Kanye West - "The Glory" X "We Can Make It Better" (feat. Common, Q-Tip, Talib Kweli & Rhymefest)

Other songs such as "Stronger" and "Can't Tell Me Nothing" may get more attention, but "The Glory" has always been my favorite track off of Graduation.  The uptempo song pretty much speaks for itself.  With production that harkens back to older Kanye stylings with the sped-up sample of "Save The Country" by Laura Nyro backed by the soulful gospel choir, the song provides West with a background over which to best rhyme about his favorite subject--himself.  The uplifting, self-celebratory song sees the talented West begin to compare himself, not only to his peer group, but witnesses him vault to a level few reach in the genre.

Hi-Tek - "Music For Life" (feat. J Dilla, NaS, Common, Busta Rhymes & Marsha Ambrosius)

I'm dead tired and I've got one last final tomorrow morning separating me from freedom, so I'm going to make my one post of the night count.  This is perhaps my favorite song off of one of my favorite sophomore albums of all time.  Like most other producer-turned-rappers' projects (*ahem*...Mr. West), Hi-Tek's Hi-Teknology 2: The Chip at times relies to heavily on guest artists, but the Cincinnati artist holds his own on this final track despite solid efforts from legends Nas and Common.  "Music For Life" is beautiful from top to bottom and even manages to sneak in a cameo by the late, great, J Dilla by way of the saved voicemails at either end of the song.

Peace, Love, & Hip Hop,

WordIsBorn

Hi-Tek - "Music For Life" (feat. J Dilla, NaS, Common, Busta Rhymes & Marsha Ambrosius)

Previous: Reflection Eternal - "Africa Dream"

Black Star - "History" X "Respiration" feat. Common

The one quality that I love above all others about having the opportunity to live in New York isn't the fast-pace or the nearly limitless possibilities; the thing I love most about the city life is simply walking through the Upper West Side streets at night and feeling the city's heart beating even at night.  Tonight was one of the few times I've had to escape my Fortress of Solitude that my room has become over the last weeks of the semester.  I didn't walk far, only four blocks out and four blocks out, but it was enough to clear my head.  The one song I played during the course of the walk was the Common-assisted Black Star track, "Respiration."  For anyone who has ever walked through the Big Apple at night, you know that the city is a living, breathing organism and Black Star is right on the mark with its depiction on this song.

While I'm on the subject, Mos Def and Talib Kweli need to get back together.  Individually they're good, but together they're unstoppable.  It's been 11 years since the first and only Black Star project was released (though I added a collab from Mos Def's latest album to this post) and the hip hop community has been collectively holding its breath for more material ever since.

Peace, Love, & NYC,

Needs Sleep Noah

The Roots - "How I Got Over"

As far as hip hop is concerned, the hip hop band The Roots are legendary.  From Organix to their last release The Rising Down, The Roots (known primarily for emcee Black Thought and drummer/frontman ?uestlove) simply put out classic albums that are respected both by heads and the mainstream media and have greatly influence hip hop bands like Gym Class Heroes and Vonnegutt.  This song is the lead single and title track off of their upcoming album (scheduled to be released November 17th.  It includes a sample of Cody Chesnutt's "Serve The Royalty."  Many of you will recognize Chesnutt as the artist The Roots collaboratted with on "The Seed (2.0)" (which I've taken the liberty of attaching), a classic song that is impossible to hate if you like either rap or rock.

Peace, Love, & Hip Hop,
Noah


"How I Got Over"

"The Seed (2.0)"

"Act Too...The Love of My Life" (feat. Common)