Spins, Tracks, & Thoughts For The Week

WYDU just recently went over 500 posts. I was going to do something special for the 500 posts milestone, but in all honesty with some "extracurricular" activities going on in my life and the holiday weekend this past weekend, I spaced it off. I guess I'll save my idea for The Daughter's three year birthday. But looking back at the sheer number of "500 posts", it kind of boggles my mind. Obviously I haven't done all 500+ but I'm guessing I've done at least 400 of them. Not sure what that says about my own life, drive or desire for this site to succeed. Maybe it says a little bit about all of those factors. It'd be different if a lot of those 500 were just mp3 tracks thrown up or a few sentences and call it a post, and we have those kind of posts, don't get me wrong, but they are few and far between. There has been a lot of planning, research, writing and just overall execution that has gone into a lot of these posts. I'll admit, I've been feeling a bit burned out, unmotivated and uninspired lately but I guess that's bound to happen from time to time. No fear, I've experienced this feeling before and once I figure out how to make a living out of doing nothing but blogging and hip hop related stuff, then shit is on, but till then, we'll just plod our way to another 500. Thanks to everyone who has ever visited, sent an email, left a comment and even acted like a douche bag, you've all made this entertaining and fun to do.

Masta Ace & Edo G

I've heard word through my close sources (and actually its been on Ed's myspace for over a month) that Ace & Ed have started working on a new album together entitled (tentatively) A&E. We all know how I feel about Ace, so any project with Ace always sounds good to me, but the joints Ace and Ed have done in the past ("Wishin'" anyone?) have always been on point, so after waiting two plus years in anticipation for the eMC project, the wait starts again for Ace and Ed. There is a rough copy of a new Ed & Ace track on Hip 2 Da Game, check it out if you haven't yet, it's pretty nice.

Top Ten Tracks of the Past Few Weeks & Top Five Spins
I've always met for this to be a weekly feature, but I'll be damned if I can keep it on schedule, so we'll just say these are my favorite tracks of the past two-three weeks or so. After a fairly slow start of the year, things are starting to pick up. I've hit upon a couple albums that I'm feeling and also getting some tracks stuck in my head that are getting some major play

10. Nino Bless - Droppin' Names (Scratches by Scram Jones)

I'll probably get some heat for selecting this track, but I'll gladly take it. The fact that just the thought of most of the New York "Dun Rap" stuff sends me into an narcoleptic seizzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzure....sorry about that, but you get my point. I didn't really know much about Nino Bless, wasn't he one of the dudes on Puffy's "Making The Band"? Regardless, I like the cats flow and the beat on this track and while the concept of the song, dropping group names (ala alcoholic drinks, breakfast cereal and other things) throughout the rhymes isn't all that new or original, it is well executed. He just dropped a new street LP titled Untold Scriptures that I have yet to listen to as of yet, but this track is rather nice.

9. The Grynch - That's Hip Hop

I've been sitting on this track for awhile, but this it has really grown on me. I don't know all that much about the artist, other than he is from my neck of the woods (well, same region) in Seattle. The track doesn't break the mold of the typical "Ode To Hip Hop" type of track, it's just the fact that the Grynch does it well. I'm not sure who is on the beats, but it's horn heavy with a thick sound to it. You can find his mixtape "Heat" from last year here.

8. Pharohoe Monch - Broken Heart

Why couldn't "Desire" have joints like this? Sure, it's mellow, kind of slow and sounds like "adult contemporary" hip hop, but Monch's smooth and soulful delivery that he has trademarked just glides over the headin' bobbin' track. Not sure where this is coming from, but hopefully if he is doin' a new album, it's more like this.

7. You - Atmosphere

I've heard mixed reactions toward "You". All in all, just about everything I've read and seen regarding Slug and Ant's new album has been positive, but some people list this as their least favorite song and some list it as their favorite. I'm guessing the catchiness that the song encompasses probably is the main factor in that response. Me personally, I've spent many days at work with this track going through my head. It does contain that pop-like quality of containing a simple yet catchy hook, but I'm okay with that. Also the fact that it's one of the more uptempo tracks on the album also makes me like it more than I probably would otherwise. They don't disappoint.

6. Grip Grand - Poppin' Pockets feat A.G.

Why isn't this cat down with Stones Throw? Sounds like something right down their alley. Grip's album, Brokelore, has gotten enough plays from me that I would call it one of my top 5 favorites of the year so far. While the remix for "Poppin' Pockets" is nowhere my favorite track from the album, like most albums that I like and start playing on a daily basis, but favorites roam from track to track. Lately, I've had this song stuck in my head. Not sure if it's the chipmunk sample of the way AG and Grip flow back and forth over the track, or shit, it might be the catchy ass hook. Just another banger from the "Brokelore" album.

5. Copywrite feat King Dom - It's A Wrap

I know it's not cool to like Copy, but I never given a shit about that kind of thing. I've always liked Copy as an MC. Don't know him any other way, so whatever. I'm guessing this track has been around in the past, but I just kind of "re-discovered" it on the bootleg of his that's floating around. It's over a Dilla beat, not sure if it's legit or what, but the beat is classic Dilla and Copy and partner sound pretty damn fresh on it. Eric told me it was probably from The Cruise Control mixtape that he dropped a year or two ago, which that might be, I'm sure I've heard this before, but for some reason it grabbed me this time around.

4. Weapon X - Asshole Syndrome

Another album that has been getting a steady increasing amount of spins. I'm not real familiar with Weapon X either, but I know he is out of LA and has some serious potential. Not saying his album "Portrait of a Starving Artists" is mediocre, far from it. This track employs an almost nursery rhyme hook, but I get a chuckle out of it. If you are like me, you'll end up singing along with it.

3. Praverb - Freedom To Prevail

I'm a sucka for strings, and man, does this song possess some serious strings. It almost reminds me of the first time I heard "Paparazzi", it's that good. This track will cause you to catch a kink in the ole' neck as you nod along to the beat. Long time WYDU favorite Praverb brings the goods lyric wise as well. Great track all the way around.


2. Dagha - Scat

You'll hear me gushing about The Divorce soon enough, but this track is an example of why I'm so high on the album. Let's just say it's one of the 6 new CD's I picked up recently. A big band sounding sample lets Dagha just rip shit in an old school funky way. Great track that should be in the top 25 by the end of the year.

1. Has-Lo & Small Professor - Prelude

My man Has and my man Small Pro bring the heat on the ...Still Fucked EP. This track is just simply amazing to me. As I've mentioned before, I saw no reason for Has' original EP to get the remix treatment, but I'll be damn if some joints are better than the originals. This one is a toss up with the original, just because I'm such a big fan of the original.

Top Spins

1. Has-Lo & Small Professor - Fuck Has Day: Remixed But Still Fucked

I've said pretty much all I've needed to say about this remix EP last week. The more I listen, the more it grows on me. It's just a solid album all the way around. And best of all, it's free. Also, be on the look out for a "top secret" project from Has in the upcoming weeks.

2. Dagha - The Divorce

Thanks to my man Jaz for pointing this out to me. I had heard of Dagha only as a guest artist on one of Edan's albums a few years back. Nothing that really made me take notice, but when I sat down with this beautifully executed concept album, I had to hit "replay" when I was done with and go through it again. It's funny, when I first listened to it, it immediately reminded me of Connecticut legend Dooley-O, and come to find out, Dagha is on Lewis Recordings, the same label that Dooley is on (or at least was, I haven't checked lately). Dagha is straight from Beantown, Boston for the suckas out there, and I think made a better album that Dooley's "I Gotcha..". The album is based on going through a divorce, which I've never had the pleasure of going through, but I can still relate in some ways. Very witty and funny, this will be one of my top albums of the year in the near future.

3. Atmosphere - When Life Gives You Lemons, Paint That Shit Gold

I'm still playing this quite a bit, although I've cooled down from in the past couple weeks. There really isn't any song I dislike on it, but some I obviously feel more than others. I'm not sure where this will fall in at for my favorite albums of the year, but I'm guessing pretty high. It's a mature effort from Slug and something different (or maybe a revert to the old sound) from Ant.

4. Grip Grand - Brokelore

Another album I'm pumping on a regular basis. I can't really even pinpoint why I'm diggin' this album so much, it's just easy for me to get a "grip" on, excuse the bad pun. The beats aren't the greatest, Grip as an MC isn't the greatest, it's all just comes together in a way that makes me want to listen to it more and more. Only one track really sucks on it, all the rest have really made it on my list of favorites at one time or another.

5. (TIE) Poorly Drawn People - Shoot For the Stars, Hit The Ceiling & Joe Budden & Ill Poetic Meets Portishead - Mood Muzik 3 Remixes

My man Storm Davis and his crew, PDP are still getting regular spins as well. I almost got in trouble for singing "Storm Davis fucks like a puma" the other day at work....not good. I'm still waiting on Storm's next release (where the fuck is it dude?) but this is more than a good enough holdover until that happens.

My man Eric does more than enough promoting for his dude Ill Poetic, but I can't front on this remix album, it's fuckin' incredible. Totally my kind of shit, just loud....noise. And well know how much I dig the noise production, ala Bomb Squad. This shit just fuckin' bangs like crazy. I've always liked Ill Poetic, not as much as Eric, but this jumped him up a couple spots on my list for sure.

WHY???
Why am I not sure what to think of the new Busta album line up? Once again, a ton of guest appearances and some odd ones at that. I did like the last one though, so I'll give this a chance.

Why (and I brace myself for the hate) am I not really feeling the new Roots album? And this is coming from someone who at one time claimed the Roots as one of his favorite groups.

Why did that Digital Underground sneak up on everybody?

Why have I still yet to listen to it?

Why do I kind of want to see Vakill go at this Matlock dude? Nothing against Matlock, I don't really know who he is, but I would like to see Vakill go agro on someone.

Why if I heard the news about Little Brother possibly never recording another album 5 years ago, I would have been effected more than I am now?

Why do I not get what the hype is about this Wale cat?

Why have I yet to hear any of the new Nas songs? Dude will just end up pissing me off when the album is released anyway.

Why does it take someone's passing for me to realize the quality material the put out? RIP Camu Tao