Hip Hop University

Best Subliminal Diss Track, Ever

2011-08-25T18:52:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqJAE4v5DRs

Star is Born by Jay-Z. Basically breaks down how many artists have come up and fell off while Jay has been consistently popular throughout his career.

I seen Mase do it, I seen 'Ye do it
X came through, caught lighter fluid (crack reference)
Still I came through it, clap for 'em
But I'm the blueprint, I'm like the map for 'em
I dropped another classic, made Puff pass it,
Nobody could touch Puff back when Puff had it (saying puff no longer has it)
Wayne scorchin, I'll applaud him
If he keep goin, pass the torch to him (key word, "if")
50 came through, like hurricanes do
I thought I finished his ass at Summerjam Two (saying he beat 50 at SummerJam)
I had the Illmatic, on bootleg (saying Nas' best album was before rap was making money)
The shit was so ahead, thought we was all dead
Wayne did a milli, 50 did a milli
'Ye too but what Em did was silly
The white boy blossomed after Dre endorsed him (saying he couldn't have done it without Dre)
His flow on "Renegade," fuckin awesome, applaud him

[Verse Two: Jay-Z]
Hey, Snoop Dogg did, Nelly came down
Facemob kept the ghetto for the H-Town
Luda moved digits after he moved bitches (saying girls bought his album)
Drake's up next, see what he do wit it
Rule had a run, couple movie parts
T.I. literally wanted to shoot up the charts (TI fell off when he went to jail)
Waddup Jeezy? What it do
Ya remind me of us in early '92 (saying Jeezy's style is old news)
OutKast landed, 3 Thou' was ill
Like a male version, of Lauryn Hill (calling Andre 3000 feminine)
Mobb Deep (Shook) it, but Prodigy took it
a lil' too far, can't fuck wit Brooklyn (self explanatory)
Wu-Tang gangbanged it, Meth ate
Rae took on the date with the Purp' Tape
Passed on to Ason and then Ghostface
They had a hell of a run, standing ovay- aaaaaaaay! (Wu had a good run, but now they're washed up)

It's Good - Wayne Gets Back at Jay-Z's diss from H.A.M

2011-08-24T16:06:00.000-07:00

http://www.hotnewhiphop.com/en/play/s/a4e5e2a-428447/

"talkin' bout baby money, i got your baby money
kidnap your bitch, get that, 'how much you love your lady?' money
i know you fake n*gga, press your breaks n*gga
i'll take you out... that's a date n*gga"

It's been a while since there was a good beef. What's your favorite diss track?

Mine's http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8XK1B4KkZk

Watch the Throne (Deluxe) - Album Review

2011-08-10T19:22:00.000-07:00

DID IT LIVE UP TO THE HYPE?

89% B+

If I had one word to describe this album, it would be SOULFUL. You can tell how deep the lyrics are, and how emotional the production is. You’ll also notice Jay and ‘Ye aren’t trying to fit into the mainstream, which is a lesson I feel they’re trying to teach all of hip-hop. Albums sell more when it comes from the heart. They spend the album spitting honest, loaded lyrics over masterpiece beats.

First, "Thank Me Later" now "Watch the Throne", what's with two-verses per song!? I’m not saying I feel ripped off, but the album really leaves you wanting more, which isn't a bad thing. You have to remember, this album is self-produced by Kanye, with a few well-placed guest producers, which excuses the Chicago native’s lack of lyrical leg work. Meanwhile, Kanye really isn’t being racist in this album, but he draws a spaghetti-thin line.

I give the production an “A”; it’s one of the most well produced albums in years. Since the album was recorded around the globe, you get a feeling of worldliness while listening. At all times there is a strong message to black people everywhere to be united and motivated to succeed. Jay goes H.A.M lyrically throughout the album. I noticed Kanye using more double entendres than usual, probably paying homage to Jay’s style. This album is ahead of its time, so its understandable why it may not be being considered an instant classic. Very few albums are perfect. Watch the Throne is no exception, but I say it lived up to the overwhelming hype.

No Church in the Wild – Frank Ocean delivers, he sounds very familiar to Kanye’s usual artist preferences. Jay raps to the drum perfectly, “Jesus was a carpenter, Yeezy he laid beats”.

Lift Off – Beyonce sounds incredible, as usual, she really owns this song. It’s almost as if this song should be labeled Beyonce feat. Jay-Z and Kanye West. Nothing really impressive from either rapper. Kanye riffs something reminiscent off of 808’s and Heartbreaks. You can tell Jay just wanted to let B shine on this one.

N*ggas in Paris – The beat starts out sounding something like “Bed Rock”, thankfully only until the bass drops. I feel like Jay is paying homage to the similarities between musicians and athletes on this one. Athletes get fined for playing and speaking emotionally, yet unsportsmanlike. Music is the same way, and so is business (both things Jay is familiar with). The artists exemplify why both sports and music should be pure. The rappers brag a little on this one, which was not only expected, but welcome. Kanye says, “don’t let me get in my zone” but does he ever really get into a lyrical zone this whole album? Let’s keep listening for the answer.

Otis – The second single off the album. It has an Otis Redding sample that is classic in every sense, it’s incredible. Kanye once again does what he does best, makes a hard beat around a soulful clip. Nice back and forth bars from The Throne. “I got 5 passports I’m never goin to jail”, “I made Jesus walks, I’m never goin’ to hell” –Jay/Ye.

Gotta Have It - When Kanye says, “turn my headphones up” you figure the song is going to be very lyrical, so he starts out with a line about white America… Anyway, this is a terrific example of an excellent connection between two all-time-great rappers. The instrumental didn’t stand a chance on this track, they beat it like it stole something.

*New Day - One of the most original tracks on the album, produced with help from RZA the Razor, (he hit us with the flavor). This track is about Kanye and Jay-Z’s unborn children. On another classic production, Kanye lets out some blaring insecurities in his verse, and like the entirety of this album, it creates groundbreaking poetry. “I might even make him be Republican, so everybody know he love white people”, Kanye. “Sorry junior, I already ruined ya, cuz you aint even alive paparazzi already pursuin ya”, Jay-Z. This track really speaks for itself, it could be timeless, something like “Dear Momma”.

That’s My Bitch – You can tell Jay was rapping this in front of Beyonce as he let the word bitch get muffled for probably the only time in his career. Kanye goes old school on this track, you can tell he didn’t freestyle this. Jay makes great points about the beauty of black women, and American society’s constant focus on white girls. “You belong with n*ggas who used to be known for dope dealin’, you’re too dope for any of those civilians”. Jay-Z never forgets where he came from in any song he’s ever recorded, and this is no exception.

Welcome to the Jungle – Swizz comes out swingin’ with a beat that makes me think, “All About the Benjamins” mixed with “So Appalled”. Jay brings this one back to the hood and doesn’t stop until he gets all of his emotion out. He spits fire like a flamethrower, like venom out a cobra.

Who Gon Stop Me – Kanye gets our attention right off the bat with a few intentionally muffled bars and a repetitive sample. “I heard Yeezy was racist, well I guess it’s on one basis, I only like green faces”. The beat switches up half way through, and Jay snatches the remainder of the song. You can really tell he’s probably freestyling here, the way only Jigga can.

Murder to Excellence - Yeezy really gets into this one, speaking on a higher level then most other rappers in the game would dare to. He tries to make a point here, taking a stand against gang violence and black-on-black crime, comparing it to genocide. This track reaches everyone no matter what your race; it makes you feel how senseless homicide is. After Kanye finishes with the Murder portion of the song, Jay moves on to black Excellence and the drive to see more black people in deservedly high places, rather than in coffins.

Made in America- Frank Ocean’s hook obviously calls out to those that Hova and Kanye view as kings and queens of history, fitting the title of the album. From Martin Luther King to the Virgin Mary, this is The Throne’s way of thanking those who gave them the spirit and strength to succeed against the odds. Poignant

*Why I Love You – Jay-Z’s masterpiece; he makes his point (moreso than even on “Star is Born”) that he has been the king of rap since Biggy died. Jay has laid out the blueprint of how to make it in rap as he encouraged rappers to be kings and not just soldiers. Jay really is a father of contemporary hip hop, and he feels unappreciated. He feels he’s been repaid with disses by the rappers and critics whom he helped lay the groundwork for. “Made you royalty, royalties…and this is how n*ggas rewarded me”. This is an epic track about triumph and betrayal, not to mention a fitting allusion to Caesar.

Illest Motherfucker Alive –Starting off the deluxe edition, the 3 minutes of silence before the song was very unnecessary. But you gotta love the opera sample. “I mean a lot of n*ggas got money, so basically, Russell (Simmons) ain’t the only Russell”.

H.A.M- like the entire album, just because it’s not what you expected, doesn’t mean it’s bad. It took some getting used to, but for god’s sake, it created the most infamous urban acronym (H.A.M = “Hard As a Motherfucker”) since C.R.E.A.M. H.A.M is a great single, utilizing Lex Luger’s drums with above average effectiveness.

*Primetime – this is what I expected most of the album to be like. A sick beat, crisp rhymes, clever and really fun to listen to. No I.D laid a Kanyesque (new word) beat that lent itself generously to both rappers’ styles. 9^th wonder said that he wasn’t feeling the album because it should have been “scary”… I guess he was hoping for more tracks like this. You can hear the bold, superior lyrics loud and clear. Kanye kills this sh*t. “Damn Yeezy they all gotta be dimes? Well Adam gave up a rib, so mine better be prime”

*The Joy – an excellent track to cap off the album. Both rappers show why they teamed up, and they use some of their most classic, profound flows complimented by Pete Rock and Kanye’s production.

*-very replayable

Reviews Coming Soon

2011-07-21T08:58:00.000-07:00

I was reading some rap album/mix-tape reviews recently and was pretty disappointed. Then I came across XXL and saw that Biggie's "Ready to Die" album didn't receive their highest honors! This inspired me to start writing reviews of current and classic albums. Coming Soon, Enjoy!

Top 8 Rappers All-Time

2011-04-25T21:07:00.000-07:00

In order, based strictly on lyrics, style, and flow. Not album sales or life span. Just to give you an idea of my rap preference.

1 Eminem
2 Biggie
3 Big L
4 Big Pun
5 Jay-Z
6 Nas
7 2Pac
8 Kool G Rap

Promotion Through Rap Lyrics

2010-12-01T15:51:00.000-08:00

How many times have you listened to your favorite song? I would guarantee a lot more than you have watched your favorite commercial. Not only are you listening to songs that you like, but you are analyzing, absorbing, even memorizing the message being presented. Those are key components to any effective advertisement. The reach and frequency of musical verse is extremely immense. So, why don't rappers get paid every time they mention a brand in their lyrics? From Rolex to Rolls Royce, artists are promoting brand names in their music and not seeing a dime for it. The majority of these references are made in good taste concerning well-known brands.

Thus, hundreds of brands are being mentioned for free every day in songs that are listened to by millions of people. For me to begin to quote examples would be an article in itself. Again, the reach and frequency of music is astounding, not to mention that the people listening are doing so intentionally (the commercials afterwards, not so much). The branding in any given hip-hop song on any given radio station is far more effective than the branding in the commercials afterwards. It is a simple concept that has not yet received widespread implementation. Chris Brown was hired for this purpose by The Wrigley Company: See WSJ Article.

Companies could be apprehensive toward paying a rapper to promote their brand because of the negative connotation the genre has with some portion of America. See Time Article. Jay-Z, who is a business owner himself (See Forbes Article), and a host of other artists were giving free publicity to the Cristal brand. However, the company was disgruntled with what most other brands would have celebrated as a welcome increase in sales and brand recognition. After boycotting Cristal, Jay-Z single handedly put Armand de Brignac Champagne (Commonly referred to as "Ace of Spades", "Ace", and "Spades") on the map in the minds of younger, potential champagne consumers. My point is, those who would be upset by a company advertising in rap lyrics probably do not even listen to rap. Sales of Cristal certainly increased with demand by the nightlife industry - an environment frequented by hip-hop fans.

One of the largest demographics that listens to rap is also the hardest to target; males 18-24. These days, I place myself in this demographic, and I can say first hand that branding through music is an extremely effective way to build a brand image. You connect the brand with the feelings, experiences, and emotions you associate with the song. Music is an amazing thing, and a hardly tapped resource for advertising.

To reiterate, if they do not already, companies could use promotion through rap lyrics to expand business. Chances favor that the audience targeted has a positive association with the artist they are listening to. In fact, the brand being advertised has almost nothing to do with the spokesman singing or rapping the lyrics. Instead, the listener will connect the brand only with what the verse or song as a whole makes them feel. Basically, rappers should stop mentioning brands in their songs for free! It is quite difficult to imagine free branding in rap becoming extinct because of its intense prevalence. However, rappers talk about money a lot, and I doubt they would turn down a paycheck to rap about the brands they are already outspokenly fond of.