11-30 from 2009:
30) What It Was - Aceyalone & The Lonely Ones - This song sounds just like it comes from the 50's or 60's with the exception of Aceyalone rapping. I just love the concept of this album and this is one of the better songs on the LP.
29) That's Coke - La Coka Nostra - The first single from La Coka Nostra and my favorite from the album. I just love Everlast on this song.
28) Cocaine - Cunninlynguists Produced by J-Zone - A song about drugs in America, more specifically cocaine, over a crazy J-Zone beat.
27) Low Light Low Life - P.O.S. feat. Dessa and Sims - P.O.S. is joined by two members of his Minneapolis-based crew, Doomtree, on this real nice track.
26) Lightworks - DOOM - I tried to find where this sample came from, but had no luck. It sounds like an old commercial. It's a slightly different version from Dilla's Donuts and with DOOM dropping some lyrics.
25) D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune) - Jay Z - If you've met me, or read anything I've written, then you know of my intense hatred of autotune. I'm always happy when others share my hatred.
24) Shake This - Royce Da 5'9" - This is the song that got me to buy my first Royce album. Nice DJ Premier produced track.
23) Auditorium - Mos Def feat. Slick Rick - I loved this beat when I heard it on Madlib's Beat Konducta LP featuring music from India. It's cool to hear some lyrics dropped over it and Slick Rick drops an ill verse from the point of view of a soldier in Iraq.
22) Caged Bird, Pt. 1 - Zion I feat. Brother Ali - The string sampled beat is great and Brother Ali makes a guest appearance. I even like the singing on the track.
21) Run This Town - Jay Z - Jay-Z had some real good songs on BPIII, and 2 of the best feature prominent R&B singers, which a lot of times will put me off to a song. I guess they made a Mad Max inspired video for this song, which I may have known about if I was 15.
20) Strange Enough - NASA feat. ODB, Fatlip and Karen O - Can you really go wrong with Fatlip and ODB together on the same song? I don’t think so. You also have a chorus handled by Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s, which is pretty damn cool.
19) Day N Nite (Nightmare) - Kid Cudi - I guess this was the first single from Cudi's LP, which, again, I would have known if I was 15 and listened to pop radio (another old man rant). Anyway, like I've said before, I really liked Cudi's LP and this is one of the better songs.
18) Fresh Air - Brother Ali - A funky track from Ali and Ant on production duties.
17) Samsonite Man - Fashawn w/ Blu - Great production from Exile and Fashawn and Blu kick rhymes about the travelling life of an artist.
16) Pursuit of Happiness (Nightmare) - Kid Cudi w/ MGMT and Ratatat - Some more "life sucks, but I hope it gets better" stuff from Cusi.
15) Gihad - Raekwon feat. Ghostface - Rae and Ghost kick some more drug laced rhymes over a crazy beat. The subject matter from Ghost might not be for everyone, but Ghost kills this song.
14) Murder1 - KRS-One and Buckshot w/ Bounty Killer - A hardcore track off of one of the pleasant surprises of the year, Survival Skills.
13) Goodbye - P.O.S. - I like everything about this song, the lyrics, the beat, the chorus, just a solid song.
12) Gifted - NASA feat. Kanye West and Santigold and Lykke Li - I waiver quite a bit on Kanye. I’ve never thought of him as a top tier emcee, but he really kills his verse, even if he is on some “I’m Kanye the Great” type stuff. His flow on this track is fresh.
11) Tailor Made - Low Budget - I love this song and couldn't get enough of it when I first heard it and it holds up well. Just a real nice track from Australia's Low Budget.
2/07/2010
Top Hip-Hop Singles of 2009 - BC's 11-30
1/22/2010
Top Hip-Hop Albums of 2009 - BC's 11-15
I'm sure everyone is ready for more lists, so here are my 11-15 of 2009:
15) Ace & Edo - Arts and Entertainment
Masta Ace is my all-time favorite rapper and he’s joined by another old-school MC, Edo G. to form A&E. The production is spotty, but there are some real nice songs on this collab, as heard by songs, such as Little Young, Ei8ht Is Enough, Here I Go Again (w/ the exception of the R&B verse) and Over There.
14) Slug & Murs - Felt 3: A Tribute to Rosie Perez
Upon my first listen, I was extremely impressed with the production by Aesop Rock. However, it faded a bit to me after repeated listening. Overall though, it’s another real nice collaboration from Slug and Murs. If you haven’t picked up any of the 3 Felt albums, I’d recommend going back and buying them.
13) Jay-Z - The Blueprint III
Here’s an admission that you might be surprised to hear, I have never bought a Jay-Z album in my life. The main reason is that Jay came along at a time where I was very disillusioned with hip-hop, the late 90’s. I heard some early stuff and wasn’t really that impressed and was annoyed that this dude came along and was considered the greatest rapper alive. He started releasing some songs that I likes, but I just never copped any of his stuff. I guess I just was annoyed with the hype and annoyed with major label hip-hop. Anyway, I’ve warmed to Jay because of his genuine love of hip-hop, along with his solid catalog of music. BPIII is a solid album and some people that have been down with Jay for years didn’t really like the album, but the fact that I didn’t own previous works by Jay, I feel like I am pretty objective (I understand the reactions, because I am like that every time a new Outkast LP comes out, but then I listen a few more times and realize the greatness). With songs like "D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)", "Run This Town" and "Empire State of Mind", this LP has some of the year’s best songs.
12) CunninLynguists - Strange Journey Volume One
Kno is one of the game’s best producers and Deacon is one of my favorite MC’s (Natti’s no slouch either). This album, as well as Volume Two, is more of a guest driven album and not necessarily a true CL album. Vol. 1 features other indie artists, such as Looptroop Rockers, Substantial, PackFM, Mr. SOS, Tonedeff and Mac Lethal. It also contains one of my favorite songs of the year, "Never Come Down (The Brownie Song)", and other nice tracks like Don’t Leave feat. Slug, and Nothing But Strangeness feat. Looptroop Rockers and Hilltop Hoods (if you can get past the stupid verse about a girl using the bathroom).
11) Mos Def - The Ecstatic
I could have easily put this in the top 10, so it was hard to leave this on the outside looking in on the top 10. The Ecstatic was a nice return to form musically for Mos Def after a couple of clunkers since his debut solo LP. It’s a bit of an alternative hip-hop album, meaning that the beats aren’t your typical hip-hop beats and some of the emceeing is a little different than your straight up hip-hop. You can really hear this on songs like "Casa Bey" with it’s horn laced/elevator music beat and "Roses", which sounds a bit like something Andre 3000 would do. It may take some getting used to if you’re looking for something reminiscent of Black On Both Sides or Black Star, but if you give it a chance, you’ll dig it. Nice to see Mos Def giving a damn about music again.
4/17/2009
5x5 Day Five: Looking Back/Getting Older
Some thirty plus years ago today, a child was born. Yes, it's another birthday for me. I'm to the point I'm about ready to call it good with the birthday's, cause I just keep getting older. I'm starting understand how people go through the "mid-life" crisis. I'd be lying if I said I was anywhere close to being where I planned on being in life if you asked me 15 years ago or so. That's life, things don't always go as plan. It's just weird though, I see friends getting older, my own parents getting older. I see baseball players that I used to collect their baseball cards being managers and coaches. I see movie stars from movies in the 80's lookin' old as dirt. For the longest time, I was under the impression I would never get older, but that obviously isn't true. I am getting older, and faster than I really want to. Nothing can change that. I'm sure I'll be reflecting on that this weekend when I'm about 15 beers into it. That's always a good time to do some soul searching.
As far as hip hop goes, I remember my first serious girlfriend I had about fifteen years ago. She lived a sheltered life, her parents were conservatives, upper middle class people. I, on the other hand was fairly liberal, coming from a more or less lower middle class background. She had no clue what hip hop was before she met me. One of our first make out sessions was during A Tribe Called Quest's "Midnight Marauders", she got heavy doses of Tha Alkaholiks, Biggie, and Warren G. I made her set through "rap" movies such as Menace II Society, Juice and Boyz N The Hood (which lead to a big fight over how the government treats people). She asked me once if I thought I'd be listening to hip hop when I was in my 30's and had kids. Of course at the time, she meant "our kids" as we were planning on getting married and all that stuff. I said "Absolutely". Fifteen years later, here I am, in my mid 30's, and still listening to hip hop. It's still the main music genre I listen to, and I don't plan on changing that anytime soon. I see myself being in my 70's and blasting "Whut?!? Thee Album" when the grand kids come over. As hip hop continues to mature, so do the listeners. It's a music that generally hasn't been friendly to it's elders. I have to admit sometimes I'm a little hesitant to say exactly how old I am (I haven't so far in this post), just for the simple fact that an artist my age would be seen as an old man. It is becoming a more common place to see hip hop artists in their thirties. There are even some in their forties by now. And that trend is going to continue. Where do the older listeners go? What do they do? Is the music still relevant to us? As Hip-Hop gets older so will it’s listeners and what happens in the future is up for debate. I personally don’t want to hear the same things I wanted to hear when I was 18 or 19. I’d rather hear things relevant to my 30 something life. Is there room for that in hip hop? Time will tell….
I wanted to list my five favorite songs about growing older and looking back at the good old days. Twenties years ago, hell even ten years ago, you were unlikely to hear songs with this such topic, but they are starting to become more common.
1. Supastition - Fountain of Youth
PERFECT. This song and it's message is absolutely perfect. I'm not sure how old Supa is, but I'm guessing he is right around my age. Supa talks about how he likes the same music from twenty years ago, and how music is too loud. He also brings up women and how they've changed. Things were important to us fifteen years ago, isn't nearly as important anymore. We stay in the past, but everything keeps getting newer.
2. Juggaknots - 30 Something
One of my favorite tracks from one of my favorite albums of the decade. I mean, Breeze talks about eating raw veggies, doing crunches and just getting up their in age. It's truly a song that people that are going through that "middle age crisis" will identify with the best. Not saying the piano laced beat isn't dope in it's own right, cause it is and would be worth listening to all on it's own.
3. Coolio Feat J-Ro & Billy Boy - I Remember
I know Coolio gets some crap for his first album, It Takes Thief, but I actually kinda of dug the album. It was "I Remember" that was my second favorite second, which featured one of my favorite MCs at the time, J-Ro. The whole song has that throw back flavor and all the verses, except for maybe Billy Boy (who?) brought back my own happy memories of growing up.
4. MC Lyte - Wonder Years
MC Lyte kinda came out of nowhere with "Wonder Years". A Primo banger, Lyte is all grown up and talking about her tips of living older, including "kick the liqour, when you turn 30-30." Sorry Lyte, that won't be happening this weekend.
5. Jay-Z - 30 Something
A little crass, a little brash, but I guess this is where us thirty somethings strive to be. I'm from Generation X, a generation that was known for it's slacking in the 90's, but now...... Now we want that SUV, we want that country club membership, that Visa Platinum, and the fine wine. That's what Jay is talking about on here, and who is to say he isn't right?
8/12/2008
Jockin Jay-Z
The mp3 is finally around, just wanted to share it with you.
Jockin Jay-Z
So after rumours of Jay's next album being completely produced by Timbaland it's finally official that Blueprint three will be out in the end of this year and it will be produced just by Kanye... Jockin Jay-Z is hot, can't wait for the album. That will be like a Kanye album, just with dope lyrics... haha
RIP Issac Hayes, I got a tribute joint for him on my page Click
He inspired so many producers, he will be missed!
Peace and Love, Clap
12/09/2007
American Clapster - The American Gangster remix album
Hey Peeps!
I locked myself down in my appartment the last 3 days, to make a remix of Jay-Z's American Gangster album. I got the Accapellas on Thursday after I ordered them on Tuesday. I was a little disappointed with the Beats on the Original, so I had to do it. Went to the 2nd hand record store digging for some nice soul records on Friday. Then came back home and started. I just finished it an hour ago.
Please download it, it's FREE!
Feel free to share it with your friends and buy the original if you haven't already, Jay is really telling some nice shit on it!
And I would be more than Happy to receive some feedback from y'all!
Click here to download
You can check some of the tracks on my myspace if you wanna chec it out to make sure you aren't downloading any bs ;)
Myspace
Much Love
SoulClap
Edit:
10/29/2007
Jay-Z - American Gangster: A First Listen
Every so often, an album comes a long that will have the 'net buzzin. Last one that hopped up on the scene was Kanye and his "Graduation" album. Like wildfire, opinions and the such spread from site to site. One thing I think is wrong with today's technology is people form opinions waaaay to fast. After one listen they tend to say an album sucks or the claim it as "Album Of The Year". I'm guilty of myself, but lately I try to really give it a lot of listens before I form an opinion. It's one reason I'm so damn slow doing reviews. So what I'm about to do is probably counter intuitive, but what the fuck.
The fourth quarter is always filled with highly anticipated releases. Nas' album drops, Wu-Tang's album drops, Ghostface, and a host of others. With the internet leaking shit before the actual release date, we all of course get to hear albums in advance. It's just a fact of life. Sometime over the weekend (I wasn't paying much attention), Jay-Z's "American Gangster" leaked. Anything that concerns Jay is always going to be eagerly gobbled up by Jay "dick riders" and Jay "haters". I'm probably somewhere in between when it comes to Jay. He has material that I absolutely love, then he has material that I can't stand. I do understand his relevance to the game and I also understand why he can be considered one of the top MC's currently in the game. He is kind of like the New York Yankees, you can hate on them all you want, but you still have to recognize that they are a good team. Same goes with Jay. You can hate on dude all you want, but you still can't turn a blind eye and say he sucks on the mic. You just can't.
Scholar at "Souled On" and I were discussing Jay-Z once and compared him to the McDonald's of hip hop. His music is kind of a guilty pleasure among some of us. He's not the
most "healthy" choice, but damn, he is sure fun to listen to at times. As I've said, I've had a love/hate relationship with Jay's music. The man can make some great songs at times, but he can come with some complete trash other times. Him and Nas' both do that for me. Often their albums are inconsistent with some real hip hop on them and some pop garbage fluff cluttering them as well. I was aware of Jay early on with his apperence on Jaz's "A Word To The Jaz" and "Hawaiian Sophie" fame. Then of course you had Jay pop up on other stuff every now and then in those early years. He dropped a verse on "Show & Prove" from BDK's "Daddy's Home", he did "The Orginators" that was on Jaz's 1990 "To Your Soul" release then of course he dropped a verse on Original Flavor's "Can I Get Open". From then, I believe it was "Ain't No N---a" that dropped as a single on the Nutty Professor Soundtrack that got me hooked. I picked up that "Dead Presidents b/w Ain't No N---a" single before "Reasonable Doubt" dropped, 
which was a classic.
Here is how I rank Jay's studio albums....
1. Reasonable Doubt - I don't think you can put anything else ahead of this classic. The production, the visuals he paints with his lyrics. I don't think there is a bad song on this album. It's gangsterish, but beautiful at the the same time.
2. Blueprint - By the time this album dropped, I had started writing off Jay after two medicore albums, a crappy "Roc La Familia" posse album and one album that I still don't like to this day. But with new production from some dudes named Kanye West and Just Blaze, this brought Jay back up to speed again with another "complete" album that you could bump from beginning to end (minus "All I Need").
3. The Black Album - I know some people hate on this album, but I've always liked it. Maybe its all the remix albums this spawned, but I got pretty familiar with it. The original only has one song that I truly despise ("Justify My Thug", which I do like on other versions). Not classic by any means, but a solid, enjoyable album.
4. Vol 3. Times and Life of S. Carter - I think this album exemplifies Jay's career. Some excellent songs and some absolute garbage. I hated this album when it dropped, but I burned it (read: made a tape copy) from a friend and gave it some run in my tape deck and ended up really liking certain things from it.
5. In My Lifetime Vol.1 - This is basically the same kind of thing as "Times and Life of S. Carter", some great music and some terrible music. This was his second album which I was fiending for after the brillance that is "Reasonable Doubt", then both "Sunshine", which dropped as a first single and "Who U Wit" that appeared on the "Sprung!" soundtrack made me notice that this was not the same Jay I had heard on "Reasonable Doubt". I like both songs, but I was a little weary and of course this album gave me plenty to be worried about. He basically followed BIG's blueprint of making radio friendly hits along with the street bangers, although Jay wasn't up to BIG's level at this point.
6. Kingdom Come - For a "return album", this was highly disappointing. It's
not that its a bad album in the sense of judging albums, but its not great either. Besides "Anything" and "Hollywood", which both make me vomit in my mouth just a little when I hear them, there is nothing on here I really hate. There's just not much that grabs me as well.
7. Vol. 2 Hard Knock Life - I have always hated the "Hard Knock Life" track. If I never hear that crappy song again in my life, I'll be happy. It just sucked in my opinion. There isn't much else on this album that made me happy at the time either. He was hardcore into that Swizz Beats, jiggy garbage that was happening around this time, so needless to say this album did little for me.
8. Blueprint 2: The Gift and the Curse - This has to be one of my all-time hated albums. I hate this album with a passion. It's a double album full of garbage. This shit shouldn't even be an EP. I have a big thing against double albums, I don't think there is a double album out there that wouldn't be better as a single album. Regardless this was just crap to make some money. Maybe I should sit down and try to listen to it again, but I couldn't hear for a week from my ears bleeding so badly last time I tried it.
American Gangster
Next step in Jay's legacy is the recently leaked "American Gangster". I haven't listened to the snippets. I haven't read anything about this album since its been leaked. The only two opinions I've heard so far that I value is one from Scholar, who said it validated being a Jay-Z fan in his eyes again and from my boy Dino, who is calling it the album of the year already after listening to it this morning before work. This is my first time listening to it minus "Blue Magic" and "No Hook" and "Success" with Nas. The leaked version is NOT the retail version, since the retail version appears to contain 15 tracks, while the version floating around the net only has 13, but so be it. Remember, this is just my initial response, I'm writing as I listen, one run through, first impulse type thing going down here....Let's get into it, shall we?
1. Intro Performed by Idris Elba Produced by Chris Flame for Earbrain Productions Co-Produced by Idris “Driis” Elba for HEADSHELL/HEVLAR Recordings
No "Scarface" thing to start off? I guess we have to promote the movie. I hate intros for the most part, this is just a bunch of talking with a cinematic music accompying it. It is what it is. Nothing to get you overly excited.
2. Pray Produced by DIDDY and LV & SEAN C for Grind Music/The Hitmen/Bad Boy Entertainment
I have to admit, seeing "Diddy" littering the production credits made my stomach churn. Yes, I know thats his "Hitmen"doing his dirty work, but still. The track has some nice strings and a nice beat. I'd say its a quality Jay track. The vocal sample adds to the track and adds to Jay's lyric to paint a nice picture of whats going on. I like the track. Makes me think this album has some potential. Nice start.
3. American Dreamin’ Produced by DIDDY and LV & SEAN C for Grind Music/The Hitmen/Bad Boy Entertainment Co-Produced by Mario Winans for Yellow City Entertainment/The Senate
Seeing Mario Winans credited as co-producer already made me suspect of this track before it even started playing and once it jumps into the track, it gives me no reason to think I wasn't right doubting it as the first 10 seconds make me cringe. Singing dominates the intro of the track, and not the good kind really. Once it stops though, I kind of like the way Jay flows and the drums on the track. Nothing really different from Jay. I'm not sure if I'm going to like this track or not. Again, it does a nice job painting a "mood", which I think a lot of music fails to do these days. After the halfway point, I'm digging this track. Nothing spectacular, but solid. I like it.
4. Hello Brooklyn 2.0 feat. Lil Wayne Produced by BIGG D for Bigg D Entertainment, LLC. 
By now if you read this blog often, you should know I'm not a big Lil Wayne fan, although I've gone from saying he is my most disliked MC to just being disliked, but I don't really care to hear him all that much. Which is too bad for me, because right off the bat, we hear Weezy spitting over a Beastie Boys track that was found on "Paul's Boutique" as one of the cuts on their "B-Boy Bouliousse". Amazing enough, I'm really digging it. Its probably because of the old schoolness that I'm digging, kind of in the vein of "99 Problems" from the Black Album. It's not going to be the best track on the album, but I like it a lot. It would sound dope with a system. Changes up the tempo of the album and I think its well placed.
5. No Hook Produced by DIDDY and LV & SEAN C for Grind Music/ The Hitmen/Bad Boy Entertainment
This is one of the few songs I've heard already. I heard it only once and I wasn't impressed with it then. This second time, the beat still does nothing for me. Its too similar to the first two songs, but more bland in nature. Its just kind of a boring track to me. About the two minutes mark, Jay start dropping some ill verses, going off doing what Hov does best.
6. Roc Boys (And The Winner Is)… Produced by DIDDY and LV & SEAN C for Grind Music/The Hitmen/Bad Boy Entertainment
I know this track leaked early as well, but I never did check it out. So far I have conflicting reports on the track, my boy Dino went crazy for it this morning when he was texting me, saying I would love it and after listening to hip hop together for 13+ years, he has a good idea of my tastes. Eric on the hand didn't like it, so if he doesn't like it, I might just like this....haha. I push play and there are some fly ass horns that do sound like Just Blaze as Dino said to me. A good start. I'm digging this immediately, uptempo, like something you'd play before going out. I'm sure Dino and I will be playing this when I am back in town.
7. Sweet Produced by DIDDY and LV & SEAN C for Grind Music/The Hitmen/Bad Boy Entertainment
The beat has a nice sample that I can tell is going to be stuck in my head for awhile after this. I still kind of knock it for not varying much from the 2-3 songs on the album. That might change after a few listens and things start standing out on their own. Jay sounds a lot more confident on this album than he did on “Kingdom Come”. Regardless, I am liking this song. The sample sounds familiar, I should know it but it works well with everything. Good song, not great, but good.
This is one of those songs that I have an unfavorable opinion right off the bat. I’m not a fan of Pharrell or the Neptunes and this textbook Neptunes shit. Again, the song kind of sounds like its going through the motions as some parts of the album does. I could see this like being “Change Clothes” from the “Black Album”, it was a track I didn’t initially like, but it grew on me. After about the two minute mark, the track has warmed up to me. Still nothing mind blowing that most Jay albums have at least 2-3 tracks of that caliber.
A nice mellow beat starting off which I kind of like, a slight change from the rest of the album. Jay comes with a different flow as well. I’m digging this joint from the get go. I’m not sure if these tracks will show up on the actual movie, but they all have that “movie” feel to them. This track is one of my top two favorites so far. This is one of the standout tracks I expect to find on a Jay album. I’m singing along with the track toward and nodding my head furiously. This what hearing great new music is all about.
I heard this track once as well, and while it wasn’t bad, I was expecting more out of Jay and Nas track. I also wasn’t impressed with “Black Republican” initially on Nas’ album but ended up loving it so maybe this needs to grow on me some. The second play I think I like much more than my first time hearing it, maybe it was my mood. I’m digging the beat, although I can’t help to think its missing something. I wouldn’t mind seeing it sped up a few BPM’s. Nas sounds tight on his verse, sounds like the Nas we all know and love. I’m sure this joint will grown on me as well. Its got the swagger that I enjoy coming from Nas and Jay but I still can’t think its missing that essential ingrediant.
11. Fallin’ Produced by Jermaine Dupri for So So Def Productions, Inc. Co-produced by No-ID for So So Def Productions, Inc.
Dammit, singing starts off the track. Then the beat really kicks in and it’s pretty fuckin’ nice. Digging the drums. I’ve since went from my headphones to the computer speakers. While my speakers aren’t the stock speakers, they are still not up to par with some good headphones. Yeah this shit is tight as well. The singing, which is the chorus, fits in fine with the song after hearing it a few times. I’m thinking this song is one of the better songs as well that I’ve heard thus far from the album. I like the strings that accompany the drums. It’s one of my favorites on the album so far.
12. Blue Magic
Produced by The Neptunes
I’ve heard this song a few times and have not been a fan of it at all. I’m not going 
to pretend like I think that will change with a listen with the rest of the album, but we shall see. I can already say that this is going to blend in with 3-4 other tracks on the album. I’m just not a fan of a lot of the Neptunes shit. Although after listening to the rest of the album, after I already said I didn’t think it would matter, it sounds included in the rest of the collection. I like the organ keys. I could go without having to hear Pharrell’s wack ass on the chorus. Kind of minimalistic in nature, beatwise, but I can deal with that, sometimes less is better. I just wish I didn’t have to hear Pharrell. It almost sounds like a Just Blaze bite, which I like, but kind of irks me. Okay, I’m changing my mind about this song now. I don’t mind it now.
13. American Gangster Produced by Just Blaze for F.O.B. Entertainment/N.Q.C. Management, LLC and Hip Hop Since 1978
This sounds like the token uptempo joint that Jay sounds good on but you haven’t heard much on this album. It’s a nice tempo changer for the album, although I think it would have been better served somewhere earlier in the track order. It’s not much different from other songs in Jay’s catalog but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The track has kind of a funk feeling to it in a sense which suites me just fine as well. The sample, the horns and the cymbals crashing, all reminds of the 70’s funk I’ve been spending a lot of time listening to as of late. Great song.
I don’t think Jay is going to win any fans with this, but this album has the potential to be one of the better ones of his career. I won’t say its as good as “The Black Album”, at least not as of yet. There are a few songs that just sound to similar to each other after my initial listen, which might bore me after a few listens, or they might distance themselves enough to make the album even better. Time will tell on that one. I’m not going to call this album of the year, I’ve only had one listen, but I will enjoy this more than a large chunk of releases this year.
Favorite Tracks
Fallin, American Gangster, Roc Boys, Hello Brooklyn, Say Hello.
7/18/2007
Jay-Z - The black album - Pete Rock Remixes
I didn't listen to all the remix albums that came out, cause none of those that I heard could even be close to the original. Usually I'm not a big fan of remix albums, besides God's stepson by 9th Wonder... But this here is pretty nice,the usual Pete Rock sound is nice in combination with Jigga's raps. 99 Problems might be the outstanding remix on this one. Have fun!
Black Album - Pete Rock remixes
SoulClap
