In today’s #Occupy landscape, independent Huntsville, Alabama rap duo G-Side might make the most relevant hip-hop music out there. Have a listen to iSLAND, their latest LP released on Bandcamp last Friday (via Slow Motion Soundz), and you’ll find they’re the ultimate rags-to-not-quite-riches MCs. They’re realists in the truest sense of the word: while other rappers rate chicks up to ten (or rather, a dime), G-Side only gives her a 7 (referencing how good she looks in her Seven jeans). ST 2 Lettaz and Yung Clova adeptly play with phrases like these atop cinematic, lushly sample-driven backdrops courtesy of longtime producers, Block Beattaz, all the while modestly stacking chips via PayPal. Nowadays, who needs a bank account anyway?
While Clova still cuts hair for cash on the side (while listening to himself on NPR, naturally), he admits, he’d still like to go “major” someday. And that day may come sooner than later, if iSLAND is any indication. Hit up Interview Magazine to read my full chat with the working half of underground hip-hop’s best-kept secret…
Imagine Blink 182 going urban. You wouldn’t necessarily take this blog for one (too much) into what the white boys like. But when white boys have that certain percentage of swag – enough to elevate them into soul-worthy categories such as R&B, hip-hop, and the like – expect ‘em to get a mention. I am the little white boy that could, after all. And T.Mills, who hails from Riverside, CA, has got just that – a swagger that positions his SUM 41-like pop-punk brashness into a slot almost entirely unheard of until now – punk-hop…? Rock-rap never flew further than the meager successes of Papa Roach and P.O.D. back in the TRL days, so considering as much, T.Mills is something of a risk for rock and rap listeners… but, what does it for Mills is his ‘tudey tatts (reminiscent of Lil’ Wayne and Wiz Khalifa) split with his high school dropout delivery. I chat with the hip-hop startup exclusively below…
MH: What’s your name stand for? TM: My name is Travis Tatum Mills. MH: Is there an artist or band most people would be shocked to know you listen to? TM: Queen. MH: Since Smoke & Mirrors epitomizes the unlikely intersections between hip-hop and high fashion, is there a specific designer that you’d outfit your honey’s in? TM: I don’t necessarily have a favorite designer for women but a girl must have good style. They can shop vintage and still look sexy. Mix it up ladies! MH: You have a ton of ink… and you speak about hooking up with a girl with a neck tattoo in your first single. Have you actually ever dated a chick with a neck tatt? TM: Haha yes! When I was 16. MH: What’s next for you tatt-wise? TM: I need to finish my chest asap, so, when my schedule allows, I’ll get around to it. Im finishing up my leg right now, too. MH: Is there a certain R&B chick you’d like to have on your next hook? TM: I actually have a new song called “Yesterday” that has something to do with Janet Jackson. Without saying too much… I’ve said too much.
Atlanta rap trio, Kush Kloud Klan, may have just released their first major mixtape (hosted by DJ Ill Will) this past week, but their sound is already ringing in the ears of hip-hop-heads in a big way. Partially due to their controversial name (imagine #KKK trending on Twitter), Outkast stylings and production by Soundz, and their similar tasting flow to two of my favorite indie ‘Bama groups, G-Side and Paper Route Gangstaz, they’re poised to strike hard and fast. The 13-track set is already one of the best of the year. Download their buzzed-about, sax-laden mixtape (featuring appearances by Jazze Pha, Rock City, and a slinky “Skin” Rihanna sample) for free here. Remember where you heard it first MF.
As the third single to Kendrick Lamar’s debut, Section.80, “ADHD” is the newbie’s magnum opus thus far. It’s a morose, foggy generational commentary. What’s disguised as a drug anthem turns out to be more of an introspective thought-provoker. Listen closely – the Compton-bred rapper likes to play with hip-hop lingo and turn it on its head. It’s about damn time visionary hip-hop sounded so good.
World Premiere: “Don’t Talk Greazy” – Slaine & Statik Selektah
Beware: Statik Selektah‘s latest protege’s name is Slaine. Their joint mixtape, released recently, boasts some wildly entertaining rhymes and, of course, the same slaughter-worthy street production we’ve come to expect from Selektah. Listen below to my current fave on the set, which sounds like a cut-up version of Beyonce’s “Work It Out” (yes, the Neptunes track from Austin Powers) mixed with a semi-annoying Jadakiss vocal sample. The moral of the story? Remember who you’re speaking to or end up with your car keyed.
Let’s face it: digital mixtapes are the new LP’s, or rather, they’re the latest incarnation of the multi-platinum selling album without selling a single copy. Ditching major label budgets for viral internet publicity and of-the-minute promotion, artists use the WWW’s arms-reach accessibility to salvage fans from every which way, perhaps helping from-the-street-up communities like hip-hop more than any other musical genre. This is most true of the entire OddFuture crew. Taking to tumblr, twitter and blogs, OddFuture claimed hip-hop’s largest audience yet with free downloads (screw an album leak) and abundant amounts of studio material (recorded not in multi-million dollar recording studios but garages, bedrooms, and laptops), that were never possible for artists pre-Facebook. Frank Ocean; the smoother-than-thou R&B slice of OddFuture’s gang, may be unlike his mates in sound, but, has garnered much of the same fan base from their brand of far-reaching online slinging.
Ocean as an artist came to fruition with his debut, free-of-charge mixtape: Nosttalgia/Ultra, in February of this year via Odd Future’s Tumblr page and within minutes gained exposure (along with becoming a bonafide trending topic) in independent music circles. Partially based on Odd Future’s quick D.I.Y. rise to mainstream-cult fame, Ocean had fans before he even had a contract (which he has now; courtesy of Island Def Jam).
The 23-year-old LA-born singer/songwriter has undoubtedly latched onto Drake (the initial mixtape-to-millions superstar) and Trey Songz’s sound (to which he even compares himself in the Neptunes-y, melt in your mouth stunner, “Songs for Women”), the muddled, mopey underwater-R&B freestyle. But he makes it all his own to much success, with cynicism and a fond ear for pop radio melodies. He also comes across as more avant garde than his peers, with oddly pitched interludes, over-layered accompaniments, a liberal political stance (hear his message of marriage equality in “We All Try”) and an in-the-know pantheon of tastes.
The mixtape’s success has landed him a corporate deal, a re-release version for iTunes, songwriting gigs with Beyonce (4’s “I Miss You”), Nas and Brandy, and a first single (the mix’s least interesting but lyrically amusing, stoner-ready “Novacane”) produced by The-Dream’s right-hand-hitman, Tricky Stewart. It’s also worth mentioning he’s caught the ear of Jay-Z and Kanye West whom have already started work with him on their collaborative opus, Watch The Throne. Among Nostalgia’s tracks that dig deep are “Swim Good” and “Lovecrimes”, which easily outshine his choice of debut single. “Swim Good” is so emotional in its content, it’s hard not to feel inspired, not only by the driving beat but the drive off a cliff into the ocean-theme itself. “Lovecrimes” employs a seductively catchy slap-beat and piano loop, an over-layered samba composition and Prince-like swagger, all the while a Nicole Kidman Eyes Wide Shut monologue, in which she reprimands her man’s infidelities, competes in the background. It’s all heavy stuff for a 21st century R&B stud; that’s for sure, but what’s most compelling about Frank Ocean is that he tried and it worked. It being an independent sensibility to music making, especially for his genre. R&B has long been considered a genre that lacked experimentation. But today that could all be erased as easily as “un-liking” a post or flipping former industry marketing ploys on their heads a la Tumblr. It was just that easy for the kids of Odd Future, especially Mr. Ocean.
Bet you didn’t know the black dude from NBC’s Community has a rap alter-ego that’s surprisingly good, but, also sounds like an overly energetic Drake. You may have heard this breakthrough track (below) in the background of some FootLocker commercials making the rounds (or not), but regardless, Childish Gambino (or rather NYU alum, Donald Glover) is one to watch – not just due to his strikingly killer tongue, but, the fact that the dude’s only 27 and has more career options going than anyone I can name offhand [...he's one of 30 Rock's lead writers, tours as a standup comedian, acts, produces, DJ's, and raps all in the same breath]. And his horrendous MC name? He was so eager to get on the rap tip, he found it off Wu-Tang’s name generator. Now, that’s next level shit. Remember where you heard it first MF.
There’s nothing quaint about Lady – she’s gruff rap star, Plies‘ recent sign, her eyelids appear to sit at an unnaturally low position, she sports the longest high-pony of all time, her voice sounds like a southern crack baby, all the while her ‘adult’ subject matter likes to revolve closely around the remnants found at the bottom of one’s garbage can (lady parts, drunk-fucking, butt-eating, ass-clapping, pussy-yanking, etc). To be frank, strippers haven’t had this much of a voice in hip-hop since… well… Khia. And the only redeeming quality Lady attains higher than Ms. Neck and Back herself is the fact that she’s adamant about strapping up before smacking up. And for that, she has my props. Get acquainted with some of her latest low-budg vids making the viral rounds as we speak (below) and be sure to download her mixtape(s) for the ultimate in NSFW dirt-rap springtime fun.
Want to leave this artist spotlite as mysterious as TheWeeknd’s sound itself. Download their free mixtape now to hear what the fuss is all about surrounding Drake‘s latest co-sign. The future of R&B is here MF.
For such a youngin’, Earl “Droop-E” Stevens, Jr. sure knows his parents music well. Well enough to mine samples from Sade’s classic catalogue of atmospheric easy listening for his latest effort aptly titled Black Diamond Life. It’s especially wild to think when considering he is Bay Area legend, E-40′s son; who himself isn’t the first person you think of listening to the smooth operator. The mix is undoubtedly one of the best underground EP’s from the past year. Hear what I mean by downloading the free mixtape here. Listen to sample tracks above/below and remember where you heard it first MF.
Have you ever heard someone that resonated so much with your life or style that you wondered if perchance you lived-as-them in a, say, former life? Meet Jessie J – singer/songwriter from Essex, most known for penning Miley Cyrus’ “Party In The USA” and noticed by Universal record execs on the internets – my inner alter-pop star. Imagine taking the best qualities of Xtina (Jessie’s first vid is what “Not Myself Tonight” tried and failed at miserably), P!nk (that wrasp), Robyn (that sass), Nicki Minaj (cartoon character persona), Ke$ha (the wild), Katy Perry (the bob), Adele, Amy, and Lily (that soul) and wrapping them into a chav-tastic little British babe package. Her debut single, “Do It Like A Dude,” is like a page out of my own book (remember this?) minus the Insane Clown Posse makeup. She’s all parts authentic, witty, and gives us another reason to love YouTube all too much. Watch her up-close-and-personal bedroom vid below for an example of her vocal prowess and be sure to keep S&M on lock for updates on my new favorite sistah. Remember where you heard it first MF.
Christopher Ries a.k.a. Young Chris doesn’t have the best luck in the world – considering he’s most remembered for sharing the mic with Young Gunz bandmate, Neef Buck, he got nixed from Roc-A-Fella once the label dissolved, his ’08 solo LP never saw the light of day, and has recently been relegated to producer Rico Love’s Universal/Motown subset, Division 1. (What’s that?) Yet, with all his shortcomings, it seems the kid’s conditioned his rhymes into tip-top form. This track, which dropped just last week, tickled my fancy with its referencing each and every superstar hailing from the 215 since hip-hop began; from Ahmir “?uestlove” Thompson to the Fresh Prince. Oh, and did I mention the beat? Produced by Rico Love and Earl & E, it’s like “Beamer, Benz, or Bentley” times a thousand. Or, if Rico took up glass harmonics and magnified the echos 6,000% to sound something like the sickest game of laser tag ever. It’s like that.
Hip hop’s latest acquisition – club music – has taken on a life of its own. First came David Guetta (with Akon), then Tiesto (with Three Six Mafia) and Swedish House Mafia (with Pharrell), and now the barriers of both genres intersect uncomfortably close and end up sounding like house party scenes from Skins … Who can keep up? The thing is – I can’t really stand club music – so hip hop’s latest love affair with Euro-dom is only a ‘bubbling under’ type of phenomenon (at least for me). That is, until I heard Tinie Tempah: a 21-year-old Brit whose rhymes trump even his headiest of beats. His cockney accent compliments each novel phrase, his beats are best described as ‘headbanging club-hop’, if there were such a thing. Tempah’s #1 U.K. hit, “Pass Out” (below) is one of the hardest-hitting tracks of the year, resulting from its pulsating ‘call to the floor’ beat and directional lyrics (um.. Heidi and Audrina eat your hearts out?). “Written In The Stars” is an epic almost-”Umbrella” and “Frisky” is mindlessly infectious. Categorize Tempah’s work as garage, dupstep, club-hop or just plain hip hop, no matter what, his flow transcends them all. Say hello to Uncle Fester!
I’m beyond psyched to announce a project I’ve been helping in the development of for a while now… it’s called TEACHERS and it’s the next level in music. The first single, “GOLD,” is like a sonic relative to Avatar or The Lion King, with it’s cliff-jumping climax and fire-burning tribal chants. It may be the closest you’ll ever come to air-gliding through the rain forest on Ecstasy or stadium-rocking with baboons on your very own private isle. The band, headed by Green Owl Records founder, Ben Bronfman (vocals and production), is a genre-defying testament to music’s current identity crisis – is it pop? is it rock? is it indie? is it major? – it doesn’t matter – shit is GOLD. The best part is there’s so much more to come. Stay tuned for more TEACHERS developments coming soon on Smoke & Mirrors blog. To download the track for free, head here.
Francis & The Lights is Drake’s slow song secret weapon. Track 2 of Thank Me Later stands as proof. The little-known NYC band, led by Berkeley-bred “Francis Farewell Starlite” (who has a voice that lands him sonically between the lines of Adam Levine and Phil Collins), creates lush synth-laden compositions worthy of Human League. The fact that Drake is a fan and has commissioned them to open for him on tour speaks volumes to both artists’ versatility. Francis’ Cantora Records debut, It’ll Be Better, positions them as something of a second coming of Spandau Ballet, Peter Gabriel, or ABC. With the kind of sheeny pop songwriting Hall & Oates once pioneered, F&TL appeals to even the most discriminating ear with their self-proclaimed obsession with simplicity. Their most inspiring read? Strunk and White’s Elements of Style – which eased them into “doing things simply and omitting the needless.” (Village Voice, Feb 25 2009) If Private donned fancier rhythms and kicks than once before, Francis simplifies those 80′s eccentricities in their refusal to be categorized. Perhaps this is the reason for Kanye and Drake‘s devotion: just as “Darling, It’s Alright” is Bryan Ferry, “Going Out” (especially it’s opening few bars) is as much KCi & JoJo. You can stream their entire album here.
“Bang Bang Bang” – Mark Ronson & MNDR (Featuring Q-Tip)
Upon first listen, MNDR is like any other electro-gloss artist out there – carbonated, club-driven, and admittedly ephemeral. Just as Xtina hopped on the Ke$ha/Gaga bandwagon, MNDR sounds like she caught the Santigold train a season or two too late. Her Myspace tracks, filed under the genre of ‘Industrial/German Pop’, are sonically closer to Jem doing Styx renditions (namely “Mr. Roboto”) than anything else. That is, until the Mark Ronson-produced “Bang Bang Bang” landed on my desktop this morning. Could I have been as wrong about MNDR as I was with Santigold’s initial shot (“Pretty Gold”)? The Ronson/Q-Tip collaboration provides a world of change for MNDR – no longer a follower, her brash delivery atop Ronson’s synth-hop backdrop posts her in between Santi and Ri-Ri peacefully. Whether the accolades belong to Mr. Ronson for the pitch perfect positioning or not, doesn’t quite matter. MNDR has found her place amongst Ronson’s land of retro mentalities, hip-hop, mega-hooks, video games, and big band beats.
I’ve posted quite a bit on the topic of O’Spada – the little Swedish hip-pop group that hasn’t (yet) taken off in the U.S. of A. They’re just too creative to let die under the plethora of hipster similar’s, so, once again… let me introduce you to the only acceptable neon-lit glitter band this side of Goldfrapp. How many times can I say it? The Swedes go HARD! Just listen to those synths squirt your face. Listen to the kiddie choir on the bridge. The track’s an undeniable pop opus that will (crosses fingers) pay off. Their debut album drops internationally May 19, 2010.
Production duo, The Knocks (comprised of “B-Roc” and “Mr. JPatt”) have been making their name remixing hits for Katy Perry, Britney Spears, and Jay-Z for the past few years and have finally released their very own single, “Blackout” (no relation to Ms. Spears’). The result is a swashing, disco-laden crowdpleaser, complete with a chorus meant for dancefloor sing-a-longs. In the air of recent retro musings by Duck Sauce (“aNYway”) and Justice (“D.A.N.C.E.”), “Blackout” rescues what may have been a passing trend in dance music with a perfected pace, piano clinks, and modified Dracula vocals. This summer, The Knocks plan on releasing a new single each month available exclusively online. Also, under their HeavyRoc Music label, artist Alex Winston is readying her first EP. They’ve been busy polishing up production for other artist, Samuel, whose Columbia Records debut, “Trains to Wanderland” hits this fall.
The first time I heard Tanlines, I looked like the baby below. I was dumbfounded to have found a non hip-hop Brooklyn-based band I liked. If you’re a Pitchfork regular, you’ve probably read time and again of their recent rise. They’ve been making their rounds amongst the web’s indiesphere throughout the past year and have finally dropped a single worthy of Smoke & Mirrors inception. “Real Life”, the title track off their debut EP, plays like a prelude to paradise. If Washed Out‘s brand of rhythmic lo-fi evokes Cali burnouts, Tanlines sends you straight to sundazed Ibiza with their tropical, conga-driven compositions. Creating tribal thumpers in Brooklyn, NY may sound like a hard stretch, but these boys have more than mastered a technique unto their own. Don’t call it dancehall. Using synths often equated with Lil’ Jon or hip-hop producers, Tanlines skims past the inevitable hipster label and creates a new sect of danceable wonder in the process. If you’re planning on attending SxSW this March, be sure to wave hello. Remember where you heard it first MF.
“I Am The Man” – B.o.B (Feat. OJ Da Juiceman & Bun B)
Atlanta native, Bobby Ray, has been generating buzz since signing with T.I.’s Grand Hustle Entertainment (of Warner Music Group) and releasing numerous mixtapes under the name ‘B.o.B.‘ in 2008. Now, he’s on the heels of wrapping up sessions for his debut album, B.o.B. presents The Adventures of Bobby Ray, due out May 25, 2010, and is getting the streets ready by leaking countless underground gems worth a listen… or ten. Especially “I Am The Man,” which samples Clooney’s twang wail from O Brother, Where Art Thou? and verses by OJ Da Juiceman and Bun B. With mentions of Tonka trucks and jumbo sized gumbos, it’s like a country boy’s dream come true (minus Taylor Swift).
We all knew music sampling was big business, but this artist takes it to a new medium entirely. Pogo (a.k.a. “Faggottron”) is YouTube’s answer to Prefuse 73. The Australian audio-video artist takes bits and pieces of his favorite Hollywood blockbusters to create equally fantastic musical compositions. As ambient as Stephane Pompougnac’s Hotel Costes, he’s known for seamlessly blending chopped cinematic samples and mid-word blips to compose symphonies from a single scene’s sounds. Even his basslines are recycled, borrowing acoustic backdrops from the silver screen’s often-missed scores. Hear it here first.
If you’re into the apathetic tone of Brazilian hipsters, CSS, then, boy, do I have a treat for you. The Phenomenal Handclap Band, hailing from Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan is less of a band and more of a musical collective. Each member brings along with them their own quirky spin on world, funk, and rock music. Their music is hard to pin down to one genre. Their debut album’s sound is a cross between Blondie and Rusted Root. The video for their single “15 to 20″ is something of a “Sabotage” remake (Beastie Boys), only this time with each member’s POV.
One MC. One DJ. Last year’s best hip-hop album – hands down. Released on the little-known Raw Poetix label, The Only Color That Matters Is Green combines Pacewon’s Rakim-esque flow with beatsmith Green’s accompanying concrete rhythms. On “Children Sing” (below), Green splits children’s choir chants into unrecognizably colorful sonic collages of adolescent “ooh’s” and “ahh’s.” Pacewon graces Green’s symphonic street backdrops with unpretentious ease. Paying no mind to current hip-hop’s confused state of autotune and Grey Goose, Pacewon & Mr. Green achieve heights with their homegrown sound. Forget the mainstream, these dudes are the closest we’ll get to forgetting Flo-Rida ever happened. Hear it here first:
1 “Four Quarters” – White collar, blue collar. I holler. You holler. Let’s get together. Four quarters make a dollar. Middle America’s Confucius raps on Billy Bob Thornton, Wall Street, and food stamps.
2 “So Straight” – Fruits, vegetables, champagne and OJ. Sounds good to me.
Since releasing ESSOcentric in ’06, Harlem’s Esso has been grinding under the radar, dropping responses to Lil’ Wayne’s The Carter III, freestyling on Sirius, and now, putting out arguably the most respectable open-letter to Michael Jackson yet. The abundance of MJ tributes, revamps, and remixes surfacing lately don’t compare to Esso’s latest Off The Wall concept mixtape. He claims to have begun recording material for the mixtape months before Michael’s untimely passing, but, who cares about logistics when each track is so fucking right? It might be believable, seeing that none of his verses even cite a mention to the music legend. I suppose everyone visiting S&M is Off The Wall fluent, so lay back, light up, and let Esso strike that deep chord. Reminiscent and reinventive, WoodysProduce slices samples from Mike’s classic LP to create the lush backdrops for Esso’s trips down memory lane. Hear it here first…
I had heard Big Sean’s hype-single “Getcha Some” two summers ago, just months before Kanye released Graduation, on his Can’t Tell Me Nothing /G.O.O.D. Music (‘Ye’s record label) compilation. He was brought back to my attention recently when my cousin James (congrats on the engagement btw) asked me if I had heard his new material. I was under the impression the cat had fallen off (as many new rappers do in their pre-album endeavors), knowing how ‘Ye had taken Drake under his wing as of late, and remembering just how similar Sean had sounded to him. Sean, though, is an ’88 baby, whereas Drake is two years elder. At times a straight Drake replica, Sean sounds adolescent to the extent that ‘Ye should probably start contemplating his pre-fab inklings. Could Kanye have been too early in the game? Sean’s verses are so unwarrantedly egocentric and cash-driven, it seems his mother may not have passed him the recession memo at breakfast. I suppose there’s no crying over G.O.O.D. Music now… it took two years for this song to become Sean’s first single/video. And within that time, the world’s changed. No longer is BAPE a big deal when your home’s been foreclosed. In the time it takes for Big Sean to finalize his Finally Famous debut, hopefully he’ll come to terms with reality.
Curren$y and Wiz Khalifa are blessed and cursed. They’re just too good to go major. Every time they sign to any mainstream record label, months later, they’re back on the streets releasing unofficial mixtapes again. I just don’t get it. Wiz is one of my favorites of all time and he’s undoubtedly Pittsburgh’s king of rap. His voice is too street to subdue. And to think he’s my age? It’s insane to know Soulja Boy and Flo-Rida are signed and going steady when you hear this kid’s tracks. He’s got nothing more than an indie body of work that could easily sit beside the most established hip-hopper. I’ve been pushing his shit since I heard it in the fall of ’06 and still… no official album release. Even Rolling Stone raved to no avail. The kid just can’t catch a break. Lately, the rapper’s teamed up with his equally cursed counterpart, Curren$y, to record a duo-mixtape based on weed, jets, and babes, expected to hit streets at the end of this month. I’ve compiled my favorite rapper’s best tracks below. His latest work hasn’t been up to par considering his early masterpieces, showing just how Warner Bros fucked with his nerdy flow. His skinny-boy delivery sounds best atop shiny street instrumentals laced with screwed soul or flash-rock samples. Below plays like a mixtape rundown of his best cuts to date…
First up, is likely his best single-ready sound to date – “Keep The Conversation.” The Billy Joel sample is tremendous…
Next is “Pittsburgh Sound.” Think Parliament funk meets Kanye hypersoul. It’sWiz Khalifa, man!
Welcome to pistol bangin’… “Walk With Me” is a somber, piano-led hometown tour. Swirly and mysterious, you can almost taste his slum…
“Youngin’ On His Grind” is a ghetto narrative with a bassline to end all basslines. Speed that ish up and Ciara could take it…
“My Thing” is pure bang. The beat is outrageous and can only be played at full volume. He slyly remarks, Make it look easy, like we do this shit for fun, but we do this shit for funds atop a video game background like nothing at all.
“Burn Something” could be an inspirational people’s anthem, but then again, it’s about hustling. At least he tried…
“History In The Making” is violent. Its over-the-top [Europe] “Final Countdown” loop is hilarious. The seven-minute diary entry will eat through your flesh. So beware.
Lastly, hear Wiz play Cassanova on “Sometimes.” The kid does it all…
Whoaa. Halt. Stop the tape. Rewind. Nicole Wray is about to release what? Her sophomore album this September? No, it can’t be. Miss MJB, jr. has had albums pushed back for the last decade. You probably know her as Missy’s lil’ kiddie-voiced protege from the 90′s. She released her first LP in 1998 and hit it out of the park with her first single, Timbo tune “Make It Hot,” dominating urban airwaves as underdog for the entire summer. The video’s pop-up book set is fantastic! Peep the vid below…
Resorting to dollar bin status, Nicole’s first album didn’t make her a star. The chick’s been putting out mixtapes for years now, trying to get an album release date without success. She even had an album ready for release through Roc-A-Fella that never surfaced. During this hiatus, though, Nicole’s put out some pretty stellar work. Beautiful, concrete, and gutter as fuck – Nicole’s songs could easily be act one to Carmen part deux. Her voice is ragged (much like her idol Ella Fitzgerald’s) and lyrics surprisingly complacent. The track, “Can’t Get Out The Game,” speaks just that. In it, Nicole plays a struggling storyteller, a character she often finds complimentary to her fiery lyric style. Her honest tone makes for some believable anecdotes. The song’s background, made of horns and skittering midnight drums, is one Nicole excels on. Beanie’s guest verse doesn’t sound forced or ill placed, rather playing as an afterthought to Wray’s teary ghetto tale. Stream the deep cut below…
Nicole can pretty much do no wrong when putting down mediocre R&B fluff tracks. Without sounding subdued or muted, Wray gives songs usually thrown to Ashanti or Christina Milian, a new life entirely. With a voice that could blow out a tire, she has the ability to whip boring album-filler tracks back into shape. Giving Keyshia a run for her money, the woman can make any note sound studied. Hear the muffled “Friend” (1) and piano-wound “Stand Up” (2) below…
1
2
“I’ll Take Your Man” is one of my favorite unreleased tracks of hers. Originally for Amerie, the DC joint was much too gangsta for the twiggy songbird. In the song’s first few seconds, Wray’s heard screaming Who the fuck is that bitch? on the other end of a telephone. The Rich Harrison produced firestarter could take on James Brown’s with its driving drumbeat. The soulstress commands the track with a been-there-done-that stuffiness rivaling Bey’s, the difference being that when Wray sings, you must listen.
Funky music IS alive. For newbie, Miguel, it’s what he lives for. I hadn’t heard anything inherently funky or eclectic since ’97′s The Velvet Rope (obviously), so, when I flipped on his most recent mixtape [Mischief] to hear some ordinary R&B, I was taken aback – shocked, amazed, short of breath. The kid blends found vocal clips (like vintage ODB croaks) with alienic moans on “All Night Long” to sound like a chemistry project. Hear it here first:
My favorite track of his is “Sure Thing.” With its screwed vocals and flighty falsetto – the kid is on thatPrince tip. You could say he’s Purple. It’s from ’07, but still stands as his hottest to date. The lyrics set off the drippy background into territory once explored by D’Angelo and Maxwell before him. While The-Dream goes for Prince’s surefire pop ["Little Red Corvette"], Miguel aptly examines his sweaty soul side ["Diamonds and Pearls"].
“Ooh Ahh” is a Doors-y throwdown, complete with hand claps, mean guitar stabs, and oversexed lyrics. Think Maxwell on a Hendrix fix.
“Strawberry Amazing” is an obvious ode to Paisley Park, Minneapolis, with its glimmering beat, lo-fi groaning, and electric guitar farts a la The Time. Do you see this cane, sugar? Do you see the feather in my hat? The track is pimp grand. His voice is somewhere between Raphael Saadiq, the lead singer of 112 [Slim], and the Purple one… all certified gangsta macks in their own rights. It could easily pass for an unheard Prince b-side, without a doubt. Take a listen:
It’s likely you missed Kevin Michael’s self-titled debut album when it was released back in ’07 by Atlantic Records. Unfortunate, since it was exactly what the radio was missing – a politically-inclined, bi-racial, R&B crooner with equally relevant and sentimental lyrics for the Obama era. He had two singles released; that if charting, could’ve easily knocked Ne-Yo from his pedestal. The problem with his Atlantic management was the fact that most of his album sounds exactly that – Ne-Yo. His tracks were placed in videogames, cell phone commercials, and as the free “single of the week” on iTunes; creating a false pretense for what he could actually do. Michael is no Ne-Yo. He’s old soul. He sounds best with acoustics and meaningful verses, in a way Amy Winehouse and Raphael Saadiq do not. His singles sound more current and sincere with less reliance on retro-novelty than those aforementioned.His tenor chops and afro-pick add to his 60′s-era simplicity. He takes these characteristics and juxtaposes them against current-day lyrics like DJ’s in the club, Jesus freaks and thugs, We all want the same things, We all want the same thing. At 23 years old, Michael’s already saying things Marvin Gaye only got to saying before his untimely death. To think of the possibility Michael had to become the voice of his generation so shuddered by bling – it’s hard to understand what went wrong. Cross your fingers he gets another round to prove to Top 40 that songs with substance can, in fact,hit harder than anything Taylor Swift or T-Pain. Hits should be measured in their impact socially, too.
Listen to the single version of “We All Want The Same Thing” below, featuring Lupe Fiasco. Although it’s not my favorite version of the song (peep the acoustic version), it sure is a porch stomper.
Here’s the acoustic version, featuring guitar by Akil Dasan…
“It Don’t Make Any Difference to Me (Acoustic)” is another track accompanied by guitarist Akil Dasan. People treat you different when you’re in between / But it don’t make any difference to me. Love ain’t got no color…
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Vol. 1
Vol. 2
Vol. 3
Vol. 4
