The Needle & The Groove

Time to tie up some loose ends.  Here are some tracks that dropped this week (and last) that I didn’t get a chance to cover.

• Freeway – “Freeway’s Beard”

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Funny track from Freeway inspired by the Em line “I disappeared, I was hiding in Freeway’s beard”.

• The Game – “I’m So Wavy (Jay-Z Diss)”

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When will people learn taking shots at Jay is pointless?  If Jay doesn’t respond to Wayne, he won’t respond to Game.

• Andre 3000 – “Lookin For Ya”

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Pretty much a throwaway track from 3 Stacks – but this verse is pretty dirty.

• Ludacris – “OG’s Theme”

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This is a reference track fro Dre’s Detox. I love hearing reference tracks, if only to hear a rapper try to mimic the voice/flow of another popular rapper.

• Mickey Factz – “Flyin Balloons”

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One of those rappers that I’ve been meaning to get around to listening to.  Like what I hear here.

• Drake – “The Winner”

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Be interesting to see if Drake maintains his commercial success continues after the “Best I Ever Had” hype is over, probably will now that he’s officially inked with Young Money.

• Jamie Foxx – “Digital Girl (Remix)” featuring Drake, Kanye West,  & The-Dream

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Official version of the track debuted on the Letterman show.  Ye and Drake provide quality verses for the song.

• Ryan Leslie – “You’re Not My Girl”

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Supposed to be the debut single off of his second album – not really feeling this as much – sounds just a little too similar to all his other songs.

• Peter Bjorn and John – “Nothing to Worry About (Mick Boogie & The Kickdrums Remix)” featuring Wale, Young Chris,  Rhymefest

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Really like this song, with 3 quality verses from Wale, Young Chris, & Rhymefest.  Wale also remixed this track for Back to the Feature, I feel compelled to check out Peter Bjorn and John now.

Posted by the Groove

Hello, all readers (plural, because I’m optimistic).  I couldn’t think of a better way to start off the blog than going over the first CD I ever purchased, Outkast’s Aquemini. In a way, its probably why I’m such a rabid hip-hop fan.

Despite being the first CD I bought, its not like my life had been devoid of music prior to ’98 – I had heard tons of rap on the radio, had been peer pressured into asking for Everclear’s So Much for the Afterglow for Christmas, and certainly heard most music that would have been considered for a Now! Collection.  While I flirted with other genres for the next several years (I was in 4th grade after all) – Aquemini was engrained into my music appreciation conscience.  As my tastes changed throughout the years, and CD’s got more embarrassing to own (Sugar Ray’s 14:59, the 1999 US Women’s Soccer Compilation CD), I could continue to listen to my CD with the naked lady on it.  It didn’t become more embarrassing, but quite the opposite.

Outkast – “Aquemini”

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I recognized how much of an oddity Outkast truly was – two opposites, that together made incredible music, hence the title, Aquemini. Big Boi provided the typical rapper persona to the group and pushed it from far left to mainstream and Andre 3000 was always pushing the boundaries and providing incredible lyrical content.  Outkast was unafraid to experiment in a genre that rarely rewards experimentation with commercial success.  The album had features from all across the board – Wu-Tang’s Raekwon, Dungeon Family partner Cee-Lo (long before Gnarls Barkley fame) and even funk legend George Clinton.  The song I’ve decided to share (and believe me this choice was not an easy one) is “Aquemini”, the title track of the CD – and one that took me a while to appreciate.  The first half of the track is at a mellow pace, highlighting the lyrical content of the duo, the second half of the song experiences a complete change of tempo – demonstrating the ridiculous flow Big & Dre possess as well.

Posted by the Groove