Still loving those MVPuppets.
Top 10 Lists about hip hop music. Plus other thoughts on media, technology, politics and culture.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Sunday, December 13, 2009
The Top 10 Hip Hop Albums Of The Decade. #1 Speakerboxxx/The Love Below (2003) - Outkast
It’s one thing to attempt to do something different, it’s another thing to succeed wildly at it. From the moment I first heard “Hey Ya” I knew we were in for a roller coaster ride. Andre 3000 crooning’ and playing guitar? Crazy right? For the rest of his side of the album, Andre kept pushing further and further off the deep end, channeling Prince, Cameo and Rick James, and pursuing whatever inspiration that hit him at the moment. He did all of this while having a blast, rarely rapping but never losing his profound sense of rhythm. It was a complicated balancing act to say the least. But Andre threaded the needle brilliantly.
While Andre was emerging as the Golden Boy -- collecting glamorous friends, winning “best dressed awards” and generally staking his claim to the moniker of “coolest person on the planet” -- Big Boi was serving up his usual offering of top-shelf, dirty south crunk music. While he couldn’t outdo Andre, he certainly outdid himself. He doubled down on the stankiness on his way towards stringing together the most badass tracks of his career, none better than the lead single to contrast with “Hey Ya”, the seductive “The Way You Move”.
Everything about this 29 song, 102 minute opus was left of center, including the fact that the dynamic duo did not really collaborate very much. It was basically a collection of solo singles from two artists headed in two different directions. Conventional wisdom would flag that as a recipe for disaster, but the 11 million copies sold suggests otherwise.
The Top 10 Hip Hop Albums Of The Decade. #2 Graduation (2007) - Kanye West
The Top 10 Hip Hop Albums Of The Decade. #3 Get Rich Or Die Tryin' (2003) - 50 Cent
The 50 Cent character we know today, the part-time rapper, full-time brand manager, hawking everything from Vitamin Water to cologne, is nothing like the guy from 2003’s “Get Rich Or Die Tryin’”. That 50 Cent delivered one of the greatest pieces of gangsta pop music you’re ever going to hear. “Get Rich” was a brilliant collection of menacing club tracks, laced with sweet hooks and phat baselines. Dr. Dre’s impeccable production work, dark, ominous and synthesized into eerie perfection, provided a perfect canvas for 50 to unleash hell on an unsuspecting public.
He started modestly with “Wanksta”, a nifty little put down on wannabe neighborhood big shots. Then he exploded with “In Da Club”, a song with a groove so deep and punch lines so crisp that hearing it a million and one times couldn’t diminish its appeal. What made the album truly special however was the fact that 50 Cent was never overshadowed by all those astounding beats. As a front man he proved to be charismatic and engaging, illuminating his colorful back story with wit and humor. His hunger for rap superstardom fueled every verse, you could hear it in his voice and feel it in his often surprisingly poignant lyrics. “If David could go against Goliath with a stone, I can go at Nas and Jigga both for the throne” he rapped on “High All The Time”, stating his intentions in no uncertain terms.
The Top 10 Hip Hop Albums Of The Decade. #4 The Black Album (2003) - Jay-Z
But Jay-Z never let you forget that he was the true star of the show. For the entire album, he was transcendent. His gifts for bedazzling word play, finger-on-the-pulse culture references and showmanship were all on display. Appropriately however, this was one of the few times where he decided to temper his legendary boasting to offer more introspection, reflecting on a career in the spotlight and offering pieces of himself to his adoring public for his swan song. It was like he channeled everything he’d learned about his craft into delivering his greatest performance during his final hour. From the back-and-forth with himself verses on “99 Problems”, to the frustrated musings on “What More Can I Say” to the sheer audacity of “Interlude”, never has Jay-Z’s star shined so brightly on the strength of such a magnificent display lyrical prowess. “The Black Album” is where Shawn Carter earned my vote as The Greatest Of All Time.
The Top 10 Hip Hop Albums Of The Decade. #5 Tha Carter III (2008) - Lil Wayne
“Tha Carter III” was the culmination of a five year run that saw Wayne transform from also-ran Hot Boy to pop music icon. The statement was bold, fearless and indelible. “Lollipop” was the album’s fire starter, a jittery, Auto-Tuned, fantastic voyage of a record that found its way into every crevice of our collective existence. Then came the succession of world-beating singles that set the summer of ‘08 ablaze. There was “Get Money” for the clubs, “A Milli” for the streets, “Mrs. Officer” for the radio and “Mr. Carter” for the non-believers. Wayne was everywhere. At the height of his ubiquity he seemed to be the only MC available for hire. You might still be a skeptic, but you’ve got to respect the fact that for one moment in time, Wayne and his daring imagination stood above all.
The Top 10 Hip Hop Albums Of The Decade. #6 The Eminem Show (2002) - Eminem
The Top 10 Hip Hop Albums Of The Decade
From the start it was apparent that Lupe was not going to be your average knucklehead rapper. “Kick Push”, his effervescent debut single was the tip off that he was seeking higher ground. The sublime shout out to skate culture was contagious, coasting along on a jazzy mid-tempo groove and sweeping horns. For the full-length album, Lupe proved he had much more in store. Across a diverse set of intellectually demanding tracks, Lupe demonstrated a remarkably high degree of bookish creativity. Pushing boundaries musically and thinking outside of the box conceptually. It was a thoroughly refreshing take on what contemporary hip hop could sound like in the hands of an artist hell-bent on elevating the art form regardless of the commercial implications.
From “Daydreaming”, a subtle indictment on those who perpetuate hip hop stereotypes to “He Say She Say”, his lament on absentee fathers, Lupe was enthralling. And his politically charged tracks like “American Terrorist” and “Hurt Me Soul” could make Chuck D proud. But beyond the attention to detail and verbal sophistication, Lupe showed that he had the gift of flow. His voice was remarkably musical, his verses soothingly fluid. He could rap passages from War And Peace and it would still sound good. Not since Nas’s “Illmatic” had a debut artist delivered a record so mesmerizing. Lupe is indeed a throwback to the days of the true school MC’s. A rapper with a lot to say, the skill to articulate his ideas and the will to follow his own path.
The Top 10 Hip Hop Albums Of The Decade
We all knew from his Geto Boys days that Scarface was a standout rhyme slayer. The cagey veteran has seen a few things in his day. Plus with a voice fantastically suited for gritty storytelling, he’s always been capable of spinning a compelling narrative. But few of us knew that he had “The Fix” in him so deep into his critically acclaimed yet modest solo career. What we got with this album was a first-rate collection of his most absorbing tales, dripping with street wisdom and astute observations; a dead-on survival guide for life in the urban jungle. Rather than feeling like manufactured menace, Scarface’s rhymes rung true. He didn’t have to remind us that he was “keeping it real”; we believed it based on his past deeds and current choices.
There’s also a wonderful thread of spirituality and grace that runs through the album. And Scarface goes out of his way to remind us that while life in the ghetto can be bleak, there is much joy in coming of age there as well -- friendship, family, and the collective striving of a people seeking hard won success. My favorite track on the album, “My Block”, best captures this sentiment. Few hip hop records have ever made me feel so downright proud to be from the hood; feeling fortunate to have escaped but nostalgic nevertheless for the time spent there. In Scarface’s words, "I wouldn’t trade it for the world ‘cause I love these ghetto boys and girls”.
The Top 10 Hip Hop Albums Of The Decade
The Top 10 Hip Hop Albums Of The Decade
The Top 10 Hip Hop Albums Of The Decade - #11-25
The Rest Of The Top 25
The Blueprint – Jay-Z – So many hits, so many extraordinary verses, so much classic material. Jay could have ended it here and still been considered The G.O.A.T.
Stankonia – Outkast – This one softened the world up for “Speakerboxx”. It was every bit as good really, just shorter.
St. Elsewhere – Gnarls Barkley – Hip hop loosely defined and brilliantly rendered.
Watermelon, Chicken & Gritz – The Nappy Roots – The Po Folks anthem. A little Grand Mariner only enhanced the listening pleasure.
Trap Muzik – T.I. – Tip stood out amongst the glut of southern rappers thanks to his whip smart rhymes, liquid flow and infinite swagger.
Be – Common – Common hooked up with Kanye and finally made the album that lived up to our expectations.
AOI: Bionix – De La Soul – If you’re one of those who think De La stopped making music after “De La Soul Is Dead”, then you’ve missed out on one of hip hop’s most prolific groups. If you only cop one album from their unbroken string of gems since then, make it “Bionix”.
The Chronic 2001 – Dr. Dre – It took him a while but Dre came back with a vengance. He got a lot of help from his friends, including Snoop, rescued from No Limit and sounding rejuvenated.
All Of The Above – J-Live – Heady, gimmick-free back-pack rap from a True School legend. Still criminally obscure.
Blazing Arrow – Blackalicious - The Bay Area indie rap darlings earned their rep with this mellow, unassuming treasure.
The College Dropout – Kanye West - Not as focused as the next two albums, but still a game-changing debut from Kanye.
Supreme Clientele – Ghostface Killah - This is where Ghostface established himself as the most outstanding Wu Tang soloist.
Reflection Eternal – Talib Kweli & Hi Tek - The combination of Talib's exquisite mic skills and Hi Tek's masterful board work was unstoppable.
The Marshall Mathers LP - Eminem - Eminem emerged as quite likely the best rapper alive at the time with this avalanche of scathingly insightful, utterly stupendous rhymes.
The Minstrel Show – Little Brother -
Thursday, December 03, 2009
Is Tiger Woods An Idiot?
So why take the chance then Tiger? Why jeopardize the $100 million salary, the beautiful wife and family and the masterfully crafted image? I can only surmise that Tiger Woods can’t be that stupid. Nor was Bill Clinton or Kobe Bryant or Michael Jordan or any of the others on my list of knuckleheads.
I now have to concede, as my wife has reminded me each time, that there is something else going on here. Something more innate, something dark lurking in the souls of men. Maybe he, maybe they all, do indeed think that they are above the law. That the rules of commitment and trustworthiness don’t really apply to them. Maybe they just think they are too smart to get caught or so rich that they can buy their way out of any situation. Or maybe the rush of power chemically alters men’s brains, affecting them in ways us mere mortals can’t understand? The God Complex manifested perhaps.
For sure mere mortals also cheat. Everyday nitwits who don’t deserve their wives still somehow figure it’s ok for them to seek a little action on the side. But while no less shameful, the everyday Joes have so much less to lose. They don’t in fact have it all, not even close. Sure they should resist the temptation, if not because it’s their Christian duty, then because they should be deathly afraid of getting caught, of seeing their lives go to shambles…the divorce, the loss of their children, the golden years spent growing old alone in a dingy apartment, eating take out food in their boxer shorts. But Tiger Friggin’ Woods? $1 Billion dollars in career earnings? That’s a lot to bet on a cocktail waitress. Stupidity and arrogance are just not worthy enough to sufficiently categorize such an epic blunder.
So what have I learned? I now know that I can no longer dismiss these “transgressions” as the folly of egomaniacs who are a little too dim witted to realize that they are digging their own graves. There is a larger psychosis going on here that I can never truly understand. Power corrupts? The price of fame is an empty soul? Money can’t buy happiness? I don’t know. The truth is, I don’t know jack. I have questions but no answers.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
DJ Hero puts a spin on music gaming - The Boston Globe
Mixed reviews for DJ Hero. It's tempting, but I can't see myself dropping $120 for it.
Friday, October 09, 2009
Our Favorite Little Luxuries: Finally Boat Shoes For Fall « Luminosity Marketing
by Lamont SwittenbergAnyone who knows me, knows I hate cold weather. I’ve never understood why people get excited about fall just because they get to wear sweaters. Doesn’t that mean it’s gotten too cold to go out without covering up? How could that be a good thing? No, I prefer warm weather and its associated apparel: tee shirts, cargo shorts and my all time favorite…boat shoes.
That’s right, nothing beats a pair of well-worn boat shoes. They’re the height of summer chic as far as I’m concerned. Timeless, yet effortlessly of-the-moment. Rock them with shorts or a suit to improve your look and your mood. No one is happier than me that they’ve made a massive resurgence over the past few years. I’ve seen them all over the streets of NYC this summer, being worn by everyone from celebrities, to hipsters to slackers. And yeah, rich prep school boys still wear them as well. Even the hip hop crowd has gotten into the act, with Jay-Z name dropping boat shoes in his rhymes, while Kanye sports them on his frequent appearances on the Ellen Degeneres show. I never thought I’d say it, but boat shoes are on fire.
Alas, one of my biggest disappointments about winter is that it forces me to put away my rather impressive collection of Sperry Topsiders. No matter how tempting, I just can’t bring myself to throw on a pair of socks with my Sperry’s while traipsing off to work on a brisk October day. Socks with boat shoes is a look that even the most badass hipsters can’t pull off, no matter how ironic their facial hair. So, from October to April, boat shoes are generally relegated to the bench.
That is, until now. This season designers have finally figured out that boat shoes are far too cool to spend 6 months of the year languishing in the back of the closet. They’ve come up with boat shoes that actually work year-round. John Varvatos, always the innovator, is leading the pack with a killer pair of suede ones in a color called “Night Sky” (i.e., black) that he describes as “a unique concept of a high-top boat shoe”. Whatever, they’re smokin’. Timberland has also joined the parade, bringing to the forefront their Classic Handsewn Boat Shoe (the one with the lug sole that we all sported back in the 80’s). In an ambitious attempt to jump on two trends at once, they’ve even added a new wrinkle; the classic is now customizable at Timberland’s DIY store on its website.
For its part, Sperry Topsider is not sitting idly by, waiting for spring. They’re hyping their own high-tops (the Original Authentic Chukka Boot) on their site. They’ve also formed a partnership with J-Crew, offering an exclusive pair of “Sperry Chukka’s” on J-Crew.com. My favorite offering however, is a line they’ve come up with that is designed by hipster legends, Band Of Outsiders. These kicks offer a subversive and thoroughly modern take on the Topsider aesthetic. A broad range of colors is available, from a sublime blue/red suede pair to a slick black leather offering. In any form, they’re swell and they make me long for fall more than any cardigan ever could.
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Wednesday, September 23, 2009
The Top 10 Rap Songs About New York City
Jay-Z's "Empire State Of Mind", featuring the vocal stylings of Alicia Keys is a big wet kiss shout out to New York City. Extolling all that is righteous about New York, Jay's occasionally clever punchlines save the track from itself when it threatens to go from anthemic to sappy. Seeing Jay-Z perform this song several times over the past few weeks got me to thinking about the many other rap songs that have been dedicated to rappers' love of the big city. Ever since the dawn of hip hop, MC's have felt the need to confess their love for the city that invented the art form. Jay-Z himself has dedicated a half-dozen or so songs and countless verses to his beloved Brooklyn.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Friday, September 11, 2009
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Wednesday, September 02, 2009
Ten Rappers With College Degrees
To offset the devastating news that Roxanne Shante made up the whole story about her having a PHD from Cornell I offer you this list of 10 Rappers whom I'm pretty sure are on the level. There are plenty of rappers who attended college but never graduated, including Diddy, Ludacris, Plies, and a ton of others. But I think this is a list of actual degree holders. Since this is the internet, I don't really have to check my sources or anything so I could be totally wrong here. There are a lot of rumors out there when it comes to rappers and college so don't hold me to this. If you can confirm any others, please do so. Enjoy.
- David Banner (I was as surprised as anybody. Dude also attended Grad School at UMD College Park) - Southern University
- J-Live - (One of the smartest rappers out there so this is quite believable) - SUNY New York
- Pete Nice (Of 80's group 3rd Base, I used to point this bit of trivia out to people way back in the day) - Columbia University
- Kidz In The Hall (they kinda seem like Ivy League lads) - University of Pennsylvania
- Young MC - (One-hit wonder did indeed have something to fall back on) - University of Southern California
- Phonte (Of Little Brother. Like Kidz in the Hall they got their start kicking it in the dorms) - North Carolina Central University
- Guru (Of Gang Starr. His mom, dad and two siblings are all college grads) - Morehouse College
- Scott La Rock (Of Boogie Down Productions. "DJ Scott La Rock sports a college degree..." enough said) - Castleton State College
- Tajai (Of Souls Of Mischief. This is consistent with his erudite flow) - Stanford
- Chuck D (Of Public Enemy. I certainly learned a lot from listening to him) - Adelphi University
"I don't wear it for Pharrell / I wear it 'cause I'm for real" Babe Pirate Store starts tomorrow.
A Bathing Ape Pirate Store
Starts Thursday, 12pm; 286 Lafayette st, btw Prince and Houston; SoHo
Starting tomorrow, the silverbacks of Japanese street wear are setting up shop for just five days, bringing with 'em discounts of 50-70% on select archived & factory second helpings of their frequently colorful polos, tees, buttondowns, jackets, and highly sought-after, oft-laminated leather kicks, though if your chums are all in this year's line of eye-catching Japanese threads, well then won't you feel like the monkey.
Tuesday, September 01, 2009
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
Jay-Z announces benefit concert at Madison Square Garden
Jay-Z announces benefit concert at Madison Square Garden
August 24, 2009
Jay-Z announced plans Monday to unroll his "Blueprint 3" album with a special concert at Madison Square Garden on Sept. 11 to benefit the New York Police and Fire Widows' and Children's Benefit Fund.
The concert - on the same day as Jay's album, featuring the current single "Run This Town" with Kanye West and Rihanna, hits stores - will be broadcast live on Fuse as part of a special "Fuse Presents JAY-Z Live from Madison Square Garden: Answer the Call."
Ticket prices and on-sale information haven't been set yet, but Citi's Private Pass members will be able to purchase tickets first.
"This charity and concert encompass the true spirit of New York City," Jay-Z said in a statement. "We are asking everyone to 'answer the call' and support and honor the families of those that lost their lives in the line of duty. There was true camaraderie and resiliency that this city showed the world in 2001, and we continue that today by taking care of our own."
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I'm gonna need to get a ticket for this.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Music - When Rappers Collide - Joe Budden vs. Raekwon, in Cyberspace and Elsewhere
It was curious, the sling encasing Joe Budden’s right arm on Wednesday night at the Canal Room — curious and uncommented upon. For a rapper so given to transmitting even the mundane details of his life to fans, the omission was notable.
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Less than a week earlier Mr. Budden had posted a video online in which he held a compress to his right temple. “My eye’s swollen,” he noted, and he complained about pain in his shoulder. The reason? He had just been attacked by Raekwon and his entourage, he said, the latest in a string of incidents in what had been until that point a war of words with various members of the Wu-Tang Clan.
On Wednesday night both Mr. Budden and Raekwon performed in New York — Raekwon in a Staten Island park and Mr. Budden with his group, Slaughterhouse, at the Canal Room — and for the most part kept the tensions at arm’s length. But the battle between them, and the larger one from which it stems, has revealed a clash not only of egos but also of generations and technologies.
In May Vibe magazine presented a fan-voted online bracket to determine “The Best Rapper Ever,” the sort of content intended to stir debate. Mr. Budden, speaking in a video posted online, made some disparaging comments about Method Man, who was ranked above him, leading to a flurry of recriminations in radio interviews and YouTube videos. Eventually the two men appeared to reconcile.
Nevertheless, members of the notoriously scattered Wu-Tang Clan, icons of 1990s hip-hop, have rallied. Inspectah Deck released a song in retaliation, and now Raekwon seems to have taken up the battle.
The supposed attack took place backstage at the Los Angeles date of the Rock the Bells tour, at which both Raekwon and Slaughterhouse were performing. According to Mr. Budden and Mickey Factz, another rapper in the room at the time, the incident was being filmed by a member of Raekwon’s camp, presumably so that Mr. Budden’s primary tool, the Internet, could later be used against him.
If so, it was a mark of modern savvy on the part of Raekwon, a product of the 1990s, an era in which hip-hop beefs were just as likely to play out behind closed doors as on records. And even though Raekwon has been steadily releasing music since his breakthrough 1995 album, “Only Built 4 Cuban Linx ... ” (Loud), he remains a classicist. In going online with his gripes about the Vibe list, Mr. Budden was working from an updated playbook, one that most likely caught Raekwon and Method Man, used to the unchallenged public respect of their successors, off guard.
More than almost any other rapper, Mr. Budden has taken to the Internet with ease; he is an active video blogger and Twitter user. In his postings he is alternately comic, irascible, self-deprecating and sharp-tongued. In short, a quintessential Internet celebrity.
Mr. Budden’s online presence has also helped sustain his career since he parted ways with his former label, Def Jam, following one album. Slaughterhouse, his new group, is a quartet of hip-hop formalists — Mr. Budden, Crooked I, Joell Ortiz, Royce da 5’9” — of the sort prized by bloggers. Its strong self-titled debut album, on E1, almost feels as if it had been willed into existence by Internet chatter.
At the Canal Room, in a showcase presented by the radio station Hot 97 (WQHT-FM), Slaughterhouse performed a handful of songs from that album, which was released Tuesday. It was a spirited show, with each rapper standing in awe of the others and then trying to out-rap them. When Mr. Budden demurred from performing “Pump It Up,” his biggest hit, Mr. Ortiz stepped in and did it for him. (Mr. Budden later joined in.)
Just before that Mr. Budden had said, in mock exasperation: “I got a bad arm. My shoulder’s bad.” It was the only reference, albeit an oblique one, that he made to the Raekwon incident during this show; he wisely let the flames die down, at least for one night. (After the show, his manager, Crystal Isaacs, insisted that the sling was needed after Mr. Budden dislocated his shoulder earlier on Wednesday, not in the attack.)
Perhaps, though, Raekwon has learned a few tricks by studying his adversary. He too has an album to promote: “Only Built for Cuban Linx ... Pt. II” (IceH2O/EMI), due next month. And for an artist of the old guard of the street-team era, he’s done an impressive job of transitioning his marketing strategy online.
He still raises real-world concern, though, as evinced Wednesday evening when he performed at Mahoney Playground, in the New Brighton section of Staten Island. The show was part of the CityParks Concerts series, organized in partnership with the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. But with a few dozen police officers securing the premises (including some on the roof of the nearby housing project), this show barely had the feel of a concert.
It was a setup clearly anticipating something far more sinister than the few hundred peaceable fans who turned out to see Raekwon, a local kid turned folk hero. With hundreds of barricades arranged in draconian warrens, the closest fans were left some 20 feet from the stage. “Is it a way for the people to come a little bit closer?” Raekwon asked after his first couple of songs. “I need them a little bit closer, y’all.”
Realizing that the fans couldn’t come to him, at the opening notes of “Daytona 500” he climbed down from the stage and made his way to them, a swarm of police officers and park security in his wake. (Notably, there was a far smaller police presence at the Slaughterhouse concert.)
A few minutes later, having made his point, he returned to the stage, then offered something of an olive branch. “We love Joe,” he said, either in jest or out of deference to the moment. “Tell Joe we love him.”
And by the end of his brief set he had turned reflective. “This is a big privilege for Staten Island. This is something we got to take advantage of,” he said of the park show, which was free to the public. “Enough is enough. All the negativity got to turn to positivity.” Then he thanked the local precinct, the 120th, adding: “Please let us have this. We’ll keep it under control.”
More Articles in Arts » A version of this article appeared in print on August 14, 2009, on page C3 of the New York edition.
I generally turn a deaf ear towards rap beefs these days. It's not because I am taking a stand against violence or negativity. It's just that they all seem so disingenuous. Breaking out only when there is an album to promote. But this thing with Raekwon and Joe Budden has gotten my attention. It seems deeper, more personal and more of a true sea change between the old and the new. Here the Times does a nice job sizing up the conflict, the stakes and the implications.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Loso's Way by Fabolous (lswittenberg Music Review)
Loso's Way by Fabolous Review
lswittenberg wasn't impressed on August 13th :
Rap's Chris Weber shows flashes of genius but again disappoints. Here Fab's superb flow is stifled by bland production and lukewarm cameos.
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Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Top Fast Food Reviews by Chefs - Esquire
In-N-Out Burger voted best fast food in America by guys who should know...chefs. I have to question the merits of any list like this that doesn't include Chick-fil-A.
Friday, June 26, 2009
The Top 10 Rap Songs That Sample Michael Jackson
Some mourn in silence, some celebrate by dancing to classic tunes. I write rap lists. Here is my List of the 10 Best Rap Songs to sample Michael Jackson. Enjoy.
Lamont
Lamont's Lists
June 2009
The Top 10 Rap Songs That Sample Michael Jackson
1. Izzo - Jay-Z (From "I Want You Back" / Produced by Kanye West) - This is the song that ignited Kanye's career, setting off a string of hits where he would leverage sped up soul classics to great effect. Jay-Z matched Kanye's clever idea by bringing forth some of his most captivating rhymes: some outlandish ("Can't leave rap alone the game needs me"), some humble ("I do this for my culture") and surely his most unforgettable hook ever ("H to the Izzo").
2. It Ain't Hard To Tell - Nas (From "Human Nature" / Produced by The Large Professor) - Nas got his start from a cameo appearance on "Live at the BBQ" from a Main Source album. So it's only fitting that the lead single from his remarkable debut album would be produced by the Large Professor. Nas is magnetic, clearly destined for greatness. A young prodigy not unlike MJ himself.
3. O.P.P. - Naughty By Nature (From "ABC" / Produced by Naughty By Nature) - As big a pop smash as any rap song song ever. O.P.P. was simply contagious, thanks in no small part to the killer Motown hit-making machine that wrote "ABC", used liberally here to give O.P.P. its infectious bounce.
4. Breakadawn - De La Soul (From "I Can't Help It" / Produced By Prince Paul) - One of my favorite De La tracks ever, from the highly slept upon classic album "Buhloone Mind State". How appropriate that it comes from one of my favorite sleeper cuts from MJ's "Off The Wall".
5. Got Your Money - Ol' Dirty Bastard (From "Billie Jean" / Produced by The Neptunes) - The Neptunes incorporated the famous opening "Billie Jean" down beat at the Start of "Got Your Money", setting the tone for a catchy little tune from ODB. Kelis's sweet hook almost made you forget ODB's filthy ramblings.
6. Letter To My Unborn Child - Tupac (From "Liberian Girl" / Produced by ?) - Pac at his eerie, poignant best. The "Liberian Girl" sample contributes to the somber mood.
7. You Ain't A Killer - Big Pun (From "With A Child's Heart" / Produced by Young Lord) - Producer Young Lord lifts a nasty baseline from an unsung 1973 Michael Jackson track. Big Pun then does what he always did...spits fire.
8. Good Life - Kanye West (From "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)") / Produced by Kanye West) - Kanye's celebratory hit is propelled by a delicious sample of PYT. To say that it works brilliantly is an understatement.
9. Hey Lover - LL Cool J (From "The Lady In My Life" / Produced by Trackmasters) - The undisputed king of rap ballads scored a Grammy by stacking the deck for this one, enlisting Boys II Men and borrowing some flavor from MJ's opus "The Lady In My Life".
10. All That I Got Is You - Ghostface Killah (From "Maybe Tomorrow" / Produced by Rza) - Ghostface taps Mary J to repurpose the melody from "Maybe Tomorrow". He then pours out his soul and nearly moves us all to tears.
Lamont's Lists: My Favorite Hip Hop Songs Of 2023
For hip hop, 2023 was a year of looking back. The genre reflected upon 50 years of existence by throwing itself a bunch of excellent parties...
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10. Hypnotize - The Notorious B.I.G. (1997) - When thinking through the best songs ever, there are a lot to consider from Biggie's imp...
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"50 years down the line you can start this...'cause we'll be the old school artists. And even at that time, I'll say a rhym...
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20. N.Y. State Of Mind - Nas (1994) - "Inhale deep like the words of my breath, I never sleep 'cause sleep is the cousin of death...