WSG’s message on his latest (and possibly final) full-length studio album is clear: other rappers can’t do it like him.
rap
Meet Banggz, a local Ottawa rapper who just released his latest single “Who’s Gassing Who?”
A University of Ottawa student, inspired by her commute from the suburbs, wrote her complaints about OC Transpo’s service down as lyrics, set them to “Bodak Yellow,” and graced Ottawa with “Bodak Transpo.”
Shad is one of the most charismatic and talented rappers working today, and The Old Prince is filled to the brim with entertaining and thought-provoking hip-hop.
Vince Staples seamlessly blends the best of rap and electronic music.
At the end of the day, for someone who defined so much of what it means to be a pop/hip-hop superstar, I think it’s fair to expect more.
Although the “official” physical release is just getting underway, Run the Jewels 3 is the perfect bookend to one of the worst years ever.
It’s an artist’s job to guide the voice of the people—something Common has always done in his career. With Black America Again, he strikes the right cord at the perfect time, and the result is one of the best albums of the year.
With Gambino almost exclusively producing the entire record, there are tracks that hit every note that you want to hit in a hip hop album—corny, sad, excited, and even political.
Slam poetry or a ‘slam’ is simply the competition between fellow poets, and allows for individual or group performances. The performers and the audience resonate through each other, and vicariously experience what the poets have to share. Through a dance of words it forms a discussion or a debate where the winner is chosen by judges who are typically advocates of the art.
The attention to detail and the variety in instrumentation that Ocean curates on the album is unparalleled, and his maturity shines bright in his songwriting, experimentation, vocal performance, and overall artistry.
In many ways, she chronicles her maturation process knowing that life can end at any minute. This is represented by the skull in the cover art—death is always hanging just over her head.
The compilation album’s eight tracks are equally as jazz- and funk-laden as his previous project. From a subject matter standpoint, the Compton native takes a chance to comment on the Black experience in America, the evils surrounding his hometown, and grappling with rising success.
In reality, it’s equal parts of each as he crafts his manifesto of his relation to the three Pablos. The brash power of Escobar along with his view of himself as a sullen and misunderstood artist much like Picasso. Finally, he relates to Paul the Apostle being a man amidst constant controversy but whose contributions have been so valuable to the music industry.
Using social media for promotion is commonplace in today’s world. Using a disagreement with another artist for self promotion can be a significant tool—but it can also be double-edged sword depending on the outcome.
In many ways, the album is a genuine smile and a rolling tear. Malibu sounds so comfortable and familiar, but also strikingly fresh and new.
The album is a joy to listen to, as the production varies in style but also remains true to the core theme of the album. The content of the record is where it’s worth truly lies. It’s comparable to a reformation of the J.D. Salinger novel The Catcher in the Rye, focusing on the alienation and the painful phoniness of the adult world. It is an exploration of those raised in the Ronald Reagan Era, tackling their skewed identity and fragmented moral compass.
Time freezes in the music world whenever there is a clash of titans. In the hierarchy of today’s biggest hip-hop superstars, Drake and Future are monoliths. Two of a genre’s biggest artists coming together to release a collaborative project is not something you see every day. What a Time to Be Alive is a mixtape …
How Drake’s new mixtape represents a shifting trend in the corporate side of the music industry and an effort to raise record sales.
How one Toronto artist combines hip hop and history to spread the message of black history.
Spencer Murdock reviews one of the most talked about rap albums dropping this year.
Although many have already described Pitbull’s music as a cultural virus, that idea has taken on a whole new meaning after Apple decided to automatically add the rapper’s new album to iTunes.
I’m afraid there will never be a consensus within the black community about the use of the n-word. As we move further away from the Civil Rights movement, its use might become more and more frequent and socially acceptable. However, while vocabulary evolves and meanings can change, we cannot forget the history and pain attached to the word.
You may not have heard of J. Cole, but Spencer Murdock looks into his incredible performance at this year’s Ottawa Folk Fest.
A conversation with Public Enemy rapper Photo courtesy of JasonAlanLayne(CC) No one has ever been able to bridge the gap between politics and peace in hip hop the way Public Enemy has. This comes in part from the genius of lead rapper Chuck D, an artist who creates music that delivers political and social messages. The group …
