album are the Biggie sample in his intro track "Villuminati," "Rich Ni**az," and his popular single "Power Trip." What impressed me the most was "Forbidden Fruit" which featured Kendrick on the chorus. Kendrick has an incredibly entrancing tone that partners the song perfectly. Cole's flow is cold on this track and offers his same lyrical superiority without having the pensive tone he utilizes frequently. Towards the end of the album is  "Crooked Smile" which features the remaining TLC. The song is uplifting and discusses first his image and then women and the pressures and insecurities we face based on image. This song always makes me smile when I hear it, perhaps in a crooked smile sort of way :). Rumors of a track titled "Let Nas Down" turned out to be true. Cole is so honest on this track where he talks about how much he idolized Nas and meeting him was a dream come true. After the release of his single "Work Out," apparently Nas hated the track and that killed Cole inside. With each listen I enjoy Born Sinner more and more as hip hop should be, however, it is not an album I would play start to finish. I'll never understand how such a talented lyricist with the backing of the legendary Jay Z can not seem to produce a killer album. Friday Night Lights blew me away and I have yet to have the same reaction with J. Cole since.

As for Yeezus, Kanye completely stepped out of the box that hip hop created for him. A perfect follow up to MBDTF, Yeezus production is spectacular and provides a sound that is brand new. With only ten tracks, that's all you need. The album is shocking at first listen but the fourth and fifth listen are pure genius. The industrial sound that accompanies "Black Skinhead" and "New Slaves" is magic on good quality systems. The album only gets better in the second half, "Hold my Liquor" is dark and fascinating. "I'm In It" incorporates reggae vocals that are thrilling. "Blood on the Leaves" is by far the most powerful track featuring Nina Simone covering Billie Holiday's famous "Strange Fruit" which was originally a poem exposing the lynching of blacks in this country. "Bound 2" lyrically is the best track on the album and gives a glimpse of the "old Kanye" we like to refer to so much. Not quite fitting the overall sound of the rest of the album, nonetheless it concludes it and sounds so good.

Born Sinner is definitely worth copping and I am eager to hear your opinions. And if you haven't already heard Yeezus, get on it! With these two great albums already out and Pusha T, Rick Ross, Fabolous, Jay Z and so many more dropping albums this summer, it seems real hip hop is on the rise and I can't wait.

Governor's Ball 2013

This past weekend was the annual Governor's Ball at Randall's Island in NYC. Usually a popular rock festival, this year the lineup had some of the hottest MCs and legends in the game. Erykah Badu graced the Sky Vodka stage first and despite the hurricane warnings and swimming pools of mud that surrounded the stage, she was just as beautiful as I imagined her to be. Performing "Window Seat" and many other R&B classics, it made the almost impossible trip worth it.

Saturday had much better weather, although the dirt park was still incredibly muddy and almost unbearable to move in. Azealia Banks was the first Hip Hop artist to take the stage and she gave a feisty performance that was upbeat and flashy. She addressed the controversy of her making a remix to "Harlem Shake" claiming her Harlem upbringing made it appropriate. With lots of lights and energetic dance routines, the crowd was raging even as early as 6PM.

Kendrick Lamar followed Banks' set at the Honda stage and the combination of his chill demeanor and low acoustics made his performance sub par. The crowd was packed and eager for Kendrick's set, but even close to the stage, his sound was way too low. Most of his songs are not hype anyways and experiencing Kendrick at other locations, he clearly feeds off the crowd's energy. The NYC crowd knew most of his radio records, but were unfamiliar with a lot of the Section.80 tracks he performed. Kendrick was not able to turn up without the crowd's participation and I, along with other K.Dot fans were left disappointed. Still an amazing artist, his performance was unmemorable, especially compared to the stellar acts of the weekend.

Hip Hop fans were brought back to life with Nas' performance, which closed the festival on Saturday evening. He is one of the most charming performers I have ever seen, transitioning seamlessly between classic Nas tracks as well as interspersing hits from Life is Good. The fans were able to sing along to some of his greatest hits such as "One Mic," "If I Ruled the World," "Life's a Bitch," "Represent," "It Ain't Hard To Tell," "NY State of Mind," "The World is Yours," and "Hate Me Now." The crowd went crazy as did he thirty second excerpts from what he called "here's another classic." Nas stole the show Saturday and had one of the top performances of the festival.

Freddie "Gangsta" Gibbs, Gary Clark Jr. and Grizzly Bear all performed Sunday, the final day of the festival. All three performances brought completely different energies and yet all were equally amazing. Gibbs brought gangsta rap to the island, Gary Clark Jr. showcased his unbelievable guitar skills and Grizzly Bear serenaded the crowd with their beautiful vocals and experimental sound. However, there was only one performance that moved tens of thousands of people raising their hands to the sky in a cult-like trance. Mr. West was in the building and his set was the greatest musical moment of my life.

Of course gracing the main stage twenty minutes late, he began with unreleased tracks from his upcoming album Yeezus. With startling visuals of Kanye accompanied by two other black men in traditional looking KKK hoods that were instead black, he entranced the crowd from the beginning. He literally parted the red sea of people and walked to an elevated staircase in the middle of the park where he performed classic after classic. The entire crowd shouted the words to "Power," "Theraflu," "Don't Like," "Jesus Walks," "Stronger," "Wait till I get my Money Right," "Say You Will," "Heartbreak," "Flashing Lights," "All Falls Down," and "All of the Lights." And before performing "Clique," he discussed his upcoming album and new mentality in the music game. "You know with this album, we ain't drop no single for radio...but honestly at this point when I listen to radio, that ain't where I wanna be no more. Honestly at this point, I could give a fuck about selling a million records as long as I can put out an album for the summer that y'all can rock to all motherfucking summer." His powerful words moved the crowd from dead silence hanging onto his every word to uncontrollable applause. Kanye has been seen as completely off the wall in the media lately, with his relationship, screaming at concerts, and his incomparable cockiness. But it was this moment, where the thousands of Kanye fans were restored. At the end of the day, it's all about the music and that's all we can ask for.

Jay-Z, Cuba and Race in the Media

I know I said I wanted to keep this site just about the music, but this Jay Z thing was really getting to me. It was such an overt form of racism I had to write something about it. And he did drop a dope track following the scrutiny. If you're unfamiliar with what's been going or haven't heard the new track, read below.

Black men are disproportionately targeted negatively by the media and disrespected socially, economically and politically. An example of media and social biases toward successful black men is the public life of Jay Z or Shawn Carter. Despite being a successful businessman and hip hop pioneer, he is not taken seriously. Most recently his trip to Cuba, and his relationship with President Obama, made him the target of negative attention by the news media. His trip with his wife, Beyoncé Knowles Carter, was authorized by the Department of Treasury for educational purposes. Nevertheless, Florida Congress members Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Mario Diaz-Balart sent a joint letter to the Treasury Department that demanded to know who authorized the Carters’ trip to Cuba. The politicians wrote, "The restrictions on tourism travel are common-sense measures meant to prevent US dollars from supporting a murderous regime that opposes US security interests at every turn and which ruthlessly suppresses the most basic liberties of speech, assembly and belief”. The Politicians also stated that Jay-Z needed “to get educated.” News articles reporting on the trip and its backlash went as far as stating that the Carter’s were “ignorant” for their decision to travel to Cuba. Robert Redford, Leonardo DiCaprio and Sean Penn are just a few of the white celebrities who have visited Cuba in recent years. “Yet none of Jay Z and Beyoncé’s anti-Castro detractors implied that these white celebrities lacked common sense, or needed to be educated, or were ignorant”.

In addition to questioning the totally justified and legally authorized trip, the congress members expressed allegations about the friendship between President Obama and the Carters. "The congress members' letter doesn't say it overtly, but there is an implicit accusatory tone to their complaint that suggests complicity between the Carters and the Obama administration." Jay Z responded to the media scrutiny in a new song, “Open Letter.” In the track he raps, “You gettin’ too much bread, then they trying to jam you.” This powerful line outlines how minorities, especially those who are successful, are targeted as soon as they achieve some monetary stability.

The song also included some lyrics that contributed to the general media controversy about the alleged Obama-Carter connection. In one line, Jay Z states: “Boy from the hood but got white house clearance” and then further down: “Obama said ‘chill you gonna get me impeached,’ but you don’t need this shit anyway, chill with me on the beach.” These lines from the song comprised the evidence the press used in its insinuations that President Obama authorized this trip to Cuba. Absurdly, the white house was forced to have a press conference to discuss the lines of Jay Z’s song.   

Regarding the trip, President Obama asserted, “I wasn’t familiar that they were taking the trip…You know, this is not something the White House was involved with. We’ve got better things to do”. Both the language, suggesting Jay Z is lacking common sense and uneducated as well as the unproven accusation that President Obama in someway authorized this trip because of their friendship had racial undertones. This would not have escalated to the point where the President of the US would need to have a press conference defending himself for something so inane and trivial if the people involved were white. Jay Z is successful, but he is not respected.

"Open Letter"- Listen to the track here

The Life is So Exciting Tour

Def Jam rappers Pusha T and Fabolous put on an incredible show last night at the Howard Theatre. Stepping out in a black apron, Pusha started at the beginning with classics such as "Grindin" and "Popular Demand."

He transitioned to his verses on "So Appalled" and "Runaway" explaining his first recording encounters with Kanye and G.O.O.D. Music. Just as Pusha T reached the peak in his performance with hits from Fear of God and halfway through "New God Flow," the Howard Theatre turned the lights on declaring the end of his allotted time mid way through his set. Pusha obviously vexed, saluted the audience and left the stage. The crowd bewildered from his abrupt exit, watched the curtain go down confused and angry. I have never seen anything like that before. I've been to countless concerts and I've yet to attend one that started on time. The crowd was clearly disappointed in not being able to hear any of the songs from his recent mixtape Wrath of Caine.

Pusha's absence left the crowd flustered and we felt cheated out of a performance. However, that disappointment went out the window as soon as Funeral Fab came to the stage. Dressed in a custom NY Knicks jersey with matching Jordans, there was no denying his New York swag. He started off doing almost every track from Soul Tape 2. During "We Get High," he began by lighting up a blunt before performing the track. Fab also brought out Troy Ave for "Only Life I Know." Unfortunately, Pusha T must have the left the building as Fab performed "Life is So Exciting" solo.

Then Fab brought it all the way back for the "Day 1 Fab fans" as he liked to put it with "Holla Back," "Can't Deny It" and "Breathe." Constantly flirting with the women in the audience, he made sure to do a special segment for them with "Superwoman," "So into You," "Can't Let you Go," and "Make me Better." He ended the performance with his most recent single "Ready" which is from his album Loso's Way 2, set to release this summer. Before leaving the stage, he shouted out Pusha T and Troy Ave and said "I hope y'all enjoyed the show and most importantly realize that
Hip Hop is still here." With gimmick artists like Trinidad James and 2 Chainz getting world recognition, it's easy to forget what real Hip Hop is. Without a doubt, Fab and Pusha T reminded us all of what real Hip Hop was and what it continues to be today.

Both Pusha T and Fabolous are dropping albums this year. Be sure to look out for My Name is My Name and Loso's Way 2.

Kendrick Lamar Concert 4/23

Kendrick Lamar blazed the stage Tuesday night at George Mason University and named the audience the livest of his college tour thus far. He put on an incredible performance solidifying his lasting presence in the rap game. I have been rocking with Kendrick since the release of his fourth mixtape Overly Dedicated and so it was great to see the success of his debut album good kid m.A.A.d city symbolizing the recognition of such a talented artist. My only criticism of the night was that he did not perform any songs from Overly Dedicated, but his command of the crowd and performance of every hit since then was an experience I'll never forget.

Kendrick took a few songs to warm up, but once he got hot he was unstoppable. He performed his featured verses first, starting with "RIP" and "Fuckin' Problem". However, it was his solo songs that made the crowd and particularly the mosh pit I was in the middle of unbelievably hype and attentive. Early in the concert he performed "Pussy & Patron" as well as "Hol' Up." Constantly testing the crowds knowledge and smoothly transitioning between each track he went into "ADHD"  and "Hiii Power." He spent most time performing the hits from his album such as "Money Trees," "Poetic Justice," "Swimming Pools," "Bitch don't Kill my Vibe," as well as "m.A.A.d city" a record breaking four times!

This was my first time seeing Kendrick live, but I had heard mixed reports from his past performances. Naturally a chill guy, lyrically as well as personally, I had some doubt about his ability to turn up such a huge venue as the Patriot Center at George Mason University. I have to say I was blown away, even days later, his performance is still resonating with me. Simply put, he did it all. He performed EVERY single from the album, featured verses, other popular songs released post "good kid" and freestyled like I've never witnessed before. Kendrick left the stage leaving the audience wanting more and the crowd literally chanted for him to return. Kendrick ended the concert brilliantly and to my surprise with "Cartoon and Cereal," his 2012 track with Gunplay. It was an honor to hear him perform that song. But it was his freestyle at the end that had the previously hyped up crowd silent, hanging onto every line he dropped. He was named by MTV hottest MC in the game this year, his performance on Tuesday proved why.

If you're just getting to hip Kendrick here are some must haves:
Overly Dedicated
Section.80 and good kid m.A.A.d city are available on itunes now

Light it Up Tour

Last night was the first day of the Light it Up Tour featuring Cris Cab and New Kingston with Bermudian Collie Buddz as the headliner at the 9:30 Club in DC . It was beautiful to see the vast diversity of the audience awaiting a night of good music and good vibes. New Kingston started off the show. For those who are not familiar with this family band, they are a group of three brothers: Tahir, Courtney and Stephen as well as their father Courtney Sr. Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. They blend reggae beats with hip hop and R&B vocals providing a unique sound that was fresh and engaging. Their performance was the highlight of the evening. Each brother has mastered their individual instrument and Tahir on the keyboard even did a reggae remix to Beethoven's "Fur Elise." Highlights of their performance were "Fly Away" and "Caribbean Queen." Music fans, keep your eyes open for these guys, they are definitely bringing back the good vibes of Bob Marley while keeping it fresh with their undeniable NY flavor. New Kingston

Cris Cab was the second act of the evening and I was confused by his presence. He was a talented performing artist, but only two of his songs or so were reggae. He had a great singing voice that was young and soulful, but it seemed pure R&B to me. His performance was out of place and the high energy and excitement that New Kingston had built was diminished with Cris Cab's set.

Collie Buddz blazed the stage close to 11PM and brought the house down. His incredible voice matched with his sweet charisma was alluring and invigorating. The herb definitely come around as throughout the whole performance, Collie hid his low eyes behind black shades. There wasn't a single sole in the room not swaying and circling their hips to some of his hit songs. New Kingston accompanied the Collie Buddz performance and they brought any energy lost back into the building. My favorite songs of the performance were "Come Around" and "Mamacita." Collie left the stage swiftly and was brought back by popular demand and did covers of classic reggae songs such as "Who am I?," "No Woman No Cry" and "Murder She Wrote."

I got to meet New Kingston and Collie Buddz after the show and all of the performers were incredibly humble and gracious. Taking time to greet, take pictures and sign autographs for each fan. I was most impressed by their authentic class and gratitude. This was just the beginning of the Light it Up Tour, they hit SOBs tonight and continue on to twenty nine other cities. If you're interested in getting tickets, I've got the link below.

Light it Up Tour

Girls Love Beyonce

Drake dropped a new track featuring James Fauntleroy titled "Girls love Beyonce" which uses the "Say My Name" sample from Destiny Child's The Writing's on the Wall. Very reminiscent of 90s R&B in sound, Drake expresses the challenge of finding true and loyal love while being in the spotlight. More importantly, Drake taps into insecurity and vulnerability that is often not found in the industry where hypermasculinity is the norm. Drake stepped out of the box with this track in both content and sound and we're all eager for his album Nothing Was the Same.

Girls Love Beyonce