Benz and a Backpack

Not knowing the news that Jay-Z and Beyonce officially had their baby delivered on January 7th, can only be excused if you suddenly succumb to one of those rare three day comas. This was the news EVERYONE was waiting for! And it happened. Blue Ivy Carter (girl), is now a part of the world. And in true capitalizing, entrepreneurial form, Jay-Z got his new baby in the studio to start working on her debut album: “I’ll Never Be Poor”. Well…not actually. An audio recording of Blue, crying moments after her birth, was used at the end of Jay-Z’s most recent celebratory, “I’m a daddy now!”, track produced by Pharrell featuring, Blue Ivy Carter (B.I.C.). Click the skip to listen and download the song! 
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With the epic success of Odd Future, it was only a matter of time before more hip-hop skating, do-it-yourself collectives started appearing in the music world. Perrion and his brother, Microphone Preview, have been building up their own posse, High Off Music Entertainment (or HOME), based out of NYC and Atlanta. The most recent release from their group is Perrion’s Le Bourgeon mixtape. With creative production and solid lyrics covering a range of topics, Le Bourgeon is an enjoyable summer listen. Hit the skip for the full text of our interview with the young jedi.

Fantastic: For those who don’t know, who is Perrion?

Perrion: 20 year old rapper/producer from Washington Heights, NYC.

Fantastic: On your first track you mention you were signed by a record label for a brief period when you were 14; how long have you been making music and what went on with the label?

Perrion: Well I was signed to Universal Records with my brother. We were signed by this dude named Kedar and [then] Sylvia Rhome came and took over and pretty much dropped all of Kedar’s artists. I’ve been making music since around the age 9 or 10.

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If Tyler’s Summer Camp Mix proved anything, it was that Pharrell is one the Odd Future general’s biggest influences. Here, Pusha T recruits Tyler for “Trouble On My Mind,” a Pharrell-produced track that sounds more like Tyler’s production than Tyler’s own production does. Pusha and Tyler contrast nicely: the former brings his hardened, nimble lyricism and the latter provides his usual stomach-churning punchlines. The track will be on Pusha’s Fear Of God Part 2: Let Us Pray coming August 23rd on G.O.O.D. Music/Decon/Re-Up Gang. Stream the song below and hit the skip to D/L.

Pusha T – Trouble On My Mind ft. Tyler The Creator by Revolution Media Group
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Today’s a big day. To celebrate the release of Monumental (Duck Down Records), Pete Rock & Smif N Wessun leaked another single off the album, “(I’m A) Stand Up Guy,” featuring none other than Black Rob. Stream the song below, read the KevNott review of Monumental here, and order the album now! Hit the skip for more on Curren$y’s Weekend At Burnie’s, Big Sean’s Finally Famous, and Wu Tang’s Legendary Weapons.

Pete Rock and Smif N Wessun “(I’m a) Stand Up Guy” feat. Black Rob by duckdown

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For Swizz Beatz, Monday has become Monster Monday. Releasing new music and material every week seems to be a growing trend these days, with everyone from Kanye (Good Music Fridays) to Drag-On (H.E. Tuesday) chipping in. Today Swizz released “Bang, Bang”  featuring Pusha T and Pharrell. The beat was produced by Swizz himself, with mixing done by KNS Tha Engineer.

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Download: Swizz Beatz ft. Pusha T & Pharrell – Bang, Bang

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MoneyCashShoms alerted me to a situation that took place at the end of last summer when Das Racist’s Victor Vazquez challenged Farley Katz, an in-house cartoonist at The New Yorker, to a cartoon-off! The reason? Vazquez was unhappy with Katz’s commentary on American Fast Food culture, which referenced the Das Racist joint “Combination Pizza Hut And Taco Bell.” Katz accepted the challenge, and the rest is history. And even though Katz and TNY did not hold true to their promise– that if they lost they’d become a magazine dedicated to rap and jewels (haha)– the fact that the cartoon-off happened is worthy of recognition in and of itself. What’s that age-old adage– it’s not where you end up that matters, but how you get there? Yeah. Something like that.

It’s been a minute, but this go-round of Mixtape Monday has a little bit of everything: Das Racist for the deconstructivists, must-listen Nas for the purists, Smokers Club representatives for the weed heads, Aloe Blacc for the musical connoisseurs, TrapDub (or ‘ThugStep’) for the party-goers, Gucci for the anti-lyricists, and the 2010 BET Cyphers for those who haven’t heard em yet. Bewler!

Benz And A Backpack Presents…Mixtape Monday – Vol. 22 by BenzAndABackpack4

Download: Benz And A Backpack Presents…Mixtape Monday Vol. 22

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Every now and then, trying circumstances arise that would put a strain on any relationship. When that strain becomes sustained, or when it shows some semblance of permanence, it’s time to put the foundation of that relationship under the microscope and evaluate whether or not it is fundamentally sound. If it is, then you break out your tool belt and work with the other person to rebuild the interior of that relationship, and move forward. If it isn’t fundamentally sound then you tear that house down and look for a different plot of land to build on.

There’s no time to waste on people who don’t reciprocate equal love and respect. Surround yourself with the people who do, because they’ll always hold you down. Keep the others at arm’s length. Dame and Jay parted ways in 2004, most likely because Dame was not a supporter of the direction HOV was headed. Now Dame is doing much cooler shit than Jay, and he’s doing it with a group of people dedicated to a singular artistic cause. Ski Beatz, Curren$y, Big K.R.I.T., and Smoke DZA are DD172 teammates featured in this week’s Mixtape Monday. Other tracks include: brand new Raekwon, Andre 3000, Styles P, Cee-Lo, KanYe, Lupe & Pharrell, as well as cuts from Detroit’s Doss The Artist & Hir-O, and Providence’s own CR The Beast and Chachi. DL link under the cut!

Benz And A Backpack Presents…Mixtape Monday – Vol. 21 by BenzAndABackpack

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Genius comes in many forms; Einstein was a scientist, Picasso was a painter, and Mozart was a musician.  Never in my life, though, did I think I would witness genius in the form of a funny dressing Canadian journalist named Nardwuar.  His specialty is interviewing people, and he has set the bar really fucking high.

The sad truth is that most interviews are promotional stunts.  Celebrities rarely sit down for them unless they have something to push (think MTV, Colbert) and interviewers rarely push them any farther.  Nardwuar completely flips the script, taking his subjects on a stroll down memory lane by whipping out ancient vinyls and rare toys.  His research is impeccable; actually, its kinda unreal. He makes rappers like Ice-T, Nas, and Snoop Dogg look like little kids on Christmas morning as he piles their hands high with relics form their pasts.  The first Nardwuar interview I saw was with Pharrell, and makes a good entry point for people to see him in action.

Carl Sagan’s Music of the Cosmos? Mork from Ork? Rump Shaker?  Nardwuar bypasses the bullshit and gives us a chance to discover the obscure yet fundamental influences that created N.E.R.D. He is an idiot savant in every sense of the word.

I highly encourage you to check out Nardwar’s homepage and explore his interviews with other musicians and celebrities.  Definitely go for Nas, Busta Rhymes, or one of the many Snoop Dogg interviews he has done.  Me, Dizzy, and the boy ACB spent a couple hours the other night going through a bunch of them.  An educational experience to say the least.

Walk a mile in Pharrell’s childhood shoes and hit the skip for Carl Sagan’s Music of the Cosmos and the video for Rump Shaker, the first song he ever produced.

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The art of the hook is one of the most unappreciated crafts in hip hop.  While we can spend hours debating lyrics, rhyme structures, and punchlines, the first thing to catch our attention and the last thing to linger in our brains will always be the chorus.  In the mainstream world, hooks make or break singles.  If Lloyd didn’t help Young Money out on “Bedrock”, I doubt the song would have had anywhere near the same amount of success.  In the underground hip-hop world, hooks can still make songs more enjoyable, but will always be less appreciated than the ones on “radio” songs.  The “screw a hook” mentality is one championed by rappers and fans who prefer lyrical dexterity over poppy melodies.  To be honest, though, some hooks are just too tight.

A strong hook can do a lot for a song.  If it is catchy enough, it can push a song beyond its normal circle of listeners.  “Bedrock” is the perfect example.  One time I started playing it at the radio station I work at and the alt-rock music director immediately complained that the song would be stuck in her head all day.  I told her I was sorry (I really was) and immediately changed the song.

In my opinion, though, hooks are actually more important on underground rap songs.  For me, it comes from my desire for underground rappers to garner more attention for themselves.  A catchy hook could help a smart, talented rapper like Tonedeff or Emilio Rojas appeal to fans outside of their loyal supporters.  The more rappers there are in the collective mainstream consciousness, the more competitive and dynamic the game becomes.

While some rappers might avoid hooks, there are some that thrive writing and singing them.  These rappers/singers might be able to hold their own on a verse, but their melodic voices are perfect for filling a chorus.  A couple of guys have even managed to make careers out of this musical niche.

Before you hit the skip for the list of the top 5 hook rappers, check out this appropriately themed Murphy Lee throwback.

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I don’t want to get into anymore arguments about sampling. I don’t want to hear about how it violates some arbitrary sense of integrity. And I DEFINITELY don’t want to hear about how it discourages creativity. This, right here, is some genius-type shit. Did anyone have any clue that “On To The Next One” was built on a Justice sample? Hell no you did not. Watch this:

That is nuts, and you know it. The essence of sampling: one great creative work inspiring another. Are you surprised that Pharrell and Q-Tip put Swizzy on to “D.A.N.C.E.”? Great minds inspired by great music inspiring each other. DO NOT argue with me about sampling anymore. DO NOT try to stifle great minds. Hit the jump to see Mr. Keys recap how the whole process went down.
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Hit the skip for the tracklist (with some download links!).
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They’re inseparable. Tied too closely to be distinguished. You think of a rapper, and there’s always a brand behind them:

Kanye < --> Absolut
Swizzy < --> Henny Black
Ross < --> 1800 Tequila
Jay-Z < --> Ace of Spades (formerly Cristal…).

Here’s an excerpt from Denise Herd’s ‘Changes in the prevalence of alcohol use in rap song lyrics, 1979–97,’ sent by the boy seanermc:

“From 1979 to 1997, songs with references to alcohol increased fivefold (from 8 to 44%); those exhibiting positive attitudes rose from 43% to 73%; and brand name mentions increased from 46% to 71%. There were also significant increases in songs mentioning champagne and liquor (mainly expensive brand names) when comparing songs released after 1994 with those from previous years. In addition, there were significant increases in references to alcohol to signify glamor and wealth, and using alcohol with drugs and for recreational purposes. The findings also showed that alcohol use in rap music was much more likely to result in positive than negative consequences.

Many of these findings are consistent with the idea that rap music has been profoundly affected by commercial forces and the marketing of alcoholic beverages.”

With the line between the alcohol industry and hip hop blurred beyond recognition, we wanted to break down the best and most memorable songs that induce (recreational) drinking. Gettin’ nice with a bottle and an L is universal, west to east, south to north. So for this edition of Throwback Thursday, we’ll focus on the liquid side (and amend our definition of ‘throwback’ to mean ‘two or more years ago’). Hit the skip to hear Xzibit, watch Busta, and see Eminem’s take on Tupac. Check the next edition of TT so you can witness Benz and a Backpack go green.

Tuffest Man Alive – 1987
Fila Fresh Crew – Drink It Up
The Fila Fresh Crew benefited from their relationship with Dr. Dre, because later in 1987 after Tuffest Man Alive was released four tracks, including Drink It Up (which samples The Beatles’ Twist and Shout), were put on NWA’s NWA and the Posse.

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Apocalypse 91… The Enemy Strikes Back – October 3rd, 1991
Public Enemy – 1 Million Bottlebags
Funny how bottlebags kinda sounds like bodybags.
“They drink it thinkin’ its good / but they don’t sell the shit in the white neighborhood”

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Ruff Life – July 14th, 1992
Brothers Uv Da Blakmarket – Livin’ In Da Bottle
A backpack track to the fullest, Brothers Uv Da Blakmarket made a small impression on the hip hop world in the early 90’s. ‘I need a drink / so I can think’

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Doggystyle – November 23rd, 1993
Snoop Dogg – Gin and Juice
‘Snoop Doggy Dog, you need a Jobby Job’

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