You try to get up from your chair but you just manage to stumble and barely catch your own fall. Yep, it snuck up on you pretty hard. You thought you could...
There is power in the words we speak. I’m a firm believer that we often speak certain circumstances into our lives, be it good or bad. This is not to...
Bilal is one of the most underrated artists…..period. Chances are that even if you don’t know his name, you’ve heard his voice before. He was featured on Lupe Fiasco’s “How Dare You”, from his latest project, Food & Liquor 2….and Erykah Badu’s infectious groove with Lil Wayne, “Jump Up In The Air (And Stay There)”.
On February 26, 2013, he released his long-awaited CD, A Love Surreal. If you haven’t heard it yet, you definitely need to add this to your collection. 1st Born Second is my favorite CD from him, but this one is still top-notch and has a mellow feel to it. On “West Side Girl”, you can hear his Prince influence. But he still makes the song funky and creative in his own way. This is definitely one of my favorite tracks from A Love Surreal. Check it out below…
Also, here’s a throwback from his 1st Born Second CD. This song is called “Love It” and was one of the singles from the CD. Do you remember this one? 12 years later and this song still sounds as great as it did when it was first released.
Hip Hop is at interesting state right now. It’s unfair to say that all of it consists of fluff chart toppers (ahem….2 Chains, Flo Rida, etc), because there are definitely some artists bringing true lyricism and substance (Lupe Fiasco, Nas, etc). Meet J.A. (Jarrett Adams), a native of Marion, IN . I’ve actually been listening to his music for a while now. He started off as a Christian rapper and now has transitioned to reach a broader range of people. J.A. proves what many artists seem to miss…..secular doesn’t necessarily mean you have to talk about frequent sex with women, spending millions of dollars and violence. You don’t have to quote scripture every minute either to appeal to Christians and bless them either. J.A. states that one of his main goals is to “… inspire people with my music, be honest and change the face of Hip-Hop. It’s so negative, I want to show people that it can be positive too.”
J.A. has an impressive work ethic that is parallel to few. On July 24, 2012, he released the Shots mixtape, an honest, conceptually creative and catchy collection of tracks which has already gotten nearly 7,000 downloads. On Wednesday (12.12.12), he released his second mixtape, Carnivals and Nightmares. Not even Prince and Tupac can boast 2 quality music releases in less than 6 months, lol. Carnivals and Nightmares picks up on the high note that Shots left off on. He’s not afraid to tackle relevant issues in today’s society. On “Obama”, the 2nd single lifted from Carnivals and Nightmares tells his side of the story on being a young successful African-American male and being discriminated against. The production here is edgy and addictive, much like the song’s verses. Also, the song’s producer, Zone Beats, has some of the stand out tracks on Carnivals and Nightmares and Shots.
Make sure you download the Shots and Carnivals and Nightmares mixtapes for free at www.officialja.com! Both of the mixtapes are short in length, but that’s definitely not a bad thing. J.A. understands that quality is way better than quantity, as every track on both mixtapes is a true standout. Be on the lookout for big things from J.A. in the future. Considering his serious work ethic, he just may have another mixtape out before the Summer of 2013. If you want to hear some real Hip Hop, then look no further than Shots and Carnivals and Nightmares. Check out one of the tracks from Carnivals and Nightmares below called“Kendrick’s Closet”.
In the last couple of weeks, we have witnessed the release of two of Hip Hop’s most anticipated CDs this year. Kanye West Presents G.O.O.D. Music’s Cruel Summer and Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor II…The Great American Rap Album Part I sold 200,000 copiesand 100,000 copies in their first week’s respectively. But do the record sales reflect the quality of each CD? Does Cruel Summer have too many guest appearances to make it a solid CD? Is Lupe Fiasco too conscious for fans and maybe going over their heads?
Check out the video for the full review on what I thought about each CD. Cruel Summer vs. Food & Liquor II…which one is better?
On this week’s Bump It or Dump It?, there’s literally something here for everybody. Check out the songs below that cover everything from R & B to Gospel to Rock and Rap. What are your thoughts on these songs?
Anita Baker: Lately
Anita Baker dropped off the music scene to focus on family life after the massive success of 1994’s Rhythm of Love CD. Who could forget her hits “Rapture”, ”I Apologize”, “Body and Soul” and “Giving You The Best That I Got”? But, on October 23, 2012 she will release her new CD, Only Forever, after almost 10 years of silence. Her first single “Lately” (a remake of Tyrese’s1998 hit) is already breaking records with having the highest debut single on the Billboard Urban Adult Contemporary Chart in over 15 years. I must admit, she did a great job on this remake and really made the song her own. Her voice has not changed one bit…and neither has her image. But the response of fans shows that while she was gone, she was definitely not forgotten.
Lupe Fiasco: Bitch Bad
We reward lies and avoid shining light on the truth. But leave it to Lupe Fiasco to always tell it like it is, from his perspective. Not since “Dumb It Down” has he attacked the current state of Hip Hop in a single as he does with “Bitch Bad”. If you can get past the title, the message here is one everyone needs to hear. Lupe Fiasco’s last studio CD, Lasers, didn’t take off with fans as some of his previous work (i.e. The Cool). But after listening to “Bitch Bad” I’m sure he’ll reel in some of his old fan base, as well as gain new fans. The basic message here is that music is glorifying the term bitch as a good thing, instead of what it really is. The video’s concept also touches on blackface and the actors, such as Paul Robeson, who used it. He also take a jab at rapper Lil Webbie here too. Wonder what will come of that. Look for this song to be featured on his upcoming Food and Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album Part 1 CD on September 25, 2012.
Alanis Morissette: Numb
In the mid 1990s, Alanis Morissette could not be touched. She was on every radio station, video music channel and at the top of the Billboard charts. Her most successful release to date, Jagged Little Pill, spawned 4 huge hit singles: “Ironic”, “Head Over Feet”, “You Oughtta Know” and “Hand In My Pocket”. Her first 2 CDs were only released in Canada, but with Jagged Little Pill, she struck gold…or rather platinum, 15 times over in the US alone. Now she’s back with her 8th studio album, Havoc and Bright Lights, released on August 28, 2012. I’ve always thought she was one of the best songwriters in the music business, no matter how disturbing her lyrics are. “Numb”, featured on her new CD is nothing short of disturbing, but I still like it. Check out her live performance from her upcoming tour DVD, Havoc and Bright Lights.
Toby Mac featuring Lecrae: Forgiveness
I recently purchased Toby Mac’s new CD, Eye On it. I’ve heard several of his songs before, but never purchased any of his music. But after hearing the single “Me Without You”, plus a few other tracks, I decided to purchase it. And I was definitely glad that I did. Many of the tracks on this CD shine, but “Forgiveness” really stands out to me. The song features Gospel rapper Lecrae, who ironically doesn’t even rap on the track. Lecrae’s new CD, Gravity, will be released tomorrow, September 4, 2012. “Forgiveness” simply speaks about it being something that we all need at some point in our lives. The song is very powerful and I think this will be a big hit for Toby Mac, should he decide to release this as a single.
