Reader Review: Main Source - Breaking Atoms (July 23, 1991)

(After a week of discussing relatively new albums (yes, somehow J. Cole's Friday Night Lights still counts), why not take a look at something most would consider a high point of the genre? Today's Reader Review is for Main Source's debut album Breaking Atoms, a project I kept meaning to get to before Taylor beat me to it. To be fair, I wasn't trying very hard, but hey, any review is better than no review when it comes to starting a dialogue. Leave some notes for Taylor below.)

Main Source was a trio that was originally made up of Toronto deejays Sir Scratch and K-Cut and Queens-based rapper/producer Large Professor. (At first, anyway: LP soon left the group and was replaced by Mikey D, but that's a story for another time.) They came onto the scene dropping science like a clumsy high school chemistry teacher, backed with a jazzy, soulful sound that defined the trio as a whole.

Their debut album, Breaking Atoms, was released on Wild Pitch Records during the golden age of hip hop (back when shit was actually good and when samples could be used without legal recourse), debuting relatively high on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop album chart. It was well-received back in the day and is considered a classic record now, and not just because of the music contained within. Breaking Atoms is also considered to be Ground Zero for the career of one Nasty Nas, who made his recording debut on the posse cut “Live At The Barbeque”, which remains one of the main reasons hip hop heads continue to check for it. Which doesn't explain why Breaking Atoms was out of print until 2008.

I'm guessing you've read enough of the text above and you want to get on to the album review. Well, so do I.

1. SNAKE EYES

Breaking Atoms starts off sounding like the CD player is malfunctioning, but then the funky guitar and deep bass kicks in and the song just grabs you. No need to worry about a weak chorus on here, as it has been replaced by kick-ass breaks. Large Professor (who, although better known as a producer these days, takes to the vocal here as Sir Scratch and K-Cut operate from mainly behind the boards) steps up to the plate and manages to churn out an enjoyable tale sprinkled with some social commentary. This is a nice song to start the album off with: bonus points for it not being an intro.

2. JUST HANGING OUT

Main Source create a beat that's not only addictive, it managed to break the repeat button on my car radio (because it makes for the best cruising music). Trust me, it's that smooth and mellow, but it's also fast-paced and it will get stuck in your head. Large Professor spits some laid-back rhymes about hanging out and chilling with friends that I guarantee you'll remember. If you're not satisfied, you can complain to me and you'll get your hard-earned money back.

3. LOOKING AT THE FRONT DOOR

A tale about fear, dreams and standing up for yourself (at least, that's what I can tell from the lyrics). The group creates another beat that sounds as ominous as it does catchy. I'll have to warn you, once the drums stop and the beat comes in full force, you will be hooked.

4. LARGE PROFESSOR

Here the man also known as Extra P proves why he was chosen to grace the mic on Breaking Atoms. Also, this. Beat. Is. Fucking. Amazing. LP brings his A-game out for show, which is definitely a plus. I don't know how many times I've played this song, but even if you only listen to it once, it sticks with you long after the music fades out. Props to Sir Scratch and K-Cut for letting the beat play when Large Professor stops rapping: I'm sure many people will appreciate listening to the beat by itself.

5. JUST A FRIENDLY GAME OF BASEBALL

I knew that there would be an eventual bump in the road, and I guess this is it. Large Professor earns a gold star for telling a convincing story of paranoia and death, but I did not care for the beat at all, even though I appreciate what they were trying to do (which was to make a dark and ominous track). I prefer the remix over this version: I'll touch on that more in a bit.

6. SCRATCH & KUT

Large Professor doesn't rap at all on this track. Instead, listeners are presented with about three minutes of a banging interlude/instrumental that manages to combine all of the good elements of a rap beat while keeping your interest. Maybe it should be classified as a “song” after all. I have to say, I loved this shit for what it was.

7. PEACE IS NOT THE WORD TO PLAY

This is another favorite of mine. An especially wonderful single verse from Large Professor is paired up with some jazzy production that continues on long after LP walks out of the booth, giving Sir Scratch and K-Cut time to show off their skills to pay the bills. I appreciated the idea how peace isn't really what it is, and I enjoyed their showboating on this one. Not altogether sure if Max would, though.

8. VAMOS A RAPIAR

An old-time saloon-inspired instrumental (co-produced by none other than Pete Rock) provides the perfect backdrop for this Queens-born native to spit stories and boast. The breaks in between the verses were especially entertaining, too, and it was nice to see Main Source letting the instrumental run free for a moment. But only for a moment.

9. HE GOT SO MUCH SOUL (HE DON'T NEED NO MUSIC)

A high-energy bouncy jazz-like track. Large Professor gets his Big Daddy Kane on while a chorus informs listeners that “He Got So Much Soul (He Don't Need No Music)”, all while jazz breaks play throughout the chorus. This was entertaining, but I don't think this is the kind of song that lends itself to repeat listening easily.

10. LIVE AT THE BARBEQUE (FEAT. NAS, JOE FATAL, & AKINYELE)

At long last, the moment you two have been waiting for: the first recorded appearance of Nas. Oh yeah, Joe Fatal and Akinyele appear on this posse cut, too. There's a reason this track appears on the “Classics 104.1” station in Grand Theft Auto IV: it's just that good. After the beat starts and Nas starts rapping, you'll be hooked for the duration of the song. Nas's pre-Illmatic skills behind the mic were evident immediately: he makes you believe that he truly could kidnap the president's daughter without so much as a plan. Joe Fatal's verse is equally good, but I wonder why we haven't seen him in the rap game for, like, ever. (I wonder if he's delivering Max's pizza or washing his car at the moment.) Akinyele's rhymes are loose and easy-going, but I didn't particularly care for them, and Large Professor let his raps run wild as though it were a tiger. With three out of four rappers connecting and an instrumental that rocks, this song remains a winner in my book.

11. WATCH ROGER DO HIS THING

The second bump in the road on Breaking Atoms. I did not care for this beat at all, but I did appreciate Main Source's attempt at being funky. Extra P spits some lyrics about racial profiling, but I found it hard to recall anything specific being said. (Not that the rhymes are bad: they were quite interesting, actually. They just weren't memorable.) This isn't bad enough to warrant hitting the 'skip' button, but I wouldn't be surprised if you tuned out while this was playing.

12. JUST A FRIENDLY GAME OF BASEBALL (BONUS VERSION)

This late addition to Breaking Atoms is a remix that I prefer to the original that played earlier. Main Source craft a beat that just so happens to be more funky and energetic, and LP comes off as more energetic and deadly (if that's even possible: we are talking about Large Professor here). This bangs in the car much more so than the original song, which is a definite plus. (Personally, I was always intrigued by the credits for this remix on the back cover and the liner notes of the album, on which Main Source dedicate this song to “[their] friends in A Tribe Called Quest”.)

FINAL THOUGHTS: Those people calling Main Source's Breaking Atoms a classic? They're absolutely right. You should listen to them. The trio have managed to produce an especially jazzy and funky soundscape, which is perfect for Large Professor to rip shit over. There are hardly any guest spots (except for Nas, Joe Fatal and Akinyele, obviously, but they all pop up near the end), which is definitely a plus, considering how hip hop albums look odd today if they don't feature multiple cameos. Most of the twelve tracks on Breaking Atoms will have you wearing out your repeat button, which helps prove that Main Source forever changed the dynamics of hip hop with their debut project.

BUY OR BURN?: Buy this shit now. This is an essential part of any hip hop collection. The best part is that Breaking Atoms is now back in print, so you can buy the album for a reasonable price instead of paying fifty bucks for a used copy on eBay (like I had to). Don't feel sorry for me, though: it was completely worth it.

BEST TRACKS: “Snake Eyes”; “Just Hanging Out”; “Looking at the Front Door”; “Large Professor”; “Scratch & Kut”; “Peace is Not the Word to Play”; “Live at the Barbeque”; “Just a Friendly Game of Baseball (Bonus Version)”

-Taylor

(Questions? Comments? Concerns? Leave your thoughts below.)

A Reader's Gut Reaction: Kendrick Lamar - Section.80 (July 2, 2011)

(Today CJ provides a review on acclaimed newcomer Kendrick Lamar's latest album, Section.80. Leave your thoughts for CJ below.)

Who is Kendrick Lamar?

Up until a few weeks ago, I had no idea. Although Lamar was generating buzz as being the "next big thing" from one of the former meccas of hip-hop, Compton, CA, I was oblivious. The only recent MC from Compton that I was aware of, and I think I'm in the same boat with about ninety percent of Americans here, was The Game (sadly).

The harsh reality is that my previous sentence is a summation of what Compton has become since the golden era of West Coast gangsta rap. An argument can be made that it was Compton, and not the Big Apple, that was the central driving force of rap music in the 1990's. After all, this is the place that has produced legends such as Dr. Dre, DJ Quik, and Eazy-E (who gained that title because of the group he was affiliated with, and not because he was a tremendous rapper). While 2Pac claimed Los Angeles as his home, it was the music coming out of Compton that probably had the greatest influence on his career. West Coast hip hop, which for a brief period was stronger than anything the East Coast came up with, lived and died in Compton.

And yet the city that was so influential on our chosen genre fell into an abyss for the past decade. The Game brought some promise with his release of his debut, The Documentary, in 2004, but has since stumbled and still can't convince his label to commit to a release date for his next project. The second most prominent rapper out of Compton? Tyga. Yes, things have got so bad in the West that an artist like Tyga is recognized as the city's main attraction.

And then came K.Dot. That's the name Kendrick Lamar went by when he first entered the rap game at the young age of 16. Under this alias, he released a mixtape titled Youngest Head N---a in Charge in 2003. I have yet to listen to this tape, or even find it, but Top Dawg Entertainment must have sensed something, signing Lamar shortly after the tape was released. K.Dot would go on to release two more mixtapes, Training Day and C4, before deciding to perform under his actual name instead (and thank God, considering K.Dot was a pretty wack name to begin with). But by 2009, six years after his first release, Lamar was still largely unheard of, unless you happened to be from Compton to begin with. Lamar needed to do something to gain more attention, something that made him stand out from any other artist hailing from his city.

So Lamar dropped his first actual "album" (it's free, so I still consider it as somewhat of a mixtape), the simply titled Kendrick Lamar EP, in December of 2009. With songs like "P&P" (which stood for “Pussy & Patron”) and "She Needs Me", as well as some other decent cuts, Lamar propelled himself into the national hip hop scene. If you ever actually listened to the EP though (and you really should, to be honest), Lamar still sounded like a rapper that had tremendous potential, but there were areas he needed to improve in.

After touring on the Independent Grind Tour with artists like Jay Rock and Tech N9ne, Lamar released his second "album", O(verly) D(edicated), in September of last year. The "album" was met with critical acclaim in hip hop circles, and, had it been released as an actual mixtape, it could have been the best for all of 2010. Lamar made sure that he still rapped about topics that actually mattered to him (standout tracks included "Ignorance is Bliss" and "H.O.C."), and was aided by better beats this time around. Yet, there were still red flags regarding his potential. For instance, his track "Michael Jordan" sounded like something that guy who pretends to be "the best rapper alive" would release. Lamar needed to make a choice: should he stay true to his independent roots and try and break through by word of mouth,or should he sell out and try and go the mainstream route, giving up his more conscious rhymes in the process?

So 10 months after O(verly) D(edicated), Lamar came back with his latest work, Section.80, an album that made its debut at number three on the iTunes charts (which blew my mind), even managing to outsell Lady Gaga's heavily hyped Born This Way in its opening week. Is all of the hype well deserved? Here's my take.

1. FUCK YOUR ETHNICITY

Lamar starts off his album with a skit (which recurs at later points throughout Section.80) which leads straight into the track at about the thirty-two second mark. Lamar opens up with, "This is the music that saved my life" (pretty sure we've all heard that line before) but I believe he actually sounds genuine on here. Lamar's verses on this are rock-solid, and its clear from the get-go that this kid is very intelligent. Still, Lamar needs to send a big thank-you gift basket to his producer, THC: the beat is really well-constructed, and the sample (if it is an actual sample on here, I'm still not altogether sure) used for the hook is brilliant. This song gives you a great reason to continue listening to the album.

2. HOL' UP

Trumpets?! Shit, I can't remember the last time I heard a beat this fresh. Lamar calls on Sounwave to provide the production on here, and man, he hits an absolute home run. The beat sounds like something I would expect someone like K-Os use, but Lamar makes the track his own by contributing two extremely smooth verses. This is one of those tracks that is just pure hip hop with no extra preservatives. It's also Lamar's way of letting his fans know that this album is going to be a major departure in style from O(verly) D(edicated). Two tracks in, and Lamar has already provided two contenders for the best hip hop song of the year. Damn, that's really telling on how bad a year it's been (as far as albums go, anyway: mixtape-wise, 2011 has been tremendous).

3. A.D.H.D.

I can't decide if Lamar's voice annoys me or if it's just so different that I haven't yet adjusted to it. I also can't figure out which rapper he relates to the most (he sounds like a fusion of K'Naan, the aforementioned K-Os, Lupe Fiasco, and Quasimoto). Anyway, "A.D.H.D." marks a major transition from the previous track on both the production and lyrical ends. Gone are the trumpets and the genially light tone, having been replaced by a more ambient beat with a much darker subtext. Usually, it's tough to shift gears that quickly, but Sounwave's beat is absolutely mesmerizing, making this a song you can't not listen to. Lamar touches on a lot of different issues here (ranging from TV propaganda to drug abuse), and his delivery on the mic is pretty fast, so it's hard to keep up with everything he wants us to hear. Listen to it again as soon as you finish it the first time, though, and you'll find that it's hard not to be moved by what our host is trying to say through his storytelling. I was blown away by "Hol' Up" the first time I listened to Section.80, and I made the mistake of not giving this enough attention (with a title like "A.D.H.D.", that makes sense, I guess), but you shouldn't make the same mistake I originally made. Pure brilliance.

4. NO MAKE-UP (HER VICE) (FEAT. COLIN MUNROE)

Lamar brings in his first guest appearance of the album, as Colin Munroe drops by to perform the hook. This song serves as more proof that our host knows exactly what mixes well with his music: the guest star sounds great on here (and is probably the only singer who would). “No Make-Up (Her Vice)" marks another transition in both tone and theme, as Lamar spends the duration of this track discussing insecurity in women. The overall message on here isn't nearly as complex as they were on "A.D.H.D." or "Fuck Your Ethnicity", but he still makes his point clearly, and I thought the section of dialogue between him and his lover (who isn't credited on Section.80 for some weird reason) was well done. Sounwave nearly ruins the track during the final hook, though.

5. TAMMY'S SONG (HER EVILS)

I hate using the roller coaster analogy, but Section.80 truly feels like one, due to how different each song sounds from the last. THC returns for production duties, lending an abstract beat with a more spacey feel. While it's not nearly on the level of his earlier work on the album, it isn't terrible, and it at least doesn't take anything away from the rhymes of our host. Speaking of our host, Lamar goes with a different approach on here, using a repetition method that makes each verse sound identical to the previous one (except each verse does have a different event/story to it, and the ending is a surprise). My only real complaint with “Tammy's Song (Her Evils)” is with the hook, which is pretty awful. Otherwise, this is a decent track, just not as impressive as the first four on Section.80.

6. CHAPTER SIX

An interlude disguised as a song (which is really, really fucking annoying), but the beat, courtesy of Tommy Black, is worth noting. It's just a shame that Lamar didn't take full advantage of it.

7. RONALD REAGAN ERA

Don't let the introduction (which is great) or the instrumental fool you: “Ronald Reagan Era” is a serious track. Lamar talks about some of his experiences living in Compton, which are all pretty interesting. Not only does Lamar do a good job adding depth through his lyrics, but he ensures that Tae Beast's beat doesn't go to waste. While Beast certainly didn't put in his entire body and soul into producing this, he still gives our host a perfect complement to his verses. He also pays tribute to RZA with a vocal sample of Prince Rakeem saying, "California dungeons", during the chorus, which earns him some bonus points in my book. (Is it really a “vocal sample” when whatever song The RZA originally said that phrase on was never really released? I've read interviews where Kendrick informed his fans that the “sample” was a part of an older, unreleased track that his producer had saved on his computer. Also, the original single cover of “Ronald Reagan Era” prominently featured The RZA as though he were acting in a supporting role. Discuss.)

8. POE MAN'S DREAM (HIS VICE) (FEAT. GLC)

Willie B helps bring the album back to that jazzy feel that you heard with "Hol' Up" and "Chapter Six", which is a really, really good thing. In fact, this is by far one of the best beats on the album (which is saying a lot, as nearly every track is well done). Again, Lamar owns the mic on this, and I loved the overall theme of this song (which pays tribute to his father and uncles). GLC's hook is also great, as he sounds like a West Coast version of Big Boi (which is weird, since he hails from Chicago), and while his rant at the end might be a few seconds too long, it doesn't take away from the song as a whole. Without a doubt, this is another gem.

9. THE SPITEFUL CHANT

What. The. Fuck. I'm going to ignore this song, as it is fucking terrible. I almost feel that someone placed this on the final version of Section.80 without Kendrick's authorization. That's what I hope, anyway. Otherwise, his decision to include it was just stupid. You're better than this, Kendrick.

10. CHAPTER TEN

Interlude...

11. KEISHA'S SONG (HER PAIN) (FEAT. ASHTRO BOT)

Usually, this is where the average albums begin to fall apart. After the misfire that was “The Spiteful Chant" and then the inclusion of a second interlude, I was led to believe that Lamar would not be able to to gain back the incredible momentum that the first half of Section.80 had. I even accepted my fate, believing that this was going to be just another "solid, but not great" effort (a critique I've levied against pretty much every hip hop album released this year). However, I was relieved after hearing the first verse. Lamar weaves a great (well, not so great for Keisha) tale of prostitution and how it affects one particular woman. The song's lyrics are outstanding, and Lamar does as good a job as you can do on delivering them. The hook, provided by guest star Ashtro Bot, fits in well with this track: it's probably one of the better choruses you'll hear on this project. Tae Beast also does a great job on the production end, providing a dark beat that is accompanied by a set of piano keys in the background. Another powerful track.

12. RIGAMORTUS

While the beat is decent (we've apparently transitioned back into the type of horns that made the earlier “Hol' Up” such a success), “Rigamortus” was created simply for Lamar to show off his skills. And that he does: our host gives three fast-paced verses that he is somehow able to make flow together, which is another testament to how talented this guy is. This was a nice change of pace from the hard-hitting "Keisha's Song (Her Pain)", and it gives you time to catch your breath from the overall serious tone of Section.80.

13. KUSH & CORINTHIANS (FEAT. BJ THE CHICAGO KID)

This one took a few listens to grow on me. The instrumental isn't nearly as impressive as on the previous tracks, but it works well with Lamar's delivery, and he uses it to drop some of the best rhymes of the entire project. The hook sounds forced (guest star BJ the Chicago Kid isn't anything great, either), but as the case has been throughout much of Section.80, the rest of the song is so good that this mistake can be forgiven pretty easily.

14. BLOW MY HIGH (MEMBERS ONLY)

Lamar pays tribute to the late Pimp C, using some of his bars from Jay-Z's hit “Big Pimpin'”. As you could probably guess, the overall mood shifts back to a lighter feel, with Lamar avoiding any serious topics, as they might actually blow his high. To be honest, the instrumental sounds more suitable for a guy like Big K.R.I.T., but Lamar still does a pretty good job with it. This is a great track to put on the stereo when you're cruising through town (well, depending on what town you're cruising through: you still have to use your common sense). I like this song; my only problem is that it just doesn't mesh well with the rest of Section.80, as it interrupts the momentum Lamar has built since "Rigamortus", and the final two songs on here don't sound anything like this, either, so it's not setting any new trends.

15. AB-SOUL'S OUTRO (FEAT. AB-SOUL)

One of Kendrick's favorite collaborators drops a solid verse on Section.80. Lamar's verse is also good, but the beat absolutely hurts this song. I love hearing jazzy rap beats, and the saxophone in the back brings back good memories of Digable Planets, but this instrumental, provided by Terrace Martin, is all over the place. If this were the final track of the Section.80, I would give Martin a pass, since a lot of hip hop albums end with a beat that's certainly not up to par with the rest of the work (like The Roots' "Web 20/20" off of How I Got Over). But this isn't the final song on the album. If there's any reason to sit through the beat (other than hearing Ab-Soul and Lamar's lines), it's the final twenty seconds, which set the stage for...

16. HIIPOWER

Our host saves the best track of Section.80 (and that's saying something) for last. Lamar brings in North Carolina's J.Cole (the two are set to collaborate on a mixtape sometime soon) to handle production duties, and Cole does his job really fucking well. I remembered that Cole produced nearly all of his acclaimed Friday Night Lights mixtape back in 2010, but I forgot just how talented he could be behind the boards. If you are a fan of Cole, you'll notice that this instrumental would fit him like a glove: I wouldn't be surprised to hear him jump on a remix in the very near future. Kendrick Lamar is no slouch, though, as he delivers three powerful verses full of choice bars, such as, “Who said a black man in the Illuminati? / Last time I checked, that was the biggest racist party”. Finally, someone sane enough to put this Illuminati bullshit to rest. I'm still debating whether or not this is the best track I've heard Lamar record to date, but regardless, it's one worth putting on repeat. What a way to close an album.

THE LAST WORD: And there you have it. Kendrick Lamar's Section.80 is, without a doubt, a huge improvement over his previous two "albums" and should be considered Lamar's best work to date. Most newer hip hop albums contain about two or three great tracks, maybe three to five solid or good cuts, and the rest is mostly garbage and/or interludes: that isn't the case with Section.80. Lamar gives listeners not just two or three great tracks, but nine of them (and you could argue that “Rigamortus” also belongs in that category, too). It's hard to find an album that rich anymore (the most recent one I can recall is Big K.R.I.T.'s Returnof4Eva). There are songs that don't stand out as much, most notably "Tammy's Song (Her Evils)" and "Blow My High (Members Only)", but that doesn't necessarily mean they're garbage; they just don't fit with the rest of the material on Section.80. Only one track, "The Spiteful Chant", is an absolute skip every time, and it remains the only major black mark on an otherwise powerful and well-put-together album. In 2010, I had to wait until July for the first truly great album of that year, Big Boi's Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty: the same goes for 2011, except this time Kendrick Lamar takes the prize. I would recommend that you buy this as soon as you receive your next paycheck. Hip hop only sees about two or three great albums a year, and this is definitely one of them. I also suggest that you get Lamar's previous two "albums", if you don't already have them in your collection, as his hype is well-deserved. Now we will patiently wait to see whether Kendrick Lamar cements himself as another one of the Compton legends.

-CJ

(Questions? Comments? Concerns? Leave your thoughts below.)

Reader Review / For Promotional Use Only: J. Cole - Friday Night Lights (November 12, 2010)

(Today's Reader Review comes from longtime contributor Dag Diligent, who elected to write about Roc Nation artist J. Cole's free album Friday Night Lights in anticipation of his upcoming major label debut. Leave some notes for Dag below.)

I just celebrated my sixty-eighth birthday! I wanted to let you to know that I’ve come out of rap-critic retirement just to review J. Cole's Friday Night Lights. That’s right, just like Jay-Z in 2003, I’ve given up my modest hip hop pension and my gold membership card to the Playaz Club just to write this review.

While none of the above is actually true, it might as well be, with the quality of music that J. Cole has been putting out lately. I'd give up a life of elderly leisure to talk about this shit. I don’t want to come off like some kind of obsessed fan, but Cole has impressed me way more than any new artist in quite a while. Jermaine Cole is the truth, or a problem, depending on which slang you prefer. But how did one of the XXL Freshmen win my approval when I hate almost everything? I'll tell you how: he dropped two ill mixtapes albums in a row practically by himself: 2009's The Warm Up (which I previously reviewed for this site), and his latest, Friday Night Lights.

I am a little surprised that this mixtape even exists. As late as September of last year, Mr. Cole was promoting his major label debut Cole World with an October 2010 release date. I was expecting great things, but Cole’s boss at Roc Nation (that would be one Jay-Z) must have thought that the buzz wasn’t where it needed to be for the freshman rapper, so the album was pushed back and we got this instead. I'm not complaining though, I'll take all the good free hip hop that Jay-Z wants to give me, and if the delay makes Cole's eventual debut even better, then hold that shit for all the time you want (but not too long: I am 68, after all).

If you aren’t familiar with J. Cole, he is by far the most talented MC to ever come out of Fayetteville, North Carolina. He has established himself as more than just a sharp MC, since he also produces much of his work. He's got an ear for beats from hip hop's golden age, and also knows his way around a chorus, which is a rare skill indeed. My complaints about his previous work amounted to his crutch topic (ladies), his blatant (and somewhat sickening) mirroring of other rappers' styles, and his one-man-show approach, which resulted in an overdose of Cole by the end of his mixtapes (he needed a few mores guest spots). I stand by these criticisms, but his shine definitely overshadows his flaws.

More people are familiar with Mr. Cole from his impressive list of guest spots than they are his mixtapes. Thanks to his skills on the mic (and, more importantly, his highly influential boss), Cole has managed to work his way onto some high profile collaborations and successively destroy his gracious hosts. In fact, hip hop heavy hitter Mos Def had the misfortune of following Cole on Talib Kweli's "Just Begun" and hasn’t been seen since. If you know where he is, please give us a call (we’re watching his dog). Needless to say, Cole is currently on a winning streak, and he hasn't even sold a single album yet.

But does Friday Night Lights continue the winning streak? (I know I spoiled it in my intro, but give me a break, I’m old.)

1. FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS

Much like The Warm Up, Friday Night Lights begins with Cole speaking to the audience over a building piano, only this time around he goes on for two minutes and ends with the question, “What good is being the one when you’re the only one that knows it?” Listen Jermaine, everybody agrees that you’re great (even Drake), so you really need to get off that rookie bullshit. Skip.

2. TOO DEEP FOR THE INTRO

I wasn’t impressed with the pitched-up singing featured on this track (and about ninety percent of hip hop songs in general: seriously, it's getting old, guys), but Cole easily saves the day with some watertight lyrics (such as, “Partially functional, half of me is comfortable / The other half is close to the Cliff like Mrs. Huxtable”) and one of his trademark throwback-sounding jazzy instrumentals. Good track, case closed.

3. BEFORE I'M GONE

Fuck, this beat is good! Cole is so moved by his backup choir synthesizer that he almost starts singing the last verse, and even that can’t screw this shit up. This is an excellent example of the high level of quality that Cole brings to a track, both on production and with his lyrics. It sounds dope both on headphones and in the ride, the lyrics are ill, and the content actually connects with the listener. Friday Night Lights is off to a strong start.

4. BACK TO THE TOPIC

Cole drops a freestyle over the drowsy beat from Cassie’s “Must Be Love”, which is quite an abrupt change from the energy of the previous song. His lyrics are okay, except for when he says that he’s “Higher than the Jettisons” when I think he meant “Higher than the Jetsons”. (I suppose I can overlook that lapse, since “Jetsons” doesn't contain enough syllables to fill the space.) Cole goes for three minutes, and it's hard to not start thinking about hitting that skip button when you consider his shaky bars and the bland beat. His checklist of potential topics that he needs to return to is a definite highlight though: “Back to the topic / …actually, forgot it / Hos, money, I’m the shit / Oh yeah, I’m reminded”. Funny that he mentioned the ladies first, as I've noticed that he's really fond of that particular subject.

5. YOU GOT IT (FEAT. WALE)

Wale (known to his parents as Olubowale Victor Akintimehin, and yes, there will be a quiz later) stops by to keep pace with Cole over another obscure beat (“Neon Valley Street” by Janelle Monáe this time around). This track is like a buffet: the first time I heard it, I spent more time trying to figure out where Cole borrowed each element from than I spent listening to the actual song. Eventually I gave up and just enjoyed it for what it is: fucking dope, son! Wale and Cole make for a pretty good team. I could easily go for more of this.

6. VILLEMATIC

It takes backbone to name your song after Nas’ incomparable Illmatic, but Cole seems just tough enough to back up his cockiness. Holy shit, I just gave a rookie a pass on comparing himself to a young Nas (which Cole most certainly is not). For the record, Cole makes it clear that he knows better, as he points out that there is “nobody touching Nas”. As for this song, I liked the complex beat, and Cole kills it (as usual), but I still found it a tad bit boring when compared to the better tracks on Friday Night Lights.

7. ENCHANTED (FEAT. OMEN)

Cole pulls the whole chorus from 2Pac Makaveli's "Hail Mary", twisting the overall meaning, and does so fairly well. The synthesizer, beat, and subject matter for “Enchanted” are exactly the same as the novelty song “Inner City Pressure” by Flight of the Conchords, which I doubt is what Cole and Omen were going for, but somehow the track still manages to be ill. I'll even go as far as to say that I found this beat inspired: the music is relatively simple, but the flourishes, like the old-school loop and the bass build before the chorus, are the little touches that set Cole apart from his peers. It’s all in the details, muthafucka! Omen also destroys it, even though he is “ballin’” and “probably meant 'tears'.” Best track of the album. Also, who the fuck is Omen?

8. BLOW UP

Cole starts off by announcing that this song is for his “haters”, because he wants them to know that he is about to “blow up” and there is little they can do about it. In case that flew over your head, though, he repeats that statement about fifty times during the course of the track, and he also wants you to know that he thinks you’re a “bitch”. I’ll be the first to say that the chorus on this track is terrible, and Cole should be embarrassed for stooping so low, but fuck, this track is good. The beat plays the extremes, transitioning from sparse to dense while remaining constantly nice, and the loop and bass are badass. The lyrics are also top-choice: "Everything glittering ain’t what you think it will be / Funny how money, chains, and whips make me feel free". An almost perfect track. Almost.

9. HIGHER

I’m not sure how I feel about this one. Oh wait, yes I do: it’s too upbeat. It reminds me of a Warren G beat from just after he fell off, only with first-rate production and way better lyrics. Oh, and I caught the goat noises during the chorus there. I’m sure your lady appreciates that you’re calling her the G.O.A.T, but that clever barnyard shit doesn’t work around here. Skip.

10. IN THE MORNING (FEAT. DRAKE)

The inevitable Drake and Cole collaboration. Readers of the Internet know that Cole and Drake are constantly being compared to one another, and most people have already chosen their respective sides and aren’t afraid to mention it repeatedly in sections of the web that are reserved for comments. I definitely prefer J. Cole over Drake, but if “In The Morning” were my first exposure to both of them, I would tell them both to “get a better producer because this beat sucks shit”. Then I would say that both of these boys are good but should have spent more time working on their hook. Skip.

11. 2FACE

I hate that title. The beat (from Syience, who also produced Cole’s brilliant “Can I Live”) is muddy but okay. Cole’s lyrics are somehow taxing, and the chorus is downright painful. The whole idea of a rapper having two sides is incredibly played out and could be used to describe absolutely anyone. Hey Jermaine, “sometimes I scrap” and “sometimes I’m throwing up the peace sign” too, but you don’t see me bragging about it. Maybe your two sides are the Cole who can make classic tracks and the one who makes middle of the road shit like this.

12. THE AUTOGRAPH

Another dope beat. Toward the end of the track, Cole takes a few lines to slam his fans for asking him to autograph burned copies of his CDs. Uh, Jermaine, have you noticed that you haven’t actually sold any real CD’s yet? Burned is pretty much the only option, pal. And please quit calling me “the worst”: I've got my grandkids in the room. Nice track, though.

13. BEST FRIEND

“Nope”. That word entered my mind before I made it three seconds into this track. Cole starts it off by revisiting his favorite topic (that would be “ladies”), and before I can tell myself that it’ll probably get better, the track veers wildly into R&B territory. Hardcore R&B. Cole starts spitting with a distressing double-time flow and fails, too. Come on Jermaine, when I said you need to break things up I didn’t mean like this: this is some of the worst work you’ve ever done. The thing that worries me that Cole has proven talent, which means that this shit was intentional.

14. COST ME A LOT

At first the beat and chipmunk-sounding chorus reminded me of “Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)”-era Jay-Z, but this track is much more sophisticated. The loop is closer to something The RZA might put together, in that it has that rugged element which I can really appreciate. Now I’ll go ahead and list this as one of the best tracks on Friday Night Lights, but it could have been so much better without the lazy chorus. What the fuck is up with all the sub-par choruses, Cole? Hooks were your specialty just a few months ago; did you have some kind of head injury after releasing The Warm Up? Dude, get a helmet.

15. PREMEDITATED MURDER

This track has a lot going for it: it starts out raw and slow, has some expert change-ups, a nice loop, a solid breakdown, and it falls into a nice groove. It's tough to describe Cole's lyrics on here because they are so well done: honestly, I could write that Jermaine is an expert lyricist, but I think you get the idea. Cole really tries to drag the song down by screwing up the chorus again, though, this time with singing and an absolutely terrible sample. He even follows that up by closing the song with a bit more singing. Please stop that shit, man, I've got my grandkids in the room (still).

16. HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS

This track features a title and a beat which could have been pulled from a crappy sitcom (or a shitty Holly Hunter film). The title (and, subsequently, the topic) is pretty lame, and the beat is clever but silly. How do you do it, J. Cole? If you keep making choruses like this, I’ll stop claiming that you know how to write a chorus. This is shit. Your clever lines and zany beat can’t save it.

17. LOVE ME NOT

I got this horrible feeling in my stomach when I realized that Cole was going to sample the shit out of “My Cherie Amour” by Stevie Wonder for this song. Then I realized that Cole is a genius (for the length of this track, anyway), as it took about four bars for the beat to win me over. Add some decent lyrics into the mix and you've got yourself another winner, mister.

18. SEE WORLD

Another horrible song title, but that’s not the worst offense on here. The subject matter for this song (as presented by sampled news reports): child abduction and murder (and worse). So right away he has two strikes against him. For the record, Cole handles the difficult topic better than expected. Thankfully, he doesn’t act like the perpetrator of the crime (like a certain MC from Detroit might), but there is no way this song is going to get many spins, and the ones that do occur will be solely by accident. I know where Cole is coming from on this one, but this shit was way too depressing.

19. FAREWELL

Cole ends Friday Night Lights by contemplating his eulogy, dictating his will, and paying his respects to the dead. At some point he slides into an incredible groove where his lyrics connect perfectly with the beat and the song just takes off. This is a song you can literally lose yourself in. Remember when I said that “Enchanted” was the best song on the album? This is also the best song. Yep, that’s right, two best songs. You got a problem with that?

Friday Night Lights ends with a bonus track.

20. LOOKING FOR TROUBLE (KANYE WEST FEAT. J. COLE, PUSHA T, BIG SEAN, & CYHI DA PRINCE)

This is one of those free G.O.O.D Friday tracks from Kanye West that somehow made its way onto here. I agree with Max’s comments from his Keeping Up with Kanye post: this song is pretty boring, and Cole is definitely the highlight. Strangely, given 'Ye's penchant for perfectionism, this is the most mixtape-like song on Friday Night Lights, in that the vocal production is questionable, Kanye’s verse ends abruptly, and Big Sean sounds jarringly terrible. Sean’s verse is amateur-mixtape-upload bad: his vocal production is the worst I’ve ever heard on a project of this caliber. His lyrics sound like something he found in the back of a notebook which he stole from his twelve year old cousin: “This is showtime, showtime boy I hope you set the DVR / Stackin' money face to face this shit look like CPR”. Sean made me more uncomfortable than Cole did with that child abduction song. Think about that for a minute. Thank you, Kanye, for including Cole on here, as he at least saved it.

SHOULD YOU TRACK THIS DOWN? I love bashing bad albums. In fact, it’s my favorite thing on Earth. But there is very little to hate on J. Cole's Friday Night Lights. I'll admit, the first time I listened to this all the way through I was disappointed. But to say it grew on me is an understatement: after repeated spins I’ve discovered the same elements of genius that make Cole’s other work so good are present here in abundance. There are a lot of good tracks, and two have the potential to become classics ("Enchanted" and "Farewell"), which is a way better batting average than most albums. Friday Night Lights is consistently good: when it’s great, it delivers on an unprecedented level, and when it’s bad it’s merely average (maybe with the exception of “See World” and “Best Friend” which we shall never speak of again). Overall, this shit is hot, way hotter than your average hip hop album (mixtape or commercial release). Sure, I’ve got a few criticisms: some of the problems from The Warm Up persist here, such as Cole’s fixation with rhyming about the ladies, and his tendency to mirror other rappers (most notably 2Pac on here), but to be honest, it’s not as bad this time around. There are a few new issues which have also cropped up: suddenly Cole is choking on some of his choruses, his beats are a step down from his previous work, and there are noticeably fewer knock-out classic tracks then on his last album. But the kid still has his shit together, his lyrics are spot on, his production is way above the cut, and he is working with the heaviest of industry heavyweights. This is Cole at his prime, and it's really good to see a new artist doing it this well. Now I didn’t care for this album at first, but I think the issue I had might have been that this collection of songs is rather sophisticated for a rap album: Friday Night Lights is designed to be examined and poured over for a length of time. You’re not going to spin this at the club and get people crunk on the floor (or krunk, does it even matter?) - this is meant for personal consumption. The dopeness is in the details, and you can quote me on that (or not, whatever). Also, it's free and available all over the Internet!

-Dag Diligent

(Questions? Comments? Concerns? Leave your thoughts below.)

A Reader's Gut Reaction: DJ Quik - The Book Of David (April 19, 2011)

(I know a lot of you two were excited when I wrote up West Coast producer-slash-rapper DJ Quik's debut album, Quik Is The Name. Although I want to continue with his back catalog soon, sadly, there is no scheduled date on the horizon. So today I present the next best thing: Justa came through with his take on Quik's latest effort, The Book of David. Leave your comments for Justa below.)

West Coast hip hop was the backbone of early/mid-1990’s rap. Before both the Bad Boy gloss and the Dirty South came to dominate airwaves, the City of Angels was carrying the torch for the movement, with its G-Funk and its tales from the streets. One of the unheralded pioneers of this sub-genre was producer/rapper David Blake, better known to most as DJ Quik.

If I were to sit here and list some of his solo work as an artist, most of you wouldn't know what I was talking about. And if I listed some of his production work, odds are that most of you still wouldn't know much about the man. For some reason, DJ Quik has lived in the shadow of another West Coast-based producer/rapper named Dr. Dre (who, surprisingly, actually has less production credits under his belt, even though his name is held in higher esteem). Despite not having the same level of public acclaim, Quik has consistently delivered quality music over the last two decades: in 2009, he even produced a critical favorite with his collaboration with fellow West Coast-based rapper Kurupt (of Tha Dogg Pound), Blaqout.

With this newly found momentum, Quik decided that this year was the perfect time to release his first solo album in six years, The Book of David, conveniently named after himself. To help him with his comeback, he recruited the relatively unknown Gift Reynolds, the usual suspects BlaKKazz K.K. (one of his boys from 2nd II None) and Suga Free (good to see these two working together again), rap legends such as Ice Cube and Bun B (who has yet to turn down a request for a guest appearance), and some curious choices such as former Babyface protege and late 1990s R&B star Jon B. and Bizzy Bone from Bone Thugs-N-Harmony.

Anyway, let me get into this review.

1. FIRE AND BRIMSTONE

Look Max, no intro! How about that. We go straight into a seriously dope beat and a proclamation that our host “don’t give a fuck about you, you, him, her”. The drums are fierce and bang even with their off-kilter programming and industrial-type sound. His lyrics for this are on point, too.

2. DO TODAY (FEAT. BLAKKAZZ K.K. & JON B.)

Yeah... Jon B. is on this one. He actually fits quite nicely on this 1980’s R&B-ish throwback joint, too. The beat is nice, on some summertime feel-good vibe. You could easily drop the top in the ride for this one.

3. GHETTO RENDEZVOUS

So after the feel-good track we're presented with a darker selection. “Ghetto Rendezvous” is a dis track aimed at Quik's sister and a few other close relatives (which makes this different from your average rap battle), on which he airs them out and puts their misdeeds on blast (a note to those of you with more popular relatives: don’t ever do them wrong). The beat, once again, is dope (I'm noticing a trend), and Quik delivers some killer verses, letting those who have betrayed him get catch his lyrical wrath. Quik has never been one to shy away from beef; throughout his career, the man has thrown shots at such big names as Everlast, MC Eiht, and Dr. Dre, among others. As John Madden used to say about Brett Farve, “He’s a gunslinger”. A good track.

4. LUV OF MY LIFE (FEAT. GIFT REYNOLDS)

Never been a fan of the “ballin'” talk that has dominated the airwaves, but even I have to commend the beautiful sound that Quik has created with this track. The lyrics aren't all that great on here, though: newcomer Gift Reynolds, who must have sold his soul to the devil in order to score his guest appearances on The Book Of David, delivers a verse that I couldn’t recall even after multiple listens. He sounds just as good as that guy at the gas station selling you his “hot, creative, five-dollar” mixtape, and that's just me being nice. Besides that, this wasn't bad for a first single: Quik sounds good, and the beat is smooth. It's just the guest star that struggles.  

5. BABYLON (FEAT. BIZZY BONE & BLAKKAZZ K.K.)

I was never really a huge Bone Thugs-N-Harmony fan back in the day. Some of their early songs were alright at first (and I did spend money on Krayzie Bone's solo debut, as well as the first Mo Thugs compilation project for some reason), but for the most part, their double-disc effort The Art of War was the last straw for me. However, on “Babylon” Quik supplies a backdrop that fits Bizzy Bone, who I have long thought to be one of the more talented members of the group, perfectly. I'm not sure what any of the verses have to do with the chorus (which goes, “Ring the alarm, the alarm the alarm, Babylon fallin'”), but it sounds pretty good. I could see this easily playing behind a highlight segment on SportsCenter.

6. KILLER DOPE

The best track on The Book Of David, and that is saying a lot. This beat is glorious. Have you ever heard a rapper brag about “playing his own piano for a session”? Yeah, me neither: that's some cocky Little Richard/Rick James-type shit right there. DJ Quik has never sounded better than he does on here. The combination of the horns and the strings sound simply victorious, like a king's anthem: this is the perfect song for a hip hop veteran who, after many years, feels confident and secure in his position.

7. REAL WOMEN (FEAT. JON B.)

Jon B. returns to deliver another great hook (he's now two for two) over this more laid-back, grown-folks affair, on which Quik praises the women who aren’t out there trying to imitate Snookie or creating drama, better known as “Real Women” (the type that about seventy-five percent of the guys I know don't go for). This one may be a bit too R&B for most audiences, but it was still a dope track. Quik even kicks things off on here with a shout-out to MC Hammer: that's some true West Coast love right there. (Side note: I like how Eminem, Ice Cube, and (insert rapper name here) have all dissed Hammer for crossing over for pop audiences, when they have all sold out much more than he ever did. Still can't condone that bizarre Jay-Z dis/sermon Hammer released last year, though.)

8. POPPIN' (FEAT. BLAKKAZZ K.K.)

The beat is cool, but after feeling the laid-back vibe on “Real Women”, I didn’t really want to hear Quik and K.K. throw out disses and threats right away. This isn't exactly skippable, but after a couple of spins, you may find yourself naturally inclined to do so anyway.

9. HYDROMATIC (FEAT. JON B. & GIFT REYNOLDS)

The instrumental is great, but absolutely everything involving the vocals was not. Once again, Gift receives an opportunity that most artists would kill for, and his fouled-up contribution will not have you looking forward to his eventual solo release. I don’t remember anything dope about the lyrics at all, and the Jon B. hook grows old very quickly. “Hydromatic” and “Poppin'” are definitely the low point of The Book Of David.

10. ACROSS THE MAP (FEAT. BIZZY BONE & BUN B)

Although I like the guy overall, once again Bizzy Bone surprises me with a standout two-verse performance. DJ Quik has proven to me that he really is one of the greatest producers to ever work within the hip hop genre, coaxing the greatness that most thought was long gone from the Bone Thugs member. Also, the beat on here is sinister: it's essentially John Carpenter-type chords (as he performed all of the music for his earlier films, including Halloween), but with more bounce. Bun B, a man who would apparently rather contribute a guest verse than sleep or eat, also delivers a great verse, and afterward, West Coast legend Rodney O ends the track with a proclamation that isn’t important in the least bit, but it sounds good, so why not? Another dope track.

11. NOBODY (FEAT. SUGA FREE)

Suga Free never reached the heights of fame as his peer Snoop Dogg did, most likely because, unlike Snoop, he was actually a real-life pimp (and would never allow himself to be seen selling three-wheeled scooters on late night infomericals). Anyway, this track leaked dropped last year with one stellar verse courtesy of Pomona’s favorite pimp/rapper, and a great hook. I love the hilarious Tiger Woods advice, as well as the bridge that commences while he spits his verse. The album version treats listeners to an additional verse from Quik, as well. The beat on this funky track (one of my favorite songs off The Book Of David) makes for some classic West Coast fun.

12. BOOGIE TILL YOU CONK OUT (FEAT. ICE CUBE)

Many of the reviews I've seen for The Book Of David refer to this song as “unimpressive”. But why is that? Do we really want to hear rappers in their forties making songs like they did back in their early twenties (like Busta Rhymes still attempts to do today)? I, for one, don't, so I found this grown-folks two-step club jam cool. You know exactly what kind of club I'm referring to: the one you used to make fun of back in high school/college because that's where the older folks went, but you now find yourself considering checking it out because you know there aren't as many “knuckleheads” there. Yeah, it was made for that place. I don’t expect much from Cube these days anyway (especially after his sitcom on TBS), but his verse was alright. Nothing like The Predator or AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted, but alright. I have no real complaints about this song.

13. FLOW FOR SALE (FEAT. KURUPT)

Quik and Kurupt waste no time getting to the music with this dope track. Although I'll be waiting for a long time for another “New York, New York”-esque performance from Kurupt Young Gotti (even though The Streetz Iz A Mutha is a classic album, in my opinion), he still sounds pretty good on here: I like the way he has to switch up his style whenever he works with our host, as Quik keeps him on his toes. Just like it did on Blaqout, Kurupt's flow sounds great even though he's hardly saying anything memorable, but this isn't a bad thing.

14. SO COMPTON (FEAT. BLAKKAZZ K.K.)

This nighttime summer anthem contains some of those classic synths that you associate most West Coast beats with. Good stuff.

15. TIME STANDS STILL (FEAT. DWELE)

Max, I know you don’t like most R&B tracks, but this one should be the exception. Dwele (who, sadly, is only really known for his contributions to Kanye West songs at this point in his career) provides a performance that is better and more genuine than anything he has ever done. This is in the running for my second favorite track on The Book Of David.

16. THE END? (FEAT. GARRY SHIDER)

This great tribute to P-Funk features Quik and Garry Shider (from Parliament-Funkadelic fame) collaborating for a few minutes on bass and background vocals, before segueing into...

17. QUIK'S GROOVE 9  

...this track. For some reason the version of The Book Of David I have doesn't separate out “Quik's Groove 9” from the “The End”, choosing instead to run it all together on the same audio track. Regardless, this instrumental ending to the album sounds terrific.

THE LAST WORD:  As a long time DJ Quik supporter, I feel that The Book Of David definitely stands out as far as his solo work goes. Though it never truly reaches classic status (there are a few tracks on here that are only alright), the album successfully showcases just how musically gifted he is overall. Quik the producer brings out the best in those we would never expect (except for Gift Reynolds, although I suppose it could be argued that his two contributions on The Book Of David are the best he can do) over one of the most creative musical soundtracks of the year, and as a rapper, he delivers some pretty amazing lyrical performances himself. I rarely advise people to buy anything that isn’t absolutely essential, but if you consider yourself a fan of hip hop, The Book Of David is a must-own. It is one of the best representations of our genre (or for music in general) in 2011, and it absolutely shouldn't be neglected in a time when most heads complain about the loss of “real” hip hop.

-Justa

(Questions? Comments? Concerns? Leave your thoughts below.)

A Reader's Gut Reaction: Lil B - I'm Gay (I'm Happy) (June 29, 2011)

(While I'm off on my vision quest, Michael submits his relatively short and surprisingly to-the-point thoughts on Lil B the Based God's first officially released album, I'm Gay (I'm Happy), a project with an intentionally polarizing title that has received its fair share of accolades, even though the artist's fanbase isn't exactly as large as the Interweb would like you to believe. Leave your thoughts for Michael below.)

True story: about this time last year, I fucking hated Lil B. But as my friends became completely enamored by the man and his popularity gradually began to rise, I couldn’t help but give him a second chance. And guess what? Nothing changed. But then, late one night, as I sipped on a cup of black tea, I found myself on YouTube.

“What should I watch next?” I said quietly to myself; I looked at my teacup for a response.

After giving me a blank stare, my porcelain friend finally gave a short answer. “Lil B.”

My eyes widened. “I wouldn’t dare!” I shouted at the top of my lungs, tears starting to stream down my face.

“Don’t give me that!” My teacup’s eyes pierced my own. He cleared his throat and spoke softly. “Just do it. Trust me.”

I wiped the tears away and exhaled deeply. I typed in Lil B's name and searched through numerous videos. I stumbled upon one for a song entitled “The Age of Information.”

“Huh, interesting title,” I muttered beneath my breath. From the corner of eye, I could see my teacup nod in triumph.

Video fully buffered, I braced myself for the worst. Images of pain and eternal suffering suddenly clouded my head. But then the music began. A beautiful beat graced my ears, followed by some surprisingly deep lyrics from a mellowed out Brandon McCartney. “By jove!” I whispered to myself. “Why, this is incredible!”

“It is, isn’t it?” My teacup flashed me a menacing smile.

I slowly nodded, my mouth agape…

Ever since that surreal experience, which really did happen, I have been a staunch supporter of the former “The Pack” member Lil B. I have since shed my initial ignorance: I now feel the man to be an absolute genius. All of that “Swag, Swag!” and Gucci Mane-flavored noise that most people are aware of is a goddamn front (he even admitted as much in an interview). Beneath the rugged, mainstream coating of Lil B lies an extremely intelligent young man. Songs such as “Wonton Soup”, “Charlie Sheen”, and “Like a Martian” serve as the appetizers for the main course, which consists of entrees such as “Real Life”, “Cold War”, and “Cocaine Killer” (which are all great tracks and should be checked out).

By releasing hundreds of songs for free on the Internet (mostly through his MySpace page), Brandon has amassed a humongous following and has also gained the attention of the hip hop genre as a whole. This strategy has also created a smaller subsection of fans, those who recognize the sheer genius of the duality of this rising star. I would place myself into the latter group. Yeah, I can’t believe it, either.

Things seemed to be going just as planned for Lil B: bitches were being fucked, concerts were being arranged, and the man was simply living a life that was almost too good to be true. But then, in mid-April, all hell broke loose, as Lil B announced that his upcoming album, his first to actually be sold nationwide (his previous projects were all given away as free downloads, thus adding to the myth) would be entitled I'm Gay (although he seemed to forget about the accompanying apostrophe).

The media swarmed towards this story, because being gay is, apparently, a big deal. Who knew? I vividly remember an article on NPR entitled “Can Hip-Hop Handle I’m Gay?”, which made me laugh quite a great deal, because as I was reading the title, every single instance of hearing the word “faggot” in a rap song instantly popped into my head.

Lil B caught a lot of flak for this career choice, and even wound up receiving homophobic death threats, among other jolly concerns. Lil B was quick to explain that he meant to blur the line between the actual definition of the word “gay” and being homosexual, a bold move from a man operating within the fucking hip hop industry. And then he added the parenthetical thought (I'm Happy) to the official album title, thereby diluting any potential controversy right from the get-go.

But I assume that most of you already know the rest of the details behind this story, so I’m not going to waste any more time explaining it. Now let’s get to reviewin’!

1. TRAPPED IN PRISON

The beat to this song is fucking epic. I don’t even care that the word is disgustingly overused nowadays: it is the perfect word for this song. The beautiful guitar sample weaves in and out between Lil B’s bars, creating a truly moving listening experience. This is the Lil B that many of you have never heard before: the one that’s not fucking everybody’s bitch and shouting “Swag!” at completely unnecessary times. This is the Lil B that delivers subtle and incredibly powerful social commentary, so if this isn’t your thing, then you may want to look elsewhere. Also important to note is that Lil B does not have “flow” in its strictest sense; O.C. or Prince Po Lil B most certainly is not. You should probably get used to it.

2. OPEN THUNDER ETERNAL SLUMBER

Being from Northern California, I appreciated Lil B’s shout outs to various cities around the area. I also liked how Lil B complains about sports stars getting paid too much while doctors get paid too little. He utilizes a more traditional flow on this song than compared to “Trapped In Prison,” so this track may appeal to the more conservative hip hop audience a bit more. This song was alright.

3. GAME

“I must be real wack. How’d I get this car?” More real shit from Brandon McCartney, the clever satirist and undercover emcee. Every time Brandon seems to be trailing off into generic rapper hell, he turns back around to deliver more lines with passionate sincerity. Lil B does say “Swag!” on this song, but he saves it for the end, so by the time you get really pissed off, the next song will start. What an oddity this man is.

4. UNCHAIN ME

I envision Lil B growing wings and ascending to Heaven when I listen to this song. What, you don’t? Well, fuck you! An almost cosmic beat makes this song really interesting to listen to.

5. NEVA STOP ME

The beat is adequate, but the sound bites that Lil B included border on absolute pretentiousness. This song was meh. At least it was short.

6. GON BE OKAY

The mere fact that Lil B sampled Joe Hisaishi's “One Summer’s Day”, which was used in the fantastic movie Spirited Away, automatically makes this song amazing in my book. He spits the same introspective shit he has been doing on the entirety of I'm Gay (I'm Happy) thus far, but the accompanying piano makes you not really care all that much. This song will just make you smile. Nice!

7. THE WILDERNESS

I thought the beat sounded a bit tacky, especially since it is accompanied with a sound bite of our host praising his “Based” lifestyle. This song was pretty bland, although Lil B says some interesting things. Next!

8. I HATE MYSELF

Wow, what a title. This is sort of a melodramatic mess, but since our host actually realizes that he loves himself about four minutes into the song and doesn’t opt out for the cheap “I hate myself because I live in the hood” excuse, I'll give him a pass. This isn't the best song on here (again, it’s way too melodramatic), but it is in no way a bad track.

9. GET IT WHILE IT'S GOOD

Although this was pleasant enough, Brandon’s singing towards the end was unnecessary and nearly ruined the entire piece for me.

10. I SEEN THE LIGHT

Has a very 9th Wonder-esque feel to it: very soulful and upbeat. Another win for Brandon.

11. MY LAST CHANCE

Once again, our host presents some moral dilemmas for his audience to ponder, all over a truly great instrumental. The music behind Lil B does a great job of amplifying the regrets and fears that Brandon shares with his listeners.

12. ONE TIME (REMIX)

A rich saxophone sample laid over a great breakbeat wraps up this album in a most exquisite fashion. This is by far the most energetic song on the album, and it is fucking good. It sort of mutates into nothing more than an outro about halfway through, but this was still a great way to end the album.

THE LAST WORD: Lil B's I'm Gay (I'm Happy) is one of the best albums that I’ve heard in years. Holy shit, did I really just write that? Nearly every song has great production, and Lil B is… well, Lil B! I will admit that I was disappointed with him not rapping like he did on the aforementioned “The Age Of Information” on this album, but those feelings dissipated after a few additional spins. Lil B actually posted the download link to I'm Gay (I'm Happy) a day after he released it on iTunes for sale, as a way of thanking his fans who may not have had the extra cash to spend, but I would still recommend that you actually purchase this album. Yes, that's right, I just told you to buy a Lil B album.

-Michael

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