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Posts tagged Drake
Mary J. Blige: My Life II…The Journey Continues (Act 1)
Born Mary Jane Blige on January 11, 1971 in Savannah GA, Mary J. was raised in the housing projects in Yonkers, NY. Mary got her musical start, when her stepfather passed along a tape she recorded in a karaoke machine in the local mall, to Uptown records. She was signed up with Uptown records as a background singer for local artist. While at Uptown, Sean “Puffy” Combs became her mentor and assisted her with the production of her first album in 1991, What’s the 411? With her bad girl urban image, Mary has always been known for sharing her life and all its drama in her music. Her musical sound has afforded her comparison with such great musical artists as Chaka Khan and Aretha Franklin. While she may share the vocal strength of these artists, she did not have their sophistication until recently. Her bad girl image has since been mellowed with a bit more maturity and class.
The Best and (Unfortunately) Worst Rap Albums of 2011
Wiz Khalifa, Lupe Fiasco, J.Cole , Lil Wayne, Jay-Z & Kanye West, Drake, Big Sean, Wale, The Weeknd
In 2011, rap music evolved and went to new heights and also some incredible lows. This was the year of the mixtape come-up, as many underground artists released official studio albums. While many already mainstream artists disappointed, some represented well and maintained their place in the genre.
Starting in early spring, Wiz Khalifa released Rolling Papers, which was a success primarily because of his Billboard topping “Black and Yellow” and the popular track “Roll Up.” The album was pretty solid, and even though I found his mixtapes, especially Kush and Orange Juice, to be better, I still have faith that the new Snoop Dogg of our generation shows promise. In the same spring season, Lupe Fiasco released his third studio album, Lasers. I hated it, and so did Lupe according to Complex magazine. This record was too commercialized for a non-Hollywood artist. Although “The Show Goes On” remains his most successful single to date, that does not replace the “Kick, Push” days his loyal friends miss. Comeback Lupe, seriously.
The summer had its batch of uproar as well. Big Sean finally released Finally Famous…but that was the problem: he already did, or the same title at least. Personally, Finally Famous was neither bad nor good- it was indifferent. It did not move me, it was just there. The singles on the album, “Dance” and “Marvin Gaye & Chardonnay” make great club bangers, but that is it. It was a party record, not much depth compared to his early Kanye-esque days.
And then in August came the absolute best and worst of 2011. In the early half, Jay-Z and Kanye West released the best rap album of the year and perhaps one of the best rap album collaborations of all time. Watch the Throne was brilliance. Some argue that it was too flashy and cocky (blame “Otis” and “Who Gon Stop Me”) but that was the point. Whether you loved it or hated it, you felt some way about it, and you probably were a passionate fan or hater. Then in late August came that disappointment or tragedy known as Tha Carter IV. Lil Wayne was not there in this one, and the huge high (over 975,000 units in the first week) and drop of this album in sales and continuum shows. Who still talks about this album now? Exactly.
Fall had a more fair balance of interest and talent. J. Cole released The Sideline Story and it was phenomenal. For a debut studio release, J. Cole lived up to the hype and really brought the fire. I even dare to argue that the record was more impressive than Drake’s Thank Me Later. The record hit #1 on the Billboard charts without a chart topping single or widely mass promotion. If it was not for Cash Money, who knows if Drake’s album would have been as stellar. Speaking of not so great albums, Wale’s Ambition annoyed me. It was redundant and got played out faster than a Rebecca Black single. I still question Wale’s fan base, but I suppose he is just a local East Coast phenomenon…and most likely will stay that way. And then there was Drake. Take Care, the widely successful rap album wowed millions. I was not one of them. I found it very slow and overrated and lacked the balance of intensity and smoothness of his debut album. I feel as if it was a slow jam record that mirrored his old mixtape styles. Perhaps that was the point, and although I do compliment him on his level of depth and creative risk, I feel this gimmick should be re-evaluated.
As the winter arrives, it reminds me of who I felt was this year’s breakout rap artist. If you heard House of Balloons,there is no doubt that The Weeknd was the surprise hit act of 2011. Releasing three incredible mixtapes this year (House of Balloons, Thursday, and most recently Echoes of Silence) the entire trilogy collectively rivals the work of many of these mainstream studio artists. At just 21, Abel Tesfaye shows more than just promise, put potential to be one of the most artistic rap lyricists around. Shortly after its online debut, the highly anticipated Echoes of Silence mixtape downloading caused his fan site to crash, which shows how much the world is waiting for his studio release.
As for 2012 predictions…who will dominate? Hopefully not Nicki Minaj, but I feel it coming with this sophomore album. Perhaps, Tyler the Creator, or T.I. or the rumored releases of more Jay-Z and Kanye albums. But one things for sure, if Outkast actually comes out with their speculated comeback record…it is over, even for The Throne.
- Ernest Owens, Ernestly Speaking! (Saturdays from 8-10pm @ WQHS.org)
Drake: Take Care
After I heard it, my heart stopped. That was it. That was what I anticipated for over a year. It was the hip-hop soundtrack to the film Titanic. It was basically the perfect R&B album, but stuck with a hip-hop label. Aubrey “Drake” Graham said Thank Me Later with an incredible debut and we all did. Now with his sophomore release of Take Care-that is exactly what I want to say as I leave this album at the bottom of my pile of disappointments.
Dizaster vs. DNA: Finally, it went down!
I was expecting to open up the KingOfTheDot YouTube page to find the above video uploaded last Monday- its reported date of release. Instead, the video was so long, it took another day and a half for it to drop. Finally on November 15th, it made its way to thousands of computer screens worldwide. But the question is, after waiting all this time for this video to be released, was my battle-hunger fulfilled? Yes. However, this week on my radio show The Slapback, I chose not to do my round of the week on this battle for two reasons. First, the whole video is a little over one hour, so to highlight a clip would seriously bore my listeners (the rounds were set to be 3 minutes, with the last being unlimited time). Second, I felt that this battle had no highlights; instead, it was pure insanity.
J Cole : Cole World: The Sideline Story
After three successful mixtapes, many guest musical guest appearances, and some saucy tabloids (rumors of dating pop star Rihanna), Jermaine Lamarr Cole, artistically known as “J.Cole,” may perhaps prove in his debut album that it just may soon be a “Cole World” after all. The substance is there. The lyrical flow is distinct enough to set him apart from other likewise upcoming artists such as Big Sean, Kendrick Lamar, and Wiz Khalifia. Such a well sought out introduction also proposes a challenge to the rising hip-hop prince, Drake, as he will soon release his debut album later this fall.
Lil Wayne: Tha Carter IV
The time has come. Three years in the making—the anticipation is over. He told us he was “Sorry 4 the Wait,” but perhaps Lil Wayne should apologize for more. With the album release date redundantly pushed back, lukewarm singles, and a distasteful appetizer-like mixtape that is almost as blasphemous to hip-hop as some of the artists featured on it (i.e. Lil B), “Tha Carter IV” unfortunately fails to live up to all the hype that it spent in the making. Yet, it is not so much the lyricism or production of the album that is to blame but the fact that Lil Wayne himself is not moving in his music; an error that hints at the demise of a once unstoppable artist.
Watch The Throne: Jay-Z & Kanye West
I anticipated the wait. I saw the special documentary on Jay-Z’s popular “Life & Times” blog. I have followed every up and down since both men announced officially in October 2010 that they would collaborate together. And on midnight August 8, 2011, I download (legally) what would be so far the best rap album I have heard this year. Watch the Throne, the new debut album from the superduo “The Throne” (Jay-Z & Kanye West), sends their message loud and clear: real hip-hop is back and ready to evolve.
