Wu-Tang Wednesday: "Method Man"

I apologize gratuitously for my recent absence from the blog. The past two months for me have been filled with me jumping through hoops tracing Jackson Pollocks filling out job apps that have no remote chance of being read by HR, interviewing, and partaking in the true Grail Quest of attempting to find affordable New York housing (Legend tells that it can be found somewhere between 110th Street and El Dorado. Somewhere between the Hudson and the Sands of Ilium).

When Alan Moore wrote The Killing Joke, I'm now fairly certain that it was meant to be an allegory for trying to find an apartment in Gotham. It's enough to make even the sanest man go crazy. But now that I've miraculously survived the process unmurdered, with a small shred of my sanity, and without having to part with any organs on Canal Street, I'm back to bring hip hoppery to the people.

I may be working 10-8 most days with a couple of night classes per week, but, now that my partner-in-crime Carver Low and I are in the same city, we can better guilt kindly push each other to post more often. My goal is to have at least one post per day for you good people.

I'll set it off with what will be a weekly series honoring what is arguably the most influential hip hop collective of all time: The Wu-Tang Clan. The posts will showcase stellar songs from the Wu's immense discography of group and solo albums as well as featured tracks, remixes, and rare unreleased songs and freestyles. Think of it as a friendly hump day reminder for Shaolin devotees to Protect Thy Neck. Hit the jump for the first post to Bring Da Ruckus:

Nas - "Be Worried" (prod. Swizz Beatz)

Swizz Beatz' "Top Down" was already a decent song in its own right way back on GTA IV, but Nasty absolutely demolished it. This track is from a few years back (Mr. Jones recorded it sometime between Untitled and Distant Relatives), but a lot of people haven't heard it so I'm bringing it back. "Be Worried" may not be as hardhitting as his Stillmatic tracks (let's be honest, few are), but it's a fun song that's an example of an emcee nearly two decades into his career and still near his peak.

Peace, Love, & Nasir,
Nasty Noah



Previous: Nas - "My War" (feat. Wu-Tang Clan?)

Wu-Tang Clan - "Wu-Tang: 7th Chamber, Pt. 2"

A couple days ago, I took the time to listen to 36 Chambers for the first time in about a year and immediately was reminded of why the album ranks as my second favorite of all time (behind only Reasonable Doubt).  This author had only made three trips around the sun when Wu-Tang released their magnum opus in 1993, but the purely raw sound that pervades the album truly stands the test of time.

Pharoahe Monch - "Simon Says"

Simon says, "Get The F*#% UP!"

I admittedly haven't listened to nearly enough Pharoahe Monch.  But a guy on my floor recently hooked me up with this track off his 1999 debut, Internal Affairs, and I haven't been able to stop bumping it.  As if the Godzilla sample wasn't hard enough, the lyrics and chorus are ridiculous, making "Simon Says" a must have for any fan of underground hip hop.  Enjoy.

Ma$e - "Welcome Back"

It's been quite a while since I posted and my summer internship/training/relaxing has admitidley led me to neglect the blog.  I apologize to everyone out there for my absence, and I'm trying to get back into the swing of posting (and have a lot of quality music to catch up on).

I figured this song would be applicable for this post.  I've never been a fan of Ma$e, but The Movement's production and sampling of the Welcome Back Kotter theme song on this track is undeniable.  The song served as the title track to the Harlem emcee's 2004 album, which represented Ma$e return to rap after a five-year absence for religious reasons.

So welcome back to old readers and hello to new followers.  I'm sorry for leaving, but I'm back and will be posting as often as my schedule allows.

Peace, Love, & Hip Hop,

WordIsBorn

Ma$e - "Welcome Back"

K. Sparks - "Rider" (feat. J.D.)

If your like me, then you can't get enough new K. Sparks.  Fellow NYC rapper J.D. joins K-Dot on this cut off of YNotMyDream and REUPspot's upcoming After This Shut Up.

Previous: K. Sparks - "Blue Swing"

K. Sparks - "Queens" (feat. Beyond Belief)

Rockaway emcee Beyond Belief joins K-Dot on this song dedicated to their native borough.  Sparks is about as good as he is prolific (he's recorded 30+ tracks over the past few weeks) and slept on.  I'll admit that I've heard a sub-K. Sparks track or two, but have yet to hear an overall bad track from this up and coming artist.  I'm not as big of a fan of A Day In The Life, but I definitely recommend purchasing Soul Food.  Enjoy and support good hip hop.

Previous: K. Sparks - "Abstract Jazz" [Music Video]

Group Home - "Supa Star" (prod. DJ Premier)

[Had to take a study break for my sanity.]

As good as Dr. Dre was in his prime and as innovative as Kanye is now, it's hard to form an argument against DJ Premier's place as the greatest producer of all time.  Premier, who samples primarily jazz, soul and funk songs, is known for his scratches that include samples of some of the best (and most obscure) lyrics from hip hop lore.  He has production credits on many of the holy texts of the genre.  From Nasty Nas' Illmatic and Jay's Reasonable Doubt to recent album such as Royce Da 5'9"'s Street Hop, Premier has consistently been the producer that the best lyricists (who can afford it) go to when they need a classic sound.

Jay-Z, Nas, & The Notorious B.I.G. - "Who's The Best?"

This song has been around for a while.  To give you an idea of just how long it's been, I originally copped this when I was still using Limewire.  It's off of DJ Mello & DJ Cinema's Talk of NY mixtape that dropped back in '06 (not that old, but in terms of internet time that's an eternia).  One of the best (of many) mash-ups of the three greatest New York emcees of all time.

Jay-Z, Nas, & The Notorious B.I.G. - "Who's The Best?"

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

Theophilus London - "Humdrum Town"

The first I heard of Theophilus London was at the beginning of this year when a friend shared This Charming Mixtape with me.  The Brooklyn-born emcee uses an eclectic style that sounds part hipster, part techno, part glam rock, part hip hop.  The resulting recombination of these other styles achieves a sound that is uniquely TL.  For those more traditional hip hop heads, London isn't for you, but if you like this song I highly recommend downloading This Charming Mixtape.

Peace, Love, & Hip Hop,
NYCentric Noah

K. Sparks - Super Senior

I'd like to apologize to my readership for my lengthy absence.  I've been crunched for time the past couple weeks with midterms, papers, and races and it's left me with little time to breathe let alone post.  I promise to get back to more frequent posts starting...now.

I've posted a few songs from this 2DBZ and DJBooth co-signed project and it's finally here.  It's unfair to call this composition a mixtape, as it sounds better than nearly every album I've heard this year (and every mixtape I've heard this side of The Warm Up).  Hit the link for the tracklist/DL.

Mobb Deep - "Shook Ones Pt. II"

The most successful and influential artists that derive much of their lyrics from acts and threats of violence tend to have a sick and twisted sense of humor about it (see Wu-Tang, Biggie, Mobb Deep), but “The hood imagery of the lyrics is utterly pervasive and uncompromising, immersing the listener in a foreign land smack in the middle of New York,” wrote Gavin Mueller of Stylus Magazine on the Wu-Tang’s debut album, “There is no celebration here, and little hope.”

K. Sparks - "Overtime" (Prod. Hannibal King)

K. Sparks track just dropped via ze twitter.  The boy goes hard on kills the Hannibal King beat.  The song has no hook, it's just 50+ bars of pure hip hoppery.  Super Senior is gonna be dope and make sure to check out Hannibal King's mixtape Eating Cornbread on the Millennium Falcon.

Peace, Love, & Hip Hop,
NYCentric Noah

Skyzoo - Cornerstone Classic (2007)

Skyzoo is exactly what hip hop needs.  The Brooklyn native, who's been rapping since age 9, is an emcee who is able to take hip hop back to it's golden age traditions, while still moving the game forward.  Fifteen years, six mixtapes, and one independent EP later, Skyzoo is one of the most respected up and coming emcees and is poised to release his proper debut LP The Salvation at the end of the month.  Skyzoo draws influences from everyone from fellow BK emcees Biggie and Jay-Z to NWA and Nirvana.  His style bridges the lengthy gap between street hop and backpack rap.  His 2007 Mick Boogie co-signed mixtape Cornerstone Classic recieved critical acclaim, including an XL in XXL and is a great example of Sky's natural gift of gab.  Cuts include "Straighten It Out" and the J Dilla produced "They Don't Want It."  As far as mixtapes go, I place it about on level with J. Cole's The Come Up (a great mixtape on in it's own right), but below a few of Mick Boogie's other mixtapes like Viva La Hova and Jus Mic and another level below J. Cole's latest The Warm Up.  At the end of the day it's a very respectable mixtape and I'm very excited to hear The Salvation (an album which has already recieved XL in XXL) come September 29th.  I've included a link to this mixtape as well as the video and track for "Beautiful Decay," first single off his upcoming album.  Peep the video, it's an ode to his home borough and a commentary, as the name might suggest on urban decay.  S-K-Y-Z-O-O.  Remember the name.



Peace, Love, & Hip Hop,
NY-Abiding Noah

Skyzoo - Cornerstone Classic
Skyzoo - Beautiful Decay

Big Punisher - "Still Not A Player" x "Beware"

Literature holds the tradition of the "tragic hero," a character who the audience cares for, not because they are perfect, god-like beings, but because their flaws make them all the more human (and typically lead to their downfall).

Christopher Rios, better known by his moniker Big Pun, was one of hip hop's tragic heroes.  The South Bronx-born Puerto Rican emcee was literally and figuratively larger than life.  Though fit as an adolescent (he played basketball and boxed before dropping out of school at 15), Pun rode the line between obesity and morbid obesity for most of his life.  His 1998 debut album Capital Punishment is one of the most complete albums I've ever heard, a perfect blend of pop hits and hardcore battle raps, and was the first album by a Latin emcee to go platinum.  In effect, it was Pun's success and skill that killed him.  Life on tour did not encourage a healthy lifestyle and Pun's weight skyrocketed. Eventually, he was convinced to check into a weight-loss clinic in North Carolina where he lost 80 pounds but did not complete the treatment due to homesickness.  On Febuary 7, 2000, Pun suffered a fatal heart attack and respiratory failure while at home with his family.  He reportedly weighed 698 pounds at the time of his death.  He was 28.

M.O.P. - "Crazy" feat. Termanology (Bonus)

The duo of Mash Out Posse, composed of Billy Danze and Lil' Fame, has been around since 1992 and, along with Wu-Tang Clan and Geto Boys, helped to found the hardcore hip hop scene (which directly led the the horrorcore scene of the likes of Jedi Mind Tricks and AOTP).  The Brooklyn emcees bring an energy to each and every bar that it rivaled by few rappers and have remained hardcore and uncompromising despite mainstream success.  M.O.P. garnered underground respect with their debut 1993 single "How About Some Hardcore?" and their first three albums, but it was with their fourth album, Warriorz (2000), featuring the hit single "Ante Up" (which generated a popular remix with Busta Rhymes) that the group began it's rise to prominence.

In 2002, the group signed to Roc-A-Fella and recorded a remix of "U Don't Know" that is one of my favorite Jay-Z songs of all time.  When Dame Dash and Shawn Carter split, M.O.P. was put in an awkward position as Dame retained their services.  They ended up leaving Dash in May of 2005.  This song is off of their upcoming album The Foundation (dropping September 15th), an album which I've been looking forward to for a while now. I've also included the "U Don't Know Remix" off of Jay's The Blueprint2: The Gift & The Curse and the promo single for Slaughterhouse's debut album, "Woodstock Hood Hop." Prepare yourself. The hardcore returns September 15th.

Peace, Love, & Hardcore,
Noah


"Crazy" (feat. Termanology)

"Woodstock Hood Hop" (w/ Slaughterhouse)

Donny Goines - "Dream Awake" (Prod. Nastee)

You knew I wasn't gonna leave you without the perfect way to start your morning.  Check the best song I've heard all week courtesy of this NYC emcee.

No matter what, Imma make it to the top,
I'm here now, I'm just waitin' for my shot.
And one day you'll believe I'm great,
But right now I just dream awake.


Peace, Love, & Hip Hop,
Narcoleptic Noah

K. Sparks - "Blind Man" X "Let Me Fly" f. Julius Francis

Today's post comes courtesy of the Queens emcee K. Sparks.  I'll be the first to admit that I haven't heard nearly enough of this artist as he deserves.  Sparks has evidentely been around for a while, releasing four mixtapes and three underground albums.  After hearing these two absolutely beautiful songs, I definitely plan on checking them out and suggest you do as well.

Peace, Love, & Hip Hop,
Noah





"Blind Man"

"Let Me Fly" (feat. Julius Francis)

A Hip Hop 101 Aloha

I guess this post is a hello and and a goodbye.  I'm headed back East to NYC for my second year at school (so drop me a line if you're in the city).  So, even though it's not where you're from, it's where you're at, I'm kind of inbetween right now, so I'm going to drop you two tracks from artists from both of my homes.  The first is by Seattle's KnowMads.  It's called "Home," the opening track off of their sophomore album, and one of my favorite songs about going away/coming home.  The second track needs no introduction as it is Nas' classic "N.Y. State Of Mind" off his debut Illmatic.

Peace, Love, & Hip Hop,
NY-Bound Noah


"Home"