Snoop Lion?

During the late summer of 2012 Snoop introduced a new stage name, Snoop Lion. He tells the story that when he was in Jamaica working on a new album that he went  to meet with Jamaicans and was rechristened Snoop Lion by a Rastafarian priest. Snoop then declared himself the reincarnation of Bob Marley who passed away in 1981, but Snoop was born in 1971, so the jury is still out on that part of the story.  He says the reason was partially due to not liking the violence in hip hop, and wanting provide the world light.

The album starts off with a track called “Rebel Way” which starts off with a monologue that may explain the Dogg Father’s transformation into Snoop Lion. “There’s so much death, there’s so much destruction, there’s so much mayhem, and there’s so much misunderstanding in music. We’re losing so many great musicians and we don’t love them while they’re here. And I want to be loved while I’m here, and the only way to get love is to give love,”  a very touching monologue which really is the mission statement behind Reincarnation. The song itself is a solid track consisting of well thought out lyrics and a steady back beat which carries the song.

When you think you’re getting into the record and believing the whole reggae thing the second track, “Here Comes The King” kicks in and you hear one of the most annoying things and that is the Major-Lazer tag. This ruined the song for me as it didn’t make the song feel like an authentic reggae track. The next track that comes up, “Lighters Up” makes up for it. It’s a great track that talks about unity and getting high together.

One of the best songs on the album is entitled “So Long.” It’s a strong track with a solid beat, but it doesn’t stray much from the traditional reggae sound which makes the track perfect. The song also has very good lyrics that are very potent and deserve the listener’s ears and undivided attention. Another track that is very lyrically strong is the sixth track “No Guns Allowed” which is a relevant song with all the violence in our world today. The lyrics of the track feature many interesting lines like the first verse which states “Money makes a man, and that’s a crime/If we all were rich we’d spend more time/With our daughters and sons their losing their minds.” This is a very touching lyric considering the events of last December at Sandy Hook Elementary School and all the other violence that happens on the streets.  The song also features Snoop’s daughter, Cori B, harmonizing nicely throughout. It also features a great verse from Drake.

The next song that is definitely worth a listen is Snoop’s collaboration with Miley Cyrus, “Ashtrays and Heartbreaks.” This song is great especially Snoop’s verse, but what carries the song is Cyrus’ slightly processed voice.

Overall I think this album has some great cuts. I think this change to Snoop Lion will be a good thing for everyone’s favorite from Long Beach.

-B. Harlow

My Take on Brad Paisley’s “Accidentally Racist”

First of all I’d like to state that I feel music should have a message. I would also like to state that I like music that has a political message, but to me Brad Paisley’s “Accidentally Racist” ft. L.L. Cool J. makes a very akward statement. At first I thought this was comedy, but then I thought that it was probably a publicity stunt to promote Paisley’s new album, Wheelhouse which came out yesterday.

Here’s an honest review of the song. It’s a flop. It’s a terrible attempt at a political song based on history. The lyrics of the song are tacky.  “To the man that waited on me at the Starbucks down on Main, I hope you understand / When I put on that t-shirt, the only thing I meant to say is I’m a Skynyrd fan.”  Come on Paisley. What is that? Pure shit. LL Cool J’s lyrics aren’t any better like when he says  “RIP Robert E. Lee but I’ve gotta thank Abraham Lincoln for freeing me, know what I mean.” Another verse that is all together strange.

All in all a weird song.

Country Fresh: Yelawolf Releases New Mix-Tape, ‘Trunk Muzik Returns’

Yelawolf, hit my radar about two years ago after he re-released the mix-tape Trunk Muzik 0-60 with a few additional tracks. I loved that EP and have played it over and over. The tunes on that EP are tight, and the grooves are infectious, and show the unique styling of the Gagsden, Alabama based rapper. Since the release of Trunk Muzik 0-60, Yelawolf has been keeping a busy schedule including recording a full length for a major label, promoting his music through live performances, and releasing another mix-tape this summer called Heart of Dixie. Last week Yelawolf kept his busy pace up by releasing a new mix-tape entitled Trunk Muzik Returns.

The mix-tape starts off with the track “Firestarter.” Just from the title you’d think this would be a fast track, but to my surprise it’s a slower song which is emphasized by the lyrics telling you to relax. Next up on the mix-tape is the track, “Way Out.” “Way Out” is a good track that starts off with a synth part that is followed by a verse by Yelawolf that has a very space like feel. Then the beat drops in and Yelawolf comes in with a verse that is tighter than the first verse.

“F.A.S.T. Ride” is the third song on the E.P., and is one of the tightest songs on the mix-tape. Yelawolf shows off his excellent flow on this song especially on the verses. This song is a real return for Yelawolf especially when it comes to the tight rhymes. “Box Chevy Part 4” is also another return to form for Yelawolf, as we know his favorite thing to do is riding around in his Chevy and rapping about his Chevy. Musically the track is different from anything I’ve heard anywhere, There’s a part that’s very trance like that I enjoyed. Yelawolf also shows his singing pipes off on this song, and he can sing.

“Hustle” is the next track and it features Texas’ finest rapper, Paul Wall. Wall starts the song, and gives the listener a good verse, but then Yelawolf comes in and delivers his signature fast paced southern rhymes. “Catfish Billy” is the next track on the mix-tape, and it’s an odd track that starts with a conversation, but then it tells the story of Catfish Billy one of Yelawolf’s aliases. The next song that really caught my attention was called “Fame,” and it has a very slow and etheral feel at the beginning, but Yelawolf then comes in with a verse that brings the song up a notch. “Tenesse Love” finishes off the mix-tape, and is another one of my favorite tracks. Yelawolf’s narrative voice is very strong on this very mellow track. Yelawolf shows his singing voice off on this track too, and it sounds awesome especially mixed with the very country influenced pedal steel guitar.

I loved Radioactive, but I have to say that I am even more impressed with this mix-tape. Check it out, I don’t think you’ll be sorry, especially if you’re a hip-hop fan. And it’s free so what can you loose?

-B. Harlow

Download and/or listen to Trunk Muzik Returns  HERE

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis: Hip-Hop’s Dynamic Duo

Who exactly are Macklemore and Ryan Lewis? Well for starters, they’re one of the fastest growing musical collaborations in the business, and have one of the most popular hip-hop tracks of last year. Macklemore (Ben Haggerty) has been independently producing music since 2000 where he gained a large online fan base -like so many other unsigned hip-hop artists of recent memory. Ryan Lewis came into the picture shortly after 2005’s Language of My World had been released. The two formed a collaboration in 2008 where Macklemore raps, and Lewis conceives the instrumentals, album covers, and directs the music videos.

But why the sudden success? How did they go from their independent roots to international fame seemingly overnight? Quite frankly, the intensely popular single “Thrift Shop” is what brought them to stardom. With the single’s catchy beat, amusing lyrics, and zany hook, it managed to sell over 2.2 million copies. The single topped out at the number 1 spot of the Billboard Hot 100 list, and was soon followed by the duo’s debut studio album The Heist, which claimed possession of the US Itunes number 1 album slot just a few short hours after it’s release. The album focuses on a variety of things such as political issues, personal problems, and the duo’s journey to the fame they have now. Macklemore and Ryan Lewis really hit the nail on the head with this debut album. However, without the hugely successful “Thrift Shop” to pave the way, their sudden rise to fame would have gone a lot slower. I see a very bright future for the two as one of the next big hip-hop artists.

-P. Lyons

Yelawolf Preps New Free Album and Releases New Track, “Way Out”

Yelawolf is by far one of the best rappers in the game right now and has the work ethic to show he’s worth all the attention. Yesterday, Yelawolf release a new track that will be featured on his upcoming Free Album, Trunk Muzik Returns. The song is called “Way Out” and it has all the key features of a Yelawolf song especially when it comes to Alabama, Chevys, and Jim Beam.

“Way Out” is a good track theat starts off with a synth part that is followed by a verse by Yelawolf that has a very space like feel. Then the beat comes in and Yelawolf comes in with a verse that is tighter then the first verse. Then the chorus comes in, and this is not a sing a long chorus like “Lets Roll,” but something off Heart of Dixie.

Be sure to check out “Way Out” and download Trunk Muzik Returns when it is released on March 14^th.

-B. Harlow

Yelawolf and Travis Barker’s Monster of a Collaboration, ‘Psycho White’

If you were to get a copy of Travis Barkey and Yelawolf’s new EP that comes out today, you’d understand how the pair got the title of the EP, Psycho White. From that moment you put on the record on you understand why Newport said that the EP was “Man, that’s some psycho white boy shit.” Psycho White, is an odd mix of music, but to the seasoned hip hop listener you’ll see that the combination works.

Psycho White starts off with the track “Push ‘Em.”  Push ‘Em’” is a good track, to keep up with Barker’s fast paced rhythms, Yelawolf lays down a tight performance, and spits with authority on subjects including cars, boozing, and raging. The song also features appearances from Skinhead Rob and Tim Armstrong. Tim Armstrong also makes an appearance on the second track, which also happens to be my favorite on the EP, “6 Feet Undergound.” This track is a great song that starts off with a creepy hook, but what makes the song is Yelawolf’s great reggae inspired verses. It seems as if though Yelawolf is trying to move into other areas, and by doing this shows us his vast influences. The next track on Psycho White is the track, “Funky Shit.” Now this song sounds like it could have been off Yelawolf’s Trunk Muzik. It has that dirty southern feel that Yelawolf is famous for. Barker’s drums mix well with the slow electronic beat.

“Whistle Dixie” is the second video single off the EP, and this song is by far the second best on the collection. It features a whistled part that is looped throughout the song, but what I enjoyed the most is the odd production techniques that make it sound as if Yelawolf and Barker’s drums were all the way back in the mix. The final track on the EP is called “Directors Cut,” and this is a great conclusions, and shows Yelawolfs excellent storytelling abilities in his lyrics.

If you like Hip-Hop and Rap that is unconventional then Psycho White   is perfect for you. Go check out this awesome collaboration between Yelawolf and Travis Barker.

-B. Harlow

 

Gambino Is A Mastermind: Rapper Childish Gambino Hits UCONN 10/25/12

I had never heard of the rapper Childish Gambino up until about two months ago. But, after hearing only a few songs, I could tell he was more talented than your average rapper. As I listened to his album, Camp in closer detail, I also came to notice that he wasn’t just talented in his rapping style but also in his lyrics. Childish Gambino, also known as Donald Glover, is a writer, comedian and actor in addition to being a rapper. He has appeared on and written for shows such as 30 Rock, Community, and Parks and Recreation. Evidently, Donald Glover has some pretty impressive writing skills. His rhymes are so unbelievably clever and it’s almost impossible to not be jealous of this quadruple threat.

At the University of Connecticut, the concert committee on campus, SUBOG, announced in late September that the performer for the fall concert would be Childish Gambino. Every single floor seat for the concert sold out in under 3 hours. I was so unbelievably excited to see him live after hearing how incredible he is in person. It is safe to say that Childish Gambino did not disappoint.

A rapper named XV started the show off and really got the entire crowd hyped up. He engaged the audience immediately and interacted with everyone during each song. XV definitely had a lot of stage presence and was rather reminiscent of Kid Cudi at times with his quirky beats and unconventional writing style. I highly recommend checking out his newest EP called Awesome EP!, which features Pusha- T on the title track.

As soon as XV left the stage, everyone started chanting, “GAM-BI-NO!”. Then, the lights dimmed and the crowd went absolutely insane. Gambino took center stage surrounded by his band. I have been to many rap concerts before. Most recently was the “Watch the Throne” tour with Kanye West and Jay-Z, but I had never seen a band play with a rapper before. Gambino’s band consisted of a drummer, violinist, pianist, guitarist, and a very skilled bassist. This element truly brought a unique feel to his set. Childish Gambino rapped his most famous songs including “Bonfire,” “Fire Fly,” “You See Me,” “Heartbeat,” and “Freaks and Geeks” to name a few. He also played a handful of new songs that everyone went crazy for. Childish Gambino is a performer and an incredible one at that. My personal favorite part of the show was when he went a cappella and started freestyling. I would definitely recommend checking out all of Childish Gambino’s albums, EPs, and mix-tapes  including his album Camp and his latest mix-tape, Royalty.

Brilliant and talented rappers are hard to come by nowadays, but Childish Gambino is definitely only going to start receiving more recognition and acclaim as his fan base expands. No one quite says it better than Gambino himself in “Bonfire” when he asks the age-old question: “Why does every black actor gotta rap some?” to which he responds, “I don’t know, all I know is I’m the best one.” Childish Gambino is the shit. No humblebrag.

-B. Greenberg

Becca Greenberg is a freshman at the University of Connecticut studying Human Rights and Political Science. She is an actress and singer/songwriter from New York City. She is a big country music fan but loves rap, classic rock, and indie.

Struggle’s Hybrid of Hip-Hop and Country

Nashville based rapper Struggle has been playing the underground hip-hop circuit since the early 2000’s. Only recently however has he received national attention with his flawless mix of hip-hop and country, “Outlaw Shit.” The interesting thing about the track is that the chorus is sampled from the Waylon Jennings song of the same name. Jennings also happens to be Struggle’s maternal grandfather and famed guitarist Duanne Eddy is also his other grandfather. Struggle’s grandmother is female country singer, Jessi Colter.

To me Country and Hip-Hop are on opposite sides of the spectrum, but on further examination the things the Jennings, David Allan Coe, and Willie Nelson sang about, are the same things that many modern rappers rap about. Subjects such as family, love, violence, hard times, and good times are shared throughout both genres, so it would be no surprise that in the future we may see a very potent mixture of the two. That’s what Struggle attempts in this song, and by all measures he succeeded.

The song starts off with a verse by Struggle which is very deep about the struggles of his life. Then the chorus kicks in with the sample of Waylon Jennings’ classic song. The next verse talks about his hustling lifestyle, and again the Waylon’s verse comes in. Yelawolf is up next and he sings his verse in a very smooth manor, and again Waylon’s chorus comes in, and ends the song.

-B. Harlow

Yelawolf’s New Mixtape, ‘Heart Of Dixie’

Alabama Rapper, Yelawolf has seen his world change in the last couple years, especially after getting signed to Shady/ Interscope records. Even though recently Yelawolf has expressed some hostility towards Interscope records and their ability to release and promote singles. But even with that frustration he’s back with another mix-tape, Heart of Dixie.

Heart of Dixie is a great mix-tape, and is a return for Yelawolf to his Trunk Muzik  sound which is completely different from the overly produced mainstream debut, Radioactive. I mean Radioactive had some great cuts, but Yelawolf’s stripped down dirty southern sound was what drew many of his early fans. It turns out DJ Frank White hosted and M16 produced project is a sample of what’s to come on Yelawolf’s forthcoming album Trunk Muzik Returns.

There are some great tracks on this 10 track mix-tape. The first track, “Howdy” is a great track with many in depth lyrics that make the listener think. What particularly stuck out was the line, “Passionate like a political poet in an artist lounge. /Hungry like a poor daddy with a gun and a starving child.” Another great track that stuck out was the second song on the mixtape, “Let Me Out” which stylistically is a real return to form for Yelawolf. Another stand out track was the eighth track, “Out My Face” which features Rittz and Shawty Fat. I particularly enjoy Rittz’s verse, but also enjoy Yelawolf’s verse about Tyler the Creator. In my opinion the best track on the album is “Father’s Day” which is an ode to fathers and the struggles of being a father and an artist.

I loved Radioactive, but I have to say that I am even more impressed with this mix-tape. Check it out I don’t think you’ll be sorry especially if you’re a hip-hop fan.

-B. Harlow

Check Out The Mix-Tape HERE

Childish Gambino Makes Boston Bounce

On Thursday, June 21^st, actor/comedian/music artist Donald Glover performed under his rap stage name, Childish Gambino, at the Bank of America Pavilion in Boston.

Roughly fifteen minutes after opener Danny Brown’s set finished, Childish Gambino took the stage to the entire Pavilion crowd standing and cheering at the top of their lungs.  Mr. Glover responded to his audience’s energy with a great force of his own energetic power.

From the moment he stepped onto the stage, Gambino made known that he was not the slightest bit fond of the fact that the venue set chairs up on the floor.  He told the fans to forget about the seats and “bounce” anyway.  His sheer energy and phenomenal stage presence definitely rubbed off on the crowd.  Everyone bounced, jumped, and sang every lyric right back to the rapper.

Overall, this was a fantastic show.  This extremely talented individual blasted out fan favorites, one after another, in addition to including a few new songs, a remix to Tyga’s “Rack City,” and the grand finale, “Lights Turned On.”  The last song of the show was just as crazy as, if not crazier than, the entire hour-and-a-half-long set, between the response from the fans and the performer’s ongoing energy.  By this time, Glover had brought out one of his rapper buddies along with his backing band, who had been there from the beginning.

Despite the Pavilion being a slightly larger and less intimate venue than what Childish Gambino is used to, he found a way to still make this a special concert for his Boston fans.  From personalizing many of his lyrics to fit his current location to directly interacting with the audience, he proved to be a flawless performer.

-By Tim Shaw