Skee-Lo - "I Wish"

I wish I was a little bit taller,

I wish I was a baller...

Not much explanation is necessary for this song.  The title-track off of Skee-Lo's 1995 debut is simply a classic hip hop track.  I'm sorry that I've been absent lately, but I plan on posting 1-2 times/day consistently now that I'm back in school, so look forward to it and keep your eyes and ears out for That's That Mixtape, Vol. 9, coming in the next couple weeks.

Skee-Lo - "I Wish"

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.

Common Market - "Re-Fresh"

The first time that I heard this song, I was hooked.  Five years later, the blaring trumpets of Sabzi's instrumental and the smooth, effortless wordplay of RA Scion still serve as a beautiful reminder of why I first fell in love with Common Market's music.  The first track off of the group's self-titled debut album, the golden age sound of "Re-Fresh" sets the tone for what was likely my favorite album of 2005.  While the passing train at the beginning of the song alludes to the intro on Nas' groundbreaking Illmatic, the next fourteen tracks back up such lofty comparisons.

Nappy Roots - "Good Day" (feat. Gregg Street)

I picked this song because it has a similar feel to my previous post.  With the chorus of children and piano sample, "Good Day" provides a lighthearted backdrop to any summer soundtrack.  The lead song off of The Humdinger, this 2008 song is probably my favorite song by the Georgia/Kentucky/Oakland group Nappy Roots.  Enjoy.

Previous: What's In Rotation, Vol. VI

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"

Sol - Dear Friends, Vol. II

The first thing one notices when listening through the latest offering from this twenty-one year-old Seattle emcee is the refined sound throughout the project.  Productionwise, Solzilla's latest features laid back synth-based instrumentals reminiscent of the backdrops on J.Pinder's Code Red FreEP, released earlier this year.  Unlike Code Red, which featured production from the likes of Seattle legends Jake One and Vitamin D, the Seattle's next generation of producers, Ill Pill, Jack The Ripper, Smile Future, and DJ Green take the helm for the production on Dear Friends, Vol. II.

As far as the emcee himself, Dear Friends, Vol. II represents a huge artistic group for University of Washington junior.  While the first incarnation of the series saw Solzilla at times outmatched by guest artists like Grynch, Vol. II sees him holding his own against fellow next generation Seattle artists J.Pinder and Grynch as well as 206 legend Geologic.  The content addresses pretty much what you would expect from a twenty-something college student, discussing one-night stands ("Not The One") and love of the reefer ("So Damm High," "Spliff Remix"), but also addressing the short 15 minutes of fame that artists receive in the genre ("Cruise Control").  Even the tracks that address the prior subjects prove to be fairly conscious and don't sound like one-diminsional pop songs in any which way.

At the end of the day, Dear Friends, Vol. II is a cohesive project that is a major step forward for Sol as an artist who is sure to be a leader for the next generation of Seattle hip hop.  Hit the jump for the download link/tracklist:

Symmetry & Ryan Lewis - "Feel Right"

This song is listed as "Hip Hop/Rap" in my iTunes library along with the other eight songs off of Symmetry and Ryan Lewis' self-titled 2009 album.  While other songs on the Rhode Island emcee and Seattle producer's album such as "Make Me Yours" and "Back And Business," have more hip hop elements (aka rapping), "Feel Right" transcends genre categorization with synth-heavy beats, an eerilly catchy melody, and a rock drum beat topped by a stirring chorus.  The result is a song that sounds like Franz Ferdinand meets Muse meets MGMT meets Kanye West and provides us with further evidence of Mr. Lewis' brilliance as a producer.  If you like what you hear, I highly suggest downloading the entire album (link above) as well as his critically-acclaimed project, The Vs. EP, which he recorded along with Seattle emcee Macklemore and was one of my favorites of 2009.

Peace, Love, & Hip Hop,

Knowledgeable Noah

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