hiphop Archives - Page 13 of 13

#rewindreview: Lord Finesse ‘Return Of The Funky Man’ (1992)

Posted on October 10, 2023October 10, 2023 by

The second album from the ‘Funky Man’ Lord Finesse was literally a return to what he had already given on his debut album ‘Funky Technician’ with D.J. Mike Smooth. By 1992 HOP music was becoming even more popular and with that comes a change in sound and content. The weird thing about that year was with the success of West Coast “gangsta rap,” rappers outside those borders had to shift and sound more edgy to compete. On ‘Return Of The Funky Man’ Lord Finesse seems caught in this quagmire which prevents this record from having the flare his previous album had by just being in the moment and having fun. This album at times felt like Finesse was trying to overcompensate for the change of hardcore content in HOP music. ‘Return Of the Funky Man’ is still a solid release but it also leans too much on what made the previous album work with certain songs sounding like a carbon copy of tracks off ‘Funky Technician.’ Production is handled by the D.I.T.C. crew which include Showbiz, Diamond D. and Lord Finesse himself, with some outside production from D.J. Aladdin and some early production work from Shafiq Husayn on ‘Save That Ish.’ Lord Finesse is really trying to make a statement with this album of being an elite M.C. The majority of the tracks are more competitive rap content but also the “underestimated” narrative most people can relate to whether it be in relationships or career success. It might not be Lord Finesse’s best album but the record opened the door for M.C.’s like Percee P., Shel Rumble, Harry-O and the up and coming D.I.T.C. member A.G. Lord Finesse clearly learned from this album and “trimmed the fat” for ‘The Awakening’ that would be released a few years later. Would did you think of the album? Singles include: ‘Return Of The Funky Man’ & ‘Party Over Here’ Listen to QUANTUM LEAP RADIO every Saturday from 4-6p.m. CST & Thursday from 3-5a.m. CST on 90.1 FM KPFT Houston in HD2 Worldwide @kpft.org/listen/ & TuneIn app (under “kpft in HD2”) Catch past episodes by searching and following @fanlink.to/QuantumLeapRadio

#REWINDREVIEW: KRS-One ‘Return Of The Boom Bap’ (1993)

Posted on October 3, 2023October 4, 2023 by

This is how you know time must be moving faster these days because at the time of the release of this album, KRS-One was considered “old school.” This was thirty years ago almost to the date that ‘Return Of The Boom Bap’ blessed our ears. It is the debut album for KRS-One as a solo act and although all he did was drop the “Boogie Down Productions” moniker, this album felt like we had never heard this from him. KRS was in a zone on this record and it truly felt like he was in his “second childhood.” ‘Return Of The Boom Bap’ never lets up in terms of song interest and personally over the years the few songs I thought were the weakest initially, have grown to be my favorite tracks. There is a magic to what “The Teacha” has been able to do all these years and as simple as it may be to say he is one of the greatest it’s harder to pinpoint that said magic. KRS is one of the greatest orators in this hip-hop culture and he has been able to activate that trait on all of his releases, even the latter ones that might not have been received well. KRS knows that the ultimate battleground is the live stage so when songs like ‘Uh Oh’ are made it’s not just an album cut but crafted for the audience to be fully immersed in during a live show. This is why ‘Return Of The Boom Bap’ is not only a classic in KRS-One’s catalog but HOP music in general. The whole album could be performed live by itself. From ‘Outta Here’ to the uncontrolled energy of ‘I Can’t Wake Up,’ to the unexpected hit still heard in movies and shows today, ‘Sound Of Da Police,’ KRS amassed a selection of tracks that provide the perfect mix of “Edutainment.” Still available to serve you on the mic with ‘Mad Crew,’ the importance of black women on ‘Brown Skin Woman,’ questioning the religion handed to slaves on ‘Higher Level’ is The Teacha in his most prestigious moment on this release. To make this album more tight nit is the production of D.J. Premier, Showbiz, Kid Capri and KRS himself. A combination of names that in 1993 had no choice but to succeed. If it isn’t obvious by now I’ll say that this is one of my favorite albums, even before I started calling KRS-One the greatest. What did you think of the album? Singles include: ‘Outta Here,’ ‘Sound Of Da Police’ & ‘Return Of The Boom Bap’ Listen to QUANTUM LEAP RADIO every Saturday from 4-6p.m. CST & Thursday from 3-5a.m. CST on 90.1 FM KPFT Houston in HD2 Worldwide @kpft.org/listen/ & TuneIn app (under “kpft in HD2”) Catch past episodes by searching and following @fanlink.to/QuantumLeapRadio

Akon’s ‘Lonely’ Music Video Achieves One Billion Views on YouTube

Posted on September 28, 2023September 29, 2023 by

In the music video for the 2005 song “Lonely”, the scene begins with Akon basking in the adoration of his fans as they give him a standing ovation at his concert. Nevertheless, the applause gradually diminishes, and Akon finds himself standing solitary on the stage. Although a friend extends an invitation to join a gathering of friends, he graciously refuses, preoccupied by a multitude of thoughts. The video then transitions to scenes of Akon reflecting on the actions that led his girlfriend, portrayed by actress Kat Graham from The Vampire Diaries, to abruptly leave him without explanation. As Akon wanders through the town, visiting an abandoned video game arcade and strolling down a bustling boulevard, Graham is depicted crying in separate scenes. She takes a plane ticket, packs her bags, and departs from the home she shared with the singer. The visual concludes with Graham arriving in a taxi and warmly greeting a man who is not Akon with a hug. “Lonely” served as the third single from Akon’s debut studio album, Trouble. The track achieved a peak position of No. 4 and spent a remarkable 20 weeks on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 chart, marking Akon’s third solo entry on the chart. “Lonely” now joins the prestigious Billion Views Club on YouTube, following the success of Akon’s “Smack That (feat. Eminem)” with 1.1 billion views and David Guetta’s “Play Hard,” in which Akon featured alongside Ne-Yo, also with 1.1 billion views. “Akon’s “lonely” video Joins YouTube’s Billion Views Club”. Billboard.com. September 27, 2023. September 28, 2023.

#rewindreview: T-Love ‘Return Of The B-Girl’ EP (1998)

Posted on September 26, 2023October 3, 2023 by

The West Coast B-Girl, T-Love touched down with a quick but heavy debut in ‘Return Of The B-Girl.’ My introduction to her was on D.J. Rhettmatic’s (Beat Junkies) ‘World Famous Beat Junkies Vol.2’ mixtape. The track ‘I’m Comin’ was this sort of spooky mix of raw HOP music with a ladies voice that was mixed and cut to perfection in which D.J. Rhettmatic is a professional at. Still it wasn’t until about a year later that I would hear a couple of other songs from T-Love during the beginning of internet streaming radio in 1999. Those cuts were ‘L.A. To Brooklyn’ featuring Siah & Yeshua Da PoED and the title track of this EP featuring Kool Keith, who at that time I was becoming a huge fan of due to his left of center rhyming and content. T-Love uses this twenty minutes of HOP music to showcase a “no fear” style of rhyming with a voice that commanded respect. Rapping alongside the aforementioned M.C.’s is a task and on ‘Wanna-Beez’ featuring Chali 2na (Jurassic 5) the two’s back and forth on the track makes one realize how as listeners we took for granted the effect of collaborations in a studio verses being emailed in. The record is produced by This Kid Name Miles (yes that’s his name) who provided T-Love with some awesome beats that although are well within the lines of “truskool” HOP music, do not sound the same or get stagnant. My biggest issue with this release as that it was only an EP. This is appreciated these days as so many releases leave listeners fatigued while a record like ‘Return Of The B-Girl’ made you wait with bated breath, only adding value to the project and one’s listening experience. What did you think of the album? Singles include: ‘I’m Comin’ Listen to QUANTUM LEAP RADIO every Saturday from 4-6p.m. CST & Thursday from 3-5a.m. CST on 90.1 FM KPFT Houston in HD2 Worldwide @kpft.org/listen/ & TuneIn app (under “kpft in HD2”) Catch past episodes by searching and following @fanlink.to/QuantumLeapRadio

Meek Mill Makes Deal With Fans To Share Rick Ross Collaboration Before Official Release

Posted on September 26, 2023September 26, 2023 by

Meek Mill has announced that he’ll unveil his upcoming collaboration with Rick Ross, titled “Shaq & Kobe,” if his Instagram post from Tuesday garners 20,000 comments. The official release date for the track is set for Friday, September 29th. Surpassing expectations, the post had reached 21,000 comments by Tuesday afternoon. In his caption, Meek Mill encouraged fans to comment if they longed for the iconic MMG rap sound, countering claims that rap was in decline. He pledged to share the song ahead of schedule with the hashtag #KOBEANDSHAQ if the comment target was achieved before Friday. Numerous artists in the comments section expressed their excitement for the release, with Bobby Shmurda stating, “I Call the shots 🔥 a boss is one who guarantee we go eat,” and Rich The Kid leaving multiple fire emojis. Meek Mill and Rick Ross have a history of collaborations dating back several years. During an appearance on Drink Champs in May, Rick Ross reflected on Meek’s growth since signing him in 2011, emphasizing how rewarding it was to witness Meek’s development as an artist. He praised Meek and Wale, both of whom he signed, as talented individuals he had recognized as geniuses and exceptionally skilled from the beginning of their careers. “Meek Mill Offers to leak rick ross collaboration ahead of Release”. Hotnewhiphop.com. September 26, 2023. September 26, 2023.

Quavo Hints at an Upcoming Mixtape after his White House Visit to Address Gun Violence

Posted on September 22, 2023September 26, 2023 by

Quavo, along with his mother Edna Marshall and TakeOff’s mother Titania Davenport, visited the White House on September 20 to meet with Vice President Kamala Harris and discuss solutions for addressing gun violence in the United States. Quavo’s motivation for this action was influenced by the tragic loss of TakeOff’s life outside a Houston bowling alley in November 2022. He expressed the need to take action and prevent such incidents from occurring in the future, particularly within the Hip-Hop community. Quavo emphasized the importance of better gun control measures to prevent harm to innocent individuals and make public spaces safer for everyone. After visiting the White House to advocate against gun violence, Quavo announced his intentions to release a new project. Despite recently dropping his second studio album, “Rocket Power”, he reassured his fans on (X) formally known as “twitter” that he’s planning to release more music. He mentioned an upcoming mixtape, expressing his commitment to delivering new content even during a busy holiday season. “Quavo Teases New Mixtape Following White House Visit To Tackle Gun Violence”. HipHopdx.com. September 22, 2023. September 22, 2023.

#RewindReview: Skyzoo & Pete Rock ‘Retropolitan’ (2019)

Posted on September 12, 2023October 3, 2023 by

The year of 2019 saw a number of incredible album releases in the HOP. One of those that is often underrated is the Skyzoo and Pete Rock ‘Retropolitan,’ whose music fit the album title completely. Skyzoo has been hustling his way through the backstage of this music industry with rhymes, for just about twenty years while Pete Rock… Well what is even left to be said about his legacy within HOP music. ‘Retropolitan’ works by not leaning on the tired “lyrics” narrative of “back in the day” but instead tries to put the listener in the experience of a past gon era, not only in the HOP but New York specifically. Skyzoo provides clever tales of fashion, street politics and pride of this fictional “Retropolitan” city. Pete Rock is more in his dusty sample bag, similar to Watch The Throne’s ‘Otis’ but with way more energy in the production. Features are limited to only a few tracks that include Raheem DeVaughn, Styles P. and a rare posse cut with the Griselda camp and Elzhi. ‘Retropolitan’ achieves it’s mission of respecting and continuing the essence of “East Coast rap” with no apologies. Something that is often needed as those characteristics seem to be shamed into oblivion these days. What did you think of the album? Singles include: ‘It’s All Good’ Listen to QUANTUM LEAP RADIO every Saturday from 4-6p.m. CST & Thursday from 3-5a.m. CST on 90.1 FM KPFT Houston in HD2 Worldwide @kpft.org/listen/ & TuneIn app (under “kpft in HD2”) Catch past episodes by searching and following @fanlink.to/QuantumLeapRadio

Tag: hiphop

#rewindreview: Lord Finesse ‘Return Of The Funky Man’ (1992)

#REWINDREVIEW: KRS-One ‘Return Of The Boom Bap’ (1993)

#rewindreview: T-Love ‘Return Of The B-Girl’ EP (1998)

#RewindReview: Skyzoo & Pete Rock ‘Retropolitan’ (2019)

App coming soon