Is it all just about heartbreak for Yeezy?

Happy Valentines Day,
I hope its been good to you.

Kanye West is one of my favourite artists of all time from an artist standpoint and also as a producer. Recently I was listening to his 4th studio album, 808's & Heartbreak (2008). I like this album but it got me thinking, what is his best work? As I got deep into thought I finally compiled the order of Kanye's past 8 albums (inc. Watch the Throne) of worst to best in my opinion. This can get quite controversial but let's get into it.

Check it out and tell me if you agree...

8. The Life of Pablo (2016)

7. 808's & Heartbreak (2008)

6. Yeezus (2013)

5. Late Registration (2005)

4. The College Dropout (2004) 

3. Graduation (2007) 

2. Watch the Throne (2011)

1. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010)

TBT: G.O.O.D Music's Cruel Summer: Sample Breakdown

Best Songs of January 2017

To kick start the new year we have some heat dropped from all different angles. Make sure to check out the links below so you don't miss out!

10. Tory Lanez - Proud Family

As part of his Chixtape 4 Tory blesses us with this smooth noughties style track with his own spin on it. Featuring a sample of Destiny's Child 'Proud Family' theme.

9. Joe Trufant - No Questions

It's probable you haven't heard of Joe Trufant. He's quite established on Soundcloud but hasn't blew up to the mainstream yet. Another smooth track here, that has a unique style of his own combined with a Toronto style, perhaps like PartyNextDoor.

8. Migos feat. Gucci Mane - Slippery

Following their long awaited album, Culture, the Atlanta trio dropped some heat with legend of the streets, Gucci Mane. Hard 808s, a wild synth lead and the Migos flow; straight fire.

7. B.O.B feat. CyHi The Prince - Scary

Sticking with the Atlanta theme, B.O.B and CyHi drop a very hard track. It's a little different from both of their previous work. This having much more of a trap influence to it.

6. Dave East feat. G Herbo & Don Q - No Hook

 Very Hip-Hop and New York influenced. Guitar riffs layered behind hard drums also layered behind the solid bars produced by the three. This track is based on straight bars, listen close...

5. Tory Lanez feat. A$AP Ferg - Bal Harbour

Tory graces us once again with a slow Toronto style track with Harlem's A$AP Ferg, who surprisingly fits the track quite well. Off of his New Toronto 2 tape, check it out.

4. DMX feat. Swizz Beatz - Bain is Back

Two of the games veterans Swizz and DMX return together for an aggressive track very reminiscent of the old DMX. Spitting over what sounds like a siren they warn everyone to remember who the two of them are and where they came from.

3. Migos feat. Travis Scott - Kelly Price

Frequent collaborated of Quavo, Travis steps on a track with him, Offset and Takeoff to give us a dark trap song with a heavy influence of Scott himself. Very chill let pumped at the same time, this is definitely worth the listen.

2. Migos - T-Shirt

They're back for the 3rd time on this list. A huge hit off their album, Culture. Heavy bass, great chorus and lots of Migos ad-libs! If you haven't heard it yet, why not!? Press play!

1. J. Cole - High For Hours

Not too long after his album, 4 Your Eyez Only, Cole's back with a funky yet contemporary track. Bars, bars, bars! Nothing less of what's expected from Jermaine and definitely a clear winner for best song of the month, in my opinion.

Is it all just hype?: XXXTENTACION

Jahseh Onfroy, coming from South Florida, has blown up like crazy as of recent. He undergoes the stage name of XXXTENTACION and has released many viral hits such as 'Look at Me', 'ILOVEITWHENTHEYRUN' and '#ImSippinTeaInYoHood'. Just these 3 songs have generated just over 10 million views on YouTube (at the time of this post).

It's quite sudden and abrupt that he has gained all of this hype. He's been credited by recent XXL Freshmen also from South Florida, 'Denzel Curry' and also A$AP Rocky.



All this recent recognition and hype of the young artist got me questioning, is that all it is? Just hype?

He has generated a whole new style of flow which is explainable to put into words you really need to listen to it. He makes songs to rave to and to see live so bars aren't a necessity in this case. It's more about aggression, a flow and a hook. He checks all them boxes with a fat tick. He fits in that dark yet pumped sub-genre in rap along with artists like Chris Travis and $uicide Boy$. If that's the genre he is trying to get into all competitors need to be aware and up their game because he is coming not looking to make slow progress.

However, from a rap stand point he doesn't deserve the hype he's being getting. He's not too lyrical and also needs better structure of his raps to deserve the hype he's been receiving. He seems very versatile however after listening to a lot of his work. He's very underground as of yet, maybe too underground to get into mainstream in order to get proper recognition for himself as a rapper.

We'll have to wait and see, he's currently behind bars at the moment but says he has lots of projects in the works. I do like him though and see a lot of potential in the young artist if he focuses on perfecting his craft and stays out of trobule.

NEW LIL WAYNE!!!

Continuing his momentous 'Tha Carter' series, on a fan page of Wayne and Young Money a short preview of a track named 'Life of Mr. Carter' from his upcoming album 'Tha Carter 5'

Check the snippet out yourself, down below...

A Sneak Peek Of Lil Wayne's "Life Of Mr. Carter" Song Off "Tha Carter V" #lilwayne #lilwaynehq #thacarterv #thacarter5 #lifeofmrcarter

A post shared by LilWayneHQ & YoungMoneyHQ (@lilwayneymhq) on Jan 17, 2017 at 7:59am PST

UK: Oldies vs Newbies

The veterans of UK Grime/Rap music are people like Giggs, Skepta, Wiley, Dizzee Rascal, among others who laid the blueprints for many people after them to follow and have a platform that the UK was previously missing. People like Krept & Konan, Bugzy Malone, Chip and others took and made use of this but recently my attentions being drawn to people like:

 

67

MoStack

J Hus

 Mist










I've read comments about them and on their videos and noticed that people glorify their music like it's the best thing to come out of the UK. I needed some time to process this, have people just forgotten about the OG's? Dizzee, Giggs, Wiley, have they just forgotten about the founders of the UK grime and rap. I know that just because they did it first it doesn't mean they are better but does 'Boy In Da Corner' or 'Playtime Is Over' mean nothing to these people!?

I've noticed a transition in rap music in general that all people care about is a good beat and a catchy title. Real bars and a message or story doesn't count for much any more. I feel this new generation of UK rappers are lacking exactly that, bars and a story. Some have one of these but can't combine the two together which is why, for me, they can't be compared with the likes of Kano and Wiley.

The quality of music from the UK is slowly getting poorer in my opinion. It seems like an artist has a new video and track on GRM Daily or Link Up TV EVERYDAY. It's like they will make a half complete track and just let it out , on the production side or artists side.

A lot of listeners are quite young however and the veterans, as mentioned, may have been too soon for a lot of these. I'm a young adult myself, but I'm aware that other young adults may not have give some of these artists enough time to resonate with them. All they know is these new artists and their music.

There are a few rappers that still keep this torch alight however, like Dave, Wretch 32, Krept & Konan as well as some others.

This is kind of similar to my 'Is it all hype?: XXXTENTACION' post not too long ago, be sure to give that a read.

Watch our for CTRL!

TDE's SZA has had fans on hold for her album for some time now, well the label has according to the singer. Anyway we've all been itching for it to be released or even just have some more information on the project.

Well, fear no more although the album hasn't been released we have told the album will be titled 'CTRL'. Though this isn't much it's progress from being left completely in the dark and by SZA letting this out it may indicate that CTRL is soon to come...